Five members of Shadow Gate sat around the campfire, speaking in hushed tones as they waited for the Wardeness to arrive. Each had received an formal envelope containing two things. The first was an formal letter with a time and place. It was well written and explained that there was an emergency situation in the Felurigade, a hidden forest place on Selen that most had no awareness of.

The second was copious amounts of black and orange glitter. The second was copious amounts of black and orange glitter, which had exploded from the envelopes the moment they were opened, coating the recipients in metallic flecks. Each member now glinted in the flickering light, sliver and orange sparks of light dancing off them as they whispered.

“She shouldn’t even know of this place,” Timeros spoke, standing apart from the group as his eyes took in the sight of trees and the occasional glimpse of something large stalking around the group.

“Yeah, my bad,” The Consul Emeritus shrugged as he neurotically picked shiney spots off his robe - one at a time - and made a mental note to pay K’tana back for her ‘surprise’.

“Good going, Marick,” Mks piped up jovially as his handsome grin caught the firelight.

“Oh shut it, Sparkles,” Revs snapped, shaking his head.

“I don’t understand the problem, Steward. It’s not like you can see the glitter,” the Kaleesh smirked behind his mask, amused with the Miraluka’s displeasure.

“But I can *feel* them. And *you* can see ‘em. Sittin’ there, all smug and shiny.” Both Mks and Skar chuckled as Revs grumbled.

Abruptly, Timeros turned and began walking into the dark, past the light of the fire and into the forest. When he disappeared from sight only Marick continued to seem withdrawn.

“Frak, that guy gives me the creeps,” Revs said, giving his head a shake.

“How does she cope with him? My scales want to crawl off and run away when he’s around,” Skar agreed with a nod.

Marick stopped plucking the sparkles from his shoulder and looked at the three unnerved men. He sighed as he shook his head and looked back down at his glittery torso.

"I almost worry what would happen if K'tana's...energy was put towards a constructive goal," he said dryly.

|-o-|

Outside the earshot and sight of the other Gatekeepers, Timeros watched the beast approach. It moved at a slow, lumbering pace, its leathery skin scratching against the brush. As it drew near, the Elder heard a low rumbling growl before suddenly-

‘Raaawr!” A woman on the rancor’s back giggled a warcry as she leaped from atop the beast. She folded her arms to her chest, tucking her knees in mid-leap, and flipped a full rotation before landing on her feet. Her lithe arm flourished out to the side dramatically as she took a bow.

“Ta-Dah!” K’tana yelled proudly, popping up and grinning at the living statue of a man. She could feel him seething several feet away and she knew what was coming before it even hit her. Her eyes grew wide and she silently ordered May’riia to run.

As the rancor crashed through the woods, knocking over small trees as she fled, K’tana dropped to her knees. Although she was practiced with the horrific cloud of dread that shrouded Timeros, she had not yet been hit by the overwhelming power of his Terror.

*He must be really angry.*

The Mystic would have giggled had the crushing sensation not crept into her very soul. Its cold tendrils tore at the sides of her mind, forcing her to weep uncontrollably. She fought back her tears with an attempt at praying. Adrenaline pumped through her system as she embraced the fear and, with a shaking voice, she whispered: *Narsu. Frey’kaa’Olma'nabsilai’Do kei'nata’ni. Do shar’sissavia Do’shala.*

Although she stood tall, K’tana kept her head bowed, looking up towards Timeros cautiously. He moved toward her as he reigned in his stupefying aura of unease.

“Apprentice,” his cool voice took on no edge as he spoke, “your disrespect will not be tolerated. You will learn to heed these lessons.”

Cowed, K'tana nodded her head, beginning her walk back to the group. Yet the instant she was within range, the Mystic's regular self snapped back to life and she leaned forward with inhuman speed. Her lips were on the Arconae's cheek before he could so much as flinch, and she was already bolting for the campfire by the time the baffled Elder lashed out at her with his characteristic dread.

With a clipped yelp, K’tana managed to make it to the “safety” of the group. Her heart raced and breath caught in her chest as she saw the glittery Battleteam. Then she burst out laughing.

“You guys!” she laughed as she saw her Master quietly approach the perimeter of the firelight, his cold eyes locking on his Apprentice. “You all look so pretty! This is the best meeting in the history of *karkin’* ever!”

“You said this was urgent. We all have work we need to be doing and no one has time for your..”

“I have time!” Mks interrupted Marick’s dutiful speech with a gleaming smile.

“As do I,” Skar agreed with a nod of his head.

“She is, technically, our boss,” Revs scoffed.

“Exactly! And tonight, you are all ordered to join me in our first official meeting,” K’tana smiled so wide the bridge of her nose crinkled as her eyes, dark in the dim light, landed on each of the Gatekeepers in turn. They became less joyful and more pleading when they landed on the blond Human who looked as though he was readying himself to walk away at any moment.

“We will work our whole lives in the name of Arcona. For our Shadow Lady. For the sanctity of the Brotherhood. We will die bored and alone if we spend what life we have doing nothing but stuffing our noses in datapads or our blades into bodies. I, for one, know that Atyiru would not be okay with that. And neither am I. I’ve decided that once a year, my favorite people will be invited to my favored home. I will tell this year’s horrifying tale. Next year, we can pick-”

“Really?”

“What?”

“You brought us here to tell scary stories?”

“Ya’ got a *karkin’* problem with that, Rrrrrrick?!” The Mystic growled, her eyes taking on a dangerous sheen that caused no alarm to the Elders, but made Skar and Rev shift uncomfortably in their seats.

“K’tana,” The Entar started, hitting the woman with the slow, oppressive shiver of soul stunning fear.

“No, Mastimeros!” She yelled, driving her arms to her sides, her hands balled into fists and she looked more like a child than a Battleteam Leader. “Both of you will sit the *kark* down and listen to my story! I’ve done everything you Goddess forsaken males have wanted, suffered your disappointing behaviours, your absences and *chuddy* attitudes and I will be-”

“Stop throwing a tantrum and tell the *karkin’* story, ya’psycho!” Revs spat at the spazzing Twi’lek She looked at the Elders, but while Timeros seemed unamused and Marick looked as though he could walk away at any moment, both had sat down. In the haze of her fit, the cold creeping up the Twi'lek's spine had gone unnoticed. Had she been able to feel embarrassment or guilt, the sensation might well have drowned her. Fortunately, she felt a slight discomfort and nothing else.

“SO!” K’tana took a breath, regaining her calm before lifting her chin and brushing off the pique. She reached behind her and pulled her hood over her face, draping herself in shadows. She slipped a long-nailed finger into her robes, quickly pulling it back out with a flourish, and cast something into the flames. The fire erupted with flames of green and purple, sparks dancing across the air as the blaze hissed to life.

“Submitted for the approval of the inaugural meeting of the Darkity Shadow Society,” her pitch dropped and all that could be seen from behind her black cowl were two glowing green eyes, “I call this story: The Lost Children of Coruscant.”

K’tana began regaling a tale from a long time before she was born:

...there was a man who was filled with hatred and betrayal. He was driven by the ephemeral force of a primal love, afraid of losing the one person he had given his heart to. This man was lied to and twisted to a belief that was not his own. A cure for death was slipped inside his mind by those who needed to manipulate him. Sacrifice to the powers beyond us was the cost of this cure.

Now, the man knew that his enemies hid the cost and the cure at one of the Jedi temples. One being used as a school for younglings. The man knew what he had to do. One night, he snuck into the temple and slaughtered all of the children. He found out later that sacrificing the children of his oppressors was for naught. His love died and with it, his heart.

But once a year, on nights just like this...if you go to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, you can see the ghosts of small children fleeing for their lives as you walk down the halls.

As the group looked at the woman, unimpressed frowns settling on their faces, they heard a sound. A lilting giggle and something resembling the weeping sound of a child. K’tana stayed stone-faced as she watched the group nonchalantly gaze around the perimeter. She knew they cast their senses about, searching for the sound and finding a single, small form slowly approaching the group.

She remained still when all eyes locked onto the darkness and Revs stood up. Even Marick and Timeros locked eyes and nodded towards one another before moving to their feet. Skar growled into the darkness like an animal as he ignited his lightsaber. The fear that permeated the air, the adrenaline that rushed through their veins and the mob mentality of aggression did not faze the Twi’lek. Or Mks. He sat looking towards the fire with a concentrated look on his face.

When all the standing men moved a step towards the now shrieking wails of a child, K’tana and Mks quietly slipped up behind them.

“Liera! NOW!” K’tana yelled as her and Mks threw handfuls of glitter at the group. A few feet away the Kowakian Monkey-Lizard, dressed up like a small human child, wailed like a dying animal and threw a child's toy-doll at the men. When it collided with the ground it exploded in a rush of powder that covered the men.

“*Chud*! Run! MKS! RUN!” K’tana pushed the Miraluka towards the exit as she felt the furious scowls of Marick, Timeros, Revs and Skar on her. She stole a glance over her shoulder and had to stop herself from dropping to her knees in laughter. The glitter they were all completely coated in sparkled delicately in the firelight.

Pain Marks the Spot

“This is a serious task, Gate Warden,” Marick spoke K’tana’s title like a challenge and gave her a level glare, stressing the importance of the package he set on the table next to the door.”You have been gifted something from the Dark Council. Keep quiet and focused on this.”

“Yeah, totally. Oh! Can I be Chieftess?! K’tana abruptly interrupted him with a giggle. “Oooh! Or Inquisitoress? Chieftess-Mystic Gate Wardnesses, Shadesworn of Arcona and Inquisitoress Shadow!”

“No. No...and no.”

“Ooh! Or Shadowy Inquisitoress! EEEP!”

The way Marick looked at her, K’tana swore that either his face was about to burst or that he almost smirked at her before saying, “That makes no sense. Wardeness.”

“Ugh, you people! I swear! You’re, like, always ignoring the desires of your superior gend- HEY! Don’t walk away from me!” K’tana’s shrill voice carried after the dour looking male until the door closed behind him.

Once the former Consul was gone, the amethyst woman snickered, quite pleased with her ability to make the Shadicar disappear. With an excited gleam in her eyes, K’tana turned to look at the package Arcona’s Fang had placed on the table.

The unopened parcel bore a sealed note:

Gate Warden, K’tana:

We hereby congratulate you on proving your devotion to the Iron Throne and to the Brotherhood. Accept these items with the expectation of one day seeing rise to High Inquisitor.

The abruptly ended note had a strange series of mashed up letters, or some kind of signature scribbled across the bottom, but K’tana could not make it out - not that she tried. She rapidly lost interest in the sheet of parchment, but decided to follow her favorite rule: Anything written down can be found and used against you.

The Twi’lek gave a quick, silent prayer to Kika’lekki before sending a divine current of electricity to her fingertips and out through the note. She focused on the will of the Goddess and increased the intensity through the paper until it finally ignited. Once nothing but ash scattered around the package, K’tana grinned with excitement and pushed open the plasteel lid.

The first item she saw was a cylindrical, silvery case. Pulling it out of the box, K’tana realized it was a hilt. The Twi’lek’s emerald eyes sparked with intrigue as she thumbed a button on the side, holding the hilt away from her as a slender blade sprang forth. She squealed with excitement and pressed the button again, sending the blade back into the hilt.

The second item was a datapad. K’tana switched it on and saw two very strange things. One was a counter that gave her only a moment to see and memorize a time and place. Nothing else. No reason behind the rendezvous point or why it need be at that precise time. She instinctively logged the information away and tossed the datapad over her shoulder. The Shadow paid no attention to the sound of electronics fizzling and ignored the smell of burned materials after the counter timed out.

Her green eyes had already caught sight of the dark metal corset that had laid hidden under the datapad. K’tana lifted the shockingly light armor from the box and admired it with a grin. Setting the bodice aside, the Twi’lek immediately stood up and dropped her Queen’s robes to the floor. She turned the parcel over and realized that there were several pieces to this stunning outfit. The best part, other than the armored corset, was the lovely set of knee-high, heeled boots made of sturdy black material. It was hard enough to hold its form yet soft enough to stifle the sound of footsteps; but it was their appealing aesthetic that stole the former party-girl’s heart.

“Totes stylish! Way to bring sexy to the general populace!” Looking into the bottom of the container, she gave a quick pout to the last item of the outfit. “Ugh. I hate pants.”

“By the Goddess, this is karking beautiful.” K’tana sighed, admiring herself in a full length mirror once she was fully dressed with her hood pulled up and cowl tightened over her mouth.

“It is adequate. Even if it is... garish.” The Entar’s voice, for once, did not catch K’tana off-guard. His icy-blue eyes met her green gaze through the mirror as he stood in the doorway. The Shadow pulled down the hood of the battle-dress and dropped the cowl to the floor.

“Do you like it, Mastimeros? It’s a little...conservative, don’tya think?” She brought her hands up and adjusted the chest piece with a wily smirk. It was met with a slight twitch of Timeros’ brow and nothing else.

“The Summit should have come to a more discrete decision. You look like an assassin.”

“I am an assassin.”

“And I am the Grand Master.” Timeros’ rebuke was level and bore no inflection of humor, but K’tana still squealed out a giggle before she clutched at the Entar’s arm, grabbing only air.

“Ow! Mastimeros, that was mean!” she giggled again as he abruptly removed his arm from her path. One moment he was within reach of the small woman and the next he stood several feet away. Ignoring her wily smirk, Timeros released a miniscule amount of control on the shroud of dread he wore. A cold gust of fear washed over her, instantly wiping the smile from her face.

A mask of intensity replaced her jovial demeanor and she began fighting her impulses to run at him or flee. The Elder’s face was a placid lake. He stood stock still, his eyes cold and dark but unmoving. With every visible convulsion of her muscles Timeros pushed her resolve further, inch-by-inch, until it snapped and she took an abrupt step back.

A maniacal grin spread over her lips as her knees buckled, shaking from the strain, and her unspoken fears exploded into colorful thoughts of terror behind her mask. Where she once cried and cowered, she now stood her ground and, although always eventually retreating, she stoically stared the man down until fear overwhelmed and won.

Even still, she did not run weeping into the corner of the room in a pique. Timeros watched as the violet woman panted for heavy breaths, kneeling on the ground while her wild and frenzied green eyes flashed with rage and...something else.

Instead of acting on her intense emotions, K’tana stayed crouched, heaving and grinning madly at the Elder until she caught her breath and her legs could hold her aloft. She didn’t stumble when she stood and gave him a proud, if shaky, laugh.

“Fifteen heartbeats!” the violet woman squealed as she skipped a couple steps towards him, ignoring the unsteady feeling in her knees.

“It is better.” Timeros paused a moment as she displayed an expressive smile of appreciation before adding: “That is not to say I could not, still, remove you from a room.”

“You just like the fact that you get to chase me when I run.” As K’tana moved around him, her green eyes locking onto him like a predator on prey, when suddenly her legs were no longer beneath her.

With a simple, unseen motion of a single finger, a telekinetic blast knocked the Twi’lek flat on her rear. She glared daggers as the Entar appeared in front of her and leaned forward.

“I don’t need to chase you.”

K’tana grumbled something in Twi’lekki as she stood and made a scene of brushing off the back of her dress. With a huff of false indignation and her nose in the air, she spun towards the door and opened it.

“I have a mystery appointment.” she sighed, flicking her lekku over her shoulders. “I would like someone to watch...my back.”

K’tana quickly glanced over her shoulder at the stoick Human before walking out of her quarters. Timeros’ datapad appeared in his hands, his fingers rapidly dashing over the screen as he quietly followed behind.

|-o-|

“Apprentice, are you sure this is correct.”

“Yuuuup. I know my home, such as it is…” K’tana eyed up round building, noting how it was detached from the other grey hovels in the area. “This is the correct address.”

As she started for the door, Timeros appeared before her, a disapproving scowl etching across the corners of his mouth.

“K’tana,” his level voice intoned none of the disapproval his lips momentarily displayed, “you are forgetting something.”

“Oh, kark off,” she hissed, rolling her eyes at him and stepping to the side. “I’m not a journeyman. There are three people inside. Two with abilities. One without. The building to nearest side is empty.”

The Entar gave her a cold, steady look as she strut by him and pulled open the door.

Inside they were greeted by a familiar grin and a welcoming sensation tingled across K’tana’s skin. She gave a giggle as she sprang up to Atyriu and threw her arms around the other woman. As the two women in greeting, Timeros stood at the door, motionless as a well-chiseled statue.

“Mastimeros,” K’tana squeaked a mock angry call over her shoulder, “why didn’t you tell me it was our Lady Consul in here! I know you knew!”

“Sister,” Timeros spoke the appellation like an important title, gliding past and ignoring K’tana as he inclined his head at the Shadow Lady.

K’tana gleefully brushed off her Master’s disregard and gave him a quick, rude gesture as she walked towards a desk behind Atyiru. The surface was covered in sheets of paper bearing strange symbols combined with Aurebesh letters. The Mystic traced a finger across the lines of a rune and smiled at it’s simple, yet elegant design.

“That’s what you’re here for!” Atyiru grinned as she walked up behind K’tana, setting her arm over the violet woman’s shoulders and pulling her towards a large chair. Atyiru lay a few of the designed sheets in the Mystic’s lap and asked with a smile, “So, where do ya want it?”

K’tana cocked her head to the side and gave the Shadow Lady a curious smile. “Are you-?” she started, but was cut off by a chill dancing up her spine as she felt Timeros step behind her. He looked over her shoulder and then at Atyiru.

“Don’t worry, Timmles,” the blind See-er said with a wide grin, “I don’t expect you’ll be getting one.”

K’tana burst into giggles at the thought of the marble man getting a tattoo. She sat forward in the chair and began unlacing the metal corset. She dropped the heavy plate to the ground and pulled the straps of the dress from her shoulders. Sitting bare chested, K’tana leaned back in the chair. Atyiru’s smile grew substantially and Timeros averted his eyes, turning his back to his Apprentice as he began walking toward the exit.

With a vacant expression, K’tana waved her hand from her clavicle to just below her belly button.

“I want it here.” Her green gaze had locked on the back of the Elder’s head and she waited for him to glance behind him. When he did, he shook his head and looked at his sister.

“Leave her navel clear.”

“Oh course, brother-dear.” Arcona’s Consul suddenly seemed to inhale the shadows from the room as she walked around the chair and her fingers moved across K’tana’s bare flesh.

“Will it hurt?” The Twi’lek said, her green eyes flashing with excitement as a dark, flickering light danced over the Miraluka’s fingertips.

“More than you know, and K’tana...” Atyiru faced the other woman, her tone becoming serious, “you cannot move.”

As the Elder moved around the side of the chair, K’tana moved lightning fast and grabbed the sleeve of his robe.

“Please,” her eyes were washed in anxiety and she pleaded with him, “stay with me.”

Timeros simply removed his sleeve from her grasp and looked down at her, a touch of disdain flicking across his eyes.

“I am sure you will manage without me,” he rebuked, turning from her and walking out of the building.

K’tana felt the rage of rejection once again well up in her stomach and the Mystic looked at Atyriu, sadness and hate burning in her beryl eyes. Although the Consul could not see, she could sense the anguish and hurt emanating through the young woman.

“I’m ready,” she said, her voice barely a whisper.

Atyiru gave the Gatewarden a small smile of knowing and sucked in the darkness, forcing it out through her fingertips and over the Twi’lek’s skin. The pain hit K’tana immediately, searing away all her thoughts of self. As the Sith magic flayed her flesh she realized that she was, once again, alone with nothing but agony.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hZwJx_7ckUidU_BM9K9DPWYnE0yERuK1cD-sW-BtFOE/edit?usp=sharing

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NalsINHaSvQEk-iZ7zDAh-atadtpUGXt4739XRxJM9M/edit?usp=sharing

Generally Considered Relative

“Captain, why have we stopped?”

“There seems to be wreckage up ahead. The aural sensors are going nuts and I have a bad feeling about this. I figured you would want to see it, Ma’am.”

“Miss.”

“Sorry, yes of course. Miss.”

“I’m on my way.”

K’tana snapped off the comm and scowled at the automated sliding door as it squeaked open.

*Piece of chud. Should’ve boarded a less trashy ship*.

The violet woman worked to quiet her chaotic thoughts. Memories flooded her mind with visions of crashed ships, being stranded alone on random planets and visceral rivers of blood flowing down *Tyrian* skin. The echoes from her past caused her skin to tingle and her knees to grow weak. She returned to reality - her full weight was now resting against the wall; her breathing was shallow and rapid.

K’tana took several calming breaths as she steadied herself and forced the silence to blanket her turbulent thoughts. Spite filled her system as she raged against her own mind, demanding to be in control once again. She finally managed to stand on her own and once again walk, if unsteadily, towards the cockpit.

K’tana’s movement halted abruptly when she passed behind the pilot’s chair, her green eyes flashing with curiosity. The black abyss visible beyond the viewpoint began to open up, revealing an intriguing sight that fully captured the Twi’lek’s attention. The parts of the ship she could see were coated in dark-reddish brown and streaky dollops of what looked like paint. As her vessel approached the derelict starship, the violet woman spotted the cause of the chaotic coloration and she nearly burst into a manic fit of giggles at the sight.

A few dozen thin metallic spikes jut out from random areas of the ship, each of them impaling several Humanoid forms. The stains that ran down the hull in dried and crusted streams made it obvious to the Twi’lek that the bodies had been driven onto the poles while planetside in order to give the ship its intimidating appearance.

"Well then..." she snickered as she looked at the stern-faced pilot, "that explains the *choddy* paint job."

He raised his brow and went back to reading his blinking lights and deciphering the sensors.

"Ma-Miss” he stuttered,” the sensor array is picking up life forms...but this..." The man shook his head, his eyes growing wide as his face grew pale. "It’s reading life forms throughout the entire ship."

"Then your stupid ship is broken", K'tana replied, brushing off the man's concern.

"No. It is not. There is something wrong with that ship. The aft is all wrong. It shouldn't be shaped like that and the engines have been blown apart. This thing should be drifting, not sitting perfectly still." The pilot's eyes shot back to the derelict spaceship and he shook his head. "The gravity drive and air support systems are functional and online and there seems to be distributed life on every single point of the ship, but nothing that resembles a...person, anywhere."

"*Karking* great. So what? Ghosts are running the ship? Next you're gonna tell me ya see deep space angels", she sneered. Not waiting for a response, the Twi'lek tilted her head towards the vessel and gave a wicked smile. "Let's go check it out! Someone has to be keeping it functional and I wanna meet their stylist."

K’tana’s wicked grin was accentuated by her lush lips and curvaceous mouth, its enticing shape making the smile all the more frightening with. It gave the pilot further reason to shudder but he obeyed his orders and brought the light freighter around for a better look. The Twi’lek’s grin continued to widen as she admired the mass amounts of frozen corpses stuck to the ship.

"This. Is. So. *Di'a*! Get me in there!" The violet woman's giggle and sudden exuberance made the pilot have second thoughts about working with the disturbed Priestess, but again he followed his orders and prepared to dock the “ghost” ship.

|-o-|

"No."

"You are seriously going to rebuff a direct order?"

"Ma-"

"Miss!"

"Miss! I am not going to get on that ship! If I die, you will have to fly this bird on your own. No one but me can keep this baby running."

K'tana stared the man down until he looked away and then shook her head, her long lekku swishing over her shoulders and flickering like the tail of an angry manka-cat.

"Fine. Whatever. Be a giant, quivering *frang*. Just don't leave without me or I will hunt down everyone you've ever loved and skin them, slowly, in front of you." Her eyes took on a dangerous glow as she spoke, but quickly snapped back to her excited gaze as the man nodded in acquiescence and he opened the docking bay door.

The pilot immediately began the lockdown process to shut it once more. He ran back to the cockpit to await her return. Or, he decided, until sometime within the next twelve hours when he would leave her - or her corpse - behind. He sat behind his chair and set his feet upon the console before quickly falling asleep.

|-o-|

The bottom level docking bay of the CR-90 was dark and oppressing. The sensation of being watched was not lost on K’tana. Her body tingled with excitement and anticipation of whatever was to come as she looked around the large open space, admiring its new décor.

Dark smears of dried, coagulated blood coated the metal walls in random patterns around the room. Emergency lights flickered white and red in a nauseating pattern that had K’tana feeling motion sick within moments. A faint gurgle of white noise could be heard over the intercom, as though someone was holding down the button while sitting in silence.

The grinning Twi’lek leisurely made her way up a long staircase. The stairs were onerous and caused the woman’s gait to become hesitant and unsure. Although her footing remained steady and the swish of her hips hypnotic, K’tana felt she could make a misstep at any moment. The flickering lights did nothing for her ability to see in the dim glow and yet she managed to make it up the stairs without taking a false step.

K’tana still wore her smile as she came up to the corridor of the main level. Hand-prints and besmirched and bloody fingerprints glissading over the new corridors had no effect on her disturbing smirk. Having decided to begin at the back of the Corvette, the violet woman continued on her path to what she believed was the aft and towards the engine room.

Although K’tana knew nothing of ship design she noticed the moment she stepped foot into the sensor array and main reactor room that something was very wrong. Standing in the doorway, her gaze fell upon a sight that was as beautiful as it was disturbing. The room itself was awry and not built in the manner it should have been. Instead of a large circular room containing computers and excess amounts of tech surrounded by antiseptic white walls, the chamber was instead large, black and oval. Tapered spikes stuck out of the rectangular wall panels and pointed to a large sphere that hovered in the core of the chamber.

Encircling the black sphere were three large rings studded with triangular lights and more tapered black spikes. The rings moved in strange patterns of their own volition and seemed to defy reason as they spun and swirled in opposing directions, not once coming to settle or move in alignment with one another. The sphere seemed to suck in light as it pushed and pulled the surrounding rings in illogical patterns.

K’tana stood motionless, breathless, staring in awe and horror and unable to look away. The spinning of the rings wreaked havoc on the chaos of her mind. The blackness at the core seeped into the fragmented pieces inside her and wedged itself between the cracks. Her lekku twitched sporadically as she felt those cracks begin to expand and the darkness spread her sanity thin. The fragments and the spaces between rapidly eating away at her residual resolve and the permanent smirk she wore slipped from her face. She could feel the darkness writhing its way through the core of her being, consuming everything it touched and leaving her alone and with nothing of herself.

The Priestess’ beautiful green irises disappeared as her pupils dilated and swallowed the emerald orbs. She felt pressure well up behind her eyes before her vision began to blur and her mouth filled with the taste of metal. K’tana reached up and touched the warm, sticky liquid running over her cheeks and down her chin. Her fingertips came away coated in a thick black and red slime, as though blood and tar had managed to mix themselves together in her eyes and mouth before streaming down her face.

A high pitched wail echoed through the room around her and she felt, more than saw, the rings of the black sphere rotate and increase the tempo of their profane arrangement. As she realized the wail was a scream that was emanating from her own lungs, the pattern came to a sudden stop. The rings pulled into alignment and the solid sphere became a mirror sitting beneath the surface of placid black water. It hovered there in stillness seeming to reflect and absorb the light around it, rippling like thin liquid but remaining dense and opaque. The Priestess mouth snapped shut as she stood, unable to move or turn her face away.

Solid but shapeless silhouettes and indistinct shadows moved inside the black hole with patternless precision. As the woman’s black eyes tried to follow the motions the strain began to take its toll and she briefly squeezed her eyes shut. A moment later, K’tana regretted her decision as her reality collapsed in on itself.

Standing inches from K’tana’s face was the defiled corpse of her former Master. His skin was charred, cracked and oozing thick trails of blood. She could smell his putrid breath from where he stood. Jaek’s cold blue eyes stared through her, the flesh around his mouth peeling away as he bared his teeth in a horrific grin and cocked his head to the side. K’tana’s black and bloody eyes flicked towards a sudden movement behind the nightmarish figure.

Impaled on one of the spikes was a woman K’tana knew very well. Red *Lethan* skin concealed a majority of the blood that was pouring without end from gashes covering her body. A large black metal halo encircled her torso, leaving several feet between the inside of the band and her flesh. Narrow spikes protruded from the alien woman, appearing to be growing out of her skin and connected to the shadowy aureole. Amber eyes filled with longing, pain and hatred locked onto the terrified Twi’lek from deep within the sunken hollows of her former Mistress’ eye-sockets.

As Inarya shrieked in pain and rage, Jaek slid back into K’tana’s line of sight. His leering gaze and cruel smile shook the Priestess to her core, freezing her in place once more.

*You belong with us*.

Jaek’s voice resonated within K’tana’s skull and everything that remained of her sanity broke. She heard the Inarya’s screams of lust and pain as she twisted on the metal spikes and began to tear them out. More blood gushed from the other woman as the living and dead Jaek walked around his former apprentice, prodding her violet skin with his scorched fingertips. With each touch K’tana shrieked in pain. Visions beset her, the sensation of being consumed by flames overriding the reality of the derelict. Illusion or not, it felt real, utterly overpowering the Priestess’ awareness.

Memories of torturing the man who stood in front of her and then burning his chambers to ash came with a tidal wave of burning agony.

Memories hit her like a tidal wave of burning agony, carrying her back to the day she had tortured the man in front of her and burned his chambers with his eviscerated corpse inside. Although she could not move, she could stare at Jaek defiantly. As she did so more memories flooded her mind. Days of laying fully immobilized in intensive care, broken ribs, bruised and cut lekku, the oceans of tears she had cried when finally alone. All of it struck her like a lightning rod in a storm and her rage seeped away, leaving her alone with her fear and the hollow pit that had replaced her soul.

Inarya somehow pulled herself from the wall, her eviscerated and perforated flesh hanging off in gorey wet chunks as she walked, leaving bloody footprints on the floor as she approached. The *Lethan* Twi’lek smiled despite her state - or perhaps because of it - and K’tana realized she had been slowly backing backing away...towards the fissure in the centre of the room.

*You belong with us.*

K’tana faltered at the sound of the once-comforting voice that she had not heard in nearly a year and then screamed in horror as Inarya shoved her into the black hole just before the rings began to spin once more.

*I belong with them. I deserve this.*

|-o-|

The Arconan pilot woke with a shout. A glossy sheen of sweat slicked his face and chest. He brought his knuckles to his face and dug them into his eye-sockets to clear away the blur of sleep. When he could see properly once again he realized he had fallen asleep at the console and was stunned when he looked out of the viewport and saw that the derelict ship was gone. No wreckage remained and the sensors picked up no trail. The CR-90 Zephyr had simply vanished.

And it had taken K’tana with it.

Arcorgy

The Priestess’ body shivered suddenly as she walked by a ventilation duct. Her violet flesh pricked up as though a million tiny insects had landed on her skin. The sensation was not unpleasant, but it made her feel very disturbed. As she continued her walk to the Mess Hall she noticed people acting strangely.

Arconans stood in the hallway, Journeyman and Elder alike tracing fingers over their bodies - and in many cases, those of others. Their breathing was labored and for a brief moment, K’tana actually thought there was something wrong. It was at that moment she realized she knew the look in their eyes.

Just then a tall, blond man stalked angrily towards incipient couples. He grabbed them, tore them from each other, threw them to the floor and went towards the next set. The Twi’lek narrowed her eyes and walked up to the man.

That was when she noticed the heat. Her body suddenly reacted more intensely than she had ever previously felt. Her skin was hot, her legs felt tight and her lips quivered. The large man was too blond, his eyes too blue and his skin too pale but none of it mattered. She wanted him.

With the grace of a dancer she took two rapid steps and leapt at him. Her body was furious, her mind in a lustful haze the likes of which she had never known and with the way the Human was grasping her ass, it seemed felt the same. He ground himself against her as she erupted into a sudden, uncontrollable wail.

Before she knew what happened she lay on the ground, writhing in agony and hearing an angry, rage filled growl.

Celevon stood over her, his fist clenched as he glared over at Timeros. Enraged the Elder started to charge Cel, arm outstretched. Before they made contact a black flash appeared, knocking the men away from each other. He looked at the Twi’lek with disdain as she made a scene on the floor, her back arching as she made lurid motions with one of her lekku.

Marick, Celevon and Timeros scowled, sizing one another up, when Atyriu swayed over. She passed close to Marick, tossing her braid at him over her shoulder as she knelt down between K’tana’s knees and began to kiss the other woman desperately. Their whimpers spurred the males to action and as Celevon grabbed Marick by the back of his hair, Timeros knelt down behind Atty, wrapping her braid in his fist as he pulled her mouth from the Twi’lek.

A instant of clarity hit the Priestess as she leaned up between the Miraluka and blond Human. The begging look in her eyes, the way she bit her lip and smirked caused them both to grin wickedly, as though they had the same thought as she.

The three stood up and Timeros started towards the closest room led by a coyly smirking Shadow Lady. K’tana walked between Celevon and Marick before gently laying her lips on each one, taking their hands and giving them an identical look that caused them both to follow the Entars.

As she trailed behind, her broken mind plotting evil deeds, she spotted a Kaleesh being pinned beneath a young Jedi with pale skin and dark hair. She pulled the man off of Skar and gave the Human a precise punch to the temple before grabbing the Obelisk by his collar and pulling him away.

The giant lizard was frantic, his primal growls and clawed hand spurring K’tana to the room as quickly as she could move. Her legs were turning liquid and her heart beat violently in her chest as she approached the door and stepped into the exquisite insanity in the room beyond.

Her mouth formed a cruel smile as she closed the door.

--( o )--( o )-- Four Hours Later--( o )--( o )--

The men crept and crawled out of the large, barely opened door and into the large corridor. Timeros held a stoic face, occasionally cringing as he forced his body to neither limp nor flinch. Marick’s face cracked, his beautiful cheekbones stained with dry tears.

A cage in the corner held a weeping Kaleesh. His eyes were red and burning from trying to keep them squeezed shut. Had his wrists not been tied to the bars, he would have tried to claw them out. Or at least cover his ears.

Inside the room two people lay on the bed being fed small slices of freen fruit by Atyriu. She was tangled in bedsheets and hung upside down from the tall bed frame. K’tana and Celevon lay on the bed looking smug. Occasionally one would create a giggle fit by chuckling to themselves.

“K’tana, I’m not going to ask how you even know about this place, let alone get passed the guards and into the restricted areas…” Atyriu paused for a moment as she looked around, “Is that a bedroll? Do you live here?”

The Twi’lek cocked her head to the side as her eyes narrowed and her brow momentarily twitched. She stood silently, her thick heeled boots were covered in damp grass and dried mud. Atyriu turned when she heard a thunderous gallop coming towards them.

“Don’t move, my Lady.” K’tana growled, last words dissolving into a threatening hiss. Atyriu raised her brow, her blindfold raising slightly as she froze in place. The Consul, having turned towards the sound sensed a large presence barreling towards them. Threats bloomed within the Miraluka’s mind, brought about by the unknown life signature.

May’riia rushed towards the women, the rancor’s eyes frenetic as she was mentally brought to a stop by her Bond-Mother. Her leathery chest heaved with her frantic breaths. The large beast stood half as tall as both Humanoid women and her black eyes locked onto the Miraluka. She growled voraciously while her mental harness kept her from lunging at the strange woman.

“K’tana?” Atyriu whispered, her voice shaking slightly as she quickly thought of a way to sooth the still angry Twi’lek. The Priestess’ green eyes ignited with rage, keeping her gaze on the young rancor. May’riia suddenly snapped at the Consul, her teeth gnashing at the air before the woman, expressing her Mistress’ fury but causing no harm.

“Please, K’tana. We can still discuss this. Send your beast away.” the Shadow Lady spoke softly, but there was no mistaking the underlying threat behind her words.

The Twi’lek’s gaze on the rancor faltered as she looked sideways at her former lover. The connection between the rancor and K’tana endured the loss of eye contact as the two women had their moment. The Priestess held the link and pulled back on May’riia’s rage, as well as her own.

“Why are you here, Atty?” the Twi’lek’s voice was like cheap silk rubbed the wrong way. Her rancor whined before heaving a heavy sigh and stalking back off into the forest to look for either a Eopie to chase or to find the Kowakian monkey-lizard that was skulking about elsewhere in the glade.

Atyriu heaved a sigh as she turned towards the Twi’lek.

“The Grand Master has sent for you. No one knows why, but he demands your presence tomorrow morning. He will be leaving by mid afternoon and we-” The Miraluka spoke solemnly as she felt K’tana studying her face.

“Oh! That’s so cool!” K’tana’s voice immediately reverted back to her usual convivial tone. The Shadow Lady, once again, raised her brow and cocked her head to the side as the Twi’lek stopped babbling and got to her point. “So, who’s that?”

“Wait,” Atyriu said as her hand came up, pinching the bridge of her nose, “ you do not know who that is? How coul- nevermind. He’s only the head of the Brotherhood. No big deal.”

“Okay, d’ia!” K’tana smirked inwardly as she confounded the Consul with her apparent ignorance. “So, Atty... If he’s no big deal, why do I give a kark?”

The Miraluka’s jaw dropped for a moment before she regained her composure and searched the Twi’leks feelings for the presence of sarcasm. Atyriu restrained her smile as she found it and chose to keep her veneer of professionalism.

“K’tana, this is of the utmost importance and I really need you to take this seriously,” the Miraluka pleaded with her former lover, her braid swinging over her shoulder as she turned to follow the Twi’lek who had started towards the bedroll.

“You people and your ridiculous hierarchy. You place men on thrones so you may pretend like something in this life makes sense. We hold each other to standards arguably contradicting to the natural order of the cycle of life and death. Even you. Especially you. A Eopie among Cythraul.”

The Twi’lek spoke manically as she shoved her lightsaber and a pair of spare boots into a rucksack. The Empath knew better then to rise to K’tana’s sudden fit of pique, she could feel the hurt hiding beneath the other woman’s heated words.

“I did what I had to and I know that had you been in my place, you’d have done the same.”

“I trusted you and you betrayed me. Worse. You didn’t trust me. Giving you my body isn’t an issue. Obviously. But I gave you my trust.”

“K’tana, you have no idea what you’re talking about.” Atyriu finally snapped, but only for a moment. She inhaled deeply and smiled at K’tana. She reached out for the Priestess to take her hand and took a small step forwards. The Twi’lek watched the Consul, her eyes narrowed with caution like that of a cornered manka cat. She looked down at the Miraluka’s hands and gingerly placed her fingertips against the other woman’s palm

“I trusted you with my life. I gave you that mission to convince the other members of the Summit that you can be trusted. Why do you think you’re now second in command of Shadow Gate?”

K’tana froze at the Consul’s words and felt a sense of calm wash over her tumult of her mind. She knew that it was Atyriu’s doing but the Twi’lek did not seem to care. She looked at her feet and then back up to the Consul’s face.

“Alright. Where do I meet Lord Pravus?” she deflected, uncomfortable with the situation despite the serenity that flooded her. She pulled her hands away from Atyriu’s before turning back towards her bedroll. The Twi’lek’s mind soon returned to its turbulent and fractured state.

K’tana kicked aside the bedroll, her jagged and vicious looking saber hilt lay beneath where she had been sleeping.The violet woman slipped her foot beneath the weapon and kicked it into her left hand before shoving it into the backpack. K’tana noticed Atyriu stiffen as the saber went into the bag.

“I’m not going to need this, am I?” the Twi’lek asked curtly.

“Perhaps not, but you will be meeting with-...”Atyiru cut herself off momentarily before taking a breath to continue. She shook her head, her braid flipping wildly across her back and catching the Twi’lek’s attention. The violet woman tuned out whatever the Miraluka was about to say as her predatory gaze locked onto the pleat of hair. She immediately reached out and started to bat at the long braid in order to fix the boredom she suddenly felt as the Consul went on about how important the mission would be for Arcona.

“-and I feel there could be need of-” the Consul continued to talk as K’tana began imagine what the Miraluka would look like with short hair. As she tilted her head and scowled at her former lover her hand drifted down to her dagger.

“Don’t even think about it.” Atyiru’s voice was sudden enough to regain K’tana’s attention, the Twi’lek’s violet fingers dropping away from her blade.

“Ok, but only if you just promise to stop talking for a few moments so I can walk away.” K’tana stuck out her tongue, flipped her lekku over her shoulder dismissively and turned her back on the Consul.

Atyiru sighed heavily as she realized there was no communicating with the other woman while she was in this mood. The Miraluka decided her best course of action was to allow K’tana to have her temper tantrum and get out of her way.

“Just be sure that you get there on time,” the Consul offered a sad, long-suffering smile before turning away and sauntering towards the glade’s exit.

K’tana watched the Shadow Lady leave, a strange sensation flooded the Twi’lek’s body. She could not decipher the feeling, but she assumed it was something akin to sadness. As K’tana tried to hold the feeling it flickered out, once again leaving her hollow.

Once any necessary items were packed into the rucksack, K’tana said her goodbyes to the rancor and called out for Liera to say goodbye. Excited to be going on another trip out of the glade, the Kowakian rushed to the Twi’lek, lept up to the woman’s shoulder and nipped affectionately at her lekku only to be disappointed when her Mistress smiled sadly and shook her head. Liera jumped down, squawking in anger before rushing off to go play with May’riia.

|-o-|

“The Sergeant of Shadow Gate is late, Grand Master.” the messenger waited a few moments at attention before getting dismissed with by a wave of the Dark Lord’s hand. The man promptly left the room as Darth Pravus turned towards the door.

“Go find her and being her her.” His calm voice resonated throughout the large room. He needed no confirmation to know that two skulking forms had detached themselves from the shadowy walls behind him. They made their way down the halls, looking nearly incorporeal as they moved along the walls. Had anyone been watching, they would have seen a momentary shimmer before the two beings disappeared from view.

|-o-|

“...then she actually had the karking oddity-”

“I think you mean audacity…”

“Yeah, okay. Whatever.” K’tana hissed as she rolled her eyes at the Zeltron she had been flirting with. While initially interesting, her patience with the lovely male had worn thin. Unbeknownst to him, this was a very dangerous position for him to be in. Had he paid a bit more attention he might have noticed the way she fingered the razor edge of the blade on her thigh.

And yet, had the Twi’lek been paying closer attention to her surroundings, she would have noticed that two silhouettes were stalking her. From the shadows they crept around the bar, their eyes never leaving the Priestess as she stormed away from the table. The pair of umbral figures took no interest in the other patrons as they moved towards their prey.

The way that K’tana moved gave no indication of the fact that she had in fact spotted the two hunters and was leading them deeper into the crowd of people on the dancefloor. The hollow thrum of the bass drove her forwards and throbbed through her system as she acted the part of unknowing prey.

Violet flesh swayed to the beat of the pulsing noise as she used her hypnotically fluid movements to lull her stalkers into a sense of false security. As they approached their target, the prey became the hunter. K’tana suddenly slipped between a couple of lovers dancing close to one another and she grabbed the male counterpart, slamming her mouth against his and causing the female to shriek in rage and jealousy.

The incensed woman spun on the Priestess, eyes wild with fury. Her arm shot out with brutish force, a whirling, drunken punch that did not even come close to hitting the vastly more agile Twi’lek. K’tana twirled out of the way, taking the female’s boyfriend and pivoting him in between the jealous lover and herself.

Biting the male’s lip and shoving him back towards his infuriated girlfriend with a giggle and a wink, K’tana dipped backwards into the crowd. Her green eyes caught the lights in the dark room and flashed when she saw the shades watching her. She smirked, raised her arm and gave the hunters a wave with her middle finger as she slipped back into the sea of pulsating dancers.

Moving swiftly, the Twi’lek slithered through the crowd, causing chaos in her wake. She kicked out the backs of knees, stepped on feet, pulled hair and sliced off the straps of shirts.
Although she only sliced apart shirts for fun, her madness had a method to it, her turbulent passage leading to an incipient riot behind her.

Despite appearances, the shapes following K’tana were flesh and blood and so were struggling to work their way through the violent crowd. They had enough of exerting themselves in order to catch their prey and moved to end the chase. Stalking around the edges of the dancefloor, the hunters began prodding the minds of dancers and filling their heads with fear.

The first woman affected clutched the person next to her, shrieking incoherently into her ear about large creatures in the lights. Blue eyes went wide in fear. The once laughing and jovial voice was now fervorous and grating. The woman she screamed at was sobbing and pulling herself away as further horrors could be heard echoing from the other end of the dancefloor.

The cacophony of horror filled the bar as it started to empty. Dancers, drug addicts, thugs and voyeurs ran from terrors they could not name in a manner so violent it tore down one of the doors to the bar. The hunters swept through the remainder of the cowering patrons, grabbing Tyrian Twi’leks and pulling them to their feet, only to find their target gone.

K’tana pressed her shoulders against the club’s back door, using her weight and strength as leverage to keep it shut. She gave everything she had to keeping the door firmly in place as terrorized people attempted to push it open and escape through the back. The Priestess waited for the shrieks of horror to subside before pulling the door open slightly and peeking inside.

Around the corridor, K’tana watched one of the hunters grab a man by his collar and heave him against the wall. She heard no question, but the answer reverberated through the corridor.

“I-I’m...I-I don’t know! I s-swear!”

K’tana silently closed the door heard as she heard loud snap and the body hit the ground.

Kark me.

The Priestess slipped her lekku over her shoulders and quickly scanned surroundings. Dumpsters, broken bottles and other refuse cluttered the alley, none of it any use to her.

Kark me sideways!

K’tana slipped quickly through the dark street and into a side alley just as she heard the back door open. Spotting a pipe running up a wall to the rooftops, the agile woman quickly and silently ascended the building’s single floor and dropped down to her belly. She knew that hiding like this would be of no benefit against another Force user, especially not if this man was as advanced as he seemed to be.

The Priestess chose not to cast her senses about to find any close life forms, knowing there would be many in the vicinity and concerned it may get her caught. This gave her just enough time to string together a few expletives before the second hunter crept up behind her and drove the butt of his lightsaber against the back of her head, sending her into the black arms of unconsciousness.

|-o-|

K’tana opened her eyes to bright light and sterile walls. The Twi’lek tightly shut her eyes to block out the invasive sight and struggled against the arms holding her upright and forcing her to walk. They simultaneously squeezed the nerve clusters in her biceps and caused her to grunt in pain as her fingers went numb. She snapped her suddenly sharp-looking teeth at the one to her right, causing him to pull her arm behind her back and twist it viciously.

The Twi’lek’s knees nearly gave out as she yelled in pain-fueled anger. She began to pant in fury as a lust to bite out the hunter’s trachea began to seep through her system. Instead, she went limp and forced the men to drag her towards the door, curiosity temporarily overwhelming her outrage.

As they approached the chamber, a heavily armored man stepped into view, stopping in the middle of the room. He nodded his head when the trio made their way to the door frame. The Priestess’ green eyes flashed with rage as her captors made her stop outside the door. She locked her eyes on the masked man and scowled viciously.

“Sergeant of Shadow Gate.” The hulking form stood tall and even from the distance separating them, K’tana could feel the man looking down on her. “Good of you to heed my summons.”

“These karking frazlat drinkers were sent by YOU!” K’tana spoke with barely suppressed fury as she pulled her arms from the Royal Guards who stood silent and stoic, keeping their eyes pointed front. The Twi’lek frowned as she looked at her arm, her violet skin having turned into a damson bruise.

“I was on my karking way. Is patience not a thing with you High-and-Mighty hair-bags?” Her eyes snapped back to the Grand Master and once again she could almost feel his patronizing smirk.

“I have very little time to waste on matters of little importance. However, “ the Sith Lord’s voice dropped very near to a whisper, “I have heard some...disturbing things about you. Rumors that I needed to confirm for myself.”

“And?” K’tana’s defiant gaze and impatient tone betrayed her apprehension towards the situation.

“And it seems you were not worthy of my attention after all.”

The Priestess went rigid at the dismissal, her jaw clamping shut and a manic grin flickering against the sides of her lips.

“Take her to the docking bay and on the next ship back to Ol’val. Send her with a small escort to be sure she gets to her destination.”

One hunter brought his fist to his chest and bowed his head. The other nodded slightly and moved forward into the room. The first guard motioned for the Twi’lek to follow and she chose to do so out of a slight nod to her survival instinct. Once out of earshot, Darth Pravus turned to the other guard and spoke softly.

“Watch that one.” he whispered, turning away to allow the guard to follow behind his target.

|-o-|

K’tana smiled widely at the Royal Guards as they watched her walk up the entrance platform of the ship that would take her back to her House and tossed a wink to the one who had bruised her.

“Call me?” she giggled, biting her lip and pirouetting gracefully, swaying her hips as she sauntered into her ride’s entrance.

Once in the cockpit, K’tana locked eyes with each of her new “escorts”. Her manic grin displayed pointed teeth as she tried to intimidate the four elite guards. Each held her gaze in turn before glancing away and moving to follow their orders to lock her in the quarters.

“So, one of you pretty creatures wanna come inside,” K’tana paused and bit her lip with a smirk as she eyed her guards, “and dance with me?”

The automatic door shut and locked from the outside, leaving the Twi’lek standing in the room, alone and smirking.

Manually added by GP V'yr Vorsa