The Silent One [Jen'ari Empire Final Task]

[Darth Miseria]

Outer Rim Space​

The Retribution [Jen'ari Empire Flagship]​

Unspecified Time​

[member=Darth Vyrassu]​

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Dianah's rooms aboard 'The Retribution' were black. Everything on this ship was black. Or red. She had a preference for colours so to her there was a blandness about the entire thing. Despite the dreadful colour pallet, they were suitable rooms. The ceilings and walls alike were made of a solid metal. It contained a comfortable bed, a large cupboard and various places to store personal affects. But her room was devoid of such a thing. Dianah didn't feel the need to decorate the room. It might have been appealing to an acolyte with no ship or home to call their own but for her it was just a rest stop. After all, why would she want to spend her entire life on this lumbering hunk of metal?

She stretched out across the soft bed sheets, hoping to catch a few hours of sleep. It had seemed like forever ago when she boarded along with the other acolytes. Dianah herself had been on a few of her own little adventures since then. The only contact she had with anyone of note so far had been when Darth Elra handed out a smattering of tasks to each of the acolytes. Dianah had passed hers with speed and efficiency. Something she hoped was playing to her favour. It was safe to say that she was feeling pretty confident about her prospects in the Jen'ari Empire.

The familiar whooshing sound of sliding doors disturbed her attempt at sleeping. The Shadow Guard stood in the doorway, solemn and serious. They had always made Dianah feel uneasy. Something about their masked faces and consistent silence only amplified her nervousness. His hand was outstretched and there was a data disk clutched between his gloved fingers. She rose swiftly and took the thing in the hope that it would make him leave. Her actions were rewarded a moment later when he turned and let the doors come to a close once again.

Perched on a rather solid chair she turned the tiny piece of technology over in her hand a few times. There had been talk of a task that was to be delivered to each of the acolytes in turn. Why else would a Shadow Guard have delivered it straight to her door?

With firm determination she gathered what few things she had kept there, leaving the dull black room behind her.

*​

In the relative safety of her ship, Dianah felt more comfortable receiving what she expected to be a mammoth task. The ship hummed and shook softly as the engines woke from their day long rest. She slid the data disk neatly into the socket and the image flickered into life. It brought forth a blue tinted Darth Vyrassu. He spoke with a jarred, electric voice:

"Dianah."​

"On the planet Ilum, a rogue Sith lies, hiding, he holds a holocron holding blueprints to the Ancient Sith Empire's Sith Armada capital ships. He is well guarded by well trained Sith assassins. Stealth is probably your best key here waiting until night to strike, but how you complete the task is your choice, steal those blueprints for the Empire."​

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Another stealth mission. Dianah counted her blessings that the Master's wanted her to focus on something that came naturally to her. There were a few things she could stand to learn but she had knowledge enough to complete this task and complete it well. It was still going to be a challenge, but one she accepted gladly. She lent over to tap her pilot firmly on his helmet. One day she would learn to drive one of these things but for now he was her lifeline.

'To Ilum. It's time for another adventure.'

 

[Darth Miseria]

Unknown Regions​

Dianah's Personal Ship​

Unspecified Time​

[member=Darth Vyrassu]​

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It was a long way to Ilum. A frozen wasteland of a planet. There wasn't a single bit of weather in the entire Galaxy that Dianah enjoyed more than snow, but perhaps a whole planet worth of the stuff would be a little too much. Even so, for once in her life, the fact that she preferred white to black would come in handy.

On their pleasant journey to what was the biggest task of Dianah's life she squeezed in as much research as she possibly could. Simultaneously, she went through everything she had learned so far that tied in with stealth. She had been fortunate enough to meet Jaron who had taught her force speed and sight, she was moderately good at both and they would definitely come in handy. She also had her telekinesis, which she happened to be rather adept in. The blue screen projected a violent light into her eyes. She had been up for hours now, searching and searching for anything on Ilum that might give any indication as to where the rogue Sith might have been hiding.

In the mass of white text her eye caught the edges of something interesting. Ilum was home to a Jedi Crystal cave.

A high, wicked laugh escaped from the depths of her stomach. It had been a long and boring task but her patience and determination was highly rewarded. What better place to hide as a rogue Sith then a den for Jedi activity? It would drastically cut the chances of being found by someone who could actually do any damage. In some ways Dianah wished he knew she was coming, she yearned for the day when her name would cause as much fear in someone as her Father's did. Still, there was some modicum of pleasure in the fact that she knew this rogue Sith assumed he was relatively safe behind his Sith assassin. The thought made her laugh even harder.

They were only a few hours away now. With her research complete and a relatively solid plan on what to look for first, Dianah decided to prepare herself. She swivelled on her chair toward the pilot, standing as she spoke.

'I'll be in my room getting ready. Come fetch me the minute we arrive. If I'm sleeping, wake me. This can't wait.'

He nodded a confirmation and she took off toward the small room she had claimed as her own. They weren't nearly as impressive as the ones on 'The Retribution'. Neither were they as grand as the ones she had back home in Sinner's Well. But they were hers. Ever since Dianah had decided to leave home and make her own way in the world this small room had been were she hung her hat. It was filled to the brim of personal affects and photos of family and friends. It was her sanctuary.

She thumbed idly through the wardrobe that stood against the back wall. It would have to be black. Not just for practicality but for dramatic effect as well. Sith were always going about garbed in black. There was a reputation to uphold after all. The best thing she had was a tight fitting set of robes that were devoid of any long pieces of material. Everything else was too long and flowing and would inevitably cause distraction during a fight. Dianah placed the thought of a shopping trip for less grandiose things to the back of her mind. She also chose, sensibly, a thick white suit to go over the top of it all. Out in the tundras of Ilum she would be practically invisible while she searched for these illusive Crystal caves.

After laying her outfit on the chair by her bed Dianah turned her attention to her weapons of choice. Famine and Pestilence were a gift from a very dear friend. They were beautifully crafted gauntlets with a switch in the palm that ignited two deadly saber blades. She stroked one fondly and allowed a flicker of excitement to spread over her expression. This would be the first time she used them in combat and she was eager to break them in. It might not be the best choice for the Sith Assassin she would have to face but it felt like the perfect choice for the execution of a rogue Sith. Keeping that thought in mind, she also decided to bring along her personal lightsaber.

With everything set out neatly and ready to go, there was nothing to do but pass the time with a well deserved nap.

 

[Darth Miseria]

Unknown Regions​

Ilum - Planet Side
Unspecified Time
[member=Darth Vyrassu]

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Landing on Ilum was particularly rough. The winds were howling and shaking the ship violently as it tried to reach the surface. Despite this Dianah remained sound asleep. It wasn't till the hollow knock of her pilots fist against the thin metal door that she slowly stirred to life. There was a nasty chill in the air that bit sharply against any unexposed skin. Dianah cursed at leaving the clothes neatly in the corner of her room instead of putting them on before she fell to sleep. She could feel every keen sting of the icy weather. But she thanked her stars that she at least had something warm to get changed into, because at this moment in time she had no idea where this crystal cave was. Nor did she know how long it was going to take her to find it. She could be out for hours at a time in this desolate tundra. So the thick material of her suit and the fur covered hood would be her saving grace.

Dianah couldn't have moved any quicker than when she scrambled out of bed to put on her chosen attire. She had chosen a while back to forgo armour. It would only slow her down and when the goal was stealth the sound of it made wasn't exactly subtle. Once all of her weapons had been attached securely to a belt tied tightly around her waist, she was ready to go. What she wasn't prepared for was just how cold it actually was. The wind whipped aggressively across the barren landscape, threatening to throw her completely off balance. Every time she drew a breath the icy stabbing in her lungs was nearly unbearable and the visible steam that followed fogged up the goggles she had placed over her eyes. Perhaps she didn't enjoy snow so much after all.

The minute her foot sunk into the frozen deluge below, a resounding feeling struck the very core of her soul. Something was calling out to her, singing almost. She felt the pull of it in every muscle. The unmistakable tug of force filled her with a longing to find it's source. She found herself stepping off the ship's ramp in a half trance. Her eyes fixed firmly on a direction and that very strange feeling willed her to walk. Not willed, begged. It implored her to dive into the dangerous expanse of snow and ice. It was very hard to ignore.

It seems the crystal caves were offering her a guiding hand toward the start of her mission. She couldn't help but think of it as a very touching addition to the grisly tale.

Fortunately, she was light enough not to sink too deeply into the layer of snow covering the ground. But it was still incredibly gruelling work and coupled with the breathlessness she felt from the chilled air she made incredibly slow progress. Dianah couldn't help but laugh at the notion of someone happening upon her. They would think her absolutely mad, walking alone in the middle of what could only be described as a blizzard. This mattered little to her though. The one thing she never gave two kriffs about was someone else's opinion.

So with a grim determination and a hearty helping of insanity she pressed on into whirlwind of snowflakes.

*​

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What felt like hours seemed to pass by with little indication of progress save for footprints disappearing into the snow in her wake. But the mysterious instinct that had spurred her on in the first place grew stronger and stronger every minute. In reality the walk had taken her the better part of an hour, but against the persistent wind attempting to push her two steps back for every one step forward, it felt like forever. Her progress was also slowed by the fact that she would stop every five minutes to reach out with the force, searching for two dark presences. This was merely to confirm she was heading in the right direction. After all, she was smart enough to know you don't get very far on instinct alone.

Dianah hadn't looked up for a while. It was only the change of the monotonous crunch of fresh snow to the sound of solid ground against her feet that made her lift her face up against the wind. In front of her was the cause of the magnetic pull that had been influencing her the moment she stepped planet side.

The deep, dangerous crystal caves and her eventual glory were laying just ahead.

 

[Darth Miseria]

Unknown Regions​

Crystal Caves - Ilum
Unspecified Time
[member=Darth Vyrassu]

The entrance to the cave was small and tucked away behind an outcrop of rocks and crystallised fauna. It was a tight squeeze with the padding in her coat bulking her up to twice the usual size but she managed to pop through with a firm wiggle. There was no relief greater than the one that overcame Dianah when she stepped out of the blistering cold. The tip of her nose was crimson red and practically frozen. Despite the thick woolly gloves she had on her fingers felt so stiff she could barely move them. Dianah couldn't feel sorry about her situation for long. The clock was ticking and time was precious. The best course of action would be to leave the suit behind at the mouth of the cave. That way she wasn't a stark white object in the middle of a pitch black cave. The thought of doing so made her shudder uncontrollably for a few moments.

After desperately savouring the last few minutes in the safety of her warm clothes, she gritted her teeth and stripped away her outer layer. They fell with a soft thump against the rock floor. Every nerve in her body instantly felt the cold bite of wind that echoed through the cave entrance. A quick shake freed herself from the worst of the stray snow though some persistent snowflakes still clung in damp patches on her black robes, refusing to thaw. With nothing to loose, and the driving instinct pushing her forward, she made her winding way into the depths of the mountain.

Long after the light that seeped in from the small opening to the caves had disappeared there was an odd break in the blackness. It was as if someone was trying to shine a blue torch through the very centre of their palm. The thick rock walls devoured most of it and turned it into night again, but there was a faint hint of it stretching out into the darkness ahead of her. The light drew nearer and nearer till suddenly she found herself in the opening of a very large cavity. The cause of the faint light was now as clear as day. Large shards of ice blue crystals grew from the floor at jagged points. Similarly, they were surrounded in rocks that threatened to slice her if she even dared look at them too long. Thick stalagmites and stalactites clung to the ceiling and ground from seriously thin supports that made Dianah worry to walk too near to them.

The whole time she had spent in the caves thus far had been littered with constant small uses of the force. It reached out like tendrils through the winding darkness and felt out any other life forms. There were only two, but they were strong and powerful. Even over the screaming and shouting of a million crystals calling out for new Masters. These were her her targets. Her victory.

It wasn't too long before the throbbing of life grew too close for Dianah's comfort. On the way there she had formed half a plan in her head. More than half a plan. A solid plan. With this plan set in her mind she slunk back into the shadows slowly. The fun part came next. Skin-changing came to her like laughter came to a child. Freely and without thought. Especially if it tied in with disappearing without a trace. Slowly but surely the white of her skin turned a deep inky black colour. The rest of her followed suit quickly. The last thing to change was the fiery amber of her eyes.

 

[Darth Miseria]

Unknown Regions​

Crystal Caves - Ilum
Unspecified Time
[member=Darth Vyrassu]

The darkness swallowed her utterly and completely. One of the things she was most proud of was her ability to fade into the background whenever she pleased. It helped that the walls of the crystal cave seemed to drink in more light than they reflected, just like a black hole. Dianah marked it down as one of those strange things you couldn't explain with words. The pressure of a thousand tons of stone and rock above her gave a dizzying feeling to the atmosphere. There was every chance that it could come crashing down on top of her at any moment. But it was an irrational fear, these caves had stood strong and sturdy for thousands of years. What reason did it have to come collapsing in on itself now? Perhaps it was what she was about too do. It seemed silly, but at least the element of surprise would be on her side.

The tingling sensation of one of the powerful force signatures she had detected earlier kept growing and shrinking with each passing moment. Dianah took this to mean that he was pacing. Back and forth and back and forth like a ticking hand on a clock. It was monotonous and boring and it was likely he wasn't going to change it up anytime soon. There was a positive to it at least, they hadn't felt her presence in the time it had taken her to reach his hiding place. She also thanked her stars in the fact that this rogue sith seemed to have placed his life into one mans hands. One man she could deal with. Perhaps not easily, but it was doable. Even with this sliver of good news, she still couldn't escape the truth. She would have to make him come to her.

Back tracking wasn't that difficult, considering she had vaguely mapped her way as she was coming down. The large cave that she had stopped to marvel at seemed like the perfect place. The heavy stalactites that hung from the ceiling in clusters looked like they would make a loud enough noise. She would just have to be careful which cluster she picked. It was no good picking one near the entrance. It was too close and it might alert the other force signature, which seemed to remain a fixed point in her mind at least five miles away from the first. There was also no point picking one near the way out. The shards of crystal protruding from the floor were too large and too sharp for her to risk fighting near them. She had little to no knowledge of this Sith assassins abilities, so caution was her biggest priority.

It appeared the very centre of the chasm was her best bet. It was clear enough to allow for a complex fight. The stalactites hanging from the ceiling were thick and came to a dangerously sharp points at the end. They were only a few feet from the floor. They would crash to the side of the clearing and, with any luck, shatter into a million pieces. If that didn't shatter the crystals certainly would. Not only would it create the diversion she needed, it would give her the perfect ammo for a deadly strike. The idea for this cunning plan had been taken from a duel she had very recently won.

The rock that would turn her journey from ordinary to epic felt heavy in her palm. The cool metal of her lightsaber against the other offered some comfort. After a slow intake of breath that filled the room when she exhaled, the stone left her hand and whizzed through the air toward the weak stone hanging from the ceiling. It broke through easily, just as she had suspected. The deafening crunch of a hundred stones echoed loudly through the entire cave system. A sharp instinct that something dangerous was coming her way took the air from her lungs.

Like heavy cogs in a piece of complicated machinery, her plan set itself in motion.

 

[Darth Miseria]

Unknown Regions​

Crystal Caves - Ilum​

Unspecified Time​

[member=Darth Vyrassu]​

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The creak of well worn leather boots and the soft tapping of heels against the stone floor set her teeth on edge. Whoever this sith assassin was, he was a big bugger. Dianah could hear him shifting lazily through the too small corridors. His force signature set off a tingle in her body that made her shiver against the icy walls of the cave. At least the distraction had worked, she had the upper hand now and he was walking into her trap like a bee to honey.

The large looming shadow of the sith assassin crept slowly through the threshold of the cave. Dianah's hand twitched imperceptibly by her side. Her skin-shifted appearance blended in perfectly with the pitch black that covered the room like a thick blanket. The comfort of her hiding place kept her heart beat steady. It thumped in a soothing rhythm against the tightness of her robes.

In. Out. In. Out. Dianah took deep, grounding breaths of the stale air. She would have to bide her time. He was still a little too far away for her to risk trying anything yet. His great lumbering frame moved slowly and cautiously across the open chasm toward the spindly stalactites she had knocked from the ceiling just moments earlier. She could her his jagged breath and even smell some kind of alcohol on it. It mixed in to the foul wind that dragged itself wearily through the cave, creating a sickly sweet scent that refused to fade.

He hit the mark she had chalked out in her mind. The powerful sith assassin was in the very centre of her personal playground. It was time. She felt the force flow through her body and come to a climax at the tip of her fingers. Various bits of razor sharp rock in all shapes and sizes shook violently and rose into the air one by one. The shards of rock zipped this way and that way, slicing through the air where moments ago his head had been. The man was quick. He dashed and threw his body wildly around the clearing. But he wasn't quick enough. He might have escaped harm if he had moved a fraction of a second sooner, but he was built for bruising not for agility.

Dianah was quick and her telekinesis happened to be very powerful. With the never ending killer ammo she had created earlier there wasn't a chance in hell that every single one would miss their mark. Her reward came a few minutes into the violent barrage. A stone shard had finally met its target, right across the middle of his neck. The yelp of pain that echoed against the stone walls was testament to her victory. Dianah could see him lift a heavy hand up to his neck, only to pull it away moments later covered in dark red liquid. There was a satisfying rush of pleasure at her success. It was true, it would be a slow kill. The wound wasn't very deep but it's positioning meant there would be death. Eventually. All that was left to do was defend herself till it came...

A low growl escaped his throat. She could feel him looking with more than just his eyes, searching the blackness for something that would give her away. If she didn't strike now there wouldn't be another chance. By her side her lightsaber was poised and ready to go. Her fingers confidently rested on the ignition. With very little hesitation and one quick step, Bubbles burst into life. The violent pink glow cast twisted shadows across the expanse of the sith assassins face. For the first time, Dianah could see him. By the unusual glow of her lightsaber she could see the fire, fear and anger in his eyes. She could feel his emotion feeding the desires deep in the clutches of her soul. Whether he knew the wound was fatal or not mattered little now. His face screamed of someone who wasn't one for passing up the chance for revenge. He would just have to be quick enough to catch her first.

He feigned left and attacked right. There was nothing to be done expect dive head first into the murky blackness. She thanked the stars she had decided to pick an open area to fight in. If she had picked somewhere else, by now, she was likely to be a limp body sliced to ribbons by sharp shards of crystal. But instead there was only the stomach wrenching emptiness of nothing. It felt like walking up the stairs at night and thinking there's one more step than there is. This feeling was quickly followed by solid ground. The sickening twist of her stomach died down as she scrambled to her feet, half turning to parry his saber away from biting into her torso.

Left and right, again and again, bright sparks of colour crashed and fizzed across the gaping black expanse of the stone walls. Each blow from either side came perilously close to the frenzy of complicated dance moves both fighters made. The wound on his neck continued to ooze thickly and with each graceful twirl it sprayed wildly out into the air. Strike after strike and blow after blow. Dianah couldn't help but wonder how long it would take the mammoth man to fall. Or if he would even fall at all? Her body darted in and out of the fight, quick as a fox and light as a feather. Against the black background of the caves her coal coloured frame looked like the shadow of something too sinister to be human. Some part of her made a mental note to marvel at his uncanny ability to see which way her feet might step or which wrist would curl imperceptibly with the next swing.

The minutes were passing by so slowly the whole ordeal felt like hours. The only sound in the caves was the jarring crash of saber against saber as the two fought in a deadly battle of wits. He would move one way and she would match him, only to find her saber falling through thin air instead of flesh. She would dive in and out of his trunk like arms, moving before he even had the chance to focus. Bubbles was a pink haze behind her, moving like a third arm.

She would get her way. She always did. It was just a matter of being patient. There was a time limit on his energy and strength. They were seeping away with every drop of blood that trickled slowly down his neck.

 

[Darth Miseria]

Unknown Regions​

Crystal Caves - Ilum​

Unspecified Time​

[member=Darth Vyrassu]​

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Dianah proved herself to be too quick and agile for the lumbering mass that made a horrific pretence at being a sith assassin. It helped enormously that his movements were becoming slow and sluggish with every ounce of blood he lost. After a sly duck under his advancing arm she brought Bubbles sweeping down toward the back of his knee. The satisfying pressure of blade meeting flesh spread through every inch of her arm. There was a bite and some measure of counter force but the pink blade pushed its way through tendon and bone alike with a satisfying hiss.

He wanted to scream out. She could tell he did. He had his mouth half open, dumbly trying to come to terms with what had just happened. Even if he had the ability to scream out Dianah doubted he would. She could feel his desperate attempts to hide his fear. Before he had a chance to come round enough to make a sensible decision Dianah was on him like a lion in the grips of starvation. In an instant she sliced through the tendons on the back of his other knee. His great body came down on with a heavy thud that sounded out against the thick walls. His saber was still clutched firmly in his grasp. Her next move was to free his arm from his shoulder blade. Now he was a sitting duck.

Her hand stretched elegantly outward. It felt good to feel the gentle pull of her muscles straining to increase her reach. Her fingers slowly curled and the force she exhumed was palpable. It was almost a living, breathing entity. She could feel the pressure of the heavy mountain edging her to push harder, crush the life from him with no regrets. There were never any regrets. But, she resisted the urge to show off. There wasn't anyone to show off for, save the dying man who was in too much pain and too afraid now that the end of his life was drawing near.

She allowed herself a modicum of drama though. The roots of her hair began to slowly turn from the pitch black she had used as cover to a shocking white. The rest of her followed suit, changing her eyes from an onyx to an aggressive amber. He would know her by her 'true' face. He would be dead in minutes and there would be nobody to pass on the message. But it felt like the appropriate thing to do. It would be the beginning of her fearsome reputation. Even if it did start in the underworld... or wherever siths went when they died.

A resounding crunch of cartilage echoed in the deep cavern. It was followed by a strange strangling noise. In the wake of the madness she stood over him with a blazing fire burning in the centre of her eyes. The strain of the force in her hands as it crushed his throat was more satisfying than a long night behind closed doors. It made her eyes flutter closed in ecstasy. After a steadying breath she pushed his tree sized torso with the tips of her fingers. When he hit the ground soft clouds of dust swirled around the gory scene.

Dianah left the vast cavern behind her exactly as she found it. Save for the foul stench of blood and the gargling of a slowly dying man.

 

[Darth Miseria]

Unknown Regions​

Crystal Caves - Ilum​

Unspecified Time​

[member=Darth Vyrassu]​

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The trek from her first small victory to the waiting rogue sith was a treacherous one. He had chosen a place tucked far back into the crystal caves defended by perilous falls into never ending chasms and breaks in the rock that were so thin even Dianah had to suck in her stomach to get by. It was no wonder he only picked one assassin to keep him safe. Anyone else would be mad to attempt this. Fortunately Dianah was just that. Mad. So the tingling sensation of the deep dark force dragged her ever forward. She could smell success in the air and taste the sweetness of it on her tongue. It wouldn't be long now before she reached him. As she walked she wondered idly about if he would fight back. If he did how skilled would he be? Would she struggle as she did with the lumbering brute left dying in the caves behind her? She'd had the upper hand in that situation. She would need it again it seemed.

There was every reason for her skin to begin the slow process of changing back to the charcoal black it was before. She disappeared into her surroundings completely. The only indication she was there at all was the gentle tap of her steps on the floor and the occasional shifting of shoe against rock. Her boots would have to go soon. There was no choice. If she wanted the element of surprise it was a necessity.

The other thing on her mind was Bubbles. Her ever faithful lightsaber. It hung heavy on her belt and caused a gentle clink that, in the total silence of her stone prison, echoed loudly and travelled far. She winced at the thought of a fight without it at her side. But it wouldn't be too much of a problem.

Famine and Pestilence slipped easily over the small of her wrists. She marvelled at their snug fit as she tightened the buckles to secure them. Jaron had either sneakily been taking her measurements or he had been focused very intently on her. Dianah was more pleased with the idea of the latter. Bringing him up made a small smile crease the corners of her mouth. She couldn't decide whether he would be impressed by what she had done and was currently doing or seriously concerned that she was doing it on her own. Probably a little bit of both. He would be proud of her at least. She knew he would. If he wasn't she would make it so.

The force signature drew nearer and nearer with each footstep. It got so close that Dianah wouldn't risk the sound of her boots anymore. She might have some nasty grazes on her feet and a pair of ruined socks as penance for this decision but she would move as silent as shadow. Without so much as a scuffle she slipped the heavy black leather boots from her feet. Bubbles was shoved unceremoniously into one of them. Dianah would return for them later, if she survived.

The consistent dim black of the cave suddenly had a strange purple hue to it. It desperately tried to break through the never ending dark, to no avail. The tingling sensation of a powerful signature was attacking every nerve she knew of and a few she didn't. The steady breathing of another living soul carried softly on the stale air.

Through the cracked stone Dianah could clearly make out the source of the light and the twisted figure of a man. Dressed in robes as black as the walls themselves, he was cast in the glow of a million crystals and the dim light of a red lamp. It hung by a single nail driven deeply into the mountain. The force she had wrapped around herself in defence pressed tighter against her. She hoped beyond hope that she was good enough at cloaking, considering what was to come next.

 

[Darth Miseria]

Unknown Regions​

Crystal Caves - Ilum​

Unspecified Time​

[member=Darth Vyrassu]​

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Large, thick crystals shot up from the ground in clusters and formed in a spiralling pattern. A small clearing in the middle held the hunched frame of a man. Seeing the crystals from her vantage point was something magical to behold. They reflected every bit of light from the glow of the lamp and bounced purple coloured fragments outward into the black expanse of the cave. Her target was sat in the very centre of what Dianah would call a fairy circle. His head was facing down and through the thick crystals she could see the slow rattling breaths that made his whole back shudder. Whatever he was doing, he wasn't concentrating on his surroundings. He must have felt safe, all tucked away behind a sith assassin and a treacherous path.

The bright spark of an idea flicked in Dianah's mind. The whole set up reminded her of trips to countless fairs and festivals. They all had one thing in common: The House of Mirrors. These complicated rooms were decked from floor to ceiling with highly polished glass. It bounced your image from mirror to mirror and reflected it back to you infinitely. There was never any true indication of which you was really real. It sent you reeling, not knowing if you were walking through a doorway or slap bang into your own reflection.

All of this would be her inspiration.

Each step she took was carefully planned and, with the absence of her boots, completely silent. The next step she took brought her to the beginning of the spiralling maze of crystals. Dianah's shadowed body was brought into the light. Her reflection was flung in a million different directions. There were now at least twenty of her casting a dark shadow over the sith rogue. Every movement she made was copied by her replicas, making it impossible for anyone to tell which crystal she really stood behind. Even so, every time her foot was placed on the ground it was done so with utter certainty. One slip up and all her images could disappear in the blink of an eye, leaving only the real Dianah behind.

The thin frame in the centre of the circle looked up. How could he not when her shadowy reflections cut short the dazzling light of the crystals and brought him plunging into darkness? He looked panic stricken for a moment. His head turned wildly to each image in turn as if clawing for answers in their dark outlines. Then he seemed to remember he was supposed to be a Sith. He rose from the ground feebly with one hand on the hilt of his saber. With a flick of his wrist the black hood that had sheltered his face fell from his head. He had deathly pale skin and a grisly skeletal complexion. He looked like he had been living in this cave for a good long while. His feet turned him in cautious circles as he inspected what Dianah now considered a death trap. With each turn he would stop for a moment or two, trying to gauge the situation. He could try to come out and find her but she would see that coming from a mile off. His only choice was to wait for her to come to him.

Dianah took steadying breaths as she made her winding way through the spiral of crystals, each step drawing her closer to the centre of it all. The sith rogue was getting more agitated by the second. It was frustrating not being able to know which direction someone was coming from. The exasperation was making his body shake violently, building and building like the crescendo of a million angry instruments. It almost looked like he was vibrating on the spot. A vibrant red blade shot from his hilt suddenly. He was getting ready to fight. But Dianah was still a few feet away from the gap where she could slip in and make her move. She closed her eyes and called the force to her finger tips for what would hopefully be the last time in this crazy mission.

The buzz and spark of all her muscles waking up from a deep reverie filled her with enough energy to run through the crystal caves a thousand times. But she stayed still, letting it build and build till the moment was right.

When he stopped to make his millionth assessment of the situation she lunged forward. Aided by the force her body looked like a blurred shadow. Dianah pushed herself from the ground. There wasn't any other way to go about it. He was taller then her. She needed the height advantage for her sudden attack. Her wrists crossed over each other to form an x. The dull click of ignition echoed out into the silence of the cave. Famine and Pestilence burst into life with an angry buzz. Her blades bit through the air as she uncrossed her arms and met at a point on the fleshy sides of the rogue sith's neck. There was a strangled scream but it was cut short by the sudden fizz of blood on the saber blades.

Famine and Pestilence had done their job. The rogue sith's head wobbled dangerously on his neck. Then it slid slowly off and landed on the floor with a disappointing thump. His body followed shortly after. A smile crossed the edges of her lips and broke forth into bubbling, manic laughter. After a few moments to come to her senses and more than a few to celebrate her success she set about search his limp frame for the holocron. Dianah patted down his stark black robes, which were now slightly damp from the pool of blood that had been forming underneath him. When she searched his pockets the overly pleasing sensation of something rock solid met her fingertips.

The palm sized holocron was intricately detailed. It was made from a gold material and had eight faces on it. Each face was windowed with thick see through glass that showed the inner workings of the complex technology. This was it. The reward for all her hard work. A tiny hand sized piece of the Ancient Sith Empire.

 

[Darth Miseria]

Unknown Regions​

Dianah's Personal Ship​

Unspecified Time​

[member=Darth Vyrassu]​

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​

The journey out of the crystal caves was, unsurprisingly, a lot easier than on the way in. On the way past Dianah retrieved her boots and Bubbles. It was nice to have something firm under her feet that wasn't sharp rock and the familiar weight of her lightsaber brought some reassurance, as it always had. She passed through the tight squeezes and skipped over the perilously dangerous drops that went down into nothing but blackness. Everything about her felt lighter than air. She had done what she set out too do and, by her books, she had done it well. When all was said and done Dianah was incredibly proud of herself, even if nobody else turned out to be. Granted she could have done a better job of the Sith Assassin. But she was fervently impressed with herself about the House of Mirrors trick. The elated feeling had carried her through the cave exit and across the snowy tundra without a single look back.

*​

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Back on her ship, which compared to the plains of Ilum was surprisingly warm, Dianah shared in another moment of celebration with her pilot. The holocron had taken pride of place dead in the centre of the main control board. Now in the safety of the metal walls of her temporary home she could let her emotions run free. Everything from joy to extreme shock coursed through her bones all at once. It left her feeling like she was floating on clouds.

She wasted no time sitting down to smash out a quick message alerting [member=Darth Vyrassu] of her success. It read simply: It's done.

Once that was over and done with and the ship had whirred to life to bring them back to 'The Retribution' it was time for the real celebration to begin. There was something she had been saving for just this moment. The fine bottle of sunfruit liquor came with carved gilded patterns that shone out against the pale orange liquid. It's twin brother was somewhere out there in the Galaxy on some other great mission. Dianah hoped that its owner was finished by now. She ripped the lid off the bottle and let the sweet, fragrant scent fill her nose to the brim. In front of her the sound of an outgoing holocall rung out.

A miniature [member=Kyrinov] all covered in blue appeared from thin air, complete with the matching bottle of sunfruit liquor in his hand. A wide, elated smile spread over the corners of her face as she thrust her own drink high in the air. A little toast seemed appropriate, considering the ordeal they had both just been through.

'To the best of the best.'

The bottle found its way to her lips. In the space of a few seconds a healthy portion of the liquid disappeared down her throat. After a rough night of hard work, there was nothing like a stiff drink with a friend.

 

[Darth Miseria]

Double post