Sanis Prent and the Urns of Korriban, Pt. 2

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

Fey'dann, Carshoulis Cluster

Tap, tap, tap.

Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap.

Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap.

Sasseeri Reeouurra drummed her fingers on the arm of her seat impatiently. "jI do not ljike bejing kept jin the darrrk, Olorrrjin." She glowered at her employee.

"Of course not, Sasseeri." Kal might have bowed his head a little, but her eyes were adjusting from being inside her tent and she couldn't quite tell. "I'm afraid its a bit of a walk."

She brightened at that, even though she wasn't looking forward to walking into the bright sunrise and getting damp with the dew. "Ah, the rrroom!" The Black Sun Vigo rose from her deck chair, pulling her silky robe tightly around her nightclothes. "Get Cljine up, I want hjim herrre for thjis."

Olorin did nod at that, and ducked into the pavilion behind her. Tick and Tock, her identical twin Twi'leki bodyguards, flanked her silently, shades on their eyes protecting them from the brilliance of the rising sun.

Sasseeri looked towards the east, and muttered a prayer under her breath to Sanjarra, goddess of the Sun. She never prayed while she was away from the Cluster, but the old traditions seemed to hold more weight while inside the Pride.

Kal re-emerged from the tent, a disheveled and sleepy-eyed Michael Cline just behind him. "This way. Mr. Kellen Ferr is very excited and said you had to see this. Mr. Kandle is there already."

The Cizerack half-breed rubbed her hands together with excitement, and nodded. "Lead the way then."

[Kal Olorin]

I led the way. Not that she didn't know where we were going - the dig site wasn't exactly camoflauged, and even this early in the morning the Fey'dann star was beating down viciously. But Sassy has her quirks, and telling people what to do and when and how to do it is one of them. She gets really upset if she's preempted in giving a command.

Forty-odd Cizerack males were lounging around the dig site, the other thirty or so sleeping in their makeshift camp just beyond the excavation. The doc, Ferr, was hopping around excitedly, his high-pitched voice carrying over to us as he chattered at the silent and masked Grym Kandle. The assassin was not replying, merely observing. Probably plotting how he would dispose of the intellectual after Sassy was done with him.

I'd help him, too.

"Ms. Reeouurra!" Kellen waved as we got close. "The room, it is just here as I said it would be." He sounded slightly amazed - whether he doubted himself or was just surprised at how astoundingly smart he was I couldn't tell.

[Grym Kandle]

Grym was comfortable. This had been a small break and nearly a vacation so far. Grym wondered if it was coming to the end of the vacation for Mr. Dr. Because there was Sasseeri with her mass produced twi'leks and then Olorin and the kid. Reeouurra looked about as impatient as she could have been relieved that they had reached some kind of climax in their work finally. He stood with her arrival and the chattering nonsense of the Dr. turned its direction upon the Vigo without hesitation. Olorin gave the small man a look that Grym figured he would probably have shared if Grym had bothered to pay any attention to what actually came out of the Doc's mouth.

[Michael Cline]

He had scrambled to at least look somewhat decent for Ms. Sasseeri - even at this early hour he doubted looking like a complete bum would be acceptable. He stretched as they headed for the excavation site, and he shook the evening's cobwebs from his brain. Ferr was raving on about something, completely enraptured in the sound of his own voice, or maybe it was his own presumed intelligence.

He didn't know, he didn't precisely care. He cared about what Ms. Sasseeri cared about, namely - results. He rubbed his back with a yawn and tried to at least seem to be paying attention to the egghead. He picked up most of it though, or at least the most important part.

"The room, it is just here as I said it would be."

Results. This was sure to please Ms. Sasseeri.

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

She gave Ferr a steady look, a gust of wind whipping her robe around her legs. "The rrroom locked wjith unlockable locks?"

He faltered, and nodded. "Just so. You wanted to be notified when we had progress, and I haven't had a chance to look at the locks closely yet..."

Sasseeri smiled, and stepped down into the hole, the dark dirt of Fey'dann crumbling around her small feet. Olorin grabbed her arm to steady her, and the doctor hopped down into the dig with her. There was just enough room for all three to stand in front of an obviously man-made underground wall. She traced her fingers across carvings that were still mostly filled with dirt, and then brushed her hands together to get the soil off of them.

"The doorrr?" Ferr jumped into action, showing her the faint outline of a door, though it had no locks in sight or even any hinges or doorknobs.

"I believe that this was designed by a Force sensitive, Ms. Reeouurra." He used a tool and some water on the door, revealing more of the same carved script that was used elsewhere on the room. "This says... 'Only the pure in hatred can open this portal to -'"

"Do we have enough explosijves to take carrre of thjis?" Sasseeri looked at Olorin, who hesitated, then nodded. "Good. jI want an ultrrrasound of the jinterrrjiorrr completed beforrre jI'm done wjith brrreakfast."

Ferr spluttered with scholastic outrage, but the Vigo ignored him, climbing out of the pit and reaching up for Cline's hand as she got close to the top. He helped her out of the excavation, and she smiled at him before frowning down at her ruined silk robe and filthy slippers. "jI'll be at brrreakfast. jI want thjis open as soon as possjible."

She started back towards her tent, and motioned to Grym Kandle, bringing the assassin over to her side. "Keep an eye on thjings herrre, Mr. Kandle. Therrre arrre too many bejings herrre that mjight decjide to steal frrrom me." She gestured at the resting Cizerack males, but then added, "And Ferrrr mjight decjide he wants to prrrotect the sjite from desecrrratjion. Thjis jis hjis ljife's worrrk, afterrr all. jI don't want hjim havjing any holo's of thjis ejitherrr."

[Kal Olorin]

Sassy climbed out of the hole in the ground, leaving me down there with Kellen Ferr. He pulled out a holocam and started recording. "This is incredible. I mean, I believed it would be here, but..." He turned towards me, cam still on, and I pushed it away from my face.

"Hey, knock it off." I eyeballed the 'door', and asked, "How thick do you think this is? The wall."

"I'm not sure... at least a metre." The holocam switched off, and he added, "Ms. Reeouurra was joking about the explosives, wasn't she?" There was a lot of doubt in his voice.

"Uh, sure. Yeah, just joking. She's always kidding around." I gave him a sideways look when he turned away, and shook my head. Hopeless. "Look, I'm going to get the scanning equipment so we know what we're getting into."

Ferr was translating the runes carved on the unearthed wall, dictating to his holocam as he filmed each rune. I sighed, and climbed out of the excavation. Cline was up there, looking down with a strange look on his face. "Wanna go down there before we blow it up?" I jerked my thumb at the wall. "Have a look, it won't be there for long."

[Michael Cline]

"Wanna go down there before we blow it up? Have a look, it won't be there for long."

He managed to nod, and little more. Since he'd gotten near the excavation site today, something had seemed off. An odd buzzing in the back of his brain while he stared at the 'door' in front of him. He tried not to pay attention to the egghead, but something he'd said had stood out in his mind. "Only the pure in hatred can open this portal to -", he'd been cut off by Ms. Sasseeri before he could finish what he was saying - but Cline'd heard enough.

Sudoku... Kyashi... used to talk about things like this. The will of the force, the power of the darkside. Back when Cline'd hung on every word that poured from his lips he had taken it all in, wanted to be just like him. A darksider, what he was staring at now brought back all of those old thoughts. Made him feel like Sudoku was standing there next to him, egging him on.

He slid down the side of the excavation site and headed over. Ferr was still frittering about, talking into his holocam and going on and on about his incredibleness. Whatever. Michael let his hand wander over the harsh stone of the blocked passageway until his fingers traced along the inscriptions Ferr had been reading from before.

"Hey, egghead." The red haired youth motioned, "What does this part say? This part here?" He tapped the stone with one finger as the geek leaned in to look at the inscription.

"That? That's the information about opening the door. Just as I said before, 'Only the pure in hatred can open this portal to...'" he tuned him out at that. That's what he'd wanted to hear again. Pure in hatred - Sith, darksiders. The inscription was about them - he'd had some training down that path, not much but maybe... nah it was crazy. Those were crazy thoughts, Cline. He turned away from the door, shaking his head and walking away a few paces.

Then again... he glanced back at it. Could it hurt to try? If he succeeded Ms. Sasseeri would probably be elated. He liked the idea of pleasing Ms. Sasseeri, if Ms. Sasseeri were happy, it usually meant he was happy. He spread his feet out, settling himself as he stared at the stone before him. Ferr was still standing about raving on and on about the passageway. Heh, he'd give the geek something to really talk about. He closed his eyes and focused on his hate, his parents death, their killer... but it wasn't there. The raw burning fury he'd had for the event before had subsided. He'd killed Sudoku, their murderer - and for all intents moved on to a better life.

What else did he have that he could hate that much? Thoughts flashed back to when he had began his new career, and encountered an assassin attempting to end Ms. Sasseeri - he had come so close to losing his new perfect life. To losing everything again - and he hated that thought. He let it fester, the rage - the aggression let it boil over to the point of insanity, and then fought through, focusing on the stone before him. Hands stretched out before him, as if trying to grasp the stone from the distance he was at he focused, seeing the stone move, thinking of nothing else.

His muscle's tensed, his brow began to drip with sweat - but nothing was coming of it. No matter how much he focused it seemed futile. He was considering stopping before he gave himself a stroke when he heard the sound. The grind of stone against stone - his eyes flung open and he watched as the dust and dirt covering the thin separation of the door and it's surroundings began to shake free - and the stone creaked forward an inch.

He was doing it - he couldn't stop now, he had to press on. He gritted his teeth and focused harder, the edges of his vision turning white in pressure as he continued to motion, working to pull that stone free from it's constraint. Ferr had just noticed what was going on, and stood silently, almost shocked in disbelief. The door gave another inch and he struggled to take another, and another after that. So much pressure - so much force exerted to try and move the block, he felt as if he were about to... oh...

The white edges of his vision turned dark and his vision doubled as he started to lose his footing. Mouth dry he started to tumble down to one side, landing unceremoniously as everything went dark. 4 inches, it had taken every ounce of energy he could muster, and some that had come from he knew not where to move the stone 4 inches before the force finally got to him. Solemnly his world went dark around him as he passed out.

[Grym Kandle]

Grym nodded, his mask barely moving. He glanced to the workers lounging to the side, considered their numbers and possible strength and left it there for now. Circumstance would have to be taken into consideration for him to determine how to gain the proper advantage if it ever came down to it.

And the doctor... was as good as dead. A simple situation, like flipping a light switch, all Sasseeri had to do was say the word and the switch flipped on in that case.

"As you say, Vigo... Did you hear that?"

Grym didn't think they'd be that quick to use the explosives already but then again it didn't seem like any kind of explosive, merely the slightest tremble, like stone moving against stone, the grinding of the ground beneath them.

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

She did indeed. Sasseeri stood still for a moment as a grinding sound seemed to be coming from the dig site just behind them, but it stopped shortly after starting. Turning around she saw Kal shout and slide down into the large excavation, and she frowned. "What the frrrell was that."

Picking up the edges of her robe the Vigo hurried back to the dig, Cizerack males scattering from her path even as they tried to crowd around and see what was going on. "Out of my way!" Shoving a paticularly slow male from in front of her, Sasseeri pushed to the forefront and stared down into the pit. "Rrreporrrt Olorrrrjin!"

He looked up from where he was kneeling in the dirt next to Cline. "I'm not sure what happened. I told him he could take a look and he was... and then things started moving and he passed out." Kal pried up Michael's eyelids and added, "He seems to be fine - just unconscious for now."

Sasseeri turned her attention to Dr. Ferr, and he shrugged, one hand on the doorway that was now several centimeters extended from the rest of the wall. "He asked me what the runes said, but before I finished telling him..." The doctor's face went white underneath the smudges of dirt. "He's an adept, isn't he." He scrambled backwards away from Cline's prone body, as though proximity to him would implicate him in the crime of being a Force sensitive.

"Gjive me a brrreak," she growled, hands on her hips as she stared down at the three males. "Who gjives a drrrren what he jis orrr jisn't. You'rrre bejing well funded, Ferrrrr, don't forrrget jit. As farrr as you'rrre concerrrned, he's just a terrrrrjible secrrretarrry." She turned to the closest male and snapped her fingers. "Get hjim out of therrre and to my tent. NOW!"

The Cizerack jumped into action, leaping down into the excavation and helping Olorin gather up Cline's unconscious body. Rather, Olorin helped the bulky Cizerack, as Michael's lighter frame was hardly a burden to the muscular male. As they came up out of the dig and passed her, the Vigo turned to Grym Kandle, who was standing silently by her.

"Change of plans. Get the next locatjion out of the doctorrr, and then terrrmjinate hjim. jI don't need hjim compljicatjing thjis up by calljing in the jInqujisjitorrrate ljike a good cjitjizen." She turned on her heel and stalked towards her tent. Michael Cline would need some tending to.

She hadn't expected him to take such initiative, and even though he'd been unsuccessful it was a good sign. He was almost ready.

[Kal Olorin]

Cline was out cold. His vitals were still steady, and I felt a little stupid trailing after the Cizerack who was carrying him to Sassy's tent. I could have carried him myself, of course, and Sassy was just being considerate by giving me a pack animal to do the heavy lifting. Still, I didn't like feeling useless.

I pulled back the main flap of fabric that concealed the opening to her tent, letting the smelly Cizerack bring in Cline. I threw a blanket over the messy sheets on the bed, to protect the silk from dirt, and instructed the male to lay Cline down. He did so, looking around wide-eyed at the Vigo's inner sanctum. I glared at him and ordered him out.

Sassy brushed by the male as he exited, coming into the room. "How jis he rrreally?"

"Without a cerebral scanner, it would be impossible to tell if he's suffered brain damage from... whatever it was he was doing." Force users made me uncomfortable, though Kellen Ferr had looks positively terrified. The thought made me smile, just a little. I turned to hide it from Sasseeri and retrieved a medpac as she slipped out of her muddy robe.

Setting it on the bed beside Cline, I pulled out a medlog scanner and attached it to his wrist. The telltales gleamed green, which was good. For him, anyway. "There, everything seems to be okay. Doesn't seem to be worse than if he'd gotten hit on the head."

"Good." She sat next to me on the bed, brushing back Cline's red hair from his closed eyes. "jI hate to lose jinvestments too earrrly."

I watched her, looking down at a tufted ear where it attached to her slim neck. Sassy's platinum blond hair was in a messy bun, and for a moment she almost seemed vulnerable as she looked down at her newest object of affection.

Almost.

"If you don't mind me asking... why..?" I hesitated, trying to choose my words carefully. "Why him? If you want an adept, I'm sure there are some that are better... trained. More advanced."

"And wjith thejirrr own loyaltjies alrrready, no doubt as well." Sassy looked up at me, one hand on Michael's shoulder. "You'rrre jealous."

My eyes went flat. "I know my duties." Before I could push off of the bed, she grabbed the back of my neck with her free hand and pulled my head down for a kiss. I resisted, for about a nanosecond, and then I pressed my lips against hers.

After a few long minutes we had to come up for air, and she smiled. It was almost cold, a calculating smile which meant she knew she still owned me. Half-breeds are just like other Cizerack, they still need to know they're in control. I might not wear a collar like the other males outside the tent, but like I said - I know my duties.

And I was jealous. Sassy released my neck, and I pushed away from the bed and her as fast as I could without making it look like I was running away. "I'll see about opening that room for you."

"See that you do." Her voice was husky and dripping with all sorts of promises. I ducked out of the tent and into the bright morning sunlight.

[Michael Cline]

Mikey, Mikey, Mikey... the familiar voice echoed through his mind. What WERE you trying to do? You're not strong enough to do something like that, you never have been... Just like that, the setting changed from the swirling black nothing to his home. A home he hadn't seen or set foot in, in what seemed like at least a year now.

Turning sharply he tried to get his bearings, where was the voice, where was Kyashi?! He turned again and harsh fingers wrapped around his throat, forcing him back against a wall. Hello, Mikey. with almost a purr he held him there, the darkest part of Michael's past. Darth Sudoku, Kyashi. He swallowed and struggled against a grasp that simply wouldn't loosen.

I had such hopes for you Mikey, and you were such a bitter disappointment. Gritting his teeth he continued to pull, Why should I even let you keep your waster life? Why indeed? What had he done with it, when it all came down to it. He had taken in with Ms. Sasseeri and the rest of her staff. Off on some grand adventure for an artifact that was now clearly of Sith origin.

You use the Darkside, but you fight it's control... Mikey.... Kyashi's voice almost whispering as he held him in place - and he laughed at the redhead's pain. Say something, Michael. Please, I'm waiting.

"I killed you." He growled out lowly, "I'd kill you again, and when I am done... I WILL be strong enough to not only have moved that stupid door... but to have killed you a hundred times over!" Sudoku just laughed, "Mikey... Mikey... Mikey... Michael."

Slowly he rubbed a hand over his face, and groaned loudly, a dream. It'd been a dream... his eyes opened and he tried to adjust to the sudden light, finally things became clear and Ms. Sasseeri was leaning over him - tending to her injured assistant. "M...Ms. Sasseeri -I'm sorry..." He managed to stutter out the words, still trying to get a bearing on himself. "...I thought if I moved it, I could make you happy..."

[Grym Kandle]

The switch had been flipped.

"Please follow me, Doctor."

The scenario playing out before Grym wasn't much of his concern anymore. The awareness was there but the best part of being in a business like this was that really all one had to do was mind their own business. Grym's voice was stoicly polite as he requested that the Doctor follow him outside. The Doctor looked back to the door and hesitated, giving Grym enough of an excuse as a gloved hand fluidly slipped around the small man's collar and he was suddenly being drug out of the dig site.

The man squabbled and made a loud noise long enough for Grym to have to stop and turn around, a thin blade appearing from seemingly nowhere as it pressed against the human's exposed neck. Needless to say, it was painful.

"Doctor, I don't need you to be able to speak in order to get the information out of you that the Vigo needs. Don't force me to take do that because you will not survive the wound either. I want you to live through this and continue to study these ruins to your heart's content."

A blatant lie. And the mechanical voice coming from the mask didn't have any intonation to make that last part even soothing either. The entire threat had been as if Grym were almost bored with existence itself.

Out of sight and earshot, Grym dropped the doctor against the side of a stone column and let the dead man's heart rate subside before Kandle squatted in front of him, his elbows resting on his knees as his marble white mask peered at Ferr with its one blood red eye. The other eye of the mask was only a line, as if it were peacefully asleep. The HUD on the inside of the mask was giving Ferr's vitals at the moment and analyzing his anatomy for Grym's convenience.

"Listen very carefully, Doctor. While the others are handling the current situation, the Vigo asked me to have this conversation with you out of the way so that I could get all the information without being interrupted."

"But... but that adept..."

One slender hand reached out with two fingers and touched just above Ferr's knee gently and then twisted as Ferr finished the word 'adept'. Ferr screamed in response but it was stifled as the blade appeared between the fingers of Grym's hand again and was again rested against the man's neck. The poor man was perspiring like sweat was going out of style.

"Focus, Doctor. The Vigo said that matter did not concern you. Right now, I want to know where the other two sites are. If you do not focus on the matter at hand, I will give you something to be mindful of. The pain will subside in the next 30 seconds and it will actually feel better than it did before. Elaborate at your leisure, Doctor..."

The man took several deep breaths, his hands resting on his knee, as he gulped a few times, his eyes rolling a bit before he looked at the serene mask before him. This was nothing new to Grym and it was actually rather routine in some aspects but Kandle did hate to drag things out. Too much time was spent in such an action and Grym was much more for just a clean kill, the span of seconds, and then there would be no more to Dr. Ferr. Merely a new object, very much like a log that was generally referred to as a corpse.

"Vjun... I think... The next location should be-"

"Think, or know, Doctor?"

"Yes, Vjun, yes, there are ruins... They can be seen from orbit, I marked the exact coordinates... In my datapad, here, in my pocket... there... and... Dantooine..."

"Its all in your datapad, you are sure?"

"... Absolutely..."

"Are you tired, Doctor?"

Ferr nodded his head slowly, wincing his face slowly as he adjusted to get more comfortable. Grym reached out with his hand and ran his hand down the doctor's face slowly, closing the man's eyes gently.

"Sleep then, Doctor. I'm glad you chose not to lie to me."

Grym stood slowly, pursed his lips behind the mask as he thought for a moment. Give it five minutes, maybe, and the man would be dead. Kandle had crushed an artery in the man's leg which had clotted and the man had been technically dead ever since then. Grym would give the dead man his time to enjoy the few moments of sleep before he drifted off from this plane altogether and then he would grab the datapad and hand it to the Vigo. He hated when things had to be drawn out.

Vjun, huh? Interesting.

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

"...I thought if I moved it, I could make you happy..."

Sasseeri tsked and plumped up the pillow behind him as he struggled to sit up. "Don't be rjidjiculous, you make me morrre than happy wjithout even trrryjing. Don't you rrrecall last njight?" She winked suggestively and let her hand trail down his rumpled shirt. He smiled, a smile that became a little wicked as her hand kept traveling downwards.

She reluctantly returned to a serious topic, reaching up to smooth out her hair and re-do it into a sleek ponytail as she talked. "So therrre jis nothjing to be sorrrrry about - jin fact, jI am verrry excjited about what happened at the doorrr." Her eyes gleamed, and she added, "Just because you couldn't get jit all the way open jis nothjing to be ashamed of. The legend jis that thjis tomb was constrrructed by severrral Sjith Lorrrds worrrkjing togetherrr. One adept agajinst all that ..."

Sasseeri paused. "You wjill not trrry agajin, howeverrr. We arrre blowjing the doorrr as planned. No need to prrroclajim that jI have a Forrrce sensjitjive worrrkjing forrr me. jIt would brrrjing unwanted... attentjion."

[Kal Olorin]

I sneezed twice on my way to the ship. Sun sneezes, which are too annoying for words.

There was a decided lack of commotion in the camp as I crossed from Sassy's tent to the ship. It was covered with a huge camo-tarp to protect it from detection - from the air anyway. Its sort of hard to miss a huge freighter when you're walking up to it, no matter what you've draped over the top.

I ducked into the cool interior, and was immediately presented with an in-your-face view of the contraption Sassy had contracted the doctor to build. It was like a huge mobile, or one of those 3-D diagrams of a solar system, except it wasn't just one solar system. There appeared to be about twenty incorporated into the mechanical beast. Kellen Ferr had gone on at length about how it could be manipulated by hand to create coordinates... blah blah blah. I hadn't paid much attention, to be honest. All that mattered was that it worked.

I walked through the main cargo bay to the far side, where the other equipment was being kept. After we got a good look on the inside of the locked room that was locked with unlockable locks with a localized sensor sweep I would set charges and blow the thing to kingdom come. And then we'd get to leave this planet. The Cluster made me nervous. And it made Sasseeri nervous too, though you wouldn't know it to look at her.

I shouldered the equipment I needed, and made my way back to the dig.

[Michael Cline]

Ms. Sasseeri had a way of making her point clear, in many cases VERY clear. He smiled at the kind words she gave him, and more so at her rather friendly touch. He did enjoy making her happy - it meant he was doing his job properly. He was glad she wasn't upset with him for trying something so brash, especially in front of their resident nerd. He stretched and pulled himself back into working order, he'd be alright soon enough, after a few moments rest.

The attempt at moving the stone had been more physically and mentally draining than anything he had attempted before. He HAD moved it though... Ky was wrong about him. He wasn't a disappointment, and he'd prove that.

"Of course."

He would have liked trying to move it again, though - just to see if he could do any better in a second attempt. He did feel a bit more confident though, he dare say even a bit stronger. I haven't trained much on my own... the thought left him frowning, for only a moment however - he would have to start. He wanted to be stronger. He WOULD be stronger. He smiled at his employer and nodded again.

"I wouldn't want to bring undue attention to your plans, Ms. Sasseeri."

[Grym Kandle]

Grym was walking back from where he'd left the doctor's corpse and matched pace beside Kal Olorin who seemed to be carrying quite a bit of equipment at the moment. The serene face upon his mask conveyed the feeling that Grym wanted it to where most things were concerned, he could care less. He was sure Olorin could manage on his own because Olorin had not been expecting Kandle to appear.

Kandle didn't feel there was any need to talk really. He was about ready to have a stim, the rough edge of the addiction was starting to sink in and he'd rather consider this a little vacation instead of anything else he was sure it could become. The doctor was dead, Grym had the datapad, and was pretty sure the Vigo's next destination was Vjun. He wondered how long she'd like him to stick around. Nothing was really pressing at the moment, and Kandle was sure this simple obligation would outweigh anything else through Sasseeri's simple presence.

They made it back to the outside of the tent, and Grym silently waited for Olorin to take the lead.

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

"Of courrrse not." She tapped him on the nose, and got to her feet. Stripping out of her bedclothes the half-breed Cizerack walked over to her dresser and set out her clothes for the day. "Kal jis gojing to set the charrrges jin the next few mjinutes. jI'd ljike you to get the payment rrready for the matrrrjiarrrch - she'll be expectjing herrr second payment when we send the males back to her today."

Sasseeri's tail twitched lazily as she pulled on a sensible outfit (sensible... if you wanted to seduce your way into an ancient tomb, perhaps). A wide brimmed straw hat over her blonde hair completed her look, and she slipped into a pair of leather sandals. "jI'll be rrrjight back." Michael was still on the bed, looking slightly dazed, as she swept over to the tent flap and pulled it open.

"What jin the!" Sasseeri shoved at Kal, who was unexpectedly looming just outside her tent. "What parrrt of scan the tomb and set the charrrges was djiffjicult to underrrstand!" He juggled a few pieces of equipment as she pushed him again. "Get out of my way!"

[Kal Olorin]

"Whaargh!" I took a step back as Sassy came barging out of the tent just as I was about to poke my head inside. As she shoved and pushed at me, I tried to step backwards and out of her way - thankfully Mr. Grim Reaper moved as well so I didn't step on him. The scanner that I'd slung across my back shifted and banged into what I was holding in my hands, leaving me concentrating on holding on and without words as Sassy went into a tirade.

"Just dropping off these... ma'am." She hated being called ma'am. I extricated a pair of headphones which she snatched out of my hands. "For your ears," I explained, unnecessarily. "The noise."

"Well... good." She huffed a bit, turning over the soundproofing 'phones in her perfectly manicured hands. The hat... was ridiculous. "jI was about to get them myself."

"Well, now you don't have to." I winked rougishly, and turned away to hike over to the dig. Grym didn't follow me - I assumed he had business with the Boss.

Setting up the scanning equipment wasn't difficult, merely time consuming. However, it was made easier because Tick or Tock (I can never tell them apart and they don't really talk much) helped me set up. We took seven scans at varying depths and from different angles, getting a dark and grainy picture of the inside of the room. And let me tell you - it was pretty small. The wall was immensely thick, and the room behind it was about as big as the cargo hold of the freighter we'd brought.

Which, was big, but not as big as I'd imagined in my head, I guess. Anyway, the charges would be complicated but again - mostly just set-up. I checked my chrono and saw that two hours had gone by while I was mucking about with the scans at the bottom of the pit (and I do mean mucking about).

"We're pretty much ready to start setting charges!" I shouted up at whoever might be listening. "Need to get rid of the natives first though! Sensitive ears, and all!"

Sasseeri's head and hat appeared at the top of the slope that led down to the mysterious wall. "Cljine jis takjing carrre of that rrrjight now. Go ahead and starrrt settjing them." She waved a datapad at me. "We have ourrr next destjinatjion so the fasterrr we can get out of herrre the betterrr. But don't cut corrrnerrrs!"

"Of course not," I feigned shock, but she'd already disappeared from sight.

[Michael Cline]

He watched her walk out and just smiled. He was indeed fortunate to work for someone like Ms. Sasseeri. Standing up he went about changing his own clothes as well - he still had a good suit from the other night he had spent in the tent. He wasn't about to represent Ms. Sasseeri in filthy clothes, it simply wasn't done.

He prepared the payment, programming a few credit chips with the remaining amount owed to the Cizerak Matriach. He had never met her - he doubted he ever would. He was rather thankful for that fact. Dealing with one Cizerak was enough for him. He found the Cizerak males on the far side of the dig - probably just waiting for someone to come send them on their way.

Michael was glad to do just that. He turned over the payment, sent well wishes for the Matriach on behalf of Ms. Sasseeri - after all it was only proper to do so - and sent them packing, finishing up he headed back to the excavation site - they'd be blowing the lid on the door soon, and he definately wanted to be there for that.

[Grym Kandle]

She'd taken the news fairly well that Ferr was dead when Grym handed the datapad to the Vigo. Taking the news was more like Grym expected actually. Because she expected him dead, therefore no longer offering any more profit, no mention of Ferr was made. All Sasseeri cared about was the equivalent of his last will and testimony which was invested in even the small amount Grym had bothered to peruse from the datapad and what he'd already been told.

Vjun was their next location and after that Dantooine. Simple. Beyond that, there were more detailed directions in the datapad but Grym was more than aware that wasn't necessarily his business to know so he hadn't bothered going any further into it.

It'd taken that other fellow, Kal, long enough to set up those charges and by then Grym had already gotten his fix satisfied for the time being and he was left lounging less than ten meters away from the Vigo incase she needed him for something as her secretary, Cline, a very unsuspected adept, but not a surprise altogether, returned from giving the Cizeraks the Vigo's gratitude for their appearance and efforts.

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

The males were leaving, which was good, and Sasseeri found herself with nothing to do but anticipate the success that was sure to be just one explosion away. She retreated to what she imagined might be a safe distance, and then walked back further still. Never could be too careful.

Mr. Kandle leant against the freighter's landing strut a few yards away from her, his eyes closed in the sun. He was high again, but he seemed to always be high, and it didn't affect his job performance in the least. Plus addicts always had a button you could push. They might not be the most reliable employees, but they were loyal if you were holding their next fix.

Tick and Olorin came out of the hole, running a wire along behind them as they came up to the ship. "Right," said Kal, "I think that should do it."

"Don't blow jit up wjith the wall," she said, suddenly worried. "The Urrrn must be jin one pjiece!"

[Kal Olorin]

"No worries, Sasseeri." I winked and shouted to Cline, "Hey we're getting ready to blow it! Might want to get back some more!"

The charges were set as well as I could plan it, which was pretty well, I don't mind saying. Michael came over and Sassy put on her ear protection. And I pressed the button.

There was a loud noise, a low rumble, and a cloud of dust came out of the excavation. Too bad Kellen Ferr wasn't there to see it. "Done. Might want to give it a few minutes to settle." But Sassy was already walking towards it. I sighed, and followed her.

[Michael Cline]

It'd been loud, and messy - but it'd worked. If the egghead were around he would probably be weeping openly. Probably for the best that he didn't seem to be anywhere to be seen.

Ms. Sasseeri was heading for the now dusty excavation site - and Michael had to admit - it's precisely where he wanted to be himself. Whatever was in that room was still calling to him, still pulling him near. Feeding his darker instincts and desires.

He hadn't experienced a feeling like this for some time, the last time was his brief stay with the Order, the darker things swarmed their air there as well - though he had never been in the mood to take advantage of the situation.

He followed just behind Ms. Sasseeri - despite Olorin's warning.

[Sanis Prent]

<center>Meanwhile, a few sectors away...</center>



We made the jump without a hitch, and true to Dan's word, there was a Rebel flotilla in the area. One frigate, which looked to be a Nebulon B class, stood apart from a pair of corvettes and assorted freighters which had been retrofitted with gun platforms to serve as some kind of motley privateering ships.

I wiped the exhaustion off my face, wincing at my scabbed-up knuckles as I did. The Rebels were quick on the ball, pinging us and opening a channel.

"We have you on scopes, Corellian Freighter. Identify."

Snappy, huh. I plugged in.

"This is YV, triple boxcar, designation Layla. Requesting docking orders. We have wounded on board."

A pair of X-wings rode a loose escort, carrying us closer, as a flanking Corvette eased out of the way. I saw the docking umbilical lower before I got the affirmitive over the com.

"YV-666 Layla, clearance granted. Welcome aboard."

"Yeah" was all I managed out of the side of my mouth, cutting the comm as I steered in for dock. A few seconds later, the umbilical latched with a hiss and a click. I switched the comm to below deck.

"Zem, we're hooked up. I'm coming down."

I eased down the ladder, bumping into Cirr along the way. The Cizerack was opening his mouth, and I was reading his mind.

"Don't bother me with it, okay? Beg, borrow, and steal. If the Rebels will let you part with it, get whatever you need. I have bigger things to do than to go on your blue milk runs."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Her body was showing the signs of her metabolism at work, though it was easy to see that her healing was slowing below its' normal pace. The bones of her hand had reconnected, and the muscles reforming ever so slowly over them. The dual blaster shots in her chest had almost fully healed - as well as the score that had once marred the side of her face. Only the remnants of charred skin were visible, and soon enough those too would be gone.

It was the gash along her collarbone that stubbornly refused to close. Blood had long since stopped seeping through, but beyond coagulation her body seemed incapable of doing any more. The gash on the underside of her arm from the Urn fared no better, the skin only half reformed over the embedded fragment.

It was a blessing and a curse, the Lupine metabolism. It could heal an injury, but it needed fuel to do it. And if none was available, it would begin to consume the very body it was trying to heal.

And so it was with s'Il. She was gaunt, her cheeks hollow and her skin ashen - warm, but there was no trace of her once dark color. Sunken eyes remained half-closed as she stared at the ceiling of the Cat. Whatever nourishment she'd had before the fight was depleted, and now she was very nearly being eaten from within.

[Zem Vymes]

I took pains to make sure that the girls were ensconced in Cirr's quarters so that we could get s'Il out of the ship and into the medical bay. Gingerly, I eased her off the bed, and carried her out of the Cat. She was so light, she must have shed fifteen pounds. I knew it was her aggressive metabolism at work, and from the look of her pale skin, she was weak and needed nourishment, which would probably have to go in intravenously.

I met Sanis halfway, and he paused as he saw her. I could tell he was amazed by the look on his face, but he said nothing. He was still concerned.

Opening the hatch, I walked with him out of the ship, meeting a group of Rebel medical staff. They quickly bedded Lok onto a hover gurney and took her through the umbilical and back to the ward. A familiar face was also in the umbilical. It was Anbira, the armor-clad Jedi who was Dan's counsel.

[Anbira Hicchoru]

Anbira stood to the side, watching the medics pass with s'Ilancy. She seemed pretty beaten, but it was obvious she was going to make it. Anbira turned his attention to the Jedi and the smuggler, brushing aside his long hair.

"I know time is short, so make use of anything you need while aboard. Have you found one of the Urns?"

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Glow panel. Ceiling tile. Glow panel. Ceiling tile. It was never-ending, but the Lupine continued to stare upwards, her eyelids still half-closed.

A word caught her then. Urns... The Urn. The Dark. Stirring, the Lupine clenched her still functioning hand into a fist. She could feel it still, as if it was coursing through her and exploring every bit of her. And yet it wasn't in her grasp. It'd been taken.

She blinked slowly. Then why could she still feel it so clearly?

[Teagan s'Ilancy]

She still hadn't seen Dama! Cajoled into Cirr's quarters, Tak sat at the door, staring up at it forlornly. She sighed extra loud, and reached a hand out, slapping the metal framing.

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Cirr opened up the door in his quarters, looking at both Tak and Daani. They were both huddled in front of the threshold, looking up at him. His ears lowered a little bit, empathizing with how wound up Tak must be.

"You two come wjith me and help, and we'll go see Dama, ok?"

Cirr reached a huge hand out to little Tak.

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

Sasseeri coughed delicately at the dust in the air, but entered the gaping hole as soon as Olorin popped his head out of the uncovered room to say it was safe. He handed her a glowrod, snapping another one on for Cline who was right behind her.

For an underground room locked with unlockable locks, the interior was drab and disappointing. Though, perhaps they'd blown up the most impressively decorated side of the room when they 'opened' the door. Sasseeri looked around the room, heading for the far side with her green glowrod.

Cline seemed bright eyed, but he walked by her side, staring around the rectangular space. He muttered something that sounded like "I can feel it" but the Vigo couldn't be sure. She stopped walking, pushing over some toppled clay vats to see if anything was beneath them, and then looked at Cline. "What was that?"

[Grym Kandle]

Grym watched them enter the room and then turned back to look at the sky as he put the stim up to his lips again, his cracked, blackened lips. The dark green that solidified there between those cracks was slightly painful but more than welcome in Grym's case.

Kandle wasn't just addicted to glitterstim; doctors considered drug abusers who had reached such an extent as Grym Kandle to be super saturated with the drug. It lined his veins and arteries, took place of capillaries part of the time, and found itself coming out of every pore of his body. His hair, which used to be a soft brown, was now black, and actually dark green upon inspection, his eyes were bloodshot green as well. His skin had lost any tan it had ever managed and become a pale white, streak marks and green veins apparent across its service. Hence the more than frequent use of his mask and garb that covered him entirely. Not that he was ashamed of it, at least not consciously, Kandle just preffered his personal privacy in the midst of others. Assassinating people for a living could spurn something like that in a man.

He smirked as finished off the stim and flicked it away. He put his mask back on; the seals making a slight hissing noise as it secured itself, and he drew up his hood. Kandle walked to the stairs as his hearing was augmented by the mask. He listened to them inside for a moment and then turned back to look around.

A crypt or tomb of some sort? Adepts and evil ones at that? Grym debated heavily upon the severity of possible traps that such... mythicalish people were fond of in the stories. Olorin was in there with them, that was at least one meat shield for the Vigo and in what was supposed to be a small room they were in, that would have to be enough meat shields for the Vigo for now. Cline might've been a little too scrawny for an effective one though. Ah, well, Grym was attentive and would attend given he was called for.

[Michael Cline]

He was gritting his teeth now, squinting into the darkness just past the green glow of the glowstick. It was here, close. He could feel it. Ms. Sasseeri's question almost didn't register, his heart was pounding now though he wasn't sure why.

"I can feel it." he whipered again, walking a bit farther into the darkness. It was drawing him to it, just as it had pulled at him before when he'd tried to move the door on his own. He wanted to find it, he needed to.

For Ms. Sasseeri... because she wanted it, and so did he.

[Sanis Prent]

"I know time is short, so make use of anything you need while aboard. Have you found one of the Urns?"

"No."

I lied to the Jedi with a deadpan expression.

"We're close though."

The Jedi kept his attention on me for what seemed an uncomfortable amount of time, but I stood my ground. I was a well vetted liar.

I walked past him casually, expecting at any minute for him to detain me. Yet he didn't. With that roadblock out of my path, I continued on towards the medical ward.

[Zem Vymes]

I ran interference for the smuggler, but it was still a reckless and half crazy thing for him to try to put one past a Jedi. Still, it seemed like the sly weasel actually had a game face for it. I sensed no undue suspicion from Anbira, apart from what anybody would have for an Outer Rim smuggler.

Prent was slicker than bearing grease.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She felt her body being moved, felt strange hands traveling over her body. Voices could be heard, but they sounded as though from a great distance. Had her hearing become so degraded? The very thought of it sent her into a silent panic that could only be seen in her eye. If she lost her senses, even one, she would be useless. And even though the blast wounds in her chest were fairly well healed, they still presented enough of a problem that her shallow breathing was a pained thing.

She was being touched; fingers carefully yet quickly prodding along the the outer edges of the burns on her face and chest while others went to her torn hand, gently pulling at the still ever-so-slowly reforming skin. With a gutteral cry the Lupine surged upwards. Hands held her down as she struggled, hoping to retreat from those that would ultimately impede her body's progress. The gash along her collarbone opened once more, and blood seeped out through the jagged edges of torn flesh.

And then she felt it; a power - raw and feral - swept through her. With little effort the Lupine swatted away medical technicians as though they were mere houseflies. She could feel it pulsing, pumping through her blood and almost rejuvinating her metabolism.

The fragment seemed to burrow itself further into the underside of her wrist, and with this new surge of energy, the skin closed over and around it just a little more, obscuring it from view.

And as soon as it came, it was gone. Her show of strength at an end, s'Il fell back, her body resuming its' self-cannibalization to continue its' efforts.

[Serena Laran]

"I am afraid I still don't understand it, master Jedi. The test seems simple enough, but the equipment is proving to be difficult to duplicate." The Rebel agent waved a small blood scanner in his hand. "With my fifth attempt, here, I couldn't even get a positive test off of your blood."

Quiet despair was thick as it came off of him through the Force, and Serena backed up slightly away from him as she took the scanner from him. "My skills are not high when it comes to technology, but perhaps if you spoke with my padawan, Morgan Evanar. He seems to have a knack for this sort of -"

The medbay where they were discussing the midichlorian testing equipment was suddenly overwhelmed with noise as a group of people entered. Serena stood up abruptly, recognizing the woman on the stretcher. "Loklorien."

The agent and test forgotten for the moment, the redhead made her way through the knot of people until she stood at her fellow Jedi's side. "What has happened?"

"She's fighting us off, master Jedi." s'Ilancy had already subsided, her drawn and pale face seemed sunken as she lay there, breathing shallowly.

"Let me." Without waiting for an answer or even a nod from Loklorien's friend, the smuggler captain, Serena placed her hands on the woman's body. Closing her eyes....

She recoiled as though she'd been burned. "What happened to this woman? Tell me exactly!" Serena fixed her eyes on the blond Prent, and then shook her head and looked at the older man standing there also. Vymes, she thought she'd heard his name being. "You, please explain."

[Zem Vymes]

I got a bit ruffled at her brusque tone, but I let it slide. The situation was grave and that was natural.

"She fought an Imperial assassin. A Caridan named Savoc. Did to him about equally before we got to them."

My attention lingered past Serena, onto s'Il's form. Her healing was taking hold, as I'd known it would. Still, something felt amiss. I couldn't help think that she'd held onto that Urn for too long.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She felt heat. Welling up within her. But this warmth was not from her own body; it came unnaturally. With each passing moment she could feel a part of her consumed, eaten from within by her own metabolism, and now this heat. It overtook her completely, and she felt raw, unchecked rage. At what she couldn't tell, but it was there.

Her hand shifted, bone-thin fingers gripping Serena's wrist in a surprisingly vice-like grasp.

Eye opening, the Lupine glared up now at the other Jedi; not with her normal blue-eyed gaze, but a red, diseased stare that made no attempt to hide the building anger within.

[Sanis Prent]

"Something's wrong here."

I moved towards the bed, but a couple of Rebel guards were quick on their feet, restraining me from either side.

"Get off me, dammit!"

I'd never seen her act like this. Then I saw her hand, and my jawline tightened. What was going on?

[Serena Laran]

Serena shook her head at his explaination. "That is not it. There is a... darkness." She gasped as Loklorien grasped her wrist, fingers digging in painfully.

Looking down the Jedi saw an unnatural anger in the other woman's eye, bloodshot and full of fury. And the woman was like a vortex in the Force, pulling and drawing on the Life Giver to restore her body even as she wasted away. Unable to extricate her wrist from Loklorien, Serena closed her eyes again, resting her free hand on the other Jedi's breastbone.

There was something there, in her body. Something dirty and old, and full of Darkside taint. Vymes' explaination did not mention anything about... the Dark side. Did not explain why Loklorien could not go into a Jedi trance and heal herself, or allow what appeared to be remarkable body mechanics to do it for her.

Serena's eyebrows knitted in concentration, as the darkness pulled on her presence like the moon on a high tide. Where was its source? ....what was its...source...!

Loklorien cried out in rage, yanking on her arm and her fingernails cut through her skin as her grip tightened even more.

"Hold... her!" Serena gasped out, her usual calm broken momentarily as she struggled to keep Loklorien from rolling off the medical bed and pulling her down with her. The other Jedi was almost skeletal, but unnaturally strong. "I need to be able to concentrate!"

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Her other hand reached out then, still split and unhealed, to grab Serena's robes.

The Lupine growled, an unnatural sound coming from her throat, as she strained to pull the Jedi closer. The raging storm demanded blood, and she had no recourse to push it back.

She bared her changing teeth, the tendons in her neck straining as fresh blood still leaked from her collarbone.

[Zem Vymes]

In a sudden urging I felt through the force, I stepped forward. Before the guards could extricate themselves from Prent, I had my hand on my friend's forehead. When I spoke, it was in a voice partly mine, but partly something else. It rumbled through my bones and hung thick in the air.

"BE STILL!"

[Serena Laran]

She didn't have time to study the man across from her, his hand on Loklorien's forehead, but she could feel the Force as it flowed through him, and she started to remember.

Serena did not extricate herself from the woman's grasp, even as blood smeared over her clothing. Keeping her body stiff so as to keep Loklorien from biting her, the Jedi concentrated on the contact between her one hand and Lok's chest. Pouring her essence through the contact, through the Force... Serena sought out the cause of this bizarre darkside infection.

And found it.

Dark so thick it roiled around the piece of strange pottery in the Force, seeping into Loklorien's blood stream. Touching her brain, her heart. Spreading a taint... a sort of control. Serena forced herself not to recoil, even as the darkness reacted to her presence like a living thing. For a moment, just a moment, it tested her as though looking for a more fertile ground to move to.

The Jedi did recoil then, lifting her hand off of Loklorien's chest as Vymes got the woman to release her hold on Serena robes. Still connected by the other woman's tenacious grip on her wrist, Serena turned away, looking rattled and sweaty as she called for a pair of forceps and a scapel.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

In the very back of her mind she heard him, ordering her to stop. The poison pumping through her body recoiled, and she winced at the sound of his voice. The rage did not subside though, as her grip on Serena's arm changed. Skeletal fingers thickened, and the nails that dug into the other woman's skin burrowed deeper. Black seeped into her eye, instead of the normal tawny yellow that came with her transformation.

It was as if the evil in her body was using everything at its' disposal to combat the two Jedi, and with a Lupine host, that meant a horrendous change.

s'Il jerked as her shoulders popped, joints coming undone beneath a macabre display of twisting flesh.

[Sanis Prent]

I redoubled my resistance against the guards, pulling one in close enough to headbutt him and send him sprawling to the floor, as I took my freed hand to deliver a haymaker to the other. Before either could get off the ground, I had my guns out, trained on each of them.

"Back the hell away! Now!"

I split my attention between the guards, and s'Ilancy, and I could not believe my eyes. What was wrong with her?

My concern transformed into action, and I flipped a toggle on one of my blasters to stun. Neither Zem nor this other woman could contain her, or whatever this was inside of her.

"Zem!"

I tossed the blaster toward him, as I didn't have a clear shot. I could think of no other option.

[Zem Vymes]

I caught the weapon, hesitating a moment as I looked at her. This wasn't her. It was something else, and I couldn't reach her. Something had to be done.

I backed away, and fired.

[Serena Laran]

"No - wait!" Serena felt the Change overcoming Loklorien, wasn't sure what was going on, but knew the source of it. Claws were digging deep into her wrist, and the Jedi had a scapel in her other hand, using Lok's hold on her to pull the woman's arm out to the side even as Vymes pointed the blaster at her.

The stun blast caught them both, and Serena grunted, neurons firing as she slumped over Loklorien's body. The smuggler Prent caught the butt of a blaster rifle in his temple, knocking him to the ground, and Vymes fared little better as he was tackled to the ground and the blaster wrenched from his hand.

The ranking Alliance officer in the room was shocked and furious. "Assaulting a Jedi! I should shoot you both!"

Serena struggled to her feet, her Jedi skills helping her overcome the affects of the stun blast quickly. Unfortunately Loklorien was also able to shrug off most of the affects, her body writhing on the bed as her wounds bled. At least the unnatural change seemed to have been stopped for the moment.

The Jedi pulled Lok's arm out to the side, and made a quick incision with the scapel. Calling the forceps to her with the Force, Serena dug into the woman's flesh, finding what she was looking for. She pulled it out slowly, Loklorien screaming in rage but still having trouble becoming mobile.

Holding it aloft, Serena studied the shard that was gripped between the ends of the forceps. it glistened in the light, covered with Loklorien's blood. "Where is the rest of this?"

She turned to where Sanis was rubbing his head on the ground, blasters pointed at him. "What have you done... smuggler."

[Sanis Prent]

I lay on the ground and the room kept spinning. When things finally righted themselves, I was being interrogated by an angry red-haired lady, holding something shiny in front of me.

"Yeah, blame me. That's typical."

My head ached like a concussion missile had hit it, and I dabbed gingerly at the gash on my temple.

[Kal Olorin]

Fey'dann, Carshoulis Cluster


It was dusty in the hole... room... and I coughed as Sassy and Mikey pushed deeper into the underground room. Tick appeared at the 'entrance' we'd blown into the thing, and handed me a container designed to hold and protect the Urn, when we found it.

Sounded like Cline was finding it for us. I sneezed, then blinked my eyes and headed in towards the pair of them. Mikey was making a beeline towards a far corner, and Sasseeri was right behind him, their flashes making an erratic lightshow on the ground and walls.

There, a glint on something not quite metallic, not quite pottery. Cline reached towards it, but Sasseeri intercepted him, scooping it up in her arms. I shone my flash on it, and after a minute Cline did as well, letting her get a good look at it.

"Look at jit! jIn perrrfect condjitjion, even afterrr a mjillenjia." She ran her hands over the inscriptions and designs on the outside of it. "Worrrth a forrrtune."

I opened up the case, the programmable flowfoam relaxed enough to allow Sassy to place the Urn inside. Closing it up, I stepped back and let her program the lock combination to activate, the flowfoam inside expanding to hold the Urn in perfect saftey. Sassy was almost burbling, she was so happy. I couldn't help but smile as well, though perhaps not for the reasons she imagined.

Tock came inside to help carry the case out, and I found myself in the room alone with Cline. He looked... angry.

"Everything okay buddy?"

[Michael Cline]

He'd found it. It was his, and then, Ms. Sasseeri had snatched it away. It... it was for her after all, he wanted it for her, of... course. She was happy, but he couldn't help but feel robbed, and the more that feeling welled in this room, the stronger it became, and the angrier he found himself becoming.

He'd passed out trying to get in here. HE'D found it, and he hadn't even gotten to touch it. Sass... er, Ms. Sasseeri had left, in the company of Tock, and now he was in this damnably dark hole with Mr. Olorin.

"Everything okay buddy?"

The words hit him a bit oddly, was Kal, Mr. Olorin, implying something? Trying to say something about his character!? He narrowed his eyes a bit, and grit his teeth. "Yeah... yeah everything's fine, Kal." he grumbled a bit, and headed towards the entrance of the ruin, he'd get it later, hold it later. He at least wanted to hold the frelling thing. "We better head back, right?" The words came off fiercely, more forcably than he'd ever demonstrated towards the man who was in quite a few aspects his mentor in his job.

"I'm just a bit tired, still groggy from earlier..." the words echoed off the walls of the room as he headed outside.

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

Sasseeri followed closely behind Tock, pulling her commlink out even as she celebrated.

"Get me Fjink." The Vigo directed Tock to the ship, where he placed the Urn in its container into a highly secure safe. Not quite unlockable locks, but it was good enough. The person on the other end of the transmission switched her to Fink's private line, and Sasseeri stood inside the freighter looking at the enormous and enormously expensive sculpture/machine she'd financed.

"Fink here."

"Thjis jis Sasseerrrji. I need a secure ljine to one R. S. Esaljis that cannot be trrraced." There was a pause, most likely while Fink took a few deep breaths. The Vigo had never called him personally before, though he knew that she'd used his scrambler technology on several occasions. Its part of the reason he was on the payroll.

"Rrrjight now!" she shouted.

Fink eaked out a "Y-yes, of course, one moment, Vigo," and she was on hold.

[R. S. Esalis]

ISD Anaxiss, over Dantooine

R. S. Esalis, the director of Imperial Intelligence. Cold, emotionless, calculating, efficient. She was a woman who was not above doing the unthinkable to preserve the order of the Empire.

Normally safe and in charge of the Empire's internal affairs from her seat of power on Imperial Center, she was instead in the medical wing of a star destroyer in orbit over Dantooine. Recovering from a blaster shot, the director seethed at the turn of events which had not only lost her the urn, but the Lupine as well. And that smuggler! He'd shot her! She'd already placed a bounty on his head; in fact, it'd been the first thing she'd done after regaining consciousness.

And now, resting comfortably in one of the recovery beds, Esalis found herself idly rereading reports of what'd happened.

Karrnage had fared as well as she had, and was also on the road to wellness. But Savoc... she frowned. The Caridan it seemed, had gotten in slightly over his head. He'd lost his hand, and would no doubt have a scar along his jawline to remind him of his dismal failure.

An aide disrupted her thoughts then, toeing into her room."E- excuse me... Director... ?"

Her gaze lifted from the 'pad to look at him.

"What."

"You have a call on one of your secure channels."

Her frown deepened. "I'm busy."

"But... it's heavily encrypted; we don't know where it's coming from... "

Esalis paused, considering this, and finally nodded. "Very well. patch it through."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Her body was terribly slow in recovering, and complicated further by her half-healed wounds, s'Il could only manage a gasped growl. The change still continued though, and her growl turned more gutteral as she sluggishly rolled to her side. her hand... paw? released Serena's arm to steady herself on the bed.

Her breathing labored, s'Il felt her muscles contract as they locked up. She felt sick, diseased, and dark. With the thing gone from her system, the Lupine began to once again assert control over herself, but it was too little too late. Her exertions impeded the healing even further, she halfway leaned over the side of the bed; head down, she coughed up a small bit of blood before looking up to catch sight of Sanis, and then Zem.

And her gaze stayed on the older man as he was held to the deck.

What have I done...

[Zem Vymes]

I shifted roughly under the weight of the guard who had subdued me.

"The rest of it is in a safe place. We can't risk bringing it back just now."

Frowning, I glowered back at the guard.

"Get this boy off me, now."

[Serena Laran]

"Bringing it back... where?" Serena dropped the bloodied fragment into a dish of water, rinsing it clean and leaving it there. The older man looked too familiar, but she couldn't pin down where she knew him from. The Temple, perhaps?

She looked calmly at him from where she stood, as he glared at the guard holding him in place. "Anger is of the dark side. As is that," she indicated the shard with a nod of her head. "The darkness is almost palpable around it."

The guards looked at her, and she nodded for the two men to be released. The Alliance officer frowned, but Sanis and the old man were soon standing again, though they had been relieved of any and all weapons. "Whatever it is, you should not be fooling around with it."

Serena turned again to Loklorien, and murmured softly, words in the language she'd learned while in exile. Putting her hands back on the injured woman, she drifted into a Force trance, assisting Lok's body as it tried to heal itself.

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

Fey'dann, Carshoulis Cluster


"Djirrrectorrr Esaljis," purred Sasseeri as the woman herself came onto the line. "jI have come acrrross somethjing that jI beljieve you wjill be most jinterrrested jin. jI wouldn't have called you jif jit wasn't worrrth yourrr tjime."

The hyu-mann female was smart, so Sasseeri didn't introduce herself. Who else could have such a beautiful accent? "An ancjient Sjith arrrtjifact. And, jI want to sell jit. As a courrrtesy, of courrrse, you arrre the fjirrrst perrrson jI have contacted."

[R. S. Esalis]

On the ISD Anaxiss

Sasseeri. Esalis frowned at the thought of the Cizerack. The halfbreed was a conniving backstabber bent on pulling as many credits - and men - into her clutches as she could manage. She had her uses, but the Director also harbored a healthy paranoid annoyance for Sasseeri. Never the less, she was cordial.

"Ms. Reeouurra. I must admit to a small bit of surprise at this call, but you have my ear."

The tone in her voice turned a degree colder at the mention of a Sith artifact. "Explain."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

The Rebel fleet

Serena's hands were warm, but to s'Il's own hot skin, they felt cool and almost refreshing. She could feel the other woman's presence slowly creeping in, trying to help, and the Lupine allowed it. She had no other recourse but to do so, as her own facilities simply could not function completely.

She let her body fall back once more, muscles relaxing. Idly she remembered the conversation that she and the other Jedi had had, and how she had said she'd wished to talk of her situation and past at a later time.

Only, she hadn't thought that the 'next time' would be now; like this.

The Lupine let Serena in, and opened her mind so that there were no longer any secrets between the two.

[Serena Laran]

The Jedi remained still, her body becoming secondary as she worked with the Force to help Loklorien heal. As the other woman opened the barriers in her mind, Serena was able to work more freely. Information flowed in even as her healing gift flowed out.

After long minutes had passed, Serena lifted her hands from Loklorien's body, and sat down stiffly, massaging a muscle cramp in her shoulder. Her eyes met Vymes', and seemed to be full of understanding.

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

<center>Fey'dann, Carshoulis Cluster</center>

"To be honest jI'm not surrre exactly what jit jis, but my sourrrces tell me jit's prrrjiceless." Sasseeri plinked a pen on her desk with her fingernails as she talked. "An ancjient sjith burrrjial urrrn of some kjind."

The lack of noise on the other end of the connection could mean nothing, but Sasseeri was sure it meant that the Director was suddenly listening more closely. "jI beljieve therrre arrre two morrre, jidentjical to thjis one. jI have leads on them, and once jI rrrecoverrr them jI wjill contact you fjirrrst - jif you wjish."

[Sanis Prent]

s'Il had raised a huge fuss, and now seemed to be stabilizing. I couldn't say the same. I paced in a small area, eyeing Serena and tossing an uneasy look to Zem. They seemed to share something that I didn't know.

[Zem Vymes]

"How long do you reckon it'll be before she can be back on her feet?"

I had the inclination that Lok had shared herself with the Jedi healer. For better or worse, it was done.

"You understand the seriousness of the situation, yes?"

[R. S. Esalis]

Onboard the Anaxiss

The second Urn.

And of all the people to have found such a thing.

"How... fortuitous a coincidence."

Her voice was low and even, her words meticulously pronounced. Sasseeri Reeouurra was not the type of person that Esalis would normally wish to associate with. The other woman was a parasite on the working government. She gained her fortunes from others' misfortunes, and while even her purring accent was enough to grate on her ears, Director Esalis knew when to acknowledge an advantage of this type.

For the moment, she ignored the mention of the other urns. The Dantooine urn was not something she wished to think of for the time being.

"I have to wonder, Ms. Reeouurra, why you would contact me with such information; unless you are making me an offer."

[Sasseeri Reeouurra]

Fey'dann, Carshoulis Cluster


Her lips parted in a smile. "Of courrrse, Madame Dirrrectorrr. jI offerrr the urrrn to you forrr a paltrrry ten mjilljion crrredjits." Sasseeri tapped her manicured nails on the desk. "A one tjime offerrr, of courrrse. The prrrice goes up consjiderrrably jif, say, thjis goes to auctjion."

[Serena Laran]

The Rebel Fleet


"I understand that you have bitten off a bit more than you can chew," the Jedi said slowly. "Loklorien is stable now - her own body will continue the healing, at its own rate. The irritant has been removed and the taint gone. She should be mobile in a few hours, due to her advanced metabolism."

Serena gestured to a medical droid, who moved in quietly and efficiently started an intravenous line into the inert woman's arm. "She requires rest and nutrients for now."

She picked up the dish that contained the metallic fragment she'd removed from the other Jedi's body, and frowned. "The artifact that this shard was separated from is too dangerous to be held in your safe keeping." She looked at Sanis Prent as she said this, and added, "I might ask what it is you intend to do with it."

[R. S. Esalis]

Onboard the Anaxiss

"How very mercenary of you," Esalis muttered. She did not like bargaining with anyone; least of all Sasseeri Reeouurra. Quiet for a few moments, the Director let the silence between the two hang for a few more seconds.

"You must know that due to your reputation, I can only expect a catch of some sort.

"You yourself are a large enough red flag in this situation that I find myself exercising caution despite my agreeing to such a sum. What sort of assurances can you give me on its' legitimacy."

[Sanis Prent]

The Rebel Fleet


"I understand that you have bitten off a bit more than you can chew," the Jedi said slowly. "Loklorien is stable now - her own body will continue the healing, at its own rate. The irritant has been removed and the taint gone. She should be mobile in a few hours, due to her advanced metabolism."

Serena gestured to a medical droid, who moved in quietly and efficiently started an intravenous line into the inert woman's arm. "She requires rest and nutrients for now."

She picked up the dish that contained the metallic fragment she'd removed from the other Jedi's body, and frowned. "The artifact that this shard was separated from is too dangerous to be held in your safe keeping." She looked at Sanis Prent as she said this, and added, "I might ask what it is you intend to do with it."



"I can ask you the same. Whatever that thing is, I'm no Jedi, and it isn't a liability to me. We don't have the luxury of time to sit here and talk it over, because there are two more of these things, and they might be in the wrong hands already."