Training Honor Bound (Supplemental Training of Apprentice Sharkish’ki)

[Grievance Vexx]

IC- Lord Grievance Vexx
Kamino - Abandoned Cloning Facility



There is always something haunting about returning to the sites where battles had been fought during the Clone Wars. Kamino is no exception—not for Vexx anyway. Sometimes it fills him with a sense of wonder when he knows he is entering a place his father had been, even if it was so many years ago.

Tonight, as lightning briefly lights up the perpetually damp location, Vexx guides the Coup De Grâce in to touch down on a partially intact landing platform on an old cloning facility, obviously damaged by battles past. It almost feels like there would be ghosts here, haunting the gloomy piece of history on this cliché dark and stormy night.



He had sent the coordinates to Sharkish’ki’s transport, expecting the Death Warrior to meet him here fully armed. He has already given his apprentice a taste of what it means to guard his mind. Now he is about to test Sharkish’ki’s skill on multiple levels and begin the process of building an indomitable Sith Warrior of House Cruor.

He has brought his medical droid along for this. Where there is Sith training, there is always a chance for...accidents. As it is, Grievance Vexx has no reason to dislike Sharkish’ki enough to let him die if something happens. The General probably wouldn’t appreciate his negligence either if it came down to that, since the training of this particular Death Warrior is a shared responsibility between the two of them, ordained by Lord Cruor himself.

“Ten credits says I’ll be doing a repair job on you before the apprentice,” A4-D smarts off first thing as he exits the ship through the droid port in the bottom.

“And what makes you willing to make that bet?” Vexx asks, partially amused as the droid doctor pops an umbrella over himself, though he doesn’t truly care to know A4-D’s answer.

“Your track record,” A4-D replies without hesitation, “For the love of the dark side, Master, you chopped your own arm off in that death wish Gauntlet you just couldn’t say no to. I hate to see how much more your skill will deteriorate as you age. Kaleesh don’t live all that long, you know. You certainly are no Anzat.”

“Thank the Force,” Vexx grumbles, his thoughts immediately going to Lord Joker with the mention of the species, “I would kill my self if I lived that long.”

“I would kill you if you lived that long, Master.”



Vexx growls in annoyance and trudges away to stand beneath a dilapidated awning close to the facility’s darkened entrance. EV-A4-D trails behind, not at all caring to be out in the rain. It doesn’t seem to bother the Krigsbefallaf though. His mind is elsewhere, planning for when Sharkish’ki arrives.

Tag: @Sharkish’Ki

 

[Sharkish’Ki]

IC- Death Apprentice Sharkish’Ki
Kamino - Abandoned Cloning Facility

Lord Vexx had shuttled ahead, his ex-Jedi fighter only capable of seating a large cyborg and a melodramatic med droid. Sharkish’Ki had settled comfortably into a seat aboard a Nune-Class shuttle, adorned in its subtle House Cruor colours. He was accompanied by the familiar voice of his usual pilot, the presence of which was also comforting, as the pilot in question had proved their capability.

“Kamino ahead, Sir” reported the pilot as the shuttle dropped out of hyperspace and rapidly descended on the ocean-planet. He rose from his seat and drew up behind the pilot, overlooking the vast expanse of water through the transparisteel viewports. In that moment, he was equal parts inspired and terrified. “Too much water, hiding too many monsters!” He thought, as the tempestuous water rolled and swirled.

“Zone in on Lord Vexx’s transponder” Sharkish’Ki commanded. The shuttle lurched towards a collection of habitats that were currently being ravaged by gigantic waves, the likes of which he’d never seen. How the old structure managed to remain stable on it’s spindly plinths, let alone buoyant amidst the turbulence, amazed him.

Sharkish’Ki moved to the aft of the shuttle and looked down upon the occupied platform from the opening troop ramp. Lord Vexx and A4-D stared back at him through the sheets of slate grey rain, as distant lightning and the flashing of landing beacons highlighted their frames. Sharkish’Ki was already being assaulted by the water as he held onto the overhead railings, planning his drop. The shuttle had swung around and was comfortably hanging ten or so meters above the platform, just shy of his lord’s transport.

He leapt.

An intense concentration adorned his face as rain pelted him, his cape billowing behind him as he fell, yielding flashes of blood red in the sporadic lighting. He splashed down, disturbing the thin sheet of water that had accumulated on the platform with the thud of his feet. His use of the Force had controlled his landing and strengthened his resistance against the impact. His thoughts centred around intrigue, as the rain just provided another adversary to defeat. He found his blackened rakghoul amour resisted the majority of it, yet he felt it’s cold touch seeping into his neck and shoulders.

He took a few paces toward his master before kneeling, one arm across his knee, and bowing his head. Water pooled into the shinguard of his boot as he spoke. “Master, this is an interesting choice of locations!” He squinted slightly, raising his voice as to hear himself over the tinny sound of rainfall hitting the metallic structures. “May we move inside, my Lord? I’m assuming my trial here isn’t to see how long takes for me to dry out?”

Though there was respect and honour between them, he hoped his humour wasn’t a total wash out!

TAG: @Grievance Vexx

 

[Grievance Vexx]

IC- Lord Grievance Vexx
Kamino - Abandoned Cloning Facility

Though his tinnitus affliction isn’t as intense as it could and likely one day will be in the presence of his apprentice, Vexx still winces as an episode sets in, alerting him to the nearing presence of a Force-user. The Force itself tells him it is indeed Sharkish’ki approaching.

“Aww, scrap! He’s going to jump,” EV-A4-D moans, lowering his umbrella to block his vision as though he doesn’t want to see this, then he moves it away again with something of a gleeful reconsideration, “On second thought, if he falls in, we’re done here.”

A metallic clang is just barely heard over the driving rain as Vexx gives the droid a well-deserved swat to the back of his head. He focuses on his apprentice’s approach, watching him land without incident and then lower himself to a kneeling position.

“Rise, Krigare,” the Krigsbefallaf’s rumbling synthetic voice barely betrays a note of excitement, “We will indeed be getting out of this weather presently. Come.”

He turns to enter the decimated airlock behind him, his wet cloak hanging with a heavier weight to it; its hem lazily slapping against his lower legs with each ground-consuming stride he takes. As they enter the war-battered facility, all is quiet but for the hammering of the rain on the roof and the ominous roaring of the waves below. It is almost as if the water collectively is seeking to destroy the crumbling structure. Vexx doesn't seem bothered by it though, which is a curious thing when one considers that being submerged in water would be particularly hazardous to him.

“I have a mission for you, Sharkish’ki,” he pauses, retrieving a datapad from inside his cloak and passing it to the apprentice, “This is the latest blueprint of the layout of this building. Somewhere in here is a holocron containing valuable information pertinent to a mission I must carry out. Finding and obtaining the holocron is your main objective here, but...there are certain conditions that must first be met.”

Without warning, the Krigsbefallaf extends a clawed hand and slowly closes his fist. Sharkish’ki will feel a deep and powerful pull on the Force between them...and then nothing. No sense of direction. No awareness of what is alive or dead inside this place. No guidance from the Force whatsoever. Grievance Vexx has severed Sharkish’ki’s connection to the Force entirely.

“My apologies, Apprentice,” he states, sounding sincere despite his expression being unreadable, “You are to be tested in your most basic skills as a warrior until such time that I release you from the Sever. You might as well learn early not to rely completely on the Force. You never know when it may be taken from you and you should never be unprepared.”

He gives Sharkish’ki time to process the experience of being divided from what is essentially a lifeline to Sith and Jedi alike. He has no doubt the apprentice’s world has suddenly become silent; empty. It must be frightening, but Vexx wouldn’t know. He has never been terribly concerned over having the Force kept from him because he seldom actively uses it anyway; except for occasions such as these, of course.

“Do not focus on what you no longer have,” he speaks after a few moments, “Rather, focus on the resources you do have. You spoke of your own dependability; this is an opportunity to prove how deep that quality runs. Will you still prove dependable, Krigare, even stripped of your power?”

When Sharkish’ki researches the blueprints within the datapad, he will find it is detailed enough to serve as a map of the facility. Several levels down in one of the tapering shafts that supports the structure suspended over the waves is a vault system, likely meant for holding DNA at one time in the distant past. If Sharkish’ki can recall different signals in the Force just before Vexx cut his connection, he will remember that there was something endowed with the Force down in that vault system, calling him. If he remembers this, he should assume it was the holocron Vexx has brought him here to retrieve.

Tag: @Sharkish’Ki

 

[Sharkish’Ki]

IC- Death Apprentice Sharkish’Ki
Kamino - Abandoned Cloning Facility

There was a dark malice to the interior of the facility, as Sharkish’Ki began to notice the scars of war on the structure. The rain and all around insidiousness of the environment had done well to mask the damage it had sustained. Now that they were inside, the precariousness of the terrain started to be become apparent.
He’d followed his master into the first of the many domes, closely observing his surroundings for the moment, after giving a brief thought as to why his Medical droid was present. “Surely Lord Vexx hasn’t survived this long by having him present on mission?” He thought, wondering if the spare parts canisters onboard his ship were for him, and not his vessel. Shaking the thought free, he stopped as Lord Vexx handed him a datapad, explaining the mission as he did so.

Then the pain came. Sharp and purposeful, it burrowed into his mind, as he clasped his head with both hands. And it was gone as quickly as it came. “What in Malak’s name was that!?” he exclaimed as his master dictated the parameters of his quest. “Well that’s just great! I was just getting used to exercising my powers!” He huffed, as his lightsaber didn’t even rattle on his belt as his focus shifted to trying his telekinesis. “As you wish, master. I managed well enough without the Force before. What’s the worst that can happen?” He was not a child, and the Force was not a crutch to depend on, he thought. “On second thought, don’t answer that,”knowing full well Lord Vexx could indeed make things worse for him.

He looked around him, then down at the blueprints on the datapad. The walkway they were in was as generic as they come; plain white walls, slightly obscured by dust and blaster scorching, with frosted glass that hinted at the treacherous conditions outside. Looking behind the giant, Kaleesh cyborg and his droid offered no more clues, as it mirrored their position.



“Well, we need to find the lower levels, according to the data…” he paused a moment, pondering. It was equal odds, as interpretation of the blueprint was not his strong suit, yet there were landmarks between slides that matched up, and so he chose. “This is the way…” as he started down a corridor that looked to be the right direction, towards what he hoped would be turbo lifts, trailing water behind him from the soaked cloak, like proverbial breadcrumbs.

TAG: @Grievance Vexx

 

[Grievance Vexx]

IC- Lord Grievance Vexx
Kamino - Abandoned Cloning Facility

“There are those among the Sith who believe they are nothing separated from their powers,” the Krigsbefallaf explains patiently in spite of Sharkish’ki’s initial offense over being cut off from the Force, “This will allow you to prove otherwise. You must prove it to yourself first; then and only then will you be equipped to prove it to others.”

His teachings are far from the norm of most Sith, but Vexx hardly cares. Being like everybody else has never been a prominent goal in his life. He had come to accept long ago that “fitting in” is a hope of vanity, especially among the Sith. There will always be those who find him unsavory. So be it. His feelings are not so fragile. By extension, he believes that all who call themselves warriors should do their best to accept this as well.

“We?” the Dark Lord chuckles unnervingly, “No, Krigare. This is all you. I have...other matters to attend to. I cannot be two places at once and this is why I have brought you to retrieve the holocron. At the same time, I am here on Council matters. Obviously, you are not equipped to handle the latter, so you will be executing the retrieval.”

He adjusts his comlink to connect his and Sharkish’ki’s frequencies. “I will be reachable at all times. I just cannot physically accompany you where you must go because of other matters that demand my attention and presence. Keep this in mind, Krigare: though you can no longer rely on the Force to tell you things, I still can. This is where trust begins. While I cannot fight your battles for you, as a brother and apprentice—providing you abide by the rules put down by the Empress—I will always have your back, with your best interest in mind. Today is when I will prove that to you.”

He looks over Sharkish’ki’s shoulder at the datapad, scrutinizing it as though looking for a specific detail, which he is. “Turbolifts should still be functional,” he muses, “But you will have to locate the main power source and turn it on first. Looks like that might be over here in the east quadrant of the upper levels. When you use the turbolifts to access the vault system below, be aware that you will be under a substantial amount of water; there will be a noticeable difference in pressure. Have you any questions for me, Krigare? If not, you may begin your mission. You are free to contact me via comlink at your leisure once we part ways.”

Tag: @Sharkish’Ki

 

[Sharkish’Ki]

IC: Death Apprentice Sharkish’Ki
Kamino - Abandoned Cloning Facility

Sharkish’Ki paused mid-thought and sighed. He turned back slightly, as to face his master. “I have no idea what I’m looking for here!” He said with an air of frustration, as he tightly grips the datapad at his side. “My first visit here, and you want to see if I drown? How about we do my thing here, and then we do your thing there?” He was met with a silent, deadpan stare from both Lord Vexx and his droid, as they both exchanged a look toward each other before turning and striding away, leaving Sharkish’Ki to fend for himself.

“Great! No, it’s okay, I’ve got this. You go do that…” Sharkish’Ki turned towards his chosen route, and frowned at himself. Displaying his apparent need for guidance was not part of his core values, and that frustrated him, but there was something about the place that cried out to solitary souls that they should not venture alone. “This place is way too quiet,” he muttered, “It reminds me of the ruins of Taris.” He raised his voice a little, hoping Lord Vexx was still within earshot. He couldn’t take his eyes off of the storms raging outside the habitats, in spite of the pin-drop silence that plagued the internals of the structure, save for sparking electronics that fought for his attention as he continued down the passageway.

“The Kaminoans didn’t even stop us from landing. What happened here?” A sleek, iris-like door creaked slightly, almost moaning as if fighting its instinct to close. Sharkish’Ki tentatively slinked through it, and for someone of his size, slinking was not a common occurrence. Yet he felt caution was necessary. Was it nerves? Was he overly dependent on his foresight? The passageways continued around the outskirts of the habitat, as rain pelted the glasswork of the structure. His thoughts blurred between his objective, and his ability to remain objective.


His datapad would lead him to the position hinted at by Lord Vexx, but something within Sharkish’Ki told him it would not be that simple a task.

Tag: @Grievance Vexx

 

[Grievance Vexx]

IC- Lord Grievance Vexx
Kamino - Abandoned Cloning Facility

The Krigsbefallaf scowls as Sharkish’ki voices his apprehensions. Not that he has any room to hold such protest against him. He himself had been quite resentful of Lord Draconis when his master had sent him into the unknown with skeletal information at best. It had taught him to be resourceful in the end, but at the time, it was most annoying. Vexx rolls his eyes as if Sharkish’ki’s protest of not knowing what he’s looking for is the worst excuse in the book to balk.

The Apprentice’s comlink chimes almost immediately thereafter and as Sharkish’ki activates the incoming transmission, he will find himself presented with an image of the prize he is being sent for.



“One must be patient with technology, Krigare,” Vexx’s voice rumbles up the corridor, testifying clearly that he is still within earshot, “The signal is a bit sketchy out here. Find the holocron and bring it back. It will yield no information without the aid of the Force.”

Sharkish’ki will be able to figure things out from that small piece of final information: Vexx has a more ulterior motive for severing his connection to the Force. Whatever is in that holocron has to be classified and he doesn’t want it mishandled. No pressure on this mission, for sure.

“You are a real son of a glitch, you know that?” EV-A4-D harrumphs at his master, “Have you forgotten how much similar missions infuriated you as an apprentice?”

“Of course not,” Vexx replies, unconcerned, “I hated those missions, but they did me no harm.”

“Right,” the droid laughs openly, “You only got your backside handed to you by another apprentice. You remember that? I do because I remember all the work it took to fix you up and on top of that, I had to undo the hideous job you did trying to fix yourself on the fly!”

“Spare me the trip down Memory Lane,” the Dark Lord Kaleesh growls, “And for the love of Shrupak, be quiet! I am expecting the General will be contacting me shortly on Council matters. The last thing I want is your pointless prattle going on in the background.”

Meanwhile, as Sharkish’ki embarks on his mission, albeit begrudgingly, even without the Force, he will get the eerie feeling that he is being watched; followed perhaps. And the eyes watching him are more than the eyes of the Krigsbefallaf and his chatterbox medical droid. They are not the eyes of a protective overwatch. They are hungry eyes and they see the Death Apprentice as suitable prey.

Tag: @Sharkish’Ki, @Reiis Invadator

 

[Reiis Invadator]

IC: General Invadator
Somewhere Else

It isn't long before Lord Vexx's comm chimes, but it's not the Council matters he's looking for.

"What did you do to him?" she frowns, expecting that he'll know exactly what she talking about. "You told me he was searching for a holocron, and now his presence is muted. Did the holocron eat him? Karolus Rexx I swear.....ohhhh...I know what you did!" She continues, barely giving him more time to talk than his blasted medical droid ever did. "You shut him off from the Force, didn't you! I hate it when you use Sever. You know you're proving to be as difficult as our Master. Next you'll be talking in code. 'Patience, apprentice,' and 'Patience,' and 'Patience,' again. I'll have Sharkish'Ki get a count of how many times you say patience."

He might wonder if she commed just to nag him.

@Grievance Vexx
@Sharkish'Ki

 

[Sharkish’Ki]

IC: Death Apprentice Sharkish’Ki
Kamino - Abandoned Cloning Facility

Sharkish’Ki made his way through more doorways, as the passageways made him veer into the interior of the complex. Rain on windows gave way to the intermittent flashing of damaged overhead lighting. Vast chambers below him hosted empty pods that hung in the darkness from mechanical branches, like the fruits of some long dead, sentient-made tree that had been starved of light. The silence and the eerie feeling he was being followed was broken only by the sounds of his master’s droid’s commentary, making Sharkish’Ki snigger.

“You know, I don’t mind working alone. But I’ve no intentions of become a cyborg, my Lord!” The tiles beneath his feet appeared wet, as if drying from a previous flood. Sharkish’Ki began to feel increasingly uneasy, pondering on the insurmountable amount of water that stirred below him. “Nothing against Cyborgs, of course…” he said with a nervous laugh. “Just… to each their own. And I’d like to keep the rest of my own parts. LIMBS! I meant to say limbs!” The nervous laugh continued, as the silence suddenly felt a bit claustrophobic, despite the width of the passageway being the size of an average speeder.

His datapad pinged up an image of the final objective; a Sith Holocron. He’d been in the presence of one before, as he recalled his question to it regarding Sith runes. This holocron, however, seemed foreboding. Forbidden. Dangerous. Sharkish’Ki’s eyes lit up, intrigued by the potential prize. He’d been following his feet, almost absentmindedly, passing more of the same incubation chambers, doing his best to avoid interrogating his master about the item. “So, the great Clone Wars… this is where the Troopers were made. I can see why it was an easy victory. I don’t think armies are so easily raised without this kind of technology.” He said, quietly and inquisitively, subtly changing the subject. His knowledge of the Jedi purge was minimal, as there was little in the way of a Jedi presence on Taris. Rumours would spread every now and then regarding a Force user, be they Sith or Jedi. He’d never seen either during his past six years there, though there was a hint in his mind that he knew one, before his reawakening.

He’d noticed the passageways had begun to feel like tunnels; tunnels that were getting darker, as he made his way up the levels. Somewhere, something was diverting or draining the power. Something was causing this darkness, and it excited Sharkish’Ki, playing between his curiosity and his fear of the unknown. He felt like he needed to prepare himself more for what may lie ahead, and so he affixed his rebreather, more out of familiarity than caution, as the red glow of it filter routines cast menacing shadows across his brow, giving him a small confidence boost.

The passageway finally gave way to a large chamber. Whether the power drain was local to this particular room or not remained to be seen.



TAG: @Grievance Vexx

 

[Grievance Vexx]

IC- Lord Grievance Vexx
Kamino - Abandoned Cloning Facility

Vexx doesn’t even have time to get in a proper greeting before Invadator starts gnawing his audio receptors off with accusations. He rolls his eyes with a soft growl, but he’s listening. He’s always listening whether he really wants to or not.

“Patience, General,” he replies, certainly choosing his words on purpose after her comment regarding the lessons of the master who had trained them both. If he weren’t trying so hard to burn her right now, he would be snickering. “A Sever was necessary. I spent the greater part of my life without the Force and look at me. I turned out fine.”

“Only because I was there to put Grumpty-Dumpty together again,” EV-A4-D mutters, “Otherwise, all you would have turned out to be is ‘fine’ scrap metal.”

Vexx makes a gesture suggesting A4-D kill the chatter before the cyborg kills him. Not that the droid doctor is at all intimidated. He is as used to his master’s threats as Vexx is to A4-D’s rotten bedside manner. They are almost like an old married couple the way they bicker back and forth.

“Our Apprentice is in good hands, General, I assure you,” the Krigsbefallaf turns his attention back to Invadator, “I will not let him get killed unless he absolutely deserves it and if he deserves it, I will kill him myself.”

His comlink brings in Sharkish’ki’s voice next, speaking of the Clone Wars and the army of clones the Jedi had sent into the meat grinder that was the war against the Separatist forces. Vexx offers no comment. There will be time to talk about those great battles in the future. Hopefully. If Sharkish’ki survives this mission, of course.

There is definitely a presence following the Death Warrior as he enters the larger chamber of the facility. It is hostile. Malicious. Yet it doesn’t make itself known just yet. It observes; watching; stalking.

“Have you located that power source yet, Apprentice?” Vexx’s voice crackles over Sharkish’ki’s comlink, “Try not to dawdle. The only way to settle your unease is to get what you came for and get out.”

Tag: @Sharkish’Ki, @Reiis Invadator

 

[Sharkish’Ki]

IC: Death Apprentice Sharkish’Ki
Kamino - Abandoned Cloning Facility

Sharkish’Ki approached what seemed to be the centre console, now oblivious to anything other than his current objectives. The twilight of the cavernous room felt insidious, as if turning on the lights would leave the monsters with no choice but to pounce from the shadows or slink further into them. The array before him made little sense, presenting itself as an almost featureless, glass surface. Cobalt glyphs pulsated around a spinning, spherical diagram with several pathways leading from it. And then he spotted it; a rotating combination of crimson glyphs that he could only assume were Kaminoan letters or words that every now and then switched to Aurebesh. “Reset Main Reactor”, if his Aurebesh was any good.
The hairs stood up on the back of his neck as the anticipation of his next move stirred all sorts of wild imaginings. He was basically announcing his position to anyone listening… or watching.

“Yes, master, I think I’ve found it. Here goes nothing…” he thought no more of it as he barely waved his hand over the command before it froze and began rippling it’s way to the centre of the console like a stone skipping across undisturbed water. Upon reaching the centre, Sharkish’Ki was plunged into almost total darkness. He looked around him, almost straining his eyes in an attempt to make out significant shapes. Small lights remained in the high rafters, but offered little more than providing a measure of distance in the vast room.
The crimson phrase had been replaced by the image of the reactor, in a similar colour. It seemed to be counting down, as a circle appeared around it that was slowly but surely reducing itself toward the centre image. The feeling of paranoia wouldn’t shake loose, as his heart rate increased. Between the console and his rebreather, they were the only light sources; perfect beacons for any that would attack from the darkness. He turned his back to the console. “I’ve got a bad feeling about this…” he muttered quietly to the suffocating blackness that extended before him, as he reached to his belt and unclipped his lightsaber.

Tag: @Grievance Vexx

 

[Grievance Vexx]

IC- Lord Grievance Vexx
Kamino - Abandoned Cloning Facility

“Calm yourself, Apprentice,” Vexx’s tone carries an unshakable steadiness to it that has been known to instill a sense of reassurance in his comrades whether they are force sensitive or not, the technique coming strictly from his warrior background alone. “You will come to no harm under my watch. If you keep quoting Jedi though, I don’t know...”

Of course, his latter comment is merely in jest, attempting to put Sharkish’ki at ease with a small show that there is a sense of humor buried under all the deadly steel and wires. He can sense the presence sharing the space Sharkish’ki is in. While it has him vigilant, one cannot say he is worried about it, but technically, he should be. The presence has more ill intent toward him than it does Sharkish’ki in this moment.

“There is something on your six, Krigare,” he says quietly, like one friend alerting another that a venomous snake is deadly close, “Remain calm. It is not something easily identified.”

He extends himself through the Force, trying to wrap his understanding around this presence that has taken to shadowing Sharkish’ki. It is ghostly; paranormal. Certainly not anything common and not the sort of thing he had expected to encounter when he had brought Sharkish’ki on this mission. As soon as his signature reaches out to encompass the being, both he and Sharkish’ki are assaulted by a telepathic scream that is absolutely maddening as it shakes the very foundations of the cloning facility. Since he is elsewhere in the facility, Vexx will not be privy to actually laying eyes on the thing responsible for the scream, but his apprentice will.



If Sharkish’ki turns around amid the flickering power—doubtlessly influenced by whatever is in the chamber with him—he will see a skeletal being floating like a specter in the shadows now tinted red by emergency lights placed near appropriate exits. Its hollow eyes glow with a white light that matches its wild white hair and its humanoid stature is draped in rags like a corpse that has fought its bindings to rise from its burial place. The being—a Starweird, as it were—turns to look at Sharkish’ki with unnerving hunger and issues another blood-curdling scream.

“What the hell is that?!” EV-A4-D yelps, hiding behind Vexx’s legs, “Master, why did you bring me here? I am not equipped for this nonsense!”

“We may have need of your services yet, Doctor,” Vexx replies, just as steady as ever, “Wait here.”

“What? For the love of my motherboard!” the droid whines, “You can’t leave me here alone!”

“It is either that or you come with me.”

“Into dangers unknown?”

“Yes.”

Another telepathic scream rattles the facility.

“In that case, you go on ahead. I will be fine by myself here. I’ve got this.”

Tag: @Sharkish’Ki

 

[Sharkish’Ki]

IC: Death Apprentice Sharkish’Ki
Kamino - Abandoned Cloning Facility

Sharkish’Ki shrunk almost to his knees as a scream pierced his skull like one his flashbacks. He raised his lightsaber defensively toward the creature and clasped his skull with his prosthetic, as the acute pain ripped through him. He squinted with the pain, yet he daren’t take his eyes off the creature as it hung floating in the passageway, partially luminescent and partially obscured by the darkness. Its glow seemed to increase in intensity with its outburst, darkening as the scream subsided. He refrained from activating his blade, in favour of understanding it’s intentions.

“What is it!?” He whispered through gritted teeth, as the pain dulled with the welcomed silence. “It’s just watching me…”

Sharkish’Ki slowly raised himself to a defensive stance, sliding his back foot out behind him, and gripping his hilt with both hands across his body, ready to activate the controlled plasma at a split second’s notice. The creature had yet to display aggression, he thought, as perhaps this scream was defensive, based on proximity.

Sharkish’Ki gave the screen a glance, and as the countdown neared completion, he took a step back to judge the creature’s reaction. Would it follow? Perhaps he would need another exit, or to attempt go through the creature by force.

Tag: @Grievance Vexx

 

[Grievance Vexx]

IC - Lord Grievance Vexx
Kamino - Abandoned Cloning Facility

Vexx does not move to immediately intervene in this situation. He merely wants to know what in the name of Kalee’s deadly sun is in there. He moves into another room, opposite the chamber his apprentice is in; an observation room of sorts, hidden behind mirrored transparisteel. From there, he has a clear view of what is going on inside the control room.

The Starweird continues to hover, staring at Sharkish’ki in eerie silence, but then its attention shifts to the transparisteel wall behind the Death Warrior. Sharkish’ki won’t be able to tell Vexx is behind that wall, but the Starweird knows he’s there and it flies right over Sharkish’ki’s head with lethal intent and another mind-blowing scream. It strikes the wall and claws at it like a frenzied beast, giving Vexx an up close and personal view of its hideous features on the other side.

Vexx curses in Kaleesh as the creature dives full throttle at the transparisteel, taking a step back defensively as one clawed Hand comes to rest on one of his lightsabers. The Starweird does no damage, but it certainly is a fearsome sight to behold. Confident that the thing cannot harm him at the moment, Vexx speaks to Sharkish’ki through the comlink.

“It is a Starweird, Krigare,” he tells his apprentice, “Consider yourself fortunate to be cut off from the Force right now and take advantage of its distraction. As soon as the power stabilizes, get to the turbolifts.”

Tag: @Sharkish’Ki

 

[Reiis Invadator]

IC: General Invadator
Somewhere Else...and There

He may not realize it, by their comm is still connected. "The hell is that?!" snaps the holographic projection of Reiis. Her eyes go wide, though nobody can see it. Some muttered cursing may be heard, and then the comm cuts out. But what Lord Vexx may sense, if not Sharkish'Ki, will be the presence of something not quite so distant as a comm call. She is not there, of course...but part of her is. And she's discreetly watching nearby.

*Fascinating* the inky blackness that has made itself into a small cloud-like apparition says through the Force. *I've only read of Starweirds in the archives.*

 

[Sharkish’Ki]

IC: Death Apprentice Sharkish’Ki
Kamino - Abandoned Cloning Facility

The creature screeched again, zipping over Sharkish’Ki’s head, again making him recoil into himself in agony. He dropped his lightsaber and clasped his head with both hands, as any of his defences shattered with the clattering of the steel hilt on the tiled floor. It was as if his hearing had been amplified. The clanging rang through him like a ton weight on an ancient iron bell, as his eyes squeezed tight, forcing out unwanted tears of pain.

The starweird clawed and ravaged at the dark pane above him, as Lord Vexx’s voice engaged over the intercom, and soon after the creature calmed, as if temporarily exhausted. “So I’m guessing it likes to play with Force users?” Sharkish’Ki groaned, slowly reaching down to collect his hilt, fumbling to attach it to his belt. He pushed himself forward into a trot towards where the starweird had appeared, stumbling as the pain subsided. The creature seemed content to stare at the pane, as if it could see the Force aura generated by the Dark Lord Krigsbefallaf.

Sharkish’Ki had given up waiting for the countdown. There was a deep whirring, that seemed to emanate from within the belly of the facility, as the red glows of emergency beacons were replaced by the white auras of the overhead lighting, like the wave of a hand had brought light to the broken complex.

*Sut-sa mikish: naha* An audio message rang through the facility.
*Main power: online* The Galactic Basic translation followed.

“Time to find a way down, then, if you’re happy to keep that thing occupied.” Sharkish’Ki glanced over his shoulder, clocking the hanging creature as inanimate, enthralled by Lord Vexx’s presence.

Somehow, The General had cast a message through the Force. She was here, but not here. Sharkish’Ki pondered briefly on the how, before continuing.
“Curious creatures, my Lords. At least they’re corporeal. Means they can be cut down… I hope.” The passageway extended before him, with familiar doorways and adjoining rooms, before ending in a t-junction with two large ovoid rooms ahead of him. Sharkish’Ki stepped inside one of them, and was greeted with a holographic display on a nearby wall showing the available levels accessed by the shaft.

“How far down should I go?” Sharkish’Ki’s instinct was to aim for the bottom rung and work his way up the levels, and so he waved a hand at the farthest point. The glossy white doors slid effortlessly closed and his descent began, offering him a little time to collect his thoughts and reflect on what may lay ahead of him. He braced his hands on the walls, hanging his head from the residual headache, only to be distracted again as surface before him became transparent. Sharkish’Ki stepped back in awe, as it offered up the terror of plunging beneath the crashing waves of the great Kaminoan ocean. For now, there was only quiet, and the gloom of the murky water.


Tag: @Grievance Vexx @Reiis Invadator

 

[Grievance Vexx]

IC- Lord Grievance Vexx
Kamino - Abandoned Cloning Facility

“Fascinating, my eye,” Vexx grumbles, though he isn’t at all surprised by the General’s intrigue. She is strange like that. “That blasted screaming is enough to make my head ring for all eternity. I have a mind to give it something to scream about.”

He snatches a lightsaber from his hip armor. No “fascinating” being with a screaming problem is going to hold him hostage in this room. He emerges and instinctively shields himself as another enraged shriek shakes the facility. Sharkish’ki will both hear and feel it as well, but not quite bearing the brunt that slams into the Krigsbefallaf. Though to many, the sound would be absolutely terrifying, to Vexx, it is just plain annoying. Perhaps his perspective of it is influenced by his tinnitus. This thing before him seems to attach an appropriate face to the affliction.

“Apparently so,” he growls in response to Sharkish’ki’s assumption that starweirds like to play with those endowed with the Force, “You just stay focused. I will deal with this here.” He cringes as he senses another presence close by and, like the starweird, it is not there in the hopes of fostering an unlikely friendship with either of the two Sith trespassing on their home. “Be on your guard, Apprentice. As much as I hate to say it...I have a bad feeling about this.”

As Sharkish’ki descends to to the lower levels that lie beneath the Kaminoan ocean, he will feel the dizzying pressure change beneath the weight of so much water and he may begin to wonder why in the world anyone would construct underwater structures with transparency in mind—especially when he takes note of a massive and ominous shadow moving within the depths of the stygian waters. As Sharkish’ki moves within the glass-like tunnel shrouded in algae and seaweed, the creature takes notice of his presence and its primal mind registers him as one thing and one thing only.

Prey.

Its massive form vanishes into the murk for a few heartbeats before it comes rushing back, jaws gaping wide as it smashes into the part of the tunnel Sharkish’ki is standing in. The impact is impressive, yet miraculously the tunnel withstands the crunch. The fact remains, however: the creature is not deterred in wondering what a Death Apprentice might taste like.



Tag: @Sharkish’Ki, @Reiis Invadator

 

[Sharkish’Ki]

IC: Death Apprentice Sharkish’Ki
Kamino - Abandoned Cloning Facility: Lower Levels.

Sharkish’Ki’s brain had been thumping since exiting the elevator. Then another scream came, though less intense, it still poked and prodded like a hot iron into his temples. He felt the cold of the depths around him, as if the weight of the water was on his very skin despite the soundness of the surrounding structure. How long that would last, he was about to find out.

He looked about him as he walked the away from the turboshaft. He could feel the depths playing with his mind. His eyes fought to focus in the half-light of this forgotten level of the complex. Light specks appeared in the darkness, moving swiftly along the length of the passageway, the other side of what he now recognised as glass. Slipping around, the pattern they formed led to the serpentine features of large, bright yellow eyes.

Sharkish’Ki stopped in his tracks, transfixed by the colossal beast. Suddenly, the creature lunged at him. From the pitch black of the watery void it came. It’s tiny flecks of bioluminescence did nothing to quell its vicious intent, and achieved much to portray its vast size. The teeth, that were easily half the size of him, clamped down on the transparent walls, scraping great streaks into the algae as the glass resisted the creature’s strength.
“What in Krayt’s name is that?!” He yelled to any that would hear him, as he stumbled to the floor, scrabbling away from the attack, and bracing himself with his back to the opposite wall, staring down the slick gullet of the serpentine beast. The structure around him shook from the impact, and yet remained sound. “It’s been a long time since I felt like I was something’s breakfast!”
The creature braced its equally oversized claws on the pathway and pulled its jaws free before pushing itself back into its icy darkness, leaving behind the sound of screeching of twisting metals as the damage was clearly registered at the facility’s foundations.

“It’s been a long time since I felt like I was something’s breakfast!”
Sharkish’Ki picked himself up once again, and put himself into a brisk jog. “At least this passageway looks like it’s been well built. But let’s hope my new guest isn’t that persistent… or that hungry!”

The walkway opened out into an atrium, with a new array of adjoining paths. The ceiling looked to be glasswork, thick with blotches of algae and weeds. Sharkish’Ki hoped it would provide cover from the creature, but it remained to be seen.
There was no obvious direction to be taken. All exits seemed the same. And then he heard it. A whispering. Was he imagining it? He couldn’t be sure, as he strained his hearing. His head thumped, as his sinuses fought with the pressure of the deep sea. Perhaps the tunnel ahead was the right path. It was better than staying put, to become a meal for the locals.

And so Sharkish’Ki continued on, into the darkness.


Tag: @Grievance Vexx @Reiis Invadator

 

[Grievance Vexx]

IC - Lord Grievance Vexx
Kamino - Upper Levels of Abandoned Cloning Facility

The starweird has taken to pacing and unleashing scream after scream, assaulting Vexx with disorienting, mind-blowing noise. The Krigsbefallaf does his best to withstand the bombardment, but even still, it leaves him shaking his head, growling, and nearly buckling at the knees each time. What he does not realize is that with each scream, the starweird is also striking him with a Force Drain. It isn’t enough to deplete him entirely, but if there were more starweirds in this room than just one, Vexx would be in a considerable amount of danger.

He makes a lunge for the grotesque creature, aiming to run it through at chest level with his lightsaber. It shrieks and nimbly dodges, striking out with its corpse-like claws. There is a screech as it’s claws glance off Vexx’s metal frame and the cyborg feels the sting, but there is little damage dealt to his armor. Vexx gracefully pivots back on one foot and levels a second attack via a slash aimed at taking off the creature’s head, but again, the starweird manages to evade and, since its claws yielded so little harm to the metal monstrosity, it decides to try another tactic—and it is an effective one.

An arc of Force Lightning, white as the starweird’s glowing eyes streaks out of its misshapen hands and connects directly to the Krigsbefallaf’s core. The feral roar of sheer agony is fit to rival the screech of the starweird as Vexx struggles to maintain his footing under the electrical assault firing through his circuitry.

It occurs to Vexx that retreat is probably necessary until he figures out what this thing is fully capable of, but still, it deserves some punishment in return for its audacity. The shock has not been enough to bring him down, but sustained attacks could gradually do just that, so he reaches into the Force and blasts the starweird back with a telekinetic wave. With a cry of surprise, the creature flies backward and slams hard into the far wall of the chamber, striking a console in the process. A blaring alarm sounds, but the Krigsbefallaf has no idea what it means. He only takes advantage of the starweird being momentarily stunned to remove himself from the room as remnants of electricity skitter across his metal frame.

Meanwhile, far below the stormy waves battering the forsaken cloning facility, the lighting Sharkish’ki had managed to activate flickers sporadically as though toying with the idea of leaving the Death Apprentice in the darkness of the ocean. While it doesn’t go dark for any length of time, the flickering is enough to attract the attention of Sharkish’ki’s hungry friend once again. In as much darkness as there is down here, there can be no doubt that this monster of the deep can see just fine on its own, but the lights flickering attract its curiosity and seem to ensure that it does not lose interest prematurely.

It swims the length of the tunnel, back and forth, nosing the transparisteel every now and again as though seeking a weak spot. There is a rubbery squeaking noise each time the creature does this; an eerie, echoing sound as its nose makes contact with the tunnel walls. It seems to be searching more calmly at the moment, but one cannot be too careful. Doubtless, it will become aggressive again as soon as it figures out where its next hopeful meal is hiding.

Tag: @Sharkish’Ki, @Reiis Invadator

 

[Sharkish’Ki]

IC: Sharkish’Ki
Kamino - Abandoned Cloning Facility: Lower Levels

Sharkish’Ki paused amid the flickering consoles, the rhythmic pounding of his heartbeat seemed the only constant in the depths of the Kaninoan ocean. The creature that had decided to take a great interest in his presence, casually swam past him. The lights in the ceiling struts seemed to blink the animal in and out of existence, as they temporarily blinded Sharkish’Ki’s view of its weak bio-illuminations, as it slowly snaked past the thick glass.

“I bathed this morning. What the heck does this guy smell?” He said under his breath. He scowled, as its near eye passed out of view. Time to make a move, he thought, and so he quietly strafed toward the passageway he’d chosen, lightly griping the consoles and railings that divided the room along the way, more out of caution than anything else. The smell of salt was growing stronger, as was the resounding thump in his head from the pressure, and water was now present as a trickle underfoot. I sure hope this thing can’t hear all that well, I mean, it’s a fish… does it even have ears? Now at the entrance to the corridor, he collected his thoughts, and braced himself slightly against the cold passageway wall as the creature pushed itself off his path ahead, sending slight ripples through the collecting water at his feet.

He could see the lights of the creature passing overhead, and the unnerving reflection of them in the stream he was treading in. Something was telling him he needed to move faster. And so he did. Pushing himself off of the wall, he saw this as his opportunity to gain some ground, and broke into a brisk walk, trying his best to remain quiet, moving heel to toe in an attempt to keep the splashing to a minimum. If the creature was to locate him again, it was likely to be through vibrations in the water, or spotting his movement, unless it too was another Force hunter, and at the moment the latter seemed unlikely, as the giant beast casually meandered overhead.

He moved forward, with his cape trailing slightly in the water, until he came upon another semi-open door, almost blocking his advance. Its seal was proving ineffective against the liquid that persistently seeped through it. The water flitted with the darkness, between a translucent, life-giving softness, and dark, oily fluid that threatened to choke and suffocate, as Sharkish’Ki considered his options.

Placing his hands upon the edges of the frigid doors he peered into the apparently vacant room. The flickering lights highlighted an operating table, various diagnostics paraphernalia, utility tables, overhead screens and lights… and something else. A glowing tetrahedron sat idly on a bench like a ripe Tarisian apple. Red, and yet not red, glowing and then not.
“Master, I believe I’ve found what we came here for…” he whispered, and before acknowledgment, he made his move.

Sharkish’Ki fixated on the mysterious object and, judging the gap in the doorway, decided he’d roll through it. He couldn’t risk forcing the door, and causing more, possibly louder ways to attract unwanted attention, and it could close at any moment. Head-first, he dove through the opening, his hands plunging into the icy-cold water, followed by his head and consequently the rest of his body, as he rolled over through the water, sending a resounding splash and accompanying wake around the room, before coming to a controlled stop on his knee. He raised his head and peered over his shoulder, back down the tunnel, holding his breath slightly, whilst making a silent prayer in hope that the creature hadn’t noticed him. The water poured out of his hood, that had collected about his neck, in continued streams, until droplets were all that fell.
Nothing. No creature barring down on him, no nudges of the structure he so desperately wanted to escape from. All was as it was, save for the dripping of water from his semi-drenched garments. He let his breath go, satisfied that he’d avoided detection, and rose to his feet.

The object now filled his senses. He could hear it, almost singing to him, and it seemed to draw energy toward it, as he felt his skin grow colder with each step. Perhaps that was the water making it’s way to his skin, waiting for his body heat to intervene, or perhaps it was the Holocron, generating an ectothermic reaction within the surrounding atmosphere, pulling in energy to feed its own existence.

He found himself upon it, having navigated his way around the operating table, and between the various consoles in an enthralled, almost trance-like state. The water didn’t matter. The cold didn’t matter, and the creature lurking in the cold, dark expanse just behind the walls, didn’t matter. Is it safe, he thought, I want it! I don’t even know why I want it… but I want it! Staring down at the Holocron with wide, gleaming yellow eyes, he timidly reached for the ancient device.



TAGS: @Grievance Vexx @Reiis Invadator