009 - Week 3 Day 3: Light in the Dark

The news were better than Nimm had initially hoped for. There was no denying that she detested the political games of the Empire, however necessary it was to play them at times, which was why she normally left it to others to play those while she dealt with the things she liked better. Still, sometimes the game required playing and she did think she got enough benefit out of it to make it worth it. In this case, she had thankfully been able to leave the politicking to her master, who did not detest those things nearly as much.

It was the outcome of that particular play, and her quite effective arrangement with the alchemical toxin, that caused her to temporarily abandon her current playground. She was currently seated in the command chair at the center of the cockpit of the Aruk, watching the ship transition through hyperspace. Not a particularly long jump, but more than enough to get well outside the sensor range of anything and everything inside the Ryloth system.

With a roar of sorts, her ship’s hyperdrive deactivated upon reaching her destination. There were no planets, no stars anywhere close here. It was only her ship… and the Hâsk.

A sight to behold, really. One of the countless Terminus-class destroyers of the Sith Empire, it was an example of the backbone of the Imperial Navy. Soon it would jump into orbit above Ryloth, where it would undoubtedly establish fear and anguish in the hearts and minds of the Jedi vermin infesting that world.

However, before it could do that, certain plans and to be laid and put into motion. Not all the pieces were in place yet, or so the message requesting her presence indicated.

She did not look at the pilot when she next spoke, knowing that the pilot would hear it no matter what. “Lieutenant Tala, take us in. Dock with airlock 17F.”

“At once, milady.” the pilot answered respectfully.

Within the docking areas, Vane watched the airlock latch. Her posture oozed a predatory patience and calm built by years of experience. She let a wicked smile curve her lips as she watched the crews scramble about in preparation. Her excitement sparked within her  at the information Apprentice Deemia told her. At this point, it threatened her composure before she reined it back.

When the Aruk finished docking, she briskly stepped forward to greet her. Her firm robes fixed to her shape, designed to enhance her intimidation factor. It didn't work on everyone, but at least warned against trifling with her.

"Welcome to the Hâsk, Apprentice Deenia." She made a small gesture of respect, but nothing near the effort she would make for those higher up.

Nimm did not feel particularly intimidated by the Sith Lord before her. Being taller than her by a good bit, she had ample opportunity to look down on the woman. Of course, being Sith, Nimm knew physical size had no connection to how powerful an individual was. Her own master was, after all, shorter than her and far more powerful. Nonetheless, her height was a useful tool in circumstances like this one.

“Lord Vane. So good of you to join me.” she said, intentionally making it clear that she had arranged for the ship to come out here, not the Sith Lord. “It is good to be back on board. This ship brings back . . . memories.”

Vane’s smile simply widened subtly as she looked about, spotting the small mention of memories. “Memories are interesting things. They have the worth we bestow on them, for better or worse. It’s interesting to see some things haven’t changed.”

Vane wondered if Deenia recalled their academy days or if they were fleeting moments.

“I heard you have some potential development since last time you contacted me.”  

“That is correct. What do you know of the situation on Ryloth and the plans for that world?” she asked, omitting any title. She wanted to know both how many of her reports Vane had read, at least of the ones not given privately to her master, and whether perhaps the Sith Lord had other sources.

Naturally Deenia hit a topic the Sith Lord didn’t have much intelligence over. In fact, due to this void of information she doubted few of the arriving Sith would have any additional enlightenment. This left the apprentice holding the ‘cards’ in this game. Vane inhaled then exhaled softly through her nose before she replied.

“Aside from Jedi trouble, there’s only so much information to collect. I also found that it is much better to compare the information I have with multiple sources. Yours being one of them.” Vane didn’t feel like making it obvious of the fact her primary information would be coming from a source she couldn’t fully rely on.

The answer made Nimm smile, and she did not try to hide it. She had won this round, however paltry the victory was. “I suspected as much.” she offered the Sith Lord a knowing glance. “The planet has a remarkably large Jedi infestation, considering how it belongs to neither their Republic nor the Empire, but is instead managed by the Hutts. The fact that it is such a remote world both from our and their perspective makes that presence particularly curious.”

Behind her the airlock closed and sealed up. Her crew was permitted to leave, but not all at once, considering she had a prisoner on board without a proper containment cell. They would eventually pick up the equipment she had requested, but not yet. “I assume that you at least have a working theory from my particular inquiries about one of the Jedi present on the planet?”

“Of course. Knowledge Drain has its perks and gives insight into… unwilling guests of ours. I heard you mentioned he was a Master now? And a member of the high council. He’s come a very far way since I left him a broken mess on his knees.” Vane paused long enough to savor the memory. Emotions of seeing one’s enemy torn apart not just physically, but mentally, drew more than just sadistic pleasure from her. An experience better achieved than explained.  

“He has a very… unhealthy attachment to his padawans from what I recall. I’m surprised he took on another.”  

“Yes. It was quite foolish of him. Your work left him incapable of training the apprentice properly. My investigations revealed that he kept numerous secrets from the child.” She smiled at a memory of some of the things she had done to the bothan. “Unfortunately, as you can no doubt sense, I do not have him on board my ship of choice. He remains down on Ryloth still. Not that he should pose a direct threat anytime soon.”

“I must say, I’m rather impressed by your efforts.” The Sith Lord didn’t think Deenia would care or draw much pride from her praise, but credit was due for a thorough job.

“It sounds like you’ve been enjoying yourself. I hope she’s not become a bestial wreck as your record isn’t the… best when it comes to Jedi.” A subtle reminder to put the Apprentice in her place as Vane kept in pace with her fellow Sith.

“We all have our vices.” Nimm answered, a rather clear hint that she knew just what Vane had a history for doing when she lost apprentices. “She is still alive, and even mostly unharmed. Physically, at least.”

“I’m surprised Rothul didn’t attempt to stop you from taking her. He is a stubborn and strong personality. He resisted torture for nearly a whole year and it took some creativity on my part to finally break him.”

“Is not rather difficult to object when you are several kilometers away.” Nimm said, a subtle prod at Vane often having had to deal with both master and apprentice when splitting them up, even for a few moments, would have made it much easier. “However, as I mentioned, he was rather busy too. Something about his padawan having given him a potent toxin of mine.”

“Curious. I wonder why she would do that? Spite toward her master?” Vane suspected it wasn’t the padawan’s doing at all, but Deenia’s. However, she couldn’t fathom how the sith managed it. Not yet.

Nimm smiled, but did not answer. The implication would be quite clear in spite of her silence on the matter.

“Seems the Jedi aren’t as smart as they believe themselves, are they?” Vane picked on the silent credit claim, enjoying the blow to the Jedi it might've caused.

“They overextended themselves. Left themselves quite open to being infiltrated. A properly trained agent in the right place at the right time can do wonderful things.”

Vane nodded, her mind in thought. “Without access to the proper knowledge, that poison will be impossible to heal and I assume he’s on borrowed time?”

“Well, they might have the knowledge about healing, but they have none of the tools to identify the reagents and purpose of my little creation. Nor any of the appropriate countermeasure agents. In fact, they are sorely lacking in supplies in general.”

“That makes things much more difficult.” Vane continued to look pleased.
“I do wonder why you didn’t simply have your agent poison the food source. Cripple all the Jedi and eliminate them all at once. Considering how easily it appears you got the information and the padawan, it would’ve been the obvious course of action.”  

“The moment the first person starts to lose their faculties, going blind, deaf or similar, the delivery agent would have been isolated and prevented. I planned for a Jedi or two, maybe three. Not a good half dozen, with more on the way. The toxin I created was not designed for such numbers.”

Vane’s expression altered. A slightly soured expression replaced her cheery one, indicating the notion of more Jedi arriving.

“They are starting to have more in common with Korriban sand wurms. Find one, there’s an infestation underneath and it takes ages to kill them.” She sighed then turned back to the topic at hand.

“How many Jedi are currently present? Aside from the one you’ve been keeping.”

“Yes, they are rather pesky like that.” Nimm recalled having chosen to hunt some in her first youth. It had gotten quite messy. “Before I took my little pet away from them, my investigations and agents identified seven Jedi in their group. I do not believe more have arrived yet, but with the amount of hutt traffic, I cannot be certain. They are not as accommodating as the governors on most occupied worlds.”

“Naturally. The Hutts are hard to satisfy fully and ask for too much for their own good.” Vane’s distaste of the massive alien slugs crept into her tone.

“You realize a few Sith might inquire why you’ve not sent your little pet to Korriban academy for retraining or killed her, using her head to demoralize the Jedi. I do hope you have a good explanation for it.”

“Yes. I find it is best to tread around those oversized slugs and speak with their underlings whenever possible. Particularly the one in charge here… He is a thoroughbred imbecile.” Her distaste for the local hutt was very clear. “As for not sending the bothan child to korriban or simply killing her? The answer is simple, really… Boredom.”

“I do hope she doesn’t have more useful information over her allies. Getting useful facts from a mental wreck is far more difficult… unless you have Knowledge Drain. If you need assistance… I wouldn’t object to providing help. It would be fun to see the little bothan and give her a taste of her master’s treatment. It would give me insight over the development he’s had since we last met.” Her smile returned once more in full bloom at the thought of the little padawan’s body struggling against her grip, then finally going limp.  

“As tempting as the offer is, I would have to decline. She is my plaything, not yours.” Nimm’s tone at this was very firm and brooked no questioning. “However, I could perhaps let you come watch at some point. That should inspire the right emotions in her. Of course, I also have some recordings of my sessions with her. Only amateurs forget that.” While this could in many cases have been a jab at another, this time it was phrased more as a comment about how meticulously Lord Vane had documented her own entertainment.

Vane found disappointment in the obvious ‘no’ from the apprentice’s statement. Her posture relaxed as she folded her arms behind her, resting them against her back.

“Looking at it from another point of view helps. It’s easier to have a master or experienced sith look them over. This can help point out where you need to improve or develop new tactics. So yes, I would greatly enjoy those vids and watching you work.”

“That is very true.” Nimm agreed, adding, “You know what is particularly funny? I convinced the girl that learning Sith Alchemy is the only way to save her master. Unfortunately, she is not a particularly talented student.”

“Most Jedi fail to be. They cling too hard to the light and fail to see that knowledge can heal far better than compassion or righteousness. I wonder how Master Rothul might feel should he ever learn this? I imagine the Jedi would never see her as one of them again.”  

“Oh, to be a mynock hanging from the cavern roof when he learns that…” Nimm mused, imagining being an observer to that event.

“Putting that amusement aside, we still need to lure the Jedi out and exterminate them. Any thoughts on how?” Vane asked, hoping to determine if Deenia’s ideas were worth backing up or allowing them to fall to the side.

“Well, not knowing exactly who would come, I could not plan everything out the way I would have preferred to. Additionally, while bombing their base of operations from above would no doubt be effective, I have strong reasons to suspect that the local Hutt won’t let us get away with that without some ridiculously unreasonable recompense.” Nimm had, of course, never truly considered trying to bomb the place. It was a foolhardy plan even without a hutt being involved.

“That’s the worst idea. It’s bad enough the Hutts are opportunists and would pull at the very flimsy relationships with the Empire. There’s little benefit to doing it over six Jedi. It would need to be a very high amount to even begin processes for that type of action and takes time to go through.” Vane plucked at the flaws based on her experience with Hutts.

“I know. But knowing the type of mentality found in many of our fellow Sith, sooner or later someone will suggest that.”

“I will aim to shut it down. It creates unneeded tensions and struggles that my sphere of influence doesn’t need to deal with.” Vane’s venom over the mere thought of the suggestion being made cut into the air.

“Good.” There was nothing more to say on that. “They have at least one more ship on the planet, but I have not identified where. It would be entertaining if we could force anyone we do not outright terminate to pay the hutts for transport off Ryloth.”


“It would be, and far easier to track.” Vane mused.  

“The main issue is finding and luring them out. Easier to kill them or at least a large amount of the infestation when they are fixed on a goal.”

“That is also true. I remember how the Jedi pursued us deep inside imperial space immediately after the Sacking of Coruscant, just to retrieve a few Jedi me and my master found wandering idly about their Temple on Coruscant… That was rather entertaining…”

“I heard rumors about that. I haven’t had the time to explore them deeper.” Vane didn’t admit that Darth Nyiss was a difficult individual to learn about, even with her connections.

“One tends to wonder what you would do with Jedi prisoners other than break them.”

“Oh, this and that… This and that…” Nimm said, smiling enigmatically. She had no intention whatsoever of revealing anything about what had happened on Feena.

“I see.” Vane dropped the topic, sensing her pursuit for more knowledge would shortly meet a dead end.

“Aside from boredom, how long do you intend on toying with the Padawan? You don’t strike me to be the type to have narrow or short term views.”

“Until I am finished with her. I doubt even your old pet will fully recognize her by then should he meet her again.” Nimm had not entirely decided how far she would go yet, but she was certain the Force would reveal its intentions soon enough.

They continued talking back and forth, neither revealing much of significant value, and with the other Sith not yet involved, not all plans could be fully laid. There were, simply put, too many unknowns.

There was a significant amount of additional noise as the five naval crewmen entered the Aruk, moving along two large repulsorsleds loaded up with equipment. While not the most normal task for them, it wasn’t the first time they had a job to install something for the Sith on one of their ships. They had strict instructions to ignore the prisoner within, to not speak with her and preferably not even look at her.

Lo's eyes turned to the scene. Her arms were raised above her head, but her feet remained on the ground. Something to be thankful for. The jerking had disrupted her sleep by a few minutes causing her some trouble. Aside from the dull ache in her arms, no real harm had happened.

She blew at her long bangs, trying to remove them from her eyes. Failing at it, she lowered her head then flipped it backwards. Finally, a success. She hated that her tie had broken a few days ago, but it had been the least of her worries now.

A few times, she tried to question the workers over their task. Silence was her only answer. The anxiety pulled at her calm and burrowed into her chest where it nested deep. More time passed until they had finished causing her to wonder how things could get any worse.

The first part the crewmen installed was the two pillars, which were quickly bolted to the floor and hooked up to the hold’s power grid, something that all ships of that class had, on account of the varied cargo they often had on board, some of it requiring power to be maintained safely. The hardest part for them lay in aligning and positioning the bed part of the system, then hooking that up to the control panel attached to the right pillar, but given how it all consisted of standardized parts, it took remarkably little time to finish up.

Once they were finished and the controls verified as fully operational, they loaded their tools back on the sleds and moved out of the hold. Less than a minute later, Corporal Daro entered, his mechanic’s eyes checking over the equipment to verify that it was not only properly done, but done to his exacting standards.

Compared to him, the whole system was undersized and would not have been able to adequately restrain him. Although he was satisfied with the quality of the work, he nonetheless made a few minor adjustments, including adjusting the placement of the restraints so that they would properly fit the prisoner.

Lo rolled her tongue against her cheek then braved the questions on her mind.

"What's that and what's it for?" Her voice cracked a bit, She had an inkling she knew the answers and merely dreaded the confirmation.

“You.” he answered nonchalantly and utterly without expressing any significant emotions.

“I was worried that was the answer…” Lo swallowed her fear, the emotion still refusing to cooperate.

He huffed, not caring overmuch, then sat down on a nearby crate to wait for the Sith’s arrival.

All the tension in her body released when the mountain of a man ignored her. The uneasy energy never left her causing her foot to tap on the floor. Gradually, her attention fixed on the only one here: him.

“How long have you served under the Sith?”

“A while.” he answered vaguely.

“Not going to give me much to learn from, are you?”

“Nope.”

“Not very social, are you? Considering your stature, it doesn’t surprise me. I can’t imagine you have many people approaching you without being intimidated. Did you grow up on one of the planets in Imperial space?” Her tone had stopped cracking as she continued the small conversation. It might’ve not been the best one she engaged in, but it touched on familiar ground and brought her comfort.

“Yup.” he answered, not showing any particular interest in the conversation, even as he had nothing else to do.

“What was it like?”

“Normal.”

“Normal is subjective. What I consider normal might not be normal to you and vice versa. I mean, I don’t think growing up at a Jedi Praxeum is the same as growing on an Imperial planet. Did you do a lot of studying or basic combat training?” Her eyes remained on the man, looking for any subtle changes.

“Where is this ‘Jedi Praxeum’ you speak of?” he asked, for once saying more than one word.

“Hey, I got you to say more than a word or two! See, it doesn’t hurt to be friendly.” Lo teased as she felt a smirk curl to her muzzle.

“Uh huh.” he said. “Describe this ‘Praxeum’.

Lo narrowed her eyes, “You describe your home first.”

“Nice, warm jungle with lots of teeth to play with. Warm, blue-violet star that shines all day long. Comfortably violent lightning storms.”

The Lo raised an eyebrow, unsure how to process the description. It sounded morbid and innocent all rolled into one. Definitely nothing she expected as she took a moment to think.

"The climate was warm with lush forest around it, nothing dangerous like what Ryloth has. No storms, just gentle rain showers occasionally."

“Is your sun blue-violet too? Or is it a strange color like the star here?”

The bothan took a moment to think. “It's the same as here, a white-yellow one. I think that’s why things grow so well.”

“Curious.” he said, “My home is Dromund Kaas. What’s yours called?”

“I was born on Toydaria, but my home is H’Ratth. It’s where Master Rothul took me after…” Lo trailed off, her eyes glanced at the ground for a moment.

“After?” he asked, with actual curiosity.

“My mother was killed. It shouldn’t affect me, I was really young and stupid when it happened.” The girl shifted uncomfortably in place.

“What was yours like?” Her eyes looked up from the floor.

He turned his head towards the door, then spoke up. “You can come in now, milady. I got the answers you wanted.”

Dread washed over Lo, her head turned to the door and her breath stalled in her chest. Her mind cursed her stupidity. Her wide eyes watched the dark haired Sith enter the room. All color drained from her skin as her fur rippled her emotions.

"Chit..." She muttered to herself.

Nimm walked out from between the crates, smiling smugly. “You have done well, corporal. I have one final task for you before you start searching for the system in question.”

She stopped near where the corporal was sitting, then pressed a few buttons on her wrist. The restraints detached from around Lo’s wrists and the feeding tube disconnected from her upper torso. “Place her on the table and restrain her in place.”

“Y-you can just ask for me to cooperate. I haven’t really resisted you.” Lo stuttered slightly as she felt herself released, rubbing her wrists to get the feeling back into them. Her eyes were fixed to the larger man.

The man moved forward, steady and unhurried.

When his arm reached for her shoulder, she reacted. Lo ducked to her left, sliding along the wall, far away from him. She jerked out her right hand and reached out with the force. Her panic speeding up her focus. A crate flew at the Corporal's back from behind.

Her collar crackled as she braced. Electricity shot through her nerves and into her body. Her muscles tensed enough to bring her down to her knee, stopping her dead in her tracks.

"Fine, no Force." Lo snarled through gritted teeth, her hand gingerly touching it. She figured the perimeter was still up and had forgotten about it until now.

Nimm watched in amusement as the Corporal braced himself against the tossed crate, not being pushed back significantly by it, let alone pushed over or harmed.

"I just said I'll cooperate, you don't need to grab me." Lo once more tried to reason with him, forcing her posture to relax.

Daro smiled wickedly, saying “Oh, but I do…” as he advanced towards where she had effectively cornered herself. Guessing that she would try to keep something between them, he moved slightly closer to the table than a straight line towards her. At the same time, Nimm ‘accidentally’ set the table into a horizontal position.

Lo found her stomach sink lower at his smile. She gritted her teeth tighter and went to move around the table. Instantly it swung flat. Both blocking and catching her in the middle. Lo growled then snapped her attention back to the Corporal's nearing figure.

She inhaled then pushed herself, leaping over the table. Once more, the collar shocked her. A scream escaped her as she crumbled on her landing. Her head trying to shake herself free from the 'lesson'.

Fully expecting her to try something like that, Daro was ready, placing a foot on her back before she could get up. Only then did he reach down to grab her arms intending to lift her up and carry her towards the table.

Lo's heart raced. Her anxiety jumped as she became pinned, her back flooded by new pain. She bit back the fresh holler this time. When he pinned her arms down and lifted, she tried to wiggle out. Pressure just increased to her back causing her to cry out.

"Get off, now." She shouted, feeling her fear and anger surface. Memories pulled at her calm, unraveling it like a rug.

Her hand reached to seize a crate, but immediately the collar cracked and shocked again.

"Please, don't." Lo whimpered, trying one last time to reason. Deep down... she knew it was pointless.

While ignoring her pleading, he lifted her up with agonizing slowness, only removing his foot a little at a time, then held her out in front of him, before he carried her over to the table. She squirmed the whole way, trying in vain to get out of his vise-like grip.

Upon reaching the table, he pushed her down, quickly flipping her over so that her back would rest against it. He still held his hands around her arms, just above the elbows. She tried to claw at him, but even the bothan’s longer and faintly claw-like nails could not get through the fabric of his uniform. He slowly pushed her across the table’s surface.

He had dealt with squirming prisoners before, so nothing she had done so far phased him. When he got her near the top, he released one arm to push her head down long enough for the magnetic clamp to lock her collar in place. After that he started snapping into place each restraint, one at a time.

With more limbs held fast, Lo’s fight grew more difficult. Her frustration, fear, and anger soured at the back of her throat causing her stomach to churn. She didn’t dare use the Force again or risk being helpless before the Sith. Sometimes the unknown was far more frightening than facing it. Gradually her energy began to deplete as her movements began to lessen.

When the last restraint was in place, Nimm walked slowly forwards. “You may begin the search for her world, corporal. Dismissed.”

“As you command, milady.” he answered immediately, walking out at a brisk pace.

“You showed some emotions today, my young apprentice. I think that is worth exploring further.” As she said this, she pulled up a small case she had hooked to her belt. “Which one do you want first? Orange, green, purple, red, yellow or pink?”

"I don't think anything I've wanted has made much difference so far." Lo stated, trying to calm herself down.

“Oh, but this time it will have an effect. Pick a color.”

“What do they do? Each one, specifically.” Lo asked, attempting to get a better grip of the situation.

“That is for you to figure out, my young apprentice. Consider it part of the lesson.”

“Your lessons haven’t been very insightful so far…”

The Bothan realized quickly the Sith wasn’t buying her delaying tactics. Her head shifted as little as it could, then decided on her favorite color.

“Green.”

6 ATC, Month 9, Week 3, Day 3

“An interesting choice…” Nimm stated, pulling out a syringe and sticking it into the green vial, extracting a small amount. She held it up for the prisoner to see, then carefully positioned it over the young girl’s chest, slowly pushing it in before pressing the button to inject the contents right into her bloodstream. It would not take long for it to spread through her body.

Lo grunted from the needle that was stuck into her. Her body tried to struggle against the restraints only to fail and rest back on the table. Gradually, her adrenaline began to slow and her body felt sluggish. She blamed it on expending her energy earlier.

A glossiness came into her eyes indicating the serum had kicked in.

"What... Did that do?" Lo asked, her voice slow, but calm.

“I told you before, my young apprentice… that is for you to figure out.” Nimm stated, slowly shaking a finger in front of the prisoner. Then she moved to the side of the table, pressing several of the buttons on the control panel. The table immediately began rotating upwards, placing the prisoner at a 55° angle in relation to the floor.

Reaching out with a hand, she pulled the crate that the bothan had tossed earlier on over, seating herself casually on it. “You know… I have been looking into your past, my young apprentice. Though short, your life has not been uneventful… Having your mother shot before your own eyes, only to be abducted by a Jedi mere minutes later and inducted into the Jedi Order without even being offered alternatives. That would have been a shock to anyone, I imagine.”

“I wasn’t… I wasn’t abducted by the Jedi. I was saved. If Master Rothul hadn’t been there… I would’ve ended up dead too.” Lo didn’t like this sense of calm, but she took it over the emotional conflict that had become the norm.

“Are you absolutely certain about that? Do you recall anyone actually shooting at you?”

“I don’t… I don’t remember much. Considering they hit my mother after a few shots and none of them seemed to hit me… I don’t know. No, I’m not certain.” Lo’s eyes snapped to the Sith.

“Exactly. You know… most soldiers aren’t monsters. Not imperial soldiers, nor even Republic soldiers, however misguided they are. Killing children is a monstrous act. Have you ever given a thought as to how your life would have been if you had not been abducted by the Jedi?”

“No, it never once crossed my mind. If this is an example of Sith training, then I don’t think it’s very helpful.”

“Coruscant temple records listed your mother’s name, but not the name of your father. Who was he? What was he like?”

“Master Rothul told me it was Hosk.” Lo paused, blinking a moment. Why did I say that? Despite the question, she didn’t stop answering the question. A strong compulsion to not leave it open stirred inside her.

“I was told he was brave and kind. He loved me a lot and hated he couldn’t be with mother and me.”

“Interesting. Most interesting.” Nimm shifted her position a little. “Sith training comes in all sorts of variants, my young apprentice. Some of it is less obvious than other forms.” She knew that in the background of the cockpit, her crew were working full-time on tracking down information to feed her through the earpiece she had put on for this occasion. Now that the prisoner was fully restrained there was no need for Helia to manually direct the shocks. That part of the bothan’s training was largely over for now.

“What did you do to me?” Lo asked, unable to figure it out. Her gut told her it had something to do with her desire to talk, but she didn’t understand why or how to stop it.


“Nothing to worry about, my pet. You should start to feel the effects soon enough.” She smiled, shifting her crate a little closer. “Other than escaping from here, what is your deepest desire?” she asked, to see how much the serum had affected the girl.

“If what you said was true and Master Rothul is dying, I want to save him. But you won’t give me the chance to…” Lo stated, her eyes breaking contact with the Sith. She couldn’t pull away. Instead, she leaned closer to the other side of the groove where her body settled into.

“How much would you be willing to give to spare him the fate that awaits him?”

“Whatever I could.”

“How interesting…” Nimm stated, thinking for a moment. “Were I to make a cure and put it in an escape pod and eject it for your so-called Jedi friends to find… would you willingly board a ship headed for Korriban?”

Without hesitation, Lo answered. “If I knew the Jedi had it, I would. I don’t affect anything, I am just a padawan. His life, however, affects many. A padawan isn’t worth the life of a master.” 

For a moment, Nimm’s eyes went blank, as Helia began talking to her through the earpiece. “Oh, that is interesting…” she tuned herself back to Lo’s words. “I would, of course, guarantee that no imperial vessel would destroy the escape pod after it is ejected. I do take pride in my creations, after all…”

“And could you make sure the Jedi get it?” Lo, though hopeful, didn’t expect things to be that easy.

“I could.” Nimm stated. “You know, you going to Korriban would be rather appropriate, did you know that?”

“What do you mean?” Lo’s snout wrinkled up at the statement.

“While your father died a traitor’s death, his crimes should not fall on you. Much would have been different in the galaxy without his aid to the Empire. As he served the Empire before that, you are technically an imperial citizen. Curious, is it not?

“No, that’s not true. That can’t be…” Lo’s eyes widened in shock.

“Helia. Put it up, would you?” Nimm said out loud. Seconds later, one of the holographic projectors activated, displaying an image of an older bothan, wearing the uniform of an Imperial Intelligence officer, with identity information and a few notes about his service record below it.

Lo’s head would’ve tilted if she could move. Her eyes found a strange, faint familiarity with it. A small tear edged from the corner of her eyes and made a dampened path down her cheek. A mixture of pain and joy swell in her, her mind noting the attachment over a simple image.

“I don’t… understand.” She struggled not to crumble.

“It is simple: Your father was a member of Imperial Intelligence. He served the Empire. Someone must have gotten to him, since he betrayed us in the end. I would hazard to guess the Republic Strategic Information Services. They are fond of threatening families to get people to do their bidding.” She paused for a moment to let it sink in before continuing. “It would explain why they shot your mother, after their asset in the form of your father had been captured.”

“This isn’t what I was told. Master Rothul told me, my father saved his life. He wouldn’t have done this. It doesn’t make sense!” Lo snapped.

“He also told you the Empire killed your mother. Do you have any evidence beyond his words for that?”

“Memories. Fragments of a blaster hitting her and her going down. A trooper…” Lo began to curl into herself, but the straps held her in place.

“It was a time of war. Millions of soldiers on both sides. Do you know how easy it would have been to acquire the appropriate armor back then?”

“No, I don’t.”

“Think about it. Imperial armor is standardized. Thousands die in single battles, many of them from causes that do not even scratch their armor.”


“...” Lo didn’t know what to say.

“I see you get the idea, even if you cannot put it into words. On one hand, you have the words of the one who abducted you, yet has shared nothing else. On the other, you have clear records that you can see of your father’s service record with the Empire. Which set of evidence is more tangible?”

“Yours.” Lo hated admitting that the Sith had given her more information than her own Master had. That caused her to realize something.

“I don’t even know your name, come to think of it.”

“No. You don’t. If you hold up your end of the bargain, I might even choose to share it with you.”

Lo shuddered, but knew it was for the best. “As long as it saves Master Rothul’s life, I will. You have my word and so far, I've been cooperative.”

“For the most part.” Nimm stated, obviously referring to certain events in the past.

“I won’t deny that. It’s hard to stay calm after my bond...”

The young bothan once more trailed off. She shifted and continued to stare in the direction her head was fixed to. With each movement, the collar continued to hold her in place.

“How did you cut off my bond with my master? That was you… wasn’t it?”

“You are not at a stage in your training where you could comprehend the nuances of what it takes to control or sever the bonds between individuals. It is not a thing the Jedi are willing to teach you. They fear its power.”

“I was taught a bond between a Padawan and Master, when developed right, was untouchable. I don’t understand how you could’ve done that…”

“The Jedi lied to you. Again.”

“Maybe they didn’t know.” Lo tried to explain it to herself, but her expression showed conflict and confusion plainly for the Sith to see.

“Oh, they know. Particularly their High Council. They just do not want their lessers to know. It is easier to keep them in line when they are ignorant.”

“Master Rothul would’ve told me if I had asked. If he knew about it.” She protested. 

“Like he answered all your other questions, no matter what they concerned?”

“He told me it was hard. I should’ve understood that. I didn’t… I didn’t know what he went through. What that Sith did to him. I wish I had left it alone now. I caused him enough pain.”

“You will find that when you get to Korriban, you will cause him more pain. At least if I choose to return your bond before you depart.” Nimm wanted Lo to understand that the bond, both its existence and its absence was in her hands now.

“In that case, I hope you don’t. It’s better he just lives and moves on.” Her voice failed to hide the sorrow and fear clawing at her.

“I am a bit curious about the other Jedi on Ryloth. My agent down there told me many things, but I would like the perspective only one of their own can give me. Who are they? What are they like?”

“Why does it spark your interest? We left Ryloth after all… unless you’re considering returning to it?”

“It would be easier to get the antidote to them if I know what they are like.”

Lo scrunched her eyes, weighing the truth of the matter. Her fingers tightened against her palm, but the strange urge to talk poked at her. The longer she ignored it, the stronger it became. In the end, she had to try and hoped it worked.

"The main individual you need to give it to is Cora Alycon. She’s human, has pretty red hair, and about ten centimeters taller than me. She could almost be a padawan if she hadn't been Master Rothul's a long time ago. She will know what to do with it, and she will make sure my Master gets it.”  

"I don't know much about Knight Barral, save she's a S-She gave off a scary aura, so I never got around to talking with her and now I likely never will."

Lo stumbled over her words, trying to pick the best ones. Her focus wavered with the fog clouding her judgement. A small pain etched into her chest, but she ignored it. Her emotions wouldn't help her here of all places.

"Knight Bec would be the next possible option. She is human, dark hair and taller than me. It's Val'ko's master. Now, he has spiky brown hair. He's athletic in build and really swee-"

Her lips snapped shut. Every inch of her tensed as she realized the information she gave had started to become overly detailed. Personal rambles now. The urge to chat returned immediately causing her to flinch and push against the table.

"I didn't mean to say that. Why can't I control my thoughts well? Is that related to what you gave me?" Her voice began to crack again.

Nimm smiled, not giving anything away. “It is nothing to be concerned about. Is it not nice to simply talk about people? You were saying how padawan Val’ko is athletic and something more, were you not? What more do you feel you can say about him? I find it interesting to study Jedi, you see.” Nimm was fairly certain that the serum would work for quite some time yet, but the exact duration varied from individual to individual and affected different species to varying degrees. She would have to be more careful about phrasing future questions, though. No truth serum existed that could make someone intentionally betray their friends.

"No, please. I don't want to answer any more questions. Why can't you answer mine?" Lo's trembling started again, unable to free herself.

She hated how the urge to talk now scared her.

“Because I am curious about your Jedi friends. I am sure there is so much more you can tell me about them. It is not as I have asked you to cause them harm.”

Lo shifted, best she could under the situation, then exhaled. She did not know if this was wise, but the Sith couldn't do much with honesty...could she? Besides, Lo knew when she boarded the ship for Korriban, it wouldn't matter anymore. Her body slacked a little as she continued.

"Padawan Val'ko and I grew up together on H'Ratth. Aside from Master Rothul, he was another that encouraged and helped me when I did not do so good during lessons. We would study together, talk about our troubles, and are very good friends."

She took a breath to clear her throat.

"After Master Rothul got upset with me during the Reel'an incident, he defended our actions. I was happy he did. Then to defuse it… he sided my master. It hurt, but I know it was only to end the fight."

“So…” Nimm stated, “You care about him?”

"Yes, I do. Jedi aren't heartless, and we do care for each other. But we also understand that if we must, we need to be willing to sacrifice ourselves or our allies for the greater good."

“There is nothing wrong about caring deeply about others. You should take opportunities when they present themselves. There is great strength to be found in passion.”

Lo wanted to look the Sith in the eyes, but her head would not budge. She let out a sigh then continued. It was not hard to admit the conversation had been far better than the torture part.

"Passion, especially too deep, can cloud one's judgement. It doesn't matter because after I board that ship, I will never see him again."

“Your lack of engagement will not serve you well in the Empire. To get anywhere, you must seize power for yourself, rather than let those more powerful than yourself dictate your world.”

“So far, all my resistance has gotten me is pain, torture, and nowhere. Would that have motivated you to work harder?” A hint of annoyance edged into Lo’s question.

“I am no stranger to pain.” She said with conviction in her voice. “Pain has made me the woman I am today: stronger and more powerful than you could possibly imagine.”

"But I'm not you. I don't draw strength from myself, I draw strength from those around me. I'm not a droid that can simply be reprogrammed to alter my training or behavior." The bothan retorted.

“You are not me, but then you are nothing but a child, inexperienced and new to this world. You will find that there are many paths to power, including those that draw on the people around you. Perhaps I will instruct your future overseer to show you exactly what it truly means to draw strength from others.” There was a cruel gleam to her eyes when she said this. “As for altering your behavior? I have already altered your behavior. What makes you think I will not alter it further?”

The young prisoner's heart bounced in her chest, rapidly fluttering from words. She didn't like how they sounded at all. Lo shifted uncomfortably against the straps, trying to keep calm. Not that it was hard.

"You haven't." Her tone strained to sound sure of herself.

“I have. You can deny it all you want, but that will not change the truth. You have taken the first steps down the path to the Dark Side. In time, you will finish your journey down the path and look back to see how much better you have become for it.”

“Never.” Lo stated, her words falling into a growl.

“Oh, but you will.” Nimm retorted. She walked behind the bothan, pressing a button on her wrist to summon the food probe droid from where it was attached to the beam. It slowly floated over, then attached itself to the left pillar supporting the prisoner rack.

Then she pulled out the tube from the droid, sticking it into the red vial, causing it to extract a small amount of red fluid. “Since you will not be released from this anytime soon, I will have to reinsert the feeding probe.” she stated, holding the needle up.

"Why are you so determined to turn me? What possible use am I to you?" Questions at the top of her head popped off again without permission. She listened to the droid move, her body tense and preparing to be stuck again.

As before, Nimm took her time pushing the needle in, both to get it in the exact position it needed to go and to give a small amount of extra pain. It had been a while since she had last used the red on anyone, and never before on a Bothan this young.

Lo fought not to wiggle or fight, her eyes closed tightly. She hissed when the needle entered her and the liquid flowed into her body. Her fingers curled into a fist as her fur crawled from the Sith's touch. She couldn't stop her lips from curling back and a winch appear on her expression.

As the Sith stepped back, her figure relaxed again.

"I recall I said I would start eating. Did you really have to stick me so hard?" Lo snarled, her mood irritated by the pain.

“The feeding probe must go into a major vein. I assume you would have preferred me searching for the appropriate vein with the needle?” Nimm asked sarcastically.

“We both know you could’ve more gentle. You still didn’t answer my questions.”

“No. I didn’t.” she said smugly. “You will have to live with that.”

“Why won’t you answer me? Is it that hard?”

“Because I see no reason to give you the answers you seek. As my prisoner, you do not decide what questions are to be answered.”

Lo’s lips curled back into a frustrated snarl. Her head pressed into the indentation as she closed her eyes a moment and took a breath. On the exhalation, she snapped her eyes open again. Trying to keep her tone steady and calm, she spoke again.

“Fine. Can you give topics I can ask about and will get answers? Or do I need to figure those out too?” 

“You can guess.” Nimm answered smugly.

“Now you’re starting to remind me more and more of Master Rothul…”

The young bothan tugged a bit at her restraints, but like she expected they held fast.

“Lord Vane taught him many things he does not realize he learned from her. Is it not ironic that a member of the Jedi High Council learned things from a Sith?”

“She didn’t teach him anything. He was tortured, over and over. Nothing can be learned when you willingly hurt another individual. She wanted nothing more than information. Not to better him.” Lo shifted some more, unable to become comfortable despite barely moving earlier.

“You could not be more wrong. Like suffering, pain is an excellent teacher. She made sure to break him in the process of extracting information, but that is merely a bonus. You will find that there is much enjoyment in hurting others.”

"Have you ever treated the wounded? Heard their cries of pain, seen the aftermath, or watched someone laying bed, unable to move? No, I doubt you have or ever will." Lo's voice rose, getting louder and louder with each statement.

"I WILL NEVER BECOME LIKE YOU. I WILL NEVER FIND ENJOYMENT IN HURTING OTHERS."

Her final statement she practically roared at the Sith Apprentice before her. A feral and aggressive expression painted on her face as she trembled in fury.

Nimm smiled to herself in a self-satisfied manner, knowing that the serum was only starting to truly affect the Bothan. “Lie to yourself all you want. I have seen it before and I will see it again. Your kind always make those claims, yet they never keep them.”

"I'M NOT LYING." Lo hollered back. Her body tugged at the table's straps and pushed against them, this time refusing to lay back down.

"I'm tired of this. I'm tired of Master Rothul's overprotective, his secrets, and I'm getting sick of you."

Her usually placid tone had become lost in the anger filling her. Heat swept though the serum's earlier calm and burned it away, leaving ashes in the wake. She could feel the desire to lash out, but she couldn't.

“And so you keep propagating the lie to yourself, just as your old master lied to you when he kept important truths from you. Unfortunately for you, you are not going to be rid of me for some time.” As she said this, Nimm walked back in front of Lo, staring into her eyes.

Catching sight of the Sith, Lo's fur bristled. It stood out and increased her figurative size. Her body continued to push at the straps that held her in place.

Her green eyes remained fixed on the woman. Anger began to give birth to hatred, the latter surging into her actions. More than anything, Lo wanted to claw the schutta's face off.

"If you do keep your side of the bargain and I'm sent to Korriban, you won't care. I will never see you again and I'll be grateful for it." The venom in her voice was undeniable now.

“You will see me again. Just to remind you of how you came to be on Korriban, I will take the time to visit. Is that not wonderful?” The look on Nimm’s face showed that she knew exactly how the young girl was feeling and that she took great pleasure in it.

"No. NO. I hate you. I HATE you so much. Just leave me alone!" Lo barely registered the words that reached the air. Though shame should've been there, but only anger seemed to exist.

“No.” Nimm stated, remaining right in front of the rather angry little girl. It was fascinating how easily affected she had been. The lack of adequate rest and her self-imposed malnourishment had severely inhibited her resistance. “I am not going to leave you alone, my pet.”

“I’m not your FRACKING PET!” Lo screamed as she tried to gesture for the crate nearby. Without warning, the collar corrected her. Her body tensed and her scream rang out. It died into a strangled cry as she slacked in the restraints, fighting to recover from the discipline. With each heavy breath, her chest rose then fell.

“That was unwise of you, my pet.” Nimm stated, not satisfied with how her pet was trying over and over to utilize the Force. “It is time for you to feel the full power of the Dark Side.”

She raised one arm, pointing it directly at Lo. With a grimace on her face, she unleashed a long blast of lightning at the prisoner. To those watching from the cockpit, it was clear that it was not comfortable for Nimm to do so.

Lo had managed to recover enough to try again, only to feel a fresh hell ripple across her body. Her eyes barely caught sight of the lightning as it streaked to hit her. A new scream of agony ripped itself from her throat. She tightly shut her eyes, trying to bare through it.

Weakness etched into her voice, her tongue dry and throat raw now. When it ended, she slumped across the table. Though Lo's mind knew it stopped, phantom sensations raced along her veins into her nerves leaving her weaker than ever before.

“I can do whatever I want to do with you, my pet. Until I send you to Korriban, you are nothing more than a pet to me, to do with as I wish. You will not use the Force except when I decide to let you use it.” At that moment, Nimm opened up a part of Lo’s bond with her master, but only in one direction, letting what the bothan felt flow towards her Jedi master. After a brief moment, she shut it back down. “I assume Dominik Rothul enjoyed the emotions you just sent him across your bond.”

"Why..why did you do that?" Lo quietly asked, her anger seething in the background.

The memory of Dominik's pain and concern washed over her. A weakened and painful touch that brought shame and poked the anger more. Now it was gone again, leaving her alone. She still wanted to lash out at the Sith, a fact that concerned her. It added a touch of fear into the anger.

“Because I could. Your bond with him is mine to do with as I wish, my pet.”

"I'm starting to realize, no matter what I do... you're going to find a new, twisted way to hurt me." Lo's eyes glared at her captor, still fighting the effects of the shock collar and Force Lightning. Weakness settled in her body, the sensation drawing her emotions to intertwine.

"I will get free of you... one day."

“And then you can take your revenge… If you are powerful enough.”

"No... it won't be revenge. I'll stop you from ever hurting anyone again." Lo continued to bare her fangs, her eyes red and flooded with heat. Her heavy breath lost in the emotions pulsing within her. Eating away her control until she spiraled in place.

“Call it what you want. Deep down, you will know that it is revenge.” The first seeds of hatred had been sown. Now they would need to be watered and nurtured until they matured. It was of no concern to Nimm that someone like this girl hated her. Chances were slim at best that the girl would ever succeed at overcoming her. Hatred would guide her down to the path to the Dark Side, one way or another.

Lo wanted to argue, but she knew it was pointless. A part of her recognized her desire rooted from the pain inflicted on herself as much as it had been on others. She just continued to glare at the woman before her.

"I'll stop you." A phrase simple and true, she let it flow into her. Whether it had pure or dark intentions, Lo couldn't be sure right now.

“I think I will let you think about that for some time. I will return later, my pet.”

The Aruk’s Cargo Hold:

Rage.

For an eternity in her mind, Lo struggled with the fury ravaging her spirit. It buried its hot claws into her and tore at her control, discarding it like some ragged robe. She fell deeper and deeper into the influence, leaving her helpless.

The whole time, she pulled and screamed against her bindings. Despite her efforts, it changed nothing. She remained trapped on the table and within the Sith's keep. As it faded, her throat became raw and dried. Tears had soaked her eyes as it ran down her fur, the weight pressing against her cheeks. Lo hung her head, her collar still fastened by the magnetic clasps, letting her loose hair drift free. The strands folded around her face shrouding the weakness from the spying holo cams.

Lo couldn’t tell when the rage faded into exhaustion, but she became grateful for it. She inhaled then exhaled, listening to the fluid flow through the tube. A steady, calming drip followed by the droid's interior whirling. The most peaceful thing here since she arrived. She knew she should sleep while she could, but her mind refused to drift into it. A small knot formed in the center of the girl’s stomach as she reflected back on the Sith's visit.

The young bothan identified the anger, frustration, and hatred within her behavior. All things she shouldn't hold onto, but she had no idea how to release it. Especially in this situation. So many questions and untrustworthy answers swam in her head, it left her dizzy and worried. The biggest question traced her thoughts. How long could she last like this?

A leering, feminine voice answered it. Not long, not long at all, my pet.

Lo frozen in place. Her breath stalled within her throat. The thought brought her fear to the front as she tried to purge it, regaining some faint composure. Last place she needed the Sith was inside her head.

Having learned something, Lo did agree with one thing during the Sith's conversation. She couldn't let the woman dictate her world. Thoughts began to go through what the bothan could do. Too exhausted to think clearly, weariness washed over her, and she began to drift off to sleep.


A breeze brushed invisible fingers across Lo's fur, pressing it against her skin. Her eyes fluttered open to bright, white sunlight. She glanced at the green grasses surrounding her. The blades also swayed with the wind's whim as if to comfort her. She inhaled recalling the sweet scent filling her up. Her body relaxed to accept everything prior had been a dream causing her to sit upright.

In the distance, her vision caught sight of the Jedi Praxeum on H'Ratth. Strangely, the relief that filled her turned into guilt. Her eyes tightened to see something dark and wispy floating from it. Driven by sheer panic, her bare feet raced toward it. Lo flew over the flat landscape, arriving shortly, to spot the carnage across the place.

Fire danced on crumbling buildings. Blacken corpses of Jedi teachers and younglings scattered upon the ground. Lightsabers clashed in the distance as the world spun around her. The gloom and bright colors smeared together. Pounding and lashing out at her with blame and remorse causing her to fall to her knees, holding her head.

no... No... NO! Lo's mind screamed at her.

"NO!" Her voice blared in her ears causing her eyes to open.

The sound echoed off the empty cargo then died out. Lo’s eyes scanned the room, realization dawning on her that everything had been a dream that twisted into a nightmare. Her breath’s heaving began to die down as her body leaned against the straps. Sweat glided from her skin into her fur, creating small matted chunks on her face. Lo blinked enough to flake off the crust from her eyelashes and clear her blurry vision. Gradually her back pressed against the table’s hard surface. The lack of physical activity caused a stiffness to enter her muscles and joints, leaving them weak.

The amusement give Lo a bitter laugh over it. Gradually the sound faded from her lips, leaving her feeling anxious again.

After a moment, she began to examine herself internally. Her eyes closed and her breathing began to slow enough to listen to her heartbeat. It had a slight irregular beat, but she expected it under these conditions. One by one, she tested her limbs against the metal restraints. Nothing appeared broken or damaged. The feeder tube continued to drip in the fluids near her collar bone, a faint reminder she had weakened herself. Something Lo intended to fix eventually.

After wrapping up her eyes scanned the cargo bay. As expected, the collar held her head in one place. Pushing down her anger, she fought to locate the visual holo cams fixed on her location. She could only make out three of four, the most visible one nested in the corner nearest her and just within her peripheral vision. The other two were more guesses than confirmations.

Lo realized she had a massive disadvantage when it came to her being able to physically escape. Bindings, the ship, and her shock collar all controlled her movements in different ways. This thinner her chances of leaving the Sith’s prison. So patience and endurance appeared to be her best choices until her situation improved.

She inhaled then exhaled. The breath strengthening her resolution as she considered her options. Lo doubted Kayda would be awake around this time and the cargo appeared to have been fixed down once more. That left her with the least ideal option: Crucitorn. It would become her strongest weapon here if she could just master it.

“Here goes nothing.” The young Bothan muttered.

Quietly she began to recite the Jedi mantra, suspecting the collar could detect certain ‘trigger’ words.

“There is no em-” When she nearly finished with the first line, her precognition tingled.

She braced as a sharp crackled sounded in her ears and the shock pulsed through her body. All her limbs tensed, shaking uncontrollably. She couldn't even scream through the pain. The scent of her singed hair filled her nostrils causing her stomach to twist in her middle. When the shock finally died, her figure slumped into the table and became still. All consciousness slipped from the young padawan while she recovered.

6 ATC, Month 9, Week 3, Day 3


Though Nimm had her crew observe the prisoner, she chose not to wake her up yet. There were many more hours to the day and an exhausted prisoner was far less entertaining. No, she would have to find other ways to hurt the prisoner after she had been given a bare minimum of rest. It had been interesting to see how she responded to the two serums given so far.

The way the truth serum worked, the prisoner would not be able to fully recall exactly how much she had said and what she had not stated. Thus, working in information from her other sources would be easy enough. She had gone back to her quarters to mediate when someone knocked on the door.

“Milady?” Helia’s voice broke through the closed door just barely. Sighing, Nimm walked over to the door, opening it.

“What do you want, Helia?” she asked, mildly annoyed at the interruption.

“I have a few thoughts about the prisoner.”

“Go on…”

“You shouldn’t send her to Korriban. She would be wasted there. We both know she is too pathetic to survive, let alone rising high.”

Not showing any outward response, Nimm inwardly agreed. The prisoner wasn’t worth much on her own. What she wondered about was where the agent was planning to take this. “And what do you suggest?”

“Cooperation from a doomed padawan is not worth the price of sparing the life of that Jedi Master.”

Nimm chuckled a little. “You did not really think I planned to give a viable cure directly to the Jedi scum, did you? Even if the girl remembers the deal—which is not too likely—my ‘offer’ is riddled with ways to ensure they never get hold of anything they can truly use.”

“I apologize, milady. I should have known better than to think you would be so foolish.”

“Yes. You should . . . . However, I sense your query has more to it?”

“Yes, milady. How much do you know about the Imperial Intelligence conditioning programs?”

“I know the basics.” Nimm answered honestly. While she had some other contacts in Imperial Intelligence, her influence over that branch of the Empire was limited at the best of times. “What about them?”

“There are certain advanced programs, highly classified and likely unknown to you, that can go far beyond simple conditioned responses. I would like to employ one of these on your pet. Once completed, it will see to it that she serves the Empire when the time is right.”

A thoughtful look appeared on Nimm’s face. “And this is reliable?”

“Entirely.” Helia smiled gleefully. “I think it would be rather fitting to have the personal apprentice of a member of the Jedi High Council forcibly serving the Empire, don’t you?”

“Yes… that would be fitting…” Nimm answered, smiling widely. “Clearly you came to me for more than this approval. What else do you need for it?”

Helia’s expression grew more serious again, “That’s the unfortunate part… Program 28 takes considerable time to run a subject through, and it doesn’t work on completely broken subjects. For Force-sensitive subjects, it is, from what I know, even more difficult. They cannot be entirely in control of themselves, but neither can they be broken.”

“Oh, that state is easy enough to maintain.” Nimm answered. “I will simply have to spread my entertainment out over a greater timeframe. It is not as if I am in any sort of hurry. You have my approval to proceed. I trust you to take care of this yourself.”

“Thank you, milady.” Helia didn’t inform her master that she had already started the process for acquiring the serum. No need to tell the Sith that.

Before departing, the agent paused for a few seconds, a bit uncertain about how her next request would be taken. “Also, milady… I’ve dreamed of seeing Lord Vane practice the art. Will it be possible to see that with my own eyes?”

Nimm glared at her underling. “Lo is my pet, not Lord Vane’s. I will let her observe and possibly provide suggestions, but she will not work on my prisoner.”

This was not the answer Helia had hoped for. “Ok. I am sorry, milady. . . I should have known better… I just hoped to see her work…” The longing was clear in her voice on the last part.

Chuckling softly, Nimm answered, “Apology accepted.” Clearly her agent was more than a little besotted by the Sith Lord’s reputation. Not something she had not seen before. “Lord Vane does have a certain talent. I will let her know you want to see her work. I am certain she will appreciate your professional interest.”

“Thank you, milady.” the agent saluted Nimm before she departed. It would not be long now before the ships jumped over to Ryloth.

~| Several days earlier |~

The plan for the Hâsk’s arrival over Ryloth had been laid. Everything had been planned, aside from one or two small nuisances… Nimm knew she would have to communicate with Ippo the Hutt. Again. She really did not like that degenerate slug. No doubt he would try to force some more terms on her forces. Or something equally foolish. Things would have been so much easier if the Empire had not needed to play nice with the hutts. But alas, that was not the case.

She stood before the communications console, then pressed the requisite buttons to initiate the transmission.

Kesi caught the beeping of the console. Alerting him to an incoming message that had been redirected from Ippo's residence to him. He sighed then placed the blaster, the insides exposed, down on the workbench. A simple press of the button flicked a woman with dark hair and bright yellow eyes, a Sith no doubt. Inwardly, he moaned but he hid it under the surface of his sour expression. Even with the protection of the Hutts, he didn't want to risk increasing his list of enemies.

Standing up in a respectful manner, he turned his blue eyes upon her. He sized her up through her posture, behavior, and other features. Swallowing to clear his thought, Kesi spoke.

"My name is Kesi Ctharcourt, I'll be the representative who will be dealing with your needs while you deal with the Jedi scum on Ryloth. I will also be the one to ensure you understand what is expected of you and to keep their interests known. If you have issues, I suggest you take it up with Harlis who will appeal to Ippo."

Kesi considered pointing out it wouldn't get her far, but wisely chose not to.  

Silently in her mind Nimm thought, ‘of course he did not answer himself…’. At the same as she was a little annoyed at the implied insult, she was also relieved, since that meant dealing with someone that likely was less of an imbecile.

“Noted, representative Ctharcourt.” Nimm answered. “What terms has your master dictated this time?” she queried. She did not for a second believe the hutt would not try to tack more terms onto their prior deal.

"First, the limitations to property damage. That includes killing off assets associated with them. This includes the local wildlife, like Twi'leks and other animals, to plant life. Some older structures should also be left intact. I don't think I need to say this, but Ippo insisted I do: No orbital bombing."

He shifted his feet to keep them from falling asleep as he continued.

"Any failure to ensure this, Ippo will be requesting compensation for lost property and damages."

“Many Sith would be quite disappointed with these restrictions and consider them excessive. I will see to it that there are no large-scale extermination processes. I expect your master understands that some are to be expected to expire when they get in the way of upholding the arrangement. It was, after all, his negligence that led to your infestation problem. I expect that he will see to it that the products ordered are still delivered?”

"It's also by his permission you're allowed to wipe them out. Otherwise, he would just hire some Mandalorians or bounty hunters for the job. And even you can't deny how dangerous some of those Mandalorians can be. It's only to keep good ties with the Empire that Ippo even allowed it." Kesi's voice hinted that he didn't agree with Ippo's decision to allow Sith on Ryloth.

He didn't openly share this fact though. The older man inhaled then continued.

"Some damage is likely necessary but it should be limited when possible. A few Twi'lek are easier to pay for than a massive genocide of a whole village, wouldn't you agree?" Kesi narrowed his eyes onto her.

“Extermination of working stock is wasteful.” Nimm answered. “As for hiring mandalorians? They have their skills, but have failed numerous times in the past in taking out Jedi. When they have succeeded, the destruction left behind has almost been admirable.”

“Besides, we both know your master approved it because he had no choice about it. He has failed to uphold his part of the agreement and his superiors could easily have him replaced if it isn’t dealt with quickly. They value the agreement with the Empire far more than they value his life.”

"I will admit, he's not got the upper hand. Neither do you. From my experience, the Hutts don't like to be pushed around. If Ippo can't handle the situation, someone will replace him, and things will change. My thoughts are simply these: Which is better? Someone you can predict, or someone you can't?" Kesi openly and bluntly hinted at how things could result in something less pleasant. He let her digest the information before he moved on.

Nimm smiled, knowing exactly what he truly meant. “You prefer having him here over someone that might actually get involved in your business.”

She could keep the verbal sparring going for much longer, but this hutt minion wasn’t that interesting. “However entertaining this is, I have more important things to deal with, like making sure my ship arrives on time on the fourth day of next week.”

"So do I, but I also don't want my superior to assume I didn't do my job. There are at least two more important things to cover which I feel are obvious, but he insisted I mention them. Most importantly, the treaty is still in effect. No traceable violations of it should be caused."

He didn't mention he suspected that already happened. The Sith were already aiming at forcibly removing the Jedi which skirted damaging those terms.

"Next any violations will be taken up with your superiors and punishment will be dealt out from them. Is that understood?"

“Your master could not care less about the treaty between the Republic and the Sith Empire. I however, do care about it. The Jedi on your planet have violated the agreement between the hutts and the Empire and must suffer the consequences that your master failed to provide. I and mine will take care of that.”

“To keep your hands clean, as agreed upon, I will see to it that the infestation is not directed towards your operations. Should they go there, I assume you will make them feel unwelcome?”

"You're right, I don't care about the treaty. However, things will become a mess if the evidence is discovered on Ryloth. That's complications best avoided for both the Hutt’s and the Empire's sanity." Kesi corrected her, knowing the Hutts operated best as a neutral party.

"As for making them unwelcome, that's not hard. A few bounties concerning information over the Jedi's location or allies should help. It puts them on their toes and makes them question who they can trust. Might even turn some of their 'allies' against them." The man decided on the lighter hand of creating chaos rather than risk interfering with the Sith's efforts.

"It also doesn't risk creating too much issue with your efforts. Getting rid of the Jedi is an important priority and aid is available." His voice hinted at her making suggestions without saying it out loud.

“Some bounties could be useful. If only to annoy the Jedi scum.” Nimm liked that idea of his. “Once my associates and their underlings arrive it could be convenient to have an out-of-the-way facility to utilize. Would you happen to have an unused one in the region the infestation is located?”

Kesi paused a moment then moved toward the edge of the screen. He pushed in a few numbers on the panel and pulled up a list. His fingers run down the names before settling on a single one.

"The Hutts have some 'unregistered' property, a written-off one is located here. I'll send the coordinates to you through my own means. This makes it less traceable back to the Hutts." Ippo wouldn't punish him if he was discovered. Instead, the Hutt would assign him to Twi'lek trapping for a month then they would move on.

"I suggest modifying it only as needed and leave no hard traces. I will be honest, it's in poor condition, but it also makes it questionable over who currently owns it. If the Jedi passed by it, I doubt they would consider it inhabited."

“A derelict structure should be adequate.” Nimm answered. “It would not do for the Jedi to learn of the agreement.”

“Fewer issues for the Hutts or the Empire means fewer issues for the other. That much we can agree on. Any other questions or can we call this meeting to an end? I believe neither of us wants to continue to waste each other’s time more than necessary.” 

“We can.” Nimm answered, terminating the call.

~| Present day |~

Ippo glared down at his minion, Kesi. “The moment the Empire ship comes, I want the Sleemo Bantha moved into orbit above my palace!”

"I've already got a 'suggestion' on doing that." Kesi didn't mention who had given it, as Ippo would've already known.

"I've already contacted them the day after to be on standby for Ryloth. At this point, they are no longer waiting on orders and will be here within a week." He added, not including that he didn’t specifically state to the captain to be above the palace.

“Good.” Ippo answered. “Leave me.”