Faction New beginning | The Eternal Empire

[Kessia Miran]

Curtis Learchin (Kessia Miran)
Chameleon, Knight Warden of the Wardens of the Shroud, Agent of Blackwatch, sithspawn, L’lerim’s right hand​

Location: With Lori and her crew
Equipment: Tactical Turtleneck (looks like Curtis’s armor) | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit undersuit | Saberstaff | G1 OmniLink | Looks (yes, this time she is a he again)
Tag: Loreena Arenais-Valhoun | Curtis Learchin | Open

Almost everything started to turn out well when suddenly the call came, which the real Curtis was making. There was a surprise on Kessia i.e. Curtis’s face, as if he didn't want to believe he could hear his own voice on the communication channel. He looked at the terminal in confusion, apparently not really understanding what was going on here.

”What the…?!” he asked.

After that, he looked at Lori and his whole facial expression changed. But it wasn't the look on his face that he knew his cover was shattered, instead there was endless sorrow and pain in the man's face and eyes. How it hurt him that Lori doesn’t believe in it and accuses him of what he does. He shook his head after wanting to speak, but preferred not to.

”I'm sorry if you don't believe me, my love. Maybe it’s best if I go back to my “room”. I'll leave the weapon here, with you.”

There was endless pain and bitterness in his voice. He didn't try to defend himself that she was wrong, he would have knocked himself down right away. Last but not least, everyone would have done that by starting to defend themselves that way. Instead, he got up from his seat, the gun, as promised, wanted to leave it leaning against the wall and walked out.

If Lori doesn’t stop, Curtis’ body language also reveals pain and sorrow. Not to mention the frustration the situation caused, but if he can, he really goes back to his room.

​

 

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Lady Ingrid L’lerim-Ragal
Empress Regent of the Eternal Empire, Overlord of the Eternal Empire, the Emperor's hand
The Red Witch; Director of Blackwatch; Baroness of Vengard, Head of the House L’lerim, CEO of the HPI Consortium​

Location: Wulfngard, Kalidan
Equipment: 2x Sigra vibroblade | 2x Striith vibrosword | 2x red blade lightsaber shoto | 2x red blade lightsaber shoto | Gildenweave Imperial Uniform | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit | G1 OmniLink
Tag: Ben Serrano | Lucas Harvey-White | Fimrati Vailyippin | QEMD-15 Echo | Open

Received no response, but their time was not long before the rebels could do enormous damage, so Ingrid did not have time to hesitate either. She hoped to get cover, but if she didn’t, she wasn’t lost at all either, because she would solve it alone. But it would have been nice to have support. Who knows how many people the enemy has and how many are in the control and in the corridor.

”Then I’ll go ahead, if you can, cover when I’m visible. Until then, you will not be able to detect.”

After all, the red-haired woman was an assassin, it didn't bother her, and she had killed in a similar way those who had been sent to kill her. She reached into the Force and disappeared from sight, cameras. With the two vibroswords in her hand, she stepped out into the hallway, at the moment a few technicians and four soldiers were trying to enter the control room. They were just trying to open the door.

This meant for the woman that they had not yet been able to get in, i.e. there would be no enemy forces inside. Even if there was someone inside at all. At the other end of the corridor were two Ultranauts and an Infinite Droid who fired at the rebel soldiers trying to protect the technicians. It was time for these to fall between two fires.

She walked silently, until she reached behind the soldiers. And then, as the invisible death struck, she beheaded two with an X motion and then severely wounded two technicians. The Ultranauts, meanwhile, shot dead the other two soldiers, then came closer and knocked down a surviving technician.

”The hallway is free, you can come!” she shouted back.

Then she opened the door of the control room…

​

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

Lori didn't exoect that. She had expected Kessia Miran to either reveal herself or protest. But instead there was only pain and sadness. Was she wrong? Did she get the two confused? "Curtis, I...." She brought her finger and thumb up to the bridge of her nose, rubbing it as she tried to puzzle over this mess, going through it all over and over again in her mind. "I need to figure this out. I'll see you in a little while...."

As he left, Lori stared at the screen, watching the signs of battle in the distance ahead of them. It was then that she heard the voice of Curtis Learchin breaking through her thoughts. ~Be careful. There's a shapeshifter on board.~

If she was going to be of any help for this battle, then she needed to have her wits about her. And this certainly wasn't making it easy at all.

 

[Curtis Learchin]

​

Location: The Red Glare
Equipment: See bio
Tags: Loreena Arenais-Valhoun | Kessia Miran

As his ship moved slowly closer to The Sparrow, Curtis heard Lori's voice as clear as day. The sound of her speaking was comforting, even if the words were not. If there was a shapeshifter aboard... Maybe they were pretending to be him. That thought sent a shiver down his spine, he'd never encountered such a being before.

"I swear, if they have hurt her..." Curtis spoke to himself through gritted teeth, a surreal anger gripped every fibre of his being. As if in response, the hull of his ship groaned softly, The Force circling around him and his vessel. Closing his eyes again, he tried something he'd never done before. Reaching out, Curtis attempted to communicate with the shapeshifter. He and Lori could do it through there Force Bond, but maybe his anger could forge a temporary link.

"Whoever you are, if you injure Lori in any way, I'll will tear you limb from limb".

Now he waited, either for a response, or for The Sparrow to move planetside.

 

[Kessia Miran]

Curtis Learchin (Kessia Miran)
Chameleon, Knight Warden of the Wardens of the Shroud, Agent of Blackwatch, sithspawn, L’lerim’s right hand​

Location: With Lori and her crew
Equipment: Tactical Turtleneck (looks like Curtis’s armor) | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit undersuit | Saberstaff | G1 OmniLink | Looks (yes, this time she is a he again)
Tag: Loreena Arenais-Valhoun | Curtis Learchin | Open

Luckily, Kessia was professional enough so she didn’t fall out of the role after this unfortunate incident, but was able to maintain her appearance and feelings just as she had so far. Since the woman had been very attuned to him for weeks, perhaps even earlier, to Curtis, so the said man could easily reach her telepathically. Just because it might have felt like sending the message to himself.

For the man could feel through the Force when he reached the consciousness of the “imposter”, as if he were feeling himself. Whoever Kessia was in the Force was exactly the same as the real Curtis, her waves of thought, in everything. Kessia was able to copy not only the figure/shape, but also the aura and the Force pattern.

~ I have no idea who you are and why you give yourself up to someone else, i.e. you’re just trying to play me, but I’m not going to let you play with Lori’s emotions or try to confuse her! ~

Messaging the "imposter" back, the voice that the real Curtis could hear in his head was his own and through the Force he could feel that the one who sent him was serious and the that person (Kessia) believed that he is the real Curtis himself and not the figure on the unknown ship.

She didn't know at the moment what Lori might think of this, only that they would soon almost certainly be confronted on the surface, the outcome of which could be quite interesting…

​

 

[Curtis Learchin]

Location: The Red Glare
Equipment: See bio
Tags: Loreena Arenais-Valhoun | Kessia Miran

Curtis' face turned from anger to shock in the blink of an eye. Whatever that thing was, it wasn't just mimicking his face. Through The Force, the being seemed to be a mirror image of himself, like they'd been pulled from another universe and taken his place. It made him sick to his stomach, knowing that whatever it was, it was him for a lack of better words.

With added determination, Curtis reached out again, finding it far easier to connect with the being this time. It really was like talking to himself.

I'm not playing games, creature! You've taken my place, but not for much longer!

There was something especially aggravating about all this, trying to prove to himself and others that he was himself. He could only imagine how Lori felt, but luckily the thing pretending to be him seemed to care for her. A fake care maybe, but a care nonetheless.

 

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Lady Ingrid L’lerim-Ragal
Empress Regent of the Eternal Empire, Overlord of the Eternal Empire, the Emperor's hand
The Red Witch; Director of Blackwatch; Baroness of Vengard, Head of the House L’lerim, CEO of the HPI Consortium​

Location: Wulfngard, Kalidan
Equipment: 2x Sigra vibroblade | 2x Striith vibrosword | 2x red blade lightsaber shoto | 2x red blade lightsaber shoto | Gildenweave Imperial Uniform | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit | G1 OmniLink
Tag: Ben Serrano | Lucas Harvey-White | Fimrati Vailyippin | QEMD-15 Echo | Open

She entered the room where Ingrid had not seen what she had expected. There were people inside but not living. The room was locked from the inside, she already understood why the technicians were. They poisoned the air and waited for the poison to drain from the air and only then tried to get in. She felt anger for a moment, then suppressed it while she felt the anger she wanted to execute the living technician right now. Fortunately she was not a sith, so she can handle this.

She loved pure war, but such a method was the lowest and dirtiest in a war. Poison. It is most often considered a weapon for women. On her communicator, she switched to a secure channel and sent a message on it to all the fighting loyalists, including Ben Serrano and, of course, those who were there with him and here with her.

<“This is the Overlord. The enemy also uses gas against our people. Anyone who doesn’t have a helmet should get a mask so that the chemical attack doesn’t cause trouble during the fight.”>

She said it first in High Nelvaanian, then in a galactic standard. She didn't say those here were dead. Fortunately, there were not many, but even then there were senior officers who did much for the empire. An unworthy end that could not be defended in this situation. It was time to finally end this coup once and for all.

She turned to one of the terminals and sent a message to the entire Empire. She asked for a report from everywhere on how the situation was. If possible, deduct all this to the fleet and city. She wondered how good a Tsudakyr would have been for her. The message went out, she just had to wait for the answers to come.

​

 

[Kessia Miran]

Curtis Learchin (Kessia Miran)
Chameleon, Knight Warden of the Wardens of the Shroud, Agent of Blackwatch, sithspawn, L’lerim’s right hand​

Location: With Lori and her crew
Equipment: Tactical Turtleneck (looks like Curtis’s armor) | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit undersuit | Saberstaff | G1 OmniLink | Looks (yes, this time she is a he again)
Tag: Loreena Arenais-Valhoun | Curtis Learchin | Open

Kessia continued to play. In fact, it was a strange situation for her too. Usually, the one whose place she takes in this way is already dead because she killed it earlier. She never spoke to a person she had taken it to, especially after she had already taken that place. Especially not through the Force. She, too, felt that contacting Curtis was quite easy, even though they had never met in person.

”I'm not a creature! I'm Curtis Learchin, you're the one who wants to hurt Lori and trick her!”

She responded with the same emphasis as the man had done, similarly angrily, with such vehemence. She wondered when they would turn to the planet and land. Otherwise, they won't be able to meet the other ship very much. So now everything was still just Lori. And what would happen if they landed…

There really was no doubt that there would be a fight between the two Curtis, but everything else was a huge question mark for the woman so far…

​

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

Lori swallowed a lump in her throat as her mind reeled over the events tha took place these past few weeks since Curtis Learchin had come back. Was it him all this time? Or Kessia Miran ? The shapeshifter had told her that she kills those that she copies, and yet that didn't seem to be the case this time. Why? Or were there two shapeshifters? Right now Lori wasn't even sure if she could handle one.

Taking the controls of the Sparrow, Lori brought her over to the other side of the planet in a small series of microjumps that would keep them out of battle enough to sneak in planetside.

She should be focussing on the battle and strategy, but she couldn't. Instead she was trying to figure out which part of her life was fake. "Come on Lori, focus..."

There was only one way to do that. However it wasn't going to be easy or pleasant. She landed the Sparrow well outside of the nearest ground battle then spoke on the intercom while powering the ship down; "Curtis, let's go outside for some fresh air." Maybe that waswhat she needed while she waited to see whether or not the other Curtis would show.

 

[Curtis Learchin]

Location: The Red Glare
Equipment: See bio
Tags: Loreena Arenais-Valhoun | Kessia Miran

Everything about this felt wrong. His life had been taken by a creature that seemed to be deluded enough to think they were him. What was worse, was that Lori had no idea about it. The anger that had surfaced before remained, spinning and twisting with a feverish intent. More than anything, he wanted Lori back, but what was to say she'd even believe he was the really Curtis.

The movement of the Sparrow snapped Curtis out of it, watching the ship jump to a new position. He followed suit, activating the stealth drive on The Red Glare to make sure that he wasn't located. As the Sparrow headed in to land, he did the same, placing his ship a few metres away. For the last time, Curtis reached out to Lori through the Force.

Lori, whatever happens here, you must stay out of it. Whatever that thing is, I can't let it escape... or take you from me.

His eyes flickered open, the loading ramp dropped, and Curtis exited the ship. Saberstaff in hand, hatred in his eyes, and anger boiling over.

 

[Kessia Miran]

Curtis Learchin (Kessia Miran)
Chameleon, Knight Warden of the Wardens of the Shroud, Agent of Blackwatch, sithspawn, L’lerim’s right hand​

Location: With Lori and her crew
Equipment: Tactical Turtleneck (looks like Curtis’s armor) | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit undersuit | Saberstaff | G1 OmniLink | Looks (yes, this time she is a he again)
Tag: Loreena Arenais-Valhoun | Curtis Learchin | Open

They finally arrived in the atmosphere and soon landed as well. She wasn't worried about leaving the weapon in the cockpit with Lori, she managed easily without it. Curtis opened his eyes to the announcer's message. Since the real one was also nearby, so it was advisable to pretend to want to protect the girl, which is why he sent her a telepathic message, it was the easiest in this situation.

”No, I'm going alone, my love. I want you to stay on the ship. I have no idea who the other person is, but I don’t want you to get in trouble or hurt you in any way. If there is a problem, escape!”

Meanwhile, he got up from his seat and walked back to the ramp from where he could get out into the open. He would have loved to have it run away, become invisible and imperceptible and disappear. But no, Lori can't be tormented further by the thought that the real one may not stay by her side. Or who knows when she will be able to trust the man again.

Based on his earlier message, if Lori wasn’t there at the ramp, he wouldn’t wait, just open it and walk down the ship to the free space. He didn't run away, just waiting a few steps away for the other Curtis to arrive.

​

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

A fight was coming, that much she knew. Lori got out of her chair and exited the cockpit, her pace slowing even more so as Curtis Learchin entered her mind. She heard his voice and could feel every emotion that laced every word he had uttered. ~Curtis?..Be careful...~

What was more confusing was the fact that she could feel him everywhere. How was it possible? Was she going mad? But no. One was a shape shifter. He had to be. But which one? They both felt the same!

Again his voice came inside of her head. Kessia Miran told her to stay on board, and yet she couldn't. "No, I need to see it for myself. I need to see him." How else could she know without being amongst them?

Lori walked towards the ramp and stepped down it, almost cautious in her approach, wary of just what she might see.

 

[Curtis Learchin]

​

Location: Planetside
Equipment: See Bio
Tags: Loreena Arenais-Valhoun | Kessia Miran

Curtis stepped out onto the planet's surface, and came face-to-face with the thing that had taken his place. It was unnerving to say the least, seeing himself standing there. For all anyone would know, that thing was him. And next to it, slightly behind, was Lori. It had been too long since he'd seen her. That only made his anger more potent. She had been taken from him, his beloved. With malice intent, Curtis moved forward again, activating the blade on his saberstaff, the crimson plasma burning the tips on grass.

"What are you?" Curtis questioned through gritted teeth, for as angry as he was, his curiosity about the creature was greater. "I know not how you took my face, but you cannot keep it. I'll give you one chance to walk away, or I will destroy you" The threat dripped with venom, and tiny streaks of lightning arced across his gauntlet. He had no real intention of letting it go, but with Lori there... he couldn't take the chance.

 

[Kessia Miran]

Curtis Learchin (Kessia Miran)
Chameleon, Knight Warden of the Wardens of the Shroud, Agent of Blackwatch, sithspawn, L’lerim’s right hand​

Location: With Lori and her crew
Equipment: Tactical Turtleneck (looks like Curtis’s armor) | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit undersuit | Saberstaff | G1 OmniLink | Looks (yes, this time she is a he again)
Tag: Loreena Arenais-Valhoun | Curtis Learchin | Open

He glanced anxiously at Lori when the young woman arrived too, that she wanted to see it all too. Since he was still acting like Curtis, he didn't want to let go at the same time, but he didn't want to hold her back.

”Stay behind me please, I don't want him to hurt you!”

He told the girl. Meanwhile, the other ship arrived, recognizing from the files that this was indeed what the real Curtis had. And now he didn't have to wait long for the other protagonist to arrive. As expected, not nearly friendly. However, the offering was surprising to let him go, Kessia did not expect that. However, he could not take advantage of this opportunity because then it would turn out that he is a fake one.

This is what I want to know who you are and when you stole my boat from Lotho Minor! How did you take the courage to try to show up here with a stolen ship and pretend that you are me! What kind of dirty and insidious game is this? Is that how you want to ruin Lori completely?! I thought the Empire would not sink so deep!”

He tries to set Lori to be more important to him, his emphasis and movements exactly the same as the original. The only big difference was that Kessia was unarmed. Still, he positioned himself to protect Lori as well.

​

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

Lori knew that she'd be seeing two of them. But imagining it and seeing it with her own eyes was a very different story.

She held her breath momentarily while Curtis Learchin and Kessia Miran argued, Curtis with his weapon drawn. It was the only thing that helped her to tell the two apart. Even the Force couldn't help her. The Force Bond that she shared with Curtis was somehow linked to the both of them. How was that possible??

"The Empire would sink that low...They want me to stop. But not before giving them information." Lori spoke quietly, mostly to herself as she voiced her thoughts. Her brows were furrowed while she puzzled over recent events and motives. Just when did it all start? How long had she been decieved?

And what would happen if the real Curtis was killed? Would she end up like her Mom? Caedyn Arenais let her know that their Mom wasn't doing well. Would she suffer the same fate? Lori wanted to walk her own path, not comfortable in following in anyone's shadows for she just wasn't good enough.

"I don't want this. Any of this...Curtis? How did we meet? Tell me through the Force so neither can copy the answer of the other." She looked from one to the other. "Tell me..." It was the first step of many. One that could show her just how long and how deep the Empire have sought intelligence on her.

 

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Lady Ingrid L’lerim-Ragal
Empress Regent of the Eternal Empire, Overlord of the Eternal Empire, the Emperor's hand
The Red Witch; Director of Blackwatch; Baroness of Vengard, Head of the House L’lerim, CEO of the HPI Consortium​

Location: Wulfngard, Kalidan
Equipment: 2x Sigra vibroblade | 2x Striith vibrosword | 2x red blade lightsaber shoto | 2x red blade lightsaber shoto | Gildenweave Imperial Uniform | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit | G1 OmniLink
Tag: Open

Ingrid kept receiving the data from the control room’s terminals, which came at her command. Among other things, she received these from her husband and her father, even though they were on the same Star destroyer. Based on the data, in the first surprise, the Eternal Truth managed to deal a great blow to the barons, baronesses, and loyal officers, but as the time progressed towards it, the Loyalists began to gather themselves.

Hours passed…

Long hours had passed, which were incredibly tiring mentally tiring for the woman. With the Infinites, Wulfngard was recaptured relatively soon. Most of the rebels had already been killed in battle, or had just been captured and awaited in prison for the penalty of their act. And the other cities were able to defend themselves in the same way. The droid army came as a big surprise, as the traitors did not anticipate it.

Few knew about this, House L’lerim’s High Command and the Emperor, and of course Ingrid. So they were considered a good enough reinforcement, not only on Kalidan, but throughout the Empire. They could not be convinced with words, they were not afraid and they did not back down. And in such a short time, their programming could not be hacked either. Although Ingrid was tired, she didn't rest anything, she didn't want to until the coup was completely beaten.

For she did not want to hand over the Eternal Empire to such traitors. The Overlord watched the movements of the Fleets on the monitors, the surviving officers began to appear, and the Overseer also checked in from the safe haven. The same was true of the other high-ranking officers and barons who were still alive.

They survived the first and so far only wave of the coup, it was time to retaliate!

​

 

[Curtis Learchin]

​

Location: Planetside
Equipment: See Bio
Tags: Loreena Arenais-Valhoun | Kessia Miran

Curtis, the real Curtis, hated that Lori was having to interrogate them both. He could ignore her, kill the imposter, but he was almost certain he'd lose her in the process. So he did as he was told, reaching out to her.

"We met on a space station in the Outer Rim, you recruited me to your crew on your way to Makatak"

That meeting had been years ago, and since then the two had been stuck together. He'd loved every second of it, mainly because he was with her the whole time. How could their romance not have blossomed under those circumstances?

 

[Kessia Miran]

Curtis Learchin (Kessia Miran)
Chameleon, Knight Warden of the Wardens of the Shroud, Agent of Blackwatch, sithspawn, L’lerim’s right hand​

Location: With Lori and her crew
Equipment: Tactical Turtleneck (looks like Curtis’s armor) | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit undersuit | Saberstaff | G1 OmniLink | Looks (yes, this time she is a he again)
Tag: Loreena Arenais-Valhoun | Curtis Learchin | Open

Kessia nodded at what Lori had asked them, both of them telepathically. As the shape-shifter was prepared for such contingencies and prepared for the pair, he knew exactly what to answer. That Lori had hired him, so to speak, as a “bodyguard” to take care of the goods and be a member of the crew. So he himself sent this message to the woman and then spoke.

”This is nonsense, probably the shapeshifter is prepared for anything. If he’s the real version, where has he been over the last few months when I’ve been by your side? Why didn't he seek you, why didn't he protect you, where he was, where he hid wordlessly, in secret, while the Eternal Empire was hunting you? And why is it popping up in the biggest chaos right now?!”

He looked at the girl, then at Curtis. His emphasis and body language remained exactly the same as the real version. Eventually, he turned to the man with his full body to ask him the questions, while his hand was clenched into a fist.

”If you are the real one, as you claim. Why weren't you with her when she needed you the most? Where have you been?!”

​

 

[Loreena Arenais-Valhoun]

At this moment, it was hard to tell which Curtis Learchin had responded first. They both felt and sounded the same, and with being right there next to them, it was darn near impossible to know which one of them was speaking into her mind. Her method was flawed. She was flawed. And she was entirely confused. Her jaw was lowered ever so slightly as she gazed from one to the other every few seconds.

Kessia Miran was with her for plenty of time as of late, and she had loved every moment of it, believing that she was with the real Curtis. Everything about it felt real. The very idea that it was all some kind of elaborate trick that she had fallen for, made her almost feel sick to her stomach.

"This isn't the first time that Curtis hadn't been with me. And I know the reasons why. He had explained it to me before. The question is, are they the same reasons now?"

 

[Curtis Learchin]

Location: Planetside
Equipment: See Bio
Tags: Loreena Arenais-Valhoun | Kessia Miran

Being questioned about where he'd been was inevitable. He couldn't have stopped that question even if he had tried. What he hadn't counted on was being asked it by himself.

"I..." Curtis stuttered, his words caught in his throat. The answer was simple at first glance, but he knew it hadn't been the right thing to do. "I went out in search of artifacts to help us in our fight against The Eternal Empire. Something, anything to give us an edge... But leaving was wrong. I left you alone, and this thing took my place!" Around him the air changed, it felt charged with electricity. His anger was building again.

"And you, creature? How long did you wait before taking my place?! How many moment have you stolen in your quest to get close to my beloved?!" Lightning sparked from his hand and struck the grass beside him. It was only a matter of time before he lost control, out of anger, out of want.