Chapter 142: 142: House of Cards.

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***Bottle City of Kandor – Original Reality***

The citizens of Kandor moved throughout their lives with smiles on their faces, and the hope of a better tomorrow. Something that none of them had felt in years, maybe even decades. They were no longer prisoners of the machine intelligence known as Brainiac. They had been rescued, and were currently in discussion with a group known as the Justice Legion of Heroes. Who were working with dozens of other cities that had once been captured by the machine to discover a way to de-shrink themselves. As Brainiac had only ever chosen cultures, and cities with the most knowledge, they were properly suited to solve this problem.

One of the first things the Justice Legion did was slowly change the type of solar radiation coming in through the glass bottle. Brainiac had created a life like environment within the bottle. Simulating night and day with a glow lamp at the top. Now, yellow sun radiation was being poured through the glass. This was primarily done so that the people of Kandor could use the energy for sustenance instead of relying on their dwindling food sources. Yes, food and water was an issue.

Brainiac had created a living environment for its captors by providing for them. Nothing so benevolent. More like a child with an ant farm. Supplies were given, it was up to the individual people of each bottle to survive. Now that the machine was gone, the JL were trying to figure out alternative methods of supporting the hundreds of bottles in their possession. But for now, each city had several years worth of supplies stocked up.

So, the celebrations continued for citizens of the bottles. While their head scientists worked the problem. In a moment of shared technology a brilliant quantum engineer from another city discovered a way to alter the size of none living matter. The JL agreed with the idea and pulled up information from one of their 'Rift Walkers' that they had. Something called a Pin Particle was used and a volunteer from one of the bottles soon rose to their original size.

Another wave of celebration was cast across the different bottles as they now discovered a way to leave their bottles and return to the lives they had. Or, at the very least make another life where they were not prisoners to a single city. Though it would take time. They had discovered a way out.

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Cyborg aka Victor Stone watched in fascination as a... floating jelly fish with eyes grew to the size of a man. It burst into colors across its floating body. A way to convey joy, as the translator built into his body thanks to the father box mentioned. Cyborg and the rest of the room grinned, clapped, and cheered. The creature...or rather female floated about the room in a gentle flow not unlike a jelly underwater.

“Dad, I wish you were here. You would have loved it.” Cyborg murmured softly to himself.

Gradually the celebration ended and the young woman of the Bi'lu race floated down from the ceiling and thanked everyone with a hand shake with her own tentacles. She undulated across the room and wrapped Cyborg in a giant hug as he had been the one to suggest the Pym Particle, Wraith had brought back with him from the Rift he had explored. Cyborg was shocked, and a little smothered as the entire body of the Bi'lu race nearly swallowed him. He felt intense pleasure roll through his whole body and nearly collapsed into bliss. Then she let him go and floated back over to her races bottle.

“Need a moment to clean up, Stone?” Samanthei asked with an eye brow wiggle. The lamia woman slithered over, and around him.

“No, I'm fine... I think?” Cyborg asked more himself than her. He did a full systems check and found that the people of Bi'lu could induce intense euphoria, or pain. It was how they originally caught their pray, or mated.

“I think she just...Gooshed all over me?” Cyborg said in confusion. Samanthei looked at him in confusion that cracked up laughing.

“By the stars above I must know how they do that!” Samanthei said with a squee as she slithered over to the Bi'lu and began speaking them using a form of telepathy.

Cyborg shuddered at the idea that Samanthei with that kind of power. Knowing her she'd make some kind of orgasmic gun out of it. He quickly left the discussion, and the room in fear that he would be asked to be a test subject since he lived through the first attempt. Cyborg left the science module and looked around the newly repaired Star Base, and quickly sprinted towards the transport pod. The science module door burst open with a sprinting or rather leaping Samanthei with a crazy look in her eyes.

“Nope! Not happening!” Cyborg shouted and activated his flight engine and tore off down the hall away from her.

“Just one test! I have moist towels prepared!” Samanthei screamed at him, but he was gone.

Cyborg flew like a bat out of hell. He had no desire to be swallowed up in anything she had planned. Because it never ended with just one experiment. She was a lot like dad. Speaking of his father. Cyborg took a turn at a newly repaired transport hub with spring jump activation and went to the central garden and hydroponics center. The ribbon of energy wrapped around him with a soft glow, and a light pop! He blinked and he found himself in a garden area.

He saw dozens of people walking the paths of the garden complex. Some of them in uniform. Others in civilian attire. With a thought he activated his liquid metal polymer. It oozed out of its injection ports and covered his whole body with metallic ooze. Then his sensory input linked up. He was once again Victor Stone, 6'6” college football player. Wearing a black t-shirt, jeans, and tennis shoes.

He ran a hand across his scalp and felt his very life like skin. As the metal polymer took on his chocolate skin tone, short black hair, and he blinked his brown eyes. He filled out his outfit very well. Of course it was all simulated. Didn't stop him from smiling as a few ladies checked him as he walked by. He walked with a confident stride towards his destination. Gradually the amount of people he walked past diminished. Then he came to a secluded portion of the garden complex, the cemetery.

He saw a few people who came to visit their own. But they didn't bother him, and he didn't bother them. He came to a holographic pad that showed Doctor Silas Stone. Died in the defense of the Star Base during the invasion. The holographic projected a detailed image of Silas in his prime. Even now he wore a lab coat with the initials of STAR labs on the front. He had a little smile on his face like he knew something you didn't. He had a tiny slouch to his back, to much time spent hunched over a microscope. It was perfect.

“Hay dad... Ya, ya I know. Hay is for horses.... Hello.” Victor said with a smirk.

“How's mom? I mean, I figured you and her went to the same place. We figured out a way to get the people out of the bottles. You would have loved it. One of those times I would have had to drag you away to get some sleep in you.” He continued as he walked around the holo-projector. The image turned towards him, reactive to his presence.

“Star base is fixed... We... Ahem. We figured out a way to fight Brainiac's influence out of the system...Wait. I said that already, didn't I? In my last visit?” Victor asked, as he went through his own memory. Which was weird as he had perfect memory.

“I think I'm going to stop playing football. There's just too much to do. Plus, I.. Kinda can't anymore. It's too easy. It's like playing with a bunch of kids. But don't worry I'll get my masters just like you wanted.” He said as he held up his hands in surrender towards the projection.

“I.... uhhh....” His voice cracked as he tried to clear his throat. “... Work... Let's talk about work. Always more work to do. Thanks to the Guardians of the Universe we are now in charge of space sector 2814. Which actually works out for us. Several of the cities in a bottle don't have a world to go back to. So we are planning on finding them new ones.”

“Course the biggest issue we have is what do we do with the para-military group of Kryptonians that attacked us. We have the city of Argo that is traveling to us now. The El's took a ship to find it, then the people of Kandor in the bottle. We have two separate groups, no wait, three groups. Do we put them all together? Do we put Zod's followers back into stasis? Were not sure.” Victor said in a jumble as he jumped between subjects with out any tie in.

“I don't know what I'm doing, dad. I know, I know, I know! You'd tell me to analyze the problem, find the facts and separate the theories. Then experiment until you find the solution. Or seek help outside of your experiment. Sometimes fresh eyes can find the solution you didn't see. I just... I'm not ready...” Victor said as he shed a few tears. One of the few times he wished his polymer wasn't so realistic.

“I miss you dad....”

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***Alternate Reality – Coruscant ***

The ecumenopolis—a city-covered planet, stood at a stand still for a brief moment in total shock. Then emergency response activated in record time as millions of first response teams activated. All shipping, and traffic lanes grew completely chaotic. As durasteel, and duracrete buildings toppled to one side and shifted in a way they were never designed to allow. Coruscant hadn't experienced a earthquake of this magnitude in.... ever?

A cacophony of sounds filled the air. As buildings tore apart like fabric. It looked like a toddler had kicked over an ant hill. As millions of citizens scattered in every direction. The communication channels was bogged down with please for help in a matter of seconds. While the surface of the planet was a chaotic mess. The under city layers were even worse.

Entire sections of the upper, and lower levels dropped! Support pillars that had stood the test of time failed to hold any longer. Like a domino effect. Section by section was lost. The industry, and power level crashed. Emergency redundancies malfunctioned and the plasma cores blew past their safety locks. An explosion of epic proportions that could be seen from space swallowed 30% of the southern hemisphere. Debris and toxic smog scattered across the whole atmosphere.

All of this happened within the first five minutes. Needless to say when the Basilisk dropped out of the hyperlane and Lash looked at the planet. He was surprised. He jacked into the pilot controls and sped straight towards Ghost Industries HQ. He activated Connectivity, and sent his Tech-Spirits to work. He nearly spiraled into unconsciousness at the amount of activity across the net.

They broke smog line and came upon a reasonably intact Ghost HQ. Giant magnetic stabilizers, and district wide shields had been erect around the area. The tower, and all of its facilities were floating more than sitting on the top floor of the planet. Lash had originally designed this function because he knew in the future that Coruscant came under attack by the Confederacy. He wanted to be prepared. He had no idea an earthquake would happen.

“Dawn!?” He shouted into his mask.

“Story event, can't explain.” Dawn's sweet voiced sounded harried.

Lash bit back a curse as he pulled the Basilisk out of a reckless dive. Once again Nightmare difficulty reared its ugly head. The ship pulled up and did a clockwise loop around the HQ's shield. The droids and personal in charge of the security system soon dropped the district shield, but kept the stabilizers active. As it was the only reason they hadn't plummeted into a gaping crevasse just south of them. The Basilisk made a bee line for its reserved hangar bay. Once it landed, Lash and his entire crew sprinted out of it.

Lash activated his varies speed boons and practically flashed out of existence to only appear in the control room. “Report!” He shouted, and dozens of heads snapped to his direction.

“Sir, an earthquake hit the entire planet. We are trying to trace the point of origin. But all of our systems are in reboot save for our primary safety and security. The communication line is completely filled. Every channel is being used. We... We don't know what to do!” An officer gave a brief summary.

Lash reached across the communication network on his corporate intercommunication channel and forced a shutdown so he could speak. “All personnel check in with your emergency officers for roll call. Once that is complete, every available personal will move towards emergency response teams. Code phrase of the day is... Alpine Watchman.”

Lash forced the Repair ability through his HQ, and the central droid brain intelligence activated. Thousands of officers received an automatic update. They had drilled for things like these. Alpine Watchman was in case Coruscant was ever under attack. The Galactic Militia would move to support the Coruscant emergency services and fight off any Confederacy droids. The fact that they were not under attack didn't matter. They would still respond. Of course the issue was most of the militia were still in training. But something was always better than nothing.

The whole room jumped into motion. Lash bolted from the flashed from the control room towards a door that led to the outside and without sparing a second thought jumped off the walkway and flew through the air at best possible speeds. Which for him was incredibly quick. Lagging behind him were hundreds of Mandalorians, Jensaarai, and land transports.

The industrial zone they were based in was largely intact oddly enough. Save for the gaping canyon a few miles south of them. Black smoke filled the skies, and all but chocked the life out of the people in the ruined city centers. Lash flipped through his different Perceptions until he found trillions of midi-chlorians swarming through the air. It looked like the roots of yggdrasil. The living Force was attempting to stabilize the city. Then Lash felt a tidal wave of energy collide with him.

CONFUSION! ANGER! RESPONSIBILTY! -Each word held a thousand meanings. Each expressed by a chorus of voices.

“This wasn't me!” Lash shouted at the collective energy.

CONFUSION. HELP? -The voices asked.

“Yes, I'll help. Point out those who need to be saved the most!” Lash responded, like a flare on a dark night hundreds of marks appeared on the horizon.

Lash took a hard turn directly down as he nearly flew over one of the marks. He did a hard burn with his Telekinetic Flight and slipped passed two broken buildings. The Force led him straight and true. Straight into a wall. He collided with the duracrete section and came into a room filled with flames. He used Elemental Manipulation and pulled the flames towards him and extinguished them in quick time.

A trail of will-o-wisps guided him towards a service door. He forced the door open only to have an avalanche of fire response foam to swallow him. Woah, what a great system. Then he moved through the foam to find a small child unconsciousness tucked away between a utility closet and the ventilation shaft. A visible cocoon of energy was wrapped around them. Lash gently picked them up, and shielded them as well. Then moved to leave.

At least he tried as some one, or something jumped to attack him. Danger Sense had activated, he side stepped as a pair of claws missed his visor by a single inch. He sent a Telekinetic Cut through the individual and it was bisected. Both sections flopped to the ground, undulated across the floor, then vines made of viscera reached out and linked together. The two halves linked back...Lash incinerated the creature with blue hot flame cremating it.

He jumped out of the collapsed building and flew back to the surface. He used his visor to play back the creatures appearance. It looked like a Rodian? With asymmetric body proportions. Too many eyes, mouths, enlarged limbs, and a disproportion sizes. Coruscant's lower levels severed from extreme radiation which could cause the creation of mutant cannibals. But those are thousands of floors below? Lash put it out of his mind and flew back to the surface. He found a land transport on the way towards the central city and dropped the child off with them. Then flew towards the next light the Force had designated for him. Then he received a video from one of this Tech-Spirits.

The video displayed a near-human looking male? With pale white skin that was stretched back with ritual styled pins. Like a plastic surgeon and demon got together and played with someone. Their entire jaw line was exposed, their eyelids were cut off, and a part of their skull was exposed to the world. They wore the tattered skins, and flesh of their victims. They held in their hand a staff with a basket that carried skulls. Wearing what looked like a bio-mechanical suit.

Surging around the individual were creatures...No, those were people that had been mutated. Monstrosities of once people, played with, and scrapped together with... If Lash didn't know any better he would say they were Necromatic abominations. They was no scientific way to describe this evolution. So that meant it was designed. They surged forward in an almost pack like understanding.

'What the fuck are the Yuuzhan Vong doing on Coruscant!?' -Erik the gamer shouted across their shared link.

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***Coruscant, Naboo Embassy*** (A few minutes before)

Padmé Amidala Naberrie had recently returned from Mandalore having watched her friend defeat, and eat the heart of another man. Padme wasn't sure how she felt about that last part. But she would be the first to admit that she didn't know as much as she would like about Lash. Her entire flight back to Coruscant had been filled with messages, replies, and answering questions about the match, and Mandalore's involvement in the war.

Once she had arrived at her home she held all her calls and went to take a bath. Her attendants, and security team took a moment of reprieve. Or at least the royal security force did. The Jensaarai felt something amiss. The very air was filled with the potential of danger. Padme felt it to, despite her attempts to ignore the feeling. She wasn't a Jedi, or a Jensaarai. The Force was not her arena, the Republic was her battlefield. Though some would say they were connected.

'Ring....ring...ring...' Padme's eyes snapped open as she looked around her refresher room. She had just turned off the water to her tub. She wore little more than a bath robe. Then she realized it was her holo-net communicator. She scampered through private rooms and went to a secure lock box. She pulled it open and retrieved a flat disk. She activated it and a tiny projection of Anakin appeared.

“Woah! Hello, ummm... I can call back if your busy?” Anakin asked with a grin, as Padme looked down at her nearly open robe. However, instead of blushing in embarrassment she 'accidentally' let it fall open. The look of total shock, and lust filled gaze in his expression was worth it.

“No, no, it's fine.” Padme said as she set the projector down on a nightstand. She walked away with a bit of a swing in her hips. She pulled open her robe, then retied it. Looking back at the excited Anakin.

“Are we playing a game? What are the rules?” Anakin asked, as he fidgeted on the other side of the projector.

“The rules are, you talk, while I relax.” Padme said with a smirk as she turned back around and picked up the projector. Anakin's eyes narrowed for a moment then nodded.

“Ok... So... Talk...Talk... Ummmmm... Padme?” Anakin all but squeaked at the end. Padme had set the projector down by the sink in the refresher room. She then untied her robe and hung it up. Showing naked backside to Anakin.

“Hmmm? What was that? Remember you talk, I relax.” Padme said as she made a play to put her robe back on.

“Woah! Woah! Hold on... Umnmmm. We've secured our sector. Ahoska want's to come back too... No, she want's to see if she can get a hold of Qui-Gonn. He... Sent a message with his new data link. But we are.... We are...” Anakin tried to talk but his mouth went dry.

Padme had slipped into the hot water and shivered in delight. She blushed from head to toe and ran her fingers across her naked skin. She dipped down under the water, then came back up into a seating position. Showing off her upper naked half to Anakin. A mischievous smirk played across her lips. Then she leaned forward, setting her breasts on edge of the bath. Emphasizing them, and showing them in plain sight.

“That's great! Can you share the data link? I'd like to speak with him as well.” Padme said with a cheshire grin.

“Waaa....What? Oh! Ya...Totally. I... I'm still learning the rules of this game. Am I allowed to do anything?” Anakin asked as he removed his coat.

“You can do what ever like, as long as you keep talking....” She mused... Then the projector shook. For a moment she thought Anakin was under attack. But she soon realized it wasn't him. It was the room.

“Padme? What's going on?” Anakin's expression changed as he watched Padme climb out of the tub in worry.

“I don't know...” She replied, then pinwheeled her arms as the whole room slanted. “Anakin!” Padme shouted and fell down and slid towards her door.

You are reading story Dream Engine: Beta Tester…. D.C. Comics at novel35.com

“PADME!?” Anakin screamed in panic as the projector rolled from the counter top. The signal shut down as the communication buoy snapped off.

Padme shouted in panic and well spring of energy roared in response. Whether she meant to or not she dug her finger nails into the cut stone floor and left gouges in place until she stopped. Just in time as the whole building was not at a 45 degree angle. She heard the screams of her staff. Then her private residence door was kicked in and Gregor her bodyguard clawed his way in. Once she was spotted he jumped up towards her. Claws were produced from his hands and feet and he carved them into the floor.

“Lady Padme, please forgive my hands!” Gregor shouted as he wrapped an arm around her naked waist as she didn't have time to get her robe. Padme was to shocked about the situation to be embarrassed. She let go of the floor and they both jumped to another section of her residence, her bedroom.

Padme's bedroom room had a breath taking bow windows that revealed the Coruscant skyline. Under normal circumstances those windows would have shattered with the different furniture, and and another building currently pressed up against it. But a blue halo shield had jumped up to reinforce the windows. She didn't know why the windows had a shield, she didn't care.

“Where are your uniforms?” Gregor asked, as they landed in the door frame. Padme pointed at a closet that had spilled open. Gregor reached out and dozens of outfits flew towards them. Padme wasn't picky and grabbed a pair of pants, boots, and a top.

“What is going on?” Padme asked, as she balanced with cat like grace on the door frame.

“We don't know. But we are not the only building that's shifted.” Gregor said in frustration. Then an alarm went off. “That's the radiation alarm....?” He asked in confusion. Then both Gregor, and Padme felt an invisible pull telling them to dive back into the main room as a cloud of toxic ash rushed across the horizon straight towards them.

Despite the shields in place the ash cloud burned through the capacitors in seconds. Gregor, and every Force wielder in the complex created a Force barrier. It was the only reason the staff in the Naboo Embassy lived. While every other individual in the building died to due to the kinetic force from the explosion. The durasteel tower that contained their embassy broke in half and plummeted to ground below. While the building next to it followed suit creating a dog pile of devastation.....

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***Coruscant, 500 Republica *** (Another few minutes before)

500 Republica was the most exclusive residential tower on Coruscant. A building in the Ambassadorial Sector of Galactic City's Senate District, it was home to some of the wealthiest and most famous individuals in the Galactic Republic. One of the tallest buildings on Coruscant, 500 Republica was a mountainous structure holding more technology and people than some entire worlds. From the square kilometers of machinery at its base that kept it running, to the spire at its pinnacle above the clouds, 500 Republica featured fifty-three skydocks, hundreds of private turbolifts, a security staff the size of a small army, and a large number of security armaments including plasma weapons in its crown, all within a tower over a thousand stories tall. (Wookieepedia!)

This is where the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic, and Dark Lord of the Sith resided. Palpatine had sat at his desk with his lounge chair turned around towards his windows. A cup of pipping hot tea was next to him, as he watched the skyline. The night on Coruscant looked so much like the skies above. Each light holding the potential for something. Palpatine loved this view. He this city, and soon the galaxy would be his.

DANGER! -The Dark side of the Force all but screamed at him. The cup in his hands he had just reached for shattered. Burning hot liquid seared his skin but he didn't pay attention as he stood and pushed his awareness to its fullest within in the room. He was alone. One of the Sith Sentinel droids disguised as a protocol droid walked in. It, like its master had sensed the danger. With a single glance from Palpatine the droid moved to check the other rooms.

Then the towering structure of his home shook. At first he thought a bomb had gone off on the lower floors. But then the whole building started to tilt to one side, before alarms sounded. The buildings energy shield activated, along with its own magnetic stabilizers. The tower settled back into place. His private residence door burst open and the Republic guard came in.

“Chancellor, are you hurt?” The officer in charged called out.

“No, I'm perfectly fine. What is going on?” Palpatine asked, his voice carried a almost grandfather feel to it. Though his irritation for the situation threatened to boil over.

“Chancellor, we are not sure. Seismic readings are pinging across the whole planet. We should move you to the emergency shelters.” The officer moved to his side, as the rest of the guard moved to create a protective shield around him.

“Please, before we make any rash decisions. Check with every resident. We don't want to leave anyone behind.” Palpatine said with a smooth grace as they moved towards the door. As a well liked, and respected individual he had to play a part.

“Forgive me, Chancellor. I had assumed you would ask so we did it before we arrived.” The officer replied, and Palpatine patted him on the shoulder.

“That was good thinking!” Palpatine said with a smile, while he secretly noted the man's name to ensure he had a private accident in his home later. He would not be upstaged!

'Attention! Attention! All residence please take notice. The building will now go into lock down! Atmospheric ash cloud detected!' An automated voice came called out through the building. Palpatine turned to looked towards the skyline to see a hurricane force cloud that swallowed the city. The shields held on.... for a few seconds. Then Palpatine raised his hands and erected a Force barrier around only himself. As the windows shattered and the Republic guard was all but incinerated.

“Well... That's distressing.” Palpatine said as the ash cloud around him was pushed back by the barrier.

“Master... Your orders?” The Sith Sentinel arrived, its armor displayed. Though it was designed to look like a Republic guard from a distance.

“Let's use the chaos to our advantage. Their are a few people in the building I want dead. Get on our private network and try and find out what is going on. Ensure no one from the Confederacy attacks us as well.” Palpatine said as he brushed his sleeve clean turned on his heel and moved towards the door.

“As you wish, Master.” The Sith Sentinel replied, and followed in his wake. “Master, we have hostile contacts in the building. They are flooding the lower levels.” The droid responded not ten feet from the door.

“Show me.” Palpatine asked, as the droid produced a holo image of a living abomination. Dozens of them. They ripped the doors off the rooms with ease, and eviscerated the residents. “Change in plans, we'll move to my private lift and retire to my shelter.”

“Yes Master.” The Sentinel replied, a quick key command through his HUD. While a dozen more Sentinel's formed up around Palpatine. They all resembled Republic guards.

DANGER! -The Dark side called out. Palpatine paused, as his droids took up a defensive circle. Blaster rifles out, scanners on full. Then the turbo-lift down the hall activated. Out poured dozens of monstrosities. Palpatine raised a hand and used Force push as the droids unloaded into the crowd. Then the unexpected happened. The Force passed through them with no effect. Palpatine's eyes went wide.

“Enough!” Palpatine shouted and set arcs of Sith Lightning towards the horde. Despite the sheer power of the attack. The horde of monsters pushed forward, like they were only fighting against a fierce wind current. Their flesh, bone, and blood boiled rapidly. Then quickly regrew, and healed before their eyes.

“Master step back!” One of the Sentinel's called and gout of napalm was poured onto the horde. That had an effect. As the cauterized wounds could not heal.

Palpatine reached out and pulled a string of flame from the air and commanded the Force to be its fuel. With a flick of his wrist the entire floor was engulfed in white hot flame. He reached out with the Force and felt any kind of life had been exterminated. He cut off the fuel source and was struck dumb as dozen more creatures flooded the hallway. The droids activated their flame throwers again, and Palaptine ground his molars in frustration.

“Insects!” He roared, and pulled segments off the walls and propelled them towards the oncoming horde. With no where to run the creatures were forced back into the turbo-lift. “Destroy that!”

A Sentinel took a knee, and pulled out a cannon from its back. A short range rocket shot out, and destroyed the lift, and its mechanism. The whole carriage dropped several hundred feet until its emergency brakes activated to little help as the whole thing broke and fell down the shaft. Then before Palpatine could smile another turbo-lift door dinged, followed closely by another horde of creatures.

A red aura began to emanate from Palpatine. He reached into his sleeve and pulled out his hidden light sabers as he was a duel wielder. He catapulted himself into the crowd and dissembled them using all of his rage, hatred, and frustration. The droids followed in his wake working methodically, and with great precision. But the horde was never ending. As the once destroyed lift shaft spilled out more creatures that climbed up.

“Now it's my turn to make a point!” Palpatine shouted with a grin of savagery.

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***Coruscant, Jedi Temple*** (A few minutes after the ash cloud)

The Jedi Temple was in ruins. Not only did the entire structure crack in half. The crystalline mountain structure in the central pillar jutted a Dark side Force kyber crystal. It's song all but wailed in agony for all of the Jedi to hear. Only for a cloud of hurricane force to strike the temple before its shields could activate. Thousands of servants, and attendants died in the blast. While a few unprepared was caught in the blast.

But soon after the strike they were beset by monsters, creatures who as far as they could tell had been mutated from the very citizens of Coruscant. Creatures who were oddly immune to the Force. More than one Jedi had been caught relying on the Force to warn them of attack only for them to be blind sided. The Force was screaming danger, but it could not direct them. They were blind!

The Jedi masters, temple guard, and resident knights activated their light sabers and met their enemy in melee. A melee they seemed ill equipped to deal with. As Jedi they understood the enemy they fought were once people. What few attempts to wound and disable were met with death as the creatures used Hyper-Regeneration. They learned one must separate the head, and heart in order to achieve a lasting victory.

Then it only got worse. The creatures were taking prisoners! Younglings, and adults that had been subdued were dragged away. Taken into the cracks between buildings, and layers of Coruscant. The Jedi fought bravely, but they were not equipped for this kind of conflict. This was their home, and it had been broken like an egg. A majority of their people were off world. How could they survive this?

One Jedi in particular Jocasta Nu the archivist guided a gaggle of younglings through the great library. While temple guard fought off a horde behind them. Jocasta had her own light saber out and killed a silent stalker that all but appeared from thin air in front of them. “This way, please! Right this way. There is a secret place we can hide.”

Jocasta brought them to a dead end and the younglings despaired. That was until Jocasta pulled out several holo-books then pushed them back in at the same time. The wall shifted and a stair case was found. “All of you inside, Kanan Jarrus keep them safe!”

“What!? Master no! Don't go!” The young Kanan Jarrus called out as the door closed on him.

“Now, the rest of you. Get. Out. Of. My. Library!” Jocasta shouted as she joined the remaining Temple Guard.

It wasn't long before the youngling Kanan Jarrus and those under his protection heard the screams, and shouts of their former masters dying breath. Then the staccato of sounds as the creatures rammed up against the hidden door. Jarrus led the younglings down the hall until they found the hidden Sith archive, overseen by the guardian droid who was waiting for them.

“Hello younglings, please let me be of assistance. There is another hidden door here that leads to the a bunker. Please step inside and make haste to.... Wait! Step back!” The Guardian announced just as the door was sliding open the droid forced it shut. It clipped off a grotesque hand that twitched on the floor.

“Is there another way out!?” Kanan asked the Guardian.

“I'm afraid not.” The Guardian walked over to a display case and removed a duel-bladed light saber. Its red energy burst into being. “Get behind me.”

The hundreds of Sith Holocrons in the room resonated with a deep crimson aura. The Force echos attached to them could feel the younglings fear. They called out to them. Power could be theirs. The power to keep their loved ones safe. Kana turned his attention to a suit of armor perfectly maintained. He saw a faint ghostly apparition beckoning him. The room faded from his sight, the fear he felt was swallowed by curiosity.

“Come Kanan Jarrus, take up my armor. I will give you the power you need to survive, and protect those under your charge. You have my word that once the danger passes I will remove myself from you.... If you asked me to.” The ghostly apparition said to him.

“Ca...Can you really keep them safe?” Kanan asked, as he pushed the display glass aside.

“Yes...But we must hurry. They've broken through.” The ghost called out, and Kanan blinked and looked around. A group of monsters had pulled the door apart and the Guardian was fighting them off. Several of his fellow students screamed as the monsters tackled them and dragged them away.

“Yes, please help me!” Kanan shouted and touched the armor. A bright flash of red energy exploded from the armor swallowing the room. Once it faded the young Kanan Jarrrus was gone, Darth Marr lived again.

“Death comes for us all! And we shall rise to meet it!” Marr shouted and catapulted across the room and caved in the skull of a monstrosity and saved a youngling. “Rise brothers and sisters! To War!” Darth Marr called out, and hundreds of Sith apparitions took form and rushed to meet their enemies...

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***Coruscant, Level 1313***

One thousand, three hundred, and thirteen levels beneath the top floor or 'surface' of Coruscant existed the seedy underworld of Coruscant. Coruscant is herald as the crown jewel of the Republic. Where anyone can get anything they desire. As long as you know where to look. This floor was well known because of its... Number. As it was considered unlucky. Many criminal syndicates, and violent gangs called this entire floor their home.

Billions of people had been born, lived, and died on this floor and had never seen the sun. Towering structures that reached towards the sky only to be cut short by the layer of duracrete, and steel above. It was here where one could find anything. Including but not limited too a giant horde of mutated creatures. Along with giant vines of organic tissue that grew up out of the ground. That had wrapped around centralized pillars and destroyed the stabilizers.

It was here that 'The Chosen' advanced agents resided. Scouts and spies that had been sent ahead of the living fleet decades before. Here that the creatures had obtained genetic cultures to create bodies, and brought with them Vong-spore vials. So they could educate the masses. Bring the decadent world of blasphemous technology to its knees. It was here that 'The Chosen' would plant its many seeds across this galaxy. To light a beacon for their deity to find them.

Zring Knull the defiler was one such agent. He had lived and breathed the cursed air of these sinners for over twenty years. He had plotted, schemed, and waited for a chance to remove their filth from the world. Their complete reliance on technology was sickening. That they allowed thinking machines to even exist was affront to their deities. But now, Zring would show them.

Zring Knull had removed his fleshy near-human appearance and once again revealed his pale gray skin to the world. His serrated fangs revealed when he smiled as another tribute was brought to the nest. Where they would be transformed into another soldier. He wore the trappings of his people, a bio-mechanical suit of living tissue. With his serpentine weapon known as a amphistaffs he was able to direct the selected soldiers to their tasks.

Then before he moved from his position his sight moved beyond his sight as he briefly took over the mind of a selected. He saw through its eyes to see a group of armored heathens fighting with intense ferocity. Their energy blades cut through the selected with ease. Zring had met these creatures before. Force wielders... Jedi?... No, these were the Jensaarai. Then the selected turned its eyes towards the sky and a brilliant glow shot down straight into the horde and Zring was once again in his own body.

'Child...' -A voice called out to him. Zring Knull's eyes went wide. He dropped to his knees and all but cracked his skull as he forced his head into submission.

“How may this lowly one serve you, great one!” Zring called out.

'My kin is on the surface. You will meet him soon, though he was like you, and still his. Hidden from view.' -The voice was soothing, soft, and almost feminine.

“The great one is here!? Please direct me so The Chosen may serve him!” Zring called out in desperation and hope. To serve at the behest of their deities was what they all truly wanted.

'He is hidden, and must remain so. For the good of all. But you will know him. See what I see.' -The voice called out once more and Zring's vision was taken from him. Moved to the surface of the planet and there he saw an armored warrior with blades of energy in his hands. Zring knew who this was. This was the master of the Jensaarai. Then... Then he saw it.

A gigantic figure of epic proportions, a scaled behemoth that towered over all. An avatar of chaos and destruction incarnate. Energy without end poured from its body. Enough energy remake the galaxy itself into its own image. Zring Knull's eyes filled with tears of blood. This was one of his deities. This god could shape the galaxy for The Chosen few.

'Now you see... But now is not the time. Listen closely and move with haste. We have work to do.' -The voice called out.

“Yes Great Mother! Direct me, and I shall obey!” Zring Knull the defiler called out with joy. Zring listened, and nodded in understanding. Then moved without question. A sacrifice must be made, and he would pay it gladly...

Galen

Hello my readers, guess who's back!

Bit of a short chapter this time. But I've found my spark again and I'll be posting again, hopefully once a week as I did before. Thank you for sticking it out with me.

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