Blood and Iron (Archangel)

[Maelion Liates]

[member="Moira Skaldi"] [member="Madeline Kahoshi"]
The Lords of the Fringe. The Omega Protectorate.

Both were drifting into memory and dissolving like salt in the rain. The order and stability these groups had brought for nearly a decade was breaking down, leaving them once more on their own in an unkind galaxy.

One such world was Eriadu, a vital strategic centre and manufacturing facility once owned by the Protectorate, then the Fringe, now…nobody.

In orbit above the planet, hidden in the Lightbringer, the leaders of Archangel looked down on the mounting chaos.

Maelion Liates would probably feel smug satisfaction if she was capable, for it was further evidence of the useless struggles of organics to create a stability which was impossible.

“The former Fringe and Protectorate leadership will be overthrown,” Maelion reported. “We should offer assistance to Severus Tarkin and his sister Lucilla in crushing unrest. I am sure he can be persuaded to give us prisoners and enemies. We will process them, and then we can begin work on our next operation. Operation 1138 will require research and testing facilities and a constant influx of organics. A planetside facility would be helpful for this.”

 

[Moira Skaldi]

[member="Maelion Liates"]


Eriadu. The then still-young Omega Protectorate had conquered it during the great expansion southward, toppling the dictator Regus Tarkin. Ironically it had been a major world back in the day, the capital of the Exarchate of first Alcori then Kerrigan, though there had always been those nationalists who sought to undermine the Protectorate's rule.


The Fringe had contested its control twice and succeeded whilst Akala bathed the Galaxy in chaos. But the victory had been short-lived, for now the Fringe had vanished...and the Protectorate was withdrawing to the core. Some called it readjustment, but for the common people on the rim it was abandonment. Proof that OP had been nothing but a greedy capitalist enterprise that squeezed them dry until they were no longer needed and it became too costly.


Moira was, you might have guessed it, indifferent. What she saw was quite simple: More proof that organics were incapable of delivering order...and an opportunity to further the agenda of Archangel. "Consensus. The resistance forces facing Tarkin are a chaotic mixture of former Fringe and Protectorate elements and anarchists. I have made dossiers on their leadership and military strength. I shall assign Ms. Scarlett to aid the Tarkinites in rooting them out," she said unemotionally.


"Psych profile indicates Severeus is given to paranoia and distrust. It is something we can play on to make him realise he shall have need of our services even after the insurgency has been beaten. Likewise his sister is overly vain and ambitious," she pressed a button on a datapad and brought up the image of what had once been a prison facility. "Eriadu has extensive shipyards and was once a hub for the Protectorate and Fringe fleets. We shall use this operation to acquire additional ships," she pressed the button on a datapad to bring up a holographic image. "An old Eriaduan labour camp closed after the OP conquest. Suggest using it as a planetside facility under the guise of a reeducation centre."

 

[Maelion Liates]

[member="Moira Skaldi"]
"Agreed. We will move to secure the facility. We will persuade Severus Tarkin that it is the best choice for placing prisoners. After the prisoners are processed we can use them to acquire more subjects for the operations. We should also plant an agent among the resistance in order to control both sides of the organic struggle. In both guises we can profit. Are any of the clones usable yet for this purpose?"

"The key will be to ensure that the organics do not realise our true intentions. Suggest we do not meet with either side directly. Ms Scarlett and other units can conduct negotiations."

 

[Moira Skaldi]

[member="Maelion Liates"], [member="Madeline Kahoshi"]


"Consensus, but the clones are not suitable yet. Phaedra will require more indoctrination and thorough training before she is useful in such a capacity. Without the Force, she is quite helpless, and her uncontrolled empathy is a risk factor. Dr Kahoshi informs me that Enyo will not be born for another week," Moira responded.


"So we shall make use of HRD agents. During the chaos that accompanied the 'Bando Gora attack' preceding the Fringe takeover, a number of Eriaduan soldiers were captured and processed. We shall insert one in the resistance with a suitable cover story."

 

[Madeline Kahoshi]

At this moment Madeline joined Maelion and Moira. For she had been overseeing the clone project, observing Phaedra's progress so far, as well as making some last minute adjustments on Enyo. "Unfortunate that it is, the clones do take time to mold them into what we need them to be. Phaedra as Moira said, will need more indoctrination, and much training before she can be ready. Especially training within the Force."

"I can begin the needed research on enteched war engines, and start the experiments there. Or I could help to organize the re-education facility." She said with a sigh as she took a seat. For her part, Madeline was still adjusting to being an HRD. And she had been gifted with keeping her personality and all of her quirks from when she was a human, which did leave some conflicting emotions in play for her. Eventually she would fully adjust and settle, or perhaps someday her programming might have to be revisited. "It all depends where you feel I'll benefit Archangel most." She said as she nervously fidgeted with her hands.

[member="Moira Skaldi"] | [member="Maelion Liates"]

 

[Maelion Liates]

[member="Madeline Kahoshi"] [member="Moira Skaldi"]

Could snobbery exist amongst genocidal murder bots? Apparently. Maelion regarded Madeline, analysing her words. Those words and actions still betrayed too strong a link to her former human self for Maelion’s liking. It made her too…organic, which was of course ironic considering dislike like an emotional response and not logical in itself.
Still, she was useful.

“Organising the re-education facility is the best project for you to begin. When it is operating efficiently we can use surplus organics to help the war machine project. Scarlett will assist Tarkin, Madeline will organise the processing plant, and ‘Kaydin’ will assist the resistance.”

 

[Moira Skaldi]

[member="Maelion Liates"], [member="Madeline Kahoshi"]


It was very ironic that the 'logical, rational' machines could feel snobbery. Or racism, for that matter. Madeline's words and nervous fidgeting showed that much of her human persona still remained. The entechment process was far from perfect. It was a dilemma. Its advantage lay in the fact that those who underwent were better at blending in and, moreover, could not be detected by Force-users, excluding the most potent mentalists.


On the other hand they tended to be...too human in some ways. For now Moira was inclined to tolerate Madeline's idiosyncrasies and not revise her programming because she was efficient at her work. Maybe, deep-down, Moira actually liked her. But that would be irrational, wouldn't it? "We will devote your full capacity to the entechment project once the Eriadu operation is concluded. I shall brief Ms Scarlett and arrange for contact with Tarkin."

 

[Madeline Kahoshi]

There was something about Maelion, that left Maddie feeling a small bit nervous around her. What it was exactly, she hadn't quite put her finger on just yet. Maybe it was some sense of the dislike, or maybe it was just that Maelion happened to be her boss, and someone she did not know well. Not knowing someone, always bothered her, even as a human and especially now. After all, the former Empress just loved to know what made a creature tick. If you knew why someone acted the way they did, it made it all the more easy to manipulate them later when needed. The thoughts she was quick to push away as she returned back to reality.

Madeline nodded, the re-education facility seemed like something she would have ordered done on Atrisia. And she had a few ideas of how to go about and manage it once on Eriadu. "Of course, I shall see it is done. I assume my cover ID is to be used for this." After all, everyone in the galaxy believed Madeline Kahoshi to be dead. The last thing they needed were for loyal followers of the Empress' to come looking for her, should a rumor spread that she still drew breath. It could make things a tiny bit messy for Archangel for sure.

Then her attention was drawn to Moira, with which she always had felt comfortable alongside. She liked the idea of having every inch of her time devoted to such a project. "Excellent. It will be a most interesting project, without a doubt. I am eager to begin."

[member="Moira Skaldi"] | [member="Maelion Liates"]

 

[Maelion Liates]

[member="Madeline Kahoshi"] [member="Moira Skaldi"]

Maelion gave Madeline a glance. She was about to state that ‘eagerness was irrelevant’, but chose not to.
“Prepare her for infiltration with Tarkin, I will prepare Unit 0867 to join the resistance.”

With this done, Maelion headed to a storage area of the ship and there selected one of the top of the line infiltration skeletons. Onto this she the processed intelligence and face of a former Eriadu freedom fighter grafted. This was ‘Kaydin Gal’, who had disappeared some years ago. A cover story was being generated, but it need not be too elaborate; he had apparently joined a mercenary company in the Levantine Sanctum and now only returned to his homeworld when he heard of its plight. It was a story no one would be able to disprove easily.

With this done, Maelion dispatched a shuttle to take Kaydin to the surface to begin his task….

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Madeline Kahoshi"], [member="Maelion Liates"]


Terrorist. Freedom fighter. Benevolent leader of the people. Tyrant. Organics so loved to throw lables around, to put everyone into a neat little box and, above all, tell themselves that their own actions were cloaked in righteousness and justice. It was all very tiring, puerile and, in the end, ridiculous.


Just take the name 'Protectorate'. A name designed to conjure up the image of a nation purely devoted towards 'protecting' its people and defending them against 'evil'. A far more pleasant name than calling it a plutocratic, militarist dictatorship where decisions were made by a group of oligarchs. Once upon a time Eriadu had been a prize world of the empire. But no more.


Callisto was, you might have guessed it, indifferent to these questions. She had been powered down in her quarters before the transmission from Moira 'awakened' her from her slumber. For a moment eyes flashed as she absorbed the stream of information being sent her way, then she arose and prepared herself, dressing and arming up appropriately. In the hangar of the Lightbringer, a shuttle awaited, which would take her to the surface of Eriadu. Dr Kahoshi would work on establishing a planetary facility, whilst she would aid the Eriaduans in combating the insurgency. Of course, she was not supposed to be so successful to make Archangel's support superfluous.

 

[Maelion Liates]

[member="Callisto Scarlett"]
The capital of Eriadu, Phelar, was in a state of siege. Insurgents and Tarkinites had fought each other through the streets for weeks, reducing large areas of the city to ruin.
At the heart of the city was the Governor’s Palace, a large structure which was the fortress and bastion of the Tarkinites. Heavy droids, mercenaries and local troops defended it and the main spaceport. Some of these forces still wore or carried old Protectorate gear.

Callisto’s descent to the city would be rough, with heavy flak and hand held anti-air weapons trying to shoot down all ships trying to land.
When they finally did get to land, a squad of masked soldiers waited for her and those who had come with her.
“Ms Scarlett? Director Tarkin wishes to see you immediately,” one said.

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Maelion Liates"], [member="Madeline Kahoshi"]


Once again Phelar was a big war zone. Fires were still raging, large areas of the city had been turned to rubble. Even now the thunder of artillery fire could still be heard, in several districts fierce house-to-house fighting was taking place. It was no surprise that civilian casualties were shooting through the roof, what with land mines, rather indiscriminate use of artillery to clear housing districts and the fact that heavy flak was shooting into the sky to take out any ship that tried to land.


Not so long ago the city had been fought when both Fringe and the Protectorate battled hordes of Reavers. It was terribly ironic that now both empires had perished. One of the benefits of being an HRD was lack of nerves, so the anti-air fire did not faze Callisto as her transport ship descended, even as it rocked and shook under enemy fire, though the good pounding its laser cannons gave the hostiles seemed to give them pause. These bombed-out buildings and ruins made good hideouts for snipers or soldiers carrying RPGs. You did not need much training to use those. Give on to a couple irregulars, hole them up somewhere, give them the order to shoot at anything that moved.


Civilised? No, not at all, but war was not about that. She descended from the transport, clad in battle armour and with a bolter at her side, accompanied by a small group of HRDs. Smoke was rising up into the sky and the spaceport showed the scars of battle. In the distance one could see a broken statue of Siobhan Kerrigan, which had apparently been sprayed with grafitti. It seemed symbolic for the fires of chaos that seemed to have engulfed the planet. A man hung from a lamppost, wearing a placard proclaiming him to be a terrorist and an enemy of the people.


Enemy of the people. Despots of every stripe and colour really liked that phrase. "Then take me to him immediately, Lieutenant," Callisto replied to the leader of the masked soldiers, apparently members of Tarkin's elite guard, equipped with a mixture of Fringe and Protectorate equipment. They were quickly led from the landing pad to the palace itself. Battle droids, mercenaries and local troops defended it behind sandbag emplacements and mobile barricades, e-webs levelled upon anyone who dared come close. As the dead bodies lining the streets showed, these guns had seen plenty of use.


A poster hung from a building, proclaiming a return to Eriadu's old glory and the restauration of the Tarkin dynasty. It would have perhaps looked grander if it had not been tattered due to having been peppered with slug rounds. Callisto and company went through a security check at the palace gates, then were quickly ushered in.

 

[Madeline Kahoshi]

Madeline had left the room quickly and changed into another face, another form. Her identity as the Former Empress wasn't something anyone needed to see. No one needed to see a ghost, alive and well. So, the cover ID she had selected was Amaya Mizushimi.

In the hangar bay, she soon joined Callisto upon her ship as they made the journey to Eriadu. Unlike Callisto, Madeline still to some degree felt what could be considered nerves. Certain anxieties had been so deeply ingrained in her personality, and were not so easy to erase. Not only that but Moira had only slightly adjusted her personality to be loyal to the cause and Archangel, but for the most part it was left untouched with a few quirks still in play that might someday become problematic.

Her eyes had been focused on the floor of the ship, as she slowly wrung her hands but said not a word to anyone. If anything she just felt out of place her. The odd one out. Maybe this was something she needed to discuss with Moira, not fitting in when she clearly should.

Following behind Callisto, keen eyes scanned the area, though her attention was quickly drawn to the elite guards. A spike of anxiety welled up within her, not something she could help given the situation. For the moment she managed to quash that feeling. Oh Moira, we really need to talk when I get back. A thought she kept to herself. Though for a brief second she did think to send the message through to Moira, but it hardly seemed to be the time.

As the man spoke, she only glanced briefly to Callisto. And soon enough they were moving along. For her part, there was nothing to be said or done. She had a job to do that was for certain but the talks with Tarkin weren't so much her duties. Not that she didn't carry some level of diplomatic skills from her time as Empress. Still, she hardly believed it was her place for now. Though if asked she'd surely step in.

[member="Callisto Scarlett"] | [member="Maelion Liates"]

 

[Maelion Liates]

[member="Callisto Scarlett"] [member="Madeline Kahoshi"]

Severus Ulpius Tarkin was waiting for the pair as they entered. Like his cousin Regus and his distant ancestor Wilhuff, Severus Tarkin was an imposing and grim looking man, almost skeletally thin. He wore elaborate robes and carried a long vibroblade at his side like a good aristocrat.

“So, you are Archangel’s representatives, are you?” he asked. “You wish to deal with me, I hear, make your case. What can you do for Eriadu, and why should we employ your services? Begin,” he ordered arrogantly.

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Maelion Liates"], [member="Madeline Kahoshi"]


Just another arrogant despot. One with titles and an ancient lineage to throw around. The time would come when these petty games would...end. Just like organic life forms. "Because we can offer you a clear-cut solution to your insurgency problem, my Lord. And an opportunity to rid your society of undesirables," Callisto responded smoothly, never wavering once.



"We can provide you with our assistance to crush the rebellion. Our HRDs do not tire, are supreme fighters capable of tactical thought and they will know no mercy. We can provide your Lordship with units if you so desire to eliminate your enemies. If you purchase them, you will have complete control over them. In return, we ask that you give us the dregs of your society. Captured rebels, dissidents, criminals, undesirables."

 

[Moira Skaldi]

While [member="Madeline Kahoshi"] and Callisto Scarlett negotiated with the haughty Lord Tarkin and [member="Maelion Liates"] prepared her infiltration of the Resistance, Moira had stayed behind on the Lightbringer. Here, upon the cloaked ship of Archangel whose name heralded the new age they hoped to erect, she had all the resources she needed for her work.



One of the advantages of being a droid of her model was that you could process massive volumes of data at a rapid rate, organise and analyse them. Thus this was what she did, surrounded by computer monitors and holographic projectors. Through use of HUMINT and SIGINT sources, information upon both the Resistance and the loyalist forces, along with corporations operating on Eriadu, would be acquired. Profiles of prominent Eriaduans suitable for processing would be compiled. The information in turn would be fed to the Archangel operatives on the ground. There were also reports from Archangel's other unsavoury operations, namely from Atrisia and Contruum.



However, this was not the only matter Moira dealt with. Granted, most of the actual intel analysis was being done by minions, though she oversaw the big picture. The entechment project also occupied her attention. Admittedly Moira was not a scientist. Being a super computer endowed her with an intelligence beyond that of a common organic, but it did not make her omniscient or perfect in everything, which was why Archangel practiced a division of labour and why Madeline was head of the Science Department.


But she had a keen, logical mind, which she now applied to the problem at hand. In itself the concept of enteched war engines was not wholly original. The Ssi-ruuk had harnessed the life force of sentients to power their ships. However, it had taken them ages to perfect the entechment process because over time the souls decayded and, moreover, were in intense agony. Likewise the saurians had made use of security droids powered by captured souls.



But Archangel had surpassed them when it merged entechment with the technology of processing, completing the work that Onadax had begun. To be sure, the entechment technology was not yet perfect. Many of the HRDs created in this manner were still too...human. Indeed, the first models had been so corrupted that they had been terminated swiftly. This problem would, if it was not handled delicately, be magnified when it came to constructing enteched war machines. It was likely that more complex constructs could not be powered by one soul alone and thus would require several. Needless to say these units would have to be monitored closely to be on alert for signs of corruption. There was also the unresolved question how the mental powers of Force-users could affect them.


Her attention was drawn to two files. One about the experiments of the Bando Gora's Machine Cult with 'demon engines', another to the insane commune of machines that she and Darth Raya had once wiped out. The latter had sought to pursue the foolish goal of bringing about universal peace between organics and machines, yet it had gathered valuable data on entechment. For their part, the Bando Gora had used a crude merger of Force-based transfer essence and primitive entechment to create engines of war. Like with so many about about the Bando Gora, these had been constructs more designed to inflict terror than actually be practical.



For one, many of the souls in these machines had been kept in a state of perpetual agony. In some rare cases particularly zealous Bando Gora warriors and sorcerers had been 'rewarded' with immortality by being transferred into a death machines. There were references to 'powerstones', though Moira was dubious whether this related to actual artefacts or might just be a form of poetic license. When it came to the Bando Gora it was difficult to tell, given the fact that they were a militant death cult of drug-addled fanatics. That said, the reference to a shard who had willingly joined the cult and been gifted with the body of a death machine was intriguing. She a strong suspicion that this was all based on Mechanus technology, given the fact that both the 'Machine God' and his Champion had been from the fabled 'world of machines'. By now Moira knew that her human self had been processed on that planet, but she was sadly lacking in memory of this event. Eventually this would have to change.

 

[Maelion Liates]

[member="Callisto Scarlett"]
Severus turned and looked at Callisto thoughtfully. Behind all his bluster he had also inherited the Tarkin penchant for cunning and intelligence.
“You wish for criminals? Why?” he asked. A hand came up to passage his moustache, a tic of his. “What use do you have for them? Not to reform them, no. Not to kill them, as you do not strike me as the sort for mere sadism. Experimentation…yes.”

He nodded to himself, then shrugged. “If you are good to your word and do not interfere with my efforts then I care not. There are many on this world who deserve to be liquidated, and if you will do it for me, I will let you. I trust you are able to keep matters quiet and the inmates contained? I do not want to see evidence of this…for your sake and for mine.”

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Maelion Liates"], [member="Madeline Kahoshi"]


((Maddy's turn now))


Severus had inherited some of his ancestor's cunning and intelligence. This was good because frankly that would make him more useful than a blustering twit. Neros were useful, but they seldom lasted long. "I can assure you, Lord, that we shall keep matters quiet and out of the public eye. Our units are programmed to fulfil their tasks dispassionately and efficiently. To facilitate the transfer of prisoners, we shall have need of a planetary facility. We have in mind the former labour camp S23."


Euphemistically called a concentration camp, it was located on the southernmost continent of Eriadu and had been abandoned after OP enacted regime change on the planet. The climate was hostile and uninviting. Long forgotten by the public, it was a suitable place for Archangel to take over. That said Callisto glanced over to Madeline. "Dr Mizushimi will be in charge of this part of the operation."

 

[Madeline Kahoshi]

Madeline looked to Tarkin, a soft smile spread across her lips, "My Lord, I'm Doctor Mizushimi and I'll be running the facility." Within she could feel a sense of anxiety starting to rise. These were the kind of situations that as a human always made her anxious, and clearly even as an HRD it was no different now. She was quick to try and quash the sensation for she couldn't let that get in the way now. "I want things to absolutely orderly, and I cannot have any outside Eriaduan interference. It's key for this project to run smoothly, we cannot afford such..." She paused for a moment, "Interruptions." The woman said firmly. The anxiety was still trying to take control, and Madeline for her part was doing everything she could to keep it under control. I cannot let such human emotions rule me now. No ... I can't. I'm not human anymore. I am a droid. This isn't logical to feel this way.

A part of her wondered how much they should tell Tarkin as to what they were doing. "Let's call it research," Madeline finally said on the matter. "And worry not, for silence is what we do best, Director. It will be managed with the greatest of care." She said softly, in a tone that could almost be considered sweet.

Lifting a hand she reached up brushing a stray strand of hair away, only to notice she was trembling ever so slightly. Her anxiety clearly was getting to her despite her best efforts to fight it. The woman couldn't stand it any longer and breathing in deeply she made sure her outward appearance was nothing but the epitome of calmness. Then she did sent a message to Moira, Moira, something isn't right.... I'm ... I ... I'm not well. I... I ... need ... help. I shouldn't be this way. This ... this isn't logical. This isn't normal. I'm a droid. I'm not human. I should not be suffering from anxiety to this degree. Can you ... come to me? I am not okay. I need your help. For Madeline wasn't sure how long she could keep up appearances and keep it hidden how she was feeling. If she wasn't careful this could risk their mission and that could not happen.

[member="Moira Skaldi"] | [member="Callisto Scarlett"] | [member="Maelion Liates"]

 

[Maelion Liates]

[member="Madeline Kahoshi"]

“Very well, Doctor, I shall not interfere, but I shall expect results to justify the investment of time and effort going into this. You may go.”
Severus turned his back and stalked from the room, accompanied by his entourage.

Aides led the two women to a landing pad where they could take their separate paths. Callisto would be going to fight the Rebels, whilst Madeline would head for their new ‘re-education’ facility.

This facility was in bad shape and would need a bit of work to clean it up and repair the defences, but structurally would be perfect and isolated from the city. Large underground chambers and a testing area above ground would be perfect for Archangel’s purposes.