Who'll Have Mercy On Your Soul

[Dmitri]

Spoiler: Geist Weiss, Sisk Renelo, and Zabic

Image Credit to Kromnz on Deviantart​

Battle of Lacrima
Empress-class Space Station Lacrima
1,013 ABY

When God is Gone, and the Devil Takes Hold, who'll have mercy on your soul? That question plagued Geist Weiss. As a young child, he had grown up with Nirvanism, which lacked deities, even if some believers held the original Nirvanists in divine esteem. However, if there was a Will of the Force as the Jedi believed, it had to be a god. After all, who would follow anything blindly but an entity that ensnares followers through the machination called faith.

Then again, faith was the ever bastard child of fate and chance, a mystery which one could never know if truth welcomed them or blasphemy greeted them in sheep's clothing. One never knew if the path they took was the right one. The sects that followed the Force were the same. Both Sith and Jedi alike considered their philosophies as immaculate facts. One sought to follow the guiding script of the enigmatic Will of the Force, a deity if Geist ever saw one. The other sought to take history's loom and put the weave into the hands of man.

One man sought to take the step beyond Sith doctrine into aevum. With the Force crying after the demoness Andraste killed the orphan Coruscant, a man named Draconis had sought to use the Force to become a Force Scion, to become Force incarnate, a feat not even Andraste had managed to accomplish. Phiro had managed to discover Draconis' plot and had sought out allies to aid his mission to stop Draconis. Jedi and Sith both joined in temporary union to fight in the absence of sanity.

Geist Weiss knew the halls of Lacrima well. Lacrima had once been home to Project SALIGIA's earlier experimentations. With the incident that drove it into disuse, Lacrima had been largely abandoned. However, the husk of the illusionist's machinations remained. Chief among them were the Holocrons Darth Kayos, Geist's late master, had collected for Project SALIGIA. It was these same Holocrons Draconis had employed for his ritual. Draconis had managed to infuse the Dark Side for himself, but the ritual was incomplete. The attack from Geist's Star Destroyer had seen to that. Now, with Jedi and Sith in matrimony, a triad stormed through the sacred halls of Lacrima. The Holocrons destroyed and the pirate ship Gnaij that had allied with Draconis captured, these three individuals sought the completion of their last objective. The prime objective.

The elimination of Draconis.

Draconis had made no effort to hide his presence in the Force. Geist Weiss wasn't even sure Draconis was able to hide that much power. He was no inquisitor, bred to hide in the shadows. No, Draconis was an arcanist. His arcane arts had mutated him into a monstrosity, one light and dark cumulatively would destroy.

Geist led trio. Having the greatest familiarity with its halls, it was pragmatical rather than through arrogance or the belief he controlled the operation. Privately he had such considerations, but none he'd let sway his judgment. Beside him was a man and a woman. The woman was a living incarnation of femine fatale, a Sith assassin named Zabic. The armored man that accompanied the Sith was a strange hybrid, the bastard of both Sith and Mandalorian culture. His name was Sisk Renelo. Joined together in single goal, the trio had no idea the fate that awaited them in the coming decade, the conflict that would propagate.

The Sith stopped in front of plasteel doors. The doors were the first to be shut not guarded by pirates, most of whom were under Draconis' lullaby, unwitting minions. Lightsabers could slice through the doors, but would take a while. As such, Geist move to the side to let Sisk Renelo take center stage. Renelo was a walking arsenal, and explosives had become his trademark maneuver when the trio encountered obstacles.

 

[Mistress]

Ubiquity, or is it déjà vu? She did not tell him that she has any of the Holocrons in her pocket and elsewhere, Zabic smiled ever so brightly, but only to herself. She did not tell the Sith lord, because it / they do not desire he know.

Before anyone had approached, even boarded the Station, Zabić had met Weiss on his Bridge. He told her about the importance of surrendering to the Chaos, and how that would help her survive. She saw a collection of his Sith artifacts adorning his shelves and also his Holocron Replicas. She was obsessed with the idea of real Holocrons, as much as he was to have these. Are they not every Sith’s delight? A tool to unlock glory, glory only akin to her Empress, her feared and ultimately revered godess. A bloody brilliant idea possessed her, and falling under an uncommon compulsion like that of a child to candy, Zabić snatched two of Weiss’ mere toys. He wouldn't miss them, not so long as she replaced them once again with the real thing…not a toy; yes? And so what if he says they are dangerous if one is unprepared to handle them, he is a Sith lord, a big boy who can handle himself, Zabić is…Zabić is one crazy bitch who has learned over time to deal with some real crap, events she will never forget. Whatever it is that she does, she simply has to do it. She is convinced, if she begins to control her urges, she might die from wanting.

Zabić surrendered to it, the only acceptable term for the powers that were lurking within the Holocrons. She surrendered, from the moment upon the station that the impozoids carried her off and away from the others. The forces swallowed her up. She felt so alive in them instantly. It was a twisted existence, which made her feel different than how she was when she first stepped onto the Station.

When she reached the unlocked Holocrons before the others could follow, her presence was masked by the chaos which filled the Station, and her physical presence was not noticed by anyone else. Zabić did not ask for a gift of knowledge from them as she so desperately wanted, but she asked them which wants to be saved? The Force Scion was drawing upon them so strongly. She slipped Weiss’ replica Holocrons with two of the real ones. She slipped back out of the room before the Mandalorian and his group arrived to destroy the lot of them. He was so proud! Zabić feigned like she had not yet been able to enter.

Weiss walked onto the Station. She couldn't leave the Holocrons behind, knowing Weiss intends to blow the Station. This would be a phenomenal travesty! What is to follow is of no interest to her. She can kill people any day. She has never even seen Weiss fight. His classes are over before they even begin. She plans to study him while she can.

She eagerly followed the Sith lord along the corridor. He is her mentor, an absolutely remarkable individual. The man without a face to call his own; albeit, he is not her Master Drakus, who is pretty darned good looking, naturally, with his own face. Someday, she hoped to learn Weiss’ story. But for now, he is just mysterious as today as he was yesterday. A strange glimmer shown in her eyes which read, ’I’ve got a secret!’ Zabić has no way of even knowing if Weiss even looked back at her! But seeing her own reflection in him, she did take a moment to check her hair.

Lord Weiss is walking next to this big metal man who gave him a bloody nose at the start of their first meeting, at least she had suspected by all the blood that fell upon the floor, as she had still been unable to see his face then either. Weiss’ grace baffled her. She wondered what the Sith lord truly had in store for the Mandalorian. Surely Zabić had never met a more gracious man as Weiss, who claims to let the Mandalorian’s transgression slide! She didn't believe it possible really. She happens to be a very serious brooder, herself. Her curiosity was a bit increased by the Holocrons on her person. Frankly, they don’t seem to like the whole idea of it, as they told Zabić so. Technically, like Zabić, the creators of the Sith Holocrons would most likely adore the goddess Andraste; she sensed they certainly seemeds to have developed an aversion towards Draconis. Perhaps that is why they permit Zabić the ability to be able to withstand them.

She still has a skip to her step as she followed Weiss along, and he stopped before a sealed door, gesturing for the Mandalorian to accept the honors once more.

 

[Sisk_Renelo]

The Dark Side was strong here. Sisk could feel it pressing against him like a heavy cloak. While he was no stranger to darkness and the effects of it but here... Here it was stifling and thick, almost forcing the air out of his lungs with its cloying presence. He was not a philosophical man, preferring to dwell on the present and future and not the deeper mysteries of the swirls of the galaxy. That was probably why he had been such a bad Jedi. The mysteries held no sway over him.

But here he was, moving through this station to confront something that would require him to delve once again into the Force to stop a threat that could destroy not only his people but the galaxy as well. The two Sith whom he accompanied through these dark and forbidding corridors had been silent and for that Sisk was grateful. Inane chatter about what needed to be done was unnecessary and would have broken the basic truth of the moment, that what they did here determined the future of the galaxy. And once again the Mandalorian was in the middle of it.

Draconis had run after the destruction of his holocrons. The Sith had disappeared deeper into the station to hide himself behind the cultists that flocked to him and shield himself with steel. Sisk despised cowards. The would-be demigod had been an unassuming man, dressed in dark robes that framed a pale, bland face. He was neither tall nor short, the unremarkable features no different from a trillion others in the galaxy. In any other situation gee world have gone unnoticed. But the hatred and malice that radiated from him had twisted the features into something that would place terror into the hearts of normal men. The power he wielded would cause even the most stalwart of heroes to balk. But those who faced him were not normal in any sense of the word.

If Sisk had been given free reign during the last encounter this would be over already with Draconis' head separated from his shoulders. But he had been held back by the Jedi and the machinations of the Sith Lord who stood beside him. He would not allow such a mistake to happen again. The monster that they chased, twisted and obscene, would lay dead at his feet by the time they were through.

His blood red plate caught the light with a dull reflection as he almost stalked down the corridor with his two fellows. Behind them lay the first antechamber that had been used for this insanity, along with the destroyed remains of more holocrons than Sisk had ever believed existed in the dark arts.

But the girl carried one. He could feel it in her pocket and with great relish thought of crushing it between the armored fingers of his crushgaunt, the red crystal falling to the floor, the dark knowledge destroyed. He would do what he could about that later but now he had other problems to focus on, like the blast door that sat closed in front of them.

Weiss had stepped to the side and Sisk moved forward, pulling shaped charges from an armored pouch that hung from his belt. His hands, deft even in armor, placed the central charge and extended the four auxiliary charges to the corner of the door. He inserted a small detonation disc in the middle and depressed the arming stud. Stepping back several paces to remove himself from the minor backblast, he pressed the detonation command on his right gauntlet.

The explosion was loud as the door blew out of its track, flying backwards 10 feet and landing with an ear splitting screech against the deck. Before it had even landed Sisk's rifle was raised and aimed down the corridor scanning for threats. He was slightly surprised to see no one to stand against them. Bodies lay on the floor, husks drained of all life in grotesque positions, their faces locked in the grim rictus of pain and suffering. This was unnatural.

His feet found their pace as he moved into the next corridor, carrying him ever further into the unknown.

 

[Dmitri]

Art by chasestone of Deviantart​

The explosion Sisk instigated was just one more example to Geist Weiss that he did not wish for the Mandalorian's arsenal to accidentally detonate. How much explosives he needed were up to him and the Mandalorian faith, to hell directly if he wasn't careful. However, Geist couldn't worry about Sisk Renelo too much. They had more pressing concerns, namely Draconis. When Draconis had escaped after the destruction of his Holocrons, Geist had boarded Lacrima personally to assist Sisk and Zabic in ending this monstrosity.

As the smoke cleared, Geist was witness to a scene out of a horror Holovid. Bodies sprawled on the floor. Walls were scorched from lightning, a byproduct of Draconis' ritual. The trio now knew what happened to the remaining crewmen of the Gnaij. One detail aroused suspicion from Geist. This chamber had once been Geist's personal meditation room, nexus to the entire complex. He could keep a good eye on everything from here, even when he only had one prisoner, like Lamia Kressh. The room had been his original sanctuary, before he expanded. His most prized Sith artifact had been stored here, the Tablet of Jorj Lu. However, it and the matching stone statues were missing. It was as if the wall it stood on had been replaced.

But the illusionist's trained eye told him otherwise. The wall had not been replaced, the Tablet gone, but rather hidden behind a veil. An illusion enveloped a section of the room, hiding the truth behind another dimension. Geist unleashed a wave of chaotic energy against the illusion and shouted, "Reveal yourself!" The command was less so a verbal confrontation to the caster, but as if he was directly commanding the Force with his voice. The illusion melted away like ice, revealing a man by the Tablet of Jorj Lu. Geist recognized the man from his dossier. It was Draconis.

"No mortal shall command a god," declared Draconis, his voice distorted, infused with the Force. "You dare raise your blade against me? Rejoice, for you are in a god's presence. Your weapons have no place here. Bow down and I shall forgive your insolence."

 

[Mistress]

Seeing this demigod standing before her, Zabić marveled in the capabilities of the Force. She didn't care a lick about the non-force sensitives whose composing bodies lay strewn about the room. She didn't care if they had lived their entire lives faithful to the Imperium. They were weak, period. "The man must be a god to put up with this stench," she detested.

Then it hit her, a thought in regards to the superiority of Andraste. Why hasn't the Imperium notified Andraste directly? Clearly she can handle this best. Zabić had past issues with men assuming superiority over her in many aspects, even those of the same rank; and her deepest scars were how they always crinkled her dress and caused her to smudge her palm prints upon her polished Lightsaber hilt. She sighed at her reflection of the ego of men. If there is one thing Zabić shall not do, it's bow to this Draconis.

"Quite the dresser. Not bad looking. My lord," she turned away from Draconis towards Weiss, as she addressed Weiss in title not Draconis, "if only you would show your face, you'd perhaps have some devoted worshippers too." She smiled.

The Holocrons began whispering to her, telling her their knowledge of the Force. They caused her to draw in a power reserve. She was prepared to act with them as her Guide.

She turned back to Draconis. "You are still male. Don't forgive me for anything I choose to do. I take the liberty to presume I can speak for us all." She refused to conspire with the two men as to wether or not they agree with her statement, but looked at Draconis.

Zabić felt Draconis' compulsion settle over her bones, to pressure her to kneel in subjugation. She would do no such thing, and growled in return. Her eyes narrowed in detestation, and glared a luminous yellow. She pushed back with a violent Repulse.

Draconis, unaccustomed to adversity, began to utter his sense of shock, as he immediately raised a Barrier in front of himself.

The Repulse she had cast sent Zabić, Weiss and Sisk flying backwards into the corridor from where they had just entered. Draconis raised the door once more and pulled it through the Force to again seal off the room. Zabić grunted as she rose and returned a second Repulse towards the door, sending it flying back into the room.

She entered once again to see Draconis was no longer standing where she left him, and the Tablet that had been behind him was shattered into dust.

Zabić turned towards Weiss next, "You weren't wanting that back?" That had to hurt, enough that she would be required to repay him.

 

[Sisk_Renelo]

Sisk flipped backwards as the Acolyte stupidly sent them bouncing back into the corridor. A quick burst of his pack righted him and he landed low, his feet planted apart and his hand digging into the deck to stop his momentum. His visor-covered eyes came up as she charged recklessly back in. She was going to make this difficult with her hubris and her obvious hate of the male gender. There would be no convincing her that her plan was suicidal and idiotic, which would lead to nothing but their deaths and the extinction of the galaxy if Draconis achieved his goal. Hie eyes turned to Weiss as he stood and the venom in his voice was obvious. "Control your Acolyte or I will take her life myself. This is more important than her pride or bigotry." He slapped the rifle into its maglock next to his pack and drew a beskad with his right hand before following the Acolyte cautiously. Once again this girl had thrown his plans into disarray and he was becoming severely annoyed.

Draconis was gone. Again. Deeper into the station. The girl stood there smugly over the powdered remains of something that still gave off the telltale presence of the dark side. Her words infuriated him and he rounded on her, keeping his eyes watching the only other exit from the room. "Is this a game to you? Do you not realize what awaits us if we fail?" His left hand was viper quick, lashing out and gripping the jacket that hung around her shoulders before violently pulling it and its hidden holocron off of her. With an easy motion he let it slip through his fingers until the pocket that contained the holocron sat between his fingers. "Or perhaps it is this bauble you desire? Nothing matters as long as you can please that hut'uun Empress of yours, is that it?" The crushgaunt began to close slowly to the sounds of splintering crystal before he thought better of it and dropped the newly cracked holocron into his hand.

He looked at it for a moment before handing it off to Geiss beside him. "Keep that away from her. She won't stab you in the back." Even partially broken the holocron contained dangerous knowledge, but at least now it would be much harder to drag it from the long dead Sith who's memory waited inside. His hand drew a ripper pistol from its holster on his thigh and he turned to face the open corridor that awaited them. Draconis was down there somewhere and Sisk was going to find him and end this madness. A quick scan of his systems revealed nothing, and even stretching out with the Force revealed nothing to him.

"Mandalorians stopped believing in gods long ago. And even then we didn't kneel. I will not allow anyone to kneel to this dar'jetti."

 

[Dmitri]

Geist was starting to wish he had Drakus here rather than Drakus' apprentice. Her stability seemed questionable, acting more like a character in a Holovid than someone fighting for the survival of the galaxy. Geist doubted ultimately that this Force Scion could defeat Andraste, but hell would rise in that godly conflict. Draconis could not be allowed to escape, to pillage the galaxy and confront the empress. From flirtation to stupidity, Geist suddenly found Zabic's attack being rebounded at the three of them. Rather than resist the kinetic blast, Geist let his body go with the flow. A cartwheel softened his blow and he stood up near Zabic and Sisk. Zabic opened the door once more, destroying the Tablet of Jorj Lu.

"It matters little, as you wouldn't be able to make up for its cost in your entire life," commented Geist angrily. However, his anger stemmed less from the relic's destruction, but from Zabic's recklessness. When Sisk called out Zabic, the Sith Lord made no move against the Mandalorian. Zabic needed to learn the realities of this battlefield, that vanity had no place in it. "If you cannot fight with us, return to Drakus. He could use help. If you're to remain with us, consider where you are. This is not training. You can get yourself killed. You could get us killed. We have a chance to stop Draconis here and now. If he escapes, he'll cause quite a lot of carnage before he encounters Andraste and the only solace I have from that situation is that he wouldn't be alive to witness that pandemonium. Now shut up and use your head or you'll end up losing your head." He left no explanation on who would be beheading, and left it to the imagination. Geist was in no mood to baby her. When they started this expedition, he expected the Mandalorians to be ill-behaved, but the Mandalorian with them was acting more rashly than her. He wondered if the Holocron Sisk confiscated and gave Geist was the source of it.

Geist pocketed the remains of the Holocron and followed Sisk as they advanced. Geist felt no illusions masquerading their perception. What he did know was Lacrima's structure. "There's only two exits he could have gone through. The left door leads to the damaged quadrant I mentioned before; I doubt he would have gone the path of the dead end. He probably went right." Geist led the way to the right door. Opening it up using the console, they proceeded into the unexplored quadrant.

 

[Mistress]

Zabić had not long ago stood inside the chamber of the Holocrons when they existed, open herself up to their suggestion without interference, before the brute Mandalorian had come and destroyed them, all of them as he had understood them to be there. She had surrendered to their insanity as Weiss had instructed her to do so. Somehow they were able to take root. It was not a difficult task for Zabić, someone who was raised to believe the Darkside beliefs to be a good thing, even though it is an oxymoron. She could not fathom how too much Darkness can actually be a bad thing. Even her Empress had her demands over her subjects, which included everyone, even present company, regardless of the resistance of outsiders. Perhaps what occurred to her since she surrendered to the madness, and especially inside the Holocron chamber, was way too advanced for her to control.

If life were not a game, as she was questioned by the Mandalorian, then how is it she always feels that she is losing? Sometimes it is only upon a whim that one is rendered the verdict to live or die. Zabić knows that feeling very well, and as confused as she is about this entire situation, and not understanding nor having been exposed to the perplexing differences in cultures of the Galaxy's warriors, she identified that same decision being made over her at the moment.

"Don't you manhandle me, you filthy cretin!" Zabić protested as she pulled her lightsaber and brought up her blade under her fabric intend to severe her cloak before he pulled it taught from her body. She missed because he was so quick at decloaking her. She only severed the shoulder seem, immediately bashing the tip of her lightsaber beam into his crotch in an unscrupulous manner in protest, hearing a thunk as the blade hit his armor before lowering her blade. This isn't the first time she aimed for a man's happy zone, but it is the first time she did it and meant the gesture wholeheartedly. Regrettably the Mandalorian is now in the possession of her Holocron. The Holocron screeched its warning inside of her head!

Seeing him squeeze his fist to crush the Holocron and hearing it crack, Zabić's countenance fell to one of utter mortification. "No!!" The man was permanently destroying History, Force a User's unfathomable History! She reached up a hand in protest, before quickly recoiling, instinctively receding back towards lord Weiss. 'How could he do that terrible thing?!' It felt to her like suddenly somebody very special and important, someone she needed and relied on, had just been killed at the Mandalorian's hand. The after effect was shock. 'Could this be how Draconis feels?' His initial severance had been much worse! It loss left behind a very familiar feeling of abandonment. She stood for a moment, in shock.

The Sith lord went off on her next...in front of the cretin. That felt joyous, a great confidence and self worth builder, absolutely expected as an after effect, but not so much foreseen moments before, where it should have mattered. Chastised and ashamed is always a splendid feeling, not always reserved for the youthful. She never knew it's scars before she found herself on Korriban!

As Weiss moved on, Zabić waited for him to pass. She quickly stepped behind him and grabbed hold of his wrist, tugging his arm gently behind his back where the Mandalorian would not see, she placed the final surviving Holocron into his grasp and closed his fingers around it. That Weiss should see to its survival as he is the better choice of its protector, means more to her than her personal pride. The Mandalorian had already destroyed all the rest; why hasn't she foreseen that he might try to do the same to these two? "I'm sorry," she whispered to the Sith lord, and she wholeheartedly meant it. Adding to her shame, she doesn't even understand what her purpose is here. Surely she is meant to serve Lord Weiss in some small way? Maybe she should just observe before she truly angers him further, or go back to the ship and wait to serve her repentance.

Even still, she can hear the Holocrons speaking to her, telling her things. She found it difficult to silence them. She said one last thing only, "Draconis treasures the surviving Holocron above anything you would deem of value." Maybe her awareness of that can be something purposeful he can use.

She followed behind them, her silence only seemingly existed on the outside. She tried to focus now on what the Holocron was rather NOT telling her, realizing there may be more to them than they allow her know.

 

[Sisk_Renelo]

Draconis had fled deeper into the station after the trio had found him, seeking an artifact that he had sequestered away in case he needed it. He was so close. So close to becoming the apotheosis of the Dark Side. All he needed was a little more time. And then he would kill these interlopers, gather an army, and destroy the Empress herself. Then he would take his rightful place as the head of the galaxy and lead it into a glorious age led by the strongest being that had ever existed. The enemies who faced him would be destroyed, their planets razed and burned, their people killed to the last. Draconis would accept no insubordination from anyone who should worship him.

The part of the station he had run to was gloriously changed by the Dark Side. Growths of unknown origin covered the walls in a living blanket, pulsing with an unnatural energy as their master's fingers brushed against them as his pace slowed. Even he in his infinite wisdom he was not sure of their true nature or purpose, but he could feel the power in these pure making of the Force. No cultists had set foot in this part of the station in months in order to give their master privacy and space. At least, Draconis hadn't noticed any. Because what man pays attention to ants under his boots?

He felt stronger than ever, the voices inside his head slowly coming back even after the destruction of the holocrons. Their loss was regrettable but he had already taken all the information and knowledge they had offered and made it his own. They and their ancient Sith were no longer necessary. From the moment he had stumbled upon the room filled with them he had begun to feel the pressure from them and when he had finally opened his mind the voices of hundreds of ancient practitioners had filled his mind with so much babble that he thought he would go insane. It had taken months for him to quiet them, spending every moment fighting back against them, pitting his will against theirs. Months with almost no sleep or food, until he had finally triumphed. Or at least, he was quite sure he had.

The ones who followed were getting closer. Draconis stroked the growths and moved further into the darkness of his mind.

****

Sisk led the small group, pistol leading as he cleared corners and sealed doors with his trademark efficiency. The location on his beskar codpiece where the arrogant Acolyte had struck him no longer had any paint on it, but the Mandalorian Iron wasn't even scratched. If it had been any other time her head would now be hanging from his belt, but the threat of Draconis demanded restraint on his part. But the Acolyte would one day regret her actions. When she had grabbed Weiss and deposited something in his palm Sisk had almost whirled to confront her, but for once he would allow the Sith to make the choice. He seemed intelligent enough to realize the threat the holocrons that had lain here presented. After thousands of years in isolation even the small pieces of soul that had been broken off to make the Dark Side repository would have gone insane, their knowledge corrupted.

The Dark Side was growing stronger as they ventured deeper down the right hand path. Sisk held up his hand in a closed fist to signal a stop, and then delicately removed his buy'ce. He sniffed quickly and his nostrils spasmed as the smell of rotting meat filled them. He quickly slid his helmet back on and sealed the environmental suit. The fresh air that blew across his face was a welcome relief and he breathed deeply to clear out the last lingering smell. For once in his life he actually felt sorry for the Sith without sealed suits. They would have to deal with this the entire way. When he spoke, his voice was tempered by the vocabulator since his helmet was no longer open.

"Can you feel it? The Dark Side is growing stronger. It's unlike anything I've ever felt before." It almost felt extraneous to say the words, but perhaps with them he could gain an explanation. Even though he knew that this op was nothing but osik hitting the fan perhaps he could gain at least one solid piece of intel. That would be nice. His boots made a sickening squelching sound as he rounded a corner, pistol raised. But before he looked down he made sure the hallway was clear.

His boot had landed squarely in a red fleshy mass, seeming to grow out of the floor. It had broken open as his boot had landed on it and thick viscous material leaked out of it, running in rivulets along the seams of the welds. If Sisk had been able to smell it he's sure that he would have gagged. This whole place was wrong. He didn't turn to face the Sith directly as he could see them clearly in his HUD, and directed his question at Weiss.

"What is this, Weiss? I have never even read of this kind of Sith Sorcery."