Black Sun Rising - The Sands Run Red

JABBA'S PALACE, NORTHERN DUNE SEA

:: Two Months had passed since Sorsha's seizure of her late god-father's estates. The B'omarr Monks that inhabited the palace had been mysteriously wiped out before her arrival. Regardless, she had the entire complex cleaned and redecorated to suit her personal tastes.

Sorsha grieved the loss of the old hutt deeply. She adored him, and it infuriated her that the scavengers were trying to lay claims to her rightful inheritence. Bringing in one of Jabba's top leiutenants, she declared a vicious jihad on the rest of them. With Corvus at her side, she had managed to eliminate Llleag'Mak, Revidjasa, and Lady Valarian from the chessboard. Now there was Belryn to deal with. One of the deceased Valarian's associates. The Chevin was pugnacious to a fault, refusing to fall in line and even conspiring with Xavier to undermine her control of the Mos Eisley underworld.

She sat in the throne room with her leiutenants, waiting to hear from a new contact. The man's name was Byl Laprovik. Hopefully he wouldn't turn out to be the disappointment Sanis Prent was ::

Byl arrived with little fanfare to the Tattooine monastery, hooded jacket drawn over him to protect him from the cold of the night. He'd dropped a line from Coruscant to the Rim, after netting his previous score from an Imperial arms supplier.

The guards fronted with him, and he cut to the chase, saying that he had an appointment to keep with Sorsha Kasajian. They parted, and let him in.

Byl made it his business to read the tea leaves in Black Sun. They were the most influential player in the underworld, and it always made business sense to keep connected to a network of that size.

He stopped before Sorsha and her henchmen, and pulled back his hood.

"Vigo Kasajian. Glad to finally meet you."

He didn't put on airs or ingratiate himself. He would let his practical nature speak for itself.

Miranda kept wondering when she had gone completely space happy because normally she'd never agree to this charade. She had come with Sorsha to Tatooine to watch her procure their interests, not actually dress up pretending to be one of the guards. But Sorsha insisted that Miranda be there for the meeting and after awhile, she gave up and came here to please her lover. She was standing next to the throne in black body armor, holding a force pike that she had no idea how to use. At least there was a blaster at her side incase things got messy.

This was the only viable way for Miranda to be present since the armor would hide her identity. Unfortunately, the helmet barely fit but thankfully the t-shaped visor allowed her ample space to watch the proceedings. The rest of the armor was made of a durable polymer that clamped into place over a black body suit.

She looked threatening but felt utterly ridiculous.

:: She bid him to join her at the table ::

"Please, call me Sorsha."

"Alright."

Byl nodded, moving to the table that Sorsha had directed him to.

"I've recently come into possession of some hardware I need to fence. I had some names of people who might be interested in it. I have respect for your organization, so I came to you first."

There was a half truth to it. While Black Sun was as low in Byl's eyes as any of the other criminals and rabble he dealt with, he understood the power and influence they peddled. They had a universal commodity of brand name and reach. A person who spent his time in the shadows was wise to stay on their good terms.

:: The table was set in elegant fashion, with bowls of exotic fruits and dates. A silver goblet of honey mead was set before Byl by one of Sorsha's many servants ::

"You have my attention, Mister Laprovik. Tell me more."

:: She sipped from her own goblet and leaned forward, her eyes sparkling with interest ::

"Small arms and assorted ordinance, enough for a battalion or so."

Byl nodded to the servant girl as she left.

"Used, but servicable. I've inspected the pieces myself, so rest assured they shoot straight. A cache this size would do well against the type of enemies large enough to annoy you."

He smiled through one corner of his mouth and cracked his knuckles.

"I'm asking a favor in exchange, Sorsha. I've got enough firepower. I'd like to borrow your manpower."

:: She canted her head at the request ::

"What seems to be your trouble?"

"I need a man killed."

Byl slid a holo flimsy across the table.

"Imperial, but a low level bureaucrat. Lives on Coruscant."

:: She took it from Byl and scrutinized it in silence ::

"There are also some liquid securities in this man's possession. Equity options and the sort."

Byl passed a small data disk to the Vigo.

"Here's an inventory of the man's portfolio. I ask for 40% of the take, and leave you the rest.

But don't be too focused on the theft. I'm mainly after his life."

"Where is the hardware?"

Wilan Nelsin was the name on the datapad, one in which Miranda didn't recognize. She would have to do some snooping for Sorsha later.

"I'm holding it in storage, save for samples I've brought along. I have enough with me to equip a dozen people, which should be enough for the task if you like the quality."

"What you've asked for is an assassination, and you shall have it."

:: She rose from the table ::

"I'm sending one of my own to do the work."

"Thank you Sorsha."

Byl rose as his host did.

"Would you like a demonstration of the merchandise?"

:: Her eyes lit up ::

"Please."

Byl left the audience chamber, with Sorsha and her entourage with him. They exited the temple's gates, where Byl's ship sat. He entered briefly, dragging a large crate which relied on a repulsor to be moved. Setting it in front of the Vigo and her faithful, Byl keyed the combination to open the crate. The lid slid upwards with silent hydraulics.

"Alright."

The Rebel agent cracked his knuckles, before pulling out one of the weapons.

"This is a military issue E-11C blaster carbine. Standard accessory rails, and collapsible stock. If you're familiar with the original milspec, the trigger and recoil buffer have been improved for a tighter field of fire. There's superficial wear on the finish, and..."

With a grunt, Byl pulled out one of the retaining pins on the blaster's frame, opening up the superstructure for Sorsha to look inside.

"...trace amounts of carbon in the focusing chamber, which a sonic cleaning will rectify."

He closed the weapon, and inserted a tibanna cartridge into the side, and a power cyllinder into the rear. Eyeing the horizon, he spotted a troop of Jawas tugging an eopie along a rocky ridge.

"Easy click alignment for elevation and windage. It will zero in seconds."

Shouldering the carbine, Byl squeezed off a shot, hitting the Eopie squarely between the front two shoulders, dropping the beast on it's side. He lowered the weapon, squinting in the distance.

"We'll call that 175-200 meters."

Miranda's grin was bigger then a kid in a candy store. Sorsha's contact had impressed her greatly with the weapons supplied. Laprovik's request was unfortunate however. If her researched proved fruitless, then she could easily acquiesce to his deal. The Imperial he wanted assassinated was probably nothing more then a corrupt politician, otherwise alarms would have gone off in Miranda's head.

:: Sorsha smiled widely ::

"How soon can you have the shipment for me?"

Byl ejected the gas cartridge and power cell, briefly inspecting the weapon before he collapsed it and stowed it back in the crate.

"Upon job completion, I'll give you the location and access keys to the storage area. I made it a point to keep the location discrete."

"Good. I'll contact you in 24 hours."

Byl nodded.

"Pleasure doing business with you, Sorsha. Keep me in mind for all of your future hardware needs."

With a coy wink, Byl left the company of the Vigo, and returned to his ship.

Maddox watched Byl take his leave, suitably impressed with the hardware and the whole presentation in general. Byl was a pretty cool customer.

Even more impressive to Maddox, though, was the fact that she was gonna get to go play shoot-em-up. And that right soon.

:: Sorsha walked back into the palace and handed the datafile to the armor clad guard with a wink ::

"See that this contract gets completed tonight."

She took the datapad and nodded, answering in a deeper voice thanks to the mask, "As you wish."

After her investigation was through, Sorsha would have her assassination.

Maddox hovered in silence, following the exchange. She was for the Vigo Kasijian a weapon that only needed to be drawn from its holster and put to good use.

:: Sorsha glanced at Bambi in a way that seemed to imply telepathy ::

"Time to move out. Let's do it."

:: Several Rodians mounted up on 74-Z speeder bikes as Sorsha entered one of the armored skiffs. Their destination was Mos Eisley ::

The armored figure move up behind Sorsha and respectfully bowed, the end of the force pike hitting against the sand. "The information that Laprovik provided. Shall I begin the transmissions now or come with you for the raid?"

Miranda was hoping for the later, but Sorsha had been insistent on her coming with.

The rodians reved their speeders to make a deafening din. Bambi grinned broadly at the racket. Loud and rowdy was just her style.

However, she restrained herself and kept her own speederbike idling beside the skiff. She was sure Sorsha would not appreciate her contribution to the cacophy right beside her as she spoke with the darkly amored guard.

"The contract has been made. Take care of it." she told the guard. Then she stepped on board the skiff.

She smiled underneath her helmet, elated that Sorsha hadn't forced her into going. The Rodians were hired to be the barbaric killers of Black Sun. Miranda Tarkin had talents that were put to better use elsewhere then possibly become injured, or worse, during this raid. She was no expendable.

"As you wish, Vigo Kasajian," she bowed and turned towards the compound. She was looking forward to doing her research on one Wilan Nelsin. There had to be many a delicious secret to be found.

Mos Eisley - Belryn Warehouse, Southtown


The warehouse was lit up like Christmas. Fluorescent lights flooded the huge space with unnatural light, garish, but functional.
Within was a hive of activity as the Chevin's worker scum unloaded his most recent shipment of contraband. Grans on repulsor lifts moved crates, stacking them up on rusty iron platforms, Trandoshans in their vulgar accents gave their guidance and cursed for their counterparts' awkward and unimpressive manuerings. The place was crawling with the unsavory rabble that naturally gravitate to such a life of thievery and crime.

Outside, Bambi looked to Sorsha, who nodded the go ahead.

Maddox fired off a repeater rifle shattering a line of windows along the upper level. Five rodians, armed with grenades sped along on their bikes behind the line of fire, tossing the deadly charges inside.

There was a millisecond of unnatural quiet as the inside occupants of the warehouse held their crouch for cover at the unexpected gunfire. Then a collective KA-BLAM! as the explosions ripped through the building.

Glass and debris burst from the warehouse seams, clattering onto the street, but the buidling itself remained in tact. Crashing through the warped front doors which were hanging by their hinges, Sorsha's blood hungry pack descended in a barage of screaming speederbike engines and wild gunfire. Terrorising in a frenzy of violence Belryn's lackeys, it was almost comical to see them scramble for their lives and attempt to draw weapons in some show of self defence. The few that had arms to hand were mowed down before they had a chance to aim, their targets moving with such frenetic speed that a good shot was only luck not skill anyway.

Maddox, blond hair in a stream behind her, looked a demon from hell - her one eye showing wild and scanning for her target.

But Belryn the slug was not there to be found.

:: The Rodians swept through the warehouse on their speeder bikes like a swarm of hornets, gunning down Belryn's thugs with minimal resistance. Their orders had been very specific. No Survivors ::

:: Sorsha stepped off of her personal skiff as explosions and gunfire filled up the warehouse all around her. She stood there, grinning in delight at the spectacle, and burst into laughter as Bambi blew off the top of a Gran's head just a few feet in front of her ::

"Love that!!!" :lol

:: She clapped her hands in applause ::

After making a clearing round of the place, making certain no one missed their appointment with the reaper, Bambi stood before Sorsha.

"The Chevin's not here."

:: Sorsha gazed around at the carnage ::

"I didn't think so ..."

:: Her attention shifted to an explosion in the back of the warehouse ::

Maddox jumped at the loudness of the bang, yet at the same time placed herself protectively between Sorsha and possible harm from the origin of the explosion. The act was automatic and came as a natural reaction.

"The whole place could go up. Who knows what they got lyin' around back there." Maddox seamed eager to move on.

"We got any idea where Belryn could be?"

:: Sorsha watched the fire burn with the smile of an arsonist upon her lips ::

"I imagine he must be running."

The mental image of the fat Chevin actually running brought an instant laugh.

"Well then, we got plenty of time. Hah!"

The rodians were rumaging about the place, looking for personal booty, but Maddox had no interest.

"Belryn got himself a house out this way maybe we can hit? Catch him sipping his evening port - Bring him the sad news that his warehouse burnt down?"

"It's our next stop."

:: Sorsha stepped back to her skiff and shouted out to the men as they loaded up the transport skiffs with the speed and efficiency of army ants ::

"Boska!!! Boska!!! Move It Out!!! Let's Go!!!"

They left the scene to the accompaniment of reving speeders, crackling flames and the occassional dull boom of continuing explosions.

Maddox "whooped" as she accellerated forward. Next stop, Chevin-land.

:: They arrived at Belryn's homestead within a short time, and it was already undersiege by Corvus, one of Sorsha's most favored Enforcers ::

Maddox frowned to see the assult on Belryn's place already underway. She wanted to be the one to grease the Chevin, not that big lug Corvus.

Gunfire erupted and almost knocked her from her speeder.

:: The shot came from Corvus, blowing a hole through the front door with a light repeating blaster. He roared with laughter as a follow up explosion sent three of Belryn's men skyward ::

"HOUSE CALL!!!"

:: Sorsha observed from a safe distance as the homestead was ringed by her Rodian hit squad. There was nowhere for Belryn to flee now ::

One long leg lifted up and over and Bambi slid off her speeder, swung her blaster to her front and strode in through the now-missing front door.

She followed Corvus' bulk into the fray, a predatory smile on her lips.

Ducking left into what appeared to have been a reading room or pretense to a library, Maddox caught a glimpse of a satin-edged hem disappearing behind a bookcase that, incongruously, was set against a wall.

No way...

The Chevin had a secret passage? Maddox began to chuckle as she crossed to the bookcase, but as she tugged its edge to open it, Belryn fired from the other side.

Bambi threw herself backwards, tripping over a stupid chenile covered footstool and fired back in turn. Books and pages erupted in a flurry of blaster fire, so much so, it looked like confetti at a cheap tarts wedding.

:: The immediate killzone was finally secured, and Sorsha stepped down from her Skiff with a Corellian target pistol in hand as she walked towards the homestead ::

Bambi rolled over and clambered to her feet.

Kicking the offending footstool away, she opened what remained of the bookcase to find Belryn still alive but bleeding badly.

His attempt to crawl away from her along the passageway on his belly was pitiful.

"There's no hope, Chevin. You're done."

:: A breif moment later, Sorsha had followed the trail inside to join Bambi. She giggled as she noticed the condition she found Belryn ::

"Don't finish him yet, this is a moment to be savored."

Bambi held the blaster aimed steady at Belryn as he grovelled at Sorsha's feet. She patiently waited the Vigo's pleasure.

:: Sorsha gloated down at the wounded Chevin as he struggled to right himself ::

"Tell me Belryn, is there anything your gods would'nt let you into heaven for?"

:: Belryn gibbered, then coughed up blood as he pulled himself closer to Sorsha ::

"KAVAA ... KAVAA NOBATWANGA ... PANWA MOULEE RAH BA UBA, SORSHA???"

(Can ... can no-one prosper but you, Sorsha???)

"Spare me the martyr dren. You brought this upon yourself by cutting a deal with that bastard, Gravis. But not to worry, you'll get to see him soon, along with your family."

:: Belryn shook, bellowing in rage and anguish at Sorsha's words ::

"CHUBA SLIMO TRALKA!!! IX KILLEE UBA!!!
(You slimy tralk!!! I'll kill you!!!)

:: The Chevin reached out with a massive hand to grab Sorsha, but faltered as he coughed up another gout of blood. Catching the front of Sorsha's dress, he tore it from her body as she evaded his grasp ::

:: Sorsha was more amused than startled by Belryn's attempt to catch her. She stood naked before him, laughing gleefully as he choked to death on his own blood ::

Bambi had stretched out a booted foot and pressed Belryn back hard against the floor as his last garbled breaths were expelled.

She didn't take her eyes off the Chevin, but was well aware Sorsha had not a stitch of clothing on.

"You want me to find you somethin' to put on?"

:: Sorsha pulled her hair free of the bun it was in, shaking it loosely about her shoulders as she basked in the afterglow of Belryn's demise Then she looked at Bambi and nodded ::

"If you please. I do have a professional image to maintain."

:: She chuckled and watched the Chevin's blood pool around her boots ::

Maddox made her way through the mayhem of the main residence.

Rodians were ransacking every room and Bambi grabbed up the first item she thought would do the job to clothe Sorsha. It was a beautiful silk robe with an embroidered tiger stretching its length, which tied with a black silk cord.

Coming up behind Corvus, who had joined Sorsha in the tunnel, Bambi squeezed by his burly frame and handed the Vigo the robe.

As Sorsha took it, Bambi looked back into the shambles that was once Belryn's small library.

"Is there anything we need to grab from here, Vigo? Does Belryn have a safe you know of?"

:: Sorsha slipped into the robe and stepped back into the main room ::

"I imagine he has a number of treasures hidden here."

So nothing in particular was needed from here. That made it simple. It appeared Sorsha needed nothing from the Chevin but his lifes blood. And that she had already taken.

Maddox had no personal interest in looting the place, and left it to the Rodian Enforcers, preferring to keep in close step with her boss.

:: Sorsha turned to Corvus ::

"I'm going back to the townhouse now. I'll meet with you tomorrow morning to discuss payment."

:: The big man nodded, and Sorsha waved for Bambi to follow as she made her way out of ravaged homestead ::