Dominion Nanotripping | Darkwire Dominion of Parcellus Minor

[Darkwire Prophet]

Qanatain Xopsaloff

>> * --xING! COMM\ \\
<\DARKWIRE!
<\YOU WERE WARNED!
<\FAILURE WOULD NOT BE ACCEPTED!
<\YOU WERE INSTRUCTED TO LEAVE PARCELLUS MINOR ALONE.
<\THE NANOBOTS WERE TO BE A SIMPLE AGENT OF PLEASURE. ENTERTAIN THE MASSES, REAP THE PROFITS, TAKE CONTROL.
<\YOUR MEDDLING WAS NOT REQUIRED.
<\THIS DARKWIRE SABOTAGE HAS PUT THE CORPORATE PROJECTIONS AT THEIR LOWEST IN MONTHS.
<\A VIRUS DOES NOT CREATE A WILLING POPULATION FOR CORPORATE OR DARKWIRE ACTIVITIES.
<\FIX THIS!

Your arrival on Parcellus Minor wasn't simple, the planet is virtually on lockdown. But landed, it was easy enough to see the impacts of the virus from the moment you stepped foot on its streets. Signs of it were virtually everywhere, from random passersby belting out the latest pop tunes to the glassy-eyed look of the immobilized victims of the severe form of the virus. Parcellus Minor was trying hard to quarantine the victims, but you might have spied a pair of cleaners silly-walking a stretcher-bound victim back to their ambu-speeder.

The ads for the virus' precursor were still everywhere. "No need for screens, fun when you please!" they shouted, with reassuring lines like "CYBERDIVE Entertainment System is Corporate Drug Administration approved!" or "CYBERDIVE is a safer alternative to holo-addiction!" You found them pretty unconvincing given the situation.

Sabotage by Darkwire? Corpos were always coming up with some new lie, ever-eager to beat you down. Still, this job pays money and that's what really mattered.

It happened while you were just going about your business as normal. One minute, you were fine, the next...

Your eyes open again to a new world. The sensation is like waking from a dream back into reality. Your nightmare is over now, its dying threads of memory retreating into the void once more. Slowly, clarity sets in and with it a renewed sense of purpose. It's obvious to you now what is happening, what was always meant to be. Whatever the nightmares of dreams past held, this is the dawn of a new beginning for you!

The CryptNet message? Darkwire? Denon? That was the old you, or perhaps just parts of it. The nightmarish parts are now cast away. You are you now, the real you, the better you. Everything is how it was meant to be for you, from now on you will be completely satisfied, nothing could ever go wrong.

Or could it?

OBJECTIVE 1: PAPER FLOWERS:
Struck down by the nanobot virus, you've fallen prey to its most nefarious complication. Your mind is now linked to dozens or hundreds of others in a vast VR mesh-network, everyone inside of which is living out their greatest fantasy life. If you always wanted money, you got it. A happy family, it's yours. Power, prestige, whatever fits the perfect life for you. Only, it's not as perfect as you expected. Everyone else's fantasy keeps interfering with yours.

And someone's fantasy seems to be driving everyone back to a bar on Nar Shaddaa.

OBJECTIVE 2: RAMPANT CHAOS:
You may have been unaffected by the nanobots, or you're only experiencing a mild case. A mild case tends to spontaneously break out into such acts as singing, dancing, reciting a speech, putting on a comedic routine, etc. While this may be annoying, it's not nearly as bad as whatever your fellow Darkwire operatives are going through. Caught in the same VR nightmare that has nearly managed to shut down an entire planet, it might be up to you to save them from eternal dreams.

If you can just stop acting out for one blasted second!

BRING YOUR OWN OBJECTIVE:
If there's something else you want to explore here, write your own story.

Spoiler: OOC Notes

This one is crazy mysterious and a little ambitious, so bear with me and I'll explain.

The Corporate Authorities of Denon (Corpos) have been selling a nanobot built for entertainment, their CYBERDIVE Entertainment System, on Parcellus Minor. A place with too much life was the perfect proving ground for their new approach to planetary control: sell the population their own pleasure, make it easier to control them, and then take over.

Obviously, Darkwire was not happy about this and took it upon themselves to change the nanobot directives. In production...without testing...you see where this is going. It ended badly, mutating the nanobots from harmless fun into fully catatonic debilitation.

Now Darkwire has been officially contracted to reverse their own meddling. Once on the planet, our characters find themselves infected with the virus as well and some fall prey to its effects.

Some are immune or unaffected. Different species, Force powers or cybernetic implants may affect this.

Those with mild effects may find the compulsion to do something entertaining at random moments. Singing, dancing, monologuing, acting, comedy, etc, etc.

The most severe of which wake up in a VR world living out their greatest fantasies, but mesh-networked with other severe victims whose fantasies might rub up against or actively invade yours. Ultimately, all victims in the VR world wind up on a bar on Nar Shaddaa (where everyone knows your name), somebody's fantasy is pretty powerful and is drawing you back there even if you manage to leave.

Source material (non-exhaustive):
The Framework arc from Agents of Shield
Sword Art Online
"All That Josh" episode from The Magicians
Time Matrix from The Andalite Chronicles

Spoiler: Tag List

Airal Thamne
Aren D'Shade
Cassus Akovin
Chloe Santhe
Daiya
Extari Kanos
Gray Venasir
Hacks
Shira Varanin

 

[Cassus Akovin]

OBJECTIVE 1: PAPER FLOWERS

​

.

There was a boy with a mother,
With her health, she didn’t bother.
Early in his life she became unwell.
So, he went hunting another,
A Bounty to make her once again, well.

Then one day a cure came along,
So, his life with her would be long.
Seeing the galaxy and welcomed to Mandalore,
A dream realized, but very wrong.
Trapped in sleep while mother dies slowly a bit more...

The boy wakes and finds himself lost.
“What, no, no!” He cries, feeling crossed.
“Bring it back, bring it back!” In denial and rage the boy demands.
Knowing it comes again, at cost.
He knew it was wrong, that it must stop, but he looks at his hands...

​

 

[Daiya]

Location: Middle City, Denon (Virtual Reality)
Objective: Paper Flowers
Allies Nearby: None Yet

[Post Soundtrack: Paradise by Coldplay]​

She woke with a start. Her eyes snapped open, her breath came in gasps, and her heart fluttered in her chest. The feeling was momentary, though, and the girl passed it off as adrenaline from whatever dream she'd been having. She frowned to herself, trying to catch it before it flew away from her, but it was no use. Whatever her sleeping self had conjured up, it was gone now.

Good riddance.

Dreams were silly anyway. Daiya didn't give them much thought, really. Her mom sometimes talked about her dreams as if they had something significant to say. The girl giggled at the thought, what could a dream possibly tell her anyway? The only thing a dream needed to tell her was what romantic thing Tylo was going to do for her next. Now those were the dreams to sleep for!

Just the thought of seeing the Pantoran boy made her get out of bed for the day. Giddy as she got herself ready, the blonde-haired girl hummed to herself as she dressed and brushed her hair. Gazing at herself in the mirror, she turned and posed her straight locks this way and that. A passing thought made her wonder if she should dye it, perhaps try brunette for a while. She'd ask Tylo when she saw him, to see if she should just dye the top or make the bottom match, too. Daiya loved seeing the blue-skinned boy turn purplish at her suggestions.

"Daiya! Come on, let's goooo," the whiny voice of Gem sounded outside her door. The girl frowned, tossing her brush at the noise. The resulting thud gave her a satisfying grin.

"I'll be out in a minute, hold your dewbacks!" she shouted to her brother. Daiya sighed, taking a wistful glance back at her image in the mirror, posing a few more times before giving it a parting smile.

Another few moments, and the teen operative was done assembling her gear. She straightened the cuff of her dark, slim-fitting outfit, ensuring that her blasters were ready and easy to access at her waist. Ready for the world, and the jobs for today.

"Mom's already gone? Then come on, Gemyn, we're going to be late," Daiya remarked to her little brother, who had taken a seat at the kitchen table again. The girl didn't bother to wait for him, she had things to do. Her mother may have wanted her to mentor Gem, and Eiko may have been fine with him shadowing one of his rising stars, but it wasn't like she had to make it easy for him.

"I was waiting for you!" her brother protested, but the girl didn't pay it much mind. She was already out the door.

A rising star. She grinned again at the memory of her Zabrak boss showering the praise on her. At fourteen, she was the youngest person that Eiko had let lead a mission. And after their recent hit on those Darkwire upstarts, the CorpSec pressure on them was lightening. Today was promising to be much easier than the past few months had been.

 

[Cal Morrow]

Location | Orbit of Parcellus Minor [On board of a Lucrehulk XII Supercarrier]
Objective | BYOO : Begin a formal investigation on Parcellus Minor
Focus | Emraj Hosdole

---

The Crisis on Parcellus Minor was a complete surprise to the Prex of the C.A.D , the CYBERDRIVE Entertainment system was supposed to be harmless but it seemed that Darkwire had sabotaged the project or in Morrow's eyes , the members of the Direx Board could have done so themselves and blamed it on Darkwire. Nevertheless , Cal Morrow was here to launch a Formal investigation in the matter as well as to begin an Operation to Secure , Contain and Protect the planet from the virus. To get to the bottom of this Prex Morrow had invited renown Corporate Enforcer and Investigator Emraj to his flagship , a Lucrehulk XII Supercarrier in which would serve as the Base of Operations for the C.A.D's Operation on the Planet.

Siting in the conference room , Cal awaited the Corporate Investigator so that they could properly evaluate on what course of action they would take. Emraj was known primarily for doing the dirty work of the Direx Board but that did not matter know. What mattered was how to fix this entire fiasco. Given the Corporate Authorities of Denon's proximity to Silver Jedi and Confederate territory , if news of the events of Parcellus Minor reached them , the C.A.D would find itself in alot of trouble. For know the biggest question was who did this and why for time was running out. If the situation could not be fixed then this nanovirus could spread to other worlds.

 

[Toph Graystone]

Objective: Paper Flowers
Tags: Daiya | Cal Morrow | Cassus Akovin | + Anyone else joining

Toph Graystone awoke with a great yawn. She looked around the spacious and richly appointed bedroom with a well rested smug grin. It was good to be on top of the world. Jumping from the large bed she rushed off to take her shower, bouncing with excited energy. So many new ideas had come to her in her sleep. She couldn't wait to get to the office and begin to order her underlings around. Graystone Cyber Solutions was still a small company, but when you invent a new way for cybernetics to interface with the holonet you suddenly become a rock star. As it was she had a meeting with some Corporate stiffs today about the intergration of her new technology across the galaxy. The news was already predicting she would become the youngest billionaire in recent history.

Finished with the shower Toph gleefully walked into the large kitchen. Turning on the datapad on the counter she turned to the refrigerator deciding what she wished to eat this morning. Grabbing a handful of various items Toph deposited them on the counter before turning back to the datapad. The newest puff piece on her was on the screen. She frowned though as she took a closer look at the screen. The image was she'd posed for the other day wasn't there. Instead it was of a cartoonish figure with the caption, "Toph Graystone aka Melon Lord". The young woman closed her eyes, rubbing it once before opening again. She saw the image of her that had been taken for this interview. Man she needed a vacation. She was seeing things now.

An hour later Toph sat in her office over looking the city. She wondered by everything looked so vivid. As if she was seeing the world through human eyes for the first time. Yet they were the same eyes she was born with. Still she couldn't shake the feeling this was not the way she was used to seeing. A throat clearing jostled Toph from her day dreaming. She turned to see her Duros assistant standing beyond the desk. "Ms. Graystone, there is a Melon Lord on line one."

"W-what did you say?" There was that name again. What was going on with her. And why was that name so familiar to her. "I said there is a Ren Cranel on line one."

Oh. That man. Still as she waved the assistant away and went to answer the call she couldn't shake the feeling that everything was all wrong. And it all started with that cartoonish picture and that name.

 

[Chloe Santhe]

Objective: Paper Flowers
Outfit: Here
Song
Tag: Daiya | Toph Graystone | Cassus Akovin

Chloe stretched as she looked over the string of mathematical equations. The girl shook her head, and wiped away a few numbers from the chalkboard with her pale fingers. The same finger tapped on her cheek for a moment. It left a white smear. Blue eyes gazed intently at the puzzle, and smirked. “Uncle, I think this was the issue. If we change this and this…” She quickly rewrote the equation, and changed only a handful of numbers. “We should get a much better result with the new hyperdrive. I mean...your work is brilliant it will change all of history!”

The young teen flashed her older mentor the most beautiful smile she could. The messy haired blonde rushed out the door, after having completed the equation. As always, the group of men in the room flooded around her work and began to crunch the numbers. It would be perfect, like always.

As she rushed passed the stairs in the large house, she reached onto a table and picked up her headphones. Her head moved side to side with the beat of the song as it turned on. The sweat comfort of music flooded through her mind. It helped keep the stray thoughts at bay. Often too much information tried to go through and it just gave her headaches. It helped a lot. Besides!

As she came to a sliding stop at the main hall to her home, her two little sisters stood in front of her. She gave them a grin. “Ohohoh, so, you have come to stop me?! Nothing will stop me from getting a snack!” She rushed after them as they ran away from her giggling. Chloe would tickle the twins happily. “BWHAAHAHHAHAHAHAHA!” The older teen proceeded to play with the youngsters. They were only half her age, younger than her by seven years. But she loved them dearly. They were so clever.

The trio found trouble in the kitchens, the twins provided a distraction as Chloe quietly moved into the pantry and got three candy bars. Her feet didn’t make a sound, and it was like she was a shadow. For a moment, her vision got a bit blurry. How did she know how to move like that? Who taught her? Ahhhh, it didn’t matter!

She blinked her eyes and rubbed them a bit, and her vision went back to normal. As she snuck back out, her sisters gathered around her and she divied up the goods. This was the life. Her, her sisters, her family, a safe place to grow, soft beds, lots of music! Sure, mom and dad were not often home, but that was fine. It was a fun life. “So.” Chloe poked the twins’ noses. “What shall we do next?”

 

[Cassus Akovin]

OBJECTIVE 1: PAPER FLOWERS
LOCATION: EMERGENCY CLINIC
THE AFFLICTED: Daiya , Toph Graystone , Chloe Santhe

His hands are trembling
He is lucid but asleep
Someone speaks unheard

He longed to return
To leave suffering behind
A dream none resist

A thought of mother
Ends his lucid state of mind
Back to ideal life...

 

[Gray Venasir]

Objective: Paper Flows
Loaction: Parcellus Minor, spaceport (Real life)/Balmorra, Venasir manor (VR)
Tags: Daiya | Cassus Akovin | Toph Graystone | Chloe Santhe

"Philcas, do you listen?"

Gray shook his head in shock, with a feeling that he just woke up from a dream. He looked around the dining room of the Venasir manor, and saw the Twi'lek servant he had known since his childhood, Inah, looking at him. She had green skin, and had one of her lekku around her neck. She was looking good, even though age was beginning to catch up with her. It was often she who had taken care of Gray, since his mother and father had important meetings to attend, or making sure things were alright around their lands. The dining room was looking like it always had: big windows letting the sun into the room, pictures hanging all over the walls, and a big archway leading in and out of the room.

"Are you done eating, Philcas?" asked Inah, now realizing she had Gray's attention. "Oh, yes, thank you," answered Gray. "And sorry for not paying attention. I was just cought up in some wierd thought about a swamp-filled planet." Inah took the nearly empty plate that stood in front of Gray, and took it to the kitchen. Gray stood up, and walked out the archway. There, he was met by a beautiful woman, who put her arms around Gray's neck. His wife. "Good morning, Britale," said Gray, and kissed her. "The kids are on their way to school?" She took her arms away, and began walking towards a door leading out. "Yes, though Nilitya had a hard time leaving," said Britale. "She really doesn't like going there, always saying we could teach her better than her teachers can."

Gray followed her outside. It was a beautiful morning, the sun was shining bright, though not too warm, and the dew on the grass was glistening in the light. From the Venasir Manor, they could see a long stretch of land, most of belloning the the Venasir family. Far out on the land, Gray thought he could see his dad talking to some workers. His dad. For some reason, it felt like he hadn't seen him in a long time. Not since they were on Nar Shaddaa many years ago.

"What plans have you for the day, Philcas Grayligan?" asked Britale. She had sat down on a bench that stood by a flowerbed, close by a fountain. "I'm not really sure. It kind of feels like I just woke up from a strange dream." He walked over to her, and sat down. "I was thinking about showing the kids how the ship works. Maybe I will give it to Tamos one day." He looked unfocused out in the air. "Or I could join dad in checking on our workers on the other side of the mountain." There was a pause. Then Gray put his arm around his wife.

"Or, I could just spend it with you. Unless you are goign to train with mother today. How goes the Echani fighting training, by the way."

"It isn't easy, but she said that I'm begining to get the hang of it. And that she sees what kind of person I am. But we are not training today, so I'd love nothing more than to spend the day with you."

 

[Rika]

Location: Leporine Village on Parcellus Minor, the Kell family homestead
Objective: Paper Flowers
Tags: Cassus Akovin | Daiya | Toph Graystone | Chloe Santhe | Gray Venasir | + anyone else joining

"Did you waste all the bait again, brother?"

Jorj smirked. "What can I say, Jira?" He set his tackle, rod, and empty basket by the door, shucking his jacket as he entered the family cabin. "Charity is one of my better pastimes. Giving to the needy fish is an honorable pursuit." He gently brushed off the pads of his feet before further entering the home, and finally plopping down into a chair around the communal table.

His twin sister rolled her eyes. "Giving food to the fish instead of giving food to your family hardly sounds charitable. You know it's a blessing to Fajah that you're good with clay or everyone else would have to work that much harder to keep us all fed." Despite her words, Jira said them all with a twinkle in her eye and the hint of her own smirk touching the corners of her mouth.

She returned to chopping vegetables from their garden for the dinner salad. Light from the setting sun bathed the small yet comfortable room in a warm glow. Their cabin was quaint, but it was enough for them. They didn't need much beyond some bedrooms, a moderately modernized 'fresher and a communal area for lounging, eating, and cooking. A plate lay near the center of the table. He recognized the design, it was one of his. All of the plates and bowls were his, and the mugs and jugs and cups too. The plate was full of berries scoured from the nearby forest. Jira had been busy while he had been out unsuccessfully fishing.

Jorj leaned in to grab a berry only to be halted in his tracks by a glare from his twin. "You can wait until we're all at the table."

This time, it was his turn for an eyeroll. "Who's gonna say anything? You?"

"She wouldn't need to," came a voice from behind. Jorj turned in his seat to see a tall figure standing in the doorway, a Leporine man. "Your Mom and I would know, if the look of guilt didn't give you away, the dribble of berry juice on your chin would."

"Dad!" both Jorj and Jira called out, elated and, for some reason, relieved, as if he might never come back if they didn't tie him down to a chair right then and there. "You're home," Jorj said. Had he meant to sound so incredulous? "When did you get back? Where've you been?" The questions started to pour from the young, Leporine man's lips faster than he had intended.

To the credit of the man in the doorway, he chuckled as he brushed his own pads off and entered the threshold of the living space. "Whoa now. All in due time. And over dinner. I'm starved, but first, I've got to see my wife. You kids play nice while I duck back there and say hello." He had a twinkle in his eye and pulled some flowers from behind his back, as if letting Jorj and Jira in on his love-scheme. It would work, of course. It always worked. His parents were head over heels for each other. The flowers were just a nice sentimental gift. Not a reconciliation. Or an apology. That would never be necessary. What did his Dad have to be sorry for?

The bedroom door closed. The sound of chopping vegetables continued. And Jorj sighed to himself, content.

 

[Ursula Vizla]

Objective: PAPER FLOWERS
Song: Get Jinxed.


A tick-tack is heard somewhere, does Ursula not realize at what moment it occurred, would she have been infected by accident? She could remember feeling bad the moment she got off her ship, but she also remembered something else. She could see herself running out of the ship begging to be infected and go 'crazy'. All she knew was what she felt, flowing through her veins as if the whole world, otherwise the universe would completely cease to exist and a new universe would appear in its place and in the distance she could hear the late father's familiar voice speaking.

“Down the wampa hole you fall, where madness reigns from wall to wall... Through the rhyming words we tumble, where villains toll and psyches crumble.”

She noticed a strange toy with two metal plates in her hands on a table, each time he hit those plates it was like a second (or a year) passed. A white finger of a half-naked young woman touched the toy's head and her pace accelerated before the scene changed and she could see a city before her, growing before her eyes, but when she looked down, she noticed that she was driving nothing there. , but she was standing over a painted missile with a nefarious smile and pure ecstasy overtook her. In the distance, music played and Ursula allowed herself to become the real jinx.

"Who are you?" She asked. "What strange thing is this?!", and for her surprise the missile below her responded.

“I’m not strange, weird, off, nor crazy, my reality is just different than yours.”, She turned her head to the sides and noticed dozens of others around her.

“Wanna join me?”, The missile next to her asked her, the drawing painted in the shape of a shark opening its toothy mouth and smiling. “Come and play! But I might shoot you, in your face. ”, He said flying high and crossing over her head and she noticed the direction of all those missiles was towards a huge building in the center of a strange city full of strange people without any emotion on their faces, so boring they barely deserved to live. She cried out in terror, before she started laughing wildly and raising both arms without knowing why.

"Bombs and bullets will do the trick!", The missile in front of her spoke. "You see? This boring life that they live, without emotion, without joy, without news, are just people sleeping! And what boils the blood better than a little of it? ”

"A little bit of what?", She asked and even before anything or anyone answered, the answer came to her lips easily forming a huge grim on them. "A little panic!"

And then she jumped off the missile, and when she realized she was falling from the heights, but not to death, she floated like a feather and in her body seemed to spring up a real arsenal of weapons before she even hit the ground and the gun roundabouts in her hands, it had an inscription on its barrel, which she read aloud.

“Imagination is the only weapon in the war against reality.”, And when it hit the ground, the tedious people around it were transformed. Her eyes turned red and they moved towards Ursula, but she felt no fear or anxiety when she pulled the trigger on them, she felt pleasure and pure joy. Ursula continued to dance as the music dictated, she threw her gun at everything she found, laughing and dancing, while everything around her burned and exploded, all because of her deeds, nobody forced her to handle the flamethrower inside the restaurant, or the blow up museums and schools with rocket launchers, they didn't even force her when she raised her gun and shot hundreds of people who came marching towards her. She did it all because she wanted to.

 

[Queen Popara]

A comlink was ringing endlessly inside Carmine Falcone's pocket. He watched with a smile on his thin lips several screens with people lying on beds, or lying on the street floor, there were hundreds of people, members of Darkwire and civilians caught by surprise by the most ingenious biochemical creation made by his mistress. The virus induced people into a coma, where they could experience strong hallucinations so vivid that old experiments declared that those infected woke up discrediting what they saw when they woke up to be classified as 'real'.

The comlink vibrated to the point that the old man alone snarled as he took it out of his pocket, he took another sip of the drink from his glass cup and sighed deeply before making a beautiful smile at the holographic image of his client and his wife. missus. Popara Anjiliac.
“Achutta, Falcone.”, she said with a smile in her fat lips.

“Achutta, my queen. I must say, the whole virus is going better than expected. They don’t know what hit them…”, she raised her chubby hand in the air, demanding he stayed silent.

“Good, good… but Falcone, I discovered you have a problem now... and when you have a problem it means I have a problem.”, Carmine was astonished, a problem with the whole plan? That was impossible. “You left a trail, like little porgs on the floor for them to follow. Now they are coming for you and you know what this means.”

“They will never get in here. This room is impenetrable.”, he shouted, snapping his fingers at his droids to go on and guard the doors.

“Perhaps. But I took the liberty of placing your daughter under my… protection.”, they took his Sophia, he knew this could happen so he did not argued, he nodded at her direction with a solemn face. “If they breach your room, you cannot escape Carmine. You must die.”

“I understand… will my kids see my… well, my pension?”
“Off course! Do your job right, shoot them down, die well and your family will never have to work a single day of their lives ”, she said honestly, Carmine finished her drink and nodded to Popara.
“I understand. Very well, my queen, it will be done as you wish.”

“Good, I always liked you Falcone, you were always a very… simple man. Loyal to your principles, loyal to your morale but sometimes… man lie, and if that is the case, Carmine remember thatI shall eat your kids for dinner tomorrow if I even suspect you still breath. Okay? Now, eat well, drink a lot, walk tall and die.”

She turned off the comlink shortly afterwards leaving Carmine alone with her thoughts. He had to die, Popara kept his promises, she was always true to her word, so he turned to the droid beside him.

“Bring me one more meal, as well as the bottle of what I drank. Order all droids to erase all your memory from the past twenty-four hours and go outside.”
"Yes Master." and the droid went out to carry out his orders, Falcone sighed, lifting his glass high and placing the blaster on the chair. He raised his glass high in the air and said.
"For a good death."

 

[Daiya]

Location: Middle City, Denon (Virtual Reality)
Objective: Paper Flowers
Allies Nearby: Cassus Akovin Toph Graystone Chloe Santhe Gray Venasir Rika Ursula Vizla

[Post Soundtrack: Come With Me Now by KONGOS]​

The crowded walkways of the Middle City stank of life as Daiya waded through, her little brother in halting tow. Cluttered with beings from all corners of Denon —some from even the far-reaches of the galaxy— shopping at the stalls on the corner, chattering along at the graffitied walls, sitting on the patios of cafes, observing the crowd, causing mischief, keeping the peace, and just living their lives. Polluted by the flickering of neon lights, smashed-in muja fruit gum, discarded trash, the broken-down dispenser of caf, a fluttering plastic sack, basically the normal detritus of society. Infested with catchy ads, leering scoundrels, predatory sellers, the works.

Some beings, upon visiting these streets were disgusted or scared, and hastened to leave. Some beings were naïve, and quickly taken advantage of. Others were more cautious, but found themselves leaving the streets with more in tragic experience than they obtained otherwise.

Not her. These were her streets, her people, the soul of her way of life. They didn't disgust her or scare her or leave her vulnerable, not anymore. She was no timid little girl, jumping at her own shadow anymore, nor had she been for years.

Gem, though, was a different story.

The girl sighed as she caught a glance of him loitering behind her, waiting for some group of Gammorreans to pass by. She roller her eyes the next time, he'd been taken by a Jawa vendor's shimmering wares, the surfaces of which danced with shapes and colors only afforded by the slimy merchant's control box. Finally, she paused to wait for him as he watched the daily —if admittedly mesmerizing— dance of a half-Zeltron girl who was not much older than her.

She took the chance to lean next to Old Man Shann's seat outside the Lucky Cafe, peering out anywhere but at him. The wrinkled man's face squinted at her, as if he could barely see past his own nose, and then shook his head until his clean-shaven jowls danced like the girl her brother was watching. "If you've come to hear a story, you know what has to happen."

"So we're a little late on payment, you know Eiko's good for it," Daiya remarked casually, shrugging her shoulders to complete the look. It didn't pay to make a big fuss about such disputes, if Shann was really upset about his overdue invoices he would take it up directly with the boss.

The old man took a sip of his caf, slowly, as if that was the only thing he cared about in the moment. Together, they made the very picture of apathy. "I can't take excuses to the bank."

Daiya gave the man a smirking side-eye, "Pfft, you don't use banks."

"Damn straight, never trust someone else with your money. Especially if they owe you." The man's jovial eyes were the only thing dancing now, toying with her just as she was toying with him. It was a game they were both intimately familiar with.

"Relax, you old miser, you'll have it by week's end."

"Well, I suppose for Tawrro's girl I could make an exception," Shann weezed in an approximation of laughter, but Daiya wasn't laughing with. She'd turned to look at him for the first time, her face bearing a puzzled expression. Tawrro? Before she could ask him if he was finally going senile, he launched into the winding tales he was so well-known for, whimsically interspersed with morsels of intel that Eiko paid so handsomely for. By the end of it, and with the half-Zeltron dancer giving no sign of being finished, Daiya pushed herself away from the wall at last.

"Thanks," she muttered, the doddering man's slip still on her mind. His enigmatic mode of speaking made her wonder if there was something significant about the name Tawrro. It was nobody she had ever met before, but somehow Shann thought they were partners. Or something closer. She nearly blanched at the thought, Tylo's deep gold eyes first in her mind by pure instinct, but she was a professional. "And don't worry, by week's end."

"It's more now," he reminded her, but Daiya just waved at him, already strolling away.

Steathily, the girl slipped into the dancer's enthralled crowd, easily making her way to stand behind her brother. She leaned in close to Gem's ear, whispering in a voice only he could hear. "Is she naked yet in that dirty mind of yours?"

The boy jumped nearly a lightyear in surprise, then gaped around as shame flushed across his cheeks. To his good fortune, no one else seemed to have noticed, though Daiya spied the halfbreed dancer giving him an extra shake of her hips as she passed by. "Don't do that!" he hissed at her, drawing a cackle from the teen operative's lips. He padded out after her, quick on her heels this time, saying, "And no way, she's just...you know, she's a good dancer."

"And pretty, and Zeltron, and too old for you. What would Mom think?" Daiya asked, unable to keep herself from grinning cannily at her younger brother. Even as slow as he was, even Gem knew when he was cornered.

"You're not going to tell her, are you?" he asked, concern suddenly obvious in his now-lucid voice. Daiya turned the corner sharply, and Gem followed close behind. "Please, she'd kill me if she knew I was watching...you know."

"A half-naked street dancer when you should be learning from your big sister? Oh, I know. The question is, what are you going to do for me if I keep your lurid secret?" Her lips curled at the end of the question, waiting to hear what concessions Gem was about to give in return for her silence. She wasn't planning on being cruel, oh no, but she might enjoy making him think that he'd have to offer up something significant. Chores for a year was soooo youngling.

Gem would have to wait a little more, for a hand from Daiya shot across his chest as they ventured down what should have been the walkway leading to The Oasis. That's where Shann had suggested she would find the Sullustan who had tried to rip-off Eiko by selling him a hundred gross of self-sealing torsion valves instead of the Moobian torsion valves he'd claimed to have. But wherever the Sullustan was hiding out, the girl was certain it wasn't down the street she'd just turned into.

Daiya turned around. Behind her, no different than she'd left it, was the Middle City street. She spun back again, to find a place that clearly...wasn't. The buildings were all different, the people were better dressed, and somehow the hidden mid-morning sun had become a clear afternoon.

Was this still even Denon?

 

[Siala Vash]

Objective: Paper Flowers
Tags: Rika | Cassus Akovin | Daiya | Toph Graystone | Chloe Santhe | Gray Venasir

“Mistress.”

The gentle clinking of fine china accompanied the voice.

“Mistress, it's time to get up.”

Siala's eyes snapped open. Above her, a lush canopy of velvet and it took her a good long moment to realize she was ensconced in a luxurious four-poster bed. And standing at the side of her bed was an older woman with straight posture and a tray of breakfast in steady hands.

“Ah, good, you're awake,” she said, and invited Siala to sit up so she could place the breakfast try on her lap. “I've set out a frock for you, along with the good pearls and patent heels.”

“Oh,” Siala murmured. “Yes— thank you.”

The other woman whisked herself from the room, leaving Siala more than a little confused. At least, now she had a quiet moment to get her bearings. Upon her lap, the silver tray beckoned her to eat-- golden toast on a white plate with an inky blue floral pattern, marmalade, crispy bacon, and a cup and saucer for tea. Around her, there were light blue walls, airy white curtains that filtered the sunlight, and antique furniture in deep mahogany hues.

What was this place?

And, the woman had called her... mistress. It was like a dream. But as Siala reached out to touch the edge of her porcelain teacup, it felt so real— no; it was real. This was the life she wanted; the life that had been swiftly taken away when she was a child. As her hand lifted the silver fork, she dipped it into the marmalade and had a taste.

If this was her life now, she ought to enjoy it.

She nibbled the toast and then lifted the little teapot to fill her cup... but it felt so heavy and her wrist so weak that it fell to the floor. Siala never heard it crack against the floor—she was out like a light.

 

[Cassus Akovin]

OBJECTIVE 1: PAPER FLOWERS
LOCATION: THE MIND
THE AFFLICTED: Daiya , Toph Graystone , Chloe Santhe , Gray Venasir , Rika , Ursula Vizla , Siala Vash ​

Ode of the Warrior Son

Though the Son was not from Mandalore,
In his deed, the clans would see much more,
To save his mothers dying heart,
He hunted others for coin as an art.

Filled with dread of shame every thought,
His noble quest made it not for naught,
Mother and Son both reunited,
Warriors each their shared fury ignited.

The monolithic evil stood high,
Mother and Son bring the end to nigh,
Sith Lords uprooted and cut down,
Heads set to pyre thus none wear the crown.

The Galaxy free of evil sons,
The Son and Mother watch all the suns,
Turning to him she says, “Boy,”
“You saved more than I, this brings me joy.”​

"Excellent writing Morso, you never fail to impress." Cassus Akovin the Mandalorian said to the poet, seeing the collection of writings about the man's struggle out of his darkest moments into the full glory of today. Forgiven of his terrible deeds, the savior of his mother, the conqueror of the Sith, and the pinnacle of admiration from not just the galaxy, but most importantly the mother he nearly lost.

"Cassus, come here!" Triam Akovin the Mother called out to her Son.

"Morso, keep up the good work, I'll be back." He said to the poet before dutifully answering her call to stand before her. "What is it mom?"

"We have a job to complete on Nar Shaddaa, they need a shipment of gear and a specialist hunter. It was implied we might have a remnant to hunt." She said, smiling towards her helmeted Son.

"We should stop by Denon for a restock, otherwise, I'm ready to go as soon as you are." He smiled beneath the vizor.

 

[Ruby Jaxx]

OBJECTIVE 2: RAMPANT CHAOS

Ruby Jaxx walked the streets of Parcellus Minor. She wasn't the sort that frightened easily, but this... this was some messed up poodoo. This area of the city looked deserted. Well, save for the poor saps that lay twitching on the sidewalks. Rather new to Darkwire, this was her first time working with the organization. And she didn't know much, but she knew that other operatives had been compromised by the planet's strange...affliction.

Her mind was clear—which led her to believe that she was unaffected.

Now, she just needed to get to the bottom of this VR-fueled madness. The problem? Well, she wasn't exactly a genius. What the kark did she know about tech? Basically nothing. But surely there was a source of some kind. Maybe it was as simple as unplugging something or flipping a switch... or maybe it was as complicated as she had the sinking feeling it was.

Well, she supposed the first step was trying to link up with someone—anyone—from Darkwire that still had their wits about them.

And then, she burst into song:

“I'm a LONER.
And I payed my dues
And I don't depend on nothing
Or none
I am a loner
All confused
Waiting for that rainy day
While I spend my time
Walking in the sunshine”

Ruby stood stunned when the torrent of song was over. What. The. Kark.

 

[Brie Jaxx]

Location: Middle City, Denon (Virtual Reality)
Objective: Paper Flowers
Allies Nearby: None Yet

''Brie? Come on, breakfasts ready!''

A soft and friendly female voice called out for her, waking her from her sleep in the comfortable bunk bed that she was laying in the first level in. As soon as her blue eyes were opened, Brie felt kind of dizzy and confused not knowing where she was, looking up into a bottom of a bunk bed that she had never seen before. In the beginning itfelt chilly, but she were in a grey sweat dress or pajamas if you would call it that.

''Brie? Come on now - it's getting cold!''

The voice were still friendly, and deep down her consciousness it felt familiar and comforting. Just like... Just like...

''M... mom?''

Could it be? Was she... home? The room were decorated with posters of animated heroes and one of a known musical band. At the end of the bed there was a desk with a bunch of holobooks on top of it. It looked used. Like she had done some work yesterday, but she could not remember it.

Sitting up from the bed, Brie tried to sort all these impressions into some kind of logical order, but it was easier said then done. Something did not feel right in all of this, but still she heard her voice. If it was a dream, it felt like more than that. Brie stood up and gave some attention to the posters on the walls around... her room?

The door slided open and an older brunette girl went in to grab a bag.

''Are you coming, or not? Breakfast getting cold, you know... I got to bounce, but I'll see you after school, alright?''

The older girl offered her a smile and a wave before she bounced off out the door again and out into the streets of Denon.

Wait... Was that? It could not be, right? Brie stood there thinking about it, before she carefully walked out through the door and into the kitchen area...

 

[Siala Vash]

Objective: Paper Flowers
Location: ??? (A bar on Nar Shaddaa)
Rika | Cassus Akovin | Daiya | Toph Graystone | Chloe Santhe | Gray Venasir | Brie Jaxx

Siala awoke, uncomfortably crammed, in a bathroom stall. Her head was absolutely pounding... or wait, was it music? Pushing herself up, she rubbed her head and looked around. Here she was, sat on the floor next to the loo, without a clue how she got here... or where she was, even, for that matter. The lights above were flickering, casting a harsh light on the colorful array of graffiti that covered the walls of the stall. And it was dirty, very dirty.

Getting up off the floor with a groan, Siala stumbled out of the stall.

The cracked mirror showed her reflection; her mascara smeared all over her eyes and her chestnut hair was a mess (but not in the fashionable kind of way). She turned on the faucet and splashed some cold water against her face. Water dripping from her chin, she squinted into the mirror.

As she searched her mind, the last thing she remembered was being in a fancy room. This was not the same place. Her dark eyes flickered towards the door. Yes, the was more to this place.

Sia placed a palm against the door and pushed...

A bar. Well, this was interesting. It wasn't all that surprising because she spent a lot of time in places just like this. But as Siala glanced around, she knew in an instant she'd never been here before.

Where ever here was.

 

[Toph Graystone]

Location: Denon
Objective: Paper Flowers
Tags: Daiya | Cassus Akovin | Brie Jaxx | Siala Vash | Ruby Jaxx | Queen Popara | Rika | Chloe Santhe | Gray Venasir

Everything about the day had gone from good to weird to bad. What was next the day becoming weirdly bad? The call from Cranel had been to inform Toph that while they were interested in the intergrations there were reservations about working with someone as volatile as her. What did he mean volatile? She was a stable as anyone else in the world. Still she couldn't shake the things she'd seen and thought she heard today. Was there something actually wrong with her. Throughout the rest of the day she continued to see and hear things that weren't really there. Around midday Toph finally had enough and left her office for the day.

She'd not known where her foot steps would take her until Toph stopped in front of a door in the much seedier part of the city. She couldn't even remember walking here, but clearly the woman had a reason so she reached to open the door. Her eyes blinked from the afternoon sun in her eyes as she stepped through the door. Wait...she was just outside walking through a building door. So how was she outside again. Toph turned back to the door she'd just stepped through only to find a wall. So much for it being just weird. She was sure she had now entered the realm of crazy.

Closing her eyes Toph mumbled to herself. "Get it together. You are a successful Tech star. You do not have time for a mental breakdown." However the words felt hollow. Why did the reminder of her status leave her feeling violated. Like the idea of becoming one of the Corporate movers and shakers was a betrayal of some moral code that didn't exist in her until now. Opening her eyes Toph looked straight ahead into the crowd. Spotting a weirdly familiar girl as she herself turned around. She had a look of surprise as if she wasn't expecting to see anything behind her.

Spoiler: OOC

For those that didn't see my post on discord I have been sick with food poisoning most of the week and had to spend the last two days catching up on work I'd put off because I was too sick to do anything. Thus my absence. Now that I have all that stuff done I will be working on getting posts out today.

 

[Chloe Santhe]

​

Objective: Paper Flowers
Location: Dream - Lianna
Tags: Toph Graystone | Daiya | Siala Vash | Brie Jaxx | Rika | Cassus Akovin

Happiness. It filled her in a way it never had before. Everything she had ever wanted was right here. Chloe wrapped her arms around her sisters and hugged them tightly. As she did she giggled and kissed their cheeks. But then a frown pulled down her lips. Wait….Never had before? So she hadn’t been happy before? When? Everything she wanted? But…something wasn’t right. She looked up to stare at the clean white walls near the kitchen. She tried to remember, for a single moment, the walls shifted into a grimy mess, full of dark shadows, and she swore she saw someone with what appeared to be cat ears run toward the door. As the room shifted back, she rubbed her eyes. What?

She looked down at her sisters. They begged her to not go, to stay here with them. She smirked and ruffled their hair. “Hey now! I’ll be right back! E-everything will...b-be…okay?” From the direction of the door, where the cat-eared person had ran, a voice rang out.

“It was okay…because you protected them.”

She bolted towards the door, and opened it. Outside, for a moment was a vast city, the air choked with smog, and air speeders. Darkness filled the streets...she knew it. It was a moon of some kind? However, she blinked and the vision was gone. Out of the corner of her right eye the figure bolted. Why was she chasing this? Was she going crazy?

“You thought about going back so much.”

The voice chimed out and she rushed forward yet again. As she rushed across a street, a speeder made a sharp jerk around her, to avoid a collision. Chloe gritted her teeth and kept running.

“They threatened them if you went back. To protect them, you went through hell. You accepted all that blood, all that sin. All for them. And they had a much better life than you.”

The shadow ducked around a corner into an alley way. The streets were so clean, the sea breeze was everywhere. It was paradise. She knew, if she followed everything would be horrible, that she would regret it. Yet….Chloe knew that voice spoke the truth. If she stayed her sisters would pay the price for it. She looked over her shoulder, back towards the corner where her family’s mansion was. With hesitation, she moved into the alley way, following her own white rabbit into a rabbit hole.

 

[Brie Jaxx]

Location: Streets, Middle City, Denon (Virtual Reality)
Objective: Paper Flowers
Tags: Daiya Cassus Akovin Siala Vash Ruby Jaxx Gray Venasir Queen Popara Chloe Santhe

Spoiler: Young and Innocent

That smell... Oh my, was it nice and inviting?

The smell that reached her were reminicent of somewhere. Slowly, her senses started to desperately search for pieces to puzzle together. Somewhere far away and many cycles ago. It smelled of something baked or fried with flour, sugar and maybe some dairy product. It was a sweet and inviting smell and the sound of something frizzling reached her ears. Even though she was slightly anxious where she was and how she ended up here, the smell and sound got her to lick her lips instinctively. Brie took the last cautious steps into the kitchen, stopping in the door when seeing a tall and dark haired woman standing busy by the stove and a set table behind her.

''There you are! Wait, you haven't got dressed yet? You're running late, hun... You're not ill, are you?'' the woman said with a sweet and caring voice. Then it striked Brie that she probably looked a bit ill. She couldn't deny that she felt a bit ill by the

''Wha- no... No, I'm... I'm just a bit... dazed, that's all...'' she said and tried to break a stare by rubbing the eye. ''I'm going to get dressed...''

With that, Brie turned on the spot and left for the bedroom again. Her glance darted around some before she saw a stack of folded clothes that laid on a chair at the end of the bed. She grabbed them and headed for the refresher, making sure to look the door behind her. She hurried over to the washbasin and tossed a hand full of cold water into her face. Her mind raced like a podracer in full speed and out of control.

Was she realy... home? But... how?!

She were on the ship just last night! Before... before she woke up here?!

She have had dreams about her family before... But never this clearly!

The thoughts scared her, and only raised more questions the more she thought about it!

Brie stared at her mirror image as drops of water fell from her chin and into the washbasin. It must be just a dream.

She dried her face with a towel and grabbed the hairbrush.

Yes, a dream and soon she were going to wake up on her ship again. Right?

----------------------------------------​

The clothes did fit like they were bought for her. A white and navy horizontal striped top with long sleeves, and light blue denim trousers with a brown leather belt.

''Feeling better?'' the woman said warmly and approached her, giving her a kiss on the cheek. It felt so real that Brie didn't know if to cry of sadness because of it probably being a dream, or cry of happiness because it felt so real. She did neither, though. Just on the inside.

She gave the woman an uncertain smile and a nod, before glancing to the set table to the side - PANCAKES!

The breakfast dish were still steaming hot, with assorted berries and a healthy amount of syrup on the top. She sat down on the opposite side of her mother and gazed longing at the stack. She couldn't hold herself for long, the first sweet taste of the warm and delicious breakfast dish realy got her to the brink of crying.

----------------------------------------
​

With a rucksack filled with holobooks over a shoulder, Brie hugged her mother at the door before leaving their appartment and into the street. After a while of walking down the street, it hit her - where did she go in school?