Private The Cleansing of Pergitor

[Credius Nargath]

LOCATION: Pergitor
OBJECTIVE: Close the rift, establish a proper foothold
TAG: Lord Dvasius | Darth Callidus


The Last time a Sith had set foot unto the doomed planet of Pergitor, it had ended up as a disaster. Clashes between some of the strongest Sith Lords the galaxy had ever seen, their madness on full display, had inevitably torn a wound in not just the force, but the very fabric of reality within the skies of Pergitor. While countless eldritch horrors and abominations had managed to find their way through the veil into the reality of this galaxy, this also prompted the Sith Order to put a quarantaine on Pergitor, banning it from any and all operations and access, but by doing so, they inevitably made the planet a powerful stronghold for those very horrors from beyond the veil, allowing the planet to become completely transformed and infested with all manner of being that should not exist within this reality and as such... this place was without question a veritable treasure trove for those who were all too keen on trying to uncover not just the secrets of this universe, but also the dimensions beyond.

Silently, several thousand miles above the planet's atmosphere, a handful of vessels emerged from hyperspace, each adorned with an emblem that would not be known as of yet, but would without question be known to those who once had been in league with the long collapsed and forgotten Zweihander Union, this was the emblem of the former chancellor of the Left, the one known as Credius Nargath; Lord of Hunger. Like a hungry black snake, the massive Usurper started to slowly position itself into an orbit around the scarred planet, while the other ships; sleeker and bright red in their coloring, spread out in a similar orbit, each positioning themselves as such that the group of vessels would form a large wing, a striking V within orbit, ready to unleash hell upon the quarantined husk of Pergitor.

Dozens of gunships, escorted by hundreds of starfighters began their descent into the planet's atmosphere, unaware of what they would encounter beyond the thick, smoggy veil that seemed to shield the planet from all interference. Thousands of droids, a veritable legion under the command of the Lord of Hunger, would find itself being dropped onto the poisoned well of Pergitor, not with the goal to get rid of the darkness that plagued the planet, but with the goal of harnessing it, of turning what was once seen as a problem into a boon.

Like flawlessly connected and eusocial ants, the droids erupted from the dropships, forming themselves into cohorts of formidable sizes and awaiting the arrival of those who would stand to gain with the exploration, classification and inevitable cleansing of the planet. This wait would not be long, for at the head of this sizeable army, a black fog started to swirl and shudder, allowing a massive, hulking monster dressed in strange black garments and a handful of terrifyingly tall and sleek looking droids to emerge, yet all of these who appeared out of the darkness of the fog could only bow in reverence when it was time for the Lord of Hunger himself to appear from the darkness; clad in a mighty red and golden armor, clean, smooth and glabborous, like a metal god, the abomination known as the Lord of Hunger revealed himself in all his unglory, with eerie crimson and golden eyes beholding his army of droids from behind his mask.

"This is a world devoured by otherworldly flesh, poisoned by the madness and overconfidence of those who came before us...You are metal and alloy, untouched by fear and regret," The Lord of Hunger's words rung through into each and every droid's sensory receptors. "You await the ardeous task of forming a proper foothold, to march upon the very soil which has been poisoned by the nether and to stomp out any possible resistance this planet can and WILL offer. Most of you will be scrapped, possibly never to be remade again...but what you do here today, will perhaps only grant you reprieve for another moment, but it will grant me insight for a whole new lifetime."

All the droids raised their weapon in a short, but succinct salute to their master, ready to start their operations. In the meantime, Credius turned to his enforcer Mr. Pollux and his Sceleratii. "Have the accompanying Ceres Droids set up a base camp, connect us to the Usurper on long range sensory and communication relays. I want a first perimeter to be set up around the basecamp... have the Jupiter droids take up defensive positions along this perimeter. As soon as we have set up our camp... this operation will begin."​

 

[Darth Callidus]

Location: Pergitor | Umbral Claw
Tags: Credius Nargath

The Umbral Claw hung in orbit near the world of Pergitor. The ship was a recent acquisition for Darth Callidus, a surprise she had not been expecting. Evidently, there was a policy the Sith Emperor had enacted to grand such a powerful ship to new Lords of the Sith across the Sith Order space. A nice bribery, willingly accepted, and quickly utilized. While Callidus continued to try and expand her influence, the might of the newly named Umbral Claw would be a key factor to aid in her rise.

Part of that was expanding her connections to other rising powers within the Sith Order. Individuals seeking to claim worlds much as she had herself. Potential allies to call upon in the future, or individuals she might have to owe favors to herself. One of those possibilities was nicer than the other.

"The Lord of Hunger has begun his invasion," a deck officer called across the bridge of the warship. Callidus, reclined on a throne assembled in the center of the bridge, nodded her head. She had come to observe the invasion of Pergitor at the invitation of this Credius Nargath, a man with a certain history behind him, and clearly the resources to forge a powerful future for himself. As was the way of things though, there was potential for betrayal.

Callidus tapped a long, red tipped fingernail on the armrest of the throne, her eyes tracking the developing action on the viewscreens. "All it would take is the push of a single button..." she mused, her words almost a whisper as she imagined the decimation it would unfold. Oh so tempting it was.

Rising from the throne, Callidus made her way towards the doors of the bridge. Two Evocati Legion soldiers stood there, their gaze unwavering beneath their helmets as they fell into step beside their mistress. "Send word to the hangar," she called out as the bridge doors slid shut, "I wish to go meet this Lord of Hunger myself."

 

[Credius Nargath]

LOCATION: Pergitor
OBJECTIVE: Close the rift, establish a proper foothold
TAG: Lord Dvasius | Darth Callidus

The first goal; to set up a base camp was well under way, with the Ceres droids slowly moving equipment and basic building materials from the cargoholds of each of the ships that had decended upon the planet's surface. It took them not more than half an hour to already set up a command post complete with communications' suite and holoprojectors. All the while the Jupiter Sentry droids managed to settle themselves quite nicely into their role, while the Arabesk Enforcer droids were being geared up for what would likely be the most important task of them all: hunt down specimens and map the surrounding area.

"How's the progress, Mr Pollux?" The masked monster calmly asked to the hulking mound of muscle dressed in a trench coat and fedora combo. "While I understand it won't be something we'll do overnight, I do want everything to be ready before tomorrow morning."

"Base camp is a smooth progress, milord," The Hulking mass of muscle looked down at Credius, a cold, almost dead stare crossing with the Abomination's crimson and golden eyes. "The long range relays have been connected, we will be hearing from the Usurper and the rest of the fleet shortly."

"relay a message to the Usurper, have them maintain course and scan the planet from orbit," Looking at his own built-in datapad from his armor, the HUD in his mask and visors warning him, the Lord of Hunger let out a sigh. "If I am a betting man, I believe the best place to be looking at are the remains of the old cities. I've chosen a rather remote and open position to avoid initial confrontations to happen on 'their' terms."

"I understand," Mr Pollux nodded and started to move towards base camp, when one of the Arabesk droids suddenly ran up to the Abomination, saluting the Lord of Hunger as he gave the Sith Lord a coded marker.

"Milord, initial scans have revealed activity much further away from the rift than anticipated, in much larger numbers as well," The voice was unmistakably that of communications officer Webley, a veteran of the old days in the Zweihander union, one of the few to have lived this long, while being a mere human. "There is something else though, we have managed to pick up a signal in orbit around the planet, we have yet to identify this signal, but it is believed to be a Sith Vessel."

"Damn it," As the Lord of Hunger looked at his datapad, he pulled out the marker carrying the message and turned towards the Arabesk. "Ready the troops, I want three companies ready within the hour."
​

"What are they doing here? Credius pondered over this thought, wondering why any of the SIth would come here. Perhaps they were Darth Arcanix' people, Taeli Raaf was after all the one who had oversight on Pergitor, but not control or ownership, which was what Credius hoped to gain. If these were Darth Arcanix' people, he didn't mind...cooperating with the scientific sphere within the Order was a given...he just hoped he could have some work done before they'd meddle with his affairs...

One thing he wondered though, was who it could be, if these weren't Darth Arcanix' people...

 

[Darth Callidus]

Location: Pergitor | Lord of Hunger Encampment
Tags: Credius Nargath

The telltale whine of repulsors cut through the stillness as Darth Callidus's shuttle descended, its matte-black hull reflecting distorted silhouettes of the half-assembled base structures below. The world itself was bleak—low-hanging clouds, a silence broken only by the hum of droids and distant clanking of equipment, and a faint metallic tang in the air that suggested old industrial ruins slumbered just beneath the surface. As the ramp hissed open, the stench of dust and decay drifted into the ship's sterile interior like a half-forgotten whisper.

From within emerged Darth Callidus, her bootsteps echoing on the ramp in measured cadence. Her robes were a dramatic gradient of crimson and pitch black, ornate patterns of Sith runes shimmering at the edges as if alive with dark energy. Beneath the robes, glimpses of form-fitting armor suggested that, for all her elegance, she was no stranger to violence. Her face was masked by subtle shadows cast by her hood, save for intense eyes that glowed like coals banking in a furnace. Power simmered around her presence, palpable as static electricity dancing over the skin.

She took her time surveying the encampment—Ceres droids clattering about with crates of supplies, Jupiter Sentry units aligning into meticulous rows, Arabesk Enforcer droids bristling with weaponry. Communication towers jutted skyward, humming faintly with data transmissions, while the skeletal beginnings of prefab structures hinted at a larger project still in its infancy. Activity buzzed around her, but Callidus moved through it all as if passing through cobwebs—irritating, inconsequential strands that would not dare cling to her.

Then she saw him: The so-called Lord of Hunger, Credius, ringed by subordinates. His towering frame, his inhuman armor, the faint aura of suppressed hunger that gave him his moniker—all these would have intimidated most beings. But to Callidus, these things were merely another set of data points, another piece of an ever-shifting puzzle. She regarded him as a serpent might regard some curious rodent sniffing at its den—amused and assured that should he provoke her, destruction would be both swift and endlessly entertaining.

When she spoke, it was quiet—a dangerous hush, as though the Dark Side itself leaned in to listen. "Your industry is not without merit, Lord of Hunger," she began, voice slipping through the gloom like a poisoned stiletto. "Your droids labor tirelessly, your soldiers stand at attention. I can almost taste the anticipation in the air. But tell me," her lips curved into a razor-thin smile, "must everything you build be so… coarse? I expected something more sophisticated from one bearing your reputation."

A subtle gesture with her fingertips sent an idle spark of red-hued Force energy flickering near the ground—a tiny, harmless show of power, meant to remind everyone present that she needed no drawn blade to assert her authority. "I sensed your presence from orbit," she continued. "Your little encampment, these operations—they tugged at my curiosity. This planet's husk beckons you, does it not? Its ancient ruins and broken memories—perhaps there is something hidden that you crave, something you think will feed that hollow ache of yours."

Her tone was calm, measured, and as dismissive as a noble might be to a beggar at their gate. Yet beneath that calmness seethed the chaos of a Sith who would relish any excuse to unleash cruelty. "One does not choose a remote, barren world and erect crude command posts without motive. So enlighten me," she said, taking a single step closer, the droids and soldiers parting like reeds before her. "What prize do you seek here, Credius? Surely you know that discovery begets envy, and envy in the Sith Order often ends in blood."

For a moment, she let silence reign. The buzzing of holo-communicators, the click of droid limbs, the soft rustle of wind over dusty ground—all of it seemed to fade in her presence. When her voice came again, it was softer, yet each word struck like hammer-blows. "Consider me an unexpected overseer, come to ensure that whatever business you conduct here does not run contrary to my interests. Amuse me with an answer that doesn't bore me, Lord of Hunger—my patience, you will find, is infinitely brittle, and perhaps I shall aid you should you not shatter it."

Her head tilted slightly, a subtle challenge. The stage was set, and now she waited—like a predator that has spotted a weakness, biding the perfect moment to strike.