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Author Topic: Interludes  (Read 144802 times)
TheDutchman
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Force Alignment: 1106
Posts: 4131


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« Reply #45 on: November 15, 2017, 08:04:11 PM »

Excellent!  You FINALLY answered that question: "How are the Aethans all Force-sensitive?"

Karm's right: the ambiance of this installment reminds me of the "post-apocalyptic" stories I read back as a teenager.  You have a society at the pinnacle of its advancement...and something goes really, REALLY wrong.  "And Man Grew Proud" type of thing  Wink

LSG, your writing is phenomenal: the world building is so detailed (e.g. the various dept. heads referring to themselves BY their dept., to say nothing of the function of the depts. in question: "Agriculture, Education, Genetics").

Ahh, so we get a glimpse of the Red Goddess...or at least a precursor, perhaps?  And what happens that allows for the integration of the Y chromosome in the gene pool (as in CotA)?  Is that one of the reasons for the decline in population or did they figure out the problems and fix them?

See?  GREAT WRITING!  LOVING these Interludes!

Until next installment friends  Smiley
Logged

Sig courtesy of DarthScrub

Cataphract Triarch of the Vhal'Dan

My sabers:Zearic's Aldrnari, Archon v3 (modded w/ activation box) w/Obsidian, AS; Zearic's shoto, Apprentice v4 w/Obsidian, AS; Graflex SE w/Obsidian, GB; Archon v3 (modded w/ activation box) w/Obsidian, CG; Dark Sentinel v4 w/Obsidian, BR; Sentinel LE v4 w/Obsidian, GB; Initiate v5 w/Obsidian, AS; Sentinel LE v4 stunt, EG; Aeon LE v4 stunt, FO; Dominix v4 stunt, BR; Aeon v3 stunt, SY

Lord_S_Gray
Knight Commander
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Force Alignment: 428
Posts: 1903



« Reply #46 on: November 15, 2017, 09:31:42 PM »

Thank guys, yeah I wanted it to answer that question, also to show a massive change in their culture due to the Collapse, confident, advanced, growing to where they are in CotA - medieval, a population that can't sustain itself, scrounging ruins for scraps of knowledge their own past forgotten....yet there are still commonalities, a drive to improve themselves, belief in their own powers, and a complete absence of any conventional morality.   

Hopefully this ties it together, and addresses more of the mysteries, but if there are things you still don't follow I'm happy to write an extra chapter.

Interlude 2 - The Sorcerer
[/b]

Aetha - Before the Collapse

Sorcerer…an archaic word….a person believed to have magical powers, dealing with the occult, spirits and demons…a character from a children’s story…yet that was what his directorate was nicknamed.

Perhaps to the first colonists they would’ve seemed like sorcerers…in those days the aether was rare, only 10% of the population…until the Purification of the Infants during the 3rd generation....and true some techniques were based on ‘Sith Magick” stolen by the Defence Directorate but it was hardly something super natural....the aether was a bedrock of the natural, like gravity or radiation…another force to be studied. 

He was the ‘Master Sorcerer’ the Prime Director of the Aetheric Sciences Division in the Technocracy. 

He smiled at the thought of being termed a sorcerer as the red lighting flashed from his fingertips onto the gobril – a small hand sized mammal – it certainly seemed like magick…the gobrils flesh tore away in the sealed chamber, the bones and flesh began to dissolve…the carbon reformed into a diamond crystalline coating around the every decreasing body.  Cameras recorded every moment, detectors measured the energy output from his fingers.

There was an art to doing this as well as science…reducing a creature to an undifferentiated mass of chemicals and stem-cells encased in a hardened diamond was not a purely mechanical process their studies had found.   But this was consistent with the variable nature of the aether itself.

Up to the 6th Generation, scientists had hypothesised aetheric ability was correlated only to midi-chlorian population per cell. Studies by 7th an 8th Generation scientists has disproven this, they had shown that aeterhic power, often measured by the voltage of aetheric lighting emanations over sustained time periods in controlled conditions, was also influenced by emotional state, age, frequency of aetheric usage and psychological profile.  Hereditary factors were also considerable but not in relation to midi-chlorian level heritability.  The aether, and the ability to use it was far more complicated than just midi-chlorians.

He completed the process, in place of the gobril was a coarse crystal like formation, within a deep red - the very stuff of life- sealed inside.  He activated the mechanical arms and placed it in a small storage box. 

Disengaging the locks he switched off the recording devices and time stamped the experiments end, it would go now to the data base for analysis.  He stood and surveyed the laboratory as he headed to the depository.  Twenty other so called ‘sorcerers’ were going about their experiments, some encasing –as the process was termed - small animals or insects as he had just done, others ‘reanimating’, the second phase of the process.   

He paused at a station where a Mid-tier scientist was reanimating under the gaze of a high-tier scientist, just below director level, and the laboratories Director of Staff Management.  Inside the test cell the mid-tier was attempting to transform an encased Gobril back into a living gobril, within the diamond outer a foetus of a gobril was forming through the application of red Aetheric Lightning. 

The lightning catalysed the dormant cells back to life through mechanisms not fully understood – thereafter the cells would use the biological slurry to start to reform the organism – it acted much like a womb in that sense, a cloning vat almost. 

He continued on and placed his gobril into storage, it was to be reanimated in one years time – they were experimenting to see how long after encasing an organism could be successfully reanimated.  The scope of what could be achieved was enormous…they could already reanimate small animals, less successful with insects which tended to die after a few hours…but if they could refine the process…successfully encase and reanimate Aethans…they could theoretically live forever…

After reanimation the animal was essentially reborn as an infant…applied to humans the dream was to encase them during old age, reduce them down to a slurry of cells and biological matter, then reanimate them back to youth.  But that was not all.  The Genetic sciences division was working on ways to directly integrate new generational cell programming into living Aethans – potentially they could encase an 13-4 generation Aethan like himself with 15th generation genetic modifications, and rebirth him in a 15th generation body – not only returned to youth, but with an improved body!


***************************************************************************************

The ‘familiars’ lab - named for the pets witches of old were said to keep, housed all manner of aether sensitive species.  He walked along the catwalks above the animal cages as the section head went through the latest progress reports.

“Gotal receptiveness increases in a broadly linear function with prolonged exposure…overall rising from barely better than chance to 70% accuracy after 15 days.”

He nodded as they passed the Ysalimiri cages, the aether suddenly diminishing in the Ysalimiri’s aether repelling bubble.  These were a deep curiosity, and they had been intent on unlocking their secrets.  Initially they had regular Aethans try to use the aether in their presence with no effect.  Then the Defence had acquired Gotals from the Siths slave ships, somehow they were better able to use the force in the Ysalimiris presence than aethans…the mechanism to do with their head cones innate elector magnetic sensors.  They had six force sensitive Gotals for experimentation, acquired specifically by the Elite Aethenaea pair themselves. 

“Our current hypothesis is that their biology adapts to the null field over time…we believe it can be replicated in Aethans by deliberate focus on certain aetheric emanations natural to our own biology….but testing will continue…”

He nodded, if they could use the aether in the presence of the null field…

“And the null field duplication…”  he referred to the second aim of the current program, to train Aethans to replicate the null fields the Ysalimiri produced.

“Ah yes, the results are still being analysed from the last trial…however results are promising…”  The had been training Defence Forces in creating null fields, with only marginal success so far, such fields would give their infiltration teams a dramatic edge in their raids, enabling them to avoid detection by the Sith’s sensitive.

“an estimate,”

“Well…you know I don’t like to speculate before the data is verified…” he gave him a firm ‘boss’ look,

“eh…preliminary analysis shows a 0.5 metre null field sustainable for around 25 seconds…deflecting all typical lightning, fire, telekinetic and mental attacks” 

He thought for a moment…

“I may speak to the High director…see if she can spare one of Aethenaea for a one off trial…see if they can do better,” 
***************************************************************************************
His aetheric presence signalled his credentials and the guard allowed him to pass into the deepest of the laboratories, the walls a cool blue, the air crisp from the air conditioners. 

The heavy door slid open to reveal the final piece of the puzzle…the most sorcerer like of all their creations…the ‘Soul Exchanger’ they nicknamed it…a device infused with the aether.

It was made of a carefully crafted single piece of the mineral commonly called ‘Black Heart’.  The mineral had been found during the 7th generation, the first expansion beyond Aethas, on a planet dangerously close to the point of no return – the point where one strays so close to the black hole at the core of the galaxy that their best ships would not be able to escape from it. 

To the side scientists went about their various tasks, he stood behind two working on a piece of ‘Black Heart’  it was a rich deep black, forged by the extreme gravity of the deep core, it compressed three carbon covalent network lattices into each other with titanium, Tungsten and Chromium molecules interspersed in the gaps forming and extremely strong internal mineral.  The density of the material was extreme, without the aether a normal person could not lift a hand size chunk…and only extreme use of the aether had proven strong enough to meld it into useable shapes.

They were checking its infusion ratios – black heart was able to ‘absorb’ aetheric energy through an unknown mechanism, and this was the source of its true power.  In the centre of the chamber the ‘Soul Exchanger’ sat, dark and dominating, the density of the black heart meant it had a gravitational influence all of its own, pulling you toward it.

He had to admit it did look like some kind of cultic ritual altar…not surprising given it was based on Sith designs…and its function…to store the aetheric presence of a living being during the encasing process.  They had experimented on trained Vorynx so far, extracting their aetheric presence into the device, then returned to the body…the returned Vorynx seemed to be able to recall the majority of commands they had been taught before the transition, but there had been some losses, and unusual shifts in behaviour. The next tests would be on captured prisoners.

Scientists, mid and high tier, a few basic and graduate tiers stood at consoles around it, performing calculations, predicting outcomes….soon they would begin testing it on Aethans…and then…Immortality awaited.
Logged

Lord_S_Gray

Surik: "Kreia, what are you—are you a Jedi, a Sith?"
Kreia: "Does it matter? Of course it does, such titles allow you to break the galaxy into light and dark, categorize it. Perhaps I am neither, and I hold both as what they are, pieces of a whole."

TheDutchman
Knight Commander
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Force Alignment: 1106
Posts: 4131


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« Reply #47 on: November 17, 2017, 12:51:46 PM »

...And further down the rabbit hole we go  Wink

I love the play on a normally esoteric description like "sorcerer" and how it's now applied scientifically, more so because they are aware of the irony  Cheesy. But why not?  Look at the entomology of many of our words; go back far enough and many of them are VERY different from the original meaning.

Which brings me to my point: was the "Aethans Project" the same during 15th Generation as it was from 1st Generation?  Or has it changed (and by how much)?  I am thinking that the Red Goddess isn't what they had exact in mind...

I like the time skip; really portends ominously since the "target" 20th Generation is coming soon...and we know the Collapse is on the horizon...Outstanding LSG.

Until next installment friends  Smiley
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Sig courtesy of DarthScrub

Cataphract Triarch of the Vhal'Dan

My sabers:Zearic's Aldrnari, Archon v3 (modded w/ activation box) w/Obsidian, AS; Zearic's shoto, Apprentice v4 w/Obsidian, AS; Graflex SE w/Obsidian, GB; Archon v3 (modded w/ activation box) w/Obsidian, CG; Dark Sentinel v4 w/Obsidian, BR; Sentinel LE v4 w/Obsidian, GB; Initiate v5 w/Obsidian, AS; Sentinel LE v4 stunt, EG; Aeon LE v4 stunt, FO; Dominix v4 stunt, BR; Aeon v3 stunt, SY

Lord_S_Gray
Knight Commander
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Force Alignment: 428
Posts: 1903



« Reply #48 on: November 19, 2017, 10:22:21 PM »

Interlude 3 — The Goddess’s Brother
[/b]

Blood congealed and spilt from open wounds, armour battered and scratched, arms sore from the constant fighting.  He had to go on. 

The Sith before him would not let up, would show no mercy, he was charging at him again, crimson blade in hand.  He pushed with the aether straight toward him, a clumsy obvious attack, the Sith deflected it with his own telekinetic attack with ease, but in the brief moment he had to concentrate on doing that he launched two more blasts from either side, not the usual blunt hammers of blasts the sith used, these were razor thin long lines of aetheric energy. 

The sith barely noticed them in time to stop them, but it slowed his charge just enough for Valance to stand and block the charge with his sword, they clashed furiously on the physical plain while attempting to send objects and aetheric force pushes to the side.  Mentally the battle raged as well, the Sith trying to fill his mind with horrific images as Valance tried to confuse his senses by projecting his presence around the room.  They locked closer and closer, the Sith driving the blade down…Valance own sword could not take much more…it had a thin Kortosis weave…enough to counter a blade, but not deactivate it.  The Sith was pressing right up to him, the red light started to char his cheek.

Then Valance pulled in his presence tightly and pushed out the reflection of it – The Ysalimiri technique…or Yalsam as their gene edited version was now known, it created a void in the aether around him.  The Siths face dropped, he physically crumpled backwards, dropping his sabre, his hands on his head as the aether vanished for him. In his confusion Valance surged forward and lopped off his raised arms at the elbow then a leg in a graceful arc. 

As Valance slowly undid his void the Sith lay bleeding profusely at his feet, utterly crippled.  The aether steadily flowed back to him as he grasped the weakened siths head, then like a needle he injected himself into the Sith’s mind, drawing out what memories he could before the Sith regained the strength to resist him… he drew deeply…vicious training, beatings, humiliation, turned to strength and fury, murder, manipulation…and techniques, controlling underlings, twisting their flesh and minds to serve him…that was half of what Valance had come for.

The sith died of blood loss before Valance had finished and he pulled out, then calmly walked toward the other end of the chamber where the re pyramidal holocron sat…the other half of his task.  He keyed the frequency on his gauntlet to General Orus for extraction from the Siths Palace, he hoped She would be pleased.

*********************************************************************************************

The Ante chamber was round with an aetherically carved relief in the super dense White-Heart around the walls.  It showed their peoples history.

As he waited for Her, he gazed at the first panel…the first generation, fleeing from the war between Sith ad the Republic, from famine, persecution and disease, to the deep core to find safety, peace in which to pursue their scientific goals.

The second panel…disease and disability were not so easily out run…the solution of the meritocratic technocracy was to edit the genes of the unborn across the whole population – a pre-birth vaccination to cure genetic diseases. 

The third panel…though improved the diseases continued…they determined the diseases that plagued them were passed on by children born without a strong connection to the aether…the only choice was to purify that generation…

The fourth and fifth showed the beginning of the Gene Genrations, not just editing the unborn to stave off disease…but to improve the population…every unborn child received the same treatment, passing on these traits to natural children, until a new Gene generation treatment was developed, usually every 50 years, and again rolled out to the whole of a new generation before their birth, with every fertile woman required to birth children made from her own eggs with the new Gene generation enhancements…the population boomed as shown in the abundance of fertility on the panel, the Goddess of love and pleasure Aephrodaea surrounded by her pregnant daughters.

Further panels and more Gene generations, no dogmatic laws and morals restrained their improvements, the start of a Golden age in joyous freedom and isolation. 

Carvings of their ships, mining and research stations, showed their first expansion to new worlds, men and women shown using the aether to work the ultra-dense minerals found in the deep core- known colloquially as black-heart, white-heart, blood-stone, storm-stone and a dozen more.

But then, toward the end of the 12th Gene Generation…the remnants of the Sith Empire had encroached near them…the Sith military technology was more advanced, and their numbers far dwarfed the 5 million Aethans…their response was subterfuge, stealing their technology and techniques whilst keeping their world and their societies very existence a secret.  The carvings showed the first Guardian squads who stole blue prints and technologies.

The next panel depicted the birth of Aethena, the pinnacle of genetic advancement in the 12th Gene Generation…he had been created shortly after with the same techniques but with concessions to make a male, no murals would show him…she was the embodiment of centuries of striving for perfection, sent to infiltrate and learn from the Sith and beyond beside the Guardians…

The ornate doors showed her victory against the Sith Master Dy’Ganna who had determined the location of their world…their greatest secret…to the left of her image the Goddess Aertemisaea, of strength, vigour, battle, above Aethenaea, wisdom, knowledge, understanding for whom she was named, and on the right, Aephrodaea, of love and pleasure…these ancient Goddesses were carved in Her likeness. 

A yellow light signalled above the door, she was ready, he passed through a small chamber filled with hidden weapons to Her actual room  The inner door slid quietly open with the unmistakeable touch of Her power.

The vast room was framed by light grey walls with white sheets and furniture, a bed at the far end white synth-satin, the one spot of colour was Her, sitting on the end of the bed, her red hair loose, in a blood red synth-silk robe that seemed a few sizes too small. 

As she stood and moved toward him he felt the strength of her…it was like being smothered in a red tide, enveloping in a sweet way...yet drowning in another. 

He was the only one who could potentially ever match her...what others less powerful felt in her presence he feared to imagine.  She was Aethena, created to be as perfect as any being could be, infused with powers beyond most Aethans comprehension, the equivalent of 22nd Generation gene editing…as it stood the population was 1 million 17th Generation and 4 million 18th Generation, none a match for her…and soon less so still.

“you brought it I see,” she glanced at the black box under his left arm that contained the holocron.

She came within arm’s length and stroked his cheek.

“you’re not hurt are you,” she had such sweet concern in her voice,

“Nothing serious,”  Her eyes scanned over him,

“Hmm…mostly healed, shall I,” she didn’t wait for an answer, red lighting flicked from her index finder and onto his side completing the cellular repair.   

She gestured to the silver table, he placed the box down upon it and opened it.

“The holocron of Hyssis Y’atar, disciple of Karness Muur,” the red light of the holocron illuminated her overly green eyes bathing her features in a soft red glow…her face was common everywhere on Aethas now…a heroic warrior, an incomparable beauty, an unmatched genius…every statue used her as model depicting their Goddesses…though no longer worshipped them, they represented their culture…in that way she had become the living goddess, the living synergy of the triple goddess…

“Anything or interest in its former owner,”

“A few hints, but he was too preoccupied with the internecine conflicts to delve deeply into it…but it should have what we need,”

It had taken two years of searching and raids, whilst their tests had been successful, they knew the Sith had knowledge of a more elegant solution to essence transferal.  Combined with the new Genetic advances and device and encasing methods Aetheric Studies had developed…

“Good…”  she closed the lid and ran her hands over her body, “170 years is such a long time, I can’t wait for a new body,”  The fact that she still had a mid-twenties body didn’t seem enough for her, he wanted one too of course, but for the genetic improvements,

“Anything important happen in my absence,” he inquired,

She rounded her head stretching her neck,

“mmm just the usual, the Technocracy approved 19th generation editing to commence next month, mining operations on Aedaea are progressing slower than expected…” She moved right up to him and put her arms around his neck her hands clasped behind him, “But that’s all boring, you’ve been gone so long…” her nose brushed his, “I’ve missed you,” 

Her presence was so intoxicating it was hard to tell whether he was desiring her, or he was feeling her desire for him….  It didn’t matter, few people ever got into this room, few people saw her like this, and only he got to do this with her.
*********************************************************************************************
The Aetheric Signature Transference Device, or “altar” as they called it for short, lay in the centre of the blue and white laboratory, surrounded by various machines designed to record and analyse each step.

The scientists busied around it, preparing for the transition. .In the viewing room stood thirteen of the twenty four Prime Directors of the Technocracy, as well as the High Director himself.  He nodded to them, but could feel their anxiety in the aether.  They were terrified it would fail…and horrified it might succeed…They worried what he, but mostly She had become…with every year their power, their abilities had grown, beyond all expectations. 

She entered the room in a thin white medical gown.  They had tested this on others, but this would be the first time for one of the Aethenaen’s...she would if it went well be reborn into a body with the latest advances…30th generation, leaping well past the 18th Gene generation that made up the bulk of the population…far beyond anyone’s ability to control at that level….if she so chose. 

They had developed generations 14 through 19 based on their studies of Her, though sequential in number the improvements between the generations were becoming exponential in the population at large…an 18th Gene Generation Aethan was twice as physically strong and healthy on every measure as a 14th Gene generation…at 22nd she, and he were already twice that of the 18th, to make her 30th…she would almost be almost quadruple their physical and mental abilities…and in the aether….

“Everything ready,” Aethena said as she tied back her long red hair,

The head Geneticist looked up, “All is in readiness my lady,”

“Good,” she slipped out of the gown and garnered not a few trembling stares from the men and women in the room…the aether became suddenly suffused with attempts to reign in desire…she smiled mischievously at it all.

She lay down on the altar as the geneticists gathered round,

“Confirm commencement time, 06:72”

“confirmed 06:72”

He stepped up to the altar and looked down upon her his thoughts threatening to wander, but he retained his focus,

“We can play later…when we’re both young again…” she promised as he felt her aura recede into the altar, the tendrils of energy between her body and the meticulously wrought black stone strong, the excess she channelled into him.  Her eyes closed as her consciousness shifted out and into the Transference Device.   

The Geneticists stepped forward and began injecting her with litres and litres of biological fluids they had extracted from her earlier then edited to 30th Gene Generation, it bloated her body as the lamps above lowered the temperature. 

Red lighting coursed from his fingers to surround her body, pieces of skin and muscles begun to flake off swirling around her like orbiting planets…her body receded as the diamond made of her bodies carbon, formed around her and other components reduced to a deep red slurry.  Sweat began to build on his brow, his body began to feel drained from pouring out so much aetheric energy.

After nearly an hour it was finished, all that remained was a long oval shaped jagged diamond, containing a sea of deep red fluids.   

“Stage 1 complete 07:84”,
“Confirm 07:84”

He backed away from the ‘altar’, he would have to rest before proceeding to stage 2.
*********************************************************************************************
They lived above the Fortress of Aertemisaea…named for the ancient goddess Aertemis of the Aether…one of the triune Goddess that the people had once worshipped before such delusions were educated out them.

He was using the aether to craft another small miniature to add to his collection…in the raids he lead the elite Guardian squad, the best of the Defence forces…each member he recreated out of White Heart in miniature…a tribute to them…over 150 years nearly 300 men and women had come and gone as part of the squad Guardians…for each he had crafted a statuette…some dying in combat…others of old age…this was the little he could do to remember them all.

The door chimed and the High Director stepped in…the old man was 16th Gene generation, one of only a handful left, born nearly 120 years ago…he still looked like a man in his forties – such were the boons gene editing had given their people…it was said 19th gene generation would not physically age past 25 at all. 

“Valance,” 

“Anderis,” he replied, they had been friends for all 40 years of his High Directorship,

“Recovered from stage 1 I hope,”

“Almost completely,” he replied honestly,

“Good,” he took a chair….

“there is something I need to ask you…in strict confidence…” he leaned forward, “whilst I’m certain we have it correct…there is always a chance she could come back…worse than before…” 

Valance knew what he was referring to…

Though superior in every way, she was no perfect…an unintended and unanticipated reproductive gene expression and hormonal imbalance had resulted in her developing pheromone receptors keyed to female pheromones…not really a problem…but that same hormonal over balance left her with a near insatiable appetite for female intimacy and the pheromones it released…truly an avatar of the goddess Aephrodaea one might say….

“Hopefully the issue will be corrected in her new DNA….but if it does linger or worsen…could you take her?”

The problem with her desires was that where a woman didn’t return her advances, she had no compunction using the aether to make them want her….Valance then had to come in and mind wipe them to avoid any ongoing trauma…

Their laws were few, their culture was a flexible guide that emphasised the pursuit of knowledge, understanding, and above all survival …this and the key role she had carved in the minds of every Aethan as the embodiment of their society meant they didn’t stop her…but anyone wo couldn’t moderate their desires was a danger….

He looked at Valance intently, “Could you kill her if you had to?”

He had wondered that himself…his bond to her was strong though one sided…their sibling like genetic similarity and superiority created a commonality no one could share, she used him as a toy, a physical and emotional plaything…he knew it, but didn’t care, she was the only being he had any attraction to.

“As she was before…” he returned his mind to the topic at hand…”Yes, with the support of the Guardian Squad I could…just…but after she is reborn…” he left it hanging

Anderis nodded, “It is highly unlikely…,” he sighed, his presence in the aether somewhat despondent, “We can only trust that everything goes well…or at least she transitions you to 30th Generation quickly as well…” 

He stood up and looked over Valance collection of miniatures,

“So many years we’ve been raiding and stealing from the Sith…the nearby free worlds, the Republic…”  his presence dimmed…”It’s only a matter of time before they find us…before they hit back…”

He turned to look Valance in the eye, “We need this to work…Prime Directors of Genetics and Aetheric Studies inform me if his works we could use the same method to transition the entire population to 30th Generation…can you imagine, our entire population leaping light years ahead in health, strength, mental acuity…Social Affairs says if they see their “goddess” transition people will flock to do it…we already have the additional Transference Devices in production….”

Valance asked the obvious question, “And if it falls apart?” 

Anderis stared intently at one of the older models he had made, one familiar to them both, Yoranaea…a 16th Gene generation woman, Anderis grand-niece in fact, killed whilst covering for Valance escaping from Byss nearly 70 years ago.

“Then we may very well collapse with it.”
*********************************************************************************************
Stage 2…reanimation. 

The lightning flickered to a violet colour as he artificially sped a single stem cells growth in the diamond tomb that encased his sister…his lovers…his goddess’s body

It drew resources from the red fluid around it duplicating, 2 cells, 4, 8 ,16, 32, 64…

As more cells developed the energy from the altar began flowing back into the flesh making his input less necessary as it energized its own growth. 

Differentiation began, a foetus formed the red depths.  The safe zone reached, he relaxed the flow of energy from his hands, the worse that could happen was they extracted her and placed her in a surrogate mother to grow as a normal child till she was ready for the full return of her consciousness from the altar…he mused on that perhaps it would be better if she were re-raised as an infant, it would modify her personality if nothing else.

As he strained to keep pouring in energy the baby grew - to a young girl, to a teenager, a young woman, there it stabilised at an age in-between an adult and a teenager, between 18 and 20 in a naturally grown aethan.

His arms feeling as heavy as Black-heart dropped, he fell to his knees, it was only now that he noticed the burns across his skin, in the reflection of the sterile floor his face was ravaged and old from such intense aether use.  The emergency med team began applying bandages, injecting him with fluids providing raw materials for his enhanced body to repair itself. 

The tendrils of energy competed their transition from the Transference device back into her body.  The diamond around her body began to crack…

Like a scene from some ancient myth, red lighting and aetheric fire crackled around her as the closest thing to a Goddess ever made rose from the ‘altar’,
Logged

Lord_S_Gray

Surik: "Kreia, what are you—are you a Jedi, a Sith?"
Kreia: "Does it matter? Of course it does, such titles allow you to break the galaxy into light and dark, categorize it. Perhaps I am neither, and I hold both as what they are, pieces of a whole."

TheDutchman
Knight Commander
*

Force Alignment: 1106
Posts: 4131


Avatar courtesy of For Tyeth


« Reply #49 on: November 20, 2017, 04:11:04 AM »

Ah, and now we know the significance of the "alter."  Truly, the Red Goddess is terrifying!  Your writing portends for a truly ominous future! 

I like the hint/reference to the ancient Greek pantheon of goddesses.  And, correct me if I am mistaken, is the Red Goddess a plural being (e.g. "three goddesses")?  Speaking of similarities in nomenclature: "Valance" and "Valens" must be intentional  Smiley

I realize that Aethan society doesn't share our values system but I wonder if the inclusion of Sith tech and/or knowledge didn't help contribute to the Collapse, inadvertently or not...Did I mention that the Red Goddess is terrifying?

LSG I love bow you've taken the SW universe and injected a bit of...Lovecraft into it  Wink. I can only imagine where you go from here but I can't wait to find out!

Until next installment friends  Smiley
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Sig courtesy of DarthScrub

Cataphract Triarch of the Vhal'Dan

My sabers:Zearic's Aldrnari, Archon v3 (modded w/ activation box) w/Obsidian, AS; Zearic's shoto, Apprentice v4 w/Obsidian, AS; Graflex SE w/Obsidian, GB; Archon v3 (modded w/ activation box) w/Obsidian, CG; Dark Sentinel v4 w/Obsidian, BR; Sentinel LE v4 w/Obsidian, GB; Initiate v5 w/Obsidian, AS; Sentinel LE v4 stunt, EG; Aeon LE v4 stunt, FO; Dominix v4 stunt, BR; Aeon v3 stunt, SY

Lord_S_Gray
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« Reply #50 on: November 20, 2017, 04:48:54 AM »

Ah, and now we know the significance of the "alter."  Truly, the Red Goddess is terrifying!  Your writing portends for a truly ominous future! 

I like the hint/reference to the ancient Greek pantheon of goddesses.  And, correct me if I am mistaken, is the Red Goddess a plural being (e.g. "three goddesses")?  Speaking of similarities in nomenclature: "Valance" and "Valens" must be intentional  Smiley

I realize that Aethan society doesn't share our values system but I wonder if the inclusion of Sith tech and/or knowledge didn't help contribute to the Collapse, inadvertently or not...Did I mention that the Red Goddess is terrifying?

LSG I love bow you've taken the SW universe and injected a bit of...Lovecraft into it  Wink. I can only imagine where you go from here but I can't wait to find out!

Until next installment friends  Smiley

Lovecraft is a good parallel...I guess my idea was it only made sense somewhere in the galaxy some one with the Force would a) study it scientifically and/or b) try and create something very powerful with it, which is what these people are doing, like in Lovecraft people study the paranormal and try and summon or control Ancient creatures and powers.  Obviously in the Republic, and even amongst the Sith the Aethans would be seen as a very dangerous cult and immediately suppressed.  But yeah its a synthesis of technology and the supernatural (Force) unleashed with no restraints...of course there had to be a flaw.... 

She's not a plural being per se, its more that the people see her as representing the best of all three goddesses - essentially its a like a reverse myth - normally there is a famous powerful person, they die a legend grows turns to myth and they are deified...in this case they all know the Goddesses are not real (but still use them in their art etc.), but they have tried to create something real that fulfils those ideal characteristics.  Of course then after the Collapse it goes back the other way, her story become legend, myth and eventually she's a God. 

Oh and yes a little easily missed bit at the end of CotA is that She calls Valens, Valance and it triggers his memories but only whilst touching the altar - to save you re-reading basically he was stuck there in infant form for who knows how long before Melron found him, gave him to Andis etc. etc. 

Or at least that was what I was going for...but I think I bit off more than I could express in those concepts and connections - makes sense in my own head! 

Anyway the next interludes will be shifting back to post CotA time period...after all the Sequel is called Legacy...
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Lord_S_Gray

Surik: "Kreia, what are you—are you a Jedi, a Sith?"
Kreia: "Does it matter? Of course it does, such titles allow you to break the galaxy into light and dark, categorize it. Perhaps I am neither, and I hold both as what they are, pieces of a whole."

TheDutchman
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« Reply #51 on: November 20, 2017, 01:02:17 PM »

Yes, the synthesis between science and metaphysics (the Force) is a wonderful driving device in your stories.  And while I am certainly no Luddite, one must be very careful with how one uses technology  Wink

And thanks for the heads-up with Valens; I should have caught that  Cheesy.

Ah gotcha about the nature (or at least the perception) of the Red Goddess.  Aren't most of our role models seen as having multiple virtues which we can attribute to Greater Beings, etc.?  Grin

I can't wait for the next installment!
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Sig courtesy of DarthScrub

Cataphract Triarch of the Vhal'Dan

My sabers:Zearic's Aldrnari, Archon v3 (modded w/ activation box) w/Obsidian, AS; Zearic's shoto, Apprentice v4 w/Obsidian, AS; Graflex SE w/Obsidian, GB; Archon v3 (modded w/ activation box) w/Obsidian, CG; Dark Sentinel v4 w/Obsidian, BR; Sentinel LE v4 w/Obsidian, GB; Initiate v5 w/Obsidian, AS; Sentinel LE v4 stunt, EG; Aeon LE v4 stunt, FO; Dominix v4 stunt, BR; Aeon v3 stunt, SY

Taegin Roan
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« Reply #52 on: November 27, 2017, 11:20:57 PM »

Just a short interlude to SotO, but if you haven't read the latest chapter, I would recommend reading that first. Although not extremely important, this does contain minor spoilers from the latest chapter of SotO.

Recovery

   
Taking off and flying out towards space, there was a bright flash in the corner of my eye. Lightning? I thought. There aren’t any clouds to cause it. I quickly banked my ship, the Scholar’s Revenge, turning towards the source of the light. I watched as a gigantic something come smashing down. Soon the Lancer-Class pursuit craft was sitting down a short distance away. After putting on my old clone scout trooper helmet, I picked up my heavily modified E-22 blaster rifle. After placing the strap over my head and arm, I stalk down the ramp.
   
As is my custom, I quickly survey my surroundings before heading off in the direction of the crash. Just then, I see a tall man dressed all in black collapse beside what I now realized to be a gorog. Approaching the beast cautiously, I quickly look over it to make sure it is dead. I have a pretty good feeling it is, seeing as there are two of its own tusks protruding out if its eyes.  The smell from the charred flesh around eyes of the beast, threatens to make me gag. I’ve smelled things worse, but never this strong. Wonder what caused that. I think. Moving now away from the creature, I checked on the man. He had a long black metal stick laying on the ground beside him, and a dark helmet on. Removing my own helmet, I kneel down, and feel his pulse. He’s alive but unconscious, I think to myself. Upon further examination, I find that there do not seem to be any broken bones, just scratches and bruises.
   
Seeing no immediate threats nearby, I quickly go back to the ship for some healing supplies. I hurry back to the man, and remove his helmet. It seems strange to me how the man is attired. Pretty much all in black or grey with a few red accents. Underneath the helmet is young man strong and hard. As I dress his wounds, he begins to mumble something about “doom”. Whose doom? I wonder as I continue treating him. The injuries are not terrible, though there was a big scrape along his chest. "That one’ll leave a scar”, I mumble to myself as I dress and try to stop the wound from bleeding. From the wounds combined with the fatigue from fighting such a monster, it was a wonder that the man was only unconscious. This is one tough bloke, I mused as I continued my work.
   
Soon I was finished, and went off to find some supplies for a fire. With night now approaching, I needed a way to keep him warm, and safe while he recovered. As the night progressed, he began to mumble again. This time, besides the constant “doom”, there was also “temple”, and “practice”. The words make no sense to me, and I mostly ignore anything he has to say while I watch over him. About three hours before sunrise, this dark warrior starts getting worse. Some of his scrapes and scratches have closed up, but most were still open, and the one on his chest has begun to bleed profusely.
   
As daylight comes, I finally get the man’s chest to stop bleeding, though the wound will open up again if he is not careful. Just as I sit down for a quick rest, the man stirs, and begins to awake. Not knowing what his first reaction will be, I pick up my blaster, and rise. Standing ready for whatever is to come.
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"I am the Outcast's Shadow" - Taegin Roan
"Confronting fear is the Destiny of a Jedi" - Luke Skywalker
"So this is how liberty dies: with thunderous applause." - Padmé Amidala

TheDutchman
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« Reply #53 on: November 28, 2017, 01:41:34 AM »

Oh I like this!  That's exactly why I thought (and hoped) an Interludes thread would be perfect: enriching the established storyline!  Who is this wanderer? Clearly his motives are laudable; he's helping out Rowahn after his epc fight with the gorog.  And good job authoring this installment with a noticeably different "voice!"  I know how...disconcerting that can be  Wink

This makes me look forward to more SotO that much more!  Short but enjoyable interlude!

Great job TR  Smiley
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Sig courtesy of DarthScrub

Cataphract Triarch of the Vhal'Dan

My sabers:Zearic's Aldrnari, Archon v3 (modded w/ activation box) w/Obsidian, AS; Zearic's shoto, Apprentice v4 w/Obsidian, AS; Graflex SE w/Obsidian, GB; Archon v3 (modded w/ activation box) w/Obsidian, CG; Dark Sentinel v4 w/Obsidian, BR; Sentinel LE v4 w/Obsidian, GB; Initiate v5 w/Obsidian, AS; Sentinel LE v4 stunt, EG; Aeon LE v4 stunt, FO; Dominix v4 stunt, BR; Aeon v3 stunt, SY

Lord_S_Gray
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« Reply #54 on: November 28, 2017, 01:58:09 AM »

Interesting a few hints I think about the nature of this person in the ships name and his Equipment, as well as cautious approach. Will just have to keep guessing till the next chapter!
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Lord_S_Gray

Surik: "Kreia, what are you—are you a Jedi, a Sith?"
Kreia: "Does it matter? Of course it does, such titles allow you to break the galaxy into light and dark, categorize it. Perhaps I am neither, and I hold both as what they are, pieces of a whole."

Taegin Roan
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Force Alignment: 2066
Posts: 6245


Lord of the Force


« Reply #55 on: November 28, 2017, 02:23:52 AM »

Oh I like this!  That's exactly why I thought (and hoped) an Interludes thread would be perfect: enriching the established storyline!  Who is this wanderer? Clearly his motives are laudable; he's helping out Rowahn after his epc fight with the gorog.  And good job authoring this installment with a noticeably different "voice!"  I know how...disconcerting that can be  Wink

This makes me look forward to more SotO that much more!  Short but enjoyable interlude!

Great job TR  Smiley


Interesting a few hints I think about the nature of this person in the ships name and his Equipment, as well as cautious approach. Will just have to keep guessing till the next chapter!


This interlude was incredible hard for me to write. Not because it was from this other person's POV, but because it was from First Person POV. I could have easily written it in FP if I was narrating or some other way of putting it in past tense, but I wanted it in present tense. Any interludes I do will be like this one. Some will be longer though. Yes LSG, there were a few hints to who he is, but that will all be answered in the next chapter. Anyways, I'm glad you enjoyed it.

I forgot to do it earlier, but I was planning on posting this character's ship and blaster. I guess I'll have to do that now.





Or something similar. It is modified obviously.



Once again, the blaster is modified. But it is the blaster that we see the Shore Troopers using in R1.
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"I am the Outcast's Shadow" - Taegin Roan
"Confronting fear is the Destiny of a Jedi" - Luke Skywalker
"So this is how liberty dies: with thunderous applause." - Padmé Amidala

Karmack
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« Reply #56 on: November 30, 2017, 06:38:32 PM »

Twilight

"Kage, we have arrived at the coordinates."

Odjina, Kage of the Mak'Tor, Knight and Singer, opened his eyes and met those of the messenger.  Young Ho'Li'Mak was barely eighteen years old and had only passed her trials two months before.  Her flaming red hair and jade-green eyes were typical of the majority human population of the Mak'Tor, as well as the larger human community on M'Tzigon.  The Clans tended to be light skinned, blue or green eyed, and had hair ranging from red to blonde.  Strong in the force, she was unfortunately not blessed with the deep connection to the song that most of the Mak'Tor force sensitives had.  A connection that he shared, though it was even rarer among his own Twi'lek.  It seemed the humans had an advantage in hearing the Song, if not in force sensitivity itself.  Holly might never be a Master Singer, but her skills and abilities had been evident and she had passed her trials with ease.  At 18 she was already well on her way to becoming a skilled healer and cyberneticist.  These skills would be critical to the new colony.

Anger flared and Odjina pushed it back down.  It is not the time for anger... He rose and let his expression soften.  "Thank you, Holly.  Let's take a look, shall we?"

Holly smiled at him, a wane, sad smile, and preceded him out of the small chamber and into the small transport's main gallery.  Everyone was there: the ship was in the capable hands of their astromech droids for the final approach in real space.  Odjina looked around and met each set of eyes.  They were all counting on him, still stunned by the loss of the Spire and the ancient shrines.  Still shocked by the rupture of friendships and loss of fellowships.  Still very angry with the unusual and unnecessarily rough handling and expulsion from the Temple.

Anger.  Yes, they were all angry.  "So, we are here.  The planet Vyth.  Little is known of this world, but as you know I've seen that there is ... some import here.  Something critical that must take place.  I am compelled to be here by the Maker, it is decreed in the song and in the force.  That you have chosen to join me, my friends, warms my heart.  After recent events..."  Odjina couldn't stop his own voice from faltering as a fresh wave of anger rolled around the room.  He raised his hands.  "Yes, my friends.  I feel your anger.  I share it.  But nothing we can do will change what happened.  We must move on, and for us that means this place."

Odjina activated the holographic display and brought up an image of a massive cliff face, part of a larger and imposing mountain range.  Just visible in the cliff face was a darker opening to a cave which penetrated into the cliff.  "When our mission was expelled from the Temple, most of our people returned to M'Tzigon.  However, as I shared with each of you, I have seen this place in repeated visions.  Before we left, Master Soryu assisted me in finding this data record and identifying this place."

Images of those last, hectic days in the Temple came to him unbidden.  The debate in the Council, as that narrow-minded idiot Kimar argued for the "purification" of the Jedi orthodoxy.  Soryu, exasperated himself, noticing his own frantic searches through the famed Jedi Archives and offering his assistance.  The frenzy to collect the few Mak'Tor artifacts present in the Spire shrines as the tide in the council turned against them at last. The insult of the final expulsion at the hands of the Sentinels, sabers lit, and his enduring pride in the Mak'Tor knights who refused to be bated into the very conflict Kimar had predicted.  The sorrow as the songs of the Spire and the ancient shrines faded...

Odjida shook himself.  "The past is past.  We cannot change it, only grow from it.  Here, I think, is an important link in that growth."  He zoomed in the holograph, focussing on the cave.  "Here is hope."

******

The cave was large.  Larger than anyone had appreciated.

And it was beautiful.

The dark blue of the stone was studded everywhere with light-blue permafrost crystals.  The crystal lattice picked up the light and played it endlessly around the cave walls, creating a background of spectral, dancing color that seemed to shift and flow in time to the song...

The song hummed, complex interweaving of melody and harmony spinning and twining through the fabric of the force as well as the rock.  The sound was complex and joyful, but even in the joy there was an undercurrent of ... pain.  Pain and the sorrow of great loss...

Odjina shook himself free of the song, marvelling again at how strong the current was here.  The way the crystals seemed to focus that power was alternately joyous and terrifying.  There was much to learn here.  Much to learn...

But first survival.  The ship would leave soon.  They would need shelter and provisions.  His small colony was already unloading the basic equipment they would need to provide these things into cave, just deep enough to remain unnoticed.  For now they would stay in it's shelter.

Outside the local sun sank, filling the cave with the deep reds and purples of twilight.  The day was ending.  A new one would soon dawn.  With that new day would come hope and joy. 

But first, twilight...[i/]
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Master Singer of the Mak'Tor

Lord_S_Gray
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« Reply #57 on: November 30, 2017, 09:44:42 PM »

AWSM Karm, simple but effective and some of the little details like being driven out by Sentinels with their sabres lit, just to rub their face in it...almost as if Kimar wanted them to fight....this have given me even further ideas...
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Lord_S_Gray

Surik: "Kreia, what are you—are you a Jedi, a Sith?"
Kreia: "Does it matter? Of course it does, such titles allow you to break the galaxy into light and dark, categorize it. Perhaps I am neither, and I hold both as what they are, pieces of a whole."

TheDutchman
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« Reply #58 on: November 30, 2017, 10:13:28 PM »

This ties in beautifully with CotA Karm!  We knew Kimar was a jerk but now learning that he was also responsible for the expulsion of Gray Jedi?  What a rat... Excellently written my friend!

Looks like Holly may be an ancestor to Karm.  I really enjoy the layers of characterization that enrich this shared universe we have going here!  And nice easter egg with Soryu  Smiley. "Permafrost?!"  Sounds vaguely...familiar  Wink

I'd like to see more of these Interludes; they bridge CotA and the Mak'Tor seamlessly  Smiley. Perhaps a collaboration?  Grin ?

Keep them coming guys!  And gals (when/if any post here  Wink).
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Sig courtesy of DarthScrub

Cataphract Triarch of the Vhal'Dan

My sabers:Zearic's Aldrnari, Archon v3 (modded w/ activation box) w/Obsidian, AS; Zearic's shoto, Apprentice v4 w/Obsidian, AS; Graflex SE w/Obsidian, GB; Archon v3 (modded w/ activation box) w/Obsidian, CG; Dark Sentinel v4 w/Obsidian, BR; Sentinel LE v4 w/Obsidian, GB; Initiate v5 w/Obsidian, AS; Sentinel LE v4 stunt, EG; Aeon LE v4 stunt, FO; Dominix v4 stunt, BR; Aeon v3 stunt, SY

Karmack
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Light side points please.


« Reply #59 on: November 30, 2017, 10:20:08 PM »

Aha!  You caught the name convention! 

Yes, Holly is related.  That's all I will say for now.  :-)
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Master Singer of the Mak'Tor

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