Just Past Balaerion’s Orbit – Caperion System
“Of course, I will stay out of trouble,” Mune scoffed.
The Shistavanen nearly pouted at the holographic image emitter but caught themself with a little huff. Even after years of being in Arcona, some of their old friends from Scholae knew them too well. The image of Reiden flickered, but Mune saw the arching of a brow and the slight quirk at one corner of his mouth.
“You’re telling me you learned to stay out of trouble in Arcona?” Reiden asked flatly, thick with disbelief.
The laughter of Caleb and Carr came in response to the query. Mune winced, ears coming down. They turned and barked at them to shut up; of course, neither listened. Mune sighed and turned back to the projection of their old friend. “It is far easier to stay out of trouble when everyone else is better than you at getting into it?” Mune tried. “You know, most of the trouble I got into was not my doing, right?”
“Right. The spaceport in the UCE has been informed of your arrival. You have the all-clear.”
“And…?”
“Ah, your brother.” Reiden sighed, “I tried looking into it, but… our intelligence seems to have misplaced him.”
“Misplaced him.”
“You heard me. It would not be the first time. Scholae misplaced you for how many years?” Reiden chuckled. “Most of your father’s company, the assets and infrastructure have been frozen, but there is a lot unaccounted for like….”
“Their research and data on their experiments,” Mune finished.
“The data on you,” Reiden finished.
The Togorian and smaller Shistavanen were silent. Carr had only recently been filled in on those things that had been done to Mune. They knew there had been something that his sibling had gone through. He had spent much of his first year on the Voidbreaker II trying to get into his sibling’s computer to try and find out what they were hiding but were unsuccessful. Only after a sparring match and talk with Marick Tyris, Mune finally confided in him. Carr hadn’t dared imagine the extent to which the damage had been done nor the work Mune had done to grow past what was done to them. Mune swallowed past a lump in their throat and controlled the growl building there. “Be that as it may, the message from my mother indicates some sort of trouble.”
“That’s the other thing. Aimi Cinteroph cannot be located.”
Caleb stood abruptly, “What?”
Mune stared in surprise. They knew full well they did not know everything. As gifted as they were in reading future events, there would always be holes. Time was never a linear path. It fractured and split off into infinite possibilities.
“Her ex-husband, Cormac Silvera, claims to have not seen her but has reason to believe she is safe.”
“She is resourceful,” Mune said slowly.
The split had been amicable. Cormac and Aimi had remained friends after the separation. Carr did not seem affected by their divorce, perhaps being out in the galaxy as part of the Voidbreaker II helped him deal. That Cormac had no information was concerning, however.
“Will you swing by the Monolith before shuttling to the UCE?”
“Certainly, one does not neglect to pay due respect to the Emperor,” Mune grinned toothily. “Tell Kamjin to expect me.”
The transmission ended, leaving Mune to sink into his thoughts.
Entering the Caperion Asteroid Belt
“How goes your homework?” Mune padded over to their little brother.
Carr sighed, staring at the screen, “Can’t believe you made me bring my schoolwork with me.”
“You can thank Ruka, it was his suggestion,” Mune grinned.
“Of course, it was,” the smaller Shistavanen mumbled.
Caleb returned from the cockpit, frowning. He glanced at the two briefly before filling them in, “The bridge crew is concerned.”
“We are entering the asteroid belt; a bit of weariness is to be expected,” Mune commented. “That’s not what it is, is it.”
“Scans have returned some ambiguous readings.”
Carr’s ears perked, and he started to turn before Mune’s hand came down on his head and turned him back towards his datapad. The smaller Shistavanen grumbled. Mune could not stop him from listening in, though.
“Perhaps material in the belt is causing a scanner glitch?” Mune suggested.
“Maybe.”
The ship shuddered around them. Durasteel groaned. Within a couple more heartbeats, the alarms sounded. The shuttle shuddered violently, the structure creaking. Mune and Caleb exchanged a look before they moved. The Togorian pulled his gun belt from his duffel. A quick check and both were loaded and in their holsters. Mune pulled their lightsabers from their travel bag, slipping them into their belt.
“Carr, whatever happens, stay behind us.”
“Master Cinteroph, we are caught in a tractor beam of an unidentified ship,” came the pilot’s voice over the coms. “We are unable to shake loose without risking a hull breach.”
Mune tapped on the coms, “Do not risk the shuttle. Keep your crew with you in the cockpit.”
“Yes, sir. We have room up here for your brother.”
“Thank you, I am sending him up now.” Mune glanced towards the smaller Shistavanen.
“Mune,” Carr started.
“No. You will get up there without argument. I need you to…” Mune was thrown sideways. The ship rocked violently, durasteel screeching. Everything went dark abruptly before emergency power whirred to life, and the light flickered back.
“Master Cinteroph! They have disabled our engines!”
“They fired on the shuttle?!” Caleb roared out.
Mune frowned, eyes unfocused for a moment before they gave their head a sharp shake. “They are not waiting to pull us in. A boarding craft is about to make contact.”
“Not wasting any time, we have a few soldiers on board that happened onto the same shuttle. Can you sense where the enemy will breach?”
“Get down!” Mune barked.
The ship shuddered, and another violent tremor passed through bulkheads and armour plating. An explosion ripped a hole through a nearby wall, sending bits of twisted metal erupting inwards. Caleb shielded Carr, a grunt of pain coming from him as more than a few pieces of shrapnel left lacerations along his back and arms. His cold eyes flicked toward the opening where a handful of men had weapons levelled at them. He heard the door to their temporary quarters open, and the few men on board that could fight slipped in to defend the shuttle from their assailants.
Chaos broke loose. Two of the men went down almost immediately. Caleb cursed and shoved Carr down to keep him low, drawing his guns before he caught a slug in his upper thigh. Fresh blood ran down his leg, a roar exploding from his muzzle as he took aim and fired with both pistols.
Mune quickly got between their husband and the incoming hail of slugs. The Force rippled and then coalesced into a barrier. They saw only one of the armed soldiers on their side remaining, wounded but still on his feet. The Shistavanen snarled, “Caleb!”
“What a trip not to bring my Beskar,” Caleb growled and reloaded. “I’ll take offence if you…”
“No!”
Mune’s barrier was gone in an instant, the Force muted. A loud crack of a rifle, then a second one, and Caleb was thrown backwards, blood painting the wall behind him. Mune turned their head to see the Togorian slumping down. Blood blossomed from shoulder and flank wounds. Mune started to turn towards him when another shot rang out, and they felt numbness spread from their right shoulder. They knew distantly that they’d been shot. They heard Carr muttering over and over to Caleb, demanding he stays still while he tried to stop the bleeding. Ears back, Mune growled low, the Force accelerating their healing, but it did not respond as it should have. They cursed under their breath. They had to get to Caleb and tend to his wounds. Their eyes narrowed; they steeled themself and opened themself wide. Their will, their resolve, would not be stifled. They reached out, and the Force responded.
They flung one man back into the ones behind. The pain in their shoulder was forced back; further, the Force writhing as the rage built. Their vision narrowed. They reached out again, and the second man pulled abruptly forward. Mune’s sabe flashed to life, and the man screeched as he was impaled. Mune deactivated their saber, and a bullet ricochetted off a new barrier before the Force became stifled just enough to disrupt it again. The white-furred Shistavanen was already drawing on it again when Seito’s voice, filled with disdain, filled their mind with fear. Mune recognized the Force power for what it was and already was shaking it off.
“I suggest you stand down, little wolf,” a low voice growled from the darkness. “Keep fighting, and I may be forced to finish off your mate… maybe put some holes in our little brother.”
The remaining soldier rose and aimed. A single shot rang out, and his head snapped back. The sniper was merciless in his aim. The soldier crumbled, dead.
Carr stood and put himself between Caleb and the enemy, arms out, eyes narrowed. “Seito…”
“Rodent…” Seito greeted with a sneer.
“I will have a barrier up before a single shot crosses the distance….”
“Will you? Willing to risk Carr on faith?”
“I have faith in Mune’s powers, in Mune, you bastard.” Carr snapped out.
“So you do, brat.” Gold eyes lingered on Mune, his grin growing slowly wider, “How is your faith, Mune?”
The white-furred Shistavanen drew on the Force, readying themself.
“How long can you defend for, little wolf? Your offence has been downed, bleeding out even now, while you resist. Even if you can defend indefinitely, I doubt he can hold out for the same time.”
Mune swallowed hard.
“Mune… no…” Carr whined.
“Get Caleb out of here, Carr.”
“Mm… no.” Sieto sighed. A sniper shot rang out, purposely missing but hitting the wall just above Carr’s head.
“Sieto! Stop this! You will let them go!” Mune ordered.
“Listen to you, trying to sound intimidating. Little wolf, trying to be fierce, ha!” Seito’s lips curled back in a vicious facsimile of a smile. “They can go if you come with me.”
“Why should I trust you?”
“What do I care if they live or die?” Seito shrugged. “Now drop your weapons and come to me….”
“Carr.”
“Mune, please don’t….”
“If he dies, if you both die… I am done, understand? Please, protect him.” Mune tossed their lightsabers to their brother.
Carr watched in confusion, dismay, and fear as their sibling approached the enemy. He looked to Caleb, the Togorian’s gaze unfocused. His breathing was laboured. Carr felt useless in a way he could not recall ever feeling before. They heard Mune’s yelp; he turned to see the white-furred form crumble to the floor, making out the silhouette of what looked to be an injector. With a snarl, Seito turned and walked away, his men dragging the tranquillized Mune behind.
The Monolith – Seraph
Carr finished. He could not look up from where his hands rested in his lap. His ears were down, unable to help the feeling of shame at his inability to help the moment. Caleb was in a hospital, recovering. The shuttle had limped along until Palatinaean forces picked them up. Caleb had been in terrible shape; the crew had done everything they could with their meagre resources at the time. It was enough to keep the Togorian from dying.
Reiden eyed the youth. He was the only one Carr had been comfortable speaking to directly, and only because he was who he saw Mune converse with back on the ship. He knew no one from his sibling’s old clan. He fidgeted uncomfortably.
“Arcona needs to know,” Carr started, then stopped.
“They are aware. Arrangements are being made. A small team is already en route; of course, the Empire will lend a hand.” Reiden explained.
“I just watched…”
“You are a child,” Reiden frowned.
“So was Mune! They were younger than me when they started in this life! Eight years old when they were forced to fight to live!” Carr broke. “Younger… gods… I am pathetic… they hand me so much, and I do nothing.”
“Is that how you repay them, then? By sitting and whining to a stranger?” Reiden arched a brow.
“What can I do?” Carr muttered to the floor.
Eleceos breathed in deeply. His mind was focused and blank. All thoughts purged from his head, save for the visions that he attempted to bring out. His body sat in the air, floating above the ground in a meditative form. Rocks orbited around him as the Force welled up inside of the Miraluka.
Nothing came to him though. A faraway sense of fear and dread had Ele’s attention. There was something familiar about it though. A deep longing inside of him to save…whatever this was.
“Eleceos?”
Ele ignored the intruder of his freed mind.
“Ele, it’s important.”
Letting out a sigh, the Miraluka acquiesced to the voice.
“What can I do for you?”
“It’s Mune…he’s been taken.”
The rocks froze midair.
“Excuse me? Can you say again?”
“Caleb has been critically wounded, and Carr is mostly safe and secure, but Mune has been taken while en route to Sereph.”
Visions in his mind solidified. The Miraluka saw the calming colors of his friend flashing brightly, the dormant wild spirit within them flaring. It was focused on protecting the host. He saw darkness; sludge-like brown and black mixed with pulsing deep red, like blood and oil mixing in a tumultuous sea amidst roaring waves. The feeling that radiated from this vile nature felt similar to that of Carr, but exponentially more so like Mune. He heard the cries from Mune, Caleb, and Carr. Caleb’s own spirit was wavering. Carr felt…broken. and Mune…they were alone and scared. His dear friend was in trouble and hurt. They needed help. THEY WERE IN PAIN!
The rocks trembled violently around the Miraluka. They shook in the air…rippling. Then they froze before shooting out in all directions.
Whoever had hurt his friend would face Eleceos Araave now. And the young man was not in a forgiving mood today.
Encanis II Space
Zig kept her gloved hands at the text-book correct positions on the flights control strict. Her posture was ramrod straight. She had double checked all the systems three times. Nothing fancy. Everything by the book.
No pressure, just fly casual….you’ve been flying your whole life…it’s okay…
The Encanis I had been easy. At worst, if she crashed or injured Marick’s ship, it would just come out of her base pay and she’d have to work a lot harder. But ever since he upgraded to the Encanis II she had been afraid of piloting it. It was a beautiful ship. A feat of engineering that made her stomach giddy. But it was also more expensive than her existence.
Still. Marick had been very clear. “Mune is in danger, and while I can’t spare Envoy Corp resources, I can spare my own. Good luck.”
She swallowed and turned to her co-pilot, who wasn’t really piloting but a presence nonetheless.
“We’ll be there soon, Cap'n, no sweat.”
Doon’s eye twitched at Zig’s words. He had been staring through the glass window of the shuttle for the past hour, checked out of the moment and squarely in his head going over what they knew.
Mune was gone. Caleb was grievously injured, which didn’t surprise the black wolf. If someone was going to take Mune it would be through Caleb quite literally.
“Soon.” His rumbling voice echoed, his eye focusing again on the controls infront of them. The word meant little, as they would either arrive on time or too late. The Binary thought caused his metal tipped claws to dig into the lush arms of the co pilot seat. He wasn’t so concerned with the luxury vessel, the wants of it’s owner beyond his current train of thought.
A strategy would come to the Shistavanen, he just needed more info. Surely, that’s al he needed.
“Faster.”
The Monolith – Seraph 24 hours Since Mune was Taken
Carr watched the Togorian sleep. Their grey eyes narrowed, brows creased in thought. Their brain was a tumultuous storm of frustration, confusion and anger. A growl filled the room, making him jerk upright and look around until he realized he was the source of the sound. He smoothed the fur on the back of his neck with a sigh. How did things go so wrong so quickly, he wondered. How, too, did Mune not see it coming? He watched Caleb’s chest rise and fall. He saw the discomfort register in the slight wince and curl of the feline’s lips. “What am I suppose to do… I am not like you, nor am I like Mune.”
The young Shistavanen grasped Caleb’s hand and leaned forward to rest his forehead on the warm blankets. There was only he and Caleb; no one could see the tears that stung his eyes. No one to hear the soft sobs he could not hold in. There was no answer to his sadness but the near complete silence of the recovery room. He was alone, a feeling that only made the tears come quicker.
Then, he felt the firm squeeze of his hand. He angled his head to look where his hand clasped the Togorian’s. Caleb squeezed again, drawing Carr’s eyes up to meet slivers of brilliant blue. Cloudy though they were, they stared firmly into the Shistavanen’s own.
“He has them,” Caleb stated more than asked, his voice rough from disuse.
Carr could only nod in response.
“How bad…?”
“Too bad to be thinking what I know you are thinking,” Carr said shakily.
The Togorian muttered a curse in his native tongue and then winced. He swallowed, “The abdominal shot.”
Carr nodded again, “Apparently, the organs there are important. Your shoulder…”
“A flesh wound, that,” Caleb chuckled, then winced in pain.
“Yea… flesh wound.” Carr chuckled weakly.
Caleb’s eyes closed, and he hissed before relaxing back into his pillows again. “You will go with the team that comes to help.”
“Heh… Mune would chew my ear off,” Carr murmured.
“Probably, but they’ll need you,” the Togorian muttered. “I’m sorry I couldn’t protect them.”
“Shut up and rest.”
The Monolith – Seraph 48 hours Since Mune was Taken
Carr stared fixedly at his datapad. He growled in frustration and switched to a borrowed console, fingers dancing across the keys. Reiden had not been kidding; the company’s servers appeared to be wiped. He doubted Seito would destroy it all, though. It had to have been moved or backed up somewhere not connected to any networks.
“Let’s see who you are affiliated with then… Osada, without the UCE funding your research.” Carr tapped at the keys. His eyes narrowed, his tail twitching tensely. “53rv0, start a timer; we’ll be doing some slicing.”
Nearly twelve hours later, Carr hurried to the rendezvous with the Voidbreaker II’s captain. He expected Doon and Eleceos, smiling some, to see the Miraluka. The sight of Zig accompanying them gave him pause. He realized, of anyone, the three walking towards him were those he trusted most to rescue their sibling. He fought back the tears prickling at the corners of his eyes. He knew when met their gazes that his eyes were too shiny. There was no more time for tears. There was a mission to coordinate.
“The Emperor is expecting us,” Carr greeted, his expression all business. He met Doon’s eye and, with a growl filling his gravely voice, delivered a message, “Caleb says… Make him pay. Make them all pay.”
Kamjin, the current Emperor of Scholae Palatinae, entered the room filled with the assortment of individuals. The metallic click of his armor silenced the room as he approached.
“General Reiden informed me that you have need of Palatinae assets. I’ll confess if it weren’t for my being acquainted with Mune I wouldn’t be here,” Kamjin said, his tone impassive as he sized up the individuals before him.
“What is you need?” he asked, straight to the point.
Perhaps surprisingly, Carr was the one to respond. He managed to meet the Emperor’s eyes. He had to swallow past the lump in his throat. He tried to recall anything Mune had told them about the man, or even their time in Scholae. “As you know, our transport was assaulted as we approached the asteroid belt. We were en route to Seraph. What resulted was the wounding of Caleb…” Carr was obviously trying his best for polite and diplomatic, as he imagined Mune would. “Caleb, an ex-ISI Operative in the service of Scholae; and the kidnapping of Mune… my older sibling… and ex-ISI Director.”
The small Shista chewed on his lower lip for a moment, putting his thoughts together. “They always spoke very highly of their time serving the Imperial Clan. They mentioned too, the respect they have had for their fellow clansmen, General Reiden… you, Sir. We need your help… Mune needs… I need your help, getting Mune back.”
Carr straightened up, though he could do nothing baout the anxious twitching of his ears and tail. He did not have the schooling Mune had in controlling his body language. “The man responsible is one Seito Osada, of the Corporation for Advanced Genertic Research and Application. Once funded by the UCE, it specialized in genetic engineering, as medical files once held by Elincia Rei will attest to, Mune was subjected to, much as Seito was, no small number of experiments; by the hands of their father, Eien Osada. It would appear the company has either ceased to operate and shut down all their laboratories, or… they’ve gone underground.” He looked down, staring fixedly at the floor, “Even if no one from Scholae can help… I wish to request we be allowed to operate in Scholae territory, a small team, those here now, in order to bring Mune back safely.” Carr had only himself learned of some of what Mune had been through. He knew, too, that Marrick would have been aware, and that Mune had been working through the past trauma with Eleceos. He did not know how much Doon or Zig knew… but… they definitely knew more now.
Eleceos stood silently as he listened to the interaction. Carr, the poor dear, was under and intense amount of stress following his experiences. The young Shistavanen was trying to keep strong, to hold himself together, but his emotions were tumultuous and wild.
Ele stepped forward and gently placed a hand on the Young Shistas back. His touch Telepathy relaxed Carr, assuring him.that he did everything he could. He was strong. His sibling would safe.
Kamjin smirked, the poor youth was very near losing control of his bowls. “UCE no longer exists, at least not in the manner you recall it. When this system rose up in Civil War I had no choice but to quash it and assume full control. The old, petty, city-states have been set aside for our one Empire,” Kamjin said, the words ringing hallow as the sound byte they’ve been for the last few months.
“Now you’ve stated the problem you have. What I’m not clear on is why it’s my problem? Mune, while a valued member of the clan, only had operational knowledge of our time on Ragnath and a city that is no more than rubble now. When Mune left we naturally removed any sensitive data he may have had access to and,” Kamjin motioned to the Monolith they were in, “We’ve clearly built a new infrastructure he has no knowledge of,” Kamjin said, noticing the companions support of the young Shistavanen.
“What is it you need of me? As I’m disinclined to just let you wander around the system on your own.”
The youngster felt the Miraluka’s gentling presence but did not want to be calmed. He instead firmed his stance and felt emboldened to say what he said next in a low growl, “How about your mightier than thou behind lending us a hand. On your turf, we were attacked by a corporation that is, to be frank, running amok right under your nose.”
The Shistavanen’s fur began to bristle, “Managing to kidnap someone that had served your Empire loyally for years. From being Grand Admiral to being Director of the ISI, they fulfilled every bloody duty you people put in front of them. The least you could do is care, even a little, what happens to them, in your territory, on a world we were born on, that we should have been safe on.”
His silver eyes burned with a mix of tears and fury. His lips curled back into a snarl, “I do not care what’s been done here. I only care about getting my sibling back. I only care about making Sieto regret hurting Caleb, regret taking Mune, and regret crossing my path. If not out of respect or… I don’t know… kinship. Then how about loyalty and duty. And, maybe, you know, not being an ass?” The teen would definitely get an F in class for Diplomacy. He could not help thinking it was a good thing he did not elect to take courses in such a silly topic then and stuck to his advanced engineering and physics classes instead… Ah well.
“No… disrespect intended… of course…” Carr muttered at the end of his tirade, tail and ears drooping. He glanced at Zig as if checking in to make sure he did not do anything… too… wrong.
The towering black Shistavanen took a step forward, positioning himself behind and to the side of Carr. His fists were clenched, sharp metal tipped claws threatening to break the skin of his palm. His mangled snout was curled into its usual, ever present snarl. His one eye took in Kamjin, not incredibly impressed as of yet. His words simply drew more of a glare from the wolf’s golden eye.
Eventually he spoke up, voice rumbling with the undertone of a dull growl. “You say the UCE no longer exists. You may be right. Yet, it’s interests are obviously still present in some form that you’ve failed to eliminate.”
“We come here, a small team, out of diplomatic respect. If this were an unaligned system, the full might of Arcona would already be quashing any who thought it a good idea to kidnap one of us.” He pauses, glancing momentarily down at Zig, Eleceos and Carr before rising his gaze once more to Kamjin. “Even if Mune may not know what you’re doing now, he is valuable to Arcona and it’s security. He was taken under your jurisdiction, and should you deny us outright the ability to recover him, it will be very difficult to convince the Exarch that you are doing so for innocent, diplomatic reasons.” The rumble under his words grew only deeper as he finished.
“We will work with whatever condition you wish to negotiate, if we are allowed to recover our asset.”
Kamjin took a moment to size up the two Shistavanen. He smirked. Ah, to be young and hot blooded again, Kamjin though to himself noticing they both appeared as ready to cower before him as try to rip his head off. Neither was likely to happen given their temperament and skill.
“You know, it’s been a while since someone deemed it appropriate to call me an ass to my face,” Kamjin said, the smirk broadening into a smile. For a moment he wished they’d try to take him for some exercise but it wouldn’t be very sporting.
Unbeknownst to this band of travelers Kamjin was already aware of the developing situation with Mune and was inclined to help from the onset. It’s good to know what people’s convictions are before heading into battle and with a young pup like Carr he needed some testing. Kamjin knew Mune and trusted him. Could he trust his litter mate?
Kamjin put up his hands to disarm the situation before those words had hung in the air for to long. “Alright, you’ve convinced me. We need to find Mune and given the potential ramifications I’ll escort you through our territory,” Kamjin said to Carr.
Looking behind the young pup to the learing black Shistavanen, Kamjin met his gaze with icy calmness. “Let me make it clear that I do not fear Arcona nor would I wager that Qyreia and Atyiru would be inclined to upset the balance of power. As for the Exarch…” Kamjin sought the words. “We have an understanding. I am granting you leave to travel our territory and my presence, even masked, will smooth the path for you. But, let me be clear, this is my territory and my word here is law.”
Turning his attention back to Carr. “Now then, do you have a plan?”
Zig, for once, oddly, had remained quiet. While she had gone up against the Children of Mortis, the Principate, the Revenant and even the Collective.
But she had yet to really fully comprehend the true scale of the Brotherhood as a galactic organization. She had met people from the different clans but she was a bit out of her element meeting with another units Consul. And this one was apparently an Emperor? He looked like a regular dude in fancy armor, honestly.
While the other talked, Zig hid her emotions behind her helmet with the custom Zygerrian ear molds. She also worked her wrist computers systems idly as she tried to pry out some intel…
She relaxed her effort, however, at the Consuls words of agreeing to help.
Instead she placed a calming hand on Carr’s shoulder, and nodded to the youth.
Then she turned back towards the Consul. “If it was Kamila, would you be this non-chalant?” she asked, having been able to peek at a few of Kamjin’s personal datapad. “Or would you have already had agents on the case?”
She paused. “Also what is a ‘Thran’ and why does he seem to have it out for you? Is he working with this rogue group?”
Carr smiled up at Zig before turning his attention back Kamjin’s way. Ah, yes, a plan. The young Shistavanen looked thoughtful, reviewing his findings before continuing. “53rv0 and I spent a hand full of hours doing what we do… Unlike Mune, I can’t get the answers by meditating or dowsing… Force-user stuff.” He tossed out like he was not a Force-user himself. “From what we dug up and put together, Seito is still operating from where the United Corporations of Eleya used to stand, or, more likely, under it.
"53rv0, if you would?” Carr beckoned, and his droid hopped up onto his shoulder. The BD unit projected an image into the air before them all. A series of buildings and their schematics. “This one here,” he pointed at the second,“ is the one Mune infiltrated when they were thirteen. Mune had the benefit of still having codes… we can have the same; we need to get inside for me to slice into a console and generate a set. By process of elimination, these three do not have the extensive subterranean infrastructure… that leaves us with two. 53rv0 and I were in the process of seeing which one has power being diverted, but I recalled something from before I left home to join Mune on the Voidbreaker.”
The kid could talk.
“When I last sliced into the C.A.G.R.A.‘s systems… one of the labs is invisible…” Another building came up on the projector. “I filled in the blueprint using the ones still stored by the company that built the structure; there is no telling if they are still accurate. It is cut off from the holonet, and the power grid both, by design. Eien Osada, Seito and Mune’s father, did some of his more questionable research here.”
Carr growled low, the other buildings vanishing from the projection, leaving the one. “Seito has an ego the size of the building…” he mutters. “Anyway, the plan is to infiltrate stealthily. Zig and I will handle slicing into their security systems when we arrive. I will replicate the codes we need to get through doors.”
Zig made a little salute, her body language indicating that Carr was now her commanding officer. She smirked under her visor.
Kamjin turned to stare at Zygerrian and scowled, making a note to eliminate the individual responsible for the still not fully deployed computer systems within the Monolith.
“Her name is Komilia and if you’re poking around in our computer system you could at least take the time to get her name right,” Kamjin said. A shower of sparks erupted from Zig’s slicing tool as Kamjin clinched his fist in annoyance. “As for who Thran is, be thankful you’re dealing with me and not him. He would take a far more direct approach to someone tampering with this architectural marvel he’s designed.”
Kamjin focused his attention back on Carr, fighting to suppress the tell-tale yellowing of his eyes. “Now then, I will help you and we’ll follow your plan. Let’s see if you can live up to the expectation your brother has set.”
Zig scoffed at the idea of “this ” being an architectural marvel", but then frowned at her wrist comm beneath her visor. She then took out a datapad, tapped a few buttons, then her hydrospanner and started to create some small sparks as she make a few tweaks and grumbled as she went about re-wiring around the circuitry the “Emperor” had cheated and used space magic on. She had sliced her info fair and square.
Doon’s snout reflexively snarled, and his body visibly tensed despite being covered in heavy armor as Kamjin’s fist clenched in Zigs direction. A growl rumbled from him as sparks flew, but he remained still otherwise. He didn’t seem to be the biggest fan of this Emperor.
Still, he listened to Carr talk while keeping his eye on the stranger. Occasionally it would drift towards the projection, scanning the buildings for weaknesses. The young one was able to provide information, valuable, even if it may be questionably accurate. It was better than nothing.
Eleceos listened to the bickering and discussion, but he had other thoughts on his mind. At this time, the Miraluka cared not for the Clan politics involved with the rescue efforts. His friend, his sibling outside of blood and species, was in danger and Ele wanted only to find and protect them. Mune had been through so much already. Ele wanted to spare them anymore pain.
Ele’s body went stiff as he felt something pulling at his mind. The Force was calling to him, and he knew what was coming. It had been sometime since a vision of this magnitude wracked him, and he knew it would be painful as his body seized, but his hopes of it helping the cause were stronger.
A loud roar, the Togorian firing his blasters, the fear striking through the young ones heart.
“What a trip not to bring my Beskar.”
“No!”
Blood splattering against the durasteel wall behind. Carr’s frantic voice.
“Stay still, I have to stop the bleeding!”
Rage…guilt…fear…a dangerous combination of intense emotion running throught the heart and spil of one still so young to the ways of the Galaxy. A child in pain, but trying to be strong for their beloved sibling.
“I suggest you stand down, little wolf. Keep fighting and I may be forced to finish off your mate…maybe put some holes in our little brother.”
Darkness and vile sludge surrounding the one known as Seito. But the strongest feeling of all from Mune themselves. Resolve and mental fortitude overshadowing the undercurrent of fear within them. The gave themselves up to protect those they loved.
The scene shifted, and he was in a lab. This felt…more current. Mune! It was Mune! He could feel the Shistavanens warmth, and their witty nature intensified. Another figure filled with growing annoyance. They had little to no control or concept of their own feelings. Something inside of them was missing…broken. Seito. The brother of Mune felt….even more off than before. His blackness inside was…bubbling. Greens and coppery rust spread within the black, eating away at everything it touched. Like acid corroding the Shistavanen soul. He was sick. Something inside of him was failing.
Mune was strong. But for how long could they keep it up. The beast inside railing against its cage. But not in an act of dominance. It was trying to protect the host.
Then came pain.
And blood.
Anguish.
But Mune wouldn’t yield.
*“Give me what I want. What I need! I want what should have been mine you freak. You poor excuse for a creature! Give it to me!”
Mune didn’t break.*
“You think you’re smart? That you are strong to defy me? I will hunt down every last one, Mune. Caleb. Your precious friends. Your entire Clan. Even our poor excuse for a brother. You think I won’t kill Carr? I will make his death the most pain filled. I will tear him apart until you are truly broken, and I will make you watch. And in the end, what you are trying to keep from me? **I* will be the unstoppable tool, the weapon that our father wanted you to be.”*
Then he heard Munes laughter. He felt the Shistavanens warmth. It surrounded him like the beautiful friends embrace. Like they were saying goodbye.
They wouldn’t let Seito win. Even if they were lost. Mune laughed. Seito furied. Pain. Blood. Anguish.
The feral force within the cage broke free. Darkness surrounded the peaceful heart of the Shistavanen. Ele saw memory after memory…fade. they began to disappear into the aether. Mune slumped, passing out from the stress. Everything was gone. Only a name remained. Only Mune.
Ele was on the ground. His body stopped shaking. Blood ran from his nose. His breathing returned to normal, and he was slowly able to get back up.
Only one word fell from his lips as his voice cracked.
“Mune.”
Kamjin turned to the body now sprawled on the floor. He recognized the signs of someone who reached to deep into the mystical currents of the Force and gotten lost in it.
“What did you see?” he asked from where he stood.
Ele shakily sat up, regaining his bearings. He hadn’t had an episode that severe in a while. Catching his breath he turned towards the Emperor.
“We need to hurry. There’s no time for inter-Clan bickering over unimportant matters. Mune is im trouble, Seito is a monster, and our road will not be easy. Blood and Steel will be in our way.”
Kamjin face betrayed his concern. He had conflicting emotions about Force visions after his experience examining the Opal. But, in this case, whether it was an accurate vision or not time was slipping away and these Arconians were starting to get antsy.
Pressing a button on the console he brought up a hologram of a deck officer. “I need a shuttle prepped immediately for five. We’re on our way.”
Carr eyed Eleceos. They were not gifted as Mune and Eleceos were with powerful visions, even if they ran in the Cinteroph blood that ran through his veins. He hesitated… was Seito? “Our mother… visions run in our blood. Mune is extremely gifted with them. I… am not. Is it possible Seito is and knows what we are doing…?” he asked uncertainly.
He frowned and then growled; it did not matter, ultimately. His eyes flicked back to the Emperor and remembered his manners… or what Mune had told him over and over again manners were. “Thank you, your… umm… wow. What is the honorific for Emperor?” he asked, scratching his cheek. “Meh… Thank you, Kamjin, sir.” The thought counted, right? He carefully helped Eleceos up, careful of skin-on-skin (or fur) contact so as to not set the empath off. “You okay Ele?”
“Lord, Majesty, or Imperial Highness will work. However, given we’re going undercover you may address me as Kam or Maverick,” Kamjin said, referencing his old callsign from decades ago.
“I’ll be ok Carr.”
Ele allowed the Shista to help.him to his feet. He faced Kamjin and gave the man a slight bow.
“Thank you, Lord Kamjin of Clan Scholae Palatinae. We are in your debt.”
Ele turned back to Carr and gave a sad smile.
“You and I both know Mune’s feelings on looking into the future. Out of respect for them, I cannot tell you everything that I saw.”
What he didn’t say was he was also trying to protect the younger wolf. He knew the dangerous feelings inside Carr’s soul, and he couldn’t risk pushing them even further over the edge.
Kamjin gave a nod of his head in acknowledgement of the respect given.
Carr cracked a bit of a grin at the honorifics. Of course… he did wonder if Kamjin actually enjoyed being called by any of them or if it was just expected. He decided to go with the one that was the least pompous in his own ears. “Thank you, Lord Kamjin.”
He turned his gaze back to Eleceos and frowned. Mune used to be far more secretive about what they knew. Obsessively so. To the point that they did not even share that they had known of the destruction of the Cocytus system was coming, nor that the clan was going to enter the Caperion system. Of course, some of what the white-furred Shistavanen had known had come to light, possibly part of the rift that had formed between the late Elincia Rei, and Mune in those final days before the Empress had passed. Carr thoughts all of that over, “There is no way Mune did not know this was coming… I thought they were past hiding it all…” he snarled, then shook his head.
The young Shista eyed Eleceos critically for a moment, then sighed in resignation. He was a kid, who was he to judge what should and should not be said. That they were taking his lead was something in and of itself. He heard Kamjin request a shuttle. “53rv0, store the building plans and share them with any of the team that needs them.” The BD unit beeped and chirped, Carr sighed, “Yes, share all additional files pertaining to Seito’s multiple corporations. The Emperor will want those, or… his teams will anyway. Seito dug his claws in deep, he has a few shadow corporations that he has been employing to mask his activities,” Carr explained. “Those are your problem,” he smiled sheepishly to Kamjin, “Your rules and all.”
Things moved quickly after the Emperor’s call for a shuttle. The transport was prepped within the hour. The team assembled their gear. There seemed to be no question that Carr would be along on the mission, for which he was glad no one tried to talk him out of accompanying the team… yet. They loaded into the shuttle and were on their way. Taking to the air en route to the one-time city-state of the United Corporations of Elaya. Mune and Carr’s birthplace.
Ele approached Carr, in the shuttle. The Miraluka was doing his best to exude a calm and caring disposition for the young Shistavanen, in spite of the images flashing in his mind.
“Circumstances not withstanding, it must feel strange being back in your birthplace. How are you feeling?”
Carr glanced up from his datapad. On it, schematics of the building flickered. The Shistavanen gave a shrug of one shoulder before looking back down at the images. He frowned at the screen, “Not much, really. I joined Mune on the Voidbreaker II because I felt out of place here. Returning makes me feel uncomfortable, I suppose? Considering the circumstances… anxious?”
“Given we’re heading into a firefight anxious is good. It’ll keep you alive,” Kamjin said, walking back from the cockpit to join group. “We’re going to be there soon. Are you going to make it through this fight?”
Carr frowned some at the screen of his datapad, “Some fighting will be unavoidable. I think stealth will be a friend, at least for as long as we can remain undetected…”
He nodded to his BD unit, the droid hopping onto his shoulder and immediately projecting the schematics again. The young Shistavanen stared at the images, mumbling to himself in thought. “I have to make it through whatever fighting there will be, or Mune will hunt me down and kick my tail all over again for not… They’ll already be furious that I am going in.”
“No plan survives an encounter with the enemy,” Kamjin recited the old Imperial Academy tenets. “You may plan for stealth but you are going to have to fight before the end of it if we’re to trust that vision.”
Eleceos was happy to not have eyes, as they could not betray what his thoughts and voice refused to say.
“I will do my best to protect you, Carr. Mune wouldn’t want you hurt, so I’ll try to not let that happen.”
Carr sighed heavily, “I’ll do what Mune instructed me to do… keep my head down and stay out of the way,” he said almost bitterly.
He thought about Mune fighting at thirteen, already a part of Scholae Palatinae, already powerful in the ways of the Force. Carr took a deep breath, held it, then released it. He remained anxious, but he was calmer. “Thanks, Lord Kamjin, Eleceos.”
“I’m not here to keep you alive and I don’t need someone along that’s going to cower in a fight,” Kamjin said, sternly. “Mune was a warrior and so will you. If we encounter a fight, you fight. If you’re Mune’s brother then you have more you can contribute.”
Carr’s eyes flicked to the Emperor. He was no warrior… even he knew that. Engineer. Mechanic. Slicer… The Shistavanen nodded though. They had not liked being sheltered from the fighting by his sibling, though he knew Mune had their reasons. They were in the academy on Selen for a reason: to learn to stand on his own, even if he entrenched himself in all things sciences and technology. “I know… I will pull my own weight. I am armed.”
It was perhaps a surprise to some of them, especially when he pulled a lightsaber from underneath his poncho. Though completely untrained in its use, he had it. “I also have my shock boxing gloves, those I am more practiced with.”
“More practiced?” Kamjin asked, catching on the absence of confidence when he pulled out the lightsaber hilt. He pointed to the handle. “Do you even know how to turn that on?”
Carr blinked, looked down at the saber hilt, then frowned. “I’m not stupid. I’ve watched Mune often enough. It’s no problem for me. Turning it off is easy. Using it… meh. It could use some work. Mune just let me start learning martial arts from Zig a hand full of months ago.”
Without warning, Kamjin ignited his blood red blade and slashed out at the pup. As the blade approached Carr’s furry throat the blade fizzled and dissolved into nothingness.
Kamjin pulled back from his strike a momentary glimpse of surprise and satisfaction on his face. “Not bad. Now attack,” Kamjin taunted the boy.
Carr impressively did not even flinch, though, one of the Emperor’s lightsabers would require repair now, the circuitry just a little damaged. Before Kamjin could finish his taunt, the Shistavanen was up and executing one of the moves he had been shown. If the Emperor recognized fighting forms, he’d recognize Corellian Kickboxing… although it was demonstrated with a very hard knee to the man’s side. He purposely ensured not to hit the armour plate covering Kamjin’s stomach.
He was not nearly as fast as Mune, but he was spirited. That spirit was put into the attack as a big up yours jerkface to the man.
Kamjin grunted as the far younger and more nimble Shistavanen got a solid punch in. Kamjin went in to grapple him but missed as he struggled to catch his breath.
Carr shifted his weight and ACTUALLY slipped a foot between Kamjin’s feet and pulled him off balance. Down the Emperor went, crashing to the floor none-to-gently in an impressively executed counter-offensive, using the man’s own momentum against him. Carr blinked, a little surprised himself as he stared down at the man, grey eyes a little wide.
“Umm… oh. Is it naptime?”
Doon was rising from his seat as Kamjin lit his blade. The data pad he had just been studying was tossed to the side, lips curled into a snarl as the red blade was swung. Before he could leap and tackle the man, the blade fizzled out. He took the next few seconds to draw the hilt of his own blade. His claw found the small catch that would light it and flicked it upwards as carr lodged his knee into Kamjin’s side.
Doon’s own blood red blade crackled to life, sputtering plasma that appeared more like loosely contained fire than a clean saber blade. He held it out at his left side while the Emperor lunged and missed at the young Shista.
A growl erupted from the Black Wolf as he focused on the emperor. A ripple tore through the force, opening a hole where Doon was. A ringing pulse slowly drained the color from Kamjin’s vision towards the towering Shistavanen. A black hole in the force, Doon snarled and barked “That’s enough!” His growl sounded more akin to an engine that an animal as his eye flickered to Carr. “Both of you.” He added in a slightly more calm tone.
“Swing at someone again, and you’ll loose an arm.” Sharp teeth gnashed behind Doon’s words. His singular golden eye glares at Kamjin. His claw tip find the catch on his saber, and after letting it crackle and occasionally backfire, he released it, cutting the blade’s uneven energy.
“We need a plan. This is a hostage situation. We don’t know enough about our enemy besides the fact that they’re supposed to be defunct. Find your seats and pay attention, everyone has a role.”
Color finally begins seeping back into the world as Doon releases his clawed grip on the force.
Carr felt the same sensation he had felt from Seito at that moment. His grey eyes snapped towards Doon, and a frown creased his brow. It was the same power Seito had employed to mute Mune’s barrier the second the snipers needed to fire into Caleb. The youth looked away, straightening up. “Whatever…”
He took his seat, nodding to his droid to project the schematics again. He would not sulk, he was no kid.
Zig finished the modification and repair work on her gauntlet, tunnel focus as she was, she looked up and seemed to take in the situation.
“Did Doon do something to the space mages? Nice.”
Doon ignored Zig at the moment, instead focusing on the projected schematics.
“Our information is limited. If we’re going to do this right, we need to fix that. Step one: Carr and Zig, I need you two to reach an appropriate terminal to slice into the facility. That means ID spoofing, camera controls, comm tapping, replicating door codes, disabling motion sensors or any other alarm that might give Sieto an idea of what’s going on.”
“Speaking of, we will not make an immediate plan to deal with them. As they may have farsight or some level of precog. Any plan should come up naturally while we are in there. Hopefully by then we’ll have ample information to trick them.” He paused for a moment, staring hard into the projection. “Our main priority is rescuing Mune. Sieto, ultimately, is not mission critical. To ensure Mune’s safety, we need to focus on stealth. Raising any alarm or causing something out of the ordinary to happen might cause harm to Mune, or make our jobs harder. So no power outs, no distractions, no witnesses. Tight and efficient.”
“Gaining entry unseen is going to be the most difficult step. We may have a few options when we arrive that we can’t plan for, but until those opportunities present themselves, plan for a traditional entry. I have explosive tape, if all else fails.”
The Shistavanen stands for a few more moments, before looking at the others “Carr and Zig, you two need to stick together if and when we separate. Eleceos, Emperor. You two will take point ahead of me. I’m far too loud to be sneaky, so i will rely on you to give me openings to move.”
Over the former City-State of the United Corporations of Elaya(UCE) 0200 Hours
Carr, for his part, actually listened aptly to Doon talk strategy. His tools were handy—code replicator, remote code pad, datapad, probe, spikes; 53rv0 chirped beside him. The Shistavanen’s ears swivelled toward the droid, acknowledging him. The BD unit, too, would be handy. “You stay close to me,” he reminded the droid, who chirped in delight and hopped up onto his shoulder.
“Remember, Seito will think nothing of killing any of us,” Carr warned.
The shuttle dropped them a short distance away, avoiding detection for now and remaining hidden from prying eyes. A park, lush trees, and well-kept footpaths fronted the building. The building rose before them. A thing of glass and concrete, reaching towards the inky black sky, blotting out stars and made eerie by Ragnath’s soft glow. A placard stood out against a pedestal on the approach to the building’s main entrance(1a), reading Osada Corp. Bioengineering. The building itself was unmarked, cold and aloof from its surroundings. The only lights easily seen from their vantage point were those of the lobby(2), where a reception desk stood. So too, could three guards be seen, armoured, though it could not be determined with any certainty from their position if the guards were armed.
To the right of the main entryway was what appeared to be a service or staff entrance(1b). The schematics, sadly, did not tell them about security’s movements through the building. Only a cursory scan was needed to ascertain that the guard did not walk the ground beyond the building’s walls. They did not seem concerned with what went on beyond their five stories. From their vantage, there was no indication of another five floors hidden below. If the schematics were correct, they were there beyond the question of a doubt.
The only sound was the sound of night creatures in the park around them. Undisturbed by the presence of the Arconans and Palatinaean. A breeze rustled the leaves over their heads, carrying past them the scents of the city that rose around the park, hidden from them by the patch of greenery they found themselves in.
“Is it weird I half expected Seito to have a statue of his giant ego planted in front of the building?” Carr asked under his breath, clearly talking to calm his nerves. “Think it’s deeper in the lobby?” he joked, voice nearly too low to be heard if not for a quiet evening.
Zig placed a hand on Carr’s shoulder. She looked around, taking in the area. She clocked a security camera pointed down towards a terminal. That was where they needed to get to.
“Carr, see that camera over there? If you can do your…magic interference thingy, I can probably make it to that terminal and then move for cover. ”
Carr blinked and frowned some, “You know I don’t like… you know what, worth it to get Mune back.”
The youth followed Zig’s direction, eyeing the camera. He focused, actively drawing on the Force, something he so rarely did that it felt alien to him. He thought of the lessons Mune tried to give him. His eyes narrowed, and smoke began to curl upwards from the camera, circuitry crackling, and the light dimmed.
Carr huffed softly, letting go of his concentration. “Got it.”
“Sick, nice work, wizard. Time to play Rogue now.”
Zig skirted along the wall towards the now un-watched terminal. She’d have to work quickly, as the camera being down would probably draw attention.
“Carr, let me borrow the dongle for the remote slicer pad, I’ll tap it in just in case.”
Carr followed closely, keeping enough distance so they did not trip each other up. When asked for it, he held out the remote slicer pad. If there was anyone he trusted with his tools, it was Zig, “Remember to return it in the same or better condition than you borrowed it,” he grinned.
Zig slid the dongle into the slot (heh) and then made sure to get the remote pad back to Carr.
“Should give you root-level access to the backend. Want to see if you can mess with their cameras and maybe loop the video so we won’t get detected?”
Carr grinned, accepting the remote pad and got to work. He did not expect it to be easy, given the building had acted as the company hq even before the other buildings downsized the way they did. His tongue peeked out of the side of his muzzle as he focussed, grey eyes seeing nothing but the screen as he worked diligently. Five minutes was all it took before the Shistavanen smirked, “Bingo. You’re mine.” He tapped the screen and all the cameras fell under their control. He immediatley switched them over to loop the last hour and change of footage then dropped in code to alter the timestamps so it did not become too obvious too quickly that the cameras had been hijacked. He kept writing in code and applying it to his program until finally he gained access to the feeds themselves so they could track personnael movement.
“Just a bit more…” he mumbled.
The remote pad flashed a series of messages. Carr snorted, “Got ‘em.” He reached past Zig and punched in a series of numbers into the keypad beside the door. It clicked and the door unlocked. He grinned to Zig, “Thanks for the help, can’t beat our combined moves.”
Zig made a gesture to bump fists, smirking behind her visor.
Carr totally fist bumps with her.
As if on cue with the beep from the door unlocking, Kamjin strolled up to the group. His cloak billowing in an almost intentionally dramatic fashion. “Excellent, you’ve completed the first phase of the plan,” Kamjin said, his confidence masking that he had spent most of the last few moments since the landing bandaging his nearly cracked ribs.
He had assumed the young pup was untrained and untested. His arrogance had cost him some mobility and his pride. He cursed himself for making the mistake of all elderly people; assuming that youth was a weakness. Clearly Carr was both motivated and prepared and, judging by the way that black Shistavanen had stared him down and the joyful moment with the Zygerrian, people who cared for him and would have his back.
Kamjin smirked to himself. Maybe he would be nothing more than a glorified babysitter on this trip.
Carr glanced Kamjin’s way, eyes flicking down to the man’s ribs. He says nothing though. He instead shifts that glance back to his screen to check the appropriate camera.
“The hall beyond is clear,” he supplies, quickly flipping through the next couple in the sequence. “We can move.”
The group pushed through the door. Carr was insistent that even though they hijacked the sensors and the like, it was still prudent to be cautious incase a door ajar too long set off other alarms. So it was that the group came to stand in a short hall with the door eased carefully closed behind them.
The hall led forward towards another door. About half way down another passage and door led off to their right. The hall was dimly lit, all cold industrial tile and white walls. It was obvious visitors did not use the passage, there was nothing inviting about it.
Carr snarked, “As boring as Selenian poetry class…”
He quickly glanced his screen of his pad again, “The door ahead leads to a side lobby from the main one. There is a security desk. The door on our right leads to a storage room, then some minor labs it looks like. We need to make our way to an elevator so straight makes the most sense but… more chance of running into guards.”
“We have the remote access from earlier. I can try to create a distraction on the far side of the complex to divert personnel?” Zig asked.
“And once they realize there’s nothing there, where will they go?” Kamjin asked, strolling along with Carr.
“Back to where they started, but we will already be past them?” She shrugged. “I mean if we wanted to cause chaos it’s very easy. I can override some of the bases defense systems and turn them on the guards. Getting through doors should be easy.” She hefted her bag that had some explosives. “Or you know your light sword can cut through walls I guess. Can’t you just hand-wave us through?”
“You clearly never were in Intelligence,” Kamjin chose the full name for Intel intentionally. “People expect boring days. The the less excitement we introduce the easier this’ll be. If you really wanted to cause chaos send a mundane message to all their communicators vaguely assigning a task. Watch them all try to figure out who it was meant for and arguing that it wasn’t them.”
“I fix things that the people in ‘Intelligence’ don’t know how to. Like how to download and open a secure file onto their datapad,” she replied dryly. “Sounds boring but, I’m clearly not ‘intelligent’ enough to lead this op. I’m here to get my friend back and break some jaws in the process if needed.”
“Wouldn’t that be more distracting than rushing to an alarm? No one leaves their desk when they’re cursing their data terminal.”
Zig shrugged, clearly having a different approach to this rescue that involved more direct and agressive means.
“Sure, a ‘reply-all’ ruse works on the desk jockey’s. Soldiers don’t tend to care though.”
“That’s what this is for,” Kamjin patted his repaired lightsaber.
She shrugged and patted her satchel again.
Kamjin shrugged. “Look, we are bicker or we can make a choice. Carr, make the call,” Kamjin said, facing the boy. These were the decisions leaders had to live, or die, by.
Carr, hesitantly responded, “We maintain stealth until absolutely necessary to make ourselves known.”
He frowned some. He was not a tactician by any means. The teen eyed Zig for a moment then huffed. “Good plan but… we do not know how common system glitches are here. It has the potential to tip them off to a system breach. We want to hold onto our advantage for as long as we can. Captain?” He glanced towards the much larger Shistavanen. He knew Doon knew tactics.
Kamjin nodded at the sound logic. Sometimes the best action is inaction and it takes years of maturity to become comfortable with that versus a more direct approach.
The Dark Side is often disdained as the quicker path but it’s a path of patience and secrecy.
“Carr is correct. Like I mentioned on the shuttle, raising anything out of the ordinary could raise internal alarms. Even if Seito is the only one hearing them. I want them to be the last to know we are here, if at all possible. Any manipulation we do should be purely in the form of low level, Believeable notices.” The wolf paused for a few moments, eying Zig. “Do they have IT here? someone else with slicing? Can you tell? Someone that would oversee software updates rolling out through their system? Might be a way to knock their computers out while subtly squeezing a virus through the entire system.”
He had been leaned forward, talking quietly. He takes a moment to straighten and check his gear once more out of habit. “Eleceos and Kamjin are leading, yes. I will be a ways behind them waiting till They make an opening for me. You two will follow behind me. if we can get to their main computers we can control them entirely. Can you tell where that is on cameras? Can you see the underground section? Mune? Seito?”
Carr hummed softly, manipulating the pad. “Hard to say for sure. We’ve hijacked all of them but… it seems they are only through halls, stairwells, lobbies. None of the labs appear to be on the camera grid.”
The shorter Shista growled low, “I have a visual of Seito. Upper level, heading towards an office. Likely his. I’ll keep scanning through the feeds.”
Eleceos approached Carr whom, and placed a hand on ghe young ones shoulder.
“Carr, if you are holding anything of Mune’s I would ask you hand it to me foe a moment.”
Carr looked to Ele for a moment before slowly pulling out his siblings lightsabers. Ele gave a sad smile to the Shistavanen before taking hold of the twin hilts. The Force spread out from Ele like a silent wave. Ele waited until he could feel what he was looking for, and soon enough he found the still warm embrace of his friend. Mune was still alive, and there weren’t many lifeforms around them. But Ele was unable to discern a “map”. For that he turned to the others.
“Somebody please grab my arm. I have a location on Mune, but someone with eyes should discern this buildings layout.”
Kamjin looked at Carr with a this is your show expression as he nodded his head towards Eleceos.
Carr had studied the floorplans, he supposed. He reached out to grasp Eleceo’s arm, “I… I guess. What do I need to do? Just hold your arm?”
“Yes, I will transfer what I’ve found into your mind.”
Carr hesitated, realizing he meant more Force power stuff. He had already used his powers a bunch; what was messing with them some more, he supposed. If it meant getting to Mune… he grasped Eleceos’ arm firmer. “Okay, fine.”
Kamjin rolled his eyes. “Miraluka can see with the Force,” he muttered at this dramatic pause to engage Carr.
“Let’s go get them,” Zig said through her helmet, now having grown impatient.
Kamjin gestured the way.
Carr thought about the building layout, biting his lip some in thought. Mulling over the information from Eleceos. “We could use the ventilation system… though…” he eyed Doon’s huge frame,“ Yea… or we can try the elevators. We have the passcodes, but there is no guarantee they won’t be suspicious of the elevator usage at this time of night. We could use the elevator shafts… there are maintenance ladders in them in a recessed gap to avoid the elevator’s passage.”
The young Shistavanen frowned. “Sorry Doon, the climb will be cramped for you.”
“I’m not going through the vents. Not in these pants,” Zig gestured at her full plated armor.
“Maybe we just use the turbo lifts and let them see if they can think of a reason the Emperor can’t go where he wants,” Kamjin added.
“Thatswhatisuggestedearlier” Zig mumbled.
“Use a tissue.”
Zig was about to retort something very witty, and definitely not immature. But she restrained herself and just settled for silently glowering at Kamjin.
Carr blinked at the two of them and muttered. “Children…”
The Shistavanen glanced at the door to their right then slipped past them all to crack the door open. “If we go through here, we should be able to moved around the guards by the security desk. I think? Come on.” He slipped through without waiting for a response, there was no telling how long they had before Seito went back to the 5th level. He was uncertain just how dangerous things would get if his older brother showed up on the scene.
Zig followed Carr, idly checking over her armors systems.
Of course, Carr let Doon, Kamjin and Eleceos take the lead, but, he made sure to direct them whenver they got to a turn in the road. Making their way through the storage room, and another back room, they entered what appeared to be more of a simple office or examination room of sorts. Everything appeared pretty standard to what one would expect even. As they approached the next door, Carr indicated they should proceed cautiously, and that cameras showed the hall beyond did have a couple guards patrolling, including one at the end of the hall, though the guard seemed to be facing away from the door they would be slipping through. The turbolift stood between their door, and the guard however.
“I’ve got this,” Kamjin said and confidentially strolled towards the guard. As the guard turned to face the approaching intruder Kamjin quickly took note of his ID badge.
“S'tran, my you look great,” Kamjin said, beaming.
“Halt!” S'tran responded, pointing his blaster right at Kamjin. Not breaking his stride, Kamjin continued on. “I can’t believe you’re back on duty. I thought you were still out due to your acrophobia acting up,” Kamjin said, with a slight gesture of his hand.
“I don’t know wha…” S'tran started before he slowly turned to look at the turbolift. A cold sweat appeared on his brow.
“I really appreciate an individual who can face their fears and, especially you, having to guard a turbolift when you’re deathly afraid of them,” Kamjin continued, now standing besides S'tran. “I mean look at this thing. A literal suspended death trap. Just a metal cord not even the size of my wrist holding the whole thing in place. I gotta tell ya, you’re braver than me,” Kamjin said, putting a supportive arm on S'tran’s shoulder. “Not to mention if one of these things were to crash anyone near by would be killed.”
At that S'tran’s face contorted in panicked pain. He dropped his blaster in panick hyperventaliating.
“Oh no, have I triggered you?” Kamjin asked, fake concern on his face. “Remember what the doctor told you. Find a dark space, sit down on the ground, focus on your breathing and don’t make a sound,” Kamjin said, rubbing S'tran’s shoulder supportively before plucking his security access badge.
S'tran took off to find a place to hide.
Carr watched, amusement flickered in his eyes, and a grin on his muzzle. That was certainly one way to eliminate a guard without raising the alarm or creating bodies to clean off the floor. Then came a question from around the corner. The guard at the security desk, Carr realized, eyes widening a fraction. Even as S'tran ran off, the second guard could see him bolt. If he walked towards the hall, Kamjin would be spotted.
“S'tran? Where… Karkin hell… are you still not recovered from the stomach bug? I told you those kids carry the karkin plague.” The guard approached; moments from rounding the corner into the hall S'tran had retreated down, to what the second guard assumed was to find a refresher.
Kamjin senses the guard before he shouted out. He clipped the security badge to his armor and took up the position of S’tran. As the guard turned the corner Kamjin gestured again with his hand and took on a look of mixed surprise and agitation.
“Would you leave my kids out of this,” Kamjin said, drawing himself up to his full height to add to his presence. “I just received word that they’re doing maintenance on the security cams. They’re going to be going up and down all day and it may impact several other systems. What you HEARD was my groan that we are going to have a crappy day,” Kamjin said, exasperated.
Walking closer to the new guard he said, “Inform the others not to cause a panic cause the cams are down and if something else gets triggered. Neither of us want to be here all night.” Kamjin winked and gestured the guard back to his post to spread the news.
As soon as the guard left he turned to his temporary companions. “Anyone want to take those cameras offline now and maybe a security system or two?” Kamjin beamed like a kid who had just gotten away with sneaking a treat. It had been decades since he had done this cloak and dagger stuff from his youth.
Zig blinked a few times. “This is why I said space magic in the first place. Great idea, Zig,” she nodded and then trotted over to the terminal.
Zig’s fingers danced across the terminal. Her eyes flitted across the streams of data at a rapid-pace, not needing her helmets HUD or any fancy technology to assist her. Now that she had easy, direct access, it was surprisingly easy to gain access to the root directories. The password was…guest. Seriously? Oh well. This is what you got when you skimped out on cyber security.
Everything was open to her. It was almost…too much. But she knew she could clear them a path towards where Mune was likely being held.
Zig gained access to precisely what she was looking for and then some. Mune was where Eleceos had sensed them, the fifth floor. In the lab itself, no one was assigned, it looked as if they were keeping Seito’s personal lab empty, but the subject kept in the space was one M. Cinteroph. One thing was clear, it would be far more difficult to go unnoticed once on the lower level. There were plenty of guards assigned to patrol the level itself.
Carr glanced over her shoulder, eyeing the information with a slight frown. “Down we go, I guess?”
“Zig, why don’t you reassign some personnel and clear us a path.”
“Sure,” she replied, tapping a few keys, pulling up schematics, then altering a few patrol routes.
The guards respond in the affirmative to the route adjustments and changes, confirming they received the orders and are acting accordingly,.
“Let’s move quickly. These are simple people but eventually someone will clue in that things aren’t as they should be.”
The turbolift proved an efficient means by which to get to the fifth floor. So it was that they arrived. The guards that had been posted outside of the lift were nowhere to be seen, off doing their new routes thanks to Zig.
Much as the upper level. The halls were clean, all tile floor and cold white walls and brightly lit. Signs on the walls indicated what was where and what direction to follow to arrive at one’s destination. Of course, not all the guards were gone; two remained outside the door to Seito’s personal laboratory and they appeared disinclined to leave.
Zig grumbled. “Thinks he’s so cool, getting to have his own lab-or-a-tory, hmph.”
Carr frowned lightly, “My brother is not cool… he is a total jerk face…” he muttered, keeping his voice down. “Those two are in the way still.”
The two guards stood at attention to either side of the door, looking straight ahead. Well, it could be assumed they were looking straight ahead; their helmets made it difficult to tell whether they were or not. They could be sleeping for all the group knew. They seemed uninterested in talking to each other, so they likely took their jobs far too seriously, or they were told to be weary of the subject locked up in the laboratory behind them by their boss.
She grumbled more. “I guess we can’t take them both our simultaneously. Cameras are covered, but noise is still an issue. I can have Guilty Spark try and distract them?”
She gestured at her floating droid that had been quietly following behind her shoulder.
Carr leaned towards Zig; “Listen… if not having a sign really upsets you that much… I am sure the Captain would let you have one…”
‘You’re right, “ she murdered. "It’s not even a good sign. I hope I get to punch him.”
She cracked her knuckles idly.
“You’re a feisty little thing. The ‘space wizard’ stuff has been helping us quite a bit here. Perhaps now isn’t the time to deviate from a plan that’s been working?” Kamjin said.
“Only after I punch him in his stupid muzzle… then you can have a turn…” Carr uttered back. He looked at the man and nodded, “We need to keep quiet, do your hand-wavy trick again.” They were aiming to stay quiet as long as they could after all. As much as Doon disliked the man, he had to agree, it had worked so far…
“Who is he calling little? If he wasn’t being useful right now I’d show him how little these fists are” she made a boxing gesture as she whispered an aside to Carr.
Carr leaned closer and whispered, “I’d be careful… I think I broke his ribs already back on the ship… I did not realize he was so frail.”
Kamjin cracked his knuckles, checked the security badge was still on display, and strolled around the corner. “Hey, didn’t you get the message? You’ve been reassigned today,” Kamjin said, in a commanding voice and a now familiar gesture that his companions noticed. “You need to get up to level 3 right away.”
Kamjin continued to stroll forward, smirking as the guard nearest to him began to panic that he hadn’t followed the hereto unknown order. The smug feeling evaporated as the second guard, their face a steely resolve, glared at the Emperor and brought his blaster to bear.
The second guard frowned behind his helmet, eyes narrowed, he raised what looked to be a BlasTech EL-16HFE in design. Something told them it was not a blaster rifle though. He levelled it at the Emperor. He looked very much like he knew how to use it too. The first guard was confused, to say the least, but would not likely be for long, witnessing his partner taking aim at what could only be a threat, why else would he be putting pressure on the trigger of his weapon. Perhaps, a mistake on the armed guard’s part, he had yet to radio for backup, which, meant he was oblivious to the presence of the others still.
Taking advantage of the confusion, Zig surged into motion. The armored Zygerrian stepped into the guard who had raised the blaster at Kamjin. And since he was focused on the Emperor, he didn’t have time to see her close in and activate her shockboxing gloves.
She struck with her elbow first, snapping it into the guards helmeted chin. Then she chopped her hand down to swat his “blaster” down and to the ground, away from Kamjin. Electric current crackled in her fists as she followed up with a swift upper cut, then two quick jabs to the chest-plate before stomping her armored boot down onto his kneecap, hoping to pop it backwards.
“Kamjin, back, guilty spark, I choose you!”
Realizing that the mind trick had failed for the crumpled mass on the ground, Kamjin raised his left hand and slowly brought his fingers and thumb together. The befuddled remaining guard was lifted off the ground, clutching at his windpipe as it constricted.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Kamjin said to Zig, as easily as if he were having a conversation at a plaza over drinks. The guard sputtered but couldn’t call out as his windpipe finally snapped and his head lulled to the side.
Kamjin released him to crumple to the ground next to his companion.
The guard Zig struck seemed to waver for a moment before teetering then crumbling to the floor in a heap. He was knocked out, the rifle tumbling from his grip to clatter on the floor. He did not even have time to get the license plate of the speeder he was struck by before blackness engulfed him. So too did the first guard get taken out. Just as awareness was returning, the Emperor had him by the throat, the Force constricting his airway until, int he next moment, with a resounding snap, he went limp and his heart slowed and stopped.
The others approachs work Carr peering out from behind them. The young Shistavanen arched a brow, “That works too, we should probably pull them into the hall when we proceed so they are not stumbled on.”
“Or not. I guess whatever you’re into…” she called back, watching the Consul “choke” the guard. Who was she to kink shame?
They had to do something with the bodies. Zig looked around, a bit frantic, and referenced the map she’d pulled from the computer and overlayed it in the top right corner.
There was a maintenance closet across the hall. Cliche but perfect.
The Zygerrian ran up to the door and started to tap as they key pad next to it. Nothing happened. She tried again, gaining access to the backend.
Unlocked
Just as she read the message, she saw Carr slowly open the door without so much as turning the handle.
“Okay. But it could have been locked,” she said defensively as she hefted one of the bodies and stuffed it into the closet.
“Little help, your highness?”
Kamjin looked at the woman who was quickly becoming irksome to this whole adventure. With a strained rolling of his eyes he gave a dismissive gesture of his hand and the two limp bodies slid across the floor towards the door. Their flesh rending a sickeningly sound as it was dragged across the polished floor.
When they were finally within the maintenance room Kamjin lowered his arm and nodded his head as if to say you may close it now.
“See? I knew you had it in you,” she beamed.
Kamjin glared, weighing the political impact of damaging an Arconian on this mission.
Carr snickered, heading for the lab door behind Doon and Eleceos. As much as he wanted to go charging in there… he was not about to disobey the captain’s orders or risk a lecture from Zig or Mune. He was already risking a lecture just being on the mission.
“We’re almost there,” Carr mumbled to himself. Henhad to trust their luck would hold out, that Seito would remain well away from them. Though, he had a feeling that this team.could actually take him down if it came to it.
Zig poked at the door. She waved her hand, mystically, but nothing happened. Then she just tried to tap the access button on the side panel.
The door to the private lab is definitely locked. This time Zig looks silly for other reasons.\
“Not. A. Word. Carr,” she grumbled as she then started to murmur to herself. Shouldjustsetanexplosivechargeandblastitopen
Carr smirks, those grey eyes alight with amusement.
She finished up the sequence, used a bypass she’d picked up from the previous terminal, and exploited a root vulnerability that no one had bothered to patch. Amateurs.
click-hiss-slide
“There, I helped,” she said as she gestured for the other to enter the now opened door.
“Carr, he’s alone in there. You should go first as he may react strongly to unexpected presences. He might, catch your scent, so to speak and be calmed,” Kamjin said.
Spacist
The door slides open to reveal a long hall and a lab beyond. The group proceeds forward, Carr taking the advice of the Emperor but not getting too far ahead. The group enters the main lab. Monitors were mounted on the walls, charts, and images. There were a couple operating tables and counters covered in instruments. It was very obviously a laboratory. The space smelled sterile; at least Seito worked in a clean environment. There was not a spot of blood or dust anywhere to be seen.
Carr frowned, nose wrinkling, “How does he work in this… everything smells… so… so…” The Shistavanen snorted and shook his head, “Weird?”
Another set of doors, unlocked, led deeper. Here they found Mune, laid out on a gurney. Needles and wires were plugged into them where they seemingly slept, monitors displaying their vitals. Their wrists and ankles were strapped to the metal frame; in other circumstances…..
“Mune…”
The white-furred Shistavanen’s eyes snapped open, vivid ruby red flashing before narrowing. A growl curled back his lips. Their fur bristled, the growl rising in tone the closer the group got. Carr appeared uncertain, nervous even; he had been warned not long ago about Mune’s bouts of going feral under duress. He slowed and glanced at the others, who had to be as unsure as he was right then.
Zig frowned. Something was wrong. She looked around for another access panel. Cameras…were there other cameras, entrances, some kind of trap?
Mune’s nostrils flared, drawing in scents, before wrinkling, and they sneezed. Carr grinned sheepishly, “I know, right? That antiseptic smell is horrible…” the younger Shistavanen joked lightly.
The white-furred Shistavanen’s growls, cut off by the sneeze, did not return fully. He eyed the group suspiciously before muttering, “Or you need to bathe, kid…” They tugged at their restraints, eyeing the group wearily, eyes feverish and unfocused for a moment before sharpening again. “Are one of you going to let me up?”
“That depends, are you going to maul us if we do?” Kamjin asked, skepitcal to the end.
Ele felt the Shistavanen’s emotions. They were…lacking in familiarity. They didn’t recognize their own brother or friends. A pit formed in the Miraluka’s stomach. This was what he had seen. Mune was alive, but they were…not all there. They were lost somewhere in their mind.
It seemed that his visions had come true.
Ele took a few steps forward, trying to keep a calm emotional feeling in the room.
“Mune, we’re here to help you. I’m going to touch you, please don’t be afraid. I promise that I will never do anything to cause you pain.”
Mune’s lips began to pull back again, a snarl beginning to bubble up low in their chest. Their ears lay back against their head. It was not like they could go anywhere, strapped down as they were. They got more of the Miraluka’s scent the closer he got until the snarl dropped to a bass growl. “Unstrapping me would be a huge help, especially before the other returns.”
Carr looked worried where he stood, though he could not understand why the worry. Mune was being strange, but strange was so normal for their sibling that they did not consider something wrong. Was he missing something?
“Other? You mean Seito, right?” Carr asked uncertainly.
“The black-furred one, yes. If he returns and I am strapped down, I cannot protect you… us… myself.” They huffed. Their gaze shifted back to Eleceos, nostrils flaring with every breath, breathing in deep. “Please.”
Ele turned to face Carr. He needed to make sure the young one wasn’t freaking out too much right now. They were still in danger.
“Carr, don’t worry. Everything will be OK, and Mune is safe now. But you need to keep composure, ok. Once we are all free, all will be explained.”
Ele turned back to Mune.
“I am going to free you before the dark one returns. I know that you can smell that I mean you no harm. I’m asking you to trust me. I’m going to take your hand in mine first.”
As he spoke, Ele removed one of his gloves given to him by Doon.
Mune’s eyes narrowed; this time the look was all impatience and irritability. With a heavy sigh of frustration, he acquiesced to the request, “Fine. Okay,” it was gruff for Mune, but, certainly the irritability could be excused given the circumstances.
Carr observed, muttering under his breath, “You smell… I don’t need a bath… you need a bath…”
Ele was very careful. He could feel fear, apprehension, and even animalistic rage in Mune. This new state of being for his friend was causing distress. He wanted only to show his friend the light.
Taking paw in hand, touching skin to skin, Ele imparted Mune with what he could. Not too much, as he didn’t want to overwhelm to Shistavanen. But enough to feel.
Images of Carr, Caleb, and all those whom Mune had a deep care for were flooded into Mune mind. Siblings laughing together. A wedding between two mates, connected by their very souls. Good friends. A happy life filled with love, respect, and true happiness.
All he showed was good, and he hoped that even if Munes memories didn’t unlock right away, it was enough for now to show his friend their truth.
We all love you Mune. We will protect you now.
Mune’s ears slowly came back up, and they let out a shuddering breath. There was still something very twitchy and unsettled about them, but they were calmer. They nodded to Eleceos, “Thank you.” Their head pounded behind their eyes, but they were processing the information, letting it sink in. Their ruby eyes flicked toward Carr, recognizing the relationship for what it was, tied to the scents. They wrinkled their nose again, “Kid. When we get out of here, you need a bath,” said with far more conviction now.
Carr rolled his eyes and growled; the teenager threw up his hands and headed back towards the lab behind them.
“… Ele? Undo these straps, please?”
Eleceos smiled as they took hold of the straps, and carefully released Mune from their confinement.
Mune sat up when they could, removing wires and IVs quickly. They were on their feet within moments, not even bothering to look awkward about standing in front of them in one of those tacky hospital gowns. Who had time for awkwardness? The Shistavanen studied them all for a moment, then, eyes falling on Kamjin, their nostrils flared. There was the vaguest recollection there. It had been so long, after all, since their paths crossed. Mune could only assume he could be trusted if the man was with them. They gave a firm nod; the man’s presence demanded respect.
“Let us leave this place… I hate the smell of it…”
Kamjin gave a curt nod of respect back to Mune.
Zig ran up and gave Mune a big hug, clinging to them slightly.
Mune blinked in surprise. The growl escaped before they could think to stop it. Whomever the armoured figure was, much like the other one, Kamjin, the person in the armour had to be someone the rest of the group trusted. They could not associate the Zygerian’s scent with a name but… the woman was fully armoured. They mostly got steel and whatever she used to maintain the armour, but Zig was still there. They clung to that familiarity, calming their growl, tension easing, and after a moment, their arms wrapped around her. It took another moment to link the scent with a name, only because of what Eleceos had provided them. “Zig? Hey… I… I am okay.”
They thought of the other image, the wedding, the Togorian; that scent was missing from the group. They managed a name, “Caleb. My… mate? Where is he?”
Carr, by the door, visibly winced. “L… later, Mune. We have to get moving.”
“I agree with Carr. We need to get moving. Even with the confusion we introduced it’s not going to take long for them to realize some people are missing or, worse, find their bodies,” Kamjin said.
She reluctantly let go.
Doon looked on with a frown at Mune’s reaction to them. He was standing by the door, guarding it as the others helped Mune. His eye squinted at the white shistavanen’s behavior. “Mune.. Does not seem to recognize us. Can you see us? Can you feel us in the force? Or is it only scent?”
Mune’s gaze shifted towards the much larger Shistavanen. “I…” They frowned some, ears splaying, “Memories. I do not have any. I recognize your scents, to varying degrees, admittedly, and thanks to… Ele? Thanks to Ele, I seem to have names, with effort, to go with those scents now. I still see you in the Force, I still see you; I just… do not rememember.”
The smaller Shista padded towards Doon, studying him, breathing in deep, capturing his scent. “… Doon? I will be okay, it is okay. We need to move though, all of us.”
Kamjin turned to the irksome woman who had nevertheless proved invaluable to their adventure. “Can you check that people are still distracted and we have a clear path to the shuttle?”
“I don’t know, can I?” she replied almost on reflex. She caught herself, though and then coughed and said. “Yeah, sure, no problem.”
She padded over to the terminal and started to interface with it.
Kamjin again pondered what the repercussions would be if this woman accidentally found herself exploring the inside of a turbolift shaft without a means of controlling her descent.
“Well, it looks like the path is clear if we go back the way we came. But I don’t have the greatest feeling about this…”
Mune padded over to Carr, the slightly shorter Shista moving in closer then getting under one of Mune’s arms, taking the white-furred Shista’s weight. Mune looked exhausted, accepting the help from their brother and Carr glad to lend the help, though, surprised Mune had even asked for it. Both Shista’s perked their ears at Zig’s words.
“You think Seito is laying in wait?” Carr asked.
Mune did not offer any input, turning to stare thoughtfully at the dark hall before them. They shook their head, “Waiting for us or not…”
“I guess you wouldn’t know.”
Mune shook their head.
“At this point you’re going to need to make a choice. Either we hunt this Seito down and maybe a few of us get out alive or we rescue Mune and blast the site from orbit,” Kamjin said. “Personally, I’m inclined for us to wrap this up and I can let my security forces handle sterilizing this building.”
Carr growled low.
“There is too much risk to everyone here,” Mune commented.
The smaller Shistavanen’s eyes widened slightly, “But… he… Seito… What if… Mune… our brother has come after you more than once; he won’t stop now… what if he escapes the Emperor’s wrath? He may not see as well as you into the future… but…”
Mune met their younger brother’s grey eyes and Carr flinched.
“Oh… I’m sorry…”
“Let us get out of this place,” Mune leaned a little more heavily on their sibling.
The group made their way back the way they had come without issue. The hall beyond remained clear though the sound of guards nearby could always be heard on the new assignments Zig gave them. The elevator ride was uneventful, even silent, really. Awkwardly so. Carr glared at the floor the entire time, angry that they were not going after Seito. Likely joining at least a couple of the others in frustration. The security area remained void of personnel, and the Force-users in the group could sense something was amiss. Those without the Force just knew things should never be so easy.
It was not until they approached the way they had entered the building and pushed through the door did they understand why. At the edge of the approach, at the border to the park from which they had initially emerged, stood a black-furred Shistavanen. Eyes like liquid gold watched them. Seito was all lean muscle and, if not for an ever-present sneer of disdain on his face, could be considered handsome by most. At present, he just looked annoyed, as if his evening of scheming had been interrupted by some pests stepping on his property without permission. “Arconan’s, I presume. And…” he stared at Kamjin in his armour. “I see.”
“Of course…” Carr muttered. “Visions run in our blood; how wouldn’t he see us coming…”
Four guards stood around him, two in red armour, two in white. By the lobby entrance were another three. Not the worst odds any of the group has faced before.
Fear seemed to blanket the space, like invisible tendrils, darkness and terror, and nightmarish claws their way from the shadows. At its epicenter was Seito. Why would the unpleasant Shista in his nice suit and lab coat not exude such an aura? He appeared to wear the power like a cloak, dark and twisted like his mind. Seito sneered, his eyes scanning the group, seeking out the red eyes of white-furred Shista.
“Same deal as before, Mune, though I know you do not remember because of your own foolishness… Surrender, and the rest can live. I spared the rodent and your husband as promised. Of course, we’ll have to move after this… but… alas, it cannot be helped.”
I knew this was too easy. But good. Now I can punch him in his stupid muzzle.
“Oi, listen here you regurgitated hair-ball: I’m going to rip that stupid lab coat off and beat your karkin’ face with it!” Zig called out defiantly, pulling her diamond sword free and gripping it with one hand while she activated her forearm plasma shield in her other hand.
“AND WHO YOU CALLING RODENT-ILL-BASH-YER-KARKIN-SKULL-IN!”
Seito frowned at the woman, staring at her for a moment before he scoffed, “Think what you wish, little girl.”
At those words, his lightsaber activated, then two more lightsabers activated on either side of him, the two guards in red armour. One held a double-bladed lightsaber, and the other held dual lightsabers.
Carr growled, “Rodent would be me, Zig. But at least I’m not a flea-bitten mutt, failure of a scient experiment!” He shouted.
Seito did not like that; the aura of darkness and terror seemed to thicken into a swampy morass that would make him difficult to get close to. The white-armoured guards raised their rifles, safeties clicking off. No snipers from what anyone could tell at a glance, not that the non-sniper rifles made things any safer, ultimately.
“Carr… Zig… do not do anything ill-thought-out…” Mune muttered as if they remembered the two enough to remember just that thing.
Zig blinked a few times as she heard Carr’s explanation. It did not help, and only made her more angry.
“…”
You could hear her neck muscle twitch. But she held her position, some part of her intelligent, thinking part of her brain listening to Mune’s words of warning.
“Hah, got em!” she said, instead, proud of Carr’s insult.
Kamjin rolled his eyes at the banter. He’d killed a Grand Master that was less chatty. This wasn’t the place for grand standing, which was saying something given how prone the Emperor was for falling into the same trap of running his mouth.
Stepping forward from his companions he raised both of his arms. Splaying his fingers he let loose the arcing energies of the Dark Side, made real in twilight-hazed electricity. The four guards surrounding the black-furred Shistavanen.
Their bodies danced in morbid pain as their muscles acted of their own accords. Kamjin smirked in satisfaction at their screams mixed with the tortured ozone. He flexed his fingers as the arcs increased in intensity, freely bouncing from one tortured body to another.
As their screams began to weaken, Kamjin ceased his onslaught. As they collapsed their armor squeaked like a bug under foot. “Can we dispense with the pleasantries and bring this to a conclusion?” Kamjin asked the hot blooded Zygerrian.
“You’re a conclusion,” she grumbled at the Kamjin.
As she took an adhesive grenade and chucked it between the trio of guards. It detonated out.
“Now that’s what I call a sticky situation…”
There is only one guard in a position to attack. His rifle comes up, he takes aim at the Emperor and the shot rings out. There is no dodging the shot, no twisting out of the way. The slug crossing distance in fractions of a second.
Mune’s fur bristled, a snarl tearing from pulled back lips. The sound tore from them like a road. It took only as long as it took to think it for instinct to kick in and the barrier snap into place. Just as quickly it shattered like so much broken glass. The slug hung in the air where it had struck the invisible wall, long enough for the Emperor to register what nearly happened. Then it fell to clatter on the concrete.
Seito growled, his molten gold eyes taking in a wicked glow. The Force shuddered and swelled around him. Power crakling at his fingertips. He drew upon the Dark Side and aimed to make the Emperor and the others pay in kind for their attack on him… the guards he could care less about. That they had so endangered his safety in their attack, unforgivable.
Except. The Force drew back. The cracking Force Lightning that danced along his fingertips ceased with a smoky pop.
“Looks like your space magic is abandoning you big brother!” Carr laughed.
Seito frowned, eyeing his hands in displeasure. Something to analyze and figure out later, certainly, along with the ache behind his eyes that could be the result of a backlash or what was to him the annoying voice of his youngest sibling.
“What would you know of the Force, you insignificant rat,” Seito barked.
Carr snorted at Seito. His insults meant nothing. Not anymore. He was nit dumb enough to go for the other Shista. He bolted past the Emperor amongst the shards of Mune’s crumbling barrier, past the falling slug. His shock boxing gloves sparking to life. He came in low and his fast made contact with the guard who had fired on Kamjin. The guard grunted in surprise, the jolt and impact surprising him.
It was not enough to stun, but the guard felt the blow and it put the younger fighter to close for his firearm to be effective.
Mune stared in surprise after their little brother.
Seito sneered, “Pathetic… going after the small fry…”
Doon’s marred snarl erupted in a growl as he charged closer to the front line, backing carr and preparing to step between him and the man he was attacking.
But that wasn’t Doon’s main concern. He knew not what Seito was capable of, but he knew there were force users among the fray. He took a defensive stance, and sucked air in through his nose.
He smelt nothing.
As his engine like growl reverberated through the room, it began to drain of color, sapping the force from the combatants challenging them. He ripped it from them, drawing it in like a black hole. The force was not with Seito. Doon’s golden glare - the only color the enemy force users could see - made sure of that.
Eleceos grabbed hold of his bow and pressed a button on the hilt. The collapsed bow extended out and it activated, green line of energy glowing as a string. He grasped the finger notch and pulled back, aiming at the figure enshrouded with a malevolent aura.
Releasing the string, a bolt of energy flew through the air towards Seito, but the dark Shistavanen just smirked and pulled one of his underlings into the bolts path, killing them.
Ele couldn’t believe that someone would just use their followers in such a vile way. His jaw clenched and he felt angry.
Kamjin ignited his lightsabers and rushed at the nearest two troopers. The slug that had nearly hit him reminded him that in situations like this fighting in close quarters provided as much of a defense as offense.
Slashing out with his blood red blade he slashed upwards against the trooper’s chest, staggering him. With a twirl and flourish of his cloak he hid his icy blue blade cutting a gash across the abdomen of the second trooper who was stuck in Zig’s grenade.
Zig watched as Kamjin, again, proved to be quite useful. Glad he had some redeeming traits. Glad he was on their side. Alaisy had thought her the true nature of Sith, but Kamjin genuinely seemed to be just as annoyed at Seito and squad as the Arconans were.
Good enough for her.
She focused her sights on their main enemy. Her HUD was flashing all kinds of warnings that she probably should have paid attention to, but tunel focus set in. She sprinted forward, right into the three guards flanking Seito, and, punching out with her mandalorian vambrace, shouted, to no one in particular:
“BLAZE IT!” as she set off her modified wrist-based flamethrower and engaged the full cone and diameter to try and consume Saitou and everyone else in front of her.
Seito curses as he and his Force users are struck by the roiling flames, only one of his white armoured guards manages to evade the fire. On the other side of the approach. The stickied guard manages to shake loose and draw his rifle up, taking aim at the Emperor again, seeing him as the biggest threat other than the woman. He opens fire, shots going wide, doing the empire’s stormtroopers proud.
Carr has his hands full, the guard he faces, though wounded by the Emperor’s lightsaber, takes a swing at the youngster. His senses warn him but he is not quick enough to react and he takes the hit to the cheek, making him see stars for a moment but managing to hold his feet and not even stumble.
Mune bristles behind the group, if they were worried before, now they were something else altogether. A feral snarl began to curl form his lips and the guard was in their sights.
Seito leapt from the flames, landing in a roll to extinguish the fire. Fur smoking in places. The lab coat and suit were a ruin where they had been in contact with the blaze. His gold eyes blazed. Apparently the sociopath could feel something. Rage. His eyes flicked to Doon. Was he the one Suppressing? He snarled deep in his chest. Of course. The gnarled Shista had advanced but not attacked. He was focused, working the Force to some ends.
“Ignore the wench, kill the ravaged Shista.” Seito ordered.
Carr, though a little rattles, presses the attack. He shifts into another striking pattern but the guard still manages to dodge. The guard is gasping in pain with the effort of evading the youngster’s attack, his lightsaber wound making things more difficult.
Guilty Spark, the Ascendent Drone Droid that Zig had “rescued” and reprogrammed, went to defend its charge: The One Known As Carr.
“Protocal 14: Protect The One KNown As Carr”
The floating droid took aim and fired a burst-beam from its ocular socket in the form of a small concentrated composite laser.
Doon continued his stare down with Seito, making note of his order. He couldn’t have planned it better if he wanted to. In a smooth motion, he drew his shield generator off the small of his back, and slammed it into the ground. It’s supporting plate snaped out and it started projecting a dome around him. If they wanted toi fight him, they’d be slowed at lest. Stil, he wasn’t sure how long the dome would last.
He made a mental note to set a paw on his saber.
Both Force Users surged out of the flames and past Zig, ignoring the woman. They followed Seito’s orders, their armour smoking, lucky they were not cooked in the plating. Their lightsabers slashed out, one with his dual sabers, the other with his double-bladed saber, only to smash against the force field that was suddenly between them and their target. The force field crackled and flashed but held for the time being.
Ele attempted to take another shot at Seito, but the Shistavanen stepped out of the way. Ele began to feel quite useless in this fight.
Mune bolted away from Eleceos. The white-furred Shistavanen was a blur of in Kamjin and Carr’s peripheral vision, dashing between them and up on the guard that had struck the honey-furred Shista. Mune’s eyes blazed, the Force crackling through their blood. The feral snarled up through them, a vicious sound that burst from his lips. The guard barely had time to react. Mune struck him, strength augmented by rage. The guard’s helmet snapped back, and he stumbled, helmet askey.
Mune went for the opening, his jaws snapped forward, and he had the man by the throat. He rode the man to the floor in a tangle of limbs, fangs digging in, blood bubbling up between his teeth, crimson running in stark rivulets again white. Then he twisted and the man let out a wet gurgle before his throat was torn out in a mess of blood. Mune turned, eyes clearing, the threat to Carr’s life neutralized, the feral eased back. Mune did not flinch, even at seeing the shock in Carr’s eyes. He rose from all fours, already energy reserves rebuilding, the Living Force being channelled back through them.
“M… Mune?”
“I will not let them hurt you…” Mune rasped.
“At least ask for your lightsabers back!” Carr barked. “You’re not an animal!”
Seito, dodging Eleceo’s bolt, caught sight of Mune moving and could only stare at the sight of Munegone momentarily feral and coming back out of it. He frowned deeply. “I see… so that is how it is going to be…”
Kamjin continued his assault on the guards. His dual blades hummed a musical tune of destruction as the Emperor broke out in a giddy smile. It had been ages since he had cut loose without the fate of the Brotherhood or his Empire hanging in the balance and, without the constant political strife with his Proconsul he found himself enjoying what he had made a career of…infiltration and destruction.
He parried and thrusted with the guard until Mune blurred past. Sensing that the conclusion of this adventure was approaching he brought his attacks to a point.
A glancing hit across the armor of the nearest guard setup a mortal strike against the second. They’d have time to play with him for mere moments before that wound got the better of him.
Zig stopped her flamethrower, pivoted, and took a few swings with her fists at the closest body in armor.
She missed they were surprisingly quick.
Having witnessed Mune quite literally rip out one of the others’ throats with his fangs, one of the guards brought his rifle up to take aim. He pulled the trigger with a resounding click. Mune did not wait. The distance was closed in an instant and the guard was crashing to the floor. The bloodied Shistavanen finished him off in quick order.
The two remaining white-armoured guards raised their own rifles, one aiming at the Emepror, the other at Zig and fired.
Kamjin felt the heat of the Flamethrower more than he heard it as he continued his deadly dance with the guards. They were recovering quicker to their attacks, the chaos of battle becoming the norm, and his companions were losing their advantage.
As he turned he saw the flash of the muzzle as a metal slug raced towards him. Kamjin pivoted his body to dodge, a graceful move failed by the aged body and cracked ribs. By chance, the Emperor’s cloak snagged on the remaining sticky goo that had exploded over the floor.
Kamjin felt his body snap back as the cloak became ensnared. Flailing his lightsabers shook in the air and miraculously connected with the metal slug. The molten metal clattered to the floor.
Kamjin’s eyes went wide as he freed himself, looking at the attacking trooper with an I meant to do that look before he sought to reengage in the fight.
Zig sidestepped.
Seito, eyes narrowing, seems to gauge whether a hasty retreat is appropriate or… The black-furred Shistavanen snarls and begins to walk toward Mune and Carr. His lightsaber crackles and hisses as he drags it along the surface of the force field, making the energy of the barrier flash and shudders, taking on damage. Whether he cared or not if he took the force field down was questionable, considering all his attention was on his two siblings. The force field held for the time being, but the smoke was beginning to curl up from the generator, and the other two Force-Users’ attacks from before began to add up.
“You belong here… you ungrateful… child. Father gave you a purpose, a purpose you threw back in his face…” He snarled angrily, “Now… you can’t even remember it, thrown it away like trash while flaunting the power you’d never have otherwise!”
Mune rose, ruby red met with molten gold.
Carr stepped before Mune, his grey eyes flashed with anger. His brow furrowed, and he focussed. The Force was there as always, but it took a lot to draw upon it. Carr was untrained, but he felt Mune forge a Barrier more than once to protect others. The younger Shistavanen drew up that power and threw it outwards, breathing hard as the Force coalesced in a corona of protective energy to protect him, Mune, and by chance of proximity, Kamjin as well.
“You shut your karkin’ muzzle, you jerk! You know nothing!”
Seito glared daggers through the barrier at the shorter Shistavanen. “Rodent…” he muttered.
“SAY RODENT ONE MORE TIME,” Zig yelled out from her helmets modulation. “Say rodent one more time motherkarker. I dare you–I double dare you. Say it one more time”
Doon held firm with the suppression, his growl rumbling like an engine as he finally lit his saber and charged forward. He swung his blade at the other saber, swatting it out of the way so he could land a neat slice, searing flesh into the threat’s gut.
With a crackle, snap, and pop, the shield generator shut down. The double-blade lightsaber wielder broke through. Of course, Doon was already moving and the dual saber wielder defenses were broken, crying out in pain as he was dealt a wicked wound, sending him staggering back.
Eleceos heard Seito’s words, his threats and his insults towards Carr. The Miraluka also felt the barrier dissipate. Sidestepping around Doon, he grasped his bows draw notch and pulled back on the string. The Force guided his actions and as he exhaled, a bolt flew from the energy bow shattering into Seito’s knee before the Evil sibling could move out of the way.
Carr reached under his poncho and removed both of Mune’s lightsabers. The white-furred Shistavanen was already in motion. The hints exchanged hands in passing, violet and blue plasma snapping to life. The guard stumbled back in surprise, one of the sabers missing but the other cutting a wicked furrow into his armour and scoring a glancing blow to the skin underneath.
A few feet back, Seito stumbled as the shock of an energy bolt to the knee sent a joke of pain through him. He shot a glare at the Miraluka, but he still stood and would not be deterred from reaching his younger siblings. He snarled, lips pulled back. The Force roiled around him furiously, yet he still could not properly grasp at it thanks to Doon’s interference.
Mune and Eleceos, for a fraction of a second, become disconnected from the current happenings, images flashing in both their minds, one seeing more clearly than the other. Still, both saw what was to come, nonetheless. The images flashed violently through them, Mune’s eyes distant, unfocussed, heart hammering against their ribs. Their grip tightened on their lightsabers. The Force whirled through Miraluka and Shistavanen alike, filling them, letting them see, making them see.
Mune was released from its grip, a shudder running through them. They may have lost many years of study and knowledge, but it was not necessary to decipher what they just saw. Their eyes met Seito’s, and the black-furred Shista’s eyes narrowed. Did he know what was just seen?
Ele shook, his bravado from hitting Seio gone. The images flashing in his mind left him shaken. There was danger for this team. They needed to be clear. He wasn’t sure if he was alone in this though.
“Mune?”
He spoke loudly, with worry lacing through. He didn’t know if they would’ve seen what he saw, or even if they had, would they be able to understand?
Mune glances in Ele’s direction without turning, they did not want to leave themself open to an attack. Their mind brushed against Eleceos, there was uncertainty there, as if they were not certain how or if they could do it. It was as if they were just thinking at Eleceos, thinking at him to say nothing, to not let on that they knew what Seito was planning. Mune could not help thinking it would make him trigger it now if he caught on.
Ele caught on to the link Mune had subconsciously created. He just sent back feelings to show her understood what they were feeling.
Kamjin had kept a pulse on Seito’s movements and as he approached the time to strike had presented itself. Disengaging from the cannon fodder Kamjin lashed out at the taller enemy.
Through a feint Kamjin landed two crossing slashes upon the black furred combatants chest. Searing orange burns gashed upon his torso and yet, he seemed unfazed. Something was not right. A blow like that should have crippled him.
Zig ran up and punched the trooper with her shock boxing gloves. She grabbed a cylinder off her belt and rolled it towards Seito. It detonated, but didn’t seem to stick. Drat.
Seito, staggered from the saber attack from the Emperor, could do nothing to avoid the cryo grenade and felt the cold wash over him, feeling it through his singed clothing and fur. He grits his teeth and takes it, though. His eyes never left Mune; it was nearly obsessive.
One of the white armoured guards fires again at Zig, firing a spray of slugs her way with the goal to take the woman down.
“Enough,” Kamjin shouted. With a flourish he extinguished his icy blue blade and clipped it to his belt. Stretching out his now free hand towards Seito he reached out into the Shistavanen’s mind.
The Emperor’s will tore through the crazed man’s mental defenses. His body seized as he lost control of his limbs. His eyes searched maddingly for the cause as Kamjin approached, raising his blood red blade threateningly close to Seito’s face.
“Your life depends on your answers. What were you doing with Mune and what are you planning for us now? Speak quickly least I grow bored with your answer and remove you from this mortal plane,” Kamjin sneered.
Seito’s eyes narrowed, a deep growl bubbling up from his chest. “I needed samples from them in order to stabilize my own genetics. Then there was to be a trigger programmed into their mind… though Mune had other ideas.”
He snarled, “I plan to kill you all of course. If I cannot hold onto my sibling, then you will all die.”
“How do you plan to kill us,” Kamjin probed, gesturing with his free hand at the battle. “Your thugs aren’t exactly getting it done.”
Eleceos turned to Kamjin after hearing Seito’s statement.
“He holds a Deadman switch. He plans to sanitize us all in fire.”
Kamjin nodded, the plan was a good one. “How do you deactive your deadman switch?” Kamjin demanded from Seito.
Seito grinned wide, those molten gold eyes brightening; there was pressure against Kamjin’s mind as he started to push against the control. The Force writhed and burned around him, bone and ash. “You don’t. I don’t,” he started to laugh.
Mune pushed Carr behind them, planting themself in front of the younger Shistavanen.
The remaining guards hesitated. The two Force-users halted their own attacks on the group. They, at least, were prepared to die. What could Seito have done to have these men so loyal to him die in flames when they needn’t have to. Unless they, too, were a result of what the corporation Seito stood for, had done?
“And your control won’t stop it.”
“The question you are left with is this… how much of the programming took before Mune defended their mind… and how much of it will remain intact when their memories return?” Seito arched a brow, his grin widening. It became something akin to what Zig and Doon recognized as an impish grin Mune and Carr had a tendency towards. Though. Seito’s had the lunatic cranked to one-hundred, turning the grin into something menacing sinister, twisted. “I wonder…”
Mune’s eyes narrowed, the Force whispering gently through them. “We were never siblings. Whether my memories unlock or not… I will never accept that we share blood. My brother is beside me…”
Carr coughs, “Behind…”
“My mate waits for me. My family and friends fight for me…”
“Well then… shall we reduce their numbers some? Mind. At this range, you and your brother are not likely to survive,” Seito sneered.
“Mune is stronger than you’ll ever be, you sentient, poor excuse for an animated hairball!” Zig yelled as she grappled with the armored guard she’d tussled with, held him like a shield, braced, and readied her own wrist shield as well.
Eleceos could feel the dark intentions of both Kamjin and Seito. The visions would come true, the Deadman switch would activate. The Miraluka acted on instinct, forming a barrier around himself and his nearby allies.
“You won’t lose us Mune! I promise!”
Doon didn’t like the situation before them. Either they explode or they release Seito. Neither of which were thing he wanted to do.
A few scenarios flashed through his mind, offering alternatives to dealing with the Shistavanen. Releasing him, gaining distance, then leveling the building. If only the Voidbreaker II was here.
As much as Doon wanted to be the one to rip Seito apart, it didn’t look like he would get a chance to even land a blow. That’s fine, as long as it’s done right.
He flicked his personal shield on and crouched, bracing himself for whatever would come. A barrier seemed too far off to summon, he was still concentrated on keeping Seito locked down anyway. No final chances for them.
“Your Empire, like the Meraxis Empire, will die…” he growled to Kamjin.
Turning his focus back to his siblings, he snorted, “My visions say you die here.”
Carr crossed the distance at the same time as Mune. The smaller Shista grabbed Kamjin whether the man liked it or not. Mune purple bladed lightsaber drove through Seito’s chest. “My vision says we live… and I will trust in my truth before I trust in your lies.”
Seito grunted, the pain lanced through him. The grin returned and widened. “Tick tick…”
“Goodbye, Seito,” Mune brought the lightsaber up through Seito’s sternum. Their body throwing itself back, the Force roared through them in a surge. They were between Seito, Carr and Kamjin.
Carr’s hand clasped Mune’s and their Barrier surged into place as the explosion engulfed Seito, surged forth from the bomb in his body. It was no small blast either. The front of the building crumbled as the ground shook.
Mune and Carr’s protective bubble shuddered, a wave passing over its surface. Cracks formed and were filled in only to form again, but still the blast was dispersing over the surface. Mune’s breath came in harsh pants, Carr clung to them, fighting to stay conscious as their Barrier was brutalized. Kamjin safe within.
Further back, Eleceos’s protective bubble was hit by an immense shockwave and blast of flames. It too shuddered under the strain.
Trees erupted in flame. Concrete and steel singed. By some miracle, the barriers held firm, the Force an aegis against the onslaught.
Soon, Carr had to hold onto Mune to remain standing. Vision swimming as exhaustion wrapped his limbs. Mune’s head pounded. Instinctively they were funneling the Force in to pour it into their protection, to maintain as long as they could… then it stopped. Smoke and rubble remained in the blast’s wake. It had only been seconds, and all the was left of the courtyard was ruin. The front of the building was a ruin. Trees were crackling as fire consumed them.
Where Seito had stood… was a smoking crater. No evidence remained of the black-furred Shistavenen.
Kamjin smirked, dusting himself off as he felt his face blister from the heat. A horrible tan would appear there over the next day. “You know your rear is exposed in that horrible gown?” he ask of Mune.
“Nice.”
Ele could feel the intense flames, he tried to keep tabs on all the lifeforms in the area, but his attention and strength were too sapped from the need to keep the barrier stabilized. He could feel the burning flames lacking his palms, surely blistering his gloved digits. While painful, the Miraluka’s mind was needed elsewhere.
Mune and Carr’s barrier fractured then crumbled at the very end. Carr shuddered and collapsed against their sibling. Mune let themself slide to to the ground and embrace the younger Shista while responding to Kamjin. “I am aware… enjoying the view?”
Mune, exhausted, could not sense the others. They glanced around until they saw them through the smoke.
Kamjin rolled his eyes. Had Mune always been this sarcastic or was this a result of Seito’s tampering. He raised his saber to check on their other opponents and if there was any lingering threat while keying a recall button his gauntlet alerting their shuttle to arrive for an evac.
All the guards were… well… toast. The two that had been nearest Seito was evaporated, only bits of their armour remained, their bodies ash. The one Zig had intended to use as a shield, and the other Force-user had been caught in Eleceos’ barrier. They lived.
They dropped their weapons in surrender.
Mune has always been this sarcastic. It was discipline and training that taught them how to moderate themself. Training and discipline now lost. The white-furred Shistavanen glanced the Emperor’s way, giving him a look up and down before speaking, “You are okay?”
“I haven’t had this much fun in years,” Kamjin said, beaming. “What do you say we get you home?”
After taking a moment to collect himself, understanding that the ordeal was over, and happy that his friend was safe, Ele ran to Mune and grabbed the Shistavanen in a hug.
“I’m so glad we got to you in time…I will be here for you, whatever you need my friend. Far Sight Friends to the end!”
Mune helped Carr back to his feet and turned in time to find the Miraluka’s arms around them. The Shista returned the embrace, uncertain at first, then relaxing against him. They breathed deep, the scent of friend and home and safe… even if mixed with smoke and ash, soothed them.
“Home… I want to go home,” they glanced towards Kamjin, “Thank you, all of you, for coming for me.”
Carr, more fatigued than he remembered ever being, eyed the Emperor. “You have some moves, old man. Thank you.”
Kamjin winked at the young pup before stepping away to give them their privacy.
“Yes…let’s get you to your mate. I’m sure that Caleb is worried, and would be soothed by your presence.”
“Should I send a message ahead to them?” Doon asked, then gave his mane a shake, sending dust and debris flying. The wolf is going to need a deep shower to get fully cleaned.
Zig made a choking noise from behind her helmets visor.
Before too long, Kamjin’s call for an evacuation, and Doon’s call ahead; the group left the first aftermath behind them. Caleb was upset at the news about Mune’s memory, but his hackles smoothed at seeing the Shista safe. All that mattered, ultimately, was that Mune was safe, he knew. Mune, even with memories gone, recognized the Togorian for what he was, their mate. Much as they had the scent memory of the others.
Caleb made a point of talking to Mune, of all things, about one of their lightsabers. An important memory lost like the rest, about Mune’s first love and the gift of the crystal housed in the purple bladed saber. The Togorian felt it was important, and so Mune sat, listened, Carr at their side, unwilling to leave his siblings side for a little while.
Caleb, before too long, was recovered enough for them to be on their way. The Arconans met once more with Kamjin, though certainly it was debatable what respects were being paid and from whom.
“Thank you, again, for helping get Mune back,” Carr grinned. “You should get out more, knock more rust on those moves of yours!”
Mune inclined their head, “Thank you, Kamjin. I am glad we all made it through unscathed.”
Caleb, expression stern, very nearly stood at attention in front of the Emperor. He had been a Palatinaen soldier before Mune, before resigning to accompany the Shista to Arcona. “Sir. Your aid on this mission, I am certain, was invaluable. I am grateful to you and in your debt for returning Mune to me.”
Carr huffed, “Geez… make the old man sound important or something… we did plenty of work to you know.”
Caleb rolled his eyes, a crack in his disciplined disposition. Carr snickered and nudged Zig, “Zig, Eleceos and Doon were awesome. And me, I was totally the best.”
Kamjin sat back on his throne admiring the group assembled before him. “Thank you, Carr. It was an enjoyable adventure. You’ve done me a great service by rooting this corruption out of Seraph. I wish you well in your journeys.”
Zig slowly removed her helmet, her pointed ears coming out of the custom ear molds easily. Her hair was matted a bit, but her Zygerrian features looked normal as ever. “Try not to pull a hammy or anything on the way back,” she waved at Kamjin