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

[Amara Zarides]

[member="Enyo Typhos"]
“Woo!” Amara called excitedly. She hit the controls and the crane arm descended rapidly, stopping ten feet above the ground. Lightsabre in hand Amara leapt, calling on the Force to slow her descent, her blade activated and set about the droids from behind whilst Enyo assailed them from the front.

It was over soon enough. Oh, there were more death-defying acts of heroism, droids were diced and tossed to their doom, but the result was not in doubt.

It was so clearly not in doubt that Vess had gone to tamper with the controls of the vault, leaving the two clones to finish up the battle.

As Amara diced her last droid to smoking fragments she saw she was alone with Enyo. That never happened without some surveillance.

Moving closer to her she said loudly. “That showed those clankers!”

Quieter though she nodded to Vess. “This is our chance. Two on one. Get her when she comes out with the item.”

Louder. “I thought they’d be some real opposition here!” she said theatrically.

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Amara Zarides"]


It was all over in a very short span of time. The platform was littered with the pieces of broken droids, burnt electronics, circuits and discarded weapons. Smoke rose up into the air. Vess had gone off to collect the item from the vault.


Enyo heard Amara's whisper and gave her a curt nod. This was their chance. Perhaps the only one they'd ever get. "Generic automatons. I'm a bit disappointed. I yearn for the day I can test my strength against real challenge," she said dramatically. "Shame we cannot go hunt a Jedi or two."


Her eyes were on Vess when the HRD returned, holding a small, pyramidal device that radiated intense Force energy. "That's the artefact?" her attention was drawn to it, as she felt its power. But it did not emanate darkness, rather it was the light. The clone recoiled.


"Yes," Vess replied flatly, wrapping the device in a resin coating. "It is what Jedi call a holocron. We require your aid to access it. We shall do so once we're on the Lightbringer and have left Coruscant. Come on."


"I'm sure it shall be a great boon to the cause." Then Enyo struck. The pull of magnetism would wrap around one of Vess' legs in an attempt crush it. Her follow-up slash was swift and ferocious, for she surged forward aggressively and launched a powerful stroke aimed to cut Vess in twain.

 

[Amara Zarides]

[member="Enyo Typhos"]
The sisters moved in concert. Amara held out her hand and the holocron flew through the air, torn from Vess’ grasp and right into a waiting bag.
Meanwhile, Enyo’s blade slashed with devastating power and speed, hitting the nape of the droid’s neck…and stopped. The burning smell of hair and flesh filled the air, but the blade had stopped.

Vess had her own surprises. Her skeleton was made of phrik!

Reacting with a speed and surety which a human never could grasp the changing of events, she turned.

“Command Code: Revenant-Omega.” It was the trump card. Enyo was still attacking, and had no way of reacting quickly enough. Her programming would instantly stop her like a statue.

Amara had heard the first syllable and instinctively knew what was coming. She clapped her hands over her ears and turned away. It was almost a childish gesture, but it worked. Hear no evil, see no evil…obey no evil.

Vess was not undamaged by Enyo’s attack. She clearly was finding it hard to walk.

“Command Sigma. Detain organic designate Amara for reprogramming,” Vess ordered.

Amara backed away, hands still over her ears. “Enny…please…don’t,” she said softly…mainly because she couldn’t hear how loud she was….

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Amara Zarides"]


Enyo was too late. Too late to crush Vess with the power of her mind when her blade failed, too late to simply pummel her into submission, too late to cover her ears when the HRD spoke the command code.


"No..." Instantaneously, the clone was frozen like a statue, as if paralysed. She was unable to move, think or even act. In the deepest recesses of her mind, Enyo was trying to shake off her chains, but it was futile. Slowly, she turned to face Amara. There was no humanity in her eyes, no anger...nothing. They were as lifeless and vacant as those of a droid.


Mechnically, she marched towards the younger woman, moving like a puppet pulled by invisible strings. When she looked at Amara, she did not see her sister, just another organic Archangel had designated as a target. "Amara, you are defective. Archangel will fix you."

 

[Amara Zarides]

[member="Enyo Typhos"]
Amara backed away from Enyo, her face riven with despair and pain.
“Enny, please…please fight it!” she said imploringly. She could not…she would not…fight her sister. Maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad thing to get captured, to lapse under the spell. Maybe organics really did fight vainly against what was truly right.

But then she looked from Enyo to Vess. Both looked like blank slates, parodies and falsities of humanity.

No

In the flash of a second, she had an idea. Was it cruel? Was it necessary? Enyo was almost on her and behind her was only hundreds of metres of open air.

“Command Sigma. Detain machine designate Vess for reprogramming.” It was a good impersonation of Maelion’s voice, but would it be enough?

It worked! Vess had not reckoned on her powers of mimicry. As Vess had to turn to Enyo she couldn’t speak to Amara.

“Command Sigma. Detain organic designate Amara for reprogramming.” There was no frustration there, just an unyielding resolution. “Close commands.” Amara could not use the big command code without potentially setting herself off. She looked back at Amara. “Command Code-,” she began.

She didn’t finish. Those seconds were all Amara needed. Anger filled her, along with panic and fear. She lashed out with the only thing she had.
The crane lift was above her, about six feet above. On the bottom were some heavy weights which doubled as the powerful electromagnets used for lifting containers.
The Force flowed through her and tore off one of the magnets and hurled it right at Vess’ head. There was a satisfying clunk as the metal impacted the phrik skull, knocking Vess sprawling.

One of the weights gone, Amara leapt, catching hold of the bottom and flying into the air. She was safe from her sister and the droid…but hanging over a bottomless pit with only one hand!

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Amara Zarides"]


"Resistance is futile. You struggle against the pull of the inevitable. Your mind is disorganised," Enyo said robotically. Her mechanical body whirred and clanked as she marched towards Amara.


"You will be at peace once your errant thoughts have been corrected." This was right, it had to be. Organics vainly fought against what was truly right. Once Amara's defective mind had been repaired, she would understand and embrace the Age of Steel.


The clone raised a small wrist blaster, a model that fired paralysing beams, and took aim. Then suddenly, her orderly mind was thrown into confusion. Two conflicting orders were beamed into her skull. Which one was right?


She looked from Vess to Amara. Then suddenly her rebellious sister took flight. Before Enyo could react, Vess was down. Metal had impected her phrik skull, sending her sprawling. Enyo looked conflicted, uncertain whether to pursue Amara or help Vess. Perhaps some of her original personality managed to resurface for one brief moment. Either way, she made her way towards the damaged machine.

 

[Amara Zarides]

[member="Enyo Typhos"]
“I promise…I will come back for you, sis,” Amara whispered.

She had more immediate problems. Problems like the bottomless pit below her. Worse, her grip was giving out.

Not wanting to be turned into a fine paste she threw herself upwards and managed to pull herself onto the top of the crane’s jib. There she lay for a moment, exhausted, terrified and saddened. Animal instinct pulled her onwards, and she headed back across the terrible catwalk and into the city.

A glance back downwards showed her sister blindly picking up Vess and carrying her back to the speeder.

Amara thought briefly of trying to get back to the ship first, but then Vess seemed to recover. Amara knew she could not fight both of them. She had another task. Get rid of the programming and then find a way to get her sister back. She missed her already…and Archangel would pay for stealing her away.

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Amara Zarides"]


Her sister was gone. She had left her. Even a brainwashed, mind controlled Enyo felt the strong loss. She felt void, as if she'd lost a part of herself. It made her angry. Anger rolled from her like a powerful wave as she carried Vess back to the speeder.


She was deeply confused. Amara had become corrupted and turned on her, but why? This was something she could not find an answer for. Her mind was clouded by fog and when she tried to replay the events in her mind, she drew a blank.


Her head hurt. "I promise...I will find and fix you, sister." Her sister would see the truth and they would be a family again. She deposited Vess onto the speeder and then sat down in the pilot's seat, taking off. She could no longer feel her sister in the Force.

 

[Naamah Aesham]

[member="Amara Zarides"]


Dark clouds had gathered in the sky. Then it began to rain. It soon became a massive downpour. Rain sheeted down off the roofs and onto the streets. As the despondent Amara made her way through the city, she would be watched.


Fortunately for her, the individual following her movements was not another agent of Archangel. Naamah's face and wavy, dark-brown hair were obscured by a hood that she'd pulled over her head. She wore a black leather jacket that had seen better days and her hands were stuffed into her trouser's pockets.


The sound of blasterfire and lightsabres had alerted her, but by now the commotion was over. She was left with the aftermath. The Clawdite followed Amara at an appropriate distance, tailing her movements. Ostensibly, she was just another face among many. A fog clouded her aura, allowing her to broadcast naught except sheer mundanity.

 

[Amara Zarides]

[member="Naamah Aesham"]
Now the adrenaline had worn off and Amara was clear of pursuit (or so she thought), she was left with a cold pit in her stomach.
This was her first time in a city on her own. She had no money – Vess had kept a hold of that – and no idea what to do. Or rather, she knew what to do; free herself, then her sister, make saanberry waffles. But those were long term goals.

And then the rain started. Amara was not much used to rain…she could not remember a single time it had fallen on her. It was something she’d longed to feel, but now when she was cold and alone it was not the best time.

Archangel had taught her to be ruthless, to take what she needed from anyone who wasn’t one of them. Amara’s trained eye looked over the street she was in from the shadows. People passed back and forth, there were businesses. Force or lightsabre could deliver her easy pickings…but no. Perhaps she was naïve (and she knew she was) but she would not do that. It was time for harder answers. She would need money, and to her mind she could either take a job or take it from criminals and the undeserving.

But where to go? Treacherously her mind floated back to their only real encounter on the planet. Tali…the Blooming Rose.
But what would she do there? She had no money but just maybe she might be able to get some information there. And if nothing else it’d give her something to do for a while.

With this in mind she started to head off towards the general area she figured the ‘establishment’ would be located.

 

[Naamah Aesham]

[member="Amara Zarides"]


Strictly speaking, she could have drawn upon the Force to wrap herself in a cloak of invisibility. But that struck her as a waste of energy. Naamah was not a boundless fountain of power or a master of the esoteric arts.


Thus, she limited her Force use to mitigating the sound her boots made on the ground, which was being overrun with puddles, and obscuring her aura. Undoubtedly a Master of the Force would be able to slowly pick apart the cloud of mundanity that she projected, assuming they spotted her in the crowd and took the time to focus. But this was a part of Coruscant where Jedi Masters seldom tread. Unless they'd already realised that the Jedi Code did not possess all the answers for the problems of the Galaxy.


So she followed the blonde, who was broadcasting strong 'I am lost and adrift' vibes. Naamah doubted that she'd ever seen a rainfall before. The downpour was epic and pedestrians took flight as the torrent of rain flooded the streets. Oh, three guesses as to where you're going, Naamah thought when she saw the direction Amara had taken off in. She knew that the Blooming Rose lay down the street.


Discreetly, she activated her wrist-worn comm. "Be nice to blondie," she whispered quietly. Whoever was on the other side of the line would know what was she talking about - and would not take offence about Naamah not bothering with pleasantries. That done, the shifter sought cover in an alley and morphed. The process was almost seemless as she envisaged her appearance, then willed her body to obey, but it was accompanied by a sensation of pain. The former Inquisitor kind of had a working relationship with pain.

 

[Amara Zarides]

[member="Naamah Aesham"]
Amara had made fun of Enyo before, but she had little idea what she was stepping into. Archangel had largely been uninterested in the subject of love and romance except where it could aid their infiltration efforts.

But now here was the Blooming Rose, an establishment of ill-repute. Though, to be fair, it had a very good repute amongst its clients.

A large Trandoshan stood at the door, closely eying all those who approached.

“Dear me, I hope you’re not on the list,” Amara said with a smile.
Probably having heard that joke about 10,000 times, the Trandoshan growled and opened its mouth to reveal a very large set of teeth.

“Got it, I’ll just go inside,” Amara said with a nervous laugh and ducked inside.

Inside was much more fancy than the outside. There was excessive ornamentation scattered everywhere, pictures on the wall, a well-stocked bar and a large reception.

A formidable looking woman was standing at the desk and looked at her.
“Male or female? Alien or human? Vanilla or spicy?” she asked, looking at a datapad.
Amara looked a little confused. “I’m a human female. I don’t know what vanilla or spicy means.”
The woman sighed. “I mean, who are you looking for? You know what sort of place this is, yes?”
“Oh…well…uhh.” Amara blushed. “Is…Tali available? I talked to her before. Can I talk to her?”
“Take a seat, I’ll call her. You get five minutes to talk, no touching, then it’s 100 credits per hour. Lekku massaging is 15 credits extra.”
Amara, flushed red, took a seat in a curtained area. She hoped she could vanish into the ground, especially since she was sure ‘Tali’ would kick her out once she saw she was penniless.

 

[Naamah Aesham]

[member="Amara Zarides"]


It did not take long until Tali sauntered into the room. The Togruta hooker's scanty clothes left very little to the imagination - spandex crop top, an incedently short leather mini-skirt and stiletto heels. The last had to be uncomfortable, but she accomplished the impossible task of maintaining perfect balance. Her comely assets were very much in Amara's face and she had a lekku to die for.


"Blondie! I knew you'd come," she said warmly with a lascivious smile. "Where's your friend? The cute brunette one with the big tits and those sexy robot arms," she looked like she was daydreaming when she remembered the beautiful metal. "Did her girlfriend get clingy? She looked kinda jealous."

 

[Amara Zarides]

[member="Naamah Aesham"]
Amara looked despondent. But, it was ironic but the girl in front of her was right.
“Yeah, swept her up. Don’t know when I’ll see her again….”

She shook her head. “But anyway, I was hoping you could help me. I…don’t have any money, but I’m kinda stranded on this planet and I’ve got no idea what to do next.”

It sounded lame even to her. “Uhh…but not working here. I mean, I’m not really cut out for it. I mean…I don’t know what I mean.”

 

[Naamah Aesham]

[member="Amara Zarides"]


Tali nodded understandingly. "That's sad. Speaking from personal experience, possessive relationships are unhealthy. I think your friend could do way better. I hope she can break out." She listened patiently while Amara told her about her woes.


"Are you sure you don't want to work here, sweetie? I think you'd fit right in. Tall, leggy blondes are popular! Clients would line up just to adore your legs, and let's not forget the foot worship crowd." Presumably Tali would get on with Chesna. She patted the despondent Amara on the shoulder. "And as far as the matron's concerned, no means no. Anyone harasses you, they get the boot. Literally."


"Tali, wach the time. There's a client who wants your special," a voice interjected.


"Sorry, my sweet, booty calls," the hooker with a heart of gold said apologetically, then leaned forward conspiratorially. Amara would get a good whiff of her strong perfume. The Togruta smelt like strawberries. "Do you know how to shoot and hit things? I know a Chiss merc type. She's looking for hired help."

 

[Amara Zarides]

[member="Naamah Aesham"]
Dramatic irony at its finest. Amara sighed rather sadly.
“Yes, I wish she could break free,” she murmured.

The job offer made her forget her sadness and replaced it with embarrassment. Despite her teasing she’d never actually been intimate with anyone, having turned down Kress’ offer. She coughed.
“That’s real nice of you, but I think I’ve got a different path,” she said, looking up.

As Tali went to leave she stood. “Wait, don’t go. Where do I find this Chiss?” she asked.

Taking vague recommendations from ladies of the night wasn’t a great way to find work, but in the circumstances it was her only option. Mercenaries were not reliable, she knew that only too well, so she’d just have to look out and watch her own back.

 

[Naamah Aesham]

[member="Amara Zarides"]


Many, many customers would be sad to hear that Amara refused to consider a promising career as a prostitute. It would have been awfully ironic if she'd eventually been recruited by the Order of the Torch and met a certain Doctor.


Anyhow, Tali turned around. "Her name's Akure. Never could remember her full name. Or pronounce it. You should find her at the bar now. Look for a Chiss brooding in the corner, drinking bad whiskey and staring daggers at everyone. Best get to her before Mistress Pain snatches her up."


She patted Amara on the shoulder. "Good luck, my sweet," she gave her a kiss on the cheek and strutted out, her butt swaying enticingly in her indecently short skirt. Well, it would have no effect on the blonde, but whatever.

 

[Amara Zarides]

[member="Naamah Aesham"]
Amara could appreciate the beauty of the female form, but like said doctor she was mysteriously staunch in her heterosexuality.

Regardless, she got up and sneaked over to the bar. Patrons, some male, some female, were enjoying their drinks either alone or with paid company. There was one figure, a blue skinned Chiss, sitting in the corner.

So, over Amara walked until she was near the grumpy woman.
“So…I don’t work here and I’m not trying to pick you up…but Tali said you had some merc work opportunities.”

She was trying to look nonchalant but was really doing a poor job at it. She was jittery, looking around furtively.

 

[Naamah Aesham]

[member="Amara Zarides"]


If Siobhan Kerrigan were here, she'd insist that 'there's no such thing as straight women. All women love other women, and those who don't just don't know it yet. Hetereosexuality is a patriarchal concept.' Yeah...Siobhan had some rather weird views. One imagines that the League of Emperyon would be a weird place.


Regardless, the grumpy woman in question gave Amara a predictably grumpy look. "You've never done this before, have you? Stop being jittery and look me in the eye," she said flatly. "Sit down. Name, skills, relevant combat experience?"

 

[Amara Zarides]

[member="Naamah Aesham"]
“I’ve…never done this before,” she admitted.

She took a seat. Should she use an alias? No point, no one knew her name anyway.
“Amara, two combat missions, can use the Force and lightsabre…a bit.”

That didn’t sound too impressive. Maybe she shouldn’t have said the thing about the Force? Might cause unwelcome questions.

“So…Akure was it? I’ve never met a Chiss before. I read somewhere that the blue skin was camouflage for the ice.” She coughed. “Uhh…anyway, carry on.”