Provocatrice

[Lady Frygt]

"What is that creature?" Ezra asked.

Really? Rikke thought to herself. Just how have you never seen a SSi-Ruuk before now? And even if you have, why are you blatantly exposing your ignorance to someone we know almost nothing about?

Behind her, she heard Alazne Gni breathe a suppressed laugh.

She wanted to scold the young Acolyte for evesdropping on her private thoughts and feelings. But now was not the time. It was essential that she appear in control. Something Ezra apparently couldn't comprehend, but least of all did she need Alazne Gni acting like a giggling school-girl. She breathed deeply to try to retain control over herself. The conversation with this Vel Aath woman was over, Rikke had the information she needed.

"Mistress Vel Aath, I'll see to it personally that this information reaches it's intended recipients. Unless this.... Hara Kiri person wishes to enroll in our school, I do not see how we might be able to assist her. Thank you for your time."

And the holo faded until it snapped off.

She glanced around to confirm Vel Aath's droids were gone. "Ezra..."

"What the hell was that? Are you actively trying to appear a complete fool? Do you aspire to be an idiot?"

"And you!" She turned to Alazne Gni, her pointed teeth clenched, lips curled back in rage. In seconds she was charging at the 20 year old Acolyte and had her hands wrapped around her throat, back against the wall.

"Do you even have a brain in your head? I explicitly told you NEVER to pry into my thoughts."

"Mistress-" Alazne Gni tried to say.

Rikke loosened her grip a little as she wanted to see the young Acolyte squirm. "You have one chance to fix this, I think. Otherwise I'm going to electrocute you and donate the body to Ezra's lab."

"I honestly can't help overhear you when you're angry. You're so loud. I wasn't even snooping in your mind, I was in his."

"Not better." She replied and felt source of rage and object rise between her and Alazne Gni. The girl would feel the Dark Electricity now as the anger in Frygt was seeking out it's polar opposite to jump like physical electricity jumped from positive and negative.

"I think I have a plan to rescue the woman." Alazne said, undoubtedly feeling her Mistress's patience growing thin. "Without the Empire noticing she's gone until it's far too late."

"We're not rescuing this Kiri person." Frygt said and released the Acolyte.

[Alazne Gni Los]

"Shouldn't we?" Alazne Gni asked honestly. "It seems like it would be in the interests of the school, the Planet and both you and Master Na'chtion."

"Acolyte, Explain yourself." Lady Frygt said and motioned to her and Ezra to follow her.

They decended a spiral staircase into a Narrow corridor, also of stone blocks. They turned corner after corner until finally arriving at a large long rectangular room. Alazne Gni expected to see fire sconces on the walls but instead found the standard sconce lights found all over the school and planet. "Are we under the school?" She asked, looking first at Ezra and then to her Mistress.

"Yes," Lady Frygt replied. "I had the underground complex built in case... something happened to us at the school. Here we'll have somewhere to hide... And can talk without risk of someone listening in, especially that Verkasa woman. Now, about this Hara Kiri..."

"We.." Alazne Gni started, "You... absolutely have to rescue Hara Kiri. The Sith Order would never leave one of their own behind. At least not anyone still useful and alive."

Lady Frygt smiled slightly, "Finally put it together, I see."

Well I knew there was something more going on her e than the Academy, I didn't think it was the Sith Order. But eventually, when all the pieces seemed to fit together and I couldn't explain everything any other way. I had to admit what this really is. I've been taught my whole life to hate the Sith, so it's been a big mental hurdle to understand what's really going on here. Ultimately I'm confident that you're amassing power for a change that is positive for most people. A year ago, children on Taanab worked in the fields or ranches for 12 hours, average, Now, we manufacture our own droids in the cities and kids go to school instead of doing manual labor. As I understand it, the Sith way is to have power and use it to force the common good. I believe this path is the best. I hope only that you will use my talents for your own ends."

Interesting, we'll see what happens." Lady Frygt said, "So what's your plan to rescue this Hara Kiri?"

"So, Valc VII is essentially a prison planet, we don't have to worry about collateral damage. Everyone there is guilty of oppression by at least association. By not having to worry about civilians, even Imperial ones, we are free to create a diversion. A large one, maybe a meteor or crashed ship, while we go for the Prize.

Lady Frygt wasn't even looking at her anymore, she was staring at the opposite wall where a wide sword was mounted. Despite her prior experience, she entered the mind of her master who was too deep in thought to notice and she listened to Rikke Frygt think to herself, Father... What should I do? What wouldyou do?

Finally, Lady Frygt glared at Alazne Gni and she couldn't tell if she was on to her. Lady Frygt had a temper when it came to Alazne Gni using the Force to intrude on her private feelings, but aside from her one slip up in the Academy Offices above ground, Alazne Gni had been intruding regularly without notice.

"It's not a terrible plan, Acolyte, but I have a better one."

[Lady Frygt]

Rikke took a breath and glanced at the Sith Sword on the wall. Father... Help me. She thought in a vain attempt that somehow her dead Father, former Lord of all the Sith could help her from beyond the grave.

As much as it bothered her that Alazne Gni was correct that the Sith Order was obligated to rescue Hara Kiri, she knew that as the leader of her attempted resurrection of the Sith Order, now, more than any other time, she was expected to lead.

She took another sharp breath, then spoke, "We don't only need to rescue Hara Kiri, we need to make a statement to the Empire, specifically, the Imperial Knights. The Sith Order will not tolerate our people being held prisoner against their will. When the Inquisition first appeared, the Sith Order did nothing. Force Adepts were being taken from their homes and families on a mere suspicion. While the inquisition was supressing Force-sensitives, a woman gained enough power and support to build an army, which was then used to attack The Sith Order. I can't prove the Inquisition was involved in Sturkov's plans, but I strongly suspect it. As long as the Empire is continuing to imprison Force sensitives, we are not going to stand idle. At the Academy, I teach that power and will are everything and since the Darkside chose me for it's purposes, I have lived my life according to those principles. Ultimately, those with power are required to act, for good or for bad, inaction is death."

Simple put," She looked at them individually as she said their names, "Ezra, Alazne Gni, we absolutely must act in this situation."

Lady Frygt activated the holo. It's glow bathed the dim room in blue light. Before them was a general map of Valc VII, large upside-down cones pointed out major targets. She said, "Hara Kiri is here." She pointed to a short building with thick buttressed walls and then to a squared building with 5 spires. "The Citidel is here. There is approximately 8 kilometers between the two. For one to travel between the two, using the planet's transport network, Imperial Knights, assuming they're on planet would be on top of us in minutes if we went direct for Hara Kiri."

"As Alazne Gni pointed out, surprise is our advantage. We will operate in two groups, The first will remove Hara Kiri from the prison and return to Taanab by way of Yavin and the Perlemian Trade Route. The second will confront the Imperial Knights and let them know who beat them. The Knights will be distracted by the battle and the first group should have little to deal with beyond Stormtroopers."

"Mistress," Alazne Gni said, "I would like to volunteer for the second group."

"Very ambitious, Acolyte. But no." She glanced at Ezra briefly. He was not doubt apprehensive about this. She could feel the fear seeping from his neurons. He was an adequate fighter at best, but against a Knight he was likely outclassed. She considered, for a moment to place him on the likely less violent rescue team, but quickly decided not to. When they had first met, Rikke offered endless funding and space for his monsterous experiments in exchange for his help in the leadership of The Sith Order. Together they were The Sith Order. Sorry Ezra, it's time to pay your dues "The distraction team will be Ezra and myself, you, Alazne Gni, will be on the extraction team with an outside agent that I've had in my employ for some time now."

"Obviously, we don't know how many Knights will be on Valc VII, intelligence suggests that it will be lightly staffed, if at all, but that could easily change. Ezra and I are the most qualified to handle Imperial Knights, additionally, I feel our statement might be lost if one of the distraction team members is hacked to bits by a Force Raged Imperial Knight."

"You know I'm better than that." Alazne Gni countered.

"And that may be true, you are talented, Alazne Gni, but I believe Ezra also might wish to see how his creations hold up in a field test. Which is why he's going to accelerate as many of those things as possible and have them ready for battle within a week."

Silently, Rikke wondered how fit for a battle she herself really was. In the past she had relied on Dark Rage to get out of physical confrontations. She was well versed in the Dark Rage skill, having used it repeatedly, but without it she was dangerously vulnerable. And the exhaustion after the rage had passed was debilitating. She fingered the hilt of her lightsaber at her side and decided that even as fast as she could be with the light rapier style weapon, she'd surely lose if on her own. But with Ezra and his monsters... she could maybe secure a victory.

"It's certainly not definite." A dark voice said in her head. From time to time when she was considering Sith Order matters, she heard voices that often criticized and judged her. Only rarely were they constructive, most of the time they seemed to only want to cause her to question herself. This was why Rikke Frygt assumed the voices were manifestations of what inner doubt she hadn't yet quenched. Despite the curiosity of the voices, they could be safely ignored.

"However , given you're enthusiasm..." She said to Alazne Gni, "you will be placed in charge of solvcing the unique problems of letting the Imperial Knights know who we are without exposing ourselves."

"Easy." Alazne Gni replied, "We're retrieving a Sith, it's obvious who we are or represent. If we don't acknowledge our affiliation, then it's not official. Though there are likely security holos, if the Empire has holo of you violently confronting them, they'll use it to destroy this school. Unless..." Alazne Gni reflected for a moment "Master Ezra, would it be possible to create a micro organism that consumes holo memory?"

[Ezra Na'chtion]

Ezra was quite and contemplative for the exchange between Frygt and her enthusiastic apprentice. His mind, like the wheels and cogs of a mighty clock, was spinning; churning; whirling. Every angle, every possibility, ever application of force they could apply, was weaving a strategic tapestry through his head, but every possibility was fraught shortcomings and uncertain variables. He was no strategist. He never had to be. Before Frygt he built complex plans of sabotage and back stabbing that resulted in the considerable progress of his own agendas long before the New Sith Order came calling for him, offering him space and funding. It was almost too easy now. This prison break debacle may yet offer him the challenge to boost his creativity to a new level.

"No doubt I could, and yet a chemical alternate likely already exists, the issue would be applying it to the memory banks. No. We have neither the firepower or expendable forces to launch a third team to conquer whatever security station the Valc facility boasts. There may even be several. An assault on the security station of a prison facility would be foolish. It will be their most fortified position. A different angle may be required. I have been working on a new organism for a similar purpose; to mask one's face and presence in the force. A side project that has consumed my time when I'm not developing my children, or teaching."

A hairless chin was stroked with a thumb and forefinger, still leaning on his staff he observed the holo before them, but his eyes were not focused. Instead of looking at it he looked through it, his mind clearly elsewhere. "I have a functioning prototype. It is not nearly as effective as I would like, but with shifted priorities I can get a few more developed and perhaps work out some of the shortcomings. As for my beasts, they are ready and waiting for a field test. Not perfect. They will never be perfect. Always something that can be improved or interchanged. For now they are effective hunters, pack driven. I have a developed a single breeding female and have been producing litters at an accelerated rate. They mature in a matter of days. We need only the means of delivering them planetside."