Dominion Closing a Cursed book | AC dominion of Korriban

[Celeste Demici]

Lady Celeste Demici
Juror of Ashla, Crusader, Witch Elder | The Holy Eldritch​

Objective: Try to interpret the voices, penitence
Location: Surface, Korriban
Equipment: Lightsaber resistant sword | Light Armour || Empyrean gland || OPBC-01s
Tags: Geiseric | Heinrich Faust | Solan Halcyon | Open

[ Sanctus Dominus ]
<"U'ghft Aimgr'luhh (Dark words) or ur-Kittât"> | ~ telepathic communication ~ | << comm. channel >> ​

Ymg' ah ahmgep, uh'eor syha'h ah'legeth ah'sgn, soth ahog. llll syha'hnahh! | Numquam, numquam. Iuste lucem, veram viam sequere!

The voices were even louder and caused the woman even more pain. As she concentrated, she thought of discovering female and male voices in the whispers. The very strange voices were the voices of the man, the other the feminine. The man's voice was ungodly, as if Bogan had spoken to her, trying to slip into the woman's mind and infect it. In contrast, the female voice was pleasant, warm, trying to keep Bogan's strength away. It's like Ashla herself. Still, she was unable to drive out the other voice.

Ymg' ah ahmgep, uh'eor syha'h ah'legeth ah'sgn, soth ahog. llll syha'hnahh! | Numquam, numquam. Iuste lucem, veram viam sequere!

It was as if two Titanic forces were slamming in her mind. Although she was away from the fighting, in a more barren area, she could still feel the wind of the impending sandstorm. Something familiar that overcame her right now. It was as if she knew these dunes. But it couldn't be, it was Bogan's home, not the goddess'. Maybe she was here when the Crusade last attacked this place? She did not know. However, at the thought, an even stronger headache ripped through her mind. Celeste reached for her head and fell to her knees on one of the sand dunes as she closed her eyes.

Ymg' ah ahmgep, uh'eor syha'h ah'legeth ah'sgn, soth ahog. llll syha'hnahh! | Numquam, numquam. Iuste lucem, veram viam sequere!

When she opened them, she saw a sandy but partly lava area. It was cold all at once because of the Dark side, but hot because of the lava. She saw Bogan's legions fighting Ashla's armies in a fierce, relentless battle. In the air high above the battlefield, a very strange creature hovered. It was at once unknown and yet familiar. The creature called her, summoned her. In the same language the woman heard in her head without stopping. But it had a different voice. The whisper is similar, very difficult to understand. Just some words.

Spoiler: the vision

Ymg' ah ahmgep, uh'eor syha'h ah'legeth ah'sgn, soth ahog. llll syha'hnahh! | Numquam, numquam. Iuste lucem, veram viam sequere!

She felt forces that were very familiar at the same time, but she didn’t know where and why. It was as if she was part of the woman, but still not. Not anymore. She already embraced by Ashla's light, not Bogan's corruption. Would that have been the accident? Did such a being divert her from the path of the goddess? She did not know. Another severe pain. The creature was still calling and calling her. Celeste screamed, no more! The vision disappeared in an instant, and the woman was there in the hot sand on her knees. Until she finally lay on the ground in pain, in the corrupted sands of Korriban…

Ymg' ah ahmgep, uh'eor syha'h ah'legeth ah'sgn, soth ahog. llll syha'hnahh! | Numquam, numquam. Iuste lucem, veram viam sequere!

~ HEELP! ~ she screamed in the Force.

 

[Harmony]

Korriban

Location: Surface of Korriban
Gear: in Bio
Tags: Sister Mercy Eina L'lerim-Vandiir Isla Draellix-Kobitana Kal-Channa

Touching down on the landing vehicle turned out to be the easiest part of her day, as the moment the could brace herself, all hell broke lose. Explosions shot up columns of red dust before her, and Harmony struggled to keep her gun tucked safety against her body. She caught Kal-Channa give her a bit of acknowledgment and the Sister just about died in her suit. So much for no one noticing her, but given the mess that was unfolding before her she doubted anyone would care now; provided she lived through this.

A fighter roared overhead and cut a swath through the advancing Sith spawn forces, which Harmony could finally see approaching her for the first time. Her lips tightened at the encroaching mass, though it made her grip her rifle grip just a tad tighter.

She was very thankful when the CV came to a halt, but the mayhem that she was bearing witness to made her rather longing for her sisters. Much to her thanks, they were not far behind her. Hearing a call from down below, Harmony directed her attention downwards, and was relieved the find her sisters forming up. Sister Mercy called to her, and Harmony leapt down before the woman and paid her sisters a brief respect for their greeting of her. Popping off a quick salute, Harmony stowed her weapon to the side to respond to her superior sister.

“Yes Sister Mercy, right away Sister Mercy!” It was a quick response that the threw together, but it was all she needed. Igniting her repulsor pack, Harmony leapt forward ahead of her sisters, and let her rifle hang from the cord around her shoulder. Gripping a grenade in each hand, she seemed eager to run into the mass of monsters that looked to swarm her and her sisters. Probably wasn’t the best plan, but all of her training was about striking into enemy lines and pull back, so that was exactly what she planned to do.

 

[Isla Draellix-Kobitana]

​

Location: Near Prosperos factories
Objective: smash a hole in the Defenses and destroy factories
Tags: Sister Mercy Eina L'lerim-Vandiir Harmony Kal-Channa

Spoiler: Elements of the Ashlan Fleet

Command Vessel

Templar Class Star Destroyer
Forgiveness accompanied by Magnificence

6 x Dominion Class Escort Frigates

Even split complements of
Pegasus Interceptor Starfighters
Phoenix Multirole Starfighter
Knave Transports

Numerous
Ashla's Mercy orbital insertion shield generators

Infantry available

Ashlan Marines
Sisters of Ashla

Spoiler: Isla's Personal equipment

Admiral's Sabre
OPBC-a Bio-chip
Ashlan Rosary
Armor of Sanctity
LPD-31 stormshard
Sidearm

Ashlan Variable Geometary Comman Vehicle

Isla watched with pride as her sister's fanned out forming a cordon across around the command vehicle and the ashlan lines progressed forward. They were closing on the outskirts of the ruined factories, the sun beat down on the Ashlans but from over a hill Isla could seenthe clouds of a sand storm rapidly approaching and beginning to roll down a hill on their flank.

Eina L'lerim-Vandiir communication had allowed her to shore up that flank in case of an enemy advance from that direction and she was glad that she had as she saw, partially obscured by the sandstorm, hordes of undead and demons running at their flank. The hillside was lit up by laser cannon fire.

Isla pointed and gave the command for the heavy artillery tanks to bombard the onrushing columns of enemies. SAINT was processing and distributing her orders to the units best positioned for the job as fast as Isla could announce them. The advanced AI was taking the orders whilst they were still travelling from her prefrontal cortex to her vocal centres. The speed was astounding, this was a new use of her biochip she had not experienced, and as she swept her hand across the hill, seconds behind, a sweep of heavy missile rained into the undead monstrosities. She looked at her hands, having the realisation that she could command her forces with a gesture.

"SAINT show me battlemap" The map was presented to her, a as a hologram beamed directly into her visual centre. She thought, if the demons are creating the storm to mask their troops, target the eye of the storm. She made a circular gestures in the air around her target, to onlookers, none of whom could see the holo, whe would look like she was casting some spell.

A few moments later, as if sent from the heavens blasts from her Meteor Particle Cannons shook the landscape, decimating anything under the centre of the storm in a massive fireball. The intensity of the sandstorm seemed to falter, but it had taken hold in the naturally unstable weather of the planet and sand whisked past their lines, everyone not wearing full helmets would be in a terrible state, luckily Isla was wearing hears. Visibility was reduced, but the enhanced visual modules of the dream sight compensated and for Isla at least, her SAINT connection was augmenting that, overlaying the position of any Ashlan assets onto her visual field.

The intensity of the fighting was intense, and in the distance, Isla could have sworn she saw golden lighting arcing from the clouds, she preyed to Ashla that it was hers.

 

[Abishai Contesoto]

Objective 2: Defend Settlement
Location: Surface, Korriban
Equipment: Zeison Sha Warrior Armor | Discblade | Force-imbued Sword | Ashlan Dagger | Ashlan Rosary
Writing with: Open

The Knave's destination was not determined until it broke atmosphere and began a speedy decent. The team aboard was small, one of many such units tossed together to put out hot spots around threatened settlements while the larger force warred against the hordes at the factory. The Knight Abishai Contesoto of the Sacred Blades and several Free Squires awaited in meditation. They would be accompanied by a squad of commandos and two Riot Control Wheeled Vehicles. The two units would work independently, but in tandem, to repel demonic raiders. The transport veered heavily as coordinates were received and final course set.

They were directed to disembark near a village in danger from a surging swarm of demons moving across the dry plain before it. Abishai lead those aboard in supplication to Ashla for victory against their dark foe, and safety for the innocents below. Even before the landing struts of the Knave touched the dusty ground, the Blades were out of the ship. The commandos had quickly unloaded the RCWV's, a soldier climbing into each. The agile vehicles zooming off to reconnoiter the incoming demons.

The lead commando approached Abishai with a curt not. "We can look at viable defenses." He offered.

"Very good. We'll get the residents secured, and see who among them is fit to fight." Abishai replied. The soldiers moved hastily off.

Striding towards the settlement, the Blades were met by a small group coming out of the village, lead by an elder. The aged, pale Theelin sported bright purple hair, streaked with pewter gray strands. "We know they are coming." She said quickly. "Our people are doing the best they can to barricade themselves in. These," She gestured to the small group of men and women behind her, "... are ready to fight." The motley crew ranged from teenagers to middle-aged villagers, most with hunting blasters or slugthrowers, a few with vibro-tools used for reaping grain. Abishai wished they would have all gone into hiding. While the more fighters the better, the brave but ill-trained villagers would be little more than fodder if the defenses fell. But he said nothing. Their choice to fight darkness was a noble one, and Abishai would not dishonor the volunteers by denying their sacrifice.

 

[Geiseric]

The tunnel went deep, just as weathered and narrow as its entrance. Broken scraps of text chiseled into the stone around him appeared at regular intervals, but they too were worn or destroyed. He watched them carefully as he passed, eventually coming upon one that looked well enough intact to decipher. A scanner on his wrist produced a cone of jade light, twinkling as it absorbed the glyphs.

"SAINT, could you analyze this text?

"Of course sire, and to what end? Mere translation or are you feeling archaeological today?" the AI chimed. Since the Crusade had adopted the AI across their systems Geiseric had grown fond of its usefulness.

"Just a translation, please. If these runes are warnings it would do us good to know."

Geiseric waited a few tense moments standing before the alien words as the AI processed them.

"They are not warnings sire, but rather grave markers. This writing is Ur-Kittat, albeit quite old. I conclude intermediate period. They suggest there are Sith warriors somehow interred in the walls. You could possibly be in one of the Valley's oldest dated passages. ."

Geiseric closed his eyes and took a deep breath, feeling around him the Force.

"I couldn't distinguish such magic from the latent energies here if I tried. Are you picking up anything else?" Geiseric continued down the hall with some more certainty that he wasn't walking into a death trap. Any more of a death trap than the entire planet already was, at least.

Every so often SAINT scanned the shadowed walls in erudite silence.

"I have found something of interest, sire."

"And?"

"It is residual Tibanna gas and a small number of clearly defined scorch marks indicate a shootout. Not recently, though certainly during one of the last battles of Korriban.

Knowing he hadn't stumbled upon a dormant passage reassured Geiseric he was on the right path towards the slight tingling of the Light Side, his goal. He had cause to believe, perhaps more of a feeling than real evidence but a cause none the less, that his previous lightsaber was still within the Valley. It had been lost to him upon his capture in the Academy. That blade held more memories of the last battle than Geiseric did, for it had seen the end of the conflict. He had been spirited away before the ritual had been completed, he was a prize captive for the Empire.

In the chaos that followed the battle he was surprised the lightsaber had survived the clutches of some acolyte, taking it as a consolation prize to bleed. If it truly was here, it's reclamation would be merely symbolic as Geiseric had constructed a successor to its legacy. Still, if his old weapon could be regained, it would be a small victory for Jedi everywhere.

Geiseric eventually reached the end of the tunnel, opening into a large traditional crypt, where signs of a battle where plentiful. A dozen corpses, Imperial Stormtroopers, were discarded around the room. There wasn't any apparent way out aside from the tunnel, and from the wounds in their armour and dismemberment of limbs he could tell they had engaged, possibly cornered, a Sith.

His lightsaber felt nearer now, but the darkness clouded his senses ever more. The dark energies in the room swirled like mists as Geiseric tried to focus on the Light, wherever it was...

 

[Isidor Justeene]

Location: Space debris orbiting Korriban
Objective 2: Scavengers Paradise
Equipment: Captain Isidor Justeene's Blaster Rifle, Isidor's Sword, Standard Blastersx2
Ship: Blood Lightning
Tag: Cass Gemini

<"Morning Cass, let's see what treats the AC left us,"> Isidor answered straight away from the captain's chair. They were not cloaked nor were they expecting confrontation, but they will be alert. So there is a decision to make, stay and send his borders to assist or get into the spacewalking on his own down there with Cass again. He took the whole of two minutes to make his decision. He would stay and keep an eye on the space they were in for unwanted visitors.

He was curious about what could be going on on the planet, he didn't care, he instructed the boarding capsules were launched to gather the valuables, going to waste out here in space. He stayed on board to instruct from the Lightning. Sooner or later, they will be spotted. So he needed to be there ready for it.

Turns out there was very high-end tech out there amongst the space junk. Korriban will get a ring of rubbish and bodies, lots of bodies. Faces were swollen from being in space for too long. Reminded him of the Mumps. Eerily so.

He's going to stay outside the jail for the foreseeable future, after the Buckethead jail, he's going to evade more effectively. Because he may not be so lucky if he is caught, it could be the final time, he hates to think so dourly of any situation, but he needs to think of all outcomes.

<"Not a chance, not in a million years will we be caught again, no."> He reassured Cass through their comlink.

He will see to it that they will be free and have loot too. Maybe keep some and split it with the Coalition. Who have been oddly silent lately, Isidor reckoned it was due to other missions or raids.

 

[Kal-Channa]

Location: Approaching Prospero Factories - Korriban
Dialogue Legend: <"High Nelvaanian"> │ “Galactic Basic”
Tags: Isla Draellix-Kobitana Sister Mercy Eina L'lerim-Vandiir Harmony

She understood now why the Princess was the Light of the Ashlan Crusade.

The white-winged demigoddess soared the heavens with a seemingly preternatural aura, a golden light bathing her features as she took control of the elements and turned them against the raging tide of Sithspawn. Kal-Channa paused, albeit only for a short moment, as she took in the spectacular, nigh-divine display. While she was a soldier trained to the rigorous extent of a Wolfguard, to fight Jedi, Sith, and yet more, bearing witness to such an awesome manifestation of power was still quite a surreal experience for her.

And yet, the question of what she would do if a being with the power of the Princess was ever on the side of the enemy, lingered in her mind.

All the while, the offensive surged as the Sisters began to attack with renewed focus and energy, which bled over to the Wolfguards and by extension, Kal-Channa, in the process. As the Raptured Sister ( Harmony ) she had waved to earlier leapt towards the lines of Sithspawn with explosives in hand, the Wolfguard directed her fire to cover the woman’s aggressive approach, her bolts cutting down a hapless trio of cyborgs before they could shoot the Raptured from the sky.

However, it was only then, as she finished off the third cyborg, that the Wolfguard processed the threat from above.

“Sister, watch out! Angels, above!” She cried out towards Harmony , as a duo of Karza’Arana, each wielding a massive, terrible-looking vibroaxe, descended towards the Raptured on wings of metal, intent on hewing the woman in twain.

Spoiler: Loadout

• FAE/A-02 “Kinnara” Energized Combat Armor
  
  • Undersuit
    
    • UL-14 "Virtus" Class Underlay
  • Thighs
    
    • FAE/MDW-01 Active Defense System (2) - R/L
      
      • Pink Vapor Nano Missiles - R
      • Seeking Anti-Warhead Nano Missiles - L
  • Energy Shield
    
    • Phase III “Force Avenger” Energy Shield
• AI-341 "GammaStreak" Heavy Weapon System - Disruptor Configuration
• Nelvaanian Longsword
• Concussion Grenade (2)
• Thermal Detonator (2)

 

[Eina L'lerim-Vandiir]

Lady Eina L'lerim-Vandiir
The First and the Light of Ashla
Heiress and Princess of the Eternal Empire and Terraris; Angelic Mascot and Representative of the Ashlan Crusade
Eternal Empire's Ambassador to the Ashlan Crusade; Matriarch of the Valkyrja; Leader of Sanctuary and the Fjölkyngi Smiđr Guild​

Objective II.: Kill the Demons
Location: Surface, Korriban
Equipment: Sverð Fyrstr (swords) | Ljósspjót (spear) | Skrúð Engill Fyrstr (armour) || Empyrean gland | OPBC-01m || Current appearance
Writing With: Isla Draellix-Kobitana | Kal-Channa | Sister Mercy | Harmony | Open

[ Angels Calling ]
<"High Nelvaanian"> | ~ telepathic communication ~ | << comm. channel >> ​

The golden lightnings wreaked great havoc between the demons and the undead, but they still did not stop. There were so many dead under the red sand that it could go on for weeks or even longer. It wasn't Ession, so even with Gei on her side, it would be little to cleanse the entire planet. She had to find the Sith Lord, or the demons, who caused it. In her experience, she thought it was all caused by demons rather than a living person. Many demons are good at necromancy and nethermancy.

The sand that had turned to glass was blown by the wind and more undead crawled out of the ground. The bodies of the demons became nothing, as they were either their souls returned to Netherworld or destroyed during the attack. But that was far from over, she knew exactly that these creatures would not escape. They did not know mercy, weakness. They go forward until they kill everything and everyone, or they themselves perish. Her shield was still active because it was fired from below, but these undead had no mind, so they didn't aim exactly. They just fired into nothing.

She still didn't want to completely exhaust herself with an attack like the one she did against Zachariel on Dromund Kaas, so she was still waiting for it. Yes, she still did not have full strength, she was not completely healed, although she was already quite close to this condition. Or, she didn't want to overdo it if she didn't have to. She did not want to further increase the way she was viewed in Ashla's religion.

She flew towards the demons and then, when she was near them, screamed…

Eina was a Lightsider now, but the Valkyrja species sees the Force in a special way and is able to use it. Even as a Lightsider, they are able to use Dark side abilities to keep the Light side. Such is the necromancy, because they do not use the dead and the souls but ask them to help. In the eyes of many, it’s more like Nethermancy, but basically necromancy.

Now she was screaming, this Force scream wasn't from hatred, anger, or pain; rather, much more from empathy, from the pain that she had to see someone use the dead or demons for that. The effect is the same as for normal Force Scream. A deafening sound that explodes things or tears the enemy to pieces. She wreaked havoc again, but more undead came to the surface from the depths, and the storm was approaching.

When she reached the demon and undead horde's middle area, she landed on the ground, hitting the bottom of her spear to the ground as she reached the sand, and the demons and undead flew from near the Valkyrja. And of course, the whole army turned in Eina's direction, she was already there between them. That was the situation when she was glad to be seen by few and Gei is not here. She didn't want anyone to worry about her…

And Eina knew exactly what she was doing.

 

[Heinrich Faust]

Objective: Find the survivors

Tags: Celeste Demici , Geiseric , Solan Halcyon

The sands kicked up as Heinrich continued to survey the area for a possible entrance to the old structure, clouding his vision. His skin was beginning to dry out, forcing him to take a water canister from his pack and downing at least half of its contents. As he capped the canister, he could feel something stir within the empyrean, causing him to instinctively reach for his lightsaber. It was only as he was about to ignite his blade, that a stranger leapt from the sands, diving toward him with a crude weapon made of scrap. He tackled Heinrich to the ground, knocking the lightsaber from his grip and sending it into the sand.

Heinrich managed to keep the man's rusted blade away from his throat, grappling him as they rolled on the ground. He hadn't noticed the man until he was upon him, and yet, there was no special aura about the man. He was no Sith, yet, his presence had been masked from Heinrich. Curious indeed... but there was no time to think of such things now.

They continued rolling through the sand as Heinrich struggled to find his now missing lightsaber. The wind was shifting the sand, and their grapple didn't help the situation either. His blade was getting buried in the sand, and Heinrich couldn't seem to find it. Having no other option, Heinrich placed one hand on the man's chest, and as he called out to Ashla, a torrent of emerald lightning leapt from his fingertips, catching the man point blank in the chest. The stranger cried out in pain, reeling back and rolling off of Heinrich as the lightning continued to flow. Finally, Heinrich released the man from the pain, grabbing him by the collar and pulling him to his feet.

"Tell me where the tomb is."

The man stared at him in silence.

"By Ashla, I swear I will burn you again if you don't tell me."

His hand pressed against the man once again, causing him jump in fear.

"OKAY OKAY... I'll take you..."

Heinrich could sense the genuine fear in the man's voice, believing that he wouldn't be giving him any further trouble.

"Very well. Once we find my lightsaber, you're going to lead me there. Any tricks, and you know what will happen."

Heinrich didn't like to use fear to persuade people, but if it kept the man from stabbing him in the back, then he would have to settle for the distasteful method of fear for now.

 

[Abishai Contesoto]

Objective 2: Defend Settlement
Location: Surface, Korriban
Equipment: Zeison Sha Warrior Armor | Discblade | Force-imbued Sword | Ashlan Dagger | Ashlan Rosary
Writing with: Open

Abishai assigned two of the squires to take the village militia and coordinate with the commandos to set form them up for defense. The Knight lead the rest of the squires to the edge of the settlement, facing the cloud of dust moving quickly towards them. Abishai requested binocs and lifted them to study the attackers. A sizeable raiding band of dark demons swarmed across the dry ground. More concerning was the handful of nebulous swirls of dust and sand that would occasionally take the form of a large canine-headed demon, before dissipating again into whirling sand.

Sand Demons.

Handing back the binocs, Abishai touched his comm. "Captain, Sand Demons lead this raid, warn your unit." The soldiers would have to be aware that the nefarious sand creatures can appear, dissipate and reappear quickly, making them even more difficult to repel.

"The riot cars confirm." The commando lead replied. Out across the flat plain, Abishia could see the agile vehicles leaving a trail of dust as they raced back and forth ahead of the surging horde.

"Come." He ordered the small band of Sacred Blades. Making their way to the defensive line, a mix of commandos and militia manned a hastily constructed bulwark consisting of part of an existing short wall, parked speeders and piled containers. Abishai lead the Blade soldiers a short ways ahead of the line. The riot cars were already engaging, their twin repeating slug throwers pouring rounds into the advancing creatures. A Sand Demons reached one of the vehicles as a thick cloud of dust, blinding it and then solidifying. Its large dark form slid along with the drifting car before grabbing it and using it's momentum to hurl it away. The vehicle hit the ground and rolled several times before resting on it's top, smoking.

"To arms, praise Ashla!" Abishai called out, the singing sound of bladed weapons leaving their sheaths rang out. The Knight's heavy curved blade jutting from his fist, its edges hinting at the faintest glow with the Force that saturated it. His left hand lifted the discblade from his hip, and with a flash of will, it too bore the power of the Force.

Behind them, weapons were raised and sights set on the enemy. As Abishai and the Blades launched forward, the hot hiss of blaster bolts filled the air.

 

[Geiseric]

Geiseric felt a sudden shift in the Force in front of him. He knew it signaled a summoning of some kind. When he opened his eyes to the chamber again, he needed a moment to take in what he saw. Before him was a reflection, like that of a warped and cracked mirror. It was Geiseric, looking as frail and broken as he had in his captivity. The doppelgangers hair was long, thin, and white, whereas Geiseric had let his natural hair colour grow in the years since he was last on Korriban.

"we..weak...ness. Weakness." other Geiseric rasped, igniting a crimson lightsaber. The real Geiseric's eyes were drawn to it. It was his old blade.

"Weakness?"

"You could not escape... without her. You are alone, and alone you are weeeaaak" Gei paid no heed to the words of his counterpart. The Dark Side had played with him like this before, and he had learned to resist. There was nothing this thing could say about him and Eina that could affect him.

"You think to fool me, spirit? I know what you are. I have only to will you away and your illusion is broken. You are not the first to try such games, and you are not the strongest. Begone."

At the behest of the crusader's authoritative tone, the other Geiseric began to fade. The red blade retracted into the saber and it fell to the stone tiles with a clang. The withered form of the illusion changed into that of a human boy, early teens, clad in ethereal black robes. Korriban was filled with such entities. This was a wayward soul, haunting it's final resting place, never to be one with the Force. It fed of old memories and fears that hung in the air of the crypt.

Geiseric approached the spirit, which knelt on the ground before him, sobbing quietly behind his hands.

"What happened to you, child?" he inquired. How had a boy come to haunt this place? What pain was he in?

"I couldn't stop them. I should have had the power to stop them!"

"These stormtroopers?"

The boy gave a slow, sullen nod. Geiseric look around the room at the dusty corpses the young acolyte had taken with him to the grave.

"You took a dozen lives with you."

"My master said I would have the power to stop them. Have you seen my master?"

"No. But if they are alive they are hiding with the rest of your Empire."

The boy didn't seem to care for the fate of the Sith Empire. He was young, scared, conflicted by inner conflict between loyalty and reality. Perhaps he had been raised by the Sith. But none of that mattered now, not when becoming a Sith has cost him his life.

"Could... could you teach me?" the boy looked up at him with a glint of hope in his otherwise dead, ghostly eyes. Geiseric looked down on him with pity, knowing his answer would satisfy nobody.

"No. I imagine Death has been a better teacher than I could ever be."

"Death. Yes, Death. So cold, deep in the bowels of a hot world. First the pain was too much to bear, then I could not feel my legs. There was one other caught in the cave in beside me, a New-Imperial. I tried to speak with him. He spat blood at me. We sat in silence until his life escaped through the hole in his chest. The warm blue of the blade kept me alive, until it didn't. Hours and hours I lived by your blade, until it ceased. The blade went away, and I could not fix it. It was so dark. I just want to see the light. I need... to see the light."

Geiseric reached down beside boy and picked up the lightsaber. He tried to activate it. Nothing. He removed the casing of its chamber and the light of the sapphire kyber flooded the room. The spirit got closer, marveling at it while it twinkled.

"This is not the light you seek child. Let me show you that light. Please, follow me."

Geiseric turned and began walking back up the tunnel. He looked over his shoulder to ensure the boy's spirit was following. They said nothing as they made the ascent. He made another shoulder check once the light of day was visible at the end of the tunnel. The boy looked somewhat excited, or possibly scared.

Geiseric stepped out into the scorching morning sun of Korriban, which had just mounted the high plateau on the other side of the valley. The spirit stepped out, standing on the ledge, almost translucent in the light of day. He cocked his head to Geiseric.

"Thank you... Jedi"

With a single step over the edge, the spirit vanished. Across the valley, desert lizards chirped, harkening a new day for Korriban...

 

[Sister Mercy]

Tags: Harmony Isla Draellix-Kobitana Kal-Channa Eina L'lerim-Vandiir

Spoiler: Kit:

Armor of Sanctity, D16 Slugthrower, LPD-43 Reckoning Assault Cannon, FAE/M-01 "Scherezade" Energized Vibroblade, MP-042 "Skjöldr" Energy Shield

"Please call me Mercy." The squad leader greeted Harmony, returning the salute with a frown. The sandstorm was picking up, bringing Sithspawn and undead with it. "Or Sarge," Sister Sabia chimed in, smiling down at Harmony from behind her visor. "Should be platoon sergeant Mercy, but y'know how it is. We can't always get what we want." Glancing over her shoulder at her fellow Anointed, Mercy raised an eyebrow. "Who's 'we?'" She asked, genuine curiosity creeping into her voice. The Sisters in her squad raised their hands sheepishly. Smiling to herself, the sergeant shook her head in quiet amusement. "Now I know why Sweet Sister keeps trying to get us killed. She thinks I'm after her job!"

Laughing, Mercy shook her head once more before breaking into a jog. The AVGCV rumbled along beside them as they rushed to join the line, over which Harmony disappeared with a leap and a bound. "There she goes," Abela, second squad's other Raptured, muttered, before joining her sister on the other side.

With Sister Sabia to her right and Vala to her left, Mercy pushed her squad through the thick line to the forefront. "It ain't like that, Mercy," Vala said, pushing through the line in her sister's wake. "She gives us the chit jobs because she knows she can rely on us. You know that as well as I do." Joining the front rank, Mercy activated her energy shield. A number of her fellow Sisters had done the same, though, with the enemy seeking to engage them at close-quarters, many more had left their shields deactivated. "Mean to say she can't rely on the others?" Mercy asked, a prompt hidden in her words. Vala seemed to give the question some serious thought as they advanced.

A dozen demons came their way, driven to them on the storm-tide. The squads at the front blasted and burnt them away, trampling over their twitching, smoking corpses in lockstep.

"Don't tease me!" Vala finally said after a time spent thinking, her sing-song voice contrasting sharply with the bark of her assault cannon. Mercy grinned to herself. "Yes, ma'am. Sorry, ma'am." She replied softly, her words drowned out by cannonfire as she aimed, led and fired. Aimed, led...

“Sister, watch out! Angels, above!”

Looking to the skies, Mercy was glad she had been able to hear the Wolfguard's warning over the din. From where she was standing, the two airborne assailants didn't look much like angels. But they did look mortal, killable; that was all the Sisters required. "Twelve o' clock high!" She shouted to her squad, lifting her cannon to shred the Angels as they fell upon Harmony. The one making to attack her died silently, his vibroaxe falling wide of its mark.

The other Angel circled, scythed. "Harmony! Duck!" Mercy yelled over the squad's comms, shifting her aim to address the threat.

 

[Cass Gemini]

Objective 2 - Scavengers Paradise

Spoiler: Gear and other links

Equipped: Calypso's Thunder, Harlequin sabers, Gravpack, Viper mk2 skinsuit
Ship: Midnight Kyber
NPCs: Crew of the Midnight Kyber

Location: Korriban Orbital Debris field
Objective: Steal high end military hardware
Tags: Isidor Justeene

"Glad to hear it" she grunted through the comm as she forced open the security terminal and inside was the digital football we was after she needed to be careful with this, if the date was intact it could be worth millions of credits, if it was corrupts, a few thousand for the component itself. "If never see one of those bucketheads again it will be too soon. I mean, the are rude and obnoxious and keep trying to kill us, but the real kicker, they are just no fun? There is about as much personality on Hefi as there is snow on tattooine." she laughed as the component came out in her hand a quick scan told her to Core was 29% corrupted, not bad for a ship this beat up. It would make it worth less, but if the good 71% had worthwhile stuff, she could still make bank.

"Hey Izz, there is a partially intact Maw corvette about 6 kilometres from here, it's munitions match your ships configs, might be worth a look? We are done in here right? No, I mean with the ball? What? OK, you do that.... Hey, sorry Izzie, have Thrace down here too, she is going ro rip open the captains room and see if he has anything valuable in there."

She watched as her second in command forced the door and was immediately knocked back by a pocket of pressurised space, having to catch herself with her mag boots "rookie mistake Thrace, come on now." Cass zipped past her and into the room herself grabbing a bottle of very fine looking whiskey out of the air as she passed. "keeping this for myself, your punishment for almost spacing yourself." she blew a kiss at her second as the room went dark, out the window, still thousands of kilometres away but partially blocking out the sun was an Ashlan Dominion Class. She message Isidor, speaking quietly as if the distant ship might hear "Hey, watch yourself put there, we have a frigate snooping around."

​

 

[Harmony]

Korriban

Location: Surface of Korriban

Spoiler: Gear

• Armor of Sanctity
• Ashlan Rosary
• D16 slugthrower pistol sidearm
• LPD-31 Stormshard Assault Rifle
• Issued with - casings modified to fit 10 grenade waist bandoliers
  • 2 x V-6 Haywire grenades
  • 2 x Thermal Detonators
  • 2 x Fragmentation grenades
  • 1 x Cryoban grenade
  • 1 x Incendiary grenade
• FAE-M-01 Scherezade energized vibroblade
• Portable medipack with bacta-injectors
• FAE-U-02 Eleleth Ultralight Propulsion Unit built into modified back unit

Tags: Sister Mercy Eina L'lerim-Vandiir Isla Draellix-Kobitana Kal-Channa

Harmony was a little full of herself, and in truth who wouldn't be? She was fast, efficient, and put the work in. In her mind, every move she made, there was a calculation to each step, and a desired result for each of her actions. In her mind, and to her defense, she thought her actions thus far were not entirely without merit. That of course, was until her beloved skies turned on her, and airborne adversaries descended upon her. The shouts of alarm from her allies and sisters alerted her to the imminent danger, and Harmony took note of it. Nothing to get worked up over in her mind, just adjust, adapt, overcome; AAO. It wasn't a very good acronym, mostly because whenever she shouted it, people thought she was trying to mimic some entertainer or something. Well, that was back in the barracks, this was on the battlefield.

Now was time to execute.

Taking her two live grenades, Harmony slapped them back into place; no use wasting good munitions. Moving her head upwards at the quickly descending foe, she launched herself to engage, as Kal-Channa and Sister Mercy dropped their respected targets. There wasn't time to grab her vibro-blade, so it was time for some hand to hand combat. Not exactly what she specialized in, but she got by. She raised up her arms, shifting them to cover her right side in-case the ax-blade struck. Rocketing at the creature, Harmony watched as the monstrosity attempted to adjust it's strike, seeking to pull the handle of the axe back, and enabling the weapon to slice into Harmony's exposed side as she flew into him. Throwing both arms down together, she intercepted her foe, her arms smashing into the heft of the axe, her armored helm bashing into the creatures face, and she immediately set to task grappling over the weapon with the monster. She encountered another issue however. This thing was strong, and as the pair thrashed about in the air, now whipping back and forth as their means of flight fought for the freedom of their user, Harmony found herself on the losing side of the engagement. Tucking her feet in, she pulled herself into the creature, and kicked off it with her legs. Putting space between herself and the abomination, she hastily grabbed her rifle, and now in a free fall, and tucked the weapon into her shoulder and fired off a hastily burst. The Sithspawn had attempted to pursue it's foe, and thankfully for Harmony, ran headlong into the burst. The rounds blew through it's head and right shoulder, and sent both combatants tumbling to the battlefield below.

With danger out of the way now, Harmony switched her propulsion unit on, and tucked her legs in and over her body, flipping herself, and allowing the ignition of her propulsion to catch her before she smashed into the already too bloody sand. Touching down, she let out a small breath, and moved to rejoin her sisters several meters away.

It's too bad they missed that, she probably looked super cool. Responding back to her unit's currently active comms, she needed to let everyone know that she wasn't dead yet.
"I'm en route Sergeant Mercy. Permission to perform aerial flanking maneuvers?"
That was her purpose after all, to engage and out maneuver enemies. However, given these were abominations, she wasn't quite sure if those tactics applied. Passing by the bleeding mess of metal and flesh that had damn near killed her, Harmony made sure to flash it with a pair of finger guns.

"Better luck next time!"

If all of her attackers were as bad as that one, she might not get out of this alive; that was kinda exciting.

 

[Isla Draellix-Kobitana]

​

Location: Near Prosperos factories
Objective: smash a hole in the Defenses and destroy factories
Tags: Sister Mercy Eina L'lerim-Vandiir Harmony Kal-Channa

Spoiler: Elements of the Ashlan Fleet

Command Vessel

Templar Class Star Destroyer
Forgiveness accompanied by Magnificence

6 x Dominion Class Escort Frigates

Even split complements of
Pegasus Interceptor Starfighters
Phoenix Multirole Starfighter
Knave Transports

Numerous
Ashla's Mercy orbital insertion shield generators

Infantry available

Ashlan Marines
Sisters of Ashla

Spoiler: Isla's Personal equipment

Admiral's Sabre
OPBC-a Bio-chip
Ashlan Rosary
Armor of Sanctity
LPD-31 stormshard
Sidearm

Ashlan Variable Geometary Comman Vehicle

"Push up now! Right flank advance!" Isla yelled into her comms as sand whipper around around them. The left flank was beginning to falter, despite the efforts of her valiant Sister's. Casualties were beginning to mount. She took the decision to wheel her front line, it would mean her right flank being close to the Factory when they breached, and if there was an attack at that point they would have to hold until supported.

The advantage it would give them was lining up their core against the worst of the enemy charge. In the distance she saw flashes in the air two teams of raptured sisters dropped from a supporting Knave, dropping grenadae as they descended and opening fire. There was so many more of the enemy than their was sisters, but the heavily armed Sisters were racking up kiss rapidly. Incendiary grenades and flamethrowers helped to reduce the numbers of undead returning from the sands, but it wasn't enough.

"Commit reserves to right flank, we need to punch right into the factory!" her words were punctuated by a rumble as the last high rise structure of the factory collapsed under the weight of firepower, its armoured structure twisted and buckled, sending showers of rock and dust high into the air. The whole factory had been levelled and was now buried burning debris.

Sisters of Ashla were finally on the grounds of the factory, moving ruined structure to ruined structure incineration any undead that the found along the way. Isla's AVGCV scanned the area for energy signals, if they could find the reactors they could vaporise everything hidden underground. Soon there would be nothing left of this location other than a smouldering crater. Isla just needed to ensure as many sisters as possible survived.

"danger close strike! Left flank." it was one of the riskier orders, but as she gave the order, she saw Annointed sisters along the hard pressed flank light up their personal shields and other sisters take a knee behind them. Lighting up her hollow with a broad stroke of her hand, dozens of mortar rounds started raining into the massed enemy formation, exploding mere metres from her lines. Annointed sisters whethered the shrapnel on their shields and eventually the barrage began to tell, and it was slowly walked back away from her lines clearing hundreds of assailants and giving her sisters a little breathing space to reform a firing line.

 

[Solan Halcyon]

Obective: BYOO - Follow the rumors of light-sided force crystals among the ruins
Equipment:, Zeison Sha Warrior Armor
Tags: Open

Descending into the valley was like being swallowed by shadow and death. Evil surrounded Sala on all sides, and only her absolute calm in the force allowed her to stave off the fear that such a place would strike in any normal being. Reaching out into the force she could se it, if only faintly. Like a beacon reaching through the darkness, there was something in this valley that did not belong. A presence of light so powerful that even this world, damned as it was, could not corrupt it.

Immediately set upon by some manner of Sithspawn, Sala dropped into her natural Echani Fighting stance, Striking hard with her fists and using the force to drive them back. However, she had to be careful, in this natural state, she had to keep centered, lest she allow herself to feel the rage or hatred this sith planet naturally brought to the surface. Pushing hard through the valley, fighting back these minor sithspawn, Sala continued to press her way towards the ruin she could feel this beacon of light emanating from.

 

[Eina L'lerim-Vandiir]

Lady Eina L'lerim-Vandiir
The First and the Light of Ashla
Heiress and Princess of the Eternal Empire and Terraris; Angelic Mascot and Representative of the Ashlan Crusade
Eternal Empire's Ambassador to the Ashlan Crusade; Matriarch of the Valkyrja; Leader of Sanctuary and the Fjölkyngi Smiđr Guild​

Objective II.: Kill the Demons
Location: Surface, Korriban
Equipment: Sverð Fyrstr (swords) | Ljósspjót (spear) | Skrúð Engill Fyrstr (armour) || Empyrean gland | OPBC-01m || Current appearance
Writing With: Isla Draellix-Kobitana | Kal-Channa | Sister Mercy | Harmony | Open

[ Angels Calling ]
<"High Nelvaanian"> | ~ telepathic communication ~ | << comm. channel >> ​

Eina fought surrounded by demons and the undead. Time did not matter; she could not tell how much time had passed. She just fought and fought. The Valkyrja did the thing she understood best. She kills demons and the undead. Others might say it was a healing and she is a healer, but the truth was that she was best as a warlord. At least that's what Eina thought. She placed her spear on her back and fought with her two swords and Force, respectively. After a while, she practically knee-deep in dead demons and undeads. Provided there were corpses left.

Thanks to Gei, her aura radiant with Light Side lit up while she was among the demons, the weaker ones were already destroyed in the vicinity, and the undead fell back to earth. Of course, against such a large crowd, the Valkyrja did not remain intact either. She suffered countless bruises or cuts, but these did not stop her. They never did. In those moments, minutes, probably hours, nothing else existed except the enemy army and her.

After a while she was already fighting in the sandstorm, red and gold lightnings were zigzagging in the sky. It also rained in the sandstorm. Ashlan fighters were still fighting in the distance. Force users could feel strong Light side activity from here in the Force, Force light and various golden attacks were clearly visible to everyone. The Force was so strong here that it was dangerous to go near it. Even if it was Light Side and not dark.

However, she was not tireless either. When Eina felt her power slowly run out, it was time to resort to the most drastic step.

Eina jumped back a little and rose into the air, placing her swords in the sword sheaths; she didn't need them anymore. She let the Light Side permeate her body after she reached into the Force with all her strength. First the ends of the feathers on her golden-red wings began to glow during her concentration, then her entire wings, and finally Eina's entire body, began to glow from the Force Light, as if Ashla's own light had illuminated the area through her.

After all, the Ashlan Crusade members thought she was the…

Light of Ashla!​

The light swept away the demons and the undead, the sandstorm and rain disappeared. The storm surges were also dispersed, and the desert remained only a red-sand desert. There were no bodies left, Ashla's light engulfed them. Eina landed tired and in pain due to her injuries. She did what it was her duty, Ashla triumphed again today.

Last post.​

 

[Isidor Justeene]

Location: Maw ship, hunting for loot and munitions
Objective 2: Scavengers Paradise
Equipment: Captain Isidor Justeene's Blaster Rifle, Isidor's Sword, Standard Blastersx2
Ship: Blood Lightning
Tag: Cass Gemini


Isidor's ears prickled at the mention of loot, the Maw left something behind, they can't blame the Coalition for repurposing munitions and the Lightning had been low recently. So they can save credits by taking them for themselves.

He'll be going to the Corvette personally. He wondered if there were valuable Mawite artefacts too, they might sell for a profit. Keeping silent the Lightning made headway towards the dilapidated ship, they scanned for any holes or survivors before connecting boarding gangways. Once that was done, he entered the Mawite ship. It looked well typically dark and sharp around the edges. He instructed everyone to watch themselves.

He grabbed a missile from a curious crewmate, it is not that he didn't trust them, it's because he didn't want them to blow themselves to bits. He wanted his crew to survive, but accidents will and do happen. They fanned out, each taking munitions back onboard. The black box could interest him, mostly to figure out what they were doing here in the first place.

He held a mug with a finger and thumb and held it at arm's length, some poor creature became a crockery piece. But he wasn't surprised by it. He lived long enough to know about these things. He hoped his brother wasn't caught up in them and their zealotry.

He tossed it to Pyotr who tossed it to someone else down the line. The best bet is to sell it as soon as possible. The looting was going well and the goodies were filling up the cargo bay nicely. Soon his comms went off, it was Cass. Isidor listened concerned, the Ashlans are out there and one is been snooping the debris field.

He opened the comms to the bridge of the lightning:

::<"We have company, dampen the engine and keep all communication and activity on the low.">:: He hissed quietly before shutting it off. He kept open communication with Cass, but with encrypt enabled.

::<"Thanks for the heads up, hopefully, we will not be spotted.">:: He replied voice quiet, signing to his expedition to speed up the removal. He prayed they can get out before they were spotted.

 

[Abishai Contesoto]

Objective 2: Defend Settlement
Location: Surface, Korriban
Equipment: Zeison Sha Warrior Armor | Discblade | Force-imbued Sword | Ashlan Dagger | Ashlan Rosary
Writing with: Open

Several sithspawn in the first wave were already crumpling with the volley of villager blaster fire. Their weapons were meant for hunting, and each slavering demon would have to receive several well-aimed shots to fall dead. But the commandos were precision marksmen with military weapons, and were expertly picking off the first rank. The remaining vehicle pursued any sithspawn that broke rank and tried to outflank the defenders.

Abshai's razor-ringed discblade was flung at the demon vanguard. The whirling weapon streaked through the air, its course fine-tuned by the Knight's prowess in telekinetics. The disc blade struck the first foe across the neck, nearly severing the head. Without deviation, it struck a second, cleanly removing an arm. Guided back towards its owner, The deadly disc passed directly through the torso of a Sand Demon, which collapsed into a pile of sand.

The disc was caught by Abishai, while he surged forward. The disc was launched again to cut down an ambling demon heading for him. The Sand Demon was already beginning to reform, its sharp dark canine head sneering wickedly. The disc was returned to his belt as Abishai lifted his heavy curved blade and instinctively assumed the Echani battle pose. Adrenaline coursed through him, the Light of Ashla filling him with glory and strength that flowed into the blessed blade.

The Sand Demon lunged forward...