The Sacrifice (Nexus Development Thread) [PM for Details or Invite]

[Darth Imperia]

Months of planning. A year, even – the young, grey skinned woman had been gathering people far before she was brought into the world of the Sith.

Darth Vitium’s Apprentice stood on the deck of the Jen’Midwan, hands clasped behind her back as she observed the surface of Rhelg – ancient planet of the Sith, former home of the Lord Ludo Kressh’s fortress. Surrounding her flagship, if one could call a light freighter a flagship, was a flock of other, similar ships. Ten in total, and together they contained one hundred of the most grief stricken and unstable souls in the Galaxy.

And that night, if all went according to plan, every last one of them would die, sacrificing themselves in the ultimately vain hope of reaching an afterlife that didn’t truly exist.

The Apprentice nearly shook with anticipation, but on some level, she was utterly calm. This was where she belonged. In power. In control. She had the lives of a hundred men and women in her grasp. And the best part – they were ignorant of it. They believed her a savior, a metaphorical angel sent from the beyond to bless them with her wisdom and kindness. Some part of her wanted to experiment, to see how far she could push them. You, kill your sister. Yes, I know you love her. Do it anyway. A small, uncharacteristically feminine giggle escaped her at the thought.

The Acolyte shook her head, taking a deep breath. She had to appear solemn, calm and in control for this. A few quick strokes at the keyboard in front of her, and her voice and image were broadcasting to every ship on the same frequency. “Brothers and sisters,” she paused, to wipe the tears from her eyes. Her tone was raw, emotional, and utterly fake – not that you could tell unless you knew her. “It’s time. Head down to the surface. You all know the coordinates. My companion and I will be there to finalize the ritual. My only regret is that I can’t join you all on this last journey of ours. It breaks my heart, but I know what has to be done. One day, perhaps, I’ll join you all…but I have more work to do in the Galaxy.”

Grief, protest, and applause all followed her finishing statement, at which she quickly shut off the comm system, ostensibly to prevent her flock from seeing her cry. In truth, however, as soon as communications were down, all she could do was grin. This was far too easy.

“Kasa!” She yelled towards the cockpit of her ship, her raw and emotional voice replaced by one that was distressingly upbeat and chipper for what its owner was about to do. “Land the ship near the site. We’ve got work to do."

[SIZE=10pt]---[/SIZE]

[member="The Rusted Queen"]

 

[Darth Eversor]

A hundred souls to parish, but yet so little sympathy for any of them at all. The planet was in view, and the hunger that compelled Kasa to such lengths was as intense as ever before. Even after meeting both Jedi and Sith with auras as inflated as their ego, this moment was by far the most grandiose and spectacular. The young Atrisian never felt such a stronger pull to the dark side of the Force, and nothing would stand in her way of her bond. She wouldn't allow it.

Kasa listened to the message her comrade [member="Mala Arar"] aired, letting the words of deception serve as an appetizer for the time being, before the true feast was to begin. A blissful euphoria washed over the dark lady's body and mind, and a familiar grin crept across her face. Unbeknownst by others due to her apparatus she wore casually, but the tone and vibe was all there. Her fingers tightened around the controls of the ship, eager to witness the death of a hundred fools. A masterpiece awaiting its audience.

Suddenly the Atrisian's name was called to land the ship to its appointed landing-zone. She gave a slow nod and punched in a set of coordinates, the freighter beginning its descent planet-side. "...Fools, all of them..."

An amused exhale escaped the masked, hooded fiend. Death already loomed in the air upon Rhelg, for time had foretold such a travesty. The blood already stained the soil, and their hopes and dreams already had begun to rot away in a mass grave.

The surface was approaching, and the countdown began.

 

[Darth Imperia]

The Apprentice flipped up the hood on her robe and closed her eyes, exhaling deep.

There was no ritual, of course. Not a real ritual, at least, and anyone who cared to study and research Galactic Religion might realize that. But Vitium's Apprentice was careful when it came to picking people for this, her masterpiece. One man lost his children when Coruscant was freed from the One Sith, and had been living an empty shell of a life ever since. Kara Null, a poet from Nar Shaddaa, watched her parents get butchered by the goons of the Hutt Cartels. Every single one of these hundred damned souls had been carefully screened. If a prospective member showed hope, or joy, or rage - anything which might give them a reason to live, they were passed over. The Apprentice took people with nothing to live for, nothing to care about, and she did the most insidious thing of all. She gave them hope. And tonight, she was going to take it all away.

The Acolyte smiled once more as she saw the valley, their chosen site, come into view beneath her.

This was going to be her greatest work of art yet.

---

[member="The Rusted Queen"]

 

[Venthis Zambrano]

As the other ships began to descend, his ship would appear. Timing, was key in this operation. One slip up, and the whole thing would come crumbling down. The suffering was closing in, he could feel it. A thick fog, almost. There would be two large cages, strapped to the bottom of his ship. Seemingly shrouded by a metal sheeting. He would remain in orbit, for a sign. Moments before a broadcast was released, though he would receive it a few moments after the ships left, he let off a ginormous grin showing his sharpened yet blood stained teeth as her words came from his speaker.

His ships systems, would cut out. Momentarily, before booting back up. The lights flickering back on, as various of his specimens let out roars throughout the ship as his sound dampeners cut out in their cells. He had brought his circus with him, to this event. He had a specific job, act as the watcher for the whole thing.

His ship slowly simmered down into the atmosphere though remaining at an undetectable height from the eye or any sensors the 'prospects' whom were with Mala would have on themselves. This was entirely a deceitful hoist and he planned to help keep it that way. He threw on his robe and took his personal dagger onto his belt, no lightsaber though. He took a sip of his favorite alcoholic beverage before tossing the bottle at the wall, with a rather loud cackle following in a fit of madness. He was ready.

| [member="Mala Arar"] | [member="The Rusted Queen"] |

 

[Darth Eversor]

The valley of the puppet's demise was fast approaching, and Kasa's eagerness to watch them all perish continued to grow. A low, deep growl of the ship's engines shutting down as the craft made contact with the surface gave proper indication that the time for death was nigh. The accomplice to this soon-to-be process stood and stared out of the cockpit, allowing the Dark Side of the Force to engulf her with its cold embrace, her skin rising with goosebumps underneath her attire. "...Here..." She whispered aloud, turning back to look at her sister of the dark. A slender, dark gloved hand escaped the confines of the Atrisian's crimson robe as she pressed it against the glass of the ship's cockpit, feeling the planet's hunger for blood just as she hungered for the life force and flesh of the fodder living off of a lie.

"...Mmmm..."

Pleasure was being gained from this, and it would only intensify. This was the reason Kasa lived, to come closer to the Force in a manner few would dare to understand. The Jedi she knew could never offer this immense gratification, this feeling of passion and power.

"...Now..."

Kasa turned away from the cockpit and headed towards the ship's ramp, awaiting [member="Mala Arar"] for the honors.

[member="Phax"]

 

[Darth Imperia]

The plan was simple, even if its execution required precision and the kind of delicate touch that many Sith sadly lacked these days.

A large tank of ink was situated near the Apprentice, who would, with the help of her companion, Kasa, design the ritual circle within which every one of the hundred damned souls would stand, each taking a dose of poison carefully measured out to kill each victim at the same time.

While, as stated before, the ritual itself held no meaning, there was an actual reason for the circle to be drawn, beyond deceiving the fools to be sacrificed. The ink, which was a murky red-black, was actually created by mixing basic ink with high quantities of Dark-Side Creatures. Mainly Tuk'ata, in this case, but there was also the blood of a Terentatek in the mix, acquired after much struggle and injury.

Not injury on the Apprentice's part, of course. She had people for that.

"I hope you're ready, Sessuo. This is going to be a work of art." The Acolyte smiled at her companion, a cold and wicked smile, and then jumped down, landing on the ground below with a thud and a flourish. Her next action was to, with a mild bit of exertion, levitate the tank of ink down to her level as well. It was a funny thing, really. The Apprentice, for all her lack of experience, was a monster. Cold and cruel, sadistic and devoted to the Dark Side. In short, she wasn't exactly the sort to make friends.

But it was that assortment of traits that had lead her to choose Kasa as her companion for this mission. Kasa, for all of her...anthropophagic tendencies, was also one of the few people that Vitium's Apprentice felt she could relate to.

But the Acolyte couldn't think about that right now. Right now, she had to play the angel. And as if it was as easy as breathing, everything about her changed. Her posture no longer predatory, her face the picture of quiet benevolence and compassion. It was with this posture, with this expression, that she began drawing the massive ritual circle within which every one of her devoted onlookers would die.

--

[member="The Rusted Queen"]
[member="Phax"]

 

[Onley Xiangu]

Onley had spent most of his life around vagabonds and criminals. The Sith in their glory, despite the lives of his Mother and Father, had been fairly removed from his upbringing far from their sides. At first he’d resented them sending him away - now, here on this ‘project’, he thought perhaps it was for the best. The Underworld had desensitized him, but the Sith were increasingly pushing the boundaries of what he considered sanity. Listening to the way they spoke to each other over the comm links was evidence enough they were on a plane far removed from his own way of thinking.

It’s in your blood though, Onley. You can try to deny it, but you’ve felt the Dark more keenly than anything. Why do you take those jobs kidnapping people for slave rings? Why are you always the first to offer a helping hand when stealing organs? Stop denying yourself. It’s only impeding your progress.

His subconscious was growing exceedingly annoying these days.

His landing was careful as he joined those on the surface, his one-seater less ostentatious in its arrival but suiting him just fine. He did not directly know any of the other Acolytes on the surface, but he’d seen the one they called Kasa on occasion. His Mother’s apprentice. He considered himself something of the same though it had always been less formal and he’d seen fit to learn from both of his parents.

Joining them outside the circle, he kept quiet for once. He’d been told it was important to keep a low profile, so until he was asked to help he simply joined the other acolytes, nodding to those in attendence before turning his eyes to the circle slowly being drawn on the ground.

[member="Mala Arar"] | [member="The Rusted Queen"] | [member="Phax"]​

 

[Darth Eversor]

...Sessuo...​

​

Kasa thought that word over for a second before descending onto the surface from the ramp of the ship. Indeed the Atrisian did want to see this plan unfold without a hitch, but the sentimental value attached with such a task wasn't expected. This was Sith business, not a bond she had expected to form. It was foreign and outlandish, ironically so from what Kasa would be considered and where she came from - the life she lived before this. Nonetheless, a token of appreciation and trust given was an enjoyed set of tools the apprentice could work with to make this benefit her in the grand scheme of things to come. Not that she would betray her newly acquainted Sith allies, but instead a system of how she could mold her own future.

With a helping hand of the Force, Kasa aided [member="Mala Arar"] in obtaining the tank. Upon lowering to the ground, the crimson lady would turn to Mala in a moment of curiosity. "...Trust...?" The broken individual would ask, solidifying the pretenses of the perspective bestowed upon themselves. Time would be the true judge of what Kasa's future would become, and what kind of Sith she would evolve into. But for now, a job was at hand. And the death of fools was inevitable.

Looking out onto the soon-to-be ritual site, the crimson one extended a creepy, slender gloved hand and pressed it against the forehead area of her cybernetic helmet whilst extending the other in a strange fashion towards the intended area of the suicides. She felt the planet's hunger, and it caused her to inhale deeply. The Dark Side was here, and it needed to be nurtured. It demanded blood and soul.

"...Fido..."

Kasa stated aloud in Atrisian, which would closely be translated to "feed".

She bonded with this planet, and it connected back with her as well. She truly embraced the dark for what it had to offer.

[member="Onley Xiangu"] [member="Phax"] [member="Waide"]

 

[Darth Imperia]

Trust?

The Apprentice thought on that question as she worked, ever tiny stroke of ink on the ground carefully and precisely painted. It was important, after all, to maintain the charade she had so carefully set up for her chattel.

Did she trust Kasa? The girl who never showed her face, who hungered for the flesh of those powerful in the Force? The woman who was, by all appearances, an even emptier shell than she herself had once been? Matsu's Apprentice was both erratic and calculated, cold and fiery. Only a fool or a romantic would believe that such a creature was worthy of trust. So no. Vitium's Apprentice did not trust Kasa. But that didn't mean she didn't appreciate her fellow Acolyte's company. They both felt a connection to the Dark Side, a religious devotion to it. That was something that the Apprentice had only seen before in her Mistress, and that alone was something to be respected.

None of this, however, was known to the flock that watched their beloved savior at work. A few may have expressed curiosity as to the other two with her, especially the shady looking man who had recently appeared, but none of them were brave or curious enough to speak out and ask about it. They understood the sanctity of the task at hand, they knew the importance of the massive ritual circle being drawn in the valley below.

It was as important as the pill that each of them carried. Each one was small, white, nondescript, and guaranteed to cause death roughly 45 minutes after ingestion. The Apprentice would've preferred something faster acting, but a girl only had so much money to spare. Each pill, as well, contained a small amount of hallucinogen - not enough to sent the user on a legitimate 'trip,' but just enough to put them on edge, inducing mild paranoia and increasing susceptibility to suggestion. That, of course, the victims didn't know - as far as they were concerned, it would send them peacefully to sleep.

---

[member="The Rusted Queen"]
[member="Onley Xiangu"]
[member="Phax"]

 

[Onley Xiangu]

Some of the Believer’s eyes flickered towards him as he watched the work take place, feeling as much separated from the details as he knew the sheep were. Ignorance was truly bliss sometimes, he supposed. He knew that he was an unknown element, as liable to cause unrest as any of the strange ritualistic behavior going on around them. That could be explained away - they loved the straw-haired woman, believed she had the answers to their questions. For some, for the aforementioned ignorant, that was enough. The galaxy was such a confusing place, was it not? Someone with powers they didn’t understand could be enough to make them follow. Safety appealed to the lower parts of the brain.

But he - a newcomer - was a threat to their complacence.
He made them have questions.

That was unacceptable and as Mala and Kasa continued setting up their stage, Onley moved closer to the sheep. They did not know enough to be afraid and so did not shrink as he approached, though he was doing his best not to seem any shiftier or darker than he already came off. They merely gave him wary looks, hoping their Savior would stop anything untoward.

“Let me see it,” he said quietly, his voice a baritone like his father’s. The woman he’d chosen seemed confused but willing, raising an eyebrow slightly and parting her lips in question. Onley offered a crooked smile, small but enough to put her at ease. “Let me see the capsule.” Comprehension dawned on her face and she gently held out her hand, her long fingers uncurling from around a tiny white pill.

Onley would admit to enjoying drugs more than most polite company. He hadn’t expected the thing in the Sheep’s hands to look like anything, lest they recognize the pill for what it was and lose faith. But the complete non-descriptiveness of it was impressive. Small. White. Round. No markings. No lines. He knew its intention and yet nothing of its contents, how she might achieve her goal. She wanted to know her manufacturer. “I’ve seen this before - you’ll never know a more peaceful sleep.” Closing his hand gently around the woman’s to wrap her fingers around the pill, his small smile warmed and hers did in return. Trust. Outwardly, he was no longer quite the threat they worried about.

Backing away, he moved towards Mala and Kasa, the latter of which he gave a nod of greeting one might give someone they'd met in passing.

“How can I help?”

[member="Mala Arar"] | [member="The Rusted Queen"] | [member="Phax"]​