"It is a shame indeed that you could not take Balek alive; he was the one responsible for eliminating all the other witnesses to the collusion between the Trade Federation and Techno-Union and must have known one of the senior members responsible. But no matter. Our great work continues and we have had a number of projects running since you caught up with Carlan Ryamore.
"What is it that you have been looking for lately, Xeth?"
"Sadly," says the Commisar, "Droidekas have been on the open market for some years. If he had had some of the Mark II Battle Droids- which are still not yet in full circulation- then it would have been more suspicious. Besides, Balek ambushed Marcus and Vlad on a droid productrion facility; he may have picked up some gear there."
He hands you a file.
This has details about Charaeus and its Cult- this is for everyone's benefit!
(feel free to chip in, non-Xeth people!)
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Charaeus is a harsh jungle world just outside of the Republic. Although it is a habitable planet, the last great expansion of Galactic civilisation, thousands of years ago, ignored it for other more hospitable planets in the sector; now that civilisation has receded somewhat from the Outer Rim, few would have any reason to care about this world.
However, to the misfortune of the border worlds of the Republic in that sector, Charaeus has become home to a vicious cult now known simply as the 'Cult of Charaeus'. The Cult is an organisation of fantatics who believe in the eventual construction of a Machine God that they believe will one day rule the Galaxy- a sort of Supercomputer that they see it as their destiny to construct, although it already exists in potential, and they worship its spirit. As part of their dedication to its spirit, all Chareans go through a process of cybernisation, implanting an artificial right hand as part of their initiation ceremony, and becoming more cybernised as time goes by.
The other traits of the Cult are pure utility combined with ruthlessness and a total lack of morals or empathy. They have no regard for life and regard all other civilisations as inferior and unworthy. They have no reason to actively fight other people, but beause Charaeus is lacking in resources and sufficient manufactring facility- and becausr the Cult has a high demand for technological goods- the Cult has a habit of simply taking what it wants from someone else, and because they have no reagrd for life and do not like witnesses, they always exterminate every living thing they see whenever they so act.
The Cult is known amongst nearby worlds as "Techno-Pirates", because they are sometimes known to attack ships in space that are carrying technological goods. This is inaccurate; pirates steal for profit and have little need for extraneous killing; the Cult are not pirates at all- they are simply stealing goods when they need them. Living people they do not need, hence they destroy them.
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"A mission to the planet Alzarius is being led by Master Marcus," says Gralus.