From Ashes We Rise And Till Dawn We Charge.

[Dredge]

Aurum, once a place owned and by the horde and used as a crystal mining colony for Subach Inns corporation. Before that it was a place where the force flourished and the force users of old trained and kept peace and order. A place of nature, villagers and people who lived and worked from the land. Gone were those days, gone were the days of love, kindness, justice and beauty. Now, there was only darkness. And with darkness came the creatures of the night. The Graug and Yuuzhan Vong lay scattered through the planet seperate colonies of each species some waring with the other over resources. The unholy union from before had all but withered and died along with the horde and it's ally the New Order. There was only chaos and bloodshed that radiated through the wastes of the planet. And in the center of it, an ex Yuuzhan Vong overlord covered in head to toe in the soul bound armor of [member="Darth Vulcanus"].

Looking up into the air Dredge watched the sky darken with dark rolling clouds of thunder. With a small hiss a rain drop struck the armor and fizzled away evaporating into a puff of steam as it made contact with the dark heated armor. "My people." Dredge said with a sudden realization washing over him. He had lead his people down this path. He had brought them to damnation on this dying world. More rain soon came, causing the armor to hiss and crackle under the soothing droplets of water. Letting the feeling sink in he knew what was to happen. There was work to be done

"My people, they think me dead. I was the mad overlord, I have forsaken them." He said slowly regaining who he really was. Gritting his fangs the Vong shook his head and walked forward away from the temple that was Krag's resting place. With the Sith Lord mounted to his body Dredge pressed forward headed to the largest Yuuzhan Vong and Graug colony on the planet. "To Grum Wallow." He said to himself softly as he set forth

 

[Dredge]

Setting out on his journey Dredge went by foot, he did not own any transportation. Not a speeder or beast to be ridden upon, all he had in life were his two feet and the Sith Lord strapped to him that steamed in the rain. Dredge was in control for now, but for long it would not be known. He had get moving faster before Vulcanus could step in and take control once more. "Death waits for no one dredge." He said to himself as he trotted through paths and roads. By the wayside he could see puddles of water beginning to mix and become a slick rainbow color as it combined with spills of industrial run off and oil that was left on the side of the road to rot.

Letting it slip from his mind Dredge moved past it and headed into what seemed to be a small village from a few hundred yards away. Shelter from the storm! He could stay here until the storm passed and proceed unhindered to the colony soon enough. With a grin on the Yuuzhan Vong's face he grew nearer and nearer and he could see what looked to be telephone poles jetting out of the ground. Technology, dredge rolled his eyes. He generally disliked it but due to his long and many experiences being forced to use to use it to survive he didn't mind too much at least being around it.

Slowly as Dredge grew closer and closer to the village he began to recognize it a bit more. Familiar shapes and patterns registered in his brain while he looked upon what lay in front of him. This was it, the village he has slaughtered when he first arrived on this planet. The telephone poles were not so, they were crosses. Crosses with the dead and decaying bodies of those who hung there staring at him with cold dead eyes, their pain long past. And a few feet ahead of him, there it was. The body of a small female human child, with a ravenged body that still showed even after death.

 

[Dredge]

A thousand different emotions hit Dredge, anger, guilt, sorrow, a pain that burrowed deep within him. It wasn't so much that he had ordered the killings of innocent people, so much that it was these actions and choices he made that brought him here. If he had not set forth on this path he would not of been dealt with by his enemies. He may not of lost it all in his madness to purge the galaxy in a cleansing fire. It was selfish of him to only think of himself and not these people, but in his eyes at the time they were heretics of an incorrect faith. Demons that had to be purged from this earth. And purged them he did, with fire and without mercy he purged there people, no he murdered these people! He had ordered and executed their killings without so much as batting an eye to think it over twice. He killed them as if it were as simple to him as taking out the trash.

Part of Dredge's stomach turned at the smell the corpses gave off. He couldn't stay here, not now. Not after seeing this again with his own eyes. Kneeling down dredge looked at the ravenged back of the little girl and sighed. Grabbing her by the shoulder he turned her around to see the decayed flesh of her face. The sunken in eyes that were closed but were more than likely just decayed jelly beneath the lids that held them back. Grabbing her legs he straighted them the best he could before placing her arms against her chest in a respectful manner. "I shouldn't of killed you, I'm sorry." The Vong said, in truth he was apologizing to himself. If he had simply enslaved the child perhaps he would still of been king of his empire. But that mattered not now. What was done was done.

Standing up dredge walked forward past the rows and rows of corpses that all seemed to stare at him as he passed. He cleared the village eventually walking up over the hill that overlooked it. At the peak of the hill he looked back at the quiet dead village and nodded, almost as if he were acknowledging someone leaving. Looking forward he could see it, Grum Wallow. Largest colony of Vong and Graug. Last stronghold of the horde. It was stil some distance away but he would get there, one way or another he would.

 

[Dredge]

Stepping down from the hill Dredge walked forward the rain lessening on his warm armor. Thoughts raced through his mind like a bullet through the air, what would he say? How would he say it? He couldn't simply walk up there and say, Hey it's me Dredge your mad supreme overlord that lead you to failure. That would not end well in any circumstance, however things had changed. Rexus had the nigh indestructible armor strapped to him with the willpower of a Sith Lord with him. He could fight through almost anything they could throw at him. But part of him didn't want anymore blood spilt, at least not Vong blood. Not the blood of his people, and slightly less not the blood of the Graug. These were all thoughts that passed through his mind as he made his way closer and closer to the image of Grum Wallow.

From a distance the place would of looked like a crater in the earth. A simple hole in the ground that had been the spot of a orbital bombardment from long past. That was almost partially correct, you see Grum Wallow was a hole in the ground, a massive crater that was caused by a Subach factory that had gone supernova. The following blast created the crater, and being the natural burrowing creatures Graug were they salvaged the pieces from the explosion and dug themselves some nice burrows. And like that it wasn't long before the Vong showed up bearing what status of order the horde kept on this planet anymore. It seemed that the Graug still respected the union between the two species and went along with them. The Vong kept to the crater itself setting up a town of organic buildings, while the Graug burrowed a massive system of tunnels around it. The two races mixed and mingled here and there but mostly kept to themselves

"Home." Dredge said softly to himself as he paced himself closer and closer to where he needed to be. This was it, this was the last thing dredge had to a home and hopefully his people would understand. Whatever was going on, whoever was in charge Dredge needed to see them quickly so he could bend things to his will. He was strong now, stronger than ever and he felt the need to lead his people out from the darkness he had placed them under. And to do that, he needed to help Krag. He needed to help the armor that clung to his body in a heap of steam and iron. It sounded crazy, but the Sith Lord locked within thought otherwise

 

[Dredge]

The walls outside of Grum Wallow were something to be less than desired. They were just plates of sheet metal that stood a good eight feet high. Any assassin or hired gun could of easily climed over the wall and had access to the town. But the walls were more for keeping the planets wildlife out rather than stopping assassins or assaults from rival armies. It was a practical wall and it did it's job well of making sure no animals snuck through them to have itself a feast. As Dredge approached Grum Wallow and came within the front gates of the crater he spotted two Yuuzhan Vong guards dressed in the infamous black crab armor of their people. It was time to see if Dredge's time in exile had made his tounge dull. I'm front of him the two guards ushered in a small Vong shaper before turning around to see Dredge covered from head to toe in sith armor. His helmet now covering his face

The two guards lifted their rifles and shouted "Hault!" They said in galactic basic their accents thick with their native language. "Who are you and what are you doing here?" The guard on the left commanded of Dredge. Taking a deep breathe Dredge answered quickly and without any hesitation. However he answered back in the native tongue of the Yuuzhan Vong "I am a hired body guard here from the temple of Darth Vulcanus to bring word to the Graug here about an issue involving their lords temple. It has been broken into and needs repairing." Dredge said in a confident tone that he would use to carry him through the doors. "Is that so?" The first guard asked

"Yes, I am here to bring news that is all." Dredge said his confidence beginning to fade a bit. Looking over to one another the two Vong spat back in forth in whispers within their own language. "Alright mercenary you may pass, but keep to the Graug tunnels. You know our kind does not take kindly to iron or technology." The second guard said in basic as he opened the door and let Dredge inside the town of Grum Wallow

 

[Dredge]

Things were worse than Dredge thought, as he stepped into town he could see all that he had caused. Yuuzhan Vong and specs of Graug wandered aimlessly around the streets. They lived in filth and squaller, some Yuuzhan Vong children sat in piles of muck simply staring at Dredge as he walked past them in short strides. These were his people, they trusted him to deliver them to the promised land and this was were he brought them. To hell. Looking away from the children Dredge peered past the people to see a huge building standing at the center of town. It wasn't organic by the looks of it, it was Graug architecture and it was no more than two hundred yards away. He had to get to it, perhaps there he could find the leader of his people and find a way to sway him from this current path.

Walking up towards the building past small shops, homes, and even a barracks, Dredge couldn't stand there and let this continue any further. His people were warriors, shapers, priests and men and women of power. Not this, he never wanted them to be this. As he approached the building Dredge was confronted by four armed Graug and Yuuzhan Vong guards. "That's far enough." The Graug hissed as he commanded Dredge. "Stand aside weakling!" Fury was all but upon dredge now as he stamped forward. "I will see your king now!" The Graug didn't bother to threaten him or talk him down. He just lifted his lancer and fired bolts of red light at Dredge

The bolts struck Dredge in the chest and helmet and everything flashed. Was it over? Had his fury gotten the best of him? When everything cleared Dredge stood there with nothing but twisted mangled burnt bodies and ash around him. "Stars and stones." He said with a whisper beneath his breath. All four men lay there burnt and crispy, but had dredge done it? He didnt bother to sit there and figure it out. There were people to save. Bursting down the front doors with his foot Dredge entered the building

 

[Other Space Kaiden]

[member="Dredge"]

"The ones in this place are no leaders of our people, Dredge, they must be purged" came the sweet whispers of a voice like the wind, it's suggestions prodding at the Vong's mind lightly as if were his own conscious. The Dark Lord of the Sith was having a difficult time overcoming the essence of Dredge, despite his power in the force. The Vong had long since lost their force-sensitivity and to play around in the mind of one who had restored the long lost ability was...different. In almost every way his essence was different to everything the Graug Warlord thought he knew about the force in this galaxy, one that would take time to crack and that was something he did not have. The more time he wasted here, the less time he had to lead his people to glory. "Slay those who dare call themselves more than swine, give into your anger...let me be your focus!"

 

[Rexus Drath]

Ignore

 

[Dredge]

[member="Darth Vulcanus"]
Stomping into the room Dredge focused his eyes on the man on the throne. A filthy fucking Graug, a Graug was telling his people what to do and how to act. That in itself was unacceptable. "Graug!" Dredge shouted over the three rows of guards that stood in the way of him and the throne. The Graug weakly picked up it's head uninterested in what was going on inside the building. "What?" The Graug said in a dull tone. "Your people sit outside in squaller! My people sit outside in filth and refusse! We were mighty, we burned worlds and killed millions!" Dredge began to steam, visably steam as the armor began to glow hot and red the words of the dark lord filling Dredge's mind with power.

The Graug laughed and grabbed a cup from a female Vong worker caste, quickly drinking down the brown liquid that was once inside the cup. "Our people are a joke now! Have you not heard fool? The crusade burns Yuuzhan'tar, they trample on the horde remnants and soon we will be next! The way I see it, we might as well live in filth till we die!" The Gruag laughed and drained another cup before laying back in his throne

Rage surged through Dredge, pure rage that this man would rather lay there and die then stand up and face the problem. "YOU ARE NO LEADER!" Dredge screamed in a firey burst of anger sending blue flames that burned low around his body. Then everything went black

 

[Other Space Kaiden]

[member="Dredge"]

Dredge's anger was the salvation of the eternal darkness that lay within, a darkness that could wither life with its very presence. The blue flames that whipped around the Vong began to fade away into a whirling vortex of dark purple fire; fire that radiated the room with pulses of heated fury and hatred. The Graug Warlord shot back against his makeshift throne in fear as the essence of one thought long dead began to wash over him like waters from beyond a broken dam. How could he not coward in fear when the presence of a dead emperor was manifesting before him?

"You dare allow the Graug to scurry in their own filth, to allow them to be slaves to their own weakness?" Dredge's fist closed tightly, the mind of Vulcanus leading its movement.

"Lor-lord Vulcanus? We thought you were dead!" the false leader of the Graug shuttered, his hands gripping the sides of his makeshift throne

"Death is a word used only for those too weak to seize true power. I have ascended to the realm of gods and you shall be the first of many to know my wrath." the flames flared violently, alighting the room with a dark light that sent the Vong slave girls scurrying for cover from the divine hand of the Sith Lord.

"Lord Vulcanus, I have only led the Graug as best I could-

"Nothing can spare your worthless life, lesser." Vulcanus threw his hand forward and the flames violently dispersed throughout the whole room, superheating the air in seconds. "You will burn in the fires of the abyss, a darkness deeper than any nightmare!"

The screams of the Graug warlord filled the room as the flesh drizzled from his bone and the whites of his eyes began to boil in their sockets. "Now, perish"

 

[Dredge]

It was like watching a holonet program, there was nothing you could do. Just sit there and watch no matter how much you hated it, no matter how much you felt against it. Dredge surprisingly didn't want to kill anyone, he didn't want him to die. He needed people like him to serve and help rebuild. He could of been useful. Dredge watched the Graug scream and flail for a few moments in his thrown before his head and body visually relaxed and rested forever. Banging at the edge of his own soul Dredge screamed from within his body but his mouth made no sound. "WE NEEDED THEM!! STOP IT!! STOP WASTING MEN!!" Dredge hammered against the walls more then soon gave up. He was trapped in his own mind, trapped by a dark lord of the sith

Within his own mind Dredge stood in a pitch black room, his body slumped against an invisible wall. "Krag." He said softly to aloud. "We will have our vengeance Krag, but not like this. Not by killing our own people. There's been enough Vong and Graug blood spilt this day." Looking down at his hands he sighed and looked up at the black void that was his soul.

Standing back up he focused his mind and clasped his hands together. "Vulcanus, I will not fight you. But I ask of you that you save our people. That means no one else must die. Save our people Krag, save them all." Dredge said focusing his will induce him in case he needed to fight back to retake his body.

 

[Other Space Kaiden]

[member="Dredge"]

A booming laugh filled the room as Vulcanus took he and Dredge's body up to the throne where the dead Graug lie, his tongue blackened and eyes melted. "Their own weakness has brought me upon them, I am the punishment for their sins. Weakness and failure are the greatest of these sins, Dredge...but you would know all about that wouldn't you?" The Dark Lord of the Sith grabbed the body and viciously tore it from its seat, peeling away skin that had bound with the stone while it melted.

"I have been impressed with your survival this far, lesser; but if you become more trouble than you are worth, I shall not rest until I have burnt every last Vong soul left in this pitiful galaxy." The Dark Lord sneered as he threw himself back into the throne, his arms resting on either side of his body. "You can begin appeasing your new god by not using my dead name, lesser. Krag was a weak name given by a weak queen, it is not fit for a God and an Emperor."

 

[Dredge]

[member="Darth Vulcanus"]

He was right, Dredge was weak. He had gone mad with power from his time as emperor and had lost it all. It was his fault, and deep down he knew it. Those words washed over him like defeating sorrow and depression. But then those words turned, burned within him like the fires Vulcanus had summoned to cook the Graug. "No." Dredge said to himself softly. "No Krag, you are weak." Focusing his will Dredge shaped his thoughts and screamed so loud his voice echoed through the blackness of his soul. "I have survived Krag! I have lived while you rotted till death! This is my body! And you will not have it to yourself!"

Roaring dredge extended his arms and in a whirl of energy and light Vulcanus' armor flew to Dredge within the blackness and clung to him in a vortex of power. "You will not touch my people! You will not harm a single Vong! I will not be your puppet!" Dredge screamed again as the armor seared his minds projection of him as it contacted his flesh. "I AM THE SUPREME OVERLORD OF THE YUUZHAN VONG!! AND I WILL NOT BOW TO WEAKNESS!!" And with one last beastial roar dredge was back.

Coughing and gasping for air he arched upward in his seat his spine contorting and bending in a painful angle. For a second or toe he held himself like this before collapsing to the stone throne. Laying there breathing heavily the hot air in the room raced to his lungs and he fought to keep from everything from going black. He had taken control back for now. A Vong slave girl approached him slowly and he slide off the helmet that covered his face. The girl stammered back as if she had seen a ghost. "Tell the people, your overlord has returned." Dredge said wearily knowing there was still work to be done

 

[Other Space Kaiden]

[member="Dredge"]

What a delightful pain this overlord had become, his willpower was remarkable considering he was a lesser being before the powerful Graug Warlord. The Dark Lord of the Sith watched through the eyes of his vessel as he sent the slave girl off to warn the people of his return, a waste of time. It would only be for now that Vulcanus would be trapped away in this dark corner of Dredge's soul and while he slumbered in that temple he had learned patience. When he was finally let free again, which he no doubt would, he would punish this overlord for his disobedience.

"Look at her, a vong girl turned slave before the Graug horde. How long will it be before your hate gets the better of you again, Dredge? How long before you embrace the true nature of the force and I am free once again? Maybe it will be when she spills a drink on your lap, or forgets to bow to you just right and then I will be there to end her life. You will do well to appease me, lesser...for you cannot run from your anger and the next time your anger bests you, I shall bring forth a punishment for your insolence."

 

[Dredge]

[member="Darth Vulcanus"]

"Listen to yourself Vulcanus. We are in no position to kill our kin, their blood Is sacred. We are spread too far thin as is, think about it Vulcanus. A god needs followers, good loyal followers. And he burns those who trespassed against him. These people, our people! Have done no such thing." Dredge spoke from his heart and slowly he stood up. In truth he needed Krag as much as he needed his body. Without him they would be bound to this world and their people would fall further into darkness.

"Vulcanus. I have always been there for you. I have helped your people when the Jedi burned your homes and slaughtered your children." Taking a paise dredge rolled his eyes into the back of his head like that he vanished into the void of his own soul. Blackness covered him and he stared upon the seven foot behemoth that was Krag.

"Now I ask that you help mine." He said staring at the monster that shared his body. "You help me so that my people can be with you to help you bring fire once more to those who brought death to our people" dredge held out hot hand and pointed it at the beast that was Krag. He needed him

 

[Other Space Kaiden]

[member="Dredge"]

The projection of his former self was starring back at the Vong Overlord, his eyes dark burning with a sulfuric glow like the pits of hell. This lesser had all but got on his knees to plead for assistance, at least in the eyes of Vulcanus. Yet, he felt no urge to help the man out of any deep pity for the man's people or even for the plight of the weak infestation that dare call themselves true Graug. No, he would not help this man but this man would help him. For now, Vulcanus was bound to this man and that much could not change unless he wished to be a pile of useless metal once again. The worst fact being that Vulcanus's own dark essence was much stronger than Dredge's; it would not be long before the Vong's body began to decay in much the same manner as Vulcanus's had.

The Dark Lord of the Sith needed this man just as this man needed him. "The Crusade" The Graug growled, his arms crossed tightly around his bulky chest, "One of many who were to burn in my name, even without your pleading. I will burn them, lesser, but I will not do so stuck in your form. If you wish to gain my assistance, you must assist me to usher in the final state of my godhood."

 

[Dredge]

[member="Darth Vulcanus"]

"Agreed." Dredge said sealing his fate and nodding his head letting out a small sigh at the same time. There was no reasoning with Sith, at least not this one. He was a monster in every sense of the word and he would prove to be a very valuable asset as time progressed. He however needed him and now it was time to mobilize so they could claim their revenge one step at a time. "I will help you Vulcanus." Turning his back Dredge looked up into the blackness of his soul and simply ascended up into a portal of light.

Taking a deep breath of air Dredge gasped and coughed almost wheezing at first. "Well that was weird." He said, his vision beginning to clear. Looking forward was when he saw it. A hundred Yuuzhan Vong filled the throne room and stared at Dredge. They stared at him some in awe and other in fear or disgust. Whichever their reaction was they were all shocked to see their dearly departed overlord back from the dead. Grasping the stone of the throne around him he stood up from it and spoke

"Vong, Graug! Your leaders have returned! And we shall rebuild! We shall become great once more!" Staring at the crowd their emotions began to stir and some of their faces became filled with hope. "We will raise our armies once more! And from the ashes we will sail! We will sail until every world is darkened, until every light is dimmed like the days of old! We will sail my children!" With the roar of a lion Dredge shoved his sword Into the air and with a chorus of chants. Dredge was back in business. "Now, where are my collectors?" He said to himself with a smile on his face

 

[Other Space Kaiden]

[member="Dredge"]

These foolish Vong would become but pawns in a much bigger game, but every game of chess needed its pawns. Vulcanus stared at the Graug in the room who sat, their teeth bared in hatred of this new Vong who dared call them their leader. Dredge would need a more homey touch for them to ever follow his lead and so, his God-King would bestow it unto him. The dead Emperor of the Sith focused his energies, concentrating a pool of darkness in the center of the room. Slowly, this invisible pool of energy began to take shape. Thick legs grew from thin air and a black cape stretched across reality. Drooling fangs manifested within a grotesque face and the figure became apparent, it was the ghostly projection of the late Emperor of the Sith and the former Warlord of all Graug.

The self-projection hovered in the middle of the room, its form aspiring fear in the hearts of the Graug who knew his identity and the rumors surrounding his death. "My people, you have failed to continue the legacy I built for you! You have followed a false god and now you pay for it with weakness!" the words shook the room like thunder, the wrath of a god. "I shall raise all Graug to the place they are destined to be, for no Jedi or Sith can stand to the power of a GOD!"

There were no shouts of glee from the Graug, only scurries of fear. They were witnessing what, to them, could only mean that they were angering a god with their actions. They felt no glee of his return, only fear as to what punishments he may have for them. "Go to my temple and retrieve from its chasms the relic of my New Order and prepare yourselves for battle. Tonight, we leave for war."

 

[Dredge]

[member="Darth Vulcanus"]

Dredge watched as Vulcanus struck fear into the hearts of his followers. He was malevolent and hateful, unforgiving and dangerous. Rex respected him but he did not agree with his choice of leadership. He fancied himself a god, Dredge would allow him his delusions of grandure for now. Leading was not about threatening with death for every mistake, but being a god? Dredge never knew anything about that. Stepping down from his thrown he walked over to Graug who was struck with fear. By the looks of him he was in charge of technical. He wore many gadgets about him and had a goggles smeared with greese across his face. Whispering to him dredge spoke

"Send out a transmission across the planet. Code TZ5571. Then hold on." Dredge sent the Graug to do his job then stepped down from the throne. It was time to bring forth the tools that would be their enemies destruction. Walking over to a turbo lift he entered it without saying a word to his people.

The lift activated and took him to the top of the spire at the center of town. He waited, for what seemed like forever he waited. And then the ground began to shake from far away and he could tell something big was coming to Grum Wallow. Something unholy and it felt marvelous. Revenge ached through the bones of dredge and he let it swallow him. The void of his hatred and malice he felt for those who had struck him down

 

[Other Space Kaiden]

[member="Dredge"]

A deep, choking laugh of pure malevolent joy filled Dredge's head as the Dark Lord inside him peered into the distance. Vulcanus's temple, barely a dot on the horizon, began to violently collapse as the surface shook under heel. The dot that was a monument to the delusional Graug disappeared, replaced by a growing abomination to life itself. "Behold, the weapon of a true god" Vulcanus whispered as the weapon of terror grew larger in the distance "an omen to our enemies." the dark shadow grew larger, its twisted organic shape filling the horizon like a dark ocean raising to wash away all in its path. Biblical and demonic, the last crowning success of the Graug before their leaders death had risen from its tomb beneath Vulcanus's crypt and with it, he would burn the surface of every world that stood before him.

Even death himself rode a pale horse.