The Versai Chronicles IV : Shadows of Antiquity

INTRODUCTION

    It has been 10 years since the destruction of the Dark Jedi Academy on Endor. Ten years since the deaths of both Gen Zeridian and her murderer C’ire T Negun. Within this time period, the only two survivors of the incident have both been missing from the public eye. The first was a lone “gopher” you might say, a single man who’s only ambition in life was to serve the Galactic Empire, and all his younger years as an Imperial captor, he served with dedication and commitment to the highest of calling. His path led, as fate would have it to the very same location, where he alone would survive a massacre of burned flesh, and smoldering cinders…he would live only to be a witness to the destruction of one who lost it all in seconds…

His academy, his legacy, his rival, and his lover…..

Valaryc Winters Versai.

Valaryc had plagued the new “Galactic” Empire, for many a year. Often his presence was witnessed, seating among the scum and villany of the Mos Eisley Cantina. It is known that he had a liking for a particular dancer there, a beautiful human girl whom often wore a shimmering black outfit  that traced her every curve, as well as shiny black pearls, their meaning symbolic in nature only to herself. This however is not about her, or the Empire. For as the 10th year passes, upon the very anniversary of the destruction of the Dark Jedi Academy, there was but one more witness besides a lowly Imperial Advisor, and Valaryc Versai…a figure bred of pure Dark side tendiencies, far more darker then that of Gen and C’ire combined.

This figure, wields skills so finely honed, her combat marksmanship so sharp…that even an entire batallion of Stormtroopers, or even Elite soldiers, cannot match the force that is only known as a blur, the only link to the presence, is a insignia built upon three shapes. Two sharp creasents, slightly off center from each other and a claw like center piece…the symbol when viewed, IF viewed forming the terror invoking image of a predator’s eye….

Ten years hence to the disbanding of the Dark Jedi Academy, now in ruins…her story would unfold. For the survivors of the incident, they are about to enter her web of intrigue, as they are about to become players in a unwilling game of cat and mouse….

And a vengeance, a hatred so deep…

would be revealed…

So the story begins…
 

The Versai Chronicles:  Shadows of Antiquity

    The setting opens in a dimly lit interior, the room is very plain and placid. The décor lacks very little color as the walls are illuminated from several cylinder like light panels, and the floor, seeming a polished black onyx material. As the scene moves on, a chair comes into focus, and within it sits a single individual, adorned in a jet black Imperial uniform. The man is off duty, as his uniform represents. His white and black Stormtrooper uniform hangs upon a wall to his right, and he sits behind his desk, sleeping soundly…

(A sound emerges from the doors, which open and quickly shut, the man awakens with a startled jolt, going for his blaster, as he cautiously eyes his surroundings, seeing nothing there, looking to the left, then right, then left again…only a blurred image of black flings across the room approaching him.)

(A voice then echoes to him, cool and collected…but very serious)

Voice – Drop your weapon….I will not ask twice

The off duty Stormtrooper Commander, glances to his left, then right again, feeling a breeze whip past his chair, then behind him, as he turns to find the source, in a quick spray of sparks his blaster is halved in two. His eyes widen in shock, as he holds one half of the weapon, suddenly dropping it to the floor. The end of the halves glow, red hot as it cauterized in a fraction of a second, yet he detected no source…

Commander – Wha…..what do you want???? Who are….you?

(The figure unseen, but very much a presence, whispers in his ear )

Voice – Who I am, is unimportant, what I can do to you…is very important for you to comprehend. I want information…

Commander – What kind of information…what do you want from me…

Voice – I want to know what you saw, ten years ago on the Forest Moon of Endor…

Commander – I…why do you care? That was ten years ago! Why bother?

Voice – Because I know YOU were the only survivor to walk away from there…I want to know what HE told you….

Commander – Please, my name is Racine, I only told them what I saw, that was my job! Don’t hurt me….

Voice – I will not harm you, providing you tell me what I want to know….I promise you that once you tell me what I want to know, I will leave you in silence…

Commander – Most of that information is classified under Admiral Krevlin’s authority, if I tell you that information I’ll be killed…

Voice – If you do not tell me what I want to know…you won’t have to worry about what HE will do to you, you will have to worry about WHAT I will do to you…

Racine – Ok……but you’re making me really nervous, I can’t think right now….please just, cut me some slack….I can’t think under this pressure…

Voice – Very well I will grant you that ONE request, if you do anything to make me regret it, you will not live to regret it yourself…is that understood?

Racine – Yes, just…sit down or something…

The figure moves faster than Racine can see, in a flash the panel on the wall activates with an Imperial emblem, the figure then seconds later appears standing with its hands crossed in front of it, a shimmering black cloak-like robe catches the dim light of the room, as a hood pulled over the figure’s face arches down, the shape of the robe only reveals that it is a woman that lies beneath the darkness…

Voice – You may call me Cinder, I want to know the information you know on this…

The figure waves her hand to the screen, the fingers outstretched seem to call to the device, as the panel begins to flicker with light, as if channels on a tv set were surfed through at a rapid pace. The digital readout of the numbers race till they reach “FILE DJAIV”

As the file plays, text races across the screen, then scrolls up as various flickering lights and menus pop up, all the while the figure’s hand remains outstretched, until a single line reads, “RACINE REPORT – DJAD”

The figure turns to Racine, who sits in his chair, dumbfounded as she known only as “Cinder” lowers her hand back to her side, the hood of the cloak, craning like a phantom back to Racine’s eyes, shimmering red orbs flicking from within the void of darkness…Cinder’s eyes….

Cinder – Now Commander Racine, Let’s discuss the events of project “DJAV” Shall we?

Racine – But how did you?…How did you bypass the codes on the scree…..(trails off still shocked)

Cinder – Mechanics have little influence on those who wish to exploit them. Now talk…

Racine leans back in his chair, then closes his eyes in thought, reopening them as if a theater played through in his mind, to the Individual still standing across from him, in front of his desk.

Cinder, leans her weight on one foot, as her hip rises a bit, revealing her very athletic form, a hint of black and red peeks from out the part in her robe, as a pattern of crimson fire, reveals itself to the dim light of the room, her hand comes up, resting her red nail-polish painted fingertips, under her chin as she waits for the Commander to speak…

Racine – It was a crowded day that day. I was summoned to observe the trial of “Valaryc Winters”, whom was being accused of treason in the Imperial ranks. Though the occupation of the location was unknown to me, all I knew is that this meeting of a “Dark Council” was one of the biggest on record, in a place that should not have existed in the first place, they code named this location “DJA”. I do not know what the letters stand for, but all I really remember was that Val was bound in chains, while many guards lined along the hallways, the doors flung open and a woman stormed into the room. The only thing I can remember about her was she had purple hair, and a long black trench coat with a yellow stripe down it.

Cinder – Go on…There is more interesting things then a woman to talk about….

Racine – Well, the woman was protesting on Val’s behalf it would seem. Another figure was near her side with long black hair  that went to about his shoulders, his attire matched the rest of the students in the facility, except he had a brown coat over it. I kinda figured out this place had to be of some importance, because it was classified from the start. I had no idea though, that this place was a training ground for the Emperor’s elite “students”

Cinder – So I’ve heard…Force Users, continue….

Racine – All I can really remember of importance is that there was a brawl on the floor, and the purple haired woman was killed. Val broke through the chains that held him, which was quite astounding as they were solid steel! Anyway he started to glow with a purple light, it was the strangest thing I had ever seen from any individual…he faced the guy with the long hair, and from what I could tell in my seat, two rows from the floor was that the man’s legs were set on fire.

(Cinder curls her hand into a balled fist, as if pained by the information, squeezing so hard, her flesh turns white, then releases, taking a deep breath from within the dark black hood.)

Cinder – Delightful sight I’m sure...so the girl with the purple hair was killed, and this “Val” character over reacted and set the other guy with long hair on fire then?

Racine – Yes. As soon as the Council noticed that the man was on fire, then quickly tried to flee the building, because the walls and the floor began to catch fire from what appeared to be Val’s hands pointing to various locations…all purple, many people died, spontaneously combusting into flames and for some reason I was not effected by the outbursts around me…I ran like hell out of the building, but I tripped and fell…

Cinder –(growls low) Murderer…He set the entire Council on fire and what, the building to?

Racine – Yes, he set the entire grounds on fire, and as I tried to run to my ship, it too burst into purple flames, there was carnage all over the place, everywhere someone was running on fire or buildings were exploding, and the man “Val” then approached me…singling me out, his gaze scared me to the bone, sending chills down my spine, he didn’t have a look of compassion on his face, it was almost a sadistic smile…like he was just a hunter, out for the kill…

Cinder – I see, and then?

Racine – Then he uttered to me a few words. Something about telling my superiors he “quit”. When I told Admiral Krevlin this information, he made me take an oath of secrecy, this is why the files are under such tight classifications. From what I know Admiral Krevlin has been trying to apprehend Valaryc, ever since the incident and has posted bounties all over the galaxy on his head.

Cinder – I am aware…..I have business with him myself.

Racine – You…you know Valaryc Winters?

Cinder – Yes, we have crossed paths before…his name is Valaryc Versai, but that is not important. What of Krevlin? Does he still know of these things?

Racine – I am the only one who knows of those events, and also the only one that has the files on the incident, other then Krevlin who is considered dead long ago.

Cinder – So then does his office still exist?

Racine – Yes, it has been preserved for years since his disappearance.

Cinder – (begins to remove her cloak) So you are the only one with the records?

Racine – (begins to reach for a signal button, while the figure is distracted)Yes, You know now what others have died to protect. Which means…I can’t afford to let you leave.

Cinder – Foolish, and unwise to provoke my wrath young one…For you see, you have passed on your knowledge of Imperial records to me, so that means I know what you know…and that is a dangerous thing….

Racine – (curls his lips into a smile, as he repeatedly hits the switch under his desk) Oh yes, you think I would give up information so easily, and allow you to walk out of here? I don’t think so….

Cinder – Ah, and you think that I will wait for your friends to arrive…wrong, on both counts.

Cinder rips off her cloak, revealing her red and black attire, the flame pattern running from the top rightof her deep crimson red, cat-suit like clothing, down her left breast. Another flame pattern ran from her right hip all the way down to the rim of her shiny black boots., an elegant double sided saber was casting spindles of light from her belt, clasped upon it by a hook. Her eyes flash a firery red, as her silky, straight black hair wisped across her shoulders, spilling down them like a ebony waterfall, a lock of white jetting out from the sea of black shimmering vibrantly down the left side of her face.

(Racine drops his jaw as he seriously regrets his arrogance and his words, knowing exactly who the girl is…)

Racine – Holy S#!T!

“Cinder” moves with brilliant speed away from the door, as automatic blasters lock on to her last location and systematically fire from the walls. Her cheetah like speed whizzes back and forth as she makes her way towards Racine.

Racine – I never thought I would cross paths with the elusive Crymson Vachon , Well I hear your bounty is pretty high these days, I think I’ll take what’s left of you to the Hutts when my men get through with you.

Clamps around Racine’s chair release, as hover units expel from below it, as he hovers above the room, the walls behind him part quickly, as his chair darts backwards. Crymson flips from left to right in blinding blurs of red and black, as shimmering red bolts fire, hot on her heels. She continues to advance, despite the blaster’s accuracy, as Racine activates two fletchette launchers, which flip out from the sides of his chair, fireing a salvo of 4 canisters, sending 800 fletchettes in Crymson’s direction, as she stops, clear of the blaster range of the wall mounted guns, she stands there as the fletchettes approach with blinding speed.

Racine curls his lips in satisfaction, for many a spy has perished under the might of the fletchette launchers on his chair, she seemed no different. He was not impressed as he thought he would by the elusive Crymson, she didn’t seem like much a threat at all. Heck she was a normal human, scum like the rest…but he was wrong…

Crymson’s eyes locked on to the oncoming salvo of darts, as she raised her hand towards them and stood strong. As Racine cackled in delight, he soom turned his smile into a awkward gawk, as the clanging sound of shattered metal echoed in his room, Crymson stood there with her hand outstretched as the fletchettes seemed to shatter on a unseen energy field, something solid, so solid in fact that the solid metal spikes seemed to hit durasteel, shattering like glass. But there was nothing there! What was stopping the darts? What could possibly do such a thing??? Then he figured it out….Crymson was a Force User…

Crymson’s lips curled into a wicked grin, as her black boots crushed the metal pathway of busted fletchettes below her feet, as if walking across glass the sounds of her approaching footsteps, struck more waves of fear through Racine’s body. Her eyes locked dead on her target as she began to quickly dash towards Racine, who continued to retreat backwards into a seemingly endless hallway at breakneck speed. Racine pushed a series of buttons on his chair as he flew backwards, watching Crymson struggle to advance to his location.

Crymson stopped short as the floor dropped out from under her, tucking her legs in channeling the Force to hurl her body across the void in a glorious display of athethisim, she used the Force to leap across the pit but having little time she had to quickly change her direction in mid-flight, slamming her weight to the right to as her eyes caught the flash of razor sharp buzz-saw like devices emerge from the walls ahead of her. Her feet quickly repelled along the walls so fast,  between gaps in the blade placements, they didn’t even touch the ground. As she continues her advance, she glances down for a safe place to land, but as her feet touch the floor, instantly she feels the agonizing discharge of electricity slam through her body. The agonizing pain hits her like a truck, knocking her to the floor, as the bolts of electricity, akin to Force Lightning begins to sear her flesh, but she knows the Dark side well, as she narrows her eyes, concentrating to control the pain with The Force, anger filling her now, anger not of the pain she suffers but the cause of it. She slowly manages to ward off the electric shock raking her body, getting to her feet for she no longer cares about the agonizing pain of being electrocuted, she doesn’t even feel the sting anymore. The Force was guiding her to become immune to its effect, for her anger was directed to the man in the chair, who mocked her, challenged her. Crimson’s blood red eyes locked on Racine, like a predator to its victim. Now she not only wanted the information….she wanted his head…

Racine retreated backwards still, in his hovering chair as he seemed to reach the end of the hallway. Crymson’s body soon absorbed enough of the electricity in the floor, that the units below her feet began to smoke and overload. In a flash of brilliant sparks the units ignited, sending debris flying from the walls, as they exploded. Crymson grinned, then uttered…

Crymson – (glancing to Racine)Oh look I broke your little toys…a pitty.

(narrows her eyes even more)

Crymson – IS THAT THE BEST YOU GOT BOY!

With a battle cry it would seem, she began her pursuit twice as fast, charged by anger, and a lust to KILL. As she advanced, seemingly closing the distance between her and Racine, she suddenly noticed two huge circular quarter halves of metal begin to rise from the left and right sections of the floor. The metal was thick enough to repel even the strongest of blaster fire, and she knew if the doors closed, she would miss her chance…Racine laughed from behind the rising walls, his eyes locking on to Crymson’s, challenging her to come to him, over confident that he would escape, as the two metal halves closed in on each other a split second, causing Crymson to stop short, of being sandwiched between them as Racine’s face disappeared from site, behind the closed doors. Inside the room, the lights flickered to a dull blue, as Racine looked around in the darkness of his “shelter”, wondering why in the hell his men were taking so long to come to his aid…he knew she was out there, but he slide his fingers along the metal walls around him as his seat settled back onto the floor…breathing a sigh of relief.

Racine – Yes, surely the strong STEEL of man can defeat the weak attributes of a woman…You walls with protect your master won’t you? Yes, you will keep the danger away, until my men arrive…

A small snap hiss sound emerged from behind the wall, Racine’s eyes locked on the polished metal…his “conversation” with the walls interrupted as he strained to listen to the searing sound of something vibrating, something he’s never heard before in an Imperial establishment. But he knew the metal was as thick as two blast doors put together. Nothing could possibly get through! His eyes stayed captivated doors, and on the sound emanating from behind them, which was getting louder , a definite humming noise was very prominent now…something was beginning to approach him…

As Racine watched the metal door, he dropped his jaw. For there from the center of the door, a small eerie orange glow began to spread along the brushed metal surface. The glow intensifying every second, glowing brighter and brighter, and the metal, seemed to be bubbling now, almost beginning to stream down like molten lava. Racine could not believe his eyes as he watched solid metal seem to bubble into a liquid state, the firery red-orange glow began to mix with the blue hues of the room as the hissing grew louder and louder….The blue hues of the lights, completely drowned out by the intense orange glow from the door, was a astounding sight, but not to Racine…he knew danger was approaching…

Then something shimming pink began to emerge from the bubbling metal liquid….it was a blade! The pink blade suddenly lunged forward, then arched up in a forty-five degree arch, as the bubbling metal of the door oozed down the surface, another curve emerged from the other side of the blazing hot surface of the door. Racine knew that the only way a door could be carved and heated in such a matter had to be a LIGHTSABER!!!

Racine thought to himself, OH MY GOD SHES CUTTING THROUGH THE DAMN DOOR!!!!

Racine (quickly hits the call switch again) – WHERE IN THE HELL ARE MY GUARDS!!!!!

Racine continuously hammered his thumbs down on the call button on his chair, screaming in utter panic as more and more of the door began to ooze on the floor like lava, there was a clear cut arch now in the door, and a triangular carving soon emerged, as a smoldering hunk of the metal slammed down on the cold floor. Smoke billowed from the white-hot surface of the door, behind it only darkness. Racine’s eyes searched for Crymson’s figure, to come busting through the door at any second, as the shimmering pink blade was no longer present. He quickly reached for an Imperial Rifle, on the weapons case to his right, and trained the barrel on the only way in or out of the room…he knew that if she wanted to get in, he could get her in his sites and fire….

He however forgot one thing…as he saw her emerge in seconds, flipping through the melted section in the door…Force users, and blasters have little effect on each other. Racine quickly squeezed the trigger 6 times, sending 6 shots at Crymson’s chest, but she was way to fast for him, already having moved in a blur from her last locations the shots strafed her, but collided with the ways, hot on her heels but to little to late to find their mark, she then seemed to disappear….

Racine glanced around the room, swallowing hard as he looked desperately for a glimpse of her…anything, a red flash, anything he could get a good aim on…

The echos of the blaster bolts slamming into the door, were now drowned out…and there was an eerie silence…then a sudden outburst of a snap hiss…then flash of pink light, left Racine’s rifle halved in two, like his blaster before…His eyes streaked up to see only a dazzling pink bladed lightsaber before him. Racine stumbles back, falling on his butt as he crawls on his hands backwards…glancing to the figure standing before him, holding the lightsaber….it was HER, it was Crymson….The Assassin…

Crymson – I have had to go through a lot of trouble to find you, and I have faced much more intelligent and more heavily armed people then you, so before you die…do not bother to beg for mercy, you have shown none to me…That is your nature, and killing is mine…

Racine – You stupid fool! Any minute my best men will run down those halls and open fire on you! You can’t escape and you can scare me all you want, YOU’RE GONNA DIE BITCH!!!

Crymson – I doubt your “boys” could handle me, especially led by a idiot like you, who knows nothing of real combat…I tire of the games, time to end this…

Racine rolls out of the way of Crymson’s blade as it strikes the floor which would have cleaved him in two, his body leaping behind a over turned table as he finds a DL-44 sitting on the floor. Crymson’s head cranes up to see the firey bolts of red fling towards her , as she quickly spins her saber blade around to repel them, sending the bolts into the nearby walls, knowing she has little time now before his friends really DO arrive. She trains her mind on Racine’s blaster and uses the Force to hurl it from his grasp, flipping behind him.

Without warning, her saber is turned off, and re-clipped to her belt as she puts her hands around Racine’s neck and prepares to snap it whispering to him…

Crymson – You could have lived…but you are a dedicated Imperial, I applaud your efforts…but this hunt is over…little prey…

Before Crymson can snap Racine’s neck however, a battalion of  Stormtroopers rush in through the hole in the melted door, like a ocean of black and white, clanging along the floor as their armor rustles in loudly into the room. Crymson’s eyes narrow slightly at the advancement. Her red eyes concentrating on the squad of troopers that enter; as each take standard defensive positions around her, in an attempt to surround her.

She smiles however, for the Troopers of the Empire were weak minded and she devised the perfect idea to unleash upon her particular victim this time…fitting for his “command”. Without a word, she lifts her hand to several blasters on gun racks, as they open fire instantaneously on the Stormtroopers. Each trooper begins to open fire, without concern for their Commander as they get caught in the heat of battle. Crymson quickly flipping away from Racine; sets her plan in motion.

Racine can only cry out for a short few seconds, as his men unwittingly send hundreds of blaster bolts ripping through his body, for the men had been well trained all right…trained enough to FIGHT not to THINK. Crymson wastes no time taking refuge behind a stack of cargo boxes, as the Stormtroopers stop firing momentarily, now realizing that the Dark side induced illusion from Crymson then reveals WHY the Troopers opened fire on their Commander, because Crymson manipulated them into thinking that it was RACINE who flipped away and they had just obliterated CRYMSON.

Crymson – (laughs out loud sadistically) You are all alike, so easy to play with…just puppets in fancy uniforms..

The Stormtroopers shake their heads, and realize what they have done, as anger takes over, their blasters begin to open fire without mercy on the cargo boxes, giving Crymson seconds to move, as she hurls her body away, then flips into the center of their horseshoe like pattern of soldiers, quickly igniting her double bladed lightsaber with a dual hiss filling the room in a dazzling array of vibrating pink light.

Crymson – You know the one thing about fighting with anger…

(slices through a trooper coming behind her, she she glances to his dying corpse, leaning close enough so the prey can hear her words keeping her eye on the others)

Crymson – (seems to whisper to the severely injured trooper) You fall into…....error....

The Stormtrooper nearest to her doesn’t know what hits him, as Crymson’s blade mercilessly cleaves him in two. She moves like lighting, the only visible evidence of her existence is the limbs flying from the Stormtroopers all around her, as one helmet hits the floor, driven down hard with the severed head found within it, to the hands wrapped around Imperial rifles, still clutching the devices as the body they were attached to, hit the floor in heaps. More and more Stormtroopers rush through the hole now, the entire base being set on high alert as Crymson weaves a path of death and dripping red destruction in her wake. Her saber flashing in archs of pink as more heads fly, and body fall to the floor, sparks shower her figure, as she partakes in a glorious spectacle of death and combat bliss, making her way towards a wall, turning back to fight off the seemingly unending advances of Stormtroopers pouring through the hole she cut in the blast doors.

Crymson’s eyes flash in anger as she nears the wall, and with catlike agility she wisps her saber blades into the less thick metal of the walls, carving an escape route, as the thinner, instantly white-hot melted panels crash to the floor…

Crymson –(turns to the heaps of dead Troopers, and whispers to them)  I win…..

Crymson’s red outfit was only seen for seconds, as her blood soaked footprints dashed down the hallway, towards the surface. She had infiltrated the world famous “Krevlin Academy”, and she came for only one thing…his private files on “Valaryc Winters”. She ran down various corridors, knowing that she had precious few moments before they would catch up to her again. Her saber was tuned off and clipped to her belt once more, as she held two twin DL-44 blasters in her hands, she quickly dashed into a control room.

On the monitors, she could see the sea of Stormtroopers rushing into the room she just escaped from, surveying the bodies of various Troopers she killed without a second thought. As funny as it sounded, she knew that now was her chance to get what she REALLY came for….

It wasn’t the information that Racine knew that she was interested in it was his FILES. Crymson dashed from the control room after finding the location of Admiral Krevlin’s former office, then ran down more corridors, until she reached the entrance of his former residence. Glancing to the left and right she wondered how to open the door this time, for she had already used her saber more then enough times as she thought to herself, then whispered…

Crymson – I’ll just shoot it…..

She raised her two blasters and opened fire on the door, sending the metallic slab flying off its foundations, hurling back into the office interior, with a thud hitting the floor as sparks and debris filled the room in sparkles of light. She was trained to operate under tight conditions, and in a swift manner…she was the best of her game, a former Assassin for higher and Leader of the Shadow Guild. To her, this was a walk in the park as she thumbed through the Imperial Database of tapes and data cards on various reports.

She growled to herself as she thumbed through, finding crime records and Imperial slander, bragging, accomplishments, financial records…but nothing of interest to her. What she was looking for wasn’t here! At least not where she thought it would be.

Her eyes narrowed once more, thinking that if this was a wasted trip she was going to be very upset, but she knew somewhere in the room, she would find what she was looking for, while the bulk of danger was still centered two miles from her current location. Seeing that she had some time, she closed her eyes and concentrated on the objects in the room, the walls, the desk, the file cabinets, she knew that through post cognition, maybe she could find what she came for…

Her fingers dangled along Krevlin’s desk, along to the drawers as she closed her eyes to sense his actions, his former thoughts here…yes the image began to form in her mind, as she seemed to watch from a first person perspective, where his hands were going, they were moving along a picture on the wall. Her eyes snapped open once more, as she looked around.

Sure enough, hung upon the walls was a picture of Krevlin, the Academy founder. Crymson didn’t give a damn about him or his picture, quickly reaching out to show how much she cared for such “honors”, she ripped Krevlin’s picture off the wall, sending it crashing to the floor, in a mangled heap.

She knew she only had a few more minutes or so till the guards traced her footprints, to where she was now. Her fingers searched along a wall panel, as she curled her fist and sent a powerful TK into the wall, creating a large hole in the surface, revealing a sealed metal safe.

She was quite annoyed by all this trouble, as she walked about a foot away, clearing her mind, as her black hair cascaded down her shoulders. Her crimson red eyes became ablaze with red bolts of energy, as she stretched out her hands towards the safe…her eyes narrowed and focused, she withdrew her fingertips backwards, as if calling the safe to her.

The more she flung her fingers back, the more the safe door creaked and groaned under a hidden weight, as if something was trying to pry it loose from the wall. Crymson’s eyes narrowed more as she yelled out in frustration

Crymson – Come on…TEAR LOOSE NOW!!!!

Suddenly, with her last words, the safe’s door ripped off the hinges, as she ducked under it. Glancing back to see the metal door slam into the wall, then fall to the floor. Her head quickly craned her head back to the now opened safe. Her hands snatching a pile of data cards, her gaze falling on the names, of files thumbing through each, as the ones she doesn’t need fall with a clatter to the floor.

Then she finds exactly what she’s looking for…FILES “VC4-VERSAI” Her lips curled in satisfaction, as she stuffs the three data cards in her belt compartments. Then, she ran from the room, down the corridor again, seeing a squad of Stormtroopers rushing towards her. She quickly looked up, to see the ventilation shaft grating above her, She uttered to herself…

Crymson – That should do nicely, time for your spanking gentlemen…

Flicking her wrist to send the rows of vents above her she used the Dark side of the Force to grasp an invisible hold on each heavy grate, above her. Sending each panel crashing down like dominoes upon the, approaching Stormtroopers, her eyes concentrating on the metal racks, as each heavy grate slammedl upon the unsuspecting Stormtrooper squad from above, like deadly rain, breaking bones, and shattering plastoid armor under the intense weight.

Crymson had no compassion for anyone she took lives, to her they were nothing but cattle, useless and plentiful. She had been trained since birth to be a warrior, a fighter, and cold hearted bitch…there was only The dark side to her, nothing more, nothing less…life was a continuing conquest for power, money, and strength.

She did however display some senses of humor, as she blew the crippled Stormtroopers a kiss of “death”, for as she waved her hand out to deliver the “air” blown “kiss”, a massive red energy burst emerged from her hand, instantly vaporizing, what was left of the squad sending a scortching wave of energy, that spread along the hallway, shattering everything in its path., As she looked to the destruction, she breathed a breath of fresh air, satisfied with her handiwork, then spun around on one heel in front of her, and once again, pursued her way to what finally was revealed as a docking bay.

They would come to little, too late as Crymson’s swift ship exploded from the hanger bay of the Academy, the Imperial guns were no match for the sheer quickness of her vessel, as the speed EXCEEDED that of a rebel A-Wing. In a flash of light she engaged her hyperdrive engines…and was gone.

She sent a telepathic message to her next target however, someone who knew much of her, but knew OF her skills very well…well enough to have a scar on across his back to prove it…

Crymson (telepathic) – Versai, There is no escape, I’m coming for you…You cannot hide, this time there is no one to save you…you will meet your end Versai, you hear me? I WILL FIND YOU….

Thousands of miles away, Valaryc Versai is ripped from his sleep, as the words echo in his mind. His eyes blinking in utter shock, not able to accept that the person who spoke to him was even breathing….His body under the silken black sheets of his bed, as he calls out in the darkness…alone….within his Mansion…

Val (telepathic) – I thought you were dead…

Crymson (telepathic)Yes Val, I’m alive…but you soon will not be, I have files Versai, on your family and your past…Soon I will know everything about you…

Crymson from her ship smiles in response as if in the same room with him replies coldly

Crymson (telepathic) You killed him Versai, you killed my only Brother, C’ire, there is no where you can run boy, where I will not find you….and I will kill you…prepare yourself….for the end.

Val clears his mind as images of the past flash through his mind, his battle with Crymson so long ago played through in seconds, the only thing he remembers visibly is her pink bladed saber racking his upper back, where the scar still remains…he grits his teeth, at her words which send a sting through his very core…he thought she was dead because HE KILLED HER…or so he was led to believe…

Val (telepathic) –HE WAS YOUR WHAT!!!???

Crymson – Yes, you finally know don’t you? C’ire was my BROTHER and YOU KILLED HIM!

Val (telepathic) – I killed him…BECAUSE HE TOOK MY LOVER FROM ME! You want to fight me Crymson…hunt me? Then bring it on…YOU HEAR ME!. I RUN FROM NO ONE, NOT YOU, NOT C’IRE, NOT KREVLIN. I will fight you again, and this time I will make sure your carcass is six feet under for good this time…

Crymson (telepathic) – I DON’T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT GEN ZERIDIAN, I’M GLAD THE BITCH IS DEAD!, YOU WILL PAY BOY! I DEFEATED YOU IN THE PAST AND LEFT YOU BLEEDING. GEN SAVED YOUR MISERABLE LIFE, THIS TIME YOU WILL HAVE NO ONE TO STOP ME FROM TAKING YOUR HEAD!!!

Val  (telepathic) -You know only what I have allowed you to know Crymson, You think you know me? You’re just a puppet…

Crymson  (telepathic) – It will take more then purple fire and red bolts of hatred to kill me Versai. I’m coming for you, coming to END you…and send you to your fate, where you sent C’ire, and where he sent Gen….

Val – (telepathic) – Then Crymson I will be ready…, and when the time is right, I will send you to HELL….

Crymson (telepathic) – So be it….everything dies….Versai

Val –(telepathic) – It’s just a matter of when…..

Crymson (telepathic) – Yes…prepare boy, I am the instrument of your destruction…I come shortly

Val growls low in his throat, as he recalls the last battle, the battle that left him so mortally injured, so close to the brink of death, he had to have several high ranking Force Users to heal him…and yet led to Gen Zeridian’s long, thought dead feelings of compassion, to resurface for him leading to his relationship with her. A battle so intense and devastating it not only left him scared, but perhaps a little cautious….for this is a battle, he would not be able to win easily…and win or lose, he knew he’d walk away injured, deep down he wondered if he was ready for such an epic battle again, he questioned his skill, his talent, but his stubborn nature overtook what little fear he might have had, as he knew what he had to do…

survive…

Taking a deep breath, he replied to Crymson with a cool and collected, yet under-toned manner of anger in his words, slowly drawing them from his lips…

Val (telepathic) - I will be waiting…

Cryson’s eyes flashed with utter delight. She loved the thrill of intimidation, and the carnal glee of destruction. She was driven however on a purpose to find and kill her own lover’s killer. There was no “reasoning” behind the action in question…just the reaction. For unknown to Gen, her second in command of the Shadow Guild, she had carried on her family relationships with her best student before Val showed up…behind her back and everyone else’s. …They met in the forest…SHE met Val with C’ire in the battle…she was the one behind the dark clothing that cut down the tree that night….she was that 3rd witness at the Academy’s destruction…she was there. Gen and her may have trained together and became bitter rivals over time…but she wanted to take everything that was precious to Gen Zeridian away from her...

Val Versai’s life…her one true love…

With him dead, and her long dead… her conquest would be complete and Gen Zeridian’s demise would be fully accomplished. She wanted Gen to suffer, and in life or death, she would not rest till her lover was avenged, and Gen’s lover was dead...buried…and long forgotten…

Her lips curled once more with the thought of accomplishment, after 10 years of searching, she would have Val Versai’s head in her hand…or die trying.