Ask Winning an Election: Cotellier Sith Mission

[Ayomi Jakarta]

Ayomi had a generally well built frame; 5'9" was about average for many humanoid species, and their lean, toned body filled things out nicely. As the ugly politician, Pter approached, they kept assuming he'd stop but were caught completely by surprise as he confidently strode into the Tiefling at full force. Toned or not, the impact knocked Ayomi right on their ass, their head colliding with the ground with a noticeable thud.

It was, in a word, embarrassing. There were two other Sith here, they couldn't look weak. Rage flooded their mind, and the Sith considered putting a red blade through the miserable Pter's portly stomach right then and there; the mission came first though. Their eyes flashed with the trademark yellow of the Dark Side as they quietly held back their anger, ignoring the politician as he moved on. The Tiefling clutched their head as they stood up, readjusting the blazer on their shoulders.

"I've been through worse."

Ayomi icily replied to Param, though her rage wasn't directed at the woman. A dull headache had begun spreading from the back of their head, made worse by the new worry about what the other two Sith were thinking of them. What if the pair thought they couldn't handle this? Surely the two thought they were weak now. They'd have to try doubly hard to convince them otherwise.

@Apollyon @TheDudeMike

 

[Karys]

Karys eyed Ayomi as he fell onto the ground, his judgements were kept in reserve but they were present. When Param helped them up, Karys simply offered he a kind smile and dusted their shoulder off for them.

"Don't worry, it happens to the best of us." He reassured them.

Once Ayomi was on their feet and had recomposed themself, Karys would usher them back to the lounge area. Karys made a mental note to teach Param to speak Sith and write ur-Kittat at some point. It would only be once they sat down again that Karys would address the pair of them. He'd clear his throat and speak in a hushed tone.

"Keep in mind our plans." He reminded them. "As an Acolyte, I shouldn't take lead with this conversation." He continued. His eyes flickered between Param and Ayomi before speaking again. "Param, perhaps you should take point in the conversation here." He stated bluntly. <No offense.> He stated quickly in Sith, his gaze shifting back to Ayomi.

Before he could say anything else, Petr remerged in a gaudy outfit and gave them all his best winning smile. He pulled the top hat from his head and gave a deep bow as he leaned on an expensive wooden cane. Each of his fingers had a pair of gem incrusted rings. On his neck hung several necklaces made from the most precious of metals. His corruption and arrogance was delectable.

His beady eyes flickered between the trio of Sith before returning and settling on Ayomi. He gave them a "charming" smile before speaking.

"And who is this pretty little number?" He asked, his smile widening as he waddled back into the room and took a seat closet to the Tiefling.

Karys tried to hold back his laughter at this development but failed miserably. The situation was just too perfect and he not just cackled but gave a full bellied laugh. The fact he'd taken a fancy to Ayomi, the most socially awkward of all of them was just too perfect.

Petr cut his eyes at Karys. His temper clearly rising.

"Is something funny?" He spat.

@TheDudeMike @René

 

[Param Vour]

Did... did Karys just laugh? Not just laugh, but belly laugh. Param kept her smile, despite a pang of anger threatening to light a fire of rage in her gut. Wasn't it he that had just come up with strategies? He that had said that Ayomi and herself should lead the conversations? And then he laughs!? "Please excuse my associate," Param said, making her voice drip with a sultry tone. Petr held up his hand to shush her, turning a glare her way.

"I invite you to witness history in the making, but you Sith can't seem to keep your giggles to yourself when you aren't causing one incident or another!" Petr spat. Then he literally spat, thankfully at Karys. "Get out of my sight! I don't need your help winning this election! All out you! Get!" Param did as the man said, gracefully leading the pack of Sith out of the lounge and into the hall way. Param could still hear Petr fuming and screaming on the other side of the wall. If only there weren't cameras.

"So," Param said, starting to make her way to the shuttle bay. Clearly they would need to alter the plan some, but they wouldn't be able to stay here to do it. "Care to explain what that was, Karys?" Her tone was pure venom, and as if accentuate her point she gave him a quick, glaring glance with golden Sith eyes. It would be very clear that she was pissed. Regardless of his answer, she would wait for him to finish before getting back to the mission at hand.

"Since that just forced our hand, we might as well meet with Adiara. We'll probably need to fabricate some bank statements now too. Ideas?"

@Apollyon @René

 

[Ayomi Jakarta]

Ayomi had no qualms about Karys' suggestion that Param lead the conversation. It was pretty obvious that they weren't the social type, and the Tiefling responded with a short <None taken.> in the Pureblood's native tongue.

Pter's reappearance was nothing short of disgusting; it was clear this man had an ego larger than the yacht everyone was on and the fashion sense of someone dressing up as the stereotype of an evil businessman. His lingering gaze disturbed Ayomi, the politicians eyes focusing a little too much below their face as he addressed them with a patronizingly objectifying tone. There would be no disarming blush at his comment as rage boiled beneath the Tiefling's cold facial expression, preparing to hold back a plethora of insults and murderous intentions when Karys laughed; not chuckled, not snickered, but a loud room-filling laugh as if someone had said the funniest joke in the history of the galaxy. They could only stare at the acolyte incredulously before Pter unsurprisingly kicked them out for the outburst.

Ayomi joined Param in staring daggers at Karys as the group walked towards the ship's hangar. For all his suave talk earlier, he'd royally screwed things up for them. Even if the group wasn't going to act on Pter's offer, he was now a looser end than he would have been before. The Sith would continue glaring at Karys as he responded to Param's question, before responding to the woman's next inquiry themself.

"The bulk of our original plan remains intact, though we'll need to find an inconspicuous way to dispose dispose of that... man... with the added hurdle of no longer being welcome. As for Adiara, it might make more sense to meet with her and discuss our good graces towards her party after she's fantastically saved from near-death."

@Apollyon @TheDudeMike

 

[Karys]

Even before Karys, Param, and Ayomi were escorted out of the yacht, he knew he had fucked up. This hadn't been his intent but he ate the condescension, he'd earned their venom. He grimaced less at their comments or glances and more at his own lack of control in the moment. He'd right this, he had the resources to clean up his own mess.

"It's fine. I'll take out my own trash, you continue with your side of the mission." He hissed in reply.

As he spoke, Karys removed his suit jacket and vest. He'd pull his flask from his waist, unstop it, and take a swing that equated to one dose. He cracked his neck and waited for a moment. For a few seconds nothing would happen, then there was a horrible crack as his facial ridges bent into his jawline. The pain was so intense it stole Karys' breath from him. Bone popped as they readjusted, his skin color changed to a deep tan, stubble grew on his newly formed chin. In a matter of moments Karys underwent a grotesque transformation that altered his appearance on a fundamental level. No longer was he a Pureblood, instead he was a human man.

"I'll contact you when the job is done." Karys told them both in a voice that wasn't his own. "Do me a favor, shoot their communications systems on your way planet side, it'll make this a lot easier."

Petr was stuck on his Yacht, he had security but it was minimal. All Karys had to do was blend into the staff, launch his escape pods, take out the pilots, and then eliminate his actual target...and then everyone else. It would be messy but it would have to do as an adaptation of his initial plan. The frown he wore didn't shift as he put his suit jacket back on.

"Be sure to leak Petr's initial contact message. Once you are on the way to pick me up, I'll plot a random hyperspace route and send Petr running." Karys explained, his tone oozed his annoyance. "Best of luck."

With that Karys would walk back through the airlock, closely appearing like Security making their way off the transport craft and back to the main Yacht. He'd leave no one alive.

@TheDudeMike @René

 

[Param Vour]

Param didn't stop to watch Karys' transformation. The pops and cracks were sickening enough, let alone seeing someone go from a pureblood to human. A very distinct fear ran up her spine at the thought. Sith that could could look like anyone? Param didn't let her concern show, shoving the fear down deep. She would have to be even more careful than she already was around Sith now. Around anyone that wasn't- No. Param couldn't afford to think of him right now.

She pulled her EZPhone from her purse, sliding the EZPods into her ears as she dialed up Vee on her ship. "Vee, there's been a... change of plans." Param gave a knowing glance to Ayomi. "Are you able to slice into the yacht's communications and disable them?" A string of beeps and excited whirrs returned, probably loud enough that Ayomi could hear. "You're the best, Vee, thanks." She smiled warmly, as if the little BD-unit were standing in front of her before hanging up.

They wouldn't see it, but Vee would pilot her ship just close enough so Vee could hop down to the communications array, slice it, and then hop back up to Param's ship. It would be quick and easy for the little droid.

Silver eyes turned to Ayomi as they made their way to a shuttle that would take them down to the surface. "Vee will take care of the array without needing to fire a shot. If we leak Petr's contact message, we out him as contacting the Sith. When we ends up dead they're going to know it was us. So lightsabers are a no-go completely," she said. "What do you think?"

They boarded the shuttle and the doors closed. They were the only ones in the compartment. Param took a seat and waited, returning her EZPhone to her purse without removing the EZPods. Now that they were separated, she would need to have quick communications.

@René @Apollyon

 

[Ayomi Jakarta]

Ayomi watched Karys take a swig of some mystery drink, only to wish they hadn't. The transformation looked agonizing, bones cracking and skin stretching to form a completely different body; though perhaps it was deserved given how he'd messed up the plan. Whatever concoction it was, they made a mental note to ask Karys about it when the mission was over. It did look excruciating to drink, yes, but pain was the cost of the power granted by the Dark Side and it seemed an impressively versatile tool for all kinds of missions.

Turning their attention back to Param as the newly-human Karys headed back into the yacht, Ayomi boarded the surface shuttle alongside the Echani woman. Their tail flicked back and forth as they thought of the best way to approach the given situation; they needed the people of Cotellier to accept them as protectors without any indications that the Sith had other intentions in mind. The metaphorical duel continued, even if Karys' blunder meant altering their initial strategy. Good warriors knew how to pivot, to learn and adapt on the fly.

"Is it possible to tamper with the initial message at all?"

Ayomi wondered out loud, meeting Param's gaze as they removed the previously gifted vibroblade from their jacket, twirling it between their fingers.

"If we can pin this on a crime syndicate or some hired assassin, it preserves our plan to paint you as the beautiful hero saving the day from corruption."

@Apollyon @TheDudeMike

 

[Karys]

Karys didn’t respond to either Ayomi or Param’s reaction to the effects of the potion. He hadn’t expected it to hurt that badly. Part of him wondered if Azar knew that the potion would literally rearrange his body and just didn’t mention it or not. It didn’t matter, he had an hour to clean up his mistake, that’s all he’d need.

Karys was able to pass back into the yacht with relative ease, the other security officers mistaking him as one of their own. Once inside, he’d wait until he felt the ship take off from its docking clamp to start his work.

Karys’ first target was the escape pods.

He walked into the bay where the three escape hatches sat. Karys’ eyes would flicker up to the cameras sat, they’d slowly begin to static over shortly before catching his image on frame. Then, he looked around and only found a single technician working on them. Karys paused to read the Zabrak’s name tag. Jeff. Karys’ brow furrowed at the exotic name but it wouldn’t matter, Jeff was about to have a very bad day.

Karys would approach Jeff and shove the man into an escape pod. Jeff would recover as the escape pod door sealed shut on Karys’ side, but not his. Karys couldn’t hear Jeff’s screams as he launched the first pod but it made sense why shortly after.

The pod was defective and when launched into space it crunched in on itself within moments.

Karys actually flinched at the brutal display.

He then launched the other two pods and left. He had to make his way to the security room and then the pilot’s chamber before enacting his plan.

There’d be no survivors.

@TheDudeMike @René

 

[Param Vour]

Vee was coming in to save this whole thing for them, wasn't he? Param dialed the little red and silver BD-unit again, handing one of the ear buds to Ayomi so they could listen in and make suggestions. Vee answered with excited beeps. "I'm sorry to keep calling you like this, Vee, but we need something else. Can you change the original contact message?" Vee's response was an affirmation of beeps and whirs. Param smiled at Ayomi.

"Change any mention of the Sith to the Hutts," she said. She would wait for Ayomi to suggest anything if they wanted before continuing. "Send the new document to all three of us." A moment later all three of their phones would buzz with a message containing the doctored message. "Thanks, Vee." Param hung up, then dialing Karys. There would be no hellos or pleasantries when they picked up. A pit of terror bubbled in her chest just from the potion's effects.

"If they have any personal devices or databanks on the ship, they need to be wiped, or taken." It was simple enough. She turned to Ayomi to explain her reasoning to both, though she knew she probably didn't need to. "If the original message that isn't changed is ever found, we lose. Karys, I'm going to send Vee to you, Ayomi and I won't need him for our parts now. Don't let anything happen to him." Param hung up, sending the message to go meet with Karys to Vee.

While the Champions descended to the planet, Vee would dock Param's ship to the yacht and make his little ADORABLE DONT YOU FUCKING HURT HIM way to Karys.

@Apollyon @René

 

[Ayomi Jakarta]

Ayomi accepted the earbud offered by Param, twisting it until it settled in to the canal of their pointed ear. It seemed as if a variation of the original plan would still be in place. That's good. Making a whole new plan while they were already here would've put them all at a disadvantage, like trying to launch an offensive while on your backfoot. They had nothing to add to Param's instructions for her droid, instead just giving the fellow champion a slight nod in response. No need to get overly complicated with things; various factions in and around the Hutts had their hands all over things like this all the time.

The Tiefling sat in silence for a bit as the shuttle carrying the two Sith descended towards the Cotellian surface, removing the vibroblade Param had given them from their jacket and weighing it in their hands, feigning a few thrusts to get used to the weight. It was nothing special, but something more special could run the risk of actually hurting the Echani. Good thing I know all the places not to stab her. The thought brought up a different point though, one they should figure out before setting their plan in motion.

"Beyond needing an outfit that doesn't look like I'm going to a business meeting, we should probably figure out how exactly I'm going to be 'defeated' by your brilliant knight in shining armor routine." Ayomi explained. "I'm no stranger to lightsaber wounds, but I'd rather not be actually dead or waiting in some filthy miner's prison for months on end."

@Apollyon @TheDudeMike

 

[Karys]

Karys was on the way to the to the escape pod room when Param reached out to him. The phone call was short and curt, that only fueled his annoyance at his own mistake more. That was doubly true when Param informed she was sending him her droid.

A robotic overseer, great.

Shortly before making it to the escape pod room, Vee would scamper up to Karys. He passively glanced down at the diminutive droid and suppressed his own urge to kick it in frustration. Instead, he forced a smile onto his lips and greeted the little droid in a faux pleasant voice.

“Hello Vee.”

He knew the droid didn’t really like him, it didn’t matter they had a job to do. When they left the escape pod room, Karys would glance up at the droid as it clung to his shoulder. “Next we are headed to the security room, I need you to slice into their systems and overload them. Focus on the lights and security systems.” He instructed. “While you do that, I will be headed to the cockpit to deal with the piloting crew.” He explained. “Once you are done wait for me there, do you understand?” He questioned the little droid.

Karys for a series of beeps, whoops, and whistles that sounded annoyed. He didn’t speak or understand binary, so he honestly didn’t care. He didn’t need the droid to like him, he needed it to obey. Karys did exactly as he explained to the droid, dropping it off at the security room and allowing it to get to work.

Karys would make his way to the extended cockpit and he’d wait for Vee’s handiwork to get done. Once the lights flickered off, Karys would draw out his blaster pistol and begin neutralizing the pilots and copilots. Brilliant green flares of light proceeded each life snuffed out.

There would be no trace of Sith activity here.

Karys reloaded his pistol, left the cockpit, and locked the doors. No one would be plotting new routes until he was done with his part of the mission. Once he’d made it back to Vee, the subtle part of the mission was over, no one could be left alive on the vessel. Karys would pull his lightsaber hilt from his chest holster and ignited it. The Blood-Orange blade thrummed to life, the Kyber echoing the same hate that filled Karys’ soul in that moment.

The next thirty minutes were a blur of gore, blaster fire, and death. But Karys hunted every crew member down once he’d killed the security teams. There was only Petr hiding in his room, Vee, and Karys left alive on the ship. The small droid gave a low series of beeps.

Karys ignored it.

“Open the door and let’s be done with this.” He ordered Vee.

The door slid open. Karys walked in. Petr begged before his scream was cut short by Karys’ blade.

“Reopen communications Vee, let’s watch our friends at work.” He told the droid as he plopped into a recliner. He’d have more work to do shortly before Param and Ayomi picked him up, but for now he could take a break. He’d turn on a news channel, pluck a piece of cooked flesh from his face, and wait for the show to begin.

@TheDudeMike @René

 

[Param Vour]

“Guess you get to go shopping while I meet with the politician,” Param said with a smile. “As for how I’ll defeat you…” She paused, a hand shooting out to strike Ayomi, but all Ayomi would feel on their shoulder was a slight touch. All it needed was Ayomi to telegraph being hit, when in reality they were being tapped. Her smile turned mischievous. “Think you can put on a show?”

It wouldn’t matter if they couldn’t, the shuttle was landing. It was now or never. Param paused to take a quick glance at Ayomi before exiting. It would be the last time they saw each other until Ayomi would “attack” the presidential candidate. “Oh, and if you ruin this dress, I will hold it against you. There are easier ways to get me naked.”

With that, she exited the landed shuttle and began making her way to the offices of one Adiara. There was, of course, security to have to go through. If you were a normal person. Param waved herself through. They seemed to be a bit meat-headish, and proved to be just that indeed. Mere minutes had passed from the time Param had left the shuttle to when she was walking through the doors to Adiara’s office.

The woman sat at her desk, looking over a pair of spectacles at Param as she approached. “Can I help you? I don’t have any meetings scheduled for today,” the woman pondered, a look of growing concern on her face. Param gave her a warm smile.

“I’m here on behalf of the Freedom From Corruption foundation. We’ve recently intercepted some… interesting documents that you’ll want to see.” Over the next ten minutes, Param showed the doctored message that Pter had sent to the Cartels for an assassin. She left a direct line of communication on with Vee and Karys so they could hear everything.

“Are you sure you haven’t seen any suspicious activity? The foundation can send someone. They would be an expert in their field, and protect you before you need protection. The Cartels are a very nasty bunch.”

@René @Apollyon

 

[Ayomi Jakarta]

Ayomi grinned back at Param, the light tap on their shoulder sending a clear message. "I've always wanted to go out in a blaze of glory, I'll can make it dramatic." They'd have to use the Force to slow their breathing afterwards to effectively play dead, but it was entirely possible to achieve. The Tiefling nodded to the Echani's very... heartfelt goodbye, so to speak, and exited the shuttle in the opposite direction.

Param was right; they did need to go shopping for something a little scarier than 'business casual'. The whole looking like a devil thing only went so far. Ayomi found their way over to a clothing store, searching through for anything more function fitting than fashionable, and preferably black. There wasn't as much of a selection of leather as they'd normally have liked - it was a hot, dry desert planet after all - but they eventually put together an outfit that would serve their purposes and their role quite well.

Param had a head start on talking with the "target," Adiara, but that was all intentional. Ayomi rented a speeder and sped off in the direction of the Free Peoples' Party offices, careful to avoid main roads along the way. They parked behind the building, in an alley next to a walled off delivery drop-off zone populated by a pair of bored-looking security guards. I'd say their day is about to get interesting, but I've got to make this look professional. And professional assassins didn't leave witnesses; at least, the Tiefling never did.

They lept over the wall separating the delivery area from the alley in one fluid motion, dashing towards the unprepared security guards with pointed teeth bared and Param's vibroblade in a reverse grip. The startled pair, a Duros and a human, fumbled with straps holding pistols to their belts as they tried to react, only to be silently cut down with deep slashes to their throats. They took a keycard from the Duros, making faint gurgling noises as he clutched at his neck in vain, before entering the offices themselves. A couple keycard swipes and some tactful evasion of a few security guards brought Ayomi to the section for Press offices within the larger party building. They stepped inside, looking over the gathered reporters.

"Adiara Langley is holding an important election announcement in her office in 5 minutes." They announced to several confused stares, followed by a flurry of movement as they left the room. Good. The Tiefling wanted cameras on this dramatic event. It was one thing for Adiara and the party to tell the people what had happened, it was another for the assassination attempt to be livestreamed. With the plan set in motion, Ayomi entered a turbolift and set it for the floor with Adiara's office.

@TheDudeMike @Apollyon

 

[Ayomi Jakarta]

Ayomi exited the turbolift, vibroknife in hand as they prepared for the best performance of their apparently budding acting career. They stormed down the hallway, leaping at a surprised guard outside of Adiara's office and landing on all fours on top of the man, quickly and dramatically slitting his throat as the Free People's Party leader watched through the open door in shock and horror.

The Tiefling sprung up and lashed their tail back and forth, pointed teeth dramatically bared with menacing intent. "Well well well, if it isn't Adiara Langley. The Cartels send their regards." They dashed forwards, knife raised high over their head while Adiara was frozen in fear; only for Param to flip around from her seat in the chair across from the party leader's desk, catching Ayomi's arm on its downward arc. They engaged the Echani furiously in mock melee combat; real enough to Adiara or the reporters who had suddenly gathered by the doorway, but an elaborate dance of sorts between the two Sith as they sensed and telegraphed each other's movements through the Force. They were sure to make a spectacle of it: the champion lept around the room with lithe athleticism, making attempts towards the frightened Adiara only for each attempt to be deflected or blocked by the masterful martial arts of their Echani "opponent." Secure in the knowledge that the cameras had plenty of footage, and Adiara was sure to see the attempt on her life as legitimate, Ayomi allowed Param to gain the upper hand as the vibroblade was dramatically knocked out of their hand and the Tiefling flipped onto their back.

The "Azure Assassin," as the news headlines would call them in the coming days, lay defeated on the ground as security forces rushed forwards to place them under arrest, clamping stuncuffs on their wrists as Adiara recovered and made some grand speech to the gathered press about the importance of free and fair elections and their gratitude towards Param and the Freedom from Corruption Foundation. It was almost enough to make the Tiefling laugh as they were escorted away to much fanfare.

Hours later Ayomi lay in an obnoxiously warm cell in the city prison, attempting to meditate on the Dark Side as they waited for either some kind of news, or perhaps a helping hand from Param or Karys in getting off the backwater rock that was Cotellier. They were fully capable of escaping on their own - it's not like the police believed they were holding a Sith - but they didn't want to rush things. Then again, the Tiefling had never been particuarly good at sitting still, and meditating was not one of the skills that came naturally to them. If one of those two don't show up in the next few days, I'm ditching this place on my own.

@Apollyon