CHAPTER FORTY
ZIOST
Doc frowned as dark eyes watched the power wane and the stasis tube energy was cut. The figure held within lowered and slumped, Doc moving quickly to catch the man and gently laid him out on the ground. He cast an annoyed glance at the pure blooded sith who had made the call to pull the man from stasis, knowing full well it was a death sentence. He would have died anyways, Doc reminded himself, though it brought no peace to his thoughts or feelings on the matter. He had seen the ruthless uncaring nature of the sith firsthand too many times. They never cared about the sanctity of life, and Necrolis was no better than any of the rest of them he had run into.
"He's not going to last long, his vitals are weak." Doc muttered, nearly choking on the words.
Necrolis paid little mind to the feelings of the medic. The man was an annoyance, and had he not been in the company of Asha, he would have had no remorse in shoving the man off the first high drop he could find. Looking as the man's eyes fluttered as he began to stir and wake, Necrolis still felt a slight pang of remorse. Death was death, and had he not needed what information he could obtain from him, would have been quite happy enough to let him pass peacefully in stasis. Hard choices have to be made, he knew, and he had made enough of them to not let it weigh his conscience down.
"What? Where… who are…?" The man stammered, fighting to speak in a weak low voice as his eyes opened and he took in the three people about him.
"You would be doctor Ordann, no?" Shadelis asked, red eyes intent on the prone man.
"I am." Ordann answered, glancing at the chiss then to the pure blooded sith standing beside her. "You, it can't be… you… I know you."
"What is the darkstar legacy, what did you do for Mekhis?" Necrolis demanded, cold hard gaze never wavering off the man.
"Yes, it is you… Necrolis, I remember." Ordann said, even as his eyes glazed over and rolled slightly. A moment later he was able to look once again focused on Necrolis. "Yes… much to answer for… you here, I knew the day… the day would come."
"Answer me!" Necrolis snapped irritated at the man's ramblings. "What did you do for Mekhis? What did you do to us?"
Doc held up a hand at the sith, motioning for him to calm down and back off. Necrolis gave the man an annoyed glance but remained standing unmoving and unyielding. He wanted the information, needed it, and he was not about to let the man pass on without giving them something. Everyone was counting on finding answers and their lives and safety was at stake. Ordann frowned and made to move but could not, eyes pained as he focused on the sith once more and slowly and slightly nodded his head.
"Yes, answers… you deserve that… there…" Ordann mumbled, motioning slightly with his head, mostly his eyes, towards the rear room where Necrolis had seen the computer and holo terminal through the open doorway. "Mekhis… you were supposed to get me… what happened?"
Shadelis listened and watched the dying man. Try as she might, she could not seem to muster much anger towards him, despite all that she knew he had done. He had been instrumental to Lord Mekhis work, to whatever they had done to all of them. They had preyed on them all while they were nothing more than helpless infants. She knew he deserved to die just for that, but she simply could not find the anger to hate. Moving forward she dropped to a knee beside the man, taking his hand in hers patting it comfortingly.
"She is gone. She could not return to you here." Shadelis informed keeping her voice light and soft. "Let go and die now. It is all that is left to do."
"Always… always liked you… Shadelis…" Ordann mumbled even as his eyes closed.
Doc watched the man grow still, the final breath so low he barely heard it escape. Scowling, Doc turned and glared at the sith, then at the chiss woman. Laying the man down, Doc folded the arms and put the hands together on the man's chest in repose.
"This was not necessary at all." Doc growled.
"Spare me." Necrolis snipped back returning the glare with one of his own. "We are not saints, not a single one of us, yourself included. We have all killed for a purpose."
"You gained nothing from him, you could have let him die in stasis peacefully." Doc countered, hands clenching at his sides in anger.
Shadelis rolled her eyes in annoyance and stepped quickly between the two men. She had no love for the medic, and she knew if it came to blows the man stood utterly no chance against Necrolis, but they had more pressing matters. Her hand pressed to Necrolis' chest, Shadelis turned red eyes to the medic.
"Keep the room secure and have our backs. We can discuss the fine points of life preservation after we get out of here." Shadelis said, then turned to her brother. "You and I need to check that other room."
Before anyone could say anything further, the comm link came to life in their ears.
"It's Tormen topside. We got company and plenty of it. We're gonna need some help here."
Necrolis frowned and grit his teeth. That news was not good at all, and it appeared they were out of time. Glancing to Shadelis the chiss likewise was frowning and biting at her lower lip.
"Teffa." Necrolis said, clicking on his own comm link. "Better get up there and give them a hand. We need more time here."
"We'll do what we can. Better make it quick, Necrolis." Teffa answered, the bounty hunter already racing back towards the entry.
Janas Terek looked over the ruins ahead of them, the collapsed wall sticking out from the mound of rubble, the piles that gave ample cover for those they were seeking to capture. Glancing left and then right he could see the assembled troopers shifting nervously. It was always the same no matter the enemy at the start of every battle. It was that moment, waiting to see if you would end up fighting or not. It was that build-up of adrenaline inside that made you antsy.
Looking back at the area he thought he noticed movement, ever so slight as it was, perhaps a head peeking over the rubble pile to one side. Holding the voice amplifier up, the Overseer spoke, a part of him hoping whoever that was against them would be smarter than he anticipated and just surrender.
"Come out with your hands up. You know you can't win against this force. I promise you will be treated well in custody if you do so. You have thirty seconds to give us an answer."
Tormen Darklight peeked over the rubble and swore under his breath. He had been in enough tight spots before, but he could not remember a time when such a force was arrayed against him. Usually he had a trick up his sleeve, so semblance of an idea how to get himself out of a jam, but this time he was coming up with nothing. Hearing the voice boom out to surrender over the distance, the smuggler could not help but laugh.
"What's so funny?" Bloodshade asked over the comm link to him.
"I was just thinking that was awfully nice of him to count to thirty, but really he doesn't have enough fingers and toes to get that high."
Bloodshade laughed at that and shook her head. The man's wit never wavered, no matter the circumstances it seemed to her. She had cracked a smile often enough even when the talk or situation had been dire at his words. She found despite the fact he worked for the Republic, she rather liked the man. It was oddly comforting, and the knowledge they were in some way family made it easier to accept him.
"Well do you want to answer him or do I?" She asked the smuggler.
"I wanted to wait and see what happens after he hits twenty and he's sitting there with his boots off." Tormen quipped with a smirk on his face, bringing another laugh from the sith.
"Put him out of our misery, would you?" Bloodshade remarked back before taking a deep steadying breath and readying herself for what was coming.
Tormen slowly rose, peering over the top of the rubble pile, sliding his blasters up over the edge to take aim. He slowed his breathing, taking careful aim at the lead trooper who appeared to have been the one who called out to them. He guessed he was the one in charge. Strike the head, the rest might be thrown well off, the smuggler thought. He was about to pull the trigger when a black gloved hand fell over his blaster making him stop.
Teffa looked at Tormen and shook his armoured head negatively, stopping him from pulling the trigger. The bounty hunter knew the single shots he was going to get off would not do much damage overall and once the fight began, it was going to be necessary to do a lot of damage and fast. If they could bloody the Imperials enough, they might pull back if only for a little bit. They would need to be ready if they could make such happen, as it was likely to be the only opening they had to escape.
"Let me." Teffa stated, and the smuggler shrugged and nodded back, sliding back down behind the rubble pile.
"Your time is up. Come out now, or else." Janas Terek barked out, though he suspected there would be no surrender.
Teffa Darkstar answered the Overseer, and confirmed his thoughts about there being no surrender. Janas barely heard the ping that sounded like a stone hitting metal. Attention drawn by the sound, the trooper glanced to the front battle droids off to his right, eyes catching the small blinking light on the side of the far droid. He had little time to react, slamming his helmet on his head even as he yelled out a warning.
"Incoming! Attack! Attack!"
The exploding dart blew out the side plating of the droid, knocking it off balance to fall onto its side, metallic legs kicking about at air. Varel Thane heard the warning but had no time to move. The explosion blew out, shrapnel flying in all directions, the concussive force and flames hammering into him, sending him flying backwards to hit the ground. Air knocked from his lungs, Varel was left gasping, knowing at that proximity he should have been dead. I can't believe it, Varel thought, glancing about him.
The Overseer spotted the sith Inquisitor Rian Cen Nur close by, standing with arm outstretched. She had barely enough time to react, casting out the force to wrap about in a bubble shaped shield over the other Overseer. It had deflected the fire and shrapnel but did little to cut the knock back effect. Varel would be hurting, but at least he would be alive, she knew. The trooper nodded his armoured head to her in thanks and she grinned and nodded back as he scrambled back to his feet.
Rockets rained down on the front lines, hammering into the line of battle droids, tearing through them and sending shrapnel and flame into the front ranks of the Imperial forces. Teffa Darkstar lowered back down as he cut the power to his jetpack, sensors in his helmet indicating he had knocked down, disabled, or outright destroyed four of the battle droids. A handful of Imperial soldiers remained down with assorted injuries, some more fatal than others.
"Well I think that got their attention." Tormen remarked even as the Imperial forces opened fire in return, heavy and small arms fire exploding in red bolts all about them.
"I don't think they liked a little death from above." Teffa replied as dirt and fine stone rained down over them from explosions.
Bloodshade glanced through the hail of weapons fire and dirt at her brother and the smuggler, listening to their banter. Neither of them seemed to be all that worried over their situation by their words, and it made the woman grit her teeth. While they could always shoot back, she and her deshade could do nothing more than hunker down and weather the storm. The Imperial forces against them were well out of range of her lightning.
"If you two are done your comedy act, perhaps we can come up with a plan here other than getting shot to pieces?"
"Don't suppose you can conjure up an ion cannon?" Teffa remarked back sarcastically before he popped up and launched a volley of heat seeker and tracer missiles into the opposition.
Teffa knew they were in trouble. They were able to hit hard, but the size of the force against them was simply too big. They were staying well back and just pounding on them, chipping down all of their cover. Sooner or later they were going to become exposed and when that happened there was no getting away. Swearing under his breath, the bounty hunter hit the comm link.
"Necrolis, we have to pull back inside. We can't hold them off, there's just too many of them. Do you copy?"
There was no answer and Teffa swore even as he and Tormen returned fire at the Imperials. Ducking back down beside the smuggler, he looked about then at the overhanging wall above the entry. Slapping Tormen on the shoulder, the bounty hunter motioned with one hand towards the entrance to the underground facility. It's our only chance, Teffa knew.
"Get inside. We have to get out of here. When I open up on them you make a break for the entry."
"Teffa we can't leave you out there." Bloodshade stated in concern.
"I'm not staying out here. I'll be right behind you." He replied, knowing there was no way he was going to play the hero and be suicidal. "Get ready!"
Teffa slid to his right, spinning up to his feet and then launching a barrage of missiles towards the Imperial lines. Quickly on the heels of the rockets came sweeps of blaster fire. Tormen bolted for the door the minute Teffa moved, Bloodshade following suit with Khem Val on her heels. The sith cast a look back as she reached the doorway, watching the bounty hunter standing and blasting away amidst a hail of return fire coursing out of the smoke and dust that had risen up to obscure any view.
"Teffa!" Bloodshade cried out to her brother.
Teffa fired another volley of rockets then turned and ran for the entry. He was halfway there when a blast caught him in the back right shoulder blade, sending him off his feet forward. Hitting the ground, he ignored the pain, pushing himself to scramble, trying to get his feet under him. Another bolt glanced off the armour on his right thigh making him grunt in pain and annoyance. Staggering, he kept trying to drive forward, almost unaware of the hands that grabbed him and drew him onto his feet and forward. Glancing over, he noted Tormen had returned back out to help him.
"Damn fool!" Teffa growled at the smuggler.
"Nobody gets to kill you but me, dammit!" Tormen cracked wise even as they fell through the entryway.
Teffa rolled onto his back, raising his left arm and firing off a pair of mini rockets from his gauntlet. The rockets struck and exploded against the overhang, bringing the wall down in a shower of stone that sealed off the entry.
"This was a good plan." Bloodshade remarked. "Now we're trapped."
"Maybe, but we're alive." Teffa remarked back wincing as he felt the pain coursing through his shoulder.
Necrolis and Shadelis walked together across the lab and into the other room. The sith did not trust the medic, but had no choice in leaving him there to keep the laboratory secure. He had best have our backs, Necrolis thought. They were running out of time, he knew. His eyes glanced about the room taking in the computer terminal, work station, and holo terminal in the room, but nothing else. Shadelis made right for the computer terminal.
Shadelis stared at the screen, making a cursory inspection and finding the system still logged into. Working at it a moment she brought up the main core directory and files. Scanning down through them she noted the highlighted blinking file entitled Darkstar Project.
"I think I have something here." She called out over her shoulder to her brother.
Necrolis had left the computer to his sister, knowing her experience and background would give her a greater advantage to find something quickly. He had turned his attention to the work station, eyes scanning over a few data pads, papers with scribbled notes and what looked like equations though he knew not what for. He had half a mind to gather up the paperwork, try and carry as much out of the room as he could, even if he knew it was not practical. When he heard Shadelis, he quickly grabbed up the couple of data pads and returned to her side.
"Well let's see if we can get some answers." Necrolis stated as he noted the file in the directory.
Shadelis accessed the file, watching the screens flash to life, calling up numerous sub directories and files. One screen had a list of names, which included all of them. Another screen was filled with dates and various locations. She noted Ordann's name as well as a file on the doctor himself as well. Yet another screen seemed to hold assorted charts and graphs as well as medical files that she could not make any sense of at a glance.
"There, what is that?" Necrolis said as he noticed a file among those listing their names. The file was titled Mekhis Endgame.
"Here goes nothing." Shadelis commented as she clicked open the file.
Necrolis swore even as Shadelis banged her hands against the console in frustration. As soon as she clicked the file the lights went out, the screens going dark on the terminal. Necrolis frowned at the sudden power loss, wondering if there had been some sort of failsafe and if all the information was now lost to them. Before either of them could say anything the holo terminal in the room turned on, controls lighting up to blink at them in the dark. Moving over to it Necrolis noticed the hand scanner off to the side of the main controls. With nothing to lose, Necrolis put his hand on the scanner. A moment later the terminal flared to life in a pale blue glow, a hooded figure standing there hands clasped before her.
"Mekhis." Shadelis said, eyes taking in the holo display.
"So you have come, likely in search of answers. I truly expected no less, especially from you Necrolis." The visage of Mekhis said, and Necrolis guessed such came due to his palm print to activate the recording.
"If you are seeing this, then you have returned home. I hope such is done in triumph, but I suspect you are finding yourself with the manka cats howling at your door. Listen well as this recording will only play once, and then you will have a limited time to access information before the failsafe kicks in.
"This galaxy needs cleansing, it needs order. The Emperor is a fool, blind in his vision, mad in his folly for conquest. The Republic is a nuisance, equally deserving to be eradicated. You, my children, are the instrument of change. You were selected from birth, hand chosen by me to be the vessel s of my will and desire. Together the plan was to reshape the galaxy free of the Empire, Republic, Jedi and Sith."
"I wouldn't mind her getting to the point." Necrolis growled and Shadelis placed a calming hand on his arm.
"Each child was selected with care. Newborn babes gathered to be genetically, and chemically, altered according to my blueprint. Each one transformed into something far beyond comprehension of anyone, the Emperor himself even, for all his dark knowledge. Each one of you capable of facing and overcoming any obstacle they desire, a being of power beyond anyone's wildest dreams. It was no accident some were allowed to fall into Jedi hands. Placed within the ranks of both factions, you will be well placed to carry out your mission. This has all been part of my plan from the start."
Necrolis looked at Shadelis who stared back, neither of them knowing just what that meant. Shadelis had a sinking feeling that the more they learned the more they were not going to like what they found. She had gone through enough herself with people trying to screw with her head. Finding out she was a lab experiment made to reshape a galaxy was overwhelming at best. The chiss could tell Necrolis was equally uneasy.
"I hoped my children would be with me when our ascension happened, but if this is being played the odds are the Emperor, Dark Council, or both have uncovered my plans and moved to stop me. If such has happened they likely will attempt to destroy you, my children. Show no mercy, bring the very galaxy to its knees and destroy all those in the way.
You, my children, are my legacy, my gift to the galaxy. I will have my vengeance against those who oppose us through you. You are my will, my might. There is no stopping you, no stopping your destiny. This is what you were created for.
The computer will restart in a moment. You will have a small window of time to get what information you can. Carry on my work, my legacy. Do not let this end in anything but success. Your mother will be with you always, my children. Now go, and let fate take its course."
The siblings stood staring at the image until the holo terminal turned itself off. A moment later the power returned to the computer, however the lighting and other systems remained off. Shadelis said nothing, too stunned by everything she had heard, but knowing she had to act quickly. Her hands flew over the keys and touch screens, copying and downloading as many files as she could into storage devices she had brought.
"I've got a bad feeling about all this." Necrolis complained, glancing about and then returning his gaze to watch his sister work.
"You and me both." Shadelis replied.
Doc looked about, pacing the laboratory, trying to not keep looking to the dead man on the floor where they had left him. Shaking his head, Doc wondered what was wrong with people and the galaxy as a whole. People like Tormen made him sick, always out for a quick credit at the expense of good people. The sith and Empire were atrocious, but he also knew the Republic, for all its proclamations of freedom and prosperity, was no better in the end either. I just want to help people, he mused, I just want to save people and make a difference.
He barely noticed the lights had gone out, once again shaking his head as he stopped his pacing. Whatever had happened, the complex had lost power it seemed. Go figure, Doc thought, the guy would have died right here and now anyways. All because they had shown up and hit buttons, he knew. Damn them all, Doc thought then, wishing he was anywhere but there. Why the hell am I even here? He knew the answer to that question, it was because he had an affinity and hunger for redheads, and Asha Lightstar fit that bill to a tee.
The explosion from way off still reached his ears, and he felt the shake of it through the ground. Muttering a curse, Doc wondered if that was someone trying to kill them, or seal them in and bury them. Great, some asinine sith laboratory was going to be their tomb, Doc sourly thought. The medic began pacing again, hearing voices in the opposite room but not venturing over near enough to hear the conversation. In truth he could have cared less if both the sith and chiss died in there and never returned.
Lights appeared about him in the darkness as power returned, but the lights all stayed off. Looking about in the minimal light, the medic jumped as he heard the hiss of a door opening, though he did not recall one being in the room. His hand went to his blaster as he looked about trying to locate what had made the sound and where a door might be.
"Be at ease, I mean you no harm." A voice said, female though edged with strength Doc noted.
Looking towards where the voice came from, the medic squinted and peered barely able to make out the form of a hooded figure. His hand remained poised down at his hip, hovering above the blaster that rested there.
"Come with me. Escape while you can." The figure said to him. "You owe them nothing, you are not like them. Come with me and do something that will change the galaxy."
Doc grinned and arched an eyebrow at the figure and the words they said. Was he dreaming, he wondered? Perhaps they could read his thoughts he guessed and almost chuckled at the absurd notion. Whoever this was, they clearly knew the place, knew how to get in and get out again. If he stayed he would remain with the others, and trapped. It came down to no choice at all, the medic knew. A chance at life, even if it was a leap of faith into the unknown, or certain death remaining where he was was no real choice at all. Doc's hand moved away from the blaster as he strode over and into the doorway, following the unknown figure, the panel of wall sliding back in place and sealing shut behind them. Sorry Asha, Doc thought, it was fun and all but I can get laid anytime.