Apocalypse Now​ (DM story)

[Lark]

Location: Hanger, about to escape
Nearby: No clue

Lark considered responding to the message [member="Thoja Arlos"] had sent, but decided against it. He'd probably just believe him to be dead. He'd wait for a minute, if he could, but he wouldn't risk the lives of his soldiers for a man he'd just met. Besides, Lark would probably end up being taken in and interrogated. He couldn't have that.

He ran into another hanger, killing a few Sith troops. Looks like they had no intention of escape. Most of the First Order seemed to have evacuated already, but there were still a few ships that hadn't taken off yet. Lark sprinted towards the nearest one, exhausted legs carrying him as fast as they could manage. A few troops were already in the shuttle, and they gave him questioning looks, but no one stopped him from entering. They only wanted to get themselves out of this hellhole, objecting to his presence might delay them. He didn't care where they took him, whether it be their fleet or wherever, he only needed a way off the Omega.

The ship started to take off, and some of the troops inside fired from the inside of it, killing a few more Sith to help their few comrades that remained. Lark stood towards the back, relishing in the adventure that he had just undergone. He leaned against the wall, slid down it to rest, and let out a small chuckle.

 

[Claire Ouron]

[member="Matsu Ike"] [member="Vustia"] [member="Matsu Xiangu"]

Claire sat down on Matsu's ship and started to breath heavily after running so much. She still wasn't sure about the sith but she was too tired to care at the moment. As she sat there a horrible thought entered her mind. "Wait a minute.. If the Omega has fallen this far... there's no way to stop it from crashing into the planet is there? What's going to happen to the planet?"

 

[HK-36]

Location: Firemane shuttle/dropship
Allies: [member="Cabur Aranar"], [member="Cole Dagos"], [member="Symara Tarriq"], [member="Elpsis Elaris"], [member="Nima Tann"]
Enemies: Explosions
Objective: Get out of the Omega

The droid would not object to Nima leaving his grasp once they were inside, of course, he was a bit queasy about her lekku touching his perfect metal body anyway, perhaps some of the Firemane troops would recognize the machine and salute him, he may have been an idiot, but he was pretty high up on Firemane foodchain, especially among those mercenary troops who used to serve with him in the Protectorate,

"Please don't do that... ever... again."

"You mean save your life? Because I will never stop doing that."

HK would set Cole in one of the shuttle seats and strap the man in as he spoke, securing him with a safety bar, then he would lean in to Nima,

"I am going to save your life so hard next time."

He hissed out before turning to Elpsis and Symara kissing,

"For the love of the Machine God, we do not have time for this, get us out of here."

The droid turned towards the cockpit,

"In fact, I will fly."

He was about to advance towards the piloting position as Cabur snapped into action,

"No! Sit down! Shut up!"

The Mandalorian quickly pushed on the droid to force the machine down into the seat by Cole and strapped him in, sitting down next to him and strapping himself in as well,

"Gogogogogogogo!"

The panicked man pleaded to Symara, it wasn't the destruction around them that he was worried about, he still remembered all to clearly what happened last time the droid piloted a ship, and he did not want to die anytime soon.

Finally sitting down, the droid would take out a breathilizer bacta injector, putting it over Cole's mouth so that he could inhale in the healing substance and hopefully at last wake up from his unconscious stint, the droid quipped,

"Probably should have done this a long time ago."

 

[Thoja Arlos]

Location: Lightside Hanger
Objective: Secure the Omega for destruction
Equipment: Wraith Class Stealth Armour MK2, Eclipse Assault Rifle, Obsidian Combat Knife, Oblivion Semi Automatic Pistol

Thoja waited for a response, yet none came. Must've been killed, poor guy. He thought, before looking back to the cockpit.

"We're done here, let's get the hell out!" He yelled, a stray blaster bolt flying past his head. He returned fire, killing the stormtrooper who'd shot it. He'd continue to fire into the hanger until the ship lifted off.

[member="Zark"] | [member="Dax Fyre"]

 

[Jsc]

Omega
Sid's Log

Karen had been overwhelmed by the shear number of Rogue Sith troopers who had flooded the bay following the blaring of the sirens. Even the brave republic troops that had stayed behind to guard the shuttles had been swarmed. Yet enough vehicles remained and enough damage was done that hero and villain alike were able to find transport. Everyone, all of them in a rush, escaping as quickly as possible.

What became of Roberts and Doctor Perth aboard the Omega from that point on, is unknown. However. There does remain the flirtatious testimony and long-winded tale of one, Republic Lieutenant Garrett Sids. But, well. Frankly...

That is a tale for another time.


"The End. ...Erm. Well. For me and the girls anyway. Ya know. Mostly." ~ Sid's Log, The Omega War

 

[Thresh Sken]

Objective: Get out!
Allies: @Keirel [member="Samka Derith"] [member="Wolf"] [member="Daxton Bane"] [member="Doc"]

I leaped over the guardrails of the catwalks as I reached the bottom. Daxton Bane had just rushed by underneath me with Wolf in his arms, and I could feel the pain that Wolf felt through the Force. The sheer intensity of it made me stumble, but I regained my footing. I assumed they were heading out of the Omega, because the warning noises had increased in intensity. I thought it might be wise to get off while I still could, because with the ship crippled, there was nothing else for me to do here. Looking at the receding figures disappearing down a hallway, I started after them, Daxton Bane with a large head start.

Running through the halls I followed behind them until we entered a hangar mostly in ruins. Ships were scattered everywhere and I noticed Doc fighting off some last Sith troopers. I looked to the nearest ship and saw Keirel and Samka Derith disappearing up a ship's landing ramp. Good. I'm glad Samka found her way back. I had lost her whem she jumped into battle after she collapsed. I hoped that the episode didn't damage her. She was a valuable Knight of Ren.

My attention was distracted as I was hit in the back from Sith soldiers that had appeared on my left side. I fell to the ground. It hurt. It hurt so bad. I struggled to my knees. They had been hiding from the main battle but had seen me as an easy target, and were readying their blasters for another shot. "Oh, no you don't" I growled. I Forced Push the one that had moved out into the open, about ready to shoot me again. I ignited my lightsaber and pushed myself to my feet, drawing heavily on the Dark Side to sustain me. I stalked towards them, anger and pain on my face as I deflected the first volley of shots by spinning both blades in front of me. When I reached their cover, I Force Leaped on top of it, cutting two troopers down with one stroke. I turned to the other and Force Pulled him onto the blade that was pointing at him. I let him drop as I heard a ship start up behind me. I winced as I turned, the wound stinging as it cooled down and was exposed to open air. I reached behind me and felt a hole in the black combat suit I was wearing. It had gone straight through and burned all my hair off in a circular spot. Thankfully, the suit had stopped enough energy from traveling through that the blaster bolt only burned my skin, which felt raw and open.

My gaze alighted on the ship that had started up. It was the one I saw Kierel and Samka Derith disappear into. I started running towards the ship, seeing that the landing ramp was still down. "Hey!" I called out futilely. "Wait!" As I neared the landing ramp the ship suddenly dropped to the ground off of its landing hear. I yelped in surprise, all my fur standing on end and my fangs bared. I fell onto my back as the force of the impact knocked me backwards. My newly acquired wound sent fresh waves of pain through me. My access onto the ship was currently blocked. I waved my arms from down on the ground, trying to signal whoever was in the cockpit that I was here, although I knew it would go unnoticed. They could't see me.

Slowly, the ship started to lift up, rotating slightly as it prepared to take off. I walked with the landing ramp, trying to get a good angle to get on it. By the time the ship was pointed, ready to leave the hangar, the landing ramp was six feet off the ground. Hoping against hope that they would stand still a few seconds more, I crouched low to the ground and, using the Force to help propel me, leaped into the air and onto the landing ramp. I gasped as my back wound sent electrifying pain through me, and I landed hard on the ramp. My fingers scrabbled to get traction as my boots slowly slid to a stop on the angled ramp. I scuttled up the rest of the way and hit the button to close the landing ramp.

I slid to the floor, exaughsted. Thankfully, I had made it to a ship leaving the Omega. I hung my head, trying to catch my breath. Everything had been so fast paced. My allies were hurt. My wound stung. I closed my eyes and let out a deep breath, calling on the Dark Side to take the pain away. I stood up and on slightly unsettled feet walked to the cockpit, wanting to greet those beings fortunate enough to have this ship as an escape from the Omega.

 

[Vustia]

[member="Claire Ouron"]

Vustia followed onto the ship and listened to Claire's question.

"Sadly there is nothing we can do. The planet and the Omega are destined to clash, I wish we could help but the circumstances do not allow us to achieve this."
Vustia thought about the guide that helped them so much, and about all the other people on the planet.

"I only hope that there will be minimal damage to the planet and little injuries."

[member="Matsu Ike"]

 

[Ria Misrani]

Symara groaned, about finding [member="HK-36"]'s off switch and she scrambled to the hatch, "GO!" Knocking on the wall between the cockpit and the rest of the dropship as Lavali was pulled into the ship by Sgt. Halifax who slammed the other door shut, all occupants now safely inside the ship. They were getting the feth out of here! The dropship rushed for the atmosphere when the words, "HOLD ONTO SOMETHING!" Were shouted to the back, and Symara felt her body jolt forward and was caught by Lavali, and together they sat down as they braced for the exit. The dropship was out running everything and everyone it could, "we're heading for the cruiser and it's gonna be a hot landing!"

"No sh-" The Corellian was cut off and inwardly smiled when @Elpsis Elaris muttered something about not being able to see her, "don't worry red, we get home, you might get to do more than just-" She was elbowed by Major Lavali Sanjeet as they gripped onto the walls of the dropship. She then looked about to Master [member="Nima Tann"] and was about to ask how she was when the small vessel punched out of Castameer's orbit and as they looked out through the windows they could see the mass graveyard it had become, "... what in the-"

"How many..." Lavali wondered as she looked at the remains of ships, mostly from the First Order and Rogue Sith elements, and then there she was the husk of the Spirit before a familiar Firemane cruiser appeared. "MARA!"

"Yep!" Symara sat right back down as she held onto everyone she could, the dropship went screaming into the hangar as the cruiser closed its own hangar doors to hyperspace out of Castmeer.

 

[Matsu Ike]

[member="Claire Ouron"] [member="Vustia"]

Matsu was looking at the display on the screen while the AI's ran the projection of what could happen and Matsu spoke. "We can hope for the best but it is not going to be pretty even wit an army of jedi masters it would be highly unlikely we could change the outcome on the surface but the pieces are falling to the planet. Which is a lot safer then if they were smashing into it with a hyperspace jump or if the beam was going off. That might endanger and crack the planet or worse." She continued to move around and there were some small blips on the screen of where other pods had been brought, able to retrieve them as well as any debris that might not be falling. "We'll head back to the temple and bring who we can with us if they need recovery."

 

[knight_of_fire98]

(Sorry for my sudden disappearance from the Bridge, I was overwhelmingly busy. Writing this as an explanation to why he didn't help)
Location: Hell/Retreating from the bridge towards First Order Hangar
Objective: Recover/Escape

Sweat dripped down from the Stormtroopers forehead, between his plucked eyebrows, over the bridge of his nose and down through the chasm that led to his open eyes. The salt inside stung the sensitive organs, and every reflex demanded CT-47B shut his burning eyes.

But he could not, he was frozen. His movements slowed to a drip as Jude, Xiangu and Ordo struck at the bridge. In his hand, connected to the arm still moving ever so slowly as it completed the arc CT-47B had began minutes ago. Was a thermal detonator, inactivated and luckily so. For as the doors had opened and CT-47B attempted to throw the explosive device. The Dark Lord manning the bridge had slowed him with the force.

Time passed as CT-47B stood, his movements sloth like until his thoughts slowed as well. Each panicked thought taking minutes to pass through the Stormtroopers addled mind. His suit, which had been dramatically heated to help CT-47B survive the cold, vacuous grasp of space exposure that likely would have arisen from detonating the bridges' viewports. Was now boiling CT-47B alive, as the Stormtroopers body and neurones detected and transmitted signals so slowly that by the time the body was aware that it was overheating, the troopers skin and face was red from the heat, and some of it was peeling, the proteins beneath the skin were beginning to denatured and his cells were drying up. His body too slow to switch off the suit's setting and too slow to sense what was going on and adapt to reduce the damage through Homeostasis. He was in a slow drawn out agony, his perception of time slowed to such a degree that he was completely trapped, a desperate thirst overcame him just before the pain began. It was as if he had picked up something hot enough to burn, but was unable to leg go.

He stood for awhile as the battle raged, until an enemy Stormtrooper came along and struck CT-47B's helmeted face with the butt of his rifle so hard the blastic snapped, releasing the trapped heat as CT-47B's red, peeling skin was exposed. He fell down, and as his perception of time returned to normal and he realized he was staring at the barrel of a blaster. He reached forth with both hands, unsure whether he was attempting to push it away. Or trying to ensure the other man did not miss.

Either way it didn't matter.

Shots rang out, but it was not from the CT-47B's would be executioner, but from his squad. Who had left the White Wolves behind and come to provide assistance at the bridge. CT-47B watched as the man was torn apart by a volley of blaster fire, before being thrown across the room by a sonic rifle as scattered pieces of pulverized white went airborne. AB-4473, GC-2779, EB-263, CB-4533, JA-3670, and the Twins rounded the corner. The identical latter carrying the X-11E's that had sent the Stormtrooper flying as they checked upon their Sergeant.

"Leave him, the ships coming down and we've no time to lug a corpse back." Ordered JA-3670
"He's burned, not dead." Said EB-263
"Are you questioning my competence?" Snapped JA-3670
"No, but I'm denying its existence." Said AB-4473
"CB, get his legs." Said GC-2779, as he lifted a groaning CT-47B up from where he fell.
"No. I can walk...CB would only drop me." Said the trooper, his voice croaky and dry.

Then they continued, GC half carrying his sergeants weight all the way to the First Order hangar. Who AB would contact with a warning that friendlies are incoming with injured.

 

[Krenis Skirata]

CENTRAL CONTROL
@Ordo

-------------

Krenis took a deep breath and deactivated the shield. its battery was drained and empty now, but it had served its purpose. Everyone was fleeing the bridge, even the surviving Sith Lord. She shouldn't have been allowed to escape, but so be it. They had had larger concerns to deal with. Her time would come sooner than later, anyways. With a tap of a button, the shield on his gauntlet dissipated into its projector. There was no sound but the klaxons and the ship itself as it tore itself apart. Castameer was hurtling towards the viewports.

He needed to leave.

"Vod," He said quietly, "Let's get back to Keldabe and grab a drink." Hauling himself upright, Krenis grunted in pain- from his broken wrist, burns, and bruises all along his body. Nobody was meant to survive multiple thermal detonators, two crashed starfighters, and that many blaster bolts in such a short time. That brought a pain smiled to his face beneath the helmet. Or if there was anyone meant to take that, it would be the ARC troopers.

Then he strode through the room, breaking into a brisk jog. The impact of his feet on the floor rang through his body and it hurt like feth, but he ignored it. There would be time for that later. He wound his way through the corridors and into the hangar where the Mandalorian strike teams had entered. Several ships had stuck around and he strode aboard, nodding to the guards. It was time to go home.

 

[Darth Caecus]

“But his soul was mad. ​

Being alone in the wilderness, ​

it had looked within itself and, by heavens I tell you, ​

​

it had gone mad.”​

​

-Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness​

​

The Omega​

​A Road Unsought​

Outside of the Omega, the victorious fleets made their attack runs, destroying the external firing mechanism of the weapon and one of the engines. Throughout the ship itself, the hallways grew quiet as those who survived made it to escape in the hangars.... or died there in the attempt.

Eventually, the ship emptied of the living. As the exterior began to burn, everything started to quiver, a shivering lament as the surface of Castameer drew ever closer. The silver of the Omega turned cherry red, then violent white as its progress through the atmosphere heated the exterior to a nova of brilliance.

Inside, left behind in the Heart of Darkness Kith Verloren gasped, eyes flying open wide as she sat up suddenly.

Her heart pounded.​

​

Her heart. ​

​

Pounded. ​

Slowly, hesitantly, one hand reached up. Her fingertips pressed on her chest, coming away again almost immediately, as though burned. Then, gently, came to rest again. Grey eyes stared up in to the heights of the chamber, unseeing, but beneath her hand pulsed a heart, beating like the wings of a bird within a cage.

She let out a slow, shaky breath- and watched the cold air before her face coalesce in white mist. Her free hand reached up, circling around it, as though she could capture it in her palm. It remained elusive.

The deck quivered beneath her, and it was only in that moment that she realized it was not moving by the sheer effort of her beating heart. One hand still on her chest, she reached down, eyes following a moment (a heartbeat) later. Tantor's saber was gone, and she could feel the cold of the metal beneath her fingers.

Cold.

Agonizingly slowly, Darth Molior rose to her feet. She steadied herself on a railing, looking around. The shattered remains of the enormous focusing crystal had rained around her, laying like broken toys across the floor of the Heart. She didn't need to reach out with the Force to know that the shaking throughout the Omega were it's death throes.

Unexpectedly, surprising even herself, Kith Verloren threw back her head- and laughed. The sound mingled irony that even as her creation died, she finally lived, and joy in the sensation of the gentle metronome beating in her chest.

"This is what it felt like, every day, to love you Tantor," she whispered. "Knowing that I lived. And that in living so fully, I could not possibly survive. I'm coming, love. It's time."

She closed her eyes one final time. She stood tall and proud, head unbowed.

And there was a smile on her lips.

​

​

The Omega War had united the most unlikely of allies in a battle against a mad woman and her crusade to silence the galaxy. Generational enemies had laid aside their grievances to fight, side by side. It was a reminder, that in all things, sentient kind had one, deep and abiding similarity. ​

​

The desire to live. To survive. To fight back and never allow the spark of a still beating heart to be snuffed out. ​

​

They fought, and died, for the right to live. ​

​

And they won. ​

​

This was not the Alpha. ​

​

But neither was it​

​

The Omega.​