Faction The Need to Feed (open to Eternal Empire)

[Eskk Jannik]

Eskk found a lightsaber, and the two daggers. The daggers he slid into a robe pocket and he clipped the lightsaber to his belt, "yeah well, I guess I'll be keeping these weapons," he said in response to her threat, "so I can use them to watch my back."

Eskk began to walk her to the shuttle, still holding onto the stun cuffs. "So, any chance you'll tell me where I can find your brother and your boyfriend?" Eskk asked. Id love to bring them in too. Complete the set, you know. Maybe I can arrange for you and your boyfriend to get conjugal visitation if you help me out." Eskk was gloating now, but he felt he had earned the right to do so.

The walk to the shuttle didnt take much longer. There was a squadron of troopers on the roof nearby the shuttle. "You guys board the shuttle with me and the prisoner," Eskk ordered them. Eskk sat the girl down in one of the seats at the front row. Eskk took the seat immediately behind her. The twelve storm troopers were positioned all around her. Two sat on either side of her.

Eskk instructed the pilots to make for the Imperial Headquarters building with all haste. The shuttle ride took less then ten minutes. "Take her to processing," Eskk ordered. In processing the girl would be stripped of all her remaining possessions and given an inmate uniform to wear. The uniform was dark grey with a white number on it. Once issued the uniform the prisoner would be referred to by the number listed on it.

Eskk went to the command center while the troopers took the prisoner away. "She is to be prisoner 11374," he ordered after looking at the available uniforms they had. Start a property box for her and put these in it." Eskk handed the two daggers that had been found in her boot to the attendant. He decided to keep her lightsaber for himself. He wanted a momento from this hunt.

"After prisoner 11374 has completed processing, take her to the infirmary hand have her fully checked out and treated. Then stick her in interrogation room 1A. She is to be under twenty four hour guard by no less then three troopers. Inform the troopers that she has a little trick with a ball of light that blinds you."

"I am going to my quarters for some rest," Eskk finished. "Come get me when she's in the interrogation room or if anything happens."

Loreena Arenais-Valhoun

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

"No chance whatsoever. And those are mine. I WILL get them back." Lori left a little bite in her voice. She didn't really have a lot in the way of stuff. She didn't even have a house, and what she did have were mostly small souveniers. Except for her weapons of course. Her lightsaber she made, but her daggers were gifts.

Lori didn't do much of anything as she was led around to the shuttle. She didn't even look at the troopers that surrounded her. This wasn't her first time through their captive protocols, so she knew the drill. And that included processing. She got herself changed once the stun cuffs were removed and put on the grey uniform.

Next was the infirmary where she was treated for the blaster wound and bruises on her legs and body from the chase. Throughout it all she continued to keep silent. It wasn't too long before she was brought over not to a cell, but to an interrogation room. Eskk Jannik certainly wasn't waiting this out at all. Instead he was getting right to it.

Now it was her time to see just what kind of an interrogator he was.

 

[Eskk Jannik]

It was a short nap, but at least it was a nap. Eskk woke up to light tapping on his door. "Major Jannik, sir," a voice said. "Prisoner 11374 has been moved to interrogation." It was time to go back to work. Eskk got up. He unclipped the girl's lightsaber and stuck it in a drawer. He had plans for it later.

He then left the room, locking it behind him. Eskk took his time getting to the interrogation observation room. It was the room directly adjacent to the room where the prisoner was seated at a table waiting for him. The rooms were seperated by a transparisteel window that would be opaque on the prisoner's side while allowing whoever sttod in the observation room to see the prisoner.

"Reduce the room temperature to fifty degrees," Eskk ordered the control technician. He would continue to stand and observe his prisoner for forty five minutes before going in to talk to her.

Loreena Arenais-Valhoun

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

Lori was sat at the table once she was brought into the interrogation room. She eyed the troopers that seemed to take up every corner of the room. And then there was the glass wall. She knew that for what it was, one way glass. No doubt she was being recorded through it as well.

Arms folded across her chest, she sat back against her chair and waited. Eskk Jannik seemed to be taking his time, however. So that threw her other observation right out the window. Before long tiredness kicked in. She didn't sleep through the night either and with all of the energy that she had used during her attempt to escape capture, the fatigue was hitting her.

The room started to feel colder, however. She sat up a bit in her chair and drew her legs up to her chest, and tucked her arms inbetween, while resting her forehead on her knees. Lori closed her eyes and knew that if need be, she could generate heat for herself. If she could create light, she could create heat. It was all the same principle. Right now she just needed a little bit of sleep.

 

[Eskk Jannik]

Eskk watched with mild disinterest as the girl curled up in a ball and appeared to go to sleep. Eskk recognized this behavior as an indication of guilt. Usually only the guilty were comfortable enough to rest under scrutiny. Typically, innocent people remained awake, eager to prove their innocence as soon as possible.

Eskk had observed what he'd been waiting to observe so he left the observation room and went to the caf machine. Eskk poured the pot of caf out and made a fresh pot. From this new pot he poured one cup and walked into the interrogation room, closing the door softly behind him.

He set the caf on the table in front of his prisoner. He then motioned for the troopers to leave the room and sat in the chair directly opposite her. "So, prisoner 11374," Eskk greeted her. " Loreena Arenais-Valhoun ." Eskk opened the file, pretending he hadn't already studied every aspect of it. "Wanted for distribution of anti-imperial propaganda. Incitement of anti imperial activies. Interference with Official Imperial Operations, and lastly the murder of Darth Tacitus." Eskk paused for a moment before continuing, "you're also the head of Mandal Arms and a known actor of the Eclipse Rebellion. Have you at any time supplied arms to said rebellion?"

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

Lori dozed lightly. It was all that she could manage in the chilly room. If she was in a proper cell, she might've been able to sleep better. But she wasn't at that stage in Eskk Jannik 's little game just yet.

The sound of the door opening and closing woke her up. She opened her eyes and slowly lifted her head, knowing that she'd see him again, and of course, there he was. And with what looked like caf to boot.

Lori took hold of the cup in both hands and drew it to herself, allowing the smell of fresh caf to waft into her nose. She observed Eskk as he addressed her, first by number and then by her name. Well, that was one hurdle bypassed. Her identity was not yet stripped as what so often happened.

She listened to the apparant charges against her; well really one could call them facts. An eyebrow rose slightly as he mentioned MandalArms. Such an aquisition only happened very recently. And she had thought that the news was quiet on that front. But apparently the Empire's spies got a hold of the information quicker than she'd like.

"Propaganda? I only show the truth that you all hide. And you forget that I'm not a citizen of one of your worlds, so I don't fall under your jurisdiction. Your anti-Imperial accusations are meaningless. The last I knew, the Galaxy is not ruled entirely by Imperials." In regards to his question she remained silent and merely sipped her caf. There were too many ways in which her answer could be twisted and used against her.

 

[Eskk Jannik]

Eskk nodded along with her answer trying to appear attentive and sympathetic. "So, are you admitting to the distribution charge?" Eskk waited a few moments allowing her time to answer.

"Look Loreena," Eskk was about to begin a spiel. "I like you as a person amd I want to help you. Your life from this point onwards is going to consist of many interrogations. There's a lot of events surrounding you that the Eternal Empire needs answers to. I think maybe youre a good girl who got in over her head and now your lost at sea, so to speak."

Eskk paused for a moment before continuing. "I cant say you wont do some time for the illicit actions youve been involved with against us. What I can say is that id like to see you do the least amount of time possible. Id like to see you learn your lesson and someday go back to being an average non descript citizen of the galaxy."

"Right now things arent looking good," Eskk told her. "The other interrogators you'll eventually see, they wont be like me. They will employ methods I dont agree with to get the answers they want from you. We can prevent a lot of that here and now. The more open and honest you are with me, the less cause for further interrogation there will be. Also an imperial judge may be less inclined to deliver harsher verdicts if you are documented to be cooperative."

Eskk paused again allowing time for his words to soak in and a response of she had one. "Let's move on to another subject," he said after a minute. "Our file says you are the primary operator of a ship known as the Jaster's Sparrow. That ship's records could help shed some light on your predicament and maybe even be used as evidence to support the case for your innocence. So, if you tell me where to find it, I promise an unbiased search of the ship logs. I promise that I will allow the evidence to ahow what it shows. If someone else finds it while youre in custody, they may have an agenda. So will you tell me where to find it, Loreena Arenais-Valhoun ?"

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

"Label it whatever you want. I just show people the truth, the same as most holonews channels would. It's the Empire that shows falsehoods and creates propaganda to try to hide their crimes. You know it and I know it. Most of the Galaxy will be made aware too."

Lori snorted in laughter as Eskk Jannik spoke about his hope of her becoming an average citizen of the Galaxy. She had NEVER been one of those. Born into royalty, she was beyond average. Taken to train with the Mandalorians only to come back home shortly before the Sith lay siege to the planet and tried to capture her and her brother, her life on the run and away from her homeworld had begun.

And it never stopped.

Her brother had warned her about her reckless behaviour, deeming it as perhaps a reaction to the deaths of their parents. But she had always been reckless. She always reacted with her heart and did whatever in the moment she thought was the right thing to do.

Lori sipped her caf slowly, contemplating this whole 'nice guy' routine. She didn't believe it. There was no way that the Empire would be lenient on her. This was all just a part of the game. "I've been through Imperial questioning before. I know what they are like...."

He altered the subject then, moving onto that of her ship. How was it that they didn't know it's location? She figured the hired goons that had brought her in before would've told them. They were a part of what got it so heavily damaged on Orellion II in the first place. But...that is if they even knew of the ship at all....The goons shot down every ship that was taking off in that meadow.

"Ship's a wreck. Kind of why I was in the market for a new one. Makes sense, don't ya think?"

 

[Eskk Jannik]

"I see," Eskk said making a note on the file. "Moving on then. Your brother and your boyfriend are both wanted by the Eternal Empire. Your brother is also accused of murdering Darth Tacitus. Your boyfriend is a known Rebel."

"I know you know where they are," Eskk said. "If you tell me where to find them, I promise to bring them in alive. I can't guarentee their safety otherwise."

"While you're at it," Eskk continued, "give me the location or locations of any rebel bases youre aware of. In return, I promise to keep the casualties as low as possible. You'll find I'm the only Imperial willing to offer such a deal."

Loreena Arenais-Valhoun

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

"You all know that we didn't do it. We weren't even there. This is all just some chirade to get people to hunt us down. It's all just a distraction and revenge for my actions. So there's no point in pretending otherwise."

As for her brother, Curtis and even the bases are concerned, Lori sipped her caf again before speaking. The hot drink kept her warm. "I can't tell you what I don't know...." A blanket statement to be sure, which wasn't a lie either. There were many things that she didn't know and many that she did. But she wasn't about to just give any details up. It wasn't going to help her anyways. The Empire does what it wants....

 

[Eskk Jannik]

"I'm afraid I have to insist on this issue," Eskk stated. He reached up with one hand and began to call on the force to choke Loreena Arenais-Valhoun . "his ability with this application of the force was weak, so he wouldnt be able to hold ot long.

Eskk's voice rose as he spoke while choking her. "I know you know something. Where is your brother? Where is your boyfriend? Where are the rebels?"

Eskk released his hold on Loreena through the force allowing her to breathe again. "I dont want things to be this way," he told her. In reality Eskk had enjoyed every minute of choking the woman who had shot him in the face.

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

Force choke? Lori's eyes widened as her airway was closed. She threw the remains of her caf at him and especially the file, while grasping at the invisible hand around her neck now that her hands were free. She stood up from the table and ushered herself backwards, hoping that distance between them would help remove Eskk Jannik 's hold on her neck.

He let her go just as her heartbeat began to pound in her ears. Lori coughed and sputtered while bracing herself against the wall. "You've got...enough spies that...can tell you...what you want to...know. Your files are...proof of that."

 

[Eskk Jannik]

"That's not an acceptable answer," Eskk screeched at his prisoner. He drew his blaster and pointed it at Loreena Arenais-Valhoun . "I want you to know that you inspired this next trick."

Eskk called on the force to lift the blaster out of his hand. Then it started to spin in place. At first it spun along its x axis, barrel to handle and back. It was pointing at Loreena, then the ceiling, then at Eskk then at the floor.

As it increased in spinning speed, Eskk began to cause it to spin along its y axis as well. Now it was moving too fast for the eye to discern detail. It was moving in a spherical motion pointing all around the room making it impossible for either person to predict where the barrel was pointing.

Eskk used the force to pull the trigger. The first bolt burned into the ceiling with a womp noise. "Looks like we both got lucky that time, Eskk declared. He pulled the trigger again. This time the bolt seared into the one way glass a few inches above his own head.

"Woah, that was close." Eskk waited a moment then pulled the trigger with the force twice. The blaster went whomp whomp and two bolts shot out. The first impacted the wall not far from where Loreena was standing. The second burned into the chair she had just been sitting in.

"This is fun for me!" Eskk squeaked with enthusiasm. "Its like force roulette. Is the information your holding onto worth your life, Loreena? Cause I trust the force to take you before it takes me!"

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

And there it was. His temper was revealed. Like most Imperials, Eskk Jannik wasn't as calm and collected as he had tried to pretend that he was moments ago.

But what inspiration did she give? Her eyes were drawn to the blaster as it lifted into the air and began to spin. At first she had no idea if what was going to happen and then it dawned on her after the first blaster bolt hit the ceiling.

Oh no...This was insane!

Lori couldn't help but duck as one of the bolts narrowingly missed her head. The chair was seared, yet she went to it anyways, lifting it and holding it before her as though it was a shield. "You already know the answers!" With some effort, she threw the chair at the blaster, hoping to break Eskk's hold on it. Then she Force Pushed him back against the observation window.

 

[Eskk Jannik]

The chair hit the blaster and sent it clattering into one corner of the room. When she threw it however, Loreena Arenais-Valhoun triggered a security protocol. Two troopers barged into the room with shock batons as Eskk was pushed out of his chair and into the wall.

Eskk hit the wall then fell onto the floor. The troopers rushed in and began to beat Loreena with their shock batons. Eskk got to his feet and watched them beat her for a moment as he reached out with the force and called the blaster back to his hand.

Eskk proceeded to holster the blaster and told the troopers to stop. "Well I take it that wasnt as exciting for you as it was for me," Eskk stated. He walked around to the edge of the table nearest to where Lorenna was and sat on it.

"You know, it's really too bad we couldnt have a more productive conversation." He said with mock disappointment. "I hope your future interrogation officers aren't too harsh on you. It's been a pleasure."

"Take her to her cell," Eskk commanded the troopers after a brief pause to allow for her to respond. He left the room before her. The only thing he had left to attend to was arranging her transportation.

Darlyn Excron

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

Shock batons. She knew them. Lori had been struck by them before and now here they were again. She cried out as the first hit her midsection, and after that she braced herself for each strike as she dropped to the floor. She could have fought back, but didn't. It just wasn't the right time.

And they didn't attack her for long. Eskk Jannik ordered them to stop and they did, stepping back while he sat on the table to gloat.

She wiped a bit of saliva from the corner of her mouth before sitting herself up. "You're a liar...." Lori didn't say anything else. It was time for her to lick her wounds, so to speak, and she was given the opportunity to do just that as she was taken to a cell. Once inside she found a place to lay down and did just that.

She was going to get out of there, she knew. But she just didn't know how yet.

 

[Darlyn Excron]

Beautiful mountains, cool wind in his hair's ginger curls, and the oppressive atmosphere only an all controlling, narcissist driven empire (and Sith) could produce. "Why doesn't the Force ever take me somewhere nice for dates?" He barely mumbled the words under his breath, walking the ground of Bursoll Two quietly. The will of the Force was something he'd recently begun to listen to more, allowing it to guide him just a bit more than usual. It hadn't been wrong yet, for once, so perhaps there was something to it.

It was also quite, convenient really, that he had managed to avoid meeting all that many people. Usually he would choose to wear his old sith robes, or his new adventure robes if he anticipated fighting, but since they were in the wash he'd chosen to take a spare set of the usual white-ish tunic and brown robes that were associated with Jedi that he'd, ah, borrowed. For the evening anyways. So he'd normally stand out, if he'd actually managed to interact with anyone... though the falling night only had made it easier to walk by without letting people notice him. Having a Taozin Amulet even kept his force signature was being clouded... though it did little to stem the corruptive nature of the Lightsaber of Exar Kun. At least he had his own lightsaber to rely upon instead. Though it was more, hunter's intuition that made it easy to stay out of sight from the normal folk.

It also made it easy to catch on to another hunt going on.

Granted they were eventually making plenty of noise, and making it quite impossible for him to actually approach in any meaningful way. By the time he could catch the barest glimpse of the Hunt he'd stumbled upon, it was already over, and there was nothing to do. Oh Loreena Arenais-Valhoun , his reckless niece. He loved that enthusiasm of hers, something he'd have loved to have working for him rather than separated by the galaxy. The other figure though was unknown to him, clearly sensitive so he had to keep his distance or he'd be noticed against the backdrop.

"I take it back, this is a lovely place for a date." He chuckled to himself now, instead of mumbling in a vaguely upset tone, as he watched Loreena and the man go away. He flipped up his hood, securing it so it wouldn't fly off and reveal his face, before leaving. Tracking them down wasn't hard, considering it was half tailing them, half prediction, but that wouldn't be why he was so slow to even begin this little jail break of his. No, it was planning the entrance. Planning how he was going to get in, followed by getting to Loreena, followed by ripping out that man's throat and playing jump rope with it.

Not... necessarily in that order. Just whatever happened to be convenient.

Eventually, when he noticed a single guard that was, lacking in his company as one of the outermost guards, he at least had his way inside. Taking the opportunity, he sauntered right up behind the man and quickly caught his attention, pushing his mind against his with the Force immediately. Mind tricks were usually soft, gentle things. Suggestions or ideas the mind simply believed were their own, but Darlyn wasn't looking for gentle. He wanted this man's mind muddied, clouded, broken. Dominated, really. "The new one, bring me to her. On orders of the Empress. Now." He felt resistance, but pushed onward... to the point he knew he was physically hurting him.

Until finally, the man seemed to break, and obediently did as instructed. Good, good. Company would certainly be coming sooner rather than later, but he'd get at least the correct direction.

Eskk Jannik

 

[Eskk Jannik]

Eskk sat in his room looking at the lightsaber that he jad taken from the girl. It was disassembled on his table. The only component of note was the Duhgee crystal on the table.

It was a beautiful blue color on the edges, but the center seemed to be silver. It was truly a beautiful crystal. Eskk hated it. He had activated the blade for a moment or two before he had disassembled it. It had shone a brilliant silver with a blue outline. Eskk felt that it was all very Jedi and hated it. He wanted something darker and the Sith had their ways.

Eskk picked up the crystal and held it in his hands. He thought about the beauty of the crystal and of the blade and his hatred for it. Eskk called on the force and allowed that negative energy to transfer into the crystal. It was a process known as Force Bleeding.

Eskk closed his eyes and allowed himself to think about the fact that he had been shot in the face. The blaster bolt that had struck him couldve easily damaged one of his proboscis, temporarily impairing his ability to feed. He allowed his rage to build and transferred that energy into the crystal as well.

Lastly, Eskk thought about the girl, and how she had evaded, teased, and mocked him through out the chase. His anger and hatred intensified and he transferred that energy into the crystal now.

Now he had spent several hours using the force to corrupt the crystal. He finally opened it and looked at it. The blue edges had turned red, and the bright silver core was several shades darker and now resembled the color of starship metal. It was perfect now in Eskk's mind.

He begun to reassemble the lightsaber. Once finished he activated the blade. It had changed to reflect Eskk's corruption through the force. Now instead of being blue and silver, it was outlined in bright red with a dark grey core. The blade was ready to serve it's new master.

No sooner had he finished then there was a knock at the door. Eskk didnt even have time to draw satisfaction from his progress with the blade. "What is it?" Eskk asked from inside.

"Sir," a voice responded. "There's a trooper at the gate escorting a civilian of some kind. He claims to be under orders from the empress herself."

Strange, Eskk thought to himself. Being that he was the ranking officer, Eskk was sure that if any orders had come from the empress he'd be among the first to know about them. Still, Eskk proposed that he better go see what this was all about.

Eskk clipped the lightsaber he had stolen to his belt next to his own purple lightsaber, and left his quarters. He walked outside and waited while the gate was open allowing the trooper inside with what appeared to be a man in Jedi robes.

Eskk's sensory organs did not react to the man so there was no reason to believe he was, in fact, a Jedi. If he had any meaningful connection to the force, Eskk was biologically designed to detect it. Strange and stranger, Eskk thought to himself.

"I am Major Eskk Jannik," Eskk told the man as he approached. "Who might you be?"

Loreena Arenais-Valhoun
Darlyn Excron

 

[Darlyn Excron]

Well speak of the devil. He'd had hoped to get much closer before this moment hit. Ah well, beggars couldn't be choosers. Best to make use of what he had, best case this worked, worst case this really wouldn't and he'd have to fight his way through anyways which suited him just fine. He put on his best impression of an Imperial official, and made sure to keep himself just a bit out of reach of the man before speaking. "I'm no one, Major, and I'm sure you can understand the Empress needs me to keep it that way."

"More important for the moment however is your current guest. She has a habit of escaping our clutches despite security ever increasing and it's shown to be quite the annoying thorn in our side how everything just happens to align for her. The Empress has decided it best to have agents like me investigate the girl's luck whenever opportunity arises, on suspicion that she's been receiving aid from a traitor in our midst. Understand that at this time, I'm acting as her eyes in this particular instance, and require access to observation of her current holding situation. Failure to comply will put your loyalty into question and I am authorized to deal with insubordination as I see fit. You would be wise to comply with her wishes."

Of course, as a precaution he was filling his mind with the natural defenses of anyone trained to fight a force sensitive. Distracting dialogue, in his case puns, walls of raw emotion, playing pazzak in his head. Roughly anything that would provide something besides his real thoughts to be read, if the Major tried to delve into his mind, was being thrown up instinctively. Should also provide some minor protection from hypnotic effects, though to that he more so trusted the Force to help protect him.

And of course, in the furthest reaches of his subconscious, he was prepared for hostilities.

Eskk Jannik :|: Loreena Arenais-Valhoun

 

[Eskk Jannik]

Eskk listened to the man with his thinly veiled threats and was amused. Eskk wasn't particularly loyal to the empress or the Eternal Empire. He had been alive long enough to know that factions rise and fall all the time. This is just where he happened to be right now and he was making the best of it.

Still, the man spoke like he was an imperial agent. Eskk reached out with the force, trying to feel his presence. He felt nothing at all. Eskk found this to be interesting and strange. Did he have some type of force cloaking ability, one powerful enough to fool even his sensory organs? This was an interesting individual.

Assuming he was telling the truth there would be no way to verify it. The empire wouldnt send a secret spy and then claim that they sent a secret spy, that would be counter productive. "Well," Eskk responded after his considerations. "There's two options."

"I can take you to command center," Eskk continued. "Where you'll be able to monitor her in her cell through our closed cctv program. You wont be able to hear anything she says that way, but you'll be able to watch her without her knowledge."

"Or," Eskk prepared to deliver the second option. "I could put you in a cell right next to her in disguise as a prisoner. This way might suit your purpose better, but for it to work it will need to be legitimate. I'll need all your weapons. My men will then take you down to processing, where your remaining armor and any other possessions will be confiscated. At that point you'll be provided an inmate uniform and taken to the cell."

"If you choose the cell option, you can ask to see me anytime you wish to be let out," Eskk told him. "So, which will it be?"

Loreena Arenais-Valhoun
Darlyn Excron