Lord Narthais
Vivacious Strength Lightsabre Practise ChamberNarthais cycled through stances and strikes with a rhythmic pattern in the lightsabre practice chamber of the Vivacious Strength. He was the sole occupant of the room, the lights were low and Harbin-re opera played in the background as a distinct counterpoint to the hum of his sabre pikes blade. Part training, part meditation, the intricate dance across the practise floor and around obstacles was a sight to see for someone that looked as old as Narthais did, had anyone been watching at least.
But someone had been watching, observing and when it seemed the sith lord was completely focussed and concentrated on his practice with the blade, the observer did admit her target seemed to have some skill but clearly he and his people needed to learn to pay more attention to their surroundings.
Reaching the end of his routine Narthais suddenly could feel a presence 'pop' into existence, a presence that was right behind him, a voice quickly followed this sudden realization. "I come in peace, requesting a audience on behalf of my master." Came the soft-spoken feminine voice, belonging to the small figure in black and blue stealth gear with a mask covering most of her face except for her eyes, which had different irises, one red with gold, dark side corruption while the other was a crystal blue hue.
"Ror'jahn" Narthais said in an equally quiet tone as he turned around and faced the woman, restraining the impulse to run the potential assassin through. He stood in silence for a moment as he looked the figure over, noting her eyes and equipment while leaning almost lazily on his sabrepike. "I take it anyone who noticed you on the way in was not up to the task of alerting anyone else, if for that demonstration of capability alone I shall grant you a moment to speak your piece." he added after a time.
The figure bowed and reached inside the folds of her outfit, coming out with a small disc which she settled on the ground between herself and Narthais. Tapping it once she stepped back and the device suddenly extended to three times it size, forming a large disc and it began to hum softly as it became active.
A moment later the hologram of a human male appeared, looking to be in his late forties, what stood out most however, was the fact half of his face was heavily bandaged. "My greetings to you lord Narthais, my apologies I could not arrange this in person but... I am somewhat otherwise occupied." Besides his bandaged face it was also obvious there were hints of tubes of some kind attached to his back and arms. "I am lord Traiserus and I was hoping we could talk, since this device is activated I assume my emissary is alive still."
The female spoke a word and Traiserus merely nodded, "Ah good, my apologies again, assuming she had not gotten lax she managed to find you alone and without raising a alarm."
"Not an unimpressive feat aboard my personal dreadnought." Narthais acknowledged with a slight nod, he would need to have words with Ginn about shipboard security later of course. "Evidently you know something of myself already, not many of the sith I have encountered over the years would stand for such an intrusion." Narthais replied mildly as he glanced about almost absently. This did not last long however before his eyes focused and he looked directly at the image of the sith lord. "What do you want?"
"First let me ask you a question, I have been observing you, by chance I found out about you, you do not seem to have any interest in the Tapani sector, is this correct?" Traiserus asked before suddenly entering into a coughing fit at which some one in what seemed to be a medical outfit approached and quickly dabbed away something form Traiserus's mouth before stepping out of view.
Narthais raised an eyebrow and blinked casually once or twice at the question before he answered. "It would be accurate to say I have no present interests in the Tapani sector. Merely asking such a question makes me wonder if there is something there that should be of interest of course."
He laughed and coughed again, this time when the orderly came he angrily waved him back as he answered Narthais. "Only nobles, sith and my claim on the sector." He narrowed his one good eye at the older sith lord. "I have run into some... competition for my claim however, another sith whose arrogance knows no bounds." He gestured at his bandages and the general state he was in, "She is responsible for what happened to me and I want revenge, my own chosen agent for the task failed me."
The female figure let out a sound of amusement after hearing that, but otherwise remained quiet. Traiserus continued, "So I decided to approach you, I do not make allies, that is impossible for people like us... temporary partners, that works for me however. I am wealthy, I could reward you with much if you could assist me in removing this pest that hurt me and my operations. Assuming you are interested or not of course."
Narthais smiled slowly, "You seek to hire me like a common mercenary?" He replied as the smile turned to a soft chuckle. "I admit objective wealth can be a strong tool and an effective motivator for most people. I am however not most people."
"The wealth I speak off is also information, that intrigues most of our kind." Came the reply, interlaced with a angry hiss of pain. "If you assist me in destroying the pests that plague me, I will reveal the location of Korriban to you, the sith tombworld, you can have that rock, all I want is to see the bitch who burned me dead."
Narthais considered the offer for a moment before he spoke again, the relative silence stretching out long enough to test many peoples patience. "Tell me about your adversary." he simply stated after a time.
Traiserus smiled and then grimaced once more in pain before he replied, "She is a sith, who has intruded upon several of my plans now in the Tapani Sector. She goes by several identities but her true name is Azazel, my agent has a file with some of the names known to me as well as her appearance. She also works with at least one other sith, her name and appearance are unknown to me, my worthless agent send to deal with them failed to retrieve that kind of information. Ah and I almost forgot... Azazel appears to be pregnant, with twins... I want those children, but they are a secondary objective really, if taking them alive interferes with killing her I do not give a care in the galaxy if the children die with her."
He paused, to let an orderly change some of the tubes that were attached to him, "Azazel also has a number of disciples and other high ranking people that serve her. Her powers are not that impressive... but the conjuring and moulding of fire were a surprise." He growled.
"Evidently." Narthais commented mildly.
"Laugh if you want, I assume my agent is quietly snickering as well." If she did Narthais could not tell, she did straighten somewhat upon hearing that but otherwise remained motionless and quiet. "So, will you accept this temporary partnership, or not. This is hardly a task which I can ask independent agents or mercenaries, secrecy is paramount in this task, I want to resolve my crisis in the Tapani sector not increase the troubles plaguing me."
"Your offer is intriging," Narthais replied, "Give me everything you have on this Azazel, and we can see what might be done to resolve your crisis."
"Cal." At that word or name the female figured stirred and once again reached inside the folds of her clothing, this time coming out with a data crystal of some kind and walked past the hologram to hand it over to Narthais. Her master speaking once she handed the object over, "On it you will also find contact details with which you can reach me at the end of each month."
Narthais took the crystal and without so much as a glance at it tucked it away within the folds of his own clothing. "Your... agent... will remain with me for the duration of this partnership." Narthais stated, afterall so far this Traiserus has set all the terms, now it was his turn.
The agent stiffened and glanced back at the hologram, Traiserus frowned and winced before speaking. "No she will not, she will return to me, I have other purposes for her." Upon hearing that she started stepping back, away from Narthais, keeping her eyes on him.
"You misunderstand, this is not a negotiation." Narthais replied without changing his tone or making any overt moves. "I assume she is familiar with the majority of your operations, for instance which ones this Azazel may cross next. I do not care to know the full details of such operations, enough to track the quarry you have set is sufficient. However I also assume you would prefer these operations suffered no additional setbacks, keeping your agent here would allow me to avoid stepping on your own toes while chasing the hare so to speak. She would be an advisor, not a hostage." he concluded.
"If you need a representative of mine, then that can be arranged but this particular one I need at my side... now." At that the figure bowed, took another step back and then, her presence vanished from Narthais's senses and then she just... vanished in front of his eyes.
Traiserus coughed and laughed, "She is quite skilled at disappearing from sight."
"Quite attached to your pet I see." Narthais replied as he momentarily considered ordering a shipwide lockdown, he dismissed the thought however as such action would likely just result in unnecessary damage to his ship and the loss of some of the crew, not that that last one was particularly bothersome. "Not a particularly healthy mindset to have by those like us." Narthais finished before he used the force to shut off the holo comm and left the practice chamber ignoring the reluctant agent who was likely observing still from the shadows. She had found her way aboard without detection, chances were she could leave the same way. If she happened to be detected and caught, well maybe she would make a useful hostage afterall. In the mean time, Amourus should have finished extracting the information about the auction from the smuggler they had brought back a week ago.
Annika Sevage
Vivacious Strength, Torture ChambersAnnika had been taking her time with extracting information from their prisoner, teaching her apprentice, Tayma, the art of information gathering via torture. The little one seemed a bit unrefined and had failed to grasp the finer points that she had demonstrated on Mr Reyce, perhaps the young one was a little too eager to inflict pain for the pleasure of it rather than for the purpose Annika had been endeavouring to teach. Still, Tayma showed a creative approach to pain that Annika couldn't help but smile at even if it was not achieving the desired response this time.
Of course Annika had already obtained the information Narthais required hours previously so Tayma's not so productive efforts were not an obstruction. Still it was a teaching session now and Tayma was failing to achieve the target set, as a result Annika had applied a few of the techniques to Tayma herself on the past hour as both encouragement to get it right and demonstrative purpose. Tayma was not being overly receptive to such measures and rather than grasp the subtle differences between her technique and Annika's she appeared to take out her frustration on the smuggler instead, a viscous circle that reached its end moments after Narthais entered the room for a status update.
Narthais observed as the smuggler let go of life rather than suffer further under Tayma's increasingly aggressive ministrations. "Tell me young one, can a corpse answer questions?" He asked as he approached the two women, walking with his sabrestaff as a walking stick and appearing every inch the wise old grandfather. Tayma did not even need to look to know it was Narthais that had spoken, none aboard the Vivacious Strength could mistake his voice, and her reaction was immediate, she spun to face him and dropped to her knees with her head bowed in one smooth motion.
"They can not my lord." Tayma answered as she kept her head bowed.
Narthais came to stand before the apprentice while Annika stood to the side and watched.
"Essentially correct, However the Force can still show us many things if one is trained for it." Narthais stated as he looked to Annika. "Tell me young one, have you learned to read the history on an object through the force?"
"I can not my lord." Tayma said not hesitating at all with her answer in the negative, though she was aware that her teacher, Annika, was capable of such a thing.
"And yet the subject lies dead, beyond the reach of your questions and quite unable to give you answers." Narthais said as he raised a hand and delivered a fierce if brief blast of lightning into Tayma. The apprentice showed fortitude however as she refused to buckle under the assault even as Narthais delivered several more bursts. Still kneeling after Nathais delivered a seventh and final burst the sith lord had to admit that where Tayma lacked the refined edge he had come to appreciate from Annika's skills, Tayma would still make a formidable sith one day.
With his own lesson to the apprentice administered Narthais put thoughts of the apprentice out of his mind and turned to Annika. "You have the information." He stated simply with his expression and Annika's past experience with the sith lord, she knew any answer other than an affirmative would see her suffer the same 'lesson' just delt to Tayma, though likely far harsher.
"The auction will be held on Gromas, I have the location of the specific venue recorded and the password required for entry is 'Deadliest Sin'." Annika replied as she kept her calm. "Mr Reyce knew nothing more."
Narthais stared impassively for a few moments before he spoke again, his expression and tone one of obvious command. "Very well, prepare your ship, you will be travelling to the Tapani sector, there is someone there I wish you to seek out, if not the person directly then their operations, this is a scouting assignment, you are not to engage."
"When do I leave?" Annika asked.
"Just prepare your ship, I will have further instructions for you soon." Narthais replied before turning on his heel and leaving the chamber with as much ceremony as he had entered.
Tayma was now visibly shaking as she tried to maintain her kneeling position, she had done well not to do so before Narthais had left. Of course Annika was not about to let the apprentice take it easy yet. "Get up." she commanded. "Report to the hanger and have Ash start preflight checks, then gather your equipment for a potentially long and varied assignment." Annika continued before gifting Tayma with a smile that held more cruelty than warmth. "Once you have done that you may collapse in your quarters aboard the Abandoned Shadow." She concluded before leaving the chamber herself to attend to her own supplies for the mission.
Lord Narthais
Command and Control, Vivacious StrengthNarthais strode into the cnc a short time later and immediately ordered the comms crew to contact all agents in the Tapani sector as well as the archaeologist Narthais employed as a lorekeeper. The request was simple when communication was established with a contact, any information on events in the Tapani sector, particularly events that may involve powerful darkside wielders.
His Spies in the Kubaz network had little to offer at the time and so Narthais gave them instructions to look deeper into the movements and operations of this Traiserus, while he was for now perhaps working with the other sith lord he still wanted to know all he could about the man.
Of his lorekeeper there was no contact, simply a message from the museum that was currently sponsoring his research that he was off on some jungle planet looking for a golden head idol of some long past civilisation. Narthais suspected the lorekeeper was not exactly following traditional methods in his search based on the museums vagueness.
A cult of the darkside in the neighbouring sector reported rumours that there may be strong sith working with a cult that went by the name Mecrossa Order operating in Tapani, Narthais wished his lorekeeper had been contactable at hearing that as this 'order' did not sound like some simple secretive cult as many o those groups devoted to the darkside tended to be.
There was however some interesting information from his smuggler contacts about rare and powerful weapon parts being delivered to the Tallaan along with a reportedly fully operational cloaking device. Connected to Taiserus, Azazel or entirely unrelated that piece of information intrigued Narthais, an operational cloaking device was worth much both in wealth and stratigic value, at the very least he wanted to know who presently had it in their possession.
As Narthais reviewed the last few details that had been gleaned from his contacts one of the crew on sensors spoke up.
"My lord, I believe a stealth vessel just disengaged from one of the secondary airlocks."
Narthais did not reply directly and instead turned to Ginn. "I want a complete review of our security measures, they are apparently ineffective as they are." He said to Ginn.
"My lord?" Ginn replied not entirely sure what Narthais was getting at.
"The next time an uninvited guest manages to board the ship, hold a 20 minute conversation with myself and leave an hour later while only making a blip on our sensors when departing..." Narthais started saying before he stopped and just watched Ginns reaction at the news for a moment. "It will not happen again." He concluded finally before ordering the helm to set a course for Gromas, authorising the launch of the Abandoned Shadow along with additional orders for Darth Amourus and then leaving the cnc with a stunned Ginn to try and fully grasp the implications of what Narthais had said. The security crews were drilling a short time later as Ginn tried to find where the 'guest' had bypassed their procedures so thoroughly.
* Narthais practices his footwork and receives an uninvited guest.
* Details of the Holocron Auction Narthais has been looking for are learned from the Smuggler Khal Reyce before he expires
* Information is gathered and plans are made to attend the auction and look into matters in the Tapani sector more.