{ INT. CONTAINMENT LABS - PROCTOR’S PERSONAL LAB }
Proctor: *poised, hands behind his back* My Paragon, you really didn't need to come all the way down here.
The Paragon: Why? Am I such an awful guest that you can’t stand to have me around? *feigns hurt, placing his hand over where his heart should be* And here I thought we were friends.
Proctor: *slightly annoyed at the Paragon’s antics but hides it well* I just mean that I could’ve sent you the needed information.
The Paragon: *smiles, showing no teeth* Well, I thought I’d visit in-person this time. You know, like old times.
Proctor: *eyes narrow with a look that almost read “are you serious?”* *his tail was moving from side to side like a judgmental cat*
The Paragon: Don't worry tall man, I won’t be here too long. *taps the glass of one of the tube specimen holders, this one containing a large amphibious creature* I just wanted to hear about the status of the specimens. *looks up and down the creature in the tube*
Proctor: *tail flicks in subtle annoyance at the nickname* *pulls up a data screen* We've had a slower retrieval of specimens than previous excursions. I'm guessing that recently the war generals have been leaving the reins a little too loose on their divisions.
The Paragon: *moves from the first tube to look over the arrangement of skeletons hanging in a far corner of the room* *eyes the large skeleton of something resembling a huge bird of prey*
Proctor: *continues scrolling through his data screen* We have had a recent addition to our collection who is much more susceptible to commands than the others.
The Paragon: *turns his head, interest piqued* Oh?
Proctor: One of the beasts. He is much more... manageable than the others. Notably, Samantha has reported almost no incidents since she’s been assigned to him. She said "he's a lot calmer than the last one". Which I can agree with, he is certainly easier to handle.
The Paragon: *had moved all the way over to Proctor while he was talking* *smiling without any teeth* And what room might this one be in?
Proctor: *pauses* My Paragon, I would greatly advise against seeing this specimen considering what happened last time.
The Paragon: *scoffs* *puts his hands on his hips* That bear didn't even touch me! Besides, you always keep the most interesting ones to yourself nowadays. I just want to see them before you do one of your weird experiments on them and then they can't even formulate a coherent thought anymore. *his own tail flicked around in the air as he talks, before settling back down* Come on, Proctor, can't you find it in your mostly inorganic heart to let me have some fun?
Proctor: *looks at the Paragon* I'm sure that you already know the room number and location.
The Paragon: *smiles again, this time showing his teeth with a “friendly” expression* Yeah, I do~. Your mind isn't as secure as you like to think it is, Proctor. *his expression darkened ever so briefly before changing to the original lighthearted expression* *changes his smile to one without teeth* But there’s this thing called being polite, which is why I asked you about it first.
Proctor: *makes a sound like that of a sigh* *rubs his temples, tail flicking like an annoyed cat* At least, take someone with you this time.
——————
Part 9 :>
Proctor trying to talk his boss into not doing something and failing to do so
Previous: Part 8
Next: Part 10
4 notes
·
View notes
The war doesn’t end with a bang, strictly speaking. It doesn’t even end with a political forum, or peace talks, or a slow, wheezing death of the Banking Clan’s pockets running dry, even though all of those are valid possibilities. Some more than others, Cody has to admit.
No, the war ends with an article in the Galaxy’s least reputable news source, Coruscant Rotational. Splashed on the front page for all to see is Cody’s little brother, next to the Chancellor.
CLONE MEWS CHANCELLOR TO DEATH IN MOGGING MOVE FOR THE AGES - LOOKSMAXXING TAKEN TOO FAR?
“What”, says Obi-Wan, eye twitching, fingers massaging over the bridge of his nose at double their usual speed, a real sign of an impending nervous breakdown if Cody’s ever seen one, “the kriff does that even mean?!”
Rex shrugs helplessly with one shoulder, other arm raised aimlessly. “No idea, General. I only understand about half those words. Maybe we’re all having a collective stroke? Maybe Fox is having a stroke? Whatever he’s doing with his jaw in that picture can’t be healthy.”
“Well, not for the late Chancellor, anyways”, says Cody flatly, in the long-suffering tone of one who’s seen too much Jedi banthashit in too little time. He screws his eyes tightly shut, scrubbing the backs of his knuckles in hard enough to see galaxies explode. Nope, still the same words on that datapad.
“It can’t be true”, says Skywalker, who’d gone white as a shitty military-issue sheet and has been steadily pacing the room ever since the equivalent of a sonic bomb hit the room. “I mean - think about it, this could just as well be a Separatist ploy, it would play right into their hands, and Coruscant Rotational isn’t exactly the most reputable source -“
“True enough”, says Obi-Wan, thoughtfully. “They do like getting their facts mixed up. In fact, I’ve seen about six articles just this month proclaiming our dear friend Senator Amidala’s super secret pregnancy. They even falsified hospital records, can you imagine?!”
Somehow, Skywalker loses another shade of colour, gulping soundlessly, and resumes his pacing more frenetically than before. Weird guy, that.
It’s Rex who breaks the awkward stillness of the room, perking up suddenly. “Oh, I know! Why don’t we call in Commander Tano?! She’s about the right age to understand some of this dribble, right?”
“I was going to suggest calling Corrie HQ, but sure, let’s ask the teenage soldier from the space monk order who spends all her spare time hunting your legion for sport”, says Cody, dryly. Rex deflates, and Thorn’s tinny voice sounds through Cody’s comm before he can make his reply. “Marshall Commander, I assume this is about the News.” Ominous capitalisation, ooooh, mouths Rex, and receives the nearest datapad Cody can reach to the face for his troubles with a squawk. The fact that he can read that sentence off his lips means their legions have spent far too much time together, and also that Cody’s grown soft in his old age.
“Good to hear you too, Thorn, and yes, we do have some questions concerning why the kriff my vod’ika is accused of murdering the chancellor through what I can only assume is some secret Sith magic?!”
“Oh, you mean when he defeated the actual Sith on the Senate through the power of his superior mog and made the kriffer explode in a thousand wrinkly pieces? You’re welcome, by the way”, says Thorn, instead of literally anything sane.
“Commander”, begs Cody’s General, with something glistening that might actually be tears in his eyes. “Commander, please. I do not understand any of those words. I am begging you to put me out of my misery.”
PALPATINE??? SITH?????!!!, screams Skywalker in battlesign, somehow spelling out each individual question and exclamation mark.
“It’s a game we’ve started playing in the Guard, sir, to pass time on patrol”, says Thorn, sheepishly, cowed by nearly driving the High General Kenobi to tears. “We’d do stupid faces we found the holonet, and, uh - well Fox is so high on black-market morphine most of the time cause we don’t get bacta that he sleepwalks on assignment sometimes, and, uh, he started making them at the Chancellor during a holocall meeting with Count Dooku and then the Chancellor tried to electrocute him again but accidentally blew himself up-“
“Breathe, Commander”, says Obi-Wan, and then - “That is SO much information I don’t know what to do with, Force preserve me. Why is Commander Fox on black-market morphine, or sleepwalking, or making faces at-“
“He signs reports in his sleep too, sometimes”, Thorn interrupts the General. “It’s actually kind of impressive if, y’know, it didn’t make Stabby bust another capillary in pure rage.”
“Who’s Stabby?”, asks Obi-Wan, confused.
“Meeting with Count Dooku?!”, bursts out Skywalker.
“Congratulations on Amidala’s pregnancy, General Skywalker”, says Thorn, like a man who wants to see the world burn.
213 notes
·
View notes