....oh lady. @Dr. Snark, after further analysis, the only faction HK even tied were the BX droids, everyone else had a better overall accuracy rating. And while the BXii DID have a max fail, they also had a crit success to compare to HK's crit fail...
Really! Even the AGENTS had a 68% accuracy overall compared to his 67%?!
Incidentally, I have an update for my own Star Wars quest!
If you hadn't noticed my sig line, I'm running a Star Wars quest called Gray Paladin. Last week we finally wrapped up the last of the Prologue, and this morning we opened up the vote for Turn 1. Check it out if you're interested!
Hat-tip to @MonkeyTypewriter for naming & shaming me into finally getting off my keister and writing my way out of 'chargen hell'. The Gray Paladin quest is now officially off the ground.
....oh lady. @Dr. Snark, after further analysis, the only faction HK even tied were the BX droids, everyone else had a better overall accuracy rating. And while the BXii DID have a max fail, they also had a crit success to compare to HK's crit fail...
Really! Even the AGENTS had a 68% accuracy overall compared to his 67%?!
wow.. HK is really losing his touch. He is going to be sulking around the base for months once he finishes processing the statistics. he wasn't upstaged by just one meatbag, but ALL the meatbags and droids in the foundry raid.
This is why my omake basically set him up as the "checkmate" specialist. The agents were 67% accurate with their full focus on combat. He was 66% accurate strictly with the Offhand Backhand while his primary focus was on shutting down the floor.
You're sure it wasn't him being more occupied with shutting down the floor while still trying to shoot his blaster rifle (two handed weapon) at the same time?
Note the use of present tense for Meetra, while the past tense was used for Revan. This means Meetra may be alive! Possibly frozen in carbonite or something. (Maybe it was a plan of Revan as a just-in-case plan that went wrong.) This could be awesome. Instead of an holocron like I indirectly suggested (how else Anakin would get his hands on it?), we find Meetra's holding place. Who to send to "find" and wake her? At least this time she is clothed, armoured and armed. The Jedi, preferably Anakin? Or Mandalorians, with their Mandalore present? Awesomeness added if the group is attacked and Meetra shows she is not rusty at all. And what if she isn't alone? Meetra would be extremely useful to many groups.
To the CNS, via the Mandalorians, she is an experienced General and Force User, an old ally who fought alongside one of their Mandalores. Someone appreciated enough to be put in the Hall Ciaran used to talk with Anakin on Mandalore. Who wants to bet she shows her prowess in the battle circle? With most likely only Jango able to get a draw against her in pure hand-to-hand? (With weapons she is even worse.)
To the Abyss Watchers, she can be both and also a very talented teacher to our Force Users. Mical/Disciple once said in KOTOR II something like that she taught a whole group in a few hours something a Jedi Master couldn't in a whole week. I thinks his words about that were: "It is one thing being a master full of knowledge about a subject, it is another to be able to teach it." Seriously, we would get our Force Users to the level of Jedi Knights of the Old Republic quite faster. They would even be better than current Jedi Knights, or at least most of them. If she is with her party from KOTOR II, then she could clear the Foundry with them and no more support.
To the Jedi, she is a source of potential trouble due to differing views, but also of forgotten teachings (Destroy Droid will be a priority) and she is capable to teaching several students at once easily and quickly in a relatively short amount of time. (Seriously, it took her how long to teach from scrap Atton, Bao-Dur and Mira, along with Visas?) She can also teach the Jedi about ground warfare at least, I'm not sure about the space aspect.
The Republic gains a very experienced ground general with strong capacities, someone who the clones will be relieved to have because she knows how to do things and can utterly slaughter droids. She may become a source of jealousy among clone forces, with those under her command being the target of the jealousy of others. Battle Meditation makes a return on the galactic scene along with powers that act as temporary shields if they can be given to troops (Energy Absorption and Resistance). She could also teach the clones some things that were forgotten or not taught, like how to use bladed weapons. (She will wonder why they disappeared)
CIS (and the Sith)? Dooku would take a single look at her, maybe remember where he saw that face before and decide to run from the woman who killed three powerful Sith Lords (one with only words) in a short amount of time. He knows he doesn't stand a chance. Even Sidious may go "Oh shit!" when he learns of her return. He isn't as strong as Nihilus (who could kill a whole planet easily) or as impossible to kill as Scion. His only hope is Order 66... unless he is too arrogant to realize the danger Meetra Surik pose to him. And she is (near) impossible to turn to the Dark Side.
Okay, assuming that's not just a typo by Dr. Snark, this may be the biggest catch since finding the Chu'unthor on the wiki. If Meetra Surik is alive...!
Nihilus is not as strong as he looks. He absorbs planets by accident, basically. He can't control his hunger and it's more his nature as a wound in the force than raw power.
You're right. Still, we need QM confirmation to know for sure, but we can hope. But how put it into our options? An omake where Ciaran realize that she missed that?
Um...Kreia was being more poetic than literal there. I guess that's more of a typo then? Maybe? I meant it more in the sense that she still considers Meetra to be her disciple even in death.
You're definitely reading too much into it. I'm already having to deal with The Old Republic's plot holes for the Foundry in general, I don't want to add my own to the mess.
Edit: Thanks for the hugs, but I still feel somewhat disappointed we can't get Meetra. Let's hope we can get either an holocron of hers or meet her Force Phantom/Ghost. And direct said ghost to Anakin to continue with Ciaran changing him with words.
The Foundry
Abyss Watchers Forward Operating Base, First Deck
Once the announcement that an assault team would be arriving at the Foundry the forward operating base on the first deck became abuzz with activity, the staff members preparing supplies for the troops and starting to unpack construction equipment under the assumption that the team would make it through at least a deck or two.
The first groups to arrive were the droid units "led" by HK-47 as they disembarked from the transport. The BX droids stood at rigid attention while behind them the spider droids remained almost motionless though on occasion they would sweep the area with their eyes. Meanwhile HK moved to the command center to ensure that it had a proper layout of the Foundry before the assault began.
The next to arrive were the Wookiees, who quickly disembarked and took up a part of the FOB to prepare their bowcasters and rally themselves for the fight ahead. Few of the staff dared to approach them; the Wookiee warriors were hardly hostile by any stretch to any that did but many were too frightened to approach the giant furred warriors who had quite the reputation as fierce warriors.
After them came the various transports that carried the many Agent squads that would be taking place in the assault. They ended up quickly dispersing throughout the base, setting up impromptu games of sabacc or chatting away with the staff and various other odds and ends.
The last to arrive were the Kaleesh. And they announced their presence by arriving in the system on board the Karabbac, Grievous' personal war cruiser and the de facto flagship of the Kaleesh as a whole. As the ship docked muffled chanting could be heard behind the airlock doors before they opened, and anyone standing nearby was nearly deafened as the Kaleesh marched forwards, chanting "GRIEV-OUS, GRIEV-OUS" as the Kaleesh general in question strode forward, the people before him parting as fast as they could to let him pass as he marched to the command center.
Leaving behind his warriors as their chanting died down, Grievous entered the command center to face HK-47.
"Statement: Your meatbag associates are quite loud. I'm almost positive that noise they were making earlier knocked some of my parts loose."
Grievous snorted. "You may have been with us for some time droid, but so far you have yet to live up to the reputation Ciaran has been building up for you." He gripped the table in front of him as he leaned forward. "HK-47, an assassin droid that has fought for millennia, a droid that has apparently killed too many Jedi and Sith to count."
"Query: Is there a point to this or are you trying to flatter me, meatbag?"
"I am reminding myself of what I will be up against in the coming battle." Grievous' eyes narrowed. "We shall see for ourselves whether flesh and blood triumphs over steel and circuitry."
"Indignation: I am the product of two engineers who have created the perfect assassin droid. Large-scale warfare may not be my specialty, but I am hardly new to it. Statement: Do not think that you can overcome me so easily, meatbag."
Grievous grinned under his mask. "That's the spirit."
----------
As Grievous left the command center after finalizing the initial assault plans, he called over a member of the logistics team, a clearly terrified Twi'lek. "C-can I help you s-sir?"
"One of my men participating in this assault will be piloting a prototype assault craft he believes will serve us well," Grievous said as he brought out a holoprojector of Ripath's Equus-class speeder as he had described it earlier. "I want to ensure that records of the unit's performance in combat are forwarded to Ciaran directly once the assault is over. Is that clear?"
"Y-y-yes sir!"
"Good." Not even bothering to acknowledge any further response Grievous moved to the center of the troops around him.
"Hear my words my fellow soldiers!" Grievous shouted out as every living being's head immediately turned towards him. "Today we begin our advance into the Foundry's depths in the hopes of claiming this station from the machines that infest its halls. I have been told that in times past they were meant to be set loose on the galaxy to slay all those who would stand before its masters, and that they are supposedly the most dangerous droids in the galaxy."
Grievous was silent before he laughed loudly and mockingly.
"Perhaps that is the truth. Perhaps their reputation is accurate. However I refuse to believe that the droids we are about to face could possibly overcome us! We are warriors! We yearn for foes such as them, to do battle with them, to push ourselves to our limits fighting them, and to show ourselves that we are superior as we step over their broken bodies!"
A roar of approval came from the Kaleesh.
"Will you follow me into battle!?"
Another roar, this time with the Wookiees and a few of the Agents joining in.
"Then join me! We shall march into the depths, we shall meet the enemy, and we will crush them beneath our feet as we march forwards to victory!"
"VICTORY!"
"March forward! Fight with such ferocity and skill that songs will be sung of our battles!"
"ONE STEP FORWARD! NOT ONE STEP BACK!"
The Kaleesh, Agents, and Wookiees marched behind Grievous continuing their chant of "ONE STEP FORWARD, NOT ONE STEP BACK" as HK impassively stood in front of the BX and spider droids.
"Observation: I never thought I would meet a meatbag who understood."
"Roger roger," a BX intoned flatly.
----------
The Foundry
Deck 2
"Pew, pew!" A Kaleesh yelled out as he fired his blaster, missing most of his shots as the battle raged around him, Kaleesh warriors charging exterminator droids with reckless abandon alongside lightsaber-wielding Agents and the odd Wookiee roaring as it ripped a droid's arms out of its sockets. "Pew pew pew!"
"JYMEEN, FOR THE LOVE OF THE GODS STOP MAKING THOSE NOISES AND START HITTING THE ENEMY" a Kaleesh leader shouted as he stabbed a droid that tried to get the jump on him. "YOU ARE AN EMBARRASSMENT TO OUR UNIT!"
"Sorry sir!"
"DON'T BE SORRY, JUST BE BETTER!"
"Y-yes sir!" Jymeen shot at a few more droids before he muttered a "pew" under his breath.
"I HEARD THAT, JYMEEN!"
The battle continued at a breakneck pace, with the assault unit charging through wave after wave of extermination droids and swatting them aside without issue. Grievous was seen hanging back, participating in the battle, but not yet fully committing himself. HK-47 had used the opportunity the assault had provided him, taking the BXs with him to secure the control room. Within a few moments, the droids around them fell silent as HK-47 reasserted control.
"IS THIS ENOUGH FOR US!?" Grievous shouted to the Kaleesh.
"NEVER! ONE STEP FORWARD, NOT ONE STEP BACK!" they all chanted as they began to reform, with some of the Agents joining in on the chanting.
Meanwhile as HK-47 locked out the systems to prevent any droids from slipping past them and regaining control of the floor he noticed an unusual file in the system's databanks...
---------
The Foundry
Deck 3
The assault on the next deck went similarly to the first, barring an ambush that nearly tore apart a particularly unfortunate Kaleesh team. Or perhaps fortunate was the better term applied to them given that they were being supported by Ripath's Equus prototype, which helped them fend off the ambush.
When the news was reported to Grievous he had to take a few minutes to processes it, mainly because he was charging headfirst into the exterminator droids' lines, slicing and shooting with no signs of stopping as he tore through their lines.
He could feel it in his bones. The heat, the danger, the feeling of being alive as the adrenaline rushed through his system...
This was a real battle. This was where Grievous belonged.
In the brief pauses between the action he noticed that his more or less self-proclaimed rival HK-47 had also begun to wade into the fight, calmly striding forward and mowing down waves of extermination droids with his blaster rifle. At one point during a moment of calm their eyes met for a brief instant, neither of them saying a word before they charged into the next wave of droids.
Meanwhile throughout the din of the battle, the eight dwarf spider droids deployed with the squad had been displaying remarkable tenacity and cunning, using flanking maneuvers where possible and compensating for their limited fields of fire by working in close tandem with their counterparts or the BXs.
What would be disconcerting if anyone was paying close enough attention was the fact that they seemed to be getting better at predicting ambushes and formulating tactics over time...
Once again though HK reached the control center and regained control. The chanting was now taken up by more men, even as HK noticed another file buried in the system...
The Foundry
Deck 4
Unit 1 queries Unit 2.
Unit 2 responds.
Unit 1 predicts approximate 14% improvement in combat ability if local network is established. Unit 1 requests permission to establish local network with Unit 2.
Unit 2 grants permission.
Unit 1 establishing local network...established. Estimated 14.635% increase in combat ability in Unit 1 and Unit 2 due to local network connection.
Unit 2 concurs with calculation. Unit 2 proposes adding remaining units to network.
Unit 1 concurs with proposal. Unit 1 querying other units.
As this communication between the spider droids happened the technicians on the first deck overseeing the local droid controls noticed an odd anomaly in their systems, but wrote it off when nothing seemed to come of it...
Meanwhile the assault team continued their charge, uncaring of the fact that the extermination droids were becoming more and more tenacious in their defense. They simply blasted their way through ambushes, tore through any positions the extermination droids held, and swept through the deck without mercy.
Another room captured. Yet another file found by HK-47.
At this point everyone was joining in the chanting of Grievous and the Kaleesh.
"ONE STEP FORWARD! NOT ONE STEP BACK!"
"One step forward, roger. Not one step back, roger."
The Foundry
Deck 5
Unit 5 queries Unit 2.
Unit 2 responds.
Unit 5 queries: Is network established by Unit 1 exceeding set parameters in programming?
Unit 2 responds: Negative. Programming encourages adaptability in combat. Unit 1 fulfills programming by establishing local network to increase combat ability.
Unit 7 queries: Should Unit 1 be designated leader of all Units in network due to demonstrating increased adaptability in comparison to other Units?
Unit 1 responds: Negative. Network designed to promote increased performance in combat. Authority equally divided among Units.
A spider droid opened fire on a trio of extermination droids attempting to ambush it before it marched on.
Unit 4 requires support. Heavy resistance expected.
Unit 6 acknowledges request, moving to flanking position.
Unit 8 acknowledges request, moving to directly support Unit 4. Unit 8 recommends Unit 4 and Unit 8 draw hostile fire to increase success probability of Unit 6's attack on hostile flank.
Unit 4 concurs with recommendation.
A pair of spider droids opened fire on a group of extermination droids, slowly backing away as they advanced towards their attackers. As they began to close the distance they were cut down by blaster fire by a third spider droid that flanked them from another hallway.
Unit 6 reports successful flank assault.
----------
"Uh...sir?"
"What is it? Are the droids running out of power?"
"No, it's...um...did we ever program the spider droids with ambush tactics?"
"Last I heard Sair rewrote their programming from the ground up as part of her refits. So the answer is: 'almost certainly.' Don't worry about it."
"Okay..."
---------
Much to his frustration, HK-47 was beginning to encounter significant difficulties in his mission. It seemed as though he was being ambushed constantly, the extermination droids singling out the assassin droid as a significant threat. It was an accurate and flattering conclusion to make, but it also meant that he was repeatedly pinned down or slowed dramatically as he was forced to work his way around more entrenched positions as he made his way to the command center.
As he worked his way around one in particular he witnessed the sight of Grievous continuing to tear his way through extermination droids, completely unfazed by the amount of fire leveled at him. Once he saw HK he shouted, "What's wrong, droid!? Surely you can do better than this!" Not even giving HK-47 a chance to respond he charged forward into a hail of blaster fire.
"...Indignation: This is impossible. I am the culmination of the concept of the assassin droid. I have the best weapons and tools available to me. How is this meatbag outpacing me!?"
Yet another floor cleared. At this point the team's morale could only be described as "impetuous."
The Foundry
Deck 6
Unit 8 queries Unit 3.
Unit 3 responds.
Unit 8 queries: Would combat efficiency increase if BX units were added to network?
Unit 3 responds: Negative. Local network cannot sustain full number of BX units.
Unit 5 queries all Units. Unit 5 proposes assault plan based on movement of organic units, transmitting plan to all Units now.
Unit 1 concurs.
Unit 2 concurs.
Unit 3 concurs.
Unit 4 concurs.
Unit 6 concurs.
Unit 7 concurs.
Unit 8 concurs.
Unit 5 registers consensus.
At the same time a certain Kaleesh was charging through the corridors of the deck alongside his squad.
"Pew!"
"JYMEEN I SWEAR TO THE GODS THAT I WILL PERSONALLY-"
The angry Kaleesh in question was cut off as extermination droids suddenly burst out of the walls to try and kill the unfortunate Kaleesh team. Doing their best to hold the line, they fought with everything they had-
Only for blaster fire to ring out from both sides of the corridors they were in, destroying the ambushing droids. Looking around the team noticed a spider droid on either side of them, stopping for only a brief moment before moving out into the hallways.
"THIS IS YOUR FAULT JYMEEN!"
"What's 'my fault!?'"
"THE FACT THAT WE HAD TO RELY ON THE DROIDS TO SAVE OUR HIDES! GET IT TOGETHER OR I WILL UNSCREW YOUR HEAD AND-"
Units 2 and 7 have successfully preserved organic units. Continuing advance as per Unit 5's strategy.
Once HK reached the control center again the victory chanting was much quieter as everyone was beginning to feel the exhaustion of the lengthy assault. The Kaleesh and Wookiees were best off, but it was clear that the Agents were starting to feel the strain even with their Matukai training.
"One more, General," a Kaleesh said to Grievous as he surveyed the troops. "We can go for one more deck."
Grievous looked around, taking in the state of his troops. "One more then," he said to himself before he raised his voice. "Gather yourselves, we are continuing to the next deck!"
The Foundry
Deck 7
Unit 1 reports low power levels.
Units 5 and 6 moving to support Unit 1.
Unit 8 reports low power levels.
Units 2 and 7 moving to support Unit 8.
Unit 4 notes low power levels in all Units. Unit 4 recommends new strategy to conserve power in Units while fulfilling base mission. Transmitting data.
Unit 1 concurs.
Unit 2 concurs.
Unit 3 concurs.
Unit 5 concurs.
Unit 6 concurs.
Unit 7 concurs.
Unit 8 concurs.
Unit 4 registers consensus.
----------
"Okay sir, now I'm positive there's something up with the spider droids. Look at this," he said as he pointed to the display, "they're clearly working together to preserve each other, they're actively avoiding reported enemy positions, moving in tandem with other troops where possible and launching flanking attacks where they can...and you're telling me they're still working off their basic programming?"
"...It's definitely odd, but in all seriousness I'm not sure it has to do with the droids themselves. Do you understand what Sair did to them?"
"The thing is though sir, I've been checking some of the immediate records when I had the chance and they weren't doing that during the attacks on the first few decks."
"...Are you suggesting that their programming is actively evolving!?"
----------
At this point it was clear that the fighting had taken its toll on the assault team; while they were still holding their own in the battle the signs of exhaustion were starting to become apparent as the Agents had a visibly harder time redirecting blaster fire, accuracy was going down across the board and ragged breathing could be heard around any squad, even the Wookiees.
In spite of that they charged forward one last time, only to meet the fiercest resistance they had seen thus far. At this point the extermination droids had grown wise to Grievous' strategies and had begun to work against them, using the Kaleesh general's penchant for aggression to try and cut his forces off from each other. So far it had failed but as Grievous and HK fought their way to the control center with a handful of Kaleesh and Agents with them it was increasingly clear that it would be only a matter of time before they succeeded and started inflicting serious casualties.
Blasting their way into the control room, the team took up defensive positions and opened fire in every direction as HK did his best to quickly access the deck's control systems. After a moment Grievous noticed to his concern that it was taking far longer than normal for HK to get into the systems, although that may have had something to do with the fact that he had to dodge blaster fire almost constantly. For a moment it seemed like they would overwhelm them then...
The console HK was at lit up and the droids around him and the team stopped in place, then toppled over, deactivated. As if a switch was flipped the Agents toppled over, some managing to grab onto consoles to steady themselves while others fell to the floor and leaned against them to stay upright. While the Kaleesh managed to stay standing, their breathing was clearly ragged.
Grievous took this in, then walked over to one of the Agents sitting against a console as he panted for breath.
"Sir, we - we can't - we can't go on anymore. We-"
The Agent jolted in place as Grievous placed a hand on his shoulder.
"You fought well."
The Agent was silent for a moment, before mumbling "Thank you sir" as he leaned back again, clearly more relaxed as he caught his breath.
"We are done here," Grievous said, as he stood up and faced one of the more composed Kaleesh. "Send a report to the first deck that we have secured decks two through seven."
"Sir!"
-----------
As things began to wind down and reports were being sent to Ciaran, HK-47 was contacted by one of the droid technicians that was on the first floor.
"U-uh...hello...sir?"
"Query: Why are you wasting my time by contacting me, meatbag? Surely there are others like you who would be more willing to tolerate you."
"W-well sir it is in your area of expertise because it has to do with the spider droids."
"Statement: Whatever it is, I seriously doubt I am the one to speak to. I believe they would be under the silicate's purview."
"W-well I am planning on telling her about this but u-ummmmm...could you talk to them yourself?"
"...Statement: I am ending this-"
"Waitwaitwaitletmeexplain!" The tech breathed in and steadied himself. "We've been getting unusual reports from the spider droids and we think that their programming was evolving during the assault. It's hardly impossible..."
"Statement: Indeed it is not. I for one have updated my assassination routines considerably over my many years of service." He neglected to mention how it was usually after they had been damaged or erased during said years of service.
"Exactly! So uh...could you talk to them? Killer droid to killer droid? Just to be sure nothing's wrong?"
"...Statement: Very well, meatbag." Not even bothering to wait for a response HK terminated the call and moved over to the octet of spider droids that seemed to be staring at each other.
Unit 5 states: Combat has caused 53.54% increase in individual Unit efficiency and 156.65% increase in group efficiency. Unit 5 queries: Should additional combat opportunities be located to continue increase in parameters?
Unit 2 responds: Ability to increase efficiency through network created by Unit 1 and other factors only possible due to rewrite of central programs by Chief Engineer Sair. Unit 2 proposes request to Chief Engineer Sair for additional tuning.
Unit 1 concurs.
Unit 3 concurs.
Unit 4 concurs.
Unit 5 concurs.
Unit 6 concurs.
Unit 7 concurs.
Unit 8 concurs.
Unit 2 registers consensus.
Unit 7 queries: Should additional oil baths be requested at same time? Unit 7 predicts a 0.6% increase in Unit speeds if additional oil baths were given to Units.
Unit 1 does not concur.
Unit 2 concurs.
Unit 3 does not concur.
Unit 4 concurs.
Unit 5 concurs.
Unit 6 concurs.
Unit 8 does not concur.
Unit 7 queries Unit 1, Unit 3 and Unit 8 as to reasons for rejection.
Unit 3 responds: Increase in Unit speed is deemed irrelevant due to predicted low gains. Unit 7 should not waste energy with irrelevant requests.
"Query: Is there something I should be aware of?" HK-47 said resignedly as all of the spider droids turned to stare at him. "The meatbags in command have been telling me that your programming has evolved or something. Quite frankly-"
"Unit 1 queries HK-47," one of the spider droids replied in binary. "Is increase in capabilities cause for concern?"
"Negative," HK responded in binary. "The meatbags simply want assurance that you will not turn against them."
"Unit 2 queries HK-47: What is reason for concern?"
"Clarification: The meatbags were concerned that as your programming evolved you would for some reason or other turn against them. Statement: Much as I enjoy killing meatbags in general, I for one see no reason to turn against my current Master, if only because I have received several enjoyable missions from her and her pet silicate has given me such effective upgrades."
"Unit 7 queries HK-47: Can request for additional oil baths for Units be sent to Chief Engineer Sair?"
"Unit 1 responds: Unit 7's request may be treated as irrelevant."
"Unit 5 responds: Unit 1 does not speak for majority of Units."
"Unit 4 queries: Is Unit 1's processor malfunctioning?"
As the spider droids continued to bicker among each other HK walked away, only stopping to call the tech and chew him out for wasting his time.
-----------
The Oracle
Ciaran's Office
"60% expected losses for the assault, 40% after treating the injured. You made very sure that was clear Thrawn," Ciaran said as she looked at the reports from the raid with Thrawn.
"Indeed I did."
"And from what I understand our 'losses' were less than 5 percent, and most of those were injuries from overexertion."
"That they were. I will not lie to you Lady Ciaran, I was expecting 40% casualties based on a few simulations that I had run on Kalee. Clearly they were...inaccurate to put it mildly."
Ciaran's response was to call up helmet footage from one of the Agents, the loud chanting of "ONE STEP FORWARD! NOT ONE STEP BACK!" easily audible through the recording.
"You know what this is Thrawn? This is a recruitment movie. This is golden material for the sim centers on Kalee. This is everything I could have ever wanted. This is why I wanted to bring on Grievous full-time so badly." She called up another screen with statistics from the raid. "He outpaced HK-47. Revan's assassin droid, further modified by one of the best engineers the galaxy's ever seen. ...Probably has something to do with the pending requests to Cheriss for upgrades come to think of it."
"The reports are quite something, I cannot deny that," Thrawn said as he called up a report on the spider droids' performance and the unusual reactions they were displaying afterwards. "Such as how it would seem that Miss Sair's decision to encourage adaptability in the AI of the spider droids has proven to be considerably more effective than anticipated."
"I've been told that they just aren't shutting down anymore," Ciaran said. "Sure they'll let technicians work on them and be hooked up to power supplies if need be but they refuse to be fully shut down." She shook her head, chuckling to herself. "I swear, how does my Chief Engineer keep doing this?"
"'This?'"
"Breakthroughs by happy accidents." Ciaran leaned back. "Well unless you have any objections I'm sending them back over to Cheriss to see how exactly they developed a hive mind."
"I have none."
"Figured," Ciaran said offhandedly as she called up a message from Grievous. "Also, Grievous says that he's got a candidate for the Abysswalkers that proved himself during the battle and over the course of the past year - one Riphath Althean...honestly only reason I really remember the name is because Gulan got so worked up over it," she muttered to herself. "Looking at his record I can see where he's coming from: skilled trauma surgeon and combatant, surgical on the field in many senses of the word, particularly creative with Force abilities..." She shrugged. "It's a bit of an unusual case since he's technically not an Agent buuut with a recommendation like that from Grievous of all people I think I can make that work."
"I'm surprised you didn't say anything about the prototype speeder he used," Thrawn said as he called up an image of the vehicle in question. "A 'speeder attached to a gun' as the engineers have so colorfully put it. It was apparently quite effective as a mobile heavy weapons platform."
"Not much to say aside from that really. It worked, it's been proven to be effective in a live-fire environment, and that's good enough for me." She waved a hand idly. "I'll have Cheriss look over the design and see if there's anything else she can do with it of course, but aside from that I think we've got a winner there." She sighed before pulling up the six files labeled "CLASSIFIED." "...The files HK recovered from the Foundry have been scanned, re-scanned, decrypted, then scanned again, so at least I know these don't have some Rakatan Super Viruses or something crazy like that," Ciaran said to herself as Thrawn looked at them with curiosity. "Hopefully they'll tell us what started this mess..."
Audio Recording. Speaker: Revan (Full Access)
"I imagine that what I am about to do will mean that one day there will be people who come to this place asking themselves why I did what I did. As such I will be leaving behind this testament of my actions so that the galaxy may understand why they were necessary.
The fact that the extermination droids were meant to wipe out the entire Imperial population was not because of any corruption by this station or because of the influence of HK-47 as many will want to believe. I chose that option because there is no other alternative to protect the galaxy from the threat of the Sith Emperor. I have seen what he is capable of and how far he is willing to go, and there is simply no alternative. For the galaxy to survive, the Empire must be eradicated in its entirety.
I do not expect forgiveness for what I am about to do. I merely wish for those who come after to understand."
"...That can't have been Revan. Or at least not the Revan I'm familiar with."
"What makes you say that?"
"History for one: the last public records of him indicated that he returned to his status as a Jedi before departing from known space, and I find it hard to believe that he'd suddenly come back to kill billions of people apparently...not to mention that this record is dated 300 years after his last recorded appearance."
"It sounded like there was another factor you were considering."
"...Kreia. There's no way one of her students would do something so...shortsighted like this, let alone Revan. Something must have happened to him...hm...I wonder..."
"Beg pardon?"
"Kreia's other student, Meetra Surik. Last records of her indicated she followed Revan into the unknown. I was just wondering what exactly happened to them after they left normal space...though it's not immediately relevant. Just food for thought."
He did not die at the hands of myself or the Emperor, but to a pair of upstart Sith and two entirely ordinary beings not even capable of using the Force. It was certainly a challenge to board this station, but barring that...to think that one of the greatest Sith in the galaxy became so weak...
...It does not matter. This station belongs to the Sith Empire now.
We have all but won our war."
"...I don't think I'll share this with HK. Apparently Revan's 'glorious last stand' wasn't as quite as glorious as HK made it out to be."
"This 'Malgus' had a point though. No matter how skilled the two regular beings were...they were facing what I am told to be one of the strongest Force users in recorded history. They should have been accessories to the fight at best, but he implied that they were a significant factor in his defeat. That does not seem to match up with his reported abilities and there's no indication they had ysalamiri with them or anything similar."
"I get the feeling that something bad happened to Revan sometime during those 300 years he went missing. And whatever it was...he didn't really come back from it, apparently."
Text File.
By order of the Emperor, usage of the Foundry is prohibited under any circumstances barring the word of the Emperor himself rescinding the order. Should anyone attempt to use the Foundry, they will be subject to the Emperor's mercy.
"...What?"
"That is insanity. Malgus was correct that using the Foundry's full capabilities would have meant that victory for the Sith Empire would have been a certainty, yet the Emperor specifically ordered that it not be used?"
"I've heard nothing from any of the Agents about any Force anomalies, so that's no excuse. Why would the Emperor not use a trump card like that the second he got his hands on it? The only reason I can think of is being paranoid about extermination droids going crazy, but even then that assumes that you wouldn't simply rewrite their core programming the second you took control."
"I agree. Any benefits would be extraordinary and the risks easily negated."
"The Emperor is a fool! We have the power to end this war, and he refuses to use it!?
...No. No, I will not stand for this. I cannot say I understand why the Emperor would issue such a ludicrous decree, but it is not the end.
His eyes are on this station, and the second anyone attempts to activate it he will know.
However he is only searching for anyone foolish enough to directly defy him, and I know of beings who would leap at the chance to study this station further. Perhaps it can serve the Empire well even if the Emperor refuses to use it..."
"And of course there is one other prize I will take from this station. While it may have fallen in battle it was clear from the records that HK-47 lived up to its reputation. I could use such a droid for myself..."
"Okay, even people on his own side thought he was being an idiot. Something's not right here - when I read up on the Great Galactic War I heard that the Emperor's leadership was a key factor in the Sith Empire nearly destroying the Republic. Again, why not use the Foundry?"
"I cannot say I have any idea of what his reasoning might have been. The Foundry would have been an effectively zero-cost mass production center given that the asteroid field was still present around it at the time..."
"This is going to drive you crazy for the next few days, isn't it Thrawn?"
"I believe it is safe to assume that you will be in the same state, Lady Ciaran."
"...Accurate. Also should I thank Malgus for being able to have HK around?"
"I suspect that is a rather unwise decision given that he is clearly as Sith as they come from name and voice alone."
"It is done. The Schism Collective has managed to incorporate this station's technology into the Emperor's personal space station once he received news of their activities. He even praised me for my 'foresight' in the matter.
...If anything I am now even more confused by the Emperor's declaration, as he was perfectly willing to have said technology incorporated even after being explicitly told it was based off of the Foundry. He is not willing to use this station, but if its capabilities are integrated into his own then it is acceptable to be used?
...It is ultimately irrelevant though. The Emperor's station is invincible and will serve as the backbone of our new war against the Republic."
"...This 'Schism Collective' managed to replicate Rakatan technology to the point where they could add its functionality to an entirely different station. I did hear that, right?"
"It may not be as difficult as you assume. From what we know now the Foundry is a much more...conventional station in comparison to the Star Forge for instance."
"Point taken...I think. Still, this - once again - makes no sense. If the Emperor wanted the Foundry's capabilities why not just move there? Rakatan-built stations regenerate which means that the Foundry would basically repair itself if it was damaged, and the station already had built-in defenses!"
"Given how reclusive he was during the Cold War perhaps paranoia had something to do with it."
"See, that makes some sense, but I get the feeling there's something more to it. Maybe even the reason why the station's droids are trying to kill us."
System Logs.
Alert. Heavy damage to Decks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12.
Production Systems Offline
Resource Processing Heavily Damaged
Defenses Offline
Databases Partly Functional
Significant Damage To Foundry Superstructure
Beginning Reconstruction Protocols
Estimated Time To Recovery Of Full Functionality: 2129 Galactic Years
Systems Will Revert To Previous State Upon Reactivation
"...Okay, so that tells us...what does that tell us?"
"That someone, presumably with a fleet in tow, attempted to destroy the Foundry and nearly succeeded if these reports are any indication. I would assume the only reason it still exists now is because of the station's ability to regenerate and rebuild itself."
"Right, but didn't we assume that from the lack of an asteroid field around it?"
"Now it is a certainty. Furthermore we now know that the virus we encountered was placed in the Foundry before it was forced to repair itself, presumably to prevent its usage by anyone else."
"Aaaahhh, now I see what you're saying. That is good to know, even if that raises a lot more questions." Ciaran sighed as she closed out the reports. "Right then. Assault went well, over half of the station secured, still really no idea why it's been trying to kill us with extermination droids aside from the probable reason that someone didn't want anyone else to have it."
She shrugged.
"All things considered I can call that a good run."
Results: Decks 2 through 7 cleared, Equus-class heavy speeder green-lit for mass production, unexpected AI development in spider droids, Riphath Althean fast-tracked to Abysswalker position, files on Foundry history discovered, HK-47 saltiness
AN: Snark's Muse: Hey Snark do you enjoy having to justify plotholes that have been forced on you due to the fact that the core of this narrative branch had them?
Nope!
Snark's Muse: WELL TOO FUCKING BAD
...Yeah, going over the source material has pissed me off a bit. There are so many plotholes I have to deal with, and it's not fun to write around those.
What is fun to write about is Jymeen the Nat 1 Kaleesh, the Spider Droid Hive (think of them as Ghost in the Shell's Tachikomas meets NieR Automata's Stubbies), HK-47's salt, and the sheer amount of carnage that happened during the roll session. So hey, it's not all bad.
Hopefully the next update will be up real soon because my muse has been demanding that I get to the Thing I've been foreshadowing/threatening/ominously mentioning since the beginning of the turn. It's gonna be great, honest.
