The Vertical City, Nar Shaddaa. They call it the Smuggler's Moon—an apt description based on the myriad of sentients shuffling back and forth with their illegal wares and hidden weapons. The narrow streets below criss-cross endlessly, soaring miles above the planet's surface. Exposed and uncovered, the streets offer a nearly perfect setting for someone with some skills with ranged weapons. A vantage point on the ledge of a towering structure of glass and steel offers a dizzying view of the cityscape.

Simple shops and merchants peddle both legitimate and illegitimate wares. Storefronts are just as plentiful as open-market pop-up tents, and the cantina's adapt the same lowlife air as the rest of the Smuggler's Moon. Enemies could be hidden in plain sight, whether one of the Hutts’ gangsters or mercenaries-for-hire looking to earn some credits. The streets are plagued with violent gangs and the general riff raff of the poor and destitute. They may be an ideal place for blasters, but the winding streets are difficult to disappear from. An opponent would be easily boxed in and simple to finish with a few quick slashes of a lightsaber. The moon is dangerous—even for one gifted in the Force.

Anders was not in a good mood. His contact was dead, and any hope of finding Draca quickly faded further, and further into the abyss.

It didn't help matters that he utterly despised Nar Shaddaa. The Smugglers Moon? More like Scum Moon if you asked Anders. Everywhere he looked, he saw the pitiful and the stupid looking to make a quick credit selling obvious illegal wares. Attempts at pickpocketing were amateurish at best, and downright criminal at worst. Men and women sold themselves as slaves for their overlords, likely not seeing much of the money they made themselves.

It was entirely undignified, and that was before Anders considered the stench. It was like the streets were bathed in sewage, a breeding ground for the rats that dwelled among it. There was a distinct, foul taste in the air that made his tongue numb. Anders dared not touch anything, the thought alone made him shudder.

Anders would have preferred being back on Csilla, in the Chiss Ascendancy, rather than this cesspit of a moon. At least the Chiss Ascendancy was clean.

He was then bumped into by a particularly tall Human male. Normally, Anders would attempt his best to ignore such an action, and wash himself clean at the next available chance. However, this was Nar Shaddaa, and everything was done for an illegal purpose.

He was suddenly acutely aware of the missing weight of BUDD-E on his shoulder. Anders spun to the sound of his little droid wailing in the Human's arms as they vanished amongst the crowds.

Anders grit his teeth, giving chase. The crowded marketplace did no favours to catching up, though, thankfully, he never lost sight of the Human as he began to climb up a ladder attached to a nearby building.

When Anders caught him, he was going to take his arms as punishment, and maybe their legs too, just because it was BUDD-E. Nobody took his droid from him.

He gave chase up on the ladder. There were few places this Human could run from a rooftop.

Or at least, that was what Anders thought until he saw the Human brandish a lightsaber. The crimson hue hummed in the evening sky, and tore through the durasteel ladder's supports with no resistance. The Chiss went wide-eyed as it began to topple over. He let go, dropping ten feet to the floor as the ladder crashed beside him, ringing it in a metallic thump that garnered the attention of the nearby populace.

Anders didn't care. That scumbag had BUDD-E, and he could hear the droid's panicked cries above. With the dark side of the Force empowering his body, he leapt in the air with superhuman agility, landing on the duracrete rooftop with the grace of a feline.

The Force rang out in his subconscious. Anders didn't have time to do anything other than step to the side as the sound of a blaster bolt echoed through his ears.

The Chief Inquisitor caught sight of his target, the human holding the sniper with both hands whilst one boot was placed on BUDD-E's cranium, pinning the droid under his weight.

'How dare he…' Anders scowled, baring teeth. 'HOW DARE HE!'

With a single, fluid motion, Anders grabbed his curved hilt lightsaber, The blade springing out of the hilt with a distinct snap-hiss. This Human was going to pay with his blood!

Yet, as Anders took a step forward, the Human pointed the barrel of his sniper at the droid under his boot.

"Take another step, and the droid gets it. You ever seen what happens when brains get splattered across duracrete? You'll find out with the next best thing right here."

Anders halted his advance as BUDD-E cried out, the Chiss' eyes hardening. "You had better give me a good reason for this assault if you plan on leaving here alive."

"Mighty foolish of you to make such claims when you hold no advantage," the Human stated.

Anders finally got a good look at him. Brown hair, brown eyes, and broad shoulders, just like many generic male Humans in the galaxy. Though, the eyebrow piercings were a distinct feature. He concentrated on the Force, weaving the intricate threads into the thoughts that lay dormant within the Human's mind.

He found what he was looking for.

"Your thoughts betray you, Hevan Slavis, newly minted Knight of Clan Plagueis. It is very bold of you to assume you can give me orders when you have barely broken into your new rank. What in the Force's name made you think you could challenge me?"

Hevan, to his credit, kept his professionalism intact. Anders needed to get him away from BUDD-E. He had lost enough already, he couldn't lose his little companion too.

The Plagueian grimaced.

"If you don't want me to pull the trigger, I suggest staying the frack out of my head. Lots of nasty things in there, kind of things that'll make your skin crawl. My superiors want this droid, so here's what I'll offer; You back away, and I won't have to smear this rooftop with your bloodied corpse. How does that sound?"

What in the name of the seven Corellian hells did Clan Plagueis want with BUDD-E? Did it have something to do with their venture into the Ethereal Realm? That was the only conclusion Anders could reach based on orior knowledge and what information he gleaned from Hevan's mind.

He had to admit, this certainly made his evening quite interesting. Unfortunately for the Plagueian, that wasn't necessarily a good thing. Anders knew he couldn't read his thoughts again, Hevan would likely resist now that he knew what he could do. Still, Anders had other means of getting answers.

His lips curved into a smirk. "You want to release my droid."

The Chiss watched as his little suggestion entered the back doors of Hevan's subconscious.

"Yeah… yeah, I do…"

Hevan lifted his boot off of BUDD-E. The little droid scurried back to Anders, leaping back onto his shoulder, shaking an angry mechanical leg at the Human.

"Very good, much appreciated, Hevan. Now, you will tell me why your superiors wanted my droid."

"I…" Hevan shook his head, fighting against the suggestion that weaved into his mind.

Anders went wide-eyed when Hevan pointed his sniper at him. BUDD-E squealed on his shoulder, prompting Anders to throw his palm forward. The telekinetic wave crashed into Hevan before he could pull ghe trigger, the shot inevitably ringing out into the sky as he fell, smashing through a pane of glass into one of the slum restaurants below.

BUDD-E beeped into Anders' ear.

"Yes, Buddy. He's not getting away that easily."

Anders clipped his lightsaber to his belt and leapt down from the roof just as Hevan was scrambling back to his feet.

Snap-hiss!

Anders activated his lightsaber, lithely striding forwards, stalking Hevan like he was prey in the night.

"You don't seem to understand. You threatened me. Therefore, you will tell me what I want to know, willingly or not. It is futile to resist," Anders pointed his lightsaber at Hevan's waist. "I saw your lightsaber. Use it, maybe you can entertain me whilst I decide if I'm going to kill you."

"You wanna know? You'll need to pull it out my brain physically." Hevan cracked his neck, circling the angered chiss. I thought you sith were more... vicious?"

"Come here and I'll show you vicious." The chiss mirrored Hevan's actions, not even trying to hide his rage. "Don't try to fight me Hevan, you won't even be a threat."

"Maybe not. So, why bother fighting. We can come to a different conclusion. After all, I am on a schedule." Hevan lifted his hand as Anders lunged at him, releasing a blinding flash of light, sending Anders to one knee in pain and surprise. By the time the chiss had gotten back up, Hevan had disappeared, not taking any chances with escaping. Anders looked around, eventually spotting a glowing red hole in a vent shaft, the edges steaming slightly. The chiss pondered whether it was a trap, however he still jumped down, trusting his reflexes to stop an attack from hitting it's mark. He landed in a large sewer, just a few feet from the edge into the stinking water. Anders picked himself up, sniffing the air and retching.

"Not much better here than up there." Anders started walking down the sewers, holding his nose. He listened closely, alert for the slightest noise, often wheeling about only to find scrap rats. He rounded a corner, now very irate, not quite paying as much attention as he was. A flash of green light blinded him, his instincts just telling him to block mere milliseconds from being decapitated by the bolt of energy.

There he was, the human, his attack ruined, bolting into the darkness in a futile attempt to escape from the enraged Chiss, who followed closely behind him. Anders was unable to stop Hevan escaping up a ladder, up into the bustling streets, climbing only a few seconds after him.

Hevan climbed out of the manhole in the street, running off into a large bazaar, nearly disappearing into the large crowds of people. "Enough stalling." The Chiss reached out with the force, lifting Hevan into the air, pulling him towards him. Hevan struggled as he floated, grasping for his pistol.

The blaster pistol's laser sight whipped around the clearing that the frightened civilians had made as Hevan held the trigger down. The pistol, his finger having been ripped off the trigger through the force, discharged into the crowd of non-combatants, killing three of them instantly.

Momentarily distracted, Hevan shot his NT randomly at Anders, who dropped him in surprise. "Acceptable casualties. Get down if you want to live." Hevan pointed the NT at Anders' head, holding it steady as he approached BUDD-E. He grabbed the frightened droid through the force, walking backwards through the now empty courtyard.

"You should count yourself lucky that the dread lord has ordered you to live. Had I wanted you dead, you would never have seen my face."

"Coward. If you had any real guts you'd stay around until police get here."

Hevan ignored him, but stood at a safe distance to talk. "Don't chase me. Of course you could, but that would end up with this little droid being destroyed. Either way, I'm not in the mood for a loud and tiresome confrontation with overconfident officers of whatever passes for law on this planet."

"Scared?" The Chiss now had Hevan right where he wanted him, the human had revealed critical information. "What did Roh want with BUDD-E?"

"Not my place to question why. I follow orders you see, even if they make no sense." The human's voice had shifted, back to closing back up and concealing his orders. "The dread lord gives orders, I follow them, I have no need for an explanation of my targets backstory."

"You and I both know that is a lie. I shall ask you again dog, what does Roh want with my droid?"

"I'd die before I will talk."

"I see. Another Plagueian idealist, so caught up with your ideals."

"And Taldaryan is better? We are both equal are we not, the same card on the grand masters sabbac hand?

"Don't let us sink to your level slaver." The chiss had Hevan on the back foot now, even if he didn't realize it.

"Slaver? I'm almost insulted. You know the history of the Sith do you not? Yes, yes you do know it. What was the Sith empire built upon?

"Slaves." Hevan laughed at the Chiss, not realizing how far he had fallen for the trap.

"Exactly. So what is your point here? That Plagueis held the Sith ideals for the longest?"

"Your overconfidence in your superiority leads you blind."

"Let the Obelisk die in battle and the Sith bicker over their tarnished crowns. In the end they will only know what we choose to teach them. That is the greatest power of them all." Hevan recited, blind to the Chiss' plan.

"Krath... just what I needed." The Chiss got up, sitting and watching the human.

"What is that suppose-" Hevan's retort was interrupted by a police speeder hovering around them, searchlight pointing at them, as police officers carrying weapons pointed them at the two.

"You two! On the ground now!"

The speeders were few, though they arrived quickly. The spotlights shone down upon Anders and Hevan like they were actors on a stage, or perhaps more appropriate for this moon, wanted fugitives on the run.

Anders scoffed at their brazen act. Corruption was on their very doorstep, and they were ignorant of it, choosing instead to interfere in their personal matter. You live amongst the filth long enough, and you become blind to the stench.

It sickened Anders.

"I said on the ground! Now!"

BUDD-E squirmed in Hevan's grip, trying desperately to free itself for a second time. With what constituted law enforcement on this cesspit surrounding them, there was little Anders could do if he didn't want to get shot at, and Hevan knew it, if the smug grin on his face was anything to go by.

Anders was going to enjoy wiping that look from his face. The crimson blade of his weapon retracted into the hilt as he placed it back on his belt.

"Officers! There appears to be a grievous misunderstanding!" Anders yelled at the top of his lungs. "This scoundrel stole my droid from me, and I was attempting to retrieve it. I know, shocking, isn't it?"

BUDD-E heard the command, unleashing a shock prod which dug into Hevan's arm. The Human jolted, letting the droid slip through his fingers due to the sudden pain.

"AHHHH! YOU KARKING SHAB!"

Hevan leapt towards it, but Anders was seconds faster. The Chiss reached out with the Force, wrapping his droid in a telekinetic blanket which pulled it towards him. Anders caught the droid in his hands, and leapt towards the manhole they'd emerged from minutes ago. Hevan fled in the opposite direction, but Anders had other problems. Law enforcement be damned, he was not getting captured here!

"Stop right there, or we will open fire!"

Anders cared not as blaster fire rained down above him. He disappeared back into the sewers, the ground above acting as cover. His eyes were sore from being momentarily blinded moments ago, and he immediately welcomed the reprieve from the lack of light.

His feet hit the duracrete with a wet sploosh that echoed throughout the adjacent tunnels. The smell was about as wretched as it was on the surface, rats scurrying back to their nests and hidey-holes. He would be damn lucky if he never had to gaze upon another decrepit tunnel system ever again. It was another reason to add to the list of why he hated Nar Shaddaa.

He was under no illusions. He knew they'd be right on his trail, and that was confirmed by the luminescent glow of torchlights retreating down the ladder. His footsteps splashed in the dampness of the sewers as he ran deeper in. He eventually stopped, pressing his back against a side corridor that he hoped would conceal him from view.

Anders held his breath as law enforcement officers charged past him, marching in a crescendo of rapid footsteps. Once the sound vanished into the distance, he smirked to himself. It was the oldest trick in the book, and they'd fallen for it. Hook, line, and sinker. He shuffled his way across the edge of the water, being extra cautious not to fall in. The last thing he wanted was to get his attire filthy, lest it needs to be burned and replaced. Once across, he allowed himself a deep breath. He glanced at the droid on his shoulder, content that no permanent damage had been done, he emerged onto a durasteel walkway.

The Force crashed into his subconscious like a tsunami wave, and BUDD-E shrieked beside his ear. Anders spun to his right, coming face to face with the barrel of a rifle.

Hevan's rifle.

In an act of self-preservation, Anders slapped the barrel of the rifle away from his head as Hevan's fingers pulled the trigger. The blast echoed into the sewers like an explosion. The Chiss' ears rang painfully from the sharp noise as he recoiled from the sudden loss of balance. It vibrated down his spine into every limb as all other sound was drowned out.

Hevan pointed his rifle at Anders again, the Force flowing through the Chiss warning him of imminent danger. He grabbed his weapon…

Snap-Hiss!

The crimson blade of Anders' weapon cut through the barrel of the rifle before Heven could pull the trigger again. The metal clanged to the floor as the Plagueian staggered back, muttering curses under his breath.

Anders pointed his weapon at Hevan, tentatively rubbing his left ear with his spare hand. "You made a foolish mistake chasing me down here. You should have ran when you had the chance."

"And miss this opportunity? I've never discarded a body in the sewers before, AND YOU CAN BE THE FIRST!"

Electricity crackled at the Human's fingertips before a quick, yet violent burst of lightning darted towards Anders. The Chiss responsed by raised his lightsaber to catch the stream, grounding it.

Anders slithered forward like a snake hunting wounded prey. "Desperate, aren't you?"

Hevan, in desperation, retrieved his lightsaber, the red blade snapped out of the hilt with a ferocity matched by the Plagueian's forward advance.

Anders retreated from the falling avalanche, parrying the overhead strike as it came towards him. Hevan timed his follow-up attacks with his footsteps, attempting to overpower Anders with each strike like a war machine.

The Chiss parried, and evaded each attack, thanks to prior warning from the Force. All in all, he was far from impressed.

"I think I understand why you use blasters. Your skill with Djem So is pitiful at best," Anders said, swiping another strike to the side as it cut into the guardrails.

"Shut up!" Hevan bared his teeth, swiping harder, and harder at Anders.

"You lack sufficient strength to overwhelm my defences. By all accounts, your style should have the advantage over mine. Yet, you are too physically weak, and far too slow to make use of your form. You might as well be using Banlanth."

"I'LL SHOW YOU TOO WEAK!"

Dun Möch was an effective tactic when done right, and Hevan had fallen right into Anders' trap. In his haste to prove him wrong, the Plagueian overextended, and Anders struck like the viper, digging his fangs into the Human's flesh.

Two cuts, one across Hevan's forearm, and the other across his thigh. That was all it took to drop the Human like a sack of potatoes, banging against the durasteel grates that were standing on.

Hevan hissed at the pain in his limbs. "Why you…"

BUDD-E beeped happily on Anders' shoulder.

"Yes, Buddy. I do believe it is time we end this. You attacked me, Hevan, and you attempted to steal my droid…" Anders raised his weapon. "Scum like you deserves to be exterminated!"

He was about to strike Hevan down, but stopped when he heard footsteps approaching, followed by streaks of light coming from torches.

Anders smirked. "Then again, perhaps the more fitting form of justice would be for you to rot in a cell for the next few year That is, of course, assuming they don't decide to execute you for killing innocent bystanders."

Hevan scowled, and spat at the Chiss' feet. "Frack you!"

Anders gave him a mock salute. "I wish you all the best. Just remember, you have no-one to blame but yourself."

All the Chiss could think was that this Plagueian imbecile deserved his fate. Whatever happened to him next would be his own doing.

The Inquisitor ran in the opposite direction. He didn't look back, and could only hear the echoes of Hevan screaming his name as he was inevitably found whilst Anders made his escape.

The two complied, kneeling down with their hands in the air. A police officer roughly fastened stun cuffs around Hevan's wrists, then promptly pulling a black bag over his head. Through the small holes of pulled thread, Hevan saw Anders being treated to the same treatment, before the two were pulled up and directed to a nearby speeder, followed by what Hevan could only guess, two extremely large Wookies.

The speeder took off, wind racing over Hevan's bag, threatening to blow it off. They passed over the neon lights of the city, through foul-smelling smog and smoke, hearing the dull music of nightclubs and the faint murmur of foot traffic from what could only be twenty meters downwards.

Throbbing music could be heard, barely though over the whine of the engines, a dull beat that joined the disorganized orchestra that was the sounds of the crime planet.

"Happy?" Hevan turned to 'face' Anders as he spoke.

"Can't say I am." The Chiss made no effort to hide his lie, to him these guards were little more than a means to an end. Hevan didn't even need to use the force to know he was lying, the mirth in his voice clearly evidence of the feeble lie.

"Quiet you two." One of the guards hit Anders, then Hevan, sending his hood flying off. The guard merely picked a new one up, ramming it over the human's head.

Small clicks of static could be heard from time to time from the officers helmets. Clearly, they were talking over a private comms channel, not wanting their believed prisoners to overhear their bored conversation.

Anders thought, now realizing that he must escape to prevent his official imprisonment or murder. He reached out in the force, touching on the nearest officer's mind, slowly convincing him that their orders had changed. They were to kill the human, but free the Chiss. Hevan, sensing the officer's intentions, now knew he had mere seconds to escape.

While his hands were bound and his head was obscured, the officers did not bother removing the two's side weapons. mainly their lightsabers. Hevan shot his stun cuffs off with a quick jolt of force lightning, pulling the hood off, grabbing his blade and killing the puppet officer. He was forced to jump, under the threat of imminent death by multiple blasters at close range, off the side of the speeder.

As he fell, he slashed at the speeder's engines, damaging their fuel cell and causing the turbines to explode. Hevan landed on a rooftop 'garden' with a dull crunch of dried grass in a heap, while the speeder spun out of control, hitting the nearby nightclub in a orange ball of fire.

Anders, to Hevan, was dead, the droid destroyed, his mission failed. He turned, jumping down onto a fire escape past terrified civilians, onto the now empty street, and down a sewer grate.

Unbeknownst to Hevan, the Chiss had been able to jump clear mere seconds before impact, clinging onto a neon sign that held tight to the now raging inferno that was the nightclub. He jumped down, walking away from the fiery building, considering Hevan gone for now, but he resolved to keep a close look out for elusive Human. BUDD-E beeped as the droid jumped down from the rooftops, hovering about half a meter above the ground befoe dropping and running alongside Anders.