Reunite, for all that is right.

[Nisha Decrilla]

There was something beautiful about a holomap of the galaxy, with all its colours depicting the different nations it was hard to decide on who was best to pick on. Slender red fingers trailed the edge of the table, black tattoos trailed along the middle finger, joining a complex pattern of lines across the back of the hand and along an equally slender arm, the vanished as the reached the shoulder, disappearing beneath her clothes. Feral red eyes glittered as she adjusted the image of the map, zooming a little closer into the Outer Rim. Squares of data flashed up, depicting gathered intelligence from the planets that formed the Outer Rim Coalition.

A smirk played on her lips and she licked them in anticipation. It had been too long. Too long in the shadows raising Calina, too long playing it safe and trying to do something in the name of the greater picture. There was no greater picture than this. This was what she lived for, what she had always lived for. Anaya Fen was the Goddess of Chaos, and she was hungry to wreak havoc upon the galaxy again.

The Femme Fatal was empty, docked in a unnamed space station in an unknown location. She'd put a call out to an old friend, a mechanical being that appreciated Anaya's love of chaos. She'd requested that friends were brought, preferably ones that could fight and would do so without question. She paused her encircling of the holomap, pondering for a moment, what things would be like if [member="Moira Skaldi"] had been an organic.

Oh the pleasures they could have had.

 

[Moira Skaldi]

[member="Anaya Fen"]


Moira was fond of maps. They brought a semblance of order to a sadly inherently chaotic universe. All galactic powers sought nothing more than to paint as large a section of the galaxy as possible in their colour, regardless of whichever they claimed to espouse. They forgot that ultimately these coloured lines on a holographic map had no meaning. They were as transient and fleeting as organic life in general. It was a never-ending cycle. Eventually every nation reached its shelf date. Even stars died.


With barely a ripple, the Lightbringer emerged from the blue tunnel that was hyperspace. The system was utterly irrelevant, the space station a trivial shadowport populated by creatures that would not ask questions. In other words, it was the perfect location. Anaya Fen was one of the few organic beings Moira...liked. Sort of. As much as she was capable of feeling something that could be considered a close approximation of fondness. Pity she could not introduce Enyo Typhos to her. Alas, the clone had rebelled against her true purpose. But she was being tracked and a plan was in the works to put her down. Besides, other clones were in the pipeline.


The Lightbringer maintained its distance, nonetheless. The HRD boarded a shutte, and set sail for the rendezvous point on the station. She'd brought minions. For an organisation dedicated to droid supremacy, Archangel was thoroughly lacking in appreciation for droid life.

 

[Nisha Decrilla]

Heavy footfalls drifted through the empty ship, foretold Anaya of the arrival of her little pack of HRD's. Five identical Kiffar entered the room, the first, carrying a silver case, a Bando Gora Reaver at their heels. She regarded the reaver with a wide smile, she almost regretted not purchasing more from Archangel. Maybe she'd make a later purchase. "Do you have her?" she asked, turning her gaze to the centre most HRD.

"We do."

Anaya clapped her hands together with a gleeful cackle. Skipping around the table, she planted a quick kiss on the Kiffar's lips. "Good girl. Steal a ship, quietly if you will and take her..." she glanced over her shoulder at the map, her smile widened. "Take her to Dathomir. I'm not sure of the girls skillset, so best to keep her detached from the force if you can. Keep her secure and call me when you're ready. I need a live hololink set up as soon as possible."

The HRD bowed and saw herself out. She waved a hand at the remaining HRDs and they slunk into the shadows of the room. Leaving the Reaver standing before her. "Are you ready to serve me?" she asked it. "To do all I say, create havoc in my name. Even die for me?" The reaver dropped to one knee. "I live to serve the Goddess of Chaos, I will die to serve the Goddess of Chaos." Anaya closed her eyes, taking a brief sweet moment to enjoy it, before turning her back on him.

"Good!" she cried happily. "You will stay one pace behind me at all times. If I step on your toes at any point, I will remove them and any other appendages I feel necessary for you to learn."

"She's here." One of Parla's copies spoke from the shadows. Anaya turned her feverish gaze back to the map.

"Go fetch her then."

[member="Moira Skaldi"]

 

[Moira Skaldi]

[member="Anaya Fen"]


And so Moira was led into the map room. She spared Parla and her copies a glance as she made her way into it. They had been rather pricey gifts for the Chaos Queen. Likewise she noted the presence of the Bando Gora Reaver.


Archangel had considered weaponising the insane cultists, but concluded that while their bestial appetites and zealotry made them frightening warriors, they were sadly difficult to control. Chaotic Evil tended to be like that. Admittedly Archangel were total control freaks. Evidently the Twi'lek was able to appropriately cow the Chaos cultist in her services.


"Greetings, Anaya. It has been a while," she spoke in what was a close approximation of a friendly voice by Moira's standards. The minions blended into background noise as it should be. She took in the gigantic map.


"Observing the futile struggle of nations to defy chaos and imprint their will upon the galaxy before being washed away?" she asked rhetorically. "Did you hear a droid armada appeared in Denon's orbit and claimed possession? Apparently they were so unhappy about the possibility of organics discovering a secret droid world that they...decided to try and rule the second largest organic ecumenopolis in the Galaxy after trecking as nomads for a few weeks. The organisation resembles that of a warlord oligarchy."


Moira's cover was intact. Only a select few individuals knew that Nalia and Moira were the same person and that the latter thus headed Archangel. For this meeting, Moira had chosen a different face than her Nalia one. For an HRD that was as easy as changing clothes. "But I reckon you're not interested in them," her eyes zoomed in one of the squares that showed population data from one of the ORC's sectors, "you're interested in the Outer Rim Coalition."

 

[Nisha Decrilla]

"Hello Moira." Anaya' lips curled into a sweet and seductive smile. A wasted effort on the HRD, she knew, but she couldn't help it, Moira encouraged her chaos and for that, Anaya cold appreciate her in a light other than that of a droid who enjoyed seeing organics die. "I had heard something f the sort, but droids don't interest me. You can't make a droid tick the same way you can make a person." She waved a hand at the reaver, signalling him to stay where he was, circling round to Moira and stepping in close.

"You mimic emotion," she lifted the woman's hands so they were palm to palm slowly entwining their fingers. "You do it well, but there is something beautiful in shattering a persons mind, in watching them realise that all they thought was safe and they steady fall towards the darkest of emotions." she'd drawn closer with each word, so close now her lips were brushing Moira's. "Droids make wonderful allies, but boring playthings." She drew away back to the map, with a wave of her hand it shrunk and a holoimage of a man rose up from the table.

"Jorus fething Merrill, pilot extraordinaire, master of hyperspace. Not to be trifled with in space, but on the ground?" she grinned, circling the tale once more, eyes fixed on his floating face "He likes to be nuisance to anything and everything that does not fit within his morals. He punches hard and fast, mostly, at sith. He would make a wonderful plaything, and fortunately, I have what makes him tick already."

Another wave of the hand, another image, this time of a young woman. "Mara D'Lessio Merrill, his daughter. Currently on route to Dathomir with one of mine. Kidnapping his daughter though, that's hardly fun, no no, she's just and insurance policy. Call it a get out jail free card." She stopped, the two images dropped and the map resumed its full size, zooming in towards one planet in particular. Pergitor loomed before them, a wasteland but on it, several sealed cities. Water filtration systems with easy access, air filtration for dispersal. "You recall, some time ago I said I would chose a planet for us to test the denon virus on?"

She gestured at it. "I give you test subject A."

[member="Moira Skaldi"]

 

[Moira Skaldi]

[member="Anaya Fen"]


Moira found emotion...troublesome. It drove organics to illogical, poorly planned action - and made them difficult to control. If Enyo Typhos had not succumbed to emotion, if the older sister had killed the younger sister, there would be no threat to Archangel's existence!


When Anaya's lips brushed against hers, she humoured the woman's idiosyncracies and returned the brief kiss. Her human self would have perhaps found the scarlet Twi'lek alluring. The robotic her was incapable of feeling such desire. She could appreciate the carnage the organic produced though.


"'Boring' because our minds are too untainted to be toyed with in the way you are so very used to. Which makes us perfect for the destruction you crave," she said with what sounded like wry amusement. Her eyes gave the holoimage a cursory glance.


"I know Merrill. Career insurgent. Decorated OP veteran. Tore apart an SD together with Kerrigan to rescue his abducted wife. Be prepared for retaliation once you've used your card up." Organics tended to react in extreme ways when their loved ones were put in peril, even when it went against their best interests.


"Ironically, his sister helped recreate the Denon virus. I liked her. Till that whole Kaas nonsense," she added as an aside as Pergitor manifested before their eyes. There was a flash in Moira's eyes as she accessed her memory banks to view the information she possessed on the planet.


"An inspired choice for a field test. With a toxic atmosphere and an ecosystem in shambles, these cities will be death traps. Furthermore, it has a history of being influenced by a rigid, fundamentalist cult whose members would doubtless see the outbreak in apocalyptic terms, and make the crisis even worse. Hit several of the sealed cities simultaneously, watch the carnage as the thin fabric of organic civilisation unravels and the Coalition scrambles to 'rescue the helpless'." Perhaps it would be best if the Preceptor or one of his lieutenants was...replaced.

 

[Nisha Decrilla]

"Oh I'm well aware of Jorus's tendancies. I welcome his retaliation." She smirked. What could Jorus do? Kill her? Perhaps, whatever he tried, it was nothing she hadn't already faced. She paused at the memory of Rave, a soft smile playing on her lips. "Yes, Rave was an interesting one. She helped me once, any normal person would, out of respect avoid terrorising her family..." she spread her hands and gave a shrug. "But where is the fun in that?"


"I'm glad you approve of my choice. The sealed cities give us oppurtunity to see which method of dispersal is best. We can try air using the filtration systems in one, drop a vial in the water reservoirs of another and, just to be certain," she snapped her fingers and a minion stepped forward, pulling a small droid out of her pocket and depositing it upon the table. The mechanical scorpion scuttled about the table top, dropping off the edge with a small thunk, righting itself and scurrying for the shadows where it was promptly scooped up again by some one else. "Two of those little critters can infect ten people. More than enough to start a tidal wave of them."

"That leaves me with one more vial left over which I'm content with. So, It will need to be a three pronged attack. Subterfuge is out only ally here, as well as timing. We've no idea how long it will take or if the virus will take at all as far as using water and air goes. Direct injection is our only gauruntee. For obvious health reasons, I will take the scorpions with this one" she jabbed a finger over her shoulder and number one and two." Two of the HRD's stepped forward. She made a mental not to rename them all.

"I'm going to find the tallest building once the scorpions have been released, light a beacon and wait for hell to come my way. Which would you like? Air or water? Or perhaps we should leave it to the minions and you can come and enjoy the show?"

[member="Moira Skaldi"]

 

[Moira Skaldi]

[member="Anaya Fen"]


"Practical," Moira commented when the little Scorpion bot scuttled off the table. "Archangel has designed a unit that will be a good supplement. A miniaturised wasp droid that can either observe, record and transmit data or be equipped with a stinger that can infect organics with a variety of toxins. Like a little fly on the wall, it can be anywhere, virtually unseen and undetected." As if on cue, a tiny wasp fluttered out of her small bag, perching itself on her shoulder.

"They would be a good second wave once the cities are consumed by chaos. Or an option to still cause damage and salvage the test scenario if the dispersal via air and water does not bear fruit. I shall take an HRD unit with me and handle air in one of the cities."

Normally Moira was risk-averse, but it had been a while since she'd directed an operation in person. Some things were best done yourself. Perhaps she was more like her human template than she would like to admit. Moreover, she had a backup plan if her shell was destroyed.

 

[Nisha Decrilla]

Anaya leaned forward to inspect the wasp on Moira's shoulder, trust the droid to outdo the organic where making droids was concerned. "It's beautiful." she almost said 'I want some', but caught herself. She'd already spent a lot of money on Archangel's technology and while she still had one more thing to ask of them, she wouldn't buy any more toys. Weaponized drugs? Quite possibly, but no more droids. She stepped back, a little envy seeping into her expression, though diverted her attention back to the mission.

Anaya grinned, capping her hands together. "Perfect, that leaves you two," she gestured at the other duplicates, "To handle water. I don't need to tell you how to do it, just see it is done and done well." They bowed and all duplicates stepped back into the shadow. "I've something to offer you, Moira." She deactivated the holoprojector and hoisted herself up to sit on the tables edge, legs swinging in a childlike fashion. "This attack is going to be the first of many chaotic events across the galaxy. It is incredibly likely that I will die at some point in the near future, in truth, it's a miracle that I have lived this long. If I am killed, I have no idea how to transfer my essence into another body, so i will be dead. Game over. No more lives." She pouted mockingly. "However, I am doing some research on soul binding, which, i will of course keep you updated on. I suppose, the point I am trying to make is simple. At the event of my death, my body will belong to Archangel. Use it as you see fit."

[member="Moira Skaldi"]

 

[Moira Skaldi]

[member="Anaya Fen"]


Could an emotionless droid feel smug? Obviously not. That was an organic thing to do. Thus Moira did not feel even remotely smug when she saw the expression on Anaya's face. Nope, not feeling smug at all.


Then the Lethan dropped her bombshell, while swinging her legs in a manner that would have been considered childlike, where it not for the chaos and destruction the Sith Lady indulged in with such gusto. Truth be told, Moira was a bit surprised. It was not often that the HRD got caught off-guard. Or at least she thought so.


Very few organics were capable of acknowledging their own mortality. Indeed, they did everything in their power to avoid doing so. This applied especially to Force-users, who tended to act as if they were immortal.


"I appreciate this gift. Rest assured, I will use it well. When you perish, you will still foment destruction and chaos from beyond the grave," she responded. The gears were moving inside her mind. "Do keep me informed about your soul binding research. Archangel has made great strides in mastering entechment, but I understand that is not the same." she added.


"I can make some of the Wasps available to you, free of charge. Consider it an investment in your cause on my part." Thereby making them retroactively available for her adventure on Fondor in another thread. "Since you intend to go on an all-out campaign, have you considered creating a copy of yourself? It would divert attention from the true you. Archangel has the technology to create an HRD doppelganger or a biological clone." The former was old news, the latter would probably be new to Anaya.

 

[Nisha Decrilla]

Anaya smiled at Moira's declaration that Archangel would see fit to use her body to continue her reign of chaos. She had sturggled throughout her career as a sith to know what her legacy was. Was it her backstabbing reputation? Her vast network of informants? Her pathetic, yet rather useful collection of droids? No, they were simply things she did. Calina was certainly never going to be her legacy, the child liked order and would do anything to oppose anaya, given the opportunity.

Chaos was her legacy.

In her death, that was what she wanted to be remembered for. She trusted Moira to ensure that this was the case. "Thank you Moira, for the wasps and your promise." She slid off the table, moving to a cabinet at the side of the room. A crystal decanter and pair of matching tumblers had been laid out in waiting. "Drink?" she offered, pouring herself one. A wasted gesture, but habit made her offered nonetheless.

"I was not aware you had dabbled in cloning." she took a sip of the amber liquid, contemplating her choice. "I've found one small issue with clones. They've a tendency to develop their own agenda's and while I have faith in your abilities to keep clones on the right track, I'm not sure I trust them. A HRD though, that could be very useful..." she trailed off again, eyes glazing in though. "What do you need?"

[member="Moira Skaldi"]

 

[Moira Skaldi]

[member="Anaya Fen"]


Moira gave Anaya a look that, with a bit more expression, could be interpreted as 'oh, tell me about it. These kids have no discipline.' Who knew that they would both wind up as mothers of rebellious daughters who refused to accept their place?


"We've experimented with clones, yes. They open up avenues droids are not able to pursue on their own." One would only need to read between the lines a little to realise she meant access to the Force. "Ensuring they remain true to their purpose is another matter, though we have become apt at controlling them." She was not the type to admit defeat. The next generation of clones would be better, and they had begun to move forward with the Shard project.


"For an HRD, all I need is to scan your brain and physical appearance. The brain scan is noninvasive and forms the basis for the creation of a droid brain so that the replicant will think like you do. We have a machine that can perform this. It can be compared to an MRI tube."

 

[Nisha Decrilla]

"I think I'd need to see a clone Bing controlled before I trusted it with...well, me" she grinned. "The while process seems safe enough, though do you promise not to take anything? I've only justbgit my mind back into one piece of rather not lose a bit of it."

She took another sip of her drink, her nails drumming on the side of the glass as she studied her mechanical friend. "How much is this going to cost me?"

[member="Moira Skaldi"]

 

[Moira Skaldi]

[member="Anaya Fen"]

Moira gave her a look. "I require you to operate at full efficacy, or close to it, in order to foment chaos. Wrecking your sanity even further is counterproductive," she said blandly. If she were a nicer person she would have said something along the lines of 'of course, you're my friend blahblahblah', but she was an evil droid. Then again, she was a Lawful Evil droid.


"Standard market price is 15 million. I can cut you a deal and offer you a 30 per cent discount, making it 11.5 million." Little did she know that she might get the chance to reconstruct Anaya two threads later.

 

[Nisha Decrilla]

Anaya made a noise of disgust at the price, draining the lat of her glass. "Really?" she said with a tone of annoyance.

"I give you my body and an opportunity to test your zombie virus like you've never before to and the best discount you can offer me is thirty percent?" She produced a wounded expression that she knew would have little effect on Moira, but it was hard not to continue her dramatics, even among her metal allies.

"I should point out the person who profits most from this" she gestured to the holomap before stabbing a finger towards Moira. "is you. Would you like to try again?"

[member="Moira Skaldi"]

 

[Moira Skaldi]

[member="Anaya Fen"]

Moira's expression remained bland while Anaya did a good job looking wounded and offended. The droid disliked haggling on principle. It was so...annoying and irrational from her perspective. The gears moved inside her mind.


"Fifty percent, for the right to do as I please with your body after your death," she spoke calmly. A significant discount, but Archangel could afford it, and it was a good reward if they got Anaya's body to play with. Even if that did not come to pass, they'd still have all the data acquired while scanning her mind. Nothing was wasted at Archangel.


It helped that Moira did not have to pay her employees. Like good drones, they had to work day and night without remuneration. It was the kind of unfettered, corporate tyranny that would have made even the robber barons of the Gilded Age turn green with envy.

 

[Nisha Decrilla]

"Better!" Anaya replied. "Seven and a half million is reasonable. Though even if I said you couldn't do what i wanted with my body, I should point out that I'd hardly be in a position to stop you."

She finished her second drink, turning her attention to her own minions. "Go, begin preparations."

She beckoned Moira, leading her out of the briefing room to her own personal quarters. Deep filled armchairs surrounded a low table and she gestured for Moira to sit in one as she settled into her own. "If all goes well at Pergitor, I'll be paying a visit to Fondor. There's a large supply of trihexalon somewhere on that monstrosity and I want it. I'm running low myself."

[member="Moira Skaldi"]

 

[Moira Skaldi]

[member="Anaya Fen"]


"No, you would not be. But it is nice to have it in writing," Moira said very, very dryly. Sometimes, she could manifest what passed for a sense of humour. The minions scurried away, and Anaya led her into a private chamber.


Moira settled down on one of the armchairs. Her posture remained alert. She was not the type to slouch. She cocked her head slightly when the Chaos Queen voiced her intent to pay a visit to Fondor.


"I've long been fond of trihexalon. Its use on Ossus was...beautiful. Pity the Protectorate never recognised its value and just locked it away." She'd planned on making use of the stuff if the Axis had actually done something and invaded OP, no matter whether Lady Protector Alcori and her pet Exarch agreed or not. Silly Kerrigan.


"My time with the Pyre ended long ago, so I'm afraid I cannot give you more intel than you already have. But while they are a shadow of their former self and long stopped being a powerhouse, Fondor is their prize jewel. Security has been tight ever since it was rocked by one poorly planned terrorist attack after another. Perhaps you will even run into your old friend Potteiger." Moira, stop breaking the 4th wall.

 

[Nisha Decrilla]

Anay pursed her lips. "I'd rather not. Sarge has become somewhat hateful of me and mine, owing to the fact that the One Sith kidnapped the love of his life and played with her a bit. He'll shoot me if we meet its a given." he sighed and rolled her eyes, pouring herself another drink. "We shall see."

The other HRD copies had slipped away upon her request, one however remained, hovering in corner of the room. "This one advises we seek assistance before we reach Fondor. Your last run in with Potteiger you were wounded quite severely."

"He only stabbed me!" Anaya replied defensively.

"You also have a tendency to seek him out."

Anaya shot Parla a warning look. "I can't help myself, he intrigues me. Plus he's easy to piss off and that makes him a good game." Parla opened her mouth to speak again. "Shut up." Anaya cut across her before she could say anything else, and the HRD fell silent. She turned her attention back to Moira. "Do you have any agents within the Silver Order?"

[member="Moira Skaldi"]

 

[Moira Skaldi]

[member="Anaya Fen"]


"Ah, yes, Cira. I heard about that. In an ironic sort of way, it should have been beneficial for him that the Sith abducted her. It allowed him to play the dramatic hero. She has never appeared in public again, so he might have her all for himself now. But then organics' drive to indulge their...urges is so messy." What a creep. Moira was probably the last person to get relationship advice from.


She watched the brief dialogue between Anaya and Parla. Moira gave her fellow HRD a look that pretty much said 'yeah, you're right. Good luck on your impossible mission to make her act logically.' "Your stance regarding Potteiger is inconsistent. You should rectify this," she commented.


"And I do not have agents directly inside the Silver Jedi's ranks, but Archangel has operations on some of their planets. Do you intend to make a move in their space? Many powers have turned their eyes towards their territory. Their order has been hit by defections and leadership crises." It was, in Moira's eyes, criminal that the Silvers sat on the Tion Cluster, portion of Hutt space and the Corporate Sector, despite being unable to achieve anything of substance, unless you counted simply existing through sheer stubbornness. Then again, she was an amoral, evil droid and so her perspective was rather warped.