Memento mori

[Tear]

Thick black clouds swirled through the black void of night sky above Coruscant. Like some sort of deep sea monster it reached out over the city with its fluffy black tendrils. Like a hungry beast its stomach crackled and thundered over the city scape, sparkling flashes that revealed just how thick and black of a cloud it was. A pause, then like a test a small drop of water fell, sparkling beautifully against the bright neon lights the city. The all clear was called and tiny sparkling drops of water fell from the beast covering the city in thick sheets of rain.

Alone he stood in a doorway. Behind him a soft glow of red lights broke with pulses of white coinciding with deep repetitive beats of music played behind him. The night was still young and a few stranglers were attempting to rush in from the rain into the heat of the clubs dance floor.

His black suit and white shirt stood out slightly from the bright attractive colors most of the beings in the club were wearing. But it didnt matter he wasnt here to dance or pick up some fun. Or maybe he was...he hadnt decided yet.

With a flick of his brow his orange sunglasses slid down to his nose and he turned into the club, sinking into the melee of dancing bodies.

[Sudoku]

The boy sat on a table in the middle of the club, somewhere near the back. Dark corners had become cliched hiding places for Force-adepts, particularly ones such as himself.

Kyashi nursed his glass of water as he watched the crowd move in sync to the loud booming bass. He didn't particularly want to be here, but the large crowd helped to mask his presence. His head nodded in time with the music as he continued to watch the scene pass him by.

[Tear]

Tear slinked through the crowd a smile over his lips as he passed by two women dressed in next to nothing who were, well the night club wasnt a high class joint to say the least. I'll have to drop by here again sometime, Tear thought as he slid from the dance floor to the upper levels.

Drunk, sober, Tear squinted his eyes at a particular group huddled at the edge of the club, high....Everyone was dancing, drinking or injecting something like a practiced religion of artificially increased fun. These people were praying hard.

"Hey," A short woman with braided hair that wrapped itself around her torso several times over popped into view.

"Helloo" Tear said simply his smile still wide and apparent at being amused with his surroundings. He even had a drink in his hand, although, what was in the cup he wasnt sure but it tasted spicy.

"Whats your name tonight?"

"Business."

"Really, what sort of busiNess." She let her tongue roll with a hiss as she stepped closure pinning the Inquisitor against the railing he had been leaning against.

"Hah." Tear took a sip and stepped back over the railing seperating himself from the vixen. "You come here often?" Tear had to raise his voice slightly below yelling as the music increased.

"Every day baby."

Tear nodded returning her smirk, "Tell me, seen anything out of the norm?"

"Normal?" She giggled and looked around to the flashing lights and the flailing arms and torso's that writhed on the dance floor. She turned back to Tear and pointed over his shoulder. "There. Thats not a opaque toglar tongue hes drinking. Its water."

"And you know that how?" Tear arched a quizicle eyebrow at the woman nodding at the fact that people who come here usually wouldnt drink water.

The girl leaned over the railing her arms close together to push up her clevage. "The name tag. Im a waitress here."

Tears eyes were slow to shift to the womans name tag. "Oh..." he smiled tossing her his drink as he hopped off the railing to the floor only a few feet below.

"Where you going!?" The waitress yelled after him but her voice was quickly muffled with the increasing bass beats.

The Inquisitors head tilted to the left lightly, flicking his sunglasses up as he did so. Sitting alone, drinking water in a club. Tear removed a small data pad from his coat jacket. Hours ago he had been given a tip to a force user in this district. A small desciption not much to go on. Hell, most of the time they were false reports anyway.

Best place to hide yourself from someone is to hide in plainview. Try not to look too conspicuous. Go along with the locals. Fit in. He was trying wasn't he?

Tear sat down across the table Kyashi was sitting at propping his feet up on a chair infront of him. "Wutcha drinking?" The inquisitor let his neck crane back over his chair glancing side long at Kyashi as he waited for an answer.

[Sudoku]

"Water."

A weak shrug followed his answer - anyone who didn't know better would assume he was a a typical boy having a night out. His clothing was ordinary - black shirt, jeans, an old Imperial uniform shirt to complete the look.

"Why? Are you checking i.d.s?"

[Tear]

"Just curious." Tear said simply an amused smile kept the corners of his lips curved. The Inquisitor scratched his chin in a lazy fashion, he hated not knowing if the informer was actually telling the truth.

Since Endor he had been getting tips and reports at least three to four times a week which was rediculous. Most were false but there was always that one report that turned out to be true and that one report was the only reason Tear was out in his dirty little club trying to a bait a fish that wasnt hungry.

"But if your insisting mind if I did check your i.d?" After all the only thing Tear was going on right now was a description.

[Sudoku]

"Don't have any."

He finished up his water, setting the empty glass on the table beside him. The boy gave the man a hard once-over glance, then frowned.

"I suppose I should get one, but that kind of thing would only cause me more trouble."

[Tear]

"If your worried about being arrested for being in a club when your underage," Tear craned his neck looking at the boy again, "That is if you are underage. I think that will be the least of your worries if some storm troopers find you out in the city without I.D. Or havent your heard?"

Tear sat up slightly as he had been slowly slouching down in the chair he was sitting in. "Mashal laws been declared kiddo and its," he glanced at his wrist chrono, "Well after hours to be out."

[Sudoku]

"Whatever."

He didn't budge. If this man was trying to intimidate the youngster sitting across from him, it wasn't having any visible affects. Kyashi gave Tear a lazy smile.

"Troopers don't scare me."

[Tear]

"No? So what does? Scare you that is." Tear folded his arms simply, his feet wagging back and forth, propped up on another chair.

Reaching into his jacket pocket Tear removed a small deck of cards. A quick flick shuffled them within his hands. Tear's eyes were staring intently on the deck of cards as he shuffled them. It almost looked as if he was trying to spot a problem with one of the cards in the deck.

"You like cards?"

[Sudoku]

"No."

Kyashi moved to a seat across from Tear, giving his waggling feet a sharp shove off the table as he sat. His dark eyes narrowed in annoyance as he leaned towards the other man.

"Are you supposed to be scary? Because I just don't see it. No offence or anything."

[Tear]

Tear bent a card and flicked Kyashi's nose with it when he bent forward. "Maybe your just not looking hard enough."

The Inquisitor's blue eyes began to scan the room again. Maybe this kid wasn't the one he was looking for just another harmonal, rebellious brat. He sighed, not spotting anyone who matched the description as closely as...

"Sitting all alone in a crowded club. Drinking water." Tear made a face as he plucked the wet card out from Kyashi's drink and tossed it at him. "Dont have many friends do you?"

[Sudoku]

He moved back, so the card barely grazed him, and scowled.

"I don't need friends, nor do I want them. All they do is get in my way. And I certainly don't need friends like these," he gestured to the surrounding crowds, "people. I prefer to stick to people who are...on the same level as I am."

"Of course, it seems sad that an older man such as yourself would come down to this type of place. Looking for a younger piece of tail so you can impress her with your fancy suit and glasses? Or are you more interesting in young boys like me?"

[Tear]

Tear laughed lightly but loud enough it could be heard over the repeating boom of the music. "Hey now im not that old. And as a matter of fact I am interested in a young boy like you." Still snickering he shuffled his cards once more.

"Well this all makes perfect sense now. You dont like any of these people or this place? But you prefer to hang around people more your level, when clearly," The Inquisitor glanced around playfully, "None are here. Does this make sense to you?" Tears expression dropped drastically from amused to something entirely different.

"Why are you here again? For the fine water they serve?"

[Sudoku]

"It's very hard to find Force-users of any quailty these days. Particularly ones who wield the Darkside who aren't your stereotypical angst-filled mess, or simply out to fullfill their own agenda."

The boy ignored Tears' smart remarks, keeping his own tone matter-of-fact and steady.

"Most have no idea what to do with themselves, others end up slaves to the Empire or worse. Although, I have trouble thinking of anything worse then joining up with Imperial cowards."

A smirk appeared on the boys' lips. "That is what you wanted to hear, isn't it? That I'm a force-adept and all that lovely stuff."

[Tear]

Tear couldn't have been slapped in the face harder. Never once had a force user been so blatent with their identity. Even all Kyashi had done was painted the full picture. Tear had already drawn the lines.

"I know. I just needed some sort of confirmation." Tear stretched his brown again letting his sunglasses fall back over his face.

"And what exactly do you know of the darkside? Your lucky to even be in your early 20's. " Tear reached out with the deck of cards bent between his finger tips and sprayed them over Kyashi.

"We arent cowards either."

[Sudoku]

The cards stopped in mid-air, and with a flick of his wrist, fell to the table in front of Kyashi. The cards shuffled themselves, settling into a neat pile between the pair.

"I know enough. So, what's the deal? Is there a specific reason why you're here? It's not me, is it?" He laughed, picking up the cards and shuffling through them slowly. "I'd be shocked if the Empire took this long to send someone after me."

[Tear]

"Your the big man aren't you. Seen all the nastys life has to offer. Make your own decisions do you?" Tear reached across the table and took Kyashi's cup of water.

"This might come as a shock to you, kiddo, but your not the end all be all of this galaxy. And your not that important." Swirling the small bits of what looked like dust around in the cup Tear took a sip and poured the rest slowly over the table. Underneath Tears sunglasses his eyes had been glazing over but now were beginning to sharpen and clear.

"Your too brash and self serving to be a Jedi. Dark adepts always have such ego." Tear folded his arms and smiled at Kyashi while he played with his cards. "Enjoying yourself yet?" The kid would begin to start feeling the effects if he didn't realize his hands were becoming slightly powdery. The playing cards were coated in a chemical that is absored through the skin making the person extremly lethargic if not all together unconcious. The card Tear had placed in Kyashi's water was the one card that counter acts its affects.

[Sudoku]

The boys' head drooped slightly, but a low sneer crossed his lips as he slammed the deck onto the wet table.

"I've seen my father kill my mother because of Imperial cowards - they cheered him on, he killed her simply because she was like me." The water on the table began to shift as the boy continued. "When he tried to make me join your little group of boy-scouts, I lost it. Killed him, killed some troopers. And I did enjoy it. I'm allowed to have an ego, because I know what I can do with this "gift."

He slammed his hands flat on the table-top, sending the water up in mini-tidalwaves which hung in the air for several moments before sloshing to the floor. "So, cut the crap and tell me what the frell you want with me. Or get out of my face."

[Tear]

"You do have some power Kyashi." The young boy suddenly found himself flung through the air to slam solidly with a pillar a few yards behind.

People screamed and ran from what they didnt know some had seen what happened and others just went with the herds direction. Dumb cattle.

Without giving the boy anytime to pick himself up, Tear reached out, using the force to pluck the boy from the ground like a weed.

"Your father was right to kill your mother! Your father was the strong one not you. He should have finished the job and killed you off but he didnt. The only weakness there was compassion." Through snarling Teeth Tear flung the boy across the floor through a few chairs and tables.

"There Kyashi. Now you've met a darksider."

[Sudoku]

His body shook as he rose to his feet. He'd be hurting tomorrow, but for now, he focused his pain elsewhere. The boy stumbled out of the rubble, took one look at Tear and started laughing.

"Wow, someone who can Force push. That's really impressive..." He wiped at his eyes, faking tears. "If my father was so strong, why is he six-feet under right now? Compassion didn't spare me, ignorance and pride did. The same ignorance you're showing - saying I have an ego, when you're standing there, proclaiming yourself as a "Darksider". More like a padawan youngling."

[Khendon Sevon]

Khendon frowned as the bouncer held out a scanning device. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

“O’, why’s dat? Got summtin’ ta’ hide, eh?”

“It wouldn’t be in your best interests,” The tall officer opened his long jacket. The seal of the Executor’s Office stood proudly above an intricately adorned katana hanging from a specially sewn scabbard.

“Ah, dat I see. Sorry fo’ th’ trouble.”

An anonymous tip had been left with one of Khendon’s many secretaries. Normally, a duo of elite stormguardsmen would confirm the rumor; however, the Executor had been in close proximity to the suggested location of the “rogue” and had taken it upon himself to conduct the proper inquiries.

The music passed over Khendon in pounding layers. Techno-junk, he thought to himself, I hate techno-junk. A small flicker of the darkside began to burn in the Officer’s chest as he relaxed and allowed the Force to embrace his consciousness. There was so much chaos in the room—some scuffle had occurred.

The Sith had expected his senses to pick up the normal array of intoxicated fools, and it had. Yet, something unusual caught at the edges of his Force awareness. Two “abnormal” (a term reserved for those above average-joe level) were in the club. The tip-off had been genuine.

Khendon strolled up to the disturbance, the sea of civilians parting as he approached. They seemed to sense the growing presence of his dark abilities as the sheath of anti-detection boiled away.

“Am I interrupting something?” growled the Officer’s voice through the cacophony of noise.

[Tear]

Tear snickered to himself as Kyashi continued to spit and hiss words.

"Show me then. Where's this impressive 'gift ' you have that you keep tossing around like cheap booze."

The Inquisitor stood, his arms folded over his chest and waited.

[Sudoku]

Kyashi ignored Tear, his attention turning to the man approaching them through the parting crowds. He stood in silence, unconciously straightening his posture.

"Oh great, another one."

[Khendon Sevon]

There were laws in place that gave Khendon the freedom to do nearly anything he wanted. In fact, he would’ve enjoyed to execute the two for no other reason than simplicity. Yet, there remained a bit of intrigue in his otherwise cold library of emotions.

“You two will follow me, now.” His silver eyes reinforced his words with intent.

[Tear]

Tear glanced over to Kyashi this time they shared in the amusement, he couldn't help but laugh. The Inquisitor knew of the man who had just entered they were almost one in the same. Khendon Sevon was the Emperors attack dog much like Tear had been Vader's.

Khendon on the other hand receieved much more attention commading fleets and taking part in great battles etc etc. Where Tear fell into shadow perfering to work the otherside of this great Empire.

"No, I dont think I want to come with you. Do you?" Tear turned his amused smile still apparent as he turned the question to Kyashi.

[Sudoku]

Kyashi shrugged, wiping at the blood dribbling from the corner of his mouth with a sleeve.

"I'd rather go with him then stay here with you..."

[Khendon Sevon]

“How dare you,” Khendon’s voice fell an octave and rumbled with the might of the Dark Side. Malice laced every syllable as he spoke through clenched teeth, “Your insolence is only surpassed by your insolence.”

The Executor quickly clenched his fist. Veins suddenly dilated as blood pulsed rapidly through the dark warrior’s body. A snarl twitched to existence on his lips and his eyes locked in pure coldness. The Force radiated from Khendon like heat from a volcano. Dark waters of deadly consequences sloshed over and finally erupted in one concentrated measure of the officer’s hatred and emotion.

Without warning the Force mimicked Khendon’s gesture and tightened like a piston vice around the man’s neck. Every putrid drop of blackened energy stormed from the tempest of the Sith’s mind and heart and engulfed the man with the orange glasses in an impenetrable field of constricting energy.

“Not so quick to words now, are we?” The man floated a full foot off the ground as the power of Khendon’s mind attacked the precious pathway of blood to the fool’s brain.

[Tear]

"Hrk!" Tears hands reacted instinctivly, clutching at his throat in a desperate act to stop the attack before realizing what was happening.

Struggling through clenched teeth Tear managed to spit, "You always were a fool Sevon."

A moment past. Not a long one but long enough for frustration to set in. Long enough to find the rage he needed to fuel his body and fuel his body it did. Like an explosion Tears body burned literally, a single hand struck out toward his attacker. Khendon, and everything around him was suddenly torn up from its roots and sent violently in the other direction.

The Inquisitor fell to his knees, a violent bout of coughing took him spattering the floor infont of him lightly in blood. The coughing quickly changed to laughter as Tear stood up a smile spread over his bloody lips.

A small metallic cylinder quickly found itself in the Inquisitors palm. Blue eyes watched the cloud of swirling dust and debris that Khendon had been a part of, in there somewhere.

[Sudoku]

A small crowd had begun to mingle, watching the two darksiders with a mix of fear and intrigue. It was just what Kyashi was waiting for - he slowly backed his way into the throng of party-goers, disappearing into the club.

[Khendon Sevon]

Shards of glass ripped through flesh and cloth indiscriminately. They drew blood that splattered to the ground in crimson-black spheres of life energy. Fragments of wood and other materials sliced with malice and wicked intent. The torrent of dark energies wrapped around Khendon and continued to assault him with a flood of objects.

The initial confusion and disbelief at the darksider’s actual power faded as the pain took root. Lightning played its game over the various curves of the Executor’s body. Yet, there seemed to be a reassurance in the suffering. Each heart-wrenching wound brought power where power was not before.

Khendon became a concentrated force of dark intent. The sphere of debris began to change rhythm and pattern. The soldier of the Empire fell to a knee with hand placed firmly against the cool ground. His silver eyes shot up at his mark. The tunnel vision of the Dark Side took control.

The Executor shook his head as he stood, the tempest of materials still flowing around him like a shield. “You know my name,” he looked over his various wounds and sneered, “I don’t care for yours. Have a taste!” The dark soldier brought both palms to face Tear and, like a rain of malice, everything flowed to its original source.

[Tear]

"Ah frell." Tear's blue eyes watched for a moment before reacting as he felt the surge of power in Khendon's body.

His torso twisted, bending back, he reached for the other end of a table that laid behind him. Hopping over it he let the table tip over to its side as the Inquisitor fell at the opposite end, putting it between him and Sevon.

Out of the corner of his eye, Tear watched as Kyashi, his prey sunk back into a crowd of on lookers like a drop of water into a murky puddle he wouldn't be found unless action was taken quickly.

Shunk, shunk! The splintered end of a table legging stuck portruding through the table mere inches from Tears cheek. The music was a distant echo as debris was flung toward the Inquisitors direction, tables landed and quickly crumbled sending whatever was ontop into the air. A bottle of some sort of liquer shattered near Tears thigh, two more bottles found their way to the same spot with only small cracks.

"Well, least I got something useful." Tear cracked the neck of the bottle and took a large gulp of whatever the brownish liquid was. His face quickly soured, too late to spit out the majority of the spicy drink he swallowed and glanced at the smeared label. Wait...Tear plucked the second bottle, spinning it in his hand to try and spot a label where none was. He quickly opted for the last resort and smashed the neck of the second bottle taking a smaller sip this time. His face scrunched up in rejection once again.

"Hey Sevon. I think I found something you'll enjoy." Tear flung the first bottle in Khendon's direction letting its contents shatter and spill over the ground the brownish liquid spilling over the officers dusty boots.

"Did you get that one? No? Ok hold on." Tear reached to the small of his back, unclipping the blaster that was held there and armed the weapon.

"Becareful though Its got a little burn to it..." The Inquisitor suddenly leapt from his position flinging the last bottle toward his attack. His shoulder hit the ground first, tucking into a roll Tear raised his weapon and with a single shot ignited the bottles contents into a fireball. The proceding explosion of fire reacted to the same liquid already on the floor and like finger tips from the devil, clawed its way up over Khendons boots, igniting them.

[Khendon Sevon]

Khendon’s mind had been forged by a dark man and filled with the ancient secrets of a forgotten Sith cult, his body tempered by one of the galaxy’s most inhospitable planets. Through years of hunting Force users and engaging in immense battles of varying styles, the Executor had developed a collect mind in the face of imminent danger.

These unique characteristics culminated in a soldier bred and scripted for success under adverse conditions. Khendon’s mind quickly brought his experience to the forefront through action as flames engulfed his full body. A towering inferno formed. The great pillar of fire roared as it was fed by the dark energies of the twisted soul.

The air around the lapping flames suddenly grew calm and chilly, the rolling scarlet and orange column seemed to turn placid and recede into the outline of its heart—a man of wicked, black desires. The pulsating, steady glow cast an aura of rapture and pure, untainted beauty.

In an instant the docile sensation was destroyed. A roar shattered the silence and signaled the demon at the core of the firestorm. A wave of heat expanded away from the blaze. In a brilliant and stunningly terrifying split-second the pillar changed direction and scope and closed the distance between Khendon and Tear.

The fire of hell had turned on its master, bolstered by a black heart’s dark might.

[Tear]

Blue eyes caught the fireball spiral and pillar into the air before coiling and strike out like a serpent.

The Inquisitor had expected this reaction although he didn't think Sevon would pull the same trick twice. Tear braced himself as he watched the torrent of flame rush toward him like a storming river.

Khendon would only see flame and a mirage like effect caused by the intense heat. Tears figure looked like it had been enveloped in the flame as the spear of fire struck through his position and slammed into the backwall behind him. The roar of flame had covered the scream of anger at what was about to come.

A flaming object suddenly exploded from the dissipating fireball. It was his shield but formly it was just a table. It flew over Khendon in pieces from the kick it that had sent it flying through the air.

If Khendon had seen that coming he wouldnt have time to wipe the embers from his eyes as a figure whos torso was covered in fire leapt at him from the fire.

Two knees were pumped mid air striking any fore arm Khendon put out to try and block the assault. Caught Off balance the actual attack came. Tear whipped off his suits coat which was covering his face and upper torso, he quickly flung it the fiery mess of melting fabric and sizzling bits at Khendon. Using his forward momentum from the jump Tear carried his body forward still, twisting his body a left hook was sent. A loud crack resounded strongly through the air when the Inquisitors fist connected solidly with Khendons jaw.

If he stumbled back or fell was of no concern to Tear he was already on his way out, a small trial of black smoke which died quickly with the speed the Inquisitor was running at.

He didnt have time to fight Sevon, not now. Especially when the fight wasn't necessary. Time he needed to explain but didnt have. Time it would take to catch up to prey that already had a headstart.