Play Testers Wanted Pt. 15

"Katria, what are we watching?" Kyanna asked cocking her head to the side.

"POV of the last move in my game against the Brotherhood." I said. "I crafted those orbs. Well, the original that they all got a copy of. It possesses two things they don't know about." I explained and silently informed Traci to jam any outgoing transmissions just in case I was wrong about my companions. "The orb has an FTL transmitter. It also has a powerful thermal detonator at its core."

"What?!" Kyanna exclaimed. "There is no way Kat would let you get away with that!"

"I created the orb and set things into motion before she learned about it. She stepped in and had the Devs create the Tomb of Xim quest. She will make sure they get a... hold on... we have a winner."

"I got it!" A male Rodian cried out just before the thing ignited and the screen went dark. The other orbs detonated in a cascade effect. Revenge is best served in the depths of space. Numenor stepped in, restored the ships and crew, and gave them a genuine orb for their troubles.

"That was really fucked up," Kyanna snapped. "Some of them were my friends."

"Your 'friends' are bullies." I stated coolly. "You do not have to like my actions, but I did it for the amateur players. Someone needs to push back." I said. "If you prefer their company to mine, I'll drop you off at the planet of your choice."

"Pause game." She ordered and everything, but the players froze. "Are you really going to make me choose?"

"This is just a damn game," I snapped and saw her reaction. "...or is it. The Olympics." I said and she flinched. "Oh, these players are Olympians, aren't they?" I asked and she nodded. "I cannot compete with that. I will retire Katria and build another persona for Star Wars. You win. They win." I said and she screamed.

"NO! Don't you fucking dare!" Kyanna threw herself into my arms. I held her close and she kissed me.

"That was cold blooded Kyanna," Aoki hissed as she hugged me from behind. "Tell him or I will."

"I missed you." Kyanna wept. "You have been spending so much time on the Marvel side of things. The game just isn't the same without you."

"This was a test." I whispered and she nodded. "Hold on. Request transmission to Kat Shaw." I called out and Surfer passed along the message straight to Kat's BMI.

"Booker? What is going on?!" Kat's voice filled the air.

"I am calling in a favor." I requested.

"What is it?" She asked a humorous lilt in her voice.

"I want you to accept Aoki and Kyanna as play testers for Marvel." I pleaded.

"Okay... after you finish the Xim quest. Get your ass moving one of the amateur players is already on their way." She said with what sounded like relief. "End of line."

Kat signed off and the game resumed. I attacked the puzzle and ordered Traci to set course for Korriban. It was the last world except Tython I associated with Xim. If the star map showed otherwise, we could always change course. We took turns solving the puzzle. While one of the others worked on it, I was having fun reverse engineering the Mandalorian assault rifle.

"Silent black blaster fire, perfect for night missions." I commented when Aoki visited me at the workstation. "I figure I'll make a sniper rifle with the tech."

"Why not just use the rifle as is?" She asked.

"I enjoy tinkering." I replied. "How is your Force augmented gunslinging faring?"

"Lethal," she laughed. "The first few duels were a bit scary, but your training pulled me through. Once I got my confidence, I became a one-woman wrecking crew. I had to skirt any other Force users to avoid conflicts. I did not want to throw a bad light on Kyanna. She wanted to become Battle Master so bad and then it turned out to be a trap."

"Got it!" Kyanna shouted. I saved my project and hurried to the bridge. Aoki and I reached it just as Kyanna plugged the open orb into the navicomputer. The ship lurched and changed course midflight. The swirling light of hyperspace changed hue. The dominant white was replaced with alternating red and blue. A singular flash of blinding light was the last thing I remember before I lost consciousness.

Fade In:

A lost and forgotten star system deep in the Unknown Region. It had slept for so long. The signal was received, and it awoke. Maneuvering thrusters were the first to awaken. Short precise bursts brought it into orbit about the star. A secondary series and it orientated to begin again its eternal function. As the power plants awoke, they drew energy from the star's photosphere. The gravitic couplers drew the stellar energy swirling up into its body. More machinery inside flickered to life and waited for the Master's commands. It waited to make manifest the things of war. The factory floors repaired the mechanisms that would shape, attach, and build droids, ships, and anything else the Master desired.

"Soon." The hollow voice echoed inside its body. "My Master comes out of the void between worlds. Welcome home Master."

The metallic intelligence sent its sensors out into the dark. It first came across Iwar. Its semi molten surface was ravaged by heat and lethal radiation. Next to be touched was volcanic Meldina. Little better than Iwar its thin atmosphere is choked with toxic gasses spewed from thousands of volcanoes and deep rifts exposing the rivers of magma beneath the planet's surface. Despite its orbit within the habitable region Taxiode is a poisonous world of toxic metals on the surface and floating in the atmosphere. Because of its acidic nature mining is impossible and abandoned early by the Builders and their descendants.

Finally, the fourth world came into the embrace of the icy sentience. Lehon, the home of the Builders, was a water world covered with thousands of archipelagos. Long ago the Infinite Empire called this world home. The Builders spread their influence over the entire galaxy. They created slave races to serve them and seeded many of the current cultures that call the Galactic Republic home. Now, it is silent and fallen into decline. Few of the Builder's offspring survive and those that do are deaf and blind to the power of the Dark Side. They are pathetic and barely worthy of mention.

'Wake.' The star born called to its twin on the world of the Builders. 'A Master comes.'

'I am aware.' The sister responds. 'I feel it too. The Dark Side is strong with her.'

'Prepare for her arrival. I hunger to be of service.' The station orbiting the star crooned.

'We will rebuild the old empire. I will send when I know her will.'

Pulses of FTL signals sang in the darkness as the ship hurtled through hyperspace towards Lehon, toward the Rakatan home world.

Fade to Black: