First Steps

[Heca Foliou]

MAENA​

THE UNIT​

​

So much had enlightened her eyes since that one night when she met her.

The Spider.

A woman, sculptured in muscle and machine, that made Heca know what fear really was. The young woman's skin would grow cold, her heart raced faster, and the hairs on her arm would spike up vertically when even thinking about Matsu. Though with that fear and respect the Foliou gave to the Sith Lady, she was curious and inquisitive of her. Take it more of a frightful thing that rocked someone's core and will, yet found an attractiveness to how peculiar the object or subject was.

And she was ready, with butterflies in her guts, to learn. More nervous and tense than ready, however. Even after the Sorceress spared her life and took her under her wing from that one night, Heca felt quite uneasy. The woman could easily make the Acolyte's existence desist with her hands, or her mind in the blink of an eye. She was very, very afraid to show an element of failure or displease her Master. No doubt that would be inevitable for the young woman. The Foliou did outmatch her in height, a mere two inches, but that was all irrelevant. Same as brute strength. The Spider could easily conquer those that possess grander height, dense muscles, and much more.

The death of her parents brought her anger, hatred, sorrow which melded into a spiritual entity that craved for death and pain of others. An entity that took Heca as its host which then yielded to the emotions of fear and anxiety when meeting Matsu. Especially so when the Sith Lady had told her newest apprentice to meet her in her private labs of the Unit in which she would be guided by a geisha droid.

The stench of fear was strong on the Maenan's person as she walked the clean, sleek, modern halls of the unit that led to Matsu. No doubt the Atrisian could sense the fear and anxiety that reeked from her apprentice. Something that Heca fought to rid of with research on her own, but she would come defeat when trying to put it into practice. She was skeptical and cautious of the geisha as she obviously deducted that these droids served the Xiangu.

The young woman and droid continued to trek the hallways, their footsteps making an echo that was eerie for Heca. She put some distance between herself and the droid, not wanting to be thrown again like the JIANGSHI droid.

[member="Matsu Xiangu"]​

 

[Matsu Xiangu]

She’d stopped spending so much time here lately. The Unit had begun as a pet project and grown in to something far larger, a behemoth that churned out biological weapons and all manner of disgusting things. And Matsu was nothing if not busy already. The New City and Maena as a whole, working to get more of its various civilizations on her side, with the added distraction of the Sith Empire’s endless credits...she’d left this in the capable hands of scientists and doctors she’d hired personally. Each and every one.

But even the most capable hands made mistakes.

The new lung wheezed. The surgeons told her there was damage to the tissues where the old one had collapsed, something about [member="Elpsis Kerrigan-Alcori"]'s fires burning her as the lung gave out. It felt like a tightness, scar tissue in the cavity they told her would relax once she was fully healed. But she knew - just like the fething ticking - it would always be there. She sat in front of a bank of monitors, some flickering where the...thing had passed by, others perfectly normal as people worked nervously. Ever since it had escaped, they’d been on edge.

But Matsu, as always, was perfectly still. The monitor-glow illuminated her eerily pale face, motes of color dancing in the scars and gouges in her skin. They’d mostly fixed the hole Elpsis had created, though not even her team of surgeons could hide it all. Vicious pocks marred that side of her face. Between that and what had...happened after the Sith had evacuated, Matsu now found herself prone to bouts of complete, immobile silence. Just staring.

When the geisha droid walked in she barely registered its hushed whirring, broken from her stupor only by the mental stench of fear that wafted off Heca. The girl hadn’t been on that ship leaving the Acerbitas - she hadn’t been ready, in Matsu’s estimation. And so her face was a welcome reprieve even if the anxiety Matsu induced in her was nauseating. The Lady hated weakness, and unlike so many who saw it as free fuel, it simply sickened her to feel Foliou’s nerves. Even still, she wouldn’t have taken the girl as an apprentice if she didn’t feel something.

And she had ideas.

“Why do you think it is, that you fear me?” Matsu asked without moving from her monitor bank, her back to the girl. She waved the geisha droid away. “You stalk the night, murdering innocents. You dress yourself in ways meant to induce fear in others, are not bothered by something as visceral as taking a life. So why do you fear me?”

[member="Heca Foliou"]​

 

[Heca Foliou]

She shuddered and her muscles jerked for a second before meeting her Master. All from the intoxicating emotions of fear and anxiety that constantly produced from her mind. There was no going back and even if the opportunity presented itself, she would not cower and retreat. A trait of confidence and strength despite her current emotions? Perhaps, but it was really all to preserve her life. Funny to see Heca selfish to continue living while roaming the nights in the form of some ghoulish wraith to reap life.

They had arrived and the Sith Lady has her back facing her apprentice, the colors of the monitors glowing on Matsu’s pale face that was painted with wounds and injuries that made her look far from human. What elements could have made the Sorceress look like this, she wondered. She couldn’t have always bee-

No!

Don’t think, she can sense your thoughts and wonders. She can see your whole entire life; she can literally use your mind against you!

Mantras, useless and futile ones, would be chanted in her head. A poor defense to bar the Atrisian to breach her mind if she wanted to. It was true what they say, the mind is one’s greatest enemy. Could make one believe delusions, or it could be used against its host whether through psychological warfare or picked apart by hands like Matsu.

The Lady then spoke to her apprentice, beckoning the droid to leave them in private. Her question about why she feared her had easy, multiple answers to it; her nightmarish appearance, her power. Though if she were to ask her why she pursued such fiendish hobbies, it’d hard for the young woman to answer correctly. She stalked and killed because something in her demanded it, thus inhabiting Heca and using her as a means to spill death. But did the Foliou enjoy them? An unclear answer, but she wasn’t too bothered by it.

Slow, cautious steps were taken from Heca as she dared to approach her Master. Her anxiety led to have a thumb play with a blood clot on her forearm that was left imprinted from a gangster and his viborblade, though there were many other injuries left on most of her body. All on the same night she crossed paths with Xiangu.

”Yo-“ she tried to speak, finding some courage to give her honest answer to the question. ”Just your-“ again breaking her composure. Irritating for her and Matsu, no doubt. One did not like to have their time wasted in teaching a weak pupil.

She gave up trying to speak, finding another alternative to answer. Her mind.

I fear your presence.​

Her honest answer to the Spider. All of Matsu was what made Heca consumed by fear; since her mind fell victim to her powers. Others shared dreadful experiences compared to Heca, but that was enough for the Maenan to be frightful. Enough to lose appetite, lack sleep, and question her surroundings.

[member="Matsu Xiangu"]​

 

[Matsu Xiangu]

She was never actively listening. For one, it wasn’t practical - too much energy for very little return as others were usually thinking about exceedingly boring things. But more importantly, it was rude.

Even still, time had made her abilities somewhat passive in the sense that feelings and intent filled the room whenever she was with others. While Heca thought of a reply there was a whirlwind of emotions, including revulsion. Matsu found that one particularly interesting. She was sure that there were many who would call her vain considering the clothes she wore and her attitude. But when it came to her beauty, she’d been indifferent. Aware, but not particularly interested. There was interest however, in the way it made others treat her. Before she’d been something of a venus flytrap: beautiful, quiet, clearly dangerous but still welcoming. Now...she wasn’t so sure. Now there was no reason to confuse her with the hope of something good underneath.

All rotten.

The answer however, was a good one. Honest, not boring. Matsu let out one quick exhalation of a laugh, turning her head to look at the young woman after she’d taken her careful steps forward to join the Lady at the bank of monitors.

“One of the first things my Master ever taught me, was to not do something just because you can. Use your talents when they’re needed, but use your wit and words first. Relying on your gifts in the Force first will make you weak. Learn to use them at the right moment will not only maintain your impact in the minds of your enemies, but prevent them from learning too much of what you’re capable of.”

She paused, realizing it was more words than the two of them had ever shared between them. Progress.

“That was my long, teachable way of saying, I’m not reading your mind unless you give me a reason.”

Hmm, how was that for motivation?

She turned back to the monitors, sweeping her hand over the bank of screens. “Something got out,” she said simply, as succinct an explanation of the multiple views of a bloodbath painted through hallways and rooms in the Unit. “You train your staff, you take all precautions...but I suppose the price of near-perfection is that what you make will outsmart those around it.” A sigh as she pulled up a holo of the being - human, once, presumably. “I want you to find it. And I want you to neutralize it. I would prefer it was kept alive, but kill it if you have no other option.”

She rose from her seat, intending to follow behind but mostly watch her student in action. “Go on little hunter. Let’s see what you can really do.” One more sweep of the hand towards the door behind them.

[member="Heca Foliou"]​

 

[Heca Foliou]

That quick laugh of hers, mechanical, surprised the young Sith Acolyte. She honestly didn't know what that meant at all. It amused Matsu somehow, meaning that the answer whether good or bad was comical in a way. She would take it as a good omen, nonetheless.

Wasn't the ability to cause laughter an appreciated trait?

The Foliou finally closed the gap between her and her Master, the two women staring at the bank of monitors. She looked at each one and noticed something foul was happening. She noticed blood painted on the walls and floors, bodies scattered in different angles and were all mauled. The sight of blood and death perked her tongue and mood in general. A lust she had for that, but under the guidance of Mastu, Heca was...tamed and in control. Of course, there was much more practice if the Foliou wished to have dominance over herself and coexist with that Dark entity cradling itself within the Sith.

The Maenan's head then turned to face the Spider's pale, ghoulish face as the Lady spoke. Communication between the two was...odd between them. Mostly because of Heca's fear of the Atrisian, not knowing if Matsu hated or disliked her; but then what would be the whole of training something you hate? No, the girl was simply delusional all thanks to her fears and frights. The Foliou's own dread started to relax a bit after hearing that enlightening lecture from Xiangu. Enlightening in the sense of learning new knowledge and knowing their relationship between the two.

Progress it was, and the girl found herself to be likable to [member="Matsu Xiangu"] at best. They weren't exactly friends; just student and teacher as acquaintances. But that bond could become more in time if they both allowed it.

"I see..." she replied back after that lecture, before moving on.

She continued to listen closely to her mentor, explaining to what had happened. Something, as in an experimented monster, outwitted the staff and created its bloody rampage throughout the decks and halls of Unit. A holo of the subject was presented to her, showing what the doctors and scientist created from what appeared to be human. A random Joe that now caught Matsu's attention from the damage it was causing. It was terrifying, but it didn't come close to Matsu's being.

But the part that caught her off guard was that it appeared that the Sith Lady wished for her student to capture it.

All. By. Herself.​

​

Or from what the Foliou understood anyways.

“Go on little hunter. Let’s see what you can really do." ​

​

And a hand gestured to the door behind them. Oh, there was sure fear in Heca rising again from what she was tasked to do, and she doubt her Master would come on this little adventure with her. But what could she do? She couldn't just deny what her teacher told her to do; she had to do this. Besides she wanted to prove Matsu something. That her 'gamble' on taking Heca under her wing on that night was worth it, and would be rewarded with a diamond from the rough.

The Sith Apprentice walked towards the mentioned door with it sliding up to allow entry into the adjacent hallway it shared. She looked back to glance at the Tiny Titan before walking out of the room.

Lesson one.​

​

And began to walk away from Matsu's office, noticing how quiet and serene the environment was. Symbols that the beast had not come this way to spill blood and death.

 

[Matsu Xiangu]

It was no secret that Matsu tended to form bonds of some kind or another with any of her apprentices that managed to succeed past a certain point. She was not averse to love, or friendship, or adopted family. But she was guarded and selective, burned too many times by failures and weakness.

So for now, Heca was interesting. Promising. And yes, even likable despite Matsu’s urge to kick her whenever she looked nervous.

Matsu however, had every intention of following her out in to the maze-like belly of the Unit. She wasn’t going to help of course - that would be too easy. Or at least, not in any way that would compromise her ability to ascertain what Heca would do given a stressful situation. Matsu wasn’t even sure she could stop the thing alone so...she would at least be kind enough not to let Heca die if she could help it. There was no need to say that out loud though. Nerves were a good motivator.

The hallway that wound out before them curved off to the right, a steadily blaring fluorescent light making it impossible for something to be moving around the corner without throwing a shadow. She trailed behind her apprentice, metal hand absently running along the wall and creating a faintly metallic whine to see if anything shuddered in the light ahead. When they walked around it however there were plenty of people - all of them dead. Right at Matsu’s feet was a woman in security gear ripped in half, her arms reaching as if she’d been trying to drag herself along the floor for the seconds she’d had left. From there a cascade of bodies lay scattered wherever they’d fallen.

Nothing moved.

Emergency lights went bright and faded, went bright and faded, a nearly bored pace as they alerted anyone in the area to the situation. The occasional automated message crackled over internal communications, but the point was not to drown the facility in unnecessary stimuli. In the end though, it made everything more eerie - a detached sense of calm over a scene that should have elicited panic.

From the left, the sound of people running and jostling echoed. Probably close, easy enough to hear. Up and to the right, the sound of loud bangs echoed. Metallic, possibly a vent system. What would instinct tell Heca about the direction to go?

[member="Heca Foliou"]​

 

[Heca Foliou]

She was surprised, yet a bit grateful when she could sense Matsu behind her. While inept and novice in the Force, she had access to one of the most easiest, fundamental abilities such as sensing an aura as her Master's which was powerful and easy to sense. Matsu joining her on this horror journey meant that this task was too dangerous for the Foliou and could result in her death. Not as simple and straightforward as she thought it be, underestimating one of the Unit's diabolical creations. 


A sudden shudder went over the Acolyte, now imagining what if her Mentor didn't come along. Death would be one of those consequences, or Heca in triumph though not without any excruciating wounds. While bringing the death to others was an enjoyable hobby of hers, it was ironic she valued hers the most. Not just her, but that thing that settled itself in the Maenan. Plain elementary; Heca died and that spirit would come along to the grave.


Master and Apprentice walked about the hallway which would turn to the right, fluorescent lights accompanying them to lighten the path. Nothing except Heca and Matsu breathed in this vicinity, and the Atrisian assured that with one of her cybernetic arms scratching the wall's metal surface that created an irritating whine. It annoyed the Sith Acolyte as her eyelids closed, but she said nothing. No doubt the Spider could sense her dislike, however.


Coming around the corner there was a pool of blood with organs and bodies scattered about.


Lovely​

​

A cruel thought came to her when seeing such picture. This didn't disturbed her, she stalked the streets of Maena and killed for feth's sakes. The two women continued their trek, their footwear dirtied with crimson and steered around the bodies at their feet.

They then came to a fork. On the left were noises of running and jostling, echoing off the walls. On the other hand were loud bangs on metal. The young woman would have to make a decision and not take too much time on it. The left most likely contained people and that had its ups and downs. Positive side would that they would have more numbers to their forces against this monster; however, what was bad about it was that this creature would be more attracted to their smell, making it easier for it to hunt. The right shared its reverse pros and cons. 


So what to choose?


Her steps lead the two to the right.


However, Heca was vigilant and high alert with the loud bangs that continued to echo. The same emergency lights continued its same pace of flickering on and off, something that Heca didn’t like. Still they hadn’t encountered any living organism, her guess was that whatever staff was left retreated to the other road she didn’t opt for. The floor they walked on was much cleaner than the one they just passed, their footprints marked with each step they’d take. Fresh ones and there could be possible consequences for that.

Following the loud banging, they arrived to another doorway which opened and revealed a laboratory room, or whatever remnants there was of it. There were tables dedicating to either mixing chemicals, or to study and dissect organisms. There was a glass panel that separated it from the rest with damages into the glass from blaster bolts or slugs. There were other victims littered around, as well as weapons, shattered glass, scientific equipment, and anything else appropriate for this setting.

There were scratches in the walls and some advanced computers as Heca walked around the lab, using her very limited detective skills to find out more what they were up against. A few lights were available as some munitions damaged some of them, making the room dim yet able to see through.

“What exactly is this...Master,” Heca asked to her teacher, a little hesitation on the last word of that sentence as it was still odd for her. She didn’t mean it out of disrespect, just she wasn’t used to call someone else “Master”. However, she acknowledged and surrendered to her position between her and the Sith Lady; more progress between them. In time it would be natural to call [member="Matsu Xiangu"] by that term.

The same banging noise followed them, and it appeared to be in one of the air vents in this room. There was a loose hand near Heca and picked it up with a bit of disdain, disgusted by the cold limb. She grew tired of the noise and threw it at the vent to which was answered back by a surprised shock. Leftovers of the staff, no doubt.

“Show yourselves,” the Foliou demanded to the newcomers. They obeyed, and made for the entryway to get out of the vents and face both Heca and Matsu.

___________________________________________​

​

It was fortunate that the two females didn’t choose the left path. Though that fortune would come dry. The running and jostling they heard came from security personnel and doctors together running from the beast.

The group together ran out of stamina and breath, especially the doctors. Their only suitable option was to ready themselves for whatever they were running from. Pistols were handed out to the doctors while the security agents remained with their primary weapons.

Red lights were all that they had, though they went on and off in a set rhythm.

The beast itself waited in patience from a distance, calculating its next move. It was smart and brilliant, all evidence showing to the carnage it caused.

Having a plan at last it set itself in position until...

...it struck with precision. The others acted out accordingly to the situation; however, their efforts would be futile all to the last man of the group.

 

[Matsu Xiangu]

Matsu did not like weakness. Or people that hid in ceilings when a creature was on the loose. She’d watched enough horror-holos and Maenan Halloween events to know that monsters loved vents. Ah well, Dawkinsian musings aside, neither of them were most likely paying attention to her unamused expression. She paid good money and made sure these scientist had benefits specifically so they’d put their lives on the line when it came down to it - none of that ‘I don’t get paid enough for this’ bullpoodoo.

She was ruminating.

One of the women clapped a hand over her mouth when she saw what Foliou had thrown at the vent. “That was” (gag) “John,” she said through her fingers, doubling over and trying to contain what would no doubt be a torrent of vomit.

If it came anywhere near Matsu’s pre-season Guvvi couture boots, the woman would join John.

“Then John is even less helpful than you two,” she sighed. “Did it come through here?”

“Yeah, I mean - yes,” said the woman who up until this point had been silent. That was the better of the two, in Matsu’s opinion. “It breached containment in the room next door. We had time to get up in the ceiling and let it pass before it managed to get through the doors.”

Ignoring the obvious problem - that they hadn’t figured out a way to stop it and had instead cowered in the vents - Matsu lifted an eyebrow. “Those doors are meant to contain pentaerythritol tetranitrate explosions or blunt force of up to five thousand pounds. How are you telling me it...got through the doors?”

“It…” the more well-spoken of the two started, swallowing hard before finishing. “...used the guard’s hand. It killed him and then pressed his hand to the palm scanner. We think it was watching us and figuring out how all the systems work.”

It was then that the more nauseous of the pair turned and puked on to one of the computers.

There was a part of Matsu that considered this a scientific breakthrough. They'd stripped the base human of nearly all intelligence in an attempt to regrow the brain in to something programmable. Obviously that had failed - but in that ambition’s place had grown a brain that remained intelligent.

Happier hunting.

Ms. Vomit seemed to have a clearer head on coming up from bodily necessities. “Let me pull up it’s camera feed. We can see through the surgical implants in its eyes. It's meant to help on the battlefield, to direct it to objectives. But we can use it to figure out where it is and what it's doing.” She gave the monitor she'd ejected on to a disgusted dismissal before moving across a bank of computers to pull up the feed she wanted. She beckoned the pair of women over, perhaps too absorbed in the science of it to think of how casually she was behaving towards the woman who employed her.

[member="Heca Foliou"]​

 

[Heca Foliou]

She listened to the dialogue shared between her Master and the Unit’s staff, not daring to chime in as Heca has nothing resourceful to say. All she could do was just listen and try to learn something from this experience that would come useful for her in situations like these for the future or any other kind of scenario where this lesson could aid her. Admittedly, the Foliou imagined lessons with lectures and readings, forcing herself to pick up packs of rocks or having a random subject for her so she can play with its mind. But this was entirely better, and maybe just more exciting at some degree. Of course, she’d probably have second thoughts on the latter when coming into contact with this...thing.

Eyebrows raised when the scientist answered the Sith Lady’s question, concerning about how this subject managed to slip through the doors that was supposed to take a beating from high explosives or significant kinetic impacts. From all this the Sith Apprentice grasped an obvious fact of this creature. It was intelligent and creative, no arguing against. Was this some sort of complete synthetic droid with complex intelligence that just had a bad programming, turning into some sociopathic droid? Or maybe it was organic, abused with experiments and given cybernetics and other implants to amplify its natural abilities.

Whatever it was it needed to be neutralized as soon as possible.

Master and Apprentice walked towards the bank of monitors that Ms. Nauseous gestured them to come, with the more level headed woman that didn’t have bike working up in them. Not many computers were left available after its hardware was destroyed by slugs, blasters, and claws; thankfully, these were and would provide to some use for them. Ms. Vomit began typing and doing other actions with her hand as she was getting the software working to see through the implant of the beast’s eyes.

”And...there,” the woman said as the live feed was brought up to screen.

And what a bad timing it was to pull it up...at least for Ms. Vomit.

There was shouting, yelling, and crying from what they could see. Sounds of firearms too were mixed in the melody of it. Figures dressed in white with others in light armor were in view from the experiment’s eyes. It too produced noises of itself, but weren’t human. They were foreign and mechanical. The lights were dim, making things hard to see unless focused. From what information they gathered there was conflict occurring, and it wasn’t looking bright for the forces of the scientists and security guards. Bodies hit the floor, dead or injured, with blood and tissue flying out in directions. The subject was quick and agile, able to maneuver around its opposition with ease. Heca somewhat underestimated its intelligence, expecting it to strike at someone and maul over its dead body.

Not at all.

It would make an attack, sending a deadly blow to either claim its life or cripple or before swiftly moving to the next target. Impressive, most impressive. ”What other implan-“ and was cut off after Ms. Vomit couldn’t handle it and puked a wave of vomit from her mouth, after the experiment made a violent slash to a guard to its face which disfigured it, carving deep within its face with eyeballs gauges, broken nose, lips scarred with showing teeth. In short, it really wasn’t a pretty image to behold although the Acolyte was calm with watching.

She hoped, ironically, the bile touched her Master’s eloquent boots. Force, they looked appealing. How much did they cost?

”As I was saying, what other implants it has?”

”Many others. We have removed its organic lungs and replaced it with mechanical ones for increased stamina to prolong its use in combat, far greater than a built up human. It’s hand were cut off for cybernetic claws that is coated with different kinds of poisons in each one. Devaronian Blood Poison, and others to induce physical pain and psychological effects to its victims. Both legs from its calves are now cybernetic ones with clawed feet to gift the subject to run faster, and to climb walls and other vertical terrains. Steroids were given too, it six senses, mainly hear and smell have been amplified, and its brain can learn at a fast, efficient rate.”

Speaking of learning at such extreme rates, the experiment now held a scattergun slugthrower in its hands, blowing off its few remaining prey.

”That’s a new trick,” the woman said with a sigh of defeat.

The creature finished off the last man standing, a raging guard that lost his cool and composure. Firing random, inaccurate shots everywhere which made himself pretty easy for the monster to finish off. Shells fired at the guard’s legs, and moving in to slash at his throat, the deep in the man’s organs. ”What staff is left and what other locations are available?”

”Far as I know? We are the last ones with some hopeful members hiding wherever they can. The boiling room, barracks, engineering, chemistry lab, this room, the freezer, and whatever else there is that we have in this quarantined sector; that’s what I can remember from my head. The rest of the Unit has locked us out to prevent the situation from expanding.”

Still watching the live feed all women noticed the experiment sniffing around. It caught a new odor in the air, and it was fresh and clean. It followed the trail until it came across the bloody footprints left behind Heca and Matsu. Intrigued by this discovery it traced the footprints to where they went. Right towards their general direction.

”Oh, feth. We gotta go,” in a voice of silence and fear. Yes, they could retreat from their hunter. The vents or the doors were options. Or they could stand their ground and fight back, testing what they were up against.

”Why not stand and fight? No use in running if it’s just going to sniff you out and eventually kill you,” Heca said and looked to her Master to see what she would say in this matter.

[member="Matsu Xiangu"]​

 

[Matsu Xiangu]

There weren’t many who’d accuse Matsu of flying off the handle too easily. The difficulty in being a Sith’s presence so commonly quoted among the experienced was not knowing at what moment they might explode, what innocent slip of the tongue might press the wrong button. No, the difficulty with Matsu was that she was exceedingly polite - cultured, a woman made by half a decade of service as Coruscant’s Empress, and now the decorum of running multiple successful business ventures. The subtle condescension for those less competent at the game than she was constituted the worst of her most obvious cutting gestures. It was the things she did where no one could see that were more frightening.

How did that woman always get her way?

And yet, where the Guvvi was concerned…

Maybe it was her fault. Perhaps Carnelian-skin and suede couture boots were not the best choice for hunting escaped creatures but this was her apprentice’s task. She was merely here to observe - there should have been no danger to her boots. And yet...there was still that one, perfectly round, perfectly offensively blasphemous droplet of vomit that splashed on to the suede upper of her right boot that stood out with all the gravity of a mic drop.

Her hands clasped loosely in front of her, staring at the boot even as she heard the scientist explain the augmentations she was already aware of. Oh what a shame, such an expensive casualty. The money wasn’t the object of course - Matsu could afford hundreds of pairs of them and still not have made a dent in her many bank accounts. But there was only one pair of these. Oh, the tragedy. Her eyes still hadn’t moved off the boots when the scientist insisted they needed to go.

This was her apprentice’s task to complete, but Matsu wouldn’t let the crime go unanswered. “My apprentice’s assertion that it would be better to end it here is good. You,” she said, pointing at Ms. Vomit, “you will stay down here.” The weight of the mental force that compelled the woman to stay as bait was irresistible, especially in a mind so weak and afraid. She could feel the resistance, the animal instinct that standing still was suicide warring with the alien presence negating its advice. No use.

“Up in to the ceiling,” Matsu said simply, climbing on to the desk and then jumping to wrap her metal hands around part of the ceiling, pushing up the tile to crawl up in to the venting. Sound was muted there save for the thumps of the second scientist who was smart enough to simply follow instructions and not protest about the other woman being left behind.

Just as the last ceiling tile was slipped back in to place behind them, the experiment crawled on all too-long-fours in to the room, its head tilted slightly sideways like an animal better ascertaining the direction of a sound. It considered the rows of desks and crawled over them rather than moving around them once it had caught the sight of Ms. Vomit, almost as it maintaining line of sight were more important than ease of movement. Metal-tipped limbs smashed through computer screens it walked over, glass sprinkling in all directions. It stalked, seemingly confused at least momentarily by something standing completely still instead of running from it. A trap, it wondered?

It paused, an eerie clicking sound echoing from the implants over its eyes as it attempted to scan the room for anything not conventionally visible.

“All you, little hunter,” Matsu said in to Heca’s mind. “Your decisions, your consequences.”

[member="Heca Foliou"]​

 

[Heca Foliou]

It was clear to Heca that her Master spent this time looking at the single drop of bile that ruined such perfect Guvvi boots as the the young Sith looked at her Master. Oh, yes the Foliou absolutely knew that gut wrench when in a situation similar to Matsu's. While the Maenan wasn't her same self from the murder of her parents, there was a few things she continued to harbor from her old life. One persuading the art of perfection, and another is try to always look stunning with gorgeous makeup and beautiful fashion. If there was a stain on any fabric of her clothing or something else that ruined it, it would turn her intestines around in an upsetting way and just be aggressive to anyone that tried to interact with her. That said attitude would wash off until she was in new clothing from her wardrobe and ordering her servants to find the exact clothing, but clean in order to replace the tainted one.

Ridiculous behavior? Probably, but oh well. Heca didn't gave a damn.

But the one that should be giving one was Ms. Vomit. Oh, she was in for it. Heca imagined the scientist would be Force choked, her neck clawed by the Sith Lady's sharp claws, or her mind tortured. Wrong on all three guesses. Instead she would be forced into staying down here, her mind overwhelmed and succumbed to the power of Matsu's own. Some pity was given to her by the Foliou as she knew what it was to be under such spell. At the same time she gave praise to it, and it inspired her to reach at such levels of prowess.

And then the Acolyte was alone with Miss Vomit standing still as bait for the experiment as Matsu and the other scientist hid themselves in the ceiling.

Oh feth. Hide!

To which she did, finding cover behind metal desks far from where Ms. Vomit stood. Few mere seconds later and the beast came inside the room, not hiding its appearance as the Foliou could hear the metal clank clank of its limbs crawling on the floor. The Sith tried to peak out as best as she could to get a glimpse of this experiment, while not giving away her position. Hands were over her mouth, trying to calm her breathing as little drops of sweat started to pour from her forehead.

“All you, little hunter,” ​

​

Your decisions, your consequences.”​

​

Hearing the words from her Master via telepathically.

What do I do?

She evaluated her skills and imagined what she could use to her defense. She had her wit and limited knowledge of the Force, yet not even a blaster to use. Just scientific hardware and equipment scattered across. Her ears were vigilant as she had not heard the experiment attack Ms. Vomit, but it began to climb over tables and smash through computer screens, the sound of glass sprinkling over the floor.

Click click click

The hell could that be? Heca wondered. She had to do something soon. Otherwise, the creature would just find her eventually and leave her dead like the others. For this she had to think creatively, outside the box. She then remember of the bile from Madam Nauseous and set her mind to it. She grasped a decent volume of it, telekinetically, suspending it from the floor with some disgusting chunks falling down. The creature heard and its head jerked to where it came from, crawling towards it. Its eye implants clicked again, observing it while showing disgust for the smell of it. And then splash the vomit was thrown at the face of it, falling down on its back in a shriek of surprise. But then it retorted back in anger, roaring and yelling as it was offended wiping off his face from the vomit. Heca used this moment to crawl discreetly to another desk, establishing herself and then using the Force once again to fling a keyboard at the experiment from behind. A computer screen would be far from her league, but this would do. It hit the thing squarely in the back, turning around to face its attacker with its implants searching.

So far, so...good? She was surviving, yes; but her efforts in attacking the creature were inferior.

I need a gun

Or at least something sharp with a point.

[member="Matsu Xiangu"]​