Public The Catalyst Protocol: Engineering Ascension

[Liin "Tera" Terallo]

THE CATALYST PROTOCOL

Location: Makeb – Subsurface Laboratory, Abandoned Mining Sector
Time: One Week After the Stronghold Extraction

They call me Tera on Makeb. Not Liin. Not Director Terallo. Just Tera. It is easier that way. And it is much cleaner.

I do not need reminders of what I used to be. I just need the work. It is my only focus right now which keeps me from losing myself to despair.

Makeb is one of those worlds far away from everything, most especially the Core. It's highly electromagnetic field within it's upper atmosphere makes it difficult for most ships to navigate through. And then there are the gravitational anomolies. With those I have found myself able to leap and bound as though I were underwater. Or as though I am a Force Wizard. For many nights I had worked on theories on how to replicate these effects and more.

The lab that I have moved most of my work into sits half-forgotten in an old sub-mining station, carved into the shale rock and reinforced with scrap metals. The power flickers when the storms roll in, however, reminding me of my own lack of power. Yet I have patched together enough tech to keep the cryo-lock stable. Barely. It is not ideal, but it is quiet. And quiet is all that I wanted when I came to Makeb.

However that changed the moment I brought the isotope in.

I still do not know how we all got out of the Stronghold alive. But we did. One vial was all that I had acquired for myself. A fragment of what lays deep below the surface. Pure, humming potential sealed inside of a reinforced canister. I had to see what the isotope could do; not as a fuel source, not as a mineral, but as a key.

They said the Force was a gift. A mystery. A bloodline. Magic. I have heard it all. I have lived under its shadow. I have watched worlds fall under the weight of people born with it, wielding it like some divine right that only they had. But I have also watched what science can do. What will can do.

So here I am breaking every law I ever helped to write. But it needs to be done.

The Catalyst Protocol has begun.

I have started the early-stage synthesis. Protein sequencing, neural ignition pathways, biomolecule infusions and micro-gravitic adaptation to stabilize the isotope in organic tissue. The first test subject is a remote clone-grown stem model. I am not ready for live trials. Not yet. But the model twitched. Twitched. Not a muscle spasm like one would expect, but a response.

Either I am on the edge of a breakthrough… or I am on the edge of madness.

The Catalyst Protocol is my answer to the Force. Not imitation but reconstruction. A biochemical framework that coaxes the same results from non-Force-sensitive tissue: reflex acceleration, spatial awareness,
biofield disruption, among other things. It was only a theory until three days ago.

The worst part of this is that I did not even get to analyze the full data set. I was reviewing the logs two nights ago when I found something strange; a phantom command of sorts, embedded deep in my holonet cache. Someone accessed my notes. Not just viewed them. They pulled them. Fractured pieces of my research were uploaded through an unsecured relay node I had never activated.

I should have torn everything down right then. But I did not. Instead I had shifted my notes from electronic to paper, making copies and hiding them where no one would care to look. One vial of the isotope had then become three partial ones; each contained within reinforced canisters. Two were hidden away, while one stayed within my lab for immediate testing.

I told myself it was some old residual code that stole partials of my notes; a ghost in an old system causing me to be paranoid. Yet it was not.

Now the lift tunnel is moving.

The vibration is faint, barely noticeable beneath the usual hum of generators. But it is there. The light on the outer wall just turned on indicating what I had feared. Platform inbound. Unauthorized.

I look at the crude static-ridden security feeds and find nothing helpful. It could be one figure or it could be more. I shut down the lab's primary lights. Let the soft glow from the isotope cylinder fill the room while I hide myself behind one of the shelving units. I am not armed. I am not trained, save for one lesson on how to use a dagger. But I have locked the lab entrance every time I come and go as a precaution and still they have gotten through.

They are coming for something. Whomever they are. Maybe me. Maybe the protocol. I do not know which would be worse. But I will soon find out once those lift doors open.

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[OOC:]

Open to interaction. You may be arriving at Tera’s lab with knowledge of her work (as a rival, ally, or threat), seeking the isotope, investigating the leaked research, or simply drawn by the rumors surrounding “Force synthesis” experiments on Makeb.

Feel free to PM me, or message here if you want to plot something first, or just jump in organically. Slow-burn, suspenseful storytelling encouraged!
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[Balun Dashiell]

THE CATALYST PROTOCOL
INVENTORY: Spacer Apparel, K-16 Bryar Pistol & Lightsaber.
TAGS: Liin "Tera" Terallo

Balun still didn't understand the dream that had come to him nights ago—an elusive vision that visited him while he slept within the sanctuary of the Order of Shiraya on Naboo. It had offered no clear message, only impressions and shadows, but the Force had been far more insistent. A pull—deep and primal had gripped him since, whispering of danger, of urgency, of something unseen that demanded his attention. He hadn't been able to shake it. That sensation had led him here, of all places: Makeb. Isolated. Desolate. A forgotten world on the rim of relevance.

He'd taken the S-91x Pegasus for the journey, favouring its blistering speed and agility. With no concrete coordinates, he'd relied on introspective astrogation, letting the Force guide his flight path like a compass driven by instinct. It led him to a barren stretch of land where the remains of a long-abandoned industrial facility stood weathered and hollow, clinging to its last shreds of purpose. Yet something lingered within. Something alive.

Exiting the Pegasus, Balun moved cautiously into the compound, igniting his amber-bladed lightsaber. Its warm glow cast long, wavering shadows down corroded hallways and across rust-stained walls. The hum of the blade was the only sound aside from his own footsteps on the grated floors. Every sense was alert. Something—or—someone was down here, though it remained frustratingly elusive. His weapon and reinforced attire were not just a precaution, they were a necessity. He knew from experience that when the Force delivered such powerful urgings, it usually meant danger. Mortal danger. The kind that decided the fate of others. The kind you didn't walk away from unless you were willing to risk everything.

He stepped into a lift and activated it. With a grating whir, it began its slow descent into the lower levels of the facility. The air grew colder, heavier with the scent of damp metal and age. This place, once a hive of productivity, had been used again recently. Scattered signs of activity marked the area, though there was no sign of ongoing operations. It hadn't been cleaned or restored. Whatever had drawn occupants here had done so for necessity, not permanence.

The lift shuddered to a stop at the bottom level, and Balun's saber lit the room in a steady wash of orange light. Shadows danced across the walls as he raised the blade higher, his expression revealed in flickers—focused, cautious, expectant. The lighting was poor, his vision impaired by the very weapon that illuminated his path. The brightness rebounded off nearby surfaces, forcing him to squint as he tried to peer into the dim chamber beyond.

Whatever waited for him in the dark… was watching. He could feel it.

"Speech".
'Thought'.

 

[Pel Grennin]

It was rare to hear of a contemporary working on something so parallel as Pel's own work. There were few who dared to imagine the possibilities of the applications of the Force beyond waving Lightsabers, telekinesis, and the occasional bout of clairvoyance. So many were dwelling on some status quo that was held to some holy standard. Pel had no interest in standing still - the purpose of Life was not to be a farm for the Force. It was a part of them, it was the source of life and its result.

Pel had discovered this operation not through some common channels, but because they were rivals for many of the same kinds of test subjects, equipment, and research. Through these connections, Pel had come to the conclusion that someone out there was doing the same kind of research as him, and while the Inquisitor was loyal to the Imperial Confederation, he had a loose view on the boundaries of science. After all, if sharing a little yielded great results, it was a simple trade. Until now, he didn't even think that someone was asking these kinds of questions, and yet here he was, trying to bid someone for the same kinds of equipment.

Tracking it to a facility on Makeb had been an exercise granted to an associate in the new ISB, someone that Pel had worked with and trained in the past. Pel hadn't expected much in the way of results, and yet he was delighted to have them. Bringing a squad of Stormtroopers had proved to an apt precaution, as it was clear, as their ship landed, that someone had already broken into the facility, and were trying to make their way inside, destroying and looting as they went along. Pel would not be able to call for reinforcements; bringing some Stormtroopers on some adventure was one thing, but to call for more was a commitment of resources from the Imperial Commonwealth that he would not force.

"I don't recognize the ship, configuration, sir," the Stormtrooper Sergeant said as they did a quick inspection of Pegasus.

"Either a Bounty Hunter or a Jedi," Pel guessed.

"Should we have brought Purge Troopers?" he asked.

"For this? No, there's no way we could have known. If this is some kind of Sith enclave, then perhaps we'll be more cautious in the future, but for now, assume Jedi. Let me engage, if necessary," Pel instructed. The Sergeant ordered his men into formation around Pel as they delved deeper into the facility, and found that the lift had been activated. The pilot was a step ahead of them, and they couldn't afford to take the long way, much less for the lift to return to retrieve the whole team.

"Sweep the lab, don't break anything, and stick together. Stay on comms if anyone new arrives," Pel instructed.

"Yes, sir."

Pel walked up to the lift shaft and simply jumped down, slowing himself with the Force and landing softly on top of the lift. Even this could not stop him from making a loud, metallic thud, nor could he soften the sounds of him opening the top hatch to enter the lift.

"I'm coming out," Pel declared through the unopened door, "I have a Lightsaber, so if you're going to shoot me, you should know that it probably won't work very well."

Pel activated his Lightsaber - his personal one, rather than his Inquisitorial Double-Saber - and willed the door open with the Force. Before him was a Jedi, standing in front of an opening door. Pel stepped forward, keeping his eyes on the Jedi foremost.

"Second guess was correct, it seems. I am Inquisitor Dessico. And I am not here to hunt Jedi today," Pel assured Balun Dashiell as he lowered - though did not extinguish - his Lightsaber.

 

[Imperius Indomitus]

W A R M A S T E R
INDOMITUS LEGION
Through war, we bring order.
Through strength, we bring unity.

Code of the Shroud - The Catalyst Protocol
The Force is a chain, thus I seek Freedom

Liin "Tera" Terallo
Pel Grennin | Balun Dashiell

FIRES OF PROGRESS​

Makeb | Abandoned Industrial Complex | Sample Laboratory

The cause of the Wardens was not even known in the Empire they had served, it was a secret that was actually worth its name. Both Tacitus and L'lerim had made sure of that. Imperius had always considered it a sound goal, even though the ways to achieve it were differing as well as the dedication. Once the Empire of Kalidan broke, so did the overarching goals of the Wardens of the Shroud, they moved into the shadows or remained with their Empress. Imperius did not.

His research on Project Genesis and Project Gothic was related to achieving the penultimate goal. Experimenting with and against the Force through science was a necessity, not a hobby, a requirement to bring the Galaxy the much needed order and stability that both Jedi and Sith comprehensively and totally failed to be able to do at any given rate or time. That's why when he saw the plan of Liin "Tera" Terallo during their expedition, he was immediately in support of it. He did not think about the application of the Isotope this way and would use it as an energy source, rather than a catalyst.

Imperius immediately transfered a small amount of resources to the project, just credits and equipment for minimal cloning facilities to create test samples. And he offered her two weeks of his own time to pursue the initial phase with her together. His expertise in cloning, genetical engineering and indeed, Force proficiency, were the bigger asset to be granted, offering a rapid initial progression.

He felt the disturbance probably at the same time Liin "Tera" Terallo heard the elevator. His lidless black eyes looked up from his work and without delay he picked up his sword and moved through the laboratories. He opened a vox-link to his partner.

< Stay down, keep out of sight. >

 

[Liin "Tera" Terallo]

I find myself holding my breath as the lift door opens. Most especially when I see the glow of a lightsaber being held by the intruder. I have rarely seen one in person, for I am not one accustomed to being on a battlefield. I am not like them. My battles usually were more of the verbal sort instead of the physical.

The shadows on the intruder's face make it difficult for me to tell who it could be. Friend? Foe? I am unsure. He does look familiar in some respects but no one that I know from my old life, besides Mr. Usher , knows that I am here on Makeb. I have not reached out to any of them. Nor have they reached out to me.

Shortly after that thought I hear another noise, followed by a voice. More were coming? However this newcomer seems just as surprised to see another as I am. He introduces himself as an Inquisitor. I have heard of them, but without being a Force Wizard, I am of no interest to them. So why is he here? Was he a part of whatever it was that stole a fraction of my notes?

<Stay down, keep out of sight.>

I hear my short term lab partner's voice over the vox-link and I cannot help but wonder if the others heard it as well. After responding with two clicks to signal my acknowledgement, I finally release my breath. My lab partner appeared to be a living statue when I first encountered him in the Stronghold not so long ago. At first I had deemed him to be a possible threat. But instead he had become an ally of sorts. At least as far as science was concerned. I am grateful for his funding and his expertise in cloning. And now it seems that he will be providing protection as well.

It surely will not take long for him to arrive, for the small cloning facility is near the room that I am standing in now. And with the lights off, my position behind the shelf keeps me hidden.

In the meantime I keep my attention solely on the two at the lift's door. There are a rising number of questions that I have now that are in need of some answering.

Tags: Balun Dashiell Pel Grennin Imperius Indomitus

 

[Balun Dashiell]

THE CATALYST PROTOCOL
INVENTORY: Spacer Apparel, K-16 Bryar Pistol & Lightsaber.
TAGS: Liin "Tera" Terallo | Pel Grennin | Imperius Indomitus

"Second guess was correct, it seems. I am Inquisitor Dessico. And I am not here to hunt Jedi today,"

'Chit, I really walked into this one'.

Balun spun sharply on his heels, reacting instinctively as the presence behind him entered the lab—a shadow that carried weight and authority. His amber blade dipped downward, angled defensively toward the floor, held firm in both hands. Not raised in threat, but ready—ready for whatever intent followed the figure cloaked in the dark signature of the Empire.

The Inquisitor.

"Former Jedi," Balun stated plainly, his voice level but edged with caution. "Inquisitor. Sorry to disappoint you, but I left the Order when I was fifteen—for reasons that were my own."

There was no venom in the words, only fact. A quiet attempt to sever himself from the label that might justify his execution. He watched the Inquisitor's posture closely, measuring every breath, every twitch of the gauntlet-covered fingers. Dessico had claimed he wasn't here to hunt Jedi, but Balun had learned long ago that trust was a luxury one could not afford when dealing with Imperials.

"I presume we're here for the same reason," he continued, his stance easing just slightly as he took a measured step to the side, clearing the path between them. "Though I'll admit—I don't know what that reason is yet. The Force called me here, but whatever it wants me to see, I haven't seen it."

He motioned with a subtle tilt of his head toward the space beyond him, offering the Inquisitor a clear view of the chamber ahead. There was no need to obstruct, no point in feigning control over a situation that neither of them seemed to fully understand. As a gesture of restraint—and perhaps goodwill—Balun disengaged his lightsaber. The soft hiss of the blade receding into the hilt echoed faintly in the silent room.

Still, he did not return it to his belt.

"Balun Dashiell".

His fingers lingered on the hilt, a quiet warning. Whatever this Dessico intended, the Force was murky around him, and until Balun could see through that haze, he would not relinquish his readiness. Not until there was certainty. Not until there was trust.

"Please don't make a mockery of my generosity, Inquisitor".

"Speech".
'Thought'.​

 

[Alina Tremiru]

Force Synthesis.

It was a fascinating concept. She idly rapped the gauntlet she wore on a steel beam she walked past. An idle tick, just to keep her hands busy. She could hear the conversation ahead. An Inquisitor? .. A former Jedi, too? Fascinating. Did they know of the Ascendant? Of the technology such as the Thought Dowser that had been branded heretical by the ancient Sith? It was technology she was most fascinated in, given her limitations with the Force.

For now she watched, currently golden eyes filled with idle amusement. What was going to happen, how it was going to happen, she wanted to see it for herself.

Liin "Tera" Terallo | Pel Grennin | Imperius Indomitus | Balun Dashiell

 

[Mr. Usher]

MAKEB, SUBSURFACE LABORATORY
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Intruders, careless with their force-presences, approached. In their defence, under normal, same circumstances would no one suspect a being like Mr. Usher slithering throughout the vents, conduits ducts, and plumbing of the repurposed laboratory. Especially one masking its presence in the force.

Ever since assisting Liin "Tera" Terallo on her expedition and meeting Imperius Indomitus , Mr. Usher remained closeby. He had eventually overcome suspicion of the pureblood but, with the progress Tera had made, the greater Ego was untrusting of new visitors.

Three of them approached, one separate, two in uneasy truce. Two dark presences, one light.

From the vents he came, crawling mycelium of flesh that dropped to the ground, growing in biomass until loosely humanoid shapes formed and stood, and walked away from the umbilical tendrils that formed them.

The husks of Mr Usher—connected like muscles to the same mind—stalked in unison, locking doors behind the intruders, to observe them like lab rats in a terrarium. The creeping biomass retreated, leaving the husked humanoid shaped figures to observe and, if necessary, intervene.

Location: In the vents, elevator shafts, cracks between old foundation.
Objective: Protect the project
Tags: Alina Tremiru Balun Dashiell Pel Grennin Imperius Indomitus Liin "Tera" Terallo ​

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[Itzhal Volkihar]

| Location | Makeb, Mid Rim

Whispers of forbidden knowledge and bizarre experiments had swiftly rippled across the Galaxy. However, the tales varied in detail—from clandestine laboratories hidden in the shadows of desolate systems, abandoned millenia ago, to unsettling transformations of unwitting subjects, each telling of the story more fanciful than the last—most dismissed them as nothing more than ghost stories, mere echoes of fear and superstition amidst a universe filled with wonders and mysteries. The reality, Itzhal figured, was probably something a little more in between.

In a galaxy that had long abandoned the thin veneer of normality it once celebrated centuries ago, another mad scientist experimenting with forces beyond their understanding was unfortunately a typical occurrence. When Itzhal first heard the rumours, he was tempted to dismiss them as a problem for another time or place, assuming that whoever was behind it all would avoid the usual fatal errors associated with runaway experiments. If they were lucky, it would solve itself. Then he'd heard it again, another tale not so different from the last, delivered by another contact in his slowly growing web of useful individuals.

The truth was, Makeb was not so willing to be ignored.

So he followed the trail; a rumour started in one bar and led to the first patron who'd heard of it, another who had heard it from a friend, and the next who had found it on the holonet. From there, it had been more busy work, a search for similar notes of which there was little to discover and even less of interest. Still, he continued to hunt for answers, driven by the possibility that the more concerning tales might hold a grain of truth, which pushed him to keep going even as rumours twisted and warped, as they were wont to do. Until, finally, he'd found himself on the planet of Makeb, his ship parked in an ordinary hangar bay, not far from where some of the rumours had first originated onworld.

A couple of hours had passed since he first set out. The journey had taken longer than intended, as the Mandalorian paced his route through forests and canyons closer to where locals spoke of an abandoned mining site, not so abandoned after all. At least, not if the multiple ships outside suggested anything of the sort.

Sharp, jagged rocks clung stubbornly to the fabric of Itzhal's bodyglove, their rough surface uncomfortable, yet unfortunately helpful for all they provided eager footholds on his traversal up the mountainside as he inched closer to the precipice of a nearby outlook. With each deliberate step, he was careful not to disturb the sediment and rubble scattered across the surface.

In the distance, storm clouds brewed, dark and ominous with crackles of lightning that had once sealed the planet away from outsiders.

As he reached the summit, he sank to one knee, unaffected by the cool breeze that tried to sink beneath his bodysuit to strike at the fragile skin beneath. His deep breaths, followed a moment later, were swallowed by the seals of his Buy'ce and the equipment within, even as he raised a finger to lower the rangefinder, which settled into place to scan the horizon below, in search of individuals that still lingered outside of the entrance, and also access routes within, as he noticed the open entranceway.

Tags: Liin "Tera" Terallo Balun Dashiell Pel Grennin Imperius Indomitus Alina Tremiru Mr. Usher​

 

[Odessa Djazit]

Catalyst Protocol

"I find the fastest way to travel is by candlelight."
- Tristan Thorn -


Location: Makeb
Gear: Staff / Necklace / Ring I / Ring II / Bracelet I / Bracelet II
Mount / Pets: Echo
Theme: Smoke and Mirrors - Puscifer


Odessa emerged from the transport shuttle, eyes gauging the area, her mind the situation. There had been a rumor that an unnatural creation was in the process of being fabricated, a synthetic Force born from isotopes within the confines of a scientific lab. However, the rumor that reached the ears of the Witches of Dathomir was similar to that of a jigsaw puzzle, with several pieces missing; making completion nigh impossible. None-the-less, the Nardithi Nightsisters were interested in separating fact from fiction.

The undead witch's main objective was to unravel this mystery first, then upon observing the collection of characteristics surrounding this myth, she would act accordingly. For now, she came as a friend, how she would leave was still undetermined. She strolled casually toward the abandoned mining sector, where, once again, was rumored the setting of this lab. She was no stranger to labs, having been 'resurrected' in one deep underground, which she was sure that lab held no similarities to the one she was on the verge of entertaining now.

This lab, surprisingly to Odessa, was practically unguarded. Open door policy, perhaps? She was one not to take chances or live by assumptions. She died before and was not eager to do so again. Playing ring around the daisies conceptionally held no appeal to her, so Odessa entered suspecting anything and anyone was potentially a threat to her. From deeper within, she could hear a mixture of voices, male and female alike. And the presence of the Force was also present, the embracing Dark Side and the belittling Light Side; and all in between. What a collection this philosophy of a synthetic Force had conjured.

Before her rested a set of lift doors, and from behind them, the words and other various sounds moved uncontested as if she was expected by whomever hid behind the metal guardians. Slowly, the lift doors began to whine and creak as they slid open for her, beckoning her to step inside; and without a word spoken the Dathomirian Witch breached the opening, her eyes glazed and glowing green as they took in the sight sprawled before her.


Tags:
Liin "Tera" Terallo / Balun Dashiell / Imperius Indomitus / Alina Tremiru / Pel Grennin / Mr. Usher

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[Raina Lordensek]

The skies above Makeb churned in restless colors, green lightning flashing through dense electromagnetic clouds like veins of judgment through the heavens. Raina Lordensek crouched at the edge of a rust-stained landing pad, the low whine of her compact transport's thrusters fading behind her as the craft retreated into orbit. A storm howled far above—chaotic, beautiful, untamed.


She closed her eyes for just a moment, drawing in a slow breath. Her boots shifted lightly against the cracked ferrocrete, the chill of Makeb's erratic winds brushing against her exposed hands. Her blue eyes opened, focused and unwavering.


"K-9z," she said softly, and the sleek silver canine trotted to her side from beneath the transport's ramp. Its glowing blue eyes blinked once, scanning the terrain ahead.


"Scanner's clear. No obvious sentries," it chirped in a calm, modulated tone. "But I'm reading unstable power signatures from beneath the plateau. Something is alive down there... and it's not just machinery."


Raina nodded, her gloved hand brushing lightly against the old scar at the center of her chest—a wound she could never explain, not even to herself. Some memories weren't just painful. Some were buried on purpose.


She'd followed the visions here. Another one had come three nights ago—violent and raw. A flash of light beneath stone, voices echoing within steel corridors, and something unnatural humming just out of sight. She saw a woman standing in shadow—isolated, afraid, trying to control something she should never have touched.


The Force called this place a fracture. And she was here to find out why.


"I know you don't like it when I say this," Raina muttered as she glanced to K-9z. "But this isn't just science down there. It's corruption waiting for a cause. Or maybe salvation waiting for a name."


"Confirmed," K-9z replied flatly. "I do not like it when you say that."


With a small smile, Raina pressed a finger to the ground and closed her eyes again. She reached out—not just through the Force, but through something deeper, stranger. The glimmering signature of the isotope below throbbed like a wound in the earth. And behind it… a consciousness. Isolated. Watching.


"I feel her," Raina whispered. "She's not the threat. But she's near the center of it."


As the wind kicked up dust around her, she stood, adjusting the satchel on her back and checking her saber hilt beneath the folds of her traveling robe. With slow confidence, she strode toward the broken lift station at the cliffside's edge.


"Lift tunnel has power," K-9z said. "Platform inbound. But… not called by us."


"I know." Raina's eyes narrowed as she stepped onto the platform. "Which means someone else wants whatever's down there. And I'm going to make sure they never reach it."

 

[Pel Grennin]

"Balun Dashiell. Please don't make a mockery of my generosity, Inquisitor."

Pel smiled at the former Jedi, "I wouldn't dream of squandering such a thing, Mister Dashiell."

Pel deactivated his saber, and slung it openly on a hook on his belt. He gestured towards the opening door, "Let us see what is behind door number one."

Pel reached out with the Force, and slid the door open, revealing the inhabitants. Pel let out a delighted cheer.

"Ho! I can't say I predicted that one!"

He threw back his head in a jovial laugh at the sight of Imperius Indomitus before them, "I came looking for a contemporary, and here you are! I would have known. Imperius, this is Balun Dashiell. Balun, this is the Imperius Indomitus. You have nothing to fear from me but you may have a great deal to fear from him, depending on the situation."

The Stormtrooper Sergeant commed in, "Sir, someone is sealing the doors up here. We can't get to you now unless we slice through the door."

"Keep the entrance secure, Sergeant. Just a code green. Now, where we were? Warmaster, it is good to see you again. I didn't get the chance to congratulate you on the new body, it looks nice!"

Upstairs, the Stormtroopers understood the meaning of a Code Green. The Inquisitor had found trouble, but was ordering them not to take any action. Following his instructions to secure the upper entrance, they started moving furniture to cut off access or provide cover for if and when someone tried breaking in. One Stormtrooper was happened to look at one of the air vents, and saw some kind of black mold.

"Sarge, there's some kind of goo in the vents," they reported.

"Filters on. Who knows what it is, and we probably don't want to breathe it. Don't lock the front door, but keep it shut. If anyone wanders in, we'll detain. and interrogate. We don't know who is supposed to be here. Blasters on stun," the Sergeant ordered.

The Stormtroopers shut the entrance door, not knowing it was being observed by Itzhal Volkihar from above. While they waited, the squad continue to ransack the upper lab, looking for security access, or at least a clue as to what it was they'd stumbled upon, not knowing of the other entrances, and the new intruders closing in on the Inquisitor and his new acquaintances.

Raina Lordensek Odessa Djazit Mr. Usher

 

[Imperius Indomitus]

W A R M A S T E R
INDOMITUS LEGION
Through war, we bring order.
Through strength, we bring unity.

Code of the Shroud - The Catalyst Protocol
The Force is a chain, thus I seek Freedom

Liin "Tera" Terallo
Pel Grennin | Balun Dashiell | Mr. Usher | Itzhal Volkihar | Odessa Djazit | Raina Lordensek

FIRES OF PROGRESS​

Makeb | Abandoned Industrial Complex | Main Laboratory

Imperius pushed the door to the main laboratory open at the same time that the two intruders made their way in. Their presence was equally announced by the hum of a lightsaber and their apparent Force sensitivity. His large figure stepped into the main room with heavy steps, his armor seemingly filling the lab entirely, the physical presence overwhelming. In his right hand was the sheathed sword, Valoris.

While his attention was on those arrivals, he scanned the room for Liin "Tera" Terallo , where was she? Heat residue, there. No sign of the Starweird, so it was lurking about somewhere, its presence never fully gone and never really there. Then his focus was taken by one of the intruders. He knew him, Inquisitor and something else. Behind the vizor of his mask, his eyes narrowed ever so slightly at the stream of words shot at him. Jovial. Casual. Annoying.

"Inquisitor." Was the only word he offered in return.

Why did he bring a Jedi or a derivative of it with him? Imperius was entirely certain that any misguided and dogmatic zealots like them would try to shut down any research Tera had envisioned, because of some mystic obligation to a malevolent entity responsible for perpetual chaos. It was exhausting and entirely useless to try to converse with them at best of times. And while he could appreciate the scientific mind of Pel Grennin , it was yet to be decided why the Inquisitor was here and did bring that amber-bladed mongrel with him.

The Warmaster was ready to remove both from this installation. He moved further into the laboratory, positioning himself between the intruders and Tera, in case she needed to get out swiftly. The sabatons echoed like the steps of a combat-walker, they were calm and yet not slow.

"I offer you the chance to leave after you have explained your presence and intrusion."

 

[Balun Dashiell]

THREAD TITLE: THE CATALYST PROTOCOL
INVENTORY: Spacer Apparel, K-16 Bryar Pistol & Lightsaber
TAGS: Liin "Tera" Terallo | Pel Grennin | Imperius Indomitus
Raina Lordensek | Odessa Djazit | Mr. Usher | Alina Tremiru

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"I offer you the chance to leave after you have explained your presence and intrusion."

'Kark it all, another one.'

The curse ran through Balun's mind in a sharp, silent thought as his head snapped toward the new arrival. The Inquisitor— Pel Grennin —had acknowledged the figure stepping into view: Imperius Indomitus . The name alone carried the weight of command, and Balun felt it in the way the air shifted, taut with tension.

Instinctively, Balun took a measured step back, his boots whispering across the cold metal floor, positioning himself with his back near the wall. Always keep your flank covered, especially when cornered between two Imperials. His heart thudded once, hard, before steadying into the controlled rhythm he'd trained into himself long ago.

He could sense others nearby—a ripple at the edge of his awareness, flickers of presence just beyond reach—but he forced the sensation aside. Right now, the focus was on survival. The slightest flicker of distraction could become the opening they'd need to strike. And with two Imperials staring him down, the odds were already stacked high.

What puzzled him, though, was the unmistakable sour note in the air: the warlord, Indomitus, was not pleased—not with him, as expected, but not with the Inquisitor. That was curious. Dissension among Imperials was rare, sharpening Balun's caution to a razor's edge.

"I'm here of my own accord. I'm not with the Inquisitor," Balun stated calmly, voice steady despite the tense current thrumming through the room. His eyes flicked between them, gauging every twitch, every shadow of expression. There was no point in stoking hostility—if anything, clearing the Inquisitor of blame might spare him an early grave.

"He wasn't aware of me until just now. Same as you."

Balun's gaze slid briefly past Indomitus, sweeping over the dim, cavernous laboratory. The room remained shrouded in darkness, only the faint outlines of equipment breaking the gloom. It could have been Imperial? No doubt—sterile, precise. Brimming with quiet menace.

"As for why I'm here…" Balun exhaled slowly, casting his senses outward, brushing the unseen currents of the Force that had led him here. "The Force drew me to this place. What I felt—it was a disturbance, something dangerous. But I didn't expect…" his amber eyes flicked back to Indomitus, "…an Imperial presence. Had I known, you can be sure I wouldn't have come alone."

Balun was no stranger to tense standoffs. A former Aquilian Ranger, he bore the scars of war—both seen and unseen—from his years fighting with the Tingel Arm Coalition against the relentless advance of the Empire of the Lost. He had faced Imperials before, but those days were marked by a fractured galaxy, where countless Imperial splinter factions clawed for dominance, each one hungrier and more desperate than the last.

Now, standing here, Balun couldn't be certain which banner these two figures served beneath, nor how deep their connections ran within the tangled web of Imperial power. For all he knew, they could be rivals as much as allies, their loyalties shifting like sand in a storm.

What he did know, however, was that the air between them crackled with the kind of tension that needed no translation. One wrong move—one flicker of suspicion, one misinterpreted word—and this uneasy balance could collapse into violence in the space of a heartbeat.

Balun had survived too many battlefields to ignore the warning signs. This was a powder keg—and the fuse was already smouldering.

"Speech".
'Thought'.​

 

[Mr. Usher]

MAKEB
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Surprisingly, the shapeshifting hive-mind of Biomass that composed Mr. Usher recognized the Once-Jedi. He had seen him and his memory, as a bodyguard to Liin "Tera" Terallo in her past life. But such information could compromise Ms. Terallo's new identity if he were to expose such it.

Another husk formed within the room, just enough biomass to form a humanoid visage and the organs necessary for speech, basic locomotion, and manipulation. Of course, as a self-indulgent vanity, he sacrifice a bit of biomass to replicate the typical appearance of a pin-striped suit and hat.

He emerged from a horrid, wet sound of biomass coagulating into shape, but was among them in seconds.

"Peace, Imperius. I recognize this one." The creature that looked like a skinless man in a suit swept his gaze to Balun Dashiell , "Though he likely doesn't recognize me. He won't harm our mutual contact."

A tendril from the vent which birthed him handed the figure a pack of cigarettes, which he promptly took on to the lips, and lit with a bit of firey energy.

"I'll vouch for him — and if the Force guided him to interrupt her experiments, I'll take responsibility for his damages and dispose of him. "

The voice-husl of Mr. Usher addressed Balun directly now, "I remember you," from the inside of a terrarium. That form of him was small, a specimen for examination. It had noticed when the director went missing. And it recognized when this Once-Jedi brought her back safely.

"From a certain Laboratory on a certain jungle heavy planet." He spoke with a particular tone, and tried to telepathically communicate like some of the creatures he had consumed.

~She goes by Tera now, do not speak her true name. Pick your words carefully, she sees enemies around every corner lately~

Location: Among the Others
Objective: Protect the Protocol. Protect Liin.
Tags: Liin "Tera" Terallo Imperius Indomitus Balun Dashiell Pel Grennin | OPEN to the newcomers​

 

[Odessa Djazit]

Catalyst Protocol

"I find the fastest way to travel is by candlelight."
- Tristan Thorn -


Location: Makeb
Gear: Staff / Necklace / Ring I / Ring II / Bracelet I / Bracelet II
Mount / Pets: Echo
Theme: Smoke and Mirrors - Puscifer


Her eyes blinked twice, as her brain tried to assess the scene. There, mixed between the darkness and the encroaching illumination of the silenced lab where several lined tubes; contained inside each tube was an absence of col0r like fluid and a floating object inside. Briefly, Odessa wondered what madness this was, until she turned her wondering thinking into something more realistic. Are those clones, she mentally spoke to herself. The resident Sith Lord in her Coven had discussed that the ancient Sith were well versed in science and creating abominations. Was this what her eyes were witnessing?

Methodically, she began moving down the ground floor, where several grated floors were positioned above, with more of those tubes lining the side. Occasionally she would halt her movements, peering into the glass tubes; unable to make out the floating objects. The fluid lacked color, but it was fully supported by murkiness that clouded the liquid. Then she recalled she heard voices, but outside of her, the area was void of anything living, or dead in her case. Strange, she thought. Ghosts?

Curiously, she rapped the knuckles of her right hand on a glass containment; taking interest that the object inside reacted to the noise. She looked at the next glass prison, and thought she saw movement. After a few fleeting seconds, she lost interest in both the tubes and continued down the corridor, not interested in the cylinder constructs above. They were all cookie cutters by design. Clearly, she had entered the facility by the wrong entrance, which suited her fine; she had zero patience to deal with anyone, minus the culprit behind why she was here.

Upon reaching the end of the corridor, another set of doors greeted her, and with a smirk she pushed them open; stepping into a scene she now found rather interesting...




Tags:
Liin "Tera" Terallo / Balun Dashiell / Imperius Indomitus / Alina Tremiru / Pel Grennin / Mr. Usher

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[Liin "Tera" Terallo]

The Catalyst Protocol

Those questions that I have soon began to get answers. At least partially. And that all brought about even more questions. Young Mister Dashiel is here? How in the Galaxy did he come across my laboratory on Makeb? And who is this Inquisitor? What interest would he have here?

The more that they all speak, the more that my questions gain some answers. However there are so many more questions to be had. And the mere fact that these people had all come at nearly the same time confirmed my earlier suspicions about my stolen data. It certainly was stolen. And through that they had discerned my location far too easily than I had liked. There is very little doubt in my mind that I will need to find another suitable location soon.

The tension is high. I see Mister Usher intervening; his biomass transforming into a form that I know all too well. His words are well chosen; helping to secure my identity in the face of the strangers. I can only hope that Mister Dashiel will catch Mister Usher's meaning.

I step away from the shelf, choosing now to come out of hiding as it appears to be safe to do so. The bulk of my lab partner's body still remains between myself and the others. My hand then reaches for the switch that brings up the lights. They flicker to life as the electricity takes it's time in remembering where to go. At first my focus is on Mister Dashiel, however out of the corner of my eye something else catches my attention. The static-ridden security screens show multuple figures at various access points and rooms within the old mining facility. One is even with some of the test specimens, which I find to be somewhat alarming.

"Mister Dashiel, this is quite the surprise. And a coincidence. This saves me from reaching out to you. Mister Usher, there are quite a number of individuals in and around the facility, including within the specimen room. Their intentions need to be known, if you please, so that I can determine the next course of action." I turn my attention then to the Imperial standing next to Mister Dashiel. "Inquisitor, what brings you here to Makeb? As far as I am aware, it is not under Imperial jurisdiction." They keep to their own borders, do they not? However I have not paid attention to Galactic affairs for a little while now. So there is little telling how much has changed.

Tags: Balun Dashiell Imperius Indomitus Mr. Usher Pel Grennin Alina Tremiru Raina Lordensek Itzhal Volkihar Odessa Djazit

 

[Pel Grennin]

Pel gave a bow to the party he had found himself wandering into.

"With all due respect, the Inquisition chases threats to the Empire wherever they are found. Our jurisdiction is all matters related to the security of the Galaxy. But I did not come here in pursuit of an enemy - at least that was not the impression I got. You were purchasing rare equipment from vendors paranoid about their security. Rare equipment I use, myself, from vendors I am acquainted with. I managed to do a little intelligence work and tracked your operations to here on Makeb, and found you in your current predicament. I had hoped we might discuss our respective projects, and see if we could assist one another. Or I might have found a rival whose work could not be tolerated, which was why I brought a squad of Stormtroopers with me. They're upstairs, please refrain from slaughtering them, it was just a precaution. If you're working with Imperius Indomitus then we are certainly not at odds. Let us sort out the mess you find yourself in, and we'll talk shop when we have the chance to relax, yeah?"

He smiled, keeping his hands behind his back to show that he was relaxed and in a cheery mood.

"We all seem to be friends here. More or less."

 

[Draven Eterena]

Location: Makeb, Personal Field Camp Near 'Tera's Lab
Allied Tags: Mr. Usher Liin "Tera" Terallo Imperius Indomitus
Other Tags: Pel Grennin Odessa Djazit Raina Lordensek Balun Dashiell Itzhal Volkihar Alina Tremiru

Draven's time upon Makeb was shaping up to be an interesting one. Following his aid in the acquisition of a rare isotope from Strong Hold One. Draven personally elected to forgo the credits that'd been offered. Instead deciding that it'd perhaps be in his best interests to establish hopefully reliable connections. For this point in time it seemed like he would be grounded in this location and time. Therefore, he was not going to toss aside opportunity when it knocked.

Draven's personal opinions regarding the development of synthetic force were.. complicated. He could see the applications being both helpful to bettering the galaxy as much as it was harmful. What Draven did believe was that the members of the group had the best interest of most in mind. Even the Sith... Which was a weird concept for Draven to grasp. The Force itself also lead him to this group... for whatever reason it had been. Therefore, Draven had to trust that there was good potential here, and it was now an obligation for him to see it through, and make sure something like it fallen into the wrong hands didn't happen.

Draven quietly disassembled his lightsaber and reassembled it a few times while lost in his thoughts. He sat upon the mat he'd set up in the small camp he established near the camp, on a small hillside amidst the rocky terrain the mining camp was established within... with enough of a view point to keep tabs on the happenings near the area, while also making sure there was enough distance he could be discreet about his posting.

Near him sat a comlink which he'd connected to the few members of the expedition which appeared to be staying with Tera to see her project through. Draven offered to provide support should too many interested parties try to disrupt or acquire the experiments through hostile efforts. In addition Draven would occasionally drop by to view how progress was going, and learn a few things while he was at it.

Draven watched several ships entering the atmosphere and sighed softly. As expected with good progress on the experiments. Meant there was going to be interested parties whom detected the disturbances. Either through the force, or through advanced radar systems. Both probably in some cases. Draven re-assembled his lightsaber a final time. Before he slipped it in a hidden location amidst his blue robes. Standing up and stretching. While he observed the various figures determining the best approach to entering into the complex. Some of whom which already were inside.

Draven picked up the comlink and listened intently. In case he was called over to assist. Whether for diplomatic reasons, or to help address a threat. Between the various force signatures, and the vast activity. Draven suspected he'd be called to the lab within the near future. Until then he set onto foot to explore the party whom he assumed had yet to enter into the complex. After sensing them reach out with the force to explore the area.

 

[Odessa Djazit]

Catalyst Protocol

"I find the fastest way to travel is by candlelight."
- Tristan Thorn -


Location: Makeb
Gear: Staff / Necklace / Ring I / Ring II / Bracelet I / Bracelet II
Mount / Pets: Echo
Theme: Smoke and Mirrors - Puscifer


"What do we have here?"
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Arranged in patterns befitting a sadistic mind were hooked, dangling, broken forms; what was left of legs swung majestically as if they were dancing to a song known only to their dead ears. The eyes, those that remain intact, stared blindly into a world they left long ago, and from spaced empty sockets that same colorless fluid leaked down sad ridden cheeks. Test subjects, she thought. Failed ones.

And the feeling of the Force was present, a mere whisper, a whimper at best caustically floating through the area, a smell rotting of failure. Failed experiments. Volunteers cut from a single DNA sample. Dead. Lost. Now found. And at the end, another door; where a flashing neon sign blinked in and out, taunting Odessa. Upon discovery, the door grudgingly guarded a stairwell, with a broken message in those same neon-like lights non-decipherable. She pushed the door aside, walking up the stairwell, her mind and senses on first watch.

Those stairs, after twisting and cursing, brought her to the uppermost top of the facility, where she could see everyone below in deep debates and discussions. "Sith create abominations. Science creates them equally. Jedi, even those that have failed themselves and their Order, seek to unravel the mystery of how so whilst calculating ways to destroy what they don't understand. And you lot squabble over what?"

Odessa looked down on those pesky insects, those annoying little roaches with a mixture of disdain and confusion. "Will one of you please explain why this facility still stands. Collectively, you have the power, but not the courage to ask the question....why a synthetic Force?"






Tags:
Liin "Tera" Terallo / Balun Dashiell / Imperius Indomitus / Alina Tremiru / Pel Grennin / Mr. Usher

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