Faction The Autopsy of Kai Kriel

[Seela Khaan]

She hadn't expected anyone to follow her, least of all Quill. When she was at her breaking point she felt the lightest touch of his presence in the Force. She froze and couldn't say anything. They stood there awkwardly for a few moments before something took him away again. Using his slight nudge she centered herself in the Force. What was this, her cowering like a scared girl. She was a Master of the Force. Maybe not a Jedi anymore, but still something close enough. And she could help solve this mystery. With a resolve she had not felt in years she took in a deep breath and walked the hallways to the entrance of the chamber they were performing the autopsy in. She walked in, confidently now, hearing the tail end of the conversation.

"You're right Master Morga," she said softly, before glancing at Quill for moral support, "Force Light would eradicate any hope we have of finding out what happened to Master Kriel." She took a tentative step forward when she realized Masters and Knights of all walks of the Jedi were gazing down at her. She'd come in unannounced. What authority did she have here? The nagging voices kept chewing at the back of her brain, but a familiar voice was whispering too, and it told her to move forward. She took one step, then another, and made her way to the table. She wouldn't apologize for anything today.

She raised her hand to the corpse and closed her eyes, drawing on the Force. A room once dark began to light up with outlines of the Jedi surrounding them, or rather faint lines that traced throughout their bodies. Shatterpoints. Some were well hidden in the Force, an unconscious byproduct of a deep understanding the Force, while others were as clear as day. There was damage in many of them, such was the life of Jedi in these dark times...But one body was damaged beyond anything she had seen before. A shaky breath escaped her lips as she focused on Kai.

"Oh Kai," she whispered. His shatterpoints were glowing a deep black, lingering remnants of the Force being bent and warped within him. He was dead. There was no pushing this out that would bring the man back or heal his wounds...When she opened her eyes she sighed and folded her arms across her torso in thought. "Your Shatterpoints are so..." she couldn't find a word.

"Meltmassif is a mineral with strong electromagnetic properties, not unlike Kyber and Kyberite," She heard or rather felt some skepticism in the Force and added, "but not in the same ways...Its like a," she waved one of her hands loosely in the air trying to think of a word, "a transmitter of feelings, ideas, thoughts. The mineral itself is too volatile for use like this. Or at least I thought so when I found it in my research on Kyberite and other Force attuned minerals. Tell me, do we have any books on Sith that resided in the Taspan system? That's where the mineral is most common. Maybe we could find some sort of ancient or fabled Sith ritual that used the mineral?"

Wyatt Morga Jend-Ro Quill Tiland Kortun Auteme Sev Pitborn

 

[Seela Khaan]

RIP

 

[Auteme]

P E A C E

Tag: Jend-Ro Quill Wyatt Morga ​

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"Meltmassif is a substance found in the Taspan system, in the Inner Rim, but it's also been found on comets in the Outer Rim, so it's probably not native just to there, and it was really only found on the planet Mindor so it probably got there by a comet too, which makes sense considering it was concentrated around a secret Imperial base there and it was used by a Prophet of Darkness to control his soldiers when they fought against the New Republic, and there were these creatures that could inhabit the meltmassif called Melters and they used it to communicate too because it had unique electromagnetic properties and could be used as a transmitter..."

Yeah, she was nervous.

When she finally stopped talking she felt overwhelmingly embarrassed -- the kind of overwhelming that made her want to ramble out again in a desperate attempt to cover up how embarrassed she was. It'd be quite the vicious cycle. She stopped herself before she kept going, looking down and lightly tapping her fingers together, somewhat hoping that her rant hadn't been heard by all the masters.

 

[Wyatt Morga]

Wyatt smiled to the others in the room, pleasantly surprised more voices chimed into the situation than before. First, was Seela; who entered from the side after leaving a moment before. Wyatt had watched her go then, but had assumed it was due to the body itself, yet now she seemed at peace… quiet, reliable peace - it brought a warm sensation in his heart as she wandered forth and spoke. Confidence was key for any Jedi, and today was a perfect chance for them both.​

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“I’m unsure if we have anything of the sort - but it would certainly be useful to ask the Gatekeeper such things.”, he idled as his arms crossed, and he made an idle glance to the last place he had seen the AI hologram that ran the giant station.​

​

Then Auteme spoke, and it put him a bit at ease. She was knowledgeable far past her years, and it filled Wyatt with more pride that the Order had such genius minds yet learning, yet to show their true potential to the great many. He smiled and nodded in her direction;​

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“It would seem we know how it was used then…”, though his gaze wandered off slightly.​

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“So the Emperor fought with me directly… Odd.”, he repeated to himself.​

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“And of the alterations to the body? Do we know if there is anyway to interrupt this connection, or stop it from occurring in the future?”​

​

Auteme │ Seela Khaan │ Jend-Ro Quill │ Tiland Kortun │ Sev Pitborn │ Shira Varanin​

 

[Jend-Ro Quill]

"Other than Force Light?" Quill said, paging through the books Auteme had brought. "Well, you could always coat the objects, the body, or the room with Jedi nullification resin - the station has a good stockpile of it. Most of it's in use but only protects faded Dark Side relics that could easily be disposed of without much loss. I've been cataloguing..."

He trailed off and looked up.

"I just realized you mean interrupting the connection between the Emperor and an active, empowered, ah, full-sized vessel. Light would do it. Ysalamiri, void stone bullets, the usual suspects. What's interesting to me is that the Emperor would be vulnerable, or at least accessible, through a link like that."

 

[Darth Carnifex]

The body, silent and still, suddenly writhed as if in unbearable agony. ​

​

Once so cold and dead, now animated and alive, the corpse of the deceased Jedi Master lashed out as it lay upon the table. Its mouth opened unnatural wide as a silent scream was torn loose from its throat, coagulated blood congealing at the rapidly tearing corners of his mouth. The chest convulsed upward, the skin peeling and disintegrating as entire portions of flesh tore away like shattered glass. Black smoke pooled up from the rapidly widening wound, a shadow specter rising up into the air with arms outstretched wide.​

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The phantasm resembled an armored warrior, crackling with unnatural power that illuminated its translucent form, which seemed embroiled in perpetual flame and ash. "քɨȶɨʟɛֆֆ ʝɛɖɨ, ֆƈʊʀʀʏɨռɢ ʟɨӄɛ ʀǟȶֆ ȶօ ʊռƈօʋɛʀ ȶɦɛ ֆɛƈʀɛȶ օʄ ɖǟʀӄռɛֆֆ..." It spoke with a voice like broken glass and crushed gravel, the reverberations of every syllable gnawing at the back of their minds like nails on a chalkboard. The pitch and tone gravitated between high and low radically, with no clear discernable pattern. "ƈǟռ ʏօʊ ȶʀʊֆȶ ʏօʊʀ օառ օʀɖɛʀ? ֆօ ʍǟռʏ ɦǟʋɛ ʄǟʟʟɛռ ȶօ ֆɦǟɖօա ʀɨɢɦȶ ʊռɖɛʀ ʏօʊʀ ռօֆɛֆ."​

​

A gnarled, flame-undulating finger pointed towards Wyatt. "ƈǟռ ʏօʊ ȶʀʊֆȶ ʏօʊʀ ʟɛǟɖɛʀֆ? աɨʟʟ ȶɦɛʏ ʟɛǟɖ ʏօʊ ǟֆȶʀǟʏ? ʀɨɢɦȶ ɨռȶօ ʍʏ ƈʟʊȶƈɦɛֆ?"​

 

[Wyatt Morga]

The sanctity of Peace.​

​

A simple concept, but one so suddenly tainted by the presence of this darkness. Somewhere, deeper in the galaxy - Wyatt could feel a cruel Emperor, enjoying what he had done. Feeling no pity in his experiment on the Jedi that lay on the slab; and it disgusted Wyatt to no end. A quiet contempt grew in his heart at the words the man spoke - so openly mocking all those in the room, when there was naught anything but pain a moment ago.​

​

His eyes closed, he worked tirelessly for a moment to calm himself - find that Zen. He did not work out of hatred, nor desperation. The Sith would not coax out of him… not now. When his eyes opened, he glanced to Jend-Ro Quill with a frown - and a cold, apathetic gaze.​

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“I believe it is time for Force Light, Master Quill… We should see if your theory is possible.”​

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And his gaze, icy and blue as it were, met with the perpetual flame and ash of the being before him - and Wyatt’s arms crossed. Stalwart, he would provide those Jedi gathered with more than a response to the Sith - but a way to stand before them. Fearless, empowered, incorruptible.​

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The inexorable light that would cast away the darkness.​

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Auteme │ Seela Khaan │ Jend-Ro Quill │ Tiland Kortun │ Sev Pitborn │ Shira Varanin​

 

[Jend-Ro Quill]

Quill's face tightened as he surveyed the spectre, the Emperor's projection. Given more time to prepare, there might be a way to trap or harm him in a permanent way. For now, erasing his presence was Quill's top priority - and the gleam of Force light that he'd already conjured got things started nicely.

"Oh, it's not theory."

Light burned around both his hands, bright enough to wash out everything else in the operating chamber. The radiance filled the room, glowed and gleamed off reflective surfaces, and closed in on the shade that had risen from the body of Quill's friend. The pure cosmic Force sealed everything in and scoured it clean.

"All of you weigh in here, please," Quill said absently. "Light if you can use it, donate strength if you can't. Erase him. He's nothing at this range, just the shadow of a child of privilege who didn't succeed so much as wait his turn. There are stronger Dark Lords. He's nothing special. Remember that, and wipe him out."

Wyatt Morga Auteme Seela Khaan Tiland Kortun Sev Pitborn Darth Carnifex

 

[Darth Carnifex]

The phantom cackled a rueful and dreadful sound. ​

​

"ɦօա ʍʊƈɦ ƈօռʋɨƈȶɨօռ ɖօ ʏօʊ քʊȶ ɨռȶօ ʏօʊʀ օառ աօʀɖֆ, ʝɛռɖ-ʀօ զʊɨʟʟ? ɖօ ʏօʊ ȶʀʊʟʏ ɮɛʟɨɛʋɛ ȶɦɛʍ? աɛ ֆɦǟʟʟ ֆɛɛ."​

​

Hands thrust towards the ceiling, the phantom uttered a phrase in a tongue forbidden throughout the galaxy. The darkness that comprised the structure of its being began to break apart, slivers of shadow tumbling down from the primary mass to clatter to the floor. Those shards transformed further, growing spindly limbs as they scuttered away from the table and out into both the crowd and adjacent hallways. They sought the dark places, hidden alcoves where they could gestate and grow. It wasn't just forlorn locations that they scuttled towards, they also targeted anything or anyone unfortunate enough to be caught alone; scurrying down their throats after incapacitating them to lurk within their bodies.​

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"ƈօʍɛ ʝɛɖɨ, ƈǟռ ʏօʊ ʄɨռɖ ȶɦɛʍ ǟʟʟ?"​

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Wyatt Morga | Jend-Ro Quill ​

 

[Jend-Ro Quill]

Wyatt Morga Auteme Seela Khaan Tiland Kortun Sev Pitborn Darth Carnifex

There were plenty of Jedi up in the viewing gallery. Their strength poured into Quill as he maintained the wall of Force Light that had already sealed the chamber. The mobile shreds of darkness burned to nothing as they tried to get into the halls.

Quill blinked at the Emperor's words. "I don't understand, Mister Zambrano. Why would I need to have confidence in a fact?" He wasn't being coy either; the question came out as sincere. Not that the long-range projection would have much time to answer as the united Jedi erased it from existence.

 

[Wyatt Morga]

The Sith’s most favoured technique always seemed to be Dun Moch; but Wyatt had met few and fewer who could actually do it well. A difficult skill, most seemed to default on building off Jedi Insecurity or some pseudo idea of Jedi Moral bankruptcy - as though the Sith’s genocidal nature would prove they spoke from a pedestal. Wyatt sighed as he lifted a hand and imparted what strength he could to Jend-Ro’s Wall of light.​

​

Heavy yet pure, the Wall closed the room in its glowing brightness - taking strength from the Nexus onboard Peace, and those black creations that hoped to leave the room only burned up as the room began to ‘heat up’ in the great warmth of the Light. A firestorm that seemed only gentle and warming to the Jedi would be inexorably burning hot to the Sith Spirit; and the Emperor may yet feel that from his distant position.​

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A portion of him burned away from the combined strength of the Jedi, and the backing of their new home. Wyatt could only hope it would discourage the Sith from their ever constant march, their arrogance; that this would be a sign they were about to face the greatest threat to their existence in their history.​

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A unified, charitable Order - that which was unafraid of the Darkness.​

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Jend-Ro Quill │ Auteme │ Seela Khaan │ Sev Pitborn │ Darth Carnifex​

 

[Auteme]

P E A C E
Tag: Darth Carnifex Wyatt Morga Jend-Ro Quill Seela Khaan Sev Pitborn ​

---

Okay. No. Absolutely not. She did not sign up for this. Yeah, she knew that there was going to be dark side things involved in the whole autopsy process considering the manner in which this particular Jedi master became something on which they could perform an autopsy. But she did not know that the Sith Emperor had been invited to Peace. In fact, it was worse — he hadn’t been invited. It was really rude of him to show up.

The padawan tripped and fell on her butt, a clumsy counterpoint to the grace and reaction of the masters. As usual, the presence of so much information only increased the flow of thoughts inside her head. What technique was the Sith using? She was quite worried about the now-passed Pantoran Jedi; the way his body writhed as Carnifex channeled the dark side through him was unnatural. Auteme had come across a great many texts describing the Netherworld and the Force after death, and she was almost certain that whatever had been done to Master Kriel had disrupted that process. His soul could be writhing in pain in the same way.

And yet the way the Masters present so calmly reacted against the Sith’s presence made her almost believe that a Jedi Master would be impossible to kill. In the face of a man so monstrous, those around her without hesitation, doubt, fear, or even emotion moved to cast him out. Was that what it was, to be a Jedi master? Unable to be surprised, in touch with the strength to banish the darkness… the light dazzled her, and the girl sat simply in awe of the display. Even so, the barest twinge of fear and doubt wormed its way into her mind, asking if that was what she wanted, if this was the right way to do things, the right way to be. She believed it was those little thoughts and worms that kept her sentient, and to an extent fallible.

She wondered if the masters had the same little worms.

 

[Seela Khaan]

The light was blinding as it burned away the spider-like creatures of darkness that began crawling from the Dark Lord's puppet. She winced as her flesh began to tingle and burn and she realized she was trapped in what could very well be her coffin. Force Light...It was an ability that had been lost to her ever since she came to realize her curse. Even more so, she could feel the Force Light seeping into her shatterpoints, seeking out whatever failed part of her that had allowed the Jedi to even touch that ethereal plane of the Dark Side that allowed her to force others to cheat death.

A memory began to bubble to the surface of her mind as she struggled to remain conscious. A voice she hadn't heard in a long, long time.

"So how about I help you with whatever lies beyond that door..." She felt a chill run down her spine as her body began to move on its own. She raised her hands towards her old friend Quil as if to aid him in his endeavor and she felt the Force move around her as she thrust at him a Force wave to catch him off guard and fling him into the transparisteel.

Auteme Wyatt Morga Jend-Ro Quill Sev Pitborn