Force of the Ripper

[Vorias]

War fills the galaxy as both the Republic and Empire cling desperately to survival. The Eternal Empire's campaign on both fronts has forced both factions to withdraw to their respective capital worlds. Refugees flood the streets of both Coruscant and Drommund Kaas.

 

In the shadow of the chaos something dark... someone dark is taking advantage, concealing a twisted need to kill timing his attacks in the midst of skirmishes. This dangerous threat has no conscience on lives taken... Republic, Empire, even Zakulaan citizens have fallen victim. The only clue that leaves doubt that it's not just a soldier fallen, a Jedi or Sith defeated, or a civilian caught in the crossfire is missing organs, and that whether child, or adult, human, or alien, these women possessed at least a slight sensitivity to the Force.

 

A small task force comprised of delegates from the Republic, the Empire, and even Zakuul agreed to meet on the planet Dantooine. It was decided that a neutral party would be used to investigate this threat they'd come to call Ripper. That party would be a pair of Matukai siblings whose command of the Force was granted through intense focus, command of their bodies, and meditation making their minds sharp, and a bit more focused than that of Jedi, Sith, and Zakuulan Knights.

 

 

 

Shaelas and Cyrus approached the doorway of a small village hall almost at the same instant. It was if they could sense each other, but then the old adage that twins could always seem to feel each others presence... Their relief to see each other alive masked only by their disapproval of each others choices. Despite this they both embraced warmly obviously missing each other's presence.

 

They withdrew their embrace, and pressed each others foreheads together, "I've missed you, brother." Shaelas claimed her eyes misting a bit.

 

They parted, "Me as well, Shae." He retorted noticing her slight shock at his noticeable accent he'd garnered from living on Drommund Kaas for the last several years.

 

They settled, and made way into the hall, "So where you made privy as to what's going on?" Cyrus asked as they strode through the door.

 

Making their way down the hall to the right, "Only that there's something dark hiding itself in the midst of the confrontation with this, Eternal Empire," she answered as they took a left turn. Their destination just ahead, "Also.. There's a delegate from Zakuul here as well."

 

They paused a few meters from the door, "Our respective governments have reason for meeting, but those Son's of Hutt's!" he took a breath feeling her calm, yet curious mind set.

 

Shaelas bopped his chin softly, "Be patient. We'll find out what's going on as soon as we speak with them." She smiled, and they turned toward the door.

 

The delegates from all three governments turned to the doors as they opened revealing the two they'd chose to investigate this threat. The two entered and paused with slight nods acknowledging them. Chance Aldreann, a deputy chief in the Republic SIS, Lord Frag, a former pupil of Darth Malgus, and Marka Zeelos, a mid level Zakuulan Knight looked on them. They couldn't help but notice the still prestine nature of the lightsabers that decorated the right side of their hips.

 

"We agreed on a neutral party to investigate this!" Marka exclaimed.

 

Chance took a step forward, "They are. They are converted Matukai."

 

Lord Frag took a second to relish in the aggressiveness, "It is true."

 

Marka, still distrustful, relinquished her disdain, each corner of her eye still on the delegates representing her Emperor's enemies, "Very well."

 

Shaelas, and Cyrus made their way to the table they each surrounded, taking note of the space between each delegate. Trust, clearly, was not in abundance here. They allowed themselves an instant glance to each other, as their relief to see each other again allowed their own mistrust of each other to creep through the cracks slightly. They both steered their glance to the delegates, "So.. would you all care to fill us in, or should we just have at it?" Cyrus asked, breaking the silence.

 

Shaelas remained silent letting her brother take the lead. With the distrust flowing off of everybody in the room she felt his direct nature would be the most efficient way to get answers. The three delegates, in one way or another, could sense Cyrus' power, let alone the fact that he and Shaelas seemed to redeem their bond rather quickly. Lord Frag was the first to respond, "There's a psychotic on the loose," he put simply, "and he clearly has no reguard as to whose side they're on."

 

Shaelas remained still, and silent observing everyone in the room, save Cyrus. Their past held no where near the weight of what she could feel flowing off the three delegates in the room. She caught a glance of her brother taking a step forward, "Not that I care if this nut slaughters anyone from Zakuul.. or the Republic for that matter," he glanced to his sister, and recomposed himself, "but simply saying, "There's a psychotic on the loose" hardly clears things up."

 

"Fair enough," Chance replied pulling a data pad from his pocket, and plugging into the holo screen, "so far we've found six... six deaths that appear to be casualties of war, except for..." he hit a button, and images of the crime scenes floated above the table. Each victim displayed wounds consistant with defensive wounds from lightsaber battles, blaster and mortar wounds from random fire, and compression wounds from falling debris. "Here's the first thing we noticed," Chance pointed out well placed incisions on each body in the areas of several different major organs held in each victims torso.

 

Cyrus and Shaelas both gasped slightly, and instinctively moved closer to each other, "They're all female?" Shaelas asked.

 

"So far," Lord Frag replied, "his motives are unclear, and the precise incisions seem to have been made with a lightsaber of some sort. A pupil with this precision would be an asset were he not striking at Sith as well."

 

Chance cleared his throat, "The most puzzling thing is that each incision is directly over major organs... However what's puzzling is that each victim is female. Jedi, Sith, Civilian.. "

 

Shaelas stood silently for a bit listening to the information pushing back any fear, or disdain for these acts. She studied each holo looking for some sort of clue, "Medicloreans.. do they concentrate in a certain part of our bodies?" she queried

 

Lord Frag seemed impressed with the question, "I'd never thought to investigate that, but I would suppose it would depend on ones race."

 

Cyrus picking up on his sister's notion smiled at her growth, "There must be a pattern to his travels as well. What's the time frame between victims, and on which planet. List them in order." He got a slight elbow of aknowlegment from Shaelas.

 

They each looked on as the list of planets scrolled down the holo, "Wait.. what makes each victim special?" she asked noticing only blonde, and redheaded women among the victims.

 

"We're not sure.. I mean Jedi Knight Meleen here, dutiful and focused as she was, was average as far as her connection to the Force was concerned, and this one," Chance clicked to the image of a child, couldn't have been older than 5, "this one we just don't know. Not a youngling, just.. Satele was the one who sensed her connection.. even at death," he hung his head, "think that's the only time I saw a hint of a tear from her," recomposing himself, "and this victim was a Sith acolyte, and so on and so forth.. all Force sensitive, all female.." he stopped explaining...

Edited February 27, 2018 by Vorias

[Vorias]

Shaelas felt him still trying to compose himself and offered him a reassuring glance. She then turned her attention back to the list of planets. Two of them had two victims, Korriban and Nar Shadaa, "Korriban and Nar Shadaa both had two victims.." she thought out loud.

 

Cyrus caught on to her curiosity, "Indeed.. this one's attempting caution, but it was fairly simple to take an additional victim considering the chaos natural to both planets even in these times."

 

Shaelas' eyes narrowed in thought, "Yes, but these two here on Korriban..." She peered closer at the holos, "They're sisters," she the turned her attention to the holos of the victims on Nar Shadaa, "and these two.. mother and daughter."

 

Cyrus' amazement at his sister's focus crept a bit into his expression as he himself studied the holos, "Impressive, Shae," he looked to Lord Frag, "They're names?"

 

"These two are Mara and Leena Vain," he pointed to the victims from Korriban, "Mara was quite an astute acolyte, even taking into account her Pure Blood stock. Her sister Leena, on the other hand, was remarkably average, but she was accepted on Mara's behest."

 

"I've heard of Mara," Cyrus interjected, "A powerful Sith indeed. It's difficult to believe anyone could have done this to her."

 

Shaelas nodded in agreement with her brother, "You're right Cy.. she knew him. She knew him well enough to let him close," she pointed out some blaster burns donning her left arm, and both her legs. "She was the first victim. Help was thought to be needed."

 

tbc

Edited March 1, 2018 by Vorias

[Vorias]

She thought a bit more on her notion, "However, Leena.. she has no blaster wounds. His confidence grew exponentially, but who helped him, and why not use them again with Leena.."

 

"Because she was weak," Lord Frag uttered, "She lacked the fortitude to pose a threat to a Tarisian slug, let alone a skilled weilder of the Force."

 

Cyrus, studying the holos, "Perhaps, but this one here has similar blaster wounds on her arms and legs," he said pointing to an older Togrutan victim found on Corellia.

 

Shaelas, intensely focused on the holos, "Help or not it doesn't matter. Look here," she aligned the holos in an arrangement in which the position of the bodies coupled together formed a shape. A shape that felt familiar to her, "Placed together they form a shape that fits the foot steps taken in a rudimentary meditative exercise my brother and I learned from our mother."

 

Cyrus looked at the arrangement of the victims, "You're right, Shae.. It's form 1. We're dealing with a..."

 

Cyrus was cut off by a security officer entering the room, "Apologies, but we've discovered another victim here on Dantooine just over the western ridge."

 

Cyrus led Shaelas by the elbow toward the door, "We'll handle this," he stated heading out the door, Shaelas in tow.

 

 

Cyrus and Shaelas cautiously approached the scene. Her eyes surveying the scene, she noticed no blaster marks in the area, logical since Dantooine has remained fairly uninvolved in the recent events with Zakuul. Her mind, body, and spirit in tune since speaking with the delegates, she noticed no minor incisions over the torso. Still she could sense something.. Taking a few steps back she closed her eyes a moment and let the scene wash over her. The victim.. red hair, approximately her age, and it's position. Subtle, yet if you're paying attention.. she was laid out in an ever subtle S.

 

tbc