Faction Mind Probe - TSE

[Zeptepi Zambrano]

Sith Acolyte Lesson​

The Galactic Alliance's bloody invasion of Ziost left behind many critically injured traitors to the Empire. ​

Any enemy being who survived the battle and could regain consciousness did not go wasted. Whether the Galactic Alliance knew it or not, they would unwittingly contribute to the delinquency of the Sith in training. Captain Zeptepi Samshij Zambrano "Zeza" is young, but she certainly would not appear so to most races of beings due to her tall and muscular body shape and serious attitude. She is a Sith Crusader, very strong in her ability for Mind Probe. As much as she participates in every opportunity to learn a new skill, she offers to teach whenever the situation arises. ​

Before the battle even concluded the order was given wounded prisoners be brought onboard fleet ships for interrogation. Zeza oversaw a company to satisfy the command. The enemy was snatch up and taken onboard a Strike Frigate.​

Any military secrets the Acolytes should uncover to benefit the Empire will be rewarded with prestige. The Acolytes of the Sith Academy were welcome onboard the Frigate after the battle had ended, to practice delving deeper into one's subconscience. Hostile interrogation practices such as Mind Probe often gain revelation into post-factory weapons and ship modifications, and maybe even reveal a previously unrecognized weakness into a specific Force attack implored by all Jedi, whose skillset based in ashla is far from superior to the power of the Darkside.​

The Crusader stood between the Sith and the prisoners who were commanded to stand against the far wall of the cell. The laser barrier curtain dropped long enough for Zeza's group to enter the cell, the boots of their stoic steps muted upon the cold solid armored floor.​

She eyed the prisoners one by one, picking the most mentally active of them to initiate her lesson. With her mind she pressed her target individual back against the wall. ​

She turned to address her students, "We all possess developed instincts. To intrude upon one's mind is a step leagues beyond our instincts which projects profound imagery, sounds and emotion back to us, as we literally delve into the memories locked away within our target. We can be subtle in our approach to the conscience, or we can literally tear someone's subconscience apart in the process." She extended her hand toward the prisoner to her far left to draw attention to him, "rendering them only a fraction of the being they once had been," she declared as the prisoner stared off into nowhere, murmuring softly to himself, or someone he imagined there. ​

"The Jedi however, would have a most intentional and irritating plan of defense," Zeza continued. "However it is implemented as we would expect; 'Oh, you terrible demonic Sith. Turn from your evil ways. Feel this love and self-worth…' and such ashla propaganda crap."​

She motioned the Sith to approach the victim she targeted. "We can dive into this one together. Then you can experiment on your own. Then we will visit the Jedi." She knows they will like that! ​

"The expert is able to dive into one's mind and supplant an alternate reality, leaving the victim in fear to even make another move, or to convince him that we were never here and release him back to his people…tracked by us, and hypnotized to perform an act of terror against his own people."​

 

[Rax Tremira]

Rax entered the room in league with the other Sith, standing within the crowd to a point that he would not be the first one seen if the sorceress looked at the group of Acolytes. His hair disheveled hair and hood worn in such a way that only a single eye was visible at time. A corrupted yellow sclera peering over the group of prisoners. He listened to the lesson being told, and nodded in response. He had never attempted such a thing, but if the technique was so powerful, he intended to use it until he could Master it.

When she noted that it was their time to attempt it, he would let most go in front of him, seeming to be more of a primary visual learner, and tactile secondary learner. He observed, then would raise his own hand at the prisoner in an attempt to peer at his mind. Initially, nothing would be felt. He pondered if he had either not been powerful enough to gaze in their minds, or simply lacked the training to do so. The latter seemed the more logical reason, and as such he would keep trying until told to stop, or otherwise.

~~~~

Eventually, the images crept in, causing him to gasp aloud. Shattered, sporadic, and unorganized; but he could see something. A battle... A ship... A Command Room... What else....

 

[Saket Keane]

Dust. So. Much. Dust.

It clouded the air as he batted the thick cloth of his attire, the fraying black threads of his Ubesian ruana having lifted the gray powder from countless tomes. While the academy of Ziost may have been besieged most of the treasures of its library were saved, evacuated by a few brave students who denied the call of safety to instead aid the library's devoted archivists. Saket had given aid in the endeavor, escaping with a handful of his brothers and sisters before the onslaught poured into the library's unhallowed halls. There was still yet more within the chambers left behind, guarded by things not even the plucky Ubese dared to cross. Perhaps Sorzus Academy had yet to feel the last of Saket's footfalls.

The captured were seated around them, a few pathetic souls that Saket didn't even deem people--not now, not after their transgression. The stained plates of his helmet marbled the light it reflected as he turned toward their "instructor." Captain Zambrano would give them a crash course on infiltration of a higher form, into the seat of a person's conscious and conviction. Truly a much needed skill in any acolyte's repertoire. But having a Jedi for their closing exam?

Since when did work become a pleasure?

Saket stepped closer to the one Capt. Zambrano had honed in on. He stoked his inner fire in preparation, letting the pressure of the Force's power intensify. As he neared the threshold of his present potential he used his will to uncap the power gained. Yet instead of an explosion of roaring flame or a bone-shattering wave he tapped into the fire gradually, using the energy to slip into the connection developed by Zeptepi Zambrano .

The energy swirled into the captured's mind, riding the currents set in place by the spellweaver. No sooner had he seen the ghost of a scene his attempt was rebuffed, the connection he'd made withering into nothing. He sent two fingers to the forehead of his helm then gave a frustrated groan.

"I...almost had it, Sister Zambrano, but was pushed away."

 

[Zeptepi Zambrano]

Rax Tremira | Saket Keane

The Crusader observed the students' attempts, feeling out with her senses how each who stepped forward during the initial introduction to the skill had approached the task. Realizations struct and she began to repeatedly nod lightly, pursing her lips in contemplation as all became clear.

The GA soldier resisted at first, trying to convince the Sith that what they are doing is wrong.

"Yeah. Wrong," she replied drolly.

Each student remarked on their experience after finishing their attempt, revealing what they discovered, commenting on the process and their degree of success or failure.

"Not half bad," she declared. "Nobody was reformed," she added with a lite snicker.

Zeza took a step forward, coming before everyone else and closer to the prisoner. "Alright," she began. Her expression grew serious and haughty. "Success," she stated, "lies in introducing your victim to the power of the Darkside," leaning into the face of their previous subject. Her eyes narrowed and challenging, she peered directly into the grown man she still held pinned against the wall by the sheer will of her mind. "Give him a demonstration he cannot refuse." Her eyes turned yellow.

Within just a few seconds the GA soldier began to crumble. His expression dropped as his sense of defeat soon displayed in his eyes.

"There you are. Yes," Zeza crooned back to it, her tone textbook psychopath. "Fear… Terror," she whispered with passion, "each embraced by a Sith." She sneered, "Such weakness. Such failure. Soon nobody will even remember you ever existed."

While the soldier's grew more emotional, his mental defenses swayed. Zeza invited the class to attempt their mental intrusion again.

"The Darkside just existing is enough to bring them to drop their defenses even when the outcome leads to personal destruction."

As the Sith approached, the Crusader sent a mental message to the Jedi captive, 'They are coming for you soon enough.'


​

 

[Rax Tremira]

Introducing the victim to the power of the Dark Side... Why the hell did Masters and the like have to be so cryptic. Just tell me how to do it he thought, glaring briefly at Zeptepi Zambrano . In retrospect, maybe she was being more direct that he was allowing himself to understand. Perhaps, he simply wasn't listening. He observed her actions, feeling out through the Force to get a better understanding of what he should've been doing. A demonstration, then... He walked away from the group a bit, eyes locking with a particularly shaky soldier. He raised a hand immediately, gripping not only his mind, but his body. Forcing the other against the wall effortlessly. The sound made a distinct thud, loud enough that the others on his unfortunate side had no option but to glance over in terror.

He basked in it, closing his own eyes as he peered again at shattered images. This time however, he didn't try to look, he simply allowed the other to show him what he would, kept pressing the captives body to the wall uncomfortably as he probed his mind. If Rax were to use his hatred to break the other, he would've failed in that regard, as it was hope that ended up being his key to some success. Not his, of course; but his victims. The thoughts of hope they had before leaked out now in a moment of peril. He didn't gasp this time, but would open his eyes, digits curling lightly as he envisioned quite literally ripping the memories from him.

'There's no way we can get them all out... They're almost in, get those people hidden!'
' Was an honor serving w-.. ' 'Rally point will be this moon, we wont forsake these peopl-.. ' May the Force be with us '
'I love you to-..'

The mass series of images were becoming more vivid, but still unordered; chaotic. The victim began to murmur to himself, fighting the effects of the mind probe, to which he would exert more will into his actions. Mercilessly, he continued assaulting the others mind. It didn't matter if they broke right? He couldn't imagine so, Most likely none of them would make it out of this room alive anyway...

In any case, he lowered his hand, stepping back with what felt like a bit of dizziness. Thinking about what he had seen, those lucid visions... "They hid the civilians..." he muttered to himself, then again loudly directly towards Zeptepi Zambrano "Master, Zambrano... They hid the civilians... They're still there, and they haven't left the system either; a rally point.." he shook his head then. "Somewhere, I can't see everything clearly... When can we try on the Jedi?" The Sithling overstepped a bit, seeming to assume he was calling the shots all of a sudden, though it was obvious he was simply excited.

 

[Sicarius Hekate]

Sicarius looked on eagerly as the lesson commenced. It was a subject that she was looking forward to learning about. Sicarius was already quite accomplished when it came to breaking someone using physical stressures, but to break someones mind directly, to feel them, their fear, their pain, their suffering. The very thought of it was… delicious.

Sicarius was excited at the prospect. Her expression revealed as much as she looked on with glee. Sicarius stepped forward with intent. Sicarius hd to steady her breathing and heart raet as she did so. It was all well and good to enjoy oneself, particularly in their duties, but discipline also had a place. If she allowed herself too much indulgence it would become a weakness something for her enemies too exploit. Given that she was in a class full of fellow acolytes that meant she was surrounded by enemies. Allies certainly but enemies nonetheless.



Sicarius took a calming breath, felt the edges of her prisoners mind. The enemy was thinking about their life. They had children back home a family. How Pathetic. Sicarius thought at which point the prisoner realized her presence. Still the memory gave Sicarius a weapon to use and a toy too play with. She projected images of their family being tortured being killed. The prisoner let out a sob of grief. Grief that only served as fuel for Sicarius’s ferver. A second later the prisoner broke.

Oh typical. Sicarius thought bitterly. Just like a man to finish too soon just as I was beginning to enjoy myself.

Sicarius reatreated back into her mind with annoyance.



“Mines mind broke too soon. I got no useful information” Sicarius reported sullenly like a kid complaining an old dog wouldn’t play with them anymore. “I didn’t expect him to be so weak, but I should have anticipated it, his entire society is based around weakness and sentiment”


“I’ll have to be more..” Sicarius searched for the right word “careful.” She settled on with disgust.
Zeptepi Zambrano

 

[Zeptepi Zambrano]

Rax Tremira | Saket Keane | Sicarius Hekate

Zeza saw that some of the students were already getting a bit bored with the lesson. Next, she knew they would get rowdy, and that is never good. Rax was torturing his prisoner more than following the game plan. Saket did a great job, just undercut his severity a tad. Sicarius was actually empathetic for her mistake of giving her prisoner what must have been an aneurism.

"It happens, Sicarius. That's why I brought so many," Zeza said, making sure not to single her out in a negative manner, but to build her confidence. "I hate when that happens as well. I mean, you do all this work, and everything seems so hopeful…but these are not Sith. They just have no stamina like we know of." It is the best scientific support she could use to explain what went wrong from time to time. You can't expect everyone to be as strong as the Sith!!

Rax on the other hand, did what boys do; he amused himself. Zeza knew she was losing him to his daydreaming.

He is not fibbing when he said the enemy intends to steal the private citizens away from their beloved Empire. For just then the Imperial soldiers who were stationed at the prison cell console played a radio transmission they received verifying that a transport ship filled with civilians was heading straight for a galactic alliance capitol ship. They informed Zeza before bowing out of her presence.

"I hate this cancer," she said, referring to the enemy. "Are they missing a chromosome or something?"

Zeza raised a brow at Rax's eagerness to confront the Jedi. That is precisely the spirit she likes to see in her class. She had to commend him.

"Acolytes Rax, Keane, Hekate, come with me," she instructed, while the cell doors were let down for their exit. "We are going on a field trip of sorts," she said, leaving the rest of the Acolytes behind to study on their own.

She walked the three along the corridor until she came to a hatch. She typed in the hatch codes and the door opened up for their passage. Once through, the group would discover themselves standing within an enemy transport ship. From behind, the hatch was sealed once again, and an Imperial soldier on the other side of the hatch slapped the locking mechanism, breaking the vessel free, as was identified by the familiar sound of metal momentary grinding upon metal as the latch released, jettisoning the vessel with Zeza and her class onboard, sending it adrift into outer space.

"Well here you have it," Zeza said, this going exactly as she had planned. "your opportunity to read the mind of a Jedi is at hand." She saw through the porthole how the transport slowly spun, perceiving the planet, then outer space over and over.

Zeza waved a hand over the door controls to open a tall and slender internal compartment. Immediately upon doing so, a male Jedi fell out of the compartment and onto the steel floor. He had a neutral collar fitted around his neck. His eyes were wild with judgmental, like all of the other Jedi this Sith has ever met, whose most prevalent difference between their doctrine is said to be that Jedi ought not allow themselves to feel emotion.

"Such hypocrisy in his eyes! Isn't it repulsive?" she asked.

She took notice that the vessel had altogether stopped its rotation.

"Well then," she continued, "It appears we have been caught up in the Galactic Alliance ship's tractor beam. Now, the Jedi knows the codes to access this ship's control console…and weaponry. I do believe we have perhaps six minutes before we find ourselves taken up within their docking bay and are subsequently boarded. At the same time the civilians mentioned should also be unwillingly taken hostage onboard." As far as the Galactic Alliance knew, they are rescuing one of their own ships. As for the Jedi, he is unable to raise the Force in order to make contact with them.

​