The Cult in the Caves: Lords of the Fringe Dominion of Phu

[Ashin Varanin]

BARDOTTA​

PHU SYSTEM​

FORMER FRINGE CONFEDERATION TERRITORY​

​

NOTE: ONLY JOIN IF YOUR CHARACTER ID ENDS IN AN EVEN NUMBER​

Autonomy needed to be seen to be preserved -- now more than ever. The Bardottans, also known as the Phuii, had legends involving the disappearance of their leaders, some substantiated.

Now, looking at the empty thrones in the half-circle gallery, nearly half of the Dagoyan Masters having vanished entirely, Grand Admiral Varanin couldn't help but think the Dagoyan had been right all along.

Every world in Fringe territory had lost crucial amounts of souls, not just Bardotta. Every world had either struck out for itself or requested due help from the Confederation, help maintaining law and order. That she and the High Council had selected Phu's plea as a priority came down to strategic reasons as much as humanitarian ones. Everyone needed help, at every level; the High Council itself had seen some absences lately, to say nothing of the Fringe armed forces.

"Master Varanin," said the Queen. "You came to us as a pilgrim once, and you have kept your promises to protect us. We welcome you to Bardotta."

Diplomacy ensued; Ashin introduced those she'd brought with her. The Dagoyan had apocalyptic prophecies about disappearance, and she knew for a fact that the ancient Frangawl cult was taking advantage of the chaos to start up sacrifices in the Force Drain machine half a mile straight down from here. The Dagoyan might be the galaxy's masters of Sense powers, far outside Ashin's expertise, but Ashin had the Fringe military intelligence apparatus, and a couple of ex-Frangawl worked for her. Useful people, the Frangawl, once you shuffled them off to other parts of the galaxy. Another reason the Dagoyan liked her. They didn't always approve of her, but Bardotta hovered on a razor's edge of public unrest. The faster the Frangawl could be removed, the more easily the Bardottan people would be put at ease. And right now, everyone needed to be put at ease...or at least feel like there was something they could do.

One of the remaining Dagoyan Masters leaned forward. "Can your friends speak for themselves?"

 

[Coren Starchaser]

He really wasn't sure what was going on. He knew that he couldn't feel Kelly anymore. That was unsettling. Coren was starting to come back into his own with the Force, but it was still only that he was able to sense things. Something that felt familiar and like the proper path for him. Never claimining himself to be a Master, ever, even before everything went haywire with himself, Coren knew where his skillset lay. And sensing, that of beings and objects, was always something he prided himself on. It allowed him a view into the minds of most, and he was able to con his way through a lot.

And working to protect those that were still here, that was a method of life he could get behind. He knew that part of the crew on the Dawn Treader were gone, he hadn't gotten a whole count yet, and who was still around. He knew his son, the ships Commander was still here, so they would be off running skirmishes and cover for the front line Fringe Federation space fleet. That was at least comforting, it allowed Coren to do a few other things, instead of pilot.

No matter how much he missed it, his skillset was better used not exclusively in a TIE.

And that was why he had followed the Admiral. To this world, where there was a need to stop a crazy group of people. Yeah, that wasn't going to go well, not with the loss of so many in the population already. He had his slugthrower and pulled the lightsaber from its compartment aboard his YT-2000, if there was any a time for him to reclaim that weapon it was now, and stood in the group that flanked the Grand Admiral.

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Coren Starchaser"]

Ashin shot a sidelong glance at the others; though they'd all been introduced, the Dagoyan Masters were waiting to hear from them. Perhaps simple statements of identity and allegiance would pass in lieu of some kind of formalized reassurance. The Dagoyan were proud, strong and independent enough to keep the Jedi Order out of their backyard for centuries. They'd accepted Fringe protection only grudgingly, maybe five years back, during the height of the Abominor threat and the Republic's imperialism. Anything the Fringe could do to help placate the leaders would help placate the people.

 

[Matsu Xiangu]

She'd been busy as of late, torn in what felt like a million directions. Life had been noisy, chaotic - the way she liked it, but regardless a breather was required.

This hadn't exactly been what she had in mind.

When it had happened she'd headed for home - Wild Space, the outskirts, the Fringe her first thought - and found it silent. She was a solitary creature by nature though the state of the Galaxy required her to behave otherwise but even this was too much silence for her. She'd found Varanin and few others and now she found herself on Bardotta, a half-dozen suspicious glances darting between the Grand Admiral and those she'd brought with her. Matsu was tamping down her signature significantly, not needing to give a people already on edge a reason to get any more worked up at a presence so firmly rooted in the dark. She'd given her loyalty to the Fringe - they had nothing to fear from her if they were under its protection once more.

But they needed to get there. She wasn't much for talking, but the tension was ramping up...understandably. Adopting a tone free of anything patronizing, she spoke up. "I'm Matsu Xiangu, a long-standing member of the Fringe. I understand you're all confused, scared even. I watched my closest friend disappear, right in the middle of a conversation. I still don't know what happened to her. But achieving some semblance of order is the only way I'll find those that mean something to me - the only way that YOU will see those that mean something to you. The Fringe has protected you before - allow us to do it again. We won't see the end of this otherwise."

[member="Ashin Varanin"] | [member="Coren Starchaser"]​

 

[Arage Bao]

I had no idea what to make of this, the galaxy was on fire, billions disappeared in one fell swoop. What had happened? No clue, no fething idea, and it scared me to the bone, it made me think of all the people I knew, loved, cared for and them not being there anymore. It made me anxious, I didn't like feeling anxious. Everywhere was chaos, worse then when the Sith had decided to invade the Republic, far worse and yet this was something that seemingly couldn't be fought, couldn't be resolved.

Blinking I looked up the Masters looking expectantly at us, they seemingly wanted us to say something. Wasn't much of a talker these days, but I didn't want to insult them either. These beings were entities of sense though and that brought me in an awkward situation, people here knew me as Akuna. I felt it safer to use my new name and simply forget my old one, but what if they sensed the deceit? Would the mission become more complicated? Did it even matter with all that had happened and all that was happening right now?

Suppose not.

I bowed before them, before finally speaking.

"My name is Nui Akuna, wise Masters. Though... I suppose I was once known as Michael Sardun, a former Jedi.'

Yes, that Michael Sardun. Jedi Master, founder of the disbanded Army of Light and former High General of the Republic. I dodged any glances @Ash in Vara in might give me.

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Nui Akona"] [member="Matsu Xiangu"]

Xiangu's response hit the spot; excellent. Akona's...

...well, that explained a lot. Ashin's eyes narrowed fractionally, but she did her level best not to let her surprise be felt. The Dagoyan were entirely too perceptive for her comfort, even though -- or because -- this wasn't her first time visiting them. Specifically, it was her third; she'd been here as a pilgrim, and before that as a protector or occupier, depending on your taste. These days, unless you were a Frangawl, tastes were swinging in the direction of order.

"Greetings to you, Master Xiangu," said the Dagoyan Queen, "and to you, Master Akona. And the rest of you?"

 

[Ibaris Varanin]

She'd gotten used to going along on more and more of the Fringe's business. Sure, it wasn't 'normal teenager' stuff, but since when had her life ever been normal? Plus, she wasn't a kid anymore... that meant she understood the current state of the galaxy more than she could have when she was younger, and sorting that out in her head was an ugly can of worms. It sucked, yeah, but the people that mattered to her hadn't gone poof. Well, some of them. She was in a bit of a state that mixed confused, angry, and haughty teenage indifference on the matter of her favourite uncle simply having vanished. Being nowhere to be found. The man that gave her so much, just... gone.

She wouldn't admit it, but add grief to that shaken up jar of emotions. It couldn't be helped.

"I'm Ibaris Varanin-Jacobs," she spoke up finally, standing to one side of Matsu. No 'yes, that Varanin', nor 'and yes, that Jacobs', for there was a time for attitude, and a time for not. Sure, attitude was the default, but serious business was serious business. "and amongst these people, those that have already spoken, is where my home is. I have been more fortunate than others, that I have not lost most of those closest to me, but..."

Her cordial smile wavered.

"...that is only most. I have still lost, as you have lost. And..." oh, gods, no, not the tears. Humiliating. She started to go red, and what followed was that companion anger, knitting her brow, making her chin quake, "...I will do what is necessary to make things right again."

The girl really, really missed her uncle. Badly. And for all the humiliation (she didn't know these people), the grief, anger, and confusion, she forced herself to not look away.

"I will do what I can. What I must. As my papa and mama have done. As all of these people have."

[member="Ashin Varanin"] | [member="Matsu Xiangu"] | [member="Nui Akona"] | [member="Coren Starchaser"]​

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Ibaris Varanin-Jacobs"]

Oh, but she'd have loved for Ibby's first real mission to be a few years in the future. She'd have loved for Ibby's first test to be under more controlled circumstances, where 'Papa' was only a base delta zero away. She'd spent many, many years making a safe place for her family, only to have it ripped out from under her.

And that infuriated her. Which, by extension, made her feel less than charitable in the direction of the Frangawl cultists who were exploiting the chaos for their own ends.

She could be proud of Ibby, and she did, but what was the point of sacrificing so much for control if control couldn't last?

 

[Coren Starchaser]

Maybe it was his standing with the Fringe, a new comer to the Federation, well, he still felt like a new comer. It was what... five years since he joined? Six? Enough where he still felt like he wasn't sure what he was doing with the group. But that was just the Starchaser way, vagabonds, paramilitary, gypsies, and wanderers. Probably also why he was still terrible with his connection to the Force. He needed something to push him.

Sensing, as it were, that it was his time to speak, he looked between the gathered. He recognized Matsu, of course, and a bit of the teen. What was her name? All he knew was she was going to do some serious damage as she got older. And he was glad he only had blood-sons, even if there were adoptions of females through the genetic enhancement program the Warbirds ran.

Stepping forward, he wasn't sure it meant anything but he was going to be honest and let his story out. “I'm Captain Coren Starchaser, formerly, before...” He made a motion with his hands. “Things went south for me, a Force user on par with a Knight in the Jedi, but... not a Jedi, something else. Paramilitary, pilot and scavenger. I was responsible for keeping my people alive. I'm here to help bring those skills here.”

The Force was only a small fraction of what he could do, after all.

[member="Ashin Varanin"] [member="Ibaris Varanin-Jacobs"] [member="Nui Akona"] [member="Matsu Xiangu"]

 

[Matsu Xiangu]

She'd met Ibaris years prior, the kind of years the girl could still hide under tables during conversations she'd rather not hear and still get away with it. Though time had passed she hadn't changed, at least not in the ways that had made Matsu like her - a feat considering she wasn't much for people in general and certainly not kids. But she was precocious and seemed like she'd grow up to be just as whip-smart and creative as her parents.

Watching the remaining Dagoyan masters, she thought she saw some softening at Ibaris' offering and even further when the young Captain added his credentials. The masters seemed a stubborn people but the promise of someone else taking up a difficult task when so much was uncertain for them must have been appealing. Their nerves made them susceptible and she made a light pass over their minds as they looked back to Ibaris', sensing a growing acquiescence among their number - it seemed they were prepared to allow the Fringe to take action at least, and getting rid of the Frangawl would not only secure them back in the Fringe but also be a bit therapeutic for Matsu.

[member="Ashin Varanin"] | [member="Nui Akona"] | [member="Coren Starchaser"] | [member="Ibaris Varanin-Jacobs"]​

 

[Hannibal Oryen]

"So, like, lootin's gettin' ta be a problem, I imagine."
"Yeah."

Atop a department store, Hannibal Oryen peered through the scope of his sniper rifle. The Fondorian was sprawled along the roof, laying flat on his stomach. Just next to him was the owner of the department store, currently functioning as his spotter. Hannibal, like everyone else, was just doing his part in helping the good people of Phu restore the status quo. From what he understood, the status quo had once been totally devoid of panicking opportunists ransacking department stores for electronics, appliances, and whatever else it was people generally tried to loot. Better times with better people, truly.

Of course, Hannibal didn't operate out of the kindness of his heart. He was being paid to be here, but considering the circumstances of the galaxy at large and the store's manager, he'd been willing to give a five percent discount. Quality anti-looting countermeasures weren't cheap. Besides, the money this guy saved from Hannibal wounding looters would be just enough to cover his fee. Everyone wins. In a sort of cosmic, "grand scheme of things" kind of way.

"How many'd ya say came outta 'ere already?"
"Seven."
"How much'd ya lose?"
"No idea."
"Estimate f' me, pal. I'm tryin' t' make conversation here."

The manager took a breath before answering. "Twenty-four thousand, give or take."

Hannibal whistled in appreciation. Maybe too much appreciation, as the manager gave him a sour glance.

"Sorry."
"Whatever."

The waiting continued.

 

[Sal Katarn]

The air unfolded, shimmering as if from immense heat. A humanoid male materialized from nothingness, stepping through the coruscating ether and onto the solid ground behind [member="Hannibal Oryen"]. A durasteel breastplate shone dully beneath a coat of black, which hung past his knees. A mane of long white hair blew lightly in the breeze, partially obscuring the humanoid's ash-toned face. Eyes the color of red-hot coals looked down on the life forms around him. He was taller than either of them, but there was something else about his disdainful gaze... like he could make you feel a foot shorter with a single glance, as if you were literally beneath his notice.

Fingers that ended in claws idly dusted a layer of soot off his coat. He opened his mouth to speak, exposing sharp canines.

"Greetings, mortals."

Judging by his expression one might have thought it pained him just to converse with them.

"Is anarchy fulfilling all your hopes and dreams?"

The humanoid's voice reverberated in the air, thrumming with a sort of odd power, though his tone seemed almost bored.

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Coren Starchaser"] [member="Matsu Xiangu"] [member="Nui Akona"] [member="Ibaris Varanin-Jacobs"]

The Dagoyan Masters being very, very good at exactly two things -- sensing and mental defense -- their attention centered on Matsu at once, light as her touch had been. "Please respect our privacy, Lady Xiangu," said the Queen, then turned her attention to the rest. "Thank you all for your help."

"We leave in peace," said Ashin with a bow, and led the Fringe delegation from the room.

The citadel stood on an immense rocky outcropping, at the edge of a canyon. A long trail wound down the canyon wall, switchbacking several times before it terminated in a very old crypt. The original Frangawl had not been cultists, nothing especially depraved; they'd been more like Jedi Lords, though eventually their regime had acquired the trappings of evil. Like immense stone Force Drain machines. So the tombs themselves weren't especially Light or Dark, but the Force was strong here, and the deeper caverns definitely had a Dark smell.

"Careful. They can turn invisible."

 

[Arage Bao]

Looked around the room, there were a couple of people. Atrisian girl, smelled nice, pretty beautiful too if ya ignored the blatant cold creep-o vibe coming outta her in spades. There was the little girl, trying to be strong in a world that ain’t nice to little girls, good for her. Varanin was a whole world apart, then ya got the spacer silk type and then me.​

The hell was I doing here? More importantly, where the feth was Ordavo. Bet that asswipe managed to save himself a spot in a local brothel and was cheering it up right there, while I was here. Guy always managed to get the sweet gigs.​

Was pondering if I should get out a cigarette, bet against it in the end. Wouldn’t do to have a lung full of smoke while trying to fight these invisible bastards. ​

Invisible.​

Who came up with this stuff anyway?​

Started walking down the trial, took my time, no need to get there first and the rest would probably follow suit soon.​

​

[member="Ashin Varanin"] | [member="Matsu Xiangu"] | [member="Ibaris Varanin-Jacobs"] | [member="Coren Starchaser"]​

 

[Hannibal Oryen]

[member="Dûvain"]

Both men turned around to see who had snuck up behind him. The manager got all sickly and pale, but Hannibal had once campaigned for a dragon during a Fringe Confederation election. If he turned a different color or became disconcerted, it wasn't readily apparent. This was just another one of those magic mooks who also hung around the Fringe. Nothing more.

"Yeah, if by my dreams ya mean I can't charge full price fa' my usual services." Hannibal grumbled, returning to looking through the sniper scope. Someone was bound to come along at some point.

 

[Ibaris Varanin]

Following Papa's lead, she too bowed and filed out of the room with the others. Yes, normally she'd have not been involved in something like this, but normally billions of people didn't just vanish. Despite everything, she was feeling some sort of whatever-it-was at being able to come along, and was eager to prove she could handle it. Not that she'd admit that she was eager, or show it at all. Gotta play it cool.

"Invisible, huh?"

She must have sounded unimpressed. Didn't she know a few people who could do that? Didn't she have a dog that could do that? She blinked, wrinkling her nose at the feel of the crypt and the smell that very old things often seemed to have. Of course, trying to explain that one to fairweather friends made eyes roll. Old things didn't have a distinct scent, they'd say, and it was all her imagination. Adas was the only one that seemed to agree in that case, and that made her wonder if the barkspawn had simply rubbed off on her over the years.

​

[member="Ashin Varanin"] | [member="Nui Akona"] | [member="Matsu Xiangu"] | [member="Coren Starchaser"]​

 

[Sal Katarn]

"Intriguing," Dûvain said in a tone that didn't sound at all intrigued. "And are your services always confined to sitting on top of rooftops, correcting petty malfeasance with trigger squeezes?"

A looter wandered into the store lot, looking anxiously about. Dûvain ignored the miscreant, as he did most insects. The parasite didn't seem to notice the trio of figures perched atop the department store, despite Dûvain sky-lining all six foot six inches of himself. Some might think that odd. Unnaturally odd.

The tall humanoid had finished dusting soot off his coat and now regarded the department store owner with something approaching disgust; as if the fellow was a particularly repellant beetle and Dûvain was contemplating whether or not it would be worth the effort to flatten him. The mortal had fat fingers, thick, like sausages.

"For instance, if I offered to double your salary if you killed this... manager.... would you?"

[member="Hannibal Oryen"]

 

[Onith Trill]

[member="Ashin Varanin"] [member="Nui Akona"] [member="Matsu Xiangu"] [member="Coren Starchaser"] [member="Ibaris Varanin-Jacobs"]

I'm running another scan for radioactivity. I don't really have any idea what's going on anymore, and that upsets me. Trillions in the galaxy had just . . . disappeared. And for no reason that the battle droid could determine. There were no bodies left behind, their clothes and equipment had traveled with them. Teleportation technology was often considered preposterous and out of reach, or synonymous with rumors of 'gates' in different areas laid by ancient civilizations. But abduction teleportation? En masse? Couldn't be possible. Disintegration should have left some trace, there were no bodies to check for toxins, not that I had any toxins in his database that would simulate something like this.

Which left me with what exactly? My job is to protect the Fringe from threats, but how do I shoot down a foe that's not there? That shouldn't be there? That's not even real? I've visited the three mechanics and they've insisted to me that my databanks are accurate, and that I'm not malfunctioning. This is actually happening. Yet the thought still creeps in my head. "What if I'm infected? What if my systems are compromised? What if none of it's real?" So what am I to do but my job? Fringe may be down on their luck, but I won't flinch in my duty. So here I am, following a bunch of wizards trying to help a bunch of other wizards fight the other-other wizards. Maybe their magic is to blame for this. I don't know, I'm a droid, their whole realm doesn't really click with me, despite knowing Nui a bit. I don't introduce myself to the Dagoyans, they probably don't care about me anyways, and we keep going towards some "Frangwal" cult. I do another check on my BTI-CC13 and keep quiet as I follow the group towards these "Frangwal". At least I still know what to do when I find extremist cultists.

 

[Matreya]

Damien landed amid a sense of lost nerves: he was confused, nearly all of his staff and personel were gone, his slaves had dwindled to but an eighth of what they were. Rising from his seat, Damien moved from the stolen TIE, and moved to the surface of the planet. This planet was once something grand, now it to seemed lost as he was. But he did not condemn it, rather he sought to aid it, as the rest of the Fringe did.

Reaching into the Force, Damien sensed [member="Ashin Varanin"], but it was far to odd. She seemed different; then again it could easily be pointed towards the differences in the living energies he had experienced. Though he had not sought her to tell if she was changed, rather it was to locate the woman so he could approach and find what they were to do on the planet.

Moving swiftly and with little to no stealth, Damien neared the woman, then spoke, "Madam Varanin, what are we doing here? What should my place in this journey be?"

 

[Matsu Xiangu]

She controlled a grimace when the Master spoke up. Ah well - she was well aware she would never be infallible no matter the amount of power she managed to tap, and certainly not when the Force was barely working.

She wondered what that meant for the Frangawl.

The path down to the caverns was winding, the kind of approach that did not lend itself to stealth in terms of time taken to traverse it. Even with the tremors and gaps in the Force it was obvious once they'd reached the yawning entrance that this was a place touched by both elements, the Light and the Dark surprisingly prevalent despite the Disappearance. Pausing in front of the dark as another she did not know came to speak to General Varanin she tried to feel the Force - not to actively tap in to it, not wanting to do anything with it at all in that moment. She just wanted to know it was still there...that it might come back.

It was a strange wake-up call, and one she would heed should the Force return to everyone as they'd known it before.

[member="Ashin Varanin"] | [member="Nui Akona"] | [member="Ibaris Varanin-Jacobs"] | [member="Coren Starchaser"] | [member="Lord Daemos"] | [member="Tal"]​