Junction Blood in the Springtime | AC/SJC Junction of Voss/Saleucami (Open to Jedi Praxeum, Scar Worlds, Jedi)

[Voice of Ashla]

War has erupted on Voss as the byproduct of both the departure of the Sith and bad blood of the oldest sort. The valiant efforts to help the Voss retake their planet from the aggressive Gormak regime have kept the movement going, but things had begun to slow. Caught in a war of attrition, the united resistance forces are in dire need of something to turn the tide in their favor… and soon they will have it. Word of the conflict has reached the ears of the Ashlan Crusade and the Silver Jedi Concord, prompting the quick assembly of each faction’s forces. With great haste, the AC and SJC converged on the planet, hoping to liberate the planet once and for all.

Voss-Ka has long stood as the planet’s capital, yet in recent years has fallen under the control of the Gormak. The city must be retaken if the Voss are to be liberated. Not an easy task, as the Gormak are dug in deep, long awaiting the inevitable attack. Their defenses have been further bolstered by technology left behind by their former Sith masters, making a direct assault challenging. Furthermore, there are whispers of hostages within the city, prisoners of war taken from the battles raging across the planet. Find a way in, save all you can, and take the city for the people of Voss.

The Silver Jedi have a history on Voss, and as such, have a vested interest in the planet. One such interest is the Silver Temple, the former temple of the Silver Jedi. Having been defiled by the Sith, it is now a shell of what it once was, but fortunately is not too far gone. It is here that representatives of the allied forces have chosen to meet, hoping to discuss the future of their two factions. They hope to bring the temple back to its former glory, and to use its ancient halls as a launchpoint for greater collaboration between the Jedi within the Tingel Arm.

Voss is a beautiful planet torn apart by conflict. Feel free to explore the region, and see what awaits you!

Thanks to Ingrid L'lerim for the objective headers!​

 

[Gir Quee]

Just outside the Silver Temple, near Voss-Ka

The speeder drifted to a stop, causing its occupants to promptly dismount. Sariya leapt out first, with her hand resting on her vibrosword's pommel - half-expecting some unseen ambusher to immediately attack them. Grandmaster Wenton Graff and Admiral Quee stepped out more slowly and deliberately. While aware that he was not as perceptive as either his bodyguard or the jedi master, Gir's own eyes scanned the immediate area around the temple for threats, but he saw none. The enemy is probably too busy fighting in the city itself...but then again, that means that there can't be much here, doesn't it? The admiral had never visited the temple before when it was in the hands of the Silver Jedi Order. Yet he knew that it had some sentimental value to others within the Concord, seemingly more to the older bureaucrats than the jedi themselves. The Jedi do seem to preach something about detachment from the material world, don't they? Aside from a few birds quietly chattering in the distant foliage, it was nearly silent, nearly painfully so to the man from Hast. The man cleared his throat as he tugged at the collar of his concealed armor.

"So, do either of you feel any sign of anyone else here?" asked the admiral.

"Hm?" replied Wenton quizzically, "oh, there are people nearby, but they are friendly. Sariya dear, would you park the speeder somewhere a little bit more out of the way and concealed while the admiral and I go inside?"

The echani woman raised an eyebrow at him, "Really? I guess..."

Yeah, she hasn't quite warmed up to him yet...Gir wasn't entirely sure if Wenton knew about it, or if he just didn't care. He guessed it was probably the latter. While he seemed almost more like an oblivious ivory tower academic to him sometimes, the man had also demonstrated some impressive perception abilities which the admiral didn't think were wholly related to his abilities to manipulate the Force. As Sariya stepped back into the speeder to repark it, the two men started walking upwards, with the jedi master coming almost uncomfortably close to the officer.

"Now my good sir, I know that you are attached to that woman, but do you think Sariya will be able to remain quiet enough not to be a problem for these talks? Perhaps you could suggest to her to wait just outside the temple?"

Gir blinked, "As a rule of thumb, I don't go into anywhere near danger without her. Not that I doubt your abilities, Master Graff...it's more of an understanding between Sariya and myself, as well as an understanding of my own lack of, shall we say, personal combat skills?"

"Come now, I've seen holos of you visiting the troops in the field and even shooting a blaster or two. You're not completely useless in a fight."

"But I'm no jedi...."

 

[Pietro Demici]

Tags: Gir Quee

Pietro walked into the halls of the old Silver Temple followed by the Holy Guard of the Host. They had come to Voss intending to liberate it, but while the bulk of their forces would be making the final push, the upper echelons of those allied against the Gormak had other things to discuss. Particularly, where they would go from here. The future of the region seemed forever uncertain. The Sith had abandoned their territory, and the Bryn'adul had ravaged the region. It would take many years to repair the damage, perhaps more than any present would be around for. Nevertheless, it was up to them to try.

As the Cardinal made his way into the room, the Holy Guard dispersed themselves throughout the temple, ensuring that all entrances were covered. Though the temple itself had remained abandoned for some time, Pietro wanted to maintain the safety of this political gathering. At the Cardinal's side was Chaplain Panaka, the man that had commanded the Holy Guard through many of their most dangerous missions.

"This place is a blessed one, Chaplain. Can you feel it?"

"Yes, your imminence. A fine choice for the gathering."

Pietro's gaze shifted for a moment, taking in the majesty of the temple itself. This place had a rich history, and that history was something to be marveled at. This temple, even though a part of a different order than that of the Crusade, was sacred nonetheless. Pietro looked forward to bringing it back to its former glory.

"It appears that the others have begun to arrive, your imminence."

Pietro turned his attention toward the doors, ready to welcome the representatives of the other factions within the region. Today was a potentially monumental one. Should the delegation come to a consensus, the healing of the Tingel Arm and beyond would become a much more feasible task.

"Excellent. And Chaplain, keep a channel open to our forces at Voss-Ka. If anything goes wrong, I want to be the first to know."

 

[Greer Caimbeulaich]

​

Equipment: Lightsaber Claymore, Ashlan battle armour Shock Gauntlet, Icarus gravpack, Ashlan Rosary, survival kit

Location: Voss-Ka
Objective: Hostage rescue
Tags: OPEN - would love some SJC/AC connections

Greer had been tasked with leading a hostage extraction, a large group of lightside worshippers were being held in an old church near a river at the centre of the city, the Bogan were threatening to execute hostages if the invading forces did not withdraw. So whilst the Ashlan and Concord mitary tried to penetrate the defensive line, Greer and her allies would make their way in covertly and remove that bargaining chip from the enemy hands. Intel was vague, but as far as they were aware there were a dozen or so armed guards led by a commander, and around a hundred worshippers that had taken refuge, hoping that the church walls would keep them safe from the Bogan. Greer needed to prove them right today.

They were already inside the city, in a Cantina in a run down district, the sort of district that nobody gave a feth about so was easy to sneak into without raising the alarm. They were a mile or so away from the "nice part of town" where the church was located, that part was more guarded, so here was the conundrum.

"Street? Sewer? Or River?" she said as the team began readying the gear. The three plans had been discussed, the sewers was the stealthiest, but high risk as if they were discovered they could easily be trapped and routed out. The river was quickest, leading right to the church gardens, but was the most exposed. The streets were a middle ground, but harder to predict what they may come across. Greer had made her thoughts known that the sewers were her favourite route. A main sewer ran most of the way to the church so it was a nice easy run, then out into a staff building adjacent to the target and then in. Heck, they could technically run right under the church and Greer could stuck her saber through the ceiling, but that had its own risks.

She looked around at her team sat at the Cantina table, finished her drink with a smile and raised the glass. "May the force be with us"

 

[Eina L'lerim-Vandiir]

Lady Eina L'lerim-Vandiir
The First and the Light of Ashla
Heiress and Princess of the Eternal Empire and Terraris; Angelic Mascot and Representative of the Ashlan Crusade
Eternal Empire's Ambassador to the Ashlan Crusade; Matriarch of the Valkyrja; Leader of Sanctuary and the Fjölkyngi Smiđr Guild​

Objective: To accompany her husband, and the rest of the Ashlans.
Location: Just outside the Silver Temple, near Voss-Ka, Voss
Equipment: Sverð Fyrstr (swords) | Ljósspjót (spear) | Skrúð Engill Fyrstr (armour) || Empyrean gland | OPBC-01m || Current appearance
Writing With: Geiseric
Tag: Pietro Demici | Gir Quee

[ Race to the Sea ]
<"High Nelvaanian"> | ~ telepathic communication ~ | << comm. channel >> ​

Things were still pretty weird for Eina. I mean, it was her first mission since she married Geiseric . She was very happy as always if she could be with him. Mainly because she didn’t even know when they were on a joint mission, and this was what both of them loved most. To help the galaxy together, or fight against the Bogan, together. Where they really were in one place and not in different parts of the planet. Ession, the trial; At Kamar, the man was very careful of him because of the attack on Ession. Probably will be the case now, because of what happened at Quermia. Her chest still hurt in the part where the Sith sword pierced her. She forgot for a day the Sith still wanted her dead, and they nearly killed her.

Fortunately, she had no problem other than pain; and Voss impressed her. Probably not surprising because both her mother and father loved this place. She read about the relationships and connections her parents had on the planet. Surprisingly, House L'lerim has almost nothing but an apartment that her mother inherited from her father. However, her father’s former companies had a lot of interests here. Not to mention that Adrian Vandiir was an honorary Mystic. He earned this title from the locals.

"This place is very strange… good sense. There is another dimension here… interesting!" she told Gei and Uncle Pietro.

As she looked through the place, the angel-winged entity; the Light of Ashla, the goddess’s future Living Saint, saw not only Voss-ka but also the Spirit World. She looked into this world with interest through the Force. Eina usually looked at the world and others at the same time in the Force and with her own eyes. As always, the Valkyrja’s presence was a very strong Light Side presence, shining in a strong golden light, in Ashla’s light in the Force. She was a Light side vergence. As they walked she suddenly felt an echo in the Force, causing her head to hurt severely, her body physically recoiling, the Valkyrja rubbed her forehead in a futile attempt to stave off the growing headache. She doesn't have a headache, she usually feels it if Gei has one, but to her, she never had, she wasn't a human or an ordinary living creature, she was a soul, a spirit from the Netherworld, not a creature of the Realspace.

"Ouch!" she said softly and then reached for her chest; it wasn’t a previous injury, it was something else, something touched her soul and she felt her mother's pain as well, the emptiness. Something really bad happened here.

She had no idea that she was acting exactly as her father was when the Sith Lord suffered the injury she had now experienced again through the echo. Eina's connection with the Force was very special.

"Something happened to my father here… on this planet. It was an echo in the Force, I felt it, like I suffered that injury what he did ages ago. Only in the Netherworld did I feel him so close." she muttered softly. " I'm sorry, this distracted me and my attention. Can we go?"

 

[Caltin Vanagor]

“Irony is the hygiene of the mind.” - Elizabeth Bibesco ​

The last time he was on the planet Voss, Caltin had believed that it would have been his last, at least in regards to the circumstances. Enemy Forces were invading… gee… go figure… and he was among a select few there able to assist in the defense as others were en route. Setting down on one of the landing pads, he still felt “trippy” at the natural spectrum of colors that painted the landscape, even with the destruction and “Gormak” changes. Gathering his gear and heading out, the big man could already see a squad of Rangers to whom he had met before. “Reek Squad” as they went by looked “ragtag” but were intelligent, efficient, and as tough as two-dollar nerf steaks. Making his way over to them to a rather bland welcome, it was surreal to look down at what would lead to Voss Ka and wonder just what was going on down there.

Anything I need to know that I don’t already?

“Not much to tell you, Master Vanagor. Just a bunch of Ashlas in the Cantina over there.” Lt. Graff pointed towards a rather non-descript building, “non-descript” because this was Voss and everything that was not a Temple looked the same.

They were not a full team standing in front of him as two of them were missing. Sgts. Speedo and Snudtub who looked to be missing were actually returning within the moment. They were coming from what looked to be the nearby cave system, Voss was laden with an intricate system of caves and tunnels, this might be what they were doing.

“Report.” Ordered Graff.

“We scouted the caves, found several that appear to be weapon caches,” Sgt. Snudtub responded plainly. He was busy pulling up his recordings on his datapad as Sgt. Speedo explained further.

“We both agreed that this could be something of a ‘Tactical Fallback’. Meaning…”

The Lieutenant interrupted “... meaning not only are they ready for us in the caves…”

They’re all but daring us. Alright, we're not pulling any needless suicide runs. Let's figure something else out...

"We shouldn't just be sitting around! We should be driving the Gormak weapons down their throat!" Staff Sergeant Ssagib growled.

"I nneeveerrr thoughhht I would agree with a Wookiieee" Sergeant Major Thrassk added.

"No, Master Vanagor is right. We find a better way, but use this as an option..." Lt. Graff denied.

"Option"?

"You're own tactics, Master Jedi. I've read the reports, you often take an 'obvious' route and throw the enemy off guard but as a decoy to those completing the objective. We can do that."

I like your way of thinking.

"Never thought I would hear that."

What are our other options?




Tag: Greer Caimbeulaich and anyone else

 

[Or'Fol Moric]

​

Or'Fol took a breath as the shuttle began to land. Voss was a planet he'd only been to a few times before, but he knew he could help here. It had been a long time since he'd been on a combat mission admittedly, but he wanted to be there. Plus a Jedi Knight he knew well, Aayla Shan , had wanted to talk to him about something. Apparently she was interested in how to purify a lightsaber crystal. He wasn't sure if this was a Shadow thing, or something else, but he didn't pry.

The older Jedi did his best to explain the process, though it honestly wasn't an easy one to explain. A lot of it was relied more on feel than strict practice.

"I wish I could offer more information, but it is difficult."

 

[Aayla Shan]

Aayla pulled her left vambrace tautly onto her wrist, clenching, and unclenching a fist a few times as she listened. After that, she checked both of her sabers, slotting them accordingly. The short raven-haired Aayla would then move to sit across from him, still waiting until they could ambush the Gormak patrol, it wouldn't be long now. Her and Master Or'Fol already had a plan to even the odds against them.

"It really is no problem, Master Or'Fol. Just curious, I've met a few people with Sith sabers in a short period of time. I knew there was a way to cleanse them of the Dark Side, but wasn't entirely sure how. Your words have been helpful. I think I'm going to see Master Noble maybe next week or so anyway, I'll ask her if she knows anymore."

Aayla finished, leaning against the windowsill and peering out. They were only a story or so above the street, waiting for the patrol to swing through.

 

[Lehvi Vass]

Location: Voss-Ka
Objective: Harass the entrenched Bogan, and do whatever possible to distract from the rescue operation
Tags: OPEN

Cross-Guard Lightsaber
Vibroshield
Julip, the akk dog
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VOSS-KA
CURRENTLY

The Gormak commander rubbed his brow, the hints of a migraine forming. In the distance, several ground and air assault platforms were speeding down the streets of the city, chasing a strange repto-mammal in the directions of the city limit. Even stranger was a strange man riding atop it, wielding a laser sword. Klaxons blared.

"Repeat what happened again, slowly", the commander said tiredly as he reached for some whiskey. He downed it one gulp, barely feeling the burning sensation before filling his glass again.

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

VOSS, LOW ORBIT
ABOUT 24 HOURS BEFORE COMMENCEMENT OF RESCUE OPERATIONS

The commander gaped at Lehvi in disbelief. Around them, elements of the Ashla scurried around, readying to go the service to conduct the siege of Voss-Ka.

"Can you repeat that again?", he said slowly. 'Because that's an incredibly stupid idea' was the subtext.

A subtext Lehvi either willingly ignored or overlooked. Who knows?

"I want you to drop me and Julip", he began, motioning to the massive akk dog who was somehow sleeping through all the hubbub, "Over the Voss-Ka. We draw forces and their attention away. Makes it easier to rescue the hostages, exfiltrate them." He said it matter-of-factly, as if he was talking about the weather.

By Ashla, he's insane.

"So, do you know what will happen to you both if you are air-dropped at a height where we would be out of range from the turbolasers?", the commander began. "Well, for starters, you would hit the ground at terminal velocity. And son, I have seen things. Many things. Not even the Force could save you. And assuming you and your...friend cushion yourselves, there is no way the both of you are in shape to do anything but spasm and wait for the Bogan to take you."

A pause. The akk dog had awoken and gave off an air of amusement. Lehvi, to his relief, looked slightly chastened before perking up.

"Sooo...there's a river that leads into the city and..."

The commander suppressed a scream.

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

VOSS-KA
CURRENTLY

"By Ashla, I thought this would be more of a challenge. Maybe we should have dropped into the center..."

They had dropped into the river, then swam into the outskirts of the city, then resurfaced.

Violently.

<Honestly, I'm surprised a Lehvi Vass plan is...going according to plan>, Julip responded, powering through a barrage of blaster bolts and sending a squad of Gromak foot soldiers flying. <Who could anticipate you?>

Lehvi huffed, swatting a bolt back a speeder bike, sending the rider flying and bike careening into a parked vehicle. "I resent that and-" he paused. "Julip?"

<I sense them as well.>

Three assault transports burst from the cloud cover. The tell-tale sound of mechanized armored vehicles shaking the ground announced their presence.

<Still waiting for a challenge?>

Lehvi paused, then smiled so wide it threatened to split his face. "Yup", he replied as the assault ships began to descend.

 

[Brooke Waters]

What she really was, was upset with her boss. Coren Starchaser was the Master of the Temple of Kattada. Brooke? Brooke was the attache from the Blue Coral Diver Clan. Yes, she was the Elder of that planet's clan, and she was a Jedi Knight in her own right, even if she opted for following the Word of Allya and living as a Witch. Today, she wore her Blue Coral Diver cloak over her navy and white Jedi robes, ones that symbolized her station of working out of Kattada, and as a healer. She had a belt with her lightsaber, her Honor Blade was more prominent, and in her hand was her hunting trident, adorned with kyber and pearls from the Kattadan sea.

Voss was an interesting world, and the Ashlan Crusade and even more interesting group to be sharing it with. But it wasn't her place to judge. She was going to report back to a Jedi Master, and the Concord itself. She made her way to the Temple, understanding her role, she was much more a diplomat than the other representative of Kattada, and if there were wounds to mend, she could assist with that very well.

Her speeder was separate from the Grandmaster and Admiral, so she was playing a little catch up on foot. As a result she was missing the beginning of the conversation between the two.

Gir Quee
Pietro Demici
Eina L'lerim-Vandiir

 

[Travot Ravenna]

Outskirts of Voss-ka, accompanied by elements of the 3rd Virunjansi Mobile Infantry - "Daybreak Veterans"

"What do you see?"

Sitting on one of the Daybreak Veteran's bikes, Travot peered through the macrobinoculars to see Lehvi Vass and his faithful mount riding into the city. Well, that's bound to catch some attention. A flicker of motion in his peripheral vision caused the man to turn his gaze upwards to spot a trio of starships. Their cavalry is moving in, and so is ours. He put the binoculars down and turned to the sergeant.

"It looks like the Crusade is making their obvious move," said the master, "we should do the same, keep their attention diverted from the others operating a little bit more surreptiously than ourselves. Your people ready to move out?"

The red-heared lieutenant nodded and turned to a dismounted handful of infantry, "Light'em up!"

Seconds later, the group's mortars began to shake and boom as they lobbed shells onto the outskirts of the old capital city. As they descended, the shells began to screech before slamming into the ground and detonating. But no explosions erupted around the impact sites. Instead, billowing clouds of gray smoke began to rise up, obscuring the view between the Mobile Infantry's position and the houses below. Travot revved his bike's engine and rocked the throttle up. His bike jetted forward towards the city, followed shortly thereafter by a trio of repulsorlift APCs.

His bike's HUD quickly toggled and relayed approaching terrain features, a near necessity for most riders. Yet Travot paid the scrawling feed no heed and instead meditated on the currents of the Force to help guide him. Time seemed to slow and he immersed himself in the environment around him. He began to feel the rocks, the bushes, and even the broken down landspeeder by the side of the road. It felt like it was almost peaceful in a sense of obliviousness to the danger around him. He continued to speed forward. But that sense of peace slowly began melt away to the fear and anger as he neared the city. He winced. The gormak are here in force....The susevfian felt one particular mind focus on him with malevolent intent, causing the man to manually take over the bike's weapons systems and fire. A staccato burst of laser cannon fire obliterated the sentry tower and sent its occupant carreening into the ground. Whether the gormak lived or not, the man didn't know, but he didn't feel any sense of threat coming from him, and that was enough.

They continued forward.

 

[Heinrich Faust]

Heinrich Faust: Grand Marshal of the Ashlan Crusade

Tags: Greer Caimbeulaich , Or'Fol Moric , Aayla Shan , Lehvi Vass , Travot Ravenna

The humming of the dropship rang out against the skies of Voss, a harbinger of the coming forces hoping to put an end to the Gormak regime. Among those aboard the vessel was the Grand Marshal himself, overlooking the city of Voss-Ka as they approached their target.

"Sir, we just got confirmation that the rescue team is about to move."

"Very good, commander. We'll keep their eyes fixed on us in the meantime. What's the status on the assault?"

"We have begun the attack, although... there is one man who insisted on being dropped right into the city itself."

Heinrich took a moment to look at his personal holo, attempting to discover the identity of whatever madman had attempted the feat. He wasn't surprised to find that it was Lehvi Vass. The man had certainly proven to be rather bold in his tactics. Bold, but incredibly effective.

"We will support him as much as we can. Have our bombers make a run at those turrets, see if they can pave the way for our ground forces."

As the commander relayed the order, Heinrich looked toward the great city of Voss-Ka. It was a beautiful city, once. One with a long and beautiful history, though its people had suffered greatly as of late. Heinrich hoped that one day, they would be able to return to their former glory, just as Ession and so many worlds had since the Crusade had come knocking on their door. Any Essonian knew the pain of losing one's home to the forces of darkness, as well as the importance of getting that home back.

"Drop us down right on top of their defensive line. It'll be tricky, but I have faith in our pilots. Ashla wills it!"

"Ashla wills it!"

The dropship began its descent, dodging a hail of plasma as it moved toward the Gormak lines. Heinrich's blade roared to life in its golden glow as he stood next to the door of the dropship, and within his mind, he began to count.

5... 4... 3... 2... 1...

He leapt from the dropship just as they neared the ground, followed by the Sons of Ession in a rain of Ashla's fiery judgment. Shots rang out from all sides as the first few Gormak fell dead, caught off-guard by the bold assault. Heinrich cut down his first as he landed, driving his blade into the enemy's shoulder as their body's slammed together. As the Grand Marshal stood, the Sons of Ession began fanning out in each direction, hoping to maintain a break within their enemy's defensive line. They would have to hold here for some time, but as long as Ashla was with them, Heinrich knew they would prevail.

 

[Geiseric]

Times were changing. With hope, the struggle over Voss would change in their favor, that being an end to it all. But the conflict on Voss did not concern Geiseric. What was one world at the end of the galaxy compared to the raging war machine of the Brotherhood and the New Sith?

Gei wasn't entirely sure what the summit at the Silver Temple intended to discuss, but his purpose there was at the forefront of his mind. He had been allowed access into the mind of the mysterious Cedric Grayson, allowed to truly understand the man's plots and designs. And Geiseric, the faithful soldier he was, had to carry them out. He didn't know if the rest of the Ashlan delegation had the same ideas, but it didn't matter now. He had a lot to think about, a lot to lose, as it stood. His wife, his new home, the crusade he had fought hard to help forge. The unification of the wayward Jedi Orders, to protect against the fast encroaching darkness, was paramount, whether the rest realized or not.

The last diplomatic function Geiseric and Eina had attended proved without a doubt the need for the Jedi to come together. The Sith had almost destroyed the New Jedi Order, and reports from the Core Worlds suggested they were poised to finally do so. The Silver Jedi had stood valiantly against the Bryn'adul horde, but everyone present knew they could not continue that stand in the face of the Maw.

As they ascended the steps of the Silver Temple he observed Eina as they strode side by side. He could feel the strain this war was putting on her, the strain he had fought so hard to keep her away from. He forgot often that she was as much a warrior as himself. and neither of them were as diplomatic as this mission required.

"Something happened to my father here… on this planet. It was an echo in the Force, I felt it, like I suffered that injury what he did ages ago. Only in the Netherworld did I feel him so close." she muttered softly. " I'm sorry, this distracted me and my attention. Can we go?"

"Calm your mind, dear. You need not give all your attention to this council, lest you become a politician." he cracked a smile at her. There were few places on this side of the galaxy where he father had not touched with his influence. Such was the way it had to be as a member of the dark council of the Sith Empire. Yet indeed, this place was different, and it worried Geiseric how it might affect Eina.

As they entered they entered into the meeting room, Geiseric took note of his seat but remained standing. He looked between Demici and the Chaplain, the later gave a nod of approval, and Geiseric approached the Cardinal with a bow.

"Your Holiness. What do you intend to gain from this meeting?"

Eina L'lerim-Vandiir Gir Quee Pietro Demici Brooke Waters

 

[Thurion Heavenshield]

​

Location: Temple Main Entrance
Joined by: Thirdas Heavenshield
Objective tags: Gir Quee Pietro Demici Eina L'lerim-Vandiir Brooke Waters Geiseric

It certainly was a strange sensation, revisiting this birthplace of the order he'd sworn allegiance to all his adult life. This place, now fallen into disrepair and defiled by the Sith for years, still holds such prominent memories of his youth in every chipped stone and tattered bit of cloth. To be able to walk these same ground alongside his youngest, who was too young to have ever set foot on this same soil and his older siblings, made it an even more special occasion.

"She sure looks like she's seen better days," the Colonel uttered the obvious, unable to feel that same, deeply-rooted connection as his dear old father. Thurion made no comment, too wrapped up in nostalgia as they entered what had once been the most splendid of entrance halls. Gone was the large crystal levitating at its centre, with crumbling staircases on either side leading to the upper floors. Rubble and dust were found aplenty, gathered into piles as they were.

"Your brother and sister grew up here," the elder instead revealed. He pointed, "Théo would slide down that railing to beat all his classmates to the cafeteria, much to the frustration of his instructors. Always had a knack for getting himself into trouble." Of course Thirdas knew what that was like. It pleased him to know his big brother had apparently been just as rambunctious growing up considering how dutiful a man he'd become later in life.

Thurion knelt down to pick up a piece of rubble at his feet, recognising it as the bottom half of a face. A sculpture. He then found the upper part and pressed them together where they fit, and could not help but smile sadly. "Forgive me, sister," he whispered directly to the broken face in his hands, before looking up as if seeing the ghosts of Jedi past surround him. "Forgive me, all of you." They were the faces of the original Silvers, all long gone. Only he remained. Him and his wife.

The sculpted face he held depicted that of Iella E'ron, the very first Silver Grandmaster. Her likeness had been sculpted in the wake of her death at the request of her replacement: Himself. At that moment he felt a hand on his shoulder, thinking it hers at first. "Dad," his son gently prodded. "We'll be late."

Nodding, he carefully placed the two halves atop an improvised podium in the form of a block of rubble, making sure the face remained intact. Helping his father to his feet, Thirdas felt compelled to hold him by the arm as they made their way further into the structure. They passed a group of Voss busy restoring a hallway, all of whom bowed in unison before the former Grandmaster, now aged and visibly weary. Still, the Voss remembered fondly the prosperity enjoyed during the era of House Heavenshield, and would honour the Jedi Master in any small way they could.

Upon reaching the designated conference room, Thurion wriggled free of his son's helping hand to take the last couple steps on his own. Entering the room, they found that among those waiting for the various delegates to arrive were several Voss Mystics, considered the ruling class of the species. As Thurion bowed, they bowed lower. No words were needed between them. It would seem they were ahead of schedule after all, as Grandmaster Graff and the good Admiral had yet to arrive.

"Your Holiness," he appeared before the Cardinal and his fellow Crusaders. "I believe this is my first time meeting with an Ashlan Crusade representative in person. I am Thurion Heavenshield, this is my son Thirdas." A curteous nod from the Ranger Colonel.

 

[Madison Starr]

​

The Marches Checkpoint - North of Voss-Ka
A Delicate Matter


It was a beautiful spring day on the northern road checkpoint. Astonishingly beautiful really.

A white cobblestone road, subtle golden grass, and tall dark trees in full golden bloom. A great wide-open expanse surrounded by the high Voss mountains. High mountain air with a cool, slight breeze. Almost blissful really. It would have been perfect if not for the swarm of far-off Allied ships surrounding the mountain capital. You could almost see the battle from here. White laser fire and tall black plumes of smoke. Even an echo or too. A gentle reminder that this was a terrible, terrible war. Surrounded by beautiful spring fields.

Jedi Apprentice, Madison Starr stood in the shade of a dozen local vehicles. Smiling up at the sun. A gathering point for local resistance fighters and Voss soldiers. All of them anxious to get underway on the road to the capital.

"How many have arrived?" Madison turned to the Silver Captain next to her.

"About a dozen skiffs and speeders. All locals. All anxious. All ready to get moving." The Captain nodded to the radio in his hands.

"And the battle?" Madison nodded to the skies.

"Just got underway. The Ashlan are hitting the defensive line now from the air." The Captain turned to survey the group of soldiers approaching. Local fighters, all.

"Okay. Better saddle up. We'll ride in with the second wave." Madison sighed. Unlike the others present, she wasn't thrilled to be returning to combat. And it showed.

"Yep. Let's get these boys moving. They've been sitting here long enough. It's their planet anyway. No need to make them wait any longer. Pfft."

The Captain lowered his radio and gave a sign to the local gathering. The Voss drivers all knew what it meant. It was time to saddle up and finally make the long drive into the mountains, and into the capital beyond. A great battle awaited them. Hopefully, the last battle in long, long war that these men and women had been fighting for awhile now. Few in number. Veterans all.

Madison could respect that. Even if they were anxious for a final bloody brawl.

Madison Starr mounted up a jetbike along with a contingent of Silver Concord troops. They waited until all the local fighters had mounted their own vehicles and started driving off into the distance. A small armada of Voss freedom fighters. Burning dust up into the mountains. Ready to join the fight in the city.

"Ravenna is already inside the city. Looks like we're clear on the road. ,,,You good?" The Captain nodded to Madison.

"Yeah." Madison nodded as she engaged her bike's turbine engine. A powerful roar. "Yeah. All good. Let's move up to the outskirts and assist the locals with their advance into the city. Keep em' out of trouble and all that."

"Heh. Pfft." The Captain snorted. As if the locals needed a babysitter. "Roger that. ...All right people. We're going in! Right behind the locals! Keep it tight! We break the Gormak line at the outskirts and then dismount for building clearing! Lunch break is gonna have to wait! Let's go!"

"Aye aye!" The other Silver troopers signaled.

Time to go fight a war.

About two dozen or so vehicles left the Marches Checkpoint. Headed south into the hills. Madison Starr and small contingent of Silver Concord troops was among them. Anxious and ready to the join the fight.

. . .

 

[Cedric Grayson]

\

Location: Silver Temple Main Entry
toogs: Gir Quee , Pietro Demici , Thurion Heavenshield , Thirdas Heavenshield , Brooke Waters , Geiseric , Eina L'lerim-Vandiir


To be human was to be a flawed thing, and the fire of his failings burned brightly in his chest now. The exile had only set foot on Voss twice in his life, once as a visiting child, and once to make war upon its occupiers in a conflict that had wholly been forgotten and no longer mattered. It was not the planet itself that ate at the Essonian's heart, but what it represented. The scars of his youth became easier to ignore as time drew on, but they always threatened to reopen when he drew near those that had inflicted them.

He recalled the panicked messages sent to this world, the desperate calls for aid, and then the empty promises given: the apathy with which his people's massacre had been regarded. It was a debt unrepaid, and likely never would be.

Such unpleasantries were unfitting of a Jedi, or at least was what he told himself as he lifted himself out from the snub nose fighter. He arrived with no escort and none of the pomp that followed the Cardinal. Truth be told he was thankful of Pietro Demici 's position; the cardinal could fulfill the traditional requirements of the Crusade and leave Cedric to his own devices.

He'd not announced to his colleague that he would be attending this meeting. As far his compatriots knew he was busy with private projects that would see to the Crusade's future, and they were not entirely wrong in that regard. For the time being, his actions would remain in the shadows. To reveal them now would bring them only to failure and a year of effort gone to waste.

He paid little heed to Gir Quee as he passed the man's entourage. He knew the face, the notable deeds, the titles, but the place for pleasantries and respect was within, and he could not speak to a man of such importance with his humors out of balance.

"There is no emotion," the Ashlan Kaiser muttered to himself as he marched up the temple steps. The old mantra stilled his thoughts for the time being, forcing down the bile that seemed to be building in his throat as he cleared the entrance. The only way they could restore the Tingel Arm was through cooperation, and with the warmongering of the New Imperials and the uncertainty of the Galactic Alliance, they might well prove to be the only reliable allies within the region.

Perhaps reliable is too strong a word, he mused to himself.

The exile drew in a deep breath, forcing his thoughts to a halt as he came upon the chamber inhabited by Pietro Demici and Thurion Heavenshield . He'd not seen the cardinal in months. The warmth in his smile was altogether genuine as he regarded one of the few he might call a peer. "I trust your flight was uneventful brother." His trepidations were lost as he clapped a hand on Pietro's shoulder, before turning to regard the two Heavenshields. There had been a brief rapport with the Heavenshield matriarch when he was a boy, but they'd always seemed a distant, albeit famous family to Cedric.

Moreover, they could not be blamed for the actions of their constituents, and they had ever been a bulwark against the Bogan. "Master Heavenshield." He'd offer a nod. "I knew your wife for a time when I was a boy. She was kind to me when few others were. I'm keen to repay that kindness in turn if you've need of it."

 

[Or'Fol Moric]

​

Or'Fol nodded to Aayla, thinking for a moment.

"I can understand your concerns. While I don't think you would do something like this.... Make sure the other Shadows don't start randomly taking sabers. It can often be much more than just another weapon to some, so it's best to handle anything with someone having a Sith lightsaber delicately. Master Noble should have more information though." The hurglic would then check his lightclub for a second, taking a breath as he reached out and focused. This would definitely be interesting. He then looked out.

"I know I don't need to say it, but get ready. Something's coming."

Aayla Shan

 

[Caltin Vanagor]

“Be strong enough to stand alone. Be smart enough to know when you need help. Be brave enough to ask for it.” - Anonymous​

“Reek Squad” was in the middle of doing last-second weapons checks as Caltin was looking over topographical data of Voss-Ka. The place had (obviously) grown so much over the last 900 years, let alone when the Old Republic had first discovered the indigenous people. It’s funny though that no matter how much the landscape and its people had grown, more things remained the same. Those who were from the “off-world” were still referred to as “Outsider”, they still followed the ways that they had for thousands of years. Perhaps there was something to be said for that, after all, the Jedi and the Sith still had their ways, right?

There was something “wrong” with what they were doing. Yes, there were hostages, and the Gormak were dug in, but what about this bothered him? There was some itch that was telling the Massive (was he still a) Jedi Master that if the groups that were moving on Voss Ka were going to not only fail but potentially perish needlessly as well as cause the loss of innocent lives just as pointlessly. Popping in a comm-link, Caltin pressed a button to the device in his ear and asked plainly.

Are you guys good?

We’re good. Ready on your go.

Go.

Who was on the other side? Who was the big guy in contact with? Not important as they had their own objective and will be reaching it soon enough. What was important was that there needed to be some level of cohesion among the people moving to liberate the Voss and drive out the Gormak. It’s funny really, long ago it was a Jedi who had found that the Voss and the Gormak were ancestrally the same and lived in peace. That Jedi brokered what looked to be peace talks among the two, which was realized soon enough as they joined together to repel an invasion of the Eternal Empire. What went wrong? It doesn’t matter now.

Cinching up his battle armor and web gear and battle armor underneath, Caltin took a deep breath. Reek Squad were good Rangers, all of them, but they were not gelling yet and he knew that none of them liked him, that was fine, they needed to be able to work together though, for their own sakes. Putting ” Conservator” up and behind his shoulder where it always clips and ” Vanguard’ the secondary that he does not normally carry anymore was lined along his spinal cord like it normally was. If he was carrying both lightsabers, he took this situation seriously, that was a certainty.

Finally satisfied with his gear as Lt. Graff was giving orders to his team, Caltin pressed another button on his commlink. This was a wideband call on Silver frequencies(encrypted of course). Hopefully “The Ashlas” as Graff called them (Caltin saw them as extremists, but that was a conversation for another time) would be able to hear it as well.

This is Vanagor. Before we move, who wants to talk about it?

He was a lot of things, he was not a lot of things. No question on this though, Caltin was good in a fight and that is what they were walking into.

TAG: Greer Caimbeulaich Or'Fol Moric Aayla Shan Lehvi Vass Travot Ravenna Heinrich Faust Madison Starr

 

[Xeykard]

Greer Caimbeulaich Or'Fol Moric Aayla Shan Lehvi Vass Travot Ravenna Heinrich Faust Madison Starr | Open​

This had become a poor investment.

The extension of the campaign on Voss had forced him to stay on the planet. Their counterattack had had remarkable success since the taking of the Maroon Ait, and Master Jade's retreat. Something had sparked in the Gormak that they'd forgotten; their ancient enemies were weaker than they, and they'd set out to prove it. With deadly efficiency they'd taken Voss territory -- all the way up to their capital. Xeykard couldn't complain about that; the fewer potential enemies to strike at their supply lines the better.

Yet, every mile they went, Xeykard sensed how much easier it was than the Ait. The Gormak were skilled, organized, and ferocious, but the Voss should've bled them dry at Voss-Ka.

Only now did he understand why. The majority of the Voss commandos and leadership had withdrawn, hiding in the surrounding region until their allies came crashing down. The Gormak, in their hubris, reveled in the victory, no matter how little resistance the Voss gave at their home. Any discipline instilled by the Empire broke down in them. Looting and murder were rampant, cruelty a waste.

Now, the Ashlans and Jedi descended on the city. The Gormak were ferocious, but poor defenders, especially with the poor cohesion and lack of preparation brought on by their conquest.

"Bring Fir-Vib," he ordered, and one of the Sith troopers in the war room scurried off.

"He's practicing katas. Seems pretty intense," Aryrene said. The young Zabrak acolyte was meditating, eyes closed, their sight cast elsewhere.

"You're to be looking for infiltrators into the city," he growled.

"Yeah, but like- they're probably already here, right? And they're gonna make their move now, since the attack's started. And you know they're gonna go for the important folks we got cooped up in the church or whatever." The few intelligentsia they'd captured were being held not too far away, but they were few, and hardly that important, so Xeykard had left them to a company of Gormak who seemed excited at the prospect of guarding some Voss prisoners.

Xeykard, though, had no intention to let them be right.

A few moments later, the trooper he'd sent returned with Fir-Vib, who looked tired, and had a practice weapon in hand. The aged Gormak was among the few Xeykard trusted, as much trust as an Inquisitor was capable of giving. Nonetheless, Fir-Vib had proven a reliable commander -- yet his greatest strength lay in his perspective.

"You sent for me, Xeykard?" As usual, the Gormak added an honorific in his own language.

Xeykard paused a moment, glancing briefly at Aryrene -- they had an eye peeking at the interaction, but pretended to still be meditating when he glanced back.

"Yes," he said. "You are promoted to Colonel. Effective immediately."

Fir-Vib seemed confused. "Pardon?"

"This one will not repeat. Now, go quickly -- your legion is under attack. Command them to withdraw."

"I- they will be... resistant, and I have only just been promoted-"

"You wish to fight for your people, no?"

Fir-Vib paused. "Yes."

"That means keeping them alive. These outsiders -- the Jedi, the Ashlans -- see you as nothing more than animals, and would see you wiped from your own planet. Do you think your people can stand against them all, as they come down upon you?"

"No," he said bitterly.

"Then organize them, and withdraw. The dissenters, those who do not listen-" with an outstretched hand he pulled Aryrene's saber off their belt, prompting a small cry from the acolyte "remind them of your authority." He stepped forward, placing one hand on the Gormak's shoulder, and handed him the saber.

Old as Fir-Vib may be, his martial culture had made him veteran of a thousand battles; with such a weapon, anyone who challenged his authority was sure as dead.

"Go, Fir-Vib. Your people need you. Keep them alive."

Fir-Vib nodded. "I'll be in touch," he said, before running out of the room.

"You could've at least asked," Aryrene groaned, but was silenced by a glare.

"Major Vaice," he said. The commander of the Sith cohort stationed in the city had been listening quietly, but now stood to attention. "We will also be withdrawing. Raze any Voss equipment, and collect everything we have. We'll head north towards our landing zone, and when our fleet comes close enough, we will leave. Prioritize armored units. This one will head to the front and buy time."

The major nodded, needing no coercion. "Yes sir." The man began his work, issuing orders to the other officers in the war room.

"Come, Aryrene. We go."

---

The Inquisitor stalked the front, surrounded by terrifying creatures of smoke. He seemed almost a demon himself, his presence like a vast, raging fire, screaming for a challenge. Come, it roared, come face me. This is your true enemy. Come.

Spoiler: Wider stuff/TLDR

Some of the Gormak begin to withdraw, though some at the front stay, enamored in the frenzied fighting.
Some soldiers sporting Sith armor move about with purpose, systematically destroying static equipment. Anything not bolted to the ground is taken away. Transports and armored vehicles quickly withdraw.
Xeykard is at the front, expanding his presence in the Force as bait to anyone with enough sense to feel it. The rage, hatred, and darkness has an irresistible quality to it. He stalks the outer ring of the city. (I'm down to fight as many people as possible. Come slap a lizard.)

 

[Aien Mueller]

Spoiler: ARMOR(Mission Specific)

Armor - Cybernetic suit (GOLD, BLUE and RED Teams), "Dominion" armor(GREEN Team)
"Apostle" armor(all, GREEN Team when needed)
Mk II armor-w- Rotary and Blaster Vambraces, Stun Club and Shoulder Mounted Interchangeable Weapon(all, GREEN Team when needed)
MKIII Armor Assault -w- Rotary and Blaster Vambraces, Stun Club and Shoulder Mounted Interchangeable Weapon(Base Variant)(GOLD)
MkIII Tech/Demo -w- Rotary and Blaster Vambraces, Stun Club and Shoulder Mounted Interchangeable Weapon(Grenade Variant)(RED)
MkIII Heavy Weapons -w- Rotary and Blaster Vambraces, Stun Club and (Shoulder Mounted Interchangeable Weapon(Grenade Variant)GOLD)
MkIII Sniper -w- Rotary and Blaster Vambraces, Stun Club and Shoulder Mounted Interchangeable Weapon(Sniper Variant)(BLUE,GREEN)

Spoiler: WEAPONS(Mission Specific)

Weapons (assault team)- T-73 Handgun, Combat Knife, FTB Rocket(2 FYB Rockets each, 3 with Flame Carpet warhead)
3 Grenades (each), 2 Fire Grenades (each)
(Infiltrators)- Carbine(Suppressed), T-73 Handgun(Suppressed), Vibroswords, Combat Knife
(Snipers)- M-14 Sniper Rifle, Wrist Blaster, Carbine, God gun
(Assault)- RI-17 Assault Rifle-w-LPD53 Grenade Launcher(5 FYB 40mm grenades each), T-73 Handgun
(Heavy Weapons)- Minigun(if in the field), Defender-Automatic Weapon(if in CQC) Assault Rifle

Spoiler: FIRE TEAMS - When Separate

GOLD TEAM: Azrael(Assault/Team leader), Castiel(Assault/Pathfinder), Jegudiel(Cover)
BLUE TEAM: Sauriel(Sniper 1), Michael(Sniper 2), Omael(Overwatch/Sniper3)
RED TEAM: Gabriel(Demo/EOD), Bartleby(Tech/Team Second), Samael(Heavy Weapons)
GREEN TEAM: Chamuel (Infiltrator/Slicer), Zadkiel(Infiltrator/Assassin), Raziel(Infiltrator/Assassin)

Spoiler: FIRE TEAMS - When Operating together

ALPHA (Lead/Point/Pathfinder) = Castiel(Assault/Pathfinder), Zadkiel(Infiltrator/Assassin), Raziel(Infiltrator/Assassin)
BRAVO (Primary/Cover) = Azrael(Assault/Team leader), Gabriel(Demo/EOD), Bartleby(Tech/Team Second), Chamuel (Infiltrator/Slicer)
CHARLIE (Cover/Drag) = Sauriel(Sniper 1), Michael(Sniper 2), Jegudiel(Cover), Samael(Heavy Weapons)

Spoiler: TRANSPORT TEAMS

PEGASUS 1- Jeremiel(Pilot), Barachiel(Weapons)
PEGASUS 2- Ariel(Pilot), Uriel(Weapons)
PEGASUS 3- - Barachiel(Pilot)*
PEGASUS 4- Uriel(Pilot)*
*When needed. Weapons Intercept officers will be assigned randomly

FIST
RONTO 1- Raguel(Driver), Selaphiel(Gunner), Jegudiel(Cover)

Ship Captain/Teams Overwatch - Seraphim
Ship Engineer/Tech/Teams Overwatch - Jophiel
Ship Corpsman - Raphael
Ship Pilot(s)/Gunner(s) - Batariel,Jeremiel, Barachiel, Ariel, Uriel

ORDERS: Continue mission
Tag:
[Any text in brackets signify comm-link usage and not face to face conversation]

[Are you guys good?]

[We’re good. Ready on your go.]

[Go.]

Satisfied his conversation with the Jedi was what the big man Caltin Vanagor wanted, Aien just smiled under his helmet and changed comm-link frequencies to the team itself.

[Blue, status.]

[Roadway Clear.]

[Moving] Boss!

Azrael just shook his head as the team began to move. This was Omega Squad’s first “Official” mission in a long time. They had been running a lot of behind-the-scenes operations that were considered “off the books”, these were “Demolitions”, “Rendition”, “Intel Gathering”, and outright “Assassination” among other things. They did this so others did not have to, they carried the burden of being the “dirty little secret” of the SJDF so that the rest could live and enjoy their lives.

Their objective was several clicks away from Voss Ka. It was a well-positioned emplacement of a long-range Gormak cannon. There could be more, but all intel points to this being the only one pointed directly at the Silvers objective. That meant that it had to(and would) be taken out. All in their Mk III armor, they moved surprisingly quiet through the open areas south of Gorma Koss at Ka-Ri ridge.

[Hold, three patrol approaching.]

Throwing up a “stop” hand signal, the Team Leader gave the order as the rest almost fell over each other, they were that close. As efficient as they are though none of Omega Squad were noticed. As quick as the call was made, the three had dropped from sniper fire.

You’re welcome.

[Efficient. Good work.]

Ready.

Ready.

Ready.

Ready baby!

Bart, get us going.

Mount up!

Quickly they loaded into a stairwell that took them down from the overlook that they were on. There was one first stop though. Level Gamma(as the Omegas called it, the Gormak called it something ridiculous) housed two groups of snipers. Smart. A quick set of hand signals and Gold Team was moving silently on them, suppressed blasters and vibroknives only. Red covering forward, rear, and down the well. Green Team was moving to secure the next level down as the Gormak assassins were brutally dropped. The next group of snipers was done in reverse. This time it was Gold Team covering as Red took them down. All the while, Gabriel was setting shaped charges that would secure the stairwells from would-be attackers and late patrols.

[Blue push forward. Green status.]

[Moving.]

[Fives.]

[Get us to ground.]

Weapons check.

Down level by level, they ran into the patrol approaching them. It was almost a stalemate as Samael and Chamuel threw flash grenades down the stairs. The impending “bangs” gave them the opening to rush their foes and cut them down. As they exited the stairwell, a loud rumble could be heard above, dust and debris soon fell from the upper levels.

Boom baby.

Hold position until Blue Team checks in.

Aren’t we exposed?

Heard that… a mech unit isn’t far away but you’re clear for now, they are chasing “1” right now.

A ” Pegasus” was providing more overwatch and prepared for both airstrikes/air support as well as exfil. A “Ronto” was diverting heavy Gormak units away as much as possible. They were clear, but they did have to move soon.