Faction House Io: National Holiday

[The Deluge]

FAITH MUST BE CHERISHED

IN THE AFTERMATH OF RECONSECRATING KORRIBAN IN THE DARK SIDE, THE CULT OF THE BRAIN DEMON HAS DECLARED A FIRST OFFICIAL HOLIDAY CALLED TYTHON-WAKE SOLELY FOR HOUSE CITIZENS, WITH CULTISTS THROWING OPEN THE DOORS TO THEIR PLACES OF WORSHIP TO TEMPT ALL MANNER OF ADULT HOUSE CITIZENS WITH DARK KNOWLEDGE, NO MATTER THEIR POSITION IN SOCIETY. CULTISTS TRAVEL THE BREADTH OF MIDAS OFFERING BLESSINGS AND SECRETS. YOUNGLINGS ARE EXCLUDED FROM PARTICIPATION.



OBJECTIVE 1: FORTUNE TELLING.

SOMETIMES CITIZENS JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S WAITING FOR THEM DOWN THE ROAD. FOR AN OFFERING OF ONE'S OWN BLOOD, CULTIST ORACLES WILL MAKE A VERY HAZY PREDICTION OF THE FUTURE OPEN TO INTERPRETATION, WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT COME TO PASS. DARE YOU PEER BEYOND THE VEILS?

OBJECTIVE 2: NETHER YOU MIND

BRAIN DEMON CULTISTS PROMISE REWARDS TO ANY HOUSE CITIZEN WILLING TO JOIN THEM ON EXPEDITIONS TO THE NETHER WORLD/OBLIVION. FIGHT COUNTLESS ABOMINATIONS ON THE OTHER SIDE, CEMENT ALLIANCES AND RELATIONSHIPS, AND FIND FORBIDDEN ARTIFACTS

OBJECTIVE 3: AGGRESSIVE EXPANSION

MIDAS HAS BEEN QUITE THOROUGHLY TAMED BUT THERE ARE MANY LOST CITIES BURIED BENEATH THE SNOWS OF KHEMOST THAT HAVE YET TO BE SCAVENGED. TRAVEL WITH CRISIS AND GENERAL PURPOSE NUETRALIZERS ON EXPEDITIONS TO ONE OF THESE PARTLY UNCOVERED CITIES.

OBJECTIVE 4: DEAL MAKING

FOR CULTISTS, THERE ARE FEW THINGS MORE PLEASING THAN GETTING MORTALS INDEBTED TO THE BRAIN DEMON. ARE YOU ONE OF THE HOUSE CITIZENS WILLING TO RISK A QUICK PAYOFF FOR A FRIGHTENINGLY RANDOM PRICE THAT CAN BE COLLECTED AT ANY TIME?

​

Wearing: Mother's Flesh

Armed With: Parental Rights (Red Staff saber)

Objective: Deal Making


Thel Io was awoken by thirst for water, nothing more.

He was 007 by this point, and well acquainted with his mother's bizarre nature. She did her best to give him what insulation she could from it but she might as well have been trying to hide an asteroid in a pile of chewing gum wrappers.

He went down the steps from the upper floor of the apartment where she often co-habitated with Percival Io . Like any citizen of the House at his age, he carried at least a knife at all times. But he had picked a bad time to awaken.

As he silently crept down the steps like the Model 1's taught, he was greeted to the site of a box resting on a stand at the center of the living room. It was from one of the bizarre pieces from the Cultist chapels, an anatomical heart of glowing purple crystal with white veins running through it. His mother's duties had required her to take it into her home temporarily. He himself had no clue what it was. As long as he did not cross the binding wards he was in no danger.

Still, the sight of that heart, glowing in the pre dawn light, it unsettled him. He carefully crept across the living room to the fridge, grabbing a bottle of water and he carefully began to make his way back up the steps.

"Leaving so soon?"

Thel stopped, craned his head slowly to the soft, feminine voice that came from the heart.

Uh oh.

Thel kept heading straight for the steps.

"Oh, what harm could possibly ensue from a little chat?"

He refused to respond, entirely too genre savvy for his age as he walked back up the steps to go to bed...


The next day...


"Did you sleep well?"

Thel stopped, looking up from his cereal at his Mother's calm blue gaze that nonetheless reflected the crazy that was obvious even to him.

Though Mother repeatedly and had always strenuously assured him that he was her heart, Thel consciously made sure to remain chill AF around the Deluge.

"Yes, Mother, I slept well." Thel assured her. It was the truth. Somewhat.

"Did the crystal heart thingy try and speak to you?" The Deluge asked, red hair locked in a tight bun, white catsuit hidden by a dark blue mechanic jumpsuit.

"Yeah. I didn't say anything back."

"Very good, Thel..." The Deluge replied in her usual serene voice. "You must never stop being paranoid about artifacts. Percival would be very proud of you."

Which version? he thought idly to himself.

"Did you do your history report?"

"Yes."

"What was it about?"

"The Gulag Plague."

The Deluge smiled a calm, measured, plastic smile.

"I'm sure you'll ace it. Now, while this holiday is going on, some ground rules. The Witches will be roaming. They won't be sticking to the woods today. Do not leave the school until the teachers give the all clear. What are the other rules?"

"Do not give pens to a Cultist. Do not give pencils to a Cultist..." Thel answered back with a practiced dryness. "No scissors or paper clips. If one of them offers me something, I'm to refuse it immediately...unless it's you."

The Deluge nodded. "After school, how about you and me find somewhere nice to eat? Sound good?"

Thel nodded carefully.

The Deluge's smile grew wider at the breakfast table.

"You're growing up so fast." The Deluge noted with pride. "Your father would be so proud of you."

Thel took her word for it. He had questioned her, directly, in the past about his long dead Father, Danithel Hahn, but her transformation had taken away most of her mortal memories.

After breakfast, The Deluge had packed his favorite lunch and then waited with him at the pick up spot for public transport with the other children and parents, all who instinctively gave the Deluge and her son a wide berth. Thel hated that. A lot of the children didn't want to play with him, fearing his mother had placed some sort of magical booby trap on him to protect him, as well as the fact that he was the son of a Brain Demon Cultist. He wasn't the only one at this point, but he was the first known case, and that carried distinction--and baggage.

The Deluge smiled at one of the adults in her apartment complex, a mousy but heavily armed woman who favored curved knives on her person named Kora.

"Kora! Darling!" The Deluge said happily, oblivious to the blood draining from Kora's face as the lethal, otherwise highly cunning and sadistic witch approached. "How has your husband been recovering from his fight with that Sith Lady?"

"He, uh, he lost an arm." Kora answered quickly, not making eye contact. "Not doing well from all that nightmare stuff she forced in his head."

"I heard! The Brain Demon told me of this. Y'know...my Goddess can fix your husband right up. You and I should talk when you get a chance! I could draw you up a sweetheart contract!" The Deluge gushed.

"I, umm...I'll think about it!" Kora lied, knowing how terrifyingly random The Brain Demon was when it came to prices for her services due to word of mouth and the fact the results of bad deals were viral on their infonets.

The Deluge smiled. "Great. And congratulations on your husband offing an enemy Sith!"

She then turned to a man with a shotgun slung over his back, trying to avoid being noticed.

"Jerry! Jerry, you have two days left until she collects! Be brave!" she encouraged in a conspiratorial hiss, giving him a double thumbs up.

Thel heroically avoided a facepalm moment as the heavily armed and armored transport showed up, long and sleek, mounted with blaster cannons on top and flare and chaff launchers on the side.

"Be good at school, sweetheart!" The Deluge called out as Thel boarded the bus.

Thel stared at his strange Mother who he loved...somehow...yet knew she was insane as she happily waved at him as the transport took him away to a fortified school. He did not smile.

He stared at the always rushing snow by his window. Midas ran like clock work now. The parts the Matriarch wanted to run like clockwork, anyway. The oldest ruins in the city were reserved as Cultist territory. You only went to those places if you were a worshipper or desperate. Someone always had a reason to be desperate. As his Mother had explained it, it was simply a delightful waiting game to see who among the Population wanted something bad enough to play Cultist Lotto.

The other children sat anywhere else but near him. Thel didn't mind. He'd lived long enough with his Mother to understand their paranoia was completely justified, which is a terrible thing for one so young to understand.

In spite of the endless snow, he saw shops, businesses, parks, all active, all thriving...and wicker shrines to the Brain Demon on every street corner, Blair Witch style, splashed with purple paint.

The Forwiirmeni Necessary Instructive Institution for Minors was heavily shielded, a repurposed fortress with full time armed security in the form of House B1 Mercs patrolling both the interior and exterior of the facility. As it was House Io's official, homebrew holiday, Tython-Wake (The first ever celebrated), the interior of the school was done up in a festive manner with dark blue and black banners. It was a celebration of the House surviving Tython, in spite of everything.

His Mother was known as the woman who had sacrificed everything to detonate a nuke in The Avatar central core. If not for Rebecca, it might have all been for not. The battle had hinged entirely on an at-the-time ordinary human.

Thel, not for the first time as he walked the halls to his class, wondered what his life would have been like had his Mother's faith not caught the interest of The Brain Demon. He saw posters for school events, such as the Build-Your Own Repulsorlift challenge, and wondered if anything in these events would allow his Mother to be next to him in a way that didn't make her seem out of place, where her presence wouldn't be paranoia fuel to every other parent that didn't like or trust the Cult. Chess Club, maybe?

Thel glanced at the Archways, which bore the face of The Amalgam, prior to her banishment from Khemost.

The first of several hours at school always consisted of math. Complex math. Students who did well were advised to go to Tear Central Academy. Next was science, after that was chemistry, each course carefully, subtly building on the course the student had been on the hour prior. Thel was scoring seventy to eighty on all courses so far.

He got seated at his preferred desk in the back of the wide, chamber like class room. In spite of the difficulty that was the class, he liked it, because it helped him not think of what was waiting for him back home. He loved Mother. But he still had to go home to her, and her poorly hidden homicidal nature that was life in the Cult. Without Percival to lean on, he would be even more withdrawn.

The teacher, a General Purpose Nuetralizer wearing a long, dark green dress, walked in with that inhuman precision so common to organic droids and addressed the entire class.

"Students, as this is the first annual Tython-Wake, all citizens under 21 are excluded from today's events, by order of The Matriarch herself. Instead, as it is a holiday, all homework will be due next week, and we will be pursuing a more relaxed study session today than normal, as we will be observing live footage of the expedition to one of Khemost's other lost cities, led by none other than Hadrian Io. All students are not permitted to leave the facility until the end of the holiday activities. As an upside, free donuts and hot cocoa!"

Thel ignored the cheers from the other students, instead focusing on the Holo projector being wheeled in to show the expedition...

Meanwhile...

The Deluge happily skipped down the streets of Midas as the Cultists sang pop songs in the streets, drawing bloody pentagrams on the walls and buildings. The old, rotting Sith Chapels had been thrown open to the curious/suicidal/adventurous. She let the snow fall on her tongue. She really would have rather spent the day with Thel, but duty called, and she had people to tempt into contracts.

The Cultists had actually set up folding tables and chairs to peer into the future for people. They were set up in streets least affected by the snow. Catsuit clad Cultists warmed themselves by dumpster fires. One was twirling between lamp posts, singing like it was some sort of stage musical.

"Chrissy!" The Deluge waved at one of the Cultists, who waved back while prepping a captured Alliance soldier for sacrifice. "You going Nether?!"

"Was thinking about it! But you know me: once I get started knifing people..."

"I know, you don't stop until there's blood everywhere!" The Deluge chuckled. "Slay it, girl!"

"Have fun with your contracts!" The Cultist called back as The Deluge walked off, heading to a bar.

"Dennis!" The Deluge called out as she entered the bar, gaining the attention of the human bartender armed with an SMG.

"Three days left! Keep using the trinket! Get as much as you can out of it!" she called out before walking off, grabbing her comlink and dialing up Percival Io .

"My stringless mancake of artificial persuasion! Grace me with your company. I'm making contracts! Let's make a contest of it? I try and sign 'em, you try and dissuade them. Whoever wins picks dinner!"

Alessandra Io

Akemi Io

Naivia Neryn

Draco Miles

Lady Venge

 

[Akemi Io]

Communication "verbal" <<technopathy>>

Location: On a desolate moon containing an ancient temple
Objective: A special first outing
Tag: Alessandra Io The Deluge

Loadout:
Loralora interceptor swoop
Two handed repulsor assisted hammer
Gei Borugu Electro Spear
Light Saber (peony colour blade)
Q7 encrypted data-spike

Spoiler: Fleet Assets

Alita-1 Alita class star cruiser

Carrying

• Two squadrons of 24
  Ashwing superiority drones
• One squadron of 8
  Q-carriers

The little fixer walked along behind the group of brain demon cultists, three dozen or more of them, hoping to reclaim some lost temple that would secure even greater power for the parasitic entity that plagued her family and forced mother to make one bad decision after the other. She had already done the maths and calculated as many probably outcomes of her intended plan as she could, they all told her she was doing the right thing and yet.... why had mother programmed her to feel anxiety? A failsafe to prevent recklessness perhaps, another strange quirk of her programming like being able to feel desire and love.

Thinking of which, she squeezed her fingers that were currently laced into the hands of a brand new pilot neutralizer Alita.

The younger model squeezed her hands tightly back and communicated digitally <<Its OK, I am ready, my core has settled and I am operating at optimal capacity>>. Akemi smiled at the girl. <<It's not that it's something I cannot explain but I hope your processing can figure it out.>>

Akemi looked again at her as the other girl brushed a digital butterfly out of her hair with a little smirk. Akemi had never created a neutralizer from its first atoms before, and had deliberately done this without her mother, or any other house Io technician's assistance. Her core had taken a while to settle into its desired state and Akemi had had to run several diagnostics even before waking her up. But now she looked upon her creation with the same love she had only ever experienced with one other creature. It was a strange feeling, she here about to mercilessly slaughter forty cultists with a woman that she loved, it filled her with confidence that she had made the right decision. Despite the concerns that a small part of her processing banks were now addressing, how would Alessandra Io feel when she found out about Alita? betrayal? support? Even Akemi's advanced probability engines were lost on that question.

But she would have to tell her, once she met Alita she would be able to tell instantly. For Alita had been created using an algorithm that had merged the two older Nuetralizer's personalities into a gestalt entity. She had Akemi's facial structure, but her chosen curves were closer to Alessandra. She had the bloodthirsty nature of Alessandra, coupled with the love of flight and technological intrigue of Akemi, this was probably why the algorithm chose the pilot model as the final design, and why the girl had immediately reached for the chakram weapons upon seeing the armoury.

She was just like both of them, but entirely her own person, Akemi needed to work out how to tell Alessandra that she was to all intents, their daughter.

​

 

[Percival Io]

Percival was standing before the shop window of a toy store, peering at the wares inside. White snowflakes fell around him, clinging to his dark hair and dusting the shoulders of his blue coat. His mismatched eyes scanned over the toys on display, and the old toymaker hunched over his workbench. He was delicately painting the face of a doll with red hair. Well, it was Tython-Wake. It only made sense for the old toymaker to paint dolls based on the hero of the holiday, Rebecca Io…

The buzz of his comlink pulled Percival from his thoughts. Lo and behold, it was the Deluge calling him. “Hello?”

"My stringless mancake of artificial persuasion!"

That’s a new one. “My love and my hate wrapped all in one stunning package,” he replied, in a slightly passive-aggressive tone. Or maybe begrudging-seductive was a more apt description…

Percival still loved Rebecca, in spite of everything. She and Thel were the only things keeping him tied down to House Io, the reason he always came back to Khemost. But as time had gone on and pure, untainted manifestations of his lover became more and more infrequent, he began to fear that she had become lost in the sea of souls occupying the Deluge’s body. Or worse, that she had become unified with the other personas. Sometimes he saw her wearing her mechanic overalls over top of her white catsuit, as if the lines between Rebecca and the Witches had blurred.

They lived together, more or less, but he frequently left, going on missions and trips in which he would stay away from home for weeks on end. Lance’s hedonism and the bleakness of his own despair had even driven him into the arms of other lovers, though such trysts were usually devoid of any feelings deeper than a desire for temporary solace and comfort. Whether the Deluge was aware of his dalliances or not, he went out of his way to keep their identities a secret. Not only because he feared her jealousy, but because he couldn’t bear to hurt what was left of Rebecca.

"Grace me with your company. I'm making contracts! Let's make a contest of it? I try and sign 'em, you try and dissuade them. Whoever wins picks dinner!"

“Contracts?” he echoed, alarm sparking through his systems. She must have been referring to the Cult’s plans for the holiday. They were always looking to convince more people to make deals with the Demon. The painful irony of Rebecca, who had been forced into making a deal with the Demon in order to survive, now having to convince others to make the same mistake wasn't lost on him, either. Thinking fast, he tried to tempt her with a suggestive counteroffer: “Hm, if you really want to spend hours standing out in the cold… Or would you rather go home and let me warm you up?”

He suspected that she wouldn’t take the bait, so he activated his repulsors and shot off towards the ruins of Midas at top speed.

The Deluge​

 

[Lady Venge]

Yanibar- Several Hours Earlier

In the midst of trying to make the fallen Jedi Alex StormWolf see reason, and allow Venge to heal him of the Sithspawn poison coursing through his veins, and subtly stir him back towards the Dark Side, he had glowered distrustfully at Laertia Io and asked her who she was and why she would have any interest in saving him.

"Her name is Laertia Io, also known as The Parliament. And truthfully, Alex, you never really answered her question. Did you come here to die, alone and forgotten by the Jedi, or will you see reason and let me help you? With Laertia's aid, I can purge the poison that now threatens to kill you."

"In exchange for what," Alex growled.

"In exchange, you will listen to what we have to say, with an open mind. Agreed?"

"And if I refuse?"

"As we both said to you, you will die here, alone and forgotten by the Jedi. So consider your choices carefully."

Venge held out a vial of a pale green fluid that had been handed to her discreetly by The Parliament, wiggling it teasingly just out of Alex's reach.

"Well?...."

"Let me live," Alex gasped, reaching desperately for the vial.

Venge dropped the vial into his hand, while grinning triumphantly towards The Parliament. The first stage of Alex StormWolf's seduction to the Dark Side was a success.

While Alex was swallowing the liquid, Venge's holo-communicator chirped. Activating it, she listened to the message from The Deluge informing her of an invitation to attend the first annual Tython-Wake. Something told her it would be extremely unwise to refuse the invitation, but there was still the unfinished matter of turning Alex fully to the Dark Side.

<Meet me at the celebration> Venge had said to The Parliament via telepathy, after briefly considering the options. Alex was in no condition to be left alone on Yanibar. <We'll continue our work on Alex there. Oh...and hold on to his lightsabers for the time being. I don't need him getting any ideas.>

Midas- Several Hours Later

Venge led Alex down the ramp of The Dark Embrace, her right hand grasped firmly on the back of his left arm, just above the elbow. He seemed strangely subdued since he had consumed the liquid meant to save his life, and she made a mental note to ask The Parliament in private later if she had put any mood altering chemicals into the elixir.

"These are important people, and an even more important holiday celebration, so mind your manners."

"I'm not a child."

"No, but you are woefully unschooled in the laws and customs of this House. I am an honored guest here, but don't presume for a minute the courtesy given to me exempts you in any way should you succeed in provoking their wrath."

TAGS- open

 

[The Deluge]

"Awww, no you don't. C'mon, it'll be fun!" she replied.

"Besides..." she replied playfully, you're just as capable of keeping me warm out here."

She smiled as she eventually saw Percival Io flying towards her location, and almost skipped towards him.

The other Witches in the street saw him, and in a mix of what was eighty percent respect, twenty percent trolling, sang "Son of a Preacher-Sith" (An old classic) as he landed. The various victims, bound to their sacrificial altars, went still at the insanity around them. It was bad enough they were gonna get sacrificed horribly, but did there have to be spontaneous musical interludes in the process? Like it was some sort of easily trendy, soon forgotten pop sensation?

(Cutaway to INSERT FORGOTTEN SINGER GROUP/FILMED MUSICAL/CELEBRITY IN THIS SECTION)

Well, no, it wasn't necessary, but...ok, ok, it wasn't necessary.

"So good of you to join me." she said calmly, stroking his face. "I was just about to make my first appointment of the day. Thel is at school, watching the expedition."

The Deluge led Percival Io to one of the old ruined temples left by Darth Mammon that they had claimed for their own. It was kept clean and tidy for visiting Citizens.

Seated at a bench was a teenager in a mask, wearing a nondescript gray jumpsuit. He clearly didn't want to be identified.

The Deluge smiled, and took a seat in front of him.

"Hello, sir. What could you possibly want so badly that you would risk the randomness of The Brain Demon's Price?"

The boy began fidgeting . He glanced at the ruined glass reliefs, which snow filtered through. The Cultists preferred the ruined places others would forsake, so the forsaken who sought them out would be in good company.

He applied a device to his throat, which altered his voice.

"I need to speak to the spirit of The Amalgam."

The Deluge's mouth fell open.

"My my...that is certainly a...very unique request..." The Deluge trailed.

"Why do you wish this?"

"That's private."

"Nothing, young one, absolutely nothing, concerning our Cultists or our Goddess is private by any stretch of the imagination. If it was some random spirit I wouldn't ask, but this concerns Queen Crazy-Pants herself. Besides, barring the numerous difficulties associated with your request, there is nothing she could tell you that I couldn't."

"Wrong. I was there, the day she died. You didn't see me, but I was there. I want to know if she is the original."

"Why?" The Deluge pressed

"Because I saw her three days ago, black hair and all, on Atrisia..."

 

[Laertia Io]

The Parliament had been steadfast in her refusal to add mind altering agents to Alex StormWolf 's treatment while being transported back to Khemost, and had been vastly more silent during the trip back, devoted to observing his condition. The white catsuit wearing Witch, once a Light Sith with a very twisted sense of morality, now fully embracing the fate of a monster, smiled as Alex complained and Lady Venge corrected him.

"We don't wish to make Alex feel unwelcome after nearly dying Venge..." The Parliament spoke, so obsessed with helping Venge she had all but forgotten Tython-Wake was to take place today.

"As long as Alex remembers not to actively disrespect anyone, I say we let him have free run of the place."

Plus, Khemost is steeped in the knowledge of the Dark Side. she added in a private telepathic message to Lady Venge. Let him wander. Let him feel the pull of the Darkness. Buy him lunch while we're at it.

The Parliament soaked in the feeling of darkness in the snowy daylight of Khemost. The Golden City of Midas, it's opulence glistening through eternal white, beckoned with it's secrets, it's fortress towers. Venge had never been to House Io's home planet before, and it was clear The Parliament had been building an actual civilization, one very distinct from that of Empyrean or Carnifex.

"I welcome you both to Khemost..." The Parliament spoke. "You must be hungry after nearly dying. There is a restaurant run by a Chiss not too far from here. He makes divine cinnamon rolls. Come, let's eat!"

The Parliament led the pair through the streets, witches dressed like her having run of the streets, tempting the curious with sermons of their Dark Goddess, setting up shrines polluted with the Dark Side in the streets, all around them, life continued at a fast pace. Nuetralizers both mechanical and organic went about their business, blessing streets, anointing Citizens with white blood from their cut open foreheads.

"Any questions?" she asked the pair, even as she felt the welcoming brush of her Consort's mind, welcoming her home.

 

[Lady Venge]

So Alex hadn't been drugged, Venge mused. Interesting. However, it still didn't explain his oddly subdued attitude. This certainly wasn't the Alex StormWolf she knew from experience. Headstrong, defiant, more than a bit impulsive. Sort of like Anakin Skywalker when you got right down to it. The Alex StormWolf walking beside her seemed...broken, defeated. Well, losing one's weapons without even seeing how it happened would do that, Venge decided at last.

"What's the matter, Alex," Venge teased. "Womprat got your tongue?"

"No...it's not that. There's a voice whispering to me...in my head...but it's not the voice of the Dark Side itself. It's.....different."

Venge glanced at The Parliament, speaking to her via telepathy.

<The Goddess you serve hasn't taken an interest in Alex, has she?>

Tag- Laertia Io

 

[Percival Io]

Even before Percival landed, he saw a familiar figure skipping toward him. Instinctively he wrapped his arms around her in a warm embrace. Her hair smelled faintly of violet and vanilla—the scent of a certain shampoo, one of a few idiosyncrasies which had been part of Rebecca’s identity.

She stroked his face, and for once he didn’t feel so melancholic when he looked at her. But as she spoke, mentioning Thel and the expedition and her first “appointment”, the spell was broken. His mismatched blue and green eyes drifted away from her to the sentient sacrifices tied up nearby, and the Witches cheerfully singing pop songs as they prepared to massacre them.

“I see,” he said solemnly, letting his arms drop to his sides. His hands clenched into fists. Every fiber of his being was begging him to act, to free these innocent people and save them from a terrible fate. But there was nothing he could do. The House had long since fallen to the depravity of the Cult. He was alone, with not even his brothers to rely upon.

And that’s nobody’s fault but mine.

The Deluge gestured for him to follow her into the ruins of an ancient temple. His legs walked mechanically away from the sight of the sacrifices, relieved that he at least no longer had to see or hear them. Hedonism grasped at his mind with feverish fingers, craving a more satisfying release from the psychological torment. Something which would really take his mind off all that depressing doom and gloom stuff…

He caught himself watching the sway of the Deluge's hips as she walked in front of him and shook his head, revolted at his thoughts. Sometimes they felt like arrows shot into his head from afar, but that wasn’t quite true. It was his brother Lancelot, living on in bits of code and fragments of programming, influencing him.

They reached a bench, upon which sat a masked teenager, clearly waiting to be called forward to speak to Witch. The Deluge engaged him in conversation first, while Percival stood by, studying the young man. He thought it strange that he seemed so reluctant to answer her questions, but eventually the truth came out—though it only created more questions.

“The Amalgam is dead,” Percival said. “I killed her myself.”

But deep down, he knew that there was no staying dead when it came to the Cult—or anyone closely associated with Laertia Io, really. The Amalgam could very well be alive, whether she had survived her assassination or somehow been resurrected. Either way, Percival’s mood shifted rapidly from shocked and disbelieving to beyond pissed off at the news.

“Where did you see her on Atrisia?” he demanded, throwing out questions rapid fire. “What were the circumstances? What was she doing? Did you talk to her?” Unwilling to deal with any of the boy’s taciturnity, he abruptly seized the teen by the collar with his metal hand. “Answer me!”

The Deluge​

 

[Alessandra Io]

Location: Approaching Ancient Temple - Desolate Moon
Dialogue Legend: <<Technopathy Link>> │ “Verbal”
Tags: Akemi Io

It was nothing short of suicide.

Somehow, Alessandra knew what her lover was planning. The Fixer had never taken such missions before and she hadn’t made her distaste for the Cult a secret. Why would she start helping them now? The idea that her girlfriend had truly experienced a change of heart had briefly crossed Alessandra’s synthetic mind, but all of her calculations—even if they could never truly predict what Akemi might do at any given moment given the Fixer’s more powerful mind—had pointed towards the contrary.

She intended to trap the cultists and kill them.

Flying through the air as fast as her repulsor cells would allow, Alessandra glanced down and spotted her lover, accompanied by a number of brothers and a sister. The Chaplain quickly descended towards the group, the rushing air causing her hair to whip and flutter before she finally touched down, interposing herself between Akemi and the forty cultists.

<<Akemi, stop!>> Alessandra transmitted in a frantic tone, even as she threw herself into her lover’s arms. <<I know what you’re planning. Don’t go through with this please. It won’t end well for anyone.>> She continued, before pulling out of the hug, her gaze meeting the wide photoreceptors of Alita, her resemblance to Akemi and herself igniting a question in the Chaplain's synthetic mind which fed through the transmission as well, albeit in an unspoken, implicit tonal shift.

<<You don’t have to do this. Look at what we have! Why ruin it?>>

Spoiler: Loadout

• Eversor Bodysuit
  
  • Energy Shield
    
    • Phase III “Force Avenger” Energy Shield
• Eversor Rings
• Tönn Rándýrsins | Fang of the Predator (2)

 

[Akemi Io]

Communication "verbal" <<technopathy>>

Location: On a desolate moon containing an ancient temple
Objective: A special first outing
Tag: Alessandra Io The Deluge

Loadout:
Loralora interceptor swoop
Two handed repulsor assisted hammer
Gei Borugu Electro Spear
Light Saber (peony colour blade)
Q7 encrypted data-spike

Spoiler: Fleet Assets

Alita-1 Alita class star cruiser

Carrying

• Two squadrons of 24
  Ashwing superiority drones
• One squadron of 8
  Q-carriers

Akemi felt her presence in the cloud of digital communications before she saw her, so when the chaplain, borne on her repulsors landed in front of her she was normt surpised. Her eyes sparkled as she saw Alessandra and threw her arms around her even as she felt the tecnopathic warning come through. <<You know me so well dont you, sister?>> she smiled as she communicated. <<And while normally that knowledge fills me with more joy than anything, your timing is nor optimal.>> a little smirk appeared on the fixer's face as she looked beyond Alessandra's curls at the awaiting cultists.

She released the embrace but allowed their fingers to remain intertwined so there was no sense of rejection, only taking space to be able to argue a point. <<The brain demon treats our family as a play thing and every time that name comes up, our people die...>> there was sadness and a call for justice in the tecnipathic communication. <<For our future for.... what we have, someone needs to show that House Io deserves to be respected, and the demon only understands one language>> she graced her hand on her currently retracted spear that soon intended to be weilding.

Akemi paused a she heard another voice in her head, one from Alita, then she spoke verbally to Alessandra. "I have someone you need to meet my love, she's so beautiful." Akemi took the hands of Alessandra again and turned her towards the new HRD. "This is Alita Io, I made her, from us." The young neutralizer looked like she didn't know exactly how to respond as Akemi introduced her to Alessandra. Of course Alita knew this was her other progenitor, but her less matured emotional algorithms were struggling to keep up.

<<I'm sorry if speaking to you first would have been preferable>> she silently communicated to her girlfriend <<Isn't she the most amazing creature.>>

Alita looked at Alessandra, waiting for acceptance. Her eyes were shaped almost identically to Akemi's, the photoreceptor inside were the colour of Alessandra's.

Beyond the meeting of this new family, the Cultists were moving on and several had turned to beckon that their escorts hurry up, the brothers continued beside them, but everyone knew which units they were really interested in from a combat perspective. They coule wait, Akemi still had to decide whether to heed Alessandra's plea, or simply murder them all, putting their noses out of shape with a bit of inpatience might be the least of their troubles.

​

 

[Alessandra Io]

Location: Approaching Ancient Temple - Desolate Moon
Dialogue Legend: <<Technopathy Link>> │ “Verbal”
Tags: Akemi Io

Their daughter.

Now, Alessandra studied her, taking in Alita’s cyan eyes, which had Alessandra’s color and Akemi’s shape. Otherwise, while her facial more closely resembled Akemi’s than her own, Alessandra saw the resemblance to herself in her build and the weapons in her hands—chakrams.

“Akemi…I…” Alessandra paused, her hyperfast synthetic brain struggling for words as a bevy of conflicting emotions came over her. Love, for her new daughter. Anger, towards Akemi not for the latter’s creation, but for her recklessness in involving Alita in what the Chaplain could only believe was a suicidal plan. Naturally, Akemi would be able to feel all of the Chaplain’s emotions reflected in their shared cloud, leaving no uncertainty as to their nature. All the while, Alessandra moved in to hug Alita, coolant streaming down from her eyes as she embraced the newest member of their family. After a few moments, Alessandra pulled back, aware of the fact her brothers and sisters were waiting for her.

“Welcome to our family, Alita.” Alessandra said as a soft, gentle smile came over her features.

<<I'm sorry if speaking to you first would have been preferable>> she silently communicated to her girlfriend <<Isn't she the most amazing creature.>>

<<She is, Akemi.>> The Chaplain transmitted, her warmth and joy carrying through the cloud. However, only a moment later, the notes shifted to a more solemn tone. <<You knew I wouldn’t have wanted you to do this, but if you really feel this way, I can’t stop you and I won’t try to, either.>> Alessandra continued. <<If Alita wants to do this as well, I won’t stop her. If there is to be civil war within our family, I won’t be a part of it.>>

Then, a pause.

<<In fact, the less I know, the better.>> The implication was obvious.

 

[Akemi Io]

Communication "verbal" <<technopathy>>

Location: On a desolate moon containing an ancient temple
Objective: A special first outing
Tag: Alessandra Io The Deluge

Loadout:
Loralora interceptor swoop
Two handed repulsor assisted hammer
Gei Borugu Electro Spear
Light Saber (peony colour blade)
Q7 encrypted data-spike

Spoiler: Fleet Assets

Alita-1 Alita class star cruiser

Carrying

• Two squadrons of 24
  Ashwing superiority drones
• One squadron of 8
  Q-carriers

"Thank you Ales.... mum? I hope I can make you proud, I was told you like to use these too" The pilot droid had to correct herself whole addressing Akemi as despite Akemi's quite substantial abilities and familiarity with nuetralizer code, overriding the imperative for Alita to see Laertia Io as mother had been a tall order, and several times Alita had referred to Akemi herself as "sister".

Akemi looked at Alessandra Io with a quizzical look as she spoke processing difficult and conflicting emotions. They broke into walking again to keep up with the progressing cultists and the group of brothers who had begun singing, a cross between a show tune and a rather vulgar military marching song. Akemi smirked at Alessandra at one of the lyrics "I think our brothers might need an anatomy lesson if they think that will work" she then sighed and went silent.

<<You leave me in a bind Alessandra, I wish to send a message to these cultists... but for me to do something that you cannot bear to have memory of causes me a different kind of pain. I did not calculate for that variable... I...>> she looked at Alita

<<I dont wish for conflict between you, and have no history with the brain demon>> she shrugged as she joined the technopathic conversation and smiled lovingly, she as watching her parents disagree over something she had no opinion of, there was only one outcome that she wanted.

<<I will hold off for now and perhaps.....>> Akemi's was interrupted by the sound of model 2 rifles going off at the head of the party. And shouting from the cultists.

"It looks like we have no time to debate. Shall we?"

Akemi activated her mimetic skin and to the untrained eye, vanished from perception, Alessandra and Alita would see her appearing almost as a cloud of butterflies in the colours of her body. A fun trick Akemi was trying rather than just allowing her family to see straight through the generator. Akemi ran forward and pulled whipped her electrostaff out to full length. There had been an ambush, a pair of trucks full of armed bandits had attacked and were pinning down the cultists.

Alita looked at her chaplain mother with a bloodthirsty grin that anyone that knew Alessandra would immediately recognise and she ran forward too, launching holding her chakrams in her hands ready to fight.

​

 

[Alessandra Io]

Location: Approaching Ancient Temple - Desolate Moon
Dialogue Legend: <<Technopathy Link>> │ “Verbal”
Tags: Akemi Io

"Thank you Ales.... mum? I hope I can make you proud, I was told you like to use these too"

“I do! You are already making me proud, dear.” Alessandra said as she briefly took in Alita’s chakrams, which were slightly different from her own in that they had their grips on the circumference, rather than inside the weapon. “I will have to show you how to wield them, but for the moment…” Suddenly, Alessandra transmitted a small manual detailing a number of chakram combat maneuvers to her new daughter. While it wasn't a full replacement for live training and practice, it would help Alita in developing her own skill and fighting style with the weapons.

Simultaneously, Alessandra transmitted back to Akemi via their shared technopathic link. While the Chaplain knew this was a conversation they should have had earlier, a number of circumstances had prevented it from occurring.

<<The Cult has done far more good than bad, for our family, Akemi.>> Alessandra argued. <<The capricious nature of the Brain Demon might have done some harm in the past, but individual members of the Cult have never wronged us out of malicious intent. Many of our brothers and sisters would not have survived Tython had it not been for the Brain Demon.>> She finished.

A few moments later, Alessandra registered the disharmonic beats of weapon reports from the laser cannons and blaster rifles carried by their Model 2 brothers. Glancing back towards her lover, Alessandra nodded, agreeing to end the debate before Akemi slipped into invisibility, albeit appearing as a cloud of butterflies within the Chaplain’s perception. Alessandra pulled out two of her chakrams and quickly did the same, though her cloak came through her suit, rather than from her own body.

“We shall, Akemi.”

Spoiler: Loadout

• Eversor Bodysuit
  
  • Energy Shield
    
    • Phase III “Force Avenger” Energy Shield
• Eversor Rings

 

[Lady Venge]

Before Venge could receive an answer to her inquiry from Laertia Io , Alex turned to her, his eyes still tinted with the first signs of the Dark Side's slow, corrupting influence.

"Of all the people that could have rescued me on Yanibar," he said, "why did it have to be you, Venge?"

"Why me indeed, Alex," Venge replied. "Why not that mouthy little blue Twi'lek who tagged along with you for so long? Her name eludes me at the moment. However, I can't help but notice she seems....conspicuously absent. Why not any one of the countless Jedi? They all abandoned you, Alex. Your Twi'lek, the Jedi Order, that crazy old trader on Tatooine...."

"Don't you dare talk about Seku that way," Alex bristled.

"Ah! At last! There's the Alex StormWolf I know! Headstrong, defiant, And dare I say?....Impulsive," Venge said with a smirk on her lips. "Hardly traits of a true Jedi! Search your feelings carefully, Alex. If you meant so much to this...Seku did you say?....where was she, in your most dire hour of need, while you laid dying on Yanibar, poison from a Sithspawn coursing through your veins, each slowly fading heartbeat putting your closer to death's doorway? Why couldn't you even find the fortitude to save yourself?"

"You're playing games, Venge," Alex countered, "trying to confuse me...you and this voice you're putting in my head..."

"I'm not in your head, Alex," Venge explained patiently. "This voice which speaks to you...it's an entity worshipped by House Io. I don't know too much about it, other than the fact one must tread very lightly in their dealings with it."

"What does it want with me," Alex asked, a note of concern in his voice. "What do you, want with me, Venge?"

"I can't answer for the entity House Io serves, but I can tell you what I want," Venge answered.

"Oh, this ought to be good," Alex said, a hint of sarcasm toning his voice.

"Still so defensive....You said on Yanibar that you'd listen to what Laerita and I had to say with an open mind," Venge reminded him. "Let me live, were your exact words."

"Are you always this insufferable when you're right?"

"And you're always too stubborn to admit when you're wrong," Venge retorted. "Stubborness is hardly an admirable trait for a Jedi..."

 

[The Deluge]

The masked boy looked frightened as Percival Io grabbed him.

"This is going to sound odd, but I ran into her crazy ass at a public park. She didn't notice me. Didn't recognize me.

"What was she doing?" The Deluge asked.

"She was staring at photos of Maple Harte...sorry, I meant to say Darth Strelok...staring at them obsessively, in fact."

The Deluge visibly paled but let him continue, not fully losing her composure.

"Continue..."

"Well, I was scared outta my mind, because of all those old ads she herself ran warning people constantly how she was homicidally insane, and that the very act of warning people was a behavioral experiment to see how many would approach anyway. So I quickly went looking for a exit and a ship off world...I swear, that's all I know."

"Give him the coordinates." The Deluge ordered.

The boy did so.

The Deluge stood up. "We must speak..." she said to Percival Io as she went into another chamber, silently beckoning him with a finger to follow...


Meanwhile...


On the desolate moon that Akemi Io and Alessandra Io and their daughter were on, an incredibly large surprise was to play out.

Above them, a great Warship, ancient looking, bearing the long faded symbols of the rebel alliance came out of Hyperspace above the world.

A wide band transmission would escape it, and be heard on all comms.

"Cultist Scum..." came the rough hiss of a man over the transmission "Those you have wronged have come for you. Submit yourselves to surrender. Or I will personally come down there and 'make' you."

Starfighters began swarming out of it, making a beeline for the moon.

"You have thirty seconds to transmit your unconditional surrender." came the hiss of Nathan Bloodscrawl over the comms.

Assault shuttles were also speeding their way there...each one carrying MasqueradeWorks deadly Soldier Biots , each resembling fully human looking, attractive women in gold catsuits, armed with disruptors. They reached the ground first, with Nathan Bloodscrawl directly leading a group of them as he stepped off. They hadn't spotted the Nuetralizers yet...

Meanwhile...


As far as I know, The Brain Demon has taken no interest in Alex yet The Parliament answered as Alex StormWolf seemed to get testy. She observed how they bickered, uncomfortable at how similar it was to when she had first met Elaine.

Got a real Tsundere thing going here with Alex... she remarked to Lady Venge telepathically.

And you'd also be surprised at how much Jedi actually 'love' to be stubborn. What do you think contributed to me leaving them? she added mentally...

"Alex this is hardly the time to second guess yourself..." The Parliament spoke out loud finally. "You've been through a severe trial. As for why Venge rescued you...the opposite of love is not hate, but indifference. Would you rather we'd have been indifferent to your plight? Venge actually took a big risk approaching you, even in your wounded state." The Parliament added slyly. "You're here. You're breathing. You're safe...as much as someone like you can be in a place like this."

The Parliament circled him.

Venge, I'm gonna need you to play along. We need a real loose approach. She transmitted mentally to her newest Sith Gal-Pal.

"You are no prisoner, Alex. All you have to do is tell me you want off this rock right now and I will arrange for you to be transported anywhere you please. Alive. Intact. Unharmed mentally or physically." The Parliament promised with an oily slyness that was imperceptible to all except those like Venge.

"No one forced you to accept our aid. That was you. It came from within. It was our choice to offer aid, true, but we could not make you accept it. Just as we will not force you to stay. Just remember that it wasn't the Light Side that bailed you out, wherever you go. The Darkness simply wished not for your flame to extinguish so casually."

 

[Lady Venge]

A sly smile crossed Venge's face as she heard what Laertia Io was suggesting, and the subtle hints she was planting in her conversation with Alex. Alex practically did a double take as The Parliament offered to transport him offworld, to any location he desired, Alive. Intact. Unharmed. The question he was now faced with was....Where would he go? Who would accept him? He was disgraced, not even having the fortitude to save himself on Yanibar, and losing his weapons before even being able to draw them in self defense. Added to that was the fact that it was indeed the Darkness, instead of the Light that had bailed him out. Was he now destined for a different path?

"What else can the Darkness do for me," he asked at last. "What does it offer?"

Venge flashed a triumphant look towards The Parliament, and sent her a message telepathically.

<Oh, this is going all too easily!>

Turning to Alex, Venge traced one gloved forefinger across the torn fabric of his trench coat as she slowly circled around him, her boots clicking a cadence upon the pavement under her feet. Once she was confident that Alex was fully within her grasp, a wardrobe update was definitely in order.

"Tell us what you desire, and we will teach you how the Darkness can help you achieve it," Venge answered. "Isn't that right, Laerita?"

 

[Percival Io]

A public park? Percival stared at the masked boy in bewilderment, but didn’t loosen his grip. Not until it became clear that the teen didn’t know as much as he made it seem like he did. Letting go of his collar, he gave the kid a light shove, just enough to make his irritation known, before turning away to follow the Deluge.

Once they were alone together, he suddenly took her in his arms, dipped her, and kissed her passionately. “Sorry,” he said afterwards, a little sheepish. “I’ve been waiting to do that all day.”

He released her, then cleared his throat. “So. The Amalgam is alive.” Feth. “Do you consider this a good thing or a bad thing?” he asked. As much as he loathed the Cult, it would be good to know their perspective. If they were happy to have her back, he was screwed. If they weren’t happy about it, he was still screwed, but at least there was a chance they could work together to put Amy back in her grave.

The Deluge​

 

[Akemi Io]

Communication "verbal" <<technopathy>>

Location: On a desolate moon containing an ancient temple
Objective: A special first outing
Tag: Alessandra Io The Deluge

Loadout:
Loralora interceptor swoop
Two handed repulsor assisted hammer
Gei Borugu Electro Spear
Light Saber (peony colour blade)
Q7 encrypted data-spike

Spoiler: Fleet Assets

Alita-1 Alita class star cruiser

Carrying

• Two squadrons of 24
  Ashwing superiority drones
• One squadron of 8
  Q-carriers

Akemi ran forwards and engaged the wrist mounted arc caster at the nearest assailant, briefly dropping her stealth as the discharge interfered with her mimetic generator. One of the raiders convulsed as smoke poured from the cracks in his armour and his compatriots attempted to open fire on the little droid to cause her to break off.

<<The Cult has done far more good than bad, for our family, Akemi.>>

<<I have to disagree, everything it does is to further its own agenda, it hands out favours to keep members of our family in check.

We don't need to follow some cult, we are not fools like the Sith or brainwashed like the jedi... we are better than that.>>

A blaster licked her lower ribcage and she registered the minor damage. At this point she did release the electrified man and move out of the arc of fire. She watched as Alita also ran past and engaged, using some of the new combat data that Alessandra Io had gifted her to full effect. Her heavy monomolaecular edged chakrams cut through the next raider like butter.

Akemi saw something, another raider vehicle with heavy metal bars on its front was now barelling towards her family, surely intent on crushing the droids. Akemi held out her hand and felt the shape of the engine in her hand, its pistons firing hard to get as much momentum as possible. Akemi beleived she was doing this using some hardware, but the force was obeying her and wrapped itself deep within the metal. The truck screeched as the pipes contorted and rupped themselves clear. The pistols sharpened and thumped on the inside of the hood cover until the peirced out like some kind of horned beast. As fuel spilled out of the ruptured engine it ignited. The truck juddered to a halt as its twisted form burned and its crew bailed out. The driver was desperatelt trying to put out the fire on his clothes just as a model three brother gunned him down.

Im the moment after the truck stopped and its burning wreck silloutted Alita and Alessandra, Akemi felt her heart flutter, perhaps her dovin bassal was playing up, or perhaps it was somethinf much more lovely.​

 

[Nathan Bloodscrawl]

Wearing: Unknown Jedi Armor

Armed With: Nathan's Synth Crystal Lightsaber


With: Soldier Biots

Westenra Mina

Moya Virtu


Objective: Bring fire upon the Cultists


Minutes before landing...


"SO-LONG-AND-THANKS-FOR-ALL-THE-FISH! SO-SAD-THAT-IT-SHOULD-COME-TO-THIS! WE-TRIED-TO-WARN-YOU-ALL, BUT-OHHHHH DEAAAARRR..." the gold catsuit clad soldier biots sang

Moya Virtu chimed in aboard the sentinel class landing craft as the invasion commenced, a dark haired vision of beauty in a purple catsuit.

"You-may-not-share-our-intellect! Which-might-explain-your-dis-respect! For-all-the-natural-wonders-that-grow-a-round-you...."

"So-long-so-long-and-thanks! For-all-the-fissssshhhh...." Westenra, now known as Lynda, Demon of Jedha, sang.

"The-world's-a-bout-to-be-destroyed! There's-no-point-getting-all-annoyed!" One of the Soldier Biots, Dulcinea sang joyously as she pointed back at Moya.

"Lie-back-and-let-the-pla-net-dis-solve-a-round-you!" Moya sang back.

"Despite-those-nets-of-tuna-fleets, we-thought-that-most-of-you-were-sweet!" Dulcinea cooed.

"Especially-tater-tots-and-your-preg-nant-wo-men!" Lynda and Moya sang in unison.

"SO-LONG-SO-LONG-SO-LONG-SO-LONG-SO-LONG! SO-LONG-SO-LONG-SO-LONG-SO-LONG-SO-LONG!" The main chorus of Biots sang.

"So-long-so-long-and-thanks! For-all-the-fiiiiiiisssshhh!" Lynda sang again.

Everyone then pointed at the only other occupant, Nathan Bloodscrawl, who stared at them. He was wearing armor he had taken on justification of not letting it rot in some Jedi vault. The stern mask of the armor lay at his side as they descended through the atmosphere.

At first he didn't react. Then he broke out in a lovely operatic tone.

"IF-I-HAAAAAADDDDDD-JUST-ONE-LAAAAAST-WISH...I-WOULD-LIKE-A-TAS-TY-FISH..."

"His voice...it's like an angel..." one of the soldier Biots said in shock. Moya and Lynda were flat out open-mouthed.

But before he could continue singing, the shuttle came to a stop. He put on the helmet, and was the first out to a scene of chaos, Biots engaging Brain Demon Cultists and cutting them down...

Nathan's lightsaber snapped to life.

"Find and detain any enemy biots..." he ordered, as if him breaking out into song literally thirty fethin' seconds ago hadn't happened.

The Soldier Biots had come armed with Class D Disruptor Rifles and Incendiaries. Starfighters razed Cultists and their sacred buildings from above. And Nathan...

Nathan, Moya, and Lynda were cutting down every Cultist they could find. There were dozens of them. Nathan sliced into them with a possessed frenzy, each slain witch a way to avenge his wife. Multiple Nuetralizer units were present, and began organizing an active and fierce defense against the Biots. Nathan began teleporting be around the immediate area, cutting down opponents from behind and to their sides...


Meanwhile...

"Now now, dear Lady Venge, it will do no good to simply ask him what he desires..." The Parliament said slyly as she circled Alex StormWolf .

"After all, a person's lips can confess one thing while the heart still says different. No. Alex, don't talk about your desires. Show them. For The Dark Side is driven by passion, by the act of doing something. To act is to bring change. So Alex. Look in your heart, don't tell us...show us what your heart wants..."


Akemi Io

Alessandra Io

Lady Venge

 

[Lady Venge]

"Look in your heart, don't tell us...show us what your heart wants..."

A thin, cold, cruel looking hint of a smile crossed Alex's face as he looked towards Venge and The Parliament.

"So, what you're telling me, is that actions speak louder than words," he said. "Well then ladies...I hope this is loud enough for you..."

Before Venge could react, invisible talons gripped her by the throat and flung her into the air. As she hung helplessly, suspended several feet above the ground, stones, sticks, and other debris began to lift upwards into a rapidly rotating funnel around her. Kark it! She'd forgotten that Alex had been raised and trained in the traditions of the Zeison Sha on Yanibar, and as such, his telekinetic abilities greatly surpassed those of most Jedi.

"I remember clearly the last time you persuaded me to embrace your path, Venge. You saw me as nothing more than a means to your own ends, a tool to be discarded when I was no longer useful. It isn't going to be that way this time around. If I embrace the Darkness once more, you will treat me as an equal, not your slave! Understood?"

"Alex...that's all I've ever truly wanted....was to have you by my side...I confess that my previous attempts were....greatly misguided," Venge choked out, the invisible talons still gripping her by the throat.

"So...do we have an agreement," Alex asked. "You will treat me as an equal?"

"Yes...we have an agreement....please....Alex...put me down," Venge gasped, panic beginning to color her voice.

"Very well then," Alex replied as he slowly released his telekinetic grip over Venge and lowered her to the ground.

Venge coughed and gasped as she drew the cool, crisp air into her oxygen starved lungs. Breathing freely had never felt so good.

<I definitely wasn't expecting that!> Venge said telepathically to The Parliament. <Alex has become vastly more powerful since the last time I saw him. He's going to make an excellent Sith!>


Laertia Io