Silent Dark

[Seth Darkserpent]

There was no use in trying to fall back asleep after having been awoken so abruptly. The visitation was not a dream, something much more. Darkserpent knew from his past experiences that his Master had summoned him from his rest and asked him to run a small errand. Of course, Seth Darkserpent would never refuse a direct request from his Master. Such would be an act of insolence, and result in reprimand. Mistakes were just part of the journey on the road to perfection, but that didn't mean that one should not try to avoid them.

It was late in the night, that much could be seen from the small observatory window. Bast was cursed with darkness, for most of the day and night. The volcanic world had a dark contrast to it, nothing like the skies on Corellia. There was not much to be explained about the landscape surrounding Bast Castle. It was a picture that would be hard to paint. Not because of a defunct landscape, or constant earthquakes, but because of the general morosity of the scene. It was enough to depress a being on euphorics, with just a few minutes of open staring. His expression changed from flat to mildly irritated, in just a few moments. This castle had a great concentration in Dark Side energies. Vader himself was once the local landlord of Bast Castle. That was until his untimely demise...

Suppose there's no time like the present, Seth mused, picking himself up. He left the small observatory, entering the twisted corridors of chaos. The past, the present and even glimpses of what was to come swirled around Seth like an open projector. The voices of the past trailed behind him, like the tail of a comet. He heard the aspirations of the ghostly residents that had once been real, like him. Seth took a moment to wonder if he would just fade away, like these souls did. When it was his time to pass away, where would his soul occupy residency? Perhaps he would pass on to the next side, spending the rest of eternity in the utter chaos of the Dark Side of the Force.

Seth Darkserpent wondered if the other coporeal residents of Bast Castle were up at this late hour. Surely most of them were, choosing to sleep whenever they saw fit. Yes, each being human or non human lived a different lifestyle. Even the Khommite clones were different in personality. Some went on to be Jedi, Seth remembered. Meaningless tidbits of information flashed through his mind now and again.

Here we are. De'Ville's chambers, if I remember correctly.

Seth could sense someone behind the door, although he could not be sure if it was De'Ville or not. He hadn't been around her long enough to leave or pick up an impression. He stretched a gauntlet forward and knocked the door, thrice. There came no answer at first. Approximately three seconds later, Seth knocked the door twice more, awaiting an answer.

Lady De'Ville, I would appreciate admittance. There is something I must ask of you. Seth sent his thoughts through the weak barriers of the door. The Force stopped for nothing. If De'Ville was in there, she would receive the message, and grant him admittance. He hoped he would soon find out...

[Lady DeVille]

De'Ville looked up at the door briefly, sensing the presence that approached her quarters. The candles on the table in front of her flickered as a whisper of colder air threaded through the room. They were burnt low on the wick, the spilt wax built up around the seven candles which were arranged in a semi-circle on the table.

She shifted her position, turned a page in the ancient tome she was reading, and checked on Jax. He was content at her breast, feeding greedily. Lilaena allowed herself a small smile, and then returned her attention to the runes before her.

There was a pause of the person who approached. It was Darkserpent, who embodied one she had formerly tutored in the Force, although briefly. Lady De'Ville, I would appreciate admittance. There is something I must ask of you.

A rush of anger filled her, and Jax pulled away from her, looking at her. She looked down, and wrinkled her nose at the one month old child. After his birth they had spent some time on Myrkr, to throw those that would have sought them off the scent. What a pile of bantha poodoo that had turned out to be. Prent had arrived...she shook her head, and used the Force to open the door.

Without looking up, she adjusted the blankets around her son as he latched back onto her breast, covering the tiny red birthmark on his left shoulder. "You have my attention, Darkserpent. Enter."

[Seth Darkserpent]

Darkserpent heard her from inside of her quarters and opened the door as silently as he could. Just before entering, he sensed another being in the room. Seth did not want to impose on the woman if she had company but the urgency of his predicament could simply not wait until morning. Seth surpressed a grin, wondering how morning was defined on the dark planet of Vjun. He would have to look into this planet's history in one of Jeseth's prized historic books. Perhaps it had once produced life, although the chance was small. In deep meditation, Seth could sense the faint essence of what once was on this planet. There was not much to be sensed, besides a few unlucky Spacers.

His eyes scanned around De'Ville's quarters momentarily. De'Ville was across from him, feeding what seemed to be a baby. Seth held back a look of sheer surprise, I wasn't aware of De'Ville having a child. Perhaps I should travel around more often, it seems that solitary confinement has caught up with me... He nodded to her slightly, confirming that the child in her arms was the other lifeform he sensed earlier. Seth couldn't help but wonder what Force potential it had inherited from it's mother, if De'Ville was in fact this child's mother.

"Sorry for interrupting you at this late an hour. Had I known you were busy, I would've waited for you to finish up." Seth wasn't only implying to De'Ville feeding her child, but to the book she was reading. As he took a step further into the room, they appeared mysterious to him. He couldn't decipher what any of them said. Such was irrelevant at this point in time.

"I have been sent," Seth began, wondering if this errand would prove to be difficult for him. He didn't like enduring difficult tasks, but sometimes such was necessary. He continued, "by my Master to retrieve an illustrious item from you."

De'Ville stared at him oddly, silently urging him to hurry up with whatever he'd come there for.

"I'm sure you are aware of my current Master, Gav Mortis." The candles at the side flickered once more, but did not go out. Gav Mortis had been Seth's Master for quite a time now. Darkserpent learned and was still learning much from his dark Master, a sorceror of the Black arts. He hoped to achieve Gav's level of power one day himself, though to do so he still had a very long way to go.

"It is a talisman, that was given to Garrett Blade by my Master. I believe Garrett gave it to you, and now i have been sent to retrieve it for a short while." Seth finished.

He breathed slowly, inhaling and exhaling at a regular pace. Seth's face itself bore no emotion, other then that of a stoneless expression. Deep down inside, he also felt nothing at all. His mind was set on one thing, his errand that needed to be completed as soon as possible. He bowed his head to level his eyes with De'Ville's own dark eyes.

"I seek the translation talisman."

[Lady DeVille]

De'Ville felt the talisman against her skin, lightly burning her as it lay beside the concentration amulet she had retrieved from Vortex. She looked back down at the runes, and then focused her attention on Jax, taking the time to switch him to the other breast.

After a long period of silence, she looked back to Darkserpent, and closed the book in front of her. "I remember the talisman. And it is in my possession. I will only return it to <a href=http://pub54.ezboard.com/funderneathcoruscantfrm3.showMessage?topicID=12.to pic>Garrett Blade."</a>

She cocked her head to one side, and raised one eyebrow to her unmasked brother. "You will not recieve it from my hands. For it is not mine to give." Turning her gaze away, although her attention was riveted on him, De'Ville adjusted the contented babe on her lap.

[Seth Darkserpent]

Seth was tempted to roll his eyes, but put much effort into resisting the urge. Nothing in life was ever easy, especially negotiating with people. Seth could vividly remember the last time he tried to negotiate with someone, it hadn't ended well. It was during his time on Coruscant when he was searching for the crystal of Shamu Rae...The whole fiasco turned out to be one big fake. The people he'd negotiated with were now just pieces of excrement rotting away somewhere for all eternity. It was such a pitiful way to die, at the hand of another. Seth would destroy himself, rather then give anyone the satisfaction of destroying him.

De'Ville was of course refusing to give him the talisman, and would stick to her choice, no matter what Seth said to her. For a moment he reflected upon how the situation might have turned out, had he acquired Jeseth Cloak's skills in convincing others. Perhaps Cloak, the Lord of Deception could persuade this woman otherwise, without even having to raise an eyelid. Yet, the best things in life were not easy to obtain. They required work and the willingness to go on.

"If it was given to you, then it certainly is yours to give." Seth replied calmly, opening himself to the Dark Side of the Force to control his anger. "I sense that you do not want to give it to me, for to lose such a valuable possession would be unacceptable."

Seth smiled evilly, gazing off to the bookshelf at the back of the room. Master Gav hadn't informed him that De'Ville would put up resistance to his request. It was quite a simple request, actually. Seth did plan to return it, after he was done using it. He absently waved a bare hand before his face, and assumed that of Garrett Blade's. Seth was chanting the appropriate words in his mind, rather then out loud. His whole body changed from that of Seth Darkserpent's daunting form to Garrett Blade's full form. It was as Seth had seen him in the Order, before his untimely escape.

"Does this change your mind, De'Ville?!" Seth mocked, in Garrett's loud voice.

His other arm brushed past his face, and the illusion was gone. Seth Darkserpent remained on the other side, his mouth curled in a tight smile. He found his little joke amusing, although he would bet a credit that De'Ville found it annoying and a waste of time. He considered his options in silence, gauging out what would be a possible outcome for each of them. Mind control was out of the question, and would cause many problems. More negotiating would not change De'Ville's mind. Offering her something would not work either...

"That talisman you wear around your neck originally belonged to my Master, Gav Mortis. He simply requests it, and you refuse?" Seth shuddered at the thought of refusing a request directly from Gav Mortis.

His hand brushed across his neck, and he ran his thumb along his own talisman. He found it in the clutches of a skeletal fiend, just before discovering a Jedi enclave. That was the first time he met a Jedi Master. A young man, by the name of Sage Hazzard. Seth grimaced at his own choice for allowing the Jedi to leave freely, instead of destroying him. He would not make that same mistake again.

The concentration talisman reacted to his thumb, intensifying his dark thoughts. He simply dwelled on the fear of not being able to complete the task he'd been assigned. His anger for De'Ville's refusal was slowly beginning to unmask itself on his face. Once calm, his eyebrows tilted angrily as he stared at De'Ville. His other hand arched upward, as if he were flexing his muscle, and a spark leaped from his finger, and entered the one next to it. The electricity surged around his hand, as if he was hooked up to a battery. The electrical energy was purely produced by his anger and dark emotions, that ran through him like a starship in lightspeed.

Seth let go of the concentration talisman, used to focus his thoughts and put one hand forward. Soon, this hand began to generate electricity as well, adding extra light to the dimmed room. The technique known as Force Lightning was said to be one of Palpatine's favorites. Seth had learned it through rigorous training, with Gav Mortis. At first he'd only been able to produce a spark or two. Over time, whilst visiting the Jedi and learning of their stupidity, his anger intensified his skill. He'd practiced this ability much, using it on only a few.

"Perhaps...there are alternatives...that could...convince you of your folly!" Seth spat out. Small tendrils of electricity erupted from his fingertips, licking the air between himself and De'Ville with her child. He had no intentions of hurting the child himself. Seth did not hold the baby responsible for his mother's choices.

The tendrils of electricity disappeared into Seth's hands, and then shot out again, reaching farther this time. At any moment he was about to peg De'Ville with his Force Lightning, but he would allow her to speak first. It would be utterly rude of him not to.

[Lady DeVille]

De'Ville looked up at the seething man standing in her quarters, and remained sitting. Jax was done feeding, and was swaddled up in a sling tied tightly around her body. Lightning danced in front of her, and she refused to blink.

The amulet rested beneath the collar of her shirt, alongside a second talisman. She did not reach up to touch them with her hand, instead allowing the contact to come through the bare skin of her chest. Eyelids fluttered as she prepared for his intended attack, fury rising that he dared to assault her.

She spoke as soon as he had finished talking, her hands lightly folded on the table in front of her. "My brother, I commit no folly. Perhaps you have been in contact with the traitors at the Sith Order for too long. It is of no concern of yours my reasons in my refusal."

De'Ville sent the ancient test she had been studying flying to its place in the bookshelf, and the torches ringing the room blazed up suddenly, throwing the room into extremes of light and dark. Shadows flickered across her features.

"However, since you threaten me in my own quarters, I will indulge you. I will not entrust this amulet to your hands. I will deliver it into the hands of either Garrett Blade or Gav Mortis." She made a slight dismissing motion, the door behind him swinging open violently. "Now depart and carry your news to you master, before I lose my patience with you."

She stared openly at him, practically challenging him with her gaze. Stay if you wish. I will show you your folly, Nagaaaa... Her thought trailed off, safely hidden behind the blocks set in her mind.

[Seth Darkserpent]

Seth's shadow expanded around the candle light, his deep emotions brimming to the top with rage. His whole body seemed to grow an extra foot as he stared at De'Ville. His eyebrows were creased, and his lips were pursed together. It seemed that Seth Darkserpent was about to explode, like a thermal detonator...No explosion came, although Seth's anger remained as he listened to De'Ville refuse him once again. The door swung open once, and she told him to leave. The very thought of failing his master was enough to summon the dark within Seth. The power had been given to him by the ancients, not too many moons ago. He could feel the strengths of those linked with him, stars away.

"You DARE defy a Sith Lord?!" He roared at her, releasing some of his pented up anger, into the room. The child was startled for a mere moment, but it did not cry. Seth returned De'Ville's piercing gaze. She was waiting for him to attack her, challenging him with her condescending gaze. Seth took a step forward, the metal coverings on his boots clanked on the floor. He knew quite well if he possessed his gauntlets, De'Ville wouldn't live to see the morrow. Darkserpent was a quite persistent fellow when he wanted something, even more so when he needed something.

"Now depart and carry your news to you master, before I lose my patience with you."

De'Ville's voice echoed his thoughts, powering his emotions to their full extent. His concentration talisman began to do it's work and focused all of his power again. Better yet, I will drag your limp body to my Master, along with the talisman. He requested it, and I shall get it. Seth's eyes shone bright orange for a moment, changing color rapidly. His muscles tensed up, to the point where one could see his veins. He opened his mouth in a growl.

"I asked you politely, and you refused." Seth growled, sounding like a hungry vornskr. His hand extended quickly, and a bolt of lightning shot out and pierced De'Ville in the chest. The jolt sent her back, allowing Seth enough time to levitate the child out of harm's way. Once the baby was set down, his hands went up once again. From each fingertip, he discharged the electrical energy, and sent it at De'Ville, increasing her pain.

Again, Seth released his dark power on the woman, sending the voltage through her body. Off to the side, he heard the child beginning to cry. It was probably feeling the pain of it's mother as well. Such a trait was uncommon between Force users. Seth payed the child no heed. Her neck jerked upward slightly from the shock, and Seth caught sight of the talisman. She wore another as well, an interesting bit of information to Seth.

"It was not my intent to harm you when I first arrived." Seth explained, regaining a bit of his calm. "But you left me no choice." His anger was evident again, another bolt slithered across the air, and struck De'Ville in the back. Seth recolied his hands, before they began to heat up again. He stretched his hand out, and curled his fingers. An invisible hand clasped her throat, and began to choke.

"Give...me...that...talisman."

The shadows around Seth began to lengthen, covering the walls behind him. The door behind him slammed shut with a bang that washed out the sound of the child's wailing. Seth tightened his grip.

[Lady DeVille]

De'Ville felt the first bolt hit her, and used the Force to absorb and siphon off the energy, a trick she had learned early on in her training. Having the Sith Live Wire as her master had taught her quickly about Force lightening. However, as she bent the Force to her will, Darkserpent grabbed Jax from her and sent him across the room.

Her blood boiled, and Darkserpent was speaking. "It was not my intent to harm you when I first arrived." As he spoke another tendril of lightning struck her in the back, temporarily immobilizing her. Taking advantage of her situation, Darkserpent pinched the fingers of his right hand together, closing down her trachea. She gagged for a moment, and staggered to her feet as the door she had opened slammed shut with a bang that echoed through the dark halls of Bast.

"Give...me...the...talisman." The Sith growled as he tightened his hold on her neck.

Jax was crying from a corner of the room, and his fear filled her with an unholy rage. Drawing on her concentration talisman, she focused the Force around her, creating a thin trickle of air that was forced inside the choke hold her opponent held on her. It was enough to keep her from passing out, but not enough for a long period of time.

De'Ville held out her right hand, and a roiling ball of dark Force energy formed above her palm. She grunted as she released it, sending it flying at Darkserpent's chest. It had enough power to send him through the wall behind him if he could not deflect it. As he was distracted with the Destruction hurtling towards him, she flicked her finger, releasing the shelves above him, and causing all the heavy books to fall towards his head.

[Seth Darkserpent]

Too many things were coming at Seth all at once, and he was forced to break his concentration. De'Ville released a ball of dark side energy, a move he'd commonly seen and used once before, as Naga. It would do damage to his lungs if he didn't act quickly. Seth felt something fall just above his head, but he had no time to look at that, there were more important matters at hand. He grabbed the edge of his cloak and threw it forward, blocking his body in its darkness. Seth chanted a few simple words, and his cloak hardened. Even a lightsaber could not pierce the material. Darkserpent was quite fond of this technique, over all others. Lord Dagger had taught him the basic structure of the technique. It was he, himself who learned it later on, and used the technique on his sword.

The ball of dark energy smashed into his cloak with a mighty force. The Dark Jedi was forced down on one knee, all of his organs were intact and well. His cloak had absorbed much of the energy, leaving a disgusting hole, the size of a doorway. Darkserpent's mouth began to fold into a frown, until something attacked from above. A rather large book smashed into his shoulder, while another decked him in the side of the cheek. Before others could hit him, Darkserpent rolled to the side out of harm's way. His eyes glared with hatred, as he fought back nausea and unconsciousness.

De'Ville was not too far from Darkserpent, in a crouched position. She was quickly recovering from the blows dealt by Seth. Her face bore no emotion, other then that of hate. She too was experiencing the same feelings as Darkserpent. The child off to the side had stopped crying, a sound that could still ring in one's ears afterwards. The room became silent for just a few moments, save for the heavy breathing that ensued.

The talisman will be mine! Seth scrambled to his feet and jumped across the space between him and De'Ville. His boots hit the ground with a force that only a rancor could achieve. The seven foot tall man looked more like a statue, clothed in black and dark armor. The only thing human about him was his face. It revealed his glistening eyes, his nose, his mouth. For a Dark Jedi, his face didn't hold a single scar, visible or not visible. He'd been in fights before and also dueled with others, but never had they struck his face.

Darkserpent's pupils glowed blood red for a moment. He inserted a vision into De'Ville's mind of her child being killed by a warrior clad in darkness. His hands shot forward and grabbed both of her wrists, almost crushing them in his tight hold. He let go and grabbed De'Ville by her throat. His free arm pushed her chin up, revealing both talismans. The one that he needed was quite evident.

"It seems that the talisman will be mine after all. It was foolish of you to refuse my offer." Seth surpressed a grin, but put much arrogance into his voice.

His hand reached for the talisman like a serpent slithering in the darkness. Darkserpent's bare fingers brushed across the the side of it. He prepared to tug, until a feeling so extreme filled his mind. He let go of De'Ville's throat and jumped back, his hands almost as rigid as stone. Seth examined her from afar, wondering what the demon had done to him. Then he realized what had just happened, finding it difficult to believe. De'Ville or someone else had placed a spell on that talisman. He could not remove it from her, for it was enchanted with Sith magic.

The blood quickly returned to his hands, an awakening that caused Seth minor pain. He jiggled his hands, biting his lower lip at the feeling of a thousand pins and needles inside. Soon his blood would settle, and he would be able to use them again. Until then, he would have to use things other then his hands to defeat De'Ville. He questioned his reason for further attacking her, quickly coming up with an answer. It would buy him the precious seconds he needed to formulate a plan. The options were not exactly in his favor.

"You've surprised me De'Ville." He hissed.

The heavy books that De'Ville used to hit him before raised from the air. He threw all of them at De'Ville, using the Force to control their journey.

[Lady DeVille]

De'Ville had fallen backwards when Darkserpent had abruptly released her, her neck bruised from his grasp. As the books flew towards her, she thrust out a hand, pushing back against them, stopping their flight in midair.

She had felt the Force channeled through her into the talisman, but could not figure out what had happened. Why had Darkserpent not taken it from her? Unless.... Blade, trickster that he was, must have done something to the talisman.

Lilaena stood silently, holding the books at bay with the Force, her thin white nightgown touching the tops of her bare feet. There were burnt holes in the gown from where the lightning had touched her. "You will find I am full of surprises." With a slight effort, the books tumbled to the floor, scant seconds after Darkserpent had thrown them.

"It appears we are at what one might call a stalemate." De'Ville wanted to tear his head off his shoulders, but she controlled herself, allowing her anger to fester within. She would be ready, no matter what his decision was.

"Leave." The word was spoken quietly, but the emotion behind it caused it to echo loudly through the Force, booming in the room.

[Seth Darkserpent]

"Leave."

The word was spoken as calm as a person could achieve, but Seth sensed the brimming anger behind it. Seth learned much from this midnight trip to De'Ville's quarters. He would not be able to walk away with the talisman and return to his Master. Not unless the spell was broken by a Sith magician that knew his stuff, or the actual spell caster himself. Darkserpent had a notion who the spell caster was, but it would be hard locating him. With the Dark Side and a few credits, it would not be impossible to locate someone.

Darkserpent was not a skilled magician of any sort. His knowledge in sorcery was quite...elementary. Although his power in the Dark Side had increased over the past year. His body had exceeded the normal human standard in height. He, like any other being in the Galaxy had weaknesses along with strengths. His strengths would not aid him in obtaining the talisman at present. He would have to think of something else...There were always alternatives.

His arms arched upward, as did De'Ville's eyebrows. She was probably wondering if he was going to attack again. Darkserpent wasn't a blockhead, contrary to the belief of many. His arms came down at his sides, and he held them tightly, staring at De'Ville. His pose was that of defiance, one that said "I am not leaving until I get what I want."

"I said leave." De'Ville repeated in a commanding tone.

Seth resigned himself with a sigh, and shook his head. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. A few moments later, his back was turned to De'Ville and he was about to leave. "As you wish, Lordess De'Ville." His voice resembled that of a man in utter hopelessness.

Before he reached the door, the Dark Jedi spun around once again. At the same time as his spin, he ripped off his tattered cloak and flung it at De'Ville. The cloak itself hardened slightly and widened itself, filling De'Ville's view with utter darkness. Her eyes would not be able to see anything, although vision was useless when one had the Force. The cloak wrapped itself around her body, covering every part of it like a body bag. If she was as strong as Seth had heard, she would be able to break free of her binding sooner or later.

Seth was not one to waste precious seconds of free time when he was presented with them. His arm shot out to the side, where he had set the baby down. Jax floated through the air and into his waiting hands a few seconds later. Darkserpent turned around and jerked his head forward. The door to De'Ville's quarters caved in and smashed open, presenting an exit. Securing the child in his arms Seth ran out as fast and safe as possible. This child would not be harmed for two simple reasons. One was that Seth disliked harming children who could not fight back. The other reason was that this child was more valuable alive then it was dead.

He exited the quarters, and behind him a bookshelf slid into place where the door had been, blocking the way out. It was just another diversionary tactic that would be used to stall De'Ville.

Seth ran through the maze of hallways, holding the child with both arms. He knew this complex better then De'Ville did, this was a minor advantage. He would have to use a few shortcuts to reach the area where his ship was berthed. Seth ran through his plan once more, just incase he forgot something. There was no doubt that De'Ville would be following soon enough.

[Jax Ivanrue Tondry]

Tiny fists balled up against a pudgy face, and tiny Jax Tondry wailed, whether in fear or infantile anger, it was hard to say. The sound of his cries echoed through the corridors, piercing the heart of his mother.

[Lady DeVille]

De'Ville struggled with the cloak for a few seconds, and heard Jax screaming as a tremendous crash filled her ears. She drew within herself, inside the darkness of the anger that consumed her, and exploded outwards. From the extreme pressures of the pressure wave she had created, as well as the elements of Destruction included in the burst, the cloak shattered outwards.

The force of the explosion sputtered out all of the torches and candles in the room, but De'Ville could see clearly in the dark. Darkserpent had only been out of the room less than half a minute. With a cry of rage, she picked up the bookcase with the Force and threw it out of the way.

Books fell everywhere, datapads and other information items were strewn across the room as the case fell on the large oak desk, breaking the bookcase in half. With a thought her lightsaber was pulled into her hand, and De'Ville was running down the hall, the connection with her son strong enough for her to follow Darkserpent's footsteps.

A wail echoed down the hall, and she growled deep in her throat, slamming her fist against the hallway wall as she ran past. The stone she had touched shattered from the pent up Force energy inside her.

[Jeseth Cloak]

Seth turned sharply at one corner of the hallway, and while he hadn't been expecting it in his mind, the Force had alerted him wholly to what was there beyond the corridor's twist. Jeseth stood there, gazing at him, shadows lingering about his body like leeches feeding upon the murky shores of some dark lake. "Seth, that is enough." Jax was very important to Jeseth. The winged Dark Sider looked down at the child, both orb-like black eyes piercing its flesh and bones. It was already considerable attuned to the Force, was hardly old enough to speak its own name. De'Ville had no doubt gained considerable time in her chase for Seth during the unexpected encounter between Seth and Jeseth...

In fact, Jeseth could hear her running across the halls, yelling frantically. He spoke into her mind, though he wondered if she would hear his words... they were quite likely to be swallowed up in the boiling sea of rage that was now spilling across De'Ville's soul. Stop. The child is safe. She might not have known that the voice she heard in her mind was that of Jeseth Cloak, but she would find out without a doubt soon enough.

"Seth, she is of The Black Hand." Jeseth felt the desire that was building within Seth. The reminder that De'Ville was also a sister of The Black Hand may have stayed Seth's feet from taking flight once again, something quite astonishing considering the full weight of the armor that the Sith Lord dawned.

[Seth Darkserpent]

"Jeseth, you fool." Seth hissed at his dark brother with two evil eyes. A fire burned brightly inside of them, the fire of the Dark Side. "You think you can just barge in here and take control? You have no idea what is going on!" His voice rose, as did his anger. He let go of the child with one hand, cradling him tightly in only one arm. His other hand snaked under his armor and relieved a dagger of medium sized. It was a rather plain one actually, but very sharp.

The dagger found it's way near the baby's throat. Seth did not want to have to hurt Jeseth, but the other man left him little choice. The situation had become hostile now, Darkserpent could smell enemies on both side. His escape with the child would be a tough one. On one side of the hall, De'Ville would soon arrive, to reclaim her baby. On the other side, a six foot angel blocked his way. Seth growled in anger, clenching his teeth in anticipation.

"Mind your own business Cloak. This does not involve the Black Hand."

At that point, a torch was ripped off the wall by Seth and his dark powers. It spun toward Jeseth, catching the edge of his cloak before he could move out of the way. The torch hit the floor and went out like a broken light, but the fire on his cloak spread. Jeseth quickly turned his head and caught sight of the fire. It was then that Seth attacked. Putting all of his brute strength into his left arm. Quickly, Cloak turned back to meet him, but the distraction of fire had served it's purpose. Seth struck his dark brother in the cheek with the hilt of the dagger.

~ One day, you will understand why I've done this. Perhaps then, you can forgive me. ~ Jeseth was taken aback by the blow, and sent to his knees. The fire on his cloak had blinked out of existence before he touched the ground of the hallway. It had burned half of his cloak, which now looked tattered and frayed in the dim light.

The child was crying even louder now after Seth had given him a little shake. He dropped the dagger on the floor and used his now free hand to support the child fully. A groan came from the winged man below him. Jeseth was quickly coming to, his skills in the Force were quite excellent. Seth bolted out of the hallway area and into the shadows. He was nearing his exit and would be there very soon.

***

The cavern that berthed his ship had been a secret, but it wouldn't be for long. He felt De'Ville behind them, ever so close. Her heart was filled with anger and rage at Darkserpent and his attempt at snatching her child. It was all necessary in his great plan. This story had an ending, and Seth would make sure it would be mutually enjoyable for each party involved. De'Ville would get her child back in due time, and unharmed. Seth Darkserpent would get his amulet as well...He hoped.

"Quiet child!" He hissed through clenched teeth. This only made Jax cry even louder. "Bah!"

Seth used his chin to activate the ship's ramp. He took a few steps back and watched as it crawled down before him. His personal ship was a stolen one naturally. He didn't care much for ships, but sometimes they were required to get him around. It wasn't large, but it could fit up to seven passengers. It only required one person to fly it, if you did not count the dual gunners near the back of the ship.

Moments later he was in the ship, "Light level 4." The lights turned on with a flash, allowing Seth to move around without bumping into anything. He closed the ramp and raced toward the cockpit, almost all at once. He put a child down on one seat, hastily connecting and tightening the restraint. Time is running out Darkserpent. The sweat that had formed on his face began to drip. He ran to the lounge and grabbed his things. It took him a few seconds to connect his weapons belt and pull on his mask.

"Now, I should get out of here." Seth raced back toward the cockpit. Much still needed to be done.

[Lady DeVille]

Bare feet barely touched the flagstoned floor as De'Ville ran at full tilt toward her son. Cloak passed beneath her as she leapt over him on the floor, completely ignoring his voice as he called after her. Anger gave her the Force, and the Force gave her feet wings.

She found herself in an underground cavern, just in time to see a ramp sealing shut the only entrance to the ship sitting there. Lilaena's heart almost burst, and an angry tear ripped down her cheek as she threw herself at the ship. The engines began to start up, and she twirled her lightsaber, igniting it, and thrust it into the sealed edge of the ramp.

Clinging onto the side of the ship, she began to cut it open, the hull glowing red hot around her jaded amethyst blade.

[Jeseth Cloak]

As Jeseth came to, he growled. Had Darkserpent betrayed them all this day? He did not understand. It was unlike Seth to attack and steal from the other inhabitants. He crawled to his feet, hearing the roar of engines outside the castle. His jaw was likely broken... in several places, at that. He spit blood onto the walls of the corridor and took a few steps back, walking up a spiraling flight of steps calmly. The ship was rising. He could hear the sound permeating through the walls, and he was following it with quick paced calculated steps. He arrived at one of the upper towers - or at least what was left of it - and peered down to see De'Ville slicing into the ship. He raised his hands into the air and began to recite something, his voice echoing out across the grounds of the Castle.

The air settled down, and then the winds seemed to all but vanish. Seth could feel an immense pull dragging his ship back towards the ground, as if it was behind held by an immense invisible hand. Jeseth continued to chant, attempting to bring Darkserpent to a complete halt. He felt disoriented, and for a second almost faltered his concentration. The ship itself seemed to be hazing in and out of view. He had suffered a concussion from blow that Seth had dealt him...

[Seth Darkserpent]

Seth could feel De'Ville clinging on to the side of his ship. Her heart was filled with pure rage and she had only one objective in mind. She wanted her child back in her arms, and she wanted to be back in her quarters. Darkserpent was impressed with De'Ville's outrageous attempts to save her child. She'd followed him all throughout Bast. His ramp had a whole in it now, a minor implication that would have to be corrected...after he dealt with her.

Darkserpent unsheathed his sword and grasped it tightly. He exited the cockpit, holding the large sword up in an attack position. He could feel her through the Force, her rage rippling through the waves of the Force. A purple hue escaped from the hilt of the sword and flew around it, enrapturing the weapon in its eerie glow. He felt the lightsaber pierce through the metal of his ship again. Darkserpent growled and kicked the ramp down. His ship was at least two meters off the ground, and slowly rising. It would be dangerous of him to try and attack her with his sword.

His ship lurched and began to descend back down. Something or someone had been tugging at it. Jeseth Cloak! Darkserpent cast his sword to the floor and placed both hands on his temples. He began to focus on the Dark Side, on Jeseth who was just outside the cavern area. Yes, it was Cloak that was trying to prevent Seth from escaping Vjun. Seth began to work on countering the spell. He felt Jeseth falter through the Force for just a second. At that moment, Seth took complete control of his ship and used the Force to right it.

Now for De'Ville... Seth dove for the ramp of the ship. He was focused on the Dark Side now, after dealing with Jeseth. His hand clasped the edge of the ramp. He could see De'Ville hanging on, ready to jab him with her lightsaber. Blue sparks began to jump from his hand, until a full stream of Force Lightning, hit De'Ville in her torso. The lightsaber managed to block some, but not all. The Dark lady lost her grip and began her descent to the floor. Seth knew she would be able to stop herself, if Jeseth didn't do it first.

He ran back to the cockpit and activated the repulsion units. The ship rose off the ground again, and the child began to cry. Seth powered the engines and sent the ship in a long descent down the cavern. At the end, a tunnel would lead them straight outside. His hands worked quickly as he activated the inertial compensators and the heat shield. Outer Vjun was extremely high temperature-wise, high enough to burn a ship. Seth directed the ship through the tunnel, scraping the roof of the ship a bit. He was never a good pilot, a slight error on his part.

Seth focused his thoughts back to the cavern. He stretched out with his feelings and contacted De'Ville through the Force.

~ Nar Shaddaa ~

His words were silent in the Force, but she would hear them.

Now, I must get out of he--...Wait! The ramp! Seth veered the ship a sharp left to avoid a large rock. His ship blasted out of the other side of the cavern. A world of molten rock and lava greeted them. Seth punched the autopilot button and raced to the side of the ship. The heat from the pit of lava below was forming sweat under his dark mask. He had to find something that would patch it up before they exited the atmosphere.

Near the back of the ship there were the proper tools to fix the breach. He was jerked forward by a sudden change of course in the ship. Darkserpent smashed into a pile of boxes, cursing his small misfortune. He ripped open the first box, but nothing was there. The second followed, still empty. Where were the tools? Infernal ship! Then he had an insane idea. Seth dropped to the floor and patted it down, until he found what he was looking for. A secret compartment, covered by durasteel. He pulled the durasteel covering off and hurled it at the ramp. Seth pushed forward the Force, temporarily melding it into place. It wouldn't last long, but it would be able to aid them in getting somewhere. Seth thanked the Gods that this ship had once belonged to an unfortune smuggler.

"Ship has entered orbit." The words scrolled across the NavComputer. He began to type in the coordinates for Nar Shaddaa, while he waited for the small transport to exit orbit. Then, they would be homefree...At least for a little while. I truly hope my patch up job doesn't fail.

"Ship has exited orbit. Standing by...." Seth punched the throttle for lightspeed. His destination was Nar Shaddaa, the smuggler's moon.

[Lady DeVille]

The ramp descended abruptly, and De'Ville lost her grip for a moment. Swinging nearly free of the ship as it faltered in the air, she leapt upwards with the Force, turning a neat somersault and landing squarely on the ramp as it clicked into place. Darkserpent was standing there, sword in hand, and she ran at him.

As she moved, he threw out his hand, and struck her in the center of the chest with a blast of Force induced lightning. At the same time, the ship lurched forward. Knocked off her feet, De'Ville was swept out the back of the ship, her lightsaber spinning out of her hand in the darkness of the cavern.

She screamed in pure rage, hand outstretched towards the ship as her body plummeted downwards.

[Jeseth Cloak]

Jeseth saw De'Ville slip and fall, but in his minds eyes only. He was too far to physically catch her... or perhaps he was not. In a split second all the corridors to Bast that he knew flashed through his thoughts, memories rekindling and playing out faster than light. De'Ville had only just fallen back from the platform when Jeseth stopped in mid-chant, letting Seth's craft go on unhindered. His winged figure vanished in a flash, and stones and walls blurred around his face and arms as he launched himself down the stairway, almost falling, touching a step now and then as he traveled towards the cavern where Seth's ship had been.

Dust kicked up and torches snuffed out in Jeseth's wake, his figure finally shooting into the entrance of the cavern and below De'Ville. She had traveled half-way to the ground before she fell into Jeseth's black-clothed arms, her saber clapping into the palm of his free right hand. He brought her the rest of the way to the ground slowly and placed her down, placing her saber beside her. The sudden burst of alacrity had left him surprised, but not tired - for a change.

[Lady DeVille]

De'Ville's body fell into Cloak's arms, and she lay where he placed her for only a moment. Leaping up to her feet, her saber flew into her hand and ignited of its own accord seemingly. She spun around to face Cloak, and growled, "Get me to Nar Shadda or so help me I'll rip your wings off and fly there myself." It was his fault she had no ship, having caused her Infiltrator to explode upon her entrance to The Black Hand.

She didn't step forward, although her feet were trying to run. The emotions inside her were so intense she was sure she would burst. The Dark side was so strongly with her, that she could not contain it. De'Ville turned to the side, and picked up a huge boulder from the ground with the Force, and slammed it into the side of the cavern. It exploded with a crash and a spray of rock, and she turned back to Cloak, her eyes intense, waiting for his answer.

[Jeseth Cloak]

"Temper, temper... Kill me in a fit of rage, and you might only further delay the moment in which you can hold your child again." He wasn't sure if she would understand that, but unless anger had consumed her fully beyond the point of being able to even see basic logic, she would realize that he was right. Nar Shadda was a world on which she was considered a wanted criminal, and getting there was considerably easier for a member of The Sith Order's council. Even though it was unorthodox to assist De'Ville from his position, the thought of having his wings torn off was not very appealing, even if only as a possibility. "I will help you, but we need not rush blindly into doom. What makes you think he has headed to Nar Shadda, and why has he taken your child?"

[Lady DeVille]

De'Ville looked at Cloak, and sagged visibly, her immediate rage subsiding as a dull ache replaced it. "I- " Lilaena clicked off her sabre, the brilliant blade winking out.

"I am ashamed, brother." Her face flushed with the strange emotion as she regathered her thoughts. "Darkserpent put the place in my mind. Nar Shadda. That is where he is taking Jax." She kept the reason off her mind. There was no reason for Cloak to know about the talisman.

"Take me there. ...Please?" Her eyes begged him even as a fury burned within her soul. Darkserpent would pay for his deeds.

[Jeseth Cloak]

Jeseth nodded silently. He once knew what it was to care for a child... to love it. He watched as his own took its first breath, right after an Imperial interrogation droid ripped it from its mother's womb. He felt nothing now. "Let us go then..." The two wandered up a corridor of steps, Jeseth's legs dragging behind as he fought with the wave of emotions that was overtaking him. The chaos in his mind settled suddenly, pulled taught by something stronger. His pace picked up as De'Ville followed him. They made it to the rear landing pad within fifteen minutes, and Jeseth looked at the two options before them.

One ship was faster - possibly much faster than Seth's - but was also reported stolen and a New Republic vessel would not hesitate to board them. The other choice was a slower but unregistered ship, and not likely to attract much attention on Nar Shadda... There was a hiss as Jeseth pressed a switch on the inside of the stolen ship via the Force, and the loading ramp lowered towards the ground. He stepped towards it without alerting De'Ville of the decision he had made. "We must be swift. This craft will make excellent time. It might not be too late to catch him coming out of hyperspace."

He remembered his last journey to Nar Shadda - and in effect sneered at the prospect of returning there.

[Lady DeVille]

De'Ville looked between the two ships, noticing that Cloak had chosen the faster of the two. Suspicions were growing in her mind, as she had an inkling of the relationship between Cloak and Darkserpent. Both apprentices of the Master Mortis, who she had worked closely with on many occasions in the past. At the Sith Order.

She quickly entered the ship Cloak had chosen, her fears for Jax's saftey overcoming her misgivings for the moment. Lilaena was also thinking about the last time she had been on Nar Shadda, although it was her experiences on Nal Hutta, the planet of the Hutts, which was foremost in her mind.

Shadra the Hutt, her former employer, had died in a battle when De'Ville's first master, a Dark Jedi involved with the Empire, had come to collect her back. He had also died, in an act of freakish luck, by De'Ville's own hand.

If anyone remembered....which was likely...De'Ville would have problems if she were recognized. She had picked up her arm blades first in Shadra's palace, in the arena. Unfortunately they were not with her.

She traveled only with her lightsaber, and her anger.