Casus Belli (Tygaran Alliance/Galactic Alliance vs First Order Rebellion of Kaeshana)

[Jacen Voidstalker]

[member="Samka Derith"]

He felt the new assault coming through the Force. Again it was that vile intrusion of the dark side, but this time it took a different approach. Rather than his mind being attacked, it felt as if his connection to the Force itself was being eroded. Like a wheeled vehicle stuck in mud, it suddenly felt as if he couldn’t get traction when trying to call on the Force. Then he started to feel the drain on his physical reserves.

The terentatek hide lessened the blow, gave him more time to rally his defences. It was still a strain. One which slowed him down as he tried to fend off the ferocious string of blows from the sith. Even as he kept pivoting to try and keep the shield limiting her angle of attack she moving quickly, thrusting and twisting to test the limit of his defences.

On one parry he was too slow, she managed to turn his blade and swing hard. His right forearm went clattering against the inside lip of his shield. He grunted in pain, but it was nothing compared to the tip of her blade finding a soft point in the armour around his shoulder. Even with the overlaid akk dog scales the blades seared flesh.

As she backed away once more, the Jedi Marshal changed tack. There was a wet thud as the shield fell to the ground, slowly tipping on its edge to lie flat. Jacen took his saber in two hands, dropping his weight into a typical soresu stance. Some of the greatest practitioners of the form had tutored Jacen in his time with the Republic. Even if that seemed a lifetime ago. He was drained and wounded. She's taken a few knocks and already been in a fierce battle, he knew he needed to apply economy of motion and weather the storm, outlast her.

He braced for her next charge, but lowered his forearms. The paddle beamer snapped out of his Wrist blaster and fired. The silvery beam shot towards her midriff, it wouldn't be blocked by lightsaber but would do no physical damage. It would only cause local paralysis wherever it struck.

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

[member="Ludolf Vaas"]

Trextan was starting to doubt the Force. At first he had assumed it was drawing him to Jacen. But he had walked out into no man's land and there was no sign of the Jedi Marshal here. He was certain Jacen would be near the fighting or at least with his own forces. Doubt was an insidious thing. It started small and then worked its way deep. Trextan started to slow his pace, started to think about turning back.

Then a flash of lightning, likely the result of all the storms that had been whipped up around the area. Friction and clouds and static charge leading to a brilliant fork. But Trextan didn't see the lightning. He saw the figures ahead. They had been invisible in the darkness, but the shapes of standing and sitting soldiers became bright silhouettes for an instant.

The young Jedi continued on into the night. Eventually he could hear their words carried by the wind. They were addressing each other by rank. One was berating another for losing heart. What were they doing out here? As he came closer he could see Alliance uniforms.

"Who's there?" Called one of them sharply. A stern military voice.

"I'm with the Alliance," Trextan called out. "A Jedi," he added after a moment's hesitation. As he came closer he could see them looking vaguely in his direction, turning their heads back and forth. But the men who would become know as the scarred no longer had sight.

"I have nineteen wounded men here," the sergeant replied calmly. "I need to get them back to."

"No medevac shuttles out here," Trextan replied.

"Won't need one. We can bloody well walk. Just give us a direction."

Trextan noted that not all the men shared their leader's spirit. He was doing this for them. He only just caught sight of the still bleeding marks each of them carried.

"Of course, towards me. I'll pick the easiest path I can find. Take my hand," Trextan said. If that sergeant could pull such courage together in these circumstances then Trextan could go on for a while longer. His left hand took the soldier's, but his right came to rest upon his lightsaber.

 

[Samka Derith]

[member="Jacen Voidstalker"]

The power regained from the Drain was weak, weaker than she'd ever experienced since those early days practicing against death row inmates in the Bastion of Ren. The rejuvenation was there but small and unsatisfying. She hungered for more but had to show discipline least those who abuse such a power become consumed by it like the legendary Sith Lord, Darth Nihilus. A precautionary tale, Samka had been warned of once it was agreed to teach her the skill.

But using the technique before the charge seemed to have paid off, the Jedi's reactions seemed dulled compared with before and soon her persistence paid off. Sam's face broke into a deranged smile, she'd broken through. She was one with her lightsaber, the blade was an extension of herself so it was almost as clear as though her own fingers had seared the Jedi's flesh.

Pulling back, she met his eyes for a moment, daring him to make the next move. She just watched as he dropped his shield into the mud, cocking her head in curiosity.

Feeling more like her old self, she chose to address the man for the first time since the duel began. "I don't know why you defend, that," her eyes darted to the figure of @Dish. The gaping dead hole in the Force. "We may follow other sides but we both understand the Force is essential to the galaxy. That thing is an abomination, a corruption of life itself." She spoke through gritted teeth, her contempt apparent. "But you made your choice."

Using another burst of Force Speed to assist her, Samka leaped at her foe, bringing her lightsaber in a downwards slash but the enemy had an attack of his own and it was something oddly familiar. Ssi-Ruuk tech. She'd fought the lizards themselves not too long ago and knew what that paddle beam was. The Ren attempted an evasive manoeuvre but she was already mid attack, the beam struck her left shoulder leaving her suddenly numb. She initially grunted with the discomfort but it turned into a snarl and then a screech as her Lightsaber was swung downwards for a killer blow.

 

[Kyrel Ren]

Location: Humanitarian camp, Southern Hemisphere
Objective: Get off world through medevac.
Allies: First Order [member="BE-183"]
Enemies: Galactic Alliance.

His body was carried by the soldiers of the 6th platoon for what seemed like hours. One of the troopers managed to tinker with Kyrel's suit so he could at least breathe and see through his optics, He was dragged over rugged terrain and force knows how many rotting corpses,until he finally reached the camp. He saw many wounded being tended, and civilians who were covered in dirt, wearing ragged clothing. Some had looks of hopefulness at their saviors, others had a look of despair at how their once beautiful world was yet again stained with unneeded bloodshed. He saw many of the humanitarian workers handing out food to the people, and making space for shelters to be set up for both the wounded, and civilians alike. Despite their reputation Kyrel knew that being Imperial did not always mean genocide, wherever they were.Being such means always helping those who couldn't help themselves, and he found it a shame that this battle was forced upon them this way, This was a simple relief and humanitarian mission, not an act of war.

Despite whoever may think such of what happened, sadly a lot of soldiers gave their lives for what, for a battle that was forced upon them, nobody could really say, what would the history books say. Would it say that the First Order arrived here hellbent on aggressive expansion, and mass genocide and point out that the Galactic Alliance were the noble ones as if they were in a holodrama being a white knight to vanquish the villain and save the damsel in distress. Or could it be seen that the First Order were largely peaceful in their efforts, and wished to happily help these people is desperate need, and all of that thrown away by the Galactic Alliance who ignited a conflict and killed innocent scientists, and aides. No one could say after all History books were written by the winners of battles, and this battle was far from over.

He looked at the sky, and saw more troop transports coming in from the established blockade to the front lines. This battle would keep getting even more gruesome till everyone was either dead, or one side would capitulate to the other. He sighed to himself,as he was slowly being dragged to a med shuttle getting another batch of wounded on board. He thought to himself. "Was all this worth it, so many lives thrown away when all this could have been avoided." He was than placed on board the shuttle carefully as his pondering ended. A young man dressed in a medic's outfit banged on the shuttle, and yelled over the loud roar of the engines. "Alright that's all we can carry for now." The shuttle doors closed, and the shuttle hovered before making it carefully up the atmosphere.

The shuttle zipped past the atmosphere, and as Kyrel lied there on a stretcher that could hold the weight of his suit, he saw something most Intriguing. He saw what looked to be numerous fleets letting out volley after volley of colored turbolaser fire. He also saw wreckage and debris of the battle on both sides, it looked as if it would never end. The shuttle quickly made it's way through the flak on a course for the Resurgent-class Star Destroyer known as Pax Imperious. Throughout the battle, it had accepted most evac shuttles carrying wounded off world. This would be no exception. The pilot's gave identification to the large warship, and within minutes was accepted as the ship made it's way quickly into the hanger.

Slowly all of the wounded were brought out of the ship, and than it was his turn. A man dressed in a Imperial uniform looked at Kyrel, He didn't say anything merely examing him closely as if the man knew who Kyrel was. He looked around at the other med officers and said urgently taking his eyes off of Kyrel. "Get this man to a Bacta Tank now!" Kyrel was quickly rushed out of the hanger, he was drifting slowly in and out of consciousness in his suit, as the adrenaline wore off. He was than taken to a chamber which housed most bacta tanks. He was lifted up by a set of arms, as medical droids attended to him with the med officers going back to their urgent work regarding the planet below. One by one his suit was removed by the components, He gritted his teeth painfully as his chest plates were removed, the armor felt like it was melted into his flesh from the Lightsaber wounds that were given to him hours earlier.

His damaged prosthetics were also removed since the electrical attacks from Charlyra prior to her death, had rendered them completely useless. With everything removed another set of arms lifted him into the air, and moved him over to a bacta tank thanks to the med droid at the terminal handling it all. He was dropped in slowly, and shuddered as the cool liquid touched his skin. with the breathing apparatus around his face,his breathing became relaxed and slow, while he was engaged in deep thought now far away from battle. "Kaeshana a world devastated, given aid by the First Order, has now become a sight of bloodshed. Despite my first kill, and what I have faced today. I have no doubt that this day will become long remembered, and perhaps become the Catalyst to War."

 

[Ludolf Vaas]

Citadel of Dawn, Northwest

Ludolf stood to his feet. The battle continued to unfold around him, though the explosions seemed distant now, the distant drum beats of war palpitating in their usual chaotic pattern as shells and blasts punched the poor earth of Kaeshana. But Vaas was very much aware of his surroundings still, after having attuned to them during his brief time in hiding, and it seemed as though his presence had attracted some attention, as always. He could see [member="Draco Vereen"] and [member="Taryc Ap'Irae"] approaching him in time to see the large stone heading towards him.

From the size of it, it was more like a boulder. And judging by the way it traveled, Ludolf guessed that his opponent must have use of the Force, as no normal human would have been able to throw it at such a speed. Still, it was a large object in its own right, that would most certainly crush him should he find himself underneath it. It was followed by a charging female warrior with a sword, to boot.

He had to move, but the girth of the object gave him enough time. Vaas rolled out of the way of the large boulder, and by extension the armored woman. Throughout the motion, his gloved hand grabbed onto a palm-sized pebble and took it with him as he rolled. Ludolf was no Force-user, but he could throw rocks too. In battle, size wasn't everything. And this particular rock could be whirled through the air at great speed, owing to its size. As he completed his strafing roll, Ludolf righted himself and carefully wristed it at the charging female's head.

Maybe it would do nothing but bounce off her helmet with an irritating clang. That was fine. An annoyed enemy was an enemy prone to mistakes.

 

[Ria Misrani]

SANTAISSA​

[member="Sioux Chambers"] was now standing by the aid of Eldorai men, Amuna was at the control of a communications station. A console really, old - and with most of the communications on the planet either blocked or jammed. Amuna would have to piggyback on a few signals, and nodded to one of her men. Lights went on in the formerly abandoned room, electricity created from a nearby generator that took longer for the Warband to put together than it would for them to complete this execution. A Sarix now in her hand having been brought to her from another, another who did not agree with the execution but nonetheless supplied the weapon for its completion. Sarix, a weapon of the Angelii and those with the heritage thereof possessed these weapons. The signal emitting from the tower would be weak but it would be there for those in both the Galactic Alliance and the First Order to see.

"This is the Warband of Kaeshana, and I speak those who have forsaken Ashira and her light, to the First Order and the Galactic Alliance." She pauses for a moment as she handles the Sarix with care, "to any of you Tygaran Eldorai- or should I say Darkh Eldorai for you have turned away from our beloved Goddess's light. You who bark at the commands of these humans, who dance with delight at their orders to destroy your own home, and your fellow Eldari." Her accent was broken and thick, but it did not matter, "let this be a lesson to all of you, if you do not vacate this planet within the next forty-eight hours. I and my Warband along with countless others shall see to it that you die here on Kaeshana with the rest of us."

And with that, she orders for Sioux Chambers to be brought forward. The Sarix swept from one side to the other, as the woman's head rolled off her shoulders, "your time starts now."

@All First Order/Galactic Alliance forces who can get a signal / in range of the Santaissa Ruins.

 

[Tempest]

Allies: [member="Aeron Kreelan"] [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] [member="HK-36"] [member="Nima Tann"] [member="Sed Frieder"] [member="Taryc Ap'Irae"] [member="Six-O"] [member="Michael Sardun"] [member="Draco Vereen"] [member="Audren Sykes"] [member="Joza Perl"] [member="Samuel Quentin"] [member="Trextan Voidstalker"]
Enemies: [member="Rolf Amsel"] [member="Symara Tarriq"]
Location: Deal with treason.

Betrayal.

It was rarely so open, so sudden, or so blatant.

The Alliance troops, who had been moving forward to drive off some of the last First Order troops, were suddenly hit from behind by their friends. Some had grenades, some had bolters, all of them betrayed their uniform.
For however poorly the Alliance had behaved this day from these renegades’ perspective, shooting former friends in the back with no warning could not be any better. At least the Alliance were fighting known enemies, not former friends.

However, it was possible that the traitors had failed to account for something very important. The Aspis shield had come online. Aerial evacuation would therefore be impossible for them, as the umbrella would prevent ships entering or leaving.

That left the traitor infantry in the middle of the Alliance army. A very angry army which had just been shot at from treacherously.
Once the news went out that Laveli’s troops had gone rogue they would find themselves in a bad spot. Not only were there Alliance troops nearby, but [member="HK-36"] and his droid forces, [member="Draco Vereen"] and his Mandalorians, [member="Aeron Kreelan"] and her Omega Pyre troops were not too far away, and of course there were loyal Firemane forces.

From the Citadel would come the troops manning the upper trenches firing down into them. Below the Citadel were the surviving tanks and vehicles from the Firemane force which would turn to attack this enemy. From further away the artillery would start landing shells and rockets onto the moving traitor vehicles.

Like a hornet’s nest struck by rocks, the Alliance forces would fall upon Laveli’s troops and seek vengeance.

XXX

Tempest meanwhile had been fighting Stormtroopers. Their acid and sonic weapons had been successful in keeping her tearing through them like taffy, though she had still accounted for several enemies.
Her armour was pitted and much of the paint burned away by the acid, but Beskar was strong enough to resist where it splashed. She knew though that some had gotten into the joints and would require repairs and she’d need some bacta when this day was over.
The goop grenades had also been problematic, but fortunately Elpsis' fire and her jetboots had allowed her to melt enough away to pull back.

But all that was forgotten when she heard the most astounding news of all.
“All units, we have been betrayed! Major Laveli’s troops…fired on the Alliance. Lion’s Maw armour is withdrawing towards the First Order. Be advised, the status of other troop’s loyalty is unknown.”

Tempest let the First Order troops go and turned with her forces, and with Elpsis beside her, looked at Symara’s approach.
They were not hear as friends, and even though they had not fired yet, their arrival was no coincidence. They were part of Laveli’s command; they were traitors.

Holding the lightsabre of her dead apprentice aloft, she pointed it directly at Symara.
“You made a bad mistake, Mara. Betraying us for the First Order? I guess Elpsis should have let you die on Corellia. At least then I’d not have to see you besmirch the uniform.”

What would drive them to such betrayal? Tempest didn’t know…and didn’t care. Alliance troops had died because of this, and the traitors would pay.
Calling on the Force and her jetpack she shot through the air, coming down with a powerful telekinetic sweep she’d learned from Siobhan. The goal was to knock over those around her, open the way for Elpsis to follow. Whether this would actually happen would depend on numerous circumstances, but it should have some effect.
Regardless, she had troops coming down behind her with the intent of reinforcing her attack. These troops would be armed with blasters, some had bolters, others grenades.

 

[Natasi Fortan]

Lydia stumbled forward, crouching as she found the F-11D blaster rifle she had lifted from a dead stormtrooper. She didn't try to shoot [member="Elliot Locke"]. Instead, she hurled herself onto his back again and pulled the blaster -- one hand on its butt, the other on its barrel, under his chin. She pulled with all her might -- which wasn't very considerable given her size and strength -- as she jammed her knee into his back as hard as she could, trying to gain leverage to pull him back and away from [member="Rolf Amsel"].

But it was no good. She had barely managed to give it one stiff yank back when she caught an elbow square in the face. The glass face of her envirosuit shattered, sending shards of glass showering around the trio. The second jab of the elbow caught her before she could recoil. She felt a sickening crunch and the vision in her right eye went blurry. She gave a cry that echoed off the stones and valleys as irradiated air came rushing into the envirosuit, and raised her hand to her cheek. She could immediately tell that her cheek and nose were broken; blood gushed from her nose, drenching her lips and down to her chin and neck. Her grip on the blaster slackened and she fell to the ground, drawing another pitiful cry.

She sucked in air while trying to avoid breathing it, suppressing sobs of frustration and pain as her world was consumed by the sensation of a broken face and a burning pain in her side where the plasma burned. Liddy drew a kerchief from her inside pocket and held it to her mouth, suppressing a painful moan as the pressure sent pain searing across her broken cheekbone. Her options seemed to be: a) die from radiation poisoning, or b) pass out from the pain in her face.

 

[LT-137]

"The moment we believe that success is determined by an ingrained level of ability as opposed to resilience and hard work, we will be brittle in the face of adversity."​

- Joshua Waitzkin; Author Quotation.​

​

https://youtu.be/aDSQbCYrXu0​

Location: Kaeshana - Open Aerospace.
Primary Objective: Engage and Intercept Alliance Forces.
Secondary Objective: Provide Aerial Support for Forces on the Ground.
Allies: The First Order, [member="Quin Leeman"], [member="Luna Terrik"], [Nearby] [member="Ludolf Vaas"], [member="Rexus Wenck"], [member="BE-183"], [member="Rolf Amsel"], [member="Lydia Finn-Camden"]
Enemies: The Galactic Alliance, [member="HK-36"], [member="Mao"] [Nearby] [member="Laira Vereen"], [member="Djacen Koyne"], [member="Cathul Thuku"]

​

​

Reference Post #1​

Reference Post #2​

​

Sword Squadron was a single unit of Twelve TIE Predators. There were no gunships, troopships or bombers attached to the Unit. Those elements of the One-Hundred and Eighty-First Fighter Wing were sent elsewhere to deal with more pressing threats. Had Captain Iago known that a majority of the Alliance Air Support and their Forces on the ground had been diverted to combat his meager Squadron - the Man would’ve howled. How tactically inept of them, he would think. However, his mind, as it always was, was on the here and now. He wouldn’t notice the arrival of the Alliance Aerial Forces for some time as they were on the Opposite side of the Spire that bore the appellation of Dawn. Even their fastest of fighters would see the gap closed by mere seconds. Now if they were TIE Predator’s - that might’ve been a possibility. They were admittedly one the fastest Starfighters in the atmosphere, in the entire galaxy. Not even the legendary TIE Interceptor’s or the storied A-wing’s themselves could keep pace and still, operate at maximum efficacy. Such a fact was being proven time and time again as the Pilots of Sword Squadron wove an intricate pattern amongst the cloud-capped heavens, while the Alliance forces below cosigned ammunition in the vain attempt to shoot down their harassers.

Captain Iago leaned back into his easy chair as his fingers fanned around the flight sticks of his Interceptor. They were beginning to learn their flight patterns, even when the Pilots had believed them to be random. That was a good sign. It meant that this depleted force of Alliance Soldiers would prove to be a challenge - rather than a tedious obstacle he was obliged to entertain himself with. Unbeknownst to him, the enemy combatant’s that attempted to bring down his Squadron were not entirely composed of flesh and blood. Counted amongst their number by the man’s ignored sensors, was a small force of artificial constructs armed with some of the most deadly weaponry known to sentient life. While the option was there for condensing the superheated fire that licked across the surface of stars, those below had elected to go with a more rudimentary method of dealing death. Magnetic accelerators rotated to life and spat rounds of solid material into the heavens, spewing forth dozens - if not hundreds of slugs in the span of time it took for the Captain’s heart to beat once.

When their firepower was added to the tumultuous press that assailed the brave Pilots of Sword Squadron, Iago watched in horror as several of his comrades fell prey to the literal spray staining the skies with drop-forged steel. He watched as their identification runes winked out from his visor’s display, leaving nothing more but a hollow sensation in its absence. It hurt to see such talent wasted in the blink of an eye, but such was the fate of all that took up the proverbial sword to fight for their disparate ideologies. In the end, no matter how dramatic the War Scribes wished to portray the dying moments of a Righteous Warrior - They all died badly. Either turned to ash within the blink of an eye or carved apart by some Xenos Horror from Beyond the Known Regions of Space. With the Pilot’s of Sword Squadron, which had brought their number down from Twelve to Nine, they were cored from the superluminal rounds tearing their the particle layer of the Interceptor’s deflector shields. The shatter-rounds had speared through vital connection housings and sent several sparks down the length of connecting hoses - which burst into flame as the heat kissed the ionic-charged fuel reservoir.

At least, Iago mused, they didn’t suffer when Death had come to claim their lives.

Feeling the loss burrow deeply into his heart, the Captain roared into the windswept silence of his cockpit. Anger began to fester within his gut, simmering the blood that flowed through his veins. He wanted vengeance. Now more than ever. They had killed his fellow Pilots. Their losses would need to be avenged, no matter the cost. In the midst of his emotional turmoil, warning lights began to flicker at the edge of his visor - drawing his attention away from the battle before him to the scrolling feed of text at the bottom right-hand side of his head’s up display. Incoming Craft. Several of the venerable Omega Pyre vessels that had been previously sighted and scanned during the War for the Omega Weapon. His Interceptor’s initial sweep had depicted nearly Seven Squadrons of Starfighters rocketing towards his position. Almost Seven to One odds. That couldn’t be right. Why would the Alliance pull almost Eighty-Two Starfighters from the Citadel’s aerial defense force’s to engage a meager selection of Twelve Interceptors? That was… He couldn’t even fathom the proper response to such madness. When the sweep had returned a moment later, the numbers were corrected to a much more manageable number. Twenty vessels all told. Captain Iago swatted the overhauled sensor terminal in irritation as the knot in his belly untied. His under strength Squadron would be able to handle Twenty Starfighters, especially if they were slower than the Interceptors. Which, from the preliminary scans, they were remarkably sluggish. That was all right. He’d dance around their corpses in the pale starlight, as the Anti-Aircraft fire poured from the surface. That’d make things even more interesting.

As the two forces collided amongst the skies, the Danse Macabre began anew. Bolts of radiant sapphire streaked across the horizon, coupled with concussion missiles spiraling towards their targets with deadly intent. With only a single classification of Starfighters that bore the marking of the First Order in this aerial sector, there were remarkably few targets to choose from. The only troopships in the vicinity were those that belonged to the Galactic Alliance - and as the munitions tore past his Fighters, Captain Iago wondered if the venerable forces of the Omega Pyre had sought to shoot down their grounded comrades for some unknown slight. His eyes were fixed forwards and couldn’t tell what transpired in the seconds after he swam through the coalesced sea of magnetically contained violence. Chalking such errors up to the interference that played a merry tune with his targeting computer, Captain Iago punched his Interceptor towards its maximum atmospheric speed - unconcerned with the apparent jamming protocols seeking to deny him his vengeance.

Were his Starfighters equipped with warhead launchers that needed a lock to slay their prey, he would be livid. Dumbfire missiles would do little good against the nimble craft. Especially when the readily available supply would theoretically be drained. Nevertheless, as their staggered aerial lines had filled the skies with magnetically contained bolts of nuclear fire, Iago screamed into the silence of his cockpit. He would not go quietly into the afterlife, and while they wouldn’t hear his voice resound within the metallic coffin of his TIE Predator - they would feel his personified fury. For his Interceptor fired emerald bolts of coalesced lightning from its emitter arrays, adding to the kaleidoscope of flashing lights and detonations that polluted the heavens, in the attempt to bring down those that sought to bequeath him with a similar fate.

Spoiler

181st Imperial Fighter Wing;
- Sword Squadron: 12 TIE Interceptors (Predator Pattern) [ Sustained Combat Losses. Current Strength: 9 Fighters. ]

_____________________________________________________________________​

​

​

​

Much had transpired in the time it had taken an Ensign to return from the Mess Hall with a steaming ceramic mug filled with the standard-issue ReCaf grounds. The Alliance had fallen upon the world of Kaeshana like a horde of locusts, throwing thousands of Soldier’s into the fray, hoping against all hope that the sheer force of numbers alone would see them the victor’s this day. It was only natural that the First Order outnumbered and denied the support of Gods and Monsters that their foes had brought to bear, had tactically withdrawn to more heavily fortified grounds. Sure, the Alliance would believe themselves to be victorious, thinking that the Armed Forces of the Order were scampering from their earthen redoubts in retreat, but therein lay the beauty of their grand design. A small handful of Soldiers, less than a Thousand - not counting the Legion that was so erroneously displaced - held off an enemy force worth four times its number. That was the stuff of legends. How embarrassing it must be to deploy so much with so little gained. Yes, it was true that they held both Citadel’s now - despite the fact they were shrouded from sight with some marvel of technological advancement - but that was it. They held towering edifices of rock and quarried stone that held little value beyond the spiritual. Those poor soldier’s below were stranded now, behind their protective curtain, doomed the very moment their bubble faded.

And it would fade - it was only a matter of time, of which the First Order had planned for. Their Imperial war machine had access to an entire Empire’s worth of resources, thousands of worlds eagerly willing to give themselves to the ideals of Order and Unity. Dozens of resupply vessels would ship Fresh Soldier's and material into this insignificant meatgrinder of a world, and restore life to the world that has suffered since the “Netherworld.” What would the Alliance do if they claimed this world as their own, planting their flags atop an irradiated ruin while stepping atop the corpses of those they believe righteously slain? Considering the Intelligence reports that the Security Bureau had passed along, it was doubtful they’d do anything more than strip the planet of those that survived and press-gang them into service; all the while preaching of the Greater Good. They believed themselves men and women of moral standing - the very idea had soured his thoughts and forced his lips to curl into an imperious sneer.

The Alliance. Supposed Heroes and Saviours of the Galaxy. Riding atop their High Horses, while sending those that worship their poisonous lies to die in the hundreds, if not thousands. It was pitiful. Alas, his thoughts were getting the better of himself. A viper’s venom has its uses, but when an entire planet was at stake, and a War of Empires was upon the Horizon, such toxin held little value in the grander scheme. Bringing the ceramic mug to his lips and washing the foul taste of his thoughts in a tidal surge of filtered earth, Captain Veers stared at the tactical display table before him and watched as screeds of data scrolled along the outskirts of the crystalline surface. He watched as the aurebesh cuneiform labeling every friendly and hostile unit atop the surface, that his sensors could determine, dance to the unknowable tune of fate as they moved towards their destinations - projected or otherwise. “Have we fired off those Probe Droids?” Achim asked, his inquisitive gaze falling upon his Executive Officer. “No, Sir. We were having issues retrofitting their Drop Cocoons.”

“Issues?” The Captain pressed, raising an eyebrow as the words spilled from his lips. “Aye, sir. With the residual energy left over by the Conjured storm and the Blizzard that still rages below, our projected vectors may see these pods scattered from their intended destinations.” The man paused for a moment to swallow his nervous tongue. He knew all too well of Achim’s wroth, and nature towards those the Captain had believed incompetent. “We’re unsure if the population has gone to ground and didn't want to cause any collateral damage with a miscalculation. I’ve had our technicians alter and jury-rig the guidance system of the Cocoons so that they don’t rocket down into the populated areas we’ve previously recorded. An added measure, just to be sure.” Captain Veers smiled slightly as his Second-In-Command had finished his report. “You’ve done well, Commander. The people of this world hate us, as they do all outsiders. There’s little point in giving them more fuel for this oversized pyre. See that the modifications are finished, assist them yourself if necessary. I want a source of more reliable information before we begin engaging targets on the ground.” The XO snapped a crisp salute, then wheeled about from his station to carry out his Captain’s Orders.

Taking another sip from the steaming mug, and relishing the simplicity of the taste, Achim watched as more and more information fed into the display before him. As his mind threatened to lose itself in the dance of rising casualty rates and crumbling formations, a blessed interruption came in the form of the Ensign he had threatened mere hours earlier. The man had strode across the command deck, away from the bridge trench and glasteel viewports, to deliver a transmission from the surface - one that would eventually be rolled into the display before him, if given time. However, this was a priority pulse from Sword Squadron, and that had seen to the events unfolding as they did in such a manner. Fanning his fingers around the crystalline device and pulling it from the Junior Officer’s grasp, the Captain devoured its contents with a vested glance. “So,” He said with a victorious smirk trailing after his words. “That’s where they’ve made their Landing Zone.” Returning the device to the Ensign, after transferring the data to the display, Achim rested a weighted palm down upon the transparent surface. Within a moment, the enemy beachhead had filled his screen, allowing the Naval Captain to witness the chaos caused by his Starfighter Opposite. “Well done, Iago,” Achim breathed. “Well done, indeed.”

“Sir!” A nearby Officer had called, drawing his gaze away from the still-filtering recording. “We’ve got a priority request from Sword Squadron for Bombardment.” The Captain snorted. “He sends me the location of these Alliance Dogs, then demands that I atomize one of their Footholds? Surely he jests.” The Engineer turned from his station and shook his head in response. “No, Sir. He doesn’t. According to the transmission, both the one you’ve seen and the one here, there’s thousands of enemy combatants flooding the plains between the Wrath’s corpse and the Citadel. He believes that the Pax would be put to better use than watching sentinel by glassing that entire sector.” Achim sighed. “And what would we gain from such an effort? Yes, thousands of Alliance Soldiers and their Jedi compatriots would die in the blink of an eye, but what then? We came to save this wretched world. Please relay and remind him of that. Tell him that he may screech all he likes, but the Guns of the Pax Imperious do not answer to his beckon call.”

“Aye, sir!”

Nodding dismissively as the man turned back towards his station, the Captain found himself slightly distraught by the swirling sea of events. Every aching bone in his body wished to set the surface of Kaeshana aflame, washing it in nuclear fire - mirroring the events of the past in such a grand display of irony. However, he was shackled by Orders from High Command. With the Grand Moff herself overseeing this operation, there was little room for him to operate without adhering to his commands. One simple, Precision strike was all it would take to wipe an entire army off the field of battle, and yet - here he was, consigned to deny bombardment and entry to the planet’s southern hemisphere. Boredom began to knife its way into his mind. He hated such inaction and wished that the Pax Imperious was deployed into the Skirmish that engulfed the outermost reaches of the System. Dozens of vessels, dancing with brilliant lances of magnetically contained plasma, bringing light to the bespeckled ocean of infinite darkness. How he longed to feel the elation surging through his body as the Battlecruiser beneath his feet shuddered with munition impacts and retaliatory strikes. Instead, such a feeling for him would be denied. Even though a Force bearing the Alliance pennants from their signaling masts had begun their move towards the planet, chasing after the forces that had sought to reinforce the blockade. It seemed their projected vector would place them atop the other side of the continent. Disappointedly far from the reach of his vessel’s talons.

“Very well,” Achim said with another heaving sigh tracing his words. “Inform the Thirty-First Regiment that they are to be ready to deploy to Firebase Fenrik within the Hour.” His words, while initially directed at nobody in particular, shifted towards one of the Communications Officer’s dedicated to transferring internal transmissions. “Have the ‘Fighting Fourth’ and their Armoured Battalion ready for Combat-drops - as I suspect the Alliance will not allow us to land en masse, as we have allowed them.” Letting his eyes dance across the surface of the tactical display once more, Achim’s lips peeled back into a thin-lipped smile. “They fought us with our backs against the wall. They fought ill-prepared men and women who had nothing more than the armor on their backs - and yet they were unable to make progress against the Citadel until now.”

“Gods and Monsters.” He whispered, nearly spitting at the thought. “Let’s see how they fare against those trained to kill their misbegotten kind.”

 

[Ria Misrani]

[media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGNFHa69Iv0[/media]​

​

"Hold him, hold him steady!" Leona shouted as she knelt down beside Rexus, "hang on, just hang on."

The trenches were brutal to the say the least, the stench alone could make any soul want to vomit. Grabbing at her kit she worked on the young man's injuries as fast as she could, "get the stretcher!" She shouts to her medics who tend to the rest of the Gundark Gunnar's injuries. It's a fetching chithole, she's quick to administer a pain reliever just as soon as she gets [member="Rexus Wenck"] steady. One of her medics is holding a lightsaber and she wants to ask why but doesn't bother as boots coming from behind catch her attention. They sound like Galactic Alliance boots, and the sound of those weapons? Bolters. Definitely Alliance. Grabbing at her F11D she turns on her knees and is greeted by a hand.

"Major Lavali Sanjeet, or I guess - just Lavali now." She gets a knee down, "we can help you I've got a hundred and forty of my own girls with me."

Leona looks over and sees this for herself, "Leona Eldrel, Major - First Imperial Medical Services. Can you hold a stretcher steady?"

"Yeah, yeah," Lavali threw her gun away tossing it into the mud, she wanted nothing to do with Firemane at this point. "Ready?"

"Yes, three, two - here we go," The blonde says looking over toward the brunette, "not to um, not to look a gift bantha in the mouth."

Lavali gives a little smile as she and her troopers work to help the wounded forces of the First Order. "When we got here, we thought we'd be doing something good but the more and more we marched, the more we saw - the more we realized this was not... this wasn't what we signed up for."

"A change of heart then?"

"Maybe," Lavali answers as they wade through the muddy trenches with Rexus on the stretcher and behind them the infantry of Lion's Maw work with the First Order to bring the wounded to the transports. "Not sure how I feel about the First Order right now, I've heard a lot of things, seen things."

The blonde nods as she motions to the cables, "understood - we've got a reputation, not all of it earned mind you. Some of it...."

"I'll just have to see for myself, once I get all the facts." Lavali says as she takes in a deep breath, exhaling slowly as she secures the cables to the stretcher. "Not sure where we'll go."

"Fair enough," Leona remarks, "thank you Major Sanjeet."

Lavali gives this Major Eldrel a tight smile and looks over toward her ladies, "alright girls, let's move up! Help the wounded let's get them down to the rally point!"

Rescue Crew 49 continues their efforts and with the help of Major Sanjeet's infantry, they're able to pack up the medical transports and head south toward Fenrik with Sanjeet and her ladies working with their hands to pick up the dead and wounded and set them into piles, unfortunately. Hours pass and the blood just doesn't stop, the mud is thicker with each step and as Lavali thinks about calling it. Major Eldrel returns with a transport ship, "thought you could use a ride."

"Depends, you guys got some water?"

"Maybe, c'mon you can rest your boots with us and then head out when you're ready."

"Thank you, Major Eldrel." Lavali says with a smile as she looks at the transport, "where did you get that anyway?"

Leona laughed a little, "that my friend is a bit of a story but if you and the girls have time, I'd certainly love to tell it."

"Please do," Lavali adds as she whistles, "alright ladies, let's get these boys on the transport."

 

[HK-36]

Character: Adventures of NPC Greycloak "Blade-Knight"
Location: The Slit-Trenches attached to the South-Eastern side of the Citadel initially dug in by FN-888, Captured from the FO, and the trenches attached to the North-Eastern side of the Citadel, Captured from the FO, being currently attacked by Rolf and his troops,
Objective: Cover the GA forces pushing into the Citadel, hold down the position, activate Firemane medium Aspis shield generator
Allies: [member="Elliot Locke"], [member="Elpsis Elaris"], [member="Nima Tann"],
Enemies: [member="Rolf Amsel"], [member="Lydia Finn-Camden"],
Forces: Inside the Citadel- 2 (20 troops) squads from the Iron Company, 10 troops per squad, organics and intelligent, emancipated Iron Legionnaire Droids alike, armored in the Protectorate Power Armor, and Electro-Cestus, armed with Magnetic Repeaters, mk2 and mk3 bolt guns, CBRW flamers, RC-2 magnetic miniguns, MD-1 mass drivers, depending on the role, and Magnetic Revolvers and Spears of Rae as side-arms, and protecting one Firemane medium Aspis shield generator
5 Iron Legionnaire Drones 10 (5 in the Citadel) armed with Abregado Blast-Staves
1 team with dismantled E-Web


Inside the Trenches- 69 Iron Legionnaire Drones 5 armed with Abregado Blast-Staves, 64 armed with Abregado Light Magnetic Repeaters
1 (10 troops) squads from the Iron Company, inside the Citadel, 10 troops per squad, organics and intelligent, emancipated Iron Legionnaire Droids alike, armored in the Protectorate Power Armor, and Electro-Cestus, armed with Magnetic Repeaters, mk2 and mk3 bolt guns, CBRW flamers, RC-2 magnetic miniguns, MD-1 mass drivers, depending on the role, and Magnetic Revolvers and Spears of Rae as side-arms, and carrying one Firemane Aspis shield generator
3 Static gunpit w/camouflage netting and tri-pod mounted FWMB-10 repeating blasters dug into the slit trench network (Captured from the FO)
1 medium Spider-Droid Mobile Weapon Platforms, equipped with MD-1 mass drivers
1 heavy Spider-Droid Mobile Weapon Platform, equipped with two RC-1 rotary cannons mounted on the sides, one main MD-1 mass driver gun
2 Mobile Weapon Platform Spider Droids, Light Model, armed with RC-1 Rotary cannon
2 Mobile Weapon Platform Spider Droids, Medium Model, armed with RC-1 Rotary cannon

Focusing on Rolf and Lydia- 1 Greycloak, the Blade-Knight, clad in Protectorate Power Armor, 2x Electro-Cestus and chameleon cloaks, armed with Magnetic Revolvers, heavy Magnetic Repeater, generic blue-crystal lightsabers, and Spear of Rae.
1 Mobile Weapon Platform Spider Droids, Light Model, armed with RC-1 Rotary cannon
1 medium Spider-Droid Mobile Weapon Platform, equipped with RC-1 rotary cannon,
light Mag'Ladroth Personal Walker, right arm CBRW Flamethrower, left arm Magnetic Minigun,
23 Iron Legionnaire Drones 3 armed with Abregado Blast-Staves, 20 armed with Abregado Light Magnetic Repeaters


((Sorry for the pause! I'm trying to keep up as best as I can with replies but with school, work, and other threads things fall through the cracks))

First the NPC Forces,

As Rolf's troops moved and hopped through the trenches to wrap around the Citadel's southern side towards west they would finally hit the snag in form of Abregado-held Southern/South-Eastern trenches. Initially dug by FN-888, the trenches were semi-circular in arrangement, hugging battlements and one of the entrances into the GA-controlled Citadel of Dawn, disconnected from the Northern and Eastern trench networks to stand by their own, perhaps that was why the droids managed to break through these reinforced positions first and that was where the Citadel's FO defenses first fell, cut off from the rest of their forces when the machines laid siege.

"Ogya!"

Command was shouted from within the trenches at the first sight of enemy soldiers, Gados word for "Fire",

RA-TA-TA-TA-TA-TA-TA

Multitudes of shattergun rifles, rotary cannons, mass drivers, and blast staves opened fire along with bolt guns and other miscellaneous weaponry held by the Iron Company commandos who accompanied machines and reinforced their position.

To push along the Southern trenches would be no easy thing, for while the FO decided to use sonic rifles and adhesive grenades first, they were both weapons that, unlike the shatterguns, were most effective in closer distances, the sonic weapons before their bolt-like sound projectiles dispersed, and grenades depended on how far and accurately one threw them. Plus it would be debatable how effective they would be against droids since for one thing their vital systems were encased in air-tight protective chassis, they were much stronger than most organics, humans at least, and they were not moving that much within their entrenched positions to begin with. FO would probably have to switch from their less lethal armament to really give it to them.

Either way, pushing through the trenches, or simply going around them, would be very much a possible task, however the Abregado defenders of the Southern Edge were very much bent on battering against Rolf's soldiers and thinning down their numbers as much as they could before they joined with the rest of FO forces. Getting too close to them would have been like running a deadly gauntlet of hyper-velocity armor-shattering pellets.

Meanwhile, the shimmering shield of the Aspis Generator hung above them like a energy parasol, keeping both sides protected from artillery and air support, that is unless the air support in question was willing to conduct the nearly suicidal maneuver of swooping in low enough to enter the shield's confines, which in their mountainous terrain and with the Citadel's spires and battlements being so close was especially dangerous.


And the Greycloak,

"Are you seriously taking a video right now?"

His metal head would make an appearance near the end of Lydia's recording, looking over her shoulder with the crimson glow of his photoreceptors. For the most part the droid was ignored by his "enemies", chattering away as if into thin air, even though he was right there as the two soldiers wrestled and tried to snap each other's necks, and the droid was still covered in his armor and carrying along his armament.

It was a state he was already used to, in fact that was the role HK took throughout most of the Galactic history, just chattering and talking almost continuously throughout millenniums somewhere in the background, making quips and smart-ass remarks, trying to make himself more grandiose than he truly was, weaving endless and pointless schemes he would eventually forget about, or at least lose track of their purpose, always looking over someone's shoulder while they tried their best to just ignore the machine and hope it would lose interest and go away.

Either way, for some reason the droid would still decide not to attack either Rolf or Lydia as they ganked up on poor Locke. Instead he would come up to Lydia when she attempted to get involved once more only to have her nose and cheeks broken, her helmet smashed open,

"Stop trying to make violence happen, are you alright?"

The droid scanned over her, a stray blaster bolt casually splashing against the back of his head, leaving a scorched mark near that browned burnt spot after their initial acid attack against the machine,

"You look like a mess, I mean you humans usually are extremely gross with your skin oils and weird gunk, but you look even worse than usual."

Looking aside the machine would find a somewhat functional Alliance helmet with his scanners, he would lean down to pull it out of the mud before reaching down to Lydia to offer it to the wounded reporter.

 

[Natasi Fortan]

​

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muehxvezYmI​

"Transmission from the planet," Captain Ijinoa announced before Natasi could get to the main command table. "Get it on the main screen."

"Friendly signal, or foe?" asked Natasi as she hovered up to the main command table. Ijinoa approached her quickly, and the main display lit up with the visages of [member="Amunalora Fenariel"] and [member="Sioux Chambers"], heavily degraded through the countless relays it had been put through to reach the Concordia, but the circumstances were clear. Natasi's eyes widened and she put her hands out to steady herself against the table, her blood running cold. "Something is wrong -- something is terribly, terribly wrong," she said breathlessly as she watched the scene unfolding in front of her. She couldn't fathom that anything would happen to her loyal aide and confidant, but at the same time she could see it coming from the moment she set eyes on the transmission. She was watching Sioux's last moments, and the thought horrified her -- that the conclusion was foregone but not yet carried out. If only there was time -- if only there was something that could be done -- but in the moment that thought occurred to her, Sioux's head clattered to the ground and rolled haphazardly to a halt a meter away.

Natasi put a hand to her mouth, covered her lips as bile rose in her throat. She managed to avoid vomiting only by looking away from the scene.

"Trace that signal," Ijinoa ordered. "I want a location. Ma'am, are you --"

"Fine," Natasi stammered, her brow covered in a cold sweat now. "Fine. Communications: send priority signal to Moff Churchill; tell her to dispatch reinforcements to Kaeshana immediately. Deploy the First Imperial Shock Troop legion from the Concordia to reinforce our positions in the south. The Alliance may think this will be mopped up in a day, but I will not give up Kaeshana without a fight. I will not let Sioux -- and all the men and women who have fought and died on the surface and in space -- have died in vain -- for Kaeshana," she finished with a disgusted grimace. "Get word to Petyr Calinda that we'll need time on the networks as well as open space in the squares and plazas across the Empire. Accelerate our recruitment drives and move our war bond drive up to now."

Natasi left strict instructions to give no ground to [member="Kyrana Gould"]'s forces, and to move lower towards the Citadel of Dusk. The Concordia's shields were likely strong enough to stand up to [member="Anya Venari"]'s big gun, for a time, anyway. "Ma'am," called the captain. "You're not going to believe this."

"I daresay you'll find me extremely credulous today, Captain Ijinoa," Natasi said, turning her weary eyes to the Captain.

"It appears they're massing civilians under a shielded position, here," he said, pointing out imagery from the telemetry data being fed in from the battlefield. "At the Citadel of Dusk. Right next to that large gun."

"Human shields," Natasi said, shaking her head. "Just when you thought these people could descend no further." She pushed away from the table and headed for her quarters. She needed to change into something more commanding, more regal. It was just about time for the most important speech of her career."

​

The media center aboard the Concordia was simple. It featured a podium in front of a simple backdrop bearing the First Order's symbol and a few rows of seats which were now filled with people who had been relieved from Kaeshana for rest aboard the flagship, and wanted to watch history being made. As word of what was about to occur spread, more and more people filled the room, until they filled the seats and lined the walls, sat on the ground in the aisles and crowded the doorways. Pierce entered with Natasi and helped her stand at the podium before the broadcast cameras went on, so that by the time her image was beamed across the First Order, and in fact, the galaxy, Natasi looked as in command as ever she had.

She looked into the camera as the green light came on over the lens. When she spoke, her voice was somewhat ragged but steady, bearing with it the kind of raw emotion that was impossible to train or learn or summon. "Citizens of the First Order, I come before you in the name of our Supreme Leader Sieger Ren, to address what has been a day of rumor and confusion. I can comfirm to you now that the First Order's humanitarian and scientific mission to Kaeshana was attacked and destroyed by the Galactic Alliance, with the assistance of certain dark-side cultists." She paused and adjusted her grasp on the podium, leaning forward slightly. "Our mission to Kaeshana was one of peace and friendship; our forces were, save for a very few peacekeepers, unarmed. The First Order, having duly and legally established its dominion over the planet, was brutally attacked in an all-out assault that was as cowardly as it was unjustified." She stared coolly into the camera. "The First Order did not come in conquest, but in compassion and solidarity. The Galactic Alliance and their dark allies returned our peace with blood."

She shifted, turning the page in her notes, but so far she hadn't referred to them. She hadn't needed to; the words she spoke were etched into her vision as efficiently as a teleprompter. "Some four hours ago, I personally delivered a lawful order for Alliance forces to withdraw from Kaeshana; to cease hostilities against the First Order, Kaeshana, and its people; and to withdraw their forces from their illegal occupation of the Kaeshana system. Not only did the Galactic Alliance refuse to comply; they immediately began to deploy additional forces to the sector, engaging our fleets in combat and attacking civilian and military personnel on the planet's surface. Even now, terrorist forces allied with the Galactic Alliance are using human shields to protect weapons emplacements on the planet."

She bowed her head for a moment, then looked up again, her face a mask of stony resolution. "But we will not be discouraged. The First Order will continue to bring aid and relief to Kaeshana -- a world which has been and continues to be neglected and abused by the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances. Their military forces are now attempting to conquer the planet in violation of every precept and custom, every tradition of intergalactic diplomatic law." Her voice hardened, chilled as she went on: "The Alliance's actions, and their unholy alliance with the Dark Force cultists and unlawful combatants of Firemane, demonstrate not just to us, but to the entire galaxy, that there is no hope for a peaceful resolution of the question of Kaeshana -- or for a peaceful, neighborly relationship between the First Order and the Galactic Alliance. In their zealotry against the First Order, the Alliance has overstepped their authority, and for the blood they have shed on Kaeshana, a reckoning is in order."

Natasi locked eyes with the camera, as if she was peering into the eyes of every citizen watching the broadcast. "Let us be clear about this: the Alliance are terrorists. They cannot be reasoned with or appeased. Their transgressions against the First Order, against our men and women and families, cannot -- will not -- go unpunished." By now, the Grand Moff was visibly agitated; her usually pale skin was flushed with anger, her dark eyes flashing with rage. "Kaeshana is but one in a long line of injustices perpetrated against the First Order by the Galactic Alliance, and it will not be the last. Our enemies will come at us with a deadly array of blasters and tanks, of starfighters and capital ships, of Jedi and dark side cultists like the Firemane. But the deadliest weapon in their arsenal isn't a physical weapon; it is the ideology of destruction and chaos that recognized no right but power; no law but savagery; no currency but blood. They stand against everything we have world all these years to establish: peace, prosperity, justice, and order." She looked into the camera full-on now. "Everywhere the conquer they will bring with them only disorder, destruction, and death. We cannot be defeated."

She let out a barely audible sigh; those in the room could see that she was clutching the podium for support. She was a woman defeated, having watched her hopes for a peaceful resolution to this conflict burn with the wreckage of the FIV Wrath, and die with the countless stormtroopers in the trenches and mountains of Kaeshana. "Already the legions of the First Order have been mustered and at this very moment are prepared to enforce the sovereignty of our nation. From this point forward, we are officially in a state of war with the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances. Each of you will be called upon to contribute what you can to the war effort -- to defend, in whatever capacity you have, our homeland against the brutality of the Alliance. I challenge each of you to think about what you can do personally to help the First Order reach its goals. Not all of us can carry a heavy blaster rifle, or pilot a starfighter, or captain a Star Destroyer. But all of us -- each one, without exception -- can do something to contribute to the war effort. Unless we all take action, unless we all unite to fight the evils of the Galactic Alliance, surely the light of order and justice, of peace and prosperity, will be extinguished from the galaxy."

The Grand Moff once again looked up into the camera, her voice grave. "It is to this endeavor, as noble as it is necessary, that I call my people, whether in the metropolis of Avalonia or the wilds of Thakwaa, from the sweet namata orchards of Bakura to the deserts of Yalara. The path ahead will be difficult, and the days will be dark. The Galactic Alliance has shown at Kaeshana its unwillingness to confine its terrorist tactics to battlefields alone, and so I must ask all of you to remain vigilant and on your guard, ready for any challenge. Support each other. Help your neighbors. Enlist if you can, and work if you cannot. Find ways to serve each other, the Surpeme Leader, and our glorious Empire in any way we can. With the blessings of the Force and the Balance, we cannot fail. May the Force be with us all -- good night."

 

[Jacen Voidstalker]

[member="Samka Derith"]

At his heart, Jacen was still a soldier. There was, in his mind, one tenant that remained in common between both disciplines: the soldier and the Jedi. All took up arms knowing that in the end they were willing to lay down their life for the cause they joined. The dark side inexorably corrupted. The girl could try and limit her use, attempt not to become addicted to draining victims of their life. In the end she would fail, she would fall, the corruption would only get worse until it destroyed her from the inside. Perhaps that was the twisted analogue of his virtues. That the sith would face inevitable destruction, forfeit their life, just for however long the taste of power lasted. Perhaps some of them were selfless creatures who saw this is a noble sacrifice. A chance to effect the changes they wants to see at the expense of their own life. Regardless, today Jacen knew he could not give an inch. He would not.

Jacen braced and managed to meet that downwards swing, but he ended up staggering away. He turned away then swung back wildly. By almost sheer luck he caught her next strike. Jacen didn’t think; there was no time for conscious thought. Yet he knew that once his balance was compromised there was no recovering from this. An instinctive parry he didn’t even see, the three bursts of pain in quick succession: the inside of his wrist; the back of his calf; his shoulder blade.

The Marshal found himself starring at the night sky. Light droplets of rain, barely more than mist, fell across his face as he tried to breath. He heard the noise of his lightsaber deactivating off to the side.

Was this it? He thought to himself. The last few moments before he became one with the Force. One overriding though stood above all others: if he was gone who would Trextan have left?

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

“Stay here.” Trextan called to the blinded men. The soldier didn’t relinquish his grip.

“Where are you going?” he asked in a hushed whisper. Trextan didn’t reply for a moment. He could see the clash of blades, see Jacen faltering.

“There is a sith,” he replied plainly. It was a limited part of the truth. “There are GADF forces only a few hundred metres ahead. Here’s a comm, call in and ask for help. They know you’re coming.”

“We’ll crawl the rest of the way if we have to,” the sergeant replied. With that, he let go and took the comm Trextan pressed into his palm.

Trextan didn’t even draw his saber. Head down and arms pumping hard, Textan ran as fast as he could. What little reserves he had left bolstered his aching muscles and sped him along the treacherous terrain. As he closed the distance he saw Jacen lose his balance, twisting and stumbling away.

A myriad of sparks flew from the girl’s saber cutting across his armour several times in quick succession. Trextan started to think he was already too late. There was something bright and red on the ground ahead. He raised his left arm and the shield leapt from the ground to meet his charge.

Trextan skidded to a halt, throwing a spray of mud and water. Jaw clenched tight shut he thrust up the shield with both arms to block what he thought might have been a finishing blow.

 

[Samka Derith]

It was all over in a moment. Somehow through the exhaustion, the numbness and the pain, she'd come out on top. [member="Jacen Voidstalker"] was at her feet, his lightsaber gone. Had she won? It took a moment to sink in. A moment she couldn't afford to waste. He was defenceless on the ground but he wouldn't stay that way. She had to act quickly, she had to end it. So she swung the blade down in a motion sure to decapitate the helpless Jedi. Or it should have.

There was something else there instead. Her blade landed prematurely and sliced through the flesh of another.

Samka took a step back as another body entered the fray. Another Jedi, one who looked to be close to only her own age had jumped in. Was this a deliberate sacrifice? Or had he overstepped his abilities? Either way, it was a foolish move.

"You... idiot," she hissed at the new figure. There was a blast of Lightning from the finger tips on Sam's left hand but with the paralysis in her shoulder, she found herself unable to direct the attack at the interloper. But at least she'd crippled him, leaving him helpless. Perhaps this way it worked out after all. She'd dispatch two Jedi today instead of one.

There was no more messing around now, switching targets, Sam thrusted her lightsaber directly at the heart of [member="Trextan Voidstalker"]

 

[Jacen Voidstalker]

[member="Samka Derith"]

Where the blade came to an abrupt halt. The boy fell away, consciousness slipping away as his forever dismembered body crumpled. No amount of weight at the end of her saber hilt would move the tip of the blade more than a fraction of an inch.

"No."

Jacen was still down, but had rolled onto his side. His right arm was extended towards Samka, his palm open. If it hadn't been for the Jal Shey imbuement of his armour he likely would have slipped from consciousness already. And he would have lost his only son too.

Trextan hadn't cried out in pain. He'd just looked down at his arm incredulously and started to fall. And Jacen's heart had threatened to break. But he had built a wall around it as impenetrable as the one that kept the sith at bay.

The vicious creature could snarl and rage all she wanted, the Jedi master wasn't giving any ground this time. His wounds hurt a great deal, but that wasn't new. These days he was just putting scar tissues on top of scar tissue, having been on the front lines since before this sith was born.

There was shouting. The GADF soldiers come to rescue the blinded captives. Jacen paid them no heed, didn't even hear them. The ground around Samka started to tremble. Mud slurped as the rainwater suddenly slipped away, marking a rough circle around her five metres wide. She would feel the gathering power in the Force as an entire hemisphere of the ground around where she stood erupted upwards. A massive burst of telekentic power as he tried to launch her far away.

 

[Samka Derith]

[member="Jacen Voidstalker"]

Before her saber found its mark, the ground around her feet rumbled and Sam was blasted backwards by an upwards thrust. She'd attempted a side-step dodge but the area of the attack was too great and the girl was launched several meters back, hitting her head on the wet ground as she did so.

She groaned and slowly staggered to her feet with only one fully functioning arm to support her. That attack... had a power behind it she hadn't experienced yet. The two Jedi were still visible in the distance, two crippled and broken Jedi... She lurched forwards towards them step by step, igniting her lightsaber once more. She wasn't finished... she couldn't be.

"Did I make you angry?" She called out in mockery, she wasn't even sure which of the two had fired off the attack but providing neither of them had passed out, they'd both hear her anyway. "Did you break your precious code? I hope sooo~" she continued in a sing-song voice.

Now there was blood slowly oozing into her vision, Sam paused for a moment and reached up to her forehead. Inspecting her fingers told her that it was her own blood. She must have hit her head harder than she thought... No wonder her legs weren't moving as quickly as she was telling them to.

But no matter how wounded she was, her foes were in a worse state, she was sure of it. She had to press on. To kill them. Otherwise they'd fight and kill her own people another day...

More shouting, more figures running into view... she couldn't place them but the uniform wasn't familiar and they were pointing guns directly at her.

"Drop the weapon!"

"Just shoot her already!"

"She's nothing but a kid. Look at her."

"It's a Sith trick."

Who was saying what she wasn't sure, the soldiers all blended together and that was the deciding factor. She could kill the wounded but it was increasingly clear that dealing even a small squad of enemy soldiers was outside of her current capabilities. So she withdrew her weapon and held her one moving arm to the stormy sky.

But this wasn't a surrender. She had enough left in her for one final trick.

"I. Am not. A Sith," she wheezed between panting breaths as an explosion detonated behind them. The Galactic Alliance had attempted to clear the mine field around them by merely ripping the mines from the dirt. They had done nothing to disarm them. Now they would be her distraction. As the explosions rocketed around nearby, the enemy were forced to scurry for cover. By the time it was over, all traces of the teenage Ren were gone.

 

[BE-183]

Post: 18 - final
Location: Citadel of Dawn - Trenches / The southern hemisphere
Objective: Get the hell out of dodge / Recover, and later rejoin the battle
Status: Missing weapons, pretty banged up / Extracted
Allies: First Order - [member="Samka Derith"]
Enemies: Galactic Alliance - [member=Dish], [member="Jacen Voidstalker"], [member="Trextan Voidstalker"]

Even injured the supersoldier was fairly quick, but he had to adhere to physics like everyone else. His rolling maneuver took a little time from start to completion, enough for Bee to run from her original spot, shielding her head, sinking low to brace in the most favourable position she could to take fire as she went. At the end of it she slid forward in the dirt, nimbly pushing down in her wake and twisting to stand face the soldier again. Part of the volley had cracked over her plates, and from the points of impact a biting pain crawled up her nerves.

Pain…

Had to get a hold of herself. Something pushed her to lose control, but self-preservation pushed back, convincing her to logically review the scenario. There were two Jedi, and this wounded creature to contend with still. She made no more hostile moves, no attempt to raise her pistol again. Not with those sabers dancing in her peripheral vision. She wasn't going to die in this blood-slicked mire. "I don't suppose you'll let me just walk away," she grumbled to her opponent. Some kind of distraction would be-

Explosions, lots of them. Didn't quite surprise her at this point, but it would be nice to know what was going on. It was perfect timing, nevertheless. In all the fireworks, she hauled ass out of there and didn't look back.