What You Leave Behind

[Karmack]

Prologue: Prophecy

Note: For historical reference:

http://www.saberforum.com/index.php?topic=36209.msg629361#msg629361
http://www.saberforum.com/index.php?topic=36209.msg629408#msg629408



It had been a long night of searching, but he'd finally found all of the relevant chronicles.  Data searches and electronic records were all well and good, but due to the ebb and flow of history as well as events like Kimar's Expulsion and the accompanying Purge of the Jedi Records of information related to the Mak'Tor there were many gaps in the electronic record, large and small.  Fortunately, the Order had always maintained a written chronicle.  It was still considered the primary source for anything predating the Expulsion, and while much of it had been digitized and translated out of the original runic script there were still thousands of hand-written chronicles that could only be accessed the old-fashioned way.

******

The catalogue was vast, over 2000 years of the Aethan Technocracies records left behind, hidden beneath Mt. Alixaea in the Dead Lands, far from the reach of the post Collapse Guardian Era society.  Now reclaimed, they were slowly being sorted through. It was difficult to tell what was useful and what was not. Much of the research was out of date, papers and videos experimenting with 7th Gene Generation aetheric potential irrelevant when you had 30th Generation files on similar topics.

******

The scribe carefully stacked the last of the ancient books onto his cart and wheeled them into the viewing room.  It was still early, a good two hours yet before sun-up, and the data request stated that Master Karmack wouldn't be in to begin his research until well after sun-up.  He had plenty of time.

******

Her breath blew out in thin wisps of white in the cool of the bunker, deep beneath the mountains.  Away from view they felt safe, deep underground where no one could see them.  Her skin was lit oddly by the white blue lights in the joints between the walls and ceiling, and from her desk she could see rows upon rows of identical bar coded data discs, cold and impassive, waiting to be read.

******

The viewing room was one of many in the Archive.  It was designed for comfort as well as study.  The outside 'smart' wall was basically a giant polarized window overlooking the M'Skigon range.  Across a wide, deep vale the majesty of the Temple on the slopes of the Spire could easily be seen.  The scribe paused briefly to admire the view, the mountains softly lit by the moonlight while the lights of the Temple and its associated villages glittered like gems in the fresh snow.  The sight was so inspiring the scribe fell into a short meditation, drinking in the beauty of the view and offering his impromptu thanks and praise to the Maker.

After the brief time of meditation the scribe donned his white gloves and carefully laid out the chronicles in the requested order.  Each book went into its own rest, specially designed to hold the ancient book open at an easy reading height while protecting it from over-bend or spinal damage.  Most of the books were from around the time of the expulsion, and there were several electronic entries and files that went with them, queued up in the room's computer file system.  The oldest books, however, was from far earlier, from a time during the Jedi-Sith wars, when the Temple was under threat and the Mak'Tor, along with all the Jedi, had been called upon repeatedly to defend the Spire from attack.  Those had been trying times for the Jedi, and the Mak'Tor with them.

******

She found occasional items of interest, especially around the Aethenaea Project … the poor woman Aethena, recorded all her life; she had watched her grow over three nights of archived vids, running on treadmills, climbing, lifting weights telekinetically … and as she got older more personal activities – there was nothing about her they didn’t want to record and analyse. How long she took to relieve herself, with attached videos, toenail growth rates, eyelash length - all to learn and perfect the next generation...

******

The scribe laid the book out and caefully opened it, letting it fall open naturally.  Before he turned away, however, the runes on the exposed page caught his eye.  Rather than the neat, tidy columns the chronicaller usually used for the entries there as an indented block of what appeared to be poetry embedded in the middle of the page.  Well, that's interesting...  Slowly the scribe read the words of the short poem, translating as he went.

    The Oracle, spoken by Do'Rian, when the Unnamed was defeated, when the crystals touched:

           In the shadow of the 100 Lights
           The Children of Xandir shall meet face-to-face
           The Servant of the Maker, undefeated
           Shall yield to the One who Denies
           And in yielding, will add victory and healing
           To them both...
         
Reverently the scribe traced the runes with his fingertip.  He was a marginal force user and could only barely hear the song, but this runic verse called out to him.  Long buried in the archive, it was as if this page cried out to be seen.  The scribe smoothed the page and left it open, moving the book to the head of the line.  Xandir...  He turned to the last book, the earliest of the chronicles, and checked the index card in the front cover.  As he suspected, part of this chronicle had to do with Klu Xandir and the time of Exar Kun. The scribe mounted this book and opened it to the earliest Xandir reference as noted in the index.  A quick scan of the runes revealed the names "Sunfire" and "Starfire", two crystals created by Klu...  The Crystals that touched?  He wasn't sure, but there must be a connection.

The scribe, now excited, finished his preparations by setting up a few extra database searches, cross-referencing the Xandir, the crystals by name, and references to "the 100" and "100 Lights".  It would take a bit for even the Archive's computers to complete those searches and so he left it running while he gathered refreshments for himself and his guest.  If ever there was a day that would need coffee and pastries, this was the day!

******

She flicked on the next disc, the familiar sight of Aethena undressed but this time in a blood red cavern rather than a cool white laboratory.  Once again a video as explicit as possible, small numbers flicked noting heart rate, blood pressure, a thermal imaging inset box in the corner…she had seen this so often she wondered if Aethena ever got bored of it.  She was about to switch it off for the next one when she heard her familiar moans turn to words…

“Ships…black…collapsing…collapsing…trapped…caverns…deep…set me free set me free…White and Red White OR Red…white…red…”

Collapse…trapped in the caverns…this wasn’t random…this was prophetic…she straightened in her chair and took out her note book, hand rapidly writing all she heard

“dead…a hundred dead…light to fill the darkness…one escapes who shall rule two by two…the Bane of the galaxy…”

Bane … Darth Bane? If so then the hundred lights meant the Ninth battle of Ruusan...

“hidden the Ghost trapped in time…the brothers gift never given…the brothers Xandin rent asunder, children…so many children…till together…the Singer of the false god, the slayer of the Masters…paths entwined, power makes one yield, but in yielding not defeated….uggghhh…”

Singer of the false God…that sounded familiar…her mind quickly sorted through long buried histories to find a name…Odjina…Odjina was long dead…but he never yielded so far as she recalled the story…still it was an oddity.

She jotted down the rest, Aethena had left behind something here…something the aether told her was important…she would have to show this to the others.

[Illyiss]

I like the two coinciding events, taking place, very much the same, but very definitely different.

[Karmack]

Just so y'all know...   This new effort was instigated by LSG.  :-)  He and I will be posting chapters periodically as we go, but most of them, like the prologue, are joint efforts.  Its been amazing so far and we are FAR from finished with it, but I wanted to start up-front by giving LSG a thank-you for starting this up and providing the "skeleton" as it were.  Its going to be fun and I hope everyone who reads this gets half the enjoyment from it that I've gotten in the formulation so far.

So enjoy everyone!  Chapter 1 is coming soon! 

[TheDutchman]

Oh AWESOME!!

I was hoping with the reference to the two "Oracle" chapters that this was indeed a Karm/LSG collaboration!  I'm already hooked!  What do "Children of Xandir" have to do with both the Mak'Tor and the Aethans?  Are these "Sunfire" and "Starfire" stones for the Master Singer?  And just how much of the prophecy will be self-fulfilling?

Like I said: AWESOME!!

I canNOT wait to see more from you two brilliant minds! 

[Taegin Roan]

I love it. This is awesome. I love the slower pace of people studying. Also, I really get the feeling that the poem is going to be really really important, and I can't wait to see how.

[Karmack]

Chapter One: Data Mine
Part 1

Horror bloomed in Karmack's chest as energy tore through the Temple, wiping away the choir, the Chaplain, the gathered worshipers, and slammed upward, lifting the dome as well as washing down the nave and transverse.  In a moment the Temple, the spiritual center of the Mak'Tor, was wiped away and he watched in helpless horror as Arnor, Ken, Chillum, the Council... everyone he held dear and central to the life and working of the Order were suddenly caught up in a flashing explosion, their bodies immolated and destroyed, their minds and souls ripped away and pulled into a howling vortex of silver and gold.  The energy wave engulfed him as the Temple Dome collapsed, masonry and debris howling past him.  His cry of horror was lost in the howling shriek of the raging air as Arnor simply disintegrated, her song ending abruptly as the flashing orb absorbed all around it.  He had no time to rage or grieve, only enough time to catch a glimpse of the wave of energy flashing across the greater Temple, leveling buildings and spreading devastation.  Then in a flash his own body was suddenly imploding, his mind rippling, wracked with pain and confusion as the world suddenly disappeared, replaced by confusion and horrible, unending, tormenting pain...

Karmack jerked awake with a start, the dream still vivid in his mind's eye.  Again... he groaned, and hummed a calming motif to calm his body and restore his spiking adrenalin levels to normal.  With a sigh he sat back in his chair and rubbed his eyes. The desk in the Archive viewing room was strewn with data chips and dense storage crystals scattered between ancient tomes in calligraphy and Mak'Tora runes. A quick glance at the chronometer on the wall confirmed the hours of sitting and reading that his body was complaining about.  With a loud yawn he stood and stretched, freeing his muscles from their long captivity.  He did a few quick stretches, limbering his body before flowing into an unarmed combat kata.  The short work-out rejuvenated his mind as well as his body, a process he enhanced with a healing song that sent healing force energy flowing through him.  He felt the crystal chorus with the Ancient One at its heart augmenting and strengthening the flow, a soothing and now familiar presence.  That turned his mind back to the entities that inhabited the same crystal, especially the enigmatic Kage Dorian.  Or more accurately Do'Rian'Xandir, as he'd discovered in the chronicles.  "Not much of one for names, my Kage..."

No, he wasn't.

Karmack felt the slight force pressure he was beginning to recognize as an 'attention signal' as the soft feminine voice echoed in his mind.  Eschewing the chair, Karmack assumed a comfortable stance looking out over the vale at the Temple on the opposite slope and let himself drop into a light meditation.

Instantly he found himself back in the gazebo that served as the interface to the entities that resided in the Ancient One.  Seated on the bench opposite him was a woman who appeared to be in her mid-40's.  She had auburn hair, pulled back in a very practical pony-tail, high cheekbones and piercing blue eyes.  She was wearing Jedi-style robes, without the hallmarks the Gray Mak'Tor robes carried today to set them apart from their Jedi progenitors.  Karmack bowed to the effigy. "Ha'Ona.  Its good to see you again."

"Master Karmack." Ha'Ona replied, waving a hand to indicated he should be seated.  "I understand you've been asking questions about Vyth."

Karmack sat and smiled.  "Yes.  Its part of a wider search for information, but I was very curious about what happened on Vyth, particularly about how the Mak'Tor there died - and how you survived."

For a moment the golden room seemed to tremble as a powerful song suddenly crashed through the room.  The melody was dark, the harmony tragic, the rhythm thick with conflict, and yet under and through it all rang the clarion call of forgiveness and victory, almost like an after-image that lingered after the real song faded.  The song was overwhelming, the volume on the edge of pain, but as suddenly as it came ... it left.  Karmack noticed the tear that rolled down Ha'Ona's cheek, her own eyes clouded by vivid and painful memory.  "How I survived?  Only by the grace of the Maker, Master Karmack.  The ... man ... who killed everyone certainly wasn't afraid of a child holding a saber she barely knew how to use.  No, I think he sensed the song in me and decided to let me go ... as a living memorial.  And a warning."

Karmack nodded.  After his vision of Odjina he'd found the original reports from the Astromech droid Four-Ten.  Unfortunately he couldn't interview the droid itself, it had been destroyed while on a mission with another Knight almost two hundred years ago.  But he'd made a complete report, including a full down-load of bio-metric readings from everyone in the colony, including one set that were way outside the norm.  While most of the entries were extensive, representing measurements over years, this outlier was simply labelled "Milaea" and only had a half-dozen entries taken over 2-3 weeks time.  When he'd gone over the data he'd dismissed this one entry as corrupted data.  But maybe... "Ha'Ona, do you know who he was?  Four-Ten had a grainy image of him, but he just looks like an average human.  Did he act alone?"

Ha'Ona shook her head emphatically.  "No, he came with Millie.  She seemed very nice and I really hoped she would stay and be my friend, but..."  More tears appeared and she stopped, gathering her emotions and overlaying them with icy control.  "No, he wasn't alone.  There were two of them."

Two of them... Karmack couldn't suppress the slight shudder that pierced him.  Two force-users, apparently Jedi-trained or at least knowledgeable in the Jedi arts, against sixteen trained Mak'Tor grays, including one of the most powerful singers the Mak'Tor had ever known.  He spun his ring, which carried the black mourning band of Odjina.  He'd had a brief discussion with Zearic after he and Arnor returned from Dantooine.  His dark visions and nightmares were still increasing ... and now Karmack was beginning to have them as well.  As was Ken, though his were more in reaction to the deep and intrusive delve conducted by "Black Armor".  The one thing all of the visions had in common was the destruction of all that the viewer held dear, a destruction they were impotent to stop.

In Zearic's vision his wife and daughter were slaughtered while he lay dying.  In his own vision...  Karmack shook off the lingering memory even as he felt his heart rate spike again.

A cool hand on his arm drew him back to the gazebo.  Karmack blinked and looked into cool, green eyes.  "Ho'Li..."

She nodded to him and sat next to her daughter.  Their images captured in adulthood, they looked more like sisters or even twins than mother and daughter.  The only noticeable  difference being the color of their eyes.  Karmack recovered his breathing and nodded to the silent Ho'Li.  He'd seen her a few times, but she had never spoken to him before.  Now she leaned forward, her eyes intent.  "Master Karmack, Odjina holds the key."

"Odjina.  Why?  What happened on Vyth Ho'Li?"

But Ho'Li returned to silence, only fixing him with her eyes as she laid a comforting hand on her daughter's shoulder. Karmack blinked, opened his mouth to ask another question of Ha'Ona...



...and was suddenly looking again at the Temple and the vale between, shadowed by the setting sun and beginning to sparkle with lights from the villages and settlements scattered between the Temple and the Archive.  Karmack shook his head in exasperation.  With a normal holocron you might not get an answer but you could at least force contact!  But the entities that were housed in the Ancient One were far more fickle and had more control over who they spoke with.  "Cranky old women..."

Karmack turned back to the room's computer terminal and opened a search window.  "Millie...  Milaea..."  On a hunch he typed in the name, then added Odjina, Valens and Vyth and hit [ENTER].  As the computer began searching the Archive's electronic records for anything that included all four names Karmack poured himself a fresh cup of coffee and and re-read the verses the Archivist had left visible in one of the ancient chronicles.  "The Oracle, spoken by Dorian..."

The computer suddenly started beeping insistently.  Karmack turned and instead of finding a list of documents and files a message flashed on the screen:

*** RECORDS SEALED *** REPORT TO THE OFFICE OF THE KAGE *** RECORDS SEALED *** REPORT TO THE OFFICE OF THE KAGE *** RECORDS SEALED...

The message scrolled and repeated.  Karmack tried to interrupt it but the terminal was locked.  "Well then, I guess I need to talk to Silman..."


<<<<<<<<<<  >>>>>>>>>>>


The Kage was about to shut his computer down for the evening when an urgent security breach alert popped up.  He opened it and frowned at the content.  "Vyth?  Who's trying to kick that hornet's nest open now?"  He scanned down to find the user ID and his frown deepened.  "Karmack...  My friend, what are you doing?"  Silman sighed and sat back, clearing the screen.  He stared out at the Archive, its stone walls and graceful arches lit to a ruddy gold by the setting sun and he sighed again.  He reached over and keyed his intercom.  "Do'Nal, clear my appointments tomorrow morning and have the steward make sure the coffee tray is stocked and fresh."

The voice of Do'Nal, his personal assistant, showed none of the surprise he must feel at the last-minute direction.  "Of course, my Kage.  May as I ask why?"

"Maenowan Karmack will be by in the morning, bright and early.  We ... have some things we need to discuss."  Silman replied.

"Very good.  I will make the arrangements."  The comm link clicked off and Silman sighed one more time.

"Master Karmack ... what am I going to do with you...

[Karmack]

Chapter One: Data mine
Part 2


"Sir, Maenowan Karmack." Do'Nal said, holding the door for Karmack to enter the office.

Silman Lo stood and smiled as Karmack entered the room.  "Karm!  Come in.  Grab a cup of coffee and have a seat."

"Yessir." Karmack said, his smile tentative.  He'd half expected a serious dressing-down from the Kage.  He had no idea what kind of security lockout he'd triggered but it was total - his system access was completely frozen pending this meeting - and the Kage's friendly tone and demeanor had him puzzled.  But the Kage always had good coffee, so he poured himself a cup, added a splash of half-and-half and took the seat indicated.  "Thank you, sir."

Kage Lo waved dismissively.  "You're welcome.  Do'Nal is having your ID access restored even as we speak.  I imagine the lock-out came as a bit of a shock."

Karmack leaned back and tried to relax.  "Yes, actually, it did.  As far as I know I'm just doing historical research ... not the kind of thing that usually requires one to drop everything and trot off to see the Kage.  That's intimidating, even for someone of my own exalted rank."  Karmack chuckled.  "Its good to know that I'm not in any trouble."  Karmack felt the ripple in the force and heard the tremor that appeared in Silman's song at that statement.  "Um ... I'm not in any trouble, am I?"

Silman sighed.  "Always direct and to the point..."  He stood and walked over to the windows, unable to sit still.  "No, you're not in trouble ... not yet ... but you have stumbled into a very delicate area."  Silman sighed and turned back to Karmack.  "Karm, what exactly are you looking for?"

Karmack leaned back in the seat, cradling his coffee mug as he gathered his thoughts.  "There is a ... darkness ... gathering.  Something nebulous but immensely powerful.  Something with the potential to be either a very great enemy, or a powerful and helpful ally and friend.  Something utterly alien ... and as familiar as family."  Karmack shook his head and sighed.  "I can't really pin it down, but its ominous and imminent, and somehow the key to avoiding catastrophe lies in figuring all of this out."  Karmack tapped his saber gently.

"That explains the inquiries about Do'Rian'Xandir and Klu Xandir, but not Vyth." Silman replied, and while his face smiled his eyes were very level.

Karmack sipped his coffee.  "You're right.  That came from ... Zearic, actually."  Karmack saw a flicker of recognition in the Kage's eyes.  So you know something ... What are you hiding, Silman?  "Almost nothing is known about what happened that day on Vyth.  Oh, we venerate Kage Odjina, wear the ring, sing the epic songs, but in the end there's virtually nothing about Vyth or Odjina or the Seventeen in the databases."  Karmack let his own eyes harden, his voice flatten.  "I had to dig up the records of Four-Ten, Ha'Ona'Mack's droid and the only droid to survive the destruction of the colony to identify Zearic's saber crystal as one the colony called a "perma-frost" crystal.  And I only made that connection because of the vision it caused."

Silman sighed and crossed his arms.  "Visions again...  Visions and droids will be the death of me..."  the Kage shook his head as if shaking off a veil.  "Karm, do you have anything concrete?  Any proof that links these ... visions ... to either Vyth or any of the threats that Dorian or Klu Xandir faced?"

Karmack rose and started to pace.  "No.  Not yet.  Nothing on a data padd or visual recording.  Nothing in writing.  Just the visions."  He stopped and met Silman's eyes.  "Or do we?"

Silman's eyes never wavered.  "No.  I'm not hiding any secret files or locked-down data.  There are a few data search terms that, when used in combination with each other, trigger the security lock-out and notify this office.  All I know about it is what Kage Li'I'Mack wrote in the file that came up with the flag.  She basically said that nothing would come of the search and to discourage the searcher, lest the ones who did the damage be found - and disturbed."  Silman crossed his arms.  "So, Maenowan Master Karmack, I must ask you now to ... be circumspect in your search."

Karmack wheeled on the Kage.  "Circumspect? On the word of a Kage who died six hundred years ago?  Just stop looking for answers because she said so?!?  Silman, I watched a thought bomb wipe out the core of the Mak'Tor, destroy the Temple, the Archive and the villages in between, and wash over the planet itself.  That kind of weapon wouldn't just kill the force users, it would devestate the entire planet, probably render it uninhabitable.  Millions would die!  I need more than 'because Li'I'Mack said so'!"

Silman stood like a rock, his face like flint, his eyes unwavering.  "The word of a Kage, two Kages in fact, one your own kinsman, is not good enough for you?"

Karmack snorted in exasperation.  "No.  If you're making it an order, my Kage, I will of course obey it.  But there must be more!  If there weren't you wouldn't be so ..."

"Stupid?"  Silman supplied with a tentative smile.

"Stubborn was the word I was reaching for, actually." Karmack replied, letting his own voice soften and backing away from the passion he felt.  "You wouldn't dig in like this unless there was a good reason.  So ..."

Kage Lo blinked and sighed.  "And he calls me stubborn...  Oh,very well.  The message from Li'I was short but to the point: The Jedi, specifically Grand Master Kimar, ordered the elimination of the Mak'Tor colony on Vyth.  He's the one who sent the assassins there to kill everyone."

Karmack stood in stunned silence for long seconds.  Finally he found his voice.  "You're kidding."

"No." Silman strode to the desk and spun his monitor, displaying the memo.  Karmack walked over and read the text, written in runes and using the ancient language of the Mak'Tor rather than galactic standard, which described how Master Kimar sent two Jedi to eliminate the colony on Vyth.  When he was done Silman swiveled his monitor back around.  "So, you see the problem.  Even now, six hundred years later, this kind of revelation would severely damage the credibility of the Jedi..."

"...and with it the credibility of those they are associated with." Karmack finished the thought.  "Skywalker would never be able to re-establish the Order with this hanging over his head.  And without the Jedi, the New Republic would be finished before it ever started."

"Exactly."  Silman sat on the front of his desk, arms crossed.  "So, can I have your word?  I'm not asking you to stop.  Just be ... discrete.  Circumspect."

Karmack again met Silman's eyes, holding them for long seconds. "One more question: Did Li'I'Mack mention any details about the assassins?  Any indication of how they were able to overcome the entire Mak'Tor colony?"

Silman shook his head.  "No, nothing.  Just that they were Jedi sent by Kimar.  Beyond that an d whatever records 4-10 made we know nothing." Silman's eyebrows rose in inquiry.  "So?"

Karmack slowly and reluctantly nodded.  "Yes, my Kage. I will be circumspect."

"Good."  Silman turned back to the window.  "Now, can I ask your help and advice on another matter?  Maybe I can give you something else to keep you occupied?"

Karmack felt himself smiling and relaxing a bit as the tension in the room - and the song - eased.  "Anything, my Kage."

"Good man." Silman turned back to Karmack.  "What is your assessment of the Droid Combat Chassis?"

Karmack shifted gears smoothly.  "They're highly effective units, but they have limitations.  We've used them a few times with Two and Mutt  and while they performed well they are far from invulnerable."

Silman barked a laugh.  "True enough.  Cliff has complained about how quickly you've gone through them."  He turned back.  "Cliff is convinced that the DCCs are to expensive to use as cannon fodder and not effective enough to be anything else, especially in the hands of droids not programmed for or experienced in land combat.  So he's entertaining proposals to equip the Men-At-Arms with battle droids instead."

"Battle droids?" Karmack felt a wave of surprise roll through him.  "Historically droids have proven to be ineffective as a ground force.  Even acting only as a buffer..."  Karmack trailed off.  "Oh.  OK, that makes sense.  He wants them as a buffer, a cushion to absorb and blunt an attack while the Men-At-Arms and Knights gather and organize for defense in depth or a counter-strike."

Silman moved back to his desk and picked up his own coffee mug.  "Exactly.  And I don't have a real problem with it.  I just hope that he's not doing it just to spite me.  I'm afraid he's not very happy with me and some of my deployment policies."

"Or your Knights?" Karmack added, reading the Kage's mood in the force.  "Cliff isn't an isolationist but he's certainly never been a fan of the way the Order has been emerging into the power vacuum in the Outer Rim.  I'm sure he'd prefer if we kept our heads down and minded our own business.  Unfortunately the movement hasn't exactly been voluntary.  Nature abhors a vacuum and laying low and keeping out heads down now would only get us knocked off by whoever else did move in."

"Agreed." Silman sat.  "Cliff has gone out on his own and has some good looking prospects.  My 'spies' in the Men-At-Arms command center have gotten me some preliminary specs and he has a team coming to do a product demonstration.  I'll send you the specs, please look them over and give me your preliminary evaluation, particularly as compared to the DCC project.  I'll also confirm when the product sales team will be on-site, I'd like you there with me when we do the demonstration and evaluation."

Karmack nodded. "Of course."

Karmack turned toward the door and was drawn back by Silman's hand on his arm. "Karm, I meant what I said. Try to keep your activities under the radar, eh? There's a lot going on here and I'd rather not rock the boat any more than I need to.  When you get something concrete, we can take it to the Council, but until then..."

"...I'm on my own.  Understood." Karmack set the mug down and bowed respectfully.  "Thank you, Kage, for the coffee."


<<<<<<<<  >>>>>>>>


Hours later Karmack was back in his home office.  Data chips and crystals were stacked neatly and the desk was mainly clear.  An electronic inquiry hung on the screen before him, addressed to dozens of private organizations and educational institutions across the galaxy.  He'd created a new, private account from which to send it, hosted by a content provider on Coruscant that specialized in anonymity.  He'd told the Kage he'd be discrete, and he would - but he'd exhausted the data sources on M'Tzigon and this was the only way he had to expand his search.

The letter was a brief introduction and a description of what he was seeking - records of the Mak'Tor order, specifically original sources from the time spanning their involvement with the Jedi Order on Coruscant.  The letter was like any other inquiry a historian or author might send out, with nothing to indicate it was being sent by a member of the Mak'Tor order itself.  "Cast your bread upon the waters..." he said as he hit [send]

...for you will find it after many days...

[TheDutchman]

THIS (double) chapter was quite the treat!  More mystery concerning Vyth!  Some valid (and certainly plausible) reasons that the Kage(s) NOT be so forthcoming with the absolute truth...but we know that Karm's a man on a mission and cannot just let a dangling thread like that go... So many good easter eggs within this chapter and, coupled with the enigma that is Xithar...hmm.  I'd really like to know just WHAT happened to the venerable Kage and just how the prophecy pertains to him...

I knew that this was going to be special as soon as it was confirmed as a collaboration...and you guys don't disappoint!  That's it: I'm hooked 

P.S. Hey I know that "Zearic" guy... 

[Lord_S_Gray]

I've already read these chapters, but still I have to hand it to Karm for being willing to really delve into the depths of the Mak'tor and their interactions with each other, it would be easy to have them a shining united beacon of hope for the galaxy...here we see even they keep their secrets from each other. They are indeed Gray....

[Karmack]

I've already read these chapters, but still I have to hand it to Karm for being willing to really delve into the depths of the Mak'tor and their interactions with each other, it would be easy to have them a shining united beacon of hope for the galaxy...here we see even they keep their secrets from each other. They are indeed Gray....

That they are.   Even more, I want them to be REAL.  And we are all flawed people.  :-)  Even Karmack, my shining beacon of light and right in the dark...  LOL

[Lord_S_Gray]

Chapter 2: Man and Machine
Part 1

One look at a galactic map…just one look was enough to see why they needed to consolidate their forces in system.  Three Imperial Remnant factions in Red Diamonds, fighting each other as much as the encroaching New Republic Green circles, Yellow triangles indicating recent Sons of Kessel attacks that seemed to creep ever closer to the edge of Hutt space…then there were the abundant purple dots showing known areas of pirate activity. 

The holo of nearby systems showed a mess of confusion and instability…in response, Kage Silman, Minister of Defence, in his wisdom had decided to deploy Joker squad to realms unknown, sent Knights off on missions to the other side of the galaxy and determined the reason for these deployments was ‘need to know’ – and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs did not, apparently, need to know. 

He had served under and beside a number of Kages over the years, but never one like Silman, a non-native who seemed to place the moral mission of the Mak’Tor above the military security of M’Tzigon itself. 

General Elax Cliff flicked across the requisition orders, these were already signed by Silman, he received copies simply to keep him ‘informed’…
 
“hrmmph,” he couldn’t supress his own grunt, he was starting to wonder if there even WAS an overall strategy behind Silmans deployments…the quick decisions and seemingly random deployment patterns suggested not. The acquiescence to the Master of Songs seemingly insatiable desire to stick his lightsabre into every dangerous situation was of particular concern – how long before one of these ‘Darths’ or ‘Sith Sabres’ followed him home and put the 650 million citizens Cliff had sworn to protect at risk?.

He had seen where pandering to a Knights mystical musings lead…his father had seen…

Cliff shook it off for the moment, now was not the time for reverie, rising to his full height adjusting his uniform for the next meeting he came back to the present. It was unusual for him to be involved in tender processes, but this was a new investment.  In the current climate they needed all the help they could get, and training more Men at Arms took time they might not have. 

Out of the beige and steel office down the freshly scrubbed corridors past the odd saluting guard he marched forward - he wasn’t a fan of droids, risks of hacking, lack of situational creative thinking, that spark that matched innovation with boldness to turn a battle. 

Yet droids were easy to deploy, could serve as cannon fodder or a speed bump to an attacking force while the Men at Arms positioned themselves, or better still shipped to far-flung Mak'Tor "Medical Missions" in job lots to stand guard, reducing logistical costs and keeping more trained troops at home where they belonged!  And if a few units were destroyed when some fanatic showed up to harass the healers they'd be out a few credits, not years of training - not someone's sibling..parent…child.

Colonel Ta’Re was waiting outside the briefing room, giving him a curt nod as professional as her tight bun hair, she swiped her ident card to open the doors.  The meeting room beyond was sparsely furnished, a holo projector embedded in an eight seat conference table, the tenderers already seated opposite had entered from the ‘civilian’ door on the other side of the room that opened out to a less secure area of the M’Tzigon Military Administration Centre. 

“Good morning,”  he said somewhat indifferently taking a seat at the head of the table, Ta’Re flicking him a short list of dot points on these particular tenderers.
•   Fresia based
•   Humanoid Droids
•   500,000 per unit, 480,000 for 500+ v. expensive
•   Start up firm
“Well let’s just get on with the show shall we,” he said briskly not wanting to be here any longer than needed,

He glanced up at the two figures opposite, one a handsome dark haired man who Cliff was sure he’d seen somewhere before, and the other a pretty young woman with cool alabaster skin, dark brown hair and icy blue grey eyes…she seemed out of place in such negotiations, darting eyes as if uncomfortable rather than a salesman’s cool.

“Gladly,” the man crooned,

“I don’t need to tell you General these are dangerous times, and I can see you’re a shrewd man to be investigating all options for defence,”

“At Aertemis Industries we have developed a new standard in battle droids,” The holo lit up with the Stylised Aurek symbol of the firm overlaid on a red three pointed star.

“As a small operation we focus on quality over quantity, none of the corner cutting stylings of CSF police droids or old B1’s and B2’s…no we understand what you want isn’t a million blobs of metal to toss at an enemy and get fried by EMP grenades…you want quality, heavy hitting, hard to kill Sentinels that can wipe out a platoon of Storm troopers, down an AT-AT then blast an interceptor out of the sky,”

What a sales pitch…Cliff mused

“And so I’m proud to present the Dark Trooper Mark IV.” The holo displayed what looked like a bulkier, taller Storm Trooper, deep gray with black edging and lines, the image slowly spun revealing a Hover Jet pack with missile launchers on the back, it carried a massive Assault cannon in its gargantuan hands effortlessly. 

“Dark Trooper…that was an abandoned Imperial Program as I recall,” Ta’Re noted

“The Empires loss Colonel is our gain…we took their research and designs and improved upon it…Fully void capable, armour that is impervious to low and medium grade blaster fire, flight range of nearly 300 kilometres with a maximum speed of 100 kmph - which we do intend to improve upon - running speed of 80 kmph, standing at 2.8 metres and weighing 550kg…I assure you standard infantry will be running scared with just one of our Dark troopers charging towards them.”

“If I may that is extremely heavy even for that size….”

The male, his security day pass issued at reception showed ‘Cha’ smiled thinly, “The armour and skeleton uses a mineral called phirk, although we do use a beskar alloy, it is quite high density but we have experience with such minerals, an internal gravitational displacement field keeps the effective weight to approximately 150KG for storage purposes…all speeds and strength statistics you see listed are operating a zero dampening…that is even at the full weight it can run 80kmph.”

Cliff shuddered at the emotionless deathly visage just imagining the psychological impact of seeing something that size rushing at him faster than a hover cars normal speed….he quickly refocused on the purpose at hand,

“The software for these Troopers, is it based on the original Imperial model?” he inquired

“No it’s a custom build, we found the Imperial operating systems inadequate…we redesigned internal circuitry from the ground up using Chiss nanite-fibre and a few of our own designs,”

“Chiss?”

“It’s the best available…expensive, but the best by far…whilst we have vids of its operational performance in test environments, we have five units in our ship still in orbit should you wish for a demonstration at any time…with the appropriate approvals to bring such a weapons on planet of course”

“Your frim Mr. Cha…is rather new to the market…this is quite an offering…I have to wonder where you got the expertise to produce this kind of military equipment,”

“A good question General, yes we are new to selling but not to producing military technology…as you know Incom is based on Fresia, our organisation is the aggregation of a number of sub-contractors branching out on our own, we saw an opportunity, small independent systems like yours cannot afford and do not want to purchase 10,000 droids, 3000 fighters or two dozen corvettes at once, rather you want a small number of high quality customizable weapons platforms not the leavings of a production run…”

Cha leaned forward fingers pressed tip to tip

“We don’t want to be the biggest, we are certainly not the cheapest, we are passionate about co-innovation and developing long terms relationships with our customer – our profitability depends on it…and I guarantee you this,
Relaxing back as he finished his spiel he pointed toward the Dark Trooper image now showing its range of movement by simulating crouching, prone and leaping poses,

“We have the best quality by a parsec”

<<<<<< >>>>>>

The Lunar base hangar was largely empty, typically crowded with out of active service but carefully maintained training ARC-170s being put through their paces high above them against the small number of reprogrammed Vulture droids that Cliff had trained against when he was a recruit.

Ta’Re and a small group of officers were preparing to witness the demonstration of the DTIV, a small ‘arena’ had been marked out with old shipping crates, deliberate oil spills and other unused furniture…whilst they could’ve used a training facility on M’Tzigon Cliff preferred not to have these business people peering around an actual Men at Arms base - all they would see of the Lunar base was the hangar itself. 

As he headed toward the demonstration area he was struck by the hulking forms of the DTIVs…looming over the officers with cold indifference. 

“General!” Cha said warmly extending a firm hand,
“Welcome thank you for this opportunity to show our products,”
“Curious to see if they can live up to your hype,” he replied bluntly
“Ha…indeed I hope so, please have a look at the others,” there were three in all, two to look over and one for the test. 

They dominated the space around them not just with their height and width…but their…weight…there was a pull to them, a micro gravity that drew you in never to escape - lifeless contemptuous face plates the product of psychological research into what visage would sow fear in the maximum number of humanoid cultures. Bulky soot grey armour plating rebutted any thought that a blaster such as the one on his hip right now could do any damage.  Cliff pictured it standing at the back of a Medical Missions waiting room – no sane sentient would try to harass the staff, even the most zealous cultists would stare up and doubt themselves. 

A bolder officer than Cliff tapped his pen on the lower torso yielding only a thin ‘tpp’.

“Feel free general to issue any movement commands you like…” Cha noted behind him “non-combat ones of course,”
He looked up to the face and was slightly take a back at its sudden movement, fiery red eyes gazing down upon him

“Crouch,” he ordered

Cliff almost toppled as the air displaced against the mechanically perfect and disturbingly silent movement of the DTIV from a towering colossus to a crouched ball of metal that still stood just under his eye level.

“Fast…and quiet…” he noted
“Absolutely…no reason for a droid to replicate human reflex speed when it can do much better…and yes quiet…we use a special over coat on the plates and joints that reduces friction and thereby noise.

“Stand,” just as swiftly it was back up again as if it had never been ordered to move at all. 

“Well shall we begin the demonstration?”
<<<<<< >>>>>>

[Lord_S_Gray]

Chapter 2: Man and Machine
Part 2
In the hangar control room overlooking the makeshift training course Cliff noted the woman with Cha standing off to the side, she hadn’t spoken at all in the first meeting and seemed uncomfortable being there, her arms crossed across her white blouse that was accented with a neat dark blue vest above a black skirt. Thinking of his own daughter and not wanting her to feel left out he approached her with an easy gait and fatherly smile.
“Good to see you again miss…”
“Aeresdottir,” she said quietly avoiding eye contact,
Right this wasn’t going well,
“Do you work in the sales team or design,” he attempted
“Design…software development…”
She looked so young,
“Have you been working there long or…”
“Ah General we’re about to begin,” Cha stepped between them almost protective of the young woman he reached out to guide Cliffs shoulder and stance away from her
“Miss Aeresdottir is rather shy I’m afraid, exceptionally clever but very shy,”
“So it seems,”
“Not to worry…” he clapped Cliff on the back, “Once you get her started on the nuts and bolts she’ll become much more talkative,”

The DTIV stood at one end of the course designed by Ta’Re and a few drill instructors, these were not stealth units, so it was designed to simulate open warfare, its task to obtain a pressure sensitive object placed somewhere in the training area whilst under fire from a squad of Men at Arms and a number of training droids. Whilst the DTIV would be set to non-lethal parameters the Men at Arms were free to use any weapons they wished, Ta’Re had added in a few surprises to the course, EMP mines, stun nets and had a slicer nearby with a short range hacking device to try and override it.

As the signal to begin sounded Cliff kept his eye on the two sellers, making sure they didn’t pull a swift manual order on it, but their hands were out and unmoving. 

Below a storm of red fire erupted from the Men at arms, none hit the target as the grey blur leapt and spun over the containers seeking out the target.

“It’s active radar and thermal imaging will soon find it…if it hasn’t already…”  The girl suddenly said referring to the goal object

Leaping one container in a single bound the first hit was scored on its back, leaving no obvious dent nor slowing it, it went low into an open container that tunnelled from one section of the course to the next, Cliff waited for the EMP charge there to detonate…

It did not…the DTIV emerged indifferently rapidly lifting and replacing broken furniture and old forklifts seeking its target…finally one of the traps sprung, a blue flash poured energy over the hulking beast…it stood indifferently and continued on its way, effortlessly spinning out of the firing line of the Men at Arms who were struggling to keep pace with its movements.

“EMP field won’t work, the phirk insulates the internal circuitry, the nanites themselves are insulated against most such attacks…they take up the energy and covert it to power themselves…similar defence against ion weapons,” the girl noted half nervous half proud.

Hand reaching into an overturned wire spool it found the target device, its other hand deftly working to disable the pressure sensitive mine placed under the target device, most of the Men at Arms repositioned as it paused, a half dozen snap shot harmlessly bouncing off the armour, they were intent on catching it in a kill zone further on, Ta’Re gave a three finger signal on her near hand informing Cliff the slicer had begun.

It screeched forward, room shaking steps bringing its Assault Cannon up as soon as the training droids appeared, obliterating six in a quick firing arc before they had even opened fire.

“The cannon fires ten times faster than a normal blaster, few targets have time to dodge once it’s locked.” The girl noted coolly, her confidence growing with every success of her creation, Cliff wondered how a Knight would fare trying to deflect shots with such enhanced speed and kinetic energy.

Ta’Re’s face became concerned as she glanced at her datapad linked to the slicer,  the Men at Arms lobbed ion grenades in its predicted path – predicted was not assured - it blasted a hole into a shipping container to avoid their trap charging through the white hot molten metal.

A last flurry of droids and stun nets were launched, it curled into a ball rolling through an EMP mine protecting its cargo as the stun nets hit but slipped off the pauldrons.  A few shots hit the chest plate as it rose but the droids that delivered them were soon puffed into smoking ruins.  Ducking and weaving through overlapping fields of fire it skidded across the finish line then remained stone still as the Men at arms fired a few more shots not realising it was over.

He glanced to Ta’Re who shook her head, the slicer too had failed

“Impressive” he said breaking the silence, “still good against remotes is one thing,”

“We’re happy to test against your special forces if you like,” Cha smoothly responded

“How easy is it to repair any damage” Ta’Re shifted the conversation

“We use a 3D printer repair station, for minor damage like this 5-10 minutes,” Aresdottir replied before bringing up her own datapad

“Slicing won’t work either…we use a quantum entanglement command system to a central hub rather than peer to peer communication, without knowing the exact subatomic frequencies you won’t be able to hack it…even then we use Chiss firewalls and transmission authentication protocols…if any is disrupted it reverts to internal programming.”

A walking fortress Cliff thought, physically and mentally, just as the Knights claimed to be.

<<<<<< >>>>>>

“What do you think?” Cliff asked

Ta-Re consulted her notes “It’s a capable machine no doubt, it took fifteen direct eight glancing hits with operational performance unaffected,”

“I meant more about the sellers,” Cliff redirected, but he agreed, with its size and ability to soak up fire it would draw the enemies attention away from the Men at Arms, potentially saving dozens of lives.

Ta’Re shrugged, “Intelligence says they check out, small firm former subcontractors formed ten years ago, purchased Imperial intellectual property, Cha has an Imperial background…but that’s neither uncommon nor suspicious nowadays,”  he turned to the third person in the room who had observed proceedings from a distance, Koawan Da’Ne’Mas, Danny, who was on secondment with the general staff,

“Anything unusual about them”

Danny pursed his lips

“There is something funny about the girl…could be extreme nervousness…Cha talks up his product but he is honest…my main concern is the machines themselves…”

Cliff raised an eyebrow,

“What do you mean?”

“They feel…dead in the force,”

Cliff had been around Mak’tor long enough to have some understating of the force
“Isn’t that common for droids?”

“Yes…but…perhaps dead isn’t the right word…more like…empty…like it’s not even there at a basic level…if I couldn’t see it with my eyes I couldn’t sense it…”

“What could explain that?” Ta’Re leaned forward concerned

“It’s possible it’s the material…I’ve never heard of phrik before…and records on it are few and far between…”
Cliff had to smile a little, something the Mak’tor didn’t know about the force…wonders never cease…

“Perhaps given how much Silman is intent on chasing after dark siders and cultists, we could use some ‘invisible’ combat droids…we’re churning through those damn DCC’s…” Cliff added with a snide satisfaction.

“I think we should investigate more,” Danny added, “I need to discuss this with the Council of Balance…”

“What…” Cliffs face dropped all emotion to be a blank mask of annoyance

“Well such a divergence to how the force flows…”

“The force flows…this isn’t a meditation session or building a Church…this is purchasing high end military equipment, we’re interested in real combat capability not feelings here…”

“General will all due respect the feeling I get off…”

“Look boy,” he leaned onto his elbows annoyed to have to repeat himself
“This isn’t about feelings, this is rational military procurement, now if you have something to contribute about its performance, its stats, the price, heck if you want to try fighting one, fine, but I’m not taking feelings and mystical interpretations into account when making decisions about protecting M’Tzigon!.”

<<<<<< >>>>>>

The door whisked open to reveal the Zabrack Kage,
“Minister to what do I owe this pleasure,” Cliff said his eyes still scanning the DTIV post-test briefing rather than looking up.

“Danny tells me you’re looking at purchasing battle droids,” Silman kept his voice even, as conversational as he could

“We’re simply testing the market at this point, it’s always good to see what new developments are occurring,” 

There was no easy way to say this Silman realised, and Cliff was no going to make it any simpler either, his presence was indignant and slightly bitter,

“I see, I expect the consultation paper was lost amongst my other paper work,”

Cliff shrugged still not looking up

“I expect it was, perhaps lost in the same file as the Strategic cost benefit analysis of the Scarida mission.”

That was a low blow, but Cliff didn't care. Yes the emergency withdrawal was sudden, but it was not part of a cohesive strategic military deployment and had risked Joker squad ending up between competing Imperial Remnant factions.  Yes, the Mak'Tor had lost Koawan Il’lian’Cam on that mission and obtained valuable intel on a number of Imperial factions and Mellichae, but to Cliff the loss of the entire team would have been acceptable to safeguard the System.

The Kage did not agree.  On balance Silman was convinced it was worthwhile, yet Cliff had been vociferous that they had risked M’Tzigons security by getting involved in a Remnant dispute.  Silman could not disagree it was a risk, yet on the spot the decision was made to save their agents Talia, Julwynn and Balnard and he stood by that.

“Elax…I know there is a tension of late,” Silman chose to sooth and console rather than confront

“The strategic landscape is changing rapidly, we need to come together not be at odds in times like this…” 

“And it changes even more rapidly in response to every deployment you order without consulting our Strategic Advisory board for a full assessment first,” Cliff struck back as though they were fencing.

Twice in one meeting Silman bit back a response, Cliff sometimes simply did not understand that the Mak’Tor’s role did not end at the systems boundaries - he was a good man, dedicated to protecting M’Tzigon and their way of life, but he was a proud man and tended to see the only good strategy as the one which kept M’Tzigon, and M’Tzigon alone safe.  Silman could not ignore the shifting currents of the force Cliff was blind to, nor discount outlandish rumours of dark siders and worse that filtered across Tel’Owna’s desk.

“Perhaps I have been circumspect regarding some of my deployments,” the Zabrack cautiously replied
“There have been times recently where a quick decision was needed, I can only ask that you trust my judgement in these matters…” neither apology nor concession Cliff noted, words suited to a politician not a warrior.

“Investigating other military technologies is a wise step,” Cliff raised his gaze at the half-hearted concession while Silman decided not to raise Danny’s concerns just now,

“I am happy to sign off on any resources you need for further research, though I must admit,” he let a little levity enter his voice as he sensed Cliff’s tension drain slightly
“I was surprised to hear you were looking into droids,”

Cliff shifted, putting the report aside, at least he had the Kage’s attention, but it was contemptuous of his plans, Cliff knew when he was being patronized.

“With our forces out of system we need more bodies to hold the fort, recruitment is up but training takes time…” his words were cautiously chosen, implying Silmans deployments were a resourcing issue to be solved rather than a policy to be questioned.

“If you wish to assist…” Cliff drew his datapad, flicking a few screens, “We’re looking into performing some live fire trials with some droid samples…we need your signature to authorize the import of foreign military equipment and technical personnel to the planet’s surface…” he pushed the datapad forward, the e-signature lit in dull green as Cliff placed a stylus beside it.

Silman nodded, a small gesture like this could bridge the divergence that was growing, if droids would help Cliff feel the system was secure in lieu of recalling all missions then Silman was happy to support that.  For now.

He took up the stylus and signed. “I look forward to seeing them in action,” Silman added, unable to keep just a hint of contempt out of his voice.

Cliff's eyes sharped as the tone registered.  He considered for a moment, then let a friendly smile lighten his face.  "Perhaps a test against one your Knights as well?"  Cliff let the image of a one of Silman's Knights facing and struggling to cope with the large and very impressive droid spread the smile further on his face.  "Might as well test them against the best.”

Silman sensed the spike of challenge in the General's emotions.  "Agreed.  Forward me the details when you've made the arrangements."  Silman handed the datapad and stylus back to the General and left. And then we'll see just how worthless battle-droids are against a REAL opponent, General...


<<<<<< >>>>>>

[TheDutchman]

Oh this collaboration looks to be even BETTER than I'd imagined!  AWESOME to see Cha in this, especially after his arc in the "Friends Interludes."  How...subtle.  The Mak'Tor have a need, one that just so happens to be under Cha's purview... "Keep your enemies close" indeed... And I absolutely love the Mak'Tor and Aethan naming conventions; such a rich detail that just emphasizes the incredible narrative that you two have put together.  Seriously guys: this is SUCH a treat!

And seeing the Dark Trooper in this story is PERFECT, not only in context but also by design!  There are just SO many possibilities for them 

Only complaint: I want to read the next chapter NOW 

[Karmack]

Chapter 3 - Trial by Combat
 -part one

Karmack walked respectfully one step behind and off the right shoulder of Kage Lo as they approached the Men-At-Arms proving grounds.   The tests today were to be centered around close-quarters combat, and would be conducted on a closed course with force-shield protected balconies where observers could see what happened.  The course itself was designed to mimic urban terrain.  The Knights who trained here called it "The Devil's Playground", and the simulated village was simply named "Hades" by Knights and Men-At-Arms alike.  "Planet Hell" was another popular nickname among the Militia and everything from individual combat training to company-sized combat maneuvers were conducted here.

As they approached the entrance the two Knights were met by General Cliff and his aide.  "Minister, Master Mack.  Welcome to our demonstration today."  Cliff fell in on Kage Lo's left, his aid adopting a similar position with Cliff, and the four fell into a tight wedge formation as they entered the massive doors of the grounds and faced the village.  "I trust you're ready for a show, gentlemen.  We'll be pushing these DT-IVs to the limit, and probably beyond I think."  He stopped and turned to Silman.  "I thought we might begin with your Knight.  No sense in wasting Master Karmack's time by making him wait through preliminary rounds, as it were."

Or letting us gather intel from watching it perform before we face it. Silman filled in.  Still, hitting it cold would be the best possible test of both droid and Knight.  "Understood, General, but Master Karmack won't be facing the droid: I will."

Cliff's eyebrows rose in surprise.  "Minister?"

Silman grinned.  "No fear, General.  I won't let the droid kill me.  Besides, after watching him train in the last few months I suspect that Master Karmack has greatly outstripped my own humble skills.  I will be a far more equitable test for your droid, I assure you."

Cliff's eyes narrowed but after a moment he nodded.  "As you say, sir.  Colonel Ta'Re will escort you to the OpFor staging area.  Master Karmack, if you will accompany me?" Cliff stepped back, indicating a side corridor that Karmack knew would lead them to the overhead viewing areas.

"One moment, General." Karmack replied.  He stepped close to Silman and lowered his voice.  "My Kage, this is not necessary.  Let me fight the droid.  For the Kage to risk public failure and disgrace..."

Silman clapped his hand on Karmack's shoulder.  "No fear, Master Karmack.  I may not be quite at your level, but I think I can handle one droid." The Kage turned to Colonel Ta'Re and nodded.  "After you, Colonel."

Karmack watched his Kage follow the slim Militia Colonel into the warren of passages and sighed.  "I have a bad feeling about this..."

****

The walk through the support areas and into the control center's "Maker" room took longer than Karmack had anticipated.  The proving ground arena was simply huge and the surrounding support structure was filled with its own maze of corridors.  Cliff filled the time with small talk, inquiring about Karmack's family and congratulating him on the engagement of his son.  For his part Karmack managed to reciprocate with his own questions, learning about the status of Cliff's two sons (one was in the Academy, the other now a flight leader with VF-01) and his daughter's recent honorarium from the Temple Choral Society for her original vocal composition.

After a quick tour of the control center, the "Maker" room with its myriad of recording stations and control systems from which the evaluators could both control the fight's environment as well as record the entire engagement for later detailed analysis, the General led Karmack out to the actual balcony overlook. “Master Mack,” Cliff redirected the conversation as they approached two figures, a man and woman, gazing over the balcony to the arena below, “Might I introduce the representative of Aertemis Industries, Mister…” The man, dressed in a red and black business jacket turned around.

“Cha…” Karm finished his hand instantly dropping to his saber in time with the surge in his heart rate.

Cha gave him an easy smile as Cliffs eyes darted between the two of them.  No one could have failed to notice the subtle shift in Karmack’s stance, the tensing for battle; Cliff suppressed a smirk and decided to throw a little promethium on the fire.  “You know each other...”

“Not formally general,” Cha replied with a smile.  Seemingly indifferent to Karmack’s posture he extended a hand.  “Nimmin Cha at your service Master Mack.”

“Well then, I’ll leave you to … get acquainted,” Cliff finished feeling very suddenly like a third anti-grav plate.  Huh. Let the rogue knight stew...
Mute with shock and desperately trying to regain his center, Karmack forced his shoulders to relax, shifted his stance, and released his saber hilt to take Cha's hand.

****

Silman finished his limbering exercise and handed his outer robe to one of the Men-At-Arms manning the strong-point.  This was the "safe zone".  If he became overwhelmed or feared for his life he could retreat to this point and stop the exercise.  The Droid would not attack this spot or anyone within its walls.  Doing so could save his life if he were in trouble - but it would also be an admission of defeat.

Silman did not intend to be defeated.  "Thank you, trooper."

"You're welcome, Kage." The young man replied.  Then impulsively "Give 'em hell, sir."  Silman turned back to the trooper, whose cheeks suddenly flamed red.  "Um, er, what I meant sir was..."

Silman smiled brilliantly.  "I hope, trooper that you meant what you said." He ignited his saber blades with a twin snap-hiss of ignition.  "Because hell is exactly what I intend to visit upon this droid.  After all, are we not in Hades?"

Eyes alight with his battle song Silman Lo, Kage of the Mak'Tor, slipped out of the bunker and into the maze of passages, his blue blades matching the blue fire of his eyes.

****

Karmack took Cha's hand and shook it with controlled, mechanical precision while he used the time to study the man.  The face was unmistakably that of the man who had Arnor beaten and abused…yet…it wasn’t him.  This face was younger, leaner, a confident and relaxed charm to the eyes.  “I am ... pleased ... to meet you Mister Cha,”

Cha's grin only broadened slightly at the hesitation. “And I you Master Mack,”

Karmack broke eye contact, turning back toward the arena. Whoever he was there could be no doubt he was at least related to Namman Cha, a brother, possibly a twin based on the name and easy smile and the remarkably similar looks.

Cha matched his stance, standing easily next to him.  “Not too disappointed your Kage pipped you for the glory I hope?”

Karmack shook his head slightly as a subtle black slick appeared at the edge of his awareness, Cha’s presence resolving itself more fully. Karmack kept his probes in the force soft and subtle, probing the dark edges carefully.  He also started actively exploring his presence in the song.  His melody was faint, as if muted, and ... unusual.  Overly smooth, more like a commercial jingle than a true song.  “Not at all.  In fact I’m looking forward to seeing what your droid has to offer.”  And how long it burns...

Cha chuckled as if reading Karmack's thoughts. “And I am fascinated to see what the fabled Mak’Tor knights have to meet them with.” he replied as the warning horns blared and the exercise commenced.

****

[Karmack]

Chapter 3 - Trial by Combat
 -part two

Silman stalked through the streets, his senses extended.  Where are you?  Come out come out wherever you are... He kept low and tight against the wall, confident that he would have plenty of warning from the massive droid's presence before it pressed home its attack...

He barely had time to duck and roll as the wall behind him exploded outward.  Silman rolled up onto his knee and slammed out with a massive force push intended to crumple the thing in one move – the blast hit dead on driving the huge droid back and knocking it down and into a small building, which collapsed on it.  All too easy... Silman grinned.  Droids indeed! What was Cliff thin...

Blue bolts slammed into his guard before he could finish his thought. The stout blade managed to turn the attacks but each hit nearly jarred the weapon out of his hands despite his force-augmented grip. The blasts doubled down as the droid charged toward him, a grey blur with impossible speed, the rubble it had kicked out of not even settled before half the distance was closed.

His hands were already starting to blister from his tightened grip as the droid's fire stopped and its fists flew.  It was only now he appreciated the size of the thing, and he was learning quickly to fear it.  Silman dodged and weaved, barely able to avoid those massive fists as the droid used its height to hammer swift blows down on him.  This was not going to be the quick fight he’d anticipated; in the back of his mind Silman began to worry.  He was moving fast just to avoid its blows, faster than he could sustain long term – barely a minute into the fight and he felt the first evidences of force fatigue in his limbs and core. "A droid did not fatigue" ... the axiom came to him from nowhere ... the same nowhere a blinding lance laser stabbed out from aimed at his shoulder –pivoting out of the way he gathered a massive slug of force energy and hurled it with an inelegant cry at the droid, catching it square in the chest.

Even as the DT-IV droid folded at the waist, looking almost cartoonish as the energy slammed it across the training grounds and into another building, Silman knew something was wrong. Oh he hit it ... but he should’ve hit the droid harder than that.  He had only bought a gap, a moment to take a quick breath and gather himself while the droid shrugging off a strike that would have pulverized a Durasteel door. The eddies of the force about it were dulled and as flaky as the grey rock-crete rubble from which it rose. His force blasts met their mark but they didn’t hit at 100%, as if the droid had some kind of internal force shielding...

Silman, no longer grinning but filled with grim determination, charged after it, his battle song wrapped around him like a cloak and his throat issuing an ear-splitting battle cry matched only by the dull thvump of the cannon fired in response.

****

Karm hummed a calming tune and settled himself, trying desperately not to allow his feeling for the happily deceased Namman Cha to carry over to Nimmin. At the same time he struggled to reconcile the size of the battle droid with the speed with which it moved…and the difficulty the Kage was having trying to outpace it…

Unbidden the dripping black ... sickness ... beside him interrupted his thoughts. The son shall not be punished for the sins of the father, he reminded himself, nor the brother for the sins of his brother…

“Have we met before Master Mack? You seem familiar...” Cha said casually as Silman re-engaged the droid, flowing through a series of attacks that looked as smooth as glass but which Karmack knew were on the ragged edge of the Kage's abilities and were taxing him to the very limits of his endurance and skill.

“I don’t believe so,” he replied, keeping his eyes on the fight and his senses probing as subtly as possible. Questions rolled through his mind. What did Cha know about his brother's death?  What was his connection to Mendax?  Was there a connection at all – and if so what was he really here for?

“Hmm…” Cha made a drama of recollection “Perhaps when I was with the Inquisition some six or more years ago?”

Karm couldn’t stop his eyes from widening and his body tensing at the admission ... yet as vile as the blackness around Cha was there was no sense of threat or malice in him.  Karmack clung to the calming motif and pulled himself back toward center again.  He managed to keep his tone light and conversational.  “You were with the Inquisition?”

Cha nodded “I was. Like many people in those years I found employ with the Government of the day.  I quickly came to regret it and left at the first opportunity,”

His honesty couldn’t be faulted ... yet why mention it at all except to unsettle?  “Our Order kept out of politics in those days Mister Cha.”

“A wise course.  I never heard of the Mak’Tor until researching M’Tzigon.  You weathered the storm of Palpatine's reign well it seems, though not without cost I imagine...”

****

Silman rolled through a series of flowing attacks.  Be like water... he whispered to himself in his mind.  Water flowed.  Took the path of least resistance.  Deflected.  Eroded bit-by-bit...

The force fatigue was building, a ball of burning bile in his stomach, no more than a nuisance for now but growing, always growing...  Silman knew that his only hope was to pick the droid apart at close range, but if he was close enough to reach it, then it was close enough to reach him...

Well, he'd just have to deal with it.

Not desiring to be slammed into another building the Droid had taken to the skies on thin blue proton jump jets, pouring fire from its cannon.  Silman scampered through building after building as they blew apart behind him, picking up cuts and scrapes from flying debris along the way.  The roofs offered no protection from the overpowered cannon; he darted across an alley twisting to pinpoint and fire another force blast into it.  The droid tried to swerve but was struck in the shoulder.

In its rage a bloom of yellow erupted on its back, brief hope he had damaged it was soon lost with the two story building before him that crumpled in, then blasted out with orange fire.  It was trying to predict his movements and had overestimated his speed ... a few seconds more and he would have leaped to that building...

Time for Plan B...  A quick about face followed by more telekinetic blasts as he sped to another two story building behind, blue bolts churning the ferro-crete behind his ankles.  Racing up the stairs as the wall blew to pieces in his wake he pushed out his hand to blast the wall at the top out then leapt off the second story.

The air against his face spread away the sweat as he used the force to push himself around and keep himself lifted.  The droids infrared sensors had him and it was already beginning to turn, but not in time.  His forward blade bit deep into the droid’s jet pack but didn’t fully cut through, slowing in a chunk of phirk, stopping his fall and pulling them both down.


****

Karm winced as the Kage and the droid crashed together into the ground.  Karmack could feel how much force energy Silman expended to stay on top and avoid getting crushed by that monster droid. Surely that will kill it...

But no.  The droid, still moving with impossible speed, kicked up and threw the Kage off.  Silman landed in a controlled roll and darted back into cover, avoiding the hail of heavy blaster fire that followed him.  Well ... at least he disabled it's jet pack...

“Quite an impressive machine,” Karm noted, barely able to keep his voice impassive, seriously wondering if he should intervene.

“Thank You Master Mack, though credit must go to the designers first and foremost! Taking a block of phirk and ... perfecting it like this ... is no easy task!  'The clay of creation forged into new life' as it were.”

Karmack rolled his eyes in annoyance as Cha paraphrased from the Way.  If Cha had researched the Mak’Tor as he said he would know that it was in poor taste to twist quotes from the Book of the Way like that.  Which meant he'd no doubt done it on purpose.

Another gaff.

“Did you obtain the designs during your time with the Inquisition?” Karm probed.

“A little after. All part of forging a new life. They were dark times Master Mack, but now a new day has dawned. A chance to begin afresh; old pains healed,” Cha turned from the fight to offer a satisfied smile  “...all sins forgiven and forgotten.”

Forgiven and forgotten ... Was that a reference to Namman?  The verbal sparring was pointless and only adding to the stress of watching the Kage’s struggle.  Dancing around the point wasn't going to help ... maybe it was time to move inside?  “Actually Mister Cha I do recall you ... or rather a man who bore a striking resemblance to you, albeit somewhat older and involved with the Empire.”

“My brother no doubt, Namman, the less handsome wouldn’t you agree?”

Karmack met Cha's eyes briefly, noting that the humor of the remark didn't extend to his gaze. Karm returned his gaze to the fight. So this is Namman's brother.  Does he know I killed Namman? Is he here for revenge?  Based on the way the droid was pressing Silman he certainly had the tools to enact it!  He needed more information, more time ... and he had neither.  “Perhaps.  It was some time ago,” Karm replied as nonchalantly as possible.

Cha's voice was still smooth as glass, and there was a playfulness now, an almost teasing tone.  “Yes.  I haven’t seen him in some years.  I hope he’s come to his senses and left that rotting ruin of an Empire behind him.”

What if he really doesn't know?  Should I tell him, clear the air...   Karmack stirred uncomfortably, caught in the irons of indecision.  Cha's statement suggested he didn't know Namman was dead ... but this was hardly the time and place to tell him, let alone confess to being his killer!  And that tone ... it was almost as if Nimmin was playing with him...  The uncomfortable itch between his shoulder blades grew with the silence.  Only with supreme effort did he manage not to flinch when Cha finally broke the it.

“Ah Master Mack…” he said, his voice still light and inexplicably playful, ”No one wants to be the Last Inquisitor to die for Palpatine…Nor the first for their own ambition.”

****