The Khan
The fleet continued to be on high alert ever since the end of the Mandalorian Wars, the fall of the Galactic Republic and the rise of the Sith Empire. To Khan, it warrants him to be on guard always because he does not always agree with the Empire. He must however make the standards the Empire requires of him, but to bow down to the Emperor? Paerilous bows down to no one but himself. He is a servant to none and lord of all before him.
Inside Khan’s main ship, the Crimson Dagger, Khan stood before the glass beyond the protective force field. He was watching the orange-brown colored moon before him. Paerilous Khan was a figure of strength and terror. He was of the force-sensitive race known as the Miralian. He was tall and massive of muscular strength as well as brute force. His skin is gray and dark green filled with crimson colored tattoos and battle scars. He went through many battles and escaped unscathed aside from injuries.
Out of hundreds of his people, only he was the rarest part unable to use the force. He was ‘force-mute’. Because of that Khan left his own people on his own quest to discover who he truly was. Once he became Khan, he conveniently forgot his birth-name and became the strongest known warlord in the galaxy. He was second to none. Khan preferred it that way.
Keeping his arms crossed behind his back, the warlord continued his powerful stance. On one of his arms was a long wristband that was tightly locked. The expression on his face was twisted into cruelty and anger. For the most of his fifty years, he never at least once offered mercy to his enemies. Because of that, he is usually known as Khan the Merciless. If he bows down to someone’s mistakes, he cannot show weakness. If he had to, he will execute the person whether it is his friend or enemy. However, according to some, he has two people who he respects and cares for. He has his son that he adopted and raised to please him. He also has a woman as his right hand. He trusts her to speak for him.
From behind Khan’s muscular back and several meters across the prow of his bridge, a door opened. A humanoid female entered. Her heavy metallic footsteps echoed through the door with as it closed behind her. She stopped for a moment looking across the bridge to the large Miralian standing alone. The woman’s cloak fluttered a bit before it rested on her torso. Her dark scowl glared at the back of her warlord. This humanoid was more of a beast-like resemblance.
The woman was buff and muscular but still retained her femininity. A cloak was wrapped around her armor piece. It had a hood, but it rested on her back. On her shoulders were guards that looked different on opposite sides. One was jagged with a spike on the end and the other was a simple but hard covering. A fiber mesh armored clothing was placed on her body with body plates to keep her muscles comforted and still showing while keeping her breasts covered protectively with a body plate covering it. On her left arm was bare, vacant and without an armored covering but it had tattoos on it. Her left hand only had a sturdy finger-less leather glove for protection.
On her right hand was a scaled encrusted gauntlet with sharp nails on the end. Along her spine hidden behind the cloak was a serrated spine like body cover that connected two pieces of her armor together. Her armored leggings that were connected to her spine like armor was also of fiber mesh with body plates on her upper and lower leg. Her boots was big and connected to her knees. Around her waist was a cord or belt containing only her lightsaber.
She was trained as a Sith Juggernaut with high defense and powered offense. Blaster pistols were unnecessary in her line of duty. Only she was trained in dark arts of the Sith and required a lightsaber. Her lightsaber color was fuchsia. It was a cross between violet and pink but more lighter in violet color as she detested the crimson blade of the dark Sith. Her right gauntlet rested on the hilt of her dark weapon that she constructed herself during her training on Korriban.
The woman let out an audible fanged snarl as she walked forward across the prow of the bridge. Her heavy boots echoed around the ship. She ignored most of the people working on their stations as she kept her cold focus on Khan’s back. On her face she had a tribal tattoo of her people, the Siriian. Above the tattoo and almost visible was a long scar from the bottom of her left crown beside her left ear across her face along her nose in a diagonal motion toward her right jaw.
Around the crown of her head were horns kind of like Zabrak only a little bit different. On the front of her cranium were a bit protruded like a dome with dual horns growing from it. She had long dark hair that grew out and formed a mane atop her head and down. Her hair was braided to keep her hair together and not falling into the front of her head. It was all tied behind the back of her cranium and flowed down below her shoulder blades.
Soon as she stopped before Khan, she knelt before him and lowered her head. Khan spoke with a cold tone or command that resounded among the bridge, “You are late.”
The humanoid female kept her head bowed as she responded, “Forgive me, my lord.”
Khan turned and let out a snarl as he glowered at her. He waved his hand and responded getting close to her, “No matter, Aescun Shiion. I helped raised you like a daughter, but as my close right hand. You were the one who would do as I say without question. That allows you some leniency that I do not offer others. As long as you are obedient to my laws and decree, I will allow you to come and go.”
He stroked her on the cheek and Aescun grabbed his wrist as she turned to kiss him on the hand. Taking her shoulder blade, the warlord raised her to her feet. He spoke gathering attention from Aescun as she stared into his dark green eyes, “What of your hunt on Hutta?”
Aescun let out another fanged snarl as she growled under her breathe responding with disgust, “My quarry escaped me. He was somehow given advanced notice. I failed you.”
The warlord’s expression grew angrier as he raised his fist and smacked her across the jaw. Aescun tasted blood as she grunted in pain lowering her head to avert her gaze. He spoke with anger, “Yes you have. He is an enemy of mine and marked as a possible force sensitive. The Empire wants him dead and I intend to offer them his head. You will find him and you will kill him. No excuses!”
The dark Sith huntress bowed her head again and spoke, “Of course, my lord. If I may, my quarry escaped Hutt space. I have no means of transport to hunt him down.”
He nodded as he tapped her lightly on her chin making her look at him again as he responded, “You will get one. It is time, Shiion. It is time for you to go off on your own. Your final training and testing is nearly completion and you will receive one of the personal hunter fighter transport ship when you pass. It is capable of both combat and transportation of your prisoners. Go see to my son for the final training.”
She bowed again and responded before turning from him, “My lord.”
Her cloak swished as she turned away walking away from him. Her boots continued its heavy thuds across the hollow bridge. Khan stood there for a moment watching his huntress’s back before resuming his previous position turning around to watch the Hutta moon.
Down at the sub-level deck of the Dagger, Jordai Khan waited in the middle of the training room with his hands behind his back and his legs spaced. He was massive in muscle strength and angrier but kept his scowl at the door. A brief moment later, the door opened and Aescun gracefully walked through the doorway. He continued to scowl at Aescun, but Aescun stared back at him coolly as she snarled lightly with a bit of a seduction growl.
Soon as she approached Jordai, she moved her right gauntlet from the hilt of her saber and touched his face. Her sharp nail pierced his skin as he flinched slightly from the pain. She smiled coldly and responded at his harsh scowl, “I am here, my love. You summoned me for my training.”
After a brief silence, Jordai spoke with a husky tone while remaining at his spot not moving, “You are late.”
Aescun let out a puff of air as she scoffed shaking her head while trailing her sharp nail across his face. She moved her nail toward her mouth and licked the blood off as she responded with a show of her fangs, “Does it matter? Why should I take this training? Haven’t I learned enough of combat techniques?”
Jordai shrugged and continued to scowl at her, “It is what my father required of you. I must do as he says.”
She shook her head and placed her left hand on his muscled arm feeling his power responding as she started purring slightly, “Must you? I mean, you are your own person. You are strong enough to face him to become the next Khan. It is time now.”
Jordai continued to stare at her unheeded by her touching and her manipulation. He knew she was just testing him and feeding him the necessary words for him to take the next step. He responded again coldly as he shook his head, “I feel I am not ready yet. I may be strong, but his combat skills far outweigh my own.”
Aescun stared at him coolly as she moved closer to him. She let out a hiss as her purring continued in the form of her growl as she whispered, “Together, we can take him. We are stronger and equal in strength. Nothing in the law prohibits us from fighting two on one to determine who becomes the next Khan.”
Jordai moved slightly as he stared back at her. His cold expression wavered slightly as he nodded his head to the side. Moving his hand, he placed it around Aescun’s curved muscular waist and moved her closer. Taking his other hand, he stroked her cheek as she kissed him on the lips with love. He stroked her thick mane of dark hair. As Aescun stroked his right arm muscles with her left hand, she took her right gauntlet and moved it around to his back.
She pierced his back muscle as he moaned again with a slight pain. The beast let out an aroused fanged snarl as she opened her mouth and bit into his bulged shoulder muscle. She pushed him back against the wall and licked his blood as he continued kissing her neck. He responded as he pushed her back slightly to remove her right arm gauntlet, “That sounds good. Together, we can take him. However, we must wait. I want you right now. I need you.”
He continued to remove her armor and Aescun let out a snarl as she pushed him against the wall again. As he removed her body plate, her back was exposed. She had clothing underneath. Her back showed multiple whiplash scars she had received during her training when she was being raised by Khan. Jordai moaned again in pain as Aescun bit him again tasting his blood.
Several hours passed. Aescun was back into her full armor again. Her hood was still down as she was looking at the medium sized container in the middle of the room. She was near the training section. The room was made for medical aid for injured or wounded warriors. As she looked at her right gauntlet, she let out a fanged snarl clenched it into a fist while watching her bicep grow. It was around twenty inches in size as the fiber mesh armor expanded allowing room for her muscle to grow slightly. Releasing her grip, she walked toward the container and opened it.
On the sign it said “Caution. Do not use.” She knew what it was and she planned to use it in her battle against Khan. She placed her right gauntlet inside and waited a few moments as it spread liquid along the scales of her metal hand and nails. Removing it, she turned away from the container and left the room in her graceful stride keeping her metal gauntlet on her side away from her body curled into a claw.
On the other side of the hallway inside the next room, Aescun entered to see Paerilous Khan waiting for her. He scowled back her with his hand across his back. Moving his hand forward, he beckoned her with his finger, “Come, Aescun.”
The beast stared back coolly as she moved forward several steps toward him. The room she entered was a training room. It had targets arranged around the room. Chandeliers and stone braisers with flames continued to burn. There were bladed weapons and shields arranged around the room. Certain armor pieces were attached to walls or standing free on posts. Several tables had other bladed weapons arranged.
Stopping before the Khan, Aescun knelt before him and responded, “My lord.”
He waved her off and moved to lift her by the shoulder saying, “There is no need. No one is around. Do as you will freely.”
Aescun nodded and coldly smiled as she moved close to her warlord stroking his muscled arm with her left hand. She barely touched his face with her nail of her right gauntlet before he grabbed it with a low growl. She thought nothing of it as she moved in for a kiss embracing her lord on the lips. He moved her back and sighed with a question, “How goes your training?”
She shook her head and moved back as she responded bluntly, “There is no training, my lord. It is time.”
Paerilous stared at her a taken a little bit aback, “What?”
“For me to become the next Paerilous Khan father,” a husky voice responded as Jordai entered the room. He continued, “With your death, I will be free to take control of my armies.”
Paerilous let out a snarl as he curled his lips. He grabbed Aescun with a snarl, “You’ve betrayed me!”
As she grabbed his wrist with her left hand, she kept her right gauntlet on the side as she let out a scoff, “You knew this was coming. Jordai is ready and together we are stronger as we will eliminate you without an effort.”
Paerilous tossed her back and grabbed the nearby weapon which was a long bladed polearm. Jordai rushed forward grabbing another long bladed polearm. While he was getting ready, Paerilous rushed forward toward Aescun swinging the blade. She ducked the swinging blade swiftly and moved her gauntlet around grabbing the blade hard as the metal sparked. With her face contorted and twisted into an enforced breathing she pushed against the blade and managed to bend the metal a bit with her sharp nails. Her biceps rose showing her strength.
With a yell, both the Warlord and the beast moved against each other as Aescun moved the blade aside. Taking her left hand and flexed muscled arm, she broke the wooden handle off by breaking it in half. She kicked the Warlord aside as Jordai rushed in swinging his bladed weapon. Paerilous ducked as he blocked it with his broken hilt. It was broken in two as he moved aside to grab another weapon.
Tossing the blade aside, Aescun moved for her lightsaber. Jordai shouted at her, “You know the rules! No lightsaber during this combat round. We will be disqualified.”
Jordai grunted as he blocked Paerilous’s attack with his new bladed weapon. They fought around the training room with Paerilous keeping his blocking and Jordai rushing to attack his blind spots to weaken him. Aescun walked over to the rack and grabbed another bladed polearm. She moved it around and charged at the warlord. The warlord pushed Jordai off and blocked her attack. Gracefully as she moved around the room, she continued her balanced stance keeping her blocking defense while searching for sections where she can attack at will.
During this fight, Aescun could not use either her lightsaber or her force powers. She just can’t. The wristband Paerilous wore around his wrist was force resistant and resisted her force. Even if she could use it, Paerilous would be unaffected. She would have to somehow remove that band and use her powers. Aescun blocked his other blow with a resounding clank.
The warlord let out a snarl as he responded to the beast’s attacks, “You call this combat? Pitiful.”
As Aescun struck with her weapon, Paerilous blocked it. Gripping the handle, he twisted his blade around and slashed her across the chin before kicking her back. She lost her blade as the warlord prepared his killing blow. Jordai rushed behind him and struck but Paerilous caught it as he blocked his attack. He moved around swinging the blade. Aescun stumbled back as she touched her chin. She was bleeding.
She watched as Jordai ducked the Khan’s blow and cut up with his own blade slicing his wrist band off. Jordai let out a roar thrust kicking his father back as the warlord let out a pained yell. He shouted, “Aescun now!”
Without missing a beat, Aescun raised her gloved left hand and force pushed Paerilous across the room against the wall with her energies. She let out a victorious snarl showing her fangs. Squeezing with her hand, she used the force to choke the former Khan. The warlord gasped grabbing his throat. Jordai continued to watch from the sidelines with cruel interest.
As she flexed her muscled arm, she twisted her wrist up. The beast let out a roar pushing him up slightly immobilizing him by pressing his hands back against the wall. He continued to gasp for breath defeated. With her left hand grasped into a claw beside her waist, Aescun moved forward gracefully while scowling at her lord. Soon as she approached him, she used the force to move him slightly toward him still immobilizing him.
Paerilous whimpered slightly as he was forced by the force to kneel before her. Clacking her nailed gauntlet on her right arm, she curled it into a claw and touched the side of his cheek. She pierced the skin as he flinched slightly in pain. Moving her nailed claw finger, she licked the blood off it.
Aescun slowly came closer to him as he whispered touching her stomach slightly, “Will you keep him safe?”
Aescun nodded and kissed him slightly on the cheek. She responded softly into his ear, “Of course and Jordai will never know of this child that will take his place one day. Of this, you have my promise, my lord.”
The former Khan responded softly as he gulped, “Good. Now make my death swift.”
The beast let out a snarl as she moved her gauntlet down and twisted it. She rammed it into his left chest. The warlord let out a final gasp and fell unconscious from the juice that was laced on her gauntlet.
As Aescun turned to announce her success to Jordai, her expression turned to a slight fear. With a gasp, she saw that Jordai was staring at the wrist band that he removed from his father’s amputated hand. He studied it for a few moments. As he moved it to place it on, Aescun shouted with a point of her left hand, “No! Destroy it! You do not need it!”
As Jordai latched band onto his wrist, the beast let out a bloodcurdling roar as she launched at him with great speed with the force. Jordai expected her assault and turned. He grabbed her right gauntlet quickly and her hair before she could bash his skull in. He growled at her and spat responding, “You will not attack me! I am now the new Khan and you will bow before me. You will not need your poisoned gauntlet anymore as my father had been dealt with dead by my hand.”With effort, Jordai removed her gauntlet and tossed it aside with Aescun yelling grabbing for his throat. He scowled at her and pulled at her hair again giving her pain as he forced her to kneel. He came close to her stroking her cheek where her scar was located. He kissed her as she spat again, “Why do this? I thought we were equal!”
“Equal? No,” the new Paerilous responded as he sneered at her, “We can never be equal in strength and power for I am more so than you. You are only saved by death because of my love for you, Aescun. I just simply used you to gain status. It is as my father taught me. Use whatever I can at my disposal to attain power by any means necessary. You were necessary to my power because I saw your strength that day when I fell in love with you and yes while I do still love you, I will never share my power with you. Now that my father’s dead and I have finally become the new Khan, you will have your choice. Death or join me by my side and continue to embrace my strength and power.”
Aescun let out a gasp as she continued to kneel on both knees before Jordai. She was weakened and defeated with her right arm gauntlet snapped off. She couldn’t use her lightsaber either. She wouldn’t. Jordai backed a step and took his long bladed polearm weapon. He moved it around spinning the sharp bladed weapon as he continued to speak slowly, “You have two choices, my love. I care not of whether you choose, but if you choose to join my side. Know this, if you cross me once. I will cut you down.”
After he finished twirling his weapon, he struck down with a yell as the blade fell inches from Aescun’s head. The beast barely flinched as she remained stoic kneeling before the new Khan. He shouted, “Now choose! Death or join me?”
