Trouble In Lor Zatean

Aedile's quarters
Marakith Skyhook
Aeotheran

Tyren was relaxed in his chair, feet up on the desk, a hat covering his eyes and a half smoked
cigarette in his mouth. Smoke filled the room and ash covered the floor.

"Thank god the smoke detectors are off." he mumbled to himself. Suddenly the door bell rang
indicating someone was in front. He was to lazy to sense the newcomer, he couldn't be bothered.

"Yeah?! Come in!" he said as the door opened and heavy boots clang against the metal floor
as his guest walked in. The Priest remained perfectly still as he pushed his hat up and peeked at the man with one eye. An Ubese warrior stood in front of him.

"Yo!" he said and continued his mantra.

"You called me, master." Vorion said knowing his master was, although intelligent, slightly forgetful.

"Did I?" Tyren said looking at his watch. "Oh bugga' yes I did. Training right?"

"Yes, master." Tyren pulled his feet of the table ad started to get up.

"Stop calling me master, titles make my skin crawl."

"Yes, ma...err..."

"Tyren will work." he said through his teeth as he stretched his back. "Oooow, my aching back." Vorion chuckled and got a slap over his helmet. "Don't laugh at me boy."

"Sorry, Tyren." the Ubese said "So where are we training?"

"Lor Zatean!" Tyren replied, stretching his body

"Isnt that an..."

"Island Resort? Yes it is!" Tyren replied for him.

"Why are we training at an Island resort?"

"Because, my apprentice, you need the training and I need a vacation."

*****

Dont hate me cuz I suck at titles

Vorion ground his teeth with an almost audible noise.Lor Zatean. he had been advised that Tyren of the Atema was of an...unconventional school of thought, at best. Now he regarded the carefree Krath with a sense of faint distaste. "I see." He surreptitiously flicked a finger over a concealed button on his helmet, once, twice, and then another. His visor readout flashed, relaying data in a blurringly-fast display that he scanned with precision, the result of years of practice, and he read what he needed to know in the span of a few heartbeats. Huh. Tyren was sane enough; his brainwave activity seemed to be well within normal human parameters - unlike Macron Keibatsu, whom Vorion could scarcely believe was still functioning. he examined his fraying glove, hoping that he was not making an huge mistake - leaving the Sith Order, and House Ludo Kressh with it. It had felt right at the time, and as much as Vorion hated to admit it, he had felt the Force pull him in the direction of this seemingly-undisciplined Priest. If there was anything he had learned in his introductory academics in his new Order, it was that things were seldom as they seemed.

No, it was not a decision he would allow himself to regret, he decided. And while he could hardly bring himself to summon anything close to respect for this odd fellow, he grudgingly, silently admitted that one did not attain the rank Tyren held by being a complete incompetent. He would see if there was any insight to be gained in all this.

Vorion bowed deferentially. "As you wish it." He paused, smirking behind his mask before adding, "Master."

Hangar bay 1
Marakith Skyhook
Aeotheran

Tyren moved into the hangar bay. He wore his usual clothes, trousers covering pointed booths
with metal buckles that clang against the floor as he walked. He had his dark brow hat on and
sunglasses, it was a sunny day in Seng Karassh. as he walked, the light breeze carried his long
coat behind him, revealing his saber and blasters. His apprentice, the Ubese Vorion, walked in
behind him, clad in dark leather with a helmet on his head. Typical for the Ubese people.

Tyren walked to the deck officer and looked at the man with his one eye, the other being covered
with a patch.

"Yo!" he started "We need a speeder to Lor Zatean, asap."

"We have non currently. Maybe in a few..." Tyren grabbed the man by the collar, he choked a bit.

"Well find one." he threatened. The Dlarit officer felt a shiver down his spine confronting a "saber
wielding maniac".

"Yes sir! At once." he scurried along to find them some means of transport. Tyren lit another
smoke as Vorion looked at him, his face wasnt visible but Tyren could sense the Ubese was
intrigued.
"What?" Tyren asked with little interest.

"You smoke to much, master." he said as Tyren shrugged.

"At least ill know how Ill die. And stop calling me master, I told ya titles make my skin crawl." he
replied. The deck officer came running back, breathing heavily.
"I found you a speeder, its an older model but it will fly." he said and saw Tyren shrug.

"Suites me." he patted Vorion on the shoulder "C'mon. Fun's awitin'!"

They passed the next few hangar bays and came to Hangar bay 4. There, almost tossed aside,
stood an old T-77 Airspeeder, ready for flight.

"It's filled up and ready." the officer said "I just need your signature he..." he didnt finish, Tyren
and Vorion jumped in. Vorion started the craft and lifted it of the ground.

"Put it on my tab if we wrack it, mate!" Tyren yelled to the officer over the speeders roaring.
"Let's ride!" he said. As Vorion pushed the pedal the speeder charged out of the bay toward Lor
Zatean.

"Wooooohooo!" Tyren yelled "Pedal to the metal!"


*****

Youre free to write anything So give your imagination free will and let it slide
keep it up

The battered T-77 slid out of the hangar bay, Vorion feeding the acceleration slowly and confidently. He realized the reason he disdained excursion for leisure is because he'd never had the luxury of one before. While there was no reason to become as lax as Master Tyren, he reasoned there was no reason not to...meditate. For once he didn't really know what to think. His thoughts drifted, from Aeotheran around them back to Lyspair, before the rout, and then to Amphor Six, the mining. The two Krath avoided most of the sparse traffic, the old speeder putting along with surprising vigor for such a dated model.

"You're a lot more laid back than most devotees of the Dark Side, Master Atema. Quaestor Ylith is a stern fellow, and my own Quaestor Isradia a downright ruthless man, as is befitting a Sith. But you are unlike them in that anger seems to seldom be in your heart." Vorion remarked in a conspiratorial tone, easing the speeder to a relaxed cruising speed.

Tyren held his feet up on the console in front of him, he lay back, his hat covering his eyes. He was
relaxed as always.

"Call me master one more time, Ill hit you." he said with a quite serious voice. "Now to answer your
question." he said pulling his hat off of his eyes.

"I have hatred when I need it, I experience anger when I have to, I release my ruthlessness when
its needed. The ways of the Sith are light years away from mine. A brain-dead Sith like my brother
would kill a Journeyman just to satisfy his own ends and desires. The Sith are blood hungry,
war-mongering barbarians. They tend to fulfill their own goals at any cost, no matter the
consequence. I myself would not kill a Journeyman just because I got a boner."he shrugged.

"I see no gain in it. That Journeyman can become a valuable asset to the Clan one day." he said
calmly as Vorion just nodded.

"I'm not without my own goals. But I at least have the patience to work them out right and without
raising too much dust." he covered his eyes again.

"Give a sith a finger and he'll fart for you." he could sense Vorions confused look on him so he
continued. "Meaning, give them a sword and they'll kill, and die by it. Thats the only thing they're
good at, being marionettes in your plans." he shrugged again.

"Although, there are some Sith I know who are shrouded in mystery and their own goals. Take
Malisane for example. He's tactical and observant. He's no fool. These are rare and the most dangerous or the lot." he looked at the Journeyman again. "Ya digg?"

Vorion tilted his head is if in query. "I understand, Ma-ah, Atema. To answer your question, yes, I have done digging and mining work; that was how I came to the attention of Dlarit Corporation. I'm sure you knew that already, though."

Vorion grew confused by the wan grin that spread over Tyren's shaded face as he shook with laughter, flicking ash across the console of the speeder.

"What is it? Did I say something humorous?" Vorion glanced in bewilderment at his mentor, who's grin faded abruptly, serious once more. He motioned emphatically with the cigarette in his hand.

"Humor! There's no deep philosophical stuff behind it, Vorion - a good belly laugh is just as important a thing to be able to harness as a blind blood rage. And if your timing's any good, you can goad an opponent into the latter with the former. Krath have dabbled a lot with, ah whatdidya call it? Oh, yeah - unconventional schools of thought."

Tyren couldn't see Vorion's face of course, but he didn't have to; the way the young man's head whipped around in barely-guarded panic was enough to elicit another round of laughter from the Priest.

"You've come to rely far too much on that mask of yours to conceal your intentions, Vorion. Why would I need to read your face when the surface thoughts that I can practically pluck from the air allow me just as much insight into what you're thinking?"

Vorion, flustered, turned back to focus on guiding the speeder, and quickly resolved not to underestimate Tyren Atema again.

Shuttle port
Lor Zatean
Aeotheran

The speeder landed with a thud. Tyren knew they werent supposed to fly around here but hell if he
cared. A Dlarit officer welcomed them with a troop of soldiers.

"State your business here!" he said with a strict voice.

"Leisure!" Tyren just replied as he was passing by, lighting a cigarette. The man stopped him with
his hand. Tyren looked at the hand and cocked an eyebrow.

"I would advise you, gentlemen to leave the way you came." he spat a command and the soldiers
surrounded the two. "Only shuttled guests are welcomed here."

Tyren moved closer to the man, puffing smoke in his face. "That so?" he asked turning his eye into
a slit. He moved his hand as if brushing his hair.

"I think we're ok as it is, as long as we came, we can stay, dont you agree?" The officer blinked a
few times.

"Y-yes, yes of course." he replied with a smile.

"Good man! Ill give a good word in for you with the superiors."

"Thank you, sir." the officer said and scurried away with his company as the two Dark Jedi went
about their business.

"Impressive! A mind trick?"

"Ain't it obvious? Some people don't deserve to know what hides in their back yard." he said with
a smile.

****

Yamfianta, Hotel reception
Lor Zatean
Aeotheran
Half an hour later

Tyren walked over to the reception and asked for a divided room, somewhere near the beach.
He would put everything on the Dlarit tab of course. He had no intention of using up his own
money on this trip.

"There you go sir, enjoy your stay." a charming young receptionist said as she handed him the
key.

"Thank you, I think I will." he winked. Vorion who stood a few paces behind him looked like an
albino lizard on a lush green branch. Most people wore their summer outfits, bikinis, shorts and
slippers. The Ubese stood like a leathered pole and observed everything around him. Tyren walked up to him.

"Let's go, we got a nice spot by the beach." he chuckled.

"Eh...mas...err...Tyren, how are we going to train here again?"

"You'll see soon enough. Dont be hasty!"

Vorion was not oblivious to the fact that he appeared distinctly out of place; it was just that well, he had borrowed a page from Tyren's book, and frankly didn't care. He set about checking his belongings, feeling around in the pack. Training saber, DSOG clearance badge, maintenance set and cleaning kit for his helmet, additional filters, spare datapads, field rations, holdout blaster, vibroknife, Night Hawks body armor. He had come prepared...for a different sort of encounter. He would have to make do.

As he followed Tyren to their beachside destination, Vorion couldn't help but notice, for the first time in his life, that the nearby star did not beat down in a heavy, unrelenting fashion, but shined bright and warm, uplifting to spirit and invigorating to the body. He smiled, a thing that felt so foreign to his face he could hardly believe his face could still behave that way. It was sunny and pleasant, and a relaxing, enjoyable day may just lay ahead for him.

"I'm rather happy with my choice to change Orders, though. One of the first unspoken sentiments I gathered from the Sith is that they feel themselves to be the only powerful and capable Dark Side tradition in the galaxy. As dogma has always disagreed with me - I despise the Jedi Order just as any respectable student of the Force does - I found the Sith mindset equally stifling. Why, if you are not willing to see beyond your own histories, techniques, and philosophies - no matter how ancient and enduring - how does that allow evolution, improvement? Yes, I'm much better suited as a Krath, despite my fascination with the ancient Sith Empire, and the Brotherhood's Order of the Sith."

They walked past the ice cream stands, cafes, restaurants and fast food places. The beach side was
full of life, the sun was high in the sky and shone warm rays down on everyones faces. Tyren could
fit well into the mood with his brown hat, leather pants, boots and his red silk shirt, Vorion on the
other hand was a black sheep.

The people walking around them evaded the Ubese in a wide arc. Tyren just smiled and smoke his
cigarette as his apprentice talked.

"You see kid..." Tyren started to reply "...the very basic problem with Sith philosophy is that they
*do think of them selves as the most effective of all the orders. This is due to their very long and
well known history. The Sith are, although shrouded in mystery to most of the patrons of the galaxy,
a very well known menace. People know what the Sith *used* to stand for. So they fear the very
word. Todays Sith just feed of of the former Empire's glory and praise their worthless achievements."

He pulled a smoke and exhaled a long pillar of smoke. "The very difference between Krath and Sith is this, i will give you an example. A Sith will try to attack a kingdom with his army to own it, then he
would rebuild it and rule unchallenged. A Krath on the other hand would come alone and and destroy
the kingdom from the inside and rule it from the shadows taking whatever he pleases for himself."

Tyren shrugged. "But i guess you figured that out on your own."

Vorion hissed an affirmative, glancing with vague interest at several of the eateries before realizing, with a sharp pang of annoyance, that he should have eaten more before they departed that morning; eating in a communal setting was an alien practice to most True Ubese, and eating in public unthinkable. He noticed Tyren following his gaze, and quickly set his eyes elsewhere, refocusing his thoughts so as not to be as transparent as he had been before.

"I thought I could be a different brand of Sith." Vorion said wistfully. "A proud, cunning warlord like the Lord Naga Sadow himself, who held together a fractious group of scheming, powerful Sith councilors by force of will and arms alone to wage war against the Republic." He spat the last last word, and Tyren could hear the bitter tone of a man who had been dealt an injustice that had yet to be repaid. "When I am strong, I told myself, I will rebuild the old Sith Empire and expand it's domain to the entire Galaxy. Not as some feudal lord's bloody domain, but as a mechanical masterpiece of mathematical precision and harmony, a most serene construct of beauracracy that will usher in a golden age unlike any since the first establishment of hyperspace lanes. To bring science and medicine to to every corner of space, to chart the Unknown Regions, Wild Space! If didn't matter if I had to slaughter thousands or millions of sentients; it would pave the way for grand expeditionary fleets to explore the very reaches of this universe."

His voice softened, and he sighed, seemingly oblivious to the fact that he was speaking. Tyren had the distinct impression that the Protector was thinking aloud and not really speaking to him at all.

"Those are the only things I remember that would drive me, day after day..What is it that is beyond all this? I felt the question rend at my mind as I slept, a screaming impulse telling me that there was so much more to assimilate, to become, and that I would go insane if I did not do whatever it took to pursue it. The Force called, and for years I ignored it, and focused on trying to be someone more finite than who I am."


"There were portents, visions. Things I would know that I wasn't supposed to or had no way of knowing. Back at home, it was the warlords, petty and barbarous, always fighting. I saw their deaths come, and although I could easily have positioned myself to benefit from it, I never bothered to, convincing myself each time that it was coincidence."

'On Lyspair, it was a cloud that culminated in the Vong onslaught. I was insatiable! I craved knowledge of their religion, their customs, everything, but all they seemed to stop long enough to do was erase or transform life. I was stymied in my efforts to discover; infuriating, because in my mind it confirmed what that voice had always told me; that there was something even beyond the Force, especially if these creatures seemed to be outside of it. And I wanted that...I want that." Vorion stopped abruptly, lowering his head as if to clear it.

"Kid...You're weird. But I like you." Tyren replied insipidly. The kid had delusions of grandure, but
Tyren would teach him otherwise. He hoped.

They came to a separated house with a small courtyard and a semi-high fence.

"Ah, here we are, pavilion 73." he said while walking in. The lace was clean, real clean. They took
good care of their customers leisure. Who wouldn't with a paycheck to boot. The courtyard had a
small pool and a jacuzzi as well as showers and s few benches you could lay on and get sunburn.
He never understood why people like to get tanned. He always enjoyed the shade so much.

He turned around, looked at the beach and all the women there.
"I think I'm gonna like this." He smiled and stroded off into the house. They both had separate
rooms to sleep in. Unpacking was easy enough, Tyren wasn't known for his clean behavior.

****

Yamfianta, Pavilion courtyard
Lor Zatean
Half an hour later

Tyren lay back in a deck chair in the shade of a nearby pine tree, sunglasses on and his had
shading his face. A cocktail in one hand an a cigarette in the other. He was confortable and
relaxed, "chilling" was the right word. He turned on some music, some guitar band from Spira
called "The Neptunes".

Vorion walked over to him, still in his leather suite.

"When do we begin our training?" He asked. Tyren just put his finger on his lips to silence the
Ubese. He hummed the melody like in a mantra.

"Patience, young one. Soon enough. You wanna train go run a few dozen laps around the hotel."

Vorion bowed and turned, shrugging as he walked away. He would not press the issue; Tyren had made it clear that he would begin when it suited him, and not a moment sooner. Vorion was actually rather relieved to be away from the man; he had wound up speaking his mind far more than he was generally prone to, and that made him uncomfortable. He wasn't sure he liked it, Tyren's disarming, conversational demeanor. He was not prepared to trust someone like that.

He wandered about, seeing the various frivolities offered at the resort location, all of them appearing pleasant enough, but feeling as if they were a thin veneer painted over an empty interior. He was out of his element, a fish out of water, but he supposed that wasn't really any different from any other point of his existence so far. Rifling through his bag, he found his datapad containing some of the latest snapshot data of mathematical theory for hyperspace mechanics and begin to idly browse the text. Numbers and values were familiar and quantifiable; and he soon lost himself in the intricacies of the formulae, sitting quietly on a bench in a quiet corner of the pavillion.

Yamfianta, Pavilion courtyard
Lor Zatean
Some time later that evening

Vorion still sat at the fare end of the courtyard, doing his stuff. He didn't notice Tyren going into the
house, or he didn't care. Who knew?

Tyren walked out of the house, dressed in training robes, he put three sabers down near the
stairway, two training sabers and his own, the curved Makashi hilt. He started stretching, jumping
around, softening his every joint. His hair tied into a pony tail flew around his face. He ran toward
Vorion, jumped along the wall and fell in front of the Ubese.

"Time for training." Vorions helmet almost blinked. He looked around, it was dusk, going to be
night soon.

"Why now?" he asked. "Wouldn't it be more logical that we train when there is light?" he asked,
confused. Tyren walked toward the center of the courtyard and replied.

"Yes, I suppose it would....usually. But training with a lightsaber in a beach house, so close to the
beach full of people. A bit foolish, don't you think?" He asked.

"Besides, we have enough light as it is." He clapped his hands and a few lights around the
courtyard lit it up.

"So.." Tyren started as the Ubese got up and away from his mathematics "...whats first? Mindcontrol? Telekinesis? Martial arts?"

"I must confess I have little applied skill with the Force beyond augmenting physical abilities. Why don't we start with the subtler aspects..." Vorion said softly, gently levitating the sabers aside, where they clinked gently to a halt atop one of the marble pedestals lining the courtyard.

He stood and gazed at Tyren squarely. "You read my thoughts earlier. I have been able to do similar things before myself, but always in a passive fashion. I don't know how to control it. It's only been accidental in the past. Any neophyte can spar with a training droid, and while I don't mean to imply that you don't have valuable saber skills to impart, I would like more transcendental knowledge than just the savvy to swing a lightsaber; I've trained in that quite a bit on my own." he continued.

"I wish to refine the influence that we wielders of the Force are able to exert upon the mundanes, as well."

"Transcendental knowledge of the lightsaber?" Tyren asked, amused by the Ubese's will to learn and
get better.
"If you're implying that i teach you the Art of the Saber, no. I will not. That is for you and you alone
to learn, no one can help you with that, and it will come to you when the time is right." he said quite
seriously so that Vorion understood the full meaning of what he said.

"I can however teach you some tricks with the training saber. They will help you in your combat against
your opponents. At least those not wielding a real saber." He shrugged as Vorion nodded.

"But first..:" he continued "...we need to meditate." He sat down and crossed his legs, the Ubese
doing the same. Tyen closed his eyes and inhaled deeply.

"Before any kind of conflict or training take a few minutes to yourself, purify your thoughts,
concentrate on whats at hand, concentrate on what you must give to pull through what comes and
what awaits you at the end. Everyone has his own meditation, his own unique view of what they
experience the world so I cannot tell you what to concentrate on. Just clear your thought and let you
spiritual energy flow. Feel the world around you." He exhaled slowly.

Vorion reached up to his helmet, depressing a switch on the front of his mask to set his breathing apparatus to slow cycle before sitting cross-legged opposite the Krath Priest. He exhaled, a soft, whirring sound emitting from his helmet as he focused on attuning himself to the Force within him. All unbidden, a staggering onslaught of images poured into his head; memories long buried; War-master Savax's imposing figure mounted on the armed speeder; his father holding his hand as they treked across the sand to trade with the other tribes; the Vong priestess over Telos, pulling him towards her venom sacs; the bloody exhilaration of adrenaline as the vonduun crab armor's grip legs bit into his arm, the-

He wrenched his eyes open, forcing the thoughts away. Tyren glanced him over with an odd stare. Vorion immediately retuned his focus. "W'snothing..Pardon my interruption." he sighed, distant again already.

They meditated for a while, it was already pitch black outside and noise was coming from the nearby clubs. Tyren was tempted
to leave his leather enclosed apprentice behind, and go have some fun at said clubs. But he didn't, he came here with a
purpose, to train Vorion. To keen his senses and attune him to the Force.

Suddenly Tyren opened his eye, uncrossed his legs and stood up, waiting patiently for Vorion to do the same. Not to soon
Vorion stood up ending his meditation and Tyren spoke.

"Ok, first we do saber combat an martial arts at the same time." Vorion nodded. Tyren extended his hands as the two training
sabers flew right into his open palms. He threw one at Vorion and ignited his own.

"Let's begin!" he said. As Vorion's saber ignited Tyren made his first move, he moved forward and came in behind Vorion. As
he rolled behind him he hit the Ubese on the inner side of his knees, dropping him of his feet. Tyren stood up and in one
quick motion pulled back the Ubese's head and placed his saber on his neck.

"If that was a real saber, you'd be dead." he walked in front of Vorion and extended his hand to help him up.

"Remember! Always expect an attack. Never let your guard down." he moved away and stood, feet square his shoulders, his
lightsaber lowered in front of him.

"Come! Attack me!"

Vorion renewed his attack, swiftly assuming another attack vector and angling sharp, glancing strikes at Tyren's head and shoulders in an attempt to drive the Priest backwards and give himself forward momentum. Tyren responded with a series of tight, controlled parries and an unexpected riposte which made Vorion stagger slightly off-balance as he bought his blade around wide into a glancing parry, and before the Protector could so much as blink, Tyren expertly flicked his free hand out in a casual gesture and Vorion felt the familiar sensation of the Force gathering into a resonating point that blasted out from Tyren's palm and knocked him square onto his backside, training saber clattering to the ground and deactivating with a sharp hiss.


Tyren tsked tsked softly as Vorion quickly hopped up, fuming in shame and embarrassment. Tyren chuckled.

"I'm going to have to have a word with Sharad one of these days; if that's the best his students can manage it's no wonder we knight fewer and few in the Brotherhood each year. Your tactical approach could use some work, too; I pretty much broadcast that riposte as my intent from the moment you began your attack. Didn't you notice that I shifted my weight to my back leg when I turned to guard?"

Vorion unclenched his gloved fist and the training saber floated from the ground into his palm again as he forced calm words though a painfully clenched jaw.

"I had not. I thank you for the correction, and shall endeavor to be more observant of my opponent's footwork from here on out."

Tyren nodded, suddenly grave. "Good. Otherwise your head will make some demented Vong a nice trophy."
Tyren crouched, assuming a lower stance and holding the blue training saber angled out to his left. "Come. Let us try again. I know you have better dueling finesse than what you just displayed. Vigilance!"

Aurora sat near by watching the two duel. She laughed to herself. Although Tyren was cunning and swift, as she was showing his apprentice in no uncertain terms, he hadn't even sensed her, hadn't made the slightest move that he knew she was there.

His apprentice looked like he didn't belong in his armour get up, especially in a tropical paradise. She took a deep breath loving the atmosphere, and like the assassin she is snuck up and stoo about 3 feet from Tyren. "You know Tyren, fighting in the only bright spot isn't exactly hiding now is it?"

Tyren smiled, not at all surprised he heard her voice, she *was* an expert in that field of course.
Vorion jumped backwards as he saw the woman next to is master, he didn't sense anyone near the
house.

"You think the lights aren't needed?" he said not even turning around. "Fine then!" he continued and
clasped his hands and the lights went out. Vorion was stunned, he didn't know what to do except watch.

A squeal could be heard from the darkness and a clanging sound, as if something metallic fell to the
stone floor. Vorion clapped a few times to light up the courtyard. Tyren was holding the girl from behind,
right elbow behind her back and his arm around her neck.

"How did you...?"

"Eyes. A fascinating organ, sensitive to the smallest flickers of light. But they have to adjust to sudden
light changes, usually it takes a few minutes. I kept mine closed." he smiled.

"See my apprentice..." he continued, looking at Vorion "Always be ahead of your enemy. Always one
step ahead.

"So Im the enemy now?" Aurora asked, insulted.

"No, my dear. You were just a useful lesson." he said and let her go. She tuned around and slapped
him hard over the cheek. Tyren rubbed his cheek.

"I might have deserved that." he said as she sulked next to him.

A sharp hiss, the unmistakable sound of two lightsabers igniting jolted Tyren's attention back to his newest apprentice. He cursed as the Ubese surged forward with unnatural speed in a low stance, swinging both practice sabers with surprising form and discipline for a student not advanced enough to be studying the Jar Kai form. Tyren clucked loudly as he deftly twisted to avoid one of the buzzing cerulean blades, already sensing savage thoughts of an all-too premature assumption of victory.

The sabers blades were not lethal in the slightest, but the point that Vorion was trying to make was clear; he had relieved Tyren of the training saber during the brief darkness - in fact it now occurred to Tyren that Vorion could probably see thermal signatures through that durasteel bucket on his head - and now sought to force Tyren to surrender. Tyren felt a pang of mild annoyance. Doesn't he ever learn? In war, no one plays by the rules...least of all me! But he thought it would be better to demonstrate the point instead of verbalize it. And I'll teach him that he's not as damn clever as he thinks with that bloody helmet of his.

Vorion scissored ever closer to Tyren, attempting to box him off and force him towards a corner of the courtyard. As he sprang backwards, Tyren swiftly unleashed the fury of his retribution. Teacher's treat, Vorion.

He spun and ducked just under Vorion's next attack, a heavy overhead blow, as the curved hilt of his real lightsaber whooshed into his grasp and he ignited the blade, meeting the training sabers and only locking for a moment before the unfocused blades gave way with a screeching wail and then fizzled into nothingness. Before the Protector could react Tyren snapped a high front kick right into the Ubese's face mask, shattering the visor and causing him to stagger backwards a step and fall to his knees from the sheer kinetic force of the blow.

Undeterred, Tyren leveled his saber's blade at the young man's neck. "Clever. But another notion you should have left with the Sith is that of an honorable combat. He who lives to fight another day is the superior fighter. Don't play by the rules - make your own. You're a Krath now."

Aurora grinned and walked over to the apprentice and Tyren, looking over Tyrens shoulder and into the shattered visor. "You didn't have to break him Tyren!" Her voice musical hum against the blade hovering at Vorion's neck. She laughed, "afteral it wasn't his fault he was able to distract you so easily!" she grinned and walked back towards their little hut.

Looking around and hearing the noises of the near by night clubs. "I'm supprised you are here tyrn..and not out partying!" She took a handfull of soil and let it slip through her fingers, enjoying the small relaxtion it provided, before she turned to face him, her hair shining in the lights. "Your tab is going to be really high for this trip." She smirked, holding back her secret of how she was paying for his mini vacation of following him.

Tyren disengaged his lightsaber and moved away from his apprentice.

"What are you doing here at all, Aurora?"

"Just thought I'd drop by." She giggled.

"I came here with a purpose, Aurora. I have to train Vorion to step up, and keep up." he looked at the
Ubese who in turn pierced him with his ice-cold glare from under the broken visor. Tyren doubted the
Ubese liked him after that.

Aurora stood on the doorstep, put her hand on her hip and cocked an eyebrow.

"Your point?"

"My point is I don't have time for you. I'd expect you to be over there." he gestured toward the clubs
not so far away, down the beach.

The Krath student swore silently, carefully removing the jagged shards of the shattered visor from his mask - at least, the ones that hadn't fallen. He rose, turning stiffly, and while Tyren was engaged in conversation with the new girl, strode off to fetch his pack. He kept several spare lens, and in any case, could cut some to fit his mask just fine with only rudimentary equipment - the one that had just broken was one made in his spare time back on Lyspair.

As he stood with his back to the open door of the bedroom, balancing his helmet on his kneee, he set the new eyeshield in place, and his thoughts returned to the young female that Tyren had called Aurora. Who was she? He was intrigued by this woman; how had he failed to even sense her approach? He pondered, setting the helmet back in place before turning to head back to the courtyard.

Aurora looks at Tyren. "Your purpose you can still have, perhaps I can learn by watching" She smirked. "And those clubs bore me, just a bunch of men tryign to pick up something much younger then they are for a little...fun!" She looked over Tyrens shoulder. "hmm you r apprentice has seems to have gone to nurse his wounds....iIthink you have time for me now."

He brushed the hair from her face and forehead. He came in close, holding her cheek in his palm.
He came closer to her face and she closed her eyes. In the last second he moved away.

"I didn't come here for you Aurora, I came here to work, not play around." She made a
grimace,
crossed her arms at her chest and turned around.

"Hmpf! Youre repulsive." she said, insulted. He just lit a cigarette and shrugged.

"If you can't understand you'll learn the hard way." She turned around, her hand flying
toward his
face. She gave him an audible slap. He blinked a few times to return his senses and
stroked his chin.

"You can slap me all you want, the fact still remains..." Her eyes widened and her other
hand flew toward his face. He grabbed it, spun her around and grabbed her from
behind.

"Hey what are you...?"

"Shhh!" he hissed and she turned her head around, not seeing anything out of the
ordinary.

"Do you hear that?" he asked. She concentrated but couldnt hear anything out of
the ordinary.

"No I dont."

"Thats just it. Its summer and its night. Not counting the disco music, we should be
hearing crickets." His eyes widened as he heard a cracking sound from behind him. He
grabbed her saber and spun around igniting the blade. It materialized in time to
deflect a blaster bolt.

"Aurora...my saber." he yelled as he ran toward the hidden enemy. He jumped over
the next few bolts and fell behind the man. The hitmans head fell of, sliced with the
saber.

"Watch out, theres bound to be more." he yelled as he grabbed his curved hilt and
threw her saber back toward her.

The source of the vague tickling at the very edges of the Krath Protector's senses became immediately apparent when the marble paneling on the wall of the hallway exploded, the crumbling rock billowing into a fine dust that obscured the passageway. Vorion swore under his breath, ducking and drawing his holdout blaster and vibroknife from his boot. Crimson bolts of blaster fire lanced down the hall as Vorion swiftly rolled backwards and whipped around the corner, returning fire.

Whoever these people are, they certainly mean business, the leatherclad Ubese thought grimly. He was armored enough to withstand most small arms and blaster fire, but that heavy disruptor that had pulverized the wall panels would make a pile of charred meat out of him. He thought of dashing back to his room for his sword, but quickly dismissed the notion. He had them at a positional advantage here and could force them through the bottleneck of the hallway before they reached the main atrium from whence had had just come. But he had a plan.

As his eyelids fluttered, the voices of his assailants crackled through their commlinks, coordinating with one another. He realized absently that he didn't know how many there were, but it didn't matter; he doubted he couldn't handle however many were headed his way.

As he reached forth with the Force, the lighting fixtures flickered, once, twice, before blinking out altogether as their conduit lines were ruptured. Vorion again flicked on the thermal filter in his visor before streaking around the corner and stalking forward down the hallway, crouched like a jungle cat.

The three soldiers, caught off-guard by the sudden absence of illumination, were still fumbling for thermal vision goggles of their own when Vorion pounced, drawing the quivering edge of the vibrodagger across the nearest man's jugular. He went down with a gurgle that went unheard by his two companions who were in a frantic, whispered conversation as they attempted to regroup.

Vorion dispatched the other two dispassionately, obliterating both at point-blank range with several blaster shots to their heads. Once they had fallen, he rolled the bodies over and examined them carefully, hoping to discern their identity but found nothing. As the scent of seared, ionized flesh prevaded the dark hallway, Vorion scooped up the heavy repeater and holstered his holdout blaster, returning his vibrodagger to it's booth sheath. Time to go find Atema and this Aurora...perhaps she'll know who these soldiers belong to.

Aurora looked at Tyren. His stanze evidence that he was seraching for more. A sudden blast from the inside caught both of their attentions. Tyren took off running after his apprentice, muttering how hard it was to find an apprentice that didn't waunder off when their egos were bruised.

Aurora stood around for a few more minuets, walking up to the decaptiative head and removed the helmet visor, her heart skipped a beat as she recognised the solider. He was one of the few she had known while in the employ of the imperial arms. She had run, under advision not too, that she would be hunted. She had laughed at them, and years had gone by without a single action against her. Had she brought this on? Had she lead them to Tyren and his apprentice? She couldn't believe it! It couldn't have been her! She had guessed it would have been a ceratin little miss high and mighty that she had ticked off by taking her money and not going after the bounty. Her, Aurora could see sending men after her, but the imperial arms, no, that was unusual.

Aurora looked up just before a twig broke, and brought the hum of her saber up to defened herself against whoever dared to near her.

"Aurora, keep them occupied!" he yelled behind him as he entered the house. Not much to be seen, one floor
wooden shed, with rooms on each side and a long corridor, Vorion's room was at the end of it. Blaster fire could
already be heard.

Tyren pulled the cloth of of his left eye. His vision changed, everything was brighter, more visible. He tapped
into the Force and around his cybernetic eye. He crouched observed the situation. He saw Vorion on the end of
the hall, crouched and evading fire.

"Vorion, take my lightsaber and use it." he sent a mental message to his apprentice, the Ubese twitched
toward him as the saber rolled over the floor into the Protectors hand.

"Dont hurt yourself, thats no training blade." he said as he ran into the room next to him. Looking through
the window he saw fur men on the roof, clad in black clothing, were they after him? What did they want here?

Bah, never mind that now. Vorion can handle them. he thought as he ran back toward the courtyard.

Out in the open Aurora was surrounded by blasters, only her expert knowledge of Soresu and her superior agility
kept her alive. Tyren ran into the fray.

"Aurora, cover me." he said mentally as he showed up behind her. His hands moved in unison with hers
guided by the Force. They were a perfect harmony of attack and defense. As he shot out from any angle and
turned around, she followed and deflected incoming bolts. They moved with such grace and accuracy, they became a blur to their would-be assassins.

Soon it was all over.

Vorion tore down the long hallway, mind racing at a thousand miles an hour. Okay. I don't recognize any of these guys, but their technique makes it pretty obvious exactly who they are. I'm willing to bet some 'tourist' recognized me as an operative. I'd better see to it that none of them get to report that I'm not as dead as they might have suspected...

He delved inwards, using the Force to amplify his hearing, straining to hear any distant blaster fire, shouts, explosions. By the time he heard the footfalls on the roof they were already careening through the windows, glass spraying across the hall. Vorion skidded to a halt, igniting the saber and bringing it to bear just as the first shots lanced towards him. He parried them clumsily but with proficiency, though not yet adept enough with the blade to reflect them with any accuracy. Extending his outstretched fist, he sent two of the black-clad figures sprawling backwards, before withdrawing it forcefully.

The towering statue mounted across the hall suddenly teetered on its base, tipping slowly, ominously. The two soldiers had been dazed by the force of the attack and scrambled for safety before the hallway quaked with the crash-landing of the tall statue. His assailant's formation had been broken, and they were rapidly beginning to fall back. As the hit squad began to send hasty and disorganized blaster fire to cover their retreat, Vorion replied with a savage volley from the repeater, riddling the hallway until nothing else moved.

Imperial Intel's Bureau of Operations, Imperial Arms...Lovely. Looks like they want me back...bad, too. And I knew I recognized that woman from somewhere. Aurora, indeed...

Aurora lookd at Tyren, her saber still activated and humming in the slience. "You sure that's all of them?" She never really heard his answer, she was too focoused on what might be moving out in the bushes and why these men from her far past would suddenly show up. It was only logical that they were not there becasue of her, but that would leave Tyren and his apprentice. Aurora was pretty sure that it woudn't be Tyren, or at least she kind of hoped it wasn't him, but could it really be his apprentice? Had his apprentice really been around that long, and make those kinds of enemes? She shook her head as Tyren moved, no doubt to see what had taken her attention.

"hmmm, intersting choice of training locations Tyren."Aurora grinned and deactivated her saber, placing one hand on her hip and looking at him. "Were you planning on having the attack as an 'always be prepared' lesson for your apprentice?"

Tyren twirled his blasters around and re holstered them. His left eye scanned the surroundings looking for more
potential targets. Suddenly he relaxed and turned his attention to her, covering his cybernetic eye with the eye
patch.

"That was the last of the, out here. And to answer your question.." he said as he walked toward one of the bodies
"...No, this was not my doing." He crouched next to a body of the assassin, the man was covered in a black suit,
as would be expected. Tyren removed the mask, the man was an Anzat, a near-human race of Force sensitives.
Obviously not a Force user but still. Tyren ripped the mans uniform at the shoulder revealing a triangle like scar
with a serpent eye in it.

"I knew it."

"Knew what?"

"What do you think, who these people are?" She pondered a bit and decided to tell him.

"I figured they were Imperials." She said and Tyren smiled slightly.

"Only partially, they are members of a mercenary group working for the Imperials. Dark ops stuff. I don't know
their actual name, what I do know that the have a mark burnt on their shoulders when they join." Auroras eyes
widened.

"How do you know this?" She asked confused and surprised.

"Easy! They've been after me for some time now. With the bounty on my head and all."

"Yeah, but how are the Imperials connected."

"I said they work with the Imperials. Mercenaries don't actually take sides and develop loyalties. Im guessing
this is the Black Sun's work."

The familiar tinny voice rang out behind Tyren and Aurora, it's owner drawing abreast with them.

"Hmm. Peachy. But I suppose it's my fault for not having done more research on you, Tyren. I'm not surprised that a larcenous soul like you has a record. Only makes sense that I'd get sniffed out too if I was around you long enough."

Aurora and Tyren exchanged sidelong glances, and Tyren turned to face his apprentice squarely, expression unreadable as he lit a cigarette. "What do you mean?" he demanded, eyes narrowing slightly, although he already had a nagging suspicion.

Vorion gestured at Aurora, who was looking at him as though in a new light. "Your friend and I former employers' who's retinue we abandoned. She left first, and I went MIA after I was deployed on Amphor Six. I was an Imperial Intel agent who's mission was to investigate Dlarit Corporation's clandestine operations, if any, and report my findings. As you might imagine, I discovered the extent of 'clandestine operations' when I was dropped off on Lyspair. I never thought once about reporting back, though."

Vorion twirled Tyren's deactivated saber between his fingers, examining the hilt nonchalantly.

"The potential afforded a Dark Jedi far outstrips even the most ambitious spy's. So I stayed and learned instead. I figured they would assume I was killed."

Vorion cocked his head, glancing sidelong at Aurora. "Well, that's my story in a nutshell...How'd your cover get blown?"

Aurora narrowed her eyes at Vorion, that was apart of her past she had not really wanted to tell Tyren. She sighed and looked back at Tryen pulling the cig from his mouth, and crushng it with the toe of her boot.

"My cover, as far as I have known, has not been blown. I can't not imagine why they would still be looking for me, its been too many years and they have other...."She looked back at Vorion,"...traditors or rather defectors to go after. Rather then to hunt one that left so long ago." She held up a hand to keep Vorion from interrupting. "All be it under bad conditions, it has been too many years."

Aurora started to think about the bounty hunter she had recently pissed off. She was pretty high up in the chain and it was possible she might have some connections. Aurora ran her fingers over the hilt of her saber. She had been sent to kill Tyrens sister-in-law, but she never believed in the out right kill, always wnated more intel on her targets, probably why she had fit in so well with the imperial organization. Tyren though had distracted her, changed her mind from the hit on Jade. And considering Aurora had already taken some payment on the hit, she could see why the bounty hunter might try and send such mercinaries after her.

Aurora shruged. "Nope can't see why they would be after me, must be because of either Tyrens past or your...defecting." She knew Tyren would probably see through her lie but figured she would deal with the consequences later if he did.

Three different stories, all most likely true.

"Coincidence?! I don't believe so..." Tyren pondered on all the possibilities. He was a
wanted man with a big bounty on his head and this group has been after him for some time.
His story was the most likely to be true.

But then again, Vorion and Aurora being ex-Imperials certainly had its roots but still.
It was very unlikely.

Suddenly crackling of an comm device spread through the courtyard. The three dark jedi
turned in all directions trying to detect the source. Finally Vorion ran to a body of one of their
would-be assassins and found it.

"Unit 1....ome in...nit 1...ts your status..." a voice came from the unit. Tyren grabbed the
thing and put his finger on his mouth to silence his companions. He pushed the button and
spoke.

"This is Unit one. Situation good. Mission accomplished. On our way to base."

"Good work! Everything went smoothly. Get back to base."

"Base! The situation is not ideal. Our crafts nav system was damaged in a crossfire..." he
had hoped the men cam in only one craft. Only silence erupted from the comm for a few
seconds.

"Ok Im sending coordinates again. Make sure you dont screw up."

"Unit one, out!" he said, dropped the comm unit and exhaled deeply as a set of
coordinates showed on the small screen of the unit.

"We're going here. Now!" he said sharply "But first we make a pit stop to the Marakith."

The dance music pounded on in the distance as the trio swiftly sprung into action, Vorion snatching up his bag and heading off to collect their belongings. "Meet you down at the speeder!"

Tyren nodded, lighting yet another cigarette and motioning for Aurora to follow him. As Vorion charged down the wrecked hallway back towards his suite he saw the emergency lights already strung up as the clean-up crews commenced their work. As he approached, a grim-faced Dlarit security officer approached him.

"Sir, our surveillance indicates that you are responsible for much of the structural da-"

Vorion abruptly flipped his D-SOG ID badge in from of the man's eyes, using the gesture to disguise the trademark hand wave as he scattered the guard's thoughts like a breeze scattering leaves.

"Nonsense. Lieutenant Commander Vorion with Dlarit Special Operations. I have urgent business to attend, please, step aside."

"Oh, of course." the guard obediently did as he was bidden, and Vorion weaved his way through the clean-up crew swarming the hallway without further incident.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The speeder rocked wildly from side to side, the repuslors quaking as Vorion landed from a clean front-flip into the driver's seat. Tyren cursed as he went sprawling and nearly burnt himself on his lit cigarette.

"Oy! A little warning next time?" he snarled.

"Apologies." Vorion said stiffly. He glanced over his shoulder at Aurora, who was stretched out lazily in the back. "Make yourself comfortable, miss...but I apologize in advance for my flying."

He turned around and lifted the speeder off, easing on to the accelerator. "To Marakith, then..."

Aurora held on tight to Tyren as the speeder whipped and twisted, she felt the wind fly through her hair and her stomach suddenly lurch into her throat as Vorion dove and turned. finally getting a breath of air she yelled into Tyren ear. "Your next lesson should be a flying one!"

Tyren just grinned and told Vorion to go a little faster. Aurora caught the order just barely over the wind. "You'll pay for this Tyren!" Aurora grabbed tighter, stealing his saber and replacing it with a training saber as they flew on. She chuckled to herself and waited for Vorion to land...and her stomach to go back to its original position.

Tyren laughed as Aurora held tightly. Vorion was flying the direct route to Seng Karassh, he was speeding way faster
than cruising speed. Tyren held on to his hat as they flew, else it would fly off.

They finally came to Seng Karassh, a tall city with hell as traffic. Tyren was amazed how Vorion could fly. He nearly hit
every car in his way but the Priest had to admit, the kid had his reflexes right.

The speeder came to a hard landing in the hangar of the Marakith.

"Easy man!"

"Sorry, Tyren!" Vorion replied.

"K, first of all..:" Tyren grabbed Aurora and took his saber back giving her the training one. "Thank you! Secondly,
run off to your rooms and get whatever you need, i suggest everything that goes boom and protects you." They both
nodded as they ran off.

"Oh yea. Vorion..." he yelled as the Ubese stopped "...get your saber, youll need it."

The puzzled Krath student skidded to a breathless halt in his quarters, eyes lighting on the battered lightsaber lying in it's transparisteel case on the cot. Finally. I remember some of the students being angry about the unexplained mandatory turn-ins for the training sabers...I figured this is what that was all about. He lifted his hand to shoulder level, palm facing out, and the box soared across the room, settling into his hand as he turned it over. The pried the cover off, examining the hastily-constructed weapon.

The room seemed to reverberate with the snarling buzz of the energy blade's activation, Vorion standing transfixed as it's glow bathed him in a deep crimson light. The saber thrummed with energy, and Vorion twirled it experimentally, adjusting his grip to it's construction. It was clearly not a handmade design, but it was enough. It was a weapon capable of everything that a lightsaber should be capable of; threatening, maiming, killing.


Vorion hooked the saber on the D-ring clip at his belt, turning to depart. He had all that he needed.

Aurora packed a small backpack with a couple changes of clothes and some food, before loading herself up.

She put a small dagger inside her right boot, another larger dagger in the small of her back. Around her wrists she placed two golden braclets which were anything but the jewlery they appeared to be, and a few other pices of steel and medal on her body before adjusting her belt and making sure her blaster and light saber were secure before heading back to Tyren.

Aedile's quarters
Marakith Skyhook
Aeotheran

Tyren half-ran into his quarters, he was in a rush. They had to get to the "hide-out", or whatever, soon.
He picked up the comm unit.

"Deck-master, this is Atema!"

"Yes, sir?"

"Give me a better speeder this time, will ya? I can fly in that tin can."

"Yes, sir!"

"You have 10 minutes."

"Yes, sir!"

He walked over to the wall, and with a flick of the wrist revealed a keypad, he entered a combination of key and "the
wall in front of him opened revealing a set of gray and black armor. His own design, granted to the Night Hawks
of Marka Ragnos, his proudest position so far. Even though he left the House he kept the armor.

Tyren placed all the clothes he wore in the closet and got the armor strapped. He threw away his last cigarette for
today, tied his hair and put on the helmet. As the visor charged up it changed his field of view. He saw everything
in a light red color. Most items on his table were automatically classified, revealing the hi-tech visors usefulness.

The Aedile walked out of his room and locked the door behind him, they had business to deal with. He would
enjoy this, his apprentices first real combat situation with a saber. He didn't particularly like the idea of arming
younger members with sabers, there was a risk of them hurting or killing, or getting killed by an older member.
Many of them we're young and cocky, thinking the world is theirs. He feared that this may have a crucial blow to
the Brotherhood, but then again it is a logical step, since we are at war. Tyren only prayed that the Elders were
wise enough to control it and pull them out of practice when the war ends...if it ends.

Hangar bay
Marakith Skyhook
Aeotheran

He was the last of the trio to arrive.

"You're late!" Aurora said eying him from head to toe.

"What?" he asked.

"We're not going to war you know."

"Oh really? Three Dark Jedi against an unknown well armed, well trained group of unknown numbers of mercenaries?" he said.
"Oh yes my dear i think we are at war." he continued as teh deck-master ran over to them.

"Well?" Tyren asked.

"Ive found a nice piece for you sir." he said as an air speeder, visibly better than the other one, a newer design,
landed near them. A technician jumped out, saluted and scurried off.

"Good work. Dismissed!" the deck-master saluted and ran off about his business. Vorion sat in the drivers seat
Tyren thwacked him slightly.

"Move aside, Im driving." Vorion seemed confused but moved to the side as Aurora jumped in behind them.

"Let's ride!" Tyren said with a helmet hidden smile and punched the speeder out of the hangar southwards.

Vorion sat in sullen silence on the ride, somewhat annoyed at being ousted from the pilot's seat...He flew better than Tyren, anyway. The Krath Guardian distracted himself by cleaning the heavy repeater he had liberated from their grim assailants, scrubbing doggedly at the carbon deposits on the stock and barrel.

The cold, creeping sensation prickling on the back of the Ubese's neck hadn't let up since Aurora had arrived, and Vorion wished he could remember more about her. They had never been personally acquainted, nor had they really worked together in any fashion; he simply remembered seeing her a few times coming and going from various Imperial compounds...he had thought she was a mercenary at the time..

Something hung dark and heavy, a raincloud over his thoughts, and Vorion struggled to pinpoint it. He felt as though he were missing something vitally important, yet try as he might he couldn't seem to place it.

He swallowed hard, focusing ahead as the speeder zoomed through the night, the hypnotic, disorienting flash of speeder engine lights blazing all around them in the rush of evening traffic.

Aurora grinned as Tyren pushed Vorion out of the pilot's seat, but soon began to wonder as he took off. She had to admit that at least he was smoother in his flight, and her insides stayed where they were suppose to, but he had his moments.

She stared at the back of the apprentice's head. Oh she rememberd him, or parts of him, things were slowly coming back, ever since they had been attacked. Her hand palmed the hilt of the dagger in her boot, the force help the apprentice if he remembered her or her purpose. Her reason for coming to the brotherhood had been other then imperial reasons, another hit mind you, but nothing to do with the organization. She sighed looking at Tyren. She had told him that she wasn't going after her target anymore, but perhaps she should, then perhaps things would settle down again.

She looked back at the apprentice, cleaning his weapon and grinned. He obiviously didn't remember everything either, or he might just turn around and pont that weapon, or his blade, at her.