Shadows of the Empire: The Dominion Dom of Helska IV and Paxin Sul

[Riamah]

"Haven't you ever heard of a woman's intuition?"

Ra tried to lighten the mood slightly, but kept on her guard. The corridors were empty and their steps echoed hollowly through the ghostly space.

"Why all the hallway with no doors?"

It was something that bothered her and she just put her finger on at least part of it.

[member="Dune Rhur"]

 

[Placeholder 0128]

The vessel rushed toward Pax Insul with an urgency that might have worried the planet's people, were there any to be had. There was no orbital defense to stop the dropship's approach, nor was there anyone waiting on the planet to greet the new arrival.

Accompanied by two red-cloaks, Cedric Grayson marched down the ship's gangplank. A larger force had come to land near the eastern islands, where the world would be prepared for colonization purposes. The place had been called the Bay of Secrets, and while Cedric was quite curious to see the place, there was another location of far greater importance. It was here that he had tracked an artifact of grave importance; one so priceless that even speaking of it invited foul play.

The previous owner had been in the far south, but the item had been tracked to this place. The power of the Kiffar had brought that knowledge to Cedric, along with a brief explanation that the forces of the Arch-Enemy had hidden it away here.

"I'll find you," Cedric muttered as the sub they had brought with them rumbled up from the waves. The hatch hissed open, and the two guards stepped inside. Cedric moved to follow.

Their quarry lingered far below the surface.

[member="The Slave"]

 

[Grace Darkson]

Location: Helska IV
Objective: Sith Stuffs
Nearby: [member="Cairyn Midore"] | [member="Darth Rage"] | [member="Darth Exode"]

The two droids piloting the ship buzzed in the cockpit as the ship entered Helska IV's atmosphere. Grace, for her part, sat at a small table, studying a tome splayed out in the table. Maybe if she.. No. Not here, and not yet. She would have time to practice her own work later. Or so she hoped.

Her attire was odd for the planet they were headed to: She wore nothing but simple robes, the thin cloth of which would not do anything to keep out the cold. Still, as the ship touched down, she stood, walking to the exit ramp and lowering it. "We're here. Bring only what you need." She looked among the others, her face blank. "And do not disappoint me."

 

[Cairyn Midore]

Cairyn had been practically trembling in anticipation, eager to just do anything outside of staying put. That, of course, he avoided splendidly, even when waiting for the ship to land. Stretching his muscles, bending in ways only a gymnast could, he'd grown uncharacteristically silent as the transport moved closer to their destination.

Now, he sprung to his feet, shaking hair out of his face and adjusting his glasses. "I dunno who you think's gonna disappoint you but this is sure gonna be fun," he said conversationally. An exaggerated shiver coursed through his frame. "Geez, couldn't we have picked a warmer place to play?"

[member="Grace Darkson"] [member="Darth Rage"] [member="Darth Exode"]

 

[Darth Rage]

Rage wore black power armor. It was a mess of tubing, wire and phrik plating. All put together to enhance his movements and protect the precious stone beneath his flesh. He let out a simple growl as Grace spoke and nodded his head. Today he wielded a massive two edged phrik blade. His traditional lightsaber sat at his hip and he knew he would not need it. He patted the massive sword "This is all I will need," Then Rage walked to the shuttle bay doors and opened them. He leaped from the ship while it was still fifty meters in the air. His legs impacted the ground with a tremendous boom as the power armors massive frame crushed rock beneath it's boots. Rock and dirt kicked up everywhere around the Sith and he hefted his massive blade onto his shoulder. The suit had absorbed most of the initial shock and the Sith stood unaffected by what should've surely shattered his legs. "Just point me at the enemy,"

[member="Grace Darkson"]
[member="Cairyn Midore"]

 

[Darth Exode]

Ravana appeared next to the Group silently, her usually palpable aura of seduction and pheromones, dulled down as low as she could take it, probably due to the need of Stealth. Or Perhaps she just wanted it low at the moment. She had two lightsabers on her person, one hidden, underneath her cloak, but still accessible, and the curved one full in view. Her head moved around, her eyes tracking the horizon.

"So... What's the agenda for today, dear?" She said sweetly to Grace, as she walked around the immediate area that the group was in.

 

[Dunames Lopez]

Objective 1
Allies: [member="Bartic Myth'rand"]
Post: 8/25

"Now that we have confirmation that there are no regulatory authorities whatsoever on this planet, commence excavation!"

With that said, while the project management team awaited the conclusions of the Dominion economic crimes police, Dunames wasted no time in getting the excavation equipment for the prefabricated control towers that Meran Mechanics built. They got one of those on Hijarna, another one on Gravlex Med, and yet another one earmarked for Mirial if Mirial ever got off the ground. Luckily that size was just fine for projects the size of what they were to do on Pax Insul, which was the size of what they got to do on Gravlex Med. Three-floor high, that was sufficient to handle most commuter freighters, like those Neimoidian Yachts, even though AT-AT barges would easily overshadow the control tower. But even the weight of a three-story control tower still requires foundations to be poured, out of any duracrete from Chiloon Rift Duracrete, which is a pretty popular duracrete manufacturer in this region.

"Also it appears that another company is establishing another mining operation here: their workers would probably want to go rest down there"

 

[Dune Rhur]

Dune pointed ahead towards the end of the hallway. It appeared to terminate just ahead in...

"A door," he said "Although you're right, I think. Why no other doors?"

They crossed the 15 meters and stopped before a sliding door. It was durasteel in some muted grey hue. Unlike the other doors in this place it didn't open automatically. In fact it seemed totally sealed.

A closer inspection found a security panel. There was no telling what the code could be without the right equipment. Unfortunately they'd not brought it with them. Dune knew he could stand here guessing almost indefinitely.

That was if he didn't trigger some kind of defense. Which had been conspicuously absent thus far. That was another thing that'd been worrying the Bith. Every other Imperial facility had some kind of emplacements at least.

Dune sighed as he unhooked his lightsaber. He gestured for Ra to stand back as he thumbed the weapon's activation stud. The clean azure blade extended to it's full meter with the snap-hiss the weapons always made. He was going to have to carve an entry.

"Ready yourself, Ra. We don't know what's behind this door."

With that he plunged the weapon into the durasteel. It sunk in effortlessly and the plasma hissed as he methodically carved a circle large enough for them to enter. Durasteel allow melted as if before a welding torch, glowing red-hot. The Bith averted his gaze from the harsh glow and worked by feel.

It took a few moments to get it done. The door was almost as thick as a blast door on a warship. Yet finally it yielded before the super-heated tip. The circle was complete and Dune gave it a push with a booted foot.

The circle fell into pitch black beyond with a resounding clang. He cringed in spite of himself. If there was anyone or anything there they'd surely have heard that. So much for surprise.

Dune extended his blue blade forward into the gap like a glow rod. Tentatively he put one boot into the room beyond. He planted his weight. Nothing.

Just as cautiously he brought the other foot forward. Nothing again. He was just about to sigh with relief when he heard a click off in the background....

 

[Riamah]

A single door marked the end of the hallway. Why there were no others was a mystery and on they may or may not find out during this trip.

Ra nodded to Dune as he lit up his lightsaber and started to cut through the door that was locked with a keypad. She took up a position at his side with her back to him, watching the hallway they had just traversed. After a few minutes, the Jedi had carved a hole large enough for them to walk through and a loud thunder of a crash sounded when the durasteel door hit the floor.

"If there was anybody alive in here they would they have visitors now."

It was all she said and Dune went to move into the dark room. Why the emergency lights weren't working in there was another mystery. His foot crossed the threshold with out a hitch, but as he went to place his second a clearly audible click happened within the room.

In the blink of an eye, Ra physically grabbed Dune by the arm, levered her hip and pulled him out of doorway. Turning with her momentum, she brought him in a circle to the point where his back was against the wall next to the door and she now facing the door. While he may not entirely approve her manhandling him, she would rather give him a bruised ego or backside than have him dead.

[member="Dune Rhur"]

 

[Dune Rhur]

Dune found himself being manhandled out the door after the ominous click. Before he knew it he was pressed opposite the door against cold durasteel. He turned to look at Ra and grinned. Her reflexes were positively cat-like just then.

"Thank you."

Just then the dark room beyond was beginning to light up. Eerie red emergency lighting flooded in to reveal data terminals and readouts all around them. Rolling chairs were there too, neatly tucked in as if waiting for another day's work. In fact it all looked very creepy.

"The cold preserved this place, it appears," Dune commented as he peered into the room. Bith eyes meant that he was somewhat near-sighted. But a Bith could certainly recognize a control room. To what remained to be seen.

He peered into the red lights and could see another door beyond. It looked like there was another security panel there. Dune turned back to Ra and frowned. Damned Imperial security.

After another few moments nothing happened. The room beyond seemed to almost taunt them. The best way to refute a gambit...

"Come on, Ra," he told her "I have a bad feeling about this place but we need to do this."

He stepped back through into the possible control room and wondered just what lay beyond this other door....

 

[Riamah]

After only a heartbeat or two, nothing happened and Ra let go of Dune. He gave her a smile which made her feel better about the move she had done. Not relaxing in the slightest, she returned the smile he gave and stepped to the side to allow him to start moving into the room he had just opened.

"Both ends of the temperature spectrum seem to preserve things."

She followed Dune into the room, looking around. The desks still had paper work on them and even something like a bulletin board against the wall had notes and other information on it. Ignoring the desks, Ra had a theory and walked over to the board.

"You know, people often have a difficult time remembering numbers sometimes. These doors are locked with codes. Is that pad alive?"

Pointing at the next door, Ra started looking over the different notes on the board. She found one with several strings of numbers and picked it off, walking over to Dune.

"If it is, I might suggest trying these numbers. If my idea doesn't work, then well, do your stuff with the lightsaber."

[member="Dune Rhur"]

 

[Dune Rhur]

Dune accepted the clipboard and scanned it. There were several groups of numbers and the code could've been any of them. Or none. Maybe this was just test results.

He handed her back the clipboard with a shrug.

"At this point, your intuition is probably as good an indicator as anything."

They walked over to the door and he took a ready stance off to the opposite side. The Bith spoke again.

"I assume you have three attempts. But then again, this place has been nothing like any Imperial facility I've ever seen."

 

[Riamah]

Ra watched as he looked over the paper with the numbers she had found and handed it back to her suggesting she use to her intuition. He took up a position much like she had at the previous door. Looking between the paper and pad, Ra closed her eyes, ran a finger along the string and picked one at random.

Punching in the numbers, the pad blinked red when she finished. She tried a second set of numbers with the same result. Letting out a small sigh and looking again at the paper, she pushed a third set in. This time the pad stayed red and the screen that displayed the numbers she typed in scrolled across the message: "Access denied. Maximum attempts exceeded."

Letting out a small growl, Ra stepped away.

"Do your stuff, Master Dune. None of the numbers I typed in worked and the pad is locked out."

[member="Dune Rhur"]

 

[Dune Rhur]

Dune had been hoping beyond hope that one of the codes worked. Naturally it didn't. Because, well, nothing ever seemed to go easily for him these days. But then...

"When have things ever been easy," the Bith grumbled as he brought his weapon back to life. With a long-suffering sigh he began to cut into the alloy door. A few moments work and it was done. He shoved the door in and cringed when it clanged.

Then a split-second before the alarms he felt the sensation of danger. The klaxons blared and he looked to his apprentice.

"Fething...," he grimaced at the volume.

As if it wasn't already bad enough the Bith heard a series of clicks and whines. Like machinery coming to life or....

"Droids!," he shouted over the sirens. That was why there were no automated defenses!

 

[Riamah]

Ra took up the same position she had before, close enough to reach out to Dune if danger presented itself from the other side of the door. Just as quickly as he had before, he carved a hole in the door into the next room. As soon as that was done though, an alarm went off and a red warning light started flashing above the door.

He let out the first curse she had heard from him and the sounds of machines coming to life emanated from the next room.

Rolling her eyes, Ra prepared herself for the fight of her life and that of Dune's. This was part of the reason they were there, to find out what this base had been used for and destroy anything that was left.

The droids were on the move.

[member="Dune Rhur"]

 

[Dunames Lopez]

Objective 1
Post: 9/25

While excavation began all over the site, the prefabricated components of the control tower Meran Mechanics readily sold them were brought out, except that there were no foundations in the kit. Likewise, excavation began where the prefabricated hypermatter reservoir and hangars will be. In fact, with the hypermatter reservoir, it's the foundation phase that is the more time-consuming­, due to the Meran Mechanics items being, well, devoid of foundations (and probably because of the highly variable nature of planets). Hypermatter being lightweight in comparison to a control tower, a 11-inch-thick duracrete sill plate would be enough, and the same would probably hold true of the hangar, too. Unlike the control tower, where pillars driven into the ground must be dug, if only to about 6-7 meters deep, and they are what they called semi-deep foundations in the construction world. But semi-deep is often better for control towers since they are heavier and leaner: Dunames has realized that much.

"Should we order more duracrete for the pavement? I believe we barely have enough for the hangar, the control tower and the foundation of the hypermatter reservoir" the foreman of the project asked.

"For the time being, I think not: Pax Insul is not expected to see much traffic"

 

[Dune Rhur]

"This is bad," Dune added unnecessarily. He wasn't worried so much for himself as he was for his apprentice. There were sounds of footsteps coming down the hall now. He grimaced and looked to her. Time for a plan.

"Can you use that blaster?," he nodded to the blaster strapped to her thigh "Even if you don't think you can, just point it at the droids and squeeze the trigger."

He tilted his head at the entryway.

"We're going to use this door as a choke point. You shoot them. I will deal with survivors."

The clanking footsteps were growing closer and closer. Down from the shadows humanoid shapes were emerging. They looked eerily covered in blood with the emergency lights....

 

[Riamah]

Ra shoved her knife back in it's hilt and drew the blaster out. Last time she had fired the blasted thing was in a simulation made a holocron and had set it to stun. Checking the setting, she made sure it was on full power. The blood red looking droids were looming closer and closer.

"I'll try Master. Though don't expect miracles."

Allowing the force to guide her movements, Ra fired off several shots consecutively. It wasn't good enough and about four of the droids made it past her shots.

"Your turn, Dune"

Moving out of the range of the wicked looking sword as one closed the distance to her.

[member="Dune Rhur"]

 

[Grace Darkson]

Location: Helska IV
Objective: Sith Stuffs
Nearby: [member="Cairyn Midore"] | [member="Darth Rage"] | [member="Darth Exode"]
Posts: 2

As she stepped off the ramp onto the frozen world, the ship closed itself behind her. Her next few steps brought her standing before the child. It was strange, that there would be one so young. Almost like they were Jedi. Then again, she hadn't even reached his age before her parents had abandoned her to her master. She shook her head at his question. "No." Looking to the others, she gave a small smile to Rage's response before turning to Ravana. "The goal is simple. Survive."

"You want to know your enemy, Audroti?" Her question was whipped in the wind, her words carried to the man as she spun, arms spread wide to indicate the area around her. "Your enemy is the winds, and the weather. The goal is not to slay some massive beast, or some fearsome warrior." Her arms dropped to her sides, and her eyes narrowed. "The nearest shelter is twelve kilometers to the South." Her lips curled into a twisted smile as the transport that had brought them there took off. "If you want to make it by sundown, I'd suggest you start moving."

 

[Darth Rage]

Rage heard Grace's words and sighed. He shed his thick plate armor and dropped the massive sword, since it would only slow him down. "Well feth," Rage said simply as he wandered out of the armor. Rage began to make his way across the frozen tundra. He was now freezing as he had worn scant other than a loin cloth beneath the massive armor he had before. Rage stared across the tundra and centered his emotions. He pictured a flame of hatred in his mind and dumped all his emotions into it. Soon the flame spread and Rage felt the warmth flow through his bones.