Captivitas 1: Escape from Dathomir

[Lord Ghoul]

"What do you mean?"

Jai stared confusedly at the two Echani guards pointing their strange black sticks at him. What were they- oh yes, blasters. Why would they point those at him? He was just a simple maleling herder from Dathomir.

He'd finally managed to catch a ride from one of the offworlder's camps on Dathomir and adventure off the planet. The Clan probably wouldn't like that but farming was so dull. Jai wanted to see the galaxy that they so often spoke of around the campfire. He was tired of herding and cleaning up rancor dung. So, he'd sneaked out and bartered his way off the planet with some iron-clad warriors. He didn't like them very much and for some reason he felt he never had, what were they called? Right, Mandalorians.

The ride through 'hyperspace' had been exhilarating and somehow familiar. He hadn't had time to find that strange. He was too busy enjoying the wonder of interstellar travel. The Mangolorianas, no wait, Mandalorians, had dropped him off on a place they called Eshan. Oddly, looking at the planet as they approached had brought up memories of plants and cake. He didn't know why. For that matter, what was cake?

After dropping him off they'd shipped off to new destinations. That was fine. The Clan would probably send a few spear-brothers along to get him in a day or so. They didn't like letting him off on his own, but he wasn't a child! He could make his own decisions. In the meantime, he would adventure this new planet of Eshan!

He'd spent about half a day on the planet, touring various shops and sights, until these two Echani guards had confronted him with their laser sticks. He'd tried talking to them, but they didn't seem friendly. They kept calling him a Shorn, whatever that meant.

"What do you mean?" He asked again, dumbfounded, "I'm Jai, from Dathomir. What's a Shorn?"

"Shut up and face the wall. Interlace your fingers behind your head."

"Uh, sure," grimacing, Jai complied.

In moments they had him cuffed and were leading him down a crowded street. People standing by were holding hands to their mouths in an expression of shock. Jai didn't understand what all this fuss was about. He was just a herder from Dathomir!

Suddenly, he saw three of his spear-brothers and two Daughters of Allya come around the corner. He knew them all well and clumsily tried to wave, a slightly sheepish but mostly mischievous look about him. There was Nesta, he'd been the best at the javelin throwing competition several moons ago. And Kathim and Nathim, the twin brothers who fought as one. They saw him and shook their heads angrily, but nothing could compare with the serene wrath of the Daughters of Allya. Shemai and Yira looked like they would tear him to pieces.

But they wouldn't. They were family and family looked out for one another. Although, they'd probably tell him this was all his fault. Which it was. Alas, it seemed he would be cleaning rancor dung for many moons.

"Stop!" Yira commanded, glowering at the Echani guardsmen. "Hand him over. He is Dathomiri."

They glared back and the taller of the two stepped forward. His platinum hair was long and spilled out beneath his white open helm.

"Dathomiri? Are you insane, Witch? This is Mikhail Shorn, the notorious Sith Lord. He's wanted in Republic space on a vast litany of crimes. Our facial recognition picked him up and sent out a ping to virtually every security force this side of the Core."


Yira shook her head. "I know not of what you speak, but our customs do demand that he be-"

"This is Eshan," the guardsman said proudly, chin tilting up, "Your customs do not apply here."

The two forces glared at each other in silence. Jai noted Nesta's hands tightening around his spear until the knuckles bled white. A squad of four more Echani guards arrived and moved toward Jai. He looked at them, bewildered. Mikhail Shorn? It was not true. It couldn't be. Yet why did that name ring in his mind? He needed to sort this out.

A guardsman stepped toward him, reaching out to grab his arm.

"Wait!" He threw up a hand to forestall the Echani. A blast of energy surged from his palm, hitting the Echani squarely in the chest and hurling him back five meters. Jai stared, eyes wide.

Then the shooting started.

[member="Salem Norongachi"] @Anesia Vy'jun

 

[Salem Norongachi]

Sometimes all one has to do is wait. Wait for the moment when all the stars align and your hopes and desires can be fulfilled. Salem Norongachi was good at waiting, biding his time, watching and listening with eyes and ears that were not his own. He couldn't use the Intelligence Division for this, no this was something that had started before the fall of the Confederacy. It was personal and dealing with the bureaucracy would only hinder his search for the first name on a small list of sentients that had to be removed from the equation before the end.

[member="Mikhail Shorn"], the Thronebreaker as he liked to be called, one of the most gifted darksiders the Galaxy had ever known. They had faced one another on Rodia, when the city burned and the buildings crumbled. A singular display of telekinetic skill that still brought a smirk to his lips. He'd lost that day among the flames, as the world was put to the sword in their bout for supremacy. So began his quest, to follow every move Shorn made. This was made all the easier by the agents of the old SpyNet he had recruited in preparation for the bloody revolt that had reforged the government. Known for their loyalty and their recognition of what was coming, he sent them out into the galaxy. They recruited others, traders, smugglers, port officials. Anyone who would trade information for coin or a promise became a network that reached out across the stars and it all came back to her. Then, inexplicably, the trail had gone cold. Days became weeks, weeks became months....nothing, Mikhail had simply vanished.

So began the question as to why; Did he simply not wish to be found? That was the first, many in the Galaxy had a knack for dropping out of sight but no, Salem had fought the man. It was all about the show, the thrill of having the limelight firmly fixed upon him. Mikhail Shorn would not hide his intentions, nor his face from those that wished to find him. It wasn't in his nature....Which left the question, who?

Who would have something to gain from obscuring him from sight? The list, unfortunately, was short and few that knew the man or were suspected of knowing him were in a position to make so prominent and infamous a figure drop from sight. A loose end....Norongachi disliked loose ends. A variable unaccounted for was the difference between success and ruin....he knew that all too well.

Then his plans for the CIS had gone into motion, his focus shifted, the pursuit of Shorn pushed to the back of his mind. The search still continued, ticking away in the background, waiting for a hit, a confirmation that he had resurfaced. Salem knew he would, it was just a matter of when...


Roon
Capital Building
Cabinet Room

They were speaking again, these politicians, in the wake of Naboo there were many things to discuss. For the most part, the conversation spun its wheels on defense. Where they should allocate their remaining fleet while new vessels where being constructed. Roon, of course they needed to protect Roon. Then what about Bothawui? Well yes, Bothawui. And Rothana? Excarga? Hypori? Geonosis? They had too many worlds deemed high value and no where near enough turbolasers to protect them when the inevitable retaliation came.

He was sick and tired of hearing it, day after day, especially knowing that in the end it wouldn't matter. They could put so many ships around a planet that it was utterly obscured from view and it wouldn't be enough. So here he sat, holding dearly to his patience....

"We found him..." The com, tucked into his ear spoke. Salem didn't even bother to explain his sudden departure or why he was running down the hallways and corridors toward his personal shuttle. What creeped the building staff out most was the smile.