Crown of Midnight

[Balaya Praelior Zambrano]

[member="Lia'ssa"]

The world was very different, Balaya has spent most of her time away from the people building and rebuilding aspects of the firebirds. Darksiders and imperials who would serve a greater purpose and were loyal. COmpared to many others they were not meant to flitter and move around from government to government when they were bored. Instead they were prepared to serve for life properly. THe small bunker of her own here in the polar regions of the planet though was a sanctuary. Sparse and clean compared to many of the others, obscured into the side of a mountain using the bare minimum that might be needed. Security codes and camo, hydro-electric power and geothermal taps to provide it power. A ghost network for the holonet and information gathering tied to a secured network of one of the more prominent business owners and military contractors on the planet. THe bunker was made to be a retreat away from everything and even the vong biot jelly that was used to more or less seal her and conceal her functioned as directed.

So why was the sith lord who cared little about the latest empire take such precautions? Well mostly to be in solitude as she worked on experiments. A way to try and find her through riddles and games that could be dangerous. She didn't like being disturbed and with the constant snowfall tracks leading here became obscured. The main entrance masked in the rock with a biometric scanner that would read her and security cameras. The layout itself was simple enough three chambers, the first functioned as a vehicle bay with speeders, access to the rooms for power systems and small rooms leading off that could work to store equipment, clothing and gear. No weapons but there were hunting traps, snow suits and replacement parts. The room led off through a tunnel to the second chamber. IN the tunnel were cut in alcoves for statues, artifacts and anything of interest she had found throughout the years. A tunnel leading up to a small area of the mountain that would allow her to overlook the entrance and work as an escape hatch.

The second chamber was more a common room, kitchen alcove with a full walk-in fridge, freezer and a pantry along one wall. THe storage space of it led into a wider open area with bookshelves and lounge seats, couches. Musical instruments to one corner, a holonet projector and hologram systems so she can watch or interact with programs. Pictures that shifted of various worlds, From off the chamber there were four doors. One leading to the tunnel, one to a fresher that also connected to the bedroom next to it. The fourth door led into a meditation chamber she could use to focus herself and acted as an alchemy lab. The bookshelves themselves contained one final door, hidden from the others and leading to two rooms, a weapons room that could double as a panic room and had transparasteel viewers around the bunker so you could peer inside and the second was a lift that went down into a lower chamber of the mountain they had discovered. The chamber served as something in the past and the paintings from someone or something was in there with wolves and a gateway.

As she was sitting there in the center of the room the sith lord gleamed smelling the food, hearing the reports of attacks and everythign that was being done. She waited a moment and then turned it off going more to the reports on the planet itself. Changing her outfit as she was large.... not as big as she had been since entering the monolith itself but she had felt the shadows and things there. She had seen the dangerous parts of it when she was stretched out, her hair in a thick curtain around herself. The dark red and black lockes had a few curls but nothing as much. Her pink skin was covered in oil and smooth to the touch before she checked herself in the mirror. Darkside runes along the edges were emblazoned with the force and it was designed to function here for looking deeper into the force itself but she couldn't put her mind outwards. THe biot jelly itself would prevent such things until she moved herself and stood in the black robes. Eyes searching in the darkness and she tapped a screen setting a course for herself to the city. She would arrive to relax and resupply a few things.

 

[Lia'ssa]

Lia'ssa huffed and puffed through her dance, however, having been dancing in the cantina for the better part of three hours could do that to any dancer. Her yellow Lukku's swayed and swung as she twirled in and out of the forms. She could not believe that after a life of dancing as a slave she would once again return to it. But this time it wasn't about dancing for others pleasure, it was a means to an end. If she was going to find her daughter Nomira, who had been taken by a dark jedi as an apprentice, she was going to need a ship. And ships around this planet cost credits, lots of credits. And perhaps enough to fuel and pay for parts, not to mention she would have to find the proper equipment to rebuild her lightsaber, without that there was was little chance of her surviving any encounter with a dark jedi again. It seemed that the costs were continuing to pile on and on.

As the music once again ended Lia'ssa prepared herself for another dance, however much to her gratitude, the director was waving her to come off the stage as three other girls in tight leotards came running on. Lia gave a long sigh of relive as she quickly hurried off stage feeling the temptation to hug the stage director as she walked by. She had been on this planet the better part of a month and had barely made enough to pay for a cheap speeder bike. She needed a miracle if she was going to get out of here in time before her daughter fell to the darkside.

On her way to the change room Lia'ssa stopped dead in her tracts as she could sense a familiar feeling. Sense.. an old friend. She turned from the room and headed into the common area. Looking over the cantina she could see there was a bar in the center of the room, with two stages spread on either side, one is where the dancers were, the other for the musicians. And on those two ends both leading to the back stage for both of the stages. There were an array of shady folk around, people from all races and backgrounds were spread across the light brown colored room. she could see other dancers flirting and seeking tips from the patrons. Looking over face after face not recognizing any of then and their force signature not matching up at all.

That was until she felt it grow stronger and stronger until it was undeniable. It was the same that she had felt all those years ago. Lia'ssa grinned and looked over to the bar tender. "Hey, if a woman with pink skin walks in tell her Lia'ssa bought her a brandy." She said sliding two sliver credits across the table. The bar keep looked at the twi'lek before him and frowned. "How will I know if it is her?" The Ithorian asked through the translator around its mouth. "Oh don't you worry about that, you will know." She said with a grin. Her miracle was here.

[member="Balaya Praelior"]

 

[Balaya Praelior Zambrano]

[member="Lia'ssa"]

THe city when she finally managed to arrive was something many wouldn't have expected her to sith in. The zeltron walked through the street and while she did get some looks she was also no more dangerous then some of them. She entered the room and stood there as she looked down at the other beings around her. Eyes moving and watching them, some turned to look at the zeltron and as she moved around took a booth as a drink was brought over to her. THe man nervous at it but he spoke. "Ahhh I am guessing this is being left here for you. SHe said I'd know the zeltron when she came in." That got a look from the sith who remained quiet and leaned back in the booth filling it with her size as she stretched her arms out and motioned him away with a dancer coming over to dance when she took a drink.

 

[Lia'ssa]

There she was. The huge and strong looking Zeltron she had met all those years ago. For a moment Lia'ssa wondered if she remembered her, and the promise she made to her. She slowly approached in a such a way that it would be difficult to ignore her. As she arrived beside the woman she grinned. "Hello Balaya, been a while hasn't it." She said hoping to give some sort of supersize on the dark woman's face. However, with a sith as strong as [member="Balaya Praelior"] that was little more then a dream that would never come true.

"I assume you remember me. If you don't perhaps I could refresh your memory?" She asked a little more frantic sounding then she would have hoped. Now she sounded desperate. As she sat down beside her she cursed in her head. What a fool she was being. Either way there was a chance that the Sith lord wouldn't care. She just hoped she remembered.

 

[Balaya Praelior Zambrano]

[member="Lia'ssa"]

She looked at the twi'lek who was approaching and speaking to her. She remembered her but she didn't show any expression as the massive amazon of a zeltron sat there and she let her sit next to her. The other dancers who were sent over to look at them it made the booth less private but it was meant to less draw attention then it was for the sith lord herself to see and feel the reaction from the twi'lek when she didn't speak just motioned for her side. TO let her come in closer before she was looking. "I remember you." She said it sitting there and not completely looking at her but she had her full attention on her and on the room around in case of problems but few really bothered her.

 

[Lia'ssa]

Lia'ssa gave a devilish grin to the woman. "And yet you treat me like you don't." She said beginning to reach a hand out to touch the smooth pink skin. However, she halted herself. "Do you remember what you said to me. When I was free, what you would do?" She said trying to sound as appealing to her as possible, a trait she had picked up while being a slave in order to get better treatment. She sat beside her and looked over her pink skin. She then wondered if she was letting off the Zeltron chemicals, or if she actually thought she was beautiful. Lia'ssa looked back on the night where they had met. The desire that penetrated her every thought. Perhaps this night would be different. Or maybe it wouldn't.

[member="Balaya Praelior"]

 

[Lia'ssa]

Lia'ssa gave a devilish grin to the woman. "And yet you treat me like you don't." She said beginning to reach a hand out to touch the smooth pink skin. However, she halted herself. "Do you remember what you said to me. When I was free, what you would do?" She said trying to sound as appealing to her as possible, a trait she had picked up while being a slave in order to get better treatment. She sat beside her and looked over her pink skin. She then wondered if she was letting off the Zeltron chemicals, or if she actually thought she was beautiful. Lia'ssa looked back on the night where they had met. The desire that penetrated her every thought. Perhaps this night would be different. Or maybe it wouldn't.

[member="Balaya Praelior"]

 

[Balaya Praelior Zambrano]

[member="Lia'ssa"]

Looking at her as she looked down to see her and raised an eyebrow. "So many look upon you with lust, it is more interesting to have the one who doesn't need to yes?" She was curious about it when she was there.... a grin finally forming on her face while she leaned back a little more. Focusing the force around her into the both to make it a bubble fo silence then she spoke. "And I do recall my offer to you and what I said, you would come to me willingly. It makes it so much sweeter and more intoxicating does it not, that first hint of danger, that thrilling sensation you get in the back of your mind knowing you are doing something others wouldn't expect. So tell me my sweet what brings you here to serve me?"

 

[Lia'ssa]

Despite her feelings towards the woman Lia'ssa let out a small grin "Serve you? I think you misunderstand dark one. You offered me a ship, and my daughter has been taken by marauders. I know that you have a few lighsaber parts and a ship lying around. And long long ago you offered one to me." She said this time reaching out and running her hand down the soft pink skin on her cheek down to her chest. "Understand I am not doing this to be your apprentice. This is for my daughter dark one." She said with a little bit of a flirty tone. Remembering how well she responded to that sort of thing long ago. Leaving her hand where it was she stood up and turned to get a better angle to face her. However, because of the height of the woman she was staring at her face to face.

[member="Balaya Praelior"]

 

[Balaya Praelior Zambrano]

[member="Lia'ssa"]

"A ship and a lightsaber yes." She remained there but moved with her hand to pull her in closer and look at her. Eyes following and tracking while her face was passive and suppressing the power. "But do you have the skills to use them, the epxertise or knowledge to follow and track them? Do you know where to start looking with the ship my dear?" She said it but finally moved one hand to just hold her there. Across the small of her back, muscles in her arm tensing a little to be like a beskar bar. There were cybernetics under the flesh but it was also all of her muscles itself. THe sith lord grainned wickedly checking it out as she breathed in the scent. "Do you even have the skills to survive what you will be facing?"

 

[Lia'ssa]

She reached down and rested her hand on the large pink one of the woman and returned the woman's grin with her own. "Perhaps not.. Perhaps I do need your help. Perhaps it will be time for me to admit help from a powerful sith lord." She said running her hand up the woman's arm. She could tell that the sith was eyeing her outfit and yellow skin. She was wearing a light blue top with a slit down the middle, and a blue skirt that had a short one foot or so flap down her front and a 1/2 foot flap down her backside. There was a gold lining around the sides of both the top and the skirt.

Lia'ssa smiled. "Dark one. Are you offering to help me find her? Because I know how sith work. If you help me I will owe you something. Perhaps you are looking for an apprentice as well and you just found an opportunity to have two." She smiled and let her hand massage the muscle over the woman's shoulder. She leaned forwards stopping just close enough to her face that their noses were almost touching. "I need your word that you are here to help me. Not to help whatever plan you might have for me and my offspring." She said with a darker tone of voice then before.

[member="Balaya Praelior"]

 

[Balaya Praelior Zambrano]

[member="Lia'ssa"]

She looked at her. "Perhaps helping you is my plan apprentice." She said it and had a grin on her face while she rose up using her one rm to hold her. The size difference there but she was holding her in the air when she spoke. "If your offspring will serve me and so shall you then two apprentices will be a boon but do not mistake me. This can break most." There was a look on her face before she was releasing her and standing there tall and more imposing. "Swear your service to me apprentice and we shall go and find your offspring and then she will bow before me, she will serve me." There was a sinister look on her face when the zeltron motioned to her with one hand coming out for her to bow. "We'll go to my retreat after this and begin your training."

 

[Lia'ssa]

Lia'ssa frowned. "I am not your apprentice dark one! Nor will my daughter be.You promised me a ship and a lightsaber long ago! Do not take it back now!" She said her voice getting louder, she was glad for the private bubble that she had created. As she said this her heart sunk. She wouldn't trade chains for more chains. Despite the look, chains were still chains, and being an apprentice to a sith would be equal imprisonment as a dancer to a Hutt. Tears began to well up in her eyes and her breath unsteady. Lifting her small yellow hand and resting it on the toned stomach of the dark woman before her, before laying against her tender chest. "..please.. No more chains.. not for Nomira.." She spoke in a cracking voice.

"I will do whatever it takes to free her dark one.. But I will not give her away again. I cannot swear to you. Only ask for what you have promised. And if not.." She said voice breaking. She moved her head up and looked the sith in the eyes through Tears. Tears for her daughter, and for her daughters safety. "Please.."

[member="Balaya Praelior"]

 

[Balaya Praelior Zambrano]

[member="Lia'ssa"]

She looked at her when she saw it and there was a wicked grin on her face. "You will have what you have been promised an what you need my dear but rescuing your daughter, helping you be able to survive. All fo this will require more then what you have." She said it and was moving now as she started to walk and motioned for her to follow. "Come, parts and a ship are easy but if you are going to rescue someone then what is your plan? What is your goal aside from rushing somewhere you have already failed once."There was a look on her face. "That is why you need me now yes, you tried and failed." She said it but there were no chains or deals. "You'll serve my purposes for this. I do enjoy messing with other siths plans."

 

[Lia'ssa]

Lia'ssa removed her arms form the beautiful woman's stomach and began to follower her. It no longer mattered that she had left her latest pay check. And that she never properly quit her job, just leaving was something dancers did all the time. So she didn't feel any obligation to go back once she walked out into the dimly lit streets. Still clad in her slave outfit she followed, her mostly exposed body shivering from the cold temperature of night.

"Where.. where is this place of yours? Is it close?" She asked with teeth chattering. She was glad for the help but she felt like the sith still didn't quite understand what she wanted. She wondered if maybe she could find a coat somewhere in order to better cover herself up. She clung her arms together and silently walked beside the woman letting her lead the way.

[member="Balaya Praelior"]

 

[Balaya Praelior Zambrano]

[member="Lia'ssa"]

"No." She said it and didn't turn her head going to the speeder and motioning her inside of the open speeder. She moved her to sit there and got in behind her. "just relax." Where she was looking the sith lord herself could set the course as snow ws coming in at the polar region and the GPS coordinates to a small clearing after a few hours on the speeder. The snow was coming in a thick curtain and she stopped after a couple of hours. Watching the snow and while wearing something thin and revealing of her own she was warm. The force able to easily protect her from the cold as she spoke. "Focus your mind and power, let it radiate the heat from your core to your skin and warm you my apprentice. First lesson to getting stronger is to improve your concentration and focus."

 

[Lia'ssa]

She giggled. "Is that how you get so warm. Don't think for a second that I didn't notice that in the hug, love." She smiled and sat back. She believed that this a simple task. One that she would just need to focus on. However, she was glad that the sith reminded her of this. She hadn't thought about using the force in this way. As she focused she remembered a lesson that she learned on the jedi grounds. Don't focus on, focus through. She did just that and could the cold leaving her body, only the warmth from her own self and the large dark lord beside her could be felt. "Mmm.. thank you for the lesson." She said nodding. "So. For my weapon what do you think would be a good option. I need a powerful crystal and materials. Maybe imbued with the force? The last time I clashed sabers with that sith that took my daughter it completly deactivated my weapon. Perhaps something more powerful will undue that effect?"

[member="Balaya Praelior"]

 

[Balaya Praelior Zambrano]

[member="Lia'ssa"]

She was leading the way and from the clearing the speeder went into a cave and then holograms and coverings were obscuring it as the air changed. THe chill leaving when it was inside of the room. Biometrics scanning and brining her in there as she spoke. The snow would make getting here or going away harder and few things could survive this far up as she stopped getting out of the speeder to be there. Balaya stretched out before she checked it all out. "We shall see, your weapon will have to be stronger but the hand that wields it will need to be improved. Otherwise it shall fail." She looked at the room and opened one of the doors to put up her equipment and she was walking. "I wouldn't be in such a hurry, even the sith take their time. You need to be stronger first."

 

[Lia'ssa]

"Do not treat me like a child dark one. I am well aware of what I need." She said standing her ground and being glad to be in a warm room once again. "And my saber skills are still adequate. I suppose you are right in that regard. I do need some training and refreshing in the art form. But I will have you know that I am on a time frame, everyday my daughter sinks deeper and deeper into the plan of that phantom like being who took her. Everyday I can't find her is a loss." She said trying to keep her false authority intact.

She was at a private establishment of a sith lord. There was little she could do to fight back against her if she tried anything. But Lia'ssa could sense that her intentions were pure. Or pure enough more like. Despite how they acted Lia'ssa did find the woman quite alluring.. perhaps the signature Zeltron chemicals, but time was still of the essence. There simply wasn't time for thoughts like that.

[member="Balaya Praelior"]

 

[Balaya Praelior Zambrano]

[member="Lia'ssa"]

She looked at her and raised an eyebrow as she spoke. "Yes yes yes but when you leave here apprentice. you represent me. I will not have it said that I sent a pupil off to die ill equipped." SHe said it and was walking through the rooms, the biometrics reading her and opening the doors of the inner chambers that went into a training room. "It is a point of pride more then anything else." She said it and motioned as the stairs leading down opened itno a larger circular chamber filled with equipment. Her swords, sabers, axes and even a suit of armor that gleamed wickedly with the darkside fo the force. "We shall find out what we can about it and where she is."