Invasion Cleansing Fire | BotM Invasion of GA held Jedha and Jakku

[Rannan Kol]

Location: New Jedha City; the Streets
Allies: Mawites
Enemies: Galatic Alliance; Ryv
Equipment: The Dark Sacraments, Apostle's Vestments​

---

The Advance of the Marauders was almost meticulous. Guided by the Dark Jedi the Marauders were almost single minded in their assault. The bodies of Civillian and Soldier fell alike while the screams of others were heard filling the streets with terror as they were drug away, back in the direction the Darksiders had come from. There they'd be stowed away like cattle for some grim future sacrifice or culled in some bloody revelry meant to enhance the prowess of the Mawites that witnessed the deed.

As an explosive wave of telekinetic force rolled away from an epicenter further down the street the advance came to a halt. As Marauders were thrown into the air, hurled away and into rubble or other debris the Dark Jedi merely paused, craning his head to watch the trajectory of some of the bodies. When his eyes came to the front again Rannan would have catch the crackling blue energy of the lightsaber as it cut the head of another Marauder free of its body.

Even at a distance Rannan's senses, extending through a manipulation of the force and attuned to the ebb and flow could see this man and the way he blurred. It seemed to please the Dark Jedi who could also move extremely swiftly and with a prodigious grace when he chose. The Acolytes that flanked Rannan bristled but he dismissed him.

"Continue the purge without me."

...was his only direction before the Acolytes disengaged from his flank. They would regroup with the surviving Marauders and continue as instructed unless otherwise unable to. As for the Dark Jedi, a gesture sent one of the 'Dark Sacraments' into his left hand, his non dominant hand for reference sake whereas the other shot towards in his dominant, right hand. In so much as the maneuvers were all but linked together as one as the lightsaber flew into his right hand and ignited in a haze of dark mulberry Rannan would shift his right side forward and extend his right arm as though he were throwing.

The Lightsaber he'd summoned into his hold flew from his grasp then, still ignited and spinning horizontal in a blur as it flew across the lengthy distance towards Ryv at height with his torso. Like a boomerang whether it made contact with the Jedi or not it would retrace and fly back towards the waiting hand of Rannan who had also begun moving towards the Jedi at a much more leisurely pace.

As he moved Rannan had also let his left side shift ahead, the lightsaber he held in his non dominant hand positioning itself vertically ahead of him with the hilt at height with his waistline and the blade extending further. His right hand, waiting at the aft would remain palm open to reclaim the other 'Dark Sacrament' as it came back to him...​

 

[Arlo Renard]

Objective I: Defend the City
Location: Archives, Temple of the Kyber
Tags: Danika Leventis Aeris Lashiec

Aeris became frustrated and had a somewhat uncharacteristic outburst. Kai was inclined to agree with her on most points, but Aeris was giving in to her emotions, which wasn't good. Danika likewise grew annoyed and insisted, with the voices of the dead chorusing her words, that she was not a Sith.

<You’re not a Sith?> A befuddled and stasis-bound Kai echoed her. <What are you, then?>

The cloaked figure threw off his cloak and announced his name was Alex Mortimer.

Ok good, ok fine...?

Kai had no clue who Alex Mortimer was, and so the dramatic reveal had little effect on him. He assumed Aeris knew him, and depending on how she reacted that might spell trouble.

It was only a matter of time before Mortimer lost his hold on him, but Kai was doing all he could to hasten his release. He pushed back against the invisible grip with the Force, as if he were slamming a hammer against glass. If he hit it with enough force, or enough times, it would shatter...

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: SIA Black Site​

Valery: Appearance​

Objective: Jedhamour tears​

Ally Tag: Allyson Locke Taiia Locke Ripley Kühn ​

Enemy Tag: Halketh Alexander Garrick ​

​

​

​

Impending Darkness​

From the Shadows of the room, Valery watched the slicer spiders closely until they finished the first set of downloads. There were multiple rooms to get through but she had now secured one of them without much trouble. But she knew that trouble was coming for her and the others inside the Black Site - it was only a matter of time before they'd be here. ​

​

Stepping out of the room, the brunette turned around and raised a hand, her fingers curling as if she was trying to ball the hand into a first, but some invisible resistance stopped her. The metal door leading into the room trembled under the applied pressure until it bent in such a way that it could not normally be opened again. It was a signal to show the others the room was covered, but it would also keep intruders out. Breaching charges could compromise the data and a lightsaber would take at least some time with how thick these doors were.​

​

With the room sealed, Valery sprinted through the hallways of the Black Site to reach the next room as quickly as possible, and the next. There were so many of them, and she could feel a darkness creeping up on the facility. Life was all around the area, as well as a sense of constant danger. Something was coming for them, but she didn't know about the incoming purge troopers from Alexander Garrick just yet. ​

​

For now, the Jedi Master continued moving through the rooms, placing slicer spiders and standing guard with her invisibility from the shadows. Being this far from the action was very strange to her, but she accepted that this was an important task to take care of as well. ​

​

So she resisted the urge to go out and engage the invaders - she'd wait for them to come to her.​

​

 

[Aeris Lashiec]

Danika Leventis
Arlo Renard

It wasn’t like her to be angry like this, this wasn’t who she was. Aeris Lashiec was calm and collected, she didn’t lash out and act like an insolent teenager. There was never a good reason to lose her temper, even if the whole world would plummet around you. Something else was influencing this, pouring fuel on the fires to stoke it, something that could reach under her skin without even trying.

Her eyes set on Danika for a moment. Demons. Something from her past. The blonde woman’s eyes immediately set on the cloaked figure. It couldn’t be. No, she saw— There was not— She felt…

The hood slowly came off, the memories unraveled.

Side by side, shoulder to shoulder as the busy cityscape rushed by before them. Their hands interwoven with a meek smile on each of their lips. The cool breeze brushed against their worn robes. Although the galaxy was a dark place it would remain just a little brighter for as long as they had one another.

“Just the two of us, right? Always together, always there for each other.”
“Always.”

Years later, their shelter was under attack. The Sith forces were storming the facility, and someone had ratted them out. Somehow they had realized who Aeris and Alex truly were, what they had once been.

“Alex, come on!”
“I— I can’t.”
“Don’t do this.”
“Someone has to slow them down.”
“Aeris, we have to go.”
“No!”
“We don’t have time for this, we’re leaving!”

She still heard those screams in her sleep, still felt the rebel’s arm as it tugged her away from the scene and the strain in her arm as she reached out in vain for Alex. She had experienced loss before, but never with anyone this close. By the time a few minutes had passed she could feel the blasters impact against Alex’s skin as if it was her own. The men and women ushered her down a winding path of corridors until they threw themselves aboard one of the departing shuttles, and that was where the memories always ended. For every memory that flashed before Aeris, for every touch that she had clung to and every moment that she had burned upon her cornea over and over again there was a pang of guilt until finally…

Her saber fell to the ground with a metallic clang. Aeris’ entire body shook. She wanted to scream and run away and yet she kept pushing forward, right over to the one she thought that she had killed once before. The very same person whose crystal resided within her lightsaber.

“I…” She stammered. “I killed you.”

“This isn’t real. None of this is real.”

 

[Syndulla Command]

SYNDULLA COMMAND | OPENINGS
ABOVE JEDHA
CETCOM
MODUS | REAR ADMIRAL JORDALLA​

Galactic Alliance 6th Sector Fleet On Approach to Final Dawn Fleet ANS Momentous Triumph, Plenipotentiary-class Dreadnought ANS Deimos, Starhawk III-class Battleship ANS Integrity, Redeemer-class Star Defender ANS Virgil, Redeemer-class Star Defender ANS Primo, MC81k 'Liberty Kai'-type Star Cruiser ANS Prince, MC81k 'Liberty Kai'-type Star Cruiser ANS Rrudobar, Ena-class Star Defender ANS Krallet's Sting, Ena-class Star Defender 7x Endurance II-class Fleet Carriers 12x MC140c Scythe-class Main Battle Cruisers 12x Sacheen-class Light Escort Frigates 8x Type 062D 'Cutlass' Assault Frigates 10x CR-37 FarStar Corellian Carriers Numerous E-Wing Starfighters Numerous Y-Wing Starbombers Numerous A-Wing Interceptors Numerous B-Wing Starfighters Numerous X-Wing Starfighters 10x Ferret II Recon Drones Various Support Craft

"We're in formation, High Admiral."

"Begin the advance."

A familiar hum began under Kyreang's feet as the Momentous Triumph's massive engines rose to full power. The tacmap blinked, showing the miniature models of the sector fleet beginning to drift in Jedha's orbit, headed towards where the Final Dawn had set their blockade. The 6th had arrived moments after the fighting had started in earnest on the moon's surface, but it had taken some time to properly integrate the small naval garrison with the rest of the fleet. While High Admiral Minlov was decisive, he seemed dismissive of the more procedural aspects of warfare. Despite Kyreang's request to handle things, however, Minlov had took it upon himself. Who knew how many lives would be lost because of their delay?

The High Admiral stood with his hands behind his back, staring out at space. He seemed to fidget and shift, as though trying to find the most regal way to stand on the bridge, like the great admirals in a holoflick might. In time he gave up, and came to the holotable by which Kyreang stood.

"Your ship's too clean," he commented, looking the Elomin up and down. Kyreang could see the subtle disdain in his eyes. Yet, he had no idea where the feeling came from.

"You got a flask?"

"A flask?" Kyreang asked.

"Nevermind." Minlov hunched over, placing his hands on the holotable and studying the map.

"If I may make a suggestion," Kyreang began, talking a half step forward and gesturing to the map, "I think it might be prudent to pull the Integrity and Virgil a bit further back. Having them too far forward leaves them vulnerable to encirclement -- I think it skews our battle-lines. To compensate, we could push our frigates a bit further forward, to better serve as a screen, where they'll be most effective."

"Battle-lines. Always something with you people." Minlov snorted, then straightened and tugged his mustache. "You know your military history, aye?"

"Yes sir."

"'Course you do. And you know why the Empire's Star Destroyers got crapped on by the Rebels, right?"

"Yes sir."

"We aren't a few squads of plucky pilots, but there are enough tactics that can help us replicate their success. We're about to hit a brick wall, and we won't escape unscathed, but after that- well, easy pickings, I'd say."

"I don't understand, sir."

Minlov rolled his eyes. "You'll see. I just want to keep our front coherent."

"Sir, we'll be in range within the minute."

The High Admiral turned, beginning to stroll down the bridge's main walk. "Prepare an opening salvo, start probing their shields -- test the integrity, and see if you can catch out any of those pocket destroyers. Bring our fighters out front, screen for incoming strikes, and get our Ferrets to start scanning, I want to know if we're missing anything."

A minute later, the first salvos rocketed from the 6th Fleet.

 

[Jax Thio]

Location: New Jedha
Equipment: Jedi Armor, DL-44 Heavy Blaster Pistol, Jax's Prosthetic Arm, Jax's Second Lightsaber, Promise Ring to Jairdain
Tag: Zark San Tekka , Rann Thress , Bernard of Arca , Marlon Sularen (Enemy)


Jax's entire body froze the moment the leader spoke, it was as if the Force had left him through just the man's words alone. The words were taunting yet had a morsel of respect for the Jedi.

"Wait a minute!" Jax yelled his eyes focused on the gunship floating above him. "Marlon Sularen is that you?!"

Marlon Sularen, a man whom answered Jax's call back at Ziost. He sent multiple Stormtroopers to Jax's aid to assist him against Pom Stych Tivé and her forces. As Jax recalled, most of the Stormtroopers died heroically helping him and the Jedi never got a chance to thank Marlon personally for being the one who helped when so many others were occupied fighting against the Sith. Yet here Marlon was joining a faction more fanatic, more power hungry than the Sith Empire was a faction that is more united. Even though the two barely knew each other, war had a way to unite strangers with nothing common with each other against an enemy. However the war also can tear allies apart making them into bitter enemies themselves. It was a cycle that the Jedi found themselves repeatedly that often lead to their own destruction.

Jax was about to ask Marlon, ask him why did he join the Brotherhood but Marlon swiveled his turrets towards him. Red blaster bolts fired rapidly as Jax deflected the bolts using the Force to guide his saber. "The rate of fire is too fracking high!" Jax muttered. "I can't deflect this amount blaster bolts all at once! I'm not a Soresu master."


He didn't even practice Soresu as a Padawan, but Master Oda did and tried to teach Jax. Sadly, Jax was impatient and wanted to practice more aggressive styles. Yet there was one form that Jax was an expert in: Shien, maintaining control Jax attempted to redirect some of the blaster bolts at Marlon hoping that one of them hit one of the twin Ion Engines before breaking off. Jax rolled out of the way as the gunship continued to lay down fire one of the bolts shot of the the armored shoulder pads of his Jedi Armor and singed the back of his neck. "Gotta focus," he muttered. "Hold off until reinforcements come."

IF they come, but Jax remained hopeful that someone can help.

The Jedi leaped on to the next building mindful of the barrage of turrets. As soon as he landed, Jax immediately unleashed more Force Lightning onto the Gunship. It rattled them once, hopefully he can do it again.

 

[Creuat]

K N I G H T
GALACTIC ALLIANCE
JEDHA
LIGHTSABER | JEDI ARMOR

Evil crawled out from the World Devastator’s, a passion to kill was felt from the Sith. Impossible to not detect such raw emotions from the warrior as venom seethed from his mouth. A desire to purge and destroy indiscriminately with little to no regard.

Emotions that, admittedly, Rhis reflected off from the Sith. He had a desire to purge the Sith and all those that subscribed to the teachings of the Dark Side. They were similar, but different.

Many often said that the Sith and Jedi shared the same coin, but different sides of it.

Rhis was determined to purge the Dark Side with selfless intentions, wanting to bring peace to the Galaxy and protect it from the ruins of it.

The Sith before him acted on selfish desires, wanting to mold the Galaxy in his vision no matter how big or little the cost was. Much like his ilk that all dealt in absolutes.

The Jedi Knight rolled to right, dodging the attack of the Darksider as his attack would overpower Rhis from the sheer momentum in his leap. A bowl of dust covered the valley with the World Devastator on its gluttonous path of devouring the earth and minerals, the terrain scarred and continuously shaking from its destruction. A similar rumble occurred as the machine they were standing on acted out, almost as if it wanted to shake off the two from its roof. A test to their balance as they would not have the benefit of stable ground.

The brown robes on his person were cast off into the wind, nothing but traditional Jedi garments with light armor underneath casing his chest and abdomen.

“You will find...” a hand reaching for the lightsaber on his belt.

”...my strength...” arm and hand outstretched for the Warrior to see.​

“...equal to yours.”
​

And a beam emerald hissed from the hilt of his lightsaber. Opting for an offensive approach rather than being static on in a defensive stance, the Nautolan committed to his attack as he closed the gap between him and the Sith Knight. A horizontal slash to his head followed with another one, but meant to cut across the Sith’s torso.

​

ALLIES | GA | NJO
ENEMIES | MAW | ENGAGING Lord Letifer | Tu'teggacha

 

[Kaul "Joker" Emos]

"You're cleared hot."


A smile formed on Kaul's lips while he began to his approach towards the painted site. R4 placed the target on to the X-Wing Heads Up Display. "Music to my ears Revenant Leader." Kaul said. "Airstrike on the way."

Accelerating his X-Wing, Kaul unloaded 2 Photon Torpedoes as well as a barrage of blaster cannons onto the target. "Direct hit!" Kaul said swooping around for another pass. "I repeat a direct hit Revenant lead! Should create some space for you guys to advance."

It was one of the few times in Kaul's life that he has taken something seriously. The Brotherhood were monsters, they were slaughtering innocents in Coruscant and they are doing the same here. Do these chits have any remorse? "Someone better check their pulse," Kaul muttered as R4 began to rearm. "Because I don't these guys have hearts."

<Gun ready!> R4 whirred as Kaul spoke into the radio. "This is Two Flight Five," Kaul said. "I'm coming in for another pass, just give me a target."

This is like shooting whomp rats in a bucket back in Dantooine. Easily the most satisfying mission Kaul has done in his career.

Ishida Ashina , Siloh Riain, Tren Chaar , Laoth (Enemy)

 

[Laoth]

Equipment: Sword of the Tenth | The Panoply
Tags: Ishida Ashina | Tren Chaar
Location: JEDHA - En Route to JEDI MONASTERY
Theme: Don't Get in My Way​

---

Fire. It happens quickly, almost quicker than he can discern at first. How did he get here? Oh right. The pit of the dig site just outside of the monastery was before him at last, the edge of the field of death within just beyond his toes. A step forward, a slide down, a stabilization of balance, and the wiping clean of his sword. He marched again, wading through the horde of gory dunes and abandoned machinery and beasts belched from the Maw. This is what he did just before the sky burned red.

And now, the world is on fire. Good thing he is a devil, right? With red suddenly everywhere in his vision from above, he barely avoids the first blast and reacts appropriately - nearly subconsciously. A barrier of the Force engulfs him, formed out of instinct towards self-preservation. Even without full concentration, even without full conscious awareness of it, it is all but a perfect shield for a limited time. If only the oaf knew what true might he had gained from his prior experimentations.

Centuries of ironic ignorance. A fate worse than death, he would say once upon a time.

Laoth now stands unassailed, the impact of blast after blast barely fazing him in his loathsome gawking upon the destruction occurring before him. In his powder-addled mind, it is a single moment of experience encapsulated in blazing energized plasma that bursts alight with obscene coloring. It reminds him of a nameless war from before his time in that tomb. With others like him. Everything is almost the same, even. Sand and envisioned grass charred into shards of mirrors and ash. Heat stinging and burning the flesh of the unprotected - mindless beasts mostly. The crisping flames turning those in mobile sarcophagi into burnt remnants of creatures. A painting any artist would dream of creating or purchasing for their wall. Some part of Laoth knows that he is such an artist, but the rest of - most of him - cares only to swing his blade and hoot with indistinguishable noises.

An instant passes between the explosions, and Laoth moves forward towards the monastery, stepping over or on the corpses of those caught in the fire. Soldiers and creations of the Maw, perhaps soldiers of the Alliance killed prior. Brutalized in such a glorious fashion that it brings a smile to Laoth's lips. Sickening to see. Another round of explosions, some even directly hitting his position - shaking the barrier around him and threatening to drop it despite its near perfectness. But he does not seem aware or does not seem to care. He merely marches, swatting aside those Mawites unlucky enough to get in his path. The entrenched soldiers ahead would be his first target, and then he would go within the monastery which now loomed over him like a temple on Dromund Kaas, and he would desecrate it.

That is, at least, until he senses it. Senses her. A Light breaching the battlefield's Darkness. He turns to his right, looking past the guard of his blade and the massiveness of his engraved pauldron, and sees her. A white-haired woman, as radiant as a white star, dancing with the demons of the Maw as if she were a ballerina in Devaron's theater circuit. His sister was a ballerina in that circuit. He would always return home to watch her performances, even from the shadows - covered in the blood of the innocent. She was fantastic, the only woman in the family who did not go into politics. A brave choice.

Will this woman also be brave? Or foolish, like her eventual assailant. In her hands, the blade she wields is the paintbrush of a madman, the strokes violent but purposeful. Like the mad painter, she fights for a reason. Does he see it? Does he know it? Does he recognize it? Part of him does - the drowned part, the forgotten part, the better part - but Laoth does not. No, Laoth only sees someone he can fight and be challenged by, perhaps. Someone to kill to rid himself of that memory of the drowned part. The part he cannot remember.

He changes course, his steps now as violent as the woman's strokes of the brush. To hell with the mission, that can be ignored for now. He has all day to destroy the monastery. He needs a good fight, not a pure slaughter of the weak and the destruction of relics and old stone. This woman looks like she will fix that need. So he begins to close the distance, pushing aside those moronic enough to stay in his way and trampling those too small for him to notice, unfazed by the pelting blaster rounds striking the shield surrounding him - the shield that was seconds away from failing.

And as he nears the point of no return for either party, he opens his mouth wide and bellows a single word: "JEDI!"

 

[Darth Kentarch]

​

Prelude

In the time that followed the fall of the Sith Empire, Darth Kentarch had found himself a reluctant ally of the NSO and member of the so-called Brotherhood of the Maw. It was not an ideal arrangement, but with no credits and no power base, Kentarch found he need the maw for his interests in expanding his capital.

Inside a small space cruiser headed to Jedha for the upcoming invasion, Kentarch pulled from his robes a small beeping holo-communicator. Activating the device it began to speak in the form of an automated recording.

This mission is a simple in and out. You will be running solo for the operation, expect no support.

Darth Kentarch listened to the holo-communicator in his hand, it cast an image of the planet Jedha and the planned invasion launched by the Brotherhood of the Maw. As a master infiltrator, Darth Kentarch had wormed his way into far more difficult locations in the past, and gotten out unscathed.

Darth Kentarch you have less than twelve hours to infiltrate the SIA black site and retrieve any and all chemical data or a physical vail of 50cc of the chemical compound used-

Kentartch smashed the communicator in his hand, then threw the mangled device to the ground. He exhaled in frustration. He could easily be abandoned or disavowed, a position he did not want to be in and one that angered him. What was more frustrating was that there was no backup, in the retrieval of a compound that either was a chemical weapon or could be easily repurposed into one. In his mind, the NSO did not need such a weapon. He knew the Maw would send in a tactical team for the operation, the question was whether or not Kentarch was the distraction. Too many questions, no answers. His mind tried to piece together what the Strategic Intelligence Agency of the GA was doing with a chemical compound. Did the Jedi know of this?

It mattered not. He had a job to do.

------------------------
Several Hours Later
Location: Jedha near the SIA Blacksite
Equipment: Taozin amulet | RED Lightsaber | Nightfall
Allies: NSO/MAW
Enemies: GA

The black-cloaked Sith peered out from a cluster of rocks that overlooked the SIA black site. A Fallanassi illusionary cloak shielded the base, one that was strong enough to stop those unfamiliar with the philosophy and techniques of the White Current, or enemy soldiers looking to raid the base. Yet he was able to control his senses through force to see past such illusions. The GA did evacuate the site, likely leaving behind only those necessary for the defense of the facility. With his taozin amulet and buried presence, he could easily get inside without anyone on either side noticing him. Once Kentarch believed it was clear, he made his move on the facility.

A quick force-powered sprint led to him the walls of the black site. He was not going to use an entrance to get inside. Outside he surveyed a spot that he could cut a hole small enough for him to crawl through, and one close enough to the ground that someone looking around at eye level would not catch. Before sliding all the way through the man-made hole he double-checked to make sure the coast was clear. Then pulled himself inside the facility.

Kentarch found himself inside some unlit storage room, littered with boxes and equipment likely not worth evacuating, he would find nothing of use. He quickly lifted an empty crate and set it down blocking the hole he cut in the wall. Then he made his way to the door. A 'Simple in', now he just needed to grab the vail and data and get out.

 

[Tegan Starfall]

Post: 3
Objective: We will Rock You
Location: Jedha City
Equipment: Mind Crown | Black MidNight Duster with Hood | Echani shield suit | Grav Boots | Eltro Life Gloves | x4 red lightsabers | Defender | Forearm Lanvorak | Wrist Laser | x2 FWG-5 Flechette Smart Pistol | Boomer | X4 Daggers | Pack of Death sticks | Various Explosives | Holopad
Allies: The Mongrel | Keilara Kala'myr | Dark Apostle | Kyrel Ren | Marlon Sularen | Darth Mori
Enemies: Elpsis Kerrigan | Jax Thio | Caltin Vanagor (Meat Head) | Bernard of Arca | Arlo Renard | Zaka | Seto Du Couteau | Viers Connory
Engaging: Elpsis Kerrigan

​

Tegan heard the first shot as she was toiling about, and she felt Cynthia's essence fade to black. Tegan just shook her head as she knew instantly what was coming next. It never ceased to amaze her just how the good guys where such brutal monsters. True Cynthia was already dead her body turned into meat puppetry but her head was just blown off so there was no chance for an open casket for her loved ones to look into those blue eyes once more. Then came the follow up instead of coming in demanding answers they would come in guns blazing. Granted Tegan was a powerful force user so that might have been the right option even if Tegan had invited them in politely.


Yet it raised the question how could The Alliance or Jedi call themselves protectors of peace and justice if neither were part of there direct actions. It begged the age old question what made them better then people they hunt, Genocide perhaps but then again they were willing to kill everyone on Korriban for there justice so maybe Genocide wasn't off the table. Some might say that was another Jedi order, but they always lumped the sith and other darkasiders together.


Tegans right hand reached out as the three shots were fired in succession right at her as was predicted. Each one seemingly began to slow down as they hit an invisible force slowing the projectile and plasma encasing it. Then the Tegan twist her hand wrist in a quick fluid motion the projectile spun around and reverse course towards Elpsis's at there full speed once more. It was then Tegan turned and looked towards the woman pulling herself away from the device she was working on.


"What are you trying to do kill us both! I am messing with highly explosive materials here!" Her eyes Flared, granted she could be yelling at a shredded corpse if those projectiles connected but it didn't matter Tegan was still going to berate them for a very not well thought out plan in either case. Yet before anything more could be said or done the air strikes began and the ground itself began to shake. The explosions were close real close which aggravated Tegan.


"God Damn it Mongrel!" She screamed to herself more as The Mongrel was nowhere close to her. But this was his fault he knew she was building bomb and here he was calling in air raid over the city near her area. He was trying to kill her….. again. Tegan with out second though ran for the nearest window which just shatter from the bombardment from the air and she dove out it dcuking by down and begining to draw here web symbol on the ground and pour her magick into it.

​

 

[Seto Du Couteau]

​

Seto Du Couteau, Senator of Empress Teta
Objective One: Defile the City
Location: Jedha, New Jedha City
Action: Protect the Starport and the Civilians sheltering Inside from the Orbital bombardment
Allies: GA
Enemies: || Marlon Sularen | The Mongrel | Tegan Starfall | Keilara Kala'myr || @Brotherhood of the Maw & Allies
Weapons: REC-EVS/01 "Sohei" - Pattern Electro-Vibrosword
Attire

The evacuation continued, but the movement and sense of urgency only grew at worrying rapid rates. Time being the enemy of the Alliance, they should have arrived sooner, they should have brought more, they should have. . .they should have. . . they should have. . .

Seto squeezed his eyes shut, tightly for a moment before breathing in once and releasing the tension coiling in his shoulders and head. The Alliance trooper standing nearby turned around and quickly approached the Senator, his eyes hidden by a visor but his voice exposed a sense of fear that betrayed the emotionless helmet.

“S-sir, it is best you remain inside, we have reports of incoming enemy air-craft and with no certainty of Alliance Air-support to contest we must take the necessary precautions.” The soldier was clearly not up to the task at hand.

Civilians were still being processed through, several thousands attempting to cross the military checkpoint while another thousand trying to board the transport ships. With the prospect of enemy troops approaching, hostile air-support and furthermore the real possibility of fighting in a city filled with civilians. It was a testament that these Alliance soldiers stood ready at all to help defend with that kind of weight on their shoulders.

More and more civilians were being escorted into the starport, Alliance Soldiers attempting to keep as much order as possible. Seto wasn’t privy to the military communications but with the little information being fed to him whenever he asked a nearby soldier, clearly the Brotherhood were being true to their nature. A sense of dread washed over him, a strange feeling, as it almost caused Seto to feel something entirely foreign. Fear.

Something wasn’t right, maybe the Force was attempting to warn him of some sort of imminent danger, but Seto couldn’t be sure. He had neither time nor proper training to focus on that type of Force ability. Quickly he moved back towards the entrance of the Starport to find an Officer he could question, but not even a few moments did said Officer ran straight to the Senator. His voice clearly held a biting urgency that confirmed Seto’s nascent fears.

“Senator, we need you to quickly head into the Starport, reports of incoming starfighters have triggered our early warning systems and-” The Officer practically shouted but Seto cut the man off.

“Get as many of the Civilians into cover, worry about them first I’ll be assisting as well.” Seto ordered, knowing full well he had no actual authority over this Alliance Officer but Seto had little time to argue. Gently he nudged the Officer’s mind into realizing this would be simply a wasted effort to even make the attempt to change the Senator’s mind.

Practically disappearing into the crowd of civilians being herded by Alliance soldiers, the young Du Couteau heir moved quickly though and back to the Starport. His eyes found the side of the starport and with a short run he made it and gauged the height for a jump. A single glance to his left he spotted a set of ladders and rushed to climb instead of Force jumping to reach the roof as quickly as possible. With sacrificing precious minutes he reached the top and noted that all the Alliance soldiers stationed on the roof had already vacated and gone below for cover.

Good, less people to awkwardly argue to take cover below or something.

Seto breathed in deeply, his mind clearing and allowing the Force to freely ebb and flow through him, as he had down back on home Teta. The young Du Couteau heir had never been the greatest swordsman, nor the most skilled in hand to hand combat, that title belonged to his sister. No, his only claim to mastery was his ability to control and create Force shields and barriers. I can spot the enemy fighters and before they conduct their bombing run I can protect this Starport with a barrier.

A grin stretched the corners of his lips, a haphazard smile as the realization of the utter insanity he was about to commit himself towards. If only the Alliance had brought a bigger fleet, they could have protected this city better. . . they should have. . Seto wanted to laugh but he needed to control his breathing and calm his nerves. Readying himself, he stretched out his hands and prepared to project perhaps one of the largest and strongest Force barriers he had ever attempted before. Nothing to it Seto, nothing to it. . .

With a quick glance down to his fluttering cape, he spotted something else fluttering. Instantly his body relaxed as he released a laugh. His mind cleared almost immediately as he reached down into his vest pocket to pull out a simple mask that covered nothing except around his eyes. He remembered the conversation he had with Marr about bringing a disguise to help him hide his Force abilities should he ever need to use them openly. More of a joke than anything, but the memory flooded himself with a new sense of confidence and strength.

His hands tied the mask around his head and Seto prepared himself for the bombing run once again. Wait, what are those lights dropping from the sky? Seto only got halfway through his thought before he created his Force barrier and projected it as large as he could in his attempt to block any stray turbolaser fire that ever got dangerously close to the Starport and the civilians taking shelter beneath.

Seto couldn’t protect the entire city, but through gritted teeth he would protect the Starport with whatever ounce of strength he had within himself. The orbital strike was indiscriminate, decimating military bunkers, earthworks, barricades and civilian houses and buildings. The fear radiating from the civilians and Alliance soldiers alike from beneath the Starport nearly suffocated Seto as he continued to press more of his strength into the Force Barrier. Deflecting stray shots was relatively simple work, relative was the opportune word of course. When compared to disappearing the energy of a direct hit onto his Force barrier, sure a stray shot was simple to deflect away from the Starport.

The headache only grew worse, his sweat dripped from his nose and Seto wanted to cry in anguish and stop. But he continued to press himself to keep going, it wouldn’t be long, only a few more seconds. A few mere seconds. A brilliant light of energy slammed directly into the Force barrier, thankfully it had disappeared across the shield but Seto felt his knees buckle and collapsed onto the roof’s floor. Despite the pain of all that had transpired, later he would be thankful for laying face down on the roof, since his nosebleed wasn’t staining his shirt or vest. A few more turbolaser fire rained down but the last few were hitting the location of the Temple. Struggling to get himself back up, Seto breathed in deeply and with a single grunted push he managed to get himself to sit standing upright.

Resting his head on his arms, his fingers massaged his temple, barely lessening the headache that thrashed throughout his head. His body felt completely stripped of strength, replaced entirely with weakness, even his hands felt tired holding up his head. Carefully he stood back up, but for mere moments he sat back down and figured he could wait up here for a few minutes.

I can get a status report later. Seto wearily wondered if he could find an ice-cream parlor that hasn’t become ash nearby.
​

 

[Aerarii Tithe]

CHANCELLOR’S SUITE // CORUSCANT

ASSETS: Rurik Fel

​

A flurry of blue robes spilled out of the turbolift into the Chancellor’s Suite. The armed and armoured Senate Guards split off into pairs as they moved through the suite to take up their regular posts, slowly revealing a small group of civilians in their midst. By the time the group reached the inner sanctum of the Chancellor's office only two guards remained, who took up positions on each side heavy blast doors.

Aerarii Tithe, Chancellor of the Galactic Alliance, headed straight for his desk and dropped into his hoverchair as the office doors sealed. The Chair of the Defence Committee took a seat opposite Tithe’s desk while his senior chief of staff leaned against the arm of a hovercouch in the middle of his office. The three had come straight from the Chancellor’s Situation Room where High Command was monitoring the battle with the Brotherhood of the Maw on Jedha.

The Aargauun unsealed a desk drawer with his biometrics and produced an ornate holoprojector. Embossed with the logos of the Alliance and the New Imperial Order, the device dubbed the ‘Iron Comlink’ provided a direct channel between the Chancellor and the Sovereign Imperator. By convention, it was to be on hand wherever the officeholders travelled to allow uninterrupted communication between the heads of the two governments. The Iron Comlink, and its companion on Bastion, had been used to great effect to coordinate the war against the Sith Empire and in subsequent conflicts.

It had been created for the exact situation that was right now unfolding on Jedha.

Yes, Tithe had seen Fel’s decree. But he also knew how the NIO worked. The fanatics craved a constant stream of jingoistic posturing above all else. Without it, they lost their faith. Tithe knew firsthand the necessity and discomfort of having to say things publicly which he privately detested. He had no doubt that COMPNOR had assets near Jedha which would provide much-needed support to the GADF-NJO task force that was trying to hold the world. Surely Fel could frame the support in a way that kept the Imperial extremists on side, or better yet, kept the whole affair under wraps.

He activated the holoprojector and leaned back in his seat as he waited for the call to connect.

 

[Keilara Kala'myr]

Ziare Dyarron | Keilara Kala'myr
COMPNOR (ISB) Junior Agent, Nite agent | Marauder of the Maw​

Objective I: Defile the City
Location: Tythoni Square, New Jedha City, Jakku
Equipment: FS-18-UP2 Omega Phase Assault Rifle | 2x PV-16 "Sunfury" Pulse Pistol | Druetium Armour | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit | 2x Vibrodagger || Stealth field generator || OPBC-01m
Tags: The Mongrel | Bernard of Arca | Open

[ Mitternacht ]
"Galactic Basic" | ~"Telepathic" communication ~ | << comm. channel >> ​

The green light came closer and closer, I activated my shield and contracted myself. Running made sense no more, I could only hope I was far enough away not to die into it. At least the positive of these systems was that they certainly didn’t get lost a single shot or missile. That would be very unpleasant. The shockwave was more interesting here and whether the houses could withstand it. Unfortunately I was between narrow streets, there was no space I could go to.

I laughed; that is, there was space, square, but we were just about to blow it up. Mischance! So I had to trust in the toughness of my shield and armour. I still wanted to achieve quite a lot in life. So I had to live. Not to mention that I wasn’t born that long ago. Rhand wasn’t that long ago when I first woke up to consciousness. And if plans…

~ MANIAC, connect to the satellites and city camera system and record the bombardment! ~ I instructed him.

~ The connection has been made, the requested recordings are recorded and saved at the moment of the event. ~ I got the answer.

The impact happened at that moment. I felt the ground tremble under my feet, the buildings moving. I laughed. Even as the shockwave of the explosion overturned me and I fell to the ground. I looked up at the sky with a grin and a chuckle. I was far enough away, I shouldn’t have shielded either, but the ground was still shaking a bit. An even greater panic broke out in the streets, but no one ran towards me, only in the opposite direction.

~ The data is recorded and saved. ~ MANIAC said.

I sat up first and then got up from the ground. People ran in front of the alley. Should I shoot them or look at the recording of the explosion? It was a damn hard decision…

 

[The Mongrel]

Location: Jedha, New Jedha City
Allies: Keilara Kala'myr | Tegan Starfall | Marlon Sularen | Tegan Starfall
Foes: Yula Perl | Bernard of Arca | Romi Jade | Elpsis Kerrigan
Seto Du Couteau | Zark San Tekka | Rann Thress | Gorthalon
Mishel Kryze | | Harson Thaddeus | Westenra Mina | Jax Thio

Spoiler: TL;DR

• Harson Thaddeus 's artillery bombardment hits the outer city
  • Many Mawites are killed in the artillery strike
  • Much of the city outside the Holy Quarter is destroyed
• The Mongrel relies on Sularen's orbital bombardment to strike the artillery positions
• All remaining Mawite warriors charge immediately toward the Holy Quarter
• Mawite Mongrel's Howl mobile artillery fires rockets at the Holy Quarter from the streets

The orbital strike couldn't come soon enough.

It was said that no plan survived contact with the enemy, and sure enough, the carefully-laid schemes of the Mawites were swiftly unraveling. It had always been obvious that the Brotherhood could not win a war against the entire galaxy at once; they did not have the industrial capacity to keep up with the colossal military output of the Galactic Alliance or the New Imperial Order, let alone both, let alone all the other powers that would oppose their dark crusade. Their only choice had been to divide and conquer, fragmenting their foes to face them one at a time.

The strike at Coruscant had driven a wedge between the powers of the Bastion Accords, causing the NIO to look to its own defenses and abandon its military support of the Galactic Alliance. No Imperial support would be coming to Jedha... but the might of the Alliance might well be enough to hold back the Maw on its own. So the New Sith Order had worked to fragment the Alliance internally, sowing distrust between the GADF and the New Jedi Order. The hope was to target them one at a time, with the strike on Jedha helping eliminate the Jedi.

The trouble with Jedi and their ilk was that they were armies unto themselves. While many of them could fall back to defend the Holy Quarter, others still roamed the streets, wiping out entire Mawite squads single-handedly. The closing ring of marauders that The Mongrel had planned was perpetually having holes torn through it as some saber-jockey or another butchered a dozen warriors and more without breaking a sweat. Perhaps in time they might have pinned down these demigods and overwhelmed them... if not for the continued failure of the plan.

For the distrust they had sown, it seemed, was not enough. The GADF had still arrived to assist the Jedi on their holy world, and they had brought the weapon that was always the bane of infantry-heavy Mawite armies: artillery. With most surviving civilians pulled back to Tythoni Square for evacuation, the GADF could shell the rest of the city with virtual impunity, each detonation blowing apart entire squads or ripping open light vehicles. When it was over, only the Holy Quarter might be left standing... but the toll in dead Mawites might be worth it.

"Incoming artillery strike!" The Mongrel bellowed, his augmented voice echoing up and down the streets even amid the clamor of battle. "Find cover!" He dove for the relative safety of a roofed alleyway, a structure leading to a long row of apartments... and the street exploded behind him. His auditory dampers kicked in immediately, shielding him from the bone-shaking noise of the bombardment, and his vision flicked through different modes to pierce the haze of sandstone dust kicked up from newly-demolished buildings.

New Jedha City, like its predecessor, was being leveled.

A wave of flesh-melting heat and flesh-rending shrapnel raced toward The Mongrel... but he had no flesh to melt or rend, and it washed over his reinforced metal chassis without doing more than forcing him a step backward. The rest of the squad he'd been leading was not so lucky; their twisted, broken forms were scattered up and down the cratered street like a child's discarded dolls. It was at that grim moment that Sularen's clipped voice responded to the warlord's message. "Your request has been acknowledged, Mongrel. Please stand by."

The Mongrel growled low in his throat, a mechanical sound that rattled the surrounding windows with its bass frequency - or would have, if the windows hadn't all been blown out by the artillery blasts. Easy for Sularen to be so cool and collected; these weren't his forces being blown apart, nor was he under artillery fire, safely ensconced in his gunship. No doubt the Grand Overseer was smirking at the thought of The Mongrel needing his help, showing weakness by admitting there was a problem he required Sularen's assistance to solve.

But the warlord could not deny the results. Streaks of bright green energy came down from the sky as the orbital bombardment began, aiming for Tythoni Plaza - and the enemy artillery positions. With any luck, many of the GADF artillery pieces would be knocked out, ending the rain of fire that was ripping apart the Mawite advance. Hopefully many Jedi would also be caught in the strike, helping to accomplish the goal of this entire invasion... for the artillery-weakened marauder force might no longer be sufficient to exterminate the Force-warriors alone.

"Enjoy the fireworks, Mongrel. The Jedi are hopeless against my flagship." The Mongrel ground his metal teeth at the smug assurance in Sularen's voice, but he could not deny the truth in the Grand Overseer's words. He was oblivious, of course, to the curses and interrupted plans of Tegan Starfall , never knowing that the orbital strike he'd requested had thrown off her bomb plot. Nor did was he aware of the heroism of Seto Du Couteau , who had saved many innocent civilians from the bombardment with a powerful Force barrier.

He knew only that the plan must now change.

"Abandon the ring strategy," The Mongrel ordered, broadcasting his command to all remaining Mawite forces in the Holy City. "We must consolidate our strength and shatter the Jedi with all remaining warriors. Converge immediately on the Holy Quarter. We will use the chaos of the orbital bombardment to breach their defenses." In the alleyways, LuchsHai cargo speeders modified into technicals raced into position, each one bearing a Mongrel's Howl artillery piece in the back. They would further shell Tythoni Plaza, providing cover.

Then a massed charge would be their only hope.

For it seemed that their air support advantage might be about to run out, and their divide and conquer strategy would once again be less effective than they'd hoped. Alerts scrolled across The Mongrel's augmented vision: the Alliance Navy's 6th Sector Fleet, under Syndulla Command , had just arrived to contest the Final Dawn's control over Jedha's airspace. If they couldn't make their push into the Holy Quarter soon, they would be pinned down and ripped apart by the nigh-unbeatable combination of Jedi, air support, and artillery.

"In the name of the Avatars, charge!" He would join them in that final assault soon... unless a Jedi, one of those great threats to his entire force, crossed his path. The Mongrel quickly sent a message to faithful Keilara Kala'myr , who had been awaiting further orders as the bombardment fell. "Mercy, coordinate our advance! Mark targets for our troops as they assault the Holy Quarter."

 

[Tu'teggacha]

​

Location: Jedha, Jedi Monastery
Tags: Kaul "Joker" Emos | Ishida Ashina | Siloh Riain | Tren Chaar | Laoth

Spoiler: TL;DR

• Tu'teggacha sends Mawite air support to the Jedi monastery
• Twelve Mawite Thornwave fighters attack Kaul Emos's X-Wing

As the World Devastator rumbled through the sandstone canyon, erasing the past one monument at a time, the Taskmaster monitored the progress of Mawite forces across the rest of Jedha. The situation in the Holy City had significantly deteriorated, with the initial Mawite success now threatened by the heavy weapons of the GADF... but he was too far away to do anything about that. Of more concern was the lack of progress in the assault on the nearby Jedi monastery, one of many structure out in the middle of Jedha's endless wastes. GADF and Jedi defenders were doing well at holding the line there.

Their success was due, at least in part, to the presence of X-Wing air support.

Well, that was something he could deal with; none of the Alliance air support so far had come to threaten the World Devastators, so he could spare some of his own starfighter complement to help turn the tide of battle. He could send in a squadron of Knyghts, of course... but surely that would be overkill against a single X-Wing. "Butcher Squadron," he said, opening a channel to some of his most trusted marauder pilots, "there is an Alliance ace bombing our ground positions at these coordinates. Shoot that X-Wing out of the sky, then provide close air support for our assault. We will crush that monastery."

-----------------------------------
​

Kalandri Torovak had not become the leader of Butcher Squadron, veterans of the battles above Thule, Lao-mon, Rhand, and Coruscant, through anything other than sheer skill. She had been virtually born in the cockpit, part of an Outer Rim pirate clan that had harassed the northern fringe of the galaxy for generations. Violence was her birthright, and she was fething good at it. There was nothing in life she loved quite so much as to feel the engine of her starfighter roar, to sense that she was one with the craft, connected through the control yoke so deeply that the ship felt like an extension of her body.

Well, there was one thing she loved more: watching an enemy starfighter explode.

Kalandri and the other eleven veteran pilots of Butcher Squadron raced over the dunes and mesas of Jedha, this worthless expanse of sand that some idiot pilgrims had somehow decided was holy. The squadron leader herself was not particularly religious; she wasn't sure she bought into the whole Galaxy To Come preaching, or the supposed existence of three all-powerful Avatars that drove the cycles of ages. That kind of thing was way above her pay grade anyway. She had been born into this galaxy to take whatever she wanted from it. To live fast and die young, preferably drunk and in bed with three fawning Zeltrons.

The plunder she earned from each Mawite raid certainly helped with that dream.

But it was the thrill that kept Kalandri in the service of the Brotherhood, the thrill of constant war. She'd tried a lot of drugs over the years, and she'd found that none of them could compare to the adrenaline rush of starfighter combat, knowing that only her reflexes and her trusty craft lay between here and instant annihilation. Battle was like a skilled lover, keeping you on the edge for so long you almost couldn't stand it... until you ripped your enemies apart and earned that glorious release. A lone X-Wing, even one with an ace pilot, likely wouldn't be much threat against an entire Thornwave squadron, of course.

But Kalandi looked forward to the coming dogfight anyway.

"Keep it tight, boys," she told her squadron as they streaked in toward the monastery. "Free bottle of whiskey to whoever kills this dumb sleemo, flying around out here on his own." Soon Kaul "Joker" Emos 's X-Wing came into view, just finishing up a bombing run with its lasers and proton torpedoes. As one, the Thornwaves began trying to get a lock on the enemy fighter, warming up their fire-linked plasma cannons for a withering barrage. And as one they opened fire, the blue of their plasma shots and the red of their laser cannons stitching across the desert in a deadly crossfire aimed right at the X-Wing...

 

[Maijan Paisea]

TASK FORCE XESH

THE ILLUSIONIST
JEDHAMOUR TEARS || ELIMINATE TRACES OF THE SIA BLACKSITE
JEDHA | UNMARKED LOCATION | SIA BLACKSITE

Save my arse, and I'll owe you a drink after this."

<None of that Corrrellian Whiskey.>

The surprisingly level-headed chatter of the intelligence agents through the commlink inserted in her ear drew a small smile. This might be the last time she heard their voices. The last time they worked together. After this, they’d be memories of the past. Ghosts, like so many before, that belonged to an alternate version of herself. Once she was free, there was no way she cared enough to maintain any relationships with these people.

Vibrations coursed through the current, creating a sequence of ripples that reverberated through the maestro’s consciousness. They were subtle at first, like breaths. But those breaths grew ragged and heavy, and uncomfortably warm. As if someone were huffing right down her neck.

“Sith.” Maijan whispered, running a course through her illusion to confirm her suspicions. Reaching out, reaching out, reaching out, the Force whispered back in dark intonations, sending chills through her connection. Cold darkness stretched from the spaces within the Current that were connected to the Force Masters. <Therre are two Sith Masterrs approaching, no, in..the site.> She continued. The placid, relaxed expression she normally wore started to tighten. Discomfort strained through her muscles, and she felt a tremble creeping through her body.

Only once had Maijan actually faced a Sith. On Byss. And then, she had Viribus. Her muscle, protector and partner-in-crime. Here, despite the assigned teams, she was alone.

<How much longer until the download is complete?> She asked, her voice tight and thin. Anxiety bloomed in her chest, and from her seated position she started to grow restless. Evil surrounded the site and for the first time today, Maijan wasn’t so sure anymore about her definition of the scope of ‘whatever the cost’.

---

Elsewhere, the other member of Xesh – a new recruit, Tao – had finished their task setting the charges near the entrance and controlled testing facilities. The chance to work with demolitions again helped keep his focus above the chaos that was Jedha. With a final twist and click of the detonator, he stepped back to appraise his work.

Almost looked as good as one of his own, back home. The light’s flashing was a little out of harmony with his preferences but all around, pretty acceptable.

<Xesh Six to Xesh One.> Is that how he was supposed to say it? That sounded so official. <I’m out of detonators. What’s the status? We good to blow?

I've still got a few lab coats scurrying around picking up box— hey, you, get out of here! — picking up boxes. Taking their sweet time. How much time you want me to give 'em boss? Feels like Jedha's not got a lot.>

WHITE CURRENT CLOAK ACTIVE AROUND SIA’S JEDHA BLACK SITE WING C: THE LAB​

---

---

ALLIES | NJO | GA | Boluc Laar | NEARBY Allyson Locke | Valery Noble | Ripley Kühn
FOES | BOTM | Maestus | Darth Kentarch

​

​

 

[Harson Thaddeus]

• OBJECTIVE:
  • Defend Jedha. Assist the Evacuation.
• LOCATION:
  • GADF Army Jedha Temporary Headquarters
• ALLIES:
  • Bernard of Arca Zark San Tekka Gorthalon Zanvic "Ironhide" Dak Syndulla Command
• FOES:
  • The Mongrel Keilara Kala'myr Marlon Sularen

"Sir! Enemy aircraft are making a run for the artillery!"

The voice, full of youth yet deeply concerned came from behind the General, at the doorway to his temporary personal office, the older man of the pair however was stuck observing the tops of distant explosions as they shot upward from behind the walls of his secure complex, and all subsequent battle damage assessments had come back positive, indicating that they'd certainly managed to put a dent in the Maw's advance. But the initial artillery bombardment had ceased, and now he knew why. Even now he could hear the terribly familiar wail of incoming TIE fighters rapidly begin to approach from wherever they had originated. There wasn't much time.

"Sir--"

"You need me to hold your hand, Lieutenant? Switch 'em to their AA configurations! Go!" He snapped at his subordinate, hearing a startled confirmation of his orders before the sound of rapid footsteps followed, and dissipated down the outside hallway, the Lieutenant quite literally breaking out into a sprint to relay the orders to the command hub only a few meters from the General's quarters, yet in a life or death situation, it would have certainly felt much further than it actually was. Within the outer perimeter of the haphazardly established base of operations, the gargantuan forms of the MA/01 Artillery Platforms were in the midst of a pivotal transformation, their crews desperately attaching new weapons, and carrying up new ammunition for them to use as the TIE Strikers descended onto their location.

The first aerial assault had been as successful as it could have been, strafing the battery positions, and killing a few crewmembers that had been unfortunate enough to have not been inside their vehicles at the time of the attack. Yet the Gorgon was designed to withstand more significant firepower than what the Strikers could dish out in the space of a single strafe, and so they circled around for a second run, one which would likely be much more effective, the powerful, though not invincible armor of the Gorgons having been weakened. Hurried yells and frantically paced transportation of equipment from the troops on the ground bridged the gap between the two assaults, and by the time the TIEs returned, their targets weren't nearly as passive.

"Return fire!" The battery commander yelled over his radio as several (though not all, as multiple were still switching out their prior weaponry) of the MA/01's raised their modified turrets, and began firing turboblasts upwards towards the wing of TIEs. Blue, red and green rods of plasma were exchanged from the ground to air and vice versa as the opposing sides clashed and by the end of the second attack, several Strikers, and a single Gorgon had been destroyed or otherwise rendered combat ineffective, although it was needless to say that there were more starfighters than artillery platforms. From his position within the relative security of his above-ground bunker, Harson clenched down on his cigarra, almost breaking the fragile piece of elongated tobacco as he left to return to the command center next-door. Though his artillery was now capable of defending itself from the enemy air strike, their change of weaponry meant that they were no longer providing artillery cover to GADF ground forces elsewhere in the city.

"Sir, the 6th Sector Fleet is currently engaging the enemy blockade." One of the many uniforms that occupied the busy room called out to the man, the announcement serving to notify the others of his reappearance through the doorway. At once, several heads turned, and hands raised in salute, to which Harson simply nodded in acknowledgement before continuing towards the center of the room. "Notify the 6th Fleet of our situation. We need that blockade dealt with, and additional air support as soon as physically possible." Before he could carry on with his orders, however, the room shook abruptly, and with the force of a medium-strength groundquake. Items fell from tables and shelves, while several unprepared people were almost knocked to the ground. The lights above flickered, before stabilizing.

"What in the Force just happened!" Harson yelled, damn near having chocked on his cigarra. His answer came quickly, "They're bombarding Tythoni Square, sir! It's orbital!"

​

 

[Joycelyn Zambrano]

Location:
Objective:
Tags: Viers Connory
Equipment:

Spoiler

Armour, Shield, Zaudraka, Bowcaster.

Joycelyn's crew were about to move on out, some looked to their rear, some to the front, and some kept eyes on the skies, but none saw the one sneaking up in their midst. None of them saw or heard her approach, nor did they sense her presence until it was all too late. And even then, there was something far more dire on the Vahla marauders' minds.

"Incoming!"

one of the black-clad pirates yelled as he pointed up to the approaching swam of TIE strikers swarming down from the blockade in the sky. Joycelyn turned quickly to see bringing the castellan shield around, only to find herself greeted with an inaudible-

WHACK!

The head fell from her hand.

A handful of teeth and broken shards thereof flew from Joycelyn's mouth along with a wealth of blood as the staff raked across the side of her mouth. The pain alone would have been enough to send most humanoids right to the ground. The giant would be lying if she said she didn't fight to remain standing, and in the end it was only force of will that let the Sith maintain standing. Something within her reached out for the reigns of her pain and wrenched it towards "fight"

Blinded by the shock, she couldn't see the opponent, but instinctually raised her shield to cover her head against further attacks. She stumbled to a stance and let out a roar of anger, while blood and spit ran down her chin. The roar of her voice turned to the roar of a furnace as scarlet flames shot out of her mouth and clashed against the ground. As it blackened the stone beneath her, it rose like a wall around her, lashing out in every direction to strike at the unseen opponent.

One of the pirates was caught in the crossfire and screamed as the fire seared flesh from bone. He tumbled over on his rear and crawled toward the side of the street, looking for shelter.

The howls of TIEs increased in intensity, and was suddenly interrupted by the deep bass shake of bombs detonating across the city. It increased rapidly in intensity and presence as everything around them shattered under the bombardment. As the drums of war hit the city, shrapnel flew everywhere, while voices cried out and were suddenly silenced. Flames, smoke, dust and destruction was left in the trail of the Maw's tune of destruction.

Joycelyn felt right at home.

 

[Maestus]

Fat fingers, apologies