A Rat In The Woods

[EmilyHuene]

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Forests of Duros
~Corellia~
@EmilyHuene ; @Asher Thran​

The Jedi were on the run. The Sith Inquisition was out for blood and had come to conquer everything that was left in the galaxy and bring it under the direction of the Empire. Those that slipped through the cracks would be prone to war and chaos. So it was in everyone's best interest to submit. Most of Corellia had been liberated at this point and now the Sith themselves had come to bring everything into fruition. Landing in the drop zone outside of Duros, an Imperial War Leviathan brought a special cargo with it. The Inquisition had sent one of their priestesses to secure the city and question the prisoners. And there was no one better for the job than the one known as "The Confessor". Her name was Ashlyn Sera, the blind Sith who could get the truth out of whomever fell in her sights. Exiting the ship in her dark robes, she calmly walked with the fearful presence of a Sith Lord. A few lieutenants would come to greet her and tell her of the current progress. Apparently they'd captured several rebels within the city limits but many of the men believed there to be a secret encampment in the jungles. Ashlyn would ask the lieutenants what they planned to do about this to which they would respond that they had sent several teams to smoke them out. Whoever was out there hiding would be found soon enough. But that was not all the good news. Apparently along with the prisoners they had captured there was a Jedi Knight who'd been protecting them. That's what Ashlyn had been hoping for.

"It's likely this Jedi has allies. The best way to catch a rat is to leave the bait. Have the Jedi strung up in one of the courtyards where I will publicly convert him. His cries will bring out his rebel friends and there we will catch our prey."

They would obey and go to do as she wished. Ashlyn waited for a moment, searching the immediate area for what was around her. Being blind, she did not see things the way others did. She sensed everything around her with the Force. Those who were even slightly sensitive of the Force would feel her Dark touch reaching out. She would then take off her hood which had previously covered her eyes. Doing this would allow her to hear things far sharper as well as smell things a little more accurately. Two more reasons she was better at seeing the world than others. All of her senses were working together to get a larger picture of the world that was. This was only the tip of the iceberg that was Ashlyn Sera's power. Sensing no immediate danger, she would then enter into the temporary command center to prepare her rituals...

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[Asher Thran]

Asher Thran was a bright kid. However he had not planned to leave so far from his homeworld especially in Sith occupied space. He always let one thing lead to the next. Now he was making a drug trade inside the city and his customers would pay well for the spices. 10,000 credits for his troubles. Enough to finally get himself his own ship, without having to lie, cheat, and steal his way on his journies. It meant freedom. It meant expansion. It meant opportunity to grow. However ever since he landed in the city he sensed a power that lurked behind every corner. Eyes watching him. A mad puppeteer who controlled the walls. Asher was only fifteen, and a small lad for his age. Yet he had never backed away in the face of danger. But this feeling spelled evil. And he wanted to leave quickly.

 

[EmilyHuene]

The city was well controlled by the Empire. Storm troopers walked two by two down the streets of Duros. Each garrison prepared to hunt and search for rebels and miscreants who would disrupt the system. While some merely patrolled, others sought trouble. One particular unit seemed out for blood and would begin kicking in doors to random households. They ran in and pointed their guns at the poor unsuspecting civilians and checked every room and corner to see if they were hiding rebels. After searching the streets one by one they started looking into the hanger bays to finish up their daily route. They didn't bother knocking, and any door that was locked they bypassed by blasting the activation pad. The doors would whoosh open and they ran in like the highly trained soldiers that they were.

 

[Asher Thran]

Asher finished off his deal. Took his credits and began heading towards the nearest cantina. It had been a long trip and he wanted something refreshing before he stepped off again. The cantina was smokey and yellow and blue lights danced chaotically across the faces of the patrons and the walls of the room. Some individuals were gambling. Some doing spice. Others looking for work. A cantina in the wrong city spelt potential. Asher didn't care. He sat down dropped 100 credits at the bar and drank his overpriced drink. The bartender looked the other way at the young man. Asher gazed across the room and downed his drink. His feeling had not left. He convinced himself it was nothing. But somehow he knew he should be leaving soon.

 

[EmilyHuene]

The Confessor would enter into the command center where several troopers and Empire personal were busy moving about. She let them be for now and then turned to one of the side rooms where some of the men were taking a break. She shoo'd them away and they quickly grabbed their lunches and left; they knew better than to question her. Ashlyn would take off her cloak and fold it so that the inside was on the ground. She knelt down in the center of her room on her cloak and then folded her hands and let the Darkness overtake her.

"Give me strength so I may do your bidding. Allow me to embrace your touch so that I may give it to the heretics who continue to turn a blind eye. Forgive me of any doubt that they too will join you. I am your envoy, your body, your soul. Take hold over me as you see fit. In the Darkness, I pray."

She was silent for a moment and then stood up tall and proud. She slipped the weapons onto her belt and then drew her hood once more. She left her chambers and headed toward the courtyard where the guards were setting up. She watched from afar, listening to the Force show her what she could not see with normal eyes. The Jedi prisoner, a boy no older than 15 was being dragged out by his arms by two storm troopers. His hands were shackled and he had a Force-negating collar around his neck. They brought him to one of the stockades and strapped him into place: two hands on either side and his head in the center. The shackles were obviously taken away but the collar remained. Naturally he was afraid, but for now he refrained from crying. For now. Ashlyn normally didn't care for punishment, but she was on a higher calling today. His screams would be the bait to bring any others to her.

The Confessor entered into the courtyard now for all to see. She threw down her robe showing off both her Sith attire as well as her tattoos. She walked to the center of the courtyard over looking the forests. There was a giant fence between them and the terrain, so she knew she couldn't be attacked so easily. Guards were higher up in the towers and an Imperial walker was nearby should they be attacked randomly. Several troopers lined the path around them and they were all in ear shot of the prison camp just beyond the other fence of the opening. Ashlyn wanted all the prisoners of whom the Jedi had tried to help witness his Fall today. The Confessor would hold out her hand where one of the troopers brought over a Zygerrian shock whip and passed it to her.

"I will ask you once. Where are your rebel friends?"

Terrified, the boy screamed, "I'm alone! I swear!"

"First lesson. You cannot lie to a confessor."

CRACK!

The whip which was glowing red as it activated came down across the boy's back eliciting a loud and pained scream from him. The prisoners all ran to the fence and began pounding on the chain links and screaming at the Sith. They yelled hateful words and cruel insults at her. Two of the troopers activated their stun rods but Ashlyn would hold up her hand. "Leave them be. Let their anger rise. Let him feel it." They backed up, but kept their weapons in their hands.