There's always a bigger Fish

[Twisted Reality]

Mos Espa; High Noon.

Another Sand covered planet, just like the wasteland he had been stranded on. But at least this one had cities and towns. But something had lead him here, a tug in the force. So as the Stealth Transport known as the Empress's shadow screamed towards the space port. The Sith lord on board was seated in his mediation/training room. Eyes closed, helmet of his armor resting in front of him. Meditating on the darkside of the force, trying to locate the source of this tug. But he was pulled out of his meditation by the sound of the Pilot coming over the ships intercom. "My lord, we're cleared to land. All crew dress down to civilian clothings, we are to keep a low profile." Drakus rose, and started dressing down. His armor stored in a hidden locker placed inside the interior wall of the training room.

He was more dressed for the climate, and clipped his two elegant phrik plated lightsabers onto the harness down his chest. Making sure the Emitters where pointing down, taking a deep breath he muted his presence in the force with Buried Presence. Making him appear as if he had no connection to the force at all. A handy skill to know, when you didn't wish to be identified until you absolutely had to expose yourself. The crew disembarking down the ramp, closely followed by Drakus himself. "Enjoy your shore leave men, I'll radio when I'm finished exploring this disturbance." He walked away from the ship only to be met by port authority. "State you name and business here in Mos Espa off worlder." The alien ordered, green eyes snapped to the alien and Drakus waved his hand a little bit. "You don't need to know my Business." He spoke slowly, the alien repeating him. "Our landing fee has been waved." He spoke again to get the same repeated back.

"Welcome to Mos Espa, enjoy your stay." The alien spoke, turned and walked away. Allowing Drakus to walk the streets, searching for the source of this pull in the force. It was time to hunt a force sensitive, and see just how lucky he was...but if anyone told him good luck. Drakus would have said there was no such thing when it came to the force. Light or Dark, they made their own luck. As he walked, he passed a group of people playing dice and gambling. Using a gentle persuasion of the force, he made the dice come up in the favor of someone who had been winning. Just to force the less lucky to lose a hefty sum of money. Smirking to himself he continued on, maybe he could pick up some parts from one of the dealer to work on his next weapon project. It wouldn't hurt to get something done during his search for this force sensitive...he only hoped he wouldn't be fingered for a Sith right off the bat...considering he put so much effort into blending in...if he wanted to be found out to be a sith. He wouldn't have donned his armor and cloak, instead of civilian clothing.

 

[Darkwasp]

The dark haired teen gently placed her Mandovial back into its case; sealing it away from the harsh sands and relentless suns. Unfurling her crossed legs, she pushed herself into a standing position; stretching diligently to make sure that her blood was flowing to all of the necessary places. Aside from having to move several times to avoid city security (like hell she was going to pay for a permit to sing on the corners), it had been a fairly good day. She had collected over two-hundred credits in the three hours that she had been there, and even got a business card from a man claiming to be in the music industry.

Shielding her eyes, she glanced up at the twin suns. It was nearly midday, and even in the shade, the heat of the desert planet was unbearable. She’d have to find herself someplace cool to spend the next few hours. Not even the denizens patrolled the streets when the suns were at their peak.

Daria glanced in several different directions, searching for potential destinations. Though Mos Espa was a Starport hub, it didn’t seem to have nearly the amount of the amenities that Mos Entha. It had none of the bustling hotels and casinos that she had come to expect from her home town. Instead she had to resign herself to find some other out-of-the-way hole in the wall.

She hefted the large instrument onto her back and made a quick pit-stop to a small, dark alley way; where she had hid her Swoop Bike. Like the trash the resided in the small area, the swoop was in a tan tarp (to protect it from the heat). After a quick check to make sure no one had stolen her bike, she began her trek to find a decent location to wait out the heat. She moved from place to place; pausing once in front of a cantina, before deciding to move along. She didn’t even know if she was old enough to drink in this town, and she definitely wasn’t going to spend her time in a bar sober, while drunken men ogled her. Finally coming across a store front; Daria sighed heavily before entering.

”Just trying to stay out of the heat.” she called out to the owner, who was apparently in no rush to help her anyway.

 

[Twisted Reality]

Gah, this was why he hated coming to a back water like this planet. How these people could stand living in a place like this he couldn't understand. Coming form a home world like Coruscant, it was comfortable...but the sand it got everywhere...and it felt like some had gotten inside his boot! Great, that was going to be irritating and he was already starting the sweat. He felt his eye twitch in annoyance as he walked the streets, well might as well try and find a shop to duck into and try and find some working light saber parts. His head turned from left to the right as he scanned for a promising shop. Only to feel that tug in the force once more, but it was stronger this time. He could sense a force sensitive inside of the shops, and when he got closer to the door. He heard a woman's voice calling out to the shop owner.

"Ahhh, it seems I've come to the right place." He mused to himself, as he entered the shop and looked around. His lightsabers secured tightly to the chest harness, in clear view for all to see. He walked right past the young woman, gently brushing his shoulder against hers as he walked to the counter. Leaning his hands on the surface he looked the owner square on. "I'm looking for something, maybe you can help me find it." He glanced over his shoulder at the young woman, knowing she was the source of the pull he'd felt in the force. But to her senses he'd be no more then a average Joe, maybe a battle field scavenger. He certainly wore the light sabers like trophies.

"Wonderful day, for Tattooine." He spoke softly to the girl, and turned back towards shop owner. Pulling out a Datapad with a list of things to make a lightsaber pike, and placed it down on the counter. "I'm looking for these items, can you see what you've got?" He asked, and playing the part of a decent guy until he was ready to reveal himself as Sith. He had to make sure this young woman had as strong a connection as it had first seemed. To find a Jedi away from whatever planet the Imperium had forced them to flee to was by far a chance he couldn't pass up. So he turned, and leaned back against the counter as he waited for the Shop owner to go through what ever junk they had looking for the items. Listing off each item as he read them, giving an even more clear picture of what the items of the list could become. He already had the Phrik, he just needed the proper inner workings.

 

[Darkwasp]

Daria was pocketing a particularly nice Mandovial Pick when a man walked into the shop. He brushed his shoulder against hers as he passed, when there was plenty of room to go around. The Street Rat immediately checked all of her possessions to make sure they were still in there correct places. Satisfied that her valuables were all accounted for, she glared at the man as he approached the counter of the establishment. When he addressed the shop owner, the teen went back to browsing the various items within the store.

She was eyeing a nice part that would be an upgrade on her bike, when the man spoke. "Wonderful day, for Tattooine.” he said. She quickly replace the part that she was about to shove in her pouch, back on the shelf, and turned to him with an awkward smile.

Eww! Was he trying to pick her up? He was almost old enough to be her father. He wasn’t bad looking, but all of her friends would teaser her for dating an old man. And what was with the lightsabers strapped to his chest? He was obviously some kind of showoff; and with the anti-Force User atmosphere on Tatooine, a soon to be dead showoff.

”You’re not from around here, are you?’ she queried, pointing to the lightsabers attached to his chest. ”Force Users, dead or alive, are worth too much money these days. A ‘hunter’ would most likely kill you first, and turn your body in to the Empire for the bounty. If you weren’t Force Sensitive, he’d at least get the price for those.” she explained, letting her finger linger on the lightsabers on his chest. ”Hunters don’t care what you are anymore. The only real problem they have is turning a Sith back over to the Imperium. That doesn’t turn out very well for them. Or if they go face to face with a Sith thinking that they’re a Jedi… that doesn’t turn out to well either. Either way; it’s best to hide those around these parts.” she continued, before going back to examine the interesting things that the shop seemed to have.

 

[Twisted Reality]

Awww, was the jig up already? When he saw that she was replacing an item she would have stolen had he not spoken up. He figured this girl was no Jedi, well. Not an official Jedi, and seeing as she was out in the sticks. She was a displaced Padawan, who had yet to really under go her training before the Jedi were forced to flee and hide like whipped Animals. Following her pointed finger, to his lightsabers. He looked down at them and glanced up to her, and tilted his head a little bit as she explained the fate of force sensitives around Tattooine. A slight smirk cross his lips, as he took in a deep breath. "Hmmm, Well then good thing i'm not a Jedi." He waved his hand dismissively, and let the muted force signature out in full. "Hunters are of no concern of mine, to take on the Former Warmaster would be a death sentence. Now tell me, what is stopping me from turning you over to the Imperium? Hmmm?" He was relaxed, almost calm in a weird way. But the anger was always there under the calm shell.

"A wayward Jedi, isolated on Tattooine. No one would miss you, no one would be there to see your fall. To see you be given purpose, as i once was given..." He kept the fact that he had started a Jedi, before his fall to the darkside. Most saw Sith as Murderous animals, but Drakus was a different kind of sith. He was not that way, until provoked or given an order..."I was nothing before i joined the sith, i got to see first hand as the temples fell. I was on Tython, Teta, and coruscant. I watched as the Jedi Fled, and ran away with their tales between their legs to leave the Galactic Alliance to their fate...just like they did to me so many years ago...i was not much older then you when the council knowingly sent me to my death before i was ready for battle." He went silent, and let her deal with this news as she saw fit. And to see her reaction to being before a Sith Lord, especially one with his reputation in the galaxy.

"Or maybe i will do nothing of the sort, depends on my mood." He hit something on the inside of his fingerless left glove. Giving the Troops on shore leave the stand by order. "But to oppose the Empire, would mean a death Sentence...why die when you can be trained?" He mused, and when the shop owner came back to the counter. Drakus looked over at the shop keeper, Slipping the money for the parts the shop did have. "Have them delivered to my ship, my pilot will be waiting for the delivery at the space port..." Oh, he was not going to pass up the chance to mess with the mind of a Wayward Jedi. Especially one so raw, and untrained in the ways of the force. Like a predator playing with it's pray.

 

[Darkwasp]

The old man responded to her as if she were some small child telling an annoyed adult about the way they thought galactic politics should be. Daria huffed slightly and returned to her shopping. She was only trying to help. Old men could be so rude sometimes. There was a sudden and oppressive change in the shop. The air around her seemed ominous and dark; draping across her like a thick, uncomfortable blanket. She looked up to the man as he continued speaking. The dismissal of her warnings soon turned into a threat.

”I guess nothing.” Daria shrugged, as she answered his question. ”What’s to say I’m a Jedi?” she responded to the man.

She listened as the man told the tale of how the Council sent him off to battle, and he didn’t find his true calling until he became a Sith. It was the typical brooding teenager stuff that she tended to fall into at times. She, however, was conscious enough of her feelings and actions, not to want to completely decimate anything that got in her way; simply because she was pissed off.

”So… You think anything that isn’t a Sith is a Jedi, huh? That’s the problem with you Sith. You see everything in black and white. If you’re not a Sith you’re an enemy.” she said, before puffing out her chest, holding her arms in a muscular stance, and deepening her voice to imitate a man’s. ”I’m a Sith; hear me roar! I destroy economic centers of the galaxy because I’m stup… err to show my immense power.” she continued; obviously making fun of the dark cult.

She moved to look at the merchandise once more. Partially to prove that she wasn’t worried about the situation she was in, and partly to see if she could find that part that she had set down early. The Sith in front of her didn’t nearly look as scary as the monster from her childhood. And though she respected his power, she did not fear what he would do to her. She only wished she was in Mos Entha. At least there, she’d be able to call on various gang members to help her if things got hairy. Here; she was all alone. The good news was; her whole life had trained and prepared her to get out of tough scrapes, such as this.

 

[Twisted Reality]

He was not that old, sure he was not in his prime anymore but the Sith lord was just as nimble as he had been in his youth. He was still as fierce of a warrior as he had been as a Crusader or Sith Master. When the young woman answered his question, he smirked a little bit. There was nothing to say she was a Jedi. He saw no light saber, or any hints of one on her person. But the feel of her signature in the force, was as close to a Jedi as his hand been way back when he had first started his training. Having proved his point, that oppressive feeling vanished as he muted his signature in the force once more.

"Nothing, but a force sensitive out here in the independent sections of the Galaxy. I'd peg you as a displaced youngling or padawan."

He explained his reasoning, but now that she knew that he could potentially crush her. He had to give her props on the way she kept mouthing off to a Sith Lord. Just giving a chuckle at her taunting, and shook his head. "That was the empress mostly, all other sith were off planet when Coruscant met it's fate. I can say that i didn't like what fate my home world was dealt. But that was a former life, Before i realized i like playing the bad guy."

Tilting his head a little bit as she turned back to the merchandise and started looking for the part that she had put down. Lifting his hand, he let a little of his signature out from under the vail of his buried presence and the part from earlier lifted from the pile. Flying into his hand, as he looked at it. "You weren't planning on stealing this now were you? You may not like the Sith, but you certainly act like one. In this respect at least, taking what is not yours..." He grinned, and handed it to her. What she did was of no concern of his.

"But, if you require training...why not choose the life of freedom. Playing for credits, that is beneath a force user." He spat softly, obviously trying to talk the young woman into joining the order. Where she'd grow more powerful, learn better control over the force. "You don't have to be a murdering psychopath to be a Sith, all you have to do...is let your emotions fuel your power in the force." He kept hold of the part she was obviously looking for, as if handing over a chance at a new life. A rebirth, of sorts before the Jedi found her and lead her to her slaughter as they had him.

 

[Darkwasp]

She diligently poked and prodded through old droid parts; none of which looked familiar. In her haste she had neglected to pay attention to where she had placed the mechanism. There was a brief sigh of frustration while she searched. Even she wasn’t certain why the loud rush of air was being forced from her lungs. It was either the fact that she could no longer find what she was looking for, or because the old man was still talking.

”Even IF I was a displaced Youngling or Padawan; The destruction of Coruscant happened over 10 years ago. That would make me no more of a Jedi than you are; wouldn’t it?” she answered defiantly, never looking up from the bin of parts that she was sifting through.

It was a relief when the heavily oppressive feeling in the room subsided. She almost subconsciously corrected her posture; standing up straighter, now that the heavy blanket of darkness was lifted from her back. She felt more at ease, now that the smothering feeling that reminded her of her past had faded. Her eye blinked rapidly, as the image of the Dark Side monster flashed through her mind; its dull gray skin offset by bright yellow eyes, surrounded by halos of red. Its clawed hand stretching out for her neck, as its impenetrable armored chest heaved with each breath. She shook her head free of the debilitating image, forcing herself to focus on the here and now.

Daria watched, as the part she was looking for broke free from the surrounding junk; bits of scrap metal hung from it before shaking free and plummeting back to the bin. The part gently floated to the man’s hand; his eyes looking between her and the item as he spoke. He insinuated that she was planning on stealing the device, but she hadn’t; had she? She just wanted to take a quick look at it to make sure it would fit her Speeder, and perhaps inquire about its price. She looked to the Shop Keep as the Sith spoke. The owner of the store was no longer their. He had either overheard their conversation and fled for his life, or he was off fulfilling the Sith’s order. Either way, she was left utterly alone with fast-talking old man.

”No. I wasn’t going to steal that. I wanted to make sure it fit my swoop. Thank you very much.” she denied, reaching out for the part.

She tugged at the item slightly, when he did not freely transfer it over to her. What was this; Middle school? Why was he still clutching to the part. It was obvious that an old man like him didn’t have a Swoop, so the chance that he needed it was slim. Perhaps he had a son or daughter her age that needed it though. ”Look. If you want the part, it’s yours.” she said, as she stared into his eyes for the first time.

”I play and sing, because that’s what I love to do. The fact that it gets me credits is simply a happy bonus,” she began, indignantly. ”And if you Sith are so ‘FREE’, then why did you let the Empress blow up your home? Seems like something you would’ve discussed with her before you began the invasion. And if you don’t like what she did, why is she still in charge? I don’t know. It doesn’t seem very free to me. I don’t necessarily want to surround myself with murderous psychopaths for a ‘freedom’ that doesn’t even exist.” she countered, never pulling away from eye contact.

 

[Twisted Reality]

Drakus smirked a little bit, and shook his head. Drakus wasn’t that old, he was still in his prime and with no battles to fight. He had to find his amusement other places, trying to see what buttons he could push with this young lady...just happened to be his amusement. He wanted to see just how well she could, so for now he listened and tilted his head intently. “Oh but that is where you’re wrong. Even if you are displaced, no matter how hard you try to forget. Jedi Teachings stick with you, i was once a padawan myself." He informed her, and observed her reaction to him Muting his presence in the force. Seeing that she seemed to stand even straighter and shook something from her mind. When she answered his accusation of her thinking about stealing the part in his hand. He just gave a slight nod, and felt her try and tug it free of his hand.

“Is that all?” He mused, and when she told him it was his if he wanted it. Shaking his head a little bit, Drakus held it out once more. “No, i have no need of it. If it fits, take it. No one is here to say otherwise.” He had no children, or any loved ones. and in a way he was testing her, and noticed that she had made eye contact for the first time. Those green eyes looking right back at her, the red and orange flakes of dark side corruption glinting in the light coming from outside. “Well, doing something because you enjoy it, and it brings you credits. Is all well and good. But what purpose is there in making barely enough to get by? To do something for money, when you have the ability to take it. As for why i let the empress lay waste to my homeworld. The answer is simple, Revenge. The revenge i didn’t quite get, Because the Jedi ran with their Tales between their legs. on Tython i destroyed their ancient Forge, Empress Teta, I brought down the temple with my team, and on Coruscant. i stormed the Main gate with my comrades while others hit the archives. The Jedi made the mistake of sending me to my death, They were scared of me, of how fast i progressed on my own. And too cowardly to kill me themselves. My revenge will not be complete until i see as many as i can find off to join the force.”

He leaned on the counter, and looked at the door. “And before you defend them, and say that they would never do such a thing. History says otherwise, when the first Sith Empire fell. The Jedi and the Old Republic sanctioned the eradication of the Sith Race. Innocent Sith, who lived under the rule of the Sith Lords. Slaughtered by the millions. Thinking that the Sith themselves would follow, but Sith is not a race. It’s an Ideal, to do away with weakness and let the strong Prosper. It was the Jedi that Created us, what has happened through the eons is their fault. Their narrow minded views on emotions subjugating those that follow their code to live incomplete lives.” He glanced over at her, and took in a deep breath.

“And many see us as monsters, psychopaths, murderers. But not all Sith are the same, I’m quite sane and obviously not blood thirsty. Despite being more powerful in the force, But i love to fight, and the glory that comes with victory. The fact that i follow orders, make me no worse than a Jedi doing the same in a time of war. Or a Soldier, my duty is to fight and follow orders. Even as a Sith Lord, i answer to my dark council, Dark Lord, and Empress. So no i’m not completely free, but as i Sith lord, i can do as i please as long as it doesn’t go against orders given by those people, or if it’s against the law. So that is more freedom than you’d get with the Jedi or the Cartell.” He’d let her take what she wished from his words,