Dark Gifts - Fate of The Fateless

[Darth Abyss]

Port Nowhere

It was easy to mistake the criminals of the galaxy a nothing more than a small nuisance, small bits and pieces that mattered little when looking at the bigger picture composes out of alliances, armies and empires. They didn't had the numbers or means to start any full scale wars, but in trade they had methods no one else had. Wealth that officially didn't exist, information from pretty much everywhere and most importantly routes and hidden places known to few.

Port Nowhere was one such place, once a ship turned space station, oddly reminiscent of the Floating Market that orbited the Free Cities of Malachor, which occasionally shifted its location so only those with the right contacts would be able to find it. Here the scum and scoundrels could spend their time and credits, while people, or rather things, like Abyss could conduct their business far away from unwanted eyes.

This sort of secrecy was especially important today, as the man he would meet was not the sort the Prophet of crime normally conversed with. A High Moff of the empire, a faction that didn't had the greatest standing within the Free Cities since a botched operation lead to the death of quite a few civilians.

Still the empire, and its people, had the money and resources a man like him needed, and due to their government they had a clear lack of many "enjoyable" things not found on any sort of legal market. With the help of someone inside, someone that, according to his contacts, had build most of his wealth by transporting or securing cargo, a very lucrative opportunity had opened up.

The husk that had once been the man calling himself Abyss rested in the backroom of a cantina, waiting for the Moff to arrive. In shape he was still roughly human, but even that could not really hide that he was so much more. Where a face should've been was only a mask, and a fixed, metallic grin, a symbol of eternal mockery. The entity rested perfectly motionless, dormant as an armor without someone inside should be, shrouded in a ragged, black robe. Right behind him stood his newest creation, [member="The Fateless"], a weapon he had not found much us for since he broke the woman within the cursed armor.

[member="Adron Malvern"]

 

[Adron Malvern]

Through the proper channels anyone could reach the High Moff of the Bothawui system. He had purposely made himself accessible, leaving a foot in the door of the galaxy. With this it led him to potential enemies and allies alike, of course it was to him to determine which they were. In this instance the Moff believed he had found an ally, but he reserved such thought for after the meeting.

With a black cloak draped over his Imperial uniform he made his way through the halls of Port Nowhere. There was little to be gained from being noticed in a place such as this, so he decided to keep his uniform hidden from peering eyes. Trailing him were two Imperial Novatrooper's. Yet both of them had removed their helmet and donned matching cloaks over their armor.

Turning down the next hall the group found themselves staring at the entrance of a cantina. "Stay here. No need to come in force." The High Moff pointed out, gesturing to a nearby wall. "Be conspicuous."

Entering the cantina Adron paused as the Dark Side called out to him. There was a bend in the Force, no not a bend, a scar. It created a void that caused Adron to examine the bar with narrow eyes. Finally he saw the apex of this scar, the very same persona he had come to meet.

An odd duo to be sure, his eyes fell upon the still man who sat and the being that accompanied him. The Dark Side of the Force twisted and writhed around them, revealing the pain of power and the destruction that they had wrought in the nether of the Force. Abominations.

"There are many who can arrange a meet with me, but very few who can hold my interest. I assume you are the one my contacts call, Abyss. Fitting name." He said, inclining his head to the man before him, as well as his creation that stood beside him.

[member="Darth Abyss"]

 

[Darth Abyss]

"You assume right Moff Malvern. Please have a seat."

The voice of the Mindeater was unlike anything most people ever had heard, an distorted echo that was only half in the physical realm, resounding in the air by means of the force. There was nothing human to it, and neither was there anything human to the husk that spoke without moving the fixed grin below his mask a single inch.

The husk then lifted his left, a nearby chair moving into position for [member="Adron Malvern"] to sit comfortably at the same table as the Mindeater. Obviously it was in itself not a very impressive show of his force, but it merely served to underline the image his appearance and hungering presence created on their own. The times in which he was merely a Crime Lord that had spawned from the wisdom of the sith were long gone, since he had ascended into a being worthy of the twisted legends he had spread about himself.

"I am pleased to finally meet a High Moff personally."

Again the left of the creature rose, this time not to call upon the force but to command a quite beautiful, blue skinned Twi'lek waitress to serve the drinks, a fine Corellian whisky he had ordered beforehand, one of the small pleasantries the live in the underworld brought with it. Once the bottle and a glass were placed on the table, Abyss reached inside his robe for a small pipe, shaped like a dragons head. While he couldn't drink, there were other things to elevated the mind.

"My contacts tell me that you make a living by moving Cargo, besides your duties as a High Moff of course. I might have an interest in making use of the service you offer."

The pipe locked between the sharp teeth of the Mindeater, the mechanical jaw opening just enough for such an action. Then the Korriban Incense inside light up, set ablaze by the crimson glowing runes engraved into the pipe, the smoke filling the air with a vibrant, dark and clearly arcane energy.

During the whole act Abyss was putting on, the Fateless simply stood silent, making not a single move or noise.

 

[Adron Malvern]

The being in front of him had a voice, hollow and shrieking. Even for the Moff, who had seen his fair share of the twisted galaxy, it put him on edge. He watched as this scar in the Force tapped into it, commanding a chair to be willed to the Moff's side. Taking the chair into his hands he sat down, his posture holding the same strength of presence as his tone did.

"I am sure the pleasure is all mine." He returned, yet the expression on his face was of a slight contrast. When Abyss hand arose again, Adron turned to see him beckoning a young alien woman over to the table. The tails that hung from the back of her head identified her as a twi'lek, yet the Moff was more interested in the whiskey she brought with her. Adron watched as the glass was filled with the brown liquid, leaving a rather enticing aroma in the air between the two of them. Electing not to partake, at least for the moment, he turned his attention back to the husk of a Sith that sat across from him.

"I make a living by doing many things. Yes, moving Cargo is one of them." He said, his answers coming out in a rather reserved manner, obviously drawn from the standard of distrust the Moff maintained.

As Abyss took to his pipe the Moff exhaled softly, the soft wisps of smoke flying over his nose causing him to crave a cigarra. From his waist he produced a small metal container, popping the seal he watched as the small stash of cigarra's was opened to him. "Before any request is made I should tell you it will be another two weeks before my Company is back on line. Wars are such pesky things for business." He said, taking one of the cigarra's and inhaling the sweet smell of tabac that drifted from the narcotic.

Closing the metal case he put the cigarra into his lips, pressing a button on the side of the case that activated a heating pad on the bottom of the device. He lit the cigarra with the heating pad before inhaling a slow drag from it. "Also my contracts are not easy to acquire. Seeing as how you called me here and I did not call you I'm not sure you'd have anything I could want." He explained, exhaling a slow stream of smoke into the air above the two.

[member="Darth Abyss"]

 

[Darth Abyss]

"Nothing of worldly origin."

Then the entity laughed, a sound more unnerving, more unsettling then his voice or appearance. To most it would be close to impossible to identify the mix of fading echoes layering over each other into a symphony of jarring noise as a laugh. The title High Moff suggested otherwise, but Abyss knew all to well what was below it, below the uniform and the obvious guards placed at the entrance of the bar.

"High Moff Malvern, with all due respect, what I can offer you is beyond anything your beloved empire could ever acquire. You try to hide it, but I know what you are, I can hear the darkness calling for you."

Again the being laughed, the sound seemingly getting worse every time Abyss summoned it to fill the air. For the third time of the encounter the husk lifted his left, and for once the thing besides him moved, the undead woman standing right besides the Mindeater.

"There are powers in this galaxy greater than any army, and any empire, powers not limited by the laws of reality. Powers to bend minds, to bend life, death and everything in between. Words fail to explain, so allow me to show you."

The hollow eyes of the husk moved to the strange being he had created, a perfect example of the powers he had promised. Once a skilled necromancer, now a undead servant cursed to forever follow the Prophet's commands, with a mind so utterly broken that Abyss didn't even needed to extend his thoughts to control her.

"Rotten Worm, do you enjoy, or desire to work for me in any way. Please be honest."

The Fateless made no move whatsoever, only the white mask on her face shifting as the answer formed, the ink on it creating a single word written right on her forehead. Now, with her standing up close it was also possible to see hints of the decaying flesh and broken bones hidden below the mask and the armor that shrouded her.

-No-

[member="Adron Malvern"]

 

[Adron Malvern]

Nothing of Worldly origin.

The words were spoken with a tone that hinted to an ability to back them up. Yet the Moff reserved his true thoughts until a valid moment arose. Then the being spoke of the darkness that had found a home in the young Force User. Taking another long drag from his cigarra he tapped the ashes out onto an ash tray that sat on the table.

"The Dark Side has it's benefits." He said, speaking no more on the matter.

His eyes narrowed as that blood curling cackle erupted through the room once again. Yet the discussion turned from the topic of power and to the companion Abyss had with him. Less a companion than an abomination, she was nearly as much a scar in the Force as her master. Nearly.

"What is this thing you have brought here?" He asked, a brow arching at the faceless being. "It has a particularly chilling presence in the Force, even for the Dark Side." He said.

[member="Darth Abyss"]

 

[Darth Abyss]

"Despite her appearance the true question is not what, but who."

The raised hand of the husk suddenly formed a fist, and the surge of immense mental might blasting through the arcane steel resounded through the room. With a single move he held the mind of the Fateless in his clutches so tightly that even a less broken thing would've not been able to resist it, allowing him to remove the white mask that obscured what was left of her face. Without a single word, or command the undead lifted the object from her head, revealing the skull below it, the remains of decaying flesh and the single, unmoving blue eye.

"This is what it looks like to betray my trust, and my hospitality."

Even the nature of his voice could not mask the sharpness of his last words. [member="Adron Malvern"] refused to admit to his own darkness, like it was some wretched curse, uncaring that the being in front of him was not only a lord of the sith, but born out of pure, raw dark side energy.

"She was once one of my Necromancers, but she refused to accept my superiority, foolish enough to believe that she had learned all I know. This is her punishment. It is also my gift."

The fist loosened up as the undead placed the mask back on her rotten face. He had little use for her, she was an easily controlled marionette, and he had more then enough of those at his disposal. As a bribe she was worth more to him then as another undying warrior, as his remaining Necromancers produced more of them with every passing day.

"Take her with you. Show her the ways of the dark side, ans she might show them to you as well. Consider this a sign of my gratitude, for offering me your services."

There was another laugh, as the being lowered his hand. Freed from the grip of Abyss mind the Fateless stepped forward, and at the side of the Moff, accepting her new master silently.

 

[Adron Malvern]

The words that came from the Sith Lord left Adron with a bit of unease. Was this creature that stood before them a result of some betrayal or mistrust between the victim and Abyss? After a moment's pause he put the thought to the side, his only response was taking a deep inhale from the cigarra in his fingers.

"What use do I have of this.....woman?" The word was spoken hesitantly, for Adron was not even sure if whatever this woman is qualified as human.

Finally, Abyss divulged the story of how the woman came to such unfortunate. At least he disclosed as much as he felt was necessary. Once the undead necromancer took a place by Adron's side the High Moff exhaled a small cloud of smoke, watching as it drifted into the air beside the two. "How do I know this is not some trick?" He began, tapping the ashes of his cigarra into the tray beneath him.

"I've many enemies, though you are not among them this could still be some elaborate ploy. Allow this woman to serve under me and she plants a dagger in my back. Actually it's the obviousness of it all that makes me believe it may not be a trick, but one can never be too careful."

[member="Darth Abyss"]