[Grand Hunt] Ghost in the Machine

[Paradox]

"Congratulations, Mr. Thrace, it seems the Council saw something special in your skills. You've progressed onto the next round." the same figure as before appearing out of a dark and shady, no doubt heavily encrypted hologram.

"Your next target will be EXCD-00, better known as Tetragrammaton. Like round one, you only have a limited time to retrieve the target. Unlike round one, we don't want you to capture the target, but end it and any threat it's group could pose to the Galaxy. Should you continue to impress the Council, we'll be sending you to the finals of the Hunt. I hope you enjoy your new toys and rewards from round one. I look forward to seeing your work." ending the transmission and the coded transmission

"Read back information."

"EXCD-00, or more-well known as 'Tetragrammaton,' is the leader of a radical droid terrorist organization named '4D', aiming to 'liberate' all droid slaves against sentient life, but more notably Force Sensitive. Once a droid aide of The Initiative's AI SADI, it became radicalized upon learning all life is a manifestation of the Force. Wanted across hundreds of systems, EXCD-00 and his small army of droids murder hundreds of innocents in their search of eradicating the Jedi. Even Sith have been claimed under their list of murders. Our contacts assure us he and his droids have an impressive compound on Dagobah's moon, where the droid is sure to be hiding and gathering his droid army."​

"Perfect," said the raven haired figure sitting in the darkness of his cabin; the only light coming from the holodisk. Yirim had passed the first round and thus was issued a new challenge, one that was significantly more challenging than capture a ravenous slug. At least that's how it would appear to most. The fact of the matter was that he had been hoping for just this target. He was already a bit familiar with Tetragrammaton. He had already been tracking this particular entity before the Hunt had even been announced. They couldn't have given him an easier target. He knew droids better than a man knew his own manhood and his mind had already created, edited, and destroyed hundreds of ways to go about this mission. "Everything is going according to plan."

Now he was en route to the Dagobah System, but first he would be making a stop at Utapau for a very special piece of equipment. He had already decided on a plan and the small device he was picking up would be a vital part of it. The other vital parts would be played by his MagnaGuards who would assume the role of droids who had killed their master to escape 'oppression.' This would give him agents on the inside so he could further flesh out his plan of attack. Droids weren't like organics when it came to fighting. Most were consider inferior compared to fleshy counterparts, but the leader of this little rebellion was no simple droid. It's intelligence was almost on par with his own. Almost.

This was a mission that one might assume would require more physical skill and brawn. But no, this was a mission were to formidable minds would be pit against one another. One biological and one mechanical. And he couldn't wait. His skills were more useful than a blaster or an army of them would be.

While the money and fame from this hunt were a means of motivation, he had another reason to be excited. Once he reached his target he would gain a very valuable asset. He would be able to show his loyalty to the Cartel that acted as somewhat of a cover for him and also further his own personal goals. He just hoped the incident with that damnable Cathar on Tatooine didn't garner too much attention from certain robe-wearing individuals. He pushed aside these thoughts as he felt the ship leave hyperspace. A mechanical voice told him they had reached Utapau and he made his way to the cargo hold to depart. He smiled to himself, a frightening thing if one had witnessed it. He whispered, "Oh...this is going to be fun."

 

[Paradox]

Pau City
The Wealth District

The Huttese vessel descended into one of the many vast sinkhole cities of the wind scarred planet, carefully maneuvering to dock on one of the many platforms that lined the walls of the great chasm. The Wealth District of Pau City was busy during this time of day with dozens, if not hundreds, of ships of varying sizes zipping around between docks and landing pads. Yirim skillfully landed the vessel and departed with his bodyguards. As he stepped of the ramp, ordering two of the MagnaGuards to stay with the ship and the other two to follow him, a figure walked up to greet them. To the untrained eye he was simply another worker on the docks but a small tattoo behind his ear revealed him to be an agent of an entity known only as Fence.

Very few people knew of his existence and even fewer knew what he did. He was rumored to control most of the illegal trade deals and fencing of said goods throughout the galaxy. Hundreds of other fences answered to him. He is the most well connected and mysterious figure in the Underworld, now he was delivering on his end of bargain he struck with the Echani chemist. The worker approached and nodded without saying a word. He gestured to a nearby warehouse next to the dock before walking away silently. Yirim nodded in turn and walked over to the small building. He punched in a few digits on a keyboard next to the door. The door rose with a groan and he stepped inside flanked by guards.

There were only two objects in the empty warehouse; a pedestal and a crate behind it. As the three figure's approached it, the door closed and a holographic figure appeared. Little more than static and code in the shape of a humanoid. The static waited for Yirim to get close before speaking through a heavily encrypted voice modulator. "I sEe YoU hAvE aRrIvEd. OuR dEaL iS dOnE, yOuR pAcKaGe Is HeRe AnD rEaDy FoR tRaNsPoRt. MaY wE nEvEr MeEt AgAiN tHrAcE. yOu ArE jUsT a LiTtLe ToO cLeVeR."

The figure faded and the pedestal erupted in a silent plume of smoke, destroying it utterly. Yirim smiled coldly. Oh, he was clever; oh so clever. While he was busy now, the Hunt wouldn't last forever. He would turn his attentions to this shadowy figure soon. After all he had power from the shadows of the galaxy and influence in the Underworld. Power Yirim wanted and would get. But he was satisfied for now, the Hunt was on. He turned to his MagnaGuards, "Load the the crate onto the ship. And for fuck's sake; do not drop it. We really don't want to it to go off."

 

[Paradox]

"Approach the planet from the opposite side of the moon. If their base has any long range sensors, I'd rather not let them know I'm coming to crash the party." Yirim said as he lounged about the captains chair. He bit on his thumbnail while watching his Magnaguards carry out his orders. Two maneuvered the ship ever closer to Dagobah while the other two prepped the cargo. They wouldn't have much time to get everything in place; everything in the Echani's plan revolved around precise timing. Luckily he was working with droids, which normally could be a problem, but they were smarter than most on the market and he had even boosted their processors a bit in their travels. He much preferred droids to other sentients, he always had. They rarely let him down and when they did he could always improve them...but soon he would be able to do that with organic matter as well.

He smiled offhandedly thinking of his new experiments and how he might improve life itself like he did with droids, but then pushed those thoughts to the back-burner for now. He needed to focus on the task at hand. He spun around in his seat before continuing, "If all goes according to plan we should have this wrapped upon before breakfast tomorrow. If it doesn't, well, at least I won't be around to complain about it. Also let's go easy on the landing. The device will only work once and it has to be positioned perfectly. If it goes off before...it would suck."

The transport entered the atmosphere with a few shakes but otherwise was stable. Yirim let out a barely audible sigh as he nodded for them to continue their approach to the coordinates he had uploaded before departing from Utapau. The ship glided silently above the swampland, barely disturbing the mist above and running just the essential systems to improve their chances of avoiding detection. The ship hummed as it reached a small clearing surrounded on all sides by massive, vine-covered trees. It lowered and landed gracefully, the perfect size for the area, the ramp lowering to reveal the Echani. He looked around and nodded slightly, "Good. It seems that hybridized toxin was as adept at keeping the local foliage as the wildlife from encroaching in my absence."

Yirim had been planning the attack on radical droid's moon base for a month before the hunt had even began, so he took the liberty of setting up a staging area that would suit his purpose. Everything was going exactly as he had planned; as he had foreseen. He had the device, the calculations, and now even had the support of the judiciaries of the Grand Hunt. He knew many of them doubted him in the first round and he couldn't rightfully blame them. Most went on physical appearance so who would have bet on the pale, sickly figure? But now they had set him up with the target he knew they would. Which is why he waited until the Hunt before going after Tetragrammaton. This way he got the accolades from the Cartel and the personal reward he sought all in one fell swoop.

"Get the device in place to these exact specifications," he said handing a datapad to his lead MagnaGuard whom he had dubbed 'One' and watched as they delicately loaded the device onto a hover-trolley. He turned back to One before continuing, "As soon as you're task is done re-check everything and then depart to the Fallback. Once there begin a countdown of precisely seven standard hours and forty-three minutes before coming back to this system. Meet me at their base of operations and then we can be about our merry way, prize firmly in had; or bag if you prefer to interpret things literally."

"YOU CAN COUNT ON US, MASTER YIRIM." Said One as he placed a metallic fist over where a heart might be. He bowed and went down the ramp to supervise the device. The Echani smiled. He wasn't worried, on the contrary, he was ecstatic. This was going to be one of the greatest mental challenges he had participated in for the better part of a decade. Very few could match his level of intelligence and he was quite looking forward to challenging, and of course defeating, this opponent.

"Now, I really must be going so that I'm not late. I am the guest of honor of course. I'll be taking the pod. Don't wait up One." He readied the small vessel for take off and checked the systems. Once he lifted off there would be no going back. And he was beyond ready. The pod detached from the larger transport and began to rise into the atmosphere, rocketing off into the direction of the moon above.

 

[Paradox]

Dagobah's Moon
4D's Secret Base

The small vessel hummed as it made it's way between the swamp covered planet and it's one desolate moon. By now there was no doubt he had been detected. He had researched their base a bit using the information supplied by the Cartel's intelligence network. They seemed to have lifeform detectors and turbolaser batteries embedded for defense, but that was only what they knew from attempted assaults. The radical droids of 4D were bound to have more surprises in store on the off chance they were ever attacked. He figured they had just scanned him and were getting ready to blow the pod out of the sky, so it was time to say hello.

"Greetings droids of 4D," said Yirim with a sly smile as he opened a unsecured comms channel. "I know you have your weapons locked and prepared to fire on me like you have any other organics that have wandered to close. But I think your leader will want to meet me. Just tell EXCD-00 that while it would be easier to kill me, it seems like a cheap way to see if organics are inferior to droids. Anything with base instincts can kill but you want to prove you are superior? Then I challenge you to a game of wits. Kill me and it shows you are afraid that your logic is wrong. Or challenge me, defeat me, and prove that you are indeed superior."

A few tense seconds passed. Yirim's small vessel drew closer to the base and he could see the laser batteries turn, following the pod's movement. He had calculated that there was a thirteen percent chance that EXCD-00 would rather kill him than risk being wrong. But he was certain that a droid of such intelligence, one which had developed it's own personality and beliefs, would want to prove itself or at least satisfy it's curiosity of such a strange and bold organic. Luckily after a few more moments of dead silence a synthesized voice spoke over the comms, "LAND. YOU WILL SPEAK TO EXCD-00. EXCD-00 WILL DETERMINE YOUR FATE."

 

[Paradox]

As soon as the ramp lowered Yirim was the target of well over a dozen blasters. The pale man casually walked down the ramp as an assortment of both battle droids and even protocol droids trained their weapons on him. Not only that but quite a few weapons placements followed his movements as well; a spotlight illuminating the first organic to ever set foot on their base of operations. At least they had been considerate enough to activate the atmosphere so he could breathe. As he walked along the elegant architecture he wondered offhandedly if they had built this place or commandeered it from another group. He was escorted to the large doors of the dome-shaped building in the center of the super structure.

The large Durasteel doors opened slowly and bright light poured from the doorway. Even more droids poured from the building and surrounded him, patting him down and scanning him. They weren't exactly gentle either. He was shoved down to his knees, a barrel put to the back of his head while they slapped a pair of electrocuffs on him. A older model OOM droid and a IG class assassin droid drug him through the doorway into the light. The interior was simple; a stark white room with nothing inside. The entire dome was empty, devoid of anything except a singular figure standing in the exact center of the room.

The infamous EXCD-00; Tetragrammaton. The droid was standing in the iconic trench coat with it's mechanical hands in the pockets. He, as Yirim decided to refer to the droid from then on, seemed to be at ease despite having one of it's supposed enemies of efficiency in it's base. He nodded and sent his soldiers away and waited until the door closed before turning to the Echani. "So you have already done the impossible by coming here and meeting me. What else could you possibly hope to accomplish here? You have no weapons, your are handcuffed, and even if you were to physically assault me I calculate that you would only injure yourself."

"All of that's true," said Yirim with a shrug. "I do bruise easily. Besides if you are as intelligent as you claim, then you know exactly why I'm here. Because I believe I'm better and you believe you're better. And one of us is wrong. If you agree we will engage in a intellectual war that will make the recent conflicts seem...petty."

"You really believe you can defeat me in a meeting of the minds?" Tetragrammaton said with a hint of amusement in his synthesized voice. "I was designed to be the intelligent droid of the era. The technology used to create me? Second to none. I have processors that are now lost to history because the schematics were destroyed. No other automaton can even come close to comparing with me. Neither can any organics yet you sought me out to try and prove that you are better? Amusing. I should just kill you right not...but...that would simply give credence to your theory. I am not an animal. I am superior. I am EXCD-00. And we shall see who is superior, once and for all. Organic or mechanical mind."

 

[Paradox]

The room changed as the first challenge began. It was impressive really, he had to admit the complex architecture and combination of holograms was inspired. He made a mental note to hire a scavenger team to help him extract what useful objects and intel littered the impressive fortress. He would of course kill them after he was done. He didn't need any loose ends and the Hutts weren't concerned with what he wanted with the equipment and valuables...probably. Either way he would be sure he would be the only one to know what became of this place. Now he just needed to focus on claiming this place for himself. The dome-like room now resembled a cantina, complete with a bar and patrons. In the center was now a Dejarik holotable. Yirim nearly snorted; could this droid really hope to beat him in a game he had been undefeated in since he had mastered it at age five? It looks like this game of wits be over quickly. Then the Echani remembered. He had to stretch it out for a few hours. So slow playing it was.

Both of them sat down and the game began. EXCD-00 was aggressive in the beginning, moving and attacking Yirim's pieces swiftly as he tried to control the battlefield. As the holographic band continued their lively tune Yirim's move tended to be more subtle and sudden. But answered every one of his opponents perfectly. He wouldn't be so arrogant as to say EXCD-00 was not nearly as skilled or tactical, on the contrary, he was quite skilled. He began to realize that while it would seem to most that he was being blatantly aggressive that he was actually forcing Yirim to do what he wanted, moving him while letting his opponent seemed like he was the one in control. Clever, but Yirim had used this strategy before and knew a counter. So the entire game he would go along but surprise him when he broke from the path EXCD-00 had tried to set and capture one of his pieces instead.

However the pale figure was tiring of this game and decided he would end it now. He moved his Kintan Strider forward two spaces...and was now caught in a fork. A notable tactic, in which a player moved one holomonster to threaten at least two of the opponent's, so that no matter what the opponent did one piece would be lost. It was considered a mistake in play to leave oneself vulnerable to a fork and Yirim just allowed himself to be caught in one. He would either lose his Ng'ok or his Strider, but he calculated a sixty-one percent chance that his 'gambit' would succeed; the Kintan Strider Death Gambit to be precise. This move in the game of Dejarik, in which one player would sacrifice the Kintan Strider piece. Though normally the loss of the Kintan Strider would be devastating, the death gambit would often be used to mask an even more devastating counter-move from the player who made the sacrifice.

And as EXCD-00 used his Mantellian Savrip to attack his Strider, the Echani smiled and knew he had won. The droid seemed to realize his mistake almost instantly but it was far too late. The Ng'ok was the only piece in the game that could attack two holomonsters per turn in range. And now, because the droid had fallen for the trap, it was he who was now caught in a fork. He simply attacked both his Savrip and his nearby Ghhhk, killing the droid's last few pieces and ending the game. Yirim smiled as his his was the last piece roaring triumphantly, "Well. It seems like everyone, even mighty technological beings, can lose their heads to greed when it seems like victory is firmly within their grasp. I do believe I've won."

"It matters little! This is a game for children, I was simply toying with you; gauging your worth." If a droid could sound as angry as any organic sore loser out there, it was EXCD-00. "I nearly beat you with only thirty percent of mental capacitators devoted to this task. We still have two more challenges and I will prove I am superior, than I will kill you."

 

[Paradox]

The room changed into a penthouse on Nar Shaddaa and next challenge was a Sabacc. Normally a game of chance, they played using tournament rules. This meant conventional strategy had gone out the window and much more skill, intelligence, was involved. In this type of Sabacc, strategy is as much about the fact that other players may have better hands as it is about the fact that a player's hand might change when he least expects it. The values of the cards in play are shuffled at random and without warning; depending on the variant in play, this can even happen after a game has been called, but before the cards have been shown or tallied. But this challenge was also one of deception; who could cheat to gain the upper-hand without being caught. The Echani had to admit that the droid was much more focus, driven, and strategic than he had been in the first game.

This game went back and forth for a couple of hours before Yirim knew he was going to win, but it still wasn't time yet. He knew if he won the second challenge EXCD-00 would possibly become angrier and thus would just kill him. So he stretched the game out as long as he could. The he decided to make what seemed like a desperate gambit to cheat so he would get caught and of course it worked. If droids could smile EXCD-00 would have. "So predictable, like all organics. I knew there was a seventy-nine percent chance you would take the obvious bait. You have cheated and been caught. Victory, per usual, is mine."

Yirim had to make sure not to laugh or smile, show in anyway how he had practically given the mechanical being the win. He wouldn't say the challenges had been easy. EXCD-00 was perhaps one of the smartest entities he had encountered but still...there was never any doubt in his mind, not once, since he began the hunt that he would lose to this droid. He was far smarter and more often than not, he was always right. He could always see the end to any situation. Now the room began to change again, this time into a large arena. Complete with barricades and makeshift fortress' on either end. Yirim now found himself on a raised platform overlooking what was obviously a battlefield for live fire exercises in a typical military training installation. EXCD-00 was opposite of him on a likewise platform. "This is the final challenge. Both of us will be given command of a contingent soldiers; one organic, one mechanical. While we were preforming the first two I had my forces go find you suitable soldiers just in case you somehow managed to defeat me in one of the other challenges. It was highly improbable that you would, but there was always a slight chance and some elements of reality are beyond prediction. So here we are. Prepare yourself fleshling. This will be over swiftly."

Two doors on either side of the dome opened to reveal an assortment of droids at one end, and a group of very angry sentients on the other. Most of them seemed to be quite angry. Especially since over half of them were armed with little more than knives and a few blaster pistols to share, while the droid contingent was armed to their preceptors; some even with heavy weapons. Yirim raised an eyebrow but wasn't entirely surprised. EXCD-00 was intelligent, dangerous, and a marvel of engineering. But just like the organics he seemed to hate and believe were so inferior, he was flawed. Arrogance, greed, and now because of the obvious gap in equipment, combined with the fact that several of Yirim's 'soldiers' seemed like simple spacers, showed that the droid also felt fear. Or at the very least nervousness.

Suddenly the platforms were surrounded by blast shields to prevent attacks and sounds from being heard from within. A chair rose, that Yirim crouched in rather than sat, and screens appeared. Some containing views of the battlefields and others showed the status' of his forces. He tapped into the comm channels and quickly brought the group up to speed. After their initial panic, fear, and anger of course. They seemed to realize how big a pile of poodoo they were in. A few did try to bolt for the door and were quickly killed by the electricity coursing through the walls. So now the Echani was down two men before the battle even began. He spoke to them, "I know you are frightened but the only way to live is to fight; to win. So grab the fallen men's blasters and get ready. The battle has begun."

The droids let loose a hail of blaster fire, in which he lost three men. So he was down to seven while the droids still numbered a dozen. His men were armed with six blasters and one vibroknife which the Duros holding it seemed very upset about. Meanwhile a modified protocol droid was firing with a rotary canon, an IG model assassin droid was firing a sniper rifle from an elevated position in their sides fortress, and an OOM series battle droid prepared to fire a rocket. The battle was obviously one sided but Yirim was not too worried. He honestly didn't care if he won or whether his forces survived. They just needed to last for forty-nine minutes and thirteen more seconds. Then he would win no matter what.

 

[Paradox]

Flank left, get around them. They have the numbers and the weapons. You have to fight smart.

I'm trying!

Vael's down! He's-agh!

We're getting torn apart down here! What kind of sick game is this?

This is no game. Fight or die. You, Ithorian, the protocol droid with the cannon is coming closer. He doesn't realize you're there.

<What should I do?>

Wait for my count then tackle him, crush his head, and take the gun.

<I've never been in combat before!>

Want to see your family agiain?

<Yes...>

Then...three...two...one...now!​

The Ithorian burst from cover behind the protocol droid who had been rattling of bolts from his rotary cannon, but turned just in time to see a rather large fist slam into his photoreceptors. As the silver platted figure went flying and crashed to the ground still a few feet away, the Ithorian grabbed the weapon and spun around to let loose a hail of bolts. EXCD-00 had tried to warn his droid and was furious when the alien had managed to take the weapon. He had barelyy warned the others in time to duck but he still lost two others; an OOM series with the rocket and retrofitted astromech that had been acting as a 'medic' for the other team. Both valuable and now both out of commission. He couldn't deny the other organics intelligence, as much as he wanted to.

He was using an inferior force with no prior warning and many with no training. They were using cheap, ineffective weapons and had lost seven of their number in less than six minutes. Yet he was using this ragtag band of meat puppets effectively. It was enough to make the leader of 4D overheat a servo. He was down to eight but before he made his next move he sent commands to his sniper directly through the datalink they possessed to get rid of the Ithorian, who was still firing of shots wildly. A single shot rang out and there was a smoking crater in the aliens throat. Yirim scowled to himself back in his command platform. He knew making the Ithorian go for the cannon was a death sentence but he had needed to thin the ranks of the other squad. He had calculated even with all of the shots he fired that he would only get one or two, but it was better than nothing. So he was down four men now. The droids outnumbered them two-to-one. But there was still a way to turn this around; the Kintan Strider Death Gambit. Or at least inspired by it. He got on the comms and spoke quickly, "We have to fight unexpectedly so you four are going to have to trust me. Using conventional strategy, you will all die."

"So what's the plan then genius?" Said the Duros that was still unhappy about the whole situation but at least satisfied he had scooped a rifle.

"We don't think. Use your base instincts...rush them." Said the man with a smile to himself. "It is the most illogical tactic to take in a situation where one is outnumbered and outgunned. They'll never see it coming. We may lose one or two but in the end victory will be ours."

"So basically be cannon fodder. No kriffing way," yelled a Rodian over the comms.

"Would you rather rush and have fifty percent chance of survival or stay there and have a one hundred percent chance of death." Said Yirim a bit annoyed. Most of the droids were closing in. If they got too close it wouldn't work because they would be expecting them to pop up and rush or at the very least, push them back. He only needed seven more minutes but they would be dead in four if they didn't shut the hell up and do as he said. No wonder he liked droids or slaves more than free willed assholes like these fools. If it wasn't for his mission he would be perfectly happy leaving them to their fate. But no. His own fate was very unfortunately tied to theirs. "Now get your ass up and shoot this scrap heaps!"

They seemed to realize, finally, that their only real option for survival lay in the hands of the voice on the other side of their commlinks. As one they rose firing, hopped the barricade, and rushed as if men possessed. This move was so unexpected and illogical that five of the advancing droids were cut down before they could process this suicide tactic. EXCD-00 slammed his mechanical fists down and sent the orders to his troops to finish the meatbags. Two men were cut down by the remaining three droids right before the Rodian caught a bolt through his right eye. The Duros strafed left towards cover but managed to squeeze of five rounds; two went wide. But two more struck an old Hunter Killer, dropping it. And the last managed to catch the last OOM model droid on the battlefield. The there were two.

The Duros and the IG Assassin Droid were the last two combatants on the field. The assassin had stayed behind in his elevated as the others had approached the pinned down organics. Now he was watching the barricade through his scoop. If the the Duros so much as peeked he would fall with a hole in his head. Yirim got on the comms, "Just stay down. I need two more minutes."

"For what?" He yelled almost hysterically.

"To end this," said Yirim with a cold smile. "Blind fire if you want but don't even let an nanometer of your head show."

The seconds seemed like hours as the alien popped off a few shoots in the droid's general direction, a few even came close. But as the shots started to wander further and further away the scope quickly locked onto the blaster. The Duros cried out as the blaster exploded and his hand along with it. He gripped the stump in disbelief and for just a moment, his head moved out of cover. A single echoing shot and he fell dead. His blood missing with the oil and fluids already present on the battlefield. Yirim shook his head and muttered something that sounded suspiciously like organics as the platforms descended and the battlefield faded. All four doors to the dome opened with dozens of droids entering from each. Many went about cleaning while the others ushered the Echani forward to the center of the room. By the time he stood face to face with EXCD-00 again the place had been scrubbed clean and he was no standing in a ring with every weapon trained on him.

Yirim swore the droid was trying to smile. He held out his robotic hands and called attention to himself as he began to gloat. The pale man just checked the time. Forty seconds. It was a good thing even 'superior' beings felt the need to gloat rather than just end his enemies life now. EXCD-00 spoke to Yirim and the crowd,"So you see! We are superior to beings of flesh! Their greatest mind has proven nothing compared to me!"

"Considering you had to cheat to win, it hardly proves your point." Yirim said with a smile but knowing he would have done the same in his place. It was all the droid could do though it mattered little now. So he would let him know. "Besides, you lost before I every arrived."

"Denial does not suit you. I concede you are one of the more intelligent beings but you are flawed. You failed." EXCD-00 walked up to the man, looking down at him.

"Not this time. Your time...is up." At that moment on Dagobah the device activated. It sprung open and fired a small, but incredibly fast flying missile straight upwards. It left the atmosphere in seconds where the afterburner ignited. Alarms went off in the dome as an incoming object was detected. It was far too fast for the four, antiquated AA turrets on the base's arms. It impacted directly on top of the dome but didn't explode. Instead when it hit a massive wave of electromagnetic energy was released. Within seconds every droid, turret, blaster, anything electrical was fried and useless. The alarms were silent as the ring of droids fell around Yirim and EXCD-00. The infamous droid was still standing, looking around incredulously, but looked back to the Echani as a soft hiss was heard coming from his back. He smiled coldly at the mechanical being. He was no longer slouching, his skin was was no longer pale, and his eyes held a slight yellow tint. "Oh...that's much better."

"I went through the trouble of contacting one of the most connected and secretive individuals in the underworld. He found me an older but still function EMP device,which you just had the pleasure of witnessing. I then calculated, exactly, where I needed to place it on the planet below so when it fired it would be directly in line with your base. I even calculated how long it would take." The Echani suddenly look taller and more menacing as he approached EXCD-00. The droid actually backed up a few steps as he continued to smile. There was no warmth behind this expression it was simply a mask to conceal the true nature behind it. "I could have beaten you in each challenge in moments. I dragged it out purposely until the device was in place. Some people do not believe droids can think, feel, dream, fear, or be classified as truly alive. But I know better which is why I knew you would fall to your own hubris. I even knew you were ruggedized, hardwired, against such an attack."

"Then you should know it matters little. I am still stronger than you! You are intelligent but I am still superior!" Tetragrammaton began to walk forward menacingly. "That EMP disabled all weapons and any gadgets you may have. You are defenseless! Now you will die!"

Moving with incredible speed EXCD-00 rushed to break every bone in this arrogant being's body...then slammed against the opposite wall. Held a few meters above the ground by an unseen force, the droid struggled as he tried to break free. His photoreceptors focused on Yirim. He was holding a hand up and still smiling, "You know I was wondering if I could still do that. It has been so many years since I've used the Force, for my own protection, and I'm afraid I am a bit out of practice. You see I don't need weapons to finish you off. You, like anyone else who has dared to cross me, has made the fatal mistake of believing me to be something I am not; weak. I do love to appear that way. The surprise on people's faces as I kill them? Priceless. Now I do have to take your head. You have to die you see. There's a lot of money on your head but that's just the icing on the cake."

"You are the worst of your kind! A Force user!" EXCD-00 practically 'spat' as he continued to struggle.

"Do shut up, I'm gloating. You had your turn," said Yirim with little emotion. "Now where was I? Oh yes. The credits are nice but I was always coming for your head. Those quantum processors of yours are what I want. Also your trench coat. But don't worry, I'll keep a copy of your memory. I might have a use for a robotic underling in the future. Anyways, I'm very busy and afraid I must be going."

Yirim slammed the droid into the ground and used the Force to rip it's head from it's mechanical shoulders. EXCD-00, the infamous Tetragrammaton, was dead. No more a menace to any beings of flesh. The head floated to the Echani's hand as he walked closer to the mechanical body of what had been one of his smarter enemies. He grabbed the coat and made his way towards the landing pad, head in hand, as his transport descended to the moon base. It had certainly been an interesting challenge but it was time to collect his prize. He nodded to One as his MagnaGuards met him at the base of the ramp. He was starting to slouch again as his skin became paler. They all boarded the vessel and he sat down heavily as they prepared to leave the ruined base behind. "Let's go. I've had enough games for today. I'm feeling quite exhausted..."