'If you ever want to see your son again, you will come to platform 1TB on Kamino. Come alone and tell no-one, or else.'
The recording ended with the shrill cry of a baby in the background. It was the kind of cry any parent feared the most coming out of their child, and it sent shivers down Appius' spine every time he listened to it. He'd done exactly as instructed, and not even Ankira knew of his whereabouts. She would likely be furious with him after all was said and done for not bringing her with him, but for the safety of their little boy, the Mandalorian Force User would do what needed to be done and Ankira would just have to forgive him in time, even if it meant following the instructions of a soon to be dead man.
Appius could only guess as to the reason Rausu was taken, but once his son was safe, the one behind his kidnapping was going to beg for death by the time the Consul was done with them, for there was nothing more dangerous in this galaxy than a parent protecting their child.
The Upsilon Shuttle tore through the Kaminoan atmosphere with a hard shudder before stabilising on its descent. Platform 1TB was in sight, and once the stabilisers touched the platform, and the ramp lowered, Appius rushed outside into the ongoing storm. It only took seconds before the undersuit of his armor was drenched, not that it mattered, nor did he care. With the Force, he could sense his baby boy deep inside the facility, afraid and alone, barring one entity that Appius could sense as he raced down the platform.
"I'm coming, Rausu!" Appius cried out.
Suddenly, the door to the facility slid open, halting Appius in his advance. What emerged into the storm was a freakishly tall Pau'an, that towered even over the Taldryanite, with eyes that could form nightmares in lesser beings. The gaunt face held deep, dark bags under his eyes, and his pale complexion made him look like he'd never seen a day of sunshine. The figure walked out into the rain, caring little for the ongoing storm as he clapped his hands together slowly, again and again.
"Taldryan Consul Appius Wight! I am Zumun Tuzul, and it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I have been expecting you," the Pau'an declared.
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HIM!?" Appius roared through the storm. Thunder and lightning split the sky asunder above them like his anger had projected upwards, though the Pau'an remained unperturbed.
"Him? Whoever do you mean?" Zumun asked innocently, though the smirk on his face told a different story.
"I swear if you've hurt him…" the Taldryan Consul said darkly with threatening malice.
"Tsk, tsk. What good would harming something so valuable do for me? Rest assured, Appius. Your son is unharmed for the most part. Well, nothing that will cause any permanent damage, anyways," Zumun answered as he watched the Consul visibly tense, the Mandalorian's hands having balled into fists. "You can go collect him if you wish. I have no further need for him."
Zumun stood to one side and gestured towards the open facility door. Every fibre of Appius' being knew this was likely some sort of trap, and he didn't know what this Sith wanted with Rausu in the first place. Yet, right now, parental instincts decided that he didn't give a kark about any of that. The Taldryanite just wanted to see his son, to hold him close and know that he was OK. Appius fully intended to leave the Sith in the open rainstorm and go to his son. However, two second after he moved past the Pau'an, he felt something wrap around him like a rope before he was yanked back onto the platform. The sudden force caught the Taldryan Consul by surprise as he landed at Zumun's feet.
Snap-Hiss!
A bright-red glow entered the Taldryanites vision followed by the Force as it screamed its warning of imminent danger into Appius' subconscious. The Taldryan Consul acted quickly, and activated the jetpack attached to his back. The thrusters roared as the lightsaber swung down and barely missed the Human as he skid several feet across the wet platform. The weapon cut into the durasteel flooring, kicking up amber sparks as it did so.
"Wow, you are gullible aren't you, Consul?" Zumun jeered. "Did you really think I would just let you in? Your son, he is remarkable, and his blood displayed a level of Force connection seldom seen in children, especially newborns. Though, that raises the question… if the boy is like that, then what about his father? What kind of secrets is his body hiding? What untapped well of power is there waiting to be taken and used? The power I seek may perhaps lay in the two of you."
"You're insane!" Appius exclaimed.
"I'm not insane. I'm desperate," the Pau'an explained. "My son is dead, Consul. First, it was my ambition, then my foolishness, and finally my hubris that led to his death whilst so many others get to live and breathe."
"Sounds to me like you failed as a father," the Taldryanite stated matter-of-factly.
The Sith's corrupted crimson-yellow eyes dilated as he snarled. In response to Appius' insult, Zumun summoned forth the very darkness itself in physical form, and surrounded himself with it. It was a void as black as space, and approximately eight metres in diameter, covering the end of the platform. In seconds, he had vanished from the Consul's sight, and Appius braced himself for the inevitable.
Then it came. The sound of a shrill battle cry reverberated across the platform. Zumun emerged from the darkness he had created, twirling in the air, his lightsaber pointing towards Appius like a heat-seeking projectile. Zumun struck like he was chaos incarnate, wild and untamed as he took whatever opportunity he could to attack the Taldryanite. The Pau'an was more thunderous than the storm around them, and more deadly than the lightning up in the sky, but thankfully, Appius' beskar kept him protected from each strike that hit him. The crimson blade scraped across the Mandalorian iron, creating sparks on impact.
However, Zumun's unrelenting offence left a gaping hole in his defences. One that Appius exploited when the Sith began to slow. The Mandalorian Sorcerer opened the palm of his right hand, creating a Force-powered flashbang in front of Zumun's face.
"GAAH!" the Pau'an recoiled at the burning sensation in his retinas.
Appius capitalised and weaved the tendrils of the Force around Zumun, lifting him off the ground before slamming him into the side of the Upsilon Shuttle the Consul had arrived in. The Sith collapsed into the rainwater on the platform, and carefully pulled himself back to his feet. Zumun wiped his eyes with a wet sleeve, helping clear his vision enough to witness lightning darting between the Sorcerer's fingertips. The Sith immediately jumped to avoid being electrocuted by the violet beams of lightning that soared towards him. Zumun landed atop the Upsilon Shuttle, unharmed by the attack.
"Good! That is much better!" Zumun commended. "This will make killing you all the better. Your corpse will aid my research, and I will soon see my son again."
Appius realised that if he wanted to get to Rausu, then he was going to have to deal with Zumun first. Sure, he had a clear path into the facility and to his son, but even if he got there and retrieved Rausu, there was no guaranteeing the baby boy's safety during the inevitable fighting. The Consul was going to have to deal with Zumun first.
"You know, you'll be seeing your son sooner than you think," Appius suddenly said.
"Oh? And why's that?" Zumun inquired curiously.
"It's simple. You'll get to spend an eternity with him when I send you to Hell!" Appius suddenly roared as lightning hissed out of his hands towards the Pau'an.
