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As the dim glow of the Coruscant sun begins to slowly fade into the darkness, Galactic City is embraced by the creeping night. Mildly illuminated by the activation of nighttime lighting, two dark figures silently and slowly tread upon the extensive balcony of one of the city’s luxurious private apartments. Both dark figures look quite similar – robes and hoods as black as the night itself and a similar pace afoot. Yet they are both quite different, which is dictated only by their differing physical sizes. The leading dark figure seems somewhat on the small side, but is nonetheless menacing in the black robe. The following figure behind the first is much more intimidating…a tall and broad figure is easily noticeable through the robe. Finally the two figures come to a stop beside each other at balcony’s edge, and remove their hoods. These two menacing figures reveal themselves to be the dreaded Dark Lords of the Sith. “I bid you welcome to my private residence, my young apprentice. Let me take this moment to also state that I take great pride in your accomplishments and in what you have achieved as a Dark Lord. Now what news have you to bring me, Lord Raze ” said the first Sith. “My master, I bring you news that the Hand Of Devastation project is nearly complete. Our engineers foresee 100% operability within this month” replied Lord Raze. “That is good news indeed, however, I sense that there is also something troubling you which concerns the project.” “Yes…there is my master…we have received scattered reports from the project site that there are Jedi spies keeping a watchful eye on the project. I fear that they may know of the true nature of the project ” said Lord Raze. “Do not worry yourself with such a petty matter, Lord Raze. As you know we have our own spies in the Republic and our intelligence indicates that the Jedi believe the project to be nothing more than a Republic endeavor. The Jedi are naïve and are blinded by their self-pride. We are above their suspicions. Discard the reports and see to it that the project is completed on schedule.” “Yes, my master” replied Lord Raze. Both Dark Lords then turned away to watch the sun finally slip below the city horizon. A small grin began to make its way across the Master Sith’s face. She could only imagine what the greatest Sith ever would think of her plan to crush the New Republic. Lord Vader was well known for his strength and intimidating ways, but could not have ever imagined the Sith ever undertaking a project as massive as the Hand Of Devastation was. Surely the galaxy had never seen such a power that was to be unleashed upon it very soon. Not even Palpatine’s terrifying Death Star or Admiral Daala’s powerful Sun Crusher could compare to the Hand. She had high ambitions for the rebirth of the Galactic Empire, and none would stop her…not the Jedi, not the Republic military, not even her own Order of the Dark Jedi. There was only one other being in the universe she trusted as much as herself…and that was her apprentice Darth Raze. She had identified Raze as a special talent ever since she indoctrinated him into the Order of the Dark Jedi at the age of 8. He had turned out to be quite a reliable and vicious Sith Lord. She sensed in him many of the same qualities as Lord Darth Vader, with the special exception that Raze had no son for which to betray her, as did Vader to the Emperor. Raze was an extremely effective enforcer like Vader, and with him by her side no one could crush her dark ambitions. Her meditative stream of thought was rudely interrupted by a question that Raze propositioned. “Master, If I may, what does the Krath Master think about your plan to overthrow the Republic” asked Lord Raze. “Krath Master Darksun is as hopeful and ambitious as I, Lord Raze, and he also wishes to see the final extermination of the Jedi as a fulfillment of his own personal satisfaction. Master Darksun has not told me what that satisfaction is, but I sense that it has to do with how the Jedi defeated his Krath ancestors nearly two millennia ago and forced them into exile.” “But Master” chimed in Lord Raze, “given the fact that the Krath are so highly deceitful, even to the Sith, what if somehow the true motives of the Krath are to…” Suddenly, Raze looked at his Master with great distress, and she replied to his look by saying “I sense it also…we must go…NOW!”
Inside the apartment, loud shouts could be heard coming from outside the entranceway. “Open up in there! We know you are in there Sith traitors! We will cut apart the door if we have to” bellowed an infuriated and unknown voice from outside the entranceway. While running towards his speeder, Lord Raze implored his master “What if those Jedi identify us master? What will become of our plans? How did they find us here?” “Lord Raze calm your emotions…concentrate on the task at hand and disregard your unfounded concerns for the future.” With an understanding nod, Lord Raze jumped into the control seat of his Sith Speeder. Inside the apartment, blue, yellow, and green energy blades seared the entranceway to pieces. They immediately headed for the balcony because their senses told them the Sith were there. Transparisteel glass panels separated the balcony from the inside. With barely an expense of energy, the lead Jedi shattered the transparisteel glass as if it were made of primitive V’orntu sand glass. “There they are” the lead Jedi yelled. As the Jedi headed for the opposite side of the balcony, Lord Raze was having trouble starting the speeder. “Quickly Lord Raze, the Jedi are going to be upon us in a few seconds!” “Damn ignition won’t start,” exclaimed Lord Raze. With a few more pumps on the ignition, the Sith Speeder roared to life and took off with blinding acceleration. The lead Jedi yelled out “I’m not losing this one today” and with that he force ran off the balcony and somersaulted onto the fleeing speeder. The other two Jedi on the balcony yelled at him to not be so impulsive, but it was too late. “Lord Raze…lose this Jedi scum!” “Yes master he will regret taking this ride,” replied Lord Raze. Raze darted the speeder this way and that, in between buildings, into oncoming air traffic, and into narrow alleyways as the Jedi continued to hold on tightly. Suddenly, Raze spotted an airsweeper, and headed right for its underside. The rotating blades of the airsweepers repulsorlift apparatus would surely make short work of the Jedi hanging from the Sith Speeder. The Jedi, sensing what Raze was planning to do, quickly shifted and tried to grab a hold of the speeder’s underside. Seeing the Jedi go under the speeder in his reflector, Raze pulled the speeder into a nosedive. As he had hoped would happen, the Jedi lost his concentration for a split second, and it was enough for him to lose his grip. The Jedi fell off the speeder and to his gruesome death. “Excellent, Lord Raze, excellent. Once again you have proven your adeptness and strength in the force. Very impressive” said his master. “Thank you, my master” replied Lord Raze. And with that, the speeder headed for the Galactic City spaceport and for Raze’s personal starship - the Sith Infiltrator Raze's Edge.
Jedi Master Perel Buwat, on the balcony with her apprentice, used Force Farsight to pursue the speeder with her spirit, but she could only watch as Jedi Knight Saskuan Rendili fell to his death and as the Sith sped away and eluded the Jedi yet again.
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