The Smoke be for the Fires: (Book 1)

[Akirapryde]

Unleashing the Dogs of War Part Two
Wormwood
Outer Rim

Watching the from their advantage point was painful for Orchid. She had set the trap perfectly for Daz. Everything was in place and counted for. Daz and his heroes would drop in and battle her bait unit. Sure she knew that the bait unit would get slaughtered, but hey that is what a bait unit is for right. After all anyways they weren't her troops. Her men are more valuable then that. They were local loyalest and so they were expendable. So while Daz and his heroes would be slaughtering the locals She would set up and launch her own attack. A few well placed snipper shots would kill off Angle and her sister, Zey, that would be child of Bevurn'Age and the bird creature. Leaving a headless unit for her own troops to finish off. And then there was Daz. Oh yes there was Daz left. She would take special pride in finishing him off. Normally she would not take such things so personally but Daz had crossed the line when he murdered her lover.

She took a moment in reflection of her fallen lover. How the morning light would dance off his hair in the wake of a night filled with delivering terror on a town. He taught her the difference cries a mother could make or how a man could be broken in so many different ways. He showed her a level of darkness she never had dreamed of before and how much she could enjoy it. He filled a place in her heart that she never thought was possible before. Her face curled as she thought about how her heart was now broken and empty without him. It was all Daz's fault, “You will pay for what you did, Daz” she cursed then pulled up her communicator while she saw the rest of the Immortals making their landings. “Captain order your men to pull back and vanish. He is not landing here.”

The male voice on the other side replied, “Are you sure ma'am?” She knew it was true and worse yet, once more Daz proved to be too cunning for her. She had under estimated his skills and his ability to be unpredictable. This whole mission had been planned out for him and his death. She would not make that mistake again. She had too much riding on this mission. He would taste her revenge.

“Yes Captain, pull your men out while we still can disengage without a fire fight.” She said disappointedly. She would have sensed him long before they would spring the trap. No, Daz was not here but he was close. She knew this much. She could feel him close to her. In orbit maybe or landing somewhere, she knew he was close. Her plan had brought him out here to the outer rim. She had that much going for her and her revenge.

“What do you mean he is not landing here?” said Japhalush. He was a tribal leader who had fought to gain her favor when she arrived months ago. None in his clan had dared to trust her because of what she was. But none of the others dared turn on her either. Her troops were far better then their own troops. She had made that clear two months ago when she and her forces wiped out the Musavi Clan. Every man, woman and child were killed. She was pure evil and it was that power that drew him to her. It was that single act of terror that proved to him that she would be a valuable ally against the other clans. So acting against the very wishes of his own elders she formed an alliance with her. He had placed a great deal at risk entering in to this alliance with her and if the others in his clan knew about it they all would ally against him. If the other clans knew about it, they would be overrun in a matter of days. But she was worth it. She has already paid for this alliance with shipments of weapons and training. Already the alliance was paying off and he was gaining favor in his clan.

“You said the infidel would be here today.” he said in surprise and anger then continued, “My men are dying down there. We have to rescue them!” He said starting to call in more of his troops but was cut off by a darken dagger to his throat. He just starred at Orchid who looked back at him. The blade came from the person behind him. He was a brave man, but not a stupid man. He just sat there in the sand with his mouth open and his comlink turned off.

Orchid smiled through her burka as she looked at him, 'Such a fool in the ways of the force' she thought of the man before her. All she had to due was nod and her apprentice would end his life just like that. Due to the blowing sands she and everyone else had to wear goggles, so the man could not see her reaction, “Trust me, he will come and when he does, we will strike down the evil man in the name of Lusa” she said softly naming their god like creature that is worshiped. She looked over at Lotus and nodded, “We need to get out of here before we are discovered.” she said calmly. Lotus nodded as she pulled the knife away from the man's neck. Orchid could see the smile on Lotus' face through her force skills. She could see the darkness running through Lotus' aura. She loved how the darkness could flow and make such beautiful patterns and mixes of darkness and deep grays. Something that light siders could never understand.

Orchid had been asking her mother, Rose, to allow her to train a apprentice for many years now. Finally, with Master Chun taking on a new apprentice to train, he had given Orchid a new reason to try to convince her mother. And this last reason was enough for Rose to finally give in to Orchid's request. With the death of Losh, the final chapters of the book were being written and Rose spoke fondly of this time. It was going to be the beginning of a new era for the Galaxy and for them. The alliance with the Puppet Master was only means to the ends that Rose was working for. They were going to bring forth a new darkness to the Galaxy of the like no one had ever seen before. Her beloved had almost found the key before Daz murdered him.

Orchid spent months searching for the right person to train as an apprentice. She went to the Jedi prison on Korriban and searched through the cells there. She only found broken force users that had no fight left in them. She searched temple after temple only to leave them empty handed. She was starting to feel like she would not find who she was looking for. It was only by a chance encounter in a lift when she found the apprentice she was looking for a few months ago. It was actually prefect in finding her. Orchid spent the next month honing Lotus' skills in the dark arts and then offered her, her first cold blooded murder.

He was an aid and dare friend to Master Bevurn'Age. A prefect victim that helped advance their plans. A non-force user caught at the wrong place at the wrong time. Orchid smiled as she pointed out the young man and nodded to Lotus. Lotus, without a second thought followed the young man and right on the steps of the Great Jedi Temple and in plan view of over a hundred witnesses. She drew out her dagger and drove it in to his back, killing him before he even made a whimper. Their escape from the scene was just as well executed. Master Tra Vae tried to cover up the murder and had no hope of containing the fires from it.

Now Lotus was ready for her first real mission for the cause. The bombing was something simple that really didn't call on any special talents. But the killing of the rival clan. That was Lotus idea and what a sweet plan in simplicity. Orchid watched as her little student took a boy by his hair. Holding him tightly she pulled her blade across his throat and let him bleed out before his parents. This was her big first mission and Orchid was not about to let Daz ruin it. Orchid knew how to flush out her pray. He had his weakness' and she knew how to exploit them. Trust was one of those weakness' and she knew he could never truly trust his fellow heroes. Her spies had more then shown her this. His lack of trust will be his undoing and will lead to his death if she can help it.

Before they could reach their simple land speeder they all heard, “Hold it there you three.” Orchid and the others turned to see four Republic Marines behind them. Orchid didn't need to see the faces, she knew who they were. It was Talon's right hand girl Zey. Loyal to a flaw but foolish in her allies and friends. Not one of the Marines would be a match for her and Lotus. They could easily dispatch them but that would bring the entire unit down on top of them. But still not one of them would be a match for them. But Orchid wanted Daz, not some worthless marines. She needed surprise against him and she was not about to trade that in for Zey or any of the other marine.

Orchid smiled through her burka as she calmly raised her hands in surrender and said, “You don't want to murder a family today” as she waved her hand and drew upon the force to convince Zey of the wish. Orchid had known that this was a possibility so she ensured that their local guide had no weapons that could be seen. She and Lotus only carried daggers and their swords were well hidden under their burkas. One the surface they looked like lowly poor local civilians.

“I don't want to murder a family today” Zey replied to her troops surprise.

Orchid nodded and waved her hand again, “You want us to get out of here. Its dangerous.”

The three other troopers looked at each other then back at Zey, “I want you guys to get out of here. Its too dangerous for you guys.” She said then glanced back at her men, “Did anyone miss what I said?” Then she turned back to Orchid and her group, “I said now!” She demanded as she motioned her rifle for them to get going.

Orchid had one last thing for Zey and her men, “None of you found anything worth reporting. Just a traveling family” she said as she waved her hand once more and ensured that the dark side of the force would add its power to her suggestion. The four of them repeated the suggestion and then Orchid added pleasantly, “Yes ma'am, thank you so much.” Orchid had said so softly adding to the trick as they all rushed down the dune and headed to a near by speeder waiting for them. 'Daz, you have won this battle. I promise the next time it won't be so easy for you.' She thought as she and her group boarded the speeder and fled the area. Orchid looked back behind them as they left the area and actually waved at Zey who waved back. “I will kill you Daz” she promised once more.

Zay watched the family of three flee the area. “What kind of parents bring their daughter to a combat zone?” she asked her troops as she turned and walked away.

“This is a strange world Sarge” one of them replied, “Finish our sweep?”

Zay nodded as they continued to search the area. After making sure that no enemy combatants around they continued their sweep. Once their sweep was over they headed back to the truck that Talon had set up as their make shift base of operations. Walking up to Talon, Zay watched the unit's new medic sewing up the nasty wound in Talon's side. “Will you live, Sir?” she asked jokingly.

Talon looked up as the man was threading the tiny cord through her flesh, “I guess” she said then motioned to the medic, “I really like this guy. Tough on the outside but has a real lady's touch.” She added jokingly then grunted out in pain.

“Sorry ma'am. Please hold still.” The Medic said with a bit of a smile on his face.

“Thats a free be, next time I am going to kick your ass.” she said smiling. “Zey, look around. What do you see?”

Zey took a moment to look around. She had noticed it too but couldn't put her finger on it. Something was not right with the setting. “I know, but I can't figure it out.”

Talon nodded, “It was a trap. These troops here, local militia. Hardly trained and poorly equipped. See them, they are from the city. Look at the garbs and the clothing. We are miles from any major roads and the city. There is no reason for them to be right here at this moment other then as decoy.” she said then paused as the rest of her search parties walked up. “Let me guess, no enemy but you found signs of forces hidden on those two dunes,” she said pointing, “that one over there and over there.”

The troopers and Zey all looked at each other. Talon had not left the area of the truck or had her helmet on. There was no way she could have known this. It was Zey who spoke up, “Okay. How sir?”

“If I knew where my enemy was dropping in at, I would have done the same thing. But what I don't understand is why they did not spring the trap.” she said thinking as the medic finished up, “Something changed, something we are not aware of.” she said then thought. “Lancer get me that mission briefing and all of our records.” she ordered to the trooper.

He nodded and backed up pulling out his datapad while Zey pointed at the pair of pistols next to Talon, “Trophies sir?” Zay understood that Talon needed time to think about what was missing so she thought to give it time.

Talon smiled and laughed, “Hell no, these are mine now. Look at this monster,” she held up one of the large shells, “Cut through my armor like a lightsaber through a droid. Bet it would kill a bantha if you wanted to get close enough to smell it.” The shell was huge for a pistol and used a chemical to trigger the force to project the round.

Zey nodded as she looked at it, “Pretty short ranged weapon,” she commented as she picked up one of the pistols, “Double barreled, limited ammo, very close range.” she said then set it down, “Thinking of a last stand weapon?”

“I am not sure just yet, I know a guy back on the Defiance who works in the weapons shop. I want to see what he can do with them first.” She stated then looked up as two of her troopers walked up holding a larger weapon.

“We found what you were asking about, Sir.” he said holding up the tubed like weapon, “Looks like some really nasty larger version of a droid popper” he explained while holding it up for her to see.

Talon nodded, “keep tabs on that, make sure you scan it. When we get back to the Defiance, I want to hand that over to tech boys and see what they can do with it. If we come back to this shit hole of a world, then it is best our men know what they are going to be facing.” She looked at the truck and smiled, “Well at least we don't have to walk.” she said while getting up. She pulled up her chest plate of her armor and started to put it back on. “Now lets go get those kids.” she said walking to the back of the truck, “Zey you are in the front with Piston, Everyone else, lets get in the back!” she ordered as she climbed up in the back. “Lancer, where is that report!”