Day of Reckoning

[Leviticus]

The seemingly trivial planet that was Prakith grew in size as Leviticus approached. Engines hummed and metal ached as his ship pierced into the dry atmosphere, sailing above the endless peaks and through the twisting ravines. High enough to be nothing but a speck in the horizon, but low enough to see even the smallest cracks in the mountaintops, Leviticus maintained his velocity, shooting past the barren landscape of the planet surface. On the outside, there was nothing significant of the world. To most everyone, Prakith was but a dusty rock. Worthless, desolate, and bare of resources— but they couldn’t be anymore wrong. For deep beneath its jagged surface, caverns filled to the brim with kyber crystals sat in wait. And if Leviticus ever wanted to raze the Order into the ground, he would need every fragment he could get his hands on.

Rumors had reached him of a derelict village that so happened to have stumble on such a resource. While only rumors, and potentially false, it was still enough to garner his interest. Even if only a speck of kyberite had been discovered, it would be more than enough to confirm the hidden wealth of Prakith. Of course, he would have to first interrogate those in the village. Should they reveal the location of such kyberite, or indicate its discovery, then Leviticus wouldn’t hesitate to cut them all down and take the venue for his own. And if they were wrong, or refused to give up the kyberite? Then, it was all the same to him— nobody would make it out alive. If anyone were to reveal that Exiles were snooping around Prakith, then the whole Order might come bearing down upon them. It was why he had to be tactful, and discreet. It was also why he wasn’t alone.

Leviticus had come into contact with another wayward Exile: Sirus. While he had hidden away his emotions, and gave no instance of a care for the Exiles, Leviticus knew he could trust the other man. They hated the Jedi as much as he did, and that was more than enough to garner his credence. Of course, he’d be sure to keep a close eye on Sirus, only for fear of deception. It was rare, but nevertheless possible. Exiles had killed one another before— and even in times like these, they still do —so Leviticus had to be wary of his new ally. Still, the man was certainly capable. He had seen him fight a number of times before, so he was no newbie. And neither was hesitant to kill, as were most Exiles.

As the ship neared the castoff village, Leviticus steered the vessel toward an open clearing close by. His fingers danced around the dashboard, and with a click, he opened the exit ramp in the hull of the transport. He rose out of his seat, gathering his individual lightsabers and equipment. Then, he glanced toward Sirus. “Are you ready to do what needs to be done?”

@LeavingOrbit

 

[Siris Drast]

Siris glanced towards Leviticus through his metallic helmet before stepping out from the shadows and giving a brief nod. Siris wasn't one to usually bring up the suggestion to pair but he needed allies and Leviticus was a good place to start. Siris hoped that this could turn into a mutual relationship of helping each other out when those times came. He could also sense the hate and vengeance flowing through him and how it connected Leviticus to the dark-side of the force. While Siris was the opposite of it, his presence being somewhat muted, he knew that Leviticus is powerful because of it. Plus the given fact that Siris has seen him in combat as well, easily proving to him that he could handle himself in those types of situation.

While Leviticus steered the ship, Siris stood in the corner of the cockpit, being blended in with the shadows. Siris took his time to study the landscape of Prakith. The usual reputation that followed Prakith was that it was just another worthless planet but Leviticus spoke otherwise. When Siris first heard his proposition, he almost laughed him back to where he came from but Siris's curiosity got the better of him. He couldn't believe that kyber crystals found a home there, but if it's true, it would be a great resource to control. Even though he agreed, he doesn't trust Leviticus for now. Siris knew of cases where exiles would betray each other for power, wealth, etc. The entire flight, Siris had his hand rested on his saber.

When Leviticus landed, Siris stepped from out of the shadows and let his fingers glide off of the hilt of his saber. No words accompanied his nod before he turned towards the open hanger door and exited the ship. Siris stepped onto the hot sand and off the ship. Siris raised his hand for a moment to block the bright sun before his helmet auto-adjusted his vision. Siris just stood there, his cloak billowed around him from the strong gusts of wind before they calmed down and let the cloak surround his figure again. Siris turned his cranium towards Leviticus, waiting for him to lead the way.

@Deviant

 

[Leviticus]

“Not much of a talker, huh?” Leviticus murmured to himself, before stopping to smile. “I like that.” After double-checking that his equipment was in order, he followed the younger man out of the confines of the ship. Outside, the wind likewise whipped at his armored cloak, and tendrils of his robes fluttered through the dust. As expected, Prakith was a hellish wasteland. With the malevolent eye of the sun beating down against the pair, and the empty dunes laid out before them, the world seemed like nothing more than barren. Except, as he knew, it wasn’t. And by investigating the village settled in the small valley before them, perhaps he might find a way to uncovering this vital reserve of kyber crystals. Because, with it, Prakith would mean not only the dawn of a new order of Exiles, but the eve of the Jedi Order.

One hand gripping his saber pike, which had grown worn and faded after weeks of using it as a staff, Levi marched past Sirus and into the rocky desert. “Let’s find us some kyberite, then. If they refuse to answer, kill them. If they do answer, we verify, then kill them. Okay? Okay.” He didn’t bother waiting for a full-fledged answer from the other Exile. He wasn’t much of a talker, anyway, which he found perfectly reasonable. Leviticus himself was not much of the sociable type, and there was nothing more satisfying than the sweet sound of silence. Even still, he felt rather unsettled by the sullen speechlessness of his ally. Was he mute? Had he sworn some kind of vow never to speak until the Jedi were wiped clean from the galaxy? As bizarre as it sounded, though, Leviticus admired it. In fact, he respected it.

It didn’t take long for the pair to reach the village, which sat empty and motionless as they arrived. The civilians must have seen them coming miles off, and hidden away into the depths of their homes. Not like that would protect them, in the end. Lightsabers pierced metal and stone alike, after all. They were only prolonging the inevitable. Still, Leviticus was an impatient man, and he hated waiting, so if they wouldn’t come out of their homes— he would make them. So, he planted his saber staff into the ground, raised both arms, and focused his attention on the largest, centermost home— no doubt the village hall. Then, outstretching with the force, he ripped open the front of the building to expose whatever halfwits laid inside. Three, in fact. Two men and a young woman.

Before they could scurry away in fear, Leviticus seized all three through the force, and tossed them into the village circle. Holding them into place, he smirked before turning toward Sirus. “Work your magic, then. Force them to tell us where the kyber crystals are— one way or another.” Whether or not the Exile chose outright torture, invasive mental attacks, or threats of death, was completely up to him. So long as Levi got the location of the crystals, he didn’t care how or what Sirus did.

@LeavingOrbit

 

[Siris Drast]

Siris followed behind, letting Leviticus lead them to the tiny village constructed in the valley. Through the small hike, Siris kept his gaze forward towards the village, his goal. Nothing could distract him in times like these, his mind completely focused on the task. He only seemed to register information that is relevant to the current mission/goal. Anything else is completely ignored. But the presence Siris felt from you was pure anger, hatred. It shockingly achieved in pulling his focus away from the task. He wondered what caused Leviticus to have this pure rage flow through them. Jedi Order killed his family? Felt betrayed by the code? It could be any number of things but it made Siris more interested in finding out. But it also kept him wary, knowing men driven by that much hatred aren't the most rational.

when they reached the village, Siris flicked his eyes among-st the scene, studying everything. It was bleak at best, shabby houses poorly built, ragged shops on the sidewalks, and multiple dropped items on the street. The only thing was it was completely quiet and abandoned. The inhabitants obviously hid from the intimidating exile pair. But, Siris didn't know if this was going to be as easy as they thought. Siris noted the multiple buildings and cliff-faces that surrounded them, they were in a perfect spot for an ambush if the villagers resisted.

Siris's eyes flicked over to Leviticus, spotting as he started to become impatient from the villagers not immediately surrendering to them. The exile will keep that in mind from now about Leviticus. Siris then watched as Leviticus tapped into the force and teared open the front of the edifice. The three villagers flew towards dark pair before crashing and rolling into the dirt before them. Having heard Leviticus, Siris took a step forward and inspected all three of them before he reached out his hand and forcing what looked like a village elder onto his knees. Clenching his fingers slightly, the elder starts sliding towards him on his knees before abruptly stopping in front of Siris

Being under the exiles tall stature, the village elder put his hands up and started to whimper before barely being able to spit out, "P-p-please, we don't know anything about the kyber crystals." Siris slowly crouched down in front of the terrified man, resting on his left knee so it leveled his face with his. He just stared at him through the mask, letting the elder's own fears be built up inside him as he started to think about what Siris could do. But Siris slowly raised his gloved hand and placed it softly against the side of his head. The dark force flowed through the exile before it made it slithered it's way toward the elder and start to pry his mind open to reveal his secrets.

This ability makes Siris use all the concentration that can be mustered. It causing a great amount of strain for him as he hasn't become familiar with the ability and it's ability to drain him of his own force. The elder began to shake violently as he tried to resist his influence. While the village elder continued to resist, Siris spoke for the first time. "You cannot resist." His words were heavily modified because of the voice modulator in his helmet, it resonating incredibly deep and somewhat robotic. The elder commenced to scream, the feeling of his mind being invaded and ripped open. The elder's eyes slid to the back of his skull as well while Siris raided and searched his mind. The elder is suddenly silenced as the invasion was to much for him. He plummets onto the sand, dead.

Siris stood up and looked down at the lifeless body before he shifted to face Leviticus. "There is a secret mine about five miles west of the village. They begun an operation to remove the kyber crystals weeks ago." He informed Leviticus before he glanced back toward what remained of the elder.

@Deviant

 

[Leviticus]

The elder writhed and screamed as Siris dug into his mind. Every thought, every memory, and every action was now being sifted through like shelves of paper, and it was tearing the old man apart. Leviticus could hear him howling in torment, and feel the life within him bleed out through the hole that the other Exile had left as he delved into his head. Around them, other villagers observed from rusted windows and small cracks in their doors, watching as their overseer was shattered by the force. The weight of strength and power set against the old man, however, surprised Leviticus. He knew Siris was a competent force user, if not more powerful as he, but to see him so effortlessly drill into the man’s mind almost unnerved him.

Then, the elder stopped screaming and squirming against his force grip, and like a rag doll, he fell face-first into the sand. The exerted force had been far too much for him, and it broke him completely. In seconds, he was dead. However, his death hadn't been for nothing. Siris had successfully filtered through his secrets and uncovered the location of the kyber crystals— on his first and only try, too. To say Leviticus was surprised or dazzled would be an understatement. He had seen Exiles carve through dozens of soldiers with just a single blade, or throw a thousand pounds worth of rock and stone into the air like nothing, but it had been a long time since he saw an Exile so thoroughly penetrate the mind of another.

“Impressive,” Leviticus answered, arms crossed as he nodded respectfully to the other man. “And here I thought we would have to filter through every damned villager in search for the location. A very fine job, Siris.” He glanced toward the two other villagers still held in his iron force grip. “I guess we won’t be needing you two anymore, then.” With a single flick of his finger, the pair’s neck snapped to the side, and they collapsed into the ground. Scoffing, Levi twisted away from the trio of lifeless bodies and gazed out to the village, and the civilians who watched in horror. However, instead of being met with the faces of easy prey, he found the two Exiles surrounded by a dozen different men, each positioned carefully and at a fair distance from the pair.

Armored and packed with munitions, they aimed their blasters into his general direction. A single one emerged out of the dozen, and with a rifle dangling from their shoulder and fingers wrapped around the handle of a phrik vibroblade, they glared toward the duo of Exiles. The blade danced beneath their hand, swirling menacingly through the air, before they threatened, “Your reign of terror on Prakith ends here, Exile scum.”

Leviticus ignited his blade, letting crimson light hiss into the air. He glanced back to Siris. “Looks like this won’t be so easy after all.” A sinister smile tugged at his lips. “Good.” Then, in the following moment, the blasters thundered to life, and Levi launched into action.

 

[Siris Drast]

While it appeared as Siris easily did it, he was almost completely drained of his force. It was a skill Siris has hardly mastered but was still able to do. When Leviticus commented that he was impressed by it, Siris said nothing, thinking it better that Leviticus believed he could do those type of abilities with ease. Siris still tried to tune with the darkness of the force everyday and he felt like he was making progress, enough where he could least muster enough energy to do what he just did.

Not surprisingly, the warriors of the village surrounded the two pair with their armaments ready and trained on them. Anger was the only thing that was etched on their faces, letting the exiles know that reasoning was out of the window. Before this fight could begin, Siris let his cloak drop and glide onto the scalding sand before retrieving his double bladed lightsaber. Siris only ignited one end of it though as he spun around twice before letting it rest by his side. The exile glanced over to Leviticus before saying to him, "Leave some alive." That's when the laser bolts flew towards them.

Siris's just went off reaction, deflecting back the bolts with his crimson blade and forcing some of the warriors to take cover. Siris felt the force gather under his feet before he launched himself into the air and gracefully landed between multiple attackers. Siris silenced them with ease, their figures cut in half or pieces of them sliced off. As the blue bolts continued to fly towards Siris, he turns on the other blade of his weapon. With both on he could easily cover his flanks and deflect bolts back before pressing his attack. As he dashed between assailants and cut them down, He turned his gaze over to Leviticus.

Leviticus was obviously able to handle himself, taking down multiples of them. But Siris spotted one warrior charging towards the back of Leviticus, a crude vibrosword in hand and aimed for the middle of Leviticus's spine. Siris shot his arm out, feeling more of his force reserves erupt out of his palm and fling the man into one of the trashy homes. The home creaked from the unexpected force before completely toppling over and crashing down onto the poor warrior.

With the battle dragging on, Siris wanted to end this. He kicked one of the warriors in the gut and out of the way before heading towards the center of the fighting. He deflected bolts on his way there before reaching out his hand and opening his palm. Siris tapped into the remaining of his force reserves, feeling the power flow through his body and into his palm. "ENOUGH!" Siris shouted, his helmet also increasing the sound and letting his deep robotic voice echo around the village as he slammed his hand down.

It wasn't the most powerful force wave but it worked. It knocked every single warrior off their feet and blew away the kicked up dust from the battle. To Leviticus, a powerful exile, felt probably more like a solid shove.

Siris remained crouched on the ground as the men fell, regaining his breath for a few moments before standing to his full height. Studying the warriors in front of him, Siris found one that looked to be the oldest and in charge of this little squad. He started to walk towards the leader, his crimson saber being dragged in the sand and filling the air with crackling sounds as it left a black trail of where it burned. Upon reaching the leader, Siris flicked his blade up and leveled it in front of the leaders cranium. The leader just stared into the blade, the crimson light reflecting his off dark pupils.

 

[Leviticus]

The fight was bloody, but not for Leviticus. As the pair jumped into battle between the other wayward mercenaries, and blaster bolts flashed across the village square, he himself had chosen to dodge to the side. Rather than waste his time smacking plasma bolts back and forth with his crossguard lightsaber, he wanted to take a different approach. Since he was a Jedi Knight, he had always used his elongated, phrik-encased saber pike, a testament to his dedication of defense. But the longer he remained an Exile, and the more he consumed the dark side, he slowly turned away from such tradition. Instead, he sought to cut his enemies down through the crimson blaze of his primary lightsaber. For example: that very moment.

Shedding his elaborate robes and leaving it wallow in the dust, Leviticus lofted to his right. Head low, he evaded any oncoming advances from aimless blasters as he moved ever closer to the strange men. Before one of them realized it, taken aback by his speed, he was already right on top of them. Lightsaber low and pointed into the ground, Leviticus simply thrashed upwards. Red light flickered into the man’s body, and he collapsed into the sand— dead. The Exile continued to follow this meticulous but gratifying plan of attack, slashing apart enemies as he jumped from home to home. He kept a particular eye on the other Exile, however, to ensure he hadn’t succumbed to the attack— and boy, what he saw didn’t disappoint.

Siris had cut through most of the assailants like it was nothing. Both ends of his own lightsaber activated, he annihilated much of the strike team, leaving a bloody bless in his wake. And like Leviticus, the man was fast. His motions were nonstop, precise. His attacks both clean and messy. It seemed that the more he observed the other Exile, the more he was impressed. And here, Levi had thought to bring Siris simply as backup; nothing more than an extra pair of hands. Instead, the tables had turned, and now he was slowly being consumed in the shadow of Siris’ skill. Still, he didn’t mind. Better to have a partner who actually knew how to manage the dark side, rather than nothing and nobody at all.

Once he returned his attention to dispatching the other attackers, though, he was caught off guard. Too focused on the fight and blinded by his bloodlust, a mercenary had slipped behind him. And as they were inches from sliding their blade in between his armor, an unknown force had tossed them into another hut. Leviticus twirled around, before locking eyes with the masked Exile. He nodded his head, thankful. Then, he plunged back into the fray. The fight was nearing its end, but the mercenaries had grown in speed, especially after observing the two’s individual strategy. Now, some had retreated into cover or began to use vibroblades to counter their lightsabers. Fortunately, Leviticus didn’t have to worry about another drawn-out brawl.

The dark side roared, throwing back everything in its path— with Siris at the center. Even Levi felt himself teeter off balance, despite readying for the blow. Such raw strength, such power. At first, Leviticus was already impressed by the potential that Siris wielded, but now? He was unsettled. Although the other Exile had grown weary from his extended use of the dark side, that didn’t detract from his unconventional strength. However, Levi would question the other man later. As curious as he was, there were raiders to handle— and fools to kill. With most of the strangers dead and the rest incapacitated, he knew that wouldn’t be too hard.

But even to the end, they were defiant. As Siris’ blade hovered above the leader’s head, they only raised their head proudly. Squinting past the light and toward each Exile, he spat into the ground. “We will not be intimidated by your kind.” Anger filled their voice, and behind their back, he could see them reaching for a blade. “The Jedi will rise again. You and whatever remains of your ilk will be slaughtered, and chased out from the galaxy. Your homes will burn, your very memory destroyed. Nothing will be left of—“ Leviticus jerked his hand to the side, and the man’s neck snapped before he could finish. He didn’t want to hear any more of the garbage gushing out of his mouth. He just wanted to handle the villagers, get the kyber, and go.

“I’m not listening to this,” he hissed and turned away from Siris. “If you want a prisoner, take one that doesn’t reek of shit.” Unfurling his fingers, a flicker of fire danced over the palm of his hand and across his fingertips. His eyes moved over to the villager homes, ready to take things up a notch. “Now, can we finish this?”

 

[Siris Drast]

Siris spun his lightsaber away from the dead leader before resting it vertically by his his side. His head turned toward Leviticus's direction before taking eye to the fact that flames danced along the fingertips of Leviticus. Siris called out to his ally, "Hold your flames, Leviticus." Siris motioned toward him, twirling his lightsaber around a couple of times to warn the villagers and warriors that they still paid attention to them and shouldn't try anything. "Think your actions through. We are not miners. We leave some alive, they are able to supply us a constant stream of kyber instead of us taking one haul." Siris told Leviticus before adding coldly, "Stow your flame."

Siris turned back around before walking back towards the remaining defenders that stayed on the ground and observed. Siris approached the next oldest warrior, grabbing a clump of his disheveled brown hair on the top of his head and beginning to drag him to his leader's body. The man grunted in pain but remained silent as Siris brought him over. Siris released his grip on his hair before he caught the man's head by his throat and forcing to turn his head towards the direction of the women and children hiding.

Siris turned his gaze back onto the warrior before speaking, "You achieve nothing by defying us. we will slaughter every women and child in this decrepit village and you will watch helplessly until I come back to you." Siris raised his saber to the warriors head, it laying an inch away from his cheek. "I will see that you experience every single cut made by my blade." Siris adds before slashing his saber in the sand again for effect.

"That is why I offer you a choice. Live and mine the kyber crystals. You will be left in peace and be under my protection. Every single haul, you will deliver my portion of the crystals and you can keep the remaining for yourselves." Siris offered the deal and stood up, his crimson blade still waiting by the warrior's face. Siris doesn't mind slaying and razing the village to the ground but why waste a opportunity to make this beneficial in the short term and long term.

While this may upset Leviticus, Siris wanted that. While the intent was to have the new warrior convinced to join the exiles, the bonus of upsetting Leviticus would help them in further combat. With him powered up, he could make up for the fact that was Siris was nearly depleted of the force. He just hoped Leviticus could see reason before doing anything rash.

 

[Leviticus]

Leviticus glared toward Siris, and a trace of frustration simmered past his cold gaze. The flames dancing around his fingers flickered brighter and hotter. The other Exile had no place to tell him what he should or should not do. This was his mission to the village, this was his operation on Prakith. Siris was only a newcomer to the derelict world, and regardless of his skill or raw strength, who was he to order him around, or coldly warn him to ‘stow his flames’? He had fought in wars and battles unnumbered, dealt with Jedi and Exile of unfathomable power, trained under the shadow of the dark side for years… he—

—No. The other man was right. Leviticus was too hungry for death, too thirsty for revenge. The dark side built up inside him lusted for the death of the villagers and their wayward protectors, but that was neither the right nor the smart thing to do here. Siris was right: who would mine for the Exiles after they just about purged every working pair of hands on the planet? Leviticus was too busy to soil his hands by digging in some dull, dismal cavern. If they instead instilled a fear in the villagers, and forced them to do their dirty work, then the kyber crystals of Prakith would be mined far more efficiently, and far more quickly. His road to revenge against the Order might then come faster, and that was all he ever wanted.

Leviticus nodded, conceding to the other Exile’s request, and the flames soon dissipated. Then, he trailed behind Siris, lightsaber also in hand. At first, he felt unnerved by the strength of the other man. He felt like he wallowed in his shadow, or was outshined at every opportunity. But now, he presented an intellect and control that Leviticus had not expected. His subtle request to avoid burning down the village, not out of compassion, but for the benefit of all Exiles. His clear-cut demand to the remaining mercenaries and the surveying villagers. Siris had evolved beyond the typical image of a bloodthirsty Exile, and thus garnered Levi’s personal respect.

The warrior, however, seemed just as defiant as the last one. A scowl sat on his lips, but as he opened his lips to refuse and spit upon the Exile name, a woman rushed out from her home. Behind her, through the crack of her door, a small child gazed toward the two. “Please! No!” She cried out, before stopping to crouch at the warrior’s side. “We’ll do it. We’ll mine the crystals, just— please, don’t kill him.” The man stared out at his apparent wife, murmuring, “Elaina, you can’t…” She shushed him, encouraging him instead, “Think about our son, Ryder. Think about the village.” The man drooped his head. Like Siris, the woman was right.

Elaina, the young woman, rose up. “We accept your demands, just… please, leave us in peace.” All the while, Leviticus smirked. It seemed that today, stubborn heads were made to be convinced. Because as he looked to the older man, he saw only submission.

 

[Siris Drast]

Siris trained his attention on the warrior's face, the crimson light being bathed on his obsidian color mask and creating a terrifying image. But his attention snapped instantly when the woman screamed out that they mine the crystals for him. He flicked his blade up, aimed level at the women. But Siris let her speak, waiting for her to have her husband convinced and, for what Siris wanted to hear, accept the demands he had set. Siris felt victory, his plan had worked.

He let go of the man's throat and let him crawl back to his wife while she crawled to him. Siris reached out his hand and spent what little remained of his force to retrieve his cloak. It flew through the air towards Siris before wrapping around Siris's shoulders. It enveloped his tall stature and it gave him the appearance of a wraith. He deactivated his weapon as he withdrew it into his cloak before gazing at the couple in the sand.

With everything spent in Siris, he breathed hard under his helmet and continued to sweat from the amount of strain it caused him. It tired him greatly to do that powerful abilities like that in such quick succession. Siris was able to stand in walk, but he knew it would be a vast amount of time before his force could be brought to use again, without any rest at least. Thankfully through, with the helmet, hood, and cloak he wore, it gave the appearance that he was completely fine. Siris harnessed on his feelings, pushing below the surface again and beginning to nurture them. As a side effect of this, it made his presence just there, no light or darkness in it.
He needed to rebuild his force supply now in case of future conflicts.

Siris was glad Leviticus saw reason to what he wanted. Siris's plans begin to fall in place, he would need a powerful ally in his corner. And with the showing of being able to listen, Siris understood now on what he could do with him. Siris saw the destructiveness he could bring but Siris wanted to hone it. Make it more lethal then ever before. He knew what he had to do and thought, Leviticus would become one of the most powerful exiles if he stayed with him.

Siris turned towards the couple in the sand, clutching to each other. Siris walked over to them before halting once he was close enough and brought his gaze down upon them. His head tilted more to the man then the women as he spoke, "You will show us the mine. If we oppose any resistance on the way, the village burns." Siris waited for the man to finish his goodbyes to his wife before he stood up and begun to lead them to their goal. He nodded toward Leviticus, silently telling him to follow behind the warrior. Siris wished to stay in the back, away from the attention and be swallowed by shadow.

 

[Leviticus]

Leviticus watched Siris with hidden intent. While the man had gathered his respect and admiration for his clearly impressive skill, he was surprised to see the Exile not already on the ground, too drained after all those maneuvers. Was he hiding his exhaustion, as Levi liked to do when he exerted himself, or was he truly as powerful as he seemed? Curiosity danced through his mind, but Leviticus didn’t press further. Even if Siris was on the verge of collapse from his constant use of the force, that didn’t stymie the raw power he carried. Enough of such strain in the force, and it would kill a man. But Siris was no ordinary man. He was still standing. He was still whole. He was still an Exile to be reckoned with.

For a moment, he wondered again— could this be the man he had been looking for, after all these years? Someone to help lead the Exiles to glory once more, someone to show him the ways of the force. Someone to aid him in his journey to revenge. The more he thought about it, the more he truly considered the idea. Now more than ever, the Exiles needed a leader, or at least a symbol to inspire. For too long, they had remained sprawled across the galaxy, slowly getting eaten away by hunting Jedi. Perhaps now, at his discovery of Siris, that could come to a necessary end. But first and foremost— the kyber crystals.

It took time for the other warrior to guide them out from the village. But with Siris’ last threat, Leviticus knew he would get him to where he wanted. The Exile could smell the fear emanating out from him, not just for himself, but for his wife, for his child. Family made great leverage, it seemed. Perhaps it was why Levi himself had never chosen to pursue such a lifestyle. Finding a lover or fostering a child was beyond ridiculous to him, at least in these times. With the Jedi always on the hunt and bounty hunters constantly looking for the prized head of an Exile, Levi could never risk getting too attached to somebody, only to lose them. He had learned that long ago when he was a Jedi Knight.

In the war, when the Order had thrust him into battle when he was just a young boy, he had lost everything. In his first battle, based on some nameless, derelict world, he was fighting beside his closest friend one moment, and in the next, she was dead. Hair draped across the mud, blood trickling out from her mouth, and a deep mark across her chest. But it didn’t end there. The more battles he fought, the more friends he lost. And after the catastrophe on Ilum, where he truly lost everything, Leviticus finally abandoned the Order. Vowing revenge, he joined alongside the Exiles, seeking not redemption, but revenge. It was why he was here now, beside Siris, gazing toward the kyberite mine with anticipation.

“This is it,” he whispered, approaching the quarry. Aimless pickaxes, intricate machines, and empty metal carts sat outside the mine. Weaving past them slowly, the Exile stopped before the opening engorged in the side of the mountain. At the edge of the cavern, a mound of crystals sat quietly, just waiting for use. Leviticus had expected that the man would take them to the mine, but he hadn’t expected the village to have this much kyber. And they were only just getting started. In time, who knew what more they could achieve? Levi smiled. “This is going to be good.”

@LeavingOrbit

 

[Siris Drast]

Siris walked behind the two, remaining silent as he collected his strength and his force. When they approached the cave, Siris spotted the empty mining equipment, carts, and anything else that helped in the activity. He was quite surprised how rich the cave was. They villagers struck gold. They had more then enough to transfer kyber to the exiles and spare some for themselves. As they continued to extract the kyber, they would be able to make enough profit to expand their village and mining operations, in turn be able to supply the exiles even more.

The possibilities were endless to Siris, immediately plans were being formed inside his skull. Siris traveled deeper into the cave, studying all the kyber crystal formations that jutted out from the ceilings and walls. He ran his hand along one of them, admiring the kyber for a second before returning it back inside his cloak. After finishing his inspection, Siris heard Leviticus's statement and he replied, "Yes, it will be."

Siris made his way back to the new village elder before saying, "Begin mining operations immediately. Extract the kyber as quickly as you can." Siris then glanced toward the mine before looking back to the elder and adding, "Take us back to the village and inform your workers. Then report back to me." When the elder started to lead them back to the village, Siris slowed his steps so he could be side by side with Leviticus.

Siris glanced down towards Leviticus before staring straight and told him, "Watch the elder as he informs his men. Make sure he doesn't make an ill advised order. I will make my way to the village hall, I wish to study the maps of the surrounding area." Siris then informed him what went through his head, "I'm surprised with the amount of kyber that lay in their mine. With them holding some of the profits, they will be able to expand their operation more. That benefits us more then a single haul we would've taken. Things are falling in place."

Siris slowed his steps after speaking to Leviticus, returning to the back of the formation and welcoming the silence. He needed to concentrate on his force, wanting it to return back to having full reserves.

 

[Leviticus]

Leviticus placed his hands on his hips, then crossed his arms together. Already, Siris was settling himself into a position of power. Handing out exacting orders to the new village elder, throwing out demands to Levi, and laying out plans for a new mining operation. Although he didn’t take kindly to being ordered around, especially given that he himself had originally spearheaded this mission, Levi didn’t mind. If the other Exile wanted to play boss, he was more than welcome to. He wouldn’t intrude upon his newfound power. In point of fact, he did not covet or desire power himself, just retribution. And if Siris was going to take up the reins and lead the Exiles to their inevitable triumph, then Leviticus welcomed it with open arms.

“Very good, Siris,” he answered, nodding to his request. “We don’t work them to death, but instead allow them to grow, and grow into a planet-wide operation. Prakith will be stripped of its kyber within months at this rate, my friend. Excellent thinking.” He placed his hands behind his back, and trailed behind the elder as he sauntered back to the village. Although he appeared weary and defiled by their schemes, Leviticus knew that servitude to the Exiles was a far better fate than death. Had it not been for Siris and his quick thinking, the man, along with the rest of the villagers, would be nothing more than a heap of ash by now. And Prakith would become the empty wasteland it had always been.

Choosing to likewise slip back into the depths of his mind, Leviticus relished in the silence as they walked back to the village. This operation may have been over, but there were many more missions to go. Prakith was a vast world, both under and aboveground, and if he wanted to secure it for the Exiles, he would have to go further than subjugating just any ordinary village. Of course, every journey of a thousand miles begins with just one step, and Levi was certainly one step closer to completing his own quest. In time, Prakith would be draped under the banner of a unified clan of Exiles, one that could rival the Jedi. As for the kyber crystals? They would be collected for study, and seized for a new weapon. A weapon of true authority.

He would ensure the villagers are properly put to work, and that the necessary amount of kyber is gathered. Should they fail in that, then it would be the end of their tiny, insignificant community, and Leviticus would only move on to the next one. And the next. Until he finally got he wanted.

 

[Siris Drast]

Upon entering the village, Siris immediately headed toward the village hall. He knew that Leviticus could handle the task set for him, it was easy work. Siris just wanted to be alone to formulate his operations. He walked through the village haul and passed the ripped off doors. Courtesy of Leviticus. Siris ignored the many of the office like rooms and others, only heading towards the elder's quarters.

The massive room was pretty barren except for the bare necessities a man would need. Siris spotted the massive oak table in the center of the room before making his way to it. He spaced out the parchments and technology that lied on it. He organized them before studying over them all. It was plans for mines, wells, and village construction. With the new mine they discovered, they already planned to turn their little village into a paradise.

Siris glanced to the hologram projector that was built in the center of the table. He activated it before pressing a full buttons until a 3-D holographic map of the village and land surrounding projected in front of him. Siris spun the map around, studying the various landmarks and villages that lay nearby. With this information, Siris activated his com-like and connected it to Leviticus's, "Come to the village hall and bring the elder."

When Leviticus and the elder arrived, Siris stared at the elder before motioning his head to the map. "Mark any villages that have mining capabilities like yours." He ordered before stepping back and letting the Elder walk over to the map. As the elder went through the map and pinged multiple villages, Siris turned his head towards Leviticus before speaking, "It seems we can expand our operation, Leviticus."

 

[Leviticus]

Once they arrived at the village, Leviticus made sure the elder gathered the village into the square, ready for the news. Although he knew that most, if not all, of the villagers understood what was to come. After all those threats of death and destruction, they knew if they wanted to survive, they would have to acquiesce to the demands of both Exiles. Leviticus didn’t even need to observe the proceedings to know that they would already agree. However, he was there simply to strike fear. He was a symbol of not only everything they hated, but feared. Just by standing in the corner of the square, leaning against the town hall as Siris deliberated inside, the villagers knew there was no going around his demands.

After the new village elder reiterated the orders to each able man, woman, and child, Leviticus smiled. The deed was done, then. By tomorrow morning, after they had buried and mourned their losses, they would venture back out to the mine and continue gathering kyber. Except, instead of hiding it away for themselves, most of the crystals would be transported right back to the Exiles. And with it, Leviticus could formulate the ultimate weapon of his revenge. A power to rival that of the cataclysm on Ilum.

With the proceedings over, Levi drifted back into the tattered village hall. Followed shortly by the elder, he watched as they pinpointed each and every village on the holographic map. Potential workers, potential mines. The opportunities on Prakith were endless now, all thanks to Siris. Who knew what other benefits and fortunes laid on the horizon? Only time would tell. So, Leviticus turned to the other Exile, a grin tugging at his lips, as he looked onto the dotted map. “It seems so, Siris. It seems so.”

//END