Public Clarity amidst the Chaos

[Kyrel Ren]

Outer Rim Unknown World

The village was in flames, bodies strewn about as primitive Huts were smoldering with the flames. What lied in the middle was a man adorned in dark armor, a red cloak around him. A saberstaff with unstable crossguards came of it. Crackling along with the embers of the burning surroundings that came from the man, blood flowed as what stood before them was no ordinary man. But a monster that had once been at the beck and call of the Supreme Leader of the First Order, then a Warlord. Now a man of vision as he had set upon a new purpose. That was to rebuild the Knights of Ren. The man stood as everything crumbled into flames, those that were slain it did not matter be it Women, Men, or even Children for that matter. As Kyrel stood the armored Ren had pondered what was the meaning of the Knights of Ren. The answer to that was simple having found a new sense of clarity.

The Ren was something not to be sworn to a man, to an empire. But it simply feeds the dark side. Doing as it wills. For that, it was something that Kyrel had sacrificed and dedicated his whole life for. Even now as he carves a path of destruction. Feeding his emotions, his anger, his hatred. He understood that the Ren was something that did not care if innocents die, if something burns. It only exists for the very fabric of the shadow to cast darkness on all those that defy it's will. Kyrel meditated amongst the carnage, realizing what the Ren could be, what it should be. No longer bound to anyone but the darkness, it serves the goals of what the darkness seeks, and then offer it's power to the Ren themselves.

Smoke, rising in the sky, Kyrel stood his blade still activated, his armor coated in a red shine of blood. As he watched, Kyrel knew that he now knew the path of what Ren would take. One not bound to the idea of Order. But strictly to that of the dark side, and the grand scheme of what the dark side had laid out before them. While he had been thinking his thoughts, he heard a cough, an elderly man spout out blood, no doubt still alive when he had begun his assault. He said in a low whisper, trying to speak. "W-Why... Why do this?" Kyrel approached the man carefully, his blade lowered as he looked at him through the Helmet of his mask. "For the Shadow of course." The man looked confused, puzzled by the Ren's word's as within a moment later his life was snuffed out, Kyrel sat meditating in the destruction around him, smoke rising high in the sky, as these people's lives had been altered so did that of Kyrel and his new way for the Ren.

 

[Aaran Tafo]

The sinking feeling in his gut only intensified as Aaran left the docking ramp of the Freebird. He didnt know if it was good or bad luck. Or maybe it was simply the Will of the Force at work. His teachers did always tell him that he had to keep his mind open to odd twists of fate like that. His computered picked up the signal going out. It was a crude, primative thing. But his computer identified it as an SOS signal of some kind.

The oppressive feeling of fear intensified as Aaran entered the atmosphere. And it only began to grow as the Scout ship descended. He knew it, knew deep in his heart that he was too late. The feeling of death was oppressive as he wandered through the burned out husks of what was once a home. One hand going out to touch one of the wooden walls caused an involuntary shiver to run up his spine as he felt the lingering terror of the building's former inhabitants.

His wanderings eventually brought him to the center of the village. He saw the figure responsible for the slaughter. And upon looking at him. Aaran could feel bile rise up in his throat. He had touched the minds of pirates, slavers and petty criminals. He felt their spite, their anger, their pain.

But never before had he met the sheer appaling hatred of someone who could feel the touch of the Force. But willingly gave into such emotions. Anger, pain, fear. It flowed around this creature like a maelstrom. Almost instantly, his hand went to his belt. Unhooking his saber, but not igniting it. Not yet. He would give this creature a chance to explain itself, a chance to surrender. Just like he had been taught.

"So." He began, announcing his presence to the despicable being. Feet shifting in the dirt, mentally preparing himself if the being decided to go on the attack suddenly. "Wanna explain all this? Before I put you in a cell for a very long time of course." Bravado certainly. But this being, whatever it was, deserved at least a chance to speak and explain itself before the situation between the Padawan and the Knight of Ren began any physical confrontation.

 

[AX-0021]

Private AX-0021
Post 1
Location: Outskirts of Ravaged Village, Unknown World
Equipment: FO-02 Stormtrooper Armour w/ Blue Pauldron and MandalArms FZ.13 CryoBan Projector, S-42R ‘Hush’, SE-44F Blaster Pistol, Blackwing Electro-Sword, 2 Sonic Grenades, Personal Energy Shield
Aaran Tafo Kyrel Ren

Pacify the Ren.

It was the designated objective of a small contingent of loyal First-Imperial stormtroopers who had been deployed to the location of the distress signal. Although it was likely that the stormtroopers would find themselves facing a band of marauders rather than the Ren that they sought, the remaining leadership of the First Order had learned of the brutal activities of the rogue Ren through rumors and whispers. The rogue Ren’s unwillingness to be controlled warranted the authorization of lethal force, in order to pacify or exterminate the estranged agent.

Upon arriving close to the position of the distress signal, five stormtroopers were disgorged from the belly of an atmospheric assault lander, intent upon advancing into the ravaged village and locating the individual that was responsible for the slaughter. The dead were everywhere, many of which bore the signs of being cut down by lightsaber. Upon seeing them, AX-0021 knew that her quarry was in the vicinity. In fulfilling her role as the squad’s designated sniper, the diminutive Elzeri took position almost 200 meters outside of the village, on top of a small cliff face which gave her enough of a vantage to see into most of the razed settlement, especially the center.

While AX-0021 followed her orders without question, she could not shake the feeling that the rogue Ren was could potentially be her former master, Kyrel Ren. After all, the man had not been seen by any within the First Order in weeks. He had departed under mysterious circumstances, seemingly leaving everything pertaining to his former loyalties behind. Fortunately, no one within the First Order knew of the intimate relationship she had once maintained with the man. If they did, she would almost surely be subject to interrogation, given Kyrel’s unknown status as a defector.

If it came to shooting the man that she had once loved, she knew that it would be a difficult order for her to follow.

As the stormtroopers encircled the village, AX-0021 lowered herself into a prone position and braced her rail rifle on the ground. Then, she scanned her scope across the center of the village until she came upon a tall figure in white-armor and brown robes.

It was a Jedi.

 

[Kardek Alpha]

"Well this is getting a little more interesting, wouldn't you say, Alpha?" Kardek remarked to his ever-silent 'better half', the IG-88 Assassin Droid who was eternally doomed to remain at his side. In actuality, Kardek was essentially talking to himself,,, a nasty habit he had picked up ever since the droid had become a necessary extension of his own existence. The neural link between them was made possible through a very invasive and life saving procedure that had resulted in a cybernetic implant being placed inside Kardek's brain. But, hey, it has its perks.

Kardek Alpha was hiding in one of the extra crispy dwellings, looking out towards the center of the village. He had been tracking the lunatic for the past week or so, ever since the destruction had started and he had happened to come across it. He was never one to let these kind of scumbags live much longer than absolutely necessary. So here he is now... in a village... surrounded by storm troopers... with a full-blown scumbag and some idealistic young Jedi... nice.

"Well, I'm willing to bet that this Jedi is just as pissed off as we are about this guy... And the troopers are probably after him to... just one big party" Kardek mused to Alpha. He handed the binoculars to his ever-present companion who quickly placed them onto his own metal body and locked them in place before bringing the heavy repeater cannon back up to the ready. Kardek told Alpha with his mind that he wanted the driod to stay hidden and guard his flank. With that, Kardek emerged from the tent with a slight swagger, spinning his left-side blaster with one hand and steading his right hand on top of the other blaster as he approached the Jedi.

"It isn't every day I team up with a Jedi, but this scumbag is more than either one of us can handle alone." He said as he finished approaching and stood with both feet separated, drawing the other blaster, but keeping both arms down for the moment, facing off towards the Sith.

 

[Kyrel Ren]

Kyrel meditated among the chaos that had recently been inflicted upon the once vibrant village. Now here he stood, he had been traveling to worlds for some time. Testing out the philosophy that would now dictate the path of the Knights of Ren, for in this new path a new purpose was to be found. While he controlled an Imperial Remnant, he was no longer bound to the First Order, for he had almost spent the better part of a decade as an Enforcer for his Supreme Leader. Now here he stood, the last of a mysterious group of marauders from the Unknown Regions. He stood succumbing to the call of the dark side, when he had been given a vision of this new way. Of which the Ren was no longer held by nations, but by that of what the Dark Side wished of them. For in the grand scheme of things like the Sith. The Ren had existed to serve the Shadow, not to take what it wants as the Sith do. But the likes of the only feeding what it has been given.

He turned around slowly, to the sound of a voice. Too lost in the whispers of what the darkness gave him to have noticed the presence of a Jedi. Kyrel had known the Jedi all too well, having led conquests of the First Order in the past. Kyrel had personally killed a Jedi Master of the Galactic Alliance, and had laid waste to the Lothal Jedi Temple. Reaching out with the Force, he sensed that the armored figure before him was only a Padawan... Kyrel looked at the man slowly holding the activated saberstaff down in a resting posture. He spoke in an almost amused tone through the voice of his mask. "You can try if you must... Jedi have tried and failed, for none can stop the might of the Ren." He said gazing upon him cautiously, moving slowly as if to go on the attack.

Before he could even make an opening move, he looked up to the sky to hear the sound, a sound he knew all too well. The sounds of an atmosphere assault lander. Landing close by, several signatures could be felt in the Force. Stormtroopers perhaps... But that shouldn't be he was far from the First Order holdout worlds, and all the more he grew suspicious, that suspicion only led to paranoia. As he started to see movement in the forest. He had questioned if the troopers coming, troopers he had once commanded in battle. They were coming to carry out his execution. If so this would be difficult, Stormtroopers of the First Order were the best of the best. Elite trained to deal with basic natives of a world to the likes of the Jedi, or in his case the Knights of Ren for that matter.

If matters did not get even more interesting, he saw a man exit one of the dwellings of the village. Both blasters trained on him as he stood next to the Jedi. Was this being a Bounty Hunter, a Smuggler? Questions had come forth to his mind. Some of which he could not answer as of now as he raised his saber staff upwards. Looking at the man with deadly intent. His eyes never leaving him or that of the Jedi. "Interesting, I am curious which amongst you wants to die first? He spoke in a grim, and excited tone curious of what will happen now.

Kardek Alpha AX-0021 Aaran Tafo

 

[Aaran Tafo]

It was offcial. This man is a complete lunatic. No sane creature could harbour the kind of hate that Aaran could feel rolling off them in waves. No one person with anything resembling mental clarity could commit such atrocities and somehow consider it the correct course of action. "There's something broken inside of you." The Padawan said. His body tensing slightly as he reached out with the Force.

Even from this distance he could feel the disparity in their power. Aaran was strong for a Padawan. Perhaps even in raw power he was eligble to become a full Knight of the Order. But he was held back. His technique in Lightsaber combat was raw and unpolished. His lack of wisdom and restraint hampering him. He understood his flaws and tried to overcome him. But the recklessness of youth had a strong grip him.

And that very same recklessness may have led to his death.

Not taking his eyes off the Master of Ren. Aaran's free hand flicked once in response to the gunslinger's arrival. The slightest nod of his head indicating that assistance would be appriciated. "Take your shot whenever you see an opening." He said to his newest comrade in arms. Before bringing his focus back to the matter at hand. But not before he could feel additional presences appear on the battlefield.

Through the corner of his eye. He could see the shining white armour. Stormtroopers. But a cursory glance at them through the lense of the Force was reassuring. They were not here with the Marauder. In fact, they seemed to focus the majority of their intent, and not a small amount of aprehension. Towards the Knight of Ren.

He let out a small breathy chuckle. Perhaps this situation was not entirely hopeless. Of course he was still outmatched in one on one. And that was probably where the majority of the fighting would take place.

Even from this distance. Kyreal could feel it. The creeping claw of fear travelling up the Padawan's spine as he seemed to realise his situation. But before the panic could overcome Aaran completely. It ceased. An oddly blank look overcoming his face. Replacing the fear that was once there. As a revelation seemed to come to him in his most dire of moments.

"There is no emotion, there is peace.."​

And that was the objective truth of the situation. Aaran's fear simply had no bearing. He could find terror, he could be filled with righteous anger, or weep at the fate of the fallen. It would not change the situation. Acting on base impluses would only serve to give his opponent an advantage. And then nothing would be acomplished.

"There is no ignorance, there is knowledge."​

He knew what he was up against. A Force Adept who was more than likely able to take him in a fight. But Aaran was not without his own advantages. He had backup in the lone gunslinger that had decided to join the fray. He had unlikely allies in the form of Stormtroopers that were here to capture their former Master. Even the intimidating appearance of Kyrel's lightsaber was nothing more than an ilusion. If one knew where a single end was. He knew the location of the other.

"There is no passion, there is serenity.."​

With each verse of the code. His will sharpened. His intent was focused. as with the first line. One's emotional investment to a task does not lighten the burden. The more one stresses and worries over every single details. The more insurmountable the task appears. Each step of this coming battle would be taken one step at a time. There would be no second guessing. No worrying. He would act and allow the Force to guide his actions.

"There is no chaos, there is harmony.."​

All of this had led to something. While the death of the villagers was a tragedy. Light rose in response to the darkness. He stood here in response to the senseless death. A lone gunman who more than likely was uninvolved in the great struggle between Light and Dark objected to this madness. Even the Stormtroopers found themselves as the unlikely agents of Justice this day. The Force had a Will and a plan. It was only in trusting in it could those plans unfold.

"There is no death, there is the Force."​

The last one was met with a direct look into Kyrel's eyes. A challenge in response to the Master of Ren's attempt to turn this into some kind of game. In this moment. Aaran held no fear towards the Dark Knight. Death, after all, was not the end of existence. But merely another form of it. A transformation. And upon coming to that revelation, a transformation occured within Aaran. Gone was the frightened child. Whatever previous fear had been there before was gone. Replaced only by wariness for a dangerous opponent.

Raw intent had been honed to a fine edge. And while the diference in their power was still great. There was a distinct feeling of destiny in the air. If Kyrel decided to cross blades with Aaran. It would not be as one-sided as the Master of Ren initially assumed.

Striding forward ahead of the gunslinger. Aaran's lightsaber ignited. The Durindfire crystal humming in response to the energy poured into it. Producing a brilliant silver blade from the hilt. The shining white sword seemingly banishing the smoke and gloom around Aaran as he stood a distance away from the Knight. Before raising his blade in the Makashi salute. Inviting the Dark Adept to make the first move.

 

[Ti-Fal Jurgon]

Screams. Blood. Death. Destruction. Dark. Hatred. Light. Dark. Hope. Ambition. Arrogance.

Ti-Fal opened his eyes, overwhelmed by all of the emotions and sounds he had experienced. The pain and devastation, what was the cause? Who could be feeling hope in a moment like this? The raw emotions of the village had shocked Ti-Fal to his core. It had been years since Ti-Fal encountered emotions as strong as the ones he sensed. He hadn't felt those emotions emanating off of someone since his duel with the Sith Acolytes on Mustafar.

Standing up, Ti-Fal went to a large cabinet looking object. He opened it up and grabbed the set of armor that was sitting inside. After the armor was on his body, he drew his old Jedi robe to him, and with his other his lightsaber.

"K7, keep the ship running. A quick getaway might be necessary today."

After the astromech droid beeped in response, Ti-Fal stepped out of his ship, heading for the village. Taking in the natural beauty of the outer world planet, Ti-Fal took a deep breath in. And then he smelt it. He smelt all the death and destruction from the village. Shaking his head, Ti-Fal muttered to himself, "War is war, but this? This was unnecessary."

He arrived at the village, seeing a man crouched down, and another standing over him, staff in hand. There was the arrogance he had felt, in that young Jedi standing before him. Ti-Fal's brow furrowed, and he thought a Jedi? That complicates things. I might have to kill him as well.

Then another man stepped out of a building, with an assassin droid. Ti-Fal shook his head and began to regret getting involved. Then the stormtroopers. When they surrounded the village, that is when Ti-Fal finally ignited his blue blade. Stepping towards the Jedi and the Knight of Ren, Ti-Fal said, "Today is a day of death. What harm could a few more do?"

He assumed his modified Djem So stance, and said, "Sith. I hope you can still fight. Things are about to get real ugly."

With that, Ti-Fal pulled one of his arms back, feeling the Force flowing through his body. He extended his arm, pointing it at the Jedi, and letting a massive wave of the Force push towards him.

Aaran Tafo | Kyrel Ren | Kardek Alpha | AX-0021

 

[AX-0021]

Private AX-0021
Post 2
Location: Outskirts of Ravaged Village, Unknown World
Equipment: FO-02 Stormtrooper Armour w/ Blue Pauldron, S-42R ‘Hush’, SE-44F Blaster Pistol, Blackwing Electro-Sword
Aaran Tafo Kyrel Ren Ti-Fal Jurgon Kardek Alpha

As she scanned her scope past the white-armored Jedi, AX-0021 noticed another one approaching the group of assembled group as well. Nevertheless, the sniper did nothing as she watched the newcomer project the Force in a shockwave of energy which was aimed to strike the Jedi. None of the stormtroopers within the village acted to protect the Jedi as well. However, when she heard the distinct roar of another shuttle in the area, AX-0021 glanced up and saw a landing craft bearing the colors of the Outer Planets Alliance. When the ship landed, over a dozen OPA Partisan marines sprinted out of the rear bay, firing at the stormtroopers as they maneuvered into cover.

AX-0021 did not hesitate.

Holding her breath, the diminutive stormtrooper scanned her scope across the center of the village until she came upon the group of advancing marines. She immediately set her sights on the neck of a marine firing a heavy rotary blaster cannon. Then, she squeezed the trigger, sending a large ferric tungsten round down range at hypersonic speed which punched through the hapless marine’s neck in a spectacular shower of viscera and red mist. Another projectile followed in its wake, which was aimed to strike at the head of a lightly-armored marine positioned only a few feet behind the dead heavy gunner’s falling corpse. The anti-light vehicle round produced similarly gruesome results upon striking the second marine’s skull, leaving little more than a decapitated body that eerily remained standing for more than a few moments before finally crashing to the ground.

In the aftermath of the violent sniper attack, the OPA marines dove for cover behind any obstruction they could find as the stormtroopers in the village returned fire and advanced on their entrenched positions. Anticipating return fire, AX-0021 scanned her scope across the village until she saw a head poking out from cover behind a window in one of buildings. The diminutive sniper touched the trigger of her rifle, but held her fire when she remembered her training.

It was an obvious dupe.

Nevertheless, AX-0021 squeezed the trigger of her rifle, not once, but twice. However, she aimed her crosshairs just below the position of the fake head, knowing that the construction materials used in the building were little hindrance to the progress of the hypersonic ferric-tungsten rounds that exploded from the barrel of her rifle.

When she saw the head fall out of the building and clatter to the ground, she knew that both of her shots had struck true.

Spoiler: Details

I decided to add some OPA marines into the mix just to keep the stormtroopers I brought occupied so that I'm not bringing superior numbers and firepower to the fight without offsetting them in some way. Feel free to call hits on both the stormtroopers and the OPA marines. Thanks!

 

[Kardek Alpha]

Kyrel Ren :

"Interesting, I am curious which amongst you wants to die first?

Kardek made a slight motion with his head towards the young Jedi, "Well, if it has to be one of us... I'd go with him." Kardek raised both NN-14 blasters towards the Sith, "But personally, I'd love to see your blood mixing into the ground, so let's just see who's head falls first." Kardek always hated going up against Sith, they were the hardest to kill. He had encountered his fair share, and so he was equipped enough to hold his own against the dark force user... But he was not ignorant of the battle that lay before them... and he was not fully confident in their odds. But wicked men like this deserved nothing but the grave, and there was no-one else around to stand up to him in this moment except for himself, Alpha, and this young Jedi.

So be it.

Aaran Tafo

"Take your shot whenever you see an opening."

Kardek nodded slowly, keeping his eyes focused on the Sith before them. He had been a bounty hunter most of his adult life, and many were confused about who he was. He walked, talked, and operated like a bounty hunter most of the time, despite the fact that he was no longer apart of the guild and hadn't taken a mark in... well, it's been a while. But he could never go back. His life was forever shifted onto a different path, and it might not pay as well, but at least it seemed like he was finally finding some sort of redemption in the midst of this chaotic galaxy.

Even if this was his last stand, at least he would die standing for something bigger than a paycheck.

He became aware of another unknown player who was approaching through Alpha, who informed him through their cybernetic connection. Kardek shifted his stance to allow for the newcomer to be seen in his peripheral. It was undetermined which side the man would choose to side with, but the blue blade gave him an assumption that he was probably with the Jedi. "Expecting company, Jedi?" Kardek asked. If the newcomer was against them, there was no denying that they would be in some serious trouble.

Ti-Fal Jurgon

"Sith. I hope you can still fight. Things are about to get real ugly."

Not good.

As the newcomer began to attack the Jedi, Kardek shifted his attention fully to the new intruder and extended his Left arm, releasing a tracking missile from the MM9 attached to his wrist directly towards him. "I hope you have some skills kid!" He yelled to the Jedi as he raised his other hand and began to release a stream of blaster fire from his modified NN-14 Blaster pistol. Suddenly...

Bra-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta-ta!!

The hut illuminated red from where Alpha had been hiding as a barrage of blaster fire was released from another angle upon the newcomer. Alpha emerged, still firing, both hands bracing from the recoil of his heavy repeater cannon as he lit up the newcomer.


AX-0021

 

[Matreya]

(Sorry this was supposed to be posted as Zaiden Dean )

Zaiden had not expected what he witnessed when coming to the planet. That was absolutely sublimely certain. Death, true and unrequited massacre.

It was so minuscule compared to even his lesser acts of darkness in his younger years, that it didn’t trigger a thing in him truly. But the new face he held as a leader of a budding organization led him to hone in on the small battle that began just as he quickly located the cause.

Breaching trees, his mind quickly deduced the events unfolding. One of the powers he sensed was but a youth, another a darker ilk and then the murderer. He resonated darkness to a degree that told of the death clinging to him like a low miasma.

The aforementioned youth was attacked with a Force Push. A simple glance caught the pressure with one of his own. The kid was saved from having to face it himself.

Calmly Zaiden stepped forward, “You two, I’ll take you both.” He wasn’t big with words at the moment. Why bother? This was a man whom had faced legendary beings all at once. Darren Shaw and Ashin, one a god among men at wielding Lightning the other one capable of taking nukes directly without more than her own power. Shorn and Even the current Sith Emperor.

Now that man Zaiden would be cautious of meeting once more.

Slipping his hands into the pockets of his silk dress pants, black as the shadows he could manipulate, which matched the simple silk button up on his chest, Zaiden showed nothing of worry.

“I can take you both.” He reaffirmed. True darker ilks would love a real challenge, in his experience. They also hated their abilities so readily ignored as he was obviously doing.

For all appearances this was a rich man that appeared out of nowhere, with no visible arms of any type. Who wouldn’t enjoy attacking this man? Hell Zaiden is no longer the darkness he once was and would have to fight his own sense of eagerness at such prospects.

Kardek Alpha Ti-Fal Jurgon Aaran Tafo Kyrel Ren

 

[Kardek Alpha]

((OOC: So sorry, I hate to do this but I have to go on a long trip and won't be able to post for a long time, so I have to /Exit Thread. Very sorry for the inconvenience ))