Hearts of Stone

[Daxton Bane]

The Gamorrans grunted as they heaved the large carbonite sculpture into place, damn thing seemed to weigh a ton and was ugly as hell to boot. That was saying a lot considering Gamorrans weren’t the height of fashion or looks by a long shot. But still the credits were good and if some fool was willing to spend that a small fortune on such a hedious piece, well the pig like humanoids wishes them all the best.

Several humanoids entered the room, carrying with them complex looking machines as the laborers were shooed out the door to get paid. Scanning the readings they confirmed that the specimen inside was perfectly frozen, taking into consideration the damage done prior to freezing.

Their patron listened with keen interest before instructing them to begin the thawing process. Droids wheeled in a free standing bacta tank and positioned themselves to catch the subject once the thawing process was complete and insert him into the healing waters to begin his recovery.

All the while eyes burning orange red in intensity watched the reanimation of [member="Volgang Hawool"] with more than key interest. The master smile as he considered how this new pawn would once again chance the nature of the game.

 

[Volgang Hawool]

The battle was fierce, a Shistavanen stared down at a man whom he once would've considered his ally, and his young apprentice. Lightsaers ignited, they had so far dueled all over the ancient Sith temple. The treasures that lay within were for his taking, and these two sanctimonious Jedi now dared to stand in his way.

A nearly flawless team, these two Jedi gave the Shistavanen a run for his money in terms of combat prowess. The older human Jedi Master had apparently trained his padawan well, as the Iktotchi apprentice relied little on his master during the duel. Together they had managed to distract him in one defining moment of arrogance, a moment that cost him an arm and a leg in a literal sense.

Working together they had managed to sever two of his limbs, as well as cause serious damage to his spine. When the Shistavanen next awoke, he found himself restrained and standing before the Jedi council he once served.

"For crimes against the Jedi Order, betrayal of the code you once swore to uphold, atrocities committed on several star systems, countless innocents slain by your hands both civilian and Jedi alike.......and by attempting to blatantly join the Sith in a bid to destroy us all.......we hereby sentence you, Volgang Hawool, fallen Jedi Master....to incarceration by deep freezing, where you will hurt no more the galaxy........"

They had all decided his guilt unanimously and had condemned him.

Staring down the two Jedi responsible for his humilation, dismemberment, capture, and now imprisonment, he roared in anger as he was lowered into the chamber. Using telepathy to scream his outrage, he sent a final rant to his main adversary.

"This is not the end, Deo-Law..........I will have my vengeance, I swear it.........no matter that it takes an eternity.....................YOU WILL FEEL MY WRATH...............IF NOT YOU.................THEN ONE DAY, YOUR HEIRS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" His last words echoing through the Force, an echo that rang strong.


This was the scenario that played over and over again in Volgang's mind, the part that was still active. How long had he spent inside this prison? How long would he spend in this prison? These questions plagued him as he was suddenly snapped out of his stifled penance. He had been released and was now being placed inside a bacta tank. His senses were impaired, and would require time to recover, the answers would come soon enough.

Having been released, a new thought plagued his mind.......... keeping a promise.........

 

[Daxton Bane]

Dozens of medical droids worked on the unconscious being in front of them, the benefit of mechanical assistance was they never questioned the logic of attaching cybernetic limbs when modern technology could potentially regrow organic ones. Nor did they question the wisdom of freeing someone that was clearly imprisoned for a reason.

They focused on the task at hand, rebuilding the broken body giving it potential to renew itself once again. Once they were done, the creature was placed again in a fresh bacta tank filled with stims and sedatives to speed up the healing process, while reliving his past through a long dream state.

Dozens come to observe and watch but none dare to revive him before his body had time to heal. Now it was a matter of the subject wanting to return to the waking world of their own accord or perhaps continue the nightmare of the unending dream.

[member="Volgang Hawool"]

 

[Volgang Hawool]

The nightmare in which he found himself helpless in his rage suddenly subsided as he felt himself released from his limbo. Volgang had been freed from carbonite, and the fact that he was now being rebuilt and receiving medical attention only indicated that his release was not an accident.

While Volgang could feel that he had been sedated, and was resting comfortably, it did nothing to quell the sensation of his body being rebuilt. Instead of ignoring the pain, however, Volgang instead embraced it, using that pain to fuel his rage. The pull back to the world of the living was too overwhelming to ignore, though he forced himself to calm down as the work being done on his spine was affecting his entire nervous system.

Who was his benefactor? Why had he been released? The answers would come in due time......

Time knew no measurement as he felt his body being restored and repaired. Soon enough his prosthetics had been completed and his strength was mostly replenished. This was the moment when he forced his eyes to snap open, and take a good look at his surroundings as well as those responsible for his reanimation.

Writhing with desire for release, Volgang subconsciously sent a shockwave throughout the entire chamber. The shockwave was small, yet it was powerful enough to slightly crack the walls of the bacta tank he found himself in as well as crush several of the smaller medical droids that were monitoring him.

Volgang Hawool had returned at last, and he was not to be denied.

[member="Daxton Bane"]

 

[Daxton Bane]

[member="Volgang Hawool"] would hear tapping through the glass and were he able to open his eyes in the murky water of the bact tank he would see a blurred humanoid figure on the other side. The pinched human face was gazing at him with equal parts curiousity and restraint, its brow furrowed in a frown, it spoke through the communicator.

“Had your fun? Those were very expensive droids you had wrecked but dont worry they can be replaced. Since you are awake give me an indication you are ready to get out of there so that we might have ourselves civilized discussion,yes?”

 

[Volgang Hawool]

In the midst of his inner anguish and desire for release, Volgang caught wind of an undeniable presence in the Force. It was more than plausible to deduce that this was, in fact, the one responsible for his good fortune.

Recovering himself, Volgang's eyes snapped open as the shockwave and its after effects instantly receded. Now he emitted a controlled serenity, albeit a reluctant one as he now saw for the first time a silhouette of his benefactor.

Lowering his arms within the bacta tank, Volgang bowed his head as far as he could in a gesture of gratitude as he awaited his release.

While Volgang's fury knew no limit, a moment of feigned control could be spared.... It would be, after all, a small price to pay.

[member="Daxton Bane"]

 

[Daxton Bane]

At a signal from his benefactor, the tank was drained before a pair of medical droids did a routine scan and then departed. Fresh warm towels and a change of dry clothes were offered by a protocol droid for the guest’s convinience. His host was an Utapaun with ash grey skin, sharp feral teeth and richly colored red and green robe, poured them a drink from an crystal glass filled with a golden amber liquid and said, “A human single malt whiskey also takes the edge off the cold. Come and have a glass with me. You see we acquired your prison at great trouble and expense because we saw a great injustice was done. Do you remember why you were placed in such an undignified state?”

[member="Volgang Hawool"]

 

[Volgang Hawool]

The feigned restraint would have to be prolonged as the tank he found himself in was drained, and was now standing face to face with his benefactor. Looking over at the protocol droid as he lay out a towel and clothing for him, Volgang graciously took the towel and began to dry himself off, though slowly and with care as his eyesight was not at its prime yet.

As the Utapaun spoke, Volgang's sight began to fully correct itself and he then started to dress.

"Aqcuired my prison, you say? I was placed in here by one who could not see past his limiting biase.......... While I am................ grateful beyond measure for having me both released and restored....... I would like to know one thing,,,,,, what era are we in?"

This would help Volgang to realize where and when he found himself, and what course of action to take next.

[member="Daxton Bane"]

 

[Daxton Bane]

“It is currently 852 ABY. You currently in one of our asteroid research stations on the Outer Rim, to allow you to recover and recuperate from your involuntary confinement away from prying eyes who might wish to inform your enemies of your revival. We have assumed you would wish to be updated on the latest news in the galaxy, yes?” The creature asked [member="Volgang Hawool"] with no small amusement as if it were relishing the chaos that would be unleashed once the Sith Lord was fully recovered.

 

[Volgang Hawool]

The mention of the era caused Volgang a considerable amount of discomfort, for with even a tenth of the time that had lapsed between his imprisonment and release this automatically meant that he was deprived of his opportunity for vengenace.

"Given the time gone, whatever adversaried I may have had are long dead........... Though your offer to update me on current events is most appreciated...."

Volgang slowly took the glass offered to him and relished in the feel of the liquor's taste.

"I can only assume that there have been numerous wars between the Jedi and Sith since the time of the Jedi Civil War, and that the galaxy is still at peril...... such events will neither change nor cease to exist.... Though perhaps it may be easier or far more interesting to continue amassing my wealth and regain my power in this time....."

This he pondered as he enjoyed his drink.

[member="Daxton Bane"]

 

[Daxton Bane]

“The more things change, the more they say the same, faces and names come and go but the nature of the Force remains the same. No one side really has an advantage, nor should it ever. Which brings us to our current situation, the dark side is lacking personality. Plenty are posers with no real skill or motivation outside of petty ambitions, you are different. We believe you hold the potential to bring the Dark Side to a new heights, starting off with revenge on those who placed you in such an ignoble captivity. Establishing a power base and means for your revenge will naturally be supported as serves our ends as well to stir the pot and keep it at a boil than to let it simmer and burn at a pointless end. What resources would you need to start, if I may be so bold as to ask.”

[member="Volgang Hawool"]

 

[Volgang Hawool]

"You make a compelling point............ The Force and those who are trained in its ways will always be at odds, until the end of time...... if such an event were to ever occur....... Unlike my contemporaries who only desired to use the Force in a fashion that was boringly austere and limiting, I broke away from such a fickle path and resolved to forge my own destiny in which wealth and power would be mine for the taking........."

Volgang paused to drink from his glass.

"Alas, in this era my enemies are gone, beyond my reach............... Deo-Law Navras, and his apprentice Tehlo-Rix Altor......... They were responsible for my eons of languish...... A true pity that they will not bear witness to my return..... Although......."

Volgang drank once more.

"I am curious as to whether or not they have any family left............."

Volgang smiled as the request had resonated with his words long ago. He had promised Deo-Law and Tehlo-Rix that their descendants would be his victims if not them.

Volgang would not be called a liar.

[member="Daxton Bane"]

 

[Daxton Bane]

“What if they did?” The man gave voice to the thought circling unsaid, “vengence denied, is an ill form of justice in need. Make no mistake there are no shortages of enemies in the here and now. But a chance to even the scales should never be overlooked, wouldn’t you agree?”

[member="Volgang Hawool"]