[center][h1][color=gold]Darth Marrik[/color] and [color=darkred]Alix Raine[/color][/h1][/center]
[center][h2]Illos City, Sketchy Alleyway[/h2][/center]
[right]Collab between Sep and Lucian[/right]

[hr]


 Marrik glowered at the sweaty man, who had regaled him with more useful knowledge than he had anticipated. The man was, after all, merely a small-time information broker. Or so Marrik had assumed. It appeared that the man was part of some larger intelligence organization, making some credits on the side by selling secrets.  The man had lost consciousness at this point, and Marrik was unsure of his next step. Should he kill the weakling, or would the man be of more use to him alive? His inner indecision was interrupted by a sudden tingling at the base of his neck, a slight shift in the force. He focused, and sensed his assailant just as the man jumped to strike him. Marrik leapt backward, in the same movement igniting his lightsaber once-more. 

[color=gold]”Who are you?”[/color] The Sith Lord growled. His patience this night was wearing thin.

Alix didn’t speak at all, at least not initially. His garb was the only greeting the individual would get until he proved himself, with something other than Lightening, which could be so easily faked with a device. The mans suit of armour definitely looked complex enough to produce such a current of electricity so he wasn’t going to take anything at face value. He activated the electrical circuits, which rendered the bladed staff immune to lightsaber cuts ensuring that it wasn’t just cut in half, and then made a slicing motion from the man's upper right moving down to the left. If successful the blow would cut him open from his right shoulder down to his waist on his left hand side, a fatal blow.

 Marrik raised his lightsaber, held two-handed, to catch the swing. The blades clashed and sparked, but the Sith’s visor filtered out any negative visual effects. With a roar, Marrik kicked at his silent assailant’s midsection hard with a booted foot.

Seeing the kick coming, Alix pulled back and rolled down to the left, his opponent giving into his anger by roaring. He definitely had one part of the criteria fulfilled, he had the anger but did he have the discipline? As he rolled down to the right and performed a long sweeping swipe along the ground in order to take Marrik’s legs from under him.

Marrik took the blow to his legs, his armor barely stopping the loss of his right foot. He made sure to deactivate his lightsaber to avoid injuring himself. He hit the ground hard, face-first, rage and fury dulling his pain. He rolled onto his back swiftly, and threw up both arms, his ferocious yell was drowned out by the dull boom of his force push as he sent out all of his frustration at the night’s events toward his attacker.

There was no way to dodge the actual attack, though he knew it was coming. Well, either that or his blade poised to stab the man was going to end this fight. Instead he felt himself pushed into the air and just allowed himself to go limp, as he felt the force stop pushing him he grabbed onto a ledge to stop himself and then jumped back down the two walls forming the alleyway, hoping from one to another until he was on the ground. Before his actions could be considered hostile he lay his pike flat on the ground and took to a knee. “Forgive me, M’lord. However after several… false leads I had to make sure you were who I thought you were.”

 Marrik rose and engaged his lightsaber once more, his fury barely kept in check. He stepped forward, his grip on the hilt of his blade tightening, and his left arm came up, forming a grip of it’s own. Marrik groped for a moment with the Force, until he found the kneeling man’s neck, then he squeezed. Not enough to kill. Not yet.

[color=gold]”I ask again then.”[/color] Marrik veritably growled, [color=gold]”Who are you?”[/color] As he spoke, he relented his grip just enough to allow the man to speak as well.

Alix grunted through the pain, the invisible force gripping his neck. It took all of his willpower not to move from his kneeling position and pull at his neck, he had seen this performed enough times however to know that it was a pointless effort. When it released he couldn’t help but take an audible gasp. “My name is Alix Raine, I am a Captain in his Royal Highnesses Guard, and an Acolyte of the Beyond.”

[color=gold]”His Highness? The Emperor is dead. What could bring one of his guards searching for me? And what is an Acolyte of the Beyond?”[/color] As curiosity began to blunt his fury, Marrik released Alix completely from his force grip, [color=gold]”Be warned that if your answers are unsatisfactory, they will be the last words you speak.”[/color]

Alix moved his hand away from his pike, though kept it close enough to grab in a hurry. He wasn’t for it, but wouldn’t hesitate continuing hostilities should it be required. “The Emperor may live on, but he broke through the restraints of the Force and shall live on through it, through the Empire and through those that serve him. I search you, for you are Sith. The Sith deserve to be at the forefront of the galaxy, so is the belief of the Acolytes of the Beyond. For the Sith are the only ones capable of changing the currents of the Force, when Lord Vader and the Emperor perished aboard the Death Star the Empire was left without control, I was sent to find you so we could help you take your rightful place.”

Marrik said nothing for several moments. This seemed altogether too good to be true, and yet, here this man was, prostrate before him. Was there truly a group that remained loyal to Sith philosophy? Think of the possibilities. The potential resources. An excitement began to rise inside him, but he tempered it with his self-preserving skepticism.

[color=gold]”So The Emperor [i]was[/i] Sith. I had my suspicions. Tell me, exactly how is it you would assist me in taking my rightful place, if what you say is true?”[/gold]

Alix nodded. “Master to Count Dooku, and then Lord Vader. Few in the Empire knew of Lord Vaders truth, even fewer about the truth about the Emperor. “ Alix moved slightly into an easier position to kneel in. The deal wasn’t done yet. “We have a ship, the Kaggath in orbit, it’s not as fancy as an Imperial Star Destroyer however it is enough, and the crew is loyal. We have connections to the Empire and those still loyal to the true Empire, and training.” He bowed his head, placing his neck in a more vulnerable position.

“Forgive me for saying M’Lord, however it seems you still have much to learn.”

Marrik, though still quite grumpy, was no fool. Though he had learned much in his three-or-so years under Tyrannus’ tutelage, he had far to go before he would be even close to his equal. He was gifted in The Force, this much was true, but it’s intricacies still eluded him, despite days spent pondering Sith relics alone. Even more, he had been capable of getting by on his limited knowledge of the Juyo and Makashi forms he had learned from his old master, but it was becoming painfully apparent that it would no longer suffice. He was now getting involved with very powerful individuals. He needed to learn what he could.

While it chafed to hear this man point out his lack-of-training, he had to give the man credit. He was certainly brave, to say something like that to a Sith. He was also clearly quite skilled with the blade. Marrik was sure that if he had been an ordinary Pau’an, he would have lost that duel. Happily, Marrik was not an ordinary Pau’an. He was Sith, the last of them remaining, as far as he was aware, and now, as he realized he was going to accept this group’s aid, he was not alone.

[color=gold]”Very well, Alix. I am Marrik, Last of the Sith Lords. Let’s see this ship of yours. It has been long since I had the pleasurable company of any allies of the Dark Side of the Force.”[/color]