Seated within the Glorious Jewel of the Hutts, the Winter Palace is situated on a remote island near the planet’s equator. Although blanketed with the pollution from Hutt industry, its location makes the climate hot and humid. Surrounded with trees and vines, it could be considered to be a paradise, even among the barren wasteland of Nal Hutta. Outside of the Winter Palace, a network of sewer pipes transfer the waste from the palace to wherever seems far enough to dump into the oceans surrounding the island. Flora and fauna that have adapted to the Hutt’s environmental changes thrive in the polluted forests surrounding the Winter Palace.

Stepping through its gilded gates, the lavish interior serves as the main audience chamber. Once belonging to the wealth of Jiliac Desilijic Tiron, the gleaming stone of the main aisle leads up to a Hutt’s dais lined with an expensive carpet. Beautiful tapestries line the high walls, telling of the sordid histories of those who woven them, awaiting execution in Jiliac’s dungeons.

Finally, the antechamber to the "throne" room is illuminated from above with high-skylighted ceilings. Constructed from lightly colored stone, the antechamber might have been where the late Hutt entertained his guests before an audience with spice and exotic dancers. In the hands of the Hutt Kajidics, however, these traditions have continued as the Winter Palace now serves as a front for criminal and business ventures that come and go.

The Winter Palace on Nal Hutta was hotter than the planet itself. The cooling systems clearly were not in working order as Delak strolled into the antechamber to the throne room where he was set to meet up with Lexiconus. The antechamber was relatively small in Hutt standards because it was only big enough to hold one at a time. They must have used this just as a quick pass through to the Throne which helped to protect them from anyone trying to rush in and kill the ruling Hutt. Delak took position in the doorway and sat down cross legged waiting for the Quarren. Delak wondered how his Quaestor was faring in this hot and humid weather. Being an alien from a planet with water this lack of water and moisture in the air had to be killing him. This could be of great help to Delak in the future, it is something that he would keep in mind.

After having waited around twenty minutes, galactic standard time, Lexiconus finally arrived in the Palace. He looked to be a little out of breath but Delak paid it no mind for the time being.

“Greetings Quaestor, what kept you?” Delak snarked.

“Well this planet is no vacation spot and my shuttle was delayed.” Lexiconus replied trying to hide his obvious issues with the weather.

“So I guess this area is too small for anything, throne room then?” Delak suggested quickly.

“Indeed. That should do nicely for this meeting. Let us begin.”

Lexiconus was followed closely by Delak into the throne room of the Hutt’s. The smell of rotting skin was still present in the room years after the last Hutt had used the room. The slimy worm would’ve been sitting here hosting his guests and having a grand time. However one evening the Hutt managed to upset one of his enemies and they took him out. Delak could feel the reverberations of the Force in this room, the Dark Side was strong here. He began to draw on its power as he and Lexic got ready for their duel.

Lexiconus stood tall staring deep into his enemy’s eyes. He was not expecting an easy fight especially with how the air was treating his body. He would push through and give Delak a fight he would not soon forget. Delak took his place directly across from his Quaestor. He unclipped his Lightsaber from his belt and ignited it with a snap-hiss. His blade hummed to life like a hyperdrive humming in hyperspace. It was perfect, beautiful in fact. The red saber lit up the room with a bright glow, as bright as the sun it seemed. Lexiconus took his cue and pulled out his Lightsaber and ignited it with the white blade cutting into the red glow as if the colors themselves were fighting each other. Both men dropped into defensive postures before they launched at each other. Delak knew he was the better saberist and his background in Teras Kasi would surely help him in a fight. Delak allowed Lexiconus to make the first move. Lexiconus launched at Delak with his blade while Delak blocked the first attack and the sabers clashed together with the sound of buzzing and a shower of sparks.

In a brilliant show of illumination, both lightsabers fused and grinded as the Battlemaster and Warrior locked eyes, a silver aura growing between them. Their determined gazes mirroring each other, it was Qor who shoved off the lock first. His clumsy lightsaber work forced his dominant hand to drop from defense and Delak went for the opening. The Warrior jumped into the air with his lightsaber pointed at the Quarren, a harsh push from the Force rolled Qor from the attack. Whipping his lightsaber back up in an efficient defensive move, Delak rebounded into another strike on the Battlemaster’s lower defense. Weaving his crimson blade against the Battlemaster’s deflections and tight coils, Delak instinctively continued. With shaking arms and sweat pouring from his face, Qor felt the plea from the Force to act now. The Battlemaster’s hand shot up and a surge of the dark side boomed out, catapulting the Warrior across the empty throne room.

“Have a nice flight!” Qor mocked, seizing the moment to rise and form his protective stance again. Crashing and smashing of ceramic pots and marble stands echoed the room, as Delak cursed non-stop. The Battlemaster took the moment to talk about current affairs.

“So, I heard we’ve got a squadron of new fighters coming in soon. Is that a gift the System Moff sent?” The Quarren shouted out, trying to outdo the ringing sound of grinding stone and metal on the floor. Chuckling to himself at the clumsy footwork of Delak, he patiently waited for a reply.

“How would I know before you? The Twi’lek doesn’t speak to me, makes more sense to approach you first.” As the leader of Shadow Guard, he took all orders from Qor with high respect and honours, but this wasn’t the time for dialogue. Weaving his lightsaber slowly through the air, Qor awaited for the Warrior to stumble back over, patiently waiting for an opening. The pair slowly circled, their sabers overhead as their weaker hands almost touched from the identical techniques used by both. Ever the silent saberist, the Warrior patiently waited for his opening, while the Battlemaster smirked with another cunning plan in mind. As quick as he could, the Quarren jumped forward and snatched the Human’s soft hand, clasping it tightly. But Delak knew what he was doing and shoved him quickly away, advancing with some warning strikes. The Battlemaster seized the moment, sliding his silver blade into the Warrior’s warning strike, he parried it away and sent a quick warning jab into Delak’s face. With a soft smirk, he opened his weaker palm again.

“Grow wings already!” He yelled as Delak was fumbling backwards from the imminent danger. But it was too late, shooting his arm forwards with the aid of the Force, the Battlemaster sent Delak flying further than before. His writhing body swooped up into the air and smashed into the crystal of the skylight, shattering glass raining into the throne room. The Force dragged Qor’s body to run from the danger, as he twisted and jumped into a nearby alcove. With glass grazing and cutting at his legs, the Battlemaster slid and slammed into the cold stone wall. With a sickening and loud thud, Delak’s body fell to the throne room floor, writhing and cursing to himself.

Yanking and tugging on the penetrated shards, the Battlemaster’s steady hands pulled the stray shards from his legs while the dark side festered in his wounds and devoured the infected flesh. Sterilising and purified from filth, the dark side strung his skin tightly together and eradicated the scars. Whimpering and panting from the mild pain, his weak gaze peered over at Delak who was finding his whereabouts. As the Warrior looked at the Battlemaster, they traded a cold and uncaring glare. An unspoken vow of no mercy was exchanged.

Delak had been thrown from one side of the room to the other, he had even hit the glass ceiling leaving shards of glass lying everywhere on the ground beneath his feet. He staggered to find his footing after the most recent attack he had suffered. Qor had managed to take the time to heal his wounds from where the shards had penetrated his leg and he seemed to be winded. Delak knew this was his best chance to try and take advantage of the situation. With a look in Qor’s direction Delak lifted his hand towards the Quarren picking him up and pulling him closer to him. As he floated across the room Delak picked up his free hand after clipping his lightsaber to his belt. His outstretched fingers begand to run electricity throughout the Quarren’s body. The water dweller shook and writhed in pain as he was hung helpless in midair.

Qor made one last effort to raise his hand slowly and managed to knock Delak backwards into the wall once again knocking the Warrior around like a rag doll. Delak stammered around for a minute trying to regain his balance once again but he had taken a lot of beatings in this fight. He could feel the Force draining from him as if abandoning him to himself. Qor didn’t seem to be in any better condition. Delak looked up and felt a smirk come across his face. The Quarren didn’t have his lightsaber on him. It must have been dropped somewhere. Delak took action quickly mustering all of the will power that he could. Delak ran up to Qor and began to swing at him. His first punch passed right by the Quarren’s head as he dodged instinctively. Delak’s second blow hit the Battlemaster square in the face tentacles and before he had a chance to react Delak kicked his opponent’s leg in the knee area and he could hear a pop as he did it. Lexiconus’s leg must have been broken. You don’t hear a pop like that without some visible damage. He knew the Quarren was winded and couldn’t focus enough to heal right away. Delak continued punching the alien in the face and in the chest landing blow after blow trying to show his Quaestor what he was capable of when pushed into a corner by a superior enemy.

Delak felt a concussive force hit him like a ton of duracrete. His chest caved in and he was hit and he staggered backwards losing his footing. He looked dazed and confused as he was trying to figure out what had happened. He hadn’t seen anyone else around so he didn’t know what to make of the situation. He was fighting to breathe anything at all because of the pain in his chest. Qor began to take advantage of the down time and Delak watched as his broken leg became mended through the dark side healing powers that the Battlemaster employed. The time for the final battle was about to begin as Delak sat on the ground in a heap.

Shaking and sweating from every pore, Lexiconus Qor forced his stare towards Delak who lay in agony and tears. The Quarren’s vision blurring and fading, he felt his energy drain away as his legs gave up on him, slouching down. His hands cut and bleeding across the floor from the shards of glass under him, Qor wished this battle was over so he could escape to the comfort of a hospital. Impressed with the performance of Shadow Guard’s leader, the Quaestor let out a wheezy chuckle as he rose to his fragile and painful knees.

“You should heal yourself before this gets any worse, you’re going to bleed out.” Qor shouted across the room, but Delak just lay there in his own blood, his eyes slowly closing. The Quarren didn’t know what to make of it. Thinking of Delak as the unwavering and courageous soldier of war, he used to rely on the human to be the last to stand. But here Delak lay, contempt in surrendering to the environment, while a soft hue of burning wood filled the air.

“Can you smell that?” Qor shouted, but Delak wasn’t listening and lay almost lifeless. The strong stench of bark and fire filled the air and began to smog the throne room. His lungs coughed and wheezed the smoke away as best they could, but the room became darker and hotter. The sound of cinders crackling and the bright orange flashes burst into the room as the nobility banners were eaten and destroyed by the flames. Staggering and groaning to his feet, the Quarren began to hurry and limp his way to the exit. With vases bursting their ceramic and the furniture adding to the darkness of the smog, Qor feared his life would end here. He didn’t wait for Delak, who as the Battlemaster looked back, was still laying on the burning and charred floor. The large double doors ahead exploded in a light show of orange and red cinders, which rained on the Quarren. He forced himself to dive through the mess at the throne room exit, and slammed into the aisle of the audience chamber.

With the lavish carpet crisping up into flames behind him, Qor forced himself back onto his feet and limped hurriedly towards the chamber. Blood and ash stained his thigh where the burning wood tore a deep wound into his leathery skin, but he didn’t have time to worry. The lighting decor from above quickly plummeted as the fire burst through, licking any fabric and wood it could reach. Stained glass in the chamber began to overheat and burst as the fires outran the Quarren, narrowing his escape route to the large, gilded doors of the palace. With an arm around his mouth, he coughed and wheezed for air, as his vision began to fail him more. Limping towards the burnt and crackling door, Qor rushed outside and out into the safety of the humid and thick jungle. He looked back at the fires erupting from the windows and skylights, then grumbled in Quarrenese.

“Delak you fool, why did you stay?”

“I didn’t,” Qor quickly turned into the jungle to the source of the voice, and saw the weak, limping Warrior come out of the thick shrub with a gleaming smile. Shocked and frustrated at being outwitted, the Quarren scrunched his face in protest and turned back to the burning palace. Only now, it wasn’t burning, the smell of smoke and fire had dissipated and the glass returned to normal. Qor sensed the machinations of the dark side were here.

“You tricked me with illusions and the Force, human!” The Battlemaster shouted, as Delak slowly began to limp away.

“You lost and I won, let’s go find the shuttle and return home.” Delak replied, but Qor wasn’t amused by the human’s opinion and slowly followed suit.

“So you’re surrendering to my victory huh? I didn’t say anything about backing down.” With a light chuckle, the Quarren felt this conflict wouldn’t get the ending it deserved. Bruised, broken and tired, the duo put their differences aside, for now.