Gavin's eyes lit up with an almost childish excitement at the mention of the aviary, though he tried to keep a more composed facade in front of the Diarch. Rellick's cryptic tone—and the way he spoke of "guarding the most dangerous assets of the Diarchy"—only fed the spark of curiosity burning in Gavin's mind. There was a promise of danger here, and Gavin relished the thought of testing his mettle against whatever waited behind those walls.
When Rellick's face split into that mad grin, Gavin couldn't help but smirk back.
"Insane brother of the Diarchy? I like this version of you best," he remarked, giving a quick glance to Naami as though expecting some response. His words dripped with anticipation, the same edge of eagerness he felt before any real fight. He'd heard rumors that Rellick's experiments were the stuff of legends, and the man's current demeanor all but confirmed them.
As they neared the looming double doors, Gavin's hand drifted instinctively toward the hilt of his lightsaber. He didn't ignite it—there was no overt threat yet—but he drew comfort from the familiar weight at his side. The tension in the air was real; every fiber in his body seemed to tingle with the sense that they were about to cross a threshold into something far beyond an ordinary training exercise.
Inside, the lighting was minimal, the corridor only intermittently lit by faint, flickering overhead fixtures. Rows of skeletal machines tracked their movement with glowing red eyes, each mechanical sentry unnervingly still except for the slow rotation of its head following them. The chill of it all tickled at Gavin's nerves in a way that felt both unnerving and exhilarating.
He leaned slightly toward Naami, his voice low enough not to carry
"Better than another blasted lesson back on Korriban don't you think," he muttered, though a trace of humor laced his hushed tone. The subdued lighting cast dramatic shadows across his grin, which had widened despite the unsettling surroundings.
Looking ahead, Gavin saw Rellick press his hand against a panel, triggering a quiet beep from the facility's bio-security system. The doors rumbled open, revealing a spacious, dome-roofed enclosure. Even from this distance, the scattered hum of machines and the pungent scent of some unknown wildlife stung the air. A single tower-like structure stood at the center, presumably the facility's control hub, but Gavin's gaze kept darting to the cages and fenced-off areas dimly visible along the edges.
"Welcome to my world, gentlemen," Rellick declared, pushing the double doors wide. The cold draft and faint metallic tang that wafted out felt like a promise of something savage waiting within.
Gavin stepped across the threshold, every sense on high alert. He could almost taste the adrenaline rolling through his veins, the same thrill he'd felt on Nar Shaddaa before a high-stakes confrontation. Yet this was different—there was science here, an organized chaos that teased him with the prospect of formidable creatures, advanced defense systems, and who knew what else.
He flexed his fingers beside his lightsaber hilt, casting a brief sidelong look at Naami.
"Everyone is going to be so jealous when they hear about this," he remarked, his voice half-joking yet tinged with genuine respect. Even in the dim light, his eyes gleamed.
Guided by Rellick's purposeful stride, Gavin pressed forward, step by careful step, letting the heavy doors seal behind them with a resounding thud. The path ahead was uncertain, but the promise of danger—and the chance to prove himself—left him eager for whatever lurked in Rellick's domain.
Diarch Rellik
Naamino Zuukamano
Gavin Vel
