Open Nar Shaddaa Galaxy In Crisis: The Network Access {Nar Shaddaa}

Fidchell

Character
Sith Order
Rank
Champion

Character Profile
Link
OOC
Dmitri
Joined
Sep 13, 2020
Messages
15
Reaction score
15
(Nar Shaddaa)

containment_by_anthonydevine_dbpkvyw-fullview.jpg


The Doctor marveled at Flood's display. Sure, he had helped with beta-tests, to ensure the virus would act certain ways, plus the work by some other scientists like Riley Elin, but this had largely been Flood's baby. And what a beautiful zero birthday it was coming out to be. Carnage rain through the streets, screens sung into the night sky. The Doctor had unleashed plagues onto unsuspecting communities before, but none had come together as nicely as this one.

Granted, Flood did have some benefits The Doctor did not have in the past. First was the right circumstances; Nar Shaddaa was deeply packed unlike the locations the Doctor had chosen in the past (granted in order for a more controlled setting). Secondly, there was the sabotage to several of Nar Shaddaa's systems. Like with many ecumenopoleis, systems were in place in many parts of the infrastructure to deal with outbreaks, in large part due to the millennia of rakghoul plague. However, before Flood unleashed his wonderous gift to Smuggler's Moon, a small team of Legionnaire operatives that accompanied the Doctor infected several key systems with the Dread Virus or straight-up damaged them so they would not work, thanks to information gathered by Durr's network. Quarantine measures no longer worked, and actively disengaged when it should (such as a few key explosions that should have set off the blast-doors).

The Doctor monitored the AMS infection from Network Access, one of the few areas that had only been hit by the outbreak mildly. In part because protecting the networks were pale in importance to one's personal safety, to many of the employees (who honestly weren't being paid that much in the first place). The staff that remained where largely droids; some infected with the Dread Virus, while most were left alone, who minded little of the intruders, almost ignorant of their existence. The Doctor and his team had dispatched any droids that became a threat, particularly any security droids that sought to kick out the Eternal intruders. Of course, the Doctor's team was not foolish; they kept on guard for any threats that may approach, be it droid, denizen, or infection-propagated abomination; plus there were other Sith Eternal operatives on the planet that could arrive in the future. As an added protection, no Legionnaire had exposed body parts, encased in armor, though if the observed combat prowess of some of the infected were to be interpreted correctly, they weren't a guaranteed protection; after all, Flood controlled many of these abominations, but he couldn't control everything at once, and there was a risk of infected going after the Doctor's team. The chief Dread Virus-controlled battle droid was codenamed Scherzando.

From the repurposed hub, The Doctor inspected Flood's work, impressed with what he was finding. The Doctor predicted that, of the primary infected areas, at least a third to half of the individuals present were infected or in high-probability of being infected (i.e. engaging in close proximity to the infected). There was also the threat of the plague spreading. Already his cameras had observed some infected individuals sneak aboard the frigate Mellifluous bound for Kafane, a small agricultural planet; the ship hadn't departed yet, desperately trying to get the fuel lines working, but it was a possibility of a sequel that fans of this outbreak were looking for (The Doctor among the uber-fans).

The Doctor had mixed feelings about discovering Iko Gark Lokan Jistos (@samdragon) being on-moon. Jistos was a potential competitor, but a potential ally too. The Doctor deemed Jistos not a threat by the fact that Jistos sought to study the outbreak rather than contain or thwart it. He decided to send a message to Jistos, noting potential sanctuary in Network Access, denoting which access port to use. The same interpretation and invitation had been sent to Jerex Dorn as well, but he had already declined the offer. It amused the Neti how quickly the Eternal's resident scientists swarmed Nar Shaddaa at the first sign of an infection. Other Sith Eternal operatives on the planet already had been given notice of the beachhead at Network Access and access to rendezvous if desired.

The Neti scientist was displeased to see cameras picking up the assault on Flood's location, and another party closing in (unknown if coming directly after Flood or not, from the Doctor's perspective). Flood's loss would be a huge loss for the Sith Eternal, at least in the eyes of the Doctor. After all, Flood was one of the few surviving scientists who had worked on the project; much of the excess had been trimmed, though confirmations had yet to be given about the terminations for Riley Elin and Barrel Savack. As such, he quickly ordered research data already gathered to be backed up and sent off-sight to an operative on Nal Hutta, in case things went south; not one of Durr's men, but close enough to seek sanctuary with Durr's organization if it came down to it. The Doctor wasn't sure what would happen to the infected if Flood were killed. Of course he knew he wasn't invulnerable to having his location raided too; after all, what would happen if people began to become suspicious of why quarantine measures weren't actualizing and sought to investigate at the primary source of these systems, Network Access itself?


The opening post is my post from the original thread (with some modifications, to update), but due to it centered around away from the main plot, I felt it warranted a branch-off thread; this also gives people an opening to enter into the the event if they don't want to try to insert the 11+ page main thread.

I would request not targeting the Mellifluous mentioned in my post, as it's designed to give an option for a follow-up outbreak on a smaller scale.
 

Oren Zapan

Character
Jedi Order
Rank
Jedi Master

Character Profile
Link
OOC
TWD26
Joined
Jan 6, 2020
Messages
621
Reaction score
451


force-gifs-for-may-4th.gif

"Complete your training is...nothing more I have to teach you." The words of the ancient grand master rang through Oren's head as he made his way across the stars in his modified X-Wing. He had been away from the galaxy, from civilization, the Jedi, all of them for months--contemplating the complexities of the force, of balance and the idea of prophecy.

Through his studies he had found secret bits of forgotten history, the rising of ancient sith, jedi, and their failings, fallings, and the cycle that seemed to continue through it all. So many answers leading to more questions and thought--no single life could ever provide it all. He was still a beginner in the force, that much the Councilor knew, so much to learn to experience and to guide. No one was truly ever gone, the darkness, the light--all of it would remain after his death, after the Jedi and the Sith's destruction.

In the past he would have questioned the grand master's words, he was unsure of himself, no matter the amount of good he had already provided, the sacrifice he brought upon himself and his body. But, now he knew the truth--I am a Jedi, and this is my destiny.. He had been the first Jedi to discover the AMS virus, and with it the complexities of it helped lead to the roots of a relationship that would bond the Jedi and the Rangers together.

Such a cruel fated virus, born to destroy the force sensitives, or how the Jedi Master knew it--life itself--had only helped bring divided and isolated factions of life together. Perhaps it was prophecy, part of the Force's master plan to bring balance back to the galaxy--if only for a moment.

Regardless of the fate or the causality of it all, Oren knew the galaxy needed his help. There was no more he could learn at this moment from isolation, it was time to act once more--and Nar Shaddaa was a place of importance for the aging Jedi Master, one that had taken a toll on the lower level's populations before his departure. He wasn't sure why he was drawn here, maybe it was a feeling, a thought, something in the balance of the force. That he did not know, but whatever fate had brought upon him this day--he was ready.

tag: @Dmitri
 

Fidchell

Character
Sith Order
Rank
Champion

Character Profile
Link
OOC
Dmitri
Joined
Sep 13, 2020
Messages
15
Reaction score
15
(Warning: Mild gore)


The Doctor watched as some of his latest creations mauled a small family in the spaceport, trying to flee to their ship (not that they could, The Doctor had activated the blastdoors on all hangar doors he could; some, like the Mellifluous's operated on a network disconnected from Network Access). The mother tried to buy time for the father and daughter, but was quickly attacked and her flesh becoming an appetizer. The father and daughter ran until they could venture no further. In desperation, the father ripped a pipe from the wall (damage caused from a technician trying to flee zombies hours ago) and jabbed the splintered pipe into the belly of one of the nearest creatures The Doctor had dubbed Earwyrms, which in the silence of the absence of audio appeared to be wailing or something. However, what looked like stomach acid fumes excreted from the wound, dousing the father's face for sure. The Earwyrm stopped its advance as if offended by such a move, the other Earwyrms following suit. The father simply stood silently. The daughter had been crying in the corner, but eventually steadied into a whimper, hailing for her protector to come back. The summon wasn't working, so the girl nervously stood up and stepped cautiously over to her father. She tugged on his sleeve, begging for them to run. The father looked down at his precious daughter, what was the man's light of his life.

And immediately proceeded to tackle her to the floor and rip into her neck.

The Doctor couldn't help but let a small smirk tickle his lips, seeing the success of the Earwyrms. The Earwyrms were specifically bred for this operation, the maiden voyage for latest employment. Mutated Hutts as a base, they were infected with a special blend of AMS. The Earwyrms' stomach acid affected the virus by entrapping it into an aerosol form, which seeped into the bloodstream, even their breath (though at a lesser extend and not as potent; 6 feet was enough distance to avoid its dangerous breath). As such, unlike other infected, damaging the Earwyrms released an aerosolized version of the infamous Blackwing virus, infecting attackers. Many pilots and spaceport employees had fallen to the five Earwyrms at the major spaceport very close to Network Access (1 had been killed already, and another fell into a garbage chute, stuck). Unlike the primary infected that could be controlled through the Force by Flood, The Doctor could control the Earwyrms.

the_south_georgia_experiment_by_russellmarks_dbh5e42-fullview.jpg

Experiment EW-10, nicknamed Doug by The Doctor's staff, watched apathetically from its seven-feet-tall height as the infected father ended the live of his offspring. No nudge in the Force had directed it to move elsewhere. Experiment EW-08, nicknamed Carl, smallest by a margin (only 4 feet tall), continued to play with its food (in more polite circles called a mother). It was the largest though that most people had trouble with. Towering at 13 feet (honestly, it basically took up the entire girth of the hallway, blocking any passage), Experiment EW-27, blessed with the illustrious nickname Bob, monitored from a distance, patriarch of the brood without question; slowest of the bunch, it was also the most fearsome and vicious, reserved as a bulwark to any attacking parties. There were still zombies in the spaceport, but both Earwyrms and zombies ignored one another, as if ignorant of each other's existences.

A Legionnaire named Yuvilla, the team's mechanic, spoke up. "Should we go retrieve Audrey?" Audrey, or EW-02, was the Earwyrm stuck in the garbage chute. The Doctor pondered whether they should expend resources to exfiltrate the wayward Earwyrm now or later. Deciding that they could risk it, as the infection had since spread to other areas long ago, and many infected migrating elsewhere to more fertile hunting grounds, otherwise known in polite circles called spaceports, sectors, factories, etc. Before The Doctor could vocalize anything, Scherzando spoke up, "Update: Unidentified X-wing has landed in the spaceport!"

The Doctor turned its attention to the Dread Virus-infected droid. This wasn't the first time a ship had landed in the Mezanti Spaceport, but none had been a starfighter. Scans showed other ships in circulation, a couple potentially inbound too though not yet concrete in trajectory. The Doctor reached out into the Force, realizing the tickle at the edge of his mind was in fact this latest arrival. He had shrugged it off, too engrossed in observing the combat data for EW-10, EW-08, and EW-27. Now it was his undoing because his halcyon was evidently a Jedi, and a powerful one to boot. The Doctor was now glad he had sent invitations to some Sith, and had Scherzando reissue the invitation to Eternal operatives, this time with an addendum of the arrival of a Jedi; some Sith were so bloodlustful that they would pounce for the opportunity to fight any Jedi, a foolish notion because ultimately Jedi fell to nature's conquests just as easily as any non-Force sensitive (and could be infected just as easily).

The Neti machinator tugged on Bob's control, issuing it to squirm back closer to Network Access. Of course, huge as it was, it was slowest of the bunch and would take a great deal of time to travel back. The Doctor had gotten cocky, and let it venture away to reinforce Carl and Doug after there had been an explosion of survivors swarming the spaceport from an hour ago. The survivors were no more (potentially one or two could be holed up somewhere in the spaceport), either glittering the floors and walls with vermillion, or recruited into the cult called zombie.

A curiosity struck The Doctor's muse. The Earwyrms had only gone after non-Force sensitives so far. How would they fair against a Jedi, whose mind tricks would fall on deaf ears and lightsabers would bring out some zombie flatulence and spraying? The Doctor ordered Scherzando to unlock that hangar's door (a few halls from where the Earwyrms nested right now), and manipulate doors by opening some and closing others to herd the Jedi (and potentially any more latecomers) towards Carl and Doug. Dougwiggled to face towards the halls leading towards the Jedi, looking dumbly, while Carl continue to eat its meal. Noise could be heard by the Earwyrms, as some zombies were situated between the two locations, but not overwhelmingly; the biggest swarm was interestingly in Network Access, confined to the visitors' lobby.

The Doctor pondered if the Jedi would appreciate the Earwyrm's namesake. As they were genetically created from Hutts, they did have vocal chords. While not intelligent to carry a conversation, they had been programmed to repeat a simple word, over and over again every few seconds. It may give away their location (except for Bob, who was mute for now), but it was definitely an earworm for this situation.

"Brains..."
 

Oren Zapan

Character
Jedi Order
Rank
Jedi Master

Character Profile
Link
OOC
TWD26
Joined
Jan 6, 2020
Messages
621
Reaction score
451


sad-yoda.gif

Oren could feel the Long Lost Grandmaster's collective sigh searing through the back of his head. The pain, the loss, the darkside was flowing with strength among the urban complex of the Smuggler's Moon. These people had suffered too much at the hand of unfiltered capitalism and greed, and now the horrific horrors of AMS continued to plague the levels of citizens.

"You can feel it too.. As if millions of lives had been taken and corrupted, and now there is only echoes of the haunting past." The Jedi Master said to himself as he landed firmly upon the platform of the spaceport. With little effort the Jedi would drop his traditional brown robe, and would step forward, drawing his purified lightsaber to hand.

Something felt off about this area, and the opening paths of the doors seemed to highlight this fact. A few of the infected shambled within the customs area of the spaceport, their bloody heads turning towards the master. Their mandibles clacking and gasps of decaying breath was something the Jedi Master had grown used to hearing so many times before.

His white blade ignited and would decapitate the closing zombiefied security guard before stepping past the few dead travelers. These individual zombies were no threat, but a horde of zombies posed a threat back on Utapau when he first discovered the Cartel's misdeeds.

But, something felt off, a strange lingering darkside presence could be felt in the far distance, but the lingering presence of life could be felt within the various gates and areas of the spaceport--their fear filled the air, nearly suffocating Oren. But, on top of that, a strange sensation--multiple of them could be felt, almost as a mass of decaying flesh. Oren would rush towards the customs security desk.

Unfortunately things would seem to be wired off, leaving him without the ability to harness the systems himself. Within his utility belt the Jedi would remove a com-link, "T6, head to the customs lobby.. I'm going to need your help down here.." Hopefully the astromech would get here in time before zombies arrived.

tag: @Dmitri
 

Fidchell

Character
Sith Order
Rank
Champion

Character Profile
Link
OOC
Dmitri
Joined
Sep 13, 2020
Messages
15
Reaction score
15
unknown.png
This is a basic layout for the spaceport segment TWD and I discussed previously. Posted so that others would be aware of what's going on/layout, both for readers and for anyone who wishes to jump in. The middle room is the location of the elevator, whereas the lower left room/area is where Doug and Carl can be found. The paragraph-separating vocalizations are the bare whispers that can be heard through the halls. As Oren and co. get closer to Carl and Doug, they'll be able to hear it more clearly.

For clarification of my post. The maintenance room is the left-middle room.

For clarification on the destination noted in TWD's post: the customs lobby is the right-middle area.

@TWD26 - Sorry for the delay. Describe/use this survivor as you please.


"...ai..."


Bob had begun its slow pilgrimage towards the elevator. Carl and Doug barely gave a glance to the brood-master in its departure. This was seen by the screens illustrating the spaceport. Most of the areas held the expected ambiance: litter, broken windows and panels, some zombies stumbling around. Scratch that, there was another abnormality, not the Jedi this time. It was the maintenance room. The repair area was more crowded than the halls or other areas (a baker's dozen), zombies congregating around a supply closet. Feeling out into the Force to massage the area, to glimmer what was going on, he felt something alive, uncorrupted.

"...ain..."

How interesting, a survivor is holed up, mused The Doctor. The Doctor grasped onto the zombies' puppet strings, compelling them to be more aggressive in their hunt for this survivor, rather than what was effectively a waiting game. Zombies began to pound on the metal. The individual inside began to scream in panic, alerting more of the zombies in the room to their location. However, to the victim's benefit, it would alert people in the hangar hallways too. However, the half a dozen zombies in the passages towards the maintenance would delay arrival by a bit, but for a skilled Jedi, such scrimages would likely be seconds, not minutes, particularly since they were spread out.

"...ains..."

 
Top