The Crucible Arx
The four Councillors from the hangar bay and Justicar - Renatus, Cindertail, Adenn, Bes'uliik, and Lap'lamiz had boarded Xesh II, an Arx Capital Exchange operated Xi-class Executive Shuttle not long before at the Dark Ascent - the seat of power of the magnanimous Council and Brotherhood as a whole - and made their way via the small craft to The Crucible, an elite training facility for the Grand Master’s Royal Guard based in the Northern Sorasu Desert. Onboard with them were eight crates of varying sizes, each bearing the age-old buckethead logo of the Guard and containing the swath of new equipment requisitioned by Rajhin for his Royal Guard reformation from traditional guardsmen to elite fighting force. A new age for the Royal Guard as the Brotherhood knew it.
The Voice of the Brotherhood, now back on his feet, has finally suited up in his reforged beskar armor. Kamjin has finally - after a long argument with Idris - somewhat cleared up the mishap that labeled him a Hutt and the issues that prevented him from taking his post in the Ascent.
As the shuttle carefully landed in the scalding hot desert, traditionally devoid of life, the vessel depressurized and loading ramp lowered. It was a sunny day, and the dry, hot air almost instantaneously flooded the initial areas of the shuttle’s interior.
General Bes'uliik rose to his feet, double checking his equipment. He was unsure exactly what awaited them here, whether he’d join in combat himself. Cindertail wanted to test the new equipment, and likely the CX-series Commando Droid, and that’s exactly what they were going to do. He just had no idea where they were going. This was his first time to the facility. It was the Fist of the Brotherhood’s domain, and he would need to lead the way.
Kamjin sighed, as he kept pace with the Voice of the Brotherhood. “I really don’t understand why you felt the need to be so accommodating. The Empire,” he paused at the look he was given. He rolled his eyes and corrected himself. “…the Brotherhood has never been welcoming to the Hutts. Why would there suddenly be one within our mists who rose to a position akin to the Council?”
“I have seen all walks of life in this galaxy. I’ve learned never to assume, especially when the Brotherhood is involved,” The Voice said as he sauntered forward.
“Did you know my first interactions with the Brotherhood were actually from your,” he trailed off looking at the Justicar, his suit’s HUD tracking the man’s current biostats.
“Empire,” He finished noticing Kamjin’s heart rate was still highly elevated from the fiasco in the hanger.
“If I can go from contracted hunter to recruited aid for the foundation of a clan to the Council itself, I am pretty sure a Hutt could as well. They are tenacious utyc ge'hutuune.”
“I’ll take your word for it,” Kamjin said, having no concept of the word Idris used.
The Deputy Grand Master, however, did have a concept of the words. He smirked.
“So, do you all come here often to train or is this a special occasion?” Kamjin asked, trying to fill the void of Thane’s usual non-answer answer.
“This is my first time here,” the Regent said staunchly, before motioning to the crates inside the ship with them, “We are here to put those to the test and ensure they meet Cindertail’s expectations. Though I have no doubt they will.”
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“I usually only ever see this place through the Inquistorius vid-feeds. I did sneak in once late at night to meet up with some lovely soldiers though,“ Idris paused a moment in reflection. "No, twice.”
Kamjin raised an eyebrow wondering when Idris was ever inclined for such…interpersonal engagement.
Thane opted not to remark that he had technically been around for the Crucible’s construction.
It somehow made him feel old.
Not in the fun way, either.
“These are not my usual toys,” he stated instead, the words dancing on his tongue with a lilt. His eyebrows and a nod of his head pointed towards the equipment they had brought for Rahjin.
Rajhin seemed in his element as he strode toward a waiting Guardsman, “Gather your squad and take this prototype equipment to the armory.” The Togorian glanced around, “I need to confer with our distinguished visitors on the best battle scenario to put these weapons through their paces.”
“At once my lord,” the Guard Captain gave a crisp hand over chest salute.
The Fist turned to his fellow councilors, “You are all welcome to participate in the exercises, nothing better to get the blood flowing!” He flexed with a toothy grin. “But we will also need observers to gauge the equipment’s effectiveness.”
“It’s been a while since I’ve gotten to put myself through the paces. I swear the soldiers in the Caperion system were afraid of injuring their Emperor,” Kamjin said, pulling back his hood and letting his senses bask in the presence of the training grounds.
Zxyl descended the ramp with the others, making sure that the crates of equipment were properly transported and cared for by the Royal Guardsmen. He noted Kamjin’s eagerness to test out the equipment.
Perfect.
“It seems as though our esteemed new Justicar is volunteering himzelf to go first,” Zxyl noted, with an open hand and arm motioning to Lap'lamiz, “In which case, I’m more than happy to watch for the time being.”
Bes'uliik examined the immediate area from the Crucible’s landing pad. Even considering all that wasn’t immediately visible, the place was huge. And to think, this had all been hidden inside the Sorasu Desert this entire time. Arx truly had many secrets, indeed. As the Regent waited for the Fist of the Brotherhood to direct them to their training grounds, the Mandalorian made several taps on his vambrace.
There was a party he had in mind that would be perfect for testing some of this equipment once Kamjin was finished. An assassin by the name of Resh, an elite Noghri warrior.
First, though, Bes'uliik wanted to see how Kamjin fared.
Rajhin directed the party toward one of the Crucible’s command bunkers in the middle of a simulated battlefield. He paused just before the entrance of the facility.
“The best way to test out this new equipment is to defend against it. Our mission will be to defend a data console in the command facility from infiltration. The new droids and guardsmen using the new equipment will try to get past us by stealth or by force.”
The Togorian grinned, “if any of you want to join the infiltration team you’re welcome to.”
“What would you like to see Rajhin to truly test this equipment?” Kamjin asked.
“Make it entertaining,” the Deputy Grand Master added.
“Perhaps something…unexpected?” Kamjin added in.
“They always expect the unexpected.”
Thane sighed, realizing things were going on the fast track to nowhere. “Logic dictates as close to a live fire scenario as possible.” The Firrerreo’s black-gold eyes fell on Kamjin pointedly. “Do not waste resources.”
Kamjin gave a hurt look. “I never waste resources.”
“Wasting a lot of breath right now,” Idris said eyeing the soon to be tested equipment. “I don’t think we have time to find a Hutt sibling for you to kill though.”
Kamjin sighed and took the hint. He took off his armored shoulder pads and cloak, setting them down to the side, and stretched. “I’m sure whomever Rajhin has lined up will be a fair test,” Kamjin said, picking up the lightsaber from his right thigh.
With the eagerness of a schoolboy he twirled it in the air before catching it and igniting it’s blood red blade. The door across from them opened and a figure came out wearing the new Grand Master Royal Guard equipment.
The opponent sized up the Justicar and ‘cocked his arms’.
“If we’re fighting these guys it’ll be interesting.” Kamjin said.
Thane briefly contemplated the entertainment value of swapping teams.
Maybe later.
Instead, he flexed the fingers of his right hand and listened to the loud cracks from his joints.
Well then. It seemed as though this was going to be a fun accord, if there were ever a term to describe it. The Regent was also down for some fun.
“I will participate as well. Unleash hell on us, Cindertail… I’m sure we can take it.”
Kamjin smirked.
Rajhin looked down at his communicator for a moment and then back up to the group, “You have 10 minutes to familiarize yourselves with the command facility before the opposing force begins their infiltrations. As I’m participating in the defense I have no knowledge of what they are sending or how they intend to accomplish their mission.”
Kamjin turned to look at the towering Fist. “How are we supposed to…” he started to ask when he went flying to the ground from a right hook from the trooper that had entered.
“I said I don’t know how they intend to accomplish their mission,” Rajhin repeated.
Kamjin rubbed his jaw on the floor. His lightsaber had skidded a few feet away from him. “So much for ten minutes,” Kamjin said, as his hands came up to catch the foot of the trooper who had gone in for a kick.
Kamjin twisted his hands sending the trooper spinning while he scrambled to his feet. It had been a while since he’d been in a brawl and it was clear his fellow Councilors were keen to see how he’d handle himself.
Kamjin, a product of Imperial Academy training, took up the all to familiar grappling pose. He tilted his head and the trooper feinted in with a head jab before swiping for Kamjin’s legs. Kamjin scooted back, keeping his feet planted as he reached out with the Force to pull the trooper towards a waiting jab.
Kamjin blinked with nothing happened. Were the troopers now Force sensitive? That would be a departure from the usual mode of operation given most Force sensitive members found their way into one of the Clans.
While Kamjin pondered al these thoughts he began to feel the invisible tug of someone trying to use the Force on him. It was like a child grasping for something they desired. The desire was there but not the dexterity.
With an unexpected attack and more most likely planned, Kamjin unleashed his power on the trooper. A full force telekinetic assault by a Dark Jedi Master was not something many could withstand and clearly this trooper wasn’t going to be one of them.
The trooper’s head connected with the wall and sent his helmet bouncing off around the room. Rajhin had insisted they not kill anyone but a concussion was never outlined in the details. Kamjin looked at his attacker.
His jaw dropped. The face was his…but clearly 30 years his younger. “What is the meaning of this?” Kamjin said, whirling around to face his fellow Councilors.
“Oh hey, it’s Jinkam! I thought he was still off on parental leave. His wife only gave birth two weeks ago,” Idris said, recognizing the Trooper.
Kamjin did a double take. Jinkam, the name couldn’t have been a coincidence. “Who is this man?” Kamjin demanded.
“Jinkam,” Idris repeated the name with a tone of obviously.
Kamjin stared at the Voice. “I heard his name. But why does he have my face? Did you clone me?”
“Is this man a clone of me? Are there more of him…me?”
“Fewer questions,” Thane remarked with a barely concealed grin. It was clear they knew more than they were saying, but weren’t about to share with the new addition to the Council.
“What do you mean fewer questions?” Kamjin wheeled on his former boss in the Chamber. “I have a right to know if I’ve been illegally cloned. It’s in the Covenant Section 7.06© and I quote ‘Members must not, without prior approval of the Justicar…” Kamjin’s eyes went wide.
His brow furled as he glared yellow-red eyes at Thane. “You approved this,” Kamjin seethed.
“Assumptions,” he replied with an audible tsk. They make an ass out of you and me.
“Assumptions,” Idris echoed, “Make an ass out of you and mptions.”
Kamjin’s head swiveled between the two of them. “There is an unconscious me over there that’s very much not an assumption. You had to have known,” Kamjin said, getting dangerously close to Thane.
“That’s not you, that is Jinkam. Good man, hard worker, loves his wife, just had a son,” Idris explained as though to a child.
“Get a droid in here. We’re doing a DNA test now,” Kamjin demanded, searching for a comm panel somewhere to call a medic team in.
Idris raised a blaster, pointing it towards Kamjin.
“Pay attention dear,” he said, before squeezing the trigger.
The blaster bolt raced through the air, missing the new Justicar by millimeters, before findings its home in the knee of another incoming trooper, who feel to the ground with a stunned, gasp.
“We are still under attack.”
“Cancel the damn test. We’re getting to the bottom of…” Kamjin paused. He looked at the Voice…then at the new trooper on the ground.
Kamjin pried off the helmet and saw another version of his face though hidden behind a mustache that he would never personally have worn. “Care to explain who this is?” Kamjin spat.
“That’s Jinkam’s brother, Nijmak,” the Regent declared almost half-heartedly as he finally joined the fray, activating the blade on his elder hidden lightsaber vambrace. A CX-series droid charged the group, Bes'uliik engaged, and the two started duking it out.
“Brother? That’s…UGH. That’s clearly another clone of me!” Kamjin yelled over the sound of the fight.
“I don’t think so,” refuted Bes'uliik as he blocked an incoming strike from the droid’s electrostaff. Although he knew it’s specifications and abilities - having been the one that oversaw its development and manufacturing - the Grand Master Royal Guard’s new commando droid unit was still putting up quite the fight. The Mandalorian countered the blow with a strike of his own, marginally slipping past the droid’s defenses and lobbing off one of the CX-series’ hands. That did not deter it, as it held and spun the staff in both hands and continued its attack.
“Are you blind in that helmet,” Kamjin shouted at the Regent. “That’s clearly me!” While Kamjin gestured with both hands at the unconscious Nijmak a whipcord wrapped itself around his hands and yanked him to the ground.
Another suited trooper was fumbling to line-up a shot as Kamjin struggled against the whipcord protruding from his wrist. Kamjin grunted as he leapt to his feet. Digging his heels in he yanked the trooper towards him bringing his knee up to connect with the helmeted jaw.
Kamjin untangled himself and ripped off the helmet to reveal another copy of his own face. This time with pimple scars and a poorly maintained beard. “Come on, three. There’s three now. Clearly they’re all clones of me.”