[Chapter Five] The Hand of Sorrow

[Lief]

The Undercity​

Ession​

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Urban worlds made his head spin.

Bright lights, countless people who looked like ants from the viewing port of The Haunter, enough to make the quiet boy cringe away. Of course he was no stranger; Coruscant was his place of birth, the planet he had resided on for the first seven or so years of his life. Compared to the hub of the Galaxy, Panatha and Aurum had both been almost... Serene. Of course, [member='Darth Carnifex'] had made the former less of a paradise than his mother's sanctuary had been.

He had no time to dwell on such trivial matters, however.

Allowing the mask to fit around his face, he jumped from the cockpit and landed with a clack on the metal ground. The HUD focused on the crowd for a moment, scanning for one particular vessel in the gargantuan hangar. He knew it was here, he had seen her leave hyperspace. Watched her descend.

Who she was, he did not know. He did not care. She was his now, like the creatures he stalked on Panatha, like those he had decimated on Dxun, the predator had his prey cornered... Yet the poor beast did not know it yet.

One hand settled to the back of his belt, touching the cool durasteel of his blaster. He drew from it a strength of mind. Then they fell upon the lightsaber hilt, and in an instance he became overwhelmed with the sights of his mother's final moments. His fingers pulled back as swiftly as they touched, and the boy felt perspiration build along the back of his neck, a few drops trailing down his back.

Best he keep that in his minds eye for this task. He would need all the strength and focus he could get. He had learned long ago that the hatred he held toward his Master was a driving force, it gave him strength, direction, even if none of it was directed at the monster himself.

No doubt that had been his Master's plan when passing off Asha Seren's lightsaber.

That was just the kind of beast he was.

 

[Riamah]

Ra brought her ship in for landing after her meeting with a friend. Her friend had given her a couple of gifts and some disturbing news. However, she was home.

Walking off her ship, she drew in the air of Ession and relaxed a little. This was home for her now and she was comfortable.

She wore her cloak, new lightsabers up her sleeves, knives in her boots, blaster on hip and her still almost useless staff. With her new sabers though, she considered just forgetting to learn how to wield it. For now though, Ra carried it on her back.

Leaving the spaceport, Ra walked confidently out into the streets. First things first, she wanted to find food and headed in the direction of her favorite restaurant.

Familiar now with the planet, she had no problems blending into the crowds, even with her white hair.

[member="Raseri Sarosh"]

 

[Lief]

He could feel her presence in the distance, and lifted his eyes toward the entrance of the hangar. As he neared the opening, as the wind from Ession whistled around him, he could all but smell her on the breeze. Taste the Force which permeated her soul. The boy clicked his tongue and ran it along the roof of his mouth, allowing the HUD to zone in on his target.

She was way ahead of him, melting into the crowded streets. So much so that even the sensors were having a hard time keeping up. No need. He retracted the helmet back in on itself, allowing his face to become exposed to the somewhat polluted air of the Dominion's Capital. Urban worlds could never quite escape such, especially not those prized for their industrial revolutions.

Opening himself up to the throws of the Force, drawing upon the memory which echoed in the corners of his mind, he targeted the girl and made haste through the crowd to find her. Keeping his distance for now. Stalking as he had become so apt at doing.

The way that his quarry walked spoke of confidence. This was a place she knew well, something which would go in her favour... And ultimately work against him. Such was the way with all things. A risk he was willing to take.

Kobe licked his lips, tasting the very air around them/

Perhaps this would be fun after all.

[member='Ra'a'mah']

 

[Riamah]

Her destination was not very far from the spaceport, but far enough away that most of the populace the port drew didn't know it was there. Many people came and went around, though she walked confidently, she did not hurry.

Taking a stop now and then to look at something that caught her eye, a feeling started growing on her. Something was not right, what it was though, she could not place. Until whatever it was became more sure, she would continue on like everything was fine.

She gave polite smiles to those that approached her with wares, but soon moved out of the market district and into the quieter area approaching the restaurant. There were fewer vendors here, but there were some and as before she would stop now and then to look at the items they had on display.

Ra wasn't one to buy much for herself, only what was needed, but dreaming shopping she enjoying doing once in a while. This was what she was doing now. Dreaming of being able to just buy whatever whenever she wanted. The uses and places of some of the items she was looking at.

Eventually she came to the end of the official market and her restaurant was there.

Hers was a familiar face and they knew what she wanted. Sitting down at one of the outside tables, she waved inside and waited on her food and drink to arrive.

[member="Raseri Sarosh"]

 

[Lief]

All around them merchants shouted their wares. The boy took interest in exactly none of them, instead he focused on the girl. Or more, her presence in the Force. He had long since given up looking for her face in the crowd.

Every so often she halted, so he lingered out of sight. No sense in rushing this endeavor, best he wait for her to be alone. Or in less of a crowd.

Eventually she stopped completely, and Raseri found himself looking in the direction of a restaurant. So his quarry was hungry, was she? Let's see what he could cook up...

He did not go in the front door. Instead he made his way around to the back of the building, and slipped into the kitchens. Extremely busy, full of life, everyone focused on their task. He snatched a uniform from the back room and swiftly changed, before wandering among the chefs.

For some time now he had been practicing an art of his own devising where such things were concerned. Today he would find out how well it paid off.

[member='Ra'a'mah']

 

[Riamah]

Since the people knew what she always ordered, they were already prepping her food. One of the servers brought her drink out and gave Ra a friendly smile.

"How are things with you, Miss Ra?"

Ra picked up her drink and took a sip before answering, closing her eyes as she savored the flavor.

"Wonderful. I see business is good for you."

The time of day was an off hour, but there were still a few people eating inside. She was all alone on the patio though.

A bell chimed inside and Ra waved the server away. She sat back to look at the few people that walked past and enjoyed a bit of solitude until her food arrived.

[member="Raseri Sarosh"]

 

[Lief]

A few people gave him a second glance, most ignored him entirely; he heard the new order being put through, glanced through the hole in the wall which separated kitchen from front of house, and noted where his quarry sat.

When a waiter moved to take food to her table, he walked after the man before quietly whispering something to him. All at once the waiter gave a nod of the head, handed the plate back to Kobe, and moved on to tend to the next dish which was ready. It amused him how little these people know about what they were serving, that a complete stranger could walk up to them and claim something was wrong with the dish.

Perhaps that was what came from lower City establishments. Kobe was just glad it worked.

He set the dish down, working the Force through its contents as he added what looked to be just a final bit of garnish. When the waiter returned to take it from him he shook his head.

"Let me."

Not the strangest thing for a chef to do, but... Given that the woman was a regular it did have the waiter somewhat confused. It had never happened before. He waved the man away, and stepped from the kitchen himself, nearing the table. Only now did he finally get a view of the woman, white hair... Echani perhaps? Arkanian? He wasn't so attune to know the differences...

Settling the dish down before the girl, he tipped his head and walked away. The dish would appear untouched. It would taste no different. In truth it wouldn't really do anything to her at all, except put into her mind a very slight bit of doubt should she eat it.

And Kobe?

Kobe finally had a face for the one he was hunting.

The game was finally on.

[member='Ra'a'mah']

 

[Riamah]

Ra sat waiting for her food and it didn't take long to arrive. However, the server wasn't the one to deliver the food, instead it was one of the cooks that brought it to her. While odd, it wasn't unheard of. Maybe the server needed to leave or something.

He walked away before she could thank and Ra just shook her head. So many people were in such a hurry that they overlooked simple curtesy sometimes. The business at the diner wasn't too bad, but perhaps they were short handed today. Whatever the reason, she didn't worry about it too much and looked forward to eating her food.

Picking up the silverware, Ra cut into her food. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the taste as she didn't treat herself here very often. As always, it was perfect. When she was about half done, though some doubts started to fill the back of her mind.

Doubts on what she was doing here on Ession, with the Dominion, where her life was going, just a broad sense, not one thing in particular. There were times when thoughts like this crossed her mind and it usually meant it was time to move on. Maybe it was that time for her, to pack up her bags and just disappear.

Shrugging the thoughts off for the moment, she finished her food and sat back to finish her drink. When she did that, the thoughts came back. For whatever reason, they were being persistent today.

These guys knew she wasn't going to order anything else and she knew how much her food was going to cost, so she just left the payment on the table and left silently. Taking back to the streets, instead of catching a ride to home, she decided to walk.

A ride would have been too fast and these thoughts needed to be assessed before they drove her nuts.

[member="Raseri Sarosh"]

 

[Lief]

While the girl ate, Kobe returned to the back of the restaurant, deftly replaced the uniform he had borrowed and replaced the mask to his face. With the kitchen's rush, and full state, he drifted through the exit as easily as he had entered and breathed in a breath of filtered air. Now it was simply a waiting game.

Stepping around the building, he leaned against a storefront across from the restaurant and casually watched for any signs of the woman. Now that he had her face in his mind it would prove easier.

Minutes passed, until it felt as though hours had gone by. Finally the white haired woman was back on the streets, and this time Kobe was a little less uncertain in his actions. He stepped almost to her side, following the push of the crowd, before pushing his mind toward hers.

Do not be alarmed...

Truth be told such conversations were far easier for him; speaking was difficult, but thinking he did a lot of.

I simply wish to talk. I sense your uncertainty, you lack a true path...

He watched her, trying to gauge her response from where he stood. Would she take the bait?

[member='Ra'a'mah']

 

[Riamah]

Ra had walked for just a few minutes through the crowd. For the moment, her thoughts distracted by trying not to bump into people and avoiding people that might bump her. Somebody fell into step near her and she shrugged this off as it happened sometimes that people headed in the same direction. She took another couple of steps when something happened that had never happened to her before. A voice was in her head telling her not to be alarmed and that it wanted to talk.

Knowing she was in the middle of traffic and that if she just stopped, she would get run over by the people, Ra stepped to the side instead and stopped. Shaking her head slightly and wondering what was going on. Was she hearing voices suddenly? Her mind had never done that before. Maybe she was going nuts or maybe she just needed to leave Ession and never look back.

The voice did have a point though, she was uncertain, but what path was she lacking? She always had a job she could go back to. It was something to think about. The internal conversation started, maybe she should finish it. Keeping her mouth shut, her eyes looked over the people around her to see if her odd actions had brought any unwanted attention. One or two people glanced her way, but didn't stop and continued on.

Okay, you have my attention.​

She didn't know if this voice was internal or something external so attempted to just speak in her mind. If it was all in her head, then there should be a reply.
[member="Raseri Sarosh"]