-- Nine Years before the Fall of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant….

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<<”Dearest RT, How have you been? I realize that by the time you get this it will be a week old. I won’t bother asking where they deployed you, I know you can’t say. All those secret Republic schools. Marstel is even more secretive. Some facility that even those who sent him didn’t know anything about; according to him. You know he never says much, even if he wanted to. Before you freak out, no…nothings wrong. Coming from me, any letter is usually associated with ‘bad things Karolin’s done’. We are fine, she finally got picked up by a Jedi Master. Master Varaad seems like a fair-minded Jedi. A little quieter than I would have thought someone who would dare pick up Karolin should be. She is already complaining. Apparently, her ‘exuberant’ nature has already landed her in hot water. And this time, she can’t come hide under my robe or have me try to keep her out of trouble.

No, this is something else. Karolin met someone. And in turn…so have I. This is too much, I know I really shouldn’t be telling my ‘brother’ this, but this guy…he’s really different. When he’s around, I feel like I’m going to faint, everything gets hot and my head swims. Actually, I thought I was sick the first time, then Karolin explained that its just a normal reaction. This is so forbidden, please…destroy this letter as soon as you get it. I feel embarrassed telling anyone. But I can’t really ‘talk’ to her. If you had any idea of what she’s gotten into here with this guy…I think you would probably go AWOL and come get her. And, it’s not his fault. You KNOW it’s hers.

Anyways, still waiting to get a Master. I think I may sit in integration forever. Hope your first unit is everything the Republic hoped it would be. I know you’re running circles around them, literally. If they haven’t picked you up for Officer yet, it’s coming. Trust us, we’ve seen it. Hamner says hi, not that you care. You two really need to kiss and make-up. Friends are one thing, but family…that’s forever.

All my love,

Myst…>>

--

-- Hutta…weeks after the Exodus from Korriban….

Mrysti noted that architecture was not a Hutt strong suit as she made her way up the entrance ramp which led to the Cantina foyer. All Hutt palaces were designed the same, only the individual tastes of the Hutt who occupied the palace changed the interior decor. Mrysti frowned glancing left and right at the Hutt thugs who were flanking her. Only the mysterious Force User who lurked several yards back kept Mrysti from simply grabbing up the thugs, cracking all their skulls into one another and walking out. It was becoming imperative now, Mrysti had to find out who the being this that lurked behind. Who it was that held such sway over the Dark Side. It was pure power, but not raw like her own. Hunger, in her ached. Almost drawn to the mysterious force. The power simmered like oil in a pan with a veneer of control over it. Control, Mrysti very much longed for, if only for the ability to control the pain it held over her.

In the months since her flight from Korriban, Mrysti wandered aimlessly. What she thought she sought was combat, using her genetically enhanced abilities to best any conflict she stumbled upon. But years of captivity caused all of her forgotten Force abilities to re-emerge, this time with a pure taint of evil within them. Her long-term memories, however had not recovered. She had no idea why she was held for so long in captivity. Although she surmised that it had something to do with being a Jedi, her old Master had such a hatred for them and called her 'Jedi Bitch' often. Faces and names often popped into her head...Hamner, RT, Karolin, Marstel; all various races all connected to her somehow. But, what she sought was control as the Force began to take over her natural attributes, forcing her further and further down the Dark Path. Years of torture and abuse changed her into a predator, always hungry, always looking for chaos. The Force was driving that hunger, Mrysti had yet to realize that; until she felt the pull from the Dark Mysterious stranger. It held her at bay, kept her from merely slaying those around her to escape. More importantly, it quelled her hunger, replacing it with curiosity.

As they passed the Cantina heading for the main palace chamber, Mrysti glanced at the slave girls. Their chains rattled as they danced on raised platforms. She felt no regret for them. In her mind she freed herself and these slave girls could do the same. All it took was a Durasteel will. If she had the time she would have stopped and beaten that will into all of them as she continued to move to the rear of the palace toward the Hutt throne room. Her entourage slowed at approach dropping back to allow her solo entrance into the darkened chamber. She glanced around slightly. The huge room that would encompass and host hundreds was empty. Looking back, she found even the stranger had dropped off. Mrysti was alone. Raising her chin slightly, she peered into the darkness placing her hands on her hips. A voice speaking Huttese broke through the darkness, the intonation was that of a Hutt.

"Ola' golodo mera Champion des Galla toe." What followed was the mechanical speech of the translator droid as Mrysti moved to the center folding her arms over her chest. A large spotlight snapped on overhead further obscuring her view in the darkness, but highlighting her tall muscular green physique. Mrysti almost heard the large pleasurable gasp from the Hutt as the light went on.

Mrysti stood still, staring into the darkness from under the bright light, unmoving. A sneer of defiance forming on her lips. She felt the mysterious stranger and her Force Aura move to her front near the Hutt. Finally, Mrysti pointed into the darkness.

"I fight for no one! I seek challenge, the arena offers that. You stay out of my way, I will refrain from destroying you!"

The laughter from the Hutt filled the massive space as well as a lengthy speech in Huttese. The droid soon chimed in as the speech stopped.

Mrysti resisted the urge to simply leap forward. Almost as if Gardurrga anticipated the move a ray shield cascaded instantly from the overhead light surrounding her. She stepped back, smirking.

"You can't keep me in here forever. And once I'm free, you're dead." Mrysti stated, almost non-chalantly. The Hutt began a rant in Huttese which the droid immediately began translating as the Hutt continued to speak.

Gardurrga had no idea that the word 'submit' would get the response he witnessed. Furiously, Mrysti began slamming her body against the ray shield, each time a high voltage shock arching through Mrysti's body. He did not want his prize damaged as he began another quick series of phrases in Huttese meant to calm her down.

As Mrysti began to lose consciousness she smiled wickedly into the darkness. Still, she slammed her body against the shield.

"I....submit....to....no one!....you....will not...have me. Not like that....not ever again!" Soon after Mrysti collapsed, her hands still crackling from contact with the shield, the room fell silent. Darth Malvox peeked out from the darkness to look at the collapsed woman, turning her head toward Gardurrga slowly.

"Tis a dangerous game you play with this one Gardurrga. She is clearly deranged. Deranged to the point where her very presence is lethal..."

Gardurrga slithered off the raised platform and toward the fallen woman. As he gazed down gesturing for the shield to be deactivated, he looked at his Sith guest, doing what was the equivalent of a shrug. He spoke in basic as he knew his guest preferred it.

"It's her presence I am most concerned with. Her defiance inspires others...if I am to break her, I must hazard her presence..." The Hutt began to slither from the room, looking behind him slightly. "....besides, I am not used to being told 'no'. She will make an excellent slave, even if she doesn't realize that she is one. Excess and greed is what makes Hutt culture. I want her...therefore, I shall have her."

As Gardurrga exited the room Malvox bent down laying a hand to Mrysti's forehead. Even unconscious Mrysti's thoughts were all rage and it boiled off of her like a torrential river flow. Malvox stood, watching several Hutt mercenaries drag Mrysti's limp form away.

'Yes, she is worthy. What she lacks I can give her....and in return she will give me the 'Hammer' I require', Malvox thought, as she withdrew from the room.

--

Awakening groggy, Mrysti instinctively pulled on the wrist restraints. For a moment she thought that her new-found freedom and life was a dream and that she was back in her old master’s grasp once again. Looking down at the floor, suspended in a ray shield she realized her folly. Her arms and legs were splayed out from her torso and she looked like a floating letter 'X' once again. At least her head wasn't bound which was the common practice of her former Master, but this would have been too advanced a device for him to use. She remembered being in the Hutt main audience chamber and then darkness. It was dark in the room, except for the light that emanated from the pads containing the ray shield which sat above and below her. Closing her eyes, she called on the Force to help free her, but it didn't answer. The binders to her wrists and ankles deadening her connection to the Force. As she briefly fought against her restraints, the sound of laughter permeated the darkness. Mrysti lowered her head with a sneer, Hutt laughter was unmistakable.

"Laugh all you want you miserable slug..." Mrysti spoke in a low gravelly tone, "...when I get free, you will wish you would've killed me!"

The laughter continued for a moment followed by a barrage of Huttese. Mrysti had picked up a few words, but still couldn't make out what was being said. The cheery voice of an adjacent protocol droid soon filled in the gaps.

Mrysti looked at her clothing as she kept her head low. The Hutt had stripped her of her armor, she was wearing the skimpy clothing of a Hutt slave. She jerked her head upright at the droid's words, the smirking sneer still blanketing her face.

"What secret!?!?! I have no secrets...release me at once! You have no idea the amount of pain I will bring to—“

The droid interrupted her rant as it simultaneously translated the Hutt's speech ranting back toward her.

Laying her head back slightly, Mrysti closed her eyes and released a bout of mad laughter. This was definitely a different tone in the conversation from earlier, her memory starting to recall her rage from the throne room earlier.

"What's the matter? Was I winning too much? Defeating some of your prized stock?...." Her eyes opened sharply as she fixed her gaze into the darkness, in the direction of the two voices, "I assure you. I did not cheat, nor did I use the Force in ANY of my matches! All of my victories I claim on my own, with my own power! Release me! And I will show you firsthand what I am truly capable of!"

There was a moment of silence before the droid chimed up again. This time the Hutt spoke in a low tone for only the droid to hear. Mrysti peered hard into the dark finally making out a third figure standing close-by. It was apparent that the Hutt was speaking to both the droid and the mysterious stranger.

Mrysti returned to her wicked smirk as she yelled in their direction.

"Of course. There is always a price!" Losing the wicked smile, Mrysti's face matched her tone, deadly serious, "What do you want?"

Translating again for her Master, the droid responded immediately. Mrysti hated being predictable, the Hutt's response obviously already having been given to the droid due to the speed at which it answered.

Mrysti snorted as the droid continued,

Mrysti wanted to cry out in Rage, 'Subjugation?' The Hutt couldn't be serious. Mrysti was sure the first thing she was going to do was kill the Hutt at her earliest opportunity. She grimaced visibly, but subdued her anger to merely question the terms in an even, flat tone.

"Both of those terms are virtually identical. And all in favor of the Hutt. I gain nothing...." Mrysti paused and narrowed her eyes into the darkness. "And if I refuse? What then?"

The Droid again answered immediately, her response again being completely anticipated.

It was a well thought out plan, this Hutt had obviously done his homework. Had Mrysti been a member of the Sith Empire then the Hutt would never have dared to threaten or even attempt those moves without someone in the Empire's approval. Pursing her lips, Mrysti merely nodded her head once, she did not want to grace the Hutt with the privilege of hearing her acquiesce.

Immediately the Ray Shield deactivated and Mrysti dropped unceremoniously to the floor. The shadows of the Hutt and his protocol droid slimed away, a doorway sliding closed behind them. That left only the mysterious stranger and Mrysti in the room. As the obvious feminine form entered the light still left by the Ray Shield's pads, Mrysti raised an eyebrow. She recognized the being. The form was a Sith Pureblood. All red skin and jewels. Lots of jewels denoting her station. She was no ordinary Pureblood, a very powerful Sith. The same one present when the Hutt sent its guards to come collect her and she was present shortly before Mrysti lost consciousness in the audience chamber. As the form approached she waved a hand slightly. The wrist and ankle restraints falling away from Mrysti's limbs.

"You won't be needing those any longer. I am Darth Malvox and I have been watching you....it's time we actually spoke. There is much to do if we are to help you escape...."

An eyebrow perked up. The Sith was not 'with' the Hutt as far as his designs. Mrysti slowly stood to her full height looking down at the smaller woman. Her chest heaved in anger, but she held her rage in check in the presence of the Dark Lord. That the Sith wished to help was enough, for the moment.

"As you wish...how shall we proceed?"