Dominion Tell It To My Heart | SO Dominion of Praesitlyn

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

That she had returned his kiss, brought out a spark of joy in his heart of hearts, that spread across vein and artery, as easily as the blood flowed out from heart and lung. It was enough to cause a grin to break out from his features, only for a moment of hesitation to take it away from him. The snarl broke from her lips as she broke away the same as him, a question in his eyes, widening as she reversed their positions, Malum letting out a grunt as he found himself pressed against the window with unnecessary force, the wind blowing at his back as the glass broke, and a shard fell.

His heart fell at her words.

"Your conduct is as much a concern to me, as mine is to yours, if we are to be allies, to be friends, to be... whatever else we are," His lips were still fresh with the taste of hers, "You fear being pigeonholed, I apologise for being so crass in my japes, I did not intend to offend you so," He did to some degree, both of them knew that, but only in a verbal spar, that could only bring about as much hurt as an afternoon of annoyance, not such a duel that would leave one's heart in agony.

"Beyond all the names you may or may not hold, you, above all else, are Lina. Beyond the etiquette, beyond blood, beyond title, as I am Malum, you are Lina. You are who you are, born of others, made by others, but always, you, who you have been, who you are, who you wish to become, all are determinations you have made, because you have been strong enough to make them." In a way beyond him, shadowed by the name of one so much greater, shadowed by a legacy that threatened to swallow him, as it had swallowed all those that had come of their house after the great Darth Marr.

Yet as he had pledged, all that time ago on Fiviune.

He would surpass him too.

She pulled away further, and the sensation that pooled in his stomach was rather uncomfortable. He came to her side, laying his hand upon the top of her back, a gentle gesture, as he patted softly, there was no signal of anything more, she had made her intentions rather clear, and unless she changed her mind, such would be all.

"You are right, I do not," He withdrew his hand, as he fell upon a knee, one of genteelness rather than submission, taking her hand and bringing it to his lips, "If you wish me to bring the matter to the Assembly, for what you have provided me, it shall cost you nothing..." Red eyes turned upwards, to meet her emeralds, "...If you wish me to assist you in taking Corva Yag, it shall cost you something."

Lina Ovmar

 

[Kaila Irons]

Anathemous would tilt her head at the newfound life given unto what must have been a squadron's worth of explosives. She knew exactly what was happening, yet stood eerily still as she often did until the Tsis'kar ducked for cover, at which point the wayward Kainite threw a hand out, preparing to simply intercept the explosion through the force.

Or at least she would have, if the Chiss had not tried to pull her aside.

There was minor resistance from Anathemous, surprised at the sudden grip against her rubbery sleeve, causing her to take but one step back that would have left her frighteningly close to the edge of this sudden blast wave if not for the young darth's innate pyromancy. Instead, she simply clawed the air aside as if she were throwing open a door, causing the heat to divert itself in an arc that ran safely past them and curved into the opposite wall with an intense roar, flame lapping so intensely that the durasteel structure glowed red hot when the flames finally died down a moment later.

Her visage snapped toward the Chiss immediately after.

She turned her gaze to Anathemous again. "I serve the Tsis'Kaar, and Darth Malum of House Marr, not the Empress. I could help you find a person, easily enough, but there is the age old question to be answered first." Her head tilted "What's in it for me?"

"And yet," She began, a little frustrated with the statement given what she owed to Talon.

"Is your master not loyal to The Empress? I would have thought your people more subtle about your allegiances. Or lack thereof"
The words rolled off her tongue in condescending, teasing whisper.

"But alas, I'm sure you consider yourself too good for imperial politics. So back to business, shall we?"

"If you can find who I'm looking for," She placed a hand on her hip

"I'm sure that a favor from the Governor of Echnos and a Seeker has some use? Someone with access to the casino industry and underworld, yes, but also the Kainite archives"

The words were hummed as if describing a fairy tale, and perhaps to many it was such a thing. The Kainate had been hoarding lore from various force orders since the time of Carnifex's rule over the empire. It was not the information Anathemous lacked, for hers was an issue of the present, whilst the archives held but ancient history, artefacts and lore greedily hidden from all but the highest Kainite lords, and the seekers who locked these secrets away.

Seekers like Anathemous.

"Oh, and one more thing?" She sighed

"If you want me against the wall, next time, put your back into it"



Ansisa

 

[Ansisa]

A wicked smile crossed Ansisa's face and the mildly irritated and condescending tone. She had clearly struck a nerve. Good, at least it would mean the Darth Anathemous would be fun to poke on occasion.

"On the contrary, I just don't give a shit. Posturing, playing nicely with your neighbours, sticking your nose deep between the cheeks of other more powerful sith, not really my scene."

She smirked, eyes trailing down to appreciate the cant of her hips as she placed a hand upon them, all business and attitude. It was cute, and if Ansisa didn't already have the smell of blood in her nose and the burning desire to bleed every staff member in the Communication centre dry, she might have acted upon it.

As it was, her ruby gaze snapped up to that faceless helmet and the moment passed. Though a bark of laughter escaped her at her final comment and she pushed herself off the wall she'd been leaning on and closed the gap between them in a blink.

"Trust me, princess, if I wanted you up against a wall, you'd be up against it, without that helmet, so I could watch that pretty little face of yours." A shikkar blade produced from a hidden sheath tapped gently on the face of the helmet.

"You have a deal. But first, I would like to finish hunting. Care to join me? You can tell me about your person along the way."

Kaila Irons

 

[Kaila Irons]

A beat passed as Kaila swallowed, a bit caught off guard by the gesture which came just short of humoring the scenario she'd condescendingly proposed as a means of toying with the assassin.

Now she was the closest she'd ever been to a Shikkar, the force enhanced blade placed against her masked face as if a glass finger quietly commanding to shush herself. It was a fine piece of weaponry too, actually quite fascinating to the scholar even if this was not how the scholarly sorceress would have preferred to study one for the first time.

Or perhaps it was...

And idea came to mind as she gently moved the blade aside with a gloved finger, this being the only sign of movement from the young darth.

"You're not so bad yourself" She teased softly, her composure recovering.

All the while, a knife tucked away in the belt of a fallen guard began to gently unsheathe itself, floating through the air behind the Chiss. It would never come close enough to do harm, as that was never her intent. Rather it was meant to be a subtle reminder that, despite appearing a "princess" as the assassin called her, Darth Anathemous was far from a damsel. Everything she had, even the Empress' attention as of recently, was something she had fought and shed blood for. Her own or otherwise.

"You have a deal. But first, I would like to finish hunting. Care to join me? You can tell me about your person along the way."

"I do appreciate passion for one's work, even if a little overzealous" She admitted while stepping around the Chiss, gaze finally leaving her red eyes as she moved to observe what remained of the nearby hallway, catching the floating knife as she passed by.

They had demonstrated to her that there was more to them than utter apathy, so now they were interesting. Enough so that Anathemous was actually quite intrigued by the prospect of following them though their work routine. She'd been denied her chance to become a true assassin after all, forced to take a different path so as to maintain what little freedom she had in those days as an apprentice.

This would be quite the show.

"Very well, Assassin, I shall hunt with you. Although, I'll be holding you to your word" She tapped her helmet, alluding to her double meaning.


Ansisa

 

[Ansisa]

The beat that passed before Anathemous responded was all Ansisa needed to know that she had found a little opening to slip beneath her skin. It had been a while since she'd had any such entertainment and what made this better, was that the newly ascended Darth seemingly wanted to play too.

A soft chuckle escaped her. "Well, aren't you sweet." The shikkar disappeared as quickly as it had appeared as Anathemous stepped around her, plucking the floating blade she'd stolen from a dead guard out of the air, the unspoken statement simply making Ansisa's smile wider.

"The security should have created a nice little obstacle course for us by now to slow our approach to the control centre, not that there are many of them left." She picked her way past the debris the explosion had created and set off through the complex.

Kaila Irons

 

[Lina Ovmar]

His hand at her back was meant for comfort, the warmth it provided should have helped settle her, but it only made her stiffen. Lina's emerald gaze slid to Malum's face. The beautiful thing that she had just wanted to play with that had cost her access to her own child. This wasn't about being pigeonholed into an identity that wasn't hers, though that did serve to anger her more.

This was about what she had lost. This was about the ease with which Carnifex could get into her mind without even trying. How he could reduce her to a woman driven only by rage and a desperate need to prove him wrong. It was pathetic. She was pathetic. She needed distance, distance from the order and its politics. She needed to breathe something of herself, remember what she had, where she had come from. Realign.

Lina's eyes tracked him as he knelt, taking her hand and laying a soft kiss upon it. It was far from submissive, Malum would never kneel so easily, but was a gesture meant to remind her that he was not a threat, that her anger was not with him.

"If I needed your help to take Corva Yag then I would hardly be worthy of its governorship, your support in the assembly will be enough." Her free hand cupped his chin and for a moment she said nothing, lips parted as her mind raced.

"As beautiful as you are, as much fun as we had. Our dalliance cost me my daughter. The one great thing that I have brought to this galaxy will never know me. Will never call me mother and if she does learn of me, she will be taught to hate me." Tears sparkled in her eyes though her voice remained steady.

"You were not worth that."

She withdrew both her hands from his and stepped back.

Darth Malum of House Marr

 

[Kaila Irons]

"Oh? Then I'll try to leave some for you-"

She bolted almost before she'd finished, taking up her second lightsaber, a smaller shoto blade, which would remain inactive for the time being so as not to slow her down.

There were, as the Chiss said, few guars left. It seemed that for the facility was empty for a time as the pair ran through lifeless halls, Anathemous having to leap over lifeless bodies that either the Tsis'kar or other infiltrators had left behind in varying states of disrepair.

"So what do I call you anyway?"

She called, only to stop a moment later a shadow rounded the corner.

When it's source emerged, Anathemous had flung her newest blade through the air so violently with the force that it knocked him to the floor, freeing her hand to then pull the next man toward her newly ignited shoto, it's crimson blade poised to pierce the man as he was helplessly flung towards her.



Ansisa

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

For a moment, a sweet precious moment, he had thought he had broken through to her. That in this moment of vulnerability expressed, and vulnerability answered in kind, they would finally be united together, in allegiance against the only true foe left to them. There had been many such moments he thought, yet, out of either her malice, or his defensiveness, they had been lost, time and time again. All apart from now, the chance finally returned to them, the opportunity to be bound together against their common demon. That perhaps even something more...

It was as she stiffened that he knew the moment, the opportunity, was once again lost to them.

Hope still remained, a false hope, a foolish hope, words from her had not yet been spoken, he could argue to himself, he could lie to himself, that he had not yet been given a clear answer. The logic followed, if he simply stood from the ground, and left this place, he would never need to know. Delusions and deluded, that was what such a course would be.

Yet, it was so easy to hope, so easy to believe that there was still a chance, as those dainty fingers, contrasted by their coarseness fell to his chin, guiding rubies to gaze into emeralds, it was so clear, there was a chance.

A chance broken under the current of a deluge that threatened to sink them all.

He wanted nothing more than to wipe those tears...

There was a very particular set of feelings that he felt upon his chest as her words concluded, as she pulled away, and his chin without support, fell to gaze upon the floor. It had been as firm an answer as ever, and he could hardly ignore the part that which he played in it.

His knees groaned as they were pulled up from floor, his feet taking up their rightful place in supporting his form, as he breathed out a short sigh, as the Force bent around his form, and a chair was pulled in front of her, while another behind him, "...As you wish," Malum uttered, his voice far from their normal nature, "Take a seat then, we should finish discussing what we were meant to before..." He gestured vaguely around the room, he gestured at nothing at all, "...All of this." Yet... that was hardly all he wished to say.

"...I know you will not take my words as I intend for you to, but I could not keep them to myself..." He took a deep breath, "I lost a child myself, yet in my case..." His breath was hollow, "...Permanently," His heart burned, as he fought the expression upon his face, "You wish for me to be blamed... if that is what you want, I shall serve that purpose... Bogan knows, part of me... part of me that knew better but still did so... blamed the only other that could be blamed..." The guilt ever still tore through his heart, as much as he knew it tore through hers. Yet, there was part of him, a petty, angry part of him, that though suppressed could hardly be killed.

At least her child yet lived... had a chance to live.

"...Yet, you know better, our dalliance did not lose her to you, she was taken from you, and you know who exactly took her from you." Whatever reason, however just they portrayed themselves, that would be the fundamental truth, and as Malum knew he would move Ashla and Bogan for his blood, as much as the same way he expected Lina would.

"...I will bring the matter to the Assembly when you inform me you have secured Corva Yag." He offered stiffly as conclusion, as he took his seat.

He had not expected such a conversation, yet with her... perhaps he should have.

Lina Ovmar

 

[Lina Ovmar]

Quiet tears spilt over her cheeks, to be brushed away as she settled into the chair he had pulled forward for her, a heaviness settling in her heart. He seemed so…dejected. He had a great weight upon his shoulders and she had just added her own to it. Lina chastised herself silently, her gaze soft as she listened to him, to his own story of heartbreak.

To lose a child permanently…she could not imagine the pain.

She looked away, her expression darkening, her eyes tracking to the window, the rain that lashed at it, the glass cracked and wind rattling in its frame. For a long time, she said nothing, weighing her words and thoughts carefully before looking back at Malum.

"I don't blame you. I blame only myself. I left her in the care of Sarlow and Leilah. I knew she was safest there and I had work to do to cement my position within the Order without the aid of a name I despise." A sad smile crossed her lips. "Carnifex chose his moment to snatch everything from me wisely, he knew I would have been able to turn Sarlow against him and that our marriage, for his sake, would not be able to last. He was sitting on the knowledge of us for some time before using it."

She shook her head. "It is done. I cannot afford to be distracted anymore."

Another beat of silence passed between them before she spoke again. "I am sorry you lost your child, Malum."

Darth Malum of House Marr

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

There was a long silence between them, not an uncomfortable silence, but it could hardly be called a comfortable one either. Yet, as Malum gazed away, lost to his own thoughts, to his memories, to his regrets, to a vision of a future which he still kept solidly at his heart, despite how much he knew how impossible it was. Such a vision of two smiling children was always contrasted with the memory of the lone headstone, lost so early that it remained nameless... yet... his.

His vision flickered with the visage of a pair of red eyes...

...Theirs.

For all that was, for all that is, for all that could have been... a bitter tear passed his sight, and as quickly as it emerged, it was wiped away. Despite how much weakness was shown here between them, despite the knowledge that just sitting opposite him, the one with who he had come to ally, the one with who he had come to... he could hardly think of it now, such ideas were so far from his mind.

Still, as he sensed her eyes on him, as he felt the cold winds creep up against his skin, his hairs standing at full attention, he did not gaze back against those emeralds, he could not. Yet, whether he wished it or not, and at this moment he could not truly tell, he still heard her. Heard all that she had to say, and despite any willingness or not, as was the will of his mind's wont, he filtered away information as he was instinctively taught to do.

It was the last of her words, which caused his rubies to finally make their way to face her.

As the silence filled the room again, all apart from the rain dripping down the broken glass, and the breeze filling the room with coldness.

He reached into his sides, his hands slipping beneath his robes, and within some seconds, twirled between fingers, and offered gingerly, he leaned across the gap between them, a handkerchief.

"...I could say it is not your fault, but I imagine you will hardly believe me despite it being the truth... for my circumstance... truly neither I or her was to blame, but I did not see it like that then... and sometimes it is hard to see it like that now, an emotional mind refusing to accept a rational truth. Yet, in your case... it is not your fault, Lina... but you know exactly whose fault it is."

He dropped his head, as he let out a shallow breath.

"As for your condolence...Thank you." He offered weakly.

Lina Ovmar
Mentioned: Ansisa

 

[Ansisa]

The promise of competition set her blood afire and she laughed as Anathemous bolted ahead. Smirking she followed a beat later, catching up to her with ease as they traversed the empty corridors. They were still here though, she could sense their fear as they scrambled into defensive positions. They knew it was hopeless, yet duty forced their hand.

She opened her mouth to reply to her question when the first stragglers came around the corner. With a crack of energy in the force, Ansisa vanished reappearing around the corner as two more made to lunge after Anathemous.

The first went down with a gurgle, a shikkar embedded in his throat as the second realised the danger was no longer in front of him turned, the blaster bolt he fired hitting the ceiling as she seized the barrel of the rifle and angled it upwards, darkness gathering in her hand to form a spear of midnight black that slammed into his chest, pinning him to the wall.

Ansisa turned back to Anathemous. “Darth Anguina,” she replied with an overly dramatic bow, “At your service.”

Kaila Irons

 

[Lina Ovmar]

Lina accepted the handkerchief with a small smile, wiping at her eyes she let out a dry chuckle at his words. “To deny the part I played in the outcome is pointless, Malum.” it was a gentle reprimand, not meant to offend nor truly scald him. To deny cause and effect was a game for youth she was wiser and smarter than that. She had known that He would see and know every move she made. She had born His mark after all.

Again her fingers flexed, another phantom burn running through her skin. Malum had been none the wiser. Ignorance truly was bliss. She pondered for a moment if she should tell Malum all of it, her herald eyes searching his face before he bowed his head. What would it gain? Trust? Hardly.

She watched him struggle quietly for a moment with his grief, grief she could not fully comprehend. “I knew what was coming for me, Malum. I have always known. Your loss was something unexpected and cruel. I hope that you and…whoever she is, find your peace.”

Darth Malum of House Marr

 

[Darth Malum of House Marr]

"The role you played, whatever 'crime' they would accuse you of committing, hardly required them to separate a mother from their child," He countered, strength returning to his neck, as rubies pierced emeralds, and within them burning the flame of a father who had lost the chance to be one, who neither wished to see an opportunity lost for a mother, "Perhaps this is all wasted effort, perhaps you shall never believe me, I know in my state, I never could believe anything else, but you are a mother, you are a mother who loves their child, no matter what you did, none had the right to take her from you."

A child which Malum still held such deep questions, even as firmly confident as ever, at both her words, at the fact she still breathed, yet, ever still doubt remained at the possibility, at the slightest chance. If she was...

...Should he not do whatever it took to breach the walls?

There were two in the Malsheem which he for differing reasons needed to bring out from bondage. And it so just happened, that in this matter, the woman that sat across from him, were entirely aligned with those objectives.

He narrowed his eyes as her fingers twitched, "...Are you well?"

He parsed his lips at the end of her words... "...The pain never quite fades, the memories haunt ever still... yet, even as it leaves me further guilty, there are days that I do not think of it... days it does not cross my mind... there is little pain those days, and that brings its own kind of hurt," He mused, throwing himself so tirelessly into all objectives, some called it suicidal for him... he just needed to forget, "She... and I..." He stilled as he swallowed, "...We never quite remained as close after." He offered vaguely.

Her red eyes haunted him still.

Lina Ovmar

 

[Kaila Irons]

The Chiss was remarkably fast, catching up and dispatching targets just as Anathemous engaged her own. Tsis'kar were privy to powers she was not, that much she knew, but to see them in action was still surprising as it was entertaining. The way this assassin vanished into thin air only to reappear just as her own lightsaber made purchase was fascinating enough, but then she saw something she recognized.

From over the shoulder of her victim, she witnessed the assassin pin a man to the wall, an unseen force piercing him. She'd know that power anywhere, one of a few truly unique techniques taught to her by carnifex, and one she had been most excited to learn.

Darkshear.

She had never seen the Spear of Midnight Black used in person before, not by anyone else at least, and tales of the ability were even in this age of many sith.

“Darth Anguina,” she replied with an overly dramatic bow, “At your service.”

Anathemous smiled behind her mask, deactivating her lightsaber and bringing her other empty palm upwards to her victim's jaw, her own Spear of Midnight Black piercing his skull as she stepped away.

"Well met, Anguina"

She performed an equally dramatic bow, body crumpling to the floor before she rose back up to meet Anguina's gaze.

"Though, it's a bit on the nose, don't you think? not very... subtle" She chuckled softly.



Ansisa

 

[Lunara Azure]

​

Wearing: This​

Tagging: Gerwald Lechner | Oleander Webb | Madrona A’Mia | Allyson Locke ​

​

"This is Oleander, he's…" Lunara's head tilted to the side for a moment as she considered him for a moment before a soft smile touched the edges of her lips. "He's on of Gerwald's friends too, he's…very good at making people go away." It was an understatement, but as good a descriptor as anything, people were generally more complex than one thing but while Gerwald was also good at making people dead he was a blunt tool to Oleander's more precise scalpel.

It wasn't just their combat style, the two men couldn't have been more different physically or mentally. Gerwald, for all that he was her best friend, delighted in combat, standing in the middle of a melee like some ancient berserker, a god of battle who slew all those who stood against him. Oleander though, he was the shadow, the assassin, untouchable and capable of striking from anywhere. Each was deadly in his own right, though perhaps best used in different circumstances. The Wolf had managed to tear open the door after all, though perhaps he might have been a little less violent with the blows that tore the gate from the wall.

Crystal blue eyes met Gerwald's gaze for a moment, the corner of her lips quirking up towards her eyes, an amused light dancing in her eyes as Lunara nodded at him. "Wolf, you couldn't help but make a mess and get my shoes all dusty could you? I swear, I just can't take you anywhere."

A soft laugh, a moment of levity as the crowd surged around them, a wave of anger and terror that washed over the city.

"I guess it's upto me to deal with this now isn't it. Try to keep any trouble away from me if you'd be so kind."

A delicate hand patted OIeander's arm for a moment before she let go of his hand and stepped away from the group. There was something about the elfin blonde that created a space in the crowd around her, as if they could sense something that sent them stumbling around her as they threw themselves at the shops and houses that surrounded them.

That small smile remained on Lunara's lips as she closed her eyes, tilting her head back, but where a moment ago it had been touched with laughter and amusement now it was empty, cold. A white sleeved hand lifted, held above her head as the sith summoned a spear forged of pure darkness to hang in the air above the crowd. It was a simple tool for those who knew how to use it, destructive, but far from powerful enough to open the way through the fortifications of the palace.

If she left it as it was.

The fact was, Lunara had no intention of doing that, of leaving this as they currently stood.

The woman's hair started to move, the fabric of her clothes shifting and moving, as if there was an invisible wind tugging blowing around her. A small breath, head shifting up as if she was enjoying the feeling of sun on her face before she opened herself to the force, dropping the veils and shields that normally separated herself from the energy that made up the world around them.

An energy that was overflowing as the emotions of the crowd spiralled out of control, making the force around them boil with rage. Enough energy that even those in the city without access to the force could feel it, that unsettling feeling that made the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. Yet, for a moment, as the woman stood unleashed even that power was eclipsed, as if a storm, a dark sun had appeared in the city.

The blonde spread both arms out at her sides as she reached out for the energy of the crowd at took it, channelled it up towards the spear that hung in the air above them. Forging a run on the spear's surface and then another, shapes of red and gold hanging in the air around her construction as she gave it form, demanded reality bend to her will. The spear was no longer a construct of pure energy, she gave it form, energy and demanded the force obey, funnelling energy into a sorcery that would enchant it, more and more runes appearing in tight rings around it as she spent energy profligately, drawing more and more power from the city around them.

The crowd seemed to stumble, quiet for a moment as she drew the energy of their emotion, pure and untainted by thought, away from them. It wasn't enough though, not nearly enough, she needed more power, drew more from them as the city seemed to suck in a breath and as one screamed. A loud cry of pain, of formless terror that echoed around them, as the crowd and the citizens they'd tormented as one felt their emotion, their very life force drained away by the woman. A host of angry pained eyes surrounded them, staring in horror at the apocalypse they were experiencing.

The force buffeted at her, fought back against this disruption to the natural order, only to be met by the sheer force of her will for a moment before Lunara's eyes snapped open, her fist clenched as the spear shuddered and then with a roar shot forward, as if launched from a bow. The speed of it, the sheer energy compressed into the constructed sent a roar of thunder screamed, bouncing off the walls as it flew at the palace at the centre of the city.

One minute the edifice stood proud, imposing over the city that it ruled over and then there was a flash, the roar of an explosion and sent air driving back over the city.

Where once stood a palace, the work of generations to build now stood a smoking crater…and nothing more.

 

[Lina Ovmar]

Lina gave him a soft smile. “Perhaps you are right, but the fact of the matter remains that I will not get her back, not without open war with the Kainites.” she tilted her head “The Order cannot afford to be crippled by an internal fight when the Alliance bears down on us. Time and patience will be my ally.”

This time was needed to build her resources up, strengthen the foundations beneath her, and acquire the power she needed to bring Carnifex down, delve deeper into the force, and give herself over to the darkness completely. There were no chains now, nothing to hold her back, only pain and anger to spur her onwards.

Lina looked down at her fingers as Malum asked if she was well and sighed. “Are you familiar with the concept of phantom pain? Frequently felt by those who have lost a limb. I suppose you can liken what ails me to that. When I was forced to serve Carnifex, He branded me with a mark, one that could hear and see all that I did, and would inflict pain if I was untrue to him or tried to escape…”

She trailed off looking up at Malum watching his face carefully for reaction or understanding, to see if he was able to piece things together. “He removed it when he found out I was carrying his grandchild but sometimes I still feel the burn.”

Darth Malum of House Marr

 

[Ansisa]

A hand came to her heart and her mouth hung open in a mocking show of hurt and shock. "How rude!" she shook her head "The audacity of some people, I mean really?" She turned her back and began stalking down the corridor a smirk on her face.

"With a name like Anathemous too? The hypocrisy!"

She shot a grin over her shoulder before vanishing from sight and then the force. A disembodied voice drifted back to Anathemous, both ahead and behind her at once. "Keep up, princess, or there won't be anyone left for you to play with."

The chiss teleported ahead, and the final cluster of defence was set along a corridor with a dozen makeshift barricades between them and the entrance, Ansisa counted maybe twenty men and women levelling blaster rifles to where she stood, not that they knew she was there.

Another crack of energy in the force and she was halfway down the corridor, her haunting whistle once more filling the air, making the hairs on their necks stand on end their fear filled her with power, swelling and growing as she drew on it, shadows growing above the head of those between her and her destination, twisting to form into darkshears their deadly points a spinning omen of death. She waited for them to notice, the ones threatening their comrades before realising their doom.

The spears fell unleashing a cacophony of screams and panicked blaster fire from those she had not targeted, desperate to find their unseen attacker.

Kaila Irons

 

[Kaila Irons]

"With a name like Anathemous too? The hypocrisy!"

No one could see behind the veil of cortosis, but Anathemous was grinning.

Serving under a doctrine that displaced all sense of joy and individuality and replaced it with only devotion to the Sith'ari, She had never experienced the simple delight of friendly banter between soldiers such as this. Well, perhaps friendly wasn't the correct term, but it wasn't entirely hostile either.

"There's a story behind that name, perhaps I'll tell you sometime."

But then Anguina vanished again, and this time she took her force signature with her. Anathemous stopped, looking over her shoulder and then ahead in confusion even before the Chiss spoke, her voice coming from everywhere at once.

"Keep up, princess, or there won't be anyone left for you to play with."

"Now that's just cheating!" she huffed.

Anguina appeared somewhere ahead, her dark presence easy to identify amidst the backdrop of building fear. She bolted toward the source as several lives faded from her senses, their deaths affording Anathemous an opening from which to engage. She rounded the corner with a leaping kick, her metal infused bones adding considerable weight to the blow which rendered her foe immobile even before she recovered in a roll that saw her upright again.

Normally she would have bathed the hall in fire already, but she couldn't risk torching Anguina.

Instead, she threw her shoto down the corridor, it's crimson blade igniting in a controlled spin that sent several men ducking for cover and several more to their deaths. By the time the first group had thought to stand up and open fire, Anathemous had already spun into throwing her second lightsaber, easily decapitating the first group before they could manage.

"So," she called out, catching the first lightsaber

"How many do I have to kill before you stop calling me princess?"

Then the second lightsaber.

"Or should I be thinking of names for you, my very blue friend?"



Ansisa

 

[Ansisa]

Ansisa unveiled herself as Anathemous round the corner launching into the first group with a powerful kick, the chiss smiled drawing and igniting her lightsaber to bat away a stray bolt that came her way. She shrugged at her first question vaulting over the barricade to get to one of the lucky ones who had ducked, dispatching him with a casual flick of her wrist, the lightsaber scoring a line from his navle to his neck.

"A hundred, a thousand, I don't think it matters. Princess just suits you."

Anaethmous was more than capable of dispatching the rest, besides she seemed to be enjoying herself and far be it for Ansisa to ruin her fun. With a wave of her hand, a ripple rolled through the corridor, shunting the makeshift barricades aside and clearing her path to the control centre doors.

They had, unsurprisingly, sealed them. The control panel blasted to prevent any attempts at slicing it open. "Amateurs," she muttered, she teleported to the other side, unarmed staff members diving for cover. She ignored them for the moment palming the control panel from this side to open the door for Anathemous.

She stepped into the centre of the room addressing the staff. "The intergalactic communications centre is now under Tsis'kaar control. You have a choice. Bend the knee and swear fealty to the Order." her head tilted. "Or, you can join those who have opposed us thus far."

Kaila Irons

 

[Kaila Irons]

"Well would you look at that, from working class to Princess, maybe dreams really do come true" she chuckled.

In truth, it did suit her, though she'd never admit it outright. Instead Anathemous figured it more fun to continue the banter, although she may have to cut it short by the look of things. The door opened, and she mockingly saluted Anguina on her way in, initially prepared to fight until she noticed the staff were unarmed.

"Thank you blue," she hummed.

For the most part she would stand out of the way as Anguina moved to the center of the room, addressing the already frightened staff with an ultimatum they could not refuse. Still, Anathemous came from a world of zealots, she knew what men could do in a desperate act of devotion, especially when faced with victory or defeat.

And so she moved to block the door, a ball of flame forming in her hand with remarkable speed as she decided to back up the Chiss with a false display.

"The Tsis'kar are patient. I am not. Choose wisely."

She had no intention of burning unarmed staff alive of course, in fact she believed, or hoped at least, to frighten them into submitting without a hidden knife or blaster being drawn, else she knew this would quickly become a bloodbath as innocents were caught in the crossfire.



Ansisa