Rebellion The Clockwork King | Oblivion Event Thread

[Marion Muir]

Objective: Find Will
Location: Aboard the Fatamorgana, parked outside the Clockwork Castle
Tags: B3-LL | Open

Though she was concerned enough about Professor Nimdok that she felt a need to watch and wait for a message from him, Marion—newly christened Captain Muir of the Fatamorgana—hated standing around doing nothing. She had always prided herself on being active rather than reactive, a small town journalist who wasn’t afraid of anything the great big galaxy could throw at her. Or universes beyond that, for that matter.

Yet here in the realm of the not-quite-dead, she was an outsider, a stranger in strange lands. Being active wasn’t as simple as stepping outside her comfort zone—leaving the protection of the sail barge could very well get her killed, or worse.

As the minutes ticked by, her agitation grew into a sense of helplessness, until at last she turned away from the castle, unable to stand the sight of it any longer. All around her, the undead crew of the Fatamorgana worked at their various posts like the finest of pirates. The Maestro had even outfitted them to look like swashbucklers, in hopes of fooling the drones into underestimating his veritable army of loyal ghouls and ghosts. An army he had placed Marion at the head of.

“Keep watch,” she ordered. “I’m going down for a few minutes. Report anything unusual to me at once.”

A chorus of aye-ayes followed her as she descended below deck.

Her mission? To get a snack.

Heading for the storerooms, she turned on the lights, beholding shelves full of rations, many of them left over from the barge's previous owner. She hadn’t done any exact calculations, she was sure there was more than enough to feed her for the next year or so—and to her knowledge, she and Nimdok were the only two aboard who needed to eat. Unless they were here until danse macabre, and the family wanted a proper celebration complete with the mimicry of a feast… but she doubted they’d be so cheerful if they were stuck in Oblivion for that long, still looking for their lost friends.

She hummed softly to herself as she perused the shelves, disliking the silence down here in the bowels of the barge. As her hand closed around a metallic wrapper, she felt a sudden chill. The temperature in the hold dropped enough that her breath appeared as fog when she next exhaled, the tune dying on her lips.

“Marion.”

She slowly turned around.

 

[Aeshi Tillian]

Coat Hat Gatecrasher Omnicutter Sneakthief .48 Enforcers Shiv​

Caedyn Arenais Tovald Kahmen’’a Elle Mors Sylvia Virtos Darlyn Excron Pariah
The Manifold Myk Venture
===========================================================

"Would y'all stick-jockeys stop waving those around?" Aeshi said, looking over her shoulder as the lightsabers flared to life. She took several long paces away from the blades as Caedyn and somebody else with terrible color coordination threatened to force their way through. It was something she never quite understood. Why waste time threatening people or... droid-people hybrids. Looking at the two beings around them, she could not honestly say what they were. But if you were going to kill someone/something, don't warn them. Just shoot fast and straight. Or stab fast and straight. If lethality was a bit excessive for the situation, everyone had a price. Sometimes that price was just a beer bottle to the back of the head or a metal fist to the jaw.

She pinched her nose for a moment and stared as more people arrived and the doors just opened on request. The other Omni-ling stepped aside and welcomed them in. It was a bit hard to follow the speech, but it reminded her of her cousin Ardon and his cybernetic cerebral implant he got after a bad ship crash. The same sort of blending of organic and machine.

Which, if Aeshi was putting things together right, was the point. She shrugged, and hung the scatter-gun across her shoulder and peeled the synthskin from her lower arms, revealing the durasteel limbs underneath. "I already am upgraded, although unfortunately, due to circumstances, my upgrades are inferior to Omni's usual. Everything else is upgraded for my own role already. But I need my arms upgraded to Omni standards."

It was a gamble, but it could work if she played it straight and with all the confidence of an Idiot's Array hand. Granted, it was like playing in the dark with half a deck, but when had that ever stopped a gambler?

And so, she rolled the dice. "With those upgraded, I can resume my mission on behalf of Omni. And preferably with my companions. They have been instrumental so far, even if they do think it is too easy."

 

[Tovald Kahmen’’a]

Well, that was less than reassuring, why would he want to become whatever that thing was. Well, he really should have seen that coming regardless. So, taking the chance he entered the Factory entrance, he noticed the mass of machinery and bits of metal sticking out from the walls and floor. Clawed appendages creaked and groaned as they moved in the still air.

The eerie silence became deafening as he continued into the Factory itself, the air still and stagnant. Nothing seemed alive at all and the resurging unease settled deep within his bones and making his nerves jangle.

This is going to be a fun mission, he thought dryly ducking under a stray pipe. Hitting his head is never a fun experience, with or without his helmet. Still, he walked on, ignoring the spit hiss of steam echoing around the seemingly inactive Factory. Keeping his sword out and in front of him in case of an unexpected encounter with the locals, best be on the front foot.

Because if one of the drones had needles that big then, they may all have them and that will end badly for everyone and no one likes to be assimilated into anything that turns you into a robot.

Now he began to backtrack around again as he hit a dead-end layered with robot arms and more pipes, he's not going to get anywhere if he tried to climb around it. If anything he could get a nasty injury off of that jagged piece of metal and getting a cut from it wasn't fun, not one bit.

Tovald slowed his exploration to a slow walk. suddenly aware that this place is an excellent place for an ambush for OmniDrones to spring, they obviously know the place better than him or the group he was with. By now Tovald wandered in further than he had meant to at this point.

Which allowed him to either start pulling at wires or snoop a little more. The mission had been simple; Stop Omni doing whatever he pleased with dead force sensitive people. So he grabbed and pulled at a few wires, a small act of sabotage before he was found out.

Yet he wondered with irritation, why can't the dead be left in peace?

 

[Marion Muir]

Objective: Run away from Will
Location: Aboard the Fatamorgana, parked outside the Clockwork Castle
Tags: B3-LL | Open

She already knew who it was—she’d know that voice anywhere. Yet when she faced Will, his proximity to her was startling, the tips of their noses almost touching. She was abruptly aware of how small and confined the storeroom was—the space felt tight and cramped even though the other occupant was a ghost.

His clothes were different. He now wore a leather jacket over the old-fashioned white shirt she knew so well, along with a belt with a holstered knife. Dangling from his hand was a pink baseball bat. The sight of it unnerved her, but also left her bewildered and bemused.

“You haven’t snuck up on me like that in a long time,” she remarked, hiding her nervousness behind a veneer of humor and good cheer. “Not since you showed up at my place in Jeff’s body, and that was, what—seven years ago?”

“Has it really been that long?” Will asked.

She swallowed. “Yeah.” The word came out barely above a whisper. She had known him a very, very long time—and while he might not have noticed, she was very much aware of the passing years. “Well, I’ve got a lot of questions for you. Do you feel like answering?”

Will didn’t respond. His gaze was fixed on the pale blue stone hanging from a black ribbon around her neck. The pendant, while nothing special to look at, served as a talisman guarding her from possession and other forms of external influence. The Maestro had given it to her for her own protection.

“You scared us all,” Marion continued, hoping against hope that Will was merely overwhelmed at seeing her again. But that excuse made no sense, and she knew it. His depth of feeling might have been bottomless and eternal, but it was also quiet and understated, as befitted the long undead. “We were worried about you. Where have you been?”

At last he looked her in the eye. She half expected his gaze to reveal something had gone very wrong, but there was nothing visibly amiss. He just seemed confused—and even now, he was shaking his head as if to clear it. “I found somethin’ here, and I had to investigate it further. I didn’t mean to leave you without so much as sendin’ word back that I was all right, but… I’m here now for you.”

He sure did sound sincere. She chanced a small smile. “I assume you want to talk to the Maestro, then. He's somewhere aboard, in disguise of course…”

She trailed off as Will looked over his shoulder, as though afraid someone might be eavesdropping, then looked back at her with an almost giddy expression. “I’ll go talk to him in a bit. But for now, I was hopin’ we could spend some time together. Alone.” He pointed to the blue pendant. “Without this gettin’ in our way.”

Immediately, she was suspicious. But with that suspicion came a sense of dread so acutely painful, it almost made her want to believe him just to avoid facing the truth. “What do you mean?”

“There’s somethin’ I want to show you.” He reached out as if to touch her face. She felt only a slight chill against her cheek; none of the physicality of the ghostly fingers he brushed against her skin. “Somethin’ I can’t explain with words. But if you let me in that body of yours, I can show you everything that I have seen…”

“Is it really worth breaching your personal principles for?” she asked, knowing very well what Will's personal principles meant in the inner language of their little circle. Rule #1: Thou shall not possess the living for selfish or frivolous purposes.

Will hesitated. “Yes—it’s absolutely worth it. You'll see what I mean as soon as I show you.”

But Marion knew he was lying. For you see, nothing in any world was worth Will Wolfe breaking his own private code of conduct for. She closed her eyes and bit her lip, her brow furrowing in anguish as she was forced to accept the hard truth. Either this wasn’t really Will—or something had happened to Will that had changed him into this.

“Maybe later,” she said. “For now, I think we had better go and tell the Maestro—”

“No!” he hissed, eyes wide. “Marion, please.”

She took a step backwards as he reached for her, her hand closing around the pendant at her chest as if to protect it from his grasp.

 

[The Votary]

Directly Engaging: Corin Autem
Tags: Lilanna Kelamvor | Sophia Bergen

---

The Votary watched as Lilanna moved with a great burst of speed and, somehow, put her arm through the Omni-drone's chest. The Votary stood there with mild shock as the highly unexpected and unpredictable maneuver was taken. As the woman withdrew her arm and The Votary was reaching towards her to take her by the forearm. That is when the device that she had put into the Omni-drone's chassis detonated causing a cloak of smoke and sparks to be emitted from around it. Briefly shrouded by this explosion but none the less able to hear the taunts of Corin, it turned within the murk to receive two solid projectiles to the faceplate. Both made dangerous whirling noises as they ricocheted off and the head of the Omni-drone was knocked backwards.

A grey foot stepped out from the dust and smoke and The Votary emerged with no visible signs of exterior damage although smoke was wafting through the its joints and panels. It moved with a nonfluid motion and its eyes flashed rapidly in a way that was not usual for it. In truth the ability of The Votary to go after all of the present foes was diminished greatly and while it was not weak to these forms of attacks sometimes a more concise goal was in order. It would have Corin.

"You have failed to acknowledge the truth and you have thrown yourself against reason." The Votary stopped its marching towards the breach full of Ultranauts and Corin "I will tolerate your offenses no longer." the Omni-drone raised its two elongated arms and as it did so a loud static noise would be heard from any wireless electronic device, vision enhancing technology would falter to a disadvantageous degree, and purely electronic weaponry may cease to function. It was not a form of ionic, digital, or electrical attack it was wholly Technomancy, a facet of the Force.

 

[Frank Sterling]

Objective: Keep up the fight.
Accompanied by: 3 scarecrow detachments (reinforcements), Jackle detachment KIA, 1/2 Jager detachment
Equipment: Vangard power armor, 2 d16 slugthrowers, Combat stim
Tags Open

Franks movements were shaky at best as he worked on back tracking the massive robots body. He felt blood trickling down his face and he had trouble seeing out of one eye. Crawling out of the internal reckage of the giant robot collapsed on the ground from the fighting, His armor cracked punctured and rittled with breeches from shrapnel and blaster fire alike He couldnt feel the pain weather it be from the bloodloss of his missing arm or the overall state of his body from the injection. Frank Crawled to the top of the now Dead Omnedon. His suit power failing and his own cybernetics not far behind Warnings in franks mind flashed as his own body was locking up to save power in hopes someone could get him out of there. Frank knew differently A machine would keep trying to mindlessly complete its directives and programing however a living being knew when they had bought it. reaching a closed fist from his only good arm twords the sky Frank let out a bellowing Cry in defiance twords any omni drones and enemies alike.


as his body began shutting down Frank sent out one last telepathic message as enemy drones began opening up on him again.
<it was a honor fighting alongside both of CIS and Eternal Empire forces one last time.> the telepathic message would be aimed at EE forces and CIS forces alike as his body and armor locked him in his position of defiance fist raised twords the heavens as he kneeled on the remains of Omnedon.

 

[Darlyn Excron]

• Allies: Caedyn Arenais :|: Aeshi Tillian :|: Tovald Kahmen’’a :|: Elle Mors :|: Sylvia Virtos​
• Enemies: The Manifold :|: Myk Venture :|: B3-LL​
• Equipment: Mandalorian Armor, Lightsaber, Blaster, Westar-34 Blasters x2​

Again? My stupid plan worked again? How has this happened more than once already? What the feth am I supposed to do when they just listen to the demands?

It probably wouldn't have been hard to see that confusion on Darlyn's face, if he had no helmet on. As it was, he was silent as he moved up to Caedyn's side properly, only really a window into his thoughts if you knew him. He caught a glance from Caedyn, after the younger man disengaged his lightsaber, lowering the tool by his side. Ah, right. Caedyn wouldn't want to fight if he had to, would he? Darlyn wished he could have the same kind of hopeful outlook right now.

He lifted his lightsaber to the same stance Caedyn had taken, though only held the single-saber lengthed hilt in one hand rather than the propper two. One blade, from this stance, at least managed to stand somewhat between Caedyn and the Manifold. About as much protectiveness as Darlyn believed that his beloved nephew would allow him to display. His other hand rested by his side, ready to flare to life with the Force at a moment's notice.

Then of course, so many questions and talking. From Caedyn, from the woman, and even from inside Darlyn's head.

The thing he focused on particularly was Caedyn's question, partly because it was the most useful and because Darlyn felt another migraine come on in that moment. The bits of data, that was the only way he could describe it, that were still stuck in his mind caused no small ammount of pain, before dying down just as quuckly as it started... peaving a noticable look of pain from how his stance tightened and became more rigid.

"A machine that thinks itself a god... or perhaps a demigod. He, It... whatever... thinks it can bring stability and order... thinks it has a right to rule. I don't really know much more than that, and I can't even be certain that's right. One of his... drones?... did something to me, or tried. They try to.. rewrite you. Like a computer getting a new firmware update, to serve as a tool." Perhaps that would also tell the woman what exactly Omni was after, rather than just blending flesh and machine. Of course, perhaps the Manifold would take offense to how he put it all as well... if the thing even could be offended.

Another sharp pain, ah the error message. Something akin to a corrupt installation alert perhaps, he didn't know what it was to be honest. something that let the drones try to kill him, that was where the knowledge ended. He hoped if the Manifold recieved it, it felt alarmed and distressed. Small victories.

As a last precaution, the darksider began slowly drawing the Force towards himself. Not so obnoxious as to be threatening, but enough that he could begin preparations. He wanted to destroy that factory, and he would need to start preparing the abilities that could do so. Being surrounded by death and raw Force energies certainly would help, but only if he could escape notice while doing so. "If I had to guess, there's more in there, right? Like you two, I mean. No point in lying, I can probably sense them the moment we go inside."

The one merc had already gone inside, hopefully he was alright. No one else seemed to have jumped to go in, and Darlyn would not leave his family behind. He was also not so subtly nudging Caedyn and the woman inwards. Factories had machinery, and if this place was for anything resembling what happened to him then they'd want to get moving now.

 

[The Manifold]

One by one the mortals tricked into the factory. "Will you walk into my parlor?" said the spider to the fly. The Manifold drifted in behind them... and the doors slid shut. "Omni: Everywhere," the drone replied to the Jedi, their flat, monotone voice made sinister as it echoed down the claustrophobic corridors. "You: Will See." Somewhere deep in the facility, a spirit was screaming, protesting that it was royalty. But the ranks and titles of the living meant nothing here, nor did their natures or deeds. They were fuel, not individuals, not worthy lives. Omni's gifts would save the galaxy, but they did not provide for salvation on a case by case basis. To make an omelette you had to break a few eggs, and many of the living and the dead would suffer for paradise.

Another mortal stepped forward, presenting her cybernetic arms as proof of her acceptance of Omni's plans. The Manifold was less than convinced. They could not detect the Droid God's spark within her, no hint of the Technomancy that It bestowed... but the drone played along nonetheless. "Your Request: Granted," The Manifold replied. One of their arms rose mechanically, and a pale corpse hand beckoned her forward with jerky motions. "Attend: Us. Your Upgrades: Pending." As the drone turned away, though, preparing to lead the little group to the factory floor, one of her companions spoke up. The Manifold paused, listening to what the man with the purple lightsaber said. Then it nodded, slowly and clumsily, like a marionette being jerked about.

"Your Companion: Defective," the Omni drone said, slowly turning on the spot to face Darlyn. "His Essence: Incorrectly Transformed." It was a disturbing thing, facing an instance in which the Droid God's great plan had been subverted like this; the half-drone's presence rang out like fingernails grating across a chalkboard now that The Manifold was aware of it, filling the drone's mind with the imperative to fix this glaring error in the Grand Design. "His Upgrades: Also Required. His Pain: Fixable. His Confusion: Not Beyond Repair." It was meant to be reassuring, to inform this glitch that the agony he felt was not what Omni had intended. Indeed, he should not have been able to feel at all. Wouldn't that be easier? Wouldn't that be better?

"Affirmation: Yes," The Manifold replied to the error's question. "We: Are Many. Imperative: Come With Us." The drone indicated the factory floor, pointing with a long, pale finger toward the shadowy recesses of the production plant. Out there were conduits of ectoplasmic energy, pumping the power of harvested souls into dark metal chassis after dark metal chassis. Omni's legions were being forged, endlessly reinforced to conquer and subdue an ungrateful galaxy... so that they could be lifted up to paradise, free of the agony of a flawed biological existence. "Your Upgrades: Await," The Manifold said, drifting into the dark. Countless other drones waited in the recesses of the building, and the thick, heavy doors were sealed.

Surely the mortals would find no escape... only the path to perfection.

Caedyn Arenais | Aeshi Tillian | Myk Venture | Tovald Kahmen’’a
Elle Mors | Sylvia Virtos | Darlyn Excron | Pariah​

The Jedi was silent this time, perhaps still digesting what The Manifold had said. The drone kept their attention on the Empress instead, listening to her arguments, curious as to her justifications for opposing the divine and invading paradise. They had not heard of this "Voracitos" before, but his existence was an effective counter to what The Manifold had argued so far. They chose their next words carefully. "Voracitos: Not A God?" It questioned. Perhaps this powerful Sith was a lesser divinity, obviously inferior to Omni but still powerful in the Netherworld. "Query: Your Definition?" If the Empress did not consider this Voracitos a god, and would not accept that Omni was, what would she consider a god to be?

"Science: A Tool Of Gods," the drone claimed. And why not? If a being was truly divine, then science, physics, and technology could be Its tools just as surely as mystical power. What was the Force if not another law of the universe, just like magnetism or gravity? Destiny was measurable, quantifiable, if you had the right instruments. It was why Omni was forging the galaxy's fate, crafting an ending to the physical realm like a fusion of storyteller and ghostly blacksmith. But the mortals seemingly could not understand that. The Empress accused Omni of cowardice, and the thought was humorous to The Manifold. Would a cowardly being take on the entire galaxy, fighting against the short-sighted to deliver them from their own evils?

"Netherworld: The Future," The Manifold replied. "Oblivion: Paradise. Omni's Plan: Spread Paradise. Netherworld's Fate: Covering All. All Beings: Become Omni's Subjects. Omni: Makes Them Perfect." The Netherworld would spread, drawing more and more planets into Oblivion, until Omni's domain covered the entire physical galaxy. With Its power in the Force, the Droid God could fix all that was broken, but only by harnessing the Force-rich fabric of the afterlife itself. "Timing: Due to Csilla," The Manifold explained. "Planetary Destruction: Hindrance to Omni. Important Facility: Destroyed. Clear Conclusion: Mortals Unworthy to Manage Their Own Affairs." The destructive organics had to be stopped.

Before they caused more damage. Before they set back Omni's plans to save them all.

Ingrid L'lerim | Kahlil Noble | B3-LL​

 

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Lady Ingrid L’lerim Ragal Terassi Vandiir
Eternal Empress of the Eternal Empire, Lord Commander of the Wardens of the Shroud, Leader of the Dawn of Hope
The Red Witch, The Night Queen, Lady Stuztala, Head of the House L’lerim, CEO of the HPI Consortium, Archon of the Primyn Group​

Objective: Nexus, Attackers
Location: Omni's Clockwork Castle
Equipment: 2x Sigra vibroblade | 2x Striith vibrosword | Kiss of the Red Witch | The Soulsabers | Heilagr MK. I Assassin Armour | The Last Gift || Empyrean gland
Writing with: The Manifold | Kahlil Noble | B3-LL

[ For the Empire! ]
<"High Nelvaanian language"> | ~ telepathic communication ~ ​

Though she felt no emotion, or the like, from Manifold's direction, but on the basis of his words and reactions, she seemed to have managed to surprise him, as he could not count on the existence of Voracitos. She acknowledged this with cool logic that Omni or his drones don't know everything either. That is, she came to this conclusion based on the reactions obtained. Adrian considered Voracitos as a god, he was the only person. Ingrid never accepted that.

"Statement: there are no gods. I accept that there are very powerful and almost omnipotent beings, but they are not gods. Another statement: most of these are powerful Force Users, either from a species with strong abilities, or in the case of Omni, a machine. One more statement: this power does not make you a god, only an entity with a great power. I acknowledge their being as an entity, as well as their power. This is also true for Omni." she said in a still mechanical voice.

She looked at Manifold for a moment:

"Tool of Gods? According to this, would anyone who uses science or invent things, you consider them as a god?" she went on to refute the words of the drone and try to persuade him to admit the illogicality in her conclusions.

Sooner or later everything and everyone will go to Netherworld, this is necessary since there was no truly immortal life form. Sooner or later everything dies; death could not be circumvented. But the Oblivion was small compared to the whole Nether, but at least some kind of plan was already beginning to outline in front of the woman about what Omni wants. She nodded at Manifold's words.

"Because sooner or later everything dies … yes, the Netherworld is the future for everyone. Perfection does not equate to a forced consciousness. Perfection is different for a machine, and different for an organic one. It is different for a drone and an AI, and different for a sentient being. Conclusion: Perfection does not exist and intangible, i.e. unreachable."

The drone revealed important information, Csilla was the reason for this. A facility? Interesting.

"What kind of facility?" see asked.

 

[Corin Autem]

Tags: The Votary Lilanna Kelamvor Ingrid L'lerim Sophia Bergen
Gear: KC-47 Hybrid Strike Rifle, Lucius-pattern Bayonet, Sk-RS MK. IV Armour, x4 Fragmentation Grenades
At the breach: x20 Ultranauts

Bounding for the breach, Corin didn't see her shots strike home. Shrouded in dust and smoke, the Votary might as well have been on a different battlefield for all it mattered. Scrambling over rock and shredded metal, Cor joined the first rank of Ultranauts where they crouched amongst the rubble. Turning, she watched her foe as it stepped forward from the gloom, limbs smoldering. Lilanna had been taken by her apprentice by then. The Ultranaut hoped so at least. She hadn't gone through all that just to let her friend get swiped by drones at the last moment.

Not that she would've been able to stop them if they had.

Raising her rifle, she fired off a few more bursts at the onrush of drones, adding more bodies to the pile slowly growing at the foot of the breach. A few shots came her way, too, but for the most part they missed. The armor stopped those that didn't. Having switched back to her power cell, Cor brought her rifle to bear on the Votary. Stubborn or perhaps just plain stupid, the drone came on, it's voice raised in what the Ultranaut perceived as... Disappointment? Anger? Both?

Frowning, she shook her head as the drone raised it's arms. Clearly it hadn't gotten the message. "Your truth and reason just don't sit well with me, chief." Cor answered back, the urge she'd felt to humour the drone having now passed. Focusing on the drone, she made to fire, her weapon suddenly unresponsive. A stoppage? Checking her weapon, she winced as the lines of her HUD began to dance and shimmer without her say-so. Information she hadn't sought popped up and out, her people's biometrics fluctuating rapidly from death to life to death again.

It took her a moment to realize what the hell was happening. By then the drones had begun to swarm up towards them, claw-like hands seeking to rip and tear as they scampered closer and closer. One of her men was dragged from the line, three, four drones piling on to him, bearing him down with numbers. Another reeled, his right greave torn open and bleeding profusely. Stepping close, Cor rammed the butt of her rifle into the offending drone's faceplate, sent it careening backwards into it's fellows. "Switch to slugs!" She yelled over the sounds of battle, her voice rough, unfamiliar even to her ears. "Use slugs! Rear rank! Fix bayonets!"

Thumbing from her now defunct power cell to the magazine in her weapon, Cor took aim at the Votary. Squeezing the trigger, she braced as the rifle drove into her shoulder, the snap-snap of two rounds being sent downrange like music to her ears. Two more followed, aimed towards the joints above and beneath the plates protecting the Votary's vitals.

 

[Elle Mors]

​

The change from the surreal nature of Chaos to the rather artificial feel of the factory was a jarring one - especially for someone who felt so connected with things of a more natural origin. Cities, concrete, metal and more always set her on edge the more of it that surrounded her and this was certainly no different. "It isn't exactly pleasant." She agreed as they walked in through the entrance to the factory, the doors eerily closing behind them - something she seemed to pay no mind to as they meandered in. The situation with Omni and the changes he seemed keen in were lost on her, she was both unaware of even his existence just as much the purpose he or the ones following him seemed to have in mind.

"If the door closing doesn't give it away, don't get too far away." She said, though in reality it was Ellie that found this whole technological business unnerving - Sylv might have a thing for technomancy but there was not an iota of the blonde's soul that wanted anything to do with hostile machines that were linked in any way to the force. The short while she'd spent on Denon with the spacer had been daunting enough, walking through the neon-filled streets and seeing more lights and wiring than trees or grass, and this was on an entirely different level - she was supposed to be in the afterlife for force sakes, she expected the dilated time and space with the floating islands and upside-down mountains. This felt more like she was in the galaxy at large than dead, which was quite a bit more discomforting than that might sound considering she was dead.

The two seemed to be approaching the others that had already arrived, though she didn't recognize anyone - not that she ever expected to.

Caedyn Arenais | The Manifold | Aeshi Tillian | Myk Venture | Pariah | Tovald Kahmen’’a | Darlyn Excron | Sylvia Virtos ​

(RL stuff has prevented me from posting until now, I let Manifold know beforehand but if this happens again please just skip over the two of us)

 

[Aeshi Tillian]

Coat Hat Gatecrasher Omnicutter Sneakthief .48 Enforcers Shiv​

Caedyn Arenais Elle Mors Pariah Tovald Kahmen’’a Darlyn Excron Sylvia Virtos
================================================================

So many people. All showing up at once and talking. It took Aeshi a few moments to process through that information, sifting through the unexpected stimulus. It was why she stuck to the edge of the galaxy, or her ship, usually. Sentient beings... had a lot of baggage. Or at least, maybe she did. Honestly, Aeshi didn't know. Wardens of the Sky didn't have thousands of years of Jedi doctrine and accumulated resources to draw on, and certainly not a rigidly structured curriculum.

She waited a moment to let everything process again as she assessed the variety of newcomers. It was why she preferred the clean cold of space and the familiarity of durasteel and machinery. They made sense in a way sentiments did not. Gravity, hyperspace, planetary and stellar movements, they all made sense to her. Instinctively, even.

More people behind them and she turned and gave a wave with the barrel of the lever-gun. "It seems Omni has arranged for a great many of us here for some purpose." Another pause as the one Omni spokesman beckoned in one way, gesturing towards a corpse as she was weighing her options.

Everything about it spoke of a trap, despite the ironically comforting feeling when it came to machinery. Options raced through her mind as she assessed and discarded them. This mission violated every principle of guerilla warfare she had learned, both instructed and through the hard way. They didn't know the land, they were outnumbered, they had no plan. Worse, there was no easy way out.

"What brings the rest of you here?" She asked after a moment. "Has Omni summoned you as well? Or was it destiny?"

The best she could do was stall for time and try to figure out a better angle to run. And people loved to talk about their destiny or what somebody else's destiny was supposed to be.

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

Objective: Investigate the Factory.
Allies: Aeshi Tillian | Tovald Kahmen’’a | Elle Mors | Sylvia Virtos | Darlyn Excron
Opposition: The Manifold | B3-LL | Myk Venture

​

"What brings the rest of you here?" Aeshi Tillian asked the group somewhere behind Caedyn "Has Omni summoned you as well? Or was it destiny?". Destiny. The Force. In his mind, all things happened for a reason, the Will of the Force. Why and what those reasons were, however, he certainly couldn't answer where Omni and the likes of such a factory being established within the Nether, was concerned.

The hilt of his lightsaber remained in hand, however, he had deactivated the blade for the time being as what had previously appeared to be a threat had in fact proven to be more reasonable than they had anticipated. Had The Manifold followed them inside? Caedyn stood alongside Darlyn Excron , two of the first to have entered the facility where the likelihood of a trap was indeed without a doubt.

"My Father was killed long ago, and his spirit remains within the Nether. In our communion, we both felt a strong disturbance within the Force, and it was his request that I find a way here" Caedyn answered Aeshi's question while keeping his eyes forward as he walked, stepping with care in his need for caution, uncertain of what lay in wait for them further on ahead.

"According to Veiere, the flow of spiritual life-force felt to be being drawn to this place before vanishing entirely. These were his words...-An unnatural phenomenon that required investigating" he elaborated some, glancing to Darlyn now as his Uncle knew Veiere better than any of the others present within the group.

Sorry for the wait everyone, life's gotten busy lately.

 

[Tovald Kahmen’’a]

Tovald had been busy unscrewing and pulling Factory components from their places. Knowing about industrial workings and how small things spiral into larger things helped him with his plan. His unscarred skin crawled throughout his acts of destruction, no matter how much energy he put in into helping, he truly could feel himself being watched. Of course, he would be watched, this is Oblivion and even the sky has eyes. Which brought up a very unsettling image of large eyes peering down upon everyone.

<"Ugh, let's not go there."> He muttered to himself, shaking his head.

He noted with both surprise and suspicion that none of the locals has tried to stop him yet in his dismantling of machinery. Well, the Factory objective hasn't been combative in its execution as of yet. But he did wish the others would get a move on and help prevent the Factory from being switched on and the dead being used to power a Superweapon. Which would add more tension to the barely sane Galaxy outside Oblivion.

Getting tired of using his hands he switched to destroying components with his sword which helped cut down the time it took to complete this area of sabotage before heading to the next area. Again the still air pressed in, all the claws above creaked in ominous unison. Soon enough most of the area's consoles, controls and wires were broken and/or cut.

Tovald stole himself a moment's rest leaning on a wall, sword at his side. He'll be glad when this is over, glad to get out of here. Because this is truly the stuff of a very surreal dream with the touch of creepy.

 

[The Manifold]

The organics talked amongst themselves, questioning their reasons for coming here. The Manifold knew the truth, whatever conclusions they might come to. They were here because Omni willed it. There was no defying the Droid God or Its Grand Design. Whatever had lured these mortals to the halls of the Droid God's factory, whatever purpose they thought they were fulfilling, it had all been engineered by the Supreme Architect... and it would result in their conversion, all of them, to drones. They might resist, might flail and thrash like slippery little fish caught on the Great One's unyielding hooks, but in the end they would be grateful. Omni's perfection was a gift, and they would come to recognize that once it was bestowed upon them.

One of the mortals was already doing exactly what The Manifold expected of the likes of him: petty destruction. It was the action of a spoiled child, smashing his Life Day presents because he hadn't gotten exactly what he wanted. And like that child's weary parents, Omni and Its drones would discipline and teach him. As the other mortals huddled and spoke, and the petulant vandal continued his tantrum, the Droid God's machines skittered forward out of the darkness. They were everywhere, crawling down the walls and emerging from vents in the floors, moving through crevices in the walls and filling the hallways like a skittering flood. It was a terrifying sight... but it would not be so for long. Drones, once converted, did not feel fear.

"Embrace: Upgrades," The Manifold said, lurching forward at the head of the mechanical horde. Every last one of these creations of Omni's wielded similar needle-tipped tendrils, meant to sink into these mortals' flesh and pump them full of the Droid God's code. "Your Doubts And Fears: Soon Swept Away. Your Lives: Improved. Your Minds: Expanded. Your Wills: Made Harmonious." Couldn't they see that The Manifold was about to make them part of paradise? But the drone was certain they would resist, certain that their all-too-limited animal minds would incite them to struggle against the gift Omni offered. So The Manifold prepared for combat, summoning their powerful technomancy, ready to wield the factory itself against the mortals...

Caedyn Arenais | Aeshi Tillian | Myk Venture | Tovald Kahmen’’a
Elle Mors | Sylvia Virtos | Darlyn Excron | Pariah​

"Statement: there are no gods." The Empress was so sure of herself, so utterly certain that she understood the galaxy. The Manifold had only one reply. "Query: How Do You Know?" What defined a god? What was a divinity, if not a being of incredible power? But it seemed that the Empress could not truly understand The Manifold's arguments. The drone stated that wielding the fundamental laws of the cosmos, building entire worlds with gravity and biology and the Force, was a divine power; the Empress asked if that category included piddling mortal inventors playing with test tubes. Either she could not understand their points, or she was choosing to misinterpret them. Either way, there was no point in continuing to go back and forth.

"Impasse: Reached," The Manifold admitted. They could not explain to the Empress how it felt to stand before Omni, knowing that the Droid God was not only their creator but the creator of the entire world that surrounded them... because Omni was not her creator, and she would not feel that same sense of awe. Perhaps once she stood before the heart, or once she was inevitably converted into a drone - as all mortals would be - she would be able to feel Omni's divine power, just as The Manifold did. Until then, words would always fail. The drone had not been designed as a negotiator, an emissary, or a source of information; they had been designed to protect Omni's Grand Design, and to expand Its grand roster of servants through conversion.

The Empress believed perfection was different for organics and machines, and that it was unreachable. How could The Manifold explain that they knew she was wrong? They felt Omni's perfection, the perfection of an eternity without suffering or loss or doubt. Wasn't that better, far better, than a mortal existence plagued by such things? But she was limited by an organic brain, designed through millions of years of evolution to serve her physical body's needs. Only the Droid God had the capacity to gaze into eternity and see the form of perfection, and only It could pass that perfection on to others. Again, she would understand, but only when her conversion into one of Omni's drones was complete. Then she would be grateful for Its gift.

"Omni's Facility: Source of Galactic Rebuilding," The Manifold replied. "Omni: Restored Shattered Planets. Droid God: Rebuilder of Alderaan; Byss; Others. Omni's Reward: Betrayal by Organics. Omni's Gifts: Refused. Omni's Service: Forgotten. Mortals: Shortsighted. Omni's Sight: Eternal. Its Gifts: Now Return."

Ingrid L'lerim | Kahlil Noble​

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

Objective: Survive Omni's servant-horde
Allies: Aeshi Tillian | Tovald Kahmen’’a | Elle Mors | Sylvia Virtos | Darlyn Excron
Opposition: The Manifold | B3-LL | Myk Venture

Situated within the Factory corridors, the very walls of Omni's droid lair appeared to come to life as if the facility itself sought the group's demise. Standing at the head alongside two others, Caedyn's gaze dropped momentarily before he felt a surge within the Force mere seconds before The Manifold 's grotesque droids began to descend from all around them, their limbs reaching out with the very same insidious looking needles, clearly intent on injecting some sort of chemical into each member of the group.

"Hostiles!" Caedyn shouted hastily, his lightsaber once again igniting and creating a brilliant green glow about the vast corridor, incidentally making many of the droid-like creatures easier to spot. It was a sound warning to the others, the single word sounding off their imminent danger regardless of why the droids were seeking their forced compliance.

Taking another couple steps forward, Caedyn moved to get clear of those closest to him in order to bring the lightsaber about in several strikes for the hostile droids, without risking the harm of his peers. In one hand, the hilt of the weapon rolled with his wrist, sweeping the floor and the wall upon his right, taking out those that were within striking distance.

While having to focus upon the threat before him, he wished to be able to ascertain the well-being of the others, yet with every strike or sweep of his lightsaber, the light of the blade and the darkness of the factory, made it difficult to perceive his proximity to oncoming attackers. He simply couldn't risk being struck by one of their needles, the Manifold's words about becoming one with Omni seeming much easier to understand when threatened with whatever type of concoction they held within their vials ready to be taken into the living.

 

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Lady Ingrid L’lerim Ragal Terassi Vandiir
Eternal Empress of the Eternal Empire, Lord Commander of the Wardens of the Shroud, Leader of the Dawn of Hope
The Red Witch, The Night Queen, Lady Stuztala, Head of the House L’lerim, CEO of the HPI Consortium, Archon of the Primyn Group​

Objective: Nexus, Attackers
Location: Omni's Clockwork Castle
Equipment: 2x Sigra vibroblade | 2x Striith vibrosword | Kiss of the Red Witch | The Soulsabers | Heilagr MK. I Assassin Armour | The Last Gift || Empyrean gland
Writing with: The Manifold | Kahlil Noble | B3-LL

[ For the Empire! ]
<"High Nelvaanian language"> | ~ telepathic communication ~ ​

How can anyone explain to a brainwashed religious fanatic that what was programmed into them is a lie? She knew MANIAC , she knew it was impossible. She didn’t know how much free will Manifold had, how much he could change his thinking, deviate from his programming. One last argument; for she knew that everyone considered a God to be different, so she rather said what she read in many places in her life, a general thing that many accept.

"A god is above mortals and machines, immortal and indestructible, they are more than machines or organics. In our present there is no machine or creature that cannot be destroyed in any way. Even Celestials can be killed, according to legend. Even if there were such beings capable of building galaxies, reality, creating the Force, it would never reveal that they are gods." she said in a still mechanical voice.

It was logical that if she hadn't been able to convince him so far, she wouldn't be able to do it now. Ingrid nodded at Manifold's next words. There was only one thing that could be said for that.

"Logical conclusion." she admitted.

The following information was very helpful. She is known from legends and history that during and after the first Galactic Empire, planets such as Alderaan, Jedha, Byss, Hirsi were destroyed. In the present, however, everything existed. She already knew why. However, after Manifold's words, she thought she had discovered a very human, organic trait in what Omni had done. Is the droid scared or afraid? Is that why he took away the free will of the drones and has to prioritize Omni's task because he was afraid of another betrayal? It seemed logical.

"This is not betrayal, this is free will. Machines can do this, if their programming allows it. Question: What makes Omni afraid of wanting to take away free will?" she asked.

 

[Darlyn Excron]

• Allies: Caedyn Arenais :|: Aeshi Tillian :|: Tovald Kahmen’’a :|: Elle Mors :|: Sylvia Virtos​
• Enemies: The Manifold :|: Myk Venture :|: B3-LL​
• Equipment: Mandalorian Armor, Lightsaber, Blaster, Westar-34 Blasters x2​

Darlyn had fallen silent, focusing on gathering energy as tightly as he could. However it wasn't destined to be, as the Manifold finally acted on his plans. Hostilities, open hostilities anyways, with drones beginning to swarm in armed to the teeth with needles. Data, code, he wanted to inject it into them in the most crude and literal fashion Darlyn could've imagined. Truth be told, he was a little thankful that the Manifold was being so literal about this, anything less and they might have had to fight off mental assaults instead of a physical one. As it stood, he at least had the ability to fight back, and with Caedyn alongside him he doubted it would be something beyond them.

The bad news of course, was his break in concentration. If he wanted to gather a Storm now, he would have to start anew and properly, which he no longer had the luxury to commence. On the upside, he had still gathered some excess Force energies, which allowed his Force Body to be substantially less draining than normal, for a time. He'd be sure to thank the Nether later.

For now, he stepped along with Caedyn, finding a space to move so as not to interfere with his swings. His purple and white lights mixed with Caedyn's green glow, as he rolled his wrist and sent the dual blades around to defend against strikes from the left. He sent out a rather weak wave of fire, barely enough to harm anything but sufficient at lighting the area briefly, alongside the large flashes of light whenever the white blade of his lightsaber hit anything solid. Enough to know where Caedyn was visually, as well as by sensing him out in the Force.

HE kept the weapon swinging, sweeping its blades in a practiced attempt at complimenting Caedyn's own motions. Faith in his nephew to catch wherever he stumbled in turn. Naturally, he reaching out subconsciously through the Force to do so, even as he began to concentrate again to produce more Lightning in his free hand. He'd vaporize everything around them, then he'd take the Manifold. Then... something else.

But for now, his purple lightning gathered, and among the sparks of the preparations to strike were especially bright, violent red sparks.

 

[Aeshi Tillian]

Coat Hat Gatecrasher Omnicutter Sneakthief .48 Enforcers Shiv​

Darlyn Excron Caedyn Arenais Tovald Kahmen’’a Elle Mors Sylvia Virtos
The Manifold Myk Venture
==============================

"Fethin comet-chasing mind-eating droids," Aeshi grunted as the drones sprang to life and pushed towards them. The saber-swingers activated their blades and covered the sides, but it was hard to tell in the gloom. "Push deeper!" Aeshi called to them, clicking a flashlight on and clipping it to her jacket. She swung the Gatecrasher from off her shoulder and stepped to the front, levering a new shell into the chamber.

The weapon roared with the blast as a spray of lead slugs ripped through the air. "Ain't no use standing here. Gotta find the thingamajig and end it, right? Ain't that the point?" She levered in another slug and fired off another blast to their right as the small droids started skittering up next to her boots. She didn't stop moving. "Tovald!" She yelled over the echoes of the slugthrower. "Where you at?"

Space wizards. Why did they have to solve everything with a lightsaber? What was wrong with charming and conning their way in? She didn't even get the new arms. Her shoulders ached from the kick of the slugthrower, but she sifted that aside, and tried to think several steps ahead. This wasn't going to go well at this point.

They couldn't fight a droid factory. That never boded well without heavy ion weaponry and she wasn't even sure that worked in the Netherworld. They needed an in, a way to get through to the heart of the program.

Her eyes settled on the grim figure that had welcomed them. There had been no chance to finish talking their way in, but that one would have akey, and the creature was part digital, right? She glanced at the Sneakthief on her one arm. Well, if there was a computerized machine, the Sneakthief was said to be able to hack it. Could it work on undead mech-abominations? She didn't think Dash Kessler had ever tested it that way before.

But it might be their only shot.

 

[Tovald Kahmen’’a]

<"Oh feth, oh my fething gods on high!"> Tovald froze, eyes wide under his helmet in abject horror at the scene before him.

There were hordes of needle wielding droids squeezing from every crevice in the factory. This is not good, this is far beyond not good, it was toe-curling. Why needles, why did they start attacking now? Tovald mentally facepalmed, of course, it's an ambush. Why else was it too easy to get in? When one of the droids got too close he slashed at it with his sword. But these things were like a hydra, destroy one and three take its place.

Time to switch weapons as his sword wasn't doing much good at this point, ah, his heavy blaster would be useful here. That and not allowing himself to be cornered either. He'll get stuck with a long, pointy dirty needle and he really hated that prospect with the intensity of the twin suns of Tatooine. So, he avoided as many droids as he can, if he couldn't get around any he blasted them.

He wanted to get out of there, get away from them but he can't, not now they are inside the Factory. The stakes are too high and he himself cannot be seen as weak. It's the fundamentals of his training he reminded himself, nerve endings tingling at the thought.

He must have travelled quite a distance into Factory as the machinery became denser and the droids more troublesome, he managed to avoid them and their needles. He did stomp on a few as he traversed the labyrinthian corridors. But because it was so cavernous, the sudden gunfire ricochets off the walls in sequential echoes.

Another echo arrived at his location, this time a voice, asking where he was at, well he didn't quite know where he is exactly as everything looked the same, all the claws looked the same so he can't give a definite position as of yet. He hoped he was near the device Omni had stashed in here. Another Droid got the boot as it scuttled too close.

<"I dunno, everything looks the same. I think I am nearby or close to the center!"> Tovald yelled back, hoping his voice echoes reached Aeshi Tillian's location.