Beware the Crystals of Blood

[Ultimatum]

"The original exit for this cave level is supposed to be in one of the smaller branches of this cave. I mean one of the areas that they followed the vein out to its edge rather than mining in the middle." He left out the fact that the information was a good year old, he couldn't get anything newer as their systems were fairly secure. He probably could have broken through, but he would have to have spent more time and processing power to crack the computers.

Ultimatum began walking, finding it easier to walk away that towards the crystals, it meant that the job was almost over. It had fallen very far from his initial plan, having the complication of others had been both interesting, almost joyful in one case, and painful in some others. The overall result was mostly positive, if they succeeded in eluding the personnel above. It would hopefully be worth the trouble, these crystals that is. He had not spent much to get this far, power was near infinite, funds were inconsequential, and transportation was easy enough to obtain through the other two. The company was nice, at least one of them, the rest were less so, however it was now in the past. All he had to do was get out with the crystals and [member="Zreame Ithrac Zeibitha"].

As Ultimatum led the way he noticed that Zreame was tiring out, an effect he had read of about organics. Most of his experience with them had been during their most wakeful state so this would be the first time he had actually been able to see a worn out organic. It didn't seem that impressive, it appeared little more than a lack of energy like a droid running low on power. He documented the information for later study, deciding that he would have to correlate that information with others that he found on the HoloNet, which would hopefully give him more insight into the organic as a being. He could then connect their physical weariness with their emotional or mental state and figure out ways to use that in the future, whether against organics or for Ultimatum could not tell.

He tried to add compassion to his statement, an emotion that he had yet to use and wasn't certain if he was doing right, "We're almost there."

[member="Sawa Ike"]

 

[Zreame Ithrac Zeibitha]

Zreame's steps began growing less and less apart until she held one hand against her forehead and yawned again. That creepy woman that had somehow intrigued Zreame seemed to also have made her lose her focus on keeping herself awake. Taking out a small flask she took a large swig as she then moved up to [member="Ultimatum"] batting away any thoughts of [member="Sawa Ike"] or what she had done to her. When ultimatum spoke to her, she gave him a tired smile. "Too bad we don't have a hover chair." She then said jokingly as she walked after him. 'I can't help but envy droids for that uncanny abilite to be able to function for day's on end.' She thought as her tail dragged after her, leaving a trail in the dirt after her as she followed her more trusty companion, at least he was more trusty than she could be at the moment.

 

[Sawa Ike]

[member="Zreame Ithrac Zeibitha"] [member="Ultimatum"]

Sawa continued as she held her pouch and was touching the rocks. The surface of it singing to her while she listening speaking into it as Imura had shown her. The earth shaper had shown her how to make constructs and speak over distances.... She couldn't do that but she could listen and hear the vibration a large robot and woman made in the stone. Her eyes gleamed with a silver glow as she pulled at the stone with shaping and she slowly crawled through the earth following it. That heavy footfall before coming up and running a finger along the ground. A drag mark, footsteps and it tasted like something new as she spoke. Low and husky with her hands finding grips on the sides as she stalked crawling and letting the low light reflect off her eyes. "Run and catch... run and catch... the little girl is caught in the blackberry patch..." She was saying it low and to find the girl, the acolyte she couldn't smell in the caves anymore and the padawan was well.... he smelled of grease and fattening foods.

 

[Ultimatum]

Ultimatum laughed at her comment, not a real laugh, he had never been programmed for that specific vocal capability, instead it was a metallic sound that wasn't quite as pleasing to the ear. He held it for a moment, trying to regain control of the humor and stop laughing. This had been the first time he had ever laughed, the first time he had felt the emotion of full humor. It was an intriguing sensation, the need to let it get out and the inability to hold it in properly.

"Being a droid isn't all that great. So many more sensations that you organics can feel that we artificials will never truly understand." Ultimatum replied, keeping the thoughtfulness and sadness out of the statement. He had decided awhile ago, while still under the command of his original master and creator in fact, that while organics were normally inferior to artificials, they experienced so many things that he wished that he could experience. He wanted to understand organics, know how they thought and felt, to comprehend their mental processes and emotional tracts. It was impossible, yet he wanted to much to be an organic. Not forever, no he was fine as an artificial however he wanted to experience an existence as an organic so that he could relate to them beyond the simple droid to human understanding.

Ultimatum walked with these thoughts moving about, they were banging around and leaving what felt like devastation behind. He had heard of what organics had called emotional breakdowns, he wondered if it were possible for a droid to have that happen. He didn't think so, but then he wasn't a normal droid. He had been given feelings, patterned after an organic, the feelings weren't real, they were a cardboard copy of the tapestry that made that man's mind what it was. To truly understand feelings he would have to create his own, learn how they did it and change it, make it unique to Ultimatum.

Within a minute they had reached the elevator that looked deceivingly dilapidated and unsafe. This layer of the mine was not incredibly new, however the elevator used for an alternate exit had remained in the same area as when the mine had been started. The elevator itself had been kept updated safety equipment wise, however aesthetically it did not need to be taken care of because it would likely never require consistent use. Ultimatum opened the door, it was an older model that did not operate on automatic sensors but instead was to slide open and then be closed behind the occupant. He motioned for Zreame to go ahead into the elevator, he had found on the HoloNet that it was a polite thing to do. Considering the circumstances, with that other organic still following them if his sensors were anything to go by, it was also probably safer for her in the elevator.

[member="Sawa Ike"] [member="Zreame Ithrac Zeibitha"]

 

[Kha'ro Ottosuki]

Kha'ro stands and sighs, "The jedi way of peace stops me from fighting my way out."

 

[Zreame Ithrac Zeibitha]

Zreame walked into the elevator as they came upon the elevator. When [member="Ultimatum"] gestured for her to enter ahead of him and leaned against the wall. "I hope that creepy sith hasn't followed us here..." She half whispered to herself thinking of [member="Sawa Ike"]as she looked up the shaft and wondered if this old elevator was actually safe to use. "Once we are out on top, we can call the speeder and get out of here with my ship." She then said as she fought to hold herself awake as she then pulled out her comlink. "Here press the blue button at the edge of the screen to call my speeder to us." She then said as her expression showed she was making sure to have a back up plan should she be unable to hold herself awake.

 

[Ultimatum]

"Alright, I'll be sure to do that if necessary." Ultimatum responded as he stepped into the elevator. The elevator had no floor buttons, instead a simple switch was at easy hand reach, though a little lower than expected. It, the elevator, had not been built with the mentality of stopping on the way up, if a cave in occurred it was likely to only happen in one system and the majority of the higher up ones were not used anymore anyways. At least that was the assumption that Ultimatum came to, based on his earlier thoughts. Whether correct or not was not too important, after all with a lever instead of buttons it was unlikely that the lift would stop at the other floors anyways.

He pulled the door shut and then quickly pulled the lever up. The lift made an angry creaking sound, probably due to the fact that it hadn't been used in a long while if ever. Ultimatum's weight was probably another factor, while the lift had most likely been made to lift many men crammed on it the weight of the droid was considerable. It didn't slow the ascent, which seemed to be nice enough. It hadn't been made to move especially fast, however it had been made to get its occupants out of a potentially lethal zone. The lift interior was less than could be desired, clean of mildew and mold, but the metal had turned from a clean silver to an off yellow from aging. There was some grime in the corners and the ceiling was way out of date, still functional but not as bright.

"Well, looks like we can tell where they saved all their money." Ultimatum said jokingly. This was the worst lift he had ever seen, having never been to Nar Shadda, lower Coruscant, or other such questionable neighborhoods.

[member="Zreame Ithrac Zeibitha"] [member="Sawa Ike"]

 

[Zreame Ithrac Zeibitha]

Zreame smirked a little at him. "You haven't been to many heavily populated worlds have you?" She said as she sat in one of the corners and leaned her head back against the wall. Her tail coiled around her legs as she then looked up at [member="Ultimatum"]. 'Too bad he isn't an organic.' She thought as she smiled a little to herself and then seemed to half drift off to sleep, though her eyelids fought to stay open but it was a short and loosing battle.

[member="Sawa Ike"]

 

[Sawa Ike]

[member="Zreame Ithrac Zeibitha"] [member="Ultimatum"]

[[you guys are fun]]

Sawa stopped at the lift as she followed the drag of the woman's tail and she was scenting the air. The lift going slower then she was expecting while the sound was there, grinding and echoing in the silent mines. The energy vampire looked up while she jumped shaping the earth around her to climb up through it and she was going up high. Keeping pace and her energy focused while she didn't need to speak but was watching when she came out towards the lift door while she remained crouched and prone on the ground. Her small pouch on her belt near her combat blade and blaster.

 

[Ultimatum]

Ultimatum smiled, "Yes." He hadn't been to many worlds, the one worse than this had been a world decimated by the Rakghoul plague and therefore had been much worse than anything to be expected on most worlds. He had much to see, and he looked forward to it. He had read and seen images of entire worlds covered by cities, planets with no dry land, and completely desolate lands with not a single soul, artificial or organic, to be met. It was truly a magnificent galaxy, and he wanted to see it all.

He pulled the door open as the elevator completed its upward ascent. The lift made some last groaning noises as Ultimatum stepped out. He was immediately aware of the Sith in front of him and he made sure to bar the entrance. The entrance was covered and Ultimatum did not plan on moving. "Hello again. What do you want." He slid the door shut behind him, trying very hard not to lash out. He felt that this Sith was not trustworthy.

[member="Sawa Ike"] [member="Zreame Ithrac Zeibitha"]

 

[Kha'ro Ottosuki]

Kha'ro waited, he would leave another time, he decided to meditate, learn more about the force. He would wait for the others to be gone.

@Ultimatum @Sawa Ike [member="Zreame Ithrac Zeibitha"]

 

[Zreame Ithrac Zeibitha]

Zreame woke up when [member="Ultimatum"] closed the door to the elevator and it's closing slam rung a little in the elevator. With a rub on one side of her face she slowly got up, or rather slid up the wall, and let out a slight groan. "Whaz...what's going on?" She mumbled as she walked a little forwards and leaned against the door as she then fought a yawn braking out and then knocked on the door a little. "Hello? [member="Ultimatum"] what's going on?" Her tone was one of concern and a small hint of unnerving fear, since she had no idea what was going on on the other side of the door.

[member="Sawa Ike"]

 

[Sawa Ike]

[member="Zreame Ithrac Zeibitha"] [member="Kha'ro"] [member="Ultimatum"]

Sawa looked at the robot as he was standing there in the lift and she moved forward... seeing a reaction of him closing it. Whether from a sense of fear at her or just instinct.... did robots have instincts... Well aside from don't make the can opener angry. She would have to think on that and sidled up to the door inhaling while she spoke. "Pretty girl.... come out and play." She tapped her fingers against the metal for a moment while backing away. "If you had asked I could have given you stairs to the surface. A metal coffin is so unreliable and confining... With all of its safety hazards and what not." There was a grin appearing on her face while she stepped and crouched.

 

[Ultimatum]

Ultimatum had hoped that the Sith would prove a little more thoughtful. So far since their departure she had shown no signs of friendly intent, her current statements were furthering his assumptions about her. He spoke coldly, "I will say this only once, please step away. You can talk to her, if you comply." He had the feeling that she was wanting the girl, especially after having no interest whatsoever in Ultimatum yet was following them. Her offer of stairs made him assume she meant through the Force, as the schematics had stated nowhere that the company had taken the time to mine a stair way.

He didn't respond to Zreame, he had all his attention now on the Sith. He had tuned out all other possible threats and his processors were working on about every possibility in regards to the Sith's possible actions. He didn't trust her, mostly because she had only given one reason to be trustworthy and that was that she was sensible. He hoped that she would continue to be sensible, as her decision to follow them had not been quite as intelligent a move. She had proven herself at first meeting to be willing to talk instead of simply fight. Following that action up with a chase was not a way to continue on a good foot.

[member="Sawa Ike"] [member="Zreame Ithrac Zeibitha"]

 

[Zreame Ithrac Zeibitha]

Zreame got a shiver down her spine when she heard [member="Sawa Ike"]'s voice respond instead of [member="Ultimatum"]'s voice. 'No it can't be...can it?' She thought before speaking again in a tired tone. "[member="Ultimatum"] are you out there on the other side? please tell me I don't want to be alone in here with the sith outside..." She said a little pleadingly as she was so tired that she had to lean against the door just to stay up at this point, which didn't give her much hope in her chances if only the sith was on the other side of the metal doors in front of her.

 

[Sawa Ike]

[member="Zreame Ithrac Zeibitha"] [member="Ultimatum"]

Sawa was standing there and listened as she stalked back away just a bit with her eyes looking into the box before she was listening and speaking from her crouched position. "I can hear you dear one, that thump thump of your heart. The heaviness to your voice." She quickly and lightly clapped her hands to go with it while laughing just a little bit. "You act as if I am going to simply torture you. That would do nothing of interest and besides.... you are obviously not alligned with that jedi in the mines. He acts far to simple for my tastes." She held a small grin now on her face while she touched her fingers in the ground shifting the earth as she spread it. "You can come here or stay in there until the stars burn away. I can feed from the miners here for an eternity if I want to."

 

[Ultimatum]

"I'm still here. Just trying to come to a conclusion about our friend here, that Sith from earlier." Conclusion was the correct term, he was now attempting to discover what species she was, her speech and apparent need to hunt other sentients was leading him to believe that she was some alien. His searches had come up with few possible species that lived off of other sentient organics in such a way. Energy Vampire was most prominent.

He turned his attention back to [member="Sawa Ike"] saying, "There is no need to stalk her, after all if you're hungry you've just spent more energy trying to get to her than any you could get from her. How about you go and eat a miner or something, what's so special about her?" He wondered what was so important, after all for an energy vampire different people tended to lead to the same result, there was not need for special attention to a single person.

[member="Zreame Ithrac Zeibitha"]

 

[Zreame Ithrac Zeibitha]

Zreame kept leaning against the door as she listened to what was on the other side. Her instincts related to the force told her not to open the door it was as if she was hunted by some predator on the other side. Whatever [member="Sawa Ike"] was Zreame didn't like it at all and she hoped [member="Ultimatum"] was enough to half scare her away.

 

[Sawa Ike]

[member="Zreame Ithrac Zeibitha"] [member="Ultimatum"]

"Have I?" Sawa remained there as she thought about it and slowed herself. The small movements of her chest from breathing becoming near invisible and unnoticed. The blinking of her eyes stopping and her heart rate slowing down while she looked more like a statue. "No no child of metal and wire. I feel as strong as the day I turned a thousand... and I am not the one in a metal box." She remained there stopping while she was reaching out and whispering for Zreame in the force. "You seem tired.... I can help you, make you stronger." She remained there looking at the metal before speaking again out loud for the droid. "I am not here because I care about you things, I don't love you or even want to feed completely but because as the padawan down below will learn... This world is under the sith. More importantly it is being taken and made to bow with hold outs like this mine visited. So if you don't want to be kept in the wormy earth like the boy I'd open the door and talk... or we could do this and wait for your weight to snap the cables."

 

[Kha'ro Ottosuki]

Kha'ro focuses, sensing the force sensitivity of [member="Zreame Ithrac Zeibitha"], and feeling some fear, he would send a telepathic message through the force, though he could only send short ones, "Whats wrong?"

[member="Sawa Ike"] [member="Ultimatum"]