The Smoke be for the Fires: (Book 1)

[Akirapryde]

Snakes and Rabbits
Jedi Temple Mount
Outer Rim World of Oulaven

Biggs walked down the corridors of the Temple Mount. His plan had worked out like a charm and Lysire had played her part perfectly. “She is just so stupid it defies logic that she could be so needed for my plan” he mumbled to himself. He hated having to play this kindness game with her. She was not worthy of anything let alone his kindness. “She is such a stupid rim rat.” he said out loud. He turned a corner and ran right head long in to Master Bevurn'Age. Even before she had turned around, Biggs knew better and his guard was reinforced. He had heard more then enough rumors about her from his own Master.

Master Bevurn'Age was a sight to behold when you were on the losing end of her gaze. Her pale skin made it all that easier to identify her numerous tattoos across her face. The rest of her body was hidden behind thick robes. Biggs knew how to read people like books. The only problem with Master Bevurn'Age was Biggs couldn't read her at all. Her face was always clear of any tells or hints of her mood. This made dealing with her so much harder then other Jedi.

“Greetings Master Bevurn'Age” he said pleasantly. She was beneath him as well but he would be damned to hint to this fact. Not here and damn sure, not now. “You have my deepest condolences on the loss of Master Losh. He was truly a plier of wisdom of the Order.” he added.

Master Bevurn'Age nodded, “Thank you young padawan” she said without giving anything up. “Might I ask you why you are in this area? The Investigators have not finished their investigation of this part of the temple. It is still closed off.” Still there was nothing for Biggs to read off of her.

“I know Master, I have to deliver something to a friend in the northern garden” he said doing everything he could not to lie. He knew all too well that she would be able to pick up a lie like it was a flare. “I don't have much time so I was going to cut across this section. I am sorry, I will not push my luck” he added as he started to back up to leave.

Master Bevurn'Age knew something as afoot but had much larger issues to deal with. She could feel that he was not being completely truthful but choose to address it later. “If you head down that corridor there and take a left at the atrium. The Northern Garden will be at the end of that corridor.” she said pointing the direction for him.

Biggs couldn't believe his luck, “Thank you Master” he said as polite as he could and headed off in the direction indicated.

“Padawan...Be careful in where you are stepping. You might find yourself in harms way” she said softly. Something just was not right with all this. She could feel the draw of the force pulling her to investigate it further. Something dark was in motion within her temple and she could feel it. Before she could act on these feelings, her comlink went off, “Master, a Holocom from Star.” It was a call that she could not ignore. Biggs would simply have to wait.

Biggs moved with more determined propose. He moved down the corridors and turned left at the atrium and continued on to the Northern Garden. “Where the hell is she.” he said quietly as he searched the garden for the reason why he was here at the Temple Mount in the first place. It didn't take him long to find the person he was here to meet. He failed horribly in his attempt to hide his shock over what he saw.

He looked down a small path to see a female padawan and an Antarian Ranger locked in an intimate embrace. As they broke the kiss she smiled while licking her lips, “You are right, you do kiss much better then Rigs.” she said giggling like the young female she was pretending to be. She ran her hand through her light bluish hair and smiled playful at the Ranger then noticed Biggs down the path. “I would love to see if you are better then Rigs at other things but it would seem we have a peeping intruder.” she said softly in his ear. Her disguise was perfect. Make up covered her tattoos and the change of hair color really helped. No one knew that one of Master Losh's assassins was still at the Temple Mount. The secret of her disguise was her mastery over the force power of stealth. Not even Master Tra Vie could sense her darkness as she pleasantly walked right past him.

“I can get rid of him if you want.” The ranger laughed as he turned to see Biggs down the path.

She shook her head and pulled his head around in to another kiss. “No you have been more then helpful. While I will have to wait for my beloved Rigs return from Yavin I am sure you will keep me more then company. For now it would seem that I am need else where.” she said softly running her hands through his hair. “Thank you for your comlink, I will contact you later but I have to go now” she said getting up and walking towards Biggs.

Biggs eyes almost popped right out of their sockets. He held his comments till they were alone once more, “Are you insane!” he said quietly, “When I was told to deliver it here I never dreamed I would have seen that.”

“Silence boy!” Orchid hissed, “Do you have it or not?”

Biggs was not used to being addressed in such disregard but he most of the time knew better. “Yes here is it.” He said handing over the comlink address that he was tasked with recovering. “Why not just let me transmit it? Why the personal meeting?” he questioned.

Orchid snapped the data crystal from him and activated it. She smiled as she read the address. It was prefect, they now had the means to track Master Draeks Kas'lar. He and his hunters had been a nasty thorn in Mother's side for a long time. The last run in they had with Master Draeks Kas'lar and his hunter almost cost her her own life and could have been very nasty for mother. Orchid smiled more deeply, “The reason why is tracking of this information. Mother wanted to make sure that there were no links to this information other then how it was gathered from the database.” she said putting the crystal away. “Mother has a new task for you” she said then added, “You are to become even closer to Lysire. Her friends don't trust you and will try to pull you two apart. Mother sees they will do everything they can do to keep you two apart. So you will have to seduce her. Think of it like this, you get to be her first.” Orchid said with a bit of laughter in her voice at the thought of one of Mother's minions taking Lysire's virtues and the thought of Sinya's reaction to it.

“Oh hey, um, wait a minute. I do have some standards here. I will let her believe what she wants but I am not sleeping with that stupid Rim Rat.” he said in defiance.

Without a further word being said, Orchid side stepped him and before he knew what had happened she jerked his right arm up and behind his back. She kicked his feet right out from under him and knocked his balance off. She turned and forced his face in to the cool water of a near by pound. He thrashed about fighting for freedom from her grip and for air. Orchid only continued to hold his head under the water. He reached up behind his body trying to force her to release him. His wet hand pushed her face away and washed off her make up revealing her tell tail tattoo across her eyes. She only smiled at the feeling of his life slowly leaving his body. His fighting slowly weakened as she continued to hold his head under the water. Within seconds he lacked the strength to even reach up at her face. At that point she pulled his face out of the water. She released him and stood up pulling out her make up kit and touch up her disguise. He laid on the ground cough up water unable to move from the attack.

Coughing, “....y.....you.....a.....r.....mad.....” he worked out coughing and trying to get his breath back. There was not a doubt in his mind that she would have killed him if she didn't need him. Being valued to her was the only reason why he was still alive.

Noting even looking down at him, “Never dare to tell me what you will or will not do. Despite the fact I can not use my powers does not mean I can not kill you Boy.” She said making sure her disguise was prefect once more, “Now, you will sleep with her. Make her love you, show her that you love her. Let her give you her virginity. Make sure you record it all. Soon her time will come when she will be recruited by Mother. You are the key to this goal. Mother has seen this. Your little Rim Rat is very important to Mother's plans.” She pulled out the data crystal that he gave her, “This proves Mother is right. We could never had been able to get this information without her.” she said then put her compact and the crystal both away as she knelled next to him, “So did you have anything else to say, Boy.” she added.

Biggs looked down in defeat. He hated her but she was his ticket to what he wanted. Power! He shook his head, “no” he said softly as he started to get up. “I am sorry”

Orchid nodded as she helped him up, “I have a gift for you, boy.” She said handing him a data crystal, “Tell your Master you found this here and was confused about what it means.” she said.

Biggs looked at the information, “What is Star and why would it, they...someone? retaliate?” he asked generally confused.

Orchid smiled, “Your Master will understand it. He might even explain it to you.” She said as she started to walk deeper in to the Garden and to her escape from the Temple.

Biggs watched her walking through the garden. She was dangerous, very dangerous and there were times when he truly thought he made a mistake in dealing with her. But now it is way too late for that. He was in too deep. He needed what she was teaching him and in time he would send her back to the hell that she crawl out from. Once she was out of sight he looked down at the crystal and couldn't help wonder what all this was about. Then his thoughts turned to the disgusting task of mating that stupid rim rat. “Oh and sure they want proof of it too.” he said coldly then turned to walk back to the landing pad. “At least I have time to get my stomach ready for it.” he commented on the task.