WITHERING GLARE, PART III
Peering from the ceiling vent which he hid in, Thovak chuckled at the scene playing out below.
Trask was down for the count, but not dead. Thovak had made sure to set Vosin's blaster for stun, ensuring she would be too confused to do anything when the Weequays attacked her. With everyone distracted, this left the Eye of Kaas ripe for the taking.
After undoing the last bolt, Thovak removed the grill and began to calculate his next move. He could jump down onto the pedestal, hit the two females with poison darts, make a getaway for the exit... but surely that would be blocked. He would need a distraction.
He looked down at his belt to see what kind of explosives he had... and saw one was already blinking red. His eyes widened. Since when did he--
* * *
The explosion was Karvis' cue.
With the rest of the room distracted, he made a dash for the relic. No one stopped him at first, as he was still in the disguise of a guard. Dodging the falling pieces of rubble, he reached for the Eye of Kaas, now exposed from its transparisteel dome. Without warning, he was tackled from behind and ended up on the floor, locked in the grip of one of the guards.
"I knew you looked suspicious," the Weequay growled. "Jhok told me not to worry about you, but he was always the dumber sibling...."
Snarling, Karvis managed to free his arm and elbowed the guard in the face. As the Weequay fell back, Karvis got back to his feet and started to go back for the relic... only to fall to his knees, gasping as he clawed at the toxin dart jutting from his neck. The room around began to spin and then... nothing.
* * *
"Hey! That's mine! I won it fair and--"
"Cool it, Mos," Valrisa snapped as she picked up the Eye of Kaas. "I'm just making sure it isn't damaged."
"Well, I already see one thing that is."
Valrisa froze at the sound of the old hag's voice. Eyes blazing, she gritted her teeth as she said, "Hello, mother."
"Don't call me that," the Dowager spat back. "You lost that right long ago."
Turning sharply on her heel, Valrisa came fact to face with the woman who had spawned her. Cold blue eyes met hers as a long silence passed between them. The Dowager's server droid MR-V watched on with its triangular green optics.
Finally, Valrisa spoke. "You'r right. My mistake. I didn't think you would be so public about family drama and would try to keep up appearances."
"Don't be ridiculous," the Dowager scoffed. "I've been very public of my disowning of you. The rest of the galaxy should be aware of your transgression and learn to stay away from you."
"I somehow doubt the rest of the galaxy shares your view."
The Dowager's nostrils flared in anger and she opened her narrow maw to speak but was stopped by the sudden appearance of Typha.
"Come on, Val, we shouldn't keep Mos waiting." The Pantoran then paused to look at the Dowager. "Have we met?"
The older woman glared at her with the fury of a thousand suns. "I see you've already found yourself a piffer to--"
Valrisa silenced her with the sharp raise of a hand. "Do not finish that sentence," she snarled. "I promise you'll regret it."
The Dowager continued to glare at her before sniffing as she pivoted around. "I've already wasted enough time here. Come, Marv, and don't forget the bust."
"As your will commands, mistress," MR-V dully replied, following her with the bust of Count Nalju in its hands.
As they left, Typha looked over at Valrisa, frowning. "Was that...?"
"Yes."
"She's worse than you described her."
Valrisa said nothing, instead walking over to Hahgalor Mos and handing the relic to his servant Brophar.
"There you go," she said to the Chevin. "I trust that my payment has already been transferred?"
"Uh, yeah." Hahgalor looked over to Brophar. "How much did I bid for it again?"
"Forty-two million credits, sir."
"Forty-two--?!" Hahgalor's jaw dropped, a feat Valrisa didn't think was possible. "You can't be serious! Please tell me you aren't serious!"
"I am serious, sir."
Hahgalor clutched his enormous head. "By Soth's Great Jaw... what was I thinking?"
Valrisa cleared her throat. "So... is that a yes?"
"The money has indeed been transferred to your account," Brophar said.
"Good." She turned and waved to Typha. "Come on, Typh. Time to go."
* * *
Dorga Honda tapped his thumbs against the handle of his rotary blaster cannon. They would be coming out any minute now. It would not be long.
As he waited, he tried to pass the time by doing math in his head. He wasn't particularly good at it; only when it came to profits.
The Givin said we'd each get twenty percent. There was eight of us then. I killed Mador, making that seven. No, six. I just killed Graggna. So that would make it... forty percent? Wait, why am I even doing this? I'm trying to kill them all. Stupid Dorga.
Yes, very stupid Dorga.
The Aqualish blinked. That hadn't been him, had it? He wasn't crazy like Rega. No, that had been someone from behind him. Dorga didn't have time to turn around however, as in that span of time of him trying to figure things out, a red lightsaber had pierced him from behind and he was suddenly on the ground, watching through blurry eyes as the black-robed man walked past his dying body and entered the building.
* * *
"You're mad at me, aren't you?"
"I told you I should've worn my mask," Valrisa bitterly replied as she and Typha walked towards the exit.
"Look, I didn't know your mom was gonna be there!" Typha said. "I just thought it would be rude if you kept your mask on. Besides...."
Valrisa looked over her shoulder at the Pantoran. "Besides what?"
Typha cast her gaze downward, twirling a strand of pink hair with her finger. "Your bangs make you look cute."
Feeling her cheeks redden, Valrisa returned her eyes to the entrance up ahead. The door was already open and a man clad in black was walking up towards them. His hair was long and dark, and a black tattoos were etched all around his face, with a single gold one stretching across the bridge of his nose.
Valrisa stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes widening. "Zarin?"
The man stopped as well, his mouth falling open. "Sare?"
"Boy, it's just one warm reunion after the other," Typha said dryly. "Look, can we just leave already? I'm already sick of this--"
She was cut off by a scream coming from down the hall. All three turned to see Hahgalor Mos standing there, a hole burning between his eyes. From behind the Chevin appeared a Givin in a black cloak, carrying the Eye of Kaas in his hands.
"If you want something done," the Givin said as he strode towards the group, "you must do it yourself."
"Nasoth?" Zarin sounded incredulous. "But... but you're in Lord Krayt's captivity."
The Givin stopped and stared at Zarin, looking him up and down. "You're one of Krayt's Sith?"
Zarin blinked. "Um, yeah?"
"Pity. I had expected better." The Givin held up his hand, the palm on which a strange symbol was drawn on. "But you'll do."
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