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Jul 6, 2010 14:54:55 GMT -5
Post by ♫ Drace ♫ on Jul 6, 2010 14:54:55 GMT -5
Vjun; a locality set within the realm of the Sith Empire. A domain which hosted wealth to the populace who meekly served under the watchful eyes of the empire. Their riches however can with consequences, and this price was shared with all who gave their adherence to the Sith; and that was total and complete Leninism. This form of administration wasn’t what the newly initiated Drace Jager was familiarized with. He simply went with what his instincts conveyed. However doing so ignorantly meant the death of those who strayed.
So thus he sat in meditation aboard a simple consignment ship. Uninhabited by any other life form save for the pilot and another Sith. This “cohort” Drace knew nothing of. Simply that the two were scheduled to venture to Vjun in search of a cherished family who’ve been convicted of high-treason against the Empire. From what Drace had gathered, it seemed as if this family was surreptitiously conveying information to the Republic. Nonetheless, the Brown-haired Sith couldn’t help but ponder on the motives given for their assassination. They were insubstantial at best, and only held concrete justification I the eyes of their designer, being the Sith Order.
As the aerial spacecraft soon entered the Nuiri Sector, and finally into the air of Vjun, Drace was braced for turbulence as the shift in environment took immediate effect. Through the windows, the once dominant Void of black was quickly surmount by a daunting sentiment of desert brown as they infiltrated the planet. Moving through the massive rock formations, the ship continued on to the colonial city borough, in there, the two Sith would find their prey.
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Rugs
The ring-dang-doo, now what is that?
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Jul 6, 2010 17:03:48 GMT -5
Post by Rugs on Jul 6, 2010 17:03:48 GMT -5
Vjun.
Nieraan watched the dark, lifeless landscape below the ship as they entered the world's atmosphere. He, along with some other Sith Initiate he didn't know, had been sent to the world to deal with a family of Sith loyalists-turned traitors. The Talzens. Supposedly, Renn Talzen, the family's patriarch, had experienced a sudden and unexpected change of heart, and while still maintaining a front of loyalty to the Sith, had taken it upon himself to send off information to people that did not need to know it; namely, the Republic.
Time was the only thing that protected him and his family in their treachery, and it had finally run out. The Sith had discovered their deeds, and Nieraan and his partner had quickly been dispatched to deal with them.
It was an assignment that Nieraan was eager to be out on. He'd spent much of his life working for a street gang on Metellos, and he was well acquainted with carrying out assassinations. He cared little for the reasons behind them, as long as he was given room to work as he wished.
The young Firrerreo looked to the other Sith as he felt the ship starting to shift into its landing. The man was younger than he was, probably near the same age that Nieraan looked to be. His form was an imposing, one that towered over Nieraan, though Nieraan was hardly concerned with such things. He didn't know anything about the man or his experiences, really. All he knew was a name: Drace Jager; another new Initiate.
"We've reached our destination," the pilot called back to them as the ship eased to a halt. "You two go out and do your work. Call me when you're ready for extraction."
Nieraan's yellow eyes hung on the pilot for a moment before he offered a nod. He reached up to pull the hood of his jacket up over his blue-streaked-black hair. A quick check told him he had both of his lightsabers, and with that he turned on his heel to go out onto the surface.
Their landing pad was covered by a stone awning, to protect from the deadly acid rain that fell from the cloudy skies up above. Thunder boomed in the distance, rolling toward them like the heavy steps of some angry god. Nieraan ignored it, and walked toward the edge of the circle of safety the cover provided to look out into the small city that spread out below their landing pad.
"There's our target," he muttered to Drace, pointing to a massive spire of a building that was squatting off on the other side of the city. According to their briefing, Renn and his family lived there. All of them would die today.
"Now look," Nieraan said, turning his yellow eyes up to meet Drace's vivid green, "I don't know how strong you are, or what sort of experience you have, but let me make one thing clear to you: If you screw this mission up for me, I will kill you. Got it?" A not-so-subtle gesture toward the two sabers that hung at his waist made it apparent that he wasn't kidding. "We're both new, anyway. Unproven and untested. We might as well making this go off as smoothly as possible, so let's get to it."
And with that, Nieraan turned to head down the flight of stairs that would lead them into and set them on their path to their quarry.
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Jul 6, 2010 17:47:37 GMT -5
Post by ♫ Drace ♫ on Jul 6, 2010 17:47:37 GMT -5
As the cargo ship landed, and the Pilot announced the observable, Drace only sighed, relieving the sentiment of tedium that reigned dominant throughout the course of the taxing trip to Vjun. The expected, but perturbed landing sequence would soon manifest as the slight quiver erupted, and subsequent that, a loud cornucopia of condensed air spieled outwards, indicating the exertion of the landing pads.
They made it safely onto the inert planet of, Vjun.
As the Pilot finished his rehearsed message over the intercom, the dark-haired Sith opened his once potted eyes, allowing the vibrant green of his irises capture the interior sight of the hanger once more before departure. Composed of steel with some fragments of tattered cloth to add a sense of individualism to his ship, Drace assumed the pilot had a somewhat dull sense of chic. Nonetheless, he himself couldn’t talk for usual conversation with the green-eyed Sith was rather prolonging with no hints of enthusiasm.
Before rising from his seated position, a rather maddening, and pestering sound rattled through Drace’s ears as he looked up with a stare of indifference. Through his own eyes, Drace imprisoned the derivation of the protruding noise, at which point belonged to the opposite facing Sith, Nieraan. They were both fairly new to the syndicate, which could be a plausible reasoning behind their coupling. The possibility of losing two unproven, novice Sith was worth risking over the more weathered, and respected ranking Sith.
He held an adamant tone, which expressed candor and belligerence s as he threatened Drace with capital punishment if he was the source of failure in the conclusion of the day. However something that was spoken on rather the taken action upon rarely fazed the Sith Initiate, and soon enough, he stood up, facing the smaller Sith as his eyes peered down to make contact.
“Your pity threats don’t concern me. So I’d advise you to quiet yourself and focus more on the mission then your hearsay of my failure.”
With that, he brought his hands up, lifting the dark-grey hood that was connected to his resultant rode over his head. The rim of the hood draped over his eyes, and with such covering most of his facial structure, he exited from the door, into the realm of Vjun. The air was dense and divergent to that where the Sith Temple resided. Nonetheless, It was sufferable, and as he stood out in the open, he turned back towards Nieraan, and with that he’d wait on his companion.
“You may lead..”
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Rugs
The ring-dang-doo, now what is that?
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Jul 6, 2010 19:57:04 GMT -5
Post by Rugs on Jul 6, 2010 19:57:04 GMT -5
Nieraan eased to a halt at the sound of Drace's voice. At least this one had a backbone. Nieraan could stand working alongside those whose spine was to weak to stand up to others. However, he sure as hell wasn't going to take insolence from this boy, who, unless he was a member some long-lived species like Nieraan, couldn't even be twenty yet. Ironic, considering the way Nieraan had behaved when he first arrived at the Sith Temple back on Korriban. Silas had put him in his place, though. For the most part.
"I'm glad that you're so sure of yourself, Drace," he said easily as he resumed his walking, down the winding stairs that would lead them down to the covered streets of the city. "Don't think you'll be able to save yourself if you fail though. I can assure you that you do not." One of the corners of his mouth turned up in a cocky smirk as he walked. If things came to it, then Drace would see the truth in Nieraan's words. But for now, they were allies, and Nieraan left it at that.
They exited the stairwell a short while later. The streets of the city--which to Nieraan, after spending the bulk of his life on Metellos, seemed to be little more than a large town--stretched out before them. The sky was hidden behind the arched metal that covered each of the streets, protecting the people below from the rain's wrath.
There weren't many people about, now that night was falling, leaving the two Sith more or less alone--solitary shadows that stalked the streets, moving inexorably forward to claim the life they'd come to take. Nieraan didn't really care. As long as no one got in his way, he was fine. And if someone did get in his way... well, they'd get a shove out into the rain, of course. Or they might have, if it weren't for the need to cause as little disturbance as possible until they reached the Talzen compound. Nieraan's grin grew at the thought of reaching that man. According to the intel they'd been given, he had daughters and a wife, all of whom were slated to die tonight. Ah, he'd break Renn's legs and make him watch as he drained the life from his daughters, and then, finally his wife. Then, Renn would get the slowest death Nieraan could drag out for him. It was cruel, perhaps, but Nieraan intended to make Renn know before he died that traitors to the Sith would not be given a noble death. Theirs would be the death of a traitor, as miserable and agonizing as the lives they led.
But, before any of that could happen, the duo would have to get to the Talzens. There'd be a number of guards and other hired help in the way, no doubt. There would be a number of ways to get through them, some of which were more subtle than others.
Nieraan's gaze shifted to the big man that strode alongside him. Might was well see what he has in mind. They were partners, after all. "So Drace," he said, voice low, "tell me something. How do you think we should go about getting to our dear friends? Obviously, we could just beat down the front door and fight our way to them. Or we could try for a more subtle route." Again, Nieraan's yellow eyes turned to his fellow Initiate. "What way are you leaning?"
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Jul 6, 2010 20:42:48 GMT -5
Post by ♫ Drace ♫ on Jul 6, 2010 20:42:48 GMT -5
Standing in the open vicinity that with an epigrammatic walking period led into the confines of the prosperous district; Drace simply scanned the district. His eyes slowly wandering left to right, taking in the sights of what prosperity could meet the expense of. Numerous towering structures, streets confidently tiled to the most comfortable stroll. Dents, ruts, or even fractures were banished from such marvelous craftsmanship. It was obviously the work of fine structural design, coupled with adequate disburse that could supplement such a cost. Paradoxically, Drace had only been in such a place doing the literal obligation he was sent to do now; assassinations.
While he stood however, Drace couldn’t help but catch the buoyancy and arrogance that echoed throughout Nieraan’s enunciation as he spoke. Continuing with denouncing his importance and overall confidence in his capability to end Drace’s life if failure was to come. Sooner or later, he’d deal with the constant infuriation that stood to his side. However at the moment, Drace had an objective, and which he planned to succeed in.
“If you’re so confident, then try your luck now. But if not, Stay in your place, and worry about the assignment.”
Which such a commentary, Drace’s intonation hadn’t change, still as melodious, and composed as the moment they begun talking. It was obvious the emotionless sith who stood next to Nieraan wasn’t foreign to sadism, and held no regard for threats. Nonetheless, Drace was vigilant, for both his Lightsabers were within second’s reach as they were attached to their personalized sheath hoister. He didn’t have time to quarrel with Nieraan, for their current mission was of much more significance. They were tracking, and ultimately assassinating one of the wealthiest families in all of Vjun; which meant advanced security for Talzens.
“Let’s stay to the shadows... the less we’re seen, the higher the rate of success will be..”
With that, he pulled from the back of his waist, a metallic visor, which fitted across his eyes flawlessly as he began to input a sequence of commands on the three-dimensional Keyboard that expanded from the eye sockets, and soon vanished. Moments later, to Nieraan’s ignorance, Drace could see with extrasensory. A digital diagram of the Talzen compound merged in front of his eyes (within the visor), and thus a scan of the building, and all inhabits ran across his face. Moments later, he lifted the protective lense, and look ahead.
“There’s a total of thirty-six individual inside..”
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Rugs
The ring-dang-doo, now what is that?
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Jul 6, 2010 22:01:29 GMT -5
Post by Rugs on Jul 6, 2010 22:01:29 GMT -5
Nieraan snorted roughly at Drace's retort. He looked at the young man, subconciously flexing the fingers of his right hand, near his sabers' unlit hilts. "Stay in my place, eh?" Nieraan suddenly laughed a bit. It was a short, derisive snicker, one made by someone amused by another they consider to be far below them. "Look hot shot, you know as well as I do that we can't kill each other in the middle of this mission. But I'm feeling generous, so I'll tell you this: Once we're done here, if you're so sure of yourself, come find me. I'll give you a beating you won't soon forget. Until then, it'd be smart of you to watch yourself."
There wasn't a doubt in Nieraan's mind that Drace would make some retort, which would of course be followed by another shot of his own, and on and on ad nauseam. As he walked, his mind was churning, working to frame an opinion of the man that walked beside him. In way, he had a sort of respect for Drace. Not the same sort that he held for Silas, who he regarded as a superior, but rather the sort that was begrudging. Obviously, the kid wasn't one to back down. To be frank, in a way, his insolence made Nieraan think of himself. The Firrerreo wasn't sure what to make of that.
Still, he didn't think of Drace as a friend, past the general alliance they had through belonging to the same order. But he wasn't an enemy, not yet. Annoying perhaps, but not an enemy. Some sort of rival, then? Nieraan wasn't willing to label him that way either, not so early. But what was Drace then? What category would he fall in? Apparently, only time would tell.
In the mean time, Drace went about looking into the building--quite literally--with some equipment of his. Nieraan reached out through the Force as he waited for the other man to speak, using his senses to feel the life that awaited within. While he couldn't pinpoint a number, there were a lot of people waiting inside. Hardly unexpected, but it would make things more difficult none the less.
Drace's count only confirmed Nieraan's own conclusions. "Thirty six..." he muttered, taping his chin with one of his forefingers. "Could be manageable if they're spread out, and suicidal if they're all clumped together. Of course, that's assuming all of the ones you counted are there to protect Renn and his family."
The rain would greatly hamper their ability to move outside, and put entering through the sides off limits. That meant that unless they could find some way into a back entrance, they would be forced through the front, making stealth rather difficult.
"Well, here's what I'm thinking," he said, crouching down and looking at the compound that loomed a little ways off in the distance. "Unless you know of some other way in, we're going to be forced in through the front, thanks to the rain; unless you're the sort that enjoys having your skin melted off--if you are, then feel free to go dance in the rain. Anyway, if we're forced down that route, we'll have to deal with whoever might be waiting immediately within as quickly as possible. If we're lucky, we can take them out before they raise some kind of alarm. And if we aren't then we'll probably have bigger things to worry about."
Nieraan paused, and looked up to Drace's face. "That's all for if we don't have another way in though. If you can find some other entrance that doesn't involve traipsing about in the rain for extended periods of time, then one of us can make a distraction while the other sneaks in. What are your thoughts?"
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Jul 6, 2010 23:42:32 GMT -5
Post by ♫ Drace ♫ on Jul 6, 2010 23:42:32 GMT -5
Increasing the visual attentiveness through the input sequences of his Visor, Drace scanned around the room, using the heat signatures of all who dwelled within as a guide around the spire. Providentially for the two, Drace’s technical visor was manufactured solely for all intensive purposes, infiltration. It was designed for seeing without actually using the eyes. Telescopic, Microscopic, X-ray, Thermal, and any other sort of perceptive argument known to men, Drace possessed over his face. Maneuvering throughout the room, Drace noticed the outline, of what seemed to be a door. However more notably, an alternative entrance route.
Switching the Optical variation back to normal, Drace could now see with clarity all that inhabited. On the base level, where the other entrance was, there were several armed guards, draped in all black with what seemed to be armored suiting. From its texture, Drace assumed it was toughened steel. A problem for conventional weaponry, but not Lightsabers. However the question was how to eradicate them all without triggering responses from the others?
If that wasn’t a predicament at the moment, Drace’s next optical prospect would surely trigger difficulty for permeation. Focusing his attention on the secondary doorway, his eyes moved up and down, scanning the consistency and craftsmanship of the door. That of luxury it was, and truly a work of art. However the once striking entrance soon gave Drace an inner sensation of discomfort as he noticed rickety explosive material strapped to the handle. The way it was rigged, and implanted, Oozora assumed once the door was tampered with, the explosives would detonate, and from the sheer quantity, one could estimate the entire spire would surely collapse.
“The back entrance has been sealed off by rigged explosives.”
This was all Drace could say without beating around the bush, and being as direct as he could; ignoring the unawareness that continued to percolate from his mouth. While Drace only wanted to drive the tip of his Lightsaber through his companion’s throat, that could wait, for at the moment, infiltration seemed highly impracticable, and the two really needed to psychologically stress the importance of a beneficial plan. With thirty-six potential enemies, and the current weather stipulation that plagued the lands, it would be near impossible, or at most, stupid to seemingly enter using alternative means.
Entering from the main level would be unattainable without confrontation; however what Drace was content with noticing was that beneath ground level, the basement was completely unoccupied. The reasons unknown, Drace assumed that since there was no obvious entrance, Renn concluded that guarding the basement would prove fruitless, However being innovative, and having a second brain to aid in planning, Drace was confident the two could come up with a plan.
“Nieraan; Do you know how we could enter the basement from outside?”
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Rugs
The ring-dang-doo, now what is that?
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Jul 7, 2010 14:13:39 GMT -5
Post by Rugs on Jul 7, 2010 14:13:39 GMT -5
Explosives. Wonderful things when they were being used for your own purposes, but a terrible nuisance when used against you. Nieraan growled a curse lowly at Drace's report. The Talzen's were going to be a pain about things, then. At least it saved them the trouble of finding some way to the back entrance. It didn't bode well for them breaking in unnoticed, though.
Drace's question presented another option, though, assuming the basement was empty. If it was, the duo could find some way in, and work up from there. But how would they get past the men on the first floor? Well, before they could worry about that, they'd have to get into the basement. That would be enough of a challenge in and of itself.
"I'm not sure. There might be a stairwell around the outside of the building that leads down to it, and we should be fine if it's covered, or if it's at least a short enough distance to dash through without exposing ourselves to the rain for too long." That would be the tricky part, though. "Stay here, I'll be back in a moment."
Nieraan moved forward, slinking through the shadows, toward the edge of the large circular overhang that surrounded the bottom of the spire to keep the rain off. A lone man patrolled, walking in slow circles around the building's exterior, but a rock tossed with the Force was enough to draw his attention away from where Nieraan was going for the moment. He didn't kill the man. It was too early for that, and a dead body might draw unwelcome attention before the two Sith were ready to reveal themselves. Nieraan continued along, pressing himself flat against the stone face of the building as he crept around it, until he finally found what he'd been hoping for.
There was a small flight of stairs that led down to a door that was set into the ground. "Bingo," he muttered. This door was also guarded, but Nieraan quickly handled the man, using the Force to strangle the life out of him before he could make a noise to alert the others.
As he stood before the door, Nieraan pulled a comlink from one of the pouches that hung from his belt and pinged Drace. "There's an entrance to the basement from the outside. Looks like the door's made of metal, but a lightsaber should be able to get through it. Head around the north side of the building from the front entrance, and you'll find it. And do try not to get caught."
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Jul 8, 2010 19:48:15 GMT -5
Post by ♫ Drace ♫ on Jul 8, 2010 19:48:15 GMT -5
As Nieraan sprung forward, demonstrating keen motion control and bodily flexibility, Drace stood behind, awaiting the signal of his theoretical companion. Explosives wouldn’t halt their progression towards the inevitable death of the Talzens, and this was evident through the determination that though wasn’t physical expressed on Drace’s face, was still held tightly against his resolve They came with an objective in mind, and thus any measures that were required for such an objective to be completed would unquestionably be executed in due time.
While Nieraan stalked the cellar entrance, Drace couldn’t help but detain the near silent groans of the guards’ judicious death. If two were so easily disposed of, one could only imagine the true competence these hired services possessed. Would busting in through the front actually prove imprudent, when the guards that the Talzen’s depended on held insufficient skills against two Sith? Obviously, their power must have lied in their irresistible numbers. However when their opponents were two who delegated their being to the force, wouldn’t odds tip in Drace’s and Nieraan’s favor?
The act of falling into philosophy was an art Drace found his mind excelling in. Though he didn’t particularly like voicing his own thoughts, one couldn’t rebuff the fact that he roamed persistently from topic to topic, seeking answers where answers were needed. Looking up and out into the dense monsoon of acerbic rain, Drace sighed beneath the confines of his hood, and a placid “Understood,” escaped his lips as he turned off his comlink and sprinted forward.
Moving along the outer wall of the grand Spire, Drace utilized the shield that protected the building as he maneuvered around, easily evading the protection of the patrolling guards, as he soon found himself next to Nieraan. Waiting in patience, Drace’s lack of withdrawing his Lightsaber gave an unvoiced signal to Nieraan that he should be the one to cut into the steel door.
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Rugs
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Jul 8, 2010 22:15:19 GMT -5
Post by Rugs on Jul 8, 2010 22:15:19 GMT -5
Nieraan leaned easily against the wall next to the basement door while he waited for his partner to arrive. For the most part, he kept his gaze locked on the top of the stairs, for if any threat would come, it would surely come in the form of some other patrolling guard, clueless as to what was going on. Nieraan planned to make sure they didn't raise an alarm if that happened. And if someone happened to open the door next to him, he'd be spotted anyway. That and they would be within easy reach of one of his lightsabers.
No one came, though, and so he merely stood there, listening to the sound of the deadly rain as it drummed gently on the overhangs above. Before too long, he could feel Drace's presence nearby and pushed up off of the wall to stand up straight. The tall young man appeared a few moments later, met with a simple nod from Nieraan.
"Well, we've made it to the entrance," he muttered as he drew one of his lightsabers. It was his main saber, and the blade that came to life from was a dark, rich gold. "Now comes the fun part." And the hard part, he reflected as he plunged the weapon into the door. Getting up through all the men that stood in their way would be difficult. Not impossible, certainly, but difficult. A fight would be almost unavoidable. Not that Nieraan had a problem with that; it had been far too long since he'd had a chance to stretch his muscles in battle, as it were.
The door fell away and Nieraan caught it with the Force before it could crash loudly to the ground. It floated back, carried by the Force to where Nieraan set it down to lean on one of the walls. The blade of his saber faded away as he stepped inside, motioning for Drace to follow.
He pulled his hood down once they were well within the shadows of the basement, letting his blue-streaked black hair fall down to his shoulders. From what he could tell, there were two ways up to the ground floor, each on either side of the building. That was fortunate, at least. It would allow them to split up, and split the focus of the men above.
"Alright, here's what I'm thinking," he said softly. One of us can go up to the ground floor and distract whatever men are up there in the lobby. While they're busy, the other can come up behind and hit the men from behind. Should be able to take a few out in the confusion, and then we can deal with the rest of them from there."
Nieraan paused, rubbing the side of his neck in thought. "That or we can try to find a way past them, though we'll probably have to deal with them at some point." He turned to Drace and lifted an eyebrow, making it obvious that he wanted to know what the other Sith thought.
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Jul 9, 2010 2:38:04 GMT -5
Post by ♫ Drace ♫ on Jul 9, 2010 2:38:04 GMT -5
As He arrived next to Nieraan, Drace was most certainly ready to continue with the mission, and from this point, only one goal needed to be achieved to continue. As the enriched hue of the dark golden beam ensued, Drace gawked at the now penetrated steel, noting the cutting motion the Lightsaber took into its metal Skelton. Dragging the plasmid blade across, the Sith waited in vigilance as the newly constructed door dropped. However not meeting a loud and alarming fate with the cold ground, but rather with the embrace of the force.
So he was smarter then what Drace has previously given him credit for. Good, a reasonable level of intelligence and resourcefulness would truly be the apparatus that would help the Sith pair to excel opulently in this mission; more-so then raw skill and strength. The body was only as strong as the mind, and both segments of the human being had to work in coherence for optimal capability to be reached. A more ideological avowal to live by hinting spiritual consciousness. However when one lived the life that Drace grew accustomed to, believing in something that at first glance felt more ingenuous wasn’t a pessimistic, or exhausted reflection.
As the steel sheet was passed aside through the force, Drace consciously followed behind Nieraan into the spire, entering the underground room. It was cold, and a grand coverlet of shadows secured an unwholesome dominance over the cellar. Using the night-vision sequence on his Visor, Drace’s eyes adjusted to the new found light, and from his prospective, it was obvious to assume no one had been down here in a while. Spider-webs consumed each corner of the walls, and dust was the desert sand that dragged over the flooring. If Drace’s sense of humor was all but frail, a nice joke would have been ample at the moment.
Before Nieraan had even mentioned orally the bifurcation, Drace had already captured sight. Interesting to say the least, and once again the material goods that the Talzen’s possessed was displayed, having two separate entrances that lead to the same place. Nieraan had opened his mouth, and began to brief his plan to Drace; which at the moment seemed rather resourceful. Pulling from his sheath one of two dual Lightsaber handles, Drace dragged down his hood with his free hand and held an unemotional facial expression.
“ I’ll divert..”
Not giving Nieraan time to repudiate or decline his compulsory offer, Drace moved forward, calming pacing towards the left-most entrance as he progressed silently up the steps. Providentially the door was opened, which was palpable through the seeping light that leaked from upstairs into the region of the staircase. Seven, which was the number of individuals on the main floor the moment Drace first analyzed the building. If they had grown of decreased since then was a mystery. However with a familiar number, it allowed the Sith to at least have some sort of foundation to follow up on once he planned to respond.
Lightsaber in one hand, and his free one inaudibly dragging against the fine paint that swept across the walls, Drace sound found himself looking into the living room, which to his flabbergasted was were the bulk of the guards resided. The once accepting number seven turned to nine, with four more individuals spread across the room. With thirteen opponents not in close quarters, the odds of killing them off quickly were severely hindered. However, with Nieraan, Drace was confident a clean sweep was possible. Hopefully, his partner was near behind, for Drace was ready to act. Darting across the floor, Drace’s movements were near unvoiced as he quickly closed the gap between himself and the nine cluttered individuals. A quick and short-lived grunt erupted as one of the nine guards dropped to the floor, his neck bent and soon enough, the igniting of a lightsaber occurred.
The essence of dark purple gaudily danced through the air as the body count raised, not enough time in-between each guard’s death for an adequate blubber to signal. However the more padded thumps against the ground triggered alarm from the four separated guards, who quickly caught onto the mutilation of their companions. Expectantly, Nieraan would soon step in as Drace found his hands tied between each sweep and defense against the guards who systematically fell to their death.
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Rugs
The ring-dang-doo, now what is that?
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Jul 9, 2010 18:37:48 GMT -5
Post by Rugs on Jul 9, 2010 18:37:48 GMT -5
Nieraan only nodded when Drace said he'd divert. His yellow eyes trailed the younger Sith as he loped out of the basement and to the stairs that would lead up to the ground floor, where the test of their abilities would begin. Nieraan sincerely hoped for Drace's sake that he didn't screw anything up. It would be such a shame to have to kill him so soon. Let's see if the kid came back his words up with actual skill, he thought, idly flipping the hilt of his gold saber in his hand.
Nieraan counted a short span of time out to himself and then turned, moving toward the other stairwell. A spike of surprise from above rang loud and clear to his senses. Drace had made his move. Now it was time for Nieraan to make his own.
Nieraan stuck to the shadows once he emerged on the ground floor, moving with the kind of familiarity that so many situations had woven into every fiber of his being. Oh, back when he'd still been a boy it had been hard to learn how to move quickly and quietly, to ensure that each of his footfalls was silent in order to give his enemies no warning of his approach. Keeping the sound of his breathing to below even the hint of a whisper, learning to move smoothly while keeping his form pressed in the shadows, all of those had been difficult. Especially with his mother--a fallen Jedi--as a teacher. But, as with almost everything in Nieraan's training, each of his failures brought a beating, and each beating brought the will, the absolute desire to grow better and stronger, until Nieraan reached the point where he could slip in and out of a building unnoticed, little more than a whisper on the wind.
And now he padded silently along one of the poorly-lit halls toward the main area of the first floor, where his enemies awaited. He could already here the faint echo of some commotion, and chalked it up to Drace doing his work. The other Sith would make a lovely distraction.
Most of the men stationed on Nieraan's side of the building were gone, off to look into whatever it was that was dropping their comrades. Only one remained. And, as Nieraan noted with a sinister grin, he was trying to see what all the hooplah was, leaving his back turned out to the hallway. Amateur.
The poor man never even saw Nieraan coming.
But he did get the sudden feeling of the Force as Nieraan crammed a gag of air into the man's mouth, killing his screams in his throat before they could be born. The horrified guard dropped his weapon in shock, and before he could turn around, Nieraan leapt at him, driving a knee into the man's back and forcing him down to the ground. Nieraan remained on top of him, picking him up by the short blonde hair that topped his head. And then he dragged him back, out of the doorway and out of sight
Oh, the man writhed in vain, trying to free himself, but he didn't get anywhere. Instead, he with Nieraan picking him up again, and throwing an arm around his neck in a sleeper hold. Still, he struggled, grasping desperately at Nieraan's arm, but Nieraan was strong, stronger than this young man, and the muscles in his arm had gone hard as he kept his hold on the man's throat.
"You know," he whispered, "you really should watch the area you were assigned to watch. Instead, you wanted to look in on matters that didn't concern you. And look where thought got you. We call that a 'mistake' where I'm from. Do you know what happens to men who make mistakes in my line of work?" The man tried to say something, though with the Force blocking his mouth and the fact that he was near to passing out, it didn't come anywhere near to making sense.
Nieraan chuckled cruelly. "They die." Suddenly the man was free, spun around by Nieraan's hands. Their eyes locked for a moment, Nieraan's cruel yellow meeting the man's horrified green. Then the guard's eyes swept down, drawn by the feeling of something pressing against his stomach. It was Nieraan's lightsaber hilt. He thumbed the weapon to life, and tore through the man's flesh, sending him to the ground in a heap.
Nieraan moved deeper into the building, ignoring the dead man at his feet. His lips were still twisted up in a twisted smile when he came upon Drace, who was still fighting through the guards that yet lived. Nieraan broke into a run, using the Force to fuel the muscles of his legs and push him forward in an explosive leap that set him down right in the middle of a cluster of the men. They paused, surprised to see another Sith emerge seemingly out of nowhere. They never had a chance.
Nieraan's saber was a gold blur in his hand, taking one man in the throat and severing his head from his shoulders. Another, fueled by bravery, stupidity or some mix of the two, tried to tackle him, but Nieraan jumped up, using his free hand to push off of the guard's back as he passed underneath him. That sent Nieraan vaulting through the air sideway, and he lashed out with a kick that crashed into one of the other men's face, sending him to the ground. Nieraan landed in a low crouch and grabbed the guard that tried to tackle him violently with the Force, pulling him back to land on his extended blade. Three down out of the cluster, with one left.
Nieraan looked at the man, and almost laughed at the terror that painted his portly face. Lightnign crackled around the fingers of Nieraan'f free hand. The man's eyes went wide. He tried to flee, but he never stood a chance. The pent up energy exploded forward, taking the man full-on in the chest and sending him down in a writhing mess on the ground. Four down.
"And I didn't even have to use my second saber," Nieraan crooned to himself in satisfaction. Maybe it wouldn't be so hard after all. Maybe. And with that, Nieraan jumped again, toward Drace this time, to help finish up whatever few men remained.
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Youngling
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Jul 10, 2010 3:14:16 GMT -5
Post by ♫ Drace ♫ on Jul 10, 2010 3:14:16 GMT -5
Fluidity was the motion that carried Drace’s fluid strikes through the air as he analytically flustered through the band of armed guards. Precision was the contrivance that separated his instantaneous fatalities from undemanding, unorganized injuries that would have otherwise allowed air to pass through his victims’ lungs. Indifference, the sustaining role that enabled the young male to carry out his actions, while neglecting the lingering emotions that would normally halt a man in his tracks.
No, this wasn’t nonsensical killing for those could ignorantly mistook an occupation with a leisure pursuit deserved the same fate. Drace didn’t drag himself from meditation to simply slaughter a squad of trained soldiers. His priority was given to him as a endowment from the Empire; an ensured rite of passage that if completed with affirmative criticism meant a start in his legacy. A rise in power and a new chapter in his life’s book written. As of now, Drace and Nieraan were the Grim Reaper, and the Talzen were long overdue for compilation. Sadly, those who without proper exploration into their situation would have to suffer fatally for traitor’s ignorance.
The last three that felt they were creditable enough of rebelling against Drace’s opposition were nothing shy of an easy kill. As the first guard stalked Drace, and entered into a demented charge, his chin however met the surface of the Sith’s knee as Drace leaped into the air, and with an lithe twist, he shifted his weight, rolling over the soldier’s back as he kneeled down in natural rejoinder to having an opposing force shatter his jaw. As he attempted to convalesce and bask in his realization of living; the dialoged in his hazel eyes ceased as the tip of Drace’s lightsaber impaled his back, severing the life from his body.
Kneeled down, Drace promptly recovered his balance and darted forward, terminating the vivid beam that extended from the metal handle that rested in his as he, through the use of the force re-attached his Lightsaber handle back to its hoister. With both free hands, a flurry of punches and kicks exploding from Drace’s being as he assaulted the two remaining patrol with a swift outburst of close-range combat. It was unanticipated, and with the lack of knowledge regarding your opponent, the higher chance of your opponent staggering you. Drace’s assumed perception of himself was that he relies heavily on his Lightsaber. However what’s unheard of is that Drace is also a proficient hand-to-hand combatant.
Before the two could have the luxury of dying on the strained red floor below, their necks were forwarded the exploitation of Drace’s strong grasp. Tugging up into a double bicep headlock, he shifted his weight once more, twirling his body more or less while applying ample pressure to the necks into a loud crack erupted, and following such an indication of the death, two comatose bodies smashed against the floor; heads leaking crimson red as Drace nonchalantly stepped over their bodies.
To Nieraan’s dismay, his attempts at aiding the long Sith were quite inadequate, as he was approached by Drace; who finished off his end of soldiers. And there they stood, in a room stained with the disgusting odor of death and seclusion. Luckily, no alarms were sounded to designate their breach, which gave the two an opportune advantage and the element of surprise. Drace had played inducement for the first division of the mission, and now it was Nieraan’s turn to take a stand, for Drace awaited his companion’s action regarding the next level in the Spire; where hopefully a more formidable challenge awaited.
“What next..?” He inquired as he stood in patience, waiting for a response from Nieraan who seemed to have cleaned up nicely with his portion of the guards. So not only was his tactically sound, but also held the corporal talent to support his boastful attitude. Nonetheless, a mediocre intuition was still given to the one who held nothing above anything. A sheer sign of his indifference should have given Nieraan the impression that pleasing his taste in skill would be difficult.
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Rugs
The ring-dang-doo, now what is that?
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Jul 10, 2010 14:29:58 GMT -5
Post by Rugs on Jul 10, 2010 14:29:58 GMT -5
"Good work," Nieraan said slyly to Drace, letting the dark gold of his saber fade away once more. "Glad to see you're at least somewhat competent." He smirked, letting a bit of cockiness show through. "I might just keep you around after all."
He stretched a bit, letting his muscles limber up a bit more, now that blood was rushing to them. Now that the first blood had been spilled, Nieraan was eager for more, eager to stretch his legs out in a way he hadn't been able to in a long while. The trip up the spire would be a good one. He was sure of that much.
The Firrerreo looked at the scene around them. Men lay scattered all about them, like toys tossed about by some giant who was done with his play. He noted the room itself for the first time as well. The carpet below their feet was a deep, dark red, and various pieces of fine porcelain crafts were scattered about on pedestals or on shelves that sat on the wall. Naturally, being as wealthy as they were, the Talzens would have made sure the entrance to their not-so-humble abode would be made to impress. Nieraan supposed it was impressive, though he never cared much for such things. Impressive or not, it wouldn't save them from what was coming.
"Obviously, we go up," he answered Drace. Nieraan paced around the room, stepping over the bodies that littered the floor as he came to them. "The Talzens may be rich, but their guards are amateurs." It was muttered, but Nieraan wasn't necessarily trying to keep it to himself, and so Drace would probably be able to hear it. "The gangs I worked with on Metellos would be ashamed to have men like these working for them."
He snickered as he returned his gaze to Drace. "Typical nobles, thinking that shelling out a sea of cash will make the men they hired more competent." He shook his head, and walked over to one of the turbolifts that would take them higher up into the tower. "Idiots.
"Anyway, from what we've been told, the Talzens will be on the top floor. It's safe to assume they'll have some men waiting for us as well." There was a ding when the lift arrived. The doors slipped open, and Nieraan stepped inside. "Of course, now that my blood's flowing, I'm in the mood for a good fight, so I'll be taking the express route." He stood there, holding the door open and lifted an eyebrow at Drace. Obviously, he wanted to know if the other Sith was coming. If so, swell, and if not, he could find his own way up.
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Youngling
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Jul 13, 2010 2:49:57 GMT -5
Post by ♫ Drace ♫ on Jul 13, 2010 2:49:57 GMT -5
The once dominating lilac hue that lit the stained living room vanished into nothingness as Drace deactivated his Lightsaber and took in the sight of the upheaval the two had caused. Bodies lay scattered across the floor; rivers of blood soaked into the lavish carpet and stained the granite textile of the floorboards. The unpleasant smell of death lifted into the air and the presence of silence entered the Talzen domain. Two sith had completely infiltrated and overran one of the oppositions, which spoke to the credibility and prosperity of the Talzen family. How could two, though talented warriors dismantle a hired circle of supposedly trained defenders, and enter easily?
Stepping over the bodies, Drace completely ignored the ill-considered compliment Nieraan had delivered in alleged response to his skill displayed in combat, There wasn’t time for polite conversation and the mission was far from over. The matter of assassinating the family was still in process. Only after that had been accomplished could the elder Sith expect Drace to be humbled by such inconsequential comments.
As Nieraan moved towards the Turbo-lift, Drace entered behind as if he was tagging along for the ride. Nonetheless, one could only assume someone as knowledgeable and resourceful as the young Sith had something else in plan. “I’ll go ahead,” and with that, Drace lifted the emergency flap that resided on the top of the winch and athletically pulled himself up into the shaft. Reaching out into he ubiquitous will of the force, he leaped up, and by leaped, Drace soared into the sky, executing a potent Force Jump as he propelled himself into the air. Using that momentum, he moved up, stepping off each side of the walls that concealed the Turbo-lift.
Looking up, Drace noticed a opening along the shaft; most likely the next stage up the Spire. With one final leap off the wall, he pushed himself into the opening, entering into an evasive roll as he moved along the floors. His actions were silent, which didn’t give away his position as slid behind counter. Looking out into the open, Drace noticed an abundance of guards, patrolling what seemed to be the second story of the building. By the sheer numbers, the Sith assumed the Talzens weren’t far, and soon enough spoke softly into his Commlink.
“There are ten on this floor, Nieraan..”
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Rugs
The ring-dang-doo, now what is that?
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Jul 13, 2010 21:42:49 GMT -5
Post by Rugs on Jul 13, 2010 21:42:49 GMT -5
Nieraan snorted softly when Drace decided to jump up the shaft himself, rather than taking the lift. "Showoff," he muttered, contemplating moving the lift up to squash his partner. But that would hardly do. Instead, he leaned idly against one of the walls, tapping the fingers of one of his hands against his forearm as he while he waited for Drace to finish doing whatever he was doing up in the shaft.
Scouting ahead was the most likely thing the younger Sith was doing, and it didn't take long for Nieraan's guess to be confirmed. Ten men were waiting for them, said Drace. Ten normal men for two Sith. How disappointing.
"That's it?" he snorted into the comlink. The lift started up with a dull hum and before Nieraan knew it, he was stepping out onto the same floor as Drace.
He followed Drace's presence to his location and crouched down by the other Sith, peering at the so-called protectors that were gathered before them. Ten skilled men might have been a problem, depending on how they handled things. If these ten were anything like the thirteen that were downstairs, they didn't stand a chance. Especially when the Force came into play.
"You'd think they would increase the numbers as we got closer, rather than decrease," he muttered to Drace. "Whoever's over coordinating their security needs to be fired--this is a damn shame." The Force drew his gold saber to his hand once again, though for the moment, its blade remained hidden. Lightning crackled dangerously around Nieraan's free hand for a few seconds.
"You got to start the fun last time," he said, standing to his feet. "This time it's my turn."
He strode into the room before Drace could offer any differing opinion. Nieraan made no attempt to hide himself as he came near a group of men. There were five of them this time, with one more walking over to join them.
"Evenin' gents" he called casually. All of them turned to look at him.
"Who the hell are you?!" One of them, a Bith of all things, demanded.
"A person with a great deal of interest in your employers," Nieraan answered darkly.
The men all looked at each other in a moment of confusion. It was a moment that cost them dearly. The Force surged into Nieraan and out of his hand, sending a powerful blast air forward. It slammed into the group, picking them up and slamming them back into the wall like they were toys.
Nieraan's saber was suddenly aglow as his leapt throw the air, carried by the power of the Force. Two men were cut apart before they could recover from the blast. Another was in the process of pushing himself up to his feet when Nieraan was on him. The Sith's fist slammed into the man's stomach before he grabbed him by the throat with an iron grip.
Using the Force to strengthen himself, Nieraan spun around, just in time to pull his hostage guard in front of him as a blaster from one of the other men homed in on him. Nieraan laughed savagely at the scream that came from his hostage, and then threw him, using the Force to fling him into the guard that tried to shoot him. They both fell to the ground a heap.
Another came in toward Nieraan with a hard left hook. Nieraan ducked the blow and slammed his saber into the guard's stomach, sending him down like a rock. Lightning burst from his fingertips to slam into the two still-tangled up men on the ground.
That left him with just one man. The Bith. Nieraan's smile could only be called evil as too grabbed the Bith with the Force, cutting off his source of air. "Hello there, friend. Tell me, have you ever had the life drained from you?" A dark red energy pulsed and swelled around Nieraan's hand as he closed in on the helpless Bith. "No? Well there's a first time for everything."
The Bith's scream echoed across the floor when Nieraan put his hand on him, using the Force to drain the life from him and replenish his own stores of energy. Nieraan hoped Drace was having as easy a time with the others, as last remnants of the Bith's life faded away.
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