A Whisper and a Clamor [Rebels vs. Ravens on Makeb]

[RC 212]

Location: Solida Hesk's Resort, Western grounds
Objective: Kill rebels!
Allies: [member="Asteria Starcatcher"] [member="Patricia Susan Garter"]
Enemies: [member="Solan Charr"]


Lisa had been watching the Rebel advance from a safe distance for some time now. She was riding an old speeder and had parked her self up on top a dune, overlooking the edge of the resort. Her hands flexed and her lips trembled with delight as she drank in the dark vortex all around her.

Rage, fear panic.

Her power began to grow and he hawk eye gazed down the scop of her rifle at Solan Charr. He was an interesting character, flipping a switch from playing violin to staging an ambush and revelaing his rebel marines. Now they were about to meet their maker. She had been figthing for some time now. First for the Ravens and now for the Sith. Though most times she preferred to come home and set about on small mission around Makeb.

The talented womans finger slipped ever so lightly into the trigger guard and she held her breath, letting the force guide her last minute reposistioning. She slammed the trigger now, sending a hail of fifty caliber slugs down into their ranks.

PFFFT
PFFT

One shot rane true, smashing a rebel in the back of the head, exploding through his face. Pink mist, blood and exploded skull arced across the sky in a brilliant flash of glory.

Lisa centered her rifle again, looking towards the Violin player now.

"Time to dance!" She cackled maniacally, and let loose another shot.

 

[Aithne Charr]

[member="Lisa Ticon"]

Location: Solida Hesk's Resort, Western grounds
Objective: Find the Gunner
Allies: No one (Yet)
Enemies: [member="Lisa Ticon"]

The spray was just enough to get onto Solan's clothing, looking at it with a shake of his head before moving the moment he felt the danger, his body pressing on the side of a wall as she shot came down an inch from hitting him. "Crap... Everyone, cover now, disappear and meet up with me at the evac site that was agreed on in the original briefing... you did your job." Who ever shot the now dead companion was experienced, what worse were the were not energy shots and he could not simply redirect a slug as easily. He needed to get in close though... where was she. Calling the downed man's rifle to hand he thought for a second and would start running, out into the open, and in the single slightest prick of danger he would blast forward with a quick application of Force speed, seeing if he could get a judgement on where she was taking position while he moved to more solid cover. He would do one more thing though, and more to spite the shoot than anything once he was behind stable cover. This was a simple quick message over an open channel. "To who ever is shooting at me, and if you are female, i do hope your as beautiful as a the majority of the Ravens."

 

[Davik Tren]

Location: Underground Bunker

Objective: Fight off Rebels

Allies: Ravens

Enemies: Rebels


Davik stood and readied his own blaster. He heard the sounds of far off blasts and even more that sounded near to the bunker and caused small chunks of the ceiling to sprinkle down on the occupants. The young spacer pulled on the the light combat suit that he had been provided and gave a slight smirk at the thought of it protecting him from any form of blaster.

Fat chance...

Truth be told, he was feeling quite confident with the Raven's president. The young Chiss' confidence spread through the room to fire up the rest of the crew which did nothing but help in the upcoming battle that could be raging right outside their front door. With his own rifle tucked beneath his arm, he waited in anticipation for the fireworks to begin.

 

[Grrwunhoooll Agaburry]

Location: Talaos City, High Tower Roof
Allies: [member="Darth Arcanix"]
Enemies: Rebels [member="Thane Drexel"]
Objective: Embrace Simplicity

"Looks like a coordinated attack. Be prepared for anything, ground forces as well as an assault from the sky. Quell it." replied the Brainy Chiss.

Kezeroth still awaited a second answer on who the Sith on the ground really was, From his height he could see him or her move about but that was all. It was not something important to the Ravens knowing who the Sith was Specifically but it was a detail the Gen'dai wanted. As the sounds of yelling and fire got louder Kezeroth chuckled and examined the area once more. He placed himself in an attackers shoes, Where would he strike? The answer is every where but he was Gen'dai, not some fragile Human... Best guess was that they would hide like the rats they were in plain sight... Amongst the crowds. The Idea was sound but held problems, If he openly attacked the Citizens they would give the Ravens problems and thus him problems...

" Hmm" he said touching his chin with one hand, A voice called out on the comm. It was a Raven Enforcer being mauled by the crowd he screamed for help and assistance!
" Karking rats.." he said aloud and took up aim with his Concussion Rifle, The scopes cross-hairs lined up nice to the back portion of the riot crowd. *Pew!* The Purple Energy raced across the sky in almost faster than the eye could track. Hitting its mark an Explosion occurred vaporizing, Charring and setting several crowd members a blaze, not to mention flying about in the air from the force of the explosion. Crys of pain rang out and for a moment the crowd stopped and looked back at the damage that had taken place, Raven Enforcers halted too! Looking around in confusion and fear.

" Kill the Sheep and you will find the Wolves, Haha!" He chuckled and fired another shot into the crowd. Pain and Suffering all over, This Strategy slowly came into sight as he watched a number of riot members continue to lead on.

"YOU CANT HIDE FOREVER!" He shouted, Letting the force carry his deep Monstrous voice over the City.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Location: Talaos City, Street level
Objective: "Deal" with the rioters and rebels
Allies: [member="Kezeroth the Malevolent"] and Red Raven enforcers
Enemies: [member="Thane Drexel"] and Rebels

"Lady Arcanix, Mr. Malice is enquiring as to who you are," one of the enforcers with Taeli said, his hand on his ear.

"Inform this Mr. Malice that Darth Arcanix of the One Sith is assisting with quelling this riot," Taeli replied, a strong Force presence piquing her interest from a rooftop. It was tinged with a familiar darkness and she had a strong guess who this Mr. Malice was. The feeling was very similar anyways. But, for now, her attention was diverted to several rioters that were carrying some sort of improvised explosive. That wouldn't do at all.

Lightning lanced out from her hand and the device exploded right in the middle of the group, leaving nothing but a few bits and pieces behind. Charging forward with the speed of the dark side, her double-blade igniting, she tore a swath through the rioters and all they would see is a female with glowing yellow eyes ending their lives.

A purple energy streaked through the air and tore through someone in the crowd. Seemed they had someone watching them as the enforcers began beating down any crazy enough to still resist as a Sith attacked them. The remaining crowd was dropping to the floor, lowering any weapon they were carrying.

Picking up the comlink from a dead enforcer, she keyed into the Red Raven's secure comm line.

"Mr. Malice, we will progress along the street if you wish to continue raining death down from above. Whoever started this will regret their actions immensely."

"

 

[Geneviève Lasedri]

Location: Solida Hesk's Resort
Objective: Kill Lysle
Allies: [member="Juwiela Melec"]
Enemies: @Lysle of the Hydian Way

Spoiler

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVBB2upbVys

Gen turned her head just as the man shouted at her, his little gun at his hip obviously not a toy. That was about all she was able to take in before a mighty blow from an invisible hand blasted her off her feet and into the ground, the barrel of her gun ramming into the turf and forcing her to release the weapon lest her shoulder be dislocated. It was a rough enough landing as it was, and with the three thunderous claps from the heavy pistol momentarily disabling her ears and causing them to wail into her brain in agony, a slight wave of dizziness washed over her.

Stumbling back to her feet, Lasedri retrieved the AB-1 Marshal pistol--a gift from some iron-clad nautolan--from her right pocket as she strode unsteadily towards the spoilsport and returned three shots of her own, the booming of the gun enticing her ears to shriek at her once more until they were mentally pacified. The potentially harmful clamor of the two enemies' weapons mattered little to her. Gen simply did not want to die.

"Get down, you sonofabanshee!" she demanded, wiping stray strands of her now-mussed hair out from her eyes. Gambit was gone. It was just her and this challenger. She had no idea who she was fighting, but whoever it was had chosen the wrong day to play.

 

[Dredge]

The demon now simply known as Dredge stood over a pit of rakghouls, in his outstretched hand was a Mandolorian POW from Vorzyd dangling above the pit. Dredge had a particular disgust for the mandos, it harkened back further than what they had personally done to him. But to the roots of the Yuuzhan Vong invasion of the galaxy, when his kind was at their strongest and tore this galaxy asunder by killing billions. Dredge tilted his head and his black beady eyes stared into eyeless mandos sockets. Dredge had fun with this Mandolorian, he spent many hours torturing and ripping the eyes and flesh from the man and his comrades. Pulling the dying man closer the demon smiled and spoke in a inhuman booming voice.

"Where is [member="Strider Garon"] and [member="Preliat Mantis"], tell me now." Dredge said to the mando letting out a slight growl afterwards.

The mando however did the thing mandos were known for and spat in Dredge's face. The spit landed on his cheek and the Vong sighed. With his free hand Dredge delivered a massive armored fist to face of the man cracking bone with a sickening whack. Opening his mouth the Vong removed the Mandolorian scum's tongue and with a powerful boot kicked the man into the pit of ghouls. Dredge turned around and tossed the bloodied tongue into the pit as well. Silent tongueless screams radiated out behind him.

Letting another growl escape his lips he turned to the next mando lined up on their knees by the pit. He stopped and his eyes went completely red as they rolled into the back of his head and visions of [member="Cryax Bane"] flowed through his mind. It was as if he was looking through the eyes of Cryax himself watching and listening to everything that was said and done. Dredge simply smiled at his little thrall at work expressing what he had thought was free will. No, there was no free will. Only the will of he who loomed above.

Dredge simply chuckled and decided to send a message to his little asset. It would be wrong to simply just let him die after all the work he put into him. So dredge returned to his throne room and through a system of Yammosk's he entered the young Chiss' mind, he could not be seen nor heard by anyone else in the room besides Cryax.

To [member="Cryax Bane"] the haunting image of Dredge simply standing there at the other end of the table appeared, he wore the blackened armor of the dead Sith Lord Vulcanus and a unseen smile was plastered on his face beneath the helmet. The glowing red eyes met Cryax's and he let out a soft chuckle.

"Wretch, Wretch, Wretch, you had forgotten about me? You had forgotten that I own you, and that no matter how much of a president you act like, no matter how much you strive to do the right thing, all your people, your wealth, your pretty little red head queen of a lover. They all belong to me!" The smile on Dredge's faded and the image of him began to pass through the table like a ghost. He grew closer to Cryax and when he was inches away he kept staring into him with those beady red eyes that conveyed ultimate authority.

"Look them Wretch, all of them looking towards you for leadership and guidance. It's a joke, they don't know what kind of a monster I've made you. They don't know what you are truly capable of, but we both know what I can make you do." The image of Dredge flickered out and the room was set ablaze in fire and death. Bodies littered the room of every single raven from Lysle to Patricia all of them having cold dead eyes that stared into Cryax. Blood dripped from the man's hand and reality and fantasy flickered quickly between the worlds creating a sense of dizziness that would send an epileptic into a seizure. The floor beneath Cryax wavered and split into the jaws of hell, demons looked up at him waiting for him to join them. And finally Dredge stood there once more in front of Cryax. Both of them hovered above hell.

"Defend this world, kill all who will oppose you, torture your prisoners slowly until they break then send them to me, if you do not comply or succeed in this attempt perhaps I will have you stab your love to death tonight in your sleep. Now if you need my help, just remember I'm just an ear shot away. But so help the gods bellow if you fail me I will not stop at Jalek. Now go." And with the snap of his fingers he was gone, and Cryax was thrusted back into reality where he had left it.

 

[Thane Drexel]

Location: Streets
Objective One: Riot
Allies: Rebels
Enemies: [member="Darth Arcanix"] [member="Kezeroth the Malevolent"] @Calop Ticon


Thane was rioting as hard as he could, throwing rocks every-which-way. One hand holding a stolen holo-recorder. Two frigates descended upon the city with a disembodied voice spitting words about remembering who the good guys were, just as a pocket of the riot exploded from a concussion blast then another from a lightening induced fireball. Thane looked around and traced the purple light back to a giant in armor aiming a large rifle at the crowd. Then he turned towards the sight of a woman wielding a doubled bladed red Lightsaber, killing random civilians. All captured on video.

"Ya, who's the good guys now?!?!? What Heroes kill their own people?!?! Ravens are murdering their own people?!?!" Voices called out in the crowd. From the realization that everything that drunk had said was true, Enforcers turned to the incoming threats of the citizens, but few stopped them. Most realized that it was safer to join. What good was it to die for an organization that killed the people it swore to protect.

Thane had a brilliant, rebellious idea. He moved through the crowd and out into an alley. He came out the other side to the street signs aimed for the local news station who should by now have people in the field, reporting on the attacks. News speeders began to fill the air, cameras rolling, recording the murderous acts that the Raven sponsored troops were comiting. In no time, the Ravens would be shown to be the evil ones, not the unknown, supposed terrorists.

Thane found the news station, he ran up waving at the guards. "I have recordings of the attacks on the city!! The people have to see!! Please. For the good of the people!"

The guards escorted him in to the editor. He played the tape in front of the editor and producer and the crew. They all started shaking, either in disgust or fear or anger. The editor and producer called for an emergency broadcast on all channels. Using the tape Thane had, they began a broadcast with footage of the killings that proved that the Red Ravens were not the heroes they claimed to be.

"In this tragic day, we turn to look at who started this horrible blood bath. The known leaders of a criminal organization that have plagued this system long enough. The Red Ravens and their leader [member="Cryax Bane"] and his conspirators. They must be brought to justice. This broadcast is being sent through all this stations channels to the rest of the Galaxy. Anyone! If you're out their, and have a heart to save this planet of Makeb, save us from the tyranny of the Red Ravens. And to the people, please stay strong, keep fighting for your home. Rid Makeb of the Raven sickness. Down with the Bloody Red Birds!!"

The news anchor would continue with more footage from reporters in the field and information they gathered. Like all news, the biased viewpoint they held, were now aimed at the Red Ravens. Thane was rewarded with credits for turning in the recording, he left to an alley way to resume drinking. Best to keep up appearances.

 

[RC 212]

Location: Solida Hesk's Resort, Western grounds
Objective: Kill rebels!
Allies: [member="Asteria Starcatcher"] [member="Patricia Susan Garter"]
Enemies: [member="Solan Charr"]

As the mesage crackled in her ear Lisa laughed again, a sick twisted sound and let her own comms go wide open. She could observe the mans movements and felt his force signature. Yes he was talented as well, a truly worthy adversary. Trouble was Lisa was a born sniper and tracked him from place to place, firing as he moved.

When her rifle went empty she ejected the clip, letting it fall to the dirt and slammed in another, tapping the bolt release. It went into the chamber with a satisfying click. Music to her ears. The under currents of terror were beginning to swell her already monstrous darkside aura. As she drew the fires of hatred and the emotional torrent into her very bones her frame began to take on a light purple hue. Dark energies coelesced around her, seeping into her muscles, making her faster and stronger....

"Come out and play!" She roared. Her eyes darkened now, turning a bright purple and green as she leveled the rifle on his posistion.

PFFT
PFFT
PFFT

Smoke marked the near silent passage of the slugs as they exited her silencer. He'd have to track her the old fashioned way, by following the waves of darkness.

 

[Aithne Charr]

Location: Solida Hesk's Resort, Western grounds
Objective: Take out a Sniper
Allies:
Enemies: [member="Lisa Ticon"]

He glanced around the side, breathing heavily as he had dodged a clip so far and was feeling the effects, the three new rounds coming close enough that one clipped his shoulder just enough to tear through the Viola Coat and his armor like it was paper. "Son of a... damn that hurts..." He grunted and placed his hand over the wound, mending what he could and burning the rest of it shut as he pushed into better cover.

The problem was while the more she used the darkside, the more obvious her position became, he just could not get close enough to even hit her with the assault rifle he carried. She was really pissing him off at this point but he then took that anger and smiled, shouting into an open channel again. "Hey there, how about some drinks after, promise not to shoot my head or any required limbs off and im sure we can put you shooting at me behind us.... oh and me killing your men of course." He waited for a response before shrugging and bolting into the open, pushing the force through him as he charged her, eyes focused on her and ready to start moving out of the way of the shots taht he knew would come.

 

[RC 212]

Location: Talaos City
Objective: Halt any riots, discover the identity of the Rebels. Defend the city
Allies: [member="Kezeroth the Malevolent"], @Aleksandyr Gaillard
Enemies: @Thane Drexel , [member="Solan Charr"]

It seemed that the crowd did not understand the meaning of the situation at hand. As they continued to roar across the city, destroying things at a will Colap mused on his situations. He was pretty out numbered here. Dropping in to secure key spot could work, but not all that well. There was simply to large a crowd. His boots slammed the durasteel decks towards the Drop pods, Gauss rifle over his shoulder.

A scratchy voice came to life inside his helomet.

"Update sir, some kind of monster just opened fire on the crowd, seem's the rebels are braodcasting him across the network via the Communications tower."

Colap growled, stopping in front of his pod and throwing his rucksack in. He tblinked into the HUD, opening a line back to the bridge.

"Target the Media stations and level them. Give me an update in five, I'm dropping in to the main command station to secure our safehouse in the city and organize the defense."

"Aye sir."

Colap motioned to the Rangers. They were clad in brown overcoats of bantha leather, with various armor plates, headbands, helmets and stark crimson jumpsuits underneath.

"Stay close when we get down there. We're headed to Safhouse One. Kill anyone who gets in the way."

"Aye Sarn't, orders recieved."

They climbed into their pods now, slamming the restraints down one by one. As the ignition sequences lit up Colap checked his dash and noted all lights were green. He could feel the Raven Support frigate rotate on it's axis and begin to unleash devastation on the media station below. Massive turbolsaers and ion cannons blasted downwards, sending explosive fussilades into the structure.

If there was anyone inside they would be hard pressed to escape the strike.

"All lights green, launch in thirty seconds."

Colap hated this part. The drop, the feeling of his stomach knocking into his throat.

 

[RC 212]

Location: Solida Hesk's Resort, Western grounds
Objective: Kill rebels!
Allies: [member="Asteria Starcatcher"] @Patricia Susan Garter
Enemies: [member="Solan Charr"]

He had taken the bait. Lisa had deigned to draw him from his hiding place. She was ecstatic and whipped the rifle up onto her back. It's magnetic locks slammed into place on her back plate and she mounted the speeder in one swift motion, kicking the throttle to full. As the wind raced through her hair the dust cloud she kicked up bgean to brown the area out.

With visibility reduced she slipped her goggles down with one hand, activating the thermal imaging. She was bearind down on him now, flying a 40mph towards his orange outline. He had nowhere to run, no where to hide. The cavalry was here.

"If only you'd live that long little boy!"

She was a ten meters out now and the dark energies she had gathered began to dance and flicker. Black purple bolts of energy traced across her finger tips. She let go of the handlebars, guinding the speeder with her mind and unleashed her darkness, malice and cruelty. The dark arcs of force ligghtning poured from her in a torrent, amplified by the pain of the masses.

Her teeth gritted as the dark cascade of bolts split and arced lancing in like ravenous wolves from three directions, zig zaggin for their prey....

 

[Juwiela Melec]

Location: Skies above Solida Hesk’s Resort
Objective: Eliminate air defenses
Allies: Rebels, [member="Geneviève Lasedri"]
Enemies: Ravens, [member="Cryax Bane"]

Maybe the Red Ravens pilots weren't so inexperienced as Juwiela had thought them to be. That was just as well, because she had come seeking something of a challenge, and they were fighting to present every one of the Rebel pilots just that. Surprisingly enough her cockpit was silent save for the sharp reports of laserfire that resounded from outside, muffled by both the walls of her ship and the flight helmet she wore, more so to protect her hearing, as sight was null and void, at least traditionally. It seemed the other Rebel pilots either knew well enough what they were doing, or had already devised their own strategy to follow through with. So far it seemed to be a match with experience, but she would place any amount of credits on her skill in a dogfight over that of the Raven squadron leader.

"Keep them on their toes. Make it fast, keep your movements tight. We’re engaging them by squadron, not individually. They outnumber us, but you'd better bet we're the superior pilots." She kept lines of communication open with both the squadron of pilots she was flying with and secondary line with Matchbox if there was any strategy she wanted to implement or warn about. Though the leader of Rogue Squadron, she knew full well who it was that she and the others answered to. Their ability to work together and convene with strategies even in the middle of a pitched battle would be their ultimate edge.

Moving with the motion of her ship the six of them shifted as one to the side, avoiding another strafe of enemy fire from the Ravens starfighters. Surprisingly enough their adversaries didn’t seem to be shooting to kill, which brought to mind that they were looking to take prisoners, most like to interrogate for any information regarding the Alliance. They would need luck for that one. Even getting her real name from her would be a challenge. They implemented the use of callsigns for that very important reason.

Flicking a switch on her comms she spoke into an open frequency, knowing that there was little doubt the Red Ravens would pick up on the signal, namely the leader of the criminal syndicate as he hid away in his seemingly secure bunker. "I really thought that you birds would be better at flying then this. Come on, Cryax. Is this all you can really do?" Her comments may have been uncalled for, but she had a feeling that all stops were about to be pulled or had already been when it came to the strategies the Rebels would employ to ensure their victory in this conflict.

 

[Lysle of the Hydian Way]

Location: Solida Hesk's Resort
Objective: II - Kill Geneviève
Allies: Red Ravens
Enemies: [member="Geneviève Lasedri"]

[Theme]

Lysle fired the enforcer pistol with the force of a charging rancor. He thought he could feel his wrist break from the sheer recoil, but when he was thrown off his feet, only to have blaster bolts stray overhead, he had time to check his wrist. It was fine, but the pistol had hurt like nothing else; someone should really have taught him how to shoot. Damn, if only he had his enforcers with him. He heard her shout right in front of him, the shriek of her voice ringing in his ears. His head pounded, and his vision blurred briefly. Lysle clenched his eyes and then opened, and his vision returned.

He looked to the woman nearest him, and he had no idea who she was. He didn't like her any less because of it. If anything, he was furious that this unknown benefactor of the attack was here, if it was the Black Suns it wouldn't have been easier, but if you don't know your enemy, you don't know where to defend - unless they make the critical and poorly judged decision of sending out an encrypted message of the location of their attack. Heck, Lysle wanted to take the credit for decoding it, but it was Spook who had done it all for him, not that the man would take the credit. He's about as recluse as a Hapan.

Lysle was quick to focus back onto the now. Geneviève was close, and definitely close enough. All he needed to do was flick his legs and get her off her feet. The problem was the gun, he would have to act fast to disarm her. He looked like he was surrendering, holding his hands up in submission. He slowly placed his palms down against the ferrocrete road, shoulders arched, back flexed, and he pushed himself towards her, simultaneously he took his right leg out and brought it back inwards with momentum, trying to hit her in the shin and knock her down.

 

[Aithne Charr]

Location: Solida Hesk's Resort, Western grounds
Objective: Take out a Sniper
Allies:
Enemies: [member="Lisa Ticon"]

Well, the shots stopped which was sort of a good thing, up until he noticed she was getting closer, a lot closer, wait is that speeder. Thought the speed was much slower than a slug, thank the force for that he was more worried about the rider. "Huh... she is kinda cute, shame." With a quick side jump he saw the dark energy and out of his sleeve his saberstaff flew two his hands as the audible snap hiss sounded and he raised the blade he had activated, the lightning crashing into it as he grunted and planted his feet now that he was on the ground. "Oh, you are going to be fun." He laughed to himself and held his blade up just long enough to hold the lightning, his eyes focusing over the ground and his arm sore from the wound he had already needed to partially repair. Problem was, he could handle two streams, but the third slammed into him before he even noticed it, sending him backwards with a charred hole in the front of his armor, his eyes wider. "Oh my... now we are serious."

 

[Cryax Bane]

Location: Bunker Underneath Solida Hesk Resort
Objective: Stand our ground
Allies: [member="Davik Tren"] [member="Deborah Waller"] [member="Asteria Starcatcher"] [member="Lysle of the Hydian Way"][member="Lisa Ticon"][member="Kezeroth the Malevolent"][member="Darth Arcanix"] [member="Zenva Vrotoa"] [member="Colap Ticon"] [member="Dakita Calfur"] [member="Aleksandyr Gaillard"] [member="Patricia Susan Garter"] [member="Daxton Bane"]
Enemies: [member="Juwiela Melec"] [member="Thane Drexel"] [member="Geneviève Lasedri"] [member="Solan Charr"] [member="Aleksandyr Gaillard"] [member="Corruck Kazen"]

Cryax had turned to Deborah Waller and was just about to answer her question, when he stopped suddenly, his mouth snapping closed as soon as it had opened. Anyone who had spent time around the President of the Red Ravens would be familiar with the erratic behavior that had become all too commonplace in the Chiss’s daily life. His staring off into space, eyes flickering back and forth, as if he were watching a Holo from the Great Beyond. The tic in the muscles underneath his eyes and jaw and his chest heaving with panic for no good reason. It was obvious that there was something very wrong with Cryax Bane. As he stared into the Holomap, little blue dots popping up like wildfire all over the city and in the sky above, Cryax stood in front of it as still as a statue, almost looking right through it. In the distance, he could hear the faint chattering of intergalactic Holonews reporters broadcasting the Makeb riots, but the smear campaign barely registered on his radar. An intruder had once again violated his mind, and his thoughts were oppressively consumed by a vision of the Yuuzhan Vong overlord named Dredge.

The Chiss hadn't had a visit from Dredge in a while, and he'd started to even wonder if the man was dead. Unfortunately his respite was short-lived, as Dredge sat at the table in the control room, staring at the Chiss with his beady black eyes. His taunting and threats were the usual fare. Calling him “Wretch,” the name he was made to answer to back on the Omen where Dredge held him captive. Everyone and anyone close to the Chiss would die a fiery death if Cryax didn’t serve his puppet master. No one would be spared, his lover, his friends, the Red Ravens. Cryax stared at Dredge with a slackjawed, stricken expression and willed himself to stay calm. A difficult feat when his former torturer hovered a few inches away from his face. The threats against his lover [member="Jalek Sathora"] hit home particularly hard, as Cryax knew that Dredge could control his body through the Yorik-Kul he’d inserted into his brain. It was no bluff. He could force the Chiss turn a knife on his own lover, and keep his eyes open to make him watch him perish by his own blue-skinned hands. Cryax would sooner die than live to see that happen.

Then just like that, Dredge was gone. The Chiss blinked himself back into reality as a voice spoke to him through his commlink. An unknown woman taunting him over the unsecured lines. From the sounds of the dogfighting in the background, he suspected it was one of the pilots in the firefight that was taking place over Makeb. "I really thought that you birds would be better at flying then this. Come on, Cryax. Is this all you can really do?" she asked.

Cryax switched channels on his commlink as a call came in on the Ravens secure line. The the slicer team on Bakura 2 floating up in space overhead had done their jobs.

The rebels' secure communications networks had been successfully sliced through and jammed, and the rebel terrorists would no longer be able to communicate with one another unless they got their own counter-slicers on the case.

Cryax grinned wickedly. He would take any victories he could get in this moment since lately they were so few and far between.

He flicked on the commlink over the unsecured line that was open to all, and answered the unknown pilot. “Oh you haven’t seen anything yet, girlie. I’m just getting started.” The crime boss then barked a new command to his team of slicers:

"Get to work on disabling weapons and shields systems of all of the attacking rebel ships. Let's shoot those babies out of the sky."

 

[Corruck Kazen]

Location: Stronghold One Directly outside
Objective: Get to Isotope-5 vaults
Allies: None
Enemies: [member="Zenva Vrotoa"] [member="Dakita Calfur"] [member="Daxton Bane"]

Corruck watched the Recalcitrant lift off with unprecedented speed. It being quite a large vessel he had not expected Sheera to rush the lift off procedures. Of course, that sort of oversight was possible when there were enemy ships incoming. Sheera had told him that there multiple ships entering sensor range. Corruck had made the hopefully correct assumption that those ships were enemies and that they had to go now.

The last of the supplies had been unloaded and two of the marines were just about to get to work cutting through the door when four rounds of four angry red bolts smashed into the door. The entry turned into a bright red gaping hole, with molten globules of metal thrown back into the passage within. When Corruck had first heard the distinct whine of blaster cannon fire he had instinctively looked up to the sky trying to find the target of the Recalcitrant's guns. When the door was blasted in he fell to the ground yelling for the marines to do the same. He had been afraid that there was a trap. When he realized that there was nothing to fear as of yet he picked himself up and looked at the newly made entrance to Stronghold One.

He was about to speak into his comm, but decided against it. There was no need to reprimand Nothy for trying to help. He quickly ordered the men to get ready for entry, he had two men forward followed by the main group with two men as rear guard. As soon as they entered one of the forward men fell to a well placed blaster bolt. Corruck had his men take position along the wall outside while a few, including himself took shots through the door at the enemies that were guarding against entry.

 

[Juwiela Melec]

Location: Skies above Solida Hesk Resort
Objective: Try to stay in the air
Allies: [member="Geneviève Lasedri"], Rebels
Enemies: [member="Cryax Bane"], Ravens

A reply similar had been expected, so Juwiela only flashed a smile at all he had to say. It would be the last thing she did, letting anyone like the Ravens outmaneuver and outfight her in the skies. This was her element, where she belonged. And she wasn't about to let that get taken away from her by someone who fancied themselves a bigshot of their own world when they were nothing but another crime boss that needed to be brought down in order for freedom to be restored to the the peoples of the galaxy. She was more than content to be the one to prove him wrong on that count and his estimation of her piloting skills.

Maybe she'd spoken too soon. There was a burst of static in her ears as her comms and those of the other Rebels were cut off abruptly, and she muttered a curse, switching to the open and unsecured line. That would have to serve for any absolutely necessary communications, but anything else would have to wait. She wasn't about to compromise the entire operation just because of what a few slicers were able to do. If anything, it only sparked her to want to improvise a different, better strategy.

That thought only lasted for another moment longer before a warning flashed across the cockpit that her weapons and shields both had been disabled against her will. The notification made itself with a system of chirps that only she could hear, her own sort of Morse code that allowed her to hear what others were able to perceive with physical sight. Oh, that was just perfect. The surprise and frustration of the other pilots was evident without any words being spoken, and for once she was at a loss for what to do. Her training on the finer points of piloting hadn't covered a situation such as this. Deciding on a tactic at the spur of the moment she sped up her movements, keeping them just as close as she had previously, the others catching on after a few moments. If they couldn't shoot, they still wouldn't make easy targets.

Of course, that couldn't go well either. The strategy sufficed, for a time, and she was about to signal to Matchbox that they were going to have to land and rejoin the fight on the ground when another warning flashed across her hearing, one she most definitely didn't want or need to hear. "Son of a karking..." Shaking her head in general irritation that such a thing had happened in the first place she ran a quick damage assessment. Nothing too bad, but it wouldn't be wise to stay up in the air any longer than she had to. Signalling with a dip to one side that she was ducking out and the others should follow suit she broke away from the aerial engagement, bringing her ship down for a hopefully not so rough landing.

Her hopes were answered in that department, at the very least. Slowly the cockpit slid open, and she methodically unclipped the straps that had been holding her into the pilot’s chair, finally sliding off her helmet and running her fingers through her hair. Making a note to return for her ship later she adjusted the band she wore that covered her empty eye sockets, pulling the blast rifle she’d had earlier from her ship as well, slinging it across one shoulder. That could wait for later, now her goal was to orient herself with her surroundings.

Reaching into a pocket she once more spoke into the long-range communicator she’d been given. “Not that bad at all. Too bad you had to disable my shields and weapons before your pilots could actually do anything. What happens now?”

 

[Puppet Kyrios]

Location: Bunker Underneath Solida Hesk Resort
Objective: Stand our ground, protect our leader
Allies: [member="Cryax Bane"][member="Lisa Ticon"][member="Darth Arcanix"][member="Davik Tren"]
Enemies: [member="Juwiela Melec"]@Dredge@Geneviève Lasedri

Asteria watched Cryax's eyes as they looked at something that wasn't there. She tried to reach out to him saying his name almost silently in her own language, but drew back as dread rushed through her and stumbled. William reached out and steadied her, instantly worried. The feeling went away, but Asteria had to sit down for a second to gather her bearings. When Cryax came out of the trance, Asteria let out a sigh of relief, but it was William who spoke up.

"Are you alright, sir?"

 

[Geneviève Lasedri]

Location: Solida Hesk's Resort
Objective: Kill Lysle
Allies: Rebels
Enemies: [member="Lysle of the Hydian Way"]

Spoiler

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NC5Z9snaac

She had him. For a Red Raven, he was pretty green with a handgun. She watched as he released his weapon and submitted to her order, dropping to his hands and knees. Gen kept moving closer, her heavy pistol still trained on this embarrassing excuse for a gunman. It was time to weigh her options--and very quickly. Did she shoot a person while they were down? Of course she did.

An interruption came over the comms, evidencing that the Ravens slicers had apparently been at it since shots were fired and had now cracked the frequency. The funny thing was that they could have continued to listen in on the Rebels' maneuvers if their leader had not chimed in to the feed. There were people who said that [member="Cryax Bane"] was not the most brilliant of leaders, and so far, there had not been much to help his case. Then again, pride comes before the fall.

Lasedri was dropped in her hesitation, her subdued rival actually quite intent on continuing the fight as he sprang from the pavement attempted to knock the Benefactor to it. Frak. Her left shin took an angled strike from the man and her knee buckled and gave, such a blow detrimental to her balance, no matter how padded she was in her armor. Halfway kneeling on the pavement, Geneviève tucked her chin and her right arm across her chest, knowing that her gun-wielding arm would be his primary target and not wanting to give an easy grab for a bone-snapping hold.

Blindly, she fired.