OOM: Onwards to Dromund Kass
Mar. 3rd, 2014 12:51 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
last_kallig(OOC: Some lines taken from canon.)
Dromund Kaas is a world of jungle and swamp, rich in non-sentient life. Ibani can feel it through the Force, the tangling chords and notes of plants and beasts pressing on her senses for a moment before retreating to the background. She can taste ozone on her tongue as she exits the Black Talon and enters the spaceport. Lightning arcs through the cloudy sky above, but brings no rain.
Metal walls in industrial grey define the spaceport, all sharp, stark lines that loom over the visitor. Dromund Kass is the heart of the Empire, its only city carved out of the jungle at the Emperor's command. Most of the population is Sith or military, with the few civilians serving the needs of both.
Khem's presence keeps other travelers at a distance, but she can still hear murmurs of conversation as she passes. Some powerful and terrible spirit named Lord Kallig woke in the Dark Temple a few days ago and it's not safe for even the best of the Imperial Reclamation Service to go in there now. Lord Grathan continues to defy the Council's will from his estate, holding his own beyond the Wall. A statue deep in the jungle that was being built for Darth Vowran is still unfinished because the off-world slaves have revolted. For all the droids patrolling the streets, for all the seeming order and calm, all is not well.
As she approaches customs, she feels a strong, dark, presence in the Force. A massive man, more machine than flesh, is the embodiment of that presence. On his heels are two Trandoshan bodyguards. One bodyguard looks at her disdainfully. She can only understand part of his hissing speech, but 'toy of Zash' rankles badly enough.
Their master sneers. "Quiet, bodyguard. Save your hissing for your own kind. As for you, slave, Darth Skotia is passing - best get out of his way."
Ibani bristles internally at the mortal insult, but doesn't let it show. She thinks bitterly to herself that the more things change the more they stay the same. It's her early days on Korriban all over again, and if she lets him walk all over her she'll never have a moment's peace. For all his power, he's a petty bully. Pathetic. "It's not healthy to refer to yourself in the third person," Ibani replies dryly, looking him the eye. "And I'll stay right where I am." She can feel Khem's approval at that, his eagerness to do battle with the Sith before her.
Darth Skotia's power swells with his anger, but he doesn't strike at her. "You're making a huge mistake, filth," he replies. "Give your master a message for me. My eye is on her, and I know what she is trying to do here on Dromund Kaas. I alone have the key, and neither you or your master has a future on Dromund Kaas or in the Sith Order. Tell her that, and get out of my way!" The massive Sith easily shoulders his way past her, but Ibani counts it as a victory.
"What do you think of him, Khem?" she asks the Dashade.
"It is more machine than man, I think. Bad for the digestion," he replies. Ibani grins despite herself at what may be the Dashade's dark sense of humor.
***************************************************
The Citadel looms over everything on Dromund Kaas, banners providing splashes of red on otherwise dark surroundings. That her Master's office is HERE, in a place usually reserved for members of the Dark Council, speaks to her growing influence and power.
Ibani enters the office, Khem just behind her. "Are you acquainted with a big, ugly, half-machine Dark Lord? He insisted on giving me a message for you," Ibani explains. "You'd think someone with that much technology in him would know how to make a holo call."
Lord Zash frowns, clearly displeased. "Damn Skotia!" she begins, starting to pace. "What business has he, going behind my back, speaking to my apprentice! He was undoubtedly trying to intimidate you."
Ibani nods, letting her master continue her rant in hopes of getting information that her master might not normally reveal.
"Wretched monster," Lord Zash continues. "More machine than man and dangerously powerful. Ever since I arrived on Dromund Kaas as an apprentice he's made every effort to stand in my way. Ultimately, we cannot even begin the search for Tulak Hord's ancient power with Skotia's rattling breath on our necks."
Ibani's mind latches on to that last sentence. Tulak Hord's 'ancient power' must be what Skotia claimed to have the key to, must be the work she did not want to mention on Korriban.
"He is flesh. He can be killed, Khem declares with a snort.
"He tried to have me killed on Korriban," Ibani says with a frown. "Until someone stops him from breathing, he's going to be a problem."
Lord Zash smiles and stops her pacing. "Yes- and that someone is you. You are going to kill Skotia for me."
Ibani manages not to let her shock show on her face, but it is a very near things. A newly minted apprentice killing a Darth? Impossible! But getting the holocron from the tomb of Marka Ragnos and retrieving the map from the tomb of Naga Sadow were supposed to be impossible and she did both. "The impossible is my specialty," Ibani allows.
"I cannot be tied to Skotia's murder," Lord Zash explains. "Brazen power plays make the Dark Council nervous. But nobody will believe that a mere apprentice could defeat Skotia. It's impossible, and that's why it will work. I've begun to piece together the puzzle for Darth Skotia's destruction, but some elements have yet to fall into place."
"Is there an element I should help fall into place?" Ibani asks.
Lord Zash shakes her head. "For now, I ask that you rest, get to know Kaas City and Dromund Kaas. I will summon you when it is time for the next stage of the plan."
Ibani bows, sensing the dismissal in the phrase. Time to rest, explore, and see if she can coax the door to Milliways into cooperating.
Dromund Kaas is a world of jungle and swamp, rich in non-sentient life. Ibani can feel it through the Force, the tangling chords and notes of plants and beasts pressing on her senses for a moment before retreating to the background. She can taste ozone on her tongue as she exits the Black Talon and enters the spaceport. Lightning arcs through the cloudy sky above, but brings no rain.
Metal walls in industrial grey define the spaceport, all sharp, stark lines that loom over the visitor. Dromund Kass is the heart of the Empire, its only city carved out of the jungle at the Emperor's command. Most of the population is Sith or military, with the few civilians serving the needs of both.
Khem's presence keeps other travelers at a distance, but she can still hear murmurs of conversation as she passes. Some powerful and terrible spirit named Lord Kallig woke in the Dark Temple a few days ago and it's not safe for even the best of the Imperial Reclamation Service to go in there now. Lord Grathan continues to defy the Council's will from his estate, holding his own beyond the Wall. A statue deep in the jungle that was being built for Darth Vowran is still unfinished because the off-world slaves have revolted. For all the droids patrolling the streets, for all the seeming order and calm, all is not well.
As she approaches customs, she feels a strong, dark, presence in the Force. A massive man, more machine than flesh, is the embodiment of that presence. On his heels are two Trandoshan bodyguards. One bodyguard looks at her disdainfully. She can only understand part of his hissing speech, but 'toy of Zash' rankles badly enough.
Their master sneers. "Quiet, bodyguard. Save your hissing for your own kind. As for you, slave, Darth Skotia is passing - best get out of his way."
Ibani bristles internally at the mortal insult, but doesn't let it show. She thinks bitterly to herself that the more things change the more they stay the same. It's her early days on Korriban all over again, and if she lets him walk all over her she'll never have a moment's peace. For all his power, he's a petty bully. Pathetic. "It's not healthy to refer to yourself in the third person," Ibani replies dryly, looking him the eye. "And I'll stay right where I am." She can feel Khem's approval at that, his eagerness to do battle with the Sith before her.
Darth Skotia's power swells with his anger, but he doesn't strike at her. "You're making a huge mistake, filth," he replies. "Give your master a message for me. My eye is on her, and I know what she is trying to do here on Dromund Kaas. I alone have the key, and neither you or your master has a future on Dromund Kaas or in the Sith Order. Tell her that, and get out of my way!" The massive Sith easily shoulders his way past her, but Ibani counts it as a victory.
"What do you think of him, Khem?" she asks the Dashade.
"It is more machine than man, I think. Bad for the digestion," he replies. Ibani grins despite herself at what may be the Dashade's dark sense of humor.
***************************************************
The Citadel looms over everything on Dromund Kaas, banners providing splashes of red on otherwise dark surroundings. That her Master's office is HERE, in a place usually reserved for members of the Dark Council, speaks to her growing influence and power.
Ibani enters the office, Khem just behind her. "Are you acquainted with a big, ugly, half-machine Dark Lord? He insisted on giving me a message for you," Ibani explains. "You'd think someone with that much technology in him would know how to make a holo call."
Lord Zash frowns, clearly displeased. "Damn Skotia!" she begins, starting to pace. "What business has he, going behind my back, speaking to my apprentice! He was undoubtedly trying to intimidate you."
Ibani nods, letting her master continue her rant in hopes of getting information that her master might not normally reveal.
"Wretched monster," Lord Zash continues. "More machine than man and dangerously powerful. Ever since I arrived on Dromund Kaas as an apprentice he's made every effort to stand in my way. Ultimately, we cannot even begin the search for Tulak Hord's ancient power with Skotia's rattling breath on our necks."
Ibani's mind latches on to that last sentence. Tulak Hord's 'ancient power' must be what Skotia claimed to have the key to, must be the work she did not want to mention on Korriban.
"He is flesh. He can be killed, Khem declares with a snort.
"He tried to have me killed on Korriban," Ibani says with a frown. "Until someone stops him from breathing, he's going to be a problem."
Lord Zash smiles and stops her pacing. "Yes- and that someone is you. You are going to kill Skotia for me."
Ibani manages not to let her shock show on her face, but it is a very near things. A newly minted apprentice killing a Darth? Impossible! But getting the holocron from the tomb of Marka Ragnos and retrieving the map from the tomb of Naga Sadow were supposed to be impossible and she did both. "The impossible is my specialty," Ibani allows.
"I cannot be tied to Skotia's murder," Lord Zash explains. "Brazen power plays make the Dark Council nervous. But nobody will believe that a mere apprentice could defeat Skotia. It's impossible, and that's why it will work. I've begun to piece together the puzzle for Darth Skotia's destruction, but some elements have yet to fall into place."
"Is there an element I should help fall into place?" Ibani asks.
Lord Zash shakes her head. "For now, I ask that you rest, get to know Kaas City and Dromund Kaas. I will summon you when it is time for the next stage of the plan."
Ibani bows, sensing the dismissal in the phrase. Time to rest, explore, and see if she can coax the door to Milliways into cooperating.
