The Sith Waltz

[Marf]

Sato-san runs in to a very special somebody...

Theme Music

​

Fondor, 8:00 PM

Once again, the Hidden Dragon found herself among the cities of the industrial world of Fondor. It was night time now, and the light rainfall and bright lights added a touch of beauty and glamour to the ugly planet. Factory workers had gone home for the evening, and the poverty of the industrial planet was painted in a layer of silver glitter. Spice dealers, thieves and street walkers prowled the evening while they pursued their criminal activities under the cover of dark. Tall, grisly apartment complexes rose high and if Satoryu looked very closely, she could see the inhabitants. A light and misty spot of rain dampened her face and hair, and illuminated the reflection of the lights.

The Assassin had been sent to Fonder in pursuit of a Jedi who had been living there in hiding. The last series of days she had been living on the planet chasing after this fugitive. Satoryu was chasing no more. The Knight had been prepared and armed, but the Crusader had collected his head. The duel had destroyed two whole floors of an apartment building, and now the young Sith was tired and hungry. The marketplace was still open, which was where Satoryu found herself just now. The tables were laden with things like ship models and Imperial memorabilia, including a few with cheap Sith robe look-a-likes. Satoryu thought about how her sister would like it here. It was certainly Satsuki's kind of world; the industrial metropolis, all the ship parts she could buy.

Her hair was worn in two long pigtails which hung down over her chest. The uneven section of hair which usually fell down across her face had been brushed neatly behind her ears, each pierced with a tiny ruby stud. There was still the subtle remnants of blood and gore on Satoryu's otherwise pristine and neat robes. She casually held her saberstaff across her shoulder as she peered across the table of goods. A heavy sigh escaped Satoryu's lips as she lifted her head and look onward at the crowds of people. They were impoverished and worthless, but Satoryu could bet that they were not as lonely as her.

Satoryu's last trip to Fondor had her in search of recruits for the Sith Order, and she had acquired a young apprentice named Rayel. It was a suitable place to look in her opinion. There was enough poverty and crime to produce some truly tragic and broken Force sensitives, seething with despair and plenty of useful negative emotion. She wondered if she should take the time to hunt for new recruits again, as she looked at the crowds and tried to dissect each individual story of every person. Who were they? Where did they come from and where were they going now? Satoryu knew better than most that the strangest of tales could abound from the most unlikely person.

 

[Mars]

((Excuse the rust))

Six bright moons shone pale light upon the city's metallic surface. Fondor was no different from any number of worlds across the scattered and war-torn galaxy. A cry rings out from an alleyway, a woman naturally, followed by the laughter of a pair of alien thugs. Their actual race didn't matter as that's all they be seen as by authorities. The people of Fondor always thought themselves superior. Funny how one of those high, high creatures was about to robbed of her so-called innocence. Well, as innocent as a spice-fiending lady of the night can be anyway.

Of course things were different now. Much different than they had been only a little over a decade ago. Ten years ago a bloody swath was cut through the galaxy under the phrik plated fist of the Empress' favored champion. Battle after battle, fight after fight, sector's fell to the horned scourge of the Jedi. His cold resentment of the ever-present paladins was matched only by the same dark creature's burning fury when roused. To date few can claim to have slain as many Jedi as him and none more on the fields of battle. From members of their Council to Padawan's and children in their beds he had slain them without a second thought. The war was his purpose, battle his home.

And then it ended.

In a fell swoop the combined might of the Mandalorians and the Empire broke the back of the Republic and they were torn asunder. He was there on when it came to it's end and not a soul has recognized him since and lived to tell the tale. From planet to planet he's hidden from the all-seeing eye of his sister and the Empire. If not for his own power he would have been found long ago. The strength of a Darth when brought to battle is equal parts awe-inspiring and bowel-loosening. Amethyst and black fire arcing and swirling, fell strokes of an unnatural blade cleaving those who escaped the fire in half. When combined with the power of an ancient evil in the form of the Shard encased within his armor, Varek Rayth had few who could claim to be his equal. And before today, it had been well over a decade since he was last seen.

You see, those two thugs weren't all satisfied after their bout of "fun" in the alleyway, it was too easy. It didn't properly fulfill the rush of power they so desperately sought. A man moved ahead of them, not far at all from yet another of their favorite alleys. He was average by all accounts, everyone wore black cloaks and overcoats these days to shield from the rain. It'd be nothing for the pair of grizzled Trandoshan's like themselves. They even had stun batons! How hard could it be? As always, the red-skinned lizard led the blue one and would start the assault. Not that this would likely draw the eye of the Sith walking down the street. Not yet anyway.

The hooded man stepped in front of the alley and was, after a step more, rammed sideways into it seemingly knocking him off balance with his back to a wall. The two thugs of Fondor filled up the only entrance. It would appear our poor everyman was doomed to be beaten to death with his wallet sto-

Ah ah, not so fast.

Varek saw the thugs coming a mile off. He heard the screams, felt the disappointment and the anger. Seeing these things was simple as ever to him. While the Shard expertly kept his own aura concealed and out of the eye of anyone seeking out...anything really. A small half-grin slid across his lips as the creature slammed it's shoulder into him. The first baton fell upon his shoulder, catching a small flame on his cloak and from there the thug's fate was sealed. With a subtle gesture of his hand the flame exploded outward consuming the blue-skinned terror and sending all sorts of trash and litter into the street where the charred corpse once stood. The red thug leaped forward, catching Varek across the face with his baton. It'd been a long time since he had felt pain like that and, for but a second, his complex deceit folded on itself as his attention was drawn back to the one thing he knew better than any. A boom of a powerful aura, as his and the Shard's had melded long ago, would echo across the planet before being wholly silenced. V's right hand darted up and caught the beast by the throat. With a loud crack and an adept flick of his wrist, the red thug was gone. With a few hurried steps, Varek was out of the alley and heading the way he came. Away from the marketplace where the other Sith had been. Varek's loyalty to the Empire was too strong to injure another servant, but one who sought him for glory would perish faster than the Trandoshan's had. If, and only if, she managed to catch him, she had best choose her words carefully.

 

[Marf]

The misty rainfall was a refreshing welcome among the humid and polluted air. It was a pleasurable sensation which left the renowned Crusader distracted while she strode away from the marketplace. Her saberstaff remained perched in her shoulder, the hilt tight in her wrist, poised and ready should one of these street-goers make the unlikely attempt to assault the Sith girl. Her deceptive beauty and tiny frame were more than useful when it came to trickery, lies and assassination, but on the streets of such a planet, looking so pretty and physically unimposing was certainly lacking in advantages. It was no lie that the Sith was afraid.

It was a paranoia, a weakness from her childhood Satoryu had yet to conquer. It was ironic, Satoryu thought for the briefest of moments, everyday she was surrounded by vicious and powerful men, none of whom had ever touched her. Yet, it was these Imperial citizens, these street thugs, who at this moment seemed more vile and abhorrent to Satoryu than any male Sith. She remembered back to her conversation with Audroti. Sith were not villains, for they were no crueller than the average human being. Everyday people who committed atrocities which made the destruction of an entire planet seem moral. The moment Satoryu had laid her eyes on Audroti, the great Warlord, her mind had filled with images and scenarios that were totally unlike the control and the kindness this man the Jedi called a barbarian then showed her.

Barbarians, savages, villains, "evil" were all the words history had labelled the Sith Order. All were untrue, all were misinterpretations. As Satoryu approached a narrow alleyway, some true villains and their innocent victim awaited her eyes. She peered into the entrance as she saw them; moments away from defiling this poor woman. Satoryu's stomach dropped, her heartbeat accelerated as gut-wrenching anxiety crippled her entire being. A layer of sweat dampened the back of her neck as harsh, belated breathes escaped her mouth. She could not move, but she would shame herself if she did not defend this woman. Slamming her eyes shut, Satoryu took the briefest moment to meditate and channel her anxiety and disgust; into rage. White-hot, unadulterated hatred and rage. A third assailant, this one had to be intoxicated, chose the wrong time to sneak up behind the Sith girl and slide his hand inside of her thigh.

Well, there was never a good time.

The hilt of Satoryu's saberstaff came colliding with violent, Force-assisted impact into the side of the man's head. As he stumbled, she imbedded one of the short blade at the end of the hilt into the bottom of her victim's jaw. With the push of a button, the energy blade was ignited, sending the crimson glowing sword through the top of the assailant's cranium. As Satoryu turned around, one of the two reptilian thugs came running towards and away from the scene of his crime. He met his fate at Satoryu's already ignited lightsaber. It was a clean and painless death, that in the mind of Satoryu, was far too kind a fate for a perpetrator of this particular crime. Death was not what he deserved. What he deserved, was agony. Excruciating and debilitating misery.

The thought frustrated Satoryu and heightened her anger. At least the woman's chastity was still intact, for somebody other than Satoryu, it seemed had intervened. Who was this man? Satoryu cautiously approached the stranger who stood over the body of his victim. Judging by his own attack, he was a Force user far more powerful than she. So Satoryu bowed accordingly.

"Hello... A-a-re you Sith?"

 

[Mars]

Well the girl was adept, that much was clear. Varek hadn't intended to save the woman but if the thugs were to assail him as well there was no chance of them walking away cleanly. Her moves swift and clean, with the practiced motions of one that had repeated it countless times. Predictable to V perhaps but hand to hand was and always would be his strongest combative area. A crumpled pile of Jedi corpses could attest to that. She approached after his aura flared and bowed timidly.

"Hello... A-a-re you Sith?"

Varek's eyes darted up and met her own. He had two choices here: slay her and keep his anoyomity at the cost of an Imperial resource or make this his return to the Empire. The seconds ticked on seemingly forever as his mind twisted and turned with options and potential outcomes. As their eyes locked he was sure she would recognize him. The Empire had been looking for him since he left, naturally the leave of a Dark Council member and one so highly ranked as Varek at the time would cause for a search. For but a second he closed his eyes and sighed, drawing his saber to his hand Varek spoke.

"I was. The Fall of Coruscant was my last battle. You know who I am."

The rain continued to fall, lightning cracked in the distance and thunder boomed. For the first time in years, Varek had volunteered even a little information about who he was.

"Come with me. Whatever you were doing here is unimportant now, you have a new mission. Don't try anything. You'll die."

Varek turned on his heel, lightsaber still in hand, and began walking towards the spaceport where his ship was docked.

 

[Marf]

The saberstaff was still in Satoryu's grasp, for she remained completely unaware of the motifs of this individual. Had he possibly killed those thugs to take their prize for himself? It was no lie that Satoryu was paranoid. Not since her father's abhorrent betrayal had she ever trusted another sentient so willingly. Silence pervaded the alleyway, tainted only by the distant sounds of speeder cars and chatter of passers by. The man in front of Satoryu did not respond to her question for some time, as if he were seriously contemplating some major decision. Satoryu's eyes did not drift from his gaze as she slowly approached him. The closer she moved, the more strangely recognizable his features became. Then, he spoke.

Satoryu remembered a figure from her very first years within the Sith. It was not long after that the title of Dark Lord had been passed on to Arcturus Wolfgang. Unless the man standing before her was barking mad or took her for a fool, her suspicions were correct. Satoryu had met Empress Andraste by chance encounter in Dreshdae and the former Warmaster Darth Vyrassu was Satoryu's best friend, it was almost odd that she was surprised to be in the presence of who stood before her at this very moment. Satoryu suddenly averted her gaze and let out a short, deathly gasp as she looked at the ground. She raised her head again, and reattached her saberstaff to her obi.

"Darth Vires!"

Her tone was accentuated, but quiet underneath her gasp. Satoryu would most certainly not be trying anything against this man, now that he had revealed himself. Her eyes remained widened and her lips slightly parted in shock. There was nothing she could do but follow the former Darth and accept his orders as her superior. Satoryu scurried along to catch up with the Zabrack. She wondered whether it would be polite or not to address herself. Vires did not seem to want to talk very much, something the Crusader could mutually relate to.