The Death Walk

[Kamon's OOC]

Bastion, The Palace of Shadows

Ages come and go, but vengeance is infinite.

Officially, the Ascendancy had a non-aggression policy towards the Primeval. They would not sanction any activity that would cross the line into conflict between their two groups. Unofficially, Leos didn't give a damn. Years ago, the Primeval had been a powerhouse in their sector of space. They'd spread like a disease from world to world, taking their insane religion with them, and compelling everyone to join them, or killing. At least, that's how Leos imagined it. He'd not been in their space when they existed. He hadn't even been on Mirial when they existed. But he'd learned what they did.

They had come and they had destroyed Mirial, slaughtering the Mirialans until there were only a few left. It would take centuries for their species to recover from the horror that had been wrought upon them. In the meantime, one of them sought revenge. And to obtain it? Well, he'd put a bounty on members of the Primeval, past and present. He didn't care whether they'd been around for the act. Supporting them then or now was as good as sanctioning what they had done. These people would not change. They would never change. Their deed had to be punished.

And now? Now he'd learned that someone had gotten one of them. That was good. That was exciting. Now they would bring them to him on Bastion, and their torment would begin. With Maelasi at his side, he waited in the great hall of the Palace of Shadows. Soon his revenge would begin.

[member="The Slave"] | [member="Sal Katarn"] | [member="Maelasi Eramar"]

 

[Lief]

Maelasi was not privy to the reason they were here.

She knew the brooding look in her Master's eye, he was waiting for something, someone, to appear. Apprehensive. He was practically squirming in place, eager as ever. She had gotten good at noticing the smaller things nobody else would bother to see, a natural response to seeing someone every waking moment of the day... Especially when their whole existence was in your hands.

The woman did not complain. Not once had she done so since giving herself over to him, since they had watched the Galaxy aboard his ship. Well, except where Spira was concerned. But that hadn't been work related. Far from it.

Saber on her belt, posture perfect, she stood beside him. She screamed composed predator, every muscle in her body was waiting for the moment that she had to pounce and yet there remained a nobility about her too. She clearly knew what she was doing, she didn't have to try and make herself seem stronger, or wiser, she just stood there in her own certainty. Stood and waited to see who might arrive.

[member='Ignus'] [member='The Slave'] [member='Sal Katarn']

 

[Sal Katarn]

A tiny corvette by the name of Outremer reverted to real space near Bastion. Sal Katarn left the descent controls to the autopilot and went to the see his prisoner.

Risky gambit coming here, especially since Sith had a tendency to alter agreements. Katarn figured there was not much chance of that. The Bounty Hunters Guild did not take too kindly to folk who double crossed them, no matter what sort of hokey ancient religion they happened to believe.

A universal energy cage sat in the corvette's hold. Inside the cage was the handcuffed fella who only went by one name. Not even a name really. [member="The Slave"]. Slave to what?

Sal didn't much like that line of thought. Dark master and shadowed thrones. He'd been down that road before and wasn't anxious to go for a second round.

The cage supposedly contained Force powers. Katarn knew better than to trust the label though, so he had a pistol in one hand when he flicked the lights on.

"Get up. We're here."

 

[Darth Empyrean]

The Slave sighed as he lay on the floor of the cage. His legs were crossed, head propped on his hands as he sat in the containment field it offered; all the while looking rather relaxed as his foot bobbed up and down. He let the light wash over him for a few precarious moments before offering a soft tone, and obvious mock of a sleepy tone;

“You know, this cage isn’t that comfy.”

A grin broke his lips, his gilded eyes offering him a slight glint against the overhead lamps. Although the cage prevented his force powers from leaving it, the air was frigid; likely a result of him passively taking in its energy for himself. Sal’s breath would come in waves, each forming a small cloud of condensation that threatened to stick to the vagrant hair that lay on his face.

“Your chauffeur business could do with some redecoration.”

His tone shifted from the facetious to the hypnagogic;

“So, where are we?”, he said in the softest tone he could manage, idly lifting himself to a full upright position.

│ [member="Sal Katarn"] │ [member="Maelasi Eramar"] │ @Ignus │

 

[Kamon's OOC]

"They've arrived."

He could feel the hustle and bustle of people moving about the Palace's private landing facilities, as it was directed to do so. Had it landed within the main spaceport, it would have been subject to search and seizure. Given the Ascendancy's laws, the Bounty Hunter may have landed himself in hot water. In this particular matter, that was not the case. Neither of them had anything to fret over or worry about so long as they flew their ship directly to his facility, which had been done. That kept things out of the official waters, and he'd easily noted that the corvette was allowed on its path, clearing it through flight control and the like, and keeping the watchful guns of the Darr Itah in orbit from being trained on it.

Orange eyes glanced to the side at Mae as she stood at attention. He hadn't told her what this was about, but he wasn't going to do so yet. The Bounty Hunter would bring the prisoner soon enough and then she would find out the truth of the matter. No doubt she'd be uncomfortable at first, but she would see. She would know.

"Captain."

"Sir?" Tarz asked.

"Escort them in. Maelasi is with me in the great hall. You may wait outside once they enter."

"Understood. We'll bring them in."

[member="The Slave"] | [member="Sal Katarn"] | [member="Maelasi Eramar"]

 

[Lief]

Her head turned just a fraction to the sound of his voice. How long had the pair stood in silence? It was difficult to say for sure. Time seemed to act strangely during such, as though it elongated until she could not tell the day nevermind the hour. Had she been with Leos in private, and not awaiting the attendance of another, her focus would have been somewhat more internal. Ever learning, ever practicing.

She had no time for such today. High alert, nothing more.

Hands settled at her back, and her posture straightened oncemore. Eyes fixed to the doors which were dead center ahead of them. As always Maelasi remained just one step behind Leos, though she was feeling somewhat apprehensive about that arrangement today. Something in her gut spoke of difficulty ahead, a lingering threat which wandered through the halls. She had felt similar among the Muun, and her fears had been correct.

Hopefully there would be no Force Hunters today.

When her Master spoke to Tarz, and informed him to remain outside once the unknown beings were escorted inside, she truly realized the severity of the situation. In fact, she could feel the presence of the Vermillion Guard lingering near each entrance to the Hall. As ready to pounce as she was.

Just what had Leos gotten himself into?

[member='Ignus'] [member='The Slave'] [member='Sal Katarn']

 

[Sal Katarn]

"Bastion."

Katarn grabbed his helmet, an old and scarred t-visor thing he'd stripped from a dead Mando, and slid it over his head. The butt of his rifle, Last Word, peaked over one shoulder, safely stowed for easy reach in a back scabbard. Aside from the helmet, he wore his standard light body armor beneath a tattered black poncho.

When a man says he'll pay you for hauling in the body of another, best to wear body armor to the meeting. Just in case.

Sal clicked a button. The energy cage deactivated with a zzzp. He pointed the business end of a slug thrower pistol at [member="The Slave"]. A laser designator painted the bleach-blonde fella's chest. Twelve millimeter flechettes in the cartridges, laced with paralytic neurotoxins.

"Move."

The two of them would then proceed down the gangplank and toward the welcoming comity. Unless, of course, the Slave did something stupid.

 

[Darth Empyrean]

As the cage fell silent from its previously energized state, The Slave came to a slow stand. There was an apathetic, almost tired expression on his face as he glanced around the ship they were on; taking care to note each of the various details before speaking in the same lethargic tone as he had before;

“Of all the times to get kidnapped... “, he said; obviously referencing the pink beauty he had been grinding with only just prior.

“Hey, could you do me a favor? I have a pack of cigarellos in my back pocket. If I’m going to be used as a human bartering chip, at least let me have a smoke.”

He motioned to his back right pocket, taking only a few steps forward before stopping and glancing back; waiting to see if Sal would give him his ‘last meal’. In the same moments, the essence that he held began a progressive expanse through where they stood; a dark and ambiguous entity that studied and touched, always pressing and pulling as it wandered through the cargo hold.

The air only grew colder as he had begun moving. Something wasn’t natural about this kid.

│ [member="Sal Katarn"] │ [member="Maelasi Eramar"] │ [member="Ignus"] │

 

[Sal Katarn]

"No."

The bronzium amulet Sal wore under his clothes grew chill against his chest.

Hm. Dark Side.

Did this kid think he'd fall for one of the oldest tricks in the book? Even if it was not, Sal did not particularly care. Far as he concerned, as soon as they got inside this 'palace' [member="The Slave"] was this [member="Ignus"]' problem.

"Keep walking."

 

[Darth Empyrean]

“Where’s the sympathy?”, he offered with a grin, raising his hands like the innocent man he assumed himself to be.

He offered little more than a hum as he began walking, a slow and steady pace that helped to draw the time out as they walked. Each second made was another for him to think, and another chance at an escape; all things he needed as of this instance.

Stuck on a foreign and hostile planet, with no weapons, nor armor, and no contacts to be had. He was in every sense of the word, alone in these grave times; something that made him outright uncomfortable. Still, he had his options as he always had; and he’d survive the day should all be said and done.

“Doing this for money, friend?”, he offered Sal.

“Could offer you a lot more.”

He continued his humming despite the bribery and coercion he offered.

│ [member="Sal Katarn"] │

 

[Sal Katarn]

"Mm," grunted Katarn noncommittally.

The pistol pointed squarely at the back of [member="The Slave"]'s knee. Threats tended to not get much clearer than that.

They stepped off the boarding ramp and guards practically swarmed them. Sal grimaced.

"I am Captain Tarz. You are the bounty hunter Sal Katarn?"

"Yeah."

"We will escort you to the great hall."

Sal grunted again, but let them lead on. 'No thanks' wasn't really in the cards, what with all their blasters.

Didn't take long until they reached the hall. Katarn supposed it looked impressive, but then he wasn't paying much mind to the architecture. More concerned with things like escape routes and exit strategies if this [member="Ignus"] fella got cold feet.

Speakin' of which, Sal saw him standing a little ways in front of him. He recognized him on account of him being the only green skin in the building.

[member="Maelasi Eramar"]

 

[Darth Empyrean]

The Slave remained quiet as they traversed the area, his ever flowing force presence finding its away not only the guards that surrounded them, but the back of Sal’s neck. There was a darkness in it that came from somewhere far off; faint whispers from the abyss that were never in focus, but always in the back of the mind. It was white noise that sent the slightest chill up the spine of those surrounding him, and yet the prisoner that would be simply hummed a slightly jubilant tone. He was as content as could be with all considering.

The faint whispers escalated as they wandered into the room, but his humming ceased. In those fleeting moments of silence, he watched Ignus where he was. With skin of green and eyes of red, he was noticeable in not only physical appearance, but the metaphysical as well. As he stood there, there was an aura about him in not only The Force, but in stature as well. It didn’t take an empathic genius to be able to tell he was the one in charge. If anyone should be spoken to, it was him.

“Think the guards might be a bit much there?”, he said with a slight coyness to his tone. It carried subtle hints of teasing that couldn’t help but float in the high tension atmosphere they all carried.

And just as Sal had done prior, he too made notes of where the guards were, where the exits would be, and possible escape routes should this man not listen to reason. He wouldn’t be caught dead in such a place, especially what with all the importance he had to do elsewhere.

│ [member="Sal Katarn"] │ [member="Maelasi Eramar"] │ @Ignus │