Rules of Survival

[Darth Abyss]

Star's End

It was common knowledge that credits could get you out of prison. The notion that they could also bring you inside one on the other hand was less widespread among the people of the galaxy. But like everything else it was possible if one had the right amount of money and influence, and Darth Abyss was one of these individuals. For a while he had contemplated what challenge to set next for his apprentice [member="Serenity Loveheart"] and then it came to him. His first impulse had been to abduct her to a secret blacksite on the edges of the known galaxy, but he discarded the idea quickly, as it somewhat lacked the right flair. A place owned by him would always feel like a controlled environment, no matter what he would throw at her.

So instead he made a few calls. A handful of transactions, a few forged records and IDs as well as a well placed threat were all it needed to get her a place in Star's End, a prison station that had seen many ages and still stood. There she would learn to survive, with no identity, no friends, no money and no weapons, only with the dark side to strength and guide her.

At night a group of black cloaked figures would break into Serenity's current home, after a single poisoned bullet was shoot by a sharpshooter through the window into her foot. A slight injury but still painful, another obstacle she would have to overcome in her time in prison. The group removed her from her home, and into a less then legally acquired detention shuttle.

In the morning she would awake with pain in her foot, a pretty bad headache and also inside of a very small cell. It was time for her to get adjusted to her new live. The voice of a guard pierced through the uneasy silence of Star's end prison.

"Inmate 34/2b get the kark out of your bed. We don't have the whole day to waste with you."

Spoiler

OOC So I made a few assumations here with Serenity being captured to introduce the idea a bit easier, but If you don't want that to happen just shot me a pm and I will change it.

 

[Natalie LaForte]

She awoke, the last thing in her head being a sharp pain in her back while she was heating some zoodles. As she touched her back, it was too late, dropping to the floor like a sack of bricks. The cold floor holding her upright, before being carried off by his agents.

As she awoke, the pain of hitting the ground still in her bones she heard the guard speak; before picking herself up off the ground. Was she really arrested? But what for? The cops on Nar Shaddaa wouldn't dare attempt it, especially after her last incident where she strung an officer naked outside of the police station. Looking down she spotted overalls, too baggy for her shape.

She looked behind her, spotting the individual with a dark shadow casting over his face, hiding his true identity.

"Where am I?"

"I said we don't have all day for you." as he unleashed a stun baton, the electricity sparking off of it.

She raised her hand in frustration, clasping his psychological well being with it, creating an emotional void. Regular circumstances wouldn't permit it, but the frustration and anger pent up within her given the current situation fueled her abilities like a burning furnace.

"I said. Where. Am. I?"

The man screamed in agony as footsteps from the corridor, most likely other guards came rushing towards the cramped, white cell. He dropped the stun baton, it still prime for use. With a crushing motion of her fingers, the man passed out, the screaming subsided as he went unconscious. Two more similarly dressed individuals came and joined the body.

"Ric-.. Ricky?"

Serenity looked at them both with a piercing look, colour draining from her eyes leaving them pale in comparison to her complexion. An echo boomed from within her body as her voice got a demonic tone to it, as she moved one foot after the other to the men, now in fear of the girl.

"Move." She gave the men just under one second to move before she ran towards them, immediately shoving the stun road into his torso and causing him to collapse, causing seizure like motions. The other, seeing the girl's immediate rage ran in the opposite direction, most likely to trigger some sort of alarm. Meanwhile, she searched the guard's bodies for some sort of access key. If she was going to escape here, she was going to do it with the help of the other beings, trapped in whatever hell-hole she had been sentenced to.

[member="Darth Abyss"]

 

[Darth Abyss]

The sound of the alarm was mind numbing, from one second to another the prison was on complete lock down. Magnetic doors fell down in every corridor, cutting of any way in out of the detention block to which [member="Serenity Loveheart"] had been brought. Behind them steps could be heard numerous heavy boots dropping to the ground followed by shouting which only was a incomprehensible mumble on the other side of the doors. Guards on both sides got in position, weapons raised. To kill, not to stun, this wasn't a alliance prison after all. Be smart, be calm and bid your time to make your move at the right moment, or die. Basic rules for inmates of a galactic prison. If this would've been a test of her combat skills, than Darth Abyss would've picked a different place. No, this was a lesson in patience.

"Inmate 34/2b stand down or we will be forced to use lethal violence. You have been warned, on the ground, hands on your back. You have 5 seconds."

The words boomed from the speakers placed on the station, right from a command and surveillance central that watched most of the prison through cameras placed in every corridor or corner. Not the kind of security to approach head on. Behind the doors blaster rifles were loaded and aimed, smoke grenades cooked and night vision goggles turned on.

"Zero."

The light cut out as several smoke grenades were thrown towards Serenity's position, while well trained, coordinated and armed guards moved in, guns raised and ready to fire should she make any move.

"Secure the Inmate. I think two days in isolation will help her get over her rebellious spirit."

Red dots pierced through the smoke and the darkness, searching for the exact position of the girl.

 

[Natalie LaForte]

She grunted, coughing as the smoke filled her lungs and the red dots drew onto her skin. Typical. Just when she was about to have some fun, these idiots would ruin her day. Had it been one red dot, perhaps she would've continued her rampage, but what seemed to be upwards of 10, on various places on her body; was obviously too much. For now.

She raised her hands and dropped the stun baton, "You're all idiots." she said, as they moved in, perhaps in an overzealous attempt, rushing her body to the ground, cuffing her in an uncomfortable manor and then picking her up forcefully. "Would you stop hurting me, don't make me hurt you again" as she opened her mouth, making a biting motion at the guard beside her.

Patience wasn't her strong point, and was the reason as to why she was so rash in attempting to break out of this place. She was never without freedom, never caged in a literal sense. What shocked her was probably the fact these guards were carrying live ammunition, laser pointers as well and their coordination, this was certainly no facility she had ever been into before, unless the Jedi had changed their practices for keeping inmates.

She was left, cuffed, bruised in her cell, awaiting an opportunity, a chance to get out. A chance at freedom, this would truly be a test to her mental resolve if anything. 2 days without contact? Ridiculous, she thought to herself, as she raised her legs against the metallic wall, on the concrete bed with a thin mattress below.

Ugh.

[member="Darth Abyss"]

 

[Darth Abyss]

Life in isolation was as fun as it sounded like. Three times a day food was brought to the cell, dropped into it through a small slot in the door, a tasteless, colorless paste holding the lowest possible amount of nutrition to keep the inmates alive, as well a bit of water. Beyond the cell live moved on for all the others on Star's End, guards and inmates alike while all [member="Serenity Loveheart"] would be able to see where the walls, the roof and the floor of her temporary home, all painted in the same dirty shade of grey. How she would spend that time was up to her, but her master would probably advise her to mediated on the darkness within. In a fight a sith lord was fueled by bright, burning passion, but the rest of the time there was only cold, calculating hate. To survive the sith had to keep the animal inside of them caged, and only release it when they needed it.

After two days it knocked on Serenity's door, five heavily armed and armored guards waiting behind it to bring her to the rest of the prisons inmates.

"34/2b we will release you now. Try anything again and you will be put down like the animal you are. Hurry up, breakfast ends in half an hour."

The mag door slid open, releasing her into the prison station. With their guns aimed at her the guards signaled her to move, leading her to room reserved for the feeding of the inmates, serving the same trash she had gotten in isolation. Criminals from various planets, ages and life's had been gathered here. This would be another test. The guards were far from the only ones ready to spill blood.

 

[Natalie LaForte]

What even was it that she was eating? It was grey.. no, brown? A hint of blue? The worst part of the meal was not the taste, but the absence of taste. It's like depriving someone of social contact, make them speak to someone they hate, they won't like it, but it was still speaking to someone. Remove the social aspect and make them lonely, suddenly they are driven to insanity. Not only was this happening to her in that, but the comparison to the meal was just like it. The water was stale, but even that had more flavour than whatever had been served to her.

During the time, she did meditate. Not in a traditional sense. She stood, closed her eyes to the cell door and spoke to herself, running ideas of how she was going to destroy the guards at an ample opportunity, removing their heads one by one would serve as just punishment for this; however, a knock interrupted her thoughts and she saw the shadow like figures again. May as well pretend to comply. She didn't even respond to them, not even a nod, as she exited the cell door and made her way to the canteen. She at least attempted to make conversation.

"You really think a girl like me is going to hurt 5 hunks like you?" she laughed into herself, so not to mock those threatening her life.

As she entered it, its decor was the same as the rest of the prison. White. Perhaps it was a form of psychological torture, but she paid no attention, and just looked at the spillings of the mysterious substance which she had eaten just hours earlier. She wasn't even out of place, and she could've swore she saw some acquaintances from Nar Shaddaa present. One thing was for sure, whoever was running this place meant serious business.

She found a crowded table filled with the scum of the earth, and began eating her tray of 'food', miserably.

[member="Darth Abyss"]

 

[Darth Abyss]

"Newcomer has to give food to me and friends."

A deep, growly voice could be heard from the other side of the table, coming out of the mouth of Zabrak, a figure far more massive and terrifying than most of his species. Standing at 2,20 meters in height, yet with muscles that still seemed oversized for his body the alien was a sight to see by itself, but the thing that would make most common men and women in the galaxy stay as far away from his as possible were the numerous tattoos all over his face. Someone with even a bit of insight into the underworld would recognized the insignias of several major groups, including the Hutts and the Black Sun.

The people around him where quick to react, depending on their status. Some simply laughed, or even cheered slightly for the brutish being, while others quickly rose from their place to not be involved in what they had seen countless times before. One of the stood out, and elderly Twi'lek man with a blue skincolor that had already started to fade. No symbols could be seen on his body, and anywhere else no one would've looked at him. Yet there was something in his eyes, a malicious intelligence that waited behind them. He laid down his right hand on the shoulder of the Zabrak.

"Calm Toruk. But he is right newcomer, your food belongs to us for today. It's a tradition here on Star's End, so we can see how well you will fit in here."

His voice was calm and collected, but the threat behind is words was obvious. By now it was probably clear who was in charge of the inmates here.

[member="Serenity Loveheart"]

 

[Natalie LaForte]

She looked up from the tray to the individual. "If you call this food, then have it." as she put some humor in her voice. She really had no desire to eat this, not even for the 'nutritional' benefit, truth be told, it was diminishing her mood to the point where she no longer felt happy. She placed her hand behind her ear, scratching it before looking up again in realization.

"Did you just say-.. Stars' end?" She thought that this place was mere myth, a legend made up to scare children from the path of crime. "Are you kidding me?" she whispered beneath her breath. Guess she had really screwed up this time, from what she was told, the place wasn't even in the same galaxy as her home, it was a planet without a sun, drifting in the midst of space. A heavily guarded tower were they would break you. Fun.

Seeing the markings on his body indicated him as a powerful figure, one to possible befriend or at the very least, make sure you didn't make enemies with. She herself did not bare any tattoos, and she intended to keep it that way. They were more than just some ink on skin, an identification that could get you shot in the wrong world, or called to arms on another. She said once more. "How long have you been here for?"

[member="Darth Abyss"]

 

[Darth Abyss]

The giant of a zabrak reached for the food, offering it to each of those still around him who all declined with a disgusted shake of their head before gulping it down more alike an animal than a sentient being. His twi'lek friend relaxed back in his chair, before throwing a very small pack over to [member="Serenity Loveheart"].

"I wish I was, but no this is really Star's end. Welcome home. This will help with the food of tomorrow a bit."

Inside the pack were a mix of spices, not the good stuff that allowed you to forget about the reality of prison for a bit but actual spices that could mask the lack of taste that the food possessed. Again his right wandered on the shoulder of the Zabrak who slowed down in his feast a bit, and the animalistic aura around him faded away.

"Well Toruk here has been her for 6 years. Me? I don't know exactly but somewhere around 20 years. I'm Malic by the way, and if you ever need something come to me. As long you have something to offer obviously."

Star's end was a hellhole far away from anything and everything, but it was still a prison filled with criminals, and therefore a place were crime happened day after day. After 20 years at a place like this you either made it to the top or you died a meaningless death isolated from civilization.

"So who are you girl? And how by the gods did you end up in a place like this?"

 

[Natalie LaForte]

She took the spices in one hand, not much, certainly not enough to last her the entire time she would be here, and they were nothing she had ever seen before. They were exotic to her, but to most prisoners, probably a staple to their diet in keeping these meals down. As Toruk began to speak, she opened her mouth in response almost immediately.

"And what do you want to get me out of here? I'm not staying trapped in Stars' end for the rest of my life. You won't know me by my real name, so just call me Serenity. As to what I did to end up here?"

She asked herself that question in the many days of solitary, wondering what she had done to be shipped off the galaxy. This really was a harsh punishment, and the people found here were usually high class criminals, with the most she had ever done being pickpocketing and the occasional heist, which was usually dealt with by paying some corrupt officers. Had one of them turned on her?

"I really don't know, perhaps the Nar Shaddaa CPD, corrupt police department, finally decided to do their jobs, I doubt that though, if you've ever been there you'd know it's just a curse on the planet that has plagued it for centuries, they have no incentive to change, but I'm not staying here for long. I'm getting out of here, and if you want to join me you're more than welcome to.

[member="Darth Abyss"]

 

[Darth Abyss]

"You hear that Toruk? She wants to break out."

The gigantic Zabrak looked up from his meal, while some of the disgusting paste dripped down from his mouth, as he and the Twi'lek began to laugh, followed by the rest of the people on the table.

"This is Star's End girl, not some alliance prison. What do you want to do? Jump into the vacuum of space and let your corpse drift to another planet?"

Again the group laughed, clearly all in agreement that there was no way out of this place. Most of them had been here for long, some even for longer than anywhere else. They all had seen people trying to get out, and they had seen all of them dying in the process.

"Many have tried before. Men and women more dangerous than anyone on this table. Why should you of all people be able to do what they couldn't?"

The tone of the Twi'lek had turned slightly more serious, but it was still a bit of mockery in them. They all wanted to get out of here, but not once had anyone brought up a plan with even a chance for survival.

[member="Serenity Loveheart"]

 

[Natalie LaForte]

"Because I'm not staying here for the rest of my life?"

In comparison, she was quite, quite serious.

"Do you guys not have a desire to be free? And who said we would need to escape it. A coup and then trick whoever owns this place into sending an evacuation ship would do the trick; then, we could seek our revenge."

She loved revenge; especially considering she was locked up for, to the extent of her knowledge, nothing. The time in isolation had given her plenty of time to map escape routes, from the very, very small portion of the prison she had spotted; but not only that, she considered the frustration of being temporarily locked in a box with no means of escape, at least, no feasible ones. She could have easily considered the previous encounter with the guards from earlier, but that would've just ended up with her put in permanent stasis, from what she had heard.

[member="Darth Abyss"]

 

[Darth Abyss]

"Someone already tried that. Hey Malic, you remember how the guards pushed what was left of Galleros body out the airlock?"

A rodian threw the words into the discussion from the side of the table, a few seats besides [member="Serenity Loveheart"]. There was another laughter growing in the gathering of criminals around her, but before it was able to break out the Twi'lek lifted his hand, gesturing his friends to be silent. With a very serious expression the blue alien remained still for a moment, and one was able to see as his mind worked behind his eyes.

"Shut up Hulas. I need to think."

Following his words the Twi'lek reached for anything he could find on the table around him and moved it around, clearly visualizing something. By now it was clear that there was more behind his eyes than the intelligence of a common criminal. Whatever had brought the Twi'lek here was far more than petty theft, more than murder or armed robbery.

"Stay low for a few days. Don't speak about this to anyone. I will talk to you once we can proceed."

A prison outbreak wasn't planned and executed in what was left of half an hour. Soon they would have to get back into their cells or of to work. Then the pieces would slowly be set in motion.

 

[Natalie LaForte]

She grinned in response.

"Very well." at the very least, this was an assurance she would not be dammed to the fate of most people who entered this complex. So she sat until the guards came in and ushered various inmates back to their cells. In the meanwhile, she contemplated how she would escape. As previously mentioned, this place wasn't even in her home galaxy, and the planet it was situated on would require breathing suits to even exit.

"Any of you forcies?" She said in a rather serious fashion, of course force being the slang for force users, she often found that asking it in this way was generally perceived as being less offensive and often more open to the people she asked. The force was a powerful tool, and would not doubt be of great assistance if anybody else in this place had a connection to it. Furiously starving, she needed to keep the converation going to sate her physical hunger, by feeding it with an emotional one.

"Just asking, it would be really useful if you were."

[member="Darth Abyss"]

 

[Darth Abyss]

"No, they normally get locked up in a block designed to keep them from using their power."

The twi'lek stressed the word normally slightly and allowed a knowing grin to dance over his face just long enough to make it clear to [member="Serenity Loveheart"] that he knew exactly what she was, and that it was best to keep such information to herself in a place like this. From behind the guards could be heard, as they began to remove the inmates from their tables.

"Breakfast is over. Get a move on."

Three guards stood around the table, rifles loosely relaxing in their hands, while they waited for thr prisoners tk stand up. Gradually the table cleared out, until only the girl, the twi'lek and the gigantic zabrak were left. The guard with the highest rank looked at the odd pair, shaking his head slightly.

"Come on Malic, you know the drill. Take your pet and move along. Newbie here has cleaning duty."

The other guards laughed as the two rose from their chairs at well and made their way back to thr cells. Only Serenity would have to remain, and clean up the chaos left behind by a group of inmates eating disgusting paste. A fourth guard moved to his friends, carrying a mob and a bucket behind him.

"Clean this karking mess up 34/2b. And do it fast, we don't have all day."

The guards showed clear satisfaction with this possibility to humiliate a new inmate like this.

 

[Natalie LaForte]

"Alrighty then.."

She took the mop in one hand and started rhythmically swabbing the floor, remove dust, dirt and grime alike from all corners of it; draining the mop of the water content into the bucket then doing it once more.

"Uh.. where am I again? The isolation has just made me a bit..."

She grinned at the 4

"You know."

Daringly, she took the mop and placed it on the table, although she assumed they wouldn't care; given the current state of affairs.

[member="Darth Abyss"]

 

[Darth Abyss]

One of the guards rolled his eyes, but there was no physical or even verbal reaction to [member="Serenity Loveheart"]. All they cared for was their paycheck and to not work more than they had to if they could avoid it. If that included leaving dirt on the tables than they could live with that.

"Alright Inmate. We're tired of your stupid games. So just get the kark out here and into your cell."

On their mark two of the guards lifted their rifles and pointed them at the girl to escort her back to her cell. From there on the days would become a blur of disgusting food, casual violence and humiliation from the guards and numerous hours of solitude, days in which no a single word was spoken about the plan that would lead her and a few selected others out of Star's End and into the embrace of freedom.

On the third day there would be a knock on her door, outside of the times when the inmates where moved to eat or work. The door opened and a nervous looking guard waited behind it, the blue twi'lek standing besides him with a winning grin.

"This is the last time Malic. I can't keep doing this no matter how much you pay. You have 5 minutes and we never talked."

The older alien simply ignored the man, he had lost count of how many "last times" there had been already. With a click the door closed behind him as he stood almost triumphant in Serenity's cell.

"It happens tomorrow. Be ready, because you will be the bait. Once you get here after breakfast I want you to make as much noise as you can. I will take care of the rest."

 

[Natalie LaForte]

"Don't like to talk much?" Smiling while being escorted out of the canteen. "You shouldn't swear around a child, you know?" While making a childish giggle afterwards, not even putting an effort to physically stop them. A squelch came from the shoe while standing on the 'food'. "Say, what's in that stuff anyway?" Holding her hands up afterwards.

The days were very much a blur of tasteless sensations, the days became more boring, she made few acquaintances. The door clicked and she looked up, uninterested at the male speaking down to her.

"Oh, so you finally decided to listen to my advice?" while grinning towards him. Looking onwards, a guard was cowering behind Malic. "Can't really make noise without a gun to do it with, and I doubt I'll be able to overpower the guards with just the force. I'm still a novice." This stay had been long overdue, and it was time to checkout. Knowing that they had tear gas... or somewhere in this place, they did, would make for a perfect distraction. She spoke to the guard behind Malic. "Where do your buddies keep the gas and guns?" with a face lacking expression, bar a serious gaze.

[member="Darth Abyss"]

 

[Darth Abyss]

The guard was clearly uncomfortable, but after a push into his side by the blue Twi'lek he inhaled sharply once and looked to the ground. Then he started to speak, his voice as low as possible, like there was someone listing to them.

"Officially the gas is under constant lockdown, the guns as well until there is an emergency. But a few of the Guards don't take security as strict as they should. There is a crew quarter on this level, some of the keep their weapons stored there."

With a satisfied grin Malic reached for a handful of high value credit chips that he offered the guard. The man looked around suspicious, still clearly not happy with this, before letting them disappear.

"This never happened. Come on Malic, we have to go before someone notices."

A nod from the Twi'lek followed, and both man walked towards the door. Before leaving Malic turned around one last time, another winning grin on his face.

"Tomorrow we will be free. Good luck ... and may the force be with you."

The door fell down behind them. The table was set, now it was only a question of time until Star's End would be a thing of the past for [member="Serenity Loveheart"]

 

[Natalie LaForte]

The rest of the day was eerily silent. Nearly a week in this place and Serenity could already notice a chance in atmosphere, from the rowdyness to this almost silence, not in a literal sense. Even the most angry inmates were now obeying the officer's orders. Something was... afoot, anyone could tell that, just what it was? Who knew. If you weren't directly involved, you could have assumed you were being sedated for.. personal use by these employees; alas this was not the case. Something much more liberating was about to happen, quite literally.

Infact, she paid little to no attention to anybody else, showing herself to be as obedient as can be, but still opting not to interact with anyone directly, choosing her solitary confinement, something she was dying just days before to get away from.

She feel asleep in bliss, knowing she would finally be free from this place tomorrow, assuming Malic wasn't telling lies in order to bust her, but she could trust him. Doubting his innate goodness from the description given to her by an acquaintance of his. In her dreams, she thought of life before Stars' end, her sister, Abyss, maybe even the taste of lingering cakes from her favorite bakery...

Awaking, she stood with her arms cross, her eyes closed, staying in peak concentration.

[member="Darth Abyss"]