Before The Painted Devil Laughs in the Dark~ OCs, Dark Jedi Conflict, Shakespeare Challenge

Title: The Painted Devil Laughs in the Dark
Genre: Drama/Suspense
Characters: Eira-Moriah Pajari (OC), Kibh Jeen
Summary: A young Kantaanian Ranger is taken captive by the Dark Jedi Kibh Jeen during the endgame of the Dark Jedi Conflict.

Author's Note: This was written for the Shakespeare Challenge.

28. ??Tis the eye of childhood
That fears a painted devil.?
Macbeth, II.ii.51-52.

[h]
??Tis the eye of childhood
That fears a painted devil.?
Macbeth, II.ii. 51-52.

On board the Damned Pirate
Curalin Belt, Curalin System
181 BBY

She was the only one of her team left who had survived the initial attempt to take the command ship, along with the Jedi who had accompanied them. The deaths of those with her including the commanders of the Kanataanian Rangers brigade sent after the Dark Jedi Kibh Jeen and his pirates had shaken her. She could still hear their screams and moans as they were cut down one by one, left to die in the spots where they had fell.

Out of a team of twelve, she, a junior grade lieutenant, had been the only survivor. The Arkanian Jedi, Shpresa Aferdita, had told her that it was the will of the Force that she lived where the others had died. Quite frankly, Eira-Moriah Pajari felt like shoving her custom side arm blaster some place where the sun would never shine for that Jedi?s comment. Not that the Kantaanian felt that it would do any good: she needed Knight Aferdita and her human Padawan, Nhung Vien to complete her mission.

The Rangers had been tasked with eliminating the scourge of the Jeen pirates. Pirates who had been conducting raids on the outer colonies of Kantaanian space in a sector near the Curalin system. They had raided for well over seven years, killing hundreds of innocent Kantaanians and the Rangers had just barely beaten them back every time. So, when the Jedi Council had offered an opportunity to take the fight to the pirates and end their threat, the Kantaanian Council had jumped at the chance.

So, here was the young dark haired Kantaanian on a doomed mission where more than half the participants had already died after boarding the pirate command ship, the ironically named Damned Pirate. And not only that, but the Kantaanian had to deal with an acerbic and sarcastic Arkanian female and a rather cheeky human male. A combination that did little to inspire confidence in the Kantaanian?s mind and made her long for a cup of the finest caf her salary could buy.

Oh how she longed for a cup of caf instead of hunting down dark side controlled pirates and their dark sider master.

***

Eventually, the remaining members of the strike team separated. Pajari ended up creeping around darkened corners, armed with her blaster set to kill any thing that moved and hand light strapped firmly to her right wrist. Not exactly the best way to confront a Dark Jedi but it certainly held promise in dealing with a surprised pirate.

So long as it isn?t Jeen I run into, I should be fine. I?ve survived this long, after all. She thought to herself as she finally saw a deadly silhouette approach her from out of the corner of her eye.

And she knew that she was in trouble the moment she saw the red glow of a lightsaber resting in a position to take off her head if its bearer so chose.

?So, there is still a Kantaanian Ranger aboard my vessel. How interesting, how very interesting that the youngest commissioned officer of the group should live when the others should die. Shall I tell you another interesting tale, youngling?? the man said with a sneer, face coming into a sliver of light to display that half of his face was covered in an intricate, disfiguring tattoo.

?How about no?? she sneered back, hoping to create enough disturbance to get the attention of the Jedi.

The man simply ignored her and began to tell the tale of how he had come to be. The Almas Sith fortress and the murder of his unsuspecting Master, Qoranah. His first encounter with the pirates and his desire for power, which lead to his assumption of their leadership through a combination of mind control and fear tha

Love to see Pajari again. She is a nice character.

And a great story you have given her

Thanks. I really like this character, so there probably will be more stories featuring her in the future. And thanks for reading!