So named because it is located one thousand, three hundred, and thirteen levels from the core of Coruscant, Level 1313 is distanced from the politics of the upper levels. Overlooking the chasm burrowing further into Coruscant’s core, one can watch freighters transporting their illicit cargo between levels. One misstep would send the careless careening into the bottomless pit, or aid the local gangs in staging “accidents.”

Weathered duracrete forms the retainer along the chasm wall, built in concentric rings that descend down an untold height. Strengthened with solid durasteel braces, maintenance has not been needed this far into Coruscant for a long time. Nevertheless, droids pre-programmed to fill in the cracks and crevices that might form in the walls float on repulsorlifts without drawing attention from the criminal gangs. The gangs themselves are focused on their next smuggling operation or struggle for control over Coruscant’s scum-filled underbelly.

Kaela was pissed.

Of course she was, and she had every right to be. Coruscant Level 1313 was far distanced from the ramblings and machinations of the rich and overly-zealous that liked to flaunt their wealth in the luscious landscapes above. The politicians liked to believe that the capital of the Core World's lower levels didn't exist, that there was no-one in need of their vast influence or power. Level 1313 was a neglected hellhole, but Force damn it all! It was her hellhole and she was hell-bent on making Appius pay for what he'd done!

Kaela may have been young, but she was no stranger to how cruel the galaxy could be. Especially when her father was Bale 'frakking Irdonian Hammer' Andros of all people. Being the daughter of a bounty hunter exposed her to a lot of violence, corruption, and death, even as a young child. Eventually, it just reached a point where it never bothered her anymore. Or at least, it didn't, until she was told her father was dead.

That was the one that took her heart, ground it into space dust, and broke her away from the Brotherhood and right into the arms of the Skags. They were one of many of Coruscant Level 1313's gangs that roamed around the place. They gave her a place to sleep, a place to eat, and not to mention, a new family to be a part of provided she pulled her weight and did her part. They grew to appreciate her for what she could do, and even when she discovered her father was still alive, she made regular trips back.

The territory was carved up amongst the gangs and any intruder who stepped into their domain had better have something worth of value if they knew what was good for them. That's when Kaela discovered something was horribly wrong. Not only had the Skags' territory diminished considerably, but they were short a good number of their best members, which left them ripe for the competition to come in and take whatever they wanted. When she consulted the gang leaders as to why she was given one name…

Appius Wight.

Word was he'd been hired by one of the big-wigs up top to do pest control on the Skags as part of some political campaign, and for the last few days that'd been exactly what he was doing. Kaela had heard the name before in one of her father's many ramblings regarding Taldryan's leadership whilst he was there, though what the Taldryan Proconsul was doing here instead of doing his job in the Brotherhood was beyond her.

Not that it mattered, because she'd found him. The Mandalorian's signature in the Force stood out like a sore thumb against the scum and villainy of the lower levels. On top of that, the bright-red Mandalorian armor with the golden lightning bolt upon the chest plate was a dead giveaway. Maintenance droids scurried along the duracrete, filling in the cracks as needed and completely ignoring the situation below them. Appius was there, his heavy boot planted firmly onto a Skag gang member's chest right at the edge of a vast, seemingly never-ending pit that led to Coruscant's core. The Rodian under Appius' boot gazed up in both fear, alarm, and then sudden relief when he caught a glimpse of Kaela. What also caught the slim woman's attention, however, was that his helmet and visor were turned to face her. Not only had she sensed him, but he had sensed her too. Not that Kaela cared. The dark sider could feel her anger rise within as she clenched her fists at her side, forcing herself back for the moment.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" The Mandalorian questioned.

"K… Kaela!" the Rodian stuttered.

"Kaela? Kaela Val? Wonderful! Looks like it's my lucky day! I get two Skags for the price of one!" Appius said, suddenly very jubilant. "As you are sure you've realised, I'm your resident bounty hunter for the evening. My name is…"

"I know who you are, Wight," Kaela suddenly spat, her words laced with malice. "You and yours ain't welcome around here. What are you even doing here?"

"Me and mine? Mandalorians, Taldryanites, or bounty hunters? That's a pretty extensive list, you know," Appius retorted.

"You know what I mean!" Kaela spat back at him.

"Alright, alright." Appius said defensively. "You guys have been making way too much noise. Robberies, gang warfare, beatdowns, etcetera, etcetera. Someone up there's taken notice, and I figured hey! Easy credits, why not?"

Somehow, Kaela didn't believe him.

"Besides, this is a good opportunity to get Taldryan in with a high power within the Core Worlds. Why wouldn't I take that opportunity?" Appius continued, and that? That Kaela believed.

"That said, you have a choice. Either come quietly, or I'll have to take you by force, and trust me..." Suddenly, electricity began darting between the fingertips of the Mandalorian's right hand. "I can be very convincing."

Kaela bit her lip. She wanted nothing more than to take this bounty hunter down for her gang, but with the Rodian in a precarious position, she wasn't left with many options, except the ones that mattered most.

"Fine, I'll come quietly, we both will, just don't hurt him. He doesn't deserve it," Kaela spoke softly. Time alone as part of a gang had taught her how to put on a pretense when it mattered most. Luckily for her, the Mandalorian might have hesitated for a moment, but he seemed to fall for it, the electricity between his fingertips vanished as he clasped his hands together.

"Excellent! In that case, we…"

Appius never finished his sentence. On instinct alone, Kaela seized her chance. The young woman injected herself with the dark side of the Force like it was an adrenal stim and launched herself at the Mandalorian. The Taldryan Proconsul raised his arms to defend himself, though he was not prepared for the deception, nor for as fast Kaela really was as the jade-haired young woman landed a stiff, spinning kick to his sternum. It wasn't a particularly hard strike, but it was enough to unbalance Appius, causing him to stagger back and fall off of the edge. It took a moment for Kaela to respond, and at first, she was elated, but when she peered over the edge, her eyes went wide and she gasped.

"Quickly! Get up! You've got to run!" Kaela urged the Rodian. She ran over to him and grabbed the small reptilian by the shirt, hoisting him up to his feet.

"W-Why?" The Rodian stammered.

The question was very quickly answered when the sudden roaring of a jetpack could be heard, The silhouette of the red-armored Mandalorian suddenly appearing before them.

"Surprise!" Appius cheered as he landed back on solid ground. "Did you miss me?"

"GO, NOW!" Kaela screamed, startling the Rodian into action as he attempted to sprint out of danger.

"Where do you think you're going!?" The Mandalorian exclaimed as he stretched out his fingertips towards his fleeing target. Sensing his intent, Kaela quickly interrupted, and with an attack so fluid it looked like she was dancing, her ankle collided with Appius' forearm, sending the Sorcerer's lightning off course and into a poor, unsuspecting repair droid that happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. It sizzled before it erupted into a cacophony of fire.

"You are fighting me now! He's of no concern to you. You got that, schutta!?" Kaela roared with a fiery passion and use of language that would make her father proud.

The dark sider could feel it now, her blood coursing through her as she carried forward with her momentum, attempting to land acrobatic kick, after kick, after kick. However, Appius had become aware of what she was doing and defended himself, attempting to subtly parry strikes with open palms and letting Kaela's momentum carry her forward, which was easier said than done. Finally, the moment Appius was looking for came, and he pressed both hands against the Adept's sternum. It felt like a hurricane had just blasted the young woman in the chest as she was sent careening across the floor. She dug her nails into the ground and rolled to a stop just before she collided with the duracrete wall, saving her spine from certain agony. She rose to her feet. Strong and defiant in the face of her gang's tormenter.

"So, that's the way you want to play it, is it?" Appius questioned. "Fine! Looks like I'll be taking you in alone. You just made a big mistake, Kaela. I hope you are ready."

"Ready? I was born ready!" Kaela exclaimed confidently. "I can't wait to take you down!"

"We will see, won't we? You haven't exactly done anything to impress me thus far, but who knows? Miracles do happen," Appius jeered, the mocking tone in his voice apparent.

Impressing you is the least of my concerns. Kaela projected her voice through the Force into the Mandalorian’s head. It was true. The man meant nothing to her, but his association to the Dark Brotherhood, and this unexpected collision between her two lives was troubling. She’d spent years building this persona on Coruscant, far away from the Brotherhood’s machinations, hiding her connection to the Force. Now, this laser-brained moof-milker threatened to expose her identity.

Wight chuckled and waved his fingers through the air. Sarcasm dripped from his words as he mocked her. “Oh! Ah! Telepathy! That’ll throw me off bal—”

You talk too much. She pushed the thought into his mind as she shot forward. The Mandalorian flinched as she closed the distance but he reacted faster than she’d hoped. His jetpack roaring, he pulled away and out of her reach before she could land a blow. His fingers flared as he flew backwards and lightning arced through the air, leaving a web of blackened scorch marks across the duracrete floor as she dove away. Rolling to her feet, driven by instinct, she threw her hands out and lashed onto him through the Force, then yanked him back onto the platform with one armored knee scraping across the ground. Kaela instantly regretted using the Force in such an overt manner. By reflex, she shot a glance over her shoulder, hoping that the Rodian was gone. He was, but the distraction was enough for the Mandalorian.

“Flash-bang!” he said, his voice almost melodic as he snapped his fingers in her face as she was turning back towards him. Coruscant exploded in the flash of white before her eyes. Kaela screamed. Recoiling, she felt his intentions through the Force but she was too disoriented to defend herself. His arm snaked around hers, jerked it back, the motion nearly taking her off her feet as she was spun around. Pain shot through her shoulder joint as he pressed down on it with his free hand, forcing her down to her knees with a whimper. She hissed, tried to push back but his grip was iron. He pressed harder. All she could do was ground her teeth to stave off the pain. It was clear that if she tried anything, he’d dislocate her shoulder.

His arrogance and satisfaction taunted her in the Force.

“You should’ve taken the easy way, kid,” he mused. “Yield, and I’ll bring you in alive. I gotta say, I do wonder who’ll pay the biggest price, the politician or the Dark Brotherhood? Blast me, maybe your old man would pay a nice ransom. Or even better, I should toss you to the Severian Principate, I hear they love Tenexir sympathizers.”

As the Mandalorian spewed his boisterous nonsense, Kaela closed her eyes and breathed in through her nose, a long calming drag that filled her lungs. She struggled to ignore the pain, but she pushed past it. She was like a Dathomirian spider as she reached out to the man’s subconscious through the Force, scurrying through the shadows past the bravado and the elation, weaving her web of silk even as he spoke. His mental barriers were strong, stronger than most, and she understood that she could not dominate him as she would a common thug.

She didn’t have to.

“You will release me,” she said.

He snorted, shaking his helmet as he spoke, “You don’t actually think that will work do you? I’m not some weak-minded stormtrooper.” As if to drive his point home, he pulled her arm back, straining her ligaments, ripping a moan from her lips. She clenched her jaw, pushing the pain to the back of her mind. There was some truth to his words, but Kaela reckoned he had never met someone quite like her. A vicious, hungry smirk crept over her lips. Through the Force, she sunk her mandibles into his very resolve, unraveling her web in the process.

“You will release me,” she repeated.

He didn’t snort this time, nor did he release her, not fully. But she sensed the doubt overtake him as he felt compelled to obey her, and more importantly, she felt his grip falter. She tugged herself free and spun on her knees, kicking out as she did so. Her foot crashed into his armored boot, sweeping him off his feet. Then, like a Nexu, she pounced, rolling onto him as his back smacked into the concrete with an audible clang. With a flick of one hand, she ripped his helmet off through the Force, sending it clattering over the chasm. She balled up that same hand and in one fell swoop brought her fist back down into his wide-eyed face with a sickening crunch. Again and again she hit him until Wight’s jetpack roared once again, yanking him out from under her and flipping her over in the process. She rolled to her stomach, kicked the ground. Crouched low, one hand and one knee ready to leverage her weight against the concrete and launch her forward, she nearly charged him again. The snap-hiss of an igniting lightsaber stopped her in her tracks.

The Mandalorian stood opposite from her, his ashen hair disheveled, his blue eyes dark and piercing, carrying none of that prideful humor she’d heard in his voice. A trickle of blood drew a crimson line from his nose down to his chin. The green glow of his dual-bladed lightsaber lit his features, giving him a fiendish look.

Kaela swallowed hard. She was infinitely aware of her own conversion lightsaber, separated in two hilts and concealed within her clothes. She almost longed for their cold, metallic touch in her hands, and her instincts screamed for her to release them, but she couldn’t quite bring herself to do so. If she ignited her blades now, anyone could see her for who she was. One could dismiss a flick of telekinesis as a trick of one’s eyes, but there was no denying the appearance of twin blades made of pure, searing energy.

“I’d heard your father was a stubborn old sleemo. The jorgan fruit didn’t fall far from that tree, huh?” The Mandalorian hawked and spat, then wiped the blood from under his nose with the back of his gloved hand. “Didn’t think I’d have to kill a little girl when I got out of bed this morning. Funny how life will surprise you sometimes, heh?”

“Yeah. Really fun—”

Lightning lanced through the air once again.

Kaela spun, twisting her body in a way that seemed unnatural as the lightning darted above her. It hit the duracrete and left more scorch marks in its wake. The young woman was unbelievably agile for one that used the Force mostly on instinct than from the strict training regimes that were often conducted by Sith and Jedi masters upon their apprentices.

Bale Andros' daughter shot herself forward like her feet were planted on a spring, hoping to catch the Sorcerer off-guard. However, as soon as she closed the distance, she was immediately halted when jade-coloured blades swung towards her. Kaela bent her body backwards, allowing the first of the emerald blades to skim over the bridge of her nose. The second side of the saberstaff followed very quickly afterwards, this time towards the jade-haired girl's shins, forcing Kaela to pour the dark side into herself as she leapt over it. To avoid any follow-up attack, the Kiffar retreated back a few steps.

A confident smirk appeared on the Proconsul's face, made all the more sickening by the splattering red that marred the skin from his nose to his chin. Appius raised one index finger to Kaela and wagged it back and forth in front of her, taunting her like she was a small child.

"Oh, I don't think so," Appius mocked, using that one finger to send yet another jolt of lightning at her through the air.

Kaela avoided it again, sidestepping it before it could sear into her shoulder. The young Kiffar hybrid grimaced to herself as she ground her teeth together. She hated being on the backfoot, she was so much more the aggressor in combat situations such as these. Kaela wanted nothing more than to draw her lightsabers and show the Taldryanite what she was really made of and embarrass Appius, and more importantly, shut his kriffing mouth!

Yet, she couldn't. It took years for her to be able to hide her abilities from the Skags, to earn their trust and comradery. They were like a second family to her. They took her in when she had nowhere else to go, gave her food, shelter and a purpose again. All it would take is for one of them to walk by, see her with her sabers drawn, and everything she had worked so hard to gain here on Coruscant would come crashing down faster than a Frigate against a Star Destroyer. All the trust would be broken, and she couldn't allow it. She wouldn't allow it! She cared about the Skags too damn much to lose it all, again! The way things were going, however, seemed like she'd just keep dodging, ducking, and weaving until she was hit, or either of them became exhausted. Appius was indeed, starting to breathe harder, but Kaela wasn't entirely fresh either. She could feel her heart race faster in her chest, though she at least seemed better of than Taldryan's second in command.

That's when Kaela had a cunning plan, a small smirk graced her lips as she weaved the tendrils of the Force into each word she spoke.

"You will lower your weapon," Kaela spoke softly, her words mirroring a river of honey trickling and soothing into Appius' mind. The Human shook his head, but otherwise maintained a firm grip of his weapon.

"Really? Trying that again? You're a bit desperate ar…"

Appius never finished his sentence. Kaela launched herself again, and the Mandalorian braced himself for impact. However, the young Kiffar hybrid grabbed hold of the cloak she was wearing, tore it off, and threw it at the Taldryanite. Appius responded instinctively and cut the thin fabric in twain, swinging one end of his saberstaff downwards.

Suddenly, the Mandalorian's eyes went wide open. He'd suddenly left himself exposed, and he'd fallen for it. Hook, line, and sinker. Kaela kicked him square in his nose, adding to the pain that was already there. Appius dropped his weapon and shielded his nose with his hands, muffling a scream into them, as well as some profanities that Kaela couldn't quite make out. The dark sider could see her chance to end the fight right in front of her. She poured the dark side of the Force into her body, driving it down into her legs. She leapt into the air, spinning a full three-hundred and sixty degrees to gain the full momentum behind her strike. Her heart thundered in her ears, and it looked like she was going to land the hit until her foot was stopped inches from Appius' face by what felt like an invisible wall.

"What the frakk!?" Kaela swore. That was when she noticed Appius had raised his right hand.

Of course he can create barriers. Why wouldn't he be able to create barriers? Kaela thought to herself. Yet, when she landed back on her feet, the Force screamed in the back of her subconscious like it was trying to deafen her. Appius had summoned his saberstaff back to his hand, the two ends of the weapon blazing back into existence with a mighty swoosh.

"Now you die here! Just like the rest of your gang!" The Proconsul exclaimed.

Kaela panicked, her emotions boiling over to the forefront of her heart and soul. The young Kiffar was strong, incredibly strong with the Force, but the intensity of her panic and desperation brought forth the innermost depths of her power to the surface. After three seconds, and just before Appius could bring his weapon down upon her, she unleashed her darkness upon him. Lightning crackled out of her hands, a single, powerful, jolt striking the Mandalorian in his chest, ironically, where the lightning bolt was imprinted on his armor.

The Taldryanite cried out in pain, the sudden heat of the attack cooking the flesh beneath his armor. It was only a quick jolt, but that was all it took to do serious damage. Appius dropped to his knees, heaving and gritting his teeth, eyes wide, sweat dripping from his face.

Under normal circumstances, this would have been the perfect chance for Kaela to finish off her opponent. However, the use of Force Lightning was not something the young woman was used to. The physical and emotional tax required was simply too much for her. It felt like her body was on fire, her lungs feeling like they were about to burst as her muscles gave way. The Kiffar hybrid collapsed onto her hands and knees, unable to summon the strength to do anything else. Her stomach churned, the contents of which threatened to show themselves.

Both fighters remained down for a minute, until Appius slowly staggered back to his feet, a furious, irate look on his bloodied face.

"Well, THAT was embarrassing," Appius sneered. "I got struck by lightning… I'm sure Erinyes would laugh at me for that. Luckily for me, you won't be around to tell her…"

Appius held the saberstaff ominously above the young girl.

"Frakk…you!" Kaela managed to spit at him.

"No, thanks. I'm spoken for," Appius commented slyly.

"KAELA!"

Appius halted when he heard the familiar voice. It was the Rodian he had hunted down from earlier, this time he held a blaster pistol in his hands.

"You again?" Appius questioned. "Well, I suppose this saves me hunting you down."

Unfortunately, the Rodian wasn't alone. It was like the scum and villainy of Coruscant had descended upon their location. More and more skags appeared until twenty of them held out their blasters towards the Mandalorian.

Even in her weakened state, Kaela managed a smirk as she projected her thoughts through the Force into Appius' mind.

What now, tough guy? This time, it was her turn to taunt him. Truth be told, if Appius were at one-hundred percent, the Skags might not have presented much of a challenge. In his bloodied and battered state? That was a different matter.

The young woman rose slowly to her feet, wiping a lock of jade-coloured hair out of her eyes. Her legs felt like jelly, but that didn't stop her from being defiant right in front of the Mandalorian.

Go ahead. I dare you. Kaela challenged, knowing full well Appius would be filled full of blaster holes if he attacked.

"This isn't over," the Mandalorian declared. The sudden roaring of a jetpack caught everyone by surprise as it propelled the Human into the air and over the chasm to the lower depths of Coruscant.

"BLAST HIM!" The Rodian cried out as a smorgasbord of blaster fire erupted over the giant hole. However, Appius was already out of range, the blaster fire posing no threat.

Kaela watched the Mandalorian leave, satisfied the Skags were safe for the moment.