Project: Seeker

[Adron Malvern]

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Location: Kamino | Tag: [member="Irajah Ven"] ​

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Adron gazed out the window, saphirre eyes taking in the crashing waves that surrounded Tipoca city. They rolled and slammed into each other with a force that could easily level most structures. He found the sheer power behind these waves to be both terrifying and impressive. He stood in his office with a certain expresion. Not quite a smile, but certainly the Exarch was pleased with how things were progressing. Every detail of his plan was being executed with staggering efficeincy. His eyes would rise to the clouds above the city. It was nearly time for his guest to arrive which meant the second stage of this venture was about to begin. His hands were wrapped around a black walking cane, nothing more than a decoration to match his being. It went particularly well with the slate suit he was wearing, but it was not there for support, just flash.

Turning from the window that overlooked his desk the Exarch made his way across his dimly lit office and into the bright halls of Tipoca city. It was a slight adjustment. The Kaminoans liked to keep their halls and rooms well lit. Perhaps that was why Adron preferred his office to be a bit dimmer, it gave his eyes a rest. Outside of his office, two Magnaguard droids stood silently in the hall. Their dim optics showed they were in standby mode, however the moment Adron stepped out their eyes began to shine a deep shade of crimson. "11-5, 11-6." The guards took a step forward, their electrostraffs tapped the ground in unison as they turned their heads towards Adron.

"My lord." They acknowledged, in unison. Those deep metallic voices were met with an icy stare from Adron. He hated droids, even his own bodyguard units were a pain he wished he did not have to suffer. For now they would have to do.

"Let's go." He ordered, turning down the hall and moving into the main spine of Tipoca city. Each of the droids fell into steop behind the Exarch, not speaking a word as they covered his flank. The city was quiet. It was always quiet when Adron came to visit. He needed the Kaminoans and even most of the Confederates to stay busy while his experements were held. The less who knew of them for now, the better. In fact the only people who did know of his newest ventures were Darth Metus and his own counter-part, Srina Talon. A private landing pad had been cleared before hand. To allow Irajah and Adron some privacy as they conducted their business. As Adron grew closer to the platform he could hear one of his droid's sensors give off the tiniest beep. It soon confirmed what the Exarch suspected. "Your guest is arriving, my lord." He reported, just as they made their way to the East wing where the platform was.

As always there was a thick rain coming down. Adron would wait until they saw the scientists shuttle, then he would meet her and quickly usher her inside.

 

[Kuzo]

Coming down through the stormy atmosphere of Kamino, the shuttle rocked precariously in the high winds, buffeted by rain- a metallic staccato filling the ears of those within. Worry? Hardly. The pilot was a droid, and the lone passenger gazed absently out the transparisteel view port, mind distant.

It had been years since she had last worked and studied on an ocean world. Azure had been different, but it was impossible to not compare and draw those memories to this new moment. Forehead resting against surface, she smiled softly, less at the view of the tumultuous sea that came into view as the clouds parted beneath them, but remembering.

It had not been a good period. There had been so much anger and pain. But it had been the beginning of the path that had brought her everything that mattered. Oh, she could trace it back farther perhaps. Azure however, was the turning point. The place where she had chosen to keep walking even when all she had wanted to do was give up. The place where she had been at her lowest, and decided that no, she would not let the Zambranos break her. Not for keeps. Could she have done it without [member="Jairus Starvald"]? Possibly. Even likely. He had not been a kind teacher. She had found herself angry at him as often as she had been angry about her own limitations. The sheer damage done to her body by [member="Darth Carnifex"]. The Gideon Virus. Every step of that path had been one of pain.

And yet she had taken something back from it and turned it into the life she had now.

It was enough. More than.

The settling of the shuttle on the rain slick tarmac brought her back to the now. With a shake of her head and a chuckle, the diminutive woman rose, accepting the waterproof poncho from the droid before stepping out into the deluge.

"Lord Malvern!" She called with some amusement, barely audible over the wind and rain. "When they speak of the Kamino weather, I had always assumed they were exaggerating. It seems I was mistaken. You did not have to meet me out here," she didn't stop moving when she reached him, instead offering him a bright smile despite the weather.

"But perhaps we can hurry this along back inside, yes?"

Clearly of a similar mind, the pair were back under shelter in moments, Irajah sliding off the poncho and handing it to a droid with a soft expression of appreciation.

Known to Adron as 'Doctor Calais' from Coruscant, she appeared much as she had the first time they had met. Dark hair curling around her face, which she brushed back absently now divested of the hood. She dressed in quality, but practical clothing, and she had traveled light, the surprisingly small bag brought in by the droid pilot a moment later. Amused, friendly, with Force signature tightly cloaked, the persona of Calais was in truth very little removed from who Irajah Ven was.

It just kept things simpler.

[member="Adron Malvern"]

 

[Adron Malvern]

As the young Doctor moved from her shuttle to the platform, Adron stepped out into the pouring rains to greet her. She had quite the personality, Doctor Calais, even from their first visit she had been rather pleasant to deal with. Yet, her attitude was not what he had called her here for. He needed her talents far more than any personality. As she rushed to his side he held an arm out to usher her inside. “Let’s get you inside Doctor.” He called over the howling winds. Rushing inside to avoid the hellish storms outside, Adron’s hair was unpleasantly soaked and fell down over his shoulders in a rather unappealing mess. He ran a hand through his hair to press it back against his head before bowing to the Doctor respectfully. “Doctor. It is a pleasure, as always.” He would take her hand for a fashionable greeting before holding a hand out, gesturing down the main spine. “Shall we?”

Each of Adron’s Magnaguards would begin moving down the hall, slow enough so the duo would not be pressed to keep up. Leading behind them, Adron looked to the youthful doctor with a curios expression. “I trust your trip went well?” He asked. “Thank you again for arriving in such a timely manner.”

The Magnaguards led Adron and Irajah to a small, private, turbolift which seemed to go down to the lower levels of Kamino. Once the two of them were aboard, Adron would enter a rather lengthy pass code. In the next moment the main doors shut, closing them off from the rest of the city and allowing them to descend down into Kamino’s underground facilities. The trip had taken several minutes, even though they seemed to be going at a fairly high speed. While they stood Adron cleared his throat so that he could begin to explain things a bit better. “I wanted to introduce you to the project and also shed light on the many darkened aspects of what we are doing here.” He explained.

“The former Minister of War for The Confederacy took notice that while our Droid legions are formidable, they are noticeably lacking in several areas. Droids, despite their considerable expense, do not function well in small teams. Instead they work better in overwhelming numbers that make them unstoppable.” Adron briefly ran a hand over his chin before looking to Irajah with a certain glimmer in his eyes. “Yes, you can make specialized droids but in the end they are still susceptible to various forms of assault such as ION weaponry and reprogramming.”

“We need a specialized Shock Unit that is capable of inflicting maximum damage with minor numbers. Now we considered all the basics. Commandos, Force Users, and so on. But none of these are quite as devastating as we are looking for. So, we began to look into alternate methods.” The turbolift would slowly come to a halt and the doors would open to reveal a pitch black hall. The only noticeable difference between this hall and those in the city above was that the walls on either side of the walkway were made entirely of glass. Taking a step out of the turbolift, each of the magnaguards would remain in place while Adron led the way down this hall. The moment his foot touched the walkway, a dim blue light would illuminate the way down the hall. “So we had to consider a few things. The first being, what is one of the most devastating weapons in the galaxy?” Adron paused in the middle of the hallway, glancing back at the Doctor with a knowing smile. “Well, I’ll give you a hint.”

A flash occurred as the dark hallways was fully lit. Lights flowed from one side of the ceiling to another. This was nowhere near as shocking as what lied behind the glass. On either side of the two were scores of Rakghouls. Most seemed to be howling or clawing at the glass before them. It was quickly apparent it would be impossible for the creatures to escape, as each one was tethered to a metallic anchor in the wall and the glass itself showed no chance of shattering. Adron clasped his hands behind his back while looking to the woman beside him. “The Rakghoul plague is particularly interesting because of the effects it has on the body. Of course, that’s just my own opinion.”

Adron would gaze at the creatures for a moment before turning and continuing their advance down the hall. “Now I’m not actually interested in letting this nightmare run unchecked through the galaxy. It’s actually its effects I’m after, not really it’s results. I’ll explain in a moment.” The two of them approached a door at the end of the hall and Adron once again began to tap into the security terminal. “I want to use the Rakghoul plague to create soldiers.”

[member="Irajah Ven"]

 

[Kuzo]

"Mmm, yes, let's."

The chatting was perfunctory at first. Him asking after her trip, her replying with a laugh and that of course it was perfect. Ever since the fall of the Galactic Alliance the Core had been less stable than before, but that seemed to deter the Doctor little enough. Thank yours and your welcomes traded easily back and forth.

It wasn't until they were in the private elevator that the true meat of why she was here was broached. She knew the broadest of strokes- after all, she couldn't have come if she hadn't known at least in a general way. But the details had been shadowed.

For good reason, she thought to herself, as he outlined more of the details of the project.

It was, in truth, far more interesting just for the sake of what it was than she had been expecting. Irajah didn't care much for living weapons in their end result. But the process and the specifics of how this would need to be accomplished, utilizing the Rakghoul virus? This was everything she was interested in on a professional level. She had been prepared to do a job here and do it well, perhaps gain some things that would aid her longer views in the process. But she hadn't been expecting to enjoy the work for its own sake.

It was an entirely pleasant surprise.

If the Exarch was expecting shock or horror from the woman beside him, as the lights came up and the truth was revealed, he would be disappointed. Despite masking (literally) as her own clone within the Empire these last months, Irajah was not a particularly consummate liar. Oh, she could pretend, especially behind a mask, but she was no good at feigning emotions she did not feel- the woman wore her heart on her sleeve. Instead of recoiling she stepped up to the glass, hazel eyes keen on the details. The restraints, the thickness of the barrier, the creatures themselves. She had studied the virus in an academic way- in her own research to beat the Gideon Virus it had been necessary- but this was the first time she had seen the results in person. One hand came up, laying against the glass. One of the creatures, the closest, redoubled its efforts to break its bounds, but to no avail.

Absolutely fascinating.

She lowered her hand, falling into step beside Adron again as he continued down the hallway.

"I assume you have already considered the.... well.... considerable challenges to over come here," she commented. Raising a hand, she counted off, one finger at a time.

"Compliance with orders- those infected typically lose all ability to manage that. Unless you intend to use them in a 'release and clean up later' sort of way, in which case," she ticked off another finger, "A deadman's switch of some sort, to protect against having them used in turn against you." Another finger. "Blocking transmission of the plague further, or neutering its transmissiblity utterly." That would be a key to making this a weapon to be wielded like a scalpel, rather than as a thermal detonator. A fourth finger then, "Because this disease was engineered by the Sith, there may be need for a Force User to functionally alter it. I have done work with another Sith created virus, but each is different and until the changes are attempted it will be difficult to tell."

Could she do it? Absolutely. But Doctor Calais was not a Sith Lord. Irajah had found that the best way to lie was simply to tell the truth.

Just not all of it.

The last finger. "And of course..... arranging for people to sign their lives off to you in order to accomplish what you wish."

Casual, easy. But there was a curiosity in her eyes. A weighing. This was a layer beneath the public face of the CIS. She wondered how far the darkness here went.

[member="Adron Malvern"]

 

[Adron Malvern]

The Exarch of The Confederacy watched the Doctor’s expression with a keen eye. He was looking for any signs of hesitation or surprise, when none presented themselves the man could not help but draw his lips into a thing smile. He did not have time for people with too much reserve. As they approached another security terminal the young Doctor began to dive into some of the more challenging problems with a project such as this. All of them had already passed Adron’s desk in one manner or another and thus he held all the answers, this time. When it came to the topic of compliance to orders, Adron nodded softly, though this was likely to be the most difficult thing to tame. “Mental suggestion?” The statement was presented as a question, while he pressed a soft finger to his temple. “These abominations have been controlled by The Force in the past. Perhaps we could develop an implant to connect them to a type of mental network controlled by The Force? This would allow them to be directed, and at times halted.” Adron was not a scientist, even as the Director of this project he was painfully ignorant of the limits of science, however he was confident in the wide bounds of The Dark Side, and sure it could fill any gaps.

“Also, I am not suggesting the soldiers we make be these Rakghouls. Instead we slow the Rakghoul transformation to a halt. It leaves the soldiers with some sentience while still gaining some of the Rakghouls…finer features.” He said, taking notice of another Rakghoul attempting to slam itself against the glass barrier between them.

When it came to the topic of the plague itself, Adron showed a rather sly smirk. “The plague itself is also a weapon to be unleashed. However we need a way to control it, so it can only be released with our knowledge and intent.” He explained to the Doctor. His research team had already assured him this would be a rather simple detail. They were already in the process of creating suits and technology to limit the plagues ability to spread without their authorization. Adron was rather impressed by the Doctor’s outlook, she certainly seemed to be asking all the right questions. As the main door before them slid into its host another dark hallway similar to the one they had just traveled down revealed itself. “A Sith Lord has already been appraised of our situation and will consult where needed and act when need be.” He promised, however her next comment simply made him chuckle. “You’d be surprised how many people in this galaxy would die just so their family will gain some stability.” The next hall was illuminated and this time the glass walls revealed an astonishing sight. There appeared to be hundreds of individuals on lowered platforms going through some type of medical trials. Nothing more than basic immunizations and physicals. This experiment would be difficult enough without any outside contaminants. “You see. I’m quite the charity. All it requires for your family to live a happy life within The Confederacy is your sworn loyalty. You can see how there are plenty of takers.” He gestured to the mass of people before clearing his throat and leading down the hall.

“We relocate refugees every year. Thousands leading into millions. They can choose if their family is taken to a new refugee camp or to a lavish suite on one of our better worlds.” A slight glimmer ran through Adron’s eye as they made their way to a large stairwell. “Now, Doctor. I do have a concern about the…stability of the many moving parts we are integrating. Neural implants, viral tampering, genetic mutation, and exposure to The Force. I’d hate for us to create something that will ultimately decay at rapid rates.” The two of them were led down to the next floor which seemed to have nothing more than a string of labs and offices. While the offices were filled with separate scientists all seeing to their own work the individual labs and clean rooms were currently vacant. “Now, would you like to see how the first trials are going?” Adron asked with a certain expression.

[member="Irajah Ven"]

 

[Kuzo]

"I will admit a certain.... bias, Exarch. In my experience mixing technology with the Force is a recipe for disaster. Not that it cannot be done, it absolutely can. But the one thing that the Force has largely resisted is Science's attempts to measure it. To quantify it. It leaves it a wild card in any equation. Sometimes things behave and go exactly as intended. Other times?"

She made a small poof motion with her hands.

"If you have sufficient Force users without...." she paused, considering and then saying, delicately, "certain compunctions, on such a baby sitting job, it can absolutely be accomplished. I would suggest, if that is the route you have settled on, adding in a second, biological fail safe in the form of conditioning that can be imprinted directly on the mind."

This indeed was one of Irajah's areas of preference and expertise. Though there was no journal published that would cite such a thing for Doctor Calais. After her work on Desmond, [member="Seamus Valik"], @Icarn Amota, and [member="Elliot Locke"], she knew exactly where those limitations lay and just how far one could push them.

A small frown flickered over her face as he commented on the virus itself. Her own experience with Gideon and its accidental spread decades after its creation...

The death of her entire world.

"There is no, 100% true fail safe to control a virus," she said bluntly here. "There is always a chance of it doing something you do not expect, and that requires a certain amount of respect." Her voice turning a touch softer then, a touch distant. "We are gods that play with life and death of millions when we toy with the smallest forms of life in our galaxy. They have their purpose, but should never be underestimated. And the risk of losing control, no matter how much your scientists believe they can harness it, must always be included in the equation."

A pause, a shake of her head. She did not ask forgiveness for speaking so clearly on the matter, nor would she. Some lessons even she had chosen to reject from her time at the mercy of the Zambranos.

“You’d be surprised how many people in this galaxy would die just so their family will gain some stability.”

A barest hint of a smile there. "Oh, I am certain I would be."

She was not, in truth. She knew. All too well. How much people would be willing to trade for those they loved. The question was mostly could the CIS offer what they wanted? For the moment, it seemed yes. More information, filed away. Those few years ago on Maena, working feverishly, she had offered relatively little to the people of that undercity in return for allowing her to run her tests. It had been an agony then, to make that choice. She could look back now and wonder why, exactly, it had been so difficult. The numbers here dwarfed her work there, her work on Coruscant. Of course, it also kept her safer, out of public attention. But with the Government at his back, well. He had his own protection.

"I would have the same concerns," she commented with a nod as they left that area and headed to the next. "There is a very good chance that it will take significant trial and error to produce a stable end product."

Product.

There could be no doubt in that moment of just how she saw this.

"Yes please. Knowing where the road has been traveled is always useful in my line of work."

[member="Adron Malvern"]

 

[Adron Malvern]

The Exarch had certainly considered the backlash that came with using the Force in such a manner. It was as predictable as the wind and far more powerful, yet it could not be avoided. The Dark Side of the Force had never failed him before and his faith in it was unshaken, as was his faith in his own ability to keep it in check. When [member="Irajah Ven"] suggested a more baseline conditioning to maintain mental control over the subjects Adron pressed a hand to his chin in silent thought. That was something he had not considered, using more than one method to force compliance would certainly be the wisest avenue to take considering the large list of things that could go wrong if they lost control of these creatures. "I agree, Doctor." He said, inclining his head toward her.

As the Doctor spoke Adron slowly became more comfortable with her disposition. It was becoming quite obvious that the young Doctor was a professional. Her eyes were focused only on the project and that was something that was invaluable for Adron. These beasts of war were designed to bring entire Empire's to their knees, only with unwavering determination could this project ever become a shadow of success.

As they continued down the office wing a loud, gut-wrenching screech could be heard, followed by a shriek of terror and pain. The first was inhuman and savage, like a charging beast prepared to strike at it's prey. The second was human-like and quite sadly...prey-like as it let out a number of terrified groans and cries. Adron sighed, glancing down to the ground before he turned down the next corner. "My team was enthusiastic going into this trial, but because of that it seems like they've been running into a lot of....problems." The last word trailed off as the scene before them was revealed. The main lab was at the end of the office wing, yet past a number of reinforced blast doors, lined with Super Battle Droids. The droids remained on patrol mode, walking around the block with a mindless march. Two of the droids moved past the Exarch to rush into the sealed lab. The lab was a complete wreck. In the center of the lab was an operating table, soaked in the crimson liquid that was easily recognizable even from this distance.

In the corner was some form of Rakghoul. Not quite covered in fur it's bones protruded from it's skin that had paled and gave off a sickly appearance. The blood that dripped from the operating table drug to the Rakghoul where it was enjoying a meal. The meal had once worn a black lab coat and was similarly covered in crimson, yet it was no longer discernible as a human being.

There were a number of doctors watching the scene from behind the safety of the reinforced Glasteel viewport. Most of them were distressed and one of them had even lost the contents of his stomach. Adron pressed a hand to his face as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "That is Doctor Loxan." He said, gesturing to the corpse displayed within the lab. Adron finally released his nose before clearing his throat. "He was in charge of the first trials." Adron said, putting notable emphasis on the word, was. As the Super Battle Droids entered the room, the durasteel door sealed behind them and in the next moment a rain of blaster fire slammed into the distracted Rakghoul's side. As the beast slumped to the ground dead, Adron turned to Irajah with a brief expression of curiosity. "Well, I suppose I'll need you to start a bit sooner than I thought."

[member="Irajah Ven"]

 

[Kuzo]

"Problems indeed," she said, perhaps a touch dryly.

Hazel eyes swept the scene, unmoved. It was needless. Avoidable. That she objected to. Accidents happened but this one never should have. And from the sound of it, this wasn't the first incident. She breathed in sharply through her nose. She understood, all to well, that works such as these had costs. There was always something that must give, must be offered. There was no possibility of exploration or momentum without experimentation, and that often could not be had without a trade. But she despised when it was done without thought, or worse, through carelessness.

Irajah's studies could not be considered pleasant by any measure of the word. But they were never senseless or cruel for the sake of cruelty either. She caused pain. Followed to the brink and sometimes over into death, to as better understand it. The work she had done was not good, even if sometimes good came out of it. She had no illusions. She was not a misunderstood hero. It was not to say that she did not love, did not care, deeply and truly for those she had chosen in her life. There was a fierce and dedicated loyalty. There was family. But she was not a good person, and no longer lied to herself on that detail. She was, at her core, a monster.

The problem was that these scientists had not yet accepted that they were dealing with the same.

This was not a test durni, shaking in a cage.

"Lucky timing on my arrival then, yes?" She said, turning her face to smile up at him. Glancing back into the room, she sighed.

What a waste.

"I would like to meet with the security team. Whomever wrote the protocols for.... this." She made a vague gesture at the pair of bodies- though it was generous to call the remains of Loxan. "You utilize droids significantly?" Posed as a question, it was more an observation. "I am certain that this particular sort of set back can be avoided as a .... repeat performance." A ghost of a smile flickering there. "Not only for my own benefit, but I also have no intention of ending up a smear on your lab floor either, as I'm sure you understand."

[member="Adron Malvern"]