| Subjugates of Plagueis
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House Plagueis
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Enslaved
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- Crewmen
- Pilots
- Support Troops
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- Several thousand crewmen
- Several hundred pilots
- 110 Engineer peons
- 40 Medical peons
- Several thousand minions
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Vocabulator
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Subjugates are a division of the enslaved forces of House Plagueis. Unlike Ravagers or Wraiths, Subjugates are subjected to procedures to eliminate individuality, increase tactical efficiency, and enforce subdued obedience. Subjugate forces comprise support units like engineers and medics, while also forming the starship and vehicle crews of the House and including a servile class.
History
In 35 ABY, following the destruction of the Jusadih System, House Plagueis was forced to flee aboard the badly-damaged Ascendancy. Holding only the Dark Jedi survivors and their Trandoshan allies of Saraask'ar, the damaged Destroyer's de facto captain and Quaestor, Tra'an Reith, found himself at the site of the long-abandoned Vaiken Spacedock.
With few options remaining to keep his House alive, the Shi'ido resorted to desperate measures. On the advice of his Rollmaster, Eiko, Reith ordered the crew to ambush passing bulk freighters and pillage their supplies.
The crews of these ships, who largely surrendered, were taken prisoner and made to pilot the Ascendancy as the size of the desperate raids increased. With just enough supplies to survive, Tra'an was approached by his Aedile, Kal di Plagia Vorrac, with a plan that showed the ruthlessness of the Sith in full effect. After deliberating and being persuaded by Vorrac, Reith surrendered the captive prisoners into his Aedile's care.
After segregating those useful for indoctrination as warriors and assassins elsewhere, Vorrac oversaw the selection of the smartest, most clever, and most organizationally-minded human males in the group. Unfit human men, aliens, women, and children were either sold by Saraask'ar or put to death.
Those who survived were immediately stripped of any defining and individual marks, gelded, and subjected to medical procedures, chemical and gene treatments, and traumatic conditioning to make them utterly subservient, competent, efficient, and unflinchingly loyal to the forces of Plagueis. Trained by the Sith and Obelisk of the House, they were made ready to pilot vehicles, serve support roles, and crew the Ascendancy. Though each division served different purposes, each was made to look identical. Like their fellow slaves, the procedure allowed the Plagueians to train a capable flight crew in only a few weeks.
The newly-minted crew was thrust into battle almost immediately, manning the repaired ‘’Ascendancy’’ during the attack on the Galactic Alliance 108th Expeditionary Scout Fleet. Using their coordination onboard the ship, and loaded into what transports were available to hijack the vehicles and starfighters of the GA forces before they could react, these new pilots and starship crewmen quickly turned the would-be battle into an all-out slaughter. As the ships were taken, modified, and renamed, the crews found their ranks swelled by those human men who were among the surrendering Alliance forces.
Thus were the Subjugates of Plagueis born.
Skills and Abilities
Several varieties of Subjugate exist. They are as follows:
- ‘’’Crewman’’’: Differentiated by their peers in that their left gloves bear a thin red stripe, these Subjugates are trained to operate as starship crews. Totally obedient and trained to work in perfect concert, they execute their orders immediately and efficiently. Though not aggressive, they, like all other Subjugates, will execute attack orders with ruthless precision and merciless discipline, eager to please their Masters. Crewmen spend their entire lives after Subjugation either at their posts or practicing for them - even when eating and sleeping, they can be seen going through the motions of their posts subconsciously.
- ’’’Pilot’’’: Signified by thin blue stripes on their left gloves, Pilots are trained to operate either starfighters or assigned ground vehicles. Operating directly in the field of battle, these Subjugates have no compunction against attacking enemies, but do not hunt them as a predator would prey - instead, they pursue targets and accomplish objectives because of a rabid drive to earn the praise of their Sith overlords. Unlike Crewmen, Pilots are more independent - while trained to operate smoothly in a squadron, they are capable of splitting off and engaging enemies alone with full effectiveness, though they always return to the group.
- Peon: Unlike their fellow Subjugates, Peons do not operate in combat operations. They comprise two groups, possessing different duties but so similar in their status that they can be functionally grouped together. Half of these Subjugates act as engineers, while the other half take up the duties of medical personnel. Certain Peons operate on the ground, while several others serve onboard Plagueian vessels; this allows them to replace eighty percent of the service droids onboard a starship.
- Minion: The minions of the Subjugate caste of slave serve one broad, all-encompassing purpose - the whims of their dark masters. They clean the ships and locations of Plagueis, deal with refuse and other work outside of engineering or medical stations, serve as assistants when called upon, or simply wait upon the Dark Jedi. Minions especially are trained for utter obedience; their love of their deitic Dark Jedi masters is matched only by their fear of the Dark Side's wrath in the hands of a scorned Plagueian.
Though their attributes might make them seem docile,
the lack of identity and individuality is a large factor in the nature of the surprisingly ruthless and unscrupulous Subjugate. To them, morality is an aberrant concept and life is either an asset to be saved, or an obstacle to be eliminated. Outside of their duties, nothing else matters.
Weapons and Equipment
Subjugate gear consists of black suits, designed to provide light armor while stealing any individualism. The jumpsuits they wear possess no distinguishing features and are all designed to cover every inch of skin, complete with a helmet that covers their entire heads. Their vision is filtered through red lenses and their vocal chords - removed during Subjugation, along with their mouths - are replaced by simple vocabulators that give them monotone, identical voices.
The only individual piece of gear they wear are the left gloves - each bears a stripe that indicates their subtype. This is for the benefit of the Plagueians ruling them; every Subjugate knows his place from his first days, and needs no help to find his duties. In many ways, their armor bears a resemblance to the Sith Assassins of Darth Sion’s making - they are made to look like the thralls that they are.
Armament for Subjugates varies, ranging from the tools of Peons, to simple pistols for Crewmen, to the mighty vessels operated by Pilots. Whatever their specific assignment, a Subjugate learns to operate all equipment within it; while they specialize in their own station, they can readily assume another. In this way, they are less of a fighting unit than a support unit, operating machinery and keeping ships and equipment in good condition.
Subjugation
During the segregation of new slaves, those human males who were already crewmen, pilots, or support crew among raid survivors are taken aside, as well as any who show signs of high intelligence, low individuality, or efficiency in their duties. Aliens, women, and children are either killed or sold by Saraask'ar; human males are used because of their reliable biology and psychology.
Immediately and painfully, any tattoos, birthmarks, or other distinguishing features of a person are removed; the slaves see all of their hair removed, have their mouths and vocal chords surgically removed, and are gelded.
Their mouths are replaced by vocabulator units that all use the same, monotone voice. Their eyes are surgically altered for 20/20 vision, while Krath procedures render their irises a dull gray. As a final touch, they receive metallic ports for intravenus insertions in their carotid arteries, and are fed Sith solutions that rapidly taint their skin cells to turn whatever pigment they were to a pale, near-translucent gray. This makes nearly all Subjugates identical and horrific to look upon, like walking corpses.
Using surgery, chemical, and gene therapy, Subjugate brains are altered to enhance intelligence, memory, and efficiency, while decreasing individuality and free will. They are brainwashed to forget their past selves using conventional and Force-based manipulation, while being indoctrinated to see Plagueians as deific figures; it becomes their only purpose in life to serve their dark masters. The Subjugates are subjected to brain surgery and toxins that dull the body's ability to properly feel pain; this limits their fear of it, and allows them to fear displeasing Plagueis more than death.
As a final touch, each is implanted with a device at the back of their head, just above the base of the neck. This can be seen from the outside as a dark-gray metal oval. It does not enhance their thought processes or change their thinking patterns directly; the implant is a minor creation of Mechu Deru, and filters their blood through it without actually changing any of the physical properties. Due to the Dark Side energies trapped within the implant, it gradually taints their blood cells toward Dark Side corruption, a sort of Force-based radiation poisoning that makes them easier to twist and corrupt.
Finally, during physical conditioning, Subjugates exercise to become sufficiently lithe, strong, and energetic for their respective duties. Steroidal compounds and body-punishing Sith poisons speed this process up significantly, though this is all very taxing on the system; Subjugate lifespans are estimated at around five to twelve years by Krath scientists.
Subjugates, strictly speaking, have no names; the titles of whatever position or duty they assume takes the place of an identifying monicker. They are addressed by duty, callsign, or position, and while they do not desire advancement they will fill the void of fallen comrades without fail, to the point of responding to their fallen ally's old title instantly.
All in all, these factors make Subjugates the perfect servile beings.