Chapter 67 - Crimson-71 [1/2] (1/2)
Part 1
Imperial research facility CRIMSON-71
Black-site 34
Location classified
It slumbered for eons and eternal hunger was its lone companion. It dreamed of feasts. It dreamed of spreading. Of consuming.
It dreamed of vengeance upon those who denied its dėsɨrės and imprisoned it.
For the longest time all it knew was hunger. There was no sustenance. Nothing it could feed on. Nothing to influence so it could be free.
So it hungered. It slumbered. It waited.
Millennia passed.
It stirred. Even in its slumber it could sense flesh-things approaching. They were still far above it, protected by hundreds of levels made of cold, unyielding metal.
Time passed. The flesh-things were coming closer. They advanced slowly, carefully. Automated defenses tried to stop their progress and failed. Bulkheads sealed, slowing them down only to be blasted open.
It stirred again. The endless waiting would end soon – it knew it even in its slumber.
The flesh-things were close enough. There were less of them than at the beginning, yet they continued to strive forward.
The slumber ended. It awoke.
A new alarm screamed its futile warning. It screamed back in triumph.
It defied them. It stretched its will and charges refused to detonate, ancient acid refused to flow through its pipes and incinerators failed to ignite. Metal buckled, transparent alloy shattered like so much glass and it was finally free.
The flesh-things, the food it craved were just behind the sealed thick doors. It pulsed with hunger fueled fury. Tentacles unfurled from its spherical tumor like body and reached for the door. It shook – locks snapped and then it was brute forced open.
There were ten of them. White armored bipeds, not so different from those it consumed so long ago. It screeched its glee in greeting. The tentacles struck and found weak points in the armor. The flesh-things struggled. They shot at it, but it simply willed the energy not to hit and it splashed harmlessly into an invisible barrier.
It pulled the food closer, tore open their crunchy shells and began to feast.
However, despite its hunger-fueled desperation, it was smart. It kept one of the flesh-things armor, head and throat mostly intact. It needed a way out. It couldn't be imprisoned again!
=RK=
Republic frigate ”Fury”
Low orbit above Black-site 34
”Commander, one of the LAATs just left the surface and is coming our way.” The sensor operator announced. ”There has been no contact from the ground team.”
”Hail them and ask what they thing they're doing. First not answering for hours and now...” Commander Ler Monis frowned.
This whole operation had been a debacle after debacle. He sure hoped that whatever was protected bellow all those automated defenses was worth it. So far he had to call three times for resupply just to order more demo-charges brought in. Not to mention that all the traps and automated defenses had either killed or injured a company worth of Clones.
”There's no answer, sir.” The comm officer reported.
”Hail them again.” Monis grumbled.
If this whole venture didn't pay out, he would be the one to get all the blame, he was sure of it. He was a boy from the Outer Rim, with no patrons in the Republic to speak of. His career would be likely over that happened. So it wasn't a stretch to say that he had a personal stake in the success of this operation.
That was just one of the reasons why didn't want surprises and wanted things done by the book – that would at least give him a chance if things went the Hutt way.
”Sir, the sensors are acting weird. They read a lot of life signs on that transport.” The ensign manning that station said.
One of the LAATs launching and heading home without calling first – well that was a breach of a lot of protocols. Ler didn't like it at all. Now the sensors malfunctioning or most of the Clones suddenly deciding to pile up in one bird and get out – he liked either of those options even less.
The commander went behind the sensor operator and looked at the raw feed. He frowned. The readings were scrambled, however the scanners indeed showed a lot of life-signs on that LAAT. More than there were Clones down there, much less the number of men who could cramp in such a small craft.
”I don't like that at all. Put us on a higher orbit and continue hailing them.” Ler ordered. He was going to have the hide of whoever was on that LAAT!
”Daal, I gave you an order.” Exasperation found its way in Ler's voice. ”Lieutenant!” The commander snapped when there was no response coming. He frowned and strode next to the man and slapped his shoulder hard.
There was no reaction.
”Daal?” Ler asked concerned. This wasn't right. What was wrong with his man?
The commander leaned forward so he could see the lieutenant's face and he blanched. There was blood leaking from the corners of Daal's eyes and he had a blank stare. His jaw was slack and a line of drool pooled in his ŀȧp.
”Medic to the bridge!” Ler roared. ”We have a man down, it looks like a stroke or something like that!”
Ler carefully removed the seat belts securing his helmsman to his seat and snapped: ”Someone come over here and help me, damn it!” He turned his head around and glared at his officers. It was only then he remembered the approaching LAAT.
He glanced at Daal and frowned. There couldn't be a connection right? This had to be just a coincidence…
”Commander, the LAAT is accelerating and heading straight for us.
”Weapons give it a warning shot. If it doesn't break off, stop and kriffing answer the damned comm, lit them up!” Ler ordered.
This had to be a kriffing coincidence, He was getting paranoid… However, his gut was telling him something different. That was proven true when his weapon's officer didn't answer either.
Dread began creeping up Ler's spine. He grabbed Daal and with some trouble pulled him of the pilot's seat and carefully put him on the deck, then sat down and his heads went for the controls.
Ler frowned. What was he going to do? Move? Why? He shook his head and frowned. He felt some kind of pressure all over his head and it was kriffing distracting.
The commander blinked in confusion. He was about to do something. Something important, right? Ler looked around, then at what was in front of him. Ah, the helm controls. The commander wondered what was he doing at Daal's station.
He had a helmsman to fly the ship and besides, they weren't supposed to be going anywhere for the time being. The only reason why he had full bridge crew in place at all times was because the regulations said so and he preferred to give tactical problems to his people to keep them in shape. It wasn't like they had much to do out here besides some routine maintenance.
Ler ġrȯȧnėd. He was rambling when there was job to do. What was it again?
Someone shook his shoulder and Ler turned around to look at them. A familiar face blanched and the man took a step back. He was saying something, however Ler couldn't hear a word.
Then he heard something – a long clang. Red lights began blinking all around and piercing alarm rattled his brain making him wince. The familiar man shook his head and moved out of Ler's sight. The commander shrugged. It couldn't have been important. He hoped that the man was going to stop that damned noise.
The racket didn't stop and it made it really inconvenient. How was a man supposed to figure out what he wanted to do with that deafening noise?!
Ler didn't know how long it took, but finally it was quiet again. He smiled in relief. Now what was he about to do?
Ah! He was about to go to… Where was he going? His brain itched and he frowned. He needed a good place to visit with an easy access to the wider galaxy. Preferably somewhere connected with hyperlanes to facilitate fast transport. Also reasonably easy to reach from here… Ler accessed the nav computer and stared at it. His eyes hurt for a bit as he examined the data but he dismissed the inconvenience. He had a job to do and he was going to do it well!
Ler's eyes kept going towards the Core, if it was less than optimal. His brain itched again. No he had to go to the Core. Getting there from the unknown regions and without passing through Separatists space to be shot at was going to be tricky...
Or perhaps not. His eyes were drawn toward the very edge of the Core, towards the world connected with the main hyperlanes. That was his destination. Artisia perhaps? Yes, that was good. How to get there however?
The commander's hands moved on their own accord and he began typing commands. His brain itched somewhat fiercely, but it was irrelevant. He had an idea!
=RK=
Imperial research facility CRIMSON-71
Black-site 34
Location classified
It relaxed and its tentacles slumped over a pile of cracked armor. They idly swept for morsels of tasty blood, while the entity entered a rest cycle. It came close to burning itself out despite the sustenance it just got, yet it was worth it in the end. It gained an access to a ship that was going to spread it to rich feeding grounds. Yet, it kept the primary node of its original gestalt back here, just in case. Once it got some rest, it was going to clean up any evidence of its presence and remain as a fail safe awaiting someone else to stumble upon its prison or for its newly re purposed flesh to succeed in gaining control of a feeding ground and spread from there.
Part 2
Chancellor's officer
Senate building
Coruscant
Veil and the other officers left to prepare for monster hunting and that left Palpatine to share his office with a Jedi Master and an unknown Sith. Well, the latter wasn't exactly true – he had browsed a bit about this Zash woman while researching his other Sith problem. Unfortunately what he found was less than helpful – the woman had been a Dark Council member and unless Zash was some kind of title instead of a name, she appeared to have been around for at least few hundred years or more.
That by itself was disturbing. Almost as disturbing as Veil having his Master by his side. The sad thing was that the open presence of another Sith was far from his biggest problem. While there still existed the option that Veil wasn't telling the whole truth about that Crimson thing, the implication if it was real were disrupting. Sidious didn't work for decades just to see the galaxy taken from him by some kind of jumped up ”smart” bio-weapon. Palpatine really didn't want to think about the fact that apparently that thing was unleashed by his own orders. That was simply embarrassing.
”Lady Zash...” Palpatine spoke slowly and did his best to appear as an affable old man. ”What can you offer the Republic? So far, general veil has proven himself through his actions. He did so before revealing himself as a Sith and that proved vital for his acceptance by the public. Yet, despite his distinguished services, what he is still causes a lot of strife among certain circles.” The Chancellor paused. ”If his capabilities are anything to go by, your services might prove a great boon to the Republic. However, the fact that you're another Sith would inevitably make some of our existing problems even worse.” He nodded at the grumpy Jedi.
At least this situation, no many how unpleasant, had one great boon – Palpatine had to struggle not to cackle like a madman at the thought of the Jedi's reaction to Zash. Even if he would have to deal with the inevitable fallout, which Sidious was sure would become another headache for him.
”Well, I'm no nearly as experienced military commander as Delkatar, though I've been in a scrap or two in my time. With a conflict building up for a decades after the Empire's first war with the Old Republic, that was simply inevitable. However, I'm much more comfortable and better suited for a role as a researcher.” Zash smiled. ”My expertise is the Force and archeotech.”
Now, that statement got Yoda's undivided attention. Sidious had to stomp hard on his glee. He wondered how horrified the troll had to be as he feared what smiling Sith woman had been up to back in the day and more importantly – what horrors she might yet do.
Palpatine looked between his guests. The one thing he knew for sure was that he couldn't afford to let Zash slip and vanish in the greater galaxy. Doing so might very well place him in a situation not so very different than the Jedi's – with enemies obvious and not working against them from the shadows. Sidious had to ensure that he kept the other Sith under as close an observation as he could manage while he decided the best way to handle them. His knee-jerk reaction was to see both Veil and Zash dead. The former might very well take care of itself if that plague was as bad as the general believed it to be.
The latter – that really depended on how powerful and skilled Zash was. However, as a Dark Council member… Sidious couldn't help it but stared at the woman with fascination. The things she must know, the powers she must wield to have survived in the Sith Empire for centuries… The same Empire that got itself torn asunder by warring Sith, yet Zash was still here.
”What do you think, master Yoda?” Palpatine asked. It was mostly an attempt to buy himself a bit of time to think, besides he wanted to hear what the Jedi had to say. He was sure that the little monstrosity was well aware what implications Zash's presence would have.
”Danger you are.” Yoda stated.
”Of course I am!” Zash laughed. ”Delkatar told me all about your little cult, Jedi. A single Sith acting not like you expected him to and you're already tearing yourselves apart?! Me, being out here – openly? I don't need to do a thing but aid the Republic in its war and your kind would destroy itself.” The Sith declared boldly.
Ah. It was obvious really, just not something Sidious expected Veil to pull off at this time. However… The Chancellor sighed. He could see how the general's patience with the Jedi and everything happening lately had ran out. He wasn't sure if those supposed Old Republic remnants or the plague were the last straws. It didn't particularly matter either.
Zash was right. Just by being here, she was going to force the Jedi in doing something even more foolish than usual and one way or another that was going to destroy them. At any other time, Sidious would have been utterly gleeful.
Today, he found himself in the unenviable position of trying to keep the Jedi from self-destructing for at least few more months. He loathed the very idea so much he couldn't put it in words!
”Lady Zash, if you're really brought up to speed on the galactic situation, I'll have to advise against revealing yourself as a Sith, at least publically for the time being.” Palpatine looked at Yoda. ”I believe that it would be in the Republic's and the Jedi's best interest if you don't mention who and what Lady Zash is to the rest of the Jedi, Grandmaster. Not until the Confederacy's offensive has been deal with and our Venators are complete. They will be hitting us in a less than a month and with this plague business, we'll be weaker when they attack. If Tiin and his supporters do something regrettable in the next few months, they might very well hand victory to the Confederacy.”
Zash looked at the Jedi, then tilted her head back and began laughing. ”I never thought I would see such a day. A Sith being asked to help the Jedi not to destroy themselves! This is a truly strange future you've built for yourselves!”
Sidious shared the sentiment, however he didn't find it amusing. At all. It was unfortunate at best and quite infuriating!
”Provide me with the resources I need for my research an I promise I'll be quiet until either the war ends or the Jedi do something regrettable as you put it, Chancellor. I'll probably find your army a few new toys to play with.” Zash smiled at him. Her smile twisted into something sinister – something that wouldn't have been out of place any Sith's face. ”However, if they go after my apprentice or myself, then all bets are off.”
Palpatine would pay good money to see it happening. Well, unless he missed his guess, the only price he would have to pay is even more work and headaches, because as soon as the zealots learned of Zash, all hell was going to break loose. He had to update his contingencies to better handle the Jedi disintegrating.
”I think that could be arranged.” Palpatine offered. ”Master Yoda, may I suggest you concentrate on those rogue Jedi who had been causing us so much trouble? To think that they were responsible for Naboo…” The Chancellor glared at the Grandmaster. ”Some might have forgotten it, but Naboo is my home, Master Yoda. In that regard nothing has changed. I will use all powers vested in my office to see justice done, no matter if the Confederacy alone was responsible for the atrocity done to my people or if the people behind it were Jedi as this information suggests.” He pointed at the data pad Veil left him. Sidious let some of the fury he felt slip through his shields.
”Oh, I like you! To think that the Republic could have a Chancellor with a spine! Where did they find you?” Zash leaned forward in the chair she had claimed.
”Thank you.” Palpatine nodded at the woman. ”I think.” He added just to keep the mask of the nice old man, who regrettably had been angered by recent events.
”Investigate we will. Justice we will bring.” Yoda declared.
”The kind of justice that tries to get rid of one of my best generals? Or the justice that sees the ones responsible for Naboo get punished for their crimes?” Palpatine shot back. ”You know, Master Yoda, for a long time I believed myself a friend and ally of the Jedi. I believed that we had the same goal – to see the Republic prosper and be safe! Instead, now in its darkest hour, its not the Sith who are doing their best to see our nation cast down! Its the Jedi, our supposed guardians!” Palpatine took a deep breath. ”Please, Master Yoda, tell me what changed!” Sidious made a great show of beseeching the Jedi for answers.
The Jedi stare blankly at the Chancellor before speaking slowly. ”Changed the galaxy did. Changed the Sith have. Or know them we did not. Change we did not.”
It was a mighty struggle – not to begin laughing at the troll.
”Then it's time to change, Jedi. If not for your sakes then for the Republic you're sworn to protect. Ether that or watch it shatter because of your own actions.” Zash twisted the knife.
If Sidious wasn't careful, he might just begin the like the woman.
=RK=
Part 3
Council Chambers
Jedi Temple
Coruscant
”You're troubled, Master Yoda.” Yaddle's soft voice broke the Grandmaster out of his thoughts.
”Disturbed I am.” The ancient Jedi admitted.
”Veil?” Yaddle sighed. ”Of course its him.”
Yoda simply handed her a data chip he had taken from the Chancellor. It contained all the decrypted information about the Old Republic forces. He had another one too, with a copy of the raw data and he had Jedi he trusted working on it.
The woman hummed and went to her seat, where she inserted the chip into a terminal built into it, then began browsing the information.
”I see. It's reasonably genuine, isn't it?” Yaddle muttered. ”This is certainly a complication. I would like to say that this data will change things for the better. However with Veil around, those Jedi might genuinely believe that the Republic is beyond salvation.” The Jedi Master frowned. ”That destroying it before he can corrupt it would be better, no matter what they have to do to achieve it.”
Yoda gave her a disappointed look and she chuckled sadly.
”Piell or Tiin might make such an argument in their defense. With the senate as a whole refusing to act on their concerns, they might eventually reach not so different conclusion.” Yaddle said.
”Afraid I am. Confused.” Yoda admitted. ”Darker the galaxy is. Veil...” The Grandmaster trailed off.
”What did he do this time?” Yaddle spoke in a resigned tone.
”Talk about it I should not.” Yoda admitted.
”That bad?” The younger Jedi Master ġrȯȧnėd.
”A bigger concern we have. Wait Veil has to...” Yoda continued to explain about Crimson-71. He already had the archivist searching about any reference concerning the plague.
Just as Yoda feared, his news weren't received well. Or calmly. Tiin refused to believe that Jedi would have turned on the Republic without Sith influence and the obvious source was Veil.
”Do you really believe him? A Sith? I find it much more likely that he was behind it all and now openly moves against the Jedi.” Tiin shook his head in denial after seeing the data. ”Isn't it convenient that he unearthed all this evidence soon after we confronted him in the Senate? It's an obvious fabrication. I wouldn't be surprised if he had been working on it for years!”
It was a very good thing that Yoda kept Zash's existence a secret, no matter the eventual fallout. He clearly felt the rising anger and frustration radiating from Piell and Tiin. They weren't alone either. Most of the Council members present for this session were wary of the data. Mistrustful. Only Plo Koon and Adi-Mundi kept an open mind about the situation and even they were shaken.
Simply put, the Jedi didn't want to believe that some of their own, even if removed by thousands of years could do the things they were accused of. Siding with the Confederacy against the Republic and their fellow Jedi was bad enough.
Being responsible for Naboo – simply unthinkable.
”What about that weapon?” Master Koon tried to change the topic.
”Another abomination created by the Sith.” Piell stated coldly.
”They might have created that thing, but it wasn't Sith who apparently unleashed it.” Yaddle reminded her colleague.
”Admitted it the Chancellor has. Gave the orders he did.” Yoda confirmed.
”Are you sure that the Sith isn't involved?” Rancisis asked.
”Searches for Veil's past the Chancellor does. Believe the truth he did not. Seek proof he did.” Yoda added.
”So its his fault.” Tiin concluded.
”Don't be daft. It could have been either us or the Separatists who stumbled upon that thing while investigating Veil's claims.” Yaddle glared at Saesse.
Yoda's expression fell as the meeting ground to a halt. The general consensus was to let the Sith deal with the plague and find a way to finally neutralize him as a threat while he was busy. He was sure at least Tiin hoped that Veil finally got himself killed and solved that particular problem.
As far as the Jedi from the past went – the general consensus was that the presented data while damning was suspect at best and an outright fabrication at worst.
It was at that moment when Yoda began seriously considering the benefits of retiring somewhere quiet to enjoy his twilight years. Only two things stayed his hand. One was the threat of certain Jedi Masters doing something everyone would regret. The other – even now he wasn't sure what Veil's endgame was. It was unfortunate, but despite what he felt when he first met the man, Yoda could no longer be certain that the Sith would be content to just leave the Jedi be. He had to agree with some of the conservatives' reasoning. While Veil did fight for the Republic, Yoda didn't believe that the man did it simply because it was the right thing to do. He knew that wasn't the case.
What Yoda didn't know, was what the Sith wanted to achieve in the end. He didn't know if either the Republic or the Jedi had a place in any future Veil was had a hand in shaping.
Those were grave concerns. Under different circumstances, Yoda would have found Tiin's actions compelling. However, with the Separatists poised to make a credible attempt at winning the war, it simply didn't matter. Yoda had no illusions what would happen to both the Republic or the Jedi Order if the Confederacy won. They were the immediate threat along with that plague. Once those threats were contained, only then the Jedi would be free to act against Veil if it was mandated.
He had to somehow convince Tiin and his supporters of that simple fact and hope they wouldn't learn about Zash until things calmed down.
=RK=
Corellian cruiser ”Freedom”
Staging area Hunter
”This isn't how I expected we would meet again.” Nejaa Halcyon said. The Corellian Jedi crossed his hands over his ċhėst and rubbed his short beard.
”The circumstances are less than optimal.” I allowed. ”Now that we're all here...” I looked around the bridge. There were a handful Corellian Jedi present, Aria and the Commando friends who just arrived from Mandalore along with Delta squad. The rest were navy officers – Admirals Holt and Dao along with a smattering of cruiser captains, both Republic and Corellian. ”The original plan was to head for the Imperial research facility army elements were trying to breach before all contact was lost. That plan changed.” I nodded at Halcyon.
”Some of us Jedi felt a major disturbance in the force centered on the western edges of the Core. Its our belief that the biological agent had breached containment, infected all personnel on site and spread to the frigate in orbit providing security.” Halcyon licked his dry lips.
I could feel how disturbed he was by what he felt through the Force. If I had to be honest, the premonitions I saw in my dreams last night were more than enough to give me pause.
”We strongly suspect that Crimson-71 is heading towards the Core Worlds which represent the biggest concentration of sustenance and bio-mass it could appropriate. If it can reach an inhabited world and spread before we can react, we'll be looking at a catastrophe. At best we'll have to burn a significant number of Core Worlds. At worst we're looking at a galactic extinction event. For those of you who haven't had time to digest the briefing – the more bio-mass and people it consumes, the stronger and smarter Crimson becomes. It is critical that we stop it before it can spread.” I stated coldly. ”We'll be moving to Abregado-Rae. When we reach it, us Force Adepts will do our best to divine the plague's intended target. If we're unable to prevent it from achieving planet-fall, we'll sterilize the world it lands on and destroy any traffic in the system to prevent its spread.”
”By sterilize you mean…, sir?” A captain I didn't know asked.
”Unrestricted orbital bombardment until nothing is left alive on the planed. Let me make one thing crystal clear.” I glared at the ȧssembled officers. ”If we fail to contain Crimson we're all dead. It's not a manner of if, but of when. We're leaving the moment all ships finish loading provisions. Dismissed.”
=RK=
Part 4
Republic frigate ”Fury”
High orbit above Atrisia
Core Worlds
The waiting was finally over. Mere seconds after the captured frigate exited hyperspace the entity could sense the rich feeding ground that was finally within its reach. The mere thought of so much food, after what felt like an eternity of hunger, made it freeze. Its re-purposed biomass shook with anticipation. Two hundred and sixty seven combat forms salivated when they felt fresh food through the hive mind connecting them.
Fury was hailed by an Atrisian system defense corvette. A calm, almost bored, female voice sounded over the comm on the bridge. However there was no longer anyone able to answer, even if they were willing. Commander Monis was little more than a large tentacled tumor fused to the helm of what once was his first independent command. Ler's mind was gone – consumed by the ravenous appetite of the plague that transformed his crew. All that was left from the commander was his knowledge of piloting and navigating a vessel like the Fury. Everything else had been discarded in the haste to reach a populated world and create more combat forms.
The hail came in again and this time the voice sounder irritated. The corvette lit up its engines and headed towards the frigate. Meanwhile the Fury was busy accelerating towards Atrisia. Gunners, turned into nothing more than biological targeting units melded into their stations, obeyed one overriding command – protect the greater whole. The Fury's weapons activated, turned in their mounts, and targeted the approaching corvette.
There wasn't a third hail for the frigate answered with all the fury of its armaments. Before the corvette's crew knew what was happening, before they could bring their own weapons to bear or raise their deflectors to full power, a barrage of laser bolts slammed into its hull. The smaller ship stood no chance – its bridge was shattered in the first salvo, killing the command crew outright. The second cracked the corvette in two and the third was a mere formality – there was no one left alive to feel the wreck blow up.
The death of the system defense vessel kicked up a hive of activity. Multiple corvettes all around Atrisia came to life and headed towards the Fury. Soon they were followed by five light cruisers – the backbone of the local navy. Multiple hails sounded over the bridge. There were no inquires, no questions. Just a brutally simple demand – halt or be destroyed.
The entity ignored those hails too. Only two corvettes would be able to come into range before it could breach atmosphere. Unless they successfully rammed the vessel carrying it – and it was going to ensure they wouldn't, there was nothing that could stop its eternal quest for sustenance.
=RK=
Meinuan City
Atrisia
”Is this normal?”
Detective Teng Wai snorted at his protege's question. He carefully took a sip of caf in order to keep his short beard out of the beverage and looked at the much younger woman who was his partner. Kim Leng was a tiny blonde thing with a pale complexion that was atypical for Atrisia – most of the population had a healthy tan or tended to have naturally brown skin and favored jet black straight hair. That was something else that made Leng stand apart – her blonde hair was quite curly, despite her best efforts to keep it in check.
”That” was the Quans – an elderly couple that had been a constant source of both amusement and headaches for Meinuan's police ever since Wai joined the force. The husband Onai had been kicked out – for the third time this week, and a second since Kim was fostered on the detective as his newest trainee.