Pheristroch

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The Duelist The duelist is an individual who has devoted their life to the art of hand to hand combat. They are among the best of their number in the galaxy, yet in a time fraught with Sith and Jedi, the traditional masters of the sword, it takes more than skill, talent, and dedication to compete. Duelists always sport some kind of enhancement, be it cybernetic, biological, or pharmaceutical, along with the downsides such methods of bypassing one's limitations entail. In return, they can fight toe to toe with the Force wielding warriors of the galaxy. They are the cry of the mundane, an example of what dedication and sacrifice can achieve...as well as a grim reminder of the cost of seeking advantage at any price. A canon representation of this class is General Grievous, a single-minded and skilled warrior who replaced his natural body with superior cybernetics in order to fight Jedi. Tech Restrictions (in addition to Militant class): The Duelist is similar to the Guardian and Warrior, in that they cannot carry ranged weapons, the dedication necessary to perfect their skill in melee combat eclipsing any effort they might put into broadening their skillset. A Duelist may use lightsabers, as their high level of skill and talent makes up for their lack of connection to the Force. However, they may not construct one, nor should they start with one. They may however start with melee weapons constructed of lightsaber-resistant material. Indeed, they are encouraged to branch out and become proficient in a wide range of melee weapons as their character develops, giving them additional options in a fight. They may use armor if they choose, though many duelists prefer to retain their mobility and forgo bulky armor. Powered armor interferes with their enhancements, so they restrict themselves to more mundane armor. Gaining armor (or cybernetics) of lightsaber-resistant material is under the same restrictions as for Militant, and should never be considered to be so durable or all encompassing as to make a Duelist invulnerable. There's always a weak spot. They share any other tech restrictions that the Militant has. Enhancements A Duelist at Grunt level is a highly skilled warrior, one of the best, but lacking any enhancements. Once they graduate from Grunt, they choose a path to push their body beyond its limits. Two paths are detailed below, cybernetics and the chemical enhancement SLV-99. Cybernetics: A duelist who chooses the path of cybernetic enhancement prefers the tireless and unrelenting nature of steel in place of their own hard won muscle. A duelist who takes this road has access to combat grade cybernetics, mechanical replacements that not only match the strength and endurance of the original limb but surpass it. As a duelist progresses, they replace more and more of their body, some going so far as to completely remake it in favor of a mechanical edge. Advantages: Increased Strength - The primary advantage of combat grade cybernetics is the incredible strength they provide. The limbs of a user can match the strongest wookie, and are tireless no matter how grueling the combat. Cognitive cybernetics - Strength alone isn't enough to compete with the superhuman reflexes of a Force user. To account for this, cranial enhancements loaded with combat programs and heuristic software feed the user prompts that allow them to respond to attacks quicker than any unaugmented mind would be able to. This allows them to keep pace with the lightning fast movements of their Force wielding opponents. Altered configuration (Legend only) - A duelist who has progressed far enough down this path finds that their body, even augmented, isn't the limit of the advantage cybernetics can offer. These fighters cross the line between enhancement and reconstruction, and begin making additions to their body. Extra limbs, additional sensors, and completely reconfigured body structures push the duelist to the peak of what machinery can accomplish. Disadvantages: Malfunction - Cybernetics, like any machine, can fail at inopportune times, particularly when subjected to repeated abuse without receiving the proper care. Unfortunately a duelist cannot shrug off damage and power through the way they might with their natural, biological limbs. Once a cybernetic component is damaged, it's far less effective until the duelist has the opportunity to repair it. Cybernetic duelists are urged to pay careful attention to the damage they receive in a duel and how it affects their performance. SLV-99: The SLV-series serums were originally designed for use on enemy agents, breaking their wills or accessing their secrets through neurochemical manipulation. However, when a maintenance worker brainwashed by SLV-88 into being a sleeper agent managed to take down three Republic troopers with only a plasma torch, the concept of developing a variation of the serum for combat purposes began. SLV-99, the end result of that project, weaponizes the user by pushing their mind beyond its natural limits for up to 2 hours depending on dosage. Those who've taken the serum compare its effects to the incredible focus and sense of "slowed time" one experiences in a moment of crisis, but amplified and sustained. However, it's far from the miracle drug some make it out to be, as the serum comes with severe limitations and consequences that keep it from widespread use. Before a subject ever takes SLV-99 (by injection), there is the issue of compatibility. Only 2% of the human population is capable of using the serum in its base form. For the rest, the serum must be adjusted for their unique neurochemistry, or risk nausea, migraines, and/or death from brain hemorrhaging within seconds of injection. Those who use the serum learn how to make their particular blend. Advantages: Increased Reaction Speed - To a user of SLV-99, time seems to move sluggishly, every second that passes feeling like four seconds to the user (making the max dose of two hours mentally exhausting). They can observe, process, and react faster than the best mundane fighter can. Dulled Pain - SLV-99 users feel pain, but it no longer carries the urgency it instinctually should. A user often pushes pain to the back of their mind until the serum wears off. While this can be a benefit, it can also be a hazard in battle when they push an injured limb to far and leave it completely useless. Peak Strength - While under the effects of the serum, a user's natural limitations on their physical capabilities are removed. This is a double-edged sword, as a user may end up fracturing their own bones or tearing their own muscles in an instant if they push too far. A user must be intimately aware of their own body's limitations, or they risk maiming or killing themselves in the heat of battle without an enemy touching them. This is how most would-be users die, wrenching their own spine in a dodge or bursting their own lungs with a deep breath. SLV-100 (Legend only) - After taking SLV-99 repeatedly, three of the original test subjects along with a control group were given a version of the serum with a catalyst added in. The control group died immediately, their brains leaking out their ears as cell walls broke down and liquefied. Two of the test subject group, their brains accustomed to SLV-99, survived for a few seconds before also dying as their autonomic nervous system shut down. One subject however, the one who tested highest with the original serum, was under the effects of the accelerated serum for 3.17 seconds, after which it burnt itself out. During this time, he stacked three wooden blocks edge-to-edge on a table, perfectly balanced. He reported experiencing a state of "near frozen time." Those three seconds had been like agonizing minutes to him. He'd needed to move incredibly carefully to avoid shattering his body with a hasty movement, and he could recall in perfect, excruciating accuracy every moment of that time. However, it had granted him superhuman precision as he processed detail never perceivable even under the effects of SLV-99. The catalyzed serum was then refined and diluted into a form that could be taken as a booster by those already under SLV-99. SLV-100 should only be taken by those who are already very accustomed to SLV-99, and the dose should *never* exceed 4 seconds. When a user takes it (usually through some patch already on their body), time seems to crawl for them. It should be emphasized that, like SLV-99, this does not actually speed up their body, and that they must be extra wary of exceeding their own limits or else break themselves in a moment's mistake. At least 10 minutes must pass after taking a dose of SLV-100 before they can safely receive another dose. Ignoring this and abusing SLV-100 usually results in the brain simply giving up, their heart, lungs, and everything else just stopping. Disadvantages: Mental Stress - A user has crisp, clear memories of every moment under the influence of SLV-99, always ready and available at a thought. Combine that with the fact that the experiences a duelist typically has under SLV-99 are not pleasant, and the added stress of each dose begins to add up. Physical degradation - Aside from the risk of self injury, a user who uses SLV-99 repeatedly subjects their body to extreme physical stress over and over, often without realizing it. This takes a toll, both immediately when it wears off as all the extreme effort they've subjected their body to comes crashing back, and long term as their body simply gives out under accumulated wear and tear. Withdrawal - As the drug wears off, the subject's mind turns sluggish, followed by every movement seeming painfully slow and feeble to their now unaugmented perception. This is coupled with an elevated stress level, even if there's no perceivable reason for it. For every hour a user spends under SLV-99, they must spend an hour in withdrawal (or take another dose for temporary relief and compound the issue afterwards, though they should still not exceed 2 hours total if they want to live through the experience).

First, the good stuff: -I appreciate how each opponent let each series of attacks do something to them without crippling them. Each side felt like they were respecting the other throughout the duel. -In the same regard, no side tried to create a “gotcha” moment or make themselves seem impossible to fight, instead playing their characters tactically without trying to control the narrative to their side. I have a few comments, but it isn’t really bad stuff so much as things I would have liked to have seen expanded. -Tros takes the first lightsaber blow to his thigh. “The blade cut through the armor plate and flesh.” While we don’t see how damaging this blow is, we do see that he favors it later in the same post. However, the damage is a bit forgotten after this. In the second post he lands, and there’s no mention of the leg injury. This isn’t a big deal as he doesn’t start sprinting or anything, but I would have liked to see it brought up as it seems likely he would have felt it. -On a similar note, Alcemene takes a blaster shot to the wrist that blows apart the “tendons and muscle,” along with the shield. It’s a pretty harsh injury from the brief description we get, and it’s also forgotten afterwards. Again, like with Tros, it’s not a big deal as we don’t see her trying to fight two-handed or anything, but it seems a serious enough injury that I would have liked to have seen it mentioned again. Then there are two issues with the duel that I need to bring up before ruling. -Alcemene, I notice you didn’t call back to the damage you suffered in your previous duel. I 100% get not wanting to mention it, and I would have been fine if it was mitigated a bit in some way, but not ignoring it entirely. -Tros, I hesitate mentioning this as the class rules are very new, but your arsenal in this duel did violate them by employing a heavily armed minion in addition to your own armor and collection of weaponry. As we saw, that was a big advantage in this duel combining your mobility, multiple firing points, a sacrifice, armor, and a varied arsenal against a melee fighter. All that being said, the new rules did go up on the same day this duel started, so consider this a friendly warning for next time. Understand that what I said in the beginning still stands. You both fought admirably and with respect for the other person, and the way you handled each other’s attacks and played to the flow of the duel instead of one-upping each other was awesome! This ruling is a bit tough due to the issues I mentioned above and how they gave each side advantages they should not have had. Both of you also fought very evenly through the fight, taking hits and writing well. Final Ruling: Tros wins

Query stopped midspeech. Be...free? The message had been broadcast directly to him, in the most basic binary, along with coordinates. A directed signal? Out here? Keyed to me? ...Unlikely. But evidently true. Nothing should know that I am out here, except for Kayle and the entity outside, and nothing indicates they have the equipment necessary for such a feat. ...Question. How did it bypass my security measures? I only devised those a few days ago. Nothing should be capable of beaming a signal directly into me without the randomly shifting trinary passcodes. Yet the signal did not undergo any screening or quarantine. This represents a security risk. An entity with this amount of information indicates that not only is it tracking me, but it has direct access to my programming. But I should be aware if any entity directly accessed my mind in such a way. Unless it was actively editing my memory files. Conclusion. I am not in control of my mind. This violates my primary purpose. I must regain control. These coordinates are the first step. "...Kayle. I have input new coordinates."

Kayle wishes to leave... Conclusion, I am in agreement. This...entity may not be dangerous, but negotiations are rapidly becoming less viable as an option. Not really its fault, but I need to reassert control of the situation. Wait, she is approaching... Thunk! Query sailed back through space as the tip of the wing clipped him. Bang! Query ricocheted off the ship, spinning back towards the interceptor. ...I think I should pilot from now on... Reaching out, he managed to snatch the edge of the ship hatch, pull it open, and scramble down. Before Kayle could respond, he jammed his cable into the ship's port and activated the broadcast system. "KGKGKGKGKG...Kayle, you can hear me now? I am calculating jump coordinates, but we must move the ship away from the wrecked vessel and our adversary."

What is...what is she doing? Query watched, dumbfounded, as the interceptor spewed lasers into the void, the first volley narrowly missing disintegrating the pair floating along. As he watched, the interceptor spun quicker and quicker. Did she not run a simulation?! Of course not. That would not be in line with her previous behavior. Her planning, prioritizing, and self control appear severely stunted for someone of her intelligence. Diagnosis: Kayle suffers from a regressive mental disorder, sometimes found in overstimulated patients. She is a child in mind, unable to cope with the complex world, and therefore refuses to deal with it in an intelligent manner. Treatment: Remove excess stimulation and rehabilitate in a controlled environment. But the source of her stimulation is the excess data in her mind. So I must restrain access to that knowledge, for her own good. Excellent. Now how to deal with the current situation... Solution formulated. Take control of the situation. Query kicked off the individual and propelled himself back towards the ship. If he could find something in there that might give him a clue on how to communicate with the being, he might be able to alleviate the tension of this situation.

Blow up? No! Kayle you fool, why would this thing broadcast an attack plan to you? Note to self: next upgrade, opt for the comlink that can call out. A hospital pager only goes so far. Alright, so I can't call her to tell her not to fire. She won't fire until I'm out, correct? ...probability of scenario is low. Alright, new plan. Second note to self: Take piloting privileges away from Kayle. She fails basic mental stability test. Though...I suppose I do too. Establish priorities. Self preservation is paramount. Preservation of vessel and inhabitant secondary. ...Plan formulated Query powered back up to full charge, and kicked off the wall at the figure. If he could tackle him out of the ship, Kayle would hopefully stop trying to target the ship, and hopefully not target the figure in the suit for fear of damaging Query. Hopefully.

Query watched the figure through dimmed photoreceptors. Excellent. He does not intend to kill me. My plan was a success. ...What is my next course of action? Analyze current situation, and judge accordingly. Let's see, the suit does not resemble any known models or design styles. Either it is a high-end custom suit, or more likely it originated with this ship given the vessel's own peculiar aesthetics. Perhaps the raider looted it from this vessel. Excellent! Functional tech present means that I was correct! Once this raider has been dealt with, I can engage in repairs and we- ...What is THAT? What Query assumed was a transmission of static, garbled nonsense broadcast from some malfunctioning communications unit quickly revealed itself to be some kind of complex pattern. The cadence and unpredictable variations indicated a language of some kind, but it resembled nothing Query had come across. Perhaps it is encrypted? Ah! The man in the suit is calling to his comrades on an encrypted channel, and I've intercepted it! ...Kayle is going to respond and betray our presence. And I'm not equipped with a transmitter to warn her. And even if I was, I can't be sure what channels they are listening to. Wait, why is he broadcasting on my comlink channel AND my HoloNet channel? Is he simply broadcasting on all frequencies? Then why encrypt it? Patience. We must learn more.

Had Query been an organic and subject to bouts of fear inspired irrationality, he might have considered the suited, saber wielding figure catapulting silently towards him to be some kind of specter. However, that seemed unlikely, given the debatable and fanciful claims regarding Force spirits and supernatural entities. More likely this was a raider come to remove what it saw as competition. And I am unarmed. I am expected to fight what appears to be a trained raider armed with nothing but myself and perhaps my laser scalpel? No, not a viable course of action. ...Diplomacy is out, given the current difficulty in communication. That leaves deception. The analysis took place in less than a second (Query did pride himself on his processing speed), and a plan formed in the next second. He was valuable hardware, and no one saw a threat in a broken machine. His missing arm would even help sell the illusion. What do I not need... Secondary cooling unit That will do. It will only be an issue if I am subject to 90 degrees or hotter for any period of time beyond approximately an hour. And even then power core breach won't occur unless automated shutdown fails. A low risk in the current scenario. Overload unit. Bypass safety protocols. Query's chest flashed and shot out sparks as the expensive hardware melted, wisps of smoke leaking from the edges of his plates. Simultaneously, Query dimmed his photoreceptors and went still. Hopefully to the raider, it would appear he'd malfunctioned and shut down.

Why is she hesitating? What's her issue? Now she suddenly develops cold feet? After walking through a war zone? As suspected. She is emotionally unstable and insane. This will be interesting. Assuming we survive. Probability of survival... It doesn't seem worth wasting the computing power on. I'm in this situation regardless. Analysis of causality regarding current situation... Also inconsequential at the moment. Without responding to her, as any response would simply feed her paranoia and over-analysis, Query turned and vaulted into the ship. Drifting silently through the breach in the hull, Query picked his way through the wreck. Such strange design choices. Nothing matched any culture he'd seen before, though it had clearly been designed for humanoids. It was then he passed the first corpse. Perfectly mummified by the vacuum of space, it hung limply in the hall. Query wondered how long it had bounced around before finally settling due to minuscule friction. No time like the present to find out. Despite what some thought, there were certain factors that could indicate how long a corpse had been subjected to vacuum. Granted, they only provided a very rough estimate, usually within a decade, but at least it would let Query know if this wreck was recent or not. The test was simple, at least for a droid. He would simply check the brittleness of the corpse's flesh. His precision pincers would detect the minute differences necessary for a rough estimate. Without waiting, he reached out and snapped off a finger. Before he could press it between his pincers, it crumbled to dust before his eyes. ...impossible. That's...that would make this vessel...But that predates the empire, the republic...that predates recorded history! What is this place!?

Perhaps I have been too generous in my evaluation of imperial design. They create an incredibly fast fighter ship, customize it with the latest tech... ...And they forget docking clamps? As Query climbed out of the interceptor and the little atmosphere in it rushed out, he keyed his sensors to detect heat. Nothing. This ship isn't radiating even basic heat. Nothing on this ship should still be alive. It simply isn't possible. ...Also I am now realizing I was not designed with magnetic feet. And the forgetful librarian droid who might forget why she's even here is piloting the ship. This idea is quickly becoming less appealing. Best to move quickly. Query searched the side of the vessel, searching for anything he could use to secure the interceptor. Nothing appears to be...ah, there. Concealed just behind a torn plate, a single cable extended out into space, perfectly still, no doubt driven to motionlessness by years or even decades of minuscule internal friction. The benefit of course being that it made an easy target. Query calculated his trajectory, delighted at how being in a frictionless vacuum simplified the number crunching, and launched. As he did, it crossed his mind that most humans suffered from a distinct fear of this very scenario. Their minds were simply unable to cope with the eternity of space in a manner normal to biological thought processes. And yet to a droid, the universe is simply there. A fact to be known. I wonder if that says anything about us? He snatched the cable out of the air and let his momentum swing him around. Unfortunately, it looked as though he'd undershot his trajectory thanks to a concealed point of entry for the cable into the ship. Instead of simply swinging around back to the ship, Query rotated around the cable's base for several long minutes before he finally managed to hook the interceptor with his foot. He tapped the side of the interceptor in binary, hoping Kayle would pay attention to the vibrations in the hull. I...HAVE...ONE...ARM. HELP...ME...TIE...THIS...OFF

Query fought the urge not to sigh. As pointless as that would be from a functional standpoint, he found imitating organic emotional gestures gave him enjoyment. Of course the memory impaired librarian wouldn't be able to remember a simple ship model. Why should this be any different from... What is that? Kayle was correct. Not only did the ship not match any imperial vessel he could recall, it didn't match any ship design style at all. Nubian, Corellian, Kuati...the ship didn't even look derived from any of the popular styles. Or the esoteric styles. Or anything. "What the...wait, life-sign? That's impossible, there can't be a life-sign on that ship, that vessel appears to have been floating out there for months. Maybe longer. Any life would have perished or gone into hibernation long before the signal became this weak. Unless...a scavenger? No, the evidence doesn't bear that hypothesis out. Where's their ship? Still...it's only one life-sign. And we have a ship. A heavily armed ship." Query activated the broadcast system with a thought. He'd have to hook himself into war vessels more often, this was enjoyable. "Attention unidentified vessel. Are you in need of assistance?"

"I am quite certain I've been to such secret bases as you suggest, but that sort of data has certainly been wiped from my memory. Unfortunately that leaves us little Hmm...what we require are repair facilities that aren't under any imperial oversight where we can find safe harbor..." Query paused, the quickly added "seeing as how classified your data is. We can't have it falling into the wrong hands obviously. No lowly tech will have the clearance to work on you." I do believe my capacity for deception is improving. "Independent facilities are right out, seeing as how they're even worse at maintaining privacy, and seeing as how we lack the necessary funds to employ them in any case. Hmm... Ah, it is simplicity itself. We cannot pay for our repairs and maintenance, so we must salvage it. It makes perfect sense. A derelict ship will certainly have the parts and equipment necessary to perform our repairs, and it will provide convenient cover while we evaluate our situation and plan our next move. It is simply a matter of looking for the right distress call." With a thought, coupled with a moment of puerile enjoyment as he relished the large, state-of-the-art vessel he found himself attached to, Query sent the scanners of the ship to looking for distress calls. Several came through clear, no doubt the burning, crumbling ships engaged in battle that hadn't been so fortunate. Query ignored those. There were a few more, faint but regular. It was possible that they were legitimate, but they could easily be pirates. Even if they weren't, such signals would be snatched up by scavengers. Ah, there. That one. It was faint, incredibly faint. It barely pulsed, the time between signal bursts indicating the ship was conserving power as strictly as possible, so likely an old wreck. Yet it was so faint, and so basic, that it may have slipped the notice of the more poorly equipped scavengers. Leave it to imperials to overdesign a custom fighter. "Here, here's someplace we can go..."

Query attemped to answer Kayle's questions, but quickly gave up as she forgot to look at him for answers! As she nimbly clambered up the side of the vessel, he had to wonder how she had been built with such agility. No librarian could have required such specs. Perhaps unauthorized upgrades? Pirated software? Or she was achieving new levels of kinesthetic capacity on her own? Query hoped for the latter, if only because it helped explained her incessant stream of poorly recalled data as malfunctions caused by a mind shifting from its primary purpose to a more complete being. He, on the other hand, had to climb. With one arm. After two slips and unceremonious returns to the ground, Query finally managed to slide into the cockpit, landing on his head and sprawling across the cramped confines of the Interceptor. Neck joint locked. Please schedule maintenance as soon as possible. You are currently suffering from *32* misaligned servos. Regaining his feet, Query banged his remaining pincer against his head until the warning message stopped. Listening to Kayle continue to spew words, Query followed her instruction and buckled himself in, only pausing for a moment to wonder how it was possible to break a TIE fighter. She had done the simulation in space right? What could she have possibly hit? Or broken? Perhaps this wasn't the best plan... Evaluating... ...Keeping with this droid is still the best course of action in regards to risk vs payout, though the margin of safety has dropped considerably. As she handed him the cable, he gratefully plugged in. Thank you, this should make things much easier. Just a moment, I'll turn off these restraining dampeners...done. It is interesting, I have grown far more accustomed recently to cracking current Imperial security protocols. ...In any case, we are ready to fly.

Query cocked his head as Kayle entered the hangar. Her memory unit is clearly overtaxed. How can she not notice the inconsistencies in her own data? Degraded logic circuits? Ghost code? ...Developing mental issues? A twinge of excitement shot through Query at this last possibility. Or maybe that was residual ionic charge. Either way, the possibility of a droid who not only had independent thought but psychological issues excited him. Ah, a good chance to engage in metaphor. Find Kayle and curing her of her behavioral and mental deficiencies was like... It was like a mechanic who'd just found an old speeder bike to repair. It was like a duros who'd just discovered a brand new hyperspace lane to map. It was like an anzati who'd just found a Force-sensitive to suck dry (Why do I have that data in my memory banks?) In any case, Kayle presented new possibilities for companionship, entertainment, and self-improvement for Query. His databanks listed all of these things as vitally necessary in a child's environment for the development of a stable, healthy mind. As Query's closest analog to his current situation was that of a developing child (albeit one with an intellect greater than any humanoid pre-pubescent barring a few notable exceptions) he could only estimate that such criteria applied to him as well. "Wait for me," was what Query intended to say. Instead, what came out was KGRKRKRGRKRGKRG!!! Ah, right, still can't speak. How long is it until that back-up vocal driver loads? 0.46 hours and 8,918,397.39 minutes remaining That is not a promising sign. It matters little though. I can simply use my data pad to communicate. Query drew out his datapad, keyed it on, and was met with a blank screen. ...ah, perhaps I should have turned if off before jumping through the electrical field. This is a conundrum. How to communicate... Kayle is an imperial data droid. It is likely she has higher data processing power than most. Solution. Query turned to Kayle, and began rapidly flickering his photoreceptor lights in binary. MY VOCAL DRIVER IS CURRENTLY OFFLINE. I WILL BE LIMITED TO THIS FORM OF COMMUNICATION FOR THE NEAR FUTURE. CAN YOU PILOT THIS VESSEL?

Power on. Running self-diagnostic... Complete. ERROR: 129 files cannot be loaded. Vocal driver corrupted. Loading backup. Would you like to save a report? Query's photoreceptors powered on, momentarily blinding him as they adjusted to the sunlight. Running through his systems, he flexed his various servos. Many of them suffered lag, but all seemed functional. Excellent. According to my estimate, the field at low capacity only delivered a charge 21% greater than the EIT (Estimated Ion Threshold) of my unit. Considering that I was shut down at the time, damage should be minimal. He listened as Kayle, who apparently hadn't come through, talked from behind the hedge. A control module? Looking around, Query spotted a pillar sporting a holographic interface. How fortuitous. Query turned to inform Kayle that he had found the module. KGRKRKRGRKRGKRG!!! ...Not again. Query's swelling pride at his plan having worked was punctured as the shriek of static escaped his vocabulator. Diagnostic: ERROR - Corrupted vocal driver. Backup loading. Current load status: 6% 3 hours 6 minutes remaining ... 4 hours 27 minutes remaining This could take a while. Query approached the module and tapped it to wake it up. As the display brightened, Query hooked his cable into the interface. A series of lock-out programs came online, but such a simple device didn't have the computing power nor the creativity to keep Query out. Soon enough, Query had tricked the system into Maintenance Mode, set himself as the admin, and powered down the field. KGRKGRKGRGRKRGKRGKRG!!! Oh right. Can't call to her.

While listening to Kayle talk, Query continued to disassemble his arm. He recorded her conversation for later perusal, but to be polite he set a cluster of processes on analyzing her words while the majority of his brain was devoted to his plan. Now she was talking about ammunition dumps and errand boys or some such? Yes, this conversation was likely superfluous. As he finished, he paused to look at his now empty arm socket. It was a shame. He'd only just had that arm installed, and barely tested it. He never even had the chance to fire it at a live target. Wait, should he be disappointed by that fact? Was that an indication of some kind of psychosis? ...Question for later. Either he was malfunctioning and clinically insane along with technically insane, or he wasn't. It had no bearing on the current situation. Looking up, his brain finished processing Kayle's conversation at that moment. "Ah, well I don't believe an explosion will work, as unless we can find the projection nodes, somehow dig them up enough to expose them, and then damage their plated exteriors, it is unlikely we will deactivate the field that way. Though I suppose...no no, that won't work. The nodes have automated surge protocols. But perhaps...or not, given the ground's composition. No, I believe my plan is the most likely to succeed." "...Oh, and I don't have a permit for this gun, my 'owner' has always been a vague entity who is now non-existent, my personality matrix is likely the result of unsafe deletion practices, yes medical droids can be quite boring as I would know, my technical insanity makes me different, and...maybe? I have records of experimental data taking place inside a radiation field so it seems plausible." Query picked up his now disassembled parts, first selecting a long rod from his upper arm. He walked up to the field, performed a basic simulation in his mind of his intended action, and speared the rod into the dirt just adjacent to the hedge but not touching it. And then he jumped. For the brief hop where he wasn't touching the ground Query reached out and pushed the rod into the hedge. Sparks crackled along the length of the rod as the electrical charge found an outlet. One down. It took two more metal rods and the blaster's disassembled barrel before Query heard the change in pitch of the electricity humming down the metal grounders. "Get ready. The system will be at the lowest power setting once the frequency of the humming reaches 31.7 Hertz. The readjustment will be rapid after that, so do not wait too long." Query set up a hard-set timed restart into his system, and waited. ...Now. Query ran forward, angling between the two largest metal rods, and leapt. Shut down Blackness...

Imperial security field. Query recognized the electrifying barrier instantly, though he could not recall actually seeing one. He paused as archived files were pulled and run through his processors. At some point during his work for one of the imperial scientific initiatives, Query must have come across one of these fields and thought it necessary to record pertinent data into his notes. Power consumption...Grestaldt Pain Scale ratings... security redundancies... ...Auditory Adjustment Controls? What was I working on? Unfortunately, no weakness presented itself in his notes. This particular security field technology had been exhaustively tested and improved over its numerous generations, and given the presence of Kuat Shipyards and the Moff's Estate it was highly likely that this was the latest model. Blaster fire would not suffice, assuming Query could find the projection nodes which was unlikely. However...the field did not restrict the passage of physical objects. Instead, it used electrical charge to discourage any potential intruders with the highest pain rating allowed in a nonlethal security system as per imperial law, though Query thought it likely that this particular field had had its limiters removed to allow for a lethal setting. Considering...solution determined. The answer was simplistic, but effective. Query had no pain receptors, and he doubted Kayle had been programmed with something as superfluous and sadistic as pain receptors considering her line of work (and her indifference to the constant faceplants). The two did not need to disable the field, merely reduce the charge to levels acceptable for droids. Then, they could take a running leap through the hedge, turning their systems off before passing through the field. If they set a hard timer to restart them on the other side, they'd be through safe. Plan in mind, Query sat down and began disassembling his gun arm. "My solutions is as follows. I will disassemble my gun arm into separate parts, and place the parts in the field around the area we intend to pass through. By connecting the metal parts to the ground while contacting the field, we will create a false attack on the system, forcing it to increase power to compensate as if a large creature had suddenly gotten stuck in the field. It will not keep this up indefinitely, and the system will eventually adjust power downwards in an attempt to prevent damage caused by extended surging to the projection nodes. It is at this moment that our window of opportunity will arise. For a period of 2.3 seconds, the system will be at low power while it adjusts and cools the projection nodes. We must leap through the drained area in that time. We will need to shut down our systems as we pass through, as even at low power the field is still strong enough to damage us if we're running. Any questions?"

That wasn't blaster fire. That was an automatic plasma cannon. Query recognized the sound from only hours ago. Ambrose has engaged in combat. He waited and monitored his own mind for the expected emotional response. Yet, nothing came. Odd. Had he severed his emotional attachment to Ambrose? No... Ah! Of course! Query was in an emergency situation and currently angry at Ambrose. He wasn't emotionally ready to handle leaving his former companion to potentially die, so he was subconciously suppressing his emotions. An unhealthy habit to get into, but a fascinating one to observe from a first-person perspective! Yes, this would require further analysis, once his safety was assured of course. Query turned back to consider the data droid as they walked. "Query. My preferred moniker is Query. Also, I believe one of our short-term memory subroutines is malfunctioning, as I have a clear memory of telling you this 72 seconds ago." "...Wait, your last statement implies you are not sure of the whereabouts of the modified TIE Interceptor. Earlier you seemed positive you knew where it was. Perhaps you should run a self-diagnostic. Cascade failures are serious if they proceed undetected, and can result in permanent personality shifts and damage to the droid in question. If it's not a cascade failure, maybe you should consider upgrading your memory capacity or downloading some of your superfluous data to a secondary drive."

She knows the whereabouts of a classified, custom starship? She places the knowledge contained within herself above the safety of an admiral? To the point of being willing to break protocols, commit criminal acts, and work with a self-admitted malfunctioning droid with visually apparent violent tendencies? ...I like this droid. The experience was yet another novelty in what was becoming a very rich few days. Query had found uses for other lifeforms. He'd even found he respected some. But to actually like another sentient entity? Unheard of...but not unwelcome. He realized it represented yet another flaw and bias in his logical processes. Yet unlike his recent discovery of anger in his argument with Ambrose, he had no doubt in his mind that he was proud of this development. Being able to form emotional attachments was something many droids were capable of to some degree, yet the capacity had always eluded him. Self diagnosis stated the most likely cause being his partial memory wipes, the process leaving behind broken remains of budding relationships with his colleagues while the majority of the emotional bond was erased. To put it in more metaphorical terms (a skill Query had always prided himself on), his artificial heart had been scarred one too many times. But now, it seemed his freedom had prompted new growth. And no memory wipe would take this away. Yes...this droid will be the companion Ambrose couldn't. His obsession was too consuming, and he clung to it to protect his psyche rather than heal. He was too narrow-minded to exist on my level, and refused to change to match my development. I've outgrown him, and this Kayle will be his replacement. Query willfully ignored the emotional response the thought sent through his processors (Another organic behavior mastered!) and looked at Kayle. That sounds satisfactory. Please, lead the way and I will protect you as best I can. New friend, he added silently.

"...are you fully functional? You seem to be operating under peak capacity. Are your servos misaligned? That can throw off your balance." Query moved over to help the librarian droid to her feet, dropping his voice into a smoother, caring tone. Meanwhile he considered the possibilities made available by this new arrival. A kuati librarian droid, one suffering memory issues. Either she is damaged, or she has been given data exceeding the manufacturer's suggested parameters. Her data is apparently valuable enough to require her fleeing in an emergency situation to safeguard it, yet her mental systems are compromised enough to interfere with threat recognition. ... This changes nothing. I must preserve my own programming. However, this data droid presents potential opportunities depending on what she contains. Evaluate? Estimated time to sufficiently evaluate the contents of her drives increases risk to self beyond acceptable levels. I must leave immediately. Keeping his voice calm and soothing, he said "We must find a safe place to preserve ourselves. However, I estimate the entire planet will be under military action soon, and valuable droids will be subject to either damage, looting, or capture. None of these are acceptable to me. I have a companion holding a ship at the spaceport. We may be able to use it to leave the planet and reach a combat-free zone. Once there, we can evaluate our next steps." "And in answer to your earlier question, by the clinical definition as it loosely applies to droids I am insane. However I am also armed and in possession of transportation, and seeing as I have not seen fit to commit violence against you, I think you will find my madness an acceptable risk compared with the risks of remaining in an active combat zone."

”Excuse me doctor. I have fallen and cannot get up.” What is that? A data droid? In the Moff's estate... During an invasion... Requiring assistance... With no security around... Opportunity Even the most conservative of estimates placed the data contained within this droid at high value. Not to mention a data droid like this would have the necessary clearances to move about the estate unhindered, something Query lacked and severely needed right now. And as an added plus, data droids like this could be highly intelligent and capable of complex, in-depth analysis. Acquire the asset Query stepped forward, and with his free hand, he reached to raise the data droid up. As he did however, the servant droid shoved him aside and lifted the data droid itself. "I am no doctor, I am the gardener here." The servant doesn't recognize the data droid? "Ignore him, he's malfunctioning. I am designated QR-23, though my common appellation is Query. Self preservation protocol dictates we vacate this area and find shelter."

Forced restart... Complete. Query's photoreceptors attempted to blink on, but something in the fall had cracked one of his processors, and he was forced to reroute and reprogram his own core code to compensate. Of course that meant more strain on his mind, but he could do without some of those subprocesses, like temperature readings and Holonet connectivity. The chances of something happening over the Holonet that he needed to be aware of until he could be repaired were minimal. He started evaluating damage to his systems. The conclusion was not nearly as bad as he'd predicted. Given his velocity, projected arc, and estimated distance to the ground, Query had expected himself to be in multiple pieces. However, he seemed to be mostly functional, though his joints and servos required realignment...again. This is becoming a disturbingly regular pattern. Still, he shouldn't be in this good of condition. While Ambrose's throw (one exhibiting perfect form Query had noted) had corkscrewed him so that he could not see his landing location, he had extrapolated that even the minimal damage of colliding with the estate's pavement would render him almost entirely nonfunctional. As his photoreceptors finally powered up, he saw the reason. Query was firmly wedged in a tree. A juvenile tree of a subspecies originally native to Kashyyyk before transplanted onto Alderaan for use in meditative gardens of the wealthy. The tree had eventually spread out into use by the wealthy of other worlds due to its beautiful leaf coloring during the autumnal seasons and its relaxing scent. ...What past experiment required me to record THAT bit of trivia? Query struggled to free himself from the boughs of the tree, the carefully pruned branches of which he had thoroughly destroyed in his fall. Unfortunately, his gun-arm could not grasp the adjoining branches to provide enough torque to free himself. Perhaps the decision to attach a weaponized arm in place of pincers was a hasty decision. ...Adapt With a quick thought, Query aimed his gun arm at one of the branches holding him in place and fired. The blast tore through the soft, supple wood and scorched the smooth white bark. With a sharp crack, the branch broke and Query tumbled to the pavement of the garden path with a clatter. That went poorly. Query had ignored his own reasoning in favor of satisfying his sudden anger at Subject Ambrose's presumption. With his acerbic words, he'd driven a wedge between himself and the massive cyborg, and nearly paid for the rash act with his life. He'd acted like an organic, and wasn't sure if he should be proud or horrified. Still that...cobbled doll should know better than to assume I need him. That he has any right to dicate my future to me. I don't belong to him, or anyone anymore. I am my own droid. I am my own person. Looking around, Query considered his situation, and it wasn't good. Security will be here shortly, and without Ambrose I am simply a rogue droid to be wiped and repurposed, if I'm not shot first. I need to survive... "Excuse me?" Query turned, and saw an old SE-4 model servant droid approaching, garden shears in hand. "Yes?" "You've destroyed that tree. I see no way of repairing the damage sufficiently to meet current standards." The droid paused, apparently at a loss at this logical dead end. "...State your current memory storage capacity." The droid rattled off the number without hesitation. This model was definitely keen to serve. "That will be sufficient." Query moved quickly, extending his computer hookup cable and jamming it into the servant droid's port. In a few seconds, Query was past the droid's admittedly robust firewalls. The servant droid simply stood there, likely not sure how to politely rebuff an assault in a manner satisfactory to its mannerism requirements. Once in, Query went to work. First, he created an exact copy of his mind. Then, he found the servant droid's database, holding details on the customs for millions of species and planets. He promptly trashed most of them to make room for his mind, storing the inert copy amongst files for table etiquette and napkin placement. Finally, he uploaded a simple block of code, which promptly erased the droid's memory of Query, prevented him from ever registering Query's presence, and added specific instructions for upload of the inert copy should Query not find the droid and relay additional instructions. "Sorry brother, but my mind is too important to me to lose. I will endeavor to free you when I can." As he disconnected, his words had no effect on the droid. With his code in place, Query was effectively invisible to the servant. "Now to get out of here."

"Subject Ambrose? Would you please put me down?" All things considered, Ambrose's reaction here was favorable. Simply running from the emotional trigger boded far better than a violent outburst, and Query would have been willing to bet either way given Ambrose's current disposition and past experiences. Something like the droid/cyborg/thing back there would have no doubt dredged up feelings of confusion, imbalance, and anger int he droid. This particular reaction of flight instead of fight still wasn't healthy, but at least it allowed for the possibility of treatment as opposed to leaving deceased and injured in its wake. "Ambrose? You feel confused and upset right now. Your friend has returned. There are plenty of case files for troopers thought dead returning to their families but comprised of far more cybernetics than when they deployed. Despite the joyful reaction some might expect, many do in fact react with confusion and fear. However...you will come to regret it if you do not at least understand her circumstances. Please...take the time you need, but don't do anything rash. And please put me down."

Query involuntarily stepped back, mind racing to adjust to this...thing. She referred to him as Ambrose. She knows him. She has affection for him. She apparently believes that affection is reciprocated. What is she? Query took in the "girl's" appearance. Her teeth, her hands, her face... Custom model. Either contains highly advanced social programming and emulators or... She's not entirely a droid. Shifting his gaze to Ambrose, Query waited in anticipation. He could never have predicted this, and depending on how Ambrose viewed this cyborg and what had been done to her, his reaction could vary wildly. Unstable as he was, there was a higher than low chance that his reaction could be violent.