Applied Force

[Onrai]

Nathema, fringes of system

It had taken a significant period of time in order for this construct to be completed. Numerous aging interdictors within the Imperial Graveyard had been gutted and scrapped just for their gravity well generators, thankfully all of a standard form, to serve a purpose as a part of this construct. A magnificent ring construct, several kilometers in diameter, was finally complete. It was at the very fringes of the Nathema system, almost far enough out to be deemed within deep space.

But what was this construct?

Ninety Captivitas-class gravity well generators, taken from the scrapped hulks of Thrawn, Interdictine, and Captivitas-class interdictors, were built into an equidistant framework that was multiple kilometers in diameter. The purpose of this framework was simple - to keep the gravity well generators apart so they could focus their gravity wells in the center of the ring. Tubing was intertwined within the frame, carrying highly compressed hydrogen gas that was delivered to the station by the docked Tyzzeph-class gas miners.

Vanessa Vantai was on board the Ablution, solo for now, as she watched over the fueling of the ring for its first test. An earlier prototype had showcased that such a singularity could in fact be created. Now it was time to discover whether or not this test would work.

Hopefully there wouldn't be any meddlesome Jedi or other lightside forces that would try to spoil this operation.

[member="Lilla Syrin"]

 

[Lilla Syrin]

Nathema — a planet rich in galactic history. It was one of a relative few that had gone by one than more name — this time due to the rule of one of the most powerful Sith Lords in history, some five thousand years before the Battle of Yavin.

For a time it was bereft of the Force, and as Lilla approached the planet, she wondered how that might feel. Records say it was more than just disconcerting to Jedi and Sith alike, and she suspected you had to experience it in order to understand it.

Not that she was here on some pointless history lesson. Nor was she satisfying any curiosity in her ongoing studies. Rather she was here on a mission. Intelligence suggested something…unknown…was being constructed here. Or tested, or maybe even both.

The intel was sketchy at best and unreliable at worst. It came to the Republic Remnant’s Jedi Order third or maybe fourth hand. Misinformation? Possibly. Which is why they sent just one Jedi. Lilla had volunteered for the mission — and despite misgivings about sending a Knight over a Master, she was given clearance to follow up on the possibility of finding out what was so important that informants had sacrificed their lives to bring it to the Jedi’s attention.

Ahead of her was a lush and fertile planet, in the Outer Rim Territories’ Chorlian sector. It orbited a bright orange sun and possessed a Type I atmosphere that was breathable. As the planet loomed larger in her viewport, she was the oceans which separated at least two continents on the planet’s surface.

Except the intelligence suggested the thing she sought was not on the planet itself, but somewhere in the Nathema system. With little else to go on, she used the planet as her starting point and began her search in earnest, orbiting in ever increasing circles, using her sensors and the Force to detect…something…anything out of place. It was not like seeking a needle in a haystack — because at least that searcher knew they wanted to find a needle.

Fortunately, she was blessed with patience. Unfortunately, she did not know how much time she had to locate the item and deal with it.

[member="Vanessa Vantai"]

 

[Onrai]

[member="Lilla Syrin"]

The gas miners would continue to fuel the Graviton Forge's thirst for power - power that would likely show up on sensors. Vanessa watched as the holographic image indicated the device was slowly being filled - gaseous hydrogen took time to move, after all. The results, however, would certainly be worth it once she was through. Vanessa would be quite pleased if the resulting ultra-dense metallic hydrogen was successfully created.

Of course, she had no idea that there was someone currently looking to ruin her fun. A Jedi at that.

 

[Lilla Syrin]

Lilla was not technologically minded. She was essentially what could be described as a traditional Jedi. Not because of any dislike or disregard for gadgets and gizmos, but due to an unfamiliarity with them.

Raised on Tatooine – at times a slave and at others a pauper – sophisticated devices were not common-place in her life. Yes, she could strip a moisture vaporator, but many of the things she’d seen since she’d joined the Order bemused her.

However, she had been given a boon in her search for…well, whatever it was she was searching for. She pressed a button on her console and a significant number of tiny sensors were deployed. They moved to predesignated positions, effectively increasing her sensor range exponentially. Without them, she’d have trouble finding a planet within the next hundred years. Now? The process for detecting something, anything, out of the ordinary was significantly enhanced. The number was brought down to…Lilla checked the read-out.

Six months!

“I know I don’t believe in luck,” she said to her astromech, “But if it exists, I could do with a healthy dose of it right now.”

The droid issued a series of excited bleeps.

“What do you mean they’ve found it?” she asked. “After three hours? Really?”

More beeps and whistles followed.

“OK, OK, I believe you. Let’s go and take a look at what they’ve found.”

[member="Vanessa Vantai"]

 

[Onrai]

"We're eighty percent fueled and expect to initiate the first test in several minutes." One of the bridge crew said to Vanessa.

"Fantastic... If this works we'll have the key to technological advancement, the likes of which have never been seen before." With metallic hydrogen, there was so much that could be done - but the biggest issue was reshaping the metal after forging however much would end up being successfully crafted. The power of this singularity was not exactly clear, especially given that she had not once tested this device's creation with the hydrogen in question.

"Once we test this, a new level of ultra-dense material research will be within our grasp." She answered. "And we'll finally be able to render the Novaflare functional. How beneficial."

Vanessa cracked her knuckles. Soon, the test would begin.

[member="Lilla Syrin"]

 

[Lilla Syrin]

Needle located – Lilla’s next task was to identify just what sort of needle it was, and how much of a threat it posed to the galaxy at large. There was, of course, a very real chance that what the sensors had discovered was an anomaly – but nothing more than that.

Now she had a direction of travel, she realigned the sensors to give as much information about what she was heading in to as possible.

She was also aware that if the thing she sought was a threat, whoever was looking after it might not appreciate random Jedi paying a visit. So, she set the sensor drones to provide long-range intelligence. It would diminish the information she received – but minimise the chance of discovery.

Soon she had some data to actually work with. Scale was a funny thing when considering the galaxy as a whole. The Force was infinite – in power and size. Star systems and even planets were massive – but conceptual in terms of their magnitude. What faced her was not massive in the galactic scheme of things, but when you were talking about things you could touch – it was large. Very large.

The readout suggested the structure could be measured in kilometres. Was it a space station, a ship, a manufacturing plant? Or something else entirely. Something told Lilla this was what she was looking for. It was not the Force – it didn’t work that way. Rather, it was her intuition, linked to deductive reasoning. This ‘thing’ was tucked out the way for a reason – and it was her job to find out what that was.

“Well,” she said to her droid, “Given we don’t have a stealth mode, I have no choice but to walk up to the front door. Let’s hope its focus is internal – and its sensors are not calibrated for passing ships. Just my luck if it’s a new type of carrier and its holding half a dozen squadrons of TIE fighters.”

The droid gave a mournful bleep.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure we’ll be fine. But if it gets a little too hot in there, take the ship out of here and get the data we’ve amassed back to the Republic Remnant.”

‘Assuming we get that far,’ she thought to herself as the structure loomed ever larger in her viewport.

[member="Vanessa Vantai"]

 

[Onrai]

[member="Lilla Syrin"]

"Hydrogen is at one hundred percent. We are ready to begin the first test."

"Good." Vanessa said. "All ships, move ten kilometers past the designated safe distance and alter your vector towards the Graviton Forge." Once the ships had done so, she would motion to the bridge crew. 'Send command codes to the Forge, activate the generators, and begin releasing the hydrogen."

From the distance Lilla was at, she would see a bright flash before noticing a hole in space - a black hole that had been generated, and gas was seeping from the inner rim of the ring towards the dark sphere at the center.

 

[Lilla Syrin]

The thing about size – and its relativity – was that you didn’t have to be on top of an object to appreciate how big it was. Which was a good thing, as it meant that from a relatively safe distance, Lilla noticed a brief and very bright flash before she noticed what appeared to be a balck hole in space. One that wasn’t there previously.

Her astromech gave a mournful bleep.

“No, you’re right, that’s not good. Not good at all. Right, recalibrate. Check the area for recent communications. Something must have been controlling that – and whoever it was, I need to find them, soon.”

Her droid made the necessary amendments and emitted a series of bleeps and whistles.

“Yes, I see them now. When you’re looking for a needle, to tend to ignore anything that isn’t needle-shaped. Like ships. Plot an intercept course. Whoever is behind all of this, I think I’ll find answers there.”

[member="Vanessa Vantai"]

 

[Onrai]

"What the..." one of the bridge crew said. "Lady Vantai, we have something coming towards the Graviton Forge. It appears to be a fighter given its vector and distance away from the singularity. Shall we engage?"

"No." She said. "Give them a warning for now. We can't risk launching fighters or engaging that ship until the Forge has finished." She watched as the hydrogen gas slowly trickled into the center of the artificial black hole.

"Very well..." The officer opened up communications with Lilla's fighter. "Unknown fighter, you are in restricted territory during the testing of a classified mechanism. Exit the area or be destroyed."

That would hopefully get their attention.

[member="Lilla Syrin"]

 

[Lilla Syrin]

Jedi lived by a Code – or rather two Codes. There was the formal one – the one that talked of passion, serenity, overconfidence and the like. The sort that was taught at academies to eager Younglings and Padawans alike – with the expectation that they would take the lessons on-board and uphold the name of the Jedi for this and future generations.

But there was another code, an unwritten one. An individual one. And, invariably a much scarier one. It was the code that joined the dots between the formally written and accepted rules and guidance of the Jedi Code. The sort you referred to subconsciously and acted upon instinctively.

And it was about to come into play for Lilla.

You see, when told to keep away – when threatened with death for non-compliance – the typical response would be to leave the vicinity. But that was not how Lilla’s brain was hard-wired.

“I heard,” she responded to her astromech, who bleeped at her, given she did not change direction. “But that does not mean I have to listen.”

She opened up a comms channel. “This is Jedi Lilla Syrin of the Republic Remnant Order. By what authority do you deem this territory restricted? And what gives you the right to deploy lethal force?”

[member="Vanessa Vantai"]

 

[Onrai]

“This territory has been designated for experimental use by Sith research and development per the Nathema system being under the jurisdiction of the Sith Empire. All unauthorized craft are to be warned, then fired upon if they continue to proceed. Again, exit the area or we will have to destroy you.”

“She does realize she’s heading straight for the gravitational singularity, right?” Vanessa said.

“I have no idea one way or the other. Did she say Republic Remnant? Didn’t they try to start trouble with us a while back?”

“Indeed. When the gravity well generators are done crushing that hydrogen, launch fighters and prepare to intercept. We may be able to keep her from jumping out by misaligning the gravity wells - that should keep the Jedi starfighter in system while giving us the freedom to move around.”

[member="Lilla Syrin"]

 

[Lilla Syrin]

Lilla sighed audibly. If things could possibly get worse, they just did. Not only was it likely that whoever was on the other end of the comms did in fact have the authority to enforce sovereign rights, but they were Sith.

Her droid continued to complain.

“I know, I know, but I can’t just turn around. Sovereignty gives them legitimacy – albeit a hypothetical one – given I have no political affiliations but respect both broad galactic law and also local law. And although I have no love for the Sith, I have no jurisdiction here. Except…”

She paused for thought as she continued on her current trajectory. “Except my role is typically one of a Jedi Consular. Which, in turn, gives me an element of diplomatic immunity. So, I shall proceed on that basis and—” She paused as her droid cut across her speech with a series of agitated bleeps.

“I was about to say, my little friend, that I’ll not turn this into a suicide mission. I’ll bail out if I have to, but let’s see what I can learn before I do.”

“Understood,” she replied through the comms channel. “My craft is authorised as an ambassador of the Republic Remnant. Surely you would not open fire on a diplomatic mission?”

[member="Vanessa Vantai"]

 

[Onrai]

“What? She’s claiming to be a diplomat? Then what the hell is a Republic diplomat doing snooping around a classified research and development area?”

The bridge officer responded. “We have no means of confirming your claims, Jedi, nor does being a diplomat, assuming this is true, give you the authority to wade into restricted space as you have done. I give you a final warning - surrender or be destroyed.” He said.

“Ten more seconds and we’ll have all the hydrogen we need.”

“Good,” said Vanessa to the bridge officer who had told her that. “Afterwards, send a code to the Forge for four generator spread burst. We need to keep her in the system. I would very much like to interrogate her.”

[member="Lilla Syrin"]

 

[Lilla Syrin]

Lilla knew the situation was tenuous. Her claims were not a lie – Jedi were afforded negotiation powers that gave them diplomatic status – but she was not strictly here for any ambassadorial mission.

She was, therefore, delighted that a new option presented itself – one that did not involve being blown up or having to depart instantly.

“Until you can confirm my claims,” Lilla responded, “I surrender. As the somewhat cliched saying goes, ‘take me to your leader.’”

Her astromech went wild.

“Calm down, little one,” she said. “I know precisely what I’m doing.” Which was half-true. She knew exactly what she’d agreed to do. But what she’d do once taken into custody was…as she liked to refer to it…fluid. She was never one for rigid or complicated plans. She much preferred to see how the situation unfolded.

[member="Vanessa Vantai"]

 

[Onrai]

Once the ring powered down(for the most part, the four generators realigned and began to generate a large-scale interdiction field of normal size), the Ablution would launch a wing of fighters - 2 Eightguns and 2 Forges. The Jedi would hear a communication from the lead ship.

"This is Alpha 1 of the 94th Multipurpose Squadron." The pilot would say as the ships surrounded the Jedi craft. "Move towards the hangar bay of the Ablution and do not make any sudden attempt to deviate off course. If you do, we are authorized to terminate you." The Eightguns had more than enough firepower at this range to reduce the Jedi's fighter to slag, and the Forges, while having less firepower, were far more maneuverable than the Jedi's ship - one in front of her and one behind her would allow for a quick response.

Ever closer to the warship's hangar, they would move. Soon, they would be right inside it, landing as Vanessa watched, her Dark Troopers and Radtroopers ready to handle whatever threat arose.

Then again, she was a Sith Lord, wasn't she? Of course she would be able to handle one single Jedi.

[member="Lilla Syrin"]

 

[Lilla Syrin]

Lilla continued on blindly. She had no idea what she was heading into, but knew the forces she faced could have destroyed her already if they wished.

As she saw the launch of the wing of fighters, she spoke to her droid. “Have a hyperspace jump coordinates pre-set for a quick exit,” she said. “When the time comes to leave, I don’t want to be hanging around any longer than is necessary.”

Her droid bleeped.

“Anywhere, really. Anywhere that’s not here.”

And then the comms channel re-opened. Lilla listened and followed the instructions, including making mental note of the name of the ship in question.

“See what the database tells us about the Ablution, OK?” she asked her droid.

“Understood, Alpha One,” she responded to the lead ship. “Thanks for the escort, you never know when you’ll chance upon hostiles, or pirates.”

As the hangar loomed closer, Lilla smiled. “I guess it’s entirely normal at this point to admit that I have a bad feeling about this?”

And then she landed.

[member="Vanessa Vantai"]

 

[Onrai]

Upon landing a group of Dark Troopers, both living and machine, would surround the ship. "Get out of the cockpit and keep your hands where we can see them." One of them would say. The larger Oppressor-15s were wielding blaster cannons while most of the Dark Troopers were using standard Imperial weaponry. Vanessa herself had hurried down to the hangar deck in order to see just what it was that she had caught - the scent of the Light Side was disgustingly strong coming from the fighter's cockpit. By the time she had entered the hangar, the Jedi ship had landed.

In one of her hands was a Force Collar. Hopefully this would be easy to use and not unnecessarily difficult.

"Jedi, get out of the cockpit!" She called from across the hangar floor. "Let's not make this more violent than it needs to be!"

[member="Lilla Syrin"]

 

[Lilla Syrin]

Lilla exited her ship, remaining clam, composed and above all non-threatening.

She wore standard Jedi robes and a permanent smile as she encountered the Dark Troopers. Her hands remained in view the whole time and she moved slowly and deliberately.

The taint of the dark side washed over her, and her eyes glanced to the source – but she gave no outward recognition that she had sensed the newcomer’s aura. But she did respond when she was spoken to, her head being slowly followed by her body in orienting towards the voice.

“There is never a need for violence,” Lilla echoed, her voice calm and soft, but carrying authority. “I mean you no harm – I am merely your guest, at your request.”

[member="Vanessa Vantai"]

 

[Onrai]

"A surprising reaction, I'll admit." Vanessa was quite surprised - why would this Jedi not be attempting to go the Elpsis Kerrigan-Alcori route and hack and slash through her ship? The Sith lady remembered the last time that sort of thing happened - it was not a positive experience.

Once Lilla had exited her ship, Vanessa would head towards her and, once she was in a position to do so, she would raise the Force Collar up, preparing to put it around the Jedi's neck. Whether the Jedi knew what this particular piece of technology was, she didn't know - at this range, she would need to be quick with her lightsaber if anything occurred.

"I'm going to need you to put this on."

[member="Lilla Syrin"]

 

[Lilla Syrin]

Lilla saw the woman approaching and held what appeared to be some sort of collar in her hand. It was clearly some form of constraint — but although she understood the why (to keep Lilla under control), she did not comprehend the how.

Not that it mattered. The Jedi was not about to start a fight and she would learn nothing from turning and running now — even if she could make it off the ship alive (and then there was a small matter of making hyperspace). So that left only one logical alternative.

“Then I shall put it on,” Lilla said, smiling. “I am, after all, your guest. And you are…by the way?”

[member="Vanessa Vantai"]