Return of the Force (Star Wars Alternate Universe) IC

[Gat]

Yexn we'Be Cbetabin, Library.

Cha'alla sat quietly at one of the work tables of the library, a half dozen data pads and even one of the rare leather bound books Cyphor had in his collection in front of her. For the past few weeks she'd been overseeing the training of the younglings on the station, a task that she and Kalmi regularly rotated through while Cyphor was out of the system with the Pandorum. With the Bothan Jedi's return two days ago however Kalmi had taken over the daily schedule and Cyphor had undertaken several of the lessons personally. In the mean time Cha'alla had the time she needed to undertake her own project. one of the training holocrons in the vault on the Pandorum gave reference to a powerful healing technique but few details on it. Cha'alla had been going over the records of the jedi order for the past few months since she found the reference looking for more. So far information was sparse with a few hinted connections to past sith and old masters of the council, not entirely sure what these connections meant she continued to dig deeper looking for solid information.

Sensing a presence behind her Cha'alla closed the leather book and stacked the datapads.
"You want something Nayanna?" She said as she tidied her reading.
The young Pantoran was smiling as usual when she replied. "The Pandorum is readying for departure, Cyphor wants us on board."
"Then we had better not keep our Master waiting." Cha'alla replied as she stood up and moved for the exit to the library. The two walked in silence for a little while as they headed for the hanger bay and a shuttle that was waiting to take them over to the Pandorum.
"Why do you keep calling Cyphor, Master" Nayanna asked.
"Because young one he is our Master."
"He doesn't like it." Nayanna replied tartly.
"There are many things our Master dislikes..." Cha'alla muttered under her breath. "Master is the traditional way for a padawan to address a jedi, it is a sign of respect and a tradition our Master would be better served in adhering to I believe." She said as if lecturing to the younglings.
"Shouldn't that be his decision?" Nayanna replied.
"Why do you think I'm the only one who calls him Master." Cha'alla said grimacing while Nayanna started laughing softly.

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Pandorum, Bridge

"Hayle!" Cyphor called to his ships captain as he entered the bridge. "Are our preparations complete?" Withough looking away from the console she had configured for her command Hayle replied with a hint of amusement in her voice.
"Your padawans are just landing in the hanger now, Kalmi is staying with the younglings however. Once the hanger is locked down we'll be ready for hyperspace." Turning to face him as he sat in the command chair of the bridge Hayle decided to ask the question that had been bothering her since Cyphor had told her to make ready to get underway. "Your friends in the Network are sure this information is reliable? Besides that do you really want to tweak these gangsters again?"
Cyphor waved away her objection like one would a fly. "The information is reliable, the network verified it independently I'm told. As for tweaking the criminal element, what can I say, we all have our vices."
"This tibanna shipment better be worth it." Hayle said turning back to her console.
"We get it to the right people and you can probably make some of those modifications you've been talking about."
"It better. The hanger is secure and our course is ready, shall we go?"
"Lets." Cyphor said with a smile.
"Navigation, hit it." Hayle called out and moments later the vessel jumped to hyperspace on course for the Kril'dor system.

[Genais]

On board 'Tempest' currently docked at 'Harpys Seat'
Harem.

There was something about being in a room surrounded by exquisite Zeltron women that soothed Jacoiba, Wether it was their undying attention to her, the feel of their touch, or the fact she undoubtedly had control over each and every one of them. The harem was by far her favourite place to spend her free time.
She had a particular fancy among the Zeltron in her harem, her personal aide Deliah, she had a way with her hands that Jacoiba rather liked.
The pure relaxation Jacoiba felt was a rare thing, her attamepts at finding her former master had been... unrewarding to say the least. 10 years on and no trace of the man.
Thinking of Cyphor made her tense up again, the pure hatred radiating through her body, she left herself relax while Deliah worked her magic, sliding back into relaxation was not difficult when Deliah had her hands on you.
The ships intocom sounded up at this point. “Mistress?”
Her lieutenants voice rang throughout the harem. “What is it Rikai? This better be important”
“Uh yes Mistress, we have recived a response from the smugglers you contacted”
Covering herself up and untangling herself from Deliahs arms she rose to her feet. “ill be there right away”
“yes Mistress”
Leaving the harem was always a painful task, she never wanted to go. The peace and relaxation in that room was something she cherished. Making her to the ships bridge she hastely made herself look more presentable, there was no need for her subordinates to see her like that.

Tempest Bridge

“Relay the message Rikai”
“yes Mistress”
“My lady Jacoiba, we have recived your interest regarding our operation 6 years ago, we had heard rumours of a bothan jedi master and a female human sith lord fought. The human was beaten back by the bothan, the bothan was reported by eye witness' to be one Master Cyphor Feylar”
“thank you, have you any information on this human?”
“Only rumours Mistress, we heard of an incident about 8-9 months ago of a human sith lord killing a hutt, the human was of roughly the same description of the one who fought your former master”
“Any information on the whereabouts of this sith lord now?”
“No Mistess”
“find out what you can, and get back to me”
“Yes Mistress”
Jacoiba turned to Rikai and told him to end the intercom conversation. “I am returning to the harem, only disturb me if its urgent!”
As Jacoiba made her way back to the harem, she passed the training room where some of her Morgukai were training, pulling a couple aside she invited them to come with her to the harem.
“I want an audience, I want unwavering attention, you turn away once, and ill kill you, understood?”
Looking baffled, the morgukai walked with their mistress towards the harem. Stopping just outside the door, jacoiba turned to face them.
“ive changed my mind”
At this moment she pulls out her double bladed crimson saber, slices one of the morgukai in half and turns to his companion.
“Return to your training”
A quick bow was all the morgukai could offer, he quickly turned the other way and sped back towards the training room. With a quite laugh to herself Jacoiba entered her harem once more.
“Deliah, come here my sweet”


Summary: Jacoiba recieves information about an old master.

[Selvi]

Somewhere in the Outer Rim
The bridge of the Kandosii Naast,

"So serious... you have not changed a bit... lord Gra'tua. All I can say for now is that I am offering a opportunity that will benefit all of us... and by all of us I mean all three of us... a third guest is yet to arrive." From the sounds of things Gra'tua deemed that Andrea had not changed a single bit and was about to voice his building irritation and anger when she mentioned a third guest. This reunion was becoming more trouble than it was worth, was this third guest an ally of hers which would lead to a attack on his ship from two sides? At the same time he finished that thought Kashiir drew his attention to a new arrival in the system that had just appeared on their scanners followed by Andrea's voice like nothing happened. "And here she arrives now."

Clearly anticipating his lord's orders Kashiir hurried to a nearby console and with a number of commands a holographic image of the new arrival floated before Gra'tua by the time he joined Kashiir with a few long steps. Kashiir gestured at the hologram as sensor data scrolled on a screen besides the hologram, "Victory Destroyer... I have heard about these ships, they have only recently been in use by the Republic, a Republic patrol vessel? Is that the guest she spoke off? A republic envoy?"

The sith lord shook his head and gestured to some of the gathered information of the scanners, "It's unlikely, for one the Republic would not modify their vessels like this and I doubt Andrea would make deals with the Republic without a disguise." Gra'tua hissed through his teeth, "What foolishness and duplicity have you planned now woman..."

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Shadow's Regret,
Darth Lena.

Lena was in the middle of a practice match with her Quarren apprentice Idoht, who was attacking savagely with swings and lunges with his crimson lightsaber in his right hand, while at the same time swirling his silver lightwhip around him in defensive pattern blocking Lena's parrying strokes or attacks of her own, forced on the defensive with her own sabre cane in her right hand while using the cane made out of Phrik alloy in her off hand to ward off attacks as well. With a angry yelp she watched as Idoht lashed out with his lightwhip and saw it envelop the bottom of her cane, before she could offer resistance Idoht drew back his lightwhip and also lunged forward with his lightsaber. No other option but to let go of her cane and jumping back she pushed against Idoht's lightsaber. "ENOUGH!" With her free hand she lunged forward, dark side energies swirling around her outstretched hand, strands of energy leaped forward and latched themselves at the Quarren apprentice's head and with a savage laugh Lena started to drain her apprentice of vitality and the force. With a bellow of pain the Quarren dropped his lightwhip and tried to push himself away, out of the reach of the dark side energies leeching at him when that proved useless he put up a feeble hand and send out dark side tendrils of his own to try and sap Lena's vitality and power while also putting his remaining strength into leaning forward, pushing against Lena's lightsaber which were still locked into each other.

With a smile Lena suddenly switched off her blade and quickly jumped out of the way, startled by the lack of resistance Idoht fell to the ground, tendrils of dark side energy from his left hand hitting empty air instead of Darth Lena, with a yelp he quickly deactivated his own lightsaber before he hit the floor with a heavy thud, saving himself from being impaled on his own lightsaber. Before he could rise and continue the fight he saw the glowing blade of his master's blade in the corner of his eye, aimed directly for his skull. Lena's mask, hiding the lower half of her face had come loose during the struggle and she had a savage smile showing her bare teeth as she looked down on her defeated apprentice. "I have to start watching out during future sessions idoht... you are becoming very... capable. Now pick yourself up."

She had just finished readjusting her mask when a dry, slightly above whispering voice came over the ship's intercom. "Lady Lena, we have arrived... and we are not alone."

Recognizing the voice belonging to her Noghri lieutenant and pack leader Lena send Idoht on his way and left the practice chambers herself on her way to the bridge, activating a personal comlink to respond to Ko'Chul. "I would hope not... if we were alone it would not be much of a meeting with my old teacher."

Ko'Chul's next words made her freeze in the middle of the corridor, "There are two ships in the system... one lists as the ship that your teacher listed as her own in the message... the other is unknown."

Processing the thought Lena hurried at a faster pace toward the bridge, "Is this other ship attacking her ship." Seeing her approach a number of crew loaded with tools of some kind quickly stepped out of her way, one dropped a pipe in her way, stepping around it she turned to the human who had dropped it and saw the fear in his eyes, without breaking her stride she pulled loose her saber from her cane and with a clean swing cut off his hand while she continued on her way.

If the female Noghri heard the sounds of a ignited lightsaber or scream of pain and moans of the foolish crewman she did not betray it with her reply. "It's weapons are armed... but no exchange of weapons fire... there is some active ship-to-ship communications going on.... we are being hailed by the Remembrance of Shadow."

Lena cursed, she was still a few minutes away fro reaching the bridge as she stepped into a lift that would bring her to the command deck. "Accept it... but delay her and don't answer any of her questions until I arrive, even if the questions are seemingly innocent or are about nothing of importance." Moments later Darth Lena stepped on her bridge and walked toward a circular table with a grid pattern that was a holographic projector to see with whom or what she was speaking to when opening lines of communication. Currently two holographic figures were present, one was that of a female sith lord who found her some years ago and strengthened her connection to the dark side of the force and who first instructed her about the sith, the second was that of a large humanoid man, dressed in armor, with a cloak across his shoulders, along with a cowl and mask hiding most of his head and his entire face. Before she could say it herself the unknown sith, for she had noticed the lightsaber hilts at his belt, said the words she was about to say herself.

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Bridge of the Kandosii Naast,
Darth Gra'tua.

"What is the meaning of this Andrea." Gra'tua had enough of this already, Andrea had opened a three-way communication and then they had to wait for the sith in command of the Victory Destroyer to arrive and now when a second holographic figure of someone he had not seen before finally arrived he voiced his burning question while glaring at the holographic image of Darth Andrea who was looking too pleased with herself with a grin on her facial features he knew all too well... it meant that she was planning something. Then again she was breathing, that was enough for her to plan, plot or scheme something.

The holographic Andrea put her hands together in front of her, "Manners, manners... introductions first." She gestured to the holographic image of the unknown sith woman. "Darth Gra'tua may I introduce you to Darth Lena... she was at one time for a brief number of years my student. Darth Lena, if you recall I might have mentioned a bastard child of a hutt and a gundark I used to know, this is he." At the growl Gra'tua uttered Andrea smiled wider while the holographic image of Darth Lena did not even seem to blink. "Enough with small talk I suppose, I suspect I should start talking before either one of you does something stupid... like opening fire upon my ship. Gra'tua my message spoke about a truce, power down your weapons if you want to hear what I have to say." Gra'tua snorted and if the mask wasn't obscuring his eyes and facial features he was sure his disdain for Andrea was showing clearly but Andrea remained silent, waiting, with a almost bored look and body language. With a gesture to Kashiir his ship's weapons were powered down. Andrea's hologram nodded to something beside her as if a confirmation by one of her crew was given that he had indeed powered down his weapons. "Good boy." Again her smile widened as Gra'tua let out a sound of frustration, "Now that no weapons are armed let us discuss business... I suggest both of you join me on my ship where I-

Gra'tua refused to remain silent, "I will not set a single foot aboard your ship Andrea. I have a better suggestion, allow me to extend a... invitation, to both of you to join me in the comforts of my own vessel and hear whatever proposal or scheme you wish to drag us into here."

The hologram of Darth Lena shifted slightly but still remained silent, observing while Andrea looked like she had gotten exactly what she wanted. "An excellent idea Gra'tua, I accept." After a moment's notice the image of Darth Lena just nodded her assent too.

Gra'tua looked at the hologram of Andrea with wariness, what was she playing at he wondered. "Good... a lone shuttle, one squad of bodyguards along with two attendants are what I'll allow aboard my vessel, nothing more. Within the hour." With that he slammed on the button that would terminate the call before any, especially Andrea could respond. Gra'tua turned to Kashiir, "Inform the crew that we have... guests... incoming, I want the throne room prepared to receive guests and inform my apprentices to report there at once. I want Mirta and a number of Mandalorian squads present in the hangar to welcome our guests... but make sure that any craft attempting to land is not carrying explosives or other unwanted surprises."

"By your command, my lord."

With that Gra'tua turned his back to Kashiir and the rest of his crew and stormed toward the elevator, he had a stop to make on his way to the throne room. Ten minutes later Gra'tua was in the middle of his holocron vault and had found what he was looking for, "Think she can mock me... I'll make her pay for that." He muttered to himself as he held aloft a sith holocron triumphantly. On his way to the throne room Kashiir reported that the stranger, Darth Lena, had no shuttles at her command but a large troop transport. Gra'tua told Kashiir to respond that if there were more than 15 sentients aboard, the squad of guards, attendants, dropship crew and Darth Lena herself, then they would be fired upon. Still with some time left Gra'tua reached his throne room, deep within the bowels of his ship it served as a audience chamber and command center in case the bridge was compromised. It was a large circular chamber, two levels high with the second level resting upon columns of durasteel and marble. The second level was currently occupied by twenty mandalorian commandos and a squad of zabrak soldiers who had a clear view and line of fire toward the chamber's entrance and the two ornamental chairs sitting in front of a elevated platform on which a simple obsidian throne stood. Banners were hanging from the columns, thirteen banners in total, six with the symbol of a Taun skull with crossed blades representing the Mandalorian Clan who had sworn their loyalty to Gra'tua, six with the Zabrak symbol of Death for the Zabrak soldiers under his command and the last banner was his own personal shield, a black banner with a crimson mandalorian mask.

A few crewman wandered around, manning control stations within the shadows between the columns. His apprentices stood on the stairs of the elevated platform on which his throne stood, two on each side. Nodding his approval he walked up the few steps and sat down on his throne, placing the holocron he had retrieved on one of the arm rests and leaned back in comfort. All he had to do now, was wait as he activated the holocron and a towering figure rose above the activated pyramid.

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Darth Andrea.

Andrea could barely contain her laughter as Gra'tua so rudely terminated the call, he was so easy to antagonize and with him distracted by it she hoped he would not use what he knew about her from the time they spend together to guess her true intentions. Turning around to face the elevator she was not surprised to see Hadzuska and Rhak-skuri standing there, waiting. She strode to them with confidence, "We are invited as... guests to lord Gra'tua's vessel... is a squad of Dathomiri prepared to travel with me as bodyguards?" Hadzuska nodded. "Well then let's meet my old lover... see if he has taken good care of our daughter..."

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Andrea, Lena & Gra'tua.

Moment's later one of her Theta-class shuttles, with two ISF interceptor escorts were speeding towards a open hangar bay of Gra'tua's vessel. With her were her two sith servants and a squad of her Dathomiri honor guards. Andrea moved to the cockpit of the shuttle and looked outside the screen at the hangar bay which was getting bigger by the second, scanners had picked up a large dropship class vessel leaving Darth Lena's ship and it was being diverted to another hangar that could accomedate the bigger vessel. "We are docking within three minutes my lady." Without acknowledging the shuttle pilot Andrea returned back to the passenger hold and took her seat and waited. She felt the thud when her shuttle landed upon the hangar deck and motioned her two sith servants to stay with her while the Dathomiri quickly moved down the shuttle ramp and stood at attention at the same time as Andrea and her two sith moved into the open.

A number of hangar crew were gawking at her and her entourage while they secured her shuttle but Andrea's eyes were upon the number of Mandalorian and Zabrak warriors, led by a female in mandalorian armor. Andrea looked the figure over and with a arrogant little smile she approached her with her entourage in tow. "Well then... take me to your leader." Andrea could sense the air of disdain around the female mandalorian as she studied Andrea in return, uttering a word in her native tongue she turned sharply around and motioned Andrea to follow her. The arrogant smile still on her lips Andrea gestured to her people to move along, leaving two Dathomiri behind with the shuttle crew to watch over the shuttle and make sure some of Gra'tua's hangar crew didn't get any funny ideas. Their journey was mostly... boring actually, Andrea remained silent as did everyone in her entourage while the only words spoken by the mandalorian female were 'left', 'right' and 'straight ahead', the other mandalorian and zabrak escorts remained silent.

Finally they reached a set of ornamented, black double doors. Andrea gave the doors one glance and shook her head amused, "And then he claims I always had a flair for drama." Some commotion from the opposite end of the corridor drew her attention as a procession of more Mandalorian and Zabrak guards came into view with Darth Lena and her entourage of ten gray skinned Noghri, if Andrea was accurate with recognizing the species, and a Miraluka and Quarren, the Miraluka she recognized as Lena's first apprentice while the Quarren, seeing his lightwhip and lightsaber hilt was a new face. Since the doors were not yet opening she approached Darth Lena, Gra'tua's mandalorian lapdog following her at her heels. "Lena, it is agreeable to see you again."

She was not in a good mood, cautious and telling herself to be careful she had stepped onto the hangar deck of the unknown sith lord's vessel. Her two apprentices who she had chosen to accompany her in her wake while the Noghri warriors moved silently like wraiths in her shadow. A mandalorian had stepped forward and urged her to follow her down passageways and corridors, they were not the first to arrive at their destination as she saw that Darth Andrea and her people had come before her. Lena saw Andrea approach and subconsiously rested a hand tighter around her cane, around the part she could pull loose for her lightsaber. She nodded a greeting as Andrea spoke to her, "Is it?" She recalled her recent conversation with Andrea's holocron, "You were not expecting me by any chance?" Lena snapped her fingers with her free hand and Hannah, her Miraluka apprentice produced Andrea's holocron. "Your holocron had some... interesting things to say recently... but I thought you might want it back seeing as my training is completed."

Andrea stared at the holocron of her making and then smiled, "So it is indeed truly 'Darth' Lena now... keep the holocron... my teachings are never finished as for what it recently said... I have no idea what you are talking about..." Before Lena could respond the doors finally opened and Andrea gestured her entourage to follow her as she stepped inside, she was about to laugh and mention something about the dramatic setting of this chamber when she set eyes on Gra'tua sitting on the throne and the activated holocron on one of his arm rests. Recognizing the hologram she gritted her teeth and her smile had completely vanished as the comment she was about to make was lost. Looking at Gra'tua with a glare she gestured at the holocron. "Remove that from my presence now!"

Seeing her reaction was all Gra'tua needed to see that taking this holocron was a good move. His facial features were hidden behind his mask but he gestured to the activated holocron as if to say 'you mean this holocron?'. "My, my Andrea... did your parents never got around to learn you manners?" He paused before he continued, "Oh that's right... your mother was killed by your own father who you killed in return... I take it you are not happy to see him again then?" He gestured at the holocron's hologram. The hologram remained silent but everyone who looked upon it's features could see it was smiling while it's eyes were boring straight into Andrea. Gra'tua looked behind Andrea and saw that the second guest to his ship, Darth Lena, also had moved inside his throne room. "Please, sit down and let's hear your propossal... that apparently made you invite two other Sith who you may need for whatever scheme you have cooked up." Gra'tua had his fun and deactivated the holocron, he thought the hologram said something and by Andrea's reaction it indeed did but for some reason nobody else was able to hear it.

Andrea was contemplating if sith lightning was a viable way of diplomatic communication when Gra'tua was already moving to turn the holocron off. Satisfied Andrea started to move along with Lena who had stalked into the chamber after her, to one of the empty... highly uncomfortable chairs by the looks of them when for a single second she locked gazes with the holocron ghost of her father who said something directly to her. Like you betrayed me, someone close to you will ultimately betray you. She almost stumbled but Rhak-skuri held her upright, with a snarl she moved out of her attendant's grasp and sat down on the chair, which was even more uncomfortable than it looked, with her sith attendants standing on her sides while her and lena's bodyguards were forced to remain outside the throne room. When both Gra'tua and Lena were studying her she rose from her chair and moved a little away from the platform, seemingly lost in thought until she started to speak, her back turned to the two sith behind her. "For years... decades... whole generations our kind have wandered aimlessly between the stars, raiding when we needed supplies, abducting children if we wanted to raise a next generation of sith. Now this war that envelops the Galaxy brings out opportunities none of us has seen in our lifetime." She turned around and faced both sith who were still watching her. "This war is a golden opportunity for all of us, every side intent on fighting the other that they will realize too late that we have ventured out in the open." She strode forward until she was standing at the bottom step of the raised platform in the middle of both Gra'tua's and Lena's attention. "What I wish to propose to both of you is the following, let us band together and form an... alliance of sorts... where each of us works together and share a common goal, carving out a realm of our own to dominate, perhaps even a new sith empire." With that she finished her dramatic gesturing and returend to her seat, looking exptingly at Gra'tua and Lena.

She gave a lofty speech he had to admit but he knew the bitch for the viper she truly was. "And if we were to agree to this you would wait until the right opportunity arrives to stab one or both of us in the back with your lightsaber... we are all sith here Andrea... we know our own history and culture... what makes you think an alliance like this would work." Darth Lena remained silent.

Andrea just smiled and shrugged her shoulders, "I am not saying we should trust each other... merely... look out what is best for each other in the long run, betrayal is almost fundamental to our kind I admit... but if you look in our history then you also know that the sith empires were only made possible due to several sith working together and not acting alone. Right now we are a shadow of what the sith once were... most of the dark side worlds are lost to us, planets no longer tremble at our names and we do not have fleets or armies fighting in our name. I suggest we put aside any differences we might have and work together and forge a new empire... this galaxy is big enough to share, wouldn't you agree?"

Gra'tua snorted at Andrea's words. "An interesting word... 'share', especially coming from you... but I admit there is a certain appeal to what you are saying."

Lena now also contributed to the conversation, she had at first waited to see and hear what Andrea was proposing before she would give voice to her own thoughts. "The idea of an alliance is interesting... but what you speak off Andrea are long term goals... I, and so is lord Gra'tua here I imagine, are not patient people... What if... I... we... were to accept this alliance... what can you offer to us both what we not already have on our own?"

At Darth Lena's words Andrea smiled, she had gotten the question she had wanted. "I am glad you asked Lena, Andrea crossed her legs and leaned back into the chair, trying without succes to find a somewhat comfortable position. "I have had some... misfortunes I admit concerning my ship and other assets... but I have build up a considerable intelligence network, perhaps not the best out there but close enough. A network I have put to work before inviting both of you to this meeting." She pointed at Gra'tua, "For instance Gra'tua here has got himself a impressive ship together... a bit obsessed with fighters and bombers but impressive nevertheless... mandalorian and zabrak soldiers and also have heard rumors you might have a orbital station somewhere..." She added the part about the station to see if Gra'tua betrayed anything but his body remained rigid and his mask hid all facial quirks that might have give insight if that rumor was true or not. Instead she turned to Lena, "As for you my former student. Much what I know I gathered from the time you were briefly my student, build yourself an army with Noghri who I have heard are perfect infiltrators and assassins with fast speed support... your ship is new however, build from acquired schematics and the most interesting part is that you added a gravity well generator, do not worry I killed the one who betrayed that particular part about your ship." Andrea still had her smile as she stood once again from her chair, "So as you can hear I can offer my assistance with gathering intelligence... while the two of you can offer various kinds of muscle and options during a battle... that is if we were working together in an alliance." Andrea reached inside her robe, which made Gra'tua's attending apprentices reach for their lightsabers she noticed with some amusement, to come out with two data slates. "If that were not enough... I also propose a join operation to see if a alliance will even work, I have obtained some information about some valuable cargo present in the naboo system... I suggest we take it for ourselves and divide the spoils... but I urge both of you to decide now to join me in this venture because we have a limited time frame." And with that she waited.

It took only a moment before both Gra'tua and Lena gave their answer. "We accept." Came out of both their mouths at the same time.

The next hour or so was filled with forming a attack plan, to both Gra'tua and Lena's dispelasure Andrea could not give them a good timeframe or sufficient details except that it was a Lucrehulk-class vessel and that it had at least the minimum amount of firepower and droid squadrons, no information about escorts of any kind. When she also dropped that there might be a slight chance that they could arrive and that the Lucrehulk had already left or that there was a chance that it was already there and about to leave when they jumped in it complicated matters even more. Eventually they all agreed on a attack plan, Andrea's vessel was the fastest among them all and would serve to draw the fire of the cargo ship and any escorts it might have while Gra'tua concerned himself with any escorts or the cargo ship's weapons while Lena's vessel activated it's gravity well projector and did it's best to disable shields and engines. It was also agreed that all light interceptors would be scrambled as soon as they entered the Naboo system to deal with enemy fighter squadrons while Gra'tua's heavy fighter squadron escored his bomber squadron in attacking the Lucrehulk's hyperdrive system.

Additionally all shuttles and dropship craft the three of them possessed was going to be filled with troops who would wait for the signal to board the cargo freighter when... if it was disabled that is, to load as much of the cargo as possible before reinforcements for the Lucrehulk could arrive. After that each sith started to concern themselves with their own role to play, Lena returned to her ship at once while Andrea seemed to hesitate, she looked at one of Gra'tua's apprentices for a moment before she shook her head in irritation and briskly turned her back to the apprentice and Gra'tua both and strode out of the throne with her entourage in tow.

They had a long travel ahead of them....

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Pleasantries and introductions are exchanged and a temporary alliance is agreed upon.
Three Sith are about to embark on a journey promising piracy and adventure ahead of them.

[Sarzu]

Kandosii Naast,
Throne Room just after Darths Lena and Andrea have left.

Gra'tua had just send both Darth Lena and Andrea out of his throne, the last of their throng of followers were just outside the door when Mirta came in, accompanying a figure he knew all too well and who moved more excited and jittery then he usually did. He was about to practically hop forward Gra'tua noticed sitting from his throne when Mirta blocked him and bowed her head in greeting, "My apologies my lord, but he insisted upon seeing you right away... I had to threaten him from preventing to disrupt your... meeting."

Gra'tua inclined his head and motioned for Zalrn, his loremaster, to step forward, who eagerly did so and opened his mouth at once. "Lord Gra'tua! Such news I bring! Where to begin, where to begin, probably begin fro the beginning of this tale I should, I-"

Gra'tua cut him off with a gesture and by forming the beginning of sith lightning playing around his hands. "First Zalrn... your are going to tell me where you have been these past few months... as I recall when you asked me to borrow one of my shuttles, something I gladly have allowed you to do in the past, you promised me that you would be back within the week... it has been four months."

"That is what I was going to say, I found myself-"

"FURTHERMORE." Gra'tua raised his voice to silence the excited loremaster once again. "That little experiment you found regarding ancient sith alchemy you claimed to have uncovered and did not bother to report to me if you could experiment with it destroyed your quarters... resulting in some costly repairs I will wring out of you eventually."

"WILL YOU LET ME FINISH!" A collective gasp came fro the nearby crewman who had been silently chuckling a moment ago at the conversation, even Mirta was shocked and carefully took a step back, away from the loremaster. Seeing the predicament he was in the loremaster coughed, "Ehm... that is to say... dread lord of the sith and master of the blade... will you let your humble servant please finish his tale so that you can draw your own conclusion of it's worth and hopefully let this servant remain breathing?"

The silence that followed those words seemed to stretch when Gra'tua lazily rose from his throne and moved toward his loremaster, igniting one of his lightsabers and holding it casually in front of him. "You have always had a way with words Zalrn... start talking and if you tale is worthwhile or even amusing I will decide if I can still be bothered with keeping you alive."

Zalrn bowed, only to abort the bow halfway when he noticed his head would get too close to the ignited blade of his master's lightsaber. "Of course, my lord. As I was... ahem, saying, well I was just on my way to the local spaceport to buy some salt like I was planning when I requested the use of one of your shuttles milord when I passed by this antique establishment, the owner, a Weequay, no wonder he was making a loss, he didn't had any idea the treasure trove he was sitting on! Had a journal in his possession which I managed to haggle for and get a great bargain for it, along with some hyperspace charts, but those I fear are forgeries... but I digress, this journal belonged to a sith milord and it described a journey of some kind, intrigued by this I decided to follow the journey as described in the journal in order to gain more clues."

The loremaster took a deep breath and Gra'tua was about to punish the loremaster for such a weak excuse for his absence when the excited, little man just continued blabbing. "My journey started on Tatooine, where I went to the first location described in the journal I had acquired, after a escape from pirates, jawas and pirate jawas... or was that the other way around? Nevermind, after all that I obtained the first set of clues which revealed the next part of the journal leading me to the world of Shili, the Togruta homeworld, there I encountered a lovely spacer cantina which serves a local ale to die for, after a number of drinks and quite inebriated I actually stumbled over the next set of clues hidden in a ruin in one of the world's jungles, after a good night's rest and some sobering up I deciphered this latest clue and next part of the journal which led me to the world of Alderaan... which is kinda boring place actually... I mean sure in the past there were wars fought over it, but these days, not much to do... I think if anybody where to bombard the planet in a million, billion, trillion little pieces nobody would even notice the place was gone... anyway, without much happening to me I found the clue in a cavern in one of Alderaan's mountain ranges, ok I give Alderaan this, they have simply the best wintersport vacation places in the entire sector."

Gra'tua had about enough but then Zalrn suddenly produced several ancient looking sheets of parchment. "But it was the last clue I needed milord... the journal is now finally complete and the journey it describes is that of a sith lord who lived several hundred years ago... he traveled many worlds and was looking for something, the last sheet of parchment, the last clue contained what he was looking for and more importantly that he found it but he was dying, probably at the hands of one of his apprentices who wished the item for himself... then again he did describe in the second part of the journal that he felt a little sick after that seafood dish he ate one morning... I'm drifting away from the subject, aren't I... I can see your eyes through the slits in your mask, you are getting impatient. To make a long story short, he felt he was dying but jealous of others finding what he had spend half a lifetime searching for he hid it somewhere... and I know where." The loremaster handed Gra'tua one sheet of parchment and pointed at the top of the parchment.

Gra'tua saw the name, an inner rim world, he was about to say that whatever this sith had found was not worth the effort when the loremaster pointed to the object this sith had found and time stopped for Gra'tua as he read the name and description over and over. "Are you certain Zalrn..." Gra'tua had switched off his lightsaber and was almost stroking the name on the sheet of parchment.

Zalrn was hopping on his feet. "Yes my lord! Well reasonably certain... fairly certain.... Certain enough to wage my life earning your displeasure if I am wrong."

Gra'tua looked up at that and chuckled. "Good answer... Mirta... if our guests have not left yet... detain them and bring them back here." By the way Mirta tilted her head he knew she was looking at him questionably. "Plans have changed... Andrea will not have what she wants... first we are going to do what I want."

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

Both of the visiting sith lords were still on the ship and were brought once again to the throne room before lord Gra'tua and they were not amused. Andrea was practically storming forward, Gra'tua could sense her anger from the throne room's entrance and he noticed that several Mando'ade warriors were aiming their weapons at her from the second level of the chamber. Andrea ignored those and was about to storm up the elevated platform when Gra'tua raised his hand to stop her, "I have had an epiphany Andrea... a change of plans actually... You came to us, me and this Darth Lena here because you are weak... afraid... on your own and you do not have the resources to get what you want since you do not have the ship or the troops to take anything... so you came to us, promising glory, riches and power and then lured us with some cargo freighter you can't raid on your own and seemingly generously offer to share the spoils with us by telling it is there."

Gra'tua rose from his throne and moved down a few steps until he stood in front of Andrea and he locked eyes with her. "Basically we have been reduced as your little lapdogs... you are stringing us along for your own goals while our own goals are no longer important because they do not fit in your agenda... I say if you truly wish this alliance then we shall not do what you want... but you are going to do what we want first." Andrea opened her mouth, no doubt to protest but Gra'tua gestured to Lena who had merely been watching and listening the moment she and her Noghri had stepped back inside the throne room. "You came to us Andrea... you want our help... this is my price... you are going to aid us with something first and then we'll see if we are going to help you... either accept to my... demand... or get off my ship."

Andrea looked at Lena who just nodded and moved to stand behind Gra'tua, opening her mouth and closing it in wordless rage Andrea let out a silent scream and made a fist of one of her hands. "FINE!" She screamed in Gra'tua's face, "We play by your rules Gra'tua but mark my words... I am going to make you pay for this." She crossed her arms in front of her. "What is it that you wish... my lord."

Gra'tua smiled behind his mask and gestured for his loremaster who had been hiding behind the throne to step forward. "This is a... associate of mine he will tell you of a place I want to know everything about... anything your intelligence network can ferret out... and report it directly to me." Gra'tua thought about something for a second and then continued. "On second thought... you are going to stay aboard my ship as my... esteemed guest for the duration of this venture on my behalf." He ignored her protests and turned to Darth Lena, "Lady Lena... you can return to your ship, we have a long journey ahead of us, if you are willing to follow me for some time on this errand of mine that is."

Darth Lena shrugged and hid a smile under her cowl, "I must admit seeing what you are doing to the lady Andrea is already worth it... if this... whatever this is of yours Gra'tua, is completed... then I want the two of you to follow me on a goal of my own. Swear an oath to me that both of you will do so and then I will remain with this alliance... and allow your goal to go first."

Gra'tua easily gave his word, Andrea however protested again and again Gra'tua offered her to leave his ship, through an airlock, at the mention of that and a quick look at the weapons leveled at her and her people she also gave her word. Giving Lena the coordinates for their destination she merely raised an eyebrow but made her leave. Gra'tua ordered Andrea to order her people to return to her ship, she did with great reluctance and after some exchange of words and threats she was allowed to have one of her attendants remain, the Togruta force user she had brought with her remained on the Kandosii Naast while Andrea ordered her Dathomiri with the Twi'lek force user to return to the ship and give her orders to someone named Drokan Mohr to join the two other ships at the coordinates Gra'tua provided. With a almost defeated look, which Gra'tua did not believe she was possible of producing, she turned back to Gra'tua while her entourage, save her Togruta attendant, left the throne room and went on their way back to her ship. "I am officially your hostage now Gra'tua..."

Gra'tua laughed and sat back in his throne, looking down upon Andrea. "My hostage? Nothing of the sorts... you are a guest here... you are just treated as a hostage, there's a difference." His tone became cold as he continued, "Don't act like the victim... you were using me and that other sith who was apparently your student for a time, to do your own dirty work... I just turned the tables that is all... whatever lofty plans you wanted to use us for they can wait, what I want is more pressing and more important to me then some cargo freighter carrying a potential wealth of cargo. Now... this is what you are going to do." He gestured to a nearby communications terminal currently manned by one of his own crew. "You are going to contact your people, your network and are going to find out everything I want to know about our destination." Cursing Andrea made her way to the console which was quickly vacated by the crewman manning it and while Andrea was busy doing everything she could to make sure that he would not trace her communiques to her agents Gra'tua alerted Kashiir on the bridge and informed him of their new destination.

Andrea was enraged, after the plan of attack was established she was confident that she had both sith acting like puppets with her playing their strings, then Gra'tua had send his men to stop them from leaving his ship and brought them back here. She was in the middle of establishing some rudimentary security protocols for secure communications with her contacts when she glanced at Gra'tua's associate, she had noticed the little man jumping up and down, eager to get into the throne room as she and Lena left. Whatever it was that had made Gra'tua change his mind came from that little man... and if she was a hostage on this ship then she was going to make sure that she was going to find out what it was or who Gra'tua was after. Satisfied with her security protocols in place, or at least the best she could from here, Andrea accessed her data, she had gotten data from her Kubazian agents and her cousin about her original goal she was hoping she could lure Gra'tua and Lena into, much good would that data do for her now but she stored it anyway on a private data slate she carried on her.

She send the details of the place they were going to her cousin Kano, if there was anyone who could give potential details about the security of the place it would be him, she urged him to be careful about asking about it though. The Republic defenses but more importantly if he would know anything about the private security precautions of this place Gra'tua wanted to go specifically.

Next she send word to her Kubaz spies to see if there was any way to infiltrate the planet past the Republic defenses and what the could find out about the location planetside they were planning to go.

Third she send word to her hutt contact, Vokkla, he was going to be disappointed to say the least that he would not get any percentage of the good of the Naboo cargo ship. So send a brief summary that she was going to be unable to go after the cargo ship but that she was forced to be elsewhere, namely the location Gra'tua provided her and she send him the kind request that if he had any associates he might want to see returned at the place and if that was the case if he could in return provide her with any data about the planet in question.

Lastly she send feelers out to her contacts within some Darkside Cults and see if they had a presence on the planet who could offer assistance.

With all that done she returned to Gra'tua's side, "It is done... all we need to do now is wait... are you going to tell me what it is we are looking for?" His answer was simple and depressing.

"No."

______________________________
______________________________

Gra'tua gets his hands on information about something that is worth more than some cargo from a Lucrehulk class freighter in the Naboo system.

Blackmailing Andrea to do as he asks and taking her as his hostage honored guest, he convinces her to give up on the naboo freighter and first help him with his goal. Darth Lena agreed to this change of plans, but only if both Gra'tua and Andrea would next help with something of hers.

[Zacharius]

The Tide Breaker
On approach to Onderon

The Command bridge of the cruiser was abuzz with activity, crewmen remained at their stations, the hyperspace jump being rather simply to follow through with, however Mandalorians and Barabels continued to enter and leave the large centre of command as Sylo prepared for a great, but potentially damming, opportunity. Notably, while his small force of combatants was a skill fill in guerilla combat as practically any such group in the galaxy, The Tide Breaker was not suitably upgraded to such standards, although it had the potential to be so, hence Sylo considered accepting the 'treasure hunt' offer, so that he may better full fill his role in the galaxy.

"This is madness, jedi are not mere mercenaries to bow before the power of simple credits, we should not contemplate this." Master Kral barked, his distaste obvious as Sylo's inner circle gathered around the central dais to discuss their plan of action.

"You forget that it is credits that go us into the position we are in now, anything that can benefit us should not be sniffed at," Den Korrick, Sylo's longest living friend and confident spoke out, pressing a button on the interface's outer ring, to bring up a large hologram of the Tide Breaker in the centre of the circular, table like device, on a raised platform above the hectic bridge, all would be able to see what they discussed were it not for the occasional tubing that swung down from the ceiling on the unused vid-screens hanging from the ceiling, the bridge really was a mess. A poorly lit, green interfaced, black steel, mess.

"The Tide Breaker lacks real fire power, something we desperately need to improve if we are to stand a chance of having a real affect in this war, this amount of credits will seriously allow us to boost our arsenal," Korrick continued, various notes on the hologram pointing towards unused laser battery emplacements.

"It would also be nice to get paid...you know...one day." Zirah Den, the Zeltron smuggler to Korrick's right spoke, placing a hand on one of her hips as she removed a cigara from her lips, throwing it carelessly behind her, "As much as I like what we're doing here, we can't all afford to work pro-bono." The Zeltron swished her hair back slightly, even the old Togorion knight being somewhat moved by her charms and pheromones.

"As much a loathe to agree with the smugglers on this one, we do need the credits, if only so that later our kind will not," Yeonara joined the debate, placing both hands on the dais and studying the image still slowly rotating before them, if only so that she didn't have to watch the Zeltron show off, without even really trying.

"I'm going, but I need to decide whom to bring, ten does not leave much room for choice, so concise and useful I imagine," Sylo began, the invitation being for him, he was doubtful that it would extend if he were to simply send down the blaster orientated members of his strike force, instead he would go.

"I will take no other force users, none of you are equally trained in using your powers while masking them, nor have any of you trained with a vibro-weapon, Korrick and Den will accompany me, along with seven of our top mandalorians, the rest of you will remain on full alert, in case this is just a very elaborate trap, we'll take a shuttle from the edge of the system, no need to upset whoever is running the show here, though, I do wonder what is left of value on Onderon."

"Nothing but rock, monsters and their riders, but we shall see." Korrick mused before the group dispersed, ready to fulfil their roles, Korrick leaving to select the mandalorians they would take.

Shuttle X1

The shuttle was reasonably spacious so the journey to the centre of the system was not arduous, only tense as they approached the primitive planet, expecting the worst from a planet with an already dire reputation. The Mandalorians had suited up, hidden behind the traditional helmets of their clan, they became faceless, but skilled killers, although those that followed Sylo did so for his vision now, for a better future where fighting was once more honourable, and not about who built the bigger bomb.

"Korrick, open up a general transmission, begin beaming our greeting to this 'Facilitator Devaton."

"Will do."

"This is Sylo Get, reporting in to Faciliitator Devaton, I have nine others with me, we are here for your little challenge." As Sylo spoke, he tested the weight of the double-bladed vibrosword he held in his hand, it had been a long while since he had cause to use such a weapon, but the demands of his job were such that the traditional weapon of the jedi would not always be wise.

[Kadaeux]

Saya Mountain Complex
Asadar Rho: Jedi

Asadar meditated within the Solace of Thissar as it sat landed on the Saya Mountain Complexes landing pad. The vessels oppressive weight made the duracrete groan in the midday sun. The men and women under Asadar's command moved around the base preparing the ship for lift-off as they loaded themselves on board. A light beep at the door sounded. "Come in children." He said in a thick accented basic. The Zaphariel twins entered the chamber on almost soundless feet. "Master" They said simultaneously.

"Come. Sit." He said and they did. Antionine moving and fidgeting as she settled down to meditate. Her physical abilities far outstripped her sister. But so did her sisters force abilities outstrip her own. They were a matched pair. Stronger together than apart. Kinatharinine sat down easily and quickly fell into a meditative state. "You bring word?" He asked as they settled in.

"Yes master." Kina spoke. "Keldoon sent a message. He wants to speak with us at Dantooine." Her voice a musical sound soothed back into the silence of steady measured breathing her body in perfect balance and harmony.

Keldoon was an old friend. And old friend with some very deep scars. His pain was one that could never be fully healed until Asadar completed his quest. It was the duty of all Jedi to destroy the Sith. But Khaelesh. He was beyond Sith he was elemental, destructive and dangerous and had made war upon Asadar time and again. Keldoon had been one of Asadar's Lieutenants years ago. But Khaelesh had captured him and interrogated him. And learning of his family, went to his home and killed them all, from his elderly parents and still-pregnant wife to his four month old son.

The event had broken Keldoon, the man had been unable to remain in Asadar's company being reminded with each breath that who he served was the sole reason his family was slaughtered and he allowed to live. But he knew he would do whatever it took to track down the Sith Lord and bring him Justice.

To even contact Asadar these days meant Keldoon had to have found something. Some information, information he couldn't act on alone. Uncoiling himself from his meditation pallet he slithered towards the door. "Continue your meditation my children. I will see to our departure." As the door closed behind him he regretted being forced to leave the peace of the meditation chamber but made his way towards the bridge regardless taking only the time to collect his lightsabres from his quarters.

Slithering onto the bridge he began to manipulate the switches. "All crew of the Solace of Thissar. Now boarding. Three minutes to departure." The loudspeakers blared out over the compound. Those crew and troops stationed aboard dived up into the belly of the ship as Asadar began to flip more of the controls that prepared it for launch. A minute later the bridge crew ran in panting from the run.

"Sorry sir. The rush was unexpected." They took their seats and Asadar relinquished control. He wasn't the best pilot and expected his crew to do the work getting them off the ground. The Ramp finished raising and the repulsors fired as his other two apprentices arrived on the bridge. Miria had clearly been in a rush to get dressed.

"What's the reason for the scoot without warning me Master?" Miria asked as she settled into seat. Her cavalier attitude always warming his heart. She loved life and it showed and was reflected in anyone she was near. Her cheer was infectious. Unfortunately, the potential portents of the message prevented Asadar from sharing it this time. His lack of smile and severity of expression causing her to realise it was nonstandard.

"The twins have told you about Keldoon no?" He said plainly as he called out a course to the navigation officer.

"Yes, wait... no..." She said the pieces coming together.

"He has asked for us." Asadar confirmed.

"But that means he found something..." She replied.

"No. It mean he's found Khaelesh I hope." Asadar said. "Make for the first jump co-ordinate. I will be in my quarters."

As he slithered from the bridge Miria whistled lowly. It was rare for her Master to be in such a state. This was not good.

[Brovo]

Nazzri, Orbit

Bump.

Bump bump.

Bump.

"Can't you pilot this with any fewer bumps?" The Padawan spoke with a voice of annoyance to the pilot, a lieutenant who merely shrugged her shoulders as she glanced back to the bad mouth. "I could choose to fly blind." She said bluntly as she turned her attention back to escaping the atmosphere of the planet. They were almost out, but the occasional 'bump in the road' was to be expected. It was a simple conclusion to a simple deal on a simple planet. Get some extra supplies and stocks of food, more varieties of food. Easily preserved for weeks on end. Mara smirks as she hits the last major bit of turbulence, hearing Darrius smack his skull on something metallic. Probably the metal bar above his head. "You enjoyed that, didn't you." Mara rolls her eyes. "I have no idea what you are talking about." The Nebulae Queen now laid before them, and she started making the appropriate communications to dock with the ship.

"Permission to dock with supplies and a grumpy Jedi?" Mara says sarcastically over the radio, not really taking protocol seriously. On the other end a Commando responded in their usual, stale voice. "Docking permissions granted." The Nebulae Queen was a pretty ship, albeit a bit small for her tastes, and a bit slow. The hanger's force field shimmered for a moment, which told her that it was safe to approach. A few moments later, her shuttle was back aboard the vessel, and she landed with ease upon metallic plating of the ship beneath her. "Home sweet home." She mutters aloud before flipping a switch, and hearing the all too familiar thud of a ramp hitting metal plating.

Deeper inside the vessel, the sounds of training sabers striking each other echoed for a few feet through the cold interior of the ship. It echoed through the small, circular training area. Mia watched with interest as two of her pupils struck at each other. Cynthia, and Arya. Cynthia's skills with the lightsaber were remedial at the best of times, though she made up for it by continually disorienting and pushing away Arya's flurry of uncoordinated attacks. Mia stood up slowly however as Maltoy, another one of her padawans, entered the room. "Darrius and Mara have returned with the supplies you requested." Mia nods, then hears the sound of a pair of lightsabers striking the ground, followed quickly by a person smacking the wall. Mia turns to see Cynthia bowing to her opponent and turning off her saber. Arya slumped against the wall, both dazed and now a little bruised. She had been distracted. "In battle you cannot afford such distractions, padawan."

Mia walks over to Arya, using her force powers to bring both of the young padawan's blades to one hand, and then offering the other to help Arya back to her feet. The girl smiled shyly and then took the hand offered to her, taking her lightsabers back when she once again stood on her feet. "Focus on the moment, on what is before you. For if you look back, or look past the moment, you will fail to see what is right in front of you." She glances to Maltoy, and directs him over to Arya. "Continue with Arya. Cynthia, come with me." Cynthia nods and without a word, follows. "Say hello to my brother for me?" Arya asks curiously, in a hopeful manner. "I shall." Cynthia's reply was almost as static and cold as that of a commando, and yet, it was sincere.

It didn't take long to reach the command bridge of the Nebulae Queen. Around her were the clones, each examining the systems and seemingly preparing the ship to leave. No, wait, not seemingly. What is this about? She ponders cautiously as she brings her hands behind her back and clasps them together, standing in a relaxed, but very military stance. Mara reaches the bridge and speaks quietly to Mia, who nods and points her over to navigation. "And so, it begins." Cynthia wasn't entirely sure what that statement meant, but as the ship started to pull away from the orbit of the planet, she could only take a guess that whatever it was, was important enough to keep out of earshot of the crew.

Or herself, for that matter.

[Genais]

Harpy's Seat
Torture Chamber

“I'm getting bored with this one, he is starting to go limp”
Jacoiba turned to her personal aide, Deliah was standing by the door way to the chambers slouched against the wall giving her the look that always leads to them heading to the harem. Jacoiba shook her head. “take him to the medbay, get him fixed up and back aboard Tempest, then find me a fresh one”
Deliah released the 'prisoner' and half carried him out the door, one of the many crewmen aboard her ship, Jacoiba was bored and in a foul mood due to not receiving word on the Sith lord she was trying to track down, the crewmen were used to her taking out her anger on them.
“Mistress, your loremaster has returned, he says its urgent, he will speak with you in the library if it pleases you”
The intercom rang throughout the torture chamber, Jacoiba sighed, her loremaster was not who she wanted to hear from right now.
“Alright, be right there”

Harpy's seat
Library

“What is it that is so urgent?”
The loremaster seemed jittery, excited almost, most unusual for him. He pulled out a few data pads and presented them to Jacoiba.
“Mistress, those data pads contain all the information about my travels for you, but I wish to tell you this myself. I had been hearing rumours, of a sith lord who knew the whereabouts of the holoron of Exar Kun. Of course I believed them to be simple rumours as they usually are. But more and more people were speaking, I travelled from tatooine, to togruta and heard even more, I found documents that showed he may have been close to finding its location, following the clues I found I found myself on Alderaan, more and more clues popped up and I knew it could not just be mere rumour anymore. But then my search came to a halt, it is said lord Goreamus perished before finding the holocron, however, it is also said that he left his own holocron in a personal vault with a major bank upon Pols Anaxes. If one were to, procure said holocron, it could lead that person to the holocron of Exar Kun Mistress”
Jacoiba read through the datapads she had been handed, rather intruiged after hearing this tale. No doubt others would have also heard the same thing, and would also be after this holocron of sith lord Goreamus.
“Very interesting, your sure this information is correct?”
“Yes Mistress”
“Alright, then we will set a course for Pols Anxes, you will accompany me, if your information reveals itself to be inaccurate, then at least you will be there for me to take out my anger on.”
The loremasters eye's bulged slightly, he bowed to his mistress and simply nodded his head.
“I will prepare myself for our departure then mistress”
Jacoiba opened a comlink and asked her lieutenants to join her in the library. Soon enough, Rikai and Fahl were both standing by the entrance.
“We are heading to Pols Anaxes, I would like only one of you to accompany me, the other can stay here. Rikai, I want you to remain here in order to keep the Morgukai training excises running. Fahl, you will accompany me, I could use you on this trip”
“Yes mistress, I will ready the Tempest crew”
Fahl left the room and Rikai looked puzzled. “Mistress, would my combat capabilities not benefit you where you are going?”
Jacoiba just smiled, and put her hand on Rikai's shoulder. “Don't question me Rikai, you know what generally happens to those who question me. I wouldnt want anything to happen to you dear.”
“Yes mistress, of course”
Rikai left the library, Jacoiba settled down at a desk nearby and began to overlook the data pads once more. “The holocron of Exar Kun, well, this could be rather fun”.

Tempest, Bridge.

“Everything is stable and ready to go, lieutenant.”
Fahl nodded his head. He never did speak much. He left the conversations to Rikai, or that Zeltron his mistress feels the need to bring with her everywhere, Deliah.
Standing on the bridge of Tempest, Fahl always felt a sense of pride, this ship was his work, his design. At this moment, his mistress entered the bridge, followed closely by the Zeltron.
“Where is the loremast Fahl?”
“he is on board mistress, and rather anxious i believe”
“Good, he should be, set a course for Pols Anaxes, I will be retiring to the harem for a short while, I trust you can handle things up here”
“Yes Mistress”
Once his mistress was gone, fahl settled himself comfortably on the bridge. “You heard the mistress, Pols Anaxes.”
the crew replied with a volley of “yes sir” and soon Tempest was preparing for departure.

[Gat]

Pandorum, Hanger Bay

Cyphor sat in the cockpit of his NovaSword running last minute checks on its systems after the Verpine engineers had fixed up its landing gear earlier in the day. Around him the hanger bay was busy with pilots and flight crew running back and forth preparing two squadrons of HLAF fighters and the Pandorums three shuttles for launch. Two squads of clone troopers were in the process of stowing their equipment on the two Flarestar shuttles while a squad of commandos moved through to the dropship bay and the Nightclouds Reward.

"You sure this is a good idea?" He heard a voice call out to him. Without stopping his checks Cyphor responded to the enquiry.
"You know as well as I do that that gas could turn us a tidy profit, but beyond that they're using slaves to harvest the gas. What good is having our resources if we can't do some good with them." A moment later the head of his captain appeared over the side of the cockpit.
"Oh I'm all for a little profit and liberation, I'm just not sure this mad plan you have of me taking my ship in alone is such a good idea." She said . Cyphor now finished with his checks, chuckled, locked the controls and started climbing out of the fighter.
"You won't be alone, I'll be leading your reinforcements personally should things go sideways."
"And in the approximately 10 minutes it will take you to reach me from the systems edge, what am I supposed to do in that time?" Hayle retorted. Cyphors response was preceded by one of those knowing smiles of his that Hayle had come to hate seeing over the years she had known the Bothan Jedi.
"Be creative."
As Cyphor walked away to make other preparations for the coming assault Hayle could do little but shake her head and make her way to her ship. If this did go sideways the Reward could do with a few tune-ups to its engines.

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Edge of the Kril'Dor system.

The Pandorum dropped out of hyperspace on the edge to avoid detection, after all if all went we she wouldn't even be needed for this particular operation. From her hangers deployed the HLAF fighters, the three shuttles, Cyphors NovaSword and the Nightclouds Reward. The intel the Bothan network had provided detailed their opposition as 1 Action IV bulk transport, modified to be armed beyond what one would usually expect of such a vessel and 2 Zygerrian slaver ships. It was possible they had backup somewhere close by but that information was not concrete. Cyphors plan was for Hayle to slip into the system with the Nightclouds Reward and a squad of commandos and do some prepwork such as disable the tibanna platforms communications. With careful timing the clones would blow the comm array and attempt to rescue the slaves before attempting to take the Action IV and its tibanna shipment. The fighters and shuttles with additional clone troopers aboard were on standby incase things did not go according to plan. Of course the entire first leg of the operation hinged on Hayle being able to bluff her way past the pirates and land un-suspected on the platform, a task she herself was not particularly optimistic about.

"Alright then, lets get this started." Cyphor heard over his comms as Hayle fired up the Rewards hyperdrive engines for a short hop in system.
"Hayle, relax, this will work." Cyphor said over the comms moments before the Reward made its jump.

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Planet Kril'dor

Minutes later the Reward emerged from hyperspace in orbit around Kril'dor and Hayle started her approach to the Tibanna platform in the gas giants upper atmosphere. Behind her she could hear the commandos gearing up and heard they commander call out that they would be ready by the time they touched down. Assuming the did touch down Hayle thought to herself. They were only about a minute from the platform when the comm panel started flashing, indicating that she'd been spotted and the pirates running the platform wanted to talk.

"YV-100 freighter, Who are you and why are you here?" the voice said over the comm.
"Freighter Nightclouds Reward I've been sent by the Boss to pick up a small shipment of Tibanna for a personal client of his." Hayle replied, wishing she actually know the name of the Boss she was referring to.
"We've had no notice of such a pickup..." the obvious suspicion in the Pirates tone clear over the comms.
"This client values his anonymity, the Boss wants this one off the books." Hayle sad as she watched the laser cannons on the now visible Action IV swivel towards her.
"Alright then, if this is a legit pickup the Boss would have given you the Passphrase." The pirate wasn't going for it, of that Hayle was certain. Killing the audio on the comm momentarily she called out to the clones to get ready for a bumpy ride and a quick drop before switching the comms back on and trying one more time to make the bluff work.
"Boss told me I wouldn't need it, said the shipment was only small and to be kept quiet, you don't want to displease the Boss do you." Hayle said with as much confidence as she could force into her voice. The comm channel closed and the only response she received was in the form of laser fire from the Action IV.

"Well I guess its time to be creative then..." Hayle muttered to herself before hitting the comms again, this time on the channel that would link her to Cyphors fighter. "Trying to be creative here, would appreciate a hand, this isn't exactly a starfighter I'm flying here." She said as she started making evasive manoeuvres and headed for the platform to drop the commandos. she could see the two Zygerrian ships were powering up their systems in an attempt to flee, she shouted this information back to the clones moments before a laser blast grazed the hull.

On the edge of the system Cyphor ordered the deployed craft to make the jump and ordered the Pandorum left under the command of Cha'alla to prepare to bring assistance. If the pirates backup arrived and it was more than they could handle with the fighters Cyphor didn't want to be stuck there with the Pandorum still a half dozen minutes away. as it was the jump into the system would take a couple of minutes, the fighters and shuttles needed time to enter the atmosphere of the planet and reach the platform adding to the time Hayle would need to be on her toes.

On the platform Hayle managed to avoid taking anymore hits from the Action IV and dropped the commandos who's first objective was to take the two Zygerrian ships. Of this they were only partially successful as the moved in one the two ships one had already closed its hatch and was gunning its engines for a run to orbit. With only the one target the commandos made quick work of the small group of slavers on the second ship, redecorating the interior with the slavers corpses. as the commandos made to move on their secondary objective, the Action IV which had still yet to undock from the platform the squad was pinned down at the Zygerrian vessel. Their commander silently thanked whatever higher beings might be listening for the structure of the platform blocking any shots the Action IV turbolasers might make on the captured vessel. Unable to move from the Slaver vessel a few of the commandos began freeing the slaves, the humanoids and a few Bothans picked up the blasters from the fallen slavers while the Wookies shouted warcrys and rushed the surviving pirates that pinned the squad. With some regrettable casualties the pirates were overwhelmed and the commandos began moving to take the Action IV once more.

In orbit the fighters and shuttles lead by Cyphor were making a run into the atmosphere the Starrunner shuttle had strafed the escaping Zygerrian vessel with fire from its ion cannon and successfully disabled the fleeing ship before returning to the rest of the assault force. with the ship disabled in orbit Cyhpor called the Pandorum to come in and pick the vessel up.
"Hayle," Cyhpor called over the comms as the assault force started their approach to the platform. "We're on our way and we caught the one you lost. How are things down there?"
"Well its about bloody time, We've got the platform pretty much secure, but that Action IV is making a run for it, nothing we can do from down here." .
"Alright we'll intercept the Action IV, I'll sent the shuttles down with the clones to help you tie up any lose ends and get those slaves off the platform. Get what you can off the platform and get out of there, we'll take care of the rest." Cyphor switches frequency and broadcasts to the rest of the assault force. "Flarestars, get down to the platform, Starrrunner, turn your ion cannon on that Action IV, the rest of you, follow my lead."

The Starrunner shuttle makes a bold run on the approaching Action IV, dodging several turbolaser blasts before a lucky shot catches it directly down its centreline coring the small vessel from stem to stern. The few shots it got off with its ion cannon failing to slow down the bulk freighter.
"Damn!" Cyphor swore as the shuttle exploded. "All fighters, aim for weapons and engines, that ship is not going to get away from us." He said over the comm as he pulled the NovaSword into an attack run on the Action IV. As the fighters chased the freighter knocking out the occasional weapon and losing a few of their number in the mean time they still failed to stop the fleeing ship. As it broke orbit and gunned its engines for the edge of the gravity well Cyhpor was pleased to hear the voice of his Padawan over the comms. Ahead of the freighter the Pandorum came out of hyperspace and turned its ion cannon battery on the vessel overwhelming its meagre defences and disabling it in short order.

"Looks like we made it just in time Master" Came Cha'allas voice over the comms.
"It would seem so, tractor the disabled Zygerrian ship into the dropship bay quickly, they have backup incoming and I'm not sure quite how far away they are or what they are, our intel suggests its not more than an escort but lets ere on the safe side."
"Bringing it in now Master, Also that backup just arrived. Correlian gunship, DP-20 class, looks like its barely holding together and its concussion missile launchers seem to have been replaced with ion cannons." Cha'alla said clamly over the comm.
"Alright, get that ship aboard then get out of the system, I'd rather avoid further conflict." Cyphor told his padawan.
"Its only 4 minutes out, we may not have the time to escape."
"Very well then just do what you can." Cyphor said, cutting the command ordering the fighters back aboard the Pandorum.

Back on the platform Hayle and the clones had finished organising the slaves and anyone that was getting off the platform was now aboard one of the two shuttles, the captured Zygerrian ship or Nightclouds Reward. With everyone loaded the 4 vessels made for orbit and headed out to the edge of the gravity well away from the inbound gunship before making the jump to hyperspace themselves.

On Pandorum's bridge Cha'alla watched the incoming gunship before looking over at the disabled Action IV. It seemed a waste to leave the vessel behind when they had lost lives to stop it from getting away.
"We're much larger than they are you know." Came a young male voice nearby. Cha'alla turned her head to look at the young padawan beside off to the side of the bridge.
"Size isn't everything Nikan, we're not as well armed as a vessel of this size usually is." She explained to Nikan.
"But they don't know that." He said with a grin not unlike the one Cyphor used frequently. "If they're as beat up and outdated as they look what are the chances they can't tell how many weapons we have on board."
"Ma'am, the Zygerrian ship is aboard and secured as are the last of the fighters." one of the Pandorum's crewmen informed her.
"I suppose it might be possible Nikan, but it might be a little risky their weaponry could hurt us in a direct engagement, not to mention Master Cyphor ordered us to leave once the craft were aboard."
"Cyphor also doesn't like being called master, yet you insist on doing so anyway. I don't believe that ship will stick around if we take the initiative, they've already failed to protect their charge and now they're facing a vessel that should be able to tear them to pieces as easy as a lightsabre through durasteel." The young Padawn insisted. "Besides, you don't want to leave that Action IV there any more than I do."
Cha'alla thought about that for a few moments, the gunship really didn't look in very good condition, the Pandorum's shielding would be strong enough to protect it for a while ever with those ion cannons and the Pandorum did outgun the gunship.
"Alright but if they don't turn tail and run I'm following the Masters orders to get out of here." She said as she turned back to the crew. "Helm put us on an intercept coarse for that gunship, fire control, open up with everything we have on them."

As Nikan predicted when the Pandorum moved to engage the Gunship it kicked its engines to full burn and headed for the edge of the gravity well to escape. The two ships exchanged fire briefly with neither doing any serious damage to the other before the Gunship reached the edge and jumped away.
"So who's idea was it to contradict my orders?" Cyphor said as he entered the bridge. Nikan looked a little sheepish off to the side but Cha'alla didn't bat an eye at the question. She recognised it for what it was a simple question, so long as the reasons for an action were thought out and reasonable Cyphor didn't mind his orders being questioned or ignored if the results came out well.
"Nikan came up with the idea Master, he believed that the pirates would run rather than stay and fight if we looked like we were going to engage them. He deserves the credit Master"
Cyphor smiled warmly at the response. "There is no reward without risk, I was ready to cut our losses and make do with what we had. But now we have the time to board and take that freighter. Quick thinking young Nikan." Cyphor walked over to his youngest padawan and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder before facing Cha'alla. "You lead the boarding action Cha'alla, take a squad of clones with you and see that we get the ship under our control quickly, I don't want those pirate returning with a bigger friend while we're still docked."
"Yes Master." Cha'alla said before quickly making her way to the turbo lift that would take her down to the docking airlock.

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Pandorum, Docking Airlock

About 5 minutes later.

Zane approached the airlock with the squad of troopers selected for the boarding action, Ahead of him Cha'alla waited, ready to lead them over as Cyphor had ordered.
"Zane, I wasn't aware you were leading the troops over." She said cautiously.
"I'm not, you are. Since I wasn't deployed to the platform I felt like getting my hands dirty, this seems like it will be my last opportunity on this operation." The clone commander said as he reached the airlock.
"Very well then, just so we're clear, I want to keep as many of them alive as possible, they're already beaten we don't need to kill them." Cha'alla replied as she unhooked her sabre from her belt.
"Working with Cyphor and you these past few years I can understand that, some of them won't want to give up though, a few deaths may be unavoidable." the Clone said as he waved a trooper with a hacking console over to get the airlock on the Action IV open.
"But we must give them the option none-the-less." Cha'alla said as she moved to into the airlock and readied her sabre Zane and the troops preparing to follow her through as soon as the door was clear.

After a few moments of beeping as he hacking console did its work the airlock opened slowly with the familiar hiss of atmosphere. No blaster bolt flew towards the door from the pirate vessel so Cha'alla moved through the airlock and stepped onto the other ship. as she cleared the doorway the clones started coming through and securing the corridor they found themselves in.
"Two of you stay here and make sure none try to slip aboard Pandorum, six of you head that way to the cargo hold and make sure you give the crew the opportunity to surrender. The rest of you follow me to the forward section." Cha'alla said as she started moving towards the vessels crew quarters and bridge.

They hadn't gotten too far in when the first blaster bolt flew toward them from the doorway of a bunkroom. Igniting her sabre and blocking the few shoots in fluid quick movements Cha'alla stood in the centre of the corridor and called out to the pirates. "We have no wish to take your lives, Surrender now and you will be treated fairly." As the freighter was running on backup power Cha'alla's sabre blade cast an eerie purple glow around her and after a few moments the sound of blasters hitting the deck and being slid into the corridor could be heard.
"We give up." said one of the Pirates as the small group of 5 started coming out into the corridor. A gesture from Cha'alla had several clones moving forward with restraints as she continued towards the ships bridge with three of the clones on her heels. As she reached the door to the bridge the clones took up positions to either side so that they would be in cover when the door opened and waited for Cha'alla to lead them in.

When she opened the door three blasters immediately opened up on her forcing her to block furiously with her sabre as she moved into the bridge so that the comes could get clear shots off. "Surrender, you don't need to die here." She said as she moved behind a console not far from the door.
"I'll never give up my ship." came a gruff voice Cha'alla took to be the captain from further back on the bridge. One of the clones made a dash from the doorway to crouch by the console beside her, a few moments later another clone made for a console on the other side of the doorway followed closely by the third trooper. The captain and his two loyal crew took the opportunity to open fire again, and a heavy blaster bolt struck the third trooper in the chest just before he reached cover.

"NO!" Cha'alla shouted as she vaulted over the console and rushed the nearest pirate moments before the bolt struck. She was too late to deflect the killing shot, but she was not about to let the same mistake happen twice. Slicing the first pirates blaster in half she kicked him hard against the bulkhead as the remaining two clones opened fire on the other crewman o the far side of the bridge. The only remaining pirate was the captain who snapped off several quick shots from his blaster the last of which Cha'alla deflected back at him with her sabre, the bolt took the man square in the chest and sent him backwards over the console behind him. Ignoring the fallen captain Cha'alla quickly moved to the downed clone, hoping it wasn't to late. Probing his with the force however she realised he had been dead the moment the blaster hit him. Even the healing technique she had been researching couldn't bring one back from the dead.

Back in the cargo hold Zane had lead the remaining troopers in and all but two of the crew their had surrendered when given the chance. and were now being restrained and taken over to the Pandorum under guard. Zane and four of the clones remained to inspect the contents of the hold. Zane was away from the other four inspecting the small amount of tibanna that was in the hold, a much smaller amount than they had expected, evidentially the freighter had not had enough time to load up before they were interrupted.
"Hey, why's this inner airlock open?" Zane heard on one the clones ask from the far side of the bay.
"Leave it alone Cat." Another said.
"Shouldn't be open, its a potential risk, I'll just close it okay." The curious clone said.
"Alright fine Cat, just hurry up."
"There's something just inside the door here." Cat said as he reached for the device.
"Just close the air-"
The clone was cut off as a small explosion erupted in the airlock breaching the outer door and pressurising the bay in the process. Cat was half vaporised by the explosion itself the clone that had been talking to him was sucked out the airlock moments later as the atmosphere began venting. Even across the bay Zane could feel the pull as all the air rushed to escape the bay the other two troopers were much closer and were pulled rapidly towards the airlock alone with a few small bits of loose cargo. Emergency locks had closed the doors deeper into the freighter as soon as the cargo began venting so Zane had some small comfort in knowing the others on board would be safe. carefully trying to grip as much of the secure cargo as he could he made his way closer to the breach. a loose bit of cargo struck one of the two remaining troopers in the head and he was dazed enough to be sucked out the airlock as well before Zane was halfway across the bay. the last of the four was clinging desperately to the inner doors trying to reach the emergency closure button on the inside and pull himself back in at the same time. Zane picked up the pace and soon found himself a the edge of the door himself. He was however moments to late, as he reached out to take the last troopers hand the trooper lost his grip and was sucked out into space. With no other recourse Zane slammed his fist into the emergency close button sealing the door and the breach.
"Damn." Zane swore. Not one trooper lost on the platform only one lost in taking the ship and now they lose four due to a damn booby trap, not the right way for a soldier to go.

A dozen hours later the Pandorum and captured Action IV emerged from hyperspace in the space around Yexn we'Be Cbetabin. The loss of life in the operation was regrettable but the gains had made those sacrifices mean something. While the Tibanna haul have been small they had rescued a number of slaves and while damaged and in need or repairs the Action IV would prove to be a valuable asset in the days to come.

Tibanna raid gets off to a rough start after Hayle fails to bluff her way past the pirates and land on the platform.
A number of slaves are rescued from the platform including six Wookies, two Bothans and twelve various humanoids.
Two Zygerian slave ships were captured though one will need its wiring replaced due to ion damage.
one Action IV bulk freighter, modified with additional armour, six laser cannons and two turbolasers is also captured. (however one turbolaser and four laser cannons were destroyed beyond repair during the fight.)
Four HLAF starfighters and a Starrunner class light shuttle are lost in combat and five clone troopers are lost in boarding the Action IV.
Approximately twelve Pirate crew from the Action IV are taken prisoner and secured in empty crew quarters under guard aboard the Pandorum.

[Andi]

The Planetary System of Naboo.

There was nothing but space and stellar dust at the location when suddenly two vessels blinked into existence as they exited hyperspace and appeared within the Naboo system. One ship was a very much outdated Interdictor-class while the other bared much resemblance to a current model Victory Star Destroyer. In the hangar bay of the interdictor-class vessel, the Remembrance of Shadow stood it's owner and mistress of all who served aboard the vessel and she was currently taking a inventory of what she had brought with her, her own ship of course and with some persuasion Darth Lena was willing to lend her own ship to Andrea's command and even Gra'tua was willing to lend a bomber squadron and some of his shuttles with troops to this undertaking after releasing Andrea as his hostage... but only after Andrea lend him some of her sith disciples and a apprentice for his own foolish mission. She recalled the conversation that led her to this...

Being a hostage aboard Gra'tua's ship might have created some opportunities in time but Andrea knew that if this foolish undertaking of Gra'tua took too long and she missed her chance to raid this supposed arms and munitions freighter then she would be indebted to Vokkla and the thought of owing that fat slug anything repulsed her. So she had gone to Gra'tua with a offer he could hardly refuse, Andrea would loan him the service of two of her apprentices and her two sith disciples for his mission and in return he and Lena would provide her with the means to go to the Naboo System and raid the freighter after all. The only reason why Gra'tua, and Lena for that matter, accepted that deal was because Andrea had to promise them a lion's share of the loot this raid might gain them.

So during one of the breaks between jumps toward Anaxes Gra'tua send three of his shuttles with troops and his apprentice, along with a bomber squadron to Lena's ship while Lena and a number of her own transferred to Gra'tua's vessel. At that the two groups parted ways, Gra'tua and Lena went in the Kandosii Naast to Anaxes while Andrea took her own ship and Lena's Shadow's Regret to the Naboo. Andrea might have missed the opportunity this way to find out what Gra'tua wants on Anaxes but she made sure that her people who went with him were to report anything and everything to her upon their return.

She was lost in her own thoughts when a message came in from her lieutenant Drokan Mohr back on the bridge, the lieutenant in the service of Lena on her ship the Shadow's Regret and Gra'tua's ranking commander wanted a word. Moving to a nearby screen she saw three separate images, one was of her lieutenant on the bridge, one was of Lena's lieutenant, another Givin and the last image was of one of Gra'tua's apprentices, Ky'ram... their daughter. There had not been much time to talk as they traveled to the Naboo system so Andrea did not know that Gra'tua had send Ky'ram with her, she kept her expression neutral however. "We are not in combat I take it, since no squadrons are scrambled and I see that our Givin are not shouting orders to the crew, report... Drokan."

Andrea's Givin inclined his head on the screen, "We seem to have arrived before our intended target." He turned away slightly as someone out of sight said something. "Our scanners also indicate that the system hasn't gone on alert, our presence is as of yet still a surprise."

Impatiently gesturing to Drokan that it was enough Andrea turned to the second Givin, Lena's lieutenant. "What about your status... Verat."

The other Givin under employ of Darth Lena seemed unimpressed, a fact Andrea made a mental note about for when she ever met the Givin in person, as he gave his report. "All systems are operational, our gravity well projector is prepared to block the escape of this freighter whenever it may decide to show up." Then the Givin's tone became more serious. "I must remind you... 'Darth' Andrea that I am under orders from my mistress that if this so-called blue milk run as you called it turns out to be a suicide mission I am to order this ship to escape, despite whatever orders you might give me."

Andrea snorted and dryly responded the official tone of Lena's pet Givin. "Duly noted... in the meanwhile follow my, or Drokan's orders." Not waiting for a reply she turned to the third face, that of her daughter. "Well then, how are Gra'tua's watch dogs doing."

The face of Gra'tua's apprentice remained impassive. "Watch dogs milady? My lord Gra'tua merely send us with you as a toke of his respect... and we are doing fine and we await your command to board this freighter whenever it may show up."

Andrea merely smiled as she looked at the three faces on the screen. "Well then all we have to do is wait... Drokan, launch my interceptor squadrons, they are to remain inactive but in space. Verat, inform Gra'tua's bombers to launch as well and await further orders, the v-wing squadrons can remain docked for the moment. Kyr'am, all you, I and our men can do is wait until it is time to board the freighter when it arrives... which could be within minutes or hours... so I want both of you Drokan, Verat to keep an eye on sensors and communications traffic to see if our presence remains undetected." With that she turned the screen off, her orders were voiced and all they had to do was wait.

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Approximately three hours later...

Almost three hours had passed and nothing had happened, the freighter had not arrived yet and the CIS presence in the Naboo had still not registered the presence of the two vessels either. Andrea was in the middle of another conference with the two Givin in command of both ships and Kyr'am, particularly convincing Verat and Kyr'am that leaving was not a option and they were going to wait when something finally happened. It was Lena's Givin, Verat who reported it first. "Ship leaving hyperspace! A trade federation LH-3210, it seems your freighter has arrived lady Andrea, no escorts in sight. Your orders."

"Finally!" Andrea let herself say before she quickly started giving orders. "Drokan, order the interceptors to keep our ship between them and the freighter's point defense cannons, I want you to do everything you can to take out the freighter's hyperdrive and regular engines, use the Remembrance's speed to keep yourself ahead of the freighter's gunnery crews." She turned to the other Givin, "Verat, launch one of the interceptor squadrons and let them join the bombers, keep them behind you until you manage to destroy or disable the freighter's laser cannons on one of their hangar arms so we can commence boarding. Allow the crew on the freighter some measure of hope but after five minutes I want you to activate the gravity well projector, cutting off whatever escape they might have that way."

Taking a deep breath she dismissed the two Givin to let them carry out their orders and turned to Kyr'am. "Board your shuttle, next time we speak it will be to launch and commence boarding." The apprentice showed a feral smile before she bowed and cut off the screen on her end, leaving Andrea as she turned around and boarded her own shuttle, activating a comlink in her ear that gave her a link to Drokan on the bridge of the Remembrance of Shadow. She smiled as she walked, 'And so it begins.'

Listening to Drokan issuing orders and the updates he gives his mistress Andrea was getting a picture of what was happening, the freighter was surprised by their presence and it's hyperspace exit point almost put it right on top of the two vessels intent on plundering it's cargo. It was returning fire to both attacking vessels and Andrea heard Drokan report it was also beginning to scramble and launch two vulture droid squadrons as well as sending a general distress call to the CIS further in system. Before Andrea could order to do so, Drokan reported that Verat on the Shadow's Regret was giving the turbo laser crews on his ship to target the freighter's communication dish while ordering laser cannon batteries to open fire upon the vulture droids and launch the fourth interceptor squadron, giving orders after the initial laser barrage the interceptor squadrons are to intercept any remaining droid fighters.

Drokan reported that the freighter was trying it's best to defend itself but it was much too slow to escape the assault of both ships and was losing the battle, though he warns Andrea that CIS reinforcements would be inbound after their distress call and would probably arrive within thirty minutes.

Andrea agreed with that assessment and made Drokan order the Bomber squadron, escorted by a squadron of interceptors to make a attack run on the freighter's regular engines. When Verat reported that a majority of the guns on one of the freighter's hangar arms were either destroyed or disabled and also reported that the vulture droids were massacred under the heavy laser cannon barrage and by the interceptor squadrons he send in to deal with any surviving droid fighters Andrea gave the order that all shuttles were to launch and enter through the hangar on the most disabled arm.

Thoughts that so far this operation was indeed nothing but a blue milk run evaporated when Verat gave a report that launching the shuttles showed enough weakness that the freighter's surviving defense cannons punched through one of the Shadow's Regret's shields and completely ripped apart a turbo laser and ion cannon battery before Verat could order to neutralize those defense cannons permanently before they could cause more damage. Drokan dryly reported that Verat was going to ask his mistress to add the cost of replacing those ship weapons to Andrea's tab.

Andrea had no time to reply as her shuttle, as well as all other shuttles successfully gained entrance to the main cargo ring without any losses and more disturbingly, no opposition from the hangar and adjacent cargo bay. Andrea ordered her other Theta-class shuttle to disembark a few soldiers to see why there was no opposition waiting for them while giving the same order to one of Gra'tua's shuttles with mandalorians. As they do that Andrea listens to Drokan giving a unsatisfactory report that the freighter was pouring a lot of it's power into the shields protecting their hyperdrive and regular engine systems, giving Verat the order to return the bomber squadron and let it dock back on the ship, two of the four interceptor squadrons were also given the order to return to their hangars.

It was at that exact moment that one of the soldiers, a mandalorian was giving a report that there was no sign at all of any form of opposition, no trade federation droids of any kind when the reason for that 'fortune' made itself clear. Whoever was in command of this freighter had clearly anticipated their boarding and called back all droids and personnel and had now turned off the magcon field in the hangar. Andrea listened to a number of oaths, curses and screams as several of the scouts are sucked out of the hangar into space before one of the soldiers outside managed to activate the hangar's emergency protocols and override the command from the bridge and turn the magcon field back online. Kyr'am ordered one of her shuttles to head out the hangar against Andrea's orders, Kyr'am calmly explained that the armor of her father's mandalorians were sealed against the vacuum of space for a few precious moments and that her father would hate to lose precious Mando'ade.

Holding her tongue Andrea left her shuttle with a dathomiri honor guard in tow while the other shuttles disembarked their troops too. Andrea gestured to Kyr'am, "Go and secure the hangar in case our gracious hosts decide to send in a welcome committee after all, Karis! Tell those blasted Zabrak to start being useful and check those cargo containers or find a cargo manifest! Order them if they find anything of use to start loading up those shuttles at once! Get on it!" Andrea watched her Dathomiri lieutenant go while she decided to check upon Drokan and Verat, they both reported that the situation was unchanged and that they were keeping the freighter occupied when one of the Zabrak approached her that he had found a partial cargo manifest. This freighter was carrying almost only blaster weaponry and several turbolaser battery parts that needed assembly to fully functional ship based weapons, especially the latter cargo made Andrea's eyes glimmer with greed. The reason why this trade federation captain was so stubbornly keeping it's engines shielded and intact was that the destination of these weapons was Naboo.

Andrea chuckled at that, the CIS on Naboo could wait an eternity on those weapons as far as she was concerned. "Alright, start loading those-" Drokan's voice interrupted her order and angrily she responded. "What is the matter! I have my hands full here Drokan."

"My apologies mistress." Drokan sounded anything but sorry, "I and Verat are in agreement, our sensors have detected several 'shadows' heading in our direction, we estimate twenty minutes until their arrival."

Andrea cursed, twenty minutes as not enough time to load even-

"May I speak." Andrea turned around, distracted she had not noticed Mirta, Gra'tua's mandalorian lieutenant who had also been assigned to this mission had approached her from behind. Mirta tapped her helmet, "Couldn't help but overhear that particular conversation. I suggest we load whatever blasters we can carry on the shuttles and leave, moving one of the ships, I suggest Shadow's Regret, into position above the hangar and use it's tractor beam to move cargo aboard without relying on the shuttles."

Grudgingly Andrea had to admit the idea had merit and gave the order to load whatever pellets of blasters her people could get their hands on onto the shuttles and leave the freighter at once while the Shadow's Regret moved into position taking to start transferring the cargo from the freighter's main cargo bay to it's own. The two remaining interceptor squadrons were also ordered to return to their hangars at the same time. Andrea assigned her dathomiri, two of Gra'tua's mando assault squads and Mirta to remain behind in the hangar and keep an eye out for possible surprises while the other squads start loading up as many blaster pellets as the could on the shuttles while two Zabrak combat engineer squads started tagging the more worthwhile cargo containers for pick-up by the tractor beam before they retreat to their own shuttles.

Eighteen minutes pass by, filled with the shuttles returning, save the borrowed Nu-class shuttle which remained behind to ferry back Andrea, Mirta and the left behind squads who watched as the tractor beam from the Shadow's Regret started ferrying the tagged cargo modules to it's own cargo bays things were looking good when Verat contacted Andrea. "We have just gotten confirmation, a Providence class Carrier and two Munificent Star Frigates are incoming, ETA is two minutes... these three factors are sufficient for me to follow the orders given by my mistress, I have given the order to turn off the gravity well projector and we are pulling out lady Andrea, I urge you to join us." With that Verat terminated the comms.

Cursing she made an oath that if she were ever to meet this Givin face to face she would make him pay for the tone he addressed. Andrea started moving to the shuttle, motioning Mirta and the squads that remained on the freighter that they were hightailing out of here. Leaving the freighter's hangar Andrea had moved to the cockpit and watched as the Shadow's Regret was moving away as fast as possible, her own ship the Remembrance was moving in a escort position alongside Lena's ship. Andrea contacted Drokan who confirmed the ship identities of the CIS reinforcements, "Very well... Drokan I want you to give our new guests a choice... open fire on the freighter, destroy it's bridge and let's see what is more important to the CIS, pursue two pirates or try and save whatever may be left of their cargo freighter and it's cargo. Since the Shadow has our plunder I want you to, after you have executed my first order, divert any power you can spare to the shields and move into position behind the Shadow, protect that ship as if it were me."

Andrea watched with sadistic pleasure as her ship opened fire on the bridge of the cargo ship they had just left, her smile did not last long as the CIS reinforcements got into range they suddenly opened fire, but not upon the intruders who raided one of their ships, but on the cargo ship. The question why they did that was answered with a communique that was broad casted on every frequency.

'In accordance with Marshall Grievous's orders, your failure to repel boarders and pirates during a time of war is considered treason. The sentence is death.'

Her shuttle was past both her own and Lena's vessel, not bothering to dock as this Nu-class shuttle had it's own hyperdrive and that docking would take precious time for both larger vessels that could be used better to escape to the nearest hyperspace exit point. "Mistress!" Drokan's voice sounded over the com, his voice alarmed. "They have locked eight torpedo batteries on us!"

Time seemed to slow down for Andrea as her lieutenant's words were confirmed by the co-pilot of the shuttle. She barely registered Drokan's voice as he also reported the launch of four squadrons of vulture droids, her eyes glued to the small dots on the sensor screen that indicated incoming torpedoes aimed for both her vessel and Lena's. When she snapped out of it and issued orders, the words were almost spat out of her mouth as she tried to voice it as fast as possible. "Drokan accelerate and dive under the Shadow! Give her room to open fire with it's laser cannon batteries, launch a interceptor squadron and order them to destroy those incoming torpedoes! Tell them to ram them if it becomes necessary!"

The next series of events happened so quickly but to Andrea it moved dreadfully slow. As her ship accelerated and dove under Lena's vessel, giving it room to open fire with whatever laser cannons were able to be put up to fire behind the ship, while a squadron of her ISF interceptors hastily launched out of her ship's hangar and engaged the torpedoes, opening fire on any they could target. The combined firepower of the laser cannons and interceptors take down all but seven of the incoming torpedoes, and all seven were headed straight to her ship. She watched as they impacted on her shields and let out a scream of rage when her shields soaked up the damage of six of the torpedoes but the last managed to punch through and she watched as one of her ship's engines was obliterated. Her interceptors returned to their hangar, she registered that she had lost none of her fighters but that could not prevent her from seething with rage at the loss of one of her ship's engines.

Drokan reported in, saying that even with the loss of one engine they were still making enough speed to head to the nearest hyper exit, Verat reported similar but the CIS reinforcements were still getting closer and the four previous launched vulture droid squadrons were still incoming as well. It was Verat who gave the next order, urging Drokan to release their garbage to hinder the weapon targeting systems of their pursuers and hinder the incoming Vulture droid squadrons and gain enough time to escape. Andrea watched as both ships released their garbage into space and watched with satisfaction as it seemingly served it's purpose as no real weapons fire from their pursuers made itself felt again. Her shuttle activated it's hyperdrive engines at the same time her own ship and Lena's ship did the same, headed to the agreed upon rendezvous coordinates.

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Later at the rendezvous coordinates...

Andrea had taken the time to return to her own ship, ordering Drokan to send engineering teams to repair whatever damage they have sustained besides the destroyed engine while she took the time to relax and take a bath while Verat made a inventory of the cargo they looted. Moments later, dressed in a loose robe, open from the front that showed off almost her entire front she was sitting in one of the few chairs in her private chambers in front of a screen conversing with the three people she started this undertaking while one of her Zeltron aides was massaging her shoulders. "Stop whining about the damage to the ship Verat, my ship lost an engine and I already said I would compensate your mistress for the destruction of those two weapon batteries... now can someone report what it actually is we looted before I decide I should execute some people?"

Kyr'am cleared her throat, "We made a inventory of what we managed to obtain." She inclined her head to read from a pad she must have been holding off-screen. "Fifty pallets of E-5 blasters, several containers that together have sufficient parts for five turbolaser batteries." She paused and Andrea noticed that the younger woman seemed to grow very excited at whatever she was going to say next. "One of our people also tagged two containers that were unmarked and not registered in the cargo manifest... we have the parts for two working Mass Drivers." Andrea's eyes widened and both Drokan and Verat showed signs that they were surprised as well.

Andrea smiled, "A good haul... store those turbo laser battery and mass driver parts somewhere safe... I have plans for the blaster pellets. Drokan, Verat... head to the rendezvous coordinates to reunite with Gra'tua's vessel and see if he and Lena were successful on his little errand..." With that she terminated the conference and send a message to Vokkla, telling her that the raid was a success and that she wanted to arrange a meeting at a set of specific coordinates to hand over his percentage and to inform him she was asking if he might be interested to buy a number of pellets of blasters for a bargain price. With that done Andrea leaned back with a sight of content as her Zeltron Aide started really putting some effort into massaging Andrea, life was good... but while this raid was a success compared to what she gained and lost the future could not be so profitable.

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Naboo Cargo Ship Piracy GM event handled.

Darth Andrea convinced her two 'allies' to let her go after the cargo ship expected to pass through the Naboo system with her own vessel, Darth Lena's vessel and some ships and men provided by Darth Gra'tua.

The raid was a success and while some equipment and men were lost the losses are acceptable compared to the gains.

Losses:
(Andi) Andrea,
1 Ion Engine Destroyed
4 Zabrak Soldiers sucked into the vacuum of space

(Selvi) Lena,
1 Turbo Battery Destroyed
1 Ion Battery Destroyed

(Sarzu) Gra'tua,
2 Mandalorian Assault soldiers sucked into the vacuum of space.

Loot gained:
5 Turbolaser batteris (need to be assembled and installed at shipyard) (25 SP worth)
50 Pallets of Blasters (25 SP worth)
And 2 Mass Drivers (need to be assembled and installed at shipyard) (20 SP worth)

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Since this was a event triggered by Andrea's hutt contact a 10% 'tribute' of 7SP worth in blaster pellets will be handed over to Vokkla the hutt.

16 SP worth of blaster pellets will also be sold to Vokkla.

The Shadow's Regret and Remembrance of Shadow are travelling to rendezvous coordinates with the Kandosii Naast.