Kracken Landing Field -- Kracken Zoist
The spaceport is situated atop a large octagonal multistoried building. Part of the famed wall of Kracken is connected to the spaceport and looks much like a ramp roadway leading away from the spaceport. Around the edge of the landing area is a parapet wall to help keep the pedestrians from falling off the building. Lines engraved into the dark sooty sandstone surface area of the spaceport mark off landing areas for the different vessels, as well as directing foot traffic to their destinations. A lift nearby takes shuttles beings from the spaceport down into the city below.
Sato Prine lurks in the shadows of the port. He'd sensed that Wyld would be here soon if not already but the Lord would remain patient as he had these long weeks before acting. He fingers hilt of his rarely warn sith sword, still unclean from his battle with the jedi battle master. He waits and lets his hatred fester and seethe.
Ba'sha is in fact here, strolling into the area and looking around momentarily, as some great disturbance draws his attention from the more mundane business that had brought him here. Ah, Sato Prine....spotted of course as the source of the trouble, with a faint smile, and a bow of the head....
Sato Prine steps from the shadows his hood already down and his orbiting onyx orbs freed to rotate about his head at their half meter radius. His face is stern and his steps less than light as he moves forward though still some distance from Ba'sha, "You will be the end of us all and I will not permit that, not if it mean the fall of the Thethu itself you will not threaten the fabric of a millennia of the Sith Lords and our dark glorious history. I had intended to wait for your comeuppance to happen at your tournament but you have been a busy Warrior, meddling and stirring, haven't you Darth Wyld."
Ba'sha hrms, and turns to Sato Prine, looking him over for a moment warily, but his resolve is firm, "I have released a slave, a slave of MINE, that I captured and was involved with, and whom I felt you were no longer respecting my wishes and treating correctly. A man's property is his to do with as he wishes. This is common law. I'm afraid I don't know the threat of which you speak."
Sato Prine's hand comes up from the swords hilt the sword remaining in his belt, "You are a loose cannon. I would have hoped the Krath under you would have revolted by now at your weakness. Your every act serves to tarnish not only yourself but also all the Sith Lords by tolerating your antics. Your leash has been too long for too long it is time it was shortened. If you will not command the respect that is due your station and your lords will not teach you, then I shall."
Ba'sha shakes his head, tsking slowly, "You are all the same. I command respect, more than that I command LOYALTY. Not bought or sold or trained or beaten in, but the loyalty all our soldiers feel for each other, the loyalty of someone both powerful and crafty, of someone who can be your best friend and also a bit of your worst nightmare. Every single soldier that has ever heard a speech from me, ever seen me standing in front of the men and leading them into battle, would die for me and not because I am a Sith Warrior, but because I am Ba'sha Sa'vath, son born of Dau'van Sa'vath, and I am their leader. You seek to lead the Krath? I tell you now; you will NEVER gain their cooperation without one of two things. Heavy heavy casualties on both sides or me. You speak of tarnish, of loose cannons, of weakness, I note that you are still completely unable to mention a single thing that I have done to undo Krathdom, and remember this well, among the Krath I have no lord but my brother, and you are not Dark Lord yet."
"You are right about one thing Darth Wyld." Sato does not go so far as to insult him by denying his sith name. "You are no Sith warrior, though your brother's blood may flow in your veins. By your very talk of friendships' loyalty you unhinge the foundation of our society of which you are an outsider and know nothing. I stand here today in very threat to my own clan with what I will do. I do it for the sith lords, for our ancestors and for the Krath themselves. Every Warrior, every soldier you talk to and 'befriend', you taint and breed the ripples of revolt. Your brother may have named you heir, and for long I have respected his foresight, but enough, there are other Dark Lords among the Krath who will step up once you are banished to the void, you very spoilt child."
Ba'sha smiles, "I never said that I was no Sith Warrior, merely that you fall back on tactics that have stood firm for centuries, but are not the most efficient. I know the true dark side, it is not the evil death and decay, which you seek after so ceaselessly, it, is power, it is selfishness, it is harnessing anything and everything with self as the object. You make your threats; I will build my power base. You call me no Sith Warrior, but I am a Survivor, and I have what I need...sooner or later, sooner or later. I am patient, and I will be Lord long after you have returned to dust. If you wish to destroy me, come have your chance, if you wish merely to prattle on about the shortcomings you perceive in my style of attaining the power we ALL crave, then leave me to my business."
Shivering cold sound of force-forged steal reverberates through out the landing field as Darth Cabal's blade draws itself and upturns above his anger-closed fist. The Lord fixes a glare upon Ba'sha who has forced it upon himself demanding action and response for his heavy tread upon Thethu and Sith customs. "You will amend your ways this night or you will die." He smiles the simple options to the boy. His fist opens in a sudden movement and the blade, as if force released, falls into his grip. The blade thrums; not with the electric sound of the jedi light saber, but with a life all its own as if the very metal from which it was forged sings its song of death.
"And how would you have me amend them? I notice that you STILL refuse to name any great crimes, admit it Cabal." Ba'sha leisurely reaches behind him, drawing his own sword which seems to crackle with a black flame, though it is easily told to be only for the looks of it, and the flame itself isn't damaging, the steel however, is. "Your lusts were incited by a foreigner, one not of the Sith, your will failed you and you even now allow your hormones to rule your actions. If you wish to fight over a lost slave it is foolish but fine, do not pretend it is for anything loftier. Now, how would you have me amend my ways?"
Grin spreads across Cabal's face with each step he plods towards Ba'sha, "Still you prattle about meaningless slaves. Let us start with only your crimes this night, shall we?" Sword extends in point though still the range between them is great, "And who prattles now?" He mocks an aside. "You do not know your place. Many times these last months I have suffered insult after insult from you personally, not the Krath mind you, but you, personally. You enter my house unbidden, you meddle in clan affairs, and you lift slaves to the height and respect of gods." With each reason, forward step is taken and slice of the blade cuts through the thick air with a swish so loud it seem that force spirits, gathered to witness, perish at his blows. "Again and again you challenge me. Well Darth Wyld, you are getting your wish though it may cost the Thethu gravely, I accept."
Ba'sha shrugs his shoulders, the battle-lust fire entering his eyes, "I see you no longer give the option of making amends. I enter the antechamber of your house, yes. Perhaps that was in ill manners of me, but you possibly could have said something earlier, I mettle in clan affairs, if you mean the incident on Korriban, that was in MY home, and I don't remember sending you an invitation to our home world, OUR home world. And the slave was to be treated as a noble, not a god...your mistake." He begins advancing himself...
Once Wyld begins his advance Cabal halts and takes simple quarte en guard position in the Salam fighting style. "There was a time our clans were one and the burial world belongs to the empire not the Krath alone, but I am not going to argue history to a whelpling. What you and Bane bicker about, I could careless, at least he is your equal. It is your lesser, you raise above their station, that concerns me, Slaves both Krath and Thethu. Slay Cha'vin! That he breaths after what he has done to you is insult to all Sith Lords!" Flash of blade. "Your lizard bitch was entrusted to me for training not as ambassador not as noble, for religious training. It is not for you, the ignorant, to decide neither when that is complete nor what is appropriate. When you give something to me, even if it is as trivial as this amulet." He holds it forth with his off hand. "I trust your words and deeds. If I should not that is your failing to your superior." He goes on. "Your bitchling has information about Terzen, which YOU gave her and now she is loose with her loose lips. Do you think the Jedi will not be drawn to the dark taints left on her? Do you not think that Republic fleet would soar to the border in excuse?" Two more flashing of blades. "And just how well do you trust the navigators that took her? She may well have weaseled the coordinates for Zoist from them for she is craftier than you Ba'sha. If you have revealed to the Jedi where the Sith Empire is you have destroyed us all."
Ba'sha laughs, and laughs, as he stops advancing spending a long moment in obvious glee, "I will slay Cha'vin, in fact I already have and he does not know it yet. SOME of us still remember our honor, he issued formal challenge it is only fitting it be met formally, and on the day of the fight he will die. I did entrust the slaveling to you, in good faith, she was still MY slaveling and you ignored that, took her, dressed her in Thethu colors even after I sent word of how she was to be treated. It is not my place to tell you what to do with YOUR property, just as it is not your place to tell me what to do with mine." He begins laughing again as he takes another step forward, swiping a quick and mostly defensive sword thrust, testing Cabal's defensive length, "I took her myself, and we were the only two people on board the ship, she has no idea how to get back here, or even where here is. This is the lesson you need to learn Cabal, you are powerful, not all powerful, you knowing, not all knowing. There are things and places even you can not see, or control."
Ah so the boy could cross blades and took initiative, good. Though he needed broken some, Wyld's pride had been unbound too long. That was tonight's purpose to pull him back to a malleable reality or end the threat he was. Sato circular parries the feint and extends a lounge aimed for Wyld's weapon side shoulder in plain move, nothing fancy yet. "Time is not your friend Darth Wyld. The slaves see Cha'vin yet breath and you as weak, you the Prince of the Krath. I will conduct my religious schooling to my pupils as I see fit and if you have problem with it you will take it up with me and not conduct yourself behind my back treading on my houses hospitality and good will. You will conduct yourself better for perhaps I do not see everything Darth Wyld but you are well with in my vision and you I can see."
Ba'sha steps back slightly, blade getting slapped aside as he tries to turn a shoulder to it, failing and taking a blow across his arm, shaking it loosely as he steps back, circling, "Your slaves see me as weak perhaps, my TROOPS see a man who honors the old traditions, who never ever breaks his word, and who can be counted on to kill you honorably at least, and not in the sloppy manner of an animal." He reaches out slightly, testing and force-augmenting his speed as he suddenly rains a flurry of blows down....
Wyld's blade is fast and force filled but Cabal bats it in mirror matched flurry as sparked shards of the weapons fly at the contact as if acid and base violently meeting. Cabal grins at one point as their faces are very close and whispers back quite audibly, "If you knew the old traditions you would not be receiving this lesson wyrm." At end of flurry Cabal bounces a last parry off the assault and volustras a lounge in attempt to scar Wyld's check. "But it is good you know you deserve better than a slave animals death. Now prove it, earn it. Beg for it."
Ba'sha steps back slightly, Sato's blade flashing in towards him even as he grins, "You first." And with a thought extends his indomitable and unbending will outwards, slamming into Sato's chest and shoving hard, hard enough to cause the blade (which after all was only aimed at his cheek) to miss, and to buy Ba'sha a moment of time.
The surprise will of Wyld slips through Prine's defenses sending his vulestra back from whence it came. Amused flash crosses Cabal's eyes as his intended marking of the Krath is thwarted. He steps in a simple multiple advance to regain the range and sweeps saber over head, back hand in reverse cut aimed for Ba'sha's sixth quadrant, his collar bone. "Touche'." Cabal gives credit where it is earned.
Ba'sha nods his head silently, eyes smoldering and...a SMILE growing across his face, he's getting into this, and deftly side-steps as he brings his sword up and deftly slides against Sato's blade and redirects it far astray, and tries to step in and head butt Darth Cabal straight on the bridge of the nose.
Across the head to six was a slow and clumsy attack, but it had been Cabal's choice and now he paid for such over confidence leaving himself open for the Krath skull bash. Orbiting crown orb of onyx fates its interposition absorbing much of Ba'sha's incoming force. Their heads do touch, though more gingerly than Wyld had likely hoped. Cabal's eyes light up, as the two are quite close, nose-to-nose. Energy arcs leap from his eyes connecting the two biotic creatures. Cabal tires to will Wyld into staying put in his forces grip as blade slides for target's ribcage and intended deep punishment.
Ba'sha freezes, and hatred and loathing, but very little fear, mix into his eyes as he stares into Sato's eyes, feeling the blade pierce through his belly and slide scraping against his ribs, he sags against Sato as his body's strength leaves him, his eyes actually closing for a moment as he seems unconscious, but a deep and rumbling growl rises from his throat, and through sheer force of will alone he manages to stay conscious, doing all he can from this close in and with a sword to his belly, seeking to tear into Sato's throat with his jaws.....
Sato Prine looks proudly at his skewered foe as Wyld leans forward with the shear raw force of his will and plunges impaling up to Sato's hilt in lounge for the Lord's neck. His teeth break skin drawing Cabal's blood but the jugular is not pierced. Cabal retreats once but still his blade is with in Ba'sha. He retreats second step to clear its tip from the Krath flesh. "Yield and submit in person though I ask it not in clan." He asks for Wyld to admit that Cabal is his superior but not that Cabal is superior to the Krath. "Enter my service for a time until your ignorance and pride are banished and you may serve your clan having earned the right."
Ba'sha sinks slightly to one knee, plunging his sword hilt into the ground, panting with the sheer labor of remaining standing, and then looks up as yield and submit are mentioned, and, incredibly, though his mind is weakened and confused with pain, he rises to his feet, "You are the better fighter, the better sorcerer, this I will admit, and you could probably kill me where I stand, but you will have to do so. I vowed long ago I would never again submit to anyone except myself and the service of the dark side. You have made your point, and I will most definitely alter some of my perceptions, but I will be no one's servant." He remains standing resolute, dragging his arm and sword up with agonizing slowness, "It is good enough, or I will die with honor, and haunt you the rest of your days."
Sato Prine sheathes his blade unclean, letting the Krath leader's blood mingle with that of Phanton's that had dried there but as the blade was used had reheated and dripped again. "I am not a fighter. I am a servant of darkness. You spoke true when you said that you were needed if ever I wanted to become Dark Lord of the Sith. The time draws near, we must coalesce the Sith Empire. The Republic and the Jedi brats are serious threat. I have proven to you tonight that I would sacrifice my own family's position in service of the Sith. Support me in bid over your absent brother and I will know to whom the Sith will owe thanks when we crush the Praxeum to dust."
Ba'sha sways where he stands, sheathing his own sword slowly, the effort of lifting it almost too much for him, but despite his slow reaction times, there is incredible strength not to be denied, he places a hand to his stomach, almost sagging, but lifts slowly again and though the flesh remains torn, strength drains back into his eyes as he quietly considers, "I agree." That's all, and that quietly spoken, "You have impressed me well today Necromancer, it is no secret that I find those of your art unnerving and only utilitarian in certain respects, you have shown me one who rises above that. I will speak with my noble councils, I will set my military generals strategically and force a reaction. You will be the Dark Lord of the Sith at least for a short while." He steadies a moment as he closes his eyes in thought, opening them slowly again, "As I'm sure you deduced long ago, my often absent brother inspired no loyalty by his long sabbatical, and by now a good 1/3 of the Krath commanders and troops will take no orders but mine, I was going to take his place permanently. Now I offer the Krath services and military to you if you will take them, but on one condition, only one but it is non-negotiable. I will have ONLY Krath commanding our military, we will be united under your rule, but some things are never forgotten, and the Krath and Thethu will not sit well together, and troops react with much ill-will to foreign commanders that only a year ago they would have slain if they had the chance."
Sato Prine nods with a pleased sneer, "It is acceptable, I think you have learned the evening's lessen in darkness and will serve the Krath and Sith Empire well. Now go and rest and make your arrangements. We have a war on the horizon to win and conquests to make. Live Darth Wyld, tonight is not your doom but your birth." He turns and with forces speed takes his leave of the area.
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