The Lioness and the Lamb

[Republic Engineering]

Location: New Coral City - Firemane Industries and Technologies Headquarters​

System: Mon Calamari​

Local Time: 09:45​

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It all began with a dream. Astarii had spent many a night aboard her newly assigned Star Defender caught in the toxic embrace of her own mind. She was swallowed whole by the rancorous demons of her past, namely the corpse of a man that had sundered the flawlessness of her flesh. Like every night before, the Captain would suddenly wake - screaming and clutching at the scars marring her face. She had to end the nightmare. She had to be free. However, nothing that the Hapan had done was able to break the nightly trance. That was until she had heard a voice in the distance. One that was never in her dreams before. It seemed far too familiar, but at the same time, entirely alien. The voice had told her to face her demons, to no longer be the lamb - but the Lioness that planted her feet in the soil and roared with all her rage.

Whoever it was, and as crazy as it might seem, Astarii felt that they were right. She was victimized by her subconscious for weeks, and something had to be done. True, she wasn't sure where to begin, but as the nightmare once again wormed it's way into her thoughts, the Captain awoke with an idea that held the possibility of denying her demons of their darkest desires. Thus, the concept of the self-styled Lionheart was born. What better to defend herself against the aggression of her past than the seemingly impenetrable bulwark of armour? Clad from head to toe, she would be able to drive back the darkness of those insidious dreams, and finally, be able to rest her aching eyes.

When the ship-board chronometric count displayed that it was morning, the Captain set to work designing what at first had started out as a personal project to stave off the madness that threatened to consume her waking thoughts. During her journey towards the oceanic world of Mon Calamari, her vision had slowly become a reality. The entire combat frame was designed around solely operating in the theater of space where she felt most at home, from assaulting the enemy aboard their own warships to defending the various craft of the Alliance Navy. How better to carry out such a daunting task, than in an armored shell empowered by the wonders of modern technology? Most suits of armor that she had seen suited a multipurpose role and lacked the specialization required for the darkness of the infinite black, and by their own creation, were ill-suited for the task at hand.

The standard armor offered to both the Imperial Stormtroopers of the One Sith (At the time of her defection) and those of the Galactic Alliance itself - wouldn't be able to survive a sustained engagement in space for longer than a period of a few hours. Even then, the soldiers themselves would be too weak to finish the fight. So, she believed that something had to be available to them to reduce the toll combat would inflict upon their bodies. Offering them the support they needed to counteract the sudden onset of fatigue and deny the void its prize of another sentient being. As the last leg of her quest had come to pass, Astarii believed that she had everything she needed to complete her task and end her nightly torment. The presentation was ready, and every schematic that she had made was prepared, now all she needed to do was find someone to take up her safeguard - and give her back the dreams of a peaceful night's rest.

That was where she believed that the Scion of Firemane could assist her in this endeavor. During her downtime at the Alliance Headquarters on the surface of Sullust, Astarii had learned of the pact forged between the company and the democratic military triumvirate and hoped that she could utilize such a bond to serve the betterment of both parties. It gladdened her to know that the ones she sought, had made it their life's work to rid the galaxy of the Sith menace; and as their goals were aligned there was no reason that she could see as to why they could not be the harbingers of her deliverance. Now, days after her trek had begun and with her massive warship anchored in the skies above Mon Calamari; the Captain stood inside the proverbial heart of the galaxy-spanning enterprise. Even though she was sequestered within the lobby of the sprawling complex, Astarii had found herself enthralled with the vast, open ocean that lay before her eyes. At that moment, as her retinal implants had whirred to life and drank in the beauteous sight, the Hapan knew that she had made the right choice. It was at the glasteel threshold between worlds that the woman stood, clad in her finest Alliance issued uniform with a crystalline data slate clutched above her breast. She waited, doing everything in her power to keep her composure.

While Astarii was no stranger to diplomacy, pitching your sanity's salvation to an intergalactic corporation was something else entirely. One wrong move and it was unlikely that she would ever see the Project come to fruition. Everything was riding on how the armor was presented, and her first impressions. Naturally, before her arrival, the Hapan had seen fit to contacting the office of the Scion to schedule herself into the woman's timetable. Showing up unannounced was only acceptable during combat, and wouldn't do her any favors in seeing this idea through to the end. Therefore, with the date set and the time fast approaching, the Captain had made certain that she was early and was more than happy to wait.

| [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] |

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Astarii Saren"]


The Lady was a busy woman, but her staff was efficient and had found an opening in the Countess' timetable for the Hapan officer. Thusly, Astarri would not have to wait long in the srpawling lobby and enjoy the view of the ocean before a very attractive, elegantly dressed space elf approached her. She had short black hair, blue eyes and was wearing a pair of glasses.


"Captain Saren, welcome to Firemane. I'm Maerys Medea, Personal Assistant of Lady Kerrigan. Please follow me, the Lady will receive you now," she spoke in the timelessly clipped, formal voice that seemed ubiquitous for any bureaucracy, though there was more warmth to her tone than that of the average mandarin.


If she noticed that their guest might be a bit nervous or troubled, she didn't show it. Rather she gave her a smile and then led her out of the sprawling lobby. The corporate building was massive, perhaps excessively so, but eventually they would reach the Lady's office after a long turbolift ride that took them to the top.


Because it was best to alert the Lady before you entered in case she was otherwise distracted, Maerys gave the door a polite knock. "Your Ladyship, your 12 o'clock appointment is here." Without a word, the Echani Graphite durasteel door was suddenly opened as if by an invisible hand. Maerys stepped aside and gestured for the Hapan to enter.


As one would expect, the office for the one of the two CEOs of a Tier VI company was suitably baroque to show her power and influence yet practical enough to not be cluttered despite Siobhan's penchant for the grandiose. A large, transparisteel window lay at the end of the room opposite to the door, offering a lovely view of the cerulean sky and the serene, beautiful ocean.


The CEO had an elevated, throne-like chair that seemed built more for a queen than a corporate magnate. Before the chair was an impressive desk made from some rare Kashyyyk wood. Datapads and flimsy sheets rested on it, reports and other notifications for the Lady. It also contained holopics of Tegaea, Siobhan's wife, and their three daughters Abaigeal, Galina and Natoline. A portrait of a fierce, black-haired elf called Adril Tythorin hung on the wall. Obviously there was also a chair for Siobhan's guest to sit on. Siobhan was not sitting on her throne when the Hapan was led into her room.


Rather she stood at the window, watching the ocean with her hands clasped behind her back. However, when the door opened she turned around. Her heels made little noise on the Qadiri carpet when she stepped forward to greet her guest. Upon seeing the Lady, Maerys curtseyed. Despite the fact that both its owners had come from the gutter, Firemane's institutional culture had some rather feudal practices.


"Thank you, Maerys. Please tell Harmony to get us some drinks," Siobhan spoke, turning her gaze towards Astarii. Her eyes travelled over the woman, sizing her up, noting her military bearing. Siobhan herself was dressed in an elegant grey skirtsuit that contrasted nicely with her red hair and gave her a distinguished look, whilst a pair of silk stockings hugged her toned legs, though she walked with a bit of a limp.


However, she still carried herself with an aura of power and command. Her firemane was done up, exposing an attractive but scarred face. "Captain Saren, I take it. Pleasure to meet you. Please take a seat. I hope your flight was pleasant. I understand you're here for GA business, is that correct?" She extended her hand towards her guest.

 

[Republic Engineering]

When the Eldorai attendant had gestured for her to enter through the once-sealed portal of Eshan Stone, Astarii had offered the woman a respectful bow and thanked her for doing her duty. It was the least she could do to thank this woman for bringing her before the Scion of Firemane, and she had secretly hoped that her gesture appropriately conveyed the sincerity of her heart. Peeling the silvered latticework of her emerald-hued eyes off the floor, the Captain moved into the cavernous chamber proper and was taken aback by the sheer majesty the room had offered. From the vacant high-backed basalt throne before a desk of hand carved wood, which Astarii's eyes had identified as a rare cut of ancient Kashyyykian-Wood, to the breath-taking view of the sapphire seas, the Hapan Officer was bereft of her words. She had never seen anything this resplendent outside of the Transitory Mists and felt the skittish edge melt from her tensed nerves. The marred Woman was a soldier through and through, but when it came to meetings such as these - it was almost impossible for the Captain to keep her calm in such unfamiliar waters. However, having been reminded of the home she had lost many years ago, the Lady Saren slowly felt herself descend back towards the earthly present. While it was all well and good to be lost with your head in the clouds, it was considered to be inappropriate when meeting someone of significantly higher status. At least her youthful training as an heiress had finally found a use, despite the lifetime spent in the attempt to bury her past.

With the stately vision slowly fading from the forefront of her mind, Astarii's gaze flicked towards the palatial window and the Crimson-crowned woman that stood imposingly before it. At the moment that their eyes had connected, the Hapan had felt the silver implants embedded within her previous seared retina's whirr and expand, filling her sight with a scrolling semi-transparent wall of text. From the data, that was taken from the HoloNet, the Naval Officer had gleaned that this was the Lady Kerrigan - whose name inspired a myriad of affectations to follow and commanded one's attention with a subtle grace. No deception was immediately apparent, and after her eyes had settled back into their normal state nearly a heartbeat later, Astarii had offered a polite bow. Such courtesies were not given out lightly by the Lady Saren and were she seen by those under her command; they'd never believe she had it in her to bow so readily. As she rose from the mannerly gesture and the Eldorai assistant had been dismissed, the Hapan stood all the straighter as she was addressed.

Having finally found her words, Astarii proffered a warm smile as the Lady Kerrigan spoke. From this distance, the Hapan had taken note of the scarring that had blemished the Scion's alluring visage, giving her the innate aura of authority and power - an aspect of her character that the Captain had to admit she was slightly envious of; Perhaps in time, she thought dismissively. With the curtain of silence slowly beginning to descend as the fiery-maned lioness had ended the pleasantries and speared to the heart of the matter at hand, Astarii had taken the opportunity to give voice to her errant thoughts.

"I wanted to start by saying, Thank you for being able to meet with me today," Taking the Lady Kerrigan's hand in her own and squeezing it ever so gently, the Captain had accepted her offer of a seat after their hands had parted company. "And that you are correct in saying that I am here on Alliance business. While it would've been easier to have left the details with one of your many employees, I felt something like this required a more personal touch." Astarii had stopped herself before the conversation diverged from the point. The Lady Kerrigan had little time to afford, and the Hapan Officer would make the most of what she had.

"I've come to you today to seek your Company's help in creating, and subsequently supplying the Alliance Navy with suits of combat powered armour to outfit our shipboard garrisons of Marines with the protection they need to fight in protracted engagements."

| [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] |

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Astarii Saren"]


Siobhan's eyes swept over the Hapan officer, as if assessing her. The Countess' grip was firm and confident when her guest took her hand, though not unduly so. "I agree completely. I like to give business a personal touch. Besides, it distracts me from going insane over bureaucracy," she joked. Siobhan was probably not going to win any awards for wittiness, but perhaps it would help set her guest at ease.


Turning around, she returned to her throne-like chair and sat down, crossing one stockinged leg over the other. "Your proposal has me interested, Captain. Please elaborate on the concept and proposed design of the power armour. Since it's for marines, I assume the intended use will be boarding operations, protection of Alliance vessels and so on."


At this moment there was a gentle knock on the door, and then a dark skinned secretary wearing a nice suit entered after a polite curtsey, carrying a tray with drinks. There was quite an eclectic selection. "There you go, my Lady," she spoke to Siobhan, giving Astarii a smile. The Hapan would be able to pick whatever drink she wanted.


"Thank you, Harmony," For her part, Siobhan chose a steaming cup of Atrisian tea before leaning forward to plant a kiss on the secretary's lips. Then she looked back at Astarii as if nothing had happened.


"I mean no offence, but for the sake of formality, I assume this project has been authorised by the Alliance military command and you can negotiate in its name, right?" She presumed that it had and thus there was no suspicion in her tone. After all, Astarii was military, militaries were bureaucracies. This meant chain of command, paperwork and so on, but it was proper to ask since the Alliance would be paying for it.


"Likewise that, should we manufacture the armour, Firemane would be able to make use of the tech. I'd be fine with an agreement to not make it available to any of the Alliance's foes. That won't be arduous anyway since we shoot Sith and First Order fascists on sight." Siobhan had been a career soldier and thus could be remarkably blunt about things. Sometimes this was detrimental for her, but it might make communication with another soldier easier.

 

[Republic Engineering]

There were moments during the past minute or so that the Captain wished to give voice to her thoughts, but as she had been taught otherwise, Astarii held on her remarks like an iron vice. Instead, she chuckled softly at the not so subtle jab the woman opposite had made in regards to the powers that be that governed the more cynical facets of business. It was quite refreshing to hear that the Lady Kerrigan relished the chance to conduct her affairs in a more personalized fashion. After the moment had passed and some of her tension melting along with it, Astarii listened on as the Businesswoman had enthroned herself within her high-backed chair. Again, she held her tongue, merely nodding as she waited her turn to take the proverbial stage. That chance had slipped her by as dusky woman moved into the room bearing a plethora of refreshments.

At first glance, the Captain was unsure of what she should take. There was a myriad of choices, but of those that her augmented eyes could see - nothing seemed familiar. Mentally rolling her eyes at such a fruitless endeavor, the Hapan had lifted a small ceramic cup from the tray and brought the saucer along with it in her other hand. The ornate demitasse had been filled with a steaming liquid, whose vapors billowed out from the despoiled stillness of its blackened surface. Bringing the fragrantly scented beverage to her nose and breathing deep, a sense of familiarity had washed over her consciousness. A blend of Caf and Javarican Espresso, perhaps? Astarii wasn't sure, but that didn't stop her from taking the first sip of the bold and flavorful concoction.

When she had lowered the diminutive cup back onto its saucer, Astarii had borne witness to the Crimson-crowned woman sharing a moment of intimacy with the woman who the Hapan had assumed was harmony. That was a surprise, though nothing more than a subtle widening of her eyes had betrayed her thoughts. She was far from concerned with whom the Lady had taken into her confidence, but the Captain was shocked that the woman was openly displaying her affections in front of a prospective client. Were they enshrouded within the Hapes Cluster; such a thing would be unheard of. However, the rest of the galaxy seemed to be a bit more progressive in their tolerance of allowing each and everyone to express themselves in whatever manner they see fit. Painting her face with a warm smile, and silently thanking Harmony for the refreshment, Astarii turned back towards Siobhan and listened once again as she voiced her concerns. She was right to do so. Were their positions changed, the Captain would've done the same thing.

Thankfully, like the good little soldier she was, Supreme Commander Ven had given his blessing to see such a pursuit come to fruition, although such a boon didn't come without its burdens. He had only granted her permission to see that a single squad of her assigned Marines would be equipped with the armour so that they would be able to not only showcase her ingenuity, but the practical uses for the conceptual design. The aging Mon Calamari had also given her leave to determine the terms of their negotiation with the Scion of Firemane, a sign of good faith that the Captain would do the right thing. Secretly, he had also made this a test of her loyalty to the Alliance's cause. Would she be easily swayed into giving out her theoretical blueprints to someone that could utilize them in a way that may harm the Galactic Alliance? Only time would tell in such matters.

As the Lady Kerrigan had finished, Astarii had taken the proverbial floor and began to answer every issue that had arisen to the best of her ability and knowledge.

"There's no offense to be taken, my Lady; it's only fair that you ensure that I have the authority to speak n behalf of my Commanders in their absence. I have talked with several of my comrades in arms and with the Supreme Commander himself. Commander Ven himself has sanctioned my visit to his homeworld to see a small selection of units put into production with the necessary and appropriated funds to cover whatever expenses may arise. Like yourself, he's interested in seeing what these suits can do but is cautiously reserving the privilege of a greenlight until there's more than simulations presented to him."

Pausing to take a sip of her exotically blended beverage, the Officer carried on without missing a beat.

"That said, he has also previously agreed to the terms of sharing the technology with your company, on the very same condition you've mentioned. He wishes, that if these suits do proceed according to design and make their way into a larger scale of production, that our enemies will be denied access to any and all records and purchases of the armour."

She smiled then. It curled across his disfigured face and warped her pleasant smile into an almost insidiously twisted grin. She withdrew the crystalline data slate that she had been clutching onto ever so tightly hours prior and keyed in several commands. Atop its transparent surface, a small holographic image of the armour had flickered into being.

"Now, hopefully with those two concerns addressed, I shall do as you have asked and elaborate as best as I can."

Slowly spinning the projection about, Astarii's eyes were drawn from the woman sitting across from her and fell atop her beloved design.

"As you said mere moments ago, this is a powered combat frame intended for use in zero-gravity, and hazardous environments - which many of the Alliance's Marines face on a daily basis with inadequate protection. Much of what is on the market is versatile and covers a broad range of specialties without focusing solely on the most important aspect of the person wearing the armour. While some of what's out there have some limited capabilities of matching my design, they fall extremely short when my simulations have tested and therefore rated their durability after an extended period. While much can be done in One hour, it does little good when you're fighting your way through the bowels of an oxygen deprived Star Destroyer."

Allowing her fingers to dance along the display, enhancing the flickering holographic image so that the intricate detail could be easily seen, the Captain began listing it's strengths - starting with the base from which the rest of the armour would coat.

"The fully sealed body glove is made from an intricate fabrication of armourweave and flex-armour, creating the basics of a Hazard Class E Spacesuit. That when combined with the helmet and armored oxygen tanks, would allow the soldier to operate in a depressurized cabin for nearly eight hours; if not longer when the emergency tank kicks in. From there the suit is enhanced with a powered endoskeleton and segmented Duraplast armor plating, with various plates being locked together in a seamless fashion where movement is of little concern. Magnetized hardpoints allow for ease of withdrawing weapons without catching them on bulky and clumsy holsters. The breastplate is easily adjustable so that the suit can be configured to match it's bearer's body, rather than force them into a punishing regimen due to their genetics. While I could spend hours listing off how it would outperform the competition in almost every possible scenario, I don't think you have that kind of time. If you'd like, I can give you this dataslate that contains a copy of my design with a constantly updating schematic, so that you can review the details for yourself - and save your from my rambling."

| [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] |

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Astarii Saren"]


Siobhan leaned back into her throne, sipping her Atrisian tea. She gave the Hapan a nod, listening while she spoke of the technical specifications. "Ok. The business terms sound acceptable to me. Speaking as someone who fought on an oxygen-deprived Star Destroyer while holding off a legion of droids and who was spaced once, I can understand your concerns. I don't mind your rambling though, dear," she said, flashing the woman a smile.


Apparently the crimson-crowned Countess had decided she liked Saren and thus could spare more of her time for her. The fact that Siobhan's timetable was often governed by her whims sometimes drove her staff to frustration. Fortunately, Firemane didn't really have a board of directors the CEOs answered to. There was a Board of Control, but very few of its members were in control of anything.


"I'm rather busy, but I can spare some time. Duraplast is a solid materiel. We use it for Firemane's standard armour. I assume the endoskeleton will provide the wearer with enhanced strength above the human norm, as is common for power armour, right? That's always useful in a tight spot. Or when facing Forcers closeup. How heavy do you expect this suit to be and how well should it hold up against heavy blasters, lightsabres and heavy ordinance?"


Since the Captain had said it was supposed to be made broadly available to Alliance marines, she assumed it wasn't mean to be a tank designed to take on Force Gods, beyond providing some protection against their glowsticks and space wizadry. That said, Firemane's subsidiary Guild of Hammers produced a lightsabre-resistant mesh made from Echani Graphite that could be used to reinforce heavy armour made out of metals such duraplast and duranium.

 

[Republic Engineering]

When the idea had come to her in the midst of her midnight turmoil, there were a plethora of options she could've followed through with that would've made the armor ideal. She eschewed them all in favor of making the design a mechanized combat frame. It made sense, not only for the reasons the Scion of Firemane had briefly touched on but for the added benefit of being able to endure the horrors of combat for greater spans of time. While the Nine hours was significantly better than the standard One, Astarii had recalled reading about an old power suit schematic during her somewhat extensive research into the creation of such an awe-inspiring augmentation. GTU's AV-1c Combat Armour. The records had shown that such an ancient artifact was able to withstand a full twenty-four hours of operation in hazardous environments, and still had room to mount several small repulsorlifts into the armored suit. Perhaps that would be another issue they could address at another time when time had permitted the chance to create an another generation of powered battle armor.

As Siobhan's questions lingered in the silence melting from one moment to the next, Astarii looked up from her data slate and fired off the answers almost instantaneously - surprising even herself with their alacrity.

"I roughly gauge that the armour, along with the soldier's associated kit would weigh roughly around Twenty-Five kilograms. Though I'm sure that weight would be adjusted to compensate for any additions to or subtractions from the power armor. As to how well it would stand up against beam weaponry and lightsabers? Duraplast is a durable material, but hen shaped incorrectly it's plasmatic resistant properties hinder, rather than benefit the armor as a whole. So, I'd assume that glancing blows from a Jedi's weapon, or in this case, a Sith's weapon would be how well the suit would combat the inevitable threat of a blood-crazed Saber-jockey. That also accounts for the armor weave body glove beneath the segmented plates as well."

The Hapan paused the endless stream of syllables for a moment to purse her lips, puckering the scar tissue that dominated much of her right cheek as she took the time to think.

"When it comes to... less civilized weaponry, I would assume that the duraplast plating, combined with the glove beneath, offered protection from beam weaponry all the way up to a light, and possibly a Repeating Blaster Cannon. Standard fragmentation grenades, non-armour penetrating slugs, and perhaps even rounds from a Verpine weapon."

During her research, Captain Saren had taken note of any possible modifications that she could've made to her initial design, and while the concept would be forever improved by new inspirations, she had to settle for the middle ground. While it was far from her imagined ideal, it would prove to be an interesting adventure refining what she had already created - making it even better with every successor suit she had designed.

"Now, the part that has me confused and drawing blanks is the power suit itself. Many of the records I've studied and combed through, state that it's merely an interconnected weave of metal and energized servomotors. However, looking back at the some of the designs, I'm not entirely sure how an Endoskeleton would fit beneath the armor plating, before warping it's aesthetic design into an armored brick incapable of doing more than acting as a labor droid."

Astarii paused, placing the tip of her knuckle just above the wounded groove above her chin.

"Is it possible to have something... like a combination of energized servomotors, alongside electro-motivated fiber bundles that would mimic and therefore enhance the user's strength?"

She dropped her hand to slip around the ceramic surface of the cup, before offering a curt smile. What she had thought of, was further enhancing the armor weave body glove to be fitted atop the power suit itself, making it akin to a second skin that the Marine would wear on his own. Her idea was to minimize the hindrance caused by the inherent bulkiness that the mental image of an Endoskeleton inspired. While such things were possible in fiction, sadly the rules of nature had applied to their reality and thus required more than just an endless string of words and pseudo-science.

"I only ask, because while I'm secretly an avid reader of fantastical HoloBooks, we cannot simply Will something to work because the desire's there and aside from what I've read - Power Armour isn't something I'm intimately familiar with."

| [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] |

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Astarii Saren"]


The titian-maned queen of the Firemane Matriarchy pleasurably sipped her tea whilst the Captain made her elaboration. She put down the small ceramic cup down when Saren fired off answers like a repeater cannon would bolts. The woman seemed quite passionate about her work!


"I agree with your assessment of the suit's protective qualities," she finally said. Her red lips curled into a thin smile. "Historically, duraplast has been able to stand up to repeaters and Verpine shatterguns. You could potentially boost the suit further by reinforcing the armour plates with Echani Graphite mesh. The wire mesh is very resistant though not immune to lightsabres and significantly increases blunt and slashing protection along with defence against shrapnel. It's meant for heavy armour."


It was obviously still vulnerable to anti-armour weaponry, piercing damage and prolonged onslaught. But they could shoot for overall quality 8 or something like that. "As for your second point, truth be told, Firemane hasn't designed power armour before, but I know Mandalorians who use it and I'm familiar enough with the suits the Protectorate deployed shortly before it collapsed. So I believe your suggestion about the use of energised servomotors and electro-motivated fibre bundles is feasible. Instead of a big clunky set of motors, it wraps the arm in a powerful framework that allows it to form around the body and impart strength from it, whilst maintaining mobility."


Ironically, a long time ago the Protectorate marines had fought fanatical Chaos worshippers, the Bando Gora, back when Siobhan was in command. However, contrary to what holovids implied, OP hadn't had power armour then!

 

[Republic Engineering]

While the armor itself would be considered one of the heaviest suits on the market, Astarii hadn't thought of enhancing the Duraplast plating with anything, let alone a mesh made from Echani Graphite. Her initial thought was that the durable metal alone would be enough to protect the vital operator beneath, as it was unlikely with what she had in store that any Saber-Jockey's would be able to get in close to deliver a killing blow. However, as she had learned throughout the course of her unsteady career, nothing would ever go as planned - even if you're a meticulous strategist like Astarii. However, there were times she had missed crucial elements that had proven to be disastrous. She was thankful that there was someone else to catch her attention when it wandered and pointed her in the right direction when she was lost within the bounds of her own mind.

"You know," She said pursing her waxless lips. "I never thought of using anything to enhance the Duraplast. I believed it would've been suitable enough to stave off any Sith Aggressors for a prolonged period, but now that you bring it up, with the recently reported surge of Sith activity it's more than likely they'll bring friends into whatever scenario that we could theoretically devise."

Astarii leaned back into her seat and lifted the data slate from it's resting place. She quickly scanned through its rolling tide of ceaseless text and found what she was looking for. A copied document of her maddened ramblings that contained the sum of her fevered dream-like design. With the image of scrolling walls of text now replaced by the informational readout that was filled with the armor's schematics, she allowed her fingers to dance across the crystalline surface and make the changes that were discussed. When she had finished, she saved the file and returned her attention back to the Crimson-Crowned Scion sitting opposite of her.

"With that said, I believe that addition surmises everything in regards to the conceptual design of the Combat frame. So, the question I guess I'd be asking now is, what do you think?"

| [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] |

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Astarii Saren"]


Conveniently, the company that produced the graphite mesh was a Firemane subsidiary and at this point under the direct control of the voluptuous Lady. That always made things easier! "Glad I could help. I will have my researchers take a look at the design," Siobhan replied smoothly. One of her head scientists was a Hutt. He was a surprisingly refined fellow who always wore a suit and a bowler hat and gave her fashion types! He had a surprisingly good eye for shoes, especially for a slug that didn't wear them.


"But on the whole I find the armour very promising and would be prepared to support it. You have an eye for good hardware, my dear," she said warmly, flashing the scarred Captain a bright smile. Who knew, maybe she could steal her from the Alliance navy one day! Or at least borrow her.

 

[Republic Engineering]

After the negotiations and pleasantries had concluded, Astarii had found herself within one of the many workshops located within the heart of the Firemane Facility. It was there that her nightly fever dreams had slowly become a part of reality. While the Staff assigned to her were capable and were proverbial masters in each of their respective fields, the Hapan had slowly begun to take command of the project; rather than act as technical advisor. She treated this venture as she would've her own warship, assigning each and every man and woman where they were best suited. Then, once the pieces were in place and had started to work simultaneously on various stages program, the Captain herself had begun floating between each differential stage of the power suit.

As such suits had become a rarity to view in person, mostly due to the Four Hundred Years Darkness throwing the galaxy into a state of technological regression, they had begun their assignment by studying up on whatever records that the various databases around the galaxy had stored. Many of the articles were incomplete and offered little insight as to how the mechanical organism worked, other than it simply did. Blueprints were almost non-existent, save what had been cobbled together by Astarii in the darkened hours of the night. From all these mismatched pieces of information and formerly lost knowledge, the technicians were able to make enough of the puzzle fit, so that they could finally bring the first generation of these armored frames into being. It was amazing how similar the technology was to bionics, though it was evidently clear where the paths had diverged. One was meant to replace, and the other would be designed to augment and enhance.

Thus, they began the Lionheart Project by building a Powersuit based on the partially recovered schematics of the AV-1A Assault Armour, produced and manufactured by GTU. Sadly only the acronym had survived through the ages, and it was impossible to describe accurately what they had done as a company, aside from making various suits of Powered Armour and multiple variants thereafter. With the design fleshed out where it needed to be, and the hulking suit itself built with whatever parts they could find laying around that were also in serviceable enough condition, Astarii had elected herself as a willing test subject to operate the combat frame. Such a move was dangerous, but the Hapan had known if she didn't take risks, and lead by example, who then would follow her into the dark? Adorning herself in this newly minted relic, the Captain felt like she had stepped into another world. Everything within was oppressive, and the seeds of claustrophobia slowly began to take root. Fully enclosed within this ramshackle suit, the woman felt like a walking tank, given life by the mechanical and dynamic systems within the 'personal vehicle.'

Naturally, it had taken her hours to move her armored husk, as movement in such bulky armor had - in the past - required the experience and training in which to have it operate proficiently akin to a second, fortified skin. However, when she was able to have the massive hulk step off the platform, Astarii began to understand how the system had worked, more so than she already had in the theoretical sense. Thankful that her body wasn't turned into a pulp, they began the project anew by working on a more man-portable design of a generator that wasn't so heavy, but provided the same output. Such was done with the armor plating, as the creed of any armorsmith - Making the armor lighter, but doing so without sacrificing it's resistance to energy and projectile weapons, came to light time and time again during the entirety of the process. One of the experts at the facility had said that, and the Captain took those words to heart instantly, knowing that if the entire ensemble was far too heavy, the servomotors and fiber bundles wouldn't able to shoulder such a hefty burden; making it nothing more than an expensive brick that could be used to drop on the enemy.

For days, the teams had built and in turn deconstructed the various marks and models of power armor they had made from recycled parts and reclaimed schematics. Such glorious work had resulted in the first phase of the Lionheart Project coming to fruition. With their understanding of Power Armor in hand, meshed with the knowledge of bionics and augmentations, Astarii and the technicians had begun forging the underlying armored bodysuit. The body glove itself was made from a nanocomposite material that had bonded the thick folds of the armourweave fabric together with the flex-armour (Which in itself was made by weaving together durasteel and reinforced ceramics.) This process had created the outer shell of the somewhat concealed bodysuit, and the basis upon which they would use to formulate the energized exoskeleton.

Miniature, high powered servo motors, and actuators were centered around each of the joints, meant to take the strain of heavy lifting off the organically engineered machine, and placing it on the advanced system of robotics that could handle the weight. Connecting each of the critical points together was an arrangement of complex components, that primarily consisted of electro-motivated fiber bundles that acted in a dynamic manner - which in turn had mimicked the biological elements that comprised the human body. Flesh, Bone. All of that had a certain range of movement, and thus to replicate such an organic function, an electrical connection with the human body's nervous system had to be implemented. Thankfully, which the advances made in modern medicine, the implantation of subcutaneous neural interfaces was easier than the Hapan had predicted.

Such was the life of a sheltered woman in an isolationist society.

Again, choosing to be the primary test subject in this portion of the experimental production, Astarii had undergone several hours of painstakingly convoluted surgical procedures to have her flesh opened and then resealed once the implants were connected to her nervous system. When she had awoken from the operation and had clad herself in the surprisingly comfortable confines of her stripped down armor, the Captain had noted how delicate her movements had to be to perform the most basic of tasks. She had to think of how her body would move before it went through with the motion, which had taken some getting used too. However, after several days on the testing floor, the Hapan had finally garnered enough experience to operate the power suit with little to no issues. And so, with the hewn obsidian musculature overlaying her porcelain-hued flesh, the Captain had seen fit to invite the Scion down to the testing grounds to see how far they had progressed in the last few weeks. It was only right that she see what her funds had created, and in turn offered her thoughts and insight into the project as a whole.

With Astarii standing alone upon the obstacle course, she waited with baited breath to see what the Scion had to say about their expedited achievement.

| [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] |

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Astarii Saren"]


While Astarii was busy toiling in the Firemane forgery and creating a mechanical power suit, Siobhan had been preoccupied with handling the mundane aspects of running a big corporation. Most of it was fairly mundane, tedious and annoying, but still important. As they say, you cannot bludgeon through bureaucracy, though Siobhan could bludgeon pretty hard!


She was happy for a break from navigating the waters of bureaucracy when word reached her that the power armour was ready for testing. Thus, it did not take long before she made her way to the obstacle course. Everything had already been set up for a trial run. This included positioning a force of well-armed battle droids that could provide some opposition for the Lord-Captain.


Tic.

Tic.

Tic.

Shkishhh.

The sound of her cane rapped a rhythm on the ground when Siobhan arrived on the scene. She wore a very snappy red uniform that made her look rather domineering, her feet were tucked into a pair of polished leather boots. The crimson-crowned Lady's eyes took in the obsidian tank that encased the Hapan's slender form, seemingly examining every detail of it.


After all, many years ago Siobhan had been a career soldier and she still led most of Firemane's combat operations in person. The casual observer who only knew her outside the battlefield might be deceived into thinking she was just another decadent aristocrat obsessed with her looks, fashion and her own physical gratification. All this was not untrue, of course, but did not represent the whole picture.


"Ah, Captain. My staff has kept me abreast of your progress. I understand you're ready for a trial run. I've been told work has been very promising. Unless there's anything else, we can begin right away, How's the suit working out so far?" she queried with interest, studying the armoured husk. "I remember the first time I tried out my beskar'gam. Took me a while to get the hang of it and stop feeling claustrophobic."

 

[Republic Engineering]

The Obstacle Course was designed to test the core capabilities of the suit, bereft as it was of its armor plating. Laid out to resemble the interior corridors of an ancient Imperial Star Destroyer, similar to the specifications of the vessels used by the Vanguard fleet, the track was populated by items that would've been commonly found in such environments. Battle Droids, armed with blasters set to maximum stun settings, were adorned in the same alabaster enamel to imitate stormtroopers and were placed at several key points along the winding trail. Cargo containers were stack atop one another in the effort to simulate an orderly Imperial-styled Cargo Bay while the corridors themselves were long stretches of confined spaces with jutting supports, designed to act as improvised cover for those aboard the vessel.

Astarii herself had stood before the beginning of the course, which was aimed towards representing the ImpStar's cavernous Hangar bay. She was alone with her thoughts as she waited for the arrival of the Crimson-Crowned Countess, thinking of how subtle her movements had to be in order for the suit to mimic the natural motions of her body. The flesh around her newly implanted interfaces was still raw and ceaselessly itched beneath the corded musculature of the suit. The Hapan was eager to get on with the test, not so much out of impatience, but more so the fact that she could strip herself of the suit and bathe in a bacta tub for hours on end. When that period of silence had ended with the sound of a tapping cane, the Hapan looked up from the other world her augmented eyes had peered into, and let reality whirr into focus around the Lady Kerrigan.

"I joined the Navy, to avoid adorning myself in such a constricting raiment." Her words rang hollow as if the demons of her past were worming their way back to the forefront of her mind, denying their graves in her memories. She reached up and slowly ran the textured fingers of her gauntlet along the disfiguring mark along her cheek, before shaking her head and letting the arm drop to be at her side once more. "However, times and circumstances change, so if I must sacrifice comfort to survive? Then so be it."

The Captain smiled then.

"As for the suit? So far, the entire ensemble is working out as planned. We almost ran into a few hiccups along the way, as much of the information surrounding the tech behind power armor was fragmented after the Four Hundred Year's Darkness. I'm quite surprised that your team and I were able to create two test suits from old GTU schematics that we found on record, and end up this far." She almost laughed then, but as Astarii watched the Fiery Duchess' gaze roll over her armored husk, the joyous outburst perished in her throat. "Anyways, with your arrival, I'll begin the first trial. We used the previous designs and models of this armor to run the course yesterday, and their results were less than stellar. The GTU units were far too bulky to operate efficiently within the confines of the course and ended up failing the test almost half way through. Our first experiment with this design nearly tore my arm from its socket with an error made during the calibration cycle. So, I'm hoping that today we've corrected the issue, and I won't have to extend my leave of absence from the Alliance."

Offering up a slow and purposeful bow, the Hapan Captain turned towards the imitation Imperial Hangar Bay, gesturing to one of the nearby technicians to start the test. Once the alarm had sounded, Astarii took off, hitting the polished obsidian flight deck at a gentle trot. Several automated turrets, set to stun, had revealed themselves from their concealed housings and began filling the air with Azure tracer fire. Elongating her stride, the ebony-clad Officer pushed herself past their cone of fire, leaving the deck behind her scorched with traces of ionic energy. When she had first adorned the armor, thinking of her movements, several seconds ahead had been an almost impossible feat for her to achieve. When she was at her command terminal, she was able to read the motions of battle and adapt her strategy to counter their maneuvers. It took her almost the entirety of the project thus far to realize that both skills were essentially one in the same. All that changed from reading the ebb and flow of battle in the void to the gritty and personal theater was merely the matter of perspective.

So, with the modification made to her point of view, Astarii began to visualize what events would transpire in this simulation, and react accordingly before they resulted in the first of many failures. The shrouded turrets were a pleasant surprise, as the day before such cunning additions weren't a part of the course. That meant there could be a myriad of unexpected inclusions that she didn't know about, and such truths would make this test more accurate - as was always the case with War - not all gathered information could be trusted, meaning a Soldier had to act light on their feet to survive. Thus, in passing the first obstacle, Astarii had entered a lengthy crenelated corridor that contained several branching paths that split off towards various sections of the course. Following her instincts and foreknowledge of ancient Imperial Schematics, she surged forwards down the stretch of polished gunmetal grey walls.

Her unarmored head swiveled from left to right, checking every shadowy corner as the Hapan made her way deeper into the extravagantly rendered track. Whatever would come her way, Astarii believed that - even as unarmed as she was - she'd be ready for what would come next.

| [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] |

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Astarii Saren"]


"No kidding. Losing your arm is unpleasant," Siobhan said knowingly, for it had happened to her a few times. "If it's any consolation, Firemane has very good surgeons with a lot of expertise in limb replacement, though I hope that won't be necessary!"


She seemed to realise that these words weren't particularly reassuring! "Anyway, I'll be watching. Let's get this show on the road." So the crimson-crowned Lady watched the Hapan Captain make her way into the mockup hangar. Everything had been designed to look as realistic as possible and resemble the interior of a Star Destroyer of old. Back when the Galactic Empire had been galaxy-bestriding colossus in fact as well as in ambition.


Unlike all the would-be Imperial successor states, Remnants and splinter groups that kept popping up with somewhat redundant frequency. The entire obstacle course was monitored, so even when the power-armour clad officer left her field of view, Siobhan could watch via security cameras. Siobhan watched with interest as Astarii past the first hurdle by deftly avoiding the hail of bolts unleashed by the turrets, leaving a scorched deck behind her.


Mobility had been one of the concerns behind the power armour. After all, it was all well and good if it protected you from a heavy blaster cannon if the suit's weight tied you down and made you bloody slow. She observed Astarii through the monitor when the ebony-clad warrior advanced down a corridor. By Siobhan's estimation, she should soon meet opposition in form of battle droids. Each of them resembled an Imperial stormtrooper's armoured suit, wield blasters set to maximum stun settings, along with sonic weapons and concussion grenades.


Several branching paths in the lengthy corridor offered multiple angles of assault. The ambush was sprung as soon as Astarii's armour-clad form surged down the polished floor. Grenades and stun bolts rained down upon her as a couple of the mechanical stormtroopers tried to ambush her. Siobhan brought a ceramic cup of Atrisian tea to her lips and sipped it.

 

[Republic Engineering]

To be honest, Astarii had expected an ambush a lot sooner than this. Her augmented eyes had scoured the polished surfaces of the simulated environment, and watching as her retinal implants had detailed every alcove with an expected ambush predictability rating that steadily increased as she advanced throughout the course. When the Battle Droids had revealed themselves from their hiding spots, the Hapan had reacted accordingly. Within a moment, she had understood that while she was unarmed, it would be a foolish mistake to advance through the stun bolts and grenades that were tossed her way. The Captain moved from one armored skeletal outcropping to another in order to avoid the splash damage of the latter. However, fourth-degree droids, of this era at least, were designed with heuristic processors and had learned from her tactics and adapted their counters to match. It would've been entirely pointless to face a foe that wasn't able to match a human's ingenuity with cold, calculated logic. They began tossing stun grenades ahead of the black carapace clad Woman, forcing her to remain out in the open marginally longer than she would've liked. Thus, such a delay had resulted in the Battle Droids scoring nearly four hits along the length of her left side, disabling the motor functions of her arm for a limited time.

The sudden deprivation of the limb made things difficult, but as the Hapan ducked into yet another alcove, her mind began to race to find a counter to her arrayed foe. Something that would absorb the incoming fire, and provide the Captain the barrier she would require to get in close and disable the droids with swift and sudden strikes to the vulnerable sections of their mechanical bodies. With only moments to spare, as the newly brandished stun grenade was tossed into the air, Astarii punched a closed fist into the metal wall of the corridor and tore the panel free, rivets and all. Swiftly folding the edge inward, as to make an improvised handle, she advanced through the ionically charged corridor until she had reached the first of the many Droids littering the simulated hallway. With the hair inside her suit standing on its edge, the woman slammed the improvised shield into the first droid and quickly tore the stun blaster from its mechanical vice. Speed was of little issue during this trial, and while she would've loved to test and see how the suit reacted to her sudden desire to sprint forwards - the Captain had known that the slow and purposeful stride would see every element of the outfit's unarmored form take center stage.

Thus, as she was now armed and sufficiently armored to withstand the ionic sting of her ambusher's weapons, the Captain continued her relentless advance through the spinal corridor, disabling her attackers with the ambient reticle provided by her augmented eyes. The blaster had run dry as the last of the Battle Droids had fallen, leaving her armed with a smoking, and positively charged segment of the bulkhead in her clutches. It would do little more than hinder her progress, now that the enemy was defeated, and the path ahead seemed clear. Thus, she tossed the hunk of metal to the ground and took a moment to think of how useful such a device would be - if it were upgraded in various ways. Exterior mounted holoprojection cameras, Magnetic Adhesion Grips. The possibilities were endless! Shaking her head to deny the errant train of thoughts the foothold it required to distract her conscious mind; Astarii policed the remaining stun grenades from the disabled piles of slag that the Battle Droids had become. While it wasn't as efficacious as she would've hoped, being that there was little circuitry that could've damaged with such high powered stun weapons, they were programmed to collapse if their sensors had registered a change in their exterior surroundings. Which, as per the simulations parameters, had matched the ionic residue left behind by the dissipation of a stun bolt. That alone had made her smile. It seems the Firemane Technicians had thought of many great things when it came to setting up this simulation and left her wondering what else could be in store for her down the road.

Resuming her stride through the polished halls, Astarii had kept her mind clear so that she could focus on the myriad possibilities that were laid out before her. Every alcove and doorway, from here on in, could be considered a likely ambush point - forcing the Captain to think lightly on her feet and pause at every junction to give it a once over before she moved through. The suit itself moved with her every motion, mimicking the responses her muscles had made and acted in turn like a secondary layer of skin. Having the neural interfaces implanted within her flesh had helped reduce the translation time between the signals fired from her brain to the energized fiber bundles along the curvature of her lithe figure. They contracted in time with her every purposeful stride, pushing her form further than her unaugmented frame could ever do unassisted. She reveled in the sensation, and knew that with this obsidian ensemble, she would be able to strive for goals that she had previously believed were unobtainable. To think that she might be able to match a Sith in strength, was positively thrilling. Perhaps then she might finally be able to liberate the Hapes Cluster without the astronomically high casualty rate that was expected.

Distracted by the days of a future yet to pass, Astarii had nearly run into another ambush. If it hadn't been for the sudden ache behind her eyes, the woman would've failed the trial by waltzing into the trap and spent the next hour waiting for her suit to be dragged from the course by those unable to shoulder her augmented burden. Slamming her back into the bulkhead closest to the junction, the Hapan peered past the corner and quickly withdrew before the Droids at the other end of the passageway had opened fire. Breathing heavily, the woman removed one of the policed grenades from her improvised bandolier and lobbed it down the gangway, disabling the droids in that section of the obstacle course. As the grenade detonated, Astarii burst out of cover and charged down the polished deck - nearly sending a spiderweb of cracks along the breadth of each obsidian panel as she dashed forward. Keep moving, she told herself. Push the suit to its limits. Find the breaking point. There was much she had to do and little time in which to do it.

So, in acknowledging these upcoming restrictions, she moved onto the final portion of the obstacle course; all the while keeping a wary eye on her surroundings as she moved ever forward.

| [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] |

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Astarii Saren"]


Siobhan was watching Saren's progress over the monitor when Ms. Medea, her personal assistant, came down to visit her. "Ah, Your Ladyship, I see the test is in full swing. How's the suit performing?" The Eldorai was carrying a cup of Starcaf and elegantly dressed as usual. Siobhan noticed to her dismay that she'd also brought paperwork. A corporate magnate was never free of it.


She elected to deliberately ignore it. "Very well, actually. The enhanced strength will come for various heavy weapons we've made but have mostly mounted on vehicles or used for turrets, like shatterbolters. The Captain's got drive. I like her."


Maerys nodded. "That is good. Please remember that this is a business negotiation and not one of your..."


Siobhan abruptly cut her off with a wave of her hand. "I'm well-aware of that. Besides, I think she's straight! I wouldn't mind working with her in the future though. The suit would be useful for the Eldorai, too."


"I can already see Lady Janizea impassionately speechifying about how 'crude foreign innovations' are bringing about the death of proud and refined Eldorai traditions In her time Eldorai warriors wore sleek armour blessed by the Goddess and needed only faith and sarixi." Maerys was a bit of a liberal and thus had little time for the conservative old guard.


"She loves to rant about the 'good old days', doesn't she? Funny that she flies around in a Theed luxury yacht and has bespoke dresses made of vine-silk. Both are foreign imports," Siobhan spoke scathingly.


"Quite right. By the way, once the trials are done, there's a couple formulars that require your signature." Such a diligent bureaucrat!


Siobhan made a face. "You just had to ruin my fun."


Meanwhile, the obsidian-clad Hapan would be facing the final portion of the obstacle course. Once again there was a pair of turrets, though in this case they were armed with carbonite launchers rather than blasters. However, the true challenge was represented by a big tank droid armed with a power hammer and a big cannon. Moreover, it was well-armoured, fast and very strong.

 

[Republic Engineering]

A brief moment of hesitation had gripped the Captain as she charged into the final room, letting her eyes adjust and recalculate the expected danger within. Like the last room within a Children's HoloGame, this Obstacle Course had presented one final challenge; One that would take everything that she and the suit had to offer to surmount the ultimate hurdle. What lay before her, was a lumbering battle droid that looked more like a tank than man, and two recently revealed turrets that weren't matching the stun cannons that she first encountered in the Hangar Bay. No, these looked more like Carbonite Casters. Clever Girl. What better way to push yourself to the limit, than by dodging a molten metal that would freeze you in place upon contact, all the while performing the Danse Macabre with a heavily armed Droid? This would be easy, she said to herself sarcastically, clenching her corded fingers into fists.

When they had activated upon her arrival, the Carbonite Casters were the first of the two mechanics she had to deal with. They were far too high up for her to make a running pass at them, without being intercepted by the hulking assault droid. Astarii would have to draw the machine in close, and have it destroy that portion of the wall for her, or she'd be forced to stay on the move - and wait until the carbonite solidified until a return could be made to that spot. With the continuous streams of liquefied Ore drawing ever closer at an exponential rate, the Hapan burst into action, leading the arcing jets on a merry chase, as the lumbering Droid moved in for the proverbial kill. She broke to the right-hand side of the room, drawing the streams of flowing metal in behind her as the woman passed by a disposable cargo crate. Ducking between two of the cargo containers there was a single fleeting moment where the Captain had believed that she made a mistake.

The streams were starting to cross overhead, spraying liquid carbonite in every direction, leaving the armour-clad woman exposed to the very real danger of being frozen in place, left to be an easy target for the massive assault droid and his menacing hammer. Her skin at the back of her neck felt the frozen kiss of molten metal, as she hesitated. She had to move, to get free of this bloody trap and find a way to win. That was what this trial was about after all, and it would do her no good to rage against the cold, calculated logic of the machine. Breathing slowly, the Obsidian Musculature of the Captain tensed, mere milliseconds before she had burst out of her improvised cover - leaving the connected streams to pour their contents down in her wake. It was at this moment that the Droid had seen fit to make his move, and brought down his oversized gavel down upon the floor.

Astarii didn't feel the impact as she had expected; instead, the sensation that rolled through her mind was one of disorientation. The kinetic splash of such an enormous impact had thrown her from her feet and sent her sliding across the formerly polished decking when the woman had landed. She could feel her entire body ache, and the sudden rush of blood throughout her circulatory system had caused her newly implanted interfaces to itch ceaselessly. It was like she was back on that blighted world of Bpfassh all over again! Arid desert insects and the natives whose words irritated her senses like the flies they were. No, keep your cool, don't get angry. Not here. Not now. Exhaling a hearty lungful of air, the woman righted herself with a graceless gesture. The hulking Battle Droid looked down at her with a look of vague interest seemingly displayed across its inhuman features.

All Astarii could do, at that moment, was smile.

The woman figured out exactly how she could win, and chastised herself for not thinking of it sooner. Both of the Carbonite Casters were programmed to track her movements, and discharge their payload across anything that stood in their way. The Droid's subroutine's had ordered it to do the same, but to engage with both pieces of ordnance it was given. Now if they had happened to overlap, it was unlikely that the streams would be able to disengage in time to halt the freezing process. Well. It seemed that the way she had landed had given her the opportunity to see what was coming for the Hulking Droid, long before his sensors had registered his coming doom. No, it seemed that the mechanical creature believed that the streams would disengage in time and, instead of removing himself from harms way, leveled his massive cannon at the unarmed Captain. If she didn't move, she'd be in need of serious medical attention and would possibly be spending the rest of the year submerged inside of a bacta tank.

However, even though ever fiber of her body had demanded that she move, the Hapan planted her feet and let the disfiguring smile encompass the entirety of her face.

The weapon affixed to the Droid's arm began to cycle to life, filling with the energy of deadly light. She could see it's ochre radiance within the barrel, and watched with interest as it's brilliant illumination enveloped her ebony-clad form. "Have at thee." She said through her gritted smile. Mere heartbeats before the weapon fired, the Droid's head swiveled to the side and emitted a surprised blurt of binary. While cold, calculated logic had it's place on the battlefield, mistakes were always made. Even with the advancements made with Artificial Intelligence and Mechanical Life, the Human Element was always present - and thus, errors would always occur. Nothing was perfect. No, not even the armor she wore. But, in the end, like on the battlefield, those who screwed up the least were the victors, and as the droid before her screamed in mechanical rage as it was enveloped by the molten streams of Carbonite, Astarii knew that she had won.

| [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] |

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Astarii Saren"]


The saying that no plan survives first contact with the enemy had become a cliche. Yet there was truth to it. The best-laid plans and the most cutting-edge technology could still fail - and often did. In such a situation it came down to preseverance, improvisation and simply screwing up less. You either fought or you mucked around.


The robotic behemoth screamed in dispassionate, mechanical rage when it was embraced by the molten streams of Carbonite. Its gears finally ground to a halt when it was frozen solid and transformed into a statue. The turrets ceased firing.


A blast door opened at the edge of the room with a hiss and the crimson-crowned Firemane limped inside. Tip, tap, tip, tap. Her cane rapped a rhythm on the ground as she approached the power armour-clad Hapan.


"Thus ends the boss fight," Siobhan said dryly, as she looked upon the frozen droid before her eyes fell upon Saren. It all reminded her a bit of the hologames she used to play when she was younger. Like, Galaxy of War. The hulking robot even looked like one of the end game enemies. "Are you alright? It's been a pleasure watching you in action. I'm very pleased." Certainly a lot more exciting than paperwork!

 

[Republic Engineering]

A weak smile had painted Astarii's face when the Lady Kerrigan had entered the Obstacle Course. Her lithe figure trembled within the obsidian suit as the rolling tides of fatigue began to take hold. Fighting in the armor bereft of its attachments and the expedient training time had forced her mind and body to work double-time to compensate for the missing pieces of her puzzle. Had she spent more time in the simulators and collaborated with the energized Endoskeleton, rather than seeking to push the project towards completion, the results might have been more favorable. However, there was always room for improvement - despite the incredible achievements they had accomplished.

The ebony-hewn figure exhaled heavily and adopted a more relaxed stance as her Project's Patron approached, letting all thoughts of adjustments and improvements slip from her mind. It seemed that the Lady Kerrigan had also shared a momentary recollection of her childhood memories when the first words that cascaded past her lips signaled the fight's end. She almost laughed, either due to the hilarity of the moment or simply because it was all the strength she could muster to express her content. When she had followed up her opening statement with both a compliment and a question, it had taken the Hapan several moments to reply.

In that span of time, the woman greedily sucked down mouthfuls of air to replenish her ailing strength.

"Yes," The Captain had said, after finally catching her second wind. "I'm quite alright. That last bout found me unprepared is all, and it seems I'm still not used to moving in sync with the suit. Seems a lot more time spent training is required to move effortlessly. A serious drawback if we're looking to clad our Troops in these suits and send them off to war as soon as possible, however easily managed with a combination of flash training and scenarios like this... perhaps."

Running a gauntleted hand through the tangled web of her chestnut colored hair, the Hapan turned to look at her latest conquest and let the weak smile adorning her lips grow into a prideful grin.

"I'm glad you enjoyed the show, must've been leagues better than dealing with paperwork." Without missing a beat, knowing that the crimson-clad woman before her relished action, rather than fanciful words, the Hapan had chased her last statement with a question - hoping to ensnare the Scion's interest further. "Once your technicians are finished with the final pieces of the Suit, would I able to entertain My Lady once more with something - more daring than stun rounds and carbonite?"

| [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] |

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Astarii Saren"]


A lot had changed for Siobhan in the last ten years or so, but a few things remained constant. Such as her dislike of paperwork and bureaucratic tedium. She was not lazy, but preferred direct action. Moreover, she probably considered background admin work a bit beneath her. Sometimes her minions had to get creative. It helped when it was about a subject that actually interested her.


But, hey, she had an excuse in this case! The power armour was a fine design and would benefit Firemane a great deal. So it behooved her to take a personal interest. Her logic was unimpeachable. Besides, it counted as building relations with the Galactic Alliance! So with this rationale it was quite easy to 'ensnare' Siobhan.


"It seems you've read my thoughts, my dear," she said jovially. The Captain looked like hell, but Siobhan tended to push herself beyond what was reasonable, so she was not going to judge. "I always like a good show, so I'd enjoy watching something more thrilling. Did you have something specific in mind? We can easily set up a scenario with more challenging opponents to fully test the armour. It occurs to me that your suit would be a good platform to deploy some of Firemane's heavier weapons, such as shatterbolters and rotary shattercannons."