“We go through all that trouble to get here and you all wish to leave early? Depressing…” Nex said shaking his head and walking over to the tank with the humanoid. “I for one, wish to find out what this facility is used for and you can’t tell me you’re not curious.”

“And as for me and my ‘friends’,” Nex was speaking out loud to Lilin while placing a hand on the tank and still studying the humanoid. “Spending many of my years as a small time crime boss doesn’t allow the pleasure of friends, especially on Nar Shaddaa of all places. It also doesn’t put you on good terms in the republics eyes.” Removing his hand and heading over to the console where Forge stood, Nex took in a deep breath and continued.

“Nihilus and Scion took an interest in this place and that’s enough motivation for me to continue searching this place.” He leaned over and stared at the console and then turned his head up to the vast amount of pods around the group. In a lowered voice, almost in audible by the rest of the group Nex finished. “Imagine the power that is contained in these walls. Just think what one could do with it.”

Lilin gave the bird-man a cold stare. “Well I hope you'll forgive me for saying this Master 'small-time crime boss' – which, by the way” she said to Creed, “...you'll have to explain to me if we're smart enough to let sleeping Sith lie and get out of here alive – but you're absolutely nuts! You're gonna get us all killed for the sake of your curiosity?” she asked incredulously.

((Creed on SCS until Sureshot returns))

Creed rubbed his chin in thought as Nex and 'Dee' argued. Both made valid points and they really didn't know enough about this place, let alone Ree'tak's fate. They'd detected a single life form and in all probability due to the secretive nature of the place, it was liable to be the Twi'lek but there was no way to be sure. Not from here anyway.

"Forge," He piped up, deciding not to take any obvious side in the argument. "What's your status? Have you been able to pin-point that bio-signature yet? and how is the upload going?"

"Completing.....now." It replied, removing the data-spike from the console and turning to face the group as it retracted into the metal housing that passed for a wrist.
"Due to the nature of the data it will take some considerable time to decrypt and recreate it all so I have stored it in my databanks to continue work while remaining portable."

Moving closer to the Corellian it continued: "Sir, I was able to get a partial schematical layout of this level whilst connected with the mainframe. There is a service ramp approximately twenty-eight meters to our south between two rows of stasis pods. That leads to a lower level which, through a few corridors, grants access to the power source which I can now confirm is the central core of this 'Qua'lixi'in' device. From here I should be able to patch into the administration level communication array and divert enough power from the core to boost a signal and contact The Zenith."

Lastly it added "This is also the rough area of the bio-signature but the energy readings from the device are hampering precise readings."

Nodding to the droid, Creed addressed the Jedi and two women:

"Nex, you're curious and I undestand that. This place is a potential find and has been off the radar so long that we might have a monopoly on it. The credit value of this thing alone must be massive, let alone what we can get out of Terisian Corp for all the info we've dug up. Dee here also has a point though, and I can see where she's coming from - we should'nt be here, at least not in this small a group. If these.....'people' wake up they have us outnumbered over 100 to 1 and I'm not keen on those odds."

Pulling a cigarra from his pocket and putting it in his mouth he stopped just before lighting it; as if something inside him warned him it would be a very bad idea.

"Personally I came here to find Ree and that's just what I'm gonna do. So here's my suggestion: we follow all those plans. Lets get down there, get Ree'tak and get the hell outta here. Nex, if you wanna take in the sights on the way thats fine, but Forge? I want you to record all this for analysis when we get back to The Zenith."

Pulling his blaster pistol back out he made his way cautiously along the large steel gangplank past the row of pods in the direction Forge indicated.

"Lets go find our missing Twi'lek, then we can decide what to do about this 'machine' and the pods."

Nex followed slowly behind Creed, his curiosity slowing him and making him scan the tanks he walked past with his eyes carefully. In a calmer yet somewhat remorseful tone he replied to Creed, “I must apologize for the previous argument. Do not worry, I am honor bound to find Ree’tak and will get her out of here if she is indeed within these walls. I am only expressing interests and opinions.”

“Forgive me Dee,” Nex said, unsure of where she was behind him but loud enough so that he could be heard. “I may have come off as insulting and I apologize. It won’t happen again.”

Growing up as more of a warrior, Nex’s skills at being sympathetic and expressing regret were shaky at best and were conditioned, in his mind, to be a sign of weakness for an enemy to exploit. Hoping he didn’t sound too ridiculous he gathered himself and continued to follow Creed.

With a quick and discreet shake of his head, Nex spoke in a stronger and confident voice instead of a more apologetic one. “My main goal still does, and will, remain locating and extracting Ree’tak to the Zenith, or fall in the attempt.” Nex’s head once again turned to the overabundance of pods in the distance as he finished his sentence. 100 to 1… Nex thought to himself with a chuckle. Now that would be a grand exit.

With a once again clear mind, Nex focused on the task at hand.

Ree'tak, “I hope this Twe'lik was worth the effort” Rill found herself thinking, she had never been sent to rescue fallen comrades before, “They lay where they fall” should have been the motto for her previous employers employees rights. Other agents would disappear and the only mention of it would be a increased hostility rating of the local populace due to the uncovering of their agent, a fairly callous manner but one that kept them on their toes, no one took chances that they knew they couldn't escape from.
How this Twe'lik had managed to get herself lost or captured so far from normal space was a mystery, surely if she was on a mission she would have been accompanied but yet this group seemed to be only interested in her and not fallen comrades. Had she blindly gone into a mission with no care for her own safety, knowing that her allies would risk more lives just to save hers, it seemed like an arrogant state of mind and a curious way to run whatever grouping these people followed.
But maybe this is what normal people do she wondered, she had so little experience outside the world of espionage that treating anyone as more than a commodity was an alien mindset, dangerous and potentially harmful to any professional enterprise it still had a certain appeal that Ril found enticing.

The droid had calmed her conscious when he mention all these beings were already dead and it somewhat made the situation easier to deal with, now it was plain and simple no more questions of morality need to hold her down, anyway she promised to herself make these changes gradually not go rescuing thousands of people on her first attempt. Looking at the large elegant bird in front of her she weighed up the possibility of him being offended by questioning however he seemed hospitable enough, well compared to Wookie's shed met, “Are you an ex Jedi or merely independently trained?”she asked curiously. “I've seen many Jedi who have left the order but many have slipped to the dark side and are no longer as ...moral as you appear to be?” Ril choose her words carefully as not to antagonise him but realised she may have not totally achieved this.

Nex's apology came as a surprise to Lilin. The Talortai came across to her as somewhat intractable, a trait shared by many Jedi, but his willingness to make peace at least upheld his own perceived light-sided constancy. She resolved to keep an open mind when it came to the bird-man but still held reservations as to whether this 'Jedi's' aggressive lust for battle would be tempered with wisdom before it was too late – for them all.

It turned out she and Es'pel had both been pondering the enigmatic bird-man. As the group cautiously moved out in their chosen direction it wasn't long before the woman asked the Jedi “Are you an ex Jedi or merely independently trained? I've seen many Jedi who have left the order but many have slipped to the dark side and are no longer as ...moral as you appear to be?”

The question was a pertinent one and asked tactfully. Plus one point for the new girl, Lilin thought as she smiled. She already liked the strangely garbed but extremely capable appearing alien woman, and it seemed her wits weren't limited to battling the dead. Or undead, was it?

As Lilin listened to Nex's reply her thoughts turned to the fourth and final member of their doomed party (if one discounted the droid. Which she did). Creed was decisive in this course of action and had been all along, but there was something driving him that she felt went beyond the rational. Perhaps there was something deeper than a work relationship between he and this Ree'tak? But from what little she had seen of this purple-headed space pirate Lilin doubted Creed was the 'move heaven and earth' type. No, there was definitely something else going on here with this Ree. And Lilin had no doubt they would all find out or die trying; these were the only two futures left to them.

“Thirty seven years as a jedi knight, then three more as a “fallen” jedi according to the council. I guess one would give me the title of ex jedi.” Nex said sending him into the back of his mind, revealing various flashbacks from his youth. “I went through many masters before following Revan then ultimately living on Nar Shaddaa.” A small smirk emerged as he thought about memories long forgotten. “The battle of Coruscant during the Great Sith War, Taris…the conflicts at Onderon, Dxun, and Althir. Those were only a few of the great battles.”

“I don’t concern myself with the light or dark. I make my own choices, others can make all the judgments about my mortality they want…..which I’m sure you all have already.” Nex said staying alert and still following behind Creed to their destination. Nex never openly shared much with anyone, his previous occupation didn’t allow for many close friendships. Answering their questions seemed calming to him but yet at the same time made him more cautious.

“People will always remain spiteful and have loathsome opinions of any force sensitive these days, regardless of our morality. Non-force users are quick to cast us out and throw us away until they are the ones in need.” Nex’s feelings about most non-force users was more than likely picked up by the others but as hateful as he seemed he didn’t show it in his emotions. Instead he maintained an unruffled and relaxed stance.

“Some of us even have to try and hide what we really are because of that resentment.” Nex slightly cocked his head in Lilin’s direction before looking ahead once more. “It is a rather irritating trait most non-sensitives have.” Nex realized he was babbling and probably revealed too much about himself in such a short amount of time. He returned back to the original question that really only needed a simple answer to begin with.

“My morality lies in my sense of honor. I follow a strict code and it guides my decisions….right or wrong. That would make me an ex-jedi in the eyes of the council.” Nex let out a humored grunt as if to lighten up a bit more and be more hospitable.

“I don’t mind answering your questions but refrain from thinking I’m just another force using brute lacking the proper intelligence equal to that of my strength.” With a smirk he continued down the seemingly long corridor hoping to soon find Ree’tak and the purpose of this installation.

((Creed on SCS until Sureshot returns))

F0-RG3 had been correct in its summarization of the layout, it didn't take Creed and the others long to find the service ramp the droid had mentioned, sloping down between a gap in the rows of stasis pods. It was wide enough to easily get a pod through, likely allowing transport of the pods from one room to another.

The ramp ended in a large security door which the droid bypassed with little difficulty allowing the group deeper access to the complex. Taking the lead the droid ignored many identical side-corridors as it ventured through the labyrinthine tunnel-like corridors.
The logo of the "Infinite Empire" as Forge had identified it adorned the walls in several places, the facilities creators' either very proud to be part of the empire or conditioned by fear to show it homage.

Eventually they turned a corner and came across a large dura-steel door, tall and imposing in its visage. Reaching eight meters in height and covered in strange markings that looked like a stylized version of the writings the droid had found earlier, it had two wicked-looking droids patrolling it, which looked akin to cones with arachnid-legs and guns.


Halting at the sight of them, Forge turned to the group.

"My apologies Masters and Mistresses. These droids did not show up on my scans nor in the schematics and I can only assume due to their active state that they are either separate to the facilities systems which are currently off-line, or they are recent additions here."

Pausing for a moment to look at them it continued:

"It appears they have not yet detected our presence. However, I would care to inform you that the power source - most like the "Harvester Of Souls" in not far from our present location."

“Really?” Lilin's voice dripped sarcasm. “I would never have guessed”

As stories went the 'ex-Jedi's' one raised more questions than it answered. It didn't help that Lilin was only half listening to the bird-man as she concentrated on trying to memorise the many twists and tuns of the chosen corridors the droid navigated. Nex's tale of rejecting the concepts of light and dark fit in well with Lilin's experience of 'fallen' and 'grey' Jedi – as did his being bound by personal prejudices just as black and white. His sneering aloofness and the pride he took in his egotism was either a racial trait or a male thing, Lilin couldn't decide. But wherever it came from it was annoying as hell.

As they gathered in the corridor observing the hostile robots Lilin nudged Nex with her elbow and nodded in the droids' direction. “Is your morality up to the task of dealing with those, do you think?” She asked with a teasing smile. Maybe we'll get lucky and they'll obliterate him on the spot, she thought to herself. At least it would save us the emotional trauma of seeing him disappear up his own feathered *rse...

Nex let out a small grin. Humans, two hundred years and they are still quick to anger. He didn’t have to be force sensitive to tell that he was unwanted in her presence. More amused at her constant verbal attacks than offended, Nex began to see himself enjoying her company more than she apparently enjoyed his.

“Is your morality up to the task of dealing with those, do you think?”

Clearly not attempting to seem friendly towards the Talortai, Nex just let out a grunt and smile.

“You’re alright for a human.” He said with a more respectful tone towards Lilin.

Moving his hand towards his belt he removed his lightsaber and had it float a few inches in front of her effortlessly while continuing to face in the two droids direction.

“Unless you wanted to give it a shot. Then again you could always take a break then complain again later on…..or maybe harass them to death right here.” Nex said in a goading yet more joking manner of his own, and still keeping the weapon in front of her.

“What’s the plan? Any ideas?” Nex addressed the group as he had not heard from Creed or Ril for some time now.

“Well”she lingered ”I'm not really experienced with open assaults however I'd suggest we try and take these machines out as quietly as we can, its more then likely whatever's behind that door will know were inside the base but may not suspect were right on their doorstep and any element of surprise might give them less of an advantage”

“However with such a large base of operations it seems odd that such a small contingent force has been deployed, either they don't think much of your talents” she said trying to hide the same feelings from her voice “or they are working on incredibly limited resources” Ril frowned “ore its a trap”.

“We really need a distraction if were going to get close to them to disable them quietly, she looked over at the droid perched next to them,”Couldn't we use him as a distraction in some way they may not fire on an inorganic with such prejudice.....”

When nobody immediately responded to the Umbaran woman, the Droid assumed they were accessing their own diagnosis protocols and decided to activate its verbal communications matrix.

"A sound plan Mistress, and one which under any other circumstances I would recommend." It began. "However, considering the data I am currently decrypting and reconstructing I would advise against such a course of action unless we are able to somehow secure the data in another device first." If an organic species had said something similar it could easily be miscommunicated as cowardice, but seeing as Forge lacked emotions it was more likely the Droid was weighing up the statistical chances.
"I should also add that my non-organic status will not effect the programming of a war-droid in any way, they are ordered to destroy intruders regardless of intent."

As the group looked to one another deciding their next course of action, both Nex Deus and Lilin felt a shiver amidst the now-constant painful dark-side hum of the place, a strange sensation like the muffled and strained ripples made by large rock thrown into a tar pit. Not as obvious as a pebble dropped into clear water, but detectable to the trained mind nonetheless.
A disturbance in the Force.

The two turned mere seconds before the others, just before - rather than in response to - the arrival of the newcomer.

Out of the shadows behind them walked a man, about six feet in height and dressed in a collection of hastily-slung together bits of cloth that resembled a makeshift robe. He had the face of man they recognized, having met him only moments earlier in the previous room.

It was the man from the stasis tank that Forge had apparently 'rendered inert'.

Now out of the semi-transparent blue liquid of the tank it was clear that the man was not actually human as first surmised. Even taking into consideration the pale off-colour tint of his dead skin, it was clear that it had once been a pale yellow rather than the normal human flesh-tones. He also had distinctive facial markings along his jawline and across his ears which had been obscured while in the liquid, the same liquid which was oozing out of him in places where pipes were still attached, but now broken.
It appeared the man had once been a Mirialan.

"Perhaps....I.....could be.....of......some help?" he asked in a quiet raspy voice which had obviously not seen use in some considerable time.

A small chill went up Nex’s spine and into his head, once again attempting to tear at his resolve, as the sensation seemed to whisper “behind you”. He turned and stared into the shadows as the humanoid slowly made its way out of the darkness and near the group.

Staring at it and it’s poorly constructed robes, it didn’t seem as deadly as the others he had encountered but Nex was not about to begin to underestimate it. Looking more like someone who came crawling out of the sewers of Nar Shaddaa, Nex dropped his guard and crossed his arms. “Now what?”

"Perhaps....I.....could be.....of......some help?"

Nex began to laugh to himself as it spoke. ‘The power used to reanimate these things is amazing. They can even speak. Is the “dark side” really this powerful?’ He thought as he continued to eye up the humanoid in case it turned feral.

“Why not? Send the cadaver. Won’t be a problem if the droids are programmed to target the living.” Nex said coldly as he began to ponder the dark side’s connection and ability to revive the many corpses that resided within the compound.

“Whatever the choice, hurry up.” Nex stated bluntly and with a darker tone more than likely due to the constant exposure of the dark side taint and contact with these corpses. “I need answers and these scraps of metal are trying my patience. Just pray that the Twi'lek lies behind this door. Assuming he can get it open.”

Lilin whirled at the sound of the strange voice behind them and fixed her blaster on the thing. Frak! What the hell? She thought.

She listened to Nex and shook her head. "While it's nice you're not thinking with your blade 'Jedi', I beg to differ" Lilin's eyes never left the newcomer. "If droids set off those sentinels this thing would too. Surprise and speed are our advantage here aren't they? And if this thing is anything like the ones we met above, speed isn't it's strong point - and that's assuming we can trust it..."

"If we hadn't seen how gooey these walking corpses are when hit I'd have said it's best use would be as a body shield" She shrugged at the creature "No offense..."

Ril turned startled like the rest only to be startled once more by the man that stood in front of her, wrapped in rags with the same putrid skin and oozing orifices as the previous welcoming party he stood their menacingly, uncaring of his appearance.

"Perhaps....I.....could be.....of......some help?" was gutturally uttered from his lips, Rill felt pity wash over her as she looked at this broken form, instinctively she stood up and moved towards him..

"If droids set off those sentinels this thing would too.”

“Really?” Ril said not turning her head from the sigh of the wreck in front of her “I cant see why they would, these....those beings were almost certainly controlled by whoever s running this facility, I doubt they would program droids to attack their own personal.”

She peered into the man's face mesmerised, she wanted to find out the truth behind all this she was tired of second guessing her companions or walking blindly into unknown situations, she slipped into her carefully created caring persona and tried to probe the man for answers, “When was this done to you, I mean what date were you imprisoned and by who?”