Kala - Hidden Underground Bunker - Sub-Level R-34 - High-Security Vault 17 - 3 Days Ago

Several scientists were working on ancient terminals as the security officer walked in. He walked over to one of the scientists, a beautiful blonde, and was about to ask her out when a large clanging noise was heard from above.

The security officer drew his sidearm, a simple blaster pistol, and waved the scientists out of the room. He sealed the door behind him when a crash went off behind him. The last thing he saw was the teeth. Those big, sharp, gleaming white teeth...

In Orbit Over Kala - Onboard the Forensis Incendia - Present Day

Cayden looked at the holo-projection of Kala and frowned. "Over 100,000 years worth of history on that rock, and we're here to listen about security issues... Why do I think I'm starting to regret coming home?" he asked sarcastically.

"Because, General, you're stressed. You've been shot down how many times in the past month alone?" Skaara asked.

"Far too damn many, Major. Far too many..." he said, smirking. "Maybe you're right... Maybe this security briefing is what I need to kick-start my vacation."

"That's more like it, sir," the pilot said, grinning. "Sir, we're beginning our descent now."

"Good. Inform my brother and sister that we'll be touching down shortly. I'm going to my quarters to prepare," he said, walking to the turbolift.

"Aye aye, sir."

Cayden went down to the second deck and exited the lift. I need better elevator music he thought, commenting on the poor choice of music provided by Holo-Net.

He walked to his quarters and shut the door behind him. Cayden pulled his Commissar Armor, painted to reflect the colors of the Onderonian Royal Family, and put it on. He stood in front of the mirror as he adjusted his rank and position insignias and his name and service plate (which simply said "Bimmiel Military" in silver letters). He smiled as he made the final adjustments, then donned a ceremonial cloak over his armor. I do believe I take these things too seriously... But, I am the military commander after-all he thought, fastening the cloak with a brooch (which was adorned with the insignia of the Vast Empire).

Kala - Hidden Underground Bunker - Welcome Center

The three Onderonian royals and a pair of B-2 Battle Droids stepped off the lift and were greeted by the lead scientist of the site.

"Hello, I'm Dr. Osborne. You must be President Tavers, General Tavers, and... Major Tavers, am I right?" he said, extending his hand to Angie.

"Doctor, we're not here on a pleasure visit. There have been security issues, I take it?" Cameron asked, his voice cold and hard.

"Y-yes, of course. Follow me," Dr. Osborne said.

OOC:

WC: 467

Most of these posts are going to be done on mah iPod, so... expect low word counts... but high numbers of them.

Dr. Osborne is not my favorite character.  :/

OOC:

Let's check on Dr. Osborne... coward...

Osborne ran down the hall, opening the doors ahead as he went. Fear gripped his mind as he hurriedly pressed the keys on the main console in the room. He removed several data pads and turned to leave when he stopped. "You're... gorgeous!" he exclaimed before he was abruptly silenced.

OOC:

What just happened to Osborne? Stay tuned to find out...

Meanwhile, back with the Royal Family...

Cameron opened a large bulkhead and peaked inside. The poor lighting and thick clouds of dust made it difficult to see, but it was still obvious what this room was used for 100,000 years ago.

"It's... a war room..." Cameron said, stepping into the room.

Angie and Cayden followed, the bulkhead closing behind them.

Angie walked over to the center console and turned it on. The second it sprung to life, the room's lights increased their output, brightening the room up. "I guess that's how we turn the lights on," she said, suppressing a laugh.

Cayden walked over to a lone terminal standing next to a chair and turned it on. He pressed several buttons, causing the chair to light up. "That was... Interesting... I wonder..." he said to himself, sitting in the chair. Arm and leg restraints grabbed onto Cayden's wrists and ankles, locking him into the chair. Two sensor bars descended around his head, extending neural links into the temporal region of his head.

Kala - Hidden Underground Bunker - Sub-Level R-34 - High-Security Vault 17 War Room - 100,000 Years Ago

Cayden was standing in the War Room of Vault 17, except... it was cleaner now... and there were people, military officers, working at the consoles. One of them turned around and saw the young Onderonian.

"How did you get down here?" the female officer asked, walking towards him.

Cayden watched her, then saw what only could be security officers approaching. "My name is Cayden Tavers. I'm the military Supreme Commander of Bimmiel, the sister planet of this world," he said, putting his hands up.

She walked over to the chair's terminal and checked it. "Did you use this terminal?" she asked, annoyed.

"Yes ma'am, I did. I was actually amazed it worked in the first place," he said, suppressing a laugh. "So... Who are you all?"

"We are the Celestials. And this is the day we win the war against our mortal enemies, the Aesorans," she said, walking back to the center console.

Cayden watched the security officers leave, and he wandered the room.

"Admiral, we need to release the Xeno-Organism. It's the only way-" the female officer started.

"No, Arianna! If we release that thing, we risk contaminating the atmosphere! I'm not going to risk-" the Admiral said.

"The people on the surface are already dead, Admiral," Arianna said sorrowfully. "If we are to survive, it must be released!"

The Admiral sighed. "Release the Xeno-Organism..."

Arianna pressed several keys on her console, saying "You're doing the right thing, Admiral."

"I just hope it isn't too little too late," he sighed.

Cayden walked up to Arianna and asked "What's the Xeno-Organism?"

Instead, the Admiral replied. "The Xeno-Organism, or Project X-137, is the pinnacle of bio-machina warfare. It is a microscopic cyborg that takes over both machines and organisms, turning them into a sort of cybernetic zombie. The X-137 turns it's host, depending on whether it's machine or organism, into either a soldier or a breeding carrier."

"The soldiers are the machines, their exterior casings are weaker than normal, but their motor strength and mental capacity is increased. They attack in either small groups or alone, capable of decimating entire armies with minimal casualties on their side. The carrier, however, breeds the new micro-cyborgs. When the carrier has reached it's full capacity, it explodes, spreading the new organisms into the atmosphere to take up new hosts," Arianna finished. "The only problem the Admiral has is that the only weapon we have that can kill the organisms, in the event of an outbreak, is on the other side of the compound, in Aesoran territory."

Cayden walked over to an empty terminal and ran a few simulations. "Say the organism was accidentally released 100,000 years later by curious scientists... could it have evolved to make both machines and organisms into a soldier-carrier hybrid?"

"It is possible, yes... Why?" Arianna asked curiously.

"Because I believe my people may have accidentally released it, and I need to know how to destroy it," he said, running another simulation. "Where in the facility is that weapon located?"

The Admiral was about to answer when the bulkhead doors were forced open. Three large machines marched into the room. Everyone froze where they were.

Cayden looked at the machines. They stood on three large legs, going up into a wide torso branching off to two arms, one mounted with a chain-gun, the other with a plasma-thrower. The head possessed a voice-emitter and a single-panel visual sensor.

"Surrender or be exterminated!" the first machine demanded in a low-mechanical voice.

Everyone except Cayden dropped to their knees.

"Get on your knees!" it said, turning towards Cayden.

Cayden drew his pistol and pointed it at the Aesoran.

"Attempted resistance shall be met with deadly force!" the Aesoran proclaimed, raising itself to it's full-height of 2.5 meters.

Cayden smiled and fired the pistol at the visual sensor. He then dived to the left and did the same to the other two Aesorans. "That's how you disable a machine," he said, re-holstering the sidearm.

The Celestial officers stood up and began disabling the Aesorans' reactors, shutting them down. "Now... That weapon, Admiral?" he asked irritatedly.

"Yes, it's-" he started before a large blade pierced his chest.

The blade was retracted, and the Admiral fell to the ground dead. The assailant, an infected Celestial soldier, shrieked and attacked the other officers.

Cayden pulled his pistol back out and fired seven rounds into the X-137's chest.

The X-137, well-aware if it's newfound strength, only imitated a horrifying laugh and continued slaughtering the officers.

Cayden did the only thing he could think of: he emptied his mag into the chair's terminal.

Kala - Hidden Underground Bunker - Sub-Level R-34 - High-Security Vault 17 - Present Day

Cayden woke up and saw Angie and Cameron standing around him. "Guys... I need a map..." he said.

OOC:

WC: 1053

I did say low-WC right?  Well... I had fun with this one...

So... Xeno-Organism (Organism X-137 or simply, the X-137)... that's one interesting creature, no?  A naturally-occuring cybernetic organism... that's one unique creature for sure.

So Cayden has come face-to-face with the enemy... can he get to "the weapon" in time?  Or, will the Royal blood line die on Kala?  Stay tuned to find out!

OOC:

I'm starting to pity Osborne, really... Being forcefully taken over by a parasitic micro-cybernetic organism... his body composition changing dramatically... And finally having his entire Nervous System removed and placed into a mechanical body...

Don't you feel pity for him too?

Osborne woke from the darkness, his vision completely red.  Everything... red.  On the side of his field of vision were some data streams his human brain didn't comprehend... but his computer one did.  I'm running a self-diagnostic... he thought.

Then, the Voice came back.  "Osborne... Welcome to Vault 20.  Here is where we, the Aesorans, were given our mechanical bodies... it is here that you have become one of us... and it is here that you will become our Emperor..."

Dr. Osborne smiled to himself and replied "When do I start my new life?"

The Voice, whether Osborne knew it is unknown, smiled for the first time in a long time.  "Whenever you are ready, Your Excellency," It said, a sense of pride in it's voice.

OOC:

Osborne... an Emperor?!?  Now I've seen just about... Whoa... That's one big river... 

Yep... You guessed it... I'm in Mississippi... deal with it. :P

Cayden pressed a few keys on the console and smiled when the fastest route to the Storage Room came up.  "Alright, we have our course.  I've also sent a transmission to the Forensis Incendia to contact Bimmiel High Command to send some troops over to cleanse this place," he said, shutting the terminal off.

Angie pulled out her pistol and said "Let's move out."

The three Onderonian royals exited the War Room and went down the nearby staircase.  They walked down the long dark corridor when door at the far end opened.  Cayden ducked to the left while Angie and Cameron ducked into an open room on the right.

A large machine, resembling a large pepper shaker with a blaster, manipulator arm, and an eye stock with a blue, circular visual sensor, started moving down the corridor towards the Onderonians.

Cayden watched as it neared his location, and smiled at what it said.

"Celestial Security Drone Alpha 38 reporting to Central Command.  No sign of Aesoran activity.  Continuing sweep of Level Beta," it said, turning around.

Cayden jumped out from where he was hiding and said "Alpha 38, halt."

Alpha 38 turned around and pointed it's blaster at Cayden.  "You will identify yourself," 38 said in it's whiny-mechanical voice.

"I am Major General Cayden Tavers of the Bimmiel Planetary Defense Military.  With me is President Angie Tavers and Major Cameron Tavers.  We're... er... friends of the Celestials," he said, waving Angie and Cameron out.

As the two Onderonians came out of the room, Alpha 38 lowered it's blaster.  "It is a pleasure to meet you, General Tavers.  What is your business here?" it asked.

"We believe some of our scientists have released Organism X-137 from containment.  We're heading down to Level 4 to obtain the weapon now," Angie said.

"Do not bother, Madam President.  The weapon has long since been destroyed," 38 said.  It noticed the defeated looks on the Onderonians faces and continued speaking.  "However, I am capable of taking the Aesorans down with my blaster."

Cayden frowned.  "We're not fighting the Aesorans.  We're fighting X-137."

"Organism X-137 is the larval form of the Aesorans," Alpha 38 said.  "When introduced into an organism's body, it takes it to Vault 20 for processing.  There, the-"

"Wait, back up... X-137 is an Aesoran?!?" Cameron exclaimed.

"Yes, Major," the drone said.  "My power cells are nearly depleted.  I must return to the Security Depot."

"Alpha 38, enter shutdown mode immediately," Cayden said.

Alpha 38 shut itself down in the middle of the hall.

Cayden opened the front panel of Alpha 38's chassis and removed the depleted power cells.  He grabbed a flat, grey box and plugged it into Alpha 38's power receptacle and closed the chassis.  "Alpha 38, reboot," he said, stepping back.

Alpha 38's eye stock started glowing again.  "Beginning self-diagnostic report.  Power levels are above maximum.  Shield strength is at 100%.  Weapon firepower strength at 100%.  Celestial Security Drone Alpha 38 is fully operational and ready for combat," Alpha 38 said enthusiastically.  "Thank you, General."

"No problem," Cayden said, smiling.  "Where do we find Vault 20?"

"There is a secret tunnel linking Vaults 17 through 20 together.  I shall take you there immediately," Alpha 38 said.

OOC:

WC: unknown

Did I just commission a machine to help Cayden?  Yes... Yes I did. 

Wait... Now there are more vaults?!?

OOC:

I really do think I should let them take Onderon... I really do... but... I don't want to see what the X-137 does to ships...

Osborne smiled inside when he heard the shuttle was nearing completion, 29 hours ahead of schedule.  "Admiral, has our last patrol reported in yet?" he asked.

"Negative, Your Excellency.  I don't have them on the scope either.  Shall I send a recovery team?" the Admiral asked, turning to Osborne.

"No... send the attack drones instead.  If the Celestials want to destroy us, they have to attack ALL of us," Osborne said.

"Very well, my Emperor.  Deploying attack drones now."

OOC:

What in blazes are attack drones?  I have no clue, myself... just felt good to write...

I guess you'll find out same time I do

Alpha 38 opened a large bulkhead and moved into the room, his eyestock moving from left to right.  "Visual scan detects no hostile movement.  Exercise caution, General.  Probability of Aesoran attack greatly increased in enemy territory," Alpha said, turning it's "head" back towards Cayden.

"Affirmative, Alpha 38.  Proceed further down the corridor," Cayden said, holding his pistol at low-ready.

The odd-looking pair moved down the corridor when the door behind then closed and locked.  Cayden turned around, then turned back to Alpha 38, saying "I guess there's no turning back."

"The Aesorans know we're here, sir.  We can expect to be located within minutes," Alpha 38 said, turning to Cayden.  "I suggest you hide, General."

Cayden smiled and said "Not a chance in hell, 38."

A door at the end of the corridor and two Aesorans walked into the hall... walked, not glided or rolled.

They stood a full 6 feet tall, chrome bodies dulled by the poor lighting.  A large "C" emblazoned on their chestplate.  The head was made of steel.  It showed no emotion, and had to bars reaching up to a point at the top of the head, in the shape of a box.

"You are tresspassing in Aesoran territory," one of the unidentified Aesorans said.

"Sensors identify you as the Cyber-class Aesoran.  Surrender or be exterminated!" Alpha 38 said, scooting 2 feet forward.

"You will surrender, or be deleted," one of the Cybers said, moving a closed fist to the center of his chest.

"We will do no such thing!" Cayden said, raising his pistol.

"Then you will be... deleted!" it said, reaching it's arm out.  A small gun exposed itself from it's forearm and started shooting at Alpha 38.

Alpha 38 lowered his gunstick arm and said "EX-TER-MIN-ATE!"  He fired a single blast at each of the Cybers, chuckling as they fell to the ground.  "Come General, we have work to do."

Cayden stood there, looking at the Cybers, then back at Alpha.  "Alpha... you knew who they were... how old are you, exactly?"

"I am 100,011 years old, General.  I have been stationed here since the last great war between the Celestials and the Aesorans.  It is my duty to protect these installations from any and all threats through Directive 19-4A and Directive 19-4B," Alpha 38 said, swiveling it's head to face Cayden.  "19 years ago, I executed Directive 07-2E and began searching for a replacement commander, in light of the rise of a new Galactic Empire.  I had up to 30 possible candidates until the fateful Battle of Yavin rolled around.  Then, I chose my commander.  And, might I add, I chose wisely indeed, sir."

"Who did you choose, Alpha?" Cayden asked, oblivious to the obviousness of Alpha's statement.

"I chose you," Alpha said, turning back towards the opened door.

Cayden looked at the machine, dumbfounded.  "Me?  You chose me?  Why?" he asked, running in front of Alpha 38.  "Why did you chose me?"

"Your brain is similar to mine," Alpha 38 said, not turning to face Cayden.

Cayden cocked his head at that.  "My... brain?  Your brain?  You have a brain?  I thought you were just a machine...?"

"I am an organic brain suspended inside a suit of high-tech battle armor with one goal in mind: to win the war!" Alpha said, turning his whole body to face Cayden.

"If you're an organic brain, surely you must have been physical once... what species are you?" Cayden asked.

"I have forgotten what species I am..." he said, his tone getting darker.

"Maybe we can find others like you..." Cayden started.  He stopped when he saw Alpha 38's eye-stock lower.

"I am alone... in the universe..." Alpha 38 said sorrowfully, almost like he was genuinely sad.

Cayden watched Alpha 38 as he turned back around and started gliding down the corridor.

OOC:

WC: 737

We learned a bit about Alpha 38... more like a lot...

PM me if you want me to develop Alpha 38 more.