Into The Palace (Open to One Sith)

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OOC: The Holocron of Darth Krayt was stolen from the Jedi Temple on Ossus in the skirmish. Graxin was tasked by the High Council with retrieving it, and I have spoken with the writer who took the holocron personally. Feel free to join if being near/in the Imperial Palace would be viable. END OOC


Graxin had never seen Coruscant before Sith rule, but he doubted it looked very different. The city planet was orderly above, and chaotic below. Most of the inhabitants didn't seem to care who was in charge so long as they had a paycheck and were left to themselves. The Republic would never see it that way, of course, and Graxin was not one for political regimes.

He just wanted the damned holocron back.

A few days of plundering the archives and some hands on searching had led him to believe the holocron would be held within the Imperial Palace. In short, this mission was designed to have him killed. Storming the palace was impossible, and sneaking in would be extremely difficult.

It had been a laborious task just to get planet side without being discovered. Making his way in undetected would be little less than fatal. Still, he had to try, otherwise he could never show his face in the Jedi Temple again. There was no other path to take.

For all intents and purposes, he looked to be any average technician. His hair had been cut short, his beard trimmed. He wore the standard gray of the crew he was supposedly contracted with. A small yellow box hung from his fingers. The contents within were his twin lightsabers encased in larger metal shells to make them look like flashlights.

He smiled and nodded as the crew he was assigned to began to make their way toward Palace. Graxin had not a clue as to what kind of gatekeepers they had outside the doors. If his I.D pass failed, then he supposed that it simply did not matter.

With a deep breath and a gathering of his courage, Graxin marched onward beside his fellow workers toward the doors.

 

[Sheff Zee]

The Sith Knight, Darth Acarus stood at the top of the steps that would lead the technicians into the Imperial Palace. He was there to meet his Apprentice, Metus, a new addition to the One Sith's Acolytes, but he was untested, unskilled, never even used the Force as far as Malphas knew and because of that training him would be a definite challenge.

At the bottom of the steps were a group of people heading towards the the Imperial Palace.

Who are those people? Why are they here? Weaklings...

The Sith Pureblood was cloaked by his standard blacks, a durasteel helmet concealed his facial features and the aforementioned cloak acted as a hood over it, underneath those he bore Vonduun Skerr Draxus armour. It fit him perfectly, as if it was waiting to find him.

It was his armour.

"Who are you and what do you want?"

He stood at the top of the steps and looked down to them.

[member="Graxin Rade"]

 

[Raijin Arashi]

I heard the Knight, [member="Darth Acarus"], call some challenge to an approaching group of beings. Stepping out from behind a pillar, I activated my (still pink, damn it!) lightsaber and pointed the tip of the blade at the people who were approaching. His hood hid his face, just as my jacket and hat hid my head and body.

I called out to the group

"If you don't have business here, you should get going before I get angry. It won't be pretty."

[member="Darth Acarus"]

 

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Graxin remained silent. He was not apart of the crew, and it would seem rather suspiscious if one of the new guys were to come to the team's defense.

Instead, a portly Twi'lek strode forward. He wore a bright yellow jumpsuit, and his blue skin was wrinkled with age. A well meaning, if not slightly frightened smile was worn on his elderly face. "Just here for clean up m'lords." He assured.

The Twi'lek and the rest of the team produced identification cards. Graxin did the same. The Twi'lek walked up to [member="Darth Acarus"] and held the card out for easy viewing. "Technicians is what we are. We're paid to maintain stuff like this." He waved a green hand toward the building. "I don't figure the Sith like fixing broken door mechanisms, eh?"

Graxin held his tongue. He felt the need to speak, but doing so could very well endanger what he was trying to do. The holocron was within, he just knew it. His amber gaze drifted over the Sith and [member="Bond"] . The pink lightsaber was certainly odd.

He focused on looking like a normal disgruntled worker. His head was tilted slightly toward the ground, and curses were muttered under his breath just like those with him. It was a convincing show.

 

[Sheff Zee]

Darth Acarus's teeth grated when [member="Bond"] drew out his lightsaber.

"Put that away," he snapped without looking over his shoulder at the Sith Acolyte. Yeah, they were Sith, but who was going to be scared of a Sith Acolyte anyway? Acarus glanced over his shoulder to make sure the Shard had done it before turning around to set his gaze upon [member="Graxin Rade"] and his group.

Malphas didn't even take a moment to look at the identification codes, he didn't care for them.

"So you assumed that the Imperial Palace needed to be maintained? You were not scheduled." The Sith Knight stated tilting his head to the side as if daring them to question him. His standard size without boots or his armour on was six foot six, he could only imagine how tall he seemed when he was garbed in his armour. "The Imperial Palace has it's own repair droids."

"Go inside, Acolyte." He turned his head to make sure the Acolyte was doing as he was told. "And watch."

In what appeared to be a moment the Sith Knight's lightsaber was in his hand and pointing at the group. "Leave, or die. You are not needed here."

Is this some trick? Or are they truly so interested to see what the Imperial Palace looks like on the inside?

 

[Raijin Arashi]

I stepped backwards into the doorway of the temple, still holding my deactivated lightsaber. [member="Darth Acarus"] turned back to the crowd. Why were they here? What exactly would they possibly get, when Sith were watching at every turn?

 

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There was no other way in. Absolutely none. He could not just slip in through the back--Imperial security was not something one could just bypass. Coming back another day would give them even more time to decipher the holocron.

Repay the debt.

The Twi'lek opened his mouth to speak, but no words came about. He just shook his head, and motioned for the others to leave, and they did. All but one. The Council had known this was suicidal. They wanted him out of the way, he was a nuisance. A child they did not have the time to care for. He couldn't find it in himself to disagree.

The box clicked open and clattered down to the dull metal walkway. The man holding the box had begun sprinting for the door with two cylinders in his hands. Those hands, one gnarled and scarred by flames long since doused, rushed forward.

The wall of telekinetic energy that sprang from his fingers was not something to be taken lightly. The workers quickly vacated the area, and passerbys turned to watch. Graxin charged the doors, and [member="Darth Acarus"] by extension. The wall of energy preceded him, and if all went well, would knock the Sith back long enough for him to enter the palace.

There would be no victory here, but if he focused and moved quickly, perhaps, just perhaps, he could destroy the holocron before being struck down.

[member="Bond"]

 

[Sheff Zee]

They all left except one.

Darth Acarus felt as if time slowed down as the box fell and the technician moved. He took note of the items in his hand and then his own right hand snapped out towards [member="Graxin Rade"] to provide a buffer against his own force push. It had been a hasty defense, not something that could compare against the prepared force push, but it wasn't enough to throw him flying backwards.

Instead, he slid nearly a foot backwards and then he was ready.

Snap-Hiss.

His right hand was placed upon the small of his back so that he could remain as a smaller target, but he was still in front of the doors and thus at the top of the steps. The man would have to fight upwards for a few moments.

"Do not intervene." He said just loud enough for [member="Bond"] to hear, and then he engaged the Jedi, taking two few steps down the stairs and slashing at his chest area.

 

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Shab.

He hadn't been quick enough. The doorway was just beyond his reach and this...this thing was in his way. He was not going to die on the front door.

"Move." He commanded as the twin blades sprang to life. One a sharp orange, the other a comforting cyan. The cyan rose to deflect the blow. Oddly enough, the Sith only used one hand, and saved Graxin a fall back down the stairs. Still, the Sith had height here, and he was forced to give up a step.

The orange weapon screamed for the Sith's striking arm as Graxin's defense began to falter.

[member="Darth Acarus"]

 

[Sheff Zee]

He saw his opportunity.

The Jedi parried his slash at his chest area, which was good, it left his other hand as an obvious attack. Unfortunately for the Jedi, Malphas used his left hand which provided a disadvantage for many opponents who encountered him, and when he took notice of the lightsaber descending upon his arm, his right hand finally drew the shotosaber on the small of his back.

The trap snapped shut.

The shotosaber's crimson beam ignited as soon as his right arm started to move with a blinding speed towards the side of the Jedi Knight. It wasn't enough to kill him sadly, although he was actually in the position of splitting him in half, no, instead he wanted to have a bit of a game with his enemy who happened to have a disadvantage.

Bending his lightsaber arm so that he was continuing to press upon [member="Graxin Rade"]'s defense and angling his body away so that when the lightsaber descended upon his arm was met with the armour of the Vonduun Draxus, and it held strong against the lightsaber.

 

[Grrwunhoooll Agaburry]

Kezeroth had been closeby when he saw [member="Darth Acarus"] chase something, The Imperial Palace was a place he didnt like as much. It was too fancy and breakable surly he a 8'5ft Gen'Dai would not fit in well but Kezeroth was itching for some combat or something. Watching the Sith fight someone Kezeroth slowly took some steps up to the Imperial Palace, It looked like some action would find him. Kezeroth was cloaked in a giant robe that bore holes and charred cloth all over, the holes showed some Red Armor with the ancient Old Sith Marks. On the Gen'Dais back under his robe was his Light-Pike which shined slightly if seen through a hole. Comeing to a Stop Kezeroth crossed his arms and growled baring his large fangs and teeth at the two in combat, his eyes were the standard darksider eyes. Eyes of menace.

Kezeroth pondered to him self who this other combatant was? A Jedi? Kezeroth laughed to himself. No way a Jedi would come here by himself he thought.

[member="Darth Acarus"]
[member="Graxin Rade"]
[member="Bond"]

 

[Raijin Arashi]

Son of a-

There was another Force User nearby. There had to be. I could sense something beyond [member="Darth Acarus"] and the Jedi fighting on the steps as I watched. Another Dark presence. A strong one.

This was either very bad, or very good.

[member="Kezeroth Barcu"]
[member="Graxin Rade"]

 

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Graxin paid little heed to those gathering around. He had more pressing issues to attend to. The crimson blade sliced through the fabric of his shirt and bit into his side. He held back a cry, and relinquished.

The Jedi broke the lock and retreated back down the stairs. His cyan blade deactivated, oddly enough, and was shoved into the large pockets that the technician's outfit sported. His right hand rose to the wound on his side, while the left held the orange weapon in a defensive posture.

"Armor is for cowards." He chided. He spoke to stall the Sith. His eyes remained locked on the warrior, but his attention was on the wound. Subtly, he was reducing the damage that had been done; restructuring damaged cells and reducing the pain to a minimal irritation. Being a healer was lovely in all situations.

[member="Darth Acarus"]

 

[Sheff Zee]

The Jedi may have retreated down the stairs to give himself more time to heal himself, or to simply vex Malphas, but Acarus gave him no quarter.

He simply continued to press his advance, slashing downwards upon [member="Graxin Rade"] just as he deactivated his lightsaber, while simultaneously his shotosaber was slashing along the same trajectory that it had previously. This time he was going to go further if he could, with the same height advantage he was certain he could win, and with the Force adding on to his own speed and strength, he was certain of his victory.

Not to mention several other Dark Siders watching the duel, if he lost, he would be weak in their eyes and he was determined to prove that he was anything but.

"Or you came unprepared." His response had been snapped out. The writer of course figured that Graxin was wearing a jumpsuit since he had been guised as a technician...

 

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Graxin was on the defense, and that was certainly not a good place to be in. His blade rose one handed to repel the initial attack. A spark of energy and the crackling of blades signaled his success, but the shoto was another issue all together.

While his midriff was certainly not fully repaired, there was no more time to continue mending. The hand that had been stapled to his side rose up to the shoto wielding hand of his adversary, and unleashed another telekinetic push. It was nothing like his initial attack, but its purpose was clear. He was looking to send his opponents hand jerking back, or even to launch the shoto from his hand all together.

Graxin remained silent now; his expression one of calm concentration.

[member="Darth Acarus"]

 

[Sheff Zee]

The force push sent the hand of Acarus backwards, but it came with a negative effect. Spinning around with his shotosaber, in the close range that they were in, the Sith Knight once halfway through completing his spin launched the force guided shotosaber to the centre of the Jedi Knight's chest.

The moment the shotosaber had left his hand the Force had practically came around [member="Graxin Rade"] and was working to form a force stun upon the mind of Graxin so that he'd be incapable of actually moving his muscles due to the stun having affected his mind and body.

The Force was the ultimate ally.

 

[Evard L'Rik]

I stepped out of the foyer of the temple to see [member="Darth Acarus"] and a Jedi going at it like a couple of dancers on steroids, and turned to see what looked like a droid with a lightsaber. Unusual.

I turned back to the battle.

"Are you having fun dancing there, you two? You should've invited some women instead of hogging the floor to yourselves."

 

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This...clearly wasn't going to go well. Graxin was no master combatant, not close up. He span, but the stun was so unorthodox that he was caught completely offguard. The shoto cleaved a chunk of skin off of his side and brought about a cry from the back of the Jedi's throat.

He wanted to run, but there would be no getting away unless the Sith was distracted. The holocron was a fool's mission, he saw that now, and he had no desire to die. Turning on his heel toward [member="Darth Acarus"] and igniting his second blade, he began to back way slowly toward the crowd, and by extension the palace.

The speeder he had rode in on was not far at all from here. With that in mind, he thrust his hands forward in one last desperate push to put some distance between himself and the Sith. It was better than dying here, after all.

 

[Sheff Zee]

When the Jedi Knight ignited his lightsaber again, Darth Acarus was prepared for an attack. In fact, he was so prepared that he was even ready to throw up a force barrier in a moment's notice. He had expected the Jedi to be impaled upon his lightsaber, but the wounds that the Jedi had sustained already were sufficient enough for him to clean him up quite easily.

The force push was met with a force barrier.

Simple work, it should be expected. It wasn't completely blocked however, some of the push had gotten through and made his robes blow as if the wind was picking up.

Only that much.

Malphas chuckled.

Casting a force pull over the Jedi once he had lifted his hand, he performed a downwards slash, expecting the Jedi's form to be cleaved in two with the suddenness of the pull and the well-timed maneuver.

[member="Graxin Rade"]