Public The Synthetic Heresy (OPEN)

[Liin Terallo]

I do not know why I keep doing this to myself; markets, crowds and people brushing too close. Maybe part of me still clings to the illusion of normalcy now that I have been given a new place to call home. But the weight of too many eyes lingers on my mind, and I cannot tell which ones are really watching me anymore.

The bread was a little overpriced. The cheese likely imported. The wine is the only thing that I truly cared about. I kept my head low, clutching the woven basket perhaps a little too tightly, and offered short nods to vendors I will not remember tomorrow. Hopefully none of them will remember me either.

One of them smiled at me. Too long. Too knowing. So I left.

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

Now, beneath the trees, I can finally breathe again. The forest beyond the park’s edge does not care who I am or what I am trying to accomplish. I follow a narrow half-hidden path that I had marked for myself days ago and find the shaded clearing where I can vanish for a while.

The blanket unrolls with a practiced flick. I set out my little picnic; just enough to pass for ordinary, if anyone were to come by. A slice of bread. A wedge of cheese. One glass, and the wine bottle. A picnic for one.

It is the bottle that I turn my focus on now.

I sit cross-legged, straighten my posture, and exhale. My fingers rest loosely on my knees. Beneath my skin, the serum hums - like a low vibration at the edge of hearing. A warmth not entirely my own. The Force... but not. Mine, but artificial. Real, but wrong.

The bottle sits still in front of me. I close my eyes. The air around me prickles faintly, the subtle static buzz I have come to recognize as a side effect. My fingertips tingle. Somewhere nearby, a bird trills once and falls silent.

“Just a little…” I whisper to myself. “Come on. Just rise.”

A tremor passes through me as I push my intent outward - not with raw power, but with precision. Control. My breath grows shallow, and somewhere in the clearing, something flickers. I reopen my eyes, retaining my focus on the bottle. The bottle wobbles. And then it lifts.

A high-pitched buzz crackles faintly in the air, like the static before a lightning strike. The hair on my arms prickles as the bottle hovers, trembling, it's shadow flickering on the blanket beneath. My vision narrows, the edges dimming slightly with the effort.

And that is when I see it just beyond the treeline. A ripple of movement. A figure, maybe? A shape where there should not be one. Gone in a blink, or maybe never there at all. I could have imagined it.

I do not break focus. I cannot or it could break and I would lose the precious wine.

Tags: Diarch Reign Diarch Rellik Daniel Washburne Zinayn The Lord of Hunger @OPEN

 

[Nos Voros]

Outfit: Clothing/Armor
Undercover Kit:

Spoiler: Undercover Deployment

* Legion Combat Engineer Multi-Tool

• 4 X Combat/Utility Knife-Model 01
• Cortosis Vibroblade
• Legion Combat Pistol Mark I with Whisper-class Suppressor Series
• Legion Crew Personal Protection Weapon Mark I
• 1 X Modular Hand Grenade-Model 01
• 1 X Anti-Armor Grenade-Model 01
• Bastion-class Load Bearing/Combat Vest (protective vest only)
• 2x blaster cartridges
• 1x stun grenades
• Ascension Pistol
• Fusion Lantern
• Datapad
• Garrote
• 3x stimpacks

Once again he was shadowing. Far from the Alliance's borders, studying Ms. Terello from a distance.

She likely still knew about it, knew that he would be watching, taking notes to update his threat analysis. Still – keeping his distance at this point was polite, and still served as practice regardless.

His perch was on a lower limb of a tree, several hundred yards away – a narrower view angle than he would prefer through the electrobinoculars than he would prefer, but the coverage hiding him from the casual observer was worth it.

She was practicing again.

Making an earnest effort. Maybe the news of other powers viewing her as a potential danger had helped bolster her resolve, or maybe the proof that they were watching was driving her to master this new ability.

Nos could only speculate and observe. He doubted the latter. From the conversation shared he suspected, or maybe just hoped, that the careful isolation and subtle exercise was intended to protect herself — and others from herself.

Liin Terallo | @Open​

 

[Diarch Rellik]

"Brother, I am telling you. The circumstance of using Laphisto as the gene father of the clones might have un-foreseen benefits and weaknesses. On one hand, they could be attuned to the force naturally with the nature of his people. Perhaps even giving rise for resettlement or the rebirth of Kiev'ara. On the other hand, I am unsure if we can replicate Saurav'ix and Drak'ho's powers in regards to making the soul tears their people have. We might damn them to some monstrous life. I really have no idea."

Rellik had brought his brother to the park to have a less formal conversation meant only for the two of them. The candidacy for who would be the generic template of the clones was up in the air. At the forum Rellik did suggest Laphisto, Reign, himself and volunteers from any military member of the Diarchy. A background check still pending of course. So here, among lush greens where they would not be swayed by the urges of war. They would discuss the future of such a project.

"Even so, we could take a smaller group and find all of the tears as possible and re-integrate them into new host bodies. Giving them a chance to reproduce naturally... If our suppliers cloning facilities can make such a thing possible."

There was a small tingle in the back of the Diarch's mind. Danger? Perhaps. He had felt it before but could not make sense of when. It was of the force, yet not the way he knew it. He put the back of his hand on his brother chest.

"Wait. Come with me. Let us walk this way."

He took his brother and began leading him towards this feeling.

Liin Terallo Diarch Reign The Lord of Hunger Daniel Washburne Zinayn Nos Voros Laphisto

 

[Liin Terallo]

The bottle floated up in the air as if it were weightless. I pushed it higher and higher until it was up past the level that I could reach with my hand while sitting down. So far so good. I can feel the fatigue setting in, but it is not too bad to handle. I do not have Lord Rellik's tea with me, but I do have the wine. So long as the bottle does not break.

Suddenly I heard a voice. I could not make out what was being said, but I know well enough that it was a man's voice. Fear gripped me then. Fear of being hunted again. Fear of being seen. Fear of being recognized. And fear of my experiment on myself being discovered.

The bottle drops as my focus had shifted. I catch the movement barely before I realize that it is happening. And then once more time slows down. At girst I thought that I was catching the bottle again to slow it down. But no. The rising static in the air and the gentle fall of a couple of leaves in the distance made it clear. For a moment I just observe and watch it all in scientific wonder. Time is a paradox afterall and the ability to view it differently is quite exciting.

But this thrill comes at a cost.

I pluck the bottle from the air with both of my hands and hug it close to my body. With my other hand I pick up a napkin and hold it against my nose for I knew what was to hsppen next.

Time catches up, resuming it's normal pace as the static winds down. I lean over as I can feel the disorientation set in, as well as the wetness of a nosebleed.

I can only hope that the passerbys did not notice.

Tags: Nos Voros Diarch Rellik Diarch Reign OPEN

 

[Zinayn]

After all the battles he'd been in recently, a nice day in the park was what Zinayn needed. Now that he was here sitting in the freshly mown grass, he started to regret not inviting anyone else to come with him. He was fine with being alone, though. Meditation was supposed to be a centering and sobering activity, not time for idle chit-chat.

He settled deeper into the grass, letting his hands rest on his knees. He closed his eyes, and the sounds of nature around him soothed his mind. He reached out into the Force, feeling good and evil, life and death, and the things between. He didn't get far into his meditation when he felt something wrong. Amidst the living Force all throughout the galaxy that he'd been flowing with, there was an anomaly. And it was right here in the park. There was no such thing as a coincidence when the Force was involved.

Zinayn's eyes opened, scanning the area. He was in a secluded part of the large park, one that not many people would think to go to, so the disturbance wasn't in the immediate vicinity. The Chiss rose gracefully and patted his sides to make sure he had everything. His comlink and lightsaber were all that he'd brought out here. He definitely didn't expect combat, but he found that it was better to be prepared than unprepared.

Emerging from the private cluster of trees at one end of the park, he walked out onto one of the paved pathways in the soil around the main grass area where citizens of the Diarchy were picnicking, practicing athletics, or just enjoying the beautiful day. His eyes locked onto the edge of the park opposite him, where the park met the forest. The Force compelled him forward.

Diarch Rellik Liin Terallo Nos Voros Diarch Reign

 

[Diarch Rellik]

The park grew quieter with each step.

Rellik moved ahead of his brother, though not by much, his cloak drifted just inches above the moss and soil. He was more drawn by instinct than intention. The sensation that pulled at his mind was not a threat. It was subtler than that. Fainter. A resonance that did not obey the Force as he understood it… but mimicked it.

"Do you feel it now?" he asked, half-turning his head toward Reign without breaking stride.

He followed the pull into the trees, toward the fringes of the park. It was not the hum of Dark Side corruption, nor the soothing calm of the Light. It was static.

Then came the smell: faint iron. Blood. The Diarch knew the smell all to well.

He stepped around a bend in the trail, his eyes scanning a shaded glade framed by overgrown vines with a small picnic set up for a single person. A figure crouched low to the earth, napkin pressed to her face, clutching something close. He recognized her.

"Liin dear, I did not expect to find you out here. Although I should say I am not completely surprised." He gave a soft warm smile. Putting his hands behind his back and approaching her. He did not look to Reign, nor to Zinayn who he sensed was closing in behind. His attention remained forward on the woman. "It seems the force has began to call people to you." His soft warm smile now turned to a boyish mischievous one. Not malicious but like someone who knew a secret. "You know I am not one to pry but I felt it Liin. I felt YOU, in the force. It was not the same and those of us attuned could tell." Coming closer he offered a corner of his cloak for her to use to help stop the bleeding. "Are you okay?"

Liin Terallo Diarch Reign Zinayn Nos Voros

 

[Liin Terallo]

I heard his voice before I saw him. Lord Rellik. Lifting my head, I indeed saw him approach. And behind him was Lord Reign. Suddenly I felt so exposed; even while being surrounded by trees. Not only that; but I felt a tinge of embarrassment for the position upon which I sat and for having a bleeding nose. It was highly unlady-like and undignified.

Yet I cannot get to my feet currently. Not unless I had wanted to further embarrass myself by allowing myself to get dizzy and fall to the ground. That would surely not do!

My napkin was doing it's job, however I really should have brought more.

Lord Rellik's words switched my focus. The Force called him here? I did not make any attempt to reach out or make some sort of call. So that could only mean that testing out my abilities did something to that effect. Which either meant that that the Force that gave him magic was either curious about what I have created; or it saw it as a threat and sent others to stop me. Right now I am hoping for the former.

I slowly relinquished my tight hold on the wine bottle and set it down on the blanket. I cleared my throat a little, yet did not acceot his offer to stain his robe with my bloody nose. Instead I just kept the napkin on my nose and do not plan to move it at all until I was certain that the bleeding had stopped. And when I responded to him, my voice was very nasally; sounding as though I was suffering from a cold.

"I am....fine. I am just a little dizzy. It will pass." I could not help but to let out a sigh before I continued on. "I respect you for not prying; yet I suppose that I can keep it a secret no longer. After the success of my research on biomass I had decided to test my serum on myself, rather than on some other person. And there are some....side effects that come with it. Having it bring you here was not what I was expecting." It made me wonder if testing my abilities will always call Force Wizards to me. Or if only certain conditions and proximities causes it to happen.

"Would you mind helping me to pour a glass of wine? I could use a sip or two."

Tags: Diarch Rellik Diarch Reign Nos Voros Zinayn

 

[Wrathian Kell]

Liin Terallo Diarch Reign Diarch Rellik Nos Voros Zinayn

How had he come to be here, wandering in the park. Furious at fate perhaps. Though "here" was somehow less confusing with the bigger question. How had he come to be now? Wrathian was still unsure, and figured he'd never have the answer to that question. So he was brooding instead. Or was until he'd caught a glimpse of Rellik and Reign. His new sovereigns. A concept which also upset him less that the loss of everything he knew.

They'd seem to be having a private conversation, and alas he was not planning on bothering the brothers. However, they'd also seemed to notice the shift that he just felt. Something dark and disturbing, not in its nature, but in it's lack thereof.

He paced behind his lords not speaking a word. Hands at the small of his back, as they always were. Then they'd stopped at a woman. Sitting there. And she felt wrong. It bothered him. Facial tendrils flicking about as digits writhing in discomfort, like sitting in dry heat. Then, it seemed, that Rellik knew the woman. Was she suffering some kind of force disease? Something that altered how she felt to others? It was only then Rellik cleared it up with his words.

"You know I am not one to pry but I felt it Liin. I felt YOU, in the force. It was not the same and those of us attuned could tell."

Then her own words confirmed even more.

Wrathians head tilted. She was... wrong. Her power was not of her own. This was potentially quite dangerous for the woman, even more so than she may understand. Sithspawn would be the word closest to his cultures description. Yet that was not a damnation, or label of evil, just words to confirm she'd made a... poor decesion.

Yet he spoke not, projected not. Only looked to Reign. "Diarch." Then to Rellik. "Diarch." Still only observing, yet below the surface his judgment flared. Perhaps based on experience. Cloning, replicating power, manipulating the force. He'd seen how it turned out, while it might end differently for this woman.

For the Massassi, who were a cast of the Sith-born, yet in truth, they were abominated mutants, bred only for war. The cost of cloning a species of force users was high. It wreaked havoc on their skeletal structure, they were massive monsters. Though even more concerning, it stripped them of their intelligence. Capable of understanding orders yes, but forming thoughts? No. Thankfully she was forming full sentences which put the Sith-born at ease. Yet, the blood pooling from this woman's nose was proof, to Wrathian, she'd played with something unnatural, and what he would consider, dangerous. Now he was curious about what cost it would exact.

"Lady... Liin, is it? I believe side-effects are only part of your concerns, quite so if you are unaware that you're projecting a presence within the force." She now had a power, but Wrathian was concerned that she might not understand what that meant. Understand it's history, it's weight, what it attracts, how it can corrupt if one is not ready. This made her a danger, to herself and others. Not because she meant to cause harm or unease in the former Prince and the Diarchs, but because she didn't meant to, and it happened anyway. Power misunderstood, is power that can be allowed to spiral.

His fear? It may have already begun to unspin.

 

[Diarch Reign]

​

Location: Ravelin Central Gardens and Park
Tags: Zinayn Diarch Rellik Liin Terallo Wrathian Kell Nos Voros

---

As he walked alongside his brother, he listened. Reign did not fully agree with the use of Laphisto as the gene father of the new clones they were attempting to use.

"I see your point brother, but let me raise you a counter. The old republic, before Palpatine's empire, attempted force sensitive cloning, and while there have been many advances in the technology, I agree, how can we be sure that the output will be viable? Clones touched by the force have often degraded much quicker, either physically, or even worse.. Mentally. I believe the best option would be to find a candidate from our military, one who is the best of the best. Perhaps one of the new Lilaste Commandos, or the Myrmidons?"

He clasped his hands behind his back as he walked, continuing

"While I agree it is a worthwhile venture, I think, to your point. We authorize a small number of clones utilizing Kiev'aran DNA, and then attempt to figure out a way to replicate the tears. That way we do not give Laphisto false hope, nor doom a fledgling resurgent race to torment and death should we fail"

His brother then changed their direction, right as Reign began to feel something within the force. He followed closely, curious as to what this new development may be.

As they approached, the only words Reign said were

"I feel it"

And he watched, watched what unfolded between Rellik and Liin. Yet when the request for a glass of wine was made, Reign bent down himself and poured it. Handing it gingerly to the woman.

"Here you are Liin, take it easy now. Testing the serum on yourself was either a bold, or foolhardy move. Either way, this is your reality now."

As Wrathian approached, the Diarch nodded at the greeting, returning it with

"Lord Kell, what an unexpected pleasure"

 

[Liin Terallo]

A dark stranger approached us. Yet he appeared to know the Diarch brothers. The last thing that I need to happen right now is a fight, for I am really not ready for such a thing.

His words gave me some cause of alarm. How could I be giving out a presence within the Force if I am not like them? I am unique and very different. Regardless this will be something that will require more testing. How else can a mystery be solved and understood other than through testing?

I can feel that the bleeding from my nose has stopped. And as Lord Reign fixes to pour me a glass of wine, I wipe away what blood that I could, hoping that for my own pride's sake there is no streaks of it remaining on my face. It is embarrassing enough to have others spot me bleeding in such a manner, for I am supposed to always appear in perfect condition.

Gingerly I take the wine glass in hand and have my first sip. The warm liquid sooths me and brings with it a greater sense of calm. Wine has always been a bit of a crutch for me and it surely will continue to do so.

I listen to Lord Reign's words and respond to them in kind. "I am beginning to think that this move of mine is both foolhardy and bold. But if not me, then it would be someone else. But I do plan to fix it. Once I have a better understanding of it." Perhaps this is what it was like when Force Wizards first began to appear; long before they became common place amongst the Galaxy. Did they suffer from side-effects as well?

Tags: Diarch Reign Diarch Rellik Wrathian Kell Zinayn Nos Voros