Roasted sienna skin and a head of varicolored plumage that flowed more like a man contrasted starkly with The Flitz’s muted decor. With a pair of fashionable, tinted glasses crowning their tattooed visage and a glass of Vornskr’s Kiss in their hand, they sauntered into the room with an aura better fit for a night of clubbing than a mission–especially one as serious as this one. But the way they looked at, they might as well enjoy themselves before facing whatever druk Scimitar and his goons would inevitably throw at them.

Savi lifted a hand to pull their glasses down the bridge of their nose just enough to regard Anders with a probing, if not suggestive look.

“Inquisitor,” they said simply before averting their gaze and taking a long sip of their drink.

They had arrived at the Envoy-sponsored hotel a few hours prior, plenty of time to sample the amenities in all its forms. A bit stuffy for their tastes, but not so bad to deter them from coming back when they had more time to really enjoy themselves.

The shani femme leaned against the nearest table and took their time finishing the rest of their spirit, passing the empty glass off to a cleaning droid once the last of its sweet alcohol passed through their onyx-painted lips.

They had arrived the day before to avoid extra exhaustion. Normally, the two of them would enjoy the sights, get some food, and spend time together but that was not the case. It ended up being another restless night for the pair. It was good they came here the night before to avoid some extreme lag but it didn’t help with Sofila’s nerves, just knowing they were going on another mission regarding Scimitar.

There was some gap and silence between them as they rode the elevator up to the meeting room. She brought up a paper cup filled with caf to her lips. The long way up seemed to stretch forever and her eyes remained on the door as she stayed quiet. The lift karking finally start to slow down as the door opened to the large oval room. Sofila completely ignored Anders and smiled as she saw BUDD-E on the table while stepping off.

“Hiya little droid!”

Cole was more polite toward Anders, offering him and Savran beside a nod.

“High Inquisitor. Savi.”

The Human was in his marine armour, weapons in place on his back and various tools and mostly grenades tucked into accessible bags on the belt.

A subtle grin crept on their features upon seeing Anders’ reaction. Of course, they knew his official title, but they took the same mordant curiosity in watching how he reacted to their little barbs that they did with another brooding man they knew.

“Savran is fine, High Inquisitor.”

When the protocal droid approached them, they turned and plucked one of the cups off of the tray it was carrying. “Don’t mind if I do.”

Once Cole and Sofila arrived, Savi lifted their cup to greet them. “About time you two got here.”

Sofila gasped but managed to capture the droid without spilling her coffee.

“Whoa there big guy.” Sofila chuckled as she made her way to the table and sat down. She set the cup on the table and gave BUDD-E a big ol’ hug.

“Hiya Savi.” Sofila said but not meeting with their eyes as she seemed to be focused on BUDD-E. Then she grimaced at the loudness of the droid.

“Can you.. turn down your volume, a bit?”

“What a waste of good jawa juice,” they said, sipping their own while watching smoke waft off of the droid’s circuits.

Cole nodded but didn’t reply verbally, remaining quiet as the droid was short circuited and Savran did as they usually did. A tension was in his shoulders but he kept his eyes forward and noted that particular skill of Anders’.

He took a seat beside Savran, placing some distance between him and the smoking wiring before glancing over to Sofila.

“Sof?”

Sofila flinched at the lightning and her eyes shot over to Anders. The first eye contact since she entered.

Anders.

And there was so much anger behind her eyes from him using karking lightning like it was no big deal. Would he too, throw someone out- he was such a kriffing- She stopped herself at hearing Cole’s voice. She had to forcibly to look away from the Sith. Her eyes went over to Cole for a moment and he was … doing okay. He looked like it. She gave him a brief reassuring nod.

“I’m fine.” Her tone was curt.

Her jaw tightened while she said nothing and her arms wrapped around BUDD-E rather protectively.

A black cloak dragged along the floor as Hector Von Ricmore entered the room, just in time to witness the electrocution of the droid. A sense of mirth bubbled up within him. His rival was the same as ever. Making his way forward he addressed Anders. “Still up to your usual tricks High Inquisitor?”

The Kiffar raised his hands in mock surrender. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves here. I’m sure you have something valuable to say as always.”

Soon after Hector arrived, the elevator doors opened again to reveal the large form of a woman covered head to toe in black and burgundy armor. To the naked eye the only weapon she had was the sword very obviously residing beside her jetpack, but of course she had a few other tricks on her arms for more situations.

Ellisyn’s footsteps were intentionally quiet as she strode across the room to the table, her wild mane of black and wine colored hair flowed wildly behind her. She hated being noisy when she didn’t have to be. The lawyer strode towards a spot relatively near Sofila but not beside her or anything like that. She was still unsure if they still had a friendship after so long without contact, but of course she hoped.

Gloved hands reached for her helmet and with a hiss, Elly pulled it off of her head to reveal her striking visage. She eyed all of the people gathered, and to the singed droid. Seems they had already started the party.

Sofila sighed as Hector entered. Right. It reminded her that there was some kriffing tension among the team. Zxyl, Hector, and Titius the most. And it seemed that Anders and Hector had some disagreement.

Who can blame Hector?

Anders was a-

Then another followed, distracting the Mirialan. Sofila perked up at seeing Elly. “Elly! hi- where- hey!” She patted to the seat by her that wasn’t taken yet.

Elly smiled. It seemed all that preparation to be ignored by Sofila would be going to waste, and she couldn’t be happier about it. She moved over to her and pulled the seat out to sit beside her. “Long time no see, Sofila.”

The lift ascended once more and with it incoherent yelling as it occupant had a meltdown. Arriving with its cheerful ping, the doors opened on a very irate Titius smashing a datapad on the handrail. “Why. Wont. You. Re. Cog. Nize. My. CYLINDER! KAAAAAARK!” An accompanying KX droid raised their hand intoning “Perhaps you should separate yourself from stressors. We’ve arrived!” Titius paused in thought before stepping off the lift, over to the window pulling a very ornate dagger, smashing a hole in said window and heaving the datapad out. With a sigh, Titius smirked. “Youre right, K9, that does feel cathartic.”

“MASTER TI…TI…TITIUS…WELCOME BACK TO THE FLIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII…” Titius looked down to see the smoking heap of droid called H-3LP as it stuttered. “GAH, SHUT UP!” Reaching down, Titius grabbed hold of the droid carcass and heaved it towards the window he previously voided. Seating the pile on the frame rail, he gave H-3LP a judicious kick over into the abyss.

The room was quieted by the spectacle if only for a moment. “Now wheres the caf?”

“Have you figured out how to work the caf machine, yet?” asked Savi in a teasing voice, seemingly unperturbed by the man’s dramatic outburst.

Their slitted eyes settled on both Hector and Ellisyn, whom they greeted with a wave before turning their attention to Cole.

“I lost my Relby on a mission the other day,” they commented, sounding more than a little sour about it. “Had to make a last-minute purchase and the only thing readily available was a TL-50 Heavy Repeater. Can you believe it? An Imperial weapon is already bad enough, but that one was one of their worst designs. I had a Trandoshan Doubler installed on it, though, so that should help with the firepower issue.”

<@432543120635461643>

“One of them is still alive if I recall.” Titius had found the caf machine and proceeded to make the cleanest caf beverage of the group. The leaves on the foam were exquisite as they were delicate .

“How have you be-” She stopped when Titius made his apperance as she glared at them. What was with people being so karking loud-

Sofila pouted as BUDD-E leapt out of her arms and went onto the table as she sighed softly. Anders wanted to move the meeting forward as she knew she can rely on Cole to remember the meeting to help the others catch up when they arrive.

Anders asked who remembers the artifact as Sofila’s jaw tightened while Titius spoke that one of them was still alive. Her chest stung for a moment at remembering the burning sharp pain slid into her heart.

Then the anger and annoyance from her comrades when she grabbed the lightsaber.

“Dagger and lightsaber,” Sofila murmured.

Cole had grimaced at Savran’s loss, losing a weapon was often annoying but to end up with something that bad after it was just a kick in the teeth. “That’s a downgrade. The doubler is good but doesn’t it-”

Anders began speaking and he stopped, settling in to observe.

Savi did the same, folding their arms across their chest and nodding in silent approval of Sofila’s answer.

The door slid open revealing a petite Togruta, who looked rather annoyed. The sleek black vornskr beside her had a similar look to his master. She took up a spot close enough to hear, nodding to those who acknowledged her entrance.

The Elder glanced at him and pinched her nose. “No, I didn’t get lost. But it would’ve been nice if the droids in this place didn’t constantly harass me about Zuska.” The vornskr sat down beside her leg and huffed, as if in agreement.

“If anything, I would’ve been early if not on time. I almost crushed a few of those droids. However that is neither there nor here. I’m here now, let’s start,” she sighed and waved her, settling herself down a bit. Slightly under her breath, “Before I decide to actually crush those droids and their maker.” A slight growl from Zuska confirmed he felt the same, as she pattedonthe head and they both turned their attention to Anders.

Sofila turned and grinned at seeing Tahiri before giving a little wave. Then her hand went underneath the table and patted her leg very silently that Zuska’s ears would easily picked up on it.

The stealthy and silent vornskr went under the table and was right by her hand as Sofila was happily giving him scratches and pets. She had to refrain not to talk to him and distract the meeting.

Tahiri couldn’t help smiling upon seeing Sofila’s smile and her wave. The Togruta nodded, smiling her signature bright smile, feeling a bit better now that she was in company she knew, watching as Zuska slipped over to Sofila.

“I do have something to share. There has been a development since last we met. While that bitch from the Children had blinded my sight it has recently been restored to me.” Hector stated while thinking of his pact with the Nightsister. “I ask for a minute after the briefing to attempt to view our future. Forewarned is forearmed.”

Titius snorted. “I’d sooner take my chances with an armorless mandalorian than follow that line of prediction.”

The gravitas of his statement was slightly lessened by the foam moustache he had aquired.

“Is the nearby village occupied? If it is, we may need to be aware that they could both be innocent or a threat moving forward. Which also brings into question what the defences are like? It’s unlikely for the artefact to be left there without any supervision.”

Cole asked, a cool consistent tone that didn’t belay any concerns, simply a straightforward dive into information.

Sofila’s head snapped to Anders as she stopped petting Zosuka. It was obvious she recognized the name.

“Kerissa? You karking sent her in alone?!” Sofila asked in disbelief before looking over to Savi.

“Do we have any ships or orbital assets in the area? I’ve brought a targeting beacon with me. Should the village have fallen to Scimitar’s evil, we can obliterate it from orbit.” Hector stated. Orbital bombardment was a grim step, but to save the lives of the planet and his companions a village would be worth sacrificing.

Tahiri raised an eyebrow, as the tone in the Mirialan’s voice made it evident that this was someone she knew well, or at least knew of. Noticing how Sofila then looked to Savi, the Togruta felt a small growing pit in her stomach. Somehow she had a feeling that this secondary goal was going to be adjacent to the primary goal that they were all gathered for.

“Was there any other recon info that the scouts were able to glean from the area surrounding the derelict mansion? Booby traps, cultist, anything that would be of use to us?” Tahiri decided that it if she could get what info they needed, then the briefing would be over quickly. Please Sof, let’s not have an outburst, again.

“Also, did Zxyl discover anything else, along with the location?” Tahiri had prided herself on at least keeping up-to-date on everything happening, making sure to read every report concerning this expedition. Though her eyes darted around the room for a moment realizing that a familiar hulking figure wasn’t present, Where is Zxyl? I hope he is alright.

Savi felt themselves tense when Anders mentioned Kerissa, prompting them to shift in their seat in the hopes of relieving their discomfort, to no avail. This foolish woman. Why had she bothered to tell Savi about her situation only to go and try to fix it on her own? That made two people close to her who’d chosen to make rash decisions that ultimately put their lives in danger.

Their eyes darted up to Anders, narrowing. Despite his insistence that Kerissa’s rescue was a lower priority than the artifact’s destruction, it was paramount to them. And should anything happen to her, then his name would undoubtedly fall on a long list of people who would pay, one way or another, for any harm that came to their friend.

Minimal intel. That was unfortunate. The name rang a bell to Cole but it wasn’t until Sofila’s snap, ans the shift of Savran that he realised who was being spoken about. The woman whod accompanied Savran to the Halloween festival. Right.

Kark.

“If she was scouting we’ll likely find out what happened to her as we go. I doubt it’ll be out of our way to do so.” He spoke, trying to jump ahead of anyone getting angrier at Anders. His reaction wasn’t exactly diplomatic.

“As much as an orbital barrage would be fun to watch, this may require a personal touch. Give me a transport of barradium and two cycles. Village, artifact and any opposition, up in flames.” Titius’ mug clinked loudly as he leaned against the service wall. “Turbolasers are accurate as a sharpshooter in a foggy night.”

The door slid open with a light woosh as the Regent of the Brotherhood appeared in the doorway, just as Anderson was finishing his smug response,

“Strength in strength, Inquisitor,” he stated flatly in the modulated voice produced by his helmet, the now-characteristic dark otherworldly echo mimicking his every word. The Mandalorian’s armor was dirty, caked dry in a mixture of mostly mud and a bit of blood. a small chunk fell from a fold in his body glove as he shifted his weight on his legs.

The General clearly hadn’t had time to clean up before the briefing, and opted to come as-is. During the time since he’d cracked the code to the final artifact, Bes'uliik had been busy pursuing every lead and hunting any Scimitar associates lurking within Brotherhood space as recompense for the destruction of the Brotherhood’s only Destroyer-repair-capable facility, Mattock Station. While the Regent of the Brotherhood already had a replacement plan in place pending approval of his superior, the Grand Master, he wasted no time in ensuring that those responsible for the predicament now facing the Brotherhood at large were paying the cost. Thousands of lives, billions of credits, gone in an instant by the station’s destruction. Even the thought of it enraged him, and he was in no mood for fun and games.

Zxyl eyed the gathered individuals - and even Anderson - carefully as he studied them from behind his mask. He remembered most of them from their previous mission to his homeworld, Dathomir, and what a wild ride that trip had been. They were a hardy if not odd bunch, to be sure, but they would get the job done.

“This endeavor with the being Scimitar has gotten personal not just for myself, but the entire Council. The effort you are putting forth is not going unnoticed.”

“That being said, however,” the Regent’s tone changed to be a little more firm, “The Council is now taking a direct interest in this endeavor in securing the final artifact. Archenskova and her Collegium in particular have taken an interest in studying it, and once it is firmly in our possession we will transport it directly to Horizon Station for further examination.”

“Never mind the fact that the entire point of the mission is to kill Scimitar. Which to do so, we have to destroy these items.” Cole responded sharply, watching the Regent carefully.

“If our effort was not going unnoticed, then surely the details of why we’re hunting these artefacts down would be known and understood. Not directly interfered with in a way that would make it impossible for us to even complete the mission.”

“Scimitar dies,” interjected Savran coldly. “That’s always been our mission. If the Collegium wishes to study it, they should have sent someone along to gather as much data on it as they could before we do what we have to do – destroy it.”

“I am aware. And while I want nothing more than to see that shell of a being finally join the afterlife after what he’s done, including to Dathomir,” the Regent turned his head ever so slightly in Cole’s direction with flicking his eyes over there for a moment before returning it to Anders, “The fact of the matter is our more… Philosophical compatriots want - or need - to understand how and why Scimitar was able to do what he did for a variety of reasons, chief being among them making sure the Brotherhood and its Seven Clans are prepared for any future threats.

He folded his arms. "I am here to ensure its safe transport, and prevent any… rogue action on the matter. Scimitar will die. It has been written.”

“That kind of evil should not be learned or studied even,” Sofila protested, her eyes glaring at the Regent. They cannot be serious.

Zxyl nodded twice slowly for a moment before cocking his head slightly on an angle, agreeing with the sentiment of Sofila’s words. “You would rather be defenseless to such a threat in the future? Lose another Kar…Ker… Whatever their name was to some other bad actor who means the Brotherhood - and all of us - harm?”

“How long would it be studied for before being destroyed. We’ve been led to believe they have to be destroyed for Scimitar to die. Information is important but leaving a knowm threat active is deadly.”

“Then destroy the artifacts instead of learning how it’s made! There isn’t another knowledge like this out there. Putting it out there would guarantee we would certainly have threats like this in the future. You guys had betrayal under your karking nose what makes you kriffing think that won’t hap-”

Cole immediately squeezed her arm for her to stop. She could feel her anger was rising. Her jaw was tight and she didn’t realize her hands were in fists and they were so tight her knuckles were turning white.

“Suns!” She glanced over to Anders for help. For him to tell him no.

“A few weeks? A mix of scientists and Elder sorcerers in the Collegium are looking for a secure and remote location to learn what they can, and then destroy it.” The Regent responded calmly to Cole.

His response to Sofila’s outburst was a glare from behind his helmet. He knew what the stakes were. What Scimitar had cost the Brotherhood already.

Cole glanced to Anders, for some reaction while maintaining his grip on Sofila.

The last thing they needed was the Council deciding Sofila was a liability.

“They want to study it because there are clearly parties interested in learning how to replicate the secrets of immortality. We are in the employ of Sith, after all.”

Savi pinched the bridge of their nose. “And can we please stop speaking about Kerissa like she’s dead. That hasn’t been confirmed yet.”

And Savi had plenty of reason to think that they’d keep her alive, but those reasons weren’t theirs to share nor would they ever consider doing so with this lot.

Sofila angrily scoffed. It was obvious she was not okay with all of this. But she crossed her arms and shrugged in defeat. Her body was still tensed.

She can only hope that the artifact couldn’t be securable and Zyxl would had no choice but to karking destroy it.

Kriffing Councils. They only want it for themselves.

“I’m always prepared for the worst,” they retorted before averting their gaze.

Hector Von Ricmore closed his eyes in concentration. He reached out, connecting to the Cosmic Force. Becoming one with the flow. Past. Present. Future yet to come.

It was dark. Hard to see clearly. Was something attempting to obscure his sight?

Pushing past any self inflicted or external blockages sweat beaded on his brow.

The darkness was replaced by a shifting of color. Orange and Amber burned across his retinas. The world around him burned. Smoke rose into the air, obscuring him from seeing further.

His eyes opened and he took a deep breath to steady himself.

“I suspect Scimitar has taken measures against Farsight.” Hector began. “But the attempt was not fruitless. I received a vision of intense amber and orange. And a consuming billowing smoke that obscured my sight. It could refer to a fire of sorts. Or be entirely unrelated. But the Force is always in motion and given the measures against scrying we should expect Scimitar to know we will be hunting his artifact.”

Sofila became quiet as she took in a deep breath and glanced over towards the photo. It looked like she was focusing on the picture but she was getting a general sense of the area.

Cole… well, he hasn’t changed. Despite it all. And it was one of the things she adores him for. She can rely on him with the stability that she needed in her life.

Elly, she was doing alright. Though the admiration towards Anders concerned her. Anders was a karking whiplash.

Hector started to speak and it was apparent that he had used Farsight as Sofila grimaced. She was never a fan of that. And here I am, using sense. Sofila had to refrain from rolling her eyes when he speak of the Force. She doesn’t like it but it was known she relies it heavily when she needed to.

As for Titius? Well he was bored. And wanted caf. Geez.

Then finally, one of the main reason for her to use sense, Zyxl. He wanted Scimitar dead and gone. Sofila had a big of a nagging feeling that he was under orders. She let out a sigh and ran her fingers through her curly purple hair and still looking at the photo of the mansion.

Amber and orange. Good ol’ fashioned Sith colors.

“That is to be expected” Her eyes glanced over to Hector, “We been going after him and this is the last artifact. Won’t surprise me if he’s pulling all the stops.”

“Let him,” declared the Regent, “He will fall either way.”

The Regent hadn’t said much. He mostly just wanted to get this show on the road, with no discernible intention of cleaning up his unique set of Mandalorian beskar armor before their departure. He was a man(do) on a mission, afterall, and he was determined for Scimitar to meet his end. Even if he would be forced to prolong it for a short while.

Zxyl spoke but she did not pay him any mind. Instead, she looked over to Savi. She could feel anger and frustration from them. Along with worry. That made sense. Sofila couldn’t give a hug right now, having being a bit further away.

“We’ll find Kerissa.”

<@1056685516441006091>

“Fire.” Cole repeated the word, slowly, quietly to himself. It was vague, and ominous though Cole doubted visions were ever usually anything but that.

He looked up, glancing from Hector, to the Regent and between others as they spoke, content to observe.

“Would you be willing to link your vessel to the targeting beacon? I wouldn’t put it past Scimitar to make use of something like a shield generator that we can’t bypass without enough force.” Hector inquired. It never hurt to keep an Ace in the hole.

“Fat chance. Expect damage given the giant hole in Ricmore’s U-Wing.”

“Which was stupid,” he eyed Hector and Titus from behind his helmet, “But funny nonetheless looking back on it.”

“It aint stupid it works, Regent.” The caf machine hissed as Titius prepared another round. “But you do have a point. You’ll get more credits out of a corpse in a slum. Its called assumed risk” The statement dripped ire.

“Let’s just go.” Sofila got up to leave. She doesn’t want to be here if they decide to turn it into pissing contest.

“Dont want another caf?” Titius was preparing a third, having guzzled the previous.

Tahiri had felt relief that the entire group was now here, though the secondary rescue mission was a bit worrisome. She has a feeling that at least three of the party would make sure Kerissa was taken care of first.

She listened quietly, calculating everything that was going on and the new development to the mission. Her annoyance was renewed at the Councils involvement in wanting to study the last artifact. She understood the why and want to study, her own Master sent her on missions constantly to collect artifacts, holocrons, and tomes for him to study.

The Elder glanced around at everyone before taking a deep breath, her determination rising as she cemented her goal to bring everyone back alive, including Kerissa, hopefully. There was a bit of grim dread as to Hector’s vision,, but Tahiri pushed that to the back of her mind. Fire could be interpreted in many different ways.

“I’ll follow in my ship,” she finally spoke up, patting her leg for Zuska. “Unless,do you’d allow my vornskr and varactyl on your ship, High Inquisitor?”

She cocked her head, Zuska imitating her action as they both looked at Anders, a bit surprised. Smiling her signature smile, and straightening up, confidently replying, “Of course, my pets are always on their best behavior. Thank you.”

“Well, if this is concluded, I need a new datapad.” Titius downed the last caf and headed for the lift, K9-C4 in tow.

The Mandalorian General shrugged. He uncrossed his arms, double checking his equipment and weapons subtly before following after Anderson. It had been a long time since he’d carried Rapture, his Amban, but for this mission it felt right. He could still rely on his vambrace, Rang'kad, or Duraanir for close range work if necessary, and who knows? Maybe disintegration would be a necessary evil this bout. You never really knew. The black rifle with a varnished wroshyr tree stock and silver-chrome forked-tips was mounted vertically to his heavy jetpack, clearly recently polished and not having accompanied General Bes'uliik on his most recent adventure.

Zxyl was curious how this mission was going to go, and those thoughts occupied his mind as he followed the Chiss Inquisitor. He had considered sending a proxy in his stead either by hiring Ilvicar or sucking up to Aisha to do him a solid, but after the instructions he’d received he felt it best to do it himself. The genetically-altered Dathomirian-Mandalorian realized there was a very real chance he’d end up fighting his compatriots if they refused to follow the will of the Council - the hands that ultimately fed them through the feudal system in place between said Council and the Seven Clans of the Brotherhood - and as such knew it shouldn’t be anyone else’s burden to bear. His alone. Everyone had a master, and the Regent was no different. Even with his armor and Force-sensitivity he was far from capable of physically standing against the sheriff and the sheriff’s deputy. No matter how much he wished to drive the quantum singularity from Duraanir through the final artifact once and for all, ending Scimitar, he’d grudgingly do what needed to be done.

Cole glanced back, making sure Sofila and Savran were close behind him before following the Regent out of the room.

There was a life on the line, an artefact in play and their enemy knew they were coming. This was going to be interesting but there was some relief in the potential for it being a fight and not a series of puzzles and rituals. He knew how to fight.

Savran wasn’t far behind them, keeping their hands in their pockets. The only thing they could bring themselves to think about as they prepared to venture to their destination was Kerissa. She’d mentioned needing to leave Selen for a few days, and they hadn’t thought anything of it at the time. But now, all they could wonder is why she didn’t ask them to come along. Did she not believe them when Savi told her that they’d do everything in their power to ensure she didn’t have to look over her shoulder anymore? Whatever the reason, she needed help, and Savi was going to fulfill their promise. They had to. They couldn’t lose her too.

Cole glanced over Draca. The young jedi was Anders apprentice, a strange oxymoron in comparison to the man in charge of him. Or.. in work with him?

Whatever their dynamic was. It was hard to discern without any prior interactions directly with Draca.

The Human had little tk say however, offering a simple nod from the back of the room as he adjusted the position of his scatter gun on his back so it could be easily brought to hand as well as the assault blaster. Hopefully these standard tools for an engagement would work. This time.

“A moment Cole. If you please.” Hector asked. “We’ve got quite a few contacts in the bounty hunter guild in Vizsla. And I’ve heard some tales of your marksmanship. I’ve got a firepuncher sniper I’d be happy to loan you. It would take some weight off my shoulders knowing our marksman can engage our enemies before they see us coming.”

Cole hesitated. It was odd, to think that anyone particularly knew his name but then Vizla was all about the credits in that way from what he’d heard.

Either way, a sniper rifle was a weapon he’d much rather be behind in a fight than up close and personal. Only one issue…

He slipped the Son-Blass blaster off of his shoulders, checking it to ensure it was clear before holding it out, “This has a lightweight frame, shouldn’t slow you down any but it will give you a good hit in. That-” He gestured toward the Firepuncher, “is a good weapon, I’d rather not lose your kist because i couldn’t holster it if a situation goes side ways.”

Which it would.

A Munificent-Class frigate sat between the cruiser and its destination. Imposing in its flowing black and silver nose, it reacted almost instantly to the ships arrival. Its sublights flared as it closed the distance while releasing a cloud of ships.

A comm request came through to the corvette. The deadpan robotic voice simply stated “Unknown vessel, by order of the Right Hand of Dread, this space is forbidden. You are ordered to leave or power down. Failure to comply will result in your destruction.”

Sofila glanced up when the door slid open and she saw the familiar Zabrak. Kriff. What was his name?

Draca. It took a bit but at least she was getting better about names. She watched him and heard his question, yet no one responded. She glanced over the team.

“Ready as we can be.” Sofila said truthfully. Two trails so far. They were difficult and had almost cost them all. The second one, they almost lost everyone that had to go through the kriffing trails.

Hers was the easiest and less of a risk. She shifted uncomfortably. Why was that? Was it because she took the trail first? It was said that it gets more difficult at each trail. Cole… Hector… Elly… Savi- even Savi kriffing died. Tahiri also escaped her trail physically unharmed but the fact that she had to slain Zxyl surely had put an imprint in her mind.

“Hm.” Sofila said softly to no one in particular.

She exhaled at the moment she heard Anders over the intercom. Her fingers brushed her hair into a tight bun as there was a soft hiss when she put on her helmet. Her heart pounded when the comm went through the corvette.

Kist.

“This vessel has not recieved authorization to bypass. You are ordered to power down and submit clearance codes. You will be fired upon. This is your final warning.” The group could see a wing of Vulture droid fighters encircling the corvette.

Rage rippled through Hector Von Ricmore. This was a mission authorized by the Exarch. A ship carrying official envoys. As a member of the Exarch staff and Magistrate to Clan Vizsla he was physically repulsed by such action. His yellow eyes turned red and the air began to chill around him.

Tahiri perked up from her meditation, and had smiled at the young Zabrak, even though she had unofficially met him. Draca seemed different from Anders, but very loyal and still learning. It reminded her a lot of how she was with her own late Master.

Nodding at him and then sighing at Sofila’s comment, “Aye, ready as we’ll ever be. Thank you Adept Zul.” Feeling the anger emanating from Hector, she sighed, getting up, “Karking hell, Tituis what are you doing?”

Hector thought about his Force vision. What appeared to be fires upon the planet. Was it meant to reference the destruction of their ship? The ship they now faced?

“You have chosen death. By the will of the Dread Lord through the might of his Right Hand, you are sentenced to deeaaaoooooh….” The sound of a droid powering down sounded through the comms, replaced by a more organic voice. “Vice-Chancellor, has it been so long since you truly fought a battle that you forgot all your protocols and signals? I doubt it. Verify your identity as I grant you one more chance.”

Hector stood from his seat and began making his way to the escape pods. Korvis face flashed in front of his eyes. He remembered the ship exploding around him, helpless to do anything. Not again. Never again.

A sharp exhale of exasperation escaped Savi’s lips as they watched this ridiculous situation play out. Their posturing was wasting precious time, time they needed to destroy the final artifact and, most importantly, to find Kerissa.

Sofila quickly hopped up from her seat.

“Whoa hey, Hector, hold up-“ she stood in front of him, her hands up. “We’re okay.”

The vulture droids wheeled in unison to a protective escort. “My appreciation and deepest apologies, Vice Chancellor. Please land in the hangar and I will join you for the shuttle to the planet. Black Tide out.”

Hector’s hand hovered over the launch controls for the first escape pod.

They couldn’t trust him. Memories resurfaced.

“This will only hurt a little.”

A false promise. Lies of a mercy kill. Tortured agony. Screams from Rich’ard.

Liar. Fool. Murder.

Korvis helmet. Helpless. A flash of light.

He craved retribution.

Tahiri set her jaw as she sent a mental message to her pets to settle in for landing as she walked over to join Sofila, reaching up to gently place a hand on his shoulder. “It’s alright Hector, please come sit back down,” her tone of voice gentle, as she tried to look him straight in the eyes, her own sulfuric yellow eyes soft.

“There will be time to take care of things once we touch down,” gently pulling his shoulder a little to turn him away from the controls. “If you need to talk,” glancing at Sofila and nodding. “We’re here to listen.”

<@476595775187451913> <@216702440140046336>

As they boarded Hector activated his commlink. “Vina. We’re being taken aboard a Munificent called the Black Tide. If I don’t com in a standard solar cycle, rouse the Vizsla fleet.”

Cole watched initially, leaving space between himself and Hector as the others instead took lead. The man’s reaction was sudden, hostile. But he was also a Force User and had he reacted with violence Cole left it to those who matched those powers to be in front.

However that tone, the way he was reacting. It was familiar in a way. All too familiar.

Cole came up beside Hector, hesitant but with purpose in mind it overrode it.

“Ricmore. You might want to let them know there’s other potential friendlies with you so we don’t get shot down for being stuck on the wrong ship.”

The hate made it hard to think. But Cole had a point. “Vina. Run a scan of the Astral Drake. Mark all the signatures onboard as friendly. Pass the info to the Vizsla fleet. If this becomes a rescue, I’m not in here alone.”

With the message passed the Kiffar returned to brooding.

“Right.” Cole noted the immediate return to prior status. Okay.

He glanced back to the group, Sofila looked pissed. He knew that expression. Others weren’t exactly happy either.

Nor was he.

“Let’s not shoot first, we still have the mission to come.”

A trio of figures moved swiftly across the hangar floor. The lead was dressed in crisp black dress tunic over armour followed by a KX series and T-series droid. The familiar licks of hair were clearly Titius. Turning a second, he made unheard commentary to the T-series before relieving himself of his tunic and insignia in exchange for helm.

The now duo disappeared under the belly of the ship while the T-series returned to post.

It would not take long for the guests to appear aboard…

“Titius! You hut humping worm infested troglodyte! I’m gonna put my fist through your fucking skull!”

In that moment, Rage overtook him.

Black veins pushed up across his face. His red eyes glowed ominously.

He pulled his lightsaber from his belt. Purple light burned from the hilt.

He rushed forward, the rage flowing through him empowering his already considerable speed.

“You are kidding right?” Sofila glared at Cole from behind her helmet.

“He keeps karking playing with our lives like we are a bunch of toys! As if this is one kriff if big game!”

“And the longer you lot continue to fight amongst yourselves, the smaller our chances of being able to save Kerissa are,” Savi interjected, a notable bite to their words. “We’re alive. There are more important things to worry about, so handle your issues with him once this is over.”

Cole just sighed, his shoulders sagging ever so slightly. He shifted to slip his own helmet on, letting Savran interject and frankly glad for it.

Sofila hadn’t really been listening to him lately as it was.

Flying around in space was already dangerous enough. Elly hated it. Especially after the crash on Kasiya, she did her best to stay as far away from ships in general. So, having her life threatened while in what was essentially a big tin can was enough to make her want to cry, scream, and hit something. It was a miracle she didn’t fill her helmet with vomit from all the anxiety flowing through her.

Then the Firrerreo’s mind drifted to Lektra and Sulla, her two daughters. They were both waiting for her at home under her mother’s watchful eye. A woman who was sure to raise hell if Elly were to die by unfriendly fire. She tensed her body and clenched her fists as she tried to stay calm throughout the trip, leaving her plenty of time to seethe.

When they landed, and the ramp finally lowered to allow the occupants to exit and their assailants to enter, all Elly could do to keep herself from following in Hector’s footsteps was cross her arms as tightly as she could and watch the fight unfold judging with intense eyes.

Sofila bit her cheek bad enough that she could taste the metallic in her mouth.

“Fine. We should stop Hector.”

Titius made it halfway up the ramp before unceremoniously diving off the side, yelling very inappropriate xenophobia at the charging Sith.

“Or we leave them to fight and move on with the mission ourselves. Frankly we have a better chance of surviving that way.” Her voice held a malice and measured control that Sofila had never heard from the lawyer before. Her words were followed with a soft growl and a sneer under her helmet

“Hector is a friend, Elly.” Her helmet turned towards the direction of the tall Firrerreo.

“What do you know about being a friend?” Elly asked Sofila, her emotions barely under control.

“Yeah, we should,” concurred Savi before extending a hand to seize Hector with the Force, but he was moving too quickly even for them to hold onto him.

Sofila took a step back as her breath caught from Elly’s words. She had nothing else to say. This was exactly what she tried to warn Elly about, when she brought up that Sofila hasn’t been babysitting her girls.

She wanted to ask how they were doing.

They were fine. Should be fine. Safer than Sofila being around them anyways. She couldn’t even look at Cole when realization had hit she hurt him. Again. Her arms crossed across her chest, becoming defensive and blocking out the world. Anger flamed her shame filled heart. Her eyes burned and her sight was blurry. So she didn’t move.

The sooner Scimitar was dead, the better.

They ceased in their efforts when they heard Elly’s comment.

“It’s like herding children, I swear,” they said, loud enough for the Firrerreo to hear them. “Instead of offering terrible suggestions and making my friend feel bad about herself …” they gestured to Sofila, “Why don’t you do something useful and stop Hector from killing someone?”

A quick roll of their eyes was the last bit of attention they gave her, before turning to Sofila.

“You alright?” they asked, reaching out to touch her arm.

<@216702440140046336>

Well at Sofila listened to Savran. Ellisyn hadn’t reacted. There wasn’t anything he could do to help.

Not here and nor to stop Ricmore. He wasn’t a melee fighter and getting between a raging Force User and their target wasnt in his skill set. He couldn’t do kark all but descend the ramp to at least get onto the other ship and out of the way of those departing the Astral Drake.

Zxyl had been sitting with his arms crossed and crash webbing secured throughout their drop to hyperspace, forced landing on the Plagueis ship, and the following exchanges. He’d have words with Roh later about one of her more idiot members using one of her ships to threaten a ship bearing a Councillor and high profile members from several clans - including one of her fellow di Plagia. Maybe he’d cut off Plagueis’ supply chain for a bit. She might just punish him herself without the Regent’s intervention given their mutual respect and relationship. Afterall, it was Bes'uliik that undid the wrongs of the previous two Regents and began sourcing countless old Confederacy assets for the Ascendancy Clan’s transformation into what it was now - at Roh’s personal request.

Sighing, the Mandalorian unbuckled his crash webbing and moved to the loading ramp, bypassing the large Kendis as he too folded his arms - again - once he’d reached the bottom and watched the scene unfold. Titius had brought this wrath (haha, wrath, Wrath) upon himself. The Councillor wasn’t entirely sure he’d let Von Ricmore kill his fellow Equite.

Sighing and shaking her head, the Elder steeled herself, before mentally calling Zuska to her side, wishing she could’ve brought Solan with her for back up as well.

Straightening her back, the Togruta’s face turning into a hard mask, as she placed her left hand behind her back. The Adept strode down the ramp, stopping half down to barely turn her head to glance down at Titius, before turning to look directly at Hector.

In a clear, carried, and commanding voice, “You will cease this combat, at once Seer Ricmore! Killing Raider Osseus will be detrimental to our operation. You men can settle this at a later time, when we aren’t crunched for time, and we are at more appropriate facilities.”

Her left hand came from behind her back, producing a data pad. Accessing the ships system with her codes, knowing very well that she may possibly have to meet with the Wrath, and maybe the Dread Lord herself for this. The ship alerted to her request on the hanger speakers, “Requesting name and code for authentication.”

“Quaestor Tahiri Kahn Drakon Night-Thorn de Morte Tarentae, of the di Plagia. Override code nine-three-zerek-one-seven-trill-resh, requesting access to ships command,” she said confidently. Standing at full attention, awaiting the ships systems response, which came after a moment. “Override code authenticated… Voice recognized… Left Hand of Dread, Quaestor Tarentae, access granted. What is your command?”

“As this is not authorized Plagueian space territory, you are to stand down against any and all ships, unless threatened or provoke by a known enemy. However, still scan incoming ships, and only question those that do not identify as Brotherhood clan or Councilor ships. Otherwise, until further notice from either myself or Quaester Osseus, stand down.”

After another moment the ships computer responded with an affirmation, Tahiri turned stiffly and looked sternly at Titius, “As we are equal in our positions as Quaestor’s, I feel that I need to point out the significance of the near disastrous implications that you nearly cost not only your own house, but our clan as well. I know very well that this region is not one our territories, and there are no orders from Dread Lord that apply within this sector. You would do well as to check for any such designations in the future with either the Wrath or the Dread Lord herself, before going through such measures again, Right hand Osseus. Or at least take the proper measures within the programing before bringing your Houses fleet on a mission.”

She hated being so curt and militaristic, but if this happened to any other Councilor or clan representative who truly disliked Plagueis, and she knew of that number was many, and it sparked a conflict due this kind of stupidity, there would be no going back or saying “Oops, my bad.” Even she knew the implications of such actions, and she didn’t want her fellow Quaestor to suffer for it. But she had to let him know that this was a serious matter, and knowing what little she did know about Titius, yelling at him wouldn’t even put a dent in his thick skull. She waited for his answer, while also holding up a hand towards Hector for him to settle down.

Zxyl nodded his approval at Tahiri’s almost bold and forceful use of her authority as a fellow Quaestor on Titius, almost surprised as he unfolded his arms and kept them at his side. The General hadn’t seen her display such forcefulness before, and it seemed almost uncharacteristic for her. She did call herself Sith, though. Titius may have been a leader now, but the man had much to learn - like how not to risk his position in such a silly manner in the first place. Maybe he was doing it for the “cool” factor - which did not happen.

The Dathomirian-Mandalorian watched intently at what happened next with Titius and Von Ricmore, curious of the next steps.

Savran was the first to step forward, pressing a button on the wall nearest the pod to open it. It emitted a sharp hiss when the door depressurized and slid open. They pulled their hood up to keep their wild plumage from cramping the pod’s interior further and settled into it. It was designed to keep them standing for the most part, though there was a seat meant to keep them in a slight squat likely meant to reduce the amount of force the legs experienced when landing.

They gave their team one final look before vanishing behind the pod’s door when it sealed shut.

Purple light dissipated back into the hilt of the lightsaber. With great effort Hector restrained himself, the unnatural rage having run its course.

He should strike Titius down. There were far more reasons to do so than to restrain. Having an untrustworthy ally was risky. The man had shown he was willing to and enjoyed exposing the team to unneeded risk and violence on several occasions.

He was tired of being walked over, of being looked down upon by those of superior rank or position.

And it would feel damn good to shove a blade through his chest.

But there was one good reason to exercise restraint. Scimitar.

The words of the Nightsister he had made a deal with flowed through him. “Not now Hector. Remember your promise. Scimitar must be dealt with first.”

So it was with agonizing frustration that Hector turned his back to Titius and made his way to a pod.

But he would remember. The enemy of his enemy was not his friend. They are merely another enemy sitting on the sidelines.

Sofila looked around and was taken a bit back at seeing farmers with pitchforks. She was seriously hoping that they wouldn’t meet any civilians. At least they didn’t attack.

Yet.

She held out her hands and slowly reached up to remove her helmet, it was good to have a friendly smile for them to see.

“We’re really sorry about the uncalled surprise! We’re here on a mission to check out a ruined building near by here.” She didn’t want to reveal too much to what they are doing.

She glanced towards the pods and winced.

“If there was any crops under those, our boss, Mr. Anderson will pay for any damages that the team does.”

Hector was grateful that Sofila did not realize that he too was Exarch staff. He decided for the sake of his credit account not to mention that fact as he witnessed the situation unfold.

Sofila frowned a bit.

“Well, that place is on our list to check out yea. Why? Are you guys having problems? We can check it out for you! As an apology!” She remained friendly and warm while gesturing to the pods, hoping it would put them at ease. Lying was never an issue for Sofila. She didn’t want them to know that was their goal, one hundred percent, for reasons.

“Thank you for your advice, but… we can’t. We have reasons.” Sofila explained softly, keeping her voice down to not stress the elder.

“What can you tell us about it? If that’s alright, of course! I don’t want to stress or upset you. We’re still going if you share anything or not, so it would be really helpful to my team if you are able to give us any information.”

“All well get is folktales and spinsters tales, Sofila.” The statement came out a crackley mess as Titius’ suit equalized to the planet. “Direction?”

“If you remember from our first mission, Titius, folktales and spinsters tales is exactly how we were able to find information about Sci- our target in the first place. Those stories always come from a point of origin.”

“And that worked out so well for you did it?” Titius’ was having a serious malfunction with his environmental filtration as his voice ascended several octaves.

“Do you have a chip in your head for being asinine?” Cole cut into the conversation, his helmet concealing his features but the eyes were leveled with Titius’.

“We need to establish context and further details either way, talking to the people is the best way to start.”

“I dont believe that was part of my last update but who knows? K9, what the kark did you do to this helmet?!”

“You dropped it off a starship boarding ramp, sir.” K9-C4 somehow made their static expression look disappointed.

“That we will.” Cole had replied with a sigh, looking to the group to see what the general consensus was before just walking after the villager.

Sofila’s head turned towards Titius. She wonders if his antics was why the elder suddenly didn’t want to deal with them. The Mirialan said nothing as she followed after Cole to see if she can find a friendly looking villager that would be willing to talk.

Hector was content to follow after Cole and Sofila. Standing around would get them nowhere. Perhaps something in town would be of use.

Sofila exhaled softly. This was not good. Maybe they should go ahead and head to the mansion. She started to wonder if this was the artifact doing? Did the grasp captured the village and their emotions? If they destroy it, will it improve their quality of life?

“Kist. We may not get information after all…hm. I could try to…” She approached to one of them with a soft and beaming smile.

“Hi! Can we have a moment of your time, please?”

Zxyl had retrieved Rapture from its upside down position resting against the seat he had been occupying when the fight broke out before he begrudgingly orbital dropped inside a pod with the others - to ensure a near-zero chance that they would get separated upon entry and end up in the same vicinity of each other. Under normal circumstances the Regent of the Brotherhood preferred to control his own descent to a planet, either through his own vessel or by orbital dropping in his armor alone. In the spirit of compatriotism and cooperation with the rest of the group he’d let it slide and hopped into a pod.

The genetically-altered Dathomirian-Mandalorian completely ignored Sofila’s interaction with the local populace; he didn’t choose the drop site, and he owed these people nothing. He ignored Titius’ verbal gaffes, which just dug whatever hole he had started digging with their group even deeper. The unique beskar-armored man looked amongst the gathered members for a moment and as Cole and Sofila took off after a villager to gather more information, Bes'uliik decided to take a more advanced and direct route.

“I’m going to scout ahead,” he declared as he fired his heavy Mandalorian jetpack, pushing his feet off the ground and gaining twenty five meters of altitude before coasting easily and gently towards the “mansion” at a light speed just fast enough to keep him horizontal over the village.

Sofila brought her hands up, she was going to try to calm the woman down. Until the woman had completely shifted. Her head snapped to Savi as they had the nerve to use mind trick on the woman. Her eyes narrowed while she refrained from commenting.

And people wonder why she hates the Force most of the time. Since the poor woman was under mind trick anyways, she might as well and ask questions. She can only hope that this wouldn’t come back and bite them on the ass.

Karma was funny like that.

“What will we expect when we enter into the mansion? What happens to the people there?”

Cole was uncomfortable with the induced passivivty but it was useful. Gritting his teeth for a moment behind the helmet he mulled over what they needed to know.

“Who is the groundskeeper, and the Tasc'i family as a whole?”

It was somewhere to start.

Hector knew someone had to step in before things spiraled out of control. The Dark Side was cold but it was possessive. It could be brutal and unforgiving, used to end lives. But the Dark Side was present in life itself. Hector would argue that the Light Side aligned with the Cosmic Force while the Dark followed the Living Force.

And it was that Force he hoped to call upon now.

He stepped forward, hands wreathed in Darkness. But his touch was gentle. Was kind.

Placing a hand on the hysterical woman’s shoulder, he channeled life energy into her. Curing her of the hysteria, of her choking, of her consuming fear of scimitar.

The Dark can cause people to lose their way. But it can also block out the harsh, burning light of the sun, bringing relief.

“Stop! Drop it Savi!” Sofila exclaimed. Was this why no one wanted to talk? Sofila stepped forward to help but Hector had beaten her to it.

While the others were speaking with the woman they’d successfully glamoured, Savran focused their attention on scanning their surroundings. A quick perusal confirmed what their senses were telling them since they’d arrived: that they were being watched … by everyone. Quite a few of those spectating seemed none too pleased with the Shani’s use of Mind Trick to compel the villager to speak.

They needed to tell the others without arousing suspicion. Sofila moved forward next to Hector as the man worked on healing whatever was happening with the hypnotized woman, so that left Cole. Savi took a half step forward so they were within whispering distance.

“Eyes on us. Play it cool.”

<@432543120635461643>

Cole glanced to Savi, nodding.

“Once she’s calm we should head into town. Find her family and carry on with the mission.”

Hector concealed a subtle shudder at the pain that overcame him. Pain was an old friend. Pain meant he wasn’t dead yet. That he hadn’t failed. That he still had friends to come back to.

The Dark was powerful. But not without consequences. A price he was willing to pay to rise above his station.

He had buried enough people recently. It was nice to use his hands to save a life instead of taking one.

Despite the acidic ache of the Darkside racing through his system Hector Von Ricmore was content.

Sofila exhaled softly as she gently held out her hand. But the woman was still dazed…. Sofila glanced back at Savi who shrugged their shoulders. To her, that meant it was already dropped.

Odd. Was Savi’s mind trick too strong and accidentally affected the woman’s brain? Sofila hoped not. She looked back to the woman.

“Where is your family? We can take you to them,” Her voice was soft and full of concern.

Savran stepped forward to meet the elder woman’s gaze, seemingly unperturbed by the abrupt display of violence and her disapproving tone. “We’re here to end the person who has been a blight on the galaxy and presumably your own people for far too long. Scimitar. And to rescue our people who have gone missing investigating his cult.”

Sofila did not let it slide. How dare they treat her like that, she hadn’t done anything wrong- She shifted in place, hands curling into fists as rage pulsed through her but before she could make that step forward and punch the old fart in the face, a hand grasped her arm.

Her gaze met the visor of Cole’s helmet, letting out a huff of breath but forcibly relaxing herself. Releasing each finger, stretching her wrists, lowering her shoulders and relenting her reaction to Cole.

The Human stepped forward past Sofila, keeping his hand on her arm though his grip loosened once she relaxed.

“We mean your people anything but harm. If you can aid us, even just in information, we may in fact be able to help you.”

Titius took the opportunity of all the questions and focus to pull off his helmet. Digging through the faceplate, he found the source of the odd modulation. “They need to make these clips stronger, K9. This is supposed to be impact rated but won’t be useful if the filters pop at every…”clunk The filter snapped back into its frame.

Zxyl took special note of the cloud’s formation, having H.A.L. run scans and diagnostics on its composition, density, movement, etc before feeding it all back to his H.U.D. He gleaned what information he could from the readout.

Communications were quiet, and he hadn’t heard from anyone in the group in a while. He suspired, before hailing the group over whatever comm frequency they had decided to use for this mission.

COMM> “This is Bes'uliik,” he started, though that would be obvious since for some reason that eerily dark otherworldly echo still came over the channel, “The cloud circling ahead seems to have an event horizon, black hole-like effect. I’m moving in on the mansion. What is going on down there, Tahiri?”

The Regent wasn’t entirely sure why he had pointedly asked the Togruta in the group wide channel, but perhaps it had been his fellow Elder’s display earlier. She had proved in that moment that she could be resolute, which was something all of them were going to need on this mission.

Before anyone could reply, the Mandalorian General quit circling overhead and headed directly for the mansion’s courtyard, with intent to land in it at the earliest moment.

“Oh nooooo,” Sofila started, her voice full of sarcasm as she tried not to start a fight but by the suns, it was tempting. To watch the woman’s blood spill on the ground. And the fact that she obviously was on Lord Scimitar’s side, it meant that there are cultists around. Instead of starting something when they could possibly be overwhelmed, she put her helmet back on.

“We’re going where we wanted to go. How terrible.” It was obvious with the direction of her helmet, she was starting at Lady Tasbin.

Hector let out a low chuckle, distorted by his mask and vocal modulator.

“Punishment? What would you know of punishment? I could rend the flesh from your bones with a single blow.

Overstimulate your nervous system again and again. Strip the ability to feel anything from your senses.

I could leave you alive, blinded, limbless, mewling and helpless. Begging for death. But unable to escape as I resuscitate you again and again.”

He activated his saber, bathing the area in violet light.

“Cross me at your own risk. For there are fates far worse than death.”

While Tasbin was distracted by the running of the guards, Sofila leapt in and grabbed Tasbin’s arm, her other hand on Tasbin’s shoulder. She twisted the woman’s arm as Sofila slid to behind her back and held it there with a steady wrist lock. Taking no chances, Sofila’s free hand gripped Tasbin’s other arm and held her in place.

“So, did any of yall have questions for this schutta?”

“I do. How do you like breathing, little worm?” Titius’ hand flipped open a concealed pouch, its contents marked in green fluorescence. “Though I confess that Im not fully familiar with your anatomy. Maybe I should fix that…”

“Hey, Sofila, perhaps you can narrate this next bit.” Titius wiggled his fingers over the open pouch before delicately pulling a vial out. The other hand drew out a snakeheaded dagger. “Shall we start with do you possess lungs?”

“How about we ask questions before we kark her up.” Cole cut in, with a deadpan tone.

Titius tilted his head in annoyance. “What do you think this is? Fancy juice? ” He wiggled the vial.

“Put the vial away.” Cole spoke to Titius, crossing over to the woman and placing a firm hand on her shoulder. She wouldn’t be going anywhere.

He looked at <@476595775187451913>.

“Ricmore?”

Purple light dissipated.

Hector stowed his lightsaber back on his hip.

“That is acceptable.“ the Kiffar remarked.

“Any karking around and I won’t stop either of them.” Cole told Tasbin bluntly, before turning her toward the mansion to lead the way.

Taking a pod with the rest of the team was the best option, unfortunately it meant leaving Kera behind on the Black Tide. Before leaving however, she had a shuttle prepped to come for the team if need be. Zuska wasn’t happy about the ride down, but he was a little happy about riding on her lap the entire way like he had as a puppy.

After landfall, she let Sofila and others talk with the farmers, while looking around at the surrounding area. The ride down had not eased her anger or frustration with her fellow Quaestor, and now the team was splitting up, as Zxyl left to scout the mansion, and the rest of the team headed towards the village. She wanted to follow the Regent, however, it was near impossible to keep up with him without something to aid her. Now I wish I had just taken a shuttle, and brought Kera.

Calming herself as she followed the rest of the team, knowing that the Regent would request backup if he needed it. She decided to stay on the teams six, just in case if there was trouble as they entered the village. The Togruta didn’t like the atmosphere of the village one bit, all of her senses tingled. This place had seen better days in many many years. Even though she was a Sith and the Dark Side was no stranger to her, Tahiri couldn’t help bit feel uneasy in this place. She stayed back, and didn’t interfere while the Sofila, Cole and Savi questioned the woman, Narissa, about the mansion. The information was intriguing to say the least, especially since it felt very similar to the temple on Dathomir. Her hand unconsciously came up to the phantom pain at where her ribs had been broken. Her mind wandered back to those trials, the Elder wasn’t going to let a repeat of that happen again.

When she heard Zxyl’s voice over the comm link ask her, by name, what was going on, she was about to reply back immediately, but paused for a moment as another Rattataki woman came to the scene. Quietly she did replied in Dathomiri, “Understood. Stand by Bes'uliik, the locals are providing intel. Will update shortly. Over.” Tahiri was a little surprised, but happy that Zxyl had called her by her first name, instead of last name, as he had most of the time before. <@260640060775464960>

Observing the scene in front of her, she noticed Cole hold Sofila back. Upon seeing the Zygerrian guards, Tahiri herself almost wanted to jump forward and force the woman to her knees, while choking both of her guards. A growl came from her lips, but she didn’t react. Staying back as Hector and the others dealt with the insolent woman, she was pleased with how Sofila handled Lady Tasbin. She had to admit that she was even impressed that Titius had intimidated the woman so easily. Clearly the implication of slow physical torturous pain was more of a motivator than simple threats of dismemberment.

As they began heading towards the mansion, she contacted Zxyl once again, this time in basic “Z… Bes'uliik. This is Tahiri, Sofila has one of the locals in custody. She has… agreed to take us to meet with the groundskeeper. We are headed to rendezvous with you now. Anything to report on your end? Over” She internally berated herself for almost saying his first name, but she wanted to respect the fact that he had addressed himself by his last, so she would keep it that way till the team was back together.

The genetically-altered Dathomirian-Mandalorian landed with a heavy thud in the mansion’s courtyard, assuming it had one, the reinforced red robe that hugged his armor moving to a static position. He did a visual scan of the area while H.A.L. filtered alternate spectrums like thermal and UV, before tilting his head upwards to look up at the massive cloud overhead; unnerved by its size and properties. The being known as Scimitar had spent well beyond over a century - before the Clone Wars, before the felling of the trio of galactic regimes led by Palpatine, before the unrelenting chaos - honing and mastering his abilities and the dark side of the Force.

Both galactic and inter-galactic aspects, some of which he had grown to know all too well since the group’s visit to Dathomir.

The spirits of dead sisters and some brothers all long departed haunted and hounded him constantly after bringing him back from the brink of death, his life essence now inexplicitly tied to them, as were his abilities in Peridean Magick. It was unnatural in a Dathomirian male. Heresy, Mothers would decree. The Regent took a deeper look at the mansion, studying its form and taking it in as Tahiri’s communication came through his helmet’s comlink. He processed the information; in custody, a groundskeeper, and approaching his location.

So there is someone here afterall. Another tortured soul kept alive long after their genetic expiration date.

It almost reminded him of a holo-fiction he thought he read at one point, but wasn’t sure. He indicated to Tahiri that he had nothing to report, before shifting his disposition from relaxed to prepared as he raised his wits about him and moved towards the main entrance of the structure. This was the endgame of their quest against Scimitar, where they would obtain his third and final artifact and finally end his reign of terror against the Brotherhood. Make him pay for all that was lost as a result of the destruction of Mattock Station.

It nearly pained him that he had to do what he had to do, and carry on without waiting. If he reached the artifact first, he could secure it for transport and prevent the others from destroying it. It worked in his favor politically to engage them combat in that event they disagreed and tried to remove it from his custody after-the-fact rather than any other scenario that crossed his mind. The beskar-armored form of the General entered the mansion alone.

Figures.

Zxyl smiled beneath his helmet. He’d play the man’s game for now. “Zxyl of Clan Bes'uliik.”

He studied the Rattataki for a few moments. Force-sensitive, obviously. Or cursed. It did not matter. “How long have you been guarding the place?”

“Nah, sweetie, you are coming in with us. And you haven’t answered any of my questions I’ve been constantly asking.” Sofila said angrily.

“We have questions.” She glanced over to Savi as if hinting something.

“Too long,” remarked the Regent. He turned his head as the others approached, then back to the groundskeeper. “We seek access to the mansion. There is something inside that we must examine.”

Ellisyn had been silent for the most part after the orbital drop. The woman hated flying as it was so dropping helplessly from the sky was not something on her bucket list. She kept a few meters of distance between herself and the main group as they approached the village, electing herself as the lookout in case any of the villagers decided to act up and attack. But all seemed fine until three cultists appeared, and that’s when she made her way closer to the group at large.

Her compatriots were quick in their apprehension of the leader of the trio, something Elly was mighty impressed with. What she wasn’t impressed with was Titius’ insistence on torturing the woman before any questions were even asked. It took every ounce of willpower the Vigilante contained to not try and wrestle the vials out of the man’s hand and toss them to the side. Thankfully, Cole was there to be a voice of reason, and before long, they were on their way to the mansion.

Upon arriving, the Firrerreo regarded the run-down structure with a suspicious eye. There was no doubt in her mind the place was haunted or something of the sort, but they could at least do their due diligence in finding out what they should be expecting. So, she asked Sofila’s question once again, just in a different manner.

She stepped in front of the Cultist and looked down at her. Elly’s voice carried gravely through the tinny speakers of her helmet. “What is it you’re so afraid of? Surely, your lord would take care of you if you were to venture into his domain.” The warrior reached down and grabbed the Tasbin’s chin to make sure they would look directly into her visor. “Unless you’d like to join us and give us a tour of the place?”

Elly’s patience had already been worn thin by the events of the day, so when Tasbin broke free of Sofila’s grasp and made an attempt to escape, the Mandalorian didn’t hesitate to reach out and grab the cultist by the neck, lift her up, and slam her down into the ground only by her throat.

The woman cringed ever so slightly at her own overreaction. The amount of force she used was definitely excessive, and she was forced to lift Tasbin off of the ground and hold her upright from under her arms. “Kriff…”

“You either go in quietly or I can take a chunk out of you,” said Savi sharply while flashing their teeth. But their attempt at intimidation didn’t have the effect they’d wanted. The woman was far too terrified of going into the mansion. Which raised a thought.

“Either she knows something that shook her to her core, or someone has used the Force to make her so adamant about going inside,” they commented to the rest of the group.

“Trust me, I’ve seen a lot worse.”

Sofila sighed and didn’t move. She glanced over to Cole for a moment before back to the entrance. She was tired of the constant nightmares. Of seeing Scimitar in her dreams. She wanted it all to stop. She was at breaking point. And the only way to do that?

Destroy the artifact and the Sith himself. Her arms crossed. If she turned around… she would never live with herself and have to face with the constant recurring terror waking. She cannot let her friends to through with this without her. Then her gaze went over the hysterical woman.

She was torn. She hated slave owners but none of them get to choose who lives or who dies. Wanting nothing more to do with this, Sofila attempts to head inside and ends up standing by Zyxl.

This seemed pretty uncharacteristic of the group, forcing a woman they didn’t even know to undergo what were sure to be wild horrors in a place she didn’t want to be. Was it payback? Maybe. He crossed his arms as he awaited the answer from the groundskeeper. If they wanted to get inside, they had to go through him, and it was clear from the man’s deposition that force wasn’t going to be an option if he’d been here for hundreds of years, predating even Scimitar himself.

“Oh look, now we’ve injured the guest. Almost as if there could have been a better way…” Titius was still fiddling with his vial, clearly insistent on its use one way or another. But as usual with his compatriots, his plan was the last to be called upon. Tilting his helm back, he took in the sprawling dilapidated mansion. Bit overstated for Titius’ taste but it fit a lord.

Cole pinched the bridge of his nose.

“We don’t need to take a problem in there with us. Why are we doing this?”

Zxyl felt literally the exact same way as Cole, though he didn’t know it. He was about to respond to the groundskeeper, who wasn’t acting unexpected or out-of-line, before the next scene began to unfold. The Regent of the Brotherhood figured that the others had one shot to make sure this didn’t go bad and prevent them from accessing the house. He turned to face them all and crossed his arms, watching.

Elly simply dropped the woman “Does nobody remember the last temple? If we didn’t have any sort of guidance inside we would’ve failed the trials and all died in the process. We need as much information as possible and so far we’ve gotten nothing out of her. If you’re content to go in blindly, be my guest.”

The Mandalorian followed after the groundskeeper slowly.

The Mandalorian General nodded to the groundskeeper.

“Indeed, Mr. Edwards. To answer your question, what we seak is not treasure - but rather a scourge, decimating anything it comes into contact with. The key to his powers lie here.”

“In a manner of speaking. Slows nerve response and in high enough doses, would likely slow a cardiopulmonary system to a near standstill…” Titius became slightly more animated as he described the poison. Cruel as he was, he had a zealous passion for macabre medicine.

Titius stood dumbfounded at the two, fully aghast that they wanted to drink his supply. “When was the last time either of you were in a medical clinic…” he asked semi-rhetorical.

Dropping his pack, Titius drew out a sealed cassette of sterile syringes…and paused. He suddenly became very aware that the mere presence of his med pack might cause several of the group to attempt to kill him. Hector had already tried by his mere presence. “Karking unhinged lot of Force slaves” he mused internally.

The Mirialan sighed as she glanced at the mansion for a moment before following Zxyl. Once she caught up, it seemed that they were giving Tasbin a choice. To go in or take the vial. Sofila scowled but it was hidden underneath her helmet. If the schutta wanted to die, so be it.

So much for information.

Hopefully this… groundskeeper would provide the information. Her arms remained crossed across her chest. Sofila watched Titius but gave out no negative body language nor positive. Instead, her attention turned back towards the building, simply…. watching.

Elly’s whole body was tense. They weren’t stopping. Tasbin was dazed and helpless and she was just supposed to sit idly by and watch Titius execute her? No siree. Not on her watch.

“It’s very obvious she’d rather die, so let’s just let her go. Once we’re done with the mission we can head back and help all those who have been enslaved and bring them to justice. There’s no point in killing someone who can’t even resist.”

“We don’t have time to debate this.” Cole spoke, before leveling his gaze at Henrey.

“What are we going tk face in there? Should we expect a firefight, creatures in the walls, strange games? Anything you know will be useful and she gave us nothing.” He gestured at Tasbin, but didn’t bother to look.

‘The group seemed to have things handled.’ Hector mused to himself. He was fine with allowing his many companions to handle the verbal questioning. But there was something he could do to help. And perhaps answer Cole’s question while he was at it. The Kiffar placed a gloved hand upon the door and reached out with the Force. It was time to learn what secrets this place held.

“Yes, even despite that. Nobody deserves to have their life taken from them, though that doesn’t mean they don’t deserve to be punished. But death isn’t a punishment because you can’t learn from it. Death is an ending.”

As he reached out through the Force, Hector continued to listen to his companions. Death is an ending? Only to those who lack the power to escape it. To overcome it. Death was merely another obstacle, a foe to conquer.

Sofila’s hands shot up to the side of her helmet as if that could stop the screams. She gritted her teeth. Then it stopped as she exhaled sharply from holding her breath. She looked on with confusion. Her brows furrowed; hidden behind her helmet. Then the screams returned as Sofila flinched.

At least it stopped.

“Please, do not do that again.” She glared over at Hector, hoping he wouldn’t try to do whatever he just tried to do. Then her head turned to Henry.

“I’m sorry for your sister’s death. We are here to put an end to this.”

Hector gasped for air as he held the side of the wall. Unlatching the side of his breath mask, a trickle of blood trailed down his face from his nose. His head pounded from the hijacked vision.

He wiped away the blood with his glove and reattached his mask. He breathed in and out as he regained his bearings. He would be fine. But the telepathic connection forced upon his vision had disoriented him.

Cole had frozen in place as the vision started, a hand twitching for the scatter gun but as he realised what was happening, a vision of the past, he lowered the hand and watched.

“How are you alive if you remember this beginning? If you knew him before.”

Sofila felt her anger was increasing. Her hands clentched into fists as she tried to hide it by keeping her arms cross. If it wasn’t for her gloves, her nails would be digging into the palm of her skin. Everything felt like fire and she just wanted to bash Tasbin’s head into the ground and watch the blood pool. Her jaw was so tight, it hurts.

In attempt to distract herself, she looked to the building again. It felt… soothing. Comforting. Familiar.

Savi briefly gripped their head when they screams rippled through the Force and into their own mind. Not long after that happened, they saw the silhouette of someone they knew. Pink hair. A tail curled around her waist.

“Kerissa?” they muttered to themselves, and didnt hesitate to tap into their Force sense to confirm if what thwy saw was true.

Closing their eyes to drown out the voices of their teammates and those with which they conversed, Savran focused on the song of the Force. Discordant notes waxed and waned before falling away entirely, leaving a single chord to fill the space the others had left. It was familiar, comforting … resonating with the same pitch as Kerissa’s voice. That moment of singular, auditory harmony came to an abrupt end when the clamor of presences rose to a crescendo; it was a churning, bone rattling bass that only the Dark Side could produce. And it filled every empty space it could find and obfuscated Kerissa’s song. But she was alive, that much was clear.

Their eyes snapped open, and something seldom seen formed on the Shani’s tattooed counetenance: a genuine smile.

Titius deflated as the vision overtook him. Screams echoed but lacked the clipping quality he had come to expect of his implants. It was a vision, he was sure and judging by the lack of hallucinogens in his system, it was Force derived. A small gasp escaped Titius as the vision subsided bringing his senses back. And his hatred as he snarled, “What the… which one of you worthless slaves is crawling in my mind! GET OUT!” Titius dropped the vial, reaching for a pair of concussion grenades. “Which one of you was that?!” The mercenary swung his helm to watch every member of the group.

Titius was not interested in placatory statements, especially from a lowly slave. “Oh shut up you.” he snapped while throwing the sloppiest fist hook in the galaxy.

Sofila finally manage to tear herself away from gawking at the mansion as she glanced back over just in time to see Henry stuck his tongue out and she paused for a moment. That… no. Then Titius had lost his ever loving mind and tried to punch the groundskeeper. As well shouting and calling all of them ‘worthless slaves’. The kark was he on about? The contact hit but Henry shrugged it off as Sofila was going to yell at Titius as she gritted her teeth when Henry brought up how they weren’t going to last if they keep fighting amongst themselves.

It was Titius. For some reason, it seems that he keeps aiming to kill all of them. He may have saved her life once but it was increasingly difficult to not want put him to the ground herself. With steady breaths, she glanced back over to Henry.

“Will you die too? Last time someone had a mark like that, we lost them…”

Sofila grimaced under the helmet. Kriff. He wasn’t wrong but that didn’t make it okay for him to be bond like this.

“Yea. I guess we are ready as we can be?” She looked over to her teammates.

“Is there anything else additional you can inform us about?”

Survive the night? If Sofila wasn’t part of this since the beginning, she would’ve laughed. A new set of doors opens in the mansion every two hours.

“Does that mean we have to go through the set of doors? Are we supposed to keep them closed? Or stay away to avoid temptation?”

“Good talk,” said Savran, giving Henry a nod before moving past him and the others to enter the temple. Wherever Kerissa was, they’d find her, and ensure that Scimitar met his long overdue end.

Sofila was frustrated but she understood. Kark Scimitar. Rich'ard couldn’t tell them everything either. Grateful for her helmet because she winced when the short tempers was brought up.

It was tempting to tell Titius to stay behind, after everything and the words he said and calling them all slaves, what was his problem? Sofila’s shoulders sagged. She knows that he wouldn’t take that well.

Suns, if someone told HER to stay behind, she would’ve thrown hands. She said nothing else as she followed Savi in.

The Force was a fickle mistress when it came to one’s fate. The images he had foreseen were at the forefront of Hector’s mind.

The Future. Burning amber and orange. Thick obscuring smoke.

The past. Ear splitting shrieks and screams. Shattered glass and executions. The welcoming embrace of family cut short.

Who was to say what awaited the group. But they would be ready. They had to.

Forcing himself to keep a calm composure the Kiffar nonetheless kept his hand near his saber, prepared to quickly draw it if necessary. He followed the group into the foreboding mansion.

Cole was a step behind Sofila, a grim expression set into his features.

Once they were inside the, Savran didn’t hesitate to investigate their surroundings for traps. If this were their temple that they wanted to keep people from snooping around in, they’d rig this place to the abyss and back – especially when there were Force users like themselves running around. But to their relief and suspicion, they found none. Just that tablet on the other side of the room.

“Not seeing any traps in the area,” they announced to the group, “But we should still be smart about where we step and what we choose to touch.”

“Yeah. Though the datapad is where I’d want to start. If it has any information, I’d rather start there than potentially wander blindly.” Cole answered, not stepping forward yet without a more general agreement to the notion.

The Mandalorian General remained quiet as his colleagues discussed and determined the Zygerrian woman’s fate outside the mansion. When Hector interacted with the door and the visions clouded his mind, Bes'uliik remained stoic and undeterred by the horrors that washed over him like waves splashing against his body. While they were bad to be sure, his determination towards the task at hand overrode the negative emotions the visions were trying to solicit from his inner pysche. The genetically altered Dathomirian didn’t make a peep as one of the Plagueian Quaestors on the team took a flailing swing at Henry, only unfolding his arms as they entered through the structure’s large double door entryway.

His heterochromatic irises moved from left to right as Zxyl’s eyes scanned the hall, taking it in; the tapestry work was a bit much, to be sure, and the stains were clearly there as some sort of statement. Was the datapad a trap? It’d probably just tell them to pick a hall and go for it. It Scimitar was anything like the Regent imagined - and he was - either route would pose it’s own unique risks, so the choice in the end was probably going to be irrelevant.

As Savran and Cole chimed in, the Regent turned his head to him and nodded. Why not?

Clearly, the prominence of its position highlighted it’s relevance to the game before them. He turned his head back around to face it, studying the room for another moment before the genetically-altered Dathomirian-Mandalorian stepped towards the datapad and approached it without hesitation, his wits and senses raised about him. It didn’t make sense for Scimitar to try and off them before he could even deliver his final ploy.

Sofila glanced to the team. Savi confirmed that they were not seeing any traps. And Cole wanted to go for the datapad and she agreed. Maybe it would have a hint or riddle to which door to take. Since she figured Scimitar was rather fond of games from the second mission.

Well, if no one else was going to check it out, she might as well.

What’s the worse that can happen? She mentally scoffed at herself. After what they went through the first and second mission, she dread to think how bad this one will be. But that’s the thing.

They made it through first and second mission. They can make it through this one. Sofila was going to go to the datapad but it seemed that Zyxl went for it first.

Having witnessed two of his allies move to the datapad Hector moved closer to the device. They seemed engrossed enough to not share the details so whatever was on there was likely important. Peering around Zyxl he looked over the datapad.

What. The. Frack.

A layout of the first floor and several camera. Probably hidden. Who knew what disturbed perversions such things were meant for?

The ticking timer was ominous. No doubt Scimitar or his minions had something in store.

Hector knew litttle about machines, especially compared to Zxyl. While not always agreeing, he would trust the Regent with his area of expertise.

The kiffar kept his lightsaber close and opened himself to the Force; ready to sense any danger that would appear.

He could the presence of 5 beings, split between the rooms. But something was strange. Something was very wrong. Their connection to the Force felt unnatural. There was an undercurrent of pain. Constant throbbing pain. As if their very souls broadcasted it.

Let me out. Let me out. Let me out.

Eyes snapped open at the strange sensation.

Hector addressed the group. “There are five other things on this floor with us. I say things because the don’t feel right. Not in the Force. Two are by Camera 1A, one is moving between 1B and 1C, the fourth is in camera 7, and the fifth and final sentient is in camera 5. Lets keep someone on those cameras and check this room for all entrances and exits, even hidden ones.”

Upon hearing Hector’s explanation, Savran moved to the closest camera: 1C and looked at its feed.

They stared for a moment before turning to address the rest of the group.

“The room that this camera is in has an HK droid in it,” they announced, “As expected, it doesn’t look friendly. Seems like it knew I was watching it, too.”

A moment’s pause before another crucial detail clicked. They looked to Hector.

“You sensed what was in that room with the Force. It’s a droid, so it’s been modified somehow. Mecha-deru, perhaps?”

<@476595775187451913>

Titius perked up at the mention of Mechū-Derū. Having only heard of fleeting mentions, the specialist became excited by the possibility of in vivo study. Stowing their grenades (which had become comfort item by that point), he nosed into the group around the monitor. “Its just an HK. What’s the big deal?”

“If it was created by a Force user, then it’s not just an HK.”

“You said something is moving between 1B and 1C?” Sofila asked. They already checked 1C. Who was in 1B? Was it the one that was making this sound?

While she wait for Hector’s confirmation, she clicked on the 1B’s camera.

Hector gave Savran a pensive look. “I don’t know much about machines or about Mech Deru. However what I sensed felt alive. It felt warped. Twisted and corrupted. A psychic scream tugging on my senses, begging to be freed, to be unleashed. It felt closer to the crystal corrupted organics the Children of Mortis utilized than the danger given off by other droids.” The Kiffar clarified.

Titius snapped his focus to the right, back pedaling for space to draw weapons. K9-C4 changed stance to match with a blaster held losely in its spindly arms.

“Anyone want to have a bleeding heart moment or am I good to actually use my talents?” Titius drew an edge of malice to his comments, discontent at being marched around like a pawn.

Cole changed the camera to view where the noise came from, a slight frown on his forehead.

If it was just 5 droids, what was the catch with them?

Visible discontent crossed Hector’s face as his eyes darted around the room. “They’re coming closer. Something isn’t right. There’s something we are missing.” He pulled his lightsaber hilt from his belt and grasped it in two hands.

“Well, that’s just wonderful,” Savran commented with a roll of the eyes. Although it came as no surprise, it was no less annoying that the Dogs of Mortis’ technology would continue to cause problems for them and everyone they knew even after their defeat in the Ethereal Realm. It was like a box that, once opened, could never be closed again.

Their head snapped to their right when the banging sounded, and they instinctively drew their Force-imbued blade upon seeing Hector do the same with their lightsaber.

To Titius, their reply was short and to the point: “If it attacks, blast it to druk.”

<@348547724628721695>

“FOR THE LOVE OF-” Sofila exclaimed as she scoffed.

“Let’s just open the karking door and destroy the kriffing droids and then we can figure out what to do from there because I cannot handle this kist right now.” Sofila made her way to the control panel, slammed it open, and prepared to punch the droid in the goddamn head.

Sofila yelped loudly as one hand was on the droid hand that was around her throat and trying to pry it away. The other hand went back and went for a punch in the face with the, hopefully, help of the blast knuckles.

“SHOOT IT!” The Mirialan choked out.

Tahiri had been quiet, observing the conversations and the groundkeeper. Silently she assessed the situation and how best to make sure that everyone made it out alive, even if it meant her own life. The earlier events, having to revert to her military training and logistics just to make sure there wasn’t a diplomatic issue afterwards, although of that result she was still unsure of.

Even though the shared visions of the past had ended, she had to step back as she nearly went for her own sabers as the screams echoed through her mind. Those screams were both distant and yet familiar, as it had brought several old memories to surface, of certain events she hadn’t thought about since Tarentum. Shaking those off however, the Elder focused on sensing what she could inside. Her Montrals, sensitive as they were to everything around her, picked up that something was inside, she just couldn’t pin point it.

Although clearly from the instructions that the Henry gave them before the team stepped inside was enough for her to understand that something was clearly going on within the mansion itself.

Following the others inside, she had stayed to one side studying the layout, before coming over and peeking around Zxyl to check out the data pad. This place has an odder layout than Ro’s apartment on Nar Shaddaa, she thought to herself before Sofila opened the door and the droid came barging in, grabbing the Mirialan by the throat as it entered. Growling, her eyes blazed slightly, as her mind clicked through possible ways to save her friend.

Cole turned on an instant as Sofila slammed the button, the instinctive pain and anger at her just doing that without asking, without thinking, without any damn-

The droid had her by the throat and it was the same instinct that had him pull Hector’s 773 Firepuncher from his shoulder and fire one targeted bolt. It was a small space, but the scatter gun would have greater risks firing in close quarters.

Hector’s heart began to beat faster as he watched the droid grip Sofila’s throat.

His lightsaber erupted with purple light as turmoil roiled through him.

‘You can save her. You know what you have to do.’ He thought.

‘But I’m not ready. Of all the forms. Vaapad is the one I am least capable of.’

An image flashed before his eyes. Mandalorian armor engulfed in an explosion.

‘Will you let it happen again?’

Self doubt warred with a desire to make a difference, to save his ally.

Titius acted on pure instinct. As the door slid open, he was fully expecting the droid to barrel through but misread its speed. It was fast, unaturally so. Titius leveled his Relby, bracing against its recoil as it spewed laser bolts. His vision narrowed onto the droid, intent on scrapping it no matter the cost.

The moment they saw the droid lash out with a set of vibroknives for fingers, Savi shot their hand outward and enveloped the droid in the Force to stop it in its tracks. Tossing droids around was usually a triviality for them but, whether it was due to the suddenness of its attack catching them off guard or the influence of Mortis crystals, they met more opposition than they expected. Gritting their teeth, Savi maintained their hold on it for now, but it wouldn’t last for long.

Realizing that if someone didn’t get close enough to get Sofila out of the HK droids’ grasp, she was going to be injured. The petite Togruta unclipped her Rune saber from her belt, as the air shimmered around her. Dropping into a crouch, the Elder swiftly moved forward, staying low enough to be under the blaster fire, coming to a stop undetected within one and a half meters away from Sofila and the droid. Preparing herself to spring forward to strike either the droid, or to simply slice off its arm and grab Sofila out of the way, while the rest of the team lit the karking droid up.

Hector watched the situation closely. His gaze draw to the arms of the droid.

‘Destroy the arm and the other can grab the weapons. Sofila is still at risk. Destroy the weapons and Sofila is not at risk from the blades. An easy choice.’

The Kiffar gripped the hilt of his saber, the blade positioned horizontally. This wasn’t a form he preferred using. But desperate times called for desperate measures.

“This is the Vaapad. How many arms can you see?”

Darkness flowed through him. Howling. Spitting. Cursing and Clawing.

Rip and tear. Rend and break.

Hector Von Ricmore blurred.

The Dark Jedi blitzed forward, bladearm moving so fast it appeared to be several limbs attacking in unison.

The Droid’s vibroblades disintegrated under the rapid assault, reducing its ability to inflict pain upon the group.

Tahiri watched the droid barely be effected by the blaster attacks, Savi and Elly’s attempts were effective to a degree, and then Hector’s attack was able to attack and disarm the HK’s one vibro-blade fingered hand at least.

Once the others had backed off a moment, the Elder moved silently and swiftly forward the last meter and a half distance between her, Sofila and the droid. There was nothing but a glimmer in the air as she moved and then suddenly appearing next to the pair, as her crimson saber blade igniting. The blade that would’ve normally sliced right through the droid armor, bounced hard off the HK’s arm.

It seemed that she may have dislodged or unsteadied it a bit, otherwise Sofila was still held in it’s grip. Gritting and baring her teeth, she extinguished her saber, and stood right in-between the droid and her friend in a ready stance, hoping that the droid would opt to take on a closer target.

Nothing was working, Sofila was struggling to get some air in and it was getting harder to breath. Air. She was going to do another punch or a kick but then Tahiri had got between her as Sofila grimaced, rage started to build in her. What the kriff? She’s in the karking way! She cannot punch or kick without hitting her too. Air, she needed air- She started to make louder gasping sounds.

Finally, an opening, Sofila did not hesitate and pried open it’s droid’s grip and slipped out. Before she could even had a moment to catch her breath-

And Cole had grabbed her by the shoulder, the Human having seen the Droids grip loosening and already stepping closer before Sofila was free.

He wasn’t going to let her dive back into the fray, not right karking now. Cole got her behind him, stepping back forcibly to get Sofila further from the Droid in case it tried to follow.

The helmet was a blessing, as Sofila wouldn’t be able to see the worried, but annoyed, tension to his expression.

That had been beyond stupid, for her own safety and that of the entire team.

With all the chaos and attacks and her failed attempts at saving Sofila, Elly was starting to get a little frustrated. So, she drew her sword and stabbed forward towards the droid. Metal shrieked against metal as she plunged the beskar blade through the enhanced metal of the droid.

Hatred and darkness pulsed, stretching through the core of his being.

He had to stop using Vaapad soon. The darkness of the mansion called to the darkness within his soul.

It was easy to call upon. Too easy.

The droid they faced provided a perfect opportunity to let that darkness out. To purge it and return to a more balanced state of mind.

The darkness coalesced within his hands. Then struck out as bolts of lightning.

Electricity slammed into the droid and poured over its frame.

Hector kept his hands extended, continuing to pour the lightning forth into a stream targeting the droid.

Sofila was busy coughing to even argue with Cole as he pulled her away from them. No. They were suppose to take care of the droid together, not pull her away, she was better at close combat, kark-

Then the unmistakable cackle of lightning. Sofila’s hand went to Cole’s arm as she grasped him and pulled him closer. Her grip painfully tightened. Her breathing quickened and fear engulfed her. They left her out there, don’t leave her too- No more storms- no more cold rain- no more noises and flashes and-

“No ostavljaj me kao oni,” Sofila begged to Cole, then her voice broke, “molim.”

Out of the corner of her eye she saw that Sofila was safely out of the situation, giving her mind a bit of relief, but now to focus on eliminating the threat. However, it seemed that Elly and Hector were already that and seeing that she would most likely be more in way rather than of help, except as a distraction. A small smirk tugged at the corners of her mouth, the petite Togruta clicked her tongue to catch the droids attention, before Elly’s blade pierced its armor. She then dove to the side, feeling more than seeing the darkness, and then excited partials in the air as Hector unleashed lightning into it.. She rolled graxefully back onto her feet with a little hop near the data pad, clipping her saber back into place as she straightened. Watching in satisfaction as the droid finally collapsed under torrent of Force Lightning.

Glancing at the open door, “Didn’t someone mention there were more of these droids. They’ll either be coming, or will be waiting for us. Either way, we need to either press further into the mansion, or we hold here and defend, while…” She paused, glancing at the time, “We wait for the timer has run out before moving.”

She turned to the camera’s and started to look through them while glancing back over at Cole and Sofila, her voice had a tone of concern in it, “Sofile, are you okay?”

Seeing the droid drop, Titius lowered his weapon and handed a small package to K9. “Throw this in the hall. Best deter any other visitors while I check out this mess.” He nodded towards the droid corpse.

Kneeling, the mercenary began a cursory search over the droid, looking for weaknesses or unnatural stresses. Titius took on a birdlike cant as he searched, noticing a lack of power and key components missing. “Kark the Force and may it die cold, how the kriff does this thing work?”

Cole himself had struggled to not react to the lightning. It felt like the air was colder, harsher, choking, but Sofila-

Her words broke through any fear he had, settling that further back and away for later. Cole wrapped an arm around her, unable to murmur anything back without the others hearing and understanding, but putting a pressure there for her to hold onto.

Titius’ question drew his attention, Cole calling back, “Do you have to know how it works to break it?”

There was still pounding on the other door, but Tahiri seemed to be on the case. He focussed on Sofila, unable to do much through the armour other than hold her. He’d save his annoyance for another time.

Again.

No confirmation. No promise. Nothing.

He said nothing. Sofila’s breathing increased and she was getting worse until she felt pressure. It reminded her. They were in armor. They were on a mission.

He can’t do anything.

Her hand instinctively went to her forearm but - armor. Again. Kriff. She heard Tahiti’s voice and embarrassment rose. Her arms crossed.

“I’m fine.” Sofila said through gritted teeth. Physically, her neck hurts but she was okay. Mentally? What kind of person would break down during a mission?

A weakling.

Her parents were right. Her eyes were burning and she can barely see but with the grace of her helmet, no one knows her facial expression. She started to focus on slowing her breathing. She needed to steady herself and be prepare for what they decide to do.

Further in or stay and defend?

Savran stared blankly at the droid once it’d been felled by the group. They had encountered droids modified with the Force before, but none that were quite as resilient as this one. It had attacked suddenly, and it’d taken nearly all of them to bring it down. If the others present in this temple were stronger than this one, then they were in for a long night.

They crossed the room and reached out to touch Sofila’s shoulder gingerly, concern reflected in a pair of amber eyes with slitted pupils. There was nothing to say, but the look she gave the Mirialan was enough to convey that she was there for her, as always.

After that, Savi scanned her surroundings and, upon spotting a piece of paper peaking from the drawer of a nearby table, went and picked it up.

Onyx face tattoos knitted together when she scowled, looking from whatever was written on the paper back to the incapacitated droid, then to the rest of the group. Once she was finished with it, she passed it to Zxyl.

“This is something everyone needs to see.”

<@260640060775464960>

Sofila moved her shoulder away the moment Savi placed their hand on it, she can see the concern in Savi’s eyes and she hated it. The shame was really strong, strong enough as she pulled away from Cole’s touch. The photo was being passed around as she frowned. Dark Side was strong. They may have never even suspected that he would do such a thing to them. Different drawings of different droids. Well. Luckily, there wasn’t that many but it still took so karking much to take down one and it involved lightning.

She scowled.

“We should keep moving.”

Cole grimaced behind his helmet at the explosion, looking in the direction of the corridor.

“That sounds like our cue.” He muttered, giving Sofila’s arm a squeeze before releasing her, and stepping out into the hallway. He switched to his scatter gun, better for close quarters than Hector’s blaster rifle, and approached the droid to make sure it was down. At least for now.

Savran followed suit, unsheathing their Force-imbued flyssa as they crept forward on the opposite side of Sofila to where Cole was standing.

‘It was a bit galling’ Hector thought to himself. That he had trained to such an extent to gain proficiency with every saber form only for such effort to be rendered moot by the construction of a droid. Whether is was the metallurgy involved, or some bizzare sorcery, did not matter. It was frustrating nonetheless.‘

The Kiffar followed after the group, Cole’s blaster slung over his shoulder. He gripped his primary saber with his right hand and drew his saber dagger with his left. He began to walk lightfooted as he prepared for the possibility of leaping to the defense of his allies: the Shien form would be best to move in front and quickly deal with any unexpected blasterfire ambushes.

“It’s still moving.” Cole noted, walking past it. The explosion wouldn’t have gone unnoticed. Staying here wasn’t an option.

Savi nodded. “Yeah, I noticed that, too. Good news is, there’s an easy fix for that.”

At first glance, one likely wouldn’t have thought that someone of their build was capable of generating blows as powerful as they could, which would have been the case if they didn’t specialize in augmenting their attacks with the Force. They stepped over to where the droid was lying and, without missing a beat, lifted their foot and stomped in the center of its chest with the intention of crushing everything between their foot and the temple floor.

The droid’s arms clamped shut around Savi’s calf, causing them to grit their teeth in response to the pain that shot through their leg like daggers. It hurt like hell, but they bore it in silence while the other members of their team worked on freeing them. As Sofila used all her might to pull one arm backward, their slitted eyes shifted to Ellisyn as she approached with a blade in hand.

Although they didn’t show it, seeing the blade sailing downward through the stale air made them cringe a little inside. The reverberation of metal on metal elicited a sharp hiss when another wave of cutting pain jolted through their leg.

Hector looked at the droid grappling with his companion. Then down at his lightsabers. The plasma blades would do little against the droids armor. So it was time to improvise.

Still under the enhancement of the Force flooding his body prior, the Dark Jedi blurred forward. He leapt into the air, the apex of the jump bringing him dangerously close to the ceiling. He slammed into the droid, the hilts of his blades impacting the face of the foe.

The momentum of the leap and Force enhancement flowed through the hilts into the blow; the droids head ruptured from the attack.

Hector turned to his companion. “Are you ok?“

After they were freed, Savran gingerly pressed their foot back on the ground. It would be a bit before they could put their full weight on it, but their accelerated Force healing undoubtedly ensure that they’d be back in tip top shape in no time at all. They nodded in thanks to both Sofila and Elly for their efforts, and turned to acknowledge Hector last.

“Yes,” they replied, “Thank you. Shall we continue onward?”

“Move!”

Cole raised the rifle, aiming back toward the fighting droids with intent to bring up the rear of the group. If he could keep observation on the droids as long as possible, they’d hopefully know whether or not this was going to be a prolonged fight or if they’d need to keep running.

“Do you greet all your guests like this or are we an exception” K9-C4 gathered himself, coming upright in a smooth whirr. With a rasp, it dropped out a small blade from a forearm as it tossed its blaster aside. “Apologies, Master Osseus, I make no guarantees to preserving my shine.” K9 apologized while lumbering towards the droid designated TASK.

Sofila didn’t get to Savi in time but it seemed Hector and Elly had things taken care of. That was, until the droids started to fight and she heard Cole shout. She was going to protest with him taking up the rear but it made sense.

“Go go go!” Sofila shouted to the group as she headed to the direction that the DM (Yes I’m breaking the fourth wall here) wanted them to go to. She remained alert and ready in case she needed to use barrier.

Keeping a tight grip on their flyssa’s hilt, Savi held it in a defensive stance while moving backward.

“Let’s go, people!” they interjected.

“Are we running? I guess we’re running!” Hector muttered to himself. Gripping his lightsaber hilts he jogged after the group.

Adventure awaited them.

Everything froze and slowed down. Cole. He was in danger. Her heart twisted in fear.

Cole.

Her world. Her everything.

Before she could even calm herself down, her fury rose so fast and it was too late for her to control it. She could feel herself on fire from the Force as it urged her to be violent. To be aggressive. Save him.

And she was proudly answering the call.

Her shield hummed to life as she leapt to action, to the FACE’s arm and slammed her shield downwards with such aggression that if FACE was a human, the arm would’ve been sliced cleanly. Instead, the metal twisted.

Cole swore, struggling. Sofila bashed the arm but it didn’t release him. The pressure on his shoulders was immense. He tried to pull but whether it was already being stretched too thin to overcome, or simply not being physically strong enough in the first place, the Human didn’t even manage to unbalance FACE.

It had all been chaos after the woman freed Savi from the broken droid. The short moment between freeing the Shani and the appearance of more droids was nowhere near enough to get a proper bearing on the situation at hand.

With great haste, Elly followed the group into another room as robits fought each other behind them. just to watch another ally be snagged by the metal creatures. This time it was Cole that had been grabbed, and after watching Sofila let loose against one of the droids, Elly brought her sword down on the arm of the droid opposite

The sudden group running adventure had taken a dark turn. Allies grappeling at close range with a duo of murderous droids.

Why was it always droids?

Mental gripes about the inherent issues of mechanical mayhem aside, Hector Von Ricmore decided to take action. Reaching out with the Force, he summoned a surge of telekinetic energy which slammed into the droids. The menace whom had a blade previously impaled into it was forced back. Yet the other still held tight to Cole.

Well wasn’t that just fine and dandy.

FACE had finally let go of Cole.

But she did not give the droid that freedom. The rage still burns and she wanted that droid become one with the ground. With enough force and shockbox gloves protecting her knuckles, she was constantly punching it, each loud clang resonated through the room. The Mirialan was using a combo of various punches and even the bashing of the shield. Anyone watching or sensitive to Sense, would be able to feel the pure raw rage that was emitting out of Sofila.

She. Wanted. It. Obliterated.

After unhooking their Kyuzo Petar from their belt, Savi crouched low to the ground while watching the two droids who held Cole in their clutches with narrowed eyes. Like a predator stalking its prey, they crept forward, waiting for their opportunity to strike. One droid fell, leaving one more holding the Human man with an outstretched metallic hand – a hand that they had every intention to sever with a well-placed cut with their blade.

Savi struck like a serpent, whipping their arm upward so quickly that their weapon bled into a single crimson streak as it sailed through the air. The energized edge struck the droid’s articulated wrist joint. <@837236610684813342>

It’s hand severed, SENTRY didn’t get a moment for its circuitry to finish reacting to the sudden disadvantage before Cole was already moving. His arms hurt, from the tendons in his wrists to the muscles in his shoulders and the joints they supported. But Cole was used to working in less than ideal conditions, slipping his Scatter Gun from its place on his back and drawing it. He took one step back with his right foot, pressing his weight forward in preparation for the recoil and the scoundrel pulled the butt of the gun into his shoulder and levelled it at SENTRY’s head, all in one swift movement.

He pulled the trigger, counting: One, two, three-

Cole’s shoulder hurt more, brunting the recoil, but SENTRY no longer had a cranial unit, everything above the wiring of its neck scattered across the floor in pockmarked crumbs and scraps of metal.

Tahiri stood for a moment after following the others into this room, making sure everyone was together. Hearing the clanking the last droid, she turned to face it, waiting to see who this one decided to attack, and what luck it decided to come at her.

“Wrong choice for coming at any of us,” she grimaced, before unsheathing her blacked-out vibrosword and vibrodagger in one solid motion, advancing towards the droid. Her eyes watched the droids speed, as her blades crossed, coming up to meet the droids cleaver. It was stronger than she expected, it’s momentum couldn’t be stopped as she was driven back a few steps.

Switching tactics, she used it’s momentum against it, stepping to the side and letting it continue forward. As the cleaver stay trapped between her blades, she slid the blade in the direction she wanted it to go, twisting it in a way that was unnatural even for the droids socket and ball.

She managed to clamp her blades down onto a weak point and twisting it further, made the droid drop its cleaver. Spinning around the MALLOW, Tahiri drove her dagger straight into the back of its “brain”, while driving her sword through a weak point in it’s shoulder and severing that limb from its chaste.

Hector Von Ricmore stumbled, the Ethereal power overwhelming him via his connection to the Cosmic Force. Whatever was happening, it sure as frack wasn’t good.

“We need to go back to running, and we need to start now!” Hector yelled as he began to run for the next area

Savran sucked their teeth in frustration upon seeing the droids beginning to move with life anew. They turned and followed Hector’s lead, breaking off into a sprint toward the next room.

With the droids down and suddenly getting back up, Ellisyn agreed that the best place to be was anywhere but here. So she followed both Hector and Savi and anyone else who joined them in running through the doors to the next room

Cole looked toward the reviving droids and Sofila still smashing her fists into FACE. He cursed, barely audible over the rising tide of noises and grabbed Sofila by the shoulder and shoved him ahead of himself, forcing her to snap out of her rage and focus. Focus. Chin up, eyes forward.

The Human made sure they’d both make it through the doors.

Sofila was going to fight back but she saw that it was Cole and just like that, her energy had drained from her body. Everyone was running and he was pulling her. She obeyed and followed. Sofila scrambled for a moment and struggled to get up but it wasn’t long until she found her footing. She ran along with them to the next room.

That rage felt karking cathartic for her.

Sofila tensed at watching the clock sped down. She prepared herself. For a fight. For something to come through the doors. Nothing happened. Instead, they were met with… an Echo? Was that this was called? The Mirialan curled a frown while watching the scene with the others. She thought Mir only became Scimitar because of his thirst of power but this… this was different. Did she assume wrong? Her throat locked up as she flinched when the lightning from the blindfolded woman went to Mir. She felt her hairs stood at all ends. Without thinking, she stood beside Cole, their arms touching side by side. She wanted comfort. She had enough lightning for the day. Everything had happened so fast. The dagger plunged into his Mir’s heart–

Sofila let out a blood curling scream as she kneeled over. One hand on the floor and the other was clawing at her chest, over her Golden Iron Heart of her Mandolarian armor. Her heart hurts and it felt like it was on fire. Every beat it gave was pure spasm of pain. The slick and sharp pain reminded her when she was stabbed by the dagger. She tried to breathe but the agony was overwhelming as she choked out a pained wail.

As they watched the scene play out before them, Savran’s normally striking features twisted into a scowl. It was as much a response to the sight of the Father and the Seer as it was a rejection of the disquieting feeling that bubbled up from the depths of their consciousness. Distant memories from their childhood in the Jedi Academy came to light, reminding them of the scary stories that they and the other padawans would tell one another at night. It reminded them that lying at the heart of many tall tales and urban legends was a kernel of truth.

The sound of Sofila’s screams ripped their attention from the vision. Seeing how she clawed at her breastplate, Savi kneeled next to her and tried to place a hand on hers to keep her from injuring herself.

“I need you to calm down, Sofila,” they said in a stern but reassurring voice, “You’re safe right now. Breathe.”

He couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t breathe.

In. Out. In. Out.

Badump. Badump. Badump. Badump.

He couldn’t breathe.

His nerves spasmed. The phantom pain of electricity flowed like fire through his veins.

He couldn’t feel the Force.

WHY COULDN’T HE FEEL THE FORCE?

The Kiffar tore his breath mask from his face. Gasping. Choking. Wheezing.

He leaned over and let out a shuddering cough.

His chest burned. He looked down expecting to see a dagger buried in his chest. Nothing was there. But it still burned.

He could feel the touch of the blindfolded woman, The Seer, like oily tendrils and broken glass, scraping the edges of his mind.

”Get out of my head!”

Hector roared, both verbally and through the Force. He collapsed to his knees, panting; greedily sucking in gasps of air.

Cole had placed his hand on Sofila’s back, letting Savran talk but trying to be there but- Ricmore tore his breath mask off, roaring in pain as he dropped, his armor crashing against the floor. Kark. He wasn’t the only one freaking out. Hed assume it was the Force, if Titius wasn’t pale as a sheet.

Cole gave Sofilas shoulder a squeeze, hoping it was detectable under the armour before giving Haus a glance and crossing toward Hector. He was visibly panicking, struggling to breathe, hands grasping at his chest.

The Human kneeled, calling on his own knowledge of controlling panic, “Ricmore. Breathe with me, it’ll hurt at first but it’ll get better. Slow…”

And Cole, slowly, started counting, 3 seconds in, 3 held and then 3 more to release. Usually it’d be 5 but.. one step at a time.

The breathes started slow. Shallow. More of a shuddering gasp than a proper breath. Tears ran down his cheeks at the sudden, unexpected, outpouring of emotions.

Breathe in. Hold. Breathe out.

Hector had to focus. The Seer wasn’t here. He could still feel the presence of his allies in the Force. And the choking darkness that lingered like smog around the mansion.

Breathe in. Hold. Breathe out.

His psychometric powers. His connection to the cosmic Force. Made things feel far more real than they should. He knew this, yet he couldn’t help what he felt.

Breathe in. Hold. Breathe out.

But that darkness had to be doing something. His companions shouldn’t have been affected to this degree, not like he was.

Breathe in. Hold. Breathe out.

He had to do something about that. They couldn’t afford to have several group members taken out of action like that. Especially if caught in a combat scenario.

Breathe in. Hold. Breathe out.

Yes. He’d do something about that darkness. Even if it meant something drastic. They had to keep moving forward, to destroy the next artifact.

Breathe in. Hold. Breathe out.

He had a goal. He had a purpose. He would overcome this. He slotted his breath mask back in place and rose to his feet.

Breathe in. Hold. Breathe out.

“Thank you for the help. I’m able to move now.”

Cole shifted to stand as Hector did, nodding to him and taking a step back to give him space.

“Take it slow.”

Hed have some time at least, Cole mused, it wasn’t like they’d be immediately leaving with others still needing to calm.

Titius shut down. A dull ringing encased his head as he drooped and stared ahead, a cold numbness dulling the world. He raised a hand to look, expecting blood or soot from the explosion that surely just detonated. The hand seemed too big for him. It was adult sized, shod in armour. That doesn’t seem right. I’m not a soldier. Lowering the hand, Titius tried to get his bearings. The body felt heavy, unwieldly. Patting himself down with the oversized palms, he felt only more armour. “…where is my tunic…who is this?” The mercenary paused, taken aback on how deep the spoken voice was. Nothing made sense as the ringing gradualy increased.

Sofila tried to shrug away who was it that was trying to stop her from clawing her chest plate. She leaned down further, her helmet touching the ground-

…. safe right now. Breathe. Savi?

Sofila was trying but every pulse was sharp and excruciating. There was gasping sounds emitting from her. Her body shuddered as she started to feel so very cold. Hidden underneath the armor, her skin was becoming pale. No. She was not being stabbed. There- There’s nothing there- Nothing- Her gloved nails dragged over the golden symbol repetitively but it was obvious, there was no marks. There’s no daggers. There’s nothing. Nothing.

Logically, she could see that.

And yet the pain was very much real. She choked out a sob.

The shani’s feathery eyebrows knitted, adding to the unmistakably pitying expression that formed on their face. Even as more members of their team succumbed to the mental flogging born from Scimitar’s schemes, they focused on none but the Mirialan before them.

“It’s okay,” they said while loosely wrapping an arm around her armor-clad frame and pulling her into a sturdy hug. “This is all going to be over soon. We’re going to end the bastard and ensure that this can’t happen to anyone, any of us, ever again. And you’re going to be fine because you’re strong. You got that?”

The pain was fading. Not gone, but fading. Sofila panted and for once in her life, she wished she wasn’t wearing armor. The hug from Savi would helped her so much to still her mind. To calm it. Sofila gave Savi a singular nod to show that she was coming back. She just needed time. Both hands were now on the floor instead clawing at her armor.

At least Savi isn’t ashamed to hug me in public- Sofila winced at the intrusive thought. He has his reasons, she corrected herself. She raised a hand and patted their arm.

“Thank you.” The pain was still there but it was dull and not as intense.

Cole crossed back over to Sofila, looking to her eyes or where they would be. Between his own and hers, he couldn’t see them.

“Here.”

He held his hand out to Sofila, to help her to her feet. He’d thank Savran later for helping Sofila but it was at th same time it was a unspoken agreement between them to protect her.

Sofila took his hand after a moment of hesistation, but was soon back on her feet.

He squeezed her hand before letting go, turning toward <@348547724628721695>.

The crazy bastard was standing there. Mostly still, but talking to himself. That was eery. The karker was usually fiddling with something, like the- that was an armed grenade in his hand. He was asking himself who he was and had… kark.

Cole walked toward Titius, keeping the other Human in sight and making sure he himself was visible.

“Osseus? You with us?”

Tahiri’s natural instincts screamed RUN, but she stayed still, watching the entire scene unfold in front of her. Her mind’s eye took in every detail of event, studying it and taking it in. She knew that this was simply a memory to try and throw them off, unbalance them. But there was a familiarity about it, similar to the Sith ritual she went through when she became full Sith, minus a few key things. There had been no lightning or a dagger in her ritual.

However, she felt her own heart thump hard in her chest from… what was this feeling?

Was it from the exertion of running? No, the Togruta had pushed her body to it’s limit before and this was not what it felt like. Her breathing was even, already under control from the battle with the droid and then running into this room and helping bar the door.

Fear? No… The only fear that she felt, was that they may not all be able to get out of here in one piece.

Was it from excitement? Not really, but there was a hint of it. Maybe the fact that this was another piece of the puzzle. One step closer to understanding what’s going on, or simply dealing another blow to the Children of Mortis.

No, that wasn’t her main feeling either. No… it was anger. Anger, for exactly what she has tried so hard to not get trapped by. Due to one decision to get power, just to protect those Mir loved, it cost him everything. What he had become wasn’t purely his fault, as the Father had taken advantage of Mir’s situation, gave him power, and then used Mir for his own means.

It reminded her almost too well of what could have happened with her, had she not realized it and decided against taking the power others offered her, and instead gained her power through discipline, honing her own abilities, and learning all she could. Luckily, her anger wasn’t boiling hot, instead it was just seething under the surface. The darkness surrounding her swirled and pulsed, before Tahiri took a deep breath and settled herself down.

Looking around to the others, the Elder saw Hector was pulling himself together, Cole and Savi were both consoling Sofila, and Titius seemed to be freaking out, with… wait, that was a fracking grenade in his hand! Hopefully Elly and Zxyl were both ok.

It was a rarity for Ellisyn to ever be brought down to her knees, even rarer for it to happen while on a mission, but the emotions assailing her managed to pull her down to the ground as her chest felt as if it was going to collapse. She dropped her sword at her side and desperately clutched at her chest as worry and fear churned in her stomach. Just like she had the previous mission, she questioned why she came, seeing as the same thing had happened previously.

The Mandalorian violently removed her helmet and clutched it to her chest, desperate to hold something, desperate to hold her daughters in her arms one last time. Her self-conscious nature already tormented her for her inexperience when it came to taking care of her two kids. Still, in this moment, she felt as if she had been nothing more than an abuser by not being around as often as she should have and not holding them as much as they deserved.

“I’m sorry,” the Firrerreo muttered under her breath. Her words weren’t for the team, though. They were, for Sulla and Lektra, the most important things in her life.

Sofila hesitated after… some words were exchanged from Elly, but she was still a friend. Silently, she approached Elly and squatted down by her.

“Elly? Are you with us?” She wanted to comfort her. Hug her. Or something. But she was worried she would get punched.

Not that she doesn’t deserve it.

Hector Von Ricmore wore a somber and solemn expression. He was not surprised by the turn of events. He had felt Mir’s Kyber, felt the distress that led to his corrupting path. He was unsettled by the flash of memory. Not because of its contents. But because it was like looking into a mirror. Darkness offered power. But it was never enough. It still led to failure. The failure to save those he cared for.

Hector Von Ricmore looked into a mirror. And he did not like what he saw. He could feel an undercurrent of glee at his suffering, the Darkside took amusement in misery. With practiced will he mentally beat the darkness back, forcing it to bow to his will. He had saved Sofila from Scimitar’s machinations. It had not been for nothing.

No matter what horrors awaited them, he was certain that his team would triumph. For if they did not, a fate worse than death surely awaited them.

Cole was getting real sick and tired of visions being forced into his head. He gritted his teeth, not having gotten an answer from Titius but the man was following along. There was another datapad.

The Human walked toward it, flicking through the cameras. It was creepy, sure. Wrecked rooms, dust layering the wooden floors. A bathroom, damaged likely irreparably. A storage- He narrowed his eyes, taking a moment to look at the droid sat in the corner. At first it could be concieved what drew his attention was the ramshackle nature of it. It wasn’t any typical droid, just pieces of many shoved all together into one being.

But no. He leaned closer to the screen. The necklace, the one they now knew the appearance of, was dangling around its neck.

“The droid has the necklace. It’s… wearing it though. In the storage room.” Cole pointed it out on the screen, giving space for the others to look too.

As Titius snapped back to reality, he inhaled deeply. A low growl hissed through his helmet.

“This whole place needs a little cleansing fire.And quit hijacking my head!…” The angry rambling continued behind the group, totally unaware of the plan forming around the datapad.

“We can work with cleansing fire.” Hector replied. “We need that necklace. Titius, if you could provide some cleansing fire in the form of traps that would be greatly appreciated. Sofila and I can bait the droid over and then a Force User can Telekinetically tear the necklace from it. Cole can watch the cameras and listen for any surprises. The rest should provide cover and assistance as necessary. Are we on board with this plan?” the Kiffar announced.

“Everything except putting you in charge. Your kind got us into this mess. Im not trusting you to fix it.” Titius shed his backpack and began laying out enough explosive to take down a small cruiser.

“His kind?” asked Savi with a narrowing glance before shifting their attention to Hector. “I can use the Force to snatch the necklace, and provide cover for anyone who needs it.”

“If you get it into the corridor I could potentially shoot the damn thing off of the Droid, if telekinesis doesn’t work.” Cole added in.

Cole stared back for a moment, tense.

“It knows.”

“Well, let’s get everything down before it starts moving. Maybe it just knows that we’re here, not what… we are planning?” Sofila suggested, then looked over to Hector with a nod.

“I’m ready when you are.”

“What does it know?” Titius snapped at Cole, pulling strip after strip of explosives from its casing. The hall to the storage room had crude lines of wire and smeared lines of explosive forming a wide ring.

“It knows we’re here, at minimum. It just looked directly into the camera. Whatever explosives you’re setting up, sooner is better.” Cole responded smoothly. If he was bothered by Titius snapping, it wasn’t obvious.

Pinching the bridge of her nose at Titius’ earlier comments and attitude, it seemed like he was a bit rattled. “I completely agree with Titius and Hector, that this place needs to cleansed in fire all the way to the ground, so that these tortured souls can be finally free of this nightmare. However, we need to be able to get out here, and find Kerissa, which means we can’t set this whole place on fire.”

Looking between the group, before going over to the data pad, “Sofila, Savi, do either of you sense your friend? Cole, did you see anything or anyone else on the camera’s? And Titius, would enough of the blast be able to be contained within that hallway, so that we all can have time to get out? If it helps any, I have a Cryoban and a C-10 stun grenades, that you can use.”

<@216702440140046336> <@1056685516441006091> <@432543120635461643> <@348547724628721695>

“Actually, give me the cryoban. Not like you know what to do with it anyway…” Titius was working on the floor, laying out a very obvious X.

Sofila said nothing for awhile. She… didn’t want to say it out loud but what was the chances of Kerissa being alive? It took so much of them to finally take down the droids, how the suns Kerissa made it through?

“Uh– Yea I’ll try.” Sofila grimaced and was glad the helmet was on. She hated using the Force but if it meant they can find Kerissa, it would be worth it. The first thing she sensed was the pendant and she almost recoiled. It felt so familiar as a similar dark artifact had been used to stab her and it made her sick to her stomach.

Then-

Her head snapped down towards her feet.

“She’s…. under us? And… I think being drained?” Then Sofila paused for a moment before adding, “Really karking fast. Cy’r- Cole,” she quickly corrected herself, “was there anything that looks like stairs in the cameras?”

“There’s a hatch under the droid.” Cole answered, still primarily watching the cameras admist the movement of the others “But the droid is twitching and… I hate to make it sound personable but it looks karked off.”

“KARK!”

Cole, in a blink, had drawn his scatter gun to his hands, stepping away from the console with wide eyes. Then… No. He could hear his heart pounding in his ears, the sudden cold on his skin in reaction to the moisture. But there was nothing to follow the image.

They couldn’t trust their eyes anymore.

He inhaled slowly, forcibly lowering the scattergun before letting it go, momentarily leaving a veil of fog on the visor of his helmet.

Shaking hands gripped lightsaber hilts tightly. Hector Von Ricmore took deep breaths to compose himself. It was an illusion. Just an illusion.

Wait.

No it wasn’t.

The Kiffar recalled his vision. Orange flames burning and consuming. The droids in the illusion. Shrieking and on fire.

The vision was coming true. Something could go wrong with the traps.

Hector’s pulse quickened. “Titius! The droids in the illusion. They’re enflamed just like the vision. The traps may be what Scimitar wants us to do, to destabilize and bring this place down around us!”

“Do you ever kriffing stop talking? If you haven’t noticed, you bunch of magic worshiping, brain dead Force rotted slaves, Im laying enough explosives to end all your unremarkable lives. Let me work!” Titius was dead tired of the endless mindflaying, making his usually irritated self furious.

Sofila reacted, her barrier went up as she went to protect herself. Didn’t they destroy those droids?! She heard Cole cuss and she can’t even help him right now! It’s metal claws scratching at her barrier and screeching. Sofila gritted her teeth as she stepped back and kept the barrier up. The barrier flashed at each strike it had made.

Then it was gone.

Her chest ached again. With a gasp of pain, she frantically looked around in the room, slightly panting as her heart was going a million parsec a minute. She was trembling. Her head was facing Cole but then away… w-where were the droids? Was it an illusion?

I.. am not sure how much more I can take this, Sofila bitterly thought as she tried to gather her breath.

Mother was right. I am **weak**

Sofila’s head snapped to the direction. She dropped the barrier when she realize it was still up and took a soft inhale when she felt the slight exhaustion hit. There was no time for her to charge.

“We need to move now.” She quickly went to place, hopefully with Savi following, so they both can make the run for the hatch when it was time.

“Titius are you ready?” Cole called out.

Savi took their place next to Sofila, reaching up to place a hand on her shoulder with a nod. “Let’s do this.”

Titius’ response was to chuck a reel of wires down the hall at Cole’s head.

The reels screamed as they spooled out.

Cole leaned his head just enough for them to sail by without impact, resisting the urge the sigh.

That was probably a yes.

“Do we get a countd-”

The answer was short, loud and a resounding NO.

Time seemed to slow as Titius turned, chucked Tahiri’s Cryoban grenade at the droid, turned to dive away, tripped, landed face first and all hell broke loose.

Titius had done his job well. Too well in that the explosion seemed to collapse onto the droid, crescendoing to a bright pinpoint before spewing shrapnel and debris outward.

Then came the sound. The explosion was felt better than heard, its shockwave like a walkers foot hammering the ground.

As the smoke cleared, the droid nor Titius was present in the hallway.

…what was left of the hall at least. The mansion had gained a new entrance and a very disheveled courtyard featuring a lovely wood mulch and passable duracrete sunk flowerbeds.

Titius looked dead, contorted horribly and laying stock still after dropping in.

Sofila grimaced at the blast and the wave and the muffled sound that still wasn’t fun. She lay low as the debris clear. With a quick scan, Titius and Tahiri did not look good. She gently push on Savi’s shoulder- “Go get her. I will heal.” She got up and looked to Cole, she tilted her head towards Savi’s direction to show to Cole to please follow Savi.

Titius may… have tried to kill them a few times but he still saved her life. She ran over to the pair as she started to call the Force and started to attempt to heal Titius.

A hand shot up at Sofila and was way off, scrabbling at thin air.

“I used a little too much again, didn’t I?” The mercenary’s head lolled slowly as he tried to reassert his bearings.

“Do… I have permission to heal you?” Sofila cautiously ask as her hands withdrew slightly. “Are you okay?”

“You most certainly do not, I have had well enough Force used on me to last me till next life. Try it and Ill wring your throat. Just as…soon…as…I…find it!” Titius attempts to catch Sofila translated to wimpy pats on the cheek as Titius’ brain and hand had a error in communication.

And just as soon as he was upright, Titius flopped face first onto the dirt.

Sofila sighed deeply then turned her head to look at Elly.

“Let’s.. just give him a minute.”

“OW, kark off…” *The resultant string of expletives were muffled by his helmet grille slowly sinking into the mud.

Sofila quickly used her feet to gently roll Titius on his back.

At least he won’t drown in the mud.

Savi held Sofila’s gaze for a moment before briefly looking to both Tahiri and Titius. The former looked seriously disoriented from the blast and Titius was being ,,, well, Titius. They trusted that the rest of the team would be able to tend to them, so they opted to continue forward in search of Kerissa.

“Cole, on me,” they said before springing down onto the next floor.

<@432543120635461643>

Cole acted on instinct, following the Shani through the hallway. He wasn’t a medic either way. He stepped down after Savi, watching the way ahead carefully.

The sudden blast made Tahiri thankful that after she had given Titius her cryoban grenade that she had retreated to where Zxyl and Elly had been instead of staying closer to the corridor. Even with that distance however, her head rang and Montrals pounded, disorienting her in such a way that she swayed a bit on her feet.

Taking a deep breath and shaking her head a bit, the petite Togruta looked around and tried to take a step towards where Titius, Sofila and Elly were, but stumbled, barely catching herself on the edge of a couch as she went to one knee. With everything ringing, all she heard was mumbling. “IS TITIUS OKAY?” she attempted to sound normal, but realized that she asked a bit louder than that.

The Regent of the Brotherhood instinctively reached out as the Tarentae stumbled, putting a hand under the Togruta’s upper arm to keep her stable until her head stopped ringing.

“He is fine. You are not,” he said as he took her through… Wherever he had to go through in order to get to the demolished hallway Titius had redecorated in his traditional fashion, keeping her upright. He didn’t know much about the dual title holder’s species, having not spent much time around them, but it was clear the explosive was having quite an effect on her. When he reached where he needed to be, the Mandalorian General stared at the rubble.

What a mess.

Without saying a word, the Regent of the Brotherhood raised his free arm towards the mounds of destruction. A moment later, swirling tendrils of green ichor began to form around his hand as he concentrated intently on the one and only thing he wanted.

The necklace.

Bright green began shining through cracks and holes inside the collapsed part of the structure as the Regent focused, before flipping his hand upside down and lifting two fingers as he used his prowess in Telekinesis to try and call the necklace to his person. Not his hand - he’d have it hover telekinetically - but to him and under his control nonetheless.

“Straight ahead. I’ve got your back Savi.” Cole spoke quietly, the scatter gun in hand and ready to aim.

There was no way of knowing exactly they were about to come across.

Savi kept their Kyuzo Petar in their left hand and their Force-imbued blade in their right, moving forward slowly down the hall while keeping their senses open to their surroundings. So far, nothing stood out to them; the only thing of note was the feeling of dread that lingered in the air like smog.

He remained close as the pair progressed down the hall further.

Sofila glanced over to Zxyl, trying to keep her anger down that they couldn’t destroy it.

“I’m going to find Cole and Savi.” With that, she made her way over to the hatch and dropped down. <@837236610684813342>

The rubble vibrated momentarily, before the necklace shot through the rocks and began hovering above Bes'uliik’s two fingers. Green ichor swirled around it, partially obscuring it from view. He lowered his hand, using his fingertips to keep an iron grip of telekinetic control over the necklace in front of his person.

The Regent considered just grabbing hold of it and holding it that way to mitigate the risk one of the others would attempt to take it from him, but he knew better. Scimitar was smart, he had proven, and they needed to stay ahead of the game.

The General met the Arconan’s glance. He knew everyone was unhappy about Zxyl doing what he had to. He was too. His armor head nodded as she said her next steps before dropping down, leading Tahiri over to the hatch opening.

“You good?” he asked her, the dark otherworldly echo an odd but unfortunate addition to his momentary concern for the Sith. While Bes'uliik was intent on following Cole, Savran, and Sofila, he wasn’t going to abandon Tahiri upstairs unless she was fit for duty. Titius? Well, he seemed to fail upwards and in all likelihood was going to be fine either way.

<@375384499770359819>

Savi felt their heart sink to their stomach when they saw Kerissa lying there, deathly pale and bound to the table. Upon seeing the infernal contraption that crept closer and closer to her, the Shani sprang into action. There was no time to think, no time to hesitate. Centuries worth of instinct honed by pure necessity pushed them to spring across the room as quickly as their feet could carry them so they could execute a single, precise cut that split the mechanical arm in two. They had already turned to Kerissa by the time it hit the ground with a plangent metallic clang.

“Kerissa,” they said, reaching out to touch a hand to her face. “Can you hear me? Kerissa.”

She was still breathing, and Savi could feel the essence of the Living Force clinging to her supine form. They turned to Cole. “Help me,” they implored, putting their weapons away so they could begin undoing her restraints.

<@432543120635461643>

Sofila caught up.

“What the-”

<@1056685516441006091> <@432543120635461643>

Cole was already at the other side of the table, hunting knife drawn from his belt and-

He swore, looking for some.. visible marking.

A slot.

“We need the pendant.”

They turned around upon hearing Sofila’s voice. “Sofila, who has the pendant? Did we retrieve it?”

Sofila gritted her teeth.

“Yea, Zxyl has it. Why?”

“It might unlock the table. We can’t touch Kerissa or the bindings right now.” Cole answered, already moving past Sofila to head back up the hatch himself.

“Kark!” Sofila yelped as she can feel Kerissa getting worse and made her way over quickly, helping Cole to get through as well.

“There’s Sith alchemy at play here,” they replied, providing a demonstration of how their hand was rebuffed by a brief jolt of energy whenever they attempted to undo Kerissa’s restraints. “And she doesn’t have much time.”

Hector Von Ricmore felt perturbed. Force Visions were significant events. And he was unsure of what was to come. Keeping Cole’s blaster strapped to his shoulder he descended into the hatch, regrouping with his allies below.

“If it would help, I could analyze it with psychometry?” He inquired.

Sofila hears Savi’s explanation. Kark, she hated the Force and this would never happened if-

“I can’t just sit here-” She reached out to Kerissa, touching her arm.

And nothing happened with the Sith Alchemy. Her brows furrowed for a split second before her hands started to glow as she worked to heal Kerissa.

Cole rushed back to the hatch, slipping past Ellisyn carrying Titius and getting far enough up back into the room that he could see the regent of the Brotherhood, still supporting Tahiri. She didn’t look good either. Kark.

The Human finished the climb out, seeing the amulet floating in the air, “We need the necklace below to save Kerissa. There’s some Force kark holding her in place. I’ll stay with Tahiri if you don’t want anyone touching the karking thing.”

Savi nodded to Hector. “Do what you can.”

They turned back to Sofila who, to their surprise, managed to lay hands on her and begin healing her with the Force. Savi reached out to touch Sofila’s shoulder, giving it an encouraging squeeze. They knew how difficult their relationship with the Force was, and they wanted to support her in her efforts to do what needed to be done to save their friend.

“You’re doing great.”

<@216702440140046336>

While his allies frantically worked to save the being on the table, Hector sought the truth. Placing a hand on the table, whispy echoes of the past began to materialize around him. He could see the droids the party fought drag the woman to the room and deposit her on the table. The droid that carried the pendant began to speak. To chant? But the words slipped away as he heard them, like sand sifting through one’s fingers. The droid’s voice was familiar. But the Kiffar could not recall where he heard it.

If the past did not hold answers, perhaps the future could? Perhaps he could see what was planned for this woman’s future.

Darkness. Whispering oily darkness surrounded him.

Let there be light.

The fire returned. The choking, orange fire from the previous vision.

Oh how it burned.

It hungered. Consuming the area around the Kiffar. The fire was not from Titius’ explosion. Yet still it burned, blocking anything in sight.

What did it mean? What was this infernal conflagration?

Tahiri had only barely heard the Regent when he helped her back to her and helped her over to the others. Even in her dazed state she noticed Zxyl had been trying to pull the necklace from the droids body. In an effort to help while he held her up, she reached out and tried to help him pull it free. However the Force slipped through her grasp, barely having any effect on it. The headache she got from trying made her lean a little against the General.

Seeing him pull it free and have it was hovering in front of him, it impressed her how well he had taken to his new connection in the Force. Need to talk with him personally about all this, after this is all over. Shaking and rubbing her head as the ringing began to subside, hearing “Cole and Savi” in, was that Sofila’s voice.

She felt the Regent leading her over to the Hatch, before suddenly with full clarity she heard the other worldly echo of Zxyl’s voice, the concern in his voice was strangely unmistakable. Looking up and straight into the visor of his helm, where she assumed his eyes were, smiling.

“Yes,” she replied in a very relieved tone. “I think I’m good now. Thank you, Zxyl.” Stumbling a bit, she felt the genetically-altered Dathomirian’s grip tighten to keep her upright. “Though it seems my hearing is back, but my balance is still a tad off yet.”

Turning her head as Cole came up, hearing the desperate situation, silently cursing the Scimitar. Looking at Cole and then back to Zxyl, and in a confident tone, “My balance is just off, but I’m better now for the most part, just help me get down there and let’s go. I’ll do my best to keep up. Don’t worry about me, it’ll wear off soon.” Hopefully.

<@432543120635461643>

“Hrm,” Zxyl grunted lightly as he looked at Cole. The right thing to do would be to just give up the necklace and let him go on with it. The right thing. Why had he even been put in this position? Or rather… Why had he put himself in this position by joining their trip to Dathomir, and putting all those lives lost aboard Mattock Station at risk in the first place.

Kriff it for the moment. If I don’t help, I’ll be fighting all of them.

“Fine,” the Mandalorian said as he adjusted his hand, the necklace moving from its locked-in position beside him much closer to Cole for the man to take it.

He ignored the Arconan’s immediate actions afterwards, maintaining the telekinetic lift unless Cole were to grab it as he focused on getting Tahiri down. He’d be able to help afterwards.

Despite Tahiri’s confidence, somehow it was doubtful she’d be walking easily soon with how much weight she was leaning onto the Regent.

Cole was surprised that Zxyl handed it over but made no comment, simply nodding in affirmation of the action before plucking it out of the air and into a tight fist. He turned, lowering himself toward and then down through the hatch below.

He ran down the hallway, noticing as the necklace seemed to dig into his skin. It’d be easy to call it a burn, pain seeping into his palm from where the edges of the pendant pressed in, yet there was no heat. No extreme temperature of any kind, despite the explosion it just went through. It wasn’t enough for him to drop it however, crossing past the group and slotting the necklace into its place at the end of the table without a word.

<@837236610684813342>

Sofila stayed focused, even when Savi placed a hand on her shoulder and said she was doing great. She said nothing as she started to feel tired but her hands still glowed and she was not easing up. The moment the pendant went into the slot, she closed her eyelids with a wince from the sudden green light and wished she can covered her ears from the noise but her hands stayed, healing Kerissa.

Zxyl and Tahiri joined the others, making their way down the hatch and through the corridors to the same room the others had located - and Kerissa. He kept his mouth shut for now, just watching what was going on.

“Get her off the table.” Cole spoke after a moment, relieved to see her breathing steady but they didn’t have time to stop and fully heal the woman. They had no idea what had been done in full. He got into place to lift her legs.

The scream had been unsettling but no more than anything else in this pit.

Hopefully the necklace wouldn’t resist retrieval.

Once Kerissa had been freed, Savi moved in position to hold their hands under her shoulders to lift her up on Cole’s mark.

Cole gave a short count and together, the pair lifted Kerissa from the table.

Savi heard the voice and recognized it as none other than Scimitar himself. So, the schutta finally decided to reveal himself? Good.

“Because it’s finally time for you to pay for karking up the lives of so many people.” they answered, turning their head to look straight into the nearest camera. The shutting doors didn’t seem to faze them. “It was just business at first, but it’s been personnel since you made the mistake of trying to use my past against me. Since you tried to use her against me,” they paused for a moment to look down at Kerissa’s limp form, only to look back at the camera with slitted eyes like lances, “I’m going to enjoy killing you.”

Sofila couldn’t heal anymore as she let out an exhausted exhale. She heard his voice and her blood started to boil. She could feel the anger gripping around her. She wanted nothing more than to see his blood spill on the ground, permanently.

Steading herself, it seemed Kerissa was now stable but they still needed to get her to a medical center as soon as possible. She was using Kerissa as a means of distraction, her hands were clenched into fists and she can feel herself trembling with rage that wanted nothing more than to burst.

“What the kark-” Cole swore as the terminals caught aflame.

“Anyone with a lightsaber, get the karking hatch open it should just be durasteel.”

They could work out the plan for upstairs when they were up there.

The flames. The flames were here. The vision had come true!

Acrid smoke burned the air around him, ignored due to his breath mask. But eyes teared and hands trembled at the awkwardness of shifting between the past, future and present; only to be met with a fire upon returning to his regular sight.

There was no time to waste. With watery eyes he ignited his lightsaber and cut a sloppy hole in the durasteel hatch, just barely wide enough for the group to fit through.

“Let’s go! Back up the hatch!” Hector shouted

As the team made their hasty exit from the mansion, Savi focused their efforts on making sure the place didn’t collapse on top of them. Flames crept up the walls on either side of them, angrily licking at their skin and choking the air with the blackened smoke produced by its incessant consumption of flammable matter.

“Try not to breathe it in!” they shouted, using more pronounced gestures with their hands to focus their use of the Force. One hand lifted toward the ceiling with an open palm to catch a portion of it that broke away and fell just before it fell atop the others, while the other forcibly shunted debris and other obstructions further down the hall as they went.

Sofila squatted down and pull Kerissa over her shoulders. When they got to the hatch, she prepared to lift Kerissa up.

“Cole! Tahiri! Help please!” Cole and Tahiri reached down and pulled Kerissa through the hatch with Sofila quickly following. Once they got to the top, Sofila made sure she was out of the way so the rest can climb as she, once again, has Kerissa over her shoulders and worked to follow the team to get the kark out.

“Sofila take her and go. I have the rest of the team.”

It did not make sense for them to keep Kerissa hanging by the hatch.

They needed a way out.

Sofila was trying but the smoke was building and the heat was intense. The fire doesn’t bother her but that heat-

The mud! For some reason, she remembered Titius laying face down in the mud. There was a hole to outside. Sofila immediately made her way to outside but kept an ear out if anyone needed help or for her to backpedal.

As the last members of the group ascended from the basement, Cole started running with them after Sofila.

There was one boon to Titius blowing kist up earlier. They had a damn way out. The wall was cracked open, enough to rush through as the smoke thickened and the heat rose around them.

As the Togruta breathed in the cool outside air, coughing a bit as the smoke still stung her lungs and nose. I should look into getting a mask or something, thinking to herself as she looked around to make sure everyone one was there.

The last of the team to exit was Hector, Cole, and Zxyl, the last of whom she noticed a ball of green ichor hovering beside him, Good, looks like he got the necklace.

Coughing again she called out to people, “Is everyone ok? Titius, you ok?”

Titius responded by blasting air out of his mask, creating a dustcloud around his head. “I need a change of filter but Ill survive.”

Cole watched the family pass on as a unit. Smiling. The air felt lighter, despite the smoke still billowing from the building.

Zxyl still had the necklace.

“Are you sure you still want to take that back with you?” He asked the Regent, hoping for a change of mind but doubting it somehow. He looked down at his hand, the imprint of the necklace still a pale red in his palm, “After all it’s done here.. I doubt any good will come of it.”

<@260640060775464960>

Zxyl examined the building. It was in ruins. He turned his head ever so slightly towards Cole, the dark smoke casting shadows on the dark crimson T-shaped visor of his helmet.

“Likely not. But unfortunately… I have orders. You have all been informed of them, so it’s not as if you can claim ignorance.

I will do what I have to. Try to take it if you must.”

The Mandalorian General did not reach for his weapons, but his body tensed as he prepared for the possibility he would need to fight his compatriots.

Cole sighed, but made no move to attack.

“It shouldn’t be handled with bare flesh.” He simply informed, raising the palm of his hand into view for a moment before lowering it.

Her heart softened as she watched Henry and the family. She was going to be upset again but… he was really at peace. They were. This part was over.

And yet, Zxyl was holding the pendant.

“For kark’s sake–” Sofila started as she gently placed Kerissa on the ground to check over her. She was shaking with anger. She needed to get out. She took a step away from Kerissa, she found that she was trusting herself less and less. Her helmet turned towards where direction where Zxyl stood, her eyes glanced to the pendant, the darkness of it…

…..

….

“Let them karking take it. Let them see what happens for doing down that deep on something so dark–” Sofila’s voice was full of venomous anger. She, however, winced at Cole’s burn mark and it seemed to keep her mind off of the pendant. Savi was by Kerissa’s side so she made her way over to Cole. She gently held out her hand, palm up, so Cole can place the back of his hand on hers so she could get started to healing him. Her hand was slightly shaking from the rage that want to once again, burst out.

“I appreciate the warning, and I do apologize, to all of you. If you know me, you know I do not do so very often. I do not want it to be this way.”

The dark otherworldly echo mimicking the Dathomirian-Mandalorian’s voice almost seemed softer for those few moments. He made no mention of the disappearing groundskeeper, their finding of Kerissa - or her current status. He gripped the necklace tighter - which seemed more like an amulet, really - and wrapped it around his fully armored left hand. This had not been something he was looking forward to, but he had prepared for the eventuality prior to their departure. Bes'uliik had almost completely forgotten the thing as he helped Savi stop the structure from toppling on them. Until it hit him in the head. With his hidden lightsaber vambrace hand free, he was ready should one of his compatriots decide to go for first blood. He certainly wouldn’t.

The Mandalorian turned his head down to stare at the necklace for a minute.

No.

You will meet your end.

Zxyl hastily unwrapped the necklace with a quick twirl of his hand and deployed the same telekinetic grip on it he had previously.

You idiot.

He was angry he was even in this position - an emotion he did not try to hide, nor the reasons for that anger. The pendant would be destroyed - absolutely, as it was necessary to finally end Scimitar - but at the right moment. Destroying it now would only allow the fool time to re-bind his soul once freed from the necklace, and the Council required it for study. To understand how and why this being had gone unnoticed, and delivered such critical bloodshed and pain to the Brotherhood. Pain that would be felt across all seven clans with the organization’s only destroyer-capable shipyard now a shattered floating husk around Arx. He needed to understand.

NO.

“If there is nothing else, let us leave this place. Hastily, before this motherkriffer’s voice starts to annoy me and I must come up with ways to torture his soul.”

“… He’s talking to you, isn’t he?”

Her voice had softened. Completely still. Her anger was tamed and replaced with pure exhaustion.

“He is not going to stop. Your resolve is stronger than mine that is for sure, but can you really trust any of your councils for their resolves to be true as yours?” Sofila pointed out. She still had nightmares, constantly. She keeps waking up and seeing him by her bedside almost daily.

He. Doesn’t. Stop.

“All he has to do… is get a hold of one person in Arx.”

Zxyl sighed. He wished he could talk to Appius about this predicament. Or complain to him about it, at the very least.

“Indeed he is.”

The Mandalorian didn’t bother saying anything else, and began moving forward back to the ship - with or without everyone else.

Sofila bit her cheek as she said nothing else while she quickly healed Cole’s hand. When she was done, she went over to Kerissa and helped Savi carry her to the ship.

Savi remained silent, focusing her attention on keeping Kerissa’s head supported while they boarded the ship.

Hector silently watched the confrontation. He had been one of the last of the group to exit the building. Far too late to attempt to convince his Mandalorian compatriot. He wouldn’t bother attempting to persuade Zyxl. They weren’t on the best terms and even if they were he doubted the Regent would hear him out. But all hope was not lost.

Hector had a flash of inspiration. Perhaps brought about by fate. Or guided by Mir’s saber crystal resonating within his lightsaber. He would create a failsafe. A force echo of himself within the amulet, to hopefully mitigate the inevitable fallout when the use of the Amulet went wrong. He lacked Scimitar’s strength, his command of the Force. But he didn’t need to be Scimitar. It wasn’t immortality that he was after. He just needed to leave behind a sliver of himself.

The Kiffar knelt down upon the ground and began to concentrate, to feel the flow of the Force. Perhaps this action was folly doomed to failure, but he had to try something.

Zxyl moved forward with the others. As his helmet was under constant seal, he was unaffected by the smoke and toxins rising. Although the Regent of the Brotherhood was becoming slightly more comfortable with wielding his Magick powers around others, he felt he had no other choice with this adventure. He raised his forearms, palms flipped to the air as he focused heavily on the crumbling area around them and attempted to keep it stable alongside Savran.

As the building began to crumble around them, Hector moved to secure the pendant. Picking such an object up with his bare hands would be foolish. He would have to rely on the Force. He reached out and willed the pendant to move towards him. And move it did. Part of the chamber began to crumble, forcing Hector to sidestep the debris. His lapse in concentration caused the pendant to zip forwards, lightly impacting Zyxl on the back on the head.

“Sorry about that!” Hector called as he scrambled after the group. He couldn’t help the small bit of mirth and amusement at the sheer ridiculousness of the accident.

He reached out, forming a connection with the amulet. He could feel two versions of himself; his primary body and the splintered soul within the amulet. A figure loomed in front of him, massive and imposing; his power dwarfed that of Hector, even in this splintered state.

A peal of chaotic laughter echoed around him as Hector found himself thrown back to his body.

He had entirely failed in his attempt to leave a safeguard. But the amulet’s Force signature was now known to him on a deeper level. Perhaps he could track it in the future.

Tahiri watched in silence as the Tasc'i family was reunited and then passed peacefully into the Force. She felt her heart pang a little, reminded of the fact that once again the Force is a part of everything and remembers. She wasn’t going to forget about this, the way Mir, the Scimitar, killed, twisted and then used his own families souls for his own delusional means. She wanted so bad as to destroy the necklace in front of him and put her blade through his heart, the same way he had done to his family.

Her eyes glowed red almost with the anger she felt, the Togruta’s blood boiling to the point she felt her own skin was burning. The Elder was brought back from her thoughts, and listened to Cole, Zxyl and Sofila talk about the amulet, watching the Regent carefully when he mentioned that he could that frackers voice. She even steeled her own mind in case she had to delve into his to help combat the Scimitars’ influence. But seeing as he quickly stopped holding the artifact and the green ichor once again surrounded and floated next to him, only then did she relax. Grinding her teeth a little, wanting so bad to agree with Sofila and Cole, however her duty bound and logical thinking side won over to Zxyl’s side.

Still she could hear it in his voice that even he didn’t want to take it back, that was at least some consolation. She wanted to talk with him badly. A small whine sounded from her side as she followed Zxyl to the ship, after making sure that Titius was being helped by his droid. She patted Zuska on the head and mentally told him everything was all right. Waiting at the bottom of the ramp for everyone else to board, she smirked and cocked her head at Titius before he went up the ramp. “The mansion is far enough away from the village, I hope the flagship you brought with you has full weapons capability,” she remarked. “That place should be taken off the surface, for the families peace and for the sake of everything else.”

Once everyone was onboard, she got as close as she could to where the Dathomirian-Mandalorian was and spoke in a low and very gentle tone to him in Dathomiri, “I know that I have no right to ask this of you, but can I have your word that when that necklace is to be destroyed, you will let me know. I want to be ready and, if possible, nearby when it is done. As I feel that **he* will either, be close by himself, or will have something up his sleeve to prevent the destruction of it. If I can’t have your word, then at least for the sake of the team, let us know when it is done, as he possibly knows our faces, if not who we all are.* Please.”

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