Knights of the Old Republic: Rise of the Reavers

General Havoc · Post by **General Havoc** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 9:20 pm

Ryassek laughed darkly. "I have no reason to kill you, human, and I will only rob you if you are unreasonable. But I thank you for the warning."

He glanced around the shop for another moment, using the Force to ensure that something wasn't about to barge in the door behind him with a stunner or a thermal detonator. There was no telling how many eyes saw him enter here.

"Tell me of the other," he said. "I can feel it's presence here. Tell me what you know of it, and what price you would ask, and perhaps we can do business."

Cynical Cat · Post by **Cynical Cat** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 9:27 pm

"I don't know it's providence," said the old man, "I do know that the man who sold it to me didn't know what it was, although he had some idea of who the original owner was. He died a few months back, some drunken dispute that escalated to blasters. I held onto it. I chose to try and make some credits, despite the dangers."

He rose to his feet and took a box off the shelf. Jorune placed it on the workbench and opened it. Inside was a golden amulet set with deep crimson crystals and attached to a tangle of gold chains. Under the talisman was a folded scrap of cloth.

General Havoc · Post by **General Havoc** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 9:39 pm

Ryassek's face did not betray the surprise he felt at seeing the amulet. It was not radiating Dark Side energy, instead it seemed to be resonating with it, reflecting his own around the room. He slowly slid the Lightsabre back into his coat as he stepped forward to closely examine what was clearly a powerful Sith or Jedi artifact. He couldn't precisely tell which right now.

"What price would you ask for this," he said. Its resonance with the Force told him all he needed to know about its authenticity. He forebore to mention that the man was taking a larger risk than he knew. Any other Sith would have murdered him and simply taken it, but Ryassek regarded such actions as beneath him, to be reserved only in case the shop owner refused to see reason in parting with the object.

Payment was not a sign of weakness. It was often a sign of wisdom.

Cynical Cat · Post by **Cynical Cat** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 9:50 pm

"A fraction of its true value," said Jorune. "Five hundred credits."

General Havoc · Post by **General Havoc** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 10:26 pm

Ryassek thought the matter over for a moment. He did have five hundred credits, but not much more. He knew that any other Sith would just have murdered the man and taken the gem, but that, he felt, would be wrong. Not morally wrong of course, but what value was this item to him if he gained it through no difficulty of his own. Far better to pay the money and recoup the credits by defeating the enemies he had made on this planet. Slavers and Exchange bounty hunters had plenty of money, after all, and slaying them would be a far more worthy task, replete with opportunities for experience and gain.

Yes. Far better...

"Very well," he said to the human shopkeeper, and placed five hundred credits on the table. "But if this proves some clever fake, then know I will return, and extract more than what I paid originally."

And having completed (in his mind) the transaction, Ryassek lifted the amulet from its box, and gazed into it for a moment, before picking up the scrap of cloth it had sat on and inspecting that for any clues.

Cynical Cat · Post by **Cynical Cat** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 10:30 pm

"Cheat you?" the old man laughed. "You have a treasure at a fraction of the price of the materials. You are not the one who has been cheated. I, on the other hand, have made a slight profit and must yield to circumstance."

The cloth unfolded to reveal a diagram or abstract map on the other side. Five points connected by lines to form a pattern.

Hotfoot · Post by **Hotfoot** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 10:37 pm

"A Jedi?" Zyke sighed, nodding as Dewaddik mentioned "light" weapons. "With the hassle a Jedi is going to bring, we're going to want as much protection as we can get. I'm tempted to give close air support, personally. Barring that, I'm definitely going to keep Ermey with the fighter on call, just in case. Whatever the case, we should have one team on the ground getting information, and another team with the ship in case we need backup." He looked at the three before him with a smirk. "Unless anyone thinks it's going to go smooth?"

LadyTevar · Post by **LadyTevar** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 10:45 pm

"No, I don't," Trys asked. "I'd rather have everyone together in case it all blows up in our face. We can park the Crimson Hand separately, perhaps in the same hanger if we can find one," she answered Zyke, refering to his fighter.

"If we're agreed, I can get us in the air in 20 minutes. Less, if my engine's in one peice," she added, looking over to Zyke.

Hotfoot · Post by **Hotfoot** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 11:07 pm

"I was just looking at a few things, nothing that can't wait until we're in hyperspace, really. I'll have it sealed up in five minutes, easy. We can talk more about what strategy we're going to come at this with when we're in the void."

LadyTevar · Post by **LadyTevar** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 11:20 pm

"Then let me unhook the fuel pipe and get us up."

=============
As promised, within 20minutes the Selonia Sunrise rose up out of Corellia's atmosphere, the Crimson Hand secured in the external cargo berth between the cockpit and the portside flange. As the navigation computer spit out the coordinates, Trys lined the ship up for exit to hyperspace, and pushed the levers forward.

The Selonia Sunrise's engines flared and she leapt forward, leaving only a flash of dopler-light behind. The ship to the Expansion Rim would take only a few hours.

Comrade Tortoise · Post by **Comrade Tortoise** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 11:40 pm

Melek and Asarek could feel the disturbance in the Force as well. Something had happened recently and the Dark Side energies of this place had grown stronger. Something had been fed.

"Do you feel that? A disturbance in the Force. Like something... feeding. We need to investigate this, first priority. Besides I doubt the individual I felt will not have felt it and be drawn to it anyway."

rhoenix · Post by **rhoenix** » Tue Dec 23, 2008 1:40 am

Moving at a swift but deliberate pace through the streets alongside his friend, Melek nodded at his words, smiling, though without showing his teeth. "By all accounts, this should be interesting. I always did enjoy chess."

frigidmagi · Post by **frigidmagi** » Tue Dec 23, 2008 11:09 am

"Maybe it would be best if the ship stayed in orbit and 3 of us went down then when we got there?" Dewaddik asked.

Comrade Tortoise · Post by **Comrade Tortoise** » Tue Dec 23, 2008 2:08 pm

Asarak started to head in the direction of the distutbance at a deliberate but not hurried pace. Seeming to be hurried would make one's self a target.

Marcao · Post by **Marcao** » Tue Dec 23, 2008 5:08 pm

When Zyke arrived he glanced in the Zabrakâ€™s direction and nodded in order to acknowledge his presence. His attention naturally shifted towards Trys as she further clarified the situation. His head turned and he glanced towards Dewaddik as he spoke in his native tongue. He was proficient in understanding the language and arched a brow before he offered a predictable response.

â€œI havenâ€™t been accused of being subtle in years.â€

LadyTevar · Post by **LadyTevar** » Tue Dec 23, 2008 9:38 pm

frigidmagi wrote:"Maybe it would be best if the ship stayed in orbit and 3 of us went down then when we got there?" Dewaddik asked.

They had continued the discusion once they were in transit. "Are you trying to lock me up on the ship so you don't have to pull me out of trouble again?"

General Havoc · Post by **General Havoc** » Wed Dec 24, 2008 12:52 am

"Indeed," said Ryassek with a Rodian smirk as he studied the pattern on the cloth. It did not resemble any symbols he was familiar with, but he doubted seriously it was a random scribble. In order to determine what it represented, he likely would have to begin with an examination of what was now his amulet. The more he considered the matter, the more certain he was that purchasing it had been the right move.

"A dangerous prospect, keeping this around," he said to the shopkeeper. "Any other Sith would likely have killed you for it. How is it I am the first to notice that it was here?"

He already had an idea of what experiments he would run using this amulet, but this was not the place to conduct them, not when there was even money he was to be ambushed upon leaving the store.

frigidmagi · Post by **frigidmagi** » Wed Dec 24, 2008 10:53 am

"Are you trying to lock me up on the ship so you don't have to pull me out of trouble again?"

"It would make a nice change of pace. I thought I was gonna have bald spots after the last time." Dew responded.

LadyTevar · Post by **LadyTevar** » Wed Dec 24, 2008 12:14 pm

"You're the one who went hand-to-hand with him. Not my fault if he pulled out fur." Trys protested. "I still think we should stick together. I just have a feeling about this"

Comrade Tortoise · Post by **Comrade Tortoise** » Wed Dec 24, 2008 12:47 pm

Asarak and presumably Malek eventually found their way through the Force to a small shack lit by chemical lights from mining helmets. He felt two presences, one seemed to reflect off the other, like a Force mirror. Whatever they were, both were strongly attuned to the dark side of the force... and one was definitely the dark side user from before.

Asarak closed his eyes, and tried to feel the thoughts being projected from the shack. If he knew Sith, this one's mental guard might not be up and he might be projecting his emotions and thoughts like a transceiver. Asarak may never have to actually make mental or physical contact in order to ascertain his intent.

frigidmagi · Post by **frigidmagi** » Wed Dec 24, 2008 1:21 pm

"You're the one who went hand-to-hand with him. Not my fault if he pulled out fur." Trys protested. "I still think we should stick together. I just have a feeling about this"

"Considering I went hand to hand with him to keep you from getting shot some might suggest that it was your fault. Still you're driving, so park where ever you like, I'll just compensate in the ammo loud out is all." Dewaddik grumped.

rhoenix · Post by **rhoenix** » Wed Dec 24, 2008 1:39 pm

As his friend began to lose himself in feeling the Force around them, Melek automatically began to keep vigil, keeping his eye out for likely angles, suspicious windows, and avenues of attack. Just in case.

Hotfoot · Post by **Hotfoot** » Wed Dec 24, 2008 3:22 pm

"Well, stick together or not, if we are going to get through this without an overabundance of spent energy cells, we can't have the person who can talk their way out of trouble left on the ship. No offense Dew, but you and Marcus aren't well suited for it, and I do my best negotiating with a detonator in my hands. Don't get me wrong, it likely will come to that, we don't get sent on jobs because we're protocol droids. Still, the less mess we make dealing with Jedi, the less trouble we'll catch on the way. I hope." He looked at Trys and nodded when she talked about her feeling. He had the same feeling too, but he learned long ago that saying you had a bad feeling about things never seemed to make it better. In fact, it always seemed to make things worse, and Jedi were about as bad as it came these days.

He remembered, back during the Mandalorian War, fighting alongside a few Jedi. Revan's followers, good people, fighting for a good cause, but along the way things got....twisted. Then Revan invaded, and the Galaxy went mad. The former hero, now a villian, and then back again. It got to be that you needed an announcer to keep track what side everyone was on, and then the civil wars, or maybe schisms was a better word, in the Jedi and Sith orders.

Jedi, once defenders of the Republic, keepers of order. Now, trouble, no matter what way you looked at it.

A thin metal rod smacked his thigh as he was lost in thought, and a rude binary whistle followed shortly thereafter. Ermey had seen Zyke wander with his thoughts before, and it seemed like the little droid wouldn't have any of it right now.

"Okay, okay, right. I'll get you loaded into the Crimson Hand when we come out of hyperspace. No matter what, I want you to be able to bring her to me if things go Hutt-shaped."

Ermey gave a quick salute with its tool arm that it had just hit Zyke with and wheeled off to talk with the Sunrise and the Hand's computers.

LadyTevar · Post by **LadyTevar** » Wed Dec 24, 2008 5:11 pm

An alarm sounded over the intercom and Trys smiled. "we're coming up on the exit point. Go get the "hand' set up and we'll launch her after I drop the shields."

Trys never forgot the first time she came out of hyperspace without her shields raised. She was lucky it was only the comet's tail she'd fallen out in. After that, she always had shields up when emerging.

General Havoc · Post by **General Havoc** » Wed Dec 24, 2008 6:05 pm

The other disturbances in the Force were closing in. Ryassek now considered it a better than 2 in 3 chance that he was to be ambushed upon leaving the store. Knowing that a trap awaited was of course the first step in avoiding it, but he did not regret having come in here. A challenge awaited, to be overcome. His destiny had granted him a second gift today. The reward would be more than worth the risk.

"I would take care, if I were you," he said to the shopkeeper. "I can feel a disturbance approaching. Likely my enemies mean to attack as soon as I leave here. There may be blaster fire. Take what precautions you would."

He composed himself, drawing out his lightsabre once again, though as before he did not ignite it. His emotions he primed, working them up into a pitch of fury and hatred, as he focused himself on the task to come. Would they be Sith, or mere Bounty Hunters? The latter was more likely, but the former was always a risk. Would they shoot him from afar with a blaster? Or employ explosives? Perhaps they would have exotic weapons, gas or toxins of some sort. If it was Sith, the likelyhood of sabre combat arose, but he did not fear that possibility.

All possibilities accounted for, he proceeded, turning to the door, opening it, and stepping out into the open air, letting his senses feel for dangers and threats, his sabre held under his sleeve, ready for use at a moment's notice, his emotions primed like a blaster with no safety, ready to wreak ruin and death upon any who dared oppose him.

Today was a good day.

LibriumArcana.Games

Knights of the Old Republic: Rise of the Reavers

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