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Almas


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Almas

 

Astrographical Information

Region: Expansion Region

Sector: Thaere Sector

System:Cularin System

Orbital Position: 5

Moons:1

Grid Coordinates: O-6

 

Physical Information

Class: Terrestrial

Atmosphere: Type 1 Breathable

Primary Terrain: grasslands, wasteland

Points of Interest: Sith fortress

 

Societal Information

Indigenous Species: dark lizard

Immigrated Species: humans, others

Primary Language(s): Galactic Basic

Faction Affiliation: neutral

 

Defense Rating: level 2

 

JediRP Canon History: Almas was terraformed by Darth Rivan of old, and as a result, the planet is steeped in the dark side. It became the home of the secret Sith sect known as the Alcazarins. The Alcazarins recognized that the fatal flaw of the Sith was their strict desire to become individually powerful at the expense of their doomed Order, and their willingness to lay aside sound judgment and integrity of mind in pursuit of that power.

 

((Summary compiled by Amidala Skywalker. Thank you!))

KVCsig.jpg

 

The monarch of madness has returned!

 

[Associate of the Illinois Mafia since March 2002.]

[2nd in Command of the Lords of Hate since March 2002.]

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Almas is a very odd planet that orbits multiple suns in the Cularin system. It should be lifeless and ice covered. But it's hot molten core left a terrestrial surface. Still, the presence of phosphorous and methane in the atmosphere would normally leave it uninhabitable. The efforts of the Sith Darth Rivan changed all of that.

 

Thousands of years ago, Darth Rivan created a new plant species called Kaluthin. It changed the atmosphere of the planet, making it breathable. He built a huge base on the surface, which was destroyed by the Jedi in a great battle. Only his desolate fortress remains. In the years since, this knowledge was lost to both Jedi and Sith. But the scars remain. For several miles outside of the fortress, not even the Kaluthin will grow.

 

The planet is inhabited by a small group of settlers, who use the underground lakes to grow food. The planet still possesses pockets of deadly gas, so one must be careful where they wander. The dark presence of Darth Rivan's demise still haunts the surface.

 

Nurgle and Ki Vastor exited the atmosphere.

 

"Take us down outside of that large circular clearing."

dartdominusgi2.jpg

 

"Darkness is a friend, an ally. Darkness allows us to understand others, to see what they value when they believe no one else is looking."

-Darth Rivan

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Ki gave a nod to Nurgle's instruction, taking the ship in and setting down outside of the large circular clearing. She went through her post flight checks and then turned to the Sith Master.

 

"What now Mi'Lord?"

 

Somehow calling him that was easier than calling him Master. She'd not even called Phillep that. The planet looked interesting, Ki wondering how it would feel once they left the force void that contained her ship.

KiVastor.jpg

 

Kheldar pops back into the bar, giving Ki a startled look.

 

"Wait a second.... Weren't you just here and- Oh, wait, nevermind. For some reason I'm getting deja vu..."

[meaning Alora]
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"We build our new home."

 

Nurgle exited the vessel, bathing in the dark side power that emanated from the planet. It hit him with incredible force, giving Nurgle the feeling he'd just burst from under the water. His sickness was eased by Vjun and now Almas. It had been a terrible journey for him. He was becoming concerned he was too reliant on the dark side energy of these planets, too addicted to their power.

 

If my plan goes well, I will not have to worry about that for long.

 

Nurgle reached with his senses. The power here was not as ancient as that of Vjun's, but it was much stronger. It had not been long since Darth Rivan met his end in this place.

 

"Take a rebreather with you. We may encounter pockets of poisonous gas."

 

Nurgle always wore his oxygen mask, so he was prepared for this environment. For the sake of Ki however, he knew that he would have to monitor the air carefully. He ordered one of his faceless droids to keep an eye on the oxygen quality. It was not long before the droid warned them. Nurgle passed the warning to his apprentice.

 

"There is a ring of poisonous air around Rivan's old fortress. It dissapates a few yards ahead. Be very careful as you pass through."

 

Nurgle kicked up dust as he walked through the invisible ring. The droid signaled when they'd passed. He turned back to Ki.

 

"When you reach this point, it is safe again. Come on."

dartdominusgi2.jpg

 

"Darkness is a friend, an ally. Darkness allows us to understand others, to see what they value when they believe no one else is looking."

-Darth Rivan

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When Nurgle told her to take a rebreather with her, Ki ducked back into her ship, gathering up the rebreather and a thick cloak that would cover her completely. She couldn't fit into an environmental suit in her condition. It didn't take her long and she was soon out with him again.

 

She stayed close and followed his instructions explicitly. She paused when he mentioned the poisonous ring of air, adjusting her rebreather and gathering the dark energies to surround her. She moved through the poisonous ring carefully, only stopping when she reached his side. Again she listened to his instructions, moving off with him again.

KiVastor.jpg

 

Kheldar pops back into the bar, giving Ki a startled look.

 

"Wait a second.... Weren't you just here and- Oh, wait, nevermind. For some reason I'm getting deja vu..."

[meaning Alora]
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Nurgle guided Ki toward the fortress. No one had entered it in over a thousand years. Nurgle could feel the presence of Darth Rivan, haunting this place. It felt as if the Sith was standing beside him right now. Nurgle could only hope it was in support and not in contempt. The Sith Master motioned for Ki to wait. He moved toward the large doors. The language of Korriban, the Sith tongue, covered the surface and border. There was no apparent lock on the door. Nurgle tried Force pushing it. But it didn't even budge. Nurgle did not see any immediate danger. He called Ki to his side.

 

"I'm not familiar with the language of the Sith. Especially a dialect as ancient as this."

 

What Nurgle could understand however was the small metal engraving raised off the ground at his feet. It was clearly much younger than the surface of the fortress, and in plain basic.

 

"The benevolent Order of the Jedi defeated Darth Rivan in this location one thousand years before the Battle of Naboo. It is sealed. No Jedi may enter this forsaken place and no human may open its gates."

 

Nurgle read the words aloud. It seemed Jedi had beat him here a few hundred years ago. But they had apparently had as little luck getting in as he was having. Nurgle wracked his brain for several moments. He doubted physically force would work here. It was a riddle. Nurgle sat down at the entrance.

 

"Any ideas? I don't suppose you know anyone who can read ancient Sith?"

dartdominusgi2.jpg

 

"Darkness is a friend, an ally. Darkness allows us to understand others, to see what they value when they believe no one else is looking."

-Darth Rivan

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Ki stepped to Nurgle's side, observing the writings and not understanding them either. "I don't know of anyone that might know how to read ancient Sith..."

 

At the other writing with regards to the Jedi's message...

 

"... No human may open it's gates... what about one of your droids? They're not human. I know I started out as human... but am I now? ... After the injections you gave me? And after what Phillep did to me?"

 

Ki really didn't know what kind of humanoid she was anymore. When she wanted to, small fangs would elongate in her mouth, the trait that Phillep had instilled within her from the transference of his blood. The young woman thought about her black winged equine that was back in the hold of her ship... it was also force sensitive, or at least had a strong awareness of the force. Maybe it could help them open the doors somehow if the droids couldn't...

KiVastor.jpg

 

Kheldar pops back into the bar, giving Ki a startled look.

 

"Wait a second.... Weren't you just here and- Oh, wait, nevermind. For some reason I'm getting deja vu..."

[meaning Alora]
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Nurgle jumped to his feet. She was on the right track. But if Nurgle was too human to open it, so was Ki. And droids weren't alive. Nurgle tightened his breathing mask as a dust storm kicked up. The desert like area around this fortress was in stark contrast to the rest of the jungle-like planet.

 

"Better put your rebreather on. There's no telling whether the winds will carry the poison here."

 

Nurgle had a feeling the poison of this planet was more of a Sith spell than a natural phenomenon, and thus immune to the natural winds of the planet. But there was no sense in being careless.

 

"You are right on the money. But we are indeed still human. And droids are not alive. Darth Rivan was rumored to not be human. Perhaps that is why he sealed the door in this way. There may be non-humans amongst the settlers here. But there is a faster way. Don't you have a dragon or something running around here?"

dartdominusgi2.jpg

 

"Darkness is a friend, an ally. Darkness allows us to understand others, to see what they value when they believe no one else is looking."

-Darth Rivan

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Ki put her rebreather back on, giving a nod in Nurgle's direction.

 

"I'll have Sheeba come to us. I was thinking about her."

 

Accessing her internal comm chip, Ki sent a message to the droid in her ship, telling it to let Sheeba out of the hold and to warn her about the pockets of poisonous air. A long moment later, the sound of beating wings could be heard before the black Pegasus came into view. It came in to land a few paces from Ki, moving to her side and placing her head down so that the young woman could pat her.

 

"Mi'Lord. This is Sheeba. I found her on Vjun when Phillep sent me out to make my saber."

KiVastor.jpg

 

Kheldar pops back into the bar, giving Ki a startled look.

 

"Wait a second.... Weren't you just here and- Oh, wait, nevermind. For some reason I'm getting deja vu..."

[meaning Alora]
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Nurgle touched the beast tentatively. There was no doubt the creature was beautiful. It was strong as well. How did such a thing come into existence? Nurgle couldn't be sure. But he had a feeling fate was on his side.

 

"Tell her to touch the door."

dartdominusgi2.jpg

 

"Darkness is a friend, an ally. Darkness allows us to understand others, to see what they value when they believe no one else is looking."

-Darth Rivan

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The young woman patted the neck of the equine, resting her head against Sheeba's neck. She looked at the door then back towards Nurgle, wondering if this would work or not. She hoped so.

 

Ki motioned to Sheeba who extended her neck, sniffing the door to begin with before nudging it with her nose.

KiVastor.jpg

 

Kheldar pops back into the bar, giving Ki a startled look.

 

"Wait a second.... Weren't you just here and- Oh, wait, nevermind. For some reason I'm getting deja vu..."

[meaning Alora]
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Nurgle watched intently as the animal touched the door. The Sith lettering began to glow. Nurgle touched the animal gently to move it aside. The doors began to swing open. Nurgle gazed at the blackness beyond.

 

"Wait a moment."

 

He walked up the steps and into the fortress. No one had been inside in over a thousand years. As soon as he crossed the threshold, the Sith Master was struck with an intense pain. His mind felt tortured, twisted by the images he was seeing. First he saw dozens of Jedi and Sith were engaged in battle. Then he saw the image of Darth Rivan himself being struck down. Nurgle felt the same lightsaber blow as Rivan did. He was thrust backward, his torso halfway out of the fortress. The Sith Master was not breathing.

dartdominusgi2.jpg

 

"Darkness is a friend, an ally. Darkness allows us to understand others, to see what they value when they believe no one else is looking."

-Darth Rivan

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Sheeba moved back to Ki's side, the young woman watching from a few paces outside the doors as Nurgle went in. She could see something happening, though what it was she didn't know. Nurgle's reactions were strange. Seeing him thrown back towards the door by some invisible force had her swearing under her breath...

 

"Oh sithspit!"

 

Her saber hilt was in her hand, the blue metallic scales glinting in the light before she knelt defensively over Nurgle. Seeing no threat there, even if she felt the hair on her neck standing up, she glanced back down at him, checking his life signs. None.

 

"Dammit ... don't you dare..."

 

His mask was not damaged though he wasn't breathing. Catching sight of the droids she ordered them to pick him up, intending to take him back to the medical bay in her ship. Ki felt very uneasy, not knowing what had happened...

KiVastor.jpg

 

Kheldar pops back into the bar, giving Ki a startled look.

 

"Wait a second.... Weren't you just here and- Oh, wait, nevermind. For some reason I'm getting deja vu..."

[meaning Alora]
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As Nurgle was being carried back to the ship, the Sith Master sprang up, causing the droids to nearly lose their grip. The set him down, steadying him. Nurgle's eyes were glazed, but he was alive. The Sith spoke,

 

"Stop Ki. We must go in. Do not be afraid. I am not dead."

 

Nurgle's voice was strangely calm. He could not describe to her what he had just seen. The form of Darth Rivan had appeared to him and told him many things. Nurgle could see the layout of the fortress in his mind now. It's secrets were open to him. Darth Rivan had given him a gift. An instruction manual on how to build a new dark order. In a flash, Nurgle's life had been irrevocably altered.

 

"Come inside with me."

 

Nurgle moved fast almost running back to the door. He slipped in as it began to shut.

 

"Come on, run!"

dartdominusgi2.jpg

 

"Darkness is a friend, an ally. Darkness allows us to understand others, to see what they value when they believe no one else is looking."

-Darth Rivan

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Ki was a little stunned when Nurgle suddenly moved, telling her to stop, that they needed to go back in. Sheeba would head back to the ship and between her and the droid would guard it.

 

"But... what happened?"

 

She was cautious, though began to follow him back, having to tap the Force to move quickly as she waddled after him. She rolled her eyes when he told her to run, being as it was easier said than done when carrying a child inside of her, though she managed to make it to the door before it closed. Inside she paused, breathing heavily, her hands soothingly rubbing across her swollen abdomen.

KiVastor.jpg

 

Kheldar pops back into the bar, giving Ki a startled look.

 

"Wait a second.... Weren't you just here and- Oh, wait, nevermind. For some reason I'm getting deja vu..."

[meaning Alora]
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Nurgle leaned against the wall coughing violently as the doors closed, plunging them both into darkness. The Sith Master groped for his belt desperately. He could barely breathe, and every breath he managed to take was accompanied by a stabbing pain in his chest. Nurgle pulled a syringe from one of the pouches, plunging it into his arm. He felt the soothing medicine reach his lungs. But it was not as soothing as it once was. It was becoming less and less effective. Nurgle slid down the wall into a sitting position as both he and Ki recovered from their short run. He knew it was not a good idea to force exertion in her condition or in his for that matter. But for some reason, Nurgle knew that if the doors had closed, they would not be able to get in again. After a long silence, Nurgle responded to her question.

 

"I cannot describe it to you. I was standing within the doors when the lettering began to glow. In that instant, I could understand what it said. The knowledge flooded into me and I was gripped with incredible pain. I felt as if my head was imploding in on itself. But it soon dissapated, and I was standing in complete darkness. It was as if I had teleported."

 

Nurgle cleared his throat as the medicine continued its work.

 

"I know I was not out that long, but it felt like hours as I stood in the center of a circular room. Whether it was my soul drifting in a foreign place or merely I dream I am not sure. But I knew I was no longer in a physical realm, for even in the pitch black dark I could see clearly. In fact, I saw more clearly than I have ever seen before. Across from me there was a blue man. He said his name was Darth Rivan and that it was my duty to continue his work. He addressed me as Dominus."

 

Nurgle had had a vision of himself being addressed by that name before, months ago when he predicted his own death. The meaning of that previous vision was becoming much clearer now.

 

"He told me many things. I cannot remember them now, but he displayed a knowledge of the Force I have seen in no one else. He told me that within these walls I would find the information I needed to create a new order within the Sith. An order based on equality, and ancient Sith sorcery. He claimed the keys to a weapon that will rival the lightsaber can also be found here, along with a wealth of lost knowledge. It is for this reason that I was drawn here."

 

He sat in silence for a while longer. Though Ki could not see, the trauma of the whole experience was etched in his withered face. Nurgle's body was that of an elderly man, although he was actually far from being old in years. Soon he would have the body of a young man, stronger than he had been even in his prime. Nurgle clutched his chest as he pulled himself to his feet.

 

"We must move on. Quickly."

 

They were still plunged in darkness. Nurgle reached for his lightsaber, before he stopped himself.

 

"The lightsaber will not provide us the light we need. Before I departed, there was one thing he said that I remember in full. He told me to trust the darkness. I do trust it."

 

Nurgle reached his hand up.

 

"Can you feel that?"

 

A light breeze touched Nurgle's cheek.

 

"We do not need the light."

 

Nurgle grabbed Ki's hand and pulled her through the long corridors. Their feet clanged against the metal floor. Despite the black, Nurgle and Ki found their way without a single misstep. They passed through countless doors. The hallways seemed to go on forever. In some places, they felt a very sinister presence, a lingering element of the deaths that had occurred during the betrayal of Darth Rivan. Soon a light was visible. Nurgle and Ki exited into that light. It was like being born again. They were standing in a large circular room. The brightness blinded them for a moment. Nurgle squinted reaching out into the empty air to shield his eyes.

 

"This is the room I visited. Except it was completely black, not light. And there was a large domed roof."

 

Now, there was only the red Almas sky above them. Nurgle moved to the center of the room. A podium stood there, with a console. The Sith Master touched it. The ground rumbled as the base came to life. The halls lit up and the doors were unsealed. Power had been restored after a thousand years. Darth Rivan's legacy was being resurrected at last.

 

"Don't ask me how I know this Ki Vastor, but this room was once the centerpiece of a very powerful defensive weapon. We shall rebuild the dome here. In fact, we will rebuild everything Darth Rivan created. It is our destiny. This will be our new home, the new seat of a mighty Sith sect. There are laboratories, living quarters, anything one desires. It is at least three times the size of Grimoire Castle. And I will use this place to deliver your baby, and acquire myself a new body."

 

Nurgle looked up at the sky. He could feel Darth Rivan here, watching him even in death.

 

"I will call it The Alcazar. And the new order it will house shall be called the New Alcazarins"

dartdominusgi2.jpg

 

"Darkness is a friend, an ally. Darkness allows us to understand others, to see what they value when they believe no one else is looking."

-Darth Rivan

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Ki remained silent as she listened to Nurgle, catching her breath. When he took her hand, she followed along behind him in the darkness, finding herself able to see just fine in the darkness. She felt comfortable in the shadows, her form blending in with them, be it not quite as perfectly as she would have had she not been pregnant. She trusted the darkness as well. It was interesting what he had said, though she didn't know how to respond, choosing to remain silent for the moment.

 

What interested her most was the reference to the weapon that would rival a lightsaber, and the wealth of knowledge that would be found here. She wanted to learn. While she liked her crimson bladed saber, she loved her daggers. If she could make further weapons with blades that she could layer with her poisons... the possibilities were endless. What she wanted to do, since she already knew how to make her normal poisons and chemicals, was to incorporate that with Sith teachings.

 

The light came as a shock, Ki squinting her eyes and shading them until she adjusted enough to take in their surroundings. When he spoke again, her eyes went back in his direction. That she would have her baby here somehow comforted her. For some strange reason, the presence she felt here didn't threaten her at all either. She knew it would be strange with her part in his acquisition of a new body, though she was prepared for her part in that. Ki smiled at the name he had used, and of the new order. Her hand again went to her abdomen, Ki looking for somewhere to sit to rest her body. She had to control her breathing again. When she felt able to, she spoke,

 

"I would like some attendants for myself and my child. When I feel it is time, I will send my child off to a protected location to be brought up."

KiVastor.jpg

 

Kheldar pops back into the bar, giving Ki a startled look.

 

"Wait a second.... Weren't you just here and- Oh, wait, nevermind. For some reason I'm getting deja vu..."

[meaning Alora]
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The first thing the Sith Master did at the console was erase the need for non-human DNA as a necessity to open the doors. Darth Rivan's distrust of humans was not something Nurgle shared for obvious reasons. Instead, he patterned The Alcazar access on his own blood, and that of those he trusted, Ki Vastor, Darth Oni, and Haphaestus. He allowed his droids entrance, and they began to report back to him. The base was very old, and much of the equipment would need to be updated. It seemed that most of the rooms were underground. The maze of corridors they had passed through were empty, a front for the true base underneath their feet. The only thing of any importance on the surface was this room. Nurgle had decided to call it the Staff of Rivan. Nurgle knew its secret power. And he would need help to revive it. Nurgle sent an encoded message to his allies. The Sith continued his work, watching the droids bring his things inside as he listened to Ki.

 

"Well, that may not be so simple. I do not want anyone to know of this place. Anyone you bring here will have to have their memory of this place wiped out before they can leave again."

 

I would prefer to simply end their lives, but I doubt Ki would be receptive to that.

 

Nurgle preferred no one come, but Ki was in for a trial. Nurgle had once been a doctor in his early years, so he understood that there were risks to consider, even if this wasn't an especially unnatural pregnancy. This would not be easy for her, it had the potential in fact to be fatal. Phillep was the one who was supposed to determine the course of her pregnancy. For Nurgle to come in and try to use his power to alter that course was dangerous. But they had no choice.

 

"If you can consent to that, make certain they disguise their route to this planet, and only bring a handful, I will allow it. When you are ready, we can begin delivering this child. But you must be very very careful in covering your servants' tracks. There are members of the Sith Order who would see this place as a form of rebellion on my part. And they would not entirely be wrong."

dartdominusgi2.jpg

 

"Darkness is a friend, an ally. Darkness allows us to understand others, to see what they value when they believe no one else is looking."

-Darth Rivan

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"What if they were picked up? I could send my ship, my droid piloting and one of your droids guarding so they don't enter the cockpit. They wouldn't know where they were going then, only that they were coming to me. I would allow the mind wipe of this location if they discovered where they were."

 

She sank down onto the floor, leaning against a wall to relax her body, her hands resting on her abdomen, absently rubbing it.

 

"The droids could alter course as many times as needed. I could send a comm for my servants to be ready to board my ship when it arrives. They wouldn't know from where the comm came from, nor where they were being brought to."

 

Ki felt that Sheeba and her foul would be fine to roam as they would here, just as they had on other planets. Though they would have shelter provided for them... she would see to that.

KiVastor.jpg

 

Kheldar pops back into the bar, giving Ki a startled look.

 

"Wait a second.... Weren't you just here and- Oh, wait, nevermind. For some reason I'm getting deja vu..."

[meaning Alora]
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"As long as you assure the ship is not tracked, that is acceptable."

 

Nurgle did not think it would be too much of an issue, but secrecy was key to their activities here. He had to be careful. Vjun had been compromised because he had been too trusting. This time would be different. Only a handful would know of this place, only those he fully trusted. As the Sith Master pondered this, he received a comm from one of his faceless droids. Nurgle spoke in a rare moment of emotion.

 

"Bloody hell! It seems we will have to delay your delivery once again."

 

Nurgle surely as displeased as Ki. After all, he didn't have much time left himself. Speed was important to both of them. But there was no way around it. This was an obstacle they could not circumvent.

 

"It seems all Sith have been summoned to Cardia. I would prefer to ignore this call, but if we do not attend, they will be suspicious. I already had words with the last Dark Lord, ignoring this one would bring trouble upon us."

 

Nurgle pulled his palm off of the podium. As he did, a hole opened up in front of him and a strange object emerged from the ground bathed in darkness. It was the only point in the room where light did not penetrate from the sky. Nurgle recognized it at once from his dream. He picked up the ebony staff that had once belonged to Darth Rivan. It had no power now. It was empty. But its importance was infinite. It was one of the keys to learning how to harness Darth Rivan's lost teachings. Nurgle needed something to help support him now anyway. So he kept the staff's significance to himself for now. He walked toward Ki, treating it as a walking stick.

 

"If you are up to it, I think that you should pilot us to Cardia."

 

Nurgle was not particularly confident he had the strength.

 

"Lead the way."

dartdominusgi2.jpg

 

"Darkness is a friend, an ally. Darkness allows us to understand others, to see what they value when they believe no one else is looking."

-Darth Rivan

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"With the security systems I have on board the Lady Indiscretion I can assure you that it wouldn't be tracked."

 

Ki remained seated on the floor, watching Nurgle as he stood by the console, though her thoughts were elsewhere. That was until she heard him receive a comm. The young woman groaned as he told her that her delivery would have to be delayed.

 

"Cardia...." She knew about that location, she'd researched it long ago when she had first picked Phillep as an assassination target. Not that it had done her any good. It was all history now anyway... and she was carrying his child. Ki pushed herself up the wall, calling on the Force to help her stand. While she wasn't feeling much up to another trip, she felt she had to.

 

"I'll get us there." Then... "It might work more to our favour. I'll send off a message and have my servants meet us there. That will save a side trip."

 

Having to pause again when they got to the main doors, Ki leant against the door jam, rubbing her abdomen again as she caught her breath.

 

"Bugger this..."

 

Pulling out her comm, she ordered her droid to bring the hovercar to get both she and Nurgle. She could see how he used the stick as a walking aid and that he seemed to have as much trouble as she did walking at the moment. Within moments it showed up at the entrance, the two getting a ride back to her ship.

 

"I wouldn't normally do this..."

 

As the two boarded, Ki let Sheeba and her foal leave the ship again. The mare communicated to her that she had found a place that she and her foal would wait for them on Almas . Petting the mare's neck, Ki let her leave. The equine was her own mistress and knew how to take care of herself. The two black winged horses would be fine where they were.

 

The droids had cleaned the hold, the hovercar now parked back inside again. With the ship prepped for take off, Ki sat back in the pilots chair, checking the consoles. She lifted off, her ship smoothly raising up out of the clearing and pointing skywards. Once it had left the atmosphere, Ki sent off a triple encrypted message to Hapes, telling her servants to meet them at Cardia. She then planned the course to Carida with several random hyperspace jumps so that they couldn't have their path traced. The Lady Indiscretion disappeared into hyperspace...

KiVastor.jpg

 

Kheldar pops back into the bar, giving Ki a startled look.

 

"Wait a second.... Weren't you just here and- Oh, wait, nevermind. For some reason I'm getting deja vu..."

[meaning Alora]
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  • 2 weeks later...

::: Legal double post :::

 

The Lady Indiscretion emerges from hyperspace after having taken numerous random jumps away from Cardia on it's way to Almas. Other security checks and jammers had been employed during the journey ensuring that they could not be tracked to their destination.

 

Ki let the droid land the ship for again she was wracked with pains ripping through her abdomen. She vividly recalled seeing Aisling go through the same pains, though found it much different at first hand rather than watching it happen. Finally the pains abated, allowing her to leave the cockpit to move further into the ship to where Nurgle waited.

 

"No one followed or tracked us back here Mi'Lord. I made sure of it."

 

The passengers they had picked up from the surface of Cardia met them in the living area of her ship. They had come originally from Hapes and were the servants Ki had requested assist her with the birth and caring of her child. They had no knowledge of the location they were now at, only that they were there to protect the child, to look after both mother and infant once he was born.

KiVastor.jpg

 

Kheldar pops back into the bar, giving Ki a startled look.

 

"Wait a second.... Weren't you just here and- Oh, wait, nevermind. For some reason I'm getting deja vu..."

[meaning Alora]
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Nurgle could tell Ki was experiencing a great deal of discomfort. He was dreading what was to come. The Sith Master ordered her servants to escort her through the poison field and into the fortress. He distributed masks. One of his faceless droids would take her near his new laboratory in the underlevels of the Alcazar, but not to let her inside the laboratory yet. There were specific reasons for this. Nurgle followed them to the door. It now opened at his touch.

 

"Take her down. Care for her until I arrive."

 

Nurgle walked in the opposite direction leaning heavily on his staff. He wore his breathing mask as he walked the metal halls. Nurgle knew he had an ordeal ahead of him. As did Ki. Her life hung in the balance and he was partly to blame. Nurgle had to send aid to Darth Oni first though. It would give him time to prepare mentally. He proceeded to a small room on the first basement level. It held the damaged Nurglebot, it's blood artifically pumped by machines. Nurgle had another droid cyborg nearby, this time with the blood of Darth Oni in its artificial veins. Both possessed the appearance of their namesakes. Nurgle fixed the first and finished his work on the second. Each carried an electro-staff, and a lightwhip. They were not as strong without Nurgle to directly control their actions. So he placed a hidden detonator with in each. It was patterned to Darth Oni's voice command. In an emergency, they could be destroyed along with anybody nearby. The Onibot model could be used as a substitute for Darth Oni as well, if the Sith Lord could summon the strength. It gave off his Force signature. If he was careful to hide his power, it might fool a Jedi, and certainly a non-Force user. Nurgle sent the two weapons in one of his shuttlecrafts. They made several jumps to disguise their origin.

 

Now that I have had a hand in creating Death, I must try to deliver Life.

 

Nurgle supported himself as he slowly proceeded deep into the belly of the fortress. He entered his laboratory. His movements were slow and deliberate. There was a melancholy air about him. The large, silver room had been prepared for Ki ahead of time. The clear cabinets held Nurgle's blood samples and viral agents. Two work tables stood on each end, large enough to hold a wookiee. The one to the right had various instruments spread across the mobile workstation nearby. Various technological equipment was also beside this table. The operating area hade been fully prepared. There were no sheets on the gray metal or pillows. Nurgle did not wish her to be uncomfortable, but the room would need to be very sterile. Nurgle had one droid stay, who proceeded to disinfect as much as he could. Nurgle washed, and donned himself in medical attire. He injected himself with as much serum as he could. The high does made him nauseous and dizzy, but without it he would not be able to sustain himself for the hours of work that lay ahead.

 

It is not the Sith way to comfort an apprentice. But without Phillep doing this, she could die. Or the baby could die. She will need to be strong. I will need to choose my words carefully.

 

"Tell her to come in."

 

Ki entered the room. Nurgle had covered his instruments, with their frightening appearance. Ki was a vicious fighter, and had experienced much pain in her life. There was no doubt she was as strong physically and mentally as Nurgle. But this was a whole different situation. She would have to put her life in someone else's hands. That was not something she would be used to, especially after her torture at the hands of the Admiral. Nurgle did not wish her to be anymore worried than necessary. He needed her calm, especially for the bomb he needed to drop next. He spoke through the surgical mask.

 

"I need you to lay on the table. I have something to tell you before we begin."

 

The Sith Master took a deep breath. It felt more painful than it should, given the dosage he'd administered on himself. Nurgle could not worry about any of that right now though. He spoke as kindly as he could, not an easy task for a Sith to do with another Sith.

 

"You have a very bad infection. I could not tell you before, but I am telling you now. I knew the moment I touched your stomach. The baby is not harmed by it, it is the source of the infection. It's blood is harmful and deadly. And you are being harmed. Phillep did not intend for the pregnancy to last so long and the protections he created are barely containing it. I'm sure you've felt the pains with greater frequency."

 

Nurgle felt guilty thrusting all of this on her at the last minute, not to mention his part in this whole ordeal. It was a strange feeling he had never felt before. He thought of Ki as his child now, as he did all of his apprentices. Nurgle had no intention of letting her die. If he saved her, it would make up for this necessary deception. If he'd told her before it might have caused panic. Strong emotions accelerated the destructive disease. He did not bother to tell her that though, for it might cause the exact fearful emotions he was trying to avoid.

 

"I had planned to simply deliver it by c-section when Phillep told me of your unique pregnancy. But that is not possible. You must be awake during the birth. I will give you as many painkillers as I can, but I cannot guarantee their effectiveness. You must use your Force power to fight it. Once the baby is delivered, I can cure your condition very easily. The antidote is already prepared to be fed directly into our veins. But I cannot do it before, or the baby will be destroyed."

 

Nurgle looked into her eyes. He spoke without hesitation in his voice. There was no dark energy coming from him.

 

"You will not die and neither will your child. You will both live. I am not Phillep. I will not harm you. And so I need you to trust me as you would have trusted people before you met my former servant."

dartdominusgi2.jpg

 

"Darkness is a friend, an ally. Darkness allows us to understand others, to see what they value when they believe no one else is looking."

-Darth Rivan

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Ki got herself onto the table, her body awkward to position as she did so. Her head tilted towards him as he mentioned that he had to tell her something first. Hearing that she had a bad infection stunned her. She found herself nodding regarding the pains. She knew the pregnancy had been going on for a lot longer than it should have.

 

She remained quiet, knowing within herself that her son had to be born now, before things got worse. She gathered her inner strength, found that the equine mare touched her mind as well, helping her. She found she believed what he said, knowing she would have to trust him as she didn't trust Phillep. Slowly she nodded her head.

 

"Do what needs to be done."

KiVastor.jpg

 

Kheldar pops back into the bar, giving Ki a startled look.

 

"Wait a second.... Weren't you just here and- Oh, wait, nevermind. For some reason I'm getting deja vu..."

[meaning Alora]
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His faceless droid connected Ki to the machines. A medical droid might have been more suited to this type of work, but they were programmed in ways that would not allow them to participate in this kind of thing. He had needed a droid that would simply obey his commands.

 

There's a fine line between medical practice and butchery. I'm walking it.

 

Nurgle uncovered his instruments out of Ki's sight. Among them were several pre-prepared syringes. He checked them all for fatal air bubbles. The last one was the antidote combined with a very strong sedative. If it looked bad for Ki, he would administer it, whether the delivery was complete or not. For now though, the Sith set it aside, picking up the one closest to him. Nurgle used a towel to wipe the sweat from his forehead.

 

The serum is wearing off already.

 

He spoke with a more gravelly tone, his lungs burning.

 

"This is the pain killer. It is not very strong, but I hope it helps."

 

If he made it too strong, she would not be aware enough to help him deliver the child. Nurgle injected her IV. He picked up another syringe.

 

"This will induce the birth. The pains will come sharply, and you will feel the child move. But you must not push yet. You must give it time. It doesn't matter how painful it is, that is not what you must concentrate on. You must concentrate on seeing the infection inside you, and building a protective wall. Do you remember the blood Phillep forced you to drink? It will feel like that. The Force signature will be different, but similar."

 

Nurgle slowly injected the inducer. He knew he could not afford the strength. But Nurgle stretched out with the Force anyway. He helped guide Ki's mind to the source of the infection in her own body. The protections Phillep placed there could be felt, very weak, almost gone. Ki had to replace them.

dartdominusgi2.jpg

 

"Darkness is a friend, an ally. Darkness allows us to understand others, to see what they value when they believe no one else is looking."

-Darth Rivan

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Ki found herself nodding her head as he injected her first with the painkiller, then the inducer. It didn't seem to take much time before she felt the stirring in her abdomen, the pain ripping through her. It was all she could do not to cry out. Focus... I need... to focus... Her breathing came in labored pants as she struggled to control the pain ripping her in two... or at least, that was what it felt like.

 

Feeling his presence helped her to refocus and concentrate on the force signature she had to build defenses against. All the while the pain increased, though Ki fought it, feeling the equine helping her as well as Nurgle. She struggled to replace the protective walls against the infection, not being able to prevent herself from crying out as the pain increased. She felt that she wanted to push, but managed to stop herself from doing so, only just. As it was she cried out, "I ... need to.. push..." even though she knew she had to delay it.

KiVastor.jpg

 

Kheldar pops back into the bar, giving Ki a startled look.

 

"Wait a second.... Weren't you just here and- Oh, wait, nevermind. For some reason I'm getting deja vu..."

[meaning Alora]
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Okay. It's starting. Let's keep calm.

 

Nurgle hadn't delivered a baby in over a decade, and never one so strange as this. He could feel the butterflies filling his stomach. But Nurgle gave no outward indication of this inner turmoil. Ki needed to think he knew what he was doing.

 

Let's hope she's right.

 

Nurgle ordered his droid to move to Ki's feet. It's hands were more steady than his. He was not well enough even with the serum to safely handle that. Nurgle looked at Ki's vital signs. Her heart beat was going through the roof. Nurgle took a deep, painful breath before gripping her hand. His other hand gripped the last syringe, ready to intervene should she begin to lose the battle.

 

"Okay, now PUSH!"

 

Nurgle's mind touched hers, strengthening her defenses. It would be very difficult for her to concentrate on protecting herself and delivering the child. But it was a struggle she had to fight, Nurgle could not do more give her some strength. He had no control over the war between herself and the pain.

dartdominusgi2.jpg

 

"Darkness is a friend, an ally. Darkness allows us to understand others, to see what they value when they believe no one else is looking."

-Darth Rivan

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Arrgghhhh *pant, pant, pant, pant* Ki couldn't stop the cries that escaped her lips as the unbelievable pain rocked her body. She struggled to focus on keeping the barriers in place, finding it harder to do as the pain increased. When she got the instruction to push, she did, pushing with all of her might. She could feel him trying to reinforce her with the defenses.

 

"GODDAMITPHILLEPI'LLKILLYOUFORTHIS!!!"

 

Ki screamed, the words becoming jumbled in the process. Perspiration trickled down her face as she panted between each push. The contractions had hold of her, the pain almost overwhelming. Some small part of Ki kept in control though, after all of her hardships, she was still able to keep some part of her in a place that would control her actions. That part of her kept the barriers in place, even if she felt the pain was getting to be too much for her. She gave another push, almost crying with the effort and pain.

KiVastor.jpg

 

Kheldar pops back into the bar, giving Ki a startled look.

 

"Wait a second.... Weren't you just here and- Oh, wait, nevermind. For some reason I'm getting deja vu..."

[meaning Alora]
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Nurgle watched her struggle, ready to intervene. If she was strong enough to curse the name of Phillep, it was a good sign. Nurgle was certainly feeling the stress of her pain as she tried to crush every bone in his hand.

 

"Just one more time. Push now."

 

Nurgle breathed a sigh of relief when he heard the cries of a baby. His faceless droid cradled the child in a blanket, and Nurgle wasted no time in injecting his conconction into the IV. The Sith Master felt Ki's hand loosen.

 

"It's over, the baby is fine, and you will survi-"

 

Nurgle looked into Ki's eyes, and saw only unnatural whiteness staring back. Her heart rate was increasing again. His face twisted in concern. Nurgle reached out to touch her abdomen.

 

The antidote is not working, and she trusted me enough to let down her barrier.

 

Nurgle moved toward the nearest cabinet. He did not have his full compliment of viruses recreated from what was lost on Vjun, but surely there was something that would keep her alive. Perhaps the dosage had been too small.

 

Either way, I've killed her.

 

The Sith tried to put that dark thought away. Nurgle frantically knocked vials around looking for anything that could help. The Sith Master took a sidelong glance at Ki's form as she began to convulse. It made him regret putting her on a metal table. Nurgle tried to move back to her side when sharp pain splintered through his chest.

 

"Not now."

 

The Sith Master tried to give orders to the droid as it held the newly born child, but he could not speak more than those few words. He collapsed on the ground, vials of glass falling all around, and watched Ki's body die as everything was plunged into blackness.

 

-------------------------------------------------------------

 

Nurgle awoke in the central room of the fortress. The dome that he knew was destroyed was rebuilt. Everything looked new. Though it was pitch black, he could still see. He knew this, it had happened before.

 

I am dreaming again.

 

He immediately turned to the dark figure he knew was behind him, a man with a more clear appearance that his last dream. It was clear he was staring at a Defel wraith. Nurgle knew at last what species Darth Rivan had been. The Defel reached out to touch Nurgle's forehead. He saw many things.

 

"I will return you Dominus. Do not forget what you have seen my young apprentice."

 

--------------------------------------------------------------

 

Nurgle awoke again, this time he was awake for real. The Sith was at Ki's side. He was experience the same sequence of events just before he'd passed out. His hands were at her IV. Nurgle had just given her the antidote. And he already knew it wouldn't work. He looked around to see the cabinets restored, no broken viles. Rivan had given him a second chance.

 

The Staff.

 

Nurgle looked around before a singular object caught his eye. The Darkstaff of Darth Rivan. Nurgle called it toward him with the Force as Ki's body started to reject the antidote. Nurgle could feel the power within it now. He had foolishly believed its power dead. But he was reading its power wrong. The Darkstaff was not giving off Force energy, it was absorbing it. Nurgle held the head over Ki's body. Tendrils of the Force emanating from his body, connecting with the staff. He could feel the same happen as the Force came out of her body to connect with staff. Nurgle felt her Force signature, as well as the Force signature of the child spreading through her veins. It was this that Nurgle concentrated on, drawing the power into the black hole of the Darkstaff. Ki's heartbeat had started to rise, but was back to normal just as quickly. The staff vibrated as it absorbed the Force power into oblivion. Nurgle fell back onto the other metal table breathing heavily.

 

Wow.

 

After a few moments recovery, Nurgle gave Ki a small dose her own blood, purified of Phillep, to stabilize her and replace any blood she'd lost from the ordeal. He gave her a specialized sedative to keep her unconscious for only a few minutes while the medicine worked. The child was born, it's blood removed, but the blood changing Phillep had performed had not been drawn out. That would forever be a part of her. He hoped some of her own natural blood would lessen its presence at least. Nurgle hobbled out of the room, to see her attendants waiting outside.

 

"The droid is feeding the child a special formula until Ki awakens, which should be soon. I have given her something that should strengthen and heal her faster than normal. Tend to her, but do not touch the child. She deserves to be the first human arms to hold it."

 

Nurgle remembered that he had not even cut the ambilical cord yet. He ordered another droid to accompany the attendants to perform that task. Nurgle did not even know the child's sex. He was interested to know what she would name it as well. For now though, the Sith was weak and confused by the days events. He threw his apron, mask, and gloves into the trash. Nurgle replaced them with his breathing mask and oxygen tank. His heart thumped in his ears as he moved deep into the ancient halls of the Alcazar.

dartdominusgi2.jpg

 

"Darkness is a friend, an ally. Darkness allows us to understand others, to see what they value when they believe no one else is looking."

-Darth Rivan

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Ki heard him say that it was over, that the baby was fine ... She let out a sigh of relief ...

 

"My son..."

 

That was all she managed as the pain took her to another level, her eyes rolling into the back of her head.

 

::::

 

It was like she was aware, though not aware. She could hear her son crying though was powerless to do anything about it. Ki found it was the same as what had happened to her when Phillep had drained her of all her lifeblood and was unable to move. Her awareness left her body again, Ki looking down from a height at her own body, and that of her son being held in the robot's arms.

 

This was the same state she had been in after Phillep's beating, how she had been when she had escaped from the vessel she'd been trapped in, unmoving, still, not even able to move a finger. Ki felt the power still, felt the presence of others surrounding her, those spirits of her family that were proud of her son, telling her she had to stay with him, not leave him alone. Her son needed her.

 

He is a beautiful baby boy Ki. Said the voice of her former servant, the one that Phillep had killed, the one he had tried to make her drink from to survive... A very beautiful child Ki... you must be so proud...

 

Yes Ki, you must be proud of such a gorgeous child. The voice of another, elder servant now spoke, pride in her voice that Ki had produced such a child, I don't see any of his father in him, I only see traits of you Ki...

 

She watched as Nurgle went through the vials, though her attention refocused on her son, her child... and that was where it stayed until her attention was brought back towards the Sith Master...

:::

 

Watching as Nurgle gave her a dose of blood, that of which she recognized as her own as it began to flow into her veins, she felt the strong call to return to her body. As if she had closed her eyes, her awareness was suddenly back within the pained prison of her mortal body. Her eyes opened, still hearing the sound of her son's cries. That was what brought her around more than anything else. She was helped by the servants to sit up, the Nurglebot handing her son to her waiting arms.

 

Tears flowed down her face as she looked upon the child of her womb. Her hand caressing him, counting all his fingers and toes. Looking into his little eyes, Ki smiled through the tears of joy.

 

"My son... my beautiful baby son..."

 

He let out another yell, a hungry one, little red fists clenched and waving above the blanket. She laughed slightly, ignoring the pain it caused and put him to suckle. Ki smiled at her child, marveling at how strong he felt both in the Force and as he struggled against his blanket.

 

"My little Aidan... Aidan Vastor... Prince of Hapes..."

 

Ki gave him her own name rather than that of his sire, watching her son feed... before she drifted off into a light slumber.

KiVastor.jpg

 

Kheldar pops back into the bar, giving Ki a startled look.

 

"Wait a second.... Weren't you just here and- Oh, wait, nevermind. For some reason I'm getting deja vu..."

[meaning Alora]
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