Blowing The House Down (Black Empire)

[Darth Ferus]

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'Keep a cool head and maintain a low profile. Never take the lead, but aim to do something big.'​

-Deng Xiaoping​

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Darkness spreads in the shadow's of the light. Aboard a Subjugator-class Assault Ship Darth Ferus sits at the helm with the whole of the Graug Horde of Fornow in tow.​

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His destination was unknown to the Horde, but the blood thirsty creatures of the night were more than willing to listen. Violence and subjugation were promised by none other than the Dark Lord [member="Darth Carnifex"].​

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Soon the Horde would be unleashed once again upon another unprotected planet of the galaxy.​

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"Lord Ferus, we will be departing hyperspace soon. The soldiers are eager for blood." High Commander Skrug. He lead the Horde through harsh discipline and brutal tactics. Fitting he would be the one to lead his troops to slaughter. Ferus stood close to the glass of the ships bridge, staring as the lines of stars passed by. It was.. Soothing.

"Make sure the Horde knows none are to be killed. They must be gathered for the sacrifice." There was a grumble of disapproval from Skrug, which the Sith picked up on. This wasn't his Horde, and they weren't going to be blindly loyal. "How many pieces they're in is completely irrelevant. So long as they live and breath, I care not the condition." Even without looking behind him the Sith could tell the Graug was smiling.

"I'll be sure to let the Horde know."

Just then the ship dropped out of hyperspace above a rather green world. It was brimming with life from it's forests and oceans, but that would change. Around this lead ship dozens more dropped out of hyperspace, forming a cloud that could be seen very clearly from the land below. An open com was established with all Black Empire ships.

"Remember to keep them alive, and gather them to one spot. The small ocean to the south should do. Be sure to empty it before the planets population has been subjugated."

And with that, the Horde began its descent.

[member="Darth Venefica"]
[member="Darth Prazutis"]
[member="The Gray Assassin"]

 

[Darth Prazutis]

In Orbit Above Pzob

A swarm of ships emerged from the darkness of space above Pzob as if belched from the depths of the underworld. Their hulls glistened in the light of the systems blazing sun and all ships bore the symbol of the Black Empire on them. Alongside the task force that came with Darth Ferus carrying the elite graug Iron Horde of Fornow another force, another hive of ships bearing the same symbol of nationality merged with them. These ships were all designated as elements of War Fleet Leviathan, one of the two massive war fleets directly under the twin Dark Lords that led this empire.

In the center of these elite forces was a massive ship that easily stuck out among the various star destroyers, frigates and masses of other ships. It was the Harbinger, an massive Immortal-Class Dreadnaught and renowned among the Black Empire for being the personal flagship of one certain Dark Lord. Darth Prazutis known as Braxus Zambrano I, Dark Lord of the Black Empire, Prime Designate of House Zambrano stood at the front of the ships command center. Due to its design the bridge was nestled in the center of the dreadnaught encased in turadium very safe from potential external attacks but its design still had holographic displays covering the front wall to simulate viewports showing out into space.

The atmosphere aboard the ship was kept somewhat quiet with all chatter focused on the mission. Prazutis looked out to the world of Pzob while two Crownguard flanked the walkway behind him. The operation had been thoroughly planned over the course of several months after it was sanctioned and ordered by the God-King. He carefully used his sources to gather any and all of the appropriate intel, part of the network that came with the former Director of Intelligence after he relocated his assets following the faking of their deaths. In their private conversations Kaine proposed they send the Iron Horde of Fornow as the bulk of the manpower, the horde was hungry and ready for war and they like most forces were expendable. So the decision was made and the horde was sent.

As one of the Dark Lords Prazutis had a number of choices available to him for what force would personally accompany him into battle. That choice was easily made as the Blackblade Guard were his favored assets to work with. So a force of these elite guardsman were placed aboard his ship and ready for battle. Prazutis stood geared for battle, wearing his infamous phrik plating. He took a backseat role in this operation acting more as the overseer watching over their interests, and observing these recent additions to their legions. They would work in tandem to forge this new place they had planned.

A taller than average epicanthix male wearing full armor of the Blackblade walked up behind Prazutis. For all his imposing size the Goliath of Panatha still towered over this man who was Colonel Marr, the commander of his Blackblade forces. The man moved to bow but as if expected Prazutis quick gesture bid him to rise. "My Lord, Lord Ferus has begun the assault. We are ready at your command." Colonel Marr said. Prazutis spun around and began to walk placing the helmet on his head "Begin the landing Colonel, let us join them."

[member="Darth Ferus"]
[member="Darth Carnifex"]
[member="Darth Venefica"]
[member="The Gray Assassin"]

 

[Via Dolorosa]

En Route To Pzob (Dropping Out Of Hyperspace)

Walking toward the bridge of her command ship, whilst the rest of what remained of the tattered Black Rose Fleet known as the War Fleet Wraith followed closely, she began thinking of ways to inflict serious damage upon the galaxy. For to long she had bit back the urge to become that Sith, the destroyer of worlds and homicidal maniacs that had been labeled upon her sisters and brothers that embraced the more dark philosophies of the Force, and it was through this self-inflicted conflict that she had nearly lost her way. Despite her rising through the Darkside's power ladder, she had tried to maintain a balance of her humanity, but it was a battle she was destined to lose; and it was through the awakening of this defeat that she had finally shed the cocoon of her own false understandings. She was Sith, and not just in name but in embodiment. ​

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The One Sith, whom she thought she loved was growing weaker and stagnant with every passing moment, and it was also her own beloved Black Rose that fell into ruin through many internal squabbles and betrayals; so she was a Sith without a home. But this was not a discouragement to her, but a positive omen sent from the Darkside to allow her the opportunity to reach out and grip the galaxy by it's throat; digging her dirty, cracked, and jagged nails into it's soft, innocent flesh to feel the slow cascading blood upon her hands. She had already struck a blow against the planet of Geonosis, taking slaves for experimental purposes and the necessary resources for which her fleet could maintain draping it's shadow of horrors against the galaxy. Now the Black Empire, and it's dual Dark Lords, had set their eyes upon Pzob and with it came the unholy reunion between her and her friend, [member="Darth Ferus"].​

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"M'lady," came the scratchy voice of the ship's captain, Jonas Virter, through the comlink attached to her wrist. "We shall be coming out of hyperspace in less than ten minutes. Orders?"​

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Darth Venefica knew what this mission entailed, a creation of a second alchemy basin like she had taken part in on Fresia and knew that lives needed to be spared rather than taken. This was something she good sink her sharp-pointed teeth into. She, too, needed lives but not only to assist in creating this basin, but to further her studies on the effects of certain biological weapons she had been secretly working on with Dr. Podal P'yan. Without a real base of operations to work from, and with her personal ship still weeks from completion, she had to 'borrow' labs that she came across; and destroy every ounce of evidence that could connect the dots back to her. Secrecy was a necessary precaution because she wasn't ready to unleash the greatest surprise upon the Jedi just quite yet.​

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"Have communications send encrypted messages to all parties involved," she replied stopping briefly to adjust the newest piece of bone jewelry added to her bare feet. The Necro-Witch was a bone enthusiast, but the bones that adorned her bare ankles and feet served not only as a fear factor to her enemies, but they continued to put her in a constant state of pain, along with the burning sensation from her skin grafted robe, that allowed her to channel this into her Darkside energies. She was, in all essence, a walking basin of pain. "Then commence with the landing parties....and have the Corpse-Eaters stand by. I'm heading to the docking bay now."​

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[member="Darth Ferus"]​

[member="Darth Prazutis"]​

[member="Darth Carnifex"]​

[member="The Gray Assassin"]​

 

[Lord Ajihad]

Several minutes after the Black Rose fleet arrived, a slightly larger fleet would emerge from hyperspace. It was considerably smaller than that of [member="Darth Prazutis"], but still impressive nonetheless. If one looked closely at the host of ships in the middle of the fleet, they might be able to see the worn and faded symbol on their hulls of a pyramid with an eye in the center. It was the remnants of one of the Primeval war fleets, one that had been separated from the rest as they made their way to Sith space. Ajihad had found it and dubbed it War Fleet Nightingale.​

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In the center of the formation was a Time Rift-Class Destroyer. While not strong in attack or defense, it could conduct electronic warfare like no other. Surrounding it was a host of other carriers and cruisers all bearing the mark of the Primeval.​

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When the assassin had found the war fleet, it wasn't very impressive. Less than a dozen ships remained, compelling him to call in a little extra help. Around the Primeval fleet was a supplement of ships provided by the Paladin Consortium, a PMC company Ajihad secretly led under an alternate identity.​

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In the hangars of his ships were mostly bombers, as they would be primarily conducting surface warfare. There were also a decent amount of fighters to protect the bombers, as well as dropships for the Primeval troops.​

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Hands clasped behind his back, he turned to the onboard tech officer. "Block all communications coming from the planet." The man gave a curt nod before turning back to his terminal and sending the message to his other few destroyers surrounding the planet.​

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The assassin stepped down from the raised dais at the frontward most part of the command bridge. He did like the Rift-Class destroyer, the thought of being able to interrupt the communications of an entire planet was quite satisfying. He walked over the the commanding general on deck, the man giving him a salute as he approached. ​"Prepare our forces for the stage one preliminary assault on our designated zone." The grim-faced general nodded, fully knowing the massacre they were about to commit.​

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[member="Darth Venefica"] [member="Darth Ferus"]​

 

[Via Dolorosa]

The Sith from the swamps touched down upon the planet, bringing along pain and misery, as her bare feet stomped downed into the soil of the planet. Her Vahla red eyes scanned the scene looking for the tormented, as her dark soul screamed for feeding. There were many souls that needed to be claimed, redeemed, and yet orders where orders. She believed that those that took deep breathes of life held two aspects; the weak and the weaker. Both, in her eyes, held some symbol of fascination; as she labeled them worthy and unworthy. She would claim the worthy and send the unworthy to the basin.​

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Unlike her associates, she believed, would strike at the heart of the planet, taking and claiming from the planet's limited cities, whilst she struck at the meaningless villages and settlements. There was much life there, untouched and unadulterated in those places, while they possessed many ripe fruit for the plucking. She didn't know the Dark Lords well, but give them positive results and one day they may consider her the Dark Lady of the Sith; which was not her goal, but a mantle they had to consider after she fed their egotistical appetites with results.​

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The first settlement, conquered by a third of the Corpse-Eaters, had resisted submissively, almost sexually in nature, had knelt upon the ground with hands politely placed behind their heads. Old, young, and child knelt poised for judgement; and only the Necro-Witch walked among them with their fate frolicking in her disturbed mind.​

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"We've tested each one," the scientist said as he struggled to keep up with the Sith Lady. "Each and everyone is clean. No signs of corruption present. Clean and capable."​

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"Clean?"​

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"Absolutely!"​

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Stopping at the end's line, she placed a hand upon one of the children's head and said, "They are beautiful, almost innocently beautiful....send the adults to the basin...and send the children to my fleet....and I will determine how innocent these beautiful creatures are."​

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[member="Darth Ferus"]​

[member="The Gray Assassin"]​

[member="Darth Carnifex"]​

[member="Darth Prazutis"]​

 

[Darth Ferus]

It only took a matter of moments for the drop ships to descend. The locals had nothing to stop them from doing so. These primitive fools. Ferus stepped out into the light of day flanked by a dozen Graug honor guards, and Skrug. The beast was barking orders to his commanders in his native tongue, but once he was finished he strode right beside the Sith.

"The landing was clean. This deserted spot of the planet made it rather easy. I'm having one of my commanders set up a base of operations, as well as sending out scouting forces to make sure we weren't expected. Within the hour we should be ready for your mass subjugation."

"Very good. Get me a line to [member="Darth Venefica"] . Her Alchemists and your high priests will need to accompany me to the ritual sight. There is a lot to be done for this basin that takes time, so the sooner the better."

"Yes, Lord." There was a nod to Ferus before the High Commander as he returned to his own preparations. A lesser Graug who's name was of no importance brought over a large holocell, placing it at the feat of the Sith Lord. "The connection is set."

And with that, a projection of the man in red would be sent to the witch's ship. Even in the simple blue lines his smile was clear as day.

"Venefica my dear, I am so glad to see you. Once this is over we should really sit down and catch up, but time is of the essence. A location will be sent to you shortly, meet me there with all the Alchemists you can find."

[member="Darth Prazutis"]
[member="The Gray Assassin"]

 

[Lord Ajihad]

The Demon's Fist listened to the open channels intently. He absorbed the reports as they fled in, informing him of the troops' successes and failures around the planet. The few casualties they had were simply sloppy mistakes, and as far as he was concerned, those men deserved to die for their idiocy. Folly had no place among the ranks of his army.​

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His dropships were depositing the Primeval and mercenary troops in all the major cities, just like [member="Darth Venefica"] had predicted. They were storming the buildings and dragging out the screaming and crying families within. No stone was left unturned as the prisoners were herded into makeshift column formations. Men who bore the rank of Primeval officers would occasionally pull young men from the formation, who were promptly dragged away by security NCOs to be loaded onto the transports. They would join the ranks of the black army soon enough.​

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The columns that had been weeded of the strong were sent marching onwards towards the site of the basin. The Primeval soldiers were quite familiar with genocide such as this, many of them hardened by the horrors committed by Zambrano the Hutt and company on Mirial. They drove the now-bloodied prisoners onward, the weak who fell behind beaten until they either picked up the pace or succumbed to their injuries.​

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A ground-to-space liaison officer approached the assassin, coming to a halt and saluting before proceeding.​

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"Sir, we have encountered resistance on the outskirts of the cities. Some of the natives are trying to escape to the countryside."​

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Ajihad sighed. He knew what had to be done, though he had hoped he wouldn't have to execute the order so soon.​

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"Release the beasts."​

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[member="Darth Ferus"] [member="Darth Prazutis"]​

 

[Darth Prazutis]

Landing Zone, Pzob

A swarm of troop transports and fighters flew in perfect formation descending through the skies until they finally touched down on the ground, fighters strafing the perimeter to protect them from potential ambushes. The infamous black armored Blackblade Guardsman filed out of these transports and began to form in columns while others moved to secure the area. It was a methodical precise maneuver done without hesitation, these perfect butchers ensuring everything was perfect before the Dark Titan's shuttle descended.

A Veratus-Class Imperial Shuttle designated the 'Midnight' landed amid the gathering of legions, war machines, and monsters. As its ramp lowered out came several Crownguard lining the bottom of the ramp with four on either side. Prazutis descended down the ramp in all his glory geared for war, the dark side swelled about this massive armored man carrying Daesumnor, a runeblade strapped to his armor. The Dark Lord stopped to observe his gathered legion, before speaking into the command channel "Colonel prepare the troops we move on my command."

"Yes my lord."

Prazutis then reached out to the encrypted channel with the various commanding Sith Lords "Lord Ferus my legion is on its way to the designated location. We will meet you there. Bring all of the subjects" Prazutis said. For this objective every last life form on Pzob would be sacrificed in the fire.

[member="Darth Ferus"]
[member="The Gray Assassin"]
[member="Darth Venefica"]

 

[Darth Ferus]

"Very good [member="Darth Prazutis"] , I hope to see you there." Prazutis was a new name to Ferus's ears, but a welcome one. Anyone with as large of an army as this Zambrano was a good ally to have. Speaking of armies however. Reports of the Graug were already pouring in. They spread out like a plague, capturing the locals mercilessly. After loping the limbs off of several who resisted, the rest remained complacent.

It was a quick walk to the location Ferus had mentioned to [member="Darth Venefica"] . There, some of the Horde had begun to empty the large lake that would soon become red. Massive water pumps had quickly been set up, and now he stood at the edge of what would be his greatest achievement. Soon the blood of this world would flow, but first they needed the whole population.

"At this rate, how soon do you think this will be ready?" He spoke to a nearby Graug engineer who had happened to shuffle by.

"Er.. Uh. Probably in about six or seven hours. There's a lot of water."

"Hmm.. That'll do. The planet shouldn't have assistance in that time." The graug grunted and moved on, muttering under his breath about the annoyance of schedules.

 

[Darth Prazutis]

It was only a brief march to where the massive lake was that would become ground zero for the experiments they would carry out this day. The entire area was swarming with graug while some set up the pumps that would drain it, others began to set up camp and the defenses that would comprise the temporary base for this endeavor. Although he wasn't the de facto commander of this operation he still was one of the two Dark Lords. Prazutis kept the battle net channel open to listen as the battle reports flooded in. The gamorreans were a strong, but dim witted people. In order to force these people to subdue they had to be broken first, and that started with their warriors.

The graug were an elite, vicious horde that washed over them, the gamorreans were strong but they weren't ready for this kind of force to assault their world. As more and more warriors fell to the might of the graug, more of the populace slowly began to surrender to their invaders. Things were proceeding as they had foreseen but the battle was far from over. Still more of the warriors came out from their homes and an organized defense was formed, bodies truly began to mount up on both sides. The dark titan walked up to the edge of the ravine near Ferus once the man was finished talking to the graug, he began to speak to the man. "The Pzob Defense Force has finally put up an organized resistance and your progress has slowed. How will you break them?"

[member="The Gray Assassin"]
[member="Darth Venefica"]
[member="Darth Ferus"]

 

[Via Dolorosa]

The haunting voice of [member="Darth Ferus"] came through her com link, asking her to join him at the coordinates he would be sending to her momentarily. Halting in her tracks, she raised her left hand, extending her left index finger, and began to make a swirling motion. Her soldiers that swelled the ranks of her army didn't require vocal commands, for each and everyone had served long enough with the Sith Lady to understand hand gestures. Ushering the adults to their shuttles for Lord Ferus' feast, the remaining soldiers lined up the children, and with precise accuracy executed them. The killing of the children would forever rob her of much needed testing, but the Black Empire, the rise of a new Sith Order, and the eventual destruction of the Jedi was bigger than her own desires. In time, she would eventually have what she desired above her own life; but that was a secret only the voices in her head and she knew.​

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"Lord Ferus....I'm in route to your designated location with countless gifts," she replied as her red eyes drove daggers into the backs of the last adults loaded up like bantha for the slaughter.​

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Thirty Minutes Later....​

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Darth Venefica's command shuttle landed near the lake, followed by a score of other shuttles that housed the sacrificial lambs and her Corpse-Eaters. The Necro-Witch stared over the lake, spying the growing resistance against the collective of the Sith Lord's hands of supremacy. Smirking, she turned to Lord Ferus and Lord Prazutis and said with dominating absolution in her voice, "Allow me to deal with them. My army grows hungry and it's been some time since they have basked in such a prepared banquet of flesh!"​

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[member="Darth Prazutis"]​

 

[Darth Ferus]

"If you plan to feast, make sure to save some for the sacrifice. After watching their friends and comrades feasted upon, their fear and hate will be ripe for the ritual." And at the same time Ferus was able to answer [member="Darth Prazutis"] and his question. Well, [member="Darth Venefica"] had. Ah, the wonders of teamwork. A sudden rush of the Dark however turned the Sith's gaze from the pair to the woods behind him.

They had come.

From the shadows of the trees dark cloaked men, woman; human to non, stepped out. They spoke not a word, and the exactly thousand of these beings began to step around the still emptying basin. One, a Nautolan, stepped before all three.

"The thousand wait for your order, my lord."

A smile spread over the lips of Ferus as he offered a simple nod. The leader worked his way into the group, and all knelt down before the basin, mumbling wordless speech. They were preparing themselves for what the Sith Lord had tasked them. And with them, [member="Vaulkhar"] should also have arrived.

 

[Vaulkhar]

A familiar ship to some just so happened to land nearby and the ramp slowly lowered itself downward to the dirt. Striding down the ramp came a familiar form to both [member="Darth Ferus"] and [member="Darth Venefica"], but not to [member="Darth Prazutis"]. The presence of his uncle or cousin, possibly nephew? To be honest, he wasn't entirely sure who Braxus was to him, but he did recognize the member of his family from his time upon Panatha. The hulking monstrosity that quite literally inspired nearly as much fear as his father, Kaine, which was quite a magnificent feat within it's own right. Taking a moment, he strode towards the fellow member of the Zambrano family and nodded.

"Greetings. You've likely never seen me before. It is a pleasure, I am Vaulkhar. Bastard son, one of many for that matter, of the Dark Lord, Kaine Zambrano."

Offering a nod to the man, he turned his attention to Lord Ferus and moved towards him. Lowering his head into a slightly lower nod than that which he gave Darth Prazutis, he met the eyes of his master with a slight grin.

"Everything is in place, Lord Ferus."

[member="The Gray Assassin"]