Play Testers Wanted Pt. 03

"Stay here HK." I ordered.

"Yes Master," the homicidal droid agreed. "Once you flush them out into the open you can leave the rest to me. I will not fail you."

"You read my mind." I replied as I checked the atmosphere to see if it was safe to breathe. As a vampire I didn't need to breath, but Visas did. "All clear though the radiation is a bit high."

"Considering the only star in this system is a pulsar, it is a miracle that anything lives here at all." Visas replied. "Who built this? More importantly, why did they build this?"

"Let's find out." I said and we left the shuttle with the crazed HK unit to guard it.

The area surrounding the ship was a fertile valley with several farms, orchards, and agricultural centers. All that plant life had to be responsible for generating the breathable atmosphere. The only rain appeared to fall at the very edges of the dome shaped protective field. I guessed that underground irrigation brought the water to the fields and maintained the plants as crops and a source of oxygen. It was a pretty elaborate set up for way out in the boonies. Pulsars were avoided like the plague and for good reasons. Whoever built this wanted privacy.

"There appears to be an entrance over there." Visas indicated as she pointed.

I would have likely walked right passed the entrance because of the series of clever holographic fields masking the two massive blast doors. Miralukans appear to be nigh on impossible to fool with visual illusions. I let Visas take point and I followed her. The titanic doors groaned as they pulled apart to reveal the interior of the underground structure. The doors only opened enough to allow a few people to enter easily before they began closing again. The walkway was a smooth ramp that lead down as a casual angle and before long we could make out voices below as the doors clanged shut behind us. There was music, people laughing, shouting, and for all purposes it sounded like a party. The dimly lit ramp led to the front of the casino. The beings were all impeccably dressed, and the display of wealth was obvious, and I felt decidedly out of my comfort zone.

"It is him!" A male Iridonian called out. The crown of small horns marking his species instantly. Unlike the scarlet skinned Darth Maul his hue was closer to human Caucasian.

"It 'is' him," His female Twi'lek companion cooed as she waved at me. "I hope he likes my tits!"

"Darling, everyone loves your tits!" The Iridonian declared knowing the daring cut of her gown put her gorgeous breasts on display and was accentuated by a large gemstone hanging betwixt them.

The myriad conversations faded as everyone watched Visas and I enter. Just as Visas had a history, I knew nothing about apparently these people also knew me in a celebrity like fashion. A tall emerald skinned Mirialan strolled over and I didn't miss his heavy musculature and equally graceful movement. He was a killer and there could be no doubt about it. I didn't draw my weapon, but I was ready to if I sensed the slightest hostile intent on his part. It never came.

"Boss! You surprised me! Drinks on the house, the boss is here!"

The crowd roared as ladies flashed a variety of body parts in my direction. I half expected Visas to cut the women down in a rage filled slaughter, but she just grabbed and kissed me passionately as if to mark her place by my side. I felt like I was caught up in a fever dream. I was guided to a private table that was isolated and looked out over the gaming tables, the stripper poles, and the dance floor. Unlike some establishments all the entertainment was live and not transmitted over the holonet.

"Here you go boss!" The Mirialan cheerfully set down an open bottle of wine and three glasses. "Oh sorry..." he apologized and took a sip from my glass. "...all clear no poison."

"Thanks. How are things going?" I asked trying to slip into the role of casino owner.

"There are the occasional winners, but profits are up. She is here though. If I knew you were going to show up, I'd have had her on the first shuttle off world."

"You son of a bitch!" A voice like liquid sex cursed me out.

"Good god!" I exclaimed when I turned to face the speaker. "Who let you in?"

"I see you've been trolling around again." The albino Twi'lek hissed as her ruby eyes welled up with tears. "You haven't forgiven me yet, have you?"

"Should I?" I fired back blindly seeking information from her.

"I suppose not," She replied dapping her eyes with a silk cloth. "If the roles were reversed, I'd have slain you for such a breach. Why do you keep me around?"

"Must be your tits... perhaps your ass... sit down already." I ordered and she did so instantly. I recognized as I had in Visas the use of Kiai Jutsu to tame her. She was just a puppet now. While she still fought the effects of the conditioning, she hadn't beaten it yet. "Do you hate me?"

"No, I adore you." Her feelings on display for all within earshot. "I love submitting to you. I am the only one worthy to do so."

"Says you snowflake!" Visas snarled angrily. "I am his favorite now!"

"Blind slag!" The Twi'lek cursed at her.

"Ladies... ladies... the Master doesn't want to hear you two bicker. Show him some respect." The Mirialan suggested. "Frost? Visas? Either yield or leave."

Frost, the albino, dropped to her knees staining the expensive dress she was wearing and worked feverishly to undo my pants. Visas not wanting to be anything but compliant followed suit. Soon they were sharing my cock between them. I sat back and enjoyed their attention.

"Who is the Twi'lek with the great tits?" I asked gesturing at the blue skinned beauty with the jewel nestled between her breasts.

"Oh... her! She belongs to Jahl Norisong, the Iridonian merchant. He owns half the Soth system and has fingers in plenty of other ventures. The gem around her neck is in fact an explosive device keeping her in line. He doesn't like being crude when it comes to his property. Shall I invite him to the table?"

"Not right now... what is he doing?" I asked as he removed the necklace from around the Twi'lek's neck and whispered in her ear. "This could be interesting."

"Perhaps he wants to wipe his debt with a single girl." The Mirialan offered. "He isn't that deep in the red though. Maybe a good will gesture. She is quite striking."

"If it pleases you Sir," the girl said shaking. "My former owner wishes me to place myself in your good graces."

"Sit." I said as Visas was deepthroating me. "You disapprove." I asked. "Your thoughts betray you."

"They are working too hard to pleasure you." The girl responded with a knowing smile.

"What do you suggest?" I asked trying and failing to hide my own smile.

Instead of kneeling or trying to fit next to or between Visas and Frost the newcomer went above and beyond. She removed her dress, performed a hand stand over my erection and began performing inverted pushups with my cock trapped between her lips.

"Show off," Frost snarled.

"Impressive." Visas giggled. "How does it feel?"

"Wow!" I said as she deepthroated me repeatedly. "She's very talented."

"I may have to work on my upper body strength." The Miralukan laughed. "I think he's going to blow."

"Already?" Frost gasped. "I think you are right. He's going to..."

I cried out as a blasted a load down the Twi'lek's throat. I instinctively squeezed my eyes shut for a moment. The sudden silence was deafening. The darkness followed a moment later. I opened my eyes the casino was empty, had been empty for years. Dust covered the tables, and the fallen stripper poles. If I were to guess I'd say the place had been raided and in the ensuing chaos the place had been trashed. I sat up and reached out to see if any living thing remained. I was alone. There was no hint of power or presence. I was about to head for the exit when a single pulse caught my attention. I froze in place and waited. It felt like forever for the second pulse to blossom. I faced the direction of the pulse. Whatever it was it was evil. It was tied intimately with the Dark Side. The whisper of emergency generators kicking in made it difficult to hear it. The third pulse was an assault. I staggered back clutching my head as the crimson emergency lights flickered to life.

"I'm going to end you!" I growled as the fourth pulse washed over my mental shield. "You are down there... in the ground... buried like an old bad weed."

"Forever..." it sent.

"Rotting in the black earth like a tumor." I addressed it as I vaulted from my table to the dance floor. "UNNN!" I grunted as the next pulse hit my shield but this time there was a physical manifestation. The brackish energy washed over my defenses like fetid water. It was old, rotted, and rank. The air stunk of it. "Nasty."

Its laughter hung behind me as I traced the pulses to their origin. I threw my hand up and was stopped cold when the next attack came. It lasted longer this time. This wasn't an instantaneous thing now. It was becoming drawn out and taking more energy to defend against. I had to hurry. If I was too slow, I would be too drained to face it.

"This isn't a casino; it is a feeding ground. This is your nest." I deduced as the next blast of negative energy lashed out. "Parasite."

"Forever!" It shouted driving me back a few inches.

The casino was a death trap for the thing below! Just as certain plants used sweet nectar to lure insects to their doom, this thing used the elusive space out of the middle of nowhere to attract the rich and powerful. So proud and so full of life! I had a choice to make. Stay and kill it or flee and let it continue to feed on the unwary.

"I'm no hero." I said as the next and most devastating attack slammed against my shield. I felt the slightest touch from it. My arm went numb for just a moment, but it was enough to demand a swift and immediate response. "Oh, hell no!" I roared. I did the only thing I could do. I drew entirely on the Light. I reached out to the pulsar and all that withering energy. I channeled it into pure clean light and let it spill into this dark place.

"Forever!" It roared. "I AM FOREVER!"

"Nothing lasts forever." I screamed as the ground shook and split open.

"Destroy!" It howled as rancid feelers pushed up through the solid rock to get at me. "Hunger."

I tore the loose stones away exposing the path from the casino to the worm's lair. I fought the urge to retch as I dove into the crude tunnel created by the thing seeking out my life. I felt my legs go numb and remain that way. I landed hard on the broken rocks before the pulsating pustule that formed the main body of the nameless thing. How many centuries had it resided here in the dark feeding from unsuspecting sentients? I reached out again and slammed raw sunlight into the thing and watched its skin dry, crack, and then rupture spilling mind breaking foulness into the cavernous lair. I pulled myself above the floor, so I didn't drown in its filth. I screeched as the ancient thing withered and died. Something inside of me was broken from channeling so much light through my undead form.

"Ugh!" I gagged. "Kill it with fire!" I said as I called down a cleansing fire and burned everything in sight. "Just in case." I muttered aloud as my mind fought to remain rational. "Did you kill the crew of the flagship?" I pondered. "Did you find a way of reaching out somehow?"

I got the use of my legs back and searched the burnt-out corpse. The body appeared to be guarding a sealed stone door, a door carved of native stone. My anger got the best of me. I reached out and telekinetically ripped the door from its foundation. I threw up a forcefield to block any traps I might have triggered. Intense beams of lethal energy bounced off the shield. I stepped into the space beyond the door and found myself looking down a hallway, a star ship's hallway. I followed the sense of power like a magnet pulling me along.

The path to that power was arrow straight and at its end a makeshift crypt. The decorations and even the coffin looked as if they were a last-minute thought. I thought for a moment that it was lazy work on an artist or developer and then I thought it out. A star ship crash lands on this planet. The occupant is mortally wounded and uses the materials at hand to display his or her mortal remains. I liked it. It made sense. The raw power made my brain itch. I took a closer look at the markings of the coffin.

"Those are runes... Sith Runes. Wait, that looks like the markings on the holocron." I stated as I took out the holocron.

"Holocron." A ghostly voice whispered. "My holocron!" The voice gathered strength as the Sith wraith manifested.

"Lord Nocturnal," I said dropping to one knee.

"My heir is finally here." He said as he approached. "You butchered my watchdog."

"I did indeed and would do it again. What the holy hell was that thing?!" I asked.

"I don't know. I discovered it during my visit to the Unknown Regions. It is a strange place full of spatial anomalies. I fear when my ship came out of hyperspace too close to the pulsar, the same radiation that poisoned me also affected the tentacled horror." He explained. "How did you get here?"

"It all began when I found your holocron." I began and went through everything that had happened and left nothing out. "What can I do to honor your memory?"

"Take up my relics and place them somewhere deserving." He said. "Hurry though! This planet's orbit brings it dangerously close to the streams of highest radiation. Hurry!"

"You are going nowhere!" A new voice stated coolly.

"Who the hell are you?" I asked as I spun to face the newcomer. He was clad in ebonite armor with bright scarlet accents and if I was expecting witty banter, I was wrong, dead wrong. He was built like a linebacker and moved like a dancer. His ruby blade smashed into my black one. I dug in and slipped into defense so I could observe his style. That nearly cost me my life. I went full on defensive to keep from being sliced to ribbons. "Who the hell taught you?"

His reply was a Force push that sent me flying. I tucked into a ball and landed unharmed. After my run in with Snow I had been developing tactics to deal with just this kind of attack. Instead of being knocked off balance and vulnerable I came up swinging. I took him off guard and nicked his left arm with a spinning slash. He never cried out and came on as fierce as ever. His style was an unknown, his telekinetic blasts hit like a truck, and he was relentless. He never let me go on the offensive and if I didn't change things up, he was going to cut me down.

"An eighth form," I muttered as the crimson blade whirled and lashed out ruthlessly. "A form designed to take out Jedi weapon masters. Brilliant!"

"You talk too much!" He snarled as he adjusted his grip and altered his attack again.

Four more times he flung me around like a doll and even when I brought my shield into play, he shattered it like glass. Five fucking times was five times too many! I felt my rage push beyond my control as his blade began to hammer at my defenses once more.

"Idiot!" I cried out and laughed. "I am a fucking idiot!"

I shifted through the shadows and cloaked my presence in the Force at the same moment. The Sith snarled but spun around looking for me. I watched as his head dipped and felt his attempt to find me. I suppressed the urge to laugh. I sent out my voice through the deepening shadows.

"You picked the wrong environment to pick a fight with me." I laughed as his rage built. "I commend you, Master of the 8th Form. Pity I will have to destroy you!"

"So, it is true! There is a Shadow Master!" The Sith said his fear fueling his rage. "You can't hide forever."

"I don't need to. I'll let the shadows do the work for me. You'll find yourself in the vacuum of space in a moment. Any last words?"

"You are a cheat!" He snapped. "I worked so damn hard. All those Sith ruins and now I lose to someone like you!"

"Tell you what," I replied keeping the shadows in play. "An exchange of prisoners. I teach you and you teach me. That sounds equitable so, what do you say?"

"I am a harsh instructor." He grudgingly agreed.

"How the hell did you get here?" I asked and he laughed as he deactivated his weapon and placed it on his hip.

"A quest would you believe it." He said as I collected the relics of Darth Nocturnal.

"Aw man," I grumbled. "They are just for display. Oh well. I was hoping they'd work or be able to be scavenged for parts. They'll look good in the tower. Oh shit! We need to get the hell out of here! This planet is about to pass directly in front of the business end of that damn pulsar! Run!"

I grabbed him by the shoulder and shifted us through shadows. We appeared beneath the Crimson Shadow and fled up the open ramp passed the disappointed assassin droid. Visas was in her spot in the pilot's seat.

"Punch it!" I yelled.

Visas had us up and away just before the planet's orbit was drug into direct line with the lethal poles of the Viridian Pulsar. We all watched as the planet broke up under the assault and my HUD lit up with a triumphant sound.

'Congratulations: You have earned the rare viridian lightsaber crystal.'

"Sweet!" The Sith Justicar and I exclaimed holding up the silvery-green jewel.

"I may have to build a back up weapon with this in it." I said and he nodded.

"I know just the place," the Sith Justicar chuckled. "There is a tree on Malastare VI that has a silver sheen and would be perfect. I spotted it during a particularly hard quest."

"Training first." I said and he agreed.

The Sith Justicar and I took turns training each other. The eighth form really was a work of genius. An A.I. had created it out of the same process I had been using but far more efficiently. Truth is there were few new moves, but it was how those elements were put into practice. The great part of this new style was that it worked one handed or two handed as well. I had to respect him he was a dedicated student and I wished I had run into him instead of my miscreant vampiric daughter. We parted on good company and I dropped him off on Tatooine on my way back to Ossus and my portal back to the Marvel Universe.

"Hey Bud," A voice called out from the depths of the cantina.

"Who is it?" I asked as the figure made a dramatic entrance. He was short, had a thin build, and was aquatic, definitely aquatic with his webbed feet and duck billed features. "Who the hell are you?" I asked the back lit creature.

"My name is Howard." He said as he stepped out and extended his hand to shake. "I was wondering if I could get a lift."

"Sure. It's a four-day ride back though." I warned him.

"That's fine, I got enough booze to hold me for that long." Howard replied pointing to the pig-like Gammorean and the crates at its feet. "Here, hold onto this for later." He said handing me an ornate gold coin. "Okay, let's get going. Chop-chop Grizbang! Off we go!"

M3:

I had returned to the Marvel Universe with Howard in tow six months ago. We had parted ways at the portal after I was kind enough to carry and load the last remaining crate of booze into the trunk of a now familiar cab. I waved as he and Harry drove off and I returned to the Sanctum Sanctorum. Over the next few months I had fought aliens, demons, and villains alike. In between Steph, Bryce, and the Storm Sisters my free time had been spent training and mastering both combat and my vampiric skills. Anackire's gift was far more profound the deeper I dug.

I was staring up at the ceiling when Steph's arm flopped over my chest while she slept. I saw the flashing green zero above her head and grinned triumphantly at a job well done.

"You are awake." She muttered softly. "And you are grinning... again."

"Says the Screaming Sorceress."

"I... uh... yeah." She giggled.