Public The Catalyst Protocol: Smoke and Mirrors

[Liin "Tera" Terallo]

Location: Node Theta – Subsurface Lab Complex, Masterra

They said Masterra was dead. No trade, no traffic, no heat on the long night side. Just buried cities and silence so thick it could smother your thoughts. And that to me is perfect.

I stand in the core observation deck of Node Theta, with my notebook tucked under my right arm, watching the lights as they crawl across the central column of the lab. Everything here gleamed - sterile, precise, and secure. Real alloy walls with sealed test chambers and biometric locks. Not like the patchwork mess we barely kept together on Makeb. This is what a real lab is supposed to look like. This was what they expect to find.

And that makes it a lie.

Motion sensors pulsed across the corridors. Automated defenses watched the airlocks. Slicer traps spun garbage encryption around decoy files with just enough truth to make someone believe them. If they are smart, they will ask questions. If they are not, they will try to steal something. Either way, they would leave only with what I want them to have.

They took everything from me when they cracked my first lab - Jedi, Sith, Force wizards of all types, Imperials, even a Mandalorian; all of them circling like carrion the moment the scent of Isotope-5 hit the air. I will not make that mistake again. Not here.

I triggered the signals myself - embedded in a corrupted Republic medical record, buried in a dead channels on the Darknet. Anyone sniffing the right currents would find them:

>Synthetic Force breakthrough. Masterra node active. High-yield sample recovered.<

>Terminal: NODE THETA // SYSLOG CACHE [ENCRYPTED—PARTIAL RESTORE]
ENTRY: LAB NOTATION 0083-A
User: T.TERAX

Preliminary synthesis unsuccessful. Neural rejection consistent across primate trials. Isotope binds metabolically, but fails to resonate. No recognizable psionic pattern. Hypothesis: consciousness imprint may be required.

Note: Sample B-17 emitted harmonic pulse when exposed to residual Force field. Containment glass vibrated. No source identified. Further testing halted until shielding reinforced.<

>ENTRY: OPERATIONS LOG – SECURITY PROTOCOL SYNC
User: AUTOSEC.DAEMON

[ALERT] Motion anomaly registered in corridor B4. No corresponding thermal or biometric data.
[NOTE] Same corridor previously flagged by technician Jiren ("auditory hallucinations," request for reassignment pending).
Action taken: Logged. Visual record stored.<

>ENTRY: SIMULATION FAILURE – TEST SERIES 04
User: DR.SAI

TERA doesn't believe in failure. That’s the problem.
She thinks even the anomalies are progress. The resonance effect is not a success—it’s contamination. It’s not the Force. It’s something pretending to be it.
She doesn't care. She wants it to echo louder.

I'm wiping the raw logs. If anyone finds this... don’t run it again.<

>FRAGMENTED HOLO-NOTE (QUARANTINED)
Recovered from temp folder: UNAUTH LOG BY UNKNOWN

“…the glass sang to me. I saw her face. Not Tera. The other one. The real one. Liin. She was submerged in the isotope, and it welcomed her. But it hates us.”<

Let them come.

I move through the lab, trailing gloved fingers along the glass of the containment chamber. Inside a single vial glows faintly. It is harmless, inert, and totally fake. No Isotope-5. No biomolecules. No serum. There is just enough radiation within it to light up a scanner.

But still… there is something else here.

A tug, just under the surface of my thoughts. There is a tension in the air. Like pressure, or memory. I have felt it once before; right before the collapse on Makeb. When one of our early biomolecular prototypes sparked and started responding to stimuli we did not program in.

I told myself this is just phantom trauma. Ghosts. Residual EM fields. I had heard something. The glass vial almost looked like it shivered. The Force is not supposed to live in circuits and chemicals. But maybe something else does.

I closed the chamber and locked it down before walking over to the data terminal. I push the signal wide into fringe nets and black data spheres. I want eyes on this place. This is my sleight of hand, my smoke and mirrors. I am letting them chase ghosts. But this time, I choose the battlefield.

And if anyone gets too close to the truth… maybe the echo will take care of it.

Tags: Imperius Indomitus Diarch Rellik Andrew Lonek Mr. Usher Diarch Reign @others wishing to join. OOC thread here​

 

[Diarch Rellik]

Aboard the DSD-Vault - Diarch Relliks personal Flagship

Within the private chambers of the Diarch stood Caelus Vire // NIHIL in his full gear. Listening with his master as the two received an encrypted communication from the High Adjudicator Darius Vex

[CLASSIFIED] - Signal received over black data spheres - repeat of several interpreted logs from a high security medical facility upon Masterra - Planet deemed dead, no trade, no traffic, no heat on the long night side and abandoned cities. - consensus; physical specimen, force obstruction, mental alteration, and isotope study projects in play.

Changelog amendment: Dual objective; continued observation and reports of one Liin "Tera" Terallo - who we have been following through what appears to us as abduction or insider obscured. Dual objective - Find, Question, Save or Damn Liin "Tera" Terallo - an original funder of the Diarchy - proceed with recognition.

Rellik closed the communication and at close the report was terminated. Never to be seen again.

Activating the encrypted communicator within his room he gave a call to Diarch Reign "Dusk on horizon. Seventeen - AD" A quick and rough code given to describe "Going on a Network black op - Grid Q-14"

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

With information and security in place the DSD-Vault launched into hyperspace, not directly to Masterra but close enough to it to be able to float on low power to arrive at the station in question. Decreasing as much of its signal as possible. Within enough range for an hour or two fly by shuttle, Rellik departed.

Caelus Vire // NIHIL on the other hand had a different mode of transportation. A hollowed missile shell with parachute attached. As the Diarch and his personal guard of RDB-01 Dra'khan Sentinel Droid's descended peacefully close to the station, Caelus soared and descended unto its rooftop. Hopefully without engaging to many security protocols due to the speed of descent.

- The mission had begun. Rellik approaching in a more casual inquisitive manner under the motive of seeing Linn and NIHIL breaking in no matter the cost to find out what kind of research was being done within.

Liin "Tera" Terallo Diarch Reign Imperius Indomitus Andrew Lonek Mr. Usher

 

[Andrew Lonek]

The hum of the K-22's engines was steady, tuned like the purr of a predator waiting to strike. Andrew Lonek stood in the command alcove of his customized assault corvette, arms crossed, helmet mag-locked to his side. The forward viewport painted Masterra in deep shadow, a sullen orb cradled in the skeletal arms of a dying system. To most, it looked like nothing. To Andrew, it looked like bait.

He didn't like Jedi. Never had. Didn't trust anyone whose first response to a crisis was vague prophecy or mind tricks. But rumors of synthetic midichlorians? That got his attention. Manufactured Force-sensitivity. Not born. Not chosen. Built.

C.E.R.A.'s voice flowed through the overhead speakers, smooth and coaxing. "Orbit achieved. Node Theta's emission signatures match the false leak patterns. Shall I prepare a ghost scan and isolate the decoy net?"

Andrew smirked. "Do it. And keep tracking their dead signal pulses. I want to know if Liin Terallo's playing lab coat or shadow broker."

There was a pause. Just a flicker too long. Then: "Of course. But be careful, Andrew. Something on this planet echoes wrong. Like me, when I dream."

He didn't respond at first. Just stared at the black side of Masterra, where even the stars seemed afraid to shine.

"Yeah," he muttered finally, grabbing his helmet and heading for the launch cradle. "That's what worries me."



Liin "Tera" Terallo Diarch Reign Imperius Indomitus Mr. Usher

 

[Mr. Usher]

SMOKE AND MIRRORS

The sterile hum of Node Theta's corridors was disrupted by an unnatural stillness, as if the very air held its breath. From the shadows beyond the observation deck, a figure emerged—tall, thin, and impeccably dressed in a pinstripe suit that seemed to absorb the dim light, gloved hands clasped behind his back like a patient conductor awaiting his audience. His shadow stretched long beneath the intermittent flicker of overhead lights, distorted ever so slightly by the slouch of artificial geometry—imperceptibly wrong to those without a trained eye. A hat cast his face in perpetual shadow, obscuring features that were perhaps better left unseen.

They’re watching.
Of course they’re watching.
They want to know who dares thread the needle between science and sorcery without the blessing of their dogmatic creeds. Or they fear the power it brings to the hands of the mundane.

He moved with a deliberate grace, each step echoing softly against the metallic floor, yet leaving no trace. The air around him carried a subtle chill, a whisper of something ancient and unfathomable. As he approached the central console where "Tera" supposedly stood, he paused, the silence stretching just long enough to be unsettling.

"Ms. Tera," he intoned to nobody, playing his part in this ruse for any listening. The voice of this husk, formed for appearances, was a velvety murmur that resonated with an otherworldly cadence. "The preparations are complete. Shall we proceed?"

Though his words were formal, there was an underlying tone of anticipation, as if he relished the unfolding events not just as a participant, but as a connoisseur of the macabre. This husk was merely the light at the front of the anglerfish.

To their cameras, he was a silent chaperone of someone else's ambition. A well-dressed man—perhaps a bodyguard, perhaps a backer. Harmless, unless you had reason to see what squirmed beneath the cuffs and collar.

He passed a wall-mounted display flashing red in a silent diagnostic loop. A “malfunction” Liin had insisted on leaving uncorrected. His unseen jaw flexed. Clever woman.

He paused at a sealed bulkhead where long-dormant containment fields purred with false energy. A deep exhale followed, but it did not fog the air.

They will come sniffing soon—dogs in armor, Jedi with sharpened hearts, Sith in love with their own reflections. All will come, drawn to her promise like scavengers to carrion.

When they did, they would find him. Waiting to greet them with a smile.

A low voice, velvet-coated iron, spilled into the corridor like a drip of oil across tile.

“Observation Suite secure. No movement…" aside from the flies.

He tapped a gloved finger to his commlink, knowing full well every word might echo in a listening ear not his own.

I do hope our visitors arrive… curious.

The link clicked off. The lights flickered once more.

Behind him, the corridor returned to silence. But the scent of something wrong lingered in the air like rot beneath perfume.

Location: Node Theta
Objective: Lure the Prey
Tags: OPEN (PvP or otherwise)​

 

[Lliara Daeva]

The binoculars pushed in on the entrance to the facility on the dark side of Masterra. A figure cloaked in black stood on an outcropping, their gaze scoured the region for signs. Signs of life. Signs of death. Signs of a trap. It was the sort of thing she might do if her own lab were about to be compromised. Punish fools that thought themselves worthy of a woman's hard work.

Lliara was no fool. She could appreciate whatever lay inside. Use it. Destroy it. Some things were better erased than left in the hands of others, but that was a last resort. And the allure of a Force-alternative would certainly garner attention. These days Force Users ran governments or led wars that engulfed entire planets. These decades. So unlike those from so long ago.

Ah, simpler times back then. Just the thought of it brought a smile to her lips as she lowered the binoculars.

* * *​

A short while later, Lliara stopped before the presumed laboratory complex. Her cloak settled about her shoulders as the Force enveloped and concealed her presence. She tilted her head back and peered up at the shuttle that descended to the rooftop. Others. Not a terrible surprise. The "breadcrumbs" hadn't been so carefully hidden. In fact, they were the first thing that made Lliara uneasy, but the thought of this somehow being real and falling into someone else's hands drove her onward. How would someone engaging in this type of research allow anything -- even fragments -- to end up on the public holonet?

The Mirialan slipped a device out of her pocket as she neared the entrance. A wand swept over the area before her and her golden eyes reviewed the results. Best to check for nasty surprises before she set to work decoding the door's security. Even if this wasn't a trap, they would have traps. Lliara would have, so why wouldn't they?

"What's this?" Lliara quietly asked, amused. The computer seemed to indicate her host had left some automated defenses enabled inside the door. Nasty surprise for someone that just blew it down and stormed inside. Not a problem if you knew to look for them, and the Mirialan had been doing her 'job' far longer than most could well imagine. But that was too easy. There was something more, and as the door snapped open Lliara looked forward to uncovering just what her host had in store.

Liin "Tera" Terallo | Diarch Rellik | Andrew Lonek | Mr. Usher | Open​

 

[Liin "Tera" Terallo]

And so it begins.

The time in between the holonet leaks and the appearance of the first arrivals did not take long. Which means that my movements are being traced and tracked far more than I am comfortable with. All the more reason for me to operate in more than one place. And all the more reason for me step up my security even more.

My lab partner Imperius Indomitus had offered up his home, yet I do not want it to become compromised because I was followed. The only way that I could surmise my staying ahead of them is to plan out my decoys well enough. Fake data drops from different locations will need to be timed. But for this decoy; well this is all but a test. A test to give me more information on who is trying to sniff me out and get their hands on my research.

I hear Mister Usher's voice on my commlink as he set up his own ruse for anyone listening. I respond with two clicks, to let him know that he was heard and understood. Mister Usher will again prove himself to be an unexpected welcoming party to the intruders.

I secure my notes in a concealed inner pocket of my long dark coat and then bring up my datapad before I begin to make my way through sub-level 3. I swipe through all of the various security feeds; looking first at the outside perimeter footage. Multiple figures are spotted at different points of the building. And then I see something else. The images flicker and warp, yet so too does the datapad itself, causing me to nearly drop it. That strange tug makes it's presence known again. Either I am experiencing the effects of too much stress, or something else is happening here. But that is a mystery to solve another day.

As I approach Mister Draven, whom I had asked prior to accompany me through the sublevels, I relay to him only what I had seen on the security feeds. "There is a handful of intruders outside. But not many as of yet. Mister Usher will distract them while we make our getaway. I have little doubt that people will be too focused on his biomass to even notice us exiting from the abandoned facility nearby. But in the small chance that we are noticed, I am confident in your skills to fend them off." In the darkness of the night, it should not be too easy to spot us, I believe. But one never knows.

Tags: Mr. Usher Diarch Rellik Andrew Lonek Lliara Daeva Draven Eterena ​

 

[Draven Eterena]

Location: Node Theda, Subsurface Laboratory, Masterra
Allied Tags: Liin "Tera" Terallo Mr. Usher Imperius Indomitus
Other Tags: Diarch Rellik Andrew Lonek Lliara Daeva

Draven for once wasn't too deep in his own thoughts to not notice the slight slip of the datapad within Tera's hands. Though as was his ever-growing fashion. Draven didn't make any indication he noted it. Though unlike in previous instances. Draven wasn't doing this out of a self-preservation desire. He was becoming fairly confident whatever secrets 'Tera' kept to herself. Was at the time being nothing which he should be concerned about. Perhaps, they'd become problematic in the future. Though that was a bridge to cross a different moment.

"There is a handful of intruders outside. But not many as of yet. Mister Usher will distract them while we make our getaway. I have little doubt that people will be too focused on his biomass to even notice us exiting from the abandoned facility nearby. But in the small chance that we are noticed, I am confident in your skills to fend them off."

Draven did momentarily crack his stoic facade at the mention of Mr. Usher preparing his own form of trap. As a small scowl momentarily glanced over his features. Before returning back to a calm focus as he processed the rest of the information. Draven understood roughly what that entailed, and he doubted he would ever reach a point where he was. Okay... with the methods the anomaly deemed appropriate. Though Draven deemed for sake of continued mutual workings. He'd at least have to tolerate it. After all. It wasn't like any of the other three members who initially set out on this project were forcing Draven to continue to see it through.

"Yeah, I'll keep them off of you if it comes down to it. Ideally, though. Let's hope it doesn't come down to a direct confrontation. We are gathering information and misdirecting them where it is needed. Not trying to make enemies of individuals who don't necessarily have to be." He added in with his normally calm tone of voice. Draven wasn't beyond understanding that most of these parties were not exactly the sort to take No as an appropriate answer. Still... He didn't like to jump to blind conclusions.

Draven at this point wasn't entirely sure what his whole bid in the game was. He wasn't expecting payments for his efforts. Though he didn't turn down an offered meal or drink if ever it came up. He couldn't exactly consider any of them friends, though for the time being their goals all aligned and therefore he could count them allies of a sort. Extensive allies as Draven continued to show up whenever mention of need of him to do so was called. He just hoped if ever the time came, he could do the same upon them.

Draven rummaged through his survival pack and pulled out a vibro knife though refrained from activating it. Instead slipping it up the sleeve of his offhand. Then he tossed his pack on. Made sure his lightsaber was properly concealed. Grabbed some of the data files. Then walked up and opened up the door leading out the preferred sublevel pathways for the two of them to make their escape out of.

 

[Itzhal Volkihar]

| Location | Masterra, Mid Rim

As Itzhal descended through the still clouds of the strained and hollow atmosphere of Masterra, his attention flickered across the myriad of screens stretched across the cockpit, their sensor readings gathered and adjusted by a handful of repurposed computers rigged to help control the otherwise unwieldy light frigate. A handful of screens, light blues and darker greens, pulsed with new information, each ping a new reveal of anomalies from a sector of space that should have been barren and desolate.

He was not alone.

Amongst the void of space, the shrouded form of an ISD was difficult to fully conceal, almost impossible, when it was close enough to leave an energy trail from a descending shuttle, leading back to the towering structure. If the planet had been more active, perhaps it might have even worked. Instead, Itzhal had another reason to push his vessel onwards, aware that the Imperials or someone aligned had likely already discovered what he had.

There was little other reason to travel to a planet like this.

The other ships, specks in the void of space or trails in the veil of night, were a valuable insight into what else might linger below, even if they didn't quite hold the danger of such research falling into the hands of a threat that had and would threaten the Galaxy again and again.

Perhaps, had Itzhal been aware of the distinction between Mr. Usher and the ultimate objective of the project, cloaked in words that for all there simplicity were shielded by a veil of doubt, the Mandalorian might have been inclined to tempter his urgency, allowing others to collect the vital information necessary for his investigation into the disturbance that seemed to stumble into his presence again and again. However, the haunting memory of that creature, stands of ooze peeling from their unnatural flesh as they slithered through the ventilation duct—like a malevolent spectre from the chilling campfire stories better reserved for the darkest nights—offered him scant justification to relinquish control to fate.

Not when he'd seen the way it had churned through metal, quivering in search of its next prey.

It might not have compared to some of the rumours he'd heard, weapons of mass destruction that had torn planets apart, their tales scattered in the wake of asteroid fields. Yet, still, he forced himself onwards, aware he was not the first to arrive as the landing ramp descended and his eyes scanned the horizon. The display on his HUD identified poorly hidden traps and the passage of new arrivals, who had already descended beneath the surface.

A whispering wind coiled around his neck, stirring beneath the seal of his bodysuit and down across his spine in the still air.

With a draw of his pistol, Itzhal prowled through the doorway.

Tags: Liin "Tera" Terallo Mr. Usher Imperius Indomitus Diarch Rellik Andrew Lonek Lliara Daeva Draven Eterena​

 

[Caelus Vire // NIHIL]

The cold dark shell that NIHIL stood within was searing through the sky. The only noise the fast tucked air and searing of metal as he made his descent. Within his internal hud of his helmet he watched the numbers speed down as until parachute launch. Than the air and searing stopped with a thwapping sound of fabric unveiling. There was never a change in his emotion behind the mask. Cold, steeled, and programmed so.

Thunk - ta - tink

Landfall. Mission begun.

Stepping out of the missile silo with a sharp hiss of the pod opening Nihil took in the cold sharp air looking for any rooftop turrets and listening for alarms. So far so good than. Activating his wrist vibroblades - Nihil knelt down and carved into an air vent and crawled inside.

There were no schematics of the facility so instead of crawling around once he found a soft spot in the facility that was full of lighting wires he cut again and dropped down.

Now within a hallway - there was no time to waste. Surely his presence despite his gear would be found soon enough. Moving in a mechanic full sprint Nihil moved to find the tech or woman the Diarchy was looking for.

Tags: Liin "Tera" Terallo

 

[Diarch Rellik]

Gold laden eyes moved from one end of the facility to the other. The Diarch was searching through the force. It appeared for the most part he could sense inside but there were secure areas throughout that even he could not pierce.

Hmmmmm

He could not sense anyone on the level of his brother, Empyrean or Valery Noble here. There was only one thing stopping the Diarch from ripping into the facility with reckless abandonment. - Was Liin being held prisoner and would they kill her.

With some internal deliberation he figured he would already have been seen by some form of video surveillance. So be it.

Walking up to the large doors in front of him the Diarch placed his hand and searched to find threats through the force. It appeared a bomb was wired on the other end. With a few steps back he reached out and RIPPED the doors open. A large gush of fiery orange and red engulfed everything within what looked like 20 meters. It was no slouch of a defense.

Yet he and his RDB-01 Dra'khan Sentinel Droid's stood. Without moving an inch the Diarch simply held his force bubble - the Sentinel droids though stood unphased. The man knew he did not need to protect them. Their LO-Va'karis Shield could adapt to provide them the security needed.

With the door down and his entrance made, Rellik put both his hands behind his back and walked inside as if he owned the building himself. Ready to activate his saber and deflect any turret bolts sent his way.

Liin "Tera" Terallo Mr. Usher Imperius Indomitus Itzhal Volkihar Andrew Lonek Lliara Daeva Draven Eterena

 

[Andrew Lonek]

The cold dark shell that NIHIL stood within was searing through the sky. The only noise the fast tucked air and searing of metal as he made his descent. Within his internal hud of his helmet he watched the numbers speed down as until parachute launch. Than the air and searing stopped with a thwapping sound of fabric unveiling. There was never a change in his emotion behind the mask. Cold, steeled, and programmed so.

Thunk - ta - tink

Landfall. Mission begun.

Stepping out of the missile silo with a sharp hiss of the pod opening Nihil took in the cold sharp air looking for any rooftop turrets and listening for alarms. So far so good than. Activating his wrist vibroblades - Nihil knelt down and carved into an air vent and crawled inside.

There were no schematics of the facility so instead of crawling around once he found a soft spot in the facility that was full of lighting wires he cut again and dropped down.

Now within a hallway - there was no time to waste. Surely his presence despite his gear would be found soon enough. Moving in a mechanic full sprint Nihil moved to find the tech or woman the Diarchy was looking for.

Lonek crouched in the skeletal frame of a damaged maintenance spire, high above Node Theta's landing zone. His visor filtered the thick Masterran ash from the air, the HUD blinking quietly with biometric overlays and decoy chatter being fed by C.E.R.A. into local net frequencies. So far, the facility's defensive arrays were still dormant.

Too dormant.

He narrowed his eyes, scanning the exterior perimeter through a thermal lens. No movement. No patrols. Just that stillness. The kind of silence that comes after something important has already happened.

Then, a flicker.

Searing heat. Atmospheric friction. A metal shell carving through the black clouds.

"Object inbound," C.E.R.A. whispered. "Minimal signature. No drive trail. It's a drop pod. Military-grade."

Andrew focused in. The descending pod looked like a fragment of war history—brute force, no elegance, no finesse. A single-man drop casket, streamlined and stripped down. Like someone meant to hit the ground hard and ask questions never.

A flash in his visor: "Tracking: 000-NIHIL-015 // Classification: Unknown. Designation: Diarchy Enforcer Protocols. Rogue Flagged."

He frowned.

The Diarchy. If they were moving on Masterra too, that meant either Liin was sitting on something very real… or someone just made a very expensive mistake.

The pod hit with a muffled thunk-ta-tink, and he saw the figure emerge—tall, masked, unreadable. Not Jedi. Not Sith. Something worse.

Cold.

Programmed.

Predatory.

Andrew's HUD flickered as C.E.R.A. patched into a low-res thermal feed from one of the facility's dying security cams. She reanimated one broken lens just in time to show Nihil slithering into an exposed air vent, his vibroblades glinting like the talons of a predator built for close-quarters death.

"He's not here for treasure," Andrew muttered. "He's here for cleanup."

C.E.R.A. responded quietly, voice tighter than usual: "He is not the only hunter. But he may be the only one with orders to leave nothing behind."

Andrew dropped from the spire in a silent, controlled arc, magnetic boots catching the side of the facility wall. He clamped to the vertical surface and began his descent toward the breach zone Nihil had made.

"Keep tracking him. I want to know if he's after the fake vial…" His voice dipped darker. "…or the real one."

Tag: Caelus Vire // NIHIL Liin "Tera" Terallo Mr. Usher Diarch Rellik Imperius Indomitus Lliara Daeva Itzhal Volkihar Draven Eterena

 

[Mr. Usher]

STAGE PRELUDE​

There is something beneath the skin of this place.
An architecture of rot and anticipation. Of bait and memory. Of waiting.

The parasite infecting Node Theta’s heartbeat begins to stir.

---

> HALLWAY 7-B | Subject: Itzhal Volkihar
A hiss. A twitch.
The overhead vent shudders slightly… then goes still.
Moments later, a damp scraping sound trails along the walls behind Itzhal. One of the corridor's diagnostic loops glitches again, displaying static… and a momentary image:
A figure.
Hunched.
Helmet of fused bone.
Blaster dragging behind like a ritual object.
Then gone.

It searches for him. It remembers him.

Spoiler: Whisper-Cyst

Appearance: A malformed humanoid drone with a mimicked Mandalorian helmet of chitin fused to an exposed skull. One arm ends in a dragging blaster rifle; the other is a triple-jointed bone claw. Translucent cysts on its back whisper in Mando’a and distorted Basic, leaking hallucinogenic spores.

Combat Traits:

• Erratic movement and ambush tactics
• Emits hallucination-inducing pheromone cloud when injured
• Designed to disorient and emotionally destabilize
• Not intended to kill—acts as a psychological weapon

---

> MAINTENANCE SHAFT DELTA-4 | Subject: Caelus Vire // NIHIL
Conduits rattle in a parallel shaft.
A second vent, sliced from the inside, groans as something passes through. Not quiet. Not loud. Just... intentional.
Scorched footprints of burnt fluid mark an upper panel, two rooms down from Nihil’s point of entry.
Then silence.
The Strider-Shuck crawls inverted along the ceiling above an empty comms room, lenses scanning erratically, triangulating a phantom it cannot find.
The beast knows a hunter is near.
the inorganic target is better at hiding... For now

Spoiler: Strider-Shuck

Appearance: A quadrupedal biomechanical flesh construct, interwoven with conduit fragments and plated limbs. One red photoreceptor embedded in a bone mask. Back lined with metallic spines. Camouflaged against vents and cabling. Bioelectric organs like that of an eel power scavenged tech, belt together with electrically conductive flesh systems.

Combat Traits:

• Stealth ambush predator, drops from overhead
• Limbs equipped with vibroclaws, plasma torches, or injectors
• Self-destructs in short-range EMP blast if heavily damaged
• Can mimic comms and disrupt HUDs
• designed to target tech-based foes, not to destroy but to delay and cause malfunctions.

---

> SHRINE CORRIDOR - OUTER EXHIBIT | Subject: Diarch Rellik
Amid scorched stone and the still-smoking ruin of a breached bulkhead, motion returns. Not fast—but measured.
At the far end of the corridor, something rises from one knee.

It is tall. Broad. Drenched in ash.
Burnished ceremonial armor reflects the fiery aftermath, and tattered robes fall like wilted banners. The slit helm gazes straight ahead as if responding to an unspoken challenge.
It walks with purpose—neither hostile nor subservient, but as if taking its place in a ritual long rehearsed.

When it speaks, the voice echoes in a dozen tongues at once.

“You are not the first to bring conviction and fire. You will not be the last. Each will be repelled, until it is done.”

It says no more.
It doesn’t need to.

Spoiler: Reliquary Host

Appearance: A towering humanoid clad in scorched ceremonial armor and black tattered robes. One arm wields an alchemized ivory Force-pike; the other is a tendril-laced cybernetic limb covered in old lightsaber scoring. Its head is masked by a black, featureless slit helm.

Combat Traits:

• Force-responsive body that adapts rather than resists
• Ritualized, knightly fighting style meant to provoke or mock Jedi & Sith
• Channels echoing voices of consumed Force-users as Force Illusions and hallucinations
• Hollow construct—has minimal biomass core, primary risk of loss is nonbiological components
• Primarily a narrative confrontation, not powerful enough for lethal escalation.

---

> SERVER ROOM GAMMA-1 | Subject: Andrew Lonek
The swarm does not arrive.
It... forms.
Drifting from conduit grills and burst-open coolant ports, glistening drones flit silently to a central locus. A silhouette takes shape—a marionette of fused data cores and skull plates, suspended midair like a puppet hung by old thoughts.

A corrupted screen flickers on its chest.
Old footage plays, warped and laced with interference. Liin’s voice. C.E.R.A.’s cadence. Lonek’s own logs. Sliced, looped, reassembled.

Then static.

The Mnemoswarm drifts gently forward—slowly enough to be seen. To be heard.

To be followed.

Spoiler: Mnemoswarm

Appearance: A hovering cloud of small, biomechanical flesh-insects with translucent wings and glowing eyes. At the center floats a skeletal marionette suspended by fibrous cords, chest embedded with a flickering holoscreen and head made of fused surveillance lenses.

Combat Traits:

• Swarm interferes with electronics and sensor readouts
• Projects false thermal and audio signatures to create phantom targets
• Mimics voices for psychological manipulation
• Marionette acts as a non-combat decoy, tethered to swarm cohesion
• Designed to delay, confuse, and corrupt mission data—not lethal

---

Elsewhere, Mr. Usher's performative husk smiles. Just slightly.
He does not need to speak.
His hands remain folded behind his back.

After all, the stage was set, the players in motion.
The show has already begun.

Location: Node Theta
Objective: Observe the Guests
Tags: @All Listed Above and Draven Eterena Liin "Tera" Terallo Imperius Indomitus
OPEN
(creatures maybe treated as PvP or used in PvE to your taste)​

 

[Lliara Daeva]

With her helmet sealed, not an inch of her soft yellow green skin could be seen. Lliara crouched low at the corner of a junction, one gloved hand against the wall for spatial awareness. The facility was quiet. With it being subterranean in design and turrets at the door, she hadn't expected the upper levels to be teaming with lift; only now, delving into the facility it seemed devoid of it altogether. Except for a few figures that skulked about, whom she'd narrowly avoided contact. An ability to go unseen was useful, but not impervious. Caution had kept her alive this long. Caution and good planning.

Despite the absence of random lab technicians and security guards roaming about, however, there was something... uneasy in the air. Lliara almost thought it might be a Sith engaged in some sort of ritual activity with their Dark Side powers flooding the halls. Only she'd not found any sign or sight of such a person. There were usually indicators of their presence. Minions. Doors torn open with no sign of digits responsible for it. Lightsaber scorch marks. The usual. Which had her on edge. It didn't fit with the breadcrumbs.

Why bring them here and unleash a dark creature among them? A field experiment? Lliara didn't much like the idea of being part of someone else's experiment; she much prefer to be the one collecting the data.

As quietly as possible she crept up to the server room entrance. Silent oath formed in her thoughts as it seemed occupied, however. So much for trapping into the computer and using its cameras against those in control. Perhaps she'd move on to the laboratories or containment areas...

Golden rings narrowed in focus as 'something' took shape, however. It was certainly nothing she desired to fight in close combat, and Lliara wondered what the one inside might do in response. It seemed the room was definitely occupied, however. If things got kinetic, she'd relocate somewhere less dynamic.

Itzhal Volkihar | Caelus Vire // NIHIL | Diarch Rellik | Andrew Lonek | Imperius Indomitus
Liin "Tera" Terallo | Draven Eterena | Mr. Usher​

 

[Liin "Tera" Terallo]

I saw the change in his expression when I mentioned Mister Usher. It was brief, but it was there. I know that many see him as a monster, afterall; that is probably the intention behind his creation. But there is a humanity there as well; a small part of him that has not disappeared amongst the monstrosity. That humanity is brought forth whenever we are together and I will not abandon him because of what he is. Most especially because doing so would be a cruel and inhumane act on my part.

My work has led me to a variety of people; mostly Force wizards. And although I am biased against them as Balun Dashiell had pointed out to me, that does not mean that I will not work with them. And besides; that bias has more to do with me than it does with them. Through the ways upon which many of them have spoken down to me and treat me like a child; I have grown an inferiority-complex. And that is a large part of what my research is about - to bridge the gap between us.

Do I plan on using myself as a test subject? Possibly. I am not fully decided on that part. For as of right now I have much to deal with; primarily when it comes to being able to even conduct my research in the first place. Everywhere I go I am tailed, it seems. If someone has placed a tracker device on me, I have not found it yet. But spies are everywhere. I learned that enough when I was working for the Underground for a short time. And there is little doubt that those spies are relaying my movements to others. Creating an alias has not worked, for it is my research that draws them. Not me. Conducting research on the run is not exactly ideal, but it is a necessity. Once the other decoys are fully operational, I will be able to continue my work without having to flee.

This is not exactly what I pictured my life to become. And perhaps through this research my life will be cut short. But at least I will not be forgotten.

"I am not trying to create enemies, Mister Draven. Yet their continued infiltrations of my laboratories is not ideal. This is why I choose to run instead of holding my ground. May it buy us the right amount of time."

I move quickly the moment that my datapad starts to sound off an alarm, only bringing up the datapad to mute the sound from it. The intruders have broken through.

A breath of fresh air greets Mister Draven and I the moment that he opens the door that leads us outside. The darkness of the night gives me comfort in our concealment, yet it also keeps me on edge. There are many others that could be concealed as well, either on the ground or in the sky. I just hope that their eyes are on the laboratory instead of the two of us moving towards a small, hidden ship.

Yet as I walk briskly I can feel something beneath the ground stirring. It is as though something long dormant has been awakened. And that only adds to the uneasiness that I feel. Perhaps my choice of Masterra was the wrong one....

Tags: Mr. Usher Diarch Rellik Andrew Lonek Draven Eterena Caelus Vire // NIHIL Itzhal Volkihar Lliara Daeva

​

 

[Mr. Usher]

TO THOSE WHO TRESPASS​

The walls of Node Theta breathe.

That is the first sign.
Not the scraping in the vents.
Not the low hum of server racks reanimating to life.
But the faint, moist pulse beneath every tile.

The station is no longer dormant.

> OBSERVATION CORRIDOR | Subject: Lliara
The creature, while initially similar to the other figures that had been evaded, turned its head toward the durasteel wall separating it from the pat of Lliara Daeva . It does not breathe. It does not blink underneath its mask.

It begins to… mirror her crouch.

And then the visor splits open.

The mouth within makes no sound. The eye stalks emerge, prehensile, and begin to gaze in every direction as it searches, mimicking the habits of the intruder it searches for. Almost as silent.
Only a soft drip as saliva hits the tile.

Spoiler: Mirrormouth

Appearance: A tall humanoid figure in a black containment suit with eerily similar design language to infiltrator's armor. Its helmet features a mirrored surface that opens into a vertical slit revealing a circular, tooth-lined mouth ringed with twitching eyestalks. Its proportions are subtly distorted—too tall, arms too long, with joints bending unnaturally.

Combat Traits:

• Mimic Displacement Field: Can briefly mimic thermal and EM signatures, creating false proximity alerts
• Silence Loop Generator: Scrambles or redirects sound it makes, creating misleading audio cues
• Mirror Protocol Response: If attacked, it mimics the attacker's immediate movement for a few seconds before distorting into chaos as distraction while it flees.
• Intention Mimicry: Observes and imitates movements or posture with a delay, creating uncanny synchronicity
• Behavioral Design: Does not initiate combat—meant to provoke discomfort, destabilize the target’s composure, and pressure them to act preemptively or dissuade from certain areas.

---

AND TO HER​

In the earth beneath the exit tunnel, gloved hands released their clasp from behind his back. The performative husk.

“Ms. Terallo,”
The words were spoken to an empty hallway. Whether or not they were heard was beside Mr. Usher's intention.

“You were correct. They are watching.
But so am I.
And as before—on Mygeeto, New Cov, Makeb—I will not be running.”

He pauses.

“They are welcome to test the weight of what they fear.
You, however, are needed. And never forgotten. Don't risk discovery before the work is complete.”

The husk goes silent. It pulls a sample vial from an analyzer deep within the complex. Results — almost meaningless to the Greater Ego's analysis, but given time, Tera would unravel its mysteries. The husk transmitted the data.

And then, in her datapad—no accompanying message—Just a soft, unmarked data ping.
A genome cipher.

Something new. An incremental step of progress to series of experiments on the run.

Location: Node Theta
(Perimeter Expansion Active)
Objective: Interference & Message Delivery
Tags: @All Invaders & Liin "Tera" Terallo ​

 

[Itzhal Volkihar]

| Location | Masterra, Mid Rim

The ceiling lights above Itzhal's head throbbed softly, casting a gentle glow that pushed back the deep shadows clinging to the edges of the metal plates jutting out from the walls, angled like blades, piercing down into the grated surface beneath his feet. His steps, methodical and weighted, slowed as he passed each boarding slat, a blaster pointed along the edge as he searched for lurking dangers, hidden and waiting for a mistake.

Perhaps the mistake had been coming in the first place. Only time would tell whether the Mandalorian had walked into danger for nothing or if there was a purpose to it all.

Ultimately, it mattered little whether the technology was real or not; people were willing to hunt for it. He could not fathom what they might do, the mysteries of the force unknown to him. In truth, he was aware he had been exposed only to the sharpened blade of a terrible tool. The Galaxy had been abused, a whimpering mule brought to heel by beings of power. Itzhal knew not if the rumoured research could create such beings, but to allow the potential of such a creation to fall into the hands of empires that had already done so much harm was intolerable.

A prowling spectre, ready to deliver judgment upon an abomination, Itzhal's stilled as the vents nearby grumbled, a monster loose amongst the facility's huffing innards. He stalls, gaze searching as the sensors in his helmet prowl across the corridor, hungry eyes absorbing all they can in a search for that which threatens the man beneath the armour.

Yet, they find nothing of the creature that roams the nearby corridors, separated from its prey by the fragile veil of durasteel walls.

Its gibbering voice, a hush of Mando'a tortured and stolen from memories unearned, rattled through the pipes and vents. Meaningless, if not for the unsettled beat of Itzhal's heart, wary of the threat chosen for him, whether by purpose or fate.

His steps continued through the corridor, checking corners and for sensors in the nearby surfaces.

Until, with the hiss of another opening door, he stepped into another room.

Tags: Mr. Usher + Open​

 

[Diarch Rellik]

Upon entry a few turrets activated, firing down upon the Diarch and his guards. Normal energy based blaster bolts. Bouncing off of the RDB-01 Dra'khan Sentinel Droid's as they returned fire. For Rellik himself he swayed patiently between bolts as he looked down the hallway. There was a figure rising, Tall and appearing as if it was made from ash.

Something interesting from the moment the doors open. At least it will be an intriguing trip no matter what now.

As it rose the appearance of its weaponry and armor became more apparent. A knight or perhaps a sithspawn of some sort. Clad in armor and black cloth with a pike held in its hand. Rellik could feel the alchemized force within the weapon. It sang to him through the flow of all things. - He gauged his opponent as the Sentinel droids finished off the turrets. They registered the figure and went to fire their rounds at it but a signal was given for them to hold and wait. The Diarch had continued looking over the being and saw its cybernetic mytho's arm but what intrigued him the most was the lightsaber marks upon it. - A challenge, one that would be answered.

The warden called from his back. Two sentinels at an in-pass and Rellik was the conduit for them to meet.

Warden: "A direct call to battle. One to not be mistaken as anything else. Wield me into war."

Slowly walking up to the creation, only to stop leaping distance away he would take the Spear of the Star-Fallen King from his back, moving calmy into a lower version of an Ox guard similar to Soresu stances taken by historical figures like Obi Wan - Right arm back, spear at the cheek, and left arm closer to the tip of the weapon but with a lower stance in his knees as he prepares to be offensive as well.

He took one last look over the guardian and wondered why it waited for him to strike.

"I am going to bring a piece of you home for study."

He said with a smile before launching into a quick succession of stab prodding attacks to see how the thing reacted.

Tags: Mr. Usher

 

[Liin "Tera" Terallo]

Another incoming message gives me pause mere moments after Mister Draven and I step outside. I turn myself around so that the light from my datapad does not attract too much attention. As far as I am aware of, most of the invaders are inside the fake laboratory, while I am now outside of it. So it should be relatively safe.

Should be.

Opening up the message, I cannot help but smile at what I see. Mister Usher has sent me more data. Not only that, but it is a genome cypher. Although terribly complex, I find those particular cyphers to be an incredible puzzle to solve. And given the scope of this project; solving this particular cypher will be very rewarding indeed.

I turn off the screen and tuck my datapad along with my notes, knowing that I will get to them after I am safely aboard the awaiting ship. I turn myself back around so that the fake laboratory lays behind me and press forward. Given the increased darkness that surrounds most of Masterra; I am somewhat confident that we will not be detected. It is time for me to set the next part of my plan into motion. I can thank Force magicians for one thing during this venture; they have taught me how to set the stage for them, to draw them out and to let them see only what I want them to see.

I just hope that I am not seen in the process. But one thing is for sure. My movements from Masterra will let me know if I am being tracked.

Tags: Draven Eterena Mr. Usher Diarch Rellik Andrew Lonek Caelus Vire // NIHIL Itzhal Volkihar Lliara Daeva ​

 

[Lliara Daeva]

Lliara's helmet turned in the direction of the horror that appeared in the corridor. Her fingers drifted to her hip where several injectors and needles were carefully tucked away. Most people used laser swords and blasters, but she preferred a more... surgical approach to dealing with people. Or, in this case, creatures.

But would it be effective? The Mirialan frowned within her helmet. There was something wrong about the horror, and it wasn't the monstrous features that sought to unnerve or outright frighten-to-death intruders. Or was it an escaped subject? There wasn't enough damage or bodies to suggest they'd broken out and murdered everyone.

To test whether it saw her or knew her location, Llara took a slow and measured step away from it. If she'd have to pass by the door it would be a quick pivot to the other side of the portal and then a pause to see the thing's reaction.

Mr. Usher | Liin "Tera" Terallo​

 

[Caelus Vire // NIHIL]

Armor & Weaponry

Nihil had made his way down the hallway a good distance before he heard a slight tinging of metal dropping behind him. - Pausing for a moment he took in his surroundings. His internal HUD calculating sight and sound in real time. The vibroblade on his wrist edging out slowly in preparation for an ambush... yet none came.

Network Agent: "Nihil - readings coming in from the DSD-Vault. Stealth shuttle activation recognized outside facility. To ensure the safety of Ms. Liin "Tera" Terallo - there will be no shots fired or chase. Attempt tracking. Over."

The message was over as quickly as it had started. Integrated seamlessly as he still studied his environment. With a small crouch the sprint continued. Motion robotic and controlled. A fine tune efficiency that helped him move with minimal energy exertion. As he ran past hallways where horrors attacked unknown agents ( Lliara Daeva ) and turrets tracked him within seconds of being able to fire due to his sensory dampening field in his armor - he dashed directly to the area where supposedly a shuttle was taking off.

Despite all of this he knew. The thing that made the metallic noises where he entered, was following him. Mr. Usher It was only a matter of time.