The Sense of Benefits

[Kelan The Hutt]

Ugoroo wasn't sure about how well he would keep up with a knight of the Sith. All he knew about them was their talent and magical abilities, but even that was enough to make him aware of their wrath. Chances are that ancient Tusken fighting techniques wouldn't match up very evenly, despite how fancy it sounded. Just nodding and agreeing seemed to work for the time being, but it wouldn't work so well once they began training. On the other hand, fighting on solid ground over sand would've been easier than his common fighting location. The Tusken never liked sand, it was coarse, and rough, and irritating, and it gets everywhere. Plus, he DID manage to hold his own against a greatly cybernetic enhanced Zabrak, so that had to mean something.

With the Sith leading them back towards the 'abandoned' corridor of the palace, Ugoroo just decided to stay quiet, with the only noise during the trek being the one line from [member="Ballen-Ist"] and the clanking of the robotic feet behind them. "I try. I fight" The strange and eerie feeling bestowed itself upon him, just as it had to Marken previously. The corridor had always been said to be haunted by a traitor that was slaughtered by Kelan for stealing weapons, but that had just been a folklore that was said to be false multiple times by the Hutt himself. That still didn't cause them to attempt to spook their friends with it whenever the area of the palace was mentioned. The group approached the same wooden door as before, leading to the single light bulb room that the Sith had spent so long meditating.

The Sith had offered for the rest of them to enter the room first, with Ugoroo offering for the droids to go first later. He sat down on a bench in order to prepare mentally. The bench creaked under him, so that wasn't very relaxing. Withdrawing his staff, he had realized that he never looked closely at the staff and noticed that it was becoming greatly tattered. After hundreds of fights over the years, the once glistening chromium that signified him as the leader of his clan had turned into a worn out grayish color. Thinking back at it, the poor conditioned staff should've been an even greater marking of his achievements. As the droids all lined up in the middle of the room, he knew. He was ready.

 

[Ballen-Ist]

"That is all I ask, my friend," Ballen-Ist hissed in reply, still grinning in a devilish fashion. There were months of freedom ahead of him, and now was the perfect time to continue his own training. With any luck, he would also craft Ugoroo into an even more skilled warrior. Once they had arrived in the empty room, Ballen-Ist stepped in, making sure to arrange the combat droids in a specific way. They stood in a circle, surrounding the Sith who stood calmly in his robes. Reaching down to his waist, Ballen-Ist pulled at the metallic hilt of his lightsaber, freeing it from the belts restraints.

It then flew through the air after the Sith tossed it, calling a heads up to Ugoroo as it headed his way. He did not intend on using his saber for this training, rather the weighted force sword that he had created alongside his old master long ago. The sheathed weapon was drawn, an aura of electricity crackling around it's metallic length, causing it to hum audible as the Sith spun and twirled it around his body. "I'm sure these assassin droids are on their deadliest settings, so I want you to pit them against me however you see fit," Ballen-Ist spoke to Ugoroo, after passing the weapon to him.

"You will learn to wield a lightsaber, whilst battling me. These droids are your allies, so use them to your advantage." The Sith instructed, wanting to get the most out of this training. His red skinned hand would delve into his robes pocket, withdrawing the cubic holocron that he had carried with him. Seeing as Thetan had yet to arrive, Ugoroo was the next best thing. The holocron began to unravel as it had once before, releasing a bright red mist from it's interior as it floated into the air.

It's gatekeeper, Tulak Hord, now looked down upon the group, an unsatisfied look upon his face. "You intend to learn from me, while facing off against droids?" The ancient Sith Lord boomed, casting a glance to the Tusken Raider. "Very well, Kissai. I will teach you what you can handle." With that, Ballen-Ist too looked towards Ugoroo, before centering himself and concentrating on the dark side of the force.

[member="Kelan The Hutt"]

 

[Kelan The Hutt]

The lightsaber being flung over to Ugoroo gave him little of a reaction time, causing him to stumble with it for a few seconds in his only free hand before managing to retain a tight grip on the hilt. In one hand was his staff, and the other was the hilt of the lightsaber. He would have liked to be able to use both of the weapons, but he didn't exactly have three or four arms. Going along with the orders from the Sith, he threw the staff to the side and activated the lightsaber, examining the glow that emitted off from the plasma of it. He never had the chance to inspect a lightsaber up close, so he simply just kept staring instead of immediately jumping into battle.

The most immediate difference between the two weapons were how [member='Ballen-Ist']'s lightsaber was single bladed. His father had trained him to fight primarily with staff related weapons, whereas the saber related more to a sword. It shouldn't have been too hard to get used to it, since Tuskens were famous for their ability to adapt. It didn't really relate to that circumstance, but it had to be involved somehow. The droids all spread evenly around the room, so they could help defend each other if necessary but wouldn't get in each others way. Unless it was others of his own kind and clan, he preferred to be a follower than a leader, which had led them to creating a plan themselves. That wasn't the best trait to have in a warrior,

The saber still felt strange in his fingers, as he looked around to plot any form of attack. Once again, he noticed the dangling light bulb, being the only official light source in the room. The Tusken took a quick swing at the bulb, sending it sparking on the floor. Now, the only lights in the room were the plasma blade, the electricity of the sword, the few lit up buttons of the droids, and the faint glow emitting from the holocron that the Sith took out. While Ugoroo wasn't sure of his primary purpose of destroying the light, being a result of rash thinking, but he assumed that it would have hindered the predictability of the Tusken. Even if it only helped him a small bit, he would have been happy. Ready to fight, he began charging at the Sith with a few droids behind him as backup in case, beginning to take a few rapid swings at the sword.

 

[Ballen-Ist]

Ballen-Ist didn't expect Ugoroo to be familiar with wielding a lightsaber, but in time he would get used to it. The main difference was the lack of a heavy blade, whereas the handle possessed all of the weight. Having been a swordsman for the majority of his life, Ballen-Ist was comfortable as he gripped the hilt of his force sword firmly. The Pureblood would take a two handed grip on the weapons handle, lifting both of his arms as the Tusken began to approach. The contained beam of crimson plasma would swing upwards, searing through the light panels that were attached to the ceiling above. Sparks descended, and darkness eventually enveloped the room.

All that remained noticeable were the two sentient warriors, who now prepared to square off in a fierce training session. The holocron was still present, it's glow dim to those that were not force sensitive. Tulak Hord continued to watch, assessing the Knight as he stepped backwards. The Tusken had charged, prompting the Sith to go on the defensive. "Wrong," Hord declared boldly, causing Ballen-Ist to look up in curiosity at the ghostly gatekeeper. Before he was able to question anything, the Sith delved into his knowledge of Soresu, efficiently guiding his weapon around in body with tight blade work, while also implementing physical dodges to avoid Ugoroo's strikes. The Tusken was skilled, clearly a natural warrior despite his unfamiliarity with the lightsaber.

Even so, the weapon was deadly, forcing Ballen-Ist to stay on the defensive momentarily, as he blocked the continuous strikes sent at him. "Only fall back on defence when necessary. Meet your opponents head on, with a ferocity even greater than their own." Tulak Hord spoke once more, managing to distract Ballen-Ist as he had last time. Ugoroo's saber would slice along the Sith's arm, placing a decently sized burn mark upon the Knight's skin and clothes. His flesh was seared, causing him to grunt in pain, before swinging his blade in an attempt to slam the saber away from him. He needed a moment to take in what Tulak Hord was telling him, and how he could implement it.

[member="Kelan The Hutt"]

 

[Kelan The Hutt]

Aggression always triumphed over defense in terms of Tusken Raiders. They always learned that either brute force or skillful offense was the key to victory in every battle. Whereas this wasn't much different from Ugoroo, he had learned to have a slight dependence on defense in dire circumstances. This came into play back on Nar Shaddaa while facing off against the heavily cybernetic infused Zabrak, where he was heavily outmatched and forced to play defensive. However, this wasn't the case in the duel with the Sith where he had no immediate need to focus on defensive.

The match started off decently even matched. The Tusken was on the offensive while the Sith remained defensive. It was odd, since he had learned in past research that Sith mostly fought with anger, usually meaning attack over defend. Still, the saber had appeared to be of greater power than the saber, despite the sparks that kept emitting off of it. The droids stood next to the walls as they watched the fight, noticing that assistance wasn't necessary and the practice would be more beneficial if they hadn't interfered.

After a few minutes of blades striking and parrying, [member="Ballen-Ist"] rapidly took glances towards the glowing holocron near the corner of the room. The opportunity came when the Tusken Raider finally had a clear shot with the saber. His aggression during the fight made him too heated into the moment, and he went for a shot that could have almost cut off the Sith's arm. The Sith managed to dodge just in time for the blade to only skim his arm, but still severely burning it.

The Sith stood still while grunting his arm, seeming to look at the holocron for some sort of guidance. Ugoroo still didn't remain in his right mind, using the Sith's injury to his advantage, striking him in the leg this time. The Sith still looked towards the holocron for help, but Ugoroo didn't question it and advanced towards his opponent. The Tusken raised the blade, expecting to go for a killing blow. He swiftly backed away, finally realizing that he was trying to kill one of his allies. His anger and lust for a true fight overcame him, as it always had.

 

[Ballen-Ist]

The floating holocron was a source of knowledge, something Ballen-Ist could convert into power and use to his advantage. However, it was also a distraction in this particular scenario, and the Sith would have to learn to adapt on the fly. The words of Tulak Hord seemed to be the only things he could notice, the darkness of the room having nearly overwhelmed his senses. Ugoroo proved to be a relentless warrior, taking the Knight by surprise with his ferocious attacks. After receiving multiple burns from the saber that the Tusken wielded, Ballen-Ist began to quickly step backwards before stopping altogether. Hord was right, he needed to demonstrate his own ferocity.

Lifting the metallic blade, the Sith swung it through the air with great power, bringing it up in a defensive manner. It collided with the crimson saber, creating a brief flash of light that filled the pitch black room. The dark side was now flowing throughout Ballen, his pain fuelling him and in turn causing his blows to become more devastating. However, as soon as their blades met, the Knight would push off, using the combined momentum to transition into a powerful swing that would pass by Ugoroo's chest, and curve downwards in an attempt to clip his leg.

[member="Kelan The Hutt"]

 

[Kelan The Hutt]

Back when the Sith focused on defense while paying an odd amount of attention to the holocron, the Tusken believed that he had a certain win. He felt that even if the Sith focused and began going on offense, the blows to his arm and leg would still render him weaker. His theory was proven wrong, as his advance was stopped by a furious set of strikes of his opponents sword. The successful hits earlier seemed to be non-existent, as the Sith fought back as if he was unharmed. The only reasonable action was to fall back on attacking and worry about blocking the powerful strikes that flew towards him, but that wasn't how he liked to duel. He had to represent his clan back on Tatooine, they needed to seem like ruthless warriors.

He soon regretted that mistake, as the advanced swordsmanship of his opponent soon proved to be the turning point of the already lost duel. The distraction that the Sith had faced early in the duel had made Ugoroo greatly underestimate his opponent. The Sith pushed his arm back, leaving him defenseless, which the Sith took advantage of. The Tusken attempted dodging the swing, evading a possibly fatal strike, but pain shot out in his leg. He looked at his leg, noticing a deep and singed gash in his leg. At this rate, he knew that he wouldn't be able to face off and he needed time to recover.

Looking to the sides of the room, he realized that he forgot the dozen melee droids that stood at the sides. He backed away, holding onto his slashed leg and began yelling towards the droids in Tusken. The droids probably didn't understand his language, even he didn't at times, but they got the indication from his condition and the tone of his yelling. They all stepped in front of Ugoroo, as well and surrounding [member='Ballen-Ist']. Simultaneously, the vibroblades that replaced their arms all lit up, and they were ready to jump in for the Tusken.

 

[Ballen-Ist]

The several slight incisions that Ugoroo had managed to make on the Pureblood were indeed painful, but that very pain fueled Ballen-Ist's power. He successfully launched a counter assault on his opponent, driving him back as the force sword grazed his leg. A slight smirk formed upon the red skinned man's lips, as he thought of the progress he would soon show in the future. With Tulak Hord as his mentor, he hoped to be capable of a great many things. After Ugoroo back pedaled away, the Sith would arch an eyebrow, remembering the squad of droids that had been waiting idly on the sidelines. The vibroblades they were equipped with shone brightly as they spun through the air, lifting and striking out at their intended target. The room was still dark, but now lit up even more due to the vibrational field that ran along the swords of the droids.

Then it began, Ballen-Ist's own arms lifting as he arced his swing, attempting to lash out upon multiple of the robots with his wide slash. He hoped to drive them back, his bare feet planted firmly on the metallic floor as he stood his ground. The dark side pulsated all around him, making his movements quicker, and his strikes stronger. Knowing the droids would most likely try to overwhelm him, the Sith decided to stick with his new style of combat, using the momentum in which they struck against them as he attempted to parry each blow. The Knight was determined to not move an inch from his spot, only pivoting around as he adjusted his stance and aim, spinning and swinging his force sword wildly around his body. Injury was inevitable, though it was a matter of minor or major. For the time being, Tulak Hord remained silent as he watched the display, his ghostly image looming over the group ominously.
[member="Kelan The Hutt"]

 

[Kelan The Hutt]

[member="Ballen-Ist"]

Despite original thoughts, the droids had managed to decently hold their own while the injured Tusken Raider watched. Many of them still got destroyed in the end through various strikes from the Sith. Ugoroo watched on, urging to jump back into the fight. Looking back at the state that his leg was in, he knew that he would be easily outmatched. He still had some common sense, at least he hoped that he did. With the droids fighting, even managing to graze the Sith once or twice from their number advantage, he just stared at the gash while waiting for it to improve somehow. It wasn't the pain that drove him out of the battle, that he could handle if he needed to, but trying to stand up just sent him falling to the floor. As he just sat waiting, more and more of the droids kept going down.

Something in his mind ticked, that primitive side of him always lurking broke out. One second he was being tactical, and next he was clutching his wound as he ignited the lightsaber and began barreling towards the fight. He filled in parts of the gaps of the droids who had fallen, fighting along with the remaining ones. Every time he unleashed a fury of attacks, he grunted out in pain. Even with the determination, he was still limited from the pain that burst out on occasion. The Sith remained still in his position, but still managed to lower the droid numbers at a constant rate. In the end, the only inhabitants of the room were the Sith and the Tusken, along with the piles of scrap. Even being outmatched, that tick wouldn't let him retreat.

 

[Ballen-Ist]

To the Tusken's favour, the multiple assassin droids were capable enough, reminding Ballen-Ist of the training sessions he had undergone thanks to his old master. It had been hell, with death lurking around every corner. Sometimes the threat was real, sometimes it was not. It was an effective training method, for most feared the unknown. Holding the sword handle firmly in his grasp, the Sith Knight would continue to duel with his robotic foes, slowly but surely tearing them down one by one. A strange cold had descended upon the room, and it was clear that the Pureblood was focused intently on the dark side. The weapon in his hand flew through the air at incredible speeds, matched only by the strength its impacted carried.

Every blow that met its target guaranteed destruction, however the droids were surprisingly nimble, able to keep up for longer than previously thought. Their vibroblades clashed with the Sith's force enhanced sword, sending sparks flying through the air as their movements left streaks of light in their wake. Now, Ballen-Ist was pushing forward, the speed and strength which backed his technique allowing him to overwhelm the limited droid assassins. With apparent ease they were sliced apart by the Knight, who only paused to watch as Ugoroo himself joined the battle once more. Giving the Tusken his full attention, Ballen-Ist would raise his blade in front of him, slamming down on the saber that lashed out at him. The Sith's danger sense flared wildly, and at the last minute he ducked, avoiding a vibroblade that would have taken his head off.

Everything was happening so fast, and Ballen-Ist could feel the rust upon him falling off as he trained. Lunging upwards as he stood, the Sith drove his metallic blade through the droids torso, pulling its length through the body and splitting it through the middle. Simultaneously, his opposite arm would lash out diagonally, aiming to slam a fist into the Tusken's face after having attempted to block his assault. Sweat poured from the Purebloods brow, as blood leaked from injuries he had earned in the battle. He wouldn't give up yet, though.
[member="Kelan The Hutt"]

 

[Kelan The Hutt]

The room was full of sparks as the weapons from both sides clashed against each other. They both had their fair share of wounds from the battle, whether they were small or large. The only difference was that the Sith seemed to use it to fuel his efficiency while it only acted as a disturbance for Ugoroo. His weakness showed greatly, as his intended to be full-powered strikes constantly got forced back. He knew that it wasn't a duel to win anymore, but a duel to stay in the game for as long as possible. He examined the lightsaber for a moment, before taking an offensive stance and continuing to strike at the sword. His staff may have been obsolete by then, but he could still have used it to his advantage.

He managed to maintain most of his proper mind, backing up near his staff while attempting to draw in [member="Ballen-Ist"]. He quickly picked up the staff to use to fend off the Sith. Meanwhile, he would attempt to swing the lightsaber for a hit to render him weaker. His plan had seemed to work, providing double the blades that would need to parried, and Ugoroo managed to skim the Sith alongside the waist. What he didn't anticipate were the combination of speed and aggression that the knight had been using in combat. His staff was knocked out of his hand only a few seconds after the wound was inflicted, making the saber his only weapon once again.

As their blades clashed together, the Tusken felt a burn in his arm from an injury that he received back while fighting that Zabrak back on Nar Shaddaa. He could've maintained it, but the result was his grip on the saber hilt loosening. The saber was projected out of his hands, flying across the room. Quickly after this, he was being backed into the corner by the Sith.

 

[Ballen-Ist]

"Now you are beginning to understand. Somewhat," the distracting, confident voice of Tulak Hord boomed, audible only to those sensitive to the force. The Sith holocron had been active for the entire duel, floating overhead the combatants, interjecting only when needing to. In truth, the dead Sith Lord had been constantly communicating with Ballen-Ist, mostly belittling the Knight and scolding him for whatever mistakes he made. It was extremely irritating, and served to only make the Pureblood furious. His emotions in turn granted him power, for the dark side was his ally. It seemed that was what Hord had wanted all along, for Ballen began to turn the tide of battle against Ugoroo. Even so, the Tusken was skilled as well, now engaging the Sith with a saber in one hand, and a staff in the other. It was a interesting combination, one that Ballen-Ist knew the Tusken couldn't keep up for long.

Preparing for the attack, the Knight would swing his blade upwards from the ground, meeting Ugoroo's own strike head on. This went on for a few seconds, the Tusken managing to slice through his robe and into his skin. In a burst of rage, the Sith slammed Ugoroo's weapons away, twirling his own blade through the air, an electric hum quite audible to those nearby. Of course, he then sheathed his sword, turning from the Tusken before closing his eyes. He began to take deep breaths, centering his mind in order to quell the anger he felt. "Good." He stated simply, before quickly marching out of the room. The holocron pieced itself together once more, appearing to attach itself like a magnet to the Sith, floating behind him as he exited.

Hours would pass, turning into days and then weeks. Eventually Ballen-Ist would request an audience with [member="Kelan The Hutt"], after using the majority of his time to participate in the most rigorous training sessions available to him in the palace. The holocron had honestly taught him little, but that was all he needed for the time being. Now, however, the Sith waited patiently for the Hutt to appear in the throne room, for it was the latest of hours at night.

 

[Kelan The Hutt]

It had been a fair amount of time since the Hutt last spoke to [member='Ballen-Ist']. It had only taken a few hours since they left to go train before the Tusken quietly resumed his position next to the seat, and it was obvious that he improved in some way by looking at him. A few of his troops notified him that the Sith was hanging around the training courses and practicing. As long as it helped combat-wise, he couldn't care less about it. Not many events of interest had occurred during his guest's visit, as he hoped to retain a low profile until the secrets of the holocron were fully explored. The less risks of anyone discovering what they had, the better.

It was the next day when Marken was contacted by the Sith, who had requested to talk during the night. It was a smart plan, as that was most likely going to be the time in which most of the residents would be either in their bunks or have gone home. His theory was correct, as the activity inside of the castle died down as nightfall came besides for a few guards and his higher-ups. He had everything arranged by his adviser, so he just depended on Marken to send in a quick holocomm announcing that everything was ready. Hopefully some sort of new discovery was made involving the holocron, or something else relating to that matter. He smiled as he entered the room and took his seat, anticipating news that awaited him, as long as it wasn't bad news.

"Aha, I haven't seen you for awhile, I'm sure you've been enjoying yourself at my palace. Progress on that holocron or not, you've turned this Tusken into a killer!" Ugoroo couldn't help but force a small smirk, showing that he became more comfortable with the crowd of thugs ever since he first arrived. Kelan originally didn't understand the purpose of him leaving the mercenary life, but after a quick conversation, he agreed to protect the Tusken's clan. The Hutt had never expected a Sith to become one of his closer allies, and even lead him to obtain one of his most trusted members. He saw great things within that one holocron, and if he played his cards right there could be become a long term set of business dealings. "I'm sure that you requested an audience for a reason, so what do you want?"

 

[Ballen-Ist]

Ballen-Ist would pivot on his booted heel, facing [member="Kelan The Hutt"] as he slithered his way into the throne room. The Sith wore a dark cloak around his physique, concealing the lightly armoured bodysuit that accompanied it beneath. Now taking a few steps towards the Hutt, Ballen would ponder how to go about this situation, for it was a risky suggestion that could potentially jeopardise everything they had accomplished thus far, no matter how little it truly was. From beneath the cloak, Ballen-Ist would lift the holocron of Tulak Hord up, revealing the cubic relic that appeared to be stained in blood.

"Thetan betrayed me. He stole the holocron, though I managed to get it back," the Pureblood began to explain nonchalantly, wanting to appear as if he had everything under control. "He's alive, but we can still work that to our advantage, for he will try to steal the holocron again," the Sith would then pause, turning away from Kelan as his gloved hand lifted to stroke his facial tendrils in thought.

"No doubt, after Sansa's elimination, he has led the Jedi here. I will deal with that as well, but I will need more access to resources. Soldiers, droids, whatever," the Sith requested, having already thought out his course of action over the next few weeks. It would result in an all out gang war within Hok's settled lands, but it would be worth it in the long run. "There will be causalities. In the end, however, we will expand your influence across the lands."

 

[Kelan The Hutt]

Listening intently, he needed to take a few seconds to take in all of the information. There was the Sith's apprentice on his left and two Jedi to his right. He never had much action happen at Hok, it was usually on other planets where he could just take off at anytime. This time, it was actually at his home where his power could be at risk. "As long as you handle those issues, you can have whatever resources you need. I'll have you speak to some of my troops after this so you can arrange the numbers. If we're lucky, that traitor and the Jedi will encounter each other. I doubt they're aware of his defection, and fight to potentially eliminate the other." Truth be told, he was actually more frightened of the Jedi at this point than the fallen apprentice. It was usually the other way around, but it shouldn't be an issue for the master to defeat his apprentice.

Despite the variety of dangers, the opportunity to gain more power within Hok always gained his attention. Assuming they won the gang war, the cartel would be able to claim Thetan's turf. In the process, he could remove a few thorns in his side. From what he heard, the Jedi had been deceived into killing Sansa, which could tie him more to the Hutt's death. For obvious reasons, Kelan didn't want to be under heat for aiding in the death of another Hutt. Marken stepped up and began speaking. "We should easily be able to triumph over Thetan. A failure of an apprentice trying to prove that he's worth something, nothing more." Kelan nodded in agreement before turning his attention back to [member='Ballen-Ist']. "If you're finished saying what you need to, then you're dismissed.

 

[Rexus]

Hok.

The Pure-blood Sith known as Rexus mulled the word over in his mind as his shuttle began it's final approach. The Sith had been given leave to utilize said shuttle in the pursuit of whatever his master, [member="Ballen-Ist"], commanded from him. In this case, Rexus was to meet his master on some world Rexus had never been to before. The prospect of possibly spilling blood on a new world was something Rexus hoped would occur. Truth be told, He hadn't spilled blood or broken an enemy in what he considered to be nearly an eternity. Rexus found himself quickly roused from thought as the descending shuttle began it's final approach.

As the shuttle began all of the required protocol for docking, Rexus stood wordlessly. The only noise that seemingly dared to persist was the deep, mechanical wheezing of the Pure-bloods facial respirator. Rexus took hold of a hand hold only seconds prior to a slight bit of turbulence. The shuttle kept it's pace however, and was shortly docked thereafter. The shuttles back ramp extended as the door slid upward, revealing just the outline of Rexus' form. He was, as always, a sight to behold. A red-skinned giant. The only real thing visible aside from his general height were his golden eyes which seemed to pierce the shadows. Wordlessly once more, Rexus exits the shuttle with some degree of haste. His impressive and resounding footfall echoed in tandem with his strides.

Rexus took a moment to survey his surroundings. He was in a hangar and aside from that, he knew very little of the place. His mind wandered from what kind of building he was inside to more practical things: Exits, potential entry points, and how those could be used against him by an enemy. Seeing as he was in unknown territory, he would simply wait for a time. If they understood his predicament then he hoped an escort would find him and bring him to his master. In the mean time, Rexus simply stood in place and continued his assessment of the area.

 

[Ballen-Ist]

Retracting an arm, Ballen-Ist's physique would retreat beneath the depths of the cloak he wore, also hiding away the ancient artifact that was so precious to him. The Sith Pureblood smirked at Marken's words, nodding along with them slightly as he pivoted on his heel, heading towards the main hall's exit. [member="Kelan The Hutt"] was as demanding as always, though Ballen did not mind. "Yes, I am dismissed," he repeated to himself aloud, laughing slightly as he stepped into the doorway leading towards the expansive corridors of the palace. "Also, my new apprentice has arrived. We shall take care of this mess," the Sith spoke, before continuing down the hallway.

The Pureblood would shake his head, glad that Kelan was his ally. Any other Hutt probably would've betrayed him by now. The Knight's cloak billowed in his wake as he moved swiftly, navigating through the palace halls in order to reach the guest hangar bay that was now in use. Through the force, Ballen-Ist could sense his apprentice [member="Rexus"], who had just arrived on the planet. No doubt he would be somewhat confused, even more so lost in the large palace that was akin to a regal maze. After a few minutes had passed, Ballen-Ist was able to lock onto his fellow Pureblood's dark signature, the large metallic doors of the hangar entrance receding into the walls nearby.

"Welcome, my apprentice," the Knight would call, his booted feet tapping lightly against the floor as he advanced on Rexus. "There is much you must know, and even more we must do." Ballen promised, knowing the man could handle both. He was a far more promising Sith than Thetan would ever be, for the mere sight of Rexus would be terrifying to most. "After the fall of the Hutt Cartel, I have begun to ally myself with their members. Operations have been running smoothly as of late, though there is one thing that must be done," Ballen-Ist explained, standing next to his looming apprentice, his golden eyesight aimed upwards to meet Rexus' own. "One last test.'

 

[Rexus]

The hangar itself was quickly becoming boring to Rexus and he allowed his mind to wander. His attention wandered not in the traditional sense, rather, Rexus reached out with the force. He opted to try sensing his master and found results almost immediately. Rexus instinctively turned to greet the opening of the doors that heralded his masters approach. Rexus slowly began to approach his master, intending to shorten the distance he would have to travel. Rexus remembered his first interaction with his master, [member="Ballen-Ist"], and opted to bow his head rather than kneel. It was a gesture of respect that didn't degrade Rexus much if at all. As Rexus gave his master the utmost attention he deserved, the pure-blood seemed to be feeling what could almost be considered something akin to excitement. Rexus elevated his right hand to chest level and held it before him somewhat, his hand slowly curling into a fist.

A test. One final test.

Rexus took a moment before speaking, his malevolent and overly violent gaze now meeting his masters very own gaze. " You will not be disappointed, Master. " Rexus spoke with a tone that managed to come off as confident yet arrogant. Regardless of whether or not Rexus was thinking highly of himself, he would risk whatever he had to in order to obtain the one thing he sought. The talk of forging alliances intrigued but ultimately didn't interest Rexus enough to warrant a response. His master was building up a power base of sorts and until Rexus was of a similar level himself, he didn't want to waste time doing the same. Following up on his previous statement, Rexus allowed his hand to relax back at his side. " Teach me what I need to know and I will learn it. Tell me what needs to be done and I will do it. " Rexus then slunk back into the silence that usually occupied his presence.

 

[Ballen-Ist]

After conversing with [member="Rexus"] for a brief moment, the Sith Knight would turn away from the shuttle he had arrived in, slowly but surely striding towards the hangar exit. Expecting his apprentice to follow in tow, Ballen-Ist would continue to speak, wanting to elaborate on the situation. Once they reached the blast doors, they would open, allowing the two to continue on their path down the dimly lit corridors of the Hutt's palace. It was a place of luxury, nothing compared to the rest of planet Hok's architecture. "Very good, I sense your determination, it will not go unrewarded," Ballen-Ist replied, lifting an arm to delve into the black overcloak he wore upon his body.

From its depths, he would withdraw a small cubic prism, that took up the majority of the Sith's palm. On the surface its colour pattern was bright, it's odd design capable of misleading those not sensitive in the force. A dark power emanated from the cube, which was most definitely not a Jedi holocron. It was Tulak Horde's, though Ballen-Ist was unsure if Rexus knew of the ancient Sith Lord. He himself only knew what legends he had heard on Korriban, and the holocron's gatekeeper himself. "Once we have dealt with my old apprentice, we will be able to focus our time and efforts on studies," the Knight explained, making sure Rexus was able to see and examine the holocron in his possession. "We will need Marken's assistance, however," Ballen-Ist stated quietly, almost to himself, as he lifted his wrist to his mouth and activated the communication device built in to his glove.

[member="Kelan The Hutt"] was most likely heading back to sleep at this late hour, though that is not who the Sith desired to speak with at the moment. While they walked and talked, the duo would eventually arrive at a large staircase, that dipped down in a circular fashion towards the ground level of the palace. "Marken, I will be needing vehicle access, and perhaps some spare combat droids. Meet me out front of the palace." Ballen-Ist concluded, clicking off his comm-system and turning his attention back to Rexus once more. "You will learn many useful things from this holocron, but only together can we unlock it's greatest secrets. I hope you are ready, indeed." the Sith would remark, taking note of the similar arrogance that Ballen-Ist himself used to possess as an acolyte. He had grown out of it long ago, though that was a story for another time.

 

[Kelan The Hutt]

The day had proved to be rather eventful, whether it was learning about the impending Jedi or learning about the corrupted apprentice's leadership of the opposing side in the gang war. Earlier, Marken stated that it wouldn't be a problem to defeat Thetan's forces and reclaim their territory, but he was actually terrified of what could happen. It was true that Kelan's cartel had advantages such as soldier count and outside influence, but it still worried him nevertheless. Even if they won, Thetan still would have made a large impact on them. They most definitely would have been down soldiers, which could pathe the way for other enemies. He tried to keep a straight head as he walked to his bed chamber a few minutes after the Hutt left to rest.

For the hour or so of sleep that Marken had, he made sure that one of his eyes remained open. Something could have kicked down the door and aimed a blaster at his head at any moment so precautions had to be made. He was awoken by the alert of an incoming call from his holocomm, before walking over and answering it. He saw the figure of [member="Ballen-Ist"] and a larger figure next to him, [member="Rexus"] he believed the name to be. Hopefully this one wouldn't follow in his partner's footsteps and defect. Marken was disoriented from waking up so abruptly, and simply just listened to the requests of the Pureblood before making a few calls himself to arrange for a few land speeders and droids to be delivered to the front of the palace. With haste, Marken began heading to the entrance of the palace to meet up with the two Sith.

Approaching the entrance, Marken was met with both flaring sunlight and the two cloaked Sith. "I managed to secure a few landspeeders for travel, not very good for combat but will get you places fast. Five speeders, exactly, six seats each. That would allow for 28 droids in total assuming you're fine sharing a speeder with droids. I also arranged for their to be food rations in one of them in case you have to stay out for a couple of days." Marken looked to his right after hearing the sounds of engines blaring. He saw the five landspeeders being driven in from the general direction of the vehicle depot, eventually followed by the droids marching in. "It seems they arrived. I wish you luck in ending this gang war soon and send those Jedi back to wherever they came from. Maybe then I can actually get some rest."