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Sith's Rage is a Smuggler's Pain


Minhere

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Sim seethed, walking back and forth in the room that was once filled with men of the underworld. Some assassins, some thugs, and some true warriors, but each of them fell before his rage all the same.

All except one.

They sent the young Sith to Tatooine, the under arm of the Empire or the Republic. It's loyalty seemed to shift like the hot sands that covered it. Whichever it devoted itself to, It was a pit none the less. Sim had no desire to be here, so far from the center of power of the Empire. He had already lost support from his masters, and was pushed away as a mere tool of destruction. It was true, many Sith's were okay with that, but Sim had ambition, and was not just some lackey.

Sim pointed his dark red saber at the Duros, though he was too far across the room to actually touch him. Sim knew he had to do it this way, or his rage would kick in again and he would kill the bounty hunter before he had a chance to interrogate him.

"You tracked him," Sim said, and the bounty hunter knew who "him" was immediately.

No-bah Tah nodded, as if knowing it was useless to fight with the large man.

Sim stood head and shoulders over most humans, however, it wasn't his enormous height and size that laid waste to the room, it was his unnatural rage. Few could stand against it. Still, he was marked as undisciplined, and not trainable.

"Who hired you," Sim asked, lowering the saber to point toward the floor. The bounty hunter was not tied up, and was not majorly injured except for a few cuts and bruises, yet Sim had no fear of him. Tah was as helpless as if he was in chains and irons.

"No one hired me Lord Sith, it was a bounty placed on a smuggler named Luke Minhere," the bounty hunter said, before spitting green blood to the floor. He wiped it with the back of his hand, then looked to the Sith defiantly. Tah had little doubt that he would not make it out of this warehouse alive. He came here to meet with others of his trade and find out what he could on Luke Minhere. They shared some information among themselves, especially those that chose to not take the bounty for whatever reason. A few coins could buy off others who would prefer the coin in hand as oppose to the chance of missing the bounty.

The Sith Warrior efficiently ended this meeting place for good.

"What did you learn here," Sim asked, almost as if he was naive that the bounty hunter had no desire to tell him anything.

"Had you not killed all of those in here, you maybe could have garnered some information, as well as some assistance. Now, well, I tell you what you wish to know, and you kill me, giving me little reason to tell you what you need to know. Instead, let us count this as a lesson to you Sith," Tah said with a smirk on his green face. Humans were arrogant, and this one was apparently stupid.

"I did not kill everyone and spare you just to kill you," Sim said, hiding the anger behind a smile. It was not easy for the Sith to not kill Tah right there, or even begin torturing the smugness out of him.

Still, despite what the Duros thought, he had no intention of killing him. Despite what his masters thought, he was not completely without discipline. What troubled them was that he unleashed his hate with efficiency, making the decision to let loose when he felt it was time. His timing was not always their timing.

Tah looked to the human, for the first time it seemed, with hope of living through this.

"I could have paid each of these slobs a little bit to get a little information out of, something I am sure you already have done, or I could pay you plenty to give me information and to stay available to me for another job," Sim said, the anger and rage starting to dissipate.

 

Sim stepped out into the hot sun. It was always hot here. He wanted to get the job done, and leave.

Sim shook his head, his long hair falling into is eyes as he did. No, he was not just going to get the job done. He needed to do it well. He needed to show he was not just rage.

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  • 3 weeks later...

http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=649365

((I started writing this story in 2013, but stopped playing and got away from it. The link above is the beginning of the story, if you wish read it. Below will be a quicker recap. It is a story worth finishing, if you care to read.))

 

Recap: Luke Minhere, the handsome human bounty hunter, took a job to smuggle some new types of female androids to a Hutt on Tatooine. He crashed in the massive desert, due to the androids activating and turning on him (it is debatable whether it was his fault or not). An agent of the Republic, a human known only as Ria, was on Tatooine to intercept him. The two met in a cantina in Anchorhead. Ria was going to be Luke's "guide" back to his ship, where she would eliminate the smuggler and take the artifact, but her cover was blown by another agent recognizing her and seeking revenge. Luke killed the furry creature before it killed her, and took her prisoner.

Brin, a human soldier for the Republic, and Marcy'a, a human bounty hunter, met up with them at Luke's ship. After defeating some Sand People they all boarded the ship, a very fast XS. Upon removing the bodies of the androids from the ship, already in some state of decomposition due to the flesh on them, Marcy'a saw Ria removing something from one of the bodies. It was found to be a black box of sort, or a cube, that had a dark energy about it. Ria confessed she was an agent for the Republic, but Luke confessed he was working for the Empire, and that Ria was not actually working for the Republic, but also for the Empire. Their benefactor, a double agent, Madam Ulia of Coronet, had used them both.

The cube, a strange artifact being sent to an unknown Hutt to buy his loyalty to the Empire, was being hijacked by a Sith seeking it's power for himself, Heru'Ghor, known on his own planet as a Lord of Dread.

With the cube now lost, Madam Ulia was no longer needed, and knew the Sith would now seek to be rid of her.

Luke had a bounty on his head now from a possibly dead Hutt. That meant the bounty could not be removed unless he was dead, as the Hutt could not call off the contract.

Brindon now had to decide between his loyalty to the Republic, or loyalty to his friend.

Marcy'a has one concern, to insure Luke, who is like an older brother to her, stays alive and safe. (End Recap)

 

Smuggler. Why did people use that word in such a negative way? It isn't like we kill folks for a living. Most of us don't deal in slavery, that would be the slavers, who are smugglers, but not every smuggler is a slaver. Most of us are just looking for an honest days work smuggling something illegal. Its only illegal because someone somewhere decided it should be. Even the folks that hire us to do the smuggling look down their noses at us as if we are the blood fleas of the galaxy.

Most days though, I have to admit, I really love my job.

Today, I do not love my job. - Luke Minhere

 

Anchorhead, Tatooine

 

"I am telling you Luke, he is dead," Lindow Lower said, and from the way he was looking, Luke had little room to doubt the man believed it. Lindow was a very good information gatherer. He wasn't a smuggler, and did not even have the heart to carry a weapon much less use one, but he was smart, and he was a bottomless pit of information on anyone and everyone. For the right price, you could delve deep into that pit.

"How do you know this, did you see it with your own eyes," Luke questioned, but the question was only so the smuggler could keep hope alive. If Lindow was correct, Luke had a bounty on him that could only be removed by his death. Smugglers could last a long time even so, but it hampered business and one always had to wonder if the client was really someone trying to cash in on the bounty.

"I know you have a bounty on you. I know you have an item that some Sith wants. I know you are working with an agent of the Republic. I know you have Marcy'a and Brindon with you. I know.....", but Luke cut him off with a wave of his hand. How the little tool knew so much was beyond him. Lindow was dressed like a peacock, and looked like he should be running a cat house instead of being an egghead informant. Yet there wasn't a slicer alive, droid or flesh, that could best him in information gathering.

"How many people know I am on Tatooine," Luke asked, but he was really asking how many people did Lindow tell.

This became a concern to the slicer, as he looked around the warehouse they were in. Luke seemed to be alone, but even if he was, he was somewhat known for his abilities with his twin blasters. Lindow on the otherhand was known for having no abilities with blasters, or fists, or knives, or vibroblades, or anything that could possibly help him if Luke decided to insure no one found out he was here.

"I assure you I have not told," but again, Luke cut him off.

"I didn't ask that, and your work is your work. I don't fault you for it, I just need an estimate of who all knows I am here," Luke said.

"Well, it isn't that people know you are back, like I do. Most think you did not leave the first time. So my estimates of who all know you are here now is worth little," Lindow said, hoping this would not prompt the smuggler to have an itchy trigger finger, or two.

Lindow cringed as the smuggler tossed him some coins.

"That will buy you some credits," Luke said, then turned around and left.

 

Outside of the warehouse, Luke looked about a moment before leaning on the metal wall, and closing his eyes.

How did it come to this?

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A Hidden Smugglers Hanger, Tatooine Desert

 

"This cube cannot fall into the wrong hands," Brindon said with confidence, as he sat on the edge of the bunk. Marcy'a just eyed him a bit from her pillow, both nude from love making. She knew he struggled with right and wrong, much more than she ever did.

Still, the two, even in disagreement, could not deny their attraction for one another, even after so many years. She did find it amusing that he continued the conversation they were having before, as if it never stopped, and it had stopped now for over a half an hour.

"Is that really what you were thinking of," Marcy'a asked playfully, a rue smile on her lips.

"During, no, of course not," Brindon said seriously, worried that he offended her, before looking to her smile.

Marcy'a rubbed his back, and could not help but look at the scars. He was loyal to the Republic, even though the Republic had left him for dead several times over. He was on some kind of leave now, and he did not wish to talk about why. Marcy'a surmised it was from some action he took that he felt was right, and his superiors felt was not beneficial to the Republic. The two did not always coincide. Luke just so happened to luck out that they were looking for him, Marcy'a wanting to inform him of the new bounty someone placed on him, before they both took some time off from work.

"This cube could be the very thing that removed the bounty from Luke's head, hey, it may even remove all bounties from his head. However, this Hutt bounty is serious. It will have people....." Marcy'a began.

"....as good as you looking to cash in," Brindon finished.

"Well, good, yes. As good as me, I am not sure," Marcy'a chuckled.

"Still, we know this cube has something of the dark side inside of it," Brindon said, his look turning concerned again.

"So let the dark side have it," Marcy'a said, with a shrug. "Who cares? I doubt it will be a turning point in the greater scheme of things. It was being given to a Hutt for goodness sakes."

Brindon nodded a bit, and Marcy'a was sure she was persuading him to see it her way. She really did not know if the cube could change the course of history, and the truth was, unlike Brindon, she really did not care. She did wish to insure Luke stayed living. She was more than willing to let the Jedi and Sith's and Republic and Empire fight over everything else.

 

Ria was no longer bound, and could walk around her cabin freely. Freely walking around such a small space was not what one would think of as free. Still, they trusted her, or more importantly, knew she had no reason to flee. Or fight. Or try and kill them. She was as wanted dead as they were, and her best way of staying not dead was to stay with them. Even reporting back to the Republic could see her tried and executed, or at least imprisoned, as a double agent. She was not one. She was an agent for the Republic.

She wanted to blame the smuggler, Luke Minhere, but the truth was, he was as used as she was. Maybe less guilty than she was. His job was simply to carry freight. She was sent to murder him. No doubt sent because she never questioned orders. She worked for the good guys, the Republic. What they needed she was willing to provide, and they always paid her well.

"What makes me any better than the bounty hunter," she asked herself quietly. As if on cue, her door opened and the bounty hunter stood there, covered by a skimpy robe and looking as if she just ran a mile.

Oh geesh, Ria thought, knowing what Marcy'a and the soldier must have been doing.

"You can come out, but stay away from the holo terminal," Marcy'a said.

"I have no use for the com," Ria said, walking to the door, but Marcy'a did not move to let her by.

"I said stay away from it," Marcy'a said sternly.

Ria just nodded, and she was let pass. The XS wasn't exactly a luxury cruiser or even a large freight ship. Even with free reign of the ship it was not much of a place to walk about. Still, it was better than her quarters.

The soldier was sitting at a computer. His sleeveless shirt showed off the bulging muscles. While he actually looked like he knew what he was doing, he looked too big to be sitting there, and more like he should be in a jungle somewhere killing other soldiers.

Marcy'a smirked, catching Ria eyeing Brindon. Ria knew Marcy'a was not jealous, but Ria wanted to tell her she was wrong all the same. Ria was not attracted to the big man, who was too bulky and not very handsome. Instead she was wondering what would make this soldier friendly with such as Luke and Marcy'a. Surely it was not just the relationship he had with Marcy'a.

"So may I ask what is happening," Ria asked, looking to Brindon.

Brindon looked over to her, and eyed her a bit as if debating whether to even acknowledge her. Then his face softened a bit.

"We are trying to get you two out of this mess you are in," Brindon finally said. "Luke is speaking to an informant trying to find out, even as we speak, how bad it is. For him, it is bad. He has a bounty on him from the Hutt, but we need to know if the Hutt is still alive or not."

Ria nodded a bit, then looked from Marcy'a to Brindon, waiting for more. There was nothing more said from them.

"You are worried about the Hutt but the Empire will be out to kill....well, us," Ria finally said. "I think that is a bit worse."

"Do you," Marcy'a asked.

"Of course, a Hutt's influence is only so far reaching," Ria replied. Marcy'a was starting to annoy her.

"Not especially," Brindon corrected. "The Empire is at war with the Republic, always, so the Empire being after us is nothing new. They have great resources, and great power, but it is spread out. A Hutt is not focused on the war. They can put all of their focus on one thing, all of their resources on it. A Hutt putting a bounty on someone is actually worse. It is expected that the bounty hunters and assassins do the job. One that willingly lets the bounty slip by, well, they can also be marked." Both Ria and Brindon looked to Marcy'a.

"As you see, this is not just your problem," Marcy'a said, a frown replacing her smirk..

Ria nodded, also frowning, as she understood why they were so concerned.

"I think I know what we need to do," Ria said, looking to the two.

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Warehouse District, Anchorhead, Tatooine

 

 

Why do I let myself get into these situations, Luke thought. He had not taken but a few steps from the warehouse when a voice called to him. Luke stopped, and slowly turned about.

"Sorry Luke, but you know there is a hit on you," the creature said. It was apparent common was not it's first language. It wore a hood, covering it's head, and a cloak that covered most of it's body. It stood about the height of Luke, a little less than 2 meters.

The hole of the business end of a blaster pointed at Luke from under the cloak, and it looked the size of a cannon, as most do when pointed in a person's general direction.

"Do I know you," Luke asked, but it was not that he really wanted to know. It was to buy time, yet Luke could not fathom what he could do with that time all the same. It would come down to which of them were a better shot, as speed was not a factor. The blaster was already pointed at him.

"We met," was all the creature said, and made a motion with his hand as he said it.

It was a Kubazi. Luke began trying to remember any Kubazi he actually knew.

"Undindon, is it?"

"It doesn't matter Luke, I am here to collect. We can make this quick, as there is a bonus, greater than the mark for that matter, on also retrieving the box," Undindon said, and the empty hand could not help but sign as he said it. Signing was their natural language.

Luke held out his hands, and the Kubaz seemed ready to fire.

"I do not have the box on me," Luke said, his hands slightly extended in front of him. "However, we can make a deal. I will get you the box, and you will forget about the bounty on my head for now. Do you even know what the box is," Luke asked.

"It doesn't matter....." Undindon began, but Luke dove to his left, while quickly filling his hands with his own twin blasters. Undindon fired a shot where Luke was, but was quick to aim again, moving as well, to evade any blast coming from Luke, and to get another shot of his own off. However, before he could aim and shoot, he heard the twin blasters fire in perfect harmony, the quick flash of yellow causing him to wince, before he felt the blast as it hit his chest. He was dead before he hit the ground.

Luke also remained on the ground for a moment, his blasters moving around the warehouse yard to insure there were no other enemies. There were none he could see.

Luke looked the bounty hunter over, exposing his face. The greenish colored creature was Kubaz, as Luke had figured, and was indeed Undindon. He had a long snout, as they all did, with V shaped scar toward the end of it. The two had spent some time together on Nar Shaddaa, and even became friends, or friendly at least. Undindon was a good card player, and had relieved Luke and many others of their credits before finishing a job he took, then paying Luke to smuggle him off of the planet unseen.

Luke sighed a bit, and pulled the hood over the Kubaz's face to cover him. He had no real ill will toward the bounty hunter, as bounty was the man's life. Bounty hunters said it many times over, when there is a bounty, there is no friendship. Still, Luke could not help but think that the Undindon gave him a fighting chance, due to that friendship. Luke also could not help but think had Undindon taken his reputation with the twin blasters seriously, he would not have allowed the chance.

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A Hidden Smugglers Hanger, Tatooine Desert

 

Ria finished giving her spill in the comm room, of how they could get out of the situation they were in. Now that they finally understood that she was working for the Republic, and it was actually Luke working for the Empire, they gave her some freedom. She had a job to do, and while Marcy'a did not recognize her as an ally, Brindon did.

Brindon paced a little in thought, while Marcy'a sat with her bare feet propped on the communications table just looking to the ceiling.

"And you trust this Jedi Knight," Brindon asked, as he himself trusted the order.

"I do, Kristindor is honorable, comes from a planet where honor is everything, and is a Jedi Knight, trusted by their counsel as well."

"Even if you can get off of this planet, and even if we can get this cube into the Jedi's hands, and even if he isn't corrupted and suddenly goes all dark side on us, it does not solve the problem with Luke having a contract on his head," Marcy'a pointed out.

"Not initially, but it may help that," Ria said, and Brindon nodded.

"The Republic cannot remove a Hutt bounty, just wont happen," Marcy'a said with a sigh, obviously not convinced of their plan, but not out right against it.

"No, but we may be able to defund the bounty. If this Hutt is dead, then a bounty with no credits to gain is worthless," Ria said, and finally brought a bit of a smile to Marcy'as face.

"If he is alive, then we can at least figure a way to get him to drop the bounty," Marcy'a said with a nod.

"Exactly," Ria nodded, a smile, for the first time, shared between the two women.

 

Ria stood outside of the ship, and walked around the hanger a bit. It was all but hidden from the air, and deep in the desert, used by many many smugglers according to Marcy'a. The entrance to get into the hanger was tight, and she was not sure there were very many who could fly it. Some of the smugglers however were the top of the line when it came to piloting, and she understood why both the Empire and the Republic valued them.

Then there was Luke. She wondered if he was truly neutral to it all, or did he really have a side. On this run he was working for the Empire, something the soldier did not seem to mind. Then again, she was also working for the Empire, though she did not know it.

Ria walked to the entrance of the hanger, and looked out at the night sky. The desert was dark and quiet. The hanger hidden by sand, only really visible to those who knew it was there. This place was a surprise to Ria, but then Luke was full of surprises.

"I could learn to become a smuggler," she thought out loud, teasing with the idea of joining Luke. She may have already lost her work with the Republic. They would think she too was a double agent, and start questioning everything she did now. Ria was sure she could convince them she was fooled, but still, an agent being fooled into working for the Empire was not well thought of. No, her career was over.

It wouldn't be so bad with Luke. He was handsome and daring......

These thoughts were going through her mind when she heard a familiar noise, then felt a sudden sharp pain through her body that took her breath completely away.

Ria saw nothing but white.

Then everything went dark.

Then Ria knew no more.

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A Hidden Smugglers Hanger, Tatooine Desert

 

Sim was patient, much more so than others thought. Hours had passed while he watched the XS, the hatch closed tight. Sim did not know much about the ship, but he did know he would not be boarding unless someone opened the hatch. He tried to pass thoughts of stepping outside for a breath of fresh air to the occupants, but he was not well versed in mind control through the force, and quickly gave up, preferring to watch and wait. His only worry was that the ship would come to life, and the freighter would fly out of the hanger, leaving the Sith to have to find them again.

Sim preferred the saber, up close and personal, to mind tricks. However, even in his limited ability to detect things, he could sense this cube was onboard this ship. It seethed hate and rage and vile. Sith wondered how the ones aboard dealt with it, but then they were probably not force sensitive.

The Doras bounty hunter had did him well with information, and someone was willing to tell him where to find the XS belonging to the smuggler Luke Minhere. Of course the amount of credits paid did not hurt. Sim had wondered if No-bah Tah had kept some of the credits for himself, but it did not matter really. Here he was, looking at the XS that housed the strange cube his master wished. No-bah Tah was charged with leaving the planet, and never returning.

Sim looked to the opening of the hanger, the large blast doors long gone. It was not a place to store anything, but it was a perfect place to hide. It was during this thought that he heard the pressure release of the XS hatch, and watched as the light from inside the ship spilled across the hanger floor.

It was a human woman, and Sim right away recognized her as a target. She was the agent that failed, and judging from how free she was to walk about, had betrayed the Empire. From the darkness he watched her walk to the hanger doorway, oblivious to her danger. Even as he approached from behind, she did not hear him, she was lost in her thoughts. The only time she seemed aware she was not alone was when the dark red light saber came to life and cut through the air with it's signature sound. She still seemed unaware of what happened as her body fell into two separate pieces, her dead eyes gazing at the stars.

Sim looked to the open hatch, the slightest of smiles forming on his lips.

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"It's not so much that I can't die, it's more like who would want to kill someone so handsome." -Luke Minhre

 

"I dont trust her," Marcy'a said as she exited her sleeping quarters into the lounge. She was in what she called her "comfy shorts", gray baggy shorts that went near to her knees, that once belonged to Brindon, along with a tighter white under shirt.

"You don't trust anyone," Brindon pointed out with a chuckle, handing her a glass of wine. Marcy'a did not argue with that assessment of her, she knew it was very true. She also knew she did not have a reason to no longer trust Ria, Ria was in this up to her eyeballs as well. The only one not deeply involved now was Brindon, but she and Brindon were past the point of her telling Brindon it was not his business. That only caused the big guy hurt feelings, but never once steered his course from helping her out of a mess.

The two sat silent in the lounge area, looking at the slight glow of the inactive com for a moment. Marcy'a was about to move closer to Sim when someone said....

 

"Knock knock," Sim said, banging on the wall as he came into view of he two humans sitting in the lounge area. Both looked to him, as if he was not really there. A wave of his light saber let them know he was quite real.

"We can do this easy or hard, it makes me little difference," Sim began, letting that sink in a moment. "I want the cube, in my hand, no fuss, no muss. No one dies even. This entire problem is not really yours."

"What are you talking about," the woman began, and Sim washed them in a wave of force, just enough to get their attention, and make them have to catch their breaths.

"Again, I want the cube," Sim said, his anger starting to grow. He had to keep it in, not let it slip out for now. He could spend days searching an XS that belonged to a smuggler, just for one small hidden cargo slot.

"Luke took it with him, he is trying to get it back to you," the man lied, bringing a frown to Sim's face.

 

Marcy'a sighed to herself, Brindon could not lie well. In fact, he was terrible at it. It was not something the man ever practiced, and chances are, he didn't even lie as a child. Why he chose to speak up instead of letting her talk was beyond her, but what was done was done.

The man, obviously a Sith, stood there just looking at them. He wore dark robes that parted at the waste to show black pants and high boots. He pulled back the hood and let it fall to his back, showing his long black hair. He had a black beard, light skin, and dark eyes.

Marcy'a stood up, her hands raised slightly to show she had no ill intent. Either way, it did not change the look on the big Sith's face. He watched her, almost amused, if she was not mistaken. That started to get her mad, but she forced a smile anyway.

"What he means is Luke was looking to find, well, probably you, to bring you back here and retrieve the cube," she said. The man looked her over a bit, and his face seemed to soften some.

"Then I saved him the trouble," the man said, but he kept his light saber ignited.

"I cannot get it for you, only he knows where it is, but I can call him on the com," she said, and pointed to the holoterminal. She leaned against the terminal, her fingers now manipulating a compartment with a small blaster in it.

The light saber sang as the Sith moved faster than any man should.

"I would not do that if I were you," he said, the saber pointing at her across the holoterminal. She was sure he knew what she was doing, until he lowered his weapon and and turned about, looking toward the entrance hatch.

"I think it would be better to wait for him," the Sith said with confidence.

Marcy'a was never nervous, but as the hatch opened and the grip of the blaster was in view, she knew she would never be able to say she was never nervous again.

 

Sim did not trust the two, and knew they were lying, but the smuggler had to return sooner or later. He had moved the body of the woman called Ria to insure no one entering the hanger knew something was going on, until they ran into him. Of course the woman wanted to speak to the smuggler, she wanted him warned. The other, a well muscled man, was a terrible liar. Sim had no real intention of killing them, though if they stood in his way, it was a possibility all the same. That however was not the mission. Eliminating witnesses was not the mission. These two, and the smuggler, were not involved in the hijacking of the cargo. Luke was simply transporting the item and was almost killed during the hijacking. If they played their cards right, they would live to tell everyone how it is unwise to plot against the Empire and it's Emperor.

"I have no intent....." Sim began, even as he sensed the blaster being removed from its hiding spot, and the woman moving to fire it.

 

The Sith moved very fast for someone his size, causing Marcy'a to do something she never did from this range. She missed. Did he really dodge it? Brindon was not sure, but he began to move toward the Sith as well. Marcy'a continued to fire, causing the Sith to back up as he used his light saber to block the blasts. She aimed high, forcing him to keep his saber high, and Brindon went low, crashing into the Sith's mid section with his shoulder. The two rolled down the hall, near the exit. As the Sith tried to stand Brindon kicked him back, and once again tackled him, the two rolling down the entrance ramp, out of the XS, and into the hanger. The Sith gained his footing first, raising his saber for a strike, but Marcy'a struck with the blaster. She hit the Sith's hand directly, and the light saber flew from it.

 

Sim began to seeth. How dare they strike at him. This was going through his mind even as they tumbled out of the ship. He probably could have used the force if he wasn't caught by such surprise. The man fighting him was trained, and struck him just right to keep him busy, while the threat of the woman with the blaster was still there. He raised his saber to strike, and felt the heat from the blaster hit his hand direct. If he had not been armored, he would have completely lost his hand. As it was he lost all feeling in it for a moment, and the saber flew from his hand, the hilt hitting the floor harmlessly, the blade no longer energized.

Sim felt the rage build, and unleashed it as a powerful force blow, knocking the man from him and across the room. He did not follow the man's departure, instead he sent another force blow knocking the woman back, clear into the ship. When he looked around for his light saber, there stood a handsome man, holding his saber, the blade extended with the pale light of someone who was not force sensitive.

"I prefer my blasters, but let's see how you like a taste of your own medicine," the smuggler said, then flashed a handsome smile.

Edited by Minhere
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"I prefer my blasters, but let's see how you like a taste of your own medicine," Luke said, then flashed a handsome smile, just before the force blast from Sim hit him, knocking him off of his feet, and the light saber hilt from his hand. Luke felt the wind knocked from him, and then felt the ground as his head hit it. He was not knocked out, but was finding it hard to gain his bearings.

Stupid idea, the handsome smuggler thought as he tried to clear his head.

 

Sim reached out and called the light saber to him before Luke even hit the ground, the blade lighting up immediately as he looked around for any new threat. The woman had not yet returned. The man that attacked him in the ship was starting to stir, and Sim walked over to him. He grabbed the heavy man, and with help from the force of his rage, drug him back toward the ship's exit. He held his saber over the man's heart, and waited for the woman to reappear.

 

Marcy'a gained her bearings almost immediately, and went back to the door of the ship. The Sith had Brindon down. He was standing over him, his light saber pushing into Brindon's chest, just over his heart. She could smell the flesh burning even as she saw Brindon grimacing in pain.

"He doesn't have to die, but as you see, if I merely push another inch he will. I ..... want......the......CUBE!" he finished with a shout that Marcy'a felt as much as heard, pushing her back again ever so slightly. Marcy'a looked past the Sith and saw Luke lying on the ground as well, barely moving. The blaster slipped from her hand, and Marcy'a nodded.

"You will get it, just keep your word not to harm them," she said, at that point no longer caring if the Sith had it.

Sim simply nodded, the anger on his face evident. At that moment she knew he would kill Brindon, kill all of them, and search the ship himself after they were dead.

 

The big man was gasping from the pain, but was smart enough to be as still as he could be. One wrong move and Sim's light saber would indeed enter his heart, and kill him. Sim no longer really cared. He was not leaving without the cube. Them living or dying was not a concern. He was not intent on killing them. He just wanted the cube. The woman finally realized this, and relented. He could feel it. He pushed his will on her, and he could feel it.

 

Luke gained his bearings and saw the precarious position his friend was in. He reached for his blasters, but the Sith looked back at him almost immediately.

"No," he said to Luke, and Luke stopped. The light saber was pushed into Brindon's muscular chest, burning a hole just over his heart. Brindon was grimacing from the pain, but knew to be still. The Sith said nothing else to him, and instead turned his attention back to the ship, where Marcy'a was exiting with the cube. She looked defeated, something he had never seen on her face before.

 

Marcy'a walked the cube over to the Sith, the blade of his light saber immediately going out as he received the cube. The tall Sith said nothing more as he put the strange item in a pouch under his black cloak. He then quietly turned, and left. The trio just watched him, the fight seeming to be gone from all of them, including the Sith.

Edited by Minhere
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Darth Sim looked out of the window at the storm clouds of Dromund Kaas. His suite was situated at the very top of one of the tall skyscrapers, as was many of the Sith Lord's abodes. There was nothing spectacular or over done about it. It was decorated modestly, and mostly in honor of the Sith run Empire.

Aside from a single droid, Sim lived here alone. He welcomed no visitors, and those that came on their own were never made to feel completely welcomed to return. It was his place, his den, and he wished keep it for himself.

It had been weeks since he returned to his home, having brought the dark cube back with him, and back to the Sith Council. The dark cube was ordered turned over to the Sphere of Ancient Knowledge for study. Sim found this somewhat odd, that they were willing to part with the cube for the assistance of a Hutt, but now needed to study this same cube.

It made little sense, but then again, it was not his duty to question it. He completed his task as commanded. That was all that really mattered.

Sim did question himself on why he allowed any of the group that took the cube to survive. The woman, Ria Stormblown, had to die. She was an agent for the Republic and ordered killed by the council. He wasn't sure who the others were, but they were not on any list he knew of for termination. At least not by the Council. Rumor had it that there was some infighting among other Sith Lords over the dark cube, but Sim wanted no part of that. He was a weapon, to be aimed and fired, at the enemies of the Emperor and his Empire.

Darth Sim relaxed as he stared out of the large window, rain running down it distorting everything, everything except the flashes of lightening produced by the tall thunder clouds.

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The XS seemed to barely move as Luke sat at the controls, just watching the darkness of space. He was thinking of taking another job, as the last job did not pay off, at all. He had no cargo to sell. No credits to invest. His expenses were not even paid. Technically he did not finish the job, and that part he supposed he could understand. Judging from everything that happened, however, Luke had a feeling that he never would have been paid.

Luke and the others fled Tatooine, with nowhere to really go. Luckily it was the Outer Rim, so it was very easy to just get lost. He monitored the area for any sign of pursuit but there was none. In this vast empty part of the galaxy, they were quite alone.

Brindon was still recovering from the hole that the Sith put in his chest.Luckily it never penetrated the substantial muscle to enter his heart. Marcy'a stayed with Brindon, mostly, and spoke little to Luke over the couple of weeks time they had been drifting. Luke knew she was not mad at him, but probably blamed herself for turning over the only thing that could have helped Luke remove the bounty from his head.

Luke did not blame her. It was actually the fault of the lady that hired him, and apparently sent Ria after him. Coronet was his next destination, and he would be having a conversation with Madam Ulia. Luke did not care about the politics of the Empire or the Republic, but he absolutely did not like the idea that he was made a pawn, a sacrificial pawn at that, in their little game.

For the next few days though, Brindon had to recover. Marcy'a had to get her head on straight, and Luke just wanted to relax. The ship was fine drifting for the next couple of weeks, and the cargo had plenty of food.

 

Luke leaned back, forgetting the Sith's rage, and letting his smuggling pains wash away in the silence of space.

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