The Council of the Hand

[Skyler]

[member="IC-6736"]

"Sarah," she hissed her disapproval at her assistant's lack of caution. "Don't poke things with guns." There came another adjustment of her glasses. Hands were super clammy now with her anxiety level rising.

"So, that's the deal," finger air quotes around deal,"is it?"

She was going to have his CO court marshaled or probably just sneak a new formula for hair removal into his shampoo. Maybe even put him on a few months of women hormones.

"Fine. Cleaning supplies are out the door you came in down to level thirty-two, closet C."

"Bu-ut Simmons. That's not," Sarah began.

"Close," Felicity cut her assistant off, giving her a knowing look. "But I'm sure this organic, natural farm-grown man can find it. Right, thirty-six was it?"

 

[Not Ordo]

[member="Felicity Simmons"]

The big trooper looked at the woman and then the assistant, then back again before slumping his shoulders and letting out a long sigh as he shook hos head.

"You're gonna screw with me too aren't you?" He said, "ok peaches. I'll bite. Off I go. This better be good."

He twiddled his fingers at the pair and made a crisp about face and started walking out. He passed through the sanisteam and pretended to scrub his armor and yelled.

"GOTTA GET THE FINGER PRINTS OFF SIR" he yelled at a security cam that likely went to the lab not the security, "SCIENCE WOMEN ARE WILD! ALL THE PENT UP....ENERGY."

He stepped out cranky as a rancor with a tooth ache with the firm resolution to take everything on the chin. He walked back into the turbo lift and pressed the request for level 32.

 

[Skyler]

[member="IC-6736"]

Cheeks flushed a red deeper than o-negative blood type as he left. But the wave of relief at the trooper's sudden absence was overwhelmingly satisfying. "Don't give me that look Sarah. I just sent him to the banquet supplies closet. I'm sure he'll find enough food and top-shelf alcohol to keep him occupied and...whatever else is in there."

There was a statistically high probability that there was also karaoke machine. Rumor had it one of the bosses really liked it. It might've been that Spencer woman.

"Let's test out those new titanium locks on the lab door. And yes, I'm well aware of what could happen."

 

[Ashin Varanin]

Some conversations were not for the full conclave. She offered a brief and polite apology that made it clear she had pressing business elsewhere -- such was the schedule of an Empress, and anyone who couldn't understand that was not Imperial material. With a pair of stormtroopers at her back, she descended from the conference room's antechamber by turbolift, homing in on her blood trail of Spencer and her sense of her wife's state of mind.

A wide hall found itself emptied as Ashin met the party on its way to her. [member="Ahani Najwa"], multilayered and enigmatic; [member="Spencer Jacobs"], young but well-tempered; [member="Ket Van Derveld"], old as the hills, old as she could remember. And she remembered centuries -- eons of life, action, risk, loss, stemming from Ket's era. Even across the better part of a millennium, though, her grandfather's memories held a special place or two for this particular Van-unhyphenated-Derveld.

Je'gan had known a few of them in his time.

This meant, in broadest terms, that she knew Ket, but Ket didn't know her. Not something she aimed to disclose wholesale, or incautiously; he had never struck her as the sort of man who appreciated anyone having an advantage over him in anything. As turbolift doors hissed open and she examined the Sith Master, she noted with limited curiosity that he looked much the same as he ever had. Some, like Je'gan, had passed the centuries behind successive faces, wearing disparate bodies. Whatever mechanism had brought Ket to this time, it had, more or less, preserved him.

"Master Van Derveld, welcome to the Gorgon." Her blue eyes, pale from decades of Sith poison and Bando Gora-derived transformation, flicked past his shoulder to her wife, then to Najwa. A comment died on her lips; she smiled instead, but it didn't reach her eyes.

Screw it.

"I can't recall if we've met in person, but I remember you." She tapped her temple, perhaps in a touch of melodrama. "I remember fighting you twice, and beating you once. Je'gan Corpsetaker -- Darth Shule -- was my grandfather; what he was, I am.

"I have a question for you, Master Van Derveld. I don't always ask it when I meet someone genuinely old like me, but it's a question I find myself wondering more and more. What could possibly be so special about these times that could bring so many here, from such a narrow era, by so many different means? Yourself, Inquisitor Najwa, Na'Varro, and many, many others -- the number of eight-hundred-fifty-year-olds is a statistical anomaly without a reason. I can't be the only one who finds that disquieting."

 

[Matsu Xiangu]

Matsu was – to her chagrin – fashionably late. It wasn’t something she made a habit of, but she assumed it was just her Master’s old habits rubbing off on her occasionally. Though when she saw one of the battlecruisers he frequented docked to the Gorgon she let out a sigh.

Figured he would get somewhere before her for once.

Not that it mattered, truly. Whispers of the meeting had come through a friend or two, connections she’d forged since she’d bare-knuckle grappled up the ladder. All the names mentioned were ones she knew, Masters she’d faced since her Knighthood and Lordship and would throw her chip in with in a heartbeat. And even on Malrev IV, lightyears away and unraveling magic and power deep somewhere in the woods she’d felt the tug. (Something happening girl, something big. Finish up here and then you know where you need to be.) So somehow she found herself – someone new, someone changed, yaojing the shape-shifter – dropping out of hyperspace in the same stealth cruiser she’d been graciously loaned by the Fringe, a starship impractical for the journey she'd just taken. (Power, that was POWER and it's mine, he gave it to me.) She hadn’t announced herself and despite knowing a few of the names that had been dropped in mention of the rendezvous there was always the chance of being shot out of the sky.

​

“Stealth cruiser Zhen requesting permission to dock – Matsu Xiangu in the captain’s chair.”​

Sitting back in said chair she ran the durasteel fingers of her left arm through her hair, pushing it off her face as she waited for confirmation. No need to push the men inside checking the guest list.

[member="Alen Na'Varro"] | [member="Ashin Varanin"] | [member="Jared Ovmar"] | [member="Ahani Najwa"] | [member="Ket Van Derveld"] | [member="Spencer Jacobs"]​

 

[Not Ordo]

[member="Felicity Simmons"]

Three-six the big trooper walked along the corridor aftwr having left the turbo lift. He had worked himself up reminded himself he had faced worse things than embarrassment and come back from it. He rubbed the back of his neck as he looked at room C. He took a deep steadying breath and flung the door open...

It was a party closet... liquor, ale, sweets, chocolaty substances, disco ball, the whole Sheboygan. He shook his head and decided that if this is what miss "I like beakers, burners, and bacteria" wanted this stuff to fix up her lab...well he could sure oblige. He was about to grab decorations and such when he saw in the back corner a one of a kind state of the-singingbantha-loving-art Atrisian Karaoke droid!

"Aaah yeeeah," he said outloud, "it's shabla on now."

He activated the droid and popped it's dome and was greeted with a song.

"You're gonna fly into the danger zone!" The droid said.

"Can it imma make sure you still have working memory." Three-six replied.

"I'm all outta love, I'm so lost without you." The droid said in response.

"Yeah thank me later. You're gonna help me fix an aruetiise smart pants." He said.

"Bow bow bowwww, let's get it on. Aaaaah Baby. Leeet's get it on." Was the droids timely response.

The big trooper loaded a bag with party hats party blowers booze and a packet of stims he found under the droid and a bunch of sweets and began making his way back up to the lab with the droid in tow. He whistled the whole way up as the droid made comments using song lyrics from its databanks.

The trooper and droid exited the turbo lift and the astromech-like droid slammed into the teooper's heels as he stopped and stared at a door with titanium locks.

"That little tart!" The trooper said indignantly. "Ok miss Simmons I'm game. Droid forget you saw what I am about to do."

He breathed deeply for a moment andset the bag down before reaching for the locks. With huge heavy hands first one then another bent and buckled under droid loadlifter like strength.

"You saw nothing droid." Said trooper.

"I was blinded by the light." Said the droid.

The two walked in and trooper sat down his bag.

"I'm here to fix your lab he said as he took out a party hat and planted it first on his head then another on the assistant.

"Hit it maestro." Three-six said before the droid began to blare karaoke tunes. A bottle of wine, liquor and ale came out along with some disposable cups that read Solo. The assistant hit the lights.

 

[Ket Van-Derveld]

Star Destroyer Gorgon
Main Hangar Bay
Turbolift Entrance


The pains of those long since gone

These visions in my head,​

the friendly faces...​

I dont know, maybe its me?​

It feels like they're in my mind,​

and feasting on my brain.​

Oh, don't you feel the same?​

No one knows what i know, ​

and i know that i'm gone...​

​

For the first time in a many sleepless nights, he found himself amused. If only slightly, something at the back of his mind found the concept of someone watching over him to be funny for some reason. The logical part him silently agreed with the decision, though. He was a danger; to himself, to those on board the Gorgon, to his loved ones as few there may be, to the galaxy itself. It wasn't his ego that told him this, no, no. It was his heart. He knew it, deep down. No one was safe around him...he'd lost his control decades ago. All he dealt in was wanton destruction and mindless violence without rhyme nor reason. A meaningless existence filled with far few distractions than he'd have liked in times past.

As he felt himself lose within his own thoughts once again, reality stepped in as he watched the ebon skinned Ashin Varanin make her way toward them. From what he'd heard from various traders, pirates, and passers-by in the dice bars and run-down stim shacks he'd frequented, this must be the Empress of this new Empire. Word traveled faster than light in this new galaxy of theirs. Yet, something felt off about her. He sensed something, something he could not quite put his finger on. She welcomed him to the ship proper, a nice gesture he was sure, but not one he thought all that needed. She paused a moment, began to smile. Her next words were white noise, as all he heard was -

"... Je'gan...Shule...Grandfather...what he was, I am."

And then that same same passed his own lips, as if someone just walked over his grave.

"...Je'gan..."

Could it be possible that Je'gan had survived, somehow? After all these years, it seemed like it very well could be. So many from his era were popping up like maggots in a decomposing piece of bantha meat. This was how one of his greatest rivals had survived into the age? He could not feel Je'gan's essence within Ashin, no. But he could sense something like memory within her. An echo of a brother he'd long since lost, the vibrations of one of the greatest lightsaber duelists of the times. A bit of his heart felt heavy at the loss, yet somehow, he felt something that might be equated to joy within his cold black heart at the thought that Je'gan was not truly dead. Not if she held the memories as she said she did. For what seemed like an eternity, he looked to Ashin, boring a hole through her forehead with the intense gaze he afforded her. And then, he realized;

He was grinning, ear to ear. Wolf-like fangs glinted in the bright overhead lights of the hangar bay, and he almost let out a small chuckle. Looking to Ashin, he almost felt as if he were talking to an old, old friend. "It's been a long, long time, old man. Your grandfather was someone I considered a friend in times long since passed. Perhaps some of his dueling skill survived in you, hmm? One day, we shall have to find out."

And then, just like that, his brief moment of escape was gone.

This was not Je'gan. This was Ashin Varanin, Empress of the Hand. Remembering that, he shook his head slightly, as if to shake the cobwebs out. "I cannot speak for what brought the others of my era to the here and now. For me, it was something like exile. I was left stranded on an uncharted world, with nothing but the clothes you see me in now, and a pair of lightsabers by little poppets just like them." he thumbed back toward Ahani and Spencer. "If not for the Force itself, I would have died long ago... Should have died, long ago." he said, his voice fading as he did.



[member="Ashin Varanin"] | [member="Ahani Najwa"] | [member="Spencer Jacobs"] | [member="Alen Na'Varro"] | [member="Matsu Xiangu"]

 

[Allyson Locke]

Spencer felt relief as she saw Ashin meet them in the hallway. Though this meant one of two things, either Ashin was going to scold them for going out and dragging this Spacer from the hanger or she was interested in this guest. She remained quiet when Ashin started talking, it amazed her how much knowledge was in Ashin, she remembered the souls that were forced in to her and Spencer waited to see how the man reacted. He smiled. Spencer raised an eyebrow as she watched the fangs shine from within his mouth. The glimmer against his teeth made her tense and she readied herself for whatever he did with this information that Ashin presented so nicely for him.

He spoke civilized, which didn’t surprise her. His appearance gave another impression, so she was left with guessing every time with how he was going to respond to things. Should she trust him? Should she follow Ashin’s instinct? Questions continued to fill her mind, until he said one word.

Poppet

Spencer froze and stared at the man with the fangs. That grin, she knew that grin. Holding her breath images of darkness filled her mind and fear ripped through the force. The Cheshire grin cutting through her mind showing and reflecting to the minds of those around her. Spencer’s already porcelain skin turned even whiter. As quickly as the fear leaked out to the others through the Force, her presence sucked inward quickly and she turned towards him. His grin, his voice, and that word tormented her though her childhood. She had feared him and was plagued with constant nightmares that lingered even to this day.

”Boogyman…”

[member="Ashin Varanin"] [member="Ket Van Derveld"] [member="Matsu Xiangu"] @Ahani Najaw

 

[Ahani Najwa-Zambrano]

"Empress [member="Ashin Varanin"], this is . . someone you already know. Brilliant! I'll ah, stop talking."

Ahani felt a shrill wave trip off [member="Ket Van Derveld"] and did the most ludicrous thing the Grand Inquisitor could have done, she put her hand on her sword hilt. Until the grin, until the fangs came out, until he looked genuine and relieved Ahani coiled the singular idea within her that she would be battling the Old Wolf in the holds of the Gorgon until the battle was done.

The tension released. Ahani's hand went to leave the hilt but her lips turned in a snarl. "Who're you calling Poppet, you old wolf! I've raised three kids, you know." Posturing up, the Echani sniffed the air and sighed.

"For myself, it was [member="Manu Xextos"] that woke me. Someone had forcibly removed my son from the crystal in which I had encased us. It opened my eyes and brought me out - the Galaxy wasn't finished yet. I was needed, but by what I couldn't tell. Answer's probably lost with the rest of my brain. Imagine now, we're all coming together in a singularity as if the dregs of an ancient nebula are flooding together to form a new star. What planets will be created in the fallout, I wonder? Wh-nngghh."

Her mind raced with images of cheshire grins and evil men saying 'poppet' sweetly. It was a tempestuous reminder that empathy and the mental gifts could be deadly and planet-shattering weapons of war. Ahani's hand grabbed the hilt of Anandi again, she threw her tattered, insane mind out to the aether and stood between [member="Spencer Jacobs"] and Ket Van Derveld. One hand she held to Spencer, her quicksilver eyes slits of a fragile command of her senses. Fears, tortures, angst-grins plastered in her mind?

She'd lived through fear and worse. To say it didn't bother Ahani would be a wealth of misinformation, but to say it ended her would be incorrect. The Grand Inquisitor grit her teeth and let go the hilt of her sword. "Aw, that's right Empress! Your wife gave me a specific job to look after Ket and . . . oh look! That's what's doing. Come on Master Van Derveld, let's reminisce over by the mutes in the corn--"

The Stormtroopers scattered around were gripping their heads and some were whimpering, pushing against the walls. Ahani felt like her eyes were bleeding, but they were awash with bitter tears. So was the strain of the Empath Queen. "They're not so mute, bhh- Ket, walk with me. I'll . . I'll introduce you to the Inquisition. Eh, Empress Varanin? We can reminisce over a bottle of Whyren's and a game of darts later. . . " I glance to Spencer, her wife's got to know what to do before something terrible rips across the rest of the ship.

Would the safest thing be to remove the stimulus to Spencer's mental fit? In Ahani's mind it was.

 

[Aran Finn]

"Sir, a [member="Matsu Xiangu"] is requesting permission to dock."

"Send her."

Na'Varro's reply was quick and without thought. Xiangu was a young and hungry up and comer, a perfect fit for a young and up and coming Empire. Young, ambitious, but she knew of his power. She could be controlled, at least in the estimation of the bearded Sith Lord. But that was in the rear of Na'Varro's mind ... his was more focused on the disturbance in the Docking Bay that had interrupted their little meeting. His presence was required.

Flanked by two stormtroopers, the acting High General quickly made his way into the area of immediate attention and swept into the docking bay. He was greeted by the sight of seeing four of the most powerful Masters in the galaxy having themselves a little meet-and-greet. A small frown pursed his lips as he noted the reason for the disturbance. One [member="Ket Van Derveld"], Sith Lord and someone he had come to grips with before. He could sense the intense emotions radiating off of Najwa, more so than normal. Then there was Spencer and Ashin, his two partners-in-crime in this little venture. Most of the new Empire's high command in one place, all to greet one of the greatest Masters living. Jacobs was held in the same estimation, and himself and Najwa? Formidable.

"Good.." He did not smile, but neither did he reach for his lightsaber. That, in itself, was acceptance. More quietly, however, Na'Varro wondered what Van Derveld was after. Men such as he did not come cheap. "If you're after conquest and order, Van Derveld, then you are welcome to join us."

This venture really seemed to be taking off. The universe awaited the deeds of an incredible group of men and women, and the inevitability of war.

[member="Ashin Varanin"] [member="Spencer Jacobs"] [member="Ahani Najwa"]

 

[Torill Holgor]

Torill watched as more and more people filed out of the conference room for one reason or another. Standing up with a shrug Torill made his way to the docking bay avoiding the disturbance or whatever it was happening boarding the ship he had flown in on.

Looking at the Pilot Torill frowned.

"Time to go." "This area is getting to hot and.................... just launch with the destination anywhere but here."

Once back in hyperspace Torill shook his head lost deep in his own thoughts about what had taken place and what he knew so far.

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Ket Van Derveld"] [member="Spencer Jacobs"] [member="Ahani Najwa"] [member="Alen Na'Varro"]

OOC/ Sorry to vanish for a couple days -- kid's sick again.

IC/ Alen injected himself into Van Derveld's self-absorption, Najwa's nuttiness and Spencer's horror like a cooling rod dropping into a reactor. The Grant Inquisitor was doing something useful, she noticed -- countering Spencer's uncontrolled emotional radiation.

"Let's dial this down a notch," she said evenly. "Master Van Derveld, I'll try to make time for that invitation. Inquisitor Najwa, General Na'Varro, if you'll excuse me."

She caught Spencer's eye, a private we should step out.

 

[Skyler]

[member="IC-6736"]

"Sir! Sarah! No-don'please pu-I must insist for the credibility of the tes-SARAH." Hands came-up to her ears and eyes blinked behind bifocals as the lights went out and the tunes blared. With stalwart determination, she spun in the wheeled-stool with her back to the growing catastrophe. Fingers flew across the keyboard to the data-screen.

Titanium Locks Entry #2.0
The Hand Inc.
The first test proved easily defeated by Private IC-6736. This may be an outlying result. I will need to review the security footage to confirm. I -

Some warm cheese-sauce splashed across her shoulder and dripped down the screen. Nose crinkled in disgust but she didn't turn around.

- will resume more testing. Private 36 may find a surprise waiting outside his door in the morning to confirm my suspicions.
/End Log #2.0 Dr. Felicity Simmons

 

[Allyson Locke]

Spencer's gaze shifted and she caught Ashin's look. The young woman bit her lip and not in the same sense as before. This time it was something else and Spencer knew what it was about. Taking Ashin's lead the woman followed her till they were out of hearing range of the others.

Because she didn't trust any of the others to let them have their time, Spencer used the force to cloud them from prying eyes and ears. Looking at Ashin for a moment, her yellowish hazel eyes fell towards the ground. "So I'm assuming you felt that. I couldn't control it Im sorry". Forcing a smile and shrugging slightly, Spencer wondered if that would be the end of this.

Though, Spencer knew Ashin and there were going to be questions.

[member="Ashin Varanin"]

 

[Isar]

[member="IC-6736"], [member="Felicity Simmons"]

A tiny figure waddled down the hallway, paused at a door with shorn titanium locks, sniffed the air, then seemed to reach a decision and stomped into the dimly lit room. The soft tunes of karaoke music hummed through the room.

The Ewok didn't seem to care.

He trundled up to the table, seized a solo cup, and tugged furiously on the wine bottle in IC's hand.

"Share."

 

[Not Ordo]

[member="Warok the Defiler"] [member="Felicity Simmons"]

Three six rotated his fist over his head and "whoohooed" as Sarah who evidently had a great deal of pent up need to let go put her hair up in a hasty bun and pounded shots like a Sith pounds acolytes. A straw extended from his helmet and he quickly sucked up half a pint of whiskey in a few seconds and the karaoke droid turned on something about "no" and "diggity".

Three-six looked at Simmons and danced his way over and grabbed the back of her wheeled office chair and pulled her to the cleared area and started dancing with her on the chair. A small ewok came out of no where and the trooper's first thought was the trip to Zeltros a couple years ago were giving him flashbacks but then he noticed Sarah ogling it and knew he was in the clear.

"You got it!" The trooper said as he handed the ewok the remaining half pind of whiskey and pointed toward what was once a lab table. "Help yourself." Whoo Hoo! Ain't this fun Science Lady?!"

He continued to turn her in her chair and dance about until he "accidentally" kicked the recording terminal for the cameras to the lab. Hoping no ne noticed he took a flask of clear watery liquid from his pouch and held it out for Simmons.

"It's just water." He said sipping some via his straw and holding it for her, "come on...yer scurd to have fun aren't ya?"

 

[Skyler]

[member="Warok the Defiler"] [member="IC-6736"]

She managed to hit save on the entry before she was whisked away. She sputtered and put a death grip on the sides of the chair. "Wha-...what do you think you're doing? We could be fired for this!" Eyes beneath lenses closed tightly as she was spun around, blond-hair flinging haphazardly across her face.

Eyes snapped open as she heard a sound of someone crashing into something. From the peripheral of a blurred-spin in her chair from the frantic dancing of thirty-six, she thought she saw him kick one of the terminals. "Watch the equipment," anxiety-levels hit a crescendo as her voice cracked.

She didn't even have time to compute what having a pint-sized furry creature drunk in the lab would mean to the current samples.

Fingers gripped the flask like it was a disease as the dancing finally stopped. She eyed the Private like he was mad. "Fun? Were you born before Star Destroyers were invented? Do you realize how unsanitary it would be to share this? And water?! How stupid do you thi--," she gasped as Sarah rammed into the lab chair and the clear liquid ended up going straight into her flabbergasted mouth and burning down her throat.

"Uggghyuuuck," she stood in a panic and gasped as Sarah trundled over to hit on the ewok. The empty lab-chair went wheeling across the floor toward thirty-six.

"This is you'errrruu fault!" Voice squeaked again. "What wass-hyup-at?" Did she just hiccup? Ohnononono - her bodily functions were beginning to become compromised!

 

[Not Ordo]

[member="Warok the Defiler"] [member="Felicity Simmons"]

Three-six slapped his knee and began laughing hard at the woman who had just had some elixir of infatuation, that is until he took a look at felicity and Sarah and realized he had drank in too...

He tried to resist...he really did, but in moments he was dancing with Sarah trying not to look a Felicity and wondering how long it would take him to get his armor off.

He handed the flask to Sarah who drank and passed it to the Ewok. Fired? He'd had worse.

 

[Skyler]

@IC-6736 @Warok the Defiler

She frowned as she realized his laughing should have been annoying, not a trigger for something more intimate. Heat flushed along her pale-neck and up to her cheeks. And, like the true-scientist she was, she immediately pricked her fingertip and ran a blood-sample.

It didn't take long to find out what was going on even as she admired the curves of the test-beaker.

She knew she wouldn't make it out of the lab-door. But there was another option. She pushed past the Ewok, karaoke droid, Sarah trying to kiss the ewok, and Sarah trying to peel off the helmet of thirty-six to kiss him too, hot on a path to lock herself in the supply-closet at the back of the lab.

 

[Not Ordo]

[member="Felicity Simmons"] [member="Warok the Defiler"]

Three-Six began trying to fight off the assistant as she began trying to peel off his helmet. As much as the drug was playing with his emotions his desire to keep his helmet on at all cost we by far greater. he back peddled his hand held out in front of himself swatting her hands down. He saw the Ewok from the corner of his eye and pushed the amorous woman at the small warrior and watched as her hungry lips moved toward Warok's. He was safe! He had avoided the removal of his helmet! All was still good and right with the Galaxy...until he tripped on the small droid. His arms went out to the sides as he tried to catch himself. He backed blindly into the blond scientist and fell into the open supply-closet and possibly knocking her in with him. The mindless droid teetered rolled in a circle and knocked a table against the door closing and locking it... He was now locked in the dark supply-closet, and in obvious trouble.