Competition: SoI 1 - Promotion Time

Finished
SoI 1 - Promotion Time

Details

Clan Plagueis' takeover of Hyperdyne Manufacturing begins! To succeed, our influence, be it subtle or overt, must extend to President Corvin Zexx. The Dread Lord has already gained control over Vice President of Research & Development Teek Amavia, but Senior V.P. of R&D Lorainne Korn is in Amavia's way.

You have been tasked by the Dread Lord to eliminate Korn to allow Amavia to rise in power and close the distance to Zexx. Korn is not a trained soldier, but she is naturally cautious, surrounded by living and mechanical security, and buried deep within Hypderdyne headquarters.

Your process of assassination may vary. Karnuss Muur prefers a subtle approach while Ajunta Pall is known for its brashness. While you have been given this assignment personally, the Dread Lord has granted you permission, if you desire, to form a small team of house members to assist in the takedown.

Platform

Standard fiction formats. This is a single-person writing competition. Entries should be at least 500 words to qualify for Clusters of Ice. Refer to the public Google Doc for information on relevant characters and locations. Many aspects of Hyperdyne have been left vague and up to your creativity. The best ideas, regardless of final placement in this event, will be incorporated into the official Hyperdyne Wiki page.

Competition Information
Parent Competition
Sphere of Influence [Plagueis Feud]
Organized by
Zanet Xox, Son'El, Grand Master Declan Roark
Running time
2014-06-20 until 2014-07-02 (13 days)
Target Unit
Clan Plagueis
Competition Type
Fiction
Awards
Third Level Crescents
Participants
10 subscribers, of which 8 have participated.
Results
1st place
Braecen Kaeth
Member
Braecen Kaeth
File submission
PromotionTime4520BraecenKaeth.docx
Placement
1st place
Member
Callus Bo'amar
File submission
SoIevent1_(2).docx
Placement
2nd place
3rd place
Teylas Ramar
Member
Teylas Ramar
Textual submission

As the Lambda-class shuttle touched down on the Hyperdyne Manufacturing landing pad, the door swooshed open revealing the diplomatic party. The first off of the shuttle was a young, tall, blonde Epicanthix. Clearly dressed in professional, higher class attire he was followed by two other men dressed in security uniforms and a beautiful brunette secretary.

The small party was greeted by a similarly well dressed middle-aged Human female who introduced herself, "Welcome, I'm Lorainne Korn the Vice President of Development here at Hyperdyne. Thank you for coming. I'm sure we should be able to arrange something for your shipping business and get your fleet up to date and back into operations."

"Thank you. I am Furios Morega, chief operating officer of Pall Transport. Shall we discuss the details of our arrangement in a more private setting?" the Epicanthix asked.

"Right this way," Korn responded with her arm out, motioning towards a large tower across the peer that connected to the landing pad. As the large party walked across the pier Korn continued the conversation, "Quite a risky proposition trying to jump start your shipping business out near the Hutts."

"Perhaps," Furios responded, "But the payoff would be considerable."

"I see your point. I just hope we are able to provide you with what you need," the VP responded after a short pause. The rest of the walk to Korn's office was relatively quiet, but not for the visitors who were looking, observing, and monitoring everything around them. Ever aware of what was going on, they left no detail out of their attention or gaze.

As the party entered the office and it was just the four and Vice President Korn, Furios stepped to the side and one of the security officers stepped up. With a snicker he muttered out, "Vice President Korn, it's so good to finally meet you."

"What is the meaning of this? SEC--" Korn began to shout for her guards before the secretary on Furios' side stepped forward and motioned a backhand towards Korn, reaching out with the Force to similarly smash her in the face with a wave of telekinetic energy stopping her pleas in their tracks. Knocking the VP back, she leaned towards her desk and pressed a few commands into a small button pad. The command link opened a few hidden panels revealing several B2 super battle droids which immediately began to take aim.

The four guests took to action; the two security guards withdrew lightsabers, one with a distinct violet glow and the other with a brazen orange glow as they began to dispel the blaster bolts coming their way. The secretary withdrew her own, similarly violet lightsaber, as she centered in on another droid. The perceived leader of the group, Furios, withdrew his own blue-bladed lightsaber and immediately rushed towards another droid. As the short battle commenced, the four were able to easily dispatch of the six or so droids that Korn had summoned to her side for protection.

"What the hell do you want?!" she yelled.

"As I was saying before you so annoyingly interrupted me: it's good to finally meet you. I am Teylas Ramar, the Left Wing of Dread, and these are my associates Selika Roh, Tra'an Reith, and of course you know my lieutenant, the Blade of the Fallen, Furios Morega. We represent certain interests which require your acquiescence to our demands."

"And what demand is that, exactly?" Korn asked as she trembled slightly at the four who surrounded her ominously. Teylas was thoroughly unimpressed with her attempts to hide her fear which was coming off of her with the strongest scent that his Anzat senses could easily pick up.

"Your company of course," Tra'an spoke up.

"What are you, Jedi or something?" Korn queried.

Selika responded with a small giggly laugh.

Teylas smirked, "Oh no, we're nothing so… nice." After a short pause he continued, "So what do you say, Vice President Korn? Before you answer, I should also let you know we have three ships close by that are ready to level your company's physical assets should you refuse."

"What… if I won't agree to your ridiculous demands you'll lay waste to it? You destroy anything you can't have?" the woman asked in anger. The four simply looked at one another with a nonchalant shrug.

"So what do you say?" Teylas asked as he stepped forward. He didn't expect the Human to give in to the demands, but was getting a certain satisfaction from the power trip that came with this operation they were running. He wasn't normally someone who got off on power trips, but the assets of Ajunta Pall were about to be enhanced tenfold with such a massive shadow corporation to bring in assets.

"You're ridiculously crazy if you think I'm going to let you run this company, and President Nexx won't give in to your demands."

Teylas nodded and then turned to Tra'an who started to move towards the door to the office. Opening it up, a young Dressellian male stepped forward. "See, the thing is we already have someone who sees that our being here is a benefit to the company and everyone involved. So Mister Amavia here will take your place, and then slowly sow the seeds throughout Hyperdyne and whisper into President Nexx's ear as we see fit. I, for all intents and purposes, will control your company."

"Unlikely," Korn scoffed.

"Very likely, in fact. However, I'm afraid, you won't be here for it," Teylas said as he motioned towards Tra'an who stepped forward towards Korn's desk.

Selika stepped forward, "Vice President Korn… you will be taking a trip to Kuat to discuss a profitable design trade with Kuat Drive Yards. Don't worry; Tra'an is informing President Nexx of your trip as we speak. Mister Amavia will escort you out to the landing pad and you will board a shuttle at the same time we board ours to return to our ship. You'll find your shuttle already has a pre-determined course programmed in, so you can just sit and wait. As we're leaving orbit we'll be attacked by unknown aggressors who will take shots at both shuttles, but unfortunately yours will be struck and destroyed while ours will… escape. Failure to follow this or alert anyone of what is about to happen will result in these unknown aggressors laying waste to everything and everyone here."

Teylas and the other three turned towards the door as Amavia grabbed Korn by the arm and began to walk her with him, "Good luck, Vice President."

Placement
3rd place
Member
Grand Inquisitor Arden Karn di Plagia
File submission
SoIAssassination.docx
Textual submission

SBM Kz'set - House Karness Muur
DJB ID #13299

For Lorraine Korn it was the end of a bad day immediately on the heels of an even worse day. For reasons and by means as yet unknown, someone had managed to penetrate the heavy security around the R&D section of Hyperdyne Industries. More concerning though is that this person's objective had not to steal anything, but rather to take her life. The assassin, whom Corporate Security had yet to identify, escaped and remained at large. The worst part is that now a pair of bodyguards waited outside her office. That was bad enough, what was worse is that the bodyguards were droids.

"Is all this really necessary Teek? Those...things are rather unsettling." Korn moaned as she gathered her things and finished logging out of her computer.

"Corvin insisted. Besides, they're ex-commando units, BX models I believe. Quite competent, if a bit trigger happy." The middle aged Dressilian executive replied, her face contorting a bit with the last statement. Resuming his more reassuring tone he added, "You'll be safe with them."

Korn sighed. "Fine, send them in."

Teek nodded and keyed the comm panel. A moment later a pair nearly two meter tall humanoid droids painted in a dark colored urban camouflage motif strode into the Senior Vice President's comfortable yet cluttered office. Blaster carbines hung menacingly under their arms with a pistol on each hip. The droids looked around the room with a trained smoothness before focusing on Korn before the one on the right spoke in a dull, deep monotone.

"Your speeder is ready, mam. We should be going."

Korn glanced back and forth between the two droids before nodding. "Very well. Teek, see that those reports get finished and let me know when we get delivery confirmation on the latest prototypes. The transport delivering them is overdue."

"Yes mam." Teek answered as they turned to leave giving the droids one last nervous glance which was answered with a cold, metallic look in return.

The Hyperdyne Industries R&D section was a maze of corridors, laboratories, and offices. It was purposely laid out in such a manner that intruders wouldn't be able to find their way around easily. Snaking their way through the almost identical hallways took several minutes, eventually arriving at a door that led out into a narrow courtyard. As they emerged they were not greeted with a waiting speeder as expected. Instead, they were greeted by the familiar form of the company's Cheif of Security, a balding human veteran of the Vong Wars named Jevin Zan and a pair of grey uniformed guards.

Lorraine immediately got a look of stunned suprise. "What's the meaning of this Jevin? Is something wrong?"
Zan's face was emotionless, but his voice was concerned. "Very much so Ms. Korn. We just received word that the transport containing the prototype power couplings has been hijacked."

"What!" Lorraine shouted. "When? By who."

"That's what we wanted to ask you." Zan produced a datapad from the pocket of his jacket. "Communications logged this message being sent through several relays to a point in deep space between here and Fondor. The signal had your authorization codes and came from your office."

The executive's mouth stood agape in stunned silence. "You don't think...Zexx knows I'd never..."

Zan shook his head, "I have no choice mam, you'll have to come with us."
Before anyone could say another word, the two droids flanking Lorraine snapped up their blaster carbines and unloaded a hail of well placed blaster fire at the security guards. Before they could even grip their weapons, each had been hit with multiple shots. As the BXs trained their weapons on Zan, he shouted. "Lorraine, please, call them off."

The BXs said nothing and silenced Zan with a shot to the forehead.

"What...what's happening! Stop it! I order you, stop!" Lorraine shouted fratically to no avail. The BXs promptly grabbed her, one wrapping it's claw like hand around her mouth. A moment later, a cargo speeder raced into the courtyard, stopping right in front of them. As its rear hatched open, Lorraine could see two more of the commando droids and a lanky Verpine inside. With a shove, the executive was forced into the vehicle, landing with a thud. The last thing she saw was the Verpine grinning wickedly as a stun baton knocked her into unconsciousness.

=====

"She's coming to, sir".

The muffled voice of the commando droid stirred Lorraine back into the working world. Everything was still dark, but it took her a moment to realize it was because she'd been hooded. She could feel her wrists encased in metal and an attempt to sit up revealed she was strapped to something. All she could hear was the clicking of chitin against metal, probably the deck plates of a ship. A moment later, the dark was replaced by a near blinding light and the looming face of the Verpine from before, black eyes staring back at her.

"Good day Ms. Korn. I apologize for not introducing myself earlier. I am Kz'set, and from this day forth, you are mine."
Blinking her still adjusting eyes, she replied meekly. "You. You're behind this. You...you framed me. You dirty slaver scum."

The Verpine chuckled. "I'm no simple slaver Ms. Korn, and I've done far far more than simply frame you. You're not just a thief, but a murderer too. Selling out your own company to a bunch of Trandoshan pirates. My, that will be a scandal, won't it?"

Lorraine started glancing about, her predicament becoming more and more clear and her fear starting to creep on to her face. "I, I didn't kill them. They'll know I didn't kill them, you did that."
The Verpine's spindly fingers reached over to a nearby console. A monitor flashed to life, showing the scene that had occurred in the courtyard except instead of the droids, it was her doing the shooting. Switching the image off, the Verpine continued, a sinister buzzing in his voice.

"A woman as smart as you knows that people can be made to believe almost anything. All it takes is manipulating some data files, a few holo images, some voice sampling, and a network that's not as secure as you think it iszzz. Three days ago you were Corvin Zexx's most trusted associate. Tomorrow you'll be the most wanted woman in the sector. How does that make you feel."

The human tried to calm her breathing as sweat started beading on her forehead. "What do you want?"

"Simple Ms Korn." The Verpine sat down in a seat across from where she was bound. "My Lord requires your company and I intend to deliver it to him, piece by piece. I could have just killed you, but that would have been no fun. This way I get to extract every morsel of technical data and every corporate secret you have before I 'apprehend' you. Not that you'll remember any of this by the time I'm done with you, but trust me, you won't want to remember."

"What...who are you?" Lorraine sputtered.

"The Right Wing of Dread."

Placement
4th place
Member
Master Selika Roh di Plagia
File submission
Promotion_Time_-_Selika_Roh_(2632).pdf
Placement
5th place
Member
Duke Kojiro Keibatsu Sadow
File submission
FeudFiction-8106OTOpheliaDelacroix.docx
Placement
No placement
Member
Padawan Tisto Kingang
File submission
Promotiontime.docx
Placement
No placement
Member
Warlord Brimstone aka Seabr'imsto'nedansr
Textual submission

"How dare you barge into my office without an appointment" barked the Senior V.P. of R&D, Lorainne Korn.

The Chiss just strolled into her office and pulled a office chair up to her desk.

"Who do you think you are?" she demanded but the Chiss just looked at his jacket, wiping the wrinkles out of its creases. As she stood behind her desk, she continued to yell at the intruder. As she was getting ready to hit an alarm, the blue skinned Chiss just looked up at her.

"I wouldn't alert anyone yet if I were you" he said calmly. Brimstone was stone-cold is his comment with no hint of nervousness.

"Who the hell do you think you are? Do you know who the kriffing hell I am? I am ....." she started to say before she was cut off.

"I know who you are. The Senior Vice President of Research and Development and currently the only one on this planet that has no corruption linked to" he said coldly. "How about we talk for a moment, and after you hear what I have to say, if what I state to you is of no interest, I will then leave."

"Okay, then who the kriffing hell are you?" she demanded.

"I am the one to help you replace the current administrator, President Corvin Zexx."

"And replace him with who? Me?"

Brimstone stood up at this point and turned around to go behind his seat. His pristine, white officer uniform was bright in the highly lit room. He pulled out a data-pad and tossed it to Lorainne, who nearly dropped it from the sudden and unexpected toss.

"What is this?" she demanded.

"You will find detailed intel on Teek Amavia, your subordinate, that show they are working to destroy you and your influence. She is currently working with Zexx."

"Ok and what's new? They have always been conspiring to get me out. So what do you offer?"

"If you look at the file Ascendancy, you will find many detailed weapons my people have developed that would put your research into the stone age. I think you can find a use for it" he replied as he sat back down.

---------

The Apostles of Syn battle team made their way to a undisclosed location. Their job was simple, destroy the President and plant evidence that showed corruption from the office of the Presidency. Vassago was leading the team of five, as they made their way into the planet's data banks and started up loading falsified documents and credit payments to outside resources.

As soon as they would be done, that was when they would alert their team leader, Brimstone when the mission was accomplished.

---------

Meanwhile, back in Lorainne's office, the two were discussing updating research and development's new goals.

"So once I assume command of the Presidency, I assume you would want to take over R&D and be my second in charge?"

Before Brimstone could reply, the chrono on his wrist chimed three beeps, alerting him that his team was finished. Brimstone then reached out with the Force, grabbed Lorainne by her throat, and hurtled her up against the nearest window, shattering it.

As she slumped from the impact, she looked at the Chiss. "I thought we were working together?"

"That was your mistake making the assumption I wanted you for the President's position. You are what is standing in the way of my actual goal." Brimstone then telekinetically lifted her up in the air. She tried to scream out "You want the position, then take it and spare me."

Brimstone just smirked as he hurtled her out the window, allowing her to plummet down eight stories to her most certain death. "That was your first and last mistake. You assumed." he said as he watched her land down below with a thud, ending her life in a splatter of blood spray. Brimstone then turned around and proceeded to wipe down all spots he had touched, picking up his data pad, punching in a security code that set it for self-destruction. It gave him 10 seconds before the room was engulfed in flames. Brimstone knew any security investigation would show her conspiring against the President and would end up in her suicide to cover her tracks.

Brimstone then left as he dropped the data pad bomb.

Placement
No placement