Act I Through the Looking Glass [Green Zone Open Thread]

[Matreya]

Location: Floating City
Gear: Beskar'gam, Cloak of Nuun, Cater a Coat, Tantibus, Kallig's Scorching Lightsaber, No-Show, 3 Betty Blasters, Gun Belt filled with ammunition and explosives

As soon as he felt sure that he wasn't being watched, Damien walked towards a nearby building then said, "Amp, lift me up." Damien told his AIM AI, whom held complete control over the majority of his armor; the response was immediate. Lifting straight upward into the air, he soared to the roof and landed with a soft tap.

Looking over the edge, he began to observe quickly. There were indeed many species about, but a large portion seemed to be Bothan. This wasn't entirely unheard of, but at the same time it was a bit alarming. Where was he? How did he get here?

It was then that a sound could be heard through the speakers in his helmet, to which Damien glanced skyward to see a new form of [member="Drones"] as they flew overhead. They left trails behind them as they flew, and each seemed to have some destination, as it wasn't random flight...

Where was he?

 

[Kyber Salurra]

District 1: Floating City
Imperial Forces: Special Agent <REDACTED> || Call-sign: Demon
Mission Objective: Eliminate <REDACTED> believed to be hiding out in <REDACTED>.
Gear: Tailored Peacekeeper Power Armor and Regulation Sidearm.


"Target has been eliminated."

"Roger that, Special Agent. Cleanup crew is on its way to your location. Report back to headquarters immediately, over."

"Orders confirmed. Proceeding to headquarters."

Orders. Kill. Orders. Kill. Orders. Kill.

That's all that ran through the mind of Agent K-072, entitled "The Demon" by his handlers. The Force User he had just eliminated was no match whatsoever, only being able to use mind tricks and slight telekinesis. He'd used these tricks to elevate his status and hide among the elite. However the man got careless and his elimination proved only trivial to the Imperial Creation. Everything did. The recent spike in his active duty, the ever-growing unrest of his handlers, even his own existence. Trivial. He had no mind for such things. There were only two things that ran through this behemoths mind. Orders & Kill.

. . .​

​

​

Kyber found himself yawning as he walked aimlessly through the hallway of the beautiful skyscraper. He'd just finished a hard days work and was ready to report back to base. As he walked towards the elevator he found himself in the reflection of the glass at the edge of the hallway. Something was off. Not right. Kyber stared straight at the glass reflection for well over a minute before it finally hit him like a brick wall...

Why was he so tall? He was clearly more than a foot taller than he last remembered. "Humans don't grow overnight in adulthood do they? No, that couldn-" Kyber was cut off by his own right fist, striking him directly in the chin. "WHAT THE KAR-" Was all Kyber could manage to say before his right arm came in for another strike, this time to the side of the face. This one sent him tumbling straight through a wall into one of the residences. Now standing in the middle of some unknown apartment Kyber's instincts finally kicked in and he stopped his right arm with his left mid-swing.

"Get out."

"What was that? A voice in my head?"

"Get. Out."

The strange yet familiar voice seemed to be getting angrier, and right in tune with the increased frustration, Kyber's right arm started to overpower his left slowly but surely. "You get out!" was the only words Kyber could think of before flicking his head to the left quickly, barely avoiding the punch from his own right hand as it overtook his own left arm. "How am I supposed to beat myself in a fight?! Why am I even in a fight with myself?!" Kyber thought to himself as he frantically tried to piece together what was going on. There was only one way to settle this that he could think of. Only one way that this would stop for sure. Whether he'd be the one to wake up, he couldn't tell, but there was no way he could leave things as is. As soon as Kyber's right fist retracted, getting ready for another punch he steeled himself, knowing what was about to come wouldn't be pleasant. As soon as the arm thrusted forward for another strike Kyber quickly stripped off his helmet, letting the punch connect cleanly with his bare face, knocking him out instantly.

. . .​

​

Now to any onlookers this might've been quite the ridiculous showing. A Peacekeeper in some sort of powered armor bursting through your door, all the while fighting itself before succeeding in knocking itself out cold on your floor? Maybe if Kyber was lucky the owner of the residence wasn't home, or maybe it was a vacant lot. However, Kyber was not that lucky. The occupant of this residence was none other than [member="Fifth Sister"].​

 

[Drones]

[member="Darth Pikiran"]

Drones were omnipresent. They were necessary. Necessary for peace and harmony and tranquility. Necessary for freedom.

A drone hovered about the citizen…

“How may I be of service?”

It had already scanned him, his identity was logged and data concerning him was already streamed to the central records.

 

[Drones]

[member="Lady Kay"]

The Drones went about their business, apparently oblivious to the machinations of man. Only interacting when requested.

Peace was good. Order was good. Harmony was good. And data was also good, so the Drones continued to stream everything they observed.


[member="Thrukk Gulpdar"]

Drones were diligent - it was in their programming. Interaction was standard protocol - as was analysis and review post-interaction. Freedom was a 24/7 task for the drones.


[member="Mirror Edward Blake"]

Drones complied - that was in their programming. They were designed to uphold peace and freedom. And once one Drone was given a task, they all were. So the network was alerted to seek out and report back on the location of any citizen wearing white, outdated armour.

[member="Sibar Laval"]

One Drone looked like any other. But they shared a collective voice, a collected knowledge. The nearest Drone responded, peace was assured. The citizen would be simply and gently shown the error of their judgement. All would be well once more in the galaxy. The Drones served and peace and harmony was assured.

 

[Mirror Emperor]

[SIZE=14pt]A peaceful protest breaks out in Districts 5, 8 and 10. Citizens march in droves and voice their dissatisfaction with Imperial rule. Public Servants with shimmering blue riot shields marshal the protest. Hordes of Citizen Advice Drones fly low over the crowd. On their holographic outer bodies they display messages urging citizens to return to their homes and pro-imperial slogans. All the time they monitor closely, recoding which citizens are most outspoken and which appear to be leading the organisation. Armed Peacekeepers in their white armour hang back, ready to act if any signs of violence appear. [/SIZE]​

​

[SIZE=14pt]Protests on Imperial Centre are exceptionally rare. The timing of these protests to coincide with the message spread across the system and the arrival of confused citizens seems too much for coincidence. Almost as if they have been planned to distract the authorities. [/SIZE]​

 

[Matreya]

Location: Floating City
Gear: Beskar'gam, Cloak of Nuun, Cater a Coat, Tantibus, Kallig's Scorching Lightsaber, No-Show, 3 Betty Blasters, Gun Belt filled with ammunition and explosives

[member="Drones"]

When the Droid lowered itself from the sky towards Damien, the Ancient Sith met it with an unwavering gaze. He watched with a keen eye, recognizing it as one of those from the streets below, not the ones in the sky he had been looking at. Those were larger, these were more petite, and likely served some informational purpose. When it spoke, he felt oddly confirmed.

"You can't." Damien calmly state, while raising his arm straight up, hand open wide. The instance it began to close, the energy sent from Damien's bound Spirits began to compress the Droid at a severe rate. It would be hardly more then a few moments before the body was crumpled and destroyed.

The Ancient Sith got to enjoy it that much more, each real second feeling like several to himself.

 

[Drones]

[member="Darth Pikiran"]

The Drone literally imploded. Every nano-second of video, audio and surveillance footage was streamed back until the moment it ceased to function.

Five nearby Droids responded, keeping a suitable distance, they shadowed the one that had committed the act, his every movement recorded.

 

[Azula Tindara]

[member="Lady Kay"]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Thrukk was already attempting to distance himself from the scene unfolding before him. You didn't get involved in the authorities business, obedience was bred in from a young age in the Empire. If people were being questioned by a drone, it was because they had done something worth questioning. Sticking your nose in only invited the attention of the Department of Reeducation. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]Then she told the Drone he would be her guide. The drone didn’t actually move, but it shifted a simple cartoon smiling face across the skin of its holographic projection towards him. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]“Is this correct?”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]It bloody wasn’t. Thrukk was about to respond when he met the human’s eyes. She looked confused, lost. The DfR would not take kindly to someone out on the streets without their faculties. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]“Reit reit, i'll gie 'er tae th' correct place.” he sighed. “Off you go,” he said, waving the Drone away. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=14.6667px]One massive hand found her back as he maneuvered her away and down a side pipe. “We'll tak' pipe AD-7. Dornt tend tae gie many drones doon thaur. Whats th' matter, hae ye bhad too many bevvies?” he asked.[/SIZE]

 

[Matreya]

Location: Floating City
Gear: Beskar'gam, Cloak of Nuun, Cater a Coat, Tantibus, Kallig's Scorching Lightsaber, No-Show, 3 Betty Blasters, Gun Belt filled with ammunition and explosives

[member="Drones"]

Damien watched the husk of the drone plummet towards the ground below, the trajectory quickly calculated, he applied a burst of tk to push the droid to a nearby alleyway. There it wouldn't be seen by the masses.

Next he turned his gaze back to straight below, observing the people. He needed to find someone to talk to, to find out where he is...

 

[Mirror Edward Blake]

PALACE DISTRICT: YELLOW LEVEL

Blake had just finished giving out orders to the other Peacekeepers in the Palace District, making the place generally secure and ready for a possible attack. He hadn't been told what the yellow level alert was for, nor did he need to know. His men were ready for everything and anything.

Thinking about his fellow soldiers made the Captain stop and radio Kale, to see how he had done with the suspicious individual.

"KL-006, report. What is the status of the unregistered individual?"

Blake had his eyes on the streets. The roads to the Palace were cordoned off, and citizens were highly discouraged to be outside. The protocols here were stricter, giving the proximity to the Emperor. So he continued to look out the window of the Peacekeeper barracks building and waited for an answer.

[member="Sibar Laval"]

 

[Darth Carnifex]

He turned a corner, his pace increasing as the nudging awareness of eyes watching him became all the more apparent. Now, it was perfectly normal to have that feeling of being watched, especially on the Imperial Center where the Emperor's rule was absolute, but this was different. His instinct told him that he was being trailed, and without even casting a glance he somehow knew that the amount of drones behind him had increased significantly. For as long as he could remember he was in possession of this esoteric sixth sense that alerted him to danger, allowed him to see through another to know if they were lying or not, and he had displayed a form of endurance that surpassed others of his physical fitness (and even those beyond). But he could never explain it, and the limited amount of banned material he had in his personal collection back on Panatha mentioned something of a cosmetic energy field that bound all living creatures, but the official Imperial records had nothing about it.

He also felt... a disturbance, one that sent goose pimples all down his body as the air grew suddenly colder. He cast his gaze up to the sky, but saw nothing even though the feeling never left him. So he kept his gaze aimed down towards the walkway and hurried off.

 

[Sibar Laval]

"The individual has been detained ED-034, I wait further orders." Kale looked down at the struggling figure under him. "Quit struggling, we just want answers." "Answers to what?! Kale grinned under his helmet Why your unregistered of course so STOP STRUGGLING!"

[member="Mirror Edward Blake"]

 

[Darth Voracitos]

"Hmmm..." As the observations on the Panathan delegate increased in their intensity, something peculiar began to fester and boil within the The Archagent. The Force is strong with this one. It suddenly became apparent that many other presences on the planet had flared, and a Drone in the Floating City had been unexpectedly destroyed after an unidentified individual ([member="Darth Pikiran"]) was processed into the information web. A public servant offered him an image that seemed to strike a chord in his heart. Something strange, and exotically familiar in some vague respect. It was clear this was no ordinary stranger to the empire, a force user. The scans had it all available before him. This was a dangerous target. Any ordinary day, he'd take care of it himself, but there was just something about this Epicanthix that captivated his whole attention.

So he did the next best thing.

"Notify the [member="Fifth Sister"] that her duty is needed for a phenomenon on the Floating City, under the coordinates last sent by that drone. I've another pressing matter to attend to." At that moment exactly, he was notified of a Level Yellow in all Districts.

"Pilot the drones to intercept the delegate, direct him to me. If he does not comply, authorize them to stun blast. Anything further than that, and I will personally drag this dirty mongrel to the foot of my doorstep myself. Prepare my boots!" With a whirl, the Archagent in his Black Throne exited the control room.

[member="Kaine Zambrano (Mirror)"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

PIPEWORLD

Kay allowed herself to be guided by [member="Thrukk Gulpdar"] into the pipe AD-7. When it seemed as though the coast was clear, she shook her head at his question. "No, no nothing like that. I don't know where I am. I was walking to a ship in one of the local ports when I think I blacked out. I woke up here. It's strange to come across another Trandoshan named Thrukk. The one that I know of has a mechanical arm and he would've captured me as soon as he caught me. But you....you seem almost afraid of me. As well as those drones. Everyone here seems to just keep their heads down. What's going on?..."

 

[Azula Tindara]

[member="Lady Kay"]
Mirror Thrukk
Pipeworld
Upper levels

"Waw ye really took a knock tae th' heed citizen. aam a houk, nae a trandoshan. Whaur in th' empire dae ye come frae?" he asked, a look of utter confusion spread across his face.

Thrukk was a common enough name amongst his people, it was perfectly likely she knew another who had lost his arm. Many houk worked the Imperial mines and factories. Dangerous worm. What did she mean about the people? This was as it was everywhere!

 

[Kay-Larr]

PIPEWORLD

"Sorry, a houk. That's what I meant to say." Boy was she ever confused. Kay stopped for a moment and rubbed her temples.

As [member="Thrukk Gulpdar"] spoke about an Empire, she half wondered if she had been somehow transported through time. That could explain a few things. But she hadn't heard of this in history lessons. "Empire?....There is no Empire." She glanced around, not sure if there were others listening or what, for she had a hunch that she'll either get a bad reaction or a confused one. "I represent the planet Commenor for the Republic...What planet exactly are we on?"

 

[Azula Tindara]

Mirror Thrukk
Pipeworld

Thrukk turned, his eyes going wide. He turned his head back and forth, looking for any drones or people nearby. This old disused pipe wasn't frequented by many civilians or drones, but the DfR had ears everywhere.

"Shh! Ye keep yer gob shut wi' 'at gab. Ye might hae taken a knock tae th' heed ur somethin' but if ye keep thes gab up they'll tak' ye in an' ye want be seen again!" he hissed, moving very close to her. He should have turned her in, but he knew that really she was just confused. Something was wrong. Deep down, he didn't trust the DfR to really help someone this confused. He knew what happened when people spoke out about the Empire. If they came back at all they came back... different.

"We'll gie back tae mah place an' gab, but nae a wuid more!"

[member="Lady Kay"]

 

[Kay-Larr]

PIPEWORLD


She didn't move as [member="Thrukk Gulpdar"] stepped towards her. Just his mannerisms alone gave her the impression that he wasn't going to hurt her. At least he was planning on helping her so that she wouldn't be alone here.

"Thank you. Thank you very much." She would allow him to lead, or to guide her again as he did before, with his hand at the small of her back. Kay tried looking around for drones, but without looking like she was looking, with one hand holding tight to the strap of her satchel. She had commlinks in there. Would they work here? Who would they reach? She also had her tea, tea kettle, water bladder and tea cup, as well as an extra set of clothes, small blaster and a bit of food rations. It wasn't much, but it was all better than nothing.

 

[Fifth Sister]

District 1: Floating city
Music: Tom's Diner
[member="Kyber Salurra"]

Two bare legs came to a halt beside the unconscious individual. A flare of the Force would bring a long, elongated energy prod flying through the air, catching hold between the curl of her fingers with a snatch mid air.

The woman didn't give a pause, after all, her poor apartment was now in shambles. This wouldn't do. Would not do at all. It wasn't everyday that one's classic Corellian glass coffee table lay in shambles. A sway of curves, a flick of a wrist, and then tendrils of the Force would wrap around the unconscious man to jerk him upward from the floor and hover in the air.

Beep, beep, beep!

The incessant ringing of her holocomm would permeate the sanctity of her home, further defiling it with its grating sound. The hovering sphere that would project a drifting holographic array came floating in from her bedroom. Anger would roll in near palatable waves from the woman, the warning beep, beep, beep sounding one last time before the sudden flare of a full length holographic image of another Imperial Agent would appear just to her right, projected by the droid.

[ Fifth Sister. ] an Arkanian male would curtly state in greeting. If there was any disconcerment at her lack of dress and the man in power armor held floating in the air, he did not show it. Instead the white orbs of his eyes bore straight into the Fifth Sister's direction.

"Inspector Vari," her grip would tighten, "I wish I could say this was a pleasure..."

[ Your inspection is requested by the Arcagent. ] A map soon would bloom to life, detailing a small pulsing red dot to the exact location.

Irritation would arch into a cold twisted mask upon the blonde Dathomirian, "Send detention droids to come pick up the riff raft." the sniveling womprat will pay for his transgressions.

"Strap him to an Energy Stick."

 

[Azula Tindara]

[member="Lady Kay"]

Any communication equipment Lady Lay may have been carrying would likely had been wiped and replaced with Imperial sanctioned firmware. Now part of the Imperial net, they would display helpful messages filled with pro-Empire propaganda.

He'd have to risk taking her into what passed for an apartment block in Pipeworld. Fortunately no one paid them any heed. His room was a compact studio apartment. At the edge of a vertex of pipes the windows on the far side from the door had a vertigo inducing view.

"Hae a seat. Yoo'd better try an' explain it aw. Yoo're safe tae gab 'er fur not," he said. He went through his cupboards and pulled out some food for his evening meal, and assembled a small pile of Imperial sanctioned supplements in the form of multi coloured tablets.