Finding The Evil in the Darkness (Primeval)

[Talos Rygat]

Sitting in the cockpit of a borrowed ship, Talos was feeling something strong in the Force. He was pulled to the middle of nowhere and everywhere, the edge of known space, and off the beaten path. There he focused on what the Force was telling him. What he felt was a moving darkness, somewhere in the void beyond the viewport.

Talos opened his eyes, and in the dark, spotted backdrop of the emptiness beyond, a fleet could be seen traveling the dark. The darkness was emanating from that area. He decided to get closer to the source of darkness. Talos sent out a Ping to the unknown vessel, hoping to receive an opportunity.



[member="Ozuvyn Sar-Sargoth"] [member="Anja Aj'Rou"]

 

[Boethiah]

Order's End -- Flagship of The Primeval Fleet -- sat above the deathly world, Gulamendis; home to corrupted Sephi that embrace darkness and chaos in all things. On board was Anja Aj'Rou, Host Lord and Harbinger of Nogras; leader of their efforts. The young Host Lord had eagerly kept a watchful eye on her forces that recently engaged with the Imperial Remnant; her own knowledge of the force was still blossoming but nonetheless resonated well with the twisted nature of the world below.

A small blip appeared on their sensory monitors, "A foreign vessel.", one of the officers stated in acknowledgement before relaying to intercom.

"Approaching ship. State your business.", a signal was sent out towards that direction.

[member="Darth Legion"]

 

[Talos Rygat]

A grin scrawled across Talos' face. He felt the darkness aboard the ship wake slightly as it acknowledged his presence. The Ghosts appeared in the cockpit, filling the small space with their green aura. The Ghosts turned to Talos, each floating just in front of the viewport.

'We have found Darkness...We have found Power...We will take Power...'

Talos reached out with the Force to find the minds of those aboard the ship beyond who he could connect to, "We are Darkness, akin to yours. We wish to share in the Darkness." The thought sent out instead of a comm.

He let the sublight engines propel the ship forward, not offering a threat, until such a time where he would be permitted to board the vessel. He looked at the dark planet beneath the ship. Darkness dwelled there also, he had found a great place to flourish in the Force.



[member="Anja Aj'Rou"]

 

[Boethiah]

The vessel whispered to each other before sending out another signal. "We're intrigued: You may approach us to dock.", the message said.


The starship Order's End quietly drifted in front of Gulamendis, eagerly awaiting this mysterious guest of theirs that arrived and more importantly, made bold first steps. The curiosity of Anja Aj'Rou was strong and she wished to meet the source of this strange power.

[member="Darth Legion"]

 

[Dredge]

[member="Darth Legion"] [member="Anja Aj'Rou"]

On the surface of the world thousands of Yuuzhan Vong and Graug cheered and roared cries of blood lust. They were gathered in the caverns of the planet in a makeshift atrium area that almost resembled an arena. The Graug and Vong were looking down upon the jagged spiked floor to see their leader the Supreme Overlord of the Yuuzhan Vong, Dredge. Or at least the self proclaimed Overlord. Bellow in the jagged arena there were Vong and Graug warriors dragging wounded and broken slaves by their twisted and broken limbs. The crowed cheered when they saw their leader holding one of the slaves up by the back of his neck. The slaves feet kicked weakly his strength clearly leaving him. And with a deep booming voice Dredge spoke.

"TAK SNABA LA DOBAT!!" Dredge roared out to his crowds of warriors and workers.

"BUT WE ARE STRONG!! WE ARE BEYOND THEM!!" Dredge lifted the human slave up higher into the air and let out a throaty laugh. He had taken this one from his life on some tropical world in wild space, he couldn't quite remember but it didn't matter anymore. All that mattered was his small life was about to come to an end.

"DEATH TO THE PRETENDERS!! DEATH TO THOSE WHO DO NOT WORSHIP THE TRUE GODS!!" He screamed out to his army and a loud chant began to bellow out into the arena

"VRAS"

"VRAS"

"VRAS"

"VRAS"

"VRAS"

Dredge lifted the slave up above his head and looked down at one of the many spikes that shot out of the ground a few feet up till about chest length. Dredge screamed a prayer in his native Yuuzhan Vong tongue and brought the slave down back first on to the stalagmite type rock. Screaming in pain the male slave gurgled a few last breaths then died his body slowly sliding down the rock formation staining it red. And soon after in a howl of fury the other warriors began to do the same slamming their slaves on the rock formations to create almost a field of dead impaled corpses.

Am toothy grin came on Dredge's face as more slaves were brought for sacrifice for the gods. However a flash went before Dredge's eyes and he could see a series of images he couldn't quite make out.

"There is a disturbance in the force." He said to no one in particular. "I sense someone powerful." He said looking up to the stars above towards the incoming ship. Who was up there?

 

[Talos Rygat]

Talos' eyes flickered to the viewport as the return message fluttered into his mind. He approached the vessel and made for the hangar to land inside the larger, crypt ship. He set it down inside the hangar and awaited the arrival of the ships owner.

Reaching out with the Force, he sent fourth one of his Ghosts. Searching for the source of the darkness, the small green skull fluttered in the halls, giving off an eerie green glow from its spectral aura.

"We are here..."

[member="Anja Aj'Rou"][member="Dredge"]

 

[Boethiah]

As the ship landed inside the hanger, several of the corrupted Sephi warriors approached on all sides; a few Umbarans marched in single file to form a rank and a chill was sent down some of the slaves when the spectral aura floated down the hallways like a flower petal, gliding quietly and indiscriminate to anything else before it stopped at Anja Aj'Rou. She was unfamiliar with such Magicks, even as a Witch herself but nonetheless carried on and delved down the hall of her own ship towards the Hanger to meet with its creator. When she approached the landed ship she simply stopped, awaiting the aproach of whomever was on board.

[member="Darth Legion"] [member="Dredge"]

 

[Dredge]

[member="Anja Aj'Rou"] [member="Darth Legion"]

Dredge shook his head and looked over to the killing floor that he had created. Dozens of bodies lay a various angles all impaled onto the blade like rock formations. The images continued to come to him showing pictures of a man inside a ship, he looked...dark. A hood covered any sight of what his face appeared to be and he cast a very putrid and evil aura about him. Whoever this man was it warranted investigation of some kind. Turning his gaze over to one of his Graug commanders he gave a lift of his head to signal for him. The buff and heavy Graug walked towards Dredge in a hurry and bowed before him when he arrived.

"Yes my lord." The Graug said keeping his head down, looking towards the ground.

"Rise son of Gratos." Dredge said in a commanding tone that demmanded complete authority.

"Yes my lord." The Graug said rising up to meet Dredge. The Graug took a position of parade rest and kept his eyes trained straight and forward to show discipline and respect towards his lord.

"I have felt a disturbance in the force, I must investigate. Have Raknar and Ulvak prepare my shuttle and accompany me to the stars. Something must be seen." Dredge spoke to the Graug and knew his orders would be carried out at the quickest pace possible.

"Your will shall be done my lord." The Graug bowed down and was dismissed to go carry out Dredge's will. It was simple, grab his two best warriors among the Graug and go see what the hell was happening up there. Dredge looked up at the stars still wondering what it was he felt. Someone was up there, someone very powerful. And if not had the possibility to unlock so much through the force far beyond Dredge's destructive pyromancer prowess. Dredge was good for one thing and one thing only in the force, burning and blowing things up. But the energy he felt from the stars was that of something cold and intelligent.

"DIE HERETIC!!" The hiss of a Yuuzhan Vong and the short scream of a slave rang out as blood splashed onto Dredge's helmet and armor. The crimson blood dripped off him as if he didn't even notice. And shortly the Graug Commander returned to usher Dredge to a ship that was a little less than fifty yards away In a clearing. Cheers and screams still filled the arena as dredge walked to the ship. The party would keep going but there was more important things to bed done right now.

 

[Talos Rygat]

The Ghost followed by Anja's side all the way to the hangar where Talos was waiting in the ship. From inside the cockpit, Talos watched the ship become surrounded by troops and then his Ghost floated into view with a woman by its side. Talos took that as his moment to make an appearance to the one who seemed to be the source of darkness he'd been tracking. Focusing on a spot a few paces in front of the woman, then as if the wind blew in a green dust devil, Talos stepped through the wind.


The Ghost next to Anja traveled towards Talos as he stepped out. A black gloved hand reached out and caught the skull, it disappeared into the hand.


We are Legion...We have come for darkness...You are darkness...


[member="Dredge"] [member="Anja Aj'Rou"]

 

[Boethiah]

"Darkness?", she asked curiously. I suppose one might consider what they did very dark but in their eyes it was the light, the truth and all things right.

Nonetheless she almost knew what he was referring to: "What is it you seek?", she demanded to know why he was here. They rarely granted to host guests and even fewer made it out alive. The Primeval were keen on keeping themselves out of the grand picture due to their protective nature over the location of religious artifacts and the history of her people. To find someone standing before her, who commanded powers like Jedi and Sith, was not unusual -- they seemed to be drawn to her people. They were respected or dreaded and one such as herself, a Host Lord, knew well what it could mean for him to be another. The final question awaited its answer: Friend or Foe.

[member="Darth Legion"]

[member=Dredge]

 

[Talos Rygat]

Talos took another step forward, his glowing blue eyes a severe contrast to the black clothes and shadows cast around Talos' face. He looked into the eyes of the woman. Reaching out with his mind, he offered images of nightmares, the kind of nightmares that put seasoned veterans in the nut house. He offered up a glimpse into his past, the crash, the thousand dead souls searching for something to cling on to, Him.


He showed her the darkness that each soul felt, the flood of hate, pain, fear, and sorrow. Then he showed the ship they were standing in floating above a cloud of blackness, within the cloud, the Ghosts, glowing green skulls floated about chaotically.


"We have come for Darkness... It's power will be Ours... We haves searched for it... By your side, We will find it..."

A black, cloth wrapped hand eased out, palm open as if waiting for hers to take his. In it, a Ghost appeared, floating in Talos' hand, staring into Anja's eyes, waiting for her to respond.


[member="Anja Aj'Rou"]

 

[Dredge]

Approaching a small shuttle it's engines were primed and two Graug warriors stood in front of the door with sub machine guns in hand. Dredge walked past them in through the open door. The Graug walked in behind him and manned the cockpit of the small shuttle. Inside it was a pretty simple set up, a few seats and a bolted down table between them. Dredge sat down in one of the comfy leather seats and lifted up a thumb to his men signaling he was ready to go.

"Yes my lord." The Graug in the pilots seat said. Pushing a few buttons the engines roared and the skiff took off up towards the stars. The copilot began to press a few buttons of his own and the skiff was moving at a decent rate.

The skiff broke past the atmosphere and made to the fleet that orbited the planet above. The two thousand meter Omen Class command ship was floating somewhere in the fleet and the pilots were moving towards the massive beast.

Dredge shook his hand out and spoke. "No, the disturbance is not there." Looking around dredge spotted the orders end and his eyes flashed with images of the dark one. Holding his head he was starting to get a headache and it did not feel good at all. "That one my children." Dredge said with a bit of pain in his voice

"As you wish my lord." The Graug said humbling. Approaching the Orders End the Graug sent out a message hailing the star destroyer

"This is Lord Dredge's shuttle Serpent's Fangs requesting permission to come aboard Orders End" the message was sent and now all they could do was wait with one of the deadliest and ruthless beings in the galaxy.

[member="Darth Legion"] [member="Anja Aj'Rou"]

 

[Boethiah]

Anja was indeed curious by these claims and of course the nature of these ethereal spirits which reminded her of stories about the powers of Witches. "This darkness you seek. What of it do you know?", she asked curiously but even then she was already interested in accepting the offer of having this person amongst those who have joined recently.

"Your Worship. A ship is requesting permission to board.", the intercom officer interrupted the hanger with the broadcast. It was almost as if recently their vessel had become a destination for the darkest members of society; those who intend to bring nothing but death and chaos to the galaxy. Just then she felt the twisted nature of one out in the approaching ship. "Fine. I will grant him an audience as well.", she responded in almost like a retort. Anja was in a good mood and things were beginning to go her way.

[member="Dredge"] [member="Darth Legion"]

 

[Talos Rygat]

Talos looked onto those gathered, the darkness was in them all. The dark side of the Force lived in their souls and fueled their livelihoods. As he was about to speak, he felt an even greater tether to the dark side approaching. This was what he was looking for.


The darkness We seek is a form of connection to the Force, fueled by Passion, and the thirst for Power. We sense it in you, as well as the individual who will be joining us.


[member="Anja Aj'Rou"] [member="Dredge"]

 

[Boethiah]

The Host Lord was curious about this darkness -- believing he was referring to her force sensitivity. "Darkness? First you must prove to me that you can be loyal... Although I can see that you are potentially worthy of our Gods' grace.", she thought momentarily. "What proof do you have to offer?", she gazed towards him and wondered what they could offer.

The Primeval had been building its forces for along time and not unwelcoming to new believers but faith must be tested.

Anja paced away as she awaited his response, a few of the Sephi were eager to slaughter him but halted at the plans Anja had; they would not dare contest her judgement. Even if they were loyal to Ozuvyn first, they grew to fear her too.

[member="Darth Legion"] [member="Dredge"]

 

[Talos Rygat]

The expression on Talos' face made no attempt to change, the question rose some of his own in his mind, why would someone question his loyalty, he has neither proven loyalty nor disloyalty, he simply proved that he sought power.


"What We have to offer... Is unlike most, while you use your notoriety as your tool for fear, We use the mind against itself, to turn one in one oneself... They're worst fears become real to them, and We will feed from their fear and eventually their death. His eyes flickered to a lowly slave in the back of the hanger who'd been listening in. Talos sent out the black tendrils of the Force to crawl inside the mans mind, and plant a seed of terror inside the mind. The image he sent was of the slave and his skin was being peeled, inch by inch. Then a bug crawled into his ear and began tearing into the brain tissue.

From the outside, the man started clawing at his skin, screaming at the top of his lungs, then he tore into his own head to attempt to dig out the alleged 'bug'. As the man dropped to his knees, three Ghosts appeared from the chest of Talos and surrounded the man, they spun around him until the man let one last gurgling, blood filled scream, then collapsed onto the deck, blood pouring from all of his self-inflicted wounds. The souls then returned to Talos but remained visible at his side.


"We offer our skills... In return for your own... We will aid as long as there is power to be gained. After which, We will either stay, or simply leave... We are not here for your souls.. Just your Darkness, the hate and anger within."

[member="Anja Aj'Rou"] [member="Dredge"]

 

[Dredge]

[member="Darth Legion"] [member="Anja Aj'Rou"]

A loud metallic clang of Dredge's boot hitting the iron floor of the ship rang out into the crowded hanger. Everything went silent when Dredge emerged from the shuttle and all eyes were on him and the two massive Graug that flanked either side of him. The dark side of the force poured off him in almost literal waves of energy, the dark side nexus that was his armor and sword pulsated and an aura of heat radiating off asphalt surrounded the being. He stepped past various aliens and walked forward the lot of them clearing a path for him until they reached what dredge was looking for.

Two humans, a man and a woman both strong in the force by the feeling of them both. He heard the man speak of hatred as if he knew what he was talking about, he knew nothing of hatred, he knew nothing of rage. Dredge looked down upon the man and drew the massive bone like sith sword to his side, lifting it he pointed it at the dark hooded prophet and spoke with hatred staining his voice.

"The force brought me to a welp who speaks of hatred as if he knows what it means. You know nothing of hate, you know nothing you fool. You are but a stain that is the entirety of the dark side and I will not of been dragged up here to see the ramblings of a dried out cur who thinks they know of hatred!" Dredge spat words out like venom from a snake and his armor began to light up in fire and smoke that billowed upward. The two Graug beside him roared bearing their fangs and weapons.

"Perhaps a challenge is in order." Dredge lowered his weapon and took a step back, the Graug roared again and step forward dropping their weapons to the side to pull out long jagged blades from their back. Dredge pointed at the man in the cloak and said two simple words

"Kill him." He commanded.

The two Graug roared and jumped forward aiming their blades at the man. If this man talked of hate and the darkness surly he could take on two of Dredge's best Graug. Dredge would not work with people he considered weak and frail like the person he saw before him, an example would be made or his worth would be proven

 

[Boethiah]

Anja kept a close watch on [member="Darth Legion"] as his ethereal companions seemingly stripped apart the life that took vessel inside one of her slaves. Their lives may not have been worth anything but they were a property now void; normally this would be intolerable but with the arrival of [member="Dredge"] things became more intriguing. Instead The Umbaran Host Lord simply sat idly by and watched the show unfold. It seems some have been drawn to her natural affinity in what they called 'darkness' but more so they were drawn to the nature of The Primeval; either curious or dreadful. Her scepter was held close as she maintained her watch.

She had remembered her trials as a young teenager; ending the life of her fellow students by a rock to the head or sword to the stomach. It was a brutal upbringing that destroyed all remorse for the death of the weak and her enemies.

 

[Talos Rygat]

Talos grinned with his back to the Graug marching forth, demanded by the Source of pure vanity and anger. He claimed Talos a fool for his knowledge of hate. Talos knew hate, he knew it like one knew an old friend. Hate is what had saved him when he escaped slavery as a youth, and hate has pushed him to learn the dark arts since his time in the Atrisan Empire.


Talos turned to face the Graug. The first swung it's sword horizontally at Talos' midsection while te second waited a spell to strike overhand. Talos dropped to the ground, kicking his feet straight out at the shins of the first Graug, sending it toppling over Talos. As the second Graug moved to attack, Talos reached into the mind of the creature. He put multiple images of Talos in its eyes, causing it to get confused, and it backpedeled to regroup. Talos kip-upped and continued his mental onslaught. He continued the illusion of the multiple assailants coming for it. Talos and his mirages charged, it panicked and swung wildy. Talos used his ability to Fold Space and walked behind the Graug. He placed his hand on the back of its skull..."We release you from your servitude..."

Talos let a Force Blast leave his hand, into the back of the Graug's skull. The brain was turned to mush and it dropped. The first Graug had regained its footing and came charging and roaring. Talos had enough, he grabbed the beast with TK and hammered images of the Ghosts biting chunks from its flesh. In its mind it was dying, to the others, it would look like the creature was convulsing and growling in pain. Talos brought it closer, releasing the illusion, face to face with the black masked Talos..."We release you from your servitude..."

Talos snapped the beasts neck and dropped it from his TK hold. He stood over the two Graug corpses, looking at the leader, he knew nothing of who Talos was, and his underestimation was his mistake.

[member="Dredge"] [member="Anja Aj'Rou"]

 

[Dredge]

[member="Anja Aj'Rou"] [member="Darth Legion"]

A slow golf clap echoed in the hanger small shocks echoed against the hull with each rhythmic clang of iron on iron. The clap continued for a bit and Dredge looked down at the bodies of what he believed to be some of his finest warriors. He would have the commander flogged when he returned for his failure to produce men competent enough to kill the person in front of him. The claps died down and a demonic chuckle left the mouth of Dredge. He was quite impressed and amused at the sight he beheld, this sorcerer by trade had power. And the vision the force had provided him with was correct. Dredge let out one more little laugh and spoke

"Very good, I see the force is strong with you. Perhaps you are not worthless after all." Dredge looked over to his shuttle to see both of his pilots were quite dead now. This posed a slight problem but Dredge was fairly sure he could get back by breaking the will of one of these lesser beings.

Dredge smiled at the sorcerer and spoke again. "I'm planning on taking a little trip to wild space soon. Little planet called Oberon, im having it burnt to the ground. Perhaps we can see your worth there lesser." Dredge gave another smile and turned around, and if you cared to notice he did not ask Darth Legion if he wanted to go. Dredge was all commands and no back sass, he rather enjoyed killing those who defied him.

Walking away Dredge smiled and was pacing away at a comfortable walk and left the bodies of his men behind for the two of them to handle. He made the mess he could clean it up. Whilst walking off Dredge grabbed the throat of a worker and held him in the air as he walked back to his shuttle. The Supreme Overlord of the Neo Yuuzhan Vong wasn't going to drive himself was he?