As Cheriss left her dinner behind, Kayden recalled a room on the tour where some lab rats had been caged; literal rats, that was. They did not make the best of meals, often gamey. Then again, he also recalled the morgue.
While there might have been some wisdom in getting to the bottom of it, the man decided to let the mystery meat remain just so. Fork finished, he took a napkin to his lips and placed both it and his silverware upon the plate.
“It’s getting late. We have a full day ahead of us. Cheriss and I will venture out in the morning and return with those fresh specimens, whatever you need.”
“I’m curious, master Sith. I know what I want out of this project of mine but what is it that you want? What do you hope to gain with my research?”
Our research. Kayden took a sip of red wine. It wasn’t anything special, Dr. Sawin was a little out of touch with vintage, but it paired well enough.
“I’ve fought the Infected a few times now. Alone, they are a nuisance. One of them is no concern. A handful, still not much to write home about. But I’ve experienced whole groups, entire hordes, and I assure you…they are a force to be reckoned with.”
He said nothing else. As the two men looked into each other’s eyes, neither sparing a moment to blink, Kayden had a feeling that he did not need to elaborate any further.
“Well, we’ve taken up enough of each other’s time for one night. I’m sure you have work to do. Meanwhile, I have a bed beckoning my name. Good night, Doctor.”
He also had a fellow Sith who might just be wiping her lips right about now. The thought crossed Kayden’s mind to try his luck with her but she needed rest for the day ahead. Her part in this mission would be complete soon enough, and maybe she would take to the stars after that, but his mission had only just begun.
Come the morning, Kayden stretched himself awake, freshened up and found Dr. Sawin in the hangar. A carrot was between his teeth. There was a definite crunch as he finished munching and turned to receive his guests. “I hope this is satisfactory.”
Kayden looked upon the armored speeder, military grade, the same way he had looked upon the experimental chamber before the sun had crept up.
Just as Maff had promised, those three victims of the one Infected unit had mutated so that one became four. They had wandered the room aimlessly, searching for sustenance, but found only a one-way mirror.
“It will do very well.” He looked to Cheriss. “You can take shotgun.” With that, he climbed into the driver’s seat but did not close the door just yet. “Doctor,” Sawin looked up. “The Force. You are not trained in it, perhaps, but sensitive to it. How does that affect your research?”
The scientist smiled, realizing what he was really being asked. “Bring me some more subjects, master Sith, and I shall show you.”
Kayden closed the door, brought the engine to life, opened the hangar and drove into the desert of death called Deysum III.
Light your cremation fires and your funeral pyres, Deysum. Here come the gravediggers. Your people will feed the bleeding star that will shine over all, over the world, the galaxy, the universe. It is sick, sick and dying, and poison is the cure. And I shall be the one who injects it.
The sky, a noxious blistering thing, loomed overhead, but all Skyler saw through the window was a painting of the future with his face gazing right back at him.
[EXIT KAYDEN SKYLER]
@Sicadorito
While there might have been some wisdom in getting to the bottom of it, the man decided to let the mystery meat remain just so. Fork finished, he took a napkin to his lips and placed both it and his silverware upon the plate.
“It’s getting late. We have a full day ahead of us. Cheriss and I will venture out in the morning and return with those fresh specimens, whatever you need.”
“I’m curious, master Sith. I know what I want out of this project of mine but what is it that you want? What do you hope to gain with my research?”
Our research. Kayden took a sip of red wine. It wasn’t anything special, Dr. Sawin was a little out of touch with vintage, but it paired well enough.
“I’ve fought the Infected a few times now. Alone, they are a nuisance. One of them is no concern. A handful, still not much to write home about. But I’ve experienced whole groups, entire hordes, and I assure you…they are a force to be reckoned with.”
He said nothing else. As the two men looked into each other’s eyes, neither sparing a moment to blink, Kayden had a feeling that he did not need to elaborate any further.
“Well, we’ve taken up enough of each other’s time for one night. I’m sure you have work to do. Meanwhile, I have a bed beckoning my name. Good night, Doctor.”
He also had a fellow Sith who might just be wiping her lips right about now. The thought crossed Kayden’s mind to try his luck with her but she needed rest for the day ahead. Her part in this mission would be complete soon enough, and maybe she would take to the stars after that, but his mission had only just begun.
Come the morning, Kayden stretched himself awake, freshened up and found Dr. Sawin in the hangar. A carrot was between his teeth. There was a definite crunch as he finished munching and turned to receive his guests. “I hope this is satisfactory.”
Kayden looked upon the armored speeder, military grade, the same way he had looked upon the experimental chamber before the sun had crept up.
Just as Maff had promised, those three victims of the one Infected unit had mutated so that one became four. They had wandered the room aimlessly, searching for sustenance, but found only a one-way mirror.
“It will do very well.” He looked to Cheriss. “You can take shotgun.” With that, he climbed into the driver’s seat but did not close the door just yet. “Doctor,” Sawin looked up. “The Force. You are not trained in it, perhaps, but sensitive to it. How does that affect your research?”
The scientist smiled, realizing what he was really being asked. “Bring me some more subjects, master Sith, and I shall show you.”
Kayden closed the door, brought the engine to life, opened the hangar and drove into the desert of death called Deysum III.
Light your cremation fires and your funeral pyres, Deysum. Here come the gravediggers. Your people will feed the bleeding star that will shine over all, over the world, the galaxy, the universe. It is sick, sick and dying, and poison is the cure. And I shall be the one who injects it.
The sky, a noxious blistering thing, loomed overhead, but all Skyler saw through the window was a painting of the future with his face gazing right back at him.
[EXIT KAYDEN SKYLER]
@Sicadorito
