Public Stronghold One: Six Levels of Hell (PvE, PvP OPEN)

[Draven Eterena]

Location: Makeb, Strong Hold One
Purpose: Isotope-5 Retrieval, Who's The Big Bad Sith?
Allied Tags: Eivii Liin "Tera" Terallo Razmir Tezhyn Mr. Usher
Noteworthy Tags: Imperius Indomitus

Draven watched as the expedition leader instructed the group's supposed tech support to crack open the front gate. Deciding straight and narrow was the best option. Draven shook his head and figured that she was probably well informed about the stronghold and if forward was the only way. Forward it was going to be. He also noted the exchange between the anomaly and the group leader. Again not making any indication about what he picked up.

When they entered into the gate. Draven's expressions quickly flickered between apprehension, to genuinely perplexed by the stranger that stood before their path, and then returned to calmness. While Draven for the moment was suppressing himself from reaching out with the force. This presence was just so.. Present. It was impossible not to pick up on the body language, and the energy behind it.

Draven's own signature in the force was probably quite similar, and while potent. It didn't hold as much refinement as the stranger's. His signature was more neutral slightly leaning light attuned.. though not pure. Eerily calm in it's own measures, currently being withheld.. and bore a striking resemblance to the silence one might encounter before a maelstrom. As there was a lot of destructive potential kept at bay.

"I think we'll have a little chat, Tera. Don't hold up on my account."

Draven listened as the miner suit fellow propositioned taking lead upon confronting the stranger. Draven furrowed his brows some. Before he offered a proposition.

"Would you care for me to support him, or do you wish for me to move forward with you and the group?"

The question was posed towards 'Tera.' As Draven did agree to come along to act as combat support. Additionally, perhaps this could just be a misunderstanding regarding the two parties interests? No fight necessary. Really. Draven was mostly just interested in this unexpected second party. Though he would adhere to what the group leader felt would be in the best interest for everyone. He was ultimately content either way.

 

[Razmir Tezhyn]

Razmir disconnected the loose wires from his datapad and slipped it back into the thermally-shielded backpack. He switched off the environmental shield and stood up again, noting with some concern that the others seemed to have tensed up at whatever the doorway had revealed.

He carefully took a few steps away and leaned his head slightly to catch a glimpse inside.

"F-" the rumbling of another low-grade groundquake mangled his hushed exclamation.

"Does anyone here recognize him? He does not look like a friendly sort."

"Force user, dark-aligned. Strong one at that."

Razmir shot an alarmed glance at the tall miner. They weren't seriously considering fighting this man? Expeditions could paused and withdrawn from, then resumed at a later date. Living beings tended not to have the luxury of second-attempts at their lives.

After the tall kid offered his assistance with the heavily implied confrontation as well, Razmir opened his mouth to protest. Their readiness to get bogged down in a fight was foolhardy. Suicidal, even. If they were cut down, there would be nothing to stop this Force wielder from simply hunting down the rest of their expedition later.

"Whoa there, hold your banthas everyone. No need for that kind of talk," he started, gesturing for everyone to calm their tempers.

"Neither party really expected to find the other here today. We're all similarly startled and on-edge about this encounter, but surely there's no need to resort to violence?"

To push his point, he attempted to, as subtly as a sapient being could, draw on everyone's sense of better judgement through the Force, to calm down their flaring emotions and perhaps let cooler heads prevail.

Liin "Tera" Terallo Mr. Usher Draven Eterena Imperius Indomitus Eivii

 

[Imperius Indomitus]

Makeb | Stronghold One | Gatehall

While his focus was solely on the individual that seemed like it could pose a threat, his senses were tracking the other members of the group. They were a ragtag team of explorers or adventurers judging by their appearances, hired or found each other, to come here and grab big cash from an ancient Hutt vault with one of the rarest substances in the Galaxy. It made sense. His paranoia was not that developed to consider this an act of tremendous quality to surprise and overwhelm him, even if somewhere in the back his head the planning for that was not only moving, but already finished.

"I am not here to oppose your entry, strangers." His voice was a deep and cold echo, distorted by the helmet and oozing with the same overwhelming confidence that his bearing had. "You are here for the Isotope." It was not a question. "So am I. Unless the arms you brought are to be wasted on me, I suggest to continue the path together." It also did not sound too optional.

He was entirely willing to stop them for the gain of more Isotope for his own purposes. But he needed not to create enemies where none were necessary to be created. Whatever remained of the Hutt's security measures, they could prove resourceful or a useful resource to throw at it.

For the moment Imperius remained unmoved, his stance unchanging.

Liin "Tera" Terallo | Eivii | Mr. Usher | Draven Eterena | Razmir Tezhyn​

 

[Liin "Tera" Terallo]

I was going to respond to Eivii's question, yet did not. Just as the others were; I too had my eyes transfixed on the pair in front of us. Mister Usher told me to keep going, and yet I feel compelled to stay. He is my dearest friend and although I know that he will survive even if this current biomass is killed; I would still be fearful here without his presence. That in and of itself is an odd circumstance, yet one to keep secret from everyone else. Afterall if his enemies were to discover our friendship; would they use me to get to him? I only hope not.

Draven assumes that we should continue on and split up the group. I can see his point of view in that. But if we do not know how much of the security measures are still intact in the sublevels below us, is it really a wise move to split up?

Mister Tezhyn is the next to speak up, putting out there a request for there to be no violence at all. I agree with him, for we are all startled by eachother's appearance. And I am more comfortable with a stalemate than a firefight.

And now I waited for the living statue to speak, which did not take long. His deep voice echoed off of the walls. Another Force Wizard. I seem to be surrounded by them on a near constant basis, and it often made me wonder if people like me are much more of a rarity these days than they used to be. It is like the tables had turned. Only where they are all at an advantage; I myself am at a disadvantage. I do not have the magic powers to use to protect myself.

Given that I am the leader of this expedition, I take my turn in speaking and choosing which direction that we will take while I boldly step forward. "Yes, it is no surprise that we are here for the same thing you are. I had not expected someone else to arrive at the same time, but here you are. And yes, it is better to make this venture together, however I think that it is safe to say with all due respect; that there will remain a certain level of distrust between us. But I am certain that none of my party will resort to being the first to break that trust.

However the question that I must ask before we proceed to the first sublevel together is this: if any of the isotope is found; how much of it will you take?" I had packed up some drills for a reason. If no cannisters filled with the liquid isotope remained, I will mine for my own. But this Dark Wizard stranger did not need to know about that.

Tags: Eivii Mr. Usher Imperius Indomitus Draven Eterena Razmir Tezhyn

 

[Mr. Usher]

MAKEB, STRONGHOLD ONE
TAGS: Liin "Tera" Terallo | Imperius Indomitus | Razmir Tezhyn | Draven Eterena | Eivii​

---

"So am I. Unless the arms you brought are to be wasted on me, I suggest to continue the path together."

"And yes, it is better to make this venture together, however I think that it is safe to say with all due respect; that there will remain a certain level of distrust between us. But I am certain that none of my party will resort to being the first to break that trust."

With a few words from the stranger and 'Tera' the tension from the hulk in the suit dissipated immediately; it promptly turned to join the group.

"As the lady wishes; Maybe next time, sport." The hulk offered as its heavy steps trailed away from Imperius Indomitus - the greater Ego knew it was a very poor idea to talk so casually to one who was very likely a Sith Lord. It was a calculated risk. A test and a reassurance.

The dark practitioner appeared to be rational by their words - seemingly not volatile enough to be enraged by the banter, this provided an opportunity for the stranger to confirm the suspicion and build trust with the expedition. An informal means of 'humanizing' the stranger to the group at the cost of the hulk's own standing if the words sounded reckless or overconfident. Even then, it provided comfort by way of surety - if conflict arose later there was no doubt to any party how Mr. Usher would react, or whom he would side with.

One less variable for everyone to worry about. One thing that they could rely on to be predictable. The Mining suit returned with the group, walking past Razmir Tezhyn to return to the side of Liin "Tera" Terallo . The Hulk halted a brief moment.

It leaned down near the ear of the man that sliced the gate open for the party. It spoke - low and rumbling, "I could feel what you were trying to do. Perhaps it worked too — But now I know what you are. And likely he does too." The biomass subtly turned to the newcomer of the expedition.

"No pressure."

It walked onwards to accompany the expedition leader, letting out a gravelly chuckle. Even on the first floor, this was turning out to be an entertaining outing.

---

 

[Eivii]

Outfit: Durasteel Armor
Weapons: Slugthrower Rifle | Blaster Pistol

Seeing that potential conflict was doused, Eivii deactivated the stealth field and halted hovering, landing gracefully mid-stride along the other.

The... thing continued its yapping at the the statuesque suit with the staff. She couldn't tell if the two large men were about to fight or flirt, by the way the thing walked off, but she really didn't want to see how either of those endeavors would shake out.

Tera de-escalated the situation before anything dire happened, and the other two boys present showed at least a modicum of restraint.

She continued following up the rear, leaving motion detecting beacons as before.

@everyone​

 

[Razmir Tezhyn]

It leaned down near the ear of the man that sliced the gate open for the party. It spoke - low and rumbling, "I could feel what you were trying to do. Perhaps it worked too - But now I know what you are. And likely he does too." The biomass subtly turned to the newcomer of the expedition.

The rumbling voice rattled Razmir's jaw. The miner's voice sounded like it could slip through his ear and take ahold of his brain. Both a chorus of sounds, and yet a single speaker.

He glanced toward the miner without turning his head. A faint shiver ran down his spine. The man's presence had become unsettling instead of reassuring. But he steeled himself against the discomfort with professionalism. He was here to do a job. He had to do it well.

He forced a smile, and mechanically intoned a practiced chuckle that sounded convincing enough to his own ears.

"I'll keep that in mind, dredger-man," he let the discomfort roll off with the upbeat tone he forced into his voice. A few strides later, keeping his distance from the Dark Jedi as an uneasy truce was a far cry from a reason to trust a man, and he'd steeled his resolve enough to put his mind back on the mission.

They were walking into a Stronghold that had been left abandoned for ages. He had no intel, no knowledge of what could even be inside other than Hutt security systems. He'd broken into a Hutt's base before. The security systems he didn't mind, but it was the uncertainty of what else could lurk in there. If a Dark Jedi could appear from out of nowhere, Force only knew what else could.

"What can we expect on the first level? You have any intel for us, chief?" He asked their expedition leader, his confident smile firmly in place again, falling in line with her.

Liin "Tera" Terallo Mr. Usher Eivii Imperius Indomitus Draven Eterena

 

[Draven Eterena]

Location: Makeb, Strong Hold One, First level.
Purpose: Isotope-5, Sith's disturbingly not hostile
Allied Tags: Liin "Tera" Terallo Razmir Tezhyn Mr. Usher Imperius Indomitus Eivii

Draven was patient as he observed the stand off. Until it was declared by essentially every party. There would be no need for a fight. Not amidst who stood here at least. Draven shrugged off the tech guy's force suggestion. While it was subtle and well meaning. Draven had enough trying to keep his natural force empathy in check. He didn't need someone forcefully nudging his emotions in any set direction. Beyond that of his own free will.

Draven didn't trust the new addition to the expedition group. Though he'd gladly acknowledge burning energy, and resources out the start was foolish for everyone. Still he probably would be trying to keep a less than obvious eye out to ensure there was no unforseen backstabbing. It was possible for an everyone wins scenario. It just came down to who felt who needed what.

Draven observed the strange mining suit entity address the tech guy. Noting there was a touch of intimidation behind the interaction. Whether intentionally placed or not. Draven shrugged his shoulders. Moved his position back to the group and observed as a important question was pitched. Now it was a matter of waiting for the leader to respond. Draven in the meanwhile began to just observe the patterns of the tremors and shifts in the heat around them.

 

[Imperius Indomitus]

Makeb | Stronghold One | Gatehall

Imperius did not concern himself with the casual manner the being was talking - it was not even a nuisance that required attention, just a background information saved somewhere and utilised in building a datasheet on the only viable threat present. His attention was more on the apparent leader of this group, a female, human as far as he could tell. Not a Force user and neither a seemingly bright member of her species. Distrust between those who did not know each other was natural and needed no stating. The purpose of their presence though did demand a response.

"Half." It was not an offer, but a statement, as immoveable as he seemed. Not that it was final for him even though he did not intend or plan to turn on his new companions, but he evaluated the share based on their contributions and abilities.

Imperius simply turned, his red gaze looking towards the hallway that led deeper into the Stronghold, expecting the newcomers to continue.

Liin "Tera" Terallo | Eivii | Mr. Usher | Draven Eterena | Razmir Tezhyn​

 

[Liin "Tera" Terallo]

Half of the found isotope? We shall see about that. It is hardly fair, yet I doubt that he is the fair sort. However if we find nothing; then half of nothing is easy enough to give up.

I turn and begin my walk down the corridor. I can hear the heavy footsteps of Mister Usher as he moves towards my side. I can also hear his words directed to Mister Tezhyn. Oh how wonderful; another Force Wizard. I am completely surrounded by them and my lack of knowledge of fighting aside; I am clearly the weakest one of the group. This does not fill me with any self confidence. Instead I am feeling myself dive into a pit of self doubt. And the only thing that places me as the leader of this party is the fact that I am paying them for that privlege. I did not earn my way here. All are here for credits or isotope. All except for one, of course. Mister Usher has never requested payment from me. Our mutual curiosity and understanding for his existence and limits is payment enough.

My attention is turned to Mister Tezhyn as he poses a question about what we can expect. This corridor is a long one, however I can see the door up ahead. Which gives me a little bit of time to answer him. "I have gone over some intel, yes. After the last known breach of the Stronghold, reports were made of the Isotope droids being a large part of the security defences that they confronted. Many were destroyed. But....that was a long time ago. Some may have survived, some could have been repaired by others that want to safeguard the isotope to keep the planet stabilized. Other security measures could also have been added since. So we must prepare for anything."

There was not much else to say on the matter. We were walking towards the unknown. And a dangerous unknown at that.

Approaching the door, I turn on my personal shield. It is the only way that I can deflect any blaster bolts or any other energy weapon that we could encounter on the other side. "When you are ready, Mister Tezyhn, unlock the door." The panel for this one was different than the one outside. The casing looked newer and the mechanics of it are much more complex. I can only hope that it is not boobytrapped. Every member of my team was hand picked gor a reason.

Tags: Eivii Mr. Usher Imperius Indomitus Draven Eterena Razmir Tezhyn

 

[Mr. Usher]

MAKEB, STRONGHOLD ONE
TAGS: Liin "Tera" Terallo | Razmir Tezhyn | Eivii | Draven Eterena | Imperius Indomitus​

---

Still prepared with muscle and bone density for action, Mr. Usher didn't wait for the slicer. This job would take too long and Liin "Tera" Terallo might suffer heat exhaustion if they had to delicately open each door.

"The primary exterior gate is intact, that should suffice until repairs can be made" the mining Suit spoke as it butted its way to the front of the group.

It placed its hands on each side of the bulkhead, letting crimson tendrils infiltrate the crack between, then fed through those tendrils more biomass to inflate like a balloon from between the sliding durasteel doors until it was an interior muscular structure assisting the more humanoid hulk outside the door.

Biomass shifted, from ultra dense storage organs and fatty deposits to additional musculature spreading across the exterior arms of the mining Suit like a secondary — or perhaps tertiary — set of deltoids, trapezius, latissimus Dorsi, and myriad flexors and tensors of the forearms.

Despite constant tears and rapid repairs in the muscular structure, the shapeshifting mass bent and sheared the metal bulkhead apart, tossing aside each half out of the path of the group before stepping aside as if he was merely holding a door open.

Mr. Usher then ran a self-diagnostic to determine the caloric and mass expenditure of his brute-force approach to the door as the muscles shrank into themselves — folding into arterial tendrils that slithered reatreatingly into the Mining suit.

It was slightly more than expected due to the heat exposure, but well within acceptable parameters for the expedition.

---

 

[Eivii]

Outfit: Durasteel Armor
Weapons: Slugthrower Rifle | Blaster Pistol

MAKEB, STRONGHOLD ONE
TAGS: Liin "Tera" Terallo | Razmir Tezhyn | Eivii | Draven Eterena | Imperius Indomitus​

---

Still prepared with muscle and bone density for action, Mr. Usher didn't wait for the slicer. This job would take too long and Liin "Tera" Terallo might suffer heat exhaustion if they had to delicately open each door.

"The primary exterior gate is intact, that should suffice until repairs can be made" the mining Suit spoke as it butted its way to the front of the group.

It placed its hands on each side of the bulkhead, letting crimson tendrils infiltrate the crack between, then fed through those tendrils more biomass to inflate like a balloon from between the sliding durasteel doors until it was an interior muscular structure assisting the more humanoid hulk outside the door.

Biomass shifted, from ultra dense storage organize and fatty deposits to additional musculature spreading across the exterior arms of the mining Suit like a secondary — or perhaps tertiary — set of deltoids, trapezius, latissimus Dorsi, and myriad flexors and tensors of the forearms.

Despite constant tears and rapid repairs in the muscular structure, the shapeshifting mass bent and sheared the metal bulkhead apart, tossing aside each half out of the path of the group before stepping aside as if he was merely holding a door open.

Mr. Usher then ran a self-diagnostic to determine the caloric and mass expenditure the brute-force approach as the muscles shrank into themselves back into arterial tendrils that slithered back withi. The Mining suit.

It was slightly more than expected due to the heat exposure, but well within acceptable parameters for the expedition.

---

"Excuse me... What the chit?"

Eivii had half a mind to open fire if it didn't seem to be a friend of Tera.

She was perturbed, but she would rather have that thing working with them - and the dark Jedi fellow too - if the ancient defenses were still active. She continued leaving beacons and made sure her Ion Grenades were close at hand as the group advanced.

"Where did you find this guy?"

Liin "Tera" Terallo Razmir Tezhyn Mr. Usher Draven Eterena Imperius Indomitus

 

[Razmir Tezhyn]

Instead of retrieving the slicing-datapad, Razmir lit up a flashlight to shed some light into the hall beyond.

Mangled limbs and broken chassis greeted them beyond the doorway, concentrated in piles scattered across the first floor. Focusing the light on one, burn marks became apparent. Whether they were created from a lightsaber or blasters he couldn't quite tell. All this time in the heat had done quite the number on the wrecks of whatever security droids this place had kept sealed away. Most seemed little more than leftover shells.

"We found our droids, alright," Raz whistled.

He picked at the closest one, turning the broken chassis over with his foot.

"No cores though...or isotope. Would've been too easy, huh?" He gave a small laugh.

He swept the flashlight across the floor, looking for anything useful, but finding little. Light reflected off the broken droids and mangled parts, which he could now tell seemed to have been broken apart even more after their destruction. Scavengers, most likely. These things had been sitting here for what had to have been centuries, if not millennia. There had to have been someone matching Tera's lack of self-preservation who'd come up here and found easy pickings.

"Guess we'll have to descend deeper," said Razmir.

Liin "Tera" Terallo Mr. Usher Imperius Indomitus Draven Eterena Eivii

 

[Imperius Indomitus]

Makeb | Stronghold One | Gatehall

Imperius eyed the biological expansion of the being that was Mr. Usher with some curiosity. It was not common and even for the less physique bound beings such as Gen'dai, this was not possible. So it was something born out of trans-physical strength and powers, most likely the Force or something outside of the known realms of this Galaxy. The risk assessment towards this creature grew a lot more random.

The tall dark knight walked next to the group, neither in nor out, his lenses looking ahead and scanning what lays beyond biological eyesight. This ragtag team of adventurers was clearly not adhering to any higher morales or ideologies and merely fortune-seekers. Only the woman who was their apparent leader offered a different tale. She did not fit in here. She was out of her common environment by entering the danger zone herself.

"What usage would you have of the Isotope?" His question directed towards Liin "Tera" Terallo .

Liin "Tera" Terallo | Eivii | Mr. Usher | Draven Eterena | Razmir Tezhyn​

 

[Liin "Tera" Terallo]

I could hardly take my eyes off of Mister Usher as he worked. I had never seen him perform such a transformation before. Not only that, I have never seen him utilize such brute strength before either. It is not as though I never knew him to be capable of it; for I was very much aware of it. This is just the first time that I had seen it happen with my own eyes. And those eyes did not look upon the event with fear, but instead with scientific curiosity.

"As it would happen, he found me," I reply in response to the Chiss lady's question. And it was the truth for the most part. A chance encounter during a negotiation, which led to another chance encounter at a casino, only to then lead to joint scientific experiments, which then led to a most unusual friendship.

The light from the flashlight was a welcomed one. As I move on ahead to walk through the doorway, I at first nod to Mister Usher in thanks, before proceeding further inside. I keep my shield activated, despite the fact that everything in this chamber appears to be dead. One cannot always trust their eyes in the dark, afterall.

The fact that there did not appear to be any isotope on this level did not surprise me. It has been a long time since this Stronghold was 'closed', and there is no telling how many times it had been breached by others looking for the same resource contained within. "I expected this. We need to keep going. And be mindful. This place may look abandoned, but that does not mean that it is not dangerous." I know that I will not let my guard down. But I cannot say the same for the others. Afterall, they have their Force magics to help them.

The living statue of a man addresses me as we continue through in a winding path amongst the destroyed droids. I do not answer him straight away for I give myself time to craft a good enough response. "Well I do not plan on selling any of it. But instead use it for study; combining it with other resources in order to realize my dreams of bringing about things that none have ever heard of before." Some of those here might find the prospect dull and boring, afterall it is no way to make a quick credit. But I have never really been the type to follow the crowd. I am used to being the odd one out.

"And what about you?" I redirect my question back to the man out of simple curiosity.

Tags: Imperius Indomitus Eivii Mr. Usher Draven Eterena Razmir Tezhyn

 

[Draven Eterena]

Location: Makeb, Strong Hold One
Objective: Isotope 5
Allied Tags; Liin "Tera" Terallo Mr. Usher Imperius Indomitus Razmir Tezhyn Eivii

Draven finished his assessments of the quakes and various temperature shifts. Before he returned his focus back upon proceeding on with the group. He didn't seem too surprised when the mining suit entity simply tore through the door into the next room. Though when he took his turn entering into the area, and observing the various trashed droids. He simply watched as the tech savvy one did his best to see if there would be any easy early loot for them. Unfortunately, it was announced that was not the case.

"I expected this. We need to keep going. And be mindful. This place may look abandoned, but that does not mean that it is not dangerous."

Draven was in agreement with what the group leader suggested. There was lots of different ways things could go wrong very quickly. At this point he wasn't sure whether the building posed more of a danger to them, or whether it would be the dangerous mixture of personalities and incentives. You had three parties effectively wanting the Isotope for their own needs. One who seemed... naive in field work, one who seemed to just be a representative, and then the final who just seemed... well... to be.

Draven hadn't lost his curiosity about the Sith. Though he was going to place that on the back burner. Draven looked through the room himself and tried to see if something wasn't overlooked. Nothing of too much importance stood out in this area. Though it did provide a bit more clarity of possible obstacles they might encounter deeper in. Any information could go a long way with the right incentives.

Draven continued to remain silent as a passive observer at this point. He was more so not wishing to reveal his own tricks until he was forced to do so. Besides more important conversations were undergoing than anything he currently could weigh in on, in a meaningful manner. Since, they all pertained to more personal interests and drives, than actual relevance to how best to proceed.

 

[Eivii]

Outfit: Durasteel Armor
Weapons: Slugthrower Rifle | Blaster Pistol

Spoiler: Eivii's Volcanic Expedition Loadout

Environmental Protection:
• Thermal body glove (heat-resistant base layer)
• Armored heat-resistant outerwear (reinforced for high-temperature environments)
• Rebreather mask (filters toxic fumes and provides breathable air)
• Insulated helmet (protects against falling debris and intense heat)

Mobility Enhancements:
• Jetpack (for vertical movement and rapid traversal)
• Repulsor boots (assists in navigating uneven terrain and provides short bursts of lift)

Primary Weapons:
• Blaster rifle (optimized for high-heat operations)
• Dart gun with tranquilizer darts and paralysis darts (for silent takedowns)
• Vibroknife (durable blade for close combat)

Secondary Equipment:
• Blaster pistol (sidearm for quick access)
• Thermal detonators (for breaching and heavy damage)
• Electro-net grenades (to incapacitate droids and enemies)

Survival Gear:
• Cooling unit (regulates body temperature in extreme heat)
• Field medkit (includes bacta patches and burn treatment)
• Comlink with encrypted channels (for secure communication)
• Thermal imaging macrobinoculars (detects heat signatures through smoke and darkness)

Utility Tools:
• Grappling hook (for navigating vertical terrain)
• Portable shield generator (provides temporary protection against energy attacks)
• Multi-scanner (detects environmental hazards and structural weaknesses)
• Motion-detecting sensor beacons (deployed as breadcrumb trail back to the ship)

Stealth Technology:
• Personal stealth field generator (renders the user invisible to visual detection and most sensors)

The second chamber opened: gutted, burned, and abandoned to the slow decay of time.
Eivii stepped through cautiously, her boots making soft, hollow taps against the scarred durasteel floor. Even with the ambient heat, she felt the chill in that peculiar way all ancient ruins tended to instill. As if the structure itself had been holding its breath for centuries.

She kept to the rear of the group, setting down another of her motion-sensor beacons with a muted click against the wall. The device chimed once, then went silent, folding into standby mode. At least the atmospheric interference wasn't scrambling her breadcrumbs down here.

Ahead, the others were already spreading out among the wreckage. Twisted, melted chassis of old security droids lay in moldering heaps, most of them little more than slagged skeletons. Their limbs had been torn or sheared off in ways that spoke of extreme violence — some clean cuts, some crumpled like paper under titanic force.

“Picked clean.” she muttered, kicking an old charred droid limb to the side.

Eivii thought dryly, adjusting her scanner. The readout flickered and stuttered under the electrical noise saturating the air, but it was enough to catch small bursts of residual energy. She paced slowly around a collapsed conveyor, sweeping her scanner in slow arcs.

A few meters ahead, she caught sight of something that made her narrow her eyes behind her visor: a different kind of chassis. Sleeker plating, newer alloy blends. Not new by any means, but these droids weren't from the original Hutt construction era. More recent security. Someone, somewhere along the line, had tried to resurrect Stronghold One’s defenses, or pick whatever remained of the carcass. Judging by the slashed plating and burn scars, someone else had made sure they failed.

She crouched near the wreckage, her slugthrower rifle shifting with a soft clink across her back. One hand brushed a broken sensor node half-buried in the ash, inspecting the clean hole drilled through its core. Blaster fire, close-range.

Her gaze swept up to the blackened ceiling beams, half-melted from ancient fires. Even now, small rumbles in the stone sent flecks of grit falling from above. This entire place was a collapsed lung waiting to exhale one final time.

Eivii straightened with a grimace, palming one of her ion grenades and shifting it to a handier position on her belt. Best to keep them close. Dead droids tended to have a bad habit of getting back up when you least wanted.

Her motion beacon gave a faint double-ping behind her - confirming nothing larger than the occasional skittering scav-beast in their trail. She eyed Mr. Usher dangerously, suspecting another one of those serpent things she had seen in the caldera. She turned back to follow the others, falling in step behind the group as they made their cautious advance toward the next bulkhead.

Sith. Mutants. Force adepts. One Scientist. And me. Betting on who cracks first might be the most interesting game down here.

Keeping her sensors live, her weapons loose, and her exits memorized, Eivii pressed deeper into the broken heart of the Stronghold, one ghosted step at a time.

Liin "Tera" Terallo Mr. Usher Imperius Indomitus Razmir Tezhyn Draven Eterena

 

[Mr. Usher]

MAKEB, STRONGHOLD ONE
TAGS: Liin "Tera" Terallo Imperius Indomitus Razmir Tezhyn Draven Eterena​

---

The mining suit advanced with slow, methodical steps, each one placed with precision to minimize vibration across the fractured floor plates. Sensory organs fed constant telemetry to the greater Ego. Structural strain in the walls, minimal but notable radiation bleed from residual isotope processing, and inert electrical signatures within the wreckage.

Mr. Usher halted by a collapsed security droid, lowering his frame into a crouch with the same deliberate ease he had employed against the door.

A segmented manipulator extended from the wrist joint, slicing through the carbon scoring on the droid’s outer plating to expose its internal chassis.
No active power signatures. No reserve cells. Core rot consistent with centuries of abandonment.

He shifted to the next.
This unit’s frame was newer — layered alloys inconsistent with initial Hutt designs. A later addition, deployed decades or centuries after Stronghold One's fall. Scavenger activity was the most probable variable.

Data recorded.
Scan logs updated.

“Later models,” Mr. Usher commented aloud in low, neutral rumble filtered through the mining suit’s external projectors. “Adaptive response attempts. Ultimately unsuccessful. The residual contamination is consistent with reactor degradation, not isotope containment.”

He straightened, recalculating biomass and salvage value estimations internally as he resumes. No biomass suitable for collection. Minimal threat probability — at present depth at least.

Still, this suggested that operational systems were more likely the deeper they traveled — systems shielded from environmental erosion and surface scavengers.

“Only a matter of time before we hit something still intact” he added, walking past the scattered wreckage.

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