((ooc: waited two weeks for Chadd to respond, done waiting.))
Her heals clicked on the sterile floors of the palace of the Rogue Empire. Most people that she came across moved when she approached, those that did not or tried to stop her were removed from her way. The saber in her hand had begun to irritate her and she chuckled at the thought that she could no longer wield the weapon of a Shadow Jedi. Still, it suited her purposes for now, and a little discomfort was a small inconvenience.
She turned a corner, running straight into a stunned cleaning woman. Without a second thought Arai brought the stolen saber around in a deadly arc, removing the head from the woman as she had any other that had gotten in her way.
" Hold!"
The shout echoed through the hall as the headless corpse collapsed to the now blood stained floor. Arai looked behind her and at the black clad Royal Guard that stood there. Sneering, she turned completely.
" Does the Emperor think so little of me that he only sends on PeFauna to stop me?"
The PeFauna stepped in her direction.
" You play a dangerous game, Mistress Heishi."
" I assure, I am not playing and this is no game."
" Please lower your weapon, Mistress. I would hate to have to kill you."
The way he spoke and held himself reminded her of someone. A smile formed on her lips as she remembered.
Marta and the PeFauna looked to her when she spoke, the older woman’s face filled with dread. With a nudge from the Lieutenant, Marta left the main room and into Arai’s private chambers.
" Mistress Heishi," The Lieutenant said briskly, " We must get you away from this place. It is no longer safe for you here."
She steeled herself, trying to appear unfazed, even though the prickling feeling was growing more persistent. " What’s happened?"
"Lieutenant?" Arai laughed.
" Is that you?"
" Please Mistress, it’s still not too late."
" Really, Lieutenant, you were my assigned protector for almost an entire year. You should know I always finish what I start. And I intend to finish this."
" My assignment to you is the only reasons you are not dead at this very moment." He held his hand out to her, palm up.
" I will ask you one more time, Mistress, surrender your weapons and stop this!"
Arai pursed her lips, as if thinking. After a moment she smirked and shook her head.
" I don’t think so."
The force pike that was standard issue for the PeFauna of the Rogue Empire ignited in his hands.
" I’m sorry it came to this, Mistress."
She twirled the saber in her hand.
" I’m not."
Their weapons collided, but the lieutenant reacted a hair faster than she and his gloved fist connected with her cheekbone. Dazed and driven back by the blow, she narrowly brought the stolen saber up in time to block a swing of the pike. Again the PeFauna was the quicker and kicked her in the chest, sending her stumbling. Regaining her balance in time, Arai spun on her heal and brought her other leg around in a round-house style kick to the guard’s helmet. Using the momentum she leapt into the air, kicking her heal up into the chin mask.
The PeFauna’s head snapped back, though the blows did not faze him. As she landed on the tiled floor he brought the staff of his pike around, knocking her off her feet. As she tried to rise, his fist backhanded her squarely across her temple and she crumbled back to the floor.
" Alright!" She yelled through the dizzying pain in her head.
" Alright! Enough!"
The force pike was pointed down at her, only inches from her throat.
" Throw away the weapon, Mistress." Arai glared at the royal guard. Defeated, she deactivated the saber and slid it across the floor toward him. Without moving the pike, he picked up her discarded weapon.
" Now get up."
Rolling her eyes, she started to stand but as she put her weight onto her right foot she cried out in pain and was once again on the floor. Her hand rested on her ankle and looked up at the Lieutenant.
" I must have landed wrong, I think its broken." She could feel his hesitation and chuckled.
" You’ve beaten me, Lieutenant, I have no weapons. I can’t hurt you, but it’s nice to know I can still instill some fear around here."
The force pike deactivated and he rested it against the wall. He knelt beside her, shifting to lift her up in his arms. Her hand slid up her calf to the top of her boot. As he picked her up off the floor her hand slid beneath the leather boot and pulled out the blade she had hidden within. Before he could react, Arai used the force to push all her strength behind the weapon and drove the blade through the robes and armor, and into the flesh of his neck. In a heap the two of them fell to the floor, Arai on top of the gasping Lieutenant. Her features twisted into a sadistic smile and she twisted the blade in the wound. The Lieutenant stilled, never to move again.
The adrenaline coursed through her veins, revitalizing her every muscle. She stood, her ankle uninjured, and took the saber from the PeFauna’s corpse. Something about that kill felt different than the rest, she had enjoyed it much more than the others this day.
Pulling the bloodied blade from the body, she cleaned it on the Lieutenant’s robes and slid it back into her boot. One again making her way through the corridors of the palace she found herself anxious for what was to come next.
All that remained was Fearsons.
