SW Mafia: Into the Depths (Finale)

Time seemed to have forgotten the small group on Kessel. Trapped by an unexpected attack of inexplicable origin, and consumed from within their own ranks, the fates of the lives all seemed to be entwined with this location.

Many had a feeling that such was true, and more than a few were driven here not out of necessity but instead from some gut instinct. It was this same instinct that moved Skylar M'kal deeper into the complex. After awhile, the vibrant energy that had stirred the place since the attack had become as dim as the lighting in the halls. In fact, it seemed she had physically left the compound, and had reached a natural network of caves the droids had stumbled upon when excavating the site.

She wondered how far they went and kept exploring, glad to be away from the anger and violence that had surrounded the trapped individuals.

The dry world had little moisture so many of the familiar cave sounds she was accustomed to were lacking. Instead, an eerily whistling noise drew her attention; hollow and ethereal it seemed to almost beacon her deeper. It held a melody, beautiful and lamenting. In that melody, however, was a power born most surely from something greater, something the Jedi called the Force.

Finally, the tug on her soul ceased as she entered a large cavern. She paused, briefly and stood in wonder. Before her stood a light show as beautiful as a great space battle viewed from afar. The light provided by her personal illumination rod was fractured and reflected a thousand thousand times and sent shimmering throughout the cavern. Glittering subterranean formations provided a beautiful, if not menacing, setting.

It seemed perfect to her; an embodiment of her life - beauty mixed with danger and mystery. So lost in the moment, she didn't hear the footsteps from behind her, approaching from the tunnels leading up, towards civilization.

"Trying to run, are we?"

She turned, recognizing the voice as that of the Twi'lek bounty hunter.

She replied honestly and with no small amount of concern, "I don't know what you mean."

It was then she saw the silhouettes of her other companions emerge from the tunnel entrance. The malice in their eyes burned almost as intently as the glow from the crystals, the raw form of the drug commonly referred to as spice.

"A suitable place for your execution, I suppose," quipped the Alderaan native.

Behind them she heard the voices of others, the wookie speaking to Daynn and the reclusive and quiet Zebrak. It sounded heated, as if they were arguing.

"She says that the Corellian did it, though I don't get her logic," translated the gambler.

Finally, the group had all left the confines of the crowded tunnels and stood in the magnificent expanse.

They weren't there for the view.

8==8O8==8

Hidden in the shadows of an ancient stalactite, a man watched the proceedings with interest. He wouldn't reveal himself until the time was right, relishing every moment.

His dark lord, Vader himself, would want to know every detail.

8==8O8==8

The group had been arguing for hours and it wasn't looking good. Three stood against six, though those three couldn't decide on anything together. Finally, the gambler turned to leave.

"I am done with this, I will not be a part of this violence any more. It is obvious to me who amongst you is wrong here, who has blood on their souls, and it isn't me."

He gave everyone a glance, as if daring them to challenge him as he made his way towards the exit. Far removed an explosion of some attack against their prison reverberated deep and low through the caverns.

As he approached the exit, his way was blocked by Rhaa. He had openly blamed her and so he wasn't surprised to have her try and stop him, he was surprised by her response.

Leaning in close, ignoring or not noticing his movement towards his jacket, she kissed him gently on the cheek and whispered into his ear.

"You were right."

Realization of the danger he was in stuck him milliseconds before he was shoved into a solid rock wall. Out of breath from the force of the impact he could do little to stop from being tossed back towards the middle.

As he picked himself up he saw the shock and confusion as Thlatcher was thrown, telekinetically, towards the others being surrounded by Miika.

Dawning seemed to come over the trapped simultaneously and the depth of betrayal stunned them all.

The teenager daughter spoke then, power and strength filling her words.

"You are weak, all of you. It is only a display of the power of the dark side that you were so easily manipulated." She licked her lips, as a predator looking upon its prey, and continued, "Your deaths will be most satisfying, and soon, the power of the Dark Jedi will be great enough so that we may walk proudly."

She looked to the others and said simply, "Do it."

Five lightsabers activated then, screaming death as they whirred through the air.

8==8O8==8

Those trapped were not helpless however, and even the small Ewok held a determined will to fight.

The young and rich gambler, though normally adverse to fighting, had little choice and he withdrew the lightsaber he had pocketed earlier. Though he had never used one before, he was able to parry and dodge the first few attacks came his way. It was as though he knew where the attacks would come from moments before they actually did.

He was still far from skilled and was doing all he could to defend himself, let alone strike out. Rhaa came at him head on, holding one of her blasters and a lightsaber, an odd, but deadly combo. Terror filled him, seeing her then and he doubted he would be getting out of this one alive. But still he fought on, a grim determination. He blocked her first strike high and dodged out of the way of the blaster bolt fired towards his midsection. He swung widely and managed to clip her blaster. Though it did little real damage, the barrel was punctured and, Daynn knew it wouldn't fire.

He barely avoided the next onslaught of attacks, quick and furious the woman came at him. He saw then the anger in her eyes. He also saw the power.

He was growing tired and was too slow to blow the next attack, a low strike that severed his leg at the knee. The wound was instantly cauterized but that did little to help with the pain. He fell onto his stomach and the darkness of unconsciousness threatened to take him. He fought it, determined to look his killer in the eye.

He rolled over and blinked tears from his eyes. The woman, red and framed by a blood red, reflections of her red lightsaber off the crystals in the wall behind her, stood over him, her blade pointed at his neck.

Behind her, Daynn watched as Targin fought admirably against the wookie and the teenager. He had two lightsabers a deep blue and a black, something Daynn had neither seen nor heard of. He watched, almost as if time had slowed as the alien kicked the larger wookie, sending her crashing into another of the many rock spires and gracefully flip over the leader of the Dark Jedi. Daynn held his breath as the man came down, striking out with the blue lightsaber at the back of the Twi'lek woman over him.

He exhaled suddenly as a bolt of blue lighting caught the man from the side, sending him careening towards the ground.

The attackers deactivated their lightsabers then, looking toward the man that had just jumped down from somewhere higher in the cave.

They bowed low and he spoke, without preamble.

"Well done, my students. You have fared well on your test, Lord Vader will be most pleased."

"Well," croaked Daynn, "hasn't this been a day of surprises. I had thought you were dead, Kam."

A menacing chuckle was his only response, and the second to last noise he ever heard. The last was the snap-hiss of the Twi'leks saber, it's blade puncturing his heart, sizzling the blood vessels there into vapor and extinguishing the man's life.

The force adept, crippled by the blast of Dark Side energy could do little against the two approaching jedi and the ewok's neck was snapped through sheer power as Miika lifted him into the air through the force.

Skylar tried running then, she had few other options. She barely made it two steps before Opianua caught her, grabbing the smaller woman with two arms. She was smashed in the face, hard, from a punch and, before she could recover, was decapitated by the lightsaber the Codru-Ji held in her fourth hand.

/ooc Great Game Guys, look for an epilogue and follow up roleplaying/ooc posts from myself!

Congratulations mafia! You win, and flawlessly.