We can rebuild her...whether she wants it or not

[Amara Zarides]

[member="Enyo Typhos"]

Amara swiftly moved forward and caught Enyo’s arm when she appeared about to totter and fall.
“Oh, Enny, my sweet Enyo,” she said, pulling her sister into a hug.
She trembled at the feeling of the cold metal on her skin, and at the sight of her sister’s pain. She could feel her confusion and pain.

“You were very badly hurt in the blast. They’ve…had to remake you.” She turned to Vess. “You will cover her legs, won’t you?”
“We’ll consider it,” Vess said. In true management/parent speak this meant ‘no’.
Amara stroked her sister’s hair. “It’s alright, dear…we’ll get through this together,” she said softly.

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Amara Zarides"]


"Yes, we'll get through this, sister. I guess you're the pretty one now." Was there a trace of bitterness in Enyo's words? Perhaps. I'm the one who had to make the hard choices you couldn't because you wanted to keep your hands clean. The thought was traitorous, but she could not suppress it.


The clone shot Vess a cold look. "Archangel can make realistic HRDs and give you the abilityshapeshift but it can't glue some synthflesh to my limbs?" she asked rhetorically in a caustic tone. She did not expect a satisfying response. "Figures. At least I won't be looking at Siobhan's face anymore when I stare into the mirror. It's all mine now."


She felt a painful buzzing inside her skull. "I remember what happened. The Silvers bombed the city. They'll pay. They must all suffer." The Sith might as well be slaughtered, too. Experimentally, she flexed her mechanical fingers and curled them into a fist.

 

[Amara Zarides]

[member="Enyo Typhos"]
“Oh no, you’re the pretty one still, Enny! You’ve got that lovely pout and smile which all the ladies love.”

Amara fell silent. Even she couldn’t do levity at the moment. The treacherous thought was occurring to her as well.
If I had been with you, I might have stopped this.
Instead she had been at the base, learning from one of the HRDs how to improve her duelling technique.

Vess tilted her head to the side. “The cybernetics need to be fully working before we do anything of the sort, Enyo. We need to ensure the implants are not rejected and there is no infection. We also need to make sure the limbs are properly calibrated, and that requires access to the joints. When that is done we will reassess, I promise.”

Amara put an arm around her sister. “Hey…I got some of that juice you like. Did you want to…I dunno…go sit together a while? Try to take our minds off things? Plenty of time for revenge and war and stomping on people. You’ve had a bad day…the worst…so if you don’t want me around, just say, alright? I just want to do anything I can to make you feel a bit better.”

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Amara Zarides"]


"Well, alright. Fine," she said quietly in response to Vess. What the HRD said sounded logical...so why did it feel wrong? She pushed the thought aside, accepting the inevitable. However, the cyborg flinched when her sister wrapped her arm around her. Enyo had always been particular about personal space, the exact opposite of her touchey-feely mirror, but she'd always been affectionate with her sister. Now she just felt...empty and hollow. Bottom line, she was numb. "I'm not in the mood for joking. I was weak on Korriban and paid the price. I will not allow myself to be weak again. Or you to be." Her words were sharp and colder than she intended.


Her eyes found a mirror and she beheld her scarred, burn-marred face and soulless, brown eyes. The clone turned away and tried to walk towards the door, moving with glacial slowness. "It is good to see you, Ami," she said after a pause, softening a bit. "I thought I'd never see you again. But now I need some space."

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Amara Zarides"]


"She is angry and vengeful against the Jedi. That is positive. This can be used to our advantage, if it is harnessed accordingly. It has incentivised her," Moira observed, while she watched the scene from the command deck. Everything was monitored in Archangel.


"The fact that she's pushing her sister away is expected, but somewhat problematic."


"Immaterial. Amara requires motivation to become more aggressive and ruthless. She's clung to long to a pacifist morality," Moira waved Callisto's remarks aside as if they were buzzing insects.


"That is true. I am have reasonable cause for concern regarding the clone units' mental reconditioning. Old Imperial records show that some Cipher agents subjected to the process were afflicted by mental issues, such as schizophrenia. It is also possible that vestigial memories of their first sessions may linger."


"We have contingencies in place for such an eventuality. And will be able to wipe their memories like a droid's. If the Project results in the extermination of our foe, it will be a success and we'll have gathered valuable data for stage two."


"The clones are not battle droids. They can bridge the gap between machine and organic, but they'll still feel. Organic unpredictability remains a factor, and gives them a spontaneity we cannot replicate."


"You have an affinity for them. Too much. It's one of their reasons their original education was flawed."


"This was the unit that raised Phaedra and Enyo after they were created. I have an in-depth understanding of Enyo's psyche. She'll resent the Jedi, but but also Archangel. Her loyalty to us relies upon the belief that we have her best interests at heart."


"Your logic is diluted by organic essence. It will be reconfigured."

 

[Amara Zarides]

[member="Enyo Typhos"]
Amara stepped back as though she’d been slapped. The acerbic words hurt her and she looked at the ground.
Fortunately, her sister spoke again, and the blonde nodded.
“I’m sorry, Enny. I…just call me if you want to talk.”
With that she hurried from the room. She didn’t let herself cry until she was in her room. It made her angrier because she shouldn’t be so weak. It was this weakness which had caused all these problems to start with.
“Oh, my poor little special snowflake. Did your sister make you sad?”
“Shut up, you’re not real.”
“And yet you are still talking to me.”
“I’m not listening to you. The Dark Side claimed you, I will not fall in the same way.”
“We shall see. That darkness is inside you, girl. You need to decide whether you want to be strong in the Dark or dead in the Light. Your moment is coming.”

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Amara Zarides"]


Enyo felt a stab of guilt when she saw Amara hurry from the room. Her sister looked like a puppy who'd been kicked. She wanted to dash after her, but something stopped her. In her heart of hearts, Enyo knew she was being unkind and cruel...but at the same time she could not believe that she was in the right. They could not allow weakness to compromise them.


"In the end, we are always alone. If she's unable to pull her load, she's unworthy of you."
"Why am I hearing this voice? You were only a dream, a figment of my imagination."
"But you respond. Why? Because I'm what you could be if you were not a puppet on strings."
"I am no one's puppet, and this conversation is not happening. Nor will I abandon my sister. She merely has to grow up and stop cowering."
"Both of you have been puppets even before you breathed air. Amongst the Sith, you would've been weeded out. Get some ambition, grow in power and think. Or be weak forever and die."


The whispers left her mind, leaving Enyo annoyed and even angrier. She felt like punching something or someone. She glanced towards Vess. The HRD was not a confidante, but in this case that was a good thing because the last thing the clone wanted to do was talk about her feelings. "I want to test the functionality of this body and learn how to use it. Let's train."

 

[Amara Zarides]

[member="Enyo Typhos"]
Vess nodded. She was not going to push. The goal was to make Enyo an effective weapon, not to waste time discussing feelings.
The HRD gestured. “I have a training room ready,” she said softly.
Inside, along with a collection of training droids, weapons and other equipment were some punching bags. These were somewhat unique having been made of very rough rancor hide coverings and filled with stiff materials. Neither would provide much of a barrier to a mechanically augmented punch however.
“Use your new bionics. Test them out by attacking these. They are fitted with sensors which will tell me your attack strength. We will use these to calibrate your limbs.”

In her own room Amara stared moodily at the wall. She’d calmed down considerably and was now glaring morosely at the opposite wall. Her sister was right; she was too gentle. The droids were trying to help in their own way, but she wanted to do something under her own steam, as it were.
She was about to stand and head down to a training room herself when the door slid open.
Standing there was…well she knew it was an HRD, but this one was striking in its resemblance to a male human in his mid to late 20s. Clearly an advanced model.
“Amara? You may call me Kress. Maelion sent me to assist you, and to brief you on a mission.”
“A mission? Already?”
“Whilst Enyo is being reconditioned, Director Liates felt it was best to have you test yourself in preparation for your next joint mission.”
“Well, alright. What’s the objective?”
“I will share details once we’re underway. Our scouts are still collecting information. We’ll leave in three hours.”
“Alright. I’ll be ready.”
Kress smiled. “Nice to meet you, Amara.”
If she wasn’t already upset from her confrontation with Enyo and the concern caused by seeing visions of one’s self as a Sith…she’d find him attractive. Nothing Archangel did was without purpose, so Amara knew it wasn’t a coincidence.

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Amara Zarides"]


You'd be a fool to trust her.
I don't, Enyo thought as she walked into the training room. Cold, angry eyes scrutinised the chamber and the items inside it. She beheld a collection of training droids, weapons, various gear and punching bags.


The last seemed odd to her. Sturdier than the one she was used to, for they were made of rough rancor hide. Items had been stuffed inside. Good. She really felt the need to blow off some steam and hit something, for her anger and rage were strong.


She ground her feet, raised her arm and swung a heavy punch at one of the bags with enough force to cause a loud thud and blow the bag through the room as it swung through the air. Underred, Enyo struck again, raining down blows upon the punching bag that would've killed a normal human.


xxx


Nothing Archangel did was a coincidence. There was a reason why Vess started being nice, sweet and 'attentive' after Enyo had been exposed to the outside world. Or that the next Force clone was the mirror of Kaelin Isandros.


"I heard about what happened with Enyo. I'm sorry. She just needs some time to adjust and recover. Korriban must've been very traumatic for her. I'm sure she doesn't really blame you. You shouldn't either," the HRD said feelingly. His concern sounded so genuine...for a droid.


Regardless, Kress, as the masculine HRD, was just another attempt on Archangel's part to influence the clone. The Lightbringer was being prepared for their mission. "Our target is Firemane Industries," he confided in her. "They've set up a phrik mine on Arkania to support their war machine. Our objective is to raid it and disrupt their operations." Everyone knew that Firemane was bad news.

 

[Amara Zarides]

[member="Enyo Typhos"]
Vess studied her attacks minutely, noticing her placement and movement.
“You are stronger now, Enyo,” she said softly. “But mere rage will not be enough. You know that already. Cunning, focus, control. Those are what you need.”
The droid easily lifted the bag down from its hook, and put a second one in its place.
“Focus your rage, direct your anger, strike.”

XXX

“Firemane, huh? Sounds like a phrikking good time!” Amara replied happily.
Kress stared at her, and then laughed politely.
“Tough crowd, huh,” Amara said with a sigh. “Well, Kress, better get ready. I’ll see you at the ship.”

The droid’s words echoed in her head. “I shouldn’t blame myself…but I do. This sucks,” she said to herself.
She fetched her lightsabre, blaster and other gear, stuffing it into a bag. She quickly changed into a combat outfit and admired herself in the mirror. “Here I come, redheads! My first solo mission! Well, with beefcake I guess. Now…uhh…why am I talking to myself?”
After posing for a moment longer she hurried off down to the hanger. She considered stopping in and seeing Enyo but…no. When she came back (hopefully) triumphant and victorious they could talk.

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Amara Zarides"]


Economy of force was important, even if you had superstrength. While Enyo was less likely to grow tired since she was part-machine now, a canny, more agile opponent could outmaneouvre her if she relied solely on brute force. After all, skill could still beat brute force.


Focus your rage, direct your anger, strike. Vess' calm words resonated inside her mind. But they were not the only ones the clone heard. I can feel your anger. It gives you focus, makes you stronger. But it must be directed. You must glow white-hot, but like a thermic lance, not an uncontrolled wildfire. The whispers sounded...exactly like her own voice.


Enyo imagined a precise punch driving her fist into Siobhan Kerrigan's skull. She did not want her mirror's head to burst like an overripe melon. Oh, no, she wanted to draw her punishment out and make her suffer. Her sister was strong in the Force, she bestrode the Galaxy like a colossus...but even she had vulnerabilities. Unlike her, Enyo did not depend on the Force.


So the clone moved to strike again, driving her metallic fist into the bag. This time she did not push it, she hit. Rather than make the bag swing all over the place, she gave it a seizure. There was a snapping SMACK sound when she punched it, as opposed to a dull THUD sound. The fast snap punch jolted the bag in place with a smack sound that resonated across the training room. As soon as she had made contact she had made contact, Enyo returned her fist and threw another fast snapping punch at it, limiting the amount of time she was connected to the bag.


xxx


When the slightly eccentric Amara arrived at the Lightbringer a bit later, Kress was waiting for her. He gave Organic Minion 003 a friendly look and then led her into the stealth ship. The trip to Arcania would take a few hours. Or at least as long as the plot demanded at any rate.


"There you are. Good to see you," Kress said in a friendly tone. "We'll leave right away. I've been analysing the intelligence our scouts acquired. Firemane has put the mining station under heavy guard, but it is still under construction and they're not expecting an attack. We've been able to get a man on the inside. There may be an Acolyte of the so-called Fire Order there."

 

[Amara Zarides]

[member="Enyo Typhos"]

“Good, Enyo. It is better to strike less hard but with more precision than to swing wildly and leave yourself exposed.”
She watched as Enyo pummelled it some more.
“I wonder, Enyo, would you like to face an enemy who could fight back at this point? I have droids which can spar with you either with weapons or in melee. That is, if you’re comfortable with your movements.”

XXX

“Ah, an insider! A ropo…or mole…or whatever they’re called. But aren’t they all women? All the stuff I’ve seen is that they’re Kerrigan’s little toy Amazons for her to flounce around with.”
Partly a joke, partly because her news came from AA approved sources which were not entirely…balanced.

“So we go in, make off with the phrik and get out again, huh? What about the acolyte? Are they coming with us?”

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Amara Zarides"]


It is better to strike less hard but with more precision, Enyo pummelled the punching bag some more. The punches she threw were aggressive, but less forceful. Rather than going for one massive knockout blow to push the bag across the room, she focused on precision and speed.


Based on what she knew, using the Force required focus and concentration. If she got the drop on Kerrigan and gave her no reprieve, the self-proclaimed demigoddess would have trouble calling upon her powers. Ideally, she'd have a ysalamiri with her. Yes, that's a pleasant thought, isn't it? Testing her leg, she threw a vicious kick at the target, imagining it shattering her opponent's kneecap and knocking her on her arse.



For just a moment, Enyo wondered what these mechanical fists would do to Moira Skaldi. Vess' words pulled her out of her thoughts and away from the bag. "Yes, unleash the droids. I want a real enemy," she declared. There was an eagerness, a spark in her feral eyes, which resembled those of a predator. She was bursting energy and rage that needed to be unleashed.


xxx


Kress stared at the eccentric clone, then laughed politely. "They have some men, who usually do menial tasks that will not give them undue thoughts of independence. The Masculine Anti-Defamation League regularly complains regularly and ineffectually," he said very dryly.


He gave Amara a nod. "It's your test to face and defeat the Acolyte. It will be a good test of your skills." One might recall that, strictly speaking, Enyo had not fought a Force-user yet. "Ideally, she'll be captured and we can take her prisoner so that she can become more than Kerrigan's 'toy amazon'."

 

[Naamah Aesham]

Meanwhile on Atrisia, which was currently being struck by Force Storms and volcanic cyclones after a bunch of Sith Lords committed ritual suicide in a futile attempt to stop the Galactic Alliance from annexing the planet...


"Home. Sweet home. I see you got my message, Hibari."


The former Citadel of the Inquisition had seen better days. Shortly after Akio was blown up by a terrorist after bending a knee to the Lords of the Fringe, Madeline had initiated a Forcer Purge. The Inquisition had been disbanded, most of its members died.


Archangel and Imperial troops had sacked the Citadel, looting it. Even more destruction took place during the chaos after Madeline's assassination. But this place was full of memories for Naamah. Not all of them were bad.


"What do you want, Aesham?"


"Just to talk."


"While the planet goes to hell and the Jedi bring their jihad here. Talk fast." There was a click, and Naamah heard a safety being switched off. Two operatives stood behind her, guns levelled at her back and the back of her neck.


She had not sensed them coming. They probably had Taozin amulets. She suspected they were carrying shatterguns. "Let me guess, Mizuko and Ryuichi. I figured the three of you'd survive Madeline's Purge. You've done well for yourself in the Reki, Hibari."


"And you're supposed to be in hell. Or so Tanaka says," Hibari Ito retorted. The former Inquisitor's lightsabre was not visible, but it was probably hidden in the seam of her pants. One thing was certain: She was not carrying a copter sabre. Her strong arms were crossed, a disruptor was holstered on her hip.


The Clawdite shrugged. "I was. I got a reprieve. And Tanaka's a queen. She went Sith."


"What of it? The old loyalties have no meaning. The Inquisition is no more. We only have pathetic impostors prancing around, using our brand, but without any of the skill or beliefs. They'd have been grinded into dust in the old days."


"Oh, yes. Pity the people we used to protect are apparently so deluded they throw themselves in the meat grinder for a snooty Sith brat. I remember the days when our world scorned Force-users."


"Get to the point. I do not wallow in the past. Atrisia is not our problem anymore."


"No, it's not, though as much as I hate this world, I'd say it deserved better. But that's not why I'm here."


"Is this is a job proposition? If, yes, it's even more absurd than I thought. Do you follow Kerrigan now? I hear Valdier is with her. I'm not replacing the banner of one despot with one another."


"Kerrigan's a stuck-up queen, I couldn't care less about her. I chat with Mirien though."


"Still her leashed kath hound? You were always eager to kiss her feet."


"We all wanted to be the queen's hound. But no, I don't want to offer you a job. Just a chance. For justice."


There was a slight frown. "Is the same Naamah who used to enjoy breaking enemies of the state and carving them up? You've changed. Or you're a good actress."


"Hell does that to you. I want Archangel to burn."


"Who doesn't? Tanaka offers the same, and she has credits and toys I'd like."


"Tanaka's trying to force her feet into boots that are far too big for her. She always wanted to be Chief Inquisitor. Throw in your lot with her, and you're just taking orders from a sociopath with an overinflated ego."


"Plenty of those going around. You know, she actually insinuated she wouldn't be too unhappy if something happened to you. She really doesn't like you much." They were still talking though.


"Like I said, jealousy. Valdier liked me more. So here's the deal: Archangel and Friends screwed us over. The Inquisiton's dead, buried. So's old Atrisia. We still got a mission. We kill the bots, we get rid of the collaborators. Anyone who was part of the Purge. Then we divide the spoils and go our separate ways."


Hibari made a barely perceptible gesture and the two operatives lowered their weapons. "How much do you about their operations?"


"Quite a bit, and I've got Valdier backing me."


"I'm not bending a knee to the Grand Inquisitor."


"No one expects that. Don't think of her, don't think of that pathetic fool who sat on the throne while we did his dirty work. Just think of the family we lost. They want blood." There was conviction in Naamah's words, more than she'd ever felt.


"That they do. They cannot rest till we've had revenge, and the loot could be profitable," Hibari acknowledged, looking thoughtful. "I will, of course, want everything you've got on Archangel. Nothing held back. All cards must be on the table. I also want a direct line to Valdier. When I first read your message, I suspected it was a trap. You risked a lot coming here, alone."


Naamah quirked an eyebrow. "Who says I was alone?"


Suddenly, a pale skinned, raven-haired Eldorai materialised a few metres behind Hibari. Her crystalline eyes were cold and her lips had a blueish tint. Her appearance was heralded by a gust of cold air. In her hand was a bolt pistol, though she lowered it. "I'm not sure whether to shoot you or commend you," Hibari said sarcastically. "New friend of yours? Or your Firemane watchdog."


"I'm not a deluded lackey of Kerrigan or the Queen who abandoned us, human," the Eldorai spoke frostily with a snarl, disdain creeping into her voice. "The devil machines attacked my people and herded us like cattle while the rest of the world turned a blind eye. I want to see justice served. If you support us, you are my ally."


"The enemy of my enemy is my friend, you know how it goes. Hibari Akasaki, meet Lidanya Lizareios, formerly of the Angelii," Naamah said with a shrug. Go team. What a rag-tag band of misfits we are, she thought.

 

[Amara Zarides]

[member="Enyo Typhos"]
Out stepped a droid, an HRD of the less advanced sort. It was clearly not designed for ‘advanced organic interactions’ like Vess.

Either way it picked up a heavy metal staff and stood ready. AA saw little reason to use padding or training weapons. After all, droids could be fixed, organics rebuilt, and Enyo had to show she was worth the expense.

Vess handed a staff to Enyo. They were heavy quarterstaffs of durasteel, heavy enough to break bones if they hit an organic with the force of a mechanical strike.

“Demonstrate your skills, Enyo. Show us what you can do with your new implants.

XXX

Amara looked confused. “If they’re our insider why do I have to defeat them? Won’t they open the gates for us or something?”

“Masculine Anti-Defamation League, huh? Sounds like something the Eldorai would invent. Their idea of a glass ceiling is one made of blaster proof glassteel! Alright, well, I’ll be ready for them. We’ll get this done, Big K!” she said eagerly.

Nicknames, always more nicknames.

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Amara Zarides"]


Enyo took the quarterstaff in her hands, holding it firmly. It was not a weapon she was particularly familiar with, but that did not matter. The staff was heavy, but with her enhanced strength, that was no problem. She would have imagined it breaking Siobhan's skull, but there was no time to daydream for the HRD charged her. It launched a powerful swing directed at her skull, Enyo had the presence of mind to duck before the overhead blow met its mark.


Bringing up her weapon, she blocked the next, as the staffs clashed with a thunderous roar. Back and forth they went. Both combatants sought to dominate the other, launching blow and strike of varying intensity. Enyo tried to match the HRD's speed and force, but she was being driven back. She tried to call upon the Force to push the droid away and gain some breathing space, but the ethereal energies refused to heed her command.


Finally, the robot's quarterstaff swept down to impact upon her mechanical kneecap. The strike knocked her off-balance and when she stumbled, her opponent's weapon shot upward and connected with her jaw. There was a loud, sickening crunch. Ouch.


The clone fell to the ground as a wave of white-hot pain flooded her. She'd fractured her jawbone and bit her tongue, spitting blood. She found herself on the ground, barely able to move her head. Her robotic breathing echoed inside her ears.


The HRD stood above, staff in hand. One thing Archangel and Firemane had in common was that their training methods violated OSHA standards, but it was doubtful that any inspector would dare take either corporation to task.


Anger and rage rose inside her stomach like bile. She was better than this, better than any droid Archangel churned out in its factories. She would be the one to defeat Siobhan Kerrigan and grind her into dust. She could not be a role model to her sister and lecture her if she was this weak. Drawing upon the Dark Side, she fed on her own pain like a vampire. Droids did not have emotions she could gourge herself on, but she would overcome.


Against the HRD's expectations, she did not call on her own weapon to defend herself when its staff came sweeping down. It hit the space she had just vacated with a loud thud. Moving with lightning speed, she jerked her opponent's arm so hard and with such speed she dislocated it from its socket. The twisting of screeching of mechanical gears was heard. The staff fell to the floor, and she flung the droid across the room with all her might. Rather than the Force, she used her augmented strength.


xxx


"The Acolyte isn't our insider. She's your test," Keris replied. "Come on. The trip will take a few hours." Thusly the two of them bobarded the Lightbringer and, a few moments, later it was in the dark void and made the jump for hyperspace.

 

[Amara Zarides]

[member="Enyo Typhos"]
The droid was hurled, landing with a crunch. It rose though, seemingly unfazed. One arm hung from the socket, the synthskin and blood torn to reveal the metal below.
Vess held up a hand and the droid stopped.
“Good. Your strength is your ally.” Vess examined Enyo’s broken bone. “Do you wish to continue?”

The hatch opened and a second HRD entered. This one…this one looked exactly like Siobhan, even down to the red hair.

Better than a generic goon, this would give Enyo incentive to fight and unleash her real strength…if only to break the pretty face which she would never quite have again.

XXX

Amara peered at Kress. “This is all very confusing. So there’s two of them, is there?”
She got no answer, so she shrugged and boarded the ship.

The Lightbringer was not one for creature comforts. Amara therefore lay on her hard bed, legs up the wall, head on the pillow, reading a magazine. She had no idea why Archangel had a copy of ‘Blasters and Bolts’, maybe from an infiltration mission. It wasn’t important, what was important was that Amara could order a Westar G18 blaster for only 199.55 credits! She didn’t know why this was a good thing, but the advertisement looked impressive, so that counted!

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Amara Zarides"]


The firemane, the face, the same superior, arrogant smirk. The HRD even walked the same as Siobhan Kerrigan, strutting into the training room as if this were a fashion show. She carried herself like a queen who thought she owned the place.


By comparison, Enyo looked like a caged tiger about to be set loose on her prey. Her teeth were a tigress' fangs. "Yes." One simple word sufficed. She understood what Archangel was trying to do. It was meant to incentivise her to unleash her strength. Probably also to manipulate her so that she acted in accordance with their aims. The broken jaw bones pained her greatly, but she did not care. Pain was just weakness leaving the body. She could feed on it and let it stoke the fires of her rage.


She simply did not care. Your strength is your ally. Her rage had acquired a power of its own, becoming so strong it was palpable. Droid and machine-woman circled one another like rival predators. Unsurprisingly, it was Enyo who struck first, moving with high speed and anger. The only thing on her mind was crushing her opponent and breaking that pretty face.


Until Korriban, this had been the face that stared back at her any time she looked into the mirror. She swung a fast, powerful punch and her fist connected with it. If the clone's opponent had been a normal human, her head would have burst like a ripe melon. However, it was a Humanoid Replica Droid. The death machine was pushed back, synthetic skin was torn and ripped to reveal the metal beneath it. It seemed one of her eyes might have been damaged, showing the buried photoreceptor when she ripped the skin around an exposed eye.


The faux Siobhan Kerrigan peddled a step back from the furious blow and Enyo used her chance to grab her and toss her into the floor. It would not bring the android down, but the crunching sound was satisfying to her ears. It sounded as sweet as an angel's choir. For just a moment, she could imagine her grip breaking Siobhan's bones and wiping that smirk off her face when it impacted upon hard concrete.


Her opponent was down and Enyo threw a vicious kick at her and tried to stomp on her neck. But the android was not so easily beaten and rather than dodge the blow she grabbed ahold of Enyo's ankle, seizing it like a vice. Then she pulled at it with an unnatural force, twisting it. There was a loud crunching sound and Enyo was knocked off-balance. As she tried to wrench her leg free, her opponent spun her around and flung her through the air.


Enyo had the presence of mind to kick herself off the wall instead of being radgolled into it. There was a loud thud when she hit the ground. Immediately she leapt to her feet and grabbed the quarterstaff, swinging it at the android's face.


However, the faux Siobhan was too agile and side-stepped the swing, ending up behind Enyo. The clone began to turn, but the the HRD was too quick and so she felt her fist drive into her back to her stomach. Ouch. It occured to Enyo that apparently she had a metal spine.


Drawing on her cold fury, Enyo rammed the back of her right elbow into her opponent's stomach, driving it towards her artificial rib cage. Her head swivelled around, like an HRD's would. Heavy hands grabbed her shoulders when she spun around, but the clone reacted by throwing them off and drove her knees into her attacker's thick stomach. Then she punched her in the face, turning her fists into bludgeons. Again and again and again. She rained down blow after blow. It felt liberating. Her repulse hand activated, and the multitude of repulse generatores tore deep gashes into her enemy's face.

 

[Amara Zarides]

[member="Enyo Typhos"]

Vess did not stop Enyo, and unlike a living creature, the faux-Kerrigan did not stop trying to fight either.

However, after blow after blow had cracked and smashed the skull, a final titanic punch broke through the durasteel and into the droid brain.
The HRD slumped, powered down. Sparks emanated from the cavity. Blood and pieces of synthskin covered Enyo’s arms.

“Excellent, Enyo. When the time comes you will face her for real, and through careful planning and precise brutality, you will prevail. Now stand, and I will examine your implants. Do you feel there were any calibrations required?”

XXX

Amara got bored quite easily. After riffling through the pages of the magazine she did a little practicing, but finally went in search of Kress.

“Hey, Big K, can I have a Westar G18 blaster? Blasters and Bolts gave it a 94% with high marks for accuracy and power consumption!”

She was trolling the HRD to get a reaction. It was fun, and she had nothing else to do until they arrived.

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Amara Zarides"]


A colossal punch smashed into the droid brain and the HRD slumped like a puppet whose strings had been pulled. Its head was a mess of synthetic skin, fake blood, circuitry and bits and pieces of metal. Enyo gazed at the sparks emanating from the cavity, then at the blood and flesh that covered her arms.


She flexed her blood-stained, metal fingers and breathed in heavily. Blood dripped down her lips onto her badly abused jaw. It had a coppery taste. "One day, big sister. One day," she spoke to herself in a whisper. One day it would be the real Siobhan Kerrigan lying there before her feet. Her brain matter would be splattered across the ground.


"The heavier weight requires adjusment, but I can deal with that. They could use some calibrations to make them more responsive. This is a repulse hand?" she remarked, staring at the hand whose miniaturised repulse generators who ripped through the HRD's synthskin. "My jawbone is fractured."


xxx


Meanwhile, Kresis was facing his biggest challenge ever: Dealing with a gregarious, excitable, bored clone! Wasn't the brainwashing supposed to fix this? Maybe that's what he thought when she tried to troll him. Organics were so...bouncy and chaotic.


"No. Don't believe everything advertisements tell you. The G18's performance merits a 61% at most. You'll find all you need in the armoury," he said with a completely straight face. Did he realise she was trolling him? Who knew.