Bounty It's Not Every Day....

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

A bounty on Lightsiders. And she just happened to be picked up by chance....

Well maybe that was a good thing. It meant that she wasn't going to be used against anybody. No doubt her family was long forgotten and she wouldn't even be known. It was just too bad that she didn't give Darth Malum of House Marr a fake name. That was something to be noted on for the future.

Lori's attention was drawn back to him as he almost seemed to mock her confidence in returning to the station, her eyes turning in his direction before her head followed. "Yes, I'll return home. As I said, there'll be people looking for me..." But how long before they were on this ship's tail remained to be seen.

She nearly snorted as he spoke of her turning to the Darkside. There was a good reason why she wasn't in some Jedi Order right now, following in her family's footsteps. "Join you? Ha! I couldn't stand the rules and restrictions of life at the Academy. What makes you think that I'd fare any better among Sith? If you're glutton for punishment, then I'd say go ahead and try. But I don't think that any of you would succeed. I'm much too stubborn."

Lori didn't like the fact that she had one advantage taken away from her. And as she had guessed that the ship was soon going to make a jump for hyperspace, she didn't have much time. Communications were going to be blocked during the hyperspace jump. She slowly turned around, looking through the nearest viewport, while at the same time fidgeting with the folds of her jacket as she pretending to test the hold of the cuffs. Lori found her commlink and pressed the button to open a channel. Arla was the last person that she had spoken to and so it would be to Arla that word would get out to before the jump. That is if he answered her question. "Where exactly are we going anyways?"

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

"Awfully talkative for a prisoner, aren't you?" Malum said with a sigh, as he continued to maintain a watch on her, it was good she was the only one he had to supervise, talking to just one person was enough of a challenge, but more than that? He would need to gag them to keep his sanity. At least she was not crying or screaming he supposed, it was one thing to simply have a conversation, another thing to deal with a hysterical woman... he idly realised he would have absolutely no idea what to do in that situation. He could not exactly calm her down, he was her kidnapper.

His amusement at her confidence in rescue turned to confusion rather quickly as well, there were no tears, no point of bargaining, no anger, she was just so utterly confident that she would be back here, that she would be rescued, that she showed no despair in the least. Was it reaching the point of arrogance then? She was royalty, a former queen, it was possible, he supposed. Or it was equally possible that she was wearing a mask, for those of their kind, emotion was the enemy, it could give away as much or even more than simple words, "If you're so sure of that, I'll have to prepare to defend my prisoner, won't I?" Malum said, giving a soft smile, a joke, really considering she had kidnapped her, they were getting along splendidly... well as much as a kidnapper and kidnappee could, he supposed.

His smile widened as she spoke of the prospect turning to the Dark. Very interesting, the gauntlet had been thrown, and she seemed to be challenging him on the matter. Should he take the bait, and make the attempt? If she was as confident as she said, there should be no reason to make the attempt, but was that not in itself good reasoning? If he failed, good, he could continue the bounty as planned. If he succeeded? Very good, a new ally in the making, one in debt to him for her salvation, and the best prize of all, the one of proving one wrong.

He moved closer to her, his hand moving to grasp her arm.

"What makes you think the Darkside is as strictly regimented and trapping as the Light?" Malum said, whispering in Loreena's ear, "Indeed, though there are Sith Academies, they are run freeingly, with students expected to make their own way in their education. And for you? You may not even need an academy, let me teach you the ways of darkness. It is a seductive call, the darkness has many a matter which will give you powers that seem utterly impossible. You would have the ability to gain power, to not call upon the Force at its whims, but to truly control it for your own ends, you would be free to feel, to express, to love without fear of it controlling you, instead being strengthened by it. Indeed, you would even have the powers to withstand the fundamental forces of life... to make death an impossibility." Malum whispered, the Light held one as a slave to the Force, the darkness held the Force as a slave to one. To control the Force, to become its master rather than its slave, to be alive, to truly live, was the matter of the Darkness.

As she turned away, he let go of his cold grasp, moving back to the command terminal, as he idly noted her gaze towards Damascus Station.

"Indeed, if you even have doubt that you will see home, see your family, with the Darkness there would be no doubt you could return home." Let us see if it was supreme arrogance or a supreme mask.

As his ears flickered to hear her question, he offered naught but a sneer, "Coruscant," He grunted out, "Why exactly would I give a prisoner the location of her imprisonment?" Malum said snidely, she was no fool, the Force flowed through her veins, what was the point of asking such a question?

Unless...

The Lochris entered hyperspace, as Damascus Station was left lightyears behind.

Loreena Arenais-Valhoun

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

Talkative? Oh yes! And Darth Malum of House Marr hadn't even seen Lori when she was excited about something. Words tended to pour out of her a mile a minute and usually full of questions. However at the moment she was more subdued, mostly due to her mind being preoccupied.

"More than likely you'd have to defend yourself. You may have....duped me into capture for the moment, but I can honestly say that my friends won't go down as easily." And no doubt some of them would have somerhing to say about just how easily that she was caught. It was annoying, but something that she'd have to face in time. And she wasn't looking forward to the aftermath. A close eye was sure to be on her from here on in.

Lori clenched haw jaw again as Malum took her arm and whispered in her ear. Yet it wasn't just his breath on her skin that gave her goosebumps, but it was his words as well. He tried to sell her on him training her, yet she knew that wouldn't go very well for her. "I don't....I don't think that I'm a good fit for it. I'm not fit for a Jedi like my Dad or a Jed'aii like my brother. I've always just carved my own path. They kept me out of the wars and out of the fights. I don't belong there." Lori had stuggled to find her place for most of her life, yet found herself always being compared to the prominent figures of her family. "My Dad went Dark for a time, as did my Mom. They did some bad things, killed a lot of people. I don't want to follow suit. I've disappointed enough people already."

And then there was the clintcher. Malum had basically told her that going Dark could be the only way that she'd be able to return. But how could she trust him to uphold such a proposition? How could he trust her? It seemed impossible.

Lori let go of her hidden commlink the moment that the ship went into hyperspace. Now she was on her own while on a journey to some unknown destination. It was her hope that her friends would be able to find her. "It's not unusual for prisoners to know where they are going to be held. What's going to happen? Are you just going to hand me over to some Sith Lord for enslavement? A labour camp? What?" For some reason not knowing made her more uncomfortable than knowing. The less information that she had, the less planning of her escape that she could do.



Meanwhile on Damascus Station in the Jaster's Delight, Arla brought up her commlink. She dropped her tools as soon as she overheard a snippet of a muffled conversation and exited the ship in a rush. Lori wasn't there where she had left her. The HRD's eyes quickly scanned the hanger and those present. She didn't see her charge at all...

Arla opened the channel to reach Lori back, however it failed to go through. Hyperspace travel. Without a word she turned and walked briskly back inside to the ship's computer terminal and relayed a message to one of Lori's closest companions; Var-Sulis . The two of them were going to have to go on a mission as soon as possible.

 

[Var-Sulis]

The doors to the cockpit hissed open as the illuminating lights grew brighter. Entering the area were two IT specialists that were a part of the engineering crew, followed by myself. I always sought to oversee everything personally. Not that i didn't trust the credibility of my engineers and thier impressive resume's, but let's call it a fear of mine. If I at any point don't know what's happening, what kind of captain would that make me? The shorter, blue-skinned individual approached "Mother" As I dubbed the computer mainframe.

"Mother....It's her name...So here's the deal gentlemen...A code..or..The algorithm is haywire..Transmitting hyperspace lanes and thier routes incorrectly..There was a glitch that happened...The last thing I need is thinking Im traveling to the major trade routes outlined and end up on the edge of the galaxy." I joked lowly with a sly grin. I thought it was funny at least. Clearing my throat while adjusting my stature to look more commanding, I suddenly heard a ping through my wrist com. You know, the unique distress signal that I rarely hear. Looking down, and seeing the incoming alert from Arla was strange...Yet it was not to be ignored. If Arla needed my attention, it was of the utmost importance.

"Gentlemen...Excuse me for a moment.." I pleaded as the men started laying out thier toolbag. I exited on the other side and opened the alert. Reading the message about the failure to reach Lori, who seemingly disappeared with her ship still grounded only meant one thing. (DAMN) I uttered as my first reaction was to get moving...FAST...Opening up a private channel to communicate with the hangar personnel I immediately let them know the situation.

"Hub Team...This is Captain Sulis...Prepare my ship and set nav for Damascus Station..Hangar A-3...I'll be there momentarily." I commanded as I began to pace down the corridor.

"Arla...Sulis here. Im on the way." I sent to her over the encrypted channel.

Something felt off. Loreena Arenais-Valhoun was known to have a few enemies..But no one bold enough to do something drastic in thier favor. Atleast that I was aware of.

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

Arla was glad to hear that Var-Sulis was on his way. In the meantime she started making her rounds in the hanger, asking anyone and everyone if they had seen where Lori had gone and who with. No one had an answer. It seemed as though she had disappeared entirely.

Exiting the hanger, Arla headed up to security. If people's memories couldn't recall Lori's movements, then surely cameras could. In the meantime she brought up her commlink and signalled Lori's brother Caedyn Arenais ; "Caedyn, this is Arla. Your sister has been taken what I can only guess is a Sith from Damascus Station. Any idea where they take their prisoners?" She didn't know what ship she was taken in, but surely the cameras would show it. That would at least give them a glimpse of what kind of needle they were looking for in an enormous haystack.

Darth Malum of House Marr

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

CAEDYN ARENAIS​

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Location: Coruscant Jedi Temple
Tags: Loreena Arenais-Valhoun | Darth Malum of House Marr | Var-Sulis

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It had been some time since Caedyn had last resided in the world of Mnemosyne, the peaceful paradise that was tied to Loreena Arenais and himself by way of the title of Monarchy. It had been a quiet and subtle world where he had taken some reprieve from the frontlines of the Galaxy, having given his formal resignation to the Order of the Silver Jedi following the Triumvirate and the Elder Pact. His Civilian life had lasted a few years, yet the call to serve had never dwindled, nor had his sense of obligation to the Galaxy in his role as a Jedi Knight.

Seated within the archives of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, it was there that he would receive an urgent summons via his holo-communicator; Arla, a figure of some importance to his Sister suddenly appeared into view, and Caedyn's stomach turned at what she had to tell him.

"Caedyn, this is Arla. Your sister has been taken what I can only guess is a Sith from Damascus Station. Any idea where they take their prisoners?"

"How long ago was she taken?" Caedyn responded quickly, skipping formalities and getting straight to the point. "There are numerous groups of Sith in the Galaxy today, the two largest being that of the Brotherhood of the Maw, and The Sith Order". It had admittedly been some time since he had faced a member of the Sith in combat. The last time, he had faced Darth Ahriman in single combat, yet he had a long-standing history of meeting them in the field of battle.

"I know less about the Brotherhood than I do about the Sith Order, formerly the Sith Empire. Dromund Kaas used to be where the heart of their Empire resided, however, I will need to do some digging in order to confirm that's still the case. Otherwise, I'll refer to my colleagues for any further possibilities" he spoke, his voice almost sounding distant as he looked elsewhere, his mind reaching out with the Force as he sought any feeling or notion of his Sister's whereabouts and well-being. There would be no connection made, however, over such a vast distance between them.

"How did this happen? Explain the situation to me from the beginning".

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

"As far as I'm aware, it can't of been longer than thirty minutes." Arla was quick to respond to Caedyn Arenais . She wasn't a protocol droid afterall, and she preferred straightforwardness.

She entered the security room as Caedyn gave off some details of different Sith groups that could have taken her charge. In the meantime she took control of the datascreen and entered the timeframe that she guessed Lori had disappeared. Upon viewing the footage at a quick speed, she spotted Darth Malum of House Marr approach Lori. However she didn't recognize him in either of her databanks. And sure enough the two of them just disappeared from view....

"Lori was working on her jetpack in the hanger. A young man approached. They appear to just be talking before they appear to vanish. It is as though a cloaking device was used. Shall I send you a visual of the man in question?" Arla took note of any and all ships that left the hanger moments after the paor disappeared. There were a dozen vessels of note within that timeframe. Damascus Station was bustling with activity which didn't make things any easier. And the less panic that was brought upon the people there, the better.

Var-Sulis

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

Defiant. Expected, but still, annoying.

"I will certainly need to be keeping a careful eye, then, won't I? If your friends are as loyal and capable as you claim." Malum said, storing away what useful information he could from her words. Though he would proclaim such words to be an annoyance just before, they too could be a treasure trove of information.

If only he could properly sort them, and extract their usefulness.

It was interesting enough so far, first that she considered it simple trickery that brought her to this position.

That either meant she was far more capable than he had first thought, or, and this was perhaps more likely at the moment, that her arrogance was shining through ever still, to truly, if irrationally, believe that she was more capable than she was. Or, perhaps it tied into the second part of her words, this utmost confidence in her friends and allies, to find them when they had no ability to do so... it had to be arrogance, it simply had to be.

Yet he would not discount her words out of hand.

There were very powerful people in the Galaxy.

He could not lose simply due to underestimating them.

The blue and white lights of the hyperspace lane was a sharp contrast to the relatively darkened cockpit of the Lochris, as he considered the rest of her words too.

"The Sith Order has a history of violence and warfare, that is true, yet what is freedom and control if not the freedom and control of your own fate and destiny? You say your father and brother allowed you to forge your own path, and kept you away from war, yet has your path ever truly been yours, your Grace?" Malum said, a smirk back at his lips, and a hiss at the end of the words, he was not sure if he was close to convincing her or not, yet, seemed the inklings of doubt were making themselves manifest on her features, "Kept away from war, yet war came for you regardless," He pressed forward, and gripped tightly on her arm against, their faces mere inches away from one another, as his red eyes blazed in power, "You have fear, fear of what you might become, fear of what your parents have done, fear of disappointing those important to you, yet why deny those things? Accept them, be empowered by them, and you shall be free, you shall gain control of yourself and the Force, and you will be truly free to forge your own path, to be free from war, that is what the Darkness provides. If only you would accept its call."

By the end of his words, his breathing had grown heavier, he had unknowingly let out Consume Essence and had begun draining the emotions from her. He felt the fear, but too, he felt the shame, there seemed to be much under the lens of this former Queen.

He loosened his grip, yet still held on, as her final words entered his ears.

"You wish to know your fate? To accept your destiny is far from your control? Disappointing, though... I have a feeling you are not alien to that feeling," A sneer made his way to his lips, to inflict pain was perhaps the most normal thing in the world for a Sith, such was the way of the world, even if he had denied it, still denied it, "My contractor," His mind flashed to red eyes and white locks, before he threw the image away, "Desires those of the light side for... mystical and magical purposes, you fit the bill, it seems for you unfortunately," Malum said simply, "Well, unless of course, you no longer did."

He left the matter open, as he remained near to her, supremely curious now if her confidence, her resolve, would still stand after his words.

Loreena Arenais-Valhoun

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

What did Darth Malum of House Marr mean in ragards to her path? Of course it was her own, wasn't it? Lori's eyes fell distant as she contemplated his words. Her brows furrowed in thought as she tried to see things from his point of view. She chose to pick out what she'd do with herself, not anyone else. How would anyone else know that keeping her from the wars would have her running a company like she was now? And war didn't really come for her, did it? She was just caught up in some random bounty....

His tight grip on her arm brought her focus to the present. Malum was far too close to her. Not only that but the very air around her seemed to grow colder. His words felt as though they were cutting her skin and causing her to feel more vulnerable and exposed when really she just wanted to slip out of the cuffs, knock him out and turn the ship around. But that was near impossible as he had yet to leave her on her own. Even as he loosened his grip, he still held onto her.

Yet as the physical grip loosened, the mental grip dug deeper. She shouldn't care that she was disappointing the hunter, and yet for some stupid and prideful reason, Lori did. Disappointing people was one thing that she excelled at besides tinkering with things and flying, and now that trend was continuing even here.

But to hear the option of what the hunter had at first intended for her did not sit well. Already she imagined the horrors that her Mom had gone through when she had fought and lost against a Sith Sorcerer, as well as knowing some of what others had done. Irreperable damage and even death awaited those that couldn't escape.

"Every situation brings us a choice. There is always a choice. How could I be going on my own path if it's one that you want me to take? That's not really one of my own, now is it? Is it?" Lori let out a long sigh. "I don't want to be some sacrifice or toy for some Sith Lord. And what reason do I have to trust that you'd let me go back home so easily? What's in this for you besides whatever credits are being offered for bringing a Lightsider in? You know that I am royalty and can pay you more than what you're being offered. So...there has to be more to it. You're not telling me everything, otherwise you'd give me a number."

And would turning to the Darkside be so simple? Of course not! It wasn't as though it was something that she could lie about or fake. He'd want proof! But how could she do that? Especially with those cuffs on?

Maybe pretending to agree was all that she needed to help get herself free from the cuffs so that she could enact a plan of escape.

It could be worth a shot...

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

Progress? Perhaps, but he could not be quite certain, the woman was clearly conflicted, the curved brow, perhaps that nervous sweat, and the gritted teeth were all indications of that. Yet which side was winning that conflict was a mystery to him and that in itself was problematic. He had kept her fate vague enough, content to let her imagination make up whatever horrid destiny awaited her. Yet, perhaps that was a mistake, endless torture, the goriest and gruesome was arguably a worse fate to death, and it had done much to consume many others and bring them to the darkness, yet there was something far more distressing about death, was there not? The finality of it, the existential dread that would come over a person from it. Perhaps if he made it clear to her that this was the fate that awaited her, she would find herself drawn to the darkness.

Perhaps...

But perhaps he would not need to become so crass to threaten a lady with death to convince her to turn, a last resort then, that is all it would be.

"A queen has advisors, all of whom are drawn up from her court either for their skill, or the trust the monarch holds for them, perhaps even born of some love and affection made from far more intimate times," Malum gave a small smile, even a wink at the words as if he found them the height of comedy, "If that advice is given, is it not her Grace's decision to make ever still, is it not her own path to take?"

He froze as her words continued, his breath hitched as she dug further to the truth of the matter, why he was doing this, was it for credits, credits that she indeed may have more of, both the CEO of a large company and royalty.

So why was he targeting this bounty? Why was he risking himself to take custody of a Queen?

Knowledge... knowledge and pale platinum hair, aristocratic beauty of flaming red eyes.

Worth more than any amount of credits.

"My service... is paid not by credits," Malum simply grunted out, as he reviewed the rest of her words, "What is "in it for me" as you put it, is not for you to know, and though I am willing to accept not receiving it, in exchange for making a new Darksider in the galaxy, I shall happily receive it, if you are still my foe, still a fool of the Light." Malum gritted out, his grip on her arm suddenly growing much firmer, much rougher, "You have never truly been free, trapped by yourself, trapped by your family, trapped by responsibility and obligation, the Darkness offers freedom freely, why not take my hand, and grasp it for yourself? Let the emotions flow through you freely, and feel the power that awakens from your heart."

"Then, I will not need to fulfill this bounty, and, all the better for you, to be alive and free, no?"

Her move then, yet, it seemed that they were at an impasse, something decisive must come, or they would be going around in circles.

Loreena Arenais-Valhoun

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

No. Darth Malum of House Marr was wrong. It was not her path to take if someone else created the path for her. Lori had hoped to carve her own path, but instead others have done it for her.

Just as he was doing now....

And from what she could gather, Malum was probably going to gain some skill in Sith sorcery for bringing her in, if it wasn't credits. Or maybe a higher rank. Regardless, she didn't want to be treated like a commodity.

Again he tightened his hold on her, causing Lori to grit her teeth and tense up. With Malum so close she could easily knee him in the groin, but that would only ensure that the bounty would be fulfilled. And then there was a small chance that she wouldn't see Var-Sulis or her family again...

"Okay!! Ease up!!" Lori let out a huff. "Yes I've been held back by everyone and everything, but I tried not to look at it that way." Afterall she didn't want to appear like some spoiled brat. "So fine...I accept your offer. So now what? I sign some contract and you let me go?"

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

Malum flashed a wicked grin, had he succeeded then in convincing her? He could not quite say, but at least on the surface, it had seemed that she had been brought over to his perspective. Convincing a former Queen, convincing royalty, to join the dark side. That would be a story to tell, an important item to report to his Mistress. True, he would not be able to turn her into Adeline... but there were other lightsiders he could bring for her, right?

A flicker of doubt appeared in his brow before he hid it behind his facial mask.

"Nothing so formal, Your Grace. We shall soon dock at a station, from then, we can have you uncuffed... and perhaps show how through our emotions, our humanity, we can move beyond our limitations." Malum eased off his grip as she requested, he likely would need to find some other way to control her without the cuffs, but beyond that, he would need some way to test the sincerity of her conversion.

He would need to find some subjects then... to enforce her conversion to the darkness.

Perhaps he could fulfill Adeline's bounty after all.

Just would need to find some lightsiders.

He felt the Lochris come out of hyperspace, some station was floating above a planet.

He felt a signature of light... no, two.

Perfect.

Loreena Arenais-Valhoun