Building of Pride

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Enigma"]

"Ah, you have struck a chord with me," Taeli sighed, but smiling. "My curiosity knows no bounds, and I always hunger for new knowledge to experience new things. I would be perfectly amendable to such an arrangement, an alliance of sorts might be benefical no?"

The ship was taking shape more and more, the open sections slowly filling in as the skeleton and hull were nearing one hundred percent completion. It wouldn't be too much longer she hoped, and her datapad was certainly leaning that way as another message popped up about the shields being ready for whenever the ship would begin its shakedown cruise. Another message stated the same thing about the reactors, and now messages were flowing in about engine tests and more weapon installations.

"I do have to ask Circe, why me and not some other Sith Lady?" she asked, curious about Circe's motives for striking up such a thing.

 

[Onrai]

[member="Darth Arcanix"]

"Indeed, particularly with the galaxy crumbling around us as it is. To survive the coming armageddon, alliances must be forged across... unique boundaries. I suppose this is one such instance." She grinned, already thinking about the potential future that this Sith Lord could have with her. What her capabilities were - she could still be molded thanks to her seemingly insatiable thirst for knowledge.

When the vessel was complete, Circe would have what she needed in order to further her own agenda. A smile crossed her face once more as she looked out over the future warship, eagerly awaiting to see if it could be completed during her tenure here. And then she asked why she was chosen - a fair enough question for Circe to answer.

"Because you were friendly enough to give me an opportunity."

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Enigma"]

"Fair enough," Taeli replied, smiling a bit. She wasn't naive enough to think that Circe might have ulterior motives for her, and quite clearly she had plans in store for Taeli. She would roll with it though because such times called for it, and new knowledge and experiences could only help her grow as a Sith Lady.

"Our kind seem to have a problem making friends and lasting allies," she mused, looking through the viewport as more ships arrived and began offloading more weapon systems. They would be installed just as soon as possible, and according to her datapad, that would be soon. "Although I certainly don't mind forming an alliance or . . . partnership with you, Circe. Even if you have some ulterior motives for me and the ship in front of us."

 

[Onrai]

[member="Darth Arcanix"]

"Which is a real problem, you know?" Circe gave a cross expression, though not one directed towards the woman herself. "I originally was half-Zeltron, so it's engrained into my very being that I need to be social and make friends. But with Sith, that just doesn't end up happening. People want to kark you over when all you want is someone to talk to, cuddle, and occasionally have a romp with. It's really annoying." She nodded. "Ulterior motives are certainly a given. But I'm not yet sure what I really want to do with you. That's the frustrating thing." She sighed.

"So many possibilities, and so little time to choose one for you."

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Enigma"]

"I never really got into the whole betraying friends and allies," Taeli replied. "Maybe that's because I went to actual school for a long time, was rather popular, but a bookworm too. I would gladly plot and plan against other Sith that are too brutal, sadistic, or downright just a monster, but against a friend or ally . . . nope. After a recent event, I'm a bit protective of those close to me."

Looking at the ship, she smiled as she could see it was rapidly nearing completion. It helped that they had been working on the skeleton and hull ever since Bilbringi became the Sith's, but still . . . it was nice to see them on schedule.

"Mind I ask what some of those possibilities are?" she asked Circe, glancing at her datapad again very briefly to check a message informing her of the ship's bridge was fully operational and more system tests were being performed to make sure everything was in top efficiency.

 

[Onrai]

[member="Darth Arcanix"]

"Such is a good mindset to have, albeit rare amongst the One Sith. Even moreso when you consider the traditional doctrine of in-fighting. Something that's always sounded the death knell to such overarching organizations as these." She paused, her curiosity now growing further on another subject the woman had brought up. "You mentioned a recent event made you more protective of your friends... What happened, if I may ask?"

"Possibility-wise, there's a chance that I may put you through some experiments. Perhaps other things as well." She smirked - now wasn't the best time to talk about the experiments she had performed on a wide variety of species.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Enigma"]

"If you don't mind, I don't know you well enough yet to say," Taeli said apologetically. "I'll only say things I thought I knew changed and things I never knew were possible appeared. Maybe some other time I'll tell you the story."

Until she knew Circe better, she felt it best not to tell her about certain things. She wanted to be sure of her allies before telling them anything at all, especially something like this. The fact Circe seemed to want to use her a test subject for a few experiments both piqued her curiosity and also made her wary.

"I'm no stranger to performing experiments on myself," she said, shifting her dress a little to show the edge of the scar that was on her torso. "I implanted myself with a Vong coral seed so I could have access to Vongsense and so I could work with Vong biots. But, unless I know what you're possibly planning to do to me, forgive me for being very wary and agreeing immediately to that."

Glancing at her datapad, it was currently silent, but she had a feeling her technicians were engrossed in their work while they continued work on the Star Destroyer. Weapon installation and system checking everything did take quite a while after all.

 

[Onrai]

[member="Darth Arcanix"]

"I understand and respect that." She nodded, knowing well enough that Arcanix had only just begun a business relationship with the Sith Lord herself - it made sense that she would have such a significant degree of wariness and unwillingness to freely divulge intimate details of her personal life to just another woman like this.

Then she saw the implantation site where Arcanix had placed the Vong coral inside her, giving a soft sigh. "That... wasn't the best course of action. That stuff is going to grow inside you and consume you from the inside out. You need someone to check you out before it turns you into one of those horrific Vongspawn creatures, with coral spikes jutting from your flesh and everything."

That was a very horrible thought.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Enigma"]

"I'll freely admit I was impulsive in the decision," Taeli said, chuckling a little bit as Circe explained her fears. Taeli knew about those, but she had let her curiosity get the better of her in this case. "I was just ascended to Knight and wanted to figure how Vong stuff worked, so yes not the best idea in the world. Lambent crystal would be a much better option now, but that can be handled at some point after we finish this project."

Shrugging, she threw another glance at the datapad but no new message had arrived yet.

"So, guess this is where I ask for help in dealing with that thing in my chest at some point?" she said, smiling a little.

 

[Onrai]

[member="Darth Arcanix"]

"Yes it would've..." She was very concerned now, unknowing as to how much the yorik coral had progressed in infesting the body of the Sith Lady. And considering her form... that shapely waist and firm - Well, it would all be buggered up if the Vong corruption had its way, and Circe wasn't going to let that happen to anyone she was working with anytime soon.

"I'd certainly hope so. This isn't lethal... But it can be maddeningly painful."

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Enigma"]

"I doubt it's as painful as putting it in," Taeli replied, and she couldn't help herself looking over Circe once or twice as she had done to her. "It shouldn't have progressed too far as we came to . . . an understanding, the seed and I. But, once we finish this, we can remove it and I'll go get a lambent crystal for my Vongsense."

A message ping went off, and checking what it said, she couldn't help another smile forming on her lips.

"It would appear that the first full bank of weapon systems is fully installed and tested except for live fire test," Taeli said. "Shield systems have been tested and it would appear the internal skeleton is completely finished with the hull at 95% finished. The project is almost done it would seem, beyond installation and other miscellaneous things."

 

[Onrai]

[member="Darth Arcanix"]

"Considering that the seed likely has heard yur conversation with me, being a part of you, it could perhaps try to grow into you more." A horrific thought - the last thing she wanted was for anything horrifying like that to happen to someone she had a degree of interest in. Bad things weren't something she wanted to happen to her friends - they happened to her far too often.

"Good to know the ship is essentially complete. Once we're done, I suggest that you and I, I don't know, maybe take a joyride with it?" That would certainly explain why they should be working on the prototype.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Enigma"]

"Then we will make sure it doesn't get the chance once the ship is done," Taeli replied, smiling a reassured smile. "I don't think you have to worry about me right now though, the seed knows not to try anything currently. But your concern is . . . touching, and I appreciate it sincerely, Circe."

She honestly felt a little flustered that Circe was so concerned about a Sith Lady she had only met twice now, but apparently something about Taeli had caught the other Sith's attention enough to warrant both wanting to work with her, and pursue other things as well. A message arrived for the two Sith though, breaking her from her chain of thought.

"We've been invited to come abroad the ship and see the work up close and personal while they install more of the guns and you can speak with my team members and such," she said, looking over the message. The mass driver batteries, both the quad heavy ones and the normal ones, were about a third installed, and the ion cannons were just now arriving to on site and being moved to their spots on the ship. The defensive guns were also with the ion cannon shipment, but wouldn't take nearly as long to bring up to operational levels.

 

[Onrai]

[member="Darth Arcanix"]

"Indeed. But there will become a point of no return - a point where I will only be able to keep the coral at bay, unable to remove it. That's when your body becomes truly irredeemable, and when it'll be a struggle just to cut the coral away to where you can more normally." She smiled. "I'm concerned for all Sith - one of the reasons I never truly supported work with Vong biots is because they can harm you much more than the Dark Side ever could."

At the invitation, Circe gave a smile, nodding and motioning for her to lead the way. That was the better of two options, after all - this wasn't a place she was really familiar with. Taeli, however, probably knew the place back and forth by now, but that was just speculation on Circe's part. And yet there was something about Krayt Industries that seemed to raise an eyebrow.

"Taeli... Is Krayt Industries a separate company? Or is it a subsidiary?"

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Enigma"]

"It's a little more complex than that," Taeli replied as she led her guest through the area and to a small shuttle that would take them to the project site. "My predecessor, Darth Banshee, went with a deal with Titan Industries to make Krayt a subsidiary of Titan with Tsavong Lah. Well, when I took control, that paperwork vanished for a long time as she didn't seem interested in that sort of minute detail being transferred as she fled. So, Krayt has not been acting as a subsidiary of Titan at all, if that agreement even exists anymore considering Titan came into new ownership after as well. For all intents and purposes, Krayt is independent."

She explained all of this as the shuttle streaked towards the executive hanger bay of the Star Destroyer and landed inside it. Lowering the ramp, Taeli and Circe were met by her right hand man, Arys Jaxson and an honor guard of troopers charged with protecting the project. Equipment was trewn about the hanger bay, technicians working on the systems. Elsewhere, the fighter craft hanger bay was also being finished up, the launch tubes and their mechanisms being tested and re-tested.

Taeli had to admit the style was definitely a throwback to the old Imperial-era ships, all whites and grays inside.

"Welcome to Project Pride," Jaxson replied, bowing before the two Sith. "Follow me and I'll bring you fully up to speed on our progress."

 

[Onrai]

[member="Darth Arcanix"]

"Interesting..." She motioned to a datapad displaying the Titan Industries holopage, with a list of subsidiaries in question. "Does list you a a subsidiary. May want to change that - just a suggestion." She smiled. And as the shuttle landed in the executive shuttle bay of the mammoth warship, she couldn't help but think about how this vessel made her feel right at home as though the Sith Empire were still alive. Following the orderly in question, she perked up, noticing the older Imperial-style fixtures.

"If I might ask... Where did you get the ship's interior design from, sir?"

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Enigma"]

"We got the interior design, as Lady Arcanix requested, from old Imperial files from both the Galactic Empire and the old Sith Empire," Jaxson replied, leading the two Sith Ladies out of the hanger and along a corridor that had a few panels missing as technicians worked on the electrical systems in this area of the ship.

"Currently, the ship is roughly 80% complete, engines are currently being tested and more weapon systems are being installed as we speak," Jaxson continued, bending under a hanging cable that two men were working to move into the ceiling and seal off. "The vessel should be ready within a few hours to at least be used in a small shakedown cruise through the system."

"Excellent work as always, Jaxson," Taeli replied with a grin, looking over at her fellow Sith. "Jaxson here oversees our most important projects, and I have to say, he has a zeal one doesn't usual find anymore. A stickler for perfection, he has made the entire project move much faster than expected, cheap labor and all that."

 

[Onrai]

[member="Darth Arcanix"]

Circe herself slipped underneath the hanging cable as she continued to follow the individual, along with Arcanix herself, through the very guts of the ship. With the vessel nearly complete, it would soon be time for launching, and launching could only mean one thing - the ship type would be entering prim and proper service soon. She wondered what sort of devastation it would cause... Then guessed she just wouldn't care.

She would have the specs for it, after all.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

[member="Enigma"]

"Well see to it Jaxson, I want this vessel ready for that cruise before our guest departs," Taeli replied, and Jaxson nodded before moving off so the two Sith could tour the ship themselves at their own speed.

"He truly is a very good project overseer, although sometimes he works himself and the workers a little too hard and I have to rein him in a bit," Taeli laughed. "So what do you think so far of this operation, me or whatever else your mind has thought about?"

She was curious what the older in years woman had to say about it, even as the construction continued and more guns were installed. A rumble shook the ship slightly as the engines were brought online for final testing of their systems and more workers started scurrying about to affix panels and such back to the walls as everything was checking out for the internal systems.

 

[Onrai]

[member="Darth Arcanix"]

Circe could only smile. "I think Krayt Industries has done an excellent job of developing this ravishing prototype vessel. It should prove its worth sooner or later, though preferably not against the Protectorate. I would hate to see my company's bombers rip apart such a perfectly formulated warship - though I'm certain future vessels of the type will find themselves being produced." This was a long-line endeavour after all.

She could only wonder what sort of success this vessel would achieve.