Madness - Part 2

Hours, cycles, he could not be sure how much time had passed since he had sent out the call, but already he felt a difference in the air around him. There were intruders on his little patch of this trash planet. There were voices in the distance, echoing through the labyrinthian tunnels of his lair. Sounds of life, so different against the whispers he usually heard. Lost. Abandoned.

No, these voices sounded different. They brought the promise of escape. The promise of a way home. He had to be quiet for now… Peace is a lie, there is only passion. He had to find the little rats that had found their way, squeaking and rustling into his nest. Always Remember, I Am Hunter! Yes… yes a hunter. He would find the rats. Kill them! -No. No, not kill. Not this time. This time he would let the rats have their moment. He had to get to the ship. Find the ship. Escape. Yes. Escape. Far above, far below.

Metal legs tapped and crawled through the tunnels with ease, and one of the rats fell too far behind. Too easy. A sudden silent strike as he curled one mangled metal limb around the fool, he didn't even have time to yelp to the other rats before the zabraki monster slunk away with his prize. Fear. The rat stunk of it. Fear attracts the fearful.

"P-please don-dont hurt me!" The little rat squirmed, and the metal crushed his chest tighter in his grip.

"Little rat… invader… hunter… come to take me… away…" Words, so hard to form in the right order, they often came out too quick. Too jumbled. Too quiet or too soft. We don't know where we'll fall. Then he heard other sounds. More rats. More little creatures to fall to his call. This new rat called for their lost friend, led through the tunnels. The Zabrak propped himself out of sight, dangling the captured vermin out for his friend to see. Sure enough it worked, and he came pattering over for his friend. They spoke more nonsense, words that made no sense.

Freak. In the shadows. Like a blood viper ready to strike.

They scurried and ran. Ran like the rats they were, ran as he had done. Run to this place. Run to this filth. Found darkness and shadows. Through passion, I gain strength. Found the dark after he was cut to pieces. Found the shadows after he was forgotten. Abandoned. Discarded. The rats screamed. He hunted them. Find them. Kill them! Destroy them! Destroy them all! You're all going to DIE!

The sharp electrifying pain wracked his body. His muscled and metallic limbs seized, he let out a blood-curdling scream filled with pain and agony. As with the others it tore at his throat and left it raw. The sith slumps to the ground, he is covered in some sort of cloth? No… net… the electricity pulses through it only slightly now. Making his spiderey metal limbs twitch. Always Remember, I Am Fear!

Scared. Alone. Waiting.

Had to wait… more waiting. He had waited so long. So long in the dark. The light had come to him again after so long. The light of the stars… He had to find it. Had to find it. Through strength, I gain power. He felt himself being dragged, dazed and delirious. He heard a hiss. Yellow eyes opened. Ship. There was a ship. He heard the rats talking, felt the metal moving. Ship. Escape.

Droid… There was a droid talking. Droid rat found him. Heard the call. His call. Brought the ship. He could find it. Find the light. Find…

"Bring… me… Siren…" He hissed in a strained rasp, rising from his place in the cargo hold. Always Remember, I Am Filth! The rats scattered and the droid rounded on him. It tried to fire on him but he was well versed in the attacks of droids. His hands grasped it by each wrist and yanked, easily tearing the limbs from the main chassis. "Siren. Siren. Siren." He chanted, trying to manifest her. That was what they called her wasn't it? He remembered.

"What's a siren?!" One of the rats cried, trying to avoid the wild limbs flailing from the enraged zabrak. One of the rats ran to the controls, the ship lurched and the wild sith let out a screech. No! He could not fail now! Needed this ship. Needed to get out. To escape. He launched himself forward, hooking one limb around the captain's chair. The droid was held by it's head on a second limb.

"SIREN!" The monster roared, slamming the droid against the console as the ship jerked in the air.

[The Siren hasn't been seen in years! She's dead!] The droid buzzed. It was the last thing it said before it was ripped in half. The scream that escaped him had all the little vermin wincing as they tried to cover their ears where they hung on along the sides of the now-near vertical ship. His ragged hands scratched and scraped at the console, his limbs scrabbled at the buttons, trying to remember how to work it, how to make it fly… find the communicator and call her here.

Then one of the rats opened the cargo hold. Anything not tied down was flung from the ship, and as much as the rats clamoured to strike him down, the power of his conviction was too great. They were screaming now too, begging to make him stop, one cried to get him off the ship. He slammed his hand on the console to keep his grip. The ship lurched again, spinning in the air and began to careen toward the surface of the planet.


Blasterfire filled her ears as she leaned over the railing. They were running a complicated simulation, and the squad below were performing admirably, they had each other's backs, they covered their flanks and had all targets down in minutes. They were so riled and energised, that the boys had been willing to run two more sims. They were entrancing to watch. Though part of her found herself wishing she could watch a certain saber-wielding Zabrak decimate the training droids in seconds.

Her mind still turned, she needed to get some of this technology, try and find something to take with her. Find a way to harness it for her needs. She was currently wondering if the soldiers might be willing to distract Nala Se for her but she very much doubted that they would be willing. They didn't know her and owed her nothing. Disguise herself as a nurse? No, the only personnel were clones and Kaminoans and it was not a shape she'd had time to practise let alone master. That left the possibility of… Hm… whether Nala Se would go for it, she didn't know. She would have to probe a little further. While the clones were indeed fascinating, she had more pressing matters. As much as she would like the time to get to know them better, learn about these many many brothers, there was one that needed her far more.

Below, in the simulation Captain Rex had just gunned down the last of the droids. Zaiya's measured applause replaced the sounds of battle.

"Most impressive." She nodded to Nala Se and the two moved to the platform that would take them down to the level of the Clones. "You strike me as the type that enjoys the unknown, to do what has not been done before." Zaiya muttered just before the Kaminoan tapped the button. Her large hand paused.

"I am a scientist, first and foremost." Her large eyes focused in on the only part of Zaiya not hidden by fabric or armour.

"Of course. I am sure that simply creating clones first and foremost has been intriguing, though, I do not feel that would be enough for you." She spoke casually, waiting to see if the Kaminoan would take to the subject. "One could not be blamed for wanting, say, a side project…?" She asked, her hands folded in front of her.

"I… suppose that could be true. There are indeed… other projects, and experimental clones." Nala Se replied slowly.

"Really? I should like to meet them if we have the time." The masked woman nodded. Perhaps this was the way in. Nala Se finally tapped the button and the doors opened. The two stepped onto the platform and Zaiya folded her arms. "Perhaps like these clones… you could use a challenge." She shrugged. "I'd be curious as to whether other species would take to the process. Or force users." There was a tiny 'ding' and the doors opened, Zaiya strode forward confidently as though the conversation had not happened, her attention now on the Clones. Nala Se's large dark eyes burned holes in Zaiya's back, the Nightsister smirked under her mask. The seed was planted.

"Well now!" She began as she met the squad that had just finished their run. "That was quite the show of tactical prowess, gentlemen." She nodded her head in a slight bow, offering her respect for their skills. "I daresay even a Jedi ought to be fearful of such skill." She chuckled darkly.

"Don't say that, ma'am." Rex made a face, his helm under his arm. "There's no chance of that happening."

"Of course, Captain." She nodded, though for some reason there was a cold shiver up her spine. "Perhaps next time I ought to give it a run, you make it look like fun." She nodded, several of the men let out a short laugh as the group turned back toward the lift, Nala Se was still staring.

Zaiya noted the mood tensed slightly as they were in closer proximity to the Kaminoan, She spotted the shift in energies, in their feelings. The mistrust, the apprehension. "I think you gentlemen have been more than accommodating, I ought to let you rest and refresh yourselves. Nala Se can assist me from here, thank you." The men seemed surprised and looked between each other in confusion.

"Are you sure?" Wolffe asked, eyes narrowed. He was suspicious it seemed. Interesting, he did not trust either herself, or the Kaminoan. The platform reached the main floor again and the doors opened. Zaiya's gloved hand reached up and tugged the cloth mask down revealing her face, albeit more human-looking, with a human skin tone and no tattoos. She flashed the clones a dazzling smile.

"Not to worry gentlemen, I am a big girl and can look after myself." She winked with her good eye. The clones just stared at her. With a smirk she turned away, choosing to leave the mask at her neck for now. She followed in step with Nala Se as they walked, her cloak swishing behind her with the movement. "Now, you mentioned experimental clones?" a smooth professional expression replaced the mischievous one the Clones had seen. From what she could tell, they were still standing in the same spot.

"Yes, Lady Siren, please, come with me." Nala Se seemed a little less guarded all of a sudden, and Zaiya had to wonder if she had gotten through to her with her comment. "As you may know, cloning can be a troublesome art, not every batch of clones can be at the level we need them to be, there can be the occasional defective clone." She seemed to be making a point, as her eyes drifted past the guest down the hall to an older man carrying a crate of blasters. Strange, she had not seen any other human personnel thus far. He seemed to be struggling to balance them and as he passed Zaiya, one of the blasters slipped. Out of habit more than anything, Zaiya's gloved hand shot out and caught it mid-air. She paused in her step and looked the man over, she realised that he was a clone as well, evidently one of the 'defective' ones Nala Se had just mentioned. As though they were products. With a deep breath she cooled her temper, the clone already spouting apologies.

"What's your name?" She asked softly as he reached for the weapon.

"I… they call me Ninety-Nine." He stammered. She nodded, laying the blaster in his large hand.

"Ninety-Nine." She repeated, still a number. He seemed nervous, his hands trembled. Her free hand came up to clasp his in both of hers. Her blue eye met his brown ones, and she used the Force to reach out to him, sending a sense of ease over him. His trembling subsided and he calmed, looking at her strangely. With a bow of her head, she released him gently and withdrew. She may have crossed a line even then, she was meant to be acting Sith, then even that act of compassion alone might give her away. She said nothing however and neither did Nala Se until they were a few steps ahead.

"Noting the different genes, traits and effects that can be altered in clones, I was eager to see these enhancements brought to fruition. So there were several clones, apart from the one designated Boba that were different from the other clones." The Scientist explained. "There is one such group of clones that were altered with desirable mutations. Four clones have been separated and have undergone severe genetic enhancements." Nala Se led her through the halls to a barracks a little further away from some of the others. Members of a clan, classified as different and kept separate from the others? She knew the feeling a little too well.

The door opened to absolute chaos. Within the quarters were four men… or more specifically, boys. Younger than the Commanders and Captains she had met. She swept her gaze across the room in the span of a second to take it all in. Two of them appeared to be fighting, a slender boy with silver hair, ducking and dodging items as a tall bulky lad, already nearly her height, throwing any item not nailed down at him. A third boy, wearing eyewear, a head piece that seemed to include goggles, was trying to get in between them and calm them down, while the fourth stood to the side, hands on his head and eyes squeezed shut. There was a lot of anxiousness coming from him, she could feel it like a wave through the Force the second the door opened. They didn't seem to notice the intrusion, too engrossed in their shenanigans. Suddenly Zaiya was reminded of Savage and Feral when they had the rare argument when they were very little. She had seen the Nightbrothers roughhouse from afar and a small smile came to her lips.

"My apologies Lady-" Zaiya held up her hand, watching for a minute before acting. She reached out a hand and tapped the button by the door for the overhead lights. They blinked off, then on, off, on until the boys looked up. The Nightsister was smirking. Suddenly the four of them looked like they had been doused in ice water and jumped into a formation, the bigger boy then sheepishly dropped the broken rifle he had been holding. She guessed it to be the origin of the fight. Nala Se let out a sigh, "These are the enhanced clones."

Zaiya stood impassively, her gaze swept along the line of them, they were fresh-faced cadets, varying heights but all looked like children. Not much older than Boba. Though their actual age she had no way of knowing, considering the aging enhancements. The boys looked a little sheepish, at least most of them did, heads down, and wide-eyed. The silver haired one still scowled, and the one that had the longer hair, the shortest of the four, still looked to be in pain, head down and a taut expression. Nala Se explained the conditions of the boys to her, one had more intelligence and memory capacity, another was enhanced for strength, another for his sight and reflexes and the fourth for his heightened senses. Ah, so that might be why he was so anxious. The boy was overwhelmed.

"Would you dim the lights, please?" Zaiya turned her head to Nala Se and only looked back once she was sure her request was being carried out. She then turned back to the distressed clone. "What's your name?" She asked him, leaning down to meet his eyeline, he blinked, not quite looking at her.

"Hun-Hunter." He gasped with a breathy tone. He was in pain.

"Take a deep breath, alright?" She told him with a gentle tone and reached up, one hand on his forehead, palm pressed firmly there as her own eyes closed. "Just breathe." She told him, and delved into the force, as she had done when she was a child. She dropped into the depths of the powers around her, pushing through his anxieties and pain, letting him in to feel the music she always heard, gentle, soft and calming. His breathing calmed after about a minute and the anxieties faded. Zaiya opened her eyes and looked at him with her good one. "Better?" She asked. The boy's wide brown eyes stared back at her and he just nodded. "Good." She smiled and stepped back. "Now…" She looked back at the other three that were staring at her in surprise, but jumped slightly as her gaze swept across them. She reached down, the rifle jumping to her hand through the force. She looked it over, the barrel was bent and the scope was cracked. She handled it, feeling the weight, Bane had her running weapons for a while and she recalled what to look for when checking them over. He also had her memorise as much of the database as she could.

"It's not a toy." The silver haired boy muttered.

"Indeed not, this is a DC-15x if I remember my rifles correctly." Zaiya mused, "Enhanced scope, added barrel length… usually heavy on the trigger, but-" She flipped the gun up and looked at the mechanism, "Modified as well, I should expect no less." She smirked, the silver haired boy was openly staring at her now. "You have a name?" She looked over at him.

"...Crosshair." He replied bluntly, narrowing his eyes as her smile grew.

"But…" She clicked her tongue as she gestured to the barrel. "Someone's been playing rough?"

"It was an accident!" The bigger boy insisted, his eyes big as moons as he looked up at her.

"Was it now?" She smirked

"Maybe if you didn't touch things that weren't yours, you wouldn't have broken it!" Crosshair hisses angrily.

"I didn't-"

"Enough." Zaiya interrupted, her hand held up and they silenced at once. "They tell me you are to become excellent soldiers…" She mused, running her gaze over the length of the rifle again. "What's your name, tiny?" She looked up at the big boy again who blinked and blushed.

"Uh… I'm Wrecker." She chuckled. Appropriate.

"Wrecker… I like that." His gaze brightened hopefully, "Now, when you get the chance, you will fix this, won't you?" She gestured to the rifle.

"Uhhh I mean yeah, yeah o'course." He nodded.

"Good boy." She responded, noting a blush that crept across his tanned face. She held out the rifle to him. He took it with a hesitant hand. The Nightsister looked to the last member of their team, he was peering up at her out of the corners of his eyes.

"We call him Tech." Wrecker offered, helpfully. Zaiya nodded and stepped in front of the boy.

"So you're the code slicer." She mused, "What have they got you training on?"

"Uh, basic codes, the general-"

"Salacian Binary?"

"Yes."

"You are proficient in cryptanalysis?"

"Of course." The boy adjusted his goggles

"What's your time on a Spokkan Cypher?"

"Three minutes."

"Impressive."

"You know slicing?" He asked, his eyes lighting up. Zaiya held up a hand, her thumb and forefinger about an inch apart.

"A little, but it's not my forte. You, however, I think you might outperform a droid if you keep training. I met a slicer that once cracked a Corellian code in thirty seconds."

"Thirty seconds?!" He gasped.

"Think you can beat it?"

"Not yet… but I will." He looked up determinedly. She let out a chuckle and a grin crossed her lips.

"I look forward to seeing it." She turned back to Nala Se, her mind reeling, the things they could do to create enhanced beings, she wondered what they could do with-

"What's your name?" It was Hunter, he'd taken a step forward, still seemingly a little confused as to what the kriff had happened in the last ten minutes. Zaiya paused, mid-step and looked over her shoulder at him, meeting her blue eye with his brown.

"They call me Siren."

"Will you come back?" Wrecker stepped forward this time and Zaiya's little smirk curved into a smirk.

"That, little one, is dependent on Chief Scientist Nala Se." She then turned and looked at the Kaminoan.

"Perhaps it is best if we speak in my personal facility." She replied.

"Then by all means." Zaiya gestured ahead of her smoothly. The Kaminoan turned and left the room, the Nightsister pausing before making a gesture to the clones, the crook of her forefinger briefly tapping her head, then an open splayed hand in front of her. "'Til next time." And with that she turned and left, leaving the four boys in a state of quiet confusion.


Notes:

WE MADE IT!

FIFTY CHAPTERS! WHAT?!

I can't believe we got this far, it's been crazy, I started this in Febuary I think, and now it's Halloween and I am just thrilled to pieces that we are still going. Whether you started this with me at the beginning, or you are new to my story, thank you. Thank you for all the comments, likes, reblogs, shares, whatever you wanna call them, I am just glad you enjoy the fic. If there is someone out there that might like this, do me a favour and send them a link, maybe they read it, maybe not but if there is a chance someone might get enjoyment from this, then please. It's all I wanna do.

I seriously love you guys. Thank you.

Thank you

Thank you.

As for the Q&A - I have had a few questions sent in, but don't be shy, send me some more! I am happy to answer what I can, I will do so in maybe a week or so, so send me any questions you want to know the answer to, whether about the characters or writing process or story. (I will try not to spoil!)

Next week, comes the chapter 'Signal' and hopefully that means Maul got his call out? Zaiya discusses some interesting ideas with Nala Se and we see one more cameo from a familiar character.

As always, Thank you so much, I love you all. And please, send me some questions!

See you then!