A cesspool of the downtrodden, the Refugee Sector on Nar Shaddaa is home to both the misfortunate and criminals alike. Offering their protection for credits, the criminal organizations that control the sector tax the populace outrageous sums. Unable to provide these fees, refugees are forced to work under hazardous conditions producing glitterstim and adrenals for their overseers. Some of these refugees are addicted to the substances themselves—for which the cartels increase the price of their tithes in exchange for a share of the product.

Crammed with stalls and makeshift hovels, several of the sector’s inhabitants find refuge on the streets and in the alleyways. Those who managed to avoid the dangers of drug production can be found selling their limited and often defective goods to others. Behind these stalls, a selective stock of black market wares is hidden, reserved for mercenaries and thugs.

Littered with garbage, it is obvious that no maintenance droids have been programmed to maintain the sector. The surrounding towers have fallen into decay, bits of debris falling every so often into the middle of the street. The duracrete streets are covered in a film of filth and chemicals from the abandoned warehouses, making movement cumbersome when traveling through the most inhabited areas.

Patrols armed with blasters and vibroswords come through these areas regularly, making a show of force to advertise the merits of their ‘protection’ while extorting the occasional shopkeeper. Screams and shouts are a common enough sound, which is never in the refugees’ best interests to interfere in.

The Refugee sector of Nar Shaddaa always felt wrong to Kristeva as she walked through it pulling the Cloak tighter against her. The sounds of the people echoed against the cold metal of the buildings and the makeshift homes. In their eyes the Shadow could see their torment and despair, as she walked on only briefly stopping from shop to shop looking at all the trinkets that were being sold.

Valkrys kept her ears up looking around and lightly snarling at people that tried to get too close to both her and the Shadow whom she was always nearly attached to.

As many of the people from all walks of life went around the sector trying to get the item they needed or wanted. The hairs on the back of the Shadow’s neck slowly began to prick up. Stopping and looking around the Shadow saw the murderous gaze of one of her Clan members fall upon her.

“YOU AND ME RIGHT NOW” The Twi’lek screamed at the top of her lungs.

The Shadow dropped into a fight stance, as the Marauder grabbed two daggers and charged towards her.

The Shadow quickly drops down when the angered Twi’lek swings both daggers at her, missing only by a nanometer. The Shadow slams her hand onto ground using a Telekinetic Wave to knock the Twi’lek onto her back, and then slightly jumps back and ducks behind a random stall.

“Nope. What did I do?” The Shadow shouts, trying to throw her voice to make it sound like she is in a different stall behind the Marauder

Sheathing her nightsister dagger, Weyrin, and her kyuzo petar dagger, Cheeker, the sapphire skinned Twi'lek quickly leapt to her feet and took a moment to look around the stalls. Several of the refugees had already left their stalls, not wanting to get caught in the middle of a fight between the two opponents.

She had heard Kristeva's voice coming from behind the stall behind her and turned her body towards the voice. Quietly, she approached the stall and spoke.

"I am here because you were causing trouble again, Kristeva. This time it's because I heard you were harassing some poor Ewok in Taldrya. Right now we need to play nice. Allegedly, trying to punt their resident Ewok across the room is not playing nice. I suggest you come with me. We can do this the easy way or the hard way, your choice. So what's it going to be?"

She stood quietly waiting near the stall as a few overhead advertisement signs on the side of a building flashed vivid bright colors. The street had random trash littered about as the foul, putrid stench of Nar Shaddaa filled her nostrils.

Meanwhile, Kristeva drew out her Westar-35 blaster pistol and aimed for the Twi'lek's right lekku.

"I think the hard way can be fun." Kristeva's voice echoed in Tasha'vel's head as the shadow fired two blaster bolts. Upon hearing the sound, the Marauder whirled around and moved to the right. One blaster bolt grazed her right lekku as the second one missed. While Kristeva pressed the trigger for another shot, Tasha removed her lightsaber from its hilt, ignited the violet blade with a crackling snap-hiss and hurled it towards the direction of the blaster fire.

The Equite ceased fire and rolled swiftly out of the blade's arcing path. Knowing the Marauder still couldn't see her, she leaped over the stall and sprinted towards the side of the Twi'lek. She let out a small whistle as her faithful companion dashed like a crimson blur toward the twi'lek and leaped at her throat. The blade had returned to Tasha's right hand as Valkrys’s jaws snapped down on her right arm while bringing it up to protect her neck. The Cythraul bit down harder as Tasha lifted the beast up with her right arm. Grimacing, she used her left hand and pulled the amethyst kukri blade from its sheath and prepared to stab Valkrys.

"Kristeva, I suggest you call off your pet and come quietly or do you need me to demonstrate how easily this blade can slice through flesh? Just because I can't see you doesn't mean you are off the hook," she called out as she pressed the blade against the beast's side taking care not to pierce the animal just yet. Valkrys growled and tried to kick at Tasha'vel while maintaining her vice grip on the Equite's right arm.

"So Kristeva shall I demonstrate or will you call your beast off and come with me? You have about ten seconds before I take action."

Kristeva sighed heavily, dropping her Westar-35 blaster. The sound of its metal reverberated on the ground. The Shadow slowly raised her arms up in surrender.

“Valkrys let her go.” The Human said to the cythraul.

Valkrys, releases her grip on Tasha’s arm growling lowley not liking the order.

The Marauder smirked in triumph looking at the Shadow. “See now, was that so hard?” she mocks slowly releasing the cythraul.

The Human slowly walks over to the Twi’lek focusing on the moment trying to come up with a plan that won’t allow her to be captured. Many sernieros filter across the Shadow’s mind and only very few end up with her winning.

“Well played Tasha. You went for my weakness!” the Human screamed in the Twi’leks mind with Telepathy.

The Marauder winces lightly trying not to show that she felt uncomfortable and felt as if the Shadow was really yelling at her. The Twi’lek moved slowly putting her dagger and light saber away, looking at the Human with a mocking grin.

“When are you going to realize that I’m better than you? I’m stronger, faster and more tactical than you any day of the week.” mutters the Equite with a touch of condescension in her tone.

Kristeva chuckles slightly, closing her eyes and concentrating hard, focusing on the environment and all those around her. “Are you sure ma’am? I mean there are many things that could change the outcome of this.” muttering softly with slight fear in her voice.

“Such as what? Now come on, you're not going to be punting any Ewoks and starting wars with other Clans!” the Twi’lek shouts while the tiny hairs on the back of her neck slowly stand up.

The Marauder looks around slightly as if there is another presence around her. While she see’s nothing out of the ordinary, she turns back towards the Shadow and falls to her knees at the image before her.

Where the female Human once stood is now the image of the Twi’lek’s husband, bleeding slowly from multiple stab and slash marks, while the Cheekar dagger is in her hand. The Equite slowly looks down at her hands to see they are covered in blood and she starts shaking.

“No, no, no, no! Bentre, Bentre!” The Twi’lek shouts in fear, and pain drops the dagger falling to her knees crying, as she shuts her eyes tightly trying to forget the sight before her.

As the illusion slowly starts to waver the Shadow comes walking forward, while the faint and loud hiss of her lightsaber ignites giving off its bright purple color and points the tip slightly at the Marauders throat.

“Yield Tasha. Just this once I win, and I’m sorry I had to use that image.” Kristeva pants heavily feeling the taxation of using an Illusion on her opponent.

“I’ll come for you for this you brat, but today. Fine you win.” The Twi’lek spits her words laced with both promise and venom.

Kristeva's anger rose at the sight of her beloved companion about to be stabbed. While still cloaked in the shadows, the Equite turned herself around to face the Twi’lek, holstered her blaster and charged forward. At the last possible second before impact, she whistled for her companion to let go. Obediently, Valkrys released Tasha from her grip and sprinted a short distance from the Twi’lek. Meanwhile, the human used her weight and right elbow to slam into the Sith. Caught off guard by the sudden charge and weight, Tasha fell back with the Force Disciple on top of her, who was now sitting on her chest and punching her repeatedly in the face. The force of the tackle had knocked the dagger from her hand, however she immediately brought her hands up to block the blows while thinking of the next move.

“I will never let you harm a hair on my precious Valkrys.” Kristeva yelled out as she continued to punch and elbow Tasha in the face. Her pet had already turned back around and latched onto Tasha’s left leg. Despite the pain from the consistent pummeling and biting, Tasha’vel groaned, spit out a tooth and concentrated on her lightsaber. Using the force, she removed it from her belt and aimed for Kristeva’s body. Pulling the lightsaber forward with her mind, she ignited the blade hoping to send it straight through the Equite, however Valkrys saw it coming and leaped between her master and the lightsaber. She let out a painful growling whine as the violet-hued blade plunged through her body and stopped just short of Kristeva. The sad howl from her beloved pet caused the Shadow to stop momentarily and look up in horror at her now skewered cythraul.

This gave Tasha enough of a distraction to pull her nightsister dagger from its sheath and drive the blade deep into the Equite’s side as she tried to free herself from being pinned down. Letting out an agonizing scream, Kristeva pulled her blaster from its holster and fired several blaster shots point blank at the struggling Twi’lek while she felt her strength beginning to wane. The shots slammed into Tasha'Vel's chest hard as the Marauder fell back again, her emerald eyes now beginning to glaze over as she coughed blood. Kristeva, however, did not stop firing until she felt her opponent no longer move. Standing up from the now still corpse of Tasha’Vel, the Shadow shot her opponent twice more in the head for good measure before removing the dagger from herself. She then turned, walked feebly over to her pet and pulled the lightsaber from Valkrys's side. Clumsily tossing the lightsaber away, she tried to pick up her cythraul, but quickly discovered that the poisoned dagger had done its work and she could not lift her.

"Damn you, Tasha'Vel!" She screamed out into the putrid Nar Shadda air.

She then knelt down beside her sweet Valkrys as her beloved pet whined softly and licked her nose. With the last of her strength almost gone, Kristeva hugged her dying cythraul as tight as she was able to and cried.