Sith Vengeance (Closed for ERedBoyd and Myself)

[Nyte_mare]

Lucinda stood, staring down at the communication that had just come through on her console.

They had found a carbonite encasement. It was not the first one that had been found. She had others in her collection, but the others were empty. This one.. was not.

The information she was receiving stated that this one still contained a prisoner.

The discovery of the peculiar stasis qualities of carbonite by the scientists from the planet Koros Major saw the end of simple traveling ships and development of sleeper ships. Ushering a new age of exploration that expanded the pre-Republic borders. Carbonite freezing was employed aboard ancient sleeper ships to keep crews alive in extended periods of hibernation as they traversed interstellar space.

Once hyper-drives were utilized, carbonite freezing was no longer needed. But it became a method of containing some extremely dangerous prisoners, and became a favorite punishment of the Pirates and other Outlaws and Bounty Hunters that roamed the galaxies and beyond. These days, it was rare to find any who would bother with this particular method of holding one in stasis.

In the thousands of years since the last use of carbonite freezing, several encasements had been found. Lucinda herself had 3, but all were empty, only the form of what had been held was still visible. 2 were humanoid of one flavor or another. The 3rd was a creature looking more like a tentacle monster from perhaps a child's nightmare.

This was the first that still held a lifeform inside.

Preliminary reports stated that the subject was still, technically alive, and humanoid in features. The dating of the carbonite aged it to 10,000+ years ago. To Lucinda, that was fascinating. A living being, from 10,000 years ago. She had not even begun to contemplate opening the encasement. Not yet. She had to get it to her first.

Lucinda, Lucinda Rizer to be exact, was considered young for the line of work she had chosen. She was all of 24 earth years old. She identified herself as human, but she was actually of Human and Arkanian heritage. Her father, a human archeologist, Bendar Rizer, had met and mated with an Arkanian woman while studying their world. Lucinda was the child they spawned. She herself was not an archeologist, like her father, she was not even a scientist of any kind. She was a Collector. And what she collected was relics from the age of Jedi's and Sith's and the use of the Force. These days, these types of things were seen as fanciful, mythical, imagination run wild. These days of lasers and space travel and galaxies filled with a myriad of creatures, it was technology that was the primary strength. Build better, more dangerous weapons. Build bigger more destructive ships. Build stronger armor.

That had been her last find, only a few weeks before.

Mandalorian armor, known as beskar'gam, which referred to the traditional armor worn by the warrior clans of the planet Mandalore. She had only just managed to prove that the armor was made from Beskar, which was proven to be one of the strongest metals in the galaxy. It was said that Beskar could protect the wearer from blasters and even lightsabers. She had tested that theory using one of the 4 lightsabers she had in her possession. The Beskar was unscathed.

The pieces she had found were nothing more than a chest piece and leg pieces. She had spent the last few weeks, researching how to model that armor to fit her. Only just this week had she finally worked with a metalsmith who, using the information she had gathered, had fashioned the chest and leg pieces to her measurements. Lucinda had always worn some kind of protective armor when out in the field. She knew there were others looking for "treasure" to sell for gold or coin or credits. That was why she always carried a laser blaster with her as well. This armor would prove invaluable in keeping her alive.

Thank the stars that she did not have to retrieve the carbonite find herself. Lucinda employed several trusted associates and she paid them well, to search places she could not get to right away. It had been Tharok that had found and secured the carbonite encasement. She would reward him well when he returned with it. Very well....

 

[Nyte_mare]

Tharok had worked for Lucinda's father back in the day, checking dig sites, gathering information. It was a decent paying job, and kept him pretty much out of trouble. In his youth, he had always wanted to be a bounty hunter. That had been his dream. But a well placed laser blast that had left him partially lame had ended that dream. He could get around, but had quite a pronounced limp.

Working for Bendar Rizer had at least given him something to live for. The coin/credits he paid allowed him to live a pretty good life. When he died, his daughter, Lucinda, had offered him a job as well. Tharok had a soft spot for the girl, having watched her grow up. She was pretty, smart, and sarcastic. All qualities that he liked. He had a bit of a crush on her, truth be told, but he was well more than double her age. She had no one else. She never had. She'd been too busy getting her collection off the ground. Her interest in Jedi's and Sith's and the Force had started when she was just a kid. Now it was her obsession.

But, maybe finding this, the carbonite with the still living prisoner, would spark more of an interest in him. Thorak knew this was quite a find. He could tell by the sound of her voice that she was beyond excited. Not that her other collector employees, mostly male, did not fantasize about taking the pretty young thing. They all did. But he had been with her the longest, and was closest to her... Maybe this time...

But first, he had to arrange to get the carbonite to her. She was currently at her warehouse on Planet Coruscant, the find was on Planet Exegol. This was going to take a few days at least, to get the carbonite to the ship and get back to home base. Especially since he was alone. He had the equipment to get this done and set to work...

"Expect delivery in 4 days" he communicated back.

Once loaded, he would sleep, then begin the journey back.

******************************************************

Lucinda was not the most patient person in the world. This would be one of the biggest finds of her career. Finding the Lightsabers, those had been huge. And all worked. Another huge accomplishment. She herself had been practicing with them. They were fascinating weapons, and deadly.

But this, a humanoid, alive, from 10,000 years ago. From the days of the force, when the force, which many now considered nothing more than an ancient religion, was practiced. She hoped he or she, she was not sure which, would be revivable. The information she could glean from such an individual would be invaluable.

BUT.. there was one nagging little thought that kept intruding. WHY was this creature, this "person", encased, frozen alive, in carbonite?

With a sigh she pushed that thought aside.

Thorak was on his way with the find. She would know soon enough...

******************************************************

4 days later...

He was right on schedule. The trip had been quiet and uneventful. It was evening when he finally landed his ship at the Coruscant space port. Lucinda was waiting, with a small speeder and a trailer to transport the carbonite back to her warehouse. She was closer to the edge of the large city, so the trip would be upwards of a couple of hours. She did, however, offer Tharok a hug when he stepped off the ship. She was so excited that this had been found. With a slight blush, he hugged her back...

It was not lost on Lucinda that he had a crush on her. She loved him to pieces, but as a friend. She never entertained any kind of romantic interest in him or anyone... Her collecting was what was most important to her...

Once back at the warehouse, she slowly walked around the carbonite. Several lights flashed slowly on the control panel, indicating a very very slow heartbeat of the creature inside. He, and it was easy enough to determine it was male, was still alive according to that panel. Just barely, but alive. She was afraid that if she waited much longer, that would no longer be the case. 1000 years was a long long time. It would fail eventually, and she did not want it to fail just before she opened it, robbing her of the chance to speak to the creature...

"Lay it down.... let's get it open"...

"Lucinda, are you sure?" Tharok was hesitant. Why was he frozen? Why was he abandoned on such a planet as Exegol?

"yes.... yes... I am sure. I do not want to chance loosing such a specimen, such a find... he is 10,000 years old, from the days of the force, and Jedi, and Sith. Imagine what he can tell us. So much that we do not know. Yes, we need to free him... now....."

 

[ERedBoyd]

At first, there was only the darkness. Darkness for as long as Darth Huruk could imagine. Darkness and pain. His mind only reacted to the sensations around him. Sensations that his body hadn't felt in over 10,000 years. Hot and Cold sensations conflicted his very skin as the Carbonite encasement melted away from him. He was barely aware of anything as the cool damp air shocked his skin!

His mind slowly began to process what was going on. Very slowly. He felt air on his skin, something he thought he would never feel again. He was damp as well, hot steamy water raising slowly off his skin. He was only barely aware of something touching him, his wrist, his chest. His ears slowly processed sounds around him. Voices, machines, whirring, popping sounds.

Huruk knew his body was naked as was the way when he was incarcerated and that meant nothing to him. Given the life he had lived, nudity meant nothing. He was aware of his body being moved, lifted, set on a surface. He sensed the gentle changes of a his new resting place going from still to moving. He couldn't have done a thing even if his wanted to as it was only the senses of his mind that really seemed to work at the moment.

He felt something being put onto his face like some kind of mask as well as a set of bandages wrapped around his loin. He then felt his body gently slipping into a medtank pool to begin the healing process. His mind panicked a moment and the first thought that came to mind was 'Am I being drowned?' He felt warm gently flowing water around his entire body, even over his head and yet he could breath without a problem though his lungs burned after not being used for so long!

Huruk tried to open his eyes, move his eyes, move a body part, something, anything, but nothing happened. He was trapped in his own body. His ears heard the hiss of something and the faint smell of something in his nose. Was he being killed now? Was this a poison? He wouldn't allow himself to be killed! He reached out for something that had always been there for him and to his shock felt, nothing.

Whatever he had been injected with though quickly took effect and he fell into a deep dreamless healing sleep

 

[Nyte_mare]

10,000 years.

He had been entombed, frozen, in the carbonite for 10,000 years.

Now he was "entombed" in the MedTank. No, he would not be there for 10,000 years of course. But he would be there for more than likely 48 hours or more. His body needed time to heal, to repair, to strengthen. The MedTank would provide all he needed, nutrients, medications, stimulus.

He looked surprisingly "human" to Lucinda. But then again, she looked human and she was only partially so. She knew he was not. She did not know what he was. She had taken a blood sample before he was put into the tank, but her preliminary findings were "inconclusive". She would get that result when the computer was chewing on the information. It meant that it was searching, databanks, libraries, stored information galaxy wide and further. Hopefully it would come back with something.

Tharok, however was unimpressed and extremely suspicious. "He looks like a warrior of some kind" he commented, gazing into the MedTank.

"Tharok, every "male" looks like a Warrior to you. Every "female" looks like a Princess. I know how your mind works" Lucinda turned and smiled at her friend. He was quite protective over her, and she was grateful for him. He was probably the closest thing to a best friend that she had.

"I hope he will be able to speak. To tell us who and what he is. Tell us of his life 10,000 years ago. You know, Tharok, that was the days when the Force was used. Jedi and Sith and Lightsabers. I want to hear all about it. I want to understand how the Force worked. How Lightsabers work. You know....." she turned away from the tank and walked over to where she had her 4 Lightsabers. 3 were in working order, she had taken the 4th one apart, trying to figure out just how it worked. Did it depend on the Force? She didn't think so, she could use one and she did not have the Force, or anything like it.... "You know, if I can figure out what the Force is, how it works, that it is not just a strange "religion" for fanatics, that it can be used... Used in battle... and used for peace... " she let her voice trail off...

The force was seen now as nothing more than "religious belief" for fanatics.

She walked back to the MedTank.

"I hope you can tell me, tell me all about life 10,000 years ago"...

She and Tharok left the room then. He went to grab a bite to eat. Lucinda was not hungry, she was entirely too excited about this find and her specimen. She went to her lab and sat at her computer, reading from the tomes and the like about life 10,000 years ago. She wanted to refresh her knowledge.....

 

[ERedBoyd]

Endless weightlessness.

That is how Darth Hurok felt at the moment. His eyes refused to open, refused to work at all. His ears caught faded and muffled sounds from somewhere. Perhaps a person maybe?

There was something else missing too, something his mind reached out to and couldn't seem to locate. What it was, he wasn't sure but it meant something to him. It meant everything to him once.

Very slowly over the next few days though, things started coming back to him. He felt his fingers and toes once more, felt them wiggle. He felt the sensations of being submerged in some kind of fluid, warm and inviting on him. His hearing grew with more clarity and could definitely hear discussions through a murk. Something about 10,000 years? What did that mean?

As his time in the fluid continued, his body felt more sore than it had ever been in it's life. His muscles moving for the first time in a very long time. His eyes would open though it was met with blackness which slowly became a greyness. Shadowy figures floated in and out of his vision by the time his was to be pulled from the tank.

He didn't understand much of what was happening. His body literally was trying to remember how to work after being offline for so long.

The most important thing to happen to him as he felt his body being pulled from the tank was that something he had been missing. He could sense it again. His mind reached for it but he had no more luck harnessing it than he could catching smoke with a net.

Darth Hurok began to grow a sense of awareness of himself. He knew he was alive. He knew he had his bodyparts. He knew that whatever fate that he had been sealed to had been avoided somehow. Flashes of men and women in jedi robes flashed in his mind. The whirring of light sabers grew stronger in him. There was something about these memories that held value to him. Goddess he was so tired...

His first real cognitive thought he had though was the feel of a soft hand holding his own. He heard a voice. A woman's voice talking to him but it was so murky. His head shifted slowly to the sound of the voice listening, desperate for news. What had happened to him!?!?!

 

[Nyte_mare]

It had been upwards of 72 hours before she and Tharok, along with Ming, had taken the specimen out of the MedTank. Ming had joined them from an expedition that had garnered some more artifacts, but nothing spectacular.

After he was dried, he was lain on a cushion, for comfort. Lucinda took another blood sample for analysis. She made sure to keep the lights dimmed, he had not used his eyes in 10,000 years. Light would be intrusive to him. His body was responding nicely, as far as she could tell. She had no idea what he "was" or what was the norm for him. But the MedTank Computer had indicated that all was working normally at this time. He would still be weak, until he became accustomed to the gravity and just using his arms and legs and hands and feet again, never mind is eyes and ears.

She let him "sleep" for another 12 hours, allowing him to come out of the stasis that the MedTank put one in.

Ming and Tharok stood off to the side, watching, while Lucinda finally approached the specimen, taking his larger hand into her own, soft, smaller one.

"Can you hear me? Are you awake?"

Her voice was soft, a bit deeper, not the sing song voice of some females. Hers was soothing, she'd often be told her voice was relaxing, yet had a sense of command to it when needed.

She gently ran her fingertips along his palm, then over the back of his hand and upwards on his arm, just trying to give him a sensation to focus on. To slowly awaken him to the here and now.

"I am Lucinda, you are safe, do not worry"

Tharok had wanted to chain him to the table. He was all for security. He did not trust this specimen for some reason. Something, and he could not quite put his finger on it, but something just rubbed him the wrong way. He had, obviously voiced that to Lucinda, but she was too caught up in the excitement of finding him, finding this 10,000 year old lifeform, to listen. Ming agree'd with Tharok, something was just... off... and her back was up.

"Do... you have... a name?"..... Lucinda asked as he opened his eyes slowly....

 

[ERedBoyd]

I had literally NO idea what you were really saying. While some of the dialect and words made sense like 10,000, the rest was jibberish to me. I slow turned my head and looked towards the woman and said, "I ishug guluoakum lugnderstanmar. Thurhaakum hakanguaguth ushug gorotu ashpeak?" (I do not understand. What language to you speak?)

The blurs were starting to clear up so he could see it was a woman but did not understand what she was saying. He knew all the languages of his time? Where had be gone to find himself in an area where he his translator didn't work? How far out of the from his home in the inner rim had he been sent? What kind of species was this female looking at him? Millions of questions suddenly started hitting his mind as it seemed to turn on like a faucet!

He felt an anxiety growing in him. He had been made a captive before. Stripped of title, rank, power, and wealth and stuck in a tomb of carbonite! Did he get sent to a part of the galaxy so far away that it took 10,000 years to get back? He heard the woman speaking once again clearly responding to his anxiety and speaking in a way he didn't understand!

He growled, "Thurhug duruth gorou? thurhzag ishug gorotu gulolmar gloge? thurhaakum ishug gorotu thuranakum thuritarg gloge? duruth gorotu thuritarg ushhuth inirnelliabag glogagistrate? dulivuth gloguth dunswers!" (Who are you? Why do you hold me? What do you want with me? Are you with the Ornellian Magistrate? Give me answers!)

Darth Hurok felt someone else approaching and turned his eyes to see a ... what he could only guess was a man with an injector of some kind and he tried to move his arms to stop but they still did not work and something hissed into his neck and sleep suddenly hit him. He did NOT want to sleep. He wanted answers! His anxiety quickly faded as he struggled to get his message across, 'Hakeakum gloguth guree! hakeakum gloguth dulo! thurhaakum duruth gorotu ishoinor ushug... ushug... gloguth..." (Let me free! Let me go! What are you doing to... to ... me... ) His eyes grew very heavy and darkness took him.

The only thing that made him feel anything good at all was just before sleep consumed him and in his fear and anger, he felt the force once again if only for a moment.

 

[Nyte_mare]

Lucinda stepped back as he spewed out what sounded like gibberish.

First off, he was alive, and cognizant. This was remarkable. His brain was working, he was thinking, speaking, gibberish, but speaking.

But.. as she listened, some of the words she recognized. She, during her research and studies, had been working on learning some of the languages of the Jedi and Sith from so long ago. Not to speak it, really, but to be able to read some of the ancient scripts she had uncovered. Her translation devices were not capable of translating such long since dead languages.

He was speaking a language from 10,000 years ago. But she did not know which one. The language of the Jedi and Sith were very similar, and she was not expert enough to know the difference. All she knew was that she did recognize some of what he was saying...

Thurhug duruth gorou (who are you)
Thurhzag ishug gorotu gulolmar gloge? (why do you hold me)
Thurhaakum ishug gorotu thuranakum thuritarg gloge? (what do you want with me)

"Ilalrat ishowbag.. Gut'akun iniuku... I durat guluoakum duloinor ushug gulurakum gorotu" (Calm down.. It's ok... I am not going to hurt you.). She was hesitant in her dialect, this was not something she had ever expected to speak. But this only heightened her excitement. He knew Jedi/Sith. She did NOT equate that with him being either, just that he was from that time and knew of Jedi/Sith. She wanted to calm him, to explain where and when he was, but was not quite sure how. This would be so confusing to him and she could already see he was terrified and fighting to move, his arms and legs would not quite cooperate with him yet.

Hakeakum gloguth guree! (Let me free)
Hakeakum gloguth dulo! (let me go)

His anger and confusion was growing and Lucinda was getting concerned that he would hurt himself. She had no fear that he would hurt her. That thought just had not entered her mind. But it did enter the minds of both Tharok and Ming. And it was Ming that activated the very humanoid looking Medical Bot that approached with the syringe....

Thurhaakum duruth gorotu ishoinor ushug... ushug... gloguth... (what are you doing to me)

The sedative quickly worked and he calmed, falling back asleep, his gasping breathing slowing to a deeper, calmer rhythm.

Lucinda stepped back further, pacing around the table where he lay. She was not happy they had decided to sedate him, but she had to agree it was the right thing to do. She did not want him hurting himself. Again she had no thoughts that he could or would hurt her. But she knew she would have to secure him when he awoke next, for his own safety.

The question was, would it be better to secure him to the table, by strapping him down? Lucinda did not like that idea. When movement is completely restricted, it can cause panic as the "fight or flight" instinct that seemed to be present in every species, took hold. She would not want to be strapped down. That would scare her more than most anything. She assumed it would be just as frightening for him...

"Did you hear that dialect he spoke? That was pure Jedi/Sith. Gods, he can probably give me so much information. Just the fact that he is alive, still, after 10,000 years"

She was more talking to herself than Tharok or Ming. While they worked for her, and were good at what they did, for them, it was nothing more than a "paycheck" so to speak. This was not their life's work or dream, as it was with Lucinda.

Her fascination with the Force, Jedi, and Sith and that whole era from so long ago began when she was still a child. Her father had excavated a site and found a lightsaber. He had explained to a then 7 year old Lucinda what it was, and showed her that it still worked. She was hooked. From that moment on, she had wanted to know more. She had no desire to be the archeologist her father was, or the physician her arkanian mother was.. to Lucinda, all that schooling was a waste of time. That was why she was a Collector. A Collector of anything and everything involving Jedi and Sith and the Force. Her father had written her off years ago, as this being nothing more than a whimsical dream. And she had no contact with her Arkanian mother ever since her Father had taken her off planet.

"I do not want him strapped down. That will only frighten or anger him even more than he already is and I don't want that. Let's secure him in the quarantine room".... She had a room adjacent to her office where she would quarantine items until they could be decontaminated if needed. She did not use it often. But it was secure. It was small, glass enclosed. It had it's own air supply and the bed/table could be moved in there. She could speak to him via the communication unit. It would allow him to get up and move, but was relatively safe in that it was small, there was nothing in there at this time, other than another table and chair. This way she could see him and he could see her, but both would be safe. Ming and Tharok had both brought up good points about him possibly lashing out in fear and hurting her or himself. Neither of them wanted to be responsible for killing such a specimen. While it was only a paycheck to them, they understood Lucinda's point of view as well.

So, the specimen was moved and secured.

When his eyes opened again, no one was standing around peering down at him, and he was not strapped down in any way..

Ming and Tharok had gone to get some dinner, while Lucinda sat outside the chamber, reading up on the Jedi/Sith dialect of the time and waiting for him to awaken again..

When she saw him stir, she stood, so that he would see her.

"Athleasuth ishug guluoakum athanioz" (please do not panic) "Guluug ininuth guakun duloinor ushug gulurakum gorotu" (no one is going to hurt you)

"Ilabag gorotu ushelrag gloguth gorouum... guluame?" (can you tell me your name?)... "I durat Lucinda" (I am Lucinda)

 

[Nyte_mare]

This post was written jointly by both myself and ERedBoyd..

"Athleasuth ishug guluoakum athanioz" (please do not panic) "Guluug ininuth guakun duloinor ushug gulurakum gorotu" (no one is going to hurt you)

"Ilabag gorotu ushelrag gloguth gorouum... guluame?" (can you tell me your name?)... "I durat Lucinda" (I am Lucinda)

The room Hurok found himself in was bright and it hurt his eyes. He raised his hands to his eyes to block out the light and felt relief as the woman on the other side of the clear panel said something he did not understand and the lights dimmed. He lowered his eyes and was finally able to make out more of the woman looking back at him. He could see echoes of her image floating around because his eyes were still adjusting to the light.

When she repeated her statement to him, he looked at her and realized he had a choice to make. To tell the truth or to lie? Until he had a better grasp on what was happening to him at this point, it was better to hold onto every card he had until it was time to play it. If he gave his real name, would they trace it back to his home and his crimes? If he lied and they already knew his name, that would hurt his integrity too. His deep penetrating eyes looked onto her and finally said, "Martook." He patted his chest and said it again, "Martook".

He gave no reaction at all as he let his eyes move down her body over the rounded curves of her breasts under her clothing. How long had it been since he had had a woman? When his eyes returned to her eyes, he growled, "Release me."

"Martook" she repeated back to him. So his name was Martook. At least that was a start. And he had calmed some, although even Lucinda could see he was not happy, that he was confused and agitated. But then again, she would be too if the situation were reversed.

She watched as he studied her. Again, she would have done the same thing if in his situation, so she did not find this at all alarming or intrusive.

But his growled "Release me" put her on edge. She, of course, was not in the business of keeping captives. She was not a collector of living things (there were others who were those kinds of collectors)... But she needed to be sure he understood what was happening first. Her instinct was screaming at her that he was dangerous, but her excitement over who and what he was, was even now overriding that instinct.

"You are not being held captive" again her dialect in his language was a bit rough, and she was sure he noticed that. "But you... you need understand... need to understand, what is happening here"...

Lucinda was pacing outside the room as she spoke. She moved fluidly, almost like a cat, very light on her feet. She always hated the way Tharok and Ming always stomped around.

"I found you frozen in carbonite" the more she spoke, the easier the words came in his language. She had just spent the last several hours, while he was sedated, reading up on it.

"Frozen 10 thousand years ago." She paused to let that sink in.

Hurok watched her pace and did notice the round of her ass as she shifted back and forth. On his planet, women of her shape were held in the highest levels of Propriety. She would have made him much D'kot (coin) for him if he had opted to sell her on the planet. Of course, while the females were never held to the same levels of men, they were the highest of highest valued property, even above homes and transports. Men who held onto more than one were considered of medium wealth. The richest of men on his world owned hundreds of females every one with the same beauty and looks of the one before him.

Then the words reached his mind, 10,000 years...ago? His eyes locked on her eyes and they narrowed, this must be some kind of trick. He had been told his sentence would only be for 75 years. It couldn't be 10,000 years.

Anger grew in him and through that anger, he felt the force creep into him, like the warm blood of a just killed martyr. He still couldn't manipulate anything at the moment, but he could sense it and feel it in him. Time would heal this for him.

He gave a smirk at her realizing it had to be a joke of some kind. He said in his own primitive tongue, "You not speak... truth. Speak deceit. Where am I? What year is it?"

Lucinda was not even sure how to answer that. Years, time, was different, and measured differently, depending on where you were..

Here on Coruscant, it was the year 2ABY... But that would most likely mean nothing to him. She had not a clue how his race, his species, even measured time.

"Why would I deceive you Martook? What would I gain by that? I can tell you it is the year 2ABY here. But I suspect you will not know what that is. I assure you, according to the read out on your Carbonite, you were encased and frozen 10,000 years ago. The question is... why?"

She watched him pace, like a caged animal, and she was beginning to realize that Tharok and Ming may have been right. He may be dangerous. At least until he understood what was going on. That she was no threat to him.

"You are on the planet Coruscant, located in the Coruscant subsector of the Corusca sector within the Core Worlds region"

She was sure that would mean nothing to him.

"Can you tell me what planet you are from?"

It was then that both Ming and Tharok entered the room.. Both coming over to look at the now alive and moving 10,000 year old being in the quarantine room.

Coruscant?! He was on Coruscant?! The home of the jedi?! So he was still in the Core Systems at least and apparently with the Republic. That meant he couldn't be too far away from his home planet. He glanced back at her, clearly recognizing the name. The case said he had been in it for 10,000 years? That had to be a mistake or a glitch? Was it possible for his case to even stay powered that long? Should he not have died in it after so long?

Agitation grew in him as he paced, his mind starting to think more and more clearly. He heard her question and without hardly thinking said, "Oreillia"

Oreillia...

Oreillia had been destroyed by a massive supernova 2500 years ago. Lucinda did not know alot about that particular planet. Her father had mentioned it a couple of times, but nothing specific. And he had no clue that his home planet was destoyed. It was not something she was about to reveal now...

That was when his eyes shifted to Tharok and instantly, his guard went up! He backed up into a defensive posture and felt his mind reach out into the force once more! He had no weapons but the force!

Tharok paused... hearing what the specimen had said... Even in his strange language, he recognized the planet name. Every one of his kind would...

His people had been at war with Oreillia and their people since long before the planet had been destroyed. In fact, Thorak knew that it was his people that had set off the Supernova that had destroyed Oreillia 2500 years ago. It was written in their legacy. His people had been nomads, and still were for that matter. Never claiming a home planet, they moved from world to world, planet to planet, and Oreillia, had rejected them, so long ago. It had cost Oreillia and their people.

"Your from Oriellia? That foul planet was destoyed 2500 years ago"

"THORAK" Lucinda shouted. That was NOT what she wanted him to find out right now. Not while he was just coming to terms to what had happened and what was happening to him. But it was too late.

Hurok saw the surprise of the newcomer's eyes as he threw a hand out as if pushing the air and a split second later, Tharok flew into the air and against the wall about 6 feet off the ground before he collapsed onto the floor!

This shocked everyone else in the room too and he knew he had to get out of this room before it woke up again! They would kill him! His people and Thorak's people had been rivals for as long as his memory could recall! He reached the door on the quarantine room and tried to open it, rattling it hard only adding to the chaos of the scene! He had to get out!

Everything happened quickly at that point. Lucinda saw Martook/Hurok's eyes darken, saw the rage suddenly build and when he lifted his hand, she felt it, as it sailed past her. Some kind of energy blast that hit Tharok head on, sending him off his feet and crashing into the wall several feet behind him. Lucinda had never seen anything like that. Tharok screamed out in pain as he was slammed hard into the wall before he collapsed to the floor.

Ming was now yelling, pulling her blaster as Martook grabbed the door and began to wrestle with it.

The room was not meant to be a cage of any kind. The lock was not meant for keeping determined people in or out for that matter, and it gave way very quickly under the strength of the specimen and it flew open with a hard slam, nearly hitting Lucinda who was standing just on the other side of it......

 

[ERedBoyd]

Darth Hurok watched the door blast out of the room, hitting the woman who had been talking to him... what had her name been, Lucinda? He spun as he heard a woman scream out her name and he spun seeing a weapon being drawn from her holster! He reached out, snatching the weapon from her hand using just the force and a second push grabbing the woman and flinging her into the wall where she hit the ground with a hard thud.

He turned his eyes towards the Weequay laying on the ground trying to stir. He held the phaser in his hand and stared at it a moment as Tharok pulled himself up to a seated position and struggled to get to a standing position. Darth Hurok looked at the woman Lucinda and found her just starting to stir as well. He tossed the weapon to the ground and held a hand out towards the Weequay and he felt the lifeforce in him.

Tharok was lifted into the air, his arms and legs spread as wide as they could go, each held by a powerful tendril of the force. He merely looked at him and watched. Tharok at first did nothing, just stared in rage at Hurok. That quickly passed as pain began to rip through his body as the tendrils holding the arms and legs began to pull away from the tendril holding his torso! The man screamed as popping could be heard and then tearing and pulling.

"NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!" He heard the Weequay scream out as both of his arms ripped off his body as less than a second later, both of his legs! Hurok said nothing as the man's eyes widened in horror, he gasped and screamed before a second tendril of the force coiled around the man's head and crushed his skull! The sickening sounds of bones grinding and crunching filled the room as the silence from Tharok grew quiet.

He tossed the parts of the man aside and then turned to walk away. The one calling herself Lucinda looked up at him with sheer shock and horror. The other woman behind him lay limp and unmoving.

Darth Hurok considered for a moment using the force on her as well, crushing her skull, killing off the only witnesses. However as he stared down at her, his eyes blazing yellow, he opted to let her live. He reached with the force and lifted the door off her and tossed it back into the cell as if it weighed not an ounce.

He reached down to her and pulled her feet saying, "Ship... You... have ship?"

 

[Nyte_mare]

The door flew open and before Lucinda could react, it slammed into her, knocking her to the floor. It did not knock her out, but she was trapped beneath it, as everything went to hell around her.

She watched in horror as first Ming, who had drawn her blaster and tried to fire, was lifted and twisted and sent hurtling into the far wall, her body slamming hard, her scream quickly silenced as she fell to the floor in a heap. But that was not the worst of it. Tharok had managed to get to his feet but he too was lifted aloft and moments later, as his screaming, his agonized screaming, echoed through the warehouse, he was literally torn apart, his arms and legs ripped from his body, and his head twisted and crushed, his yowls silenced.

The silence was the worst. All Lucinda could hear then, was her own labored, harsh gasps, and his measured breaths.

She had awakened and unleashed a monster.

Her vision was murky, blurred, but came into sharp focus when the door was easily lifted free of her and he approached her. She tried to shuffle back from him, tried to retreat but she had no where to go and her own body was protesting loudly in pain. Nothing was broken, that she knew, but moving was not necessarily easy...

He reached down to her and pulled her feet saying, "Ship... You... have ship?"

She had to fight to stop her trembling, and to not look at the death and carnage behind him, Tharok torn apart, Ming most likely dead, as she was not moving nor breathing from what she could see.

Lucinda met his gaze. Was she terrified, yes. But she was angry as well.

"I TOLD you we would NOT hurt you!!!! There was NO REASON......" but she stopped when he took a step closer to her, raising his hand. She could feel the change in the energy around him, feel the power building. Instinctively she reached for her own blaster, but it was not at her hip. The only thing within reach were the Lightsabers, on the table behind her, she having backed up away from him so that now her backside was pressed against it.

Her fingers curled around the closest Lightsaber and she quickly activated it, the blade coming to life.. She swung it in front of her, in a defensive stance. Lucinda was not a killer, not by a long shot. It was very rare that she had to fight. Most of the ruins and such she was interested in were not of interest to others. The Force and the Jedi and the Sith were nothing more than religious fanatics of some sort from thousands of years ago. Most collectors were looking for treasure... Not religious artifacts.

But Lucinda was not a weakling either, not in the sense of the word. She could take care of herself for the most part. Or at least try.

But she did not want to kill or even attempt to kill the Specimen, Martook. He was too valuable to her, his information would be .... endless...

What she did not expect was the smile that crept across his face .....

 

[ERedBoyd]

As far as he was concerned, anyone who worked with a Weequay was not much better than those foul monsters and deserved to die as well. He started to pull the force to him once more, intent on ripping her to shreds as well when he watched her reach for the lightsaber.

It was clear by the way she held it, that it was not comfortable to her. She held it up as if she were a novice. It glowed blue in her hands. He could not sense even the most minute ability in this creature with the force and yet, she held a jedi's light saber in hand ready to defend herself.

A smile slowly grew on his face as he held out his hand and pulled the lightsaber from her grip, which immediately shut down and into his grip where it immediately lit up again. He held it not in a threatening way. The specimen was harmless to him. He swung it back and forth with a practiced albeit slightly unsteady hand before killing it and hanging it at his waist. He turned his eyes towards the table and pulled all three of the others to him with the force, finding one not working and the others that worked just fine. One burned green, the other red. He hung the green blade on his waist and looked at the red one. It was of a different design that he had ever seen, rather than a long straight shaft for a hand, it curved slightly in his hand. Flashes of a regal human with a white beard echoed through his head. A man who was once called Count Dooku. He knew not who this creature was.

There was a shuffling at his feet and his eyes lowered down towards the ground and found the woman gone. She had darted out of the room and down the corridor. He raised the lightsaber to his head and lit it, the crimson blade glowing ominously at his face.

He did hear the groan of the woman with the pistol he had slammed into the wall and knew she was alive and for a moment, considered killing her too. She was an insect as well. No, his attention had to go to the one who had run. Lucinda. He killed the saber, but held it loose in his hand as he stepped out of the room and said, "I... no hurt you. Need ship. Please."

 

[Nyte_mare]

"I... no hurt you. Need ship. Please."

Lucinda stopped in her tracks. If she revealed him to the others on the planet, the scientists would, well, tear him apart most likely, wanting to learn what he was. And how he could do what he could do.

It was more than obvious to her that he was using the Force. She so wanted to ask him HOW... How did he use it. She did not want to tear him apart, she wanted to learn from him. But he had ripped Tharok apart. He had killed, as far as she knew, Ming. But, was he defending himself? The thought crossed her mind. What would she have done if the situation were reversed? Would she not fight for her life?

She stood there, back to him. He could kill her right now. He could have killed her in the room. But he didn't. Why? Because she was not attacking him? Was he only defending himself? He just wanted out of there. She could not blame him for that. And she didn't think there was any way she was going to convince him, here, that she would not hurt him..

"Yes, I have several ships. 2 of them are in the landing bay, just outside the warehouse" Lucinda did not look at him, she kept her back turned, she did not want to be seen as threatening him. She got the sense that was the only thing keeping her alive right now. She could feel that energy around him, what she was beginning to realize was, the Force.

"You... You can use the Force..." she stated matter of factly, it was then she turned to look over her shoulder at him.

"Are you a Jedi? Or are you a Sith?" again the question was very matter of fact. Somehow, Lucinda was keeping her own fear at bay. But she was trembling and she was sure he could see that. But he was not approaching her, not yet and not threatening her.

 

[ERedBoyd]

That last question was an oddly curious question to him. Do Jedi now rip people's arms and legs off too? Had the Jedi fallen so far from their pathetic limited views that they were doing things only a Sith would do?

He reached a hand out and with the gentlest of caresses of the force, he wrapped the force around her, pinning her arms to her sides and lifted her off the ground about 6 inches. He heard a shout from her in alarm but he kept his actions smooth and slow and he turned her to face him and pulled her to him.

When she hovered 3 feet in front of him, he lowered her to the ground and released the force from her. The look in her eyes made it very clear she had been touched by the force. He said, "We call it 'Guorcuth'"

He started to say more but something else caught his attention in a side room on the main corridor and he glanced past her towards it. He stepped past her and into the room. A number of artifacts laid about on tables including a variety of jedi cloaks. To his surprise, he even noticed a Sith one.

He noticed a rebreather, a satchel, and a variety of other items he did not recognize in the room as well. He picked up one of the largest jedi cloaks and clothing and slid into them. If the Jedi really did rip people apart in this day and age, perhaps it would be better off letting people assume he was jedi. At least till he found out what happened to the Sith. He grabbed the bag, loaded the Sith cloak in it and then a few of the items he did recognize, like the dagger which was not jedi or sith. He tucked it in as well and then turned to see Lucinda staring at him.

He felt his stomach do something else he hadn't felt in, well, 10,000 years. It grumbled hard. It grumbled so hard it actually hurt him and he leaned on the table and grabbed at his stomach. He looked at her and could see a scientific curiosity about her that he could exploit for a time. He said, "I will answer your questions. I need food, drink. Please."

Hurok felt his stomach grumble again so hard that he dropped to a knee in pain.

 

[Nyte_mare]

Lucinda watched as he tilted his head slightly to her question, as if it puzzled him. She knew enough to know that Jedi were the "good" guys and Sith were the "bad" guys of their time. But she was open minded enough as well as to know good can be bad and well, bad can be good. She would never think to assume he was one or the other, not yet at least.

But instead of answering, she felt a warm energy slowly slither around her. For a minute she tensed, almost panicked, bet managed to remain remarkably calm. She felt her body being lifted and drawn toward him, until she was held before his eyes, he staring into hers.

"We call it 'Guorcuth' "

Another word for the Force. She had read that it was called different things by different people and species and such...

Guorcuth...
Bogan...
Potentium...

These were only a few that she could remember right now...

She saw he was about to say something else when his eyes shifted and he put her to her feet, moving past her into a room where she stored many of the artifacts and the like that she had collected. She found it interesting that he put on the Jedi robes and took the Sith robes. And he had still not answered her question, but she had her suspicions ...

"I will answer your questions. I need food, drink. Please."

She watched as he dropped to one knee. It was obvious he was weakened. How could he not be after being entombed for 10,000 years. If she had been a Warrior, a Fighter, a Soldier, a Mercenary, like Tharok and Ming both were, she would have struck him down in his moment of weakness. But she still did not realize just how dangerous he was. She attributed what he had done to fear and defense.

Lucinda nodded and turned, leading him into the small living area she had off the main warehouse. It did not have much, some protein bars and nutrition bars, along with water and nutritional drinks.

"These were made for most any species to be able to consume with no ill effects. This should help with your hunger and thrist, take what you need"... she stepped back, allowing him to chose what he wanted.

"Can you tell me what you are? How you use the Force?"

 

[ERedBoyd]

Darth Hurok said nothing at first, rather grabbing at the drink and bars and started eating them down as quickly as he could. However, as he finished up, he looked back to her with his golden glowing eyes and said, "Orneillian. I am Orneillian."

As far as the other question would go, he really couldn't answer it. How does one pick up this nutritional bar with your hand. You just reach out and pick it up. It was no different than when he used the force. He had an immense strength within the dark side of the force since he had first discovered he had it. His strength had been unquestionable, his control had needed training. He had also been a very fast study though the academy and clearly grew into a threat by all the Sith. While the Sith Academy did train Sith, it was always a matter of besting one who had become too strong. He would have to go back to the academy and determine where the Sith were now at. If the Jedi were so desperate as to rip out arms and legs, the Sith must be VERY powerful indeed in this time.

His eyes locked on her and he simply said, "Don't know how, I just do."

As an example of his power, he looked down at the drinks in the middle of the table and studied them. The three glasses of pasty green liquid lifted into the air. He raised them up over their heads and began to spin them faster and faster all the while forcing the fluid within to not splash as single drop. He then used a fraction of his powers, causing all three glasses to shatter, yet the liquid within continued to spin at the same pace holding the same shape. He took the broken glass shards and spun them counter clockwise a few inches under the liquid, before lowering them back to the table and forcing all the shards to rejoin together into the original three glasses. He lowered the fluid back into back into the three glasses and then released the force. He had strength and he had the finesse in the power.

"You answer a question for me." For the time being, she was his only source of information about this time so as long as she gave him information and help, he would hold onto her. He tapped the jedi cloak he wore and his sith cloak from the bags. He knew there would be a great war one day between the Jedi and the Sith in which he was confident the Sith would have come out victorious. He said, "Where are the jedi and sith?"

 

[Nyte_mare]

Orneillian

His home planet was gone. She was going to have to confirm that with him as she was not sure he even believed Tharok. Obviously it had enraged him, and she had to shake her head to get the image of what he so easily did to Tharok out of her mind.

She forced herself to then think of her question.. "How do you use the Force" and his answer "I don't know, I just do"...

That was in line with everything she had read on the subject. You could not "get the Force"... You either had the Force or you did not. It was that simple. There had been many debates about that. About how one "got the Force".. But Lucinda always believed that you were either born with it or you were not. It was genetics. That simple. Many a dead Jedi and dead Sith back in the day, had been dissected by scientists, trying to discover the secret of the Force and... they found.. absolutely nothing.

She watched his demonstration, and again she could feel the energy build around him. But, she realized, it was not an energy inside him, not really. It was his ability to gather the energy around him and use it.

She had read in an ancient text....The Force is a mysterious energy field created by life that binds the galaxy together. Harnessing the power of the Force gives the Jedi, the Sith, and others sensitive to this spiritual energy extraordinary abilities, such as levitating objects, tricking minds, and seeing things before they happen. While the Force can grant users powerful abilities, it also directs their actions. And it has a will of its own, which both scholars and mystics have spent millennia seeking to understand.

Which explained the Jedi and the Sith. Everything everywhere was governed by good and bad... Good and Evil. Every light had a dark. Every sunrise had a shadow. The Force had both a good and a bad, a light and a dark. That was just the natural way of things. Of life.

It dawned on Lucinda then, based on what she had read and studied, that he was Sith. He was the darker side of that energy Force. He wielded it for darker reasons. A Jedi would never have torn apart an enemy. Not like he did. Yes, Jedi killed, but only when they had to. And always quickly. Never torturous, like what he had done to Tharok. A Jedi would have protected himself more than likely without killing. He... had killed... so very easily...

"You answer a question for me.... Where are the Jedi and Sith?"

His question interrupted her thoughts and she looked up at him... Taking an almost involuntary step back from where he stood. That particular part of history was quite well known for the most part.

"There as a war.... The Jedi-Sith War in the year 1032 BBY... It was the last of the wars fought between the Jedi Order and the Sith Order during the fall of the Old Republic. The war included a battle here, on this planet, Coruscant."

She hesitated, but was not going to lie. That would not help in any situation.

"The war ended with the destruction of the Sith on the planet Ruusan"

"And... 2500 years ago, your home planet, Oriellia, was destoyed by a massive Supernova"... She was not going to confirm that Tharok's race had instigated the cataclysmic supernova that exploded Oriellia...

Lucinda had taken another defensive step back. She had felt, as the words came from her lips, his anger rising, could feel that vibration in the energy, in the air around him. She had felt that before, not just with him, but a select few others, but never realized til now what she was sensing. It had to be the Force. She had no way of using it, never had. But she could sense it, feel it...

 

[ERedBoyd]

Darth Hurok felt his rage growing in him. He felt the sizzling in the air, the crackling of lightning snapping about. Objects not secured to a table or wall began to tremble ominously. His homeworld was gone AND the Sith were gone? Nothing like a 1 - 2 punch! Lightning flickered in his eyes as they lifted up and locked on her, hate filling them to the brim. He felt the power surging in him and he grabbed her neck with the force and pushed her up to her feet and back to the wall!

He wasn't angry at her specifically, but the news was nearly impossible to NOT be feeling anything but rage! He stepped towards her about to strike her down when red lights began to flash in the room and sirens started going off! He immediately let his grip on her throat go when the other woman who he had gone after a bit ago stumbled into the doorway, her laser pistol out! She aimed and fired at Darth Hurok! The first one caught him in the shoulder making him stumble back and howl in pain!

He reacted by lashing out with the force once more, she screamed out in pain as he used the force to wrap around her hand and squeeze as hard has he could! Dozens of bones popped and snapped rendering it useless as the gun she carried also crushed around her hand! However, it wasn't until the power cell in the gun broke which would have taken an immense amount of force to do that her hand exploded into blood meat and bone and metal of the gun! A large chunk of the gun metal blasted up into her neck, severing her throat as she was sent flailing back in pain!

Darth Hurok shot his eyes towards Lucinda and growled, "Take me to your ship! NOW!" He threw his hand onto his open wound to keep himself from bleeding out.

 

[Nyte_mare]

She felt the tightening around her throat, like a firey serpent, heated, coiling, the surge of power was, frightening, never mind the fact that she was lifted and almost slammed into the wall, pinned there by the Force. And it began to strangle her... Lucinda clawed at her throat, helplessly, struggling to breathe, her own defense suddenly rearing up. She could not use the Force, but she managed to wedge his hold on her loose enough, she was not sure how, to take a gasping breath, her eyes widening, she could feel him gathering his power to strike at her, to kill her, just as the sirens sounded, the red warning lights flashing and she saw Ming stumble into the doorway.

"Bastard" she screamed, aiming her laser pistol at Hurok and firing... His howl of pain filled the room and Lucinda was free'd, falling to the floor hard, but she managed to keep her senses about her. "MING LOOK OUT" she screamed... trying to warn her friend. She could feel him suddenly gather the Force around him and attack, the power thrumming past her, nearly knocking her back, before hitting Ming.... after shattering her hand, the pistol crashing and ripping apart, metal shards flying, and tearing into Ming's throat with a sickening sound that Lucinda could hear above Ming's anguished, agonizing screams that went, suddenly... silent.

The alarms were still blaring. But Lucinda knew now, she was not going to be able to deal with this specimen. He was Sith. She could feel that dark power gathering even know around him once more... He was too dangerous.

But that was not her biggest problem right now. He had been about to kill her, and she was still trapped in that room with him.

Darth Hurok shot his eyes towards Lucinda and growled, "Take me to your ship! NOW!" He threw his hand onto his open wound to keep himself from bleeding out.

She should have refused. She should have let him bleed to death. She should have. She could feel the power swirling around the room. It was almost uncontrolled. It twisted and lashed out, as if trying to find an outlet, trying to find control, and he was in pain and it seemed he was having some trouble reining it in. She knew, from her reading, her research on the Force that when one lost control, when emotions were out of control, so was the Force. It seemed to happen more so with the Jedi, from her research. But it was obvious now it happened with the Sith too. He was enraged, in pain, confused, and out of control. So was his grasp, his grip on the Force. The more pain, fear and confusion he felt, the stronger and more dangerous he and the Force became...

Lucinda stood, taking a deep breath, trembling. Her biggest fear was that he would let his power loose on the planet or at least the city, and kill innocents. That was the last thing she wanted to see happen. But the more enraged he got, the more pain he was in, the more she feared he would loose all control...

"Control IT" she yelled, as she lay her hand on his wounded shoulder.

She could not call the Force herself, she was not Jedi, or Sith. But what it appeared she could do was gain some control of the Force another was using. Not full control, not at all. But she managed to pull in the wildly fluctuating, pulsing force that was racing around the room and channel it to him, allowing him to regain control and... she was able to ease the pain, repair the wound. Not fully, but almost.... She was not even sure how she did it, it just..... happened...

"Take me to your ship! NOW!" He again commanded. She could see, feel the confusion on what was happening with him... and her... but right now... She knew she needed to get him away from here. Away from where he could or would hurt others, innocents. She was beginning to see and understand WHY he had been encased in the Carbonite.

"This way" she pointed, the door across from where they stood. There were voices coming from down the other end of the building, the sound of running. "GO" she yelled, not expecting him to take her with him... she just wanted him GONE... from her home.. from others he could hurt or kill here, GONE from this planet...

 

[ERedBoyd]

Darth Hurok froze in his steps as he realized what this Lucinda had done to him. Had she just harnessed the force from him and used it back on him? She had continued forward several paces yelling about people rushing their way when she turned and realized he had stopped.

Their eyes locked and he muttered, "Ushhuth ilhanneleum" (The Channeler). His eyes narrowed. It had only been a Sith legend, but there had been stories of people who could use other people's access to the force. They couldn't tap into the force directly, but once the force was being used, they could see it in flows and use those flows. Very rare and very desired. The biggest fear of these channelers was they could possibly turn the power back on the wielder, however, channelers who worked with their wielders could amplify those powers 1000 fold.

Darth Hurok continued to move towards the hangar keeping an eye on Lucinda. The ship was a light transport military vessel turned into a cargo hauler from some ancient war. He watched her point to ship and step away as if she was getting out of his path. He started to head towards the ship and with a very brief ball of force, he hit her upside the head with it. It was enough to make her collapse to the ground limp and unconscious.

The Sith walked to the woman, scooping her up onto his uninjured shoulder and walking up into the ship. There was no one on board save some robot creatures that seemed to be working maintenance on the vessel. He didn't understand most of what the words were for these things but he had known enough about flying to understand that most vessels were basically built the same way.

He walked to the lift which took him to the top level. It took him a few minutes but he did manage to find the cockpit. Another robot sitting in the pilot seat startled him. The machine turned and looked at him and said, "Lucinda appears injured. We should take her to.... tooo"

I reached out and grabbed the droid with the force and tore it from the seat, shattering it into a dozen pieces and tossed them behind him. He sat Lucinda in the co-pilot chair and he sat down at the main seat and began powering things up on the ship. It took some time to figure out what did what but over a 30 minute window, he had the ship powered up and just lifting off and entering space.

He heard his captive or passenger or prisoner starting to wake up and looked at her once again saying, 'Ushhuth ilhanneleum" and pointed at her.

 

[Nyte_mare]

"Ushhuth ilhanneleum" (The Channeler)

What? What had he just said? Lucinda stopped in her tracks and turned back to look at him. His eyes were glowing, he looked demonic. Again she realized, she had made a huge mistake letting him loose from the obvious prison that others, ten thousand years ago, had managed to put him in...

She got distracted by voices approaching. She did not want any more loss of life. There had been enough bloodshed today. She turned back to the Specimen, the Sith, and was struck suddenly hard on the side of her head, with a thrum of the Force. She saw it coming, but it hit too hard and too fast for her to be able to avoid it. Her eyes rolled back and silently she fell to the ground, unconscious.

She was not sure how long she was out cold. But as she began to awaken, she could feel movement. Like she was on a ship... on a ship? Why was she on a ship? Confusion flooded her senses as she slowly opened her eyes, confirming that indeed she was on a ship, one of her ships... She had no real clue where in space they were at the moment. But the ship was definitely in space.

"What... What's going on?" Her voice was a mere whisper as she struggled to get her bearings. Her head felt like she'd been whalloped with a baseball bat from the old Earthern game.

"Ushhuth ilhanneleum"

Blinking, she turned her gaze, barely able to turn her head, and saw him, the Specimen, at the controls of the ship. Wait, had he.. taken her with him? And why the hell was he muttering something about being a Channeler? What was he talking about...

"What... what are you doing? You need to take me back. You can have the ship, just take me back home!!! Please... Now..." She tried to hide the growing fear in her voice. She had seen what he had done to both Tharok and Ming. She remembered what he almost did to her....

"And why are you mummbling something about being a Channeler? What the hell is that?"

 

[ERedBoyd]

Darth was now in a rather uneasy situation. He didn't want to alienate her. If he could convince her to ally with him, particularly in this strange few time, he could be quite unstoppable. He knew she was scared. Terrified to her core from what he could sense of her. She was also angry to which he could understand.

He had to see for himself if what she said was true about his homeworld of Orellia. He looked at the navigation towards his planet and found the path there was not possible. He set a course for as close as he could get to the supernova though none the less. It would take him 8 hours of flight to get where he wanted to go.

Every time she made demands of her, he ignored her for the most part. Once he was done setting the course and he pushed the ship into hyperspace, he locked the controls and glanced back at her. He smirked as she winced at him and said, "I need... answers. You answer for me..." He realized he wanted her to willingly assist him rather than force her to. These kinds of entities though could enhance your powers or nearly completely cripple you. One way or the other she would help him.

For a long moment he just stared at her and finally closed his eyes, taking a nice long slow deep breath as he did. He reached out with the force once more, not manipulating anything, just feeling it. Feeling the web of energy that flowed inside everything.

It didn't take long though for a comm signal to light up. He sensed a vessel closing in that he obviously didn't recognize. He looked over at his sensors and saw it was something called a Cruiser from a government called the New Republic. The words were words he didn't fully understand, though he quickly realized that it sounded like they wanted him to stop. He could not allow that to happen. He had to see his home system first.

He looked over to her and said, "We are not stopping. Answer them." The entire room felt electrified as if power was oozing through every deckplate and panel in the place.

 

[Nyte_mare]

He pretty much ignored her... requests.. which was what she expected. She was not going to beg. She knew she was in trouble, but she would have to be careful in how she dealt with this... Specimen. He had not killed her... yet. He had almost, it was not lost on her that in his rage, he had been about to strike her down. She was getting the sense that it was his anger, his rage, where both his weakness and his power lay. Interesting.....

"I need... answers. You answer for me..."

Answer... what? She was about to ask.. when he closed his eyes. She felt it immediately... the gathering of the power around him. Like a lightning cloak that flowed over and around and even through him. She could see the fluctuations, the crackling, the undulations that slithered around him like another living entity. Without thinking, she reached out, and a small tendril flowed to her, curling around her hand and slipping easily upwards over her arm. She could feel the warm, and the pulsing of power within it.....

She was lost in the sensation, something she had felt in the past, but never to this degree, this strongly, when the Comm beeped and the light began urgently flashing, taking both their attention from the Force to a more pressing matter at hand..

A vessel was approaching.. A Patrol Cruiser from the New Republic. She had dealt with them many times in her travels for her collections. More than likely, these were Officers she knew...

"Greetings Miss Lucinda... as usual, we need to check in with you. Where are you headed? And who is with you for this trip?"

They were a bit more casual with her, then perhaps they would have been with a stranger or a strange ship.

Lucinda recognized the voice. It was Thomas, one of the newer Patrol Captains in the area. Younger, but a very nice man. He as human, actually, it was rare for a full human to be in this particular part of the galaxy. And even rarer that one was a Patrol Captain in the New Republic.

"We are not stopping. Answer them."

She could feel the power building, could feel and see his nervousness and anger also building. The power flowed through the ship, she could so easily see it, feel it, as it wound around and through him, over to her, before circling through the ship itself.

She shot him a look before moving to the Communication panel. Her mind was racing. Did she tell Captain Thomas that she was being held captive? She knew he did not fully understand the language they were speaking. He had not found or activated the translation feature that her ship had. But she had the distinct feeling he would know if she betrayed him and she knew, he would destoy that Cruiser and the crew most likely, without a moment's thought. She did not want that to happen. She could take care of herself. So for now, she would go along and see what his intentions were. Maybe, she'd still be able to get some insight from him about the Force and his heritage, let alone this situation she was experiencing.

"Captain Thomas, so good to see you. I hope all is well. My new Associate, Martook, and I are heading to Tatooine. I got some information that there may be another Light Saber there, as well as some records from the time of the Force. Word has it that there may be some remnants from the some of the Hutt's ancient reign as well."

There were still Hutt's in power. And still on Tatooine. But there were several abandoned fortresses there, and the Hutt's cared less if a collector popped in once and a while to check them out. She had worked hard to forge a very uneasy alliance with the Hutt's.

She heard a chuckle on the other end of the comm. They all thought she was crazy, but knew she was not the fanatic some people were. She had worked hard to cultivate a relationship with the New Republic and it allowed her to travel easily, and without being borded or bothered, for the most part.

"Good Luck. See you on the return trip"... the Cruiser turned and moved away, much to the relief of Lucinda.

She turned and looked at him, the slightest tilt to her head.

"You better quickly change the coordinates toward Tatooine, at least until the Cruiser is well out of range. If he realizes we are heading elsewhere, he will come and investigate and attempt to board us...." she paused.... then continued... "Where are you taking us anyway?"....

The pulsating power in the ship had slowly eased as the Cruiser pulled away.... But Lucinda, reaching out, seemed to grasp that tendril again and guided it around her, swirling, twirling, and seeming to gain in strength as she did so......

 

[ERedBoyd]

Darth Hurok didn't have time for this petty things such as this and there was a huge instinctive push to ignore her suggestions and press forward. The only thing that stopped him though was he was still a stranger in a very strange time. Everything he knew was gone and replaced with whatever this was.

He glanced over to her and finally he redirected the ship to Tattooine or whatever they called it and they headed that direction for a long spell. He didn't notice the draw on his force power from his 'guest'. He did release his connection to the force as he pulled up a monitor and started going through the historical documents. He said nothing, just read leaving his guest free to her own devices for a time.

So since his time when it had been what they now call the 'Old Republic', the government grew fat and slow which led to a war with a break away faction called the Confederation. It had been some kind of civil war for sure in which a new organization grew from it called the Empire. He kept finding references towards a Sith known as Darth Vader. He found reference after reference to this individual. Darth clearly had been Sith and he reporter to this entity know as the Emperor. Could this emperor had been Sith too?

He couldn't find anything on the Jedi side however. He had found references to a character known as Yoda and a Kenobi, but nothing else. The Jedi order and the Sith order really truly had seemed to have destroyed itself. If this was true, then he was the only Sith alive and with no Jedi, there was no one to fight him. He had to be smart though. He needed to see for himself.

He was lost in his reviews for several hours before finally rerouting the ship once more back to his home system of Oreilla.

 

[Nyte_mare]

Lucinda was getting frustrated at the fact that the Specimen seemingly was ignoring her. Perhaps that was a good thing. But her question was legitimate. Where was he heading? But since he did not seem to want to answer her, she would simply figure it out for herself. She was well versed in flying, it did not take her long, once she saw the coordinates, to know he was heading to his home world, Oriella, or at least where it used to be.

There was nothing there now other than debris, even after 2500 years. How... would he react to that?

"Look, if you're going to be dragging me half way across the galaxy, or more, at least tell me what you are trying to accomplish. I am going to hazard a guess your name is not Martook. If I were you, if I had been awakened in a strange place in a strange time, and told it was 10,000 years in the future, I'm not so sure I would give my true name either" she paused, taking a breath.

"I know where we are heading, and while I was investigating that little tidbit, I looked up Martook in the history books. I see no mention of that name. Now, don't get me wrong, not everybody is going to be mentioned in the Ancient Texts. I get that. But you were inprisoned in Carbonite. I have a feeling your name would show up, if I KNEW what it was..."

In her nervousness, Lucinda was pacing. It helped calm her. She was taking a chance, confronting him. But she was not about to be lead around the galaxy or further without some clue about what the hell he was doing.

"Going to where Oriella once was is not going to do you any good, or help your mood any"