To Get Out and Go the Distance

[Caulder Dune]

Conjuring single lines of text on datapads was all well and good, but it wasn’t Tyrin’s end goal. That was little more than a novelty. Something Padawans would figure out to show off to one another, only to disregard it once they moved on to pursue other studies. Tyrin had no intention of abandoning this effort, although it had been a considerable amount of time since he had undertaken this labor.

He was a busy man. He had a bureaucracy on Coruscant to oversee, a government on Hypori to keep afloat, and a corporation to guide to prominence. But material power was fleeting. The power afforded to him through the Force was forever. Well, it was at the very least more difficult to take away from him in the grand scheme of things.

Several months ago, Tyrin had sought the knowledge of electronic manipulation from one of the more obscure avatars of the Telos Holocron. Since then, he had refined that power into something more meaningful. Nothing fancy, but far greater than summoning text to the screens of datapads. If he was to amass practical use in the skill, he needed to continue his studies.

And now he would do so by researching Technometry.

 

[Caulder Dune]

On paper, Technometry and Electronic Manipulation both sounded like the same thing. However, Technometry was a much broader field. Electronic Manipulation could allow him to twist the internal workings of the device to his will. He could execute commands and override firewalls with but a single thought. Technometry was much more potent and physical, in a way.

Firstly, Technometry would actually allow him to read the device in question. That was to say he could siphon information out of electronics by simply probing its memory storage with the Force. It was like mind reading, only easier since the devices could not resist it, considering they had no connection to the force.

Technometry also had a lot more to do with the actual manipulation of the physical devices themselves. Like pushing buttons, turning gears, or more potently, altering the movement of droids that were trying to attack him. Or even the movements of brutes in power armor making attempts on his life. Tyrin didn’t think he would be in any of those situations any time soon, but it never hurt to have an ace like that in the hole.

 

[Caulder Dune]

So, for the first time in what felt like an eternity, Tyrin entered the circular chamber that housed the Telos Holocron. The actual Telos Holocron, mind you, and not one of the many copies that had filtered down to him throughout his career as a Sithling. It was an artifact he guarded jealously. His only claim to importance and relevance in the Sith world. It was his sole purpose to keep it out of the hands of Jedi who would squander the knowledge inside- either by destroying it or locking it away from use by anyone.

Naturally, the latter was totally not what Tyrin was doing. That would be wildly hypocritical.

The Holocron activated upon his approach, having become familiar with the Umbaran. The avatar of the Ugnaught who had previously instructed him in Electronic Manipulation appeared, ready and willing to dispense the instruction Tyrin required.

“You again. What the hell do you want?”

Service with a smile.

 

[Caulder Dune]

“I seek insights into Technometry.” Tyrin said. “I trust you can help me with this?”

The Ugnaught studied him, snout twitching in contempt. Tyrin was not particularly bothered by this. It was a program. It was predestined to be condescending and contemptuous to everyone regardless of who they were or what they did. That was how Sith did things.

The Ugnaught eventually spoke again. “Fine, but you need a droid.”

Tyrin gestured behind him to the lone TA1 Battle Droid he brought with him. It was unarmed, and stood perfectly still as it waited for orders. The insectoid automaton made precious little noise, just the near-inaudible whirring of internal systems.

“Yeah, that’ll do.”

 

[Caulder Dune]

“Technometry,” the Ugnaught began, “is much like electronic manipulation. Only this time, you are more overtly manipulating the device. You’re no longer subtly sending signals in electronics. You are directly commanding the physical object, forcing it to move and act as you command it to.”

The holographic Ugnaught stroked its adorable little goatee, engrossed in its own lecture.

“This level of command over a machine or device is something too finely tuned for it to be done with sophisticated displays of telekinetics. It takes an expert in Technometry to get it precise enough for anything beyond flinging the damn thing into a wall.”

“Outside of that, there’s also the whole reading the information stuck up in the device as well. We’ll talk about that first. Go ahead and get ready for some real learning, fairy boy.”

 

[Caulder Dune]

For the sake of the pursuit of knowledge, Tyrin decided he would not protest being called a fairy boy by a holographic Ugnaught. It wasn’t worth fighting over. Besides, Tyrin was alive, and the Ugnaught was likely dead. That made his opinion about as invalid as it could get. It wasn’t as if this Holocron would end up in someone else’s hands any time soon and the Ugnaught would complain, at length, of Tyrin. No, not even the slightest chance.

“Sit down and get crackin’, bub.

Grimacing at the crassness of the Ugnaught, Tyrin obliged, beginning to enter his meditative trance. Truly, he didn’t need to get comfortable and meditation to manipulate most basic electronic systems, but in this instance, it would be more conducive to learning something new.

Tyrin breathed in and breathed out several times, focusing his mind on the living Force around him. Already, he could feel much more than that. The pulsing electronics of the TA1 in the room with him. Doubtless the droid was at least a little confused as to what was going on, but it wasn’t getting paid to think about these things. Or at all, really.

He took his time in getting there, but eventually he could see what he wanted to see. In his mind’s eye, Tyrin could see the interlocking pathways. The electrical signals zipping back and forth, transmitting data between the droid’s sensors and its databanks. Tyrin observed this passively for a few moments, before suddenly becoming aware he had no idea what to do next. Very well. He could figure it out hi-

“This is as far as you got?” The familiar voice of the Ugnaught pierced his head. “And here I thought you were making progress.”

Tyrin bit back a scathing retort. There were more important things to say, or ask in this case. “How are you here?”

“Shut up and listen. Follow one of the pathways ‘till you hit the source.”

Again coming to the conclusion that he would rather learn than enter an argument with the Ugnaught, Tyrin obliged. He poked around the pathways that were strewn out before him and decided to follow it. This required a tremendous amount of focus. Largely due to the internal complexity of the J2 Droid Brain, which was arranged much like an organic brain, albeit with synthetic parts. To examine an actual organic brain on this level would require rigorous training in the Art of the Small. It would also be totally useless.

But thankfully, this is Technometry we’re talking about here.

Eventually, Tyrin’s vision happened upon a large, pulsating core. Innumerable pathways stemmed from the circular object, electrical signals darting in and out of it at speeds he could scarcely comprehend. Tyrin reminded himself that this was not, in fact, what the inside of the droid brain literally looked like. It was just a perception. His own brain’s translation of what he was experiencing. Not a literal sight.

The Ugnaught’s voice returned to him. “How fast you find this thing depends on a bunch of stuff. Complexity of the droid brain, your familiarity with the droid brain, and your own ability to focus, obviously. Y’know, skilled Technometrists can do this to a bunch of droids at once.”

How utterly fascinating. “What do I do now?”

“Go ahead and touch it, you moron. That should’ve been obvious.”

Sufficiently incentivized, Tyrin’s disembodied form crept forward, hand outstretched to touch the core

 

[Caulder Dune]

It was over in a flash of light. Once it was done, Tyrin’s vision cleared to reveal the interior of the same chamber he kept the Telos Holocron in. He was still seated cross-legged on the ground, but he felt stiff. He might have been here for too long. What he immediately realized was that he now had memories that were not his own. He could distinctly recall walking here- only… Behind himself. He had memories of looking at things through a HUD, of coming to consciousness after stepping off a production line for a brief test.

It was a little unsettling, as they sort of conflicted with his own early memories and of walking to this room.

“Wow. Nice job breaking it, hero.”

Tyrin turned to look at the holographic Ugnaught. “What happened?”

“Oh, even better, he doesn’t remember. Let me fill you in, pal.” The Ugnaught derided. “I told you to pick and choose what information you want pulled out of the droid’s mind and into yours. You tried to take everything. Numbskull.”

“Why would I do that?”

“Probably because you didn’t know. Or didn’t know how. Whatever. You know, when I did this, I had a special little cyborg part in my head. You know, it made this whole thing easier. I assumed you already knew enough to get it. Idiot.”

The Umbaran grimaced. Was he really going to need to have cybernetics drilled into him if he wanted to do this properly? At this point, he may as well. Cavil had done crazier things on his own path to power. Besides, Tyrin had always spoke of how vastly superior machines were over people. Perhaps it was time to practice what he preached.

“In that case, I’ll be back later.” Tyrin said, rising unsteadily from the floor. “Much later.”

He proceeded to leave, the TA1 following him out and the Holocron shutting down- but not before the Ugnaught gave a contemptuous snort.

 

[Caulder Dune]

A handful of weeks later, Tyrin and the TA1 returned. The doors to the chamber slid open for the first time since he had departed after his previous error. Likewise, the Holocron activated at Tyrin’s presence. There was no need for him to ask for the Ugnaught, it already knew who the Umbaran had come to see.

“Welcome back, Sandra.” The Ugnaught rumbled. “You look different.”

“I took the liberty of installing an implant.” Tyrin answered.

The Ugnaught clapped. Not a sincere form of clapping, but rather the sort of condescending slow clap a person got when they failed to impress the person. Tyrin found himself flustered, but also wondering what exactly he had expected to happen. Really, he should have seen that one coming.

“So, you’re like a sellout now. Congrats, Barbra. Let me sing you the Ugnaught song of praises.”

A farting noise came from the Ugnaught. Tyrin had no idea a repository of Sith knowledge as ancient and storied as the Telos Holocron could make such a crude noise.

“If we could please return to the matter at hand.”

“Oh, you bet, Dolores. Have a seat, we can get started right quick.”

Tyrin begrudgingly took a seat, the TA1 lingering unsuspectingly in the background. Even if it was partially aware of what was going on, it was unlikely it would care. Droids could scarcely feel pain unless they were programmed to. Would something like this even register as pain? Would they even be able to detect Tyrin’s infiltration of their memory banks and internal workings?

Well, they’d certainly be able to feel the results.

Controlling his breathing to steady deep breaths, the Umbaran slipped into his meditative trance.

 

[Caulder Dune]

It was just like last time, only he found himself before the pulsating core in an instant. Perhaps Tyrin had learned something from last time. Perhaps he had spent his time away from here, recovering from the surgery that placed a cybernetic implant in his skull, studying the designs and functions of the droid brains most prevalent in the galaxy. Naturally he had studied the J2 and J1 as well. Only a fool remained unaware of his company’s own products.

Tyrin reached for the core, just as last time, but before he could touch it he could feel the implant in his head activate.

“Woah. Someone got something nice.” The Ugnaught remarked. “The hell is this?”

With further urging by Tyrin, the implant whirred to life. It connected with the droid instantly through the path provided to it by the Force. Normally this would be a rather frustrating task that would require months of practice, but the fact of the matter was that Tyrin had managed to do this before without an implant to aid him. Adding one would only ease his work, not hinder it.

“It’s the implant I mentioned earlier. As you recommended, albeit this one is unique. It's been modified by one of my associates.”

Data suddenly sprung forth from the pulsating core, displayed before Tyrin in a sort of holographic display. Tyrin found he needed to remind himself this was merely his interpretation of the sensations he was currently experiencing. A vision born of his mind’s eye that he probably wouldn’t see again once he became more versed in this skill.

Thanks to the implant, the unique SECPI 1300, Tyrin had no need to play the lottery with the information he secured here. He could shift through it and decide what he wanted at his own leisure. Obviously, there was nothing this droid knew that he had need of. He would have to settle for doing something else.

“So did your dad buy it for you, Gwyneth?”

“Be quiet, you intolerable swine.”

 

[Caulder Dune]

Tyrin’s incorporeal form floated away from the pulsating core, the holographic display vanishing at his departure. There was no information he needed to siphon here. It would be better to practice the second application of Technometry now, namely physically manipulating the droid.

He focused again, recalling the times he had perused the design schematics of the TA1. Tyrin would not have the luxury of analyzing the blueprints of every droid he encountered, but for now this was a suitable handicap. When he got better at this whole thing, he might not require such preparations.

As his focused increased, he could feel himself being pulled outward. Well, not he himself. More like his incorporeal projection or whatever it was more technically called. This was all just an organic simulation, for all intents and purposes. What he saw ceased to be a display of electrical signals and pathways leading to a pulsating core. Rather, it became twisting and winding corridors of machinery. Mechanical parts, gyroscopic stabilizers.

It was seemingly impossible to make any sense of, but for some reason he could. He directed his attention to one of the walls. Any of them would have done really, and exerted his influence. This sudden spike of Force use made the Umbaran’s eyes flutter open, just in time for him to watch the TA1 that had been present bend to his will.

He hadn’t forced it to do anything complicated, just suddenly take a sprinter’s stance. It crouched low to the ground, hands placed on the floor somewhat awkwardly. Its legs weren’t exactly made for this type of positioning. Tyrin blinked once. Could he? Perhaps he finally could.

Stand back up.

The droid stood.

Turn around.

Unsurprisingly now, the droid turned itself around.

Leave this room.

An abrupt about-face and an awkward march later, the droid was gone from the room.

And here some people would still say that an old Umbaran whose only talent lay in paperwork couldn’t be taught new tricks. But this Umbaran had just successfully bent that machine to his will using naught but his mind. And a specialized cybernetic enhancement, obviously, but that was hardly the point.

 

[Caulder Dune]

The applications of this newly honed ability were endless. It wasn’t just droids this could be applied to. With enough practice, Tyrin would be able to manipulate vehicles and other larger machines to his will. The galaxy was the limit. Tyrin went to get up, but the numbness in his legs gave away just how long he had been sitting here for again. Practice made perfect. Next time he was here, he would bring a more comfortable seating arrangement. And a timer. It seemed that would be the only way he could stay aware of how long he was “in” for exactly.

“Well, Katherine, I’m impressed. Not onl-”

Tyrin gave the Telos Holocron a flippant gesture, shutting it down remotely. That would be the last time he interacted with that aggravating Ugnaught. If he was to take any further instruction in these arts from a Holocron, he would need to do so from the foremost Sith authority in Mech Deru.

Belia Darzu.

Obviously that wouldn’t happen any time soon, because the Merrill child had gone and lost the blasted thing. No matter. He would get it back, somehow. One careful plot at a time.

Without further delay, Tyrin left the room.