Under the Sea [Harukei]

[Ghostie]

“Come on, Giaaaal... I just need a location. He’s got to be working out of somewhere, if he’s been here this long.”

Kol put an extra stressed syllable on the Mon Calamari’s name as his voice carried a slight pleading tone with it. Gial, however, simply frowned a little more at his old friend and gripped his overly large cup of caf with both of his webbed hands, the long reddish-brown fingers curly tightly around the layered flimsi. The Mon Calamari had been rather tight-lipped on this topic, as the Jedi Master knew he would be. That’s why Kol had chosen the tapcafe know as The Hrakert. It was Gial’s favorite place for a hot brew of caf after a long flight, and the Jedi couldn’t blame his friend for the preference. One whole side of the Hrakert was open to the ocean surface on Manaan, ushering in warm, salty, comforting air and an expansive view. Kol and Gial sat next to the safety railing, just on the edge of the balcony, simply enjoying their brews and having a conversation to any that would pass by or glance their way; two old war buddies catching up. Kol had forgone the Jedi robes for his mission; he didn’t want to tip off anyone to his presence, and wore the same red jacket and black undershirt he was known for.

The Hrakert was also located in what could be considered a seedy part of Ahto City, if Ahto City had shady districts and dark alleys. The Selkath liked to try and crack down on any and all crime, but they couldn’t stop everything. Gial was proof of that. The Mon Calamari had served alongside Kol in the war, and was just as much a hero as the Jedi was. Gial even kept the medals to prove it. But for him, the fighting hadn’t stopped at Coruscant, and would never stop until Dac was free. Now, Gial spent his days smuggling kolto to his home-world, and the resistance cells there as they struggled under Sith occupation. Since Kol had last seen his friend, he had a collection of jagged, shallow scars across his mouth, one of his nostrils, and just above the eye on the same side. But Kol had learned better than to dissuade Gial from his current endeavours. The man was as stubborn as he was tight-lipped.

“Kol, if this friend of yours is really setting up shop here in Ahto, telling you would be bad for me.”

‘Friend’ was most definitely a term that Kol would not use at the moment. However, Gial was smart enough to not say ‘Rogue Sith Lord’ out loud for the other patrons of the Hrakert to hear, and his gravely tones betrayed no hesitation in his voice. And Gial knew what Sith wee capable of. A few weeks ago, a Sith by the name of Abzan had decided to leave Imperial Space, and sweep through what underbelly Ahto City had as he established his dominance. Manaan, being a neutral world that had a vested interest to both the Republic and Sith Empire, was now playing host to Kol Gedyc after the Order had sent him in order to solve this matter quietly, and try to make sure things didn’t get out of hand. Abzan had been declared out of bounds by the Empire, but as far as Kol knew, they had yet to do anything. Sitting back in his chair, the Jedi Master slowly stroked his short beard with one hand, a habit which came with more years on his shoulders.

Gial telling Kol just where to find Abzan could be bad for the Mon Calamari, the Jedi would acknowledge that. The Smuggler navigated Ahto City just as well as he would a warm current of water. Though Kol rather thought that would be a challenge even for Gial, as the alien’s green and blue jacket that seemed almost like a life preserver in design. Nonetheless, if someone was taking over the crime on Manaan, that meant that the Mon Calamari would be somewhere in it’s folds, someway or some how. If Abzan caught wind of Gial giving away secrets to the Jedi, then the Mon Calamari would be hunted down. Chased off of Manaan, even, which would be bad for his career. And as much as the Jedi didn’t agree with Gial’s methods or actions, he could agree with looking out for his old friend. Giving a sigh and switching to move both of his hands behind his head and interlocking his fingers, Kol turned one end of his mouth up at the Mon Calamari.

“Y’know this is bigger than you, right? It could start a whole new fiasco here on Manaan.”

The guilt trip. Kol didn’t have to resort to it, but he did. It was Gial’s turn to perform something that passed for a sigh as a Mon Calamari.

“I know. But I also know the Republic lost Dac early in the War, and never tried to free it. And those trying to free it need help.”

“We’re not talking Sith or Republic, here. If Abzan get’s his grip around Ahto…”

“... He could cut off the supply of kolto, I know.”

Truthfully, Kol didn’t know what Abzan was up to on the ocean planet. Visiting his old Mon Calamari friend had been the Jedi’s first lead since reaching the planet. And Manaan was a strange first stop for a Sith Lord wanting to leave the Empire and establish his own dominance somewhere. The Jedi supposed there were credits to be had in the Kolto industry, but the Selkath kept a close watch on such things. Abzan would have to be careful how he went about his business. Still, their more recent exchange of words seemed to have the desires affect on Gial. Kol could feel his apprehension and guarded tongue fall away, the feelings melting in the Force. Still holding his hands on the back of his head as their table fell silent, the Jedi scanned the Hrakert. It was late morning, and there weren’t a lot of patrons around. A few Selkath, and nothing more. No darksiders, no Sith. No Republic or Imperial military from the embassies.

“The old Pyrshak Shipping Warehouse in the Shasa district. I heard someone just bought the place up, but it’s been abandoned forever.”

Gial’s word caught Kol off guard, as the Jedi spun his head around to face his friend once again. As he did so, the Mon Calamari was already standing from the table, and shuffling away his chair, the metal legs scraping against the durasteel floor. Kol nodded to his compatriot, who turned one bulbous eye to look at the Jedi.

“Thanks, Gial.”

“It was good to see you, Kol. Try to keep the both of us out of trouble, please. I know how you can be, sometimes…”

[Harukei]

"Noo.... Pleeeease..... I don't know anything else."

The cacophony of screams continued as the room was illuminated with flashes of deep purple and bright blue for a brief instant, revealing the humanoid shape of a handful of individuals. As the discharged continued, all familiar mixture of ozone and sweet burnt flesh filled the room and her nostrils. The wailing of pain carried into a crescendo until the man who had been subjected to the torture until his pleads became unintelligible rambles of madness and searing pain. Her hand rose, waving for the torturers to end their handiwork after the last barrage of lightning. 

A flash of light came, and the room illuminated, nothing more than a storage room reconverted into a torture chamber, its walls lines with shackles, force cages and torture racks that would've held anyone unfortunate enough to befall in this area. Keres took a step forward, hands behind her back as the crimson pools of her eyes stared down as a figure, shivering and with smoke rising from it, reduced to a fetal position as the man began to feeble look at her. 

"My... Lady... please... I did not... I did not know... mercy..."

Keres remained unblinking, looking at the man, his face bloodied, bruised and turned into a mash of red and purple. Eyes that were once bright, hidden due the swelling and bloodied after the 'convincing' session by one of the Sith Troopers stationed in the world of the Selkath. The uniform that signified him as a high ranking member of the Sith Embassy, torn and slashed, the sleeves pulled and torn off. She could sense his pain and confusion, for he had performed in a rather exemplary manner, his service record unblemished until now. Until the mistake in which he willingly helped a rogue Sith Lord to secure a base of operations on Manaan. 

"Please... my Lady... please... I... I told..."

She rose her hand forward and closed her eyes, his pleading and sobbing stopped as she began to make her way through his mind, forcibly tearing through memories as in the outside the man violently convulsed, holding the ruin of his hands against the bloodied temples. He tore on the frail and brittle hair as Keres continued her violent probe, until she found the memories of the day. She could see all, all that had happened, all that he had done and how he had told the renegade Sith Lord, using his status and presence before word got that he had betrayed the Empire to get what he wanted and using one of the contacts in the underworld of this world, if such elements could be called that, he had given him the capital to make the purchase and more. But he did not know why Abzan come to this world. Good, the less people know, the better. 

That being said, Lord Tempestus had been vague as well, he had only mentioned an artifact, a sort of map. With her retrieval done, she retreated and allowed the convulsing man to drop to the floor. His eyes turning white, and a frothy speckle of saliva and blood coming from his mouth. She turned to the exist, passing the Imperial Diplomats and the Sith Knight attaches as she marched from the room. 

"I have what I need, I require a speeder and a map of this blasted city uploaded to my data pad."

She said with a commanding tone. No one else would come, and so she had preferred it, the message Lord Tempestus had sent her with was enough to convince the Diplomats and Attaches to not go against her wishes, after all, they themselves did not wish to meddle with matters that pertained the apprentice of one of the ruling Dark Lords of the Empire. 

"Lady Keres, what shall we do with him?" 

The diplomat asked, and Keres turned slightly, catching the shape of the man, crippled mentally and physically, making him but a husk of his former self. He was of no use now, not to her, not to the Empire. She closed her eyes and decided that even for his failings, he had served the Sith Empire faithfully. 

"Grant him the Empress Peace and tell his next of kin that he died a glorious death for the Empire."

She resumed her path, leaving the torture room, as the Imperial Troopers performed the kindness she had bestowed to the man. A kindness not many of her peer would have granted. 

[Ghostie]

Speeders were a rare sight on Manaan. When the Selkath had built Ahto City for interaction with outsiders, the floating metropolis had been designed to be mostly pedestrian. After freighters and shuttles landed in the docking level, passengers and crew left the bays and exited into hallways, and from there, walkways with a grand view of the ocean world and it’s near endless horizon of water from every angle. While there were a few speeders for official business, most traffic was left to repulsor trucks and the warehousing district. Those vehicles usually stayed on designated lanes that were near direct lines from warehousing to the docking level, so the Selkath could efficiently offload cargo and bring in off-world supplies.

Luckily for Kol, the Shasa District was one such warehousing and storing center on Ahto City. The entire area was open aired, unlike most of the floating city, and a few speeders of various shapes and sizes made use of this as they went to and fro from the docking levels and back to their respective buildings. What was unlucky for the Jedi Master was his own vehicle. After leaving Gial and the Hrakert Cafe, Kol had returned to the Republic Embassies and requested one of their few vehicles, something inconspicuous. Unfortunately, they didn’t have anything that didn’t scream ‘Official Republic Speeder’, so one of the aides offered his personal vehicle. A sporty model, glossy red with a white stripe down each side that followed the contours of the speeder. Kol almost took one of the official Republic speeders, instead, but the Aide was trying to be as helpful as he could.

Either way, the Jedi Master was far from blending in.

The soft thumping of rubber on transparisteel was rhythmic and monotone as the wipers of the sporty speeder moved back and forth in long intervals, clearing the viewport of the light rain that had started to fall in the grey afternoon sky. Kol leaned forward across the steering controls with a rather dramatic sigh. A few hours of this, and he was nowhere. Not one step closer to seeing if this was really where Abzan was hiding out or not. Finding the Pyrshak Shipping Warehouse was easy. It was one of the only dilapidated buildings in the Shasa District, with a large red sign not far from the loading bays, the red Aurebesh letters turning brown, from exposure to the salty ocean winds. Kol had pulled around on the other side of the street and parallel parked on the curb, watching and waiting.

There was most certainly a fell darkness about the place. It was twisted, and warped. There had been a darksider inside of the warehouse, alright. But Kol was not sure how long ago. The Jedi Master was reminded of the last time he had performed a stake-out, in ironically a very similar vehicle. That time, Kol had the Lord Inquisitor of the Sith Order, the Jade Pillar himself, Darth Solis next to his side. It had certainly been an interesting experience, to say the least. And as nothing was happening with the warehouse, the Jedi Master let his mind wander a little bit further, to the first time since after the War where he had met a Sith. Keres.

Sighing once again as he shook the thought of the hurt and strong, beautiful and deadly woman from his mind, Kol powered the speeder back on, and took it on a slow path around the warehouse. If he sat in one place for too long and daydreamed about a certain Sith Lady, someone was bound to notice. Just as he was turning around the front of the building, however, Kol hit the breaks on the vehicle hard, stabbing the pedal into the floor. There were a trio of dark robed individuals headed into the building. All kept an eye over their shoulder, and all were strong with the Dark side of the Force. This was definitely the place to find Abzan.

Rather than run in after the trio, however, Kol took a second lap around Pyrshak Shipping. And for a second time, he stabbed the break in just as many minutes. The Jedi Master’s heart leapt up into his throat for a few seconds, and all that the man could hear was the soft patter of rain against the speeder, as the rhythmic wipers performed their duty admirably. Standing down the street, opposite of the warehouse Kol had been watching, was the Sith Lady Keres. It was as if he had willed the woman onto the planet. How much of a coincidence could it be that he had been thinking about her, and there she was? That there was a Rogue Sith Lord on Manaan, and they were both sent to settle the matter?

Slowly, Kol pulled the sporty red speeder down the road, and towards the woman. Her hatred radiated off of her, just like on Saleucami. The only unfortunate thing about this situation was that Kol was realising that with the first Sith he had been working with recently, he was getting better that registering the differences in their dark auras. The nuances and the things they fed off of to sustain their raw emotions. And the Jedi Master was starting to find a few of them not welcoming, per say, but not to menacing as well. Keres was one of those. As Kol drew closer, he could see her dark robes obscuring her figure in the rain, but he still knew that the hair and the ruby eyes belonged to the woman. Finally stopping just in front of her, Kol put the speeder into park, and lowered the powered window, which let out a slow whine.

“I see the Empire sent a response for Abzan after all.”

The Jedi Master tried to offer a small smile as he greeted the Sith Lady. A small smile indeed, when he realised he could have done better. Turning in his seat, Kol reached for the middle console of his borrowed vehicle. There was one nearly empty paper cup of caf, a bag with a few pastries, and a second, still filled cup of the now lukewarm dark liquid. All from the Hrakert Cafe, and all part of Kol’s routine stake-out supplies. Snacks and drinks were always a must. Solis and the Jedi Master had agreed on burgers and fries back on Prazhi. Grabbing the second cup, Kol spun back around, and held it up for the raven-haired woman to see.

“Want some caf? I’ve got cream and sugar, if that’s your thing.”

[Harukei]

Keres was uncomfortable with the thought of having soldiers from the regular Sith Troopers under her command. Not that she had reservations about the quality of troops that the Empire could produce, as she had seen the gallantry of regular troopers in person, their believe to the cause and devotion to the Empress, beloved by all, and to the members of the Inner Sanctum was high, even borderline worshiping them as gods. However she was more used to the methods of the members of the Imperial Reclamation Bureau, the acquisition specialists being a good example of what a knowledgeable investigator and assassin could do. 

But furthermore she had the suspicion that they were here to keep an eye on her. As her crimson eyes stayed on the swift passage of the foamy waves just below the subdued grey speeder. The Sith Lady could detect the occasional look back at her, the hushed words between them under the guise of the soft rumble of the repulsorlift as it took the  speeder forward. 

"Two minutes away, milady."

One of the soldiers said out loud as the speeder began to bank to the left, closing into the white-silver surface of the the floating Ahto City, except it went beneath of the familiar domes and cupolas and into an area that seemed more in common with a sea fearing port of the days before hyperspace than with anything else she had seen. As the speeder began its descend, so did she began to tap into the darkside, to try to foresee any possible future, or anything that would give her an idea or an inkling of what could happen. But beyond faint whispers from the pulsating darkness, there was nothing that would merit her caution, but there was one single thing, a whisper of something, something that was familiar but that she could faintly remember. 

As the speeder landed, Keres was the last one out, the Imperial Troopers wearing a shroud and a hood in the same fashion that their Sith Masters would, whilst she simply used a formfitting attire with a long hooded cloak. She began to a slow walk on the deserted streets filled with warehouses that didn't seem to end. The Imperial troopers led the way in a cautious gait despite the fact that there was not a soul but them on the street. The sudden whine of another repulsorlift caught their attention whilst Keres simply turned as through the corner of her eye, she saw a red sports speeder stopping on a whine. And then the ruby eyes widened slightly as she saw the face peering through the opened window. 

"Kol..."

She whispered his name, barely audible as the Imperial Troopers made for their weapons hidden within their shrouded cloaks. And awkward silence ensued as she heard his offer for caf. Did he knew I was here? She thought for herself before the troopers behind her came forward to carry out their duty, whatever it was. She snapped her sight at them, eyes becoming shining reservoirs of hatred and contempt that stopped them in their track. 

"Stop, this man is..." 

Keres allowed her mind to come up with an excuse, something quick, something credible.

"My contact, he confirmed the presence of Abzan to Lord Tempestus before you lot did."

A trooper that was closest to hear looked, unblinking as his scarred features shifted from her to Kol. 

"I did not knew we had another Imperial agent around."

She looked at Kol for a second, a glare that told him to play along, and to keep the lightsaber he was surely carrying with him, hidden for now. Keres would have to think of what to do next with the troopers, even as much as she disliked it, if they continued to be a liability, then she would do well to slain them.

"And you didn't need that information, soldier. You are in a need to know basis."

The soldier shook his head and shrugged before he and his companion turned their sight towards the warehouse. He crouched behind a crate as he observed. Using this moment of distraction she leaned to the speeder's still opened door. 

"Thank you, Kol, but I am ok, I will take your offer another time."

She looked at the soldiers, the eyes that now followed her and whispered to him.

"Play along with me, I can't trust them. You have another weapon besides your lightsaber?"

[Ghostie]

Kol had to admit, that was a first for him. It was probably a first for Keres, as well. Still holding the cup of slightly warmed caf, the Jedi Master studied the Sith’s face. Though her soft features did not betray her emotions, he could sense the faint wisps of surprise, shock, and even some relief melting away slowly, all of which was hidden in her dark aura. A shocking a Sith was an impressive feat, but nonetheless Kol did not think that it was a coincidence that they were on Manaan at the same time, tracking the same target. It was simply to perfect of an opportunity.

His two very different eyes still on Keres, when she met his gaze, Kol read her intent in a moment. As the Jedi was silent during the exchange between the Sith and one of her underlings, it was clear that she wanted him to play along as one of her agents. That would be easy enough. He was fluent in Mando’a, and he could pull off a convincing accent. The man had to keep a smile from spreading to his lips as a persona was quickly formed in his mind. Undercover jobs were never his forte, but he could adapt quickly. Meeting the soldier's gaze as Kol felt the man’s attention, he locked eyes with the man.

“And the lady’s business with ‘er own money isn’t your business, isit?” Kol’s voice took on a gruff demeanor, with a well practiced Mandalorian accent. As the man turned to leave, Kol added for extra effect. “Somma these soldiers nowadays… ori’buyce, kih’kovid…”

Finally, with at least a moment of peace and privacy, Keres turned back to Kol. He simply shrugged when she said that she wasn’t interested in the caf, and decided to hold her to her word about accepting his offer another time. Raising the cup to his own lips, he listened to what else she had to say. Her voice rang true in his ears, not desperate, but not at all manipulative or menacing. He could sense in the Force that she wasn’t lying to him, when she said that she couldn’t trust the agents that had been sent along with her, and that made his eyes go wide a bit. Why couldn’t she? Were they not effectively under her control? Putting the cup of caf back into the center console, Kol started to dig around in the glovebox of the speeder. It belonged to a member of the security force at the Republic Embassy. Hopefully they had enough sense to hide away at least a hold-out blaster.

“You oughtta know by now, Cyar’ika…” Kol paused, half leaned over with his hand in the small compartment as he searched for a weapon. His fingers finding not only a barrel, but a holster as well, he shot Keres a wide grin. “... Us mando’ade are never unarmed!” Pulling out a holster, belt, and a decidedly average blaster pistol, Kol stayed inside his borrowed, flashy speeder and equipped the gunbelt. He had trained with such a weapon during the War, for the worst case scenarios. And if things got too serious inside the warehouse, he still had his lightsaber inside his jacket. Things would be fine. Finally ready, he stepped out of the speeder into the light rain, took a look around, and saw the agents all huddled together behind cover, on one side of the street. Winking at Keres, he took a few steps forward towards them.

Internally, Kol smiled. This was going to be fun.

“HAAR’CHAK! What the HELL is anade still doing here?! They’re gunna see us comin’ from a kilometer away, or did you forget they’re all DAR’JETII?! GET! Cover the building from all sides!” At Kol’s faked outburst of anger, many of the agents scampered off to do as they were told, either because it made sense, or because they simply didn’t want to mess with a supposed Mandalorian who was his size. Scar-Face, the questioning agent from before, needed a little more prodding.

“You too, di’kut!” And with that, Scar-Face started to walk around the building as well, giving Kol and Keres their space. Giving Keres a small grin over his shoulder, Kol turned back to see a young man, another agent, who looked like he was about ready to cause a mess in is trousers. New guy. Must’ve been one of his first assignments. Catching him by the bicep, Kol stopped the young man in his tracks.

“Not you, ad’ika. You’re watching my back.” With that, the young man’s eyes grew to the size of saucers. Looking over his shoulder, Kol found Keres’s ruby gaze once more.

“You ready?” But it wasn’t Keres that answered first. The young man spoke up in a croaked, fearful voice, and Kol realised he was still holding onto the agent. Letting his grip go, he listened without turning to the young man.

“If you’re… You’re Mandalorian… Where’s your armor?”

“Verd ori’shya beskar’gam.” Kol said, trying to sound as glum and as somber as he could. He knew that the young man standing next to him wouldn’t understand a lick of the Mandalorian language, but he hoped that it would put the matter to rest.

[Harukei]

Keres looked at the whole ordeal as Kol spoke in Mandalorian and one eyebrow rose slightly upon her face. The scene itself somewhat seemed surreal and due the shouting she hoped that no one had heard the orders being given. But at least Kol had done well to get the other troopers away from her with just one being close to the two of them. She supposed that she simply didn't have much of a choice and simply endured what seemed to be the youngest one of the lot. 

"I am ready."

The Sith Lady finally said before taking a deep breath and begin to move inside the warehouse. With the rest of the troopers securing every entrance and exit from outside the building, they entered. The warehouse was empty, the scent of entropy had taken hold, esteeming from the disuses and garbage that had been left to decay. Dust was prevalent everywhere, mixing with the saline scent of the perennial sea of Manaan. Keres passed next to some containers that held the biological soup that once had been firaxan shark fins and in the distance she could see a processing stations from which rotten carcasses hung. This place was made to look abandoned, left derelict for far too long, all to remove any sign of being used. 

"Nothing to go on here."

She whispered and closed her eyes as she began to tap into that flame inside her. She extended her perception, allowing to hear beyond the crashing waves against the hull of Ahto City and to see beyond her eyes. It was unusual. She felt the darkside for it lingered here, this location had known the touch of a the Force and there was no motive to hide it, but there was something else, something hidden. She could not tap it but it felt strange and familiar at the same time and with it there was a promise of a forbidden knowledge that she did not sought but not she craved. She opened her eyes and looked at Kol. 

"I... he's been here... but... there's something... something else..."

[Ghostie]

The entirety of the short walk to the main entrance of the warehouse, and Kol didn’t need the Force to feel the young soldier’s wide-eyed gaze across the back of his shoulders and head. The Jedi Master had chosen this one soldier to accompany Keres and himself as he was the least likely to ask the right kind of questions, or jump to wrong conclusions. Though as they entered the large, dark warehouse, Kol didn’t think about the fact that the young man would probably be asking all the wrong kinds of questions about the two Force-users he was with.

Luckily, however, the young man’s operational discipline held as they passed the abandoned front offices, and headed deeper into the building. It had been, from Kol’s best guess, some sort of food processing center for firaxan sharks. But the place clearly hadn’t been used in years, as a thick layer of dust and all manner of decay settled across the warehouse floor and other surfaces. Still, Kol couldn’t for the life of him figure out why so many crates, tanks in various states of completeness, or otherwise garbage had simply been left. In an abandoned warehouse, he expected the cavernous rooms to be void of anything, really.

And the deeper the trio travelled, the more dark the building grew. Physical light faded, yes. But the darkness in the Force grew as well. Unlike the chilling wall that Solis propagated, or Keres’s own burning fire, this simply invaded the senses, and suffocated who it could. As best as Kol could tell, it was built up by several Dark Side users. And there was something else in the mix. Not something of Sith origin, but must definitely of the Dark Side. It wasn’t a being. It didn’t have a conscious. At least, not really. But it longed to be used, and wanted to impart it’s wisdom on any who had the will to act on it. One side glance at Keres, and Kol could tell that she was just as put off by whatever that object was as much as he was.

“I sense it, too. Could be the reason Abzan is here.”

In the moment, the young soldier behind Kol was forgotten, until he spoke up.

“You sense something? Like, Sith sense? Like reading minds?” The young man looked from Kol to Keres and back again. “Are you really a Mandalorian?” Kol raised a single eyebrow at his Sith companion, waiting for her word on whether or not to come clean to the young man in their tow.

[Harukei]

She stopped and cursed under her breath before shifting her gaze at the Jedi. Her eyes shining with frustration and relative anger. The soldier that accompanied them had been aloof, ignorant of Kol and the fact that he was Jedi, a Jedi Master at that. And now the fact that he had been told unwittingly about the latent ability to sense the presence of a Dark Sider, a traitor of the Order. She gave an exasperated sigh as she turned to fully face the Mandalorian Jedi. The oxymoron was not lost on her, but still it was true. It was only once she heard the soldier clearing his throat that she looked at him. The man held his rifle tightly against his chest, ready to take aim at either of them, or both. For being an enemy and for being a traitor. 

"Well?" The man asked, taking an impertinent tone. "What is he?"

She simply shook her head and her hand quietly moved to her lightsaber. 

"Damn it Kol, you just needed to be quiet."

Keres finally said before her lightsaber came to life with a snap-hiss and the scent of ozone filling her nostrils. The sanguine blade shone in the dark as the man reacted, trying to cock his blaster rifle at her, his finger caressing the trigger. The blaster did not fired, as her frozen energy blade slashed through his chest, searing flesh and bone as if it were nothing. The man fell to the ground with a rattling sigh as life ebbed away from him and his breath came to an end. She stood over her her victim, the second man she had her hand into killing today. The lightsaber died away with the same snap hiss before she looked at the man. 

"He got separated. The rogue Sith we seek kill him. Is that understood?"

The Sith Lady said as she hung the lightsaber from her waist and began to continue with trail of that the rogue Sith had left. Wondering if there was more to the remnant energy that lingered than what she thought. 

[Ghostie]

Everything seemed to happen all at once, and there was nothing that Kol could do to stop it. The young soldier questioned what Jedi truly was, and Keres berated the Jedi for it. She moved for her lightsaber, and in and instant, the red blade flicked out and slashed the soldier across the chest, and the man fell into an unmoving heap on the ground. All Kol could do, for his part, was take in a sharp yet subtle gasp of air as the Sith’s weapon met its mark. He saw the soldier’s death coming, and yet the fact that it was coming at all stunned the Jedi just enough that he couldn’t intervene and save the young man. There were, after all, far more efficient ways to secure the man’s silence.

And then Keres had the gall to berate Kol for the needless death. That set the Jedi’s face in an unfamiliar frown and his hands balled, clenching at nothing. He had only spoken up because he had been concerned for her welfare. Her speech had wavered as they had sensed the other, more ominous presence in the Force. Kol had only wanted to express that she wasn’t the only one who had sensed it and that he was there, right alongside her, sensing and feeling everything that she did through dark, empty warehouse. That she had an ally in this fight, even if she thought herself to be alone.

But that was the issue, Kol realised. The Sith didn’t have allies. They had underlings, rivals, and those with power above them. And after their wayward adventure on Saleucami, Kol had come under the impression that Keres wasn’t like all Sith. That he could trust her, rely on her, and offer his help to her in return. But no matter how beautiful the woman in front of him was, this single act threw the Jedi back into the shock realisation that the Sith, any Sith, were not to be counted on to be anything but Sith. In a way, the soldier’s death was his fault. He should have expected it, once his silence broke. But their shared past experiences and even some small, slowly growing feelings for Keres had blinded him to that fact.

It was not a mistake to be repeated.

Without a word, or even a nod of the head at Keres’s direction on the story behind the death of the young man, Kol lead the way off into the dark warehouse, keeping his distance from the woman has he found his head once again. Though he remained as silent as a grave, his fists slowly loosened, and the outrage quickly subsided. His face grew from frowning to solemn, and his guard was raised. He should have expected that sort of response from Keres. That was who she was, and she was never going to change. She had made that much clear on Saleucami. The death of the innocent soldier had been Kol’s fault, as he hadn’t thought that far ahead. Those were two facts he could agree on. And as he came to term with those facts, one part of Kol wished to be back on the frontlines, facing off against the Sith instead of working with them, and the other part found himself not able to blame Keres for what happened. It was, after all, the nature of Sith he supposed.

“You didn’t have to kill the man.” Kol started quietly and for the first time in several minutes of walking through the warehouse, pausing as he came around one side of a piece of abandoned machinery, and Keres around the other. “There are better ways of ensuring someone’s silence. Even if you have to use the Force on their minds.” Kol caught himself with that statement, remembering the Zygerrian that Keres had interrogated on Saleucami. “To a small degree, I mean.” Letting the subject drop, for the moment, Kol started in on something else with a little sigh.

“How come we haven’t see anyone, yet? They’re obviously around, we’re prime for an ambush at any moment, now...”

[Harukei]

"I didn't?" 

Keres asked as she turned to face Kol. A mask of stoicism set about her features as she pondered in his words, finding them tainted with naivety, discontent and disapproval displayed on the sentences, on his posture and even the features of his handsome face. The Sith Lady felt a tinge of disappointment, not that the death of the man was meant as something that would make the Jedi Master before her content. But she had hoped for him to ignore the fact and carry on without a word and continue with the mission they had become entangled with. 

"You speak of him as if he was unsullied by murder. Sith Troopers are hardly innocent. If anything I done you and your Republic Soldiers a favor. One enemy less to battle, a blaster bolt that can go to slay another one."

She said as she stepped over the corpse of the man, her right hand intuitively moving to her hip, the fingers slowly snaring themselves around the curved hilt of her lightsaber. Each of her steps made it feel like there was some growing pressure over her shoulders. As if space itself slowly began to push against her thorax. It was a different sort of darkness that made her pause and ultimately made her go back to the previous topic, the man she had killed before him. 

Ever since she had tread this path, she had killed. She had slain and done so without reluctance and hesitation. Death had come easy as she slid the blade through the flesh of many. But even so, she could count the deaths she had dealt and enjoyed with the fingers of her hand and have more than a pair of fingers to spare. She had killed for reasons as mundane as someone being on her way and to punish the sheer incompetence, but never in reveling the last moments of anguish of another living being. In the same way a predator killed, she did the same. Considering it simply a representation of the design of the Force and nature as a whole. 

"If it makes you feel better, Kol. I don't enjoy killing."

---

It had been more than thirty minutes after that Sith woman and the tall so-called Mandalorian had made them split. Yet there had been nothing to note. Nothing but decayed remains of Firaxan sharks, old crates filled with mole and equipment that had become rusted and ancient. 

"Anything Dero?" Sergeant Kell asked. 

"Nothing in the scanner. Seems like a wild-bantha chase here." Private Dero answered after a yawn. "Think they've send us away to be alone?"

Laughter emerged from the com, Sergeant Kell just shaking his head as a short cough-like chuckle left his scarred lips as he looked around. The flashlight attached to his blaster rifle lighted more crates and debris after the laughter died. His eyes focused on looking for something, a lead but as time passed, he felt that it was very likely that they were wasting time here. 

"Remember, Pask's with them." One spoke, but Kell could not make who it was, static distorting his voice. "Surely the Sith Lady would ne-"

The words died as a gurgling and crackling sound came through the COM. A wet snap was heard while the faint sound of blaster fire was heard and the distant screams of men came. Kell turned away from his search and ran towards the epicenter of the action like a rabid dog let loose over a juicy bone. It took him less than five minutes to find the first body. Neck crushed and twisted until it had turned a deep purple, eyes blank and legs still twitching. A noise startled him. 

Kell rose his blaster rifle, dispelling the darkness with the light source from his blaster rifle. Stopping only at the sight of a shrouded figure. The features hidden behind a mask, he aimed his weapon and as he did a hand emerged from within the cloak and rose a hand. He felt his neck pressed and slowly air was sucked from his lungs. He felt his feet leave the floor as they flailed in a futile attempt to make contact with something. He dropped his blaster his hands went to his neck, trying to do something before he heard the snap again and he flew, his limp body crashing against a pillar, his corpse left like bait for the Sith and the Jedi to come for their 'prize'.