Darth Serratus tapped his fingers as he leafed through the many reports on his desk. Some interesting developments in bio-aug. Serratus had to smile. Rancors with lightsaber for elbows. Sounded bizarre, but the report had good connotations. Serratus suddenly remembered that Prophet Crozeus was supposed to be visiting the facility today. He buzzed his secretary.
"Ara, Darth Crozeus will be arriving soon. Inform me the moment he touches down."
High Prophet Crozeus
Crozeus was being taken to the facility across the sands in a highly modern speeder, a brand new model. He smiled slightly at the thought of the Mages funding. He was scanning through various memos dropped to him, none of them of any interest, and he was surprised when his driver announced their arrival.
The guards of the Mages saluted him, which brought a twitch to his lips. Trying to remain formal he approached Serratus' office and spoke to the receptionist about their meeting.
High Mage Serratus
((The roleplay is taking place on Tatooine at the Krayt Graveyard R & D Centre, not the Mage HQ on Kuat, all the guards are privately hired.))
There was a buzz and Serratus looked up from his reports.
"Director, Prophet Crozeus has arrived."
Serratus pushed the button.
"Tell him I will be down in a moment and offer him a drink and a hazmat suit."
High Prophet Crozeus
"Drink, sir?"
Crozeus looked up and smiled, taking a small glass of brandy from the tray. Sipping at it he looked with surprise at the other item she had placed before him.
"What is this?" He enquired.
"A hazmat suit, sir. The High Mage requests you wear it."
Crozeus frowned, but knowing the sort of thing Serratus got up to he clambered into the bulky suit. Unable to sit anymore he clutched the drink in the massive paw of the suit and waited patiently, confused. 'Something Alchemical' was taking a new meaning, it seemed.
High Mage Serratus
The High Mage descended down the stairs to the reception. He saw Crozeus had already donned his hazmat suit.
"Prophet Crozeus, welcome to the Krayt Graveyard Research and Development Centre. Sorry about the hazmat suit but the room we're going to contains a highly...dangerous isn't the word...intrusive substance and the hazmat suit will protect you. To give you an idea of how intrusive this is, I too will be needing a hazmat suit."
Serratus quickly donned his own custom suit before turning to Ara.
"Tell Dr. Kanh that Prophet Crozeus and I will be arrive in the Moonlight Chamber momentarily and to prepare it for entry."
He turned back to Crozeus.
"Shall we?"
High Prophet Crozeus
Crozeus nodded, before downing the brandy and pulling up his hood. "Let's." He followed Serratus out.
The Moonlight Chamber. How peculiar.
High Mage Serratus
Serratus and Crozeus walked briskly through the Centre, through the microbiology section, through the crystals department and finally turning into the newly-constructed Moonlight Chamber. The room was perfectly circular, about seven metres in radius with a high ceiling reaching forty feet into Tatooine's skyline. A two-armed, propeller-like apparatus was hanging from the roof,with a pair of tubes protruding from each wing. A small man with a clipboard was standing in the middle of the room.
"Ah, Director Serratus, the Chamber is ready as requested. Will it be an internal or external observation?"
Serratus simply motioned towards the hazmat suits.
"Of course, of course, internal it is. I'll get into the control room and release the subject."
Serratus contacted Crozeus via the Force.
Do not be alarmed when the project begins. As long as we are in the hazmat suits, we cannot be exposed.
High Prophet Crozeus
Crozeus followed, aware to how oblivious he must have seemed. He could feel... something, but he did not know what.
High Mage Serratus
Dr. Kanh retreated to the control room and pushed a red button. A panel in one of the walls slid back to reveal a delapidated human male with a hazmat-suited guard. The guard prodded the man with a shockprod and he stumbled into the Chamber. Serratus raised one finger to Kanh who nodded. Kanh pressed a button labeled "1" and a fine sprinkle of dust fell from the two tubes. It landed lightly on the man and for a moment he transformed into a fit, handsome male surrounded by mountains of credits and three scantily-clad female Twi'leks before transforming back into the weak feeble man that had emerged from the walls.
Serratus raised a second finger to Kanh. The short man pressed a second button labeled "2". The propellers started spinning slowly, sprinkling the dust all around the dome. This time the same illusion happened but occured for a much longer period of time and the illusion included the man engaging in questionable acts with one of the Twi'leks.
Once this illusion too had dissipated, Serratus raised three fingers to Kanh who promptly pressed the "3" button. The propellers started rotating at frightening speeds before releasing a literal storm of the dust. Inside their hazmat suits, Crozeus and Serratus were fine but the abrasive dust quickly stripped the man of his skin as he screamed in agony. Soon his muscle too was eviscerated and then his organs and finally his skeleton. But a trace of the man still remained. A pulsing, gelatinous mass. Serratus smiled and raised a fourth finger to Kanh.
The propellers stopped immediately as Kanh pressed "4". Three men in hazmat suits came out of the walls. Using a number of strange instruments, they seperated the dust, the man's remains and the amorphous gloop. When they had all hurried off with their findings, Serratus turned to Crozeus.
"Well? What do you think?"
High Prophet Crozeus
Crozeus nodded, mulling over the possibilities of using such a tool in his mind.
"It's... interesting, to say the very least."
He had no idea how such a simple dust could cause such a reaction... or such a variety of reactions. "So you could trick one into believing he was having the time of his live, slowly upping the dosage until he becomes... that?" Crozeus gestured after the remains of the man.
"Could you apply it to a projector, or a capsule for food or drink?" He asked.
High Mage Serratus
Serratus shrugged.
"Perhaps. Our research has not developed that far as of yet. This dust, according to my source, is called the Dust of Muunlite. It is reveals the truth of things. If someone has concealed their appearance, it will show their true form and if someone has not concealed their appearance, it will show us their true desires. And they will experience them for as long as the Dust is in effect. When the Dust reaches high velocities it becomes super-abrasive and strips away skin, bone, muscle, organs, all matter except for midichlorians. We have not yet worked out why, but this is an important step in midichlorian research. We can harvest them from subjects and perform experiments on them. And between you and me, we can inject them into subjects and make them Force-sensitive. Or increase their Force potential."
He turned to Crozeus.
"I need your help. I am planning a trip and I want you to come with me. With the research into this Dust and midichlorians and what I hope to find on the trip, I think I can regain a somewhat normal appearance. I will also need your help with the actual procedure and from primary research, some of your DNA. What say you my friend?"
High Prophet Crozeus
Crozeus thought for a moment. He was unfazed by the prospect of using his own DNA, he had done so many times before in the Church. "Very well," he said at last. Serratus started to leave but Crozeus reached out and placed a bulky hand on his shoulder, making him turn.
"But in return, I expect all findings and research to be shared with the Alchemical Centre on Fondor. I would very much like to study this more." Before carrying on and asking where Serratus was planning to go, he waited for a reply.
High Mage Serratus
Serratus nodded quickly.
"Of course, of course. If all goes according to plan, you will have plenty of the Dust to study, and more."
Serratus took out a datapad.
"As you may have read in the declassified version of my report on Vjun, I encountered a Sith Necromancer and Alchemist beneath the Chateaux Malreaux. It was from his corpse I gathered the Dust of Muunlite. He claimed to be the "last of the great Alchemists of old". After extensive research, I have located the Sith order to which he belonged. He was most certainly not the last. They are called the Wayland Order after their founding planet but they have not dwelt on Wayland for centuries. As of about three hundred years ago, they have been operating out of Mandalore, Concord Dawn and Vorpa'ya. They are powerful Force-users but not very good at physical combat. Luckily, we are both. We need to locate the leader of the Order, the Prime Alchemist, Darth Anthrax. He, I think, will hold the knowledge necessary to reverse my transformation. I know that Anthrax is not on any planet within the Mandalore Sector, nor the Outer Rim for that matter. We are going to Mandalore to interrogate his second-in-command, the Alchemist Superior, who goes by the name of Darth Knot."
High Prophet Crozeus
Crozeus nodded, the idea seemed sound, though it was bizzare he had not heard of this Order before. "I shall alert the Mandalore Chapter to be a base of operations. They are sworn to secrecy."
High Mage Serratus
Serratus nodded.
"Very good. Let us go to my personal abode. I need to collect some weaponry. We will be taking one of the facility's Infiltrators. Come."
Serratus turned and started walking towards the tube-life that would take them to his unluxurious abode.
High Prophet Crozeus
"Your humble abode it is." The Prophet followed obligingly, more and more interested in the idea.
High Mage Serratus
Once they were outside the Moonlight Chamber, Serratus removed the hazmat suit and tossed it to the floor. He and Crozeus entered the tube lift which whisked them uphill. They emerged in a house with pure white walls and furniture. Near an empty fireplace, one third of Serratus's personal armoury could be seen. Serratus walked over and browsed through the weaponry. He selected a belt of Vrakolian spin-blades, a pair of crushgaunts and the Dark Blade of Ajunta Pall. He twirled the black blade around once in his hand before sheathing it.
"Come out front, we will get into the Nightblade and forth to Mandalore."
High Prophet Crozeus
"As you say." Crozeus smiled as he saw the Dark Blade. He had given that to Serratus as a gift, offering him a vairety of ancient weapons and equipment the Church had found and stored in their Chapter on Onderon. It had other purposes as well. Crozeus had come prepared, bearing four lightsabers on his person. He only really needed the Force, but cutting things was far more satisfying.
The two Sith reached the Infiltrator and climbed in, Serratus taking the helm. Soon they were above Mandalore, named after the Mandalorians.
High Mage Serratus
Serratus brought them down smoothely onto the landing pad outside the Mandalore Chapter. He unbuckled and climbed out of the ship, looking around the diverse landscape. He turned to his companion.
"Care to lead the way, Prophet of the Dark Side?"
High Prophet Crozeus
"Absolutely." Crozeus walked forward across the tiled floor towards the huge metal gate which lead to the fortress like Mandalore Chapter. A domed building, it was encased in a wall manned by a battalion of five hundred elite troops, and it served as a detention centre for Prophets who had done wrong, and a prison for non-Force Sensitives. The guards at the gate wall saluted and stepped aside and the huge door cranked open, when it was open enough the two Sith walked into the courtyard, unknowing they had been scanned by top-of-the-range equipment and their files checked.
The courtyard was filled with plants and the like, a massive contrast to the bleak grey walls. Crozeus sat at the bench of a fountain and waited while Prophet Yorm, the Chapter Master, came down to meet him.
"Prophet Crozeus, to what do I owe this unexpected honour?"
Crozeus waved a dismissive hand. He didn't like Yorm, he was snide and sycophantic, and very snooty. "We need to use the Chapter as a base of operations for a private mission. Give us a room with all facilities open to us, and leave us in private."
Yorm bowed extravagantly. "Of course, sir, you may use the Reliquary." Crozeus nodded and stalked into the Chapter, leading Serratus to the large room. "You may use the facilities here however you need. There are archives, computers, armouries, refreshers, restaurants... whatever you need."
High Mage Serratus
Serratus whistled as he looked around the room. It was a fine setup indeed. He crossed the room to one of the computers and quick as a vjun fox, started typing.
"From my sources, Knot should be in one of the thirteen sectors, I have here on screen..."
A number of images showed up, seven of which were cities, two towns, one a village, two more jungle and one arid desert.
"The desert, one of the jungles, four of the cities and one of the towns are almost certainly not where we'll find him...so we're looking at Keldabe, Enceri, Kyrimout, Balor'abesh, Ca'fett and the A'den Jungle."
High Prophet Crozeus
Crozeus nodded, the Chapter had a man in every town, although not the jungle. He pulled out his comm and spoke a few words, before crossing to the window. An unmanned drone buzzed overhead, going towards the jungle. It would search the area and produce a live feed, both of visual image, heat signatures, and Force signatures. Moments later, the feeds popped up on a screen near Serratus.
"Not all our funding goes to making solid gold Chapter houses," Crozeus smiled.
High Mage Serratus
Serratus watched the screen intently, waiting for feedback. He caught sight of numerous indigenous creaturess in the jungle and he was beginning to give up hope when the drone found something interesting. A small building with a large underground complex, home to no less than thirteen Force- and heat-signatures.
"They're in the A'den Jungle."
High Prophet Crozeus
Crozeus nodded, he expected so. Otherwise the Chapter would have picked it up. He called for a speeder and looked to the High Mage.
"Got everything you need?"
High Mage Serratus
Serratus nodded.
"Spin-blades to use Knot as a whetstone, crushgaunts to snap his limbs one by one and the Dark Blade to run over his skin before slicing through multiple unimportant arteries."
High Prophet Crozeus
"Then let us go." Crozeus led Serratus out and into the waiting speeder which took them as far into the jungle as nature would allow. When they got out Crozeus gestured ahead of him. He figured it would be a long trek.
"Lead the way." He said.
High Mage Serratus
Serratus nodded and whipped out the Dark Blade of Ajunta Pall. He twirled it deftly and started slicing his way through the undergrowth, severing limbs of trees and creeper vines. The humid conditions were taking a heavy toll on Serratus. Despite the vornskr motif of his armour, he was nowhere near as suited to the jungle as the vicious predator. Tundra, sure, boreal forest, no problem, searing desert, not a bother, barren, bleak acid wasteland, why not?, but this jungle was just horrible. As the sweat of his forehead dripped into his mouth, Serratus turned to Crozeus.
"Anything exciting back there?"
High Prophet Crozeus
Crozeus was trudging solidly behind the path Serratus was hacking, hair plastered to his head with sweat. He hadn't slept or eaten substationally for days, and he was drawing heavily on the Force to keep himself going. Even if they found who they were looking for, they would be in no state to fight thirteen Force Sensitives.
"Nothing I can see," he breathed. Sensiing something to the North-East, he pointed loosesly in that direction. "There's something over there."
High Mage Serratus
Serratus reach out in the direction Crozeus had pointed.
"I think...it's a nest of shriek...hawks. Maybe we...could kill them and...drain their energy before...we fight the Waylanders..."
Serratus was starting to get out of breath.
High Prophet Crozeus
Crozeus nodded, and changed course accordingly. Sure enough, a flock of shriek-hawks were nestled in nearby trees, and the two Sith gratefully drained Force energy from them until they were all but replenished. Gasping with relief, Crozeus sat down on a fallen tree and looked at Serratus.
"How long now?" He asked.
High Mage Serratus
Serratus reached out with the Force.
"Another half a mile due north."
He sighed and whipped out the Dark Blade of Ajunta Pall.
"I'd better start cutting."
High Prophet Crozeus
Crozeus shook his head, and stepped in front. Reaching into the Force, he charged lightning and shredded foilage in front of him for over a kilometre. When he determined they might actually see the burning blue trail rocketing toward them, he stopped.
Smouldering in front of them, contrasting to the green growth on either side, was a grey wasteland. A straight run to the Waylander base, almost.
Crozeus started running.
High Mage Serratus
Serratus followed in close pursuit. Apparently they're approach had been noted, as a Duro, a Mon Calamari, a Neimodian and an Ithorian, all clad in archaic armour, emerged from the complex wielding Sith Swords. Serratus sent four spin-blades at each of them before drawing the Dark Blade of Ajunta Pall and charging with it held tight in a Shii-Cho-like stance.
High Prophet Crozeus
Crozeus leaped in behind Serratus, two lightsabers springing out of his wrist holsters. While in mid-air, he pushed one enemy away with the Force and engaged the other in close-combat, while Serratus dealt with the other two.
High Mage Serratus
Serratus shoulder-tackled the Neimodian, lifting him off his feet before spinning deftly to block a swing from the Ithorian, one whom's stalks had been severed by his spin-blade. Serratus slid his blade down along the Ithorian's sword to the hilt, knocking the sword from his hand. Serratus grabbed the Ithorian by the bloody wound on his head and shot Sith Lightning into the wound, killing him before swinging his sozzled corpse at the Neimodian who had risen and attempted to sneak up on him.
The long-necked alien crashed to the ground once again and Serratus stomped hard on his wrist, causing the Neimodian to scream in pain as his bone snapped in several places. Flexing the crushgaunts menacingly, Serratus pummeled the Neimodian's head into the ground, crushing armour, bone and brain alike.
High Prophet Crozeus
((Sozzled?))
The Mon Calamari had fallen back, clearly in pain. Crozeus duelled the Duro who was unexceptional, and soon he had attacked too heavily on one blade, allowing Crozeus to lunge in and run him through with the other. He now advanced on the Mon Calamari, who raised his sword limply in defiance, but could only manage two weak parries before the Prophet cut him down. He looked over to Serratus, who had just despatched his foes as well.
"Shall we?" He asked.
High Mage Serratus
((You'd need to be Irish to get it I suppose. It means fried.))
"Let us."
Serratus straightened himself up and started walking towards the building. Two laser turrets activated and fired but with a twirl of the Dark Blade of Ajunta Pall, Serratus sent the blasts straight back at them, shattering them into multiple pieces. He raised his hand and ripped the door off with the Force. Sheathing the Dark Blade once more Serratus took his first step into the lion's den.
High Prophet Crozeus
((You learn something new everyday.))
The first thing Crozeus noticed was the peculiar designs on the walls, many odd and old symbols and carvings. Then, the lights went out. Using the Force to help him see, Crozeus sensed that the mysterious Lord Knot was waiting in a chamber at the end of the tunnel, and there were more Sith around him.
It was a shame that so many Sith refused to join the Eternal Empire. If every small cult like this one joined them, they would be unstoppable.
High Mage Serratus
((Indeed.))
Serratus sighed. He was no good at locating his way in the dark. He would have to rely on Crozeus for this one.
High Prophet Crozeus
A lightsaber sprang from Crozeus' belt, igniting in the air and providing some light source as they traversed the halls. Soon they came to a large door, and Crozeus was sure that this Lord Knot was behind it. Sure enough, the lights abruptly returned to them, clearly an attempt to disrupt their senses, however the two Sith were little affected. The door slid open and their enemy stood ready, weapons bared. Crozeus hung back, waiting to see if Serratus wanted to engage in banter first.
High Mage Serratus
Serratus bared the Dark Blade of Ajunta Pall defiantly.
"If you surrender Knot, then we will spare the rest of you. If you make us take Knot by force, or indeed the Force, all of you will perish. You cannot win. Your choice."
High Prophet Crozeus
Crozeus saw the enemy look contemptuous, so he flexed his muscles menacingly and gestured outside.
"You think we aren't serious? Maybe you should check on your guards outside."
High Mage Serratus
Serratus saw the nervous look in their eyes but none of them flinched or made to leave. They were all loyal to the end. It was admirable. Almost. Serratus shot a bolt of Force lightning and a flurry of spin-blades before charging forward, moving only slightly slower than the blast of electrical energy and many-toothed blades, the Dark Blade of Ajunta Pall raised challengingly.
High Prophet Crozeus
Crozeus as well, his lightsaber dashing out in front of him, charged the enemy. While his floating saber kept one enemy at bay he engaged two more, using Form IV, aggression, keeping his enemies away, and it was not long before he had killed one.
High Mage Serratus
Serratus sprung forward with the Dark Blade, reverse stabbing a Mustafarian in the throat, slashing him open from the top of his sternum to the most outward point of his jaw. Serratus loosed Force lightning into the gaping hole in the alien's neck. The insectoid turned black and crispy as his body was roasted from the inside out.
High Prophet Crozeus
Crozeus had gone into beast mode, his eyes a deep crimson, as he slaughtered his way through the enemy, his two sabers proving to be a whirlwind of destruction, leaving no dead foe with less than five brutal scars across his or her body. Soon only Lord Knot and a single bodyguard remained, and they backed away, clearly terrified by the crazed look in the Prophet's eyes and the awesome blade wielded by the Mage. Lord Knot began to give off oozings of death in the Force, and Crozeus noted that he was limping. He took the oppurtunity, while Serratus dispatched another, to disengage his sabers and to look on to what Serratus would do now.
High Mage Serratus
Serratus turned after decapitating the Mustafarian and lifted Knot into the air with the Force. He pulled him close and grumbled as he inspected the enemy Sith.
"You're a Dark Side Lich too."
Knot's face literally cracked into a smile.
"Hmmm...we have been doing our homework. It seems that Lord Anthrax's little experiment doesn't work quite as well as he thought it would. As you can clearly see, I'm dying rather than gaining immortality."
Serratus smirked.
"Immortality is the last thing you should expect as a Lich, as Darth Malefor found out."
The smile drained from Knot's delapidated face.
"You defeated Lord Malefor? Impossible! He is far more powerful than I, only Lord Anthrax is more powerful than he!"
Serratus snapped one of Knot's arms with the Force and a hollow scream left the alchemist's lips.
"By seperating yourselves from the true Sith, the Sith of my Empire, such as myself and Prophet Crozeus here, you have deluded yourselves into thinking that you are the most powerful Sith in the galaxy. Under the Empire that I serve, I would be part of the lowly majority if not for the exalted position that I was granted. You have no idea the power we wield. And that is your shortcoming."
Serratus held the Dark Blade to Knot's neck.
"Tell me where Anthrax is or I will chop your disgusting excuse for a body into steaks and feed it to my pet drexl."
Knot gave a look of sheer contempt.
"Never."
He unleashed a Force push at Serratus. The High Mage didn't budge.
"Would you like to rephrase that?"
Knot's eyes were wide with terror.
"How...but I...the Force..."
His once wide eyes became sunken.
"My Lord is currently residing on Venir."
Serratus frowned.
"Venir? Why would he..."
Serratus slashed Knot's head off and started smashing his corpse with his fists, grinding it into the Dust of Muunlite.
"Take the Dust, quick, we need to get to Venir. Anthrax is planning to attack Kuat. Knot and Malefor may not have been able to pose as serious threat to the Empire but I have a feeling that Anthrax isn't quite as dim as his subordiates. We'll need to get him ourselves, there isn't time to call in the Military or the Inquistors now."
High Prophet Crozeus
Crozeus had been holding the last bodyguard in the Force while Serratus extracted the information. When he was done Crozeus casually snapped his neck and nodded, sighing slightly.
"Must they always attack Kuat?"
They paused momentarily before breaking off at a run, back through the jungle, the exhileration and energy given from the battle defeating their exhaustion, all the way back to the Chapter. The stony faced guards paid them no heed as they took a speeder back to the space port and finally reached the ship.
"To Venir, then? I think someone needs to be told that there is a potential threat to the Empire."
High Mage Serratus
Serratus nodded as they climbed in to the Infiltrator.
"Contact Gra'tua, tell him we're on our way to Venir."
High Prophet Crozeus
Crozeus flipped open his personal communicator and dialled in the Inquisitorious member base. Scrolling through a list of hundreds of Inquisitors he found the one he was looking for and dialled, while the Infiltrator breached the atmosphere and headed out.
"High Inquisitor Gra'tua, Prophet Crozeus. Darth Serratus and I uncovered a potential threat to the Empire - one that doesn't require a Military hand. I know that the Grand Inquisitor is with the Emperor, so that leaves you. Can you make it to Venir?"
High Inquisitor Gra'tua
The amphibious being had been looking through some new documents that his subordinates had placed with his secretary. There were new threats every day, most of which were handled by some lesser Inquisitor so the Grand Inquisitor or High Inquisitor would not be bothered. Today however was different.
Gra'tua had gotten a message from Crozeus, the prophet. He sounded as if he was in a panic. Gra'tua listened intently to the Prophet and responded. "I am on my way. However, isn't Venir home to a Sith cult leader." As he finished his question he was striding down the hall. His office was sealed once again and the Nautolan was almost to the Hangar.
High Mage Serratus
Serratus frowned when he heard Gra'tua over Crozeus's comlink.
"You mean to say the Inquisitorius has been completely aware of the presence of Anthrax this whole time?"
High Inquisitor Gra'tua
[I assume I am waiting for Crozeus.]]
High Prophet Crozeus
((You are? Serratus was speaking to you.))
High Inquisitor Gra'tua
[[yeah but its your com-link. But ill role with it.]]
Gra'tua nodded to himself as he entered his ship. "His location yes, his activities no. We lost contact with an informant a few months back so his recent activities are unknown."
He was engaging the ships activation sequence now and readying for departure. "Did you believe we would let any cult thrive without knowing their whereabouts and activities?"
High Prophet Crozeus
Crozeus laughed. "It seems at times we forget you are High Inquisitor."
They arrived at Venir and landed, where they waited for Gra'tua.
High Inquisitor Gra'tua
Gra'tua had a small smirk appear on his reptilian-like face. "It is a common mistake." As he finished he was exiting the hangar and leaving the atmosphere within seconds. As he left orbit he activated his hyperdrive, sending him quickly to the target's planet of choice and soon he was setting down near the Prophet.
As he landed, he ramp lowered and allowed the High Inquisitor to exit his ship. "Lets begin shall we?" He asked as he pulled a saber from his belt and hid it into the sleeve of his black outer robe.
High Prophet Crozeus
Crozeus nodded. "Lets. Serratus, any idea where Anthrax might be?"
High Mage Serratus
Serratus nodded.
"Anthrax is obviously planning to launch an attack on Kuat. But the Wayland Order is very, very small, he doesn't have the man power. Therefore he'll be attacking using his skill in alchemy. The most obvious thing that jumps to mind would be unleashing a pack of monstrous beasts, but we'd mow them down swiftly. He's thinking they way I would in his position, he's thinking smaller. There's only one way he can reasonably attack Kuat, and that's by sending a virus to the planet. If he's sending a virus to Kuat, he must be at the Venir Space Docks."
High Prophet Crozeus
Crozeus nodded along, the reasoning was sound... or it could be completely off.
"Lead on, then."
High Mage Serratus
Serratus saw three young Neimodians racing each other on speeder bikes. Raising his hand, he dragged them down to their level and stared at them blankly. They ran away crying. Serratus hopped on his speeder and after Crozeus and Gra'tua had done the same, set off across the Veniri skyline towards the Venir Space Docks.
High Prophet Crozeus
The ride was far more entertaining than the run through the humid Mandalore jungle. It was not long before they arrived at the Docks and dismounted. Crozeus stretched out the aches acquired on the journey and waited for Serratus to move.
High Mage Serratus
Serratus observed the building and then turned to his two companions. He looked back and forth between them several times, then stared at the building for a while, reaching into it with the Force to locate Anthrax, then turning back to his two companions.
"This is my plan. Gra'tua, you get your hands on a starfighter to destroy Anthrax's virus ship in case we can't stop him. Crozeus, you go up into the walkways and be ready to back me up with the Force or a lightsaber. I'll approach Anthrax here on the ground floor. We take him alive for now. I need to know how to reverse my affliction."
High Prophet Crozeus
Crozeus nodded. He sprinted forward, masking his presence, and headed up to the walkways. When he was in position, concealed, he got a good vantage point on the ground level where Serratus was and waited, watching.
High Mage Serratus
Serratus strolled through the eerily deserted Docks. Anthrax had done a good job of clearing the place out. As he rounded a corner, Serratus saw Anthrax attending to the ship. Serratus coughed. Anthrax looked at Serratus and for a moment, even the High Mage felt a twinge of fear. The alchemist's eyes seemed almost like vacuums hidden in the shadows of his hood and the dirty black robes he was wrapped in only accentuated the impression of hollowness. If Serratus was performing the alchemist's autopsy, he wouldn't be suprised to find a black hole instead of a heart. Serratus drew the Dark Blade.
"Step away from that ship Anthrax."
Anthrax, who had been up to that point hunched over an engine, stood at his full, towering height. Only now did Serratus realise that the Sith was a Felucian. A swarm of clicking noises emerged from his fungus-like mouth and a lightwhip suddenly appeared in his hand. Or rather it had been there but it was now that he activated. Serratus had never dealt with a lightwhip before. But there was always a time to learn. Serratus twirled the Dark Blade of Ajunta Pall once in his hand before charging. Just as he neared Anthrax, he leapt into the air, poised to strike, only for one of the Felucian's monstrously large fists to send him flying backwards, knocking into a shuttle. Serratus clambered to his feet, only to be met with the sight of Anthrax running towards him. Serratus picked up the shuttle with the Force and sent it flying towards the Felucian. Anthrax grabbed the shuttle as it sped towards him and was knocked back by the momentum but not bowled over. Serratus shouted.
"Crozeus, now!"
High Prophet Crozeus
Crozeus jumped off the walkway and slammed down nearby. The movement was enough to distract Anthrax who turned with a snarl, giving Serratus time to stand and move away. Crozeus rapidly disrobed and ignited his saber.
"Come and have a go, sewer monster," he taunted, trying to distract him.
High Mage Serratus
While Anthrax turned to Crozeus, Serratus jumped up to one of the walkways and unleashed a barrage of Force-imbued spin-blades at the hulking beast before jumping down from the walkway on to Anthrax's head. He started pummeling Anthrax's face with his crushgaunts.
High Prophet Crozeus
Crozeus couldn't engage the beast while Serratus was on his head, so he simply used a Sith spell he had learnt to drain Anthrax's energy and transfer it to Serratus.
High Mage Serratus
With the surge of energy Crozeus had redirected to him, Serratus grabbed Anthrax's head and jumped towards the walkway, grabbing on to a railing as he released Anthrax, sendind the shaman flying into a wall. The beast stumbled backwards and Serratus used the Force to trip him over, sending him teetering backwards into another wall. As he slumped against the wall, Anthrax began shrinking and changing shape until only a shimmering Polydroxol sat against the wall. The silvery-skinned shapeshifter looked up at Serratus with a smile before punching a button on the wall. With a hiss, the ship with the virus shot out of its holdings and entered the lane of traffic heading for Kuat. Serratus Force-pushed Anthrax against the wall, splattering him outwards. The High Mage extracted his comlink.
"Gra'tua, the shuttle has been launched, I repeat, the shuttle has been launched. Destroy it as soon as possible."
High Inquisitor Gra'tua
Gra'tua had commandeered what seemed to be a personalized Sith star-fighter, very similar to his own and had been waiting just out side the orbit of the planet. "Copy that, I am en route now." Just as he finished speaking there had been a ship that just flew by, but it was being flown by some out dated computer. "This shouldn't be to hard gents." He said again as he turned the ship and began the pursuit.
It had only take near five minutes to catch the speeding transport and once close enough he fire to protons into the engines, causing a rapid series of explosions before the entire ship had been destroyed. The type of transport used was to small for a hyper drive, but not big enough for some kind of defense weapons. A report would be filed in the Inquisitorius later.
"The target has been eliminated, I will make my way back now."
High Mage Serratus
Serratus smiled.
"Jolly good High Inquisitor. I'm just going to extract some information out of Anthrax."
He returned the comlink to his belt and turned to Anthrax, who was gaining consciousness. Serratus snapped back his vizor, to reveal his eyes, glowing yellow with anger, greed and all sorts of dark emotions. The yellow eyes pierced Anthrax's very soul with their fiery gaze.
"I am a changeling, the arts of Sith alchemy have mutilated me. Fire touched this suit of Jensaarai armour and I became imprisoned. But you are truly the last of the great alchemists of old. Tell me how I can undo this affliction and I will not harm you."
Anthrax laughed, a liquidy sound as if his metallic lungs were adding a gurgle to the throaty chuckle.
"You cannot harm me. My species are almost indestructible. Cut us in half and we will reform. Shoot us with a blaster and we will reform. Slice us with a lightsaber, flatten us with the Force, drop us from a orbital space station and send us crashing to the surface of the planet, we will reform. What harm can you render me?"
Serratus turned his hand slightly. Anthrax continued to laugh, but only for a few seconds as his chuckle turned to a shriek of pain.
"You may be of strange form, but I am skilled enough in the Force to harm you. Right now, I am using the Force to apply pressure ten times the strength of the pressure at the bottom of the Mon Calamari oceans on a single pain sensor. This is as much pain as I can cause you. Crozeus here is more skilled in the Force than I, he could probably cause thrice, even ten times the pain I inflict upon you. Our Lord and Emperor, Darth Shadow, could cast you into meaningless atoms with a thought. Do not question the power of the Sith."
Serratus relenquished his grip on the pain sensor and Anthrax's scream faded into anguished, exhausted breathing.
"I will tell you what you need to do. Fire warped you and fire shall cleanse you once more. You will need the DNA of another Human."
Serratus nodded.
"Darth Crozeus will be filling that capacity. Tell me the procedure."
Anthrax nodded quickly, almost in fear.
"You must create fire hot enough to sear the Jensaari armour away from your flesh. To heal the flesh, you will bac'ata co'arp, a form of bacta mutated by Sith alchemy. To make the bac'ata, you must fuse bacta with a number of ingredients. DNA of your own species, the Dust of Muunlite, the blood of the dark side, mercury, a boiled and filtered blend of razor grass, Eol Sha lichen, Jaddyyk moss and the leaves of the Jo tree, a piece of skin from the tail of a katarn that has just partaken of the fruit of the syren tree, powdered damind crystal and a considerable amount of energy, to be donated or forcefully taken from another being. Once inside the bac'ata, you must be boiled alive for 13 hours."
Serratus considered the ingredients.
"I have the DNA, the Dust of Muunlite, the various plants, mercury, a katarn and plenty of daminds at the facility on Tatooine. It will be a simple matter to feed the katarn some syren fruit and take some skin. The energy will likewise be accessible. Thus, one of these ingredients eludes me. What is the blood of the dark side?"
Anthrax had finally regained his composure and spoke to Serratus with some measure of confidence.
"The blood of the dark side is a rare and ancient substance left over from the creation of the Universe, found scarcely in this galaxy. You are lucky enough to have some in your posession. The Dark Blade of Ajunta Pall is forged from an ore created by smelting the blood of the dark side and durasteel. Simply seperate the two and you will have the blood of the dark side. You will of course only need to take a small amount, if you sharpen the blade, the dusty residue will be sufficient."
Serratus nodded.
"You have been most helpful."
Serratus ripped Anthrax from the wall with the Force and tossed him against another. He extracted one of the flasks the Mages used to hold volatile specimens and opened it with his thumb. With the Force he ripped Anthrax from the wall and filled the flask with his liquid metal frame. He snapped the lid closed.
"Once we give Anthrax to Gra'tua, we can be on our way back to Tatooine for the procedure."
High Prophet Crozeus
Crozeus nodded, thinking over the possibilities of the different ingredients Anthrax had listed. The Alchemical side of his brain was figuring out different ways to use the ingredients, and he made a mental note to book more time on Fondor to experiment. He wandered back to the speeders and returned to their ship to prepare to head back to Tatooine.
High Mage Serratus
Having handed off Anthrax to Gra'tua, thanked him for his assistanced and wished him luck, Serratus had returned to the Infiltrator and he and Crozeus had flown without incident back to Tatooine. Upon return, he had stormed through the facility, collecting all the ingredients necessary and ordering a tank of bacta be delivered immediately to room 27-B. He led Crozeus to the room, similar in shape to the Moonlight Chamber but without the equipment and with a tank of bacta in the middle.
"While reviewing Cerea with Darth Ultiria, we came across a young Cerean boy with a midichlorian count twice mine. I subdued him and took him here, for reasons I was not yet sure of. I guess I wanted him there for emergencies. If a time came when I needed more power than I had, I intended on draining him of Force power. That time has come."
Serratus used the Force to push a button on the wall. The wall turned to reveal the unconscious Cerean boy strapped to the wall with metal clasps.
"He will be the energy supply that Anthrax spoke of. I want you to create the bac'ata. Rip the boy's energy from his body and use it to fuse all the ingredients together. Which reminds me. May I have a hair?"
High Prophet Crozeus
Crozeus nodded and pulled one of his dark brown hairs out, handing it to Serratus. He walked over to the boy and could immediately tell how powerful in the Force he was.
Serratus was preparing the ingredients and Crozeus readied himself, taking deep breaths. Removing the Force from such a potent being, a Cerean as well, would not be easy.
Crozeus waited for Serratus to announce that he was ready. Crozeus would only be able to do this once.
High Inquisitor Gra'tua
Gra'tua had nodded and took this captive with him to his transport and began his way back to Kuat. Once he had landed on his home soil he made for the Inquisitorius to file the Cult leader in the archives.
High Mage Serratus
Serratus turned to Crozeus.
"The bac'ata is prepared. Transfer the energy. Then we can sear my skin off."
High Prophet Crozeus
A small chuckle escaped him. "You sound excited." He said drolly.
With great effort he heaved the Force energy out of the boy. Such a great power was hard to bear, and the boy was woken and screaming from the pain of literally having a part of him torn out. Such a magnificent power... surely no one would notice... and he deserved a little personal reward.
As he was transferring the energy into the bac-ata, he set up a seperate channel... into himself. It would be barely noticeable to untrained senses, and wouldn't affect the mixture, but it gave Crozeus an edge, and one he liked.
At last, sweat stinging his eyes, the last of it was transferred. Crozeus nodded to Serratus.
"It's done."
High Mage Serratus
Serratus nodded.
"Very good."
He snapped back his vizor with a smile and produced what looked like a fire blade. However, when activated, it burned a furious white.
"An experimental crossbreed between a fire blade and a lightsaber, with hydrogen as a fuel. I'm sure that I'll pass out once I'm done, if you could lift me into the bac'ata, I would be much obliged."
Before Crozeus could respond, Serratus put the blade to his armoured skin, searing it straight off. The pain was so intense that no scream could capture it, instead Serratus's eyes burned yellower than they had ever burned before. If he had drawn into the well of sheer dark side power produced by that pure, refined pain, few in the galaxy would have been much of a challenge. But this was not a thought that permeated the High Mage's brain as he finished removing the armour on his arm and hand. He continued on to his shoulder, his neck, being careful not to cut too deep in case he punctured his throat, severed his vocal chords or sliced his spine in half, across to his otther shoulder, down his other arm and to his lightsaber hand.
In the moments immediate after the removal of his skin, there had been no feeling at all, but now a dangerous throbbing that threatened to overload his heart. As he moved down across his chest, he hovered momentarily above his heart, testing his limits. Even with the heat this close to his heart, it wasn't giving out. He continued on and within minutes, his chest, stomach, hips, ribs and back were all devoid of the black armour and replaced with black, molten muscle.
He moved down along his pelvis, completely searing the armour away, being cautious not to damage his reproductive organs, as the pain sensors there were so acute his heart might literally explode. He carried on down each leg and by now his whole body pulsed with pain and agony. He burned off the soles of his feet and cut away the bits of molten armour between his toes.
Finally, he stood up straight once more. He was surprised to find he was only delirious, not unconscious. A thousand Anthraxes, Knots and Malefors were surrounding him, laughing at his foolishness. He brought the blade up to his face and began to burn away the helmet. This was the most dangerous part. Due to the lack of sensors in the brain, if he burned through any of it, he would be completely unaware. Maybe he should have had Crozeus do it after all. The blade travelled slowly across his skullcap, down along his back, incinerating the hair of the helmet. He dragged it along his left cheek, then his right, as if shaving rather than performing a dangerous, life-threatening procedure. He finished off his face and stopped with a deranged smile. Apart from the middle of his face, which had not been seared on to his vizor, his entire body was singed black. With a deranged giggle, he collapsed to the floor, the fire blade flying across the shiny durasteel, landing beside a wall, the metal of which started to melt. At last unconsciousness took over and Serratus's eyes closed, sealing his mind in darkness.
High Prophet Crozeus
Crozeus simply watched in morbid fascination. When Serratus fell unconscious, Crozeus genuinely considered simply leaving him to die, or even finishing him off. In all sense of being a Sith, that was what he would have done, if it wasn't Serratus. Ever since they dueled when Serratus was a mere apprentice the two had often found themselves with one another.
Crozeus sighed. If he was to regret this, he hoped Serratus would do the same in his shoes. He levitated Serratus' limp form up and lowered him carefully into the Sith bacta.
High Mage Serratus
Fifteen hours later...
Serratus's eyes shuddered open. It took him a few minutes to realise where he was. In the bac'ata. With great difficulty, he touched two of his fingers together. He could feel skin. The process had worked. He couldn't see too well through the bac'ata and he had to know what lay outside. Either way, the bac'ata was useless to anyone else. Using the Force, he shattered the container and landed on his feet on the tank's floor as the bac'ata and glass flowed across the floor. He looked around, bac'ata still blurring his eyes, wet hair darkening his vision.
High Prophet Crozeus
Immediately, teams were heading towards Serratus. Medics were wanting to monitor him. After all, he should be dead - he effectively skinned himself.
Crozeus was woken by a young man and brought to the chamber. It was the first time he had seen Serratus without his armour for over a year. He had forgotten what he looked like.
"How do you feel?" He asked.
High Mage Serratus
Serratus was now dressed fully. A long robe of dramassian silk lined at the edge and insides with nanosilk and embroidered with thread made from the the tendons of a krayt dragon, painted with molten gold. Underneath this he wore a died Norris robe, cut short into a tunic, lined with more gold-painted krayt dragon tendon and belted with a died rancor leather belt adorned with an Ubese clan belt-clasp. One of his lightsabers was tucked into a scabbard on the belt. Beneath the tunic lay a septsilk shirt, tucked into zeyd-cloth trousers, lined on the inside with lashaa silk. Finally, on his feet he had a pair of rancor-leather boots and socks made from the skin of an unborn rancor calf. Serratus's hair was tied into dreadlocks, which bounced as he turned to Crozeus.
"I feel amazing. I feel better than before I was sealed inside that accursed armour."
He shuddered for a moment.
"I don't think I'll be wearing armour for a while. From now on, if I need armour, I'm wearing robes made from shell spider silk. Oh and that hair you donated for the mixture seemed to have left a permanent mark on me."
He pointed to his dreadlocks. His previously strawberry blonde hair was now black.
"We should be careful, people may think we are brothers."
Suddenly there was the sound of hustle and bustle as a group of attendants entered the room, carrying a long durasteel case.
"Ah. Project DarkMage."
Serratus stepped forward and opened the enormous lid with ease. After over a year trapped inside the armour with limited movement, now that he was outside, his strength and speed had increased significantly. Inside the case, tucked neatly into an enclosing foam-like substance lay a long, intricately crafted staff. Serratus removed it carefully and regarded it with a smile.
High Prophet Crozeus
"Yet another exquisite piece for your armoury." Crozeus smiled. He was happy for his friend. Crozeus wore his hair long as well, though in a windswept mass rather than the dreadlocks Serratus was going for. The colour was exactly the same.
High Mage Serratus
Serratus smiled.
"Indeed. In my research into restoring my form, I read about the Duel in the Senate between Lord Exar Kun and Vodo-Soisk Baas. It inspired me to make a staff imbued with the Force, almost impervious to lightsaber. I, however, wished to improve the design so as I would not share the fate of Baas. I researched staffs from throughout history and across many cultures. I was intruiged greatly by the elder staffs of Kashyyyk and the cortosis staffs of Kintan. It was around these two that I based the design. The main body of the staff is made from the wood of the wroshyr tree wrapped in a weave of cortosis. The staff and the orb at the top are heavily imbued with the Force. On the bottom, I have an electrical discharger and a button..."
Serratus tapped the floor with the butt of the staff and a lightsaber blade appeared from the orb.
"...that activates a lightsaber concealed within the orb. A dangerous weapon indeed."
High Prophet Crozeus
Crozeus admired it. It was certainly impressive.
"If there is nothing else, I will take my leave now." He made for the door. Serratus positively oozed confidence, and it made him uneasy... even though he had foreseen this. Why else would he have given him the blade of Ajunta Pall?
High Mage Serratus
Serratus inclined his head to his friend, his tone becoming more serious.
"Goodbye my friend. And thank you."
High Prophet Crozeus
Crozeus nodded and left, headed back to his ship and headed to Fondor. He would be experimenting long into the night.
High Mage Serratus
That night...
Serratus sat at his desk. He was studying the staff intently. After a few minutes, he sat back with a satisfied look on his face.
