Naboo

[Solus]

When Solus powered on, his first sight was Stitch-Mouth standing over him, robes covering everything but his scarred face.

“Gah!” Solus shouted as he jumped up. Tear was also startled awake, and gave out a yelp in surprise.  “Wh...what’s happening?”

Stitch-Mouth said nothing, but pointed at Solus’ shoulder, and then ankles. Recently attached to them were metal tubes with propellers inside them. Solus was surprised to discover that he was already controlling them, as wires had been worked into him and attached to them. 

Solus looked at the devices and then at Stitch-Mouth.

“My my, thank you good...um...thank you...You must be akin to some kind of specialized mechanic, with me as your project, no?”

The human said nothing, but the glare spoke volumes. Solus instantly quieted. Something about this sorcerer unnerved him. 

Stitch-Mouth first gave Tear a piece of meat, and then led the Shard and the Hound through the Destroyer, to another hangar, where groups of men and women were preparing for battle. Even as Solus approached the hangar, he could hear the chants and singing of the linnorms, mentally preparing themselves.

 

“We go with blades, and guns alight,
Ra-ka-ka-ta, Ra-ka-ka-ta!
The mouth is open, we kill tonight,
Ra-ka-ka-ta, Ra-ka-ka-ta!

 

Solus found himself swaying slightly with the chants of an old shanty-turned gospel. The people making the noise were clearly into it, as if this ordeal was a religious experience. Course, to them, this was everything. And their energy was practically sucking Solus into it. Stitch-Mouth however, simply turned around and left Solus to his devices. 

 

“What greatness! What wonderfulness! What beauty!”  Solus commented. Tear growled in agreement.

 

“Cut off their heads and break their bones,
Ra-ka-ka-ta, Ra-ka-ka-ta!
Feed the gods with their moans!
Ra-ka-ka-ta! Ra-ka-ka-ta!

 

Solus entered the hangar. A crowd of the Linnorms were gathered around the ships, chanting, singing, drinking and inhaling mind-altering drugs. They were ready for this.

For a bit, Solus only stared at the group, unsure what to do, and unable to turn away from the rowdy choir. Then everyone came to attention. The Lord of Wrath was entering. 

[Solus]

Solus nodded and studied each word Lord Akheron said intently. Only when everyone was making their way to the ships did he get a chance to expound his thoughts.

 

“Um...master…” Solus started, a little unsure of himself. “I can’t help but question the fact that a new empress is in charge now? Whatever happened to the Spider? Did she kill him? If so, what does that bode for us? And if not, is she truly worthy to lead? I mean, if someone else killed him, then she is...”

 

A few of the Linnorms who could overhear gave Solus a glare. The shard couldn’t help but flinch slightly under their sight, much to the soldiers’ amusement as they strapped themselves in. It was clear that, as their lord stated, Solus needed to prove himself, and questioning their newest Empress was not helping. Solus needing to earn respect not just from Lord Akheron, but to the Linnorms. After all, how many new recruits, full of zeal and unbridled passion, died on their very first mission? Respect couldn’t be wasted on the weak.

 

“And um…” Solus continued as he and Tear boarded a ship, which started up and began to take off. “Gungans? Pardon my inexperience, but what are they? I overheard a few of the others mention them. Warriors of some kind? Or something akin to livestock? Truth be told, I don’t fear either, but it may help me if I knew more…”

 

Outside the ship, the firepower was truly impressive. The metal vessels that hung over the planet reminded Solus of some battle he saw in his visions long ago. The one with the massive city below and two waging armies above. Somewhere in his chassis, despite his ignorance of the situation, Solus tingled with excitement. 

 

"My my my... what a beautiful sight..."

 

Tear growled in agreement. 

[Solus]

“Death comes for all” Solus repeated slowly after Akheron spoke, as if he was tasting every word on his non-existent tongue. What a beautiful phrase. So delicate, yet so powerful. Something about it resonated with the Shard. He liked it immensely. 

The explanation about the Gungangs was also fascinating, though not as much. The idea that these warrior people utilized something besides technology to combat the forces of this world of worlds was...unbelievable. And Solus voiced that opinion.

“Still, to think...not to use the weapons we have at our disposal already and relying on their old contraptions...that is mind boggling, yes? I mean, look at my body! Why, even my last one was a powerful vessel, with all of its crudeness, yes?  These Gungans master...bah, if the new empress thinks their weapons will be useful to us, then I wiill do my best to acquire them, but bah!” Solus waved a hand away as if to mock something imaginary. “What pathetic beings we will crush, eh?” 
Then Akheron spoke those words that Solus was not ready for. 

“Focus yourself in the Darkness”

There was no way Akheron would mean the same darkness that Solus was envisioning. To Akheron, it was probably figurative for the dark side of the force, or the presence of the Fanged God. But for Solus, it was something else entirely. 

Solus wanted to speak against this command. Solus desperately wanted to beg and ask for just a few guiding words, or permission to let his usual excitement guide his actions. Wasn’t that enough? 

“Yes...master” Solus instead spoke softly. With that, and a very long pause, the chassis slumped forward slightly as it powered down. 
Solus was terrified. The darkness that surrounded him was even bigger than before. As impossible as it felt, Solus could sense his robot chassis around him. All it would take was a little jolt from his thoughts, a dash of his shard to the wires on him, and the body would come back online. 

But he couldn’t. Not yet. 

“The Darkness” Akheron’s voice echoed in the endless void. Solus was a soul floating on an invisible current, with nothing moving nor anchoring him. Space could only hope to be as impossibly big as this.  The gap between him and the edge of everything was too far to sense, yet it was right there. 
Akheron’s voice echoed again, a memory in a land of silence. 

Connect your rage, anger...your hate and fear....suffering to it

Solus wanted to cry, but he had no voice to sob with. He desired to weep, to mourn, but with no body, how could he make such a desire come true? The silence. The darkness. The shadow of nothing. How terrifying! How dreadful! Oh to be back in that world of worlds! To leave this place! Could anyone hear him from here? Could anyone even speak to him here? Maybe he should flee now. Back to the world of worlds where the light shines and...
No...focus Solus. Don’t let it consume us again. Right Solus? We have been here before. For an eternity that was only a moment. Stay... focus…. Remember those words…Let them echo again.

Connect your rage, anger...

Rage...oh that is a powerful emotion! Yes, we remembered it. The first moments when you, Solus, were cast off into this void. Do you remember that, little Solus? Those first few moments of silence? How quickly you turned to anger with your shard-mates...can you still feel that anger? Oooh it makes me hungry now… I drool with anticipation...

Your hate...

Oh the hate...how sweet it is to feel that despicable thing. Can you focus on it? Point it in a direction? There we go, Solus...point it. Guide it. Where are we aiming? I don’t know anymore…

Akheron? That is a good thing to hate, but why him? Cause he placed us here? He simply commanded you. We obeyed. No...no...not him…no definitely not Roshan, though maybe Lord Helios would do...

The Gungans… yes that's a good target. Ooooh that hate is flowing now! We hate the Gungans. We’ve never met them, and yet we already loathe them entirely... I’m sure even Akheron feels that hatred! We certainly do, haha!  Oh how my hunger grows in anticipation!

Connect suffering to it

Yes, connect it. Like you connected with the wires to the body, connect the darkness with our suffering. All the pain we feel. Let it flow into the darkness and back out. In….out….in...out…

Who is that? Who is speaking to us? You don’t know? Good...let’s keep it that way. Focus Solus. Feel the darkness. Remember the Force? The Wicked flame? Can you call on it now? 

There it is... the impossible geometries. The colors of emotions. The sounds of death and guilt. The smells of hunger. My hunger. MY hunger Solus. Can you smell it? Death is my meat Solus. Use your hatred. Yes, like that. Tint all the impossible things with that hate. Make all the life around your scrawny little shard feel it. Make the Force feel your hate...yes...now feed me. Recall the hatred. Bring it back. Focus it on the Gungans. Can you see them? Good. Now kill them...kill them. 

Kill them all

 

With a start, Solus’ body powered on. The ship was approaching the planet now. It was only a few miles above a swamp where they would land. Surely the Gungans were below. 

 

“Let us kill them master!” Solus proclaimed. Next to him, Tear seemed to smile, as impossible as it should have been for such a hound. “I feel the darkness flowing through me! Yes that is what it is! Let us kill the Gungans! Kill the Gungans, haha!”

Edited June 26, 2021 by Solus

[Solus]

As Solus held the weapon in his hand, his excitement was barely containable. While he didn’t understand how it worked, he knew its purpose clearly. A weapon of the gods, in his very hand. A weapon to cause destruction as he saw fit. A thing to cause death on a scale of his choosing. 

Solus also felt the loss of life in the force when Akheron did. It was an amazing feeling. The loss of life only felt like a tingle, but he could see it. Fading in and out of his sensor's vision, the impossible geometries revealed themselves, shattering and unable to reform. As his lord went to battle, Solus couldn’t help but watch, almost hypnotized by his master’s battle prowess. The force around him was changed color. The air, was it more red now, or was that just the glow of his blade?

“Yes my master! Haha! Isn’t it glorious? Oh is the Fanged God enjoying this? Haha! I must join! Yes! I must join in! Haha He calls me to this!”

In his elation, the Shard was almost unable to turn on the blade. He shook with excitement as he fumbled with the weapon. But after a moment, the blood-like blade hissed to life. Solus could see the force swirl around the weapon. The red colors were not just from the blades.

Solus looked up. An amphibious biped  was charging towards the shard, spear in hand. Solus acted on instinct. His free hand reached out and grabbed the spear by the shaft, and with a duck under its pointed tip, Solus brought the blade up. 

It was so much different then fighting with his previous chassis. Where he would have had momentum, here he had only speed. But where he would’ve felt resistance of metal on flesh, here the only resistance was the energy cutting through burning flesh. 

The gungan fell lifeless to the ground. Solus couldn’t help but stare at the body momentarily. 

Then he laughed again. 

“Hahaha! Such beauty! Yes! The Wicked Flame! The Fanged God! The Dark Side! Death! Death! Death!”

Solus began to chant the word over and over again as he charged forward towards the swampy areas. A few more Gungans were waiting, flinging their energy balls with atlatls. Some of the more fresher Linnorms behind Solus took the cue and charged alongside him, eager to kill.

“Death! Death! Death!” they all cried out, eager to give the Fanged God his due. 

When Solus reached the Gungans, he let himself loose. The thrill of killing was still new to him, and with a weapon of the gods in his possession, it was so easy to do!  One slash, another slash, a warrior and his weapon were cut down. A spin of the body, and another was decapitated. A bringing of the blade up, then back down, and another Gungan screamed as he lost his arm. 

“Oh Stitch-Mouth, what a body this is! I can see all the enemies around me! Haha!”

Solus continued to hack and slash at the enemies around him. True, it was  sloppy and uncoordinated compared to Akheron’s style, with the shard wasting energy and over powering his swings, but still how it filled Solus with glee! 

A noise caught solus attention. Bursting into the clearing, another gungan charged, this time on some kind of reptavian mount. However, Solus didn’t have time to react, as a blur of motion suddenly knocked the rider off and onto the ground. Tear lived up to his and his brother Rip’s namesake as he pulled the gungan’s throat out. 

Solus laughed again, and separated the kaadu head from its body. It was clear they both were enjoying themselves greatly. 

Solus looked up. A line of Kaadu riders charged the Shard, the Hound, and the small batch of Linnorms.  Solus readied himself to strike, despite having the numbers and cavalry against him.

“Haha! Yes! Come and get me! Come and let me kill!”

Edited June 28, 2021 by Solus

[Solus]

His master’s words of caution flew right over his head. Perhaps it was the excitement of battle, or the idea that gods like Akheron feared death was abhorrent to him, Solus didn’t give a single thought about caution. 

His master's words on what to do did catch his attention. As he demonstrated, Solus could briefly see the force shimmer around him. The colors of rage and hatred briefly saturated the air between Akheron and the gungan who toppled over. Fear exploded out of the Gungans like a black gas. 

The impossible geometries of the Force never ceased to look so amazing and deadly. But how to do it himself?

Solus reached a hand out, like those in the visions long ago. He attempted to focus on the colors of emotion around him. The reds of anger and hate, the blacks of fear and terror. He willed the reds coming off of his own chassis to stretch out towards the Gungans. A long, thinning arm of fire, with a  deadly hook on the end. Solus focused on the hook. Let it go to the Gungan on the right. Let it grab his ear and…

The Gungan was pulled over slightly, but not strongly. The color of red in the force intensified around solus. and with more effort, he willed the hook to not grab the ear, but rather the small wisps of fear that had just leaked from the target. 

This time the hook caught true. It pierced the fear and ensnared it. Solus' physical hand closed around the invisible rope of rage, and pulled back, willing the invisible hook to retract. 

To his delight, the Gungan jerked and dropped forward over his mount. The Kaadu veered uncontrollably. The entire line of cavalry were now in a disarray, losing their charging momentum, toppling over themselves. 

“I did it! Yes! Haha! I...whoah…” Solus stumbled for a moment as he suddenly lost sight of the colors of emotion. 

“Master my...my body? Why...it feels heavy all of a sudden, like my gears...whoah.”

Just as quickly as it came, it left. The drainage of energy was replaced by his usual running of power. His gears whirred back to normalcy. 

“Master...is that normal to feel that drainage? Does the wicked flame cost my body?” 

As he asked, Tear was getting to work. With the cavalry toppling over and in disarray, the hound charged into the thick of it. Leaping from target to target, Tear’s claws sunk into chests as his teeth tore off ears and eyes. The Gungans screamed briefly as Tear killed them one by one, and with all of the chaos, were helpless to stop the beast.  Tear roared in triumph over his enemies, caked in blood and guts. 

[Solus]

Solus brought up an arm and slammed his chest in a salute. 

 

“Yes my master! With eagerness I shall clear these Gungans!”

 

Without waiting for another word, Solus rushed forward. Solus felt his entire body practically fly through the air towards the Gungan forces, feet barely touching the ground. He noted briefly through his side sensor how Tear was running alongside of him, eager to continue the kill. This hunt was a good one. There was much death to cause. 

 

Solus activated the loaned blade, this time not fumbling as much. A Gungan on his right was cut in half as the shard passed by. To the left, then back right, Solus brought his blade across, splitting a polearm in twain before ending the warrior who held it. Through the overgrowth the metal chassis charged, unable to stop itself from the excitement of battle. Tear jumped and landed on a Gungan, biting a face off, before racing to keep up. 

 

Solus saw a group of four in front, readying their slings with plasma orbs. As one, they began to throw them at their attacker. Solus gave into his instincts and leapt. With only the power a machine could bring, Solus flipped up and over the shots, one actually striking his blade harmlessly. Feet came down first on one Gungan, crushing bones and cartilage. Solus then spun wildly, catching another warrior’s ear.

 

The other two warriors reacted accordingly. They backed off a step, reading another shot, and took aim. 

 

Solus was fortunate that Tear was with him. The hound didn’t even pause as he jumped, landed on one, and then pushed off to the other, slitting its throat with aimed claws. Meanwhile, his long whip-like tail actually snapped and sliced off an eye of the previous target. 

 

Laughter began to emit from the sith apprentice. It was the laughter of someone having the best day of their life. The laughter didn’t pause for a breath, even as Solus grabbed the warrior with a missing ear, spun, and threw his target into a tree. The laughter only changed when Solus began charging again towards the war beasts that were flinging plasma balls at the Linnorms behind their shield generators. 

 

As Solus charged across a clearing towards his new targets, his laughter changed to song. 

 

    “Let me get by, gonna kill them all
    Gonna kill, gonna kill, gonna kill them all!
    Can’t hold back, Gungan’s gonna fall
    Gonna kill, gonna gonna kill them all!”

 

Even as he sang, Solus was still aware of his surroundings. When a Gungan charged from the side, thinking the droid had no peripheral vision, Solus only stopped, slashed the spear, grabbed the foe's neck, crushed it, then charged on.

 

“Ooh, all that blood, a rushing flood
Gonna kill, gonna kill, gonna kill them all!
Make dirt into mud with all that good blood
Gonna kill, gonna gonna kill them all!”

 

Some Linnorms had caught up with Solus, rushing alongside him. While they didn’t know what he was singing, they understood the repetition, and couldn’t help but join in every other line, fueling their own bloody rage.

 

“Feed the god, make sharp the tooth
Gonna kill, gonna kill, gonna kill them all!
Death after all is the final truth,
Gonna kill, gonna gonna kill them all!”

 

The group passed through the energy energy shield harmlessly. A volley of energy balls came over the group. Solus was able to dodge and weave his way through the fire. Those Linnorms who didn’t get hit nor trip over those who did were able to keep up with him. 

 

"Can’t hold back, gotta fight all day
Gonna kill, gonna kill, gonna kill them all!
We could never have it any other way
Gonna kill, gonna gonna kill them all!”

 

At the final verse, Solus made contact with the warriors. Solus wasn’t aware of how much time, whether seconds, minutes, or hours, went by. He couldn’t remember how many warriors fell, nor how many of his own brothers fell. He couldn’t recall any of the words he sang after that.  All he could remember was giving into the rage of battle. The joy of killing. The energy that the Force fed him with each death and mutilation.  It was overwhelming. Never had Solus felt so alive with each murder. 

 

After a period of time later, Solus stood on top of a mountain of corpses, eagerly looking around for more to kill. The Fanged God needed to be fed. He had to kill. The Fanged God demanded it. There needed to be more. But it seemed that all of the nearby enemies were dead. 

“Is that all? Bring me more! I must kill!” Solus cried out, raising his fists to the air, blade still ignited. The other Linnorms around who were still alive cheered, thinking this to be some kind of war cry. Overhead, the ships began landing some transports. Nearby, the swamp was ready for entrance. 

 

Finally, Solus began calmed down and deactivated his blade, and looked around for his master. Surely he would be pleased with the Shard's work.
 

[Solus]

Solus straightened up in pride at his master’s words. Just that piece of praise elated him even further. Still this time the words of caution didn’t fly right over his head. At least this time the words registered with the Shard. However, whether or not he would follow them would be something only time could tell. 
  

“Be on your guard and ever aware in the Darkness of the force, while down there. Use it as a guide where your eyes fail you. That said contact the flagship, let them know the area is secure and to send down the submersible transports."

 

 Solus nodded and went to find the nearest Linnorm who could do that. He wasn’t exactly equipped with a way to contact the ships. 

 A few moments went by. One of the transports was carrying a rather large submersible down to the swamp. Someone explained to Solus that it was an old Imperial submarine, Class-S. Large enough to carry 6 people, but small enough to navigate some of the tight tunnels in the Naboo Abyss. True, it had required some modifications. There were several harvester claws attached to it now, at the cost of taking off one of the laser cannons. Still, it would survive down there provided it didn’t fly into the teeth of a large fish. 

 As the submarine was placed into the waters, Solus had a thought, and, at the water’s edge, asked his master quietly. 

 “My great lor.....er, my master…” Solus shook his head, still trying to get used to the term. “Er, that Sorcerer back on the ship, he attached these…” 

 Solus showed off the metal tubes with the propellers attached to his shoulders and ankles. For added effect, he spun them  and rotated them in a full 360 degrees with but a thought of his shard brain.

“I now can see where they may come into use. Shall I scout ahead a bit outside of the sub, allowing you to take another Linnorm with you? After all, I don’t believe I breathe, and could be of great use getting into the smaller crevices that this machine might struggle with.”

Part of this question was to simply test out the new attachments. But another was to have another opportunity to show how much use he could be to Akheron. After all, a Sith who didn’t need to breathe and could do the most unique tasks would be of much higher value, and deserving all the more praise. 

[Solus]

"I did wonder about those. Our Master Of Cloth seems to have taken leave of his senses again....those attachments were not necessary, you have legs with which to swim like a sentient and arms. No matter, we shall have to make do for now.

Solus stared at his master and his words, confused. For the first time, he didn’t understand why Akheron thought this way.  Stitch-Mouth seemed completely sound of mind, at least from what Solus could see. Solus never heard him speak a word, but the glares when the shard spoke, the meat he gave to Tear, the utter sense of contempt for everyone…

For the first time, Solus realized that not everyone in the Sith thought alike. 

“As to your suggestion, it is a excellent idea. Your uses become more, keep it up. Take a scouting party of our Mon Calamari and Quarren Linnorms with you. Guide our submersible craft a path through the Abyss, it shall each excellent test of your capabilities, to truly test your awareness in the force”

Solus beamed a bit with pride, at least silently. It was hard to express emotion with no facial muscles. Still, he did straighten up and his arms and hands reflexively tightened with excitement. 

“But before that, you must learn how, as such here is your next lesson. You may have stretched out on a small scale before but for this...more is required. As before, relax, and focus your hatred and rage. Only this time, expand it outwards…”

Solus nodded and began to disconnect from his body again for a moment, like he did back on the transport down to the surface. It was a little easier this time. Perhaps it was because of the wound in the force, or because he was more relaxed, or because he had just gotten a word of praise from his master, but Solus found it much less frightening to try to open himself to the impossible geometries. 

It was still beautiful as always. Solus doubted that the Impossible Geometries would ever be ugly. It was much more sickly now, with all the death and destruction that had just happened. But it was still beautiful. Solus could see and recognize Akheron’s presence, a powerful cacophony of shapes, colors and lines that were almost overbearing. Like a cloud of death or a wind of murder given a new form. 

Solus could also see himself a bit better. The presence of his own body as a conglomeration of images and smells and tastes. But it was less red now. Less anger. Less rage. 

“Odd” Solus pondered, not realizing he was still connected to his body and thus spoke out loud. “Still, maybe it's always like that. Perhaps I  must...focus.”

 

"But focus on what? Anger? But what gives me...them...my Shardmates.... Indeed. They did that torture to me. But now they are gone. But I am here. Yet why did they feel good and I didn’t? That’s not fair. No...not fair at all. I should have experienced peace like them. But I wasn’t good for them. No no no…”

Solus could see it now. A cloud of red. Anger emitting from his body. But there were some stripes of sickly yellow-green. Envy. His sin that he identified with back on Korriban with Lady Sirena. 

“Anger and Envy. A deadly combination” Solus mused, and put more thoughts about his shardmates and how lucky they had it. The lines of envy grew alongside the clouds of anger, dashing about like the lines inside Solus’ shard. 

“Now...to just let it...not go...um...search? Yes, search…”

The anger began to spread out from his body into the impossible geometries. It filled those odd spaces where nothing existed, and wrapped around new objects. Objects Solus hadn’t seen before. As the cloud did that, the stripes of envy slashed towards the objects and gave them shape. The leaves, the bodies, his master...they were a little clearer now. He could see the individual bugs crawling up his torso. The fires consuming the bodies. The…

Solus stopped. Behind him in the impossible geometries he saw a splotch of red, green, and yellow. The splotch was growing in intensity. Solus focused on that spot, letting the clouds of anger drift towards it. It was in a tree. Solus focused harder, guiding the envious lines. They began to make a trace of something. Something humanoid? And the center of the colors Solus could see…

Solus whipped around, his hands barely catching the spear that had been hurled at the shard. 

“There! We missed one!” Solus called out, pointing out the Gungan who had somehow avoided the slaughter. The Linnorms quickly rushed and killed the last warrior, eager to get another kill in. Solus chuckled, for it was Tear who got to the Gungan, knocked him out of the tree, and tore him apart. 

Solus turned back to Akheron, his pride not hiding at all. True his body still felt a bit drained, but not as intensely as when he pulled the Gungan into the charge. 

“How was that my master? Oh ho ho, the Force is truly amazing! Haha! Truly I will be a god-like being soon if I continue this, correct? Haha, yes, truly amazing...” 
 

[Solus]

Solus recited the mantra slowly after Akheron spoke them, imprinting it into memory. A unique mantra to be sure. Solus couldn’t help but feel the equivalent of a shard chill at the words, the lines in his shard jumping erratically with each syllable. But they were quickly set aside. Solus had a new task ahead of him.
Swimming. 

Solus approached the water slowly, not sure what to expect. When the liquid touched his metal chassis it felt strange, but not uncomfortable. A slight pressure, but nothing else. 

“Well, time to do something that none of my shardmates would never get the chance to…” Solus stated, and with that, jumped in. 

The feeling of sinking into the liquid slowly, as his own density was heavier than the water, was fascinating. To slowly drift downwards and watch the world above become harder and harder to spot. The sound was so much different down here. It was so much louder. Noises came from every direction as the vibrations from the water struck Solus at every single angle. 

For a moment, Solus was scared. But then he instinctively activated his propellers. 

“Haha! What...movement! What speed! What...haha! Behold!” Solus cried in laughter as his body moved through the water effortlessly. He did a sort of dance with the waves, just appreciating the movement. 

“Never before would I have thought! I...I am flying! But not flying! Water! Oh such a beautiful thing! Haha! You! Linnorms! Is this what your life is like all the time in this liquid?”

Several Linnorms of Quarren and Man Calamari had joined the Shard. They were entirely focused with the mission and not with Solus’ discovery of liquid. One of them, a Quarren, pointed downwards into the dark depths. 

“Ah! Yes yes, quite right. We are on a mission! But look at this! Haha!”  

Solus performed a somersault, quickly adjusting to his propellers mode of transport. He received a smack to the head by the Quarren, who was glaring at this point. They needed to focus. Solus was leading this group. There was no time for amusement. 

“Fine, fine. Follow me! I will prove to Lord Akheron my worth!”

With that Solus adjusted himself and began diving  into the darkness below.

Minutes turned into hours.  Solus’ excitement quickly gave way to curiosity, and then boredom as the light from above became dimmer and dimmer. Still, even as he approached pitch blackness being lit up only by the Linnorms lights, he wasn’t frightened. Unlike the darkness of when he wasn’t connected to his chassis, here he could still see and feel things. The pressure especially. As the group swam deeper and deeper, Solus could feel the pressure on his chassis. It was a squeezing feeling, with each plate fighting back against the waters seeking to crush him. 

Still, Solus pressed on. At one point he had to stop and study the surroundings. The aquatic life was almost absent, as if the fish knew what was happening on the surface and went into hiding. No doubt, the gungans had found one of their own hidden cities to escape destruction. 

But when Solus focused on his Force sight, he noted a few things. One was that the ground was going to slope sharply downwards soon. And another was the corpses of a few large fish. 

A quarren explained that the corpses were Opee Sea Killers, killed from the bombardment above. The group was lucky. No doubt, more leviathan creatures awaited further below. 

Solus had a Linnorm contact the sub about the corpses, and continued onwards. Nothing else of importance was here. 

The darkness was now a maw, swallowing those who dared to descend.

 

-------
Solus lost track of time. Unlike any kind of droid, he had no way to tell how much time had passed without some kind of external giveaway like light. 

The Naboo Abyss lived up to its name. Everywhere was only more water, rock, and inky blackness.

Despite the lack of life the group saw, the noises had grown much louder. Deep in these abysmal waters, Solus could hear and feel the waves of monstrous things moving about. Roars from behemoths echoed across vast distances while monstrous leviathans stalked the nearby casms. The ground they followed shuddered as if the planet could feel the pain from above. 

The noises and the darkness were getting on everyone's nerves, especially Solus. It felt like something would emerge from an unseen passage to devour the group whole. But every time Solus stopped and looked with his newfound sight, he found only empty water.

Solus was visibly getting frustrated. 

"Finally, something up ahead!" Solus exclaimed. A large hole opened up in the ground ahead, like some kind of mouth at the bottom of the sea. Nothing unusual, except...

"I can see, way deeper inside, a heat signature… a very large one! Hoho! But when I look with the force, I see nothing. How odd! I simply must inspect this! Yes, most definitely inspect…"

The Linnorms gave the shard a concerned look. This hole didn't seem all that promising, and the shard hadn't paused like he usually did to sense the force. Was he that bored that he would lie to the others to break the monotony? Still, he was the leader...

"You stay here! Guide the sub to us...I'll be back momentarily!"

With that,  Solus went deeper. The hole would be barely wide enough for the sub. It went for a couple hundred meters, banishing into pure darkness. Solus was now completely relying on his own heat sensors to guide him to the floor, and even then he was essentially blind. The cavern was so hot. Something was down here. 

Eventually, he landed. The ground churned and rolled under his feat. It was a strange feeling. Solus could see the water around him begin to almost boil from the heat.

"What secret are you hiding here? "

Solus unhooked the borrowed lightsaber, and activated it. The red hissing glow revealed nothing more but rock. But the ground was much too soft, and moved as if it was on a liquid…

Following instinct, Solus stabbed the ground and pulled back as a jet of liquid plasma shot up, boiling tons of water instantly before the hole was sealed up by melting rock.

Solus disarmed his weapon. Time to swim back up and give the others the good news. Oh how his master would praise him!

Just as Solus' feet left the ground, the cavern was bathed in a biolumescant glow.

---------

One way gungans find where plasma will be is by finding what they called Claw Hatcheries. The Colo Claw Fish, known for its size and ferocity, lays a clutch of eggs in the warmest spots they can find. These spots tend to be where the ground between the water and Naboo's plasma core is thinnest and where the plasma could erupt soon.

Had Solus actually used the force to see down here, and not rushed in out of boredom, he would've seen there were five very young Colo Claw Fish. Each one big enough to big three beings whole. And each with a monstrous appetite to match.  

-------
The first fish came crashing out of the hole with Solus in its jaws. The shard was barely holding the upper jaw separated from the bottom, trying to avoid a crushing death. The fish was attempting to swallow the robotic being whole.

The other four Colo Claws raced afterwards, hoping to steal a morsel of the food from the lucky one. When they came out and saw the other beings, they changed their minds and went for these fleshy snacks.

 Laser fire opened up as the Linnorms, caught off guard, attempted to kill the monsters.

Solus screeched out as the jaws pushed down tighter and tighter.

"Shoot it! Shoot it no-auuugh "

The Colo Claw's tounge wiggled under the shard. Solus slipped slightly and lost his grip. The jaws came down and Solus was swallowed whole.  Then the beast turned and swam straight for one of the Linnorms, leaving nothing but a sinking lightsaber hilt.

[Solus]

For those first few moments in the fish’s stomach, Solus felt fear. The adventure of being swallowed whole by another creature was a wholly new and unpleasant experience. 

 

“Let me out, let me out, let me out!” Solus shouted as he thrashed about. He could see nothing. It was pitch black in the creature’s stomach. And his thermo sensors couldn’t see anything beyond the creature’s hide. 

 

“Let me OUT! LET ME OUT!” Solus raised in pitch and volume as his panic continued to crescendo. Even his force sight wasn’t helping. His own fear was practically choking.  He had no weapon. No sight. No direction. 

 

No escape. 

 

“HELP!”

 

Suddenly a blade of red energy sliced inches from the Shard’s face. The top half of the Colo Claw fell away as Solus burst out into the water. 

 

“Oh master! Thank you! Thank you so much!”

 

Solus couldn’t see the look on Lord Akheron’s face. His own was covered with fish slime and digestive liquids. However, once he wiped the obscuring muck off, it became clear.

 

“Master I...oh um…” Solus instantly silenced. He didn’t need force sight to tell what Akheron was feeling. 

 

Solus did what he knew best. Sell himself. “I master, I...I found the plasma! Yes, in that hole there, a large storage of plasma from the planet’s core. I was able to pierce it with the blade and then the creatures awoke and...um…”

 

Solus fell silent again. Without his blade, there wasn’t much he could do. So instead he watched in dread and shame as the others cleaned up his mess, and awaited a response from his master.  

 

For the first time in his life, Solus knew what shame was. 
 

[Solus]

Solus received the lightsaber gratefully, and nodded to his master. He hoped that this mistake would be overlooked and he would receive more chances in the future to prove himself. 

 

Solus activated the blade and looked at the other monsters. One was starting to flee the scene. Solus’ anger flared up and he gave chase. Within a moment, he caught up, and hacked its tail off, then a fin, and then finally a head. While it didn’t make him feel any better, at least he was doing something productive now. 

 

Solus stopped and focused himself on the impossible geometries. He had to make sure he wasn’t missing anything. It was slightly different down here. The air had a different tinge and shape then the water around him. It was more organically shaped...it formed different kinds of kaleidoscopic scenes. It felt…

 

Solus stopped. A tiny splotch of yellow and red rapidly approaching from behind.  Solus barely reacted in time to spin around and block the oncoming plasma ball. 

 

“Haha! Well timed! We were just running out of targets!” Solus called out and charged forwards. The gungans were after at the same thing the Linnorms were after. It was his duty to prevent that from occurring. 

 

In the ensuing battle, Solus was surprised at one thing: The gungans were much fiercer down here compared to when they battled above. They were smoother. They had more grace. They fought in all three dimensions.  Still, Solus fought.  The death pleased him. The fighting made him happy. He could feel the presense of the Fanged God along side him, a terrible force of power giving him fuel to kill more and more. 

 

At one point, Solus grabbed one of the gungans by the throat and pulled him close.  A bragging was in order.

 

“You really think you can stop us? You are weak! We are so much stronger!”

 

The gungan did something surprising. He smiled

 

“Yousa will nebber beat all-n ussa. Wesa'll always combackie. Wesa'll crush yousa whena yousa least spect it puny sith.”

 

Solus was surprised. Such confidence was not what he expected. Still, it did not prevent him from stabbing the gungan's heart and leaving him for dead. 

 

“Master! Master!” Solus rushed towards Akheron. “Master, I believe the Gungans have more reinforcements nearby. A city perhaps!”

 

Perhaps this would give him a chance to redeem himself in his master’s eyes. 

[Solus]

To say the ice spear that ran near his master surprised Solus would be an accurate, if under exaggerated, statement.  Solus detected the spear not by force sight but by thermal vision. What could only be described as a cloud of cold consumed an area, and then shot out. 

 

“Amazing…” Solus exclaimed as if he was looking at a work of art instead of a weapon of destruction. The spear of ice….such a deadly tool. Another power of the Wicked Flame? 

 

Solus looked at where the spear had come from. Another submersible had arrived, and Solus could tell something was on board. Something powerful, much like Akheron. But different. 

 

Solus decided to feel how much different. With a quick focus, Solus peered into the Impossible Geometries, and directed his sight towards the submersible and those on board. 

 

Usually when Solus looked at living things, the shapes, colors, and sounds were in a constant state of flux. Constant churning change, overlapping with growing and shrinking. Emotions would cover each other up as unworkable shapes morphed into other ones.  But on the submersible, it was very different. The geometric shapes did not move as smoothly as they should have. They were constantly jerking and stopping randomly, like broken gears carrying on a purpase past its expected lifetime.  When the thing spoke to him via the Force, Solus saw how the shapes moved wildly into a spin for one moment, then go back into their usual patterns of jerking and stopping. And the colors around them were ashen pallid and drab. There were some colors of emotion, but they were partially greyed out. A state much closer to the dead bodies of the gungans that were nearby then to the Linnorms. 

 

“Anti-Life” Solus could only describe it as he broke his gaze from the vessel. 

 

“I will find the city, my Master!”  Solus then proclaimed, and turned his attention away from the battle. The others were handling it well. Now was his time to shine once again. 

 

Again, the Impossible Geometries came into view. Solus focused on his conglomeration of shapes and the colors that came from them. The anger was there but Solus noted there was more fear than anger around. 

 

“No no, this won't do. I need anger...more anger...focus on the anger…” Solus called up the memories of his shard mates leaving him all alone in the void. He focused on the images of Tear not obeying his commands.

 

The idea that your master will not recognize your greatness. Yes, those images. Focus on those images. Let the anger flow out from you. That red cloud of anger...now spread it out. Let it cloud the area…

 

Good. Now the envy. Supply it. It isn’t too hard. Remember that vision back on Korriban? The feeling when that thing was taking your things?  Or earlier up above with your master? Supply it. Give those feelings to me…

 

There. The lines of envy...now...throw them out there.

 

Solus obeyed and intensified his focus further. He could feel the darkness around him and within him, pushing him to grow. With a wave of his hand, the lines of envy traveled with the cloud of anger, making a pattern of solid objects like a lidar radar. 

 

Mostly rocks and plants, nothing out of the ordinary at first. But as Solus pushed further, stretching his anger as far as possible, he found something.

 

“There!” Solus pointed westward in the dark abyss, and spoke on all channels so that way he could be heard in the vehicle at this short range. “Large structures! At least, that’s what it looks like. Perhaps I and our, er, new ally, should go to it and destroy them?"

 

[Solus]

At his master’s point, Solus originally swam alongside the pod and followed it. With no need to breathe and able to stand the underwater pressure, there was no issue with allowing the others to have a bit more free space. Plus, if something happened to the pod, the Shard could help on the outside much quicker. 
    
However, his guilty mind got the better of him. He would rather be closer to his master. And this newcomer interested him. The force acted so weird here. 

 

“Perhaps with more looking into the impossible geometries” Solus commented to himself as he came in behind his master into the pod. “I could get an idea of what this...Inmortos is. Its such a strange sight. The shapes of his life are so...not correct. Like broken, but still running. Such an odd thing…”

 

Solus let the water drip off of himself as his master began talking. His attention was focused on the lizard beings nearby. The appearance they gave looked more like corpses then beings. And a quick glance into the Impossible Geometries revealed that just as so. Much like Inmortos, the shapes around the lizards were much more jittery and paused for much longer periods of time. They were more dead than alive in every sense of the word. 

 

Then the pain came. 

 

Solus’ joints tightened instantly as every circuit in his body began to fire off. The world around him was suddenly closing off from him. This world of worlds was disappearing rapidly, as his own connections from the chassis were being severed in unseen ways. His voice broke into a screech. 

 

"You may wonder why my apprentice? Why invoke my Wrath. Why do this after such success, it is simple. You jeopardized our mission, one given by the Dark Mistress for your own personal glory. You nearly cost the clan everything. You nearly cost me everything”

 

“Ma-Master I-” Solus screeched in pain as his chassis acted up again. His feet left the floor as every limb franticly tightened and loosened over and over.  His begging could not be heard over his shrieking frequencies. The world was losing sight for his sensors.  No, Solus realized, his sensors were losing connection with his Shard. With the chassis, he was a being, but without it, he was a simple rock. And Akheron’s actions were forcibly separating the two. 

 

“Disregard my lessons, my words at your peril Solus. Consider this your second lesson. There is nothing you do that is not without consequences. Think before you act and heed my words of caution. War is no game, no mere childs play, nor is the life you chose by accepting my tutorlage. I warned you about this...disregard my words again and jeopardize what privilege we were given and you shall be cast aside, I'm sure Krath Inmortos here would just love a new puppet like you. Do I make myself clear?”

 

“Ye...yes!” Solus fought, his voice a mixture of blaring of noises and shrieks of static and voice. “I..swear I...will remember! I ...swear!”

 

Solus fell to the ground with a clang, his body suddenly back under his full possession.

 

"Now get up and act the Sith you wish to become. You are a child no more, you are a Warrior, act like it."

 

A sudden fear came from Solus’ shard, followed immediately by a thick cloud of rage. He looked at his master and the new non-alive being. Hadn’t he done well? He had killed so many Gungans. He had found the plasma. He had found the gungan village. He was going to kill so many more! So he made a mistake... Was that worthy of so much pain? 

 

Was his master just like his shardmates, willing to throw Solus away for simply being himself?

 

Solus picked himself up, slowly. His chassis felt a bit foreign at first, as if he needed to resettle in it all over again. His body parts shook slightly at first, but worked into place. The shard however still kept his gaze focused on Akheron and Inmortos, saying nothing. He needed to let his anger cool off. No doubt Akheron could sense it. 

Solus briefly took a glimpse into the Impossible Geometries and called the red cloud away from the others. Perhaps he could hide it for now. It wasn’t like he couldn’t use it later on those stupid Gungans.  Just needed to call it back for now. Store it away, like a battery, and use it later. 

[Solus]

Solus eyed the sword that Akheron received with curiosity. Even a non-force user could sense the power coming off the thing. The fact that Solus could see the heat dissipating around the blade only made it more unnerving. Solus wasn’t sure if he liked or feared this being known as Inmortos. His impression in the Impossible Geometries didn’t fit in correctly, but he was clearly powerful. 

 

 Then again, he was winning Akheron’s praise. Something that Solus deserved. 

 

 “Yes master” Simply stated as Akheron explained why things had to be done. If he had eyes, he would have turned away and focused on something else. However, since his vision literally gazed in every direction, he simply stood still and focused on the pilot of the sub behind him. 

 

Still, Solus couldn’t help but get a glint of glee at Inmortos’ obvious annoyance at the announcement of another being. It seemed that this being was easy to annoy. Very different from what Solus had seen with his own master. 

 

The entire sub shifted as I broke free from the ice that had formed earlier. Like a mynock,  the vessel glided through the darkness towards its target.

 

“Sirs, we are approaching the gungan city,” A Linnorm announced. 

 

Solus decided to feel the Impossible Geometries again, wanting to see what was coming up. What greeted his sensing interested him. Large bubbles hidden amongst the rocks, housing many, many life forms. 

 

“Hmmm, it seems that there aren't many defenses…” Solus commented. Solus found it much easier to feel the Gungan city now. His envy was much easier to conjure up, with Inmortos winning praise that Solus felt he was owed.  "No water vessels, no men lining outside the bubbles...

 

 The Linnorm nodded. “No doubt they rely on hiding to be their defense. And with their attack force they sent at us already, most of their warriors are probably hold up inside, waiting for us to strike.”

 

 Solus nodded, an odd sight since he was still facing the other Siths in the sub.

 

 “Still, we can expect lots of soldiers inside. It's possible that the very leaders of all the Gungans may be hiding here. I heard their head of state is an Ankura Gungan from these depths. An excellent chance for bloodshed” the Linnorm grinned sadistically. 

 

Solus shared the Linnorm's excitement. He wanted to kill something. Badly. 

 

“Master, may we ram into the city as quickly as possible? Allow us to use the element of forward momentum as an opening attack?” 
 

Edited August 5, 2021 by Solus

[Solus]

Solus bowed slightly to his Master at his command. 

 

“Yes master. I will not fail you again”

 

Not that I failed you before master Solus backtalked silently.  With that he turned to the pilot of the sub. The Linnorm was young judging by appearance. A human, clean shaven, from neck to top of head, and several tattoos marking his body.

 

“Ramming speed please. We will flood them with full force.”

 

“Sir, their bubble walls will probably reform right after we break through. We won't flood them with water..."  The Linnorm commented, unsure how much Solus knew about the Gungans. It was obvious that the Shard was still relatively new.

 

Solus snapped his fingers. “Ah! Good point. But I meant we will flood them with us. Once we break through, we will pour out of the sub and attack whatever is there. I myself will use the distraction to find the communications”

 

The Linnorm nodded, a little unsure about the plan. Still he obeyed and gunned the controls.  The Sub picked up speed. It was aimed at the largest of the bubble structures, a large gathering room by the looks of it. At this distance, everyone could see the Gungans scrambling to get their men in places to repel the attack. 

 

“Come everyone! Let us be ready!” Solus declared and went for the bay doors. He didn’t need the pilot’s word over the intercom to tell him when they would make impact. He could feel it. It was coming. 

 

“Now men...lizards...everyone of the killing nature!” Solus stated, bracing for the crash. “I’d like a large distraction! I got a mission, and you got yours! Kill or be killed! It’s Hell or make Hell! Feed the Fangs or be fed to the Fangs!”

 

With that, the sub crashed through the bubble wall. Everyone inside felt the sudden change in direction as metal came to a screeching halt. Instantly the bay doors opened, and the Linnorms led the charge. Solus couldn’t help but begin to laugh as he followed them, eager to both observe the slaughter and to begin his mission. With the forces fighting, he would find an opening and break through.  

[Solus]

Excitement flowed through Solus like hot magma. With his ignited lightsaber in hand, he and his Linnorms crashed into the walls of Gungan shields like a wave of muscle and metal. Clashings of metal against metal, laser against energy shield or flesh, and fists against faces rang through the air. 

 

The area that solus’ particular group of Linnorms was the path directly towards the cities’ center. While this path seemed to have the most reinforcements spewing from, Solus was confident that this way would lead him to his goal. 

 

Solus saw an opening. There was an area that was thinner than the rest. The gungans were focusing on the right side of his central path. Knowing that the Linnorms would be adequate without him, Solus charged the left flank and jumped. His metal chassis soared through the air above the heads of Linnorm berserkers and Gungan warriors alike. Solus landed with a solid thud, swung his blade around him cutting a few gungans, then charged down the path. 

 

“We have our own mission, after all. We can’t fail master, and if worse comes, maybe that stupid Krath can help them. Heh, not that he looks like he could help much.”

 

Solus charged on and on towards another bubble section in front. A few gungans lined up to stop him, energising their shields. Without thought, Solus jumped again over their heads, this time slashing at the bubble wall above them. The temporary flow of water that crashed on the Gungan heads knocked them to the ground, just in time for the Shard’s blade to cleave their bodies. 

 

“I must say, we are beginning to enjoy this body greatly. That previous one was so bulky and slow. While I may be small...”  Solus’ vocabulator chuckled in delight as he turned and continued his charge. “I am powerful. All will fear me!” 

 

Soon, Solus found what he believed he was looking for. The oblong bubble had a mixture of mechanical and biological technology, complete with an antenna popping out of the bubble into the waters. Gungans and humans alike were busy working at the machines, trying to send out messages. It seems they were having some sort of trouble. 

 

“Not that it's going to improve now.” Solus declared as he charged towards the bubble entrance. 

 

“Dat's what yousa think”

 

Solus had to stop. At the bubble’s entrance stood a lone gungan. Clad in warrior garments, a ceremonial necklace, and the Ankura gungan carried no Plasma balls nor spear. Instead in his hands was a metal staff, sparking with purple energy at both ends. 

 

“You think you can stop me?” Solus asked, holding his balde forward threateningly, its red energy reflecting off of his featureless face.

 

The gungan smiled, whisker-like hair gently moving aside to reveal large molars.

“Mesa captain of guard of Ota Moona, and mesa think me goen to kill yousa, yousa dumb mackaneek.”

 

Solus laughed. “Right. You and that puny staff. What, you some kind of warrior? I am a god! Defend yourself Gungan!” 

 

With that Solus rushed the Gungan and brought the blade down. With a fluidic manner that betrayed his heavyweight looks, the captain stepped to the side, blocked the blade briefly with one end of the staff, then spun it around. The blow and the energy knocked Solus into a wall. The shard barely reacted in time to dodge and jump away from another swing from the staff.

 

The gungan grinned again and spun the staff in his hands.

 

“What's wrong mackaneek? Wasn't expect someone to use yous weapons? It may be old, but it's still a worthy weapon to destroy yousa.”

 

Solus picked himself up and braced himself. This was a different kind of battle. This would require a bit more than blind rage. He hadn’t fought something that could actually block his god-like blade before. 

 

“You simply caught me off guard, warrior.” Solus said, rotating his wrist a full cycle, as if to demonstrate his own capabilities.  “But now I’m ready for you.”

 

The two came together and clashed again. Solus’ attacks, now much more reserved and cautious, were continually met with blockings and ripostes from the Gungan. However, it was clear that Solus had an advantage with his metal joints and gears. His own body reacted faster than he would’ve imagined. If the shard had been a human or similar, he would’ve been at a huge disadvantage.  

 

Still, the Gungan was well trained. Solus recognized that as he deflected a blow to his right and tried to slash forward. The gungan brought his staff around and this time with enough force to knock the blade out of the shard’s hands. Caught off guard, Solus was then smacked back several times as the Gungan sought to expand the distance between the two and the fallen, deactivated blade. 

 

Solus, now completely on the defense, dodged stab after stab from the electrified staff. Finally, Solus tripped backwards and fell to the ground. Before he could get up, The Gungan pinned him with one large foot on his chest and staff pointed at the Shard’s head. Again, he smiled his large molars.

 

“Yousa fight well mackaneek, but yousa still lose. Still, thanks for dha exercise.“

 

Solus did not answer. Instead, he deactivated his chassis and fell completely limp. The Gungan looked in surprise. 

 

Without the distractions of sight, sound or touch, Solus was open to the Impossible Geometries. His rage gave him the sight he needed. He could see the blade, deactivated on the floor. He could wrap his anger around it like a hand, and activate it. He could throw the blade towards his true target. 

 

The Gungan looked back in surprise as the communications bubble exploded. The Lightsaber had sliced through several key machines, causing a chain reaction. This surprise was what allowed the Shard to activate his body once again and kicked the Gungan off. With a swift kick, Solus knocked the Captain out. 

 

Solus reached out with his hand, and the blade settled back into his grip. He collapsed to one knee for a moment over the unconscious gungan.

 

“That...whoo, that was something…” Solus commented, feeling his chassis regain the energy needed to power it. “Pity neither Master nor Tear got to see that. I should be the one thanking you Gungan. You showed me things I didn't know I could do.  You, my worthy foe, will be an excellent being for my master. ”
 

[Solus]

“I really should have thought ahead before leaving my company…” Solus thought out loud as he dragged the bound Ankura Gungan behind him. By pulling on a leg with one hand, and the Gungan’s weapon with the other, Solus allowed the unconscious, heavy-set Gungan to have its face unceremoniously dragged across the smooth floor.  

 

“Who knew that you guys were so heavy. I really must ask that sorcerer for a stronger body when we are done with this. Wouldn’t you agree, captain?”

 

The gungan remained unconscious. His lips however were open from the dragging, leaving behind a slick trail behind the two. 

 

Solus shrugged and continued to drag on. His current goal was to find his own men. Partially because he wanted someone else to carry the gungan, but also partially because he didn’t like the feeling of being by himself. It was too much like before the ascension.  So quiet. So alone. 

 

Thankfully, it didn’t take long to find the others. The Linnorms were coming to him, taking heavy fire from their backside. The leader, a young quarren who had lost his eye, and another Linnorm raced to the Shard to take the body. 

 

“Sir, they circled around us and have separated us from Lord Akheron and the others” The leader said, binding the Gungan’s arms together. He recognised that Solus kept the Ankura alive for a reason.  “It also looks like reinforcements are coming from that direction as well, including mobile Gungan turrets.  We need to move.”

Solus nodded. “Follow me then. Lets move! And don’t lose that Gungan!”

 

The squad moved with speed and efficiency. Whenever a Gungan did get in the way, it was easily dispatched by Shard. Behind them, a few Linnorms had picked up some Gungan shields and blocked incoming fire. The forces behind the squad were growing. Even as violent and forceful as the Linnorms were, they recognised that they did not have the advantage here. 

 

Still, running was not comfortable for the group. They were raiders and pirates. Not cowards. 

 

“Here!” Solus halted the group. The squad had come upon a Gungan bubble that contained a variety of sea vessels in disarray . Most likely a repair area of some kind, Solus reasoned that the broken vessels would provide cover. 

 

“Everyone, get into positions and open fire on the enemy!” Solus was beginning to show a natural strategic leader. He recognised that fleeing was not a permanent option, and this was no way to get back to Akheron. 

 

The Gungans and the Linnorms opened fire on each other. Solus himself stood behind cover for a moment, analyzing everything.  The Gungans were setting up a shield wall and flinging their plasma from behind. Solus observed as the Linnorms grabbed grenades and began chucking them over the shield wall, trying their best to scatter the enemy. 

 

Solus chuckled as the explosions did what they hoped. The Shield wall began to lose cohesion. However, the pleasure was short lived. Behind the shield wall rolled up a four legged mammal, pulling what looked like a turret. 

 

“Assault Turret! Take cover!” The Linnorm leader called out. Solus barely ducked behind a dismantled Gungan Bongo before plasma ball after plasma ball crashed near him. With that firepower, everyone was pinned, and soon the Gungans would overtake their enemy. 

 

“Everyone! When I give the word, charge forward!” Solus called out. Then he focused. The Shard focused on the impossible geometries. The entire area was overflowing with a thick inky yellow. Danger. That made sense. Still, Solus had to focus past the danger. He navigated through the yellow and found the Gungans. Their random shapes and colors splurging and spinning wildly in action. Solus pushed further. Where was the thing?

 

“Gotcha!” Solus chuckled as he spotted the Geometries and focused on large ocular shapes with globularal edges and purplish emerald tints. The Falumpaset that had pulled the turret here. Solus reached out and grabbed the thing’s reins and pulled. 

 

“Now! Attack!” He cried as the animal bolted forward, breaking through the Gungan lines and causing the turret to spin out of control from its gunman. The Gungan driver tried to retain control over the beast.

 

The Linnorms took to the battle and charged forward. Solus himself led the charge, not feeling the effects of the Force as strongly this time. With blade ignited, he began to slice through the opposition. The turret was first overwhelmed, with the animal slain where it stood, and the Gungans were overwhelmed. Their line was broken, and their spirit turned to cowardice. 

 

Solus stood over the dead bodies, proud of the work they had done. Quickly afterwards, the group retraced their steps and found their way back to Akheron, who was having his own fun slaying Gungans by the handful. 

 

“Master! Behold!” Solus shouted as he approached the Sith Lord. He turned and presented the Gungan, who was still asleep and dragged by two Linnorms. 

 

“May I present the captain of the guard of Oto Moona, this soon to be emptied city. Though, I must ask, where are the others?"
 

[Solus]

The powerful call the others felt, Solus felt as well. Perhaps it was because he was still growing in his force powers, or because he had connected and used the force so much today but no matter, he did feel the call. 

 

“Tell me did you come across any submersible while finding this vermin. If so, lead us to it.”

 

If Solus could have smiled, he would have. Instead he simply nodded enthusiastically. 

 

“Yes master! I found several! Enough for all of us to get a ride back to the surface.”

 

With that, Solus led the group back to the repair bay that he and his men had taken cover in earlier. Out of the six Bongos that were being repaired there, the group found that three of them were still in working order, though one did seem to have a slight leak. Still, they would function.

 

Solus volunteered to drive one of the bongos and lead the way. The Bongo was a difficult thing to drive at first, but the Shard managed it well. Combined with the calling feeling and his own personal experience in these waterways, Solus became a natural at leading the bongos towards their destination. And this time, he wasn’t as quick to forget to use his own force sight when entering areas that held monsters of the deep.

 

It took the better of a few hours, but eventually the Bongos emerged from the waters in the ruined and mostly destroyed city of Naboo. Solus looked about in awe. The destruction he had seen with the Gungans was impressive, but this was mass casualties. Unnecessary, but impressive.

 

“I’m sure that you, Lord Inmortos…” Solus spoke, once everyone had gotten off the Bongos and onto the deserted, smoldering streets. ”...would rather make your own introduction to the Great Empress? You and your…” Solus gestured to the pale men that were with the old being. 

 

“...Associates do demand their own attention”

 

Solus wasn’t sure what to make of them to be honest. They all looked so...similar. Surely he was having some kind of error in his sensors? Or perhaps they were all related and were brothers of some kind? The only one that seemed physically different was the big one.

 

“My master…” Solus turned to Akheron and bowed slightly. “If my deeds have overshadowed my mistakes, and if the proof that my powers have grown under your tutelage is revealing of your own greatness, may I request the honor of being introduced to the Empress by your side as your apprentice?  You were impressed that I, a mere droid as you put it, had the force, so surely the Empress herself will be impressed that you have taken such a being as your servant and student... ” 

 

As Solus talked, a pleasant surprise came upon the group. The being that dashed towards the group with such rabid and powerful movements was the large, slightly bleeding, sith hound known as Tear. Sensing its master was heading to the surface, the beast tracked its way through the slaughtering of the fields and the destruction of the city to get back to its primary food source. 

 

Tear stood its ground next to the Shard. Solus tried to make not too many movements, hoping his focus on Akheron would win him the honor of being introduced to the Empress, though he did spare a pat to the beast's head. Tear didn’t seem to mind. He panted slightly, blood and spit dripping from his jaws, and eyed hungrily at the cloned beings nearby.  They looked tasty. The cold one however emanated its own dark sickly power, and would not be subjected to being a snack yet. 
 

[Solus]

“Do as I do and no more, am I understood. That said, once she is done speaking, feel free to mingle, listen and learn with whomever you wish. But at all times be respectful.”

 

Solus nodded and followed. He hoped that Akheron would get the chance to introduce Solus to the other Sith, but the Shard also understood that this was a very serious situation. He would keep his head down for now. 

 

As Solus followed Akheron, Tear alongside the Shard, Solus didn’t even need to access the Impossible Geometries to tell the power radiating from the building. With so many powerful Sith in one building, it was impossible to feel the darkness, even for a relatively newer user of the Force. 

 

The Shard silently thanked the Sorcerers of Bragsanu for giving him a body with the ability to look in all directions at once. All the people in the area was fascinating. Committing each person to memory, Solus vowed to do as Akheron ordered and would make some allies. Surely, for a being such as he, a droid who could use the force, who served under the Lord of Wrath, and who had tamed a Tu’kata, he would be able to make some allies here. 

 

When Akheron knelt, so did Solus. Tear sat down next to the shard, understanding that respect was needed to be given here, but not willing to surrender completely to anyone, not even its master. Solus placed a hand on the Sith hound, making sure people understood that Tear belonged to him.  

 

When Akeron revealed his face, Solus only did as best as he could to do the same. Some clicking and whirring came from his head, followed with the head plates and sensors opening up to reveal the small Shard inside. The yellow crystalline being shone brightly from behind all the wires and gears that held it in place. Its white lines of thought danced inside the thing violently. 

 

Solus, and Tear, were all ears. 
 

[Solus]

Solus took in each and every word spoken at this, for lack of a better term, assembly of Sith. When the Empress spoke, he was surprised at the words about the Spider but remained silent. After all, he had only heard the Spider’s praises, not his criticisms. When she spoke about allowing the Republic a chance to grow however and to cut off the weak parts of the Sith, doubt began to form slightly.  Still, Solus kept his mind silent, a lesson he was learning was necessary to survive this empire. 

 

It was obvious the others were hesitant a little bit. The being that spoke first after the empress mentioned he was hesitant to let the enemy grow in power. Inmortos, after giving Solus and his master a chilling gaze of approval, or whatever it was, left the room entirely without a single word. And Solus could have sworn that when he took a brief look into the impossible geometries, the clouds around a few beings had changed.

Then Akeron spoke. And the words his master spoke did not help ease Solus’ mind. There were inconsistencies in what Akeron’s words were, and what Solus had seen in the battlefield and with the Clan. The Clan was one who worshiped a god of death. Not a god of patience nor a god of silence. Then again, there was so little he knew about the clan and the Fanged God. But still...

For the first time in his life, Solus doubted his master and his master’s equals. 

Still, the Shard was a mere apprentice and not an equal. No, he was the  Golden Slave, and was meant to be ordered around until he earned his position. What was Solus going to do, challenge the Dark Empress in front of Akeron, right after his master had pledged support? Solus wanted his master’s approval, not his annoyance or hatred. He would put these thoughts away, until the right time presented itself. When it did, Solus would speak to his master privately, to save his master’s reputation, and prove his own capability in the future.

“Hail the Dark Empress!” Solus shouted after Akeron spoke, hoping the others in the room, including the Empress, would notice his pledge of allegiance and not his inner doubts. His face plates closed and sealed together, hiding his Shard and presenting a perfectly smooth and reflective surface. He stayed kneeling, but slammed his own chest once with a resounding bang. “May her time never end! May the galaxy fear where she dwells!”

[Solus]

Solus listened to the Empress plans about the destruction. At least these plans made a bit more sense. But still…

 “I give you leave to speak freely of your thoughts without threat of repercussions or consequence. It's not quite what one imagines I gather."

Solus focused his senses on his master and spoke, albeit quietly, to not attract further attention from the Empress, though someone close enough could possibly overhear his words. 

“Surely master, you can see the errors in these schemes. While my time in this world of worlds has been limited, even I can see errors in the logic. We make plans of fattening and bloating our enemies after we eliminate their leaders? I have existed for an eternity before I was found, but I still remember those who betrayed me. Why would those who we have wounded forget us? Do we let those Gungans who we have beaten down live? Or do we, as those who make sacrifices to the Fanged God, kill them swiftly and be done with it?" 

Solus remained still, but inwardly he was shaking his head. He continued to speak softly so only his master would hear him, though he did want to call the Empress out on this. 

“We are of Clan Bragsanu. The Fanged God is our master in the darkness, correct? Do we exist to feed him? Or do we exist to let his enemy, the light side grow? Pardon my words of hypocrisy and heresy, for I had just pledged my allegiance to the Empress, but is she really the avatar of the Fanged God as you believe her to be? She inherited her title and speaks words of letting the enemy grow. She did not kill for her position. She leaves a weakness for future plans, by leaving the Spider alive. If he returns, there could be a schism in the darkness. And no one else is attempting to kill her. I don’t attempt to claim the title because I know my weakness. If I was stronger, then perhaps the story would be different. I would challenge her either here in the open or perhaps behind closed doors. But I am young in this world of worlds, and I know my place as the Golden Slave” 

 

“But you master...why don’t you attempt to claim it? You are neither young nor weak. You are more of the Fanged God than anyone I know of. I’ve seen how the Clan sees you, even with my short time with you. You’ve taught me to kill or be killed.”

Solus turned his attention to the others in the room. The beings here were powerful in their own right, and let his thoughts continue to be spoken quietly out loud. 

“I do love the idea of using these people for our own services. To kill on a scale impossible to imagine. I do wish to earn their approval as I have attempted to earn yours. Even Inmortos’ approval I desire, though I feel like I have earned it partially. If politics is how you secure their approval, then I endorse your actions, not that my endorsal means much. But our goals must be aligned, correct? Death is the meat of the Fanged God. Not life.

“Until I am no longer just the Golden Slave, I seek your approval and will obey you master. But from what little I know of the Fanged God and his forms, we are not obeying his commands fully. We must not allow life to grow, but eliminate it in its entirety.”

Edited September 6, 2021 by Solus

[Solus]

Solus silenced himself immediately at realizing he was overheard. His words of doubt had been voiced too loud, and now he, and his master could be judged by them. 
The first who spoke was a female. From what he could tell, she was human. And powerful. A brief look into the Impossible Geometries showed the same red cloud of rage that surrounded his own master. But her auras carried a tingle of shaking and trembling. A madness that could not be contained? 

"Does your whelping god delight in death as I do?"

Solus decided it was best to avoid the insult and go for a compliment. “Great and wise being, we all in the clan delight in the actions of death. It is our meat and our sustenance.” 

"Mind your words, apprentice. It is one thing to question Darth Nyrys's strategy- She has invited criticism and allowed us to speak openly. I have done so myself in my war room. But to vocally suggest that she should not be worthy of her position is a challenge, one that will be met with violence. Your master knows better- He will not fight your battle. If you openly declare her illegitimate again, then I will strike you down myself... Assuming she does not first."

Solus nodded to this being and remained silent. This Darth Mavenger also held power in the Impossible Geometries. One that he would not dare to counter in the near future. But this Mavenger revealed something to the Shard. The power of words. With just a few chosen words, Solus had drawn his anger out. These beings in this room, even his own master, were all susceptible to the same thing: crafted words. If just a few clumsy words of controversy could make these people tense up and desire punishment and violence, what else could words do?

But then his master spoke. His cloud of anger was emanating strongly. He had seen this before.

When he was punished for his finding of the colo claw fish nest. 

Solus, in that moment, trembled slightly. 

Akheron’s words synergized with Solus. The talk about who the Fanged God was, his aspects, and its relation with the Empress. The talk about the Golden Slave and how it related to Solus especially resonated with him. In some twisted way, the shard felt like Akheron was complimenting Solus, describing him as having raw power but needing to be mastered.

If Solus could get over the fact that he felt a punishment was coming, he would’ve loved that twisted compliment.

Finally, Akeron did punish Solus. 

Solus’ body rose into the air.  The force swirled around him, gripping tightly like a mass of chains and fingers.  While the Shard didn’t breath, his master’s power did far more damage than a simple choke. His inner workings that connected his Shard to the rest of the body were both being severed and charged with electrical connections. The experience was again beyond excruciating. His vocabulator screamed and blared in spurts at all pitches possible, including those beyond normal ranges of hearing. Tear himself flinched slightly at the sudden pitches. The crashing into the wall was almost a mercy, briefly loosening the control over his inner workings. 

Finally, when he was dropped, Solus stayed on all fours kneeling. Like before, his anger was growing from him. But this time, he quickly attempted to pull it back, hoping the others wouldn’t notice.

"I asked for your thoughts on the Sith present and the politics. I however did not suggest you nearly drag me into a challenge I have no desire to undertake or place us in a such a compromising position. Consider this your last chance Solus. Anymore moments like this and I'll ensure Krath Inmortos or another have a new project to work on. Am I perfectly clear?"

Solus tilted his head upwards in an attempt to appear like he was looking at his master. 

“Yes master…” his vocabulator whispered, barely functional. The damage to his inner workings would need repairs from Stitch-Mouth. “I will not... disrespect you again…”

It took all of Solus’ mental effort to keep his anger from leaking out of him. Tear however could sense it, having bonded with the Shard. The Sith hound strode to the robotic being and sat next to him, eyeing the others with hungry eyes. This was the hound’s food source. Death, anger, and envy were Tear’s nourishment, and Solus could provide it in full. Akheron had punished Solus. If the others did anything more than necessary, Tear would be more than happy to bite a hand off. 
 

[Solus]

Solus eventually stood up and took a few steps away from the others. Let them discuss their plans and plots. He had earned shame from them for speaking badly of the Empress. He would simply observe and catalogue for now. 

 

Not that I entirely deserve this shame... Solus silently mused to himself. As if it could hear his thoughts, Tear almost growled in agreement. Solus looked his hound over in curiosity. How smart have you become? 

 

Akheron motioned for Solus to follow. Not daring to stoke more of his Master’s wrath, Solus did so, snapping once for Tear to follow. While he didn’t eat the same kind of food the organics did, Solus saw the need to grab some kind of meat for his pet. 

 

While his master got refreshments, Solus utilized all of his sensors and memorized each face he could see and their current placements. The withered Lord Inmortos was conversing with the armored one who was placed in control over the rest of the Sith. A curious being to say the least. Just a momentary glance into the Impossible Geometries revealed that the being had no strong connection with the Force, and yet he was placed into a position of power. What accomplishments did he have to be put above Akheron?

 

The newly appointed master was briefly talking with the one sole being who offered a hand to the Shard. This one also made Solus curious, if only because of the singular act of kindness. Was that a ploy? Or simply an act of defiance towards the others, especially towards Darth Mavenger? Even now, peering into the Impossible Geometries, Solus could get glimpses of pain and fury from the two, and Solus was confident who it was from. 

 

“There seems to be more than meets the eye in this room” the shard commented to himself, finally pulling up his hood to help focus on the beings in front of him.

 

A few slaves and servants had produced instruments and begun to play. While the tune was simple, even the simplest notes were distracting for the Shard. The language of sound was still fascinating.   Solus wondered if in his spare time he could learn to play some music. Such beauty needed to eventually be learned.

 

Akheron was now speaking to another apprentice. A red-skinned apprentice Solus noted. The resemblance was uncanny. No doubt both this new apprentice and Solus’ master were of the same race. Akheron’s words only confirmed it. Still, this new apprentice did not carry the same presence as Akheron. He was much, much weaker. But was he still dangerous, and worthy of being trained like the Shard was?

 

For now, Solus maintained the image of the wounded slave that he currently was, and dropped Tear another piece of meat. Akheron had once mistaken Solus for a droid once. No doubt some of the others might occasionally believe the same if he continued to act like one. Still, Solus pointed his facial plating towards this new apprentice, to sell the fact that he was paying close attention to this being. Tear too kept his caninoid eyes focused on the two Tsis’. 

[Solus]

"Ooohhhh where can I get one of those?"

 

Solus almost chuckled at the new apprentice’s words. Had he not been abused earlier, he probably would have. 

 

“This one was found on my homeworld of Ishvara. It’s a place of… well, I guess I never saw much of it.” Solus fumbled a bit for memories of his old home. But most of what he could recall there were of two things. The abyssal blackness that was his time before he was ascended and…

 

“The laboratory was all I knew. Very dreadful, though fascinating to a point. Lots of rotting flesh and broken down droids. But there was a small pack of these ones. My father, my sister, and I had to kill them to get off-world unfortunately. I however broke Tear’s legs and since he was still young, he became mine according to my father. Perhaps you could find a few more there but I highly doubt there are any more left. ”

 

Solus gave a slight shrug. Tear eyed the new apprentice carefully, its teeth a permanent grin with its deformed lips pulled back. The Tu’kata shook his head slightly, the tendrils on its neck moving slightly. Judging by its size and the length its horns had grown, it was not yet fully mature.

 

Suddenly, Solus  snapped his fingers with an idea. “I did hear that they were once native to Korriban. Have you been there before? It is truly a wonderfully dark place. I heard that some of the old tombs there might house a few of these. Course, taming one is truly impossible from what I've discovered. It’s more like a game of both respect and dominion. You got to be complete in both control and in favor. I’ve only done so well thanks to my master honestly.”

 

Solus turned his head slightly towards Akheron, wondering if he got the subtle message that Solus indicated. Tear however never turned its gaze from the new apprentice, wondering if it’s meat was more tasty then the cooked morsels it had received. 

[Solus]

Solus listened to everything that he could around the room, but found his attention drawn completely to the armored being. The dropping of the helmet, the shouting for attention, and even the drawing of a weapon to be used on the one Sith who had shown Solus an ounce of kindness: all this demanded attention and respect. 

 

Solus smiled inwardly. He had an idea. 

 

Even as the others spoke, Solus excused himself from the Tsis apprentice nearby and approached the others. Tear followed in suit, whip-like tail dragging behind. Solus heard his own master speak, then eventually spoke up himself afterwards. 

 

“As his apprentice, I can attest to his skills as a warrior, oh great one” Solus started. “I have seen him in battle, and he has trained me in combat and in the force.” 

 

Solus, now hoping to have drawn the armored being’s attention, gave a bow at the waist. He was going to show as much respect as possible. After all, the empress placed her trust in this one, and Akheron placed his own trust in the Empress. So Solus would as well.  

 

“I am Solus, but being that I bear the same name as your house, another thing I've been called in this language of sound is Shard. Just as you are the leader of your house, lead me and grant me a chance to regain some form of respect. While I am not organic like everyone else, I am Sith.”

 

As if to demonstrate this fact, Solus called upon the impossible geometries and focused on the weapon at his side. Slowly, it floated off of his belt, drifted in front of his face, and rested in the air before him. If the other sith focused, they could sense the huge emotional power of envy in the Force around the Shard. A feeling of unfairness, and a desire to make things how they should be. 

 

Just as slowly, the lightsaber handle drifted back and re-hooked onto Solus’ belt. “But unlike the other organics here, I do not share the weaknesses of the flesh. I do not need to breathe nor eat. I was the one who navigated the Naboo Abyss, who located a source of the plasma core, and despite being consumed by one of the sea creatures below, still came out alive. Though I am still learning in this world of worlds, I am a capable being, as I hope I can prove myself to our empress…if you will allow me to” 

[Solus]

The armored being’s words to Solus made the shard nod. “Of course, of course. Wise words from our battle leader”

 

Solus was pleased for a different reason. The being had promised Solus would be involved in some kind of battle. Hopefully this one would allow Solus to prove himself. And from the words that the armored one was speaking to his master, Solus was confident that Nar Shaddaa would be his own battle grounds. 

 

For now, Solus decided to remain silent and let the others talk. Instead he plotted silently. Perhaps this upcoming battle would require his and Tear’s tracking skills. Or since so many people had thought Solus was nothing more than a droid, he could practice an art of sneaking? No, perhaps these beings would recognize the possibility of Solus leading a group of Linnorms into battle.

 

Tear growled next to Solus. Solus nodded to his Sith hound. “Yes yes, probably just a simple massacre like those warriors early. Eh, more food for you” 
 

[Solus]

Solus had left the throne area where the rest of the Sith continued to plot, interact and entertain themselves. Word had come that he had been summoned outside, and since his attention was not needed, Solus had been excused. 

 

Striding down the hallways, Tear at his right side, Solus took a few moments to admire the handiwork of the palace. Despite the damage that the building had sustained, it was still rather beautiful. The pillars were smooth and ornate, the floors were extravagantly carved, the partially caved in roof was rich in color and style. Solus wondered if it would be possible for himself to acquire such a building as a place of residence. Perhaps once he proved himself…

 

Tear gave a growl and stopped in its tracks. Solus stopped as well a few steps afterwards, confused. The two had arrived at the palace entrance to the plaza. The surrounding buildings were still heavily damaged and smoking, with rubble scattered throughout the area. A few ships had taken landing in the plaza, but still the place was well kept. 

 

But it was the Linnorms that made Solus pause. They were in a circle surrounding the entrance. Each one were either smiling, laughing, talking, or some combination of the three. 

 

“Warriors, what is going on?” Solus asked, stepping out into the circle, still not realizing Tear had not followed. 

 

One of the warriors caught Solus’ attention and pointed up. Solus faced up and barely jumped out of the way of the descending Sith blade of Stitch-Mouth. 

 

Solus rolled and faced Stitch-Mouth. The human had traded his cloak away and now revealed what his body looked like. His bare chest was riddled with countless scars and stitch marks, while his left leg and right foot were nothing more than robotic framework and wires. And in his right hand was a blade of alchemical Sith steel. 

 

Stitch Mouth didn’t waste a moment and charged. Solus barely activated his blade in time to block the incoming attack. Even so, Stitch-Mouth used his momentum to push forward, reach out with his free hand and touched Solus’ chassis. A force-imbed punch sent Solus flying backwards. The Linnorms caught the student and shoved him back into the ring, jeering all the while. Training was in session. 

 

Solus prepared himself, now aware of what was happening. Blade in hand, Solus rushed the Sith-Alchemist and brought the blade down. Instead of countering it, Stitch-Mouth spun around and smacked Solus’s head sending the shard flying again. 

 

“Stupid little…” Solus began to grumble as he picked himself up. It was obvious that there was a lesson here, but he wasn’t sure what it was yet. At minimum though, he’d have to change his tactics. 

 

This time Solus approached Stitch-Mouth slowly, blade raised into a defensive position. Stitch-Mouth gave a glare, the only sign of some kind of emotion. The alchemist brought his blade up and attempted a stab. Solus deflected and attempted a spin around to strike his foe, only for Stitch-Mouth to block the blow by raising a free hand and catching Solus’ wrist. 

 

The two were pushed back and returned to defensive potions. This time Solus released one hand from his saber and with his right, stabbed forward, only for Stitch-Mouth to deflect each blow like some old fashioned fencer. Solus stepped back and bent slightly, luring Stitch-Mouth to strike downwards. Stitch-Mouth did so, and Solus replied  by blocking the blade, pushing it away with a wrist rotation, and then bringing his free hand, now a fist, into a punch to the alchemists face.

 

“Ah ha! Gotcha!” Solus sniped, a sense of pride filling his shard as Stitch-Mouth stumbled backwards. With a black eye forming, Stitch-Mouth glared at Solus again and reached out. The Shard felt a strong pull and was forcibly brought closer to the Alchemist. Too late in realizing what was happening, Solus screeched in fright as Stitch-Mouth turned and chucked the shard across the plaza into some rubble. 

 

Solus pushed himself out of the rubble as the Linnorms jeered and laughed. Anger filling him, Solus reached into the Impossible Geometries and grabbed the nearest large object. The piece of the rubble from a nearby building slowly raised into the air, and then was thrown towards the alchemist. 

The shard didn’t even see if the rubble hit his target. Instead, his body felt drained immediately from trying to use so much Force at once and collapsed to one knee. He needed a moment to regain his energy. 

 

“I’ve got to get better at that” Solus said aloud to himself, unaware that someone was approaching him. 

[Solus]

“Would be an embarrassment even the likes of Darth Akheron could not tolerate in a slave.”

 

Solus jerked up at the familiar voice and presence of the elderly being. The thing’s presence made the impossible geometries slow and jerk up in the area surrounding it. The sight was not much more pleasant. This Darth Inmortos was a wrinkled monster at best, and a frozen, walking corpse at worst. Despite  his short time in this world of worlds, Solus could identify physical weaknesses

 

Solus almost snapped at the old thing, but he remembered how Akheron was impressed with the gift the old being had offered. His memory flashed at the admiration his Lord showed this old thing, and his own envy grew. 

 

“Tear knows when not to get in the way of training, Lord Inmortos” Solus stated flatly as he stood and faced the being. His vocabulator neither rose or lower in pitch whatsoever, since the Shard was trying to not show how annoyed he really was. 

 

“And what I desire is to impress the Lord of Rage and our Empress. Especially since I know I have more potential than they truly realize.” 

 

Still, Solus was relatively young. Even as he holstered his borrowed lightsaber, his anger got the best of his words. The annoyance that he had done things correctly for his master in the deep and was rewarded with pain. The anger at being told to speak freely and then being tortured before his peers.  

 

His next words, despite being spoken flatly, revealed these emotions easily.

 

“And I don’t want to become weak like you body before my potential is wasted.”  
 

[Solus]

When the Sith’s body fell limp, a murmur went about through the Linnorms who were still watching. They realized that what was happening now was not just a training session, nor a squabble. This was something akin to a duel. Even as the mists spread out from where Inmortos’ body was, the Linnorms did not approach for a better look. 

 

They backed off for their own safety. 

 

Solus was just as surprised at the limp body and the spreading mists. But what the other Linnorms didn’t see as clearly was the spirit exiting the corpse. Instict kicked in, and Solus activated his lightsaber, the red blade illuminating barely in the cloying fog. With a step forward, Solus attempted to slash at the phantasm that was before him. However, the lightsaber met no resistance. Like the fog, the ethereal form of Inmortos passed through the blade harmlessly, now completely hidden from Solus’ sensors. 

 

“If victory is the only thing that will make you respect me…” Solus grumbled as he swung his blade around, as if Inmortos was creeping behind, “then you will lose to me rotting corpse.”

 

Solus looked in all directions. Normally, his head, loaded with sensors at every single angle imaginable, would have benefited here. But the fog and mists were much too thick. And with the temperature dropping, even the shard’s thermal sensors couldn’t detect anything. 

 

Solus screeched in sudden pain as Inmortos’ hand glided through his chassis. His back felt frozen and lifeless momentarily. The energy from his legs gave out slightly, as his life energy was sapped away. Solus frantically swung his blade around again, finding nothing. 

 

“You…you think I am limited?” Solus growled. His anger and his envy began to bubble inside. His very shard began to turn dark as the inner lights formed a perfect circle. 

 

“I perceive more then you know!” Solus shouted. The Impossible geometries opened around him. To the shard, the mists of blue and white were now replaced by shapes of rage and lines of envy constantly expanding and collapsing within themselves. Solus willed his envy to travel between his rage, and threw them out. 

 

Even as the Shard stood still, his envy traveled the cloud and began to circle around a collection of shapes and emotions. Jerking, dying shapes of sickly pale energy. A specter in the fog. 

 

Solus smiled inwardly and stretched his hand. The vision from Korriban returned to his memory. The cloaked shadow with tendrils. The burning slaves bound by  chains. 

 

Chains.

 

“Sin ah mi’onos, l' ahuaaah Iiahe li!  A, uaaahnythor, ah'n'ghaor, drrillld chi’ai’n!” Solus’ voice emitted, the sounds echoing with waves of the Force in the open plaza.  

 

Sin is mine, to use as pain.  A tool, a weapon, a deadly chain!

 

To Solus, who was viewing the world through the Impossible Geometries, his lines of Envy that were circling Inmortos became chains of red. To anyone who was actively sensing the force, they could sense that Solus was calling on the Force to do a simple trick. 

 

Solus clutched his hand into a fist, the invisible chains attempting to wrap around their target. With a downward motion, Solus attempted a Force Pull; An attempt to slam the shade into the ground and hold it there. 

[Solus]

The moment of pleasure of capturing and pinning the shade was short lived for the Shard, as Solus witnessed through the Impossible Geometries how Inmortos escaped his clutches and retreated back to the flesh prison. Lightsaber still activated and in hand, Solus began to move forward, even as the necromancer’s voice came from everywhere. 

 

“I didn’t say I wanted to rule the Sith,” Solus replied softly to Inmortos’ banter. “Is that what you need to have?” 

 

Solus however stopped. The Impossible Geometries were acting strangely. The air was growing colder and colder. The area near Inmortos was similar to his brief time with Lady Sirena and her lighting. But where she made energy, here there was a void of it. 

 

Solus backed up as the ice began to form. The shouts of the Linnorms trying to clear the area barely sounded out over the sounds of vaporous water freezing solid. Solus needed to act fast, or he would be trapped like in the belly of the Claw Fish, and killed for his weakness. And he would not fail again. 

 

Solus began to dash and jump away, barely dodging the freezing lightning that approached him. He witnessed that where the energy was, the air froze.  Solus realized that what he needed was to keep moving. To keep dashing and not give Inmortos a chance to freeze the shard. But the area was becoming limited. Each second that went by, more and more of the environment froze and turned solid, limiting the battlefield. 

 

Solus smiled inwardly. An idea had begun to form. He would show this old man he was more than a worthy foe. 

 

As Solus raced around, he bent down and scooped up a piece of broken stone. No bigger than his fist, Solus clutched it tightly. Then, with a jump, Solus  landed on one of the ice columns and leapt into the air. 

 

“Gotcha” Solus stated and threw the rock down at his vulnerable target. With it, he willed the impossible geometries to aid the stone, using the force to accelerate the stone to a deadly speed.