Emotions Can be a Fickle Thing

[Garza]

Landing the vessel down upon the moon, Vanahame, I was inspecting what looked to be a rapier of a lightsaber that belonged to the woman who was traveling with us. Inspecting the weapon, I smiled a little under the mask I wore, and handed it back to her.

"That is quite the saber you have there. Not my style, but it suits you."
"Now that we have landed, we need to go and find out more of these incidents."
"Just give us a moment Thalia."

Thalia gave me a huff and a puff, then went to her own room to get suited up. I was already prepared for what we came here for.

We were well out of the reach of the Iron Empire, but I had a contact here who had sent information my way of these incidents. Times when it seemed that people performing research on a crashed vessel that cause any who got close enough to it to literally go insane and start killing others, when they had no prior acts of such violence.

Looking over to Caleag for a moment, I motioned forward for us to go toward the ramp of the vessel. Walking out, I was met with my contact. A scum looking of a man, but he was quite the opposite. Walking out, I came to stand next to him.

"I already paid your fee. Lets make sure everyone is here when we go."
"Thank you. All we are waiting for is Thalia. Caleag, is there anything you need or are you ready?"

[member="Caelag Vass"],

 

[Caelag Vass]

High Colonel, the title both fit and felt foreign to Caelag Vass, almost as foreign as the lightsaber she took back from [member="Atheus"] and clipped to her utility belt. Her new armor, rancor leather and phrik plates, her lightsaber, her title, so much changed so quickly, it was frightening to be fully honest. She actually enjoyed the chance to head out of the Empire, and to spend time tending to a duty where she was once more the one following orders and not one giving them, it was refreshing, relaxing. Atheus seemed to understand that enough..

She slung her X-52 over her shoulder, and after adjusting her knives she picked up the Wo3a blaster rifle that was standard issue for IE troops, the standard kit of weaponry she brought with her on missions. Then, her leather boots padded gently behind Atheus, and she pulled the hood up over her head, having left her helmet behind on the ship. She had no need for it here, so all that hid her eyeless sockets was the metal crown that covered her upper face. As for the bottom, she had a cloth face mask as part of her hood and cape, which she would add whenever she decided she wished to offer some small protection from breathing something foul in.

Glancing at Atheus as he asked her a question, she shook her head. "Nothing, sir. I'm more than prepared, I have plenty of extra clips.. I should be set so long as it remains mostly us at the site. If an army shows up and provides us trouble, i might need an extra knife." A small joke, but a very dry one.

 

[Garza]

Nodding my head at the dry humor, I would have responded with pulling out a knife from one of the many pouches I had on me. However, Thalia came out and sat in the speeder with us. She nodded her head at me as the contact shook his. Putting it into drive, he pressed on the accelerator and off we went. At first it was rather slow getting there. Trying to go through the city and moving out of the city limits. It was quiet for most of the ride out. However, once we were clear from earshot of other people, I then started to ask questions of the contact.

"Any other incidents since our last contact?"
"Two took place. One about a week ago, the other yesterday."
"Yet they still come back."
"Apparently there was supposed to be some relic of the old galaxy before the plague."
"That old?"
"Yeah. Thats why I contacted you instead of thinking it was just something weird in the water."
"Any connections between the incidents?"
"Everyone who had become violent has had a past of some form of mental illness. Be it depression, Anxiety, you name anything remotely considered mental problems, and it attacked them."
"You say it as though it were someone, or something?"
"When they were enraged, it looked like they were completely taken over. No form of reasoning. Just pure savagery."

Nodding my head, I looked over to Thalia and Caleag both and gave them a word of caution before we got any closer.

"Steel your hearts and minds. Try your best to fight whatever it is, but if you feel like you are becoming enraged, let me know. No if, ands, or buts. Got me?"
"Yes dad. Now is there anything else?"
"Mind your tongue or I will make you train harder than ever before when we get home."

She became silent faster than a dead man.

[member="Caelag Vass"],

 

[Caelag Vass]

"You have my word I will try."

Caelag didn't know if she could follow such an order. Fear, anxiety, things she could understand... of the people there she knew she was vulnerable to this, perhaps the most likely to break first. She swallowed, not wishing to admit to them her fears of failure, and her past as a soldier among quite intense moments could make whatever caused this madness to be exceptionally dangerous. Her training in the force was beyond minimal, and she wasn't the greatest in protecting her mind, but she could do this surely.

She rested her weapon on her lap as they drove, otherwise staying silent. She was here to work, even if it was something of a favor. And Atheus was her CO.

[member="Atheus"]

 

[Garza]

After my threat towards my companion and apprentice, Caelag spoke up that she would do what I asked. More so try to do so. I forget where I learned the phrase was from, but I spouted it out for her.

"There is an old phrase that I heard from others who lived before my time. There is no trying. Either you do it, or don't do it."

I let it sink in for a moment for her. And honestly, it was the truest of words spoken. Trying never got anyone anywhere. Doing it did. I understood that. But did she? Either way, my thought was interrupted by the slowing of the vehicle and my contact bring us to park.

"Just through that entrance of the ship there, and you should find them easy enough."
"You don't want to get close?"
"You have your force mojo crap. I don't. Nor do I want to have you stick a saber through me if I turn."
"I'd knock your ass out before I'd do that."
"Not sure if I share the same sentiments, but either way, good luck and may you live in the force."
"May the force be with you...."
"Yeah, whatever you guys say."

Stepping out of the vehicle, I just shook my head with a sly smile at the man's clear cowardice and ignorance of the force. To be fair, he hasn't lived the life I have had so far. Either way, I got out, and flexed my left metal arm before turning it in a round-about motion around my shoulder.

"Thalia, if you can clear everyone out, I don't want one of us to go insane and start attacking people. Caelag, you're on me."

[member="Caelag Vass"],

 

[Caelag Vass]

Caelag shook her head a bit. Atheus's words were, fair, she would say. You did something, or you didn't. But trying wasn't an attempt to say there was a middle ground. It was the act of doing, or not doing, before you knew the outcome. Would she be able to steel her mind, would she not? She had no idea. But hers was not to question him and these words, perhaps later they could attempt a philosophical debate on the matter, but for now there were more pressing concerns to deal with.

She stepped from the speeder, adjusting how her leathers rested about her body, before nodding to Atheus's orders. She lifted the mask up to her nose, covering now her entire face between the mask, hood, and helmet over her eyes. Quite honestly she thought it looked good, the lack of a face suited her she felt. A faceless cog in an endless war machine. Fitting. "I could just shoot a few bolts up, kick up a bit of dirt. Usual routine for sending people away. Unless you'd rather leave it to her."

There was no disgust or intent of saying anything wrong. Though her words were, ill chosen she was a pragmatist when it came to energy expended. Nothing like blasters really could clear out an area. A lightsaber maybe, and they all had one, but it was also useful to keep those until needed.

[member="Atheus"]

 

[Garza]

"Think that through. Someone shows up. Armed, and firing a blaster. They could call local police, or if they have a security detail, they would fire on you. No. We will clear them out peacefully if we can. If not, Thalia can handle herself if someone wants to put up a fight."

Moving my hand to gently adjust the mask on my face, I walked into the ship and reached out with the force. Being a Master of Force Empathy and Consuming the emotions of others, if this relic really did rely on emotions, then it would either be a huge boon of emotions that was powerful enough to possibly overwhelm me, or it was completely void of emotions to the point that I seemed to be sucked into a black hole.

I reached out as Thalia walked into the ship and started to head towards the many other signatures of life. I could feel them all. One of them being force attuned, but no where near force sensitive. Or at least if they were a force user, they were trying to hide it. Shaking my head, I focused on looking for the emotions. Finding where the flow came from.

After a few moments, I couldn't find anything. Instead, I followed after where Thalia had been, and heard her talking to the people there. Telling them to leave as the government was no investigating this site. They were arguing that they wouldn't leave because it was their search. As I came up, I could hear it more clearly.

"I am not leaving. I have been working too hard on looking for this to just give up."
"I am not telling you to give up. I am telling you to leave so that we may investigate to make sure its safe for you guys."
"Oh sure. And if you find anything you will keep it won't you?"
"If what we find is causing the problem, then yes we will take it to prevent other incidents."

The man who was speaking suddenly looked over to me wide eyed as he saw me. Standing well over anyone's height, built like a wall, and with a voice deep and filled with gravel. He looked between the two of us, and just shook his head.

"I have been working on this for years. I can't just back off."
"Make everyone else leave. If you wish to stay and inform us of what you have found, it will aid this investigation, and get us out of your hair."
"I.... Why are you even here? You don't look like the government!'
"I am who they call when things to bump in the night. I am who they call when things go wrong. I am their last, best choice. Now do you want to aid me, or should I call for the government and you won't get a say in it at all?"

The man weighed his options. Shaking his head finally.

"Fine. Everyone get out."

It would take a few moment for Thalia to make sure everyone came out. Till then, I grabbed the man's shoulder and led him over to a chair. The back had broken off, but I sat him down in it.

"Now, you stay here. And we will wait for the rest to leave."

[member="Caelag Vass"],

 

[Caelag Vass]

"It would be effective." She sighed, perhaps she was a bit on edge. Her life had been pretty chaotic as of late, and she was pretty focused on getting things done and taken care of swiftly as possible. Still, he was right, she was focused on taking care of things swiftly rather than managing the situation realistically. She readjusted the blasters strapped to her nervously, not willing to admit she was wrong but making it clear she understood.

She followed behind her CO, or whatever [member="Atheus"] fancied himself, and watched him handle the situation. He certainly had quite the appearance, certainly made his point understood. Perhaps her own outfit, black as night with quite ornate appearing plate metal, and her rather well designed helmet, helped intimidate him. Perhaps not. In either case her place was to question her use but to be of what use she could be. To that end, she spoke and faced Atheus, gesturing to the man lightly. "You want me to stay here and keep an eye on him? Given the reports, it would be preferable to know where he is at all times while it's just us on site."

 

[Garza]

Thalia was slowly herding people out like the flock of sheep they were. To Caelag's question, I nodded my head. As the man sat down, I walked over to the instruments that were placed on tables, and even scanners that had been placed down as they left. Picking one up, I looked over it a moment. These people seemed to be scanning for something, so I decided to bring up the questions.

"You are here searching through this ship for what exactly?"
"Artifacts, or relics of the past. Even historical accounts of why this ship came down."
"Then why so many different scanners?"
"Some are radiation scanners so we make sure that the engines, or any fuel that might be radioactive doesn't harm us. There are a few medical scanners just in case someone gets hurt."
"Keep a watch on him. Eris, make sure no one comes back in. I'm gonna go deeper."
"Don't do that, We haven't tested those areas yet."
"You said this scanner was for radiation, so I will use it and speed up the process."

Walking away, I started to go deeper into the halls of the ship. Being tilted slightly made the ship seemed weird. Reaching from my bet, I grabbed a flashlight and let the bright ten thousand lumens do their work in illuminating the area I played the beam of light against. Walking deeper into the chambers, it was room after room. Not filled with older technology, but it was clear this ship was anywhere from just under a millennium, to a few. The Gulag Plague was almost nine hundred years ago. Shaking my head, I stopped.

Once more, I drew into the force. Looking for any kind of emotional attachment. Still, I couldn't find anything. Speaking to my ally over our ear pieces so that the man in the room with her couldn't hear,

"Caelag, I am going to ask you to do something you might not like. I need you to make the guy angry. Don't cause stupid amounts of pain, but just make him mad at you."

I had an idea, and if it worked, then Caelag might have a fight on her hands like she wanted.

[member="Caelag Vass"],

 

[Caelag Vass]

'Make him mad but don't cause 'stupid' amounts of pain'. How... vague. Still, she felt a little conflicted, sure she wanted to get it done quickly and had suggested what ultimately was a stupid idea to do it faster than playing nice, but it wasn't her usual MO. What had gotten into her.. She sighed and shifted the blaster in her hands, thinking how to get the man upset without really really hurting the guy. She began to walk around the area, looking over some of the results of research this far, before the idea came to her.

She 'accidentally' knocked a table over, spilling the research everywhere. She was careful enough not to destroy the papers but hopefully that would do for angering him, especially as she repeated the process several times with other areas off the little camp, knocking over supplies and their hard work without damaging it, least as much as possible. She knew nothing got people mad like seeing their work broken, their things scattered. Hopefully this man was much the same.

[member="Atheus"]