The girl only knew pain. Tears were streaming down her face.

Her name? Hadn't she already... no, Velia had said it was wrong. What did she say? "346?" she asked, hoping it was the right one. She looked up. "Can I take my skin off now? It hurts..."

"No, you may not," said Velia, attempting not to sound slightly surprised. "Your named is 346."

From a pouch on her belt, the Force Wraith a silver instrument which a clamp, so small is could fit in between a finger nail, and the finger it was attached to, which was exactly what it was designed for. Velia dug it under the Twi'lek's middle finger nail, and uses the jagged bottom to slice into what lay beneath.

"Say it!" Velia ordered.

The girl screamed, the drugs she had been given increasing her sense of pain. Her eyes rolled back in her head as she felt the metal slice into the flesh beneath her nail. "Say it!" Velia ordered.

"My name is 346," the girl responded, and wondered to herself if it was really that. "Please... please stop..." she cried. Everywhere it felt like her skin was biting itself...

"Good," Velia encouraged. "However, we are not finished, and you will never again ask for me to stop when we are finished here. You are weak. You must be taught to embrace the pain, accept it...."

The Force Wraith snared the Twi'lek by her lekku, and stood her to her feet, dragging her the length of the room to a cage in the corner, passed rows of other cages, half submerged in water that switched from freezing cold to blazing hot in an instant due to nano technology. This cage, however, that 346 would be encased in, would do worse. Much worse.

Velia threw open the door to the cage, tossed the girl in, and bound her hand and... blade to the bars with durasteel binders in such a way that she could not move them. The Force Wraith slammed shut the door and engaged the lock, then treaded over a to a control panel to tweak the settings. The girl would be lowered into the water which turned from hot to cold, but, periodically, it would zap her with a jolt of electricity. In Velia's experience, electroshock broke anyone one, especially this girl, since she was now metal, of course, this jolt would not damage her system, it would merely serve as conduit to inflict twice as much pain on the parts of her that were flesh.

Sensory deprivation would not hurt either.... Velia smiled professionally and said:

"Your name is 346, do not forget it."

The cage lowered into the water, and Velia exited the room, shutting out the lights, ensuring it was pitch black. She would come for them in a day or so, and engage the strobe lights, after their senses had been... deprived. Essentially, all of them would get equal treatment. It was like a factory here, and Velia would ensure quality.

"O'oma?" a voice called, barely heard over the screaming and crying of the others. It was strained and in pain, just as she was.

"346" she murmured, as a powerful jolt of electricity coursed through her body. She screamed. "346! My name is 346!" she yelled at it, as if to make it stop.

"O'oma? What'd they do to you? Are you okay? O'oma, talk to me!" the voice said.

"I'm scared, O'oma. They left us. How will we get away?" another voice asked, then whimpered as the water changed back to hot.

The Twi'lek cried out as another jolt of electricity hit her, coursing through the metal within her body. "Die if you're weak," she muttered, feeling the water turn to ice. "Die if you're weak. Meat... meat for the animals. Die if you're weak," she repeated, as the water turned scalding suddenly.

"Is that what they did to you, O'oma? Did they... did they feed you to animals?" the first voice asked, his voice filled with horror.

"Bait. I'm bait. I'm bait I'm bait I'm... 346. I'm 346," she said, her mind automatically converting the number to Ewokese. Electricity coursed through her and she screamed. "I'M 346!!!"

"I think... I think they changed her..." another youngling said. "I don't think she's O'oma anymore..."

Another one cried. "Are they gonna change us? I don't wanna be a number!" she cried, screaming as the water grew hot.

"Either that, or they're gonna kill us..." the first voice said dismally. "If they could change O'oma, they can change anybody..." he said, shuddering to think of what exactly they had done to her to make her like she was. "They haven't fed us... I don't think they're gonna, either," he said, biting back a scream as the water turned scalding hot again. He sobbed. "If they change us, we'll be evil... they won't let us be one with the Force, like Logargh," he said to the others, tears running down his face.

"I... I want to die," one of the voices said, biting her lip. "It will be better... we won't hurt anyone if we die. We'll be with Logargh again. I want to," she said, her voice becoming frantic as the water changed temperature again. "I don't want to be turned into a monster..."

"They won't let you. That woman won't let you die. We're tied up above the water... you can't drown," the third voice said.

The second voice was silent for a long moment, then spoke. "I know how to do it. When... when it gets hot, I'm gonna bite my tongue off. If... if I'm careful, I think I can use it to choke," she said softly, as though convincing herself.

"Don't do it, Draya! Don't do it! Don't leave us!" the third voice whimpered.

"It's okay. If it works... I'll be one with the Force. I'll always be with you," she said, and fell silent, as the water grew hot.

Despite the screams and cries around her, there was no answer from Draya. They had no way of knowing if she had succeeded or failed.

"My name is 346. My name is 346. My name is 346. My name is 346..." 346 repeated, over and over, focusing only on her hatred, her hatred for Velia, her hatred for Lord Stygian, her hatred for the Tu'kata, for F'lonn, for... for everyone. Her hatred for the younglings who kept crying and ruining her concentration because they were WEAK!! "My name is 346..."

Stygian walked the corridors of the lower levels of the Palace, the Dark Side swirling around him, strengthened by the screams and fear and hatred all around. Here he was comfortable... here he was home. With all the changes that had occured in his life so far, losing one Master and gaining another, even gaining the ability to speak, he could still taste the power of this place, still be awed by the depth of darkness that permeated the Palace.

Once more his thoughts turned to his sister. If only she knew what he felt, if only... if only she hadn't been corrupted by the Jedi, she could see, see what she was missing.

He needed her to see, to know. He needed her...

That random thought stopped him short. He needed? He needed nothing, only to learn, only to gain power, only to serve his Emperor. And yet, he could feel it, a gap, like a limb he had not known was missing, until having had a taste of what it was like to have it there. She was a part of him... it was more than a simple sibling bond... he knew it, and she knew it. There was no way it could be as powerful as it was, if blood was all that connected them.

They were both halves of one whole. And if Stygian could regain the other half, regain it while keeping control over it... his power would be unfathomable.

It was with these thoughts that he approached the door to the room where he sensed Lord Sion, where he waited until he was summoned.

Sion: "You may enter, my young apprentice."

Lord Xarkun sat in his throne room, sipping a glass of wine. His mind at peace, meditating, searching the Force, his palace, everywhere. Suddenly his comm chimed, causing his left eye to twitch and his wine glass to break upon the floor.

With a snap of his fingers, the image of Captain Jim Sober appeared before him, the man bowed awkwardly, then spun around to take a swig of some unknown beverage. Xarkun rolled his eyes.

"Captain Sober," the Emperor addressed.

"Ain'tabeen thattt in tweny year... Imean yessLord Xarklin?"

"Are you drunk?"

Sober spun from his view again, and quickly spun back.

"Whyno ssir. Whatwrould you ssay thatfur?"

"No reason. What it is that you want, Captain Sober? I was just about to switch on the HoloNet and entertain myself with my favorite programs."

"Wellerm... Whatwras it again? Yeah, rightsso Admeeral Tathrun Akamoto 's arrived."

"Who?"

"Thatt tall bastard, FAguy. Wanme ter shoot 'im?"

"No. That would compromise my agenda."

"Ohthas righ'. Can't go..." Sober paused to hiccup loudly. "Crompimisen Lord Ximrod's agendacan we?"

"Be silent or I shall murder you with your own alcoholic beverages."

"Pff! Thatwoulda harppend a longtimee ago ef itcould." Sober slurred.

"It's never too late. Now, contact Admiral Daala, ensure it is she who talks to Athrun, not you. I will be arriving on the Night Hammer shortly."

"Wha' bu'why? Sshouldernt I becrontracting the bastard?"

"No. Not at all. You are an embarrassment to the Empire and I would kill you if it weren't for your miraculous record, however, it would not be wise to test me."

"Pff! Trest ye? Wattabou' that Vaz Rena woman?"

"Are you referring to Raz Vena?"

"Thass the one."

"What about her?"

"If I recrawl cerrectly, she insultedthe lirving shit outta youandyou didn'do athing."

"Yes, and she was killed by Lady Sera."

"Wasshe sleepin'writh you?"

Xarkun's left eye twitched. He paused for a moment, restraining himself from taking a shuttle to Sober's ship and murdering him immediately.

"Toucha nerve, di' I?"

"Not at all. Now, if you would like to live I suggest you disconnect this transmission."

"Keeplivin' indenial man! Hey, why don'ye cromeaboard theess ship?"

"No. That is not a good idea, regarding safety issues."

"Iain't thatdrunk! Noteven over the limit."

"Remind me to change that, then. Xarkun out."

With that, Xarkun headed up to the Night Hammer to greet Athrun.

Stygian entered, and bowed. "The Tu'kata are learning to follow my will," he informed Sion. He paused. "I can feel battle approaching, Master. Do you sense it as well?" he asked, a hint of longing in his voice. The fight with the Tu'kata re-awakened his lust for battle somewhat. He only needed to be told who and where, and he would be content spilling blood for his Emperor.

"Yes, I have been sensing this upcoming battle for quite some time now and have expected it even before I could sense its presence. This battle will be a rather long and destructive one. We must be prepared to protect his Darkness from harm, as his life will be threatened before his time to pass on has arrived!"

"We shall be leaving soon. Make sure the Tu'kata are well situated before you leave. Afterall, you are being put incharge of managing them."

Stygian nodded, scowling. His Emperor was threatened... everything within him called for him to find out who was responsible. He could barely contain himself, but displayed nothing. "Yes Master," he replied, bowing, and left.

Lok, who had been waiting in the corridor outside, followed him. Though the two walked silently, Stygian was actually communicating with the droid.

When they got to the room where the Tu'kata were being kept, Stygian entered, Lok following in his shadow. The Tu'kata were tearing apart the remains of whoever they had been given to eat. Stygian waited patiently, but did not have to wait long before the Tu'kata approached him warily. "We are going into battle," Lok said from behind him. "If you wish to join the slaughter, you must obey me perfectly. Do you understand?" he asked. Stygian's eyes were on Blood Stripe.

Blood Stripe grinned: "Pack finally get to hunt. Pack will be pleased! Pack will follow Dark One (Stygian's new nickname!!!)"

Stygian smiled slightly. "You will attack no one until we are on board the ship, and in your chamber. Follow me," Lok told them, and Stygian opened the doors.

A pair of stormtroopers waited outside the doors. "Clear the passageway to the transport," he said, indicating the transport that had been prepared for the Tu'kata to be brought to the Night Hammer. The two nodded and left to do so, but one hesitated, turning to Lord Stygian.

"My lord, will you need assistance bringing the creatures on board?" he asked.

Stygian looked him over. "Only if they get hungry on the way," he said, indicating that the stormtrooper might be able to help with that, if he didn't follow Stygian's orders.

"Y-yes, my lord," the stormtrooper said, catching the meaning and turning to catch up to the other stormtrooper.

Once the corridors were clear, Stygian glanced back to Blood Stripe. "Follow," he said in the Sith language.

On the way to the ship, one of the Tu'kata made a move and was about to attack a nearby Imperial officer......

Stygian turned to glare at the errant Tu'kata, growling deep in his throat. He waited to see what the Tu'kata would do. He would NOT tolerate disobedience...

The Tu'kata looked back at Stygian and growled menacingly, but he eventually backed down.

Stygian approached the Tu'kata, glaring. "You will regret," he informed him, speaking for himself. Then he turned to the Imperial soldier.

"I had given orders for this corridor to be cleared. Why are you here?" he demanded.

The Imperial soldier was trembling. "I... I just wanted to... to see, my lord," he stuttered, his face pale and sweating.

Stygian fed off of his fear, and realized that he knew why the other Tu'kata had attacked. He gestured with a hand. "You will lead us the rest of the way to the transport," he commanded him, and the soldier blinked, surprised.

"B-but, my lord..." the soldier stuttered.

Stygian snarled drawing closer to the soldier. "You dare to disobey me?" he asked lowly.

The soldier's eyes went wide. "N-no, my lord," he replied fearfully.

"Then lead us there," he told him, and, trembling, the soldier walked ahead of Stygian and the pack, leading them the rest of the way to the transport.

Once they had arrived, the Imperial soldier paused, indicating the lowered ramp. "Your transport, my lord," he said, his voice containing some measure of relief.

Stygian nodded. "Get on," he told him.

The soldiers eyes went wide. "M-my lord?" he asked fearfully.

"Get on to the transport," Stygian growled.

The soldier nodded, going an extra shade of pale, and walked up the ramp.

Stygian led the pack onto the transport, noting how many of them kept their eyes on the trembling Imperial soldier, with low growls being heard deep in their throats.

Stygian did not blame them. He wanted to growl, too. He smiled slightly at the trembling officer. "Go into the cockpit and tell the pilot to take off. Return when we have arrived," he commanded him.

"Y-yes, my lord," the soldier replied, somewhat relieved to no longer be in the same room with the Tu'kata. When he left, Stygian turned to the others.

His glare fell on the one who had challenged him. "You have problem?" he asked him, snarling, and used Force Comprehension to understand the Tu'kata's reply...

Disobedient Tuk'ata: "Human was weak, human need to be eaten. Latch-Jaw eat human, make Latch-Jaw stronger!"

Stygian glared at him. "Latch-Jaw disobeyed. Latch-Jaw weak," he snarled. He gestured to the cockpit. "Human disobeyed. Human punished. Latch-Jaw remember," he warned him, as they felt the transport dock into the bay of the Night Hammer. "Tu'kata obey. Dark one reward," he said, remembering what they had called him. "Tu'kata disobey, Dark one punish."

Just then, the Imperial soldier from before walked in hesitantly. "M-my lord, we have arrived."

Stygian glared at him. "You will lead us to the chamber that has been prepared for the Tu'kata," he commanded him.

The Imperial soldier swallowed hard, and nodded, hope that his part in this little mission was over dying quickly. He lowered the ramp, and led the way.

Once they had arrived at the chamber, Stygian shoved the soldier inside. The Tu'kata entered, and he closed the doors. He turned to the Tu'kata. "Tu'kata obey, Dark one reward," he said, and gestured to the soldier, indicating it was meal time.

He activated his lightsaber and aimed it at Latch-Jaw. "Latch-Jaw no eat," he told him harshly, preventing him from joining the others in their meal.

The Imperial Officer Bob II paniced and drew his blaster but with not enough time to stop the Tuk'ata who were now pouncing on him and tearing his body to shreads. He screamed as his organs were torn out of his body as he watched. Then Blood Stripe opened his jaws and his mouth came down on Bob II head and that was the last sight the Imperial Officer would ever see in this life.

Meanwhile several nearby stormtroopers who had peeked in to see what was going ended up having to take off their helmets to throw up.

Latch-Jaw snarled but kept to himself as he longingly watched the rest of his pack feast....

When Stygian noticed the doors opening and the stormtroopers outside, he lifted a hand and sent them flying against the far wall out in the corridor, and waved the door shut again, making sure it was locked this time. When the Tu'kata were finished, he turned off his lightsaber and faced them as a group. "You did well," Lok said, speaking for him once again. "When we hunt, you must not kill on sight. You must leave them alive, so that I may gain their knowledge, for they hide many things. Rip off their limbs, but leave them alive. Do you understand?" he said, Stygian's eyes on Blood Stripe's.

Blood Stripe: "Pack understand, but pack want know if pack can eat prey after Dark One is done with them?"

Stygian smiled wolfishly. "Of course," Lok replied. "The Tu'kata must grow strong. Obedience will be rewarded," he told them.

Setting himself down in the back of the room, Stygian closed his eyes and reached out to his Master. The Tu'kata and I are on board the Night Hammer, he sent. Feeling his Master's acknowledgment, he began to meditate, using this time to draw knowledge from his droid. He wished to speak to the Tu'kata in their own language, after all...

Sion was being bothered by the press as he left for the shuttle to the ship.

One reporter: "Excuse me but who are you?"

2nd reporter: "What is the Emperor planning on doing about the attack???"

3rd reporter: "Is the Emperor abondoning us in this dark hour?"

4th reporter: "Is it true that Emperor Xarkun had a love child with a strange hooker and she exploded?????"

He was about to kill these annoying pests when he came up with a better and more fitting use for them.

Sion: "If you would all follow me I will bring you to Emperor Xarkun for a personal audience."

The reporter follow Sion to the shuttle which was schedulaed to leave for the Nighthammer within the hour....

Stygian was learning more of the Sith language, in perfect concentration while the Tuk'ata fought each other playfully around him, when he sensed his Master approaching. He opened his eyes to see the doors open, and Lord Sion enter with a group of people. Reporters? The Tuk'ata slowly approached the reporters, growling, and Stygian glanced at his Master quizzically. The look he got in return told him all he needed to know.

"Practice," he told the pack. "Limbs only. Leave alive, until Dark One say eat," he commanded them, using what he had learned.

The pack then sprang on the group of reporters, ripping their limbs off. Stygian watched them carefully... Latch-Jaw tore off the leg of a screaming reporter, and carried it off to the side. The others followed suit. Stygian smiled and nodded amidst the screams.

Stygian walked up to the bleeding group of reporters. "The Empire thanks you for your contribution," he told them simply. He scanned their minds quickly, noting that none were among the terrorists who had caused the explosions. He looked to the pack, who had finished stripping the bones and were looking for seconds. "Eat," he told them, and stepped back as the pack tore what was left of the reporters apart.

At one point, when the Tuk'ata had eaten, Blood Stripe had brought a woman's head to him in his mouth, depositing it at Stygian's feet. Stygian picked it up, gazing at its lifeless eyes. Then he took his small knife from his belt, and, opening the mouth, proceeded to cut out the tongue. Once he held the hunk of flesh in his hand, he began to eat it, his sharp teeth making it easy to rip the meat apart. He handed the head back to Blood Stripe as he ate, and the Tuk'ata made short work of the rest of it.

(Ever watch the brain scene from Hannibal? I promise, if you watch it before reading my posts, they don't sound so bad...)

Robes swept like smoke over the polished, iron-gray floors of the throne room, rising in tendrils behind Xarkun. At a brisk pace he moved, striding toward the exit, he would then take his private shuttle to the Night Hammer. Mere inches away from passing between two red robed guards, and disappearing under the archway. However, before he could pass the crimson-clad men, he found himself standing face to face with a quivering stormtrooper.

The Emperor's left eye twitched.

"What?" snapped the Sith Lord, inciting a jump of fear from the pathetic man.

"S-sir," he addressed, kneeling. "Someone is here to... speak with you."

Xarkun crossed his arms and huffed, "Very well, however, this had better be vital to the security of my Empire, or, in the very least, someone reporting the death of a Jedi. If, as I assume, the situation appears to veer away from that statement, both you and this guest will pay with your lives. Do I make myself entirely clear, Private...."

"Lieutenant, actually, Lieutenant Stevenson."

"I'm demoting you to Private for irritating me, pray I do not demote you to a bloody mass of flesh upon my floor. Where is this guest?"

"Here," said a husky, silky, feminine voice. The Sith Lord's eyes averted from the demoted stormtroop to the form of a woman. Long blond locks of well groomed hair fell past her shoulders, and flowed down her back. Green eyes complemented her flawless face, and a tight bodysuit, apt for stealth, displayed her every curve, including those of her toned arms and legs. On her back, a crimson, curved vibroblade rested in its sheath, and a disc like weapon with a curved handle running its diameter hung from her belt. She cocked a dark eyebrow at Lord Xarkun, completely undaunted by, arguably, the most dangerous man in the galaxy.

"Alekto," the Emperor addressed dryly.

"Bastard," the woman shot back.

"Do not test me, Alekto. I hold no favor to freelance mercenaries, do you remember Raz Vena?"

"Yes," replied the mercenary. "I do. You know that very well, Emperor."

"So you are here for revenge?"

Alekto shook her head. "An assignment."

"Ah, and you are employed by whom? There are very few who could live up to your price. I know, for I was one of those few. Not Magus?"

"No. Not Magus. I'm afraid it would not be good business practice to reveal the identity of my employer."

"I full heartedly agree. That will not stop me from killing you." Xarkun inclined his head to the demoted stormtrooper. "Or you."

"Please," said Alekto. "Allow me."

The woman drew the round disc from her belt, and hurled it forth, Xarkun could barely follow it as if flew toward the stormtrooper, and over his head, smashing the visor of one of the red robed guards, and knocking him to his back where he remained, motionless. It ricocheted off a nearby pillar, sending a shower of sparks to the ground, and took out the remaining guard before he could draw his weapon. Xarkun scoffed as the disc made its way back to its caster. Alekto snagged it out of the air with ease that surprised Xarkun. It would take the caliber of someone Force Sensitive to catch such a weapon.

The mercenary smiled. Apparently Xarkun did display some of what he was thinking on his face.

"Go," Alekto whispered to the stormtrooper who dropped his helmet and tore off from the scene, perhaps never to return to service.

"Fool, what is the life of a stromtrooper to you?"

"Lives are more valuable then you give them credit for, Lord Xarkun. Even Raz Vena's."

"Might I ask why you keep referring to that whore?"

"Interesting choice of words," Alekto commented, raising her eyebrow again.

"I did NOT sleep with that woman."

"Well, I was implying that you did.... That's not important."

"Will you kindly skip to the point so I can kill you, once and for all, you filthy whore! Selling YOURSELF to the highest bidder, mercenaries and bounty hunters like you and Vena are no better than the prostitutes that walk the streets of this planet, selling their services to anyone, any gender, anything that has credits. Just like you. Only, you have a sickening sense of nobility, that is why you failed me, that is why you disgust me, and that is why you will die."

"You still just talk, and talk, and talk, don't you?" Alekto retorted. "Yes, I do have a sense of nobility. Unlike you. I have the lower extremities to stand behind my weapons and fight for the good, the noble, the right thing, and I'm a woman. You cower behind your power and take the easy way around everything. You never once stop to look inside your broken soul and question your actions. Do you know why? Do you, Xarkun? Because you fear what you'll find. Still, in you, there is a shred of morality, a shred of decency, and you are so consumed by your hatred that you are afraid of the good in your heart because you know the pain of what you've done will ravage your soul and kill you."

A gleam crossed the black eyes of Xarkun, their sheen returned, for a fraction of a second, and then faded away into the murky, sinister depths. The bottom of the Sith Lord’s left eye twitched, and the muscles upon his face contorted into a snarl of rage.

“You, my dear Alekto, WILL NOT LIVE TO REPEAT THAT, I WILL DESTROY YOU! I will destroy your physical being, your very essence, YOU WILL NOT EXIST! There is only one noble, one righteous, one good thing in this universe! One ideal. The ideal of the Sith! If there is an evil it is what you refer to as ‘good’! And if there it is a good, it is what you consider ‘evil’! Assuming the latter, I am the incarnate of ultimate evil, and I ensure you, my purpose is to eradicate those who commit the heinous acts falling under your category of ‘good’! Genocide! I shall commit an honorable, noble genocide, and obliterate your kind from the face of every single planet! For the Empire is the only true government, the Sith the only faith for the Force! I am the artisan who shall write it, carve it, and borne it into existence, and erase those who oppose it!

“Under my rule, there will be tranquility, harmony… peace! For I shall rage an ultimate war so purging, that there can be nothing but! Do you now realize that I am right? That you are wrong? Will you ever be thoughtful, intelligent, wise enough to understand that you are wrong? In your words, do you have the ‘lower extremities’ to admit your fault, the fault of the Jedi, the Republic, every single thing that is ‘good’ or, in the only true view ‘evil’ in this universe? Do you? No! You know why, because you were tainted so long ago but this false thought process, that you can never hope to overcome it. In this case, you, and everyone like you must die. Prepare yourself. Perhaps wisdom will grace you when you become one with the Force.”

Alekto, simply stood there, oddly feline-like, the most confident of beings in the known world. So beautifully sure of herself, so full of the esteem in her view point, and her opinions.

“Are you quite finished?”

The Emperor’s left eye twitched, and he drew his crimson lightsaber in response.

“Good”, said the woman. “Allow me to point something out to you, then. The fact that you argue view points, which are not but that. Points of view. Everyone’s is different, they are all opinions. Therefore none are correct, and none are wrong.”

“You argue literary definitions with me?! You are foolish to do so. You cannot hope to match my skill.”

“Considering I am not Force Sensitive, no, there is no way in hell I could ever hope to beat you. In a fair fight, at least.”

“Excuse me?” growled the Emperor. “Did you just argue my… honorability?”

“Honorability? Honestly, old man, where do you get this shit? I mean, do you feed it to yourself like bantha fodder? But, yes, I just questioned your ‘honorability’. No Sith I’ve ever met has fought with honor, they’re all bastards who will do anything to get an edge. In other words, you fight dirty, you son of bitch.”

“Fine. I shall prove to you that Sith can be honorable. What terms have you?”

“First, you cannot use the Force, because I cannot. That is my only real term. I’ll let you use a lightsaber, considering our age differences, and lightsabers don’t weigh anything.”

“I’ll ensure you die a horrible death for that! Fine, I agree to your term. In fact, to show you my I mean well, I give you the first move. However, I have one request as well.”

Alekto raised an eyebrow. “And that is…”

“Rid yourself of that horrible… item,” Xarkun indicated the disc hanging from the mercenary’s belt.

Alekto grabbed it, and raised it to her face. “My chakram? What, do you fear it?”

“Not particularly, though, seeing as I have agreed to not use the Force, and only my lightsaber, I think it is only honorable for you to give up an advantage as well.”

Alekto shrugged, and casually tossed the chakram behind her. It cut through the air, making it scream, before it dug itself halfway into the marble archway, marking the exit to the throne room.

“Fascinating,” said the Sith.

“I know,” replied the mercenary. “Found it on my travels. It words with a chip, implanted in my wrist.”

“Ah, well, I’m growing tired of you, so, if you would please initiate the battle.”

“With pleasure.”

Alekto flew forward with the speed to rival a Force user. Her opening gesture took her sailing into the air, where the came down with the strength of a falling starship to have her vibro blade halted by the crimson weapon of Xarkun. She pulled away instantly, and slashed at the Sith Lord’s midsection. Xarkun hopped back, flipped his blade once, and thrust it forward. It hummed as the woman spun out of harm’s way, and smoothly faded into a stylish, majestic slice at the Sith Lord’s neck.

Because he had practiced swordplay the better part of his eighty seven years, Lord Xarkun possessed the speed to parry the potentially fatal blow, even without the aide of the Force. But the woman’s strength, and nimbleness surprised him, and made him feel every one of his numerous years. Rage kindled inside deep inside him, and sparked his power. It fueled his next strike, which the mercenary avoided easily, by ducking, and retaliated with a swipe at his Xarkun’s legs. The metal of the blade sung and snarled as it tore through the hem of the Emperor’s black robes.

Xarkun growled in fury and thrust a kick his foe’s way. Alekto reared backward, and what happened next, seem to occur when time slowed to a grindingly tedious pace. The mercenary brought her blade behind her head, and let it fly forward. It cut straight through the sole of Xarkun’s boot, and would easily had run right through his foot had the Sith Lord not cheated, and used the Force to leap back to safety.

The mercenary scoffed.

“You rely far too much on your powers, you ugly bastard. And, you cheated.”

“I have a meeting to attend, and I refuse to do so with a bleeding foot. How did you become so adept with a blade?”

“Practice, practice, practice. I’ve bested Jedi in my time.”

“Astonishing.”

“Isn’t it?”

Xarkun’s eyelids pulled back slightly as the woman’s entire body fell backward, whilst she began the ascent to her feet. Her arm, and sword behind her back, she stood, and let both fly forward, allowing the weapon to leave her grip. It flipped twice, and was mere centimeters away from Xarkun’s forehead when it halted on it’s own accord. The Sith Lord smiled, and hurled the vibroblade back where it contacted with it’s target, completely stabbing through Alekto’s arm.

The mercenary screamed and blood spurted, and the force of the blow drove her back and pinned her to a pillar weakly. Gritting her teeth, she pulled the weapon from her arm with her remaining hand as the Emperor made his way toward her. She sheathed her blade, scowled, and spit upon his floor.

“You cheated twice now, that time you went too far!”

Xarkun merely shook his head. “I’m a Sith Lord, that is what I do.”

“Then this is what I’ll do!”

Alekto’s remaining hand cut through the air like a blade, it stopped, pointing directly at the chakram embedded in the wall. Xarkun’s left eye twitched as the disc flew forward. She raised a hand to stop it, but it would not halt. For the first time in a long, long time a look of utter panic crossed the Sith Lord’s face. Then, the chakram made contact, slicing the hilt of his lightsaber in half, and rendering it useless. The Sith Lord felt an odd sensation drip over his hand as the weapon disc glided over it, a feeling of… coldness. The weapon returned to its master who nabbed it from the air and held it at the ready.

Xarkun dropped the useless hunks of metal, quivering with fury.

“HOW?! HOW THE BLOODY HELL DID YOU DO THAT?!”

“The chip,” Alekto responded.

“I KNOW THAT! WHY COULD I NOT STOP THAT WEAPON?!”

“Even though I am excellent with a blade, I knew I could never defeat you….Ever heard of ysalamiri? Native to the planet Myrkr? I take it you have, well, then you know that something about them kills the Force. You can’t use it in close proximity with them. The crafter of this weapon somehow synthesized a serum from them, and injected it into the chakram. It’s a very small dose, however, since the serum is incredibly difficult to make, it surrounds the chakram, so the Force cannot touch it, however, it cannot prevent users from wielding it, since its zone of ‘Forcelessness’ is not very big.”

“YOU PLANNED TO USE IT ALL ALONG, TO CHEAT, TO ATTEMPT TO KILL ME!”

“That’s right, you bastard. I only wanted to pay you what you deserved, but I you’ve wounded me,” Alekto indicated her bleeding arm. “Hurts like a bitch, this one. We’ll have to do this some other time.”

Xarkun scoffed, and raised his hands to unleash his power, however, he was forced to duck as the chakram sailed toward him. It rebounded off a pillar, and zoomed back to its wielder who was inches away from the Emperor’s massive window. She drew her blade, and stabbed it into the glass which cracked, and shattered as the chakram then collided with it, and flew back into its owner’s hand. Alekto paused to wave goodbye to the Sith Lord, and fell into a swan dive, out the broken window, and down.

Xarkun immediately called upon the Force Wraiths, then hurried off to try board the Night Hammer, his mood growing exceedingly worse, fed by his utter shock.

Sion: "I see that so far you have done an impressive job with the Tuk'ata my apprentice. Perhaps I should discuss with his Darkness the possibility of allowing you to be the main handler of the Tuk'ata?"

Stygian gazed over the pack, who were busily licking blood off the floor of the chamber. He smiled slightly. "They are smarter than stormtroopers, and more loyal," he said. "If the Emperor allows it, I would like to teach them to hunt Jedi and those allied with them. The Tuk'ata may be more adept at it than the Force Wraiths have been," he said. His eyes turned back to Lord Sion's. "What is your will, Master?" he asked humbly.

"Continue overseeing the Tuk'ata as you have been, my apprentice. If our new enemy makes his move anytime soon then it would be wise to hide our suspicions from him and his followers..."

Stygian nodded, his eyes narrowing. He wasn't sure, but he had a good idea who this new enemy was. Emperor Xarkun had warned him of Magus's betrayal often enough to cause him to be leery. He only hoped that, if Magus did choose to turn against Xarkun, he would do so after they had pulverized the FA.

But then, he never relied on hope...

When Lord Sion left, Stygian returned to training the Tuk'ata. He wished for them to be ready for anything. He had arranged for his new toy, now dubbed 346 by Velia, to be brought to the ship. Velia had not been pleased that one of her initiates' training was being interrupted, particularly after the ordeal with his sister, but Stygian promised to return her fully trained. Normally, he wouldn't have bothered, but he had found the girl particularly useful in the training of the Tuk'ata.

The girl stood before him, her left eye twitching madly, muttering something to herself, most likely her new name. Stygian could sense the hatred swirling within her, just beneath the surface, gathering there, waiting to be tapped into.

He showed no sign of approval on his face. Instead, he reached down and detached the blade from the girl's robotic arm. Once done, he placed a hand on her shoulder and led her before the Tuk'ata. "The rules have changed, 346. If you kill one of them, I will kill you, and very, very slowly. You are merely to fight them, that is all," he warned her sternly.

Turning to the Tuk'ata, he said, "Dark One bring bait. Play. Do not kill," he commanded them. He then shoved her toward them, and stood back, watching as the girl snapped and began attacking the Tuk'ata. He wasn't worried about her ability to kill any of them, at least not without her blade. The Tuk'ata, on the other hand, he watched closely, to make sure they didn't accidentally inflict any fatal wounds upon the girl. So far, they were gentler with her than they were with each other when they played, but the girl had improved since the last time, and was far more feral. Still, by the time Stygian called an end to the game, the girl was covered in blood and could barely stand, and one of the Tuk'ata had an injured foot from when it had underestimated her.

Stygian nodded his approval, and allowed the Tuk'ata to lick the blood off the girl as she stood still, twitching somewhat. It was one thing to know you were food... it was a far different thing to be commanded not to do anything to prevent it. Secretly, Stygian enjoyed driving the girl insane... he supposed he merely missed his old Master and her insanity. However, he would not let the girl know it.

When the Tuk'ata had finished, and it looked as though the girl would pass out soon, Stygian took out a large syringe and injected her stomach with the nutrients she would need to survive. It was how he himself had eaten when he was her age. He then re-attached the blade, and made her stand against a wall. "If you lie down, you die," he told her simply, and turned to Blood Stripe. "Bait lies down, bait is food," he told the Tuk'ata, and sat down not far away to meditate as the hounds paced before the girl occasionally, waiting for her to drop so they might be the first to eat. 346's eyes closed, and she leaned against the wall, catching brief moments of sleep before waking to keep herself from falling.

Stygian remembered the lesson fondly, only he had had no wall to lean against. He turned his mind to preparing for the upcoming battle...

346... her name was 346... her name was 346...

'sa-bo...' she heard. Her eyes opened, the creatures paced before her, waiting for her to fall down. Waiting... waiting...

The blindfold was on, she was playing Blind Hunter, she could hear the other children laughing...

Visions of her being torn to shreds, the creatures were there again, her knees had buckled, she pushed herself back up, locked them, 'sa-bo'...

Children were laughing, creatures growled hungrily, the creatures were playing with her, playing Blind Hunter, she was 'sa-bo'.... she was bait...

346 laughed as the creatures surrounded her, she liked games...

Stygian opened one eye at the sound of 346's laughter, and cast her a glance. She was watching him. Her eyes still drooped down in sleep, but when they sprang open, they were on him. She had passed the point where she was afraid of her own death... it seemed curiosity was behind her gaze, though he could see her mouth moving ever so slightly, reminding herself of her name, her mind holding onto the chant for dear life, the point of focus the only thing keeping her from thinking her surroundings were an illusion. It had been the same with him, when Lady Sera had first taught him the Sith Code.

But he would make no Sith out of this one...

A thought occured to him, and he smiled slightly. Closing his eyes again, he reached out with his mind, and invaded her own. It was chaotic, but still held together in some places, and he could see the old memories, memories of her village, of the other younglings, of her Jedi master Knight Logargh. One by one he twisted them, twisted the memories, so that it was her old friends, the Ewoks, and Logargh, who had tortured her, who had twisted and warped her, who had made her cry out to be rid of her own skin. He could hear her whimpering, knew he had hit something vital, and pressed harder, invading the deepest core of what made her sane... and tearing it apart slowly. She screamed, and flew at him, blade raised, picking him as a target only because he was the one she saw. Using the Force, he lifted her off the ground before she could get near him, shoving her against a wall and holding her there, high above the floor, never taking his grip off of her mind. He continued to make tiny rips to the fabric of it, and she screamed, and cried, and laughed, and then went silent. He released his grip on her mind and eased her down to the floor, so that her feet met it.

Her eyes were glazed and unfocused... he had done more damage to her psyche than mere torture would have done. His mind pierced her own as he spoke to her, determined to get her attention. "346," he called her.

The Twi'lek blinked, her eyes focusing on his. Her mind was trying to forget the pain it had just underwent... he would not allow it. The psychological blocks that went up instinctively, he tore down, making her see, making her remember what he had just done. She began to tremble. "What is your name?" he asked her, re-opening the memories.

"346... my name is 346..." she replied, her voice high and thready.

"Who do you serve?" he asked her, prying into her mind to see that she had yet to be trained this far. He supplied her mind with a memory, one shared by both himself and Lady Sera, one which she had used often to train him. He did not use it the way his Master had, only as a reminder to the girl who she served.

"My Emperor... X-Xarkun, his name is Xarkun, my Emperor..." she muttered, latching onto the memories he had planted for dear life, as her own were now too broken to be relied upon.

"I have torn your mind apart, 346. Do you know why?" he asked her, once again tearing down the mental blocks she instinctively put up, making her feel what he had done all over again.

The Twi'lek cried. "Gone. All gone. All gone, all gone, all gone, all gone...."

Stygian smiled slightly. "Yes. All gone. Why? Why is it all gone? Why are you in pain?" he asked her, enjoying the way she twitched as she searched her tattered memories for a reason why.

"Why? Why? I was bad? I dropped the sweet breads, I'm sorry, Mother Ekka, please don't hurt me, I'm sorry..." she chanted, causing Stygian's smile to widen.

"No, 346. You are in pain... because I wish it. I want you to be in pain. Nothing more. I didn't like your mind, so I ripped it apart. Do you understand?" he asked her.

Her eyes froze on his, gazing, as her fragmented mind mulled over what he told her. After a long moment, she blinked. "Oh," she said, and through her tears began to smile at him. "Is it better now?" she asked softly.

Stygian could sense in her mind her desire to please him. That would do. He nodded. "Yes. It is better that you are in pain. It pleases me," he told her.

346 nodded. "Okay," she said.

Stygian shook his head. "'Yes, Lord Stygian'", he corrected her. "Always call me Lord Stygian. Or I will be displeased," he told her, guaging her to see her reaction.

Her eyes went wide, and she shook her head fervently. "Lord Stygian. Please, please be happy, Lord Stygian," she begged him. "Do you want me to hurt more, Lord Stygian?" she asked, her tone speaking only of her desire that he be happy.

Stygian considered it, but shook his head. "Later. For now, stand against the wall and sleep. You're no good to me dead," he told her, and she nodded fervently and closed her eyes, intent on making herself sleep to please him.

In the southernmost wall of the Imperial palace lay a thick grate which no one would ever see, because it led into an alleyway between the grandest of buildings, and other. The grate, always in place, always peaceful, suddenly flew free from its spot, falling to the ground below and clanging loudly.

A woman fell out, hitting the ground hard. She was bleeding profusely from the arm, her wound was covered by her bare hand, which was stained crimson. She winced as she tried to stand. The pain was excruciating, but she'd been through worse. Alekto examined her surroundings, she sat propped up against the cold wall of a building next to the palace, shadowed in a kind of alley. To the left of her, peasants clad in rags walked the streets aimlessly, and to her right lay a locked entrance to the under city of Coruscant, her escape route.

Unclenching her hand from the wound on her arm, she winced, and ran it back through her hair. The warm blood matted it to her scalp, transforming the blond locks to a cherry red, and keeping them out of her eyes. Unable to stand it, she immediately grabbed her wound again, to staunch the blood flow.

The sound of engines caught her ears. She glanced up into the dark sky quickly enough to catch a glimpse of a black Lambda class shuttle taking off from a hanger in the palace. The mercenary smiled. Xarkun was leaving, it was probably coincidence, but, at least it boosted morale to believe it was caused by her.

Alekto stood up, drew her chakram, and bounded to the locked entrance to the under city. Again, using her unwounded arm, the woman reared back, and smashed the round blade into the grill-like entrance. It cracked in two, fell into the hole it guarded, and sounded at the bottom seconds later. The mercenary sighed and began a slow, tedious descent into the under city.

Sion had been observing Stygian's 'tutoring' of Force Waith 346 from the holocam. Sion then walked in much later and had even managed to evade his apprentices notice until he spoke to him.

"I must say that once again you have impressed me today. I assume you know that her 'mental condition' must be kept in check otherwise she may be more harm to you than good?"

It truly a miracle that the pilot of the black Lambda shuttle was not dead by the time its landing feet touched the floor of a hanger in the Night Hammer. Wordlessly, Xarkun stood, and exited his ship, striding into the small procession, and bounding straight up to Admiral Daala. Irena was already there, standing by the woman's side, both bowed. Xarkun's left eye twitched wildly.

"Has Athrun arrived?" he hissed.

"Yes, my Lord," said Daala, glancing at the hem of his robes. "Is there any reason why your robes are torn?"

"YES!" Xarkun roared so loudly that several stormtroopers dropped their weapons. "SOMEONE ATTEMPTED TO ASSASSINATE ME!"

Gasps sprang up in the room. Xarkun silenced the noisemakers with a sweeping glare.

"Well, obviously this assassin did not succeed, we are glad for that," the admiral said, rising.

"OF COURSE NOT! I AM LORD XARKUN! I CANNOT BE ASSASSINATED! I AM THE LORD AND MASTER OF THIS EMPIRE! I WILL NOT HAVE ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATIONS THROWN AT ME! ESPECIALLY NOT BY THOSE WHOM I HAVE WORKED WITH BEFORE!"

"Very well, sir," Admiral Daala said quietly. "Perhaps you should accompany Irena and myself to the bridge, Admiral Athrun Takamoto is eager to speak with you... as eager as he can be."

"DAMN STRAIGHT! Take me to the bridge!"

"Yes, sir."

Raising an eyebrow, Stygian turned to see his Master standing behind him. "If she gets out of hand, I will merely kill her. We have legions of sane stormtroopers who fail us every day. Perhaps an insane Force Wraith will be of more use?" he asked, remembering the stormtrooper he had rendered into pieces on the planet's surface during his and Velia's investigation.

Sion smirked: "I am pleased to hear you have thought this out thoroughly. However, might I suggest also installing a multiple personality into this Force Wraith to improve on other special uses?"

Stygian was intrigued. "What did you have in mind, Master?" he asked.

"A broken mind can be rebuilt into many things, my young apprentice. And one mind can lead many lives and provide countless uses when molded into the right direction."

Sion seemed to be trying to see if Stygian could figure out what Sion was suggesting....

Stygian thought for a moment. Lady Sera had lived many lives, due to an implant her creator had placed in her brain. That implant had allowed her to even infiltrate the Jedi. "Do you suggest we use her as a spy, Master?" he asked.

"In a manner of speaking. However, as she is your possession I leave the decision of her use to us up to you."

Sion waited to see how his apprentice wished to proceed. It was important for Stygian to learn to make his own decisions instead of completely relying on his superiors to guide the boy's fate.....

Stygian considered the girl for a moment, then nodded. "A desire to serve does not necessarily make her useful. I'd like to see what she is capable of," he replied.

"Then follow me. Fortunately, we have the equipment to aid us in this project onboard this ship."

Sion lead Stygian to the medical bay where tools and equipment were being laid out. Including synthetic/prosthetic body parts.

"So... anything you have in particular in mind for her, my apprentice?"

Stygian looked the room over. "Only that she remain loyal. Only that she become death to those who I wish it to," he said, his eyes narrowing as he gazed at a shelf with test tubes filled with certain toxins. "And those that wish it to her," he said, contemplating.

Sion proceed with the help of a Sith Medical droid designated, Vexok, which was Ancient Sith for "there is work that is to be done", he had around for these kinds of occasions. He made sure that Stygian did most of the work as this was one of the boy's many lessons. He removed her blade arm and added a special synthetic/mechanical arm with a retractable blade as well as a few other features. Sion also saw to it that many other parts of her body were replaced and enhanced.

Vexok discovered something interesting: "Milords, it appears that this specimen is at least a quarter Zeltron."

Stygian glanced up, the girl's blood all over him as he worked, reconstructing tendons as Sion instructed him. Zeltron? Stygian looked the girl over. What was left of her looked completely Twi'lek. However, he knew that appearances could be deceiving. "This could be an advantage," he said, as his fingers deftly held two strips of tendon together, his eyes turning to his Master.

Sion mentally told his apprentice /patience\. He then turned and asked Vexok, "Is there anyway we can re-introduce her Zeltron abilities to their fullest or more?"

Vexok: "Surgically yes, but might I recomend you use the Lucia's Bane crystal you have as well as surgery?"

Sion: "Very well then."

The Sith Lord took out said crystal and held it before his apprentice.

Sion: "You will use this on her along with your other abilities."

Vexok: "Might I also suggest that the young master use his eyes' abilities in amplifying his mental will over the subjects mind?"

Lok: "Interesting..... tell me are your biological sensors that sophisticated that you can detect biological and genetic details from just being within such close proximity?"

Vexok: "Yes, but I have also coupled this with basis from the young masters new biological layout as well as my own to officially confirm it."

Lok: "Intriguing.... if I were to have such developed sensor arrays then my effectiveness in assassinations could become far more efficient!"

Lok looked at Stygian with almost pleading eyes. (An HK-78 can change their eye color at will to better interrogate their targets and other such tasks)

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