Ession

Ambassorial Hotel




Achinta’s footfalls pounded upon the plush , deep blue carpet which lined the way to Mr Vinda’s room. It led the way beckoning and snaking around the corners. His eyes stared intently in only one direction which seemed only to enhance the purpose in his strides.

The small data-disc , one could argue , was being carried by the safest courier of them all.

There was perhaps no-one more loyal or self-sacrificing to his duty, than Mr Vinda’s own right hand.

The android’s heavily burdened thoughts were taken up by nothing but the endless possible outcomes , and scenario’s which would shortly transpire. To Achinta , probability was king.

All of the many different probable repercussions played out within the short time it took the bodyguard to get from the elevator to Mr Vinda’s room.

And Achinta didn’t like any of them.

How would Mr Vinda take the news?…

How would he respond?…

The Android was at a loss.

He could calculate indeterminable odds, apply advanced Kaos theories and run complex simulations in his mind of the many probable outcomes, but when it came down to it, he simply did not know how his employer would react.

And this, Achinta had found , perplexed him.

what will he do?…

The bodyguard turned the last corner , and his eyes fell upon the door to Mr Vinda’s room.

He had already been worried about Vinda’s health.

would this push him over the edge?…

And , as Achinta Vega, Mr Vinda’s Personal bodyguard, assistant, most trusted advisor, and friend, stopped outside Mr Vinda’s room and reached for the door’s control console.
Something happened , something which had never before happened in his entire existence, and perhaps , might never occur again.


Inexplicably.




He paused.

Somewhere on the Outer-Rim




“Whats a pretty thing like you doing all alone?”

Natalya glanced up from her cup of caf she had ordered and turned her head to her left, towards the direction of the sound.

A man, in his late thirties, or thereabouts , in badly need of a shave, grinned inanely towards her. Natalya simply stared at him coldly until he got the hint.
The man , suddenly feeling a little small, muttered something inaudible underneath his breath and meandered off to badger another woman seated in the corner of the café.

Turning back to her empty plate, she took a sip of her drink and frowned as she tasted the steaming beverage…

…not as good as Gaia’s…

As this thought entered Natalya’s head and she brought the cup away from her lips, her entire being became flooded with a sensation which hit her so fast and so hard , it gasped the air from her lungs.

It flashed through her mind like a flashflood, crashing through her like waves, each one becoming stronger and stronger. She felt her hair stand on end , the goose pimples react over her body and felt the cold sensation shiver down her spine to her toes.

The overwhelming feeling of dread fell over her like a dark shroud…

Suddenly Natalya no longer found herself in the Café, but in the homestead she had been merely hours earlier , but there was something different, something very wrong…

As she realised what it was, she dropped her cup, it shattered on impact causing the hot brown liquid to splatter all across the floor below her.

The image of Gaia burned into her mind, and in that moment, she knew the old lady was in danger…

“NO!” She yelled loudly in response…

Natalya reeled around, still absorbed in her vision, unaware of the shouts of concerned voices from those all around her…

As quickly as it had come the sensation left her, and as Natalya blinked back into consciousness she found herself being virtually surrounded and stared at by everyone within the café …

Gathering herself, Natalya glanced around at the many shocked and bemused faces glaring at her then shot out of the café as fast as she could, pushing a rather indignant looking alien out of the way as it tried to enter.

Natalya did not hear the establishment’s owner yell after her as a result of running out and forgetting to pay, for in her rush to get back to Gaia , she had become oblivious to anything and everything else.

The crowds lining the spaceport proved to be of little hindrance, for a singlemindedness had taken root which was not about to be swayed.
And as Natalya pushed and dodged her way back to where her ship was waiting she could only hope and think of one thing...


...That she was not too late...

Ession

Ambassadorial Hotel





“Enter…”

Vinda spoke in reply to the door alert through the comms absently…and despite the late hour, he was already up , and not alone in fact.

The Corporate mogul cast his attention back to the scientist in front of him, then to the strange blue luminous crystalline disc handed to him. He questioned the scientist without removing his gaze…

“…You mean to tell me this thing, this…’disc’…has recorded …(his brow furrowed deeply as if he were struggling to understand some kind of advanced Quantum mechanics theorem)…everything?…”

“…well…er…yes, everything…” Confirmed the scientist.

Vinda hardly noticed his bodyguard had entered, such was the deep concentration…

He had, begrudgingly, and more than cautiously, indulged the scientist and allowed him to take a recording of his own mind, and was now holding the result, a glowing crystal disc, it was a lot to take in.

“…Memories?…” He asked again in disbelief…

“Yes.” The scientist clarified once more…

“…Personality?”

“Yes.”

“…Behaviour?”

“yes..” (the scientist was starting to tire…)

Vinda’s eyes narrowed and glided over to look the scientist dead straight in the eyes, and the question that followed held no small amount of scepticism.

“…Let me get this straight, this disc, (he held it up towards the scientist and waved it as he spoke)…now holds my … consciousness…”

The scientist smiled ruefully…

“...No, you have your consciousness, this disc merely is a duplicate of it…the machine records your brainwaves, it creates an exact digital replica of your thought processes and duplicates them using advanced computer algorithms”

Vinda glanced over to Achinta ,(the first acknowledgement he had given the Android since he had entered the room), then back to the disc in question, and laughed a little, impressed.

“…you hear that Achinta!… advanced computer algorithms” (Achinta simply nodded in response)

No sooner had the words left his mouth, than a frown crept stealthily across
His brow again. Placing the disc upon the table next to the strange recording device , Vinda turned to face the scientist once more..

“Well, Dr Lucious, this is all very fascinating, but what I really want to know is what practical applications this…(he waved his hand in the direction of the device in front of him) contraption has…”

Dr Lucious seemed slightly taken aback at this question…

“...er…well.. none, that I can think of…”

Vinda’s face soured, (suffice to say it was not the answer he was looking for)

“..what!?…What do you mean , (he mimicked the scientist almost exactly) ”none”! …you do know how much this research has cost us, Doctor?”

Dr Lucious’s face suddenly held a look nothing short of horror…

“…you mean to tell me..."
(Vinda had started and he wasn’t about to stop)
" you have spent nearly Eight Million Crystalline Vertex …”
(The Corporate leader had a certain knack of pronouncing numerical figures with an eloquence that bordered on the artistic)
“…On a machine, which hasn’t got any kind of practical application whatsoever!?….”

“...Well…I…I…” Was all the Doctor could muster

Vinda’s eyes fixed the Scientist to the spot…

“…Eight Million CV Doctor!, Eight Million!, that’s a small fortune!, its not unreasonable of me to expect some kind of return on it, no?…sometimes I think I am surrounded by monkey lizards!”

A quiet, logical voice interrupted the discourse.

“…can it be faked?, Doctor Lucious…” Asked Achinta softly.

Dr Lucious turned to face the man who had spoken, the man who had just entered.

“…er..No, not at all, its as unique as everybody’s own consciousness, memories, etc, they are all unique experiences and therefore,..No.”

“Then you have found the ultimate identification verification device, yes?…this would have practical applications within the security sector would it not?”

Vinda’s face had changed dramatically, his head was already running with the endless marketing possibilities, whereas the Doctor simply nodded appreciatively towards Achinta…visibly relieved, before finally replying…

“...yes, if you had the person’s original recording initially , then it could be referred to, as and when verification is needed…”

Vinda’s change in demeanour was nothing short of a miracle…

“Fantastic!, the man’s a Genius!, we’ll have your budget increased to Twelve Million!, I want this ball rolling!, whatever you need you’ll get, Zara will see to it!…”

Doctor Lucious stared at the Corporate leader dumbstruck…

“…Th,thank you Mr Vinda…you won’t regret this!…” He managed to stammer, and practically bowed to the tall stranger in thanks…

“Hah!…” Blurted Vinda, to no one in particular, as his mind grasped a hold on what this could mean, profits-wise.

Then suddenly, as if just noticing him, Vinda turned his attention back to Achinta, his eyes narrowed a little as they took in the Android’s appearance…

“…Something wrong Achinta?…” (Vinda knew him well…)

The bodyguard seemed to ponder these words carefully, and remained silent as a result…which only proved to further fuel the old man’s curiosity…

“…that Caprician woman confusing you again?…” He followed up , partly in jest, partly sincere…

Achinta walked up to his employer’s desk and spoke softly, but in a tone, which even Vinda knew to be one of utmost seriousness…

“…No…. I would like to talk to you…” The Android’s eyes sidled over to the Doctor who was still tinkering with his device…

“…alone…”

Vinda nodded with a concerned frown, and turned to the Doctor…

“…thank you Doctor Lucious, as you can see, I have some business to attend to, so if you should be so kind as to…” His voice trailed off as there was no need to finish his sentence, the Doctor took the hint and responded with a flurry of activity…

“…oh, yes, yes of course, thanks once again Mr Vinda, goodnight” Collecting his equipment, he deftly negotiated his way out of the businessman’s room, leaving just the two of them alone.

Vinda’s eyes once more held Achinta within their gaze , and the HRD had the businessman’s full and undivided attention.

“…what is it?..” He asked, now visibly perplexed, he reached for a cigarra.

Achinta watched as the Vinda-Corp figurehead prepared and lit his cigarra , sending plumes of blue smoke swirling upwards…before finally speaking.

(Something inside told him the old man would probably need it).

“…A few hours ago, I was alerted to the presence of an alien causing a disturbance in the lobby, when questioned, his intent was to see you…”

Vinda’s expression became one of puzzlement …

“…do I know him?” Asked the Corporate leader , between puffs…

Achinta , reached into his right pocket and retrieved the same small disc that the Alien, known as Charg, had in turn given to the bodyguard.

“…he says you do not…”

Vinda stared at the disc, which Achinta had brought to light, and the HRD continued…

“…He wanted to give you this…”

Vinda, who by now had a frown across his forehead so deep you could lose yourself in it, clenched his cigarra between his teeth as he reached for the disc in question.

After a secondary glance back towards the bodyguard, he switched his desktop terminal online and inserted the disc.

Achinta remained silent as his employer’s eyes fell upon the mass of information that sprang up in a sudden burst of blue symbols. As Vinda started to read, Achinta noted the subtle change in his expression, his eyes seemed to grow wider as he read more and more.

He looked up towards the Android , incensed and bewildered all at the same time…

“…Is this some kind of sick joke!?…” He blurted out indignantly.

Achinta held the businessman’s glare and responded as calmly and carefully as he could.

“…I am afraid , this does not seem to be the case. I too had my suspicions, which is why I asked Section to verify the disc contents. What they found was…enlightening, the information on this disc matched that which came from a source which Section itself had endorsed during the Caprician crisis….”

Vinda simply stared at the Android confused, and Achinta elaborated…

“…If you look at the rest of the disc you will see that it contains the complete defence database on every CSA held world. It was due to the contents contained within this disc that we were able to retaliate against their attack upon Bonadan successfully. The data matches that of Intel gathered at the time from one source and one source only, the Orron III Data-center…”

Achinta paused for a moment to allow his words to sink in, before continuing…

“According to Section, It was a complete match, with one notable exception, the part pertaining to one; Natalya Severina Vinda. It had been excluded from the copy handed over to Section itself….”

Vinda’s eyes narrowed …

“…you mean to tell me, the Section agent who originally acquired the contents on this disc excluded the information I see in front of me now?…”

Achinta nodded solemnly as he confirmed Vinda’s words…

“… With regards to the personnel files you see before you now, yes, the defence Intel was the only information Section received…”

Vinda was struggling to take it all in…

“…why?. who?…” His voice simmered with a cold anger, as the gravity of the situation started to sink in…

Achinta, knew the following piece of information was going to be difficult for his employer to hear…

“Section has confirmed that there was only one Section Operative assigned to the recovery of this same Intel at the time the contents on this disc were made….”

“Who?…” Vinda seethed once more, slowly…

“…Section, have confirmed that the Operative assigned to recover the Intel found within this disc, was Agent 239, one, Kaneda Soom.”

Vinda virtually exploded…

“SOOM!?…KANEDA SOOM!?…” The Corporate Leader sunk into his chair in disbelief, anger, and astonishment.

…Soom!?…In the name of Vader! , Why?….

Achinta watched the old man with a worried look upon his face, as he rubbed his temple with the same hand holding his cigarra…

“…Section, have recommended immediate suspension until this matter has been thoroughly investigated, they have sent an envoy to Capricia which is en route as we speak…”

The Android wasn’t even sure the man before him had heard him speak, until he glanced up…

“…Capricia?..He’s on Capricia?…what on Bonadan for?” The businessman asked even more confused…

“Apparently, he is on vacation…” Achinta replied matter of factly…

“I want him here,now…”He followed up, sternly.

Achinta nodded , but remained still, as Vinda stared silently at the computer terminal in front of him…

Eventually the Vinda-Corp Figurehead broke the uneasy silence...

“…get this Alien up here now, this Charg…I want to speak with him”

Bowing slightly in acknowledgement, Achinta took his leave, and left Vinda alone to digest the revelations which he had just learned…and the more he read, the more he felt a hundred thousand different silent fears gnaw at him inside…

A million thoughts stumbled through his head, a million questions…


…I have a daughter?


…is this some sort of sick plot?…a set-up?


…how could I have not known!?…


…Why was I not told!?…


…But there was one thought that had burned itself indelibly in his mind, if what he was staring at was indeed true…then...





…I have a daughter.

Somewhere on the Outer-Rim

Spaceport Landing bay No. 112





As Natalya ran to the entrance of the landing bay area, a deep feeling of foreboding overwhelmed her. She paid heed, and stopped abruptly.

Her instincts raged like an alarm.

Glancing furtively around her, she got the distinct impression things were not what they seemed.

Instinctively her right hand felt its way to her Blaster still strapped to her leg holster, and she stepped cautiously into the bay area, an open, but circular, high walled enclosure.

Her footsteps hardly made a sound as she snuck closer to the freighter standing before her.

The Hatch was open.

Either someone was inside or they had been inside…

Natalya unholstered her Blaster and brought it up about hip height…

…Kriff!… (she cursed to herself, inwardly)

She did not like this situation, to say the least.

Creeping close enough to peer inside, Natalya stretched to her full height to improve her view.

Nothing…

Kriff!…

This time she mouthed her thought aloud but silently.

There was no sign of the droid.

“Kobe!…” She whispered through the hatch, wincing as she did so.

“Kobe!?…” Louder this time.

A deep coarse voice from behind her punctured the silence…

“…I’m afraid he ain’t gonna answer…”

Natalya grimaced, then whirled around to face the source.

A tall, heavily built, strikingly bald man stood just a few feet away, and behind him lurked three more shadows.

“…easy girl, I don’t want to kill you too…”

Her eyes settled on what the man was holding, a pair of Blasters, custom made by the look of it, though difficult to tell from a glance.

“…drop the gun…”

As she hesitated, the three shadows stepped from behind , they were two men, and a rough looking alien, she at once could see they too were armed.

“what do you want?…” Natalya shouted over to the man speaking…

The men stepped closer…

“…I won’t ask again…” Came the bald man’s reply.

Sighing heavily, Natalya threw down her Blaster, and as one of the three men stepped closer to pick it up, she shouted over to the man again.

“..who are you?…”

The man shifted his gaze straight into hers, and smiled coldly.

Ession

Ambassadorial Hotel




“YOU SOLD MY DAUGHTER TO LUX DEED!?…”

Vinda shouted towards the hapless somewhat sheepish looking alien in front of him. The normally evenly minded Corporate leader was incandescent with fury, and he began to tremble…

The alien cowered in his chair.

“LUX DEED!?” (He boomed), His astonishment and anger plainly evident.

Vinda had sat in grim , stoney silence as Charg had recounted how both Zandell and he had come across the information, up until, of course he had said whom they had sold it to. It was at this point Vinda could no longer stay his tongue, and his outburst had Charg shivering in fear.

Achinta had remained in the room, more for Charg’s safety than for Vinda’s. Even he was not certain that the old man wouldn’t attempt something rash.

The alien glanced over to the bodyguard , almost as if he were looking for moral support.

Rising to speak, in his anger Vinda suddenly seemed to find it difficult to string a sentence together as he tripped over his tongue and instead sputtered out a garbled incoherent noise towards the alien before him. Exasperated he fell back into his chair and glowered at Charg in silence, then covered his face in his hands , perhaps in an effort to compose himself.

“…in Vader’s name, why?…of all people…” He said finally, wearily.

The question was more to himself, rhetorical, rather than directed towards Charg, and he took a long heavy drag upon his now almost finished cigarra as he rubbed his temple...

Taking advantage of a quiet moment, the alien cast a furtive glance towards Achinta , then back to Vinda…

“…do I get a reward?…” He ventured cautiously…

Vinda stared at Charg dumbly, in what only could be described as complete and utter disbelief.

The businessman’s eyes seemed to radiate a coldness which both unnerved and fixed the alien to the spot, he was practically seething.

And as Charg’s words sank in, Vinda’s paper thin effort of composure , snapped.

The Corporate man found himself fuelled with an incredulous rage…

“NO YOU DO NOT GET A FRELLIN’ REWARD YOU FRELLIN’ FOUR-ARMED FREAK!”

His words were thrown towards the alien sat before him with such venom that his cigarra flew across the table and landed on Charg’s lap, causing him to leap up and frantically , clumsily brush it away.

(Vinda continued his vitriolic tirade, oblivious)

“…Not only do you sell my only daughter to one of the biggest criminals this side of the Galaxy!, you have the nerve, the gall to ask for a reward in return!?..are you insane?, are you mentally deficient?…Count yourself lucky I don’t have you arrested!…Achinta get this person out of my sight, I don’t ever want to see him again…”

As Achinta did as he was asked and ushered out the simpering alien, Vinda could only look skywards and snort incredulously…

Collapsing in his chair, Vinda was all too aware , that wherever she was, whatever she was doing, she was in grave danger.

The Corporate leader of the biggest and most powerful Corporation of its kind, suddenly felt…



…powerless.

Elrood


The first thing Tysico noted about Elrood was the smell. For a person not used to travelling (or so he thought of himself) to many a distant worlds, it was a curious thing to note that most planets held their own distinct smell.

After a while, one surely gets used to it, but those first few hours..


He grinned as he walked with the scientists from Herridian Wye's transport. The Avatar was still at Capricia forcing the former leader of Herridian Clan to find another means of transport for the Caprician living on Naboo.

As it turned out, Tyscio arrived quicker than either of them expected.



A strange thing about this planet's smell....


It was as if he knew it..




...Flash...



Two children running across an open field chasing a domesticated animal.


Molin and Tyscio...


Molin?





The name popped into his mind without conscious thought.




*


The archeologists and various scientific students were leading him through the maze that was smack dab in the middle of the largest construction project he had ever seen.


The Sith artifacts and everything Marzullo had been collected and shipped offworld for cataloging and archiving. Their large processors and computing machines were stripped of their storage media and the work of decrypting and translating the Sith Language would hold many researcher for months upon months.

Scaffolding enshrined the aging Jedi Temple that had been desecrated and in ruins as Capricia invested to restore it. It was to serve as a retreat of sorts in honor of the Jedi that had fought so valiantly and hard during the conquest of the Invaders.

Capricia was investing heavily into building up an educational and technological base and while Elrood was located quite a distance from Capricia herself it was still a part of the newly spawned Commonwealth and thus subject to the Renewal Project.



Tyscio walked past the Civil Corps of Engineers and into an area sectioned off from the rest.

"What we could transplant we have for further study on Capricia." one project head was saying as Tyscio moved down a few dirt steps that descended to an area where the "room" was located.

The room itself was adorned in strange writings and well lit from the portable lamps brought by the scientific team but the room itself seemed strangely familiar though Tyscio could not place it.




A holographic figure appeared, one the scientists had seen before and many times.


Tyscio looked at the splitting image of himself.



His head began to hurt as a name began to run through his mind over and over ...



Molinjar..Molinjar.. Molinjar... Molinjar... Molinjar.. Molinjar.. Molinjar...



His eyes glanced away from the projection and towards the ceiling and there, amid the dust, age and undergrowth of plant life that had broken through, he saw a familiar shape of a crest.


And then another name sprang into his mind.



Noble House..


His mind seemed on the edge of his own memories but even he could not connect the dots.


I wonder if Hespante could...?

I wonder if Hespante would...?


"Do you have a translation?" he asked to a nearby student. "Mr. Wye's team started on a rough translation but it is still slow going." she replied.


"Show me what you have.."

[font=Times New Roman][/font]
[font=Book Antiqua]Capricia[/font]
[font=Book Antiqua][/font]
[font=Book Antiqua][/font]
[font=Book Antiqua][/font]
[font=Book Antiqua]Hespante knew what was going on in Tyscio's mind and he remained quiet within, not wishing to disturb his charge with unnecessary worry. But he knew that time would be short.[/font]
[font=Book Antiqua] [/font]
[font=Book Antiqua]The strands were beginning to unravel and history, it seemed, was no longer able to hold the lies, mistruths and false accounts together. The delicately balanced house of cards was beginning to fall.[/font]
[font=Book Antiqua] [/font]
[font=Book Antiqua][/font]
[font=Book Antiqua]And all for what?[/font]
[font=Book Antiqua] [/font]
[font=Book Antiqua] [/font]
[font=Book Antiqua]In the end, was it really worth it?[/font]
[font=Book Antiqua] [/font]
[font=Book Antiqua] [/font]
[font=Book Antiqua]What sort of Retainer could he be to the boy Tyscio if he could not tell him the truth?[/font]
[font=Book Antiqua] [/font]
[font=Book Antiqua] [/font]
[font=Book Antiqua]The Conquest of Capricia had ended with a certain understanding between all parties from the Caprician Clan leaders to those of Vinda Corporation that both Hespante and Tyscio were relics from a different era. An era and a very different galaxy bound together by a government called: Commonwealth Union of Worlds. A Union held together by the will of the cornerstone worlds that Capricia was once a part of so long ago, during a time lost to antiquity.[/font]
[font=Book Antiqua] [/font]
[font=Book Antiqua] [/font]
[font=Book Antiqua]And yet no one... no one! seemed to care about the means with which both Hespante and Tyscio could survive. A lack of curiosity that either mean't they were too wrapped in their own efforts of forming their own Commonwealth or they did not really believe the simulacrum and Caprician.[/font]
[font=Book Antiqua] [/font]
[font=Book Antiqua] [/font]
[font=Book Antiqua]No one asked, How?[/font]
[font=Book Antiqua] [/font]
[font=Book Antiqua] [/font]
[font=Book Antiqua]Hespante began to worry at the flashes of insight, the flashes of pieces of the whole picture.. a panoramic view that still appeared to him a haze.[/font]
[font=Book Antiqua] [/font]
[font=Book Antiqua] [/font]
[font=Book Antiqua]On the surface of things... Capricians and Vinda Corp were poised to create a truly enterprising and prosperous organization.. Their current level of technology was also poised on the brink of some creative and exciting breakthroughs, much, in no small part, due to the uncovered cache of technology on Elrood, the site of both a Jedi Temple and Sith base. Yet, it was also evident that a Caprician in the form of Herridian Wye had access to and was able to use old Union technology. Technology that Hespante did not realize existed anymore. Technology that should have been destroyed...[/font]
[font=Book Antiqua] [/font]
[font=Book Antiqua]What it hinted at was something that grew heavy upon his heart. [/font]
[font=Book Antiqua] [/font]
[font=Book Antiqua]That the battle he and Tyscio fought those many years ago did not topple the Noble House. [/font]
[font=Book Antiqua] [/font]
[font=Book Antiqua]The move the shadowy organization pulled with Molinjar was evidently the same that they pulled with Tysico and Hespante.[/font]
[font=Book Antiqua][/font]
[font=Book Antiqua]And we had gone to sleep! [/font]
[font=Book Antiqua][/font]
[font=Book Antiqua]And as we slept..[/font]
[font=Book Antiqua] [/font]
[font=Book Antiqua][/font]
[font=Book Antiqua]The Noble House moved and acted unencumbered.[/font]
[font=Book Antiqua] [/font]
[font=Book Antiqua][/font]
[font=Book Antiqua]Who knew how heavily entrenched they were now.[/font]
[font=Book Antiqua] [/font]
[font=Book Antiqua] [/font]
[font=Book Antiqua]Tyscio, the maker's bless him, thought that the Union was ripped apart by the Nephys ... the force... but the truth was much more insidious than that. The truth was much more tangible than the boy realized.[/font]
[font=Book Antiqua] [/font]
[font=Book Antiqua]No one now living aside from the players knew the game that was being played behind the scenes.[/font]
[font=Book Antiqua] [/font]
[font=Book Antiqua] [/font][font=Book Antiqua] [/font]
[font=Book Antiqua]The irony struck Hespante... that as the organics... that as the Capricians and Corporate people rebuilt ...[/font]
[font=Book Antiqua] [/font]
[font=Book Antiqua]..there was a war still going on around them..[/font]
[font=Book Antiqua] [/font]
[font=Book Antiqua] [/font]
[font=Book Antiqua]A war that was as old as time itself.[/font]
[font=Book Antiqua] [/font]
[font=Book Antiqua] [/font]
[font=Book Antiqua]A Simulacrum War.[/font]

Noble House

Highlands


The Visician walked the slowly up the mountain path, part of the survey team that worked in and around the wrecked strong point. The devastated city of Thessonia, or what was left of Thessonia lay in the distance to the South.


He knew the Caprician Reconstruction Commission were in debate as to how to handle the site. Some wanted the once important city of commerce restored while others felt it should be (yet again) a monument to those who gave their lives so that others may live.


Thessonia was known for holding an entire Yuuzhan Vong battle force back, buying the Regent Leantre that much more time to reach the Jak’Tol construction yard, to reach the last line of defense, .. that final battle.


The older man had his hand out feeling the stone and rock of the mountain wall as his group moved up the path his emotions in turmoil inside.


The fateful stand of Jorrum Gerrard, the House Parliament Member and leader that drew the Caprician citizens to their doom…


It was a critical juncture in the war for there were those who felt if the Regent had lent his support and drew the armies from Thessonia at the base of the Highlands, Gerrard may have been able to hold. Other ‘specialists’ concluded that a totally defensive posture for Capricia at that point would have led to ultimate defeat.


And yet no one dared challenge the sacrifice of Thessonia as those infected and wounded were armed by the Regent and had actually held for a time giving Gerrard time paid for with blood.


It was curious that the Highlands had fallen so quickly and some surmised that perhaps the Highlands was, in actuality, a trap prepared for Capricia that Leantre had not fallen into.


In any event, it was here that it happened.



With the intrigue and behind the scenes maneuvering of the Noble House it was sometimes hard to view things from an outsider’s perspective. With the political situation in the balance between the Parliament and the Clans, the Noble House was focusing all it’s attention on the homeworld, leaving the scattered Capricians in various colonies to themselves, blinding them to the dangers posed by the Invaders.



The Visician could only guess what the damage would be had they not taken action when they did.


He passed though the burned remains of the forward gates, those gates that were supposed to be impregnable.


It was here.


The alien attack had been brutal and frighteningly fast.

He did not have time to react.


The Visician remembered the transmission. The pain the other was in but trying to put up a brave front. The numbers of the injured were staggering and what passed for organization in the chaos was moving those injured to one place…. The Highlands.


Stupid organics! His mind blazed. The panicked flesh had killed his joy.


He stood at the epicenter of what was once one of the strongest defended positions of the world. Even then, he felt surrounded by the ghosts of the dead.


Bitter irony overtook the man yet he kept composure.


“I am sorry, Son.” He whispered as he stood alone, the others grouping off to accomplish their tasks.


And for the first time, The Visician of the Noble House did not feel very ‘noble’ at all.


He felt old.

<o:p></o:p>

Capricia


The Inquisition was over!


Scipio was glad to finally be rid of the auditors, compliments of Vinda Corporation. She had half a mind to contact Seth Vinda and give him a few choice ideas where he could stick his company blood suckers, none of them lady-like.


She needed to get away.



As she walked into her office, noting the bare surfaces that once held personal items a message indicator was blinking.


Her curiosity piqued, she walked over and found a note from her father, inviting her to the estates and she smiled.


Just what the doctor ordered..









The Scipio Estates were built around the turn of the millenium and had stood fast through the years of peace and war.

The fact that the estates were not touched during the Conquest was nothing short of a miracle. The crest that had stood as the symbol of Scipio Clan now represented her family.


For Clan Scipio was the only clan that could still boast the blood ties to the Nas Visician Molinjar. Scipio was more than a designation of a government function. It really was Arien's familial name, her family holding the reigns of Clan leaders throughout.

As she approached the house from the old walk, she saw her sister was out front with her children. The grass was a bright green and the few shade trees that scattered about the land before reaching the house spoke of a beauty and vitality of health that not even the Yuuzhan Vong could touch.

Her sister, Valina, had married an architect from Clan Leantre and they had three children. She saw military transport in the far distance, situated on the family's landing port and new her brother, Kalen, was here as well. Her younger brother had been killed during the First Invasion of the Vong, the invasion that almost had killed her if not for Gommorran.

"Aunt Arien! Aunt Arien!" the children cried as they noticed her from afar and Scipio went down to hug her nieces.

As she did so, she saw Velina rise and her brother step out of the house through the main door. He wore a large smile, followed by both her parents.


Family was a big thing to the Scipio Clan.


And as is the ritual with all happy families, they shared stories, teased, surprised and laughed together as they went into the house one by one.


Then dinner...


More conversations... more stories..... more laughing... . a somber story about her younger brother... a moment of quiet and then reflection.


Though the family was one of the wealthiest on Capricia, the Lady of the House Arwen, Arien's mother, took pleasure in the homemaking and set about cleaning the mess her family made in the kitchen.

It was a subtle inference that the family's mess would be taken care of by their own and not delegated to someone else.

There was no protocol droid in sight and the servants were sent home early as Scipio Clan gathered to enjoy the simple things in life.

Arien left the kitchen to her mother and Velina as she walked slowly to the den, the echoes of the house filling her with memories of a lifetime ago. She was more her father's daughter and had dreamt of excitement, adventure and thrived on challenge.


Her father was seated reading an old book near a crackling fireplace. Her father liked keeping the air circulators at a nice cool temperature and yet the older he got, the colder he became....


But being stubborn, he did not raise the temperature of the house.. he merely lit a fire, to the amusement of his daughter.


He watched her walk over and settle into a nearby couch, watching the swirling fire and, after a moment, he set his book down.


"Arien." he started and she involuntarily flinched knowing the subject would come up sooner or later.


"There is word about you ... and a certain.. robot?"

A spark of defiance started to flare but when she looked up she only saw curiousity in her father's eyes. The look died before it took hold.


"Achinta Vega is his name." she whispered softly.

"Vega.." her father repeated, rolling the word around on his tongue.

"Is he of good manufacture?" her mother asked coming out of the kitchen, intruding into the conversation as most mothers do, with Velina trailing.

"Well, it's nice to be the centerpiece of the family again.." Scipio murmured dryly as she saw her brother enter from another part of the house. He had just finished conversing with his wife who was involved in the reconstruction project in Natabb City and was therefore unable to attend.

Her brother grinned and went to a wetbar drawing drinks and pouring.

"Well, I cannot ask about his lineage now can I?" her mother asked in all practicality.

"I think I may have met a relative." her brother commented still pouring. "Stembold 398, on the Judicator. Excellent Manufacture if I do say so..." he was saying causing Velina to giggle but Arien was going red with anger.

Her father saw the build up and sought to deflect it, saving his son from his daughter by asking, "I just would like to know what he is like?"

And the soft way her father spoke stopped Arien short. Was this acceptance?

"He's Mr. Vinda's bodyguard and personal aide. I am not sure how long he has worked for Mr. Vinda but he IS one of the few people to earn Vinda's trust. He's definitely adept at his responsibilities. He is charming in his own way. He's loyal..." and as Scipio began to speak on her father saw the ember of excitement glowing in his daughter's eyes.

It was not lost on the rest of the family and they soon began asking questions of a different nature. Arwen asking about Achinta's financial standing. Keran asked about Vega's leadership abilities with the Vinda Corp's Security Personnel. Velina asked just how human-like the HRD was... but it was Scipio's father who asked the million dollar question, "What does this Achinta Vega think of you?"

And of all the things Scipio thought she would do that evening: strangle her brother, strangle her sister... strangle them both together, yell at her mother...


She did not think she would blush. A soft smile played on her lips. "I.. I think he is fond of me. It is .. hard for him to express anything like emotion.. but there are times when it seems.. it just seems that he has feelings... simmering.. growing... just out of reach."


And her father leaned back on his chair to contemplate this. "You know what others will say?" he asked softly.

And Scipio lowered her head nodding. And her eyes closed back on the tears that were wanting to be shed. She raised her head in determination, anger sharpening her features. "Abomination, is what they will say."


"He is second only to Mr. Vinda in the most powerful Corporations in the Galaxy. He will be highly placed in the structure of the Commonwealth and so whatever people will say, they will say it in private." her brother commented.

"I am sorry, but isn't Mr. Miles Johnson second in command at Vinda Corp? Since when is hired help highly placed in companies?" Velina asked, which, when one thought about it, was a valid question.


"He is one of the liberators of Minos. No one will say anything..."

"Don't get me wrong, mother," Keran interupted, "..but C3PO and R2-D2 are the droid heros of the old Rebellion. But if Leia Organa was sleeping with 3PO, how long will the people tolerate it before turning the golden droid to scrap?"

Scipio was going to angrily retort when her father stopped her. "Keran raises an interesting question and a valid observation. You see, the droid question comes up once again.

As long as droids looked vaguely like humans but decidedly inferior, the fear could be contained. And when the positronic brain moved to greater sophistication and artificial intelligence was formed, their minds reaching the X-factor that crossed them over to self-awareness..."

Her father let the implications sink in. "A self aware being begins to want what?"

"Freedom. Rights.." Arien whispered.

"And some have them. But when the self aware droids, motivated by an AI driven positronic mind, become more and more human-like.... stronger, faster, culminating to a goal of technological perfection.."

".. how long until they replace humans?" Arien asked.

"It is not an unfounded fear. A merging of the organic with synthetic."


"We are talking about a life, father! His!"

Her father sighed, "It's the same question with clones. And they are biological tools.. but if separated from their system, are they not living? Do they not have dreams? Do they not have ambitions?"


Keran handed out the glasses of wine, "But can created life either synthetic in the case of the HRD or biological in the case of a clone still be considered an independent lifeform inherent with rights? THAT is the question."


"I have a feeling, Keran is correct. Most citizens of the galaxy may simply turn away in shock or horror." Her father leaned in, staring into his daughter's eyes. "So..."


"So..." she began to mimic and held her breath. A stand against her familiy was not something she had contemplated seriously.


"I think the family should invest in HRD research and design."

Scipio had, at once, prepared herself to go against her father that it took a while to register what he had actually said.

"W..what?"

"HRD research. It is time the family began to look into protecting the interests, which now include a certain Achinta Vega."

"How do you cook for an HRD?" her mother asked quietly to herself.

"Do his limbs detach..?" Velina asked in a slightly scandalized voice and Keran began to grin.

"Jealous?" Arien asked and Velina blushed herself.


And the family talked long into the night regarding the existence of Achinta Vega's feelings or lack thereof and what his intentions really were.


When they were finally alone, Scipio's father put his arm around his daughter and they walked outside staring at the stars...

"You and Achinta will become the fulcrum of this Commonwealth. A new marriage of organic and the synthetic, and yet also of life and life."


"I do not think it will cause quite the stir you think it will, father."


And the older man chuckled, "Perhaps not. But I still cannot help but think that we are unlocking something in our civilization's potential. Something both awe-inspiring and frightening."

Do you know what the worst feeling is?

The very worst feeling. Worse then any indescribable eviscerating pain. Worse then losing your best friend in a pointless tragedy. Worse then the mental anguish of choosing between life, and limb.

The worst feeling is worse then all of those. Were you to experience them simultaneously, it may come close, but the prolonged agony wouldn’t even be comparable.

The worst feeling you can feel is waking up everyday, and feeling emptiness inside you. To not know your place in the universe. To not know if you are doing what is right, or merely wasting time.

In the end, pain is pain. Memories fade. And rehabilitation is a short-term process.

The inadequacy…

That pain, of never knowing and always underachieving, can last forever.





If you let it.





Ahnk Rashanagok sighed, kicking his feet off the bed. They fell to the floor, and his chest dropped slightly before he regained his balance, pushing himself erect again. The doctor looked at him with a grin, admiring his handiwork.

“What did I tell you? Better then the real thing.”

Ahnk shook his head.

“No, it really isn’t.”





Men change all the time.

However, it is rarely a decision based on rational thought and careful self-scrutiny. More often, a man is faced with a catastrophic event… a death, or a great loss. Sometimes, he is fortunate. His moment of reflection comes after a narrowly averted catastrophe. But, one has to wonder, why so many people wait to change after a catastrophic event.

If you needed to change, would you elect to wait until your next disaster?





Sometimes, he still thinks about that day.

31 years ago…





Outside of the viewport, he watched as the ship passed the world of Hoth. It would take roughly a day of sublight travel through the system, and then it was on past Anoat to his destination.

With plenty of time, Andrew Micheal Rashanagok took a shower.





As he ran for the first time over it a cloth, he realized he felt nothing. No grit, no rub, not even the water running across his skin.

He felt nothing. He slammed his forearm onto the tile, cracking it across his skin. He saw the blood dissolving into the water at his feet, and he still felt nothing.

He shed a tear, before he reached into the wound and pulled the skin from his arm.





Sometimes, he looked at himself, and was able to live with what he had become.

This morning was not one of those days.





He strode across the ship, to the eatery. It was crap food, but such was the added cost to cheap travel. Most of the people did not regard him. Only the guardsmen recognized him, and sat down at his table. He looked inquisitively at his arm, curious.

“Did you have an accident?”

Ahnk shook his head.

“I made a mistake, and I have rectified it.”

Confused by the stoic answer, the guardsmen shook his head.

“So, have you ever been to Varonat?”

Ahnk nodded.

“Many times. I used to own the planet.”

The guardsmen laughed.

“Hah, sure you did.”

Ahnk merely sighed.

“Several years ago, I ran a… an enterprise, that had territory including Varonat, Hoth, Anoat, Bespin, Tion, and Yavin.”

The guardsmen seemed surprised.

“Really… what kind of work did you do?”

Ahnk shrugged, considering.

“Waste disposal.”

The guardsmen chuckled.

“Yeah, I’ve been a janitor. Well, it’s my first time. The Conclave is worried about The Galactic Coalition amassing…”

And he tuned out. He didn’t give a shit about politics. It was all so unimportant, the insquabbling of people’s with minor differences. It seemed like such a waste, to fight over inconsequential things such as borders and skin color when out there were forces ready, at any time, to end it all.

“…and they want a full flotilla. That Geval’s a whacko, huh?”

“Yeah.”

“So they pick me because of Corellia, and I said…”

He looked down at his arm, cold, hard steel wrapped in the black insulated metal cables that enabled him to flex and bend his metallic digits that now replaced his fingers. He wrapped his metal hand around a metal cup, and unsurprisingly when he lifted the coffee to his lips, all he tasted was metal. It tasted bitter.

“…you know how it is, right?”

I nodded absently.

“Absolutely.”

“So what brings you to Varonat?”

Ahnk sighed, turning away.

“I’m looking for someone.”

The guardsmen chuckled.

“I know that tone of voice. They owe you money?”

Ahnk smiled.

“No. I wish it were that simple.”

The guardsmen jabbed him with an elbow.

“A lover, then?”

Ahnk shook his head.

“It’s a man.”

“It’s a free universe, baby.”

Ahnk smiled. This guy was persistent, so he might as well tell him.

“He’s an old colleague of mine. We worked together, in the Hoth system. I haven’t seen him in a long time, but I’m hoping that he’ll be at one of our old dives.”

The guardsmen nodded.

“Yeah, I’ve been that too. An old friend looking for his glory days.”

“It’s not li…”

“Remember that you can lie to me, but never to yourself.”

Ahnk considered, and then nodded.

“I suppose that in a way, you are right. I made a lot of mistakes, and I alienated a lot of people. I also took a lot of people down the wrong road. I feel, responsible, now. To fix everything I messed up.”

The guardsmen nodded.

“When one dances with evil, and evil leaves, he invariably finds himself drawn to dance again.”

Ahnk reflected.

“Who said I was evil?”

The guardsmen quirked an eyebrow.

“Everyone has within them evil. When people make mistakes… when they lose prospective, they can allow evil to be done by them, even when they are righteous people.”

Ahnk nodded. He supposed that made sense.

“So… went Sith for a while, did you?”

Ahnk opened his mouth to deny it, but the guardsmen shook his head.

“Those robes scream beggar, or Jedi. On this flight I’d expect to find both, but something tells me that arm of yours puts you out of the beggar range. Looking for another Jedi?”

Ahnk laughed.

“Actually, truth be told, I’m an ex-Jedi. I just don’t have any other clothes… except leather, and I figured I’d stick out even more. Plus, it’s harder to hide the saber.”

The guardsmen quirked an eyebrow.

“You’re carrying?”

Ahnk smiled, and pulled back his robe. Strapped to his side were three lightsabers.

“Three? Man, he must have made you REALLY mad.”

Ahnk laughed.

“It’s not that. I’m moving… politics forced me out of my house, so I’m looking for a new pad. Gotta take everything. Don’t want to leave lightsabers laying around for the kids who move in to play with.”

The guardsmen chuckled.

“Hoping your friend can put you up?”

Ahnk considered, amused.

“Yeah, something like that.”

The guardsmen nodded.

“I’ve been there, too. Why I’m a guardsmen, after all.”

Ahnk would have responded, but the ships com cut over any conversation that would have occurred.

“Attention all passengers, the ships will be making the jump to Varonat in the next few moments. Please return to your rooms or designated seating and do not stand when the buzzer sounds, to avoid disorientation. Once the second sounding of the buzzer is heard you are free to move about the ship.”

Ahnk got up to leave.

“I hate traveling through Coalition space. Such a pain in the ass.”

Ahnk shook his head.

“Every Empire is like that. Try going into Imperial space on a Coalition transport, it’s the same thing.”

The guardsmen nodded. Ahnk turned to leave, before he spoke.

“Hey ex-Jedi, I never even got your name.”

Ahnk turned, offering his hand.

“Andrew.”

The guardsmen accepted the hand and shook it.

“Bill.”

Ahnk turned, walking to his quarters. He expected to never see Bill again.





He rubbed his eyes, still groggy, when the announcement came.

“Attention all passengers, we have arrived in the Varonat system. In moments we will be entering the planets atmosphere. Please remain seated in your quarters or your designated seat. Do not be alarmed if there is turbulence, as it is natural. Please do not attempt to move around the ship until we have landed. Please ensure now that all belongings are secured. Thank you for flying New Order Space. A New Order in travel, a New Order in service, a New Order in reliability. Bring some Order to your life and enjoy our comfort and low prices.”

Ahnk had to roll his eyes at the hard sell for order.

If this is order, then give me chaos please.