OOC: And yes, I am aware of the fact this is the name of the second Sherlock Holmes movie. But I don't care. The name came to me first, and the correlation second, and I'm gonna use it anyway. If Warner Bros. wants to sue me, I'll give them my billing address....
IC:
Somewhere in the Outer Rim
Darth Malice stood at the bridge of the Imperial Mark-II Star Destroyer, watching the stars among the vast emptiness of space, as though he were waiting for one of them to perform some miraculous act in the majesty of the cosmos. He was assigned, along with Sathine Teyir, to root out one of Darth Trayus's greatest enemies, and primary threats: Cazzik Wyn. He remembered Master Wyn from his time in the Jedi Order. The man was not one to be taken lightly, and he somehow doubted that he would be able to destroy the Jedi on his own, even with Sathine and a host of Sith Vanguard to assist him.
There was also the Hands of Darkness onboard his ship, and a score of Destroyers, backed with a handful of Lancers. But if the stories were true, he doubted even that would be enough.
But to his understanding, this wasn't meant to be the point that killed Master Wyn. It was merely a knife in the back, so to speak. Darth Trayus wanted him wounded, broken down, before delivering to him the final blow that would end his life. There were very few that Trayus had labeled a genuine threat to him and his empire: Sivter, Cazzik Wyn, Daer'Gunn, and Adam Sage were all on the top of his list. One of them were dead. But of all those names, Cazzik's was the one that frequently came up.
And now with this newfound alliance with this Sith Sisterhood, and the group lead by one Darth Odium, Darth Trayus was certain he had secured his victory against the Jedi Order. Malice was not so sure, especially if, after two attempts already, he was unable to kill Cazzik. And Sivter's death was not by his hands, even if he did have a part to play in it, from what he understood.
In the distance, well outside their long range radar's reach, rested their only backup. The task force was lead by the ship known as the Impervious, and consisted of but a handful of craft, barely capable of being called a practical fleet when it came down to open engagements. Yet they had their usefulness, and Darth Trayus was confident that these Sith would play their part in his schemes well. The trap had to be elaborate, and if they could kill Master Wyn, then all the better. Darth Trayus had authorized the use of any force necessary to bring the Jedi Master down, and though he wanted to see Cazzik suffer, he was not adverse to the idea of a quick end.
Malice aimed to please.
He turned to the comm. officer. "Lieutenant," he said, "it is time. Activate the signal."
"Yes, my lord." The man flicked a couple switches and toggled a button. The Star Destroyer began its broadcast, an encrypted signal, though only enough to raise suspicion, that, when cracked, would have alluded the recipient to the idea that Darth Trayus may have been the one to send it. The trap was set, now it was only a matter of time to see when it would be sprung.
OOC: There you go, Cazzik. Waiting on you, now.
Edited to remove inconsistencies with recent decisions made. In the end, it won't make any real significant difference.
Last edited by Cadden on Sun Feb 17, 2013 4:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Cazzik Wyn stood on the bridge of the Starrider, a heavily modified Victory Mark II Star Destroyer. He stared out at the cosmos as his crew was preparing for departure. Wyn had been tasked by the rest of the Jedi Council to bring down the Sith Lord Darth Trayus. He had been equipped with a sizable fleet consisting of gunships and frigates mostly, though there were a couple of cruisers. Obviously his own vessel was the flagship of the fleet. Most were Jedi vessels, though the Republic had contributed as well as Wyn Industries, owned by Cazzik's son.
Though the single fleet was incapable of fighting a prolonged war it was more than capable of winning just about any skirmish it came up against. Which was the point. The Sith were not to be trifled with. In the last few years the Dark Side seemed to have infested every corner of the galaxy. Sith and Dark Jedi were popping up everywhere. Sivter seemed to have been the first of this new wave but this Lord Trayus was certainly carrying on in a grand manner. There were others out there as well and they would be dealt with in time. The Jedi Master turned to observe his crew. His general, Red Seven, was on the bridge as well, issuing orders and making sure everything was prepped accordingly. Cazzik was fond of the clone. He had rescued the man from stasis many years ago, before Cazzik's untimely demise and rebirth. Seven was a loyal soldier and capable officer, always an asset to the mission.
The Jedi Master smiled slightly as the doors to the bridge slid open and an attractive, red-haired woman walked in. She wore a form fitting black combat suit and a utility belt that held her lightsaber at her side. Holstered on her right leg was a single blaster pistol. The woman's name was Kira Locke. Cazzik had hand picked her, just like the majority of the Jedi and officers in the task force. She was a powerful Knight with an impressive set of skills. She had been trained later in life, serving as a Republic spy before her time as a Jedi. Probably one of the reasons she was unwilling to give up her blaster. Cazzik had been one of Kira's teachers, more specifically, her combat instructor. She had been a quick learner and mastered several saber styles faster than most other Knights. Though Cazzik was older than Kira there had always been an.........attraction between the pair, though neither had ever acted on it.
As she approached Cazzik could tell she was not happy, and he was fairly certain why. Her green eyes blazed with annoyance as she stopped in front of him, "You aren't going to reconsider are you?"
He shook his head, "No, I'm not. We need him."
Kira's gaze hardened, "No, we don't. You have me, you have Jace. Not to mention a handful of other skilled Knights and an army of soldiers at your command. We do NOT need him."
Cazzik's eyes remained soft, despite Locke's anger, "I understand your distrust of the man. Much about him is unknown to us. However, his ability to hunt down those who wield the Dark Side is uncanny. This mission, this task force, needs him, Kira. You don't need to agree with my decision, but you will respect it. Is that understood?"
Kira's green eyes were beautiful, even more so when heightened by emotion, even anger, "Understood, Master Wyn." The two stood in silence for a moment before Kira spoke again, "I will respect your decision, as I've always respected your command. But the minute he steps out of line I will cut him down. I will end the Ghost of Korriban if he so much as breathes wrong. You will need to respect that......Cazzik."
Master Wyn said nothing. He put his hand on Kira's shoulder and nodded. Though she was hot tempered and brash she always meant well, and she was incredibly observant. If the Ghost of Korriban, Ryder, stepped out of line she would be the first to notice. She had every right to be distrustful of the man. They knew next to nothing about him. Only that he was a Jedi Knight that had been captured and held on Korriban where he was tortured for a long time, the exact amount of which was also unknown. The Sith had attempted to break him, but instead he escaped and massacred his captors. He now carried out a singular mission to rid the galaxy of anyone who dabbled in the Dark Side, a quest which had him straddling a fine line. He wore a black and white full body combat suit so no one could see his face and he took up a new name, Ryder. Again, no one was certain of his true identity but Cazzik had his suspicions.
Kira looked around and nodded, "It seems we are fairly well set. What are we waiting for?"
Cazzik turned to her, "My partner in this expedition. We shall lead together in order to maximize efficiency and strategy."
The woman looked curious, "And this partner would be?"
"Jedi Master Daer'Gunn."
OOC: Shaggy, feel free to bring any characters you want with Daer'Gunn.
"I'd like to nominate Cazzik for the Sexiest Man on Earth 2010." --Balsa
"Contact," one of the bridge crew shouted as a blip suddenly appeared on his screen. His console was a flurry of activity as he ran his fingers across the board waiting for successful identification. "Target is friendly," he announced, "X-Wing class fighter. It's sending a message."
"Put it through."
A moment or two later the holoterminal came to life and a woman's face appeared. "Starrider, This is Jessica Sterling requesting permission to dock."
The White Flame exited hyperspace with the Starrider coming into full view. Daer'Gunn had received a special invite from Cazzik Wyn to help track down some very dangerous Sith, an invite Daer'Gunn could not pass up. Cazzik had explained that they were tracking the ones that had opened fire on Onderon and Daer'Gunn was no seeking justice for the lives lost. Araya had warned of vengeance but Daer'Gunn knew he was not seeking vengeance. If he could capture the monster and bring him before the New Republic's war crimes division, he would do so. The mass murder of all those innocent lives would require his hand, and he was up to the challenge.
"White Flame to Starrider, this is Jedi master Daer'Gunn. Permission to land and please let Master Wyn know I have arrived."
"Affirmative Master Daer'Gunn. Docking bay four, has been cleared and is awaiting your arrival. You are green for arrival. Welcome to the Starrider."
Daer'Gunn smiled and brought his ship in a swooping arc to land into the bay. As he exited the ship, he patted his R4 droid Smoke and the two exited the ship. He was greeted by a small squad of security and a female lieutenant. She bowed and turned to fall in step with him as he came closer to her. her short cropped hair gave way to very alert and bright hazel eyes. Her tan complexion led Daer'Gunn to believe she had just recently been brought to the ship and he had only received a short message from her before leaving Ossus. She was not a tall woman, but she carried herself with confidence and the Force ebbed off her with an air of assurance the she was in the right place at the right time.
"Greeting Master Daer'Gunn, Master Cazzik would like you to join him on the bridge for a full debriefing of the current situation. Things are moving extremely quickly and I hope the data a had sent to your ship before you arrived has help get you more up to speed on our situation."
"Ah, so you are Lt. Parker. Fine job and thank you for getting this information as quickly as you did. Very detailed and I hope I can be of help."
"With everything Master Wyn has said about you, I think this could be an easy mission." Lt. Parker said.
Daer'Gunn slowed to let her full catch up with him.
"Stories are stories and this mission will be anything but easy. Don't let overconfidence blind you to what is happening around you. You have a great deal of confidence in your crew and those under your command. Believe in that and inspire them to be more than what they are. That will lead to victory and as much as it would be amazing to be thought of the one person who could turn the tide, I am nothing but a servant of the Force. If I can change the outcome of events by my life or death, I would gladly do so without fan fair or acknowledgement." He stopped and then brought her in light he was whispering to her. "But it would be amazing if I could go home to my wife, so let's go out and win this one."
Lt. Parker smiled and responded with an enthusiastic "Yes Sir!" as they both entered the turbolift to the bridge.
"Jessica Sterling. This is Starrider. You are cleared to dock. Master Wyn has been informed of your arrival. He is expecting you on the bridge."
******************** Starrider, Flagship of the Jedi Fleet
Daer'Gunn was escorted to the bridge of the command ship. As the doors slid open the Jedi Master was greeted by his partner and fellow Council member, Cazzik Wyn, "Master Daer'Gunn, it is good to see you, my friend."
Red Seven approached the two masters and nodded in respect to both of them, "We are prepared for the debriefing in the War Room. The others are assembled."
Cazzik nodded and motioned for Daer'Gunn to follow. He instructed an officer to show Jessica Sterling the way to the War Room when she arrived on the Bridge. He continued his walk across the large command center to the side room which was his destination. His white robes fluttered behind him and his hand reached down and brushed his newly constructed second lightsaber. It had been a long time since he had carried two, but this mission had been the deciding factor in changing that for the time being. He stepped inside the War Room and looked around. There was an impressive gathering of individuals. Jedi Knights Kira Locke and Jace Starfall were present, along with a few other Knights. Jedi Master Trec Thul stood at the forefront alongside Red Seven. All of the other ship captains were present and awaiting their orders as well. At the very back, clad in ivory armor from head to toe was Ryder. Cazzik nodded at the group and turned their attention to his compatriot, "Everyone, this is Master Daer'Gunn, a fellow member of the Jedi Council and he will be co-commanding this mission alongside myself. Should something happen to the two of us the burden of command falls to Master Thul, and finally to General Red Seven. Are there any questions about the chain of command?"
No one spoke up so Cazzik continued ,"As you all know we are tasked with hunting down the war criminal known as Darth Trayus. It is our job to capture him and deliver him to the Jedi and the Republic to stand trial. Should capture become impossible we are to eliminate the threat. Hopefully it will not come to that. You all have been given data pads that include all of the information we currently have on Darth Trayus."
He looked around, "Now, are there any questions?"
******************** Just Beyond the Border of the Pravus Imperium
The Sith'ari-class Cruiser Decimation floated silently outside the boundaries of Pravus space. It's commander stood at the forefront of the vessel, staring out into the abyss. His dark hood and armor covered the majority of his red skin. His mask which covered the lower part of his face made an eerie sound every time he inhaled or exhaled. His yellow eyes scanned the stars with a powerful hunger. Soon they would belong to him and his kin. Soon the true Sith would make their return to the galaxy at large. But first they needed to destroy the impostors on their doorstep. These so called Lords of the Pravus Imperium were false idols. They claimed to be part of the Sith legacy but they were not. Their lives would be taken from them and their territory and resources would be annexed into his growing Empire. Soon the Jen'ari would claim what was theirs. He spoke without turning, "Signal the others to begin."
"I'd like to nominate Cazzik for the Sexiest Man on Earth 2010." --Balsa
It had been several days since the task force had departed. They were now in what you could consider less than friendly territory. An area of space mostly controlled by the Hutts and their crime cartels. The Starrider and the rest of the fleet remained fairly hidden and away from any major traffic lane. Masters Cazzik Wyn, Daer'Gunn, and Trec Thul stood in the War Room of the flagship. The three were also joined by Red Seven. The group had convened after receiving information that there was a person of interest residing on Nar Shaddaa that may or may not know the location of Darth Trayus. Cazzik had decided to speak with this small group before issuing orders to the fleet. "The man we are looking for is known as Talon Karde. I believe you all know him, at least by name."
He scanned the faces of his companions, "The man is a genius. He is a former Imperial Intelligence Officer. He was owner and CEO of both Karde Enterprises and later Karde Industries. He is one of the founders of the late Red Star Alliance and he probably wants me dead even more than Lord Trayus. Which is why no one with the name Wyn will be going anywhere near him if we want his assistance."
Red Sven had removed his helmet and was now looking at Cazzik, "I'm assuming you two have some history then, yes?"
Wyn nodded, "In my youth I succumbed to the Dark Side, as all of you know. Unfortunately, one of my victims was Karde's sister. It is a sin I have never been able to make right. Not with myself nor with him. Needless to say, I am not the right person to go looking for him. I believe we should only send a small group. No need to attract unwanted attention on a hostile planet."
Cazzik looked at Trec and Daer'Gunn, "Any volunteers to lead the mission?"
"I'd like to nominate Cazzik for the Sexiest Man on Earth 2010." --Balsa
"If you are looking for someone to be a diplomat, I am not the right man for it as my history has proven. Perhaps sending a non-Jedi to speak with him might be best for us all?"
00c> ya it's short haven't had a lot of time but it does get the ball moving.... slightly
Cazzik nodded in understanding. Daer'Gunn was very similar to Wyn in many regards. Their diplomacy skills were about on par with each other. The Jedi looked to his other companions, "Red or Master Thul. One of you will need to lead this mission."
OOC: Cadden, get your butt in here and take part in this.
"I'd like to nominate Cazzik for the Sexiest Man on Earth 2010." --Balsa
"Sending a non-Jedi might be more suitable for the task," Trec said, "but this is a task force comprised to hunt down a dangerous Sith Lord. I rather doubt that precautions were taken to make sure we had diplomats in our manifest before departing. Sending a Jedi might be our best task. And since Master Wyn cannot go, or the mission will, indeed, be jeopardized... I will take the responsibilities of commanding the group to be sent." He paused for a brief moment to allow for any arguments. While Trec was not noted for his skills as a diplomat - Master L'hnnar was far more proficient at this than he was - he believed he could hold his own in any such scenarios with little trouble. His studies with the Baran Do Sages allowed him a keen edge that others in Master Wyn's task force were unable to provide.
"Then it is settled," Cazzik said.
"I will need further information, in order to effectively gain Mr. Karde's support," Trec continued. If Talon would be willing to provide it. "Master Wyn, if you could provide me with what I need, it will make this all the easier."
OOC: Not much, but meh. Things're finally settling down, so I can start posting more regularly. Ish. Relatively speaking.
"OK, we have that part settled, where do we start the search for the murderer of Onderon? I want him brought to justice for the innocent lives that were lost that day."
Daer'Gunn wanted justice for Onderon, but a small part of him hoped that it ended with the death of the man. It came in a small thought and was quickly dismissed. He was a warrior but his call to the Force came first. He would not allow his personal feelings to get in the way of justice being done.
Trec had lead the team planet side, where their unwitting contact was confirmed to be located. They were able to pinpoint his coordinates thanks in part to some willing contacts and scattered news reports. As the shuttle touched down, the Jedi Master descended the boarding ramp, following by his small group that would accompany him on this mission. They were only here for information, but given what Master Wyn had told him about Talon Karde, he could only expect the worst out of this situation.
Some time later, the group made it to Karde's center of operations. They sought an audience with the man of so many qualifications, hoping that this would develop into a non-confrontational scenario.
Once they were called forward to meet the man, the small group complied and proceeded to Karde's location of choosing. The man sat comfortably in one of his plush white couches, sipping on some kind of beverage. Alcoholic, Trec assumed, given what he knew of the man. He doubted that Karde allowed them to speak with him so freely; he likely wanted something from them, just as much as they wanted something from him. Though Trec doubted that Talon knew who he was addressing, he was certain that the man maintained his own cards up his sleeves. Likely a standard, "You scratch my back, I scratch yours," sort of arrangement.
"Greetings," Talon said nonchalantly, "Care for a drink?"
Trec dismissed the offer with a shake of his head. "We are here strictly on business," he responded. "But thank you." Talon shrugged and topped off his glass.
"So, what can I do for you, then... ?"
"Trec Thul," the Jedi Master responded to his probing question. "We are looking for someone, and we are told that you are the man to find him for us."
Karde nodded. "Information is one of my best commodities," he said, rather proud of the statement. "Though I seldom give it out freely. Who is it you're looking for?"
Trec produced a portable holo projector and gave it to Talon. The man activated it and studied the image before him intently. The man before him was intimidating in nature, bald head and eyebrowless. Though Talon was no student of the Force, nor proclaimed to be an expert of the ways of the dark side, either, he could surmise by the overall appearance of the man's face that he was deeply corrupted by the dark side. Over his entire jaw rested a device, he surmised was a breathing apparatus. He wore armor that was vaguely reminiscent of Mandalorian make, but hardly qualified as a connection to the warrior culture.
Talon flipped off the image and looked at the Jedi Master. "A friend of yours, I take it?" he said, teeming with sarcasm. "Yeah, I've seen him." This piqued Trec's interest. "Or, rather, I've heard vague, scattered reports of a man bearing this description, though this has been some time back."
Trec nodded. "There is another image." This one was of the same individual, clearly, though he was completely covered, head to toe, in armor strikingly similar to that of the last. His face was completely concealed behind a mask that reminded Talon Karde of those worn by the Mandalorians.
Curious, the man mused. After studying the image for a moment, he flipped it off. "Now that I can help you a little more with," he said. "Reports of a man wandering around the Mid Rim areas around Kashyyyk bearing that description. Nothing too recent, however. I'm sure any investigations would lead to a dead end."
Was there anything of use that Talon could offer him? Trec looked at him square in the eye. "But?" he pressed.
"As I said," Talon offered with a shrug, "I seldom offer information for free."
OOC: Figured you might want to do something with this, Cazz. If not, then just push it forward, if you want, or PM me, or something. Don't leave me hangin'!
The Kel Dorian looked over at his two companions, Red Seven and Jace Starfall. Both were incognito in civilian clothing so as to not arouse suspicion. Master Thul turned back to their host, "What is your price for this information, Mr. Karde?"
Talon smiled and put down his drink as he stood up. The door to the room opened and several armed men, some human and some not, walked in. Two of the men stood out from the group. They were the only ones in masks. The first was wearing a black variation of the Empire's Royal Guardsmen and he was clearly carrying a lightsaber cane. At least, it was obvious to Trec. The Jedi Master could also sense this man's minor ability to wield the Force. Perhaps he was a survivor of the Shadow Guard program? It didn't matter. This man could pose a potential threat.
The other man was motionless at the back of the room. He wore black and white Mandalorian armor and carried himself well. Trec could tell this individual was incredibly dangerous, maybe more so than his Force wielding ally. There was also something familiar about him, but he couldn't put his finger on it. Trec could feel his companions' apprehension. He made a subtle motion with has hand to stay calm. Karde smiled warmly at the three, "Please, do not fret. I am not interested in a fight. I thought it only fair that if we were to discuss business that I should have a few bodyguards around. After all, most of my dealings with Jedi have been less than pleasant. Save for one."
Trec's eyes narrowed. He knew Karde had been referencing Jade Mara-Croft as the only one he had pleasant dealings with. Perhaps she had taught him some trick to spotting Jedi? "How did you know?"
Karde picked up his beverage and walked over so he was face to face with the Kel Dorian, "I deal in information, Master Thul. It is my bread and butter, among other things. And when it comes to my friends and enemies I keep very close tabs on them and their associates." His eyes narrowed, "Especially my enemies."
The conversation was not heading in a direction that Thul had wanted. Talon continued, "You are Jedi Master Trec Thul. Your companions are Jedi Knight Jace Starfall and the clone Republic officer Red Seven."
Seven's hands were now reaching for his guns, but his motion was cut short by Karde's group raising their own weapons. Their host continued, "You see, both you, Master Thul, and Commander Seven have been long time associates of a man that I hate very much. Mr. Starfall is a more recent acquaintance of his. All of you serve aboard the Star Rider under the joint command of Master Daer'Gunn............and Cazzik Wyn."
Trec would certainly have words with Cazzik over this. Karde was not just an information broker, he was so well connected it seemed that he could put both the Republic and Jedi intelligence sections to shame. Thul decided attempting to deceive Karde at this point wasn't going to help anyone, "You are correct. However, we are not here to challenge you. We are simply looking for the man we asked you about. If you are unwilling to help us we will kindly leave."
Karde shook his head, "You will not be leaving just yet. You want information and I have it to sell. Despite my hatred of your captain I can still discuss business without becoming emotional. I do, indeed, know of a location of interest. It will cost you no credits or money, however."
Trec didn't like this. "What exactly will it cost us then?"
Karde grinned, "Two things. There is something on the planet that you seek. It has nothing to do with your objective but I require it nonetheless. That being said, Strife here," Karde motioned towards the ivory Mandalorian, "will accompany you and your task force to the planet in order to retrieve it."
Trec sighed, "And the second item?"
Karde's eyes became very intense as he stared directly at the Kel Dorian, "You, Master Thul, will owe me a personal favor. I may call it in at anytime and it may be anything. Do we have an agreement?"
"I'd like to nominate Cazzik for the Sexiest Man on Earth 2010." --Balsa
OOC: I'm going to try to make up for my absence from this thread by pushing along to meet key points, as it is severely behind. Cazzik did give me permission to RP his character, but I'm only going to do so around Trayus and as minimally as possible, basically enough to push the story along as it needs to be. I apologize for any inconveniences this causes.
IC:
Trec didn't like having to make the agreement with Talon, but he made it explicitly clear to the man that his duties as a Jedi would always come first. Karde wasn't very pleased with this response, understandably, but ultimately, the two came to an agreement. Even after Trec and the group had returned to the ship with Karde's information, Trec was regretting making the agreement with the man.
He also suspected that, ultimately, Talon Karde wouldn't much care about his duties as a Jedi, and that if he called upon the Jedi Master for his favor, that even if he were on official Jedi business the man would not be very happy with a resulting denial.
It was a very delicate situation, and a very dangerous one he had put himself in. He mentioned it to Cazzik Wyn, and was assured that the Council would hear about it, in order to prepare for any possible repercussions it would make. Cazzik knew that Trec did not make decisions lightly, and he was put in the spotlight. The fact that they needed that information so badly didn't help the situation in the slightest. Trec and Cazzik had spoken in length about his displeasure about not being fully briefed on Karde's potential. Cazzik had assured him that, if Trec had known ahead of time, they would be no better prepared for the man, and possibly would have even jeopardized the negotiations simply by trying to deceive him from the get-go.
The information led them to the out of the way planet of Aefao. There was little history to be told of this place, but that it had stayed with the Empire since the end of Palpatine's reign. With a bit of effort, the group had found what Karde was after, a nondescript item that Strife kept secured within a container, as well as a potential lead to the whereabouts of Darth Trayus. After the end of the bargain was completed, the Star Rider had picked up an unusual signal in space.
"Can you decipher it?" Cazzik asked, after he was informed that the signal was encrypted.
"Yes, Master Wyn, though it might take a little time," the man responded.
Cazzik nodded. "Do it... we might learn something from it."
A couple hours later, he had been approached with the results of their efforts. The signal came from a ship that shared the same IFF codes as those that had assaulted Taylon. It was a message, of sorts, that served as an open challenge to Cazzik Wyn. A challenge, he deduced, that came directly from but one man.
Once they discovered the coordinates of where this signal had been sent from, they set their course in lightspeed and had been on their way.
What they came across, however, was a fleet lying in wait. The Star Rider was a war vessel, but what they found surprised even him. He made the order for battle stations, and prepared for the inevitable fight.
There were no communications made, just pure intent. The leading Imperial Mark-II Star Destroyer made its first move and scrambled all of its fighters to engage in Cazzik Wyn's forces. Trec Thul had already excused himself to lead their own fighters in the battle. The Mark II was accompanied with a few Mark I's, as well as several Victory-class of both makes, and a few Lancer Frigates. The fleet was easily a match for Cazzik's own. Additionally, he could sense a collected dark presence onboard the lead Star Destroyer. It wasn't Darth Trayus, however. There were several individuals there, and he would have recognized Trayus's distinctive signature in the Force if he felt it.
The battle started with the clashing of the fighters, while the support ships were quick to maneuver toward the skirmish. Both sides had their own bombers they tried desperately to get through the screen, and both sides were doing what they could to keep the other from succeeding. However, inevitability would eventually win the day, with the one, and several of the odd mixture of Assault Gunboats, TIE Bombers, and TIE Strikers broke through their defenses, but not without sustaining several casualties. The battle scattered out from its staging point further when Wyn's own bomber craft managed the same.
"Master Wyn," the navigation officer spoke up suddenly, "we have enemy ships in sector 22."
Cazzik cursed under his breath. They had planned this. All of it. The first fleet was definitely one that belonged to Trayus, but as the other, albeit much smaller, fleet came within sensor range, he was informed that their IFF codes were unfamiliar. It ranked with but a handful of capital-scale ships, but it was enough to stem any victory that they had been assured prior. Lead by a Imperial-class Star Destroyer Mark II, the single Vindicator, two Dreadnaughts, and three Strike Cruisers that made up this fleet would have posed no real threat on its own. Combined with the first, however, and Cazzik could see some serious trouble in store for them.
Even with this newly discovered fleet, however, the more superior fighters in Cazzik's arsenal were winning the day, and their bombers had even managed to take down one of the Victory Star Destroyers, though not without his own losses. They were being spread too thin for him to take any real tactical advantage, and from what he could discern, Darth Trayus himself was nowhere to be found. The Sith Lord, simply put, wanted Cazzik to fall for this ploy. But he didn't want him dead. Based on what Cazzik had witnessed of Darth Trayus's forces, the Sith Lord was merely playing with him at this point. Drawing him out, weakening him. But why? What purpose did Darth Trayus have to see him slowly wither away, rather than just one fell stroke? He knew that the Sith was more than agitated that he failed to kill him not once, but twice... but what was the purpose? And why draw it out like this?
The battle progressed on, as each side took its own casualties. One of the Dreadnaughts had been lost, as well as a couple of the Lancers, and the Imperial Star Destroyer Mark II was taking damage. The commanders of Wyn's forces had quickly deduced that their enemy was operating off of the approach that the heart of their operation resided on their flagship. While it was true for Cazzik, as well, he made certain to ensure that their tactic wasn't used against them. In turn, it caused some frantic maneuvers by their enemies as both of the flagships began to take some of the heat from his forces, but it would not be without cost.
Finally, they were hailed. The comm officer asked Cazzik what he wanted to do. He thought a moment, before he nodded. "Patch it through." His enemies were not necessarily losing the battle, which led him to be intrigued as to why they were attempting to contact him.
Before him stood two individuals. One of them was a humanoid, and while he could not make out the details he was clearly tattooed. Strapped to either side was a lightsaber. The other image, broadcast from the other Star Destroyer, was that of a fully armored individual with a mask with no visible openings but over his eyes. This one also sported two lightsabers, and had long, dark hair.
"Master Wyn," the tattooed one said, "I am Darth Malice, envoy of Darth Trayus. This is our associate, Darth Furor."
Cazzik raised a brow at the statement. "This doesn't seem much of a diplomatic way to get my attention," he said.
"Nevertheless, we are offering you the opportunity to surrender," Malice continued. "The alternative is obliteration. My master wishes to see you dead, Master Wyn."
Cazzik frowned. Malice's and Furor's forces were not so weakened for defeat, true, but they did not hold such a significant advantage that the Sith could seriously think their victory was secured. "You seem so sure of yourself," he said. "Yet your forces are in no position for victory on this battlefield. Your command ships are damaged, your support infrastructure is slowly collapsing around you, and my fleet is nowhere near wounded enough for you to so easily secure any victory against us."
"This is but a fraction of our strength," Malice said. "Make this easy on yourself, Master Wyn, and offer yourself to Darth Trayus here."
While Cazzik could think of no quicker way to face the man who so desperately wanted him dead, he knew better than to accept this proposal. "I will meet with your master," he said, "but on my terms."
"You have been unsuccessful thus far. What makes you think this will be any different?"
"Because this time, I'm coming for him personally." He turned to his weapons officer. "Signal the fleet to open fire on their forces."
Malice frowned. "This is not the end," he said, as his fleet started to take the brunt of the attack. He nodded off-screen, and the holo images faded from the bridge.
Cazzik observed the sudden turn of the battle, as the Sith forces slowly started to receive the brunt of their combined assault. It was haphazard, but the overall result was becoming clear to both sides. The Sith fleets began to pull away, using both their weaker and doomed ships as a means to better their chances of escape. "Keep your eyes on their escape route," Cazzik ordered. They were his best chance, at the moment, of finding their adversary. "I want all possible routes to me by the time they make their jump."
Once their enemy forces had successfully retreated, Cazzik was given the list of possibilities nearby. But they had to be quick about it. If they followed any kind of standard procedure, they would perform a micro-jump, followed by a much longer one, but with this list of possibilities, it was just as good a guess as any other. He grimaced at the data before him.
"Master Wyn," one of his men spoke up, "Master Thul found a survivor."
Cazzik nodded. "Bring him in. They might be able to tell us where to find Darth Trayus." He looked at the list. "In the meanwhile, send out a ship to each of these possibilities," he motioned to his top list of likely escape vectors and routes, "and have them report back their findings. We'll find this Sith Lord yet."
Daer'Gunn had been in charge of of the smaller ships with their defensive strategies. Throughout the battle, his forces were taking some damage but were winning the fight. They weren't just matching blow of blow but Sith forces were losing at least three to one at the moment the hail came through. Looking up from his command position Daer'Gunn took in the entire conversation. A smile came across his face when the Sith began to threaten them.
"Typical" was the thought that ran through his mind. He didn't want to seem over confident in his assumption but this seemed to fit right inside the Sith wheel house. A lot of talk about their power, but when push came to shove, they were defeated.
"Signal the fleet to open fire on their forces." Came from the direction of Master Wynn.
Another smile crept across Daer'Gunn's face. He turned and gave the order.
"Attention all commanders, open fire! Drive them back, take every ship away from them. Collection teams, get prepped for space extractions for both friendly and hostile forces. We will conduct ourselves accordingly with any prisoners we take. Go get' em boys."
The battle began to turn decidedly in their favor. He couldn't tell if the Sith were giving up or if they were just breaking completely under the weight of the combined fire of the bigger ships. Then suddenly, the Sith forces turned and Daer'Gunn heard an officer yell "they are powering up their hyperdrives to run!"
"Concentrate fire on the hyperdrives of the nearest enemy ships, don't let them run" Daer'Gunn ordered but the enemy forces were quick. They had left enough of their own disabled ships in the way for them to make the jump quicker than expected.
"Keep your eyes on their escape route," Cazzik ordered. "I want all possible routes to me by the time they make their jump."
Daer'Gunn had already turned to his monitors to find the best route to plan when another call came through the coms.
"Master Wyn,Master Thul found a survivor."
This was the break they were looking for. It would be some time before the rest of the enemy evac pilots could be brought in. This would allow them to get a jump on the enemy if this survivor could be persuaded to talk. Daer'Gunn came and stood beside his friend and patted him on the back. Turning to face him a little bit more he said under his breath,
"Were the Sith forces that over confident in their tactics that they underestimated ours, or is something else going on here? Our forces were almost equal and yet it felt like they 'gave up the fight'. Now i am not discrediting our forces, they are the best but this smells like a wet bantha to me."
Darth Trayus had been busy. He faced off with Cazzik several times over the course of a relatively brief, yet engaging, campaign. He had managed to elude the Jedi Master, however, and while his ultimate mission was a failure, he had bought enough time to finalize his plans. Yet he could not help but reflect on the past few encounters he had with the man he once called his friend.
The first was on Lorrd. The conflict there was brief, but still intense, with the Jedi Master Daer’Gunn accompanying Cazzik. That was unexpected, and had thrown Trayus into a bit of a disadvantage. Though he managed to hold his own, and while the fight was heavily in their favor due to this previously unknown factor, he had managed to escape. But the Jedi were on his trail from that point forward, chasing him through the Outer Rim Territories. He had to hand it to Cazzik, the man had picked up some keen tracking skills.
He had to lure them away from the heart of his empire, and throw them off any discernable track, else they would manage to start putting pieces together and, possibly, even find Dromund Kaas in the long run. He could not allow that. Their next engagement was on Bimmiel, with Trayus at a bit of a better standing than before. There, his ally Darth Furor joined him in battle, and even engaged Cazzik in a one-on-one duel for a moment during their encounter. He did not make any better headway in their combined purpose than Trayus would have, but it served sufficient to even the odds a bit. As they managed to, once again, elude the Jedi in an effort to lead them toward their inevitable end, Trayus realized he made his mistake.
It was the smallest, most subtle, of errors one could make, but even the tiniest crack could lead to the most violent shatter. It happened on Ciutric, he remembered it so vividly. There, Trayus got sloppy, and one miscalculation brought half his garrison down by the Jedi and their fleet, while systematically revealing his identity to his aggressor. At this point in the game, it matters little, he reflected. My forces are about to make their final move against the Jedi, and deal the most lethal blow to their precious order imaginable. However, it did not do any good for the lasting importance of his anonymity in his plans. No doubt Cazzik would be telling the Jedi Council of his recent discovery and revelation. And, no doubt, word would spread like a plague. The entire galaxy would be at his heels in no time. It forced his hand in accelerating his plans, something not even he could anticipate the result of.
However, Cazzik was not through with him, and chased him still, this time with a driving passion. Trayus could not blame him, he supposed. After all that had happened since he took his new identity, Cazzik had every reason to see the Dark Lord to his end, in one fashion or another. Darth Trayus merely licked his wounds and turned his disadvantage around, using Cazzik’s emotions against him in the final conflict between the two. There, while Trayus had suffered a grievous loss in more ways than one, he had still dealt the Jedi Master a significant blow in return. It was not enough to end his life, and looking back, he had the consideration to call it more of a win for Cazzik than for him.
The cut that the lightsaber left him still stung, despite his meditative trances. The fact that he had been interrupted twice, since, of notifications of battle readiness did not help, either. Darth Trayus doubted that, at this rate, he would be ready for the final battle in time. The scarred tissue was significant enough to leave both a physical and a psychological pain that his usual techniques could not heal easily. It did not cut any vital organs, and luckily missed his bones, but that didn’t lessen the impact of his last encounter with Cazzik. It was there, on Tangrene, that all his planning reared its ugly head, and left him in the state he was in now.
He reflected on how it came to be, this drastic shift in his plans. He had lured Cazzik and his forces to a remote enough world, one which would have gone largely unnoticed of his unauthorized presence, though not so much as to be completely ignorant of it or word not spreading of what had happened there. The trap was sprung, yet somehow Cazzik had survived. Not only survived, but managed to get the upper hand on him.
The Force was not with me that day, he thought. It was but one explanation, though his more calculating side had been reworking the scenario over and over, analyzing what had happened. In the end, it came down to a misjudgment against Cazzik and his followers, and as such calling the wrong moves at the wrong time.
This alliance he had made with Darth Odium had faltered slightly, as a result, as well. Darth Furor lost a decent size of his forces, and recalled back to their little hole in the galaxy. No doubt his master would attempt to give Trayus an earful. Or perhaps count it as casualties of war. He had not associated himself with this Darth Odium much, having always preferred to go through his underlings than speak directly with the man. This simple, subtle tactic had demonstrated that, despite the alliance being of mutual benefit, Darth Trayus still called the shots, and was not unwilling to bring the others down if push came to shove.
It was a risky move, but one of such small force would not be able to match the military might of the Crimson Empire, or the infrastructure of the Sith Brotherhood.
And so, in the end, here he was, back to square one. He had managed to expend valuable resources against a Jedi Master that was unwilling to die, and had come up empty handed. Even his own apprentice, Darth Invictus, expressed his displeasure in the failed mission. Trayus would have taken it as a slight, if there wasn’t so much truth to be had in it. He mused from his throne in the Dromund Kaas temple the events that transpired. He would have to turn it around to his advantage, else all he had built up would come crumbling down upon him.
Kill them all… a voice, all too familiar, whispered in his head. Before they kill you…. Trayus opened his eyes, and stared at his mask sitting nearby. It was once an identity, but now, it served little purpose. He would still wear it, despite the fact that the next time he would reveal himself he would no longer find any use for it. It had become more of a symbol than a part of who he was. A representation of all he had done, and will continue to do. Yes, he would have to kill them all, in one fell swoop. His fleet was ready, his followers were ready, his flagship was ready. All it would take was one simple command. If he delayed too long, any advantage he could accumulate would be washed away.
However, he still had to address the fact that his wound would place him at a tactical disadvantage. If it ever came down to melee combat, Darth Trayus would be weakened, making failure a far more likely outcome than he could have previously predicted. Clear your mind, another voice instructed. You will be healed.
Darth Trayus focused on his meditative trance once more. Whatever disadvantage he had been put in, he had to remove this weakness before the deployment began. Ossus was not far from Dromund Kaas, and any time he had between the two worlds would be dedicated to last minute preparations for the battle to come.
Regardless of Master Daer’Gunn’s warnings, Cazzik had been intent on springing the suspected trap. Their interrogation of the survivor brought little information to the table. He had mentioned Darth Trayus’s name several times, as well as a mission to ‘destroy the Jedi Order’ and ‘consume the galaxy in darkness.’ Additionally, he recalled, there had been multiple tellings of some kind of crusade for a great awakening of some sort, a type of… ascension. Despite all of this cryptic information, they had still managed to discern Darth Trayus’s whereabouts on Lorrd, and from there the game had begun.
Cazzik had led a small detachment, including Daer’Gunn, to the planet’s surface, whereupon the group had met up with their adversary. The battle was but the first of a long, exhaustive hunt, and he had become increasingly glad to have the other Jedi Master with him, especially on that day. The resulting conflict between Trayus and his forces, and Cazzik and his, led to an eventual victory for the Jedi forces, and sent the Sith Lord on the run.
They were led to Bimmiel, whereupon they re-engaged against their enemy. This time, Darth Trayus had backup, in the two Sith they had faced off against at Aefao, to even the odds. One of them, the Sith known as Darth Furor, even faced him in one-on-one combat. While Cazzik’s skills were clearly superior, the man’s ambition and drive, as well as noted connection to the dark side of the Force, still made him a formidable, albeit weaker, opponent. Had he more training under his belt, as Cazzik suspected his tutelage was fairly fresh, he could have possibly given Cazzik a run for his money. Their engagement was relatively brief compared to the rest of the fight, as Darth Trayus joined in more directly to assist in their joint objective. Daer’Gunn, however, had been preoccupied with the one who called himself Darth Malice, whose unique fighting style and clearly embedded teachings in the ways of the Sith gave him a bit of a rumble.
However, both Jedi managed still to get the upper hand and force their adversaries into retreat. They were able to track the Sith to Ciutric. It was a moment that Cazzik was not quick to forget, either.
They were able to make it to Daplona, Ciutric’s capital city, with a formidable force behind them. Cazzik led one flank while Master Daer’Gunn the other. Master Thul preoccupied himself in securing the orbit and air to disposition the Sith of any tactical advantage. He winced in recollection of that battle.
”Red, bring your unit around and cut them off at the plaza!” he commanded.
“Master Wyn, we’ve got trouble inbound from the southeast,” Daer’Gunn’s voice came in over the comm. “A whole regiment of troops. This isn’t going to be an easy battle.”
“Nobody ever said it would be,” Cazzik said. “We need to reprioritize our objectives. Master Daer’Gunn, think you can hold them off?”
“How much time do you need?”
“As much as you can give.”
The following moments of the battle seemed a blur, but Cazzik had managed to catch up to Darth Trayus. This time, it was but the two of them, and he was ready for the Sith Lord. In their various encounters, Cazzik had managed to attain a bit of understanding of Trayus’s techniques, and while impressed, he noted that if he could keep up with the Sith Lord he could easily turn this into a notable victory. They could have ended the war on Ciutric, if he bested the Sith Lord in combat.
But fate had other plans for them, it seemed.
The two clashed blades once more, the strain beginning to wear on Cazzik. He took note that Darth Trayus was beginning to tire, as well, and started to wonder how much longer they could go at this. “You can’t win,” he merely told the masked man. “You managed to secure a foothold on Taylon, and Onderon, but the Jedi will recover, we will find you. Even if I fail today, your end is inevitable. We defeated Sivter, we can defeat you.”
“Sivter is nothing compared to me,” Trayus said, seeping with arrogance. Cazzik could see he was getting to him. “He held much ambition, but little regard for the capabilities of those who stood in his way. A mistake I will not make.”
Cazzik pushed them out of their locked blades and masterfully executed a Fluid Riposte maneuver using Djem So. The resulting strike from his lightsaber was sufficient enough to dig into the side of Trayus’s mask, causing it to fling off to the side. When Trayus brought his head back from the blow, he looked at Cazzik with eyes that were all too familiar to him, and a face that bore far too striking a resemblance to be coincidental.
“No…” Cazzik said in shock. After all this time. “But… why?”
Darth Trayus, unmasked and now unmistakably identified as Cadden Blackthorne, merely grinned. He refused Cazzik a response, and immediately went into the offensive. Cazzik was quick to bring up his lightsabers in response and block and parry the resulting attacks, but his focus had lessened a bit.
“Cadden,” he yelled between blows, “what have you done?! You slaughtered innocents at Onderon, devastated the City of the Jedi, subjugated worlds… why?!”
“Revenge,” Blackthorne simply responded. “I did what I had to to return the pain and suffering brought upon me and my family. You would have done the same if you were in my position.”
“No, I would not have,” Cazzik said, as he slowly began to regain his resolve. Another parry, and this time he altered his position and took the offensive. “I would have done what I had advised you to do; I would have returned to Onderon, calmed myself, meditated on my next moves. Not go out on a rampage to destroy all who I perceive wronged me!”
“Lies,” Cadden said. He brought a red blade up to deflect one of Cazzik’s blue lightsabers, and returned the blow with his free hand. Each blade was momentarily locked, now. “Everything had been taken from me. You know nothing of the pain I’ve suffered. The losses I’ve had inflicted against me. If you were in my position, with the same circumstances, you would have done nothing different.”
“Then let me help you!” Cazzik responded. “Let me understand! You have committed many atrocities, not only against the Jedi Order but against the galaxy as a whole. I doubt that your actions will be regarded without consequences. But allow me to be your friend once more, and provide an ear toward your sufferings.”
“It’s too late for that,” Blackthorne chided him. “The only way this ends, is by your death.”
Cazzik frowned. So this was where it all led. His friend, the man who he had fervently been seeking out to assist him in fighting off the Sith that Darth Trayus had been leading… had been Darth Trayus this whole time. The betrayal cut deeper than any physical wound could have caused, but Cazzik resolved to remain strong. He could not simply ignore the anger that was swelling up inside, and he felt that, even if he won today, it would not truly be a win.
Maybe that’s what Darth Trayus… Cadden… wants, he thought. For Cazzik to fall to the dark side, one of the Jedi Order’s own Council members become a Sith Lord, that would have dealt a significant blow to those he fought alongside, and swore to protect. Morale would have shattered if that were to happen. Maybe in another lifetime, I would have accepted such a notion, but I would rather die than turn.
The two continued their duel, this time in utter silence, as Cazzik did all he could to stave off not one, but two opponents, now; Cadden, and himself. He could not… would not… allow himself to strike based on his emotions. It was a struggle, one which allowed Cadden a significant upper hand. However, as the duel raged on, Cazzik allowed himself to become more at one with himself.
“Cadden, don’t force my hand in this,” he pleaded once more after several minutes of fighting. “Surrender yourself to us, come back and face your crimes with honor.”
Darth Trayus snorted. “You wish my death?” he said. “Not very Jedi-like of you.” Despite the words coming from the man who was, in fact, Cadden Blackthorne, there was something… unusual… about his speech. Something almost foreign. The way he talked, and carried himself, even behaved. Cazzik was determined to get to the bottom of this. Not all was what it appeared. “You take me back to your precious Order, they try me as a war criminal. Then what? Execution? Or will you strip me of the ability to use the Force and cast me into exile on a never-heard-of planet in the Outer Rim, or even Unknown Regions? Is this your desire for justice speaking, or vengeance disguised as such?”
Cazzik pushed forward his hand and sent Blackthorne stumbling back from the resulting kinetic energy, but the Sith Lord had managed to deflect most of the sudden attack before it had struck him. He pushed back in the same fashion, and Cazzik’s reaction was similar. The two charged each other, both on the offensive, and clashed their blades. Cazzik had a look of pure determination, whereas Cadden’s was more of anger, hatred, and rage. The Sith Lord was fueling himself with the dark side of the Force, and Cazzik was doing all he could to call upon the Force to keep his body going as well.
They were both nearing their breaking point. One way or another, this battle had to end soon.
And it did end, though not in a means favorable to Cazzik. Darth Trayus had managed to evade him in the final moments of the duel, when Cazzik was sure of inevitable victory against the Sith Lord. A last ditch effort by his adversary created a distraction that lasted long enough for him to escape Cazzik. The Jedi rounded up his forces best he could and continued to pursue Cadden in the Outer Rim Territories.
It was on Tangrene where the final trap was sprung. While Cazzik had lost a decent amount of his own to Darth Trayus’s planning, they did deal a severe blow in return. In particular, Cazzik had managed to deliver Trayus a critical wound, one which a lesser opponent would likely had fallen to. But not Darth Trayus. The man was powerful, not only in the Force but also physically and constitutionally. Despite both physical and tactical wounds, the Sith Lord managed to escape Cazzik for the last time, and this time disappeared. Left with nothing more than his true identity, Cazzik had since returned to Ossus to deliver his report to the rest of the Council, including, much to his great disliking, the true identity of Darth Trayus.
