The Negotiator and the Fire Fang

Shadows of the Ancient Sith: Burning with Mahlyce

"Not talkative, ehh?" Mahlyce drawled when she didn't get a reply. "Fine. Go crawl back into your holes so that we can return to our dig. I don't have time for your interruptions. My master will not be pleased if his Grand Inquisitor returns to him late." she said flippantly.

So that's who she was, an inquisitor, one of Vader's Jedi hunting hounds. No matter. She shouldn't be a problem. After all, Obi-Wan had faced Dooku, Ventress and Grievous, Maul and Pre Vizla, Savage Opress and Biron Sykes. He even dueled Darth Vader himself. If he survived all that, he could handle an inquisitor, especially with Sahrea's help.

However, something struck him as familiar about the lordess, although Kenobi couldn't pinpoint what it was. The way she walked; Her body stature; The feel of her aura. It was like a scent or a sound you knew like the back of your hand, yet its source slipped your mind. He dragged himself through all of his memories, trying to see if he could figure it out. He didn't. Recentering his thoughts, Kenobi moved forward to meet her.

"You must leave." he stated, his voice made menacing from the mask. Mahlyce tapped her cheekbone with a gloved finger.

"Yeah, no. I have a job here and you two deadbeats aren't going to screw that up, ok?" she replied, the pleasant tone of her voice not matching the meaning of her words. Shan stepped forward and ignited her red sabers.

"Then you leave us no choice, because our master won't be happy if you stay." the Gray stated. Mahlyce cocked her head at them.

"Then I'd say we have hit an impasse because my master won't be happy if I leave." the lordess replied. "May the best Sith win."

The imperial pulled her double bladed saber off her belt and activated it. The two red blades burst to life with a deep hum. She stretched her arm back, waiting to see what they would do.

Sahrea immediately lunged at her. Mahlyce blocked her strike and stabbed out in response. Kenobi grabbed his temporary saber and joined in. The three parried and slashed and dodged, creating a storm of red under the light of the excavation lights.

Kenobi stabbed out at her, his aim to disarm. The inquisitor skirted to the side at last minute. She flipped over them, slicing at both of their necks. The two rolled away just in time.

Mahlyce struck instantly, taking advantage of their vulnerability. She flung her saber end over end as Kenobi and Shan were regaining their balance, like a fan of crimson. They both pushed themselves high into the air, hopping over the blade. Sahrea landed gracefully and Force pushed the lordess toward the pit. Mahlyce stumbled back before disappearing below the rocks.

Kenobi and Shan ran to the edge, knowing full well that it would take more than that to defeat the Inquisitor. The lordess had landed feet first on the excavated ground. She growled up at them in irritation. She reached to the side and used the Force to spin the arm of the crane towards the two. There was no time to react.

"Ahh!" Shan shouted as it connected with them. Kenobi managed to grab the claw as it came near him, but Sahrea collided with the solid metal beam.

The impact threw her feet away from him.
She ragdolled across the landscape for a moment before stopping, laying sprawled out on the dirt. The Gray groaned painfully as she rolled onto her side. Below them, Mahlyce laughed as Obi-Wan ran to her.

"Some ghosts you two are. You may have fooled those idiot troopers, but I've been around the block, Jedi." the inquisitor called. Obi-Wan's heart went cold as he helped Shan sit up.

"You can't fool me." She leapt out of the pit in one bound, landing gracefully in front of them. Kenobi spun around and angled his saber out defensively. He stood over Sahrea protectively while the Fire Fang got her bearings.