Faction [GA + NJO] Indoumodo Crisis

[Jasper Kai'el]

Indoumodo
Tags: Amani Serys , Kassogtha Cthylla , Alicio Organa , Spirit of Perseverance

​

"Something is wrong," Kass said. "We need to move to a more secure location."

"We can't," Jasper interjected. "Not safely. There aren't many exits, and any there are may as well be choke points. Pushing them out of this position could make an attack far more devastating."

He had felt the uncertainty himself, the eminent threat of something not yet revealed all while both sides squabbled to justify the attacking of civilians. They were a band of greedy fools who couldn't put the lives of their people above a bit of metal, and if it were his place to he would not hesitate to point out such. Unfortunately for Jasper, there was more he had to worry about. There could be no peace if someone wound up dead. The looks from Amani and the cutting of Alicio's feed hadn't been lost on him either.

"Spread out, open your minds," he suggested. "We need to cover as much ground as we can to intercept any hostiles as they reveal themselves. I don't like waiting, but it may be the only option we have if we want to avoid casualties. I... only hope that we can react fast enough."

Jasper wasted no time beginning to prep his arsenal. He loaded the crossbow mounted to his prosthetic arm and prepared himself mentally to draw his lightsaber and spring into action. The knight needed complete focus. They all did.

There would be no do-overs. The consequence would be the death of a thousand more.

 

[Nathan Bloodscrawl]

Nathan was behind cover, trying to clear his head, catch his breath. But there was no unseeing it.

He was shaking all over after he left Syd, having just barely stopped himself from killing her.

He was still shaking. On the verge of a breakdown. Only a shift of movement in the corner of his eye broke his frozen state and he reacted on reflex, teleporting behind the attempted shooter, cutting his attackers head off with one end of his blue saberstaff. He searched the body after shutting off his blades and clipping the hilt to his belt, finding a model of shotgun he was only too familiar with, and an ammo belt of shot shell, which he strapped to his shoulder. Nathan was a pragmatist, a life time of fighting, often alone and outnumbered, having taught him Lightsabers were not useful for 'every' situation.

The flash back to his wife's death, her flesh rotting her screams shrill as her soul was annihilated from Darth Phyre's perspective floored him again. He was now seeing it from the perspective of both his wife and Phyre's.

He clutched his head, struggled to breathe. Artillery shells landed in the distance, their booms deafening. They were crazy. They were crazy to be willing to kill so many people for mining rights.

By sheer will, he managed to shove the horrible memory in the back of his head, allowing him to function long enough to teleport away from an incoming artillery shell. He teleported atop a roof, still clutching his new gun as he stood up, panting, not remembering the name of the planet he was on.

He went into the building via the rooftop entrance, nowhere near fighting condition as he half stumbled down flights of stairs, clutching his skull. The building rumbled as he collapsed and fell on the second floor, the flashbacks starting up again. He hyperventilated.

He slammed his fist on the wall, forcing the horrid, ghastly memory away. The old inherited training of the Ession Temple Guards took hold. It was a watered down version of that training, anyway. Practicing it at full strength had produced results that had caused the experiment to be shut down. It had worked a little too well, you see.

Nathan heard whimpering, spotted a male child hiding behind a cabinet.

He was about to go to him when he heard a commotion from downstairs.

He put a finger to his lips, then crept down another flight, shotgun at the ready...

He saw a squad of Soldiers had entered the lobby of the ground floor...
Nathan, wary of being accused of being a mindless killer, offered quarter.

"I will not harm you if you throw down your weapons..." He announced to them.

To his disappointment, they opened fire.

Nathan sighed, returning fire...

 

[Silas Westgard]

Location: Indoumodo
Objective: Warzone
Tag: Thelma Goth / Cailen Corso

"There have been a few here and there," she replied. "We're dousing this one to try and stop the spread."

"It's a start at least!" he shouted over the roaring flames, moving closer to a window to try and stem the fury that attacked them. None of them were really wearing any proper protection other than the clothes they had come in, leaving their bodies to feel the effects of the heat that was overwhelming them.

Suddenly, another bomb exploded close by and sent a shockwave throughout the town. Silas skidded backward from the backblast and raised a hand in front of his face so the glass wasn't thrown into his face "Stars! We're fighting an uphill battle here!" the knight grunted before redoubling his efforts on another house close by. His mind was fully committed to saving those in need, and as seconds went by he began to sense a strong emotion coming from the house he was attending to.

Silas slowed down his breathing and let the force flow through his body with ease, giving him peace to try and pinpoint if his feelings were true. In the bathroom upstairs a family of four was stuck and struggling to gain any air, if they didn't act soon the civilians were sure to be doomed. The knight's eyes snapped open and looked to his fellow Jedi for assistance.

"Cailen! Thelma! there are people in this house!" he yelled while walking to the door with his hose spraying at the broken window

"We need to go in and extract them. No matter what, we've got to have each other's backs in there!"​

 

[Caden Evesa]

Location: Indoumodo
With: Loomi | Ko Vuto | Rosalina | Tala Vale | Chirp
Equipment: Robes | Lightsaber | Chase Spymaster​

Life was a blessing.

In that moment, he realised quite how important life was. He'd taken on two students in Loomi and Tala and through his own foolishness and recklessness had failed to protect either of them. Whilst he'd suceeded in saving the children, he'd failed to protect his Padawan's from harm. He'd failed in his first duty as a master to either of them.

Tala was completely out cold. The Jedi Knight wasn't even sure if she was breathing, and if she was Caden wasn't even sure if she would survive her injuries. It was his fault. If he hadn't of been so reckless and gotten trapped in the flames, she wouldn't have had a need to jump in after him to try and protect him from being scortched.

Loomi, he felt sorry for. He could feel Loomi breaking. Every mission she had been on with him, something had gone wrong. The fight on Thyferra. The blood over Commenor. The fire on Indoumodo. He hadn't protected the Godoan from any of it. If anything, he'd been responsible for pretty much everything she had been through in some way or another.

The guilt he felt was crushing.

Both of them had put their trust into the Knight to keep them safe from harm and he'd failed both of them and let them both get hurt. He'd promised himself when he took them on that no harm would come to either of them and both of them had been hurt because of him. He wasn't fit to be a master, especially if he couldn't even keep his Padawan's safe from harm.

Rosalina grabbed him, throwing him over one shoulder and Tala over the other. She had confirmed Tala was alive and the Jedi Knight let out a sigh of relief. At least she wasn't dead yet, though how long she would remain fighting was a different story. Caden was thankful that Rosalina prewarned him that being picked up would hurt, but it still didn't stop the grunt of pain from escaping his lips.

From his gase, he saw Loomi readying herself to act as a shield, keep Rosalina safe as well as Tala and himself. He looked at her softly, guilt crushing his chest. It was making every breath difficult. He felt like someone was pressing down a five hundred pound weight against his chest, trying to restrict any flow of oxygen possible.

"You're stronger than you think Loomi. You've got this"

It was all he could say.

 

[Ko Vuto]

Location: Indoumodo
With: Caden Evesa |Loomi| Rosalina | Tala Vale

Sooner rather than later the noise of raging fires were behind him as the Kel Dor rushed off into the direction of the artillery. Following the noise they created as they fired. To Ko each time they fired that was a life lost or a home destroyed. It needed to stop, he needed to go faster. Every second he sprinted he tried to push himself just a little more. Letting his determination power his body like fuel to a starfighter.

Eventually the woodlands around him began to seemingly blur as his legs carried him forwards. Before he knew it Ko noticed he was running faster than he even thought possible for himself. Having almost unintentionally reached into the force for it to speed up his running. When he realized this he suddenly slowed back down to a more natural speed but his momentum still carried him and his legs couldn’t keep up. His mind called attention to it and he lost the speed he gained causing Ko to trip up and tumble harshly into the ground and lower foliage. Giving himself some scrapes and bruises as well as tearing up his robes even more. But he was getting close and he couldn’t stop now. Picking himself up he closed the distance to the source of the shelling.

. . .​

A team of soldiers diligently worked around the clock at their encampment in a clearing. Regularly reloading and firing their large howitzer cannons to continue blasting away targets well out of sight. Maybe they thought themselves immune to the consequences of their actions. Maybe they were just following orders. These things do not matter to the approaching Kel Dor. Just as one team was aiming their cannon and was about to fire a radiant green blade shout out from the treeline in a circular motion. Slicing through the barrel of the large weapon system. Before Ko summoned his lightsaber back to his hands.

Stepping into view the young Kel Dor called out after having grabbed their attention. “Cease your bombardment and lay down your arms now!” These weren’t negotiations, they were demands and the only warning they would get from Ko. However, the soldiers readied their weapons as the padawan began his approach and fired.

Holding his lightsaber in both hands Ko swatted away their blasterfire. Knocking it away from him as he approached the encampment. His attention was directed towards the soldiers shooting at him. But his targets were the howitzers. To further dissuade them from shooting at him as much. Ko used his defense to attack. Hitting one of their blaster bolts back towards them like hitting a baseball with a bat. Launching the projectile back at one of the soldiers square in their breastplate and knocking them back to the ground. Their armor tanked most of the damage. But the act gave their comrades more cause for concern which reflected on them easing up on their shots.

All the while Ko moved on as deliberate as a battle droid. Once he was in range all he needed was a quick flick of his lightsaber and another piece of artillery was destroyed. Constantly keeping his opponents in front of him so he wasn’t surrounded. Using a few well placed flips and cartwheels to supplement defenses.

Eventually he destroyed all the artillery here and once he sliced through the last one he began to make his exit from the scene. Quickly rushing away while keeping his saber between himself and his adversaries. Until he got enough cover from the trees where he began to focus his energy and attention into making a beeline for the next group of artillerists to continue what he’d done here. Ko wasn’t going around killing everyone in his path. He had one mission in mind, to end the bombardment. Which they couldn’t do without their cannons. Already though, the constant cacophony of their artillery firing was lessening. Letting Ko know he was having an effect. To him every missing boom of their weapons firing was a life saved.

 

[Cailen Corso]

Location: Indomoudo | Objective II: Warzone

​

"Cailen! Thelma! There are people in this house!" he yelled while walking to the door with his hose spraying at the broken window

"We need to go in and extract them. No matter what, we've got to have each other's backs in there!"

Cailen doused the window closest to him, fighting the flames back enough to give him an entrance. Careful of the embers and smoke, he stepped through the charred frame and into the ground floor. His eyes watered and stung, but he fought through the discomfort.

"Is anyone there?" the Padawan yelled.

He scanned what was left of the room, looking for signs of the survivors.

"We're here to help you!"

---

Tags: Silas Westgard | Thelma Goth ​

---

 

[Thelma Goth]

"Cailen! Thelma! there are people in this house! We need to go in and extract them. No matter what, we've got to have each other's backs in there!"

Thelma's eyebrows rose. Why hadn't they... oh, what did it matter? They needed help now.

She let go of the hose, holding it in place with the Force as she ran into the building. The Jedi working on combating the flames had been issued suits which were fire-resistant and included a helmet with would keep the smoke out of their eyes and lungs. The civilians trapped inside weren't so lucky.

"Is anyone there? We're here to help you!"

Thelma could hear Cailen calling out below, apparently unsure where to look. "Upstairs!" she called to him, spying Silas already racing up the steps.

Could they have extracted the people from outside, pulling them through the window with the Force? Probably not. Broken windows allowed oxygen to flow inside, feeding the flames, didn't they? Not a good idea. Thelma followed Silas up the stairs, only to find that the fire had completely consumed the upper level of the building.

"I'm going to make a path!" she said. Reaching out with the Force, she cleared a narrow walkway from the stairs to the bathroom. It wouldn't last long, but it would allow them to extract the survivors. "Cailen, help Silas get them out of here!"

Silas Westgard Cailen Corso

 

[Vera Mina]

Wearing: Mercenary Dress

Armed With: Law Abroad

Mercury Pistols (2)


Objective: Slake bloodthirst


When a GA fighter pilot, who had been shot down by Anti Starfighter Fire, broke into the abandoned home close to the fighting where Starlin Rand was close by, desperate to find cover after a running shootout with an APC he had hoped he was alone. At the very least, he would have been willing to hunker down with a Civilian or two.

To be fair, he did find exactly that. Civilians, huddled together in fear in a blocked off corner of the ruined building. He saw the various trinkets and possessions of fleeing Civilians.

But these folks looked more terrified than normal. As he approached them through the rubble and detritus of possessions. He got the weird sense they were just as terrified about being inside as they would be outside. But he didn't understand why that would be.

Not yet, anyway.

They shuddered as they saw the battered, injured pilot, still wearing his flight helmet.

"It's ok..." he whispered. "I'm Alliance. I'm not here to hurt you. Just need to get off the street.

"This place isn't safe..." a child in the huddled group of Civilians whispered. "There's a monster below."

"M-monster?" The Pilot stuttered.

"It killed the ones who came in here trying to kill us. We heard terrible screaming..." one old woman amongst them whispered.

The Pilot frowned. He reached for his comlink. Realized it was busted, and sighed.

"I think I can call for an extraction for all of us. But I need a comlink. Do any of you have one?" he asked.

"The ones who came to kill us had them...but they are below us. In the storage basement. Where the monster is." The child who had spoken earlier answered, eyes still wide with horror.

The Pilot thought about leaving. But he was cut off. He had to see if a rescue crew could be sent, not just for him, but all the others as well. But he was still terrified.

"This monster...what is it exactly?" he asked, heart starting to beat faster.

"We only saw a blur and heard it's roars." the old woman said. "Don't go down there! It's not worth it!"

"I got no choice..." The Pilot answered back grimly, readying his blaster, which had only four shots left. He then found a broken stair case and leapt down it, before proceeding as quietly as possible to the lower level...

It was an abbatoir. Sliced apart enemy Soldiers. Blood splashed on the walls and ceiling. His hand trembled, skin chilling, breath quickening. A million little things his body did that her normally never noticed he now noticed very intensely.

He heard rustling. He stepped ankle deep in blood and began trembling everywhere as he heard rustling in the distance. The splashes of dark, smelly blood highlighting how vulnerable he was.

He saw a door ajar, and he pushed it open, and his blood turned to ice.

She had him stretched over her leg, fangs deep in his neck in the center of a gore pile, yet she herself was immaculate in her white dress as she fed on him, flesh bubbling as her body metabolized his blood...

He pointed his blaster at her and she ignored him, though her glowing red eyes never left him as her blue skin shuddered before she casually tossed the body aside, flesh resetting on her skin, once more disguising her as a voluptuous Chiss Woman with red hair. He was too stunned with terror to pull the trigger.

She grinned, her Psychological databases kicking in. She thought of killing him to eliminate witnesses, but remembered her deal with Nathan.

"There's no need to be scared..." she purred, slowly slinking towards him as his hand trembled.

"W-what are you?"

"The locals friendly to the GA hired me. A few of them believed the Jedi's penchant for mercy would not be a plus in this scenario." The creature said flashing a million credit smile like she was a runway model, which only served to highlight how unnatural she was.

"Y... you're Alliance?!" The Pilot hissed.

"Names Rom..." The creature answered back pleasantly. "Why don't you give me the pistol, Soldier?"

"You...you butchered them..." he trailed in horror.

"You use laser cannons. I use my teeth. The result is the same." she replied. "Can not Game respect Game?"

He didn't realize how close she had gotten until she had kicked the pistol out of his hand swiftly and effortlessly.

"Now..." the creature hissed, slinking closer, the pilot knew she would feel nothing at killing him.

"How would you like to make a deal?"

Minutes later...

Vera, now disguised as the Chiss Warrior known as Rom, was soon back to roaming the field, butchering anyone targeting Alliance personnel with her Katana. She sprinted, somersaulted and spun through barrages of Blaster fire, her blade creating geysers of blood as she dashed by soldiers as a savage blur, blade biting through meat and bone with the ease of a fly buzzing in the air. Soldiers were beheaded, bones broken horribly by punches and kicks, executed by head shots, the creature slaking it's thirst for carnage as it caved an enemy skull in with both fists.

She took wounds of course. Various bolts and shrapnel would tear through her, leaving golf ball sized holes in her torso, flesh shredding off, but she was a most relentless monstrosity, and waded into the thickest combat on the battlefield, the smile of glee never leaving her face.

This was Vera Mina when you let her be herself.

As she finished crushing one of the enemy locals skulls in with both hands, salivating at his horrible screaming before his eyes clouded over with death, she picked up a familiar scent and shivered in anticipation, breaking the neck of the corpse she had just made simply to add insult to injury.

She smelled him. He was close. He smelled traumatized.

The Android decided to pay him a visit, dropping out of sight after leaving an entire kilometer long trail of death and destruction behind her, feeding on the still warm blood of the corpse she had made to speed up her healing. She couldn't wait to stay put though, as it WAS an active combat zone.

She kept out of sight as she moved through devastated streets, and then she heard the sound of shotgun fired.

She sprinted like an athlete across streets full of dead and dying finally reaching the sound. She watched as a man was blasted through a window, chest full of buckshot.

Vera felt a dark hunger as she entered the building--and held her hands up as Nathan Bloodscrawl pointed the shotgun at her from atop a staircase.

"Friendly?" he asked in suspicion, not aware she could take this form.

She used Vera's voice. "Tell me, Morris, does seeing a woman in white with red hair disturb you? Because it seems like the sort of thing that would disturb you."

Nathan scowled at this. "You..."

Vera took a bow.

"In the flesh."

She slinked up the steps.

"So..." she purred. "You didn't answer the question..."

"The only thing I found disturbing, Puppet, is that you would go out of your way to point it out."

Vera smiled. "Good answer..."

"You don't scare me."

"I suspect nothing really scares you anymore. That's part of the reason I like you."

Nathan's scowl was suddenly mixed with suspicion and disgust.

"Lack of fear revs your Hyperdrive?"

"Of course..." she said, playfully blowing a kiss at him as she reached the top of the steps.

"You smell like you had an episode. I can taste it in the air..." she mentioned.

"You know what I had for breakfast this morning?" he half joked.

"Cold Pizza. Bell pepper. Olive." she answered casually as she walked past him.

"Holy chit, you are good..." Nathan muttered in a very quiet voice.

"I smell a youngling with you. Care for assistance in extraction?"

Nathan almost refused. But his episode was making it difficult to use the Force.

"Sure." he answered, clearly hesitant.

Vera grinned.

"Let's grab the little one and get the hell out of here..."

 

[Spirit of Perseverance]

Objective I - A Peaceful Resolution​

There was an another frustrated look at the parents having to deal with children during a meeting like this. But at this point, even the man from the West understood that bringing it up wasn't going to help them settle this debate. What frustrated him even more, however, was the stance that Alicio, in particular, took.

"The Neutral zone was chosen because it was believed to have no value. The discovery of these mines change everything," he said, but his counterpart immediately spoke up.

"Nonsense. I agree with the senator that-"

There was a pause, as the Jedi all seemed to realize something that they couldn't understand. The politicians looked at each other with confusion, and turned to the scary tentacle blob when she talked about relocating. "Hold on. Is this another attempt at buying them time to fight us?" The man began, but even before the woman could say something in return, a loud explosion in the sky silenced them all.

A shuttle was coming down fast like a fireball, and struck the village outskirts before what remained exploded as well.

"I don't believe we have a choice!" The woman shouted, and while this already scared them to death, the danger was far from over. Tension lingered in the Force, lashing out at all Jedi.

"Your people shot down our researchers! That is a war crime," he said before reluctantly moving to avoid being turned to dust in a fireball himself. But regardless of what happened, he had found a way to legitimize the conflict. Or so he hoped.

Alicio Organa Amani Serys Kassogtha Cthylla Jasper Kai'el

​

 

[Jasper Kai'el]

Indoumodo
Tags: Amani Serys , Alicio Organa , Kassogtha Cthylla , Spirit of Perseverance

​

"Your people shot down our researchers! That is a war crime,"

"I think there's more pressing matters," Jasper scowled.

There was no proof of the claim, and he had made it in full faith as a starship came barreling down towards them. Insufferable, politicians. They were so willing to urge for the most terrible things even as the world fell apart. Jasper wasted no time getting to work, pulling out his lightsabers and barreling through the wall. It was as he had said before, the structure they were in was a deathtrap. They needed more doors.

"GET MOVING!" he shouted to the gathered delegates. "FOLLOW KNIGHT SERYS AND MASTER CTHYLLA!"

They could live with the property damage. After all, a starship was barreling towards it in a ball of fire. Whenever that thing hit, Jasper had to be the first to investigate it. If either one of the teams of those grubby politicians conducted an investigation they'd continue to validate the murder of civilians.

For now, however, he'd continue to tear through walls.

 

[Amani Serys]

Alicio Organa - Kassogtha Cthylla - Jasper Kai'el - Spirit of Perseverance

---

"They're stubborn like that," Amani smirked. Stubborn like their parents, for that matter. But at the moment they were settling down, at least enough to not be distracting to the discussion.

Said discussion didn't get far, though, before new problems reared their head. The politicians never even came close to agreeing on anything, when tremors through the Force put each Jedi on alert. The Count's call began to flicker and dissipate, "Alicio?" Amani stepped forward, as if she could somehow stop it. But it wasn't him and the twins to be concerned about. She offered a silent thanks to the Force that they were back on Coruscant, rather than here.

A massive explosion rippled across the sky, shockwaves shaking the structure. A ship was crashing down in a ball of flame, and hit the village outskirts. Everyone went on alert. Jasper refuted the idea of moving the politicians, only to immediately double back on it. Amani wasn't going to just sit and wait for something else to happen, so she stepped in front of the politicians; Then looked back towards Kassogtha and Oukranos, "Keep them moving. I'll focus on protection."

The mirialan raised her hands and shuffled alongside their impromptu security team, projecting a Force barrier around them like a bubble.

 

[Kassogtha Cthylla]

Amani Serys Jasper Kai'el Spirit of Perseverance
​

Kass' suggestion was initially refused by Jasper - but then, as a shuttlecraft crashed into the outskirts of the village, suddenly moving the delegates seemed like a much better idea to him.

"Your people shot down our researchers! That is a war crime."

"War is a crime," Kass heard Oukranos murmur beside her. He now held his lightsaber hilt in his hand where the datapad had once been, ready to ignite at a moment's notice.

Amani projected a protective barrier around them with the Force, while Kass was to lead them. The Pylantian pushed forward, headed for the exit, not sure what to expect but on high alert...

 

[Ko Vuto]

Location: Indoumodo
With: Caden Evesa |Loomi| Rosalina | Tala Vale

Ko had made a bit of an error. Having formed a good deal of tunnel vision to solely take out the artillery he neglected other things that would prove detrimental. They still possessed their communications equipment. So as the Kel Dor moved from one encampment to another, those he left behind warned his next targets. Making each little battle harder than the last. He was also over exerting himself as well. Constantly catching his breath but never giving himself the chance to truly do so.

By time he reached the last of the local artillery encampments they were already well aware of Ko's likely arrival. Nearly getting himself blown to smithereens from a proximity mine. No chance for surrender on either side, it was simply do or die at this point for himself. Still though, Ko pushed himself. Each step purposeful in his goal to bring an end to the gratuitous civilian casualties suffered here.

Each step he made advancing against the soldiers was purposeful. Each deft swing and maneuver with his emerald blade dogged. Ko’s patients had run thin now, and felt little sympathy for the soldiers he faced. They’d made their choice to fire upon the padawan, they made their choice to obliterate civilian populations. They were responsible for their own actions and had to own up to their consequences.

One soldier had thrown a thermal detonator at Ko. It’s distinctive beeping cutting through the air. Raising his hand out he caught it with The Force and knocked it back down like he was spiking a volleyball. Swiftly ending the one who threw it and those around them.

Eventually Ko got to the last set of artillery cannons and one after another he sliced through them. Rending the howitzers useless. He had done it, Ko had finally taken out the last encampment in the area. Were there more? Surely. But he couldn’t be everywhere at once. He had to hold out hope that others could combat them.

His body finally easing up for just a moment until one more soldier made a move against the seemingly distracted padawan. Rushing Ko from behind with a vibroblade. Swiftly Ko reacted and retaliated. One moment the man was in a committed attack against the young Kel Dor. The next they were knocked to the ground gripping their newly formed charred stump from where their wrist once was in anguish. Turning his back on them once more Ko began to trek back to where his Jedi comrades were. Heavily breathing and limping back. The adrenaline finally left his body as walked back. A slight limp began to form in his moments, the robes that covered his upper body were in tatters. His form was pretty much bare from the waist up.

Ko felt his energy come crashing down. Suddenly when he felt like he had the ability to power through a small army he found it difficult to even stand as soreness began to creep into his muscles, joints and bones. Within the forest Ko finally stopped, leaning against a tree before sliding down it to the ground. Sitting there with his back against it. Finally taking a moment to catch his breath… ​

 

[Vera Mina]

'Rom' and Nathan journeyed across the streets she had been killing her way through. They couldn't afford to blindfold the child in such a chaotic environment. He was quiet. Horrified. But he kept silent because he didn't want to die.

The currently blue skinned, red headed Android took the lead, as Nathan's episode had rendered him unable to focus on using the Force, so he took to guarding the child with his shotgun. Rom drew her pistols, gunning down Soldiers without remorse.

"Do you ever think about those you kill?" Nathan asked.

"I remember everyone I kill, Nathan." Rom answered, shooting an enemy soldier in the head. "Everyone."

"Not what I asked. Do you ever think about them?" he pressed.

"Sometimes..." Rom answered.

"Why?"

"No reason. I never think about why I think about them." she replied, signalling him to get behind the remains of a building with a child. "Do you ever think about anyone you kill?"

"Often. In my sleep." Nathan answered.

"Why?" She called back after brutally lifting an enemy soldier up and breaking his back on her knee before tossing him aside like a ragdoll.

"I question whether certain kills were necessary."

Rom looked at Nathan in confusion, even as she lifted an enemy soldier up and brutally crushed his esophagus.

"Why?" she asked as she tossed the body into a burning building.

"You've never wondered whether you went overboard?"

"Does a Rancor ever worry about whether it eats too much?" The Biot asked.

"If you had to venture a guess, why do you suppose you think about them?" Nathan asked as they came out of cover.

The Android thought a moment.

"In their last moments, people tell you who they really are."she answered with a devilish grin. "Would you like to know how many of the people I've killed were cowards?" (I'M NOT WEARING HOCKEY PADS!: 700 XP)

Nathan tilted his head in curiosity.

"You like to remember cowardice?"

"Hardly. I like to remember the ones who died brave. It's fascinating, seeing such defiance before oblivion clouds the eyes." Rom answered, leading the pair through obstructions like collapsed homes and shot down starfighters.

"Why does that fascinate you?" Nathan asked in a whisper.

"Because I don't understand why they die bravely." Rom answered. "I think I recall their final moments for a chance at the secret of why."

"Hmmm..." Nathan grunted tonelessly as the three walked past the vicious piles of carnage the Biot had left in her wake. Here, Nathan covered the boys eyes, but he knew it wouldn't help. He'd likely seen worse well before running into Nathan.

"How many brave souls did you kill today?" Nathan wondered.

"None." Rom hissed. "Not a brave soul amongst them."

The three at last reached a boundary where the Alliance held a defense line.

"I'll take him in." Nathan stated. "They'll ask questions if they see me with you."

"Wait a moment." The Biot removed a hypo-injector and pressed it against the scared boy's neck. The boy stumbled backward, dizzy as Nathan seized the Biot by her arm.

"What did you just do?!" he demanded.

The Biot maintained that infuriating smile.

"An amnesiac drug. Quite harmless. He'll forget the last several hours. You wouldn't want him to blab about our conversation would you?"

Nathan looked uncertain.

"It won't leave traces. Mother's recipe. They'll pass it off as shock. Or injury."

The boy stumbled about some more but eventually righted himself. Nathan teleported out of sight.

"Wh-what happened?" he asked.

"I found you unconscious, little one." Rom explained in a disturbingly gentle voice.

"Shall I take you back?" she offered.

"Back...to where?" the boy asked.

"Friendly lines." she answered, offering her hand. He took it after a moment and she led him to an Alliance triage camp. Without a word further she deposited the boy there and left as quickly as she arrived.

Nathan teleported to her side.

"You thought I would kill him didn't you?" Rom asked.

"The thought had occured to me..." Nathan admitted.

"One of Mother's few safeguards." Rom answered.

"Would you have killed him if you didn't have them?"

Rom shrugged. "No."

"Why not?"

"His people hired me, silly! I have to have professional standards." she answered in a huff.

"Vera."

Rom stopped, turning to face Nathan.

"You say you like me because I lack fear. But how can you be certain?"

Rom walked up to him. Cold red eyes dug into green ones.

"There is only one way, one way I could truly be certain. But why ask?"

"Because I am not certain."

Rom tilted her head. "And you won't get mad?"

Nathan shook his head. "Promise."

"I pity you, Organic. To be so uncertain of your core programming."

Her hand seized him by the throat, lifted him up, and squeezed, staring into his eyes, which held her stare as he started to black out. He didn't struggle, made no move to pull her arm away.

She peered closely into his eyes.

"Nothing..." she whispered, fascinated. "It's beautiful..."

Nathan just stared. Even as his brain begged for oxygen, he studied his own reaction with what lucidity was still available. He wondered in that instant, as he watched a dark lust spread across her face, salivating as she watched the life start to leave him...

...he wondered if he was still a person. Or something that only thought he was. Because even with his own impending death, he didn't feel anything.

He didn't feel fear. Or hope. Or even himself.

He felt Syd drop across the battlefield, gasping desperately for air.

His vision got blurry. Vera squeezed even harder, giggles escaping her throat, even as the "saliva" ran down her neck.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING he felt his corrupted daughter scream out to him from across space. Nathan didn't answer.

FATHER! The Parliament screamed at him in many voices besides her own.

Morris! Morris, NO! Elaine Tear's voice screamed. DON'T DO IT!

Am I brave? Or do I truly no longer care? Nathan asked himself.

Nathan blacked out as all the air left him.

Vera dropped him. Watched as he lay there. Inert.

She fell upon him, immediately providing medical attention. He soon revived. He coughed violently.

"What the hell are you?" she asked in pure wonder.

Nathan only scowled. "Short of breath."

He rose up, started walking away.

The Biot shivered in lust.

"Alphas..." she whispered, biting her lower lip as she followed him.

"So, wanna kill me next?" Rom asked slyly as she walked alongside him, both sticking to any cover they could find.

Nathan looked at her with a genuinely incredulous expression.

Rom grinned.

"Turn about is fair play."

Nathan blinked.

Then he burst out into laughter. The Biot joined him in the laughter...