Assassination: The Devil Triumphant

[Darth Grendel]

Darth Grendel laid squeezed between bulkheads as the transport made its final descent towards Coruscant. It was an uncomfortable journey, but he could bear it. He held his lightsaber in his hand, and smiled with gleeful joy beneath his mask as he anticipated killing a New Republic Senator!

>>>OOC: Remember, this is going on at the same time as the other threads, so if you got into one of them then don't interfere with this one.<<<

[Hunter Rose1]

::: The shuttle landed at the space port on Coruscant and Hunter Rose and his lovely dated stepped off of it. :::

Hunter: Fine weather tonight, eh my dear?

Shadow: Lovely weather tonight, Hunter.

Hunter: Well, then we best find a transport. Don't want to be late for the party.

::: Hunter hailed a flying air taxi. He and Shadow boarded it and it flew off. :::

[Shadow Raionos]

~she smoothes out her dress and turns to smile at Hunter. As the transport stops at the party, the door is opened for them. Hunter escorts her out, and she looks up at the well lit building, people everywhere. She puts her arm in his as they begin up the steps~

[Darth Grendel]

The air taxi pulls away as the trunk cracks open. A it pulls out Grendel quickly slips out of the trunk just before the taxi slips out of the Senators grounds. It'll be difficult, he knew, getting around the security. But he knew he could do it.

With that, Grendel Grendel slipped into the Grove which the Senator kept. Moving through it stealthily, heading intently towards his insertion point.

[Hunter Rose1]

::: Hunter looked at his date and smiled as he headed u the steps with her, arm in arm. :::

Doorman: Invitations?

::: Hunter reached into his coat pocket and pulled out 2 invitations, handing them to the Doorman. :::

Hunter: There you go, my good man!

::: The Doorman looked at the invitations for a moment, then allowed Hunter and Shadow in.

They walked into the immense ball room and Shadow's eyes were on the immensity and the beauty of the ball room, but Hunter's eyes were on her. :::

Hunter: Did I mention tonight just how beautiful you look, Shadow?

[Shadow Raionos]

~she blushes slightly as she looks up at him, then turns her head to look around the immensely large ballroom. She long dress slides across the floor as they walk. She looks back at him, then puts her hand in his~ Let's Dance My Love.

[Darth Grendel]

Grendel at least reaches the edge of the grove. He looks out and sees a wide open expanse of grass, which is being walked over by several guards. He has to get past them without anyone knowing he's there. Fortuntely for him, his spies were able to ascertain the guards shift changes. A shift change which was about to occur in 20 seconds.

Grendel counted out the seconds beneath his mask. Finally he counted out to zero and began his dash across the open yard. He had 3 seconds to make it across before 2 guards rounded the corners of the manse and saw him. Moving at speeds which no normal human can reach, he crosses that distance in 2.97 seconds! An instant later, 2 guards round the corners of the manse, not noting the Sith Lord scaling the walls of the building.

[Darth Grendel]

Sorry. Double post.

[Hunter Rose1]

::: Hunter plled Shadow's hands to his and kissed them. :::

Hunter: Of course, my lovely lady!

::: Hunter took Shadow in his arms and they began to dance. Hunter gazed into the eyes of his lady. A look in his eyes that could melt the resolve of any woman! :::

Hunter: That's quite a nice dress you're wearing, my dear. A bit on the ... dangerous side, don't you think? Then again, I'm a man who likes to walk on the razors edge! :evil:

[Shadow Raionos]

~she looks back into his eyes, his seeming to take control over her~
Well, you know I'm a dangerous woman..
~she laughs slightly as she moves close to dance with him. She puts one hand on his shoulder, the other in his hand~

[Darth Grendel]

Grendel continued to scale the wall, til at last he was on the roof. His information had told him exactly what defenses the Senator had on the rooftop on his manse, and Grendel knew how to avoid them.

He drew a pair of goggles out of his pack and put them on. And through them he could see the defenses. Beams of red laser light stretching across the roofs surface. Tripwires. Dozens of them. He then adjusted the goggles, and he saw areas of purple light, as the goggles detected the motion sensors. He committed the locations of the wires and motion detectors to memory and then removed the goggles. Grendel stood up and prepared himself for the acrobatic performance of his life!

[Hunter Rose1]

::: Hunter feels the warmth of Shadow's body as she presses it against his as they continue to dance. :::

Hunter: Yes. That you are Shadow. I would sell my soul to possess with you.

::: Hunter holds Shadow as they continue to dance, moving ever closer to the center dance floor. He then looks once again into the deep pools which are her eyes. :::

Hunter: Or have I done that, already?

[Shadow Raionos]

~she looks up at him her light blue eyes almost seeming to glow as he holds her close~
You are a sweet talker Hunter Rose.
~they move in slow circles as the dance slowly to the rhythm of the music. Her long dress flowing gently as they sway~

[Darth Grendel]

Grendel dove forward, moving at incredible speeds, and with the agility of a cat! He dove, leaped, and rolled as he made his way across the roof! Careful to avoid the tripwires and motion detectors embedded in the roof. He tumbled his way across the rooftop as he continued his way through the maze of tripwires and motion traps.

At last, he reached the center of the roof. To the skylight. He hung low, careful not to let his shadow from the moon in the night sky to give him away, as he looked through the skylight. Searching for his target.

[Hunter Rose1]

Hunter: It's easy when talking to a woman as lovely as you, Shadow.

::: Hunter and Shadow continued to dance, when they suddenly bumped into another dancing pair. :::

Senator Cal Omas: Oh my apologies...

::: Senator Cal Omas was shocked as soon as he turned around and saw who he had bumped into. :::

Senator Cal Omas: Why, you're Hunter Rose! It's a pleasure to meet you!

Hunter: And you must be Senator Cal Omas, the Alderaanian. It's a pleasure to meet you to, sir. Do I have you to thank for the gracious invitation to this party?

Senator Cal Omas: Oh, think nothing of it. I'm just pleased to finally meet you. I'm quite the fan of your work!

Hunter: Oh, reall? Well, if you'd like, I'd be happy to autograph some books later on. And who might the lovely woman on your arm, be?

::: The woman who had been dancing with Senator Cal Omas stepped forward and held out her hand. Hunter took it and kissed it. :::

Serena Omas: I'm Mrs. Serena Omas. Cal's wife. I'm pleased to meet you, Mr. Rose.

Hunter: And I'm pleased to meet you, to, Mrs. Omas. May I present to you my love, Shadow Raionos?

::: Shadow held out her hand for the Senator to kiss, which he did. :::

Hunter: Mr. Senator, I've got an idea. How would you like to switch? Allow me to dance with your wife, while you dance with my date? What say you?

Senator Cal Omas: Why of COURSE, Hunter! I'd be honored!

::: Hunter took Shadow's hand and kissed it gently before he went off to dance with the Senators wife.

Hunter: See you soon, my love!

::: Hunter went off to dance with Mrs. Serena Omas whilst Shadow went to dance with Senator Cal Omas. :::

[Shadow Raionos]

~she looks at Hunter and smiles then turns and looks at the Senator~ Pleasure to meet you Sir. ~she curtsey's holding one side of her long dress out. She stands up straight, putting one hand on his shoulder, and her other hand his~

Senator: Well it's lovely to meet you as well Ms. Raionos. So what do you think of the party?

~she smiles~ Oh it's absolutely gorgeous, Sir. You'll have to tell me who your decorator is.

~they both laugh as they begin to dance about the room. They turn in time so Shadow can see Hunter and the Senator's wife dancing. She sees Hunter whisper in her ear, and Shadow smiles at her beloved. Shadow leans back again and looks at the Senator~

Again, Senator, thank you very much for inviting us, it was very kind of you.

~they talk some more as they dance around and become part of the crowd, talking back and forth throughout the entire dance~

[Darth Grendel]

Grendel hovered over the skylight, careful not to be seen, looking anxiously for Senator Cal Omas. At last he spotted him, dancing with an incredibly beautiful woman. Grendel smiled, knowing full well that that would be the Senators last dance as he prepared himself!

[Hunter Rose1]

::: The song winded to an end as Hunter and Mrs. Serena Omas danced their way back to where the Senator Cal Omas was dancing with Shadow Raionos.

A new song began to play as Hunter stood before the Senator and shook his hand. :::

Hunter: Your wife is a lovely dancer, sir, and I hate to give her up. But I wouldn' dare keep you away from such an incredible woman throughout the entire night!

Senator Cal Omas: Why thank you for the compliment, Hunter! She truly is amazing, isn't it?

Hunter: Yes she is, sir.

Senator Cal Omas: Well, then, excuse me whilst I go dance with my wife. I'll see youi later, Hunter?

Hunter: Of course, Senator!

::: Senator Cal Omas and his wife Serena smiled as the took each other in their arms and began to dance away. Hunter then looked at Shadow and gave her a lusty, passionate kiss. :::

Hunter: Nice to see you again, my love. Shall we head to the bar and order some drinks?

[James Casey]

[Shadow Raionos]

~she puts her arm in his and with her other hand holds her long dress up a couple inches off the ground to not drag it too much. As they head towards the bar, she speaks to him~

Shadow: Lovely people, aren't they dear? ~she leans up and kisses him on the cheek as they walk closer to the bar~

[Darth Grendel]

>>>OOC: Just so you know, Casey, all these assassinations are occuring simultaneously, so I'll ignore your last 2 sentences. Other than that, it's all gravy.<<<

With a lightning fast motion, Grendel activated his saber and sliced through Casey's machine guns.

"You were saying, Jedi filth?"

[Hunter Rose1]

::: Hunter lifts up Shadow's hand to his mouth and kisses it softly as they reach the bar. :::

Hunter: Yes they are. As are you, my lovely Shadow.

::: Hunter orders 2 glasses of wine at the bar and hands one to Shadow. :::

Hunter: Drink up, my love! The night is still young!

::: Hunter looked into Shadows eyes as he drank from his glass of wine, and Shadow could almost see a flame burning in his eye. :::

[James Casey]

[Shadow Raionos]

~she lifts the glass to her lip and takes a small drink of the wine while still looking into Hunter's beautiful eyes. As she takes the glass away, she licks her lips still tasting the wine. She takes his hand and puts her glass of wine on the bar. She looks around the room and smiles~

[Darth Grendel]

As they fell, Grendel twisted, and used Casey's body to blunt the fall. Grendel rolled up off of Casey, and looked about at the party goers. He then spied the Senator as guards rushed him and his wife off to a secure room.

"Nothing will stop me or my mission tonight!"

Grendel sped off in pursuit of the Senator, intent on intercepting him before he reached the secure room!

[James Casey]

[Hunter Rose1]

::: Hunter and Shadow were drinking from their glasses when they heard the crashing of breaking glass as a Jedi and a Sith fell threw it! :::

Hunter: Quite an exciting night, is it not, my love?

Shadow: Yes it is, Hunter! Very exciting! Thank You for this wonderful evening!

Hunter: You're welcome, my love!

::: Hunter, still holding his drink perfectly balanced, pulled Shadow into his arms and kissed her as both guests and guards rushed about, and a Sith rushed past them in pursuit of the Senator. :::

[Shadow Raionos]

~she wraps her arms around him, but then leans back and looks into his eyes~ Love, this is most exciting, but maybe we should go somewhere...more....safe...~she smiles at him and takes his hand~

[Darth Grendel]

Grendel fell to the floor, clutching his leg, as mechfluid poured out form his wound. Casey advanced on him, a gun in one hand and a saber in the other, as Grendel rose back to his feet. Igoring the wound as best he could. Casey fired at Grendel but he parried the shots with his lightsaber, deflecting them and hitting and killing partygoers as they ran by.

"Jedi fool! Think you would stop me?!?"

[James Casey]

[Hunter Rose1]

::: Hunter Rose looks around as he sees the scene of carnage as the Jedi fires at the Sith, while the Sith deflects the shots. :::

Hunter: Perhaps you're right, my love.

::: Hunter took Shadow's hand in his and quickly walked, though he didn't run, in the direction in which the rest of the guests headed. :::

[Shadow Raionos]

~she stops in mid step and pulls Hunter back by his hand. She looks at him and smiles.~

Wait...~she looks up at him then a bloodcurdling cream echoes through out the ballroom. Both of their heads whip towards the gathering of the party goers. They both run towards the secured room and push their way through the crows. They look down to see the Sendaor laying on the floor. A guard leans down to take his pulse, and with a grim face looks up and shakes his head no~

The Senator's dead.

~they check for bullet wounds, but see none, then check for poison. They notice the liquid in his glass that fell from his hand was discolored. The guard smells the liquid and makes a face~

Guard: How could this have happened? The only person in here was his w-

~the guard turns and looks at the senators wife, and slowly stnds up to confront her. They begin asking her questions. Shadow looks at Hunter, and smiles.~

Interesting night indeed my love.

[James Casey]

[Darth Grendel]

Grendel heard the guards cry and looked up at Lance Casey.

"It seems I have already succeeded Jedi!"

Casey was surprised as Grendel reached out and grabbed him from behind! Swatting away his lightsaber, Grendel held Casey in a tight bearhug, dragging Casey back towards the dance floor, as he began to laugh!

Casey reached for Grendels mask with his one free hand and pulled it off and was SHOCKED by what he saw! The face of DT!!!

"No. It coudn't be!" Casey whispered.

Then he noticed that the face didn't fit quite right, and he tugged at it. It came loose, so Casey TORE it from him, and was shocked by what he saw!

It wasn't a man before him AT ALL! It was a droid! Casey was horrified as the eyes of the droid turned into numbers, and they counted down until at last the Grendel Droid DETONATED!!!

[James Casey]

[Hunter Rose1]

Hunter: Interesting night indeed, my love.

::: Hunter and Shadow looked into the room as the guards searched Serena Omas, soon discovering a bottle of poison on her. They immediately took her into custody and dragged her away as an explosion shook the Manse, coming from the ballrom! :::

[Shadow Raionos]

~they drag the jedi off and to the hospital. Shadow and Hunter walk out, and stand outside the burning building~

[James Casey]

[Hunter Rose1]

::: Hunter and Shadow stayed at the Manse another 2 hours, filling out statements to the authorities. At last, they, along with all the other guests, were alowed to leave. They soon reached their private shuttle, and boarded it. Taking their seats. Hunter looked at Shadow, a wry smile on his face as the shuttle lifted off. :::

Hunter: I promised you fireworks, did I not my love?

[Shadow Raionos]

~she smiles at him, but the smile quickly turns to an evil grin. She turns and looks out the window towards the burning building as they depart from the city and the crowd~

[Hunter Rose1]

::: Hunter smiled at her back and kissed her hand. :::

Hunter: It has been a pleasure working with you, Shadow Raionos. You truly are a woman not to be trifled with!

::: Hunter shot Shadow a mischievous grin as he got up and walked over to a hidden compartment withing the shuttle. Pulling out a box. As the shuttle entered hyperspace, he opened the box. :::

[Darth Grendel]

Shadow watched as he reached into the box and put on his mask. And with that the man that was Hunter Rose was gone. The kind, elegant, and charming exterior was replaced. Replaced by the icy, murderous demeanor of Grendel!

"Is the commlink set up?"

"Yes sir", the pilot replied. "Scramblers are online and the signals will be bounced through relay stations all over. We'll be able to punch through any transmissions, and no-one will be able to trace it back to us for another hour. And by then we'll be long gone."

"Excellent."

Grendel reached down to the panel and activated the comm-link. All transmissions throughout the galaxy were interrupted as a dark and icy voice broke over the airwaves, overriding them. Everyone across the galaxy listened intently as the Devil spoke.

"I am Darth Grendel. By now word has begun to spread of the fall of your most important and influential leaders. I now take credit for those assassinations as I am the one who planned them. I also take credit for the Dark Axis, who executed that plan, and your leaders, flawlessly.

We're putting the New Republic on notice. It doesn't matter who you are. Nor does it matter how well guarded you are. It doesn't even matter if the Jedi are there to protect you. We are Sith. We can reach anyone at any time! No-one is safe from our reach! No-one is safe from the power of the Dark Axis!"

::: End Transmission :::

[Darth Grendel]

Epilogue: 2 months later...

Grendel flipped through the news reels, until at last he came to the story which he was looking for. He read the title.

SERENA OMAS EXECUTED FOR THE MURDER OF SENATOR CAL OMAS

Grendel smiled at the headline. He then read the story, which told of how the poison was found on Serena, though she claimed that she didn't remember anything. From when she was dancing with her husband to the time right after his death, she contended that she didn't remember a thing. A contention she maintained right up to the point when they administered the lethal injection and executed her.

The police had originally thought she did it, then changed their theory to the murder being a part of the mass Dark Axis assassinations. A theory which they dropped once they found out that 15 million credits were missing from her accounts. The amount which they had estimated to be the value of the Grendel droid.

Then there was a snitch who stepped forward and admitted to knowing her, claiming that she had contacts with the criminal underworld through him. Contacts by which she learned of the Dark Axis assassination plot.

Then, of course, there was the discovery of Cal Omas having had a mistress. And evidence that Serena knew of her, a claim she denied. She even denied that Cal would never take a mistress. But by that time the evidence produced against her was too damning. Compounded by the fact that she claimed not to remember anything, and was the only one in the room with her husband when he died. So by that point no-one believed here. And she DID have the poison with her. So she was tried, and at record speed, convicted. And was executed shortly afterwards.

Grendel chuckled at the news report. He had set it up so perfectly. Paying the "snitch" and the "mistress" to step forward to accuse Serena. Laying the false evidence of an affair and evidence of Serena knowing about it. Then having them both meet "accidental" deaths later on. As well as having the money for the droid stolen from her account, so that it would appear that she had bought it.

But most damning of all, and what made it so completely satisfying, was that she DID do it! Not of her own free will, of course!

Grendel smiled. Serena's mind had been so weak-willed. It had been so EASY to manipulate it! To program her into murdering her husband with the poison he slipped onto her, and then blanking her memory afterwards. It had been so simple.

Grendel smiled. The devil had struck a blow. Both to the Jedi and to the New Republic itself. He had murdered a New Republic Senator, framed an innocent woman for the murder, and had shamed a Jedi. And with the loss of Cal Omas, one of their greatest peacekeepers, the New Republic was demoralized.

Grendel put down the newsreel and walked out to his balcony, looking up at thre night sky. The Devil looked up at his playground with a smile upon his face as the galaxy sank deeper and deeper into hell!!!

[James Casey]