Black Marble!?!

by Aerena 'Relentless' Kolene

So/Zen of course steps into the chamber and is locked behind an energy shield. Suddenly blue light flashes from the eyes of the skulls and scans all of us. Then it stops and I can see Corellian writing on the crystal: From high to low, the key is confined within your mind, use the key to set what's aligned, be aware of what you spurn, for what you give shall be returned. I have no idea what it means, but I say knowledge - in Corellian - then I nervously check the corridor behind me. I see the two beasties that helped us to defeat the last bad guys, but nothing else - YET.

So'Zen does something with the crystals and the skulls and I sense movement behind me. I whirl around and see SIX of those zombie driods that we took out - with help - in the other room. They have dropped out of the ceiling and fall to the floor, but do nothing else. I turn on my shield to get ready for the fight that I know is coming. They take a step closer. Nothing else, no menace, just a step closer. I hear from behind me that Davish is attempting to take the shield down and get to So'Zen and he finally manages to take it down just as the droids all put out data port connectors and head straight down the hallway towards me. They are moving slowly, but steadily. I do not sense any evil intent, but definitely purposeful. I take out my plasma pistol and shoot at the closest droid. It moves aside in such a way that it is evident it knows what the blast radius is but the droid behind him didn't pay attention and I am able to get a hit on the side. I check with Spook to see if she has any weapons on her. She does not, but she does indicate that she has managed to listen in on the chatter from the droid hive mind and they are referring to the Great Intelligence and that it is coming to see us - from about ten kilometers away. It seems to be UNDER the dust ocean now, but heading our way.

I instruct Spook to send that information to everyone's data pad and to give them updates as they occur. Then I attempt to shoot that same droid. It dodges again, but it is now closer to the group of droids in the hallway. Perhaps I can line up a shot to take out several?? Then one of the blasted things shoot at me!! I hold up my shield and take the shot. Then I hear Spook squeal behind me. One of the droids shot at her!! She rushes under it and gets a bit dinged up, but she manages to deal some damage. I wonder if I can go to my knee and shoot upwards to take advantage of that??? I try it and score a hit and it disintegrates. Next!

There are two beside me and I am about to rise and continue combat, when I notice a black marble on the tunnel floor in the middle of the crossroads between everyone. I reach out and grab it - it feels warm to the touch and is so smooth. I decide to put it into my belt pouch for now. I will decide what to do about it after combat. Maybe I will tell the others - maybe I won't. After all, I managed to keep that crystal a secret for a while - until it just had to start talking to me!

I go ahead and stand up, but I must still be distracted as I am unable to slice them with my shield at all. I still have four to deal with on my end of the hallway and a quick check of the other hallways shows the same condition. I am about to take aim on another one when suddenly they dash past me to surround Spook. I am about to go in for the save when they turn around to guard her - and they start firing on US! Spook seems to be trying to get them to stop and keeps shouting she is their queen and they should obey her. I block the first shot at me from her honor guard, but the second one stings a bit. That is when the marble boils up out of my pouch and is all wrapped around me. I shouldn't be able to see since my face is mostly covered, but somehow I can tell exactly where everything and everyone is. How?!? Why?!?

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Black Marble!?!

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