Campaign The Sith Games Part 0: Recruitment

[Xalax]

Location: Above Denon, aboard the heavily modified Providence class destroyer known as the Scar Of Lasan.

Objective: Recruit players for the Sith Games

The Scar Of Lasan orbited silently above Denon, practically unnoticeable among the thousands of other ships of all sorts of builds and models entering and leaving the atmosphere. Aboard the ship was the relic of a bygone era who unlike many similar relics had adapted to the changing times. This relic was a Super Tactical Droid known as General Xalax. His mission was to recruit players for a series of "games" as part of a "social experiment". There was also a "fantastic prize". That was all he was going to tell the potential recruits. The reality of the games was much more sinister, and deadly.

The shuttles carrying the recruitment droids would be departing soon, and each of the droids was programmed with a person to seek out and recruit. All of the potential recruits had been selected for various reasons, but the most common was desperation. Recruiting most of them would be easy for the droids. In places like Denon, almost everyone is desperate.

On the bridge of the Scar Of Lasan, Xalax pressed a button his right wrist, activating the hologram generator on the back of his left hand. A shadowy hologram of Xalax’s employer appeared, wearing an ornate mask which hid his identity. “The recruitment droids are departing now. Out of the 500 droids who will be going down to the planet, approximately 456 will be successful in recruiting their targets, if my calculations are correct.” Xalax reported to his employer. The employer was an individual known to Xalax as "The Host", but he was more commonly known as Firrerreo .

As Xalax continued speaking with his employer, the shuttles began their short trip to the building covered surface of Denon. The recruitment droids were mostly B-1 battle droids, but a few B-2s were also dispatched to recruit some of the more aggressive individuals. The first step of the Sith Games had begun.

 

[Skeevi Merrill]

Fantastic prize. Social experiment. Games.

Skeevi liked games, prize or no prize, and frankly even a little money would make a colossal difference in their life. The nutritional content of their average meal, for example, could use an upgrade. Also they found themselves fantasizing about owning an actual bed.

So while Skeevi had strongly considered cannibalizing the recruitment droid, here they were in the pickup shuttle: a Zabrak kid in a virulent yellow trenchcoat, playing with their impractically long braid.

This was Skeevi Merrill's very first time on a spaceship. Perhaps the trip offered snacks.

General Xalax

 

[Firrerreo]

"Why are you offering me a mask? I don't need a mask. My perfect face must be available for all to see." Firrerreo stared down to his little companion. Horus, the flesh golem. Offering up the mask he needed for this little side project of his. Oh what fun was to be had! Games galore, all with the perfect amount of violence and death. Well, not that most stations would ever show this game show.

Most.

The holocom clicked on and the Sith Lord reached out, snatching the mask to quickly put it on. "What are you doing Horus. I need my mask. Things have to be anonymous if we're to do this right!" A brief glare to the flesh warped companion, then his attention turned to the image of General Xalax.

"I like that number. Good. Do try and make sure they can use the Force in some way. Though, if they can't, well. Cannon fodder is always needed for these kinds of things, right?"

Skeevi Merrill

 

[Horatio Asyr]

"I think I would be wonderful for the part of Palpatine." Horatio pestered the B-1 droid. He was a recruiter for the Sith+ streaming service, trying to get contestants for a game. As long as it wasn't Iron Alchemist Horatio figured he should be fine. He had used the opportunity to press his most recent script, Downfall of the Republic. It was a simple four hour opera chronicling the history of Palpatine's rise to power. There were similar pieces about already, but most focused on Darth Vader, and we're written as a tragedy. Horatio was confident a heroic piece with Palpatine at the center would be a huge hit.

"Just listen to me sing this line." Horatio cleared his throat.

"I aaaaaaaaam the senate!" He sang, his voice vibrating and echoing in a perfect cadence. As before the B-1 seemed unenthused, not even willing to communicate his finding to his superiors. Why any organization would use a fossil of a B-1 droid as a talent agent was beyond Horatio.

As Horatio followed the droid he noticed Skeevi Merrill . Was that the street tattoo artist? Surely not. Such a creature was not built for the theater.

 

[Skeevi Merrill]

Now on the one hand, they could ask Horatio Asyr why he was here. And on the other hand, he could ask them, and Skeevi didn't feel like talking about street life with a moderately fancy former client. They nodded to Horatio and mustered a smile.

The shuttle was filling up. Catching the edge of comm chatter and droid patter, Skeevi got the sense that there were other shuttles operating concurrently. That implied an incidental, not ongoing, operation, which made sense. Games, social experiment, fantastic prize: it all suggested a one-time event.

What kinds of games, though? Holo? Team? Athletic? Skeevi didn't like their odds, but then again most of the shuttle passengers so far obviously weren't athletes. What they were, she realized slowly, was Force-sensitive. Maybe not all of them, but she felt the Force stir in a frustratingly vague way as passengers interacted. This group had as much potential as risk.

She leaned over to the Ithorian.

"Forcers?"

 

[Rul Tondar]

Denon was not a usual place for Rul to visit but, he could not be picky as the Skakoan was grateful to finally leave the cold temple of flesh and bone on Rhen Var. Strolling through the humming avenues the Sith was following a certain young man, he was thin and had little to no muscle mass. A flawless target for his next sacrifice as he human would not be able to struggle enough to block the horrifying Skakoan.

He was close to seizing his next victim, he was already fantasising about separating his body, harvesting him for every drop of blood. That's when Rul noticed a B-1 droid, an unusual appearance in these streets an appearance that intrigued the Sith more than the small man. Luckily for the human prey, the B-1 junk was going in the exact opposite direction to him. This lured the insane Skakoan away. The droid was obviously looking for someone, interviewing spontaneous bystanders about some game. A game, a concept Rul never understood such a waste of time for him and his kind. But the Sith was different now, more adventures than before.

Thus the Skakoan ended in a large shuttle filled to the brim with unique individuals. Some stood out more than others but all were seemingly desperate for whatever this game would reward them with. He himself tried not to protrude in this crowd, yet this could prove difficult.

Skeevi Merrill Horatio Asyr

Theme By Annasari

 

[Horatio Asyr]

"Oh?" Horatio replied to Skeevi Merrill 's question. He had a habit of not paying attention to 'little people'. In general this included anyone not in opera, theater, or who wasn't compensating him in one way or another. The child had given him a tattoo and thus left the realm of 'little people', warranting attention.

"Let me see." Horatio said, then took a deep breath. He wasn't really trained in the Force, but he could find other forcers with a bit of focus. He did so and reached out in the force, detecting it's presence in the rest of the shuttle.

"Ohh my." The Ithorian stated. It was everywhere in the shuttle, some of whom had a significantly stronger appearance than Horatio's.

"It seems we are in quite a dangerous position."

Rul Tondar

 

[Skeevi Merrill]

"Ferrik," Skeevi hissed under their breath. "I get a real bad vibe from that Skakoan over there, too."

Leaving the shuttle came to mind as a strong option. Time ran down as seats filled up. Skeevi drummed their fingers on the arm of their chair and kept whispering.

"Just how fantastic's this prize gonna be, anyway? Your recruiter tell you anything? All I got was prize, social experiment, games — no idea what kind. If it's magic-hands folks they're recruiting, and they're not weeding out people like that Skakoan, I've got worries. What you thinking, friend?" they asked the Ithorian quietly and nervously.

Horatio Asyr Rul Tondar General Xalax Firrerreo

 

[Rul Tondar]

Rul was perceiving an extensive amount of force users within the shuttle. There were very few that had extreme doses of energy flowing through them but he felt strength amongst the occasional passenger. Whatever game they would play the Skakoan could deem that it was not going to be peaceful. Why gather such great amounts of desperate force users if not for the pleasure of watching them do cruel things, or at least that is where the Siths mind wondered. His mind wandered further, considering all the possible ways he would painfully end the lives of those around him. The fun he would have the pain he would welcome the screams he would hear.

The maniac was getting all riled up from just the idea as he could barely compose himself in his seat. Who would he strike first, who would he evade until the end, queries swirling through his head. As if his cruel prayers were heard Rul noticed a small being wearing a yellow coat, a short target frail-looking and seemingly unarmed. He walked over to its direction, for now, he would play the good guy and introduce himself.

Skeevi Merrill Horatio Asyr

Theme By Annasari

 

[Horatio Asyr]

The child called him friend.

How presumptuous.

Horatio felt the urge to scold Skeevi Merrill , but thought better of it. He could very well need a friend soon.

"I once played Count Dooku in the play Ventress. That particular piece describes the heroine earning a apprenticeship with Dooku by becoming the champion of a gladiator pit on the world Rattatack." The Ithorian described the scene to Skeevi. Most of Horatio's understanding of history came from plays and operas, and thus conflicted with itself.

"I assume we are in a similar predicament." Horatio concluded, before one Rul Tondar approached. Horatio decided getting between the two was overstepping, but stayed close to Skeevi in any case.

"Beginning to evaluate your competition sentient?" The Ithorian addressed the skakoan.

 

[Skeevi Merrill]

Skeevi licked their lips nervously as Rul Tondar approached. Every bit of instinct suggested she run, just blitz out the shuttle before liftoff and before the Skakoan could make his introduction.

But the Skakoan was in their way, directly between them and the exit, as irrevocable as a slammed door. In theory, a rapid egress was still the smart move regardless of the money at stake. Skeevi had circumnavigated bigger obstacles. And yet this time Skeevi couldn't make themself run.

A jutted chin indicated defiance. Skeevi left it at that.


Horatio Asyr

 

[Rul Tondar]

The Skakoan could tell that he instilled dread and anxiety in others. Although the little yellow being was showing some signs of stress Rul understood that the child was unlike others, it had a pressnec that stood out. Furthermore Skeevi Merrill was not alone, a Ithorian stood close to them he however, did not look desperate the Ithorian stood like a noble and Rul could imply this was no commoner by his demenour alone. What an interesting bunch he had stumbled upon he thought to himself.

"Hahaha, Ithorian how rude of you to undermine my peaceful approach, I come only to support this little one, as you might have realized there are some dangerous people amongst this shuttle" the sith spoke lightly and seemingly kind. Rul was trying his best to look both assertive and considerate; he wanted not to scare these two away, at least not yet. He stepped closer still keeping the exit of the shuttle behind him and his prey before him. Following he held out his slender hand lingering for a reaction from either of the two.

Horatio Asyr

Theme By Annasari

 

[Xalax]

Location: Above Denon, aboard the heavily modified Providence class destroyer known as the Scar Of Lasan.

Objective: Recruit players for the Sith Games

Tags: Firrerreo , Skeevi Merrill , Rul Tondar ,
Horatio Asyr

The question The Host asked General Xalax was an unexpected one. In response, he said “I do not recall being specifically asked to recruit force sensitives exclusively. However, a majority of the recruits are force sensitive in some way.” Xalax was fairly certain that The Host would not be angered by this response, but Xalax had always had issues with predicting things like emotions. Hopefully, The Games would soon fix that.

A good deal of time after finishing his conversation with The Host, Xalax tuned into the security camera of one of the shuttles. He saw several of the individuals he had sent his droids out to recruit, but there was one whom he did not recognize. It was a Skakoan. This was a problem. The anesthetic gas that was to be released into the shuttles once they were ready to leave would have no effect on him, which could potentially compromise the entire operation. It seemed more blunt means would be necessary to incapacitate him.

Xalax pressed the button on his right wrist to call the pilot droid of the shuttle. “Do you notice the Skakoan in the back of the shuttle? When the anesthetic gas is released, shoot him in the back with a stun blaster.” The pilot droid gave a characteristic “Roger that.”, and cut the transmission. The shuttles would not be leaving for some time though, so Xalax decided to pass the time by checking the cameras of the other shuttles.

 

[Horatio Asyr]

"You are correct. This shuttle is filled with many dangerous characters. Myself and the child included." Horatio said, mostly bluffing. "Dangerous people are rarely trusting, and even rarer to be trusted, as I'm sure you know." The Ithorian admonished.

"I'm not sure the child needs your support to be completely honest." Horatio realized at this moment he had never gotten Skeevi's name. His mind raced at means to help Skeevi without revealing the Ithorian's lack of connection. It would be somewhat suspicious.

"In fact, the child is my bodyguard." Horatio lied. He was getting in fairly deep now. Why was he spending so much effort on this stranger? Surely not because of the tattoo Skeevi provided. What it because they were a child?

Horatio realized he had some priorities to reevaluate.

 

[Skeevi Merrill]

Fight or flight drove Skeevi down the only available route: riffing off Horatio Asyr 's bit. They put themself between the Ithorian and the Skakoan in a belligerent way, ignoring the handshake.

"Back away from the Ithorian," Skeevi said, low and flat. They made a fist. Cursed holo-tattoos fired up under the knuckles of their fingerless gloves. The Force imbuement wasn't particularly strong or complicated: Dagoyan glyphs about spiritual resilience, imbued to keep Skeevi's fists from breaking on impact.

"Right now."

Rul Tondar

 

[Rul Tondar]

A long creeping smile was drawn across the Sakoans face and his eyes were barren as they stared at the Ithorian and the little child. "Now isn't this a fun turn of events" The Sith's voice was cold and bitter now. He persisted and kept his hand up, as he would not be disrespected by this informality.

Rul was sceptical of the allegations spoken before him, the Ithorian did not look like a fighter but was the Sith so wrong as to overlook the small one and miscalculate its capability? The Sith's mind was racing, thoughts about what to do next piling up as he slowly lost his trail of thinking. Rul took one step closer "My utmost apologies little one, I meant no harm in my words, only to show the concern of a worried friend" His smile grew larger and his face was horrifyingly empty in emotion as he tilted his head towards the yellow coat wearing creature.

Horatio Asyr Skeevi Merrill

Theme By Annasari

 

[Horatio Asyr]

Horatio wasn't quite sure where this persona and confidence were coming from, but he kept them going.

"My bodyguard is a triviality. If you wish to talk business you may speak to me. From a distance, as my bodyguard mentioned." Horatio pushed Rul Tondar , echoing Skeevi Merrill 's words.

"If you do not wish to talk business it would be best if you left, before you become worth my bodyguard's time. Or worse, my own." The Ithorian threatened. It was perhaps too much, but Horatio's time in the high society of the opera would make his words and tone come naturally. Authority oozed from his being. Internally Horatio wondered if he was pushing too much, but externally the Skakoan would not notice. In any case, Horatio and Skeevi had gone too far to back down now.

 

[Skeevi Merrill]

As Rul Tondar stepped in close enough for Horatio Asyr to push him, Skeevi found themself sandwiched in between the two much larger aliens. Options compressed down to one.

Go full Jawa.

Now, Skeevi knew basically nothing about Skakoan pressure suits, but a machine was a machine and Skeevi was a lifelong scavver. The pressure suit had several dials or vents in its upper chest, and a couple of metal-clad hoses that looked interesting, all at roughly Skeevi's head level.

They attempted to grab and twist all kinds of shiny things right off the pressure suit, regardless of what came out. Skeevy shrieked a war cry.

"UTINNI!"

 

[Rul Tondar]

"Business is most definitely not my reason for being here, I have little interest in these things" The Sith mocked the rude Ithorian for his foolish way; these two had most definitely gained his wrath with their unpleasant personalities. The Ithorian was now sounding rather threatening towards the Skakoan, he could feel the emotions running wild in his opponents but cared little as words are meaningless without actions behind them. "A man who hides behind a child is no threat for me, I do not fear confrontation" Rul spoke in a monotone voice and his eyes gave little information to what was going on in his head.

Rul was surprised by the sudden aggression towards him, until now he had done little to deserve this, at least he believed so. The sudden attack would have most likely been hard to dodge if it wasn't for the battle cry to alarm the Sith. Rul moved back with one jump enhancing his speed and agility with the force. The child was smart to go for his pressure suit vents but even then, the once noble Rul had reinforced them and only with high strength could they be removed.

The Sith wanted to punish the kid but knew that whoever was overseeing this operation would likely not relish in two casualties before the event began. Thus the maniac would only try to mentally damage Skeevi Merrill , he would try and bring out the darkest fears within the small creature in order to distract her from attacking once more.

Horatio Asyr

Theme By Annasari

 

[Skeevi Merrill]

Dammit, the Skakoan had actual training. Precognition, speed, and now imposed fear. Though the old Dagoyan glitbiter in Yolgho Hollows had told Skeevi about such things, they largely fell under the heading of 'using the Force,' which the Dagoyan categorically didn't do. Skeevi didn't have the same priorities. But a willingness to use the Force offensively offered no particular guidance on how to do that. They'd improvised the cursed holotats on their knuckles and that was about as far as they'd come.

A Force scream wanted, very much, to rip itself from their throat. They kept it bottled up. This might be a deadly situation, but Skeevi had no intention of making enemies of everyone in the shuttle.

However, the Skakoan had backed up at last. Giving Skeevi the room to unapologetically bolt.

Force-enhanced terror augmented street-rat speed. Skeevi zipped out the shuttle door, shoving past a financially-desperate Devaronian and a couple of Squibs. A mantra thundered in Skeevi's head as they blitzed away from the shuttle and back into the familiar warrens of Denon. Where the mantra came from, they couldn't say.

Ashuna. Gogowa. Ashuna. Gogowa. Theek. Theek. Theek. Theek. Ashuna. Gogowa. Ashuna. Gogowa. Theektheektheektheektheektheektheektheek-

-EXIT-

​

Horatio Asyr Rul Tondar General Xalax Firrerreo