Technological Terror
Objective I: The Last Ember
Equipment: Himself
Tags: OPEN
For his part, Helix had done what he always did: break off and look for stragglers. His fleet detachment had already found and annihilated several Tof vessels; their crews hauled off in chains and their plunder filling his holds. Small baubles, but valuable all the same.
Most crucially, the Privateers had managed to capture several specimens alive, including a few of the rarely-seen Tof females. Whether these individuals were more clever than the rest in escaping notice from the larger Sith forces around, or simply more devious, it all suited his purposes. Helix had a few ideas of his own on how to make improvements to their structure.
That was what he did, after all. He improved on nature's crude designs, hammered its bent and flawed shapes into more focused and productive directions. He had uses for such mindless brute strength, but after the Sith had annihilated their species, he would rear their radically-altered descendants toward his own goals.
After all, slavery at the genetic level was the best kind. Helix had created many species with his own two hands, reshaped the delicate strands of organic code personally. The new Tofs (he had yet to decide on a name) would be so much more... utilitarian.
For the moment, though, the latest vessel had been ready for them. Whether his previous victims had managed a distress signal, or whether these were simply more hardened warriors, he didn't know.
It had helped them little enough, early on. Their engines had gone first, in the traditional first strike favored by skilled pirates the galaxy over. Then came the boarding parties, metallic tendrils sliding through the various rents and tears in the enemy hulls.
"Sir, preliminary scans show a large concentration of organic life near the lower prow of the vessel. We believe they were relocated after the engines were destroyed." Whined a yellow-striped infantry droid. Helix regarded the lieutenant thoughtfully. That was interesting. The Tof were a prideful people, not exactly known for retreat.
"Very good. I think this one might be worth a personal investigation. Encircle that compartment. Intact, if you please. Kill anything else aboard."
Helix dispersed his form, wisping through the decks of his vessel as a barely-visible cloud of individual particles. He scurried through the hangar and out into the void, reforming himself into the same multi-legged vermiform he found so useful in traversing unusual areas.
Helix's trip down the starship-scale stun tentacles that held the enemy ship was a swift one, and soon he found himself within the vessel.
Fighting was still going on in several of the lower decks, most concentrated around the area where the scans had lit up so vibrantly. Helix's curiosity deepened. That boded ill for the Toffs. Being the target of curiosity from Helix was infinitely more dangerous than being the target of his rare displeasure...
