Whatever It Takes

[Ghev Dralin]

The hired thugs waited, and waited... remaining out of sight until the target arrived on the scene.
"Okay, lets start the show" the Duros croaked, gesturing for the Weequay to take point, and the Nikto to bring up the rear, as they began riding away from the scene, slowly at first until the Duros was sure they were being followed.
"Hit the speed, people..." the Human said, accelerating into Coruscant's traffic, his BARC skimming the surface of the upper levels.
"Lure him toward The Works" said a voice in all of their ears; Cyrus.
"En route now" the Duros replied.

********

A Coruscant Security Force airspeeder soared over the fleeing mercenaries, nine in total; ten including the boy pursuing them, though from his Jedi robes it was obvious he wasn't part of the group. Cyrus smiled; he'd taken the bait, now all he had to do was play the part of an oblivious Jedi until Cyrus could reel him in.

He brought the airspeeder down, angling it's nose toward the traffic lane below, and opened fire on the leaders of the pack. One, two, three Weequay disappeared in balls of flame, and the fourth crashed into oncoming traffic, distracted by the commotion.
"This is Coruscant Security Forces. Pull over or I will open fire" he said into the airspeeder's microphone, his voice amplfied over the noise of traffic.
Of course, he had no intention of sparing the hired help. They already knew too much just by being involved. The airspeeder, which he'd appropriated from a pair of CSF officers who were now mysteriously dead, served his mission well. Posing as CSF, he could gain the boy's trust while dispatching the mercenaries without raising questions.
Falling in line beside the Jedi, Ben, he let the boy take the initiative. The closed canopy and tinted glass saved him the trouble of removing his hunting armour, but he wouldn't enjoy this for longer than necessary.

He double-checked his arsenal, in particular the net launcher built into his wrist gauntlet.
Something told him the Jedi would make this job as difficult as possible.

[Trenton Vinh]

Ben's small speeder screamed through Coruscant skylanes, narrowly buildings, catwalks, and other speeders and ships.
He raced down alleys and over towers, tracking the several remaining...whoever they were.
They were on speeder bikes, fleeing the scene of the explosion minutes after the detonation. Ben was sensing they were the guilty party, but there was something else. Something elusive. He rid the though from his mind, it would only get him killed to be distracted at a time like this.

Several Coruscant Security Airspeeders's were nearby, lending support. Ben was in the lead, closest to the terrorists. his brown robes billowed in the wind behind him, adding a dramatic look to his appearance.

He tried to probe their minds, but all he felt was intent. They are desperate to get to The Works... He thought.
Ben accelerated, and took a sharp left turn, veering passed an old model starship, and narrowly avoiding a pair of cargo freighters. He made his way down an alley, a shortcut that- if he timed it right- would take him just ahead of his prey.
Minutes later, he came back out, just ahead of the men on speeders. He tried his best to identify them, but they seemed pretty generic. A trio of them exploded before his eyes, and a look of surprise crossed his face.
He looked up, wind blowing his medium-length hair across his face, seeing a Coruscant Security Vehicle, its blaster cannons steaming.

[Ghev Dralin]

The chase led Cyrus into The Works, though he kept an eye on Ben at all times; if it wasn't for other CSF airspeeders joining in the pursuit, he'd have snatched the boy already.
He'd have to dispatch them quickly. With Ben's speeder alongside his own, it wouldn't be difficult to kill the witnesses and leave himself enough time to capture the boy; the problem was, he'd have to do it at high speed.
Don't think, just act.

He retracted the canopy of his airspeeder, and pulled something from his belt. Arming it, he released it into the backdraft of wind soaring past his speeder, letting the current carry it to the middle CSF airspeeder.
It was a sticky grenade, with enough yield to take out all the pursuing CSF speeders in one blast.
He set the speeder's cannons to auto, jamming the trigger, his stolen vehicle pouring an unhindered barrage of laserfire into the hired thugs.
The CSF speeders exploded, disappearing into a ball of flame which grew larger as the debris smashed the cap from a gas hub, venting methane into the fire.
The thugs died one by one, either caught in Cyrus's stream of cannon fire, or clipping the vanes of their speeders on the sides of buildings as they turned to look at the explosion.

Now, Cyrus. Act!
The bounty hunter released his crash webbing and activated his jetpack, simultaneously firing his wrist-mounted net launcher at Ben. Four piton's shot forth, and split apart, extending a metal web crackling with energy between them, attached to Cyrus's gauntlet as he rocketed over Ben's speeder.
All too easy.

********

If pain and despair were an artform, Nefari's brushstroke never fell short. Her finger traced the grooved edges of the containment field emitter, a large conical contraption in the centre of the room she'd chosen to become her centre of operations here at Kessel.
Simple technology, at it's core. When activated, it was designed to trap an organism - such as a human - in it's centre, suspended above the ground, unable to move. It prevented a force-sensitive individual - such as Ben - from exerting his or her powers. In short, it was perfect for rendering a Jedi useless, though Nefari had installed a few optional extras to keep her guest entertained.

"Find Drake" she said, to thin air. "Tell him I wish to talk with him".
Xavier stirred, and uncurled himself in the corner of the rocky chamber. He yawned, double-pointed fangs gleaming.
"I won't repeat myself, Gurlanin" she murmered.
"Very well" Xavier replied indifferently, and silently stalked into the caverns to find the Sith Master.

The chamber was more than adequate for her needs. One main entrance, with an observation platform cut into the rock 15 feet above the ground. The platform could be reached by a simple elevator rig built against the rock, and from the platform led a winding corridor which served as the second - and more discreet - entrance to the chamber. And, Nefari mused, the safest.
Though it was dark and dank, and still relatively unfurbished like the rest of the asteroid base, it was accessible by the rail system that had been installed.
Nefari, however, had wanted to add a personal touch. It had taken her hours to work the illusion, and even longer to learn how to make it sustain itself, but now the entrance to the chamber appeared to be barred by a rockfall and various degrees of stalagmites and stalactites.

Some of those stalagmites and stalactites were, infact, real. She didn't want the wrong people finding this area too easily before it was time. Of course, once someone shattered the illusion, they would no longer see it. People like Drake Paladin and Raeph Sunder would need to come and go from this room, so it made little sense to test their observational skills - both peripheral and Force assisted - every time they wished to do so.
She'd had Trenton in mind when she'd worked the illusion. Once the Jedi, The Darkest Knight, arrived, she'd need time to finish her business and leave. The rockfall illusion provided ample distraction, and once he broke through that, he'd still have to pick his way through a maze of razor-sharp rocks.

But Trenton was what Nefari wished to speak to Drake about. She had questions, and without appearing too invasive, she wanted answers to them.

[Trenton Vinh]

Drake was meditating in his quarters, his lightsaber floating in the air in front of him, in dozens of tiny pieces.
With The Force, the lightsaber built itself, blade emitter, crystal, power-source, all came together underneath the jet black hilt. The hilt was straight and just a few inches longer than a normal lightsaber, made primarily to give a more comfortable two-handed grip. It was not too large to be cumbersome when used with just one hand, but Drake preferred the extra length purely out of personal style. His use of the Juyo Lightsaber Combat form made a little extra reach an excellent thing to have.
His now-rebuilt lightsaber gently clipped itself to his belt.
Xavier, Nefari's...was it a pet?- Gurlanin, stalked in and said, "Nefari would like to see you."

Drake frowned, two sharpened incisors biting down on his lip firmly enough to draw two drops of blood, than stood slowly. Normally, he would refuse to be called upon as if he was no more than a slave, or a lowly servant, but he wasn't going to bother letting his pride drive him. There were more important things than his dignity. He made his way towards her quarters, his muscles relaxed, but slightly taut. He was eagerly awaiting the arrival of the young Jedi. And then, the arrival of Trenton...


*****

Ben felt a prickle of danger sense, and leaned over in his chair, pressing his cheek to the cushion next to him. He saw something blur past him, but was already pushing his speeder into a steep dive. He didn't look back, instead he brought his speeder to several meters above a rooftop, and jumped off, landing hard on the roof and rolling to his feet. His lightsaber came to life, his now-deserted speeder flying downwards at a steep angle, past traffic and into the darkness of the undercity.
His green blade was held in one hand, in an angle across his chest. He looked around, eyes darting everywhere for the source of whatever had almost hit him.
He let The Force flow into him, and tried to search for an attacker in sight.
Ben tried to remain calm, but couldn't shake the nasty feeling that he had been pulled into a trap.

[Ghev Dralin]

Xavier led Drake through the winding passages, not stopping to see if the Sith Master was keeping pace.
"I'll never understand why you Sith lack manners" Xavier mused, springing from wall to wall and landing gracefully 30 paces away. He turned, sitting upright, and considered the Master.
"Actually, there's a lot about you people I don't understand" he admitted. He led Drake through the spiralling tunnel which ran to the observation platform in Nefari's chamber.
"I'm not coming in with you, I'm going to see what I can hunt in this desolate place. Perhaps a Mynock or two" Xavier muttered, imitating a human shrug rather well. He left without another word.

********

Cyrus didn't waste time with cursing as his net missed; only a poor worker would blame his tools, and not his own inadequacies. But an even poorer worker wouldn't know how to overcome those inadequacies and capitalise on the situation.
He rocketed after the speeder, and landed on the rooftop opposite Ben, loading another net container into his gauntlet.
"You're way out of your depth, boy" he said, throwing an armed grenade across the rooftop, aiming for it to land behind Ben so that he'd have no choice but to come forward.
Regardless of whether or not it worked, he was already raising his left arm, the gauntlet spraying a cloud toward Ben; nerve gas. Nothing permanently damaging.
Cyrus wanted this over, so he could get paid.

********

Her instruments of torture were, perhaps, stylised a little dramatically. Oversized blades, ornate electro-probes, brightly coloured substances with unknown (but probably unpleasant) properties... even a tank of sand-scorpions, black with vivid red markings.
Dramatic, but intentional. If she wanted to break Ben's body, she'd simply carve him up with a scalpel. But it was his mind she wanted to unhinge, and such an obvious display was meant to assist with that.

"Master Paladin" she murmered, not turning to see him come into the room. She'd felt the approach of Xavier - the beast daren't hide itself from her - and assumed Drake was with him.
She picked up a rather ornate looking blade, as long as her forearm, it's hilt encrusted with rubies. It was ridiculous, and expensive, and wouldn't be much use in a battle. Despite it's razor sharp blade, it was nothing more than a trinket; unless applied properly.
"Why do we do it?" she asked suddenly, her voice seeming distant, distracted, as she gazed into the largest of the rubies. "This... satire, this parody" she continued. "'The Brotherhood of Darkness'... even our collective name implies unity, equality. Servitude to the Force" she spat. "We're on the verge of becoming the Jedi Order".

She set the knife down, aware that what she was saying would be frowned upon. She didn't hold her tongue.
"We need to rise above our petty differences, and set aside the idea that everyone in this Order is working against us" she said. "The nature of the Sith is to seek power, gain power, and control. 'Through victory my chains are broken'. How can we hope to break our chains, if we're still enslaved to our paranoia and our hatred?"
She paused, looking Drake in the eye.
"I want to make sure our intentions, here at Kessel, are clear to one another" she stated simply. He'd know what she spoke of. Or rather, who she spoke of. Trenton.

[Trenton Vinh]

Ben saw someone land on the rooftop a distance away, a small metallic object flying towards him.
No, not towards him; past him.
Ben frowned, taking a half second to gauge the outfit of the person that was attacking him. Judging by the armor, Ben's first guess was Bounty Hunter.
Ben assumed the man was hunting him, whether because he was a Jedi or because he was Ben, he didn't know. And, guessing by the use of a non-lethal weapon earlier when he had tried to capture Ben, the hunter probably wanted him alive. But that didn't mean the Hunter wouldn't kill him.
Ben waved his free hand, causing the grenade to speed its descent, landing a few meters further from him than planned. It would save him from getting too close the the Bounty Hunter, at least not until Ben had the upper-hand.
The grenade exploded, showering Ben in superheated duracrete shrapnel.
He immersed himself in The Force, fighting past the pain and with one hand, patted down a flame that had sprouted on the shoulder of his robes.
He took a few steps forward, but tried his best to remain a safe enough distance away to give himself time to mount a defense against the bounty Hunter's arsenal.
Then the hunter sprayed some gaseous cloud at Ben.
Ben was unsure if it was fatal poison gas, or something non-fatal, paralytic, perhaps.
He took a deep breath and thrust one hand forward, an invisible sphere of Force Energy keeping the gas out, and some oxygen in.
Ben suppressed a smile as the technique worked perfectly, Trenton's Holocron had taught him to defend himself against such attacks. Apparently, it even worked in vacuum.
His eyes widened as he realized the gas was too thick for him to see the Bounty Hunter on the other side, which left Ben wide open to attack.
Worried something was already coming, Ben threw himself sideways, ducking behind a ventilation duct and glancing around the far side, towards the Bounty Hunter.
Almost ready for the Jedi Trials, he was trained well, but against a Bounty Hunter...one that was confident enough to face a Jedi in combat...
Ben felt like he was over his head, and felt worry and fear beginning to creep into his consciousness. He fought it back, allowing himself to be distracted by such emotions would get him killed.
But Trenton had taught him such emotions could save his life...that he shouldn't rid himself of them, but embrace them.
Trenton's teachings and the Jedi teachings conflicted in so many ways, Ben found it hard to decide what to do.
Philosophy later! Focus on the present! When there are actions that can be made, act. I can focus on the principles and issues later. He thought.


*****

Drake followed Xavier through the empty dark passageways of the cave, listening to his banter. He didn't pay it much attention, creatures of the sort always loved to condescend whenever they were given the chance.
He arrived in Nefari's quarters and listened to her speak, eyebrows raised.
He answered, "I suppose by we you mean you and the other Sith in the Brotherhood? I'm one of the few Sith who hasn't set up traps in their quarters and spies to be sure no one is plotting against them. This paranoia will just cause more issues. We will destroy ourselves."

He thought for a moment, when she asked about his intentions on Kessel. She knew he was more interested in Trenton than Ben, he could tell that much.
He wondered how much to tell her, and instead opted for saying, "If you're wondering that it is a feud between him and I, it is not. I have much larger things than personal conflicts in mind."

[Ghev Dralin]

Nefari smiled, despite herself. Her question had been very tactfully evaded.
"I know you neither like nor trust me" she said, adding emphasis to the latter. "So I won't mince my words or beat around the bush. We both have very seperate goals here, so I'm going to go out on a limb and share.
"I believe Ben - the Padawan - is the key to ending this pathetic parody. I believe that through him, the Sith can reclaim their former glory. I believe that in order for this to happen, he has to be coerced into joining us without knowing who we are, and he has to be manipulated into destroying Trenton" she stated, her voice unflinching.

She opened the heated tank, and gently coaxed the scorpion into her palm. It didn't sting her, and she gripped it by it's upraised tail, dangling the black and red arachnid before her eyes.
"The venom of this scorpion is fast acting... it stings and burns, and wreaks agony on the victims nervous system, but it doesn't kill. Not at first".
She twisted her wrist, to let Drake examine the creature.
"It slowly shuts down organs, putting them to sleep. Once the victim realises he's been stung, he is already in too much pain to realise his paralysis, and the inevitability of his fate".
With her free hand, she plucked a vial from beside the tank.
"The antidote. Ironically enough, the key ingredient is the very venom which it is intended to cure. To end the torment, one must accept the instigator".

She hoped her point had reached Drake; that to end his suffering at the hands of the Sith, Ben would have to accept them, and in doing so, join them.

********

Cyrus chuckled, enjoying himself. It was rare these days, to pit himself openly against a Jedi. Ever since the downfall of the Empire, and the reinstatement of the Jedi in the public eye as the protectors of justice, he'd hardly had time to exercise his prowess and extend the reputation he'd so gratefully built.
The boy may only be a padawan, but from the rumours, he was associated with the best, if not the least conventional, Jedi in the order.

He fired a wrist rocket, obliterating the ventilation duct opening to nothing but charred, twisted metal.
"You're not trying" he scolded.
He fired another wrist rocket at the only remaining ventilation duct, leaving the rooftop an open area.
"Make me earn my credits, boy" he chuckled, unhooking a stun-bola from his belt and charging it. He swung the bola, two electrified balls attached to a cable, around his head, then released it.
The intention of the bola was to spin toward the opponent, snag on his body or neck, and wrap around until the metal balls struck. Though in this case, they'd shock as well as strike.

As his bola spiralled through the air toward Ben, Cyrus fired a tranquiliser-filled dart at the boy's abdomen.
He'd come prepared, and where a job was concerned, there was no such thing as overkill. The natives of Omiddelon III had learned that the hard way.

[Trenton Vinh]

Drake felt a malevolent smile cross his pale lips. He nodded slowly, thinking, The boy is strong. But he will break. Nefari will have her prize. And I will gain mine soon after.
Drake had been wondering for a short while, "And do you believe we are ready to reveal ourselves to the Jedi? Once they arrive...you must choose to fight, and possibly die...Or hide, run, and keep The Brotherhood hidden in the shadows until a later time. Raeph has already willingly offered to risk his life in order to ensure the Brotherhood remains a secret. He will die fighting if he must. Do you think we are ready?"

He watched her carefully, examining her form, taking her in. She was intimidating, deadly. She was truly a Dark Lady of The Sith. He respected her, despite her paranoia, but at least she was trying to change things. Or perhaps she is just trying to get me to lower the guard she thinks I have up. To make a strike. She is a Sith. I would not put it beyond her.
He stifled the thought. He was now himself acting like a paranoid Sith. He almost shook his head, It really does create a self-fulfilling prophecy. Our distrust in one another is our greatest weakness.


*****

Ben know the rocket was coming a split second before it was fired. He dove, his energy blade shutting down for a split second so he wouldn't impale himself with it as he rolled. Durasteel shards of metal pierced his skin, cutting gashes in his robes. His roll carried him just underneath an object that sizzled as it flew overhead. He came up, yanking his Jedi Robes from his shoulders, tearing it in half. He flung the heavy material towards the bounty hunter, just in time for it to catch a small projectile that had been aimed at Ben.

Ben felt The Force tell him something. Act now.
He moved forward, his motion fluid and smooth. His numerous small cuts and burns unhampered his step. He closed the fifteen feet between him and the Bounty Hunter in a split second, and vaulted into the air. His blade arced downwards, slicing the Bounty Hunter from his left shoulder to his right hip.
The blade sizzled across armor, and Ben stared at the Bounty Hunter from a pace away, feeling a slight tinge of empowerment in his victory.
But...The Bounty hunter did not fall down, cut in half, as he should have. Ben had a moment to look down at the lightsaber hilt he held in his palm.
His eyes caught the power dial of the training lightsaber- turned to low for training exercises. It would singe flesh, but not even scar armor.
He opened his mouth, "Fu-" and then a sharp blow cracked against his skull. The world went black.

[Ghev Dralin]

Cyrus thought he'd lost. Game over. The lightsaber slashed across him, and he expected a short, painless death.
It didn't come. Then something dawned on him, a realisation; his armour was crafted from tightly-weaved Mandalorian Iron. He'd never taken a strike from a lightsaber before, never let a Jedi get close enough to try.

Something still wasn't right; the boy was checking his weapon. It should have at least left a scorch mark, charred the paint of his armour...
Think later, take him down.
Cyrus raised his armour-plated arm, and cracked the boy in the side of his head, catching him hard with the iron gauntlet sheathing his forearm.
He tilted his head at the crumpled Jedi; there was something unjust about it all. That a Padawan should be the first to strike him with a lightsaber - he'd taken down Masters! - was insulting, but to think he'd stolen this victory through a misjudgement? An observational failure?
He removed his helmet and spat, the thought leaving a sour taste in his mouth.
"Someday, kid, we'll do this again. To the death" he vowed, unwinding a metal chord from his belt and binding Ben's wrists and ankles. He made sure to take the lightsaber and clip it to his belt, then called his ship by remote; he wasn't about to trek through Coruscant carrying an unconscious and bound Jedi over his shoulder.

As his ship began to loom on the horizon, he hoisted the limp Jedi from the ground, stabbing him in the thigh with a tranquiliser to ensure he didn't awaken any time soon. Then, he activated his wrist comm, and spoke the simple words of victory:
"It's done".

********

Nefari weighed the options. Expose the Brotherhood, or keep it secret. Risk her life, or ensure her own survival.
But we can never be sure... some outcomes can never be prevented.
"I'll fight if I have to, but only in the name of ensuring the Brotherhood remains cloaked in secrecy" she finally said. "It's too early to bring ourselves out of the shadows. Our enemies are at full strength, and this Yuuzhan Vong threat has them fighting as though they're at the peak of their strength".
She dipped her finger against the stinger of the scorpion she still held, letting the barb penetrate her skin.
She gasped, her black eyes filling with red, her chest heaving as she fought to control herself.

"We must wait until they're weak, vulnerable..." she said, her breath short; she sounded exhilerated, not in pain, but in the throes of passion. "Let the Vong bleed them dry, then... strike while they're recovering" she panted.
She could feel the poison coursing through her veins, trying to put her organs to sleep and paralyse her. She fought back, exuding dark-side energies, biting her lip hard. She wouldn't be able to eliminate the poison from her system; it was far too potent. But with each burning sensation, her desire for the pain intensified, until she felt herself beginning to lose control.

She unscrewed the lid of the vial, and withdrew from it a long needle. She licked the tip, drawing blood from her tongue, and injecting herself with the antidote.
In seconds, it was over. She dropped the scorpion and the antidote into the tank.
"I feel Trenton will not come alone. If Raeph wishes to sacrifice himself for our cause... that's upto you whether or not to let him. I trust your judgement" she smirked.

Her commlink chimed, and she ceased watching Drake, tapping the 'receive' button.
"It's done".
Nefari smiled, once more looking at Drake, almost triumphantly.
"We have a guest to prepare for. I assume the other Sith know of the delicate nature of this operation? If Ben discovers who we are, we had might as well expose the Brotherhood and declare war on the galaxy" she muttered. "Something which, I might add, we aren't at strength to succeed with".

[Trenton Vinh]

Drake watched as Nefari pierced herself with the scorpion, a detached look on his face. He reflected quietly on her words, trying to decide what to make of her.
She was right, of course. It would be best to wait until the Jedi were on their knees. The Brotherhood Of Darkness would stride up calmly, exerting little effort, and cleave the Jedi head from its shoulders.
He thought of the poison coursing through her veins, and was tempted to exert some energy to make himself small in The Force, a power that would allow him to view the universe at a molecular level. He could attempt to change the poison into a much less potent one, or turn it into something as benign as water..
But he didn't. He wasn't entirely sure he would be effective in changing the poison anyway. He had not completely mastered the power yet.
He would teach Nefari the technique in time, if she proved herself worthy to him. Thus far, he had seen her do little but act deadly. He couldn't wait to see her in action.
But that time may not come for quite some time. Hopefully she wouldn't need to fight. He would get The Sith to hide when the Jedi arrived, they would not reveal themselves yet. The Jedi knew of Drake and Raeph's existence, and the Jedi knew that it was only a matter of time before the pair reemerged from the shadows.
What the Jedi didn't know, however, was that Raeph and Drake now had far more powerful allies, far greater resources, and far greater strength than they had years before...

Drake was jerked from his thoughts when Nefari spoke, "It's done."
He nodded, "So it is."
She carried on,
"We have a guest to prepare for. I assume the other Sith know of the delicate nature of this operation? If Ben discovers who we are, we had might as well expose the Brotherhood and declare war on the galaxy" she muttered. "Something which, I might add, we aren't at strength to succeed with."
Drake nodded, "Raeph knows what he is doing. As for any others...Perhaps you would be the best one to tell them what to do. I suspect they will take more kindly to your orders than they would mine."

[Ghev Dralin]

Nefari checked everything was ready; two days had passed since Cyrus had informed her of Ben's capture, and she'd already told the other Sith of the need for secrecy.
As such, she'd sent Konnor to gather food and supplies; not an important task, but it kept the boy out of her hair while she performed her art on Ben.

She checked a console, it's screen showing the view from the landing pad security camera's; a familiar ship had just set down, it's ramp lowering.

********

Cyrus gestured to the red-robed Krath servants that guarded the entrance to the mine shaft, their appearance somewhat reminiscent of the old Imperial Royal Guards, except for their lack of helmets.
"The boy is in there" he said, pointing with a thumb over his shoulder, indicating the cargo hold. "He's strapped to a medical gurney, hooked to a charge unit" he explained. The gurney, electrified just enough to keep the boy from focusing, was cobbled together to keep Force-sensitives from escaping by stopping them from using the Force. He knew there were more effective methods, but the gurney worked, and was cheap to run.

Over the past two days, he'd made sure the charge wasn't continuous; he was counting on the boy leaving some sort of trail in the Force, though he wasn't sure of the effectiveness of that method. Therefore he'd made sure his stray tranquiliser dart had remained at the scene, a saber dart most commonly associated with the mines of Subterrel.
This little piece of forensic evidence had given Cyrus an idea; so he'd stopped at Subterrel on his way to Kessel, set up traps, then continued on his journey, leaving behind Ben's lightsaber and traces of glitterstim, obtained from the load he had in his cargo hold from a prior bounty.
Then, he'd continued on his way to Kessel, making sure to tranquilise the Jedi again, so as not to encounter any problems along the final stretch of the journey.

"He is sedated..." one of the Krath guards mentioned, as the gurney was guided out of the cargo hold on repulsors.
"Better sedated than dead" Cyrus growled, turning his back on the guards and heading into the mine shaft, to the waiting railcar.

********

"Lady Nefari, they've arrived..."
"Yes, I know" she murmered, her eyes opening; though brief, her meditation had allowed her to clear her mind and focus on what must be done. "Show them in through the observation deck".

She waited a minute, two... then heard footsteps echoing through the tunnels behind the chamber, growing steadily louder until an armoured figure appeared on the observation deck.
"Congratulations on your success, Cyrus" she purred, as he rode the elevator platform down.
"I don't need your congratulations, only your credits" he replied, approaching her and holding out his hand expectantly.
"Naturally" Nefari replied, her smile wavering, as she handed him a datapad detailing the transaction.
"You've paid me extra" Cyrus observed. "And I'm not foolish enough to suspect generosity. What other services do you want?"
"I want you to stay for a while. You'll come in handy if a fight breaks out, and the Sith are unable to reveal their identities" she replied, turning her back on him.
"You assume I'm interested?" Cyrus asked, placing the datapad ontop of a console.
"Extra credits to sit on your behind and relax, until the prospect of killing Jedi arises... yes, I think you're interested" she replied. "Now leave me, I have much to do, and limited time in which to do it".

Her Krath guards brought Ben into the chamber, and unstrapped him, placing him on the emitter of the containment field, then activated it. Ben's limp form rose into the air, surrounded by red light, and energy forked out to his ankles and wrists, binding him.
"Leave us" Nefari snarled at her guards, raising her hood, becoming a wraith in the darkness.

[Ta'hok]

When Leah returned to Kessel her fear was so intense it was almost out of control. What was she to do? The assassin could be anywhere, hiding in any shadow, tracking her down this hallway right now. She spun but no one was behind her. Her movements bespoke barely contained panic. She jumped at any sound whether real of imagined. Finally she couldn't stand it any longer. She knelt against a wall and waited. Her breath was quick and uneven, her heart racing in her throat. Calm down Leah. You need to calm down. But her mind was no where near calm. Ironically she was the same room where Drake had first helped her meditate. But meditation was the last thing she wanted to achieve here. She couldn't allow herself into that world of peace and calm. If she did he might overpower her and kill her there. Her eyes darted all about jumping from shadow to shadow trying to refuse him the element of surprise. She couldn't afford for him to get the jump on her.

[Ghev Dralin]

Konnor sat in one of the caverns, adjusting his gauntlet fixtures; in recent months, his muscle mass had increased, and now his forearms were too large for a comfortable fit.
Pulling the phrik gauntlets on, he flexed and adjusted their position, then slid his lightsabers into their housings, locking them into place.

Something caught his attention; fear. He could smell it in the air, feel it penetrating his mind, almost intoxicating.
He stood, and followed his senses and instincts, wondering who amongst the Sith here on Kessel was so afraid, and curious as to what had them in this state.
It didn't take long for him to find the source, though once he had sight of Leah, her fear was mingled with conflict, as though she were struggling with some internal decision.
"You should learn to mask your emotions..." he said, quietly so as not to startle her.
He cocked his head to a side, and slowly approached, lowering the hood of his sleeveless tunic, his visible skin notably devoid of tattoo's, unlike many of the Sith in the brotherhood.
"You're afraid... of what?" he asked, coming as close as Leah would allow, his eyes showing genuine concern. "You're among members of the Brotherhood. Nobody here seeks to harm you..."

********

The boy is so fragile, so conflicted about his place in the galaxy, even within the Jedi Order. He's been taught about the tragic consequences of attachment, yet I sense a profound need to see his master and his brother survive... he clings to their lives in spite of his training.
Nefari studied Ben, still unconscious in his containment field, his body slowly rotating, suspended in red light. She reached out, her hand a hairs-breadth from the outer limits of the field; she could feel him, even asleep, a beacon of Force energy waiting to realise it's full potential.
She broke into his mind, as easily as a knife slipping through butter. Opening herself to the Force, she commanded it to show her the future, each eventuality connected to the boy, and she shared it with him.
She experienced flashes of truth, possibilities, outcomes and predictions similar to those she'd experienced when seeing him aboard 'Kylantha's Jewel'.
Ben, watching his master struck down by Drake Paladin; Ben cradling the head of his dead brother; Ben being exiled from the Jedi Order; Ben leading an army of lightsaber-wielding soldiers through Coruscant; Ben kneeling before a shadowed figure...

It was endless, out of sequence, one eventuality mixing with another and creating a blur of senseless events that could become reality with gentle probing.
Smiling, she left his mind, allowing his dreams to digest the visions she'd implanted, and manifest doubts and fear within him.
You will be mine, Ben...

[Ta'hok]

Leah struggled on with her emotions. Were those footsteps she heard? Instinct told her she should stand so that she wouldn't be caught on the floor but she didn't trust her knees to support her weight.

"You should learn to mask your emotions..."

Almost instantly her heart was in her throat. She turned her purple hair - so dark it was nearly black - whipped around her face. Her wide eyes stared at Konnor in blatant fear until he removed his hood enabling her mind to finally recognized who was standing there. She allowed herself to breathe past the constriction in her throat. Closing her eyes and trying again to calm herself as he approached. Her previous anger emerged allowing her to regain some control over her emotions by stifling her fear with rage. She heard his question and took a moment to consider how best to answer it.

"Have you heard legends of a man who walked so seamlessly with the shadows that he has never been caught and kills at his own whims?" She could feel her heart slowing, calming it's harried pace, her breathing became smoother, more steady and calm as her mind reoriented itself. Yes, she was among friends here, well mostly. She turned her head to Konnor awaiting his response.

[Ghev Dralin]

Konnor raised an eyebrow, then kneeled down to her level. He searched her eyes, biting his own lip absent mindedly, as if her face had stunned him into silence. Finally, he spoke.
"I've heard of many such men, and women" he said. "Though I think you're speaking literally, not figuratively".

He stood, and picked up a rock from the floor of the cavern.
"The Sith... hide in the shadows, make themselves unattainable and unseeable" he murmered, rolling the rock over in his hand. "We bide our time, we hang to the darkness and wait for our enemy to become vulnerable. Then, and only then, do we find a weakness..." he smiled, seeking out the shatterpoint of the rock in his hand. It crumbled, turning to dust in his palm.
"That is when we strike. This man of whom you speak is no different, by the sounds of it... but it doesn't take a scholar to work out that it is he who has you so afraid".

He cleared his throat, and brushed the dust from his palm. Then, he sat cross-legged on the floor, opposite Leah.
"If he can kill at whim, then he is infact to be feared, perhaps. Yet the fact remains that he is still a man. Fallible, and avoidable. If he wants you, he first has to find you. The Sith have been hiding for a long time... we're experts at it. Like I said, you're among allies".