Kwenn System,
Nova Retreat.
Sweat was pouring down her face, panting as she parried and weaved around the strikes of her opponent, a Ailon swordmaster, Neia was almost regretting her decision to ask one of them to be her sparring partner, forgetting at the time they pride themselves to be a warrior race, equal or perhaps even better than Mandalorians. But she wanted to see if her new skills with a electrostaff were indeed a improvement or not and so far... well the match had been going on for thirty minutes, before she would have been disarmed or 'killed' in less than ten minutes so there was definite improvement. She couldn't beat the Ailon however and after several more minutes she yielded, acknowledging the better skill of her sparring partner. At first she did not enjoy the prospect of a warlike species like the Ailon being present on her station and other operations but she had learned to accept them and even value them. A few months back there had been a disturbance of sorts with a visitor who claimed her people cheated at the gambling tables, she suspected it was true because Boher had been involved. Some of the Ailon had been present and the disturbance had been quickly disbanded and the troublemakers send off station after the worst of their injuries had been taken care off.
She dabbed her forehead with a towel and looked around, seeing others also practicing and honing their skills. Off to the side were Vette, HK-51, Kalira and Jantor engaging in a shooting competition with the droid proclaiming Vette was only winning due to superior droid-like cybernetics enhancing her reflexes and sight. Her sister was training with her shock whip lashing out at targets that had sensors installed and gave exact details if her strikes were effective in regards if she was actually hitting a organic or droid opponent.
She whistled and her constant companions on the station, her first two dwarf-vornskr reared up their heads and walked to her side, following her as she started to trek back to her chambers for a relaxing shower and a nap. Of course, three more steps and she was at the door of her chambers and her private comm started buzzing, with a sigh she tapped the device on her wrist. "Neia here, I could ask, can this wait, but it probably can't? Am I right?"
The yelping, howling and barking of a Wookiee were heard as Gaarwarr first chuckled and then began to speak, thankfully she had picked up his language so she didn't need Kalira to translate anymore. <"Not really. Word has come from your spy contacts. Apparently valuable cargo can be found in a warehouse on the planet Syvris. They thought you might find that interesting.">
She frowned, "What kind of cargo and to who does the warehouse belong to?"
There was a pause and then Gaarwarr continued. <"The cargo is unspecified only that it is very, very valuable according to your contacts. The owner is a black market dealer who isn't affiliated with the Syndicate, a freelancer, with enough power and wealth to get his own deals going it seems without having to worry about the Syndicate, which does suggest a certain amount of danger involved if you wish to take this cargo, though I must voice my opinion that any act of thievery is something I would not condone but I would not stop you."> Makign a grumbling noise after the last sentence.
She smiled, "Noted, though if it is a black marketeer I doubt he got his hands on this cargo without stealing it, are we talking about an entire warehouse full of goods or a small package? Also if it is a carbonite shipment I am not going to take it, it might be the son of a crimelord and that only gives trouble."
<"Surprisingly it appears to be a small package according to the spy."> Came the reply.
"Very well, convey my thanks to the contact and tell them I will investigate and see if our black marketeer really needs such a valuable cargo. I am reluctant to take the Gambit or one of the other vessels since we have our risky contract with the republic. So I think I will just take the Maiden." Neia said, musing as she began planning.
<"I trust you will not go alone?">
"Not to worry, if Vette is available she can come along as backup along with her vessel, I was thinking of taking Mirelle with me, Maaike and HK. With maybe a squad commandos mixed in. The others, either have other tasks or are... perhaps not the best suited to 'rob' a black marketeer warehouse. I'll tell them we will be leaving tomorrow... now I am going to be occupied for the next 3 hours so I can finally refresh myself and get a nap." Hearing Gaarwarr laugh she just smiled and turned the communicator off.
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Phindar Moon, Darth Lena's Operations
Eyes closed Lena was standing over a crafting table, components and materials floating gently as they were manipulated by her power and control over the force. She was frowning in concentration as she pulled the components together in a long two meter long phrik alloy staff casing, opening her eyes she looked at her work, nodding as she reached for the violet lightsaber crystal, looking at it for a moment as she sensed the flicker of energy as it was attuned to her power, her passions, her drive and her ambitions. She tenderly put it in its place in the lightsabre pike's casing and closed it up, lifting the pike up with ease, but not with familiarity. It was not a weapon she was trained with but as she flicked it to life and watched the short blade extend from the top of the staff. Something she would need to correct in the foreseeable future as she did a few practice swings with the polearm weapon. The reason she was interested in this weapon was by watching the Morgukai warriors in her service fight with similar looking weaponry to give them more reach and flexibility, while her saber hidden in a cane works for her, it is good to have a backup, or to make people think the polearm in a sheath on her back is her main weapon while her true weapon is in fact hidden in her cane.
Calling for one of the elder morgukai who normally drill the other warriors to instruct her in the use of her new polearm weapon Lena spend the next few hours training the basics of her new weapon, ignoring the remarks of the Morgukai warrior, whom she instructed to not hold back in any way despite her status and rank. The Nikto warrior it seemed very much enjoyed obeying that order and put her through such a workout like she hadn't experienced in years, except maybe her sparring sessions with other sith. Gasping for breath she had collapsed to the ground, indicating to the old warrior that she had enough for now. From the 'hur' sounds the warrior was making she figured he was laughing at her but she did not make a comment about it, she would probably keep hearing that laugh till she mastered the basics of the new addition to her combat capabilities.
Finished she placed the lightsabre pike in a rack of other equipment used for training purposes, her personal section among the tools and equipment used by her disciples, she would take up the weapon properly when she knew how to wield it without hurting herself. Smiling she left the room to get a shower and refresh herself.
Once refreshed she sensed the presence before she actually saw her, therefore when she walked out of her chambers she did not show surprise at seeing Irys standing there, waiting for her. "Walk with me." Was all Lena said at first, walking in silence before she gestured to the Bothan. "You came to see me?" She asked, looking at the Bothan from the corner of her eye.
The Bothan slicer nodded, "You wanted to be informed when I might find signs of individuals you might find useful in your." And she raised her fingers and made air-quotes. "Organisation of business associates." She finished saying, ignoring the look Lena was giving her and got out a datapad, scrolling on the screen for something. "Here it is, reports of a Morgukai, visiting right here on our little moon, apologies, your little moon. In a local cantina." Irys added after a moment of thought. "According to what I learned this Morgukai is a travelling merc of some repute, could be a good addition for your ranks if you are interested?"
"From what I witnessed of the Morgukai I wouldn't mind recruiting a special individual, especially if this one caught your eye then it must be a interesting individual." Lena stopped and looked at Irys. "Assuming you think this one would work for me in the first place, these Morgukai have a particular distrust for force users after all, it is already a miracle I persuaded the ones currently working for me." She resumed walking, "Very well let's meet this Morgukai and see can be done about possible recruitment." With that she and Irys went to make arrangements to take them to the cantina where the Morgukai was currently staying.
Lena and Irys make their way to the cantina where the bothan slicer in Lena's employ had found out the morgukai was currently staying, as they arrived a small gathering was outside, getting closer Lena would recognize that it was a gathering of morgukai, in fact these were all in service to her she saw and they were surrounding a single, feminine figure, wearing morgukai armour and weaponry and none of the Morgukai in Lena's service were looking friendly. In fact as they get closer they saw one of the morgukai coming forwards with a snarl and bringing his staff weapon down at the female one, who parried the strike and kicked her attacker in the gut and on his back, which seemed to enrage the others as they reached for their weapons.
Hurrying her steps she got closer to this congregation that seemed about to end in a brawl and shouted to her Morgukai. "Stand down! Stand down right now!" She glared at them all, her hand tightening around her cane but doing nothing else, could not pull out her lightsabre, this was still a somewhat public place after all even if she was officially in control of this moon.
Some of the morgukai obeyed the order at once, others however... with snarls and war cries six warriors attacked the female figure, she was able to fend off three of them but she was brought down by the other three. None of these six seemed to have heard the order, or they did and are just ignoring it.
"Somehow I have feeling that female is the one that caught your interested?" She asked Irys who nodded and with a sigh Lena looked at the Morgukai disobeying her and with no other option left to her reached out with her hand and made a grabbing motion, intending to grab the disobedient Morgukai with the force and hurl them aside, away from the woman.
With a surprised grunt the morgukai warriors were suddenly lifted up in the air and then hurled aside, two hitting the wall of the cantina this scuffle was taking place next to, while the other four smashed and bowled over some of their fellows who were surrounding the scene. This seemed to rather displease all of them as they turned to their mistress with narrowed eyes. The female meanwhile jumped up, standing in a guarded defensive pose.
Lena glared back at her Morgukai with narrowed eyes of her own, walking towards them all with slow measured steps. "What.... is the meaning of this." She asked, looking for a squad leader among the Morgukai to address her.
One of them, a grizzled veteran from the looks of it of the number of scars on his face and a cybernetic hand walks forward and points accusingly at the female morgukai. "Hurr, she is a abomination, a insult to our honor and traditions. A... 'female' cannot value our ways, carry our weapons and armour. She must die." At this last part the other morgukai nod and tighten their hold on their weapons.
Lena rose her eyebrows at those words and responded, in a rather low and threatening voice. "If a 'female' cannot value your ways, then why follow me, hmm?" She gestured at the leader with her cane, "All of you agreed to follow my commands and I am most certainly female last time I checked, so either all of you disperse and let me talk to this woman or I start getting angry."
The leader frowned looking at you and then back at the female with a growl before turning back to you. "Why do you wish to talk to her?" He asked suspiciously.
She narrowed her eyes, "Not that it is any of your business, but I am thinking of recruiting her, especially after witnessing her holding her ground like she has to you all, holding warriors at bay while she is outnumbered and smart enough to not lower her defenses still." She said nodding to the female warrior who she assumed was still in a guard position.
The female was still in a guard position but her face was in your direction, obscured by a helmet, seemingly looking intently at you. The morgukai leader growled and the others with him were muttering among themselves at the decleration that Lena itnended to recruit this female. "You cannot, she is wrong, sullied. A disgrace to the Morgukai cult."
Lena calmly looked the leader in the eye, stepping forwards. "Are you challenging my authority?"
The leader snarled, "What if I am?" He said his cybernetic hand balling into a fist.
She kept looking at the Morgukai and let out a sigh. "Fine." With that she decided that this was reason enough to risk exposure and quickly unscrewed her lightsaber hilt from her cane and ignited it, stabbing the Morgukai dissenter through his heart. "Your service to me is no longer required." She then looked at the others, "Anyone else?"
With a shout of defiance and rage nine others rushed towards Lena, their spears staffs humming with energy as they were activated. "You die now!" Some of them shouted in unison.
Lena pulled her blade out, "What a waste, Irys, time to clean house." She said and charged towards the nearest traitor, shouting to the others. "Those who do not wish to defy, either assist me or stand down!" She snarled as she began her attack.
Lena killed two of the enraged Morgukai with ease, cutting down with quick, precise blows, three others were brought down by their fellows who felt that their duty lay with Lena, the female morgukai also stabbed one from behind. The remaining three kept charging, Irys shooting at them not stopping them in the least. Fending off two was easy but the third managed to slip past Lena's guard and cut open a gash in her arm.
She let out a hiss of pain and looked at the gash and then at the three Morgukai attacking her, "No one interfere, these three are mine!" She shouted to Irys and the other Morgukai. She decided not to use the force, her skill with the blade would prevail here and show these other Morgukai in her service that she was not to be trifled with or questioned.
At first it seems Lena was outmatched, three more times they cut her and perhaps they became too eager for the kill or in their arrogance let their guard down but Lena prevailed against the onslaught and with a quick parry opened one of the opposing morgukai to her blade and stabbed him in the chest, leaving two of them remaining. With a shout one raised his staff for a crushing blow. "YOU DIE!" He screamed and was unable to react to Lena who had used the force to enhance her speed to close in and with a decapitating stroke cut off his head. Leaving only a single opposing warrior remaining.
Breathing hard she looked at the last warrior, pointing her ignited blade towards him. "Do you yield?" She simply asked, staying on guard if he would not.
The morgukai looked at his dead comrades and then back towards Lena, shaking his head. "Only death now, or only dishonor." He said softly, almost as if whispering to himself only and then let out a battlecry bringing his weapon up.
"As you wish." She said, a sad note in her tone of voice. "Let's end this." She said and engaged the last of the Morgukai traitors. She was not going to make this a show of skill or expertise, she was going for the quick kill, execution of a traitor and be done with it.
This last warrior fought like he was possessed, probably recalling all his teaching and the honor of being a morgukai as he fought to his last dying breath against Lena. He let otu a cry of victory as he stabbed her in the leg and then gurgled, coughing up blood as Lena stabbed her saber into his chest. He gasped and smiled weakly, "Hurr.... a good.... fight..." He muttered as life left him and died, collapsing to the ground.
The female morgukai and others who had not decided to attack Lena looking at the corpses and then at Lena, waiting for whatever happened next.
Biting through the pain she felt from the wounds she had suffered, she opted to ignore the pain and discomfort for now, if she could, to stand upright still and continue what she intended to do. She gestured to the corpses and then addressed her still loyal Morgukai. "Remove them from my sight, while disobeying me, they fought with the honor of the Morgukai cult, so they have my respect for that still, have them buried according to your rites and traditions." She then turned to the female warrior, "I was hoping we could talk, that is why I came here before this... distraction."
She seemed to study Lena and then looked at the Morgukai dragging corpses away and finally, after a hour and half of her being on guard seemed to relax in her pose as raised her staff and deactivated the device, leaning on it casually. "Well, consider me intrigued." She then looked at the lightsaber hilt in Lena's hands. "Surprising to see fellow morgukai fighting for a force user. Sith or Jedi? Or something else entirely?" She asked and Lena could tell that this female Nikto Morgukai was, seemingly at least, more intelligent and well spoken than she was used to be around.
Lena attached the hilt back to her cane, thinking for a moment before deciding to be frank about it. "Sith, does that matter? As you may have heard, I was thinking of trying to recruit you actually, according to my intelligence." She nodded to Irys. "You are apparently a capable person of many talents, also able to take care of yourself well enough. As I witnessed upon my arrival."
"I get by, but I usually avoid other Morgukai for a very good reason, they do not appreciate women getting into the cult. I was raised into it becayse my father had no sons, only a daughter and wished his legacy to survive." She shrugged, "So I took up the traditions of the morgukai and lived by them, the not caring what any of the males think of me, I will fight them as honor and tradition demands of me." She fixed Lena a stare, "And I suppose it doesn't matter that you are a force user, or a sith even, you have persuaded some of my kind to follow you that is clear enough, that and you showed some skill in martial arts there. So you have plenty of warriors, why would you want me?"
"Another warrior is always welcome, but I also need a leader who can command others, are you such a person?" Lena asked in response instead.
She let out a bark of laughter, "I might, but your morgukai wouldn't follow me, that is clear, so why would I join you only to keep watching my back for them to challenge me at some point?"
She allowed herself to smile, "I think those that disagreed or were thinking of disobeying me if you were to join me and I name you a commander have just died and those that still live know what happens if they wish to stick to their traditions in that regard."
She snorted and shook her head, "So if they challenge me you expect me to run to you so you can handle it?"
She kept smiling, "Oh no not at all, I expect you to smash their heads in to make them apologize and respect you, if you need to keep running to me then clearly you are not worth my time recruiting. I expect you to handle yourself and be worthy of the position I would give you, make them respect your authority by who you are. If you accept my offer to join me and they don't obey orders, that means they disobey me and can be considered deserters and traitors, deserving their punishment."
The female nikto was silent, thinking it over and then slowly nodded, gesturing to Lena with her staff, "I accept your offer, I can lead troops for you and as you said, if any of them challenge me... I will have free reign to do with them as I see fit, if that means bashing their skulls in and execute them I shall do so, is that understood?"
"Understood, does that mean you accept my offer then?" She smiled and extended a hand, wincing in pain, she could use some medical attention soon. "If you do I expect you to give me a name however. I am Darth Lena."
The female nikto let out another bark of laughter and clasped the hand, squeezing, "Bodhicai, morgukai warrior, my body and weapons are at your service."
She shook the hand and then let go, quickly gesturing Iryz forwards to help her stand upright, "Good... now I need some medical attention, follow me to my base of operations and we shall have you settled in..."
Kwenn System,
Nova Retreat.
Neia walked through the crowd of guests and visitors on her station, gambling their credits on the games of chance or spending credits on drinks and meals. She passed some of her people, Kalira and Boher who were playing sabacc with some visiting Corellians, Boher was grinning fiercely while Kalira and the Corellians were looking rather depressed. Elsewhere she spotted her twin talking with Deliah, Kiyla and HK-51 of all people. Passing them by she heard HK-51 give a account of some adventure he had been on a few centuries ago, enjoying i ngreat detail to describe the means he eliminated the people who had stood in his way. Neia made sure no other patrons were nearby but apparently this corner of the cantina had been completely occupied by her people who were off-duty at the moment.
She turned back to Vette who was shadowing her steps, "Missed being here?" She asked.
The Twi'lek smiled and nodded, "Oh yes, while doing errands for you is exciting, it is good to be home once in a while. And that is saying something, never thought I would have home here, glad you convinced me to sign on Neia. Speaking of which was Mochi furious with me again when he saw the state of the ship?"
Neia laughed, remembering the Verpine moaning and caressing the scorched sides of Passing Shadow, Vette's ship, as if it was his injured child. "He had some unkind words hurled in your general direction, yes. But he will get over it, trust me to have something to do is what he craves most, boredom doesn't suit him. And since we fulfilled our last contract the work on the shipyard is down again, waiting for a new business opportunity there, although we, ah, have some work in the construction bays." She didn't specify what, one of the jobs was working on some kind of yacht for a syndicate underling that had to be enhanced with some less than legal modifications. "But not enough to wet his appetite or satisfy his boundless energy to work on projects."
"Oh well, repainting my ship and thinking of a tirade to be hurled in my general direction will amuse him for a while." Vette replied with a slight smirk, "So the reason why I am not yet taking a shower or sleeping after my journey is because you wanted some training?"
Neia nodded as they reached a corridor that was off-limits to any visitors to the station and walked down it. "Yes, you have been trained in Echani combat arts and I feel a need to improve my own martial skills, getting some training with my electrostaff, figuring one such as you can train me quite well in it's use or at least be a good sparring partner who will probably kick my ass a lot that will me strive to improve myself a lot quicker to prevent getting beat up a lot." She said with a smile as they headed to the training chambers.
Vette started cracking her knuckles with a smirk, "Let's see how bruised you can get...."
________________________________________________________________________
Sometime later....
"Remind me again why I decided to increase my business ventures? Because I thought I clearly stated at some point I wanted to do less paperwork?" Neia grumbled, nursing her arm which felt bruised and beaten after her workout with Vette, looking at the files she still needed to read and process. All she got from Jantor was a shrug, but she had the sense he was secretly amused by all of this. "What's this? Fuel prices are going up again? Great, even less guests for the casinos, then again the fuel prices might be in our favour again..." She muttered and then jumped a little as a hologram appeared, she recognized the appearance as that of one of her Twi'lek courtesan bodyguards just standing outside her office. "Yes? Something wrong that needs my presence, away from the office?" She said, sounding hopeful.
The hologram shook her head and seemed, disturbed or irritated by something. "No... well yes, there is someone here... who got past all the security checkpoints and reached us here, apparently a meeting with you is desired." The Twi'lek glanced somewhere behind her, probably at the intruder and then looked back to Neia.
Jantor was alert, a hand on the blaster at his hip while Neia frowned at this news. "Checked for weapons?"
The Twi'lek nodded, "Found none."
Neia pondered this for a moment, someone slipping past the guards around her inner sanctum could have ill intentions towards her, this is true, but in that case they would have remained silent and hidden to wait for a opportunity to strike. "Very well, our 'guest' can come through." The Twi'lek nodded and faded away as Neia opened the door and looked to see who or what would come through.
The being that entered was a rather ordinary looking human male, the only thing about the man that stood out was the very fine cut of his business suit. He gave Jantor a quick calculating glance as he entered and approached the desk before stopping a few paces away. "Neia Kahleesi, A pleasure to meet you." He said with a smile.
Bahn and Ginna had stood up at the entrance of the human but the dwarf Vornskrs were not growling, which was a good sign to Neia as she gestured for her pets to lie back down, which they did, their eyes not leaving the human however. She studied the man for a moment, then gestured to a seat in front of the desk. "Wish I could say the same, but you haven't given your name or who you are with, congratulations however on getting this far without detection." She looked intrigued, "Care to tell me how you managed that?" So she could correct the blind spots and security risks she thought to herself.
"Not particularly." The man responded "Call it a trade secret if you will." He added with another smile as he took the offered seat. "You may call me Mr Aurek, I represent the Republic and have something of an offer for you." He said once he has made himself comfortable.
Neia frowned and gestured for Jantor to relax, which the Kel-Dor naturally didn't do, sighing Neia leaned back in her chair, "Republic spook, huh? This will be interesting I wager, refreshment?" She asked as she poured herself a glass of water.
"Please." he said as he held a hand out for a glass. Once he had taken a few sips of the water he spoke again. "I've actually been here for a little under a week now, so if you're truly worried about your security let me tell you that it did take some advance planning." He then looked directly to Jantor, "You should try mixing up their routines a little bit, make things less predictable." He then looked back to Neia and took another sip of water. "But as to my offer. As I'm sure you're aware there is a war on. The republics manufacturing site have been pushed to the limit and then ordered to increase production even more. As you can surely imagine this is an issue. The result is outsourcing, the larger and more secretive vessels and equipment are manufactured in republic foundries while contracts are awarded to the private sector."
Neia was silent for a moment and then turned to Jantor, "Fine this swayed me, start training the security with the Dwarf Vornskr to patrol the corridors with them." She turned back to 'Mr Aurek' if that was his real name, "Sorry that has been a discussion for a while that things might have gotten lax around here." She took a sip of her own water and pondered for a moment. "I know this, last time I was contacted by a Duros colonel by the name of Aishzeen, who had me build some Y-wing bombers, granted this was a little over a year ago. But I guess, that since my construction of sizable small shipyard has gotten the attention of the Republic again, knowing that I'm not too unfavourable towards your government, that and this is Hutt space, officially neutral territory in the galactic conflict. So with the direction this is going you are here to offer me a contract, probably a risky one if they send a spook in to make the offer?"
"We wanted to be certain of the security of your facility, who better to assess such than someone used to circumventing such measures." He replied to the 'sending a spook' comment. "The vessels we would Like you to construct are a recently field tested replacement to the Arquitens class. As you would recall from the bombers we much prefer that the schematics of vessels built for us remain secure as well as the craft themselves of course."
"That is understandable." Neia replied slowly, "I am getting a feeling now, hearing this, that this new production run is going to be even riskier than the bomber production... then again, that usually means that the payment is worth the risk I trust, I may have some republic leanings but I have to make a profit somehow after all." She said with a shrug.
You will be adequately compensated of course, I am authorized to make payment of 5,600,000 republic credits per month for the use of your shipyard, our engineers took approximately 3 months to construct this class of vessel."
Neia blinked, she even noticed Jantor was staring when the credit amount was mentioned, she was silent, mostly due to shock and surprise and then leaned down and placed a bottle on the table, "Thikkiian brandy, a gift from a Wookiee friend I've made, this seems like a deal that needs a stronger drink to process." As she poured a generous amount in two glasses. "That is a lot of credits, I have some security, if you've been here for a while you may have noticed the ships I have patrolling my station and shipyard, still from the sound of it, a new class of vessel, I'll probably gain a nice fat target painted on me for any CIS commander who thinks he or she can score points with the higher ups by raiding me of this new design of the republic you represent."
"You are right of course." Mr Aurek said as he picked up the glass of brandy, though did not drink. "These new vessels are important to the republic war effort, as such Commander Shayne of the republic 456th fleet has been given command of a small task force, A venator and four Arquitens, for protection detail should you accept the contract."
She blinked, "Hmm, good thing we are on the border of Hutt space, or the cartels would have made some strong objections to that presence of warships. "With such added protection I think I will take the job... and make sure my patrol and escort ships will be kept close for the duration of the contract." Drinking the brandy, grimacing for a moment as it burned through her throat. "That and if the crews of those ships get bored they can have shore leave on my station, my cantina and casinos can always use more credits, might even give them a cover of some sort, crew o nshore leave and relaxing in neutral territory?"
"I'm sure the men and women under Shaynes command would appreciate that, she never was a particularly hardline commander after all." Mr Aurek replied as he took a small sip of the brandy. "Your wookiee friend has good taste." He said afterwards. "How soon can you begin construction?" He then asked as he fished a datachip from a pocket inside his suit.
Neia stood up from her chair, "We can start construction once, if I assume that chip you are holding holds the plans, my crews get the word and means to start working right away."
"You would assume correctly." He said as he handed Neia the chip. "I can signal Commander Shayne to begin her duties when I leave, it should only take her a couple of days to reach you."
She looked at the chip and nodded, "My Verpine friend Mochi will like this, I just have to remind him to no copy the files, and until commander Shayne and her task force arrives my own people shall provide the security needed." She looked back at Mr Aurek, "Somehow I suspect once you leave my office it will be like as if you were never on the station?"
"Of course not, going to the trouble of erasing the memory of you and your people would be counterproductive after all." He said with a chuckle. "Of course digital surveillance will have been scrubbed." He added as he also stood. "For what its worth I hope the CIS doesn't bother you over this."
Neia did smile a little, "For what it's worth, if they dare to try, they will find out I have amply means to protect my assets." She said, thinking about the planetary ion cannon that had been modified and installed on the Free Trade Gambit. "I wish you a good day Mr Aurek."
With that the republic spook, or whatever he was for the republic made his departure, leaving Neia with Jantor in her office. "Right I think I will take this to Mochi and..." She trailed off when Jantor approached her, holding his hand out for the chip, she sighed. "And you will take this to Mochi and I finish up this paperwork, fine." With a grumble she sat back down and went to work, ignoring Jantor's chuckle as he walked away.
Nova Retreat.
Neia walked through the crowd of guests and visitors on her station, gambling their credits on the games of chance or spending credits on drinks and meals. She passed some of her people, Kalira and Boher who were playing sabacc with some visiting Corellians, Boher was grinning fiercely while Kalira and the Corellians were looking rather depressed. Elsewhere she spotted her twin talking with Deliah, Kiyla and HK-51 of all people. Passing them by she heard HK-51 give a account of some adventure he had been on a few centuries ago, enjoying i ngreat detail to describe the means he eliminated the people who had stood in his way. Neia made sure no other patrons were nearby but apparently this corner of the cantina had been completely occupied by her people who were off-duty at the moment.
She turned back to Vette who was shadowing her steps, "Missed being here?" She asked.
The Twi'lek smiled and nodded, "Oh yes, while doing errands for you is exciting, it is good to be home once in a while. And that is saying something, never thought I would have home here, glad you convinced me to sign on Neia. Speaking of which was Mochi furious with me again when he saw the state of the ship?"
Neia laughed, remembering the Verpine moaning and caressing the scorched sides of Passing Shadow, Vette's ship, as if it was his injured child. "He had some unkind words hurled in your general direction, yes. But he will get over it, trust me to have something to do is what he craves most, boredom doesn't suit him. And since we fulfilled our last contract the work on the shipyard is down again, waiting for a new business opportunity there, although we, ah, have some work in the construction bays." She didn't specify what, one of the jobs was working on some kind of yacht for a syndicate underling that had to be enhanced with some less than legal modifications. "But not enough to wet his appetite or satisfy his boundless energy to work on projects."
"Oh well, repainting my ship and thinking of a tirade to be hurled in my general direction will amuse him for a while." Vette replied with a slight smirk, "So the reason why I am not yet taking a shower or sleeping after my journey is because you wanted some training?"
Neia nodded as they reached a corridor that was off-limits to any visitors to the station and walked down it. "Yes, you have been trained in Echani combat arts and I feel a need to improve my own martial skills, getting some training with my electrostaff, figuring one such as you can train me quite well in it's use or at least be a good sparring partner who will probably kick my ass a lot that will me strive to improve myself a lot quicker to prevent getting beat up a lot." She said with a smile as they headed to the training chambers.
Vette started cracking her knuckles with a smirk, "Let's see how bruised you can get...."
________________________________________________________________________
Sometime later....
"Remind me again why I decided to increase my business ventures? Because I thought I clearly stated at some point I wanted to do less paperwork?" Neia grumbled, nursing her arm which felt bruised and beaten after her workout with Vette, looking at the files she still needed to read and process. All she got from Jantor was a shrug, but she had the sense he was secretly amused by all of this. "What's this? Fuel prices are going up again? Great, even less guests for the casinos, then again the fuel prices might be in our favour again..." She muttered and then jumped a little as a hologram appeared, she recognized the appearance as that of one of her Twi'lek courtesan bodyguards just standing outside her office. "Yes? Something wrong that needs my presence, away from the office?" She said, sounding hopeful.
The hologram shook her head and seemed, disturbed or irritated by something. "No... well yes, there is someone here... who got past all the security checkpoints and reached us here, apparently a meeting with you is desired." The Twi'lek glanced somewhere behind her, probably at the intruder and then looked back to Neia.
Jantor was alert, a hand on the blaster at his hip while Neia frowned at this news. "Checked for weapons?"
The Twi'lek nodded, "Found none."
Neia pondered this for a moment, someone slipping past the guards around her inner sanctum could have ill intentions towards her, this is true, but in that case they would have remained silent and hidden to wait for a opportunity to strike. "Very well, our 'guest' can come through." The Twi'lek nodded and faded away as Neia opened the door and looked to see who or what would come through.
The being that entered was a rather ordinary looking human male, the only thing about the man that stood out was the very fine cut of his business suit. He gave Jantor a quick calculating glance as he entered and approached the desk before stopping a few paces away. "Neia Kahleesi, A pleasure to meet you." He said with a smile.
Bahn and Ginna had stood up at the entrance of the human but the dwarf Vornskrs were not growling, which was a good sign to Neia as she gestured for her pets to lie back down, which they did, their eyes not leaving the human however. She studied the man for a moment, then gestured to a seat in front of the desk. "Wish I could say the same, but you haven't given your name or who you are with, congratulations however on getting this far without detection." She looked intrigued, "Care to tell me how you managed that?" So she could correct the blind spots and security risks she thought to herself.
"Not particularly." The man responded "Call it a trade secret if you will." He added with another smile as he took the offered seat. "You may call me Mr Aurek, I represent the Republic and have something of an offer for you." He said once he has made himself comfortable.
Neia frowned and gestured for Jantor to relax, which the Kel-Dor naturally didn't do, sighing Neia leaned back in her chair, "Republic spook, huh? This will be interesting I wager, refreshment?" She asked as she poured herself a glass of water.
"Please." he said as he held a hand out for a glass. Once he had taken a few sips of the water he spoke again. "I've actually been here for a little under a week now, so if you're truly worried about your security let me tell you that it did take some advance planning." He then looked directly to Jantor, "You should try mixing up their routines a little bit, make things less predictable." He then looked back to Neia and took another sip of water. "But as to my offer. As I'm sure you're aware there is a war on. The republics manufacturing site have been pushed to the limit and then ordered to increase production even more. As you can surely imagine this is an issue. The result is outsourcing, the larger and more secretive vessels and equipment are manufactured in republic foundries while contracts are awarded to the private sector."
Neia was silent for a moment and then turned to Jantor, "Fine this swayed me, start training the security with the Dwarf Vornskr to patrol the corridors with them." She turned back to 'Mr Aurek' if that was his real name, "Sorry that has been a discussion for a while that things might have gotten lax around here." She took a sip of her own water and pondered for a moment. "I know this, last time I was contacted by a Duros colonel by the name of Aishzeen, who had me build some Y-wing bombers, granted this was a little over a year ago. But I guess, that since my construction of sizable small shipyard has gotten the attention of the Republic again, knowing that I'm not too unfavourable towards your government, that and this is Hutt space, officially neutral territory in the galactic conflict. So with the direction this is going you are here to offer me a contract, probably a risky one if they send a spook in to make the offer?"
"We wanted to be certain of the security of your facility, who better to assess such than someone used to circumventing such measures." He replied to the 'sending a spook' comment. "The vessels we would Like you to construct are a recently field tested replacement to the Arquitens class. As you would recall from the bombers we much prefer that the schematics of vessels built for us remain secure as well as the craft themselves of course."
"That is understandable." Neia replied slowly, "I am getting a feeling now, hearing this, that this new production run is going to be even riskier than the bomber production... then again, that usually means that the payment is worth the risk I trust, I may have some republic leanings but I have to make a profit somehow after all." She said with a shrug.
You will be adequately compensated of course, I am authorized to make payment of 5,600,000 republic credits per month for the use of your shipyard, our engineers took approximately 3 months to construct this class of vessel."
Neia blinked, she even noticed Jantor was staring when the credit amount was mentioned, she was silent, mostly due to shock and surprise and then leaned down and placed a bottle on the table, "Thikkiian brandy, a gift from a Wookiee friend I've made, this seems like a deal that needs a stronger drink to process." As she poured a generous amount in two glasses. "That is a lot of credits, I have some security, if you've been here for a while you may have noticed the ships I have patrolling my station and shipyard, still from the sound of it, a new class of vessel, I'll probably gain a nice fat target painted on me for any CIS commander who thinks he or she can score points with the higher ups by raiding me of this new design of the republic you represent."
"You are right of course." Mr Aurek said as he picked up the glass of brandy, though did not drink. "These new vessels are important to the republic war effort, as such Commander Shayne of the republic 456th fleet has been given command of a small task force, A venator and four Arquitens, for protection detail should you accept the contract."
She blinked, "Hmm, good thing we are on the border of Hutt space, or the cartels would have made some strong objections to that presence of warships. "With such added protection I think I will take the job... and make sure my patrol and escort ships will be kept close for the duration of the contract." Drinking the brandy, grimacing for a moment as it burned through her throat. "That and if the crews of those ships get bored they can have shore leave on my station, my cantina and casinos can always use more credits, might even give them a cover of some sort, crew o nshore leave and relaxing in neutral territory?"
"I'm sure the men and women under Shaynes command would appreciate that, she never was a particularly hardline commander after all." Mr Aurek replied as he took a small sip of the brandy. "Your wookiee friend has good taste." He said afterwards. "How soon can you begin construction?" He then asked as he fished a datachip from a pocket inside his suit.
Neia stood up from her chair, "We can start construction once, if I assume that chip you are holding holds the plans, my crews get the word and means to start working right away."
"You would assume correctly." He said as he handed Neia the chip. "I can signal Commander Shayne to begin her duties when I leave, it should only take her a couple of days to reach you."
She looked at the chip and nodded, "My Verpine friend Mochi will like this, I just have to remind him to no copy the files, and until commander Shayne and her task force arrives my own people shall provide the security needed." She looked back at Mr Aurek, "Somehow I suspect once you leave my office it will be like as if you were never on the station?"
"Of course not, going to the trouble of erasing the memory of you and your people would be counterproductive after all." He said with a chuckle. "Of course digital surveillance will have been scrubbed." He added as he also stood. "For what its worth I hope the CIS doesn't bother you over this."
Neia did smile a little, "For what it's worth, if they dare to try, they will find out I have amply means to protect my assets." She said, thinking about the planetary ion cannon that had been modified and installed on the Free Trade Gambit. "I wish you a good day Mr Aurek."
With that the republic spook, or whatever he was for the republic made his departure, leaving Neia with Jantor in her office. "Right I think I will take this to Mochi and..." She trailed off when Jantor approached her, holding his hand out for the chip, she sighed. "And you will take this to Mochi and I finish up this paperwork, fine." With a grumble she sat back down and went to work, ignoring Jantor's chuckle as he walked away.
Phindar Moon,
'Syndicat' Controlled Cantina, backroom
"Who does that woman think she is? Muscling in on our turf." The large, burly human said, looking at his compatriots, they were the overseers of the Syndicat which had been in power in the Phindar System for a long time but in the last year, slowly and surely assets had been acquired on one of Phindar's habitable moons by a outsider who was now effectively in control of the moon. The big bosses on Phindar had no problem with it, the moon had been a low source of income or wealth but for the overseers gathered here it had been everything and now it had slipped through their fingers and they wanted it back.
A female with a scar on her upper lip shrugged, "What can we do about it, besides... ah that is why you gathered us here Onno, you want us to vote on killing her and take back what is ours, don't you?"
At this the others perked up with interest, thinking it over. "Did the bosses back home agree to that?" One asked cautiously.
The burly man, Onno grunted and gritted his teeth, "They effectively told me it is our mess to deal with, if we can't we are to head to Phindar... and start on the bottom of the ladder." He growled, clearly not wanting to take that route.
The others agreed, "We worked hard for this moon! The protection rackets and income were ours!"
"And we let it slip through our fingers because we were stupid and greedy!" Came the snarling reply from the woman with the scar. "We did not pay attention and let our business interests slip into this newcomer's hands like we were idiots and now we are bitching and moaning about wanting it all back."
"Exactly!" The big guy growled, "So I want to do something about, off the bitch and take it all back. But we need to work together on this! Are you all with me?" He looked around, his hand on the holster of his blaster, one by one the others said their ayes with determination, eager to return to their former positions and wealth. After the woman agreed Onno turned to the last member, who had been closest to the door and who was looking oddly at the passage leading back to the cantina. "Oy Dro, what is your say on this."
Dro turned around frowning and gestured to the passage with his head, "Say... when did the music of the cantina up front stopped?"
Onno was about to remark why he was paying more attention to some music than this discussion when he stopped and got a frown of his own, the music wasn't meant to stop and now that Dro had mentioned, there was no sound of patrons talking or the clinking of glasses. He pulled out his blaster, "Something ain't right." The others pulled out their blasters as well and looked to Onno who went for the passage and the door, gesturing silently for the others to follow him as he pushed open the door and went into the common room of the cantina and stopped in his tracks.
The cantina had been a Syndicat holdout and they had taken their bodyguards with them to sit in front and act the part of patrons while keeping everyone out as their employers talked in privacy in the backroom. All of them were dead but the disturbing part was, that they were all sitting at tables or slumped over the bar as if none of them had any time to react to whoever or whatever killed them, no weapons were drawn. Some had their throats visibly slit and other had a neat hole at the side or back of their head, execution style shots and yet none had reacted to this?
The woman was beside him, a blaster in one hand and a knife in the other, looking at her own dead bodyguards, "Who could have done this..." She muttered her eyes wide. "We didn't hear a thing and our best people lie died here..." She turned around, opening her mouth to ask Onno something and widened her eyes.
Seeing this he snapped around, raising his blaster expecting to see the thing that had killed their people instead he saw his fellow overseers... all of them were dead and one the floor. He took a shocked step back, "What in the fragging blazes is going on here! Show yourself bastard!"
There was a rustle of wind and Onno froze, feeling something sharp and metallic against his throat, a gasp from the woman let him know she was experiencing something similar. He widened his eyes then as a shadow became solid right in front of his eyes, there was nothing there at first and now he was looking at a gray skinned alien of some kind, with rows of sharp teeth and it seemed to be grinning at him. He tightened his grip on the blaster still in his hand and in response the blade at his throat was pressed deeper and he felt something wet over his skin, realizing it was his blood he got the message and dropped his blaster, hearing two more thuds he figured his trapped companion had been forced to discard her weapons too.
The alien studied him for a moment and then spoke, it's accent was heavy and he got a feeling she was feminine but couldn't be sure. "I am first part of message... your people were killed, part of real message, message you will deliver to Phindar. My mistress acquired this moon, by your rules, there are no actions taken against her. She will take no action against Syndicat of Phindar, understand? Yes?"
Onno growled, so they were supposed to head hoem as whipped dogs and be a messenger. "Eat poodoo alien filth, the Syndicat will not stand for this!"
The alien looked at him as if disappointed with his decision and then looked behind Onno, "You share this?"
It was quiet for a moment and then the reply made Onno's eyes widen. "No... I will be your messenger." The alien looked back into Onno's eyes and he knew that his life was forfeit, he opened his mouth to rage but the alien's hand was a blur as she raised a blaster and fired a shot between his eyes at point blank range and that was the last thing he witnessed.
_________________________________________________________
Some time later at Lena's Phindar Moon Outpost...
The Night Owl landed at one of pads outside the outpost, though it appeared more like a palace, two figures waiting at the base of the platform, watching impassively as eleven figures walked out of the vessel, the eleven Noghri making their way with a quick but silent pace, stopping in front of the two figures, one of them Lena as she looked at the Noghri leader with a smile. "Your mission was a success?"
Ko'Chul nodded, "Yes, overseers are dead but one who returns to Phindar to carry word if Syndicat tries to dispute your claim to the moon."
Lena turned to her companion, the female bothan slicer. "Irys, once again I am more than happy with your services since you accepted to join my ranks. You managed to find out were they all would be holed up so we could deal with them efficiently, I am in your debt once more."
The bothan grinned, "Does that mean you will let me buy those bottles of Corellian Brandy?" Lena snorted but nodded, "Excellent, I am happy to serve still Lena." Smirking the bothan walked away, no doubt eager to spend some of Lena's credits to get the brandy for her own personal use.
She watched her go and turned back, not really surprised that only Ko'Chul was still there, the other Noghri had somehow been absorbed into the night without her notice as usual, together the two of them walked towards the outpost, after a moment Ko'Chul produced something and handed it to Lena. "Offer of peace and trust of messenger, overseer named Onno had this on him." Lena took it and studied it, it appeared to be a official message from a corporation affiliated with a nearby neutral government body requesting the production and manufacture of a series of droids for bodyguard purposes. Apparently they had been unaware the factory had changed ownership. Lena pondered for a moment, this was indeed a good peace offering seeing the amount of credits this government was willing to pay, it would be easy to inform them that the factory was under new management and that she was happy to accept the order.
"You have done well, now for more pressing matters." Lena said clasping her hands together behind her back. "I need to contact Jacoiba I feel the need to... do something. Perhaps we need to discuss what our next move should be against the jedi and our efforts into locating them." She smiled and turned to her oldest friend and ally. "I think you will be instrumental with that, you have mastered the art of stealth, so much that I have trouble sensing you too, we can put that to use against our jedi opponents. How do you feel about hunting force users Ko'Chul, jedi?"
The Noghri was silent for a moment, pondering and thinking of a response before she looked at Lena. "A challenge, difficult, but good challenge and if commanded to by you, I will do as I am tasked, no matter the difficulty." The Noghri replied with confidence and a smile of fanged teeth.
"Good, I shall keep that in mind if a target can be found for you to practice your skills on as the ultimate test of your accumulated training as a assassin." Lena replied, "But yes will need to contact Jacoiba to discuss this further, go to your chambers and rest old friend." She said with a smile and watched the Noghri bow and make her departure of the sith. Lena decided to stay outside for a time, enjoying the fresh air of this world, the sound of marching footsteps broke her reverie as she turned and watched, her former apprentice now turned Darth, Idoht leading a platoon of Morgukai through the grounds. From the look of it the Quarren force user had been engaging them in rather strenuous training exercises but still the Morgukai held their heads high.
She observed them for a while and then saw a another platoon led by one of her other force disciples, Azai. It was clear they were to engage each other into a mock battle and it was clear after a few moments which platoon was the one better led. Azai was ordering her Morgukai to just charge in blindly, eager to engage Idoht and his Morgukai into melee. The Quarren was smarter, more used to issuing commands and leading flesh. He had his Morgukai, while it was not their strong point, dig in first and simply shoot Azai's charging Morgukai from a distance and then when those that survived the stun blasts, were closing in charged into Azai's diminished forces and gave her and hers a sound defeat. Idoht seeming quite pleased with himself after he had managed to knock Azai out with a well placed kick to her solar plexus.
She nodded, perhaps Idoh would make a fine commander of her forces, so far it seemed only he had the aptitude for it. She would keep a eye on his progress.
'Syndicat' Controlled Cantina, backroom
"Who does that woman think she is? Muscling in on our turf." The large, burly human said, looking at his compatriots, they were the overseers of the Syndicat which had been in power in the Phindar System for a long time but in the last year, slowly and surely assets had been acquired on one of Phindar's habitable moons by a outsider who was now effectively in control of the moon. The big bosses on Phindar had no problem with it, the moon had been a low source of income or wealth but for the overseers gathered here it had been everything and now it had slipped through their fingers and they wanted it back.
A female with a scar on her upper lip shrugged, "What can we do about it, besides... ah that is why you gathered us here Onno, you want us to vote on killing her and take back what is ours, don't you?"
At this the others perked up with interest, thinking it over. "Did the bosses back home agree to that?" One asked cautiously.
The burly man, Onno grunted and gritted his teeth, "They effectively told me it is our mess to deal with, if we can't we are to head to Phindar... and start on the bottom of the ladder." He growled, clearly not wanting to take that route.
The others agreed, "We worked hard for this moon! The protection rackets and income were ours!"
"And we let it slip through our fingers because we were stupid and greedy!" Came the snarling reply from the woman with the scar. "We did not pay attention and let our business interests slip into this newcomer's hands like we were idiots and now we are bitching and moaning about wanting it all back."
"Exactly!" The big guy growled, "So I want to do something about, off the bitch and take it all back. But we need to work together on this! Are you all with me?" He looked around, his hand on the holster of his blaster, one by one the others said their ayes with determination, eager to return to their former positions and wealth. After the woman agreed Onno turned to the last member, who had been closest to the door and who was looking oddly at the passage leading back to the cantina. "Oy Dro, what is your say on this."
Dro turned around frowning and gestured to the passage with his head, "Say... when did the music of the cantina up front stopped?"
Onno was about to remark why he was paying more attention to some music than this discussion when he stopped and got a frown of his own, the music wasn't meant to stop and now that Dro had mentioned, there was no sound of patrons talking or the clinking of glasses. He pulled out his blaster, "Something ain't right." The others pulled out their blasters as well and looked to Onno who went for the passage and the door, gesturing silently for the others to follow him as he pushed open the door and went into the common room of the cantina and stopped in his tracks.
The cantina had been a Syndicat holdout and they had taken their bodyguards with them to sit in front and act the part of patrons while keeping everyone out as their employers talked in privacy in the backroom. All of them were dead but the disturbing part was, that they were all sitting at tables or slumped over the bar as if none of them had any time to react to whoever or whatever killed them, no weapons were drawn. Some had their throats visibly slit and other had a neat hole at the side or back of their head, execution style shots and yet none had reacted to this?
The woman was beside him, a blaster in one hand and a knife in the other, looking at her own dead bodyguards, "Who could have done this..." She muttered her eyes wide. "We didn't hear a thing and our best people lie died here..." She turned around, opening her mouth to ask Onno something and widened her eyes.
Seeing this he snapped around, raising his blaster expecting to see the thing that had killed their people instead he saw his fellow overseers... all of them were dead and one the floor. He took a shocked step back, "What in the fragging blazes is going on here! Show yourself bastard!"
There was a rustle of wind and Onno froze, feeling something sharp and metallic against his throat, a gasp from the woman let him know she was experiencing something similar. He widened his eyes then as a shadow became solid right in front of his eyes, there was nothing there at first and now he was looking at a gray skinned alien of some kind, with rows of sharp teeth and it seemed to be grinning at him. He tightened his grip on the blaster still in his hand and in response the blade at his throat was pressed deeper and he felt something wet over his skin, realizing it was his blood he got the message and dropped his blaster, hearing two more thuds he figured his trapped companion had been forced to discard her weapons too.
The alien studied him for a moment and then spoke, it's accent was heavy and he got a feeling she was feminine but couldn't be sure. "I am first part of message... your people were killed, part of real message, message you will deliver to Phindar. My mistress acquired this moon, by your rules, there are no actions taken against her. She will take no action against Syndicat of Phindar, understand? Yes?"
Onno growled, so they were supposed to head hoem as whipped dogs and be a messenger. "Eat poodoo alien filth, the Syndicat will not stand for this!"
The alien looked at him as if disappointed with his decision and then looked behind Onno, "You share this?"
It was quiet for a moment and then the reply made Onno's eyes widen. "No... I will be your messenger." The alien looked back into Onno's eyes and he knew that his life was forfeit, he opened his mouth to rage but the alien's hand was a blur as she raised a blaster and fired a shot between his eyes at point blank range and that was the last thing he witnessed.
_________________________________________________________
Some time later at Lena's Phindar Moon Outpost...
The Night Owl landed at one of pads outside the outpost, though it appeared more like a palace, two figures waiting at the base of the platform, watching impassively as eleven figures walked out of the vessel, the eleven Noghri making their way with a quick but silent pace, stopping in front of the two figures, one of them Lena as she looked at the Noghri leader with a smile. "Your mission was a success?"
Ko'Chul nodded, "Yes, overseers are dead but one who returns to Phindar to carry word if Syndicat tries to dispute your claim to the moon."
Lena turned to her companion, the female bothan slicer. "Irys, once again I am more than happy with your services since you accepted to join my ranks. You managed to find out were they all would be holed up so we could deal with them efficiently, I am in your debt once more."
The bothan grinned, "Does that mean you will let me buy those bottles of Corellian Brandy?" Lena snorted but nodded, "Excellent, I am happy to serve still Lena." Smirking the bothan walked away, no doubt eager to spend some of Lena's credits to get the brandy for her own personal use.
She watched her go and turned back, not really surprised that only Ko'Chul was still there, the other Noghri had somehow been absorbed into the night without her notice as usual, together the two of them walked towards the outpost, after a moment Ko'Chul produced something and handed it to Lena. "Offer of peace and trust of messenger, overseer named Onno had this on him." Lena took it and studied it, it appeared to be a official message from a corporation affiliated with a nearby neutral government body requesting the production and manufacture of a series of droids for bodyguard purposes. Apparently they had been unaware the factory had changed ownership. Lena pondered for a moment, this was indeed a good peace offering seeing the amount of credits this government was willing to pay, it would be easy to inform them that the factory was under new management and that she was happy to accept the order.
"You have done well, now for more pressing matters." Lena said clasping her hands together behind her back. "I need to contact Jacoiba I feel the need to... do something. Perhaps we need to discuss what our next move should be against the jedi and our efforts into locating them." She smiled and turned to her oldest friend and ally. "I think you will be instrumental with that, you have mastered the art of stealth, so much that I have trouble sensing you too, we can put that to use against our jedi opponents. How do you feel about hunting force users Ko'Chul, jedi?"
The Noghri was silent for a moment, pondering and thinking of a response before she looked at Lena. "A challenge, difficult, but good challenge and if commanded to by you, I will do as I am tasked, no matter the difficulty." The Noghri replied with confidence and a smile of fanged teeth.
"Good, I shall keep that in mind if a target can be found for you to practice your skills on as the ultimate test of your accumulated training as a assassin." Lena replied, "But yes will need to contact Jacoiba to discuss this further, go to your chambers and rest old friend." She said with a smile and watched the Noghri bow and make her departure of the sith. Lena decided to stay outside for a time, enjoying the fresh air of this world, the sound of marching footsteps broke her reverie as she turned and watched, her former apprentice now turned Darth, Idoht leading a platoon of Morgukai through the grounds. From the look of it the Quarren force user had been engaging them in rather strenuous training exercises but still the Morgukai held their heads high.
She observed them for a while and then saw a another platoon led by one of her other force disciples, Azai. It was clear they were to engage each other into a mock battle and it was clear after a few moments which platoon was the one better led. Azai was ordering her Morgukai to just charge in blindly, eager to engage Idoht and his Morgukai into melee. The Quarren was smarter, more used to issuing commands and leading flesh. He had his Morgukai, while it was not their strong point, dig in first and simply shoot Azai's charging Morgukai from a distance and then when those that survived the stun blasts, were closing in charged into Azai's diminished forces and gave her and hers a sound defeat. Idoht seeming quite pleased with himself after he had managed to knock Azai out with a well placed kick to her solar plexus.
She nodded, perhaps Idoh would make a fine commander of her forces, so far it seemed only he had the aptitude for it. She would keep a eye on his progress.
Royal Blood
She idly traced over her side nervously, looking around the confines of the palace, she would love to get out and be in the streets where there were still buildings on all sides but at least a sky in the air and some sense of openness and not suffocating tightness that cut her off from the air. She looked at the princess again, sensing the faint aura of magic around her still. Listening to it all, frowning that a assassin was so careless as to slip what the next target would be, unless that was just a ruse to get the hounds off the scent. She cocked her head, thinking for a moment after it was mentioned of going to the Rat Skull Charmé shop, she shook her head. "I will not follow, too many people appearing at the shop would just be unproductive." She paused for a moment, thinking and then rubbed her cheek as she again looked at the walls.
"I think I will wander around the city for a bit, this assassin, either observed the palace for quite some time or knew exactly what the layout was to get to the targets without being seen." She idly traces over her gauntlets, or more to the point the mechanism hidden in them that would spring out hidden blades at a certain movement of her wrist. She was no stranger with the occasional death for hire that earned her these wrist blades, though it had been years since she had killed anyone for gold. She shook her head out of her thoughts and spoke up softly again to the others, "Perhaps I can find where the assassin must have observed the palace... if the assassin did so, and find any clues on those spots. I have found answers will come to me when I wander, perhaps this time it won't be any different." She looked at Rayvon, "You knew this place, did you not? Perhaps you can join me on this and we can work together?" She asked with a smile before it faltered when she recalled they were here to investigate a murder.
She idly traced over her side nervously, looking around the confines of the palace, she would love to get out and be in the streets where there were still buildings on all sides but at least a sky in the air and some sense of openness and not suffocating tightness that cut her off from the air. She looked at the princess again, sensing the faint aura of magic around her still. Listening to it all, frowning that a assassin was so careless as to slip what the next target would be, unless that was just a ruse to get the hounds off the scent. She cocked her head, thinking for a moment after it was mentioned of going to the Rat Skull Charmé shop, she shook her head. "I will not follow, too many people appearing at the shop would just be unproductive." She paused for a moment, thinking and then rubbed her cheek as she again looked at the walls.
"I think I will wander around the city for a bit, this assassin, either observed the palace for quite some time or knew exactly what the layout was to get to the targets without being seen." She idly traces over her gauntlets, or more to the point the mechanism hidden in them that would spring out hidden blades at a certain movement of her wrist. She was no stranger with the occasional death for hire that earned her these wrist blades, though it had been years since she had killed anyone for gold. She shook her head out of her thoughts and spoke up softly again to the others, "Perhaps I can find where the assassin must have observed the palace... if the assassin did so, and find any clues on those spots. I have found answers will come to me when I wander, perhaps this time it won't be any different." She looked at Rayvon, "You knew this place, did you not? Perhaps you can join me on this and we can work together?" She asked with a smile before it faltered when she recalled they were here to investigate a murder.
She was all nerves the moment they were inside the city, she preferred the open outdoors and not the confines of city life, the air was so thick here, so oppressive and she just couldn't read the people here, mostly because it seems that these people did not like to wander out of their homes, the few who did seemed to keep a hand on the handle of a knife or other weapon at all times and avoided looking at them all, as if some great fear had taken hold of this land and it's people.
The only bright spot might be the royal spymaster, Mikan, who seemed to do her best to keep them all at ease and showing almost no concern at all for anything, no fear, no unease, just a confidence in this mission, it lifted her spirits somewhat. As they approached the palace Ceann gulped, this was not the palace of someone who enjoyed life it seemed to her, there was no joy or apparent trace of grace from it's builders, it just was cold to look upon and she almost dreaded to get inside of that place, fearing she would be unable to breathe at all.
As they entered she shuddered and looked up at the ceiling of the place, not a single trace of the sky, she hoped that they would be out of the palace soon as she took deep calming breaths, hoping to at least appear somewhat calm and collected, she still did not know why she joined the Queen's Blades, only that her visions guided her to it and that it apparently was something she had to do, perhaps doing this would lead her to the path to recall her forgotten past. She shivered, then again maybe there was a good reason she had forgotten it as she recalled a figured dressed in black and gray with predatory eyes.
Hearing Mikan talk snapped her out of her reverie and they apparently had entered the throne room and were before the Crown-Prince who at that point turned to them and asked, "What, are your names... And why did you choose to volunteer to come to a kingdom which openly disdains the one you work for." As they started to introduce themselves she followed their lead.
Bowing awkwardly as if not used to such a gesture, "My name is simply Ceann, your grace. I came here because the wandering way I lead has brought me here and because a great injustice and tragedy has befallen you and this realm, if we can assist with that, we will." She said offering a weak smile and final curtsy.
I would like to change my mission to Royal Blood? If possible?
Also Sarah's Request please
Work in Progress
Name: Ceann
Age: At least 30
Race: Elf
Sex: Female.
Appearance:
Homeland: Wanderer
Motivation:
Stats & Traits
Strength: 3/10
Agility: 4/10
Charisma: 3/10
Magical Endurance: 4/10
Fighter: 4/10
--Skill Set 1: Slashing, One Handed
--Skill Set 2: Exotic/Custom Weapon, Assassin Blade Gauntlets
--Skill Set 3 (Unlocked at: 7 points.)
--Skill Set 4 (Unlocked at: 10 points.)
Sniper: 1/10
--Skill Set 1: Throwables
--Skill Set 2 (Unlocked at: 4 points.)
--Skill Set 3 (Unlocked at: 7 points.)
--Skill Set 4 (Unlocked at: 10 points.)
Leader: 0/10
Seducer: 0/10
Sneak: 3/10
Mage: 2/10
--Magic School 1: Elemental, Wind
--Magic School 2 (Unlocked at: 5 Points.)
Experience Traits
--Trait 1: Duellist, dual-wielding.
--Trait 2: The Spellsword, imbue weapon with magical effects
Conditions
--Trait 1: The Wanderer, bonuses against ambushes, basic knowledge of nearly any creature or culture that can be encountered.
--Trait 2: Wells of Power, flashes of possible futures or events to come.
--Trait 3: Soulshard, imbued in Dóchas agus Trócaire, Hope and Mercy, her swords. Paired weapons, if one is lost the powers and abilities of the soulshard are no longer in effect.
Unique:
Haunted by the past: Several times a mysterious stranger appeared to help her in times of great need, fighting alongside her and once the fighting was finished the figure would depart, leaving no trace, as if he was a ghost or spectre.
Personal Section
Romance: Preferred to make my own decision about it, no NPC
Play style: Little of everything?
Does the Kouri Plushie exist?: yes, I think?
Signature: Selvi/Syl
Name: Ceann
Age: At least 30
Race: Elf
Sex: Female.
Appearance:
Homeland: Wanderer
Motivation:
Stats & Traits
Strength: 3/10
Agility: 4/10
Charisma: 3/10
Magical Endurance: 4/10
Fighter: 4/10
--Skill Set 1: Slashing, One Handed
--Skill Set 2: Exotic/Custom Weapon, Assassin Blade Gauntlets
--Skill Set 3 (Unlocked at: 7 points.)
--Skill Set 4 (Unlocked at: 10 points.)
Sniper: 1/10
--Skill Set 1: Throwables
--Skill Set 2 (Unlocked at: 4 points.)
--Skill Set 3 (Unlocked at: 7 points.)
--Skill Set 4 (Unlocked at: 10 points.)
Leader: 0/10
Seducer: 0/10
Sneak: 3/10
Mage: 2/10
--Magic School 1: Elemental, Wind
--Magic School 2 (Unlocked at: 5 Points.)
Experience Traits
--Trait 1: Duellist, dual-wielding.
--Trait 2: The Spellsword, imbue weapon with magical effects
Conditions
--Trait 1: The Wanderer, bonuses against ambushes, basic knowledge of nearly any creature or culture that can be encountered.
--Trait 2: Wells of Power, flashes of possible futures or events to come.
--Trait 3: Soulshard, imbued in Dóchas agus Trócaire, Hope and Mercy, her swords. Paired weapons, if one is lost the powers and abilities of the soulshard are no longer in effect.
Unique:
Haunted by the past: Several times a mysterious stranger appeared to help her in times of great need, fighting alongside her and once the fighting was finished the figure would depart, leaving no trace, as if he was a ghost or spectre.
Personal Section
Romance: Preferred to make my own decision about it, no NPC
Play style: Little of everything?
Does the Kouri Plushie exist?: yes, I think?
Signature: Selvi/Syl
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