Private Imagine A Time When Your Thoughts Were Your Own.

[Rann Thress]

R E C L A I M​

Tags: Walker​

The distractions of the Abrion Pact and his time away from any commitment had to come to a close. For the sake of Rannon, Rann had to be present again. He stood on an overhang to the Valley, sun high in the sky illuminating everything below. A military post overlooking the Valley Quarantine area. The howls of the afflicted were unnoticeable, if indeed they did happen to begin with. In the distance, the old Jedi Temple. Scaffolding visible even from here. Reminders showing the great failings of Rann’s experiment. The forest below seemed to be shrouded in dark mist, preventing any real observations of the ground below. From this distance and height, only the treetops remained visible.​

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“It’s quiet here, Milord,” the Outpost Commander walked up to Rann and saluted, then delivered his report, “We haven’t seen one of those abominations in days. Heard em last ‘round the same time too.”​

Rann turned his head and looked at the man, a slight smile appearing on his lips and he nodded gently. He didn’t have it in him to put on a facade today. Not today. It was the first time he’s been to the QZ since he first arrived back on Rannon after the incident. Then there were no walls or outposts. Just the howls in the distance, and the occasional scream.​

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Now, twenty foot high, three feet thick durasteel walls cover the entrances into the valley, with watch towers and outposts such as these lining the hills and mountains around it. Now, Rann could see from a vantage point his broken dreams and crushed ambitions.​

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And being this close to the valley...after working so hard to purge it of darkness… ate at him. It was intoxicating, the darkness. Beckoning to him, as he tried to direct the reclaiming of the Valley and any search and rescue efforts.​

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“My Lord.” Gavin Nalle, the Viceroy of Rannon, called from behind Rann. ​

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Gavin was an older man with sharp eyes and a sleek face. What little hair he had left had long ago turned white. A shrewd, calculating man, commanding respect. He fit what Rannon required, by far, and for that Rann thanked him and was extremely grateful for his presence.​

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“Yes, Viceroy Nalle?” Rann asked, barely above a whisper. His eyes focused on the Temple in the distance.​

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“The latest reconnaissance of the Valley has… come in. Nothing living remains. The Temple we cannot say. But the valley, for certain, is devoid of absolutely all life.”​

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Rann sunk his head down low and placed it on his arms, resting on the railing beneath him. “I know. I can feel it. Or… I can’t, I guess. They’re all dead.” He raised his head and wiped a tear away.​

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“What about the Temple. When can we expect a look inside?”​

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“My lord…-”​

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“When. Gavin.”​

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“It’s…Impossible to say. Preliminary readings show activity still. But we can’t know what it is for certain. Last time we sent a team in… Well, surely you remember.” Gavin stared at Rann.​

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He did remember. Cam footage was available. Rann wished it wasn’t. They needn't have seen passed three minutes, twenty three seconds of the footage. That was all it took for the team to be assaulted, torn apart, and devoured by the Abominations inside the Temple. Abominations Rann recognized, Knights Obsidian.​

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Rann turned around, defeated. The Darkside inside his mind relishing every little second of Rann’s anguish. “Okay. So what do we do. What can we do?”​

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Gavin shrugged. “I don’t know, My Lord. This is your specialty, I’m afraid. The Force and all it’s mysteries are your realm of expertise, certainly more than my own, at any rate. This...affliction. It isn't of science. It’s of the Force, as are the creatures it creates. And they, like the Force, are unknowable. Whether they die off, whether they starve, sleep, eat… to survive anyway, or anything really. We just don’t know.” Gavin walked forward slowly and placed his hands on the railing, staring at the Temple in the distance, and Rann turned around and gazed upon the Temple alongside him.​

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“If you want my honest opinion My Lord. The only thing we can do that guarantees lives not lost and the end of the Afflicted that may remain inside the Temple is destroy it. Call upon CIS Fleets and glass the entire Valley. Reduce it all to rub-”​

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“No.” Rann shot back, quickly yet still quietly. “I… I can’t.”​

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“My Lord are you willing to risk more lives to-”​

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“No. I won’t waste any more lives for my vanity project. I won’t. And I can’t just… ignore the problem either. It needs to be dealt with. But there may be survivors in that Temple. There’s knowledge in that temple. Irreplaceable knowledge. That’s… That’s my home.” He gestured towards the Temple with a lazy move of his hand.​

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“So I’ll take it back. I have to. Alone.” He stood up off the railing and turned around. Gavin looked after him, but knowing the mind of the Lord of Rannon, decided it best to not try to persuade him otherwise. He’d succeed, or he’d die. It’d do no good to try to talk him out of it. And so, Gavin stared at the Temple and the Valley below, waiting.​

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Rann, on the other hand, exitted the outpost to find a speeder waiting for him. He motioned towards the driver that he required passage to the Gate and the driver saluted and agreed, ferrying Rann to the entrance of the QZ. As they traveled down into the Valley, the mist grew thicker near the top of the walls where it seemed as if they’d block out the sun once he was on the other side of the walls. Rann tried to avoid staring at it, even though he knew he’d be deep within the mist. It didn’t take long for the speeder to approach one of the gates and Rann hopped out of the Speeder and approached the gate. He looked towards the commander of the gate and spoke softly, ​

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“If I’m not back in twelve hours, have our forces bombard and destroy the valley. Everything. Inform Viceroy Nalle. Highest Priority.” The commander saluted and ordered the gates open. Rann took a deep breath and proceeded into the darkness of the valley.​

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As it enveloped him, he couldn’t help but feel the darkness in his mind similarly overtaking him.​

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[Walker]

Location: The ship persistence
Equipment:
Blaster
cursed-blade
the-generator

He looked at the holographic rundown of his creation, the Voran. A fascinating combination of force and science. Made to be able to see through the force itself, making them far more dangerous when their intellect and physical superiority was added on. They were, in his opinion, his first true monument of skill. The Generator was magnificent to him, but it was not a creation he would flaunt so easily. However, in recent times, he had discovered it's use may be more valuable than he once thought.

And so would more study. And that was exactly what he was doing. Vash looked out the viewport as his ship slowly moved towards the ground of the planet. He could feel it's darkness reach him. Kot Vind sat at the ships pilot seat taking it down. The Dark Side. That was what they called it. Jedi and Sith and their fascinating names for things. His mother called it something else, the Way of Emotion. Or the way of the heart.

To him it was both. They were mere names for the same thing, treated differently, but the same at its core. And it was his only access point to the force.

They landed, stealthed as they had upon entry. That was one of the parts he loved about his ship. The Persistence had a number of advantages over most of its class. But that wasn't what he was here for. In truth he had no idea what he was doing here. But hey, he'd figure it out as he went. Learn more about the dark side while he was here, and grow.

The Vran left the Devaronian behind as he left the room and went into the Alchemy Integration Center. Grabbing The Generator instead. He sat down, holding it in his hands, and focusing. Take, return, take, return. The Generator began it's process. By gifting it his focus, it amplified it, and returned it with a hook attached to make sure it was returned again. His very senses seemed to leave his body as The Generator greatly amplified his connection to the force and spread his ability to sense and user it over a much greater field.

So much darkness, creatures lurked. Corruption of nature. That was not how Vash saw it however. He saw it as reminiscent of himself. As if they were all kin in their being.

But then there was something else. Something not like him. He saw a thinking being that was challenging itself. A creature that was fighting its own emotions. It was like looking at someone locked in a cage fighting a man outside of it. Vash tried to dig deeper, he tried to look further. Yes, the caged was like him. It was his kinship. So why fight what could make one strong? Vash had been taught by his mother how to use emotion, even though she herself often did not. So why would someone who struggles with keeping emotion at bay, not simply release it?

Well, it must be because they did not understand. Knowledge is powerful. He would have to let them see the truth. Vash attempted to reach out, attempted to touch the lock if he could. He wanted to open the cage. And then he could help the man in person, help him to see the truth. And in return, Vash might begin to see the creation of another like him. If he could see in truth the Dark Side as it grew in someone, perhaps he could see the way to master it in himself.

Rann Thress

 

[Rann Thress]

V A L L E Y​

Tags: Walker​

It wasn't very long ago that Rann first passed through this Forest. It was when the Confederacy first arrived on Rannon. The Valley and the Temple within it spoke to Rann, calling to him even then. The darkness of the Forest then.... it wasn't like now. That was a darkness with more...intent. This was a darkness of chaos. No rhyme or reason, beyond extermination and corruption of all life.

With every passing second I grow weaker.
With every passing second I grow stronger.

Every step was a challenge. All of his instincts told him to turn around, to return to the safety of the QZ Checkpoints. But despite that, he continued forward.

The first time Rann walked through the Forest, there was still the sounds of life. Animals in the distant, insects and birds chirping. Now, however, silence. Dead quiet. It felt as if even the wind was silent.
As he silently trudged forward, Rann couldn't help but feel as if he was being watched. But the sense of unease, Rann could easily contribute to the overwhelmingly dark presence in the Forest. It still, however, made him reach for one of his Lightsabers, Emerald, removing it from his belt. Despite the urge to call out for any lurkers, Rann kept quiet. He remembered what the reports said about the Valley, everything was dead. But he trusted the Force more than simple technology, and much was possible through the Force. Were he to call out, he may summon hordes of Afflicted to his person. And that would end this expedition real quick.

Silently and with every thought focused on defending against any possible attack, Rann continued forward through the Forest. Every step he took, the feeling of being watched increased, as did the dread of the haunting Temple in the distance. He was close now and everything in his body was ready for an attack. Everything was screaming at him to draw his saber, strike first. But against what? He didn't know what was there, or if anything was.

He stopped for a second and squeezed the hilt of his Saber tight. He gritted his teeth and let out a scream, igniting the blade.

Pshooooow
The green blade exploded to life in his hand, and he reached for his other saber, Amber.

Psssheeeeew

He held both blades to his side and braced. Something was out there, something was coming. It had to be.

He continued walking forward, one step at a time, closing the gap between him and the temple with every passing moment.

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[Walker]

Vash watched with interest the progress of Rann Thress . He needed to meet this individual in person. He grabbed the device in his hands, walking out of the ship. His eyes were open, but they saw little. The force had become his senses. Keeping him aware of what was. And guarding him from the creatures, there was great danger in a man so dreadfully natural to the dark side being given the power to focus and increase his gifts in the force.

Whether it was to sway the dark creatures to leave him alone, or rip them apart, he didn't care. And as far as he was concerned, anything still living had no reason to be near him right now. Aside from Rann himself, his existence he would permit. He made his way in the direction that Rann Thress was headed. Intent on making it there before him. Destroying whatever creatures lay in his way.

The darkness of the world, the darkness of Vash, the Darkness of The Generator. They all felt correct to Vash. And it pressed him to wan to push the feeling of good outside of Rann so that he could also be correct. So that he could become like Vash. Natural to the way of emotion. He attempted to make noises in the Temple, trying to misguide Rann long enough for Vash to make his way inside to meet him in his route.