Cultural Achievements (Enyo)

[Amara Zarides]

[member="Enyo Typhos"]
Amara glanced over at her sister. It was impolite to ask, but still, it did occur to her that it might not have been as accidental as it seemed. Still, she was ready to leave that section anyway.

The Force Art room was rather more interesting though. As soon as she entered Amara could feel the Force emanating from multiple directions.
There was also a protester waving a placard which read “End Force Exclusion! No Magick!” [sic]
She sighed as they came to face a blank wall.

“Thalia, concentrate on the Force and look with your senses at this space, and you will see what is hidden appear.”

Enyo meanwhile might be interested in a small display surrounded by crystals. As she entered she would be able to feel the sunlight, hear the wind and smell the flowers of the scene displayed. Experience the sense in a way she could not do now, for they worked straight into her mind, bypassing her mechanical shell.

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Amara Zarides"]


While Thalia was getting a lesson, Enyo was drawn to the small display. On first blush, it felt completely mundane, but then she felt the Force surge through the crystals. But that was not all. She felt true sunlight. It touched her skin, causing a warm tingle to spread across it. Bright, radiant, dazzling light, sound, sensation.


The wind howled, and air brushed against her skin. The sweet scent of orchids invaded her nostrils. In her mind, it was as if there was real grass beneath her feet. The green grass caressed her feet and curled at her ankles, the wind bearing down upon her carried the scent of fresh leaves, and goosebumps seemed to erupt on her arms.


These were all sensations she was incapable of experiencing. For her droid shell only produced digitised data that no longer felt real her. Yet she felt it now, for it bypased her shell and was beamed straight into her mind, which was still human enough to feel if you used a different medium. In that regard, this was similar to her mind sex session with [member="Joza Perl"]. For a moment, her earlier grumpiness was forgotten. Overwhelmed, the cyborg was lost in her own little world.

 

[Amara Zarides]

[member="Enyo Typhos"]
Thalia looked at the wall sceptically. “Are you sure you’re not having me on?”
“Of course not, and besides, you can easily tell.”
Thalia frowned, then concentrated on the wall, drawing upon what little training she had. To her amazement, engraved on the wall appeared symbols and glyphs of hidden nature, concealed until she turned to the Force.
“It’s beautiful!” she said, for once not showing her usual teenager disdain.
“It is! This is more like it. Where’s Enyo?”

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Amara Zarides"]


Enyo liked to think that she was free of organic weaknesses. She surrounded herself with aura of mystery, aloofness and dispassionate ruthlessness. It was essential to controlling her minions. Her mechanical shell granted her power and strength far beyond that of a mere human. It was ironic that so many Force-users lusted for immortality and were undone by this obsessive quest...but from a certain point of view she'd achieved it.


It was not a blessing.


There were aspects of humanity that she missed. Above all, it was the ability to feel. She drew in an unnecessary breath, and pulled away from the crystal, stepping out of its illusionary influence. It had not been real...but close enough. Close enough to make her bask in the alien sensations, and now to mourn their loss. Get ahold of yourself, she reproached herself. She was the protector. The one who made the hard choices to keep the brood safe. She spared the crystals another glance. She could hear the others approaching.

 

[Amara Zarides]

[member="Enyo Typhos"]
Amara wandered over with Thalia, giving her sister a glance over.
“You alright, Enny? You’re looking very thoughtful. Found something which wasn’t just incoherent scribbles?” she asked jovially.
“Yeah, you look a bit distracted, robo-mum,” Thalia said.

“Did you enjoy it?” a voice asked. A woman headed towards them, wearing a simple black dress and carrying no weapons or other insignia. She was clearly a Force user and made no effort to hide it, but seemed neither dark nor light.
“It’s a design I have been working on for some time. I’ve been assessing the impact on guests of all races and backgrounds. It is a tricky thing to get right, I would appreciate any input you can give me,” she said with a smile.

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Amara Zarides"]


"Do not call me that," Enyo said with an air annoyance. She really hated the term robo-mum. Then she was suddenly distracted when a woman in a black dress approached them, with an aura of power surrounding her. She introduced herself as the artist responsible for the crystals.


Enyo looked at her blandly, a bit uncertain about how to respond. Archangel had taught her little in the way of socialising. Even now, as a syndicate boss, she was socially awkward unless she was in control of the situation and able to impose herself on a relationship. "It is very vivid," she finally said. "How does it work from a technical perspective? I understand it affects viewers on a mental level by stimulating sensation."

 

[Amara Zarides]

[member="Enyo Typhos"]
The woman smiled. “Well, it works by interacting with the sensory areas of the brain, stimulating those areas in a way which is pleasant to the user.”
She gestured at the crystals. “It works only on humans and near-humans at the moment, every species has different requirements and mental patterns.”
“If you were wishing to be my patron, I could create something for you with a theme of your choice. It would be experimental, but certainly possible.”

Thalia had evidently gotten bored as she walked over to it to see what the fuss was. She let out a breath.
“That is incredible! You should sell this stuff, make millions!”

The woman shrugged. “Money on its own has little appeal for me. The materials and time expenses I need to have covered, but other than that I don’t need excessive wealth.”

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Amara Zarides"]


The unthinkable had happened. Enyo actually agreed with an artist. "Pursuit of blind materialism and naked consumerism is unbecoming. It breeds decadence and a weak character. Money is a means to an end, not an end in itself," she lectured young Thalia.


"Furthermore, mass produced alchemy is inherently inferior. As every single Sasori product proves." Enyo Typhos, ruthless paramilitary commander/syndicate boss, nihilistic Terminatrix, opponent of consumerism and faulty quality control. It was probably an unconventional combination. She turned her attention back to the enigmatic woman. "I would be...interested in acquiring one of these items," she said after some brief hesitation. What was the harm? "What is your name?"

 

[Tamara]

[member="Enyo Typhos"]
“Tamara,” she answered in reply.

“I agree with you on that,” she said in response to the theory of consumerism. “Most people let wealth be the ends, and use any means to reach that, when really it should be reversed. But then I think we both see the galaxy a little differently,” she said with a nod to Enyo.

“I would be happy to create you a piece. What specifics would you like included? Is there a certain location or scene you’d like it to be set in?”

She glanced between the three of them, finally settling on Thalia, a tilt of the head.
“You three are fascinating. All of you,” she said thoughtfully.

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Tamara"]


Enyo's paranoia was never far from her mind. Tamara's last words, however innocent they probably were, caused it to swell up inside her. She took a step forward in front of her siblings. "Let's keep this professional, shall we?" she said rhetorically. She did not lose her temper, but there was a clear warning. She was the protector. It was her duty.


She frowned slightly. "I'd like to be in the wilds, away from civilisation and machinery. Somewhere alpine, preferrably. High up in the mountains, with oak trees, snow-covered slopes and the scent of pine in the air. I'd like to feel the brush of the cool wind against my skin, while snow descends from the sky." She'd never experienced nature, except as an obstacle to be overcome. She'd learned to hunt and kill on Gehenna, a desolate, inhospitable wasteland.

 

[Tamara]

[member="Enyo Typhos"]
“Of course. I know well just such an area. If you give me your contact details I will be able to let you know when it is ready. It may take a couple of weeks though. Will it mainly be humans interfacing with it? It speeds up my design if it is.”

Amara looked at the woman, frowned. “And if you do this right you can do one for me.”

“I would be happy. Now, I will ask for a down payment of 5,000 credits for materials, with the remaining 5,000 on delivery of the work.”

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Tamara"]


Enyo frowned slightly. She'd come a long way from the day she'd arrived on Coruscant as a penniless vagabond with dreams of revenge. While she was not rich, five thousand credits were not a big deal to her. It helped she had no vices she could waste money on. Indeed, almost all of the credits were put to productive use and reinvested into the Iron Fist.


Thus by her own standards, this would constitute a frivolous investment. The crystal would not yield her any practical benefit. It would merely provide her with the illusion of sensation, allowing her to forget that she was encased in a mechanical sheel and unable to feel. In short, it would be illogical to purchase it. Yet, Enyo wanted to. So she nodded. "That is acceptable," she spoke laconically, fishing into her pocket for contact details and so on.

 

[Tamara]

[member="Enyo Typhos"]
Tamara handed over a contact chip. It had details for a bank account to transmit the money to as well as the regular commlink codes and such.
"Thank you. I will be in touch. Oh, and of course, what is your name?"

Thalia by this point was getting impatient and had wandered off to stare at a moving mosaic of what looked like oil which shimmered and formed new shapes.

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Tamara"]


"Enyo Typhos," Enyo replied crisply. Depeding on whether Tamara had lately spent any time in the criminal underworld of the sprawling, polluted ecumenopolis, she might have heard the name. Then again, Coruscant was home to over a trillion people. This truly mind-boggling number made it extremely easy to disappear. Millions, if not billions of Coruscant went about their daily lives without knowing what went on in the larger galaxy - or even in the neighbouring district. Jedi Grandmasters, Dark Lords and Supreme Chancellors had come and gone without anyone noticing. Those who stood upon the peak of power often forget that there were many people who neither knew of nor cared about their achievements.

"This looks neat. Can I have one like this, Enyo?" Thalia asked, staring at the moving mosaic.

"No," Enyo responded firmly. "I'm not wasting credits on frivolous expenses."

"But, you said you'd buy yourself a crystal!" Thalia protested, sounding a bit petulant.

"I said no. Now stop sulking."

"It's not fair. You're no fun." Annoyed, Thalia stomped her foot and stalked off. "You could at least let me heist it," she muttered to herself.

 

[Amara Zarides]

[member="Enyo Typhos"]
Amara grinned at Thalia’s discomfit. “How about we buy you a lollypop instead?” she teased.
She got no reply but a withering glare.

It was at that moment that a large woman came over to them.
“I must say it’s lovely to see couples taking their children to the museum again!” she exclaimed.
Amara stared blankly at her. “I’m…sure it is.”
“Yes, and I know it must be hard for you to raise a teenage girl in such circumstances, but I think you’re doing a lovely job!”
The meaning clicked in Amara’s head. “We’re not her mother. She’s my sister…adopted sister…and so is she,” she said, pointing to Enyo.
“You don’t have to be modest, mum, I’ve been raised perfectly,” Thalia said with an evil grin.
“Oh…sisters? Well…that’s still nice!” the woman said, looking deflated.
“Come along, Thalia, I think we’re done for now.”
“Yes, mummy!” Thalia said, smirking at her discomfit. “Come on, mummy Enny!” she said, just to troll Enyo too.

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Amara Zarides"]


Enyo was considering various ways to punish Thalia for her lack of respect and discipline. Presumably Amara would complain a good deal if she instituted corporal punishment. But making her do menial labour seemed appropriate to the clone. The same applied to withdrawing her Holonet privileges.

"Thalia," she spoke icily. Amara would recognise it as a warning.

Alas, their friend was not so easily dissuaded. "Could I persuade you to have a cup of caf with me?" she asked hopefully. "I run a club for cultured women who seek to raise awarness about serious issues plaguing our city."

"No."

"You don't need to commit to anything. We also have fun get-togethers where we play cards, go swimming and so on. We also help each other raise our children..."

"No," and so Enyo departed, grabbing Thalia to go with her. The cyborg knew her strength, and so the grip was not crushing. However, it was unpleasant.

 

[Amara Zarides]

[member="Enyo Typhos"]
“Ow! Alright, I get it!” Thalia said as she was dragged away. Amara, who she usually looked to in cases like this to balance out Enyo was clearly still a bit annoyed and so offered no objective.

And so out of the museum they went. Amara had got her wish, but she wasn’t sure that Enyo had really appreciated the art…except Tamara’s display. That was fine though, her sister shared different beliefs to her, and Amara didn’t feel like that was a bad thing.

XXX

A couple of weeks later a message came through to Enyo’s comm from Tamara.
<I have prepared the art you requested. Please specify a location for us to meet and you can collect and pay the final balance.>

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Amara Zarides"]


Time passed. Thalia was giving menial jobs she disliked and did her best to shirk, Enyo punished a few of her deplorable minions for embezzling funds and continued plotting to expand the reach of her criminal organisation and get revenge on Archangel.


Fortunately for her more competent minions, they met her deadline and so the salvaged Contingency ship was fully operational. Now all it needed was a Factory sub. Presumably this one would not write it. Anyhow, eventually she received a message from Tamara.


Enyo's response was predictably laconic. < Meet me at the Library of the Republic. Backroom.> Once upon a time, the grand library had prided itself on being a vast repository of knowledge. However, the Gulag Plague, the Dark Age and several invasions had done a number on it. Its halls had fallen into disuse and it was maintained by a skeleton staff. However, Enyo spent some of her time there. Archangel had given her little in the way of education, and while the dusty tomes were dated, they were a useful way to catch up. Furthermore, the building's mundanity meant that there were less prying eyes than in night clubs or bars, which suited her fine.

 

[Tamara]

[member="Enyo Typhos"]
Public libraries being what they were in an age of technology, there were surprisingly few actual books in this library. Even datacards, holocrystals and holocrons were relatively rare. Instead, a ‘multimedia learning facility’ occupied much of one floor, whilst a children’s reading room occupied another. Both were empty.

There were however a collection of homeless and shifty individuals who used the library more for shelter and for transactions than expanding their understanding of life.

Through this the steady shape of Tamara walked, aiming for the backroom. When she entered it she found Enyo there.
“It is slightly depressing to see the state of this place. Were that it was like it once was…” she commented.

Still, neither she nor Enyo were particularly sentimental types so she produced a small metal box and handed it to the other woman.
“Try it here if you’d like. The crownlands of Alderaan were a perfect setting for this. Of course, the original Alderaan would have been more appropriate, but that is of course unavailable now.”

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Tamara"]


The homeless, drifters and dealers had soon learned that Enyo was not the type of person to mess with. However, she paid some of them to keep their eyes open and their ears peeled...and to get back to her if they heard any whispers that might be of interest.


The cyborg heard Tamara coming and looked up from a book she'd been studying. The old, dusty tome was one of the real books left in the grand, deserted library. Books were a strange thing to Enyo. Archangel had passed on knowledge through flash learning and datapads. Books aged, got dusty and their writing decayed. Still, she found them interesting.


She raised an eyebrow at Tamara's comment. The darkhaired woman could have simply meant the time before Coruscant became a war zone, but her tone hinted at something else. The cyborg put this thought aside and shut the book. It happened to be an immensely confusing account of the fall of the so-called Eternal Empire. A lot of it struck her as absurd.


"I appreciate the quiet," she remarked softly. "Everything decays and ends like this sooner or later. Empires, Republics, Sith," she trailed off. Sooner or later, everything died. One day, her siblings would be gone...and she would be alone. Could she even die, unless she was destroyed in combat? Or would her brain tissue eventually degrade, remaining eternally functional while she gradually lost her mind? It was a fate she did not like the contemplate. Accepting the profferred metal box, she examined it carefully. Tamara got a curt nod, before the cyborg opened it.