Ask Where there is Smoke there is Wildfire

[Ryujin Izanagi]

Even deep in the city the sand of Mataou hung thick in the air, coating every surface with a fine layer of the orange powder. You couldn’t touch a single surface in the city without coming away covered in the stuff, but that was not the only thing that was raising the anger levels of the Inquisitor Ryujin Izanagi. Not only was he on this sand pit of a planet, but this planet was owned by the Hutts, the race of slimy slug like creatures who were like a tik on the back of the Outer Rim. Sucking it clean of any money, resources and self respect it had. Ryujin coughed up a pile of sand mixed phlegm and spat it onto the ground when he thought of the wretched creatures.

Ryujin stood outside the small starport for the city, his arms crossed a death stare carved across his face. The man he was waiting for was a failure in the eyes of the ‘trusted’ and Ryujin was surprised he still breathed. Perhaps the only reason he was alive was for this mission they now found themselves on, one to remove a plague from the galaxy. One the previous Sith Lord had helped unleash upon the subjects of the Empire.

When Veles saw the Inquisitor he would know that he was not here to support the man in his quest for redemption. No he was here to watch him and if any mistake would happen to remove his head from his shoulders, he mostly wore muted colours, brown’s, black’s and beige. But around his waist was a thick red stripe of fabric, the tell-tale sign that he was the Inquisitor he had met before on Utapau. He wore no helmet, but his features had been altered from the time he met him as Ryujin Izanagi. His hair was a bleach blonde with a red piece of fabric braided through the long hair, ears slightly pointed and covered in jewellery. The yellow eyes of a Sith stared out waiting for Veles as he arrived on the planet.

@vamp

 

[Veles]

7 days after Ain't No Party like a Sith Party

As the shuttle entered orbit, Veles looked out the window at the sandy world below, deep in thought but thankfully a bit healthier. He was making good progress on the antidote, and had managed to synergize something that bought him a little time, but it was no permanent solution. For a permanent solution, he would need more power, or else he risked dying before the ritual was complete. He'd wracked his brain for a while as he considered where he could get it, but the moment he was summoned by the Inquisitor, he got an idea. The two would meet on Mataou, which gave him the opportunity to also tie up a loose end.

Along with him, flying to the left and the right of his ship were shuttles carrying a platoon of stormtroopers, a drop in the ocean of the regiment he once had. The only reason he could even bring just 40 men was because the Empress had decreed that, when it came to the search and creation of the antidote, Veles had clearance to do many things. Other than that, he was just a Champion with nothing to his name--worse yet, a Champion with nothing but the black stain of disgrace on his name at this point.

They all landed nearly at the same time, the shuttles touching down on a smooth, rocky portion of the desert, just outside Xendor the Hutt's palace. It was far enough that she wouldn't know they were coming, as they were hidden by a massive rock formation, but also close enough so that they wouldn't tire themselves walking in the hot sun. He was in the bathroom when they landed, simply staring at himself in the mirror. There were still eyebags under his eyes, and he still looked a bit sickly, but he felt better. His hands had healed, though they were very obviously still recovering, the skin on top looking like it had just been thrown haphazardly on top. The various cuts and scratches on his body he'd chosen to neglect, as they did not hinder him in any way other than the pain, which he considered he definitely deserved.

At least he still had Altair and Malou. He had no idea about anyone else, but really, he didn't need anyone else. He didn't even need to be a Sith Lord so long as they were by his side. There was no need to bother with ranks when you were just as powerful as someone above you, except for the assets. It still irked him that Fortress Vader had all but been taken away from him, orders from the higher-ups letting the staff know that they were to no longer take orders from him, though there were still many loyalists who would probably get executed by the Inquisition if word got out. They were a close bunch, on Mustafar, because in that wasteland, living above a dark side nexus, you kind of had to be.

Veles stepped outside of the shuttle once the door hissed open, his cloak hanging off his shoulders, hood down, hair tied so it wasn't in his face. His hands trembled a bit as he walked off, not out of nerves but because he had not redosed in 2 days. He had managed to suppress the symptoms until now, had managed to retain power just for long enough to do this one last thing, but it was definitely a race against time. A week from now, at this rate, he would not be breathing anymore. Veles tried not to think about that.

"Inquisitor Susanoo," he greeted as he approached the man, and the troops unloaded from the shuttles few by few. This had been the Inquisitor from Utapau, but Veles felt a strange tinge of recognition that he could not quite place his finger on. It was as though the man had a very similar Force signature with someone else he had met, but he couldn't and wouldn't figure out who. "I won't bother you with pleasantries or excuses. The moment my men are ready, we may begin the march."

@Braden

 

[Ryujin Izanagi]

He spotted the three ships dip down out of the blue sky, the tiny black dots slowly growing in size until he could clearly make out the silhouette of the Kaba Shuttle’s. The low roar of their engines as they flared the wings on descent. It seemed that the former Sith Lord was not taking this ‘mission’ lightly, that was comforting to the Inquisitor, he did not need to both babysit the Sith as well as carry out the full perimeters of their mission here.

When Veles approached Ryujin could see the ravages that Wildfire had done on the Sith. He gritted his teeth, his nose turned up slightly at the sight of the fallen man, it was not intentional but this man had almost committed full treason on the Empire. Even if he had been beaten down this far and partially forgiven by the Empress, part of Ryujin would not forgive him. No if anything he would distrust the man even more, shame he was starting to get a good ‘file’ on the man.

“Veles.” He replied to the man, his tone stoic and strong. Ryujin gazed past the Sith to watch the troopers slowly unload from the three shuttles, just over three dozen strong. More than enough to secure any location whilst the Inquisitor and Sith got down to business. “I do not require either. The Empress has given you a second chance, that is enough for the Inquisitorius.” He replied as he gauged the quality of the troops assembling behind Veles.

They seemed to be above par, forming lines quickly ready to march upon their destination and the Hutt in question. Once their Lieutenant signalled they were ready to march, Ryujin turned to Veles and nodded. “Lead the way. I look forward to meeting this Hutt.” Venom dripping over the final word.

@vamp

 

[Veles]

"My men,'' he'd said, and only realized his mistake after the sentence was long gone in the past. They were no longer his men, and truth be told, they never had been. Regardless, whatever claim he held to the troops had been vanquished the moment the Empress stripped him of his title, and the couple thousand stormtroopers he'd had control over had already mostly been absorbed back into the army proper. This group he'd brought along had been approved for deployment only because this was wildfire business.

"We are ready to engage, Lord—” the Lieutenant interrupted himself, cut himself short as he realized his mistake, a look of horror flashing over his face. He looked from Veles to the Inquisitor and then back, and coughed. ”We are ready to engage, sir.”

Veles didn’t even blink. ”Very well, Lieutenant Raxol. On us.” With that, he nodded to the Inquisitor and they began to march, the two Sith leading, followed by the various leaders of the groups of soldiers. Dust kicked up at their feet as they strode around the rock formation, the Hutt’s palace coming into view not too far down. Its domes, albeit covered in a thin layer of red sand, shone in the sunlight, its walls manned by a handful of Gamorreans who looked as though they were bored out of their minds. Truthfully, it made sense, because no one on the planet who had the necessary manpower saw enough of a threat to act upon it.

”The plan is simple,” Veles informed. ”We assist in the initial assault, and when the gates are breached, we rush the Hutt’s chambers.” The Inquisitor had come to simply watch, or so he’d been told, so he doubted the man would have any issue with that. If anything, it was good that he had actually planned this out beforehand.

As they approached the palace, bells all throughout the court began to ring, the sounds of surprised guards shuffling to the armory and then up to the defenses. Veles narrowed his eyes, staring at the tops of the walls, and was a bit surprised to see that there were archers. So poor was this planet that the best of the best, the soldiers of one of the greatest leaders on the world, were wielding medieval weapons. This would be a wash.

The lines of Imperial troops broke apart as they arrived just in front of the palace, some providing covering fire while others readied the charges. Archers fell limply over the battlements, their bodies collapsing onto the ground in dead heaps as the stormtroopers tore into them with bolts. Smoke hung thinly in the air, the scent of freshly fired plasma tinged with death rising and growing in intensity as the battle began.

The troops were doing a good job by themselves, so Veles saw no need to exhaust himself helping them, and so he simply sauntered side by side with the Inquisitor between the soldiers. The gate burst open, the charges tearing it to smithereens, and the Imperials poured in, a mass of duraplast and plasma.

Veles motioned for the Inquisitor to follow him. He knew the path through the palace more or less, and lead him inside. The halls were surprisingly quiet considering the battle outside, but perhaps it was because all the guards were stationed on the defenses. The Hutt had put all her eggs in one basket, and that basket was being vaporized by Imperial soldiers as the two Sith strode down the tall hallways.

@Braden

 

[Ryujin Izanagi]

The march was nothing to write home about, both he and Veles had been part of bigger operations in the past. But still the efficiency and grandeur of the Imperial War Machine even in this minuscule scale was always a sight to behold. Unlike before Ryujin did not walk at the shoulder of the Sith, instead he walked in line. No longer giving the man deference, he had not trusted the man before, no he could not trust him.

The efficiency of the assault, like the march was something to behold, one by one the paid guns of the Hutt’s fell like skittles to a ball. Blaster bolts scarred the surface of the giant building as cries of agony rang out. It was as one sided a battle as any Ryujin had seen, normally he would be sent to battle zones to tip the fight in their favour, here he wasn't even noticed.

A single arrow, wow an arrow, was fired towards the side of the Inquisitor, it was perhaps two feet away when it was gripped by The Force. The Gamoran who fired it looked panicked, stumbling back away from the Sith as the steel tipped shaft slowly rotated in the air before plunging back into the throat of the alien. “I wouldn’t consider this much of a rush.” He quipped back as they walked through the near empty halls of the Hutt’s palace.

He could sense slaves, running for their lives, some carried platters of gold and silver, treasures they would try to steal away with as the castle fell around them. The lieutenant was following closely behind with a pair of troopers, turning his head to the side to face the man. “Lieutenant Raxol, make sure all loot from this palace is accounted for and sent back to the Imperial Treasury.” Even if it only paid for a battalion for a month, every bit would help the Imperial War Machine march for dominance.

The air began to cool the further they got from the entrance, the moisture increased the prime environment for the Slug like Aliens. “Do not kill the Hutt, once you have what you want from him. The Inquisitorius will take him into custody.” He said as they closed on the Throne Room.

@vamp

 

[Veles]

He noticed how the Inquisitor pointedly did not move at his side, and to Veles, it was all the same. If anything, it was better. Walking in the front, leading, was something he was a natural to. Even if he sometimes made mistakes. Grave ones.

His eyes darted toward a commotion in the hallway to their left after they passed it. A few slaves had taken to plundering their former master’s treasures and were fleeing toward a better life. The Inquisitor seemed to once again pointedly tell the Lieutenant to seize everything for the Empire, but Veles felt like that was unnecessary. Surely a handful of slaves stealing some gold cups weren’t going to be leaving too much of a dent in the coffers.

"Yes, sir," the voice of the Lieutenant spoke up behind him. Veles rolled his eyes, glad that he was in the front and no one could see his facial expressions.

They could physically feel it in the air as they neared the Hutt’s chamber, and Veles could feel emotion swirling within him as he remembered the Hutt, his teeth gritting subtly for just a moment while they entered another hallway.

Almost at the door to the Throne Room, the Inquisitor said something that made Veles stop in his tracks. "Lieutenant Raxol, hang back 10 and ready the men," he ordered the trooper, and the two Sith were left alone.

”Spare the Hutt?” he asked, a tinge of irritation to his voice, his eyes narrowed toward the Inquisitor. ”Has this been decreed directly by the Empress?” He would not spare the source of this entire disaster just because the Inquisition wanted to overreach into his operation simply because they were able to.

@Braden

 

[Ryujin Izanagi]

Veles turned on the Inquisitor, irritation and anger written across his face and confirmed with his words and tone. Ryujin only smiled at the man, he let him wait a moment longer than necessary before responding to the former Sith Lord. “What the Empress has asked the Inquisitorius to perform is not for you to know or understand.” He replied sternly. “I remind you that we only act in accordance with the betterment of the Empire and the Empress.” He purposefully looked down at the scared and damaged hands of the Sith before him.

“Now again, Champion Veles.” He raised his voice for the trooper at the end of the hallway to hear. “Lieutenant Raxol, once you have what you need from him. The Hutt will be taken into custody by the Inquisition.”

With that Ryujin stepped past the Sith and headed towards the Throne Room. “Now shall we?”

@vamp

 

[Veles]

"I'm afraid that won't be possible," he replied, cutting the tense silence. "My methods will leave his brain in a vegetative state, so if you wish to arrest a shell of a Hutt, feel free. Otherwise, I'm afraid there are no loopholes through the laws of the Force." He shrugged.

They walked down another hallway until they reached a grand set of golden double doors, which he recognized as the ones to the throne room. Veles shifted out of the way as the troopers moved forward to place the charges, then took cover behind a column as they all did. In a few seconds, the doors were blown to smithereens, bits of golden metal melting as it landed. The troops poured in first, opening fire as soon as they entered the room. Xendor's guards did not stand a chance, and soon they were all completely wiped out, leaving them with the Hutt.

"Leave us," he told the Lieutenant, eyeing the Inquisitor. He wasn't too keen on having too many eyes in the room when it came to sensitive business like this. He was sure the Inquisitor felt the same.

Veles turned his sights toward the Hutt in question, at the slug's orange gaze from its reptile-like eyes. Anger twisted through him like a fireball, washing over him as the memories all came flooding back, and at their center, the Hutt. If he'd never come here, nothing would have happened. If he'd never struck a deal with this Hutt, nothing would have happened. If Xendor hadn't brought up wildfire, this wouldn't have happened. He owed it to himself, at least, to tie up this loose end.

"Lord Veles!" Xendor called out, feigning calm. "What is the meaning of this? I thought we had a deal!"

"I'm afraid the terms and conditions have changed, Xendor."

@Braden

 

[Ryujin Izanagi]

It seems that Veles was like all Sith, blind to their own interests and motives. “As usual you people don’t seem to understand how to deal with a situation without having to show off the size of your ‘Force Power’.” He said out loud, the comment was not to initiate any conflict right now, but more out of his own frustration. He often wondered how smoothly the Empire would run if there were less Force Sensitives in its ranks. Yes it gave the Empire strength, but more often than not it caused them issues.

Grinding his teeth, Ryujin followed the former Sith Lord into the Hutt’s Throne Room. The explosion rattled his bones, the shockwave running down the corridor and back again, the column they hid behind only giving them protection from the shrapnel. The troops moved efficiently through the room clearing all of the guards leaving only the Hutt alive.

As Veles dismissed the Lieutenant Ryujin looked at the man and nodded, the trooper signalled for his men to follow and leave just the three of them in the room. Ryujin turned his gaze to the Hutt, hate and anger flowed through the former slave, if he had the freedom he would snapp the creatures neck without a second thought. But Ryujin followed orders, he was here for the betterment of the Empire not personal goals.

Hoping to keep the Hutt’s brain intact Ryujin spoke up before Veles could perform his mutilation of the mind. “Xendor, you have been a provider of Wildfire. Today that ends, you will cease all distribution of the product. Your life will be spared if you give us the supplier's details. Otherwise I will have to let Champion Veles here take that information from your mind.” Ryujin could sense Veles’ own anger, it radiated from him like an inferno and it did not take The Force to sense it.

@vamp

 

[Veles]

Veles exhaled sharply through his nose but didn’t dart to glance at the Inquisitor. Of course. Another idiot with powers that he did not and simply could not properly appreciate, denying the tangible science of a known phenomenon. As abstract as the Force may be, it has been studied for long enough to know its limitations, and forcibly tearing into someone’s mind was bound to leave it torn up to shreds, their brain a blank slate—and just because some liked to deny it, the Force did not care for their opinion.

But he said nothing, despite his irritation with the man. They had gotten off to a good start back on Utapau, and yet perhaps that was only because Veles outranked him then. He had noticed the way people had been treating him differently since his demotion, the things they said and how they behaved around him.

He could sense the Inquisitor’s own feelings toward the Hutt as they cornered her, and it made Veles couldn’t help but consider how interesting the entire situation was. Two Sith, who so clearly despised the person they were seeking out, were not allowed to kill the person and were supposed to be restricting themselves at the orders of someone higher on the chain of command. Two Sith, chained instead of free. It irked him.

As the Inquisitor spoke, the Hutt’s eyes darted back and forth from Veles to Susanoo. After he finished, she grinned, a typical Hutt smile in all its sinisterness. Then she began to chortle.

”Champion Veles? Oh, ho, ho, I see how it is then! Little birdie flew too close to the sun?” He simply narrowed his eyes, his lips pursed as he stared the Hutt directly in the eye. She craned her oversized head to look at the Inquisitor, regarding him with a lazy amusement, as though her empire was not falling down around her. ”You did not have to bury my home in rubble for that…?” she waved her hands a bit at the end, as if asking for the man’s name. ”No, there was no need. Why would I protect the identity of some aspiring businessman somewhere in Home Space at the expense of my life and treasure?”

Of course a Hutt, scheming and traitorous, would give up information on anyone they could to save their slimy hide. Veles had expected nothing less, though he had thought this mission would be harder considering the stubbornness of the Hutts in general.

She shook her head. ”Yes, I will tell you everything.”

Maybe breaching her mind won’t even be necessary.

@Braden

 

[Ryujin Izanagi]

The Hutt caved quickly under the threat of allowing a man who had almost lost it all to unleash the full spectrum of his hate and anger on the slug. Ryujin smiled at the turn of events, both Veles and the Inquisitiorius would get what they wanted from Xendor. A bonus for all aspects of the Imperium.

There were some basic questions that both he and Veles had around the origin of Wildfire, who had created it, where it was distributed from, how Xendor had gotten in on the drug and how far her reach and others had spread the spice across the Outer Rim. At first Xendor was apprehensive about giving up all the information they both required but his tone soon changed once Ryujin had threatened to walk out and leave the Hutt alone with Veles.

Eventually once they both had their way Ryujin called in the Lieutenant from outside. “Lieutenant, take Xendor into custody, the Inquisitorius still have some more questions for him.” The Hutt spat and spluttered about not being taken in, but one look for the Inquisitor changed everything. “Do not worry Xendor when we are finished questioning you, we will release you. You have my word and that of the Inquisitorius.”

Turning to Veles as Xendor was being bundled away, his face softened slightly. “I hope you got all you needed.” Whatever the Sith’s response Ryujin would give him a silent nod and begin to follow the Hutt out. “The Inquisitorius will be in touch.”


___________________________________________________________
‘Three Weeks Later’

“As Promised Xendor, you have answered our questions. So we are letting you free. This shuttle will take you to Pakunni, where you can find your way back to the Syndicates.” The Hutt, a little worse for weather after three intense weeks of integration, nodded at the Inquisitor with a defeated look on his face. “Do not worry, none of the information you gave will lead back to you. We have no need for your death in the Inquisitorius.” Ryujin replied with a smile.

Once the shuttle lifted off Ryujin pulled out his Holo. “Veles, I believe you will find a friend of yours on Pakunni.” The Inquisitorius had no need for his death but Veles did.

@vamp

 

[Veles]

Veles didn’t wait for the Inquisitor to begin the questioning, since the man was technically here just to observe. Even if he would have no control over the circumstances that the prisoner is thrust into, the least he could take was the opportunity to interrogate her first. He certainly had a few burning questions.

”Who created wildfire?” In the distance, the sound of rock crashing down onto rock and the rumble of significant portions of the building breaking was the only thing they could hear for a few moments as the Hutt said nothing, simply staring at him with her reptile eyes. Veles was just about to lose patience when she opened her maw and spoke.

”Some scoundrel in Hutt Space. They call the drug ‘lilac thorn’—his namesake.” She licked her lips and lifted both arms. ”A former Sith, I hear. They say he runs for Crimson Dawn, but your guess is as good as any.”

”Former Sith?” This would certainly be of interest to the Inquisition, and it seemed this mission may lead the way to a whole other investigation to bring another traitor to justice. The man being talented enough in alchemy to create such a drug, to possess the revolutionary vision to go where no alchemist had gone before, was worrying for the Empire. Such a threat—if it could not be assimilated—had to be eliminated.

”Most of the things spoken about him are petty rumors and urban legend,” she warned with a shrug. ”But, yes. A Zabrak. Little is known about him and his intentions or why he left the Empire, but I would guess you out of everyone would be able to…extract it properly.” The Hutt chortled with glee, as though she were on their side.

That was the extent of what he needed to know, truth be told. He’d learned all of the drug’s effects, had seen them firsthand and documented accordingly. Now, he had a name, a person to look for. While the Hutt was held in Inquisition custody, Veles would not be idle. The antidote was finished and working properly, and the time for stagnation had come to an end.

Veles motioned toward the slug. ”You may take her,” he declared, and the Inquisitor gave the order. More stormtroopers poured into the chamber, shackling the Hutt’s hands and neck, soldiers on each side of her holding prods to shock her if she deviated away from the path. She slithered out of the room with surprising agility, though Veles supposed anyone could push their limits if properly motivated.

Finally turning to the man, he nodded. ”Xendor was resoundingly compliant, though that is to be expected from a Hutt.” She would most likely sell her own family for a swathe of space to do business in.

”Thank you, Inquisitor.” The two could at last separate, and Veles would certainly stick around to ensure the palace was sucked dry and burned to the ground.

---

It had been a month since the wildfire fiasco, and three weeks since he’d finalized the antidote. Veles, beaten down as he had been, had not failed. Where his resolve may waver, his art would never be lacking. Above all things, he was a talented sorcerer.

He was in hyperspace when his holo pinged with an incoming call. Answering it, the projection of the Inquisitor burst out in front of him. ”Thank you, Inquisitor,” was all he said and the connection was shut off. Veles rose from his seat and to the cockpit, where his two droids were working the controls of the ship.

”4UM, hop out of hyperspace and plot a course for Pakuuni.” Even though he did not make it sound as though the directions were up for debate, the protocol droid nevertheless complained, as he always did. There were some quirks in all droid models that characterized them, some more annoying than others.

”But sir, we are currently in hyperspace on a very specific route! Jumping out at any time through this journey may lead to horrific adverse effects. Why, there are three hundred and forty seven different ways that a premature drop could be disastrous just in my database.”

Veles sighed. ”Very well. At the next point in the route, plot a different course.” He didn’t listen to 4UM’s confirmation as he walked away.

@Braden