Dominion Artistic License: GA Dominion of Arkania

[Gramani Fey’la]

- ATTENTION TOP SECRET SPYNET DATA -


- MUST PROVIDE DESCRAMBLER CODE TO ACTIVATE SPYNET MISSION DATABASE -

- DESCRAMBLER CODE : 56VHDU367KV45 -

- CODE ENTERED, WELCOME DEPUTY CHIEF, CODENAMED LION KING

​

- OPERATIVES: DEPUTY CHIEF GRAMANI FEY'LA___________SPECIAL AGENT DRAGA CALTH'AYE___________AGENT QUINNAS YARE'YL_____AKA: THE BOTHAN BOYS -

Spoiler: TOP SECRET: SPYNET ONLY!!!

THE BOTHAN BOYS ENTER THE ARKANIAN CLONING FACILITY THROUGH OBSERVATION DOOR NEAR THE TOP OF THE INSTALLION.
SECRETLY PLAN TO ACQUIRE & DUPLICATE SEPARATE CLONING FILES FOR SPYNET AND DECYPHER ON THEIR OWN, STILL WILL PROVIDE DUPLICATE FILES FOR SIA
INFORMANT CODENAMED ARMADILLO HAS REQUESTED CLONING FORMULA C4-T6 UNDER FILE NAMED; FTN56429 TO BE RETREIVED IN FULL, NO DUPLICATION, HAS GIVEN SPYNET ACCESS CODES TO ENTER MOST LAB VAULTS.
IF PROVIDED, INFORMANT WILL REVEAL CORRUPT ALLIANCE SENATORS AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO COMBINE WITH SPYNET'S EXISTING FILES & INTEL ON GA SENATE

ADDITIONAL INFO: INFORMANT CODENAMED APOLLO PROVIDED INTEL ON POSSIBLE INTERFERENCE FROM UNSTABLE ORGANIZATION WITH THE GA, SPYNET AGENT, JURI BELKOSAR ON ROUTE TO BYSS TO UNCOVER AND PROVIDE PROOF OF POSSIBLE INVOLVEMENT OF ORGANIZATION THAT IS BEING INVESTIGATED, CODENAMED PALPATINE

OPERATION ONE: _ FOUR _ FINGER _ DISCOUNT _

- SIA AGENT & DEPUTY CHIEF OF BOTHAN SPYNET, GRAMANI FEY'LA -
Reporting

​

LOCATION: Near top of Cloning Labs, entered through Access door on top, currently on highest level, proceeding to move down to lab levels
TAGS: Kalie Alverez Ripley Kühn Bernard Kenth Berik
OBJECTIVES:

• Acquire & Duplicate Files -
• Do not harm Arkanian Scientists -
• Prevent damage to cloning labs -
• incapacitate any interfering persons -

The Bothan Boys moved through the top level after entering through an access door near the summit of the facility. The Arkanian Cloning Laboratory had 8 floors, each fairly large. The first level was the ground level which held the basic cloning recruitment & processing. The second and thirds held the main cloning labs, basis experiments and typical Arkanian cloning patterns. A part of the the third floor held the genetic manipulation chambers where the Arkanians would enhance themselves. The rest of the third held the main offices for the Arkanian scientists. This was where the most important files were kept. The fourth floor held the more advanced societal experiments into Arkanian anatomy. The fifth floor is where things got worse, but it was where the power reactor was stored. The rest of the floor, usually locked down, was where the Arkanians experimented on other species, hoping to make new mutations and create new cloning advancements. The sixth floor got even more, odd. This was where the Arkanians held their top secret labs, that even the Spynet had only heard rumors of. Only the force knows what's truly inside there. The 7th floor was mostly filled with cloning vats and archived cloning subjects. Some dead, some not. The 8th floor was the maintenance floor, where backup files were kept and stored in large vault doors and where there was a saferoom in case of a emergency.

Gramani and his two Bothan companions had moved through the 8th floor. They reached the large file rooms. The most important files were down stairs on the third floor but they would get there soon enough. They were clothed in light padded armor, that would make no noise and with their Bothan senses moved quickly down the halls as they incapacitated two guards and locked them in a custodial closet.

"Alright, boys, its time to get to work".

"Got it boss......woah hold on, I'm picking up something on the biometric scanners".

"The scientists?"

"Yeah them, but three new bogeys as well".

"Scan them for GA biometric tags, sync it with our network".

"On it". As Quinnas bent over to link the Spynet's information network to their scanner to identify the three new people that had entered the labs, Draga stood next to Gramani, eager to get started

"Draga, here are the codes for these file doors, get them open, and get us the files we've been tasked to get"

"You betcha my friend, what about the "other" files"

"Bah, we'll get them later, besides, we have stun on so no one will escape us and no one will die". He gestured for Draga to get moving and when he began to walk towards the first file room, he looked back at Gramani.

"That's a shame, Stobar was so much fun".

Gramani laughed as Draga turned back to his objective and opened the first vault door with ease before entering.

Quinnas got to his feet and moved to the Deputy Chief, "Oy boss, I got the tags"

"Alright what we got Agent?"

"Down by the second floor, SIA Agent & Jedi Knight Ripley Kühn and Alliance Marshal Bernard ". "I had to corroborate that with Alliance databanks sir, to confirm the identities".

"That's fine Quin, they are our allies for now". "Who else?".

"Only one more, a SIA agent, named Kalie Alverez , she is on the third floor currently". "I've never heard of her sir".

Neither had Gramani, he had only been with the SIA for a year at most, and knew of the Zeltron Jedi Knight and the Arkanian, thought he had never met them and had only known of them through the SIA and the Spynet. But this woman that Quinnas had mentioned, her name was unfamiliar. "Can you access her SIA profile?"

"No sir, it's got a level 6 access lock". "Would take too long to bypass".

"Hmm interesting, mine only has a level 5".

"Perhaps she related to someone within the SIA?", suggested the young Bothan agent.

"Unlikely, anyway we have to assume that they are all friendlies, so mark them as such".

"Yes sir, but are you sure if that is wise?"

"We got no choice Quin, we're gonna have to somewhat trust someone other than ourselves this time"

"Well that's a first"

"Yes, for you guys, not for me...."

Agent Yare'yl turned back to the scanners to place their allies as such and pinpoint their exact location with the facility.

Gramani began to open the other file doors and went searching through the backup files to find the ones they needed for mission success.

"Gramani", radioed in Draga from down the hall. "Got something here, you'll wanna see".

The Chief replied, "Aight, on my way".

He passed Quinnas, since done with the scanners, searching various other rooms as well for important files.

Gramani reached Draga in a smaller file room, one that must have not been opened for many years.

"What is it?", the Bothan leader questioned as Draga slid him an old paperback file, which had the file name, USHABTI

"Holy Bothawui", said Gramani as he flipped open the folder file and peered into its contents as Draga beamed a light laser to provide for Gramani as he read it.

"Experiment G-56-123", he said as he moved his finger down the page and read the line, "developed post-mortem facial strains, but did regain control of primary bra..............". He read the rest and his eyes widened. he looked up to Draga, standing near his shoulder. He was nodding his head, signifying the importance of what they had found. Gramani read through the rest quickfire, but increased his muttering to a faint whisper that could be barely be heard. "Subject was even able to withstand the impact of a G-13 Sonic Wave, demonstrating ability to withstand possible for.............".

He now grinned massively and almost shouted this time, "Holy Bothawui!!!!!". Draga replied, "Yep, how bout that".

Gramani, still somewhat in a haze shook his Bothan head and turned to Draga with the grin still present. "How bout that huh". He soon used his data scanner to copy all of the data in folder and transfer it to the Bothan's portable data drive, which was connected to the Spynet's immensely huge Information Database.

He then closed the paper folder and put it back into its file shelf.

"Good work, Draga, you still got it after Batorine".

"What you mean", said the slightly larger Bothan with a cheeky grin on his face, "I never lost it".

"Haha, no you haven't my friend".

They soon exited the room and proceeded to finish searching all of the data files on the floor.

They regrouped at the end of the hall, where a lift was there that could take them down to the lower floors.

"Scanning Lift sir", said Quinnas as he lifted up his scanner towards the lift and its access panel.

"Access panel examined, should break it within two seconds sir".

"So what the holdup Quin, you've been around long enough to know that for stuff like this you need to always get my approval".

"Aye sir, I know, however the lift shaft as a infrared laser defense system that stretches down to the third floor".

"Bah, should have came in through the bottom", muttered Draga.

"Can you override it?'.

"No sir, I can't, it requires a password, only in Arkanian".

"Alright, we switch up", "Quin you access the facility's digital structure".

"Already done boss"

"Good, find us a room on floors 7 and 6 that is a small and locked from the outside"

"Draga, you prep the Hammer"

"Aye aye Capn", said Draga in a parodied voice as he raced down to grab their duffel bags.

"Got it, room 8B6, its directly over a room with no lifeforms and a code I can break from the inside"

"Good, lets get a move on".

The Bothan Boys moved rapidly down the hall and reached room 8B6. When they entered it, it appeared to be an old clone storage room, which empty and molding clone vats and genetics chambers. Special Agent Draga, opened his bag and pulled out their tool, which was a Vibroblade utility saw. They called it the Hammer. It could cut through any metal, perhaps besides Duraplast and Beskar. Luckily the facilities floor were made out of weaker metals, such as Bondite. Draga turned it on and began cutting through the floor of the room, while Quinnas watched the hallway. A minute later, a slight screeching came out from the metal as it was finished off and cut through. Before it could fall down to the room below, Gramani grasped it with a magnetic clamp which was able keep it from plummeting down. He removed it from the large hole they had made and placed it in the corner of the room. Soon Gramani, got his boys ready, as he told them to prepare.

"Alright boys, there definitely gonna be more than two guards down there", he said as he pulled out his Primary Weapon, a SSK-7 Heavy Pistol, which he called "Protector" .

"Ok, here are the ops, we get down to this floor, Quinnas, you move quietly through it, search every room you can and duplicate any files that are important or significant, do the same on the sixth floor, don't harm the scientists and download any cloning data you can, if possible".

"Draga, you will make your way to the fifth floor and investigate the experiments down there, meet me at the fourth floor when your done".

"I am going to make my way to the third floor first off and try to get the top secret files kept in the office of scientist named...."

"Arsik"

"Yes thank you Quin, Arsik, the files he has are the ones we need for the Alliance and I believe he has the formula we need for the contact".

"Afterwards, I will make my way through the labs, hopefully unnoticed and get back up to the fourth floor".

"Lets all meet back at the 5th floor lift".

"Good Idea, Draga".

He looked at this fellows, knowing they would complete their tasks with rather ease.

"Alright Bothan Boys, let's get er done".

They both nodded and the three of them went through the hole they made in the floor and slipped down to the next level, minutes later, they were splitting up, moving to complete each of their objectives.



THEME: YES IT IS, YOU BETCHA!!!!

 

[Maou]

Schmoozing With Annasari
​

The Arkanians had been at one point instrumental to the completion of Corellians Halcyon program. While not privy to the initial stages of development, inquiries into their cloning labs and a few greased (and broken) elbows had fast-tracked Corellia into producing the soldiers en masse. So when Diktat Nova had told him to attend this party he already knew exactly why he was here, even if he was not supposed to know. But ever since the attempt on his life he had not been fond of parties. At least, Kaito was not supposed to be. He no longer walked attached at the hip to tubes and bacta but he did travel with an Atrisian human support droid. The pair were an unnerving sight to be sure, both faces of plaster white with bright colored paint, and they were headed straight for the senator of Jakku.

"Ahh Madam Vahl," he said, his voice coming out forced and slightly modulated from behind his white mask, "I'm surprised to see you of all Senators here in this den of blood-makers."

 

[Faith Organa]

Objective One: Cutthroat Politics
Location: 500 Republica, Ballroom
Tags: Adhira Chandra | Aerarii Tithe | Seto du Couteau | Annasari | Ashalin Pelagia

A million lights gathered in a single place could produce the brightest spot on an entire planet and yet out there are still people living in darkness.

"You majesty" Faith looked over at the Arkanian he had been talking with her since locating her here at the windows. He was trying to convince her his cause was just, "Even a world such as Alderaan could see the value having the ability to produce a needed resource." She half smiled at him, "A resource, you make it sound so clinical."

"it is everything produced in a single facility where there are no ties to break other than the ones they develop among themselves, and even then that produces instincts most beneficial for preservation."

Faith could feel her insides crawling. "So you give them sentience, breath, purpose....ability speak and think....while you.....program their.....thoughts. What powerful Gods you must worship." She wanted to say to him what Gods do they think they are. But the comment would be lost on him.

"Is this how you will address the Senate? Are you seeking to.....be" allowed? chosen? "resume your resource business?"

He nodded to her his eyes cast to the floor, "you disagree your Majesty."

"I do. How is it you think that when you grant life you have the right to say to them you've been sold, you'll go here and die for these people if need be? How do you say to them you've no rights other than what I grant you. That makes you nothing more than slavers"

"What would you prefer 100,000 Alderaani die or 100,000 beings you've no attachment to?

She was going to be sick.

 

[Arash Garshasp]

Arash Garshasp, Stellar Centurion
Location: Ice Tundra's of Arkania
Objective Three: We Require more Vespene Gas
Action: Begin the Hunt for the Arkanian Dragon

Spoiler: Equipment

VDS-02 “Bulwark” - Pattern Military Mobility Shield
VCS-01 “Aspis” Pattern Combat Shield
VW-03 Mk II “Apollo” - Pattern Solarized Disruptor Pistol
TTH/TPV-001 “Xiphos” - Pattern Plasmatic Vibrosword
VCP-01 "Hoplon" - Pattern Combat Powersuit
TTH/SIR-001c "Helius" - Pattern Battle Rifle

Interactions: Open

The winds were slowly picking up, and the snow itself fell on Arash’s warm cheeks as he quickly moved deeper into the first cavern. The tops of the caverns were cracked and broken, the ice formed into large dagger structures, as Arash moved deeper the light and snow lessened tremendously and soon only the wind maintained a steady current. Adjusting to the dimness of the cavern floor, Arash relied on the light refractions from all the ice that formed around him. He doubted the Arkanian Dragons worried much of dark places, he even wondered if they preferred the much darker and deeper caverns of the ice tundras of Arkania.

Arash tightened the scarf around his mouth, he was hoping to keep himself from breathing too much of the cold air for the moment. The area was far below freezing and as he tread carefully deeper into the cavern, the temperature only seemed to get lower and lower. Maybe this is how they avoided hunters, trappers and poachers, let them freeze themselves to death out here.

The young Thyrsian gave a short laugh, his teeth chattered for a brief moment before Arash steeled himself. He badly missed the suns and warm sands from his homeworld, as strange as it may be, Arash often found himself constricted within his armour. The Sun Forges produced the greatest armoured suit for their Sun Guards, flexible and powerful, but for someone like Arash he yearned for the wind to kiss his skin as he danced in open air.

As another gust of frigid wind blew past him, he figured that perhaps he’ll keep his armour on for the meantime.

The cavern continued to break in more paths, the creaveses up above allowed for minimal light to bounce off the ice and frosted rocks around him. Arash was following a frozen river path, Not entirely frozen, the water is rushing below the ice. He wondered how an Arkanian Dragon could hide themselves and even shake off hunters, and Arash figured that perhaps they could manage beneath the frozen waters or somewhere just as inhospitable for even the most durable of hunters.

Keeping himself careful from stepping on the frozen river, Arash moved with a bit more speed, not wanting to stay too long out in the nearly unbearable cold. Speed was important, but he couldn’t compromise himself by having the Dragon become aware that it’s being tracked. It was a careful balance of being careful and quietly moving, and moving quick enough to not freeze being out in the frozen wastelands of Arkania.

His bright ruby eyes scanned the broken rocks and frozen river ahead of him and he pushed on ahead.
​

|| Suri Vullen | Aaris Kolden ||

 

[Tom Kovack]

Objective 2: Garden of the Gods
Gear: None

Tom came to in a room that was painfully well-lit. Shielding his eyes against the brightness with his hand, he realized that his armor and stun pistol had both been taken from him while he slept. He was currently lying on a cool metal surface in only his underwear. Man, Starlin was going to kill him for losing that vintage Bastion environmental suit… he’d at least try to get it back before he got the hell out of here. After all, he’d need it in the snow.

Movement to his left prompted him to close his eyes and lay still, pretending he was still out cold. Voice spoke nearby.

“Have you finished packing?” An older female voice asked.

“Yes,” a male voice replied. "Everything has been loaded up. All except for this one."

“I still say we don’t need him. He’ll just complicate matters.”

“Hm.” There was a sound like a bag being dragged across a flat surface. “You know me. I can’t resist an exotic test subject.”

“You aren’t taking me anywhere,” Tom said suddenly. Slowly sitting upright, he met the startled gazes of two Arkanian scientists. To his surprise, the mind trick seemed to have worked. Not wanting to lose control, he kept going. “You want to tell me why you brought me here.”

“You were nosy,” the man replied, his expression dazed. “You should have stayed with the rest of your kind instead of prying.”

“We disarmed you so you couldn’t attack us,” the woman added. “Scanned you for hidden weapons. That’s when we saw what you really were. It isn’t every day that a species as rare as yours falls right into our laps like that.”

Tom clenched his teeth. He didn’t think he could pull off completely erasing their memories of this encounter, but he could try to alter them. “The scanners were wrong. I’m only Human.”

“You’re only Human,” the man repeated.

“You have no use for me.”

“We have no use for you.”

“You want to let me go,” Tom whispered. “To avoid any trouble with the Jedi.”

But Tom didn’t believe the Jedi would care if he was captured or killed. After all, the others didn’t even know he was here.

The spell broke. With a snarl, the woman reached for a blaster at her hip. Tom barely managed to roll off the table in time before a bolt burned through the space where he had been sitting, leaving scorch marks and the smell of burning carbon in its wake.

 

[Aerarii Tithe]

LOCATION: 500 Republica Ballroom, Coruscant
OBJECTIVE: Objective I - Cutthroat Politics
ALLIES: Adhira Chandra | Dorsk 156 | Seto du Couteau | Ashalin Pelagia | Annasari | Maou | Faith Organa | Alliance Senators

“…we very much look forward to visiting the new theatre when it opens.”

Tithe nodded as he took a sip from his glass. Another representative of an Arkanian bio-med company had managed to corner him with an offer in exchange for his vote on the upcoming cloning bill, this time to donate to the planned expansion of the Aargauun opera complex in New Escrow. It was a political win for Tithe - the well-connected arts lovers and opera board would long remember him as the Senator who had secured the much-needed credits they needed to refurbish the aging theatre.

“As for your election campaign, I believe a sum of 27 million will…”

“Let’s, ah, table that discussion for another time,” the Vice Chancellor interjected. Elections on Aargau were notoriously expensive in light of the planet’s place as a nexus of Alliance commerce. The credits were much needed for the upcoming election, but such matters were better discussed away from prying ears. “My associates will contact you in the morrow.”

He was saved from further incrimination by a surprisingly intoxicated Adhira. After mocking him in front of a group of Arkanians she excused herself and guided him toward a waiter from whom she grabbed another drink.

“Well, I’ve been meeting the lovely folks from the Institute. I must say, the work they do is very intriguing,” he explained in response to her inquiry. “And the medical droids have given the ol’ ticker the all-clear.” He had attempted - unsuccessfully it seemed - to explain away his panic attack on Tiss’sharl as a cardiac episode, which was somehow more socially acceptable than having a breakdown. The ever perceptive Chancellor had clearly seen straight through his subterfuge.

The newly-elected Senator from Khomm approached the pair and introduced himself to Adhira. “Now, this couldn’t possibly be the Honourable Member for Khomm,” Tithe exclaimed, bowing his head in greeting. “My, you’re a spitting image on Dorsk 153!” The Vice Chancellor made a bizarre, almost inhuman noise in response to his own joke.

He grabbed another round of drinks from a passing droid and offered them to Adhere and Dorsk. “A toast! Yes, to, ah, the wonders of medical science!”

 

[Westenra Mina]

Wearing: Business Wear

Armed with: Stunning Looks, Ring with Tranquilizer Poison

Current Configuration: Lorna (See Bio)

Objective: BYOO (Jedi Psychotherapy)


Lorna's Condo, Coruscant.


"There's no need to be nervous, of course..." Lorna assured the Jedi Knight, a Mirialan man with straight cut black hair and green eyes in blue robes as he rested on a long sofa, across from the beautiful, incredibly curvy woman with bronze skin, chocolate hair, and a black business suit. She wore glasses, even though she didn't actually need them. It made people trust that she knew what she was doing.

"Talking about your trauma at all is a major first step to begin the healing process..." the Westenra Copy configured as Doctor Lorna Prynce said softly, doing her best to put him at ease. The Jedi had come in, seeking ways to deal with his trauma at what had happened at Ziost, when Takui had unleashed something evil from that box thing. He hadn't told her what had happened, but it was bad. She could tell. She had heard the stories from other Westenra copies...

"I'm sorry its just...this isn't easy for me. Jedi are taught to let go of strong emotions. To let go of pain. But in my case...it isn't working. All my peers tell me to do is go meditate, take a break...but I know that won't help...I have nightmares all the time now. About Ziost. About Korriban..."

"Did you fight at Dantooine?" Lorna Prynce asked.

"My brother did...he...he died at the hands of The Black Knight, Laertia Io. She decapitated him...he went quick...I guess..."

The Westenra Copy went still. It was one thing to hear of her Sister's acts. It was another to encounter a recipient of them.

"It is obviously much more than these battles that troubles you. May I ask how you dealt with your brother's death?" Lorna inquired.

"I...I was taught to accept that there is no death. There is only The Force."

"I was not asking what you were taught. I am asking how you dealt with it. Did you grieve?"

The Mirialan gain a disturbed look to his features.

"I...I'm not sure if I did...I felt...pain but...also...a disconnect...like part of me was numb...like something had been severed."

"It sounds like you had a very strong connection." Lorna observed. "Was he a Jedi, like you?"

"Yes...he lasted about thirty seconds longer than most did. But she still cut him down..."

Lorna was very silent at this for a moment before continuing.

"Go on..." she said. Forcing herself to listen. To Empathize, in spite of the pain it was causing her to know her Sister was partly responsible for why this individual suffered...

The Mirialan began to talk, and as he did, for the first time, a Westenra copy began to have its faith in Laertia shaken...

Little did either know that has they spoke, a team of gunmen were slowly heading up the steps, armed with silenced slugthrowers...

 

[Auteme]

Aeris Lashiec Dagon Kaze Vexander Graves Tom Kovack Okkeus Dainlei Bastard Sola Sundar
​

She screamed. Loud, high-pitched, ringing out into the otherwise silent praxeum.

What was she going to do, not freak out when a guy materialized out of thin air in front of her? She'd very nearly jumped high enough to hit her head against the ceiling. The Force had taken her reaction as a kind of fight-or-flight response (she'd very much chosen flight) and gave her legs enough strength to jump a solid meter and a half in the air.

She landed and stumbled a bit, managing to catch herself on the doorframe and one of the other Jedi; she didn't stay still long enough to know which one. Staying afraid when she hadn't needed to felt embarrassing. "S-sorry, could- I just- I have no idea who you are, so if you'd please- don't do that again."

Still, now that she could feel his presence, she couldn't find any deception there. If he were a secret Sith he probably would've tried to kill them instead. She took a deep breath to calm herself down.

"Sorry. Anyways, ah, the praxeum's pretty small," she said to the New Jedi with her, "So feel free to explore on your own; call out if you need help or find something. I'm going to go over to the courtyard, I read that there's some really interesting artwork on the walls."

She hoped that it hadn't faded with the years.

Her gaze went to the Shadow. "Um, you can- I mean, not like you need my permission. Just- don't sneak up on me please. Please. Thank you."

She marched stiffly down the hall, looking for the exit that would lead to the courtyard.

 

[Ripley Kühn]

O B J E C T I V E II
Bernard ​

Her eyes squinted as the two moved through the near darkness. Pistol in one hand, lightsaber hilt in the other, the zeltron followed Bernard's lead as the marshal led the way. The stark walls and smell of disinfectants made her skin crawl. Suddenly, she felt something else that made the hair on her arms stand straight. A flash appeared before her eyes. Bernard and Ripley were racing through the facility as alarms blared.

She wasted no time, her hand with the saber reaching out to grab Bernard's collar whilst juggling the weapon. She pulled back, around the corner from whence they had just came. Moments later, footsteps came from a hall to the left. Cobalt eyes stared at the Arkanian until the noise receded once more. Ripley let out a small sigh of relief.

"Yikes, that coulda been bad." She whispered. "We must be getting close."

She nodded, mostly steadying herself.

"Ready when you are."

 

[Aeris Lashiec]

Auteme // Dagon Kaze // Okkeus Dainlei // @everyone else, Jesus there is a lot of you.

Whether there was a dark presence in this place or not mattered little. Aeris remained where she stood. The trepidation in some of the others simply did not get to her. She was here because the force called, and because Auteme had asked her to. She trusted her friend’s judgment, but more than that she trusted the force not to fail her now. Strangers came out to their call.

A disembodied voice claimed the place to be haunted before a man materialized before them. Auteme shrieked, and while Aeris twitched for a second she quickly found her center again and gave her fellow Jedi a bemused glance.

“Good to meet you, Okkeus.” Aeris gave the man a handshake and then turned back to the entrance. “I’ll be investigating the courtyard alongside Knight Auteme. We’d welcome anyone else interested in these art pieces.” She glanced back at the rest of the group. “If anyone is interested in the art of preservation and archival, I’d be happy to help.”

She glanced at Dagon and the others that might have reached for their sabers.

“And remember, regardless of where you go in here the force is with you. As long as you trust it to preserve you, it will. Hands off your hilts unless you truly intend to use it.”

 

[Suri Vullen]

H U N T
Aaris Kolden | Arash Garshasp ​

Snow built up around her boots as the two walked. Up to mid-calf, it would have been a hell of a storm to get stuck in should they get lost today. Suri glanced back, looking at the fading tents, making note of direction. Her gaze turned back toward the commando as he began to speak. She chuckled, a hearty sound.

"Yeah, Rangers. Been with the army since I was old enough to enlist. You know, wasn't the Alliance back then, but same spirit. Then one day they decided I was good enough, scored high on some tests, and they assigned me to SpecOps. That was five years ago."

She shrugged as she thought on the memories. It seemed so long, but it wasn't, in the grand scheme of things.

"Someone once asked if I wish I lived a normal life." Suri shook her head, still dumbfounded. "I had to explain to them it is normal, for me. Living behind enemy lines, fighting for what's right. I've never been one to live on my knees and let other folks take the fight for me. I wouldn't know how."

A moment of silence fell over the pair as she searched for words to fill the void.

"So marines, huh? Can't say I've met too many good ones. You mentioned you're a free agent though, right?"

 

[Bastard]

"What of you, father? Are you ashamed of your blood?"

---

---

Tags: Sola Sundar ​

Sola's pursuit brought a smile to Errant's normally stoic face. He had hoped she'd follow him. Maybe it stemmed from the obvious disparity in power between her and the Jedi not far behind her, but something about the woman caught his attention. Perhaps he could make something of the encounter. Given her distinct lack of presence in the light, the Imperial Knight assumed she came from somewhere else, somewhere different. What did that mean for her loyalties? The New Jedi Order wasn't a trusting bunch. It was unlikely they'd allow an unknown variable to walk amongst them.

He would press her, that was certain. Errant owed it to the New Jedi to at least keep an eye on the stranger. Better they are prepared for betrayal than caught off guard.

Having decided on his course of action, the Knight masked his intent within the force. His mother's teachings had come in handy more often than not in his time in service to the New Empire. Spencer, a practiced mentalist, may have been the greatest force user at manipulating the mind of her time. Be it hers or her enemies. The echani had made a reputation for herself when it came to psychic warfare. Her son was no different. Skilled in both the blade and the force, Errant enjoyed plying his trade. This was just another opportunity.

A long hallway greeted the Albino, doors lining each side of the hall. This "praxeum," if it could even be called such, lacked much of what he expected from a Jedi temple. It was smaller than some homes. He couldn't help but notice the lack of anything interesting on the walls or within the rooms he passed. Looters must've cleaned the place out long before he'd arrived.

"Unfortunate," Errant muttered.

He paused at the end of the hall, arms crossed over his chest as he waited for Sola to appear. Once the alabaster beauty crested the stairs, he moved through the doorway into the final room.

Unlike the rest of the humble little temple, something caught the Knight's eye. What appeared to be a safe sat snug within the wall. A distinct lack of dust in the shape of a large rectangle around the space tipped off the echani to what must've been used to hide it. He chuckled and moved to inspect the lock. He brushed his fingers across the surface, wincing at the icy, durasteel surface, but he did not pull away. Ever since Bastion, a chilled touch brought him comfort. It helped dull the fiery pain that still plagued his mind.

 

[Annasari]

OBJ I
SENATOR OF JAKKU | MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Maou
​

Annasari's eyes flickered to look for the source of the voice. The senator was easy to recognize with the bright markings that adorned his face. She worked to put a smile on, nodding to him as way of greeting.

"Couldn't miss a party." Her voice had an edge to it when she spoke. "Especially not one as flamboyant as this. I would have just died if I had read about the fun in the tabloids and not partaken."

She gestured to the chair across from her, inviting him to sit. Though she couldn't say she was a fan after their initial meeting, information available to the public only told you so much. It was better to know a potential enemy- or ally- in the flesh.

"It is nice to see you again, under better circumstances, where we are equals." The words were taunting, but the cheerful expression remained plastered on her face. [/ustify]
​

 

[Maou]

Annasari
​

"I wasn't aware Jakku even had holonet access to see the tabloids," he quipped before sitting down. He didn't mean anything by it, just a friendly jab, but it carried the general sentiment of many Core World politicians and probably did him no favors. He gave the thought a mental shrug and waved a waiter over to order himself a drink.

It was rather inconvenient that Jakku had managed to eek by into the Federal Assembly. Only mildly so however, as the freshmen leaders of Jakku and their senator's efforts to impart on the Alliance the importance of re-using scrap and as a result provided a very cheap source of materials for shipyards throughout the Core Worlds, including those of Centerpoint Shipyards. He had to be grateful for that at least.

Still, his eyes narrowed from behind his mask. What was she playing at?

"Yes," he said measuredly, "Equals." She could think that all she wanted. "I hear the mines you all reopened have been doing well. I've seen the names Steadfast and Niima Outpost cross my desk more and more lately. Good work." Movement to his left caught his eye and he noticed the waiter standing patiently. The lad had good training, probably good breeding too known the Arkanians, because he didn't even flinch when both Kaito and his droid turned his way simultaneously casting their attention to him.

"What would you like sir?"

"I'll take the Arkanian vintage."

"Of course, right away sir."

"I find the Arkanians so fascinating," he started. "All this technology and cloning ability yet they restain themselves. They could have conquered the stars with their clone armies. I've heard their clone masters are more creative than Sith beast makers and alchemists. Imagine the horrors they could unleash on us all...Yet they remain here, isolated in their frigid paradise. And now we have interrupted that peace."

 

[Xashe Tistya]

F R I E N D S H I P
Tags: Takui ​

Xashe's gaze softened as he fell over. Everything that had happened obviously took it's toll on him. She could feel the darkness peeking through him, a stain upon his otherwise pure soul. The pleading words were laced with a shame he didn't deserve to bear. The mirialan was spurred forward by them. She moved to his side, her flickering form kneeling beside him. Her hand touched his shoulder. Allowin the force around her to flow through her freely, it's peaceful energy began to combat the padawan's turbulence.

"You will get better." Her voice was quieter than before. "I know your spirit. You're not a bad person, and if you want to improve, you will."

Her probing gaze looked to his face, casting it to memory.

"If you can't go back because of the war, I think I get that. Maybe you should think about the Jakku Enclave? They're not involved, and they can probably help you get there faster."

She sighed, shaking her head. It was all wrong. She, too, had been initially opposed to the war. Every announcement of Jedi deployment had left her wondering if it was the right thing. Yet, in this moment, she was beginning to understand. The darkside and the sith had helped lead to the shattering of a a soul- one that she cared for. With every act of evil they had committed, witnessing the effects of them on Takui's psyche shed new light on it. It made it all real.

"Do what you need to do, Takui, but please don't put this all on yourself. You don't have to be alone to make it right, to make sure it doesn't happen again. And if you feel you do, well... come back home after, okay?"

 

[Aaris Kolden]

OBJECTIVE THREE: HUNT
Tags: Suri Vullen Arash Garshasp

Their feet crunched through the snow as they walked laboriously across the landscape, Aaris taking in everything the young ranger said. As she talked about how people thought that her occupation wasn't considered a normal life, Aaris shook his head silently, processing what she had said.

Normal.

If there was a normal to be found outside of war, he had never even tasted it. It was a stranger to him. He nodded as she shared about her desire to fight for what's right... mostly because he knew that was the appropriate response. Although the Commando shared the same sentiment towards their occupations and believed they were fighting for a worthy cause, at the core, his drive was a little more... simple. He thrived in confrontation... It made him feel like he was alive, like he was fulfilling some kind of deeper purpose or calling. Of coarse he believed wholeheartedly in the Alliance, and he would give his life for his comrades and for the betterment of the galaxy...

But every moment of his life had been defined by war... after war... after war... for decades. He had fought for many different governments throughout the years... all of them different variations of what was now called the Alliance. It was literally all he knew... and all he had ever known.

And as they trudged through the snow in these frozen wastelands, he had complete clarity as to why he wsa here on this planet...

To kill a worthy opponent.

Suddenly the silence was broken again by her question to him about being in the marines. He looked over towards her as they walked,

"Sorry to hear that..." He said related to her having a bad taste in her mouth from the marines as they reached the frozen river. He stepped over to the edge and kneeled down, pulling out his canteen and opening the top.

"I actually started in the army... many years ago now." He slammed his armored fist straight through the ice, making a hole which revealed the flowing water underneath. "Well... at least I think thats where I started..." He reached the canteen down into the stream, filling it up with ice-cold water. "My earliest memory was waking up as a soldier in the middle of a war zone... didn't remember anything before that point... who I was... who I was even fighting for... nothing." He screwed the top back on and hooked it back onto his belt. "But yeah... I've been in the army... marines... special ops units of every kind, really... never been a ranger though."

He looked up at her, "But yeah... I was recently transferred over to this region of space when my commando unit was wiped out during an op... I was the only one who survived." He motioned to her with his hand that he would top off her canteen as well if she needed to. "So yeah... I'm pretty much a free agent for now... until someone higher up figures out what to do with me."

He let out a hearty laugh that seemed to trail off.

 

[Adhira Chandra]

LOCATION: 500 Republica Ballroom, Coruscant
OBJECTIVE: Objective I - Cutthroat Politics
ALLIES: Aerarii Tithe l Dorsk 156

"Well, whatever the Chanellry Medic Droids did," she took a moment, perhaps a moment too long to appraise the man with her dark brown eyes before reaching her arm with his, "It is definitely working." Adhira let out a sound that sounded like a mixture between a hiccup and laugh as she let Tithe lead her through the crowd of elbow-rubbing clone-lovers. The Chancellor was not visibly intoxicated. She did not stumble or slur her words. To the untrained eye, drink after drink, she was simply becoming more friendly. It would take her friendly side to politely tell the cloners to stick their formulas where the sun doesn't shine.​

Aerarii Tithe was there for that bit.​

When the new Senator from Khomm approached her, she plodded the glass of alcohol on the nearest tray and received him gladly. "Senator Dorsk 156," she nodded reverently to the newly elected member of the Senate. A clone himself, he likely had strong feelings about the situation. "I trust that Coruscant has been most accomodating to you thus far, your voice on the matter of cloning will be invaluable," she continued, clasping her ruby jeweled hands together the way she did when she was assessing someone's response.​

Her face melted into horror at the sudden joke of her deputy and she waited for a moment, letting the awkward uncertainty fill the silence before joining him in an uncomfortable laugh. Adhira took the opportunity to accept another drink and nodded along sheepishly. "Yes... Medical science... He's a big fan you know," she said to Senator Dorsk 156, elbowing Tithe hard.​

 

[Tom Kovack]

Objective 2: Garden of the Gods
Gear: None

Tom was not much good when it came to offensive Force abilities. He could read a mind here or there, sense danger before it arrived, and he was starting to have visions, but that was about it. He darted out of the way of the Arkanian woman’s blaster fire, his hand reaching for a utility belt that had been removed and weapons he no longer had access to.

So he did the next best thing and charged at her.

He collided with the woman, knocking her on her back. She slammed the butt of her blaster into his face, crying out in horror when instead of flesh and bone, the weapon met something soft and spongy.

Her companion fired his weapon, forcing Tom to duck. He grimaced, blood as black as ink gushing from his nose as he tried to wrestle the gun from the woman’s hands. One of the blaster bolts struck him in the shoulder. Finally, after slamming his elbow into her face, she released her hold on the blaster. He raised it toward the man, only for another bolt to clip his side. In agony, he pulled the trigger.

The man fell, his body smoldering from a wound in his chest. Tom screamed, not so much in pain as in anger. He had not wanted to kill him. He had not wanted to kill anyone.

Rising to his feet, he switched the blaster to stun and trained it on the woman. “Are there others?” he demanded, trembling.

“The rest will have escaped by now,” she sputtered, her face bloody and bruised. “We were the last ones out.”

“What about Taranis Kuhl? Was he among you?”

Rather than answering, she muttered, “You came here to punish us, but you found only ghosts.”

“I found you,” Tom snapped. “And him.”

“Yes—the scientists’ assistants on the lowest rungs of the hierarchy,” she sneered. “We weren’t even involved in most of the experiments here. Our clearance was for only the first couple of levels. But at least we were part of something. You’re such a lousy Jedi, your own kindred won’t even come to rescue you. Is it because you have no talent, or is it because you cringe so at the idea of killing?”

“Shut up,” Tom hissed.

She spat at him, the saliva tinged red. “You’re nothing but a pretender.”

He fired a stun bolt, knocking her out, then searched the room for his pilfered gear. The Bastion environmental armor he had borrowed from Starlin lay abandoned in a corner, along with his stun pistol. He pulled on the armor, exchanged the weapons, mopped up the incriminating black blood drying on his lips and chin, then ran out, determined to leave this place in one piece. His wounds hindered him, but he refused to submit to an examination from anyone he didn't know, and he was a stranger here.

 

[Takui]

​

"...I'm putting a lot of faith in everyone," he said finally, in earnest. "The truth is, anything I do, I can only do for myself. I know that I've done wrong, but the example I'm trying to set can only go so far. The burden is on them to decide what they're doing is right or wrong," Taku turned to look at Xashe, who despite any distance he could feel no differently than if she were right next next him. The strange phenomenon had to have something to do with the events on Ziost, though if there was a connection, it was unclear to him.

"It's not that I'm looking to take the world on alone, more like, it's something only I can do," he managed a smile. "I don't know if that makes sense. I doubt it. But it's the best I've got."

The reality was that when it came to the Force, Taku was no better than a swaddled baby in its mother's arms. Coddled for so long, then trust headlong into war, they had almost expected him to do it alone from the beginning. Now, he didn't have that choice anymore.

Ahead of him, the road would be long; but now more than ever, there were people who had great expectations for him. Xashe wanted him back, the way things were, and somehow he could sympathize with that. Six short months separated the moment he'd joined the Jedi and the grizzled young veteran he'd become. It wasn't fair.

Life wasn't fair.

This was their reality, and he was content to make peace with it. "The Jedi have to learn to accept the world as it is, not as they would like it to be," he told her forthright. "And the best they can hope for is to ignite the desire for change in others. They've got their hearts set on actively starting fires, and a flame not cared for vigilantly burns things it shouldn't."

He exhaled sharply. "Ziost wasn't the first time," Taku reminded her, "and it likely won't be the last. But as long as there's hope, I'm happy that I have a chance to change directions. It didn't have to end the way it did."

More than aware of his mortality, on more than one occasion, he reflexively tensed up when his mind followed the logical path. On Byss, they called him a hero. On Ziost, he proved them wrong.

Now, what was he?

"When I come back, I might not be the same person," he closed. "But, I think, that wouldn't be a bad thing."

Xashe Tistya

 

[Westenra Mina]

Objective: BYOO (Jedi Psychotherapy, Thwart ambush)

Lorna listened as he talked more about his brother, and it became obvious just how much he missed him, and what Laertia's actions had done to devastate him.

She gained some insight into his psyche. "Master Jedi...if I might ask...do you feel that the death of your brother had any influence on your actions at these later battles?"

"They...they might have...damn that traitor...how can someone like that who claims she lost so much to the Sith fight us so willingly?"

"Io seems to be of deep conviction..." Lorna replied. "I suspect she was badly traumatized by Nar Kreeta. Everyone has their limits..."

"But to betray everything you know? You think it could happen to me?" He asked anxiously.

"Every one has their limits. You have them too. But like I said, you are trying to work through your issues by medical means. I'm honestly surprised more of you don't try it..."

Her advanced hearing sensors detected the footsteps of multiple people heading to her Condo.

The Jedi sensed danger and got up, his green Lightsaber activating...

They burst in through the front door downstairs and soon headed up the steps...

"Stay behind me..." the Jedi told her, going into a Soresu guard.

The thugs soon burst into the door pointing silenced pistols at them...

"Drop the saber Jedi...this has nothing to do with you...drop it and we will let you live..." one of them said...

"Buddy, you better hardcore AF if you're coming at a Jedi with just a slugthrower..." The Jedi warned. "Put the weapon down before you do something we both regret..."

Lorna, not wanting to see anyone die or be hurt, decided to try and intercede...

"Please..." she said gently, activating military grade pheremones in her body. She could tell they were scared. They clearly hadn't expected a Jedi to be here. Jedi NEVER went to therapy. "There's no need for violence...I'm sure you don't want to hurt anyone..."

The thugs and even the Jedi slowly started to be affected...heavily. They swooned a little.

"That's it..." Lorna whispered softly, pink eyes glittering...no need for violence...put down those nasty, awful slugthrowers...

(Sinister Latin Chanting)

She got closer to one, pheremones at the highest setting possible in this form. They filled the air, saturated her flesh.

"Put those nasty guns down..." she whispered softly, fixing a pleasant smile to her face...

One of the thugs who had suffered Brain Damage during an escape from a planet being invaded by The Bryn'adul, managed to fight off the effects of the Pheremones just long enough to shoot her in the face. Lorna tumbled backward, and the Jedi, forced out of his stupor due to shock, gave an angry roar, and attacked them, hacking off limbs and splitting weapons in two, but not taking their lives. They passed out from shock at the horrific injuries inflicted.

Finally, he looked dosn at all the people he hurt and started hyperventilating, dropping his saber in horror and surprise as he remembered Ziost...the horrors at Ziost...

His night was just starting however as he was siezed from behind...

Lorna, a massive cavity in her head from the gunshot, leaking glowing red blood and brain matter, was not dead.

"My sincerest apologies..." The Android Vampire assured, sinking fangs into the screaming, surprised Jedi and drinking his psychic energy non-lethally, speeding up her recovery process as her flesh bubbled and warped disgustingly...

When he was out, unconscious, Lorna began to freak because she knew someone had heard all this downstairs in the other condos...she had to think fast...