Ruin and Blood: Raid of Ryloth (PM to Join)

[Zenva Vrotoa]

Ryloth : Jungles Outside Remote Village
5:59am Local Clock

Zenva, the Matron of clan Vrotoa, stood with her shoulder against a tree, her blood red leather duster pulled tight around her. The crimson skinned woman was dressed for war in her full combat attire with one small alteration, her preferred miniskirt and leggings had been exchanged for a pair of black military fatigues. Moreover, the woman was littered with weaponry. In addition to her usual array of pistols, blades, and a half dozen grenades, Zenva had a scatter blaster in a holster on her lower back, and a rifle leaning against the tree beside her boot. Her yellow-red eyes were fixed on a small holographic projector she held, the nearby village and surrounding jungle displayed before her.

As she watched the hologram small green dots began to appear in the jungle around the village. One by one those little green dots started to completely encircle the village, and within moments it was obvious that the village was wholly surrounded by them. "Well then." She said aloud, though her voice was pitched low so it wouldn't carry far. "My soldiers are in position, my Lord Pyrrhus. And a little ahead of schedule."

The Zabrak switched off the holo-projector, and dropped it in one of the pouches on her belt before picking up her rifle. She was careful to keep the weapon at a low ready, the barrel pointed away from the red skinned Togruta when she turned to face the man. "Eighty of my finest warriors, and one hundred additional infantry against a village of nearly seven hundred. A little outnumbered in my opinion, my Lord. I have a squadron of bombers on standby. I'd advise an air strike before deploying support walkers, and follow with the infantry advance. But, I'm accustomed to fighting wars, where as you have more experience with slaving operations. What will you, my Lord Pyrrhus?" Pearl white serrated teeth gleamed in the predawn gloom as the Zabrak flashed a vicious smile.

[member="Darth Pyrrhus"]

 

[Jairus Starvald]

[member="Darth Ophidia"] | [member="Zenva Vrotoa"] | [member="Darth Pyrrhus"]

In truth Lord Fa had little with slavery.

He thought it a dirty business with a lot of security issues attached to it. The profit did not offset this by any stretch of the imagination, yet, here the Thirriken Sith was on Ryloth with fellow Sith associates. Because at the end of the day business was business and business was booming. The world of Ryloth used to be a bastion of slavery, their own kind selling each other off for the highest prices and then some.

Quite the cut-throat business practices, if slightly treacherous.

But the Galaxy shifted in strange ways, one of which was the rise of the Techno Union and then the installation of an anti-slavery government on Ryloth itself. It was an interesting development, but one that was not to the advantage of himself nor his associates.

Something would have to change.

Pyrrhus was already leading the charge with one of his underlings, some Zabrak. They were going to test out the grip the government had on their world, whilst Lord Fa and the Mistress of Shadows discussed the next phase of their plan. It was an unassuming little house in the capital city of the world. Lord Fa had already settled himself down in a chair and was currently studying a datapad, with information streaming into it by the moment.

Now he simply needed to wait for Ophidia to arrive.

 

[Darth Pyrrhus]

The tall Togruta observed the endearing landscape of Ryloth, all geared up in armour of his own. He found this landscape to be far more pleasing than the likes of the Serreno cityscape. But as always, this minor preferences did little to change his list of priorities. Fully devoted to the Sith cause, he had shed his own needs for comfort. He found no satisfaction in mediocrity. Darth Pyrrhus was not here to admire the landscape, he was here to change it.

Pyrrhus was not as heavily armed as his travel companion in this instance. He had but his lightsaber and the Force, but he required little less. How much of it would come into play during this operation remained to be seen. It all depended on what resistance the village offered up and how reliable [member="Zenva Vrotoa"] and her mercenaries were. Ryloth would serve as an adequate test for them, to see whether or not he could rely on them in the future. While the KSC had people equipped for this task as well, for an operation of this scale most of them had been left behind to man the ship. They would have a role to play, however not yet.

“I trust your forces will be able to handle themselves adequately.” he would have little patience for them otherwise. If they did not he might as well have deployed the Crown Legion and entered in force, yet those were soldiers unaffiliated with the Karazak Slavers Cooperative, and to the extent that he could he would prefer to keep those two operations separate. “Proceed.” Pyrrhus said in agreement to her proposal after a moment’s consideration. It could draw more attention to them more quickly than what was desirable, but they ought to have the capacity to handle themselves should that be the case. However, more than simply testing how well he could rely on the efficiency of the mercenaries, he was testing how dependable Zenva’s leadership capabilities were as well.

“Concentrate on defensive structures and military targets, if they have any. Take out their means of communication if you can.” He wasn’t interested in high casualties. These people were no good to him dead. However the chaos following a sudden and unexpected air strike would help make the job for their own forces much easier, and overall lower their casualties. He was willing to make the sacrifice.

 

[Darth Ophidia]

It was not often Darth Ophidia met clients in public without the express purpose of murdering them, but there were always exceptions. Even in such a meeting she had taken steps to obscure her appearance. She was reluctant to reveal herself even to those who required her services. She had made far to many double-crossings to still hold any naivete about the dangers of meeting in person. Her dress was a loose-fitting and practical dark blue thing, sparsely adorned except for a subtle embossing of intertwining vines and a serpentine clasp at her neck. To hide her most distinct features, she kept her hood up and drawn down over her face.

And as she walked, she surrounded herself with a cloak of obscurity; sensing her would be much like trying to capture still air with one's bare hands. Even the surface thoughts and emotions were muffled and baked into the background as though she was very far away. In short, she was there, but no one laid eyes upon her.

Her casual stride carried her to the room in which her contact, [member="Tai Fa"] , was to meet her. She stopped outside the door and closed her eyes. The Force reached out like a wave of echolocation, hardly detectable for one who was not specifically searching for it. With it, the Pale Assassin mapped the surroundings. Were there persons near? If so, how many and where?

Satisfied with the input she got, Ophidia waved two fingers to coax the door into opening. Only once she had taken three steps inside did she drop her immediate level of stealth. Though she still kept her presence hidden from influences beyond the room - It was a matter of habit at this point.

"Tai Fa, I presume."

[member="Darth Pyrrhus"]

 

[Jairus Starvald]

[member="Darth Ophidia"]

There were many ways to make a kingdom fall.

Publicly Lord Fa was firmly against slavery and its practices and even privately he had his qualms about it, but that did not stop him from realizing that there were certain advantages to the cause. He was not going to attach his operations to the mix, of course, if it ever came to light Fa Holdings would be poisoned in more than one way. But that did not mean that he would not quietly support certain flows into the right direction.

"That is quite correct.​

You must be Ophidia.​

Welcome to Ryloth."​

He inclined his beak in a sign of respect, before waving his wing towards one of the seats.

It was her own choice if she wished to sit down or stay on her feet, that was of little concern to him personally. But what was of his concern were the operations starting on this day.

An unlikely alliance between the three of them, of course, but sometimes those were the strongest. Ophidia could handle the assassination of the targets, while the Togruta Lord tested out the defenses and resolve of the current government, in the meanwhile Lord Fa would be the one who had the meeting with the current government.

Publicly against slavery it was the obvious move to arrive on Ryloth with investment and support as his motives.

 

[Darth Ophidia]

Darth Ophidia had every reason to despise slavery. Long before she had been a Sith, she had found herself at the mercy of a Rattataki Warlord, from whom she had stolen. His first act of retribution was one she felt every time she moved her tongue. The other was the one that put her on this path of violence: She had been enslaved and sold to the fighting pits. The chains and whips would have broken most, but to her it was the crucible in which her hatred was first forged.

These days, she had a far more pragmatic view of slavery. Many great deeds required wanton slaughter, and slavery was a practical outlet for disposable hands and minds. As such, she had no qualms with it.

As Tai Fa inclined his beak to greet her, so did she incline her head. However, her eyes never wandered from his form for a second, nor did they seem to require blinking. His peculiar speech-pattern was interesting to her. She had of course done basic research on him prior to the meeting's arrangement. She knew of his company, his appearance, and his speech. Though, she did not know the 'why', as anyone rarely did when researching disciples of the dark side. They were all of a secretive sort, to some degree.

"Thank you."

Her voice was a cold rasp, gingerly juggling a playful purr as a wicked smile drew itself over her dark lips to reveal the pearly white teeth behind. However, her eyes remained un-phased, like two embers resting against her ashen skin. She stepped around the available chair and sat down. Her legs crossed, fingers clad in supple leather gloves intertwined and rested upon her knee. Her form appeared relaxed, but alert, and carrying a dignified dominance over her surroundings.

"But I trust you did not ask me here for the conversation alone."

[member="Darth Pyrrhus"] [member="Tai Fa"]

 

[Jairus Starvald]

[member="Darth Ophidia"]

For a brief moment Lord Fa simply studied Ophidia.

Stories differed on what she looked like, which told him enough about her appearance or the lack of stability in its regard. It implied she was either a shapeshifter, used illusions to mask her appearance or maybe used some more traditional methods. The point was that her face was not a thing that was a reliable identifier.

"Charming as you are.​

I am afraid not now.​

We have business here." ​

The datapad was pushed over the table towards her.

In it was information on the rise of the Techno Union over Roon, how they established order around their immediate surroundings, went to war with the nations around them. How eventually they abolished slavery and rooted out its practice within its borders and just outside of it.

How Ryloth's traditional government was overthrown and how an anti-slavery coalition rose up in its steed.

The planet was having issues regaining their economical standing in the Outer Rim though. No drugs or slaves going out meant they needed new sources of income, but the world had little in the way of that. None of that truly mattered to Lord Fa or his associates, of course, considering they simply wished to restore the status quo.

​

"As you can see here.​

Slavery is quite dreadful.​

Yet, Ryloth suffers."​

She would also notice that this anti-slavery coalition was making inroads to realign themselves with a Jedi movement. If the Jedi consolidated themselves here... well, one more fortress world for the Jedi was one less world the Sith had influence over.

"We must do something.​

About this tragedy here.
Do you not agree?"

 

[Zenva Vrotoa]

The Zabrak Matron bowed her head slightly to the Sith, a gesture of respect in her mind, and one that few in this galaxy earned. She turned on a heel, and slowly began walking toward the nearby village. One hand came up to activate the comm system built into her Shadez. "Black Squadron, green light for surgical strike. Transport division, bring in the Rawhides. Mister Irons, all units slow advance." She switched her mic off again, and settled her rifle into a ready position against her shoulder. "This is going to be one hell of a wake-up call." She said aloud, a small laugh coloring her tone.

All throughout the trees surrounding the village soldiers began to creep their way forward. The Elites of Clan Vrotoa moved like spectors through the predawn gloom, silent as death. The other one hundred warriors, those Zenva had taken to calling "The Regulars" for they lacked the skills, and experience required of those that had joined the ranks of her Elites, moved through the jungle like a herd of Bantha comparatively. Oh, they were trained soldiers of a surety. They knew how to hold a line as they advanced, and moved well enough through the thick vegetation, but the differences between the two ranks of soldiers was glaringly obvious to The Blood Matron. None of those differences mattered a few moments later as the scream of bomber engines ripped the early morning silence apart.

Ten K-Wing Fighter Bombers streaked across the sky, unleashing a devastating volley of energy torpedoes, and a number of proton bombs on the unsuspecting village of Twi'lek. Explosions shoke the very earth beneath Zenva's feet as ordnance impacted with what few vital installations the village possessed. The initial carnage wiped the village's main hall from existence entirely, taking their main communications array with it. What passed for a military complex, a few barracks, and a collection of speeders, was laid to waste by several proton bombs. Several other buildings were utterly destroyed, though their significance was undetermined. What remained were the buildings of importance to the Zabrak, and her Togruta associate, homes, and storehouses. The lifeblood of the village, it's people, was still largely intact.

By the time Zenva reached the edge of the tree line, the sky rumbled with the sound of engines once more. A half dozen Dropships descended on the clearing that contained the Twi'lek village. Each one held a pair of Walkers suspended from it's underbelly. While the village began to come alive with screaming, scrambling people, the Dropships began deploying their cargo. Twelve light Walkers known as Rawhides among the Vrotoa Clan fell through the air to add their terrible presence to the lines of soldiers emerging from the trees. The early morning gloom was immediately painted bloody red as small arms fire began to slash through the air toward the small village.

[member="Darth Pyrrhus"] [member="Darth Ophidia"] [member="Tai Fa"]

 

[Darth Pyrrhus]

It began. The laugh of the Zabrak, who certainly was no Twi'lek herself, was like the signal that set the following events in motion. One hell of a wake-up call, indeed. While Tai Fa and Darth Ophidia tended to matters in the capital, he and his accomplice were making waves on the outskirts of the government's reach. No doubt they'd at one point learn what was going on here. No doubt they'd at one point try to deal with them. When the time came, they would be ready. Or, alternatively, gone. In either case it would benefit the efforts the three Sith were seeking to accomplish here on Ryloth. And it would serve to profit them all. Not just the three of them, but their fourth ally in this effort as well.

Zenva was not one to allow herself to be so easily excluded when high profits were involved. Perhaps that was why he held her in such high regard. Well, not merely because of that. But that she was one capable of getting what she wanted even without the use of the Force certainly was a plus. Time would show if she came out on top against the Ryloth village. If she did, her mercenaries were likely to get a lot of work to do in the future.

Her troops were advancing. They were getting into their positions when at last the sound of her aircraft came within earshot. The village before them shook with explosions, and turned into a chaos of dust, ruins and blood. This would benefit the rest of Zenva's forces. They were not attacking an organised military unit. It was a surprise attack on an unsuspecting village, who only just now would realise they were under attack. Even still they might not have been completely sure what hit them, even less so whether it would hit them again. While they wallowed in their confusion their encirclement was guaranteed. And with the precise strikes made from Zenva's bomber team it was a low chance of them truly rising again to face the challenge that approached them.

Time was against them now, but they had bought enough. "Make sure you don't kill everyone" the Togruta remarked a little off-handedly. She already knew this in advance, and he probably didn't have to repeat it. "The weapons are set to stun, yes?" While the rest of the village could be broken into surrender with a few volleys of death thrown at them, the more bodies were able to serve within the smooth engine that was the Karazak Slavers Cooperative, the better. "Things are progressing according to plan." It was time to move. Though Pyrrhus was not expecting to face a grand challenge the thrill of battle still rose a wave of excitement within him. Though the field was small, it mattered not; to war.

| [member="Zenva Vrotoa"] | [member="Tai Fa"] | [member="Darth Ophidia"] | ​

 

[Darth Ophidia]

The Techno Union - Once she had regarded them as allies to her cause, back in the glory days of the One Sith. Since then, the technophiliac pretenders had turned cloak, collapsed, and become an irking thorn in the side of far too many. To see them rise to power again was not within her frame of interests. In other words, he had her attention. Of course, this was not an emotion she overtly displayed. Her facial features remained largely the same.

With nimble hands, she plucked the datapad from the table and scanned through the information. She did not have time to read it closely at the moment, but she could skim it.

"Terrible indeed."

She did not give the datapad back, nor put it back on the table. However, she did look at the birdlike person across from her with that same eerily still gaze. She grasped at his motivations, but his words were dubious. However, his point came through. Something must be done to stop the rise of the Techno Union's puppets.

"Surely, the suffering of few, as is the cost of the trade, weighs less than the fate of a planet."

Worse yet than the Techno Union was the Jedi and what scum they chose to align themselves with. They promoted themselves as 'humble' saviours, peddled out mediocrity, and led their people by the hand into a furnace. Her order demanded she enforce the dichotomy against the light, but she did not need the code to see that the Jedi were false idols she needed to purge.

"Especially when their sovereignty is threatened by such dubious factions."

Now she put the datapad back down on the table. A picture of a Twi'lek Jedi master talking to one of the Coalition's ambassadors had been highlighted by the touch of her fingers.

"Someone ought to do something, 'for the good of the people'."

Such hissed the serpent with her cleft tongue.​

[member="Tai Fa"] [member="Darth Pyrrhus"] [member="Zenva Vrotoa"]

 

[Jairus Starvald]

[member="Darth Ophidia"]

Lord Fa did not delude himself in thinking himself more powerful than this one, nor the Lord of Ruin acting in concert with his Zabrak ally near the fringes of government control. No, more than likely these two could squash him like a little bug without even trying too hard. It was dangerous, then, to align himself with them too closely, but sometimes a goal was worth the risk.

It was unlikely they would try to betray them during this critical operation. Not when they all had so much to gain from success and so much to lose from failure.

Caution was good, but the Thirriken Sith would not allow his judgement to become clouded by paranoia and start making mistakes. That would only make it more likely that his newfound allies would deem it necessary to eliminate him; to remove a threat to their collective success.

"I am quite happy.
That we see eye to eye here.
Salvation will come.

While I am still here.
Do you need anything more?
Whatever you need.

For all our success."​

His meeting with the government's attache would only start in another two hours. It would be imperative to maneuver himself in a position where he seemed to be supportive of the anti-slavery practices and maybe even the warming of relationships to the Jedi.

From such a vantage point Fa would have far more influence once certain elements were eliminated and chaos started to rule.

 

[Darth Ophidia]

"I have what I require."

Her eyes fixed on the image on the datapad. In her mind, she ran through her options and available equipment. She had come here expecting a target, after all. What she did not already possess, she could easily procure through her own channels. Not only were they considerably more secure on her part -hence their continued use- but they also kept her mission at some distance from the bird.

"Anything further you could give me would only provide possible threads to tie us together in this plot should something go awry."

Such precautions were in the foundations of the Assassin's trade. That, and leverage against her contractors should they decide to attempt a double cross. Such instances were rare, but not unheard of. And those who did were made examples of most severely. She had no doubt Tai Fa knew.

"I will take the datapad, and in return I will give you"

With a turn of the wrist, she produced a small dataspike seemingly out of nothing but the palm of her hand. It was no trick of the Force, but a highly practised slight of hand.

"- this. It will provide you with secure means of contacting me one time, should you require it. Once this mission is complete, I will notify you and terminate the connection." She paused, letting the information sink in before she continued. "Should I find this in the hands of any one other than yourself, then you will be marked as a priority target. Do you understand?"

In essence, this was how the contract would be signed; this was the point of no return. If he took the dataspike, then the persons marked would most certainly die. If he attempted a double cross, then he would most certainly die.

[member="Tai Fa"]

 

[Jairus Starvald]

[member="Darth Ophidia"]

Lord Fa took a good moment taking in the sight of the data-spike.

This was no fear that caused him to stay his wing, instead mild caution and a tendency to think things over, even when in reality he had already made his decision a long time ago. No, there was no other option here, it would not surprise him in the slightest if Ophidia would kill him anyway, if he decided not to take the data-spike in this instant.

It would, presumably, ensure that no one else would even consider going to her competition.

The Sith way could be ugly like that. Cut-throat business and the like, but that was the price of doing business as far as the Thirriken was concerned. With a gesture of his wing the data-spike was swiped off her hand. She wouldn't even feel the feathers brushing past her skin, that was how precise and controlled Lord Fa was in and out of the moment.

"We have an accord.​

My word is my bond always.​

By my blood and name."​

​

"I will wish you good fortune."​

​

With that said the Thirriken would wait for Ophidia to leave.

Only after a suitable amount of time would he rise himself and leave the building. He had an idea when the Sith Assassin would strike, seeing as the datapad also contained a few tactics that would be the most effective, but it would still be a surprise which one she actually picked.

It was better that way.

 

[Darth Ophidia]

A moment of tension - It was customary for clients to leave her hanging for those few seconds. At first, it had frustrated her, but as the years went by, she had become more patient. The younger Ophidia was reckless, rash, undisciplined. Time had tempered her to a superior sharpness and a deadly patience. The moment his wing swept over her hand, removing the dataspike, so would her left hand deftly pluck the datapad from the table and whisk it away between the folds of her blue robes.

She nodded and rose to her feet. Her hands clasped behind her back, accentuating her slender figure. A hint of a smile played on the black lips.

"A pleasure. May the Force be with you, Tai Fa"

With a twist of her form, Ophidia turned her back on the peacock. As she did, she seemingly vanished; not only did she disappear from the preliminary detection through the Force, she appeared to dissolve in a flutter of blue fabrics.

A sense for theatrics, perhaps? To exit in a vanish did often leave an impression upon those she had dealt with. Mystery was the first layer of defence, both to her personally and for her order. The more people guessed and less people knew, the more defended they were from scrutiny.

She left much as she had come, and retreated to a simple apartment her order had purchased through a number of proxy accounts. There, she studied the datapad, learned her targets, and planned how to deliver upon the accord. In what way would she most effectively eliminate them?

[member="Tai Fa"] [member="Darth Pyrrhus"] [member="Zenva Vrotoa"]

 

[Jairus Starvald]

[member="Darth Ophidia"]

Lord Fa saw the theatrics for what they were.

Mostly because it was within his own nature to use theatrics to his advantage, but that didn't mean he did not appreciate the flair it was executed with. Few would have been able to pull it off and then pull it off with such grace, at the back of his throat the peacock cooed in approval. Truly a master of the Force and a master of style, was there ever a better combination than that?

He thought not.

After about ten to fifteen minutes of simply meditating and pondering on approaches in the future, Lord Fa finally left the house behind him. It would once again be sold through his proxies and the cash fueled right back into the backdrop of his operations. It would be better that way, no reason to keep it there for no reason at all... after all, when this was finished?

There would be no need for secrecy in terms of ownership.

By the cloak of shadows and whispers the Sith left the house unnoticed, before finding his way back to the pleasure barge that was resting lazily in the neighborhood waiting for his return.

It would be that same barge that would lead him to the governmental complex where the trade negotiations would take place.

 

[Darth Ophidia]

There were more than a few options that presented themselves to the Pale Assassin as she investigated possible approaches to the assignment. She could hit each one in their homes. It was by far the most quiet and efficient way of dispatching them. Only the Jedi truly posed a challenge and even they have gaps in their armour of awareness. However, this did not seem to align with the plan. No, the Peacock demanded a show. He needed to be the hero who saved them all at the risk of his own life. This was, of course, an extra costly demand.

A wicked smile crept over her lips as she enhanced the image and schematics of the pleasure barge. Quite costly indeed.

A good assassin was not just a harbinger of death, though, death was often the desired product. No, a true assassin was a messenger; one who changed the course of history with a drop of poison, a whispered word, or the silken stroke of a blade. Or, in a case such as this: Explosives. Explosives had a certain trade-off in its use. It created chaos and spread a blanket of damage, but it was hardly subtle nor entirely certain to do what was intended. Therefore she would require a second tier: Selective poisoning. Then, to draw it all together, she would have to create a presence to blame; a villain to be hated in contrast to Tai Fa's strength.

She leaned back for a moment, mapping her approach to the situation. Some would call it a logistical nightmare, but Ophidia saw it more as challenge. She did have certain tools on hand, giving her options as to how exactly she could approach this. Minutes passed by as she mapped the particulars, mulled over the chances. It was an imagined game of chances, one could say.

Then, quickly, she plucked what she needed. It was a wide assortment of little things, from pills to fake death to an oil that induced paralysis. From something as mundane as a vibrodagger to her curved, paired lightsabre hilts. And, of course, explosives. The grenades of her choice were a favourite among bounty hunters, thus difficult to trace. Ophidia donned a layered disguise, where she could easily switch between two personas.

[member="Tai Fa"] [member="Darth Pyrrhus"]

 

[Jairus Starvald]

[member="Darth Ophidia"]

It didn't take long for the pleasure barge to start moving.

There would first be an official picture session with the government on the barge itself, drink a cup of tea and some food, then they would go for the actual discussions into the government building. In reality it was all an elaborate marketing stunt, of course. Ryloth's government needed an image boost and cooperation with one of the larger corporations in the Galaxy build up by a non-human.

Publicly also fervently against the practice of slavery.

No, it was quite the coup to have the backing of such a corporation right after the Techno Union collapsed on itself and became insane in execution.

Lazily the barge drifted through the streets and towards the government building.

It would be about a half hour, before the presses would start.

 

[Darth Ophidia]

The original photographer would never arrive. He had called in sick due to acute food-poisoning. Or rather, it would appear to be something that simple. It would take a few days, but his condition would only worsen as his body continued to dehydrate itself, meanwhile a chemical process in the brain would induce him with a great sense of apathy. In turn, it would lead to him thirsting to death by his own volition. It was the curious effect of a poison she had managed to synthesise out of the bais fungi, native to certain planets around the Galactic Core. Local medical staff were not likely to have the antitoxin.

Instead, the image capturing technician would be a green-faced near-human with crooked, yellow teeth, brown eyes, and short tousled black hair. She stumbled on board the pleasure-barge with her hands clutching her imaging device. Her semi-formal suit was of a clearly cheaper fabric than the other guests, and she seemed adequately aware, however far too concerned with her job to truly care.

She turned down a drink, accepted a snack, and covered her mouth while briefly scolding a cleaning droid that almost tripped her. She made enough of a scene to fit in, but continually not enough to truly catch the eye of anyone. There were yet some time until pictures were to be taken.

Fitted in her disguise as the photographer, Ophidia's hands were fitted with a layer of synthskin with fake fingerprints. It would also function as secure gloves protecting her from her poison of choice. Thaxxan oil was a substance from her home planet of Rattatak, currently under the protection of the First Order. If rubbed on skin, particularly on the wrists, neck, or inner thigh, it would lead to paralysis and eventual heart-failure. As part of a bathroom visit, she applied the oil to her fake skin and made her way towards the guests of honour in order to greet them as their photographer for the evening.

[member="Tai Fa"]

 

[Jairus Starvald]

[member="Darth Ophidia"]

There were many little small talks in the midst of it all.

Faces blending into each other as dozens of people vied for attention and interest. But such was the way when you were the man (or bird) everyone wanted to talk to this time around. Every time they reached out for a handshake, all that Lord Fa did was bow his beak in a token amount of respect.

Only the rare individual received a wingshake from him - [member="Saffron"] for instance, when she had been under immense stress and needed to be lifted up slightly.

For some reason humanoids and sentients in general considered touching his wing... soothing?

The Thirriken did not truly understand it.

The photographer seemed strange and out of place, but it seemed the rest of the crowd were not at all suspicious about him. Perhaps it was just his inner paranoia, just his Sithness dominating his outer perceptions in an important moment. Lord Fa was not sure, but before he could think about it too much... his attention was once again commanded by another government official.

This one the trade minister, quite an important figure, if they wished to do anything with the Ryll exports.

 

[Darth Ophidia]

"Hi, yes. I will be your photographer. Do you have a preferred angle or shu- The right, okay. Thank you am-. Hello, I am so honoured to meet you. Yes, portraits-. Master Jedi, what an honour. Can I see your- No? Oh well, I suppose you get asked that all the- Hello, so honoured"

One my one, the photographer made humble chatter with a number of the guests. She made sure not to leave too strong an impression, if anything she was purposefully irritating so as to stop the conversation from dragging on. However, she did get to mark some of her most important targets with the Thaxxan oil. Those she touched must have thought she had the sweatiest hands. And soon, they would begin to feel light-headed. No doubt this would be blamed on the alcohol and the heat.

She quickly made her way down into the decks again, washed the excess oil from her hands and peeled off the synthskin gloves. Slipping her left hand out of its sleeve, she turned the outer layer to an outer layer and unfolded a more robe-like structure. The cheap blue fabric was now covered with a courser, heavier dark grey and a worn, black belt. She fetched a battered, old, curved lightsabre hilt she had hidden in her chest region. She had taken this blade from a Jedi Knight she had killed. What was her name? Ophidia could not remember, but she felt the phantom heat of the blade that had almost claimed her head. Instead, it had taken the tip off her chin.

Snapping out of her train of thought, the Pale Assassin put the final touches on her disguise: A cloth mask to cover her mouth and nose, and a hood to hide the top, back, and sides of her head. She now overtly looked the part of an assassin. The true performance was about to start, and it was paramount not to be seen before the time was right. She clipped the hilt to her belt and begun disassembling the photo capturing device. Within its empty shell, there was a thermal detonator. Small, but powerful. This was not the small, grenade type designed to spread shrapnel; this was the more potent blast charge. It was designed to be set and left for detonation.

She slipped into the darkest folds of the Force and slipped through the corridors of the barge's interior. It was paramount that she placed the charge in the right place and set the right time. Her target: The Engine room. It would create a chain reaction that in turn made for a spectacular fireworks show. The bomb was all about the flash; the disaster.

[member="Tai Fa"]