Destiny Entwined

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Destiny Entwined

Post by Gonesolo »

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WARNING - THREAD CONTAINS MATURE CONTENT THAT MAY BE UNSUITABLE FOR YOUNGER READERS
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PROLOGUE

Location: Naboo local space
Time line: 21 Years before ANH.
Further history see: Jedi Trilogy III

A number of garbage and salvage scows work in Naboo orbit. The small fleet of tugs and scows slowly recovers what remains of the Dark Messiah, a ship that just days before had threatened to destroy Naboo's largest city Theed. Now all that remained of the capitol ship was the thousands of pieces of debris that now littered Naboo local space. The new queen had quickly arranged for the clean up of the surrounding system, lest the debris become a hazard to local shipping or worse enter the planet's atmosphere becoming an even more dangerous threat. Such was the speed of the organisation of the clear up effort that anybody who had experience piloting any type of tug was drafted in to help.

On board one of the many scows scavenging the remains was a young man, Karl Balgor. Balgor was a young man, early twenties, his thick bushy brown hair covered mostly by the cap he wore on his head. Over his right eye was a scar from a shallow wound and his right arm was an obvious cybernetic replacement. He cautiously moved his scow through the debris littering the system collecting the parts and secretly hoping to find something out of the ordinary in this pile of scrap, something perhaps he could sell and make his fortune. Casually he guided the small scow through the debris field, suddenly his warning console beeped startle him back to reality from his day dream.

"Oh frell it!" he exclaimed as he looked at his readouts "Another jam!"
With a heavy sigh he pulled himself out of his seat and exited the small one man cockpit and entered the scows collection area in the rear. He punched a few buttons and sealed the outside bay and proceeded to attempt to clear the mangled wreckage from the scows workings. A large sheet of metal had gotten wedged in the collector and he pulled hard to get it free but it refused to budge. He was quickly loosing his temper and he pulled at the metal with all his strength. The metal came free and he fell, sprawling, onto the slime covered deck.

Slowly he pulled himself up from the ground and started to brush the slime and dirt from his cover-alls. He noticed something glinting on the deck plate, barely poking out from some tarnished hull plating. Cautiously he bent down and cleared away some debris. Slowly he revealed two metal cylinders, well polished and cleaned, one of the cylinders was decorated with the royal symbol of Naboo. He picked the two cylinders up and slowly the realisation dawned on him that he held in his hand two Jedi's light-sabres. He gazed at the two devices for a moment and weighed them in his hands, they contained almost no weight but he knew in the hands of a trained Jedi they could be deadly. As he studied the second blade he noticed something else, a small damaged data pad. Curiously he bent down and retrieved the data pad, casually brushing the dirt from the cracked display he started to browse through the contents of the data pad. A lot of the information on the pad was beyond recovery and a lot of what was left appeared to be personal diary information. With a slight pause to consider the moral implications of delving into some one's private thoughts he continued to browse through the information on the pad.

The Diary entries were for a woman called Ariane Nevar who from the data entries he could work out that she was a Jedi. The entries appeared to detail her last days when she and her friends struggled against a mad man called Perem. The diary entries were detailed and long and were made religiously at the end of each day. The last entry was made the day before the Dark Messiah had been destroyed in orbit of Naboo. As Karl browsed deeper into the data pad he found an encrypted section which appeared to be intact. Curiosity getting the better of him he searched the cargo hold and pulled out a black case. Opening it he revealed a number of slicer's tools, he quickly got to work on the device.

After a protracted amount of time and many failed attempts he managed to access the encrypted section. He found two entries buried in the devices memory. One was a personal letter to an Ariane Kaxsan who the writer referred to as her daughter, he quickly browsed the contents and moved on to the second file. The second file peeked his interest as it contained the location co-ordinates of a disguised corvette and the command codes for the corvette. Quickly he downloaded the information and pocketed the data pad, pausing just long enough to also retrieve the two lightsabers he returned to the cockpit and piloted the scow back to the main hanger and then hired a shuttle from a rental port on Naboo with his earnings and left the project and was not heard from again.

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WARNING - THREAD CONTAINS MATURE CONTENT THAT MAY BE UNSUITABLE FOR YOUNGER READERS
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Post by Gonesolo »

Location: Deep space near the outer ring
Time line: 13 Years before ANH.

A YT1300 freighter speeds through hyperspace enroute to a secluded location. The freighter is old and has seen much action, blaster marks are visible on the hull of the freighter as she speeds through the azure swirl of hyperspace. In the cockpit of the freighter an astrometric droid is attached to the command console making minute changes to the ships course. The droid works for a few moments and then unplugs from the ship's navigational array, he stops and stares out the cockpit view ports for a few moments before turning and returning to the rear of the ship.

The droid trundles towards the rear of the ship, stopping short of the engine room he turns and a door opens in front of him. A sparsely furnished room opens out before him. In the middle of the room a large single sized bed takes up the majority of the room floor space. A young girl of about 8 years of age sits on the bed, she slowly brushes her long, flame red, hair. She looks up as the droid enters the room and smiles.

"Hello R5!" she stops what she is doing and puts the brush down on the bed, "I've been looking around the room and found this picture," she picks a holo frame up from the bed and shows it to the little droid. The picture is of a young red haired woman and a Bothan male.

"Who are they R5?" queries the little girl

The droid paused for a moment before he whistled a low drawn out reply. The young girls face changed and a look of pain graced her countenance.

"My.... my parents. These are my parents?"

R5 whistled a sorrowful reply.

"I wish I'd known them!" whispered the girl as she stared at the picture.

Suddenly the little droid started beeping excitedly and spinning on the spot before he exited the room beeping and whistling loudly. The girl, a little confused put the picture down on the bed and started to follow the little droid. He guided her through the engine room on the freighter and into the corridor on the other side, he passed the first door and stopped at the second. He paused for a moment for the girl to catch up and then proceeded into the room. Cautiously the little girl followed.

Inside was a small but fairly well stocked medical bay, a single person bacta bed was against the far wall and numerous medical supplies were neatly stored in glass front cabinets. In the center of the room energetically conversing with R5 was a medical droid. The two stopped as the little girl entered the room.

"Hello miss Ariane!" Stared the medical droid "I am 1-5A and I served your mother for many years. Her death was a source of true sorrow!"

The girl was a little overwhelmed and she studied the droid cautiously, she was unsure of 5A but was comforted by the fact that R5 seemed comfortable with the medical droid.

1-5A turned and opened a cabinet behind him and took out a 2 inch long data crystal.

"What is that?" Queried the little girl

"This, young Ariane is your mothers gift to you. This crystal contains all your mothers knowledge and training, her last request be that this be passed to you after her death. We are unsure at what point the recording stopped but we do know the data is intact. While your parents and your adopted parents fought to save Naboo R5 busy recovered the details required to give you these memories!"

The droid gently put the crystal in the young girls hand, Ariane stared at the red data crystal, how could something so small hold so much information. The light caught the edge of the crystal and it sparkled lightly in the light of the medical bay.

"I must warn you Miss that we have never done this procedure before and it carries a certain level of risk. The final decision is yours!"

Ariane pondered for a moment, what risks could their be? They were talking about implanting her mothers memories into her, she could stop being her and become her mother. Although the situation did offer her a chance to know her mother, who she was, what she had fought and died for and who her father was. There were so many unanswered questions and now she held the answers in her hand. She smiled a wiry smile at 5A as she gently handed the data crystal back to the droid

"Lets do it!"

1-5A helped the child Ariane onto the bio bed as she an R5 started to prepare for the transfer. After 30 minutes of preparation Ariane was asleep on the bed and the two droids were ready to start the procedure. They turned to face the young girl asleep on the bed, in her arms cuddled tight was a stuffed toy that her adopted mother, Inara had bought her when she was three years old. 1-5A looked worried at the child and then at R5.

"I'm worried about her R5, what if her mothers memories over ride her personality. We could loose her!"

The little droid beeped a cautious reply.

"You are right if the procedure goes ok and we give her the proper time and help to absorb the new memories she should be ok! Ok lets begin then!"

A few hours later the two droids stopped working and the transfere was complete, Ariane lay perfectly silent on the bio bed, still clutching her stuffed toy.

"Well thats it the procedure was a success!" started 5A as he started to power down the machine used to make the transfer, "Now we wait. The young miss will need time now. Time to sort out her new memories from her own! It is a good thing we are returning to Pretence for an epoch the solice will do her good."

R5 beeped and agreed with his friend as a red light started to flash on the medical console.

"Looks like we are coming out of hyperspace my friend!" commented 1-5A "You had better get back to the cockpit.

As R5 trundled out of the medical bay 1-5A gently pulled the covers to keep the sleeping child warm.
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Post by Gonesolo »

R5 arrived back in the cockpit as the count down timer on the hyperspace engines entered the last 10 seconds to normal space. Silently R5 plugged into the ships computer and pulled the ship quietly out of hyperpspace and back to the black solitude of real space. The ship quickly decelerated and came to an almost complete stop, drifting on inertia only. R5 intialised the ships scanners and scanned the region.

The scan took a few minutes and once it was complete R5 was cofused by the results. The system scan showed no contacts in the region. R5 ran the scan again to be sure but the results where the same. R5 was now perplexed but refused to give up he widened the scope of the scan. This time the scan found what he was searching for. The Pretence was almost a system away from where she was suppose to be. Her engines were running on a low setting and the ship was almost ambling on her current course. R5 quickly adjusted the freighter's course and engaged the engines. With a quick blast the ageing freighter accelerated after the crawling Pretence!

A few minutes later the Dark Hunter slowed as she approached a large asteroid, in the cockpit R5 transmitted a command code and suddenly a crack of light emerged from the side of the asteroid as a hanger bay door opened. R5 expertly guided the freighter into the hanger and gently put the ship down as the hanger doors closed behind the freighter. With a robotic sigh R5 unplugged himself from the ship navigational array and trundled back down the corridors of the ship. Slowly the gangplank opened and R5 started his way down, whistling to himself as he did so.

Suddenly four men appeared at the base of the gang plank, R5 stopped in his tracks as he saw the men.

"What the frell!" called one of the men "Quick blast it!"

A hail of blaster fire impacted around R5 as he hurriedly tried to reverse back up the gangplank, he never made it. The second volley of blaster fire found their target and struck R5 as he hastly tried to retreat. His domed head exploded in a shower of sparks as his internal systems fried and his burnt out hulk stopped dead on the freighters gang plank.

"Get it aboard and search the rest of the ship!" ordered one of the men.

The other team members, 8 in all spread out through the ship searching all areas. The result was the same when they reached the medical bay as 1-5A was reduced to a smoking hulk like R5, whose burnt out frame was left in the corridor of the freighter!

The leader of the team stayed outside the ship listening to the reports on the radio, his com link cracked to life as one of the teams reported in

"Eh Sir you may want to come up here!"

"Very well I'm on my way!" he snapped stridding confidently up the gangplank, he quickly passed through the engine room and out the other exit door. As he approaced the door to the medical bay he could see the three team members standing at the door, weapons trained at something or someone inside.

"What is it?" he commanded as he reached the door but the soilder just pointed. Inside the medical bay sleeping soundly, still clutching her stuffed toy, the child Ariane lay on the bio bed. He paused for a moment as he contemplated the situation.

"Take her to the captain!" he commanded before turning on his heal and walking away.

The three soilders moved inside and roughly pulled the girl down from the bed, the violent movement shock her awake. Still drowsy Ariane looked up at the men and then immediatly called out for R5 and tried to run from the room. But one of the men grabbed her arm, acting out of instinct she grasped his arm and threw him across the room where he slammed hard into the wall. The second man charged her but she quickly side stepped his charge and jump kicked him in the face knocking him sprawling. The third man raised his rifle and fired and she slumped on the ground. Slowly the other men pulled them selves from the floor.

"Quite the trojan horse aint she?"

"Those were Teras Kasi combat moves guys, she's about 8 years of age. You want to tell me how the frell an eight year old child learns that level of Teras Kasi?"

"Who cares lets just let the captain decide what to do with her!"

Two of the men bent down and roughly picked the young girl off the floor and dragged her through the ship. Behind her lying on the floor lay her stuffed bear that Inara had bought her.
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Post by Gonesolo »

Deep within the silent corvette a man sits at a large wooden desk, he's reading a datapad which he is holding in an obvious cyberhand. He pauses for a moment as he takes a cup up from the desk and puts it to his mouth, the cup hovers for a moment just short of his lips as he reads a detailed report section on the pad in his metalic hand as he finished he puts the cup to his mouth and takes a long drink. The small computer system beeps in front of him and he puts the pad and the drink down to address the new interuption. On the screen a report flicks up, the man reads through the report and the expression on his face changes as he reads down. The report is from the on board security teams about a YT-1300 which docked earlier and has now been boarded and prisoners taken, security were now bringing the prisoners to him.

Silently the man turns off the display and sits back in his chair again taking his cup with him. He ponders for a moment and turns his chair to face out the large plexi-glass view port behind his desk. He raises the cup to his mouth but stops just short as he turns to his desk and puts the cup down on the large wooden desk. He stands up from his desk and walks over to a painting on the wall, moving the painting reveals a safe built in to the bulk head. The man puts his thumb against the identification scanner.
"Idetified Karl Balgor. Access granted!" chimes the computer and a low click indicates the safe is open.

Balgor opens the safe and reaches inside. He pulls out two metal cylinders which he ponders over for a moment, then he cautiously puts the two cylinders back in the safe and pulls out a small, damaged data-pad. He closes the safe and returns to his desk. He studies the pad for a moment as he remembers the amount of hours of work he put in to recover as much information from the pad as he could. The pad had lead him to this ship and given him the codes to access it's systems. There were some areas of the ship they still didn't have access to, even after 8 years whomever had designed the security systems on the ship was either incredibly brilliant or completely insane, he doubted if he would have got as far as he did without the command codes from this pad. But there was another ship also listed on the pad, he strained to remember as he browsed through the pad's contents. Then he found what he was searching for, there was another ship, a YT-1300 stock light freighter, registered under the name Dark Hunter. The registration date of the freighter was pre the clone wars making the ship almost 40 years old.

"Was it possible that this ship was the one that had just docked? But how would that be possible records show that the owner of the ship, one Ariane Nevar, died 8 years previous defending Naboo. The ship that attacked Naboo was destroyed in orbit and that was why he and hundreds of others were drafted in to clean up the debris. Then was when he found this datapad and the two lightsabers which were also in the safe"

The rapping on the door startled him and he put the data-pad on the table
"Come in!" he called.

The door hissed open and two men entered carrying a young, flame haired girl.

"Ok you want to tell me what his is?" Balgor queried with a half smile

"She was on the freighter sir along with two droids. The droids have been dealt with but we didn't know what to do with her."

"Well she's no use here. She's too young to put in the arena.!"

"Actually sir when we confronted her on the freighter she displayed very advanced Teras Kasi moves!"

"You've got to be kidding she's only about 8 years of age!" exclaimed Balgor

"I swear to you sir. Prince is heading down to medbay now, she broke his nose with one strike and she threw me clear across the room. I've never seen anything like it!"

"Hmmm interesting!!" pondered Balgor,"Take her to one of the cells! We'll try her in the arena in a few days!"

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A few hours later Ariane awoke in a small dark room. The room was bare save for a sheet of thick metal protruding from the wall which was to serve as a bed. There was a thick heavy smell in the room, a smell of decay and of humanoid excretions. The smell was over powering she could not stand it she threw up on the floor which only added to the smell making it all the more rancid. Slowly she pulled herself up from the floor and curled up in the corner of the bed, her back against the wall. Her mind was a swirl of confusion she was overwhelmed by thoughts of the past of her life as a jedi, of her love for Jeb. But that was not right these memories could not be hers she was to young to have expierenced these memories, they must be her mothers she was so confused.

Where was R5? he was always her guide, he had never steered her wrong in the past. She put her head down in her folded arms and started to cry.

Meanwhile in the hanger of the corvette the Dark Hunter sat silent, her systems powered down, and in the corridor of the freighter R5's smoking shell sat lifeless.
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Post by Gonesolo »

Time passed slowly in that cell, although tracking the passage of time was an insurmountable task. Food, if it could be called that, was delivered through a slot in the base of the heavy metal door at irregular intervals. For a period Ariane ignored the food as she struggled to work out the spinning nexus that was her mind. Slowly the haze started to clear and she started to re-assert herself, her self control returned as she slowly organised the chaos that was her mind. She had not fully sorted out which memories were hers and which were her mothers but she did manage to accept them and start to deal with them. During this transition she went through a range of emotions as she remember events from their past.

After an indetermined time period the child Ariane was no more. Now the young woman Ariane had taken her place, a woman skilled in the art of Teras Kasi, as dangerous as she was beautiful but her once childishly innocent eyes now burnt a vicious, evil, red like her fiery hair.

The door of the cell hissed open as she practiced and three men entered, armed with shock sticks, Ariane ignored their entry and continued with her practice, she did not even open her eyes to acknowledge their prescence. The three men surrounded her, shock sticks held horizontal towards her.

"Ok move!" ordered the first, but she ignored him.

"I said move!" he snapped stabbing at her with his weapon.

The weapon never connected as she spun on her heel and the staff passed behind her, without pausing she lunged and punched the man in the face. He immediatly dropped his weapon and cupped his hands around his face as blood pumped from his nose. He stumbled back screaming as the other two men moved to strike. Ariane ducked under the staffs and tripped the first man with a sweeping kick. The third man plunged his staff straight down and caught her in the shoulder. The pain burned through her body like a thousand knives and she squirmed on the ground as the guard grinned menacingly as he pushed hard on the staff, pushing it hard into her shoulder.

It took an intensive force of will but she grabbed hold of the staff with both hands and using all her strength she forced the shock stick away from her shoulder. Slowly she fought her way back to her kness and then back to her feet unitl she stood facing and awed guard as she held the shock stick firmly in her grasp. This power stuggle had given the other two guards time to recover they grasped their shock staffs and plunged them into her back. She reeled back in pain releasing her grip on the weapon, the guard wasting no time plunged the weapon into her chest. The three guards were merciless, pushing their advantage she was quickly incapacitated on the floor

"Wench!" called the first guard as he wiped blood from his face "Cuff her!"

Roughly the three guards put binders on the young girl and dragged her from the room.
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Post by Gonesolo »

When Ariane awoke again she was chained to the wall in a large round room. littered on the floor of the room was a number of hand weapons and off to her left was the skull of a humanoid creature. At the far end of the room was a set of large doors, which were closed. As she looked up she could make out that the room had a doomed roof. As she watched the roof split in half and two heavy metal covers withdrew. Light poured into the circular room and Ariane was forced to squint to see beyond the plexiglass cover. Revealed was a circular viewing area, this area appeared to be well seated and was filled to almost capacity. At this distance Ariane could not make out faces but she could see the bustle of activity in the seating area.

With a loud bang the large doors on the far side of the 'arena' started to seperate, slowly the massive doors parted and revealed a large, well built human, male. He lumbered his way into the arena and picked up a sword and shield from the ground as he approached.

"I don't like where this is going!" thought Ariane.

Suddenly the manicles around her arms opened and she was released from her bindings.

"Well at least I have a sporting chance!" she commented.

The man stopped a couple of yards from her and looked up at a box above her head

"I don't fight children!" he bellowed, "Get me a real challenge!"

"You will fight who I tell you to fight, or else I'll find a new champion!" echoed from a set of speakers dotted around the arena.

The man paused for a moment and then re-asserted his grip on his weapons. He snarled as he stared at Ariane and spat on the ground between them

"I don't know what you did to deserve this fate, child. Killing you will bring me no pleasure but it's either kill you or back to toiling with the other failures"

Reluctantly Ariane changed to a defensive stance.

"Well you are welcome to try!" she called to him.

He charged, weapon held high and shield protecting his front section, his belowing roar filled the arena and the crowds started to cheer. Ariane waited for him to close the distance between them, she spent the few seconds she had calming her mind and preparing herself. He quicly crossed the distance between them and swung his blade crashing down on Ariane, a large smile graced his face as he delivered what he belived would be the only blow of this fight.

Ariane blocked the sword by grasping his arm above the elbow, with a great show of force and will she stopped his arm, his expression quickly dropped as she stared him dead in the face. Behind her eyes he could see a fire burning, burning as strongly as the color of her hair. A face of sheer determination was staring straight back at him, and although he was pushing with all his might to move his arm her expression was unchanged. His confidence faltered and then she struck. With her free hand she palm punched him in the face, he stumbled backwards and his shield fell away from his body. Taking two quick steps forward she round house kicked his chest. The force of the blow knocked him from his feet and threw him a few feet away from her. Ariane held her stance for a moment, leg out stretched where it had connected with her opponent then she slowly returned to her previous position.

He snarled as he picked himself up of the floor and then brushed himself off. He stared at the 'child' who had done this too him, he was too confident and she had taken advantage of this, he would not make that mistake again. He approached again, but this time he approached slower and more cautious. Ariane stood back to a full standing position as he approached and she casually walked around him sizing him up, for his part he did the same and this continued for a few moments, both combatants sizing each other up while they circled the arena.

He raised his blade and Ariane put her hands out, two blades from the ground leapt into her hands and she crossed the two blades in front of her. Her opponent was visibly surprised by this but he quickly re-asserted himself. This time she was the assaliant swinging both blades viciously in a large arc she brought both crashing down simultaneously. To his credit her opponent blocked both attacks and quickly lauched an assault of his own. The combat continued for some time, the clash of metal against metal echoed through the arena drowned only by the roar of the crowds. With expert percision and extreme force Ariane smashed his shield with both blades, the shield crashed to the ground and she quickly spun and struck at his sword with both blades knocking the weapon to the ground, wasting no time she shoulder barged her opponent and knocked him to the ground. She quickly stradled her fallen opponent and held her blade to his throat. The roars and cheers of the crowd filled the arena. Ariane stopped, she could not do this. She stood up and dropped her two blades to the ground and the defiantly turned to face the crowd.

"I will not kill for your entertainment!" She bellowed but there was no response except for a chorus of booing from the crowds.

Behind her, her opponent struggled to his feet and retrieved one of her discarded weapons, "Thats very noble of you," he snarled,"but I have no such reservations!" as he lunged at her with the blade.

Somehow she was aware of the strike and she spun on her heel to avoid it, but she was a little too slow and the blade pierced her side and ran through, she glanced down, the gash was fairly deep but not diabilitating. Her fury raged and she quickly pulled her other blade to her hand.

She charged roaring and engaged him with all her fury, with each blow her fury rose she smashed at him with all her rage and all her strength. As her rage grew it seemed her strength grew also. Soon her blows were over powering. With a scream and a power accredited to a creature more powerful than a human she swung at the blade in her opponents hand, knocking the blade clear of his frame, his defences were left open and she plunged her blade at him. The blade entered his chest and exited his back. For a moment he was still, impaled on her blade, he looked at her one last time as a trickle of blood flowed from his mouth and then he collapsed to the ground.

Ariane stood for a moment staring at the dead body in front of her and then collapsed to her knees. The crowd roared in excitment all around her and she collapsed on the ground unconcious.
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Post by Gonesolo »

Ariane awoke some time later, she was not back in her cell. Cautiously she opened her eyes. The foul stench of that small room did not assail her nostrils and she was definatly not lying on that hard steel bunk which she had tried to sleep on for the last few days. Slowly she opened her eyes and glanced around the room, at first the light was painfull to her eyes but she soon adjusted. She was in a large room, just ahead of her about 4 feet away or so a large wooden desk sat, behind the desk a dark haired man was browsing through a number of datapads. He was staring intently at one pad in particular this pad seemed fairly weathared and beaten compared to the multitude surrounding it. As she continued to scan the room she noticed two men at opposite ends of the room, each armed with a blaster rifle. The two men were approximatly 10 meters apart and about 4 meters away from her, they were eyeing her cautiously. The rest of the room was very lavishly decorated, ornate pictures hung on each wall and each corner a pedistol sat and on each pedistol was a piece of sculpture. She recognised some of the art work as being from the Palace on Naboo before the rise of the Empire. Just behind the man at the desk a slightly taller pedistol stool, about 1.5 meters tall, on the top was a bust of the man sitting at the desk.

Suddenly the man looked up from his studies and smiled.

"Ah your awake!" he grinned getting up from his desk and walking around to the front of it.

Nervously Ariane sat up in the chair and backed herself as tight into the corner as she could.

"Do not be afraid young one. I will not harm you! Can I offer you a drink?" he smiled as he offered forward a tray with a beeker of liquid and some lavish food adorning it. Hungrily Ariane snatched what she could and started to eat heartily.

"Careful, careful" he laughed, "You'll make yourself ill young one!"

Ariane shot him a hatefull look which made him stop in his tracks, but he turned and returned the tray to his desk and waited for her to finish.

"Who are you!" she demanded as she wolfed down the last piece of food and gulped down the cool refreshing liquid. "And where am I?"

"I, my dear, am Karl Balgor, and you are on board my ship, the Amphitheatre!" he smiled.

"How did I get here?" she demanded as she eyed him up and down, he measured up at about average height, he carried a scar over his right eye and his right arm ended with a metalic hand.

He casually turned around and sat on the edge of his desk and stared curiously at the young girl, "That my dear puzzled me for a little while too, You see your little ship docked with the Amphitheatre of it's own accord. At first I could not work out why but then I remembered something!"

He stood up from the desk and walked to the wall behind it, he moved a painting on the wall and it revealed a safe with a thumb print scanner, pressing his thumb against the pad a computer voice confirmed his identity and with a low click the safe opened. Balgor reached inside and retrieved an item from the safe. Cautiously he closed the safe and returned to his perch on his desk. He waved the datapad in front of the girl.

"I found this item in the orbit of Naboo when you must have been a baby. At first I thought it was just a plain datapad, until I started to browse through the pads contents!" he tosses the pad to the girl who clumsily catches it and starts to look through it. As she browses he continues to talk.

"That pad gave me the location of this ship, I believe it is refered to as the Pretence in the logs. It gave me the command codes and details of the ships cloaking system. It also gave details of a Stock light freighter, called the Dark Hunter I belive, which is the ship you arrived on. The datapad belongs to an Ariane Nevar, after a record search on Corruscant I discovered that she was a Jedi who died defending Naboo a few days before I found that pad. There was no mention of Ariane Nevar having any children in the public records so I took it on myself to "Salvage" this ship."

He stood up from the desk and opened a small wooden box on his desk, he took out a cigar and lit it, the foul smell wafted around the room and Ariane's stomach wreched in protest.

"However recently I discovered two buried files on the datapad, both refering to a child. A child who would be about your age now!" he crossed the front of his desk once more and snatched the datapad from her hand. Fury burned in her eyes as she moved to get up but a lance of pain in her side soon stopped her charge, she glanced down to see an expertly applied bandage on her wound.

"I wouldn't do that if I was you!" he smiled "for one you are injured and for two, my men there" indicating to the two men at each side of the room, "would take great pleasure in making your injuries worse!"

Smiling broadly he returned to his seat and tossed the datapad onto the desk in front of him.

"With the evidence present upon your arrival I can only ascertain that you are the child that this pad mentions. The day I found the pad I also found two lightsabers which I assume belonged to this Nevar woman."

"Why are you telling me this?" snapped the young girl.

He smiled and sat up in his chair, placing his cigar in an ashtray on his desk.

"Well you see I have made a very profitable business using this ship so I am not prepared to hand it over to you. And as you can see I have quite a army of men on board this ship so your escape or you taking the ship by force is very unlikely. However I would like to offer you a deal."

"Do I really have a choice!" she snarled.

"Not really!" he smiled in return, "but you can make your stay here easier. Here is your decision you either fight in the arena as you did earlier as my champion, in return I will give you access to this datapad so you can read your mothers message to you and you will have access to all the training equipment on board!"

"Champion you mean slave!"

"Lets not argue symantics on this shall we! Your other choice is too turn down my very generous offer and become one of the slaves who toil in my mines. Believe me the life down there is hell, live expectancy is very short, only about two years. I am offering you a chance to be well feed, well looked after and live out your life!"

"As a slave!"

"Yes as a slave but at least you would be alive!" he snarled and then indicated to the two men who approached and roughly pulled her from the sofa. "Make up your mind child this offer will not be open long!"


"I'll give it too you now. I'd rather die in the mines than fight for your amusement!" she snarled


"Your decision!" he replied shaking his head, he turned to look out the viewport and picked up his cigar "TAKE HER TO THE MINES!"
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Post by Gonesolo »

Location: Deep space, Past the outer rim
Time line: 10 years prior to ANH

Ariane has grown somewhat, now a girl aged eleven years. For the past three years she has toiled with the other slaves in the mines on this asteroid. It is hard, dangerous work. She has seen many slaves die due to the dangerous conditions in the mines but she has stayed steady in her defiance to Balgor. A number of times he has repeated his offer to her, he has offered her a lavish life style and the best treatment, but she would still be a slave. She has refused him everytime and each time his anger grows and she is returned to the mines. A week ago 10 slaves died when a decompression field failed and part of the asteroid collapsed. Five were immediatly sucked out into the vacum and died instantly the other five lost their desperate struggle to get to safety before the compression doors sealed off the tunnel.

About two weeks before another young girl, aged about 8 years had been brought on board. She was a little slip of a girl and not in the best of health. She had be-friended Ariane, Although she did not know why, and she was constantly with her. When the tunnel had decompressed Lousia was trapped in the tunnel with the other slaves. Ariane had fought desperatly to save her and had succeeded, but at a cost, as Ariane had climbed out of the tunnel the massive steel doors had closed sealing the tunnel, but they had crushed her right arm. Now Ariane did as best she could with one arm, her left arm. However since that day Lousia's health had declined rapidly.

Ariane crawled into the small tent that had been there home for the last few days, Lousia lay, barely moving, in the corner Ariane had to move in almost on top of the girl to hear her laboured breathing. Ariane carried a small potery 'bowl' with some water and a small amount of bread.

"Louisa!" she whispered, "I've brought dinner!"

The young girl looked around and smiled at her protector, in the short time that she had known her Ariane had carred for her like a sister, she had saved her life when the tunnel had collapsed and had cared for her health since. She smiled weakly at Ariane and managed to sit herself up, coughing heavily as she did so.

"Careful now little one" smiled Ariane "Don't strain yourself"

She handed the little girl the bowl and the bread and she started to eat hungrily.

"Are you not having any?" she asked as she started to eat the bread.

"I ate earlier!" smiled Ariane as she sat beside the girl and gently stroked her hair, it was a lie Ariane hadn't eaten all day but she could not take the food from Lousia who needed to keep her strenght up, besides the fact that over the years she had remembered more and more of her jedi training and each morning she meditated and slowed her body's systems down, she could last for many days with out food all she needed was water to keep her going.

Lousia quickly finished the food and lay back onto Ariane's chest, Ariane put her arms around her and wrapped the little slip of a blanket that they had around the child, it got cold on the asteroid at night once the guards were gone they turned the lights off and the heat with it and temperature's plumetted each night. The weaker slaves were often victim of the Dark ghost of the grim reaper once the temperature dropped. But Ariane had refused to let his icy fingers touch Lousia, she had extended her protection to the child at the cost of sleep. But she could not keep it up much longer. Her body ached for rest and she knew soon that she would secumb and Lousia would be at the reaper's mercy.

As the two girls tried their best to fight the rising cold a noise arose outside their humble dwelling, Ariane quietly moved to see what the ruckous was about. As she peered out of the opening she could see Balgor, wearing a heavy fur lined coat and surrounded by four guards staring back at her. Two of the guards were quickly 'dealing' with two slaves who had attempted to attack Balgor on his arrival and the echo of a blaster rifle echoed around the caverns for a few moments until peace returned. Balgor stood, smiling smugly, staring at Ariane as she stared out.

"Good evening!" he smiled "Lovely evening isn't it?"

"Take the jacket off and see how lovely it really is" she snapped as she emerged from the dweling. She casually walked over until she was standing a few feet short of him. "What are you doing here?" she demanded.

"Now now, is that anyway to talk to the man who is offering you a way out of here" he smiled.

"I told you before NO!" she called "I will not fight for your entertainment"

"Very well" he smiled "I was in the area and thought I'd see if you'd changed your mind" he turned to walk away as he did so Louisa's coughing could be heard from inside the hut. "My, my that doesn't sound too good now does it!" he cocked his head slightly to catch Ariane's reaction, confirmed by the look of worry on her face he turned to face her again. "What about your friend? Would you fight to save her?"

"What do you mean!" demanded Ariane.

"Young Louisa has a genetic defect, in this surroundings it will keep getting worse until it eventually kills her. If she continues to stay here not even the best doctors in the galaxy will be able to save her. However .......... " He paused, "No you already said your not interested" and he turned to walk away.

"Wait!" called Ariane, a smug smile formed on his face which he quickly hid before turning to face her again. "Whats your proposal?" She sighed.

"Its very simple really. You come fight in the Amphitheatre and I'll take you and her out of here. I'll organise the best medical care for her." Ariane paused for a moment.

"I'll make you a counter offer, I'll fight for you and you provide me with the services of my medical droid 1-5A from my ship!"

"Out of the question!" he barked.

"I am in no fit state to fight with one arm and she needs an expert in the medical field. 1-5A can fit me with a cybernetic replacement and with a slight file update will be able to care for Louisa aswell. Plus you get the added advantage of not having to bring in an outside contractor to treat her which could jepordise your security around here!"

Balgor snarled, she had a point the pain of bringing in a specialist who may not agree with his way of working on his ship would be offset by allowing her droid look after them both.

"Very well" he snapped and clicked his fingers. A guard stepped forward with a warm coat and wrapped it around Ariane's shoulders and another proceeded inside and retrieved Louisa. She emerged kicking and screaming with all her strength to get away from him.

Ariane stepped up to the guard and took the girl in her arms, "Lousia it's ok we're getting out of here!"

The young girl looked up at her weakly "Are we going home?"

"No but I am going to get a doctor to help you, as I promised" smiled Ariane

"Thank you!" smiled the little girl as she nestled her head into Ariane's shoulder.
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Post by SmokeMare »

Coruscant

It was some time later. As some are weeping at the curse of their captivity - others are celebrating their new found freedom. One such person was Rissk. Having escaped from Kregor, assisted Ulyuss with exposing the corruption in the Coruscant government and getting paid a handsome fee for doing so... Rissk was happy.

Not just for her freedom from Kregor, but also the freedom that would soon be hers, once Raynard had finished her ship. She'd been staying at Raynards workshop since herself and Ulyus had escaped the darkest Bowels of undercity. Now Raynard having taken a trip in her ship to another local system she had decided to relax for a while and enjoy her freedom.

Rissk was staying at the The Piaza Classe Hotel, Upper city. She liked it there, nobody asked question, the staff were helpful and her room had many luxuries of which she had not tasted before.

In fact she was sitting back on the sofa, chugging a Corellian Ale, watching the Holonet. Corellian Ale and the Holonet... Two simple pleasures of which she had been denied for so many years.. She was growing fond of both...

Her battered E-11 Carbine was resting on the sideboard... The off-world news was covering some shipping dispute. Frowning she flicked it off with the remote and stood up, only to hear a scurry of footfalls in the alley below her. She wandered over to the window to see what was happening...
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Post by Gonesolo »

Location: Amphitheatre - meandering through the outer rim
Time period: 6 years prior to ANH

Light years away Louisa sat quietly in a well decorated room, however while Rissks biggest concern was the activity in the alley outside her room, Lousia was concerned for her friend's well being. Balgor had kept his word and transfered both of them back to the Amphitheatre, once there he had provided them with lavish food and decent accomodation. He had also arranged for 1-5A to be repaired and care for them both, the droid sat quietly in the next room shutting down when not required by either of the two women.

But there was a price! Both were dressed in clothes only fit for harlets and while no sexual demands were put on them Balgor would often come and stare at them, often for hours, and she was pretty confident that there was some sort of monitoring equipment in the room also. They had one bed where they both slept but the heating was turned down/off at night so they had to huddle together to keep warm. Still at least Louisa's health had returned and 1-5A had skillfully attached a cybernetic arm as Ariane had said.

But the fights! A long time ago it got very hard for Louisa to watch. Each fight got harder against more skilled and brutish opponents. Todays fight was equally so although it was against moderatly skilled warriors, Balgor had decreed that four of the would face off against her friend. As she waited news of Ariane she paced the room in a little slip of a silk night dress.

Suddenly the doors hissed open and two men dragged in a young woman and roughly threw her on the bed. Desperate to know about her friend Louisa ran immediatly to her side as the two men with drew and the door sealed behind them.

As Lousia drew close she gasped in shock. Ariane lay on the bed battered and worn out. Numerous slash wounds littered her body and her face was bruised in a number of locations. Louisa crawled up beside her friend and started to pat her face down with water from a bowl on the side of the bed.

"Don't look so sad little one," Ariane smiled at her nurse "I won!"

"Well if you didn't they just would have dropped back the corpse" snarled the young girl.

"Louisa I promise you that will not happen" replied Ariane weakly as she gently put her hand against the girls cheek, "I am not going to give up and neither should you!"

"I know!" replied Louisa,"It's just hard to watch you do this everytime!"

She helped her friend up from the bed and the two girls staggered into the other room.

"Come on lets let 1-5A have a look at you!" smiled Louisa
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Post by SmokeMare »

Grabbig her E-11 from the sideboard, Rissk strolled up tot he window and peered outside. The sight that greeted her was astonishing. Huge squadron of Stormtroopers chasing a lone man in brown robes...

The astonishing thing wasnot only that the man was winning, but in the manner that he was winning. Blaster fired rained down upon him, but each shot was reflected by what looked like a laser beam to Rissk. She watched in awe as the lone man battled, reflecting blaster shots at his foes with his laser sword. Sometime he would seem to push some troopers over even though he was not near enough to touch them.

Stormtroopers were falling, and falling fast - but their wieght of number overwhelmed the poor soul. Eventually Rissk watched him take a hit on the leg, it slowed him down then his arm, but still he fought on- his wounds smoking.

Eventually the brown robed mans strength failed and he slowed just enough for a blaster bolt to hit him square between the eyes... Yet somehow it never made contact... Looking like he was meditating the moment before he was hit he faded into thin air, leaving just his clothes and the small metal cylinder that she presumed was his laser sword. Scowling at the troopers she took a Thermal Detonator out of her drawer, armed it, and cast it into the alley. The flash of heat and energy was brief but powerful.

Quickly, Rissk rushed down to the alleyway, sure enough there was no body of the robed man, just a brown robe and the small metal cylinder. She picked up the cylinder and noticed how unnervingly light it was. One end looked like an emitter of some kind, she held it horizontal to be sure, and hit the activation switch. Sure enough a blue blade of pure energy leapt from the end which she had thought looked like an emitter.

Rissk strode up to the wall and swished a circle in the wall, with almost no resistance it carved a portion of the wall free... Rissk turned off the sabre and rubbed her chin thoughtfully, 'Hmmm, this will come in useful' she thought to herself....

There wasn't much time, Raynard would be back with her ship soon... But then what ? As she wandered back to the solitude of her room, she turned the sabre over in her hands, while turning the possibilities of where to go and what to do, over in her mind...

True she'd earned alot of money recently, but it wouldn't last long. Especially after all she'd spent on the gunboat.... Rissk needed a job...
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Post by Gonesolo »

Location: A dark alley in the depths of Corruscant.
time line: 6 years prior to ANH

A man shuffles nervously in the shadows at the back of a seedy bar in Corruscant's dangerous undercity. He wears a long grey over coat and has a feadora type hat on his head. Under the jacket, reflealed in momentary movements of the jacket as he paces up and down the alley, are the clothes of a member of the well to do on Corruscant. The man glances nervously down the alley at irregular intervals as if waiting for someone to arrive. Eventually his patence is rewarded as a man approaches. He too wears a long over coat, but he is bothan and his clothes are more akin to the kind of style to be found on the street.

"Your late!" Barks the first man

"I am truly sorry senator." hisses the Bothan, "I had to make a detour along the way!"

"Never mind" replies the human "Have you got it?"

"Yes I do but it was harder to get than anticipated!" smiled the Bothan.

"And what does that mean?" snarled the human obviously frustrated by his dealings with his furry co-hort

"The price has doubled!" snarled the Bothan

The man was shocked to hear this for a moment but then he reached into his jacket and pulled out a credit chip,

"Fine as long as it means I can find my daughter!" he snarled as he slapped the chip into the Bothan's hand.

"Pleasure doing business with you senator!" whispered the Bothan as he slipped down the alley and disappeared into the writhing throng.

The senator took a few moments to check the data was entact and then quickly pocket the datapad. Then he quickly made his way to the main thorough fare and wasted no time in gettings a hover cab and making his way back to the safety of the upper levels of Corruscant, where he belonged.
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Post by SmokeMare »

Back in her room Rissk began packing her few belongings up. It was time to return to the workshop and see if Raynard had returned. Dropping her newly acquired laser sword into her pocket Rissk grabbed her bags, turned the holonet off and made for the reception. Within ten minutes she had checked out and was walking through the bustling streets and crisp air of top city.

The streets were busy this day, barging her way through the crowd she made her way to the discreet staircase that led down through upper city to undercirty. Uppercity was just as busy, she noted as she passed the doorway that led to the streets of upper city. Eventually she was right down at the bottom, where it all started. Kregors apartment was somewhere near - but Rissk never went back there - too many bad memories...

The streets of undercity were piled with wreckage, wrecked speeders, broken tech... Thick acrid smoke billowed around from pipes and grids, poisoning the air. Shady characters drifted throuigh the smoke, bustling together, hiding their faces. Under city was not a nice place, but it was home.

A huge grin erupted on her face as she rounded the corner to Raynards shipyard. The gunboat was finished, the nascels where eventually she intended to fit missile launchers were attatched and all the seams had been welded, along with the extra Dura-steel plating on the hull. The military power Hyperdrive and nose mounted turbo lasers gleamed in the dim light.

Raynard soon came strolling out of the workshop, " Morning Rissk, just got back... Enjoy your break ?"

Rissk frowned at him, " Hmmph ! Where's the turret !? I wanted a top mounted turret ! "

Raynard shrugged slightly, " Sorry Rissk, I know you gave me alot of credits, but the stuff you want is expensive. You've got everything except the turret, the ion cannons and the missile launchers !"

Rissk suddenly looked deflated, " No ion cannons !? Sheesh! Hmmph! How much more would I need ?!"

Raynard shook his head at her, " More than you've got ! You want to save some money anyway - come inside and look anyway, I got your the force-field and the bunks fitted. " Rissk shook her head in dismay and sighed as she followede Raynard into the dimly lit ship. Inside was impressive, the coachwork was really well done. Raynard had definately excelled himself. Rissk inspected the cockpit, then wandered back underneath the bunk over the hatch into the back, past the supply cupboard and into the small double bunk room at the rearmost part of the cabin. It looked strange from the outisde, a gunboat so radically lengthened and altered, but the space inside was more than adequate.

Rissk turned to leave the double bunk area, running her clawed hand over the force-field projecter in the bunkroom. Sliding past Raynard, she slid into the pilots seat and started adjusting it for her comfort. She sighed and turned to Raynard, " Raynard, this is great, I can buy the other things I need later... Thanks for everything you've done for me... Fixing my ship, letting me stay at your place.... I really appreciate it."

Raynard put his hand on Rissk's shoulder, " It's okay Rissk, I'm glad I could help..."

Rissk knew Raynard wouldn't accept any money - so she didn't offer. She'd already organised her gift for Raynard anyhow.

After a few minutes they left the ship, and wandered into Raynards workshop. Rissk turned sharply to Raynard and put her hands on his shoulders, the one with the arm missing, seeming much lighter.

" Raynard, I'm going to go upstairs, have a Corellian Ale and watch the holonet... You're going to have to go... You'll be late for your appointment..."

Raynard frowned, " What appointment ?! I didn't book an appointment! "

Rissk smiled faintly at him, "I know, I booked your appointment - you need to go and see your doctor.... I'll see you later..."

Raynard looked confusedly at her, but shrugged and wandered out of the workshop, leaving the yard he headed off to Thors.

Rissk wandered up the rickety stairs into the small apartment and grabbed a bottle off the side, kciked up her feet and flicked on the holonet.

Raynard meanwhile had reached Thors Medical Facility. Thors was a Rodian, Raynard didn't like Rodians, but he was a good surgeon, doctor and medic. Besides, Jan, Thors human assistant had always been nice...

When he got there Thors buzzed him in. Jan greeted him on entering, realisation of what was going on dawned on Raynard instantly. A wonderfully crafted cybernetic arm was in the process of being modified in the theatre....

AS he saw it he flashed back to when his arm got vapourised, working on that damned red firespray class ship those many weeks ago... Thors burbled some Rodian at him, Jan translated, " Thors says he'll be ready to fit you with the implant in just a short while, then we'll need some time to calibrate it. I'm to take you and prepare you... I must say - somebody must like you alot this is the most expensive, best cybernetic arm money can buy !"

Raynard smiled to himself as he followed her through into the theatre...
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Post by Gonesolo »

Ariane lay quietly on the bio bed in the small room that had been setup for 1-5A to work from. All the medical supplies that he could ask for were supplied, each provided in a locked cabinet that only 5A could open, and he had been fitted with a restraining bolt to ensure he would not try help the two women escape.

1-5A was almost finished with his work, Louisa sat quietly watching in a chair by the door to the room. The door to the main area hissed open and Louisa turned to see who was entering. She grimaced as she noticed Balgor entering, flanked by two guards, one of which carried a large box. He stopped for a moment to look around the main room and then caught sight of Ariane laying on the bio bed and proceeded into the small room.

Weakly Ariane propped herself up on her arm as he entered the room.

"Come down to congratulate me again?" she snarled as he strode confidently through the door. The wide grin on his face shallowed somewhat at her hostile greeting.

"Well No actually!" he replied, "although you did exceptionally well in the arena today and you do deserve a congratulations I am here to invite you both to dinner, with me a few guests this evening!"

"Are we allowed say no?" snarled Louisa.

"Actually no your not!" he smiled "and I've left a present for you both on your bed which you should wear!" with that he turned quickly on his heel and strode out of the room. Ariane and Louisa looked at each other for a moment and then Ariane sighed and flopped back onto the bio bed.

"5A you got anything for nausea?" she smirked, meanwhile Louisa proceeded to their room and opened the box on the bed. Inside were two silk 'dresses' both black, although the term dress was an overstatement. Each dress had a strip of material to cover the women's chest and another piece which was much like a mini skirt, the two pieces were joined by two small pieces of material that were intended to run down under the arms. Also included was a pair of black high hell shoes.

"He's got to be kidding!" called Louisa from the main bedroom as 1-5A finished up with Ariane and she pulled herself up and off the bio bed with a groan. She made her way to the main room and stood beside her friend.

"Nope he's serious alright!" she grimaced looking at the two pieces of material in the box.

"We may aswell be wearing underwear!" snarled Louisa.

"Very true" replied Ariane "but it's either this or go back to the mines and we both know you wouldn't last a week down there again. Besides you'll be ok, your still a child!"

"Excuse me I am 13" replied Louisa obviously a little offended

"Thats not the way I meant it and you know it. Fact is you will be over looked , Balgor is only bringing you along to keep me happy. It's me he really wants to show off, me who will get the lewd looks and comments all night!"

"How do you live with yourself afterwards?" asked Louisa as she cuddled into her friend.

"I remind myself why I'm doing it! and if there is any justice in the galaxy Balgor and his cronies will get their pay back from me!"

With that Ariane sat on the bed and stared at the Black dress, it was not the first time she had been 'entertainment' at one of these parties but she shuddered remembering previous occassions that Balgor had hosted and then quickly put them out of her mind.
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Post by SmokeMare »

Raynard was lying uncomfortably on Thors operating table. A small screen had been erected so he couldn't see the operation. Yet, even though he was heavily aneastatised, he could feel things being attatched to tendons and nerves. It was painful, but slightly unnerving to feel this...

Occcasionally Jan would pop her head around the screen to ask if he was okay and to reassure him that all ws going well. The operation seemed to take hours, eventually though the screen was pulled back and Raynard looked at the metal complex of gears, wires and mechanics, that were fixed to his arm.

Thors burbled something in Rodian, Jan translated, "Raynard, try and make a fist." Raynard looked at the mess of electronics on his upper arm, and shook his head, but he knew what she meant. He gripped his fist on the now mechanised arm. Thors watched the levers and wires retract and pull. He then garbled some Rodian to Jan. Jan nodded and went to fetch the synthetic arm. " Raynard, we're going to fit the arm now. Don't worry the worse part is over now and all the connections seem to have ben made successfully. "

Raynard nodded and stared at the cieling, as soon as the arm was connected - it felt like part of him, he could feel the tightening of the bolts and clips that held it in place....

During all this Rissk was slouching on Raynards sofa, feet up on high on the arm, supping her fourth Corellian Ale. The Holonet news was on, something about an underground fighting pit... The Coruscant Planetary Civil Minister was issuing details of how to contact them and apply to take on the job of finding and eliminating it.... 50,000 credits ! It was a good sum... Rissk supped her Corellian Ale and tried to take in as much detail about the case as possible. She would have to visit the Civic office once Raynard was back...
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Post by Gonesolo »

Ariane and Louisa were ushered to the main banquet room by four armed guards. Ariane was very restrained, she was confident that with he combat expierence that she'd had recently on top of her mothers knowledge of Tera Kasi she could easily take the four guards and make a break for it. However Balgor had warned her that if she tried he would order the guards to kill Louisa, this was reason enough to hold her course.

Now was not her time, but it would be soon, thanks to 1-5A she had managed to remember her mother's meditation techniques and had opened her mind more and more to the force. She had started to see distance places through the force and even different times. The force had told her that their struggle was coming to an end, that Balgor and his men would soon pay for their crimes, that their saviour was on her way.

Ariane had told Louisa none of this, she did not know how well she could trust her grasp on the force, for although she had spent at least the last two years re-afirming her connection to the force the images she saw were troubling and somewhat frightening. To the best of her ability she had tried to remember her mother's training all those years ago, remember the wise words of her master, Master Quinn when he had taught her in the ways of the force.

One phrase rang clear in her mind, like a bell, a warning that he had given her mother soon after she became his padwan,

"Beware the Dark Side young Ariane, for it will consume you whole if you are not wary!"

Her mother's memories covered much of her struggle between the light and the Dark, of the constant need to do good but the pull to be lead to the Dark. Anger, fear, revenge they were elements of the Dark side. Feelings Ariane had lived with for many years. After so long living with hate and revenge she feared she could not make the turn, could not return to the light, if she got the chance she would kill Balgor out of sheer temper and for revenge, she knew this, much like her mother had killed after her master had been slain.

As they continued through the corridors of the corvette, hands bound, Ariane's last grasp on any kind of morality slipped away. Tinged with the pain of watching so many die in the mines and the terrible injustices she had seen Blagor wreak on families and loved ones to further line his pocket, her humanity had been ravaged away but the constant fighting in the arena, day after day another opponent and another fight to the death.

ANGER, REVENGE AND HATRED filled her and Master Quinn's warning was lost on another Araine.
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Post by SmokeMare »

Raynard was standing in the foyer of Thors medical facility. The rain had started outside, washing off every surface and splashing mercilessly onto the passers by. The streets were flooding badly, and the rythmic beating of the rain onthe plexi-glass window was deafening. Raynard approached Jan, " Do I owe you anything for this ?!" Jan shook her head, " No Ray, a erm, Rissk paid for it all - and then some - you are more than covered - if you have problems with it come back and see us ." Raynard nodded slowly, it looked and felt wonderful, just like a normal arm, he stepped slowly towards the exit, and turned over his shoulder, " Thanks Jan." She waved and he took the door off the catch, bustling out intot he busy, but rainy street.

In the street it was cold and wet. People were rushing about trying to avoid getting wet and trying to get home as quickly as possible. Raynard pulled his jacket up around his ears, stooped his head and sploshed through the flooded streets back to his workshop.

After the short walk back Raynard turned into his yard and bustled past Rissks gunboat and intot he workshop.

" Quinn ?! Raynard Quinn ?! " Raynard peered into the shadows, he saw nobody... "Yeah, it's me who is it !? What do you want !?" At that moment Rissk darted drunkenly downstairs and dived onto an almost hidden figure in the workshop. "Ooof ! Ouch! Get off me !" the figure called out. Rissk just held him more tightly, " I've got him Raynard ! Get my blaster !" Rissk called. Raynard didn't bother with the blaster, he just strolled over slowly and looked down at the figure who was struggling to wriggle free of Rissks grasp, he appeared to be unarmed and he appeared to be...

" Senator !? What the frell are you doing here ! Rissk, get off him !" Rissk climbed to her feet, " Hmmph! Sorry, how am I supposed to know you know him ?! Comes sneaking in here in the dark, tsk!"

The Senatorclimbed to his feet and scowled at Rissk, " Raynard, I've come for your help... I need someone with a bit of skill - I know you know people who get things done..."

Raynard rubbed his chin thoughtfully, " Senator, that used to be the case definately, but business has been good lately, I've been doing well and trying to get on with the Empire.. Soon I'll be able to move to uppercity at this rate... I can't keep that kind of company anymore.."

The Senator frowned at him, " Raynard, I need someone I can trust! You don't keep that company anymore !? Well what's he then a 'fruit merchant' ? "

Rissk was looking from Senator to Raynard, perplexed. Raynard, rested a hand on the Senators shoulder, " Senator, what do you need doing ?! If I can help you I will, I just don't have the contacts I used to have.."

The Senator, sighed, " My daughter, she was kidnapped, four years ago... I've spent a fortune, trying to locate her... And I've found alot of clues, but I can't keep up the search, I need someone reliable to find her and rescue her..."

Raynard rubbed his chin thoughtfully, " Well.... I don't think you're going to like this, and I think you should try and understand that my Trandoshan friend here may have had a Corellian Ale or two tonight... but bear in mind, Rissk and one other person took down Tumbus and the Dethortex Crime Ring... "

The Senators eyes widened, he turned to Rissk, " Is this true !? "

Rissk shrugged, "Hmmph! Yes, Ulyus organised the job, he left some time ago though..."

The Senator turned to Rissk and Raynard, " I want Rissk to take this on. The most recent news I have is that she was taken by a rogue called Balgor... He has her now, where he is I don't know... All the info on her and Balgor that I know is on this datapad. If you bring her back to me alive - I'll pay you 50,000 credits."

Rissk took the datapad in her hand, things were looking up...
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Post by Gonesolo »

Ariane sat uncomfortably at the diner table, in between the lewd remarks made by Balgor and his associates the constant fleeting touches and grabs as one of them passed her made every fibre in her being want to scream and she want to punch the next person who touched her. She felt a hand on her left arm and snapped around to see who it was.

He temper softened somewhat when she found it was Louisa, she was looking at her with troubled eyes. She had just returned from conversing with a couple of memebers of Balgor's crew. Louisa was lucky because of her age most of the men left her along, Ariane was not that lucky

"Ariane!" whispered Louisa, "it's appears that Balgor has arranged some sort of deal for you to stay with Degrez tonight, so says Tekret, one of the guards"

"He must have some influence with Balgor then," replied Ariane,"he has never allowed that before!"

"Ariane I'm worried will you be alright!"

Ariane stopped for a moment and looked over at Degrez, he was a well dressed man and appeared to have more manners that the rest of the crowd at this party put together but there was something sinister about him, something she didn't like something that made her spine shiver whenever he was near. As he noticed her looking at him he raised his glass in salute but she quickly looked away.

"Don't worry Louisa I'll be ok. I have no intention of surrendering to him or anyone else in this room tonight."
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Post by SmokeMare »

The Senator had just left. Rissk frowned at Raynard, " Hmmph! I was going take on the illegal fighting pit job... Tsk ! Hmmph!" Raynard shrugged, " Why nto take on both, then if one looks like it's going nowhere you can try the other one ?!"

Rissk sighed, " Hmmm, I suppose you're right... I'm going down to the civic office to get the information on the fighting pit job. " With that she stormed towards the door. Raynard waved his mechanical arm at her and called, " Hey Rissk!" She turned, " What ?!" Raynard sighed, " Thanks ! " She shrugged, " Oh, hmmph, it's okay - it's the least I could do.... I'll see you later." turning her back on him Rissk stormed out into the thinning rain.

The rain was thinning out now. Rissk splashed her way through the flooded streets towards the civic office. A large grey, dura-crete monstrosity. It loomed into view after a few street. Rissk, tired and wet darted inside.

The interior of the building reeked of death sticks, the acrid, smoky smell lingering in the air. Rissk shook some of the water off of herself and stepped forwards into the foyer. Various scoundrels of all sorts of race were milling about the place, Rissk barged through them to the information desk, she leaned over the desk and glared at the civic officer sat there, " Hmmph! This fighting pit, I want to take on the job."

The man looked at her disinterestedly, " You ?! We;ve had large teams of well known, experienced people here asking to take it on, and you want to take it on, on your own !? " Rissk scowled at him, " Give me the information you have and I will find your fighting pit and shut it down!"

The man smirked in a condescending way," Well, as amusing it would be for me to send you to your death on a mission you can't succeed at - You're too late, I've already issued the maximum number of information packs. Sorry."

Rissk was fuming, she reached over the desk and grabbed the mans lapels, pulling him fearsomely close to her face, "LISTEN YOU SNIVELLING WORM! GIVE ME THE FRELLING INFORMATION ! I WILL BEAT THESE OTHER 'TEAMS' TO IT AND I WILL DO IT WITH OR WITHOUT YOUR HELP! "

The pen pusher pulled himself back into his chair, he ws about to make another dry witted comment, but he saw the look in Rissk's eyes and thought better of it. " Hmmph, no need to get nasty... Look I'm not supposed to do this, but I'll give you a copy of the information. To be honest we don't know much at all, we don't know where it is, who is running it.. We just know it's happening and it's big...." He pushed a few buttons on his console, then handed Rissk a small datapad, Rissk tok and pushed it into her soggy robes, " Hmmph! Thanks..." She turned on her heel and wandered back out into the rainy streets. After a short, damp walk she was back at Raynards shipyard.

The workshop was a mess as usual. Bit's of tech that Raynard had been tinkering with littered the place. Despite the gunboat only recently being finished the place was full again already. Rissk picked her way through the carnage to the old, precarious starcase at the back. She climbed wearily up to the apartment above. Raynard was in the kitchen, he called over, " Coffee Rissk !?"

Rissk was in the process of throwing off her sodden, black, over-robe. "Hmmph! That's a frelling good idea ! Thanks Ray." Her soft white under-robe was merely damp. walking into the saeting area she collapsed onto a sofa and propped her feet up on the table, amidst the empty bottles of the previous night. She flicked on the Senators datapad first, the file wasn't particularly detailed. Balgor had been a smuggler, a Pirate, a salvager... He'd done time for.... Piracy, but along time ago... However currently he wasn't known to be doing anything illegal, last place he'd been seen was an undercity gambling house...

The clunk of a cup distracted Rissk from her reading. She picked it up of the table, and took a large gulp as Raynard sat opposite her on the other sofa. " Hmmm, good coffee.... *sigh* I don't know where to start Ray.."

Taking another gulp she cast the Senators datapad onto the sofa and booted up the Civic Office pad...
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Post by Gonesolo »

After the meal Louisa was taken back to the girls 'room' and Ariane was taken to the guest quarters. As she was pushed through the door she saw Degrez sitting on the large couch, he beconed her to enter as the door hissed open. She did not get a choice as the two guards roughly pushed her inside.

Degrez said nothing for a few moments as he took a large cigar from a wooden box and lit it. He took a few pulls from it and blew heavy smoke into the air. Ariane coughed lightly as the foul smoke wafted across the room and assailed her senses. Slowly Degrez stoood up and walked over to her, he stood facing her for a few moments as he looked her up and down the he slowly walked around her examining her as he traveled. Again he stopped in front of her a wide, smug grin on his face the cigar caught in his mouth by his teeth as he bit on it to stop it from falling to the ground.

"Yes I am going to enjoy this!" he smiled as he moved closer. Thick dirty smoke engulfed Ariane and she coughed again. The next thing she knew Degrez was holding her close and was rubbing his hands up and down her body. Roughly she pushed him away.

"I don't know what services you bought from Balgor but I am no Harlet" she sneared as the two guards grabbed her by each arm and forced her forward.

"And I am a man who gets what he wants!" snarled Degrez.

Roughly the two guards pulled her towards the bed in the corner of the room and threw her on it. Degrez pulled a blade out from his belt and started to play with it as he approached the bed, then he leaned over her, his foul breath filled her lungs and she almost choked, he reached down with his hand and grabbed the end of her dress and then started to cut it open with his knife. Ariane struggled against the guards hold on her but she was held fast.

In desperation she force pushed Degrez off her, he flew half way across the room and landed heavily on the ground, in response one of the guards thumped down on her chest which winded her.

"STOP" yelled Degrez as he went over to a small case on the desk

He took out a small vial containing a yellow liquid and smiled as he approached her with it.

"This is a neuro inhibitor and will stop you from being able to pull tricks like that my dear!" he smiled as he approached, Ariane lashed out with her foot and he stopped dead in his tracks.

"Hold Her!" he snarled and the guards responded, again she was thumped in the chest with such force that she could not breath and while she struggled for breath she felt a slight prick in her arm.

A few moments later and her concentration started to go, she was awake but not capable of rational thought. It was like intoxication but all of her muscles were relaxed also. Balgor smiled as he dismissed the guards and then he lay on the bed beside her, he gently ran his fingers up and down her body and then playfully picked up the knife again from the desk. Slowly and carefully he cut away her dress, then he stood back for a lingering look then he knelt down and cut off her panties.........
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Post by SmokeMare »

Rissk scratched her head as she mused over the Civic Office Datapad. Supping her coffee, she went over the details again. The arena was on a ship, it was somewhere in the orbit of Coruscant, but the authorities had not been able to find it.

She turned to Raynard, offering him the two datapads " What do you think Ray !?"

Raynard slurped his coffee, he took the two datapads and had a scan over them. After a few seconds he looked up, " Well they don't give you much to go on... Either of them ! Hmmm, I don't know... You've got two choices, you either try and find this Balgor fellow, or you try and find some illegal fight pits. Somebody there might be able to get you a ticket the this 'arena ship'. What you're going to do once you find Balgor or the Arena, I really don't know... Hmmm, I wonder what Balgor is holding the Senators daughter for !? He's had her for years, yet no ransom ? The senators not short of money - as we both know, so why no ransom!?"

Rissk shrugged, " Hmmph ! Beats me... I think I'll try a gambling house first - see if I can't find this Balgor... Hmm, hey I've had a thought - have you got any tracking devices? They might be useful ...."

Raynard rubbed his chin thoughtfully, " Hmmm, tracking devices ? Well, I probably have some mixed in with the junk downstairs, we'd have to check they still worked though.."

Rissk knocked back the last of her coffee, " Come on then - let's get searching!" She pulled her slightly damp robes back on and headed downstairs.

Raynard sighed, swirled his coffee and threw it back. Living with Rissk was fun at times, but choresome at other times - she never tidied up at all, he'd cleaned his apartment recently - yet already it was bursting with empty Corellian Ale bottles, coffee mugs, plates and empty ration packs. He'd have to clean up later. Sighing deeply he climbed to his feet and followed Rissk downstairs.

After a good hour of burrowing through the Junk Raynard and Rissk had found and tested two tracking devices, they were both simple affairs, being left over from the old republic. However they worked. Rissk slipped them into her robes, along with her E-11, her lightsabre and the usual complement of Thermal Detonators - some live and some dummy.

As she walked out the door to head off she turned to Raynard, " Thanks Ray, I'm sorry about the mess upstairs... I think it's finding freedom after so long... Makes me abuse it... I'll help you clean up later... See you later !"

Before Raynard could say anything Rissk barged out of the door into the Coruscant Undercity streets.

Raynard shook his head and ambled up the stairs to his apartment, wearily he set to work clearing up Rissks mess.

Rissk meanwhile was wandering through the damp streets of Undercity. The rain had since stopped, but huge puddles had formed and water was running off gutters into the street. Raynard lived in one of the better places to live in Undercity. To find her way to an illegal gambling den or fight pit she would have to travel deeper.

The locals of Undercity had a name for the lowest levels, Gutter City. It was known as that because all the slime of Coruscant ended up there. She'd been there before with Kregor, so she knew what to expect. Heading down the darker alleyways the crowds started to thin.

Soon only Rissks Trandoshan infra-vision was guiding her through the dimly lit squalor that led to Gutter City. Weaving past broken down speeders, decaying tech and the denizens of the place she came to one of the gated staircases that led down to Gutter City.

The smell of decay and death sticks filled the air like a vile fume. The streets were narrow down here. Imperial Presence was non-existant. As Rissk cautiously picked her way through the narrow, stinking alleyways she even saw a blaster pocked stormtrooper helmet lying n the gutter - a stark reminder of how law-less Gutter City was.

Gutter City is a place where you don't have to go to find trouble - trouble will inevitably find you. As Rissk was walking two Rodians and two humans leapt from the shadows, wrestling her to the ground. In Gutter City it wasn't 'your money or your life' it was ' your life, then your money and any possesions that can be ripped from your corpse.'

Rissk wasting no time slammed her foot into the first Rodians stomach, as he doubled over in pain Rissk slammed her knee right into his face pushing his head down with her hands. As he keeled over Rissk heard one of the other shout, " Shoot her! Quickly! " Spinning around Rissk slammed the blaster that had been aimed at her head aside, the hapless fool shooting the second Rodian square in ther chest. Rissk Punched him square in the face, while ripping his blaster from his hand and quickly shot the second human dead.

Without pausing Rissk strode over to the groaning Rodian, clutching his shattered face. Resting the muzzle of the blaster on the top of his head Rissk fired three times, emptying the power cell.

Rissk cast the rusty blaster pistol aside and stepped back to the unconscious human; the last of her assailants left alive. She pulled her E-11 out of her robes and rested the muzzle between his eyes, " NOW HUMAN! YOU'RE GOING TO HELP ME, OR I'M GOING TO KILL YOU - IT'S THAT SIMPLE!" The human was shaking, with fear, "You'll kill me anyway after I've helped you ! " Rissk smiled and reached into her robes with her spare hand. She pulled out the shiny light sabre and ignited it.

It felt strange in her hand, and was difficult to control. Keeping her gun pressed hard against the the humans head, she carefully lopped off his right foot. At which he screamed in pain. Rissk waited until his eyes had opened, " YES, I AM GOING TO KILL YOU ANYWAY! IF YOU HELP ME AND TELL ME WHAT I WANT TO KNOW - IT MIGHT NOT BE, BY BEING SLOWLY SLICED UP ! WHERE IS THE GAMBLING HOUSE FREQUENTED BY BALGOR ?!"

The human was still whimpering with pain after Rissk finished, " Alright! I don't know about this Balgor character - but the biggest Gambling house around here is 'Degrez Den' it's at the end of this alley way, then on the right - Please don't kill me !"

Rissk smiled at the human, " Thankyou..." Then pulled her trigger, leaving a neat blaster mark square between his eyes.

Rissk stood up and started wandering towards this 'Degrez Den'....
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Post by Gonesolo »

Ariane awoke sometime later back on the bed in her 'room' as she opened her eyes Lousia was sitting beside the bed a look of pure worry on her face although the worry disipated somewhat as she saw Ariane'e eyes open. Ariane tried to focus he mind was a haze had she dreamed it all then through the haze she remembered, she quickly rose from the bed and ran to the toilet where she proceeded to get sick, violently sick. Louisa slipped in behind her and gently cupped her hands around Ariane's long red flowing hair and kept it clear of her face.

A few moments later, exhausted Ariane collapsed against the wall and barely managed to turn and face Louisa. Her mind raced over what had happened, she could not clearly remember when she had blacked out but she did remember Degrez and what he had done to her. He had gotten what he wanted, she remembered that smug grin on his face afterwards as she lay helpless, naked on the bed. She remembered him dressing himself and calling the guards and the next thing she remembered was waking up in the bed in their room

"Are you alright?" asked Louisa gently as she returned to the room with a cup of water.

Gently Ariane took the cup and smiled "Yes I'm fine, just too much drink!" she was lying desperatly but she could not let Louisa know what had happened to her, even though the very thought of what Degrez had done to her made her want to vomit once more.

Gingerly Ariane got up off the floor and with Louisa's help staggered back into the bedroom.

"Balgor was here while you slept!" said Louisa as she helped her back onto the bed

"What did he want?" snarled Ariane.

"He said to tell you that you have a fight later!" smiled Louisa trying to reassure her friend.

"No time for rest then is there!" replied Ariane with a slight pang of pain as she lifted herself out of the bed.
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Post by SmokeMare »

Rissk cautiously picked her way through the gloomy tunnels that formed most of this part of Gutter City. There were no signs outside - but it was soon obvious which building was 'Degrez Den'. Three large unidentifiable aliens were frisking entrants and taking their weapons from them.

This was a disheartening sight. Rissk had been to these places before though... She knew they'd want peoples weapons. Something told her things could get nasty in this one.

Avoiding going to near the entrance she managed to sidle through the alleys to get to a dark, service alley at the side of the building. Rissk scrambled through the maze of pipes and cables to a clear spot by the wall. Listening at the wall she heard a flush - the toilet.

Rissk followed the sound, to a large ventilation pipe. It was far to small to climb into. instead she removed the grill, then reached inside, sabre in hand. Igniting and de-igniting it quickly she sliced a small hole in the pipe. Checking that nobody was watching her she slipped all her thermal detonators, her E-11 and her lightsabre inside. Replacing the grill on the front, Rissk began walking back towards the entrance.

One of the aliens stopped her walking inside, " Where you think you're going ?!"

Rissk scowled at him, " To play some sabaac, what do you think !?"

The bouncer looked angry at this, " Not just anyone can come in here... You have to be invited..." Rissk frowned, " Hmmmph! Well Balgor told me he'd see to it that I could get in here tonight ! " The bouncer looked shockedly, " Shhh, not so loud... Alright you can come in, we're going to have to take you're weapons..." Rissk sighed as two of the bouncers began giving her a thorough frisking, sticking their huge, meaty hands in places that Rissk was thoroughly uncomfortable with... After suffering five minutes of this indignity they stopped, " Hmmph! Where are your weapons ?! Nobody wanders around here with no weapons !?"

Rissk smirked at him, " I'm a Teras Kasi Master -I don't need weapons..." The bouncers looked at each other, then at the alarmingly young, quite short, quite small looking Trandoshan. " Hmmm, well, whatever you say... "

Rissk nodded and sauntered into the gambling house. Taking her cred-stick to the desk she got five thousands worth of chips. Sabaac and chance cube tables littered the large area, huge piles of chips being moved around tables. It was a long time since Rissk had been taken to a gambling house by Kregor. He'd never been a gamble - but he'd always said, " You should know how to gamble, in case you ever have to hunt a gambler. Gamblers tend to owe people money, so there tends to be good business in gambling houses." He was right of course...

Rissk slipped through the crowd to the toilets. Barging left and right, occasionally having to dodge a tray of drinks. Eventually she got to her toilets. Carefully she pushed the door open and slipped inside.

Inside there was no ventilation pipe. Rissk frowned, a little deflated. Then she looked up to the dura-plas suspended cieling above. Climbing onto a toilet she lifted a square panel out and peered into the darkness.

Sure enough - there was the pipe, eagerly she reched over the pipe, and clasped her lightsabre. The hole was too small to get her E-11 and Thermal Detonators out, so she ignited the sabre and sliced the section of pipe off. Carefully catching it and placing it on the false ceiling she removed her weapons and stowed them on her person.

Carefully replacing the ceiling tile Rissk climbed of the cistern and strode back out into the club...
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Post by SmokeMare »

The acrid smell of death-sticks permeated the air in Degrez Den. Rissk scanned the tables, there were so many games going on, so many people...

Rissk decided the best plan would be to start by playing a few games, perhaps try and engage someone in some idle chit-chat. Picking her way through the smoke and bustle, she approached a chance cube game. Watching carefully she noticed almost every throw came up as a non-winner,'hmmph! Weighted dice...' she thought to herself.

Not wanting to lose all her money too quickly Rissk thought back to Kregors. Many was the night Kregor and herself had sat up playing Sabaac...

There was a Sabaac table at the far end of the casino, Rissk ploughed through the crowd towards it. Sitting at the table facing the Dealer Rissk slapped 100 credits worth of chips down, "Deal me in please!" The dealer tried to hide a smirk as he shuffled the worn deck of Sabaac cards. Moving clockwise around the table the Dealer dealt a hand to each of the four players and himself.

Rissk scooped up her cards, held them up and fanned them out. ''Hmmm, not bad... Could be better though...' Rissk thought to herself. She picked out a Savaar Nexis Card and a Hisine plat. When it came around to her turn she slid the two cards back to the dealer, " Buy two cards please." She said as she slid another 50 credits into the Ante.

After the players and the dealer had played their hands, the dealer was about to call show, but Rissk held up her hand, " Hold on, I'm going to play Corellian luck." Rissk picked out a Korvella yelt card and turned it face up, some of the other players looked confused at her. The dealer frowned, ' So she knows her Sabaac eh ? ' he thought to himself.

Rissk then flicked out a Kroben Nexis and Hisine Nexis. Taking her two replacement cards from the dealer, the players started showing their cards.

The Rodian had a Corsec flush, the zabrak next to him had three Nexis, and the sulustan had nothing. Rissk carefully laid her cards down on the table, " Sabaac!" The dealer smiled at her and laid his cards down slowly...
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Post by Gonesolo »

Ariane's fortitude and resolve quickly found her again. Using her meditation techniques and some Tera Kasi fighting stances that her mother had passed down to her, she quickly recovered from her ordeal but she swore she would not let it happen again.

After some two hours meditation and practice the door to the girls room chimed and hissed open. Balgor stood there his face smug with satisfaction, surrounded by three guards.

"What do you want?" snarled Ariane not taking her concentration from her exercises.

"Just to wish you well in your fight!" he beamed as he crossed the threashold into the room while the three guards stopped just outside the door.

Suddenly Ariane's stance changed, in one quick motion she force pulled a blaster from one of the guards hands and at the same time force pushed the three of them away from the door which slid quietly shut.

Balgor was suddenly very surprised to find himself staring down the barrel of a blaster and his expression suddenly dropped.

"Kill me and you'll never get off this ship alive" he snarled as he slowly started to back away.

"Don't worry I'm not going to kill you," snarled Ariane," Not yet anyway! I just wanted to remind you not to underestimate me. One of these days Balgor you will pay for everything you have done and I will take back what is rightfully mine!"

With that she casually tossed the blaster to his hands, which he fumblingly caught as the door slid open and the guards barged in.

"Now get out of here I have a fight to prepare for!" commanded Ariane.

Balgor, obviously a little shaken by the expierence, resetled his cloak on his shoulders and turned to leave. As he reached the door he heard Ariane call after him

"OH and tell Degrez he's on my list too!"
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Post by SmokeMare »

" Sabaac! It's a draw so dealer wins..."

The dealer gathered the cards together and the chips. Rissk frowned, she'd been sure she'd win, you couldn't beat sabaac, and the chances of two players getting sabaac at the same time were so minimal...

Rissk slid another 100 credits worth of chips into the ante and watched the dealer deal the cards again. Staring at his hands for signs of foul play.

It was subtle, it was very subtle. If you weren't looking for it, concentrating and lucky you would have missed it. As the dealer was placing his hand down a card appeared from beneath the table...

Rissk frowned, the Rodiand and the Zabrak were screwing their faces up at their hands. Rissk studied her cards... A mis-matched jumble of Nexis, Hesine, Plat, Yelt, Aranis and Kozo. There wasn' t much chance of pulling a win out of this....

Before the cards were played Rissk notioned to the dealer, " Hmmph! Sell my hand back, for fifty credits please."


The dealer smirked at Rissk and slid her the 50 credits as she slid her cards across. 'Hmmmph ! I've had enough of this! I'll have no money left at this rate!' she thought to herself. Dismayed she wondered back to the desk, cursing herself that she hadn't found out anything about Balgor.

At the desk she handed over her chips and plugged her credstick in. The teller smiled, " Enjoy your game ?!" Rissk scowled at her, " Hmmph! NO! Erm, my friend Balgor told me I'd get a fair game here ! Tsk! Hmmph!"

The teller frowned, " Balgor ? Didn't he tell you to ask for the private tables ? Mr Balgor is a good friend of Mr Degrez, if you'd like to leave us your holo-net address can we arrange another game for you !?"

'So they DO know Balgor...' Rissk thought to herself, she smiled at the teller, " Actually not just now thanks, hmmm, what you could do is direct me to a good fight pit...."
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Post by Gonesolo »

The time had arrived.

Louisa gave Ariane a knowinig smile as Ariane pulled on her black jumpsuit, which Balgor had agreed to let her wear to fight, and Ariane smiled back at her.

"You ready?" asked Louisa with a touch of concern in her voice.

"Always!" snarled Ariane as she pulled on her black leathar gloves.

Ariane looked at Louisa who gave her a warm smile and then darted her attention away, to a corner so she did not have to look at her friend. Her friend who was about to risk her life for her, again. How many times had Ariane done this over the last few years? Louisa could not remember, all she did know is that she hated it more every time and she knew Ariane was only doing it for her. So Louisa had sworn to be at Ariane's side for before and after each fight, she was the last to leave her side and the first person she would see after each fight and in someways this seemed to help.

Ariane took two steps over to her friend and lifted her chin up with her finger so that the younger girl was looking at her.

"Louisa, listen to me! This ordeal is almost over! You must trust me on this!" Ariane whispered gently

Louisa did not ask how Ariane knew this, she had learnt over the years to trust her in these matters and she was always right. She gave her friend a warm, re-assuring smile. As she did so the door to their quarters slid open.

Fighting back the tears Lousia said jokingly,"Come partner lets see who you have to fight today?"
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Post by SmokeMare »

The teller smiled at Rissk, "You like your gambling don't you ? Sure, head west along the street the entrance to here is on. The entrance is the sixth door after the sixth alley on your left."


"Hmmph! Thanks..." Rissk siad, turning to leave before she'd finished speaking. Gutter city was not a nice place to be and there was no point in spending more time than required there.

Nodding acknowledgement to the bouncers on the way out Rissk cautiously picked her way down the dark, dank tunnel that passed for a street here. Eyes peered out of the dark alleys she crossed on the way. Occasionally a safety catch could be heard clicking off as she passed, but no shots were fired.

Soon Rissk was stood outside a dura-plex door, rapping at the door a small hatch opened and a Zabrak frowned at her, "What'cha want !?" Rissk shrugged, "Hmmph! I've come to see a fight or two - is that a crime ?!"

The zabrak laughed, " Well, it is actually ! That's no concern to us of course!" The door clicked open and Rissk hurried inside. Inside the fight pit was smoky, and noisy. Cheers, jeers and shouts of jubilation could be heard from down the corridor. Rissk gingerely followed the Zabrak into the main arena. It was a bare knuckle, no holds barred, cage match a human and a Zabrak beating each other to a bloody pulp. Rissk winced at the amount of blood on the canvass.

The crowds were cheering and shouting, even as the two combatants were both stretchered off, the fight considered a draw, to the booing of the crowd - some of whom would have had betting slips wasted by the decision.

Rissk notioned to the Zabrak that she'd find her own way around and approached the betting desk. Holographic images of the following fighters were hovering on the desk. It was a three man, last man standing wins match. A Zabrak called Markan, a towering Trandoshan called Karrock and a diminutive Bothan called Palis. Rissk looked at the three figures, the trandoshan looked big, and extremely tough. There was something about the Bothan though - he had a cool malevolance about him....

'Hmmph! May as well make it interesting...' Rissk thought to herself as she approached th desk. Wandering up to the desk Rissk pulled out her credstick. " I'll bet 200 credits, for the Zabrak to fall first, and the Bothan to win. " The teller smirked at this, an obese human reeking of death sticks. He keyed in Rissk's bet, " Hehe, twenty to one I'll give ya... Your gonna lose it though..." Rissk scowled at him, " Hmmph! We'll see !"

Taking her betting voucher she wandered over to the ring to get a better view. The three cage doors opened and the bell rang for the start of the fight. Seconds later the three fighters charged into the arena...
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Post by Gonesolo »

Ariane took a deep breath as the doors into the arena cracked open in front of her. The light from the arena flooded into the little room that she had been left in to make her final preparations. The huge glass dome of the arena was fully open and it appeared that Balgor had done a good job of attracting a full crowd for this fight. This made her uneasy, she was never told who she was fighting or what the conditions of the match would be before a fight so now can the axioety of awaiting the ring announcer to tell her what she needed to know.

As she glanced around the arena she noticed the usual array of weaponry littered the floor and her two opponents stood equidistance away from both her and each other. That told her all she needed to know, a three man match with last standing survivor being the winner, otherwise her two opponents would have been standing closer together.

She listened as the announcer bellowed out the details of the match and confirmed her suspicions - three combats - one winner - free for all action - to the death! As she listened she could see Louisa in Balgor's private box, as she watched, worried about her friend. Ariane was happy to see that Balgor was at least sticking to his side of their agreement as far as Louisa was concerned, she was spared some of the horrors that Ariane had been subject too. As she listened it was announced that the two fighters were from Degrez's camp and one, the Zabrak, was his champion and he had wagered heavily on him to win. Ariane smiled, she would enjoy making him regret that bet.

She slowly eyed up her opponents as the announcer continued. Degrez's champion was a male Zabrak, probable a shade under 1.8 meters in height. His body was well devoloped and muscles rippled under his tight clothing.

Her other opponent was a male human, slightly stocky probably about 1.5 meters in height. Quickly adjusting her mind set as she made deductions on their fighting style based on their build and stance, she picked up a Vibrosword from the ground and prepared herself for the fight ahead.

She did not have to wait long as the buzzer sounded signaling the begining of the fight.
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Post by SmokeMare »

As the three fighters charged in, the Bothan slowed his step allowing the Zabrak and trandoshan to clash first. Markan raised a fist as he ran, aimed at the trandoshan. Karrock took the punch on the chin, reeling from it grabbed the Markan in a bear hug. Lifting him off the ground he started squeezing the life out of him.

Markan paniced, he feel his chest closing in, his arms welded down to his side. As last ditch he pulled his head back and started viciously headbutting the huge lizard, scoring and marking hisface with his horns. On his third strike a thorn jammed right into the trandoshans left eye, green blood splattering over his face.

Rissk watching from outside the cage grimaced at it...

As this was happening the Bothan had circled. Seeing the Zabrak seemingly getting the upper hand Palis rushed in, slammed an elbow into Markans ribs, then again harder.

The strike loosened Karrocks grip, seeing his chance Markan wrestled his arms free slammed a foot into Palis mouth, sending him sprawling, then drove his knee deep into Karrocks groin.

Palis, tumbled to the floor, as he got up he felt inside his mouth, a broken tooth clicked onto the floor when he touched it. Karrock had doubled over in pain, seeing his chance Markan grabbed the spines on Karrocks head and rapidly knee'd him in the face, ten times, Karrocks arms flayling trying to grab him.

As the tenth knee crushed Karrocks nose, Karrock got a purchase on the Zabrak, hauling him up onto his shoulder Karrock charged at the side of the cage smashing Markan into it.

The force of the blow winded Markan, Karrock pulled him off, turned, then dived into the air, slamming Markan into the ground. Palis, had climbed to his feet now, rushed up, then span around gracefully smacking his foot into Karrocks temple. The power of the kick threw Karrock clear of Markan, so Palis stepped forwards and slammed his foot onto Markans already battered chest. Blood spouted from Markans mouth, his crushed chest punished further.

As Karrock climbed to his feet Palis quickly shifted his wieght and stamped hard onto Markans face, caving his nose in.

Markan was clearly out of the fight, lying battered and bloodied on the floor, struggling to even breath.

Rissk, smiled, her bet was looking good this time.

Palis stepped over Markans body as Karrock straightened up to face him. Karrock was now struggling to focus, his left eye damaged beyond repair he tried desperately to see clearly. Pails walked forwards slowly, then leaned forwards. Karrock saw his chance and rushed in to press home his advantage. However Palis flipped of his feet, somersaulting through the air, as Karrock got close enough Palis feet slammed into his abdomen, with enough force to throw Karrock in the air, against the cage.

Palis ws on his feet in a flash, running to the edge of the cage he flicked a lightning fast roundhouse kick into Karrocks face, sending him sprawling on the floor. Reaching forwards he grabbed Karrocks central head spine and pulled him off the cage. Mounting Karrocks chest Palis began raining down blow after blow onto Karrocks face, some getting through, some being blocked by Karrocks struggling arms.

The crowd was shouting, jeering and cheering now, fresh blood splattered around the cage and onto some of the crowd.

Eventually the trandoshans resolve failed, Pails still slamming fists into his face, even after his arms had dropped to his sides. After a few more hits Palis stood up and looked at the bloodied pulp his opponents face had been mashed into.

The announcer proclaimed Palis as the victorm and Rissk returned to the betting desk, a smug grin on her face...
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Post by Gonesolo »

No sooner had the buzzer sounded then both her opponents charged straight at her. Ariane smiled wirly as the human crossed the distance between them first, the Zabrak seemed to be holding back allowing the human to make the first attack, maybe he wanted to study her attack style before commiting himself or maybe he just wanted his brawny friend to tire her out so he could have an easy victory.

This did not really bother Ariane so much, but she was a bit upset that both men seemed determined to take her out of the match at the expense of ignoring each other, indeed the balance in this match had shifted somewhat with this devolopment. She did not allow this thought to distract her however and prepared for the onslaught from the stocky human as he charged her directly. Bracing herself she awaited his charge and then suddenly realised his intention was to knock her over, not to close the distance. He intended to crash her to the ground and then take advantage of her prone position.

"Thats already happened once to often this week" she snarled as the huge charging beast drew ever closer, she waited for the last possible second, allowing him to think he was going to connect, then she dropped down to her kness and thrust her blade straight ahead and up slightly. She felt the impact as the blade pierced the big man's stomach and continued right in, releasing the blade she rolled herself forward and clear of his charge. She turned to see him stop and look down at the hilt of her blade still protruding from his stomach. He looked at the blade for a moment and then looked at her, a look of sorrow and pity on his face, a tear welled in his eye as he stumbled forward slightly.

And then he collapsed, he fell forward onto the blade which emerged from his back as he lay face down on the ground. The crowd roared in joyous celebration and many jeered and threw was paper and debris at Degrez, jeering at how quickly his fighter had fallen. Ariane took one last look at her fallen opponent, a pang of sorrow plucked at her heart as she remembered the look of intense pity on his face before he had fallen. Then, her resolve strengthened, she turned to face her next opponent.

The Zabrak stood non chalantly about 3 meters from her, he rested some of his weight on the vibroblade, which he had claimed from the arena floor, which he had jabbed slightly into the soft soil of the arena floor. He clapped jeeringly as Ariane turned to face him.

"Well done!" he called, a sarcastic tone in his voice "But you will not find me so easy!"

"We'll see!" she returned. As she spoke her senses alerted her to something, something was not right, she was missing something.

"Oh by the way" called the Zabrak

"WHAT?" she snarled

"Never turn your back on an opponent!"

Immediatly realising what he meant, and suddenly understanding what her force senses were trying to tell her, she wirled around just in time to see the massive human raising his giant fist, distracted by the Zabrak's taunting, she had not heard his heavy laboured approach. His massive hands clenched together as he swung at her with both hands cupped into a single fist. The blow caught her straight in the chest and the force of the blow lifted her off her feet and she landed almost a meter away from where she was standing.

Reeling from the impact she desperatly tried to crawl away from her massive attacker, to regain her composure. As she desperatly crawled on her back she noticed that the vibro blade was still deeply entrenched in her attackers stomach and he was indeed breathing very laboured. She was suitably impressed by his staminna and strength of will to be able to continue with such a wound.

Suddenly a massive hand grabbed her by the ankle and pulled her back towards the massive, panting beast. With suitable easy he lifted her high in the air and smashed her into the arena floor. The impact shook ever bone in Ariane's body and she spat a small amount of blood out onto the ground as she tried to recover from the overpowering attack. But she did not have a chance, for she quickly felt a hand grasping her ankle again. This time he did not throw her to the ground but pulled her close and started a bear hug on her.

She could not move, her arms were pinned by her sides, she could feel the pain in her chest rising, it was like a thousand atmosphere's resting on her lungs. She could feel the strength draining from her, slowly the room was going dark. She tried to fight it, she knew if she passed out she would never awake again, but try as she might she was loosing the fight!
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Post by SmokeMare »

As Rissk scooped up her winnings the human behind the counter smiled at her, " Did you enjoy the fight ? " Rissk frowned, " Hmmph! It was okay... To be honest I'd been hoping for something a bit more brutal, Degrez told me this was the place to see some real action... *sigh* I guess I'll try another night..."

The teller rubbed her chin thoughfully, " Degrez told you to come here? Hmmm, there are more brutal fights to be seen, some of them to the death... Come back tomorrow, if the Zabrak won't let you in, the password is pihsanera" Rissk whipped out her datapad and tapped in the unusual word. She turned back to the teller, " Thanks... I'll be back..."

With that Rissk slid her datapad away and strolled towards the door the Zabrak opened it for her. Rissk smiled and waved as she slid out into the darkness of Guttercity.

Outside Palis was waiting, he turned to Rissk as she exited, " You headed to undercity ?" Rissk frowned, " Hmmph why !?" Palis shrugged, " I'm headed that way too, safety lies in numbers travelling down here."

Rissk rubbed her chin thoughtfully, "Hmmm, true, I am headed that way - impressive fight by the way - have you been doing this for long ?"

As they started walking Palis began rubbing his chin, after a few moments he responded, " Not too long, a few weeks maybe ?! The real money is when you get into the big league... It'll be awhile before I'm there though... Of course that's where the real risk is too - they fight to the death in league 1. " Rissk strode through the streets turning this information over in her mind, " Where do league 1 fights take place ?! At the fightpit we've just left !?"

Palis frowned, " We're not allowed to tell anyone, to be honest I couldn't tell you much if I wanted to... It's kept very secretive, the authorities are keen on shutting it down..."

Rissk shrugged, "Hmmph, okay ..." Soon they came to the gated stairwel that led to undercity. At the top Palis went his own way and Rissk trudged through the now dark streets towards Raynards. Eventually Rissk was walking past the fence to Raynards shipyard. The apartment window was lit up, looking very welcoming. Rissk strode past the gunboat and unlocked the door to the workshop. After picking her way through the aray of tech and spare parts she was climbing the rickety staircase to the apartment above," RAY! I'M BACK !"

Raynard was slouching on the couch, coffee mug in hand. He looked up, " Hey Rissk, how'd it go ?!"

Rissk strode past him to the fridge, pulled out a Corellian Ale and flciedk the lid off with her thumb, " Not bad.... I lost some playnig Sabaac at Degrez Den, but then I won a fortune betting on a fight, in one of the Gutter city fight pits..."

Raynard frowned at her, " You're supposed to be doing some sluething - not having a good time !"

Rissk stepped past him and parked herself firmly on the couch next to him, " Hmmph! Well I did, I've discovered alot- I'm going back there tomorrow..."

Raynard nodded and supped his coffee. Rissk picked up the remote and flicked on the holonet. According to the news the authorities still hadn't found the Arena....
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Post by Gonesolo »

Desperation had her now as she tried to somehow break the hold this lumbering beast had on her, but it was no good he was too strong and the pain so intense she could not concentrate. As a last ditch she pulled both her legs back as far as she could and kicked with all her might.

With a deep groan the massive man dropped her and immediatly fell to his knees clutching his groin in both cupped hands. His face was a picture of pure pain and after a few moments groaning he threw up on the arena floor.

Well that was lucky thought Ariane as she regained her composure only a meter away from the massive framed human.

Suddenly she felt something, not the massive beast in front of her, something else, quicker, evil, meaner. In a sudden realisation she spun to face the Zabrak to she his foot speeding towards her head. Instinctively she rolled forward as the Zabrak's foot missed her by centimeters. Coming out of her roll Ariane jumped the still moaning human as the Zabrak followed up with a flurry of fists.

Ariane was surprised at the Zabrak's swiftness and agility, no sooner was she back on her feet then he was quickly following up his initial attack. Ariane back peddled desperatly blocking well timed and accurate blows from her new opponent. As she back peddled the Zabrak, smiling, pushed his advantage forced her back across the arena.

Ariane could hear the crowd roar in appreciation as the fight raged.
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Post by SmokeMare »

Sitting in the central dining area of Raynards apartment, Rissk and Raynard were leaning on the table, watching the holo-net. There was an extended feature about the fight pit. Rissk's eyes widened when the holo-net producer announced they were going to show some footage, smuggled out of the League 1 fight pit.

'So Palis wants to compete in League 1? Let's see if it IS what I'm looking for...' Rissk thought to herself as the screen flickered to the footage. Raynard slurped his coffee as the arena appeared on screen. A dark, dusty area, spectators were jeering up above the fight pit floor and... .What? Four large men were taking on a young, very young woman with red hair... Rissk chugged her Corellian Ale as the fight progressed. The girl was winning !

Rissk turned to Raynard, " Hey any ideas where that place could be ?!" Raynard shrugged, " Hmmm, difficult to tell... It doesn't look like Coruscant to me though... "

Rissk nodded and supped her ale. Abruptly the arena footage closed and returned to the report. The authorities had all but given up hope of shutting down League 1. Several Bounty Hunters had officially given up on it. Wherever this was hidden it was hidden well.

The report ended, Rissk and Raynard sat up, watching the holo-net and drinking. The light outside Raynards shuttered windows had long since dimmed and the two turned into bed. Rissk scrambled into her bunk, set into the wall and drifted off to sleep images of fight pits haunting her mind.

The next day was bright and sunny. Sunlight filtered through the metal shutters of Raynards small apartment. As usual, when Rissk rolled out of her bunk, Raynard appeared to have been up for some time. He was sitting at the table, supping coffee and reading the daily news datapad.

Rissk waved over as she wandered accross the apartment to the window. Sitting outside was her ship, gleaming in the morning Coruscant light. She had a busy day ahead of her. Spinning on her heel she skipped accross the kitchen area to the bathroom. Raynard hardly looked up as she skipped past, engrossed in an article. Rissk entered the small bathroom and flicked the catch. Quickly she stripped and turned on the shower. A moment later she was standing in the shower leaning against the wall. Cool, refreshing water washing over her scaly skin. She leaned there for a moment, enjoying the relaxing feeling... Raynards apartment was really beginning to feel like home.

After a short while Rissk climbed out of the shower and dried off. Soon she was getting dressed. As she finished pulling on her black over-robe she called out to Raynard, " RAY ! WHAT'S FOR BREAKFAST ?!"

An answer neither came nor was needed. As Rissk left the bathroom, the smell of frying Gracon and Ova invaded her nostrils....
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Post by Gonesolo »

The Zabrak continued to push his attack and Ariane was fevourishly blocking blows with lightning quick reactions. The more he pushed her back the more her anger grew, she hated being on her back foot and this Zabrak's goading and annoyingly smug smile was starting to wear extremely thin with her. She started to pull on the forces that her anger was making available to her opened her mind to the pure power that was flowing from her anger she readied her mind and her body, now was the time to retaliate.

Grining broadly the Zabrak was furiously punching at Ariane and she was barely blocking or dodging his blows this made him more confident and he pushed his advantage harder. Then suddenly that all changed, his blows were still raining in at the same speed and ferocity but somehow this young woman was becoming more fluent at evading/blocking them. Were a few moments ago she was struggling to keep up with his onslaught now she almost looked like it was too easy.

Furiously he doubled his efforts and attacked with flying fists and roundhouse kicks, but before his strike was anywhere near it's target she was gone. With a roar of frustration he put all his force into a powerful right hook. He launched the blow with all his strenght and he smiled as he realised that she had not shifted, this blow would hit target and would be a devastating blow.

Suddenly his fist stopped in mid air, with a look of surprise on his face he looked at his arm, there, held firm by her left hand in mid air, was his fist stopped dead in her grasp.

Ariane was looking down, slowly she lifted her head and stared straight at her opponent, her eyes burned with the flames of a thousand stars, the flame matched only by the color of her hair. A vicious, evil smiled formed on her lips.

"My turn!" she hissed.

Before he realised what had happened she smashed him in the face with her right hand. Bloody splattered on his face as his nose broke and he stumbled backwards. Following his retreat Ariane lauched a flurry of blows at her opponent who was still realing for her first attack. With percise accuracy she rained blows down on every part of her opponents body, what little opposition he offered was quickly knocked down as she relentlessly beat him back across the ring. As he reached the centre of the arena she lauched herself into a devastating round house kick which caught him square on the jaw, blood splattered from wounds already inflicted on his face as he fell away from the blow.

The Zabrak landed in a crumpled heap on the ground as Ariane alighted gently on the ground in a classic Tera Kasi offensive stance.
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Post by SmokeMare »

Rissk was sitting at the table, in the eating area at the centre of Raynards Apartment. The food was good and Rissk was hastily and noisily devouring it. Raynard shook his head at her, " You're going to give yourself gut rot if you keep on ! "

Rissk frowned at him, " Hmmph! Trandoshans don't GET gut rot!"

Raynard laughed, " Hah ! Maybe you'll be the first one !? Want some coffee?!"

Rissk wolfed down the last few mouthfuls and slid the plate accross the table, " Hmmm, coffee would be good... "

Raynard took Rissks plate and wandered back to the kitchen. After sticking the two plates in the hydrator and flicking it on her filled his coffee machine with water. Looking over at Rissk he called out, " Hey what time are you going back to the fight pit !? "

Rissk shrugged, " This afternoon at the earliest - why !?"

Raynard smiled at her, " I was wondering wether you fancied coming to the shops with me - I need to get some supplies..."

Rissk rubbed her chin thoughtfully, " Hmmmph, s'pose... Why not? "

Soon Raynard was walking over to the table carrying hot coffees. Rissk flicked on the holo-net and took her cup. The sun was filtering through the blinds, it was an unusually bright day for undercity. The news was the usual fayre, a murder or two, a speech by palpatine, the lack of success in closing down league 1. Rissk and Raynard sat, slurping their coffee as the news flickered above it's holo-pad.
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Post by Gonesolo »

Suddenly a buzzer sounded in the arena, a buzzer usually sounded to indicate the end of a match but this was different tone. The doors on the four poles of the arena opened and behind each stood a human male, all well built bearing weapons. They slowly advanced into the Arena and towards Ariane.

"Now this is a bit unfair!" she snarled as two swords leapt from the ground and into her hands.

"Nothing like keeping me on my toes!" she quiped as she did so she heard the Zabrak groan on the ground beside her, he was not dead but he would be out for a while, but she could not think of that now, as she watched the four new entries charged across the room straight towards her.

Spining both swords non chalantly in her hands she assumed a defensive position and prepared herself mentally and physically for the approaching assault.

"Come ON!" she roared as they closed the final few meters to her
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Post by SmokeMare »

A short while later Rissk and Raynard were picking their way through the undercity crowd. It a was a dull, overcast morning, a chill wind blew through the crowded streets. Soon they were at Garvo's general store. Raynard led the way in.

Garvos stank of death sticks. The paint on the walls was yellow with age, the plaster cracked falling off in places. Rissk's clawed feet clicked on the hard tiled floor. " Hmmph! Where's the beer isle !?" She muttered.

Raynard was casually trying to free a basket that appeared to be stuck in the stack, " Patience, It's over... Ahhh - got it ! We'd better get some food too.." Raynard stumbled backwards as teh basket broke free of the stack.

Wandering through the isles Rissk was casually throwing things that took her fancy into the basket. Raynard frowned at her, " Steady on ! No need to buy the whole shop! Rissk scowled at him, " Hmmph! Sorry... I'm not used to shopping, never had to do it when I lived at Kregors..."

Raynard shook his head and picked a tin from the basket, " Farstar Slice bites !? You don't even have a slice hound ! This is pet foodm you can't eat it !"

Rissk frowned, " Is it ?! Hmmph ! Fine - YOU can get the food ! I'm going to get some Corellian Ale!"

As Rissk trotted off around the corner Raynard called after her, " HEY ! Don't get too much !"

Raynard carefully took out some of the silliest items Rissk had placed in his basket and started selecting the items they needed. Soon Rissk came ambling around the corner, stacked up with two, twenty four bottle crates of Corellian Ale and a large bottle of Crax Juice, " Hey I haven't had Crax Juice in ages ! I didn't realise they still sell it !"

Raynard shook his head again, " Rissk, that's far too much - put one back!"

Rissk frowned at him, " Hmmph! I'm putting one in the ship! " Raynard shrugged, " Fine, but you can carry them !" Rissk scowled at him, " Fine!"

Soon they were ready to check out. The girl at the counter was a young, petit zabrak. Raynard knew her. " Hi Luca... Where's Garvo today !?"

The girl shook her head, " You know Garvo, he's at the Cantina soaking up his troubles with Ruby Bliels... How've you been Ray ?"

Ray nodded, " Not too bad thanks, apart from the losing an arm - that can really put a cramp on your day."

Luca frowned, looking at Raynards two arms, Raynard laughed and pulled back his sleeve to reveal the band of metal showing the join between the robotic arm and his stump. " I already got a cybernetic, Rissk here bought it for me."

Luca looked on with interest, " Hmmm, that looks expensive..."

Rissk shrugged, " Hmmph! Raynards helped me out alot - I wanted to do something for him..."

Soon they were treading the streets again, on the way back to Raynards apartment. Rissk with a crate of beer tucked under each arm frowned at Raynard, " Y'know we should order our shopping over the Holo-net it would be much easier !"


Raynard frowned, " I know what you're saying... I've always been scared of usign the holonet for that - for fear of Credstick fraud...."
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Post by Gonesolo »

A few hours later, Louisa nervously paced the length and breadth of their room. Balgor had her removed when the extra combatants had entered the arena and Louisa was really worried about her friend, and protector. She clung to the hope that no news was good news and the fact that Ariane's corpse had not been uncerimoniously dumped on the bed was a good thing.

Suddenly she heard footsteps outside in the corridor and voices loud and bousturous approached. Anxiously Louisa awaited the door to open. When it did she gasped, there, stood two guards and between them held up by her two escorts was Ariane. The guards took a quick glance at Louisa and then moved Ariane over to the bed. After depositing her there they quickly left the room.

Ariane lay, motionless, on the bed. Her face was only lightly injured but as Louisa lent in to check her friend she noticed blood flowing from a wound in her abdomen. Reacting quickly Louisa tore off Ariane's top and revealed a large stab wound in her friends stomach.

"That Frelling human!" whispered Ariane weakly "He just wouldn't stay down. He tried to run me through when I was distracted!"

"Looks like you were lucky!" snarled Louisa "But lets get 1-5A to give you a proper look over?"

Gently Louise pulled Ariane up off the bed and supported her as she, weakily, made her way into 1-5A and some much needed medical attention.
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Post by SmokeMare »

The hours passed like minutes. After returning to the flat and packing away their supplies Rissk and Raynard had spent an afternoon in front of the Holonet chatting.

It was now much later. Rissk was knocking on door of the fightclub. Soon the hatch opened revealing those familiar Zabraki eyes. " Password !" Har barked, Rissk shrugged and replied, "pihsanera!" Rissk said. After carefully checking she was not being followed the Zabrak swung the door open and invited her in.

There were no fights in the makeshift arena tonight. Rissk was invited to sit down and was brought a drink. Soon she was blindfolded, sitting patiently with a group of others waiting to be taken to the fight pits... of League 1...
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