Ask Dromund Kaas A Deal's a Deal

[Kaldar]

Kaldar didn't actually miss the annoyance in her at receiving some advice, so he marked it down in his mind to only bother in the future if he was trying to annoy her. He supposed it didn't really matter to him if she ended up dead as long as it wasn't when she was supposed to be watching his back.

He just shrugged.

He headed for the exit without wasting any more time as more troops began to arrive on scene. The planet as a whole was going to turn into chaos, and they needed to make it to their safe house and subsequent extraction point before they got cut off here. Time was already ticking against them.

He could hear more blasterfire ahead where the rear team was now locked in a gunfight with another QRF team. From what he could tell, there were no less than a half dozen organic guards remaining and about a half dozen battle droids as well.

Blasterfire was being exchanged, and the Nagai were faring quite well, actually, but they were still just soldiers. They weren't Sith.

Kaldar leapt over one of the pieces of low cover in a vault, his saber swinging around to bat a blaster shot out of the air. Truth be told, Kaldar wasn't really a "duelist." Sure, he was passable enough that he wouldn't keel over in a fight, but he was hardly a master swordsman. Still, these weren't Jedi or other Sith he was fighting, they were soldiers. Trained soldiers, true enough, but not more than the Nagai and certainly not more than the Sith.

He sidestepped another shot, and suddenly a whole lot more fire was focused on him. In fact, rather than try to deflect it all, probably fail, and end up dead... he just ducked behind a pillar. Blasters tore chunks from the ornate stone, but as they were distracted by him and "flashiness" that left an opportunity for the Nagai and Freyja to finish them off.

@LadyRen

 

[Freyja]

The battle continued and it soon seemed as though Kevin's edgy armor drew attention like a lantern to a herd of moths. The guards where concerned about him, that became obvious as they started focusing their fire on him, and she was surprised that the Nagai were somewhat neglected because of it.

Judging from their decreasing numbers, their assemble of Nagai specialists had taken quite a few hits, but as the new wave of incoming guards seemed rather pressed on taking out the obvious Sith, Freyja could go hide behind another column and switch back to her bow to repeatedly peer around the corner and shoot some more from a distance.

She felt rather dizzy by then, the continous strain of the focus she kept up and the race against time taking its toll on the acolyte, but as the enemies numbers decreased further, she called out to Kevin, "we have to move!". Heavy shutters were threatening to lock them in soon enough and once again, a subtle panic flared up inside her, simply because she knew this wasn't good at all.

"Now!", she urged him as the enemy fire faded further while she switched back to her lightsaber, still assuming they had to fend off some remaining bolts while making a run to their extraction point. She did just hope Kevin was running as well and that further reinforcements wouldn't arrive any time soon - and that the door stayed open a little longer.

Time was ticking and while wielding her saber, she bolted towards the exit, however, while she tried her best, she couldn't avoid all of the incoming bolts, so that one grazed her side and drew a pained hiss from her. Despite the pain and exhaustion, she pressed on with fierce determination, and once outside, the jump into the vehicle that readily waited for them wasn't far off. As she landed inside, she was panting and grimacing under the pain while she hectically tried to make out the power Sith.

@Phoenix

 

[Kaldar]

Kaldar watched the Nagai take their own tactical shots and Freyja did her own as well. Kaldar took another deep, steadying breath and rounded the other side of the pillar as the gunshots drew the attention of the guards again. Several were already dead and others were now distracted with not being shot. It was a good distraction again and Kaldar leapt around the corner, saber flashing as he closed in and took the head off of one guard before dodging to the side and chopping down on another.

It was a fighting retreat to be sure, and as some of the shooting died down, it became clear that they needed to get out.

They all charged for the exits, cutting through windows and doors and out into the outside air. The dead had to be left, and Kaldar wasn't going to sacrifice himself for them.

Most of them got out, and it looked like Azar's apprentice was hit in the process.

You still able to fight? he asked, though there wasn't much time to sit and chat. He took in the world around him, feeling the death that hung in the air and the scent of smoke and blood that clung here as well.

Let's move, he said, climbing into one of the vehicles as they began to speed off.

It was too much to say that the job had been "smooth" but it was done. A couple of vehicle swaps later and they were at the safe house and Kaldar felt like he could finally take a breath for the first time.

@LadyRen

 

[Freyja]

While the whole mission had seemingly passed in an immense rush, Freyja was catching her breath as she held her side. The Oligarchs were dead, so this had at least been a success she figured, so despite the burning pain, she didn't let it weight her down.

There were fewer of them here and she figured the main assault team was most certainly even more decimated, but while she knew these assets were valuable, she didn't personally care for another of the dead. It was good that they were out and as Kevin adressed her, she replied, "yeah. It's just a new scar". The pain was certainly annoying, but the little time to breath allowed her to calm her mind a little.

The ride to the safe house was quick and for the moment, it didn't seem like they had been followed. "So we have to lay low for a while now?", she asked him, wondering whether his plan was to stay of the city for a moment and let this whole situation calm down a little before the second phase of installing the new leader would commence.

"I guess you better switch armor again...", she playfully teased, hinting at how he absolutely shouldn't wander around in it, even if he most certainly knew so himself. "Are you okay though?", she asked him after a moment as she slowly lifted her shirt and checked the shot. It was a graze shot after all, so nothing too deep, but it was decently burning still.

@Phoenix

 

[Kaldar]

Kaldar arrived at the safehouse, and was once again reminded how unpleasant of a place it was. The basement of a convenience store that was about as run down as that sounded, but it was large, spacious, and could house all of the survivors and their equipment.

Kaldar pulled off his helmet and found a corner of the room to settle in, plopping down on a chair and stripping off some of the more uncomfortable pieces of his armor.

Now, we wait, he confirmed. The two of them might be able to sneak off world, but the Nagai may end up being stuck here for several weeks laying low. It was difficult to say and it would largely depend on how long it took for Azar to actually get his new government in place.

Place is ripe for your master's takeover, he said. Cut the head off the snake and the rest of the body will wither and die.

How'd you come to his apprenticeship, anyway? he asked, deciding they finally had a few moments to unwind and rub sore muscles. The adrenaline was still running its course, and he knew that fatigue would take its toll soon enough, but for now sleep would elude him.

@LadyRen

 

[Freyja]

Not having anywhere else to go, Freyja plopped down next to him before she searched the dim lit basement with her gaze. She was looking for a med kit, and soon found one with its contents spread out in the middle of the room, which was why she targeted a bacta pad, reached out with the Force and summoned it into her extended hand.

Her shirt was still lifted and now she regretted not having shown up in some kind of armor like him. It mattered little now, but she bit her tongue before she carefully pressed the pad onto her fresh blaster wound. For a moment, the pain that swirled through her blackened her vision, but a moment later the slightest feeling of relief set in.

"He'll be pleased", she answered curtly after a moment before she leaned back and allowed her mind to settle for a moment. The exhaustion she had felt earlier would most certainly resurface soon enough, but she wondered whether she'd even manage to get some actual sleep here...

Kevin suddenly showed interest in how she had come into Azar's apprenticeship and her gaze curiously flicked over to him again. Was he trying to gather intel on her or her master, or even both? One way or another, he was evading her questions again and was once again keen on flipping that.

"I've done well at the Academy and was in need for a new one...how do you know him?", she disclosed a glimpse of her story, before she asked the same question she had asked earlier, hoping this time she'd gain some kind of a reply. "And how come you owed him this favor?". Kevin had made it fairly obvious that he had done this for him, so there was most definitely a counter offer on the table.

@Phoenix

 

[Kaldar]

Oh, he and I go back a long way. Sith business and all that, he said. The pair of Sith had fought together all the way back to the day and grown into quite the duo of... Sith friends.

Yeah, I'm nowhere near drunk enough to answer that question, he said, though the fact was that no amount of liquor would loosen his tongue enough to give up his secrets. Not to mention the fact that it really wasn't any of her business. The fewer people in the Order who knew about what was going on with Raze, the better.

She got to work patching up her injuries and Kaldar grabbed a bottle of water and began to guzzle it down before letting out a satisfied sigh.

You don't seem to trust me very much, he pointed out, standing and tossing the bottle into one of the nearby receptacles before stripping off the rest of his gear until he was just in the undersuit.

@LadyRen

 

[Freyja]

She did at least get a reply this time, but it was still perfectly vague, which maybe at this point, didn't even surprise her. Kevin was mysterious, perhaps he simply preferred to stay mysterious. It bothered her...she wanted to solve that mystery as she was naturally curious and inquisitive, but she knew it was unwise to poke him further.

"Now that could be changed though...", she still blurted out, her playful tone however indicating that she was joking. At least half joking. Once she was done with treating her wound, he suddenly began stripping off the rest of his edge lord armor and for the moment, she didn't bother looking away.

She was holding his gaze though, her eyes not wandering down while a smirk tugged at her lips. "Well, you're a very mysterious man, Kevin", she still refused to believe that was his actual first name, the name his mother had given him, "but my Master trusted you enough to send me here with you...So I guess you're not that bad".

She didn't fully mistrust him, but she had learned to reciprocate what she was receiving after all, so a certain amount of caution probably wasn't misplaced. There was even something cute about him..."Why would you want me to trust you more?", she curiously gave another question back before she fully slipped out of her jacket and tossed it into the corner, knowing she needed something less destroyed for making it off planet unnoticed.

@Phoenix

 

[Kaldar]

He had never quite heard someone emphasize the name Kevin quite as much as she did, although he didn't actually comment on it.

Or maybe he knows I'll get the job done because I'm that bad, he said without missing even a second. Because at its core, that was the fact. In the business of being Sith, being vicious was how you got the job done. And Azar was one of the few Sith in the Order that he'd met who got that. It didn't seem he had instilled that in her yet, but that also wasn't his business.

I don't really care. Just felt weirdly disproportionate, but you do you, he said with a shrug.

He poked through some clothing of his own, taking time to pull out the outfit he had left for himself and swap his shirt and stash the rest of his things in a backpack.

You ready? I'm getting off this rock, he said, having already paid off a smuggler to get them out of system whether she came along or not.

@LadyRen

 

[Freyja]

The more they spoke, the more she understood that he was trying to keep up this edgy, cold facade instead of letting it down the slightest bit - it seemed like she could at least report to Azar that this guy seemed reliable enough for his plans after all, but she was still curious about what Azar would offer him in return.

In her eyes, there was nothing wrong with being careful, especially around someone who could maneuver lightsabers so professionally. Whether he had purposely refrained from excessive force use, or whether he was was simply more of a duelist, she also wasn't yet fully sure about, but it was obvious that he had a lot to hide.

She thus chose a mere shrug as an answer before she headed for one of the shelves that offered at least a fresh shirt for her. It was a little oversized, but would ensure the appearance of a random traveler would be maintained when they made their escape, and just a moment later, he asked for exactly that.

"Yeah, let's go", she gathered her stuff, but this time stuffed it all into one of the roughed up backwards that were stored in various corners of the room before she hesitated a moment. "Are you sure the coast is clear already?", he seemed in a sudden hurry and while she had no intentions of staying in the chaos that had caused any longer, heading out there right again seemed a little, well, hasty. If he'd found it fit though, she'd follow regardless.

@Phoenix

 

[Kaldar]

She seemed as ready as he was to get off planet, and it made sense. Being locked down here for days or weeks was time that Kaldar didn't really have.

Not really, he admitted when she asked if the coast was clear. In fact, it's probably not, but that's why I hired a smuggler, he said. They weren't going to be taking off through "normal" channels and they weren't going to be flying out in style this time. This was a matter of getting off world however they could.

He tucked his lightsaber away under his jacket and made for the back exit, cutting through the streets and alleys for a while before finally making it back to the same park they had gone to earlier. The advantage of Dromuund Kaas was that outside the cities, the planet was mostly thick jungles that were poorly patrolled. It made smuggling in and out of the planet far easier than some other worlds, and getting to those smugglers was also "easy."

Of course, it still meant a trek out into the jungle, but all in all it was lower risk than the spaceports proper.

Eventually, night began to fall, and Kaldar could make out what looked to be the glow of a camp ahead made in a clearing in the jungle. He could see people milling about - probably a dozen or so - and after a quick check of the coordinates, confirmed that this was the right place.

All they know is that we're two people trying to get out of old Sith space. They don't know anything else and they've already been paid, he said. He was confident she'd figure out he meant not to talk about what had happened or the fact that they were both Sith. Hopefully, the smugglers - who tended to specialize in discretion - wouldn't ask any more questions than that. It was the nature of smuggling, after all.

@LadyRen

 

[Freyja]

His words obviously weren't reassuring, but she finally figured they'd make it work. She slung the backpack over her shoulder and trailed along side him while she did at least sense she was feeling somewhat better. The bacta treated her wound and she wasn't as depleted as before, but their exhausting task earlier still began taking its toll on her. Perhaps this would be a long night...

They were out on the streets and soon crossing the admittedly mesmerizing park a bit later. The atmosphere had shifted outside, there was an undeniable tension that lingered in the air but they disappeared into the jungle before anyone paid them actual attention. Freyja relaxed a little as she was away from the city, the wilderness was her prefered habitat after all.

While they walked in relatively silence, she wondered whether what she had read about those Terentateks was true, but while she stayed attentive of their surroundings, there was nothing luring in the dark, waiting to pounce just yet. "Good. So let's hope it stays that way". Freyja wasn't too up to date with surveillance tech - was it possible that they had been seen anywhere close to the scene? But smuggler specifically didn't quite care...

As they approached the camp in the distance, another question tingled in the back of her mind. After all, he had neither been on Thule, nor attending any other events they had hosted, and yet there was something undeniaby sith-y about him, so her mind kept circling back to the question of whether he considered himself an actual member of the Order or whether he was yet another renegade.

But why would Azar work with him then? "Any chance you are offering lightsaber lessons by the way?", she asked instead as she had found his duelling skills rather impressive for sure and she figured he wouldn't give her any answers in terms of his background just yet anyway. They'd obviously quit that conversation as soon as they neared the camp's entrance. There were a whole bunch of shady looking, hooded indovuals, some of who immediately spotted them and turned to look at them. Freyja was hoping Kevin had payed the right guys after all...

@Phoenix

 

[Kaldar]

Kaldar was surprised when she asked him about lightsaber lessons. Kaldar's relationship with the lightsaber was an interesting one, and although he did consider it a necessary skill, he didn't truly consider himself a duelist.

He paused a moment as if pondering something and then moved over to tap a finger against her forehead. This is your most valuable weapon. If a lightsaber comes out at any time other than as the final step of a planned operation then it's a failure, he said. It was a broad, sweeping statement that wasn't fully true, but it was the first piece of advice he had given her that was arguably genuine.

And yet, it was relatively true for what they had just done. The assault was the final piece to a puzzle that had been unfolding for weeks. It was a tool, but only one of many. In truth, the teaching was pulled in large part from Darth Sidious, and despite the man's ultimate failure, there was no question that that Sidious had been one of the most potent Sith in the galaxy.

But to answer your question, nothing's free, he said. It was as much a question as statement: what can you offer in return.

@LadyRen

 

[Freyja]

As the Sith suddenly stopped and approached, she instinctively flinched. Not that she feared anything from him directly, but in this regard she had always been careful. She had already learned that he was quite a planer, but what he said made sense for sure.

Once again, he evaded her question, but she didn't fail to notice that he had offered her something even more valuable with his words. Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly as she held his gaze, regarding his words carefully. It was true - this coup had been throughly planned and they had executed the last step before the official take-over earlier. She rarely ever relied on her lightsaber and yet she knew that against wielders of similar weapons, it was an important tool, a backup security.

But he had a point about the rest still. In a way, he was finally beginning to play into her cards as well. She slowly tilted her head to the side, purposely, as the marks on her neck were still faintly visible. "Nothing ever is...and I'm certain you're looking for knowledge as well". A faint smirk was tugging at her lips as she straightened her head slowly, still holding his gaze.

"You're not around when most Sith are. I can't shake the feeling you're striving for something else". He had been...different from the start. She had long noticed that she had not heard his name before, not seen his face before. Especially not in front of the Dark Lord. Perhaps it was farfetched but perhaps she was onto something and she was curious about his reaction.

@Phoenix

 

[Kaldar]

I have my own interests, yes, he said. He doubted there was much that an Acolyte could teach him about the Force, but that didn't mean he couldn't find use for someone who was capable of fighting and following instructions.

I'll give you some instructions for a favor, he said. I'm sure I can find use for someone with your skills, he said. In truth, he didn't have an idea in mind already, but he knew he could come up with one within a week. He was a man who had many different irons in the fire at any given time, and bringing one to the forefront was just the logical next step.

She began poking around about questions, although he knew that she was simply fumbling in the dark. The Order was far too big and he was far too unknown for anyone to put together the truth about him.

The Sith moved to working in the shadows. You could say I'm a big believer in that, he said. The mistakes of the Order right after the expulsion from the Empire were profound. They had improved, but he had no interest in revealing to her the nature of his business with Raze. Or his... questionable attachments to the Order.

I prefer discretion and subtlety to being flashy, he said, finally breaking through to the camp as they drew closer, hands out to his side to indicate he was no harm.

Tereth Norst, he introduced himself to the smugglers. We're expected for transport off-world, he said to the man who nodded along.

@LadyRen

 

[Freyja]

What she immediately noticed was how he didn't deny he was no ordinary member of the Order. He seemed valuable for Azar, probably as valuable as Azar was for him, but it still raised countless questions that piqued her interests. He seemed interested in their exchange of offers, as well, so that was at least something positive.

"Sounds good". Whether the favor he had for her was actually good, remained to be seen, but she'd curiously wait for his explanation before she'd decide whether it was truly a job worth doing. "There we seem to agree...", Freyja was also nothing like her old master - she usually opted for subtle manipulations and she was rarely ever seen with a lightsaber.

He hadn't given her a name, so she remained silence while she followed him. Just like him, her raised hands indicated she meant no harm while she kept hoping the deal he had made would work as expected. She knew that smugglers usually didn't want to cause a stir either, so as the man who received them nodded, was rather optimistic.

Still, she kept her guard up and while she appeared rather passive, she was attentively scanning their surroundings. In the end, the rest of the transport went smoothly though and so they soon left ancient Sith space again.

@Phoenix

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