Test Test Test

[Sasha Santhe]

Useless. Sasha grumbled as she look on at the line of ancient TIE fighters lined up. There was other fighters of course each with droid pilots at the testing ground on Panatha. Once again she found herself next to Kaine Zambrano who called himself [member="Darth Vornskr"]. Why did she deal with the man? She wasn’t sure, although there was some satisfaction of seeing him as a ghost from time to time.

Recent factories had been set up on the world, along with facilities on and Hypori. Elrood was next. Santhe was a galaxy spanning corporation, and that meant having assets and creating jobs in as many places as possible. It was important not to keep her eggs all in one basket. “Most of the parts came from our Coruscant facility where we have been allowed to continue operations.” Indeed the entirety of Santhe Tower on Coruscant was in full bloom, including the weapons lab and secret development facility there. The same facility that saw creation of some of the galaxy's greatest vessels since the times before the clone wars.

“You’ve managed to amass a goodly amount of fighters here. Most factions seem largely represented here.” Of course they would all be flown by droids with training lasers equipped. Antiquated last generation ground vehicles were also scattered over the field. The Blackbade Guard was in the new Equipment. Several prototype fighters, and vehicles from the Santhe Armory.

The first weapons system being tested was a new fighter. Four laser cannons on swivelled turrets, missile launchers and a powerful engine derived from the Aleph fighter. Sasha watched on with pride as it circled in the air staying on the tail of the older model TIE fighter. “Several prototypes are available for your testing today,” Sasha said to the man, “Your troops await your command.”

 

[Darth Carnifex]

The spectral being that floated beside the young [member="Sasha Santhe"] seemed to be torn between itself and something that was not entirely there anymore, as if a piece of the incorporeal being had been sundered yet longed to be with that what was lost. Yet despite the instability of his consciousness the being did not seem to notice it, or at least he was very adept at ignoring the crisis of his discomfort. Despite being a being of pure consciousness he still took comfort in assuming the trappings of his life, a dark cloak covered his transparent form and his face was perpetually contorted in a angry sneer as if he took offense to everything his eyes could process.

His arms were crossed in front of his chest as he half listened to Sasha' noise and half listened to something far more metaphysical that brayed from the darkness beyond the fragile curtain of existence, whose origin or identity he could not pinpoint but nonetheless he referred to it as the primordial sentience of the Dark Side that took root in all who struck out in anger, who brooded in jealously, and who despaired in sorrow. And while he himself did not believe in any sort of God or Goddess or even a pantheon of deities like his own people revered, he knew that something called to him from beyond and he had half a mind to forsake his temporary projection and lose himself to the chaos. But to do that would be to forever meld one's self with the consciousness of all who died and who will die, and become part of the Living Force.

"I͡ h̷a̷v̢e̸ m͏an҉y ̢f̸r̀iend̶s ͢witḩin ̷t̀h̀e ͟co̷rpor͟a͟te w̛o͘r̀ld̡, Ļa͞dy ̷S͜an̕t͟he.̕ And͠ ͢f̢o̢r m̀y̷ f͠or͝c̴es̵ I ̨c̡aǹno̴t̨ aff͡or̀d ̛an̷yth̴i҉n͞g ot̵h͟er̷ t̢h͡a҉n ͠t̡he b͘est,̡ e͠s͘p͢ec͜i͢all̶y n͞o̧w̨ ҉wìt̵h t́he̛ Ŕep̛u̸b͟li͘c͝'͝s d͝íśs͠olut͜ion̴ so ͜pa͡i͘n͘f͟u̶llý ̡c̵lo͠se.͟"

His voice was a paradox, as it sounded close yet at the same time sounded insurmountably distant. And it was not heard in the traditional sense of hearing, for the specter's mouth did not move when he spoke, but rather it was as if the voice was a part of your subconscious voice. To some it was disturbing and nauseating, even maddening, but to others more attuned to such intrusions it did not affect them in the same manner.

And the talk of new prototypes piqued his interest.

"Śhów͡ m҉e͘.͠"

 

[Darth Prazutis]

Braxus Zambrano​

Apprentice to Darth Vornskr​

High-Warlock of the Vornskr'ei​

Santhe Corp. Testing Ground, Panatha​

Eyes and Ears Everywhere...​

​

The Santhe Corporation. One of the sole suppliers to the Kainate Authority's armies, keeping them well armed and well equipped. Since his appointing to Highlord in the Vornskr'ei Cult, Braxus made sure to keep himself well informed through his many agents spread throughout the galaxy. Braxus managed his time quite well and most of it recently had been eagerly absorbing the knowledge Vornskr's Holocron had to teach. But the most interesting piece of knowledge came when his agents revealed the presence of Sasha Santhe, CEO and Majority Shareholder to be on Panatha on some sort of business, some sort of new experimental technology no doubt. If he was going to stand as his masters word and will, Braxus was going to make an introduction to one of the Authority's valuable assets.

Boom. Boom. Boom. The sound of slamming plate boomed across the testing grounds as the quiet Zambrano crossed the floor of the testing ground towards where Sasha Santhe undoubtedly was. The noise wasn't coming from Braxus, but the two gargantuan Imperial Sentinels accompanying him. They wore heavy battle armor under long, reddish-purple cloaks emblazoned with intricate gold patterns at the chest, back, and shoulders. Their heads were wrapped in heavy linen and covered by a large helmet resembling a golden Aquila with spread wings, and only their crimson eyes were visible behind the narrow slits punched through the armored face-plate. In their large hands they gripped massive vibro-axes decorated with bleached skulls and blasphemous trinkets depicting ancient Sith symbols. The two lumbering Sentinels followed a few steps behind Braxus, their eyes fixed on the surroundings at all times. Braxus typically traveled with a number of different guards depending on where he went, but usually Imperial Sentinels were always around him. They were a mere show of power by Braxus while he met with her, he wasn't in any danger but first impressions were important afterall.

Braxus was absolutely positive it was her up ahead, his anzati senses allowed him to feel not her force presence but her very lifeforce and a powerful lifeforce did force users have. But there was something else...something powerful. It was a sheer nexus of black dark side power, a perversion in reality no doubt. Braxus was absolutely positive it was her, his anzati senses allowed him to feel not her force presence but her very lifeforce and a powerful lifeforce did force users have. But there was something else...something powerful. It was a sheer nexus of black dark side power, it wasn't there before but it suddenly...appeared. He would have to see it for himself.

"Lady Santhe, I have heard much about you-" Braxus's said as he eyed the woman, but his gaze quickly shot over to the spirit floating next to the woman and stopped there. It was Kaine Zambrano, Darth Vornskr, the man had many names but it was Braxus's master and he bowed in fealty "Master...I was not aware of your presence here, my apologies for the interruption." He said to Darth Vornskr.

[member="Sasha Santhe"] [member="Darth Vornskr"]

 

[Sasha Santhe]

Sasha rolled her eyes at the Ghost of Kaine when [member="Braxus Zambrano"] mentioned him. "He's dead, you need to pay him no heed," Sasha said. "Not that I paid him much mind when he was living." Indeed he was dead. He seemed to always die when she was unveiling something new. In this case it was a fighter, a fast little bastard which was even now darting across the sky. It had two little stubby solar panel wings and a typical TIE cockpit. "Superior speed and maneuverability," she said as the twin ion engines screamed. The little TIE Sentinel passed them wiggling its wings in salute. "Fairly good armor for a vessel its size and shields for added protection. Pilots don't like to feel expendable anymore and shields have become a standard. Used to be you didn't need them on a TIE." Sasha shrugged a little bit, "Still don't really. With a good enough pilot at it's controls the TIE fighter can out run and out maneuver the competition." A little sigh escaped her lips, "But pilots like the added protection."

The craft performed a strafing run on a number of droids firing pulses of ion from two cannons along its central axis followed by another burst from laser cannons. "As you can see we've added armaments from previous trial versions of the craft. Both Ion cannons and lasers giving the vessel some utility." Another prototype zoomed down low nearly landing in a clearing below them. It hovered there swaying from side to side in a vectored movement pattern. "It's size is the key though," she added. "It's half the square meter space of most fighter craft like say the X-wing. When you consider the cubed space of the craft this vessel is nearly a third." Then Sasha indicated a racking system on the far side of the drill yard.

"As you can see we've devised a system of racks and hooks to aid in utilizing vertical space on vessels to the fullest. Most fighters are designed for two dimensional storage but we pack them in."

She cracked a little smile over at [member="Darth Vornskr"]. "You know I have assets on Kamino. I'm sure I could make you a new body if you wished it. Something handsome and muscular. Maybe a bit twinkish?" And then she turned and winked at [member="Braxus Zambrano"]. "You want to cram yourself into one of these fighters and take it for a spin?"

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"W̴̢a̢̕tc͞h͏ ͡ỳo̷͡u͜r̛͢s̢͠͡el̡͢͟f͏͏,̷̨ ̷͞S̵̕͠a͏s͝h͜a҉.̢̢͠ " The specter warned, his tone more amused than annoyed, "Ì̶̀ ̡͢͏e͜ņ̕joy͢ ̵y̨͝o͢ù̵̢ ̸ṕ̨̢le̡nt̶͡y̶͜͡,҉̢͘ ̸͠b҉̷͞u̧͢͠t ҉́I͠ ̧͝h͝͝av҉̶͢e̡̢͘ ͜͜ņo̡҉̡ ̢q̴͠u̸͜a̢ĺ͢͠m̀s͘͘͜ i͠ń ̧d̨͢e̵ş̴͞t̶͜͏r̶o͏̀͘ý͏̴in̛͘g ̸͡͏y͘o̷u͏̕҉.̷̡"

Still, the fighter she presented him was satisfactory. Compact and armed to the teeth, plus it was shielded so unlike the previous generations of TIE fighters it wouldn't go down with a lucky hit alone. Although Vornskr never cared for the expendable lives of the humdrum pilots of the Imperial Navy, they were meant to swarm the opposition and lay down their lives for total victory. But he supposed that since this would make them tougher to take down he wouldn't object, even if he feared such padding would make their pilots more lax in their duties.

His gaze then fell to the new arrival, [member="Braxus Zambrano"]. An acolyte of extraordinary strength that had been recently appointed to a high rank within Vornskr's cult, the Vornskr'ei. He ignored the Anzat's words for now, and only held his gaze on him briefly before turning back to [member="Sasha Santhe"]. "Yo̷ưŗ ̧c̶͞o͘n̡͢ç͞èr͠n ̴̡͢i̴͝s̛ ̵͜w͟el̕͝l̛͟ ͜͏n̕͡o̷͡t̸e̡d,͏̸͝ ́̀b̀҉u̡̕t̛͟ ̨i͠͞͝t̵̷ i҉̧s̡̛ ̷uń̶̛ne͞e̡͘ded͝.̶͏̕ ̶̀͞I̢̢ ͟͟h̸a̴v̴͢e͢ ̡͟m̀͞ý̡ ̢͟͝m̨e͝ţ̸̶h̷͟o͡͡ds̷,̛ ̛҉͜a̷̢n͜͝d͜ ̛͟s̡͜͞oo͠n ̛̀͘I̢͢ w͡҉͞i̛͠l̵̶͠l ̴̀ẃ̶al̡̛̀k҉͡ ͘à̢m̸̨ò̵n̶g ̵̕t҉̴h̴̨̧e҉̀ ҉la͢͜ǹ̡͞d̸͘ ͞of t̴h̵͡e̵̸ ͘͢l̛̕i͘̕̕v͘i̶̛n̡͡g̵̡̧ w̶̸i̡t̵̕҉h ͠͝n͟͞e͘͜w ̴f̧l̢͜҉esh̴̀ ́w͏͜ŕ̢ąp͞͡p̸e͏d͞ a͢r҉ơ͘u̸̢͞n̴d̸͜ ̧͠m̨͘y͟ ̡so͡u͜l͟͜.̷̕"

 

[Darth Prazutis]

Braxus stepped up to Sasha, the two massive Sentinels moving behind him casting a shadow overtop of them, the ominous glare of their bright eyes beaming down at her. "And you overstep Ms. Santhe. Darth Vornskr is eternal, and I would suggest you give him the respect a man of his divine stature deserves." He said, staring her straight in the eyes. Braxus a few moments later clicked his tongue twice and the sentinels backed off, setting a distant position behind Braxus. He grinned as he listened to his master blatantly threaten her, Kaine was absolutely ruthless and he never took disrespect lightly, even from some corporate magnate CEO.

Personally Braxus felt the soldiers of the Imperial Navy were expected to sacrifice themselves for the greater good, but if added armor and shielding would improve morale that will increase their effectiveness, he was more than willing to accept that. "No but I appreciate the offer, Ms. Santhe, and your fighter design is excellent. I imagine the Authority will look forward to many more business interactions with you, is that right my Lord?" Braxus said, his hands folded behind his back.

[member="Sasha Santhe"] [member="Darth Vornskr"]

 

[Sasha Santhe]

Sasha ignored [member="Braxus Zambrano"]'s comment about respect Kaine deserved. Honestly.... in her book you got points for not being killed. She shrugged the thought off, besides she did have a respect for Kaine. That didn't change her basic personality. "Are you sure you don't want to take me up on my offer? I heard Damian Starchaser blew up your body not so long ago. It would be my pleasure to get some of his dna..." she paused for a second smiling at the ghost, "and clone his body for you. Powerful, handsome, proven in battle. A bit twinkish, but I could live with you that way."

She allowed no comment, though one was sure to come. Instead she turned and waved the two men forward. Set in front of them was a system of mechanical racks. The design concept wasn't original, indeed it was similar in function to both the armored personnel carriers of the trade federation and the TIE racks meant for the Eidolon back during the galactic civil war.The racks utilized vertical space in the same manner as the previous examples which allowed for craft to be stacked like logs or cans utilizing space more efficiently. "The downside of course is recovery speed. You can eject the fighters quickly, they are designed for that, but the delicate maneuvers to land require a bit more time." She shrugged.

 

[Darth Carnifex]

The Sith Lord's spectral form seemed to ripple and pulsate with what could either be described as laughter or annoyance, "Y̸o̸ú̧ ̵ḑ͘o̸͘ ͠͠n̴o̵͢͢t̷ ͜k҉̸n̴̢o̴̕͝w͢ ͝Ś̡̡á͝sh̢a̕͢͞ ̡͘͝à̕͜s̴̢ ̴́I̧ ͞͞d̵̛o҉̧̨, ̧̡͞B̵̷r̨̛͞a̴͡x̢u͠s͢,̢̨ ̢͡b̴̧ut́ ̢͞ḱ̡̀n҉͟ow͜͞͡ ţ̵̛h̷àt ̸͢h͢͠e͜͏͡ŕ͜ r̴̢e̸̛s̨͟͞p͟éc̵̸̷t͢ ͏̡h҉̀a̧͠͝s҉ ̵̴͘a̷̧l̴̨r̵͜͡e͡ád͝y̢͢ ̛͞be̶̛è͏n̡ g̸̡͘i̧͜vé͟͠ǹ͢͡.̧͝" The spirit floated above both individuals as they moved onward into a room decorated with mechanical racks meant to hold these new fighters out of combat, and deploy them during. Yet Sasha's perceived downside to the rack's design was not one to be taken seriously, for it was the swiftness of deployment that mattered in a battle scenario. Of course her concerns only mattered in a hypothetical rapidly retreat, but again the Sith Lord had no regards to the lives of the faceless pilots he sent out to kill and die for his glory and that of the Empire's. They knew the risk of enrolling in the academies and stepping into the cockpit of a TIE fighter, so they should know the peril of being killed in duty or being left behind.

"Su͠͏͡c̡h ͡th́͏i͏n҉g̡͞s̵͡ ̷͘ḑ͟͝ó̷ n̸҉o̷͠͡t̢ ̡͡c͞͡ǫn̷̡c͡e҉r̨n ̀͢͡m̸̧e͢͟,̷̨́ ̵S̛͘͞as̕͡hà.̡͟" he replied, "T̨h͏é̡͞y̶͟ ̨̨̕k̸̡̢n̵͝͏o̶͡w̢͞͞ ͘͢͜of ̀͢͡ţ̶ḩe̷i҉͞r͡ d͏̸u̴͏t̕͢͟y̢̛,̴͞ ̢͟͝a̢n̡̡̡d̷̕ ̨th͠e̸҉ ̴̕d̸̡͠a͞n̢͏g̡̀e̶r͟s͏ ͞t̸̴h̵͟e͝y ̸̛f͏͞á̶cé̶.̸͡ ̷҉Wh͜é̡th̵er ̴ţ͝héy ͜l͟͏i͝v̴̡̛e ̀͘o̢͏̨r͡ d̛i̛͜e͞ ̢i̴͜n̸͝ ́͏b̵a͜͡t̵͢ţ͢l̀͝͡e ̀͏i͏ş͜͝ ̧o̶͜f͝ ̡n͜͜o̶͢ ҉̸c̸͠o҉n̷̵c͡er̸n͢͏ ́t̡o̸̢̧ ̵͞ḿ̕͜é,̕͡ o̢̧͟n̵̕l̢̕ỳ ̨tḩ҉a͠҉͝ţ͡ ́y͡o̕͝u̕r͢ ̷f̴̀͜i͏g͠ḩ̡͜t͜è̡̢r ̀p̢è̛ŗ͞f̶̛o̵r̶͞m̡͏́s ͠͡w̷̶è͟l͜l ̨ì̵͘ń ͏̨c̸̷o̸mbà̸̴t͏̷̶.́̀" And then he grumbled slightly, his form shimmering with clear agitation.

An͟҉d̀ ̸́yó̷u ̷͞w̷͢o̶͢ul̴̕d m̷͘͝áķ̵͞e ͘͠m̵̸e̸͠ ͢͞l̨͢ǫ̡ok ̷͏ĺ̢͠ì͟͟k͘͟͟e̴͝ t̕͏h̢á͠t̡̢ ͢w̡͘͟o̸r̢͟͞m̧͘, ̶Cr̛͟͠y̡̛̕a̛x̸̸̡?͟͟͡ ̶̀͢I ̡̕t͟h̛i͡n̶̨҉ķ͢ ̨̕n̵̴̶o̴͝t҉̵!͜͡"

[member="Sasha Santhe"] | [member="Braxus Zambrano"]

 

[Darth Prazutis]

Braxus bowed gracefully and nodded at Kaines assurance of her respect, "Yes Master." He said, crossing his arms as they entered the chamber decorated with mechanical racks that held the new developmental TIE Fighters. Braxus knew that Sasha's concerns wouldn't matter to Kaine but he still weighed them in his mind. The TIE Fighters were meant to be quickly launched from the racks so they could enter the battle as quickly as possible. Landing once again however was an entirely different story, but by the time that mattered the enemy was usually defeated. The TIE's armaments, its shielding good, it would be an efficient starfighter and a formidable foe.

"They are ready to die in his name without question, such is the length of their loyalty." Braxus said.

[member="Darth Vornskr"] [member="Sasha Santhe"]

 

[Sasha Santhe]

The woman almost giggled at Kaine shimmering. Good aggravating him was half the fun in dealing with him. "Oh Kaineypoo," Sasha said in a voice mocking her old teenage affectation. "Couldn't you please make yourself a handsome man with blond hair and a tan...." fluttering her lashes she looked up at Kaine's ghost before a devilish smile formed on her face. "The things I'd do to you in a hot little body... but alas I'm sure you will pick your normal brutish body."

She then looked over at Braxus. He was in many ways a disgusting little man. A sycophant feeding into Kaine's ego. Sasha wondered how she could get a creepy little man servant like him. Well Kaine spawned.... well there was a whole family. Gawd why didn't her family just worship her? Things would be so much easier. Then again many of them did. She considered for a moment the ramifications before turning to Braxus. "Being ready to die is another matter completely. Pilots who feel confidence in their equipment will have higher morale, and a better kill to death ratio. Let them die for [member="Darth Vornskr"] all they want, but let them take a proportional amount of enemy soldiers with them because they are given proper equipment."

She nodded to Kaine and then turned back to the bald man. "[member="Braxus Zambrano"], Santhe Corporation makes only the best. Go to other corporations if you want to merely waste men and machines." Okay so they did make the crappier versions of the TIE fighter still.... but this was a new Era. More modern designs had to be made. "We will produce these locally here on your world and on Coruscant. I seem to remember an old adage about eggs and a basket."

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"I do not doubt the competency and capabilities of the Santhe Corporation, little Sasha. The Santhe Corporation had served the Old Empire faithfully for many years, and even though that Empire eventually collapsed it was not due to a weakness of armament, but rather a weakness of spirit and conviction by those less gifted than us." Of course blame was placed on the Imperial Moffs, who in their short-sightedness and phobia of the Force lashed out in the Empire's temporary stumble after the Sacking of Dromund Kaas. Their defection fractured the Empire, with every crack-pot officer proclaiming himself Emperor after he had been dethroned during the Battle of Dac only to kill themselves fighting fellow Imperials rather than being galvanized against their common foes. In the end most of them were exterminated as the Empire fell, most of them by Vornskr's own orders after he was liberated from a Republic prison ship en route to Coruscant by the One Sith.

Those that escaped went on to form the multitude of Imperial successor states that had cropped up in great numbers since those dark days, one of which was the Imperials of Crina that had been brutally stamped out by the One Sith's ever expanding reach. There would be more to follow, surely, yet they too would meet the same fate. They would either join the One Sith Empire or die ignominious deaths, their corpses left as carrion. Or worse, be made example before thousands of assembled onlookers to remind them what happened to those who opposed the manifest destiny of the One Sith.

"But enough time has been wasted on the past, and the future is all that matters now. Besides my world and the throneworld there are many other planets designated as industrial-worlds, such as Balmorra, Metellos, and Ord Mirit. I'm sure that with enough push you'll be able to acquire clearance to build your factories on a number of worlds within our grand Empire."

[member="Sasha Santhe"]
[member="Braxus Zambrano"]

 

[Sasha Santhe]

Sasha blushed a little at the compliment, or perhaps it was being called little Sasha, regardless she grew hot at the thought of the Empires fall. She blamed [member="Gerion Ardik"] for that. Her weapons had been highly toned and perfect… or maybe that was a better apt description of her body. “As you know Kaine,” Sasha said to [member="Darth Vornskr"], “We already have facilities located on Coruscant and throughout the galaxy. We have agreements with major governments throughout the galaxy and with luck expansion within the One Sith will go smoothly as well.”

But more thoughts crossed her mind, “But let me ask you something. With the loss of Titan the sith must be feeling a bit of a crunch. What would you be willing to do for me? Tax breaks? Subsidies? I’m making a product that you need to stay competitive, and setting up factories that are of vital importance to your new Empire which create jobs which lower poverty ratings which lower crime, which decreases unrest.” A smile crept over the womans face. “Happy fat people don’t rebel against Sith Overlords.”

[member="Darth Vornskr"]
[member="Braxus Zambrano"]

 

[Darth Carnifex]

"The Empire is willing to accommodate your wants and needs, so you have nothing to fear. Although I would retort that a malnourished enemy is just as apt at rebelling as a happy fat one, but there would be many who would chaff at wasting resources to put down rabid citizens... So I concede your point! Happy and fat they shall be, and I will personally assure that Santhe will be more firmly integrated with our great and wonderful Empire." His form seemed to shimmer and pulsate with something that could be considered mirth, although the jagged darkness that made up a large percentage of his astral projection made the effort seem more threatening than duplicitously cheerful. "I eagerly await a proper field test by your fighters, Little Sasha. Should they perform well I might have half a mind to take you up on that offer, and see how long you last before you break."

Real classy.

[member="Braxus Zambrano"]