Defining Moments – The Ghoul

Usharak Keep
Planet Kangaras

The YT1300 freighter touched down in the centre of the clearing in front of the keep. After a few moments the ramp slid down and a robed figure left. She drew back her cloak and looked up at the structure in front of her. Preserved down through the ages by what was now unknown methods, the keep was largely in tact and the metal gate at the front of its dark grey walls looked solid. Slowly she made her way forward, looking for signs of life. Clan Naga Sadow had once had a base here, and before that the True Brotherhood had made it's home here, but that was long ago. Now it was mostly forgotten by both members of Clan and Brotherhood alike.
She paused, sensing something unnatural in the force and looked around her at the jungle that surrounded the clearing. With the amount of life around her it was hard to discern exactly what it was. Then suddenly her hand went for her lightsaber as many red dots covered her body, moving like insects across her robes increasing in number. Slowly she saw a number of small, dark furred creatures emerge from the trees and undergrowth around her, making their way towards her with blasters raised, their dark shining eyes boring into her with a combination of menace and curiosity. She kept her hand on her saber hilt for a second, and then slowly released her grip and raised both. She glanced over at the sound of a metallic grating noise as the metal gate began to rise, and from beneath it another black robed figure strode. He stopped, taking in view of her, her ship, and the Sith-spawned ewoks holding both prisoner.

“Get these creatures away from me!” Ashia told him harshly.
Malisane looked around and calmly raised a hand, then made a gesture. Slowly and still watching the Pro Consul suspiciously, the ewoks backed off into the trees, and after a few seconds were gone. “There you go,” he replied quietly.
She did her best to contain her anger, “Those aberrations should have been destroyed years ago.”
The Battelord shrugged, “Many demanded that be so but sense prevailed. They have served their purpose over the years. And like this planet and myself for a time they have passed from the Brotherhood's consciousness.”
He turned and led her through the gate. “Why here?” she asked as they passed through into the hall, where torches illuminated the dark stone.
Malisane glanced back at her, “You wanted somewhere private, this is private. Even I have not been back here for a decade.”
He lead her to a small room off the hallway where a pair of chairs sat in front of a burning fire. The room was clean which surprised her. Two glasses and a bottle sat on a small table. “The ewoks maintain the keep even if we are gone. I suspect they will continue down through the centuries until someone stops them. Even I do not understand their behaviour sometimes.” He removed his helmet as he sat down, revealing his burned and disfigured features.
Ashia was used to them after all the years since his accident. “I see,” she replied taking an offered glass once he had poured. A smooth taste followed by a burning sensation in her throat and a shock surging through her body revealed it to be the nearly lethal liquor brewed by the ewoks themselves.
“So why the secret meeting Pro Consul?” Malisane asked.
Ashia studied him as she took another sip. “The Summit have a task we would like you to undertake.”
“I see. So why the secrecy?”
She studied him. “This task is of a,” she paused, “delicate nature.”
“They usually are,” he replied, “the Summit never asks me to do anything straightforward.”
“This is more delicate than normal.”

She glanced at the fire, then back at him. “You missed the Dark Crusade did you not?”
“You already know the answer to that question.”
“Yes,” she replied, “and no doubt you have read the accounts and heard the stories?”
“Obviously.”
She reached down and poured herself another glass then sipped it. “How can I put this? You've been in enough wars over the years to know that beyond the official accounts other things happen that were judged to be acceptable at the time but later would be seen as less so.”
Malisane's eyes met hers, occasionally blinking with his dark embedded lenses. “I sense there is a point coming somewhere in the future.”
She scowled. “Very well. During the Crusade Clan Naga Sadow used certain strategies against the Jedi, against the other Clans, and against anyone else the leadership thought would hamper its efforts and its goals. They were subtle, they were carried out across a wide number of units so that no pattern would emerge, and for the best part no one put together the pieces.”
“We are a Sith clan,” he replied, “I do not see a problem?”
“The nature of what was done exceeds simple intrigue. As you know the Clan has conducted a lot of research over the years, and have gained a lot more from organisations and people we have encountered in the past and developed. Most of it is not known to the wider Brotherhood or indeed many of our own Clan.”
“I see,” Malisane replied, “I am aware of some of it.”
“What was done during the war was the work of various older factions in the Clan that are for the best part no longer present. And the current Summit did not find out until recently the extent of what was done. And the likely future consequences.”
The Battlelord considered this. “I'm still not seeing the point?”

She took another sip. “If this were to come out it would greatly damage the Clan in the wider Brotherhood, perhaps even amongst our own members. The Brotherhood is not what it was when you left, it is now a finer balance than before amongst the Light and Dark side of the force, and following the recent war our star is in its ascendency. If the truth were to become known we can only guess what the reaction would be.”
“So make sure it does not.”
“We tried. Unfortunately we have learned that the Inquisitorious have obtained evidence that we would struggle to counter.”
“I see,” he replied again, “so what now?”
“We have a stroke of luck,” she told him, “to contain the information across even their own ranks until they have investigated it their leaders have decided not to transmit it over the AIN. Instead the data is being held under guard in a small facility until it can be collected and handed over to their Director and the Voice. This is where you come in.”
Malisane's eyes bore into her own. “And how exactly do I come in?”
“You are to go to the facility, retrieve the data and destroy any evidence by whatever means necessary.”
“You want me to raid the Inquisitorious?”
“We do,” she replied, “I can not begin to describe how vital this is to our Clan.” She took another drink of the firey liquor. “We have decided that you are our best option.”
“Why?”
“There are several reasons. You have no friends or allies in the Clan or elsewhere in the Brotherhood to share this with. You are deniable, if you get caught then you are a rogue member who returned recently and we were unaware of your actions. And you have an uncanny ability of getting things done in ways people would not suspect possible.”
“I see,” he replied non committally.
“We can not order you to do this,” she told him.
“The Summit can not order me to do anything any more,” he replied with a grim twist of his ripped upper lip, “very well, I will do as you wish.”

Inquisitorious Listening Post
Planet Tyvell

Chief Inquisitorious Varalis entered the monitoring room holding his coffee and looked around it slowly. Usually it was a hive of activity, with sensor data from countless probes in nearby systems relaying and analysing data through the AIN as it was shunted up the chain to command. Now it was quiet with only one member on duty. He could sense the communications shut down was puzzling and unsettling many of his crew, and he knew the rumours were flying around. He was curious himself the orders have been opaque though the higher ups had stressed the seriousness of it to him. “Everything alright?”
“All quiet boss,” Inquisitor Mylis replied from her station, “systems functioning normally and all that, aside from most of them being switched off.”
He nodded. “Keep an eye out for the transport they're sending,” he told her.
“Yes boss.”
He sat down in a chair and sipped his coffee as he idly looked at the few local systems that were on. Then he frowned as a light began to flash. “What's that?”
Mylis looked at the monitor. “Ship entering the atmosphere boss,” she said studying the display, “registers as a GX1 hauler. Not one of our vessels.”
“Put it on screen.”
The display changed to show a view of the atmosphere above, and focused to reveal the approaching ship. It was descending at speed, a long trail of smoke emitting behind it. “They're in bother boss,” Mylis reported, “looks like they're struggling to control it, their descent is erratic. I think they're trying to bring it down.”
“Track it's descent and scramble a rescue unit.”
“Yes boss,” she replied as she tapped at her console. They watched as the hauler erratically continued it's descent, the amount of smoke increasing. Finally it flew down over the tree tops before it hit the ground in an empty clearing a mile from their location, bouncing several times before coming to a stop, flames beginning to emerge from it. “Rescue crew have location and are imbound in two minutes.”
“Good,” he replied, “if they're alive lets see who they are.”

As the speeder descended into the smoky clearing the crew studied the crashed ship. Whatever fire suppression systems were still functioning had done their job, but the ship was a wreck. Quickly the two suited medics left the craft and made their way to the ship. One quickly attached a device to the hatch and after a few seconds it opened emitting more smoke. After a few moments they carried out a black armoured figure, carefully lowering him to the ground near their speeder. They removed his helmet and both recoiled briefly at his damaged features, before running a medical scanner over him. After a few seconds they were satisfied and carried him into the back of the speeder, before slowly taking off back to their base.

Varalis made his way into the medical suite past the two armoured guards and watched as the staff busied themselves over the mysterious pilot. Finally one of them detached himself and made her report. “The patient is conscious sir,” she reported, “he does not seem to have sustained any major injuries aside from a few bruises though he is in shock. He shows major past injuries though some of the worst I've seen but physically he seems fine. We've been able to ask him a few questions and check his identity.”
Varalis nodded. “Who is he?”
“He's one of ours sir, or nearly he's an Apprentice IV. More accurately his name is Malisane Sadow, of Clan Naga Sadow. His identity checks out in the databank.”
Varalis frowned. He did not recognise the name, but the pilot was a Clan name holder and in all probability a force user. What was he doing here?
“You can speak to him sir, we're finished with him.”
“Good.” He walked forward and studied the pilot who had two bands securing his wrists to the bed for safety purposes. The medic had not understated the description the man had intense scarring on his face and bald head, with a hole where his nose should be, a ripped lip and ears and within two uncovered eyes integral black lenses occasionally blinked. Seemingly aware of the scrutiny, the man's head turned slowly to regard the Chief Inquisitor. “We have a number of questions for you,” Varalis announced.
“That is not unreasonable,” the man replied slowly.
“Reasonable or not is academic,” the Inquisitor replied, “who are you and what are you doing here?”
The man's gaze returned to the ceiling. “I have already identified myself. I am Sith Battlelord Malisane Sadow of Clan Naga Sadow. And as you are no doubt aware my ship crashed.”
Varalis moved closer. “You can do better than that Battlelord. This is an Inquisitorious facility. What business have you coming here?”
“I was not coming here,” Malisane replied, “I was on my Clan's business when my ship's systems failed. I needed somewhere to land. This was all that was available.”
“And what business was that?”
The scarred head turned back and the eyes regarded the Inquisitor. The torn lip sneered. “My Clan's business is exactly that. We do not discuss it with outsiders, even the Inquisitorious.”
Varalis was not one to be intimidated or put of with evasion. “Do not give me that. We have searched what is left of your ship. You were carrying what appear to be routine supplies. That does not fit well in my mind.”
“Why?”
“I am aware of the Sons of Sadow, we have files. Like many of the older Clan members they are not known for undertaking supply missions. So you can appreciate why this does not look quite right, can you not?”
“We all serve where we are able,” Malisane replied, “perhaps I crave the solitude? Perhaps we take routine supplies to places that are not routine? Whatever the case may be I have stated my identity and my circumstances. Unless you have a proper reason to hold me, release me and if it is not too much trouble I would appreciate assistance returning to my Clan.”
“I will release you when I am satisfied,” Varalis replied, “you may have some weight in your own Clan, but the Inquisitorious serve the Dark Council and this is our facility. If you are dissatisfied later you can register a complaint with the correct authorities.” He turned and left.

Outside Varalis met Inquisitor Mylis met him in the corridor. “Well boss?”
“He is as unhelpful as I would expect,” he replied, “the irritating thing is he is correct we can not hold him indefinitely. If he is as senior in his Clan it would get political, unless we find actual evidence against him.”
She nodded. “We have his droid under guard as well.”
“Have we got anything from that?”
“No boss,” she replied, “it's shut down and is resisting any attempts to reactivate it. We've fitted a restraining bolt to it.”
“Good.” Varalis wiped his hand over his eyes. “Have them release his bonds but double his guard. If necessary we can contain one force user. We'll keep him confined to the medical bay. Once the lockdown is lifted we'll send him back to his Clan.”
“Okay boss.”
“I suppose we'd better feed him as well.”

As night began to fall the facility which was already mostly shut down went even quieter, the day shift heading to their quarters and the skeleton night shift taking over. Malisane waited patiently in the medical bay under the watchful gaze of the silent armoured guards. In the night sky above a black object moved through the heavens, it's cloaking systems hidden from even the sophisticated detection of the listening post. Slowly it made it's way down and landed in another clearing on the other side of the facility from the crash site.
A short while later Inquisitor Kerris made her way through the trees, holding her blaster rifle low as she looked through the night vision of her helmet. She was idly talking on her communicator on a private channel. “You're going to what?”
A man's voice came back. “I've told you, I've applied to join one of the Clans. There's a new one called Vizla, they accept all who meet the requirements. I'm not leaving the Inquisitorious you can have a dual allegiance. I might see a bit more action with them. And the benefits are amazing. You should consider it.”
She smiled under her helmet. “I might do if they give us something more interesting than patrol on some remote planet.” She paused as her helmet detected movement nearby. “I'm picking something up Volna. Going to investigate it.”
“Acknowledged.”
She moved forward cautiously, holding her rifle ready. There was nothing unusual in her field of vison, the display updating her with information. She stopped for a few seconds looking around her. Then pain burst through her as a sharp object was pushed up from behind her into the small of her back, cutting through armour and flesh easily. She collapsed to the ground as blood bubbled up from her mouth. As her life faded away her communicator sounded again. “Kerris report,” Volna's voice asked, “wait there's something here too but I can't see anything....” before his voice went silent.

In the medical bay Malisane sat silently, his arms by his side and his palms resting on the bed. The processed meal they had given him had been basic but sustaining. Idly his gaze turned to the time display on the far wall. He noticed one of the guards watching him and his ripped lip twisted up in a slight smile.

In a nearby room the black astromech droid, Zero, suddenly emitted a couple of red lights that began to flash as it powered up, unnoticed by the guards stood outside. It scanned it's systems then detected the restraining bolt. After a few seconds there was a slight crackle of energy across it's surface and the bolt dropped to the ground with a slight thud.

In the monitoring room Inquisitor Trommac sat at his console. He frowned and turned to his companion on the night shift. “Something odd here, we've lost contact with the patrols.”
The woman turned, “Communications error?”
“I'm not sure,” he replied, “the system reports as normal. I've tried several channels.”
She looked at her screen. “We're detecting movement outside the main door.”
Trommac nodded. “Switching to outside cameras.” He moved the view to the main screen and they studied it as the camera switched through several views. “There,” he pointed.
“Looks like some sort of creature. It's hard to make out. Magnifying.” They did and both sat up in surprise at what they saw. “It's holding something.” Suddenly there was a flash on the screen and from outside an explosion rocked the base.

As the alarms began to sound and Inquisitorious members rushed to respond Malisane watched as the four guards reacted. The leader glanced at the two nearest the Sith. “Guard him. You with me.” Malisane sat calmly as the two remaining guards backed away from him, blasters raised as they half watched him and the door where a shimmering barrier had formed behind the other guards.. He waited a few seconds then quickly raised his arms lashing out with the force, sending the guards sprawling to crash into nearby benches and the wall. Standing Malisane reached out and plucked one of the blaster rifles through the air to land in his hand. Calmly shooting the enemies who were struggling to rise he moved forward and focused on the barrier, extending his free hand. He smashed against it with the force and it flickered and then faded. Without a glance behind him he stepped out into the corridor.

Chief Inquisitor Varalis ran quickly down the corridor towards the main entrance, hastily buttoning his shirt as he held his blaster pistol in his hand. He turned the corner and surveyed the scene. Several of his troops were crouched or hiding in open doorways on either side of the corridor engaging what appeared to be a huddled mass of black creatures outside the ruined doors, who in turn were fighting back. It was hard to determine with the light inside and dark outside but the invading forces were just visible enough. He calmly ducked for cover behind a convenient table. He raised his hand and clicked a button on his communicator to link into to tannoy system. “This is Chief Inquisitor Varalis. We are under attack by hostile forces. All personnel report to the main entrance area for deployment.” With luck and strategy they could repel the creatures by positioning and weight of numbers.

Zero moved forward, the assassin droid scanning for enemies. The guards outside had left to join the fighting. It rolled down the corridor seeking it's master or opponents. It stopped sensing for a few seconds, then turned left down a corridor and immediately stopped again as it saw two unarmoured personnel moving carefully down the corridor, blasters raised as they moved forward. Zero extended it's main blaster and fired twice in quick succession. It revolved 180 degrees at the sound of movement behind itself and then paused. Malisane walked forward towards it, and raised a hand. “Give.” The droid immediately opened a small hatch and the Sith plucked the saber hilt out of the air as it fired upwards. He ignited it at the sound of running behind them and attacked three unsuspecting Inquisitors who paused in surprise at the appearance of the Sith. Two fell twitching to the ground with fatal injuries before a blaster bolt seared past Malisane's side killing the third. The Battlelord spun around. “Careful.” The droid emitted a sonorous deep tone in response. “Come with me.”

Varalis directed his troops, firing over the table top at the enemies outside. Several of his force lay dead on the floor and he had no way of knowing how many outside had fallen. His confidence was beginning to waver slightly, if the force outside was small then they could repel the enemy, but it seemed unlikely they would risk a frontal attack without reasonable numbers. He heard more of his staff approaching from behind and gave a grim smile.

Malisane stopped at the sound of blaster fire and then slowly looked around the next turn. Inquisitorious forces were mainly ducked in side doorways but several had now dragged objects into the corridor making a barrier and crouched amongst it, adding to the defending force. He glanced down at Zero. “Act when I do.” He moved around the turn and then reached out a hand and focused, electricity arcing from his finger tips, hitting the nearest soldier and then crackling across to his nearest companions. With another tone Zero rounded the corner, weapon ready and fired. A small rocket homed in on the stunned soldiers and exploded amongst them, blasting them and the barrier. Through the smoke Malisane could make out the enemy turning at the explosion and he moved forward as they did, lashing out with his telekenesis or saber as the droid followed him shooting it's blaster at anything in sight.

Varalis gasped at the sounds behind him, and then at a new threat as the enemy outside stormed the building, black furry creatures bursting into the light firing at anything they could see, ignoring any fire towards them as several fell twitching and more scrambled over them. Varalis rose shooting his blaster at them, trying to decide where to go in the doorways around him. His eyes narrowed when his gaze ascended on the Sith, whose white saber was raised in his hand and their eyes met. Malisane raised his hand and Varalis felt a powerful and invisible punch in his stomach doubling him over as he collapsed gasping. As he fought for breath he could just make out the black creatures moving past him, moving into the rooms and subduing the weakening defenders.

Malisane nodded in satisfaction as his forces prodded several of the survivors into the monitoring room with their pikes, growling menacingly. The rest of the survivors were being herded into a nearby canteen while the creatures scoured the remainder of the building. Slowly Varalis kneeled, his hands behind his head, noting that Inquisitors Mylis and Trommac were either side of him. Angrily he regarded the Sadow. “How can you do this?” he demanded, “you are one of us.”
Malisane regarded him coolly. “My first loyalty is to Sadow. Now you will give my droid the access code to your computer system.”
Varalis spat. “We would die first. We are Inquisitorious, and we are not afraid of you.”
Malisane nodded. “Admirable,” he replied. He glanced at the creatures who stood surrounding the prisoners armed with blasters or wickedly sharpened pikes. “You have the largest information database in the Brotherhood. These are the Sith-spawned ewoks.” He sneered, his torn lip revealing his broken teeth. “Look them up.”

Malisane waited while Zero streamed the data from the computer bank. Varalis knelt with his eyes closed, smelling the blood and fluids of the two mangled corpses either side of him as the ewoks pressed their pikes to either side of his chest, cutting in slightly causing a sharp pain either side. Finally the droid emitted a tone. Malisane nodded in satisfaction. “Good. Now prime the reactor.”
“No!” Varalis gasped before Malisane nodded and the two pikes sliced into his chest, filling his lungs with blood before he fell dying. The Battlelord glanced at the largest ewok and made a gesture, and the creature emitted a noise that was half animal and half metallic. From the room down the corridor the sound of blaster fire and screams emitted, and then silence. “We will leave now.” The chief ewok emitted another noise then lead his forces out, joining the others leaving the building through the ruined doors. Malisane and Zero followed.

Ten minutes later and with his forces aboard and preparing their dead for burial later, Malisane piloted the Lancer pursuit craft into the sky, rising above the treetops. As the craft made for the atmosphere he turned on the rear view just in time to see the facility explode in a burn of flames and rubble, scattering over a wide area. Satisfied the Sith waited then made the jump to hyperspace.

Usharak Keep
Kangaras
The Next Day.

Ashia made her way down the YT1300's ramp once again to find the Battlelord and the droid waiting for her outside the keep.
“We had news through channels of your,”she paused, “success. You have the data?”
Malisane nodded and handed her a data disk. “The only copy.”
The Pro Consul glanced at the droid. “Really?”
“I have no need for it,” Malisane replied.
“Good. Our business is done then. You may want to maintain a low profile, for a while at least.” She turned to walk back to her ship.
“Pro Consul,” he called to her.
She turned. “Yes?”
“Certain notions will no doubt have occurred to you about loose ends, and you may already have plans in place. Do not underestimate me.”
She smiled at him. “I do not,” she replied, “and so long as you are useful you have nothing to concern yourself with. Good day.”
He watched as her craft rose and left then turned towards the keep.