Going Back

[Lok Xiangu]

Coruscant

Don't look back.

A phrase that many use to help people move on for the future and to forget the past, so they wouldn't be burdened by the weight of the actions and memories of the past that one had endured. Psychologically and mentally, adults could forget something traumatizing that had happened in their life and move on in life with some uncommon disturbing visions that an adult could easily shrug off. Adolescents, on the other hand, had an extremely difficult time to forget the haunting memories that they went through in the past. To their minds, it seemed that the only "natural" way of ending those visions was to destroy the source of where it had happened. Alas, the memories would be immortal until the being's life passed by to the afterlife.

However, for Lok, it would be a soothing feeling to get revenge on those who had bullied and harassed him from the time he was born until the day when his adoptive father had him. Despite his memories never fading away, he would pursue on the thought killing those who had harmed him.

Walking out of the landing pad of his ship the Mandalorian made way on the route that would, hopefully, lead him to one of the hideouts of the gang he was once affiliated with. He wouldn't be surprised of they had changed the location of all their hideouts since Vilaz did save him and brutally assaulted the cartel members that he fought against. The Initiate, however, would be surprised if not a single base was relocated. Of course, Lok would appreciate that possible fact since he wouldn't have to use deductive skills to find these bases of operation and unleash fury on them, but the odds of that chance were low and slim.

Nevertheless, he was determined to get revenge on the cartel ring by any means necessary. And he would have the pleasure to see their faces full of fear. A sinister smirk was on his face for thinking of that thought.

[member="Matsu Xiangu"]

 

[Matsu Xiangu]

“The next shipment will be coming in sooner than expected. Ever since you started making moves down here again it’s been easier to find product,” Hades muttered past the cigarette stuck between his lips. He used both hands to snap the top back on the cooler, making sure the organs inside would be kept chilled and protected for their journey to Matsu’s apartments. Though she was no longer Coruscant’s self-styled Empress after breaking her ties with the One Sith, she kept her property and business thriving. And [member="Hades Michae"] kept a steady stream of black-market organ trade right at her fingertips.

“The quality has been unparalleled as well,” she answered in kind, watching him quietly as she always did. She liked Hades both because there were few with their fingers centered quite so squarely on the Underworld’s pulse, and because he didn’t like to talk much. They got along.

“Mmmhmm,” he grunted back, putting the cooler down along an entire row meant for the Sith lady. The two of them started moving back to the front of what appeared as mostly an innocuous flowershop storefront. It still seemed a little strange to her considering its placement among drug dens, food vendors, and other places of ill-repute to find the beauty of foliage growing underneath the crust of an ecumenopolis. But it had worked this long. Once through the front door and out in to the fetid streets of Coruscant’s underbelly, the pair stopped to conclude their business.

“I’ll have them shipped out to your lab by tonight,” the care-worn man said, the wrinkles in his face illluminated by another drag on his cigarette. Before Matsu could open her mouth to agree, she watched the hustler’s eyes shift to something in the street.

“Can I help you kid?”

Looking over her shoulder to where Hades was - well, she couldn’t say sneering since her partner looked continully unimpressed and/or dead - she spotted a dark-haired younger man who’d had at least taken notice of them. Whether he recognized Matsu or had run in to Hades & his crew before she wasn’t sure. Maybe he was just high or drunk like half the people on this level and didn’t even know what he was looking at. Either way, she waited for his answer with semi-amused boredom.

[member="Lok Munin"]​

 

[Lok Xiangu]

Left and right scum of all types and variants were working and doing their handiwork as it was the description of their illegal "profession". Smugglers distributing the shipping to their employers which would be sold to addicts, thieves would be on the hunt on who to mug, and just about every other scumbag was out doing their jobs in order to survive from hunger, diseases, thirst, and cold. He had pity for them as he once lived a sorrowful, miserable life like them which was his only means of surviving the rotted streets of the Underworld. Unlike the upper levels in which one must survive with education and wealth, something that most inherited from their family, the Underworld was an arena in which everyone needed one sole quality to last it: wits. Didn't matter if someone had all the money of the Galaxy but if they were outsmarted, then it was the end of that poor soul. If it wasn't for his wits to have him stay in that cartel ring, then he'd probably wouldn't be revisiting these streets with Mandalorian armor as his common attire ever since he was adopted into the Clans.

As the Initiate was walking down through a ghetto, shady road that was just like any other pavement of the Underworld a heavy voice of a man called out to him. Obviously, the youngster looked for the origins of the voice and saw a woman and a man hanging around some coolers. Funny to see how a well dressed female was lurking around the disgusting corners of the Underworld with what seemed a low life criminal by just profiling him. Perhaps it was something to do with a corporate meeting between the two. Or maybe it was way beyond the ordinary. Either way, Lok's attention was on the two and approached them at a constant walking pace.

"Yeah, I'm looking for some old buddies of mine. You think you know 'em," he replied back to the man's question as he did offered his help to him. Of course, they would be wanting to know more than the broad information he had given to them which was why he was stripping the pieces of armor from his left arm to show them the tattoo insignia that every member had from the day they initiated themselves into the gang. The Mandalorian hoped that they had something that could help him sought out his targets.

[member="Matsu Xiangu"]

 

[Matsu Xiangu]

Hades looked down at the tattoo and showed probably the most emotion that ever crossed his face: a barely perceptible twitch of the eyebrows and slight souring of his mouth.

“Yeah,” he grunted, tossing his half-finished cigarette down to the ground and crushing it under his heel. “Come inside. Better to talk there.” Whether or not the boy followed was entirely up to him, but Hades knew that sort of direct facial expression and tone. He was bad at emoting himself, but he could read others just fine - and this looked a lot like revenge. That was a goal he could use to his advantage. Looking to Matsu, he signed, world-weary. “You might wanna stick around for this.”

Hades disappeared in to the shop, but Matsu stood there. She didn’t say a word as the dark-haired kid walked past her to follow Hades, simply turning her head to follow his motion and watch. Once he’d crossed the threshold she followed behind, closing the shop’s door before seeming to glide to a seat to watch the conversation unfold.

“Haven’t seen the Cartel take kids young as you in a while,” Hades growled out, seating himself at a desk that helped pass the sham of a legitimate storefront. “Why’re you looking for them?”

[member="Lok Munin"]​

 

[Lok Xiangu]

Lok saw how the man reacted when he saw the tattoo imprinted on his arm. The twitch of his eyebrows definitely told the Initiate that he knew the cartel gang whose banner was the one that Lok had. Either he was a part of the gang or did business with them. It'd be unfortunate for the man if the former was true because he would be a target for the Mandalorian that he would initiate vengeance on. However, that wouldn't be the case as Lok would soon find out that he was just an informant that probably wanted some credits out of this.

An exhale of relief came from the nostrils of the Initiate as the man confirmed that he did knew about this particular gang. Lok followed Hades inside the building as it was best to talk about this topic in somewhere closed off that no one else besides the trio could hear. He passed by the elegant woman and shot a glance of curiosity to her. Why would a classy and fancy woman like her being doing in these parts of Coruscant? Who knew, but he assumed she was contracting someone to assassinate a rival of hers, or something else that seemed diabolical.

He continued to stand when they entered the building and was approached by a question from the man. "That's funny. They usually use kids as a way to ship spice without getting busted by the authorities. And I'm just wanting to pay them a visit and see how things are," he replied back to the man. "You should know what I really mean though."

[member="Matsu Xiangu"]

 

[Matsu Xiangu]

Though Matsu had gone through many changes in the past 34 years, many of her tried-and-true methods of operation stayed very much the same. She’d held an iron grip on Coruscant as its ‘ruler’ in her days she held with the One Sith particularly because she could convincingly masquerade as someone who wasn’t hoarding an Undead army in the planet’s deepest layers, that she wasn’t experimenting on the homeless and those who wouldn’t be missed - on those who may once have been this boy’s friends. She was elegant and regal partly through habit and partly because without such an appearance she would never have risen to the sort of power she’d come to enjoy. That the mop-haired kid in front of them mistook her for a lady of leisure was only to be expected. If he’d occupied the lower levels of the planet he may never have seen her picture plastered on buildings and billboards, and she did not give off the impression of a Necromancer or Sith Sorceress. She remained quiet for the time being.

Hades’ expression didn’t change despite the delight of a potential answer to the latest underground dogfight. He considered the kid for a minute, pouring himself some whiskey before doing the same for the brown-haired boy and pushing the glass towards the edge of the desk. (Yes, Hades would have made a terrible father.)

“Listen, uh...I’m Hades Michae. Not sure if you’ve heard of the Coruscant Rotary Club,” (modesty - anyone involved in the Underground knew of the CRC’s grotesque dealings) “but the Cartel has been...overstepping its boundaries. I’ve had a few plans in the works, but your ‘meaning’ presents an interesting opportunity. I tell you what I know of their current operations, and you make sure to send them a message for me when you do whatever it is you’re planning on doing. Sound good?”

From her perch at the counter, Matsu smiled flashing filed canines sharp as a nexu’s.

“And I’ll help,” she finally spoke, a voice as smooth as sea-glass.

[member="Lok Munin"]​

 

[Lok Xiangu]

Did he drank alcohol? Of course, he does, but he wasn't a drunk. His adoptive father, Vilaz, was okay with Lok drinking alcohol but warned him that he if caught Lok being a drunk, then he would be punished as Vilaz didn't want his son to be like his deceased grandfather that he will never meet at all. And Lok couldn't blame Vilaz at all; after all, the harsh environment of the Underworld made him mature at a quick rate and knew the consequences of getting drunk. He would see drunken idiots, when he was still living in the Underworld, do the most idiotic things which would either seal their fate or be left with critical injuries that would leave them disabled or disoriented for the rest of their lives. If there's one thing that Lok gave credit to the Underworld, was that it made him have the mindset of a logical adult. Yes, he still acted like a child, as Allyson would say to him, but he would act serious when his life was involved in something very serious. Just like this one.

He grabbed the glass of whiskey and drank out of the cylinder glass. The strong taste of the liquor was something he was used to as him and his adoptive father would drink strong alcohol such as whiskey or bourbon. "I'm Lok Munin," Lok introduced his name to Hades as they exchanged names to each other. Whether the man or woman recognized his last name that belonged to Vilaz was something that neither he or Vilaz cared about. Indeed, Vilaz was quite the successful Bounty Hunter and Mercenary which got him a lot of pay from his missions and jobs. "I've heard the name, but not what it does. And I'd be more than grateful for your helo, Mister Hades. I've been wanting to stick the barrel of my pistol in their mouth for a good amount of time." Was Lok zealous? Yes, but that only applied to those who screwed around with him or those he cared about such as Allyson or Vilaz.

From the counter, he heard the elegant lady finally speaking and her voice was smooth and had style in it. But the Mandalorian was surprise to know that she wanted to help him on this act of revenge. "Wait, you know how to fight," the Initiate asked Matsu in a serious and surprised tone of voice. Even his face, that looked at Matsu, had a sense of surprised in its contents.

[member="Matsu Xiangu"]

 

[Matsu Xiangu]

That the CRC’s exact dealings were unclear was by design. Supplying both the most destitute of Coruscant’s bottom-feeders and the highest of its upper-crust, it was in the organization’s best interest to remain somewhat in the shadows. In truth, they had a finger in just about every pie from drugs to organ trade, money laundering to providing the best in mercenary protection. They’d found even greater success when several Sith Lords they provided services to funneled money in as contribution, Matsu among them. Hades and Matsu in particular had struck up a friendship built on mutual social strangeness.

Speaking of, the Sith Lady rested her chin on the back of one of her metal hands, still flashing the half-smile. “Oh, certainly,” she responded, though didn’t expound. No doubt Lok would soon find out for himself. “I’m Matsu Xiangu. Munin...hmm, any connection to Vilaz?” She couldn’t say she knew the man - they’d simply met in passing, the sort of battlefield nod of introduction one might share after a particularly grueling battle in which, for a moment at least, they’d been part of a team. And at least for her part, she had no problem with Mandalorians as many Sith did just on principle.

Hades didn’t care much about family lineage, instead rolling his shoulder slightly before downing his glass. Running his tongue over yellowed teeth, he finally spoke up again. “They’ve been hitting shipments we’ve been sending out to some of our wealthier clients, trying to steal the stuff inside. Sometimes they succeed, though we’ve beefed up security. I’m willing to set up something of a decoy. Easy enough to fake some good glitterstim. I’ll make sure my guys put on a good show of trying to stop them so they don’t get suspicious. You follow them to wherever the rats are hiding, do what you have to do, give them my message. If you kill all of them, just leave it on a piece of paper or something for their friends to find. I’m not picky.” He lit another cigarette. If Kranos found him smoking in the flower shop, he’d have one of his signature freak-attacks. But he didn’t care. “Sound good?”

[member="Lok Munin"]​

 

[Lok Xiangu]

The Mandalorian was still looking at Matsu and saw metal resting on her chin with still that smile. How did he not see that there when they met? Maybe it was because of the elegant clothing hiding the hand from plain sight? But what he could tell was those fingers were sharper than a Vornskr's teeth and, maybe, hiding some internal weapons in its contents. Most cybernetics had such systems and especially in theses advanced times that they were living in. But what really surprised him the most was when the woman revealed her name to him. That was a name that no one could forget of. "The Matsu Xiangu?" He never thought he would be this close in person to this infamous Sith Lord. She was well known by many for her diabolical usage of corpses and reanimating them into mindless undeads that would do her bidding and whim without any hesitation. Only a slug up to there head would cease them and allowing them to go back in their slumber that was disturbed by the power vested in Matsu. "Yeah, I'm his adoptive son," he said even more surprised as Matsu knew his adoptive father. Did he ever served her as a mercenary or just happened to meet at the wrong place, at the wrong time? That's something he would ask him sooner or later.

His attention went to Hades as he spoke up about the gang that Lok wanted vengeance on. A decoy would be more than enough to get the scumbags out from their nests. "Yeah, expect no survivors at all and if I'm in the mood, then their buddies will also have a blaster down their throat. But, yeah, that sounds pretty good." He took another sip of the whiskey after he gave his reply to Hades. He was warned that Lok would be very zealous on the gang and, if he felt like it, their allies as well. The Initiate assumed that Hades wouldn't mind by just knowing for these past couple of minutes. Nor would Matsu either due to her known history and background that the public eye knew of.

[member="Matsu Xiangu"]

 

[Matsu Xiangu]

There'd been a long period in her life where anonymity had suited her. She was a loner at best, a dangerous somewhat-misanthropist at worst. Eventually however, her friendships and ventures had shattered any hope she might have had at remaining under the radar. However it seemed there were corners of the earth which her visage did not reach, even if her reputation preceded her. She remained silent after the boy's question, though she at least offered a nod in answer - there would be time enough for them to talk if he wanted to.

"Works for me," Hades answered, shrugging and pouring himself another glass before seeming to finish it in one swallow. If one was looking closely, they may have seen the ghost of a smile on his prematurely weathered face. An Underworld native with pluck was perhaps one of the few things that pleased him. Turning his head to Matsu, he mulled over his thoughts. "You know which warehouse we've been fortifying?" Matsu nodded. "I'll have the decoy leave out of there in forty-five. The men won't be quiet about it, just enough noise to attract attention. Then you can follow the group that hits the decoy back to wherever they're holing up."

"Excellent," the Lady answered, turning her spider's gaze to Lok. "Shall we?"

___________________________________​

​

Half an hour later, the pair had found somewhere to hide themselves in shadows waiting for what would hopefully mark the arrival of their prey. She could feel and hear the thoughts of the men within the warehouse, well-paid and efficient, packing the decoy full of fake glitterstim to make tempting bait.

Matsu, inhabiting the cover of dark next to a near-stranger and a pleasant smile, liked silence. But she was curious, and there was time to kill.

"What does your father do? I only met him once when we were both fighting an abomination that had crossed in to this galaxy. I did not have a chance to speak with him, but I admired his creativity."

[member="Lok Munin"]​

 

[Lok Xiangu]

A nod was his only answer as Matsu confirmed Lok's question of her being the infamous Matsu Xiangu. He was both happy and afraid to have the Sith Lady help her to kill the men that ruined and traumatized Lok's childhood. By hearing the stories, she was a force to reckon with but forces like Matsu could not only hurt the enemies of her colleagues and associates but also her allies. That is if she knew her limits and could control that power within her. Having a an army of reanimated zombies sounded awesome, but what would happen if their minds were no longer controlled by Matsu? That answer would be run until you got to a safe checkpoint or bitten and turned. Nevertheless, he would trust Matsu and her extreme usage of the Force.

He nodded to Hades and took another sip which left the glass full of air as he drank the remaining volume of liquor. The Initiate was glad to hear that Hades didn't cared at all if Lok became zealous and slaughter the former cartel ring he was once affiliated with and its allies, and if Hades said otherwise, then that wouldn't stop the Mandalorian from fulfilling his absolute revenge. "F'sure," the young Mandalorian said to his Sith companion and left the building with Hades left in it.

Thirty minutes had passed and the two figures hid somewhere in the dark and waited for their expected prey. His hands were on the Czerka machine gun which had a magazine full of BANG slugs and his holster had a Mandal Tech pistol. His head, concealed by his helmet, turned to the Sith Lady as she asked him about his adoptive father. "My dad's a bounty hunter and mercenary. Works his butt off everyday for the heck of it, and he told me about that monster you guys faced. He said it was the first time since he was afraid of something." He then asked the Sith Lady a daring joke. "You want his number?" He hoped that the Sith Lady wouldn't...take it too seriously.

[member="Matsu Xiangu"]

 

[Matsu Xiangu]

Spoiler

You are the most patient person on the planet, and you should probably be sainted. Please accept this GIF and our future asskicking posts as my apology.

When Munin cracked a joke a slip of surprise was seen in the fluttering of her eyelashes before she let out a quiet laugh. “No, no - I’m sure I could find him again if I wanted to,” she said, something that should have probably sounded threatening coming from a Sith Lord - especially in regards to a Mandalorian. But it merely sounded like she’d look him up in a phonebook to discuss what a small galaxy it truly was. “Nice offer though.”

She made it a habit not to root around in someone else’s head unless they weren’t directly engaged in something with her or she needed whatever information she sought more than she cared to work for it. There was something to be said for practicing the skills of persuasion even if one had Matsu’s power of finding the answer right in the place where it was supposed to be safest. If she simply used mentalism to get everything she wanted she was not only overtaxing herself and her connection to the Force, but foregoing the opportunity to develop her social skills. And weren’t those important, as a Sith Lord? Okay, maybe not. But it made sense to her.

So when another thought popped in to her head, she asked instead of poking around for the answer.

“Why aren’t you with him? Surely he isn’t boring,” she questioned, implying whatever Mando adventures Vilaz was occupied with had to be entertaining enough to keep Lok away from Coruscant.

___________​

Within a few minutes, the warehouse doors hissed open to reveal discreetly packed cargo speeders that slid from the building with as much hush as the mechanical beasts were capable of. A few seconds in the dark and a Sith and Mandalorian pair slid from the dark as well to tail the decoys. The group they sought to draw out of hiding was not shy, but neither were they stupid. They didn’t attack immediately though Matsu could feel that niggling sense of warning that signaled their arrival as they gathered to hit the decoy caravan.

When they finally burst from the shadows, blurs on speeders with blasters and energy weapons, Matsu stayed back like any other suitably concerned onlooker of Coruscant’s underbelly. But she watched, controlling the urge to gut each attacker from throat to groin for attacking Hades’ business and consequently her own livelihood.

It didn’t take them long to do their work, stealing the speeders themselves for easier transport.

She didn’t have to be able to read minds to know that Lok was more than prepared, the two tailing the thieves towards whatever place of ill-repute they called their base.

[member="Lok Munin"]​

 

[Lok Xiangu]

Spoiler

*gasps* A Walking Dead gif! And thank you for the compliment! I knew one day you'd post back to me! And no need to apologize! The post and the gig are enough! <3

The youngster was taken by surprise when this infamous Sith Lord that was near to him let out a quiet laugh. He honestly thought that someone like Matau would show some sense of humor from a joke like that. Indeed, he thought he would be countered by a menacing threat or a harsh insult, but not from this Sith Lady. Maybe she still had positive feelings? Maybe she wasn't as bloodlust as Darth Vornskr and just full of insidious ideas? Maybe she was just a person that was just trying to survive this 'verse and making it to the top of the food chain? He didn't know, but his money was on the latter.

"Oh, um, no problem," the Mandalorian said with a tone of surprise in his dialogue. Maybe in the near future he'd asked her about herself, as he was curious especially at his age about the Sith that he was with.

"He's not boring. He's just overprotective and barely let's me join him on some dangerous, fun missions. I can't really blame him cause I'm the only family he's got," he said, explaining to Matsu why he was here and not some crazy adventure with his adopted father.

Minutes later the the caravan that was actually a decoy cane out from the warehouse and began its march to exactly no where. The duo began to follow it, but from a distance as they didn't want their expected raiders to attack them during the hit-and-go operation. Suddenly, they came out from their nest and attacked the decoy swiftly. He washed enter do their work just like the other few bystanders that were witnessing the robbery. It was just another day in the Underworld of Coruscant to them, and just went along to do their business as they got a good glance of the violence that was taking place right now.

After the thieves were done with their task, they would head back to their lair with no promised treasures that they obtained from the caravan of Hades'. They would also be the bread crumbs for the Mandalorian and the Sith Lady to follow and unleash wrath and fury on the entire gang that Lok used to pertain to.

[member="Matsu Xiangu"]

 

[Matsu Xiangu]

If Vilaz Munin was ‘overprotective’, Matsu imagined she’d have one pissed Mandalorian on her hands if he ever learned about the plot in which his adoptive son and the Sith lady were entangled. Upon reaching the warehouse her assumption that the gang against which they were pitting themselves was large became all but confirmed. Warehouse doors rattled open to permit the members on their stolen speeders, Matsu and Lok once again finding a place off in the shadows to observe. A homeless woman gave them a dirty look as they unceremoniously occupied her alley but was otherwise nonplussed. More than a few guards milled around outside the compound, walking back and forth on predictable paths of observation against would-be intruders.

As with all places there had to be a back way in, but the question was whether they wanted to search for it. Leaving the guards alone and sneaking in presented the dangerous possibility of the gang more easily alerting back-up once the slaughter began inside, and there were already quite a few of them. Eliminating them now meant a clear front. The answer came quickly then.

“I’ll take care of the guards,” Matsu said, slinking out of the shadows.

She was rather unassuming at just a little over five feet tall and impossibly delicate, but she walked as if she owned the ground over which she glided. The guards took notice and though they did not see any immediate threat in her they called for her to halt anyway. She didn’t. They warned her again. She didn’t stop. It was a gamble - there were too many guards for her to wrangle their minds all at once even though none of them seemed to have the Force. But she’d learned that strong emotion made a potential victim more vulnerable and making them panic was the key. Eventually one of them shot at her, a blaster bolt she caught on the black phrik-laced metal of her arms blocking its aim. Then they panicked.

A base emotion, fear was the easiest for her to feed on and manipulate. It left holes, little places where she could crawl in and take hold. Within moments each of the men turned their blasters on themselves and took a shot, dropping where they stood.

She could feel unrest in the building - the time for stealth was over.

[member="Lok Munin"]​

 

[Lok Xiangu]

Lok had no knowledge of how a Sith Lady like Mastu made her entrances and appearances to those that were in her path of her goals and objectives. Of course, he believed in the stereotype of a Sith going in and slash some guards with her lightsaber, shock the feth out of a couple with Force Lightning, and finish the rest off with a Force Choke. There were other stereotypes such as using telekinesis on a Sith's enemies, but he always believed in the former. Not paying any mind to a homeless woman, but he did gave her a glare with his helmet on. A glare that would send a message of that if she did anything smart around him, then she would be another soul that Lok would have to eliminate. The Mandalorian would focus on his partner-in-crime and witness exactly how she would deal with the guards that were outside of the warehouse they were led to.

He was somewhat surprised that Matsu just walked up to the guards and the warehouse without even attacking first. The guards demanded her twice to get lost, but Lok knew that this particular Sith Lady wasn't going to budge at the demands of these lowlife gangsters. Not surprised, one shot a plasma bolt at the Sith, however, there was no pain coming from Matsu as her arm was metal and not organic. And just from that shot, the men suddenly turned their blasters at each other and killed one another.

Lok was absolutely surprised.

He jogged to the Sith Lady and began with a, "I wasn't expecting that. Really wicked. How did you do that?" A compliment and a question of curiosity to his companion. He may not be a wielder of the Force, but he was at the age in which he was curious of how things work and what you needed to do such things.

[member="Matsu Xiangu"]

 

[Matsu Xiangu]

Time and use had seen fit to catch up with Matsu in the same way it warped all those who touched dark magic, though to her credit - or perhaps arrogance - she had managed to meter herself enough to avoid the toad-like appearance of Palpatine and his ilk. Maybe someday she would crumble, but for now the influence of her power simply served to make her look more alien; sharp, angular, made of glass perhaps. When Lok pulled up at her side the amber had just creeped in to the black of her irises, a swirling mixture of red and orange.

Typically, she did not enjoy the company of children. But there was also something to be said for the fearless curiosity so many of them seemed to have. Being universally feared got utterly boring and sometimes Matsu enjoyed having to prove herself again, or merely being able to speak to someone who wasn’t constantly trying to make sure they didn’t make her angry. Munin’s blunt questioning of her ability was refreshing. She offered another little smile.

“I took their minds,” she answered. “None of these men are particularly smart, so it was fairly simple.”

Are. As if they were still alive. And to Matsu they were in a sense - the line between life and death had started to blur for her.

Closing her eyes, she recited the most familiar of her learned sorcery and opened them again on the men who hadn’t destroyed their brains during the shooting lifting themselves from the ground. Their first undead instinct was to attack Lok, but she quelled them with a twitch of her connection to them, directing them instead to shuffle towards the doors that would allow Lok and Matsu in through the side of the warehouse. This served three purposes: get them inside the building quietly, provide an excellent confusion tactic when their dead gang members came in and started killing the living, and move the bodies off the street to avoid suspicion.

Though useful, the Undead had little brain power and therefore it was Matsu that plucked the keycard from one of their pockets, ignoring a growl of interest as it sniffed at her. Once she’d opened the side entrance and the zombies had streamed in ahead of them, she bowed to Lok and gestured to the open door. “After you.”

[member="Lok Munin"]​

 

[Lok Xiangu]

He saw the little smile that she offered to him, and he grinned back at her but his helmet hid away all the emotions that were on his face. He thought that maybe she wasn't that bad at all. Sure, he heard the stories and reports of this infamous Sith Lady and admitted that the things that she had done were pretty intense and terrible. But who really hasn't done bad things? Even the Jedi had done things that were questionable by the public. Hell, he was about to do something cruel and dark, but he had a reason why he was going to kill the people of the gang he once belonged to before he was found by Vilaz. And that reason was to exact justice to his former gang members. Justice for them abusing him. Besides, he'd be doing a favor to the authorities and to people like Hades.

"Oh, wow. That's pretty cool. I didn't know you could do something like that or anyone else with the Force," he said to companion, not catching the fact that the guards were still alive and breathing. Then a sinister, yet incredible thing happened before his eyes. The guards became the undead and Lok jumped back as they intended to attack him and eat him alive; however, their wanting to feast on his body was take away from them as they listened to their master which was Matsu. "That was a good scare jump," the Mandalorian said to the Sith Lady in an uneasy voice due to the zombies almost assaulting him. Knowing that they were under control by the talented necromamcer, he returned back to a calm state and trusted the Sith Lady that the undead gang members wouldn't attack him.

While the zombies wouldn't be eating the contents of the youngster they would have their dinner which awaited them within the warehouse. The doors opened and all hell broke loose as the zombies sprinted to search their meal. Before the duo entered the Sith Lady bowed and gestured for Lok to enter first. Being the jokester he was, he responded in a formal manner which went along the lines of, "Oh, why thank you, madam," and then entered the interior of the warehouse. Screaming and pleading for help and mercy was all that could be heard. Hearing this put a delightful smile on his face.

[member="Matsu Xiangu"]

 

[Matsu Xiangu]

Matsu needed a reason for her violence. Whether that reason was good was thoroughly debatable, but she wasn’t mindless. Sometimes that translated to seeming gentleness and in truth she wasn’t the draconic stereotype of her kind - she allowed humor and even affection when called for. But if someone gave her a reason, there were few enemies as terrible. Lok had given her no reason to dislike him, but the gang members inside the warehouse had threatened her business transactions. That must be punished.

She shook her head in amusement when he quipped right back at her, following him in to the warehouse where bullets and gore had already painted the walls. A few of the zombies she created were already down, the other four tearing at a man who’d recently stopped struggling. Soon he would rise too as long as her creatures didn’t peel back viscera and bone to snack on his brain. Not that there would be much there. Their calm was short-lived though it had lasted longer than she’d expected. The gang was obviously massive considering the size of the hauls they felt safe stealing, and even the number of live beings she could sense in the warehouse there had to be more of their kind throughout the city-planet. If that was the case, she would need to leave behind something that would scare the rest of their group enough to put them down. Hopefully their leader was about.

Suddenly from behind a stack of crates no doubt filled with another dealer’s stolen goods came a man bloodied and dressed in black. He was making a beeline right for Lok, his face twisted in a dangerous snarl. “You little shit…” escaped his mouth in a hiss, a blaster leveled at Munin’s face.

Reaching out with a more complicated twist of her mind, she froze him in place. Panic screamed from his eyes, the only thing that could move in a body otherwise paralyzed by her iron grip on his nervous system. “A close friend of yours?” she asked the boy at her side. She had no wish to control the revenge, fun, or whatever noun he might have chosen to describe his intent - he merely had to say the word and she would release the first of dozens of angry gang members. In fact, she was eager.

[member="Lok Munin"]​

 

[Lok Xiangu]

The duo spectated the massacre in which Matsu unleashed in the warehouse. While Lok would love to kill a couple of gang members, this was actually more fun and delightful for him. Now that he thought of it, it took out the fun if he just put a slug between the eyes of those he sought to exact revenge on. Ending their lives without applying pain and torture to them was like he was showing mercy to them. A lesson that was indirectly taught to him by Matsu and horde of zombies. The youngster observed and watched as a group of four zombies dined on the body of a gangster. The man screamed in agony and yelled for help; he cried tears of sorrow; and he had a face that just begged and pleaded to just end him so that the pain could go away. Unfortunately for him, he would not be granted the wish to die and go away to a realm where the concept of pain didn't exist. No, he would feel the pain until he died and once there wasn't a single pulse from his body, the man would turn and become into a monstrosity that find piece if given a fatal blow to the head.

Now that was something he wished upon the gang he once belonged to, not a silver bullet to their heads.

All of a sudden a man emerged from a stack of crates all dressed in black and painted in blood. He headed straight towards the Mandalorian and the Sith Lady, but his true intention was to shoot Lok with a blaster that was aimed directly to the Munin. The boy thought the trigger was pulled and a projectile of plasma was shot at his face. To his surprisement, nothing happened as the man was paralyzed and stood where he stand like a statue. lol assumed that this was the work of Matsu's powers.

The Sith Lady then asked him if he once knew this man. The Mandalorian took a good, long look at him and remembered who exactly the gangster was. Oh, he wouldn't forget even if he wanted to. "He used to be my boss," The Munin said to Matsu and then took of his helmet so that his old boss and him could see each other face-to-face. "Hey, there, Layden. How you've been?" Of course the man wouldn't be able to speak, but he could see the response from his eyes which were ones in surprise and fear. The boy turned his attention to Matsua and said, "You wanna have some fun with him?"

[member="Matsu Xiangu"]

 

[Matsu Xiangu]

For a moment she felt like a kid in a candy shop, Lok offering his former boss up on a platter like hors d'oeuvres at one of hundreds of swanky parties Matsu used to attend in her One Sith days. However the prospect of a mind completely at her disposal was infinitely more appealing. She tilted her head at the boy, gaze insectile and calculating though it was tempered by a smile far too wicked on a face she usually kept expressionless. What could she say? He was a delightful creature.

“I’d hate to rob you of revenge,” she said quietly, turning her gaze to look over the inside of the warehouse as she felt other gang members close by. There were still dozens of them but they remained hidden as their ringleader stood motionless in Matsu’s grasp, unsure of how to proceed. Cut the head off and the rest of the body dies. How utterly predictable. They would wait to assess the situation before coming any further, reluctant to brave the zombies below on top of the fear of their former member and his Sith companion, leaving her to toy with Layden as a spider let its victim exhaust itself in its web. “But perhaps just a little.”

A heartbeat passed where it seemed she was doing nothing, her gaze locked on a random steel beam holding up the second floor as if reading something in the air.

“Do you want to know what he’s afraid of?” she asked quietly, sounding rapturous - a snake tasting the air before striking. “Sometimes at night he dreams of something he saw as a child, a mugging. It haunts him.”

Though Lok would not be able to see the illusion Matsu built in Layden’s mind, its effects could plainly be seen for anyone with eyes. Slowly she morphed her own face in to that of the woman Layden couldn’t forget. He’d been so very young and Coruscant’s violence hadn’t yet soured his innocence. The men who’d assaulted her had cut her up, a horrifying array of slices criss-crossing what once must have been a beautiful face. Though she’d taken a shine to necromancy, illusions were her first love, and her crafting was a thing of art. Down to the smells he was back in that alleyway from his childhood, smelling rancid meat and stale cigarette smoke, watching that poor woman struggling in the steam pouring out of the sewers. Hands over her face, Matsu stumbled over to him just as he remembered in his nightmares, begging for help only to pull delicate fingers from over the ruin of her eyes.

“HELP ME! Help me, I can’t see!”

Blood had been everywhere and when she’d reached out for his help she’d gotten it all over him, its scent heady and metallic and overwhelming.

“STOP, STOP IT PLEASE!” he screamed, backing away from the vision Matsu had created now that she’d released him. “I CAN’T HELP YOU! I can’t help you!”

When she finally released him and stepped back he was cowering on the floor, hands over his head as if that would keep her out. After a moment he regained enough strength to glare at Lok as he pulled himself together, his voice ragged as he spat venom at the boy. “Is this the company you’re keeping now? And you have the nerve to come back here?”

[member="Lok Munin"]​