The surface of Relephon III.



And all that is owned by those who hate will lost...

His eyes snapped open, a trickle of sweat flicking off and onto the side of his boot, and realised the value of those teachings.

Kir Ellias could only remember a few things of his time at on Naboo, all to do with his Jedi training, and most of those things came from the man he had respected most.

Master Silus, where are you?

Kir's mind wandered back to those times less and less nowadays, but that one thought always came to the surface. He wondered how a man, once evil, had simply turned his back on the false and easy way to power. How that man had influenced so many, not just in actions, but in mindset. How that man had abandoned him when the jedi order fell assunder. But now he mostly thought about how that mans first master was the man he had to destroy.

A flicker of light in the sky distracted him from the endless pursuit of his thoughts as the transitory mists continued their slumberless dance across the cosmos.

Perfect that a place so beautiful would hide a core so rotten, yet still so undetected.

Speaking to noone inparticular he rose and made the same declaration he made every day and every day since he had left Naboo.

"I'm coming, Darksword..."



Outskirts of Dionysia, not 10 kms from Kir's camp.



The music coming from the primative machine was tiney but audible and had granted the listener a remarkable amount of peace since he had found it.

"Someone told me long ago, that there's a calm before the storm.
I know! It's been coming for some time..."

The listener grunted in satisfaction before turning to face the woman he shared a bed with.

"I have to thank you for your choice in music, my dear. It is truely uplifting!"

They rose together, he helping her up, and they began to dance, slowly, but dancing nonetheless. In affection he pressed his cheek to hers as they moved and he noticed a slick of something stickey seperated their 'embrace'. Grinning to himself he ignored it as the music played.

"When its over, so they say, it'll rain sun and day.
I know! Shinin' down like water!"

As they danced he sensed in her he could find his redemption, something before now he hadn't even cared about. With that thought he dipped her with a flourish before pulling her powerfully back into his chest. She grunted from the force but his shush quieted her immediately. Their gentle swing had moved them towards the puddle in the middle of the room which he jumped, lifting her with him.

"I wanna know, have you ever seen the rain?"

Her strength faded causing her body to sag against his, at which point he tired of the charade. Hissing with involuntary rage he threw her back onto the bed, causing another whimper.

When he spoke he almost spat the words.

"Are you going to keep that up or am i going to have to come over there?"

"I wanna know, have you ever seen the rain?
Coming down, on a sunny day."

The noise stopped immediately, the woman cowering into the corner of the bed.

"Are you going to kill that slut or should i?"

Lupercus turned to see Gianna smirking at him from the now open door.

"Now now honey, but you know i didn't use her like that. Thats what you're for."

That statement caused a smirk which mirrored Lupercus's trademark own, but as the female Siths eyes fell upon the cowering woman it disappeared. A flash of her simmering hatred sent the woman flying off the bed and into the corner.

"And that teenager you've got locked up in the basement is just for dancing as well?"

Lupercus couldn't help but fake a grimace the the gesture towards his manhood.

"Now she's just a toy and you know that..."

He trailed off thinking about the many things he'd done to the woman in the basement. That distraction was enough for her to get the jump on him as she closed in, sweeping up his lightsaber and pressing it to his crotch. As he looked down he saw her thumb tap the button that would destroy his sex.

"And your toy is going to get us into trouble, you should just kill both of them."

Looking back up from his crotch to Gianna, his smirk never fading as he inclined his head.

"A compromise, perhaps?"

The chest of drawers behind them that held the music player wiggled, then slammed into the wall, a splatter of blood and metal all that remained of the cowering woman and the music player.

"Fine, you can keep that little whore downstairs, for now at least." Her smirk still mirrored his as she dropped the lightsaber and in the same movement lept up, wrapping her legs around his waist. "Unless i can convince you otherwise..."

As she finished speaking Gianna pushed him back onto the ground between the bed and the chest of drawers, not softly, and reached in to bite his lower lip.

They didn't notice that they were lying in the remains of the wimpering woman but, even if they did, neither would care one iota.

Kir Ellias's Camp, Relephon III.



"...and as a result Celestine Guards have been from the palace to prevent any more disappearances.

Our top story once again, another citizen is missing bringing the toll up to fifty six. Self proclaimed Crown Prince Lucian has called for calm in the wake of another disappearance as a full battalion of Celestine Guards has been dispatched to Dionysia to aid in the search for the missing men and women. That brings the total men commited..."

"I suppose that just adds another battalion of targets for Darksword and his ilk..."

Seperated from human contact for so long Kir couldn't help but talk to himself. At least that way he was reminded he still could. Shaking his head in near submission to the problem Ellias turned his attention back to the holo-bulletin.

"Reports from authorities indicate the belief that the perpetrators of these crimes must be based somewhere on Relephon III as the majority of the disappearances have occured there. As such citizens are requested to stay inside at all possible and to avoid contact with others unless absolutely necessary."

"All hail to the scaremongers."

Kir shook his head again as he rose, the portable projector disappearing into his robes in the same motion. He mumbled something to himself about the pointlessness of such a tactic considering what they were up against, but then again they didn't really know what was causing the problem, so meh...

He was halfway into town before his head stopped shaking.



The Basement.



"Scalpel."

The word was perfunctory, yet with a hidden mirth. The request was answered quickly as a blade was passed over the table. A large incision was made quickly, the belly splitting with ease born of a trained surgeon. Which he wasn't.

"Forceps."

Lupercus shook his head as he handed the pliers over the table. He was still smirking, but he was tiring of the joke rapidly.

"Bucket."

"Fuck the bucket you prick, just dump it on the floor."

The doctor looked up with a grimace as his fantasy was dispelled. A look of intense hatred past between the pair before he continued, making the two incisions and withdrawing the massive remains of the small intestines in a bunch. A glint of mirth returned to the doctors eyes as he half turned, but instead of dumping the guts on the floor, hurled them across the room to the blonde teenager chained to the bed. Her shouts were muffled by the fact Lupercus had already removed her tongue.

Still, she wriggled almost as much as intestines did. Hell, it was the only thing she could do.

Despite that, inwardly she was still glad that it was the other woman on the table and not her. Both had watch the operation from start to finish, the patient sadly had been anaestised, but not rendered unconcious. She was forced to watch as her insides were removed and toyed with.

"Replacement guts."

Now Lupercus did smile, handing the doctor the explosives with a flourish.

"Now make sure you rejoin the large intestines to the colon. We don't want her dying before we drop her off..."

The doctor grinned his acquiesence and did so before placing the explosives within the womans pelvic cavity. Scooping up the las-pen he cauterised the wound, sealing the bomb inside her.

"Scalpel."

The response was a smack in the head across the table.

"Dammit Xion, we only have one 'scalpel', and its the same fucking butchers knife you're still holding."

A bestial growl was the only response as the 'doctor', Darth Xion, finished his work.

"Let her have some rest first, in a few minutes you can take her..."

From the stairs Gianna just shook her head, marvelling at the level of depravity the pair had sunk to.

I wonder if i'll ever be lucky enough to sink that low...

Somewhere over Dionysia.



The speeder slashed through the air with fury as the now empty streets of the capital city flew past beneath it. The fear both their actions and the holonews reports had spread saw to that. Now the citizenry feared each other, withdrawing from daily lives and into their homes.

Ironically, this made them even easier to pick off.

Gianna snickered to herself as she saw the hospital approach, her mind now back on the task at hand. It took only moments for her speeder to close the distance. With her free hand she took the smelling salts from her side pouch and the woman awoke startled.

"Time to fly little one..."



Central Dionysia.



Kir was enjoying the solitude on the moonlit streets. It wasn't usually possible on a city this large to find a little peice of quiet, but he supposed there could be a plus side to a crazed killer on the loose.

Looking up into the sky he shook his head at the sardonic humour. Focusing once again on how he could track the insane Prince down. First stop, the hospital to speak to the few survivors and witnesses. Again his supposition was that it was a good thing the acts commited were so despicable that even those who had seen them had to be hospitalised, it meant everyone involved was in the same place. Next, the police command centre to make them aware of his presence and...

"What the hell was that?"

In the distance he could see a speeder cruising at full pelt, but there was something amiss about the driver. Her force presence was empty, a void somehow driving a speeder. Tir started to jog, when all of a sudden the driver seemed to be hanging something large outside the speeder.

Is that... a person!?

He was sprinting now, full pelt towards their evident destination, the same place he was going.

"I have to save her."

They were about 3 stories above the ground, at least if the height of the hospital was anything to go by, but it didn't seem like they were slowing down. Suddenly the woman fell or, was dropped, and a second later the body disappeared behind the row of buildings that lay in between Kir and the hospital.

Ignoring the speeder as it rose above and sped past the hospital Ellias broke into a force sprint and was at her body momentarily.

"She dropped me...

That bitc..."

The Jedi Knight couldn't help but chuckle, at her first words after a 3 story plunge and at the fact she was alive. He was about to lift her up but realised the danger to her spine.

At least now i know what to look for...

Central Dionysia Hospital, Emergancy Ward.



"I need a crash cart, stat!"

The doctors words echoed around the ward and immediately galvanised the night shift staff into action. Dozens crowded around, applying aneastetics, scanning her life signs and such. Kir was immediately pushed from her side as he was crowded out by the medical staff.

One of the scanner weilding nurses piped up quickly.

"I'm reading an obstruction all throughout her small intestines, we need to get her into surgery immediately."

The doctor shook his head immediately.

"No, we need to stablise her first, if we operate we risk losing her to shock..."

It was a nasty situation the medical staff knew, but such was the way of things if they wanted her to live.

"Nurse, get her into the intensive care unit and have someone with her at all times." The woman nodded and whelled the woman away. "Meanwhile someone is going to have to notify the Celestine Guards about this situation."

The staff that had remain by the doctors side blanched at the mention of the thing that had been plaguing them for weeks.

"Are you sure that it has something to do with the serial killers Doctor Monroe?"

Monroe shuddered immediately at the thought of all the patients her had dealt with over the past two weeks, all victims of what the media had dubbed 'The Devils Rejects'.

"Well it has to be, the signs of torture, the fact that its hours after curfew and noone could possibly have damaged them selves this bad without, assistance." He shuddered again at the word. "Yes, notify the Celestine Guard. I'm sure Captain Dalencian will come down here in person to find out."

Mumbling in acknowledgement the staff all scurried off to complete their tasks. As they did Dr. Munroe quickly made off to the bathroom to vent his guts violently into the nearest sink as the horror of the past fortnight sunk in.

Outskirts of Dionysia…


Saphire had secretly arrived at a house where she was drawn in by the dark enamations emanating from it. She had slipped away from her assignment on Celestia and needed to speak to Lupercus in person as the information she had was not safe to transmit openly.

After she landed her interceptor, she felt pulled inside as she left the landing pad and entered the building, as if some force was expecting her. It was no doubt that Lupercus knew she was here.

Saphire followed the pulling force into a room where she sensed she would be joined by Lupercus. As she patiently waited for a few minutes, the door slowly swung open. Saphire dropped to her knees as Lupercus entered the room. “My Shadow Lord.”

Saphire looked up at Lupercus a she was confident he would understand her presence here would be for something of grave importance. “I know I was to remain on Celestia, but something has transpired that needed to be communicated to you in person.”

Lupercus signaled for her to continue.

“It appears the Grand Dutchess of Venucia has requested our assistance in a coup. Her name is Elizabeth D'alaetos and has informed us she can make any payment we would require. I could not transmit this information as it would expose both her and us should it be intercepted.”

Saphire lowered her head. “What are your instructions my Shadow Lord?”

At the Nightsisters arrival Lupercus couldn't help but disguise his displeasure. Not with the woman so much, but rather with himself. He had gotten so rapt up in his ferverent intoxication from the hunting that he had failed to properly hide the groups location. And if a slightly train apprentice could find it...

Still, he rationalised to himself, I hardly think that the sad remenants of the Jedi Order could muster any sort of resistance that could defeat both myself and Xion.

Before he could speak to the girl Gianna appeared on the stairs behind him.

"And what does this senseless child seek with my grand old Darklord?"

A wave of Lupercus's hand shushed the ever jealous Hapan acolyte.

"Surely you would know my response to this child? Support her of course." He mused momentarily before continuing. "If your actions allow a Sith supported leader to take her pretender relatives reigns in charge and, perhaps, petitions to rejoin my brother in the Consortium, we shall greatly increase a potentially advantageous outcome to the Grand Game..."

By this point Gianna had come down the stairs and rested her hands all over Lupercus's left side, obviously attempting to show dominance over the woman. The Sith Lord immediately shot her a knowing and distaste look before returning his gaze to the new arrival.

"But before you go, i have something to show you..."

Lupercus led the pair of women downstairs to the massive holoprojector Xion had set up opposite the bed with the tongueless woman. The Hapans compatriot had already begun feasting on popcorn as he could barely contain his anticipation.



Central Dionysia Hospital.



Kir had finished relaying what he had seen to the doctor, who seemed even more worse for wear after the tale than at its begining, and by the looks of him that was pretty bad. Dr. Monroe had 3 days of stubble on his face, vacant tired eyes and the image of a man on the precipice.

"Sick bastard. I can't imagine what would possess someone to do this..."

Kir considered for a moment relating the dark nature of the enemy to the doctor but decided against it, fearing it would be that final little push over the edge. He was about to speak to calm the doctor but an orderly interupted.

"Doctor Monroe? The patient is almost ready for surgery and Captain Dalencian has arrived to see her. He's brought most of the investigators along with the police chief. Also almost every media outlet in the galaxy has cameras and reporters trying to get in."

The frazzled doctor rose with disgust.

"Tell those vultures they have to wait outside. I'm sure the Captain will make a statement to them when he is ready. I just can't deal with them anymore..."

The nurse gave a heartfelt nod in understanding and left, only to immediately be replaced by a tall attractive man wearing the garb of a Celestine and the rank insignia of a captain.

"Captain Dalencian, i must introduce you to Kir Ellias, he's a Jedi whose been sent to help us with..."

The look of disgust that crossed the Captains face said it all. Hapans hated force users, from the Jedi destroying the Lorell Raiders all the way up to the acts of the feral twin of the Crown Prince.

"Fine. Tell that Jedi he can wait outside with press while we get onto business. Once his story checks out we'll see."

Kir had expected such an initial response, but did not expect to be talked about as if he wasn't there.

"I am in the room you know."

A slight but distrustful glance told Kir everything he needed to know.

"Fine, i'll be outside."

The two hapans immediately left, Kir taking the opposite direction making his way towards the main enterance. As he exited the throng of media astounded him, almost every agency he knew, plus many he didn't, all clamouring for the best spot. Ignoring them as the Captain had ignored him, the jedi waited, but did not have to wait long.

It was now, with media coverage everywhere, that the trap was set. The fact that almost the entire investigatory chain of command was inside was merely a bonus. Across town Darth Xion pushed the comically large red button he had assembled as the detonator.

Behind the Jedi it seemed as if the entire building disintegrated into a pillar of flame, massive chunks of the building flying in every direction. Kir himself could not see anything as the force of the explosion had him flying through the air. The trip was short, ending with a crack as he careened over the news crews before being knocked unconcious by the building opposite.



Outskirts of Dionysia…


"Absolutely smashing!" Were the first words heard in the dark basement as Xion jumped up in celebration, his popcorn going everywhere.

Outside Central Dionysia Hospital.



When Kir awoke his head was swimming, the blood that had pooled around him from the wound in his head now covering half way down his chest and through his robes. The cuts to his head were bad, but even worse was the fact that rather than help him, the few members of the inter galactic media that weren't recording the flaming wreckage of the hospital were recording his prone and bleeding body.

Kir tried to get up but swooned, stumbling back and almost hitting his head for a second time. Shaking his head in disgust at himself for rushing too quickly he sat up and closed his eyes to calm himself. Entering a slight meditative state the Jedi gathered his wits, taking stock of the wounds he had received.

A bad cut, but the bone isn't broken.

I'm ok...

But as soon as he realised that, Kir also remember the woman he saw escaping in the speeder.



(OOC: Will finish post later.)