A Current Event [Sith Dominion of Sneeve]

[Caulder Dune]

((Dinnae post in here iffin' ye haven't been talked to on Skype. Much appreciated.))​

SNEEVE SYSTEM, THE CYNOSURE
IN ORBIT OF SNEEVE
20:00

Sneevals were disgusting, smelly, unsightly creatures that Tyrin normally wanted absolutely nothing to do with. The very mention of their name made him want to projectile vomit into the nearest waste receptacle. However, he was an Emperor now, and while he did not like the native population of the planet, he liked the planet itself. Well, perhaps not even the planet itself. He just wanted a planet to add to his continuously expanding territories. This was one of those dominions that required a more tactile approach. Sneeve was having problems as of late. Assassinations of politicians and terrorist attacks were being carried out by some bizarre, shadowy entity. For one reason or another, the Prime Minister of Sneeval had decided to appeal to the Sith for aid rather than the Republic. From events like the slave insurrection at Metalorn and, more recently, the aid mission to Togoria, it should have been common knowledge to the Prime Minister what the price of Sith assistance was.

Which made it increasingly evident just how desperate this sniveling creature was.

As it happened, Tyrin was in need of a good outing, so he elected to oversee the impending annexation of Sneeve himself. He'd discuss it with Sneeve's Prime Minister. Although the hour was getting late in the particular Sneevian time zone the Prime Minister was waiting, he insisted Tyrin meet him immediately. Another testament to the desperation of the Minister. Apparently it would be at some place other than their capital building. After the assassination of one of the cabinet members in his office there, it was deemed "insecure." Whatever. The whole damn planet would be secure once Tyrin was through with it. But while he intended to annex Sneeve, he had to make due on his promise to the Prime Minister to get to the bottom of what was happening on the planet. Not because he was particularly honorable when it came to these things, but because it wouldn't do very well to have a startlingly efficient terrorist group running amok on a newly conquered world. Besides, this would be great for PR.

So he picked out a couple teams of Sith Knights and Apprentices to get this done. Strong ones, but not strong enough that they would go berserk and kill everything. No, he didn't want anyone so powerful they had their own little God-complexes going on. It simply wouldn't do for this mission. They were going to be investigating these occurrences. Team one, lead by a certain Umbaran he knew, would investigate the cabinet member's assassination. Team two, led by some upstart he didn't know much of, would investigate a bombing that had taken place. Hopefully they were an intelligent enough lot to actually find something.

Tyrin brushed off his robes as he strode up the loading ramp into the waiting shuttle. Already inside where ten or so of his Ethereal Slaves. He hardly went anywhere without them at this point. They looked pretty intimidating, so they would probably offer an extra diplomatic edge. Tyrin entered the shuttle and made himself comfortable. Before long, he was cruising at a moderate pace for the surface.

 

[Darth Osano]

SNEEVE SYSTEM, THE CYNOSURE
IN ORBIT OF SNEEVE
20:02

TB-18 observed through the bridge viewport as the Emperor’s ship exited the Cynosure and made a course for the planet’s surface. That was his signal to begin the briefing for the two Sith teams. One which was to be led by the Umbaran Sith Knight he could only recall as Kara, and the other some little-known Sith Zabrak who had been self-absorbed enough to take their Knight name already: Darth Koje. With a flip of a switch, the holo-conference began. Although only the team leaders and TB-18 would be projected between the three, those observing could bear witness easily enough.

Both teams were housed in separate meeting rooms, spaced in such a way that team one would arrive in the hangar only by the time team two was gone. TB-18 knew how these Sith worked. They would no doubt see this as a competition despite everything and also probably try to kill each other to have more glory funneled their way. They would be kept apart well enough on the planet- a whole city in between them -but TB-18 had to take special care to ensure they all made it off the Cynosure without attempting to murder each other on the way. Darth Koje was… Well, insufferable was a nicer way of putting it.

The holograms sprung to life before TB-18, one of Kara and the other of Darth Koje. In the typical Kojean fashion, the “Darth” was seated-reverse style in a chair, his arms resting on the head of the thing.

“Sup, robot?”

TB-18 clamped down on his vocabulator and began the briefing. Now was not the time to belittle Koje. The sooner he finished telling the team leaders what to do, the sooner he could return to his favorite hobby: standing quietly on the bridge waiting for an enemy to present itself.

“Knight Kara, Darth Koje.” TB-18 greeted. “Your objectives are similar, but will cover different-”

“What do I get when my team wins?” Darth Koje interjected.

“This is not a competition.”

“No, I mean, like, when we finish first. There’s a reward for that, right?”

TB-18 ignored the Darth and continued. A statement like that would have usually meant death if it had been applied to most other holders of the Darth title.

“Team One will investigate the assassination of Minister Gulin Resbin at the Capitol Palace in Sneeve’s capital of Bitrith. The crime scene has been cordoned off and remains so. You will be able to investigate it at your leisure. You have the full consent of Sneevian law to follow up on any leads you encounter and use whatever force is necessary to bring these attacks to a halt.”

“What do I get to-”

“Team Two will investigate the Gar-shul Podracing Arena bombing. As before, the crime scene has been cordoned off and remains so, and you have full exemption from typical Sneevian law. Do whatever is necessary to uncover the source of these attacks and bring them to a halt.”

TB-18 looked between the Umbaran and the sitting Zabrak. “Any questions?”

 

[Olom Grihk]

Olom considers the Sneevians a fascinating species. Adrenaline addicted, fate-tempting. Despite not having evolved to be particularly powerful or agile, they constantly enjoyed work that could almost kill them. They loved danger. He wondered, why a race full of people addicted to fear. Still, he would enjoy the fascinating peculiarities of this. Maybe he'd actually get a chance to put his brains to use, on the team led by Kara. An Umbaran, like the emperor supposedly was--he'd never seen the man without a mask on, and to be frank, it seemed like lying was his default state of being.

Still he nodded at the holo-receptors. "So, do we have any leads? Aside from his being dead, I mean."

 

[Lief]

SNEEVE SYSTEM, THE CYNOSURE
IN ORBIT OF SNEEVE
20:05

Stood half within and half without the shadows the Umbaran flickered in and out of the view of those in the room, yet on the holo-call she could be seen well enough. For the most part the young woman was silent, behind her stood her team including her Apprentice, as well as her own personal droid... Who stood over 2 metres tall, an imposing figure when put beside such a small female. His name was Skydd and he was almost as effective as the behemoth stood beside him, @[member='Thyrian Ashborn'], her prized possession so to speak. The pair had been together for ten years now, she his superior, his Master, even before she had obtained the rank of Knight. Oddly enough it was not held against her by him, part of her thought he enjoyed being a part of all her plans, taking down those who stood in her way. But for a man-on-fire she supposed the rage which came alongside it, the gratifying feeling of being allowed to set someone alight, would be the prompting cause of such persistent loyalty.

Throughout the exchange held between the droid and the Darth she was silent; it was her way to be so, to listen and take in every snippet of information before passing judgement or comment. And then of course there was the input of her team who stood around her in the room, some more distant than her two shadowy body guards who flanked her. Their task seemed... Do-able. Investigate into an assassination. For a character who spent their lives in the shadows, plotting and scheming, it would not be too difficult to get into the mind of the assassin, something which like as not would assist them on their merry little way. Yet truth be told the information wasn't much to go by; Assassinations happened all the time, it was finding out what was different between them, what made this one so high-profile, so diabolical that the Sith had to be brought into it. It was the differences which would pinpoint the culprit. Raising a hand to thumb her chin in thought the young woman finally stepped forth from the shadows, immediately behind her came her two shadows, following her precise movements.

Only the Apprentice had anything to ask at this point, but he was not close enough to be included in the conversation itself. As such it was required that Kara herself carry on his message, and she had to admit it was a question she herself would have asked had he not jumped the gun and beat her to it. "Several" she began, knowing full well that there was more to this than the assassination and possible leads. "For one, as rightfully stated behind me, do we have any leads? But before you answer that - I'd like details... What do you know of this already? How were they found, for no doubt the bodies have already been moved, what kind of damage was sustained in order to kill them? Blunt trauma, surgical precision..." She let it trail off, after all there were innumerable possibilities. "And do we have the service of these... Creatures at our disposal?" She practically spat the word creatures, her abhorrence apparent, "And free run of the city itself?" It was always useful to know one's limits, if such existed.

@[member='Olom Grihk'] @[member='Tyrin Ardik'] @[member='TB-18']

 

[Thyrian Hearthfire]

Standing beside Skydd, the loyal protector of his master, the Ashborn and the droid looked at eachother. Neither of them had little input at the moment, nor would they interrupt their master. But they both thought the same thing, Thyrian felt. Investigating an assassination, to discern what had transpired during the murder? This was not the forte of either of them, nor was it the typical assignment they would be sent on. Thankfully, though, Thyrian had been given some insight into the "art of the kill", as his tutor Lord Faust would call it. Faust had taught the Ashborn of assassination techniques, as well as the art of utilising stealth. For one so large, this had proven a valuable lesson, indeed. Perhaps his newfound skills would prove useful in this case. Despite all his introspection, however, he and the droid merely shrugged at eachother, before resuming their listening of the meeting, and the words of their master.

@[member="Kära Vi'dreya"] @[member="Tyrin Ardik"] @[member="TB-18"] @[member="Olom Grihk"]

 

[Darth Osano]

@[member="Olom Grihk"] | @[member="Kära Vi'dreya"] | @[member="Thyrian Ashborn"]

TB-18 nodded. Perhaps he had left out some details to expedite these people's exodus from his ship. Darth Koje evidently did not have any questions aside from those he rudely interjected into the conversation. He instead bided his time making kissy faces towards the Umbaran woman and waggling his eyebrows in an attempt to get her attention. A Sith with the heart and mind of a child, truly. TB-18 ignored the Zabrak as best he could, endeavoring to answer the questions posed by Kara.

"There are no concrete leads, at least none of which the Sneevels are particularly forthcoming with. In theory, it is suspected to be an inside job. The Minister was found in his office, seated at his desk. Head and both hands severed, multiple stab wounds to the torso. Right hand was missing, left hand was placed on top of the severed head, which rested on his desk." TB-18 recounted the gruesome details without any sign of particular care. "The suspected murder weapon, from what the authorities gleamed from their investigation, is a vibrodagger of some sort. He likely bled to death from the wounds to the torso before being mutilated. This was all the information provided to me. I am sure the Sneevals will have more waiting for you upon your arrival. As for the podracing incident-"

TB-18 looked at Koje to see if he was listening. He was not.

"Darth Koje is more than capable of making the necessary inquiries with the proper authorities if he deigns it necessary. I shan't bore him with the details."

"Inquiries? It so happens I got my inquiry-making device right here..." Koje patted his custom lightsaber. An intricate looking thing, decorated with a number of designs and. Likely very expensive to make and maintain. "Custom made."

"Right." TB-18 said, shaking his head. "Both teams are granted the services of the Sneevalian law enforcement, for what they're worth, and free run of the city."

 

[Olom Grihk]

Olom simply nodded. "Right. I guess we're going to a dead man's office," he said calmly as he walked forward, looking at Kara and Thyrion. "Who's driving?" He muttered as he gaze at the two of them. After all, an assassination plot wasn't the worst game in the world. They'd simply need to find motive. Unfortunately, a Senator coudl have a lot of things. He held up a datapad and tapped in a few numbers.

"Kara, could you tell TB to give me whatever intelligence we have on the elections for this Senator? It'll help, I think..." He mused dryly. After all, this was the simplest guess, and one that had to be checked out. Who was in charge now that the man was dead? Who was his competition? They'd have plenty to gain from all of this, after all.

 

[Lief]

With one single tiny nod of her head, yet one which asserted herself as widely as any other, she stepped back and allowed her two followers to keep close. She halted, however, upon the Apprentice's request. "The channel is still open" she said, gesturing him forth; she was not a mindless puppet whose strings would be pulled, if he wanted something he would have to work for it himself. As for the question of driving, well it seemed highly unnecessary. Unless he had any desire to drive then the only individual left was Kara herself. Wandering off towards one of the hangars without really waiting on the others the young Sith pondered over everything she had been told. More often than not walking would assist her in her thoughts. At the main blast door she finally halted and began to wait, crossing her arms with a very slight frown. There was a lot of work to be done here, yet she couldn't quite decide how best to use her Apprentice. Maybe that would reveal itself as the investigation progressed. One thing was for sure, Olom would be useful if he kept up such his quick and smart notions. Of course she would not tell him as much lest he begin to slack, comfortable in his abilities. No, she had to work them, find flaws in what they did, so that they would not rise up and strike down those that trained them... One should never give all their information away to their Apprentices; she wondered if this Apprentice's Master upheld the same belief.

@[member="Olom Grihk"] @[member='TB-18'] @[member='Thyrian Ashborn']

 

[Darth Osano]

@[member="Olom Grihk"]

"The victim was a member of the Prime Minister's cabinet- an appointed official." TB-18 corrected. Although he could not see Olom, he was heard audible. "I will transfer his political record now, though I am doubtful it will be of any use. From my understanding, he was rather innocuous in terms of position. He was the Minister of Waste Disposal. Ran a waste management corporation out of the capital for seventeen years before going into politics."

Gulin Resbin was not a highly publicized Sneeval. What following he did had garnered him positive praise from the environmentalist political factions on Sneeve. This could indicate he had been targeted by an industrialist corporation or something of that ilk, seeing as he seemed to be doing what they considered a good job. From the record, it seemed that a "good job" was paying the nearby Chalactans to allow the Sneeval to dump their garbage on their world.

"I suppose that covers it, then. Team two has already departed for the hangar, as indicated by the empty chair. In your shuttle you will find enough commlinks for all of you. I will be in touch as necessary. Good luck."

 

[Olom Grihk]

Olom nodded calmly and bowed before the emitter. "Thank you, TB-18. It's been a pleasure." He walked toward the shuttle, nodding slightly. "So, then. Minister of Waste disposal. Garbage managing bureaucrat. Well, could be smuggling things. After all, nobody looks at garbage trawlers," he mused taking his seat on the shuttle. "What do you think, Lady Kara, Apprentice Thyrian?" He asked calmly, eager to hear their thoughts. After all, this was a matter of discourse and intellect. He'd love to see what his fellow Sith were actually like in a contest of wits, rather than simple brute force.

 

[Thyrian Hearthfire]

The Ashborn followed his master like a very obvious shadow, along with Skydd at his side, keeping a close eye on his master. Some could think he was being too watchful, like a pious father to his teenage daughter. But the fact of matter was that Ashborn felt it was his unflinching duty to remain on guard for anything, at any time, that could pose a threat to his master; not because he doubted her ability to look after herself, or defend herself, but should he lose her, his purpose to exist would be undone, and he would be nothing more than a pile of ashes on the floor. Remaining not too far away from @[member="Kära Vi'dreya"], Thyrian shifted his focus to the little grey creature beside him. A being of far greater intellect than himself, it seemed, his quick banter seemingly to himself struck the Ashborn as quaint and flat-out weird. Hesitating to speak, as he feared it would break the grey being's concentration, he eventually did so anyway. "YOU ARE QUITE THE BUSY ONE, ARE YOU NOT, LITTLE ONE? ONE SHUDDERS TO IMAGINE WHAT GOES ON IN THAT MIND OF YOURS." Feeling a bit amused at the ramblings of @[member="Olom Grihk"], his voice remained the same despite the fact. It was hard for the Ashborn to convey any sort of emotion, through voice or facial expression, and the headpiece of his suit did not make matters simpler. Truthfully, he did not mind the creature, nor did he wish any harm be done upon him, by himself or anyone else. He would see to that personally.

 

[Other Space Kaiden]

SNEEVE SYSTEM, THE CYNOSURE
IN ORBIT OF SNEEVE
20:28



Krag sat, his massive form casting a long shadow across the hull of the ship. The Graug's hate, despair and utter self-loathing tore a very distinctive dark hole in the black veil of force energy that loomed constantly over the ship. Unlike most feelings of raw emotion that ran from the skin of a Sith, what Krag was exerting seemed to have density and texture. So strong was his loathing for what he had become, that it crawled forth upon the durasteel like a phantom crawling its way out from the depths of hell. There were many forms of hate and it was safe to say that, ever since his morph, Krag had been feeling them all simultaneously and yet not at all. His loathing was so horrific and concentrated that it was almost like not being angry at all. Anger that was so strong and hate so concentrated that it brought only a constant sense of murderous calm upon the creature. It wasn't like the blind, primal rage he held just because it was how he was made to...no this was very real hate and it made him powerful.



But therein lies the true punishment of Krag's curse, his hate for what he had become made him stronger and that strength weakened the bond that held him together. So as he hated more, he fell apart more and as he fell apart he hated more. It was a viscous cycle, well thought out by the vile phantom who had put the curse upon Krag with whatever dark Sith magic he had used. Krag would be forever stuck in a cycle that doomed him to end his own life, the hate and anger he felt would make him stronger, that strength would make him crave for more power and that power would kill him eventually. The beast of ash and cinder sighed, ducking his head and growling at the floor. How could he have let it all come to this? Grinding his teeth, Krag began to wrap the searing ash around a nearby cargo cylinder. The ash and embers slowly wrapped around the durasteel, melting away the tough metal slowly as the volcanic embers and scorching ash consumed the cylinder in a dark blanket.



With a bursting cry of anger, Krag closed his hand in a tight grip and the embers and ash crushed in on the cylinder. The burning substances instantly melted the cylinder down in but a metallic stump that was infused to the ground. The contents inside were no doubt boil into near nothing and it would take a engineer with a plasma torch to remove the cylinder from the floor. Krag grinned, his hate slowly consuming his mind.

 

[Lief]

Without so much as a word the young woman remained stood infront of the blast door, watching and somewhat wishing to encourage, the two Apprentice's little discussion. As such she did not rush them, and the look she gave Ashborn permitted him to take his time. Instead she took in the room itself - all so sterile as per usual, and thought to the investigation at hand. It had been quiet a while since she was able to work on something so delicate and precise, and the thought of it made the young woman smile - if only fleeting, and only for a moment. She liked to divulge herself on the minute intricacies, more often than not she would assess every inch and aspect of her surroundings; be it a building, a ship, a planet, etc.

But there was a question posed to her, one she suspected she needed to respond to. As ever she did not want to completely gratify the student, else risk his pre-mature disinterest in the case. Yet she couldn't completely disregard what was said, either. "There is that, I suppose; but of course you cannot rule out the opposition - those who would have an industrial, cosmopolitan city which was not burdened by a democratic, senatorial belief in a better environment." Shrugging her shoulders, she decided that it was best not to jump to any conclusions before they reached the scene of the 'crime', so to speak, and had some solid evidence in their hands.

@[member='Krag'] @[member='Thyrian Ashborn'] @[member="Olom Grihk"] @[member="TB-18"]

 

[Olom Grihk]

Olom couldn't help suppressing a laugh as he heard the musings of his colleague. "Busy is my state of being, Thyrian. I work to change worlds and eventually the galaxy, sometimes in small ways, other times in dramatics displays. The number of things that through a Columi's mind are incessant, really. As I'm talking to you, I'm also contemplating the murder of our assailant, and good dozen other things," he said with a surprisingly relaxed flick of his wrist--an efforted gesture from a creature with nearly vestigial limbs. "My body isn't powerful, so I take efforts to make my mind that much sharper," he said calmly.

He considered Kara's words s they came out. "Admittedly, there are many variables to consider. Getting a closer look at the body as well as the scene is definitely important," he mused calmly. "Even with a known method of execution, there could be other details." After all, he saw in six more spectra than many other species. A pair of fresh eyes might help. "Still, I like to keep my mind busy. No sense not putting the steel against itself, after all," He said with a nod. There was a lot going on, but he figured out right off the bat who was a good bouncing board for ideas. Kara was independent, but dispassionate, whereas Thyrian didn't jump unless ordered to. He still smiled warmly, even eschewing the awkwardness of being called "little one." He'd been called much worse. He didn't mind being the novel alien in the group--feth, he was a novel alien to his own people. His teeth glowed. "Hmm. I sense a rough one..." he mused out loud, feeling Krag's energy. It was potent and malevolent--rather like smoldered coal. He looked over calmly in Krag's direction and gave a wave.

Due to Olums' ability to see in the Infrared spectrums, Krag's figure was less shadowy than the others in the room. Whereas Thyrian's energies we're confined to his armor, Krag was smoldering right in front of them, teeth sharp as his own. To say the large Graug cut an intense figure was an understatement. He nodded. "Hello, Knight Krag. Are you joining us for this excursion?"

@[member="Kära Vi'dreya"] @[member="Krag"] @[member="Thyrian Ashborn"]

 

[Thyrian Hearthfire]

Without offering a response through words to the little creature, the Ashborn nodded quietly to show his understanding. A being bent on gathering intelligence, as well as the use of it. Curious. He gathered they would need his sharp mind in determining the nature of this assassination, and as such was worthy of respect. He would prove a most valuable member of the team, no doubt. With a hasty look over at his master to ensure her safety, the Ashborn then set his eyes upon the most awesome sight he had ever witnessed. Krag. A huge monstrosity of the likes he himself could never imagine, along with the familiar scent of ashes and brimstone, much like his own. At this one moment of his existence, he had found a being looking more miserable than himself, with a similar affliction as well. How such a being could ever be sentient was beyond the Ashborn, but what he saw of the hulking creature left him with a great sense of awe. Almost in the motion of kneeling before the abominable beast, just to show his respect for it, he managed to compose himself just in time. Another lost soul with the terrible affliction he was more than accustomed to - it almost seemed unreal for such a pair to be found in the same galaxy, let alone the same shuttle. "MY LORD, KRAG..." he said, more to himself than anyone else. "I..." He could not find the words to express his awe and respect for @[member="Krag"], instead only able to gaze up at the creature.

 

[Other Space Kaiden]

@[member="Thyrian Ashborn"] @[member="Olom Grihk"]

Krag looked up from the floor as the small blue creature, Olom, spoke to him. The Sith Apprentice looked frail and easily broken, but he did remember him from a previous mission with Gregor Gideon. With a snort Krag answered, "Yes, I will be joining you." The Graug then stood to his feet and studied those in the hanger, his good eye catching the armored figure of Thyrian. The apprentice was looking at him in awe as he walked over and knelt down before him, his voice was shaky as he spoke to Krag with admiration in his voice.


"MY LORD, KRAG..." he said, "I..."


"You what? Do you find my form unpleasant, do you dare mock me?" Krag snorted, using the force to create strands of force fire that slithered over the apprentice's body.

 

[Thyrian Hearthfire]

The sorcerous flames that @[member="Krag"] created from thin air licked the armoured suit of the Ashborn, with no effect whatsoever. For one, his suit was made with the sole purpose to withstand any kind of heat, from the outside as well as from within. He took it that his words had offended the creature, and so he thought to remedy the situation. As the flames summoned by Lord Krag died out, Thyrian stepped forth unscathed, almost assuming a defying stance, though it was not his intention to seem defiant or aggressive. Still towering above the Ashborn, the smoldering behemoth witnessed his actions with a stern gaze. Thyrian decided he needed to show Krag what he was, as so he ripped the headpiece from his face, exposing the charred flesh and fiery veins of his, along with the bright, infernal eyes looking up at the Graug. To emphasise the meaning behind doing so, he also removed one of his gauntlets to show his equally burnt hand and forearm, also with clearly visible veins of fiery red. Holding his naked hand up for the creature to see, he spoke to him. "MY LORD, KRAG... DON'T YOU SEE? WE... WE ARE THE SAME... BROTHER." Taking a few steps further towards the Sith Lord, with great care and with the utmost respect, he softly let his charred, ashen hand hover infront of the equally smoldering skin of Krag, and should the Graug wish it, he could let the two meet by simply leaning into it.

 

[Other Space Kaiden]

Krag sniffed the air, taking in the charred scent of the apprentice in front of him. To say that he was shocked would be a colossal understatement, he would have never expected to find another that had his same condition. The Graug studied the hand as the apprentice took a step forward and showed his hand to the beast, it was horribly burnt and deformed much like Krag's skin but yet so different. Krag was too shocked by the sudden revelation to register the apprentice's words, or that he was moving closer towards him. When the knight finally realized that the word brother had come from the lesser's mouth, Krag's good eye suddenly clouded into a deep and dark yellow as the anger rose through him.


Like a lash of lightening, Krag shot his face forward and stuck it no farther than three inches from @[member="Thyrian Ashborn"] 's. While his head moved in, Krag roared like a ferocious rancor, right into the apprentice's face as he summoned the ash and embers from his own body into a thick mist. The mist wrapped itself up around the apprentice's legs, a noticeable force would be felt pushing on his body if he did not find someway to escape. The tendrils of the mist clawed at his armor with the intense heat of a volcanic eruption and it would continue to wrap around the apprentice's body until the mist was just slightly biting his exposed skin. Thanks to the force, the heat was confined to the ash and it only burned or heated what it touched.


"You are Sith but you are only a lesser! I am your lord and your leader! I am your death and your life! You live now only because I have chosen not to end your life! You live because I allow you to live and you shall die if I command it!" Krag sank his ashy face in closer to the apprentice and snarled "You are a lesser being and you have no right to call me your brother. Disrespect me again and your master will not be able to save you."

 

[Thyrian Hearthfire]

For a moment, it was like the two creatures of embers and ashes connected, but suddenly the Graug was sent into a frenzy like no other. Trying to back off from @[member="Krag"] proved difficult, as the Ashborn found himself trapped by the tendrils of ash slowly climbing their way up both his legs. Confused as to why his newfound brother-in-embers would act this way, Thyrian was struck with an incredible force by the hand of the cloud of smoldering mist keeping him place. The let-down he felt overwhelmed him, forcing him to act against what he still considered his kin. In a fit of rage equal to the one that had hit Krag, the Ashborn could be seen flickering to life, his exposed skin flaming up like a beacon of light. He could feel the mist increase in size and power, and he had to get out of it fast, else it would force him to the ground, ensuring his defeat. Before he could act, however, the Graug spoke to him with the deepest of hate. His words wounded Thyrian deeply, though he would never acknowledge it, and only served to increase his rage. With a roar to match the loudness of his "kinsman", his flaming fist clenched and began trembling as a wave of incredible heat was emitted in an aura surrounding him. The heat was sure to issue some sort of knockback-effect to the creature towering before him, making it so that he would lose focus for a moment, enabling the Ashborn to break free of his confinement. Ever since his recapture on Dromund Kaas, after he had awoken and broken free from the laboratory, he had come to utterly loathe and despise any kind of imprisonment.

 

[Other Space Kaiden]

Krag was expecting some plea for life or begging to ensue on the part of Ashborn, the way a weakling was supposed to act. However, he was surprised as the apprentice's hand began to radiate a heat that was not all too different from the very first fire technique Krag had learned. Before he could respond to the threat with his own offensive counter, the apprentice threw the fist hard at the Graug. Though the Ultrachrome armor Krag wore was sure to absorb most of the heat and impact, Krag's natural instinct led him to whip call upon the ash for his defense. The cloud of ash and embers moved like a serpent, lashing away from the Apprentice and into the path of his attack, before hardening to create a hard surface.


The apprentice's fist struck the hardened ash, breaking through it but severely hindering its power. When his fist made impact, it worked to cause Krag to stumble back slightly. The cloud then returned to Krag, some of it absorbing into his body or seemingly disappearing into thin air. Krag, collected himself quickly and then snarled at the apprentice "I see." Krag began "You are not as pathetic as I first thought...still you are too weak to be of any use to me."