Deathwatch: Chapter 2 - Rumble before the Storm [Fiction Thread]

Zsoldos Orbit

The Deathwatch Marauder-class Corvette parked in the orbit of Zsoldos with an eerily silence left over from the recent battle with Plagueis forces. With the rest of the Clan aiding in the escape of the Grand Master Nothing was really left but to finally relax and maintain administration of the House Wren.

“Hail the Deathwatch and get me a current briefing of Deathwatch and House Wren’s current status.” the Questor of Wren ordered

The nearby communications officer sent the call and acknowledged the command. “ Um, sir they haven’t responded…”

“Keep at it he won’t be able to meditate if he keeps getting pinged, It’s something I know he hates either way.”

“Sir we have another problem, our systems show that the Marauders engines are missing parts or offline and won’t be able to run at full capacity as well as I can’t seem to contact engineering”

“Send a security team to check it out, I’d hate to not be able to answer a call, especially one from Kalan” Rulvak ordered.

“I want to know what’s going on here!”

“You don’t think it has to do with what our boarding party brought back from the Plagueis ship cargo hold do you?” As Kano asked the power of the ship seemed to flicker before shutting off completely and the restarting.

Zsoldos Deathwatch Camp

Among the hustle and bustle of the camp being repaired from the previous attacks, a faint beep could be heard from the camps administration office.

Kade and Dral looked at each other before looking back at the Battleteam Leaders office from where the sound could be heard.

“Best of 3?” the Journeyman asked

“Like we have a choice?” Dral replied with an uneasy voice.

As they both stepped back they counted, first Kade “One…”, then Dral “Two…” and finally together “Three!” As they both drew a weapon from their respective stored holster or sheath. Dral pulled out his vibroblade as Kade pulled out a blaster at the same time. With a small fit of disappointment Dral slowly sheathed his knife as Kade did the same for his blaster.

On the second round Dral pulled a blaster as Kade drew a container from his belt.

With a sigh Dral put his blaster back and walked towards the door and knocked. On the third knock the door opened itself to reveal that no one was inside and the office which Dral had lined with explosives in the event of an enemy occupation could be destroyed was in disarray.

On the desk a blinking light flashed indicating a call. Dral slowly made his way towards the desk to accept the call before being hailed on his own communicator.

“Dral have you seen the Appius?” the scruffy voice of Kade echoed in his ear.

“No I haven’t I was expecting to see him in the Deathwatch office once you took his place” the blue Mandalorion replied

“You mean he’s not at the camp?” The Raider demanded

“No sir, and there’s a message for him, should I reply?”

“No, I’ll inform the House and Clan of his disappearance, but I want you to take command until then, Find out what’s going on and report back to me when you know. I also need a security team sent to the Marauder, there seems to be an issue with the ship and the Questor wants to know what.”

Marauder-class Corvette engine level

The security team made their way through the halls of the Marauder-class Corvette looking for the engineering team and seeing what the issue may have been. The sector of the ship has an eerie silence about it as if it was abandoned, or worse.

Making their way to the engine room the door was barred with something on the other side. Almost like they were protecting something. When the Security team managed to break the door open, they saw nothing, the electronics had been destroyed for either parts or just completely destroyed leaving nothing but scorch marks. With further investigation they made the assumption that they escaped through the service tunnels of the ship.

The lead security officer of the team hailed the Questor on his personal communication device. “Sir, it seems no one is here, no signs of the personnel, body or otherwise.”

Rulvak waited a minute before responding to the team lead “Where have they gone?”

“Can you bring back the power, that’s our main priority here”.

The security team lead looked around the room as if puzzled “Sir, I’m not an engineer but I’ll do what I can”.

Zsoldos Deathwatch Camp
A few hours later

Dral took a breather from cleaning the office up, looking at what was missing in the files or room itself, nothing seemed to be gone from his point of view.

A few moments later the Desk holocom rings, Dral looks towards the hologram to see who it is, ‘Hector’ blinks on the desk holocom id. Pushing the answer button displays the Zygerrian Mandalorian in the hologram.

“The Aedile took the plagueis artifact we recovered from the feud and left for the safety of our clan. Kade went to track him down and talk to him”

Dral turned his head in confusement by this news. “What do you mean, what did that orb have anything to do with all of this?”

“Seeing as the Force disciple only gave me small details of the object in question. He also gave me a warning to give pause when taking the relics of the Sith. Seeing as they tend to bring out the worst in people.”

The Deathwatch Battleteam leader paused for a moment before replying. “Are you saying that he left with the artifact to destroy it?”

The Major quickly retorted “Rajhin believes he took it to save us.”

Dral opened the database of the spoils of war retrieved from the feud and pulled up the object in question. A sphere, made of a pearl-like material. Along with a shield that held the Plagueis symbol. The sphere was brought to the engineering team for research and then sent to Appius for further research according to the inventory log. “And what did he say it did?”

“It slowly makes you coveted it, corrupts your mind to demand the jewel. Slowly seeping thoughts of aggression and greed.”

“So if it was sent to a team to research it, would you say they’d destroy their area and try to go looking for it in hopes of finding it?”

“Given enough time I’d say so, but why do you ask?”

“Seems the engineering team aboard the Marauder-class Corvette have gone silent who were investigating the sphere.”

“I imagine they’ve left by now then”

“I’ll report your findings, and good job Hector.”