Weaving Threads

[Andraste]

Alais had been to Alderaan only once before, and that had resulted in a close shave with criminals that sought to kill her and Evalyn. She wasn’t entirely too eager to get back, but she couldn’t help but think about the girl that handed her necklace over to them. She couldn’t forget the young girls in that cooped up bunker under the Lounge, and she wanted nothing more than to end those rings all around.

After a lot of begging, she finally convinced Kal to let her pilot the ship. She managed to jump out of hyperspace and lower the ship onto the planet’s surface without any incidents to both their surprise. Despite all the chaos from the last mission, she and Kal hadn’t had any extensive discussions about everything that happened. Alais kept her thoughts to herself, glancing over at him every so often. Did he think less of her for breaking down like that so many times during their mission? She felt uneasy about the Cipher incident and then shooting a man for the first time.

“We might need to change up our tactics,” Alais muttered as she lowered the ship to land. As the exit ramp lowered, she grabbed her staff and her blaster. As she made her way down, she glanced up ahead at the cityscape, “Have you been here before?”

She looked down at her datapad with any information they had gathered. Unfortunately, outside of the name, she hadn’t been able to find anything more, “We’re off to a pretty bad start. I don’t have any leads. Do you?”

 

[Darth Kravos]

Kal had spent a great deal of the trip pouring over what information they had and trying to figure out their first steps once they got on world. He'd been piecing together the information he'd stuffed in his pockets at Cipher's office, what they'd been told by the girl on Coruscant, and that pendant. The necklace had haunted him more than he would have liked to admit and he found his mind turning to it again and again.

Finally, he'd given in. Taking the pendant, he'd retreated into the fresher and held it in his hands, focusing on it and pouring heart and soul into it. In turn, the object had revealed to him flashes of what its owner had gone through, her dark horrors, the face of her sister, and other things that would stick with the Jedi in ways he didn't yet appreciate. It had taken more than a few minutes for him to recover, but he ultimately did, a pain in his soul that he wished he had never exposed himself to. Near-despair clung to his mind and it was only compounded by the actual planet he was traveling to. Jedi weren't supposed to have emotions, but he wasn't sure he could keep his from clouding his mind.

Ultimately, he was so distracted by his own struggles, he realized he'd all but neglected to talk to Alais about what she had experienced, which in turn only made him feel worse for his own selfishness. He almost didn't hear her when she asked if he'd been here before and he responded more from his subconscious than anything. Uh, not for a long time, he said almost absentmindedly. In fact, the last time he was here, he had been an infant taken from his family.

He shook off the near-fog that had settled over his mind and tried to bring his attention back to the task of hand, but it was beyond a struggle. Leads, uh, yeah. So we know Barza runs the operation and I looked through the records we found searching for anyone by that name. Wasn't too hard to find, so we've got a drop off point for the girls here on world. Probably our best bet to start there, he said.

The spaceport seemed to be bustling with people and Kal did his best to push through them to get to a speeder rental, making sure to pay for the extra insurance. How are you feeling? he finally asked as he made his way out to the speeder lot. He kicked himself again for not asking earlier, but better late than never? If you want to talk... well, I remember what it was like, he said, with a nod of affirmation.

 

[Andraste]

Alais looked over at Kal as they descended down into the spaceport. For whatever reason, he looked more shaken up than she had ever seen him. Alais didn’t pin him to be the type of man that liked sharing his thoughts and feelings, and she didn’t ask him anything as a result. When he spoke, he was clearly absentminded and distracted, and his face revealed he was rather troubled. Perhaps the last operation had done a number on them both instead of just her?

“Drop off point?” Alais paused as she looked at him, “I looked everywhere and I couldn’t get that information. How’d you find…” She sighed and rolled her eyes, “Never mind, you’re not going to tell me anyway,” Alais kept following Kal through the crowds. When she was last here, she was fascinated by all the clothing and the prim and proper air people had. Working with Kal was interesting as it allowed her to wear civilian clothes as their line of work involved them hiding being Jedi. She privately badly wanted to have a dress, even though she knew it was impractical for any missions.

As they made their way to the speeders, Kal’s question caught her off guard. She had been purposely keeping her mind off things, but he asked her about this for the first time, “Thanks.. I’ll be okay. It’s no use dwelling on things because it only makes me angry. You seemed very shaken up. Are you okay?”

It felt strange to ask him that. She doubted he would answer her truthfully, but she wanted to be supportive regardless. Alais hopped into the speeder after they rented it and looked over at Kal, “Everything I found out about Barza mentioned something about a charity dinner tonight. Are we going to go there? Is that the drop off point? You know, I might be able to pass as a guest if I get a dress!” She couldn’t deny she was a little too eager to get herself a dress.

 

[Darth Kravos]

He managed a smirk when she mentioned him finding the information and not telling her. You're already getting to know me, he said, managing a little chuckle that was more akin to him normally.

He nodded at what she said next, knowing that dwelling on it often only made it worse. It had been shocking to him when he'd first killed as well, and he'd been shaking with adrenaline for an hour afterwards. Master Evoros had been there for him then. Now, Alais only had Kal, and he was a poor excuse for a mentor. Well, if you wanna talk, I'm here, he reiterated before being asked about himself. He bristled a bit and nodded. Yeah, I'm fine. Just some bad memories, he said. He probably should have talked about what was going on, but he didn't really want to.

A charity dinner... he mumbled, quirking an eyebrow. He didn't know how they were going to get in there, but that was... an issue. No, I'm not sending you in there, he said, thinking immediately about all the ways that could go poorly. Plus he wasn't sure he was going to be able to hide out in there without drawing suspicion. He didn't look upper-class at all and he couldn't show up with a twelve-year-old on his arm. He was sure she would be livid about him saying that, but that was why he didn't say it aloud.

He kept driving the speeder, passing slowly in front of the location of this "charity dinner." The building was huge with ancient-looking chiseled stone unlike anything else in the galaxy. Even Kal had to stop and marvel at it for a moment, trying to figure out a way inside. It wasn't the type of building that looked easy to sneak into with its huge domed-top and beautiful but thick stone walls.

Any ideas for getting in? he asked, immediately regretting it as he realized he was once more going to be pitched on buying a dress.

 

[Andraste]

“Not sending me?” Alais hissed as she repeated his words. She was briefly reminded of when he had shielded her eyes and yanked her back in the Lounge. She grumpily crossed her arms over her chest as he slowly passed across the charity dinner. People were dolled up and dressed in fancy clothing. Alais looked close and she could have sworn she saw a man stride in that matched the physical description of Barza: A tall, slender man with silver hair and an eyepatch.

Alais glared at Kal as he asked her for ideas on getting in, “Oh, I have no idea. You have all the extra information since you have magical ways of getting information I can’t. Please enlighten me, oh great one,” Her words were dripping with sarcasm and she was beyond irritated at being brushed off as a child, “I’m just a stupid little kid and I don’t know how to do anything. Oh I know! Why don’t you solve this case and I’ll wait by the speeder.”

She huffed as she abruptly jumped up and off the side of the speeder. Alais landed in a crouch and didn’t even wait for Kal to slow down or park the speeder as she began to make her way towards the building. If he wasn’t going to respect her ideas, she’d just have to find her own way to do things.

Alais quietly observed the types of people going in, noting that they were all guests and high society people. It was an exclusive event as the windows didn’t offer any views in. She knew there had to be an entrance for catering to deliver from. Alais began to nonchalantly walk around the building, fitting in as a passerby civilian. She knew she couldn’t get too close as she would look too ratty. The options looked slim, especially as every point of entry was under strict lockdown. From the side, she saw a delivery truck coming in to drop off shipment, but even then it was surrounded by guards.

“Ugh… I’ll need a disguise for sure..” Alais muttered under her breath, still angry at Kal for being so difficult to work with.

 

[Darth Kravos]

Kal bristled again as she snarked at him. He remembered that technically he wasn't her superior. She wasn't a padawan and had been knighted young, just as he had. Perhaps he should treat her as such. But then, there was the issue of all of this being new to her. There was incredible danger in what they were doing and the truth was he wasn't sure he trusted her not to get herself in trouble. He supposed that was why she was so frustrated with him.

Kal swung around, parking the speeder without a rush as he new she wasn't going to be able to get inside as she was. He climbed out and crossed the street, arriving as he heard her mutter about needing a disguise. He stopped next to her, the anger radiating off her. So, are you just going to stomp off every time you disagree with me? That's not how partnerships work, he commented.

He sighed quietly, rubbing his face. We're going to have to find a back way in and minimize talking with people. If we're getting disguises this needs to be quick, the event has already started, he said. He still thought this was a terrible idea, but he didn't have another alternative at the moment. Come on, we've gotta double time, he said, making his way back to the speeder.

We might be able to get access to an upper window, but that won't keep us incognito inside, he said as he got the speeder ready to go and drove them to a local store, hoping to find something to wear quickly. Okay, so we're going to have to steal this stuff, he said, gauging her reaction and knowing he didn't have the money to walk away with hundreds if not thousands of dollars worth of rich people's clothes.

 

[Andraste]

Alais was still pondering on ways to get inside when Kal came up to meet her. She was angry at herself for not already being in the building by the time his idiot face made an appearance. She simply glared at him as he muttered about her stomping off, “Yes. I’m glad we’re finally understanding one another,” She wasn’t normally this moody, but he appeared to have a way to hit all her buttons and make her grumpy.

“In case no one told you,” She turned to face him then, “Partnerships also involve trust. And that’s something you haven’t even bothered to give me since we started working together,” Alais couldn’t believe she was out here admonishing him like this, but she felt heated at that moment. Pent up rage from before spilled out before she could stop herself, and her face was suddenly red and flustered from making a scene.

In the end, she followed behind Kal to find a way into the building. As he drove them over to a nearby shop, Alais knew they had no time. If there was one thing she was unusually good at, it was using the Force to influence the mind. She quickly used that on the clerk who soon had a glazed look on her face.

Alais disappeared for a moment and returned wearing a poofy dress. Unfortunately she still didn’t have the figure for an elegant evening gown, but this dress passed her off as a party-goer. She spun around in front of the mirror, marveling at herself, “Wow! This is amazing! I look so rich!” She giggled at herself before looking over at Kal, “You need to dress up too. Put on one of those suits.”

She knew they were stealing, but in the back of her mind she had every intention of returning these clothes. Alais waited till he was done picking out his clothes before rushing back towards the building. Her hair was tied up in a braid instead of a bushy mess as usual. She felt more lady-like than she ever had before and was excited to play the role of some classy young lady.

As they arrived towards the front of the gala, Alais turned to whisper to Kal, "Follow my lead.." She gave him a stern look that said 'trust me'. As they approached the guard, she tossed her hair back and put on a very pompous look on her face. The guard glanced down at her curiously. Alais subtly waved her hand, "I am Mila Kumari, heiress of the Kumari luxury hotel line. This is my bodyguard Kit Eren," She didn't bother even turning to Kal as she introduced herself and him. The guard stared blankly for a moment before nodding enthusiastically, "Yes, yes, of course. It's an honor to have you here! Right this way!"

The guard offered his hand to guide her in and Alais stared at in disgust before striding directly past him. Once they were inside, she turned to give Kal a wide grin to quietly celebrate their trick working.

 

[Darth Kravos]

Kal had to smile as he watched her. She was in her height of glory to be picking out a dress, but he was less than thrilled. He slipped into a tuxedo outfit and stretched, feeling very restricted in the outfit and grimacing, clearly not as happy about it as she giggled. He stuck one of his sabers in his pocket and wore the outfit out to the speeder.

Even in the outfit, he wasn't sure he looked rich enough to be inside this place. His beard and hair looked more set up for going into the underworld where he usually worked than in high-society. Oh well.

He followed her out and drove them both to the event, gritting his teeth as she said to follow his lead. She had a point from what she'd said earlier about needing to trust her. So he did. He let her go forward and play her part, and it seemed she played it well. They were past the front man within moments and Kal thought that perhaps she was a little bit too good at playing the pretentious heiress. He suppressed a smile and kept moving forward. While she might infuriate him, he still liked her and had to crack a grin as she turned around and looked at him, so proud of herself.

Nice work, he said quietly to her. Now they just had to find a way to get to the girls. His hand reached into his pocket and he fingered the small necklace. We're going to find your sister, he told the girl, though she was light years away.

For now, the two made their way through the thick of it. Everywhere were tables with pristine placements. Men and woman in the most expensive-looking gowns he had ever seen paced about here and there, many holding drinks and mingling. Quiet, pretentious laughs and the buzz of conversation filled the room. Kal reached out his mind in an attempt to glimpse anything of use. He searched minds and hearts for fear, anger, hatred, and other black emotions that might stand out here. He sensed nothing.

Oh that is a lovely dress you have there, came a sudden voice, walking up and pulling at the fluff and frills of Alais' dress. Who she was, Kal didn't know, but the woman - perhaps in her early thirties - seemed to take an odd fascination with the young Jedi.

 

[Andraste]

Alais wandered around till she found an empty seat to take. Bodyguards generally stood against the wall, and she hoped Kal would know to play the part instead of plopping down next to her. Before she could sit down, a woman came up and began to tug at her dress, instantly causing Alais some anxiety. She looked at the woman briefly with wide eyes before remembering she was supposed to be snobby, “Thank you. It’s vintage shipped from Onderon,” She gingerly plucked the hem out of the woman’s hands.

The woman was taken aback at the gesture, suddenly feeling sheepish under the searing glare Alais gave her. There was an air of elitism that emanated from the young girl that was unnerving even for a woman over twice her age, “Ahem.. mind if I sit down next to you?” Alais simply shrugged, taking her seat as the insufferable woman sat down next to her. The woman started making chit-chat about cosmetics and clothing and Alais ignored most of it.

Her keen eyes were scanning around the room to look for Barza. As she looked around, she noticed a lot of the girls walking around with serving trays looked oddly young. They had smiles plastered on their faces, but something was off about the image. Alais glanced back at Kal and jutted her chin towards the girls that were coming in and out of the kitchen.

There were appetizers on the table and Alais took a small bite, immediately spitting it out and gasping, “This is absolutely terrible,” She glanced back at Kal, “Go fetch the chef at once! I’d like a word with him!” The loud statement drew some surprised stares, but it gave Kal just the in he needed to go into the kitchen where the girls were. Plus, being able to boss Kal around filled her with more glee than she ever could have anticipated. With luck, he’d be able to confirm or eliminate the girls as leads into their investigation. It was a complete guess, but she hoped luck was on their side. In the meantime, she did her part well to keep up appearances. They both had their roles to play.

 

[Darth Kravos]

Kal shot a glare at Alais as she began to take a seat, followed by the old woman. They weren't here to have dinner! What was she thinking?! Of course, Kal being indignant wasn't going to get them anywhere and he moved over toward the side of the room, silently stewing and looking for an opportunity to walk out. It was only then that he noticed Alais jutting her chin out before moments later spitting out her salad.

His brow furrowed and he wandered over, the light beginning to dawn as to what she was doing. Of course, he said with a nod and hurried off. Of course, at this point he was kicking himself for not seeing it earlier and felt like an idiot, realizing he probably should have trusted her a bit more. There was no time to worry about that now, though, and instead he hurried off to the kitchen to "look for the chef."

Of course, nothing could be as simple as there being a sign that said "human trafficking here" so he had to get more creative and he wasn't entirely sure how to do that. Trust your feelings, his training came back to him almost at once and he reached out his mind to the girls nearby trying to sense any latent anxiety, fear, or anything else of the sort. He got nothing. There was only the focus of getting the job done and the typical distractions of young girls.

He shook his head, frustrated at this situation and wondering what other leads he might be able to find when one of the guards stopped him. Excuse me, sir, you're not supposed to be back here, he said, and Kal noted that there was something about the man that was off. He was tall with a shaved head and a tattoo barely visible on his neck above his collar, but there was something about him that was malicious. Kal could feel it even if he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

I was looking for the chef, actually, he said, maintaining his cover and secretly hoping that he wasn't actually going to have to bring the chef back to the table. He's very busy right now, the man said and Kal nodded, not pressing it.

Of course, he said and headed back to the table. Unfortunately I was unable to locate the chef, but I briefly spoke with a man who said he was the assistant. Unfortunately he was unable to come out, Kal explained, hoping that at least pieces of that would be able to translate into him not finding the lead, but perhaps a lead. Of course, now they needed to either track this tall-man down, or else find the girls below.

 

[Andraste]

Alais was dismayed at Kal’s words when he came back. This meant that the operation was going to be tougher than anticipated, and they had this whole place very thoroughly covered. Slavery in any sense of the word was strictly forbidden on Alderaan, and as a result, no one here would be careless about their operations.

Alais helplessly looked at Kal and shrugged, motioning for him to take a look around and pretend to be bodyguard. They had to buy time before an opportunity presented itself again. Alais made polite conversation for a while and sat through the dinner, keeping her eyes on the girls that were wandering around serving wine and picking up empty plates.

At the end of it, there were some announcements being made. The man they had identified as Barza walked up and took the stage. From the way everyone else was reacting, he appeared to be a high member of society. He was giving some enthralling speech about all his charity efforts. Alais rose to stand, clapping along with everyone else. She moved closer to Kal, grimacing, “This is going to be very difficult…”

As everyone was standing up, music began to play to designate that it was time for the festivities to begin. People began to grab partners and dance. Alais slowly snuck into the crowd, making her way towards where Barza was. She ensured that she stayed close to him, her keen eyes following his every move. He stopped to talk to some of the guests, and she knew they had to be patient.

Alais quickly grabbed Kal’s arms and got into a dance posture with him, her eyes still on Barza, “I think he’s going to make an exit here soon. We need to go directly after him,” She pretended to dance with Kal, whirling around and then coming back around to look at Barza again, “I know you did that trick where you look into the memories of an object,” She had finally pieced that puzzle together, “Look at his face. Is that the face you saw in her necklace?”

 

[Darth Kravos]

KHe began to move back to his position on the wall with the rest of the bodyguards, eyes wide and head swiveling around to see who was nearby. He saw Barza make his way to the stage and Kal slowly made his way back toward where Alais was seated as people clapped and cheered.

He arrived just in time for her to lean in mention the difficulty of their business and he nodded. In truth, he wasn't entirely sure how they would manage, but something told him it would work out. He liked to think it was the Force, but sometimes he wasn't sure. In an instant, she took him and pulled him through the crowd, arm in arm before they began to dance. He wasn't exactly the best dancer, but he mostly just held her hand as she spun and twirled, periodically returning so they could move in sync.

He closed his eyes a moment as he thought back, delving into the images he'd seen from the necklace. Things he didn't want to remember or see, but they needed to. He saw beatings and other horrible things he'd tried to forget and his face turned red just remembering it. Then he saw the man who had done it all. The man who was responsible was - without doubt - the man for whom everyone applauded.

His eyes shot open and for a moment, the look of murder glinted in them. He looked down at Alais and nodded. It's him. I'm sure of it, he said. We need to get him. Stop him from leaving, he said as his mind raced through ways to do that. Chaos was their friend, but he didn't know how to instigate it and the man was already on the verge of leaving.

The man slipped out the door and Kal jutted his chin toward the door, leading her arm in arm toward the door. We'll need to be quick, he said, as he watched the man climb into a speeder. He silently cursed for not having his utility belt - and the tracking beacon inside - with him. We need to get back to the speeder. Or find another, he said as he looked around the lot. Of course they didn't have a valet ticket and their speeder was outside. He could hotwire one, but it would take time and he wasn't sure that was something they had.

 

[Andraste]

Alais simply nodded as Kal confirmed that it was indeed him. She saw him leave and she could feel the anxiety rising within Kal. She tapped him on the shoulder and shook her head to remind him to keep his cool. They very well couldn’t cause a scene here. She was oddly calm in the scenario, her mind working to best react given the sudden shift in circumstances.

As Barza left the hall, she followed Kal’s lead towards the door. When they were outside, Alais scrambled behind Kal, sensing his frustration. She saw Barza starting to get into a luxury speeder. Without thinking and without listening to Kal, she darted directly towards the speeder, “Wait! I’m suuuuch a big fan!”

She knew the kind of sick man this was, and she knew they had no easy means of catching the guy. Alais would have to use herself as the bait, and she made the decision whether Kal liked it or not. She caught him just in time, exchanging some words Kal couldn’t hear. At the end of it, he invited her into the speeder. Alais cast one last glance look at Kal that very clearly said, ‘Find me’. She trusted that he would be able to follow her Force signature in lieu of having a tracking device.

In the meantime, she scrambled into the speeder, barely sitting down as it took off. Alais fixed her gaze straight ahead, her jaw tightening as she had to keep her cool until she arrived wherever this man was taking her. Anger and rage roiled within her, the man making comments that implied everything he planned for her. He wasn’t even subtle, immediately outing himself as a predator that needed to be put down.

After a long while, she could see the speeder curving on a road and coming up towards a gated mansion. The building was huge and sprawling, and she immediately began to sense pain and agony from it. Alais knew at once that they had arrived exactly where they needed to.

 

[Darth Kravos]

She was exactly right that he wouldn't have approved, but she had darted off before he could stop her and now if he tried it would make a scene. He glared ahead, as much fear and concern in his eyes as frustration and anger. Sudden images flashed through his mind of all the things he'd seen in the visions except this time instead of someone he barely knew, it was Alais. The look in her eyes haunted him as soon as she was inside as he knew what would happen if he failed.

He gritted his teeth, suppressing the urge to just start the fight here and now, but he stopped himself, knowing how this would go if he did. He stood there a moment, wide-eyed and concerned as he watched the speeder begin to move and he jumped into full gear, near panic overtaking him to the point that it took every ounce of self-control not to break into a full sprint.

Instead, he found one of the valets and waved a hand, touching his mind with the sense of urgency that Kal himself felt. I need this speeder immediately, he said, and the man nodded, repeating the words back as he handed over the encryption key. Kal slipped in behind the wheel and took off, falling in behind the speeder at a distance, eyes closed as he drove using the Force to guide his movements and zero in on his partner.

Be safe, Alais. Even as he thought it, he couldn't wait to get to this place. He wasn't quite prepared for what he experienced when they did, though. The place reeked of despair and pain, as if the darkness clung to it in a disproportional way. This had to be the place and as the speeder pulled into the gate, Kal turned off, parking outside and once more cursing not having his gear apart from a single saber.

Okay, Kal, get inside, he told himself as he looked up at the high walls surrounding the manor. He peered at the walls and gazed up, gathering the Force through and around his legs as he jumped, performing a flip in the air and landing on the other side as silently as humanly possible. He paused, not even breathing as he watched and listened to his surroundings for sign of others knowing he was here.

Nothing but silence met his ears, but horrors still clung at his mind as he moved forward, looking for an entrance to this place and silently wondering if everyone here was involved. His hand wrapped around the saber hilt and he pulled it slowly free. I'm going to kill him. Where are you, Alais? Give me something...

 

[Andraste]

Alais had no saber, but she felt more confidence in herself than she ever had before without a weapon. The confidence lied in her hatred for the man she was with and everything he stood for. Barza proved to be just as sleazy as she could imagine, all his gestures and words hinting at what he wanted. Every sentence was accompanied with a slight graze against her arm or moving a strand of hair. It was just enough to send disgusted ripples through her body.

He led her into the mansion and into a grand dining hall, walking around and pointing out how he liked to admire women like her. He showed her all his portraits of young girls smiling, and only Alais could see the pain in their eyes. She followed along, looking for clues on where the other girls were.

She strode down a hall that was decorated with these paintings, and she had to cringe. Alais kept a poker face, smiling whenever he looked at her. He had no idea about the dark energies whirling within her. Right then, without a saber, without any weapons was when she felt the most powerful. Her fingers twitched, her heartbeats quickened, and she felt the Force almost tangibly flowing between her digits.

She could sense the agony from the level below, and she knew that’s where the girls were. Alais realized she was drawing from it, and it empowered her in ways she had never felt before. She found purpose in their collective rage and anger and all the emotions that cried out in sorrow and pain.

Alais walked past some guards, though most of them were stationed outside. She hadn’t even been paying attention to Barza’s words as he led her down the hall. As they began to pass a door, she felt the energies there the most. Alais stopped before it, glancing to the left, “Where does this door go?” That perky curiosity was still in her voice, delivery flawless.

“Oh, darling, that’s nothing. Come with me, I’m going to show you some really cool stuff,” He began to reach for her, but she stepped back slightly. Alais looked at him, her eyes bearing into his, “No. You will take me through this door,” This wasn’t like a usual subtle sway of the mind. She saw something click and the man obeyed. It was a different kind of manipulation she hadn’t done before. Where had that come from?

He opened the door, leading her down. Alais descended down the stairs, grimacing at the stench of humans that hadn’t bathed or cleaned in ages. She began to see scared and frightened girls, and they looked in shock and horror to find their master casually descending down the steps, leading a girl their age down.

Alais kept calm, noting the binds on the girls. As Barza stood in the middle of room, she went one by one and undid the binds. A glance to the side revealed that Barza’s sickness knew no bounds. Girls were tied up and stabbed in almost ritualistic fashions. Different tools and instruments had been used on them to torture them to death.

Her jaw tightening, she held her hand up to tell the girls to pause as they began to run out. She then turned to Barza and began to coil the Force around him. It was around then that he began to snap out of his reverie, looking around and demanding to know what was happening.

Without warning, he was slammed down to the ground, Alais coiling the Force around his neck. It was the Force as she had never used it, and he was submitting like a pathetic little animal. At the same time, the tools and instruments slowly began to rise to the ground, falling at the feet of the young girls that could only stare in wonder.

“Do it,” Alais muttered quietly, “Do to him what he did to you,” The girls looked at one another in terror, no one doing anything. That was when one of the girls, one with a tear-stained face, grabbed one of the thin knives and rushed over to him on the ground. Barza began to flop like a fish, and she showed no mercy, digging the knife into the man’s arm. The other girls shouted and grabbed the weapons, all rushing to join in on the spree.

The anger and rage only made Alais more powerful, and she could use that fuel to keep Barza planted firmly to the ground. There was no emotion on her face or in her eyes as she watched the frenzy, as she saw the blood spill, as she heard Barza’s screams.

When Alais knew Barza would be too weak to move on his own, she released her hold on him and walked over to the torture chamber. From there, she reached a hand forth and tore the necklace off the neck of a girl slumped over dead, her hands tied and her eyes missing.

It was the matching necklace to the one she and Kal possessed.

 

[Darth Kravos]

Kal sound his way to a back door, cutting through the lock with his saber before it flashed out again and the door slid open. There was no one in sight and Kal snuck forward slowly and carefully, reaching out with his feelings. Even as he did, he felt the dark nexus swirling below and an unspeakable agony. His soul cried out to him to shut it down, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. It crept into his mind and seeped into crevice. The memories from the necklace coming back to him as he plunged his hand into his pocket and gripped it, holding out hope that they would find the sister.

He let the Force guide him, finding a guard who Kal waited to pass, bringing the hilt of his saber around at the last moment with a harsh thud that sent the man to the floor. Every one of the halls seemed lined with paintings and Kal paused at one. He knew that face. It had haunted his "memory" and scarred his dreams for the past nights. It was the face of a long lost sister, smiling through a pained look. Kal reached out, touching the painting and focusing his mind on it. He saw glimpses of pain, and a girl, bound and gagged on a stool, her friend with a knife to her throat as she was forced to sit with a smile on her face for the portrait or watch her friend bleed.

In an instant, he stepped back, removing his hand and bending over, short of breath and the edges of his eyes stinging. He slammed his saber into the wall with enough force to leave a dent. He knew that the Jedi forbade such actions or use of his gift in such ways, but if he experienced the pain of others, it motivated him to protect better. It came at a cost.

He moved forward more quickly, following the beacon of pain until he found a door, still open with a cold that he couldn't determine if it was natural or something else. He descended, but each step felt heavy and he feared what he would find at the bottom. No amount of preparation would make him ready for it.

The first thing he saw was the bleeding form of Barza on the ground, surrounded by girls who had been captured and tortured. It wasn't until he saw the chains on the walls with bodies still not moving that horror truly set in. His knees nearly buckled when he saw that face he knew, now maimed unspeakably. He saw the man responsible on the ground and couldn't manage a single ounce of sympathy.

He stood next to Alais for a moment, looking down at the man as he bled onto the floor. Die slow, you fierfek, he cursed. There would be no quick death and no ending his agony. His wounds were beyond recovery and Kal would let him experience every agonizing moment. Lex talionis, he told himself. Protectors of justice, weren't they? Justice wasn't always pretty.

He looked back at Alais, the hatred still visible in her eyes, but even he couldn't manage to reprimand her. She was in many ways like him, though what that made them was something he couldn't tell. We need to go, he finally said after only moments that felt like hours. They couldn't be here when someone found him, and hopefully the whole world would know what happened. He took the datapad from his pocket and took a series of photos for proof of his crimes even as he bled out on the floor. What he might do with them was another issue entirely.

Gently, he took Alais' hand and tugged her toward the stairs. We need to get them out, he said. The mansion was well-secured and an escape wouldn't mean simply walking out the front door. They needed to find a way to access the garage and open the gate, which likely meant a security room of some sort.

Have any of you seen any of this house before? he queried the girl, hoping one might know where Barza's office might be located. One of the girls, the same who had first stabbed Barza stepped forward. His office is on this floor. Come I'll show you.

 

[Andraste]

Alais was calmly fiddling with the necklace by the time Kal came bursting down. He would find an eerie chill around her, and he wouldn’t sense the flustered state of a scared girl like she had been before. She didn’t acknowledge him for a moment, her eyes fixated on the violence taking place before her. The girls were relishing this, and each stab and cut was revenge for every night Barza had put them through hell.

The girls stopped after Kal entered, initially believing him to be a bad guy. However, his words only told them that they were, in fact, being rescued. Alais said nothing as Kal came over to tell her they needed to go. When she finally looked at him, it would be a gaze that would send a chill down his spine. It was as if she looked through his eyes and into the very corners of his psyche. It would feel as if he had a hound set on him that was picking up the scent of his blood, and he had been found at last.

Alais shook her head and the look was gone, the eerie aura around her dissipating as her normal energies surrounded her. She didn’t protest as Kal tugged her hand and led her out, her eyes scanning over the portraits again. She had some of Barza’s blood in her hands, and she streaked her hand along the paintings, smearing it across the terrified, smiling faces. She fought to bite back a grin as she did so, finding joy in desecrating the paintings in the most beautiful way she could imagine.

As they were led into the office, Alais could hear commotion outside. They came to a pause in front of the door which had a code. The girls began to panic, no one knowing what the code was. Alais looked at Kal, “We don’t have time!” She looked back down the hall and spotted two guards rushing towards them. Right as they leveled their weapons, Alais bodily tossed them both back clear down the hall. She felt power course through her as she never had before, drawing almost entirely from the dark energies all around her.

 

[Darth Kravos]

He feared what he had introduced her to. He feared what she was becoming. He knew these dark emotions, and even if he hadn't use them often or knew them intimately, he had sensed how dangerous they were. It was partially for this reason that he had always been hesitant to tap into them and even in those darkest moments he had feared what it may do to him.

She seems to have no such concerns, and that terrified him all the more. He had introduced her to this world of killing in death, and for that there was no one else to blame. He taught her that the world was an ugly place, and had brought her into situations that he could already tell were testing her. But even through it all he knew that he had little room to speak because he had tapped into the same shadows in order to survive.

The icy finger of fate and danger brushed down his spine as he saw the flash of near pure darkness that surrounded her. Even as he led her away from that place, and the personna seemed to melt, there was something not right.

They made their way quickly to the office, but found it locked. Their pathway was barred and they were forced to reevaluate. Before he even managed to pull out his saber and begin to carve away at the door, she had already turned back towards the hallway and the guards that lay at the other end. All squeamishness that she had once experienced, and that innocence seems to go away as the whirling darkness that surrounded her, enveloped the guards, and seemed to cast them away. He could not say that he felt any pity for them, as it was certainly what they deserved, but he feared what this darkness may due to one he has now come to see you as a close partner and friend.

He turned and plunged his saber into the door, carving it open even as he watched her fling the guards away. He rushed in, searching for the lock mechanism before flipping the switch, sending the gates open. We need to get everyone out! Let's go! he said, all but ready to grab her and drag her out for fear of what this place did to her. He was still haunted by the sight of her smearing blood joyfully along the wall.

 

[Andraste]

Alais made her way back to the others, the guards groaning where she had flung them. She had a curious expression on her face, one of someone that discovered something new and wonderful. She glanced down at her own fingers, wiggling them as if she felt something course through them. The other girls were too busy marveling at seeing a lightsaber close up and in action.

After they burst into the room and Kal pushed the buttons to open the gates, the group quickly made its way out. Alais grimaced as she saw some guards in the way. Without thinking twice, she turned and pulled the knife out of one of the girl’s hands with the Force. As the guards aimed their guns, she used the Force to yank them off their feet, “Girls! Find cover!” One of the guards shot one of the girls to thwart their efforts, the action only angering Alais.

Without thinking twice, she shot the knife through the air, the blade embedding into the man’s forehead. Alais quickly yanked the knife out of his head before the man even hit the ground, redirected it, and shot it into another man’s eye. After it was wedged, she applied a Force push to send a man toppling over a seat. She was a whirlwind of motions, relying entirely on the Force, switching off with each hand and gestures. It powered through her more strongly than ever, and she felt more liberated than she ever had with a weapon in her hand.

At the end of it all, between Kal and herself, she knew the guards would be dead. Alais jutted her chin to signal to the girls to keep running. She rushed out with the group, drawing the knife back to her hand to launch again if she needed to. Alais was still in the dress from earlier, lifting the skirt slightly to run. It was a bizarre sight indeed, especially with the dark energies that swirled around her.

As they made it out, Alais spotted two guards rushing towards them. She turned to Kal, “Take care of them! I’ll take the girls!” With that, she rushed towards the side of the manor, towards where a row of vehicles was parked. She spotted what looked like a delivery truck and jumped into the driver’s seat, directing the girls to get in the back.

After a moment, she came circling around to where Kal was with the vehicle. She spotted a guard running towards Kal and promptly rammed him with the car before reversing back and stopping by Kal, “Get in!” Provided he hopped in, Alais would next gun it and take the girls far away from this mansion and all its horrible memories.

 

[Darth Kravos]

Kal noticed the girls' attention was suddenly rapt on him to the point that they even obscured his vision of Alais as she seamlessly butchered the men down the hallway. He could sense a darkness he'd not sensed in many - if any Jedi - and it terrified him. Everything about the way she moved and acted pricked at the back of his neck and screamed "danger" in his ears, but he ignored it. He pushed his concerns aside at his own peri, and that of others.

Kal tore free of the pack of girls as soon as the door was open and they needed little prompting to remove themselves from the situation, scrambling to find vehicles in which to escape. As they moved, Kal moved to intercept another shot aimed at the escaping teens, batting a blaster bolt away and sending the next back at its user. It struck him in his chest, sending him sprawling back and clutching at himself as he squirmed in pain. Kal didn't wait around for him. Instead, he followed quickly after the girls once they were all out, quickly seeing the approaching guards as Alais shouted them out.

The Jedi moved with an impossible speed, closing the distance between the men and burying a blade in the first, seizing his body by the shoulder and spinning him as his partner attempted to bring a pistol to bear. Kal pushed forward, shoving the now-dying man into his partner so that the blade pierced both before pulling free, allowing both men to fall to the ground.

Seconds seemed to drag on as Kal's alarm bells went off again. A third guard closed with him moments before a speeder slammed unceremoniously into him. Kal wasted no time in following her lead, swinging himself into the speeder. Go, he shouted, as soon as his feet were off the ground. The speeder gunned away before he was fully inside, leaving behind everything that had happened. But the memories wouldn't be gone. Not even close.

We need to find an Alderaan security station. The girls will be safe there, he told Alais as he plucked his datapad out to check where the nearest was. He directed her until they were there and paused. We can't take you in. Tell them what happened, he said, only now stopping to wonder what the repercussions of two Jedi having done this would be. Perhaps it had been foolish of him to use his lightsaber. Perhaps there was still a chance to go back and cover up their crime - as that was what it was.