Private Return to Eriadu

[Kyyrk]

R E T U R N
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Voph's quest was over. His Sabbatical was finished. It was time for him to return to his duties as a loyal Knight Obsidian. Today, his task brought him to Eriadu. A planet where his name lived in infamy. A fact he intended to exploit. Ever since his first visit to the planet two years ago, when he brought the might of the Confederacy to bear on the planet. The actions of one Credius Nargath, and his family, had earned the ire of the Vicelord, and according to some had been the very cause of the Inquisition. To the people of Eriadu, so consumed by the lies of the Nargaths, Voph was the great evil that had taken their beloved leader from them. Little did they know, the junior Nargath brother had abdicated his position willingly.

But none of that mattered today.

Today Voph was seeking out a rumored smuggling operation. As Eriadu was perched on the edge of CIS space, it was the perfect staging ground for slaving operations to shuttle people out, and illicit materials in. No one had ever been able to prove the existence of the operation, such was the skill with which it ran. But then a disgruntled underboss got out, and squealed. He was silenced almost immediately, but that didn't change the fact that the Knights Obsidian were well aware of the underworld element on Eriadu. Voph gripped the control sticks tighter as he dipped the Obsidian Star towards Eriadu space. "Eriadu tower, this is Lord Voph of the Knights Obsidian, requesting permission to land." Silence for a long moment. Voph smirked. He could almost feel the panic radiating from his communicator. "Permission granted, Priority Docking at Primary Spaceport, landing pad 023." Voph cut the channel without a further comment.

A member of the Knights was already present on the world. A newer squire, as Voph understood it. Voph stood as the ship finished sinking into the landing pad, and instructed his droid to ensure the ship was ready to fly by the time he returned. He paused at the docking ramp, checking to ensure his gear was in place. The black armor and robe he surrounded himself with gleamed in the light, his helmet resting securely upon his shoulders. It's faceless visage offering only a mirrored image of whatever was bold enough to look him in the eye. On his left hand, a blue band shone against his gauntlet, the fell Ring that had once marked him as a member of the highest order of secrecy within the Sith. Upon his back rested the large saber handle, upon his left thigh, his sidearm. Voph intended to cut a striking image as he strode into the Eriadu sun. The Reaper had come to call.

The junior Knight had been instructed to meet him with his findings at the spaceport. Voph would not be easy to miss. Any in the Knights Obsidian could recognize the Obsidian Star. The chosen chariot of the enigmatic former leader. Voph held few people close, and only the Master's Council could truly speak to knowing him. To a squire that had only joined? Voph could only imagine what was going through their mind. Once the Lord Commander, now simply Voph, The Eternal Sentinel and Vylmira's Wrath. Today, Eriadu would receive a message that would reverberate across the Confederacy, but never so strongly as upon the first planet to host the Inquisition.

Voph had returned.

Lefwen Claskier

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[Lefwen Claskier]

Tap, tap, tap.

Lefwen span the data-stick through her fingers again. On it was the sum of her investigation into the rumoured smuggling operations on the planet, a fairly meagre prize given that she had been on the world for almost a month. The smugglers here were intelligent, more so than most, and they hid their tracks well. It had only been through their mistakes that she had been able to uncover anything of note, and even then it had only been her first-hand knowledge of such operations that gave her any edge into finding them. And now, after all her work, it came time to hand it off to someone else to win the glory.

She fumbled the data-stick and felt it fall to the ground with a plasticky clatter. Nobody in the spaceport paid any attention. She retrieved it, placed it in her pocket and inspected her prosthetic fingers. The time had long passed since she should have replaced them; she had had the same set since she had left home, and the difference in size between her metallic ring and little fingers and the other digits of her hand was noticeable. Lately, both sets had started to jitter too. Perhaps, now that she had the money, she should finally think about replacing them... although somehow they felt like a link to the past, one which she was not sure she wanted to discard.

Overhead there was a loud hum as a ship fell out of orbit and smoothly moved to its landing pad. The sound was more powerful than that of the other freighter and cargo ships that frequented the terminal, and as the ship came into view she felt the hairs on her neck stand to attention. It was a peculiar looking ship; avian and predatory, it seemed to swoop down onto the station as if in search of prey. She had been told to expect a Knight named Voph, the former Lord Commander of the Order, no less, and it seemed the man intended to make an impression. One which, judging from the gawping faces of the others in the terminal, had been most definitely made.

Lefwen allowed herself a moment to consider the situation and then stood to her feet, unclipped the mask from her backpack and swung the bag over her shoulder. She didn't know if wearing a mask was rude but she felt the urge to cover her face... just to be sure that no criminal informants recognised her, of course. She wound her way through the many tourists and commuters in the direction of the newly-arrived ship, which was now perched in a commanding position on one of the priority pads.

The figure that emerged from the ship was no less imposing than his craft. Lefwen stiffened as she stood at the mouth of the stairway, watching the dark silhouette of the former Lord Commander move from the vessel. He was not facing in her direction, but she was immediately gripped by the unmistakeable sense of being studied and scrutinised. Her fingers began to jitter even more than usual. She rattled a deep breath from behind her mask and stepped forward.

"Lord Voph?" she began, her voice dry. "I... Squire Claskier, sir. I was told to expect you?" her voice inflecting painfully upward as she finished. She had surely been better at this as a child? Ms Markeela had always praised her elocution and manners when greeting a new guest... Those men, those dignitaries and officials that had frequented her father's home, had never been this intimidating though. When one met nobles and well-placed individuals one got the impression that they were looking through you, but this man, stood before her like a vision of death itself, gave off every impression that he was looking into her.

"I have compiled the things I found out on this," she stated clumsily before holding out the data-stick, hoping that he would not notice how much it was shaking in her hand.

Kyyrk​

 

[Kyyrk]

B R I E F I N G
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Voph held out a hand silently to take the datastick from the girl, immediately plugging it into his datapad. He did not stop for idle chatter, instead pressing on towards the exit. As he passed the young squire however, he gestured wordlessly for the girl to follow him. He fully intended to make use of her aid during this mission. After all, without the great halls of learning the Knights had once filled, her training would have to come from somewhere. "Understood, Squire. Well met."

Voph's voice sounded harsh under the vocabulator, but not entirely hostile. He held his datapad up, beginning to poke through the information the girl had gathered. Claskier. Why did that name sound familiar? Voph paused as the two stepped out onto the street, as it dawned on him he had met the girl before. He turned, and offered the datastick back to the girl, having transferred what he needed to transfer to his datapad. "I see you decided to stay after all, Little Mistress."

The same thing he had called her upon his departure from the party on Roon. Perhaps she had always intended to stay, or perhaps their interaction had swayed her. Voph smirked under his helmet. The tone she had taken with him at the party had been one of...doubt. Skepticism? Perhaps. EIther way, Voph wasn't sure if the girl remembered him. Or had realized who he was. "Where would we best start?"

Lefwen Claskier

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[Lefwen Claskier]

Lefwen's brow furrowed as Voph spoke. Decided to stay? She had been instructed to meet him at the starport. Was there some doubt that she would complete her mission?

"I stayed because I had a mission, Master Voph," she stated. She was regaining her composure, although it threatened to break again every time she caught a glimpse of the ornate, alien mask the Knight was wearing. She kept reminding herself that he was on her side, although in truth it didn't feel like he was on anyone's side... at least not anyone living...

"My investigation showed two main hubs of activity, which is typical of these kinds of operation. The group call themselves the Alketheia Clan, although they have a number of alternate names. Most of the members I've seen are your typical scrap rats and gutterfengs, nothing the local security couldn't cope with if they weren't so compromised." She stopped, wondering for a moment if she had gone too far. Surely this Knight, the former Lord Commander no less, wouldn't be offended to hear that the police here were rotten to the core?

She looked around, making a show of looking like she was trying to gain her bearings while she felt out through the Force to test this Knight's emotions. It was not hard to detect him among the everyday people of the city. In fact, his signature within the Force was almost familiar. He was hard to read, but she could not sense any disdain or disapproval of her comment. Why did he seem so familiar though?

"I spent some time tracking a number of people I had linked to the Clan and found two main hotspots: a mining commune on the edge of the city," she gestured in the direction of the mountains to the North of the city, "and an orbital construction firm in the business district." She didn't need to point out where the business district was, the tall, elegant towers that broke the skyline in the heart of the city were evidence enough. She paused and allowed Master Voph to consider what she had said.

"Wait, where should we start?"

Kyyrk

 

[Kyyrk]

H U N T
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Voph turned without hesitation and began walking towards the business district. "You are an Obsidian Knight, are you not? You were assigned to this mission, so unless you feel unfit to see it to completion, your assistance would be greatly valued." Voph's helmet turned ever so slightly towards Lefwen. "Even so, after the Cataclysm there are so few in a position to mentor, you Squires will need to take whatever lessons you can find." Voph's head turned, the helmet sweeping across the street to make it clear to the passersby that he was fully aware of anyone and everyone around him. Many were not openly fearful, but there was a certain tension in the air. A certain tension bolstered by the fact that upon Lefwen's probing, it would seem as if the man was completely devoid of emotion at all. There was naught but Focus. As if the man had not the time to dwell on being.

"Much of this planet still suffers from the hold of the Nargaths. They were quite unwilling to release control of the planet to the Confederacy, and their legacy has made our work...difficult." In laymans terms, telling him of corrupt cops was nothing he didn't already know about. "That's why the Lord Commander has only sent us, not an entire squadron of Black Knights." As the buildings grew closer together, Voph withdrew something from his back, concealed by the cloak that rested upon his shoulders. He made to hand the item to Lefwen, but paused, stopping in his tracks. The Lightsaber he gripped in his hand was offered for only a second, before it was withdrawn and Voph handed her his sidearm instead. "Your file indicates you possess no blade of your own. Under normal circumstances I would allow you to borrow one, but on the assumption your prosthetics are still not tuned enough, I'd rather not risk it."

Voph spun the pistol around to offer Lefwen the butt of it. His comment about her cybernetics, and his familiarity with their dysfunction marked him as someone that had clearly met her before. "In fact, once we return, I had best see about getting you fitted for new ones." Voph turned, and started down the street once again. For better or for worse, he was heading directly towards the building Lefwen had marked, even though she'd not told him which one. Almost as if he already knew which one she spoke of. This was confirmed mere moments later when Voph commented, "Nargath Holdings is one of the few bastions of the family's influence on the planet. Given their patriarch's disposition to the Dark Side, it doesn't surprise me they would be directly responsible for the export of slaves. But, I needed evidence before we could legally kick in the door."

They still had several blocks to cover, even at the pace Voph had set. Rather than let silence take them, Voph offered the girl yet another hint at his identity. "Viceroy Tenith tells me you never did reach out to her. I can only imagine you did not tarry on Roon for long before departing to Naboo. I trust the Order were at least welcoming upon your arrival?"

Lefwen Claskier

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[Lefwen Claskier]

Lefwen took the heavy, ornate blaster and studied the mechanism for a moment before slipping it through the loop on her waist. It was certainly far more worthy of a Knight that the worn-out blaster she had been using, although it did lack a certain rugged homeliness.

Despite her lack of guidance, Master Voph seemed to know exactly which way to go. It was somewhat unnerving, as if his presence required any more disconcerting features. He walked with determination, and she found herself having to step up her pace to keep up. Where there was a crowd, he proceeded as though there was none; few were foolish enough to remain in his way. The pace and confusion made it difficult to focus on Voph's voice, especially as it echoed from his vocoder.

"I travelled to Naboo straight from Roon. There was a man there, a rather myst-" she stopped herself and felt her blood run cold as things fell into place. This was the man from the fireside? She allowed herself a glance up and down his figure. He was about the right height, certainly, and his blindness might explain his helmet's lack of a visor. Could it really be?

She allowed herself to mull it over as they left the denser streets and emerged onto a wider boulevard lined with trees. The buildings began to change from the typical urban hab-units to more decadent facades of plasteel and glass. The people on the street changed too, from everyday workers and tourists to refined businesswomen and finely-dressed men. They were the kind of people that walked and expected the ground to accommodate their movements, but even they seemed eager to keep a wide birth of the Knight as her paced through their midst like a shark on a reef.

"You were the man I spoke to on Roon, by the campfire? Master Voph..." She paused, uncertain. "Thank you for your... help. The Knights Obsidian on Naboo were welcoming." Sceptical would have been a more accurate description, at least until she had showed them the badge Voph had given her, but it seemed wise to praise the group she was now part of. She was not sure what else to say. Did he expect her to say something? The helmet gave nothing away.

Luckily, as the pair turned onto a long mall decorated with statues and sculptures, the impressive main office of Nargath Holdings leered into view. It was a sleek, curving skyscraper, taller than most and topped with a triangular landing-pad from which the occasional airspeeder could be seen arriving or departing. By all appearances, it seemed like any other opulent tower one could find on any number of worlds, but then it seemed not everything in this city was as it appeared...

"That is the main office," Lefwen stated, nodding its direction. Voph wasn't looking in her direction, but then he hadn't needed to look at her to know what she was doing back by that pyre on Roon. "A number of these small buildings are subsidiaries, but the majority of the people I tracked ended up heading to the headquarters." As they got closer she began to make out the security droids lurking just inside the main entrance to the building. "Did you say kicking down the door?"

Kyyrk

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[Kyyrk]

K I C K
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Voph did not bother with the smaller side buildings, instead carving a path through the crowds directly for the door. He had but one thing on his mind. The smugglers and slavers only dealt with the headquarters, so Voph would to likewise. He too was keenly aware of the security droids just within the door. He turned his helmet's blank face towards Lefwen. "In a manner of speaking. They didn't tell you much about me, did they?" Voph turned back, already confident in the answer to this question. Lefwen would discover soon enough.

Fortunately, Voph didn't intend to display his full prowess at kicking doors down today. Instead he marched right through it, pausing inside the lobby just long enough to let everyone look up and realize who had just walked in. Then, he strode to the front desk and placed an authoritative hand upon it. "Alketheia Offices, please." The individual behind the desk swallowed hard, and said, "D--do you have an appointment?" Voph was quiet for a long moment, staring the young woman down. "O--oh here it is. O--of course." Voph turned, and stared at the security droids waiting by the door, almost daring them to take action. "My thanks. Come, Squire. They're expecting us." Voph turned and strode towards the elevator, turning sharply once inside it and jabbing at the button with a pair of fingers.

As the doors closed, Voph reached up to his shoulder, and withdrew the mighty lightsaber hilt. "Stay behind me. Take what shots you can. They're expecting us by now." Voph's left arm raised in front of him, and an energy shield deployed from his gauntlet. His lightsaber was held at the ready, but did not activate just yet. "Not quite kicking down the door, but close enough..."

Lefwen Claskier

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[Lefwen Claskier]

Lefwen felt nauseous, although she was not sure if it was being caused by nerves or the rapid ascent of the elevator. She had been shot, caught in fights and generally menaced before, but she had tried not to make a habit of heading into danger. As Voph drew his lightsaber and energised his shield, she drew the pistol he had given her and held it low in her hands. "In truth, the Knights Obsidian told me very little except your name; the look on that receptionists face told me the rest."

As the elevator soared upwards she tried to fall back on her training, allowing herself to focus on the moment and try to find some centre. At the edges of her focus she could feel the fear and panic of the many people in the building around them; the same fear and panic she had felt when entering the cartel's warehouses on the edges of the city, though this time it emanated from the slavers, not the slaves. How many of the people here knew what the company was doing? Did it matter?

The elevator began to slow and Lefwen shuffled to the side of the elevator. She found herself gripping on to the durindfire crystal which she had strung around her neck. "I'll do my best," she said quietly in response to Voph's instructions. She crouched low and raised the pistol, making sure to keep Voph ahead of her and out of her line of fire. The elevator came to a stop and the pair of them seemed to wait for an eternity for the doors to open. Finally, with a calm, mechanical hum, the doors to the elevator opened and Master and Squire made their move.

Kyyrk
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