The Shades of Ringali (around 34 BBY) [EoGA]

[Jëdî T¥]

" So glad all of the Shades of Ringali could be present. Captains Vrel, Koth, Rorrdiran, Mgrawl and Brix. A pleasure to finally meet all of you face to face. " The Chiss scanned all the faces present his eyes drifting from one to the next.

Captain Ester Vrel of the Star Hell where the first he would settle them upon. An older man Alderaanian with dark hair and blue eyes; a shock of white through the temples. Accompanied with his second in command a Zeltron beauty that Narsir knew very little about; knowing only she had recently assumed command of the Dirt Rocket. A wise man; abit more just and honorable then most Pirates he had met.

From the Alderaanian they would drift to Artev Koth a Zabrak of some renown captain of a rather boasted about Etti-Fighter called the Sneer. Behind him stood his bothan bodyguard and technician Wrecker. Somewhere outside stood a rather massive wookie named Grotzrobuck. Guards earlier had been complaining about the extra presence which now currently brought it to mind.

Next in line would be Rorrdian the Burned a massive barrel chested man who towered over everyone except for the Togorian named Mgrrawl. The Burned as he was called had green colored flesh and brilliant red hair the entire right side of his body covered in puckered deformed by fire and heat skin. No second in command having accompanied the Captain of the Fire Lord.

The Togorian Captain of One Fang to his left standing just as tall as Rorrdian could be called equal in bulk as well fur covering it's large form behind him stood his own second in command another Togorian named Grrssorl.

The last and perhaps least pirate looking of the gathered motley crew that of Pol Brix. A known Tae-Jitsu Master, and Captain of one of the fastest ships in the galaxy the Blue Serpent. A droid known as Hax0r1 having arrived with him.

Narsir studied every one of them as he spoke; his own guard the former pit fighter Vealbos behind him. Not really figuring he would need him around with the presence of his new business companion but to display such was a status thing.

" We're not all here. " Brix said calmly black eyebrows lifted up on a yellow-ish face. His arms folded neatly across a trim fighters chest. " There are several you seem to have left out. "

" Yes those I did not wish here. Are not here. " Replied Narsir. With a polite smile.

" Why are we here? You said this would benefit us greatly. I do not see what being in the room so near that piece of filth being a benefit. " Barked the Tof as he thrust a stubby finger at Artev the Zabrak only offered a salute from his crown of spines towards the other man.

" Please. Gentlemen we're meeting under parlay if you can recall... " The dark blue fleshed man said with a motion of both hands pressing them palm flat.

" Lets get talk done. Business slow already. " Growled the Togorian looking obviously ill at ease being around the other Shade Captains. The room carried it's own air of tension as it were already the more each seemed to speak the thicker it grew.

" A mistake not informing the Hutts of such a meeting. " Artev added in as the Bothan behind him shifted uncomfortably sporting what looked like recent blaster burns across his cheek and shoulder. Something Narsir heard of earlier; proving truth to Captain Koth's recent run ins with a Mandalorian.

Narsir's lips peeled back past clean white teeth. " Larvaeg knows. He is also going to be assisting in this. "

Ester shook his head then spoke. " What exactly is this? Cut to the chase already some of us have ships to get back to. "

" What is the matter Vrel are you afraid your people may get attacked while you're in here? " Rorridian asked with a smirk. His face crinkling up like a paperbag with his burnt smile.

Brix sighed loudly as Artev snickered leaning back to whisper something to his Bothan. The Togorians almost with complete exact timing both narrowed their eyes and growled something to one another.

" So the Hutts will be assisting? This must be worth our weight. Explain. " Ester Vrel asked outright.

Narsir motioned and Vealbos obeyed turning around to re-appear with a small glowing tube holding it out to the Chiss who plucked it neatly from the other mans grasp. " Have any of you seen or heard of these before? " Dubious looks all around, then Artev to no surprise spoke.

" It's one of those mutation capsules that was being developed by some of the Neimodians... something to do with ancient technology. I thought it was a hoax. You surprise me Narsir. "

" Correct and wrong Captain Koth. This is a mutagen of sorts; the Neimodians were only helping create it. Very much not a hoax. " he turned it around in his hand then set it down. " I've come into possession of more of these and I know where they're being manufactured and by who. " He said smugly.

More estranged looks as people glanced about then Rorridian spoke up. " What good does that do us? What does that crap do anyways? " As he said this he lifted up the vial turning it about in his overly-large hands.

" Well... if you all would be so kind to turn your attention. " He motioned to his left as the double doors opened. Drug in by arms a woman clad in near to nothing was tossed onto the floor her hair in ragged tangles as she picked her bruised self up off the floor. " Someone help me. Please! " She begged of them as tears streamed down her eyes. Noone seemed to show any response or give any move to assist. Narsir watched them all; a cold-blooded lot there were but what was this? Emotion displayed in Ester. He would have to watch that one. A sympathetic heart was a weak heart.

The womans shoulders convulsed and her head slumped to the ground fingernails began clawing into the solid flooring snapping off just at the cuticles as she raked them up and down the floor. Her breathing picking up as sweat began to burst from her flesh in rivulets. " Observe... "

" This slave has been injected with the N-DS-3. "

Not a single one of the Captain or their 1st mates heads turned any other direction as Narsir spoke eyes transfixed upon the girl whose head was slapping up and down with 'mushy' thuds against the floor. Her shoulders had extended were protruding, bones were snapping and popping as they transformed and re-aligned.

" By the Maker... what is happening to her? " Exclaimed a female voice. The Zeltron of course. Pleased with the show the Chiss smiled.

Blood curdling screams the altered from human to beast escaped the woman's vocal cords as a head was tossed back cheeks bubbled as veins in neck stood out her mass increasing as they watched.

" What good does this do for us? She looks like shes quite mad and in extreme pain. " Artev commented.

" At first. Slowly she will calm and the transformation will be finished. The N-DS will be completely housed within her body. Then the real entertainment begins her strength will amplify, she'll be faster than even a Jedi could imagine and her power will only grow further from there the longer it exists within her. Many do seem to display some psychosis from the change... but that is easily solved. "

He nodded towards the shadows behind her. As the monster rose to her feet towering over anyone present arms bulging with rippled muscle ended in claw and tentacle as she lunged towards them quicker then any of them could have expected getting sounds of statement as a burst of blood erupted from it's chest cavity from it's center came a gleaming silver disc coated in crimson fluids the object spun back around reversing trajectory as it plunged back through it like a fish diving back into a lake.

The abomination turned seeming to sense the disruptive presence behind it two gaping holes in it's chest as he prepared a second lunge this time away from the men. Several lifted blasters which Narsir only motioned down getting hesitated responses from the various figures gathered.

Red energy crackled to life. " Jedi... " someone hissed as a shoto (short lightsaber) swept out lopping off an arm then cut down opening up a muscled stomach to spill intestines on the floor. A blink and another blade had sheered the creatures head off this one a glittering black on silver metal sword of amazing craftsmanship.

A body thumped onto floor in separate pieces laying there convulsing madly in it's death throes. The black clad being slipped both weapons away and stepped foreward nodding to Narsis before red eyes settled upon the gathered Lords.

" Gentlemen. Meet Massan Jy'Ket. My business partner. "

[Jëdî T¥]

Terror.

All across the small above surface ice-colony screams rang throughout the night. The bombardment was so sudden noone had much time to respond.

Eyes wide in horror as ships still in orbit fired canons of mass destruction downward, a strike these people feared was to happen. The worst part being that the city underneath the surface one was now getting crushed by fallen slabs of ice. Beneath the surface of Jorex IV was the larger sections of the city, a free realm inhabited by colonists who had been here for perhaps 30 years, they were now finally expanding upward. Created their own spaceport.

Or had, now it was crumbling. Craters pockmarking it, half contruscted buildings toppling as their world was ripped asunder.

Beneath the ice, the man who was responsible for the cities existance in the first place slapped into the slab of unyielding glossy frozen surface as he made way through the underground tunnels and passage ways.

" Help... " He rasped, " HELP!?! "

" Where are you? You told me it was safe to build here, you told me you would protect my people. Help!? " The man screamed.

The white creature was somewhere behind him. Following him, death in it's eyes and promise of pain on sharp lupine teeth.

" They won't come for you. They're scared. "

" Who are you!? " He yelled behind him. His back pressing to the end of the cavern behind him. Unable to feel the cold that was setting in, the shakes overcoming his body but not out of reaction to the climate. Fear clutched his heart.

" I am the messanger. You are going to live Mayor. You have to tell them who comes for them, let them prepare. "

" Prepare for what? You're killing innocent people! "

A flash of black mirrored through ice-caverns and a hand as frozen and strong as the very walls around them clutched his throat, mashing jowels down into a fat throat. " Urk. "

Pudgy hands slapped at the connecting arm then he seen the eyes. The yellow eyes staring him in the face mesmerizing and terrorifying. " I... please don't kill me. "

" I already said you won't die. Tell them I come for them. I come for the Holocrons, we'll attack again until one of them shows up to fight me. We'll rip Tantra apart piece by piece. "

" You're making a serious mistake, you do not know what they are capable of. "

" Trust me, I know what they are capable of and incapable. Weaklings all of them. No longer does the Wolf serve. Repeat that... "

" No longer does the Wolf serve... " The man said.

" Again... "

" No longer does the Wolf serve. "

" Again... "

A scream came as an eyesocket was pierced with a sharp claw - an eyelid drawn down and peeled away as the barrage of tormented pleas only grew louder.

-------------------------

" Does this sit well with you? "

" Of course. "

" It would. "

" You grow soft Vrel. "

" And you have not changed Artev. Most below are just colonists trying to make it by, the neimodians and these others they spoke of - we know they're not here. "

" So. "

" So... nothing at all feels wrong in any of this to you? " He questioned the Zabrak further.

" I suggest go back to your Starhell and leave if you cannot stomach this Captain Vrel. We'll get what is ours from this. There is treasure in that ice-cube. "

Ester Vrel nodded abit. " Well, I've sold my soul once. "

" That is the old man I remember. Good show, lets watch and enjoy. You're just worried, it's all working out too easy. "

Akoi Lasthawk watched quietly a hand running over his shaven bald head to toy with the long topknot that was attached. " Sir? "

" Yes Akoi? "

" That Echani really intend on staying down there? "

" Yes. He demanded he was set planet side during the attack. "

" Idiot. "

" Maybe. " Artev Koth turned away walking along the railway of the large battlecruiser a ship donated by Narsir.

Ester waited until the Sneer's Captain was out of ear-shot. " To be honest, I don't like any of this. Something feels off, Narsir could never be trusted and this planet... all of this leaves a bad taste in my mouth. That Echani... Massan is a weird karker. He's not right. "

Akoi agreed, he'd seen the man very little but was on the dropship. The man spoke to noone, he only stared at the floor and rocked back and forth. Noone dared to speak to him either though, he came as a commander for Narsir but seemed only to want to go alone. It made little sense to crewman Lasthawk. Added to it all his Captain was acting strange. Off, and not acting his usual sure, crude, rude yet somehow honorable self. Even by non-pirate standards.

" Why are here then sir? "

" Pay off. Maybe revenge, plus... if you were there during the meeting you would understand. "

" Why not help me understand? "

" Akoi, don't overstep your bounds. Your curiousity has me questioning your motives, get back to work. This ship won't run itself and someone needs to be in the engine room making sure Artev's men are not doing anything they shouldn't be. "

" Yes sir. Right away... "

Akoi walked with a stiff stride, his hand rising upwards pulling with it a small datapad tapping on it he began a second transmission out, encoded since that was his skill of course and meant for a small group alone. He'd get his share out of this, one way or another. Settling for his meager percentage wasn't going to float this time around. Not if he had his way.

--------------------

" Artev, boss. "

" What is it Wrecker? "

" Check out the radar, we got fast approaching warships coming from our left flank. "

" Beautiful. Turn this slug and full shields towards foreward sectors, someone get Captain Vrel in here, and put some cover fire out there to let them know we see them and alert the others. "

" Aye aye. "

Artev's lips split into a smile, his eyes matching as he watched the viewscreen. " Finally some fun. "

---------------------

From an outsiders view the outer-rims had suddenly come to life with activity. All around Tantra a blockade of pirate ships had arrived, numerous enough to dot the surrounding area around the globe like a swarm of bees, incoming where local defenders called to planetary defense. The darkness of space lit up with a massive firefight. One that would go noticed by the Republic but since the sectors this far out had denied joining them with Senators of their own a blind eye would be turned, the Jedi Council finding themselves unable to assist more than they have. Already having sent several Jedi into this area of the Galaxy.

The beginning of a concentrated small army war was about to begin...