Private Certainty

[Tathra Khaeus]

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Location: Shardoga, Super-Construct exterior
Tag: Udomek Seker

Tathra's Skag ground to a halt short of the plateau, kneading its knuckles into the sand underneath its forelimbs, snorting at the polluted air they'd entered. The Titan's gold eyes leered at the Super-Construct ahead. The outer walls were mostly complete, standing eight hundred feet high. The skill of their builders was unmatched even unfinished. But a scorched wound remained on the outer city wall, a residual of bombardment from a Sith warship. The Silver Jedi never possessed ships capable of such an offensive. That would be their entry point.

Shardoga.
A punishing, barren world. For the Drael and Shanro both it seemed.

Its skies were full of bland gales, black gulfs of cloud-like manifestations as if the shadows of old Draelvasier ships had been burnt into the ozone. He could almost see it now as if their ships were still in the sky. He, on the ground and where Udomek lay looking through the lens of a scope, a group of Juggernauts were opening fire into a barrack. Or perhaps it had been a school? He could not remember. So many worlds, so many planets. The corpses blended together now.

Overhead the broad hull of the Divine Brutality dipped through the thick red air - its glistening bronze hull dampened as it dove and hid from the sun. Its heavy particle beam roared to life as Bryn'adul gunboats danced in the sky with Shanro pilots. He had been on the surface.

Tathra was pulled from his memory for a moment, the Skag growling as it waited needlessly under his weight. The Titan growled back, yanking at its rein. Not a threat, but a reminder. It'd grown to have a petulant attitude to match its immense size, but it would not forget who reared it. He could feel the growl, rumbling in its stomach. Witheld. Submission. He released its rein and the beast eased. The old Drael patted its neck with his paw before dismounting, landing with a crackling thud as metal boots made imprints on stone.

The Shanro had been mistaken that day. Not unlike he'd been so shortly thereafter.

A mountain of armour and red flesh staggered toward Udomek, weaning on old bones. His body ached without the flow of battle through his heart. He stopped short of Udomek. Where they were now, would've been a good view of the battle. They'd built the super-construct opposite where Sarda had laid.

The Divine's beam tore through like a geyser. Winds rippling in tornado-like shapes from its power. The weakened foundations of the city finally gave. Sarda crumbled from within. Entire streets, buildings, estates were crushed along with those hiding within. In a blink, what had been a certainty for the Shanro was gone forever, swallowed as the Servitors, immense serpents of black and cobalt scales, writhing and lurking under the surface preyed on what little could've survived. The warriors they had sent to him, with one look they knew their effort was futile. But they pressed on, even so. The certainty they had something to fight for, was gone. That safety was robbed from them. That was the only time the fight was real, the only time true strength could be tested. Of course, they failed. This Galaxy had put them on their backs long before Tathra Khaeus arrived on their doorstep. He was just nature taking its course.

He had believed that. Now, however, certainty was a luxury he could not afford and he had been a fool to believe it was then.

"Udomek. The path is clear. Call in your Juggernauts." His orotund bark, was still as stern as ever.

The Altrians would not have the dedicated force to halt their approach. From their scans from above, they were limited to small arms and a few heavy pieces of artillery. But he'd brought his own, checking the fuel gauge of his arm-cannon. Their Gunboat was en route.

"We move now as the sun sets."

These trespassers would not survive the night.

 

[Udomek Seker]

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Location: Shardoga, Super-Construct exterior
Tags: Tathra Khaeus

The Albino peered through the lens of his Decimator scope scanning at any defenses and patrols he could see. His Juggernaut brethren not many in number awaiting his call to begin the assault on the super structure below. Their weapons were in poor repair and low on ammunition but eager for war, eager for a fight, and eager to restore the rightful Bryn'adul. Today as the sunset the blood would flow once again on the world of Shardoga. It did not matter what state their weapons and armor were in Draelvasier would fight to the death with their bare fists if they had too in the same brutal fashion a Radesh or Triad would cut through an enemy like hot butter knife.

Udomek's Verikast Brute Platform 12A with its missing, or busted plates and Helmet cracked down the center so you could clearly see his ugly milk white skin underneath had seen better days. All of his armor was covered in blood, dirt, and muck from the countless battles he had been in. About the only thing in his current possession that was in good shape was the rifle in his hands. Despite all of this he was itching for a fight, scratching to let out a Bryn'adul battle cry. He wanted to watch his enemies' entrails spill out on the sands of this world.

Udomek wasn't one of many thoughts, or words even now as he seemed more like a grizzled veteran than a green young juggernaut he was not that long ago. He was starting to understand the old bastard Gredak a little more now, that didn't mean he wanted to be like that old gas bag. As he continued to watch the battlefield Tathra came up beside him, a welcoming sight to be at his progenitor's side. A wide grin crossed his face as Tathra gave the order and slowly Udomek came to his feet.

"Time for war, time for Draelvasier and Bryn'adul to rise once more." Was all he said to Tathra as then sent out a call to his Juggernaut brethren. It would not be some stealth mission or silent endeavor as the Juggernauts were not meant for that, they were brutal warriors, a loud and destructive force an unstoppable force even if odds might be stack against them. They would fight and die in Tathra's name and hope their names would be sung in great battle epics. Udomek let out a howl to sound the advance as the sun began to descend over the horizon.

"The Bryn'adul Reign FOREVER!" Yells of Bryn'adul echoed back as the advance began on the super structure. Jaugernauts in their war-torn armor and aging weapons began to open fire on the unsuspecting occupiers of the super structure. Udomek looked to Tathra with his yellow eyes that looked sickly against his milk white skin and downright terrifying against the wide toothy grin on his face. "Victory will be ours. Let us go take back what is rightfully ours."

 

[Tathra Khaeus]

Tag: Udomek Seker

He'd forgotten the stature of the younger Drael. Not often did he have to adjust to look upward, few Drael met him eye to eye, even fewer a half-head taller. Udomek had been a brash child when last they'd met, eager to prove himself. But now, three decades later he was standing opposite his Chieftain - both in the same armour they'd last seen each other in. More or less. Surreal.

"Time for war, time for Draelvasier and Bryn'adul to rise once more."

Tathra did not emote, not outwardly. His reaction was vacant of any emotion at all. The gold light burning in his eyesockets did not reflect his thoughts. Gazing harshly through his fellow Drael, to the mission at hand. All Udomek received was an up-nod. An acknowledgment. War.

"Hmpheh." The Titan scoffed.

He appreciated enthusiasm. But this was not War. This was pest control. Their Gunboat was on approach, awkwardly gliding between columns of erect rock to avoid detection from the Altrians. The red-grey steel hull briefly reflected the sun slowly dipped below the mountains to the east. No doubt the Altrians would have seen it. They had evolved in the depths of an ocean world, grown accustomed to long stretches of nothing but darkness. Even the briefest glimmer of light would have drawn their attention.

No matter. The Gunboat would see them safely to their entry point.

It sacrificed maneuverability for high speeds, using its sun-charged bio-engines to exceed speeds normally capable of a craft of its size. That would allow them to bypass any resistance from artillery fire until they were inside the super-construct. After that, it'd be his problem. Tathra winced as the Gunboat kicked up the sand around them, gesturing for Udomek to enter first. Following behind with dragged, heavy steps. The other Juggernauts numbered five, all with armour in varying states of disrepair. He could barely tell their ranks from configuration alone. Not that it mattered. They were just Draelvasier warriors now, not Majors or Ultras. Drael, one and the same.

Except for himself, of course.

No exchange of greetings was required. As Tathra took his place near the leftmost bay doors, the Gunboat took off. They were all connected by their neural laces, interlinked by Mind Stones. This close, they could feel it - like heat pushing up from beneath stone and metal. Barely contained bloodlust, hate. Hate for those trespassing on his territory. Something his people built. The pilot signaled to him, missile-lock. Insult to injury that they'd be bold enough to defend it rather than run. But that ire was matched by the itch for a fight. Humans often called it a silver lining. On his command, the Gunboat exploded towards its target, the ground below them turning into a blur. The abrupt burst of speed narrowly dodged the barrage of long-range missiles, exploding into the plateau behind them.

No going back now.

His crown flexed against a stressed brow, snarling under breath as the bay of the Gunboat filled with a dim red light. Great large paws made into white-knuckled fists as they drew closer. Let us take back what is ours, indeed.

The Gunboat dived low, going over the wall would leave them far too open. Through it was their only option. Through the damaged sections left by the Sith. The ship opened fire with its plasma cannons, blasting apart loose portions of infrastructure and wall segments to push through into the super-construct. They were inside.

A red holographic projection of two drop points filled the middle of the bay. One for him, the other for the rest. Tathra was surprised to see much of the railways and bridges connecting the wall to the city contracts still intact. Good. That would make reaching the Altrian artillery cannons easier. But they couldn't slow down. Or their missiles would catch up. The Juggernauts checked their weapons, assault carbines, ravagers, manglers. Each unsheathing a blood-rusted Glaive in their off-hand.

Ready for battle.

 

[Udomek Seker]

Tags: Tathra Khaeus

The Juggernauts lined up Udomek taking his place in the center of the line. They stared forwards at the exit ramp door, yellowed eyes waiting in anticipation. Udomek took his armored fist and pounded it against his chest, then in unison the two juggernauts to the left and the two to the right did the same. Then one more time all in concert with each other, to show that each was in tune with the unit. Their weapons had been checked and their armor in the best order it could possibly be.

The maneuver a simple line rush to make it to the artillery as fast as possible. Not a single one could fall behind and if they did, they knew they would be left behind. There would be other obstacles in their way like soldiers though the forces would hopefully be low in number as they were not expecting the Draelvasier's return. Then there was the possibility of rough terrain as this facility had been attacked by the sith in the past.

The Juggernauts continued to look forward, their hearts pumping with adrenaline for the fight ahead. As the doors began to open and to their luck the facilities interior seemed fairly intact. Udomek still scanned the area quickly to make sure there wouldn't be any major obstacles between them and their targets. There was no real knowing though exactly how stable the railways and bridges were, there could be unseen structural damage above or below.

They took a few careful steps down the ramp in unison side by side as they readied their assault carbines. Once their feet reached the solid floor of the structure, they began to rush forward in a dash for the artillery. Their powerful legs propelling them forward, even in their heavy armor they moved at incredible speed just a sign of their incredible strength. As they pushed forward the missiles began to fly as expected. Fearless and determined the squad pushed forward.

One of the squad members sent a mental message to all as it caught a glimpse of some of the Shardoga forces beginning to set up a firing line on some scaffolding above them. "Snipers Above!." Udomek only glanced up briefly, taking note of where they were. Then he looked to his fellow Juggernaut on his far left and gave the juggernaut a nod as he pulled the Decimator Rifle free from his Back and tossed it to his fellow Juggernaut.

That Juggernaut pulled free from the squad and moved for a position where it could remain relatively out of missile fire but still target the scaffolding bridge above. Take down the bridge or out the snipers it didn't matter the Juggernaut had to allow his brethren to get to the artillery. As the squad now four pushed forward shooting some fire up at the scaffolding with their carbines to try and keep the units up top disorganized while the sniper set up their position. The unit did not slow down, they did not want to be facing down a missiles head on.

Missiles struct into the structure itself causing it to shake but undeterred Udomek and his men pushed on. Yet if those missiles got even one meter closer, they would be in a world of pure hellish torment. Udomek's muscles pumped adrenaline though his veins like a super drug and made him push harder and faster than he ever had before it reminded him of his escape from Sarka. His body had been severely injured and his armor torn to shreds but he pushed on getting himself and old Gredak to the transport as the underground city crumbled. This was a death run exactly like that and failure meant death, and he was not going to be buried here. He was going to succeed, he was going to make his maker proud.

 

[Tathra Khaeus]

Tag: Udomek Seker

The wall caved upon impact, rippling like glass being hit by shockwaves before imploding into churned bits of alloy. Tathra grunted like an impatient, hungry predator - paw twisting metal as he held himself in place with one arm, ceramic bones, and sturdy muscle resisting the pull of his weight. There were Altrians above and below. Only a few feet above him, a railway full of snipers and smaller explosive weaponry were firing on the Gunboat as it dashed through the cityscape to the next drop point. However as the Gunboat disappeared from view, along with all of his allies, those weapons were turned on him. The bridge below was now crowded with Altrians, screaming his name in their native tongue - firing and chucking vibro-tipped spears his way.

His arm-mounted cannon, an anti-material turbocannon, the type mounted onto a ship; was charged and ready. Its main cannon, gargling with energy. Tathra braced with left foot, muscles and bone working in tandem like a hydraulic, exploding with power as he lept out from the wall and directly beneath the railway. His dominant hand, pulled the blade on his back to his left side, his right firing two blasts from his cannon with marksmen-like precision into the railway above. The first blast struck the mid-length, its concussive force sending everything in proximity into the air, altogether or in pieces - it didn't matter. Altrians were resilient but they wouldn't survive this fall. But he would. The second shot exploded, ultraviolet light from both shots engulfing the exposed section of the railway overhead as its supports were vaporised.

The Titan plummeted amidst bodies and debris, striking the ground like an anchor shot from orbit. Cracking the bridge's surface. Dust and smoke filled the air. A shaky groan escaped the Titan, a brief reprieve from the nuisance of blaster fire on his flesh. Old knees gave him grief even though they managed. Altrians were a water-based species, they could see just fine in darkness, but air filled by soot, smoke, and fire? No.

The Titan's eyes flashed a brighter gold, piercing the smoke if one were to squint. Switching from a coloured vision to infrared. Body heat signatures filled his periphery. Some stood with weapons ready, others confused or caught by the debris. His arm cannon slung back on his forearm, out of the way of his hand. Taking the hilt of the blade into both hands.

His sword was flat, heavy - an executioner's blade. Tathra had always thought that was fitting.

The dust would only cover his movements for a few seconds, enough to even the playing field perhaps. His first strike was entirely in his wrists, cutting down the first with a quick blow. A clean cut through the larynx, just below the chin, taking the fool's head clean from his shoulders. Tathra moved on the ball of his left foot, darting closer to the next closest Altrian as the dust began to calm.

His blade moved as an extension of himself, a metal obelisk refined into a cutting-edge dancing in destruction. To the normal human eye, the second Altrian wasn't even struck - simply batted away. Crumpling into a mess atop the crushed bodies of the railway fiends. Not until her blood began to leak into the fabric of her gambeson, down onto the bodies beneath - was it evident that the blade had nearly cut her in half from hip to rib. The other altrians opened fire, they knew their brethren had fallen.

Flechette rounds, blaster fire. The kinetic energy of each blast tore at his skin, left scorch marks on his armour. But Draelvasier were made of fire. The Titan staggered from the dust, arm cannon raised as the ultraviolet mayhem blossomed in its barrel. The sword sat loose in his left, more dominant hand. They had a better chance with their vibro weapons.

"Give me a real fight."

 

[Udomek Seker]

Tags: Tathra Khaeus

The small group Draelvaiser were in for a rude awaking at first there were just snipers to deal with and missile artillery, but the Compound was more awake than they realized. The Altrian new this would be prime real estate for any of the former Bryn'adul to resist to come for eventually. Though Tathra was a surprise to them as far as they were aware the Drael had been dead. Still it didn't matter much the Bryn'adul had nowhere near the forces they once did and in the time the Bryn'adul empire had fallen the Altrian had time to gather their numbers, train the young ones, and hunt the small bands of Bryn'adul that still existed. Small in overall numbers but not as scattered as was once thought.

The snipers began to reign fire down on the small Draelvaiser forces as Udomek and his forces pushed forward towards the artillery. The one Jaugernaut that had fallen behind started to slowly pick off a couple of the snipers above. Even as they reigned down fire and took out the area that Tathra had been moving in from. Then Udomek and his crew watched as Tathra fell into the abyss of below. Still, they pushed forward spraying fire up at the sniper line above wildly hoping to catch at least a couple of them.

Tathra was the strongest of them all and not even one of them for a moment thought Tathra would die from his fall. They pushed on because that is what Tathra had commanded them to do. Their destination was clear and nothing short of a missile or a good clean hit to the brain pain would stop them for even a second. As they moved forward under heavy fire and missiles flying over head caused the ground to shake and the walls and floors to crumble, Udomek and the other Juggernauts began to slow their pace though as from behind the artillery came out some more soldiers some armed with heavy weapons and other with vibro weapons.

Udomek's eyes went wide and there was a much larger force here than they had anticipated. Then the heavy weapons fired on the four Juggernauts that had been rushing the artillery. One of the juggernauts got hit in the chest with a giant ball of plasma that ate through his armor almost like it was paper. Though the Drael hide seemed more resilient to the heat of the weapon it still had enough power behind it to knock the juggernaut flat on his back.

The other two immediately opened fire back taking out a few of the soldiers guarding the artillery. As they kept their fire now concentrated forward, fire erupted beneath them and the floor beneath their feet began to crumble, and they plummeted to one of the levels below them. Then the Altrian soldiers with vibro weapons began to charge forward as the heavy weapons needed time to build up energy again. Udomek fired upon some of the incoming sword wielding soldiers as he moved towards his fallen comrade to help him back to his feet. As he helped his comrade to his feet, he also pulled free his Glaive. The two Juggernauts readied themselves for the coming wave and through the screams, gun fire, and explosions the sound of ion engines could be heard screaming through the air above.

In the sky above several uglies came streaking down from the sky above at exceptional pace their ion engines at full throttle. They streaked across the horizon of the last red line of the sun dipping towards the other side of the Planet. The small squadron formed into a wedge formation. As they neared the structure, they dipped low to buzz as close as they could to the compound. Sending vibration through the complex from their ION engines as they buzzed on past.

They blew past the compound there first flyby was simply to get a lay of the land and observe what they could before swinging back around. As they swung back around, they set their sights and targeting computers on the gun boat that had slipped through one of the damaged areas of the complex. They didn't even hold back, waited for lock and opened fire with missiles and turbolasers. Their aim concentrated on the rear engines of the gunboat to cut off any escape from above for those who dared to break into his complex. It would make who tried to get have to fight their way out through the main entrance and through all the soldiers inside.

On the lower level that Tathra had fallen too many Altrian soldiers came rushing up from the levels below. Among them a Commander and his elite soldiers, a group comprised of elites who had hunted Bryn’adul races all across former Bryn’adul space. They would see to the complete end to all that was the former Bryn’adul empire.

The commander and his elites dressed in heavy power armor to aid their strength and give them a heavy defense moved to surround Tathra. His Elites all carried heavy carbines, detonators, and vibor swords. The commander himself carried a large war spear in his hands. The Altrian commander looking just slightly larger than his elite brethren with a menacing large gash like scar from his right brow line all the way down to the left side of his chin. Very noticeable and prominent even among his many facial tattoos marking him a s a great hunter and warrior of his people.

The commander then spoke in a very broken tongue in that moment to the King of the Bryn’adul himself. “Muy, oh Muy how da Mughty have fullen.” The Commander in his shiny power aromor pointed his war spear at Tathra taunting the Draelvasier with a wide smile across his face. As his elites began to draw their vibroswords, all of the Commanders elites had been hand pick the best of the Bryn’adul hunters the Alterian had in their ranks. No less than a dozen confirmed kills each in one-on-one combat. “I taught da King of da Brun’haduul was dead, muy lukey dah.” With that his soldiers charged in with a furious roar of death to the Bryn’adul.

Four in total, two coming for each of Tathra’s legs their strikes looking to hit the softer joint spots at the knee, hips, or ankles. If they could cut down the bigger man or even cripple him to slow him, it would make the fight easier. A fifth elite then attacked from the back striking for the lower back with a strike from left to right, either to chip away at the armor or to cut into his lower spine area. The commander then pushed forward into his own charge coming straight for Tathra his spear out in front of him looking to spear the Drael straight through, it seemed that way but in truth at the last second of his charge his spear would come up and strike for the neck to attempt to pierce the king straight through the neck into the skull.

Several other soldiers in the area began locking their weapons on Tathra, as others still began to fire up at the level above at Udomek in and his group.

 

[Tathra Khaeus]

Tag: Udomek Seker

The Altrians faltered. For a moment, the thicket of smoke and destruction still thick around their ankles. They hesitated, but the more bloodthirsty of them dropped their blasters quickest. Others followed. His cannon would tear through any artillery they had, never mind the infantry. They knew that. He was giving them their chance. The cannon was a certainty, an easy victory. Lazy. A waste of flesh. They were all the same meat to him, but this was about him. He was always testing himself. Always. The walls around them quaked. Artillery fire and exchanged blasts of red-molten spikes from Juggernauts, blaster fire, and spears were thrown by the Altrians. Sniper rifles cut through the air to crash against Malabast alloy.

They hadn't expected this, a small war on their hands. Maybe stragglers, a few desperate Sraelvun led by an out-of-depth Juggernaut. But they got the Chieftain himself instead. In his opinion, a far more glorious demise. Smouldering gold filled his eye-sockets, staring lidless back at his foes. They'd want to get at his back, strike as one. Altrians had a low-wave telepathic field, it was how they fought so well in groups. They'd use their blades and spears to wear him down if he let them, they'd go for his knees, cut at exposed joints. Anticipating which would strike first would be difficult. If he remained at a distance - the spear-wielders would control the pace of the fight. Not if he acted first.

They were studying every breath, every twitch of muscle and shift of metal. They were afraid. He moved with his arms first, feigning a blow leaning from his right side toward the spear closest to him. All reacted, but too slow. He quickly pulled back, releasing the hilt of his sword into the grasp of his left hand. It dipped over the top of his gauntlet and down over his hand, held loosely between index and thumb as his wrist and the sheer weight and speed of the blade itself did most of the work. The blade cut through the leather-make armour on the Altrians leg, a hose of blue blood oozing from the gaping wound where his femoral artery used to be. As the blade came to level, his grip tightened once more.

Flowing through the momentum of the first strike into another, bounding closer to the left-most Altrian. The blue-faced warrior screamed at him, muscled taught in his face with anger and fear, levying the spear in hand into an overarm throw. The Titan could have slain his foe then, but committing his blade to the flesh of the warrior would've made him vulnerable to the others encircling him. Tathra's left came to his right, turning his body to face away from the spear as it was thrown. The blade of his sword held horizontally across his right gauntlet and aimed behind him as he thrust his elbow into the warrior's chest.

The blow struck with the weight and speed of his body alone, he was not fond of overcomitting especially when outnumbered. The strike still succeeded in its purpose, knocking the featherweight onto his back several metres away. Spear falling off the bridge into the depths below. He hadn't considered simply throwing them from the bridge if needed. He turned on his heel, pushing the blunt of the blade forward - using his right gauntlet for leverage. The closest Altrian made his play, striking with the edge of his vibrosword, trying to maintain a distance. But it was of no use. The vibroblades edge cut into the flat of the Titan's sword, its vibrations echoing through his armour to his elbows. A strange, ugly sensation.

With an explosion of strength, he pushed the Altrians blade aside - plunging his own into its gut. The blue-skinned alien gasped before his lungs filled with blood, falling from the blade. Left to bleed. Not so much a real fight as he'd hoped. Battle continued beyond, Udomeks forces were facing heavy resistance. With not a moment to waste, he pressed on. Activating his arm cannon once again, he began to charge a blast in its chamber to take out the artillery as soon as he laid eyes on it. But it seemed the Titan's hunger for battle was yet to be put to the test as more arrived, swallowing up the distance between himself and an elevator that would take him closer to the artillery positions.

Four armour-clad Altrians led the small foray. The four looked more hardy, battle-worn. Altrians in power armour was something he hadn't seen before. They had always been reliant on their physical capabilities in an amphibious world. They would be stronger, faster too.

Tathra lunged at the two pushing to his right, landing between as one blade went low, the other high. Power-armour meant nothing in the face of Draelvasier strength. His right gauntlet, several tons heavy from the weight of his cannon easily pushed aside the Altrian Elites blade, a paw snatching out at his throat and throttling him where he stood. With his left, he pushed down the Elite's blade lower and lower - headbutting the Altrian off his feet, skull fracturing on impact. His blade swung wide in a two-fold motion in front of his immediate stature, keeping the other two pushing his left at bay. The other, still in his grasp, wheezing for air as the Titan clenched down on his windpipe. Their leader came with spear in hand, charging to fill the gaps in his defence as the Elites kept him preoccupied. No chance. He chucked the now white-faced Altrian at the leader, forcing him to adjust or be knocked down too.

A blade pierced the gasp of his backplate, a slash finding a hidden fifth Elites blade lodged in his shoulder blade. The Titan howled, snarling from the pain as he fired his cannon at the feet of the two approaching Elites - knocking them back as he dropped his sword. He turned on his heel to face the Elite behind him, wrapping his left arm round and clamping down on the vibroswords hilt, the shifting plates of his armour forcing the blade to remain in place.

Phht. Pphht. Phhht!

Tathra struck the Altrian with the extended reach of his cannons barrel, slamming tons of metal into the Elites face again and again with enough strength to crush beskar in his palm. Altrian blood spat out across his breastplate and soaked the nozzle of the cannon. An open palm harnessed the alchemic gifts of the Shamans, calling the sword back to his hand at incredible speed.

 

[Domina Prime]

Tathra Khaeus | Udomek Seker

​

Snap, crackle, pop! The sky was ablaze with fire and smoke as the ongoing siege proceeded to darken the skies above the super structure with smoke and raining ashes with each toil and rumble of battle that threatened to shake the very earth to its foundations. A once mighty people rising from the mud and ashes to establish that if Death wanted them then Death would need a bigger blade. The violence unleashed upon The Altrian was as one could imagine, a scene not unlike battles The Prime had witnessed many-a-time before. The Warborn Prime squinted those many eyes, observing the sheer spectacle from an elevated position as the Xeno pondered passively on who might emerge from this bloody conflict as she dangled a leg over her knee and tapped an azure claw along the chittering teeth lining the sides of her face.

"I know that look, what are you thinking now? This IS what you wanted right?" A little droid quipped, levitating beside her atop the scorching pillar of earth next to Dima as the girl dangled her long legs off the edge daintily. From here, she could see the initial battle as the strange Bryn'adûl Gunboats pushed the offensive and drifted through the skies to breach the mega-structure. But beyond that? The bloody details of the carnage that delighted Dima so were withheld as the battle continued more within the structure than the outside of it, denying the Prime her gladiatorial show and thus skewing her ability to judge the performance of both sides properly as she wanted. The droid could tell she was becoming restless as a spectator, an itch in her very bones that she needed to scratch only becoming that much more agonizing to ignore. "Domina?" they echoed again as Dimas expression scrunched up as if she were visibly displeased with something.

"So this is it? The Bread-duul~" She mused, curling her hair along her claws and hymning a tune thoughtfully as if she were trying to make a decision.

X9 was quick to correct her.

"BR-IN-A-DUUL! Bryn'adûl! Not BREAD, The BRYN!" X9 sounded out properly for the childish Xeno, Dima rolling her eyes in disinterest as X9 did so.

"Sounds the same to Dima~" She scoffed, stuffing her hand into the droids visor and mushing them away as she used her tail to point towards the mega-structure. "It is them, yes? This one must say, so far they aren't living up to the stories~" She admitted aloud. Sighing deeply in general despair before just completely collapsing backwards and just plopping herself down on the rocks.

"Dima i only said i knew where some of them still WERE. The Bryn'adûl terrorized the galaxy all over, you'd be wise not to dismiss them Domina! Their numbers may have dwindled but they are still one of the fiercest enemies the galaxy has ever had to deal with! Outside the Vong Invasions of course~" X9 explained to Dima, attempting to convince her as Dima stared at her Mandalorian Mask. "I did tell you the Bryn'adûl machine has been out of operation for approximately...30 years? But on some of the first planets they ever occupied small hordes of them could still be found! Apparently The Altrain have been skirmishing with them as of late so i figured since you wanted to meet them so bad we could start here. What did you change your mind?" X9 argued, making Dima weight her head from side to side thoughtfully.

"Mmn, dunno. This one was just expecting like, ya know. That maybe they'd be super scary with really really big teeth! Maybe a cool castle or something nice. But so far it just looks like a bunch of pirates flying around in Junkers and beating up little people. This one would be much more impressed if saaaaay, they attacked more worthy opponents! Like godlings~" She mused before getting all giddy at the idea. "Ohhh, this one wonders if they could conquer Godling Shrines! Do you think they could?" Dima asked X9 as the droid just stared at her.

"First of all, the Bryn'adûl ARE scary. You are just YOU, so they seem more like distant siblings to you rather than a threat which they SHOULD be. Secondly, they DO have big 'teeth', And if they ever DID have castles, they likely lost them after the war. And thirdly...the only person who would take battle to Jedi or Sith temples in the heart of those territories without a plan, without an army, and without a care is YOU! Because quite frankly your a psycho~" X9 told Dima plainly.

"Oh! well thank you!" Dima chirped at the last part, only barely taking in what she was told.

"That was NOT a compliment Dima!" X9 barked back.

"Okok fiiiiiiine fine fine. Dima understands ok! Bread- oh, opps, uhhhh, BRYN-a dell. Used to be mighty, and now they are not anymore." She tried to correct, nodding reassuringly to herself. "Buuuuuuut, this one is certain that they could be again yes? Just look at em go! Dima is thinking that they still have many many fights left in them yes? Which if nothing else means they aren't as likely to tuck tail and quietly fizzle out of existence. Dima respects that they fight, bite and claw for their right to exist! As they should, it is a fight all must have~" She told X9, slowly returning her visor mask to the front of her face before standing back up to her feet, stretching slightly as explosions and the constant sound of blaster fire filled the distant air. "Let's go X9! Before we miss the fun!" She blurted out, making X9 look out towards the mega-structure and back at Dima, and then slowly leaning off the side of the mountain-like pillar of earth to see the loooooooong way down.

"Whoa whoa, what? You are NOT going out there right? Dima i JUST told you the Bryn'adûl are NOT your friend they will kill you on sight like everything else in their path!" The droid warned. "And how are we even supposed to get DOWN from here you climbed all the way up here for the view but didn't plan for how to get down?" The droid complained, trying to dissuade Domina from whatever madness she was going to attempt.

Her head shifted upward now, scanning the darkened skies as the constant dog-fighting between ships whirled and swooshed over, under, around and behind obstacles to avoid being shot down by the other fighter. They were maybe a mile out from Dima, possibly a little less as the ships maneuvered around one another as if in some kind of trance-like dance.

And then, slowly emerged one then two, three and then four massive, strange tendrils from her back. The talons on the ends opening and revealing a long, sharp crystallized barb as all four of her tendrils stretched out, and all four began to follow and trace the moments of the ships fighting in the distance. Like machines they homed in and took aim, leading the shot ahead of their flight paths while poising like deadly cobras ready to spit as muscles flexed and swelled and suddenly, as if building up power each Tendril lurched and behaved as if they were choking until out of nowhere four MASSIVE harpoon-like spires of crystal spat from her tendrils like pistons.

It looked to X9 as if those tendrils had sneezed as those four harpoon-like shards of crystal sliced through the air like the bullet of a sniper. Traveling a shocking distance before one of the harpoons crashed into the hull of one ship, the other three splitting through into the other ships wing, piercing into its thrusters and the last barb cleaving clean through the cockpit, killing the pilot and forcing the ship to go from following along and chasing the Gunboat to suddenly drifting out the sky and crashing towards the earth.

"Oh sugarsnaps, whoops!" She made a face, attached to each crystal harpoon was essentially a tether of thick, azure silk meant to give her an out. Instead she had accidentally sent one ship crashing and only had a single tether left on the Bryn'adûl Gunboat. She had to cut the other three tethers as the ship crashed, otherwise it would drag her along with it.

She turned and gave X9 a thumbs up until suddenly...Dima was gone.

The tether wire went taught, the Gunboat pilot likely confused as to what had happened to their tailing opponent who abruptly crashed behind them and thus returning its focus on the mega-structure as the Gunboat YANKED Dima clean off the peak of that stone tower.

Dima was sure to begin reeling in the tether of silk, flinging her through the air at high speeds as she was lowered more and more to the earth. Smashing her feet into the desert and sand surfing across it's scorching surface as the tether attached to the gunboat pulled her across the desert and towards the battle unknowingly.

"YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAH BABY! HAHAHAHA! COME ON! FASTER!!" She cackled in a deranged delight, kicking up sand as she was pulled over sand dunes like ocean waves, managing to keep her footing as those bladed feet sliced through the sand like ice skates.

X9, who was left alone atop the mountain was completely flabbergasted. It was as if the laws of reality, physics and nature had taken a temporary smoke break and took their eyes off Dima for but a moment and now there was was. Half way across the desert and rapidly approaching some barbaric battle.

Walking? No, too boring. A speeder? To pedestrian? A SHIP? Too obvious.

Tethering a line to a ship in the distance and using it for some kind of wakesurfing?

Now clearly this was the optimal move.

X9 had no choice but to watch as she was dragged off to god knows where to do only Domina knew what. God himself couldn't keep a leash on that beast of a woman if X9s experiences had taught them anything.

 

[Udomek Seker]

Tags: Tathra Khaeus | Domina Prime

With his right-hand arm with ease, he hefted his fallen comrade back to his feet and gave him a quick nod before his left arm swung out in wide arch as Udomek pivoted on the ball of his right foot bringing his left foot out in front of him. With long wide arch and the massive muscles in arm his glaive came around devastatingly fast catch a few in the front lines of the charge off guard by the speed which Udomek moved. Three collapsed immediately cut nearly clean in half but the great arching swing. Another two got clipped and stumbled away grievously wounded. The rest dodged out of the way in the nick of time, a couple right off the edge of walking platform.

In that time the albino's comrade had pulled his glaive free and Udomek took a step back as his comrade charged forward with a lunge skewering a couple more of the onslaught. Udomek glanced up at the snipers perched on the platform above who were taking a reprieve at the moment so not to catch their allies in their fire. Udomek then sent a message to his sniper mentally. "Go low pick off their chargers." As he said that Udomek moved back a few more meters as his fellow comrade fought off the coming onslaught.

To onlookers it almost seemed like Udomek might be taking a retreat but that was not all what he was doing, he was gauging the distance he would need to gain speed. He put his glaive out in front of him then grasping it with both his hands left in front of the right. His right foot slipped back a little bit and he pushed off of it charging forward gaining all his speed in on his powerful legs in his heavy armor that he could bull rushing toward onslaughts lines. The lines prepared themselves as Udomek's comrade dropped back making it look like Udomek was going to try to just charge through their lines straight for the artillery.

The Altrians quickly mounted a defensive line to halt or slow the charge that would cut down the albino in minutes if he kept up his charge. That was where they missed judged as the fellow juggernaut had been counting his steps forward and then how many he had dropped back when Udomek started his rush forward. The fellow Juggernaut stopped at nearly two meter drop back just out of the lines reach as they reformed lines to stop the next rush.

As The Albino reached his comrade moving as fast as he could his long glaive out in front of him nearly touching the defensive line in front of him Udomek Leapt into the air his powerful legs shooting him up in the air over the Altrians heads. A gigantic canon ball of monstrous metal flew in the air forward about another ten meters. While in the air he spun his glaive around and turned it so the head was facing down left hand above right hand to plunge it into the platform below him.

The Juggernaut sniper began picking off people in the front lines one by one head shot after head shot. As Udomek slammed down right on top of a couple of Altrian soldiers his glaive plunging right through the skull of one of them and his weight crushing the other pulverizing bone. The glaive with such force behind it plunged into the platform. The whole platform shook from the force and started to crack from the impact sight of the Glaive outwards. Udomek landed with his knees to the ground under him the two crushed Altrians softign his own landing. Other Altrians around him were knocked back by the impact. Causing an opening for the Albino's comrade to rush forward, Udomek ducked his head just then. The other Juggernaut charged forward through the opening in the line straight for Udomek but his glaive was held in a neutral stance at his side. As he reached his full speed and neared Uomek with his knelt head like a ramp and ran up the back of Udomeks armored back as he did Udomek began to stand his powerful legs lifting him quickly the other juggernaut catapulted in the air. With Udomeks movement to standing and the other Juggernaut leaping off the large Albino's shoulders it was enough lift with both their strengths to launch him up to the platform above where the snipers were.

The Alterians looke don in disbelief at what happened but only for a second as they saw an opportunity Udomek was temporarily unarmed. So, they charged in on him dog piling him, the juggernaut sniper lost Udomek in the sea of Altrians mobbing him and just started picking off who he could hoping Udomek could mount a offense and survive.

“Chit, something took five out.” The squadron leader screamed over comms in the Alterian language at his other squad member. “Anyone else see what it was?” All responses back were negative. No one had seen what had taken five out all that was clear is it wasn’t the gunboat they were firing upon. At least not right away until four responded with an odd response. “Something is dune surfing on the ground.” Several of the squadron looked out their cockpit windows to see something odd skimming across the ground. It seemed tethered to the gun boat and was moving at extreme speed.

“Two and Four break off and take out what ever that is.” Thinking it might be some Drael trick or new weapon. Two and four broke away from the gun boat and zoomed across the sky towards Domina Prime opening with heavy turbo laser fire pounding into the sand around the creature. She was moving pretty fast making her harder to target but with enough fire raining down one or two shots was bound to hit.

One and three continued to fire on the gun boat aiming to take down the shields and then engines in the rear to stop any escape. They kept pounding away at the gunboat, the gunboat pilot doing his best to maneuver around inside the compound itself to avoid as much fire as possible. Both from the Uglies outside attacked its rear and the missile artillery fire at its front. The gunboat’s evasive maneuvering would whip Domina around like a rag doll if she continued to stay attached to the gunboat.

The two Juggernaut's that had fallen fell to the floor where Tathra Khaeus was. Disoriented at first, they found themselves surrounded by Alterians. In the fall they had lost grip of their carbines so pulled their Mangler's out and started opening fire. Going back-to-back so they could both get a lay of the land and take out anyone who came at them each having hundred- and eighty-degree arch field of vision at all times.

As they stayed back-to-back, they got a descent look at their surroundings. One even catching Tathra cutting through Altrians bathing in their blue blood. Seeing Tathra alive and fighting heightened their spirits, their progenitor leader inspiring them to fight harder and thrive in the chaos that was this day. They saw him moving for the elevator and they too began to move in that direction, meet up with him and lend them their arms.

The Manglers ate through the common Altrian's leather armor like it was paper. Very few even got close to the two Juggernauts. The very few who did may have gotten a good swipe in or two cutting at the armor and delivering some small flesh wounds that the well-trained Juggernauts easily shrugged off. Yet they all ended up with crushed skulls the massive strong gauntleted arms just squeezing brain matter and blue blood as it wrapped around their faces.

 

[Tathra Khaeus]

Tags: Udomek Seker | Domina Prime

The blade hefted as if yanked by an invisible hand. Its serrated edge made a deafening screech as it tore into the malabast alloy floor under-foot. Tathra had always envied the telekinetic abilities of force-wielders. Nearly every martial weapon he owned had been tampered with by sorcery to return to his grasp. It was convenient. Especially against charging foes. The two Altrian Elites rose, their power armour making them faster, stronger. But they remained miniature in his eyes, against the shadow drawn over them by his massive frame. They were already closing in, vibro-swords at the ready. But they would move from his path no matter what they tried. The Titan raised his massive gauntlet in the way of the first blade, its vibrating edge causing sparks to erupt on impact. The Altrian winced, he did not. The executioner's sword returned to his paw, cutting through the abdomen of the other that had approached. The enhanced strength of the Elite's armour allowed him a brief moment of struggle, but it was only that. Brief.

He swatted across his chest at the blade, left to right. Knocking it away from his right gauntlet. Effortlessly the Altrian's blade was pinned against the bridge wall, a paw snatched the Altrian's head in its palm. Taking two steps forward, tensing his grip as the Altrian went limp, hands shaking. Blood oozing between his fingers.

So fragile.

The Titan's gaze turned from the Altrian clenched in his paw to their commander. He would push again. Gold eyes soaked up the expression on his face. He had watched his kin die and now, the Drael who'd slain all of his allies was not alone. The commander charged, screaming something. Something about revenge for his people.

Tathra had boiled their seas, fought, and killed their beloved Kraken. This fight was done, they were dead but had the privilege of thinking otherwise. Another thing to rob from them. The Titan sidestepped, blocking a thrust of the commander's spear with the mid-length of his sword. His right paw reached across, grabbing the bottom of his swords hilt, and in one movement, pushed both weapons upright. He followed relentlessly, weighing down on the commander with all his might and muscle. Thrusting the guard into the commander's stomach before swinging the massive blade overhead and taking his feet out from underneath him. The commander yelped, one foot in the air, the other gone.

Gold, apathetic eyes stared down at a face full of fear. His metal boot held the squirming fool in place. The executioner's blade fell into place on his back. He wondered if the Altrian, full of righteous fury as he was, really believed he could do anything to stop a Titan. It didn't matter. The two Juggernauts raised their fists to their chests, and he replied with a nod, welcoming the reinforcement of two Juggernauts at his side. He lifted his chin in the direction of the elevator.

-

Beyond the elevator, the Juggernauts under Udomeks command fought a pitted battle. Their gunboat darted through the air, using the open space of the dunes to outrun the uglies. But they were detecting drag. The pilot's instruments had noticed trivial damage to the hull too. The Drael could only assume the Altrians were attempting to board, unaware of Domina.

"Chieftain!" The pilot's hand shifted from the gear to his Mindstone.

"The Altrians are attempting to board using harpoon equipment!"

The pilot brought the Gunboat about-face, charging up the length of a skyscraper for cover. Uglies firing at its back, though at full speed the Gunboat was quickly outpacing the speed of their munitions.

-

A pool of blue-purple blood left the bridge, up the sky-ramp and into the elevator. A giant crimson paw dragged the Altrian commander behind them. The two Juggernauts The commander lay wheezing, a hand of broken fingers trying to pull the dented chestplate from his lungs. The elevator came to a halt, delivering the trio to a plateau overseeing the current battlefield and right behind one of the larger anti-air artillery turrets the Altrians had.

They would make better use of it.

He threw the commander at the closest grouping of Altrians. His cannon spewed molten acid at the others as the Juggernauts at his side aimed at the anti-air turret pilots.