Wake.

[Anima]

Muunilnst had long been the seat of the Intergalactic Banking Clan, though the world itself changed hands many times over thousands of years. In recent times, it had been savaged by the Crusades of Mandalorians and ultimately brought under the rule of the Sith. Once though, it had been an Independent world under the isolationist rule of a sect of Dark Jedi.

All traces of that time had seemingly been erased from the Histories of the Muun, who were content over time to forget and move forward with their lives. The Banking Clan kept its secrets, though. In the vaults deep beneath Harnaidan- the infamous city of spires- the treasures of those Dark Jedi was rumored to await those who would brave the depths.

The reality was much less grandiose.

Hollowed out by years of greedy executives dipping their hands into the coffers, all the coin and artifacts left behind were replaced with dust and cobwebs. It was only a week now that a newly discovered vault was reported to the Sith Empire, and teams were on site looking to crack the locks and find whatever riches might remain to claim for the Emperor, and if they were lucky themselves as well.

"The walls are too thick for our scanners," reported one of the Saaraishah agents closest to the vault. "Whatever's inside, we won't be able to tell until our slicers get the lock picked." He glanced toward the small team of Bounty Hunters brought on board for security reasons. "Knowing who owned these vaults, there's a good possibility we'll be running into Sithspawn or worse. I trust the hazard pay you've been authorized to receive is adequate?"

[member="Koda Fett"]

 

[Koda Fett]

Ancient Vaults had proved themselves throughout the course of history not to be trifled with, but, still, it never really stopped anyone. They had always been desperate to acquire the knowledge and secrets that had laid dormant for centuries, if not thousands of years. Yet, sometimes you didn't truly want to know what it was that slept on the other side. Especially after disturbing it's slumber. Fett, however, had only concerned himself with the fees he had been promised. And he could only assume that the others had felt the same. Although, the Mandalorian had not been without his cautious concerns.

"You oughta hope it will." Barked Lugar in response, hefting his heavy frame in the direction of the Agent. His tone was aggressive and clearly agitated, thick with a crude accent that reeked of the southern region of Corellia. A Trandoshan, or Saurin (Koda could never tell the difference, and he hadn't bothered to ask) hissed in agreement, or so it had seemed. Meanwhile, Fett momentarily cast a glance in their direction but nothing more.

A Kiffar, evidently a woman, sauntered over between the two parties. "The sooner the better, boys." She replied to the member of the Saaraishah, before averting her attention to Lugar with a cautionary glare. "I don't like waitin' around, Tee." Lugar claimed, shrugging.

[member="Anima"]

 

[Anima]

He had a stiff upper lip when it came to dealing with their sort. Rough and tumble types from various reaches of the Galaxy, united only in their desire to line their pockets. One of them seemed more feral than not, but at least one was human or close enough that he felt he could reason with her. The other was a mysterious, masked Mandalorian: just the way you heard about them in all the stories. His gaze never lingered long near the T-visor, because you could never tell when they were looking back at you. "I'm sure things will be fine," he reported as the slicers announced they were close. "There's been no cause for worry thus far."

They kept the scanners running in the event that some mechanism slipped or the wall gave just enough for them to get an accurate reading, but they were not going to hold their breath. The codes on screen blurred together in strings of ones and zeroes, boring to anyone but a codebreaker or a Droid. The Imperial Agent was no stranger to that ennui.

He supposed he was thankful for assignments that were less exciting. The survival rate for these jobs was much higher than those on the front lines. "So," he made an attempt at small talk. "What do you think is on the other side?"

[member="Koda Fett"]

 

[Koda Fett]

Lugar bit his tongue. He craned his neck downwards as he stared towards the flooring, tracing the subtlest of cracks within it. His shoulders rolled as if to get the blood flowing, and he brought that heavy blaster rifle of his upwards to rest against his shoulder; letting the barrel aim skywards. He was often temperamental and vicious, preferring a dead quarry for it couldn't beg for it's life. Considered a savage among the professionals, in which all present happened to be. You didn't really get in the way of Lugar, or you wound of dead. Usually.

The Trandoshan, Sadessk, adjust his reptilian eyes as his gaze had fallen upon 'Tee'. He was, really, just a Trandoshan. He hadn't anything that made him quite unique, but he did strike fear into those that he opposed. It seemed to be an inherent trait among those lizards. Fett could respect Sadessk for his attitude towards the profession, but he was often one to whinge when things hadn't gone his way. And Koda often prevented things from going the Trandoshan's way.

'Tee' had taken a step forwards, and peered over her shoulder whilst doing so. The Kiffar's amber eyes had befallen the Mandalorian, if not for a moment. "I don't know." She replied, hands resting upon the blaster pistols that rest in a holster on either side. "Something worthwhile if we're here."

It had seemed as if the lock had immediately been undone, and there was no way to slow it or act otherwise. The vault's door had creaked and whined, but it never slowed it's pace as it retracted itself into the wall alongside it. There wasn't much that one could hear through the door itself, but the scanners of both the Saaraishah Agents and the Mandalorian had gathered movement within. Ultimately, there had been something rather large and metallic that stood above Sadessk. Something ancient, or a replica of the kind. A Krath War-Droid that sprung into action, immediately sending a volley of heavy blaster bolts in the direction of those attempting to reach the inside.

It had forced all the Bounty Hunters to seek cover, but not without the running mouth of Lugar interfering, "Could've given us a bit of a warning!"

[member="Anima"]

 

[Anima]

They managed to get away due to honed reflex, but their agent ally was hardly so lucky. Peppered by bolts arcing through the air, the Saaraishah gathered to get the door open scattered frantically once they had. Many things might have been in the vaults of a client of the IGBC, but a War Droid? No one could have counted on that. The once bored Imperial Agent would never have the luxury of being so again.

The light disappeared from his eyes before he hit the floor, bleeding from a gaping wound to his torso. Crimson pooled quickly and all around his corpse as the metallic monstrosity crept forth from its tomb with a single task ingrained in its program. Leave nothing alive.

Compared to the modern Droids, the behemoth was primitive at best. Targeting algorithms just able to get the job done corrected for movement on the part of the target, but the servomotors could hardly keep up with the swifter, skilled Bounty Hunters. Nevertheless, one bolt from its weapon could spell doom.

In the chamber beyond, darkness lingered. Those sensitive to the Force might feel the creeping chill, the promise of power to those unafraid to seek it. If the Sith desired what rested there so much, doubtless it would prove valuable to the Hunters.

Time would tell.

[member="Koda Fett"]

 

[Koda Fett]

It was large and clunky, it's movements were slow and easily telegraphed to anyone with a remotely keen eye. It stood entirely still and firm as it let loose a volley of suppressive bolts in the directions of the Hunters that had been hired to protect the Agents-- much like the one that lay dead on the floor with a pool of blood gathering around them, emanating heat as skin began to sear and cauterise the wound. It was a ghastly sight, but one that they had all seen.

'Tee', as she had been referred to, brought herself right outside of the cover. Her frame had lowered to a knee and barely stuck out from the side of the wall, her blaster pistols ringing aloud as they fired a hail of bolts in return. They had struck true, initially the metallic and robotic arm that held the heavy blaster rifle, forcing it's aim to go astray. It had been then that Sadessk, Lugar, and Fett stood in a line across the doorway as the veritable-tank of a droid withstood a wave of blaster fire, eventually being entirely ventilated and torn to shreds, littering the floor ahead.

"That'sss the lassst we'll sssee of him." Sadessk hissed idly, shifting further into the room as the Bounty Hunters had become entirely aware that there were no other lingering threats- or none that they could see. "Let's see what it was protecting." 'Tee' commented, only for Lugar to chime in, "Oughta be something worthwhile." And, still, Fett moved along in silence. He often thought it better to think than speak, and words were something he didn't want to waste on those such as Lugar.

[member="Anima"]

 

[Anima]

The better part of the room was barren. Dust decorated the matte black floor so that it no longer shone in the light, and their footsteps echoed loudly. Still, whatever was here was worth protecting with the might of an ancient battledroid. The agents moved in behind the Bounty Hunters, scanning wildly for any sign of danger. They would take no more chances after the first loss.

"Hold on," the Agent holding the scanner glanced at the readings uncertainly. "I'm getting lifesigns from somewhere in the walls."

Another stepped forward and placed her hand on the cold metal. "It's a stasis chamber," she said quietly as the machine reacted to her touch. Servos whirred to life and light appeared behind dark fluid, illuminating it a deep red. "Bacta," she concluded. "And..."

From the bottom of the tank, a form slowly ascended. Pale white like fresh snow, hair the same color obscuring its face. "Force," she cursed. "There's someone alive in there!" The Agents hurried forward to decrypt the program that held the body in stasis. Kept alive and unaware for countless centuries, what kind of being had the ancient Dark Jedi left here to be forgotten?

Was this a vault, or was it meant to be a tomb?

"I'm not sure I like this," the woman whispered as her team worked. "You ever heard of anything like this?" she asked the Mandalorian.

[member="Koda Fett"]

 

[Koda Fett]

The Bounty Hunters had dispersed themselves throughout the room, travelling to the specific locations that their curiosities had taken them; each inspecting a detail that spoke to them for one reason or another, but nothing had been as eye-catching or concerning as the stasis chamber that contained a human, or near-human form. Their glances, or glares, had each found it placed upon it, and to varying degrees had their grip on their weapons tightened. Lugar had felt the compulsion to say something, but for once he kept his trap shut-- much to 'Tee's surprise.

An Agent had placed it's gaze upon Fett, and at the utterance of the question had the other Hunters shifted their attention towards the Mandalorian as if interested in his answer. He briefly thought in silence, determining that he hadn't and his response had made that known. "No." Fett briefly dismissed, taking a step forward with his helmeted head so slightly turned to the side. "I don't know what this is." He furthered.

It was often best to let sleeping dogs lie.

[member="Anima"]

 

[Anima]

"Almost have it!" one of the slicers called. The woman who spoke to [member="Koda Fett"] glanced back with her own uncertainty at his response. When she found no reassurance in his words, she gave a heavy sigh. Her gaze moved back to the figure inside the tank as the bacta within began to shift and spiral. "Got it!"

The Agent glanced at the figure as liquid drained away and revealed its pallid features. Why would someone be kept in suspended animation in such a way? Her eyes swept across the creature in search of any clues, and she was rewarded with an even more cryptic answer.

"Someone did not want this thing getting out," she revealed. "There's a suppressor active- a powerful one, to still be powered up after all this time. I wonder what he did to deserve-"

"We got the life support controls sliced. We're going to stabilize him."

"Shouldn't we wait until we make a report to do something like that?"

"He knows better than anyone why he's in there. Let's skip the middle man and ask him ourselves."

"I don't think that's-"

"Too late. He'll come to in 30 seconds."

 

[Koda Fett]

These Agents may have been entirely keen on reanimating a soul that had been damned; cast away into an eternal slumber, or so it had seemed. This 'thing' was surely going to waste away within a tube. It was somewhat ironic, really. To be caught and trapped in a fate akin to death amidst a pool of bacta-- a substance that simply heals. Fett, nor 'Tee', Sadessk, or Lugar would ever wish such entrapment on anyone. Or, at least, very few. They were Bounty Hunters, after all. They were a ruthless breed, and to survive you had to be more ruthless than the next. The Mandalorian often pondered what that meant about himself. But it wasn't a question worth dwelling on.

Koda had remained still in his position, slightly adjusting his stance to be one more combative than the previous. His Carbine, almost raised lazily with the barrel of it pointing in the direction of the tube. He hadn't a clue as to what it was they were to unleash, and he wasn't ready to take any chances. Neither had the others who had all done very, very similar things in a semi-circle surrounding the suspended individual.

[member="Anima"]

 

[Anima]

Reddish fluid washed away from the pallid figure to reveal once hideously warped flesh, now forcibly healed. Leathery white patches intermingled with moderately darker grays to form what appeared to be an Arkanian, or some offshoot of one. His strawlike hair dangled down and obscured the shape of his face, but he blinked rapidly and stared out at the world as his vision came into focus. He shifted like a child in its mother's womb as the life-giving juices ebbed away and gently touched the bottom of the chamber before the servo-arm lifted him upward.

Coughing and wheezing came from the creature as it was gracelessly dumped on the floor naked before the bounty hunters. It was shivering even as it looked up at them.

I remember rest. Dreams, countless ephermeral existences that overlapped, but never substance. I have experienced Hell for myself. The fate that the Elders imagined for me was something far worse than that.

I can barely hear them, and I cannot see them. I feel they are there, yet even that is vague. The numbing agent that my Master added to the Bacta has dulled my mind, it seems. It will pass.

Stripped bare and devoid of power, I am reminded of frailty. This too is a lesson. "M-my vestments," the voice that rattles from my lips is not my own. These are the weak words of Kjeldak Adasca. This is the terror that grips the living. "Please," he begs. "I am cold."

That he would utter such things provokes... disgust? My memory of such emotion is vague. There is a churning within, and as it twists, a warmth that slowly rises. It may become heat yet. Time will tell.

As my senses return, I can feel them. The enchantment upon those robes is the only familiar thing in this room. It calls to me from where they lay, cast aside like refuse. He did not think this day would come.

Perhaps I had lost faith it would as well.

For shame.

[member="Koda Fett"]

 

[Koda Fett]

It was an awfully relatable experience. He could feel some degree of pity that stemmed from acknowledgement, but that hadn't thrust itself to the forefront of his mind. Fett seemed content on entirely identifying and analysing the current situation that had been laid out before him. Had this Arkanian, or so it appeared, been a threat, and would it become one? The Mandalorian had been hired security, not transportation. Whomever was locked away within a Bacta Tank within a vault had some degree of importance, and those that were important were often powerful. The Force was nothing more than mystic nonsense, but something truly real and almost tangible; to some more than others, that is.

It wasn't quite his place to make demands, and so he remained as silent as ever with his Carbine almost ready to fire. His brown and callous eyes shifted momentarily, darting to the left where he could see an uneasy Lugar shifting impatiently. Koda felt some concern, not for that fool Lugar, but for his chances of being paid if this went awry.

[member="Anima"]