Four days, that's how long it took for civil order to return to the city world and capital of the Galactic Republic, of course it didn't help that more information that came out, caused more worlds outside the main capital to have more riots and protests. However for one Jedi knight Anakin Skywalker and his Padawan Ahsoka, the riots and protest meant nothing as they were having an important conversation about both their futures.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU HAVE THOUGHTS OF LEAVING THE ORDER!?" Ashoka yelled at her master in the empty council chambers
"Listen, Ahsoka. It was just a thought I had after watching the House log add I-" Anakin before Ahsoka interrupted him. "Wait, are you saying you have thoughts of leaving the Order and me because you saw some business man in a log?" Ahsoka said, leaning forward with her growing fangs showing.
Anakin raises his hands as a sign of peace, "Ashoka, look. It's more than just that." He sighs as he adds, "It's the order itself. I don't know how to describe my feelings towards it but, I just don't have the same love for it as I once thought I had." He says before looking at his Padawan.
"What about me Master" Ahsoka asked tears brimming in her eyes, "What about me, your not just leaving the order your leaving me, and I need you, any other master except Obi-wan would have given up on me and would have just sent me to the Agri-corp. Not you though, you understood me, you got me, and now you're thinking about just leaving me high and dry, leaving me." she trailed off tears now freely flowing down her face, she looked at him, tears stinging her eyes. "You don't think I need you, for fuck sakes, your the fucking father I need, I need you, you are the father I claim, you are my dad to me."
Anakin just stays silent, but wraps his arms around her as he tries to comfort her, "I will never leave you snips, if anything I'd ask you to join me if I do decide to leave the order. After all" He breaks off the hug and looks her right in the eyes. "Whos gonna keep you out of trouble." He says in a jovial tone with a small smirk
Ahsoka looked up at Anakin with tears in her eyes and simply said "Thanks, dad" and just continued to hug it out
Anakin just smiles as he comforts his adopted Daughter, However not all was going good as off in the Clone barracks more then a few were not having a good time, as for the four days of riots and protest, all clones who were not part of the coruscant detachment were confined to the post. Of course a clone named Fives wasn't happy about it. "I'M GONNA LOSE MY MIND BEING STUCK HERE!" He shouts before throwing a punch into the wall.
Echo another clone looked at Fives "Calm down" he said, "The news said that the rioting was calming down and it should be contained by tomorrow."
Fives just groans as he flops down on his bunk next to Echos, "It's not soon enough! I wanna be able to leave and learn more about this leak...i mean did you see the rumors coming from mandalorian space? Hell did you even see the last logs being published on the net?" Of course he wasn't alone, ever since the senate session was leaked by the whistleblower, the same person or persons released the logs to the public which is the reason for the four days of protest and riots.
"Just calm down man" Echo said "It will be over tomorrow and then we can finally leave the barracks, and yeah it's crazy that someone would leak the logs, but I'm sure someone did it for a good reason."
Fives just nods before pulling out his tablet and starts to surf the net as one who is bored does, of course while the grunts sit in the barracks getting stir crazy, the officers were another story as Rex, Cody, and wolf all sat in the officers lounge. "So they really leaked all of this out onto the Net." Wolf said as he was reading the logs and what they entailed. "Fucking hell these mutants are gonna be tough to take down, even with the rotor blasters." He comments looking at the pictures of the east coast mutants.
Rex nodded "Hell yeah they are, these bastards look tough, heh, think they will actually put up more of a fight then the clankers." Rex said.
Cody shakes his head as he reads from his own tablet, "For now we have to prepare for what's to come now the general populace knows of earth. My biggest concern is when we actually find the planet and how were gonna have to either contain, protect, or out right destroy every threat that is present in this...what do the Terrans call it again Rex?"
"They call it a Wasteland, Cody" Rex said "But personally I call it target practice."
Cody huffs out an "ass" As Wolf picks up, "Still, I think the biggest threat has to be the rads that are still present. You think we should bring up the idea of adding rad shielding to the armor in the future? Or do they expect us to just go in wearing lead bodysuits?" He says to his two fellow commanders.
"Probably have rad shielding added to the armor" Rex said, "The republic is too cheap to have full lead suits made for all of us.
Before a comment can be made, the doors open as the sight of Plo-koon and Adi Gallia is seen walking in which results in the three standing at attention and giving salutes, "Generals on deck!" Shouted Rex.
In the Barracks Fives looks over at the Holo screen in their rec area and sees the news reporting live from the senate, seeing that a new log is about to be released, Fives gets up and raises his voice to the barracks.
"Alright boys! New log is about to drop, let's get whatever we can to keep us feed and hydrated!"
Sure enough, as soon as the news of a new log coming out is heard, the barracks jump into action to get everything ready for viewing.
Belloma looked to the those gathered in the Jedi council chamber and with a very sarcastic tone of voice
"Okay listen the fuck up you profligate shitheads, things in this viewing are going to be fucked up so either all of you gather your big boy pants and nut up or shut the fuck up and get the fuck out."
The screen showed Ruby Gardner, standing up and smiling.
"Attention all watchers, listeners, those present and on the air waves. Warning, this Log contains the following: Blood, missing skin, necrosis, grotesque and visuals that the viewer will find disturbing. Parents are advised to shield their children from what they might find disturbing. Viewer discretion is advised." She explained, before with a simple folder being taken out, and opened, showing the video file beginning to be played.
"Three Dog here! How's everyone doing? Upnext, we have a public service announcement. Listen up Children, this stuff's important." a rather smooth, cool and collective voice said
*Shows a radio, on a bar, a blurry rotting figure is polishing a cup behind the counter*
Both Ashoka and Adi couldnt help but feel their faces warm up at hearing the smooth voice of the host known as Three dog, however that feeling was quickly pushed away as Ashoka pulled an Ashoka and shouted while pointing at the holo screen, "WHAT THE KIRFF HAPPEN TO HIM!?" She pointed at the man behind the bar who looked like a walking corpes.
Krell cringed, and then furled his brow. "That creature is truly disgusting and horrid. It would be better to put him down." Krell stated.
Both Fives and Echo both held down their lunch as they see the rotten walking corpse. "Kriffing hell is that thing?" Fives asks getting out of huff of breath.
"I don't know, but I don't like where this might be going." Echo said, coughing a lung out.
Yoda, having heard what Krell said, narrowed his eyes Krell had been getting out of control as of late and his clone legions have sustained the most casualties, and from what Yoda had gathered from the surviving clones, he had done it intentionally, Yoda couldn't let this stand the Clones while artificial in their creation were sentients and thus if Krell had another high body count when he didn't need to Yoda would investigate personally, and if he didn't like what he found he would have force suppression cuffs slapped on him and he would be sent to the Agni-corp as punishment. Yoda also felt sorrow for the man in the video he obviously was suffering but he felt in peace.
Anakin hearing Krell raised and eye brow and snarked, "Well your not a looker yourself, granted not everyone could be blessed with my looks now can they." He says with a hint of sass while keeping his hand close to his light saber and his pip boy ready to use its V.A.T.S. feature.
"Hi kids, I'm here today with an important public service announcement. Being a ghoul has a lot of advantages, like living for hundreds of years, and being immune to radiation. But life as a ghoul ain't for everyone.
*shows a man in a radiation suit walked into an area filled with barrels, marked with radiation danger symbols, which were translated and pasted over the the text*
So, if you're still a smoothskin, and you wanna stay that way, keep an eye on your geiger counter when you're outside, and always use Rad X before scavenging near radioactive materials. If you begin to experience nausea, dry eyes or spontaneous hair loss, then go inside IMMEDIATELY and inject yourself with Radaway.
*shows the figure falling to the ground, coughing as he holds onto an old fence, and passes out*
And don't forget to tune into Galaxy News Radio for the Adventures of me, Argyle and my smoothskin pal, Herbert! Daring! Dashwood! New Episodes every other friday, only here, on GNR." a now harsh, gravely voice said
*shows a battlefield, with brotherhood knights shooting at charging, animalistic zombies, that look much more decrepit and aggressive. Shows the "Please Stand By" screen, with a bloody print on it*
Rex and Cody both sat silently as they both dropped their cups of blue milk, however now they're considering getting something strong considering what they just learned and saw, and the bloody hand print wasn't making it easy for them. Of course Wolfe was ready to make a comment, "By....The....Force..." Was all he could say as the shock and fear was clear in his voice.
Plo Koon placed his hand on the shoulder of Wolfe.
"Hardships and danger are a way of life for many in their worlds. This world just happens to be harsher than any we know of at this time." though, his other hand was trembling, behind his back, as a saddened expression covered his face.
Anakin shook his head as he looked at Ashoka, "Ok! number one priority! Lead...KRIFFING EVERYTHING! And Wearing full seal armor at all times when near hotspots of radiation!" Anakin was many things but an idiot he was not, of course that could be thanks to the daily dosing of mentats when he felt stressed, but even he could see that he needed to make sure not only him, but Padme, Ashoka, hell THE ENTIRE FIVE O FIRST! Was prepared for the hell that was the Wasteland.
"What the absolute fuck was that!" Shouted Ashoka at seeing what looked like zombies.
Echo made sure to take the PSA to heart and mind, he doesn't want his brothers to turn into those... monsters. Fives actually felt bad about them but felt the same as Echo. "Please tell me those new armor has lead in them?" Echo just shrugged now hoping they did.
The Radiant heat of an atomic bomb can turn a human body to ash in an instant, the shock wave can crush bones and burst organs for miles in every direction, and those unfortunate enough to survive will soon to succumb to the unseen threat of radioactive fallout. Most bodies will lay down and die once they've absorbed enough radiation, a horrible death that takes days, but maybe better than the alternative that some people face, Ghoulification.
*Shows a mushroom cloud and shockwave, shaking the camera just a bit as it reaches the position. Then shows a mannequin, and then the same fake body, smoking, the "body" burned away, leaving only smoking and burned remains of cloth, before it turns to black*
Anakin and Ashoka just stared shocked at the damage that one of these bombs could do, It honestly scared them at the idea that some rogue faction might try to replicate such a thing and use it against them, either on the battlefield, or as an act of terror.
Krell's expression didn't change from his scowl. "It doesn't matter what gets in the way, an objective must be taken, no matter the cost." Krell explained, crossing his 4 arms across his chest.
Yoda's eyes narrowed at what Krell said, it was just another nail in his coffin as far as Yoda was concerned.
Plenty of people in the wasteland will shoot ghouls on site. They look like zombies, or mummies, monsters right out of old horror vids. The tragedy is that most ghouls are just as intelligent now as they were back when they were human, and they're perfectly aware of what's happening to them. THere's still plenty of them that have gone feral though. Spend enough time in a rotting body, and they degenerate into little more than an animal that attacks any humans they see. Most folk think it's better to just shoot first, and wory about being called a bigot later.
*shows a ghoul in a building, they are wearing tattered rags, and open wounds decorate his face and neck, with barely any hair, minus patches left on his head. His upper teeth are exposed but they don't seem to notice, that their upper lip is all but gone. Slowly fades to a gaunt figure, the muscle is more exposed, with a more skeletal appearance, the eyes much more sunken, and threatening in appearance, with eyes that seem to be searching for its next prey.*
Adi had a sadden face as she shakes her head, "Those poor people, To live in such a way until you are driven to insanity and are no better than a mindless beast." She breaths trying to keep her emotions in check but Rex speaks what everyone, he presumes, is thinking. "Its a mercy to put a blaster bolt through their head." He says with a voice void of emotion.
Wolfe looked at Rex. "A mercy to some is terror to others. We may see beasts, they may see friends and family." Was all he could say.
Yoda closed his eyes, 'suffering these ones were, peace they must be granted, heavy my heart will be, on this planet' he thought.
Anakin, even with his dark thoughts gathering, pops a berry mentat into his mouth to help his stress. A thought popped into his head. 'Wait a minute, OUR TECH! We have advanced medical technology compared to them. Which means WE COULD FIND A CURE!' He smiled at such a thought while sucking on his Mentat.
"What was that?" Ahsoka asks after noticing that Anakin placed something into his mouth.
We're not sure why some people turn into ghouls, while others just keel over after being exposed to radiation. The history tapes don't mention ghouls existing before the Great War, so something must have changed back round the end of the 21st century. Well, a lot of things changed, but even the best minds of the wasteland can't figure out which factors cause Ghoulification.
*shows a ghoul in tattered rags stumbling about, looking around, the area looks much more ruined, dark, wet, and with much more trash*
Anakin, Contemplated what to do so with a sigh he hands Ashoka one tablet and says, "Its something that helps me with stress. Its safe when in moderate takes so don't think you can sneak into my stress meds." A lie sure, but with what their watching, no one could blame him for wanting to make sure that Ashoka has something to help with the stress and feelings of what is presented.
'Kiff' Rex thought 'They really went through hell didn't they.'
Cody however went to the bar and got as many bottles as he could of the good stuff before returning as now Adi and Wolfe were taking shots to help them keep their nerves.
Wolfe was leaning on the bar, needing to support himself, "General, if I ever go mad on that planet, just put me down." Wolfe said, looking to Plo Koon
Plo-koon just shakes his head, "It will never come to that." He said with conviction.
The Planet was covered with unprecedented levels of radiation. Some of the sites holding stock piles of the Forced Evolutionary Virus were hit in the war, and trace amounts of the virus were released into the Atmosphere. Humanity's gene pool had also been reduced from billions of people, down to a smattering of survivors, Many of which had been selected by Vault-tec for dubious purposes.
*Shows two scientists near vials, zooming in, many Read "FEV strain #" and then various, different serial numbers on the label. It then shows a large population map, which suddenly turns dark, except in a few dots across the country*
Rex just slowly sets down his shot as he processes that information, "Oh force. Thats it isnt it, it was the FEV that caused all of the mutations, it had to have been." He says emotionless as the fear of becoming something not even human, clone yes but still human, filled the battle harden combat veteran with pure fear.
Fives and Echo's eyes widen like dinner plates. "So not only can FEV make Super Mutants, but also Ghouls?" Echo asks out loud. "I hope the Kaminoans never find the FEV, who knows what they would use it for." Fives agreed.
Krell looked at the lab. "Interesting, this FEV created the super mutants, so that means in minor doses could cause mutations. I wonder what else it could do?" he mumbled to himself, but still just loud enough to be heard by the Padawan in the room.
Ashoka was horrified at what Master Krell said. She looked over to Anakin and she saw not a horrified face, but one of controlled anger as he narrowed his eyes at the four armed man.
Yoda felt young Ahsoka's fear from where he was sitting, and he saw that Krell was near where the young one was standing, and with narrowed eyes, and while he could not prove it he knew he had something to do with it
Ghoulification might happen when folks get just the right dose of radiation. Could even be a hereditary trait that was always present in humanity, but only activated by high levels of radiation exposure. Walk the wasteland long enough and you'll find evidence for all these theories and more.
*Shows a group of hazmat suit wearing people studying a ghoul, at gunpoint, taking pictures, and taking notes, when everyone noticed....the bomb collar around the throat of the ghoul. As the scientists leave, a beeping is heard, before it fades to black and a wet sounding explosion goes off*
No one could move, because as soon as that bomb collar went off on screen a force presence weighed down on all of them, those that could move their heads saw an absolutely livid look in the normally kind Jedi Grand Master, a wave of righteous fury came over him as he saw what happened to that ghoul, 'Tap into the darkside normally I do not, but the dark this is not, righteous light this is, pay these people will, hard labor they will do, serve their sentence they will do.' Yoda thought.
Rex and Cody who knew who these hazmat suit wearing people were, sat there shocked before they heard the bomb collar go off, after said device went off Rex was the first to his feet as he shouts with anger, "YOU ENCLAVE BASTARDS! Haven't they suffered enough! Now you use them as your test subjects for your twisted experiments!" He said breathing hard as his fist shook with how much anger was going through his body.
Plo Koon turned away once the beeping began, and he slightly jumped, at the wet popping sound that was the explosion, "The Enclave seem to know no mercy for those they do not see as human. So Mercy shall not be offered towards them."
"Wait, if it a genetic trait is it possible that-" Echo was cut off by Five.
"Don't you dare finish that sentences. I don't want to imagine what that could mean."
"But what if it is possible? Fives, we have to make sure our brothers are safe when we're on Earth." Echo said, causing Fives to flinch.
Echo never saw his brother act this way, was the thought that his brothers could turn Ghouls really scared him that much.
"You can stay quiet about this but I'm sending my request for a bio scan when this is done." Fives didn't say anything, after all he didn't want to think his brothers could become these 'poor bastards'
When the Great War happened, thousands of people made it to Vault-Tec facilities in time to survive the nuclear bombardment. Most of them were kept safe from the ensuing fallout, but there was one vault, number 12, where the doors didn't close all the way. They shielded most of the radioactivity, but just enough got through to turn Vault 12's population into ghouls.
*A vault door numbered 12 opens, before the image fades, to see many people, wearing vault suits, looking wrinkled, and loosing their hair, before it showed many with their skin dropping off in patches*
Anakin's fist were clench before he took a breath to calm down, 'Of course Vault-Tec would do something like this.' was all he thought, but of course Ashoka was the voice to his emotions as she said, "Damn them, Damn you Vault-Tec, DAMN YOU ALL TO HELL!" She said with tears and pure emotion all over her face.
Wolfe's grip on his drink tightened as he heard it was Vault-tec. Grabbing a bottle, he drank directly from it, slamming it down on the bar. He only realized, when Adi Gallia pulled the bottle free from his hand.
Every one of them was chosen by Vault-Tec, and they have a history of rigging their vaults to experience "Theatrical" malfunctions, so it can't be a coincidence that the doors failed to seal up. This supports the notion that ghouls have a pre-existing dormant trait, but it could also mean that the scamps at Vault-Tec knew the exact amount of radiation to let in.
*Shows a vault door, not quite closed all the way.*
"That proves the genetics theory." Echo said half heartedly.
Adi after having another drink says, "After this, I am going to be doing a full bio scan on all clones, both in the field and here to make sure NONE of them are able to become ghouls, or at least be affected by the environment of Terra." She says seriously, even if she has a slight slurred speech.
Krell, chuckling to himself, the only signs visible he was doing this, was a jiggle of his large chin, but it was very minor.
Yoda's eyes narrowed at the jiggle of Krell's large chin, 'After this viewing talk to him i will.' he thought.
Either way, the ghouls who lived in Vault 12 used their pre-war technology to create a prosperous, if unsightly, town. Humans stayed away from the place, although naming the town "Necropolis" probably didn't help with tourism.
*Shows a town full of boarded up buildings, with many ghouls wondering the streets, scavenging for materials, and trading with people on the edge of town, only a few that look someone more normal talking with traders. "Necropolis, a large graveyard that belongs to an ancient city"*
Cody sighs as he shakes his head, "Even with all they have been through, they still try to make things at least better then what they have." Plo-Koon nods in agreement, "The spirit to move on and never give up are wonderful things that resides in all species."
The ghouls got along pretty well by themselves for close to a century. One of the few good parts about a ghoul is that they don't age like humans do. Some of the pre-war ghouls are still kicking, today. Unfortunately, most of them were killed a while back, because Necropolis was one of the first places to be overrun when the Master unleashed his mutant army.
*Many people are playing cards, before a still image is shown, and the people fade away, vanishing from the image, showing they have died. However, some didn't vanish, some became more disheveled, and wild looking, they had gone feral*
Wolfe looked at the screen, standing up and shakily standing, his legs barely holding himself up. He scowled, "The damn master destroyed a lot of wisdom." Wolfe slurred out.
"Would have been nice to hear about things that happened before the War." Echo said with a heavy sigh.
Rex just stayed silent, but was still very upset at the information that all the knowledge of the old world was destroyed by the master.
The mutants stormed in hoping to find a Vault full of pure-strain humans with no trace of mutation. They must have been hopping mad to learn that all that was left of Vault 12's gene pool was a bunch of radioactive zombies. The ghouls managed to keep an uneasy truce with the Super Mutants for a couple of years, but eventually the mutants turned on them and slaughtered most of the town. It was nearly a hundred years after the Great War, but the folks from Vault 12 finally made it into their graves.
*A scene of ghouls fighting against the mutants, only for one mutant to charge forward, swing it's hammer hard, and knocking the head off the body of one ghoul, wearing a tank top and brown baggy pants, cuts to an image of many dead bodies, blood splattered everywhere near the bodies, as if the deaths were violent, and unnecessarily brutal*
Rex, hell all the clones watching were fuming rage at the fact that the masters forces would just kill all of those people! They had knowledge of the old world for force sakes! No, that wasn't what the master wanted. "Really wish you were still around so I can shoot you myself." Growled out Rex.
Krell scowled. "The Master was a monster, he had an army and wasted it on watching those walking corpses. With an army like those of the Super Mutants....." Krell stopped, grinning, that was a rather powerful tool to have.
Those within the chamber with Krell had their eyes widen at his outspoken thought, Ashoka was about to act like a fool and attempt to send a saber through the four armed mans back, but was stopped by Anakin as he mouths to her, 'Not yet.' He himself knew now thanks to his clearer mind that Krell was a threat and needed to be, 'Retried' from the order. However this only pushed the idea of leaving said order if such beings were allowed to be apart of it.
Some of the surviving ghouls made it to the few settlements that would tolerate their kind, like Broken Hills where they lived with humans and mutants alike. Others just set up shop in places too heavily irradiated for anyone to bother them. Another perk of being a ghoul is that they don't get sick from radiation exposure. Hell, some of them even feed off the stuff and get a robust healthy glow when they're around it.
*lines spread across a map, leading to areas such as Broken hills, Gecko and various other settlements. Shows a glowing ghoul, the bones outlined in the dark, making them look supernatural in a way.*
Plo Koon was taken aback by the glowing, ghoul, shocked almost, as his expression, what little of that he could control, showed surprise and shock.
Those watching from the officers lounge had to do a spit take as all stared at the image of Ghouls who were honest to the Force GLOWING! "Wait, so aside from the longer life span, losing their own skin, possibility of turning into mindless monsters bent on killing anything that isnt a fellow Ghoul, THEY CAN GLOW NOW!?" Was All Wolfe could say as Rex nods, "Yeah, they glow now."
Yoda frowned, calming from his burst of fury that he had, rarely ever shown. "Make best, they could. Makes them special, they are using." Yoda said, sitting in his chair.
A few of them settled in a town near a broken down nuclear reactor in California. They got it running again, even though it probably wasn't up to its pre-war safety standards. They were smart enough to trade their electricity with the surrounding cities too.
*Shows a group working on a reactor, fixing the generators, and control boards flicker to life*
Anakin nods, "Thats honestly good, even if you cant stand in the same room with high levels of rads, Ghouls can and honestly, I think its a good idea to work with such people because of such resistance to rads." He says matter of factly.
Wolfe sat down with the rest of the officers, a bottle in his hand, "I guess when you don't need radiation protection, a nuclear energy facility is the best job for ya."
"I mean, I guess that makes sense, given some training manuals survived, anyone with enough time and understanding could work one." Echo said.
"Yeah." Fives agreed.
They had the idea that if they could provide enough power to their neighbors in Vault City, then they might be able to use some of that Vault-Tec medical equipment to find a cure for being a ghoul. Nothing ever came of that idea, though. Vault City wasn't known for helping out their neighbors back in those days.
*shows two doctor ghouls working on a ghoul, injecting something into the arm, before the screen faded to black*
Rex growls abit, "Oh of course! Because Vault City is so great! TO HELL WITH YOU BIGOTS! Those ghouls probably have more knowledge then you do in your self entitled thumbs!" Cody just sighs shaking his head.
"Vault city, the place that had been a "success" according to Vault tec. Ha, they would just use the ghouls as servants while giving them only the scraps of medical gear to find a cure. Clever." Krell said, having one of his hands stroke his chin,
Anakin's eye was twitching as was his hand resting on his lightsaber. Yoda looked towards Anakin, slowly shaking his head, without Krell noticing.
A few scientists are still looking for a cure, including a ghoul doctor in Washington DC, but there aren't any tales of ghouls being miraculously renewed. Plenty of hucksters are looking to trick them into thinking there's a cure, or a better world waiting for them in the sky. Not far from the Colorado river is a glowing preacher who claims he's going to take his flock of faithful ghouls to some sort of utopian space paradise. That is if they can get their space ship repaired.
*two ghouls are standing near a closed area, two glowing creatures on the other side of wire, as they seem to be testing on them. Shows a glowing, suit wearing ghoul talking to a group of ghouls, in some sort of scientific facility, surrounded by computers and consoles*
There was an unexpected and unexplainable record scratch as the mention of a "Space ship" being made. The video stopped, for the jedi, while the clones paused their broadcast. Echo and Fives looked at each other.
"I mean, they could....with radiation immunity, but-" Echo began
"-They are building a space ship....they could survive a long journey with no issues due to their long life span." Wolf continues
"So they could be out in space-" Plo Began.
"-Who knows what and we may not know, this is outrageous!" Krell stated, walking to Belloma, who was sitting on a chair, not in the seat, on the back rest.
"What are you playing at machine? Did these creatures launch into space!?" Krell demanded to know.
Belloma, raised her fist, with her thumb between two fingers, looking at krell, "I do not need to answer to you creature, you are a Malpias legate."
Anakin was on his pipboys 'note pad' feature typing away in capital letters 'FIND POSSIBLE TERRAN GHOULS LOST IN SPACE!!!!!' Before he stops after hearing what Belloma said. Slowly turning he looked at the back of Krell who was turned to him. As a dark thought entered into his mind. 'If i activate VATS and target his back. I could take him out here and now.' He thought before shaking his head slightly remembering what Yoda had said.
Back in the town of Gecko they had some mysterious genius hidden away beneath the town with a plan to renew their humanity somehow. They should have been a little suspicious, since the cunning plan involved gathering large amounts of cheese-flavored snacks...
*a ghoul on a soap box was talking about a cure, with some people following, offering boxes to him, only for him to enter a small underground room and feed it to a giant Mole Rat.*
Now those within the Officers lounge and barracks had be having abit of an emotional up and downs, this, this one bit of the log caused untold laughter. "BY THE FORCE!" Was all Fives could get out before falling backwards laughing along side their other brothers within the barracks.
Krell was just a little angry, before he began to move back to watching the logs. Both sets of arms crossed in front of his chest. Plo Koon and Adi Gallia both chuckled, the visual was rather humorous, "Some people do anything for a crazy idea." She said, laughing.
Wolfe was laughing abit as he says in a voice of a follower, "Oh great rat god! i bring you tribute! Now what wisdom can you bring onto me!" Before breaking down laughing again as he even bangs on the bar counter top.
"Bring me cheese and I shall cure you of your curse." Rex said, in a high pitch voice.
Cody was dying laughing before he finally catches his breath, "Oh! Oh! oh man, we needed that." He said between breaths.
Large ghoul settlements are rare these days because many factions within the wasteland have tried to annihilate them entirely. The Enclave has attempted genocide twice in the last forty years, and the Brotherhood of Steel isn't exactly sympathetic to their plight, either.
*A group of Enclave soldiers are firing plasma weapon at ghouls, killing many as they walk over the bodies, without any apparent care for the dead*
Rex sighs, "Dont worry. Once we find Terra will help you all and make sure no one else has to die from fear of not understanding your plight."
Krell commented, "The enclave suffer from blind orders. Using the ghouls would have been better."
There's a secret ghoul city built into an old museum out in Washington DC. They have a lady who remembers the days before the bombs fell, and she tries to help out the unfortunate people who have recently transformed. Yeah, people are still turning into ghouls. Doesn't happen often, but every now and then some lucky bastard will spend too much time near a hot spot and find themselves slowly turning into a walking hunk of beef jerky.
*Signs reading "The Underworld" hand in a large fancily designed, and well preserved hall. In the center is a statue of people climbing a rock, reaching for the sky. Shows the ghouls of the town, talking, behaving like normal people, but appearing like a scene from a horror movie.*
Krell scowled, he held his tongue though, he could feel the angry glares aimed at him.
Anakin Smiled, "At least their are some decent people out in the wastes. Might have to find this old woman and talk with her about what life was like before the bombs." He wasnt alone as many within the lounge were starting to think what they could learn from the pre-war ghouls who hadnt gone feral.
Plo Koon, was surprised, "the statue seems......fitting for the name" He commented, the visuals were not dark, he could imagine the stories that could be told from the people there.
A person can never tell if they'll ghoulify. Even if they stay away from radiation, they can still end up looking a ghoul if they get exposed to the Forced Evolutionary Virus – the stuff that created the Super Mutants.
*More ghouls are talking, some wearing dresses, others armor, guns slung over their shoulders, with one wearing a wig, peddling a "hair tonic" cart*
The last one got a chuckle from most people, "I honestly wouldnt buy that stuff from the ghoul, but ill stay and watch the man try and peddle his wares." Commented Cody as he could imagine what it must be like to watch a ghoul sell anything in the wasteland.
"I guess that's the FEV theory evidence." Fives stated.
Normally when someone is dipped in a vat of FEV, they come out looking Boris Karloff with a touch of sea-sickness. But there's a few mutants who developed other forms of genetic aberration. Holotapes recovered from the Master's old base in Mariposa speak of people who gained psychic powers, and other unique alterations. A couple of these failed attempts at perfecting the Super Mutants ended up looking just like ghouls.
*a simple holotape is shown on a desk, one that is dirty, "Mariposa, test subject: failures" was all that was written on it*
From within the Senate, Palpatine had a shocked face on his grandfatherly figure, but within, behind the mask? Was a man who was curious beyond all belief. The idea that the FEV could give force-like abilities to those who are without the force or are not even force sensitive sent the man's mind a blaze with ideas. Remembering a certain data packet he had received recently which contained mentions of the FEV, he would slowly but surely build up a research group to conduct experiments on both Force and non Force sensitives to see what effects the FEV would have on them.
"I am taking my leave." Krell said, turning towards the door.
"Leaving command, you will be, Meditation, reflection, you need, Krell." Yoda said.
"You can not do this to me! We are in a war!" Krell shouted.
"Yes, and peace, you mind needs. To Fenof, you shall go. Return, only when balance, you shall." Yoda commanded.
Krell stormed out, angry, before the order was relayed, and it was known, he was not to return to action, or he would be a rogue element of the order.
One of them used to live out in the Boneyard to the West. Joined up with the Followers of the Apocalypse over a century ago. Their records say he was an ordinary human before he was dipped in the FEV vats. He was pure strain human too, fresh out of one of the vaults, but he still came out of the vats looking like a brain-eater. He might still be alive out there too, if his mutation gave him the same long lifespan of the other mutants.
*A ghoul in a lab coat is reading a book, a symbol of a cross in a circle was on his shoulder, with a man in the background, placing books on a shelf*
"A ghoul would be a good teacher, with all the experience they could have over 200 years." Echo said.
"I wouldn't mind knowing what some old soldiers could teach." Fives said.
Anakin was one again on his Note pad typing away notes to self on the ghouls to be on the look out for to either recruit or just talk to.
There's another old mutant who emerged from the vats looking just like a ghoul. He was a survivor of the Great War, and was the first mutant to walk the wasteland. Or at least that's how he tells the story.
*a ghoul at a bar is sitting on a stool, a few people sitting next to him, listening, but mostly drinking*
Rex nods as he raises a glass to Harold on screen, "Heres to you old timer, may you still be alive when we find Terra." He smiles before drinking.
He calls himself Harold, and he claims that he had a hand in just about everything that happened over the last two hundred years. He survived the Great War inside one of the nicer vaults, and used to know the Super Mutant Master back when the Master was just an ordinary human. Also claims he was good friends with the Vault Dweller who defeated the Super Mutant army a century ago. Funny that Harold isn't mentioned in the Vault Dweller's own memoir.
*The ghoul is telling a story, his skull is cracked open, exposing something poking out from his head. Telling stories "He was the meanest bitch that walked the wastes, and made sure everyone cleared the way when he came a walkin" the people, however, didn't seem to actually listen*
Anakin chuckles shaking his head, "He reminds me of some old timers from back home, always going on and on with tales from the desert. Yet here we have a man who was there and did what was said to have been done."
Ashoka chimed in, "He even help save the wasteland from the master."
"Now that is a person I would want to sit down and listen to, just to see what they know. He had been around from the start." Adi Gallia said.
Wolfe raises his glass and clanks it against hers, "I second that General."
Harold even said that he helped the Chosen One bring down the Enclave when they tried to take over California. That might have happened, plenty of people remember both of them being in the town of Gecko at the time. But Harold's got a fuzzy memory, so take his stories with a grain of salt. Being over two hundred years old will make a body go a little senile, and Harold's got some unusual problems with his brain on top of old age.
*shows Harald telling another story, the object, much bigger now, like a branch. He was leaning to one side now. "She was like fire in a bottle, just as dangerous as her old man, and with just as much drive that told people she was dangerous." The crowd is different, and the bar was different this time.*
Yoda smiled....maybe a nice sit in a garden with this "Harald" with some tea, sharing stories of their long lives, would be nice, someone who understood what it was like, living beyond many you knew.
"Wisdom, this one holds." was all yoda could say, smiling just a bit.
Rex chuckles as he raised his glass high into the air, "To Harold ! The unsung hero of the West Coast!" Before he downs the shot as Cody, Adi, and Wolfe joined in the toast.
It started out as a little twig growing out of his head a hundred years ago. Some side effect of his mutation. Over the decades that little branch just kept growing and growing until Harold ended up more tree than man. He wandered the country for years at his own deliberate pace, then he took root out East in a desolated spot. By that time, he looked more like a face growing out of a tree than of a tree growing out of a zombie. He even gave off seeds that took root in the surrounding soil, so he ended up attracting a cult of tree worshipers who thought he was some kind of forest god restoring the Earth.
**It then shows a man, trapped in a tree...or maybe a giant man in a tree, surrounded by a forest, while his tree limbs are rather barren*
Silence once again was all that could be heard, As even Ashoka didnt have words to describe the feelings she was having at seeing a man turn into a tree.
Plo Koon was surprised, it was.....strange, was it.....was it good, he was long living, but....he was trapped in place.
They pester him all day long seeking his "Divine" wisdom, and poor old Harold just can't find any peace. They're mostly harmless, and they'll even let travelers in to see Harold if you agree to drink their psychedelic tree sap. Harold enjoys the company and likes having someone around to hear his bad jokes.
*a crowd are bowing down to him, ranging from old men and women, to a child, with a branches in her hair*
"I feel like after a while, the crazy people always seem to find their living god." Wolfe said.
Adi just shakes her head but has a smile, "No. They are not crazy, they are children looking for advice and teachings for a more peaceful way, and Harold is da way."
Ashoka had a soft smile seeing Harold watch over the sleeping child, it was morbid yes, but sweet. "It reminds me of when you would give us comfort whenever we would be scared Master Yoda. I still remember the times you would come and tell us storys to help us sleep." She says with a smile and soft chuckle. In a way Harold gave us the same energy as Yoda.
Not much coherent news comes out of Oasis these days, but travelers from the Capital Wasteland say that the trees north of Washington DC have been looking a mite "greener" the last few years. That could be due to the Brotherhood of Steel purifying the water in the DC basin, but it would be nice to think that old Harold was still out there, making the world a more colorful place.
*Shows a woman in a vault suit, standing before harald, before pulls away, showing the green forest that had clear water running from it, surrounded by green trees*
"Maybe is gift even when trapped is spreading hope to those without it. He left a land that was rebuilding, and now, he has taken root in a land in need of it." Plo Koon said.
Now one must understand that a united thought is rare, even in a universe so wide and diverse as the Republic, CIS, and Mandalore. However the fact that Harold was literally, in a way, giving up his own body to heal a land devastated by nuclear fire and devastation. Resulted in one singular collected thought. "HAROLD MUST BE PROTECTED AT ALL COST!!!!'' Was the united shout heard through out the Galaxy.
Harold has walked across just about every bit of the wasteland in his two hundred years, although he stayed out of the Mojave for the most part. There is a man, a courier, who has traveled all over the Mojave, discovering its secrets and carrying messages from its highest mountains to its deepest divides. But that is a story for another day.
*shows harald in Oasis, before the screen changes, showing a man, standing in front of a flag, the flag design plastered onto his back. The visual of this man, creates a dense.....dreadful feeling, this presence had one thing those watching could tell. He carried a message, and one that held much weight to it.*
As soon as the screen went dark the new casters watching were equally shocked as they tried to collect themselves to report what they saw, however for those in the officers bar it was different. "I dont know about the next log, but i say that once Terra is found, we do everything within our power to help ole Harold and make sure his story is never forgotten!" Said Rex with passion in his voice.
Echo and Fives felt shocked, the visual, there was a seeming invisible weight that pressed on them. Who ever this was, had the power, to decide the fate of what was to come.
Plo Koon, scratched his jaw. Who ever that was, would be important in the future.
Krell had reached the space port, in the military access areas, when he was stopped by clone troopers, the Coruscant shock troopers.
"Out of my way." He ordered.
"We have been given orders jedi, you are to be sent Fenof." the clone said.
"You have no authority over me. I am a Jedi!" Krell shouted.
The clone looked at Krell, "We have orders from the Jedi Grand Master, and we will obey them, you are to be shipped off to Fenof, until such a time as you have regained balance." the clone finished the order that Master Yoda had given him.
"If you dont" the clone continued, "Then we will be forced to stun you and drag your ass on to the ship." He finished by leveling his blaster at Krell, its setting set to stun.
Krell was grabbed, along with his lightsabers, as he was pushed away from the port, before being stunned, multiple times. He was unconscious, as Force Suppression cuffs were placed onto him and carried then sent to a secret facility, will be grounds for what will come. In time, Krell's purpose will be shown, but for now, he is simply, on his way, to regain balance in the force.
Elsewhere on Coruscant, Adi Gallia was busy, getting the preparations for testing for "Ghoulification" is possible, though....she was unsure herself of how to actually test. Bio-scans can read the body, but, without understanding what is in Earth's atmopshere, is FEV particles still floating about, or was the FEV no longer in the air.
She needed information, to know what to test for. She feared, that only when they arrive, would they be able to actually test for the dangers, however, she could have some sort of precaution, protection from radiation, lead lined clone armor would be good, and sealed suits, for rebreathers.