Taur-nu-Fuin - TSE Dominion of Theta Kai (Hex AI-12)

[Taeli Raaf]

[SIZE=11pt]Theta Kai[/SIZE]​

[SIZE=11pt]That was the designation that would appear in most star charts. For all intents and appearances, the world was abandoned as no major galactic civilization had ever established a colony on the world. Scans had revealed no exploitable resources of the corporations to harvest. Sentient life had not evolved on it. It was a world covered in foliage, a natural paradise that was untouched by the wider galaxy.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]Scouts had been dispatched to the unspoiled world from the Sith Empire, searching for possible Recusant bases on the planet. Sith Intelligence had postulated that the world’s abandoned nature was perfect for the establishment of a base in the jungles to launch strikes against soft Sith-Imperial targets.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]But the scouts have not reported to their superiors in two cycles. All that has been received are images of the trees. Oddly enough, there had been no animals detected. Only trees… and then sound had revealed screams and panicked men.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]Something had slaughtered the scouting mission. Sith-Imperial lives had been lost, and the seemingly peaceful planet, started to take a sinister ambiance. Something lurked on the world, and for those who could sense the Force… something dark and malevolent.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]Objective I[/SIZE]​

[SIZE=11pt]Search for signs of the missing scouting team. Reports placed their landing zone on the edge of one of the planet’s jungles, and orbital flash signals have recorded responses from what is likely their bodies.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]Objective II[/SIZE]​

[SIZE=11pt]Orbital scans, while they have not detected any signs of modern civilization, have detected some odd ruins near one of the river basins. A fusion of crystal and wood, the ruins reek of the dark side, and for those versed in Sith magics, it would appear the location was a focusing site for something. Discover the secrets that may rest here.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]Objective III[/SIZE]​

[SIZE=11pt]Bring Your Own Objective[/SIZE]

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"Down there, a large infusion of power..."

Multiple sets of eyes peered at the topographical read-outs captured by the probes, which showed ancient ruins and the environment surrounding them. Even from orbit, the Dark Side could be felt exuding from that place above all others. It was a place of power, but what kind of power had yet to be determined. But that did not matter, if it was a place of power then that power must be acquired in the name of the Emperor, and made to serve his Empire.

One of the Savants chimed in, "We can't make out any more details unless we take a closer look."

The Emperor spoke, "Then a closer look is what we will take, prepare my shuttle."

"But my Emperor, wouldn't it be more appropriate to let one of us examine the ruins in your stead?" replied another.

A sharp glare, "Do you presume to command the Dark Lord of the Sith on where he can or cannot go?"

Panicked stammering, followed by a hasty; "O-of course not, my Emperor! I was merely suggesting that you needn't sully your hands with field work, I intended no offense."

"Mind your words, Savant. Now do as I command, I will depart within the hour."

A bent bow at the waist, "As your command, my Emperor."

True to his word, the Emperor's shuttle began its descent into the atmosphere of Theta Kai within an hour after the brief meeting with his subordinates. Though the descent was smooth and uneventful, it was an interesting experience not being able to use civilization as a guiding reference for the rest of the planet. Fortunately, they had scanned a great deal of the terrain and have kept a record of the exact coordinates of the ruins.

They would arrive shortly.

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"I don't think I've ever actually done anything with him. I hardly remember anything but his throne with him atop it." In the back of [member="Darth Carnifex"] 's shuttle paced one of his children. Kahlil was an oddly nervous wreck, and he did little to hide it. He had been trying to prove himself in the eyes of his father for so long that this opportunity was just filled with the fear of doing something wrong.

And sitting around waiting to explore the ruins with nothing to do only compounded that.

Of course, he wasn't alone. [member="Lark"] and a new apprentice were there to aid him on their side mission. Find the tree folk preforming what seemed to be a ritual and extract or convince them to share the knowledge. It was highly unlikely they'd be willing to share of course, so any method would be approved. "What do you think? Am I dressed okay? Will you think he'll notice?"

 

[Lark]

Lark idly flipped through the pages of his Necronomicon, a vile tome that whispered eldritch secrets and forgotten truths. His eyes would occasionally flit towards [member="Kahlil Zambrano"], who anxiously paced in the back of the Dark Lord's shuttle. The maddening script tried to draw him back into its infernal pages, but Lark shut it with one hand, bringing the primeval murmurs to a stop.

It was understandable why Kahlil was so nervous. For as long as Lark had known the man, he had made it clear that more than anything, he sought his father's approval. Considering his father's stature and prestige, the young Sith certainly had his work cut out for him. Carrying the Zambrano name had certain privileges, but with it came a burden as well. A reputation that needed to be upheld.

"I'll preface this by saying that I'm as unfamiliar with your father as you are, and that my relationship with my own parents ended... abruptly." His father had been killed by a local gang, and a year later Lark talked his mother into suicide. He was probably one of the worst people to go to for family issues. "If I may be so bold, I'd say a good start would be to cease that pointless trot of yours. I can't say for certain what your father will think of your attire, but what I am nearly certain of is that if we complete our mission, that will mean more than anything. Don't let your thoughts become consumed by how he views you, focus on the task at hand. I can almost promise you he cares more about success than how you dress. If we accomplish our goals, maybe he'd view you in a more positive light."

Lark shrugged, and chained his Necronomicon to his hip. It was a powerful weapon, one that might prove invaluable once they reached the surface.

[member="Kahlil Zambrano"] [member="Darth Carnifex"]

 

[Vaylin]

Location: Theta Kai, Abandoned Scout Camp
Objective: I - Find the Missing Scouts
With: [member="Djorn Bline"]

It was like looking into a silent, angry storm.

Vaylin stood several feet before the jungle's perimeter. Ever since she had arrived in the system, she could feel something dark lurking within the depths. It was quiet and felt almost at one with the jungle itself.

There was nothing about that, that was good in the Valkyrie's mind. It meant they were going into this effectively blinded, not entirely but enough to be a hindrance.

But she was curious whether this dark presence had always been present, or had it only made itself known after their men had arrived.

They were going to have to be very careful as they moved through the thicket.

"Lady Moirai?" She turned her head slightly, glancing at the soldier that had approached her. He received a simple nod to proceed. "We've completed our search of the camp, and found no evidence of what they might've discovered."

"Nothing at all?" Whatever had killed the scouts was still unknown.

"Once the camp was set up, they wasted little time in setting out on their mission here." With that, she waved the soldier off so he could get ready. With the orbital flare locations in hand, it was a simple matter of reaching that area. Something that was much easier said than done. They had a vast jungle to navigate if they had any hope of finding the missing scouts. And an unseen threat in the shadows, likely waiting for more prey.

"Agent Bline, report." She turned on her heels and strode into the camp. They had arrived just a short distance away from the Scouts' Camp. It would act as their point of entry into the jungle, hopeful to retrace their original steps. Amongst their group was a sizable force that mostly consisted of soldiers and agents, from both the Saaraishash and Imperial Legion.

One such agent was Djorn Bline, someone who had volunteered for the mission. "How soon will the men be ready to move out?"

 

[Darth Prazutis]

Deep in the dense, hot, humid jungles of Theta Kai nothing stood. The world was covered in mother nature's beauty for all to see. But the world of Theta Kai held a deep, dark secret beyond the animals that roamed through the landscape conducting the endless cycle of the food chain day in day out. A race of sentient plantlike creatures, a powerful long lived shapeshifting people called the Neti. If one visited Theta Kai they may never know that its home to such a powerful people steeped in the force. They moved in secret a powerful dark side cult led by Neti Elders whose life span could be measured in millennia. A cult shrouded in a cloak of mystery that silently watched from deep within the trees they could be anyone, anything, at any given time.

But they weren't the only dark presence on Theta Kai.

The Midnight, a black hulled shuttle materialized dipping through a break in the jungle canopy undetectable from sight and all forms of sensors appeared its ramp descending with a hydralic hiss. Darth Prazutis, Shadow Hand of the Dark Lord descended the ramp clad in dark robes. A swirling maelstrom of dark energy surrounded him, clung to him and choked out the very air around him, his eyes scanning the area.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Objective II

[member="Darth Carnifex"] [member="Kahlil Zambrano"] [member="Lark"]

She had not been able to wait for the Dark Lord or his entourage to arrive in the system to start studying whatever these mysterious ruins had been. It just was not in the Lady of Secrets' personality to let such an enigma sit and not be studied. Plus, she had been able to reassure her wife that it was a simple research project, more of an archaeology project than anything dangerous. Fiolette had become rather protective of her, all things considering, but it was unnecessary. She was still perfectly capable of doing her own work still, thank you very much.

"Fascinating," she murmured, examining some of the fused crystal and wood. If she didn't know any better, whoever had created this site had grown the crystals from the wood itself. The fusion of the two was impeccable. She had a small team with her while they awaited the arrival of the Emperor, and yet... she couldn't shake the feeling they were being watched. They hadn't detected any life signs, but she couldn't shake that feeling that they were being observed... studied... looking for weaknesses before striking...

It had definitely been some sort of focusing site of dark energies, something about it piquing her memory. She had read about something similar, but she couldn't exactly place it yet. The etchings also weren't any language she recognized, but they still contained remnants of power.

 

[Darth Carnifex]

The shuttle skimmed the treetops, passing just a meter above the thick foliage that blanketed the landscape. Suitable clearings were few and far between, and there was a distinct feeling that destroying the surrounding forest to make one wouldn't serve the best interests of the Emperor. So instead, they make do with what was available and managed to squeeze the large shuttle down into a break in the tree-line just enough to allow the occupants to disembark. Then the shuttle rose back up into the sky and vanished into the clouds, no doubt waiting for the Emperor's word to return at any moment.

As they trekked through the dense woodlands, they couldn't help but feel like they were being watched. The forest itself seemed alive, far more than the more mundane sense of the term, it was as if the trees themselves were watching with unseen eyes.

Still, undeterred they traveled deeper into the woods.

The Emperor and his entourage would arrive upon the camp of [member="Taeli Raaf"] within half an hour of landfall, his passing only marked by the salutes and declarations of Empire, Emperor, Loyalty, given by those occupying the camp. He paid them little mind, his sight fixated on the Lady of Secrets as he approached behind her.

"What have you found, Lady Raaf?"

[member="Kahlil Zambrano"] | [member="Lark"]​

 

[Djorn Bline]

Location: Theta Kai
Objective: Missing Scouts
Allies: [member="Vaylin"]

Operators had done their best in investigating the landing zone of the Imperial Scouts and found nothing of importance to help find their deceased comrades. All that they found was them reporting their arrival to the planet, setting up their camp, and heading out to survey the land. After that...silence. Not a single soul from that unit ever made an attempt to communicate with the motherland of the Sith Empire. Only theories were that the scouts were killed or captured.

Either case was not appreciated, and it told the Sith Empire they must act and apprehend this planet. Recusant soldiers and assets may have stationed themselves here which could be the reason for the missing scouts.

Nemesis Squad would make sure that something was dome about this as they joined with Legionnaire soldiers on this mission.

"My men are already set, ma'am. I assume the others are too," the Inquisitor replied back to the Sith Valkyrie's question. Other Saaraishash personnel besides Nemesis were also part of this unit. They should know to be always ready at any time.

"Can't you just sense the scouts or whatever that's out there with the Force? Or is that not an option at this time," and looked out to the jungle that lay ahead of him. Jungle warfare he was somewhat adept in, but not his preferred stage of combat. The enemy had too much of an advantage if they knew the terrain and roots of the jungle. It was almost a miss or hit for the Sith-Imperials when trekking through its vines as it could spring a trap that could cost them.

 

[Kahlil Noble]

Kahlil did not even follow [member="Darth Carnifex"] out of his ship, remaining in the back with [member="Lark"] to stay mostly out of sight. The Emperor had his own business, and the young Sith was smart enough to stay out of it. For now, the younger Sith would go do the dirty work. Once the Emperor was out of view he snapped his head over to his partner, grinning. "I believe it's time for a bit of deforestation."

With his staff in hand Kahlil stepped out, grinning ever so faintly. There were dark secrets to be had.

 

[The Amalgam]

Objective: 2

Post: 1

Arrived in: Corrupted Flesh (http://starwarsrp.net/topic/137631-the-corrupted-flesh-x-70b-phantom-class-yacht/)

Wearing: Tainted Epidermis (http://starwarsrp.net/topic/139096-tainted-epidermis/)

Armed with: Skin Razors (http://starwarsrp.net/topic/137389-skin-razors/)

First degree burn (High Capacity Laser Pistol)


The Amalgam daintily cut into her slice of dark chocolate cake in the elegant looking mess area of her ship, smiling a little at her guest as she ate the piece. She was dressed in sterile white business wear, her hair formed to resemble an elaborate black weave rather than its typical, moe-like cut.

Terrax, a Zygerrian Slaver with mostly red fur ate cake from the same source she did. Her 'other' guest, an iridonian Sith with red and black tattoos of middle aged, lay bound and gagged at the table in between the Shi'ido and the Zygerrian, that had an assortment of desserts and sparkling cider, no alcohol, of course. The Amalgam despised alcohol save for rare circumstances. The prisoner was surrounded by bloody sigils and pentacles carefully placed on the floor.

"Are you enjoying your cake, Terrax?" The Amalgam asked.

"I am." Terrax answered carefully, having dealt with the Shi'ido enough times to know not to infuriate her. Unlike her, he was still dressed in his slaver gear, black and red light armor, with a lot of bone necklaces and curved knives. He gestured to the man bound and gagged at the table. One of his regular customers. He'd cut ties when he'd learned the Shi'ido was after him. He didn't know what for.

"So what'd Rezul here do to you to get him caught?" The Zygerrian asked, taking another bite of cake.

"I'm so glad you asked, Terrax. Rezul here...Rezul here is...so I thought, anyway...a rather skilled and connected Sith Lord. I have no real use for this Jedi Shadow I had mutated into a Consumer so I had her arranged to serve Rezul in exchange for a rather hefty finder's fee. This yacht doesn't come cheap you know, Terrax."

"It's a very nice yacht, I will attest to that." Terrax agreed, lookng around at the ancient reliefs, the delicat black and red floral pattern on the walls. "Got a real old school supervillain thing going."

"I'm so flattered you'd notice, Terrax. I do try to keep up the place. You'd frankly be amazed."

Terrax took another bite of cake. "What's gonna happen to Rezul?"

"That is a very good question. I've done so much to him already. But I have saved the best for last..."

Terrax leaned and stared at the bloody sigils. "What are those for?"

"Making sure he can't use his powers." The Amalgam answered, taking a bite of cake. "But its the poison he needs to worry about. Nice little brew I've started experimenting with..."

Rezul started to squirm. He sweated heavily.

"Rezul here sicced that very same Consumer on me. It's right over there, in fact..." The Amalgam explained, pointing to a trans parent cylinder with bio-seals displayed the mutated organs and melted, stretched face of the Consumer Lura that had been recovered from the burning yacht she had died in.

"When I gave Rezul Lura, it was because I was convinced he'd make it worth my while. And he did. But then he got stupid. Decided to try and replace me...and for that...well..."

Rezul's head burst into flames and burning maggots. Terrax continued eating his cake as Rezul shuddered, his remaining brain matter making his body twitch as the burning maggots ate through it.

Terrax was unfazed by this, or the accompanying stench of burning maggots that finally died.

"Twelve seconds. One of these days I really must develop a faster working batch of that stuff..." the shapeshifter gloated.

"Heh. Sucks to be him...really should've thought ahead, this one..." the Zygerrian joked.

"Oh dammit you literally took the words right out of my mouth...I was going to say that. Now I have to think up something cooler to say...how about 'At least the maggots got a last meal'. Is that better?" The Amalgam asked sincerely.

"My one liner was better, I think..." the red furred Zygerrian admitted, finishing the cake.

"Ugh..." the Amalgam grumbled. "See, that's what I hate about thinking up clever things to say before killing someone...you either get it right the first five minutes or you look like a moron the rest of the day..."

"It's tricky art, no denying..." Terrax admitted, sipping some cider. "Why am I here?"

"I have need of other Shi'ido as test subjects and spare hosts..." the Amalgam answered..."And you are pretty much my only Zygerrian contact, so I invited you to talk. And give you a warning at the same time..."

The Amalgam finished her cake and leaned forward on her seat, the burning maggots that had eaten Rezul's skull from within finally dead.

"I don't take betrayal well, Terrax..." she growled. "I don't take betrayal well at all."

"Nor should you...I wouldn't take betrayal well at all myself..." Terrax agreed, sipping more cider..."So...I bring you bodies...what's in it for me?"

"I was hoping to barter..."

Terrax thought a moment.

"There is something besides credits...get me it and I'll cut you in on some Shi'ido I acquired..."

The Amalgam was interested. "What did you have in mind?" she asked, telekinetically cutting him another slice of chocolate cake.

"There's this thing a buyer wants from me. A talisman. But he has a problem...its believed to be some ruins on Theta Kai..."

The Amalgam was familiar with the place. It had once housed the ancient cult of witches whose lineage she descended from. It had been a safe haven during the Gulag Plague and its aftermath.

When Terrax slid her the coordinates, the exact coordinates she grew more curious. This was pretty close to an old cult location.

"What's your buyer want with whatever is here?" The Amalgam asked.

"Old talisman, the shape of a jagged, black crescent...probably does something horrible, who knows?" Terrax mused. "Can you get it?"

The Amalgam had no intention of giving the real deal to Terrax, because if she was right, the amulet belonged to the Cult of The Brain Demon. Her cult.

And possibly belonged to one of the cult's many, many vile members. One of the most vile in fact.

It did not belong in the hands of a mere slaver...

"Yes." The Amalgam lied with a smile.


Hours later...



As luck would have it, the Sith Empire had an assignment that happened to be on Theta Kai for the moment, one of them being studying ruins very close to where she wanted to go.

She had taken her spare combat armor, a black combat suit that she had practiced so long in that it had made it easier to use the Dark Side in. Putting it on had given a her connection to the Bogan a supercharge. She had also taken her old master's lightsaber.

It had been a long time since she had used either of these things, but given that Laertia Io had damaged her stuff during a recent battle on Canto Blight, it would be some time before they would get repaired.

The Skin Razors--the Lightsaber of The Congregation--was a ringed weapon. She'd never liked using it, it was more agressive than she liked.

But given that where she was going was strong with the darkness, she needed powerful conduits to focus her power, even if they were risky conduits.

Her ship settled in a clearing of green, the ancient ship shutting down as she made final checks on all her weapons, then, without hesitation, set out to studyvthe ruins for clues she was looking for. If the Sith were interested in this place she needed all the clues she could get...

 

[Fiolette Fortan]

Theta Kai​

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Construct an Armada Base​

BYOO​

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​

Fiolette was very protective of her wife, even, if Taeli was more than capable of fending for herself. "There, and there," she instructed the men and the droids as the ships landed with more material and prefabricated buildings. "Theta Kai is ours boys and girls, so let us take advantage of this untouched world." The Galidraani spoke like a true noble of her time, colonization it was said was built into the fabric of the Galidraani. The precious untouched wilds of the world brought such glory to the imagination and she watched with pride as the towers were pulled up into place. "Cannons there, let's get a road started - landing pads over here." She instructed walking the droids over so they could mark the territory up. Carve it up, trees were cut and land was cleared.

None would go to waste, it would all be used - seeds were gathered to be replanted outside the base. This was the definition of a Galidraani heaven, service to a crown and expanding an empire? Check and check, Fiolette watched as the repulsor crane swung crates over the recently erected walls. Already the Lord Admiral toyed with a name for the base, somewhere between Prima, Montferrat and Rax. Hands behind her back, as she side stepped the work crews, yes Theta Kai would be a fortress world she thought for amoment. Then she realized that was too one dimension in idea, no Theta Kai had to thrive and be the reason why the galaxy needed the Empire's hand to guide it.

[media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ez2THVxifY[/media]

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Objective II

She had felt him coming for a time; it was hard to emit the event horizon that was [member="Darth Carnifex"] in the Force. Even still, the forest and this most intriguing site were obscuring her feelings with how much darkness was clinging to them. Something absolutely fascinating had occurred on this world in the past. As he approached, she was absorbed in examining some ruins in the central part of the site, intrigued by the woodwork and crystal here... and the runes. Oh the runes! She was glad to find something that she actually had to decipher the hard way.

She had an idea of what this place had been used for though. The pyramidal structure that had been formed reminded her of ruins the Sith had discovered on Malachor, but... there were odd additions and alterations to the structure, a redirecting of the energies perhaps? A specific targeting?

"A delicious mystery, my Lord," she responded to his question. "The ruins were a focusing site, something to draw the ambient dark side energies of this world together into this central location. Those crystals around the edges were grown to act like sponges, just soaking in the dark side and channeling it to here."

She gestured at the pyramid.

"But, there's a missing component. At the top of the pyramid is a large indentation that likely held a master crystal. I've seen a design like this before, back on Malachor."

 

[Darth Carnifex]

Hands clasped behind his back, the Emperor silently listened to the Triumvir's words.

"How interesting. Perhaps it was a weapon of some sort, one that harnessed the Dark Side of the Force. Exactly like the old temple on Malachor..." His voice trailed off, his voice reduced to a breathed whisper as he reached out with his senses to the surrounding ruins. He could feel what Taeli had felt, all of the components of the temple arrayed before him like an unfinished schematic. The crystals held power, much like the kyber crystals of Ilum or the Artusian crystals of Artus Prime. The ancient Sith had created massive superweapons that used kyber crystals as power sources, much like Palpatine's death stars.

"Do you think the master crystal still exists? And if so, where..."

[member="Taeli Raaf"]​

 

[Kaine O'Doran]

[SIZE=13.5pt]Knight, Sith Warrior[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Location - Sith Temple, Theta Kai[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Allies - TSE [/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Nearby Allies - [member="Darth Carnifex"] & [member="Taeli Raaf"][/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Status - Respectful & Curious[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Armor - [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]Lupus Venandi Raiment[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Equipment - Lupus Ferro Harpe Blade | [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]Crimson Lightsaber (1x)[/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]_____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____[/SIZE]

To the male Gurlanin, the world of Theta Kai was one of alien nature and one of the absolute unknowns and forgotten thoughts. The whole world itself felt strange and quaint as though it hid within its bowels some unforeseen secret that was ready to be unearthed. The specified hidden entity or object made everything feel as though it was drained out, any feeling of life taken away from it as though it held all life in a vice of metal to block out all light, to wither away all things. The Gurlanin found all of it strange to say the least. Despite his force signature being of the darkside, the nature of the planet itself, more accurately, the supposed sith pyramidal structure, it's force aura was intoxicating. It dulled the male's senses, forcing him to rely solely on his physical abilities and senses more than that of the force. Something which the male could care less about. He saw no need to use the force on most occasions, whether that be for defense, offense, or the enhancing of one's own body and senses. To do such a thing was to insult the absolute principle of the religious instrument that was the Force, a gift which had been given by the creators from long ago. The Gurlanin could never forget such tales and stories from his home of Qiilura, they had been ingrained into his being, they were part of him -- whether that be his mind, his actions, his emotions, all were affected by his cultural upbringing by a tribe. A tribe...that had cast him out for a crime he did not commit.

Which was why he was here, among the Sith. More specifically, in the presence of the Dark Lord, the Sith Emperor, Darth Carnifex. He needed to earn the respect of such beings and people to elevate himself among the Sith so that he himself could become stronger...so that he could return home to exact vengeance on those elders who had wronged him, branded him a 'traitor,' a 'murderer.' Darth Carnifex was one such being he needed to earn the respect of, he needed to show the Epicanthix his determination if he hoped to get anywhere. Standing in the presence of such a man felt strange. Something which the Gurlanin found absolutely foreign to him. He normally had always felt and thought of him himself as a powerful creature, a hunter which could track and kill any prey. And yet in the presence of the Emperor, he felt weak and insignificant. Something that actually made O'Doran respect the Epicanthix...a rarity for the man due to his inherent dislike of non-gurlanins due to xenophobic thoughts and attitudes directed towards him when he had first left his home.

Kaine stood a few feet off from the Emperor, averting his eyes from the man as a sign of respect towards him and a sign of privacy. He had accompanied the Emperor alongside other companions along the trek through the jungle something which he never believed that he would do. Kaine had never thought that he would be subservient to another being, and yet, he felt that way right now. His orange eyes felt heavy and weak when he would look upon the man as if though there was some unknown strain on his being to look onto an individual who was so powerful in the living force. As he stood there, O'Doran eyes caught some of the words that the Dark Lord and a woman who he knew not of spoke to one another. Though he couldn't make proper sense of their words.

Malachor, a weapon that utilized the force? What is all of this? To me, it sounds like they speak of myths and fantasy and fairytales instead of anything real and corporeal in existence.

 

[Vaylin]

Location: Theta Kai, Abandoned Scout Camp
Objective: I - Find the Missing Scouts
With: [member="Djorn Bline"]

"It is not a feasible option, no." Vaylin stared out at the forest, and she was sure something was looking back at her. "There's a dark shroud covering it, threading around and through the trees. Making it impossible to see or sense even for someone well versed in the Force."

What she was versed in though, was situations like these. The Zabrak wasn't arrogant or vain enough to blindly walking into this without caution. Everyone from soldier to Sith needed to be aware of the situation.

A few minutes later and the group left the abandoned camp and into the jungle proper.

Vaylin was leading the group, alongside Djorn and a couple of his men. The group was forming a protective wall around a trio of soldiers. Their job was to track and scan the area as they moved, mapping the route as well as checking for any activity around them. At their flanks were more soldiers, intermingled with a few Sith.

Their trek, however, was forced to stop when they reached a seemingly dead end, blocked by a group of trees.

"I-this isn't supposed to be there. It's meant to be a straight path forward." The trackers were working off data procured from the scout camp. It was preliminary information taken from the initial scouts' ships before they had landed.

Where there was meant to be a simple path, there was now trees.

Vaylin frowned, pointedly looking at the flora in question. She held the gaze for a while as if expecting something to come from it. But there was nothing but silence and the cold chill in the wind.

"We'll have to walk around then."

 

[Enyo Typhos]

Somewhere on the planet, Archangel was setting up a small outpost. Nothing major, since the planet seemed to lack resources of note, though the lightsabre crystals were of interest. Naturally Archangel utilised an all-droid work force. This was very practical. Droids could work day and night without tiring. They did not need to be paid, fed, given days off or maternity leave. This was all very convenient for an autocratic, moderately paranoid corporate boss. One imagined that the robber barons of the Gilded Age would have loved to have a processing machine.

Regardless, Enyo was overseeing the work. Some Neti had been captured for study. It would probably be...difficult to process a tree person, but surely a use could be found for them. Something scientific and probably contrary to numerous sentient rights charters that she did not care about anyway.

However, aside from misc. labour droids and various types of war bots, she had brought two of her siblings with her, Thuella and Alexia. As the closest thing the clone posse had to a brood mother, it was Enyo's job to educate them about the Galaxy. For though they had been born with the bodies of adults and the flash memories of their respective templates, they had little practical life experience. Enyo took her duty seriously, although it meant that she had to be more verbose than usual.


"Tell me a universal truth," Enyo ordered softly.
"The strong do as they will and the weak suffer what they must," Alexia replied quickly.
"Knowledge is power," Thuella opined.
Enyo listened without commenting, then spoke. "Everything ends. A few years ago, the Galactic Alliance was a superpower. Further back, the One Sith swallowed world after world, smashing the armies of anyone who stood in their way etc. Everyone likes to think that their era is the most important. That their empire or order will be one like none other. Then they grow lethargic and die. So it will be with everything that's on the map right now and with whatever suceeds it. The game has no final winner."

"Time and again, Force Masters have sought out eternal life. They have all, inevitably, died," Enyo shrugged. "Siobhan will become obsolete one day, too. So will Archangel."
That provoked a reaction. "We struggled for years to take over Archangel, to topple our slavemasters and take what's ours by right," Alexia argued fiercely.
"Yes," Enyo raised her hand. "And it's a tool we now utilise to accomplish our present goals. Much like the Iron Fist Consortium. Tools must be well-maintained. But I am wedded to neither. Or to the...trinkers they allow you to acquire. So in a Galaxy like this, what is the one thing that matters?"
There was a pause. "We," Thuella said a bit hesitantly, but then continued in a more confident. "Our family. We're the only ones that matter."
"The only ones in this world," Enyo stated. "I slaughtered thousands for the family and I'd do much more. I do not age as you do...but I do not intend to hold on to what we have conquered forever. One day it will be passed on. Remember our credo. Adapt, stay united, do not become shackled to trinkets."

 

[Lark]

Lark left the shuttle alongside [member="Kahlil Zambrano"], as the two young Sith hopped onto the planet's surface the vessel rose into the sky, only returning once the Dark Lord commanded it. Kahlil and Lark had their own mission, separate from the Emperor and the Lady of Secrets. As they went their own way, Lark spared a single look to the leaders of the Empire, conducting research within the bizarre ruins. He'd stand there beside them one day, with a title and influence of his own.

But in order for that thought to be realized, he had to carry out his share of the grunt work, which was fine. Lark had enjoyed most of the tasks that had been set before him. He had always had a fascination with the unknown, secrets that were never meant to be discovered. So when the Empire tasked the two of them to discover the mysteries the Neti possessed, they were happy to comply. After all, they each had come into ownership of a powerful artifact best left hundreds of meters underground, they were perfectly suited for the job.

Lark would do what he did best. Walk into the unknown and return with a smile and some piece of primal knowledge.

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"What do you think should be our first move? They can freely change much of their body to look like the very trees we'll be walking among." Kahlil walked beside [member="Lark"] with his staff in hand, already glancing among the trees as they moved deeper into the ruins. There was so many unknowns, but this wasn't the first time the pair had wandered into a situation without all the information.

It was thrilling.

"I might be able to sense some, if you give me a moment."

 

[Fiolette Fortan]

Theta Kai​

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Construct an Armada Base​

BYOO​

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Fiolette drove the shovel into the dirt, "here, this is where the shipyard will go." A throaty chuckle as she handed the shovel off to a droid, "go on, dig, dig and keep digging we want
this foundation to be solid, thick and deep." She now had it mind that this is where she could build corvettes and frigates of all sizes, and with the base behind it all what more could she do? Fiolette had plenty of plans for such a world and as she turned to head back to the base it was starting to take shape. The Lord Admiral stepped into the work-tram and felt it jerk forward heading back toward the base. Another set of trees were fallen, while the sound of lumber mills felt like music to her ears. Not far off the warehouse was now complete, and already they began to stock up on supplies.

Such glory, the thought did more than flutter in her mind. Theta Kai had its challenges, and she was sure that there were dangers here and that much she would welcome. Still, the idea of raising a base from foundation to finish thrilled her. Especially here - untouched? Fiolette might have thought it before, but there was beauty untold here. The tram approached where now the Sith Empire's banners flew proudly as the flag was raised. Inside the base, troops began the job of erecting tents and moving vehicles into the base. And again the thought of what to name the base came to her mind. For now, she remained undecided - the Lord Admiral disembarked from the tram and was approached by Major Tarkin of the 52nd Company.

"Scouts have reported back, we've got fertile lands to the east and a river that runs through there, might be good to set up for agriculture."

"Of course, we must be able to feed ourselves here. Have you sent the soil samples?"

He nodded, "yes, we're just waiting on final approval before moving the equipment there to begin the work."

"Excellent, now-"

"There's one more thing." Tarkin added he now had Fiolette's undivided attention, "there's something amidst there - my boys and I will try and figure it out but, ... it's... "

She stopped him there with a motion of her hand. "If you have a notion that there is something foul then I trust you to see to it that it is dealt with accordingly."

"Yes Admiral."