SWTOR- The Serna Chronicles: Trouble finds Katt

Chapter 3

"Location: Tatooine.  A dark Jedi apprentice walks over to the holo-transmitter to receive instructions from his master."

"All is fair my master. What is your bidding?"  Simon Darkbrood knew that this unscheduled communication from his master must be important. The dark master's face looked grim.

"The granddaughter of Akebe travels alone to the weapons factory. This is an opportunity to acquire both keys." 

"Alone? She travels alone?

"Yes. She ignores regular jedi protocol. Young Akebe is reckless as well as undisciplined, and disrespectful to her superiors. Travel to the abandoned weapons factory and retrieve both keys. Take forty droids to surround the complex."

"Forty droids for one padawan?" asked Simon.

"The acquisition of the two keys is paramount. I've waited much too long for this; the treasure will show  my worthiness to be called SITH."

"It will be done my master."

"You will easily outmatch young Akebe; she must be killed. I want her mother to endure more pain and suffering before I ultimately destroy her."

"The daughter shall die, my master," Simon said with an acknowledging nod. The dark master's focus on Serna Akebe sometimes puzzled Simon, but he didn't dwell on it. Once he helps his master gain favor with the Sith, Simon's position will be emboldened too.

Simon Darkbrood entered the adjacent room. Hundreds of hover droids were lined across all four walls. The lead droid glided towards Simon. It resembled a probe droid more than anything; the droid was made to travel long distances and had four arms used for various tasks. Its chief use was as a bodyguard to Simon and for battle conditions; it also was programmed to perform other tasks that made it a very useful droid to Simon.

"Greetings, Master Darkbrood. Will you require our services today?" asked the droid.

"Yes KIBIT," said Simon. "I will need forty droids to accompany me to Bestine. Order them into the shuttle please."

"Yes Master Darkbrood," said KIBIT as he glided away.

Simon took his army of drones and traveled by shuttle to set the trap.

*****

Early next morning Katt, Akta and Cubiztan arrived at the weapons factory that Septimus Akebe once used to manufacture all of his quality goods. It was a complex with tall walls and gates on the north and south sides; it was set near the edge of a huge cliff. The piece of land wasn't exactly a mesa, but a peninsula, for a lack of a better description. But two thirds of the peninsula was a big drop downward.  Serna's father obviously liked the location for its solitude.  Katt sometimes imagined her grandfather with her mothers temper; she could see him cursing at his creations when they wouldn't work on the first try, or cursing if he cut his hand on a sword or something. Katt smiled to herself as she stared at the locked gate.

"That's a strange lock," remarked Akta. Katt studied the lock for a moment.

"Yes, I recognize that model," remarked Katt as she pulled out her tools from her backpack. "You see, the locking mechanism can be fooled by pressing on the protruding flange near the bolt...."  

The locked snapped open and Katt removed the bulky lock from the hasp. Aktalike and Cubiztan looked at each other, then at their seemingly 'innocent' niece who apparently can pick locks.

"You know Katt, we could have cut the lock with our light sabers," offered Cubiztan.

"Yes, but we need to put everything back as we found it. I don't like to leave traces of entry for others to find," replied Katt.