Taris

[extras]

Tln'aa Shoolb nodded once thoughtfully before speaking once more.

"Would there be some way to make them rescind the reasons that you left their order?" He quizzed, "Perhaps convince them that in light of 'recent developments' you wish to aid them somehow?"

He was of course, reffering to some ideal that the Jedi could be infiltrated, with eyes and ears already in the New Republic senate, a constant flow of information from that part of the galaxy had proved useful, what was unpredictable was how the Jedi would react. What actions they would take and if said actions were effective.
If somone were to join their ranks, relay important information back to the Yuuzhan Vong, such information would be invaluable. It was also a prime opportunity to feed the Jedi false information back, destroy them from within.

He stood observing the reaction of drevin's features to the slight proposal. The sooner he agreed the sooner he could depart.

[darklord]

"Would there be some way to make them rescind the reasons that you left their order? Perhaps convince them that in light of 'recent developments' you wish to aid them somehow?"


Aid them?! The very thought made Drevins hand curl into a fist. He knew what the intendant was proposing but it would mean admitting to the jedi that he was wrong, it would mean turning his back on everything he believed in. Even if he knew himself that it was a lie he would still have to watch their smug faces as he came crawling back to them.

But no, it wouldnt have to be that way. In his current battered state it wouldnt be difficult to make them believe that he had been attacked by the vong and narrowly escaped. He wouldnt even have to be civil with the jedi then, he could just make out that yavin was the only place near enough for his ship to fly to. He could even feign a 'crash landing'. That way, it would be far too convincing for them to suspect any foul play.

It was a good plan and it would put himself and Tin'aa Shoolb in direct contact with the enemy. It would also give him the chance to learn what the jedi knew of the vong, and why they seemed to be immune to the force. And then when the time comes I can slay the Jedi personally.

He looked at Tin'aa Shoolb with a knowing expression. "You wish for me to be a spy then intendant? I had hoped that when next I met a jedi it would be to watch their life force leave them as i struck them down. But I can see that this plan will not be without its rewards." That phrase had more than one meaning.

"If this is to be our task, i will not go begging to the jedi for forgiveness. We'll engineer a story that makes it seem like i had no choice but to go to them. Given my current state..." he gestured to his injuries "i cant see that being a problem."

It was a risky game that he now played, but he had no doubts anymore about whos side he was on...

[extras]

"You wish for me to be a spy then intendant?"

It was, perhaps, one of the tasks he had been doing more often than not these days. But no Yuuzhan Vong could infiltrate the Jedi, they had ways - that he could not fathom - of figuring out such things. They had been rumoured to know instantly when a human was a human and not merely a Yuuzhan Vong wearing an Ooglith masquer.

"I wish you to be that and more Jeedai." He began to explain, "The information we received concerning this abominable galaxy, was somewhat flawed with regards to these Jeedai. You claim to have spent time among them, you have been one of them, you are familiar with their ways and...abilities." He motioned with one hand, casting a wide arc as if to take in their entire surroundings with one sweep of an arm " Just as we infiltrated this galaxy, destabilized it from within, you will do so with the Jeedai."

And then, Tln'aa Shoolb thought to himself, then is when we shall bring the Jeedai to their knees...this one included.

" You will of course be rewarded for your efforts...we are not entirely without what you infidels might call compassion." The word sounded utterly foreign on his tongue, clicky and foul. He wondered if the Jeedai knew that the meaning for such words in his own tongue did not exactly exist. They roughly translated as something else entirely.

The intendant paused to hear Drevin's thoughts on the whole scheme, his pride would be his downfall perhaps, but that was not entirely in-passable. He had agreed to go along with this...still he could not hide his irritation and wishing to mold the plan his way somewhat.

"Then I suggest you furnish a suitable story quickly." He said somewhat condescendingly - as was his way- turning his gaze toward the exit of the grashal.
From beyond the main entrance, a haggard, coral implanted slave - accompanied by a Yuuzhan Vong warrior of low rank- entered the grashal, carrying with it a bundle of crumpled cloth.
The slave dropped the bundle at Drevin's feet when ordered to, clearly the warrior accompanying had not wished to taint herself with the task of returning the Jedi's clothes.

"We leave now." Tln'aa added without a second glance to the slave or his handler.

[darklord]

"You will of course be rewarded for your efforts...we are not entirely without what you infidels might call compassion. Just as we infiltrated this galaxy, destabilized it from within, you will do so with the Jeedai."

That made Drevin almost laugh out loud. The only compassion he would receive for his trouble would be a dagger in the back. No, Drevin had plans of his own once the Jedi were out of the way, the yuuzhan vong were a necessary evil for the time being. The time had come for change in the galaxy, he could accept that. But it wouldnt come in the way that the yuuzhan Vong or the Jedi thought.

His clothes were dumped on the floor in front of him along with his belt and equipment. He quickly dressed, which caused him a considerable amount of pain before turning to face the intendant.

"And my lightsaber...?" He held out his hand as if motioning for the intendant to hand it over.

Drevin informed Tin'aa Shoolb of his plan as they made their way out of the structure where he could make contact with V3.

"Without the Jedi, the galaxy will have no one to believe in. The New republic will crumble as its already in danger of doing now..." He paused before adding "There are of course other powers and governments in this galaxy that you will encounter but im sure you have been well informed of those..." He let the sentence trail off. It would be interesting to know how much the yuuzhan vong had learned of the others.

[extras]

"Without the Jedi, the galaxy will have no one to believe in. The New republic will crumble as its already in danger of doing now..."

"This I already know." Tln'aa Shoolb replied with a snap, still this infidel persisted to test his patience.

The Jedi was sifting for information regarding how much the Yuuzhan Vong actually knew about the galaxy that they had chosen to invade. Indeed, there was little harm in telling him that he knew what Drevin was talking about, but he would not tell him to what extent he knew, not yet, perhaps not ever.

"Of course, however, that task is out of my hands." He responded.

Tln'aa Shoolb lead the dark jedi from the grashal and past the ruined center which had once belonged to an agricultural university. Now crumbling and decaying due to slight worldshaping to suit the needs of his people, Tln'aa Shoolb had noted that it was - for the time being - serving as a place to contain the slaves they had acquired so far.

This far out would be a safe enough distance to call the dark Jedi's ship-abomination down to land. The warriors, far behind them now, would not be able to catch up with them if they had complaint. Which undoubtedly they would as Tln'aa Shoolb did also. It was another necessity that he found irksome, the Jeedai could not return to the others in one of their ships, nor would he wish to insult the gods by allowing it to happen.

He had until this point ignored Drevin's request for the weapon he still held in his possession. The intendant would certainly hand it over...once he was sure he was not about to get stabbed in the back himself. Perhaps some insurance was needed?
First he needed to find out a little more about the one he traveled with. His sudden change of plans would be a good place to start.

"You have furnished a plausible reason for why you have escaped capture?" He let the minute sound of amusement trickle into his tone. Escape, now there was a humorous idea.

[darklord]

"You have furnished a plausible reason for why you have escaped capture?"

Drevin was beginning to get annoyed at the intendants stubbornness and reluctance to hand him his weapon. He spoke with a hint of anger and threat in his voice now.

"The Jedi have ways of detecting a lie... as do I." He let that fact hang a little before continuing. "But my recent training has taught me how to avoid such detection." He referred of course to the Sith teachings he had studied from the holocron on board the Kath Hound.

"They will no doubt wish to interrogate me once I am healed. I will allow them to glimpse at selected images in my mind, such as the fight with Kahn'ik D'ul and our hasty departure. But, in order for them to believe in my narrow escape, they may need a little more proof..." This would determine how far the intendant was willing to go in order for his mission to succeed.

"If i was to fire on one of your ships on our way out of system giving them cause to chase us, it would seem all the more convincing." He knew that Tin'aa Shoolb would hate the idea but he would have no choice.

[extras]

The more agressive tone to the Jeedai's voice was not lost on Tln'aa Shoolb in the slightest. Nor did he react to it, he'd actually expected to hear it before now, but these Jeedai, light or dark as the case may be, seemed to have an almost endless calm about them when they weren't fighting.
Most perculiar.

".. they may need a little more proof..."

He arched a brow at the mention of this. Naturally Drevin's injuries alone were not a good enough proof of sorts. But what he proposed was going to take quite a bit of convincing on his part. While Tln'aa Shoolb could see the sense in Drevin's idea, suspicion and caution told him otherwise. As would the warrior in charge of the ship that may be chosen to fire upon.

He would need to inform those aboard the proposed ship in order to prevent them from hunting down and killing this Jeedai too soon. But convincing a warrior - especially a Yuuzhan Vong warrior - to back down was going to be extremely problematic.
He did not like this.

"I will see what I can arrange," There was a stiffness about his voice and manner that spoke volumes for his disliking. He would not try to hide that. Who was this infidel to think he could call the odds?

"Until then, summon your ship Jeedai, this land will be crawling with my people by the time the day cycle arrives. It would not do you good to insult them further than you already do with your presense."

[kazura]

The yuuzhan vong subaltern blinked his eyes quickly as another rain drop got into his eye. He barked an order to his lesser warriors to continue. Even through this rain. He knew they had seen something shoot by here in the sky. He was ordered to search for infidel stragglers in these jungles and now it seemed there was more than a prospect of one in the direction of the crash.

"We've found it. Just over the next hill" One of his subordinates spoke as he came running back to him through the dense undergrowth.

"Good...let us make this quick."

There were still faint fires around the infidel abomination craft. The rain however was making it difficult for any to get started and burn the jungle around it. A hatch was partially ajar leading further into it. The amphistaff with him hissed as though it sensed something but it wasn't just his..His warriors looked to their amphistaffs. He pointed to two of the four he had with them to open that door. If there was indeed some piece of infidel filth inside they would be certain to take care of it.

As the two warriors moved to force open the door. The others held their amphistaffs at ready. If the something inside was hostile they would be ready so they thought...

The moment the door opened. The first of the warriors seemed to be pulled inside with a cut off shout followed by a crack The second came in to aid and flew out as the twisted headed body of his fellow warrior slammed against him. Only the hiss of an amphistaff came from the shadows of the pod. Two red lights soon followed along with a faint chuckle.

"Attack!" The subaltern ordered the two still standing warriors. They immediately reached for their nang huls (thud bugs). The two red lights faded as the figure inside walked out. The infidel seemed little concerned at the threat before him. By the expression on his face he seemed amused! He removed some seemingly broken infidel contraption with one hand while holding the neck of a writhing amphistaff in the other from off of the bridge of his nose and off his ears. He suddenly spoke.

"Do you people have any idea how rare these are Yuuzhan Vong?"

The two warriors did not wait for any further words. Tossing the nang huls at their target who just as quickly as they had tossed them had leapt upward into the air toward them with blinding speed. The almost had enough time to raise their weapons..almost. The infidel all but tossed the amphistaff into the face of one where it poisoned bit into him with his fangs. While he shouted the other rose his amphistaff to attack.

He was instead met with infidel's hand around his throat as though a rock hand just been tossed into it. He rose his amphistaff to try and attack but then came the crack and darkness. The infidel then took the fallen warrior's amphistaff still hardened as it was and finished the job with the other. Using it as a lance through his head before it softened and slithered along with the other.

The subaltern watched all this in what seemed to be little more than the time of five seconds. This was one of them! One of the..

"Jeedai!!!" He shouted as he rushed toward the being. There was no turning back for the subaltern now. He would die or return as a failure; and the last was not an option. The infidel continued to smile and pulled and infidel weapon from his coat pocket and a blast of red light followed...and the darkness..Honor had been satisfied.

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

Kazura smirked at the burning hole where the blaster shot had gone through. Right between the eyes. He turned his attention the the life sign back toward the escape pod. One of them was still alive. The one he threw into the other. He was attempting to stand up. His hand was over his leg. Kazura supposed he must have twisted it during his flight. He smirked as he made his way through the grass to the yuuzhan vong warrior. A simple blaster shot to the back of the head would have been enough.

Kazura slammed his boot into the back of the Yuuzhan Vong's head and pressed his head firmly against the ground and in moments it was over. The yuuzan vong warrior fell. Black blood shot up onto his face as he smiled wickedly at the painful death of this one as a child might take glee in ripping the wings off an insect but now that pleasure was out of the way...

The storm did little to jam his senses...or the order he gave as he pulled a small palm sized holopad from his hand.

"So the Yuuzhan Vong haven't found you..Time to wake up my pretties we have work to do.."

Far away and deep within the jungles. Life continued to flourish but never came still and now it became even less still. Animals ran in fear through the rains from their homes as the forest came to life. Swarms of baths flew out of their caves where old ruined bunkers lay. Several red eyes shone through the foliage and dark places of the world and massive vehicles began to move.

"Roger roger..Command override..Eliminate all foreign invaders. Converge on the agricultural university. Destroy all that impedes directive."

[darklord]

The Kath Hound made a soft landing in the clearing next to them. He was very glad to see it still intact, V3 had followed his orders well.

The boarding ramp lowered and his droid waited at the top as Drevin gingerly made his way up. Flying would be difficult he thought, even after a jedi healing trance it would still be very painful. He patted the droids casing as he made his way to the cockpit.

"You have something of mine intendant. I want it back." He said as he sat in the pilots chair and started up the engines, not even glancing at Tin'aa Shoolb. "If id wanted to kill you I would have done so before now. Whether you like it or not, your going to have to trust me. If you dont then your mission has already failed."

[extras]

"You have something of mine intendant. I want it back."

Something in the dark Jedi's tone irked him beyond the point it should have. He was an infidel, and as such his words should have been of no consequence. Nor would he listen to this Jedi's whims. That was what he had told himself as he removed the Lightsaber from his belt and pitched it across the way to Drevin almost casually.

"It suits my purpose to return it," He explained, then cautioning, "I would council you likewise, Jeedai, if I had wanted you dead, this discussion would never have come to be and unlike you, I would go unflinchingly to my death."

He didn't spare the man, or the tootling abomination at his side, a second glance. Instead he took a short moment to consider what the Jedi was saying. He spoke of trust? Oh how little these infidels knew. There would be no bargaining, it was the Yuuzhan Vong way- the true way- or death.

"Whether you like it or not, your going to have to trust me. If you don't then your mission has already failed."


This drew out a faint mocking laugh from Tln'aa Shoolb. This one never ceased to amuse sometimes, he began to wonder if the infidel wouldn't be more at home being some elite's familiar. The idea was as sickening as it was hilarious.

"Spare me your prattle infidel and do not flatter yourself. I trust no one but myself, if you had any sense at all you would do the same." Or is it that you already do? He thought barely a second later.

Drevin had always kept his proverbial cards close to his chest, as the infidel saying went. And it became clear to Tln'aa Shoolb that there was every chance the Jeedai would double cross him in an attempt to take control of the situation and gain power for his own means. Revenge had a nasty habit of doing that to a person, it didn't seem to matter the species.

The heavens had truly opened up now and rain poured down in torrents, soaking the Intendant to the bone. He paid it no mind however, it was preferable to being aboard that pitiful excuse for a ship. The aspects of weather change and cycle was still somewhat new to he who had spent his entire life crossing a seemingly endless void aboard a worldship.

"You never answered my question" He called up the landing ramp, glancing down disdainfully at the metallic surface now reflecting his mutilated visage. "Have you furnished an believable tale of your survival and escape...you might also wish to discuss means of communication...I will be in touch."

All his words were devoid of any true sounds of concern, only threat of what could happen remained.

[darklord]

"I would council you likewise, Jeedai, if I had wanted you dead, this discussion would never have come to be and unlike you, I would go unflinchingly to my death."

"You think i fear death intendant?" He retorted angrily. "Your kind arent as well educated as you think." Drevin stood at the open hatch staring down at Tin'aa Shoolb.

"I trust no one but myself, if you had any sense at all you would do the same."

That statement couldnt be more true to Drevin but he kept that thought to himself. Of course he didnt trust anyone else, he'd never had any reason to. He shook off the feeling of self pity. Pity was for the weak.

"you might also wish to discuss means of communication...I will be in touch."

What? He'd presumed that the intendant would be 'accompanying' him. He used the term loosely, he'd actually expected Tin'aa Shoolb to hound him constantly in case he decided to just take his intel and hand it over to the jedi. Tin'aa Shoolb spoke of not trusting yet the intendant was willing to let him go free.

"Whats not believable about my escape? Actually, I thought that you would be coming yourself intendant." Oh well, this will make things much easier he thought. "But clearly you are needed elsewhere so if you just throw me one of those villips ill be on my way."

[extras]

"You think i fear death intendant?"

Tln'aa Shoolb let that sentence hang in the air. Truth was, he hadn't thought that, that was why he had chosen him.
There was sometimes a scrap of honour to be granted to some infidels. Certainly not many.
The insult that followed he ignored. No, perhaps they were not, but the enemy was even less informed and that bode well for the Yuuzhan Vong.
Of course, that was not why they would win this war, he was quick to add as an after thought.

"Whats not believable about my escape? Actually, I thought that you would be coming yourself intendant."

He issued a slight chuckle along with a condescending smile.
"I cannot recall a time when a Jeedai in our hands has escaped." He mused, there were of course a couple of exceptions...he didn't need to point those out. "You might be considered somewhat, unique."

You could never leave it to the warriors to come up with the ideas needed for such missions. And it appeared that the New Republic were no different in that case either.

"But clearly you are needed elsewhere so if you just throw me one of those villips ill be on my way."

Tln'aa Shoolb pasted his smile back in place, he knew fine well that means of communication via the standard biots or comlinks aside, he would be in constant contact with the Jedi weather he knew it or not.

Drevin had mentioned nothing about what had happened to him in the duration of time he had been taken from the fields where the duel had taken place, to when he had awoken in his cell.
That only served to verify to him that the Dark Jedi did not know of the small coral-seed implant that had been placed just beneath the skin of his scalp.
By now, the intendant imagined, it would have germinated and be taking hold of it's hosts nerves and synapses. If he had not noticed this, then he soon would. The moment he stepped out of line that was.

"I spent enough time aboard that hideous abomination to know that I would not wish for a return trip." He quipped "And do you not think the Jeedai would be a little less than accommodating if I were to remain with you?"

No, he had a fair idea how the Jedi would react and he had no desire to be a part of it. Surrounded by infidels in one of their built-things was something he had hoped to have escaped when he returned to his people.

[darklord]

"I cannot recall a time when a Jeedai in our hands has escaped. You might be considered somewhat, unique."

The thought struck Drevin like a hammer blow to the head, he couldnt keep the surprise from his face. They had captured other Jedi... He tried not to but found himself secretly wondering who.

"And do you not think the Jeedai would be a little less than accommodating if I were to remain with you?"

"You'd be surprised what the jedi are capable of in terms of forgiveness and generosity intendant." He referred to the many dark jedi who had 'gone astray' and come back, sith lords included. That was their weakness.

"Im sure we could find you a nice mudhole to hide in out in the jungle..." He let the sentence trail off with a hint of a smile on his face. "But your right of course. And its time i left, these injuries wont last forever."

[extras]

"You'd be surprised what the jedi are capable of in terms of forgiveness and generosity intendant."

The very idea caused a sneering expression to play across his twisted visage, his nose ridge wrinkling with disgust. Had he known of the Dark Jedi's thoughts on this, he would have agreed completely when he'd thought it was a weakness.
Forgivness was not something easily sought among the Yuuzhan Vong, and those who sought it were usually beyond it.

The mudhole comment caused the sneer to remain a moment longer than he'd wished, but he pushed down a retort before it had time to pass his tongue. There was no time for petty squabbles now.

"But your right of course. And its time i left, these injuries wont last forever."

"I could fix that." He thought alloud, but quickly progressed, "Indeed, time is short and I will buy you what I can."

Tln'aa Shoolb walked halfway up the landing ramp to hand the Jedi a small fist-sized Villip. This would be handier for hiding and would serve as a basic means to contact him when the time was right.
"Use this when you wish to report your actions or findings, I have no place for abominations here" Nor anywhere, he added silently.

"I will inform the Commander of your imminent departure...and that you wish to make an extravagant exit."

He referred of course, to Drevin's request to fire upon the small remnants of an advance fleet in the space surrounding Garqi. If the Jedi tried anything untoward, he would be blasted out of the sky. But Drevin should have known that.

[darklord]

"I could fix that. Indeed, time is short and I will buy you what I can."

That nearly brought another smile to Drevins face. He would almost miss these insults. Almost. "Some other time perhaps."

He reluctantly took the offered villip from the intendant, it felt just as disgusting as last time.

"I will inform the Commander of your imminent departure...and that you wish to make an extravagant exit."

Oh it will be extravagant all right.

But something felt wrong. He knew that they wouldnt have let him go for no reason, they were hardly the friendly type. It would be senseless to place a tracking device on his ship, they already knew where he was heading. Of course they could just be sending him to his death by allowing him to take off into enemy space, but they'd already had plenty of chances to be rid of him. He shook the ideas out of his head, he could figure this out when he was safely away.

"I'll be in touch." Drevin bowed his head slightly before turning to go.