SWTOR: The Emperor's Wrath Ch. 07

"Stop! I think that's enough!" A feminine cry cut through the air as he felt a sharp tug on his thrusted arm. He didn't know why, but he stopped anyway. His turned his steel gaze onto the little blue Twi'lek beside him which made her elicit an 'Eep!' and hide her face behind the very arm she was tugging. "Umm... well I think you've charged him up enough. He can't resist anymore."

Aaric blinked as he tried to process what she said. Did she just make a pun about his force lightning? No matter how bad it sounded to him, he realized his need to torture Vemrin almost let his anger take control. Vette didn't need to know, however. He schooled his features and addressed her. "Why, I believe you're right Vette. Now be a good little bird and wait here."

The apprentice-to-be walked up to the smoking Vemrin. He could sense that he was still alive. Seconds later, he was proven right when hacking coughs erupted from Vemrin as he struggled to push himself up. Seeing the victorious Aaric looking down at him snidely. He realized his hopeless position and dipped his head in submission.

"Becoming Baras' apprentice was my destiny. Did I come this far and overcome such adversity, only to be proven unworthy?" Vemrin muttered. "I... refuse to live a lesser life! Finish me, for I will not accept mercy."

"If that is what you want, then so be it." Aaric replied. A snap-hiss echoed across the halls and a blood red plasma blade swung downwards onto Vemrin's. He was dead before his body hit the floor once and for all.

"What a waste..." Aaric whispered as he deactivated his lightfoil.

"Wow! Nice work." Vette whistled. Gazing curiously at Vemrin's corpse. "Too bad he chose to die though."

"He asked for it." He remarked. "But at least I managed to impress you. Now let's get on with this."

"Sure! The secret entrance is right here." The bubbly Twi'lek skipped to the back of a statue. An audible click was heard, followed by the ground shivering as the wall next to the statue opened up to reveal the hidden tomb. Vette stood next to the entrance with hands on her hips and a triumphant smile. "Uh... You're welcome?"

Aaric was most impressed. It seemed this treasure hunter turned slave girl was more resourceful and cunning than he thought. Yes, she would definitely be part of his entourage now. He walked up to her and gave her beaming smile. "You have been most helpful. Thank you, Vette."

For a second, Vette's smile was replaced by a blush and a coy look of genuine appreciation. Something which didn't go unnoticed. "It's nice to be acknowledged. Thanks."

"Stay with me, and I'm sure I can acknowledge more of what you have to offer, little bird." He stepped closer to the Twi'lek and pulled her body abruptly onto his, eliciting another squeak from her. A hand snaked around her waist, while the other found itself caressing and squeezing her ample buttcheek.

"H-h-hey! Don't t-touch the merchandise!" She stuttered and feebly attempted to push the Sith acolyte away.

"I'm sure you'll be my merchandise once this is all over." He purred softly in her ear. "I'm sure we can work something out once this is done."

"W-well, I-I-If you say so..." She whispered, her blush turning her cheeks more purple than he could ever imagine. "C-could you let me go now?"

"All right... for now." Aaric relented, enjoying the reactions Vette was giving. He gave her one last surprise in the form of a playful slap across her ass cheek before letting her go. The spank caused her body to visibly tremble in surprise as the mix of pleasure and pain from the spanking. Directing a weak glare at Aaric's back, she followed her current master further into the tomb.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The chamber seemed grand in comparison to the previous tombs Aaric visited. Statues of stone warriors graced the path towards the end of the room, culminating in a flight of steps that led to an elaborate coffin.

"This place... feels creepier than others I've been to." Vette remarked.

"Don't worry your pretty little arse, Vette. I'll make sure it won't get a scratch." Aaric quipped.

"Wonder if you care about me or just my butt..." Vette sniped.

Upon reaching the top, Aaric took a good look at the coffin just in case there were traps physical or otherwise. When he was satisfied, he called upon the force and slid the stone slab off the top and let it fall to the ground with a heavy thud. Peering inside, he gazed upon the skeletal remains of Naga Sadow and his signature battle armor. Beside it lay Aaric's prize: A straight and stocky lightsaber with a brown leather handle.

Aaric smirked. This was almost too easy. He lifted the lightsaber into the air and pulled it into his open palm. A sharp snap-hiss followed and a bright crimson plasma blade, a stark contrast to the blood red blade of his lightfoil, erupted from its hilt.

Giving his new weapon a few testing swings and flourishes, he frowned at its weight and construction.

It seemed Naga Sadow was more of a brawler than a fencer. The length was a tad too long and heavy, and its center of gravity leaned towards the hilt as if to support heavy swings and chopping motions. Moves that suited a Shien practitioner more than a Makashi one. Aaric decided that he would call upon his Order's artisans at a more convenient time to modify the hilt to suit his preferred fighting style. He deactivated the lightsaber and clipped it to his belt.

Aaric turned to leave. He made it as far as the stairs before stopped dead in his tracks, Vette following suit. An unusual whispering echoed throughout the room. Expanding his senses, he traced the origins of the sound and found himself back at the coffin. A dark purple pool of mist suddenly started filling it up and enveloping Sadow's corpse followed by a bright flash lit the skull's eye sockets. The mist shot into the air and formed a cloud, startling Vette and causing her to fall onto her butt. The cloud then split into smaller wisps of smoke and dived to encompass some of the stone warrior statues.

Aaric cursed himself. Of course, there would be a trap even he could not sense. Just how cavalier could he have been to be so blind?!

The duo stared in morbid curiosity as the sickly wisps were absorbed by the statues. Cracks appeared all around their surfaces until they began breaking and falling apart like shells, revealing black faceless humanoids fully equipped with Sith blades of their own and ready to fight. Aaric counted only three, but with a small army of statues contained within he surmised they could turn into undead soldiers anytime. There was only one exit, they would had to fight their way out.

Time to see if you're up to my expectations, little bird. A foxy grin tugged on his lips.

"Okay... Damn. Now what?" Vette inquired nervously as she watched the black figures slowly advancing towards them with blades at the ready.

"Time to see what you're made of." Aaric declared, and pulled out a pair of familiar shiny objects from behind his back.

"Hey!" Vette cried running forward and grabbing the pair of objects from his hands. "Those are my blaster pistols! Where did you get those? You had them all along? Where did you hide them? You weren't even wearing a backpack!"

"Sorry. Trade Secret." Aaric smirked, giving the blue Twi'lek a playful wink which only made her huff I response. "You and I are going to destroy those minions down there and get the heck out of here."

Vette stared at him quizzically. "You aren't afraid I'm just gonna shoot you in the back?"

"You won't." He stated confidently.

"And why not?" She quirked a brow.

"Because right now, I'm your only chance of staying alive. Kill me, and those little black men will be all over you in a second. You could shoot me after we're through dealing with them, but even so you wouldn't take the chance because you've seen what I can do. I can kill you in a blink of an eye. That would be an awful waste, wouldn't it? A young nubile girl like you can serve me better alive than dead."

Upon seeing her frown, he offered, "Let's make a deal. Give me covering fire while I engage them. Don't worry about hitting me accidentally because you know I'm better than that. We can get out of here together, and I'll make sure you'll never see the inside of those durasteel cages ever again. Do we have terms?"

Vette contemplated his words. After observing his performance till now, she was fully convinced that he had a demigod's stamina. Even after his fight with Vemrin he was only slightly winded. Her current handler was right, there was no point in trying to shoot him in the back and escaping. Where would she go? There was no where else she could procure a starship save breaking and entering an Imperial starport. If she had to be honest with herself, being let out to follow him was the most interesting and entertaining thing she had ever experienced since being locked up. She would kill to not be caged again!

"We have terms... I guess." Vette sighed and offered her hand. "I got a bad feeling about this."

Aaric had other ideas though. He grabbed her hand then pulled her onto his body once again and kissing her deeply on the lips, while his hands groped her ass and breast through her clothes. Vette squealed in surprise and could not stop herself from letting out a moan as a pleasurable sensation emanated from the places where his hands were on. Just as quickly, he let her go and Vette was almost disappointed by the lack of touch. Almost.

"W-w-what... y-you can't just do that!" A furious blush erupted from her cheeks once again.

"Well, I just did. The agreement is settled." Aaric smirked triumphantly, unclasping both saber and foil and igniting them simultaneously. "Now, let's get out of here."