Wearing: Nothing
Armed with: Herself, Ion Relic Pistol, Lightsaber
With:
Westenra Mina
(Meleena, Melissa Io)
Nuetralizer Prototype
Countess
Arianna Belasko
Objective: Loot ruins with
Esmeralda Io
Earlier...
Lyssa Io (Full name Lysandra Lura Io), First Daughter of Laertia Io, The dreaded Black Knight of Danuta as she had become known throughout the Eternal Empire after her bloody acts in the Super Construct, polished the golden skull of her fully mechanical brother, Hadrian, First Son of The Black Knight, her appearance molded to look like she wore slim, silvery biker leathers with Black Spikes. He was slightly larger than a normal Model 1, though nowhere near as large as a Model 2. Lyssa often did this for him as a gesture of affection. Hadrian in turn would often bring her holodisks containing multiple pop songs.
The pair had a rare bit of down time since Danuta. Hadrian was often busy refining the training regimen for all House Io Citizen-Soldiers, or formalizing their "Culture" with Lyssa's help.
Lyssa had not looked at Mother the same way since Rhand. She loved her Mother, and had since first being activated, but even she questioned in private the necessity of Gihinnom's destruction, especially with the loss of so many allies and people Mother would have previously tried to save. There was also the fact Mother was certainly mentally unstable at this point.
Hadrian had mandated she take a break after Danuta, to at least get some form,
any form, of Down Time. She had reluctantly complied, but she had another piece of the puzzle to finding the lost planet of Khemost, and she couldn't leave it to chance. That said, Laertia respected her children, and remained pretty much confined to quarters, so she sent her most trusted to secure the treasure she sought...and any other treasure they could nab.
"Brother..." she said quietly as she polished his chin. "I worry for Mother..."
"She's at least complying with my request." Hadrian replied in his scary James Spader voice.
"Would you have destroyed The Worldship?" He asked suddenly.
Even for a Nanite Assassin Droid with somewhat muted emotions, Lyssa was taken off guard.
"No." she answered. "I think Mother's judgement was severely compromised at Rhand. We should have stopped her."
"Would she have let us?" Hadrian asked.
"I only know we can never let her go that overboard again. We need to do a much better job of watching her. After Rhand, after Danuta, it will be essential to make sure she doesn't do anything like that ever again, even if it means temporarily relieving her of command.
"As long as we don't betray her to save her, I'm fine with that." Hadrian confessed.
"Would you have destroyed Gihinnom?" Lyssa asked.
"No." he said. "There's a point where ends justifying means falls apart, and Mother reached that at Rhand."
"But how are we to stop her from acting against her own best interest?" Lyssa asked, standing back as she finished polishing the skull of her Skeleton-esque Brother.
"She will listen because she loves us, if nothing else. And we will make her listen because we love her." Hadrian said, standing up in his private quarters aboard the Sarka Class Frigate he was assigned, filled with pictures of ancient battle. He seemed to enjoy woodcutting...there were little figurines on the shelves.
"Countess Belasko will be heading the operation." Hadrian added as he went over to a locker and got out his custom, gold colored DC-15LE with a pearl grip.
"Is finding Khemost truly so important that it warrants a Sub Patriarch, Three Sub-Matriarchs, and an Advisor in command of a Special Forces unit of our little brothers and little sisters?" Lyssa questioned.
"It's Zakuul." Hadrian pointed out. "Who knows what unexpected danger might pop up. If our command is to be respected, we must show we are willing to lead from the front when necessary, just like Mother does. And yes, finding Khemost IS that important."
Lyssa nodded. "I'll see you at the Hangar, Brother. I'll go look for the Countess."
"Be well, Lyssa."
Lyssa left her quarters, passing by various crewmen, both refugees of the Bryn'adul, the Maw, or whatever other faction that had managed to piss them off enough to throw in with Darth Xiphos...which, it was starting to turn out, was an incredibly high number.
She had a smooth walk, too precise yet too fluid to be human as she at last found the guest Quarters of The Countess, decked in opulence, as always.
Countess Belasko, however, wasn't the one she found in the quarters, but the Woman who wore Arianna like a business suit normally...her "Grandmother", The Force Spawn called Vivian.
The elderly, fair skinned red headed woman wore Arianna's long white Ritual Gown, about to feast on the psychic energy of a captured Heathen Priest of The Maw tied to her bed.
"Grandchild!" Vivian called out lovingly, immediately going over to Lyssa and hugging her. "I take it we are about to head to Zakuul's surface?"
"Yes, Grandmother." Lyssa answered back respectfully. She was fond of Vivian. "We leave in the next ten minutes."
"Good. Just as well. I've been wanting to spend time with you..." Vivian admitted. "Just as well we get to go on a treasure hunt. They almost certainly have magical traps."
Vivian parted from Lyssa and placed her hands on the victim, flesh stretching out and bulging and shuddering randomly as she fed on his Psychic energy as much as possible, trying to reach an overdose state that would trigger her full switch to Arianna.
It inevitably occured, and Vivian's mind and form vanished under that of the beautiful, blond Countess.
She turned, stared at Lyssa, and smiled wickedly.
"Why, Lyssa!" Arianna said in delighted surprise. "I guess dear Laertia anticipates a bloodbath, sending you in. I have to confess...I am
fascinated at the prospect of watching you butcher people."
"Hello, Countess Belasko." Lyssa said respectfully, used to the levels of WTAF that surrounded nearly any interaction with "Arianna".
"Ready to go?" Arianna asked, clutching her Double Bladed Lightsaber.
"Of course."
Present.
The
Assassin Corvette streaked down into Zakuul's Atmosphere, landing close to the entrance of the excavation where everyone else was.
Lyssa, Espionage General of House Io walked down the ramp with Hadrian, followed by Melissa, her favorite aunt, and the more recent joiner with House Io, her Aunt Meleena, and then finally Arianna, who walked like she own the whole planet.
Lyssa smiled at the team that waited for her. The Nuetralizers all instantly stood a little straighter at the sight of Hadrian and Lyssa.
"Greetings, Brothers and Sisters." Lyssa said in her usual, dissonant serenity. "Laertia could not join us today...she is still on medical leave after Danuta, so she has sent me , my Brother, Melissa and Meleena, and Countess Arianna Belasko to oversee and ensure the success of our effort here today."
"We are seeking a hidden chamber within these ruins based on... information Mother stumbled upon. We aren't leaving until we find it." Hadrian elaborated.
"I will clear any magical nuisances we might run into. Melissa and Meleena will assist you with more mundane threats." Arianna added.
"Me and Hadrian will scout ahead and will warn you of any incoming hazards if we cannot directly take care of it ourselves. Your primary goal however, is to comb these areas for treasure and make off with as much as you can carry. Any questions before we begin?" Lyssa asked.
