Cyrillia Calling

[grammaticus]

Cyrillia. It was once a fortress world of the first Galactic Empire. Established as such following the Battle of Endor, it had originally been intended to serve as a check against the New Republic of the times rapid expansion, and a rallying point for Imperial remnants to retake the galaxy. When that plan failed, the world was simply taken by the New Republic, who used the might of the fortress world against the Yuuzahn Vong and other galactic threats. However, the thing that interested Animus most was when the reborn Emperor Palpatine attacked Cyrillia in his bid to rebuild the galactic Empire. A major battle had ensued, with debris raining down on the world from orbit.

Animus hoped that he would be able to find something of use or interest. To that end, he had rallied an expedition to travel to Cyrillia. Two were known to him, his young charges [member="Raven Ashe"] and [member="Layla Solari"] having been on board with the plan from the beginning. Others however had been gathered along the way. He had gathered them all on board an unmarked civilian freighter, which was now beginning its final descent towards Cyrillia even now.

Given that the world was located on the borders of Silver Jedi space, Animus was unsure what kind of resistance they might face. He had done all that he could to get the expedition to Cyrillia undetected, but their cover would be blown pretty quickly after they made their presence known. Animus was expecting to face local militia forces if it came to a fight, but perhaps there would be Jedi here as well. It was a fringe world to the Silvers, but one could never be too careful. Animus had long ago learned never to trust Jedi. One could never expect them to do the reasonable thing. Sith were far easier to learn and prepare for.

Leaving his secluded room on the freighter, Animus walked into the main cargo hold of the freighter, looking around at those currently within, and opening a channel to those who might be off on their own. "We are beginning our final descent to Cyrillia now, and will be landing in a few minutes. Does anyone have any questions of what is expected?"

[member="Kahlil Zambrano"] [member="Elise Ike"] [member="Curtis Learchin"] [member="Fiore de Noir"] [member="Cardinam"]
(This is an open thread, so anyone who might want to join is free to do so. Come join and play nice.)

 

[Raven Ashe]

If Raven looked the part of an unamused Sith Apprentice whose features were chiseled in stone despite her physical attractiveness, it was only because her patience had been tested every moment they'd been in transit. A disembodied, presently intangible force was lingering with a presence bearing down upon the Pantoran's shoulders. Its 'voice' if it could be called such constantly in her mind.

Devour them. I will devour them all.

Control it? Restrain it from assaulting the 'allies' Darth Animus had brought? Oh, no, Raven couldn't do that as much as she wanted. Why it did anything remain a perpetual mystery. At that moment they were probably all blessed by the fact the creature intended to try the would-be Sith's patience. An ancient evil must find humor in torturing the person it chose to haunt.

As her eyelids fell and rose again, Raven's gaze slid over to Darth Animus as he asked if any had questions. A little late in the venture to entertain them, but better to ask than find out someone forgot a critical detail. She might have been a young Explorer, but she knew enough that lacking or especially bad information could screw up a dig. This time, near potentially hostile territory, screwing up could get them killed by more than abandoned traps.

[member="Darth Animus"] | [member="Kahlil Zambrano"] | [member="Elise Ike"] | [member="Curtis Learchin"] | [member="Fiore de Noir"] | [member=Cardinam]

 

[Layla Solari]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ix2-HV63Ek​

Wearing
Equipment: Armor, Swords, Two Charric Pistols


In the bowels of the ship the youngster paced and fiddled with one of the bracelets on her wrist. It didn't move around like you would expect, because it was literally fused into her. While most of her bio-technology was hidden from the force and sensors, this was a different type of expedition. Her first real battle, of a sorts. Sure, she had killed thousands, fought on actual battle fields, been involved in wars as a mercenary, but this was the first time she was doing anything like this for a purpose. Until now, she didn't really care if she won or not, just that she had enough to eat, and did her job.

This time however, she has put the travel time to good use. Layla practiced building her rage, and how to use the basic force powers she had never been taught, things like force speed, jump, and how to use it to enhance her senses. She wasn't great at all these things yet, but progress was progress. Her hand went up to stroke the choker around her neck a bit, like she was petting an animal.

With a flourish, she spun around, her dress poofing out as she did. The girl ended it with a happy giggle. Oh she was so excited! How many people would she get to kill and eat today, she wondered! Would she be able to devour the force from a Jedi? It had been a long time since she had, and she really wanted to. Large hazel eyes went even wider as she day dreamed of draining every drop of blood and force from a struggling Jedi at the same time. Though, even a normal person would do now. She was hungry!

When the call came in, she skipped happily towards the cargo bay, humming an innocent tune as she neared Animus. “No questions. Just tell me what you want me to do, and I'll get it done.” She looked so small next to Animus' imposing figure. However, in her case, looks were very much deceiving.

 

[Elise Ike]

Elise covered her eyes upno hopping from her small shuttle, taking in a small breath from the planets air, it had a different smell them most, been quite some time since her last visit here. Mainly seeing as there was no real reason in the past, but of late things were a little different. Cyrilla was one of the border worlds for the Silver Jedi and yet another place were she could easily get into their territory without having to worry about some background check. Her Jedi outfit may work sometimes but if someone was to look into her past to deep they may find some conflicting things. She didn't need to wear said clothing, her usually 'archaeologist' get up would work just as well, but in that state carrying around a weapon or light saber was risky. This method allowed her to remain armed without any questions among those not well integrated in the order, making the world a good stop off before their main planets, it made traveling easier and without much danger... of so she hypothesized. After all the galaxy was a big place and as she said many times to others, 'as long as the chances are not zero theoretically anything can happen'. It was good to keep that in mind where ever she went, least be caught off guards during any 'compromising' situations. Pulling up a small map the secret rouge Sith started to make her way from the space port and into the bustling streets, wanting to get her 'meeting' done with as fast as possible.

[member="Layla Solari"] [member="Raven Ashe"] [member="Darth Animus"]

 

[Jegy Sesara]

Crater Myahai
Wreckage Location #19142
​

Those who seek power must learn that it comes at great cost.​

​

​

A sudden gust of the sand picked up on the horizon as a lone figure walked along the sand. The wind was picking up yet the figure was not afraid of it, he was the master of it. Slowly he lifted his left hand up, as if to create a buffer as the male figure concentrated with his large eyes closed. Slowly the wind near him, the sand included, would soon shift to the sides as if creating a large barrier between him and the sudden sandstorm yet the sandstorm itself was starting to die down and just as suddenly as it started, it ended with the sand falling around him in large clumps and piles. Opening his eyes, he would slowly pull down the small bandanna over his face as the Sullustan known as Jegy Sesara would look forward towards the unusually large crater before him. The crater known as Myahai, one of hundreds of thousands known for debris during the battle eons ago.

Crater Myahai was named after the poor soul who was crushed, Myahai. The wreckage consisted of a Star Galleons cargo hold that had smashed and embedded itself several hundred feet into the ground. While most would think of it as an easy salvageable operation, it was compounded soon afterwards by an Imperial-Class II frigates siding falling straight over the hole and blocking access to most of the crater save for those who dig through but cave ins were so common, it was banned to enter or even go close to the Crater Myahai without authorization. Jegy did not care for what authorization would be required from the so called "Jedi" he kept hearing about...after an encounter with a child whom was of the Silver Jedi Order, he considered the entire lot morons. What made him so interested in this particular crater was what was potentially inside it...technology and that being it was close to the Emperors fleet may mean it held something valuable. However he had a problem, that giant siding of an Imperial-Class II frigate that was in the way, several hundreds of tons of steel blocking the rather large crater.

At first, he would consider a giant removal service to cut into the siding and pull them all out, letting them keep the scrap. Problem there was that the planets authorities would not allow that and the Jedi would be curious as to what was going on. Sliding through the holes was just to dangerous as it was so Jegy concluded the only thing that can be done now was to do what he has done for generations now. Defy the impossible. Very slowly, the Sullustan knelled on the sand before him as he looked towards the Imperial-Class II frigates siding, it being large over the craters hole as he felt the wind pick up again as Jegy closed his large green eyes. Breathing in slowly then out, he started to concentrate over the entire siding before him as the wind would die down, as if feeling the control of the Sullustan before it.

The metal siding would gently shake as the sand around it would start to go back down into the crater, ages old dirt and debris sliding off as well. Then with a long wrenching sound that could be heard for miles, the loud whine of metal cracking from the sheer weight of the siding no longer supported as it started to float inches off the ground. Jegys forehead would appear tense, his body though relaxed as it started to be lifted up by feet instead of inches, then yards! As it was lifted, the large metal frame would soon buckle and crack, destroying a small piece as it fell into the crater with a loud THUD, a ton of metal now laying inside the crater. Carefully the Sullustan stood up, his green eyes opening with them being bright as the metal siding would be turned sideways and was now over the hole by almost a kilometer as the sand ran off it into the crater below, like a waterfall. Pulling his right hand back as his body began to smoke, he would then gave a loud groan as he used the Force to push it, launching it a few miles off away from the craters hole as it flew for several seconds before the loud whine hit into the ground, the thud being heard from miles on end and the large sand plume that would shoot up from the efforts done by the Sullustan.

Letting the Force start to leave his body, he started to pant from the exhaustion of how much he had to use as he carefully sat on his rear though gave a knowing chuckle, talking to himself as he looked down into the crater, the Star Galleon now exposed.

"I still got it."​

​

​

[member="Darth Animus"]
[member="Elise Ike"]
[member="Layla Solari"]
[member="Raven Ashe"]

 

[grammaticus]

Animus nodded to his two apprentices before turning to look at a map he had procured before setting out from Corellia. "The crash site I have in mind is located here, thirty kilometers away from the nearest civilian center. There is a small cluster of crash sites of Imperial vessels from millennia ago, and the potential gains from the mission would be enormous. We will be landing just beyond the crater and making our way towards the site, where we will deploy mining droids to assist us in the excavation. However, both of you will be taking the lead in actually unearthing the target. This will be a perfect chance for you to test your abilities and teamwork in the field."

Turning, Animus reached into a nearby open crate, pulling out his helmet where he had smuggled it in and pulled it on. He began to put on the rest of his armor as he continued to speak, before finally retrieving his two lightsabers. "We are in Jedi space now, apprentices. You must be wary at all times for potential enemies. This is the border of their space, but we cannot let that be an excuse for letting our guards down. Are we understood?"

[member="Raven Ashe"] [member="Layla Solari"] [member="Kahlil Zambrano"] [member="Matsu Ike"] [member="Jegy Sesara"]

 

[Raven Ashe]

Since her... initiation into Darth Animus' tutelage, Raven's wardrobe had begun to change. Not that she had any real possessions to speak of that the Pantoran had retrieved after his invitation. Was it the great and terrible Dark Side everyone feared? Was it the monster plaguing her waking thoughts? Or perhaps she was going mad from the instructional methods Animus used. She'd put up a brave front meeting a Sith like he was just some guy with telekinetic abilities, but Raven had been just an ordinary woman before. Being thrust into darkness in order to 'awaken' her latent Force powers had been... overwhelming. Not that she'd let on verbally.

Some of the more tempting outfits hadn't been appropriate for this expedition, so she'd opted for a snug body suit, arm wrappings, and a short cloak. More than enough to go flinging herself around some ruins or whatever they ended up; and nothing to impede her ability to fight if it came down to it.

Her eyes followed Animus as he gave them the run down and then began donning his armor. Matter of necessity he hadn't been wearing it already. After the little... engagement early on it appeared as though the Dark Lord thought better than to be around his two Apprentices without it.

Yes, that'd been a little surprise to Raven as well, but then it explained a great deal. Still rubbed her the wrong way. Layla was young and inexperienced in dealing with the world in a mature manner, but she was insanely powerful. Set an entire room on fire the first day while the Pantoran Apprentice could barely use the Force to fortify her own body. Made her feel inferior, and that made her angry. She was not going to remain behind. She was not going to be a liability.

"I am always on guard against potential enemies," Raven's voice held a hint of darkness to it. Jedi. Sith. Some random thug that thought a Pantoran would look better in a slave collar. Layla. Yes, adorable little monster that she was; Raven knew better than to assume the little one was loyal to her. Animus, perhaps, but even he had born the brunt of her uncontrolled rage. He'd handled it insanely well from where Raven stood.

With a deep breath, Raven stepped forward. "From your collection, I trust you can handle yourself," she remarked in Animus' direction, "and I know Layla is not fragile, but be careful what you touch," Raven cautioned, her eyes on her teammate. "There's no telling what hazards may still exist even after all this time." This was an expedition, and Raven had been an Explorer. There was no assuming everyone knew what to do at a site. Assumptions got people killed, and ancient curses unleashed. It'd happened before, and it would happen to some sorry S.O.B. again somewhere. Wasn't happening today and here, however.

[member="Darth Animus"] | [member="Layla Solari"] | [member="Kahlil Zambrano"] | [member="Matsu Ike"] | [member="Jegy Sesara"]

 

[Layla Solari]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_wzBJE0rOk


Layla's eyes went to Raven, and she admired the beauty of the woman. Honestly, Layla enjoyed making herself cute. Or at least, attempting too. It was one of the only comforts she had. She had been born without a mother or father, in a test tube. She had never know warmth or compassion. Layla was the product of a super soldier project, the only survivor. The girl had watched countless of her brothers and sisters die from the material that was grafted into them from the moment they were fetuses. She had overcome, and was rewarded with white sterile walls, an inability to touch people or be touched without it being incredibly painful. Lights, sounds, all of it were overwhelming. All she knew was unending pain and eternal hunger as the very thing that was her greatest source of strength slowly ate her alive. She absorbed the force from the dying to push back the pain from the implant, and she allowed the nanech to consume the bodies of the dead so it didn't eat her. If Layla was strong, it's because she was still standing there in the first place. To have any weakness was to die. That was the world she had been created into.


It had been endless combat training, endless studying in the force methods they knew, and then she had killed her own creators. They had tried to kill her when the head researcher was gone. Felt she had become impossible to control. The only thing she had understood as family turned on her, and she fought back, slaughtering them all. She had been ten at the time. The last two years had been a hell of trying to find some way to survive on her own. The girl had to be able to sleep, to eat, to bath, to have clothes....but she also had to kill, to absorb the force, and consume the bodies, or else it was the same as starving to death. When she looked at Raven, she wondered what could have been. Was this what her life had been like too? What was it like to be someone else?

“Enemies?” Once more the black goo ran up and down her neck, and coated her entire body. The unimaginable pain as millions of cilia clung to her pores, and then drilled into her body to connect to her veins, nervous system and blood vessels. It took a mere instant, and she took deep, sharp breath before it covered her face. Eyes, nose, ears, all were pierced. As the outerlayer flowed out from her backpack and coated her body, the sensory organs from the nanech itself took over the place of her own eyes, nose, ears, sense of taste and touch. The pain always made her want to vomit. However, it was also familiar, it had always been such.

After the moment it took her to transform to her monster state, she waggled her tentacles, readjusting to the body once more. Her voice, a bit deeper, filtered through the material rang out. “I am the enemy.” From this point, she looked like some unidentified alien species. One of millions that could pop out of the galaxy. Few would even question it at first glance. “I will be careful. I'll leave the collection of the artifacts to you both. I'll provide escort.” She knew she didn't have the knowledge on how to handle these things.

[member="Raven Ashe"] | [member="Darth Animus"] | [member="Jegy Sesara"] | [member="Elise Ike"]

 

[Jegy Sesara]

Jegy had long been sitting on the edge of the crater, having been several minutes from cooling down from using so much of the Force at any given time. Looking down into the crater, he would notice a very large amount of debris still skewn around the craters edge. Carefully he would let himself down into the craters edge, using his metal arm to carefully slide down into the crater itself as it was at least two hundred feet downwards. The Star Galleon itself was angled strangely, have at first been nose dive down, it was now near sideways due to how erosion worked over eight hundred years, allowing it to be at ten to fifteen degree angle sideways.

As Jegy got closer to the bottom, he would notice a tarp over one of the engines that were destroyed, actually ripped off from probably the descending of the Star Galleon as it laid nearby. The entire Star Galleon has had now faded orange paint with strips of the armor from the top now removed from the ages of the time and battle. As he kept sliding down, he would notice rather quickly skeletons of the deceased, either people from the crew of the Star Galleon itself or explorers that had failed. As he finished sliding down, he would notice the tarp more clearly as it was faded but it showed the Galactic Empires Insignia. It has been over eight hundred years since he had last seen a true original Insignia of the Galactic Empire, making a note to himself to take it home with him afterwards. Seeing the darkened entrance, he would slowly enter as his eyes adjusted, being a Sullustan had its perks and one of them was to be able to see in the dark.

The walls had become barren over the years, being stripped of metal from probably damage done eons ago but it looked like some effort was done to at least make it habitable, chairs and strips of cloth hang over certain parts of the engine room, as if to make rooms. So far it looked abandoned, no food was present around the area and the engine room only had a soft hum of the reactor running nearby. The reactor should have ran out by now though as he got closer to the sound, he noticed it glowing from heat. Standing next to it, he studied it carefully as it showed gauges for heat which finally made sense to him. It was geothermal energy with a small hatch to add things to burn, this must have taken months to years to build but no one is nearby to maintain it. Then there was a clang of metal as Jegy pulled out his scatter pistol, aiming it forward towards the noise as he looked around, not sensing any life forms nearby.

Another clang was heard as Jegy finally looked up, aiming as there was a scaffolding above him that was crudely made with at least a dozen E-11 Carbines pointing straight down at him as Jegy dropped his pistol at the sight of this. He was not only surrounded by armed droids but it was Pit Droids that had surrounded him as four more popped out from the grates below and actually tripped Jegy as he was piled onto as he tried to wiggle as the lead one from the top spoke in a high pitched voice, obviously modified.

"In the name of the Emperor, you are under arrest Outsider!"​

​

The Sullustan finally got out of his shock of the absurdity of the situation as the Pit Droids were disarming him, taking his lightsabers and his blasters which Jegy finally pushed one off as he got up with an E-11 Carbine then pointed right at his nose. Jegy grabbed the right with his right hand as he picked it up, the robes sleeve going down as his tattoo was exposed of the Secret Order of the Emperor or better known as the Prophets of the Dark Side as the leader spoke quickly as he noticed the glow.

"Wait! Let him stand up!"​

​

Jegy gave a long groan as he slowly stood up, seeing the Carbines all point at him as several more show up as the situation was getting worse by the second yet the leader pointed at his arm, having the slightly bright purple tattoo. "That Tattoo, you are one of the trusted of the Emperor! Have you finally arrived to take us under your wing?" Jegy remained completely quiet as his brain almost stopped working, the situation went from dangerous to plain dumb to which Jegys great answer was..."Yes?" Then all the Pit Droids cheered rather loudly, throwing up their E-11s and doing odd dances as the leader spoke again, walking down a very tiny set of metal stairs made for them. "Follow me then Prophet of the Emperor! We have much to discuss!" The Sullustan nodded as he walked forward, taking his weaponry back as he could not believe his luck...or what just happened. If he told this story to anyone, no one would ever believe him but at least whatever lived here was not shoot at him for once. Jegy then quietly, followed him to the leaders room, unsure what was going to happen next.

[member="Darth Animus"]
[member="Layla Solari"]
[member="Elise Ike"]
[member="Raven Ashe"]

 

[Elise Ike]

The meeting had gone well enough, her contact hooking her up with a few things, but as always a plan never goes 100% some small altercation being thrown in at the end and thus her time on the planet would be longer then expected. Her crafty little contract just so happened to neeeeeed something from a wreaked ship not far from the town due to a oh so conveniently last minute altercation with plans that seem to have arisen just moments before she entered the their shop. Most cases a simple flex of her force powers and some 'minor' torture was enough to get her what she needed, but anytime like that would have been risky on a Jedi world, even a border one and she could not risk shattering her image here and now.

So, here Elise was, using a 'acquired' speeder to make haste to the downed ship lying into the ground, her eyes flicking to a small data pad as the looming city of mashed steel came into view. "Savaging... well it is kind of up my ally, just think of the ship wreaks as giant bodies", even if she didn't have much of an idea of their insides. Hopefully there would be some full time scavengers around to lend a hand, all she needed to do was get the specific item, no means or preferred method was given to her, only tat Elise's force powers would be needed. Getting closer she powered down the temporary ride, looking and smelling the air, certainly were a good amount of people present but from a small pang in the force she had the feeling non of them were very welcoming.Keeping her force signature suppressed the under cover Sith stalked closer to the wreckage, intent on getting a feel for the place before trying anything silly.

[member="Jegy Sesara"] [member="Layla Solari"] [member="Raven Ashe"] [member="Darth Animus"]