IC- Lord Grievance Vexx
Vassek III - Lair of Grievous
Deep within his fortress lair, Grievance Vexx is brooding. Someone has stirred his wrath. How dare they! And woe to the offender who has dared to do such a thing. Something rare has been stolen from his lair--a handful of ghostfire crystals--ones he had hoped to one day fashion into silent and translucent lightsabers. To say he is angry over the robbery is a gross understatement. He is furious!
The party responsible for the thievery is a pirate coalition from Wild Space. Faleen and Weequay species working for a cartel of Hutts. After viewing the holovid footage from his closed circuit cameras, Vexx has a sneaking suspicion they may have ties to someone he had encountered in the past during his final trial under Lord Draconis. Of course, he cannot be certain, but there is definitely cause for suspicion here.
"Why were the Magnaguards not deployed?" he demands of his droid doctor EV-A4-D.
"They were, Master," the antiquated EV unit replies, "When the alarms started going off, I went looking for them. They were deactivated in the southern sector."
"How?" Vexx asks incredulously.
"It seems the intruders were armed with ion blasters," A4-D answers, "And you know what ionized weaponry does to electronics and cybernetics."
"Yes," the Krigsbefallaf growls, recalling watching a holo-recording of one such incident involving his father and an army of Gungans, "They will pay. No one sets foot in this fortress without my permission, let alone set foot in here and steal from me."
"Ooooh, you're gonna kill 'em, aren't you?" the droid doctor laughs giddily.
"Something like that," Vexx grumbles, stomping into his war room where a holotable dominates the center, "Doctor, fire up the Coup De Grâce. In the meantime, I will be contacting a fellow Cruorite whom I think could use a little excitement."
"Yes, Master."
Immediately thereafter, the Dark Lord opens up a comlink communication with Death Apprentice Nekrosis. While this one is not apprenticed to the Krigsbefallaf, Vexx knows him fairly well and he knows the aspiring Sith assassin has been hungering for a test of his skills.
"Greetings, Death Apprentice Nekrosis," the message will say, "If you are up for a mission, I have one for you. I am sending you the coordinates to Serreno. Meet me there at Castle Serreno and I will brief you on the details of this mission. I do not ask for charity. You will be rewarded for your services and though this is nothing I cannot take care of on my own, it behooves me to offer opportunity to a fellow Cruorite to put their skills to good use. Safe travels, brother. Live by the blade, die by the blade!"
He closes the comlink and, for the purpose of emphasizing the importance of this mission, he sends out a summons through the Force, calling to Nekrosis alone with the authority of a clap of thunder that will reach him wherever he may be. It will bring with it a sense of urgency, calling the apprentice to rise to action without delay.
Serreno - Castle Serreno
One standard day later...
After charting a course through space to the Outer Rim Territories in the northeastern sector of the galaxy, Vexx had taken EV-A4-D and a pair of IG-100 Magnaguards with him in his Belbussa 41 starfighter. The blue swirls of hyperspace caressed the sleek vessel as it sliced its way across the distance like a razor blade.
"I haven't seen this side of space since the Clone Wars," A4-D comments, occupying the copilot seat of the Coup De Grâce, "Where will you be meeting this necrotic apprentice, Master?"
"Nekrosis," Vexx corrects the droid, though he knows the feigned mispronounciation is completely intentional on the mechanical medic's part.
"Eww...like...N-K Nekrosis?" A4-D cringes.
"Ignoring that," the Krigsbefallaf growls, "In fact, I have been ignoring that successfully since he found his way to House Cruor. I was doing very well until you just had to remind me."
He shoots the droid doctor a most thankless glare. Clearly, the Jedi-killing droid that had been fashioned from his father's charred armor years ago is still a sore spot in Vexx’s history. Ordinarily, A4-D might have picked at this wound until his master lost his temper, but he decides to leave it alone for now. Instead, he takes in the sight of Serreno as they exit hyperspace.
"Hasn't changed a bit," he remarks, "I get the feeling I know where you're headed..."
Natives to Serreno dare not question the Krigsbefallaf as his starfighter touches down on the personal landing dock of the late Darth Tyranus. If anyone did dare question his right to be there, he would rip their tongue out and their throat wouldn't be far behind. He is already angry and that anger can be sensed by even the dimmest of creatures as he stomps into the palace of Count Dooku himself. The architecture and decor of the Serreno landmark is exquisite, radiating with wealth, class, and prestige. Grievance Vexx certainly doesn't fit the theme with his armor pitted and scarred by countless battles and his gait-- though commanding fear and respect--is more brutish than it is that of a dignitary.
He strides through the inner chambers of the castle to what once served as Dooku's throne room and shamelessly parks his Dark Lord self on the throne that dominates a raised platform centered in the vast hall. A green hue casts itself in the room through the stained transparisteel windows behind him, illuminated by Mantero, one of two moons orbiting the planet. Here, the Krigsbefallaf waits patiently for the arrival of Nekrosis, having left two Magnaguards at the door to escorts the apprentice safely to him once he touches down.
Tag: @Nekrosis