| abstract
| - Landing Pad 91 - Cloud City Ships wishing to land on the floating, disc-shaped "city in the sky" are handled by Bespin Security (Wing) Guard from the Security Tower. Bespin Motors Storm IV twin-pod cloud cars are dispatched to guide space traffic through the proper landing lanes around the floating metropolis. Most landing traffic is directed to the public landing pads scattered on the outskirts near the median levels of the city. The public landing pads are alive with activity in a section of the City known as Port Town. This area is a large, open air platform with ample room to accept everything from fighters and small craft to capital class cruisers. Each holds a few ships which could be performing any number of tasks. A wide variety of all races, especially droids, do the bulk of the work out here. This mix is reflected throughout the city. The city beyond reaches further up into the sky in a combination of towers and spires. It also encompasses the massive structure below. Occasional gusts of wind blow in a easterly direction as a reminder that the environment isn't as friendly as the pictures of the beautiful sunsets, and puffy orange clouds would indicate. Shuttling down from the Kolier's orbit seemed the more logical choice for the young woman. Bespin might allow a Corvette to land, but it might draw unwanted attention, and that was never something Arissa wanted. Instead, the larger ship was hailing outgoing ships under the guise of trying to gain a job escorting the ore or civilian ships leaving the system. As the shuttle touches down, and the boarding ramp lowers, the purple and brown haired woman makes her way off and then heads towards the Central Hub. Bespin was far off the normal routes and travels of the Imperial and Republic fleets. It was once the sight of a large event under the Lord Vader, but had fallen back to the quiet and unassuming style of living just as quickly. It was the perfect choice for a meeting, yet Arissa had no idea what was in store. Yet, here she was, moving up the ramp way higher into the sky Arissa falls in step with a few droids. Imperial Navigation Beacons record a lot of information. Make of the craft accessing the beacon, transponder, next destination point. All of these come in quite useful when tracking down someone that does not want to be tracked. It is thus that the Corellian Gunship Dies Irae bearing the Imperial Warlord to the fringes of Imperial space was dispatched. Plains clothed crewmembers stand hooking the vessel up to shore power and fuel charging stations as they go about the process of taking on provisions. Vassily Korolov stands on a balcony overlooking the starport. Beside him the current Baron-Administrator stands, "It would appear that she has arrived. Have your stations security forces do nothing to apprehend her. “The uniformed officer nods in response, "Of course, my Lord. They will of course keep you updated as to her location at all times." The Warlord smiles slightly as he pulls the cowl of his cloak over his head, shrouding his face in dark shadows as he moves back from the balcony, into the governor's office before making his way into the city properly. Moving deeper in the hive that is Cloud city, Arissa's violet eyes play back and forth over the few people she passes by. A Cryptic message has brought her to the mining city, her curiosity might have gotten the better of her on this one, but it never over comes training. She suspects she is being watched, but does nothing to prevent that. If this person wanted to talk, she would do nothing to scare him away. Passing passageways and connecting halls nothing out of place catches her eye. Pausing for a moment, she runs her fingers through her thick hair. Taking a deep breath she exhales it quickly through her nose, and decides to turn left. "Where is this guy" she mumbles to herself. The message said, that the person had information she was searching for. Had one of her feelers finally stuck pay dirt? Or was this a wild goose chase, or worse a trap. He was a bit surprised she had come. He stands about 25 meters behind her now, different than most of the pedestrians in the area, but not enough to stand out at least not yet. He reaches out with the force, sensing emotions as his lips curl into a smile. He holds a small code cylinder in his gloved hands, his thumb working deftly over the interface point as he thinks about the information it contained. Industrial Hub -- Cloud City The industrial hub of Cloud City is the nerve center for the tibanna gas mining that is the primary business of the city. However, it's also the home of Bespin Motor's production lines, which makes high quality air speeders for use on Bespin and around the galaxy. Another prospering business is Cloud City Industries, which produces machined instruments for starships of all types. Below this level are the tibanna refineries, as well as the massive repulsors which keep Cloud City aloft. There's a low pulse in the grated floor here from the machines below, the soft yellow glow under the slotted deckplates giving a warm glow to everything. Lights are kept lowered here to accommodate for the ugnaughts who are the primary workers here, their eyes more sensitive to light than humans. For some reason she seemed drawn to the industrial hub of the city, if ever there was a seedy area, that's where information would be peddled. The lowered lights and large crates made it easy to hide out, or just go unnoticed. Stopping in the near center, Arissa decides to make her stand here. If this was a trap, she would fight and use the surroundings best she could. If it was legit then for both the seller and the buyer's sake, this was the perfect location. Either way, the tall woman's emotion boiled under the surface, though she presented a cool exterior. Stepping out of the lift, the Imperial Warlord steps out, the lack of people around the area brings the event to a head as he wraps his fingers around the hilt of his force pike, flicking the powered charge handle he steps out of the shadows, "It would seem that you took advantage of my hospitality and tried to access things that a Privateer captain should not have, Arissa Kiiko." The smell of ozone is heavy in the air as he reaches up to release the catch on his cloak letting it fall to the floor around him, "It would seem that we have a problem." Spinning around, the action lifting her hair and causing the beads to click together, the woman looks like a wave in motion. So it was a trap, and perfectly planned. There was only one small mistake a pirate always expects a trap. The realization of who was speaking hit her quickly and a grim determination set in as Arissa shifted back the long coat she had worn on this little adventure. She had a force pike herself, but there again she had a feeling this was not about to be a fair fight, and pulled out her blaster taking dead aim at the Imperial Warlord, 'Well now, I don't remember your Commodore saying I /couldn't/ access files' she stated firmly Vassily's lips curl into a sublime smile as she draws her blaster, "You should put that away before you get hurt." He gives her another choice before taking more forceful measures, “An invitation for hospitality does not mean one should go opening up cupboards and dresser drawers." A thought flashes through his mind briefly before he takes a step forward, "You have forced my hand in this regard." "I was just about to say the same thing" Arissa says. Korolov had snapped the Force pike to life, and thus threatened the Captain of the Kolier. She had no wish to fight the Imperial Warlord, but then again she had no wish to die. Not until she could look her betrayer in the eye, and watch the life drain from them. She wanted to smell the last breath the person who left her for dead would ever draw. And no one, not even the Supreme commander of the Empire's military was going to stop her. Gritting her teeth, the trigger finger pulled backwards, and then a bright flash emitted from the muzzle of the pistol. She had shot at him, how quaint. He could feel the rage boiling up in the back of his throat; however there would be time for that later, dodging the blaster bolt was the first endeavor. HE times his movement with the blaster bolts inbound trajectory, stepping neatly out of the way as it passes by him. His movements were obscenely fast to those who did not posses his same unique abilities. As the bolt moves past him he reaches out with the force, tearing the weapon from her grasp and flinging it across the platform, "No more of that. You are Echani, it's time to act like it." Snorting, Arissa watches as her blaster goes spinning across the room, and out of reach. Sweeping back the other side of her coat she pulls the force pike from under the long coat. Pushing the power button, the pike hmmms to life. For the life of her, Arissa couldn't understand what the warlord was trying to prove, and toying with her life was far from her idea of fun. Still, if it was a battle he wanted he was in for one. Lowering her stance, she brings the pike to angle forward and sweeps her other hand back. Bent at the knees, she appears to be in a position to surf. Vassily shuffle steps as he moves forward, raising his pike above his head as he goes on the offensive, he was an Echani master in his own right, without the benefits of the midi-chlorians flowing through his veins. His expression narrows as he thrusts his pike at the woman. This battle was going to take a while, weather she would prove worthy of the plans he has in mind for her or not, would be determined over the next few hours. The attack was lazy and sloppy, and pointed. It took a master to make skill look like a mistake and Arissa knew it. Her father had often done similar move when she was young, back then she would have been cocky and over confident. No, he was testing her defense and looking for holes in it. She was going to show him some too, just not yet. Flicking her wrist, the half Echani woman deflects Korolov's attack, and spins around him in a sweeping motion. She doesn't attack yet, letting him come to her. Again she resumes the same surfing position. The warlord spins, dropping to a crouch and bringing his pike in a sweeping strike aimed at the woman's legs, by the time his pike is approaching he is already moving into a defensive stance to regain his feet. He could fight with the weapon with one hand as easily as two. His eyes focus on the woman's face, watching her reaction. He would learn a lot about her personality by how she handles her weapon, the true genius of Echani martial arts is that the technique was merely only a conduit, the real combat was in the battle of wits that took place between strikes. The Warlord was starting off slow, his moves basic and familiar from years of training even before she joined the royal ranks. But that was long ago, and she served no master now. She could have stepped out of the way of the strike, but instead she bent her wrist again, and let his pike connect with her own. It was like a dance, this fighting and less about power and more with subtle decisions and strikes. The common move was to slide the pike up the enemy's and connect with the hand. But, Arissa was more experienced than that, and as she switches hand holding her own pike she stepped over his stopped pike. The motion of spinning around she wheeled her arm up, a spinning arm bar. Keeping her pike in a defensive position between her body and his own weapon. She had skill, he had to admit, but she would never have been guardsmen if she weren’t capable. He changes tactics and launches a savage attack at her midsection with the butt end of the pike, its weighted pack would be more than enough to throw her off of her stance. He reveals more of his own nature, the extreme skill tempered by moments of pure rage as his lips curl into a savage smile. The pure savageness of Korolov's new attack causes her to re-step, it was a quick flip and it spoke volumes towards his mindset. She knew there was no way to stop the full force of his rage. Hit and be hit was going to be this move. Protecting her soft midsection and fragile ribs was key, Arissa lifted her leg and took the punishing blow on her outer thigh. The heavy end biting into her flesh, grunting slightly, Arissa brought her own pike butt down on top of his now exposed hand before spinning back and returning to a defensive position. So, Korolov liked his enemies wounded, slow so he could toy with them, it was cruel and sadistic and fitting. Still, Arissa was not about to be fully at his mercy. She wasn't quiet as fast as the Master, nor as strong, but she had a plan. Spinning again out of the way of his attack, she uses the tip of her own pike to lift his up just enough. Sliding his pike the length of his own pikes shaft, the powered end aiming towards his fingers. In the action of spinning however she slips ever so slightly, a move that causes her to dip, her right arm lifting and exposing her ribs. Korolov twists his wrist, swinging his pike away as he spins away from the powered tip sliding up towards his face, as she exposes her ribs he raises a knee, aiming to drive his kneecap into her side, not hard enough to break ribs but more than enough to take the wind out of her sails. She was a quite adept fighter, then again, all guardsmen were, but he knew the flaws in Royal Guard training as well, when emotion takes over for reason, technique can lose ground to sheer brutality. Korolov's flying knee connects with the ribs, it was painful yes and it was exactly what Arissa wanted. Wrapping her free arm under the leg she pins it to her body. Her breath exploded from her lungs, but she remains focused. Bringing her hand holding the pike over his now trapped leg, she twists hard and lifts up slightly trying to take the larger man off balance, at the same time she snaps his weight forward driving the man down towards the floor. Indeed, he was going to lose his balance, but he was quite agile for his size and lets her keep his leg trapped. He propels himself with his free leg, twisting with her movement but brings his other knee hard and fast towards the side of her head. He slams the head of his pike into the ground to use it for stability as he lets her earlier moment propel the both of them towards the ground. It was a risk, but a move she had done countless times before. He was damn good, there was no doubt, and his age and experience aided him well. She was not going to win, she knew it, or at least not in a fair fight but that was part of the dance. Adding more force to her forward motion, she lets go of his leg, and rolls forward into a summersault. Tucking under, she swings the pike back towards the falling man as she passes over. It wasn't an aimed blow, just a sweeping action. Her momentum brings her to the ground and she rolls forward, springing to her feet, her breathing is hard and sweat drips from her brow. Here is where the Sith lord's response defies even the laws of gravity as he spins through the open sky, narrowly avoiding the barbed tip of the Force Pike from piercing his thigh. He lands gracefully as he draws his pike back up to a ready position. His once brown eyes are almost golden as the Dark Side consumes him. His body shifts as he lowers the powered tip of his pike as he moves in to attacking range again. "Son of a ..." The woman mutters and she levels her pike with both hands, aiming it so it's charged tip is angled towards Korolov as he charges. "I accept your surrender" she calls out. For most of the fight Arissa has remained on the defensive, poking and prodding for Korolov's weakness and holes in his attacks. Largely, she has been unsuccessful at finding anything to work with. As Echani she was getting to know the darkness, rage and power that drove the Warlord. As a woman fighting for survival, she was getting to know nothing but the future of her own death. "Things are not always as they seem." He exhales before planting his pile again and using it to vault into a flying kick aimed at the woman's chest. She was tough and quick and that he admired but to find out how she reacted while fighting on fatal ground was equally important. He reaches out with the force probing the dark shadows around her consciousness, intent on peeling apart the clever veil she had woven for herself. The tiny hairs on the back of Arissa's neck lift, though she is only marginally aware of it as Korolov probes her emotional state. For the most part she is collected and focused, but buried deep are the feelings of just touching the fringes of her mind, fear and strangely enough regret. Korolov seemed to like going to the air, it was a different way of attack, and one that Arissa wasn't fully ready for. Shifting her weight forward, she removes one hand from the force pike as she turns into the attack. Her hope was to impale the trailing leg in the meaty part of the muscle and duck the flying kick. The result was far from what she hoped. The heel of Korolov's boot land hard against Arissa's chin. Some of the force is dissipated by the angle at which he connected, however he managed to take her clear off her feet. Landing hard on her back, she can already feel the warm trickle of blood oozing from her mouth. Rolling over she crawls backwards, trying to gain distance to recover. She has no idea if she landed any blows. As Arissa recovers the Sith lands, his body perpendicular to hers and the pike stretched out along his back behind him, his left hand palm out towards her as his expression tightens. " You fight well." He offers in an odd way of complementing the woman as she bleeds. "Let's see what else you have in you, shall we?" As she scrambles to her feet, Arissa sweeps her left hand along her boot pulling out a vibro-blade, holding it in a reverse grip, she wields the force-pike with her right hand. The woman’s arms make small circles and she side steps around the Warlord. The Echani and Firrerreo cultures battling inside the woman, to fight or flee. She has a purpose still, and for that she fights. Spitting out a mouthful of blood, it is instantly forgotten as it lands on the floor. The violet eyes watch her tormentor's body, reading the movements and waiting on the attack. As the woman draws the knife, the Imperial smiles. He spins again, the pike moving almost as an extetion of his being as his wrist twists, the head of the pike spinning around as his weapon takes aim at Arissa's arm. His will is focused intently on the conflict at hand, his eyes observing her movements, while other senses probe the woman's spirit, seeking any hint that she could be flawed. Slashing downward, Arissa catches the blow on the blade of the vibro-knife. Using her leverage and the hilt of the knife she attempts to force his pike to the ground. "Errrach" she grunts as she puts her back into it, and then swings the force pike forward snapping it down towards Korolov's exposed forearm. Flashing her teeth, the are red with the blood that still flows in her mouth. Sweat drips from her forehead and face. Arissa's spirit remains strong, but her mind is on survival. If Korolov is looking for flaws, she is far from the perfect warrior. She /wants/ to live still, she is not giving in to the thought that to hold back is to be weak. She needs to live. The warlord's thoughts go to many things as the two spare, for a half-breed she is quite capable. It is clear to him why she was chosen to be Royal Guard when ordinarily those differences would have been enough to keep her out. He smiles at the coppery tang of blood fills his enhanced senses, almost like a carnivorous beast he grins as she parries his pike and ripostes with her own weapon, however a force pike could not be easily controlled with one hand and the Sith takes advantage, reaching about 10 centimeters below the power head, Vassily grabs the black shaft of the weapon and tugs it, intent on dislodging it from the woman's possession. As Korolov pulls, Arissa goes on the attack for the first time in earnest. Turning her vibro-blade ninety degrees she slides it along the inside of the warlord's pike the sharp blade moving towards his fingers. Lowering her shoulder she accelerates towards the man's open chest, her quick steps adding force to the blow should it land. Korolov turns his wrist in the same effort, dropping his pike as he flings hers across the room. This does leave him open to catch the full force of her shoulder against his chest as he is knocked back, momentarily loosing his footing. Arissa keeps her footing as the Warlord falters. She knows he'll be up in a second and she has only moments. Using her toe, she flips the Warlord's pike up and catches in mid-shaft, safely below the still active tip. The motion only takes a second and she kicks hard a his calf, before she turns and does something a Royal Guard would never do. She runs. Vassily catches himself, landing in a crouch, as the woman begins to run. His stoic expression shifts to a frown. He lets the energy build for a moment before springing after her. Reaching down to his hip, he draws a small black and silver cylinder, fingers wrapping around it tightly as he begins to pursue her. Long strides carry the woman through the transecting passageways and hallways. Arissa takes random turns making no choices letting 'feelings' lead her right or left. A she moves both her long coat and hair flow behind her, the latter like brown and purple streamers. As she moves, she tucks the knife into her belt and folds the warlord's liberated force pike into the now exposed holster. She doesn't hazard a look back, but knows she is being followed. The Sith warrior is a predator in every aspect of the word. He has locked his senses on the woman and moves in pursuit. He is in good shape as he does not allow the woman's attempts to throw him off of the trail stop him. He leaps out of her sight to a higher level catwalk, pursuing her as he pulls the shadows to him. There was something quite exotic about her, though potentially dangerous. The thought makes the warlord's smile return as his vision narrows, the force guiding his pursuit. Her paces never slows as she weaves through the light pedestrian traffic, one unlucky man can't seem to move fast enough and steps directly in front of the woman. Arissa tries to move to the left but still strikes the man with her shoulder, sending him spinning and crashing to the ground in a heap of datapads. The collision slows the sprinting Captain a bit, and opens back up the wound in her mouth. The slowdown is enough time for the Sith to close the distance. Like a space assault trooper as he lands less than a meter in front of her, the cylinder is held out to the side as he smiles at her, "I would never have taken you for a runner, Captain Kiiko. You are much stronger than that." He makes no more offensive moves at the moment but watches to see how she reacts. Halting As soon as she can, Arissa's violet eyes lock with Korolov's now yellowish ones. "There are two ways of exerting one's strength. One is pushing down, the other is pulling up" she pants, her words coming through the breaths. Her mind however is running through all the passages she went by thinking of options. She needs to buy herself some time and get to the Kolier. The Sith's lips curl slightly, showing his white teeth, " Aww, I was just beginning to have fun. You are having fun, aren't you captain?" His gaze flicks over her shoulder before he locks eyes with her, reaching out with his freehand to touch her, "Your thoughts betray you. The passage way two blocks back will not take you to your ship. It is a dead end." He laughs slightly at that as he draws his hand back, "Are you scared of me, Captain?" Narrowing her eyes, Arissa takes a moment to spit again. "Oh yes, fun...that's what I'm having" She interjects. Frowning slightly at the ease at witch the Sith probes her mind, she only thinks that he must really be having fun. But then again, how often does one get to hunt another, Arissa surmises if she ever gets her prey cornered, she'd feel the same. "I'm not scared of you, personally Lord Korolov" If he was back to using honorifics, she could do that game as well. "I'm not a big fan of what you represent to me at the moment though" the answers are truthful enough "What do I represent to you?" He clips the lightsaber to his belt and folds his arms across his chest. His expression narrows as he focuses his attention on her. "You are a very intriguing being, Arissa Kiiko." He shifts his stance slightly, letting bruised muscles relax for the moment, there would be pain later but for now the force and adrenaline stave it off. Arissa doesn't relax, she wants very badly to be off Bespin and on her way. She had risked much entering the Imperial Database, and been found out. She didn't regret it, just wished she had planned things out more. But, it was what it was. Eyeing a junction box on the wall next to her, she makes sure to notice lots of other objects as if just looking for things in case Korolov is still in her head. "Failure" and just as the words leave her lips she swings her arm up, and fires the small wrist rocket striking the power box. The lights flicker for a second and then the area goes completely dark. As the lights go out the Sith just grins, "We will see you again soon, Arissa Kiiko." e could easily follow her. The Force gives him the ability to move in pitch black darkness as easily as in broad daylight, but he does not pursue her. it is much easier to just follow her this way." He lifts his comlink as soon as she is gone, "Order the Gunship powered up, I will be returning to Coruscant as soon as possible. Inform the Emperor that I will report as soon as I have dropped out of hyperspace." As darkness envelopes her, Arissa wastes no time in making her escape. Through a exhaust duct and into a parallel corridor, she reaches the spaceport and the Kolier. The ship was ready, and was about to leave as per her instructions, but she made it just in time. Making her way to the bridge, she body begins to ache in places she had forgotten she had. The last words she heard still echoing in the woman's mind. "We will see you soon..." those would haunt her dreams for the next few nights. "I'm sure you will.." she says to no one "Hopefully not before I have my revenge" "What was that Capt'n?" One of the crew asks. "I was a trap, Jut...it was a trap" Arissa answers as the Kolier jumps away.
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