Star Wars: The Old Republic Character List

Ebon Hawk Server

Republic Side


Litessen - Jedi Guardian. Nickname: Lita. Species: Mirialan.
Lita's compassionate, articulate, outspoken. She believes in the good in people and that a Jedi's primary function is to protect those who cannot protect themselves, not seeing them as weak, but as part of the Force that she serves. She believes in the ideals of the Republic, if not necessarily the law of it, realizing that a government is necessary for order and peace, but those laws do not take into account singular situations or individuals who may be an exception to the rule. In spite of having excellent diplomatic skills, she has a tendency in her own life to rush into things without taking her own safety into account. She flies with the "Maiden", a starship captained by her husband, Deke'o Starbreaker. She's also become known by her friends as a magnet for stray children who are often runaways and/or in danger.


Tal'rend - Jedi Sentinel. Qorian's padawan. Nickname: Tal. Species: Zabrak. 
Tal's a handful. She's smart, strong in the force, and picks up new skills with gifted ease. She's also a bit incorrigible, pulls pranks, and likes to draw attention to herself. She's immature and impatient. A lot of this comes from her being double-babied by her mother, who was making up for losing her sister, Qel, before she was drawn into the Jedi training program at 7. Rambuncious.


Veeh'ra - Vanguard. Species: Cyborg.
Severe head trauma caused by crushing damage in a "training incident" (that wasn't her fault), so her entire skull had to be rebuilt. Cyborg tech was used to restore 100% of her motor functions and 75% of the rest of the damage to her brain. This made for a total personality change from the dedicated and good-natured soldier she used to be to a calculating, cold, fearless warrior without a moral compass. She follows her orders completely without regard to right or wrong. She is actually a better fighter than she was before the incident, the cybernetics enhancing her combat skills and abilities. She's blunt and sometimes crude. Her blaster rifle is named Jayne, and it is her most favorite piece of weaponry in the whole universe.


Katliss - Gunslinger. Nickname: Kat. Species: Human.
Having been Untruth's playmate for so long, she's brash, self-involved, cocky, and doesn't care what anyone thinks (with the exception of her brother, and even then, she likes to make him yell "Kat!" when she says something outrageous). She is loyal to her brother to a fault, and right now, he is the only person who can exact any kind of control over her.  


Vesatta - Jedi Shadow. Species: Miraluka.  
Having been raped while still in the Academy, Vesatta is quiet and shy. She never reported the experience, humiliated and ashamed by it. While she is confident that she is up to any task set before her, she doesn't allow anyone to truly "know" her. The Shadow path allows her to court the darkness without falling into it, but also makes her very vulnerable to the Dark side. Because of what happened, stealthy, mystical powers are much more appealing, keeping with the desire to keep her distance from people. Because of this background, she lacks some inter-personal skills, so she sometimes comes across as apathetic or blunt.


Lullia - Commando. Species: Twi'lek.
Basically a good person, honest, courageous. Soft-spoken, but friendly. Her family was rescued by a Jedi knight from the Empire when she was a child, prompting her to join the military, when she became old enough. She is trained as a field medic and as back-up for special forces ops.


Aittera - Scoundrel. Species: Human.
Former SIS agent. Disillusioned when she lost her partner in an op gone bad. Flying and freedom are now her top priorities and takes smuggling work to make that happen. Still, she has honor, loyalty, and her own sense of morality. She has a weakness for lost causes and dangerous men.


Lei'quii - Jedi Shadow. Nickname: Lei (pronounced "Lee"). Partner: Val'ros. Species: Human.
Former Jedi who was asked to leave when it was discovered that she had developed feelings for a Republic trooper and planned to marry him. Until she left, her belief system was very much in step with the teachings of the Order, though now, she's questioning those teachings and beliefs. In spite of all this, she's still loyal to the Council and the Republic. Has been partners with Val'ros since leaving the academy, where they sort of grew up together.


Tholata - Jedi Sentinel. Species: Cathar
Grew up on an Outer Rim planet where her village was attacked by Mandolorian raiders while she was still a young child, leaving her orphaned and on her own. A few years later, she caught the attention of a visiting Jedi knight, who gained her trust and took her to the Jedi academy. She's incredibly shy in social situations, and very curious.


Kel'ri - Gunslinger. Nickname: Blue. First mate: Harkyn. Species: Human.
Basically a good guy out to make a buck to keep flying. She's the reluctant hero - tends to make a stink about what doing the right thing costs her and her reputation, though she'll most alwys do the right thing in the end. She tends to be a bit cocky and wreckless like any good pilot should be.


Imperial Side


Kiabe'deth - Sith Marauder. Species: Sith Pureblood. 
Kiabe is Sith and pureblood from one of the oldest family lines in the Imperial Empire. She is arrogant and cruel, having no interest in anything but her own advancement and crushing anyone who gets in her way. Married to Darth Ragious and has a son by him.


Qel'rend - Sith Sorceror. Nickname: Qel. Species: Zabrak. Zadakiel's apprentice. 
Qel is self-confidant, but not arrogant. She spent most of her life as a slave, and she understands her place in the world, even now that she's been freed. She has placed herself into Zadakiel's care, because she believes that she can be as strong as he is one day, and that he will guide her. She has instinctively used pain to create and store power all her life. Because of this, she isn't the typical Sith in that, rage and hate are simply emotions others use to reach the power she so easily can draw into herself by this method. She guards her emotions carefully as a result, seeking true direction from the Dark side to make decisions in combat and social situations. Now that she has chosen a Master, she will not acknowledge anyone he considers beneath himself as having true power over her, unless he commands it. However, she's smart enough to hide her full potential from anyone who might take advantage of it.


Renn'a - Imperial Sniper. Nickname: Renn. Species: Cyborg. 
The Empire is the penultimate bastion of power and order in an otherwise chaotic galaxy, so she will serve it with every fiber of her being. She takes her greatest pleasures from killing for the Empire, but will do any duty set forth before her without complaint. Lord Ragious took Renn'a as a 'pet' against her will, but she's since come to accept her position in his household, continuing to work for him and Imperial Intelligence.


Temivi - Sith Assassin. Agonar's apprentice. Species: Twi'lek.
As far as Temivi is concerned, she's earned her right to be free by surviving Sith training. She's outspoken about her opinions and sometimes doesn't know when to keep her mouth shut. She is from an occupied world, and her parents were part of a slave labor force. She irritated the local authorities often by fighting for her community, even joining a rebellious group, and was arrested on minor charges several times. When she was chosen as a potential force weilder, her parents convinced her to go by making her swear to have a better life than they had, and she sends them credits secretly on occassion when she is able.


Riukii - Mercenary. Species: Cyborg. 
When she was younger, Riukii joined the crew of the freighter Ridge's Dust and spent her first couple of years in a whirlwind/tempestuous relationship with its captain. When the relationship soured, the captain found his way into an 'incident' with a malfunctioning airlock and Riukii inherited the ship. She has something of a short attention span, avoiding long-term commitments of any kind, seeking to avoid ever letting her guard down again. In spite of this, she's friendly, accessible, and is even a bit of a flirt, eschewing the usual tough guy act that most mercenarys tend to project. Being a merc is just a job that keeps her from having to settle in one place and keeps her out of poverty or from having to depend on anyone. Loves her arsenal and equipment, because she likes the big boy toys.


Farell - Sith Juggernaut. Species: Zabrak. 
Arrogant, defiant daughter of Darth Ragious. She's a total daddy's girl and resents her step-mother and step-brother, seeing them as detractors from her father's attention. She's smart, manipulative, and ruthless. She is constantly seeking out Ragious's approval, willing to do anything to get it.


Wa'seandee - Mercenary. Species: Chiss. Partner and husband: Nekama 
Before Nekama's appearance in her life, everything was pretty simple - money buys freedom; kill someone before they can have a chance to kill you; be tougher than anyone you meet. Now, however, she's been known to show mercy and has designated herself Nekama's personal bodyguard. She still loves to blow shit up though.


Dels'taron - Sniper. Species: Chiss.
When she was young, there was a rebellious uprising on her homeworld. Imperial Intelligence recruited her to infiltrate this uprising to aid in quelling it. When the Imperial military stepped in to arrest the leaders of the uprising, one of the officers became involved in helping her become an Imperial agent and married her, primarily to have a beautiful young woman on his arm. His life has since come to an end at the hands of a Sith Lord who decided to take Dels for himself. She's adventurous, out-going, and ambitious, though she has a tendency to take unnecessary risks.


Somaesthesia - Assassin. Name: Jocelyn Arren. Species: Human. 
When the spirit of a powerful Sith was unbound, it sought a suitable 'vessel' from its decendants' bloodline to occupy permanently, effectively giving herself a chance to live life again. She found a vessel in a force sensitive slave girl who was taken to Korriban. She's devious and calculating, having no true loyalty to anyone but herself and her family.


Azarey - Juggernaut. Species: Cathar. 
Azarey was the strongest warrior in her village, having no idea that her speed and strength were natural gifts from the Force. While visiting the city near her home for supplies, she was attacked by a group of Mandolorians who overwhelmed her 5 to one. When she thought defeat was imminent, the Sith apprentice Agonar stepped in to rescue her, and she has sworn her life to serve him and the house of his master. She is loyal, fierce, fearless, and honorable.


Erlanne - Marauder. Species: Sith Pureblood.
Not quite all there, Erlanne sees herself as Vengeance personified. Because of her own paranoia and eratic nature, Erlanne is that quiet kind of crazy for the most part, and people generally dismiss what she says as Pureblood eccentricity.


Telkara - Mercenary. Species: Twi'lek. 
Telkara grew up on an embattled world where her parents died fighting for freedom against Imperial forces. Now, she is wanted for connections to rebellious groups and trafficking arms. She hates the Empire, is idealistic and outspoken. She has a natural affinity with tech and a reputation for stealing ships.

Picking Up the Pieces, cont'd

Nar Shadaa. Though not a forest, it was a good hunting ground for other pursuits. Imagine Jheryth's surprise when he noticed a Jedi doing a bad job of skulking into an abandoned warehouse in the industrial sector of Nar Shadaa. He had his crew scout the place, and discovered that it is highly likely to be an SIS outpost. If there was any place to find the information he needed, an SIS database would be a gold mine.

He pulled out his old Jedi robes, setting his look in meticulous order, donning his old attire like an old hat. He walked with purpose to the warehouse, striding in through the front door past two sentries posted on either side of the door. The looked at him as he passed, uncertain but holding their position.

He was halfway across the the warehouse, having a clear view of the main room, along with a a couple of operatives sitting at makeshift desks, between Jheryth and the control room doors. Jheryth cleared most of the expanse of discarded boxes, and that's when he noticed the young Jedi picking at a piece of thread on her robe, sitting on a box near one of the desks.

Her head snapped up, her brown eyes opening wide in realization of what he was. Jheryth force jumped to the furthest guard, drawing his sabre in mid-flight, igniting the blade as he landed, running the guard through.  Following the flow he already set up in his mind moments before, reached out with the Force and pulled the other guard off his feet and flung him into the blade of a fork-lift in the corner, before the young padawan even ignited her blade.

He smiled at her, noting the determined look on her face, as well as the gripping fear she was feeling. He stalked her, moving slowly around the desk, blocking one of the boxes she lifted off the floor and hurled at him. Jheryth smiled as he cut through another box thrown at him. The girl had strength, but obviously no real combat training.

He feinted to one side, watched her take the bait as he sidestepped her swing, moving in under her defense, pulling her to him with one hand as he thrust his saber through her chest, staring into her eyes as her defeat registered, her plea voiceless on her lips as she went limp in his arms.

Jheryth laid her down gently, turning as he heard the hiss of a smoke bomb, and a few blaster shots, heralding the entrance of his associates. Aven stepped over the downed sentries, making his way to Jheryth at a quick walk, "Communications have been neutralized, but secondary security systems are still online, my lord."

Jheryth growled as he tried the control panel buttons, getting no response. He tapped his ear comm, "Decker, can you get these doors open?" A female voice answered, "I think....um...yeah, um...no.The penthouse suite is not open today." Growling, he stood there, drawing in the Force, focusing on the doors, willing his anger and passion for the information he desired pull on the door, willing it out of it's secured position.

With the doors groaning against his onslaught, they suddenly flew open, a Jedi flying out at him with a flurry of sabre swings. Jheryth reacted with the instincts of the Force, blocking each one. Jheryth grinned as he reacted, trading block for block, cut for cut, enjoying the feel of this Jedi as he can sense the emotional turmoil coming from him. Jheryth reveled every moment of it, admiring the Jedi's skill, and the moment he was searching for came.

Jheryth moved to the side, the Jedi's swing barely missing him, as he got into his space, around his arm, bringing his sabre up and cutting through the Jedi's sabre hilt, the sabre sparking, spinning to deliver an elbow to his face, knocking the Jedi down, standing over him, the killing blow poised at his neck.

And then Jheryth heard it. It was barely perceptible, and louder than an avalanche. A heartbeat, not his own.

He stood there, looking down on the fallen Jedi, his own master drifting intangibly in a corner, telling him to finish him. His thumb moved, the sabre's blade winking out. The fallen Jedi looked quickly from Jheryth to the other companion's shocked faces, scurried to his feet and out the door.

"My lord, are you alright?" Jheryth barely registered Aven's question, too busy staring down at his own trembling hands. Taking stock of the situation, he was aware of his breath coming in ragged waves. He closed his hands into fists, knuckles showing white, to keep them from shaking, "FIND HER! I want that data file NOW!"

Picking Up the Pieces, cont'd

Ping, ping, ping.

Aittera sat in the corner of the Devious Hope's medbay, watching Selus sleep in the kolto tank. She'd tried to go to bed, but somehow, laying there in silence was worse than the faint, consistent beeping of the monitor that tracked his life signs.

Ping, ping, ping.

In four years of service to the Republic in SIS, she never once disobeyed a direct order. Hell, for that matter, she'd never taken a life out of vengeance or even anger. She'd been an effective enough assassin when the assignment called for it, but she'd believed that she was working for the greater good. Before tonight, she would have thought it impossible and absurd to think that she could just take a life in cold blood.

And now, it hung in the air around her in silent accusation, punctuated by the soft, steady tones of the monitor.

She pulled her knees up and folded her arms atop them to let her head drop against them as tears welled up in her eyes again, the fight playing once more through her mind. She'd heard Rasos's order. She stepped forward to use the handle of her blaster to knock the Sith out.

And then, she saw Selus's body in the snow. Ping, ping, ping.

Denial had been her armor and practically her way of life for so long, it might have continued to come easily enough in that moment for her to complete their assignment. Why didn't it? Just a few more minutes of that false sense of emotional fortitude that convinced her that she felt nothing more than friendship and gratitude for the idiot who'd refused to let her run away.

Ping, ping, ping.

While she'd expected Rasos's anger and a swift boot out of UI, what really delivered the cold smack of reality was the accusation that she and Selus were together. Faced with the truth of the feelings she'd been firmly in denial of, with the evidence of her actions staring her in the face, she couldn't deny it further. She couldn't even find words to argue.

Ping, ping, ping.

He'd been right. And now, she was forced out of the safe haven of her denial and into this vulnerable, bright light of reality. She could no longer cling to the love she had for a man who's death she'd never faced.

Ping, ping, ping.

When Selus had tracked her to the cantina on that little rinky dink moon, he'd said he knew she was a runner the moment he met her. He'd been right. She'd been running since the day Davin Vael died. Even then, she had the opportunity to act in vengeance and kill her CO, but she didn't have it in her, no matter how angry she was or how much she believed he was solely responsible for the death of her fiancee and two other extremely competent agents. She'd just left, disillusioned with the agency that had been her home for as long as she cared to remember. She wanted to be dead with her partner and lover. Instead, she ran.

Ping, ping, ping.

In fact, there was a part of her that was whispering, even as she spilt tear after tear born of guilt and regret, that it would be easy to just go to the bridge and plot a course for some place far away from Universal Investigations and this colossal screw-up. It was like a little siren song that promised a new descent into denial with all the alcohol necessary to forget everything.

Ping, ping, ping.

Picking Up the Pieces, part 2

Jheryth opened his eyes calmly and sat up in bed, the covers sliding down his bare chest to pool in his lap. He cocked his head slightly, feeling out with the force. Nothing stood out at him. He took a deep breath and released it slowly. He looked at the clock on his nightstand, glaring at him a time some 3 hours before daybreak. Something woke him up. He could not sense any reason for it and sighed. Disappointing he thought to himself, as recalling the last thing he remembered before waking up was 'her'.

The image of her face, the scent of her body, the feel of her against him, was all he could think about. He took another deep breath, letting it out slowly and took stock of his emotions. He shrugged his shoulders, and releasing yet another breath, threw the covers off and swung his feet off the bed, placing them on the soft rug that spread out from under his bed. He knew, with her image now fixed in his mind, sleep was no longer going to happen today.

He made his way to the closet, pulling out his mediation robe and padded across the floor, through his bedroom and into his meditation room. He set about the meticulous placement of incense, music and kneeling mat. He brushed his robe outward, allowing him mobility to sit down, breathing in the serenity.

"Power is Knowledge, Knowledge has no sides.
Without emotion, there is emptiness.
Without passion, there is no life.
There is no death, there is only the Force.
In battle, there is the Force.
While I am worthy, defeating my enemies gives me strength.
May I be defeated by hands more worthy than my own."

Picking Up the Pieces...

"Damnit, Brixen, they're still in there!"

Aittera was sitting up in the bed in her quarters on the Devious Hope, her breaths coming in rapid succession as her vision cleared and the nightmare faded away. The protocol droid was standing in the doorway, and it took her a moment to realize she must have shouted in her sleep about the same time she realized her head was throbbing. With a groan, she winced and fell back against the pillow, squeezing her eyes shut.

"What?" she snapped at the droid, a little more irritated than she meant it.

"Master Selus instructed me to administer this," the droid patiently explained. "It is a hangover remedy." She lifted one eyelid very, very carefully until she could see the steaming cup in C2-X4's hand.

"I'm fine," she responded, waving him away. "Just get me something for a headache." The droid didn't move.

"Master Selus instructed me to tell you that if you refuse, I am to contact him to return immediately to - forgive me, Master - force it down your throat." The tremor in the droid's metallic voice would have made her laugh under other circumstances.

"Fine!" She sat up again and held her hand out toward it, and the droid crossed the room to place the cup in her hand. "What'd I tell you about calling me master, you annoying piece of tin?"

"My apologies, Captain Badass."

"When is Selus expected back?" Even with a hangover, the droid's answer struck her as satisfyingly funny.

"Some time this evening, Captain Badass."

"Good. Now, go away." She brought the rim of the cup to her lips and took a tentative sip as X4 left her room and the door slid shut behind it. The concoction was surprisingly sweet in spite of its foul odor, and she nursed it for a few more minutes.

Gingerly, she pulled the covers back and swung her feet over the side of the bed, but the 'remedy' was already doing its work as the expected wave of nausea didn't come. She took another drink from the cup before setting it down on the side table and slipped off of the bed to her knees, turning to bend down and look beneath it. She reached for a floor panel a little further under the bed and pressed it down on one side until the opposite side rose enough to slip a finger beneath and remove it.

The strongbox waiting within lifted out easily, and she drew back to sit cross-legged on the floor with it in her lap, tapping in the security code and pressing her thumb to the identification screen. Once it popped open, she reached in to withdraw a small rectangular wallet and set it aside on the table next to the cup.

Once the strongbox was returned to its hiding place, she stood and walked over to the retractable sink to splash some water on her face, fending off the last remnants of sleep and the dream that came with it. The memories of her fiancee's last moments of life hung in the air around her like a thick fog, and she indulged just a few moments of reflection.

She'd managed to banish the nightmare of those final few minutes before, but the dreams had returned more vividly than ever.

It was Selus's fault, she told herself. He'd shown up in a little out of the way cantina she'd been resting (...hiding...) in. In the brief firefight with two bounty hunters that had tracked her to the cantina, she and Selus had acted in perfect synchronization as though they were merely extensions of each other. They were so connected in that moment, no longer individuals, and...

She let the thought die there. That was the moment she'd committed the ultimate sin - she'd forgotten that Davin Vael had ever existed. The dreams were her punishment. She'd promised to love him forever, and for that one careless moment, she'd forgotten her fiancee had ever existed.

With a heavy sigh, she pushed the sink back into its retracted position and walked over to the bedside table to pick up the wallet. At least one loose end from her subsequent drinking binge could be dealt with. The last thing she needed hanging over her was a Sith Lord's interest, whatever that interest turned out to be.

At the desk, she opened the wallet and withdrew an identification chip that she inserted into the computer. In minutes, she was finished with her message to Rasos, detailing everything that she knew about Jheryth Chrystopher. It really wasn't much. That was the whole point, of course. If she'd been able to do this on her own, she'd have never sought out Universal Investigations in the first place.

She was glad she had, though. Between keeping her busy with work and giving her new acquaintances and allies, she felt almost like a normal person living a reasonably normal life. The proverbial spy that came in from the cold. How cliche.

Overheard in a little Coruscant cafe

"It's not that I'm not grateful," the blue-haired rogue reiterated for what must have been the 15th time since the conversation had begun. "And yes, I owe you for that situation back on Ord Mantell--" She was cut off by the calm, even voice of the Mirialan sitting across the table from her.

"As much as you paint yourself the defiant, hardened criminal, we both know that the worst of your so-called crimes involve running supplies into warzones that keep the local civilians from starving." The Jedi was looking at her with the kind of reproachful smile that reminded Kel'ri of the way her mother used to look at her when she lied about sneaking out of the house to avoid her studies.

"Hey! There were banned items in those shipments," Kel'ri countered with a cocky grin. "People may need to eat, but the real credits in those runs came from alcohol."

"Which they used to trade with the local Republic troops for medical supplies and a host of other things? You won't even run weapons unless you're sure they're getting into the right hands." Lita wasn't letting her off the hook.

Kel'ri relented with a raised hand. "Fine! Fine. It's not like there isn't an upside to going legit. And you were right about the company, I guess. Everyone I've met so far seems..." she smirked playfully in pseudo-dramatic pause before finishing, "...like they've had their shots."

The Mirialan gave her a knowing grin. Since their friendship began a few years ago, Lita's uncanny ability to read people and inspire their best character traits had somehow grown on the smuggler. Kel'ri liked to tease the Jedi about her habit of 'picking up strays', but the truth was that she had been one of those strays. If it hadn't been for Lita's guidance, she probably would've fallen in with one of the gangs on Nar Shaddaa or worse, been strong-armed into some aspect of the pleasure industries that the smuggler's moon was notorious for.

"I still don't see how I can keep an eye on the kid, though," Kel'ri continued, getting back to the subject at hand. "She's on Coruscant at school most of the time, and you know I hate sitting around planetside on a Core World with nothing to do. What if I'm out on a run when they give her a job, and I can't get there to hold her hand?"

"She hardly requires hand-holding, but I do see your point." Lita conceded with a thoughtful nod. "The Council is extremely reluctant to pursue her Force training any further for now, but I've been considering finding a Jedi who might be able to take her as their padawan."

"Why not you?" The question seemed obvious, but Lita shook her head.

"She is already attached to me emotionally in such a way that I fear it would defeat the purpose," she explained. "When I found Tholata, she'd been living on her own for so long that gaining her trust so that she'd allow me to help her was not easy. I feel that she still sees me as a substitute for the family she lost, and the person to change that dynamic between us should be her - when she's ready."

Kel'ri picked at her plate while her friend spoke, then shrugged with a smart-assed smirk. "You lost me somewhere around 'purpose'. I think you don't take on padawans, because it would get in the way of your love life. How is life on The Maiden with Captain Dreamboat?"

The rest of lunch consisted of the usual banter between old friends; Kel'ri teasing her friend about what she insisted must be a sordid, hot affair with the captain she travelled with while Litessen countered by teasing right back about Kel'ri's  short attention span for men and women alike. They parted with the usual promises to stay in touch and to get together again soon, as well as the less sincere promises to stay out of trouble. Neither of them ever could keep that promise.

In Over Her Head, part 2

Captain Deke’o Starbreaker watched the green skinned Jedi run off to collect the young girl from the safe house she’d stashed her. He felt bad using both her and the young girl as bait, but he knew that the Bounty Hunter she’d ditched had likely already tracked her here to Taris, and he wasn’t going to take a chance of him catching Lita in a situation he couldn’t control. Grabbing his stealth field generator, he started off after her, climbing up to a rooftop and using the close proximity of the buildings in the settlement to watch her back for any tails. It wasn’t long before he saw his target. Not that mercenaries were out of place on Taris, it was when they took a particular interest in a Jedi (especially HIS Jedi) without looking like they were taking one, that he got a little defensive. After he started outright following Lita, he knew this must be her new friend.

He watched him watch his girlfriend as she ducked in and out of alleyways, her tradecraft was good, and he began to wonder if she’d been mentored by one of his former colleagues at SIS. Still the Bounty Hunter kept up with her, and when she stopped and ducked into a building, he took up an ambush position in an alleyway she’d have to pass through on her way back to the spaceport. Deke’o knew it was time to make his move. Silently across the rooftop overlooking the alley, he activated his stealth generator and peered over the side. Taking cover against the crenellation, he removed one of his silent explosive probes from his belt and dropped it over the edge, letting it hover a few feet above the bounty hunter before he shot it with his blaster, and dropped a flashbang as he leapt over the side. Quickly hitting the emergency reactivation on his stealth generator as he pulled his Scattergun off his back, he took no chances, firing a shot straight at the Bounty Hunter’s back before he could recover from the flashbang’s effect. It was enough to put him on the ground as Deke’o kicked at the pistol from his hand, knocking it away down the alley, his own sidearm drawn on the Bounty Hunter’s face.

“You really should have cut your losses when you didn’t capture her in space.”

“What do you care, Republic scum? You’re going to regret ambushing me, when my employer tells his Sith client you kept me from retrieving his property, they’re going to hunt you down and make you wish for death.”

Deke’o couldn’t help but laugh as he brought the scattergun around, he aimed for the Bounty Hunter’s wrist and fired, severing the hand. Talking above the cursing screams of the Bounty Hunter, he kept a smile on his face, “Wrong. Your employer is going to die at the Sith’s hands for failure, a fate you’re likely to share when you come back from this trip empty handed.” Realizing the hilarity of what he’d just said, he started laughing again as he put a stun bolt into the Hunter and dragged him behind some crates.

He’d be out for a while, and with some luck, wouldn’t bleed to death from losing his hand. Even if he did, Deke’o was past caring. His message would be delivered either way. Walking out of the alley as Lita exited the nearby building with the girl, he moved toward them and greeted both with a friendly wave. The little girl, recognizing him from the holo waved back with a smile. Coming up to next to them, he knelt down and pulled a piece of hard candy from his belt, he held it out for the girl who took it with a thank you. Holding his hand out for hers, he started back for his ship to take both Mirialans away from Taris.

 

(Thanks to the player of Deke'o for writing this)

In Over Her Head

Litessen stood just outside the airlock entry, leaning casually against the wall as though she really had nothing better to do. The space station's current time cycle was the least busy, simulating what would be considered late night on planetside - if there'd been any planet nearby to simulate.

It's current placement was as much part of the diplomatic meetings it had just finished hosting, and while most participants of those meetings were scheduled to leave in the next time cycle - the 'morning' time cycle - she was among the few who had already gained clearance to leave early, citing the need to rendevous with a frigate that would be passing near enough to pick up her short range shuttle to take her to her next destination. The lower ring was nearly deserted right now, so she'd barely even seen a passing guard, much less any non-personel, until the small figure of a female slipped quietly into view.

Litessen regarded the young Mirialan with a tentative, but encouraging smile and nodded. That was all it took, and the girl dashed up to her after one last wary look further down the corridor, slipping into the airlock when the Jedi's violet eyes slid that direction. With one last glance behind, she followed the girl onto the shuttle and waved the door closed before pointing down to the waiting astromech droid.

"It's okay," she encouraged the girl. "He's going to remove your collar. Just pull your hair out of the way."

In moments, it was done, and Litessen opened the door long enough to place the collar just outside of it. When the shuttle detached, the slave collar would be blown into space, and with luck, far enough away that exactly which airlock it had come from would at least take time to figure out.

---------------------------------------

The first volley of fire was clearly a warning as it soared across the bow of the shuttle, bouncing off the shields. Startled from dozing, Litessen became fully alert, her fingers moving across the controls in front of the captain's chair. "D5, what's going on?"

She'd never been much of a pilot, and it showed in how much she relied on the astromech droid to run things. The short range shuttle she'd aquired had adequate defenses, but it wouldn't withstand much in full on combat. The answering chirps that came with the readout were low and nervous, and she nodded in answer as she pulled up the daunting image of a small, heavily armored starship.

Muttering a curse beneath her breath, she pulled up an astrochart. "Don't bother putting him through on the com. I know what he wants, and there's no way I'm going to--" she broke off as an idea came to her. "D5, I'm going to start typing instructions to you through my wristpad. Put the bounty hunter through, voice only, and ease your way toward that gas cloud."

The droid chirped a correction that elicited a roll of her eyes. "Whatever it's made of. It'll mess with readings a little, won't it?"

As the droid chirped his answer, she jumped out of the chair and headed into the back of the shuttle where her passenger was hunkering in a corner with wide, terrified pale eyes. Lifting a finger to her lips, Lita signalled for the girl to remain quiet as she moved to her side, and the click of the intercom signalled the connection to their pursuer's transmission.

**Shuttle Vigilance, kill your engines and prepare to be boarded.**

Lita pulled the girl up to her feet and led her toward the only escape hatch. The shuttle shuddered as D5 finished altering course and diverting everything the little vessel had to shields and navigation. She regretted leaving the droid behind and hoped he managed to somehow survive as she answered the com with a calm, clear tone. "This is The Vigilance. You have no authority here. What is this about?"

**This is about your unauthorized removal of Jalif Makria's property from the space station last night, Jedi. No one needs to get hurt here. Just let me dock and retrieve it, and you can be on your way.**

She triggered the door open and helped the trembling girl into the tiny space. "You're mistaken. The only property I arrived and left with was my own. Now, cease and leave, or I will file a complaint against you and Makria with the Republic. I imagine that would make all the progress we made during negotiations evaporate and eat into the profits he stands to make."

She was bluffing. The negotiations had resulted in a lucrative deal for Jalif Makria, to be sure, but that deal was more important to the Republic government than the theft of a slave girl. She couldn't risk the Republic learning of what she'd done anymore than she could risk being found out and...well, chased by a bounty hunter, apparently.

**Have it your way, Jedi.**

The channel cut off, and Lita knew time was running out. Hopefully, she'd bought them enough time to reach the nebulous clouds for her planned ruse to work. She secured the hatch and smiled reassuringly at the young girl just before the child flung herself into the woman's lap. Wrapping her arms around the girl, she soothed her while she tapped the final instructions for D5 into her wristpad.

The shuttle banked hard and shook as the bounty hunter's ship fired on it once again, seeking to disable it rather than destroy it. Her eyes remained on the readout on her wristpad as the droid reported back to her and the girl clung tighter. Shields disabled. One more shot would take out the engine and leave them vulnerable to boarding.

"One more time, and we'll be on our way," Lita cooed in a soothing voice to the terrified youth.

Another, more violent shudder told her the volley had begun, and before the shuttle rolled dangerously onto its side, the escape pod was already blown free amidst the debris from the shot, hurtling toward Taris. Now, if only D5 could keep the bounty hunter too busy to notice...

Freedom

"And what do you have to say?" Vibrant yellow eyes fixed on the dark red pureblood male with a long, beaded facial tentacle hanging on either side of his pursed lips, the distinctive ridges above his brow crinkled and all the more striking now in the years since his short, bristle-black hair had stopped growing in. "Will you stand up to her for once in your pathetic, weak-willed farce of a marriage?"

The elder Sith's pale red eyes flashed as they met his daughter's intense gaze, but he said nothing. Of course, he doesn't, Kiabe thought. As long as his testicles were the trophies of the woman to whom she now returned her attention to, he would never dare to move against her, even on his own daughter's behalf.

Lord Ragious had watched the mother of his bride to be balk at the prospect of her daughter marrying a human, and the thought made him seethe. If Kiabe hadn't made it clear that she wanted to handle this in her own way the old witch would be missing her head already. He stood leaning against the wall in the main parlor of his fiancé’s opulent family estate. He stared daggers at the witch as Kiabe spun on her father, his hand hovering over his lightsaber, ready to come to her aid should he be needed.

The lightsaber that hummed to life first, however, belonged to the matriarch with one authoritative word - "ENOUGH". In a moment, she'd leapt to her daughter's side, holding the gleaming yellow-black blade not at her throat, but at a point just ahead of her midsection, and glared at Kiabe's father threateningly. "Yes, husband. Stand up and tell me if you think this -" spitting the word as though referring to vermin "- filth is worthy of the one offspring I deemed worthy to survive your futile attempts to elicit an heir!"

Lord Krellian was finally prompted to his feet, his own double-bladed saber in hand and actived. As he took a step toward his wife, her grasp on Kiabe tightened, and he hesitated with the realization that no matter how quickly he lashed out, she would make good on a threat she'd obviously made long ago. Shame overcame his face as his true weakness was exposed in such a small gesture, and he averted his gaze from them both.

The air crackled with force energy, leaving the feeling as if the living force had been ripped asunder. In the next instant Lord Ragious was behind both Kiabe and her mother, his violet lightsaber ignited and moving through the neck of the older Sith. Without even a moment to scream before the blade severed her head, the woman collapsed as his feet. Still seething with rage that a lightsaber had been anywhere near not only his lover, but also his unborn child, and sustaining himself on pure adrenaline after channeling so much of his strength into Force Travelling, he turned his anger toward Lord Krellian. "Well old man? I believe you were asked a question."

Kiabe had barely had time to react to anything. One moment, her focus had been on her father - the one person in her childhood she'd learned would disappoint her at every turn - and then, it'd been on the exchange between her parents. She finally understood everything. She knew that the woman at her feet very likely hadn't been her mother at all and that her father's failure to protect her from the resultant torment made a lifetime of perceived betrayal all that much worse. In her rage, she closed the distance between herself and Krellian so quickly that his response to her future husband became his final words...

"Through your victory, her chains are broken."

Temivi finds a Master

(( This was actually written by Derek. I created Temivi to be Ragious's apprentice, partly inspired by a discarded earlier version of this piece, so he re-wrote it specifically for her. ))

It was not his easiest task to endure. Not that he wasn’t good at Sith politicking, it just wasn’t what interested him. But here he found himself in a room with roughly a dozen other Lords, all set to watch a group of recruits that had yet to entice a master on their own. It was their last chance; failure at this juncture meant certain death. One by one they came to stand in the center of the room, and had their record of deeds while at the academy read to the assembled Lords. Most of the Lords were done up in their finest garments for this tradition, and carried a look of seriousness, like this was a most important task they were undertaking, and they were very proud to be here.

Lord Ragious on the other hand sat looking generally bored. In his plain purple robes, he looked more like he belonged in the center of the room pleading to become someone’s apprentice than to be seated amongst the other lords in their finery. He knew his own reputation, mostly because he’d carefully crafted it for years now, since he himself entered the academy. He was viewed as a brute, something sent when direct force needed to be applied. The truth war that he was as cunning as any Sith, and quite enjoyed outsmarting those that underestimated him. He was not ready to take on an apprentice that might detract from that image, and especially not one chosen amongst this trial.

So one at a time he watched them come into the chamber, a Human, then another, both taken by Lords he didn’t recognize. Then a Pureblood, which surprised them, they generally don’t make it to this step, then he saw the slave brands and realized why. That one wasn’t so lucky, having his head taken when he proved unable to convince anyone to take him as an apprentice. A Miraluka was next, and her exotic beauty almost stirred the large Sith to speaking, not because he thought she’d make a good apprentice for him, but because he physically desired her. There was something submissive about her, in the way she hung her head (in truth, they all did, usually in shame for not having enticed someone sooner), and in the way she knelt instead of stood. Another Lord spoke up though, one whose own master was a rival of his Master’s, and he wasn’t about to fight a proxy battle on Korriban. So he let it go, and watched, as more and more came through, generally tuning it out, until the final Acolyte was announced.

Striding to stand in the center of the chamber with a defiant posture was a Twi’lek, her blue skin marking her as a Rutian. She was by all definitions of the word beautiful. So much so that Ragious actually stood from his seat to stare at her, his grey eyes boring into her as he listened to the announcement of her actions at the academy. The moment the overseer finished his announcement he spoke up, “This one will be coming with me.”

The room actually became hushed at hearing him speak, and it was a lone Sith that dared break the silence. “I must object, Lord Ragious is not one qualified to train our future Sith in anything but how to lick a real master’s boots.”

Ragious turned on the speaker, his face a picture of rage marking the exact origin of his chosen name. “And I suppose you, Lord Corten, would be a better master then? A former slave, aren’t you? Wouldn’t you be much better at licking boots than a someone who was BORN a Sith?” He knew that the subject of his early years was a sore spot for the Lord, and that he had done as much as he could to hide that truth, but Ragious had been at the academy with the man, he remembered him as a meek student who relied on riding the coattails of others to pass through it. He also remembered how angry he got when his past was brought up during a training session, and so knew how much having it brought out for the entire assembled council, and their new apprentices would affect him. With a snap hiss the former slave’s Lightsaber came to life, the crimson blade held high as he leapt from his seat toward the larger Sith standing with the apprentice.

Ragious was no amateur duelist though, his own saber called to his hand with the Force as its blue blade extended, the color a result of a gem taken from his first Jedi kill, he raised it to deflect the incoming attack as his other hand extended toward the Twi’lek, shoving her into the seat that Ragious had previously occupied. To his credit Lord Corten fought like a Sith, full of fury and rage, but Ragious was a student of war, and his art was death. The battle was short, and ended with the former slave turned Lord’s head rolling across the floor. Deactivating his saber, Ragious turned first to the Acolyte in his seat, offering her a dark smile, and then to the assembled Lords, “I’ll be happy to hear any other objections now.”

When none came he motioned for the Twi’lek to follow him as he stalked out of the chamber.

Personnel File: Qel'rend

Name: Qel'rend

Race: Zabrak

Assumed Age: 17

Occupation/Skill Set: Sith Sorceror. Diplomacy. Investigation and research. Some slicing capability. Ability to keep a cool head in any situation.

Known Connections: Apprentice to Lord Zadakiel Physical Description: 5'4, dark green eyes rimmed with red that seldom betray emotion, short red hair Personality: Self-confident, but not arrogant. Respectful of those she deems deserves her respect. Guards her true emotions carefully.

Biography: No information available before she first arrived for training as a Sith. Even the referring party's name has been removed from public and private records. Qel's training was accelerated despite her instructors' concerns that she is not of Sith birthright or blood, as well as their efforts to inhibit her advancement. She impressed (and continues to impress) those who looked beyond her race and recognized a natural affinity with the Force. She resides on Lord Zadakiel's ship, but can often be found in the Seekers' archives when researching or out on errands for her master or herself.

All Hell Breaks Loose, Part Three

Dechs Kaison strolls through the thin crowd to find a place at the bar of Decent, turning his back and leaning against it while he casts a lazy glance around the room. Jade was either here or on his way, and Dechs would need to spot him immediately.

Reprieve sends one of the serving girls over with a flick of his wrist and a point so that he can keep doing the inventory.

As the girl approaches Dechs, he makes a slight shake of his head to send her away, his eyes behind mirrored glasses still sifting through the crowd. No time for distractions. Not yet.

Reprieve nods his head to the techno beat as a gorgeous redhead takes the stage. He finishes up his inventory and hands it over to the girl standing next to him, the look in her eyes pleading for him to "please notice me so I can get a promotion.” He smiles at her, and sends her to make the orders, turning to take note of who is in the club.

Jade wandered into the club, walking up to the bar, taking in the familiar surroundings, nodding to the two at the bar, “Hello Stacy, Ari.”

Stacy smiles. "Hello Mr. Chrystopher. Nice to see you again."

Jade flashed her a charming smile, “Likewise.”

Reprieve discreetly motions to Dechs when Jade walks in, "Hello Jade, it's been quite a while."

Jade turned his attention back to Ari, “Yes it has. I've been away on business.”

Stacy slides by Ari without touching him, a slight frown on her face. Gone forever, except if Dani was dancing so of course when he does come in, he gets in the way and checks up behind her. Irritating man.

Reprieve nods, "And you've had some work done, I could swear you look younger than the last time I saw you."

Reprieve leans forward on the counter to talk to Jade, and let Stacy pass

Stacy makes a rusty nail and slides it to Dechs. He had seemed so sensible at their first meeting but then he'd let his head get turned it seemed. Magic was a pain in the ass. Anybody with any sense would stay far away from it. It seemed Dechs lacked sense after all.

Jade returned Ari’s question with a neutral smile, “I hope business has been good?”

Reprieve laughed. "Very good."

Jade nodded. “Glad to hear it.”

Dechs Kaison turned around to face Stacy, "Thank you, Stacy. Nice to see you remember."

Stacy smiled "I try. I hope things are good for you tonight?"

Dechs nodded and took a sip from his drink, casting his gaze back towards the middle of the room.

Stacy busied herself with busy work while she listened in as best she could. Nightclubs sucked for eavesdropping but her lip reading skills weren't too shabby.

Reprieve pointed over his shoulder to a poster with Dani and her work schedule. "Have you seen her yet? She's the most amazing dancer I've ever had on that stage."

Jade glanced over to the poster, “Not yet. I shall keep it in mind.”

Reprieve flashed him a grin, "Just don't ogle my wife too hard."

“You? Married? When did that happen?” Jade blurted out, incredulous.

Stacy paused for a moment...then cut a lime really hard. Damn him. Damn him all to hell.

“A few weeks ago. We kept it quiet, and private.”

Jade chuckled. “I'll be sure to send a present by.”

Reprieve flashed him that grin again, teasing. "And I'll be sure to have the detection and diffusion spells ready."

Jade shrugged his shoulders, “Really? I have the utmost respect for the institution of marriage. Just have no interest in doing so myself.”

Dechs Kaison polished off his first drink, sliding the glass back towards Stacy, "You sure got dolled up tonight."

Stacy finished that bowl of limes and wiped the counter. "Everything else was dirty." She grinned at him as she put the bowl in the cold well.

Jade flashed her another charming smile. “You should see her when she wants to go all out.”

She flashed that megawatt grin at Jade. She didn't know him too well but hey, he had money and maybe a partial interest in Descent. Maybe. The damn title lines on this place were a mess. She made a mental note to see the lawyers about exactly how the place was divided and who held what.

Reprieve smiled. "I didn't think I would be doing so again, but the right girl can change any man’s mind."

Stacy looked up at Jade. "Two times this week. Now granted I make awesome drinks but I'm betting it's the dancers you're coming by to see, hmm?" She winked.

Jade smiled back at Stacy, responding to Ari. “I have yet to meet a woman that could do that.”

He turned his attention back to Dechs, studying the unfamiliar man. “I don’t believe we’ve met.”

Dechs Kaison looked over at Jade, then nodded and gave a faint tip of his fedora. "Name's Dechs. Did I hear your name was Jade, correctly?"

Reprieve nodded. "Dechs Kaison, Jade Chrystopher. Jade, Dechs."

Jade nodded to Dechs. “That is correct. Procurer of the rare and difficult to find.”

Jade pulled a card out from his breast pocket, with his name and a symbol of an emerald, holding it out to Dechs.

Dechs took the card, smiling at the man’s proclaimed title. "Oh? I'll have to keep you in mind next time I need something."

Jade nodded again, flashing his usual charming grin. “Please do. I come highly recommended.”

Stacy started on some lemons, focusing on her work or seeming too. She eased closer to the conversation.

Dechs tucked Jade’s card away into an inside pocket, then began fishing for something in another, “Perhaps I can return a favor. I run a hospital and research facility for anyone ... more than human.”

Reprieve walked down toward Stacy and whispered, "Why are you doing something any of the other girls can do?"

Olivia Chrystopher suddenly appeared behind Jade, her demeanor enough to alert anyone who knew her that she was not quite in her right mind. Her eyes were alight from within, burning with a deep green fire, and she had a twisted, maniacal grin on her face. Casually, she lifted a hand to seemingly 'push' at the air between them, throwing him bodily into the wall across from her as she sneered, "Hello, Daddy."

Damn the man! Here she was trying to be subtle and here he comes to loom over her! She whispered " Go away! " She was about to say more when all hell broke loose. She whirled and hit a few buttons on a hidden panel, herding the staff towards the offices and safety with a few shooing motions. "Offices people, let's get a move on!”

Dechs tried to react as fast as he could, flicking the business card that he was getting ready for Jade towards Olivia’s face, and took quick steps towards Jade. "Get down!"

The casting of magic instantly attracted Jade’s attention, using years of instinct to put up a prepared instant shield. The shield flashed with the impact of energy, but not enough as he found himself lifting off his feet, flying into the wall behind him.

Reprieve abruptly felt Olivia's presence as the alarms inside Descent started to go off, several sections with security barriers dropping to keep customers safe as hidden exits open for them. He hopped the bar as he began to speak a binding spell directed at Olivia.

Jade picked himself up, looking bewildered. "Olivia?"

Bodies were flying but the staff was evacuating smoothly when Jade suddenly hit the wall, blocking Stacy's exit. Luckily she was bringing up the rear and so the only one in any danger. She cursed and looked for a way out.

Dechs got between Olivia and Jade, closing his eyes while he said, "I’m going to have to ask you to calm down."

Reprieve motioned with his hand for Stacy to get down.

She frowned at him but she sort of did what he asked. He was right, in this type of fight she was way outclassed. Still, she, summoned what she called her pet and started moving away from Jade.

Jade teleported to the other side of the counter, getting out of Stacy's way.

Olivia's own shields easily deflected the card tossed toward her face and absorbed Reprieve's spell as she strode toward Jade angrily. "All those times I didn't -please- you by showing any ability to do what you could do..."

Stacy couldn't help the relieved smile that broke out as Jade teleported out of her way. She immediately tried to sneak to the stairs.

Reprieve cursed under his breath and started to speak another spell.

Jade laughed, his eyes igniting with fire of their own. “Please me? I thought I taught you how to throw a better spell than that!”

Dechs grabbed Jade by the collar and tried to drag him back enough to stand between the two again. Staring him dead in the eye, he said curtly, "You, get out. There's more behind this than you know."

Olivia murmured a few arcane words meant to melt Jade's defenses away and add his power to her own. "And how disappointing I was when you had to let me go into the Fortunata program! Let's not forget that!"

Jade looked at Dechs, green electricity arcing across his eyes, as thrust his arm out toward Dechs, releasing a blast of force with it. "This is a family matter!"

Dechs drifted yards back as the bolt hit, falling to a knee. "No it's not. Something else is at play here! You need to trust me, and there's no time!" He then turned his attention to the door as a large robot bearing the Kaison logo inscribed within a Spade came lumbering in. He mumbled under his breath, “Couldn’t have gotten here a moment sooner...”

Jade sneered at Olivia. “And yet, here you are, still smaller than me.”

Olivia sent a stream of green energy directly at Jade's chest after Dechs was out of the way with the intention of pushing him back again, this time causing pain as well. "Am I too much like my mother? What did you DO to her, hmm? Where is she buried?"

Jade shook his head to clear it, growling back, “She left because of YOU!”

The invisible shield around Jade flashed again, sending Jade back into the bar, stunned by the strength of the attack.

Dechs closed his eyes for just a moment, the robot behind Olivia raising its right arm and firing a plasma blast at her back while Dechs shouted, "Hey, Gooky! I know you're in there..."

Reprieve finished his spoken spell as the air began to burn around Olivia with Arcane energy, arcs of mystical lightning encircling Ari's fists as he fights to get her attention.

Stacy frowned mightily. Lightning meant at the very least electrical repairs and at the worst, a bar fire. She thought really hard about getting another job. Something without meta class humans hanging around all day. Reprieve knew she wouldn't make the millions she was making at Descent elsewhere.

Stacy could have sworn Ari was reading her mind from the look on his face. He knew money was her weakness, she knew it was her desire. She made more money than she'd ever made in her life here but she also knew it would still roll in from here no matter where she worked. After all she owned part of it.

Olivia's protective spells were enough to handle one, but not both attacks, and the energy that hit her in the back caused her to stumble a few steps forward. She turned her attention toward Ari, glaring at him. "You want to help, my dear? It's growing up on HIS overprotective little island that's made me so wary of people like YOU and Derek! I can't trust any of you, really, and it's because he---"

Jade started to utter arcane words, drawing energy around himself, moving his hands in quick, well practiced motions, pulling the bar free from it's anchor with invisible hands, hovering it overhead.

Dechs passed his glances from Jade to Olivia and back to Jade, then the wide eyed look of 'Oh shit' flashed across his face for just an instant as he realizes what is really going on.

Olivia looked up at the bar and used that 'pushing' motion to toss it back. "Not now, Daddy. Adults are talking.”

As soon as Stacy saw Jade rip the bar up into the air, she shrieked, "Not my bar! It's real teak wood!"

Jade redirected his attention to the robot behind Olivia, willing it off it's feet and toward her.

Reprieve conjured a protective barrier between Oliva and where Jade and Dechs were standing. "I see this for what it is, Olivia. You're juiced up on power that isn't yours. You've -never- been a match for me before."

The large robot teetered once to avoid the pull, but failed and started sliding towards Olivia. Dechs shouted, “Damnit Spade, smack her while you're there!” As he blinked, the robot took a haphazard swing while Jade pulled it into range of the sorceress.

Reprieve began to throw attacks at Olivia, to distract her as he silently weaved separate binding spells for each ankle and wrist.

With Olivia’s attentions on everyone else, the robot slammed into her back, catching her by surprise. She finally moved from where she was obviously a sitting duck - into the robot's second haphazard attack – and was knocked to the floor momentarily. "I'M BETTER THAN ALL OF YOU! I don't get caught up in your petty bullshit!"

Stacy stood frozen. In her head she was running a mental tally of the cost of repairs so far. A very large tally. With extra thrown in for mental anguish. Olivia's words made her lose count. Money is petty? No, money's never. Dirty sometimes but never petty. Oh wait, Olivia wasn't talking about money.

Dechs smirked, mostly to himself, as a pair of smaller robots arrived to help him, these bearing the corporation logo inscribed within a heart.

Reprieve glared daggers at Jade as he changed the protective barrier, constricting it as it flies toward Jade like a net, directing his voice at Dechs. "Jade's starting to feel like her. Keep him busy while I see about stopping her."

Reprieve turned and yelled at Stacy, "My office. Box from Sabine, go get it."

Jade drew more energy to himself, the energy coalescing around him in green tendrils of electricity, his eyes nearly emitting a green hue. He looked around at everyone, seemingly calculating his strategy, then taking all that energy and just letting it burst forth in pulse of electric energy.

Stacy shot a glare Ari's way then turned and ran like hell. Flo Jo herself couldn't have done better and that's even while she was wearing heels and a mini skirt. As soon as she hit the offices she started frantically searching. The man was a pack rat sometimes. "Box..box...where's the damn box??"

Olivia floated up into the air, putting her feet under her as soon as she could while she put distance between herself and the robots. "I'm SICK of being the good, obedient daughter! You NEVER cared about me! Only you're stupid reputation!"

Dechs jerked harshly at the EMP, writhing for a moment, then mumbled as he muscled through obvious pain and simply threw a right hook at Jade's jaw. "Why the hell am I even trying this?"

Jade's head jerked to the side as the punch connected, using his years of experience to keep his focus, and continued to mutter arcane words, letting more energy flow around him.

The largest robot crumpled to the floor, inactive from the EMP. The two smaller bots seemed to have been hit, but only slightly. They fidgeted, but recovered quickly.

Stacy suddenly spied the box as she lifted a stack of papers. "Got it!" she yelled and headed back downstairs.

Reprieve was throwing arcane lightning at Olivia, while more of it continued to gather around her wrists and ankles, quickly reappearing each time she dissipated it.

When Stacy saw Ari she yelled, "Here! I got it!"

Jade dead-eyed Olivia, wrapping the air around his daughter, and pulling her through a rip in the universe to stand in front of him, greeting her with a smile. "Well, at least you get points for finally having the guts to stand up and try to take something for yourself, instead of letting everyone else dictate your life for you!”

Olivia began collecting the lightning Ari threw at her, drawing the power from his spells at her wrists and ankles as well, forming a large green orb above her head. She let Jade pull it - instead of herself - detonating it with a word as it appeared in front of him.

Jade looked surprised as the energy detonated, sending him down to his knees.

Of course Stacy had to take it to him. She moved as quickly as she could, coming to a stuttering halt when she was barely in arms reach. With the box in hand and stretching towards Ari, she cried, "Here!"

Reprieve reached out with his hand toward Stacy, magically summoning the box, causing it to fly open and compelling the wand into to his hand. He turned it on Jade first, drawing the toxic chaos energy from him.

Dechs cursed as his fist didn't seem to do anything. A force field flashed around him, deflecting Olivia's detonation. He made a move to subdue Jade, forcing fingers into his mouth, depressing his tongue. "Bite me, you sonofabitch. Can’t speak? Can’t cast your shit."

As soon as the box left Stacy's hand she turned to head to safety, hearing Dechs' smack talk. She couldn't help but think the man might be in for a rude surprise if he thought gagging Jade was gonna stop the fight.

Reprieve collected the Goqua energy from Jade with the wand, then turned the wand to Olivia to draw it out of her as well, yelling at Stacy as she departed. "Stay close, I'll need you to tally up the damage and send both Jade and Olivia the bill."

Stay close? Start a tally? What did the man think she'd been doing all along? And as for staying close, not hardly! They were throwing lighting bolts for gods sake! And the runes that supposedly kept things safe...weren't. She'd noticed that too.

A spark of energy from the beginning of a spell sputtered around Jade, as Jade’s face contorted in pain, and then he slumped to the floor, unconscious.

Olivia turned her attention squarely to Ari while reinforcing her protections. "And all you care about--" Her words were cut off with a pained cry as the energy was suddenly ripped from her by his wand, and she fell, unconscious, to the floor.

Dechs let go of Jade and flicked some of the spit off his hand, then wiped the rest off on the collar of Jade’s cape.

Reprieve set the wand back in the box and closed the lid, placing it on the bar, then looked around at the damage. "This is why I stopped letting Untruth's minions in here, at least they never tore the bar out of the floor."

Reprieve sighed, and stepped over to Olivia, kneeling down to check on her while asking Dechs about Jade. "Is he breathing?"

Dechs leaned down to check Jade’s pulse, then nodded and turned to Ari. “I'll pay my share of damages.”

Stacy peeked around the corner at the mention of paying for damages, looking mad as hell. He was damn right he'd pay his share!

Reprieve turned to Stacy. “You can come out now, Stacy. Start getting the damage assessment done. And get the most expensive contractors in here to fix all of this.”

She gingerly stepped clear. "Family drama time over?"

Reprieve turned to Dechs. "You can keep your money, I'm billing these two."

Dechs looked back and forth between Olivia and Jade. "I'd like to get them back to my hospital. I can look after them and I've got what it takes to contain them, as well as protect them."

Stacy stood there, looking as though she was about to cry. "...My poor bar...”

Reprieve shook his head. "Take Jade. I'll take care of Olivia. I think it's best if we keep them separate for now. As in, different buildings, separate."

Stacy muttered under her breath, still surveying the damages. "Give them lobotomies. Damn magic users."

Dechs nodded in agreement, then closed his eyes while the Spade robot rebooted and lumbered back up to its feet. "Get back up damnit, and take Jade with you on the way back."

Stacy looked at Dechs as he started to leave. "Don't forget the lobotomy...I'll pay."

Dechs smirked over at Stacy. "I'll consider it."

She smirked back. He thought she was joking.

Reprieve picked Olivia up and carried her through the area behind the stage.

The Spade kneels down near Jade, then activates a teleport for the two of them.

Reunion

Edgar prowled the streets of the Rogue Isles. He thought to himself how this whole island was like South Florida on Crack. He could feel the balance shifting throughout the day. After his arrival, and being introduced to the woman who would be keeping an eye on Eric Crane, he could tell that that wasn't going to produce much. He couldn't blame the girl for not wanting to be anywhere near him.

As Edgar neared a cliff overlooking the coast, he could make out a figure leaning against some kind of magical altar. Edgar was too far away to make out the details of the figure, but he knew who it was. Edgar closed the distance between himself and his nemesis. Edgar could smell the blood coming from the same direction, keeping his prey in his sights, the moonlight casting shadows from the nearby trees, a light breeze playing at the figure's coattails.

Edgar's paw stepped in something wet, looking down far too late to realize what exactly he had stepped into, feeling the release of magic all arcross the cliff. Edgar stood up as the figure pushed off from the tree he was leaning against, closing the rest of the distance, coming to stand right in front of Edgar. The man was 6 feet tall, wearing the typical black Armani suit that the gentleman was so fond of, with a bright red shirt that peeked through the well-tailored suit.

"How long has it been, my long lost friend? Days? Years? It was hard to keep track in my prison."

Edgar scoffed as he glared at the man. Goqua was also very fond of taking the body of very attractive men. Edgar's voice betrayed a rising temper, "Friends? So you've come back just to insult me?"

Goqua's voice was calm and silky, "How long have we danced this dance? Did you miss me? How was your retirement?"

"Is this how you treat your friends? By keeping them shut in a cage?", Edgar replied a little more hotly than Edgar intended.

"Well, I could say that I'm just repaying the hospitality you've shown me, but I just wanted to talk. Like I said, we've done this before. It's like, old hat. But really, is this the reward you were seeking? To have the good life ripped away from you the minute I return. Aren't you tired of this? Stuck in the mortal coil, restrained by the rules, cleaning up my messes for another 1000 years until you figure out how to break the rules and bottle me up again? Kudos on that by the way. I really didn't think you had it in you."

Edgar started to tremble with his anger, "It was done once, it can be done again."

Goqua smiled, crooning, "Are you so sure about that? This world. It's special. Full of chaos already, just inviting me to add my artistry to it's canvas. You know, just with the gifts you've been given, and breaking the rules, takes a bit of chaos. You know, together..."

Edgar laughed, "Bite me."

Goqua smiled again, "You've really adopted the language. You've broken the rules before. Why not just quit this time? Walk away. Go to Maui, or the Carrabian. Talking cats, beasts of lore, all comonplace here. You could really be yourself and enjoy yourself here."

Edgar snarled, "You know what I enjoyed most? Beating you."

Goqua's tone became more sarcastic, "Yes, of course. I heard about Angel. You ran off for your retirement and left her alone, and oops! She went off and finally got herself killed."

At this, Edgar lept at his adversary, claws flashing in the moonlight. Goqua mearly batted Edgar away with the back of his hand, like a ragdoll. Edgar went flying into the stone alter, leaving a dent in the stone.

The magic shield around the cliff faded as Goqua straightened his sleeves, looking over at Edgar's slumped body, the hate written all over Edgars face, "Silly cat. The 'pendulum' is on my side now."

As Goqua tugged on his sleeves, his physical form molded into a man with long blond hair, and slightly shorter than he originally appeared, speaking with an english accent, "Cherio."

All Hell Breaks Lose, Part Two

Rose Lucian hovered above Untruth's smoldering compound, throwing more flames to add to the fires in random intervals, waiting for him to arrive.

Rather than confront her when he first arrived, Derek slipped through shadows in the rooms his wives' and wife-to-be had been assaulted. His first stop was Kyra, where he wicked away the flames and healed her wounds, placing her into a deep sleep before teleporting her to a safe place. Then, he found Raene, her wounds healed instantaneously by his touch, a hand stroking her cheek before he sent her off along with Kyra. Finally, he went to Lyria, dissipating the shadows around her and teleporting her to a safe room in the temple where she could be tended by the Order's telepaths. Only then did he hover up out of the compound, propelled by his telekinesis, using it to extinguish the flames around him, screaming at Rose. "This is how you seek my forgiveness? With yet another betrayal?"

"YOU! You call ME a liar! You planned it all along - taking my power and my temple for your own! Reducing me to a prisoner to be abused and beaten!" Her eyes began to glow as she gathered up all the power available to her now, preparing for a mystical strike that was meant to consume him with fire and darkness that constantly regenerated itself as it wrapped around him.

"You didn't forgive me, so why should I forgive you?" she demanded as she unleashed the power as punctuation to her question, throwing everything she had at him.

Untruth threw up every shield he had to deflect her attack, but even that was not enough to keep a painful, burning sting from assaulting him. The moment he felt it, he lashed outward, directing one of the most powerful blasts he'd ever used on a living being at her, attempting to bore into her mind, and at the same time, he used the massive energy required to send a message to Sabine, the psychic outrage filled with all she needed to see the truth of this attack.

Most of the energy he sent at her was absorbed by her protections, but even that wasn't enough to keep her from being knocked backward feet over head, losing elevation before she could right herself to turn and glare at him with a twisted, mad grin. "That's right! That's MY power you're using! You can't be the big alpha male without making me all weak and kittenish, so you can kick me around, can you?"

While Rose began to gather up more energy for another attack, Sabine appeared at Untruth's side, her sharp gaze taking in the scene around her as she assessed the situation with a murmured, "Oh, hell."

Untruth propelled himself along toward her, his hands outstretched, and his psychic blades shimmering blue from the back of his hands. "My power you whore! I was letting you borrow it for a time, but that time passed when you began your paranoid little campaign and sought to order me around like a lapdog."

He slashed at her head as soon as he was near her, knowing Sabine had joined them, but no longer caring. For the moment, this battle was his, his mind open to Sabine, though, the carefully hidden desire that he may be going toe to toe with their true foe burned brightly. He was relishing the chance to kill another god, and had been since he'd been told one was coming.

Sabine watched for a moment, already able to see the forces of chaos at work between them. It was clear to her within moments that Rose had somehow been infused with Goqua's power and had somehow infected Derek. With a cool head, she turned her attention to the air around them, seeking out the creature's true position.

Rose cried out as Untruth's blade glanced off of her head, unable to avoid him completely as she tried to dodge the blow. The pain just added to her anger and the building energy, which she lobbed at him as she spun away from him mid-air, either ignoring or not caring about Sabine's existence. "Yes, funny how my paranoia that you were planning to move against me turned out to be all too true! Silly me!"

Derek laughed as the energy struck him, some pain written on his face, but pain of battle was nothing new to him. He'd learned to ignore it on far too many battlefields. "Bullshit Rose! Bullshit! You NEVER suspected me. You were all too happy to draw on my energies through our link, to use fear of me to keep your enemies away, and all the while I listened to your paranoid rantings about how the piece of you that you threw away was going to get you."

He spat at her in the air, coming nowhere close to hitting her, but doing it all the same as he flew toward her again, diving at the last moment to grab at her ankle in an attempt to grab and throw her at the ground with all of his strength.

Rose failed to anticipate the fake out quickly enough to keep from getting caught by the ankle and found herself hurtling toward the ground, barely able to compensate in time by casting a protective spell on herself to slow her descent enough to keep her from being damaged as she landed on the ground.

Sabine realized that the chaos entity was nowhere nearby and turned her attentions to Derek, speaking directly to his mind with a telepathy spell. "It's not in her, Derek! She's been infected, and so have you! Focus on me!"

Quickly, Sabine began to shape her own spell - adept at doing so after centuries of practice - to dampen the chaotic swirl in his mind, attempting to give him back his self-control.

Untruth growled as Rose hurtled toward the ground, nearly every instinct telling him to dive after her, to drive the bitch into the ground, but the part of his mind that trusted Sabine calmed the battle lust in him, and he focused on her, letting her do what she must.

Rose ascended up into the air again, readying another attack without thinking to question why he wasn't on top of her the moment she'd landed. All she could think of was making him pay for her humiliation, and so, she called to herself a spell of immense power, meant to rip his body apart with a combination of teleportation and holy fire. A scroll appeared in her hands, and she pulled it open and began to read, her eyes continuing to flit between him and the arcane words in case he came at her again before she could finish.

Sabine was quicker. As soon as Derek responded to her spell, she was at his side taking his hand. "Do -not- resist," she instructed him as her gaze fell to Rose, drawing on his power to aid her own. Unlike Rose, she already had the spell she meant to use prepared, and she unleashed it on the former goddess. With a pained scream, Rose dropped the scroll from her hands and glared up at the two before her own power - and that which infected her - began to swirl around her like a cyclone. From the center of the cyclone, the swirling energies flew skyward, draining themselves from her.

After several moments, even Rose's life force was drawn up into the cyclone, and she finally dropped to the ground motionless, barely breathing. The cyclone continued to swirl in a cascade of color upward into the clouds and out of sight, scattered to the corners of the universe.

Untruth floated down to the ground, watching Rose's body, and the breath in it. He reached out to it with his powers to ensure she remained alive, once again forming a link between them, this time wholly with his own energies so that she would have no chance to corrupt it.

Sabine simply spoke quietly from his side. "She's not dead."

"No, and it's a good thing she isn't."

"I did what I had to do." Another simple statement, lacking emotion.

"She didn't know what she was doing when she let Goqua loose," he responded. "I can promise you that."

Sabine nodded. "She didn't know where that power surge came from either, nor did she care. In fact, whatever It did to her blinded her to the severity of her actions."

Derek turned to Sabine, giving her his focus again. "I know. She's a dangerous pet, but I prefer her to an animal."

"And now, she is barely an animal. I stripped her of -all- of her power, not just Goqua's."

Derek nodded. "I suppose this means our enemy is on the move?"

"I'm not sure what the purpose of this was, but yes, 'on the move' is a good way to put it."

With a wave of his hand, Rose was teleported to his room while the compound, itself, was already reforming around them where they stood in the courtyard. "And what is our next move then? This thing came after me, after what is MINE, in MY HOME."

"If I knew what It meant to gain by this, I'd have an answer for you. It isn't here, and I'll need to go home to gather what I need to see if It's in this world now."

"And I have damage to undo."

Sabine lingered for a moment, turning to look up at him. "I think it's safe to say that It had no purpose beyond loosing her with the ability to do her worst and the drive to do so. I think -she- was the target, and she chose -you- as her target."

"And she'll be punished for that, and so will It when the day comes and It decides to take a form. I'll be waiting to put my fist down It's throat and rip It apart piece by piece."

All Hell Breaks Loose, Part One

“I'm so sorry, Derek,” Rose whispered in her dark, cramped prison. “Please, believe me.”

She'd pleaded and begged as he called her a liar, punishing her for her part in whatever was going on out in the 'real world' beyond her enforced imprisonment. She'd never seen him so angry – not even when Raene had returned her to him after her attempt to escape.

As her mind turned to Raene with a renewed disgust and hatred, Rose felt something that seemed to fill her, prodding that hatred into a hot rage that grew exponentially. With that unspeakable rage came power – something not her own but that leapt to her command and drove her forward. Without interest in questioning it, she focused everything within her to teleport away from her prison, into the world waiting above, and a cruel grin found her lips. “Payback time.”

Hovering above Untruth's compound, she sensed his absence – particularly in his bawdy 'throne room' – hardly capable of rational thought. All she wanted was revenge, and now, she would get it. With a flick of her wrist, the roof over the throne room ignited in the magical equivalent of napalm, burning it away quickly until there was a hole large enough for her to slip through, wrapped in shadow that kept her unseen. She watched as Untruth's men poured into the room, trying in vain to stop the flames as they spread and ate away everything in their way with a wicked self-satisfied smile.

The first of her prey appeared to answer the alarm set up by the minions – Derek's first wife, Raene, who began throwing force fields around the fires to keep them from spreading and shouting orders to the men. Rose teleported to the space just behind Raene, an athame appearing in her hand so that, as Raene sensed her arrival and turned toward her, she sunk the dagger into the woman's side and drew it across her stomach, gutting her.

Rather than take the time to gloat over the woman's body, Rose moved quickly now, teleporting to the compound's medi-port unit, disabling it with more of the arcane fire. Normally, she could only accomplish such a powerful spell after gathering the energy to wield it, but today, it was as though it waited in her fingertips, ready at a moment's notice. It felt as though she wasn't just wielding that power, but she was infused with it, driven to use it by anger and viciousness she'd always controlled.

With another thought, she was standing outside a bedroom door, unseen by the occasional groups of men who ran by to respond to the alarms coming from all over the compound. She knew Lyria was inside, alerting Derek telepathically to the trouble. Good. She couldn't wait to see him and make him pay further. The door before her flew open, and before Lyria could have a chance to react, Rose's hand extended toward her, wrapping her in dark magic, holding her in place. Stepping up to the helpless woman, Rose raised her hand to lay her palm to her forehead and unleashed a powerful spell within her mind, breaking down the order within until her nightmares ran rampant. As Lyria's body slumped to the floor, Rose spit a curse down at her. “You were supposed to be MINE.”

After leaving Lyria's room, Rose began to float silently down hallways, setting random fires at her whim or disabling one of Derek's men when they were unfortunate enough to run across her, until she came to a corridor she didn't remember existing when she used to be a visitor to the buildings. Curious, she made her way down the hall, eventually coming across a room guarded by two men – a barbarian and a...knight?

Careful to remain out of sight in the shadows, she conjured a dozen shadows that solidified into men, sending them into combat against the odd guards to keep them occupied as she teleported into the room beyond. A young girl with raven curls turned toward Rose the instant she appeared in the room and snarled, throwing a fireball at the once goddess that was easily absorbed by her protections. Rose regarded the girl with an evil smile.

“Oh, I can see why he likes you,” Rose laughed, surrounding the girl with the same kind of shadows that held Lyria in place. “What to do, what to do? I hate just doing the same thing twice. Seems lazy, don't you think?”

Kyra struggled against the binding shadows as she narrowed her eyes at the woman in front of her. Another shot of fire flew from her toward her tormentor, only to be absorbed yet again. With an inhuman twist of her grin, Rose nodded.

“Wonderful idea, pet.” she cooed before enshrouding her in the magic flames, burning the girl's flesh and eating away her clothing.

Satisfied, Rose teleported out of the room to hover above the compound once again, dropping another flame here and there as she waited for Untruth to arrive. She couldn't wait to give him what he deserved.

The dilemma

“So build another trap.”

Sabine near growled her frustration. It had been infuriating enough that Lara Damon hadn't shown up at the meeting she'd convened to discuss this threat, but to have to repeat the arguments held there was enough to require nearly all her control not to just lash out at the small-minded twit. “I will, but it will take more time than we have before it arrives.”

“Just go get the one Jade used! It can't be that hard for you, the grand mistress of Magic for all of Vislandia! You always did call him a hack, if I remember correctly,” snipped Lara, her deep blue gaze reflective of the contempt she'd always held for Sabine.

“That contraption imploded the day it was used,” came the carefully worded response. Lara would do her no good if she couldn't get her to go do the task she'd given her. “It took Jade years to find the components, each one an artifact of great power, enchanted to execute a specific task. Not only did they have to work together at the moment of entrapment, but they couldn't, in layman's terms, explode when constructed! He had more worlds to draw from and a more magical world on which to create it!”

“And you have Vahlis and Lia!” shouted Lara in her own mounting irritation.

“No, I don't!” Sabine countered, losing control of her temper finally, shouting just as loudly. “The moment I told her it was coming, she closed the portal! Vahlis isn't accessible by order of the gods, especially to a world that is about to be home to one of the most dangerous kind of demigods ever to exist! Unlike Earth, it is protected by its gods, and now, I'm just as trapped here as you've chosen to be!”

Stunned into silence, Lara regarded the mage almost with a sort of sympathy. While there was no love lost between them, they'd always understood the other's position, and to cut Sabine off from the very world she'd called home must have been the worst kind of punishment. Lara, herself, could survive on any world and never could resist the urge to wander. Quietly, anger gone, she had no choice but to acquiesce. “You think he'll target this world's Angel?”

“Almost certain,” Sabine responded curtly. “As much as I'd happily sacrifice her, it's imperative that we know exactly who It chooses as Its vessel. If it isn't one of these people who have traces of Its power, then it'll be someone who can get to them.”

“I'll watch her,” Lara relented. “If I remember how this goes, it won't be long before he's made his presence known. He likes games with ever-changing rules and lots of betrayal and blood. Without a way to capture him...”

Sabine nodded. “Yes. This is just the beginning.”