Ask ART 106: Contemporary Art

[Trodai Narat-iv-Adas]

Aargau. Home to the Bankers of Aargu. Wealthy beyond measure, they could and would buy and sell entire systems at a whim with fingers in many pies. Even their art collection was enough to draw envy, and indeed it had. For the Sith had come to claim as much of it as they could. And burn the rest so none would lay hands upon it. This 'field trip' if it could be called that had been arranged by Champion Vossari, someone Trodai knew.

His apprentice had been selected for the trip but with no-one else available, Trodai was forced to intervene and act as a chaperone to ensure she didn't get herself killed. And yet it did provide a opportunity, not only to both to earn more favour, both with Vossari and Tempest but also to pose as a test of her abilities. To see if she had been paying attention to his teaching. That and Trodai had a vested interest in the planet and this provided just the opportunity needed to further his own agenda here on Aargu.

By taking out the Board of Directors of the Bank of Aargu aboard a moving armoured train they would weaken the banking system here as a whole and it would help provide the opportunity he was searching for. To exploit the weak link that was Aargu and allow a infiltration by the Order into the IBC and gain a foothold for the Sith. Champion Vossari had made mention a message needed to be made, an example.

And Trodai was all too willing to provide it.

He had needed a way to vent his current frustrations and this was perfect. Two birds, one stone.

Trodai had opted on a skyward approach, at the back to avoid detection using the rainy weather as cover. They would be dropped off by ship on the train roof, while the two drill a hole and unleashed carnage within. With the ship on standby to pick up loot when they were further in. The loot in crates would be hooked up and brought up into the bay. While the brief hadn't asked for additional help, Trodai brought some to help load the loot. Unscrupulous and didn't care if those aboard died. They too would earn a wage from this. Room by room would be cleared and any art loaded. The two would picked up on completion a point along the tracks he had chosen.

He had a particular warning in mind. A message of inspiration or so he thought.

And so he sat ready and as the pilot signalled the ready, he motioned to Kyssiria to rise and follow suit as the ship was in a low hover. Keeping level with the train roof. If the intelligence was correct the Board of Directors would be near the front and well protected. But it wouldn't matter he thought. They were already dead, they just didn't know it. Using the Force he jumped, landing with a low thud, the rain covering the sound landing on the freight carriage, security would be light here.

But it would increase as they got closer to the front.

He slowly moved up so the other Pureblood could jump and join him. He hoped she remembered the lesson about it, and signalled the ship to remain on standby until they secured loot. The others with them, used cables to slide down onto the roof before detaching.

@René

 

[Kyssiara Serket]

A field trip? Kyssiara's excitement was thinly veiled under the attempted impression that she was thoughtfully preparing. She was, of course, but that didn't mean it was her entire focus exactly. One of the new teachers at the academy, Vossari, had chosen her for this mission. Of course her master had been invited along as some kind of some overseer; it was no problem. She'd prove that she didn't need help. The Pureblood intended to take the point on this mission, to prove to both Professor Khaldun and her master that she had what it takes.

Kyssiara adjusted the belt of her usual armor, her lightsaber hanging from it openly. There would be no need to hide her identity as a Sith on this mission; there would be no survivors. If things went according to plan, she'd barely need to use her blade either. Manipulating the Dark Side was her strong suit anyways. Do aid in such, the acolyte carried three small vials of oil on the back of her belt. Combined with her natural talent for pyrokinesis, a quick spark to the vials would pack a powerful punch; and a ball of flame to play with.

Kyssiara watched as Trodai stood and approached the opening hydraulic entry ramp as their ship hovered above the train they'd be raiding. She followed, waiting for him to land below before approaching the ramp herself. She tensed, calling upon the Force as she took a step off. The Pureblood fell quickly, but controlled, and landed on top of the train in a crouch as the Force cushioned the energy exerted on her legs. The acolyte gave her master a nod of readiness as the others followed behind them.

@Akheron

 

[Trodai Narat-iv-Adas]

Trodai considered a moment the best approach, and in the end went with a two pronged assault. He looked to his apprentice,and spoke "Move ahead, and go to the next carriage and secure it ahead of us. I'll secure this one."

He figured she was capable and since she wanted to prove she was, this was her chance. By true to take a carriage on her own and secure the route ahead while the others followed. Although when it got more rough up ahead, they would need to work together but for now it was not needed hopefully. After speaking he moved up, briefly igniting the lightsaber and making a hole to drop inside the carriage from the roof he was on, through the armour that was supposed to protect it and the occupants. Yet there no saving them.

The Sith had come for the Bankers of Aargu.

He was careful not to fall off as the train rocked about.

Once inside he looked around, so no guards. He walked slowly, silently putting the lightsaber away until they were further in and resistance would increase. Instead he pulled a songsteel sword, ready to cut throats or impale. Attempting to creep, he spotted a lone guard. And so he fixed his gaze, using the Force to choke the life from him. And feeding on his emotions as he slipped away.

Once dead, Trodai removed his skin, flaying him and strung the corpse up.

Removing one arm and placing the body and arm at a angle, as some kind of grotesque art piece. The first of many.

@René

 

[Naina Naberrie]

Naina had been slow to unclip herself from the cable she had used to slide down to the train. She had been a little out of it during her last evaluation, and a mark had been put against her Force abilities, which had required that she use more mundane means like this on missions. Not that she cared, it was easier like this, if a little slower. By the time she was done, Trodai had already ordered her fellow acolyte to move on to the next compartment while he cut a hole into the one they were currently perched atop.

She peaked down the hole, and spotted the art piece he had set up, suddenly glad to have missed breakfast that day. That had been rather unexpected. She had thought to look around to see if there was anything valuable in the carriage that she could sneak into the many pockets of the military grade cargo pants she was wearing, but seeing the display she decided against that.

Instead she straightened up and ran after Kyssiara, making sure her lightsaber was clipped securely on the utility belt at her waist, the carry bag she had brought along was slung snugly across her chest, and the harness she had used to rappel down from the ship was not still attached to the line. All that was unnecessary, those were things she had already done before, but they were tasks she could do by rote and use to distract herself from the sight she had seen below. Even prepared for the worst, there was no getting over the discomfort of seeing someone flayed like that.

"So," she shouted as she caught up with the other acolyte, "got any ideas for what sort of message you wanna leave behind?" It seemed like casual small talk, but Naina's eyes were darting all over Kyssiara, making sure there weren't any knives on her that she could use to join in on the flaying displays.

@Akheron @René

 

[Kyssiara Serket]

Kyssiara nodded at her master's directive as another acolyte propelled down behind them, ready to join in on the mission as well. She didn't know this one yet, but the possibility of a new friend was always exciting. Perhaps someone to show off to and impress, if she was newer. That said, the mission came first. The Pureblood moved quickly ahead on top of the train's roof, rain pit-pattering down on the hood of her cloak as she did. The other acolyte quickly caught up, asking if she had any ideas for a message. Oh if she only knew the possibilities that swirled through her mind. She turned and held up two fingers and her thumb, a small flame leaping into existence as the acolyte focused her energy on the spot. "I've always been partial to the beauty of flame. Might leave some ashen statues for all t'see. Name's Kyssiara, by the way." the girl replied.

Not waiting long for response, she continued on. Unlike her master, Kyssiara had no interest in carving open an open hole that would let in rain and potentially ruin the costly art the group was here to steal. The more intact art, the richer they'd all be. Instead, she dropped down onto the large magnetic couplings connecting the train cars, taking a moment to balance herself before using the Force to wave open the door to the next car.

This train car was full of paintings, all sitting behind panes of thick glass. Unfortunately it also came with a pair of guards, one by each door at the ends of the car. The first turned right as Kyssiara walked through the suddenly open door, wind and rain whipping behind her as the Duros man on her end of the train regarded her with a shocked expression. He fought with the hip holster where his blaster sat but quickly found himself almost frozen, unable to move and suspended in mid air in front of the Pureblood intruder's outstretched hand. The guard's human companion fared better in retrieving his own blaster, firing off three shots that all landed in the Duros' back as Kyssiara shielded herself with his body. With a powerful push of Force enegry, the acolyte threw the Duros' now limp body across the car and into the other guard, who struggled to get back up under the dead man's weight.

The Pureblood continued approaching with little hesitation, reaching out with the Force once again to grasp at the remaining guard's neck once he'd finally pushed his comrade's body off. The man's strained pleas for help fell on deaf ears as an unseen pressure choked the breath out of him at Kyssiara's command. When he collapsed dead, the acolyte stepped over the pair of bodied and towards the controls for the doors to the next car in the train. "Looks like it needs ah keycard of some kind." she said out loud, turning to her younger companion. "Check their bodies for some kind of security code or access card or somethin'."

@Akheron @Wit

 

[Trodai Narat-iv-Adas]

Trodai searched some of the crates but found nothing of much value, just food, vases of no value, cheaply mass produced and others with replica art pieces. Worth nothing. The real pieces would be nearer the front with the most security. And so he left it, instead entering the same carriage as the two Acolytes. He shook his head impressed. So far so good from his apprentice but he had yet to see how the other Acolyte might be. He would see soon enough.

He arrived in time to see them talking about flame and the keycard. One thing he had learnt from Azar was you didn't always need to think so hard about things. Sometimes the simplest solution sufficed and so he acted. He looked about, it appeared this carriage held some value so he spoke out.

"Acolyte Naina, contact our friends outside. Let's grab what we can from this carriage at least and move on."

With that he set to work, slowly, and carefully removing the paintings before rolling them up and placing in a protective tube for transport. Looked like whoever bought the art thought about everything. He motioned Naina to do the same or grab any statues while he looked to Kyssiria "Time to make your mark my apprentice. Let the galaxy know your message, but wait until the art is in the ship. As for the door...sometimes the simplest solution is the best approach, especially when time is limited."

Telekinesis: 17/20 success

He motioned to the first body but not before using the Force to break the hinges from the locked door and removing it with Telekinesis. The door hinges snapped and crunched, as they broke apart with Trodai seemingly crumbling the door like it was simply a nuisance being folded and bent out the way. A guard waited on the other side and was unfortunate enough to be the recipient of the door as it was flung at him. Trodai allowed Kyssiria and Naina to either assist with the carriage with him or go ahead.

He elected to put his lightsaber away in favour of a sword, intended not to damage everything. With the same guard formation as previously, Trodai acted. Shoots ran out as he ducked for cover behind a crate. Peaking around when they stopped he saw two advancing with blasters drawn. He pulled the blasters and sliced them where they stood, impaling one deep in the gut before throwing the body upon his ally. Trapped they were easy prey as he decapitated them, and kicking the head at those further down.

A way to elicit additional fear and intimidation. To let them know there was no escape from their fate as he moved up. He became a dark hurricane, a destroyer as he moved. Yet careful, attempting not to cut any of the art.

@René @Wit

 

[Kyssiara Serket]

Kyssiara watched as the other acolyte began to help load up some of the art with the hired mercenaries they'd brought along, waiting for her master to catch up. The ease with which he crumpled the thick steel door to move on was... impressive. Perhaps he was more powerful that she'd given him credit for. He might look half-dead, but he'd spent a great deal of time with the Academy's headmaster, another Pureblood who himself was favored by the Dark Lord of the Sith herself. Maybe, royalty or not, this wasn't such a bad situation after all.

The acolyte watched her master carve through the guards in the next train car, following behind him as he skewered one and beheaded another with his sword. Syping another three guards responding to the sound of blaster fire from the train's next section, Kyssiara followed her master's lead and ripped the blasters from their hands, sending them harmlessly skittering across the floor. She'd cleared the way for the older Pureblood to continue his rampage unopposed, remaining vigilant to respond to any other threats that might spring up.

@Akheron

 

[Trodai Narat-iv-Adas]

As the two moved up, Trodai briefly looked back to see that the Acolyte Naina, had somehow during the fighting and trying to transport some of the art got knocked on the head and was now was now laying unconscious behind the two Purebloods. He wasn't amused by it one bit especially as when she was, several pieces of the looted art was lost, that she was jeopardizing the mission like that angered him and yet they could hardly just leave her.

And so he motioned to the mercenaries to pick her up and put her on the ship. She would be dealt with after.

He was more impressed by the initiative shown by his apprentice, Kuwaitis when she decided to follow suit and use the same technique he had employed. Good. She was learning, and picking up some of what he did and said at least. The useful parts. With the way cleared, Trodai made quick work them as they tried picking up improvised weapons, with one taking a wooden plank and the other one, a large wrench. The Pureblood simply smirked as he drew one near with the Force cutting through the plank and them, while allowing his apprentice to deal with the other one as she wished when he dodged a blow and moved past, elbowing him to the back of the head to send the human towards her. He would see how she handled such teamwork, a combination of their efforts.

Impaling his victim, Trodai waited until she was done and then spoke after he had arranged the body as more grotesque looking art pieces. Limbs were wrongly lined as if to spell a message. He knew With the Acolyte Naina out cold, the task of transporting loot feel to both of them as well as the assassination. Yet he knew the theft was only secondary to the assassination itself. He knew With time limited until the train would reach the station they needed to he quick.

"When your done with him, help me load the loot from these two carriages. That stupid girl cost us time and looted art, the weak fool. It is a lesson in what not to do, take note apprentice. Now we must make up for her stupidity. We need to up our pace however."

With that he allowed her to deal with the man, and started looting the art in the carriage, signalling the ship to be ready to receive it once it was secured. He assisted via the Force, making sure it didn't sway too much with the wind and rain.

Spoiler: Actions Taken - Attempt to transfer Art Loot to the ship from the train without damaging/losing some

D20: 16

Finding success, Trodai kept up the transfer, allowing Kyssiria to cover him while he did it until everything of value they could grab in the current carriages were hauled into the ship. Once secure and safe, he continued onwards up the train, keeping tight to corners as best he could and on the look out for more guards. Up ahead were more than before, a six man team having increased numbers due to the commotion with the board members up front starting to panic ever so slightly and so requested someone to find out what was happening at the back of the train. More specifically why hadn't the guards reported in.

@René

 

[Kyssiara Serket]

Kyssiara smirked as her master cut through the guards charging into the room, of course after she'd relieved them of their weapons. With a quick dodge and a elbow nudge, it looked like Trodai had sent a human guard stumbling her way, and the acolyte was more than willing to practice her abilities on him. The man swung the wrench he wielded with uneven panic, something Kyssiara was able to easily dodge before drawing on the Force. The Pureblood lifted the guard up and slammed him into the ceiling, then back down into the floor, then finally back up against the ceiling before letting him fall limp into the ground. A stab from the acolyte's lightsaber in the man's back as she walked by finished the job.

While her master began loading art because the deadweight acolyte had fallen behind, Kyssiara stood with her back to the next door and peeked through the window. Six guards slowly moved through the room on high alert, blasters out and ready; if only they hadn't made the fatal mistake of standing too close together. The best part about moving up through the train was that not only did the art get more valuable, but it became more protected with cases built to withstand blaster bolts and the elements. And fire.

Kyssiara pressed the button on the door's control panel to open it, keeping her back to the wall and peeking through the door just enough to toss one of her oil vials high above the grouped guards' heads. A brief application of intense pressure on the vial shattered it, spilling it's contents all over the guards, while a more focused pressure raised the oil's heat to the point of combustion. In a matter of seconds, all six guards were desperately trying to put themselves out as the fire spread through the cracks in their armored uniforms. Kyssiara took the opportunity to move into the next train car and command the flames with outstreched hands, intensifying the fire as she willed it to jump from person to person.

It wasn't a complete firestorm, but forcing flames into agape, screaming mouths was an effective method of killing the obstacles in the Sith's way. The acolyte allowed her master and the hired help to move into the car and assess even more art that was theirs for the taking, focusing on dowsing her flames to prevent any chance of undue injury to the Sith forces or chances for damage to the art.

@Akheron

 

[Trodai Narat-iv-Adas]

Once the art was secure, Trodai proceeded to follow his apprentice, impressed at her ability again with the Force, particularly with Pyromancy. He wondered if he should help her focus on that particular skill especially when she showed such promise with it. And yet there was also a little concern, especially with how delicate some of the art pieces likely were. Fire and art was never a good mix, and the protection would only do it's job for so long before the heat and pressure buckled the glass.

They were fire resistant after all and not fire proof.

He actually had to ask her to calm it down a bit "Calm down apprentice, you look to impress I know but try not to burn everything in the process."

And so he motioned more art to be removed, before joined in the next carriage. Here they got smarter, staying back and waiting for them to approach. Opening fire as they did so to try pin the two Sith while a group of four moved up, followed by the other four further back. Luckily this carriage seemed to have less value, with cheap knockoffs and so they could act with little consequence with the next leading to the more valuable carriages. Trodai used a razor disc from the Sith Lanvarok he wore and sent the three out, catching two. One in the neck, ending them instantly as blood sprayed the window and the second the left arm, splitting it open.

If they were sending a message, it was sure sending one as burnt or charred bodies, grotesque statues at weird angles and blood splattered windows in the train marking it. It was akin to some twisted horror set. Trodai sent three flying into each other with a Force Push, leaving them for his apprentice as he worked in combination with her efforts, cutting any she missed down as the two moved along, becoming a deadly fatal machine of death.

There would be no mercy or pity. Not for the Bankers of Aargu.

@René

 

[Kyssiara Serket]

"Yes, master." Kyssiara replied to the older Pureblood's warning not to burn too much of the train. Pffft, as if she couldn't control her own flames. Clearly her master had no eye for the true artistry to be found in flames. The acolyte summoned the remaining flames into a concentrated ball hovering just above her palm, preventing it from spreading and creating a useful weapon for what was undoubtedly coming next.

As Kyssiara followed her master into the next train car she quickly ducked down behind a large durasteel crate as the bank's guards opened fire. "These bastards just keep comin', huh?" she shouted, peering around the corner of her cover in time to see Trodai's razor discs drop two of the eight approaching guards. When her master threw another three into each other with the Force, Kyssiara took the opportunity to burst out from behind the crate and rejoin the fray.

She tossed the fireball she'd been holding at the group still ahead of Trodai, while advancing on the group of three dazed guards he'd left behind him. The Pureblood moved swiftly, blocking a pair of blaster shots from one of the guards who'd already recovered with her lightsaber before slashing across his chest. Kyssiara channeled the Force to pull the the other two guards' blasters from their hands, sending them skittering across the floor. A wicked grin spread across her face in anticipation of victory, but it was short lived as one of the guards sent a left hook smashing into her jaw and the other drew a stun baton.

Stunned schock was all the acolyte's psyche could process as she fell against a large class case containing a painting. Eyeing another incoming fist in the glass' reflection, Kyssiara turned and shakily stepped out of the way in time for a loud crack to signify one of the guards had broken his hand against the case. What was she doing, she wasn't this stupid! The guards protecting the bank's valuables were trained, and this was a mission; it was no place to be fooling around.

The Pureblood stretched out her hands and coiled the Force against the remaining two guards' necks while her eyes blazed gold. The pair struggled, clawing helplessly at their throats as the invisible grip tightened and their eyes began to bulge. After a few moments the guards went limp, and Kyssiara released her hold on them as their bodies flopped lifelessly to the floor. Taking a deep breath of renewed concentraion, the acolyte continued forward to rejoin her master.

@Akheron

 

[Trodai Narat-iv-Adas]

Trodai could sense her frustration at his answer. He was the artistry but knew flame could not be totally controlled, not entirely even if you thought you were in control. While Kyssiria dealt with those behind, hearing the crack of glass, he turned his head just in time to see her deal with them. Seeing that she was doing ok he left her to it before calling out "Don't forget to leave message."

He left the mercenaries to collect the art as the two advanced.

The security was increasing as now their presence aboard was known to the bankers. Security shutters came down upon the windows and doors locked to separate carriages from each other, which would force them to improvise to open them. And now turrets begun descending to add to the mix increasing the risks. Trodai acted, reflecting a blast into a guard, as further along several more heavily armed troops were slowly making their way up the train from the front with riot shields and better trained troops. Those in the current carriage were using a delaying tactic to buy time for their arrival.

At the door two turrets opened fire. Trodai attempted to rip one from where it was stationed and throw it at a guard in front of him. He deflected another blast into a trooper to his left before ducking under another trooper as a baton came around, turning to face them he kicked into.the groin hard and smashed their face into the window as they yelped out in pain, lacerating them before he impaled on the spine. Using them as a shield he moved forward, throwing the body at the other turret to distract and break it. During it catching a blaster bolt to the arm from a trooper who came out from behind a crate, making him grimace.

Gripping them, he took their weapon and flung them, not expecting it as they flew and impaled onto a statue. While he worked on the door, trying spice through using his lightsaber, which was a slow process due to the thickness of the blast door he allowed his apprentice to take care of the others.

"Keep them back while I work." he called out.

@René

 

[Kyssiara Serket]

Kyssiara nodded at her master's instructions to keep the rest of the guards off his back while he worked to open the door. Luckily the hulking Massassi had mowed through a few of the guards like a storm and taken care of both the ceiling turrets, leaving the smaller Pureblood to come off the bench in relief. The approaching guards, all probably double her weight, outnumbered the acolyte 4 to 1, but she knew better than to panic. Kyssiara held her lightsaber blade in front of her body as she adopted a wide stance, planting her feet to become an immovable object. One of the first lessons her master had taught her was the benefit of letting an enemy, particularly a bigger one, come to her; and the girl intended to use that lesson now.

Two guards began firing their blasters while the other two slowly approached, stun batons drawn and humming. Without shifting her stance, Kyssiara moved her lightsaber quickly but efficiently, making only the smallest movements and adjustments necessary to deflect the incoming blaster bolts. She redirected one back towards it's sender, catching him in the knee before a second deflected bolt found his neck. By this point the baton-wielding guards had closed into the acolyte's close vicinity, preventing their comrade farther back from continuing his suppressing fire without risking hitting his allies.

Using this to her advantage, Kyssiara finally made a small adjustment to her stance as one of the guards swung his stun baton in her direction. Her feet made only small movments to reinforce her grounded stance as she blocked the strike, knocking one baton away in time to block another. She wouldn't be able to overpower them, but she didn't need to. She just needed to put up an impenetrable wall until they made a critical mistake; at least according to that dusty old treatise on dueling her master had made her read. For now, it worked; when one of the guards overextended his arm, the Pureblood sidesteped his attack and relieved him of his arm before employing a concentrated Force push to send him flying into the guard at the back of the train car who'd continued searching for the right opportunity to take a shot.

Now with a one-on-one opportunity against the remaining baton-wielding train guard, Kyssiara quickly found a pattern to the Duros' swings and interrupted it with a swift slash across his chest. Her attention returned to the 3-limbed guard and his remaining comrade; the former's shrieks had turned to silent shock as he gripped the stump where his right arm used to be, while the latter stood up and began angrily firing his blaster towards the acolyte and her master. Kyssiara deflected his erratic bolts with some effort, before eyeing a heavy crate sitting on a shelf to his left. Gripping the metal box telekinetically, she threw it into the side of the guard's head with enough velocity to cause a sickening crunch sound as it made contact. The guard's body fell to the floor, lifeless, while the Pureblood left the de-armed guard to either pass out from his injury or be permanently finished by the Sith's mercenaries coming up from behind.

@Akheron

 

[Trodai Narat-iv-Adas]

Soon enough and Trodai was through the door, much to the surprise of those behind it, some of which were now a little more wary and scared at seeing the metal glow.Orange as the blade cut a hole. Noting that they help now had more than enough loot and art, the mercenaries having collected various items behind them, Troda I was satisfied they could continue on without worrying about damaging almost anything else. Besides the ship likely couldn't fit anymore as it was.

Although Trodai did spot something he wanted, something special for Azar, a gift for when he next saw him as was sometimes his custom.

It appeared to be some kind of golden dragon bangle to wear upon the arm. Pocketing it, he proceeded onwards, finding patterns in how the enemy fought and adjusting accordingly, the mercenaries signalled they could take no more loot and so Trodai knew how was where they were essentially allowed to be more free with how they reacted to threats. He spoke up as he decapitated a guard and brought his lightsaber out in place of a sword, now he could.

"We can fit no more valuables. Now show them what it means to know true fear...what it is to cross the Sith. Show them no mercy as I have taught you and let the last memory be of you upon them as you send a message."

While the de-armed guard did initially stand shocked, he soon did what was needed and continued the assault despite the injury, desperate to avenge his fallen comrades. Using the remaining arm to grab a blaster and open up on Kryssria. Trodai left her too it as he attempted to face off against a riot shield and blaster wielding foe ahead with a squad of five. Three batons and two blasters.

Deflecting bolts, now with little care to damage or collateral he advanced.

They were simply obstacles in the way towards the objective. Towards the board members who no doubt were beginning to get very worried up front as their security forces started dwindling. As whoever it was assaulting the train seemed unrelenting and like a unstoppable tide coming for them. Soon discussions were taking place between the members.

"What is going on!"

"You assured our safety" and other such blame and threats were being made as they tried to make sense of the mess. Yet they had not bargained upon the Sith and the price of crossing them. Now their fates were sealed some thought, while others appeared more defiant and yet more others unsure what was happening. Seeing the first guard, Trodai twisted his body, utilising the erratic Juyo form to bisect the Rodian, cutting through the shield.

The second was quicker, as he used the Force to via Telekinesis to hold him and another against the ceiling after removing their, blasters and flinging them aside, cutting the unarmed men diagonally across the torso and allowing the bodies to drop behind as he passed by. The last two were more difficult, as one fired while the other advanced under the cover fire. Trodai reflected the boots upwards into the ceiling before planting his left foot and sprinting forwards, bashing into the shield and impaling through to the one behind it before using the Force to try and pin the last man with the body of his fallen ally.

He dodged, so Trodai improvised, allowing his apprentice a chance to again prove her worth by going ahead.

@René

 

[Kyssiara Serket]

Apparently, the guard Kyssiara had left behind had not only the will to keep conscious, but a death wish. He could've played dead and escaped with his life, but instead he came face-to-face with a large metal crate that blocked his blaster bolts and flew at him with substantial speed. Enough speed, apparently, to smash into his upper chest and head and crush them into the wall at the back of the train car. Kyssiara turned to follow her master once again after her telekinetic assault ended the inconvenience.

Ahead, her master was making easy work of even the armored guards with their riot shields like a storm of unstoppable red energy. For as much as the acolyte didn't care to invest much time in her own lightsaber skills, she couldn't say she didn't respect his ability. But Trodai had his skills, and the younger Pureblood had her own. As her master moved out of the way, it was time for Kyssiara's skills to shine once again. Literally.

"Ya might want to duck, master." the girl warned as she pulled out another small vial of oil, hovering it in front of her with the Force as she conjured a spark within the vial to ignite it. The casing burst immediately as a small ball of fire formed, kept pressurized by the power Kyssiara exerted on it until she finally released it in a brilliant burst of flame. A torrent of fire burst from the space in front of her palm, enveloping not just the guard who'd dodged Trodai's attack but the entire squad behind him. Screams echoed off the walls of the train car as they cooked alive in their armor.

@Akheron

 

[Trodai Narat-iv-Adas]

Together the pair were like hell itself had unleashed a pair of demons upon the train. The closer it got to the station, the further they got and the more dead lay before them. Trodai admired his apprentice skill with fire, even as he was forced to form a barrier and redirect flames around to avoid burning as Kyssiria unleashed a devastating assault upon those in front of them.

He looked on as they cooked, smiling. This is the sort of message he hoped for.

Moving past, letting them cook, Trodai nodded at his apprentice signalling approval as he advanced. Before them lay the kitchen, where several chefs stood shocked at the sight. Several got brave and tried hurling knives only to have them stopped with the Force and returned to embed into flesh and bone. Others tried grabbing a hot pan of oil, with Trodai quickly shoving them back to have it splat across the torso, scalding them horribly. He proceeded to move up the kitchen, leaving him to Kyssiria.

He would allow her to take the other side of the kitchen where several other angry chefs and a couple troopers were ready to fight. Yet one of two were hesitant, waiting for her. Trodai slammed the head of a trooper on his side of the kitchen into the burning hot burger grill, holding him there as he screamed while pushing two back with the Force into each other, making them tumble into a crate of live crab which started nipping at them. Moving towards them he sliced diagonal, cutting one from the shoulder to the groin, before deflecting a bolt into the ceiling as he caught one in the arm, grimacing he removed the right arm of the remaining trooper. and in his anger applying Telekinesis he mangled him, attempting to stuff him into one of the large ovens in a visceral and violent display of power and strength both of the Dark Side.

He continued on towards the dining car beyond. Any left behind he decided would be for Kyssiria is to contend with, from what he had seen so far he knew she was up to the challenge.

@René

 

[Kyssiara Serket]

Kyssiara almost laughed out loud as Trodai tossed a pan full of scalding hot oil onto a particularly foolish cook and left him behind for her. It was as if her master had just gifted her free kindling. The Pureblood moved her hands in a circular motion before thrusting them in the cook's direction, the fire from the last group she'd set ablaze following her motions and leaping forth from one crispy corpse to set another body alight. The cooking oil on the chef's front only served as fuel for the flames, and Kyssiara called upon the Force once again to throw the flaming body up and into the bubbling vat of frying oil.

The side of the kitchen her master had left her with erupted into an even greater fiery mess as soon as the cook's flaming body hit the oil. It provided the acolyte with another massive plume of flame to control, and a massive blast enveloped the remaining cooks and guards who attempted to flee with no success. Kyssiara let her arms rest, visibly tired but refusing to acknowledge it as she continued on behind Trodai. Their ultimate prize, the bankers themselves, sat cowering in the dining car up ahead in the middle of an interrupted dinner. The younger Pureblood could feel their fear rolling through the Force like waves, drinking it in as she allowed it to fuel her and subdue any feelings of exhaustion that were beginning to set in.

@Akheron

 

[Trodai Narat-iv-Adas]

Leaving the kitchen to Kyssiria, Trodai continued moving up. Along the way any guard he came across was brutally taken down and their life expunged from the galaxy. The bodies lifted into more grotesque displays that looked like macabre marionette strung up and arms and legs positioned unnaturally.

Trodai enjoyed creating his unique works of art.

Ahead he saw the door to the dining carriage, locked and with a fairly thick metal shutter down up in it. Behind he could feel.the board members whispering along themselves with some asking if they should make some kind of deal. A fact Trodai laughed at, he wasn't there to make any kind of deal. He was there for them. For their destruction, mercy was not coming for them, only death.

He allowed his apprentice to do the honours and open the door, he figured she had earnt that much.

To cut the door open and be the first to see their true targets. To enter and see the fear and terror upon the faces of the Bankers of Aargu, as the two would tear them apart and make them regret ever defying the Sith. In the meantime he defended, taking out any who remained behind to try and hinder them. As his apprentice cut in and they were inside among the ten board members.

Trodai couldn't help but offer a last ominous message to them before delivering their fates "Greetings ladies and gentlemen. Sorry for the intrusion this evening. I am Champion Trodai and this here is my apprentice Kyssiria. Allow me to inform you what is about to happen and why. You thought in your hubris your defiance would have no price, but you forgot something. The Sith never forgive or forget. Enjoy these last moments...for they will forever be etched on your faces."

With that he gave Kyssiria the signal to begin the macabre display.

"You may begin apprentice. Feed upon their emotions and use this power to dominate them. Show them what it is to be the weak among the strong."

Choosing any victim at leisure and doing as she wanted. No matter how depraved or twisted, this was her reward. Her chance to show how much she hated them.

Meanwhile he conducted his own violent symphony. Chopping limbs off, decapitation of another and even sticking a pool cue and through someone's mouth so they looked part of it. All served the purpose of death and a message. All were free reign to kill.

@René

 

[Kyssiara Serket]

Seeing her master step aside to offer the door to her, Kyssiara wasn't sure whether to consider it a prize or another menial task. To be the first inside and the first to have a crack at the Aargu bankers themselves would certainly be invigorating, but cutting through the thick metal door? Significantly less so. Regardless, the acolyte activated her lightsaber once again and thrust it handle-deep into the door as she began carving through the bolts locking it in place.

An agonizingly long two minutes later, the locking mechanism had been thoroughly melted through and Kyssiara used the Force to fling the door open with a dramatic shoving motion. Smoke and steam from the still-burning kitchen car seeped into the dining room, reflecting the crimson of the younger Pureblood's ignited blade. Its thrumming filled the silence as Kyssiara and her master stepped through the door, the bankers cowering in fear like commoners despite their apparent status. While Trodai began his speech, his apprentice would simply drink in the banker's terror as her eyes glowed a brighter gold.

These people thought they were better than everyone else, immune to consequences just because they were rich. It reminded the girl of her distaste for the structure of Pureblood nobility; and while she couldn't do anything about that in the near future, it was open season on the bankers of Aargu.

Kyssiara raised her arms, channeling the Dark Side as she levitated one man in front of the others, taking the time to break both of his knees and his elbow joins to the point where they faced the wrong direction, finishing by ripping off a metal table leg and guiding it towards the broken man with enough force to impale him through the chest and into the wall. From there she summoned some more fire from the previous car to her aid, the two Pureblood Sith weaving a tapestry of gruesome death with the accompanying chorus of screams, wails of pain, and desperate pleas for mercy. All would go unanswered.

Soon enough the violent task was complete, the thematic message of this particular contemporary art piece clear: the Sith would have what they wanted, when they wanted it, and from whomever they wanted it from. No quarter given and no life spared. Kyssiara looked around at the carnage, satisfied but exhausted from her extensive Force use. Between deep breaths, she said "I dare say this should win an award at the next Galactic exhibition, master."

@Akheron

 

[Trodai Narat-iv-Adas]

Trodai added his own finishing strokes to the canvas of flesh and screaming bankers before the two. While Kyssiria impaled a banker, he pinned one to the wall and set him alight like some kind of burning effigy. When he looked over he saw how she had twisted her latest victim seemingly learning from him earlier and adopting a similar tactic.

Trodai drank of their fear, terror and suffering. Using it to fuel his own assault and feed into his fate and wrath as he set about the grisly task. As he became an artist of destruction, painting his masterpiece and his apprentice writing her own art piece. This was the art of the Sith. This was a message to all who would defy them. Some tried to offer money but Trodai simply ignored their pathetic pleas, he and no use for money he had enough of his own as it was.

Besides he would never accept it from the likes of them.

One tried to run to the front of the train and the engine itself where the driver was But found themselves dragged back in. Trodai proceeded to cut the achilles of each heel, giving them the illusion of allowing them to escape only to find they couldn't as they fell on legs that could not run. As he picked them with the Force and allowed the Dark Side to flow through him, to direct it and separate the right and left arms, and impaling them to the table in front of them. The arms were placed to look like some bizarre puppet. Soon enough and the carriage was a bloodbath filled with dead, misshapen bodies. Mutilated and macabre, made a message for the galaxy and any others on Aargu.

That none were untouchable.

As they were finished, Trodai surveyed the scene with a smile.

"Excellent work my apprentice." he said "I dare say your right. Perhaps we should enter it, I expect first prize." he chuckled before speaking onnce more as they made their way up to the ship outside "Come we are done here. This should send the correct message to Aargu and any others. In the end the Sith will always win."

With that he headed to the roof before jumping to the ship, using the grapple and the Force.

@René

/EndThread.