The cabin rumbled around violently as the ship sailed out of the Geonosian arena and began to fly to it's next destination. Trazyn looked around silently, studying the interior of the ship. It was a dark brown colour, very sparsely decorated with no seating. It reminded him of the interior of many Necron catacombs, which brought back many fond memories of pillaging the artefacts of his brethren. Trazyn smiled internally at the thought, but this only further increased the alien feeling that was now creeping into his mind; he had never once felt alone on Solemnace, never seeing any need to invite some of the more personable Overlords and Phaerons to view his collection. No... He was content in the cold lifelessness of the pieces he had on display, as well as the many mindless robots that maintained them.
Things had changed now though, and very suddenly too. He was far from Solemnace, further than he had ever been before. He was surrounded on all sides by a menagerie of life forms and trapped in a land entirely unknown to him. The reality of his situation was just beginning to sink in: he was stuck, entirely at the mercy of the universe.
And there was nothing he could do about it.
After taking the head of Jango from his wailing brood, Trazyn and Voydonn had returned to the podium to find that the Count had disappeared, leaving only a droid with a message. The message instructed the pair to join Dooku in the hangar. They were taken to a transport craft and told they would be able to continue their conversation shortly, once they reached Dooku's 'secret hangar'.
It was cramped in the passenger's cabin. According to Dooku the craft was only supposed to hold ten, but there were a good fifteen Lychguard in there, at least. One other transport carried the remaining forty five or so. The lack of space didn't bother the Necron troops though, they never complained about anything. They just didn't have the mental capacity for it.
Trazyn's thoughts were interrupted as a voice came through the intercom.
"What is this ship called, Dooku?" Voydonn asked.
Whilst Trazyn had told Dooku he would be taking the journey in the passenger's quarters, Voydonn had opted to stand with Dooku in the cockpit. For some reason he was interested in the human and it was almost as though he sought... friendship, with the man. Trazyn scoffed at the ridiculousness of the notion.
Necrons don't make 'friends' the way that the living do. Alliances are the closest we get to such a thing. Voydonn was likely just... How did humans put it? "Buttering him up" for what we need.
"It's called a Punworcca 116-class interstellar sloop," came the response.
Dooku's voice sounded as guarded as ever. Any warmth Voydonn was attempting to display, was clearly not being reciprocated.
"I had it flown to the arena as your associate dealt with the republic forces." He continued, allowing some cheer to break through his wall of ambivalence – although he wouldn't say it, he was very impressed with Trazyn's small army.
"I see," Voydonn said slowly. "What kind of propulsion does it use?"
It was at this moment that Trazyn realised what the old Cryptek was up to in there. He was slyly trying to ascertain exactly what level of technology this civilisation had to offer, without revealing his intentions to Dooku. If Dooku didn't know what they needed, bargaining would be much easier.
"Here." Dooku grunted, handing him a datapad, which Voydonn accepted gratefully.
He scanned through all of the information and nodded, pleased with what he had found. It was likely that the required technology existed to these people, all he had to do now was just figure out a way to get it.
"We are arriving now, lord Dooku." The pilot droid buzzed. "Do you require any assistance with the cargo?"
That remark annoyed Trazyn. The droid couldn't tell the difference between them and conscious-less matter! I am not 'cargo' he thought. This is why wraiths don't talk...
The ship flew into a small opening that appeared to be a cavern of some kind, however upon entering, it was obvious that this was merely a disguise for what lay further within. A large structure, comprised of various grey and brown metals made up the interior. Pipes ran along the walls, which seemed both natural and artificial. A few pillars were dotted around to bear the weight of the ceiling.
Trazyn stepped down out of the craft, followed by his Lychguard protectors. They immediately raised their warstaves defensively, scanning the new environment for anything that might threaten their lord. When they were sufficiently assured their were no assassins or anything else lurking, they lowered their guard slightly.
Dooku stepped out, alongside Voydonn.
"Now we are here, we can discuss things further." Dooku turned to face them, "Please, tell me who you are and what you are doing here."
"Well," Voydonn began "it all started twenty thousand years ago when..."
Dooku raised his hand to stop Voydonn.
"I'm sorry to interrupt, but it seems I have some guests." Dooku said, with a smile creeping on to his face.
Seconds later, a pair of men came running down the corridor towards the three of them. Trazyn and Voydonn turned to see who Dooku had been talking about. The Lychguard raised their weapons in unison.
The pair slowed as they saw Dooku and they studied the Necrons with curiosity, who in turn, studied them back. They were both of what seemed to be the average human height. One had long hair and was dressed in white, whilst the other had short hair and wore black. They carried weapons the same as Dooku's, however there's were different colours, blue and green.
"Patience, Anakin" the one on the left said. He looked back to the group, with a ghost of a smug grin. "Still hiding behind droids, Dooku?"
Dooku shook his head, still smiling. "Master Kenobi. I would have thought you'd recognise the ones who slaughtered your friends."
Kenobi pointed with his lightsaber, "Oh I recognise them. How did you make these?"
Trazyn begun to grow angry at being spoken of as though he was some witless immortal. Voydonn placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
"Wait until the moment is right." he whispered.
"I didn't make them, as it so happens. Neither are they droids." Dooku retorted, enjoying the Jedi's ignorance. "I'm not sure what they are or where they're from but I know one thing: they're more powerful than any of you Jedi..."
Obi-Wan paused for moment, considering his options. Dooku was right. These droids, or whatever they may happen to be carved through the republic troops as if they were a herd of Bantha. He turned to his apprentice,
"Steady Anakin. We don't know what they're capable of. We'll take them together."
Anger flared in Anakin's voice.
"No, I'm taking them now!" He said, as he began to run at them.
Kenobi shouted after him, "No Anakin, no!"
Dooku raised his head slightly, gauging the distance between him and Anakin. He lifted his hand and... At that instant, Trazyn stepped between the two of them. He was tired of these pointless theatrics and knew that Dooku, whilst likely an able fighter, couldn't be counted on to dispose of this meddlesome duo quickly enough.
Anakin began to slow down at the sight of the colossus before him. His fury ebbed, giving way to fear and he began to shrink in the face of the Necron. Trazyn raised his staff to crush him like a bug, when it was wrenched from his hands by an unseen force.
Trazyn looked at his staff flying away from him with sheer surprise. Reassured by the fact that his opponent was disarmed, Anakin regained himself and went for the kill. Trazyn also recovered from his shock and narrowly avoided the deadly blade of plasma. In one deft motion, Trazyn countered by simply backhanding Anakin, who went flying into the wall.
As he slumped to the floor Trazyn turned back to deal with Kenobi, however he found that Dooku had already engaged him. They circled each other slowly, trading words needlessly. Trazyn looked on, exasperated.
Why must they talk so much? This would be an ideal time for Dooku to strike.
As he thought this, Dooku raised his arm and lightning flew from his fingertips at Obi-Wan, who casually absorbed the attack with his blade. Voydonn stepped forward so he was stood beside Trazyn. They watched them duel for a while, whilst Voydonn commented on the incredible agility and powers of the two.
"It's as if they're being powered by the warp." Voydonn speculated with wonder, "Like psykers, they have the ability to fire energy and imbue themselves with increased physical ability, but it's putting no strain on their minds at all. It's like the immaterium of this universe is one with the material realm..."
He momentarily turned to face Trazyn,"That's what that was by the way, with your staff." Voydonn said, looking back to the duel. "The one called Kenobi use some kind of psychokinetic power to wrench it from your grasp."
Trazyn was silent and thoughtful as he watched the fight. The troops they had faced in the arena were no threat at all – a commissar's laspistol was more dangerous than the blasters they were using!
But these 'lightsabers', coupled with the psyker-like abilities of the 'Jedi' made them a very credible threat. He wasn't sure if the lightsabers would even harm his necrodermis body, and the Necron energies that flickered around it only decreased the likelihood of such damage, but he was slightly concerned nonetheless.
Dooku seemed to be gaining the upper hand and suddenly, when their blades were crossed, he struck at Kenobi, nicking his arm. This caused the Jedi to yell with pain and surprise, as he dropped his lightsaber. Dooku then followed up with another strike to his knee, making him fall to the floor.
Trazyn and Voydonn looked on silently, nodding approvingly at the older man's skill. Dooku raised his weapon as if to finish Kenobi, but at the same moment another lightsaber ignited behind Trazyn.
Trazyn turned just in time to see that Anakin had recovered, somehow, from the blow that he had received.
He darted forward to block Dooku's strike, but Trazyn was ready for it. He caught the young Jedi mid-leap and lifted him by the throat. Anakin, clumsily attempted to sever the metal arm clasping his neck, but Trazyn anticipated this and caught the arm. He took the lightsaber and, looking at it with minor curiosity, crushed it, before throwing the remains to the floor.
Dooku was shocked at how he had almost been caught off guard, momentarily forgetting Kenobi, who still lay, unmoving, at his feet.
Trazyn turned his attention to Anakin again. This time he would ensure the young Jedi would not be getting back up. Slowly, he moved his hand up to Anakin's shoulder. He took a firm grip of his arm and looked Anakin in the face. His expression was a mixture of uncertainty and fear at the Necron's intentions.
"You have been interfering far too much." Trazyn explained, "But no more."
And then pulled Anakin's sword arm completely off.
Blood sprayed everywhere as Anakin yelled, gushing like pus from one of Nurgle's sores. The Jedi couldn't take the pain and fell unconscious. He was thrown in a heap beside his master, discarded as if a broken toy.
Dooku stepped back to avoid the red spray, which was beginning to slow to a trickle. Kenobi reacted swiftly to the injuries of his friend, and used his saber blade to cauterise the wound, before slumping back into unconsciousness himself.
"So much for the 'Chosen One'" Dooku whispered. He was shocked at the brutality of Trazyn and the sight of such gore. Lightsabers were clean, elegant weapons. Limbs were severed regularly, but they never made such a mess.
"Chosen One?" Trazyn cocked his head at Dooku's statement. This could be good. Very good indeed.
"Yes," Dooku said, returning to his usual cold, calculating self. "the prophecy states that a child, born of the force, would bring balance between the light, as well as the dark. Anakin is supposedly that child."
Trazyn looked at the arm in his hand. The right arm of the Chosen One. As well as...
He looked around for the crushed remains of his foe's weapon and saw that Voydonn was picking through them with interest. Voydonn's eye glowed a variety of colours – a sign that he was thinking. He was clearly searching through the scraps for something.
...As well as the remains of his weapon. What a fantastic addition to my collection, that would make. Why, I could dedicate an entire wing to things I find on this journey! I'd call it 'Relics from the otherverse!' Or something like that.
Excitement began to bubble within Trazyn as he started to truly comprehend the opportunity this new universe afforded him. It was no longer an unfamiliar, hostile, cage for him, but rather an unexplored land, filled with new and exciting histories that he could plunder.
He walked over to Voydonn, who was still picking through the scraps, until he came across a small, green crystal. He pulled it out and his eye changed to the intense dark-red it became when he was studying something closely.
"Is this what powers your weapons, Dooku?" He asked without looking.
Dooku had stepped away from the two defeated Jedi, not wishing to kill them just yet. He moved over to Voydonn to see what he meant.
"The crystal? No, no, they focus the energy from the battery and use the force as a means of containment, to stabilise the energy emitted so that it doesn't harm it's user." Dooku explained.
Voydonn slowly bobbed his head up and down, attention still firmly on the crystal. If he had facial expressions, he would be frowning right now. He lifted his head back up to face Trazyn and his eye returned to it's usual, calm green, colour.
"I know what we need." He chirped happily.
Trazyn wasn't too fussed over this revelation. All that mattered was the lightsaber pieces on the floor. He pulled out his collector scarab, which buzzed over to remaining pieces of the shattered weapon and put them away for safekeeping. Trazyn then opened another pocket dimension, in which he placed Anakin's arm.
Voydonn began questioning Dooku as to the nature of the force and the lightsaber crystals. Dooku didn't respond immediately, then gave him an answer.
"If this pair could locate my secret hangar, then we are not as safe here as I first thought. Republic gunships will be arriving soon. We must go."
Dooku turned and walked straight past the Jedi, entering his sloop. Trazyn was sure he could handle more clones, but gunships and hordes of Jedi? Best not to try that just yet. He barked an order to his Lychguard, who stood to attention, then boarded their transports, before returning to the sloop himself.
The ships ascended and began to fly free of the Geonosian atmosphere. As they did so, Trazyn saw Dooku had predicted correctly. Half a dozen ships descended upon the base, and an array of Jedi warriors spilled out of the Transports. As he turned away from the sight, and walked back to the cargo hold, Voydonn followed.
"There are things we need to discuss." He told Trazyn, who nodded, as they moved to the corner and Voydonn began to explain...
Meanwhile...
Splitting pain seared through Mu' Jorro's head as he awoke. He wasn't sure where he was, until his vision began to clear and he saw his surroundings. It was dark, with only two of the many Geonosian moons casting their light onto the arena. It was carnage. Melted piles of clone troopers and the dead bodies of Jedi lay scattered amongst the red sands.
The Voss Jedi sat up and his memory swam back to him. He had been part of a great battle, where many had died. Except him. He was knocked out during the fighting, as one of the Geonosian's pit animals had struck him when his back was turned.
He got up to his feet and looked around. He had to try and find a way off-world. Hopefully a Geonosian starfighter had been left behind after the battle, if not he might be able to steal one an-
His head shot round as he could have sworn he heard something whispering. He felt a ripple in the force, unlike anything felt before. This felt strangely foreign, as if tainted by rage and hatred. It whispered seductively to him as well.
Come...
Mu' used his force-keen senses to locate the source of the whispers. He came to a small room, almost unnoticeable. He peered inside cautiously, but could see very little.
The whispering grew stronger.
He ignited his lightsaber to act as a light source and was comforted by the familiar hum of the weapon. As the room was illuminated he saw something signs of a small fight. Lots of blood and... A creature, unknown species, that lay in three pieces on the floor. Geonosian? No... Too red to be one of those.
As he moved closer to examine the corpse, something caught his attention. A small chink of pink-purple light, enveloped in mist of a similar colour hovered in the corner.
The whispering grew louder, becoming audible now. Mu' wasn't quite able to discern what was being said, however he could somehow tell what the strange language meant anyway.
He edged closer to the light and began hearing separate voices. Four to be precise.
The first voice sounded angry and full of might. It offered him the power to crush his enemies if he would but serve.
Mu' was immediately on his guard. This sounded like Sith treachery! Power was what they used to tempt Jedi into their service, but he would not be fooled not by-
As he thought this, the first voice went silent. A second voice came through, this one more calm. It sounded devious, yet also trustworthy somehow. It promised knowledge and understanding of anything he could think of.
This offer was better than the first. It wasn't full of the characteristic rage of the Sith. A better understanding of the force would allow him to better defend the Jedi order and the Republic. Perhaps he could just listen to the proposal...
The second voice faded and a third began. This one was full of warmth and caring, but was also very raspy, as if sick. It promised an escape from pain and a place for both him and those he cared for, in it's large, eternal family.
This was beginning to sound good. Not only could the Jedi order be given total understanding of the universe and the force, but also would be made the champions of what he assumed must be divine and benevolent creatures.
The third voice disappeared and a fourth began to speak. This one was slow, seductive and full of ecstasy. It promised him that he could become the Grandmaster of the new Jedi order and that a world of glorious pleasure awaited him, if he would just assist the voices.
Mu' Jorro had made his decision. Such an offer was too good to pass up, especially for the Jedi. With what was promised he could rule the galaxy and overthrow the chancellor! He could put the Jedi in charge and bring about a time of peace with the backing of these gods!
"What must I do?" He asked, his voice ragged at the thought of what awaited him.
Then came the singular reply,
Touch...
Without hesitation, Mu' dropped his lightsaber and rushed to the voices. He thrust his hand within the light and heard the voices murmur approvingly, thanking him for his service., repeating all their previous promises.
Mu' felt energy tickle at his hand. He felt great power welling within him and knew that he now had the ability to do anything. He stood there, enjoying the warm feeling of the foreign energies mingling with the force inside him. He waited until he felt he could take no more of the power without burning up and went to pull his hand out.
But it was stuck.
He tugged, harder and harder, but his arm would not give way at all. He started to panic as his pleasure turned to pain. The voices continued, telling him now that he was a fool, that he was doomed to suffer and had unleashed the forces of Chaos upon his reality.
Mu' started to scream and the voices started laughing cruelly, enjoying his torment. He was in indescribable pain. He let out a final pained screech and the power within him burst, exploding him from within and showering the room in his liquefied remains.
The walls began to glow different colours, one red, one blue, one green, and one pink. An assortment of foul-looking, snarling beasts could be seen within. Fierce winds ripped through the arena. The Jedi had been fooled into opening a portal.
And Hell came through it.
