Trick or treat. (Akrabbim)

[Evil Hobgoblin]

A letter arrived at GJO. On the envelope was the following return address

A park bench
Smallville park, Smallville town
Dantooine

Inside the envelope was the following letter.

[imported_Akrabbim]

He had received a message earlier stating that a letter had arrived for him. Very strange... Akrabbim could not rememeber ever receiving a letter. He is an outcast from his homeworld... no family, few close friends. Those he calls "friend" would come to him personally, in most cases. He is more than a little intrigued.

He arrives in the main hall to retrieve the letter. Inside is the strange, scrawled, handwritten note. After reading it over a couple of times, he decides to follow the letter's instructions. He heads to the hanger to take out a small craft, and heads toward Dantooine, always concious of the fact that this may well be a trap.

[Evil Hobgoblin]

Waiting at the address of the message is a small green figure, sitting on a park bench and letting his claw-tipped feet swing just above the street.

[imported_Akrabbim]

He arrives on the planet and makes his way to the park bench in question. On the bench is an extremely unusual looking creature. Just in case, Akrabbim draws two shuriken. Covering them with a very strong invisibility illusion, he flings them to the ground on either side of the bench itself. Readying himself in case of a sudden attack, he approaches the bench.

And you are the "Hob" who sent this message, I assume?

[Evil Hobgoblin]

"Maybe I am."

The small figure on the bench vanishes, a gust of wind blowing leaves through where he had been sitting.

"Or maybe I am."

These last words are spoken from next to a nearby tree, where Hob himself is standing. "A nuisance, you are. My path you should not interfere with again."

[imported_Akrabbim]

An ilusionist, it seems, has sent him this message. Very well... two can play at that game. In a blast of light, Akrabbim vanishes. When the flash recedes, there are two different Akrabbims, each one with a katana. They advance on the diminutive Hobgoblin, speaking with a voice that seems to come from both of them at the same time.

It is you who have called me here.

His eyes suddenly blare a brighter blue.

I will not be threatened.

[Evil Hobgoblin]

The dwarf wrinkles his nose, then each half of him steps away from the other. Hob divides down the middle into two separate copies of himself.

"Yes, you will!" both copies say. "Stay out of my way, Jedi, or deal with you I shall!"

[imported_Akrabbim]

His eyes flare once more at the Dark Sider's threat. He speaks in a voice as cold as ice.

So be it.

Both images move in quickly and strike downwards. Unless Hob is attempting the same trick as Akrabbim, one of them must surely hit.

[Evil Hobgoblin]

A lightsaber springs from beneath the robes of each Hobgoblin. The dwarf brings his weaponry up to parry against his adversary's katanas, then each Hob steps away and unleashes a fireball at the other Akrabbim double.

[imported_Akrabbim]

Akrabbim grins widely beneath his illusion. The true Akrabbim is neither the right or the left... he is invisible, between them. The katanas were being controlled by the Force, but with such a complex illusion in play, neither were moved with any skill or much power. The parries by the two Hobgoblins knock the swords to the ground. As the fireballs spring forth, Akrabbim rushes in. Akrabbim drops his invisibility just as he draws a shuriken in each hand. Since he is no longer covering himself or controlling the two katanas, he is easily able to guide both shuriken with the Force. He aims for the inner right elbow of both illusions and lets the razor sharp objects fly.

[Evil Hobgoblin]

In fact, it was the dwarf on the right who was the real one. Though in the act of withdrawing his arm, the shuriken slices through Hob's voluminous robes and leaves a gash on his arm, short but deep.

But Akrabbim has left himself unguarded and visible, the exact opportunity Hob sought to create. Electricity surges in his blood, building for a few terrible seconds, then leaps forth, seeking Akrabbim's body.

[imported_Akrabbim]

As the bolt of blue electricity surges forth, Akrabbim's eyes widen. He dives to the right, but is no match for the Force Lightning's speed. The bolt catches him on the leg and starts arcing through his body, filling him with pain. He knows that he must get out of this, and quickly. Summoning all the concentration he can muster, he draws his saber toward the dwarf's head, using the Force. The weapon is aimed hilt-first, but he can't spare the concentration to re-aim it. He flings the katana as hard as he can, hoping to disrupt the diminutive Dark Sider's attention enough to break the attack.

[Evil Hobgoblin]

The katana becomes the new focus of Hob's attack, though not entirely by choice. The Force lightning curves in midair, seeking the metal of the weapon and finding its target. With a loud pop and a shock of light, the sword is blasted away from the field of battle, to land somewhere off to the side.

Hob snarls. To use another energy attack, he will have to build up a starting potential again. To fire something else forth immediately would drain and weaken him, and should Akrabbim manage any kind of escape from his powers, the consequences could be dire.

Instead, playing the safe route, Hob lifts Akrabbim up bodily using his telekinetic abilities and tosses his enemy backwards.

[imported_Akrabbim]

In the brief moments between the Force Lightning abating and the telekinetic attack, Akrabbim summons his concentration in order to unleash an illusion. He is able to hold his focus as he is flung through the air with the Force, but just barely. He lands on his back, but creates an illusion to make it appear as if he landed on his head. The illusion makes it seem that Akrabbim is passed out on the ground, while in reality he is back on his feet. He is not, however, very stable. He draws his lightsaber instead of returning to his katanas, just in case the dwarf decides to attack with lightning again. He covers the hum of the saber as well, while his illusionary self lies on the ground, near motionless. Hopefully, the Dark Sider will move in and attempt to finish the job.

[Evil Hobgoblin]

Hob spies his enemy helpless on the ground and smirks. It is exactly what he had hoped to see- and therefore, he cannot trust it until it proves itself true.

The dwarf concentrates and shoves his hand forward. A telekinetic push is directed at the ground where Hob sees Akrabbim. The push will toss the body backwards, true enough, but it also sends up a choking cloud of dust. If Akrabbim is alive and hiding, the dust might reveal the edge of his illusion- or cause Akrabbim to start coughing and give himself away, either one.

[imported_Akrabbim]

When the cloud of dust starts coming Akrabbim's way, he knows that this illusion is at an end. No matter.

As the dust rises, he holds the illusion for a bit longer. He raises his cloak to cover his face from the dust, but still some gets by. He coughs, but giving himself away is no real worry at the moment. As soon as the cough leaves his lips, he drops both illusions. He summons his concentration and unleashes a blast of Force Confusion, coupled with Force Blindness. The combo should give him the opening he needs.

He rushes in, saber at the ready. He plans to try to take out the dwarf's leg as he rushes by. With luck, the Force attack combined with the suddenness of his attack will allow this to work.