Public Crisis on Cato Neimoidia | ATTN: Jedi

[Darth Saevius]

Terror and confusion ripped through them as the initial message spread. They were aware of the situation surrounding the city's precarious position due to an assessment by Dagon Kaze , but having it confirmed in a more chilling and less structured manner by another Jedi- or at least, they assumed that was what he was- served to deconstruct the certainty and confidence that the former had instilled.

There was a time for confidence, however.

By giving them peace of mind, the Jedi sought to respond efficiently and with as few mistakes as possible. That was an excellent method- when you were fully certain of your enemy's intentions, and you could reasonably respond to threats.

What Taku saw glimpsed a danger that went beyond bloodshed and contempt. A measured response would not reach far enough. For a Jedi, the cost of even a single life was too great a price to pay. The framework of limitations was what Sith always sought to undermine and exploit.

Before they could establish a sustained suppressive line of fire however, something came barreling through the line. Men had their feet taken from under them, and the collective blasts from both sides scorched durasteel as the speeder careened off the bridge and ignited.

The subsequent blast sent Bando Gora, Sith, and Silver Jedi soldiers alike staggering, stumbling, and falling over the edge. Taku rooted himself in place and let the web of mental fortifications he'd woven expand, preserving his equilibrium and dulling the blast that otherwise might have blown out his eardrums.

Even more prominent than the first time he'd sensed it, that primal fear gripped the world around him now. A sensation like revelry, a nihilistic glee substantiated from it. Whatever the presence was supped on that malignant aether and built upon itself. He could see the two things interwoven in the Force, as if one and the other had seemingly existed both independent of each other in one moment, and then codependent in the next.

A Sith Lord.

He didn't need to see the beast to understand its nature. He didn't need to think in order to react. The shrill scream that resounded in the Force came in the moments that preceded the flinging of debris-

But not a danger to him.

No. This was purposeful. Everything, everyone around him was a target. Collateral damage. Deliberately chosen to pluck at heartstrings.

Taku was not immune to their deaths. Every flame of life snuffed, every man that fell to his death or found himself crushed beneath a speeder, every time someone lost consciousness at the edge of oblivion...

He found himself surrounded. On all sides, a veritable ring of scraps, a conglomeration of metal and flame designed not only to keep others out, but him within. It all fit together.

Everything.

His ruby gaze flickered toward the monster that stood at the center of it all. The telltale blood colored blade, the unmistakable presence, and a twisted smile. His own lips parted as he gave the softest of sighs.

Then, Taku smiled too. Sadly.

"I'm sorry."

His blade snapped to life.

Darth Saevius

Last Order​

Tags: Takui
Location: A deep, dark place, then Takui’s location

”Are you?” Saevius replied, possibly to his opponent’s surprise. He sensed a certain... sadness within the Jedi before him, a touch of fear streaking across his consciousness. Yet, the Jedi had a certain strength about him as he steeled his mental faculties against the raw carnage Saevius had visited upon those around him; a sort of brutal cynicism that recognized he could not prevent all of the bloodletting being visited upon those around him. He had to give the Jedi credit, for most would be thrown so far off center from it that they would already be at a disadvantage when he arrived. But not this one.

This one would be fun to play with. ”I don’t sense sorrow within you, Jedi. I sense... acceptance. Good.”

The Sith paused for another moment, before he erupted in a flurry of actions. He launched a ripple in the force; a highly focused thrust through the space between them intended to throw the Jedi bodily into the wrecked speeder behind him. Next, the Sith Lord wasted little time in throwing himself through the air between them. Instead of throwing himself totally, without any regard to his opponent’s potential reactions, he landed a few feet short of his quarry, and lashed out using the reach of his saber with an overhead slash. If this Jedi had any skill, Saevius knew well his opening attack wouldn’t find purchase. But it would at least give him the measure of who he was dealing with.

​

 

[Dagos Terrek]

Dag gave the knight a thumbs up when Travot said to stick with him and his padawaan. The nautolan girl, Dagos, couldn't remember her name. He meant to introduce himself more proper like but before that could happen they were interrupted by the sound of panic’d and fleeing citizens being mowed down by heartless and gutless soldiers. These Sith or Brothers of the Maw or whatever the kriff they were called were nothing more than villains. Scum sucking marauders.

Jax Thio was in the action first quickly taking down one of the advancing troopers, followed closely by Travot Ravenna and his student who had turned on their sabers and were batting away the enemy fire. Not all the sleemo had blasters however, Dagos spotted three of the vile killers advancing on a family, the child had fallen or slipped or something, didn’t matter all that mattered is that they weren’t gonna get away. They wouldn’t have to. He was here. Immediately forgetting that he just told Travot that he would stay close he leapt into action putting himself between the family and the cowardly maw soldiers.

Two of the men had thick black bludgeoning tools, like night sticks or some chit and the other had a kriffing sword. Wouldn’t matter. Dag rolled his neck, put his hands up round his face and began to lightly hop back and forth on the balls of his feet. A classic, beat 'em up Kithri style stance that would allow for good movement and precise strikes. Many would’ve pulled their lightsabers and have been done with it but really that should be a last resort, plus he wouldn’t need it, also he didn’t want to lose it.

The first baton boy swung hard at Dag who moved out of the way like it was nothing. Because it was. His swing was far strong and he was well over extended, it was too easy for Dagos to hit him with a Force assisted two piece. The soldier’s visored helm crunched and cracked and the man went to sleep right there on the ground.

Two to go. Sword guy decided his turn was next and slashed violently at the young Koruun. Ah, this guy got the sword cuz he knew what to do with it. He swung and thrust with lethal intent but clearly there was some training involved as well. Dagos really did have to focus to keep from getting opened up and while he was doing a real great job of not being ribbons, the awake baton guy had decided to keep going for the family. Would not do.

Dagos in a display of footwork that would have put the finest ballet…person?...ballet-man?...ballerina to shame pivoted and made a full one-hundred-eighty degree turn while simultaneously ducking under a sword swing that came literal inches from cleaving his face in. To explain it was silly really but the boy was now crouched looking at the family who had stopped running in favor of cowering and baton number two, the sword was still extended mid swing over his point out in the direction of his vision.

It was at this moment Dagos did maybe the dumbest thing he had ever done and boy did that cover a lot. Through The Force he could feel the sword in his hands, the weight, the sweat stained leather of the wrap around the hilt, it was his. Dag made a motion with his arm like he just launched a javelin and The Force obeyed. The sword was ripped from the bad guys hand and flew through the air before violently being impaled in baton number two who went down mid run and went skidding a few feet along the ground. The soldier formally known as sword guy had no time to even wonder what happened before Dag hit him with a three piece. Left hook, right hook, spin kick to the guts. He went and stayed down.

Kark. Maybe this would be easier than he could have hoped. He turned looking for Madison Starr to see if she or anyone else could use any help.

 

[Halketh]

STRANGLEHOLD
THE BROTHERHOOD OF THE MAW
DARK LORD OF THE SITH
C A E L I T U S
The Aegis of Woe | Lightsaber
The Perished | 440/425
// Zaka Dagon Kaze Jem Gaelor Darth Solipsis \\

​

Through the Darkness prowled its Master, the architect of this madness, a spider creeping across the perilous strands of his macabre web. Those intangible strands tensed, resonating to his attention with the arrival of the first fly to his feast. In the consuming black his head twisted, his focus turning to track the motion of the Jedi stalking through his palace. Such boldness, such bravery, he tasted it upon his tongue, nurturing the delight across his scarred face. His graven machinations thrummed fully through the structure, his Presence muddied through the air. He was everywhere and nowhere simultaneously. He was the rot seeping through the walls. He was the chill rushing down the spine. He was the icy breath catching in the throat. The razors rushing through veins. The tick of the clock mattered little, time was as he willed it to be in his domain, this vaunted cathedral of depravity. A nightmare made manifest, a living, breathing horror erected in the tumult of his mind and thrust into the realm of the living to torment them just as he had suffered in his dreams.

"Face me Caelitus!"

The voice called to him, an answer given to his challenge. One that he didn't recognize. Why should he indulge such a hopeless Padawan in a maze which could reshape at his whim? Why should he indulge anyone at all? For amusement? Satisfaction? To serve the Order he had fundamentally helped create? The shadows churned around Zaka , living ink made to dance and writhe unnaturally, the very walls seemed to taunt him, echoing now with the Sorcerer's hollow laughter. "All alone in the depths..." he purred, allowing the words to drip from his tongue like molten gold, "do you feel it creeping up your neck? Do you hear them? Their cries? Their final gasps? Their screams?" From the hollow shade resounded the choir of conflict, lightsabers droning and clashing, voices screaming. Orders hastily given before gurgled, wet breaths were choked upon and liquid splattered against the stone. A memory, a moment in time rewound and replayed, dice cast upon the board to distract from the sickening magicks at play. "If only you had been here sooner, I'm sure you would have made a difference." The Dark Lord's voice taunted further, "Pray indulge me refulgent one, just how long will your spark last in the endless abyss?"

​

The corridor would warp and twist, contorting unnaturally as the walls seemed to topple toward one another, threatening to crush and trap the Padawan where he stood if he did not hasten his stride. It was a sleight of hand, mere distraction from the fact the very door he had entered through all but seemed to evaporate into the wall, vanishing from sight entirely. There appeared to be but one path; forward. "You met the abyss once before, how did it feel to feel nothing at all? To drift into the unknown? To be scattered amongst the stars?"

On Zaka's right side a figure manifested, the living shadows lurching to separate from the wall with a sickening 'schlop!', only to reform and take shape, woven by yet unseen hands into a doppelganger; The Mercurial Saint himself. Woeful orange ignited with a blaring screech, exposing his blood-splattered masque in the dark as he lunged to swipe with his blade.

​

 

[Takui]

More than the Sith could know, Takui was sorry. Not for what he'd done, or for anything that the man had visited upon Cato Neimoidia. Such things were immaterial to the failed Jedi as he concerned himself only with where he was in that moment and nothing that came before or after.

He was sorry for the way that the Order had failed him. Their delusional teachings failed to broach the pragmatism necessary to lead decisively. They trained keepers of the peace, and they prided themselves in their ability to respect life. There was so much potential for good within the Jedi Order.

But they failed to capitalize where it mattered most.

Life was a series of decisions made in their own moments. Every success became a fond memory, and every failure a bitter regret. The future was built on hope and stunted by fear. In the end, each person was the product of the choices they made, whether glorious or tragic.

He was sorry that the Jedi Order created men like the one before him, filled with contempt and loathing. They sought not to find commonality, but silence the dissent. They wanted to save these men from their own decisions, and to the bitter end, rejected the simple possibility that given a choice, some men choose their darkness.

Melancholic.

That was what Taku had become.

Where other Jedi found brilliance and stood as beacons in the light, the youth found himself more comfortable wreathed in shades of Grey. He could see the gentleness of the darkness, the soothing cold, black hand that sheltered the downtrodden, the disparaged, the suffering. That was why he felt compelled to apologize. For whatever this man was, whoever he had been, whatever he might become, the choices they both made had led them to this moment.

The Force had guided them to this place. It was fate that set them at odds. It was not any kind of animosity that guided Taku's blade now.

But people were dying, and if he failed to take action, more would die.

He launched a ripple in the force; a highly focused thrust through the space between them intended to throw the Jedi bodily into the wrecked speeder behind him.

His gaze narrowed and his thoughts focused as he immediately divined the nature of the attack. The Force shivered and rippled, and as the man stretched out toward him with his mind, the assault took shape. Telekinesis.

Under the tutelage of the Order, the escalation of Force was a textbook lesson for Guardians- the Jedi who faced their enemies head on, and who valued physical power and honed their bodies as weapons. By engaging an enemy directly, you established yourself as a threat that they had to respond to.

Such lessons were lost on Takui.

Instead of matching the enemy and ultimately fatiguing himself in a contest that he had no certainty of winning, he opted for the path of least resistance. The attack collided with his body, which promptly folded in a triangular position arched at the waist. This abated much of the crippling force of the blow and relegated the worst of the impact to his midsection. Exhaling sharply, he managed to continue breathing normally with only a dull pain to show for the initial attack.

His body moved by capitalizing on the sudden momentum that the Sith had afforded him. By tilting his back slightly and kicking out his feet as he glided through air, Taku was able to get his feet under him just in time to connect with the speeder he'd been thrust toward.

When he alighted on its surface, it skidded backward. Screeching metal drove across the city-bridge's surface and came skidding to a halt, teetering perilously close to the edge.

Next, the Sith Lord wasted little time in throwing himself through the air between them. Instead of throwing himself totally, without any regard to his opponent’s potential reactions, he landed a few feet short of his quarry, and lashed out using the reach of his saber with an overhead slash.

Taku had no time to adjust or get comfortable, as the Sith responded immediately and struck down at him with his height, reach, and the deadly blade of his Lightsaber.

”I don’t sense sorrow within you, Jedi. I sense... acceptance. Good.”

"Have you ever been given a choice to make-"

As he spoke, Taku brought his own lightsaber up defensively, kicking his feet off of the ruined speeder to purchase momentum. The resulting launch closed the distance between them precariously, allowing the failed Jedi to slide to a knee. He continued to slide, allowing the movement to carry him to the Sith's left- and if the man did nothing, along behind him.

"-and realized it wasn't much of a choice at all?"

Taku's blade connected with the Sith's while he slid, albeit only a fleeting clash. The resultant sparks rained around them and peppered the cold metal ground.

Darth Saevius

 

[Romi Jade]

END OF AN ERA
Crisis on Cato Neimodia....

------------​

The hatch worked through its mechanical sequence before opening to the rush of wind - "Alright!" she braced herself against a safety bar on the side, yelling upward to gain audibility over the wind. Her hair danced, entirely engulfed by the rush; she shot a look back at the group and nodded. "It's time!" She cradled the edge, looking down at the tram.

Then,:: Romi, Heinrich... when you secure the trains-- :: because he sure as hell hoped they did, ::-- look for anything that might help us stop the Bando Gora here and now. Communications, records, manifests, any data, really, that can give us a better scope of the situation... and how deep this thing runs. ::

Into her wrist com -- <"You got it. Romi out!"> By this point the group had already began descent. She propelled herself up and over before free-falling. Whipping through the air, she'd finally brought her legs forward and pulled back -- she was nearing landing. She began to pull the Force through herself, using it to brace herself for her predetermined drop zone.

Somewhere below she landed in a crouched position, on top of the cabin, SureGrip soles keeping her balance solid. She shot back to check on the group, "You guys good?" She screamed over the screeching vibration of the monorail train. "Let's get moving! Hatch just up ahead."

She powered through, face screwed up under the assault of the elements. When she did reach the hatch, she crouched. "Erm..." running her hands over the interior of the hatch and the panel, she yanked her saber and angled the top of her hilt between the grooves before igniting and blowing the circuits. She cut it at an angle that sear the lock sequence and pop the doors open. She jumped through into the cabin below, scanning both directions for opposition before motioning for the others to follow.

"Alright, let's cover these carts quickly." She moved for the next cabin, hitting the panel and seeing nothing when it opened. She slowly sauntered through in contemplation. "Nothing, it's unusually quiet. No opposition yet?" She kept the pace and moved forward through the cars after that.

<"No bombs, no evidence, no opposition yet...">

A beat.

'He could see the outside train top, moving at high speed. Letifer snarled under his breath and stepped off into a leap of faith, landing on the cabin above Romi Jade..."

Her head whipped up, immediately followed by a glare. "Something is up...and I don't just mean literally..."

<"You have been deceived.">

"Kark! It was a trap."

She hit the panel to open the next door and laid eyes on Dimitri Voltura

------------
Briana Sal-Soren | Lossa Darcuhl | Vizion Trozky | Justice Lesan | Iris Arani
Lord Letifer | Dagon Kaze | Gir Quee | @Anyone I missed​

 

[Darth Solipsis]

DARK LORD OF THE SITH | VOICE OF THE MAW
Jem Gaelor

​

“Stop this.”

His eyes witnessed the intensity of her pain, her worry.

“Stop?”

The Dark Father turned to fully face his daughter, shifting his body to stand face to face with his own flesh and blood.

“They freely march to their deaths, a vainglorious end of which they have sown for themselves many times over.”

He scoffed aloud, looking back to the horizon as a screen of starfighters were hit by missile fire covering the landing of a dropship blocks away.

“There is nothing to tether them here anymore but their own hubris. There is no explosives, there is no hostages, there is no Bando Gora. They were deceived and lured into a trap, they were only all to excited to take the bait. Only pain and the death awaits them now.”

“So I’ll ask you dear daughter. Stop what? They are already dead, let them be.”

 

[Madison Starr]

​

​

At-Lao East Coupling Station​

Cato Nemoidia​

Part 5 - Obj 2​

​

Jax Thio Travot Ravenna Dagos Terrek , Madison Starr, and Padawan Lanyria are engaged in battle by enemy forces on the ground. A small skirmish ensues and between heavy blows the Jedi teammates check on each other to make sure everyone is alright.​

Dagos didn't need to worry about Madison.

Madison was fine. Madison always was. Probably always will be too. She was a big girl and an adult. And big girls and adults get along just fine. Even in familiar places like war. For while she was new to being a Padawan and to the comfortable fit of synth-leather Jedi Robes. This wasn't her first rodeo either. Back home she'd seen, and done, and then done some more.

So no. Neither Dagos nor Jax needed to worry about Madison.

~ "Die Jedi!" ~

Madison was just fine.

The first cultist charged at her with a hooked spear and spat black bile as he ran. His speed and his frame were impressive. Yet Madison simply turned, looked at the man, and said, "Stop." With a quick motion of her hand. Nothing more. Nothing less. And stop he did. Bound. As if by magic. Suddenly frozen in strange slow motion. Unable to take even another tiny step without tremendous undesirable force. Indeed, it was as if he and the small space around him were suddenly moving at a fraction of the normal pace. Out of balance. Out of time. His whole world moving at nothing but a snail's pace. But the effect wouldn't last long either. The Force was a finicky thing to a Padawan. So Madison reached into her belt utility pouch and removed a small Devaronian blaster pistol. Familiar and free.

Then she shot the man in the head.

Blam.

He immediately snapped out of his spell and his body hit the floor at a normal pace. Dead. Leaving two of his cultist buddies to quickly leap over his fallen husk and charge the Jedi Padawan anew. Black bile biting at their lips. Sword and spear revenging.

"Stop."

She would say again. As one of the men quickly shifted into a strange slow motion effect. Then, once again. She would frown and sigh, and shoot him in the head.

His body hit the floor at normal speed. Smacking soundly against the solid concrete surface. Almost unfinished. Leaving her last attacker to quickly swing for her head as he reached close range. Only to whiff and miss. Madison simply moved to one side and said the magic words again. With a small flourish of her hand.

He died the same way. Quickly snapping out of slow motion just in time to hit the floor with a resoundingly strong, smack. A new hole decorating his glamour-less head. A new score, still smoking.

Now. Dead men aside. A fourth cultist had been standing nearby this whole time. Watching. Defeated. Utterly dumbfounded by what he had just seen with his own two eyes. Seemly unable to move by his own free will. And, no. Not as if by magic or by the strange effects of some spectacular Jedi spell. No, he simply no longer knew what to do. So Madison turned and looked at him. Then frowned without curiosity and said,

"Run."

And quickly. He did.

Immediately dropping his terrible black blade, and spear, and booking it like a rag doll across the busy tar mac floor. Fleeing from the scene like bat out of Hell. Sadly. He only made it about twenty or thirty meters before a unique slug-thrower round hit him solidly in the chest and turned him into red break-bone confetti. Kapow! Cultist went everywhere. Eww. Gross.

Ha. Madison gave a happy wink and a thumbs up to the Thunderhead sniper on the far balcony. Ha. Nice shot.

Funny. Anyway. Then she turned back to the others as they finished up with the rest of the cultist rabble. Sheathing her tiny pistol back into it's back leather bag with a somber nod,

"Okay. I suppose Jax and I will check the northern sub-station. Then probably work on extraction for the locals."

She gave Dagos a quick salute and nodded to the bodies at his feet. As if to say, "Nice punching. Damn."

"Anyway. Good luck you guys. And may the Force be with us. All of us."

Hmph.

Hoping that was the last death charge of the great moronic-horde for a little bit. It was time to stop some trains instead.

 

[Juno Sabat]

END OF AN ERA
Cato Nemoida

OPEN FOR INTERACTION

Juno continued to keep her mind open, and simply let the Force tell her where to go. Juno wasn't the strongest of Force users, but she was very good at intuition and navigation, or 'reading the ripples' of the Force as her old master would say. She ended up going closer and closer to the Palace, until she felt an overwhelming urge to go into the building next to her.

Mildly familiar with the concept of 'clearing the room' Juno went to the outer door then used a Force push to launch it open. The building seemed to be a hydroponics center, but was unguarded, at least at the entrance. She wondered if this was a feint, or if the other bombs were a feint. Moving quickly she took the stairs downward, and about halfway through the stairs was acosted by blasterfire. Her retrosaber went to life with a distinctive snap-hiss and she deflected the bolts with just enough skill not to get herself hurt. She continued down the stairs to find a trio of cultists with blaster rifles.

One of them ran at her, lowering his blaster and reaching for a bloody spiked club. Juno pulled at his legs with the force, swiping sideways and putting his on his chest. She continued to deflect blaster bolts pushing forward before lopping the hands off of one of the cultists. A mere mortal he screamed, hit the floor, and passed out. With only one cultist shooting at her deflection became much easier, to the point where Juno could redirect shots instead of just get them away from her. She returned a bolt to the cultist's leg and he went down. She thought she was in the clear, but then heard a battle cry as the clubbed cultist ran at her. Juno pivoted as quickly as she could, swinging her saber as she did so. When she finally saw the cultist Juno found she hadn't taken his hands, but instead his head.

Oh my gosh. Juno thought to herself. I've killed him. Guilt and remorse flooded her for a moment. She'd never killed someone like that before. Did he deserve it, or was he caught up in the moment? Forced by the Bando Gora or the Maw or Force knows what to comply or have his family slaughtered? Juno pondered it for a moment, then saw the bomb. She needed to steel herself, there was work to be done. Juno walked over to the bomb and pulled out her commlink. She almost put a general ping out, but thought better of it. After going to the crystal caves she'd been given a frequency to contact the Jedi Praxeum. Hopefully they were here, and the channel was encrypted.

"Jedi Praxeum, this is Juno. I've . . . " Killed someone she thought to herself, hesitating to speak for a moment. "I've found a bomb, and I don't know how to disarm it. It's different than I expected . . . I think it's a dirty bomb for the waterline. Can any of you walk me through disarming it?"


Jedi Praxeum:
Romi Jade Valery Noble Kahlil Noble Briana Sal-Soren Justice Lesan Lossa Darcuhl Dagos Terrek Vizion Trozky Iris Arani @ Anybody I've missed

Potential Foes:
Zinn Zinn Bink'sa
Kogdud’Kkurs
Darth Ptolemis
Kyrel Ren
@ Anybody Really

 

[Kyrel Ren]

Location: City streets
Enemies: Kahlil Noble Valery Noble

Kyrel kept his observations among the Jedi that arrived, the Crimson Hands disguised as the Bando Gora did just the same. Feeling her presence so close and within the city, was agonizing for him. Too long had he spent pondering this Jedi, and now for him she seemed so close, close enough that she was within his reach at this very moment. Watching her closely still seething with rage, he saw that she was not alone. She had a Jedi of sorts with her. A smirk started to slowly form across his disfigured face. Today he would not only have one Jedi dead at his feet but two.

A laugh escaped his lips when the message arrived. The trap had been unleashed laid out by the Sith, for any unsuspecting Jedi who dared answered the call on this world. Things would only proceed to get worse from here. Kyrel no longer needed to keep this charade going, looking to some of the red marked feral stormtroopers he spoke. “Find the woman now… she is not alone.” He spoke with the same seething rage that was evident in his body language as he viciously started the hunt for her through the city streets.

The dead man walking could feel a sense of fear, the Jedi woman sensed him as well. He quickened his pace if she should try to flee she wouldn’t get away from him. His crimson blade activated, as he started to slash through any nemoidian in his path. The pure rage gained from his saber, the dark side and the slaughter of the innocent just fueled his desire. Each heavy step he took through the city brought him one step closer to the one he had been hunting down since the death of Bendak.

Finally the dark figure emerged in front of the two Jedi. His eyes locked on the woman, paying no attention to the man beside her. “At last! I’ve waited too long for this Jedi woman… Yes you know who I am don’t you…. The penalty for killing a Knight of Ren is death!” His voice boomed upon the last sentence. Any ordinary being wouldn’t have been able to stand. Showing off just a hint of the dark power behind the man that stood before the two Jedi.

In that moment, the Bando Gora in disguise emerged from behind the Jedi. Revealing themselves quickly as Crimson Hand Stormtroopers. Corrupted beings, red stained the armor while adorning various horns and animal hides like that of savages. The Master of Ren stepped closer to them. On one side there was Kyrel, behind them the Hands, it seemed there was no escape from this conflict. Raising his blade to go on the offensive. He spoke his words dripping with venom. “No one escapes the Wrath of the Maw!”

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Location: Cato Neimoidia​

Objective: Head of the Snake​

Valery: Appearance​

Outfit: Factory Link​

Lightsabers: Link!​

Tag: Kahlil Noble Kyrel Ren | Closed​

​

Valery watched Kahlil guide the civilians along and followed him through the streets, hoping to offer them protection as they traced their original path in hopes of finding a way out. But as they moved, Valery was unusually quiet — where she'd normally be quick to lead and be vocal, her mind was occupied.​

​

She understood they were being hunted by someone whose hatred was focused so heavily against her. It made her want to split off from the group to draw him away, but Kahlil wasn't going to let her run off alone, and rightfully so. They were so much stronger together and she wasn't really quite herself yet.​

​

Together, they continued to move for several minutes but no matter what direction she took, Valery could feel him getting closer. It was just a matter of time until they'd clash. When they finally rounded the corner to enter another long street, that moment was finally there. Seeing him, but especially feeling his darkness through the Force caused Valery to stop.​

​

"At last! I've waited too long for this Jedi woman… Yes you know who I am don't you…. The penalty for killing a Knight of Ren is death!"​

​

Valery's eyes narrowed at the man, "I stopped one of you before, you might want to adjust your expectations." She said as two violet blades sprung to life. After such a long time, she finally met the Sith who she had seen so many times before in visions and nightmares. But Valery wasn't afraid — she was destined to clash with him.​

​

Meanwhile, a group of his beast-like stormtroopers appeared behind the two Jedi, the kind who had attacked her during her pregnancy. Finally, it sparked Valery to step up again, as her eyes turned to the civilians. "Hide inside the buildings, don't come out until we get you!" she exclaimed.​

​

"We need to thin the numbers." Valery then said to Kahlil. "Can you keep him busy?" She looked at Kyrel, who was built very much like a tank as well. But Kahlil had always been her shield, and she figured that if he could keep the Knight of Ren in check, she'd be able to take out the brutes.​

​

"I'll take care of his friends."​

​

With her blades drawn, Valery turned on her heels and suddenly exploded down the street, showing again the dynamic she had with her partner. Augmented by the Force and with an unbreakable will, Valery came crashing down upon the Crimson Dawn, her violet blades flourishing into deadly patterns.​

​

​

 

[Kahlil Noble]

"Oh, it's Kyrel Ren. That Ren. You pissed off that Ren? How?" Oh, yeah, Kahlil knew Kyrel Ren and his order. More of a story, from when he was young. When the First Order still existed, when the Sith Empire still existed. Or was it the One Sith? He couldn't tell too well, it'd been a while ago. And y'know, in the worse time of his life. Still, he flashed a nervous grin as he and Valery Noble were surrounded by the Master of Ren and his Crimson Hand.

They were new.

His lightsaber flew to his grasp, the green blade igniting as he stepped forward. In time with Valery's own charge, though his wasn't much of the flurry of blades and diving to his foe as she was. Instead he moved between Kyrel and the Jedi Master, an air of calm around him. He was never the type to strike first, and that wasn't about to change here.

"Last I knew, the Ren hated Sith. What changed?" And yeah, conversation. Anything to delay Kyrel from striking, if that was even possible. Hating Sith wasn't the only thing he heard. Kyrel had died. Why was he back? The nervous grin stayed all the while though. Undead or imposter it didn't matter.

 

[Thalia Senn]

Engaging: Iris Arani
Location: Roof of a Railcrawler

​

Tempest grunted in surprise as she felt her legs fly up from under her. This crawler was moving far too fast though. She made a split second decision and raised the butt of her staff and thrust it at the Jedi padawan, activating the kinetite generator and releasing a blast of concussive force. If she was going to get caught in the wind so would she. The blast barely left the staff before she felt herself snatched by the air and sent tumbling over the roof of the train car. She brought the electroripper staff down as hard as she could, the energy blade catching on the durasteel and slicing through until it dragged Tempest to a stop leaving her legs dangling over the edge. With a curse she struggled to clamber back over the side. This time, she activated her mag boots and began to make her way back to where the Jedi had been.

She would not get away.

 

[Iris Arani]

For a moment, Iris thought she won. With the wind drag of the train, surely Thalia Senn would be sent off. That moment was over pretty quick though as she felt a familiar weightless sensation herself. Iris yelped as the blast hit her, sending her back. In the air, towards the front, for just a moment. Then flying back alongside the marauder. Past the marauder.

Well past the marauder.

There was a panic in her eyes as she fumbled, briefly, with her belt. Sending out the grappling hook to catch on the side of the train. Thankfully before she ended up tumbling off the back. The line went taunt and she hit back down on the roof with a thud, and a groan. At least Domxite wasn't- Wait where was Domxite?

And the panic was back all at once. Iris turned her gaze around, trying to find her lightsaber. It wasn't in her hand. But she still felt them close. Below? Her gaze lifted. Between the cars. Between Iris and the Tempest. With no Mag boots of her own Iris stood, wobbling for a moment before ducking lower. Lower center of gravity, less likely to get thrown off, right? Then she reached back, pulling out..

A paint can.

She grimaced as she stared at it. With no other weapon, well. She ran forward, gritting her teeth. Maybe she could get to where her lightsaber ended up before the marauder reached her. Unlikely though.

This was bad.

 

[Jax Thio]

Location: Cato Neimoidia
Equipment: Jedi Robes, Jax's Prosthetic Arm, Jax's Second Lightsaber, Promise Ring to Jairdain
Tag: Madison Starr, Dagos Terrek , Travot Ravenna


While Jax was bulldozing his way through wades of Brotherhood troops, he could sense Madison engaging enemy forces suing Force Freeze. A smile formed on Jax face though she wouldn't see it due to him having his back turned and deflecting incoming blaster bolts. Force Freeze was a rare and hard pull off Force ability, it was impressive that she was able to instinctively pull it off and to use it creatively. A Brotherhood soldier wielding a Vibro-Ax charged towards Jax yelling like a man possessed and holding his weapon overhead. The minute Jax held his hand out and curled it into a fist, the attacker dropped his Vibro-Ax his hands clawing at his neck as if somebody was crushing it.

Jax lifted the man up high in the air before hurling his Lightsaber towards the soldier slicing him across the stomach. He could feel the man's life immediately fade as soon as his saber connected, his lifeless body crumbling to the ground. Jax dodged an incoming blaster bolt that nearly struck his ear. His earlobe briefly feeling the warm bolt before leaping towards assailant and bisecting him with one vertical slash. As Jax stared at the corpse of the solider he killed, he could see his comrade retreating, though he could sense that he was under the influence. Madison's influence.


The young woman definitely had a talent for Force persuasion. "Let him go," Jax ordered Travot and Dagos. "We have other things to worry about."

If there were more reinforcements let them come, but right now what mattered is getting rid of those bombs. Turning his gaze to the train tunnels Jax jogged back towards the group. "All right guys," Jax said. "There are two trains full of bombs and no doubt they're both guarded heavily. The other Jedi are spread out and so are our troops, and our communications has been spotty meaning..... we're on our own. Priority one is to make sure the civilians are safe."

He turned to Travot. "Travot," Jax said. "I'm going to need your Padawan to stay behind and guard the survivors also."

Jax reached into his pocket taking out a small beacon. "Have her activate the beacon so rescue teams can spot her, It's an IFF transponder so only GA or SJC ships can detect it."

He sensed more troopers mobilizing presumably around the bomb. This won't be easy, but Jax had confidence in their abilities especially Madison's now that she had proven herself. We'll split into two teams, Madison and I will handle the north train while Travot and Dagos take out the south. We'll be outnumbered so no heroics folks. Stick together and we'll be out of here before you know it."

The Jedi Master took a deep breath. "Once we've disabled the bombs, we move on to taking out the AA guns." He spoke. "So, we can clear a path for civilians, starfighters and rescue teams. Understood?"

 

[Thalia Senn]

Engaging: Iris Arani
Location: Roof of a Railcrawler

​

Her breath and the heavy clang of her boots on durasteel were the only two things Tempest heard as she stalked towards her prey. She'd only realized after a few steps that not only was she bleeding, a forehead cut that had turned the vision in her left eye red from blood, and had a broken rib from the tumble. She sucked in air through clenched teeth but drew on the Force as strongly as she dared just to keep herself up hoping that adrenaline would do the rest. She dragged her electroripper staff, the blade screeching as it slowly burned and cut through the metal leaving a trail of slag behind the marauder. Her other arm was wrapped around her torso, gripping the lightsaber she still carried on her chest.

Just one. She could start with just this one. As the fog began to clear around her she saw something she didn't think she ever would have: A Jedi running across the train with what looked like....A can of paint? Tempest grimaced.

"What the karking hell?" She muttered. Regardless she readied herself, sucking in a deep breath trying to match the turbulent waves of the Force. Wave Form and been her saving grace before, giving her the edge in power she'd needed to survive against Sith Lords and manifestations of the Dark Side. Now she drew on it not only to keep standing but to obliterate the Jedi before her. With great effort she swung her staff up and pointed at the Padawan, sending a focused fist-sized gust of the Force into center mass. The first shot missed though, denting the roof of the car just in front of the Padawan as she rushed ahead.

"Burn me," she muttered. If she wasn't careful she was going to puncture something with that broken rib. She swung again, this time sending an ark.

 

[Iris Arani]

Iris didn't stop. The Force darkened around Thalia Senn in a way she hadn't seen before, unleashed as a focused.. Blast? She wasn't sure if it was just something in the colors or something physical. As the roof of the train dented just before her though, it was quickly apparent that it was physical. The Padawan gritted her teeth, near stumbling past the impact as it shook the train beneath her feat.

Then another. Could she jump over it? No, that'd just put her in the wi- She yelped, her arms in front of her chest as the blast connected. A crack was felt within one of her forearms as she was thrown back. Not off the roof, not this time, but flat on her back. She could feel it. A broken arm. She bit her lip, hard, to the point blood was drawn. Something to distract her from the stinging pain of her arm before she rolled and tried to get back to her run. Get back to Domxite. She couldn't leave them behind, nor could she fight without them.

<Are you okay!?> She wasn't focusing her thoughts to the gem. Tempest would fully be able to hear the Padawan's voice in her head. The worry. She wasn't even looking at the Marauder now, more sprinting towards where the two trains connected. Sliding to try and get between the gap before Thalia could swing another strike. She had to reach Domxite.

 

[Thalia Senn]

Engaging: Iris Arani
Location: Roof of a Railcrawler

​

When the second blast connected Tempest took two more steps forward then stopped, sucking her teeth as she saw the Padawan get up. She was still carrying the damn paint can. As she reached the edge of her car and prepared to jump her mind was buffetted by intense feelings of fear, anxiety, and worry.

<Are you okay!?>

Tempest stumbled back a step and brought her free hand up to her helmet's forehead. She'd heard of telepathy using the Force, but nothing this concrete. Was it because she'd opened herself up so much to the Force? Why was the Jedi asking if she was okay? Tempest was the enemy. Unless... Another presence in the Force, weaker than that of what she normally thought of us a sentient being, but this one....No, it was definitely sentient. Was her connection to her lightsaber that strong?

She looked down and saw the hilt nestled between an age twisted section of durasteel and the floor. Perfectly balanced. This Jedi had the Luck of a Corellian for sure. Or rather, would have if Tempest had not sought out the kill for the trophy. Maybe it was a little premature to take one before she killed the girl...But it was so close.

She tried to lift it with the Force but it...Resisted? No, she must have been imagining things. But the Padawan was close now, she couldn't afford to fool around with the Force. With her free hand, she snapped a wire cord out from her gauntlet, wrapping it around the hilt of the saber and yanked it back, catching it before the wind snatched it away. She eyed the saber and thumbed the switch, but the pink blade of energy that should have erupted from the hilt immediately began to fluctuate as if the focusing lense had been damaged or the crystal unstable and refused to activate. Tempest sucked her teeth and smacked the hilt against her thigh a few times and tried again before shaking her head and clipping it to her belt. She was almost tempted to look down the emitter.

"You really rushed this blade didn't you?"

 

[Iris Arani]

Iris froze. She could already feel Domxite's panic through their meld. What lingered of their meld. The moment Domxite was in Thalia Senn 's grasp the gem within cut the connection. The sudden cut threw the Padawan for a loop. Mixed perspective gone, mixed thoughts gone. She was alone. She blinked slowly before taking a step forward, more in disbelief. She tried to speak to her friend again, but they'd retreated inward. Stopping anything from influencing them. A precaution to stop Thalia's influence.

"Give them back." The paint can in her gasp fell as she renewed her run, blinding sprinting towards the still armed marauder. "Give them back!" She jumped, uncaring of what was going to happen. Just reaching for her lightsaber, her friend.

 

[Thalia Senn]

Engaging: Iris Arani
Location: Roof of a Railcrawler

​

"No," she said coldly with a hint of amusement in her voice. "No, I don't think I will." With a swing to the right of her electrostaff she sent a gust of the Force. The fall would kill her. She relished in the thought of her first kill.

 

[Iris Arani]

She jumped.

Then she was gone. Iris blinked as the train left her. Thalia Senn with Domxite on her hip. The burst of wind hit her, sent her away. She barely had a second to see the fallen Padawan leave with her friend before she was plummeting to the ground. Alone. Frustration filled her gaze as she dropped, gritting her teeth. She wasn't even thinking about the fact she was going to die. She just wanted to save her friend.

And failed.