Play Testers Wanted Pt. 16

"I am quite skilled," Aoki replied first.

"Um, no," Kyanna frowned. So, their characters were similar but not identical, good. Another idea came to mind, and I asked them how their elemental manipulation was.

"Excellent," Kyanna exclaimed while Aoki shook her head. "Why?"

"I will teach Aoki Force cloak since she is skilled in stealth. I will instruct you in the art of manipulating shadows to fit with your elemental gifts." I offered, and they smiled. "It is nice that you have different strengths."

The monsoon lasted for two weeks. I got them well on their way to be stealthy warriors. While they slept, I worked on my crafting projects. When I found the time, I tried to puzzle out the test sent to us by the Star Forge. Why did it give me a hint about Kaiburr crystals? Could it create artificial crystals? My curiosity peaked. I went to my room and paused as I stood next to where my students slept. They looked so damn cute as they snuggled together. I turned and entered the security code into the wall safe holding the most valuable crystals in my collection. I carried the soft leather case to my meditation area below decks.

"Meditation settings," I ordered the ship to dim the lights and play soothing music.

I sat tailor fashion and placed the pouch before me, and opened it. Even in the weak illumination, some of the stones gleamed. I slid the deep violet shard of Vorpalite from its place and cupped my hands around it. My eyes closed, and I reached out to touch the crystal born of so much violence. Force Burst mimicked an impact from such relics as Thor's hammer Mjolnir or a power punch from the Hulk. Yet out of that brutality arose such beauty and potency. My mind slipped into the lattice structure that was the indigo crystal. The going was easy and swift at first, but then I reached the first obstruction. While potent and gorgeous, the stone possessed flaws. The imperfections retarded my movement. It must have been pure instinct, but my power reached out and repaired the damage, and I continued.

It did not take long to explore the entire stone and remove the cracks, mineral deposits, and damage to the lattice structure. My mind withdrew, and I looked at the purified Vorpalite. Its value had quintupled as I now held a flawless crystal in my hand. I saved the second Ghostfire crystal for last. The more stones I repaired, the faster the process went. By the time I held the diamond-like gem in my hand, the entire collection had shimmered and sparkled under the soft lighting. Patience, I thought as I lovingly repaired and restructured my namesake. The transparent crystal shone as it gathered what little light there was and cast it back in an aura of rainbows and chromatic flashes of luminosity.

"Perfect, you are perfect," I whispered. I returned the Ghostfire to its slot and closed the case. In a rush of excitement, I returned to my bedroom, locked away the crystals, and turned my attention to Aoki's and Kyanna's weapons. I sat at the foot of the bed, and using only the Force, I dismantled Kyanna's lightsaber and purified the two crystals within it. I felt Kyanna awaken and then heard her gasp as she watched the process from above me. Whole and gleaming, I rebuilt the weapon and levitated it into her grasp.

"Try it out."

Kyanna triggered her weapon's activation, and the weapon's typically loud and distinctive snap-hiss hummed softly instead. The blade itself was crisper and more defined than usual. Kyanna leaped from the bed and sped below to practice with it. Aoki's breath teased my ear as she leaned close to observe.

"Do me, I mean mine too, Master," the little minx teased me as I field stripped both her blasters. "Slowly, do it nice and slow." I levitated the first crystal and performed the cleansing process. "Is it me, or did that one just get darker?" I opened my eyes once I finished, and Aoki was right. The crystal was free of impurities and structural flaws, and the color was luxurious and more vibrant. Aoki took the crystal and put her weapon back together. As I cleansed the second crystal, a disturbance in the Force echoed outward from Aoki. "Something is wrong."

"Explain."

"It feels off somehow," Aoki declared. "My connection is not as strong as it should be."

"Ah," I exclaimed softly. "It is my fault entirely."

"My lightsaber is fighting me," Kyanna growled as she returned.

"Remove the crystals and sit," I urged. "While I have removed the flaws from those stones. I also bonded them to myself unintentionally."

"We need to attune ourselves to them," Kyanna said and began the process.

"I do not know how," Aoki admitted. "Can you teach me?"

The cerulean Twi'lek plopped into my lap and leaned back while Kyanna harrumphed and lost focus on the task before her. Aoki ignored the other and ground her ass against me. When was the last time we were intimate? Too long if I did not remember right away. I had been pushing their training without rewarding them.

"If you can claim your crystals, I will let you ask for an award from me," I offered.

Kyanna's eyes snapped open, and I felt her hunger as if it were my own. I instructed Aoki on the technique for attunement and directed her to sit next to Kyanna. Aoki pouted but complied. I observed my students and kept my laughter to myself as the Twi'lek's lekku twitched and slithered as she performed the task at hand. Being a shapeshifter, I knew the meaning behind the subtle movements Aoki's body was whispering. She was aroused and fought her desire to complete the task. Aoki succeeded in reclaiming the first stone.

"How long have you been able to alter kaiburr crystals?" Aoki asked as she waited for her energy to recharge.

"A short while ago," I admitted and enjoyed her surprised expression. "Perhaps, I should explain my sudden epiphany."

"That would help," Aoki agreed.

I told her about the voice during my Tutaminis training. The moment the world froze and the voice spoke the singular word, Kaiburr. Then, I went into how it inspired me to dive into those fantastic minerals' fundamental nature and structure. Finally, I showed Aoki and Kyanna the display Traci had created for me. I pointed out the similarities all the various crystals had in common. Vast distances separated them, and yet they seemed to possess an analogous origin.

Without a word, Kyanna was on her feet and heading below deck. I felt it when she activated her weapon. The cry of joy echoed throughout the ship. "Hoo boy!" It was as if my hands wielded the lightsaber. So, I still had a bond to the crystals. However, the purity I had instilled had allowed the stones to permit more than one person to utilize them. I would have to sever my link soon so that Kyanna could adequately master it. Aoki joined Kyanna, and once more, I experienced the raw emotion and joy she felt as her blasters struck the target droids with ease. While they reveled in their new toys, I performed the ritual to sever my bond to the Kaiburr crystals. If I didn't every time they went into battle, I would be distracted, perhaps even lethally. The rite finished, I meditated to recoup my energy. The act was very costly and drained me right onto the edge. My health and stamina were both in the red.

"Nope, not enough," I cursed. I slipped away and left the ship. My feral nature was once more rearing its ugly head, and I could do nothing to stop it. The last thing I wanted was three corpses littering my ship. "Oh, so callous tonight, Nocturnal," I ranted as the scent of a Rancor caught my attention. My vision crested scarlet as I tracked the beast to its lair. The young rogue slept alone, away from the pack. He must have lost a battle with an older male and found himself banished. I touched the sleeping mind and instilled a sense of panic. While he thrashed around gripped by the nightmare I had inspired, I unleashed Force Drain. The torrential rain did not seem to touch me as I absorbed the fear-tainted energy from the whimpering beast. My former Master had been right. The stronger the emotion I inspired, the better it tasted.

The Rancor let out a single warbling cry as its heart burst. A rush of raw energy filled me, and I shook off the last of my lethargy. I turned to come face to face with Kyanna. I had been unwise to leave so quickly and be detected. Well, she was a Jedi Master, and I had taken her skills too lightly. I pondered every possible explanation, and none of them felt appropriate. So I remained silent and returned to the starship. I tapped into levitation just enough to pass through the saturated ground without leaving a trace. Kyanna followed silently behind. I neither heard her and nor did she speak about what she had seen.

She and Aoki slept in the cabin they shared. HK-47 stood immobile as he recharged. Whisper shivered as she joined me in my bed. She did not have to say how cold my flesh was this night. While she slept, my mind raced. I was undead, and the night was when I was most active. My thoughts returned to the Kaiburr crystals. Rakata Prime was one of the oldest settlements in the galaxy. Could it have a massive supply of them somewhere in the system? Traci announced another attempt to improve the assassin droids schematics. As she ran yet another movement test for DP-69, I decided to see if there was a secret cache of crystals in the system. I set Traci to guard my body as I used Astral Projection and search for the distinctive resonance a large amount of Kaiburr crystals would surely give off.

I slipped free of my flesh and reached out for an echo in the Force. I drifted into orbit around Rakata Prime. The world turned below me as the sexless voice called out to me.

"You are full of surprises," it said in its cold, emotionless voice.

"Are you an A.I.?" I asked.

"I was." It replied. "Now, I am myself and strong in the Dark Side." If I doubted that I was speaking with the Star Forge's governing intelligence, the thing's words dismissed that. "Welcome home. Let me show you the fleet I am building for you." The sinking feeling of fate trapped me, and I surrendered. "Let me." The stars became lines for a moment as my spirit traveled through the intervening distance in seconds. I stood on the bridge of the Star Forge facing its physical avatar, and I grimaced.

"You stole my idea." I snapped, seeing the fully realized DP-69. She was gorgeous. She reached up, and a holographic hood manifested, along with dark Sith-like robes. "Well fuck, you improved upon my design."

"You did most of the heavy lifting, as fleshy sentients would say. The hologram doubles as a personal shield generator. The exoskeleton can rearrange itself to mimic male or female biologicals as needed." The droid explained with a respectful tone. "Master. This unit will never truly pass for a biological lifeform, but it could fool the inept under the right lighting conditons.

"I can feel the Dark Side coming from her," I said, alarmed before I remembered the Star Forge was itself powered by it, the Dark Side of the Force. "Brilliant." I grudgingly acknowledged. "I will discard my work on it. That will free up time to finish the aw mother fucker, really?!" The stealth speeder bike slid silently into view. I cursed a few more times before calming down. "How long to complete the Heart of Korriban?"

"The three capital ships will be ready for departure in a month. To support them will be two dozen various war droids, astromechs, and one medical droid programmed to extract information. I have also set fifty support ships and one hundred warships based on the Ivory Wraith design. A single DP-69 model espionage droid will pilot them. They will, if captured, insinuate themselves and prove willing to help their new owners."

"While sending burst transmission back here," I stated, and the droid bowed.

'Ding!' Went my HUD. New Event: Droid Hunt. The event's details were not limited to me. Oh no, any player could try and hunt down and claim the ship, the droids, and add them to their inventory. Kat, what are you doing? That does not sound like you. I will sit back and wait.

"Expect a shuttle with one droid and three speeder bikes and one full-sized stealth speeder... Master." Since I was not physically there, the droid stated that I was not teleporting to the Star Forge just yet. Therefore, the others did not need to know I had visited it. I was given a tour of the bridge and shown the complete schematics of the Star Forge.

'Duh-duh-dah, Dum-de-dum-dum...' I felt the subtle vibration in the background. It was two series of numbers repeated a dozen times before it was time for me to leave. I memorized the pattern and wondered what it was and represented. "Stupid! Those are GPS coordinates!" I exclaimed and then fell silent. "Traci..."

"According to the Rakatan archives, there is a small volcanic island at those coordinates. The littered surface has several volcanic rock types, including some unusual obsidian forming a regular pattern near the center of the island." She paused and waited. "I have pulled all available records, and there is not much to get excited about."

"Pattern eh, could it be artificial?" I asked, and she nodded and emphasized what could be. "Can we take off under these conditions?"

"We could," Traci answered but sounded hesitant.

"There is no rush. We can wait. If there is a break in the weather, launch a few probes."

I meditated until the girls woke. The damn Star Forge had stolen my side projects. I liked crafting things, and it had unknowingly annoyed me; I am sure the deadly superweapon meant well. I laughed and mentally brought up other things to do and discarded one idea after the rest. Finally, I went through my inventory and found it. The gift from Odin carried the label of an 'alien' helmet, but now that my characters were separate, it had a new name. It was a black Mandolorian helmet, and all it needed was a complete Beskar armor set to finish it up. Suddenly a flurry of dirty tricks filled my thoughts, and I let my mind drift down new paths.

I had been lost in thought when Aoki pounced onto the bed next to my head. The sudden movement broke the spell that held me entranced.

"There was a security alert while we slept." She informed me.

"Traci, why didn't you wake me?" I called out as Aoki rolled backward, off the bed, and came to her feet smoothly. I rose, and Traci responded.

"Your shipment has been delivered." She said and paused. "They are in the cargo hold." Traci completely ignored my question.

"They?" A sleepy Kyanna commented as she strolled into my bedroom wearing non-Jedi lingerie. "Who are they?"

"Let's go find out," I urged, pondering Traci's odd behavior.

All of us, including HK-47 and Whisper, walked down the ramp to the bottom deck. A small shuttle sat in the corner of the hold, and next to it were three speeder bikes, four of the octopoid probe droids we had seen in the Split Spire, and a solitary gunmetal grey DP-69. The droids bowed and called me Master. Kyanna cursed softly as HK-47's optics shifted to the red end of the spectrum.

"Where the hell did they come from?" Aoki asked. "Is she a droid or a cyborg?"

"I am a droid Mistress. My designation is DP-69." She replied with a subtle smile. "The others are probe models SR-22, for search and recon. So we are all at your service."

"What does D.P. stand for?" Aoki asked with a giggle.

"Deception and penetration, Mistress," DP-69 replied. "My primary function is gathering intelligence of whatever kind is determined to have value by our Master. When in tandem with the SR-22s, we can uncover minerals of value, hidden enemies, or lost civilizations."

"Useful," Kyanna remarked, looking at me with just a hint of alarm. "Any thoughts, Katria?"

"Yeah, can the SR-22 units launch under these shitty conditions?" I asked, startling my students. "There is an island on this world that has come to my attention. Can they reach it safely?"

The SR-22s chittered in a lower registered voice than other droids like R2's or even B.B. units. They were thrilled that their safety was of my concern. They were positive the monsoon would not harm them. I gave them the coordinates of the island and what I wanted.

"I need a full sweep of the island, especially any area with unusual mineral deposits. I suspect there may be an underground facility or, worst case, a hidden lab or the like." I said, and they eagerly tittered and prepared to perform the tasks I laid out. The SR-22s launched, and I noticed Aoki running a hand over the speeder bike's dark surface. "It is yours. Take it as a gift from one friend to another." I paused. "Kyanna?"

"Well, if you are just handing them out," she said and then pulled me into a passionate kiss.

"Let us eat and then get some training in today. DP-69 I want to talk about your skills and limitations." I said, and she flinched at the word limitation. "Everyone has limits, those that fail to see that are doomed to a bad end."

"Master's wisdom enlightens this pitiful unit," DP-69 replied with a bow.

"Statement." HK-47 began. "Suck ass cunt."

"Observation." DP-69 fired back, mimicking him. "Jealous much?"

"You both have skills I need for my plans to reach fruition. Can I rely upon you?" I asked. HK-47's optics went from a hostile scarlet to an agreeable emerald. DP-69's eyes shimmered a soft blue, and she nodded once. "Good. I am hungry. I am going to call something in for breakfast. You two come with me." I directed Aoki and Kyanna to fall into step behind me. We dressed for the shitty weather, and the questions flew.

"Katria," Aoki began. "Who made those speeder bikes? They are your design, and yet those droids delivered them."

"I hate even to think this," Kyanna said. Her voice was barely above a whisper. "Did you cheat when you fixed our crystals?" Aoki stared at her friend in shock. "I checked my skill tree and can't find any way you could have done it."

"I don't cheat," I spat out each word slowly and angrily.

"Displaying Katria's skill tree," Traci interrupted without prompting. "You will see these two triangular synergy nexuses--the first grants Katria the ability to blend her Shatterpoint gift with her crafting skill. The second nexus ties together telekinesis with her analysis skill. Combined, they grant her access to the hidden skill Force Alchemy. Finally, like the Sith Masters of old, she can examine and alter the fundamental nature of any living or nonliving specimen. In this case, your lightsaber and blaster crystals."

"Please forgive me," Kyanna begged. "It is this place. I spoke without thinking it through."

"I will let you earn your way back into my good graces," I purred. "I will answer your question later, Aoki."

"No rush,," she said. Aoki's tone indicated her concern but also her trust in my judgment. Finally, the three of us stepped out into the monstrous downpour. I ignored it while my students adjusted to it. I observed how they acclimated, and it was interesting.

"Shit... fuck... damn..." Kyanna bitched and cursed even as she used telekinesis to shield herself from the rain. Meanwhile, Aoki subtly adjusted her body temp and endured quietly and without complaint. Interesting. She launched into a story as I reached out to see if any wildlife were nearby.

"I remember this job some friends of mine and I did on Manaan, the homeworld of the Selkath, tons of water, well most of the planet's surface is water." Aoki paused to munch on a protein bar. "Anyway," she said, her speech garbled as she chewed and talked at the same time. "I was stuck in a backup position and perched on the only piece of land overlooking that nice dry hotel where the mark was staying. So, there I was, flat on my belly on this god-forsaken rock. A storm raged, and the rain and waves smashed the shit out of me." She took another bite of the protein bar. "I had just bought this great sniper rifle... Aratech M-91 with this sweet ass hand-crafted Bothan scope with genuine Trigarian lenses that are accurate up to... you feel that?"