I see you have one as well...{Novus}

[Murdock Reyes]

Vjun, the planet seemed to favor the arrival of Murdock. Thankfully it hadn't chosen to rain, which had saved Murdock as he walked. It wasn't very inhabited, but when there was buildings, you knew it. Murdock hadn't exactly came onto the planet unnoticed, he sadly had to fight a few imperials when he stepped off the shuttle after having paid for the trip. They hadn't expected him to be a force user, so when hehad manipulated it enough to pull some blisters from his company, it was easy enough to dispatch them with his hands. He was glad he didn't kill them, he wanted to respect life, not take it.

Murdock finally saw what he was looking for, it seemed to be a grey building. He wondered if it was empty as he continued towards the building. He knew the planet seemed interesting to him when he first heard about it, had he known it wasn't connected to the energy around him like he had been led to believe, he wouldn't be here now. Then again, Murdock decided to explore it still, maybe he wasn't strong enough to tell when the energy around him was strong. That wasn't exactly the best skill he had. His thoughts left him as he attempted again to find a large concentration of energy, succeeding in sensing only himself.

Murdock reached a door when he returned to himself, his dark eyes scanning over the door. His hands reached for the door as he searched for a way to open it before it hissed open as an imperial officer stood before him, looking up from his papers to meet Murdock's fist. The man fell to the ground with a soft thump and Murdock stepped over him peering inside. It was astounding to him.

Lights were everywhere, and Murdock felt a draft from inside the building, hearing the hiss again, Murdock pulled the man inside farther his feet moving in time to be spared the crushing force of the door shutting. The draft proved to him that the building had to go deeper than he first thought. A small smile crossed his face, he had to hide now. A quick scanning of his surroundings showed him a vent along with a lift.

Choosing a smarter path, Murdock opened the grate to the vent as quietly as possible, it still squeaking open. Murdock carried the man on his shoulders, pulling himself into the vent and dragging the man with him. No small feat, and very difficult. Murdock used the energy around him to close the vent enough for it not to be noticed immediately. As he crawled through the vent he felt a kind of darkness he hadn't felt in a good while. Stopping near a vent opening he peered out gazing upon someone.

[Neology]

“You lost him?” Novus echoed into her comm, glaring at a point in the wall. She could feel the presence of an unfamiliar Force sensitive, a pervasive sort of stink that bypassed the nose entirely.

”Err … Yes, my Lady.” A uncertain male voice responded, tiny in her ear piece. ”We've locked all the exits down. I've scrambled two squads to start a room by room search.”

“Good.” She cut the call short with a flick of her wrist, the hand coming down to rest against the cool durasteel of her desk. Her thoughts raced. This base was near useless from a strategic point of view; who would bother breaking in? A Jedi agent? An assassin? Unlikely, though she was unwilling to shelve the idea completely. One subtracted only the impossible, not the merely improbable, after all. She dwelled on the other options, briefly. Traitor … Well, there were certainly other Sith who'd have liked to see her dead. One of them, working through an intermediary?

Coincidence was, of course, quite impossible. It didn't bear thinking about.

A shiver pricked down her spine, standing the fine hairs on her neck on end. It, whoever or whatever they were, was close. She focused her senses, attempting to pinpoint the interloper's presence. Novus jerked to her feet and turned, pulling on the ceiling vents with a sudden burst of telekinetic energy.

[Murdock Reyes]

The vent started to shake with Murdock inside of it. Keeping calm he wondered how the vent would--CRASH--the metal hit the floor and Murdock bounced within it. He was sore now, but what could he expect? As he crawled out he got to his feet, looking to the woman before him. Darkness was indeed inside this person, at least he hadn't been wrong about that.

The energy around him did seem very heavy around this woman, indicating she was who he had felt. Murdock had learned from Madame Sasha, that only those with training could pull off such a thing. The darkness combined with this woman's use of the energy had him come to the conclusion that she was what was known now as, a dark Jedi.

Options paced in his mind, he considered fighting briefly, but knew that wouldn't help anyone. It seemed she knew he was here anyway so he didn't have anything to surprise her with. That left running or speaking, Murdock looked to the door and shook his head, he couldn't make it even if he wanted to. That left one thing, and there was no way around it.

"Madame, I greet you. You do seem to be rather strong in your use of the energy around you. I am Murdock, and I have no intentions of a fight." Murdock had said in his deep voice, raising his hands to head height. He had no choice to be honest, and if it were to start raining Murdock would be stuck here.

Then again, he had taken out four of their people. He doubted hospitality was on their mind, but he had let them keep their lives, he hoped that would show this woman something. Respect was something Murdock wanted, but only due to him giving it to others constantly.

"If we could, I'd like to speak about this before anyone takes action." Murdock spoke again, his rare-blinking eyes meeting the woman's before him. He hoped she would be cooperative instead of just having him killed.

[Neology]

Acoustic tiles fell first, a soft clatter that filled the air with dust and wispy particles of fluff. Bolts and welds popped, and a section of the ventilation system came away on one side. Novus raised one arm to shield her eyes, the other drawing a saber hilt from her belt, though she did not ignite the blade.

The intruder spilled out onto the floor, a minor cacophony. Novus watched him get to his feet, blue eyes sweeping over him in quick appraisal. Blue skin, ink-black eyes, head tresses – the question 'What is he?” came to mind and answered itself. Nautolan. Her memory supplied a handful of inane details. Glee Anselm. Musicians. Rhaeni. Nothing to explain why this one was sneaking around an Imperial base.

”"Madame, I greet you...”

The was no use for it; she giggled, hand coming up to smother the sound. A violent intruder standing in a pile of newly-minted architectural garbage, politely introducing himself. It was absurd.

“Well, Murdock who doesn't want to fight, speak away.”

Her ear piece chirped, the search coordinator asking after her safety and the noise. Novus ignored it, watching her prisoner/guest with narrowed eyes.

“Out of curiosity, what have you done with Lieutenant Talburn? My men can't find him.”

[Murdock Reyes]

Murdock's hands began to come down as he noticed the slightly calming environment. He pondered the answer to her question, he hand noticed ranks, that wasn't exactly on his mind. Thinking to the man in the vent he pointed towards the way he entered the vent. "There, just beyond the opening of the vent. Couldn't let someone find him and raise an alarm. I suppose that's pointless now." Murdock's voice carried slight disappointment in the last bit of it.

His eyes trailed to her saber hilt and he laughed inside himself. He had indeed seemed to save himself a fight. Murdock wanted to stop speaking now, it would bother him and cause a headache later. There was no way around it though, he had no choice. "I must admit though, I had come here hoping to find a great deal of the energy around us, it seems though, I was wrong." Murdock finished by looking up to where the vent was pulled down. "It seems though, your the closest to it." Murdock mentioned off-handedly.

Shaking his head Murdock began to move, keeping his distance from the woman. He was drinking in the room, it was nothing special, but it was effective for one that has ties with Imperials. A bland room, he wondered why it was so bare. "So, why exactly are you posted here?" Murdock asked not meeting her gaze as he continued looking around the room. His eyes fell on the desk, it was bare too. It was very simplistic, and it poked at his curiosity.

"If there is no, as I'm sure you call it, force energy, here, why are you here? It's not the best planet from my understanding." He had asked his eyes finally resting back to hers. Tapping the hilt of his own saber he waited for his answer before pelting her with one more as he crossed his arms. "What is your name?"

[Neology]

Novus toggled her comlink.

“You can stop searching. Our … guest is with me.” A calculated choice of words, danger implicit in the pause. “He has indicated that you will find Talburn tucked away in the atruim's ventilation system. See to the Lieutenant and return to your posts.” She cut the channel then removed the device from her ear, deftly stowing it away in one of her pockets. A light brush of telekinses swept the seat of the station chair clean of debris and Novus settled down in it, watching the nautolan with a predator's keen appraisal.

“Pointless? Perhaps, though you might have run my soldiers around for some time, were I not here.”

She listened carefully, one brow quirking up whenever he said energy. The Force, surely, though odd that he called it something else. Likely not a Jedi, then, which left the source of his training an open question.

“You're sensing the Darkside of the Force. There are places, and people, with a certain affinity for it. Vjun is one such place, though to say I'm posted here is, well, not quite correct. The base is permanent fixture, meant to protect the people who live here and serve as a staging ground in this sector. I am only visiting.” She shrugged, though her eyes followed the movement of his hand when it strayed to his weapon.

“I am Darth Novus. Does that mean anything to you, Murdock Reyes?”

[Murdock Reyes]

Murdock's face remained as blank as possible as he listened. This woman before him was calm and very...thoughtful. It was a bit unnerving of course, but nothing could be done about it. When she spoke of the dark side of the force, he nodded slowly. It was new information to him, he couldn't hide his shock when she spoke his last name. He hadn't given it, and yet she knew it! He racked his brain for an answer but one didn't come.

Murdock shook his head in disbelief. He couldn't believe it, then something else struck him. Did she call herself a Darth? Murdock may not have had proper training but he knew for a fact that Darths were trouble and dangerous. Should he be honest? From what Sasha had told him that meant she was a Sith and Sith kill Jedi. If he were to say he had information or at least an inkling about what she was, would a fight arise? No, surely not.

"Nothing other than your dangerous I'm afraid." Murdock said a small smile escaping him. The slight thrill of possibly being killed for being around death was almost to much. "Now that pleasantries are out of the way, perhaps we can..." Murdock cut himself off, the chance that he could run off would be slim and he knew it.

Murdock pulled his saber from his hip and tossed it to the side with a light frown. He was gambling now, and his life was the stake he claimed. "Let this prove, that even with such a title, I do not fear you." His eyes went over the woman as he spoke. He walked closer to her, he couldn't falter now, if he did his bet would be called, and he'd lose. "Tell me, what does this 'dark side' have that makes it so..." Murdock shivered as he got closer, within striking range.

"...Pulling? Why am I able to sense it?" Murdock asked as he rested his hands across his chest. He knew the answer of course, it wasn't the energy he felt, it was the anger, and this woman had so much of it. He was surprised it didn't pull itself free and walk. His muscles relaxed, his cards now played.

[Neology]

“Dangerous?” Novus repeated, a smile bowing coral shaded lips. “A wild animal is dangerous. Breaking into an Imperial base is dangerous. I am more than that, Mr. Reyes.” Her brows climbed as the nautolan proceeded to draw and discard his weapon. At his declaration, she laughed, a rich warm sound at odds with the wrecked office and bizarre situation.

“I've always found that fear is one of the more useful emotions that one can experience, so long as one does not let it overwhelm. It's simple, really. Self interest at it's more basic, instinctual level. The thing that tells prey to run when a predator is nearby. If you're not afraid right now, you're an idiot.”

A telekinetic pull brought the man's abandoned lightsaber to her hands. She gave it a cursory examination, careful to keep the emitter end pointed away from herself, should he attempt to activate it remotely. Standard size, waterproof. No surprises there.

“Why can you sense the darkside here? It's not unusual. Anyone trained in the Force would feel the same. It pulls on you, like you say, because it wants for tools.” She shrugged her shoulders, smiling at her guest.

“Surely you want more than that? A pity to risk your life for so little.”

[Murdock Reyes]

Murdock smiled softly at her answer. Her claim, no, her fact stating that she was more dangerous than what he had done was no understatement. He knew that, but he would be damned if he stood by and didn't find this very thing amusing. At least he did, until she laughed, his nerves were a bit on edge now. What was so damn funny? He couldn't think of anything as he frowned over the very thought of having missed a play.

'...Your an idiot.'

Oh that pissed him off a bit. She didn't know him, he admitted being caught was just that, stupid. He couldn't help it though, he had only gone off instinct to come to Vjunn in the first place. As he watched his saber fly to her hands he blinked, it had to have been the strangest thing for her to have seen him blink. At least he had assumed that as she looked over his weapon. A small sliver of hopelessness swept over him for a brief second.

Her smile unnerved him more as her answer was given. She further taunted him with the stating his life was indeed in her hands, his bluff had been called, but when it came time to throw the cards down, he had a mere pair while she held the royal flush. What was he to do now? He hadn't the slightest, he had lost his blaster on a trip before and that lightsaber was all he had. Of course he only remembered that far to late. Finally, it was time for him to speak, and he drew into himself before he started.

"I stake my life following my instincts, as I see now, that was a mistake. Given the fact that I present now, I can only assume that if you were to have wish to kill me, it would have been done by now. Which leaves me to believe you either want something, or wish for me to spread stories of how your terrifying. Isn't that what all Sith want? Infamy? To be known and feared? At least that's the impression my 'Master' gave me."

Murdock spoke adding air quotes with the word 'Master' to ensure she knew he was paraphrasing. Now if only he could think of a way out of here, then it came to him, he couldn't. Not without her, the soldiers would swarm him for sure. Then what was left? To get her approval for him to leave.

[Neology]

“Is that so?” Novus trailed off, humming quietly under her breath. As she listened to him speak, she began to carefully disassemble the nautolan's lightsaber, laying the individual parts out upon the surface of her desk. She could feel the undercurrent of his anger, so easily engaged, and the despair that came after. A curiosity.

“You assume I take no pleasure in, ah, watching you squirm. So to speak. I have it on good authority that all Sith are monstrous sadists.” She did not and was not, but the lie came easy, the best tools for pushing her guest into another outburst. She set the last piece of his saber's casing down, everything arranged in relative order.

“Please, do go on. I'd love to hear more about your Master. No, let me guess.” Novus glanced up, smiling cruelly. She had little love for unaffiliated Force adepts, finding their lack of focus, of dedication, a noisome waste of talent. That they took students such as this nautolan irritated her further - a crime tantamount to taking a block of fine clay and firing it unformed.

“A disgruntled former Jedi, perhaps? Run off because they had more passion than sense, or else so arrogant that they thought they knew better than the Council. Or some know-nothing backwater cultist? No, I suppose not. Despite what I just said, you'd actually know a thing a two about the Darkside, were that the case ...” She made a dismissive wave with one hand.

“No. I have no more time to waste on your education. You are free to go, but this stays here.” Novus picked out the focusing lens from among the collection of parts and held it up between thumb and index finger.

“To ensure the safety of my soldiers on your way out.”

[Murdock Reyes]

Murdock felt the energy become thick as his lightsaber was pulled apart before him. A deep feeling in the pit of his gut ripped at him, it was easy to identify. It was pure anger, he felt his fists clench and he had found himself wishing that he could simply kill her. It was then his mentor's face flashed and he calmed for a second, he could think again. It took Murdock most of his control to be able to keep calm, and it was all for naught. The moment the only woman he considered family was insulted he felt the energy building in him quickly and he didn't fight it. The energy released from his hands towards the woman, he had every intention of leaving with his saber in full functionality. If that meant he would harm this woman, he had no qualms of it.

"Nobody mocks my mentor."

Was all that was spoken by him.


((Sorry for the wait and short post, but seeing as an "attack" was launched I figured it wouldn't be right to continue on as it would vary on what happened next.))