We Can Rebuild Him

[Onrai]

Nathema Orbital Platform

All of this had happened before, and all of this would happen again.

Several transports had brought forward the first batch of disabled Imperial veterans for conversion to the Dark Trooper program. Communiques had been sent out through the Imperial Veterans Association and potential candidates were being gathered for Phase Zero of this program. Vanessa was eagerly awaiting the opportunity to introduce herself to them and showcase the technology that would be put to use in restoring their otherwise destroyed and mangled bodies, bringing them back to fighting form and ensuring their service as the Empire's newest form of soldier would be absolute.

Farah was here too - she would be performing the necessary surgical procedures on those deemed worthy to be considered 'elite' Dark Troopers.

[member="Farah"] [member="Darren Quinn"]

 

[Darren Quinn]

After his team had recovered his critically wounded body following the incident on Balmorra, he had been brought to one of the Armada's state-of-the-art medbays. At the end of the day, both his arms had to be amputated. His life was saved, but his body was... mangled.

Even with all his training, all his equipment, the Jedi had torn through him. He had failed. His lost limbs had been replaced with cybernetics. But the damage was done. His combat efficiency... lessened. He would never be the same. Or so he thought.

When he had received word of an opportunity to not only be restored to his previous prowess but to exceed it, he had not hesitated.

As his transport landed in the facility, he gave his fellow veterans a final cursory glance. Some, like him, had most of the damage mended through cybernetics. Some had to make do with more primitive solutions. But all came here for one reason: To be returned to, and even exceed, their former, uninjured, state. In truth, he did not know what this would entail. Not quite. Yet he did not hesitate.

He had failed on Balmorra. Never again.

[member="Vanessa Vantai"] [member="Farah"]

 

[Onrai]

The veterans were arranged into unit-like formations by a Stormtrooper bereft of his helmet, those who could walk leading the front while those more critically wounded, confined to hoverchairs and the like, were at the back. They were then marched into a large open area - thousands of veterans gathered together as though they were preparing for parade. Vanessa stood on a raised platform at the front of the room, large holographic images of her summoned to the sides of the platform so even those in the back could see what she did as she spoke.

“Greetings to all of you.” Vanessa said. “I am Vanessa Vantai, Sith Lord. You know why you’re here - you all still wish to fight for the Sith Empire despite your infirmities. When you signed up, you agreed upon a contract - similar to when you joined the Stormtrooper Corps - that we are not to be held responsible for your death in the event that these procedures fail. I assure you that our methodologies have been tested and are of the highest standard - there is an assured chance that most of you and a very high chance that all of you will survive and return to the service. To my service.”

She motioned to the young half-Zeltron, seated further back on the same platform as she. “This is Farah Zambrano. One of my foremost students, whose skill with surgery far surpasses my own. She will be responsible for overseeing the program that shall rebuild you from frail, broken husks into the strong soldiers you once were and shall become again. On some of you she shall work - most shall have the procedure performed by droids that she has specially configured for this.” She smiled. “I look forward to seeing what you can do once reconditioning is complete. The sergeants will take you to the assigned surgical quarters for your bloc. You’ll receive a number there indicating where you are in the que. We have hundreds of droids, so this will proceed relatively quickly, I assure you.”

With that, she smiled. “Enjoy the first day of your new life.”

[member="Darren Quinn"] [member="Farah"]

 

[Darren Quinn]

The space was vast, yet crowded. It had not occurred to him, not quite, how large the scope of this operation was. Not until he was standing here, amongst so many others who had sacrificed so much for the Empire. His transport, itself quite large, must have only been one of many. Some would find such a revelation disturbing. The thought that they were but a cog in a mighty machine planting seeds of dissent in their minds. Darren was not one of them. Quite the contrary, it pleased him immensely to see such a display of Imperial resourcefulness and efficiency. It pleased him that so many others had responded to the call of duty, rather than be honourably discharged. Truly, this sight was a reminder of the infinite glory of the Sith Empire.

He had been fortunate enough to be allowed near the front, partly due to his injuries not impacting his mobility that much, and partly, he suspected, due to his extensive training and near perfect service record. Near perfect. Now blemished by defeat. The Jedi had escaped him, had left him for dead. Never again. This procedure, the specifics still unknown to him, was his best option to ensure that. To ensure that he would not only become the soldier he once was but to become something greater yet. Something enhanced by the brilliance of Imperial engineering.

Listening intently as the Sith spoke, he saluted her respectively when she finished, the cybernetic replacement still slightly awkward to use. No matter. It would soon be replaced. After finding his group, he made his way towards his assigned surgical quarters. There was no going back now, not that that had ever been an option. There was victory, or there was death. That was what had been hammered into his head during his lengthy training, and that was what he clung to even in defeat. He had faced an opponent far above him, and he had lost. There were only two options: To give in to despair and defeatism, or to do whatever it takes to ensure that it never happens again. In Darren's mind, that was no choice at all.

[member="Vanessa Vantai"] [member="Farah"]

 

[Farah]

Farah remained largely silent during Vanessa’s introductory speech. There was little need for her to speak after all, and this time afforded her a good look at the men and women who were here to participate in the Phase Zero program. Though they’d all passed the initial screening, she couldn’t help but wonder who would rise up and who would fail the trials. There was always a risk of death and dismemberment, no matter how many times you perfected something like this. Farah wouldn’t say that she had perfected it but she was confident in her own surgical skill.

The psychological tolls would be enormous. It would be interesting to see who could cope with it.

Like any good surgeon, Dr. Zambrano was eager to start cutting. Let the assistants and whatnot deal with the baseline tests, preparation and paperwork. After [member="Darren Quinn"] was properly prepared, he’d be escorted to an operating theater where a team was waiting.

“This is our first one?” The Zeltron surgeon was scrubbing in a room adjacent to the operating theater, watching the trooper being prepped for the procedure.

“Yes, doctor.” The young man at her side replied. He was a first year resident and would be assisting her on this case. Arkanian, if she recalled correctly. Figures.

Farah squinted. “Name?”

The resident looked down at his datapad. “Darren Quinn.” He supplied.

The doctor gave a small hmm before stepping into the operating room. “Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Quinn.” A pair of nurses quickly set upon her, wrapping the doctor in a gown and holding out sterile gloves for her. “I’m Dr. Zambrano.” A surgical mask was tied over the lower half of her face. Once properly attired, Farah stepped closer to the operating table, peering down at the trooper with curious eyes.

“We’re going to give you some local anesthetic for the pain, but you’ll be awake through the procedure. At times we will lessen the anesthetic to test nerve impulses of the implants. Does that sound alright?”

Given what this was, who she was and what this Empire was, any answer other than the affirmative would either be unacceptable or ignored.

[member="Vanessa Vantai"]

 

[Onrai]

[member="Farah"] [member="Darren Quinn"]

Vanessa chose to wait patiently, watching as the tens of thousands of future Dark Troopers were taken in for surgery. It didn’t take more than several hours for the first case of death to be reported - trauma, apparently. The death rate for the surgeries was proving to be surprisingly low. The droids themselves were working at a relatively quick yet efficiently methodical place, ensuring that potential Phase Zeroes were being brought into service and being sent to the recovery ward at a relatively quick pace. There the wounds would be regenerated using the few examples of the Skin rejuvenator Vanessa had created decades ago, allowing for at least external integration to the body. They would bear scars, yes, but would it matter when they were regularly wearing armor?

Some time later, Vanessa would check on Farah - she had been focusing her attentions on one trooper in particular, his cybernetics already physically removed and the implants ready for addition to his body. Vanessa would enter with a surgical mask on herself. “How is he doing?”

 

[Darren Quinn]

After a bit a slight bureaucratic holdup and some final tests, he was escorted away from the rest of the group and escorted to a state-of-the-art operating theatre, sterile white surfaces stainless. For now, at least, he mused. Soon enough, his blood would be staining the pristine surfaces. As his uniform and cybernetics was removed he was subjected to some final medical scans, presumably in order to ensure that he was ready for the surgery to come. But what did he know? He knew enough about medicine to keep a fellow soldier alive using a standard issue medpac until someone qualified arrived to help, but that was about it.

As he laid down on the surgical table at the instruction of one of the masked assistants, he heard a soft whoosh to his right, the door next to the opaque glass wall sliding open. Out came familiar looking Zeltron. Was that... the woman from the introduction. Farah Zambrano. Now that was quite the surprise. She didn't look like she had any epicanthix blood, but he doubted anyone would dare bear the name if there was no relation. That would be downright suicidal. He would have saluted her, or more likely bowed, given his armless state, but that would be too time-consuming, given his current state. It would not do to waste the time of the Emperor's own blood.

"It is an honour, Dr. Zambrano." Of course, he had never heard of her until today, but the relation was enough for him. More than enough. Despite the Emperors... virility, each and every Zambrano should be given the utmost respect. Especially if one wanted to keep one's head.

"Of course, my lady." It would likely be painful then. Exceedingly painful. But there was always a price to be paid. Besides, he had been trained to resist interrogation, a little surgery couldn't possibly be worse than that, right?

[member="Farah"] [member="Vanessa Vantai"]

 

[Onrai]

Of course the surgery would end up being painful. Vanessa knew from personal experience that under minimal anesthesia, the cut of a scalpel hurt exceptionally. Or worse, the complete severing of the nerves ensured it didn't hurt - not now. That was always the worst kind of wound. She winced as she watched Farah continue with her work. "There's a reason I've been doing this. A legitimate reason, one not as generous as the initial offer would appear." She said.

"Farah, Darren... Do either of you believe there will be a time when Kaine falls from his position as Emperor and someone else struggles to take his place?"

[member="Darren Quinn"] [member="Farah"]

 

[Farah]

“Doctor will be fine.” Farah informed briskly. While there was nothing wrong with ‘my lady’, it didn’t quite fit the Zeltron. That was more of a title for nobility in her mind.

They wasted no time in beginning. Farah had just begun attaching the implants when Vanessa entered to check on the progress.

“He’s doing well.” Farah’s tone wasn’t amicable—when was she ever?—but rather focused as she kept her attention on the delicate work she was doing. Vanessa would understand of course. The young doctor wasn’t exactly bubbly and the fact that her voice was free of irritation spoke enough about how she viewed the Sith Lord. “Tolerating the pain well.” Everything was running as smoothly as it could.

She didn’t answer Vanessa right away. Instead, she snorted from beneath her mask. “Clamp.” The instrument found its way into her hand by way of a scrub nurse. A few moments passed as she set a newly cauterized nerve in place.

“Isn’t that dangerous to talk about?” There was a wry note to her voice, some edge of humor.

Blue eyes flickered up briefly, enough to ensure that the caught the gaze of each member of her team. Her hard stare said ‘What happens in the operating room, stays in the operating room’.

[member="Vanessa Vantai"] [member="Darren Quinn"]

 

[Darren Quinn]

"Understood, Doctor." Darren said evenly in the same respectful tone he usually reserved for high-ranking officers. He had not interacted much with Sith, but he still knew to keep his mouth shut when possible, address them respectfully, and accept their word as if it was law, or at least appear to do so.

Lying back on the surgery table, he kept his breathing deep and even as she started attaching his new limbs. So far, there was no pain, but that would come. The feeling of seeing himself under surgery, yet feeling nothing, was nevertheless deeply unnerving. Still, he abstained from complaining and kept his features as neutral as possible, especially so when the Sith Lord he recognised from the welcoming speech made her entrance. A Zambrano and a Sith Lord. That was quite the greeting.

He was further taken aback by the Sith Lord's question. That was... unexpected. Not only was she openly referring to the possibility that the Emperor, forever may he reign, might one day fall, she was also asking his opinion. In a way, the latter was even more surprising than the former. The few Sith he had worked with so far had been... less than amicable. Perhaps it was a test. Either way, he was grateful that the Zeltron took the initiative and answered first, though the attention soon fell on him.

Taking the time to phrase himself as precisely as possible, he responded in a careful tone. "That is indeed a... possibility, my Lady. Such a vast vacuum of power would be difficult to fill, though many would likely see fit to try."

[member="Farah"] [member="Vanessa Vantai"]

 

[Onrai]

[member="Farah"] [member="Darren Quinn"]

"Not when the Emperor already knows." She replied. "The truth of the matter is that your father is the one thing ultimately keeping the Empire stable. If he dies, if he abdicates - or if someone replaces him - the Empire will grow unstable. Infighting will begin, as it always does, and once more we will collapse. The Jedi puppets of the Galactic Alliance and the Silver Jedi will attempt to swoop in like vultures hunting for carrion on a battlefield. And we will have to start from phase one all over again, a shattered empire with our greatest weapons lost. That is why I started this project. Not only to bolster the Empire as it stands now, but to prepare for what happens when it falls."

She looked over at Farah for a moment. "I need to iterate clearly that I do not desire the position of Empress. There are far too many people who would view my rule of the Sith as a terrible thing, and it would create more instability than it would attempt to solve. But should the Empire fall, I intend to consolidate all I've worked on, all I've gained, into a region of space within the eastern Sith Empire. From there I will concentrate the military forces under my control, maintain the region of space, and preserve as much of the Sith Empire as I can until we as the Sith get things together and can restore it to prominence once again."

She looked at Darren. "This was one of my main reasons for creating the Dark Trooper project. To both support the Empire now and serve what's left of the Empire should things grow... unpleasant." Another look at Farah. "And why I brought you on board. With the Sith, you play a long game - we have for decades. I want to see you become a Sith Lord one day and wield the same kind of power that I do. Because if it means anything, I care, Farah. I really do."

 

[Farah]

As Vanessa mentioned not wanting to reign as Empress of the Sith, she hummed vaguely in agreement. “That’s a target for sure.” Not only for Jedi powers but for other Sith as well.

To say that destabilization and infighting could occur was not out of the scope of possibilities. “Is that what happened in the One Sith?” She made idle chit chat while finishing some final adjustments on one of Darren’s new arms. Phase scalpels were great tools—the blades were adjustable in length and width, there was less risk of a patient bleeding out and you could solder cybernetic parts to flesh parts while you were at it.

“Bring him off of the anesthetic on his right side.” Whoever served as an anesthesiologist complied, removing the pads and wiring connected to the right half of Darren’s chest.

Her attention focused on the patient next. “We’re going to bring out off of the pain medication for a short time. It will hurt, but it’s important that we test the function of your new arm. Try to move it.”

Vanessa’s words sat in her periphery of her mind. The long game. Why did it have to be a game? Many of the Sith were loyal to the Empire because it was their best option—at least it was for her. It gave her resources and power she would have trouble building up anywhere else. Sith entirely independent of the Empire tended to be either incredibly powerful or wealthy, or both.

“Why?” She turned to Vanessa, eyes conveying a mix of scrutiny and genuine curiosity. “Would you not see me as an obstacle then?” Right now she was no obstacle to Vanessa, but why make her stronger?

[member="Vanessa Vantai"] [member="Darren Quinn"]

 

[Darren Quinn]

Darren had to suppress the urge to sigh in relief when the Sith Lord informed them that the Emperor already knew of the plan; the last thing he wanted was to get involved in a powerplay between Sith, especially on that level. He was a soldier, not some scheming politician.

Tactically speaking, her plan was sound, at least as far as the Lieutenant could tell. It was always a good idea to have a contingency plan in reserve, should the worst happen. Of course, he would hope that the Empire would be able to hold itself together, but he had to admit that he had his doubts. He respected the Sith, of course. They were powerful, cunning, and pragmatic. But they were also, all too often, relentlessly self-serving.

Listening intently to the discussion, but staying quiet for now, he had been distracted from thinking too hard about the procedure he was undergoing. That would, however, change soon enough.

As he was partially brought off his the anaesthetic, feeling returned to his right side, alongside it the pain. It hurt like hell, but he knew he would be experiencing much worse before this was over. Nodding to the doctor, he carefully tried to move it even so slightly, only to have it jump upwards. Damn was it responsive. That would come in handy, once he learned how to use it. For the moment, he carefully moved it around, gritting his teeth to avoid crying out in pain. His tissue felt raw, scorching, yet he was still happy. How could he not be, as he felt the raw power and responsiveness of his new limb?

"Seems to be working well enough, Doctor." He said through gritted teeth, voice slightly strained.

[member="Farah"] | [member="Vanessa Vantai"]

 

[Onrai]

“More than the One Sith.” Vanessa responded to her associate. “You have to understand, the innate desire of most if not all Sith is to possess nigh-infinite power. Personal power. The concept of ‘sharing’ doesn’t really fit in with a great many Sith, which is why powerful rituals and alchemical techniques seem to exist with one person, only to disappear from existence when that’s person dies. Spreading the information around prevents it from dying out, because an idea thrives as long as it exists in the minds of man.”

She watched as Darren was brought out of anesthesia - the biofiber replacement was functioning wonderfully as of right now. “The biofiber prosthetic. Based off what human replica droids have. My own invention, and here it serves to increase the quality of life for a great many Imperial soldiers who still wish to serve the Empire. How fortunate that such knowledge was put to use.”

It was Farah’s final comment that peaked her interest. Something that brought her out of the joyous haze of personal pleasure she was now in. “Why would I see you as an obstacle? You do not actively and openly work against me in anything. I want to create allies, associates... friends, if you can believe that. You have a great deal of promise, as a Sith and as someone with a successful non-Sithy career. I like that and I want to support that, support you in your endeavours so one day you can wield the sort of power and influence I possess.”

At least, that was what Vanessa could think of saying so far.

[member="Farah"] [member="Darren Quinn"]

 

[Farah]

Farah watched the biofiber fingers move with a hum of satisfaction. “Very good. Just as smooth as I had hoped for.” There was a noticeable hint of pleasure in the doctor’s voice. She could handle when things went awry, sometimes she preferred chaotic puzzles to boring routine surgery. But both she and Vanessa had put a lot of work into this so it good to see it going off without a hitch.

“We’ll numb that side back up and start on the other arm.”

She may have been your typical calculating evil doctor, but Farah wasn’t overly cruel. Things would go much better for them all if Darren was adequately comfortable, at least for the bulk of the procedure.

“You sure?” She murmured after some thought, focus now on attaching the left implant. “Could just be the perfect setup to stab me in the back. Or vice versa.”

Farah couldn’t help but snicker beneath the surgical mask. She had no intention of betraying Vanessa—not at the moment, anyhow.

“Though, it is ridiculous how much knowledge and ability have been lost over that. People just want to horde it for themselves.” Was Farah different? She didn’t know. “Doctors and scientists aren’t much different in that regard.”

Some were, some weren’t. Just like the Sith, it seemed. Some saw value in working together to produce something great, others were determined to be great by nothing but the own ability.

[member="Vanessa Vantai"] [member="Darren Quinn"]

 

[Darren Quinn]

He had to admit, he was impressed by his new cybernetics. It was clearly state-of-the-art, and, if he was not mistaken, biofiber would indicate a certain degree of protection from EMP, Ion, and the like. That was promising; after all, no one wanted to be a prisoner in their own body because one's cybernetic limbs suddenly ceased to function. He was looking forward to testing the strength, reaction time, and durability of his new limbs, but all in good time. For now, he was content to listen.

It was, after all, a rare occurrence indeed for someone like him to be given the opportunity to observe the thinking process of Sith. The two women seemed wildly different from how he had imagined the Sith would be like, but that might just be because they were unusual in that regard. He knew well enough that most Sith weren't anywhere close to this friendly, or at least seemingly friendly. He wondered again if this was a test of some kind. If it was, he might very well be failing it, as he had no idea what the intent and goal could possibly be.

Whatever the case may be, at least he would learn something about them, about the Sith. He had not known about their hoarding of knowledge and power, at least to that extent. Perhaps it was delusional, but he had always imagined the Sith as a brotherhood, if a competitive one. It worried him to hear just how tenuous that brotherhood was; after all, there could be no Sith Empire without the Sith, and there could be no Sith without some degree of unity.

[member="Vanessa Vantai"] | [member="Farah"]

 

[Onrai]

Vanessa smiled. Having been a connoisseur of pleasure, one who understood it, she realized that Farah was particularly pleased with her performance surgically on Darren Quinn. Vanessa herself was pleased - the soon to be Elite Dark Trooper lying on the table was proof of the Zeltron's ability to adequately perform her chosen task with skill even a droid could hardly possess. Sitting back, she watched as Farah moved to work on the left implant, though she was suddenly surprised by the young Zambrano's inquiry.

"My dear, sweet Farah, I may be a Sith, but I'm not insane. Stabbing you in the back after having dedicated so many resources to providing you with an opportunity to rise, to make a name for yourself as the core component behind one of the Empire's most ambition projects, is quite possibly the most irrational thing I could do. I would have wasted tremendous amounts of resources and had absolutely nothing to show for it. As for the opposite - I would hope that once you arise to the level of influence I possess, that my contributions towards your success and our assumed relationship, as associates, that is, would discourage you from needlessly creating more trouble and strife within the Sith." She thought for a moment - the woman truly was something else. Perhaps a nice dinner would be in order after this.

The latter comments made her sigh. "Personal pride is something Sith value immensely. To surrender such a secret and disseminate it throughout the Sith is a self-sacrificing thing - something many believe to be a Jedi thing - and most Sith would never do such a thing even if the fate of the Dark Side depended on it." The reference to doctors and other practitioners was not overlooked. "The dissemination of advanced medical technology would have saved many Imperial lives. How unfortunate that it hasn't happened sooner."

Looking over at Darren, she smiled. "How's the first Elite Dark Trooper feeling?"

[member="Farah"] [member="Darren Quinn"]

 

[Farah]

“It’s the same in many fields.” She placed the old cybernetics on a tray which was then carried away to afford the doctor more room to work. “For every person forthcoming with their ideas, there’s another ten willing to steal it.” That she understood. Money and fame were highly sought after in scientific fields despite the school of thought that they were all in it for their own innocent interest in science or progress. People were still people. Farah was no exception.

The new biofiber arm was being aligned with what remained of Darren’s skin before being carefully attached in place. No further comment was made in regards to betrayals among the Sith.

“That should do it.” After fixing the last of the components in place, she looked over at Vanessa before looking back at Darren.

“We’re going to take you off of the anesthetic to test the ability of this one now. If all is well, we will keep you off of it. You’ll receive some pain medication after we’re done here. You’ll rest up here for the first week or so to undergo motor and neural testing.”


[member="Vanessa Vantai"] [member="Darren Quinn"]

 

[Darren Quinn]

The friendliness of this Sith Lord never ceased to amaze him. While he was still not sure whether it was genuine or a well-maintained facade, the former was seeming more and more probable. It was odd, but not unwelcome.

"Well enough, my Lady. It is an honour to receive this opportunity to serve in new ways."

In truth, it was more than an honour. It was all he knew. Outside the theatre of war, he had very little to contribute. He knew how to command, but lacked the tact needed for civilian management. He knew how to fix his own weapons, but lacked the more in-depth knowledge needed for anything but the most basic labour. He knew how to fly, but lacked the calmness of mind required for tedious civilian positions. Instead, he lived for the thrill of battle. The familiar rush of risking his life alongside his brothers in arms. The glorious feeling of being part of something greater, a vast machine of war to bring the Imperial Peace to every corner of the galaxy.

And now, with the help of the good doctor, he had the opportunity to do just that.

"Thank you, ma'am. I'll make sure to... brace myself." Darren knew well enough that what had come so far was the comfortable part, relatively speaking. Soon enough, they would start cutting him up. It wasn't just the limbs that needed replacing, not for a project of this magnitude; still, he was determined to soldier his way through it without complaint.

[member="Vanessa Vantai"] | [member="Farah"]

 

[Onrai]

“How fortunate that as Sith, we have the ability to do something about those who attempt to usurp or ideas.” She said, looking over at Darren. “It’s an opportunity to do something that would be morally considered the right thing to do while also proving beneficial to the Empire itself. A thing that few Sith consider - by being in the moral high ground, the Jedi cannot senselessly attack us on moral precepts. Of course that doesn’t mean we must be moral all the time - I personally prefer the immorality - but we need to be a bit more thoughtful on swaying the masses to our side, and butchering entire worlds gains us submission - not loyalty. And submission becomes meaningless when such slaves are not held fast under our thumb.”

She looked at Darren, the initial process complete - the second stage replacement of preexisting limbs and the third stage replacement of organs with more robust replacements would follow in time. For now, Darren had been rendered functional once again as a soldier, at least so far as things were concerned. Vanessa would be quite eager to see how this compared to some of the other surgical performances in the operating theater.

For now, she was glad to just have a sense of pride in Farah’d Work.

[member="Farah"] [member="Darren Quinn"]