@Guy of Z
"my Kriffing leg!" Eisline roared with barely contained frenzy. Why, why did the universe hate him so? Why did it dismiss him and why did the force take every opportunity to betray him?! "That.....that...expendable" he let out a wheeze as he was kicked in the ribs and set reeling into the immense stairs hard enough he was certain ribs broke but the sheer, spasmodic agony from his leg left him blind to whatever might have befell his torso. The kick, which was brutal sent him flying about a quarter of a meter and the kinetics of it caused what little strength in the tendons holding his leg together after Earhen utterly vaporized his kneecap to give out and tendons and arteries snapped and he fell a rush of even more blood and a thump. Around them, the vast caverns shuddered and seemed to creak as though the lingering presence of long dead Sith, or perhaps an echo of Palpatine's self imprinted stirred, feeding on the carnage and the serendipitous nature of so many familiar faces being in one place. The Mandalorian watched him in the flickering light of the brazier, disinterested. "That leap was pathetic and that one looked like he had experience fighting airborn targets" the disappointment in his tone caused the Adept to delve into the darkside in a frantic attempt to staunch the bleeding and to lash out, only for blinding white agony to disturb his concentration.
Blood ebbed from the side of his head "MY EAR?! YOU CUT OFF MY KRIFFING EAR?!"
"Hurts don't it" Rua sneered, his eyes beaming with malevolence. "Do you know who killed Gethzerion?" he asked and the Adepts eyes widened at the mere mention of the name, a name that had literally been made a crime to utter in Imperial city and across the breadth of the empire. The Dark witch who'd been the whole reason that Zsinj was given command over an entire oversector, solely to keep her power contained at Dathomir.
"Zsinj and me, lied about it in our reports to the Emperor, since it suited Zsinj for the old wizard to believe a threat still existed. Funny that, Palpatine claimed to be damn near omnipotent in the force but couldn't sense the death of a rival..that he feared when he shouldn't have" There was laughter and a song steel blade touched the man's throat "your lightsaber, trying to reach for it with the force, I can see it in the twinge of your cheek muscles"
whether blood loss or fear or both the adept let out a howl of utter despair. "y..you....you and that other fop, that idiot pretender killed Gethkriffingzerion? You're a bad liar mando"
"And yet here I am, standing over you" a swift flick of the blade caused two layers of skin to slough off his neck and as the Adept howled in pain Rua grabbed him by the collar and lifted him up so that he was resting partly against the Mandalorians knee and tight and lower stomach. Darksider blood ebbed out, steaming against his armor in the cool subterranean air "Last chance, the crazy cunt that dismissed you from Coru...who is she really?"
Rua didn't even bother asking him about another Jedi who might have broken in, there was no point. Ja'Karr was good enough to stay one step ahead of him, he would have been in and out without this fool even realizing. Rua was arrogant, but he never underestimated a worthy opponent, especially a force sensitive one. The adept laugh "Afraid for your precious mamas boy Rua? Or your own honor? How does the Dog of a fat, matricidal bastard like Zsinj ever expect to unite the Mandalorian clans? Huh? Oh I know you..I can see it in your eyes, you glory hounding pretty boy halfbreed" he coughed, blood bubbled from his throat, definitely broke a rib. -Keep him talking, maybe I'll bleed to death before he kills me- it was petty, it was spiteful.
It was all he had.
And then his nose came off with a flick and he screamed again and nearly vomited. "I'll ask again pretender..Who is she really?"
Even in death, an adept's life was evidently not his own. Damn you..Sidious..you promised us glory...Not...this.
"She....she..is..exactly..who she says she is" The Adept managed a defiant laugh "And she is going to bring a holy war to this galaxy the likes of which even the Sith couldn't fathom! Your doom is in your hunt you damn Mandalorian hound! So kill me pretty boy...my death won't hold a candle to yours!"
In the flickering light, Rua of Clan Skirata, war master of Emperor Zsinj's countenance shifted. Something cruel, intermixed with genuine concern and malice.
He slid his blade, but not cleanly through the ribs to grant him a quick death. Instead he disemboweled the Adept, whose intestines spilt across the steps, bathing them in blood and bile as Earhen finally slid his way into one of the vaults.
cleaning his blade Rua ordered the Raptor guard to find the inventory list then check for missing Sith and Jedi manuscripts, ignoring the cloning tech and treasure, Ja'Karr wouldn't have been interested in that. "Then plant two dozen seismic charges and proton torpedoes in this cesspit. I want the explosion to be visible from orbit and a crater deep and wide enough to make a kriffing lake"
Rua turned to leave before looking back at the doorway "Ya hear that kiddo? You've got six hours to get your crap and leave or you'll be ash!"
The Adept was right. Rua thought, his death wouldn't compare.
Mostly because he wasn't someone else's instrument.
@TheWatchDog
Yavin 4
3996 BBY
Deep in the Great Temple Kun surveyed the Isolation Chambers specified for his silent daggers that he had hoped to put against the Republics throats. His bid on Ossus cost him his apprentice but he completed his mission of raiding Jedi Artifacts. Soon he would have the tools to rebuild the Sith Empire using the vary teachings of the Jedi fools who destroyed it.
His creations were incomplete still but he equipt every device to retell the history of the Missasi and the sith to each chamber's occupants. A larger Chamber fitted for use by a full blooded Massasi Warrior remained unused, it was a backup in case the temple became compromised. A nocturnal hunter, a night beast would be born of the lucky candidate. The Jedi were reeling from the Supernova unleashed by that useless sycophant Crado and that harlot Aleema, they couldn't marshall a force fast enough to oppose him and they could try with their scattered enclaves! Ulic’s capture was a setback but he would retrieve him again.
Now
Upon opening the room Earhen came across a strange site, what seemed to be two strang tanks that looked nothing alike. If this is what The Emperor took from Yavin and stored here it seemed mundane so far.
I hope there is a grav life here. I'm not kriffing dragging these things whatever they are.
Thankfully a conveniently placed lift was available to pick up the platform
“Ok call the Hoojibs and tell them to get out of the tie mauler we’re gonna airlift out I’ll comm Tal.”
Earhen didn’t really know if he could really trust the man known as Tal Hesz, and a being as damned as much as Earhen was probs wouldn’t help his reputation to the Republic, he took on Merc work omitting his...sour history to avoid getting the Teshiek treatment. Tal on the other hand at one point hopped to exchange Luke Skywalker and a Rebel Fleet bean counter to Darth Vader to bargain with the Empire in his homeworlds favor. When Skywalker predictably escaped his planet was slagged by Vader and enslaved and the poor bastard that didn’t escape Tal’s betrayal, Jorin Sol was reprogrammed into a sleeper agent by Intelligence and nearly destroyed the Rebel fleet. Earhen was wondering how long it would take for people in the Rebellion...er Republic to just recognize Tal and just shoot him really…only reason Earhen had no moral high ground was because well...he wasn't much better when he assisted in hunting Tay Vanis.
Before then he saw Vader as a tragic hero betrayed by fate, a necessary monster but...the way that man screamed when Vader rubbed away his memories until he was a mindless husk was too much...even for the Assassin. Of all the acts of cruelty by the Dark lord that rattled him the most.
He prepared the lift left the message to the brooding Jabiinite manning his beautiful ship and took off from the caverns with both capsules. What the hell was in these things that got that kook Blackhole to send his soldiers?