Lightside Sith 023

As the elevator came to a halt, and Kaine stepped one foot into the warehouse, he belatedly realized he had already claimed the Jedi training droid, and stowed it aboard the Odachi. 

He was so caught up in the fight, dinner, and making plans that this became a total memory hole. 

“What's wrong?” Ventress asked from behind, crossing her arms with a huff. 

“Likely he forgot we already picked up the package from this warehouse, and has halted in place because he's embarrassed. At least that's how several dozen of my dead bounties have reacted in similar situations over the centuries.” Durge idly remarked in a bored tone. 

“Nonsense. There's so many boxes here, I was merely recalling another order of mine.” Kaine said with a confident tone, and strode forward into the large Amazon-style warehouse. 

Various droids were on the scene, lifting crates, unloading boxes, and doing generic deliveryman work. 

“Qui-Gon, a little help?” Kaine whispered a plea into the ether. “Anything useful here I could snatch?” 

However, nothing met his inquiry. 

‘Tch.’ Kaine scowled, facing away from his companions. 

“What was the number on your shipping manifest?” Ventress asked in a perfectly ‘innocuous’ tone that was anything but innocent. 

“She's stirring the Bantha shit on this one, Renstar.” Durge remarked, and crossed his arms like a guy enjoying the show. 

Kaine's mind raced, as he looked at several different containers, then came up with an idea.

“I know not what the number is. The Count assigned me a task, to use the Force to discover my query.” Kaine stated, lifting his chin into the air as if he were on some grand mission, and neither of them were a part of it. 

“Tch.” Ventress spat, shoving her hands into her pockets. “Why does the old man have so much faith in you? Your skills as a duelist are barely on my level, and that little quip about hyperlanes was something anyone could say.” 

Kaine closed his eyes, and felt along several boxes, pretending to sense something. He let a minute go by before responding. Clearly this was the correct choice, as a +1LP erupted above her forehead due to all that repressed rage. Truly, it was her benefit that such an enlightened Sith was her partner. Any other Pureblood would've shoved her to the floor for such cutting remarks. 

“Hmm, if I had to say, it's probably because I'm his grandson.” Kaine said, nodding like a sage imparting great wisdom. 

“Bantha shit.” Ventress immediately snapped back. 

“I didn't think the old man had it in him.” Durge added on, impressed. 

Kaine didn't say another word, knowing that to speak further would only serve to dilute his claim. Lying to an ancient bounty hunter, and a Force Adept was tricky business. Now, of course he could let them know he was really ‘adopted’ but where was the fun in that? 

Smirking to himself, he boredly walked down several aisles until he genuinely felt something in the Force. It was faint, barely perceptible at his tier, but it was real. In fact, he only sensed it because the amulet around his neck-his focus-was practically burning a hole on his chest in excitement. 

“This is it.” Kaine said, then gestured towards a worker droid to take a container down, and open it. 

Inside the crate was a simple, all black jewelry box. About the size of your average physical copy of a Harry Potter book, it wasn't particularly large. 

Preparing himself to jump away in case flesh eating grubs or some nasty blaster jumped out of the case, he gently pressed two mechanical buttons on both sides of the box. The top sprung open, revealing there to be nothing inside. 

“An empty box? Count Dooku sent you to retrieve an empty box. Oh, this is rich.” Ventress practically crowed with laughter, so thick was her amused disdain. 

Eyebrow twitching, he turned to his giant companion. 

“Durge, run a scan on this. Tell me if there are any hidden compartments, or switches.” Kaine sternly commanded, holding it out. 

The bounty hunter pulled a scanner out of his massive belt, and ran a diagnostic test on the box. Then, when that came up negative, he extended a tentacled finger forward. The fiber condensed several times until it became as fine/thin as a piece of yarn. Sticking this appendage into the box, he felt around every corner, ultimately shaking his head. “What you see is what you get.” 

Internally, Kaine was actually pretty impressed by the giant's fine motor skills. Since his entire body was made of these fibers, and could reform like Wolverine from X-Men-with the exception of his head-then there were a lot of possibilities for both combat, and stealth. Unknowingly, he had a lot more appreciation for this brutal killer's capabilities. 

“Hah. Just an empty box. Come now, Renstar, little time remains. Let us depart to the hangar. I won't be catching a blast of lightning to the face because one fool playing with his jewelry.” She scolded, and then returned to the elevator without looking back. 

Feeling the burning sensation on his chest once more, Kaine slapped his forehead, thinking he was an idiot. He had been so obsessed adding to this amulet with the Rancor bone, and the bone of that Jedi Knight, that he never considered taking it off! 

“Of course! How stupid could someone be!” Kaine exclaimed loudly, and with great excitement. 

+5LP +5LP +5LP

Belatedly seeing the numbers go up, he saw Ventress glaring at him from across the warehouse. 

Without any shame in his game, Kain stepped into the elevator before it could depart for the hangar. Then, taking off his amulet, he put it in the box. He wondered what the effect would be, and how long he should leave it inside. After all, as his focus, casting spells without the amulet was extremely difficult, if not impossible. 

The bald chalk-skinned woman glanced at the amulet, clearly curious about it, but pursed her lips, unwilling to show any kind of interest in his things. 

A hint of a smile tugged at the edge of his lips.

“Perhaps one day-once you've grown your hair out, and we've become better acquainted with one another-I could teach you some sorcery.” Kaine idly mused. 

“And why would you do that?” Ventress asked, looking at him with extreme distrust. 

“Probably to mate with you.” Durge interjected. 

“Precisely tha-” Kaine nodded along, closing his eyes, and speaking in a lecturing tone. “Aa-hem. That is your potential is no lesser than mine, it would be a shame to see you limited to the blade when magick suits you just as well.” 

“And how would you know what suits me?” Ventress whispered venomously. 

“Well, my dear, not every Force Adept can conjure sorcery. Even those like Dooku or even his master can only scratch the surface of our craft. Call it a…feeling, yes, a feeling. I know you are capable, it's simply a matter of if you're worthy of my time.” 

“And what do you want in return? Do you take me for some common tramp-like that slut from Naboo-who will suck your di-”

“Ding! Sector 1-B Royal Hangar.” The elevator chimed in. 

Striding forward to escape that conversation, Kaine unlocked the Odachi with a keyfob, and speed walked up the ramp. 

“Durge, set course for Vinsoth! I shall be inside my quarters, and will be indisposed!" Kaine hurriedly raised his voice, before slamming the door to his room shut. 

Ventress, meanwhile, was staring at the ship's ramp with a cruel smirk. “So he does have a weakness.” She whispered to herself. 

“The Sith mating ritual proves itself to be a fascinating study. I do hope the courting period ends in bloody violence.” Durge said, looming over her shoulder just inches away. 

“What?!” Ventress exclaimed in alarm, and ignited her lightsabers, slashing backwards. 

Durge caught her wrists, easily matching her speed. The hulking Gen'Dai gripped so tightly, the sound of bones cracking rang in the air. The chalk-skinned Dathomiri cried out in pain, dropping her weapons. 

The big guy leaned in close, his metal helmet reflected her unwilling expression. “Just because I hold my silence near your Master, and enjoy this brief reprieve between killing, does not mean I treat you seriously.” 

Letting go of her, Durge stomped towards the ramp. “We depart in five minutes.” He then paused at the top of the ramp, turning his head to the side. “Oh, and there's a stash of bacta spray onboard. We wouldn't want Lord Renstar's plaything to suffer any permanent damage on her wrists now, would we?” 

Ventress lifted a hand to pull him back, but the big alien was already deep inside the Odachi. 

“Blasted fool.” She scowled to herself, then clutched her heart as a gauntlet of emotions poured through her system. 

How she wanted to torture that creature, chopping the wormman into a million tiny pieces!..but that was nothing compared to the humiliation Renstar had visited upon her! That smug, arrogant, condescending nerf herder had the gall to order her around! Acting as if she were some down and out Toydarian gambling away her last cred! So what if she didn't have hair?! That long, wavy stuff was useless, and always got in her eyes when she fought, it was nothing but a constraint in her path to power! 

She may hate the Jedi, and wished revenge upon them for the sanctimonious lies they spread, but that didn't mean she couldn't hate the Sith either! That foolish old man, playing favorites, making her appear rash and stupid for his own amusement! Hmph! These last five days, he had done nothing but temper her spirit, forge her will! When she arrived, she was barely stronger than a Youngling, now, she could overcome any Padawan! Even Skywalker! But to so blatantly brag about slaying a Knight…Renstar wasn't worthy! 

Only she was worthy of Dooku's attention. Only she was worthy of learning his skills! As for that sorcery? She would take what was rightfully hers! 

By the end of this war, no by the end of this week, Renstar would be kneeling on the floor licking her toes clean! And if that wasn't enough, he'd be forced to lick other, fouler places too! Yes, that tongue of his was so quick, it would certainly be put to good use elsewhere! 

Closing her eyes, she couldn't help but recall when that tongue had entered her mouth. How warm, succulent, and vaguely flavorful it had been. She'd never been kissed on the lips like that in her entire life. The sensation had been electric, perhaps growing out a few strands of hair wouldn't be all that bad…”No, focus Ventress, you cannot allow his charm to get to you. This is how he played the old man, once he has you in his grasp, he'll dispose of you, just like any true Sith.” 

Speaking aloud to herself, she closed her eyes, and repeatedly convinced herself that hatred and Renstar's future servitude were the only way. Rubbing her sore wrists, she inhaled, and let the pain bring clarity to her mind. 

“I will have you begging under my heels, Renstar.” Ventress muttered to herself, making a personal vow. 

“The ramp is closing, you know?” 

“Who said that?!” Ventress rose from the ground, and stared around in a panic. 

Only the exhaust from the Odachi met her as it began to rise a foot off the ground. 

Narrowing her eyes, she jumped forward to board the ship, muttering his name as she did so. 

Meanwhile, in his room, Kaine was befuddled as an impossible amount of +1's and 5's intermittently filled up his LP bar. 

All he could say to that was: true love is like a bank account, everyone's happy when the numbers go up! 

~~~~~~

AN: This entire chapter only came about because I forgot that like 3 or 4 chapters ago, I already had Kaine pick up the training droid. But last chapter, he took the elevator to the warehouse…so I was like, fuck it, I could just go straight to the ship, but why not have Ventress bust his balls a little, and do some character development along the way?

A heads up, I “might” not update a secondary story next week, as I'll be pretty busy taking care of family business. Dw about Jedi Insurgency, that'll update as per usual.