Kindling Of A Relationship

Dismal Visutor al’Tor sat at his desk in the office he’d become oh-so-familiar with. There were two towering piles of papers; one in a small metal tray marked “Completed”, the other in another tray marked “Incomplete”. The rest of his desk was neatly arranged. One of the only times it was in such condition. To the right sat the hilt of his lightsaber, to the left sat his hologram projector. Just as the Aedile finished another sheet of the seemingly endless paperwork, a small series of beeps came from the hologram projector. The Dark Jedi Knight sighed with slight annoyance, and opened the communication. A holographic image of House Exar Kun’s Rollmaster, Jaden Kyrath appeared. The image flickered constantly.

With a bow, the image of Kyrath greeted Dismal. “Hello, Dismal.”

“And hello to you too, Jaden,” Dismal said chuckling. “You don’t always have to be so formal with me.” A grin crept across Jaden’s face.

“Well, let’s get to the point,” the Knight said blandly. He was always one to get right on topic. “One of our Journeyman, the Protector Mayda Ferium, to be exact, has been showing interest in going on missions, living the thrill. However, her master, Proconsul Orzon is very busy. I was wondering if you would be willing to accompany her on a mission, which will be received in the Ash Citadel.”

The al’Tor thought for a while. Ever since he was promoted to Aedile, life had become rather boring. Paperwork and routine drills. Then, he spoke. “Yes. Yes of course.”

“Excellent. Meet me and Protector Ferium in the Citadel immediately. Kyrath out,” the Envoy said, bowing. A smile was on Dismal’s face as he reached across his desk, and clipped his lightsaber to his belt. He then got up from his comfortable chair, and exited his office.

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

The Ash Citadel. In the basement, towering bookshelves loomed over the two Dark Jedi sitting at a desk. One, Jaden Kyrath, the Knight whom he had spoken to no less than five minutes ago. The other, a Journeyman which he hadn’t really met before. When she put down the book she was reading, the Aedile stared. The woman was enchanting. She had flowing red hair, and a smooth, beautiful face. Her features were perfect. Dismal was brought out of his trance by Kun’s Rollmaster clearing his throat.

“Good, you’re here Dismal,” the Dark Knight said. “Let’s get to discussing this mission.”

Mayda was excited to go on her second mission since becoming a Protector, though she still wished that she would soon accompany her Master Orz somewhere. But her House Aedile wasn't small potatoes - she was honored. Jaden told her the good news, and accompanied here to meet the mysterious Aedile al'Tor.

The Ash Citadel. In the basement, sitting at a desk, they waited. Dismal arrived, and seemed to look funny at Mayda. Maybe she reminded him of someone else he knew, or he had heard something bad about her, she wondered. She had certainly seen him around alot, but he probably didn't notice her, as part of the crowd.

“Good, you’re here Dismal,” the Dark Knight said. “Let’s get to discussing this mission.”

Anyway, ever respectful, Mayda stood and bowed her head in greetings to the Aedile. "Greetings Aedile." Then after he sat at the desk, so did she. She couldn't wait to hear what the mission was and where it was going to be.

Dismal listened to Jaden intently. His gaze drifted towards the beautiful young Protector to his right, however, he tried to seem to be paying attention.

“…and you will be accompanying Mayda here to Tatooine. A new Hutt crime lord named Valraaga has settled at a spot in the desert. He has heavy influence on the Sand People, and his employees. Some of Plagueis’ intelligence forces have discovered Valraaga’s plans to lodge an attack on Shintera, a planet in the Jusadih system. Your mission: kill the hutt, remain unnoticed, and bring back any supplies you can. Understood?” Jaden continued talking. The two other Dark Jedi in the Citadel nodded. “Alrighty then, you are dismissed,” the Rollmaster said. As Mayda and Dismal got up, Jaden spoke once more. “Oh, and may the Force be with you.”

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

The pair of Journeymen walked down the hall. Dismal was the first to speak.

“Do you have a ship?”

“Yes, a Mankvim-814 in Hangar Bay 17,” the Protector replied. She noticed the Aedile staring at her flaming orange hair. Mayda disregarded it.

“Mine’s in Bay 14, we’ll meet in space,” the al’Tor said. He reached within his pocket, and tossed Mayda a comlink. “When you’ve broken Aerun’s atmosphere, turn it on channel Z-1285, and alert me.”

“Yes sir,” Protector Ferium replied. With that, the two separated.

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

Dismal’s cape flapped behind him as he entered Hangar Bay 14. There were two Lambda-Class shuttles, one freighter the Dark Jedi Knight didn’t recognize, and his personal starship, The Gamerunner.

The Gamerunner was an Eta-2 Class Interceptor, more commonly known around the galaxy as a Jedi Starfighter. The cockpit roof slid up with a mechanical hiss, and Dismal lowered himself in. After the roof lowered itself closed, the Aedile heard a series of lively beeps from his ship’s R2 unit, R2-A2. He waited for a minute for the translation to appear on the screen in the dashboard.

“To Tatooine, Atoo,” Dismal instructed. An inquisitive beep followed.

“Mission from Jaden. We’ll have a Journeyman along,” the Dark Knight
said. The Aedile remembered the defined tones and curves of the Protector’s body and that flaming, orange hair. He quickly shook himself out of it. He felt the smooth frame of his ship slowly rise off the ground, and he prepared to leave Aerun.

Tatooine? A climate like Utapau, so she heard. That should be interesting. What would the Hutts want with Jusidah? They were surely fools if they had heard of the Dark Jedi living there. She nodded and thanked Jaden for selecting her for this mission.

On the way down the hall, she and Dismal exchanged transportation details. Mayda thought it unbelievably uncouth that she had to use her own private starship for a Mission. She figured it would be more efficient to have the members ride together. But, it wasn't often she was asked to do so. If FireStarter got injured, there would be hell to pay.

“When you’ve broken Aerun’s atmosphere, turn it on channel Z-1285, and alert me.”
“Yes sir,” Protector Ferium replied. With that, the two separated.

She chanted the word over and over again. Z-1285, Z-1285, then boarded her sleek starfighter, turned the engines on, got clearance and departed the bay. She wasn't the best or most experienced pilot, she had stolen this craft as it was. But she'd be able to shoot and land- hopefully good enough. And still, the view as she escaped the atmosphere was still breathtaking to her.

She opened the channel... z-1285 and called to him.

"Sir? PRT Ferium reporting in. Do we use our call signs from now on?"

She hoped that he would be discussing the plan for their mission, and send landing coordinates, in case they got separated during the trip.




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

There was a sharp crackle in Dismal’s earpiece. It cleared up after a moment, and then the Aedile heard Mayda’s smooth voice.

“Sir? Protector Ferium reporting in. From now on, do we use our callsigns?”

“Yes, we use our callsigns. I shall be called Dizzy. If anyone is tapping in on our link, they will not know who is who. Now, what should I call you, Protector?” the Dark Jedi Knight replied.

“Well, sir, my Exar’s Shadow callsign is Red Hot,” Mayda replied with a slight blush Dismal couldn’t see.

Dismal chuckled. “Okay, Red Hot. Let’s go over a battleplan,” the al’Tor remarked, tone quickly changing from humorous to serious.

“As we near Tatooine, I suggest we use secondary names,” the Protector replied.

“Ideas?”

“I’ll be Lolita, you be Big Daddy,” Ferium replied once again.

“I think a more, real-sounding name would benefit our cause more.”

“How about we confuse them with Jedi-like names?” Mayda asked. “Like Mara and Qui-Gon.”

“I think they would have heard of Qui-Gon Jinn,” the Aedile piped in.

“Well, whoever you wish then, Sir.”

“Devron Gisk and Mara Chasta?” Dismal offered, after a moment of thought.

“Sure,” the woman replied.

“Settled then.”

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

A series of alarmed beeps coming from R2-A2 interrupted Dismal’s concentration. He had opened up a game of HoloStrat, and was playing it to pass the time. Apparently, Atoo’s beeping was an indicator that someone was wishing to speak to the Dark Knight. He sighed, irritated. He looked up to see the huge form of Tatooine looming over the seemingly miniscule Eta-2 Actis Interceptor. The game of HoloStrat quickly receded back into the Hologram projector, and a member of a chubby human, wearing an obvious uniform of some sort.

‘Greetings. I am Motakan Agrava, Mos Eisley Landing Port Security. Please state your name and send some ID codes,” he said.

“I am Devron Gisk, from the New Republic Defense Force Quartermaster. I’m here with an Intelligence Agent, Mara, in that Mankvim. I found her abandoned in a swamp on Dagobah. We came here to get her some supplies and get her morale back up. ID codes on the way,” Dismal replied, thinking swiftly on his feet. Luckily, he had had a run-in with a Quartermaster in an Eta-2 Interceptor, and got his code.

“Atoo, send the nice man our codes.” A beep was his reply.

There was a clicking of the security officer’s tongue, and he sighed afterwards. “You have clearance to land. Enjoy your stay in Mos Eisley.”

Mara Chasta, Mara Chasta, she repeated to herself. He was Devon ... Something. Darn, she should have asked for something easier to remember. Oh well.

Luckily, his comm was still open when he called the Tatooine Security, so she could overhear it. Abandoned on a swamp... hmm, good cover story. Mayda was slightly jealous that her ship didn't require a mech droid, those R2's were sure cute.

Her Mankvim followed Dis' craft into the empty Hangar Bays in Mos Eisley. She exited and locked her ship, weapons on her belt under her cloak, awaiting more information about their moves from the Aedile.

The Jedi Starfighter, followed by Mayda’s Mankvim, slowly descended to one of Mos Eisley’s bland, concrete hangar bays. The two were lucky enough to find one large enough to hold two ships. The two Kunians calmly stepped out of their respective ships. Mayda was the first to speak.

“What do we do first, Sir?” she asked, putting on her bravest face. Dismal stared intently into the Guardian’s eyes. She was so beautiful.

The Aedile cleared his throat. “First, I think we should explore the slums and the cantinas, get a reputation, find out more about this Valraaga,” he said.

“Of course, recon and research before we jump in,” the Commander replied. Dismal nodded. With that agreement, the pair of Dark Jedi headed into town.

- - -

Mos Eisley cantinas. Not a pretty sight. A band of Roadians played a horrible beat from the far left corner. Glasses clinked and people chatted, in many different languages. Odem’s Bar and Cantina smelled like a pile of rotting rancor dung on top of it.

Mos Eisley, always fun, Dismal thought to himself, scrunching up his face into a deformed position. As the Dark Knight turned his gaze to Mayda, he saw she was unaffected. The couple walked up to the bar.

“I’ll have a Durindfire,” the Aedile said, smiling. Durindfire was his favorite beverage.

“I’ll take a Deltron Spice wine,” Mayda said. The Zabrak bartender walked off, scanning the Krath’s body. A toothy grin crept across his face.

Mayda, I have a feeling this bartender knows something about the criminal underworld. I don’t think he’ll give it up freely, however. We don’t have many credits either, so how about you work your charm? Dismal asked through telekinesis, hoping she wouldn’t object.

As they strode through the sandy paths through the "city" of Mos Eisley, Mayda looked around, surveying the land, befuddled. The buildings were low rise and made of sandstone. There weren't thousands of people walking around, nor many spacecraft in sight. Sure, this was supposed to be a low-key hideout, but it hardly seemed to be the rough and tough Spaceport told about in Legends.

"Master al'Tor, this is the City of Mos Eisley? The renowned place where only the bold go? It hardly seems tough to me, I bet a small Sith squadron could take out every smuggler and bounty hunter in here. Or perhaps its reputation destroyed its ability to be a good hideout for those who seek privacy. In any case, I am less than impressed."

She wasn't quite sure as to why, but the DJK seemed very nervous talking to her in close quarters. Surely he was experienced enough in these missions not to be scared.

They entered the cantina, and she was even more disgusted, rolling her eyes. At the bar, they ordered drinks, "That's a ZELtron Spiced wine, thanks"

As Dismal put forth the thoughts into her mind, she came to a realization, and thought back to him, silently. "Ahh, so that's why I was selected for this mission. Was this your only plan, then? And why you've been hesitant to tell me?" Normally, she would never have been so disrespectful to a Superior, but Mayda felt comfortable with the Aedile, and now he was only two ranks above her. Besides, maybe it would put him at ease, or at least make him open up with her.

tba

Not at all, young Guardian. I selected you for this mission because I saw genuine talent, and strong dedication to the Dark Side and your House. Now, when we call him over here, I’ll ask about the powerful dude around here, he will probably answer with Valraaga. I know these people, they don’t like giving information without a price. We can’t spend lots of credits, and this was just a suggestion. Do what you wish, do the best for the Clan and House. Dismal sent through the Force. He tried to stay calm, but he was a little offended. He would never pick a counterpart based on looks. On ability. But on the other hand, he did want to see the beautiful Journeyman in her natural element. Now, he awaited the Guardian’s response.

She sent back, "Well, let me try it the subtle way first. I am glad to hear of your faith in me, m'Lord."

She sauntered over to the end of the bar, within Dismal's sight, plastering a sly smile on her face. A delicate finger curled to motion the bartender over to her. When he neared, she leaned in to whisper, fighting back the nausea in her stomach from his stench.

"So, where does a discreet businesswoman go around here for some... private negotiations with the Lords of the underworld?"

Marh Yago, the cocky and rough Zabrak bartender walked over to the end of the bar, towards the beckoning woman. The crown of horns on the crown of his leathery-skinned head began to tingle, as they always did when he saw a pretty girl.

“Whaddya want?” Marh said, smiling a grin. Both of his front teeth were missing.

“Not very polite, now are you?” the Krath replied, returning the bartender’s smile with a cold stare.

“If you want polite, little lady, Mos Eisley is not the place to be,” the Zabrak responded, grin slowly fading.

The clink of glasses being sat down on tables, people chatting loudly, and the stench of smoke and alcohol was omnipresent, and overpowering in the cantina. Mayda replied promptly. “I can see that. Now, where would I find out about the top crime dog around here?”

“You can find it out from me,” Marh said, “for a price.” He was hoping for either of two things.

This RO is closed, due to aging out, many new changes. Please lock the topic if possible.