Private Dark Nest: My Brother's Keeper

[Bo Vuto]

In all his life, Bo Vuto had never known such perfection of sight and sensation as he did now. He had nearly died when the Alliance took Tython and the Dark Empire crumbled like sand beneath his feet. The Alliance decimated his fleet, the Penitent Reprisal severely damaged beyond the repair capabilities of his onboard repair droids. But then the Force provided a miracle. Red lights dominated the rushing starfield of hyperspace as if he had been caught in an interdiction field.

'The Alliance has captured me. It is over.' He thought.

When the starlines stopped his ship had been left to drift in the long dark, their power core forced to shut down to prevent cataclysmic destruction. His fleet's only companion was a dull red sun and a looming organic ship larger than anything he'd ever seen.

The Hive.

All of that had been so long ago, or at least, it felt long ago now that he was apart of the Hive. Time worked differently to them, he'd found after Joining their ilk. He was not the first of his Dark Jedi to succumb, but he was the strongest, his will and rage spreading like a virus throughout the Hive. Now his power had grown to heights that even Darth Solipsis could not have dreamed, or so he felt.

He could see the vast history of the Killik, their truth, their family, their hives and nests. How could he keep his new home safe?

Destroy.

But not all. Some part of him still survived.

Ko. Come to me.

Ko Vuto

 

[Ko Vuto]

Location: Enroute to Malnora
Tag: Bo Vuto

An unfamiliar force tugged at Ko’s psyche. A sensation that he’d never felt before in all his life. It was new, unique yet familial. If his older brother was reaching out to him it had to be beyond the grave, but why? Ko gently raised his digits to rub his textured forehead.

The Kel Dor Jedi knight found himself in the narrow bridge of a corvette traveling with a sector ranger task force to Chiss Space. Ko himself has never gotten to interact with the rather reclusive people. They were good at keeping to themselves and functioned quite autonomously even within the Galactic Alliance's sphere of influence. Something Ko could certainly respect.

Ko was comparatively well suited for the investigation. He’d had some experience doing work as a Jedi investigator, having busted an animal trafficking supply hub on Taris only a year ago. Now his primary duties were as a temple guard. Here his responsibilities could be stretched in that regard given the proximity to the planet of Illum. Extending his purview of safeguarding the Jedi holdings on the world to the surrounding Chiss Space. Culturally too Ko was a good fit to work with the highly organized and regimented Chiss. The Kel Dor Jedi had always been stubbornly traditional. You could take the boy out of The Empire but not the Empire out of the boy.
​

“Something wrong Master Jedi?”

Ko lowered his hand and glanced to his side. The question came from the Sector Ranger Captain that was overseeing this particular task force that Ko was paired with.

“I’m okay, I just feel that more may be uncovered here than just marauders.” Ko replied, so far the leading theory for what was threatening Chiss were Grysk warbands seeking to capitalize on the chaos of the rapidly shifting astrography of The Galaxy. “But we’ll be reaching Malnora soon, hopefully we’ll understand more once we arrive, depending on how open Chiss authorities plan to be.”​

​

 

[Orn'om]

Ko Vuto​

Orno quirked a raven brow at the officer standing in his doorway.

"A Jedi ship? Here?"

The officer stiffened.

"Y-yes sir. A Judicial vessel has docked at the starport." Orno frowned. That wasn't exactly the same as a Jedi ship, but the beat cops of the SIA were known to collaborate with the Jedi on minor law enforcement issues from time to time. But this was deep in Ascendancy space, they had no juristiction here. Maybe they'd heard about their recent problem with "Grysk" attacks. The first had been hard enough to cover up, but several others had left the Ascendancy flatfooted.

"I'll be there shortly."

----

Flanked by two Chiss Warriors, 'Admiral' Orn'om waited at the docking bay as the vessel landed. Wind billowed his light cape and ruffled his white uniform. He'd forgone his regalia, but even still Orno was tall for his species and broad shouldered. Even without the pomp and flair of Chiss military ceramony, he looked an imposing figure with a heavy maser pistol at his hip.

He reigned in his curiosity, opting not to reach out in the Force, diminishing his presence as much as possible. His role as a Nightdragon had to remain a secret.

A pair of Chiss clawcraft screamed overhead, their pilots having escorted the vessel succesfully. The blowbkac of their twin ion engines sent yet another gust up in the hangar, sending dust and debris into the air.

 

[Ko Vuto]

Location: Enroute to Malnora
Tag: Orn'om

The ship creaked and groaned some as it pressed down on its landing gears within the hangar. Followed shortly later by a hiss at the bottom of the ship as a turbo lift lowered down to the hangar floor. Walking out from it was a lone figure. Obscured under a large hood and cloak across his body.

Ko marched towards those meeting him. Each step purposeful and determined. Once reaching an appropriate speaking distance Ko pulled the hood back off his head and revealed his alien features, much of which concealed by his antiox mask, before gently clasping his clawed hands together in front of him.

Respectfully Ko gave the Chiss man a low bow before speaking, his voice coming through the vocablulator built into his mask. “Hello, I am Jedi Knight Ko Vuto. It is an honor to find myself in your prestigious corner of the Galaxy.” The Jedi said, truthfully. Given his own upbringing on Dorin as a proud Imperial Youth, Ko always held the Chiss in high regard.

“I do not mean to intrude, but I am here as an investigator concerning reports of increasing Grysk aggression in the region. A threat to more than just the Chiss. If the reports are as they seem I wish to not just be an investigator, but a collaborator in combating such dangers.” ​

 

[Orn'om]

Orn'om watched the Jedi carefully, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly. The Grysk. An old enemy of the Chiss, they were a manipulative federation of alien client species that worked for the glory of their masters. They had been a thorn in the side of the Chaos region for centuries, but the Chiss had mostly kept them in check until the Brotherhood of the Maw had tainted their stars. Now they seemed to be everywhere, their stolen Path engines making their raiding fleets almost as manueverable as Chiss warships.

They were the perfect scapegoat while the Chiss figured out why and how the Killiks had struck out against the Ascendency.

"Even still," Orn'om started, "The Ascendency is sovereign territory. There were no Alliance personnel in the missing convoy. Why are you really here, Knight Vuto?" He quirked a sharp blue-black brow and his gaze softened as if he had decided something. "We will see soon enough what your true intentions are. For now, the Expansionary Defense Force will answer any questions you have."

Ko Vuto

 

[Ko Vuto]

Location: Malnora
Tag: Orn'om

Once Ko heard the man’s question he straightened he would straighten his posture some. As a Jedi, political borders shouldn’t the end all be all to give aid. Not that he wished to cause a diplomatic incident with his presence here. But he had his reasons for being here, as a Jedi, and as a Vuto. Now he would do his best to answer the Chiss's question.

“Well I’m sure you’re more than aware of the astrological turmoil that has afflicted the galaxy as of late. Borders redrawn, neighbors changing, empires surging in power from the chaos.” Ko began to explain.

“Illum is a significant world to the Jedi, and now given recent events has seen the world now closer to Chiss Space than ever before. So I’m afraid that now a threat to the region is also a threat to Illum, and by extension my order.” Since Ko has taken on the role of a temple guard one could say that he’s still performing such duties in a round about way. Extending his protection not only to the temple grounds on Illum itself, but any surrounding threats as well.

There was however, something more personal for his presence. Something he hadn’t informed his own superiors of yet. A calling through The Force to be here. Part of him knew that he would find a resolution here, and a great test for himself.​

 

[Orn'om]

The galaxy was getting smaller. Illum though, was indeed close to the Chaos. Now it was a hop skip and a jump away with a Sky-walker. Even still, the Jedi was out of his arena. He sniffed.

"Well, I'm sure we can settle any misunderstanding and quell the worries of the Jedi Council. How long will you be staying?" He spoke as he walked, leading the Jedi to a Chiss landspeeder. He opened the door for Ko, gesturing for the Knight to enter. Orn'om needed to get this Jedi off his planet.

 

[Bo Vuto]

The dark of space was his friend. It was nearly silent here, this far from the Nest, but he could never be truly alone. He scanned the bridge of his Injuction-class dreadnaught. It was badly damaged, pulled from the Hive's world when Bo had Joined and realized the potential of the derelict vessel. How an Imperial relic such as this had made it this far into the Unknown Regions, he did not know. There had only been three of the vessels created. The databanks said this one had been named the Lavnarok, its captain having abandoned the vessel at some point. Most of its cargo had been intact, its fighters in mostly good shape. It would form the backbone of their fleet. Now it crawled with the Killik, their various sizes and roles forming the bulk of this vessel's current crew as it underwent repairs.

"Is the fleet ready to jump?" Bo asked.

One of the humans on the bridge turned and nodded. "Yes sir."

"They know their mission. Send them out. Take the world. Spread the Hive."

------

Captain Piek'Nu looked down his nose at the Killik and Joiners that manned his Destroyer. He had not decided to join the Hive, but he could not deny the efficiency of the men and women that had. When the order came down, he suppressed a sigh and pressed a thumb to his captain's chair communicator.

"All hands, prepare for coordinated hyperspace jump to the Malnora system."

From the darkness of the Unknown Regions a fleet jumped from a small world where its sun barely shined. Here, the darkness seemed to swallow itself and fold in, drowning out the light of the Galaxy's distant stars. The Hive was coming.

Ko Vuto

 

[Ko Vuto]

Location: Malnora
Tag: Orn'om

Ko understood well enough that his presence was an unwelcome one. “I’m sure of that as well. As soon as I can provide some reassuring evidence to the council I believe that I'll be summoned back to my previous duties.” Ko replied as he followed the man into the landspeeder. Getting the feeling that his presence wouldn’t be tolerated for too long.

Once inside the vehicle Ko continued, “The Chiss have handled many threats within the region independently, I feel that trend won’t be ending any time soon.” The Kel Dor wondered some that any aid he could give could be unnecessary as a force multiplier.

A moment later a slight tension came over Ko’s body. The sense of trouble on the horizon. The nature of it is still unclear however. Only a growing unease. He didn’t feel he was endangered by the Chiss. Believing they were just as keen on avoiding conflict as much as the Jedi. There had to be something else looming just out of sight. ​

 

[Orn'om]

The landspeeder passed through a tunnel as it traveled along one of the main highways towards the CEDF base casting the interior of the speeder in shadow. Inside that darkness, all of the Chiss' eyes seemed to glow light bright red coals. 'Devil Eyes', some of the Galaxy called it, mainly those traders which came from what the rest of the Galaxy called Wild Space. It was a diverse and lawless place where Orn'om had spent much of his time in his early days of service patrolling for wanted criminals and exploring outside the Chaos.

The shadow of the tunnel passed, and light flooded the vehicle again, though now the shadow of the CEDF base was near, the tall spires and heavy ion cannon defense guns of the base looming over them.

Oddly, two clawcraft roared overhead, their pilots adjusting their course star-ward, their speed picking up as they shifted gear to break atmosphere. Orn'om's eyes narrowed in concern, a feeling of dread creeping its way into his bones. His Sight was trying to tell him something.

They parked in a large garage where more heavily armored troop carriers hovered in place, awaiting service or use. Killik workers moved with practiced movements, skittering and chittering along the hulls of the troop transports, their antennae moving as they communicated among their Hive.

"I am at your full disposal, Knight Vuto. Until your meddling becomes problematic, that is." He nodded and both doors swung up and open, a new set of Chiss Warriors waiting for their arrival. "Before my warriors show you to your quarters for this...extended stay, do you have any questions for me?"

Ko Vuto