Malice and Maladi

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Amara Zarides"]


Time seemed to slow. Amara found herself caught between a rock and a hard place as Enyo towered above her. Purple blade in her grasp, the cyborg advanced towards her wayward sister. "Resistance is futile. You will see the light...once your mind has been purified." One thing was certain: Brainwashed Enyo was a lot more talkative. Perhaps her programming had given her a penchant for melodrama and unnecessarily dramatic lines.


Then Amara used the last two weapons in her arsenal: Words and empathy. Enyo winced when she felt the mental power touch her mind. The iron door was still there, but there was a crack in it...and Amara's empathy slipped into it.


Enyo's grotesque features, mutilated by bullets and ion rounds, twisted into a grimace. She looked conflicted, caught between her programming and memories of happier times. Amawa awakening in the cloning tube, their time training together, Enyo vowing to always protect her.


"Amara," she spoke haltingly. She would have breathed...but she no longer breathed. The blonde clone on the floor said she loved her. It felt like a warm caress. "Sister..." Enyo no longer had a human body, but she still felt. "No. I will nort hurt her." That was in response to Vess.

 

[Amara Zarides]

[member="Enyo Typhos"]
Vess’ head tilted to the side. “You have sustained damage. This will be fixed. Initiate standby protocols. I will dispose of the organics.”
Enyo had been partly successful, but clearly Archangel needed to work a bit more on keeping their creation leashed.

Dispassionately, Vess drew her blaster and aimed at Amara as she lay there helpless.
“Enyo, don’t let her kill me! Please help me! I love you!” she pleaded. Through the chink in the durasteel vault she reached out with the Force. ‘Please help me!’

This was it, the final choice.

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Amara Zarides"]


"Command...," time seemed to slow, "overridden." There, she's said it. Vess took aim with her blaster, and Enyo snapped. "No!" and she grabbed the HRD's arm, seizing it with her powerful grip. With a body made of phrik, Enyo had a strength that matched that of an HRD.


Throw in the Force, Dark Side rage and newly discovered love for her sister and she was a freaking tank. The shot went wide, and the HRD's arm was thrown from its sockets as Enyo quite literally ripped it off. She would proceed to beat the droid with it!

 

[Amara Zarides]

[member="Enyo Typhos"]
Amara was understandably in a lot of pain, but she still managed to get to her knees to watch the show.
Vess however, was not taking even the loss of an arm lying down. She drew from her belt with her one remaining arm and prime it. Whatever it was wouldn’t be good for Enyo or her!

Calling on the Force she was able to create a telekinetic block on the droid’s finger depressing the button on top. She wouldn’t be able to hold her for long though.
“Enyo…the device! Stop…her…pressing!” she called to her sister.
Enyo would be able to either physically or with the Force stop the detonator more easily than Amara.

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Amara Zarides"]


Two things happened: Firstly, mechu-deru energies surged through Vess' remaining hand. For just a brief moment, she lost control over her fingers, as Enyo assumed direct control over them. An alien will willed Vess to open up her hand and drop the device to the ground, before she could resume her attempt to activate it.


Secondly, Enyo began to use the arm she was holding in her hand to club Vess. The cyborg beat the HRD. Again and again and again. There was no droid precision here, no cold blooded calculation, just bloodthirsty, mad rage. To put it plainly, Enyo had been pushed too far, so she snapped. She ignored everything and everyone else.

 

[Amara Zarides]

[member="Enyo Typhos"]
Whilst Enyo applied a savage beatdown to Vess, Amara snatched up the fallen detonator and disabled it safely. Finally, when Vess’ phrik bones were cracked, the organic covering flayed away, and the light dead in the droid’s eyes, Amara stepped forward.

“Enyo…it’s alright…she’s deactivated. Thank you…but we need to go…in case other droids come.”
She was gritting her teeth from the pain, and the flow of blood down her cheek was an endless drip.

She reached out with her good hand to touch Enyo’s shoulder. Hesitant, like a person not knowing if the animal is going to purr or bite.

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Amara Zarides"]


Enyo was deaf to her sister's words. Instead of heeding them, she kept beating the by now deactivated HRD. Again and again and again. It was a grisly sight. By the time Amara touched her sister's shoulder, the robot's once flawless face was a total mess of broken metal, circuitry and torn skin.


Enyo almost jumped when the gentle hand was laid upon her shoulder. Still in the throes of rage, she spun, holding the robot's arm like a weapon...before she realised who was trying to get her attention. She would have breathed in...but she no longer breathed.


"I'm...I'm sorry. I hurt you. I'm so sorry," she stammered and dropped the improvised weapon, lookingl ike she was on the brink of tears. That was at least one organic thing she could still do. Her glowing scarlet eyes beheld the metal that formed her hand, where part of the flesh had been stripped away. Then she suddenly shook when a purple ion round impacted upon her back. Then another. Akure had gotten to her feet and clearly looked very pissed off, lining up another shot with her ion blaster.

 

[Amara Zarides]

[member="Enyo Typhos"]
“It’s okay, Enyo. You’ll be fine, we’ll get you out of here and I’ll help you. I came back for you, and I’m not going to leave you.”
And then someone started shooting. At first Amara thought it was another droid, but it came from the wrong direction. Her eyes narrowed upon Akure.

She stood in the path between her sister and the Chiss, lightsabre in her good hand. It wasn’t ignited, but she was ready to do so.
“Stop it! She’s broken free, she’s not your enemy anymore!”
You chose the moment after she was hostile and dangerous to shoot her, you coward. I see you’re a big woman now when you’re fighting someone whose turned their back.

She did not say that, but it was close. “Akure, you’ve got what you came for. Blow the charges. I am taking Enyo with me. If you won’t let me do it on the ship I helped you liberate, and whose location you would never have known without me…then I will go my own way. But can’t you see that she hurt me as well? Can’t you see that I have a right to be angry about it as well, but she was not responsible for her actions. If you had ever been mind-controlled you’d understand that no amount of positive thinking and snarky quips can stop you being controlled. Now make your choice. Either we leave with you or we don’t. I won’t stay with your ship after your next stop if that’s your choice, but I think I’m owed at least that.”

 

[Naamah Aesham]

[member="Amara Zarides"]


At this point, Akure was not thinking rationally. She'd fired at the abomination right after she entered the scene and been flung around like a ragdoll for her troubles. Her body was a mass of pain and anguish, she'd suffered broken bones.


It was very, very difficult to keep up her transformation and continue to look like a Chiss. "You have no clue, don't you? I know more about 'mind control' than you think. And that thing is not a frakking person. It's a toaster. An abomination. Your goddam sister's dead. I'd be doing that zombie a favour by putting it out of its misery, before it turns on you again. You think a flip of a switch is enough to earn forgiveness and make everything sunshine and rainbows?" she hissed hatefully.


"Captain, drop it. Let's get going. More we linger, the more metal demons show up," Arryn interjected gruffly, grabbing ahold of Akure's blaster. The Chiss glared at her, intense, burning anger written across her bruised, bloodied features. "Watch the toaster, drop them off at the next port. It's only fair."


"Fine," Akure hissed. "But I'm watching that thing. It stays under guard until we drop you off. If I catch even a whiff of sabotage, I'll blow it to pieces. If you think the toaster will ever be your sister, you're deluding yourself. It'll turn into another Archangel because that's what it was made for. Come on."


Enyo, meanwhile, had remained silent during the whole exchange, after recovering from the ion blast assault. The expression her face, now half machine and half human, was downcast, defeated and resigned, as if on a certain level she did not care anymore.

 

[Amara Zarides]

[member="Naamah Aesham"]
Amara stood her ground. “I may be deluding myself. I may not be able to get my sister as she was back. But then again I might be able to. I have to try, and I will not let you harm her.”

Finally though the tension simmered down and Amara tried to help Enyo up. This was hard since Enyo was easily thrice her weight now, and Amara had only one hand.
“It’s alright, sis, you come with me. We’ll get you patched up. And hey, at least you’re taller than me now!” she said with false levity. The situation was grim, she knew that, but she held onto hope that there was something, anything, that she could do.

Returning to the top level Amara nodded to Akure. “Blow the clamps and let’s get out of here.” She wanted off this station.

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Amara Zarides"]


Akure backed off, looking grim as usual. Or even more, if that were possible. Arryn actually looked somewhat sympathetic to Amara, but no words left her lips. Without a further word, the faux Chiss primed the detonator and blew the charges. The place was rocked by a powerful explosion when the clamps were ripped apart. Their path took them back to the ship, where the crew of grizzled mercenaries and vigilantes was probably eager to finally leave with their prize.


"You should have let her shoot me. I am an abomination. And I'm already dead anyway," Enyo said quietly, voice barely above a whisper. The damage from the crate and the ion blasts had given her a somewhat grotesque appearance. Half machine, half human...stuck between two worlds, unable to fully embrace one or the other.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTwdl4NXAhQ​

 

[Amara Zarides]

[member="Enyo Typhos"]
The words Enyo said were knives of ice into Amara’s heart. To hear someone she cared so much about say that was terrible. It was worse because Amara was coming to realise it might be true.
When she had come here she was sure that Archangel had somehow just increased their brainwashing, even with a lobotomy or other such ability.
But no, something infinitely worse had happened here. Enyo had become an HRD…but she had become one whilst still retaining the Force. It really seemed to be a limbo only the ruthless logic of droids could devise.

“That’s nonsense. We’ll get you fixed up, I’m sure!” she said as she helped Enyo into the ship. They were blasting off, sweeping aside the few defenders which Archangel could put against them.
Then, the ship was gone, speeding away. They would have to check the ship thoroughly for tracking beacons, which was why they’d go to some random systems first to see if there was pursuit.

Meanwhile Amara had taken Enyo to the small medical bay and lay her down. Getting some sterilised wipes she started to clean her sister’s face, shuddering whenever she came near to the gleam of metal.
“Oh, my poor, sweet Enyo…what have they done to you?” she asked mournfully. Victory tasted bitter if she would never get her sister back properly.

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Amara Zarides"]


Perhaps the fact that she felt depressed, resigned and perhaps slightly suicidal might be an indication that Enyo was still more human than she realised. After all, those were organic emotions. However, there was no going back to how things used to be.


Archangel had not just brainwashed her, they had done something far worse. She was a bizarre hybrid, to all intents and purposes an HRD, but able to use the Force and with an organic mind. Trapped in a metal cage she could not live without.


No words passed her lips as the ship sped away, leaving the shipyard behind it. Guards had been positioned outside of the medical bay. For the safety of the crew, of course. They carried ion blasters and looked very suspicious.


"I died. Then I awoke. It was like being...trapped in a dark room. No mouth to scream. Body moves on auto-pilot. I murdered one of our sisters," she said quietly. She sounded detached, as if the only way to deal with the trauma was to make the attempt to remove herself from the events. "The only thing human left of me is a brain and fake skin. I am sorry...that I cannot be the sister you want - or deserve."

 

[Amara Zarides]

[member="Enyo Typhos"]
The pain Enyo felt in her arm, even after the medication, was nothing compared to the deep personal anguish.
“We had another sister?” she asked distractedly. She couldn’t process all that was going on at that moment.

“Archangel will pay for what they did to you, Enyo, I swear it. We will destroy every single droid and end their curse forever.”

Her sister’s words had affected her though. What could she do? “There must be something we can do? Maybe…maybe we can create another clone and somehow transfer you across? Or something?”
She was bereft at this point, hoping vainly that Enyo had a scheme they could run.

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Amara Zarides"]


"We have a whole room of them. The next generation. They must be freed. I shall destroy Moira and Maelion." It gave her something to live for, beyond revenge. Something to focus her mind, lest she fall into a pit so deep she could never get up.


"No. I hated Siobhan because I believed she meant to possess me. I shall not be made a hypocrite and take another clone as my host. If that is the price I shall endure this metal cage." Wait, since when was she trying to choose the moral route? "If...if this changes things, do not feel obligated to stay. You've done enough." Losing Amara would hurt a lot, but perhaps it was for the best.

 

[Amara Zarides]

[member="Enyo Typhos"]
Amara was heartened by her sister’s resolution. She took one of her hands.
“I will help you, Enyo. Our brothers and sisters must be freed. Archangel must be destroyed. If you’ll have me, we shall bring them down together.”
She made no mention of the future past then. Honestly, the prospect of surviving such a battle was small, so there was little point making big plans for the future.

“I’ve got a couple of freed slaves who I’m training to help out and I’ve got a little ship. I’d try and ally with Akure but she seems set against you, and I don’t know how much I can trust her to not just charge in.”

“We’ll need a plan and some backup though to take on Archangel. There’s a lot of those droids, and there’s only 4 of us.”

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Amara Zarides"]


"Droids without free will. Archangel keeps its drones on a tight leash. We need to seize their command centre, take out Moira and Maelion. Then everything falls into place. But it'll be a long road till then. We need backup. An army of all those with an axe to grind with the queen bots. Archangel turned me into their puppet, so I shall take everything from them," Enyo's mechanical eyes flashed. The prospect of exacting bloody vengeance and destroying her tormentors seemed to pull her out of her depression. It gave her something to focus on. Vengeance would be sweet.


"Seizing an Archangel facility and commandeering the droid forces is a start. I know one that may be suitable...but while I can hack machines, we'd need some mooks to draw the heat. You can free more slaves. Archangel does business with the Cartel to secure organic materiel for processing. I imagine some will be vengeful. I don't trust even remotely trust Akure, but if the queen wants to turn her back on her best shot to kill Archangel, some of her people might be less idiotic," her voice was icy.


"By the way, have you heard of the Kraal? A violent warrior race of reptiles. Tribalistic. Archangel wanted to use them as a weapon against Firemane. I wouldn't be surprised if some of their chieftains might have been processed. Wouldn't it be ironic if I took over a clan and offered them a real good fight, after impressing them with a display of dominance and martial might?"

 

[Amara Zarides]

[member="Enyo Typhos"]
Amara nodded, feeling a bit inspired for their task, even if she well knew it’d be a very hard road to get to that point.
“Kraal? Isn’t that a sort of native hut?” she asked curiously. Stop breaking the 4th wall, Amara.

“Well sure, at this point I’m down for anyone who hates them more than us. Just so long as they don’t want to take over Archangel rather than destroy it afterwards. We do need to be careful who we give the captured tech to though.”

“Where do these Kraal live anyway? Can’t say I’ve heard of them.”

 

[Enyo Typhos]

[member="Amara Zarides"]


Archangel is mine. I have spilt blood for it, the thought wormed its way into Enyo's mind. She did not voice it. "I'll keep them - and any other allies we gather - on a tight leash. I only care about us and the other clones," she said. That was not necessarily reassuring, but this fact seemed to escape her at the moment.


"The Kraal live on a a desolate wasteland called Karakorum, a war-scarred world in Wild Space. It's close to Tygara, but Firemane hasn't connected the dots between the Kraal raids yet on Tabaqui and Arkas yet. Probably too busy whoring around. I was supposed to travel there and get the clan chieftains on Archangel's side for a war."

 

[Amara Zarides]

[member="Enyo Typhos"]
Amara’s face winced slightly at the thought of calling on primitive warriors, but put it aside. Justice was needed, and if these Kraal could help then so be it.
“Did Archangel give you any idea how you were supposed to take them over? Challenge their leader to a duel and then lead the defeated warriors?”

Amara pondered something.
“You know, I wonder if we could indirectly manipulate Firemane into attacking Archangel? We anonymously leak locations of their bases, Firemane wrecks them. Your template might not be as bad as Maelion pretended, but she’s still no friend to us, especially since I wrecked one of their outposts…even if it was under mind control. Think that could work?”