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(2.12) Back to the Norm
Back to the Norm
The Shadow Light
Deep Core
The Great Puppet Master set there in his chair looking out in to the deep space that surrounds his ship. The reports coming back were a nightmare scenario that he had predicted over two years ago. Now he had to answer for the cause with the Crusade. Taking in a deep breath, he closed his eyes. He knew that striking an alliance with Rose and her apprentice was risky endeavor. However he had to take the risk to achieve the gains that they demanded. He had warned them about the risks but they insisted on the alliance. Now those risks had come to life right before their eyes. He turned while moving his chair back behind his desk. There were images displayed across his desk from across the galaxy, but the one image he was waiting on was the image of his most trusted messengers making his way to this office. He had arrived just moments ago and was under guard as he made his way through the ship. “Soon I will know how bad this really is.” He said looking over all the reports.
Within moments, the messenger walked in to his office. The man gave a sharp nod, “My Lord, it is as much as we feared.” the messenger said placing a few data chips on the desk. The Puppet Master picked them up and started reviewing them while his messenger continued, “She killed our battalion that was assigned to her. Our reports were correct, that over the past year she had been amassing a large number of combat droids loyal only to her. Once the battalion was dispatched, she took one of our ships to Aura Base and completely destroyed the base. Her message that she left for you is right here, My Lord.” the messenger explained then activated the holo-message.
Rose's image appeared on the holo-player in the center of the desk. “Greetings My Lord, Puppet Master. I am sure by now, you must be fucking pissed off at me. Did you really think I was going to let you create a weapon that would wipe out all those who are force sensitive? How dare you think that I would let you murder all the Force Users and then what? Kill me as well? This is my galaxy to rule not yours to murder my kind. I have to thank you however, for all the help you gave me. I would have never been in such a position to rise to power without it. With Uris tucked away in a Jedi prison and the Jedi fractured, there is nothing to stop me in my rise to power. If you stay out of my way, I will assure that I will not hunt you down. But if I so much as see one of your men around I will personally find you and destroy you. I hope you enjoy the rest of your life because I know that I will be enjoying my life as ruler of the Galaxy.” Her image disappeared.
The Puppet Master frowned as the messenger continued, “The loss of the Aura Base was a devastating blow. We have copies of all of their research data and even plenty copies of the devices. But without the scientists and researchers behind the project, there is no hope of restarting the project. The devices are ready for full scale use and wont be for at least five more years under normal conditions. They still do not differentiate between Force using life forms and normal life forms. Our resources to move the project forward at this time do not meet the requirements that we need. I fear we will have to shut it down till we can recruit more minds to take up this project.” he explained to the Puppet Master.
Nodding at the briefing, “Agreed, lets secure as much of the project as possible and start recruiting more minds. For now this project will be suspended. Continue please” the Puppet Master said coldly, he knew that the Omega Project would be devastated by the destruction of the Aura Base. He just didn't want to have to accept it. The Omega Project would have been his personal legacy to the galaxy. It would have turned everyone in to carriers of the disease. Then it would kill all those who were force sensitive and linger for decades ensuring that the Force Users would never hold the edge that they have now. He shook his head sadly as he readied for the other boot to fall.
The messenger continued as instructed, “As for the events on Coruscant. We know for a fact that Rose provided the bombs to the Rebels. However our own researches have discovered that the bombs lacked the ability to cause the damage that had been shown. Plus there are some irregularities in the energy signature of the bombs. Our scientists are currently working on it as we speak.” he paused and changed the tone of the conversation to something more up beat, “As for Project Sphinx, two of the three test subjects were killed in the bombings. However My Lord, we have very good news. We were able to recover the complete DNA matrix of each test subject plus their entire mental mappings. The group of scientists and researchers that made up the project did not die in the explosions. They have been picked up by our forces and are being held at a secured location for the time being.” He paused to let the information sink in.
The Puppet Master smiled, “I see” he commented with a nod. This was very good news, “When can we start cloning the test subjects?”
The messenger smiled, “We can start when you give the order. Nexus Base has informed us that they are ready to take over operations.” he placed two files before his Master and motioned to them. “However, Nexus Base is not at a hundred percent operational, at this moment. They can start cloning one of the test subjects and it should be ready for operational status in about a year's time. Depending on training, residual emotional and subconscious issues. I suggest that we only clone one test subject at this time and run it through all the tests to make sure we have positive controls over it. We do not wish to repeat the mistakes with the original test subject. Once we have confirmed positive control over the test subject we can start cloning more. The only question that remains is, which would you like to start cloning with, My Lord?” He asked.
The Puppet Master smiled, “This Daz Murl has become a thorn in my side almost as much as Rose herself.” he said picking up a file, “He seems to have a fondness towards this one.” he said handing the file to the messenger, “Lets start with this one.” he said then leaned back in his chair to continue, “Also, we still have the original test subject. Lets go ahead and reeducate her and set her up for field use. I have a feeling that she will become very useful in the future. As for Rose, its time that Rose is pushed from the shadows and exposed for the threat that she really is. Leak the information about her involvement with the events on Coruscant. Lets make sure that this would-be Sith is directly linked to the Rebels and link their goals to her agenda.” he explained while the messenger took notes. The Puppet Master smiled, “As for our forces, inform them for the moment they are not to engage Rose or her forces at the moment. We will let the Republic deal with softening her up before we act.”
The Puppet Master turned around in his chair and looked out at space once more, “As for Uris, lets make sure that he becomes a thorn to her. Her betrayal might have been complete. However, we have loyal spies within her camp that will still assist us.” On that note, the messenger looked up from his data pad with a surprised looked on his face. The Puppet Master continued, “but lets make sure we don't expose them till we are ready for that stage.” He said then turned back around in his chair to face the messenger, “Make sure that Uris breaks out of prison and goes after Rose. Free from the code of the Jedi, Uris will be unstoppable. Also lets get him a few allies to help him on this dark quest.” He said waving his hand, “Who was that pilot that he used to adventure with?” He commented then answered his own question, “Ah, I think her name was Aral. Lets make sure that those two link up.” he then turned back around, “As for insurance on this, lets have one weapon's load of Omega Project prepared. Once the two of them do clash, I want to ensure that neither survives the encounter.” He explained with no emotion. “Lets get on top of this. We are behind the eight ball at the moment and I want to move ahead of it before it rolls.”
He thought as the messenger walked out of his office. 'Rose should have just been a good pawn. Now she will suffer a horrible death' he thought. He knew that Rose and Uris had become way to powerful within the force to be contained and now it was time to end both of them. He got up from his chair and walked over to a small pot and picked it up. He poured the black hot liquid in to a mug and returned the pot. He picked up the mug and walked over to the windows that over looked the control room of his ship. Sipping from the mug and just watched his most loyal work at their tasks. “So now the game is afoot, lets see how Rose will compete with my mind.” he said then activated an intercom, “Attention Core World Observers, start Operation Gamma Phi” he commanded than watched some of his crew change their tasks and start working on the new orders.
In his heart, this was the reason why Force Users had to be stopped at all costs. They become so powerful that they can not be contained. The Crusade's own research showed that the numbers of Force Users had been growing steadily over the past ten years. Luckily the Brush Fire Wars allowed them to work more freely then before. But still, they could not kill enough of them. If left unchecked the Galaxy would be over run by Force Users in a thousand years or so. He had to stop this now before it became too much even for the Crusade to contain. While his plans might have hit a snag, there has come a greater problem. He had to deal with Rose and Uris.
Getting Uris behind the force barriers of a Jedi prison was easy enough. But a lasting solution to this problem needed to be found. Based on all their research both Uris and Rose were two of the most powerful Force Users in the galaxy and both had to be stopped. More Rose than Uris at the moment however. With her help, the Rebels were unknowingly able to deal a powerful blow to his operations throughout the Core Worlds. She had to have known that they would have never been able to hold those worlds. The only logical reason behind the attacks were to attack the Crusade as directly as she could. The only problem was, what was she trying to hide in her attacks. He knew her target was within the Core Worlds, and for the moment they were blacked out. It would take time for him to regain his sight once more. He just was not sure what she was after at this moment.
This was a reason why he made sure that Rose was only given information that he could afford her to know. Though this did leave a huge question left unanswered. How did she know about Aura Base. He made sure she never once visited the location despite her requests. He knew about a Force User's power of seeing distant places so he made sure that she had never even heard of its mention. She had to have used another force power that they were unaware of to learn of its location. There is no other way of her knowing about it. He had to put his researchers on better understanding how she could have known about the base. The Puppet Master frowned, 'So there is one more area of the Force that I must now master' he thought. Already he knew more about the force and its possible uses then over half of the force users out there.
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Once more Daz found himself lost in that mist that binds his vision and clouds his mind. He could see thousands of images through the mist of great heroes. Jedi and non-Jedi alike, each held a greatness about themselves. He paused to watched a soldier leaping through flames to save an elderly man from a burning building. There was something strangely familiar with the soldier that was now carrying the elderly man out of the burning building.
It had been almost five hours since they were left on Baklid 6. He remembered the rain storm that caused them to seek shelter in a near by cave for the night. He hadn't said much to anyone during the trip or when they arrived on world. His only conversation was to Visst, and that was only to ask regarding dreams. Visst had pushed for more information but Daz only brushed off the questions with, “I have to deal with this on my own.” then went back to bed to sleep. It was that sleep that has placed him once more in the mist of his mind.
Behind him, Daz heard, “Why will you not understand us?”
Daz turned to see Captain Pryde standing within the mist. Daz had already figured what was going on and was growing tired of these games. “What is there to understand. You are a barbaric race that recycles your own people. You are murderous and evil. What more is there to know?”
Captain Pryde moved through the mist but remain just out of Daz's range of seeing him clearly, “You only see what you wish to see and nothing more.”
“I see that you have some goodness in your arts. But I have deep concerns over any race that would create such murder's as Talon” Daz said trying to get a better view of the Captain. “You had to be stopped from hunting the Jedi Masters down.”
Captain Pryde moved through the mist still, “You do not wish to understand, Daz.”
Daz looked around him, “How do you know that I do not wish to understand. Maybe I can't! Can't you explain it to me?”
“You do not wish to understand, because you fail to trust and listen. Therefore you can not understand” the Captain said coldly.
Cleverly he rushed through the mist hoping to get closer to the Captain, “I am growing tired of these games! What I did, I had no choice. She was going to kill them! What choice did she leave me? You are just like them. You are just as much a barbarian as she was. I never trusted you either!” Daz said reaching the point where the Captain once stood only to find nothing there.
The image of Captain Pryde reemerged behind Daz frowning, “Daz, you do not see with your heart. You let emotions govern your actions.” He said as the mist gave way to the bridge of the Defiance that fateful morning. Daz could see as the explosions were ripping the ship apart. The order was given to abandon ship long before most of the crew were killed. But something stopped them from leaving their doomed ship. They looked out of the windows and saw the planet below as the massive ship was slowly falling from the sky.
Captain Pryde gave a speech to his crew asking those who wished to stay and fight to keep the ship from killing more innocent people. He offered for those to leave if they so choose to. Every member of the crew choose to remain aboard. They worked hard to achieve the Captain's plan of moving large ordinance from one section of the ship to another. But what Daz could see was a sound rippling through the ship. The crew could hear this beat and started to sing to it. Each one of them added their voice to the beat. He had heard the song before. It was one of their death songs or something like that. Within moments the only thing that could be heard throughout the ship was one voice singing to their deaths. Within that song, was the beat. It was steady and strong and even Daz could feel it in his soul.
Daz turned from the images before him only to find that they surround him. He heard this misty image of Captain Pryde speak to him, “They know they are going to die but they still fought on to save the lives of others. They fought on, not for their own salvation but that of others.” he explained then motioned to Daz, “You feel it. Don't be scared of it.”
Daz could feel the beat around him pounding away. He looked around at the images and saw the crew working hard. They only had moments to enact the plan but they still worked with no hope of survival. Daz could see their auras slowly merging in to each other as they sang and worked. Before they were complete, they all had joined in one heart, one voice, one mind, one aura. It was in that moment Daz saw them turn their individual actions in to a single, successful moment where heroes are born. Daz could hear their song and feel the beat which drove them, is memory would never forget the chores of their song, “Children of the Gods! Today we shall die! Open Valhalla's doors! HAIL GODS OF WAR!”
“It doesn't change what they were capable of. This does not change what she did!” Daz yelled out coldly as the images fade back to the mist.
Captain Pryde frowned, “Daz, if you do not face your fears you will become lost to us.” He said softly drifting back in to the mist.
Daz would not let it end like this, “She murdered Atril! What?! She gets a free walk on that?! DOES SHE! She was a murderer and now she is dead! I am glad she's dead! GLAD!” he yelled in to the mist with much emotion in his heart and mind.
Through the mist he heard back, “Face your fears and guilt Daz, before you are lost to us.”
On that Daz dropped to his knees slamming his fist in to the ground as he repeated, “GLAD! Glad! Glad. glad.....” he slammed his fist in to the ground one last time as the images of the mist changed again. His eyes filled with tears he looked around in horror to see the Fiolla Heartman he knew before. The Fiolla he and Angel would play with back on Alderaan as kids. He watched as the children of his memories played tag and laughed together. He watched how she had always been there to help him and even be that big sister he never had. Their laughter filled the mist around him as his heart cried out. It cried out against what he had done, and what he had become. He let out a deep sorrow filled cry the echoed out throughout the mist as the images merged. The images of his childhood friend laughing and playing with him and the images of his condemning her to and justifying her death.
His mind still attempted to justify his feelings and actions while dismissing any remorse for her death. There was a deeper side of his heart that knew she was a person in need of saving. Yet he gave up on her by betraying her trust. “LEAVE ME ALONE!” he cried out one last time unable to contain the emotions of what he was seeing and feeling. “I had no choice!” he cried out screaming as the images all faded leaving him alone in the mist, “I had no choice.....” he said laying down on the group while he curled up in a ball. “she left me no choice......” he kept repeating over and over again.
Daz woke up from the nightmare dream once more. His body covered in liquid and his breathing was out of control. This had been the worst dream to date. He was not sure how much more he would be able to handle at this rate. He had heard stories of the Force delivering powerful messages to Jedi that had some greater part to play in the future. But he couldn't understand why it was tormenting him like this. He rolled over on to his side and took a drink from his canteen. “she didn't leave me any choice.” he said softly and looked around to see everyone else still sleeping. “She was a murderer after all. What choice did I have?” he added as he replaced the cap to his canteen.
“I will always be there for you. Never forget that, Daz” he heard and looked up with a start. It was Fiolla as the child he remembered. He pushed back on his bedding to try and get away from her. Closing his eyes he almost let out a scream in surprise. His hand gripping the canteen and his other bracing himself on the wall of the cave. He fought hard to control his breathing while he slowly opened his eyes. Once more he was alone in the cave with the rest of the party. He looked around that the phantom child was gone. He let out a long sigh of relief as he closed his eyes once more. He remembered what she had said so long ago.
It was when they were back on Alderaan and Daz had run in to a group of older kids that had taken to bullying him. They had made the next few days a personal time in hell for Daz. When Fiolla had arrived from her Academy on Azgard and found out what they did to him. She faced the group of older bullies alone and put the biggest one down hard. When it was mentioned that she could not protect Daz all the time. She only informed them that for those times that she was not around, if anything were to happen to Daz. She would take it out on all of them personally. Daz remembered how she looked after the fight. She had a black eyes and a broken nose. But she smiled to him and said, “ I will always be there for you. Never forget that, Daz. You are my brother.”
Daz got up from his sleeping roll as he uncapped his canteen and took another drink. He made his way to the mouth of the cave. The first thing he was saw Nezial doing that flame thing that she does every morning. He looked out over the sky to see the sun just breaking the morning horizon. The air was crisp from the night showers. He watched Nezial move in her ritual fashion. In that moment he realized that she had been with the party for over a year and he didn't even know her last name. What the ritual was called or why she did it every morning.
He watched her come to a stop as she slowly turned to face him. With the grace of a dancer, she slowly lowered herself to her knees and looked at him. “I have to go” he said softly as he motioned with his canteen. He knew that there was water near by but he needed sometime to think. Some space to collect himself. “I will be back soon” he said softly. And on that, Daz turned and walked past her towards a nearby river. He knew that it was a hour away but he knew that it was what he needed. He was not sure if he was up for what he knew was coming. But he knew that it was what he needed. This was something he had to do by himself. Daz Murl wondered in to the deserts of Baklid 6 alone.
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Visst woke up with a horrible since of dread about him. There was something wrong but he couldn't put his finger on it. He got up and pulled his cloak over himself and walked towards the entrance of the cave. He noticed that Daz's sleeping place was empty of Daz. He nodded as he walked through the mouth of the cave. He saw Nezial performing her morning Sun Ceremony. Not wanting to let the moment pass he spoke up, “Have you seen Daz?”
She paused her ceremony once more, “I did” she replied then added, “He left.”
Visst was surprised by this, “Why?”
“I don't know. He was saying something to me but I didn't understand him. I wish your friends would remember that I can not understand, um what do you call it? um...oh Ba....s...ic” she explained softly putting her swords away as she walked over to a small stream that had formed from the heavy rains last night.
Visst had found it humorous trying to explain words that had no meanings in Nezial's language. They had no word for basic and it took him a month to explain to her the meaning which meant the language that they all speak. He only smiled, she was very clever and had become a very trusted friend. She was only of the few that actually understood what he was saying and her perceptions of the Force was remarkable. It was these traits that made speaking with her so much easier to explain things.
“I did need to speak with you, my friend” she said placing her hands in the water and drew up some to her mouth. Once she had taken her drink, “I have to ask something of you. When I die on this world, I want you to promise me that you will return my swords to my family. It is right that they are returned to them” she said surprisingly.
Visst blinked at the surprising comment. He already knew her future by using his force powers to see it. “You will not die here. You are going to die an old lady surrounded by your family and loved ones back on your home world.” he explained softly.
Nezial drew up another sip of water then looked at him, “We both know that the spirits are fluid and their realm is ever changing. In last night's dreamwalk, the spirits came and talked to me. They told me that I should not fear and that the balance has been lost. I was told that I would not leave this world alive.” she explained to Visst.
He looked at her with disbelief, “so because the balance is lost you are now going to die?” He knew that this was not the case but still he wanted to hear her reasoning behind this change in what she thought was her future.
She knelt down by the stream, “I know you know this. I know you feel this. Actions of others have changed our destinies as much as my hand can change the flow of this stream” she explained with her hand pushing dirt and sand away to change the direction of the stream. Her actions caused the stream to take off in a new direction. “The Spirits have told me that I can no longer follow your path and that I should not fear what is to come. That you will guild them.”
Visst knew this and had always been delighted by her understanding of the Force even if she calls it the Realm of Spirits. He was sad that her destiny had been changed and understood her wishes, “You have my word that I will do everything in my power to return your swords to your family.”
“Thank you, my friend” she said soft as she looked off to the distance, “I see a storm on our horizon” she said pointing to the thick black clouds to the west and the direction to which they would be traveling. “I will miss our conversations. I will miss seeing my sister and family.” she said with a tear rolling down her face. “But I will not fear what is to come.”
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