Private Alone...

[Nighthaunter]

Location: Vagar Praxut System, Apocalypse Class Battle Cruiser
Equipment: Silent Blades
Wearing: MK I Nightsuit
Language Legend: "Galactic Basic"
Tags: Torn Eskol


Silence... That was the sound that echoed through the bridge of the Apocalypse Class Battle Cruiser as it drifted through the vacuum of space. The 12 kilometer long and 2.5 kilometer wide capital ship looked like a floating cathedral as it silently drifted through space. The scars of battle covered the sides of the ship. Scorched marks covered the left hand side of the hull where the ship had clearly suffered a full broadside that had penetrated the shields of the ancient capital ship. The large vessel floated along in complete darkness. Engines no longer operational and from the outside it looked like the ship lacked both an active atmosphere and any form of power. Inside the ship was little different to the outside, the dead littered the halls, having long since decomposed in the 100 years after whatever battle had taken place to leave the ship in such a state. The internal architecture of the ship was decorated with skulls, pillars and religious symbols of a faction long since lost. The interior creaked and groaned whenever the large vessel would make contact with a piece of debris or a small asteroid, the sounds echoing down the long halls. The ship looked to be completely abandoned and inoperable. This is why it had floated through the vast sea of space without any intrusion. At face value, it provided little to no value that any faction would trouble itself with exploring or scavenging from the vessel.

However, on the bridge laid the vessels lone inhabitant and prize. Alexander Au' Valerius had laid in cryochamber for over 100 years. After the battle that had crippled the ship and forced it to flee. Alexander had gone down for the long nap. As systems began to fail the ships onboard AI started to prioritize keeping the essentials for life aboard the ship intact. This included basic life support, gravity and the ship keeping it's one sole living occupant alive. However, even these systems were beginning to fail and sooner or later Alexander, known as the Nighthaunter in his previous life would wake up. The man that laid in the cryochamber was clad in an armour that seemed to suck in all of the light from around him, giving him the impression of being a literal shadow. A blue Kyber Crystal composite sword laid next to the tube on it's side shattered in two. In the chamber Alexander was beginning to feel the effects of these failing systems. He dreamed.

(THE DREAM)

"My Lord Nighthaunter! The enemy have got hold within the docking bay and will be on the bridge in 10 minutes. We don't have the troops to hold them off after deploying the Silencers to the surface as you requested." A sharp artificial voice told him from a screen. Alexander Au' Valerius stood over a monitor the green light absorbing into his armour. The only feature that was visible to the outside world were those startling, bright emerald green eyes. The monitor showed a constantly up to date view of the ships key diagnostics. 'Outnumbered and outgunned, I need to level the playing field.' He thought to himself as his two lieutenants and ten of his personal guard waited beside him. All of them quiet with a steely cold resolve that they had been trained for since childhood. They were honed killing machines, ideological zealots and they would stare into the face of death without fear.

"Decompress all hangers, bays and non critical areas of the ship." Alexander said with cold resolve. The AI new better than to argue, there was a loud thump as hundreds, if not thousands of men and women were released into the cold embrace of space. "Done my Lord." It said calmly. "My Lord we have 25 unidentified lifeforms approaching the bridge." It continued, the green monitor showing the cam footage of troops arriving, led by two lightsaber wielding individuals.

"The Confederacy are thorough that's for sure." He muttered. "Let's welcome them accordingly shall we." He said turning to his Lieutenants and personal guard. There was no emotion on their faces. Not that he would have been able to see any with them all clad in their Nightsuits. "When they get to the bridge open the door and we'll welcome them." He told the AI, "Yes my Lord." It said quietly. It seemed even the AI knew that this was the end of the line.

The door didn't even have time to open as it was blown apart by a violent force push. Smoke billowed and alarms blared as the confederate troops burst into the bridge. Alexander dove behind the monitor as the door slammed against the glass window of the bridge. His ears rang as the sounds of battle rang out around the bridge. The whole engagement took little more than 5 minutes, by then all that was left was Alexander and a tall bald man who wielded a purple lightsaber. Both of them were sweating and covered in blood.

"What do you say, shall we finish this Nighthaunter?" The confederate commander called out.

Silence

The two dueled. The Nighthaunter's blue kyber crystal infused blade against the purple lightsaber of the confederate commander. Slashing, weaving, parrying. The two danced a deadly dance, Alexander relying on his wits, training, intelligence and reflexes to match the force infused abilities of his opponent. However, it was clear that one of them was gaining the upper hand. Alexander increasingly found himself on the defensive. Barely staying alive. 'I can't beat him I have to-' His thought process was cut off as he barely deflected a powerful blow and then just blocked the follow up which brought him to his knees. His opponent laughed as the pressure of the saber against his own blade began to increase. It was at this point Willbreaker shattered. Alexander rolled backwards just in time as the lightsaber cut through his custom made blade and onto floor where he just was.

"Give up, it's over." The confederate commander taunted.

Again silence met his taunts. All of a sudden the lights went out on the bridge. Darkness engulfed the bridge and Alexander disappeared from view. He knew that the confederate commander could sense him through the force. Alexander quietly circled the commander as he stood in the centre of the bridge with his blade in a guard position. Alexander released one his daggers from his gauntlet into his hand, he felt the blade in his hand, feeling the weight. 'Not even force users are immune to turning their heads at loud sound in utter silence' He thought to himself gleefully as he then threw the blade against the metal air duct that ran over head just below the roof.

CLANG!

The sound rang out across the bridge and the commander turned suddenly. It was at this moment Alexander struck he pounced from the commander's right side and leapt in the air at him, his Silent blade unsheathing from it's gauntlet. The commander was fast and thrust straight forward with his saber. Alexander twisted in midair and the saber pierced the side of his armour and went into his right rib barely missing his lungs. Alexander felt a burning sensation run up his side just as he felt a satisfying and fleshy thunk on the end of his wrist. The Silent blade had gone straight through the commander's right eye and through his head. Blood gushed onto the floor and the commander's body went limp within seconds of Alexander's feet hitting the floor.

The Confederate commander's lifeless body laid on the floor as Alexander gripped his right side in pain. Battle still flashed outside the bridge. Alexander looked around, the enemy was closing in, there was only one choice... Flee. Alexander walked over to the console and manually selected the closest system and engaged the hyper drive.

(DREAM END)

Sleeping in this chamber Alexander experienced this moment over and over again. Each time the dream became more fragmented and less detailed. His vital signs were slowly suffering, his brain had been suffering the negative effects of non optimal cryosleep for months now and the man who went into the pod won't be the same one that exits it.

 

[Torn Eskol]

​

SIA SPECDIV
AGENT ESKOL

ALONE IN SPACE

​

"Whats it for this mission?" Torn said, tossing down the dossier- paper. No chance of electronic decryption, the only interception was by physically getting to him. And nobody ever did. His handler on the other end, always so wry, so dry and full of contempt for life itself, just replied with a curt, annoyed, and very to the point word: "Chains".​

And so Chains went off. The intel was solid, pictures, evidence. But a team of Alliance wasn't needed. Better yet, if it was a trap, a single operative had a better chance of escape, better chance of recovery, and less risk of exposure. But in reality, Chains knew the real deal, the reality of the situation.

If this thing went south, and there was a virus, a trap, or just nothing on the ship, it was better that he died, or worse, and not an entire frigate's worth of Alliance troops. His ship was sleak, black, quiet, stealthed out-

Stolen, deniable.

Not even an Alliance patch or toolset onboard. Chains was perhaps, hyper-focused on that. His outfit was jet-black, his breacher kit strapped to his back all outer-rim bought on the black market, or taken from other militaries and militias of the past. Chains moved to the airlock, preparing to space walk. He took a deep breath, pulling the breather over his mouth. He took a deep breath, and clicked the helmet into place. It was just a clear force field, more or less, with a regular on his back to give him about twenty minutes of oxygen.

The airlock opened, hissing, a loud rush of air at first, but then, eerie silence. He crept out, his rifle strapped across his chest. He narrowed his eyes behind the mask, breathing steadily. He rolled his feet off of the airlock deck- and pushed off. He floated just barely ten meters down, activating his mag-boots as he stuck to the ship.

Clunk.

There was a camera attached to his shoulder. He turned it on, but didn't say anything. He walked, magboots clunking along the ancient ship's exterior. His rifle came down into view of the camera, the grainy footage showing him turning on the flashlight- not that he needed it. His eerily glowing eyes, in the vacuum of space- surrounded by the light of ten thousand stars, oh-

Oh, he could see.

He just wanted to make sure everyone else on the camera that would watch it later could, too. He approached an airlock, blown out after the conflict. Bodies, partially decomposed, some just frozen in time, floated aimlessly. Some, the ones that been exposed to starlight, were more decomposed, but only barely so. A lack of atmosphere meant that for all time, they'd remain in the cold emptiness of space. Chains walked further-

And started to cut into the airlock with his plasma torch.

He had a long way to go. He checked the timer on his wrist.

19:12.

A lot of time.

Nighthaunter

​

 

[Nighthaunter]

Location: Vagar Praxut System, Apocalypse Class Battle Cruiser
Equipment: Silent Blades
Wearing: MK I Nightsuit
Language Legend: "Galactic Basic"
Tags: Torn Eskol

The bridge was silent and in complete darkness other than the light of the stars that penetrated the glass windows. The peace was disturbed as a monitor flashed to life. The green light penetrating the darkness of the bridge. It began to flash a dark red, there was active unknown life onboard...

The ships AI had remained in a state of hibernation ever since its lord and commanding officer fled the battlefield. It had done this as a part of it's automatic protocols to protect the life of the ship and her crew. Well, in this case it's one remaining crew member. Now, over a hundred years after it put itself into hibernation it was stirred awake by activity on the ship. It took a little under a second for the AI to boot up and become fully aware of the situation. The AI in question was what one might call a dumb AI. It possessed no conscience and very little capacity for human critical thinking or thought. It was designed for one purpose and one purpose only. To protect it's crew and to assist the commanding officer of the ship to the best of it's ability.

It followed the life form with what remained of the ships, sensors and the odd working camera that still had power flowing through it. It observed the male human cutting away at the air ducts in decompressed areas of the ship.

It watched him work with precision and tried to determine why this individual had come here. While the AI was observing the man in black it ran a basic diagnostic of the ship. Engines were at 10%, usable but basically useless. Basic life support systems ran in the upper levels of the ship, including gravity (Primarily the bridge and halls leading to it). This was to be expected as these were the only areas not to suffer decompression during the battle. Communications were offline, as were any form of onboard weapons or shields. The only weapon onboard the ship was the one that laid in a cryo tube on the bridge.

Assessing the situation the AI came to form the conclusion that there could only be two reasons as to why this individual was here. He was either here looking for parts or he had interest in the man that laid asleep on the bridge. The AI did a quick check of the vital signs and state of the tube. Physically its Captain, its Lord, seemed to be okay. The hole in his side had healed over the hundred years he laid at rest, although doubtless it would still cause him pain when he woke up.

Should it wake him up?

It loitered on it's thoughts before proceeding to do a brain scan of it's sole occupant, and noticed an unnatural amount of brain activity. This wasn't normal during cryosleep. It checked the status of the tube and noticed that it was beginning to fail. This would put it's Lord Nighthaunter at risk. It needed to wake him up. And with the approaching human it needed to do it fast. It knew that bringing it's Lord out of cryosleep so quickly could have negative medical effects but it had no choice. It relayed a messaged to the cryotube to start bringing The Nighthaunter out of his one hundred years of slumber.

Alexander stirred...

 

[Torn Eskol]

​

SIA SPECDIV
AGENT ESKOL

CHAINS.

DEAD, DYING, ALONE, NO SURVIVORS(?)

​

The plasma torch cut through the door enough for him to squeeze through.

Some life support was still online, then. Not uncommon, truthfully- derelict ships like this. No markings were easily identifiable in the wreckage as Torn passed through the area, his flashlight coming through. Again, not that he needed it- his eerily glowing eyes crept through the wreck. He was like a demon out of a movie, a spectre on the cameras-

Wearing all black, and the only thing visible, was a pair of white-ish blue eyes, glowing in the dark, ever so faintly.

The bridge was easy enough to find, a quick ascent through a shaft- he just disengaged his magboots, and floated up. The camera was still on, capturing what footage it could. He wanted to have an easy report, truly. It's what the camera was for, truthfully. It was a lot easier for someone else to watch the footage, and see the brief notes on the report he'd file, in lieu of a long, drawn-out report that would be redacted. If anything, Torn was going to try and set the ship into the nearest star.

Space was full of junk freighters, and this piece of crap floating through space was no different. Nothing useful on board material-wise. Torn approached the bridge and heard some clicking. He stopped in the hallway, deactivating his light. He reached up to the camera, switching it to night-vision mode. He himself, turned off his flashlight. The Keshian crept through the hallway, the IR light produced by the camera, invisible to most species in the galaxy-

But to him, the IR floodlight on the camera was better than any flashlight on the visible spectrum. He approached a sealed door- and used the button on the side... to open it- and there was a hiss. He stepped inside quickly, hearing the door slam shut behind him.

Life support. Some lights. He blinked in the darkness, enveloped like a demon, a spectre. And he was near the man in the tube. He could smell him. Nitrogen. Carbonite. He took a deep breath. The first thing the man might've heard, if his hearing was good enough, through the blackness, the darkness, was something, someone taking a deep breath near him.

How unsettling that might be.

He checked the timer.

16:32.

​

 

[Nighthaunter]

Location: Vagar Praxut System, Apocalypse Class Battle Cruiser
Equipment: Silent Blades
Wearing: MK I Nightsuit
Language Legend: "Galactic Basic"
Tags: Torn Eskol

The ships AI continued to observe the dark shadow that moved through the ducts and corridors of the starship. The individual moved far quicker than the AI had predicted. The process to pull it's commander out of his hibernation had barely started when the AI observed through one of the cameras outside the bridge that the shadow was at the door. The ship's AI tried in vain to lock the door and buy itself some time, but unfortunately the lock was fried, much like everything else onboard. It observed as the shadow approached the tube of it's master. Was the shadow here to kill the Nighthaunter? It couldn't be sure. The shadow seemed to be observing The Nighthaunter with... What did human's call it? Curiosity. It checked the timer. Still another 5 minutes until the defrosting process completed.

The AI checked it's commander's vitals and physically he seemed to be fine. However, the AI knew that pulling him out of hibernation so quickly would cause side effects. These included and weren't limited to amnesia, temporary blindness, exhaustion, dehydration, and dizziness. There was a sound of steam as the tube opened and heat radiated from the tube as the last of the nitrogen and carbonite melted away. And underneath that dark mask two green emerald eyes opened...

(Alexander's POV)

The dream replayed over and over again in Alexander's mind. However this one wasn't the same. There was a noise in the background, a subtle hissing, clicking and was that breathing? He ignored it, focusing on the mission and making sure that he was able to escape the system in one piece. As he felt the satisfying thunk of the commander's head against his wrist (as he rammed his blade through his eye) he couldn't help but feel like something wasn't right. The commander's eyes were no longer purple but instead were a whitish blue that he didn't recognize.

Alexander blinked.

The world around him slowly began to collapse, the commander, sounds of gunfire and bodies disappeared. Alexander felt himself falling forward and it was only his reflexes that saved him from face planting on the metal floor of ship. He inhaled, his first breath in a hundred years and immediately let out a painful hacking cough. He tore off his mask and threw it to the side as he struggled to get a hold of the cough as it racked his body. He groaned and spat on the floor, feeling blood in his mouth.

He blinked again, everything was blurry, tears plagued his vision and he couldn't see properly. He squinted looking at the floor trying to focus his vision and failing. He wiped his eyes and his vision was still blurry and he could only see light and dark. Slowly he stood, his body aching and shivering. Sweat broke out on his forehead just in this simple movement.

If one were to observe him they would find him standing a little over 5'9. Underneath that mask was a face that many would consider beautiful. With high cheekbones and a snow coloured complexion.

As he stood his instincts told him he was being observed, not that he would be able to see the person observing him. However, he could hear the sound of breathing.

He turned towards the noise. His vision seeing darkness and blurred light that collided with one another. Once a great assassin, Alexander was helpless and at the mercy of his lone observer. Where was he? He tried to remember but his memory felt frustratingly blank.

"Where am I?" He asked his voice throaty and dry. He remained stood still, not a threat but not a friend either.

 

[Torn Eskol]

​

SIA SPECDIV
AGENT ESKOL

​

Chains passed around the room, each step silent as the last, until one that was directly in front of the man.

A flashlight burned into the man, light pouring over a man who had not seen the light in quite some time. He had a voice that could blend in anywhere. A voice that wasn't his, was his, and had been manufactured. It was calm, collected, cruel and uncaring. Sarcastic and a hint of playfulness.

But first, he clicked his teeth.

"Back among the living. But you, buddy boy, gotta answer me some questions to stay that way."

The Keshian moved again. He knew the effects of unfreezing from cryosleep and carbonite wouldn't be long, and he had no idea the capabilities of the man. So he moved quietly, to a new position, his rifle trained on him. A slugthrower, suppressed with the stopping power of a sledgehammer being swung by a Trandoshan in these tight quarters.

Chains, perhaps motivated by not wanting to hear his voice the way it was, more than kindness, tossed a water-pack at his feet.

"Drink the water-pack at your feet and tell me your name and we'll get you some more answers, hm?" Water-packs were handy for zero gravity. Tear off the top of the tube, drink, and not have to worry about your water floating everywhere.

Nighthaunter

​

 

[Nighthaunter]

​

Location: Vagar Praxut System, Apocalypse Class Battle Cruiser
Equipment: Silent Blades
Wearing: MK I Nightsuit
Language Legend: "Galactic Basic"
Tags: Torn Eskol

Alexander was blinded by the light that shone into his eyes. He brought a gloved hand up to try and block out some of the light. His vision was still blurry and limited. He was unable to pinpoint the source of the light, he could only distinguish between light and dark. However, the longer he stood there the more he began to get his bearings. His hearing in particular began to return and he could hear the footsteps of the individual that observed him.

The way the man moved he could tell that the individual was well trained and was observing him with caution. He wasn't sure how he knew this, but he felt himself get prepared to suddenly move at the slightest sign of trouble.

"Back among the living. But you, buddy boy, gotta answer me some questions to stay that way."

"Questions? What kind of questions was he looking for answers to?" Alexander thought to himself. The man speaking to him sounded almost fake, his voice was almost disguised as if he was trying to hide his own nature. The slight sarcasm in it was almost a little disarming but at the same time was a sign of his confidence.

Alexander had his own questions. Like, where was he? Who was he and why was he on this ship? And why was his mind blank but yet he seemed to instinctively know certain things. It didn't make any sense. Alexander stayed silent and still. He heard a loud thump at his feet. Still holding his hand up to shield himself from the light he looked down to see the outline of a water pack.

Water!

"Drink the water-pack at your feet and tell me your name and we'll get you some more answers, hm?"

He quickly fumbled around the floor before finally picking up the pack, and tore off the top of the tube. He gulped down the cool liquid, feeling it quench his thirst and dry mouth. As he was drinking the water an instinct briefly washed over him that there was a possibility that the fluid could be laced with some kind of poison or sedative, but this worry quickly disappeared as he consumed the entire water pack. He tossed the pack to the side and took a deep breath. He felt rather bloated drinking all of that fluid, but in his dehydrated and slightly malnourished state he couldn't hold himself back from drinking the water without taking a breath. He took a couple breaths and composed himself.

"My name is Alexander Au' Valerius" He said, his voice now softer and quite quiet now that the dryness had been quenched by the liquid offered to him. "I-." He paused. What else could he say? He searched his memories to see if he could provide the man circling him anymore information.

"I can't remember anything. I know my name and the rest is fragmented. I know things but I don't know why I know them." He said quietly, trying to hide the worry that was evident in his voice. This was the truth but something also told him to keep things to himself. Even if he did have his memories he wouldn't tell him anything more than he had. He didn't know him and as a result couldn't trust him. He looked back at the cryo tube. How long had he been under?

"How long have I been under?" He asked, mostly to himself but in slight hope that his observer might have some information.