“The lowest I can go is five-thousand credits,” the Ithorian droid dealer wheezed out a series of harmonic rumbles, translated by Venom as it entered Dan’s mind. “This stubborn thing might be an aggravation, but it’s a top quality machine!”
“Observation: I am wasted in this shop or translating for some moisture farmer,” HK-47 chimed in from the side, optical sensors fixed onto Dan as he haggled with Yuka Laka. If you are in need of a skilled combatant, I beg you to purchase me!”
Dan suppressed a laugh at the droid's words. Ever since their entrance, the machine had done nothing but insult its current master and request they save it from its boring fate. Revan stood beside May, while his Wife shifted through the disorganised contents of the shop. No doubt the former Sith was surprised to find her assassin droid for sale in such a place.
“Fine, I’ll transfer the credits,” Dan waved a hand and Venom deposited the funds into the Ithorian’s account. He knew the man would go as low as three, but it wasn’t worth his time to haggle over a few thousand credits. “Now remove the restraining bolt and we’ll be on our way.”
“Request: Now that I am free of this despicable meatbag and under your employ, do you have anyone you need me to kill?” HK hovered closer to the Ithorian, as if eager to start right this minute. “This fool could be used as a demonstration!”
“You’ll have your chance to prove yourself later,” Dan shook his head and motioned for the droid to follow them from the shop. “You can work the rust from your gears when we encounter the sand people, from what I remember they’ll attack strangers on sight because of the damage Czerka has done to their world.”
“Query: Do you have the funds to provide a weapon,” HK clenched his empty fists, eager to hold his preferred armament. “Or do you wish to see a display of my unarmed skills?”
“We’ll get you a weapon, one second…” Dan tapped his chin. He could retrieve a rifle from Gladius, or he could test out the limits of Venom’s abilities. “Let’s see if this symbiote can integrate with your systems… if not, we’ll get a more traditional set of guns.”
Dan flicked his fingers and sent one of Venom’s clones into the droid's chest. He knew that the symbiote could absorb and replicate the abilities of most technologies, but he’d never attempted to bond it to a machine. Ultron and Venom shared a mutual hate, and he had no other mechanical servants that deserved such an upgrade… until now.
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“Objection: What is this… fleshy ooze?” Hk attempted to separate the clone from his chest, but only succeeded in coating his hands in the black fluid. “Warning! It has infiltrated my systems…”
HK-47 jerked, a wave that travelled from toe to head. The droid’s red chassis now contained a mixture of black, concentrated on the feet and hands, as well as the spine. His optical sensors blinked irregularly, before they settled into a new, piercing white.
“Observation: My internal diagnostics show a tenfold increase in all parameters… and something more!” HK raised a hand and shaped it into a three barreled cannon, filled with the glow of kryptonian plasma. “This upgrade comes with many new features!”
“Test them in the field,” Dan and May rose into the air, Revan held between them. “Follow us, you should be able to fly without much effort and we’ll find our target faster from the sky.”
After an unsteady takeoff, HK-47 fell in behind them with a practised hand. Dan shook his head. The benefit of an artificial mind, a capacity to learn that surpassed even Kryptonians. Revan would likely be able to do the same, with the help of the Force, but a normal person would take hours - if not days - to learn to pilot Venom’s thruster mode.
“Our goal is to rescue the Twi-lek in the camp, he’s the brother of a friend of ours,” Dan motioned to the large, rusted walls of the large village that appeared below. “From what I remember, they’re in need of moisture vaporators… but I’m not really interested in a fetch quest.”
Dan drifted until they hovered above Griff’s cell and descended to the ground. The Twi-lek scrambled back, away from HK’s thruster flame. Terror on his face, he raised his arms and wailed out a string of obvious lies.
“You there! I’m a high ranking executive of the Czerka Corporation!” Griff squinted through the dust as the wind and noise of HK’s descent faded away. “Eh… there’s a big reward if you take me back to Anchorhead!”
“We’re friends of your sister, Mission Vao,” May stepped forward and waved a hand at the door. Before the Sandpeople outside the open air cell could force their way inside, a wall of black iron rose to block their path. “We promised to bring you home for a visit!”
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“This vessel is impossible…” Bastila let out a deep breath and sank to her knees. The disquiet in her mind washed away as she let herself sink into a practised meditation. She had awoken to a vision, a cascade of images that travelled down her bond with Revan.
A flicker of fear emerged, quickly stamped out by the flow of the light side. She had wandered this living vessel for more than ten hours, yet she seemed further from her goal than ever. Labyrinthian corridors that shifted without reason, a passive entrapment that worried at her heart.
“Lady Bastila!” Carth’s voice broke the silence around her, a welcome relief from her own thoughts. The man walked toward her, concern in his brown eyes. “I can’t seem to find our hosts, or anyone else…”
“Neither can I,” Bastila rose to her feet and let her hand brush the lightsaber on her belt. Not for the first time, she considered a less subtle approach. “At least we’ve found each other… let’s continue our search, but If we don’t find anyone soon…”
She tapped her sabre and eyed the walls. Friendly or not, Dan and his Wife had trapped them on their massive ship. If they didn’t come and explain themselves soon, she would take matters into her own hands.