Ask Sullust Forging Old Enemies into New Subordinates

[Veles]

Sullust, Pinyumb
1342 local time

Sullust was a planet with a rich history and a powerful economy, though one would not be able to tell at first glance. The world, its surface covered in lava wastelands not unlike Mustafar, was populated by the native Sullustans, a resilient species that had adapted to its harsh environment by seeking refuge underground, where they built massive, awe-inspiring cities. Sullust was a powerhouse, its main exports being ships and ore, and its people worked in huge factories on the surface, which they got to through an elaborate system of shuttles.

The Sullustans had been an Imperial world until the workers grew disenfranchised with the Imperial system, and pockets of resistance quickly developed, fueled by the then-fledgling Rebellion. Ever since then, they had shown time and time again that they would stand by the rebels, which was the most troubling aspect of this mission to Veles. It would not be an easy task--though then again, when was it ever?--considering the prejudice they likely still harbored toward the Empire, and there would certainly be a need to send a message to ensure that the Sullustans understood that there would be no stepping out of line tolerated. Should they refuse to peacefully assimilate, the Sith Lord had no qualms about forcing them to, but that would be costly and unpleasant, so diplomacy would be the first course of action.

His eyes scanned the surface below as their shuttle lowered toward the platform, admiring the large structures the Sullustans had erected onto the volcanic rock. Should they succeed today, the Empire would certainly have acquired a very valuable asset indeed, one that would ensure their navy is not too reliant on a single world. Veles turned to his companion today and then nodded toward the surface they were quickly approaching.

"There is a chance the Sullustans will not yield, considering their antecedents with the Rebellion," he informed the Champion in case he had not paid attention during the briefing. "But should that happen, cooler heads will prevail today and blaster fire tomorrow."

It was his important that his companion understood the Sith Lord's intentions, because he would be joining Veles in attending the negotiations, and it would be embarrassing at best and a sign of Imperial weakness at worst if they were to send any mixed signals to the Sullustan diplomats. It was important that they saw the Empire for what it was--a monolith, the will of trillions of life forms united into a Galactic power.

"Prepare for landing."

As the shuttle touched down on the platform and the doors hissed open, Veles adjusted his cloak and stretched his shoulders. A delegation was waiting for them on the platform already.

@Braden

 

[Ryujin Izanagi]

The dichotomy of Ryujin's relationship with all the Sith especially those of 'Higher Station' was an interesting one, for he was both a Sith Champion and an Inquisitor. One hand he showed subservience and willingness to follow orders to the letter to further the goals of the Sith and the Sith that he worked with or served that day. The other was filled with constant suspicion, to trust none unless he could confirm their loyalty to the Empire was absolute. Even Lord’s of the Sith were not above his suspicious eyes.

Ryujin looked at Darth Veles as he spoke about their coming mission, the Sith could not see any doubt in the Champion's expression or demeanour. Years of training to cover himself in a veil of secrecy meant that all he would see is the trusting Sith Champion that they would both need for this mission to succeed. The Inquisitor was only their encase Veles had any ideas.

“Yes Mi’Lord, I have spent time reading about their rebellion. They do seem like stubborn people, but what can you expect when you live here?” Ryujin said, pointing out the viewport to the hellscape that was the planet's surface. Quickly that view was blocked as they entered the great catacombs of tunnels that made up the land of the Sulluestrians.

With a bump the ship came to land upon the platform, hissing could be heard throughout as the ship's weight settled upon the hydraulic landing gears. Darth Veles would be the first to leave as was custom, the Sith Lord straightened his clothes and made his departure. Ryujin waited a moment, his eyes gliding across the shuttle making sure everything was in place before departing himself.

Dressed in dark clothes, combinations of black’s, dark greys and chocolate browns. Ryujin appeared both dark and complex in his outfit as he exited the ship behind the Sith Lord. A lightsaber hung at his back just in case, but he hoped it would not be needed that day. The delegation sent to meet them was a dozen strong, a mix of what appeared to be snobbish politicians and armed guards. It seemed that the natives had not forgotten what they had done to the Sith and stood prepared encase the Sith acted out some revenge.

Ryujin quickened his step so that he was only a step behind the Sith Lord as he met the group. “Welcome Lord Veles, we eagerly anticipated your arrival.” The lead member of the delegation spoke with confidence his shaking hands did not back up.

@vamp

 

[Veles]

The delegation, though many, were also armed, which mildly irked Veles. What do they think they'll accomplish? He did not particularly care because he knew that if push came to shove, the two Sith could certainly stand their ground. Besides, despite the Sullustan's prejudice, they would not want a full-on war with the Empire because they would be squashed like a bug and then the Sith would not be forced to be diplomatic like they were now. Unless they were much stupider than he had considered. He did, sometimes, overestimate the intelligence of politicians.

"Thank you." He nodded to the delegate who'd spoken, likely the leader, then fell into step with the group as they all headed to the end of the platform and then through a tunnel that lead to another platform, this one inside a massive cavern. Hundreds of meters below, Veles could see the twinkling of streetlights and windows, the tips of buildings and small dots moving to and from, traversing the city on foot while shuttles and speeders whizzed by above them. They stepped into the shuttle.

"I am Velkar Hun," the delegate explained, placing a hand on his chest. "Captain of the Pinyumb City Enforcement Forces and your guide for the duration of your visit."

The fact that the Sullustans had found it prudent to assign the two Sith to the leader of the city's law enforcement rather than an actual diplomat was not lost on Veles, but he bit his tongue and offered him a disarming smile.

"Thank you for your hospitality, Captain. I look forward to the negotiations." The shuttle descended down into the bowels of the planet, the ride smooth and unremarkable. Veles stared out the window as the city grew in size the more they approached, until they settled down onto a landing pad and the doors hissed open. If they go the way this has been going so far, I fear Sullust may find itself without a governing body come sundown.

"Right this way," the Captain guided, offering to let the Sith exit first. Veles stepped outside and looked around, surveying the sprawling city, surprisingly well lit considering it was built exclusively underground. There was ample space for even skyscrapers to be erected, and they towered over them, their spires stretching up toward the cave's ceiling, which was shrouded in darkness several kilometers above.

Veles shot a look to his companion as the delegation was once again in motion, the two hanging near the back of the group.

"Very confident, these Sullustans," he noted, his voice low so that his remark would not be overheard.

@Braden

 

[Ryujin Izanagi]

Ryujin followed the Sith Lord and the little welcoming party from the landing pad. His eyes scrolled from side to side as they walked across the sky high gantry. Taking in every detail, the way the Sullustans walked, the narrowness of the corridor, the weird lack of handrails, the way they held their arms twitching towards the weapons holstered at their sides. One of the guards spotted Ryujin looking at his hand as they reached the shuttle and quickly snapped it away from the blaster hilt, fear ran through his eyes and all Ryujin could do was smile at the man.

The skies were filled with speeders and transports as they descended further into the cassims that made up this awful place. He took a seat towards the rear of the shuttle separate from Veles encase they try anything within the confined space. His back was to the durasteel wall, the only attack could come from in front, the twitch Sullustan looked over at him a half dozen times as the shuttle headed to its destination.

By the time they landed and the door opened, he was the first one to get out the door, seemingly excusing himself from the detail as soon as he was on the ground. Ryujin let out a light chuckle as he joined Veles on the walk to hopefully their final destination. “If they mean to kill us, they could have just done it up there. No need to drag it out.” He replied sarcastically.

A nearby guard almost jumped out of his trousers at the comment and Ryujin smiled, it was a genuine reaction out of fear, not of discovery so he let it pass. “Is there a particular reason you did not just lead an invasion of the planet Lord Veles?” The question was more for the benefit of the Sullustans than Ryujin. They needed to firmly understand that Veles had the option to remove them by force and instead chose diplomacy. Plus getting a little gauge on the Sith Lord for his report was always beneficial.

@vamp

 

[Veles]

Indeed they would have been able to slaughter the Sith long ago, and Veles knew that was not the intention of the Sullustans--and perhaps their precaution when dealing with an Empire that followed in the footsteps of one that subjugated them was valid, but the Sith Lord did not particularly care. Times had changed, and it had been a century and a half since the collapse of the old Empire, so their treatment of the Sith was unacceptable.

The two followed the group as they weaved between buildings, the delegation surprisingly not paying them much attention.

"Invasions require a greater amount of resources, from troops to supplies, and hinge on carefully-crafted battle plans that take time. Wars destroy infrastructure and radicalize populations, which only leads to more work for us once we are in control. If possible, diplomacy is a much quicker and more efficient way of conducting business, one that can lead to lasting alliances." If the Sullustans could hear him, they certainly didn't show it, not that he was feeling in the mood to chat with the Captain.

They passed into an exceptionally crowded corridor, and Veles found that it was growing more and more difficult to keep track of the delegation that was supposed to be leading them to the meeting. He could feel a tingling in his gut, a feeling that something was off. The Sith Lord gathered the Force to himself and focused on the environment around him, his senses heightened. It was a good thing that he did, because a Sullustan suddenly stabbed at his right side from behind with a small blade that was almost nearly impossible to see among the crowd.

Veles swung around and grabbed the wrist of the man's hand that held the knife with one hand and his throat with the other. Panic flashed across the would-be assassin's eyes, and he looked around desperately. Then, he began yelling in Sullustan, the words pouring out quickly and oh so damn loudly.

The alleyway they were in cleared as the people in the crowd took off running, fleeing in frenzied shouts. This had clearly not been the plan; the Sullustans had thought they could do this stealthily it seemed. Veles snuffed the man's life with a simple squeeze of his throat, the Force crushing the alien's windpipe, spine, and everything in between, turning the inside of his neck into a mush of torn tissue and bones. The body crumpled to the ground uselessly, and the Sith Lord surveyed the area around them. The delegation had disappeared, and with it, the leader of the city's law enforcement. How suspicious and certainly unexpected.

"It was a bit surprising for a planet that seceded so recently from the Empire to accept a meeting with us," he admitted. "It seems they thought this would be a good opportunity to make a very powerful enemy."

@Braden

 

[Ryujin Izanagi]

It seemed Darth Veles had some sort of head on his shoulders, he was not a maniac at least when it came to throwing away lives and resources on taking a planet. A note of the man’s dismissal of unwanted and violent blood lust, was put in the positive column in his mind ready for any report required on the Sith Lord.

Suspicion began to rise in the young Sith as they seemed to move further and further from a direct path, why was it so crowded here. If they were a true diplomatic mission the roads should have been cleared so as to avoid any trouble and slow down the procession. Without making it obvious Ryujin began to slow his step, bit by bit he separated himself from the side of the Sith Lord, the ‘Guard’ as such had to spread out to cover both of the Sith.

It was then he felt The Force gather up inside Veles, he too was suspicious of the circumstance they had found themselves in. Unlike the Sith Lord who poured The Force into him to heighten his reflexes and power, Ryujin used this mystic power to instead dissolve into the crowd around them. As the first strike was aimed at Veles, those surrounding Ryujin would turn to find a blank space.

One had also pulled a blade looking to remove the Inquisitor’s stomach contents from their resting place. Ryujin had moved behind the man in the moments of confusion surrounding his ‘disappearance’, taking his right boot he stamped into the back of the Sullustan’s knee forcing him to fall half to the ground. Ryujin quickly wrapped his hands around his neck and twisted it violently to one side snapping the vertebrae in his neck. The body slumped to one side paralysed and slowly dying. The crowd was running screams of panic at the sudden death around them.

As Veles crushed the other attackers throat and looked over to Ryujin he would find him a lot further away than expected. “We are always surrounded by enemies, it appears.” He replied, it was part of the creed the Inquisition taught them, everyone should be suspected, the only people who were totally loyal were the Empress as the Empire was her will. “I would watch out for that sniper by the way.” He said nochentantley to the red dot wearing Sith Lord.

 

[Veles]

Veles liked this Champion. Here was someone who was not completely unprofessional and distracted, yet who did not have the personality of a brick wall. Though Ryujin had not spoken much, the times he had opened his mouth it had been to either ask something relevant or say something intelligent. Veles had chosen the right person for the job, even though the job description had changed on the spot and without their consent.

His eyes dashed up to the rooftops, lightsaber immediately igniting and poised in front of him, and Veles damn near almost got shot. He just barely managed to deflect the bolt, temporarily losing his balance and stumbling back but successfully preventing it from embedding itself into his chest where it had been headed. He could see the sniper up there, and if he had been a weaker Sith, he would not have succeeded in what he did next.

Focusing on the nearly imperceptible silhouette several stories up, Veles yanked, and it did not take any more than that. The man soared through the air, freefalling unceremoniously, until he landed several feet away, the thud overshadowed by the sound of every bone in his body shattering and likely his interior organs exploding on impact. The Sith Lord looked around and found that they were now alone, but not for long. Rather than stay there and be sitting ducks in unknown territory, he motioned for Ryujin to follow as he tried a door in the side of one of the buildings.

It opened, and they found themselves in the foyer of an apartment. It was dead silent, much different from the street they'd just fled, and all the lights were off, bathing them in darkness. Veles could feel two lifeforms in the other room, right behind the wall in front of him, and he pointed to the wall, nodding to Ryujin.

"Would you not like to come join the party, Sith?" a voice called out from the room, and it seemed that stealth was ruled out. Veles shrugged and stepped into the living room, because nothing could be worse than the absolute chaos that they had just endured.

A Twi'lek and a Sullustan sat there on the couch, one with a rifle at his side and the other wielding a pistol in his hand as he lay there, not putting much effort into the illusion of relaxation.

"Who sent you?" Veles asked, instilling just a bit of extra persuasion into his words in case the two did not want to cooperate.

"Spare me the mind tricks, Sith Lord," the Sullustan growled. "It's less about who sent us and more about why we came. You really thought you could come here and negotiate away the history we have with the Empire?" The question was rhetorical, because the bounty hunter kept going. "Normally, I wouldn't have made the trip, but for a Sith Lord? I'm sure the Jedi will pay handsomely for your mug, so I suggest you cooperate so that I don't have to exert myself too much."

Veles reached out through the Force, green mist visibly surrounding the throat of the Sullustan bounty hunter, his body lifting up off the couch. He tried to raise his pistol and take aim, but the mist slapped his hand away, then squeezed, ruining his fingers and wrist. The bounty hunter cried out in pain, the pistol clattering useless to the ground. He relished the fear that he could sense was building within the bounty hunter.

"The only reason I am not going to drag you into the town square and scalp you is because your world is not worth the effort," he spat, and the temperature in the room dropped several degrees as Veles felt the irritation fill his chest. "You will die a meaningless death and will not even have the privilege of a burial. You will be forgotten and your life cut short, all because of your misplaced arrogance." Pressure constricted around the Sullustan's neck ever so slowly, his face reddening and his breathing becoming labored as he faced his own death. Veles was taking his time, which also gave Ryujin the opportunity to subdue the other bounty hunter as well. Besides, although not a lot, the information he'd gathered had been useful. Perhaps Sullust was a lost cause, but they'd be back eventually, whether it be in a few months or a few years. And Veles could certainly hold a grudge.

@Braden

 

[Ryujin Izanagi]

The Force flowed around Veles with ease, years of practice and a sharp mind meant it came easy to the Sith Lord. Though the way the man was uncermounslly flicked off the edge of the roof brought a smile to the Inquisitor's face. The area was now completely clear of, well anyone, no enemies and no civilians it had become a ghost town in a matter of moments. He did wonder how long it would take for the authorities to arrive, no matter the reasoning for this attack or who perpetrated it, the police will be here soon and fingers will easily be pointed at the two Sith.

Stepping over the slowly cooling corpse of the Sullustan who wanted him dead, Ryujin moved towards the house Veles entered. It was dark inside the foyer of the apartment which immediately got Ryujin’s nerves on edge, he had sensed the enemies in the other room the same time as Veles. As the voice rang out to invite them Ryujin began pulling The Force around him.

He waited for a moment behind Veles before stepping out of the darkness into the glimy lit room. The Sullustan was already talking to Veles about their ‘master plan’ and both had their eyes and weapons trained on the Sith Lord. You see Ryujin’s abilities did not make him invisible, that was near impossible, but what it did was make him almost irrelevant to those around him. They may have seen him but unless they were staring directly at him their eyes would be drawn to other sights. The fact that the other object in the room was a Sith Lord, made it pretty easy for him to move to the side of the room without pulling any aggro from the bounty hunter duo.

The good thing about the Dark Side of The Force was that if you too were attuned to his power it kind of acted like a silent signal that someone was doing something. So as Veles reached out with The Force to grab the Sullustan, Ryujin moved in to subdue the Twi’Lek.

Ryujin appeared as if from thin air to the eyes of the deep blue Twi’Lek, before he could reach down to his rifle, the edge Inquisitor’s hand was slammed into the throat of the bounty hunter, collapsing his oesophagus. Ryujin then snatched up the weapon, quickly discharging the energy cell and throwing it across the room out of reach of all four of them. It squirmed at its own throat struggling to breath and Ryujin looked down on the pitiful creature, he raised his leg and placed it on the alien’s chest holding it down. Looking over to Veles he asked a simple question. “I assume you don’t need him for questioning?”

@vamp

 

[Veles]

The Twi'lek did not even stand a chance, and though Veles's attention was to the Sullustan, he quietly observed the way Ryujin moved, dashing out of the shadows like a vengeful demon and subduing the man before he could even let out a word, let alone move to defend himself.

"No," he replied, the finality hanging in the air as the Twi'lek's eyes widened, the realization that his life would end in the next few seconds dawning on him and filling him with a terror that Veles could practically smell dripping off him. Regardless of Ryujin's method of execution, Veles did not need to observe to know the Champion had done a good job.

Instead, he trained his sights back on the Sullustan hanging in the air by his throat. Watching his partner be taken out in front of him seemed to rattle the supposedly seasoned bounty hunter, and he trembled as he shouted pleas.

"No--wheeze--Please! I'll tell you anything! It was--wheeze--it was the Captain! He told us he'll have his forces turn a blind eye if he can get a share of the credit--"

His neck was visibly crushed as the green mist seemed to solidify and then press in from all directions, the Sullustan's body going limp and clattering back onto the couch, the life gone from his bulging eyes.

"Very unwise to put all your cards on the table like that," he remarked, looking at the corpse. He'd considered killing the Twi'lek and arresting the Sullustan, but the bounty hunter would likely croak wherever he ended up being imprisoned, and Veles wanted no loose ends. "We were never on Sullust," he declared, turning his gaze to Ryujin.

A ball of green flame twisted and turned within his palm. Then, he lashed the blaze out at the two corpses, turning them to little more than ash. Small embers flew off with the impact, setting off fires around the room.

Veles turned and walked out of the building, the room slowly but surely being engulfed in a raging inferno as the two Sith strolled away casually. It would likely burn the entire building down, but by then they would be heading off-world.

"There are hundreds of worlds that would rather die than accept progress," he noted, his eyes now a clear hazel and the tattoos and bruises on his face gone, an illusion that would ensure no one would look at the two twice. "The Sullustans are a lost people. We will be back eventually, and they will beg for what we offered them today as if they have not spit on the image of the Empire."

Veles knew the way back to the shuttle, because he'd been paying attention to the path they took, and glancing around noted the complete lack of law enforcement on the streets.

"I was invited by members of Sullust's governing body and we were deceived by the Captain, which leads me to the conclusion that this planet is rotten to the core."

@Braden

 

[Ryujin Izanagi]

The fear that showed through Twi'lek's eyes after Veles made his decision was pathetic, the man had made his career on the fear of others. Be it through their death or capture and now as death looked at him in the face he crumbled into a mass of pathetic tissue. His eyes teared up and his arms flailed to try to stop Ryujin from doing something, anything which would end his life, but it was all in vain. The Sith had the strength advantage even without the slow asphyxiation which had starved much of the aliens' muscles of strength.

Reaching behind his back Ryujin pulled his lightsaber from its concealed location, in a flash he spun it round placing the hilt of the sabre just over his heart. A double tap of the activation switch ended the creature's life with a burning hole in the centre of his body. Its arms fell to the side, his head flopping to stare endlessly at the Sullustan as he too was removed from this plane of existence.

“Where even is Sullust.” Ryujin replied sarcastically as he followed the Sith Lord from the apartment, flames of green, red, yellow and white slowly filling the small room behind them. Looking over he watched as the Sith Lord morphed his appearance through use of the Magick’s he had learned on his home world and smiled.

Although he did not have this Dark Side power behind him, Ryujin had something else, years of experience and training in blending in and changing his character. Veles would watch as the man slowed his walk, his gait changing to a shorter stride, his shoulders would slump, his face became weak, like someone who lived a life from Spice Stick to Spice Stick. Taking his jacket off he quickly turned it inside out, going from a Dark Brown to a bright beige colour. He rolled up part of each trouser leg giving himself some hip ankle swingers. It was a small point but something which would set him apart from his previous self.

“I doubt it will be simple dealing with this little rock moving forward.” He replied his accent now clearly from the Western Core of the Galaxy. They would not be able to return the ship they arrived on, it would be watched if not outright destroyed already. The crew dead and buried in a compost heap, another notch in the column that would see the planets destruction.

@vamp

 

[Veles]

It seemed the Champion was definitely willing to remain secretive about their journey here, though if he would keep his word only time would tell. The way he disguised was impressive, and it was the first time Veles saw a spy with such sophisticated skills in action. Whoever had trained Ryujin had done a spectacular job.

"I guess we're going to have to steal a ship," he agreed, the two still heading toward the shuttle that would take them to the surface, where spaceships were parked. They would not be going to the landing pad where they had arrived, instead opting for another dock, and Veles hoped they would find a ship that would be manageable when it came to piloting, because the last thing they needed was to find themselves in a craft that required 10 people to pilot.

They weaved through the crowd, blending in easily and not being paid any attention by the Sullustans. Even the delegation they'd met with likely would not recognize them, which put Veles at ease. A lone fireman charged through the crowd, and it was the only first responder he'd seen since their ambush. The man looked desperate to get to where he had to, and the Sith Lord supposed it was probably the building that was currently burning down. He turned to look over his shoulder and could see the massive plumes of black smoke rising toward the cave's ceiling, the flames not yet visible but the smoke suffocating. Again, he doubted they'd be able to put it out in time, but regardless the bounty hunters' corpses had already burned to ash. He'd made sure of that.

The two reached a shuttle and found that it was empty. Looking at the schedule, Veles noted it was leaving in 2 minutes, so they simply stood outside until the last possible minute, then ducked inside right before it left to ensure no one would follow them. As they left the city and ascended toward the surface, he stared out the window at the visible inferno.

"I cannot wait for the day that this planet burns to the ground," he murmured, thinking aloud.

The shuttle came to a stop at the entrance of a dock and they disembarked, stepping into a large hangar teeming with craft. They definitely had choices, so Veles surveyed them until his gaze settled on a small, nondescript freighter. He turned to Ryu and nodded.

"Do you know how to pick the lock? I can pilot it."

@Braden

 

[Ryujin Izanagi]

It was a nice change of pace, sneaking out instead of blowing their way out of a situation. It was much more Ryujin’s style anyway, he was never one for dramatic speeches and posses whilst murdering his enemies. He much preferred time and effort efficient deaths. As the two now ‘blended’ in Sith made their way through the undercity of the planet, the crowd slowly began to once again thicken. Perfect.

Purposefully looking at his partner so as to not seem suspicious Ryujin bumped into a passing Zabrak, it was nothing serious, only a slight bump that would push both their shoulders back. It was also enough of a bump for Ryujin to slip his hand into the man’s pocket and pull out his Holo. He kept it hidden up his sleeve until they were well out of shot of the Zabrak and those around him before pulling it out and checking it over. “Well I had hoped to find a secret millionaire but it appears this guy is just about living paycheck to paycheck.” He said to the Sith Lord as he scrolled through the Holo.

Reaching the shuttle he tapped the stolen Holo on the payment pad twice giving them both ‘legitimate’ tickets on this little shuttle. Ryujin didn’t respond to Veles as he murmured to himself about destroying this little planet, he stood on the other side of the shuttle staring down at the plume of black smoke with a small smile on his face.

The transport shuttle easily slid into its docking place at the main spaceport for this area. He was surveying a different craft when Veles pulled his attention to the craft of his choosing, not one to disagree with the Sith Lord when they were so close to escaping the planet he left the Racing Yacht he was eyeing up alone and turned to look at the freighter.

“I’m sure I can work something out, you just need to deal with its crew.” He said, pointing towards a trio of men moving around said craft.

@vamp

 

[Veles]

The trio had approached their ship as the two Sith discussed from a distance, and Veles turned to gaze at them as Ryu mentioned the crew.

"Actually, it is good that they appeared," he declared, pulling his hood down. He walked toward the three men casually, and they paid him no mind as they were deeply enveloped in a discussion.

"...Rimma Trade Route into the Corellian Trade Spine and then Hydian Way. Few weeks at most and we'll be there in time to deliver the shipment."

"Sounds a bit risky to dive so deep into New Republic territory now that they're all jumpy about their Chancellor dying," noted one of them, a Rodian.

"And what will they do? Pull over a ship of humble merchants?"

"I guess you're right. Well, I say we--"

"Good day to you, gentlemen!" Veles called out as he reached the group. "My companion and I are seeking passage off-world to the nearest space station and are willing to pay handsomely. Would you be opposed to a brief detour to your journey?" His words were laced with persuasion, and the three smugglers would find that the statements the man said were exactly what they had been intending to do all along. All three nodded simultaneously.

"I don't think that would be a problem--"

"Yeah, we have some time to spare anyway."

Veles turned to Ryu and motioned for him to come. We board their ship and once we leave the atmosphere, we dump their bodies out into realspace and make our way back to base. It was a much better plan than stealing a ship that could potentially be reported to be missing. Had they slaughtered the trio right there and then in the hangar, they would have been exposing themselves far too much to possible obstacles, and it was better that the two leave the world without having to speak to any command tower or report their craft's whereabouts.

The three smugglers opened the door and strode into their ship, other convictions evidently forgotten. Veles followed and the door would close behind them. He emerged into the cockpit to find that two of them had already sat down behind the controls and were tapping away at buttons on the control panel to get the ship running.

"Command, this is the crew of the Glider, craft identification SF-783294502E. Are we clear for takeoff? Over."

"Glider, this is Sullust Aerial Command. You are clear for take-off, safe travels, over."

The freighter's repulsors revved to life and the ship rumbled as they took off vertically, the hangar's gates opening for them. They tore out and into the open air above the surface, and Veles looked out at the window to see a sizeable group of Sullustans gathered around the shuttle they had arrived on. Two body bags were being removed from the ship--clearly the pilot and his co-pilot.

They were almost home-free.

@Braden

 

[Ryujin Izanagi]

Ryujin was just preparing to disappear into the darkness of the hanger when Veles changed his mind on the situation. Just casually strolling up to the three freight haulers and asking for a ride. I mean it made sense, much easier than having to deal with any chasing authorities, that's why he was eyeing up that racing yacht hoping to get some good speed on the way out of the system.

He followed the Sith Lord at a short distance just in case things got ugly, he couldn’t hear exactly what was said, but he was sure it was laced with Dark Side energy whatever it was. Veles seemed to have his way with words, or at least Force aptitude as Ryujin was quickly making his way up the ramp behind the four of them.

Veles touched his mind about murdering the group of flyers once they were out of Sullustan space. Ryujin had no soft stomach for murder, but he was against the wanton murder for no need. Plus he had been trained to always make the most out of a bad situation, perhaps he could turn this little trip into something at least a little positive.

As Veles made his way to the cockpit Ryujin chose to hang around in the hold having a survey over the merchandise. “What are you shifting?” He asked casually, his accent shifting again to one similar to the three men talking outside. Familiarity always helps bring down someone's defences. The man smiled at him recognising the friendly voice before answering. “A-29 Power Cells, bound for Corellia. They can be a little dangerous to shift if you don’t know what you are doing. But that adds a little to the pay day.” He replied, rubbing his fingers together to simulate the money.

‘Power Cells’ Ryujin thought, perhaps this jaunt into the volcano planet could be a little productive. He did not have the ability to project his thoughts like the Sith Lord, but he knew that the Sith could read his if he shouted them loud enough inside his brain. 'Don’t kill them, I have an idea that could make this a little more worthwhile for our time.'

@vamp

 

[Veles]

Veles had wished they could skip anything else and get it over with so they could go home, but it seemed like Ryu had other plans. The Sith Lord let the Champion hang back, instead hanging out with the pilot and co-pilot in the cockpit.

"So...you guys from off world?" the co-pilot asked, eyes on the sky ahead.

"Yes. If I were born on a planet like this, I would simply stop existing just so that I don't have to suffer my entire life." The two smugglers burst into laughter.

"Ain't that right!"

"If I could spend the rest of my days in a ship cruising through realspace, I'd take it the first chance I got."

Veles felt a tugging at the corners of his mind, and focusing in on the pull, saw that it was Ryujin speaking, his voice a mere whisper.

<< I guess we can make an exception. >>

The smugglers were kind of nice. Why do you always have to resort to killing anyone you come in contact with? he thought to himself, and then realized. He didn't want to so much as risk the possibility of having someone speak of this mission. Still, if word ended up getting out, he supposed it wasn't his fault and anyway there was no blame to be shifted on the two Sith for trying to negotiate diplomatically. They had done nothing wrong and had only been defending themselves. Burned down building and all.

"Why? You interested in our services?" the smuggler asked Ryu suddenly, a grin on his face.

@Braden

 

[Ryujin Izanagi]

Ryujin looked up from the power cells and smiled at the smuggler, The Force poured into his words as he spoke. “I might be, but I could do with looking at the cargo first. Perhaps on my own?” Ryujin could see an inner battle in his mind between the persuasion of the Dark Side and his normal instincts and it took a moment for the man to reply. “Ummm. Yea. I’m going to grab something to eat.”

It took a few moments for the man to stumble out of the cargo area, Ryujin watching him the entire time. Once he had left the Inquisitor pulled back one of the pallet covers and went about checking the ‘Power Cells’ if he was correct he could arrange for them to ‘Overload’ thus causing a rather large explosion when they are ‘jogged’ in the wrong way, perhaps with a loader of some sorts.

Looking around he found some tools nearby. Not the precision instruments he needed but they would have to do. The main thing he needed was time, something he hoped Veles could buy him with the rest of the crew. The loader was well into his food now and wouldn’t return for a while, but the last thing Ryujin needed was another of the crew stumbling into him whilst he was messing with the power cells. Trying to broadcast his thoughts again towards the Sith Lord, he went to work. ‘I could do with about fifteen minutes of alone time.’

@vamp

 

[Veles]

Veles stood in the doorway of the cockpit, eyes trained ahead as they exited the atmosphere and into realspace. As they noted the lack of ships trailing them, they all collectively let out a sigh of relief. And then the comms buzzed, a hard voice at the mic that did not belong to any of the smugglers.

"This is Sullust Planetary Defense. State your business," the voice echoed in the cockpit. The two smugglers looked at each other, and Veles could feel his heart sinking. There truly was no way for the day to get worse.

"We're just merchants leaving transporting our goods off-world," the pilot replied, and there was brief silence. The few seconds that they stood there, waiting for a response, the tension hanging thickly in the air, Veles was already running through scenarios in his head.

"Very well. Prepare for embarkation and have your inventory ready for inspection. Over and out."

And then it seemed that the realization dawned on the two smugglers that they were essentially screwed. "Shit."

"Alright, pal," the co-pilot declared, turning toward Veles. "If you want passage wherever it is you want, you're gonna have to earn your stay around here. I hope you know how to shoot a blaster."

"Something like that," he replied, just as the third smuggler strode into the cockpit, staring at his two buddies who were still in shock.

"Anything wrong, gu--" he was cut short as their ship rocked and readjusted itself. "What the fuck was that?" Alarms began to beep, lights coming on simultaneously on the control board. Veles did not pay them any attention, because there were more pressing matters at hand. At least Ryujin would benefit from the massive distraction that had just been created.

Fifteen minutes, Veles declared telepathically. He would have to draw the fight out for a while, but that was okay. In the meantime, it would help to thin out their defenses so as little of the crew saw him fight as possible.

"You two stay here and work on getting us ready to enter hyperspace," he commanded, his voice leaving no room to argue or talk back. The two did not even speak as they turned back to the control board and got to work.

"You come with me," he told the smuggler that had just walked in. The man unholstered a blaster pistol from his armpit and nodded, following in the Sith Lord's steps as they headed down a corridor. The Sullustan boarding craft had already created a pressure seal and he could sense lifeforms on the other side of the door preparing to enter. He did not give them the opportunity to, instead flicking a switch and pulling a lever that caused the door to slide open instantly, and he charged at them. The Force subtly enhancing his movements, he threw a punch directly in the jaw of one of the soldiers, and he collapsed, entire jawbone shattered. Next, he whirled around and threw a kick at the chest of the female commander that had spoken to them through the comms, sending her flying right back into the boarding craft, embedding herself into the durasteel wall.

There was another soldier left, and the man seemed to be trying to muster up the courage to fight back, his hands fiddling with the handle of his blaster, his arms trembling. Veles was just about to dispatch him when a bolt landed directly in the middle of the man's forehead, killing him instantly, the faint smell of flesh burning tainting the air. The Sith Lord turned to look at the smuggler. "Very nice."

@Braden

 

[Ryujin Izanagi]

He was lying on his back, part of the power cell overhanging his body when he heard Veles reply to him about his time limit. That was reassuring; the last thing he needed was an open power cell and an angry smuggler. Holding two bits of wire together with The Force he reached for the soldering tool off to his left. A slight jolt through the ship almost made him drop it though. He could hear the tell tale signs of a holding arm and connecting bridge. “I thought they said they were legitimate haulers.” Ryujin said aloud.

Shaking his head he tried to get on with his work with the added haste that a blaster bolt in the testicles gave you. At least with Veles on board whoever was trying to have a little look at their merchandise wouldn’t get far. The only problem is that this could bring them back into the hold to check on the dangerous cargo.

Peeking his head out from under the cell, he pulled The Force inside him. Grabbing hold of one of the large crates he pulled it in front of the door, that would at least buy him a few minutes. “Alright, lets play with an explosive whilst being attacked, sounds like fun.” He said sarcastically to himself.

@vamp

 

[Veles]

Veles was completely unaware of what Ryu was doing, and had trusted (perhaps his trust was misplaced) that the Champion would not make a poor decision that lead to them crash-landing. That would be unfortunate for all parties involved. Instead, he did not think about it and just focused on keeping all the smugglers in one spot. The two in the cockpit were getting them ready, and the one with him was going to help him sweep the boarding craft.

Veles said nothing as he walked inside, the blaster-wielding scoundrel right behind him. He reached out through the Force but felt no other lifeforms, and upon checking all the rooms, apparently that was true. Hopefully they could enter hyperspace with a boarding ship attached to them, because it was that or dying in the vacuum of space.

"I think that was all of them. Only problem's making sure that there aren't more coming." With that, he strode into the border enforcement cockpit and pressed a few buttons, activating the mic.

"Command, this is craft BG-784, do you copy?" His eyes glanced over the various documents on the board of the ship as he spoke, noting the ones that spelled out information about the ship so clearly.

"BG-784, yes, we copy, over." He chuckled as he got his reply, and the smuggler behind him did too, watching incredulously the whole time. "Mission status?"

"Complete. The search concluded and they are clean, over."

"Very well, at ease, over and out." The man behind him burst out laughing, the emotion having been kept down by nerves. They'd pulled it off, and now they were able to finally leave. Veles, along with the smuggler made their way back to the pilot. Some time would have passed by then, and Ryu would have most likely finished doing whatever he was doing.

"We're good to go," he declared to the pilot. The man nodded and tapped a few buttons.

"Engaging hyperdrive in T minus 5 minutes." His voice was neutral and shocked into formality by the stress. He could tell they were small fries, likely never having been caught or gone to jail, and they were deathly afraid.

"Why five? I thought I told you to prepare it before I left," he said abruptly, his tone pointed.

"Well, truth be told, we have a pretty shitty, rickety ship with a hyperdrive that takes, like, 20 minutes to engage." The man was unfazed, and Veles could sense he was telling the truth. A true inconvenience, but at least they didn't have to worry about anyone coming after them.

@Braden

[/QUOTE]

 

[Ryujin Izanagi]

The few blaster shots which did get out could be heard throughout the ship, but they were distant and behind a few layers of Durasteel so Ryujin did not care. The override to the overheating valve had been disabled, that was the easy part, now he needed to get this trigger only in gravity. Otherwise they might get caught in the explosion themselves when they docked at a space station.

Luckily for him power cells needed proper gravity to function, so they had scales inside to make sure the liquid inside was kept at the correct levels and without air gaps between. “So if I just connect a trigger to the sensor.” He mumbled to himself, pulling out a few lengths of wire he found in the maintenance bag. “Then when this goes that way, it all goes boom.” He said in triumph as he connected the two final pieces.

Sealing up the power cell, he pulled himself back up to his feet and covered the now rigged bomb with its cover and made towards the blocked door. Ryujin began making a racket, banging at the crate with his fists then with a pipe so it seemed like he was truly trapped. Raming the pipe in behind the crate he used it as a lever combined with an ample amount of Force Energy to move the crate out of the way.

As the door opened the smuggler from earlier was there. “You alright, I heard you banging.” Ryujin veiled his face in panic and worry. “Yea, the crate moved over the door, thought I was going to die in here.” The smuggler was rather apologetic about the situation, offering to buy him a drink when they got to the next station. Thanking him with his mouth in his mind he spoke to Veles. 'All done, let's get to a space station.'

@vamp