[CLOSED] A Watch in the Darkness

[Sisk_Renelo]

Jedi Temple
Coruscant
Lowest Level
Ancient Training Hall​

The walls were old, covered in dirt and grime, cobwebs hanging freely from the stone. Darkness reigned in the hall, absolute blackness swallowing any details that might have been discernible. Decayed wooden benches, training dummies, broken stone fragments, and torn banners littered the floor, hazards that seemed determined to stumble those who entered this forgotten realm. The air itself reeked of neglect, trapped as it had been for over 1000 years, and when released, it had seemed to have whispered a sigh of appreciation in the Mandalorian's ear as it passed.

In this ancient room, among the decrepit ruins of the Jedi, Sisk Renelo waited patiently. He had been here for several minutes, and had spent that time in earnest, preparing his chosen battleground for his foe. Concealed charges were placed carefully in alcoves, infrared tripwires extending from them to the opposite wall. Several charges were clamped to the ceiling as well, all of them designed to wound, not kill. Sisk had also taken several lengths of cord from the spare grappling hook in his belt, running the nearly invisible wire tight in between various supports, at multiple levels, designed to hinder any acrobatic movements or use of force speed in the confined space. Finally, he had destroyed the lumen globes that had still flickered with any signs of life, plunging the room into its current state. His buy'ce, set on advanced nightvision, allowed him to see almost as well as in the daytime, and the infrared components allowed him to watch his tripwires.

So he waited. A shadow of death in the darkness, his call unanswered in his mind. But she was here. He had felt it. And he had no doubt that she would bring her master along. After all, it wasn't like the Sith to fight a battle alone. But Sisk had come singly, his black beskar'gam cloaking him better than the shadows could on their own. His weapons were stowed, tightly wrapped to his body to insure that he did not rustle when he moved. There could be no sound, no warning, no more than the barest flicker of apprehension before he struck. Sisk had wrapped himself in the Force, allowing his mind to cloak his potent signature, leaving the room feeling empty and lifeless.

But they would come. There had been a direct challenge. They would come. Sisk stood patiently, and waited, the only sound accompanying him his own thoughts. 'Ib'tuur jatne tuur ash'ad kyr'amur.' "Today is a good day for someone else to die."

 

[Mistress]

Having a sister who is a true Padawan paid off for Xotomi on numerous prior occasions and now on Coruscant. Her ruse made her appear trustworthy to her enemies. When the youngling Padawan Learners were gathered by the fierce Mandalorian Warriors, Xotomi used this to her advantage. As the enemy was seen to be clearly taking control of the Padawans to kidnap them, she instilled fear of this into their young minds, and thus divided a group of them away from the others who were already trapped and guarded by heavily armed men. She feigned to lead those children who followed her, to a safer hiding place.

Xotomi went deep within the training rooms of the Coruscant Jedi Temples. Her ship was hidden in this direction, inside a portion of the temple which had been collapsed from recent bombings, which effected many floors deep. But Xotomi knew right where to head, and she lead them quickly. The light that streamed down through the collapsed section here, through smoke and gun powder in the air above, was ample enough for vision. She felt her Master's presence and halted. There she turned upon the group abruptly to do what Sith do best. Xotomi took to the task of turning her captured youth into depraved lost souls. She ripped away their security by smashing their very foundation of beliefs and twisting Philosophies. It was so revitalizing an ordeal, making Monsters out of what was just moments ago, assured human beings. It felt honorable.

It did not take long to entice and confuse them. After just a little while, she chided, "Oh, you're so ready, dear. I can feel you're about to burst. Come on sweet thing..." she leaned in towards the young one's face and smirked, "try and...stop me from what I'm about to do." Xotomi raised her lightsaber and with one strike, she took out the oldest of the group, an unarmed older teen. "He just wasn't playing along. T'isk, t'isk. Do tread carefully." The one she had taunted a moment ago exploded into fit of rage. "That's it," Xotomi coaxed. "Let it all out." Xotomi hardly moved her wrist to defend against the child.

The intrusion from the outsider hit her, 'Come find me,' it said, and she halted. It's the same voice she had memorized from within her dreams. Her eyes widened. She had no idea prior... "Oh," she exclaimed; not caring that nobody in present company cared about her internal turmoil. "My phantasm has a real pulse?!" She watched as another child lost control. "You have no idea the day I've been through! Now this?! And you think, you have troubles! Don't you?! You little snot!" Another child was crying. But all of them were angry and scared. "You're ripe for the picking though, little Sith."

Xotomi reached out and felt a great presence approaching. "Get them to the ship quickly," she commanded the Acolytes involved. "Master Xanthus will be pleased with this catch. But watch out, not every one of them is ready to willingly accept their new life just yet. But hey! If they bite, remember it's a good thing! Encourage it!!"

Xotomi took a few steps toward the corridors and turned to face the Acolytes once more. "Inform the Master that soon to arrive is someone who beckons to make his acquaintance." And to the ex-Padawans she said, "No doubt your Mandalorian rescuer is on his way. But don't get hope for anything, that would be against your new training!!" she bellowed as she turned and exited the room.

"So...you want me to find you; aye, phantom?" She could no longer sense his presence. Xotomi stepped into the darkness and drew in the Force before she let out a terrifying shriek that reverberated throughout the halls of these lower most training rooms. All these months of nightly inner anguish suffered, she never realized that her phantom has a pulse! Now she shall lay this ghost to rest once and for all!

A most familiar presence reached her...her sister Lutomi restrained inside of a ship's holding cell?!

 

[Xan]

A small transport landed directly upon the path towards the Jedi Temple, a sign in itself of how the Battle of Coruscant was proceeding. Xanthus mused to himself that if a transport so obviously carrying an Imperial servant could simply land on the front steps of the temple of the Jedi, then the 'battle' was clearly already won. All that was left to accomplish was the finishing off of the last stragglers, and the last bastions of resistance left on the soon to be former capital planet of the Galactic Alliance. Wearing his full armor and a black armorweave robe over its silver plates, Xanthus felt a half-smile creep onto his face at the thought that the Sith had once more triumphed over the Jedi. He was himself just returning from transporting a prisoner, a Jedi to the main fleet above the planet's surface. He had merely returned in order to see for himself the last moments of the Temple of Coruscant.

'I wonder what the Sith have in mind for this Temple? Conversion into a Sith temple? Destruction? Or perhaps simple abandonment, allowing time to ravage it as it will?' As he leaped from his transport, Xanthus's reverie was interrupted by the herding of a small group of children and teenagers being 'escorted' away from the Temple by a group of Acolytes. One of the Acolytes saw him and ran towards him, beckoning his presence. 'Oh? What is this?' Xanthus thought to himself before the Acolyte arrived. "Master Xanthus?" The Acolyte asked a bow. "Crusader actually, but perhaps a Master if I can impress our mutual Lords. Speak." Xanthus replied with a calm tone. "Acolyte Xotomi sent me to find you. She told me to tell you this: 'soon to arrive is someone who beckons to make your acquaintance.'" Xanthus merely said 'hmm...' in response, though he did wave in a dismissive tone that told the Acolyte to leave his presence. "Thank you for this message, Acolyte."

Xanthus said as an afterthought to the Acolyte's leaving back. 'Someone who beckons to make my acquaintance? Xotomi...who could...ah, but of course. Her nightmare friend.' Xanthus shook his head and began once more to walk towards the temple. "Charming." He said to himself absently. As he walked back into the Temple, Xanthus cloaked himself in the Force. He knew that even masters would have difficulties sensing him, as was only proper considering his occupation. Therefore he doubted highly that anyone else within the Temple would notice his coming or going. For excess measure, he activated the sound-dampening belt and foot-pads that were attached to his armor, rendering him unable to be heard as he stalked his way down the halls. He knew that he could still be seen, if only barely as light failed within the Temple, but being seen was somehow not upon his fears list.

There was no one left to see him anywhere nearby, and even though he was actively following Xotomi's signature, he would ensure that he stopped before arriving wherever it was that she stopped. He would reveal himself on his own time and not be revealed a moment sooner. Checking over his armor systems, Xanthus activated another helpful gadget secreted within his armor's plates. With a light hum to herald a shift in temperature, the armor became the same temperature as the surrounding environment, making Xanthus undetectable through thermal or infrared vision. 'It has been some time since I felt the need to wear armor, and even longer since I deigned to make myself this undetectable.' Xanthus thought with a fond grin, which then turned into something twisted. 'But then again, it is not everyday that a nightmare from within my Apprentice's mind steps out of the dreamscape to meet me. This should be nothing less than amusing.' Xanthus thought to himself as he finally added a final layer of stealth by cloaking himself in the shadows that grew as he went deeper into the Jedi's inner sanctum. 'Out of sight and hearing, out of mind and not fearing. Alrighty then. Let us see what my Apprentice is so unnerved by.'

 

[Sisk_Renelo]

Sisk's father had always been an eccentric trainer. As a young man, he had loved rhymes, and everything he taught was in that form. It made it easier to remember. While he sat, his night vision pointed squarely at the door, Sisk recited the Sith lesson in his head. 'Come to me, come to me, little Sith. And I shall give you what you wish. The blade, the blade, right through your heart, and to get there this is how you start..." It was calming, and Sisk took in several deep breaths. He ran a quick check of his armor systems. They all lit up green on his HUD.

His gauntlet was ready, his armor primed. Sisk drank in deep of the energy of the temple, and stored as much as he could in a reserve as he had been taught. He did not know if Xotomi would bring a Darth, a lord, or a crusader, but he would be ready. His love would see him through.

 

[Mistress]

Xotomi crept along silently, her saber readied, gripped in both hands. The added feeling of lifelessness and the increased darkness inside was the reason she halted outside the entrance of this room. It had a scent about it as well, one which other rooms did not hold. And that sent caused her to see visions of a place she cannot remember ever having been present. And there playing inside her mind was again her Phantom's voice, one and the same as he who called out to her not long before.

She froze in the hallway. Her amulet whirred, bringing her back to reality. And then there was another scent, she knew it from their own vessel which she had spent the last tens of hours trying to ignore! She knew exactly who brought it forth.

 

[Xan]

As he walked, Xanthus captured energy directly from the air around the temple, bringing it into himself in infinitesimal amounts so that he would remain theoretically undetectable. The energies of the temple flowed through him freely until he no longer required his inner methods of hiding himself, rather he could rely on the temple's own vibrant force energies to flow through him and make him seem as one with the rivers of energy around. As he grew nearer and nearer to his objective, Xanthus began to walk slower and slower. Patting his blades absently and noting where his four lightsabers sat on his body, Xanthus continued his silent way down the halls that had once been so filled with life, light, and sound. In the aftermath of the Sith assaults, this especially deep section of the temple was truly abandoned. Anyone who had remained down here would likely remain down here forevermore. Within little time, Xanthus managed to spot the outline his Apprentice's form, and with an almost reflexive motion his armor system negated the need for light by switching through several different modes. Thermal, infrared, night vision. 'Unnecessary.' Xanthus thought to himself, a truth considering that he could see in the dark more perfectly than he could in the light at this point. It was almost unnerving the way his vision sharpened when he utilized his shadow vision. The strange blend of technology and force ability that was his augmented sight created a world that was devoid of color and yet all the more sharp for the stripping away of abstract concepts. The myriad shades of grey coalesced into Xotomi's form standing in front of a doorway, and with a chuckle, Xanthus stripped away one layer of his protective stealth. He could now be seen by anyone who could see in low-light. "Is there some reason that you wait within this hallway? Have you lost your way, my Apprentice?" Xanthus said through his amusement. Looking into the doorway, Xanthus smiled an unseen smile as he peered into the darkness. "Do not tell me that you have developed a fear of the darkness? The darkness lies within you, Xotomi, and no darkness should give you pause." Xanthus said as he raised an arm and held a hand out palm up towards the waiting maw of darkness.

 

[Sisk_Renelo]

Sisk could hear them, talking in the hallway. The stone in this section of the temple was an amazing sound chamber, rendering a whisper as loud as a shout in the quiet hallways. At the Sith's words, Sisk seethes silently inside. He was nothing but a coward, sending others forth to do his work. He was everything that Sisk hated. He was sending Xotomi in first, expecting her to take the brunt of the damage. The joke would be on him.

The charges Sisk had placed were angled and shaped in such a way that they were nothing but huge concussion charges. Pressure didn't work like shrapnel. Even if he crouched down directly behind her, the pressure would envelope them both, causing what Sisk affectionately called "Flipping the Switch", a disruption of the electrical signals between the brain and body. Even fully pressure sealed armor wouldn't protect an armored occupant from all the effects. Sisk slid backward, stepping behind a pillar, hiding himself from the doorway. His movements were slow, controlled, utterly silent. He kept his force shield up, keeping his presence blocked, and extended a small fiber optic cable from his left gauntlet, angling it towards the doorway. His right hand palmed his manual detonator, a failsafe in case the Sith picked his way through the tripwires. since Sisk was towards the back of the room, almost 30 meters from the door, the charges would still reach him, albeit in a severely weakened form, shaking him slightly inside his armor, and possibly causing a slight sensation of nausea if it compressed his insides enough.

He kept his eyes on his HUD, and continued to seethe against the coward in the hallway. 'Come on you hut'uun. See what it is to face a true warrior in battle.'

 

[Mistress]

Xotomi turned towards Xanthus. "I want answers," she said abruptly, but not harshly in the least. "I want to know who that is and why I can see him inside my head. If you kill him before I find out, I don't get what I want. But you're not going to do any such thing to him; are you?" Xotomi stepped close to Xanthus. "I just gave you 17 Acolyte initiates to be trained for the glory of the Imperium. You want them to survive the voyage home? Don't you?" She looked at him and raised a brow. And she doubted she would get what she wants. "I hate your mask." She cannot see his eyes to know how she effected him. The best part of the game is seeing in someone's eyes how you make them feel. "You have been a real fun-sucker-outer, since our first mission together," she stated while going up on her tiptoes, still peering into his face-mask. But she suddenly smiled regardless. Xotomi pondered how she could actually be the fun one here! "But your mystery is probably the most intriguing aspect of you which keeps me around," she said withdrawing from him, "in addition to my life debt owed you, Master." And at that Xotomi took a final step back and bowed exuberantly to him.

She was hoping after all that, Xanthus would have forgotten that he wanted her to enter first. Afterall he was now standing closer to the entrance! She stood there looking at him, not budging. Then she sneered. "You really do only love yourself," she decided, as she hastily stepped past him. "Actually...I doubt you're even capable of that!"

Xotomi ignited her blade and she entered the darkness that swallowed up her Phantom. But her blade lit her path around her. "Come now, night demon! I don't have time for games! The children need their nap!" She expected that who ever was hiding, truly sought to reclaim the Padawans.

 

[Xan]

It was undoubtedly the expectation of the group present that a master Sith Assassin such as Xanthus should respond with fury at Xotomi's words if he were to respond at all. Xanthus however, made a point of going against the stereotypical actions of most Sith, and as this was the case, he merely began to laugh. "Hold, Xotomi. Unless you want to be blasted out of the room, take not another step." In addition to his words, Xanthus stepped forward and placed a hand on Xotomi's shoulder, placing just enough force into his grip so that she would theoretically stop moving. "You want to know who that is? The shadow in the room who haunts your waking nightmares? Fine, I swear that I will not kill him...here. However! Neither am I about to allow him to attempt to slay me. Hold still."

Drawing two lightsabers, Xanthus activated both blades to reveal one crimson blade and one green blade. Without another word, he flicked his wrists and sent both blades flying into the room ahead of the two Sith. The specialized internal sensors within the helm of his armor had alerted Xanthus to the presence of the concussive devices within the room ahead, and from here he simply switched between the infrared, thermal, and advanced night vision modes of vision until he saw them all. Figuring that there would be a few behind rocks, Xanthus utilized his own Force Sight to penetrate the walls with his eyes before checking through the visual modes again. The red and green blades flashed through the air in spinning columns of light that vaporized the charges without touching their respective wires.

Through the first few, Xanthus wondered if the charges would detonate, harmless though the resultant explosions would be considering that their opponents were metallic and not flesh creatures. A few charges later told him that no, there would be no explosions, likely because the charges were being utterly destroyed before they could detonate. As his lightsabers flew through the charges, Xanthus's hands moved as though he conducted an opera from the relative safety of the entryway. Naturally, his hands were truly controlling the lightsabers, but it made for quite an image in either case.

"My apologies if my trap-finding skills have ruined the entertainment value for either of you, but I am a master assassin. I will not suffer my reputation to be besmirched by the fact that I fell into a trap." Xanthus said jovially as his lightsabers returned to his hands. A careful examination of the room using a combined zoom feature with thermal, infrared, and night vision in that order revealed no more hidden bombs, and a powerful usage of Force Sight revealed nothing more potent than wires left uncut that sagged to the floor as their anchor points were vaporized.

Placing the lightsabers onto his belt, Xanthus tapped Xotomi's shoulder again. "You desire an audience with your phantom? Very well, follow me and stay alert. Be ready for anything, Apprentice." Moving forward slowly and with built and ready Force energy, Xanthus extended his senses to their natural limits, then moved past those limits. "If you desire to speak, then come forth and speak. Doubtless you could hear every word I just said, and so you know that I won't kill you." With a chuckle, Xanthus added: "I would not want to take away Xotomi's 'fun.'"

 

[Sisk_Renelo]

Sisk watched the light sabers cut through a large number of his charges, avoiding the detonators. They fell to the floor with small thumps, conforming to the ground, many of the detonators staying in place. It would have been easy to catch the lightsabers in a force grip or shoot them out of the air, but it would have given away his position. So he stayed where he was, the detonator firmly in his palm. The explosives could still come in handy.

With surprise, he recognized the armor. Prudii class assault armor, with some modifications he didn't recognize. Good armor, but Sisk had fought in it, worked with it. He knew all the weak points.

He slid his left hand to his side, where his ionic pistol was carried, and flicked the power switch to overload. Even his armor, with its multiple redundant power sources and ionic hardening, would take several seconds to reboot after an overloaded shot with the Mandalorian made Ion pistol.

As they entered the room, Sisk turned his voice amplifiers to full, and turned his head slightly into a rounded corner. From the position and on full amplification, his voice would echo around the room, leaving his position hidden.

"Cowardice becomes you, Sith. Two of you versus a single warrior. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. It fits your whole religion's philosophy." He kept his eyes on the camera feed, watching the movements of the unknown. So much could be learned from the initial movements. So much information. Sisk drank it all in.

"And I am no phantom, Xotomi. I am the one who showed you the truth. I am the one who freed you from yourself. I know you better than you know yourself. And with Lutomi's help, I have learned so much more." The words were carefully designed, meant to bring down her defenses. He would need them down to destroy the amulet around her neck, another helpful tidbit Lutomi had provided in the bowels of the Tor. "Step into my web, little Sith. Come find what a true warrior can do."

 

[Mistress]

Hearing the voice come from all areas around her, Xotomi turned upon her heels in utter confusion. She doused her lightsaber and put it away at her side. Then she laughed wildly , but briefly. "I'm mistaken! That is no man afterall! Aye! It's the ghost of my old Master! The demon!" whom she knew she could never escape while he lived.

She tapped her gloved palms over her ears. The voice knew her name. It said her sister's name. She has lost all sense of reality. The amulet whirred an audible hum, working to catch up to restore her growing sense of mental instability.

She faced Xanthus and fell upon her knees before him. So many images flashed through her mind. Images familiar, but she didn't believe were her own. "Master, I regret to inform you that I am in need of medical attention." Xotomi certainly respects and even idolizes Xanthus on many levels. It is his Compulsion Spell upon her, that makes her so casual to speak her mind with him. It is his Compulsion Spell which was instilled, in order that she should develop a strong mindset; and he was successful. She had become brazen in her speech with him at times. But Xotomi held him in high regards. He was family. "But if this state of mine brings you to detest me, then put me down post haste. For I owe you my life to deal with. And it is not my desire to hold you back." And Xotomi bowed her head in her shame and awaited his decision.

The amulet whirred, and she hummed to its tune, trying to meditate to its sounds. Xotomi would rather die at Xanthus' Just and caring hands, than live another moment within her insanity.

 

[Xan]

The voice boomed and reverberated within the chamber, coming from everywhere and yet simultaneously from nowhere. It accused the Sith of cowardice, then spoke to Xotomi before declaring itself a true warrior. Xotomi unfortunately mistook the voice for that of her long departed master, who had been slain on the edge of Xanthus's own lightsaber. Within moments, Xotomi was on her knees before Xanthus, awaiting a judgment that she believed to be forthcoming. In response, Xanthus merely shook his head for a few moments before raising a hand that held his curved lightsaber. With a flick of his will, the silver blade ignited from the handle, a column of light in the darkness. Bringing it to the level of Xotomi's shoulder, Xanthus looked down at his Apprentice.

"It was this blade that slew your Master, and this blade that swore you to my teachings by way of becoming my Apprentice. Would you truly have the same blade end your life? Rise, Xotomi, and learn a new lesson from your Master. How to see through veils of darkness and deception. That voice is no phantom of a long dead Sith." Xanthus came closer at this point, and said in an almost sibilant whisper: "You would know him as the Sol'yc Cabur of the Mandalorians." In order to avoid using Renelo's actual name, Xanthus opted to instead refer to him by his title. Sol'yc Cabur, otherwise known as the First Protector. "Your medallion. Keep it hidden, and defend its presence. It is the only thing keeping you as you are. Above that however, be calm, Xotomi." Xanthus added with a voice dripping with mental compulsion.

Pointing his blade away from his Apprentice, Xanthus took a few steps past her into the darkness, placing her at his back. "A true warrior does not hide, Sol'yc Cabur! Leave the darkness and face me. Yes, I know who you are. I saw you within Xotomi's mind on the day that I swore her to true Apprenticeship; the phantom who haunts her dreams. You have some nerve calling me a coward, considering that you hide in the darkness, in a chamber laden with traps and trip wires." Closing his eyes, Xanthus opened what he referred to as his 'true eyes,' the ability known Force Sight which enabled a piercing gaze that rendered objects translucent. It did not take long to find Renelo, hiding behind rocks that had become as see-through as air. Now Xanthus looked directly at the man, and spoke in his direction as well. "Though I will say that the greater nerve is believing that you can hide in the darkness from me, an Assassin who calls the darkness more home than he does the light. You likely know of me already, through some form or another. I am Sith Assassin Xanthus, born of Mandalore, and sworn to the Sith Order and the Empire."

 

[Sisk_Renelo]

Sisk slid the detonator into its slot on his left gauntlet, leaving the cap open. He stepped from behind his pillar, and his black beskar'gam reflected no light from the glowing blades, seeming to suck the light into itself. "Do not speak our tongue, hut'uun. You are no son of Mando'yaim. And that is not my title here. Here, I am Sisk Renelo, son of Haron Bralor, son of Adenn Bralor. A true son of Mando'yaim. You are nothing but dar'manda, an aruetii." With his right hand, Sisk drew his beskad from its sheath on the small of his back, and his left hand remained empty, flexing slowly in the darkness, the crushgaunt that housed it whirring slightly.

"I fight to win, Sith." The word was venom coming from his lips, even translating through his voice filter. "I have heard of you. That much is true. The cowardly assassin. A man who is unwilling to fight his opponents face to face. The only true test of a warrior." Sisk took a step forward, his tread measured and powerful. "But here, there is no hiding. There are no blades from the dark. There is only you, and me." The beskad was gripped in a perfect hold in his hand, the pure beskar blade almost seeming to hum in the silence. His helmet was calculating distances, firing solutions, analyzing armor weaknesses, and keeping him constantly updated on the distance and heights of his fibercord tripwires. The wires held no heat, no IR signature, and were so thin they were nearly invisible, the darkness rendering them even more so. Even through other means, they would appear as no more than cobwebs.

The cut explosives littered the floor, the small detonators still primed. Just a few more feet until the assassin was in the perfect position. He could probably block the explosion and shrapnel, but that was the nice thing about gravity, which was all a shockwave was, it wasn't blockable. Sisk could cover the 15 meters that separated them in less than a second, using either Force Speed or his jetpack, bringing him to optimum range in the blink of an eye.

"Xotomi, don't listen to him." Sisk's words carried great weight behind them, fighting against the assassin's words. "You know who you are. Who you truly wish to be. You know me. You know us. Fight him."

 

[Mistress]

The heat of Xanthus' blade was revitalizing, but it did not bring her the relief she desired. He kept her alive and she obediently rose when he bid her to do so. Xanthus assured Xotomi that real flesh and bone was in the room and the cause of her grief. But she wanted to know what the First Protector of the Mandalorians wanted with her. She wanted to know how she knew him. When Xanthus spoke about guarding her Amulet, she knew it was already safe; if any man touched it where it lay, he'd get his eyes scratched out! He added that her Amulet was the only thing keeping her as she is, and that talk highly confused her. She only wore it because he gave it to her. Could there be something else, something special about it? Lastly her Master urged her to remain calm. Instantly Xotomi got tunnel vision from his tone of voice. She felt better!

Xanthus took his place in front of her and she remained behind him as he addressed her phantom. Her eyes defined a figure standing in the darkness, and the shock caused her to gasp. Her heart skipped a beat at the sight. She wasn't expecting to see anyone there really. The shadow was a grand entity. But whoever he was, she saw him as darkness revealed within darkness. He still didn't seem real to her.

The men addressed one another with harsh tones. She wondered if she just somehow got caught up in something personal between the two of them. But why would she know this Mandalorian Warrior's voice?

As the dark figure announced his name, she pondered how it sounded familiar, like the name of a star that she searched for every night. She suddenly realized that she couldn't remember the first time she had performed that nightly ritual on her usual sleepless night.

Xotomi shook her head. She doesn't understand anything at all about this encounter. She doesn't understand why this man is pleading to her for anything. 'Fight him? Fight Xanthus?' "Of course!" Xotomi's eyes widened at her realization. "Lutomi!" Xotomi stepped forward, in front of her Master. "Clearly you have my sister!!" She would be wanting to take her back tonight.

 

[Xan]

Had his helm been removed, the sneer on Xanthus's face would have been easily and readily visible. As it was, he managed to convey the audible version of a sneer in the slightly mocking tone of voice that he used when he next spoke to Renelo.

"You call me a coward and say that I do not fight face to face, but again I find that I had to convince you to step away from the darkness in a chamber filled with explosives and movement-reducing wiring. In my mind, we each have our specific techniques that grant us victory. Can I be blamed if my methods involve not proclaiming my presence at every opportunity? Is it the cowards tactic to ambush a force in war? What is the difference between assassination and an ambush, aside from the fact that one is on a smaller scale?"

Towards the end, Xanthus's voice had relaxed into a more philosophical, discussion-sounding tone from his earlier sneer. From his body language, which was rather relaxed, one might have wondered if he was taking Renelo's hostility seriously. The Assassin had yet to truly even arm himself, considering that he had placed his lightsaber back onto a magnetic plate after his moment with Xotomi had concluded. Moving slowly, Xanthus raised his right hand until it was parallel with the ground and turned his palm towards the ceiling. Watching Renelo with a half-interest, he moved his index finger ever so slightly, and with that motion a large section of stone that had evidently been apart of a collapsed pillar flew towards him until it reached a point just behind him. Looking at the pillar through his various modes of sight, Xanthus saw that there were no bombs or other traps laid upon its surface, and after he was satisfied with his inspection, the Assassin sat down upon the cool stone. By this point, Xotomi had accused the stranger of having her sister, to which Xanthus merely exhaled an amused sigh.

"Xotomi, the First Protector here desires a confrontation, however I have already sworn that I would not give him a death blow. My hands are rather tied, as you can see." An audible Cheshire grin began to creep into Xanthus's voice as it took an a sly undertone. "Your dearest wish is to become a powerful darksider, Xotomi." It was a statement, not a question, considering that while she wore the medallion, Xotomi's every thought was centered around the Dark Side. "The death of this man will expedite your progress considerably. Slay him, and you may yet achieve recognition as a True Sith on the eve of the final breath of the Jedi Order." Placing his elbows upon his knees and crossing his fingers before his masking helm, Xanthus said in tones laden with compulsion. "Hold nothing back, Xotomi. Unleash the Dark Side upon this Mandalorian, and engage him in mortal kombat until I give you orders to cease."

 

[Sisk_Renelo]

Sisk's hands were almost shaking, he was so angry. This hut'uun aruetii had apparently forgotten everything that it meant to be mando. For this alone Sisk yearned to strike his head from his shoulders, to rend his armor and break his weapons, and to hear him plead for his life before the light faded from his eyes. And now, now he sent Xotomi forth, almost as a sacrificial offering. If there had been a shred of honor in the dar'jetii, he would have come forth to face Sisk in true combat, not sent Xotomi forth.

"2 against 1, Sith. If you remember anything of your heritage, it's that a Mandalorian always evens the odds." He still held his beskad, but it was at his side, to appear as nonthreatening as possible to Xotomi. He could feel the dark energy centered in the charm, and he started a flow of force energy into his left hand, a flash of pure light side energy that would dissipate the darkness, and then he would grind the amulet to dust. All he had to do was get his hands on it. His Vor'cha Stun Sticks were on his shoulders, to either side of his jetpack, the handles in easy position for a grab. If it got testy, he could zap her, albeit unwillingly, and rip the amulet from her. But he would do his best to talk her down.

His HUD was still alight, and Sisk almost silently subvocalized a command. "Lenedat: kyramud. shekemir at." A small beep sounded from his buy'ce, indicating its new programming. If the assassin moved, it would alert him. A few blink clicks changed his buy'ce's mode, the 360 degree view contained in the small monitor above his visor taking over as his main eyes in the darkness, and the view from directly in front of him was transmitted directly to his retinas, allowing him to maintain his HUD and night vision, but also to open his visor. There was no way he would take off his helmet, but he could let her see his eyes.

The click as his visor slid back into his helmet was loud in the quiet room, and Sisk could smell the old air as it wafted through the opening. It smelled like broken hope, like unfulfilled grandeur. It made his nose wrinkle slightly in distaste. When he spoke again, his voice was unfiltered, unamplified, and yet it seemed to carry even more power and gravity than before. "Xot'ika, ca'nara at slanar yaim. Haar kot ogir, pirimmur bic. Akaanir par gar. Akaanir par mhi." she had been in his mind, had seen what he had seen, and he had imparted a large portion of his knowledge to her, including his language. It was inside her, she just had to find it.

Spoiler: Translations:

hut'uun aruetii - Cowardly traitor
dar'jetii - Sith. lit., no longer a jedi
Mando - Mandalorian
Lenedat: kyramud. shekemir at - Target: Assassin. Follow movement.
buyce - helmet. lit., bucket
Xot'ika, ca'nara at slanar yaim. Haar kot ogir, pirimmur bic. Akaanir par gar. Akaanir par mhi - Xotomi, time to go home. The strength is there, use it. Fight for you. Fight for us.

 

[Mistress]

Xanthus gave her an order. Xotomi took a step forth and halted. She started thinking. Everything about the Mandalorian will repel her plasma beam. She frowned. But she also realized he wasn't born in it, therefore it has to come off him somehow. She will need to search him over to pinpoint those weaknesses. And she would need to use the Force to strip him of his armor. It wasn't impossible to accomplish at all. But...

As the metal-man spoke in another language, she felt a strong sense of déjà vu come over her. Being pulled this way and that between the will of Xanthus and that of the Mandalorian, Xotomi was about to be physically sick! But Xotomi isn't a mindless puppet any longer. As a matter if fact, she has grown since Xanthus' first compulsion, since her Master first gave her his Amulet to save her; that is afterall what he had intended! She could sense Xanthus' attempt to sway her into obedience to him through his Spell. To be calmed by him was one thing, but be urged to fight against a man she wanted answers from, that was another thing. Her mind surpassed being ignorant of Xan's actions, which made her naturally resist him now. And he just said a moment ago, it is his Amulet which is the only thing holding her together right now. She wants to know what exactly he meant by that statement. "You're not killing him because I want answers. Fighting him isn't going to give me the answers I seek. As for glory... What is it worth to the Imperium, you, or myself for that matter, if it is achieved under false pretenses? It is faked afterall; isn't it Master?" She was only guessing, of course. She certainly wouldn't be prepared to learn the truth. But she pressed on, despite the fact.

And she realized this, -whatever it is that is going on here,- isn't between Xanthus and the Mandalorian First Protector, who is supposed to be their ally at the moment...and who is here as he announced, not as a warrior but as a man. In this, Xotomi deduced that the Mandalorian seems to be expressing himself on an entirely personal level. Now with a cool head, she can sense that he isn't lying about his intentions to convince her that they do know one another.

But Xotomi cannot yet grasp the fleeting images that continue to surface, which Xan's amulet is ripping right away from her consciousness, before she can make any sense out of them. But she is able to grasp the concept that they no longer appear to be mere dreams. It is a rather undefinable moment for her.

There was something new in the mixture. It was alien, and yet she could recall it. Was it an emotion he sent out to her? She could feel it, just before it seemed to slip away once again. But it did not cease coming at her as a constant flow, giving her the ability to piece some things together. Xotomi stood looking into the darkness quite some time, at the grand shadowy figure standing off not far from her in the room. "When did we meet?" she asked him finally, quite pensive. She could see no concrete proof to any of it, only knew that she had gaps in her memory.

 

[Xan]

Though the slight movement went unseen, an eyebrow was raised within Xanthus's helmet. The act was entirely unconscious, and a full second went by before Xanthus realized that he had raised an eyebrow in surprise. Another second passed before Xanthus realized that he had also somewhat stiffened his spine, which began to relax. He knew what it was that had elicited such reactions from him: he had been surprised by something. Xanthus was never surprised by anything. Ever. The sensation was as refreshing as it was unsettling, but before the third second had passed, Xanthus was already once more calm and in control, calculating with a speed that a supercomputer would envy. 'Xotomi has never once defied me before.' He thought to himself with a small nod. 'How...interesting.' A small smile appeared on Xanthus's lips as he contemplated his options and listened to Xotomi simultaneously. He had several options to choose from, considering his position.

''How dare you defy me, apprentice.' Xanthus said with a sibilant whisper of pure fury as he unleashed a torrent of indigo lightning into the spine of his own apprentice, before the eyes of her apparent lover. The scent of ozone mixed with that of burning flesh as his assault began to warp Xotomi's flesh. Renelo charged of course, but what was the fury of one Mandalorian before that of a Sith? One swift application of the force would be sufficient...a windpipe could not be protected by armor, after all...' The scene played out in Xanthus's mind as though it were reality; the smell of imagined ozone was strong in his nostrils. The 'stereotypical' Sith approach to this situation. 'Since when have I been a stereotypical Sith?' Xanthus asked himself silently. 'Perhaps something less violent?' A responding thought answered. Another few scenarios played out in his mind, each one slightly less violent than the last until one finally captured Xanthus's attention and held onto it better than the others.

"Glory?" Xanthus responded after he concluded his internal conversation. "You have misjudged me terrifically if you believe that glory is what motivates me, Xotomi." It occurred to Xanthus then that Renelo had spoken to him, but Xotomi's words had knocked the Mandalorian's words away from his attention. Chuckling, Xanthus responded to the First Protector. "My heritage? I suppose that is as close as you will come to claiming me as Mando. To you, I am nothing but dar'manda, correct?" Standing, Xanthus straightened out his spine with a stretch and walked forward until he stood within touching distance of Xotomi. "Your reasoning is...acceptable, apprentice. Proceed." Xanthus said with a thoughtful undertone. His mind was clearly still calculating. Unfortunately he had to admit that the situation was intriguing him somewhat.

[Obviously the italicized scene is a scenario playing out in Xanthus's mind as he considers what's going on. He has a hidden violent side. ;)]

 

[Sisk_Renelo]

Sisk stayed where he was, his HUD constantly updating him on his surroundings. The Force building inside of him had reached an almost unbearable crescendo, but his signature in it remained hidden. His mouth was set in a firm line, and his eyes were locked firmly on the targeting indicators in his HUD. "Napdu. 47 standard days ago. A little cantina on the outskirts of a fading capital." He moved his hand down to his leftmost pouch, and snapped it open, his fingers delving quickly into the depths. When they emerged, they held the small hologram that had been one of his most prized possessions since that day. With an easy toss, he sent it in a small arc towards her, easily catchable. He prepared himself to rebuff any attempts her master might make to catch it, an easy enough feat.

"We took that the next day, and both kept a copy." The detonator on his gauntlet felt leaden, almost as if it was wishing to be used. Sisk stayed his hand, and kept his attention focused. "You kept the droid, and the cloak I bought for you. It was a dark blue, and I told you how perfectly it fitted you."

 

[Mistress]

Xanthus saying anything is a good idea, shoots up a Red Flag inside Xotomi's mind, as well it always ought. The last time Xotomi stood up to Xanthus and meant it, was when he had been sent to retrieve her after she went AWOL from her old Master, a situation which ended with both of them together killing a maniacal Sith, and Xanthus plotting her old Master's death, offering to complete Xotomi's training, in exchange for her loyalty to himself. But she had not fancied any sense of confrontation with Xanthus, until this moment. It is definite that had her dreams not been as intense as they had seemed, nor become her nightly obsession over the past few months, she would not have felt driven to defy him now. Xotomi feels she has developed a quite casual and comfortable relationship with Xanthus.

Xotomi can sense his silent seething...it is him just being himself. And just as she did after the first time she had challenged him and he approached near, Xotomi follows him with her eyes not turning her head. But this time, instead of feeling a fear of him, Xotomi did what she always does in situations as these when she anticipates a challenge about to occur, she vocalizes a soft "Purr." But instead of a reprimand, her Master gave his permission. She then speaks to Xanthus telepathically, 'Aren't you the voice of the Devil on my shoulder!' At that, Xotomi finally turns to face him, and she casts him a genuine and brilliant smile, curious if it is enough to make her amends with him. "I still hate your matte mask," she whispers to him. She wants to be able to read him.

And then we have another helmeted man over there. Xotomi determines that she just doesn't understand men of any culture! She turns to face the shadowy figure again, immediately entranced by the floating eyes of the Mandalorian which he likewise has hid up until this time, but has decided to now illuminate in the surrounding darkness, and her smile instantly melts from her lips. She finds herself drawn to him by a force she cannot define. Xotomi catches the Hologram mid-toss. She chooses to not initiate it just yet, instead she approaches him slowly, without even thinking about her action. The information which he relays to her, she takes in. It explains a few things. That is her favorite cloak. On her approach, she has absolutely no fear at all in fact, not of Xanthus nor the Mandalorian. Her amulet seems to be playing a tune now, abundantly taxed with trying to keep up with her and everything that is being taunted about her.

The warrior seems to actually grow even taller the closer she gets to him. Finally standing close to him, she goes up on her tiptoes for a closer look, to gaze into his eyes. She knows them. Her face instantly fell solemn. A strange sensation of surrender forges in her eyes. This sensation quickly steals through her being, causing her a lite silent gasp. This sensation does also entirely terrify her. The Amulet begins burning her skin where it rests, near approaching a state of unbearability. Xotomi fights to conceal the trembling that seems to generate deep in her bones, as she turns away from both men. She is thinking...at least she wishes she had a single idea of something she can even pretend to think about, aside from how she suddenly finds herself feeling. She unconsciously begins to fidget with her cloak, and can't remember the last time she has been nervous about anything enough to be able to hear her increasing pulse. She closes her eyes for a brief moment, confirming his likeness to the memory of her dreams. Her previous desire to understand, she wishes would leave her now, as she finds herself afraid to discover anything more. To Xotomi, there is no worse a state of mind, than that of not understanding one's self.

All she can mentally grasp is that in order to go home, to where she is most secure, she need only to start that first step of walking away, first to get herself around the many obstacles set throughout the room and into the corridor, then to make her way to their ship. 'That is a fantastic idea.' Relieving! Yes, she need only to start off. 'Start... Start... Start feet... Start...' Apparently something else is in conflict or, for a better term, broke...her willpower.

Xotomi stands stiffened, staring off somewhere into what is in actuality nothingness, but which may very well be peering into herself. Her own fear begins to feed into her Darkness, the Amulet performing as the perfect conduit between herself and the Power of the Force. Her fingertips mindlessly stroke her lightsaber like one would PUSH energy into a Crystal, or rub a worry stone. Her head suffers a twitch once, then twice...finally thrice. 'Push it away.' The Marble laden ground under Xotomi's feet shatters sending shards high into the air around her to rain down over them. Not that either of her two uniquely adored Saviors can see her face, but the poor young woman's eyes rolled back into her head.

A female Conniption looks and feels something like this: