Janus Flint (PreDoTR-NT)

[Necris]

Korriban
The Eastern Gardens
Seven Years Prior to New time line.

​

He was pacing anger rolling off his like waves of heat the emotions rippling the short grass around his large heavy feet as the ruined a patch of the perfectly maintained garden, he has lost count of how many times he had paced back and forth during the last three hours as he waited for his opponent to appear. His acolyte Ashay kept her distance perched on a fallen tree far enough from her master to feel safe yet remained close enough to converse with him, close enough to hear his teeth grinding. Lord Keros proud warrior of the Sith was a giant of a man close to seven feet tall a Zabrak of deep purple skin tone with bone white horn crests ringing his head, he was a wall of muscle beneath the black battle plate he wore as a mark of honour the crimson robe he wore swayed with each angry step as he turned and trod the path he was wearing in to ground again.

His acolyte licked her lips in nervousness an orange skinned Togruta her Montrals were coloured black to match the black clothing that she wore, she dared to speak as her master turned once again.

"Perhaps he is is not coming, to afraid to face you my master."

Keros stopped turning on her and for a painfully long instant she though he might turn his lightsaber on her instead.

"Do not be a fool!"

He spat as he continued to pace.

"He issued the challenge, he dared to challenge me even after what I did to him!"

He growled as turned to regard her as she spoke again.

"But he is a cripple, why would he challenge you again?"

"You think this is a ruse to irk me?"

"It makes no sense master, he surely must know he can't defeat you."

It was true Flint would never be able to defeat him, not after their last duel, their last duel had seen the human left broken and crippled on the floor, bleeding to death from the damage he had visited upon his weak body, the fact he'd survived was a stain on his perfect kill record, something he intended to repair today with flints head leaving his shoulders, he drew his lightsaber as he strode, it was a heavy long hilt designed for two hands, designed for power the crush his enemies beneath its onslaught, yet in hands it was a thing of beauty he could match any duelist for style and finesse with his blade, he closed he hand round it tightly noting the pigment of his hands changing as he continued to stride.

--

Janus flint watched all this unfold, he had been watching Keros for the last three hours as he's become more and more frustrated and then as his frustration had turned to outward anger and then rage, even at the distance which he sat he could feel the ripples of hatred and fury rolling off him, it brought a delicious smile to his lips as he finally stirred collecting up his cane and resting heavily upon its ebony form he shuffled his way down to the garden limping heavily on his right leg he slowly made his way towards his opponent.

--
Ashay turned her eyes from watching her master pace she was bored of waiting now she knew that sooner or later Keros would turn his anger on her and she would suffer his wrath for Flint's no show, she stared off into the distance as a figure formed along the horizon, a hunched limping figure with a cane, she hissed as dropped from the fallen tree instinctively adopting a predatory pose her own lightsaber sliding into her waiting fingers.

"Look."

Keros snapped round detaching his robe letting it fall to the ground flowing round his feet like blood.

"Do not get involved unless you have too, this worm is mine to crush."

With that he launched forward force fueling his charge as a roar came to his lips he let the hate burn through his feeding his power his will to destroy his enemy his blade exploded with crimson light as he drove himself faster still kicking up mounds of dirt as he dug his armoured toes into the grass. Flint hardly seemed to react changing his course to face him yet he drew no weapon, adopted no stance he simply continued his slow staggered approach, he laughed this kill would be easy the human was no where near as fast as he had been, no where near as agile his shattered leg and hip attested to that, he was beyond words as he continued all he could manage was a bestial roar as he launched into the air drawing his lightsaber up over his right shoulder to deliver his first and final deadly attack.

Time slowed for Keros as it always did at the point of the kill he savored every detail as Flint finally turned his face to look at him, no not a face a mask, his face cracked into a wicked smile he came wearing a death mask how apt, Flint stumbled his weak leg failing his as he brought the cane up in some weak defense, no wait he hadn't stumbled his eyes saw it even if he hadn't the leg was firm braced, strong he had only made it look like a stumble to draw him in, to force him to commit everything to this single attack. Flint's head snapped up the death mask's black visor locking with his eyes, his hands moved impossibly fast twisting the cane apart the top most section becoming a crimson bladed lightsaber as it freed from the rest of it's casing which tumbled away to the grass below. Flint moved with grace as he twisted and ducked under his arms and his lightsaber, there was a red flash and then his feet hit the ground.

Time still ran slow as he turned to regard his opponent, too slow his lightsaber fell away dropping into a low guard which was not what he wanted he wanted to turn twist the blade and bring it round striking Flint between the shoulders driving the point of his weapon into the human's back and out through his chest obliterating his heart and lungs, his eyes turned back to his lightsaber confusion clawing at his brain, why could he not control his weapon. His eyes exploded in stunned shock as he saw his lightsaber bounce off the floor his arms still gripping the hilt separated from his body half way along his upper arms, his armour glowed from the heat of Flint's weapon, he's never felt it.

He never saw the blow that sent his head spinning from his body but watched as his giant powerful frame sank to its knees the slumped forward, his eyes had closed to darkness and nothing before his head hit the floor and rolled to a stop several feet from his body.

--

Ashay screamed, her master was dead, killed by a cripple is seconds, her mind could not process the actions it had happened too quickly Flint had transformed from a limping fool to something more bestial than anything she had ever witnessed he stood hunched like a predator hands held before him like he was feeling for something, then his head snapped up look in her direction.

--

To the acolyte's credit she managed to ignite her blade before his hand snaked out and he used to force to clap its invisible ghost round her throat lifting her to the tips of her toes he clawed at the nothingness around her windpipe with her free hand gasping for breath, her lightsaber tumbled from her grip as she fought against the nothingness choking the life from her. He tilted his head as he looked along the length of his arm at the clawed fingers directed towards her and her beyond struggling against him, slowly he started to close his hand into a fist, and as his fingers closed he heard the very loud crack as her neck snapped, she went lip hands falling down to her side head lolling on the broken spine, blood oozing from her mouth as the last embers of her life were extinguished.

He released her letting her body crumple into a limp heap where it had been and the with a gesture of his hand the lower half of the came flew through the air to his waiting hand, he extinguished his own lightsaber and reassembled the cane as he strode to the acolyte picking up her weapon and the the weapon of Keros. He walked with confidence and strength his legs strong but as he slid the death mask from his face he adopted the mask he wore so perfectly and started to limp in the direction he had arrived from

 

[Necris]

Some hours later.​

Janus stood mulling over the body of the young girl, his mask had vanished into the folds of his clothing and he now looked upon her his hair moving slightly in the gentle breeze. She had possessed potential and he could have spared her the indignant death but she no doubt carried a modicum of Keros' hateful nature and that nature would have festered within her, in weeks, months or even years she would have come for him and he would have been forced to kill her anyway, but by that time she would have had her own acolyte and the cycle would just repeat itself over and over and the trail of bodies left in his wake would grow and grow until there came a time where he was old and feeble witted and he would let his guard down and then he would fall, and then if he had an acolyte they would seek revenge and the cycle would never end. No here and now he's nipped that bud and it wouldn't return in time to bother him.

His mind turned to another task a rather less daunting task than challenging the Warrior who's once so nearly ended him, no this task was much more straight forward a simple acquisitions, the Empire needed new battle droids the old models were woefully outdated, the Empire needed something new something that they could use to strike fear into their enemies, fortunately there were some such models appearing on the market, he would set about acquiring a contract for the Empire.

He turned from the girl's corpse, adopting his perfectly practiced limp as he drew his heavy black coat about his shoulders arranging it so that he resembled a noble dignitary, and departed the scene of death. Limping across the grass he drew a small holoprojector and activated it a crimson coloured protocol droid joined him flickering before him as he walked.

"The Assassin is ready to join you master he will meet you in the landing bay."

"Very good ensure everything is prepared for our journey."

"As you wish master."

He deactivated the projector as he became aware of another presence close by.

 

[Tsunami]

Arden had just arrived back on Korriban, he had yet another successful mission under his belt, this time he had assassinated a Jedi Knight and his Padawan who had got dangerously close to the borders of Sith space. He had already started making a name for himself and relished in the looks he got from his fellow Sith during his walk from the space port.

He had been told to check in with Darth Zyria upon his return. His master certainly kept him busy but it was better than most of the classroom lessons some of the other apprentices received. Some of them hadn't even seen real combat yet. He pondered on this point momentarily as he entered the eastern gardens. "Well, what are the chances of that" he chuckled to himself catching the end of a duel in which seemingly a cripple defeated two combatants. Pausing to take in the drama for a second he leant against a railing, peering at the cripple from under a hood. He wasn't interested in the dead, nor really of the cripple himself but he did want to know the mans name.

"Hey, you with the cane." He yelled as the man naturally turned to walk back towards him anyway. "What's your name." He questioned. He was well known by many in the order but it was more than likely he knew him by his alias "The Dark Assassin." Most people knew him by that name now, and it was well deserved, he had more Jedi and Sith kills under his belt that even his master at this point. Flicking his hood of his head he revealed his red skin covered in Sith tattoos and waited for the mans reply.

 

[Necris]

He paused looking at the youth his eyes focusing on the boy.

"I am Lord Janus, an Imperial Emissary, you are the Assassin, just the young man I was looking for, come with me boy I have work for you do."

He continued to limp off towards his ship awaiting his arrival on a nearby landing platform.

"Do not fret it's just a self styled title young one, I am hardly the figure of a Knight these days Lord serves to add weigh to my name is all, but do not worry your master is quite aware of my requisition of your skills."

The walk was a short one but he made it draw out arduously making each step deliberately slow as he await the boy to join him.

"So young assassin tell me about your last mission, hunting a Jedi i believe."

 

[Tsunami]

Arden clicked his neck, being called boy was derogatory and yet again his master had been handing his services out like he was a tool. Passed between those in the order who did not have the time or the ability to complete the tasks he was set.

"Is that so, then you are well aware of my abilities Lord of who I am?" he said in the same condescending tone in which he was seemingly being spoken in. He flipped over the balcony, landing with perfect balance with his knees bending at the point of impact to absorb the shock. He walked at a steady pace over to the man, his lightsaber hilt tapping against his thigh as he did so.

"I hope you realise that to ask for my skills without my masters approval is to play with death itself. Regardless, that is a blame that will fall to you in the event of your deception." He said with his dry humour, however it had an air of seriousness to it. He wasn't to be played with and neither was his master.

"To answer your question, Yes I have been hunting Jedi. Two in fact." he spoke with a confidence well above his years, his experience beginning to show. As he spoke he showed the man the two hilts he had claimed. Briefly looking around he spotted a young acolyte he reached out with the force and gripped the child, pulling him towards his location before handing him the hilts. "I trust you are competent enough to deliver these to Darth Zyria, and smart enough to know not to fail me in this simple task." his voice as hollow as the deepest depths of space.

"Now my self-proclaimed lord, what do you require of me."

 

[Necris]

He stopped straightening slightly a cackle escaped his lips, unpleasant was the sound as if being made by someone unused to laughter.

"I knew I picked you for a reason boy."

He half turned gesturing at the corpses behind him.

"You see that large one without a head Darth Keros, a great warrior and Lord of the Sith, a hundred Plus Jedi dead at his feet, he challenged me once, I was like you then coksure and headstrong, he left me broken."

He turned his back on the corpses and continued to shuffle towards his ship.

"You see what I do to my enemies."

He walked a short distance letting those words sink in.

"But I have no interest I making your Darth an enemy or you, I am going beyond Sith space to negotiate a contract for battle droids to help defend our empire, I could take a bodyguard another fine warrior like poor dead Keros back there but I chose an assassin why do you think I would possibly do that?"

 

[Tsunami]

Arden didn't have it in him to laugh as the man pointed and almost boasted about his achievements. Yet all Arden saw was an over confident brute with the intelligence of a gikza and a young girl with some natural talent that had seemingly gone un-nurtured. The weak tended to die in the Sith, but he let his opinion slide this time.

He continued to listen to the man as he rambled on about making enemies and the mission that they were going to go on. "Well I care little for your reasoning, you must have clearly explained that to my master. She has seen fit to provide you with my services." Arden stated with a slight discontent at the childish game. Taking the briefest of pauses he continued. "As for you taking a bodyguard in my stead, I don't need to remind you of my reputation, you are safer with me than any bodyguard. That I can guarantee. The same as I can guarantee the result you desire on this mission we are about to embark."

He flicked his hood back over his head and continued to talk at the Siths side.

 

[Necris]

"Ah you miss the point, I could have picked a dozen more skilled and suited to act as a bodyguard, if I truly needed one, no I need you to do what you do best be subtle. In short I need a death from you."

He bridged the threshold from grass to solid ground and his pace slightly quickened the landing pad was a short distance away he could hear his ship cycling up.

"At this meeting we are attending, there will be great danger a neutral trade federation is hosting both our selves and a senator from the Border Alliance, they will be accompanied by a Jedi. I want you to assassinate them both so we have no challenger against negotiation."

His Crimson protocol droid approached effecting a jerky bow in their direction,

"Master you ship is ready, all preparations have been completed it should take eight parsecs to reach the destination for the negotiations, do you require any additional security? The young Master hardly seems adequate."

He strode up the envy ramp

"Arden will suffice I feel safer just knowing he walks in my shadow."

He gestured for Arden to follow as he made his way into the belly of the ship folding himself into a comfortable seat. A floaty waving gesture brought a pre filled glass to his hand and he relaxed back into the seat scooping up a heavy bound book.

"Make yourself comfortable we have 8 parsecs until we need to be active, meditate, practice do what you wish."

 

[Tsunami]

Arden followed the man, listening politely to his words. As he got to his plan and explained it Arden began to plan what to do. He had to assume those the Jedi and the Senator would know that we were going. However they were to expect one Sith, not two. However to he decided that he should clarify. Waiting for the conversation between the man and his droid to finish he enjoyed a well deserved compliment before he began.

"I am to assume, that the Jedi and the Senator know that you will be there also, which means it is highly likely that the Senate, the Jedi Council and a planet within the Border Alliance knows of you presence as well... It would be neither good business or wise to attack our enemies in front of this trade federation. " He paused for a moment. Thinking, you could almost see his brain work such a vicious warrior with such a powerful mind. Within seconds he had run umpteen scenarios through his head. Suddenly he had got it.

"This is highly sensitive. There is only two possible ways I can do this. Firstly after the negotiations are complete. The second relies on me being able to get aboard their ship. Do you have an escape pod aboard? I may have a plan."

 

[Epicjester]

"An escape pod? Oh this should be good." Came a voice from behind Arden. A voice that one could practically hear the feline smile that his face held. Emerging from a door leading towards the engines. A young figure with shockingly red hair emerged. In his hands he held a dirty rag that was busy being used to wipe the last bits of grease from his hands. On his heels was a small Astromech droid that let out some curious, inquisitive beeps in binary. Mirroring his master's curiosity.

"Fixed that coolant for you. Should be working fine now." He nodded to the master of the vessel. Doing small repair jobs like this kept his hands busy, plus it let him gain small bits of favour with other Sith. But mostly it was so he could tinker about with new toys. Some of his fellow Sith had some marvelous ships after all. It would be too painful for Rhem to bare if he couldn't open them up to see what made them tick.

Handing the rag to his faithful droid, Rhem shoo'd the machine back out of the room. With a few disgruntled beeps, the machine obeyed. "Let me guess." He began, leaning against the wall of the ship, the carefree smirk never leaving his face. "The noble Jedi and Senator happen to come across a lone escape pod. But instead of some poor helpless traveler, they find you." All while he preemptively attempted to figure out Arden's plan, Rhem's hands never remained still. Pantomiming various actions as he did a play by play of a possible means of assassination.

"How close am I? Something like that? Or are you just going to be boring and ram the pod into them?

 

[Tsunami]

Arden looked up at the newly appeared man, half wondering who the hell he was and the other half impressed that he had hit the nail on the head with his plan. "Yes, as it happens. That is exactly what I had in mind" he replied before continuing up the ramp and into the ship itself.

"I am very confident that I can pull it off, and if by some miricle reason I can't. I'll make sure that ship never makes it to its destination." He spoke confidently as always while making his way deeper into the ship.

(@Necris)

 

[Necris]

He smiled as he enjoyed his drink the young pilot was proving useful and attentive to his duties.

"Very good Rhem, take us out you know the co-ordinates already."

His attention turned to Arden.

"A good plan, leave you floating in space, a bit suspicious if there is no wreckage though, they might not pick you up if their suspicions , and you won't be able to take your lightsaber the Jedi will spot them the instant you emerge from the pod."

He rubbed his chin in thought as he settled the drink down on a small table.

"We need to find a target that will give us the required debris to make our illusion all the more convincing, and place your weapons in a convenient yet concealed place that allows you to access them at an opportune moment."

He rested the cane against the table and pushed himself to his feet moving in a awkward hobble across the deck to a star map, flicking it to life he gestured to a point on the map.

"This is where we are destined, Centares, its neutral ground for a trade delegation and there are plenty of opportunities to plant you onto the Jedi ship."

He sat back looking at Arden

"Where would you suggest we find a little fish for this sharp to devour?"

 

[Epicjester]

"TR, you heard that right? Get us to Centares." Rhem called back over his shoulder. Getting a few beeps in reply from his droid. TR-8R would get them there without much issue. When it comes to regular flying from point A to B. It was better left to auto-pilot. It freed up his hands to deal with other matters. Mostly Arden's questionable plan.

"Considering you look like the poster boy for a Zabrak Sith. I think hiding your lightsaber is the least of your problems." Rhem chimed in. Still wearing an almost feline grin on his face as he pointed out the main issue with Arden's plan. "Plus, you sort of reek of dark side energy. So they might pick up on that." While amusement was evident in his voice. There was very little malice or mocking. Whatever Rhem was saying, he only had the best of intentions when it came to poking logical holes in Arden's plan. It would be a shame if it failed and he didn't get to play with all those new droids after all.

"Attacking civilian transports for debris is too risky. Chances are the Jedi would get the distress call as soon as we attack. And Pirates might end up taking too long for us to take down." He offered his own advice. The pros of being raised by pirates certainly helped when it came to matters like this. One needed to be quick and precise. "Our best chance is hitting them as soon as they reach planetside. All three of us jumping in and overwhelming them before they make it to the meeting."

 

[Tsunami]

He listened to Rhem as he spoke however remained serious throughout. He was fairly confident that he could get aboard, his training as a Sith Assassin had taught him to dampen his aura somewhat. "By the time they realise what I am, I would already be on board. As for the debris, jettison the spar parts into the surrounding area." He explained once more.

He knelt down on the floor where his fellow Sith stood, closed his eyes and entered a relaxed state. It was a common practice he had learned to calm himself before any conflict he faced, it allowed him to think clearly. "By waiting until they land we risk having to kill a welcoming party of trade federation delegates." His eyes remained closed as he spoke, but he realised that they had few options open to them, it was up to Janus to decide.

It was his mission after all.

 

[Necris]

"I agree waiting until they land is not ideal, I am not a combatant anymore."

That lie slipped off his tongue with ease, he knew full well he could handle the Jedi if needed, he could handle most things, but the effort needed to maintain the illusion he worked so hard to keep would make the mission counter productive. He rubbed his chin noting the slight grate of stubble coming through and wrinkled his nose against his hand.

"There are many variables to consider in the plans we currently have."

He looked at Arden thoughts ticking over in his head as he weighed up the options, he could send the boy onto the ship of the Senator and Jedi but it ran the risk of them travelling separate ships then he would only have a single target dealt with, he could be discovered and killed confident as he was in his skills they did not know which Jedi was being sent it could be a battle hardened crusader or a sage the variables were too great, the Senator could be travelling with a heavily armed bodyguard or have defense protocols in place. Another plan started to form in his head, the boy was an assassin, they could deposit him onto Centares prior to their arrival he could stage an attack in public it could draw the Jedi away or perhaps not, but something else could be done to sour the negotiations.

"However an attack by an unknown attacker could draw away the Jedi."

His eyes slid from the holomap looking over the Assassin with a predators longing for the kill.

"Arden, I don't suppose you take trophies from your kills do you?"

 

[Tsunami]

He didn't really know where Janus was going with this, but even if he did keep items from those he had killed he wouldn't have them on him as this wasn't his ship. "Where are you going with this Janus? Speak plainly." Arden had little time for game or faff, he had been told to do a job and he wasn't going to fail it regardless.

"Rhem, if you can get the information that pertains to the hanger of the Jedi and Senator. We can meet them there when they land, perhaps we can use the remainder of our time to find fitting disguises." It wasn't his usual method, but clearly his usual method wasn't wanted here... He was an assassin doing the work of a mercenary or a simple gun for hire. Arden couldn't help but feel his skill set was going to waste on this mission.

 

[Necris]

"I was wondering if like many of your ilk you took the lightsabers of your victims, that way you could have attacked Rhem and myself and we could have used it to sour relations with the trade federation."

He sighed leaning forward running a finger down the length of his nose.

"If we'd had a jedi's weapon it would have been a lure for the Jedi to pursue, an assassin using a lightsaber of the Jedi order would have been too damaging to their reputation, you could have led him away and had your fun with him at your leisure, leaving Rhem and myself to deal with the Senator."

He looked between the two, the trade needed to go smoothly for them, any implication they were behind any sort of attack would damage the future of the empire.

"We need this to go smoothly, we can't implicate ourselves in any way but we need our opposition removed from the equation either by discrediting for dismembering."

He struggled to push himself to his feet waving his hand his cane shot across the room to his waiting fingers.

"I will meditate on this run the scenarios though in my mind see which is most favorable for success."