Dominion The Siege │ SE Dominion of Voss & Folende

[Soloman Priest]

Objective III
Tag: Jorii Vizsla

Soloman lay on the ground with an adaptive camoflauge cloak over him and the mandalorian next to him. A rifle sat settled deep into the crook of his shoulder, and his gaze was focused far into the distance - nearly two kilometers. Small micro motors steadied his grasp, computers optimized his targeting parameters for the range they had predicted, and he watched the distant compound stir with life. Among them, was soon to be their target.​

​

A Sith Lord by the name of 'Vivera', a Darth who fully intended to undermine Maliphant by taking the planet from Arcturus Dinn . Their objective was simple - wait for him to appear, identified by his large stature and cybernetic augmentations, then kill him. One shot, one kill - to stop him from attempting the challenge the young knight to any kaggath of the sort. Soloman was sure it wasn't the standard procedure for things like this, especially judging by the secrecy Maliphant had entrusted to them with the mission, but he couldn't help but wonder what would happen if things went sideways.​

​

Still, he kept with the conversation they were having a moment ago as he unfocused his gaze from the lens of the scope;​

​

"I'm just saying, all the good mandalorians retired years ago. Mandalore won't rise until we have our own revolution - to secure the clans from all these upstarts.", he sighed with a heavy intonation as he readjusted, feeling his legs fall asleep beneath him.​

​

"I'm not saying we should get involved, just that... It would be nice to see a strong home to return to, even if we aren't welcome."​

 

[Aspect of Passion]

Objective One
Tag: Taeli Raaf // Darth Carnifex

The Voss bowed their head, low for their people but proud just as they are. His words came overlapped - eyes of honeycomb staring both at her and around her when he glanced up;

"Yes, my Lady."

---

Voss-Ka was in shambles - but it was not the worst it had ever been in. Faced with the threat of the graug, many of their forces had gone under long constructed bunkers beneath the surface; and now the Three stood within it, stalwart in the approach of two of the greatest Sith to exist in this time. Their own eyes matched the Voss who had guided them into the facility - and now, they looked with hands cradling one another before them. Despite the situation the city faced, the Three did not seem perturbed - their expressions apathetic, as though all this was simply how it was.

"Lady Raaf and Lord Carnifex.", the middle of the Three spoke in her feminine tones.

"Welcome to Voss-Ka, once again.", the left said - his head bowing ever so slightly in a nod towards them. A respectful, but subtle gesture.

"You come to discuss the Graug. Please, speak your peace - we welcome your words within our home."

 

[Darth Vulcanus]

The thunder of rail cannons shook the sky, pillars of smoke rising to choke out the rays of Voss' sun before they could cast light on the carnage spilling out across the valleys of the war scarred world. Oceans of gnashing teeth fired wildly into Voss defenders - bursts of automatic fire turning into mass charges as charge packs and magazines ran dry and rifles were exchanged for claws and blades. Warbeasts howled and screeched as the weapons grafted to their backs kicked - ripping their flesh as they drove beams of plasma and cylinders of metal into the enemy lines. But even as the warbands pressed forward - something sinister began to take form...

Vulcanus' fire-lit eyes gazed out over the fields of battle as dropships swooped in, engines beating the ground as they began offloading battalions of soldiers. It took only a moment of confusion for the scent of Taeli Raaf to wash over him in a moment of bitter realization. Once again lessers were standing between The Graug and victory - at their own cost as always. It surprised him little that one of Zambrano's lapdogs was responsible. No matter how many worlds were between them, Carnifex always seemed to find a way to Invoke his ire.

"Great Burned One" the familiar gravel of his warlor's voice growled behind him, "these lessers...what would you have us do?"

The answer came cold and quick,"Let them land. Then use the tunnels to bury them."

Months of siege had given the Graug ample time to begin constructing infiltration lines beneath the surface. The Fist of The Emperor would allow them their initial victory - to build their barricades and block the Graug avenue of approach...then they would collapse the ceilings of their own tunnels and bury them alive. If any were left standing around the capital after that, then the horde would move to overrun them.

"Take charge. I will find the lesser responsible" Vulcanus commanded as he turned his wrath in the direction of Taeli and Kaine's presence, "and finish what I started"

 

[Ana Malixar]

Objective I: The Siege

The surrounding foliage erupted with blaster fire. Ana lunged for cover behind a large rock. Some of the patrol hid behind whatever they could. For the others, it was too late. They were caught off guard and incinerated by blaster fire before they even had a chance to react--the commander included. He’d been so eager for a fight and there he lay, dead before it had even truly begun. Some of the soldiers returned fire if they could, careful not to over expose themselves. It was nearly impossible to see what you were shooting at that though. The Voss commandos had hidden themselves well and it was hard to pick out their location amongst the trees and plants. Especially with so many shots coming from all different directions.

The corporal was next to her behind the same rock. She could hear him yelling him into his communication device, trying to be heard over the sounds of blaster fire. “This is Patrol Hask requesting backup. We are pinned down under heavy enemy fire. I repeat: we need backup.” It was hopeless, she thought to herself. Sure, it was protocol and he was the highest ranking individual in the group now, but the climb was arduous enough without having to worry about enemy forces. By the time and backup got there, they’d likely all be dead. She smirked, thinking about the mission log. “Ensure that there are as few losses…” It wasn’t funny, but she found a weird sort of irony in it. Here they were, nearly half their force already decimated and they hadn’t even reached Voss-Ka.

She had drawn her pistol, preparing to return fire while the corporal continued yelling into the communication device--he barely stopped to wait for a response before screaming into it again. She raised her blaster to fire before something caught her attention and her head snapped back around only to notice two commandos coming up the same path they had attempting to flank. Her arm instinctively shot out at the same time as they fired their blasters. The blast from her hand launched forward, knocking them both off their feet and sending them tumbling down the steep incline. The blaster bolts narrowly missed her and she breathed a sigh of relief. She felt a rush, she’d been a few meters from death. And needless to say, that wouldn’t be a fun fall for them.

It was only when she heard a noise from the corporal to her right that she realized what had happened. The bolts from the heavy rifles had pierced his armor and left him with multiple chest wounds. She could feel his energy, his life was fading and fast. For a second her mind wandered, she’d read codices about the force a few days earlier and remember something about healing wounds--even the worst of them. She had no idea what she was doing, but thought about attempting it. But no, it wouldn’t work. But then again, what did she have to lose? She’d hardly fired a blaster before, she wasn’t going to hit a commando lurking in the forest and they needed people who could if they wanted to survive. The Voss had known exactly where they were and planned the perfect ambush. They all likely had little time to live. Her mind went back and forth before she finally placed her hands near his wounds and decided to give it a go.

 

[Jorii Vizsla]

Objective III
Soloman Priest

Jorii had been watching the compound as well, but unlike him wasn’t looking for their target; rather, she was analyzing any possible obstacles or potential for someone else to get in their way. Collateral was acceptable, but the longer they spent here working to eliminate their target, the higher the chances were something else would go wrong. Besides, hunting Sith was different than killing Jedi. The former proved a much more immediately dangerous foe, and not one she was interested in getting up close and personal with this go-around.

“I still remember the original Death Watch - Vizsla, Munin. A lot of these ad’ike are looking like upstarts to me.” When she looked over to him her HUD altered its magnification automatically, allowing her to meet his gaze from beneath her T-visor. She’d never kept it a secret where her family came from, but she wasn’t sure if that had been a topic the two had shared before this. Never had she made a habit of discussing personal matters such as this with outsiders, but this was different - if just for the fact that he was dar’manda, same as her.

There was a longer pause where she contemplated the rest of what he’d said, and the real weight those words held. Presently they were both employed by people who would rather see their homeworld burn, so maybe some of which they spoke of was of their own making. Still, it wasn’t an idea she hated considering. She held no true loyalty to the Sith, nor to any cause she’d been hired onto with credits. It would be easy to abandon this fight for one more personal, and something told her it was much the same for him.

“It wouldn’t hurt my feelings to see any of these dar’jetii burn.” Maybe it was dangerous to speak so openly about it, but even if they were being watched, they were just mercenaries. Their employer shouldn’t have expected any sort of grandiose displays of loyalty. “Just let me know before you decide to shoot any of them in the back. I’d like to see the looks on their faces.”

 

[Soloman Priest]

Objective III
Tag: Jorii Vizsla

Priest's finger rested idly on the trigger - almost testing it for its weight. Not that he was unsure what it was, he had fired that rifle nearly as many times as he'd breathed today; but it felt good to know it was maintained well. He kept both eyes open as he aimed down the scope - something he had learned in his early days as an Ori'rammakade; to watch his surroundings while he aimed down range. Did much the same when he was firing any other weapon he carried.

"I wasn't with them.", he said - a tinge of shame in his tone as he spoke those words.

"Still had a chip on my shoulder about what it meant to be Mandalorian. I only got involved with Koda Fett - but he wasn't interested in Mandalorians or our culture. He wore the armor, shot with the best of them, but he was ignorant of our ways. By choice."

He sighed slightly, considering just where Koda had found himself these days. Now doubt dealing and gunning as he always did; but despite never being especially close, he hoped he was doing well even now. His train of thought was interrupted as he watched a small cadre of troops move from one of the central buildings to the motor cade, likely to prepare their lord and their target for transportation to the fields of battle.

Readjusting his rifle slightly, he focused in on the doorway and waited once more.

"So long as the credits keep coming, I don't plan on shooting any of them. Not until I get a reason to.", Soloman offered her in a slightly offbeat tone - signifying the bisected focus he was offering both aiming and their conversation.

"I haven't even met a person from my clan in years. Unless a true Mandalor calls us home - I'll keep shooting who they tell me to."

 

[Jorii Vizsla]

Objective III
Soloman Priest

“It wasn’t worth it.” Her tone belied the shame evident in his voice, equal parts dismissive and assurance that he’d missed nothing by failing to count himself in their rank. She still sat here with him, after all. “The Kyr’tsad fell apart just like everything else did in the end. It didn't matter, once the Sith came." Jorii paused for a short while then, it difficult to tell if she regretted where she was now. She didn't, not in the way one would expect, but she wasn't thrilled to be where they were either.

It was still just as complicated now as it had been when she'd first decided to leave - an exile by choice.

She still remembered the talk she'd had with her grandfather in the days leading up to her departure. It had been civil enough that she couldn't call it an argument, but the two had been at each other's throats in the way only family could without coming to blows. In the days that followed she made her choice, leaving behind the only family she had left. And maybe what she did now made her more of a hypocrite than her grandfather, but she told herself she stopped caring a long time ago.

Maybe one day she'd believe it.

The movement caught her attention in the same instant it did his, her helmet once more adjusting to give her a clear view of their distant enemy. "At least they're having us kill Sith this time." That was the only reply she would give him, focused more on eliminating their target with one shot, leaving his guards to scramble for killers that would be long gone before they so much as caught their trail.

 

[Ana Malixar]

She tried to will it to work. But nothing changed, he just laid there--helpless. As if just waiting his turn to die. At least the others had died a quick death, he might end up suffering for hours. Ugh, if only she had some bacta. Not that it would help him, he was too far gone for bacta to fix his wounds. At least it was more reliable than the force though.

Her thoughts quickly halted as she felt something, an energy nearby that wasn’t there before. She raised her blaster in its general direction. A Voss appeared from the foliage and she unleashed a flurry of blaster bolts at it. Most missed, the remaining ones...went right through it? She was confused, very confused. The Voss wasn’t dressed like the commandos, it wore long flowing robes. It glanced at her momentarily before it began to seemingly walk away down the mountainside, completely unconcerned with the conflict. She thought to call out to it, to get its attention, but paused. She didn’t even know what to say. But then it suddenly paused and turned back around towards her, as if it knew.

What is it you seek?

It didn’t actually speak, but it did? She didn’t know if she should talk to it or what, but then it continued on as if she’d responded. As if it knew.

The power you seek is within. Within you, within all living things. Focus on the life. Find your way within its current, let it immerse you. Let it immerse all.

As it communicated with her, she could feel a sense of calmness radiating from it. Like she had done earlier, before the trek up the mountain, before the guns had started blazing, she found her mind wandering. The calmness coming from it gave her peace amidst the chaos. She could feel the life teeming around her. She drew on it. And then she channeled it. As she did so, the soldier started to change.

Remember, what is seen cannot be unseen.

It imparted her with those words as it drifted away again, but she hardly had time to process them. She was deep in concentration. Her mind was no longer in the present. She was almost completely unaware of her surroundings. It likely wasn’t the smartest decision with hostiles still present, but she was shielded by the rock and hadn’t even bothered to think of the consequences. She could feel the energy pouring into the wounded soldier. And slowly, but surely his wounds started to close. Noticing this, she doubled down on her efforts. His wounds disappeared and color returned to his face. Her concentration broke as soon as his wounds closed. And then as surely as they had disappeared, they began to reemerge. She looked on in horror. She tried to heal him again, but her concentration was broken and her energy spent. She could only watch as the wounds grew until their initial state and then beyond. He was dead within less than a minute. His corpse was more wounded and hollow than when she had begun the process. She screamed and pounded her fists on the ground. And only then did she realize that the grassy area around her that had been alive and well moments earlier was now shriveled and dead.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

"Indeed, I am only sorry I did not arrive sooner," she responded to the Three. Below, she could sense the bloodlust and ire of the Graug Overlord, his murderous intent heavy in the Force. "I do not wish to see the culture of your people and the planet itself destroyed in a sea of blood and fire as Darth Vulcanus wishes to unleashed upon you. My forces have formed a cordon around the city and brought along some of my creations to make sure the Graug cannot intervene with what I intend to do. I am sure the Mystics have already informed you. I will challenge the Graug commander for control of this world. If he wins, I will not be able to stop the slaughter. If I win, he will be forced to flee, but Voss will be under my protection."

Ah, someone was searching for her. The intensity had shifted in the currents of the Force on the world. She could feel pain from her gathered horde of monsters and creations as the tunnels collapsed, but Taeli had not brought along common forces. Sithspawn from Valrar could not be so easily dealt with, nor were the majority of the troopers she had brought with her normal. Many of the battalions were of her Subsumed and would heal from the injuries suffered from the tunnels quickly. If anything, they might be even more enraged than they usually were. Not to mention her escorts. But all of those were present to just keep the Graug busy while she did the rest.

"He's caught our scent now," she added in an aside to Darth Carnifex . "It would seem it is show time. I leave the fine details to you, my old friend."

With a respectful bow to the Three, she disappeared in a twisting column of black and purple smoke to rematerialize some feet away from the Lord of Embers as his trading card said. No point in dragging out the hunt for the Graug.

"I'll spare you the hunt and get to the point," she said in terms of greeting. She supposed a little more decorum should be offered to the first anointed Saint from the Worm, but she just couldn't bring herself to do it. "I challenge you for the fate of this world, Darth Vulcanus, and whether your Graug horde will remain or not."

Aspect of Passion

 

[Soloman Priest]

Objective III
Tag: Jorii Vizsla

Soloman went silent for a second as his trigger hand adjusted a small knob on the side of his scope - correcting for wind, altitutde, and even the speed Folende spun. The Sith had just exited his building, and there would be a short window of a few seconds before he got into the highly armored transport to take him to challenge Maliphant's apprentice. He exhaled, slow and steady and his finger began to put pressure on the trigger - and he finally closed his other eye.

A few seconds passed with nothing but wind travelling through the air - then the rifle broke that silence with a snap. Soloman shook backwards from the recoil, drawing back in a breath as he watched through the scope for the results of his efforts. There was hangtime - far enough away that they wouldn't even hear the shot - but he could see in the last moment the Sith Lord had witnessed some great sensation, a premonition of what was occuring.

He had looked directly at Soloman, through the Scope with a bit of fear and anger on his face. Yet before he could speak, the bullet landed squarely below his neck; knocking him down to the ground while spraying blood wide. Soloman realized he hadn't breathed in a few seconds and finally moved to stand, motionining for Jorii to follow.

"Better start moving before the Sith start shooting back."

 

[Darth Vulcanus]

As the whisps of inky smoke faded into the form of Taeli Raaf , The Black Flame's towering form came to a sudden halt. As she spoke, the beast said nothing - at least not with words. His eyes, however, were burning with a hatred he reserved for Zambrano and his festering ilk.

"What a brave dog Zambrano sends to me" the beast mused, "but a foolish one. This war does not end with our duel. It ends only in your death."

Without word more of warning, the Black Flame sent a burst of energy through his ultrachrome boots. Like a shuttle launching into the heavens, Vulcanus' feet erupted into a violent stream of flames and molten rock - propelling him towards the woman at great speed. Swinging his fist wide, Vulcanus sought to start the duel with a swift punch to send her smaller form flying through the air.

He only stopped to speak again once the attack had been executed. "Zambrano's rule is over. You and your slave master have no right to rule here."

 

[Ana Malixar]

Ana glanced around the clearing, but the ghostly figure had already disappeared. She looked at the surviving soldiers and it didn't look like any of them had even noticed it existed. They were too locked into combat...either that or she was imagining the whole thing. Her energy had been drained from the effort, but she blocked that out of their mind. It was a combat zone. She didn't have time to rest. None of them did. They needed to push through now or else it was hopeless. Reinforcements weren't coming. Their best chance was to get to the Voss-ka as quickly as possible. With luck, the other Eternal forces would have successfully broken through the encampments they had faced and they could rendezvous with them there. That was their best, and perhaps only chance for survival.

She looked over at the soldier on her right and saw he had smokers that he was ready to throw. With some chance, that should be enough to get them out of the clearing and into a more favorable position. One where they wouldn't be without cover or on the low ground. The soldier threw the grenades and the area transformed into a clouded mess. Thick smoke obscured their sight and their attackers. With the area untenable, they ran for cover. Blaster shots could still be heard ringing out around the area as the attackers hoped for a lucky shot. The smoke was temporary, so Ana and the others moved as quickly as they possibly could. They crashed into thick foliage in hopes that it would prevent the enemy from being able to pin them down again. The pathways were a slightly faster and easier route to Voss-ka, but they were far more dangerous. The patrol, now reduced to a third of its previous size, trudged towards the city. They could only hope it would bring reprieve and not more conflict.

 

[Darth Carnifex]

V O S S​

Carnifex followed the Voss down below into the bunkers, standing to the side and behind Taeli as a hulking shadowy figure. He had seen these tunnels before, most of them had been built during his rule over this world as a provision against attack from what remained of the League of Voss; a rump state left behind after the Silver Jedi withdrew to the Mid Rim. Voss had been their seat of power, where the highest concentration of their forces was located. Carnifex had commanded his Shadow Hand, Darth Prazutis, to go forth and tear out its heart, and so Voss had been conquered and the League rooted out and destroyed.​

​

The League never did recover from the loss of Voss, and what remnants persisted were mopped up in subsequent operations. The Gormak of Voss had assisted the Sith in bringing Voss to its knees and for their loyalty had been granted stewardship over the world, while the native Voss were rendered second-class citizens on the world bearing their name. Times had changed since then, the Silvers retook the world during a surprise operation and Gormak rule overthrown. ​

​

The Jedi introduced vile concepts back into Voss society, concepts that had to be swept away once again if the Sith were to have any hold over this world. But first, the Graug needed to be driven back. Carnifex stood silent as Taeli conveyed that very same necessity to the Three, his arms crossed over his chest and his face set into a grim frown. Then Taeli departed to face Vulcanus, leaving the Three alone with their former subjugator.​

​

Carnifex regarded each of them coldly with his steely gaze, uncrossing his arms as he began to speak. "The Jedi have allowed your world to languish, squandered your potential. When the Empire ruled here, everything was orderly and functional. Now your cities again burn, your holy places threatened by beasts. Only the Sith can give you succor and elevate you and your people to heights hitherto unforeseen. Join us or be set upon by the wolves gnawing at your door."​

​

Taeli Raaf | Aspect of Passion ​

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

She was speaking, even limp, so that was a good sign to be sure. He let out a sigh of relief, and then slowly shook his head as she continued to speak. "No rushing," he assured her, though a little too late to be sure, "You're not going to risk your life for the sake of expendables, Ish. I'd rather face whoever might come for the claim by myself than lose you to have an army at my back."​

​

His words were softly spoken, intended solely for the girl and not the others in the room. Thankfully they were more pressed about the incubation of the Sithspawn than the girl who had almost overloaded it all.​

​

It was only now that he turned his attention toward them, remaining where he was with Ishani while she recovered on the ground. They questioned whether or not a bond had been formed, but he didn't need them to pry in order to sense it himself. He could feel the presence of the being inside the tank without much in the way of effort, it was a success but one did not an army make. He wasn't sure where they'd have to go from here to duplicate the formula... He wasn't sure of very much in that moment.​

​

"What do we need to do now?" he asked, coughing slightly to clear his voice which seemed stuck at a lower decibel before speaking up once more. "Where do we go from here?"​

​

Ishani Dinn ​

 

[Ishani Dinn]

“Well, typically, we would just clone them,” Khayyam answered, rubbing his eyes tiredly. “Unless you want to create a genuine species with genetic variation. Most Sith aren’t interested in that. No, they just want identical monsters to fight for them…”

“Even the cloning process takes time,” Silas added. “If time is indeed a concern, then there are ways of speeding things up, but it would require a great deal of energy.”

“He means ritual sacrifice,” Khayyam muttered. “You take the energy which gives beings life and transfer it into your Sithspawn. I find such practices… vulgar, not to mention unsustainable. If every Sith in the galaxy practiced it, there’d be no more people left to sacrifice.”

But the mere fact that the pair had put the option on the table said a great deal about its acceptance among Sith circles.

“As for this subject, it’s fully matured thanks to your combined efforts. I wouldn’t be too concerned either—she should recover those lost energies in time.” Khayyam opened the tank with a hiss, waited a minute to watch the medscanners to see if anything went wrong, then reached inside.

Propping herself against Arcturus, Ishani managed to sit up, motivated by curiosity. Khayyam moved quickly, his back turned to them, but his motions seemed indicative of a physical examination, as well as cleaning the creature off. When he finally turned around and approached the two of them, he was holding the Sithspawn in his hands.

The creature was curled in on itself, eyes firmly shut and head hidden down beneath ragged wings, but at Khayyam’s gentle prying he was able to pull a claw out from beneath the wings and pull back its teeth to reveal sharp fangs that oozed a cloudy fluid, presumably the virus-infected venom. Its grayish-white fur was still damp, and looked sticky—enough to prevent Ishani from touching it.

“It’s actually kind of cute, in a pitifully ugly sort of way,” she said. Must’ve been the ears, which were each longer than its face and pale purple on the inside. Or the tiny mouselike nose, which reminded her of Nostremous. She glanced at Arc to see his reaction, and couldn’t help making a joke. “Congratulations, you’re a monster daddy now.”

Arcturus Dinn​

 

[Aspect of Passion]

The three seemed to vibrate at his words - humming between them but never exchanging glances. Instead words seemed to pass through them unseen - messages, collective ideas, and then the outer two simply closed their eyes while the second one seemed to focus on the massive epicanthix emperor. The words were drawn out, mystical in their presentation and seeming to echo in their own mouth before greeting the air -

"The mystics have told us our fate under your rule. Domineered, controlled - crushed and withdrawn. Under Sith, we expect no future of our own design, no matter the platitudes you offer us. We will become servile, as we had once before - you would have use do once more.", the voice offered.

"Yet - so too have the mystics foreseen the future of Voss under Darth Vulcanus. The Saint of Flames, as he has come to be known, would leave our planet with no future to speak of. Ash and flame, visions of darkness eternal beneath his firey rule."

"When given these within context, the Voss know that a future subjugated is better than no future at all. We will assist where able - to drive the Graug from our world."

Darth Carnifex

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

"Genetic variants could help with evolving it, keeping it from succumbing to some unknown disease it might be susceptible to, or whatever, right?" he said thoughtfully, though he'd never claim to be an expert on such things. All he knew was that variety was important. ​

​

"Plus it will eventually negate the need for lab involvement, once enough natural variety is built in to keep from interbreeding difficulties. Cloning might be simpler in a way, and it might yield more immediately, but long term I don't think it's the best course of action."​

​

He frowned, glanced to Ishani at his side then between the two Alchemists. "What would you do?"​

​

Not willing to leave Ishani by herself, he scooted just a tiny bit closer and leaned up to get a good look at the first of their creations. Cute... That was certainly a way to see it. Cute... But would it also be useful? Would it do as it had been made to do?​

​

Ishani Dinn​

 

[Ishani Dinn]

Khayyam nodded along with what Arcturus said, although it was written plain as day on his face that he was rather surprised the acolyte cared about the long-term fate of a species he had created for the purpose of fighting his wars for him. “You’re completely right, from the perspective of a biologist.”

Arcturus would’ve turned to Ishani to find her giving him a look that was a wide-eyed cross between awe and in-love-to-the-point-of-stupidity. She blinked, her brow furrowing at his question, then sighing in relief when she realized he wasn’t asking her, for she had no answer.

“We’ve taken as many shortcuts as we can,” Khayyam replied. “If this one is indeed effective, clone a batch and put it to use against your enemies here. Then perfect the formula later on, if you so desire.”

“Is it effective?” Ishani asked.

“We could try it out.” Silas leaned his chin on his hand, smirking. “All we need are test subjects.”

“Which are normally criminals or prisoners of war,” Khayyam added, peering at Arcturus curiously. “It is your choice. Perhaps you have something more novel in mind?”

Arcturus Dinn​

 

[Arcturus Dinn]

Arcturus nodded his head.​

​

As much as he wanted to ensure a diverse species was the end result, for now they really did need the strength they could provide him. Clones then would have to do.​

​

"Okay, we clone the first batch... And then we work on perfecting the specimen. This will allow us to test it out on a larger scale at least, before we commit."​

​

The idea of testing out the one bat they had was a little worrying in truth, if something happened to it then they'd be back at square one. But perhaps in a controlled environment, where the creature could not be harmed?​

​

Why was it he suddenly felt a little protective of it?​

​

Maybe Ishani's comment was getting to him after all.​

​

"Alright, a prisoner would allow it to a controlled environment. I think for now that might be best." Novel could be fun, but novel was more of a wild card. They barely had the time to mess around with testing as it was, but he knew it was important to do so.​

​

He gave Ishani's hand a squeeze, then looked to Khayyam.​

​

"Lead the way, I'm assuming there's some room this kind of thing is usually done in?"​

​

Ishani Dinn ​

 

[Ishani Dinn]

Khayyam nodded. “Of course. Right this way.”

Ishani hauled herself off the floor, staggered a little, then fell into step with the others as they left the room. Her desire to see this whole thing through kept her going.

They didn’t have to walk very far. A sealed testing site with a viewing window showing one-way inside was a short distance away. Silas had apparently already contacted someone about bringing a prisoner in, leaving them only to wait for their arrival.

Ishani stared at the bat creature in a mixture of horror and fascination. Lying in Khayyam’s arms wrapped in a towel, it had begun to lick itself with a pale purple tongue. She glanced up at Khayyam. “Is it a boy bat or a girl bat?”

Khayyam blinked, a bit taken aback at such an irrelevant question, then unwrapped the towel to check. “It is a male.”

“Well, at least he’s clean.”

“Bats are very clean,” Khayyam replied, his tone perhaps a little offended. “They sometimes spend hours grooming themselves.”

“Is he going to spend hours grooming himself in front of the prisoner?” She was unwilling to admit it, but she was a little bit queasy about this whole testing thing.

“Arcturus can ensure that does not happen.” Khayyam opened a small trap door leading into the testing chamber, placed the bat inside, then sealed it shut. “There was a bond established between them during the ritual. He can influence the creature’s mind, commanding it to act.”

“Do I have a bond with it too?”

“Presumably not, given that you siphoned all your energies into Arcturus rather than the bat.”

“Oh.” Ishani sighed. “Serves me right.” She didn’t bother to ask if that meant she had established a bond with Arc instead. She could figure that out later, on her own time.

A door on the opposite side of the testing chamber opened, and a female Rodian prisoner was shoved through, sealing her inside. The bat noticed her presence, but didn’t make a move towards her yet.

"Arcturus, if you would do the honors..."

Arcturus Dinn​