nitemare shape

Guild News: May 2020

Thanks so much for the Spotlight. I'm really appreciative of the kind words and support.

Star Wars: Legacies (Always Open)

Nyna steered the speeder through traffic, switching lanes multiple times until she was sure that no one was following them. After she confirmed that there was indeed no one chasing them, she settled into a single lane and headed toward the Corellian Sector, each member of the quartet lived. Though she knew that it could be a risk to go back to where they lived, Nyna felt that being on their home turf gave them a slight advantage over anyone who might come looking for them. Although no one seemed to have followed them here, Nyna knew that they needed to find someplace to hide, at least until they had a plan.

“My place is right around the corner. We should ditch this thing and go there.” Joren said from the back seat.

“That's insane. They're looking for us, don't you-” Joren cut Nyna off.

“Exactly. They're looking for us. They'd never think that we're stupid enough to go to our homes.” Joren argued.

Nyna had to admit, even though she didn't like the idea, it did make some modicum of sense. So she took the speeder toward Joren's apartment, then about another block further south where she parked the speeder in an alley that didn't seem to have much foot traffic, and then the four friends made their way back toward the apartment.

The trip back toward Joren's apartment was uneventful. There had been no signs of either the Kath Hounds or the Imperials, and they were able to traverse the city block without any trouble. They moved through the crowd almost as if it were just any normal day, nobody seemed to pay them any mind as they made it to Joren's apartment building. As they reached the front door, Joren reached down and scratched Nara, the stray rib-cat that hung out in the neighborhood on the top of the head and went through the door.

To Joren, the hallway leading toward his apartment seemed darker than usual. The building itself seemed more run down than it normally did. Or perhaps; he thought, that maybe he was finally seeing the place for what it was. Though this building was never what anyone would consider nice, for most of his life, it had been home. It had been the place where his father would play all kinds of games with him as a child, some of which were little more than exercises to hone his skills as a Force wielder. It was where his mother, when she wasn't out on a job, would cook them dinner. It was the last string of connective tissue that he had to his family.

But now, it was his past.

The quartet made their way down the hall and to the turbolift which would bring them to Joren's floor. Like the rest of the building, the turbolift looked to have seen better days. It creaked as they stepped on, and made a mournful whining sound as it made its journey upward, before coming to a stammering halt when it reached its destination. Joren led the way down the hall toward his apartment, passing an Arcona that Joren recognized as Bax, who lived several doors down from him. Joren gave a halfhearted nod of acknowledgment as they passed by, and continued on to the door to his apartment.

Once they went inside, the four friends gathered in the living quarters where they began planning their next move. The truth was, none of them knew what to do or where to go from this point, though they knew that between the Imperials and the Kath Hounds, they wouldn't be able to stay on Nar Shaddaa.

“We need to get off world, we can figure out where we're going once we're on the move. The longer we wait here, the harder it will be for us to get out.” Dono said

“Well, that's a problem itself. We've got no transport off this rock.” Nyna said hopelessly.

“We should go see my dad.-” Kelsa chimed in. “-he's got a couple of freighters that he can smuggle us out on. Then we can figure things out from there.”

As the others agreed to Kelsa's plan, Joren silently excused himself and made his way to his chambers. The room itself seemed dark, almost cold. To Joren, it was strange being in the room where he had slept every night from the time he was a child, knowing that this would be the last time he would be there.

There was something there that he needed to get before he left this cesspool forever. He made his way over to his closet and began rooting through his things. He pushed aside clothes and souvenirs that he had collected over the years, until finally he found it. It was an unassuming durasteel box, however, to him, it may as well been a treasure chest.

He fumbled with the lock until it finally opened. Inside the box there were several things that he'd held dear. There were several notes that his father had written after he had become sick. Some were words of wisdom, lessons of the Force that he wanted to pass on to his son, reminders of the Jedi way. There was one that his father had written just days before he passed away, telling him just how proud his father had been of him, and how it had been his privilege to call him son.

There were also a few other keepsakes, some baubles that his mother had brought back to him after her various “business trips.” There was also his mother's prized necklace. It was a beautiful piece of art, said to be made from songsteel, which gave gave it a certain luminescence. His mother always wore it, or did so whenever she wasn't on a job. He took the necklace out of the box and held it between his fingers for a moment.

Then his eyes fell on his prized possession.

His father's lightsaber. When he held the weapon in his hand, he felt a true connection to his father. He remembered the first time he saw the brilliant blue blade, and how transfixed he was on the glowing blade and the droning humming sound that it made. After his father had passed away, he would take the lightsaber out and just hold it in has hand, occasionally activating it, allowing the blue-white glow and the hum of the weapon to make him feel closer to him.

After a few moments, Joren snapped out of his reverie and closes the lid of the box and tucked it under his arm. He didn't know why he'd been so transfixed on the weapon, or really why he'd been drawn to be box and its contents, particularly the lightsaber. It had been almost as if something had called out to him and led him to it.

He was no Jedi. He had no use for the weapon. Then he realized, it wasn't about the lightsaber at all. It was about maintaining the one thread that still connected him to his parents. Everything in that box was all that remained of his parents, and even though he was leaving his home, he wasn't ready to let go of them just yet.

He made his way back to the living chamber and rejoined his friends. They looked tired and worried, and they appeared to be ready to get as far away from Nar Shaddaa as they could, and put this all behind them.

“Alright, let's get out of here.” Joren said as the others got up and they headed for the door, hoping for an uneventful return to the hidden speeder.

Star Wars: Legacies (Always Open)

Kott Sidoni

Character's name: Kott Sidoni

Race: Corellian

Faction: Imperial Remnant

Character Alignment (Choose one): Neutral

Character Background: Kott was born to a ship engineering family, both of his parents helped design the large battleships. Like most Corellians he learned to fly at an early age and started to follow in his parent’s footsteps. His childhood was fun, loving and natural.
After leaving Corellia on a freighter-ship, Kott ended up on the wrong side of a dispute with some Imperial Freight Checkers and had to enlist as a Storm Trooper to wipe away his debt. After getting a taste of aerial combat, Kott stayed as an Imperial Pilot.

Character Personality: Typical of a Corellian, Kott has a certain cunning and pragmatism that has served him well. He weighs the risk and reward of every action, sometimes bordering on reckless. Kott wont think twice about killing, especially in a starfighter.

Character's Physical description:

Character Class (choose one): Soldier

Items-
DH-17 Blaster Pistol
E-11 Blaster Rifle

Supporting Characters:

@Sam Quint

Approved.

Also, love the Quint stuff from Jaws. One of my all time favorite characters from one of my all time favorite movies. Welcome aboard.

If you like, there's a link to our discord on the first page.

Create-A-Hero: A Superhero RPG Season 2- New Horizons (Closed)

In the three days since Icon had shown up at his doorstep, Lyger had kept his promise to the cobalt and silver hero. He had searched high and low for any clue as to who had attempted to assassinate Alexa Winstone, and thus, who it was that had discovered his secret identity. The very same people who had left a note for Icon, a note with a small insignia, a symbol which announced themselves.

He had tracked down every lead that came his way, he pounded what little information was to be had out of any lowlife thug that seemed to have any possible connection to this shadowy group of assassins. He learned that someone had put a hit out on all superheroes, no matter what city they called home. He learned about assassination attempts that had been carried out against others, and he even came across someone who had been looking to cash in on such a bounty at his expense.

However, much like Arthur and Icon before him, Lyger had learned absolutely nothing about whoever this group was. None of the lowlifes that he had tracked down who supposedly had any connection to this mystery organization knew anything about him. Either that, or they were more afraid of them, then they were of him.

He had even reached out to Harry, who had up until that point been enjoying his retirement in a beach house in Maui, having put this life behind him after nearly five decades of service. He had hoped that perhaps Harry may have come across this symbol before, or, through his contacts in the espionage industry, knew someone who had. However, the old man hadn't gotten back to him with any information that could help him come any closer to solving this mystery.

Frustrated by his lack of progress, he decided to end his nightly search early. He hopped down from his perch on the ledge of Mac's Place, a local dive bar which was popular with criminals and thugs, as well as those who were simply down on their luck. Since his return to Crown Ridge, this place had proven to be a good resource in his search for answers, as those who tended to have the information that he needed, also tended to frequent Mac's in order to drink away their troubles.

But not tonight.

On this night, Mac's was nearly deserted. So after descending to the street, he made his way to the side alley where he had stowed his motorcycle and revved up the engine and raced off into the night. He moved through the streets, traveling at speeds well over one hundred miles per hour. The speed was cathartic in a way, it helped him think.

Soon, he found himself back at the abandoned post office which sat atop the Den. He pulled the bike up onto the secret lift which would bring him down into the heart of his base of operations. After punching in his security code the lift made a slight groaning noise, which had gotten louder over the last few weeks, and was something that he had meant to bring up to Ash, but for some reason had failed to mention up to this point.

Once the lift came to a stop, he directed the bike to its parking spot next to what was left of Kaiju, which was currently being worked on, as well as the remains of his previous bike, which met an unfortunate end due to an accident several days prior. Once he parked the bike, he took his mask off and was about to ask Whisper if she had heard any updates on their mysterious foe, however, he noticed that the woman sitting in the seat usually occupied by her, was not in fact, Whisper.

Instead sat a beautiful young Asian woman, tattoos covering her arms and chest. She wore an expression of amusement as she recognized the look of shock on his face.

“Who are you.” Lyger said as he stepped toward the young woman ready for whatever she might through at him.

“This is the guy?” She said incredulously as if calling out to someone.

Suddenly, Lyger felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to face the person, swinging his upper body around, prepared to strike. But when he saw that it was Whisper, he immediately lowered his fist.

“Cassie, what's going on.” Lyger asked, confused.

“Kyle, we need to talk.” A familiar voice said from the shadows.

Lyger looked to the source of the voice, and much to his shock, saw Harry emerge from the shadows cast from the corners of the Den. Lyger just stood there, speechless as the old man approached him, placing his hand on his shoulder. Harry looked into the younger man's eyes and nodded as he smiled proudly at what his protege had accomplished in his absence.

“Kyle, this is Kenna, my granddaughter. However, full introductions have to wait, we have something urgent to discuss.-” Harry said. He paused for a moment and his face took on a slightly darker expression. “-I got the note that Icon had given you, and I came right away.”
“You know who these people are.” Lyger said simply, to which Harry just nodded.

“Kyle, it's time I told you about The Eye of Osiris.” The old man said as he motioned for Kyle to sit.

Star Wars: Legacies (Always Open)

Kaylee Starsmore/Aboard the NIGHTHAWK/Yavin IV
@sep


As Kaylee made her way through the ship, she was startled when a Gotal suddenly emerged from the shadows, making his presence know. The creature questioned her presence on the ship, and then accused her of being there in order to steal the Jedi relics that they had collected during their time together, then accused the Jedi that had come before of doing much the same.

"What?-" She asked, startled by not only the creature's sudden appearance, but by the accusation as well. "-by the stars, no. I'd never..." her words trailed off for a moment.

The Gotal had taken her by complete surprise. The abruptness that he displayed was not something that she was accustomed to. She wondered to herself why this creature was so hostile toward her. Clearly, he did not trust outsiders, which of course, she was. But there almost seemed to be something else to his line of questioning.

Something deeper.

"I'm sorry, my name is Kaylee Starsmore, Master Skywalker sent me to assist a Tyrell Omi-Ren on his mission." She said, trying to start the introduction over.

Star Wars: Legacies (Always Open)

Kotan Vil (2)

Character's name: Kotan Vil

Race: Clawdite

Faction: Independent Systems

Character Alignment: Neutral / Dark

Character Background: Kotan Vil didn't come from nothing. She came from less then nothing.

Born on Zolan a few years after the rise of the Galactic Empire, her family was already living as second-class citizens under the oppressive rule of the Zolanders when Imperial Intelligence, fearing the shapeshifting Clawdites would use their abilities against the Empire, blockaded the planet and provided passive support to the ruling class to keep their recalcitrant shapeshifters in line. She lost her father, a former Captain in the Confederate Navy, to an Imperial firing squad when she was little, and her mother vanished into a Zolan death camp for 'subversive activities' a year later, leaving her to fend for herself and do what she could to survive. It was a wretched experience, but it wasn't enough to break her, not until she could pay the Empire back ten times over for what they did to her.

When she was barely a teenager, she got her chance almost on accident when she witnessed a TIE Fighter lose control and crash near where she was holed up. Making sure the pilot was dead in the most direct way possible, she stole the pilot's suit and activated the ruined fighter's distress signal. "ZA-592" was chastised for his carelessness in causing the crash and sent back on duty, and when "ZA-592" failed to show up to his duty shift the next day, "Captain Olien" was directing his Tartan Patrol Cruiser back to the shipyards of Kuat for scheduled repairs, only to be diverted to hunt down a rebel task force operating in the area.

Needless to say, when the rebels were accosted by Captain Olien in his far superior ship only for the Imperial officer to immediately surrender and reveal her true identity, they were immediately impressed with the inherent talents of the wily Clawdite and she was given command of the very ship she stole to fight the Empire. Kotan Vil quickly earned a reputation as a daring battlefield commander even at such a young age, spearheading raids on Imperial supply lines when she wasn't personally leading infiltration missions deep into Empire controlled territory. Kotan's staunch, almost fanatical hatred of the Empire earned her allies among the more radical elements in the Rebellion, and as she grew more experienced she came to realize that her prodigal skill and ability to deceive the weak-minded was more then just luck or tenacity; she was force-sensitive, inadvertently calling on these abilities to help her fool the weak-minded and catch glimpses of the future.

The war wasn't over after Endor though, least of all for Kotan. The Imperial Remnants still lived, and she received word that her home Zolan was on the brink of civil war in the wake of the blockade's collapse. She petitioned loudly for the New Republic to send a fleet to liberate her people before they were slaughtered by the Zolanders and their Imperial puppet-masters, but she was met with silence; the Grand Moff who oversaw the blockade was in talks with the New Republic to surrender, and they couldn't risk provoking him while the negotiations were ongoing. Kotan went anyway, taking her ship and whoever else would join. It would have been a battle like any other, a triumphant victory to add to the dozens she possessed, but when the Moff realized the fight was not going his way, rather then surrender or turn tail, he chose to hold the planet hostage, threatening to slaughter millions with his Star Destroyer's photon beam. At the height of the standoff, a transmission came in from the New Republic; she was ordered to stand down and surrender, the Moff wasn't to be touched.

Seeing the New Republic back down to curry favor with a madman threatening mass slaughter shattered her faith in the fledgling Republic, and in a moment of pure instinct and vengeful rage, she turned around and crushed the Moff's throat with the power of the Force. It made her a pariah to the forces of the New Republic, but to the downtrodden and especially to her own people, it made her a hero, perhaps moreso then she ever was in the Rebellion, and her re-emergence in the camp of the Neimoidian princess Pomda Duigro, a prominent figure in the growing independence movement, has proven to be quite a draw for those who find the New Republic's image to be tarnished.

Character Personality: At first glance, Kotan Vil comes across as rather quiet and contemplative, quietly working away or thinking over her actions before moving, showing a particular talent with the Force as well as combat, strategy, and piloting. Like any proper Clawdite though, it's clear on a second look that there's something beneath the surface. Sometimes it's a burst of childlike wonder at something new, or a inspiring and decisive command that turns the tide and saves the day. Other times it's something darker, giving into a fit of vengeance or fury, oftentimes turned against the old Empire and those who show loyalty to it. Her enemies say she's wicked, a bloodthirsty firebrand enslaved by her own anger and given in to the dark side, and her admirers say she's a revolutionary, a woman deeply concerned with the plight of those left broken and scarred by the Empire.

Character's Physical description: When she's wearing her own face, she looks like your typical Clawdite with the reptilian green skin, sunken cheeks, and large golden eyes with slit-like pupils, while her hair tends to remain black and styled in a short pixie-ish cut. She's fairly tall for her age but rather scrawny, and when she isn't forced to wear her uniform she tends to stick to her usual casual attire.

Character Class: Force Sensitive

Items:
-A reliable DL-18 blaster at her hip, just in case.
-A red synth-crystal, a gift from a friend kept for good luck. Yet to be used.
-Mirage, her personal star ship. A prototype that was meant to respond to the popular A-wing design, it's a strong air-superiority fighter with a suite of interference jammers that makes tracking and firing on the ship with lock-on technology difficult. This version has been modified with better armor and a hyperdrive, pushing it more towards a general purpose role.

Supporting Characters:

-Akula: A female Gen'Dai who worked as a mercenary during the Clone Wars and the early days of the Empire before falling in with the Rebellion. Standing four feet over most other species and bedecked in heavy armor (and inexplicably an imperial cap on top of her armored helmet), she stoically goes into battle armed with a clone marine's chaingun and enough thermal detonators to blow a hole clean through a Star Destroyer. Perhaps because of their mutual hatred of the Empire, the two quickly became friends and despite a lucrative arrangement hunting down Imperial holdouts following the defeat of the Empire, Akula readily dropped everything to join her old friend in her defection.
-Lady Pomda Duigro: A Neimoidian noblewoman who orchestrated the overthrow of the Kuati families following the collapse of the Empire, taking their place as master of the Kuat Shipyards. With an eye towards her own power and at least publicly supportive of harsher measures against the remnants of the old empire, she's since become a strong voice in the Independence movement and has even gone so far as to ally herself with the controversial Kotan Vil.

@KaiserElectric

looks good

Star Wars: Legacies (Always Open)

Kaylee Starsmore was in her quarters gathering everything that she might need for the mission that Master Skywalker had just tasked her with. Excitement coursed through her as she packed a bag for the journey. She made sure that she had her data pad and her med kit, as well as several sets of civilian clothes. Though Luke hadn't shared with her exactly what the mission would entail, she knew that the existence of the New Jedi Order was still a secret to most, and due to years of the Empire's anti-Jedi propaganda, the general view of the Order itself was complicated at best. So she felt that it was perhaps prudent not to advertise her presence.

As she was placing the last of her things into a duffel bag, there was a knock at her door. She hadn't been expecting anyone, though she suspected that it may have been Master Skywalker coming to give her the final details of her mission.

“Come in.” She called out to whoever had knocked.

No sooner had the words left her lips than Horn and Rush both entered her room. Horn was what many people would consider a good looking man. Tall and powerfully built with long blond hair and a matching, well trimmed beard. Rush was was tall and wiry, with dark hair which was usually pulled back in a high ponytail and sported a short black beard. As usual, both men were sporting their Jedi robes, Horn in his gray and blue wear, and Rush in his black and brown robes.

Wow, it didn't take long for word to spread. Kaylee thought to herself as she regarded her two friends.

“Sneaking off without saying goodbye?” Horn teased, a big grin plastered across his face.

“Not cool.” Rush chimed in with his arms folded over his chest and a look of mock disapproval on his face.

“No, not at all. Lu-Master Skywalker just kind of sprung this on me.” Kaylee told them.

“I'm happy for you. You're ready for this.” Horn told her. Coming from him, that meant a lot. Though they had grown close in the time that they've been training together at the Praxeum, Horn was more than just her friend, he was her mentor. He had almost as much to do with her training as Master Skywalker had, and his word carried a lot of weight. Hearing his words of encouragement helped to calm the fears that she had, the fears that she was not ready, that she was in over her head.

“He's right.-” Rush added. “-you're one of the best Jedi here, and you're ready to take the next step. You've got this.” Rush told her in a more serious way than his normal demeanor.

“Thanks guys. Really, it means a lot.-” She said as she grabbed her bag and headed toward the door. “-but I have to get out to the landing pad, they're expecting me any minute, and I really don't want to be late to my first mission.”

A short time after saying goodbye to her friends, Kaylee made her way to the landing pad where she found the freighter that would be taking her on her mission with the recently arrived Jedi, Tyrell Omi-Ren. She tingled with anticipation as she made her way up the entry ramp, and she stopped just outside of the open door. Not wanting to surprise the occupants of the freighter, she announced her presence.

“Hello?-” She called to anyone inside the ship who might be nearby. “-I'm Kaylee Starsmore, I understand we have a mission.”

Star Wars: Legacies (Always Open)

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The SSD Lazarus, Somewhere in the Unknown Regions

Admiral Lez'Kava'Layro, or as she was known by her Core name, Kava, sat behind her semi circular desk within her personal office. The dark gray durasteel that made up the walls gave the space an uninviting appearance. The office space was completely bereft of decorations. There was no artwork hanging from the walls or otherwise displayed throughout the room. This was in stark contrast to her predecessor, who had also used this space has his personal office. At that time, portraits of the Admiral and his family adorned the walls, as well as certificates and other honors that he had accumulated over his years of service. There were also relics and other keepsakes that he had acquired, including his favorite piece, the tooth of a krayt dragon, which he kept in a transparisteel case on his desk, prominently placed for any who entered his office to see.

However, now there was nothing there that could humanize the Admiral. This was by design. It served as a reminder to anyone who entered the office that had a singular focus, and that was to restore the Galactic Empire to glory.

For five years, her fleet had remained hidden in the Unknown Regions waiting for the right time to strike. During that time, she had been keeping appraised of the situation in the larger galaxy through various means, including sending spies out into the galaxy with the sole purpose of delivering her the information that she needed to plan.

To say that the last five years had been eventful would be an understatement. A New Republic had formed, though it was not as strong as it would like to portray to the galaxy at large. Somewhere in the galaxy, one of the heroes of the Rebellion, the one who had supposedly been responsible for the death of not only the Emperor, but Lord Vader as well, Luke Skywalker, had set out to resurrect the Jedi Order. As for the Empire, it had not so much fallen as it had fractured. Former Imperials setting out on the galaxy, happy to carve out a piece for themselves. Setting themselves up as second rate despots to rule over those who would allow it.

The weak leading the weaker. Kava found it to be a pathetic turn of event.

And then there was Ozzel. He had managed to remain in the seat of power on Coruscant, however, according to her spies, he was content with his current situation. He appeared to have no intention of reclaiming territory that had been lost to the rebels. As far as she was concerned, he might as well be working with the rebels themselves, because his inaction was nothing short of treason.

“The fool.-” Kava spat as she read the information from the datapad in her hands, detailing what her spies had learned of the Imperium's plans, or lack thereof, as it were. “-Old age has not been kind to Ozzel. It;s made him weak. Complacent. This...this is not acceptable.”

“Agreed Admiral.-” Captain Bryce nodded as his superior's words echoes his own thoughts on the matter. “-There were also some reports of the rebel fleet amassing near Utrost. It could be possible that they are planning some sort of attack. Though, I believe such an attack would be foolhardy.”

“No, not in the least. Utrost is just a short jump to Coruscant. It would give the rebels a staging ground for a larger invasion.” Kava retorted without taking her eyes from the datapad.

“You think they're going after Coruscant?” Bryce asked, his voice filled with astonishment.

“Coruscant has been the capital of the ruling government for thousands of years. There are some in the galaxy who are sentimental, and will not accept a new government who rules from another seat of power. So yes, it would make sense for the rebels to make a play for Coruscant.” Kava said, finally bringing her crimson eyes to meet her captain's gaze.

“That is...a good point.” Bryce said finally.

“Captain, contact the Dominus, begin preparations.-” She said as she put the datapad down on the desk. “-I want the fleet mobilized in four hours.” She said with a smile.

“And our destination, Admiral?” Bryce asked, already knowing the answer. His suspicions confirmed when she answered him with a grin.

“We're going home.”

Create-A-Hero: A Superhero RPG Season 2- New Horizons (Closed)

.

Star Wars: Legacies (Always Open)

Joren and Dono found themselves in the cramped sewers beneath Hutta Town. The sewers were not the cavernous wonders that could be found in holodramas, large enough for large groups of beings to engage in close quarter combat with room to spare. To the contrary, the sewers in Hutta Town proved to be a very tight fit, barely large enough for a full grown human to squeeze through. Slowly, they made their way to their destination:

The Kath Hounds' compound.

The compound itself once belonged to one of Grakkus the Hutt's Consiglieres. It was uniquely equipped to keep intruders out, boasting magnetically sealing blast doors, blaster turrets, and even guard posts at four points around the compound. There was also the issue of motion detectors on the premise of the compound itself.

Getting into the compound for a direct assault was not only impossible, it was a suicide mission. Fortunately, with Nyna's help, Dono had found the schematics for the compound, and discovered a sewer access point inside of the compound itself. The only problem, was that it was across the compound from the detention area. Which meant that Dono and Joren would have to sneak through the corridors of the compound, avoiding the Kaths inside the compound, make their way to the detention area, break in, and then get Kelsa out of her cell and back out of the compound where Nyna would be sitting in a waiting speeder to get them out of there quickly.

“Easy enough.” Joren had said to Dono after the Mandalorian had proposed the plan. Joren knew that it was a long shot, and there was a good chance that more than likely, they'd all end up dead. But it was the only chance they had.

“It'll be no problem. Just wait.” Dono had said, failing to make his friend feel better about their odds.

As tight of a fit as it was, they pushed forward. It seemed as if they had been trudging through the sewers for hours, fighting for every inch forward. Dono led the way through a narrow opening, and then he looked up, shining his light toward the ceiling.

“This should be it.” He said pointing out a small grate, just large enough for a human to fit through directly overhead.

“You're sure?” Joren asked.

“According to the schematics Nyna was able to dig up, yeah. This should put us inside the compound.” He said as he reached up and began to open the grate.

Once up, he reached down and took hold of Joren's hand, pulling him up out of the hole. Once they were both inside the compound, Dono silently motioned for Joren to follow him. Stealthily, they moved down the long, dimly lit corridor until they came to an four way intersection. Dono checked the holomap that Nyna had uploaded the HUD in his helmet and motioned that they needed to take a left. Dono hugged the wall and craned his neck to look around the corner and immediately put his hand up, signaling Joren to stop.

In the hallway just beyond the intersection, stood six Kath Hounds standing guard. Joren was confident that between himself and Dono, they could easily take the gang members standing guard. However, they couldn't do it quietly. If they engaged the thugs, every Kath in the compound would know that they were there, and Kenso would surely kill Kelsa, and this would have all been for nothing.

So they stood silently and waited.

Eventually, four of the Kaths moved on to another section of the compound, leaving just two of the Kaths standing guard in the corridor. Dono made him move before Joren knew what was happening. He crept up behind the pair of thugs, and in a single, fluid motion he sank his hidden vibroknife into the side of the first thug's neck, let go of the blade and grabbed the other in a headlock, and with a swift jerk, snapped his neck. Once the two thugs were taken care of, Dono and Joren stuffed their bodies into a nearby maintenance closet and continued on their way.

The rest of the journey to the detention area was uneventful. In fact, they didn't cross paths with a single Kath Hound. In fact, it went so smoothly that unease radiated through Joren. And it hit him:
Kenso knew that they were there.

He looked to his Mandalorian companion, and it was clear to him that Dono knew it too. It was a trap, and they just walked right into it.

Just as they reached the door to the detention area, they could hear footsteps racing toward them. Joren couldn't tell just how many Kaths were on their way, but he could tell that they were easily outnumbered. They stood ready to fight as more than a dozen Kath Hounds swarmed into the hall in front of the detention area, then, the blast doors that led into the cell block opened, and more men appeared. They were far outnumbered, and they were surrounded.

The staggering odds did not deter Dono. He pointed his blaster at one of the approaching thugs and was prepared to fire. However, Joren knew that if he did, not only would they certainly be killed, but doing so would also seal Kelsa's fate, if she were still alive. So he reached over to Dono, and with his hand pushed his blaster downward. Dono immediately looked at him, as if to ask what he was doing, but he understood Joren's intent, and holstered the blaster.

“Alright, we surrender.” Joren said, raising his hands, a gesture which Dono reluctantly followed suit.

They were grabbed and their arms were bound by several of the Kaths, and they were forced away from the detention center. They were taken down a yet another long corridor, through several blast doors to another section of the compound. They came to a large set of double blast doors, and after the Kath Hound that was leading them punched in a security code, they were brought into brightly lit room which had computer stations set up around the room, and a large holodisplay screen in the center.

And standing before that holodisplay screen, was Kelsa, held at blaster-point by Amaral Kenso.

“You can take those off-” Kenso said, motioning for his man to release the bindings that restrained Joren and Dono's arms. “-That will be all. Thank you.” Kenso said to his thugs, who in turn, made their way out of the room. Though, Joren didn't need the Force to know that they stood just on the other side of the door.

Amaral Kenso dropped the blaster to his side and ran his left hand through his long blonde hair. Kenso was a larger man. Thickly built, he looked as if he could tear a Blurrg apart with his bare hands. Though he was only a few years older than Joren, his features were weathered, his skin was cracked, and he looked much older than he actually was. His apparent aging was mostly due to the lifestyle that he lived. He had lived a life with few rules, he lived fast, and he lived hard, and that had appeared to have taken a toll on him.

“Are you all right?” Joren asked Kelsa, ignoring the gang leader. Kelsa nodded that she was, which was a relief to both Joren and Dono.

“Joren, Joren, Joren.-” Kenso started, clicking his teeth as he shook his head while looking down at the floor, before bringing his gaze back to the duo. “-We have a slight problem, my friend. You owe me 75,000 credits for that stunt you pulled. I checked the chance cubes, they weren't loaded. But I know you cheated. And nobody cheats me.” He said, his voice rising slightly.

“I didn't cheat you, Kenso. And I only took you for twenty-five.” Joren countered.

“Consider the rest interest.-” Kenso said with a grin. “-So, here's how this s going to work. You can pay me what you owe me now, and we'll forget this whole affair.” Kenso paused, still grinning from ear to ear.

“Not going to happen.-” Joren said. “-I don't owe you anything. And even if I did, I don't have that kind of credits.”

“Or...-”Kenso said, drawing out the word as he spoke. “-You belong to me. You and your Mando dog. You do what I say, no questions asked. I give you a job to do, you do it. You are mine until you've paid your debt.”

“Never gonna happen.” Joren said defiantly.

“And you, Mando?” Kenso asked, turning his attention to Dono.

“Sorry.” Dono said flatly.

“Looks like you'll just have to kill us. Or try, anyhow.” Joren said, a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

“Kill you? Oh, my friend, I have no intention of killing you. Not yet, at least. So I'm going to make this offer one last time, and I want you to really think about your next words, because if you don't agree to my terms, you will live to regret it.” Kenso said smugly.

“I already gave you my answer Kenso. Get karked,” Joren said, refusing to give in to the gangster.

“Well now, that's really unfortunate.” Kenso said as he raised his blaster and pointed it first at Joren, and then he moved his arm, aiming it directly at Kelsa's head. “I said that you were going to live to regret it. Such a shame to waste such a fine 'specimen.'” He said as he began to squeeze the trigger.

“NO!” Joren shouted as he reached out through the Force, pushing Kenso's arm away, which caused him to fire two blaster bolts harmlessly into the wall.

Without hesitating, Dono lifted his arm, and fired a bolt from his wrist blaster, which hit Kenso between the chest and the shoulder, dropping him in the process. Though he seemed to be un-phased by what he had seen, the truth was that he was in a state of utter disbelief. Had he actually just seen Joren do what it appeared that he did? Could his friend have lied to him about who, and what he was for all of this time? He didn't know what this meant, for him, for their friendship. However, these were concerns for another time, because if they didn't get out of this compound now, it would all be a mute point.

“Joren, this way!” Dono said as he motioned for the blast doors.

Joren ran over to Kenso where Kenso lay, writhing in pain from the surprise blaster shot that he had taken. He reached down and grabbed Kenso's blaster, then, for good measure slammed the butt of the weapon into the gang leader's temple, rendering him unconscious. He then made his way over to Kelsa and ran his hand over her shoulder and down her arm, as if you comfort her as well as making sure that she really was alright.

“You'll have time for that later. We gotta go.” Dono shouted as he activated the blast doors.
Dono immediately opened fire as the trio stepped out of the security room, surprising the Kath Hounds that stood guard. Joren fired off several shots as more Kaths raced toward them. Dono quickly went over to one of the fallen Kaths and retrieved their blasters, which had been confiscated when they were captured, and tossed Joren his. Joren held his blaster and felt a level of comfort with the familiarity with the weapon. He then handed Kelsa the blaster that he had taken from Kenso.

“You might need this.” He said.

“I don't even know how to shoot.” Kelsa protested.

“I can't think of a better time to learn.” He said as he grabbed her hand and led her as they began running down the corridor behind Dono.

“I can...!” Kelsa exclaimed as she followed.

They ran down the corridors, Dono, using the holomap in his HUD led the way. They passed two intersecting corridors, and then when they reached the third, they took a left and came to another intersecting corridor. They took a right, and made it to the door which would lead them out of the compound. However, someone shouted at them from the corridor just to the left of the exit.

“Don't move!” The voice shouted.

Joren looked toward the source of the command, and was shocked to see that it did not come from a member of the Kath Hounds, instead, it was from a white armor clad Imperial Stormtrooper, one of several who had leveled their weapons at the trio as they tried to escape. Joren raised his weapon and fired at the stormtroopers, taking them by surprise. Dono and Kelsa joined in, and by the time the door had opened, all six of the stormtroopers lay motionless on the floor.

“Come! This way!” Dono shouted as he led the other two toward the rendezvous that he and Nyna had agreed on.

“Get in!” Nyna cried as she brought the speeder to a screeching hault just as more Kath Hounds and stormtroopers made their way toward them.

Dono provided cover fire as Kelsa and then Joren jumped in the speeder, before jumping himself, still returning blasterfire at their pursuers.

“GO! GO! GO!” Dono yelled once he was in the speeder.

“Hang on to your seats!” Nyna shouted to the others as she put the speeder in gear and raced upward to the skylanes, where they disappeared into the evening traffic.