Alkahest is Heresy (Darth Shadow)

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Darth Shadow"]


As paradoxical as that might seem given her experiences with a certain cult of genocidal and probably insane HRDs, Sumiko liked droids. Unless they were of the Clockwork persuasion, they were reliable and you could always mind wipe them. Mechu-deru obviously came in handy as well.


"Thank you. Please lead the way," she spoke simply and so the golden protocol droid guided her to the speeder. Soon they were off and on the way to Levert's HQ.

 

[Darth Shadow]

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]
Clearly Shadow thought as Sumiko did. Droids, if programmed properly, did not ask questions, did not need wages or healthcare. Repairs on them were easy to make too, and lightning was a natural enemy for them.

Eidolon Supplies & Transport had a relatively small building spire in Denon’s cityscape. The top few floors of the building constituted the offices and living area of the Director and his staff. The name was suitably neutral enough not to attract too much attention.

On a landing pad near the roof, Darth Shadow, or rather Quoll Levert, met Sumiko. Numerous battle droids stood guard as he approached.

“Welcome, Ms Tohoku. You had a pleasant flight, I trust?”

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Darth Shadow"]


Droids were useful tools, as long as they stayed in their place did not suddenly go all Clockwork. Regardless, Sumiko had arrived at the at this point rather modest HQ of Eidolon Supplies & Transport. To the unitiated the name would've appeared neutral and ordinary. If someone were more well-versed in the classics such as Sumiko, they would recognise that Eidolon meant 'image, idol, double, apparition, phantom, ghost'; specifically the spirit-image of a living or dead person; a shade or a phantom look-alike of a human form.


In other words, another Shadow pun. It worked just fine for Sumiko; she had spent most of her life in the shadows. Now that the meta is out of the way, we can continue with the plot. "Very pleasant. Mr Levert. Glad to be here and eager to begin our work," the Atrisian said politely.

 

[Darth Shadow]

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]
The title ‘Dark Lord of the Pun’ had never been an official Sith title, but if it had Shadow would probably have won the award.

As they headed inside Shadow led her to a small conference room.
“Thank you for coming. I am hoping that this partnership will be profitable to both of us. Now, as I mentioned on Naboo, this business has a rather mundane cover as a transport and supply company, but that is not where you will be involved. A rather more…important…sector is our search and recovery areas and our construction of alchemical items. For that, I have someone for you to meet.”

Rising, he led her down another hallways, through two sets of security doors, and into a darkened chamber. There a figure was kneeling on the floor. The Dark Side was strong with them, but as yet unclarified and unfocused.

“Sumiko Tanaka, this is my Apprentice Illyria.”
The Apprentice rose and turned. She was an Eldorai, and evidenced by her name had taken a pseudonym.
“Sumiko,” she said with a small nod.
“Illyria will be who you will be working with primarily on our missions.”
(NPC sub incoming soon.)

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Darth Shadow"]


Conversation ensued, they ended up in a suitably dark chamber where a young Eldorai was kneeling. The Dark Side could be felt inside her, though she was still a neophyte. Sumiko tilted her head to the side slightly as she studied the lithe figure. Though Sumiko was very appreciative of female beauty, unlike some of this writer's other characters she was not terribly oversexed. Ergo looks did not distract her.


After all, the girl was Sith. Pairing Sumiko off on missions with someone who was clearly beholden to him provided a security insurance for the Sith Lord. An elf. Unusual, though I suppose the numbers 'Dashdae Sciians', as they call them, are soaring since Kaeshana got turned into a hellhole. "Named after the Eldorai Goddess of the Underworld." A fitting pseudonym, she supposed. Especially since the Eldorai would consider their fallen sister an apostate, but then their Goddess hadn't saved them from the asteroid, had she? There was no god, only the duality of the cosmic force.


One might add that Sumiko was in the dark about Shadow's history with a certain Countess. "A pleasure making your acquaintance. I look forward to working with you." And I will keep an eye on you in you stab me in the back, she thought to herself, though that thought was not voiced aloud. Rather it was buried deep inside her mind. Her tone was courteous, but there was little real warmth behind it.

 

[Darth Shadow]

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]
Illyria considered Sumiko carefully. She made no comment about her interpretation of the name. Anyone with a passing consideration of Eldorai culture would have got the reference. That she felt no need to deride Sumiko or to praise her was perhaps indication enough.

“I am sure we will be working together a lot,” Illyria commented with a nod.

“My droid will show you to your quarters. If you are ready, your first mission will be tomorrow.”

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Darth Shadow"]


Always watch the quiet ones. They can be the most vicious tigers if pushed enough, Sumiko thought to herself. Few Eldorai became Jedi or Sith because both cults' philosophies were so alien to them. And so she said her thanks and departed. As had been said, and Shadow's protocol droid took her to her quarters. Unlike a certain battering ram turned girly fashionista, Sumiko was fortunately not obsessed with fancy living and luxury!

 

[Darth Shadow]

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]
Illyria watched Sumiko depart without much emotion, then turned back to the room and continued her meditations.

Sumiko’s room was a very well furnished room with some good views. A droid would come in shortly after to deliver her a meal. Presumably she would sleep, awakening the next morning for her first mission.

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Darth Shadow"]


And so the night passed. Sumiko was not the sort to have melodramatic dreams where she got redundantly tormented by the daemons of the past. Perhaps this was a benefit of being an amoral sociopath. Likewise she did not hear annoying voices out of the ether. And so after an indeterminate number of hours, she awakened.


She had never been a long sleeper and Inquisition training died hard, so she arose early in the morning. After stretching, she went through her usual routine in form of some basic exercise and meditation, before having breakfast. Presumably then she would be summoned by the protocol droid and head to where Shadow and Illyria were waiting.

 

[Darth Shadow]

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]
The two Sith were indeed waiting for her. Darth Shadow nodded.
“Welcome, Ms Tanaka. Now, your task is to go to the planet Belsavis. There are some exceptionally valuable – and dangerous – items there. Illyria has the list. I have acquired the planet’s coordinates and you will head there at once. It is very important that any actions not be traceable to myself or my organisation. Any questions?”
Illyria, either because she’d asked them already, or was just naturally laconic, said nothing.

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Darth Shadow"]


And so this writer finally got around to posting something. Lovely, the first planet she'd get to visit was an ice world. OP's former prison planet, no less.


"The Rakatan's old prison colony. Fitting, I think." If she had been aware of the fact that the Eldorai had come into being as Rakatan test tube experiments this would've been extremely ironic! "Any information on opposition we might encounter? I imagine the planet is crawling with monstrosities, based on my knowledge of it." Of course, there was also the risk of others having the same idea. OP had lost control over the planet during the Netherworld event, but the GA was close and might take an interest in it. Not that Sumiko had any problem with killing Jedi if needed.

 

[Darth Shadow]

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]
Shadow looked reflective for a moment. “Belsavis was never completely pacified. There are vaults, prisons and tombs far beneath the ground where all manner of threats lie. Primeval monsters, advanced droids, ancient Force magic. All of it resides there in the bowels of the earth. You would do well to take an arsenal with you to deal with any potential threats.”

“Now, when you are ready, I have a ship waiting for you. May the Force serve you well.”

Illyria bowed slightly and headed for the landing pad, leading Sumiko. There, because this writer needs to include all the ships from TOR, was a smaller, more modern version of the Fury Class transport.

“It will be a day or so to reach Belsavis,” Illyria commented as they stepped aboard. “We need to make sure we are not followed.”

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Darth Shadow"]


And so off they would go to the cursed snow and ice planet filled with primeval monsters, ancient traps and all sorts of arcane toys. They even had an ancient ship from a bygone era. Well, it was an upgraded, more modernised version! The history of the Galaxy truly proceeded in cycles.


There would always be Sith, Jedi, a Republic or a Galactic Alliance (Senate politics would always be annoying and absurd), the Mandalorians would always claim to be the 'best warriors ever' despite falling extremely short of that claim. There would also be an impractical superweapon, be it a death star or a 2km Sithspawn worm.


"Indeed. I'm trained in stealth and evasion. If need be, if we have to evade dangers on the planet, I can cloak us both," Sumiko said curtly. "What skills do you possess?" This was important because they were going to work together. Also because the Atrisian did not really trust her much. Presumably Sumiko had visited her room before and so she had a duffel bag slung over her shoulder, containing all sorts of goodies. As much as she loved her darkside tricks, experience had taught her not to solely rely on the Force.

 

[Darth Shadow]

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]
Illyria glanced at Sumiko, then away. She looked impassive.
“Less than you, I am still an Apprentice. I possess power over earth and the skills of a Sith Apprentice.”

Illyria really did not seem the sort for small talk.
“Lord Shadow has given us three objectives. One is to find a Rakata puzzle box inside a stasis prison. One is to discover an ancient droid design in deep prisons. One is to uncover a creature described only as ‘Prisoner One’ in the very lowest depths.”

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Darth Shadow"]


Power over earth could be useful. Especially since they'd be spending lots of time in ancient tombs that were no doubt crawling with primeval monstrosities. "I see. I suppose we'll have to take care that we don't get locked into the Rakatan box, yes?" she asked rhetorically. "We shall leave Prisoner One to last, and go for the other two first. I shall go through the data we have on both targets," she decided. In other words, this writer would probably a flip a coin.


Illyria did not seem the talkative sort, but then Sumiko wasn't really a social butterfly either. Unless the job required she act like one. So off they went and presumably boarded the upgraded Fury Class transport, which soon took off into the sky. Care had to be taken to make sure they weren't followed, but soon it had left the cityspace of Denon behind it.

 

[Darth Shadow]

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]
The journey to Belsavis proceeded quietly and smoothly. Illyria and Sumiko, having a little reason to engage with each other, kept to themselves. Illyria spent much of her time meditating and drawing on her power, Sumiko was presumably doing something similar.

When at last they came to the odd world of Belsavis Illyria glanced down at it. The icy wastes were intercut with odd areas of jungle and even more alarming regions of volcanic activity.

With the ship coming down to land, Illyria manned the controls.
“The landing site we have chosen is a hidden cave. We have speeders aboard we can take to the entrance to the deep prisons. There were apparently some Rakata transport stations, but if we cannot operate them then we must travel there manually.”

This amount of dialogue seeming to have exhausted her, she stood and headed to the rear of the ship.

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Darth Shadow"]


And so they landed upon the lovely snow world of Belsavis. Unsurprisingly, it had not changed much over the aeons. The Old Republic, the Galactic Empire and the Omega Protectorate had all sought to tame this world, but without achieving any success. Here and there icy wastes were broken up by jungle and volcanic areas.


All regions of Belsavis had the simple fact in common that they were crawling with monsters, for though the Rakatan had left behind many secrets, they had not been slouches when it came to protecting them. Sumiko had read up on the Great Escape from the Republic's secret prison camp and the release of the theatralically named Dread Masters.


Illyria did not seem the talkative sort. Perhaps some day she could compete with Kaida Taldir. Regardless, she gave the space elf a nod and picked up her equipment. Belsavis was dangerous territory, so she had come fully kitted out and even wore armour, unlike her usual practice. Besides, a bolt pistol was a useful tool to terminate local beasties.



"Good. We'll proceed to the deep prisons to recover the ancient droid first," she decided. The landing ramp of the ship was lowered, and the speeders shot out, making their path through the snow-covered tunnels. Who knew what monsters awaited them here. Well, the GM probably did.

 

[Darth Shadow]

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]
Several times the intrepid explorers were forced to turn back as tunnels had collapsed or were blocked by unmapped hazards.
However, they soon came to a badly overgrown encampment. The only way one could tell that it was artificial was the occasional glint of corroded metal, and the fact that the overgrown walls were in too regular a pattern to be natural.

Illyria dismounted and scaled the rocky slope, sometimes having to go on hands and knees to get over it. As they came to the cave, rocks had fallen to block it.

Extending her hands, Illyria called on her Sciia, and the rocks parted somewhat before her, moving to lean against each other and open a narrow path.

Within a tunnel, dark apart from the occasional golden flicker of light from the far end, they moved. At the far end was a slowly spinning alien device, flickering with light.

“It’s still functional…even after all these years!” Illyria said in astonishment. Producing a datapad she studied it and compared it to the settings on the device.

 

[Darth Libertas]

[member="Darth Shadow"]


And so our intrepid, slightly amoral explorers came across a Rakatan teleportation device after Illyria had put her terramancy to put use and gotten rid of a few rocks obstructing their path. "It is indeed remarkable. Hopefully it won't suddenly lose power or malfunction when we use it," Sumiko said dryly as she approached the slowly spinning alien device. The machine flickered with golden light, providing some illumination in the otherwise very dark tunnel. Stretching out with her powers, Sumiko 'scanned' it by drawing upon her understanding of technomancy.


This, one should add, did not grant her infallible insight into the device, especially since she was not a researcher - and thus would be unable to reverse-engineer this fancy piece of tech, as nice as it would've been. But it gave her enough understanding to know how to make the device work after 'mapping' it. "Come on," she said, and after Illyria had joined her, activated the machine, 'beaming' them up.

 

[Darth Shadow]

[member="Sumiko Tanaka"]
The experience was not unpleasant, but it was a little disorientating. When the light dimmed and Illyria’s eyes stopped smarting, she saw that the chamber they were in was slightly different.
“Amazing,” the Eldorai said, looking at the device. A quick scan of her GPS equivalent confirmed the truth; they’d teleported over twenty kilometres into an underground cavern.

Stepping out they exited into a shallow caldera of an extinct volcano. In the centre, intercut with rock formations was an ancient structure guarded by droids. Despite their antiquity, the four and six legged machines seemed to still be on guard against intruders.

“We can slip through the shadows past them. If they detect us we will have to fight them.”