Ask From Undead to Undead

[Renfry]

Utapau had never been a particularly populace planet, but these days it was completely depopulated for all intents and purposes. AMS had overrun everything, which meant that there was nothing left.

So why was she out here today? On a world overrun by infected, with soldiers at her back, and another Sith Lord along with her? Because a world devoid of anything but mindless monsters was a world no one was going to come looking at and those mindless monsters might still be turned to her advantage.

War was coming to the Empire, and she was getting ready. Layer upon layer of offensive and defensive actions had to be taken to secure this kingdom. It wouldn't be done without bloodshed and it wouldn't be done without work.

She knew she shouldn't have been out here doing this herself, but she also knew that she was getting sick of sitting behind desk managing reports and having meetings. She needed to get her hands dirty again and run free like her blood cried out for.

The forward landing zone had been set up by a group of the soldiers, and they had begun to unload supplies near one of the massive sinkholes that had once served as cities for the natives. Her own experience with AMS thus far had been limited, but she wasn't particularly looking forward to this.

She looked back to the Orb of Transformation, still contained within a large transport crate aboard one of the heavy freighters as she waited for Asminys to catch up. There was work to do and even killing to be done.

@Arclight

 

[Asminys]

Utapau was a useless blight of a planet in Darth Asminys eyes, an endless waste, the only locations of real meaning the sunken cities that spotted its surface. Now a true blight upon the galaxy, as far as anyone was concerned the planet had been entirely overrun by the mindless husks that AMS left. Mindless yet no less deadly. A truth that Asminys had to admit based on what he had heard of the monsters. They did not feel pain, nor fear. Individually they were unlikely to pose a problem, but in vast hordes even the most powerful Sith could be ended with even the slightest mistake.

Which is exactly why nobody would look to this world for anything.

Sith troopers formed a perimeter around the landing zone, with another detachment of droids forming the outer perimeter. Things had quieted since they first landed and began to unload, only the spare blaster shot ringing through the wasteland silence as someone put down another animated corpse that managed to crawl its way up out of the sunken city.

Asminys had never actually encountered these AMS 'zombies' before. Authoritarian security measures had kept the infections to a bare minimum on Eiattu, and likewise in most of the Southern Sith territories. In any normal situation, he looked forward to violence and conflict. Today... he took a more measured approach.

"The scouts report a secure platform below." Asminys stated as he approached Darth Andruil, the Empress. Her back looked tantalizingly vulnerable to a saber and his palm itched as he approached her where she stood with her attention elsewhere, his step nearly as silent as they once had been thanks to the woman whom he was very briefly considering stabbing in the back before he abandoned the foolish notion. Nobody would respect his rule if he stabbed her in the back.

"What is it?" He asked, giving a lazy nod of his head towards the ship that had carried the Empress' precious cargo to this world. Considering the location, it was something of great value to the Sith.

@Phoenix

 

[Renfry]

Of all the Sith Lords now under her command, Asminys was the one that she was perhaps the most wary of. Not because he was the most powerful of them all, but because he was the most violent and impulsive. She was aware of his approach, sensing the ripples of red and black violence and hatred in the Shadow, and turned to look at him.

It also meant that she wasn't going to trust him to have her back. Not really.

He reported a clear landing platform below, which was a good place to start. They both glanced back at the Orb as he asked what it was. How much did she want to say? Was it even of any use to him if she told him what it was?

Something that might let us make use of these infected. Might, she said. She started walking in the direction of the "landing platform" and her fingers brushed momentarily against her lightsaber hilt. But who was she kidding? Her magick was far more potent than a lightsaber, and if it came to combat she'd be far better in the supporting role she had always preferred over the front lines.

And what is your interest in this world? What do you want to study that requires such isolation that there's no other life on the planet? she asked.

As they reached the edge, she looked over and saw the remnants of only a few of the infected. She had specifically brought along a set of droids to bolster their organic troopers to prevent easy infection, but for the moment, sharpshooters lined the upper edge of the sinkhole, readying themselves to open fire on the lingering infected.

@Arclight

 

[Asminys]

Asminys kept stride with Renfry as she walked towards the edge of the platform, a small tug twisting the corner of his seemingly permanently downturned mouth up at her suggestion of making use of the infected. He had similar designs, though he was certain that hers were far more fanciful than his own crude ideas.

"I admit, we have similar goals." He relinquished the piece of knowledge to her, seeing it as an equal trade for what she had shared. He wouldn't go into the details, the scientists he would need to relocate to this facility... assuming that things went according to plan and they didn't get eaten by the infected.

"I might have other ideas as well." He dropped the line, teasing further info as he peered over the edge of the platform. Below another platform, littered with a few random husks that shuffled around. Sharpshooters lining the edge opened fire while legionnaires dropped ropes down to the platform below.

Satisfied that the immediately landing was clear, Asminys dropped down off the ledge and turned to face whatever might be lurking out of view. Next to him, a full dozen legionnaires dropped down as well, sliding down ropes and aiming their rifles into the bay. Besides the occasional shambler everything seemed clear...

Except for the horde of AMS victims that were gathered around what appeared to be an open turbolift shaft, likely leading up to the surface and the fresh meat above... The group of undead didn't seem to notice them at first, but one by one they turned their glassy dead eyes to the Sith Lord and his men as they began to shuffle towards them.

@Phoenix

 

[Renfry]

Andruil dropped down behind him, holding her saber in hand as she landed silently beside him. She wasn't sure what else he had planned for this world, but that could wait for a later time.

She looked ahead, tilting her head slightly to the side as the soldiers dropped down around them. By her calculation, they could take down the psychos with relative ease and begin to clear the hangar, but that didn't tell them anything about what was below.

Blasters opened fire and began shredding through the infected without hesitation and she waited to see if Asminys would join them in the battle before addressing him.

We should scout down further while they clear this out, she said. Two of them alone could certainly be quieter than a whole company and they contained enough power between the two of them that they should be able to stay alive.

She motioned toward another hallway to their right that appeared to lead down. It was dark and somehow gave a feeling of darkness that was somewhat unsettling.

@Arclight

 

[Asminys]

Asminys watched as his legionnaires opened fire on the mindless horde. Was that a sense of pride he felt within him? He watched as one of the soldiers missed their shot. It fizzled uselessly into one of the husks shoulder, seeming to have no more affect than a tap. Pathetic.

Looking sharply at Renfry from behind his mask, he considered the odds for his soldiers for a second. The threat of the walkers seemed limited, their movements slow and hindered by stiff, dead limbs. After his moments consideration he gave a nod, before turning and walking into the hallway she was motioning too.

The still dark seeped into the senses as they passed beyond the sound of battle, the whine of blasters fading to nothing. Only the faint hum of Asminys saber cut the quiet and the darkness, the faint scraping of feet on stone and metal. Asminys remained quiet as they walked, his mind preoccupied with the darkness that surrounded them. The stillness of it.

A sudden sound echoed through the dark, a wet tearing sound that dripped of violence. The echo of dead lips smacking in the silence as they chewed. Asminys had been briefed that a few scouts had not returned. This was likely one of places they had disappeared, unless there was other fresh meat in the caverns besides the Sith and their minions.

As Asminys continued his approach, he heard the chewing stop, followed by a scuttling sound and the tapping of pipes. He motioned to Renfry, pointing up. Asminys raised his sabers light and revealed a tall creviced ceiling to the tunnels, running with pipes of various sizes, with enough room between them for a man to travel through.

Peering through the gaps in the pipe, Asminys could just make out a face, thin and emaciated, long and lined. The natural fangs of the Utapaun had grown and broke and grown again, displaying many razors edged fangs that splintered off of each other, dripping with fresh blood and meat. It's shriek echoed through the pipes as its dead and rotten eyes met with Asminys mask before scuttling off on long, deformed limbs that clutched to the pipes with gnarled claws, jagged and hooked.

"I have a bad feeling about this." Asminys grumbled as he felt the bottom of his stomach fall out, a chilling sensation of danger shooting down his spine. Something bothered him about the encounter. That the zombie looked at him. It had looked at him and decided to run. It didn't attack like a mindless beast.

It had seemed as if there was a spark of intelligence in its cold, dead eyes.

@Phoenix