FORSAKEN II - Eternal Dawn

CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

The corpses in the hangar had been brutalized by bladed weapons. Pools of blood dotted the floor and were especially glaring against the white armor of the stormtroopers. The gates to the hangar were shut and an ominous silence had fallen on the once-busy lab. Without saying a word, the team reached for their lightsabers. Syrran kept Elynn behind him as the group ventured inside the building. For Quinlan, his mind raced with memories of the last time he found himself here, when he, Ventress, and Dooku fled to a waiting starship and were shot down by Republican forces. His lover would be dead not long after.

"What in the name of the Force happened here?" Gorin said.

Syrran tried to get a psychometric reading, but the dark side feedback jolted him back. "Definitely Exobogans," he said and then studied the blood marks on the floor. "Dozens of them. Quin, what do you think?"

"Huh?" Quinlan had to keep himself centered and not hold on to his feelings. Otherwise, he would be putting the party at risk. "Yes, I... I agree."

"Did they malfunction?" Gorin said.

"It wouldn't be the first time one of these projects backfired on the Empire," Virra said.

"Are you alright?" Syrran reached out to Quinlan with his mind, sensing his former master's turmoil.

"I am. Don't worry about it," said Quinlan, touched that Syrran cared.

"Where are they?" Theleema said.

"Probably laying in ambush like they did aboard the cargo ship," Jarriss said.

"They're somewhere in the upper levels," said Elynn, checking on her datapad with the modded neuro-box connected to it. "What in the Force... there are some hundred neuro-boxes active definitely."

"In that case, infect them with the virus and let's blow this place up," Addia said.

"I can't do so without transmitting the signal, and currently, there's nothing being sent or received. I think this particular box has been locked out from the network. The Imps must have done so for security purposes when they realized it was missing. I can try to slice into it, but it's going to take some time."

"I can set the charge and we can get out of here," Gorin said.

"Not without knowing what is going on here," Syrran said. "Those things are too dangerous to be left running wild—if that's what's happening here."

The trail of death littered the halls, miring the jade surfaces with octagonal shapes. The light coming through the teal windows cast a multitude of shadow patterns on the floor. The team came upon an ample mezzanine. Karabra stood at the top.

"You've finally arrived," she said.

"Well, look who we have here," Quinlan said. "The bad cred chip that keeps turning up."

"Where's the dataplaque you stole from me, you dark side skank?" Addia said.

"I have it with me," Karabra said. "Why don't you come and get it?"

"I'm going to smack the tattoos off your stupid pale face."

Jarriss held Addia back, saying, "She's not alone." The Bogan around her blinded him.

"What's going on Karabra?" Virra said.

"Virra." Karabra offered her a sardonic grin. "Is this what you sacrificed everything for, living like prey? It suits you."

"This doesn't have to end like this, Karabra. You're angry and afraid, just like I was. Let go of those feelings. We can help you. We are following a different path—a truer one—where the light side and the dark side of the Force are in balance with each other. You can walk away from the Empire and be one of us. That's where you belong. Not this. Don't end up like Petro."