Overture (Home) [Invited]

[Sudoku]

"Overture" (Yukiru Sugisaki)

Sadness knows my name
Sorrow is proof that I have been given life
And life offers a chance to find love in all it's myriad forms
For the love we find is what frees us from sorrow
Life is filled with little prayers
A journey in search of love and a reason for our existence...
I exist neither as a shield nor as a weapon of war
I will be the sword to slice away all your sadness
I must not be afraid
I must not fear
Though the Gods that sleep within me...should engulf me in flames
I will never let you see me tremble in fear
I will be the sword to slice away all your sadness.




The young boy had been walking for what seemed like hours, through the deep snow in the small valley he calls home. His hat is tilted forward, his cloak is drawn tightly around him. On his back he carries a small pack of supplies. The cold doesn't seem to bother him as he walks forward with a small smile on his lips. He stops to kick off the excess snow from his sandals, then steps inside his 'home'. Or what remains of it -- years of neglect have transformed the house into a shack. Carefully, he stepped over piles of broken furniture and debris from the sunken in roof.

He thought about his other "homes"...Coruscant, the planet he hated, but always went back to. Why did he always find himself drawn there? It wasn't a place where he felt comfortable, or happy, so why did he return? He thought of the planet that Gav Mortis had taken him to -- he wasn't even sure of the planets' name, and he had only remained there for a brief time. He hadn't even mentioned leaving to his new master, something he normally would never do. Gav had taken him in, and offered to further his training in the Force. Why would he just leave without so much as a word? Surely, there would be consquences for it, but he didn't care. So, after much thought, he had come here. Back to his first home.

The hand that gripped the railing was filthy, as were his clothes underneath the cloak, as he walked up the creaking stairs to the only remaining room on the second floor. Gently, he nudged the door open. The room was dark, and the only remaining piece of furniture that could be seen was a disheveled bed. A single, frail figure lay in the bed, the covers pulled up over her.

"I brought you something to eat...I hope you're hungry." Kyashi removed the bag from his back, setting it on the edge of the bed along with his straw hat. He sat down, resting his head on the figures lap. "I'm so glad to be home. I missed you so much..."

The half-skeletal remains of the boys' mother remained silent, her empty eye sockets staring off into space. Most of her flesh had decayed, the parts that remained had become frozen, almost mummified by the nearly constant cold temperatures of this planet. The boy sighed contentedly, gazing up at her as if she was the most beautiful thing in the world. In his mind, she was.
"Once you're feeling better, I'll bring the rest of the family home...Then we can be together as a family. I promise."

[Loki Ahmrah]

Loki felt like a bounty hunter. Three weeks ago he had set off from Coruscant. He had been given a mission and with this mission, a ship; a speederbike swoop; a seeker droid; six thousand credits; supplies; weapons and a name: Kyashi Hatake. His mission was to find this man, believed to be highly dangerous, confront him and apprehend him for immediate return to Coruscant. There he was to be brought to justice.

A relatively noble mission for a bounty hunter but neevertheless, Loki would now be able to sympathise more with their brutal kind. The task of tracking and locating a mark was slow and difficult. In the three weeks, Loki had visited two other planets, on the way speaking to the countless people willing to help. Now he had a physical description of Kyashi Hatake and more importantly, had obtained via a seedy informant involved in the Bounty Hunters notorious guild, the biological signature of his mark.

His long journey had brought him to a desolate world in the heart of the Outer Rim. Here, there was a sharp chill in the air, it was inescapable. The snow was everywhere. As common as Tattooine sand, a thick layer of soft white blanketed everything, from the deepest valley to highest peak. When the wind howled, it brought with it a stabbing cold which bit at the skin and made brittle the bones. And after having recently spent six months in the jungles of Yavin VI, Loki did not welcome his new surroundings.

The cave plunged deep into the bowels of a mountain range, warding off the cruel elements while the young padawan went about his work. Speederbike engines hummed rythmically in the background as he figeted with the green screen interface on his seeker droid. It was nothing but a black sphere with a dark lens and a long antenna. Into the droid Loki inserted a small strip of duraplex, this contained the biological data the seeker needed to find it's target.

"Alright, little buddy. Do your thing."

From the mouth of the cave, Loki activated the droid and watched it set off into the air. The sound of mechanical beeps and encoded babblings was lost in the roar of wind. Shielding his eyes from the snow with a gloved hand, he took one last glance at the seeker before its little black body became a speck of dark against a brilliant white sky. Then he returned to his camp deep within the cave where he would start a fire and cook breakfast.

[Sudoku]

He had no idea someone was searching for him. Kyashi sat in a darkened corner of the bedroom, staring vacantly into space.

He couldn't feel his mother, and this disturbed him greatly. It wasn't feeling her in the physical sense, she was there in the bed, he was sure of it. He could no longer sense her through the Force, no matter how hard he concentrated. His natural connection had never failed him before now -- he could sense other beings through the Force without a problem. But this was different. It was like she was just....gone.

Fingertips rubbed his temple, trying to push the ache from his head. His eyes shut tight against the pain, he didn't see the small droid hovering by the window...

[Loki Ahmrah]

When the droid returned, Loki had finished breakfast and was sat with his bare palms to the flickering fire. The black lens stared lifelessly at him and from the machine came a string of inimitable sounds. Within a moment, the fire was out and the swoopbike brought to life. He wrapped himself in a dark brown cloak then straddled the vehicle. The droid headed out of the cave once more to find it's target and this time, Loki followed it.

A small shack was all that could be found in the bowels of the shallow valley. It stood alone and weathered. And high above hovered a small, spherical speck of dark.

Loki packed a pair of macrobinoculars into the rear of his swoop; the vehicle had been hidden halfway up the valley side behind a cluster of rock and ice. He navigated the steady decline without effort and two minutes of walking brought him to the front door of the loney home. His hooded cloak was pulled tight with a shiver then there was a hollow knock as he wrapped his knuckles against the rickety wood.

"Hello?"

[Sudoku]

His head snapped up before Loki even knocked. He took a few minutes to compose himself, and headed downstairs. He had no idea who would be here - no-one knew where he was, and no locals would dare to come here...

The door opened a crack, a single red eye looking over the person shivering in the cold. "What do you want?"

[Loki Ahmrah]

Loki was consious of the lightsaber at his hip; he had been informed his target was graced with lethal speed. He was glad to have taken two steps away from the door in the time it had taken his call to be answered. He made contact with the single, crimson eye.

"I am looking for Kyashi Hatake."

[Sudoku]

The eye blinked.

His senbon were upstairs, in the bag with his other supplies, but this was his home, and this..person was giving off unusual vibes. He opened the door more, allowing himself a better look at the boy in the brown cloak.

Brown...brown cloaks. He had seen them before...He gave Loki a quizical look. "Why are you looking for him?"

[Loki Ahmrah]

Now that Loki had a good view of the stranger, he recognised the face immediately. This was his man. Loki took a small step closer.

"I have been sent by the Coruscant authorities to bring him in for questioning."

[Sudoku]

"Ah, I see."

He opened the door, gesturing for him to enter. "You may as well come inside, out of the cold. You'll have to figure the mess, I've...been away for a long while, and my mother is very ill."

He closed and locked the door behind the Jedi. "I'm sorry, but I don't think you'll be able to bring this Hatake person back with you. Word in the village is that he's a killer. Killed his parents when he was only 4 years old, or at least that's what they say."

[Loki Ahmrah]

"Is that what they say?"

Loki faked his interest and casually crossed the room in which they stood. He was facing Kyashi and having put some distance between them, continued.

"Then in that case, I wonder. How can the parents of Kyashi Hatake be dead when his mother his upstairs, ill in bed?"

[Sudoku]

He glared at Loki, but quickly calmed himself. His hands clenched into fists at his sides, his knuckles going white. He clenched them so hard that small drops of blood began dripping from his fingers onto the floor.

"I won't let you hurt her..." He said quietly. His whole demeanor had changed by now -- the Darkside was almost dripping from his pores. "I won't let you take my family from me again."

[Loki Ahmrah]

"No harm will come to your mother, I assure you."

There were no other signs of life apart from him and Kyashi.

"All I am here for is to bring you in for questioning. Will you come with me? Peacefully?"

[Sudoku]

Lokis' feet are knocked out from under him as Kyashi flicks his wrist, sending a wave of dark telekinetic energy at him. The Jedi smashes into the debris littering the floor.

With the Jedi down for the moment, Kyashi took off, running up the broken stairs and slamming the door of the bedroom shut.

[Loki Ahmrah]

The filthy floorboards offered no give when Loki fell to the floor. He'd crashed through a table but the wood was so rotten that it only served to cushion his fall. As the door upstairs slammed, he was already on his feet, lightsaber in hand.

"Don't do this, Kyashi!"

There was a frantic thudding as Loki raced upstairs then an almighty crash as he kicked the flimsy door open.

[Sudoku]

Several long needles bury themselves into Lokis' chest as he crashes through the door. Kyashi is standing protectively in front of the bed, protecting his mother from this...lunatic.

He stands in a defensive position, senbon gripped between his fingers, ready to strike out at the Jedi if he comes forward again.

"Leave us alone!" He crouches, and Loki finally gets a good view of the figure resting under the blankets of the bed.

[Loki Ahmrah]

On instinct, Loki pulls the needles from his chest and winces. Casting them aside, Kyashis speed painfully realised. There is a rotten corpse in the bed. It's his mother.

"I haven't come for your mother."

A blade of blue light leaps from his weapon. He holds it aloft, ready.

"I have come for you."

[Sudoku]

"I DON'T CARE!"

The boy shouts at Loki, as if it will drive him away. "You think you can come into my home, and try to take me away from my family...It's not going to happen. Not ever."

His hands tremble as he backs towards the bed. He looks at the corpse over his shoulder. "I'm so sorry....I'm sorry I couldn't protect you...I won't let anyone hurt you, mummy. I promise."

He turns back to the Jedi, eyes starting to water but his face is blank otherwise. "If you hurt my mother, I will kill you..."

[Loki Ahmrah]

"Then I don't have much to worry about. Your mother is going to be fine."

Edging closer, lightsaber at the ready, Loki shuts out the twinge of sympathy induced by the youngsters quavering voice. His grip tightens.

"Come with me, Kyashi."

[Sudoku]

"NO!"

Another volley of senbon fly at Loki, pushed by an extra wave of dark-side energy -- subconciously pushed out by Kyashi. He winced, nearly dropping to his knees.

"I won't go with you, I won't leave her here! She's sick, she needs me to take care of her!"

[Loki Ahmrah]

Loki reacts, in his minds eye the flying senbon become aflame with red and he deflects them with ease. A blur of blue light and his weapon snaps back into place before him. On the floor lay the melted remnants of Kyashis needles.

"I do not want to fight you, Kyashi. I mean you no harm."

He kept his eyes fixed on the youngster and his mind on his mission.

"This is your last chance. Come with me peacefully or I will be forced to render you unable to resist arrest.

[Sudoku]

Kyashi just stood there. There was nothing he could do against a saber, and there was no way he would allow himself to be taken.

"All Jedi say that...it's all a lie. You say one thing, and do another. If you're so intent on taking me by force," he stepped closer to Loki, standing so the saber blade is just barely touching him. He reaches up, running his fingertips lightly across the glowing blue blade. "Kill me. Go ahead. You're the Jedi here, you have to protect the peace. Take your saber and drive the blade into my skull. You can always take my head back to the Order as proof that you completed your noble mission..."

[Loki Ahmrah]

"That wont be necessary."

His weapon moved at great speed, there was a hum and a hiss as his blade made contact with Kyashis knee. The wound wasn't deep, he didn't want to remove his leg, simply incapacitate it and already, the lightsaber blade was being swung for the other knee.

[Sudoku]

Again, he didn't move. He barely flinched as the saber made contact with his leg, burning through his clothes to his flesh. The blade swung around, and dug deep into Kyashis' other knee. The boy slumped to the floor. He smirked up at Loki.

"Come on now..." Kyashi struggled to his feet, swaying. "You'd hurt a boy in front of his own mother...I'm sure the other Jedi would be thrilled."

[Loki Ahmrah]

"Really?"

Another flash of light and the tip of Lokis lightsaber stabbed at Kyashis shoulder; that arm now useless in the immediate future. Slowly, he brought the edge of his weapon dangerously close to the unharmed shoulder and looked Kyashi in the eye.

"Need I disable you completely or are you willing to allow me to bind you without further resistance?"

[Sudoku]

"If you take me..." he nodded towards the bed. "You take her. Or I might have to start fighting back..."

He grabbed his wounded shoulder, staggering now. His face remained perfectly calm. "I'll go, but you have to bring my mother. I won't leave her here again."

[Loki Ahmrah]

"Very well," Loki said after a moments consideration. "Your mother will come with us too."

Taking one hand from his lightsaber, he unclipped a pair of bracers from his utility belt and saw the look on Kyashis face.

"Your mother will be coming with us. I give you my word, Kyashi. Now, hold out your hands please."

[Sudoku]

Kyashi held out his hands, allowing the Jedi to put the braces on him. His body starts to slouch more as he gives in a little to the pain, before he straightens up. He smiles at Loki.

"She's never been off-world before...I don't think she'll like Coruscant though. It's not clean..."

[Loki Ahmrah]

"They will be tight," Loki noted, clamping the bracers around his wrists, there was a sucking sound then a clang as they shut. "Electromagnetic locks."

Loki gestured at the door leading downstairs, urging Kyashi ownward.

"After you. We will have to head to my ship first, I'm afraid there's only room for two on my speeder bike and I doubt the cold outside would do your mother any good, in her condition."

[Sudoku]

He slouched to the floor, letting his entire body go limp. "I told, if I go, she goes. If she stays, I stay."

He leans his head back, chuckling. "And don't forget my bag -- I'm sure there's some evidence of my past crimes in there that would be of some use to you."

He lifted his hands to his throat, his badly-burnt fingers running along the large scar on his neck. "You'll see that she gets medical attention once we get to Coruscant, right?"

[Loki Ahmrah]

"You are in no position to start bargaining. My mission has greater priority than your wants and needs. Stand and come with me to my ship and we will come back for your mother before we leave. Resist and I will make it so that you will be unable to resist apprehension and in that instance, your mother will be left here alone while we go to Coruscant."

Loki crouched so that he was level with Kyashi and gave him a look of concern.

"Do what is best for you and your mother, Kyashi. Medical attention is there for her, waiting in Coruscant if only you come with me now."

[Sudoku]

"Heh."

He shakes his head. "I've tried to do what's best for her. I can't feel her, can you? As hard as I try, I can't feel her anymore. I've tried till I pass out from the pain. I've always had a strong connection to it - I can feel you, and I can feel everything else. Why won't it let me feel her?"

His eyes start to tear up, and he wipes at them with a thumb. "If I resist, what will you do?"

[Loki Ahmrah]

"I have a gift," Loki begins, choosing to ignore Kyashis question regarding his mother. He cannot reveal the truth to him here.

"I can subdue your anger and your hatred and any feelings of resentment or aggression and replace them with feelings of euphoria and peacefulness. In that state, it would be difficult to resist me but I don't want to do that to you. Please, come with me."

[Sudoku]

He let out a long drawn-out breath. "Do I seem that angry or aggressive? You have me at a disadvantage...you caught me off-guard in a place where I felt safe. Things could've been very different, you know."

He's rambling now, mumbling almost to himself. "I don't know why I came back here...nothing good has happened here. My father killed my mother in the kitchen. There was blood all over...he came and did something...I don't remember what happened to him. His head was all smashed in when I came to..."

He rubs his eyes again. "I didn't mean to kill him, but he hurt me."

[Loki Ahmrah]

"You don't have to worry about those things anymore, Kyashi. They are in the past... far away."

Ever since he had said 'Please, come with me,' Loki has been subtly affecting the youngsters emotions, working at them gently like kneading clay. His target was in quite an emotional state so his defenses were down and he was vulnerable. His hand rested softly on Kyashis shoulder and Loki worked at trying to induce a state similar to being drugged or sleepy.

"You can leave you worries here. Drop them; drop your burdens. Come with me."

[Sudoku]

"I can't. They're always with me...I can't let them go, because it never goes away."

What he's saying makes perfect sense to him - "it" is the Force, something he's always had a connection to. It never leaves him, no matter how much he's wished it away...

He feels something, like a soft whisper in his ear, as Loki puts his hand on his shoulder. He roughly shrugs it off. "Don't try your mind tricks on me...I won't have it."

He gazed back towards the bed. His eyes teared up again. "I never should have come here...I should've left her where she was."

[Loki Ahmrah]

There is another click and a snap. Kyashi's feet are suddenly bound together by a second pair of binders, clamped tight about his ankles.

"I'm sorry, Kyashi. You have given me no other choice and I have a mission to complete."

From his utility belt, Loki pulls a small control, about the same length and thickness as an adult's thumb. There is a single button at one end, he presses it. The bracers begin to hum, a deep, reverberating metalic pulse.

"The bracers are becoming magnetised - in a few seconds your wrist bracers will be pulled to the ankle bracers and lock, immobilising you thus."

[Sudoku]

The boys' demeanor changed again, his voice taking on an almost sing-song tone.

"I have a mission to complete, mission mission mission. No-one here cares about your frelling mission, Jedi. If I go back to Coruscant, it'll just begin all over again... I'll slip through the cracks and no-one will care. The shepards on Coruscant don't care if a few wolves thin out their herds, especially the sickly ones on the lower levels. They're human garbage, and all deserved to die."

[Loki Ahmrah]

"Whatever, Kyashi. I didn't come here to discuss higher moral ethics."

Held fast in a fetal position, Kyashi lended himself unwillingly to be lifted and thrown awkwardly over Loki's shoulder in an uncomfortable fireman's lift. He turned, carrying the younger boy and headed for the door.

"Now, don't start whining about your mother again. Like I promised, we will be coming back for her."

[Sudoku]

Kyashi shrugged, going as limp as possible. If Loki was going to take him, he'd have to work for his prize.

[Loki Ahmrah]

It was difficult navigating the stairs with Kyashi slung over his shoulder, Loki was no body builder but he was in excellent shape. He wobbled unsteadily on the stairs and had to kick the front door open to get out. Crossing the snow was straight forward but draining.

"So," Loki squeazed in a few words between his grunting. "It sounds like you don't have a very high opinion of the Jedi. We can't be all bad, this is first class service!"

He reached the steady incline and his pace slowed.

"My speeder bike is just at the top of this hill. Five minutes on that and we'll be at my ship."

[Sudoku]

"Heh. All of the Jedi I've...had the pleasure of meeting have been ...less than I've expected. Although, the dragon Jedi did put up a good fight. For a while."

He fidgeted as Loki started up the hill. "One has certain expectations of Force-users. It's disappointing when they turn out to be less than par with what you expect."

[Loki Ahmrah]

"So, am I right in assuming that you're judgement of Force users is based on combat skills?"

They arrived at the stationary speeder, with one free hand Loki turned it on and settled Kyashi down on the seat. He released his captives ankles from the binders thus breaking the mag-lock.

"You'll have to sit properly on the swoop if you don't want to fall off."

[Sudoku]

"Okay."

He shook his head. "No, it's not based on their combat skills necessarily. I was lead to believe most Jedi used passive methods before resorting to violence. Unfortunately, that hasn't always been the case. It's all *snap-hiss* *whooosh* *whoosh*"

The boy gestures clumsily as though he had a saber in his hand. "I guess Sith are no better, but it's all so cliched. The whole "I'm a horribly nasty Sith, look at me hiding in the shadows" is pathetic."

[Loki Ahmrah]

"Well, it depends on the situation for Jedi. I, for one, don't much like the idea of playing the role of the peaceful diplomat after having four needles burried in my chest."

He rubbed his wounds, sharp pain shot through his chest and his clothes pulled at the dry blood. He winced and climbed behind Kyashi, leaning against his back to grip the steering handles.

"What did you expect? A naive dimwit who is going to suddenly sit down with you with a cup of tea and discuss why it's wrong to throw sharp objects at people?"

The engines roared to life and they sped off.

[Sudoku]

"Heh. Well, that's the price you pay for playing bounty-hunter."

He held onto the seat of the bike as they sped off, snow kicking up beside them. "I don't know what I expected. I certainly didn't expect them to send a child after me..."

[Loki Ahmrah]

"I'm sorry I didn't meet your expectations, Kyashi. But that's not my job."

The frosty air bit at his face, he could feel his nose and ears glowing. His eyes narrowed, snowflakes showered them both and it was becoming difficult to see far ahead. Soon a ship could be seen, rested in the mouth of a gaping black maw in the mountain side.

"That's my ship. We'll be out of this cold in just a minute."

[Sudoku]

"pffft. It's only snow."

Kyashi sat back, watching the scenery pass by in a flash. They continued up the hillside, finally reaching the mouth of a cave. Loki got up off the bike, while he just sat there.

[Loki Ahmrah]

Loki's ship is a light freighter. It carries battle scars and looks ragged. There is a loud groan and a ramp lowers at the ships rear which he uses to board, one hand on a handle and the other at the rear of his swoop, on which Kyashi idly sits. There is a low, mechanical hum and the lights inside flicker to life. The boarding ramp closes behind them.

"This is an Rcon-12 Vendetta series. A favourite amongst smugglers, I've heard. She looks rugged, I know, but she does her job well."

Loki took a proud glance about the filthy interior of the ship and with a sigh, returned his gaze to the youngster.

"Well, Kyashi, your hold is this way. Follow me, please."

[Sudoku]

He rose from the bike, following Loki inside the ship. He wasn't into ships himself, so the mention of the type of ship meant nothing to him. He was lead to a section of the cargo bay, and stopped.

[Loki Ahmrah]

"This is where are you to remain throughout the remainder of the journey. There's a bed, wash basin and lavatory. No luxuries here but trust me, my room is no better than this."

Loki took a step back and tapped a small interface on the wall. A sheet of electric blue flashed in front of Kyashi, separating him from the rest of the cargo bay. Loki frowned.

"I didn't realise you'd be so limited in space. That can't be helped, I'm afraid, what with security regulations and all. It's not all doom and gloom though, at least we have each others company for the trip."

[Sudoku]

"Oh joy."

Kyashi sat down on the edge of the bed, rubbing his temples. "Maybe you can tell me all that's in store for me once we reach the planet. But first."

He glanced over his shoulder at the other boy. "Go fetch my mother."

[Loki Ahmrah]

A step away from the switch which had imprisoned Kyashi was another; this Loki tapped on his way to the cockpit. The boarding ramp heaved upwards slowly until it clamped shut with a loud clang. Inside the cockpit, Loki strapped himself into his seat, it was old and full of clumsy leather patchwork, he leaned across to a green panel and the chair wobbled. A moment of drumming switches and adjusting gauges then the ship came alive with buzzing of computers and humming of engines. Loki wrapped his hands around the control stick and gently pulled.

“Are you alright back there, Kyashi?” Loki called through the open door, his voice rang through the narrow corridor which led directly to the cargo bay. There was no answer.

“We’ll back at your home in no time; it should only take a minute to get there so try to relax.”

[Razielle Alastor]

In other parts of the ship, a pale mimic of a woman lay still as death in a hidden cargo compartment. Hands folded over her chest she lay as if in truth, she were in a coffin. That is surely what it felt like in such close quarters. The notion brought to mind memories of being buried alive by her own choice, and the insanity that had resulted. It was a weakness she would not submit to again, she was stronger now. Once again she was under the instruction of a worthy Master. A Master who had sent her into her present circumstance.

Master Mortis had sent Razielle out on a bit of a seek and retrieve mission. She was to locate one, Kyashi - a former student of her Master gone missing. She knew next to nothing about the boy she was hunting. The facts that she did know, she had followed like clues, ultimately finding out that she was not the only one seeking him. He had a Jedi on his tail as well.

It was somewhat easier tracking Loki than it had been Kyashi. Mainly because Loki was not hiding his presence from unwanted persons. To find the one, she would stay in close proximity to the other. It had been childs play to slip within his ship, to lock herself away in a hidden compartment, slip into a state of near stasis and..wait.

She couldn't help but be tempted by Loki though. He was young. He was a Jedi. She had been listening to his breathing, his heartbeat, his movements for a while now. She would take so much delight in holding his life in her hands and giving him the choice, death or eternity. Would he see salvation or damnation in her violet eyes? Thankfully for all of them it was nothing more than a passing notion. She was on business. Perhaps another time she could play with the Jedi.

The hum of the engines coming to life brought her mind to the present. Two heartbeats were present now.

Ahh... Hello Kyashi. Do me a favor and don't make a fuss.

Slowly, silently, Razielle slid the panel away from her hiding place and sat up, shaking her long hair out of her face. She could only hope that Kyashi was smart enough to play along and not give her game away too soon. She was on the other side of the blue force sheild. Thank the starts for the small things..

The Sith stood and slid shut the comartment, sliding her cold gaze over the one her Master wanted found.

[Sudoku]

His eyes cast a quick glance over at her, then returned to the floor. His fingertips began gently massage his temples once more. His voice was hushed when he finally did address her.

"I'm not the best at telepathy...You're a darksider, right? Who sent you?"

[Loki Ahmrah]

"What's that, Kyashi? I couldn't quite hear you."

Loki leaned back in his seat, it creaked. His head tilted in the direction of the corridoor but not another sound could be heard. After turning his attention back to the view outside the cockpit window, Loki assessed the distance and after a moment of altering trajectory to stay clear of the higher mountains, he set the ship to autopilot. The leather squeaked when he slipped out of his chair.

"You're going to have to speak up, Kyashi. I can't keep coming back here to talk until we're in hyperspace later."

The sound of his leather boots clicking against the metal floor accompanied the echo of his voice. Ahead, he could see the cargobay, here, an assortment of crates and containers lined either side of the closed boarding ramp, dimly illuminated in the dark by the cold blue light from Kyashi's prison. Loki stepped inside.

[Razielle Alastor]

She whispered only a name.

"Master Mortis.."

Sliding a finger before her lips to silence Kyashi, she backed up. Loki would be joining them soon and she didn't want to give herself away just yet. Standing to the side of the doorway she waited for him to pass into the cargobay, joining the little party.

As soon as he entered, Razielle stepped behind him and took a slow deep breath. It was really such a shame she wasn't after him...

"Hello Loki..."

[Sudoku]

"Master Mortis.."

Kyashi merely nodded, then watched as the Jedi entered. A slight smile crossed his lips as the woman stepped out .

[Loki Ahmrah]

By the time Loki was facing the woman, his lightsaber was in his hand, and he took a cautious step back. He fought away the telling look of shock on his face and replaced it with stern seriousness.

"Who are you and why are you here?"

[Razielle Alastor]

Her violet eyes dropped down to the weapon, giving it a curious glance. She had the effrontery to pout just a little as if he had done her a serious injustice by being armed. Razielle's arms raised slowly so as not to startle the young Jedi further. When her open palms were parallel with her shoulders she stopped and tilted her chin slightly to the side, giving Loki a beguiling smile.

"Are you going to hurt me, Loki..?"

Continuing on with her girlish charm, Razielle moved slowly circling the Jedi. She could keep him busy easy enough. "My name..? Is that what you want? I am Razielle. It seems you have stumbled upon Kyashi here. His crimes are not so great as to warrant the attention of the Jedi, are they? Really he cannot be blamed, you see, he was under the influence of a higher calling, not himself. I've come to fetch him home now.."

Her back was now to the switch that would release Kyashi, but still she didn't flip it. She was waiting.. watching the volatile Jedi, so full of youth and passion. He had made a fatal error in drawing his weapon first. He had lost his composure and she had seen it. The shock on his face, quickly masked had told her all she needed to know. He was out of his depth for the minute.

[Loki Ahmrah]

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that, Razielle. I am under strict orders to bring Kyashi back to Coruscant."

Not once did Loki remove his gaze from the unexpected visitor. He observed her knack for being able to turn on the charm like a light switch but he'd seen it before and anticipated a fight. His weapon rested still in his hands, the Jedi blade not yet activated, and his senses were open wide, so much so that his fingertips tingled from it.

"I do not want anyone to get hurt; so please, step away from the wall, drop to your knees and put your hands behind your head."

[Sudoku]

Kyashi merely sat and watched, his smile growing.

"Come on Loki, she's only an unarmed woman. Is the saber really necessary?"

[Razielle Alastor]

One black eyebrow shot up, her somewhat predatory grin deepened. "Well.. I was right about you. So demanding. I think I like it. So on that note, I'll be benevolent and reveal to you the two flaws with your split second decision to apprehend me as well as Kyashi. "

As she spoke, her slender arms obediently raised, as she had been instructed. Her fingers tangled together behind her head in compliance and for a moment she looked as if she would also drop to her knee's.

"First mistake - you have no authority to apprehend me. I haven't done anything more serious than saunter into your ship to converse with you about the release of a dear family member." She glanced towards Kyashi with the adoration of a mother.

"Your second mistake ......"

Her fingers, behind her head, threw the switch releasing Kyashi. When the digits came into view again, gone were her graceful pale fingers - in their stead were talon-like claws that would make any predator jealous.

"was thinking I would be so lapse as to come to you unarmed. I am taking Kyashi with me. You can either resign yourself to that fact, or we can do it the hard way. That would be a shame considering that I am starting to find you entertaining. "

Come on Loki, be a doll and just say you never saw him.

[Loki Ahmrah]

There was a click and the forcefield came to life once more; the switch having been changed seemingly of its own accord. When Loki's brilliant blue blade sprung to life, he summoned the Force once again to push Razielle away from the switch and cautiously, closed in on her.

"I have the authority to apprehend you and I had no doubt in my mind that you were here to harm me and thus armed. Now, don't do this. I cannot allow Kyashi to go free."

He stood at distance from the woman, his eyes fixed upon her and his weapon defensively upright. He called out.

"Kyashi! Remember our agreement? I promised no harm would come to you or your mother and that she could join us on our trip to Coruscant. Tell this woman that her assisstance is unneccessary. I don't want her to jeopardise the arrangement. Please, listen to me - think of your mother!"

[Sudoku]

His smile faded as quickly as it had appeared. It was replaced with a blank look showing no emotion.

"This has nothing to do with that. I have no control over what she," he nodded to Razielle, "does."

[Razielle Alastor]

At the sound of the click, Razielle sighed. He wasn't going for the easy way. However the young Jedi was at it again, letting things slip. She had an inkling of his skill with the Force, but nothing definitive. One by one he was letting her see his capabilities. It was becoming quite sad. Things were more fun when you didn't know what to expect. Before she resumed dealing with the Jedi she was going to have to do something about the bothersome force field keeping Kyashi locked up like a pretty bird.

"Tysk tysk.. First you draw a weapon, now you commence with the Force first. Very sloppy form, Loki."

At that, she moved fast, slamming her claws into the control panel. Her fingers curled upward and ripped the whole of the device out from the wall. A shower of sparks, combined with the flickering and ultimately fading blue light of the field, cast a demonic glow on her features. She used the confusion to her advantage.

"Kyashi... MOVE!"

She didn't wait to see if her young friend had the wits to obey, she went after her little Jedi with a grin and claws bared.

[Loki Ahmrah]

Loki stood his ground, his eyes fixed on Razielle. His senses sharp and his lightsaber ready.

"You do not have to do this."