Exodus Crash | CIS Invasion of UCM's Eshan Hex

[Veronika Fleischer]

Location: City outskirts
Objective: Summoning a blizzard at the cost of everything
Allies: CIS, Mandragora, [member="Kasca Fen"] | [member="Fawn Alzi"] | [member="Asher Mossa"]
Enemies: Mandalorian Empire | [member="Grosck Bah'azet"]
Equipment:

Spoiler

Veronika's purple lightsaber
HV-55A: "Allfate" Disruptor Rifle

Body
Obsidian-type Strike Armor
Echoy'lii Shuk'orok (Echoy'lan Crushgaunts)
Multipurpose Cloak - Classic Collection

Misc
Resam
Light-Shield Bracelet
Talisman of Reflection
A pair of Wonder Pearls (cyro)

She had done what she could with the earth, helping the troops at the bridge to stand on firm ground again before finally stopping her concentration with the spell. Veronika felt her body aching. The repeated use of spells since the beginning had drained her energy, Her head was throbbing with pain, her coughing came back and yet all she wanted to do was to finish the work. Grosck had engaged with Fawn and killed off her ride, but her sister was still alive after getting crushed by the weight of her Doashim. Meanwhile, Kasca had switched up her spell, weaving a cold storm that swiftly plunged the temperature down after the blazing fire did nothing to stop the brutes.

"Attack... Doashim..."

The witch ignited her purple blade and pointed at the direction of the remaining brutes who were still alive. Her summoned Doashim gave a collective roar, leaping and running over to the enemies and started engaging them in close melee combat. This was how it was going to end. Her summons had been kept in leash long enough, but now they were more than keen to rip the brutes into pieces. Or be ripped into pieces.

"I must feast upon souls! Oblivion awaits!"

The spirit of Doashim reappeared again and gave a mighty roar of delight at the battlefield. Carnage was what he wanted. His creations were disposable bodies, but he would grow stronger with the blood that was being spilled. Veronika merely shuddered in the chilling air that Kasca had summoned, feeling weak as the cold somehow bit into her skin. She was in no condition to fight in one on one combat, not when her body was weak.

At least her mind remained nimble.

She tapped on the remains of her power and [member="Adron Malvern"]'s battle meditation, channeling all that she could muster and focused on Fawn, willing the energies to heal the injured legs from the distance, dulling the pain and forcing the cells to regenerate. It was an exhausting process, but the situation required her to do so.

"Must not... cough...fail..."

Veronika begged for a little more time as her eyelids fluttered with heaviness. Just a little more and she would finish the spell. She could feel the uneasiness of her own patron spirit who whispered in her mind, telling her to stop.

"You can die if you do that, Veronika. Listen to me. This city is getting destroyed and cannot be saved. Call for retreat, the rest of the Confederate Forces are already leaving." Jart gave her a stern warning. The bird spirit was very serious about the consequences.

"And... leave... them to fight...? No..."

Veronika was too proud to leave without winning. The blonde witch hopped onto her Doashim mount and raised her trembling hand to cut off a lock of her proud hair, scattering them into the chilly air to be used as spell material before putting her lightsaber away. The golden strains of hair drifted slowly onto the ground, disappearing completely as she poured her powers into Kasca's spell to increase the intensity of the storm. The temperature plunged into the negative digits immediately while the storm turned into a full fledged blizzard, snowing blocks of ice and hail while freezing everything in its path.

"Must... win... sisters..."

That was the last thing she remembered saying before her body slumped forward, entering into Morichro state automatically. As her body collapsed onto top of her mount, her Doashim gave a yelp and started turning around to face the summoning portal which had created him. The portal reopened and the beast leapt through, vanishing into Ryloth where he had come from.

 

[Tathra Khaeus]

​Command Post​

Gear:

Spoiler

- Combat Vest
- Tathra's Mace
- Composite Shield
- Gauntlets
- Flail Attachment

​Enemies: | [member="Khonsu Amon"] | [member="Allya Vi'Dreya"] | [member="Derek Dib"] | [member="Darth Metus"] | [member="Scherezade deWinter"] |
​Allies: The Bryn'adûl | The Extant
​Locale: City-side end of the Bridge

​The Shaman that had been deployed on the field at the beginning of the fight took control of their forces as Tathra engaged his target, organising the arrangement of Bryn'adûl forces as more Mandalorian and Confederate forces came crashing down upon the smaller Bryn'adûl forces. The Bryn'adûl had momentarily spurned their enemies, stirring the hornets nest as it were. ​

​The Servitor squirmed as its massive body tensed, crushing the spire as it toppled down the side of the shattered Palace - its body slithering along the curvature of the Palace walls as beams of energy cut through its moving body, not entirely destroying one particular part of the creature, the beams crackling its hide as it moved along the length of the Palace - its massive form wriggling downward within the Palace, causing its upper levels to concave; the beam cutting off as the tail end of the Servitor fell into the water - cut off by the Sun Guards heavy assault.

​The second Servitor plummeted its weight upon the AT-MT, using its mass of nearly twenty times greater than the machine to swarm over the vehicle, beginning pulling it downward into the ground. The Hel Fighters were sturdy, well built fighters with competent pilots. Outnumbered by many, the Hel Fighters used their more specialised equipment to their advantage. The superior fighters cutting down the initial wave of Confederate fighters, however they began to pull back - encircling the Palace for cover as many fell in the miasma of plasma that flew down upon the Palace, scorching almost every inch of marble white with a blackened red hue.

​The two remaining Servitors continued to destroy the city, creating large sinkholes underground to swallow their opposition whole.

​The remaining ten Striker Squads that were not within the Command of the Chieftain himself moved to flank the Sun Guard and Confederates Vehicles, the Section Commanders using their LMG's EMP attachments to knock out their heavy vehicles. The Ungulloi infantry and Drones of the squads pushing forward into the Eternal Empires line, even the lesser of the Drael that the Drones comprised of were a step above the standard soldier.

​The Bryn'adûl's superior forces would slaughter any in their path.


X4 Servitors
​x1 Shaman
​x10 Chieftians Fist
​x32 Hel Fighters
​x28 Striker Squads

 

[Darth Banshee]

Objective: Survie
Allies: ME [member="Kaine Australis"]
Enemy:[member="Shia Kryze"] [member="Srina Talon"]
Equipment: LightSaber, Armour, Healing Amulet, Echani Shield
Ship: H.M.S. Carrnia

Spoiler

9x Noctule 1 squadron damage or destroyed (in space)
2x Pipistrelle strafing run
6x Pipistrelle with ion torpedoes 4 squadrons destroyed on carrier)
1x company of palace guard at 50% strength
2714x Droids left from the first wave 1816 scrapped
1 further waves of 2214 in each wave
3rd wave of 492

She was still mediating in the dropship, she healing quickly, but this still took time. Her men where getting ready for a counter attack, as they saw more CIS units beginning to appear. Droids stood bolt upright, and in a staggered formation. The Palace guard where in cover, and where going to protect their injured queen. She was leaning against a durasteel wall, of the damaged drop ship. As her arm was mending, but it would take awhile before she was combat ready. Then she was given a report, the CIS was readying itself for a counter attack. She needed time, but time was not on her side. She just gave a basic order, Stand your ground, more droids are on the way. We only need a bit off time, for them to unload, and get organised. They kept there defensive postion, if they charged them they would be running into a wall of blaster fire. That is all she had to offer, that and two squadrons of pipistrelles would be in a place to strafe them, as they charged in. They where though taking a long way round to avoid the Eternal Empires AA guns, that may still be active.

As she waited her dropships began to land, and droids moved out. The Captain of personal guard started to issue orders, as she was meditating and getting better. He ordered a squadron of noctuales to stay behind, as that he and his men, and queen could retreat if need be. The droids did not matter, they could be replaced in factories with ease. He also order the remains of [member="Darth Tacitus"], to be taken back to ship as well as some of his wounded men, who could no longer fight. He would be taken to med bay, as they store his remains their for now. The droids where taking begin to form up, but this would take time, chance are the enemy would be on them, by the time they did.

Space
Her ship landing again six pipistrelles squadrons, they where being reloaded with torpedoes. They giving a quick update on field play, things where very much in the air. They being armed with Ion Torpedoes, they where being given the mission destroy the enemy fighters, as they may stop the queen from being evacuated if need be. Though without airsupport, the CIS would also suffer if they tried to retreat, this battle had no mercy in it. She would expect any, and she expected the CIS would give her any ether, so why would she offer them any.

 

[Kat Decoria]

Location: Eshan Valleys
Allies: [member="Celiana"] and CIS and allies
Enemies: [member="Mig Gred"] and [member="Sanya Val Lerium"] and ME and allies
Objective: Defeat the Mando

Kat shaked her head. His people never came with intentions of helping Eshan out, they came too well armed and too destructive to only be there in a capacity to fight slavers and work with her people. It was an invasion with aggression and force. "If you truly here to protect our people, to keep Eshan safe, then the city wouldn't have been bombarded, you wouldn't have come with weapons to kill us. Your people came with an invasion force, you have to deal with the consequences of your actions." Kat was cold in tone. She felt no pity for the man, her lost was deeper to her. Her brothers didn't need to die, they shouldn't have died.

"Look, even now, your people are attacking and destroying our city. Your allies are supposedly sending in giant monstrosities to destroy our palace. You placed someone under your influence in command, removing our queen." While she believed that Eshan needed to rethink about who should be their leader since their queen had abandoned them, her point still stood. "Don't stand there and pretend, you, your clan or your empire had my people's best interests. You invaded, destroyed parts of our city and left us to deal with it. Took weeks to find all those who had died from your attack and bombardment, I had to wait too long to find out if I lost most of my family! If I hadn't smuggled my pregnant sister and mother out of Eshan, they be dead too!" Kat said with pain in her voice, she was terrified of the fact that she nearly lost her unborn niece or nephew as well as her sister and mother, all because the Mandalorians were violent people by nature as they were rumoured to be.

 

[Riamah]

Location: Southern Eshan City
Objective: Fighting (Rocky style)
Allies: ME and their allies
Enemies: CIS and their allies
Engaging: [member="Khia Varad"]

Now, this was something Talimet was familiar with. Before she had only ever been play fighting with her brothers, sisters and clan mates. Once she had an actual spar with her father and had taken lessons from that. This is where she was strong. Preferring to handle trouble and issues with her fists over those of words, she would communicate with her opponent in this manner.

There were a few advantages Khia had over Talimet, but the largest was the helmet. Having taken hers off when the Ion grenade had disabled it, she needed to protect her head more than anything else. The armour could take a beating, but not her exposed head.

Seeing the fighting tell in Khia's shoulder, she jerked her head back to avoid the upper-cut and grunted as the jabs connected with her right side. They were not killing blows and Talimet knew neither one of them was going to die this day. One of them was going to win and the other lose, but the point would be made.

With a sudden look of greater determination, Talimet fought back. In a stance that was almost identical to that of Khia, her hands were steady, her body was loose and relaxed. This took only heartbeats to get into and she made her move.

Coming in with a clear left-handed punch aimed at the right side of Khia's face, she would move in and lift her right leg to make to knee her in her left side.

 

[Cay-Yo]

Location: Planetary Capital
Objective: -
Allies: Confederacy of Independent Systems, [member='Scherezade deWinter']
Enemies: Mandalorian Empire, [member='Valdus Bral']
Equipment: Lancelot (Link in Sig) Cay-Yo Uniform Durasteel Sword

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Was quite surprised to say the least in the manner Madalena decided to cross the distance at the bridge. While he was definitely strapped in well to the saddle and the leg belts it still made him feel as if he could fall out some how, sort of like being in a roller coaster. Once they had stuck their landing the Patitite looked completely dazed from all the twisting and turning. He only really came to when Madalena took their small group through the sewers. Cay-Yo gagged loudly. He had never experienced something so profoundly foul smelling in his life. But what was there to do? She had a plan, and at least him and Lancelot were not being forced to swim through the water of the sewers.

As the group emerged from the sewers Cay-Yo had Lancelot hop off Madalena's shoulders quickly as he and the gizka took several deep breathes in of the much cleaner air of the palace "Never again!" he complained "Front door, always the front door." he muttered. He would much rather charge the enemy head on instead of creeping through a sewer system again. Soon after Madalena had emerged and the trio went on their way to find the throne room that Cay-Yo began to feel physically exhausted. Was it the wound on his leg that had done it? It didn't quite feel the same as normal fatigue.

Entering the throne room with Madalena he was able to see a good bit of destruction around. There had been some sort of fight here but he wasn't sure who with. Could it have been Cardinal? Probably not, for all Cay-Yo knew the man had been swept out to a different part of the city like had or killed. Then his eyes fell on the towering mandalorian and he eagerly grinned "Found you!" he drew his durasteel sword from its scabbard on his left hip and pulled back firmly on Lancelots reins to have the gizka stand at its full height "Big Mandalorian" Cay-Yo started using Big more as a title than a physical descriptor "Some here in the city would call you a hero, but a hero doesn't use blasters to murder a people and usurp their throne!" Cay-Yo narrowed his eyes and thrust is sword out in Valdus' direction "You started this war, plunged Eshan into chaos, and now the Confederacy is going to put you down, and restore the peace." even in his weakened and wounded state Cay-Yo was still up for a challenge, which probably wasn't for the best in his case. He wasn't the most diplomatic either, Madalena had been far more interested in some sort of non-violent resolution with her words than his own. The Gizka Knight needed more medals "I am Big Cay-Yo! The most powerful Patitite, Knight of the Gizka, and CEO of Big Meds." he pounded his chest chest with his left fist "We. Sell. Bandages!" he declared victoriously.

 

[Mig Gred]

Location: Eshan Valleys
Objective: Defend Eshan from the CIS Invasion in the valleys.
Equipment: Light Mandalorian Armor, Lightsaber Trayc'kad, Trayc'kal
Allies: M.E., Sanya Val Lerium
Opponents: CIS, Celiana , Kat Decoria

Mig sighed, lowering his Trayc'kad more. He honestly couldn't answer her. He couldn't answer to the bombardments. He never agreed with them, and as far as he was concerned they were never necessary. And he really couldn't answer for the invasion-type force either. His clan sure didn't have one, but the others.... He continued to listen to the jetii. He honestly had no idea how to respond to all of this. He was and alor and a warrior, not a diplomat or speaker. Once she had finished speaking, Mig did something most Mandalorians would never do. He removed his helmet, revealing his face to the jetii. He then spoke plainly, eyeing her.

"Jetii.... I can't answer for the other clans, but my clan have a connection to this world because the first Gred was Echani. And we had a survivor of Order 66 in our ranges. You may not believe me, but I'm sure there's some record somewhere. I didn't even know about the bombardments.... I didn't think anyone would consider it! I see the one who called the strike a lot differently now.... And we had no time to replace any government, Mandalorians stayed to help heal and rebuild, and there's no way those things are on our side! If anything...!" He stop speaking, clear seeming to fight back some pain, and feeling the Echani's own pain. "If anything... they feel like... they're related to what I felt before." He watch as Ilik ran up to the knocked out Mandalorian, quickly being sure he was ok. He signed again, looking at Kat with a face the showed he was honest in what he said, and lowering his weapon even more. "You may not believe this, but I understand what you're going through. I lost my buir to rogue Force wielders six years ago, and had to take the title of alor then. And now with my cousin gone... My sister and grandfather are all I have left in my direct family. The one thing I've learn though was that you can't give into your anger." He then looked down at Ordan's Trayc'kal. He had brought it for a reason, even if he didn't understand it. What was the Force telling him hear. Gah! Why didn't he listed to his Buir more when he was alive?

 

[Srina Talon]

Location: Eshan [Eshan City - Within Visual Distance of Palace]
Accompanying: [member="Darth Metus"], [member="Adron Malvern"], [member="Spencer Jacobs"], [member="The Avenger"], [member="Tellu Talon"]...And possibly others?
Allies: CIS + Eshan
Enemies/Frenemies: [member="Kaine Australis"], ME, Monster Party

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Again. The memory of the [member="Kaine Australis"] that she had from attending wedding not so long ago did not match up with the Mandalorian that had momentarily appeared within the shield that [member="Darth Metus"] had created to keep them safe. Without [member="Spencer Jacobs"] doing something similar, Srina hedged, that it wouldn’t have been enough. The rolling shockwaves, the dust, and the flame wouldn’t kiss their skin the way it did many of the troops that lay outside of it. Their automated forces were designed to deal with more than their fair share of damage, but not, a capital ship descending from orbit.

Even in pieces.

In the scant breath where Kaine stood beside them, taking refuge, Srina could feel her hand curl tighter around the hilt of her weapon. Were it not for the fact that her true focus was held by lending her Master her support to keep the flaming hell from incinerating them she would have been able to respond to the presence of the Mandalorian appropriately. As it stood—he was there and gone before she had a chance to react.

Nothing personal? Just business?

Was the massacre of her people truly akin to a monetary transaction?

In his place, Kaine left a gift. With that gift of promised death, in the form of grenades, came a mighty bellow from within the Force. The Dark Side shuddered and the Exarch felt it take her breath away. Time slowed to what felt like a crawl. The presence was familiar to her. She knew it, she knew him, just as well as she knew many of her other compatriots. For some reason, the grenades at her feet never went off. For some reason, her eyes uncharacteristically burned, and not from the dust or smoke…

I am sorry, Srina. I love you.​

“Kainan…”, she whispered, without meaning to, while she felt the shield her Master held begin to fall. All of the death that swept through Eshan City stung her with its intensity. Mandalorians, Confederates, and Echani. They all died. They were all gone. Blown away because some Empire of savages couldn’t help but try and spread their revolting influence through a variety of duplicitous means. Her mental inquiry was edged with fear, with panic, that she wasn’t able to swallow. Pain that did not belong to her reverberated beyond the glom and she knew, deeply, that [member="The Avenger"] was injured. He’d been too far away, prepared to fight with [member="Aedan Miles"], to be protected by their shielding. [member="Darth Metus"] was just as beaten. Her Master, broken. When would all that she cared for finally stop sacrificing themselves for her well-being? Her heart sat so high in her throat that she felt like she was choking on it. Her innermost thoughts revealed the truths that she fought so hard to deny. She did feel. And, it was killing her. ‘Kainan?’

‘Answer me!’

There was no answer to her call. No response. [member="Darth Tacitus"] had always acknowledged her. No matter how busy or how far—He always took a moment. Now? She couldn’t feel him at all. As the soldier for the Eternal Empire approached, limping, and wounded the Exarch knew the truth. He didn’t need to say it. Srina wished, he wouldn’t say it, because by all things she couldn’t feel him anymore. Wishes and wants did not come true.

[member="Darth Tacitus"] was dead. Again.

She accepted the weapons he brought. Wrapped in the flag of the Eternal. A loyal, strong, and determined soul to the very end. She felt his soul release and a ragged cry escaped her lips in response, rough, but present enough to be heard. By the time her heart caught up with her mind, it was already time to resume the fight. Time resumed its normal speed and everything came crashing down. She breathed, and she knew, that all of the pain that roared through her heart had a purpose.

Power. She wouldn’t give up. She wouldn’t let the sacrifice of so many Echani, so many of her friends, go unacknowledged. The Confederacy would not allow this subjugation to endure in silence. No. The galaxy would feel this battle and the end result would make the greatest titans shudder. The destruction that was suddenly visible, as far as the eye could see, would be enough to make a lesser warrior fall to their knees and beg for it to end.

Srina worried about her family. [member="Tellu Talon"]. Her friends, the people of Eshan, and millions of things all at the same time. She wanted to go to all of them. To be with all of them.

Yet, [member="Elessar Talon"] was correct. They needed to move forward.

:: This is the White Crows, Seeking Confederacy Aid, Please respond. ::​

Starting with that. She could see that [member="Tellu Talon"] had requested aid from the Fortressa and could only hope for the best. Srina tried to send a wave of reassurance to her younger sister, and in turn, also hailed the Echani resistance group [[member="Ajax Crowe"]] that had asked for aid. “The Confederacy will respond. Pass forward your coordinates.”

With that she sent the transmission to [member="Valencia Hadley"]. [member="Helly Reyne"], and @Naedira Darthcrath whom had been in the area with [member="Alkor Centaris"] and [member="Lucien Rayne"]. Surely, one of them would be able to respond.

It seemed that someone [[member="Darth Banshee"]] was trying to seal the city. It was chaos. There was no way to blockade troops in and out of Eshan City when the battle was taking place on multiple fronts. From the sky and by land. Even with a veritable armada, the destruction by the unknown creatures, the worms, which had been reported over comms was impossible to control with any sort of certainty. It was a mess.

Regardless, Srina left a fair share of their automated troops and the rest of the Eternal Empire to deal with the potential threat. They still had a mission. Srina knelt near her fallen Master while he drew strength from her. The battle raged on, but, a small application of the Force kept them mostly secluded from stray shots. It was required to regroup. “Take what you need.”, the Apprentice murmured to [member="Darth Metus"] so that he may be suitable for duty. She also passed him a few injectable bacta syringes. It wasn't perfect, but, it would do. He was broken in many ways she was not.

All because he protected her. Always. Just like Tacitus. And Spencer—And the Avenger.

When [member="Darth Metus"] requested that [member="Spencer Jacobs"] address their people Srina nodded her head. “Advise them to get out of Eshan City. To get as far away as they can. At this rate, from the reports I’m getting, there might not be much left of the palace by the time we arrive. Worse than the Mandalorians…There are monster’s crawling all over the place.”

The group would fall into a pattern. Move, fight, carry out orders—keep going. The sky was alight with fire from a variety of sources but it was hard to tell who was firing what anymore. Between Kaine Australis, and his flawless getaway, to the subsequent carpet bombing of CIS targets the streets were mostly slag. No one was spared that wasn’t lucky enough to get away. Missiles could be targeted, however, the resulting explosions in such close quarters would always have casualties.

Now—for the ships that seemed to be blocking the Force? Everyone turned their sights on them. Srina was apprehensive and was careful to keep their advancing party just out of range. One of the forts went down…But it still wasn’t enough.

By the time they had the palace in sight, Srina could only stare.

Worms. Giant, worms. Leaving sinkholes and attacking all of their troops in kind. They were not native to this world. They stayed just out if sight, though, that would likely only hold true for a matter of moments. Minutes. Monsters [[member="Tathra Khaeus"]] were swarming. Was this how the Clans of Mandalore fought now? With plagues and giant worms?

“If that Regent is alive in there…He won’t be for long. The palace is no longer structurally viable.”

Spoiler: Equipment

Weapons

HG-54 "The Vora" Class Verpine Hand Cannon [Strapped to Waist]
Lightsaber [White Blade/CrossGuard] [Hidden Under Cloak]
Icefang [Sword]
Holdin' Aces [Ring]
Ring of Aspiration [Ring]
Te'Kyr [Ring]

Armor

Heart of Cold
Terentatek Body Glove - Full resistance to standard telekinetics, pronounced resistance to advanced telekinetics.

Miscellaneous

SU-03 Hunter Cloaking Device - A lightweight, ion resistant cloaking field made and produced for agents in the field.
ORACLE [AI]
Holo-Comm [Communication Device]
IG-100 Mk. II Series Magnaguard [Squad of x10]
B3 Ultra Battle Droid Mk. II [Squad of x5]
Add'l Droid Support May be Added

Spoiler: Summary

Ensuring that the group Srina is with is moved ahead. Please forgive us if anything got missed but I'm sure everyone has noticed there's a million things happening at the same time. If there's something in particular you want me to acknowledge please feel free to shoot a DM/PM. Srina's group is likely within visual distance of Tathra, Khonsu, and a few other groups on the city side of the bridge.

 

[ToKola Bakari]

Location: Eshan City
Objective: Live
Tags: [member="Valdus Bral"] [member="Voph"] [member="Scherezade deWinter"] [member="Allya Vi'Dreya"]
Theme: Link
Post: X

Distant, forgotten eyes peered at Valdus as he shifted. Following Cardinal's attack the Dominus was essentially undefended. He didn't have the strength to move his arms any more, even his legs had turned to rock and refused to budge at his command. As the loud cries and shrieks of Valdus' mechanical armor echoed out, the Dominus was only able to gaze at the man with his shallow, sunburnt eyes. He'd seen it coming, he'd heard it coming, but nothing could have prepared him for what came next. As the iron fist slammed into his cheek, he felt a deep pop in his neck. His mind was not allowed a moment to focus on the pain, because in the next moment he had been forced into a bend, another metallic fist slammed into his abdomen with ruthless force.

The Dominus coughed in pain, heavy marks of blood flowing from his mouth, painting the Mandalorian's arm in a crimson shine. Cardinal would have fallen to the ground, lifelessly. However, Valdus had not been through with him, not yet. As he started to fall to the ground he felt a tight grip pull into the mass of braids on his head. The sharp pain caused him to involuntarily wince, but still he could not move.

When he descended to meet the armored knee, Cardinal's nose let out a vicious crack, broken. Blood trickled freely from it, flowing down his face as all consciousness left his eyes. Hoisted above Valdus, Cardinal was gone, mentally he'd been rendered unconscious and only his body remained. He'd been defeated, broken, shattered.

Valdus discarded the Dominus with a hellish throw, casting him over the airs and slamming into the hard marble floor. He laid there silently, his eyes gazing out into the nothing that laid before him.

Cardinal had not quite understood what was happening as Voph gathered him, hoisting the massive man over his shoulder with an inhuman strength. Over the next few minutes what had come and gone was a blur to the man. He slipped into unconsciousness and into the closest reaches of death, pulling him away from the mortal world. As [member="Voph"] saw to his evac, the Dominus had left this world with a single, shattering reality.

He failed.
{Character Exit}

 

[Adron Malvern]

Location: Eshan City
Objectives: Hunt a Sith
Tags: [member="Alden Akaran"]
Theme: Link
Equipment:

Spoiler

• Crimson Dread
• Winter
• Lightsaber
• Holocomm
• ND-012 Ri Qorit Disabler

The battle was beginning to turn. With the Dominus Prime and Eternal Emperor defeated, one dead and the other not likely far behind, Malphas' mind closed the bridge that he'd joined with his allies. He had not wanted to cut the Battle Meditation short, nor had he wanted to abandon the advantage it had given them. The Exarch's eyes were a hazy shade of Amethyst for a long while after the connection was broken. Finally, the hue in his eyes deepened, matching a jewel or crystal as opposed to some form of vapor. The Exarch was silent as he remained kneeling in the Eshan apartment. He'd been lucky enough to survive the onslaught brought on by the crashing Star Destroyer, however that did not mean he was without damage. He pressed a hand to his chest, taking a moment to reintroduce himself to the physical world.

Having been all but pushed out of his corporal form it was something else entirely to be returned to his body. So many had drank from his Battle Meditation, using his power and focus as their own to enact the Confederacy's justice. He turned to the window that he had stood over some time ago, his eyes marveling at the city before him. What had been a beautiful display of Echani workmanship was now a tattered mess or destruction and chaos. All manner of beasts and destruction had befallen this land.

No matter, now was not the time to resign himself to simple musings on the effects of war. His hand wrapped around his sword's hilt, turning towards his apprentice {[member="Alden Akaran"]} with a silent gaze. "Things are getting out of control. We need to get them back in control." He tapped his wrist, specifically the comm device that was firmly strapped to it. His comm device called out to his fellow Exarch {[member="Srina Talon"]} hoping to find some small purchase of hope in this chaotic mess. "Srina. The Dominus Prime and Eternal Emperor have fallen. Kainen is dead, I'm not sure about Cardinal. The palace is a ruin and if it's not destroyed by the time you get there it will be soon. You must defeat those things before they destroy this city. I'm sorry I can't help you more, I have another matter to see to." The insight that had been gifted to Malphas by all members of the Confederacy had offered him much.

He'd sensed Cardinal fall, he'd seen the plight of the Mandragora Witches, and he had felt a very familiar force presence when his brother finally breathed his last breath.

"[member="Darth Banshee"]." As Darth Malphas hissed the name out, the glass windows that stretched over him shattered under the weight of the Force. Malphas glanced over to Alden and spoke simply. "I need you to stay here. You'll just get in my way." The step he took forward led him into open air. Rather than follow gravity to a painful fall, Malphas used the Force to carry him, safely to the ground. Like a feather his foot impacted the ground, placing him in the middle of a war-torn street. The Eternal Empire's forces were not far from where he stood, and not far from them was the woman whose head he would have,

 

[Derek Dib]

Location: on planet
Allies: [member="Khonsu Amon"]
Enemies: [member="Tathra Khaeus"] | [member="Kaine Australis"]

Kit

Spoiler

Enforcer pistol
Explosive Rounds
E-11 blaster rifle
Collapsible Staff with Pointed ends
Knife
Bandolier with grenades and extra clips

The landing zones for Group 1 & 2 had ships taking off, ferrying the echani to the waiting destroyer in orbit. The Nest Carriers finally empty of droids began loading other refugees out of the combat zones as the Blastoise Cruisers gave air support, protecting the evacuation as much as they could while not offensively engaging the enemy.

As Kaine attacked Derek felt the spike in the Force as Richard perished under his assault. Determined lips pressed together as he flipped the rifle to full auto, holding it braced on the left side of his hip while his right hand snaked across his chest to pull free the Enforcer. Lucian shoulders his rifle and began firing center mass into the beskar mando. Knowing that his bolts would not penetrate the armor he tracked it up his enemy's body aiming for the faceplate in an attempt to dismantle the HUD, Pierce the T-visor, or at the least drop his foe's visibility. He freed a hand palming a frag grenade and activating it.

As Kaine rushed the duo of Derek and Lucian, the two men separated in an effort to force the mando to divide his attention between the two or focus solely on one. Their plan worked to a degree.

As the blade dropped toward Lucian he kicked with his feet while falling back, soaring away from Kaine and avoiding the melee attack just barely. The live grenade rested at the side of Kaine.

Meanwhile Derek felt the force ward him moments before Kaine's arm began to raise. Reacting he turned and leapt backwards in an attempt to avoid the pistol's deadly fire. His right arm stretched out and bucked twice as both pistols cast their reports in beat. Two furrows dug across his chest, tearing through the pladtoid played armor with ease and carving two horizontal lines across his chest.

Falling back he got a sense of immediate danger and tried to curl his body around itself as the grenade exploded. The shockwave of the explosion sent him slamming across the ground, skin left in his path across the debris field from all the abrasions. Rolling to his back he raised his pistol trying to find Kaine, the blaster rifle laying ruined between them. A shudden burst of pain lanced his side where a piece of the grendade's shell had fragmented stabbing through his armor plate.

Lucian had dove behind a large piece of stone wall and prepared to rise to continue the assault upon the Mandalorian. Around the battle the 'Eclipse' circled.

(Fleet actions will wait, giving the opposing members to respond)

 

[Shia Kryze]

​

Location: Eshan City, crashed SD
Allies: CIS
Enemies: [member="Darth Banshee"] -
Equipment:

Spoiler

• Prudii'hecr - Shadow Owl (shoulder mounts w/ micro-rocket launchers)
• Old One Eye
• Darksaber
• Blade of the Ancestors Blood
• DT-29 heavy plaster pistols (2)
• MM-27 Rhyno Heavy Pistol
• VT-LRS Rifle
• LK Sweeper
• Forcebreaker Grenades
• Thermal Detonators

Units:

Spoiler

• The Strix
• The Raven Owls
• Shrike Owls
• The Fire Owls

---

The chaos was total.

But this was, as everyone kept repeating, war.

It seemed the Empire - she couldn’t call them the United Clans - had slipped back into old standards of allies. Monsters tore through the city, bombers rained death from above. Shia wondered what anyone who sought to liberate Eshan had throught would happen, when you invited the darkness into your home, it dame with consequences.

But through it all, the charge thundered, the pressure of the footfalls thousands of war droids at full gallop beating a unique rhythm among the chaos.

From above, fighters rained death.

“Defence Pattern AA-Solus.” Shia snapped, and the Fire Dragon support walkers ceased their covering fire with the mass drivers, opening up the front ranks of the charging clan to unsurpressed ground fire, while anti-air missiles tracked and locked on targets, before rocketing into the sky. The lumbering walkers did not have the pace to keep up with the front ranks, but their AA bubble was large enough.

Still, missiles plowed into the charging ranks and droids fell, or riders took critical damage. The dismounted riders were grabbed by family, while many of the droids without riders carried forward with the charge regardless. But still, the ranks thinned.

Fire from the droid forces tasked to hold the breach before the ruined Star Destroyer slammed into the front ranks, deflecting from beskar and shields alike. The riders rode onwards through bolts so thick they might have been hail - even battle droids didn’t need to aim at such a mass of forces.

But then, the Elite Cavalry of Clan Kryze were very hard to kill, and where riders died or droids fell, where units were simply rendered mission-ineffective by hits, gaps appeared, only to be filled as the riders closed ranks, presenting a wall of beskar.

“Clankers sighted!” A Mandalorian in the front rank called, her visor tracking the targets as her bes’uliik independently began to fire its blasters at close range.

“Lances!” Came the order from Shia, who had taken her rightful place in the front rank, heedless of the danger. She guided One Eye with her knees, hands free to hold the blaster pistol in one hand and the wailing darkness of the darksaber in the other. Her success rate at parrying blaster bolts was considerably lower than a Jedi or Sith’s, but somehow every killing shot was parried, it was almost as if she could sense death.

The Clan responded, and in unison the front rank lowered their power lances, the tips humming to life. Behind them, the second and third ranks loosed volley after volley of shatter missiles to disrupt the defenders formations and to distract their fire - less useful against droids than flesh and blood troops, but even a droid finds it hard to aim as missile fragments scythe through the air like reapers.

The the tidal wave of metal and flesh hit - looking to punch through the defending droids to the landing zone.

 

[John Locke]

Location: In space near Eshan
Allies: CIS and Allies |
Tagging: [member="Derek Dib"] | [member="Kiff Brayde"]
Enemies: Mandalorians and Enemies
Engaging: [member="Quoron Cadera"]
Objective: Clear Space of Mandalorian Assets and help secure freedom for Eshan
Unity Fleet:

Spoiler

Mace Windu | Shields: 40% | Hull: 100%
Hermes | Shields: 0% | Hull: 0% (Destroyed by crashing into planet)
Piranha | Shields: 64% | Hull: 100%
Alabaster | Shields: 100% | Hull: 100%
Hawk | Shields: 100% | Hull: 100%
Khong | Shields: 100% | Hull: 100%
Galileo | Shields: 50% | Hull: 100%
Socrates | Shields: 0% | Hull: 98%
Liminal | Shields: 100% | Hull: 100%
Icarus | Shields: 40% | Hull: 100%
Prometheus | Shields: 100% | Hull: 100%

​

A call for help had gone out to their allies as the ragtag collection of ships fought for their very survival against the Mandalorian fleet which was determined to destroy them, finish the job they'd started with the Hermes so they could visit their anger on the planet's surface. The gaping hole left in the fleet's structure by the missing Star Destroyer. Normally, despite their smaller size, the twinned Star Destroyers John had originally deployed with would have been more than enough to deal with the threat that had wended its way into the heart of the fleet. However, alone the Piranha was utterly outclassed. Every fibre of his body urged John to press the attack, to have the Mace Windu continue its attacks on the Crusader-class ship, to press the advantage of range that the combat design held. However, there was no way for the Piranha to engage the Indomitable alone, or at least not survive the confrontation. John had hoped that maybe one or two cruisers might wend their way over to help to support him in the retreat as he tried to link up with the other confederacy commanders.

Boy had he underestimated his colleagues. No cruisers arrived to aid the beleaguered Unity Fleet, instead, three Star Destroyers had arrived to support them. With the additional ships, they had more than a fighting chance, no need for a retreat they could turn and actually take the fight back to the Mandalorians. For a moment, a brief moment he felt the weight of despair that had settled on his shoulders lift, as if it had been wrapped up on wings of Hope. He could feel the plans percolating around his head when he heard a cough behind him. John sank down into his chair, the weight of despair settling on him again as he turned to face the lieutenant at the tactical station, his face falling further at the loon on their face.

"Sir..."

"Don't tell me, I'm not actually seeing three Star Destroyers, it's three fighters right?"

"No sir, it's definitely three star destroyers."

John sank into his chair in relief. a relief shattered by the junior officer's next words.

"But, one of them has no shields, and the other one seems to have no weapons.

The sudden burst of hope John had felt seemed to be fading, but his new allies didn't seem to let any of these issues stop them or slow them down. They barreled ahead, straight at the Indomitable, unafraid and unwilling to look away, leaving a wake of escape pods and shuttles behind them. In the face of this bravery, how could John...no, how could Unity fleet not answer in turn.

Consoles sparked and shook as the next wave of the Mandalorian bombardment arrived, smashing into the shield of the fleet with an explosive force. It almost looked like fireworks exploding on the screen, it would have been peaceful if John didn't know the deadly power of each round. Glancing down at his screen the man bit down on his lip for a moment as he considered the options, he'd never admit it out loud, but he missed having Zeus around to bounce ideas off at a time like this.

"Ok...redirect the Alabaster and Hawk to collect any lifepods, both ships are to put full power to shields and bring their weapons offline," The artillery ships fight was done, the best thing they could do now was collect what survivors they could. "Our remaining ships will engage the Intomnibale with all weapons," with a Battlecruiser, a Star Destroyer and 3 cruisers adding to the firepower of the 3 new Star Destroyers John hoped they could take the ship down fast enough to be able to turn on the fleet bombarding them from a distance. It was just his fighters and bombers, in the kind of close quarters, fight they were headed into, they would be less than useless, or worse just fodder caught in the grinder. "Contact the wing commander and retask all Fang and Mantis attack craft to fall back to the planet and support our forces there." The freighters settling into the atmosphere stood out like a sore thumb, at the least his fighters would be able to prevent any more of them entering the atmosphere, or if they did manage it they could case them down and destroy them. "Have him find someone on the ground to coordinate with." This was the worst part, all he could do was sit and wait through the slug-fest and hope his ships came out on top in the end in one piece.

tldr;

Spoiler

Liminal: - Grav Well activated. Engaging Indomitable
Alabaster and Hawk retasked to pick up refugees, weapons offline and shields boosted.
Icarus and Prometheus defending Liminal
Mace Windu and Piranha firing all weapons on Indomitable
Khong, Galileo and Socrates returned to aid fleet and engaging Indomitable
Fang and Mantis attack craft dropping to planet to support forces, seconded to the control of [member="Allya Vi'Dreya"]

 

[Rhaegar Nemesis Dib]

Location: outskirts
Enemy: [member="Alkor Centaris"]
Objective: kill

His eyes watched Alkor make short work out of the debris thrown at him. His prowess and alertness was a testament to the man's abilities. The rage that fueled the darkside pulsing through him was like a bonfire on the darkest of nights. Blinding in it's power that was fearsome to see. For some, that is. The turncoat advanced with wrath, a lightsaber igniting and striking out.

Time slowed as the force ran through Rhaegar. The soft twitch of a smile on the face of an adversary. Smoke drifted across the battlefield obscuring the destruction that stretched out indiscriminately. Hissed words accompanied the attack which caused a soft retort.

"None."

The word was short and simple. It's meaning clear. The time for feelings of empathy and remorse had passed. It mattered not what existed between them, save for death at the other's hands. There would be nor quarter given, no mercy. The eyes of Alkor revealed these simple truths, and Rhaegar was more then happy to oblige.

The lightsaber tracked along it's course. Rhaegar turned his body slightly, left shoulder forward, as his left hand manipulated the cane. Pushing out with his left arm he would try to shove the blade away from his body with feet planted, driving himself forward, left shoulder on course to collide with Alkor's center, forehead flashing forward in an attempt at a Keldabe Kiss.

 

[Valdus Bral]

Location: Palace Foyer.
Objective: Defend the Palace from CIS invaders. Defeat Cardinal Vi'dreya and Voph [completed] . Help Azure Djitred load civilians into transports.
Allies: [member="Azure Djitred"]
Opponent: [member="Scherezade deWinter"] , @Cay-Yo , [member="Tathra Khaeus"] and any CIS player who is attempting to get to the Palace or disrupt evacuation proceedings.
Post: 13
Battle Theme: Carolus Rex - Sabaton

Spoiler

Valdus' visible eye squinted a bit at [member="Azure Djitred"] , though after a moment he realized what she meant when she referenced singing for him. Shaking his head, " The animals within the droids are blocking your magic. I will be fine." He stated firmly as if it was only a fact that he would be fine, after all he was Valdus Bral - THE Valdus Bral; master of nothing and no-one, once King of Eshan for all of about three minutes, and all around swell guy. His attention turned to the civilians who were being flanked by his soldiers in preparation for a mad dash to load up transports.

Then Azure and Valdus were joined in the foyer by the duo of CIS operatives. Valdus' numerous elite troops quickly raised their weapons in the direction of the two newest arrivals. Valdus raised his right hand, palm up and outwards facing the two. This was both a sign to hold fire for his troops as well as a halting gesture to the other two. With the drop of his hand he could riddle them both full of holes. " Spare me your arrogant and empty ramblings, woman. I've heard enough of them for today. As for what's happening outside, I've been told it's some third party that is striking down both Mandalorians and your soldiers. You came from outside recently, I have been dealing with your warriors in the Throne Room for the last several minutes - so you tell me." He looked down to the Gizka Knight, " You can keep your glory. My ancestors are smiling down upon me from Manda, can you say the same, Confederate?" His voice held all the contempt a mortal could muster, never insult the honor of a Mandalorian.

He then spoke at Scherezade and Cay-yo's direction but loud enough for his troops to hear them - the aforementioned ones that could fit through the side door that lead out of the front of the Palace, " Prepare the civilians for evacuation. Open fire on any who attempt to stop you." The senior most Warden spoke quickly after, " Yes, Al'verde [Commander]." Then they began to do so. The door opened and the rush of engines as well as explosions and cracking of debris from Tathra's Servitor's could be heard from above. Scherezade and Cay-yo could easily see the edges of several heavily armored troop transports landing on the shoreline, side hatches opening to accept the stream of the civilians now poring out of the side door being flanked with Valdus' militia forces. " Azure, stay with the civilians." His eyes never left Scherezade and Cay-yo - which was a feat as Cay-yo was almost beneath the Mandalorian's vision. "If you truly care for the safety of these people, then do not interfere."

Spoiler

MAIN FORCE: Assisting Civilians to the Transports besides the Super Heavy Units (R-36's, AT-AD's, etc.)
Commander: Valdus Bral
================
Troops:
M. Adv. Guard (12/12) [veteran shocktroop]
M. Adv. Guard (12/12) [veteran shocktroop]
--------------------
Elite:
M. Ram'ser (1/1) [elite recon sniper]
M. Wardens (11+1 Super H. Droid [12/12]) [elite point defense]
M. Wardens (11+1 Super H. Droid [12/12]) [elite point defense]
----------------------
Transport:
Beviin H. Transport (4/4) [heavy transport]
-----------------------------
49 Infantry, 4 Transports

RESERVE FORCE: Assisting the evacuation of the Palace.
=============
Troops:
Echani Militia (30/50) [Recruit Militia]
SLAM droids (25/25) [Trained Infantry]
---------------
75 infantry

REINFORCEMENTS 1st WAVE: Currently with Valdus Bral in the Foyer, rear guard for the evacuation.
================
AT-AD
AT-AD

REINFORCEMENTS 2ND WAVE:
=========================

Transport:
------------
LAAT/X

Elite:
-------
Devastator w/ dual AC-12's

Troops:
---------
8x SLaM droids

Support:
------------
10x Defense Droid - With Valdus Bral , securing the rear of the evacuation

FIGHTER WING: Covering the Transports as they land, also engaging Voph 's and any other CIS airborne targets directly over the Palace or engaging Palace based friendlies.
============
Fang Fighters (9/14)
ARC-170's (8/12)
Viper Interceptors (6/6)

 

[Ria Misrani]

Location: Outside the City of Eshan, Western Grasslands / Clearings
Objective: Get Out.
Allies: [member="Srina Talon"] | [member="Elessar Talon"] | [member="Spencer Jacobs"] | [member="Valencia Hadley"] | [member="Shia Kryze"]
Enemies: N/A

​

An i firn
(For the Dead)

"We- we surrender," the Mandalorian was remorseful, "we wanted to fight, but... to fight with honor. There... There is no honor here, or among the Mandalorians that follow the Infernal. What they are doing... is no better than the genocides committed by the Imperials, the Sith." Yet, they proclaimed themselves the heroes of the hour that here they were to supposedly help the Echani. Hollow words that fell silence at the sound of guns, at the horror of an orbital bombardment on an unsuspecting people. Tellu looked up them, their heads hung lowly as the awaited their fate.

She watched as a few wept, not something you would see from most Mandalorians. "You will serve on Monastery, you will help the people you harmed. I'll let the Protectors of the Confederacy determine your fate as Mandalorians, but as men and women this is what I ask."

It should be a life for a life, blood for blood - an eye for an eye, but look at where that has gotten the galaxy in the past. Tellu looked over her shoulder and cast a long glance over the horizon. Her body turned and she watched as transports and vehicles made their way from the Fortressa. "Now comes the time, for you Echani to decide you may come with me and my sister back to Monastery. Or, you may remain here - know that we will not fault you for staying with our home. Know that you shall have our backing in doing so, the arda... our Eshan will not be able to produce for several seasons."

Aeris placed a hand on her daughter's shoulder. "I know I said that we must go, but..."

Tellu took her mother's hand in her own. "Your place is here among our people, with the Queen."

"Na lelya, look how far you've come my little Tellu," her mother cried and pulled Tellu into a hug. "I love you, and Srina..." Aeris shut her eyes and through the Force, she pulled on the connection between her and her daughter. Her darling Srina and she whispered, "no matter how many moons have passed, know that I am with you. We are with you, Eshan is never far - you have but to look to the moon, my love."

Raihane reached out to Tellu, "go with our Goddess and lead our people well, guide them with duty and mercy just as they have guided you."

Viluy Aarina, the youngest daughter approached her sister and waited to give her a hug of her own. "Keep Srina safe, and be well."

Tellu shepherded the wounded, the sick and those who sought reunion with relatives on Monastery. Aeris and Aarina watched from a distance, helping people settle into their tents and get the help that they needed. In the morning they would move out to the Southern farmlands and onto Rîs Cenais or Queen City. It was the second largest city and rested on the opposite side of the content from Eshan City. Aid from the Confederacy in the form of troops, droids and other combatants proved helpful for the Echani as they were able to take back vital lands from the Mandalorians who served the Infernal.

While Tellu had wished that her family would return with her to Monastery. She knew in her heart that there could be no way that they would part with their home, and who could blame them? Eshan was all they knew still, it was not easy to leave them here under these conditions, but they were Talons and they would not break so easily. She sought to help her people, and help them she did for hope while frail, was hard to kill and miracles came in all sizes, whether it was just surviving today or living for tomorrow. It was hard to measure them and measure them Tellu would not.

All across Eshan, fighters like [member="Ajax Crowe"] represented the brutal will of the Echani and their refusal to submit. Then there were those like [member="Srina Talon"] who had returned to help their kin. Although the Mandalorians sought to distribute their propaganda of lies, from what Tellu could see... It fell on deaf ears. "Viceroy we have the Echani loaded up, what are we doing with them?"

The Confederacy pilot gestured toward the dar'mandas. "Set them in a different transport and take them to Ryloth for customs, and then have them brought back to Monastery."

Transports from [member="Joza Perl"]'s Heartbeat House Boutique arrived, along with ships from Naboo, Nelvaan, Shimia and other member worlds of the Confederacy. Food and supplies also arrived as the Fortressa stood to keep the orbital shipping lanes clear. Confederacy sky marshals soared across the haze that made the horizon, and as Tellu turned toward her family once more she gave them a small nod of acknowledgment. "We've got your shuttle to the Fortressa prepared, Viceroy." She nodded and walked toward the shuttle as the last of the Echani boarded the transport.

"Tellu!" Aeris rushed forward and handed Tellu something in her hand. "Take this, there is half for you and for Srina. It was once something that your father and I had, but this... this is yours now."

"Emel..."

Aeris would hear none of it, "I love you."

Tellu looked down at her hand and saw the gem in her hand. It was nothing to anyone else, but for the Talon family it was an heirloom handed down from mother to daughter and now it was Tellu's to share with Srina. The Viceroy looked out the viewport as Eshan grew smaller from view she sat back in the chair and studied the gem. It was said that it was the source of the Talon's power the cold, iceheart this was it. She looked out again over Eshan and her attention was drawn to the capital where proton torpedoes ripped what was left of the capital and her heart sank even further. Tellu closed her eyes and sighed, "the Goddess better have a miracle up her sleeve, we're gonna need it."

The shuttle entered the atmosphere and boosted through orbit.

White stars and the black void welcomed the shuttle and the sight of the Fortressa was a welcomed one.

- Fin -

[Character Exit]

​

 

[Azure Djitred]

OOC:​

​

Spoiler

Post: 8​

Location: Palace foyer, evacuating outside​

Allies: Cuddles the Rancor, Clans of Mandalore and our allies, [member="Valdus Bral"]​

Enemies: CIS and their allies, [member="Scherezade deWinter"] [member="Cay-Yo"]​

Objectives:​

Cuddles - Evacuate​

Azure - Evacuate​

​

Azure frowned in concern at Valdus, before sighing through her nose. "All right, whatever you say." When the two intruders arrived in the main hall, Azure turned towards them, sword at the ready. The woman seem overly confident, and Azure's face soured at her words. It was when the little one spoke, that Azure's face turned to disappointment. Once Valdus was done speaking, Azure shook her head. "I'm sorry, but you have been mislead if you believe we are here to cause war. I don't know about others within the Clans of Mandalore, but Valdus and I have intended to do nothing but protect the civilians in our care. Your forces attacked us first, and we have defended ourselves and these civilians."

Azure looked to Valdus as he gave orders, and nodded. "Of course." Azure helped herd the civilians through the door, as long as neither intruder stopped her or the civilians. If they were not stopped, Azure would follow the civilians out to the transports, and would help them board. She would stay off the ships, until every last civilian was boarded.

 

[Kier Grey]

Kyle Weir
Eshan Surface, Eshan City, Outskirt Suburbs
Nearby: [member="Alkor Centaris"] [member="Rhaegar Nemesis Dib"], [member="Ryndrae Talon"], [member="Naedira Darcrath"], [member="Lucien Rayne"]
Duel Music (Kyle PoV): Aviators - Paralyzed (feat. Lectro Dub) (Dance Rock)

Hazel eyes study each of the individuals with a keen scholarly gaze both brief and thorough. One voice, no doubt belonging to a woman rumbles a warning towards Kyle with a rumble and the Coruscant Security Force Sergeant smiled in a toothy grin unseen behind their metallic faceplate. "Centaris is in your Custody?" Kyle made the query although they didn't require or expect an answer for it, Darcath had already answered their question but it still left the ghost of surprise, the Sergeant muses outwardly in their metallic droid-like vocal distorter with a 'hmm' That came as a surprise, had such a fearsome Warlord as the mighty 'Warmaster' been taken by such an organisation? Kyle couldn't help but develop a mercurial sense of respect for the Confederacy in light of this revelation. Lowering their force-pike slightly showing an outward acceptance of the woman's suggestion. "Very well." Their voice's grin could be heard on the air. "Our Prosecutors will be in contact." It wasn't within Kyle's mandate to engage these soldiers over an arrest warrant in connection with an investigation regarding charges laid against Centaris back on Coruscant. In truth, the Coruscant Security Force Sergeant pondered if only for the briefest moment why the Confederacy hadn't already separated the man's head from his shoulders, had he not aggrieved them dearly in his time as a warlord? There were few who did not fall beneath the Mandalorians and their ambitions for warfare and conquest, Kyle thought wordlessly.

Kyle's eyes blink-clicked thenaggingaurebesh comlink rune, visibly pivoting helmeted head downwards. "Colonel, This is Sergeant Weir. Contact with Centaris. He's already in the Confederacy's Custody." Windows and structures began to softly rattle with a resonance that would have been barely detectable by a baseline Human, it is alarming although they gave no outward queues to suggest their disconcertion. Colonel Wilso in a distant shuttle presses finger against a device sitting in their ear canal connected to a uniform with navy blue plating. "Confederates? Damn it Sergeant, I don't want you going toe to toe with Confederate Troops over a damn arrest warrant, Sheev's black hood!" Colonel Wilso curses angrily, rubbing their gauntlet through a non-existent mane that had long since been absent from his glistening bald chrome dome. "I've said it once and I'll say it again. Get your arse out of there and move it, the whole city is coming apart we need to evacuate all personnel still on the world." A biting chill crawls up Kyle's spine prompting them to steadily turn, dread fell over their heart and mind like a heavy shadow with the comlink still broadcasting in a daze Kyle hallucinated a distant memory looking upon a caped giant who dwarfed even the former Death Trooper, the man in Kyle's vision wore a distinct helmet with a lightsabre hanging conspicuously from belt worn around hips. "Lord, Graush?" The man's voice cuts Kyle free of their hallucination, knives plunge into mind tic, tic, tic the pulses rip up through brain stem.

Casting their gaze skyward for a moment Kyle is visibly cowed by the fiery chunks of twisted tortured Durasteel falling from the sky heralding the arrival of a Star Destroyer ripping through the fertile Earth of Eshan moments later, a furious roar rips through the Earth the soil writhing and contorting beneath their very boots. The woman seemed to place her palms against the ferrocrete floor and prevent it from collapsing or breaking further even as the fissures splitting through Eshan's face threatened glibly to swallow them all whole. "Get the civvies out of here!" Suggestion is not present in their voice, it bit with a brutal metallic crunch. A scant few dozen meters from where they stand Rhaegar Dib made himself known. Clad in the garb of a Gentleman rather than a warrior, the sight left Kyle stunned. "Sir!" The stern albeit cordial warning comes from the Coruscant Security Force Officer. "This area is dangerous, you must evacuate immediately!" Not understanding the history between these men or grasping the fact that Rhaegar is some lord within the Mandalorian Empire, when Alkor lunges forward in direction of homicide with the disgusting encouragement of that Confederate woman towards what ostensibly seemed to be a civilian. "Centaris!?" Kyle bellows in a mix of authoritative frustration following behind Alkor in an astonishingly fast pace, barely an arms' length behind the wrath-possessed Outcast. Ghosting his shadow every step of a furious advance. "No!"

Their footing was ever-shifting yet even so Weir manages to continue holding pace with Alkor, reaching for his arm in an attempt to stop his mad fury. It was an exercise in futility, each time Kyle's left hand threatened to clasp around Centaris' arm the Earth fell or rose abruptly. One of the colossal walls of rough sharp rock Rhaegar flings smashes into Sergeant Weir, it splattered the Officer's limbs across a flat orange brick surface but by some miracle, they remain whole. Kyle did not make a single vocalisation of pain or fear, buried beneath several inches of reinforced concrete and brick, no natural thing could have survived such a hard impact from those materials and true enough the wall laid motionless and flush against the courtyard. Not a single droplet or sign of a smear of blood against the gray ferrocrete canvas could be seen. Kyle's eyelids are pursed shut tightly together, their facial muscles tick with a violent impulsiveness tic tic tic tic tic tic tic A voice echoed with pervasive malignancy through Weir's semi-conscious mind, belonging to a companion who had been with the Sergeant since their augmentation beneath the "Dead City" On Mephout. "Get up Child of Dosuun, Your duty is not done yet!" Amur's voice slivered like poison into the synapses of Kyle's mutilated nervous system, streams of crimson steadily flow down through the nostrils drilled through a vaguely aquiline nose. "Take that slaving bastards' head!"

Blood-stained Hazel Orbs shoot open teeth bare and growling with an unbridled fury palms press up against the sheet of concrete and brick laid over what should have been a crushed corpse. "Bathe the ground with the blood of the sinners, It's all that's left for you in this life." Kyle's right palm curls into a fist and strikes their sarcophagus with the force of an electrically-powered hammer, polymer bonded muscles energise smashing the brick what would have otherwise been a still sheet visibly rises in a deforming barely congruent wave. Amur's silver-toothed grin never ceases as its' host continued their mad bashing against what should have been their death. Finally, Kyle's right clenched fist punches through the wall rising high and defiant towards the ember and ash-filled sky, ending at the elbow, bending Kyle's palm presses against the wall and in a steady defiance of fate the Coruscant Security Force Sergeant broke their prison, flinging chunks of rocks away as one might throw a weighty thick blanket. Their armour battered, dented and broken contrasting to the straight-backed and proud undaunted warrior who wore it, an active burning force pike is held in a tight fist Kyle stepped out of their grave with a serious nonchalance their unseen face streaked with sanguine funnelled from brain to sinuses out through nostrils. Saying nothing, Kyle broke into a sprint silently they laughed like mad. Strands of spittle slip between their teeth dribbling down a bare hairless chin beneath their faceplate.

Amur glares at Rhaegar through the hollow windows in Kyle's skull, ignoring Colonel Wilso's protestations and demands for a report Its' tendrils reach into their strong hosts' physique their two wills becoming one in a perfect duet of furious intent. Steady rivers of stim-filled crimson blood ripple down over the Sergeant's armour like slow waterfalls, hardening and coagulating visibly stifling the risk of exsanguination from what should have been moral injuries. "It will take more than that to kill us." Again Kyle charged and this time the possessed Sergeant paid more keen attention to the debris hurled by Rhaegar, Alkor would have reached the man first but that didn't matter. Kyle would join the fray with no less ferocity than Alkor, compensating for his lack of Lightsabre training with their Teras Kasi instruction and strength comparable to a Gundark and yet move so fast that mere mortals couldn't have hoped to track each of their lightning-fast manoeuvres. Amur licks their silver sword-pointed teeth with red forked tongue, savouring every single violent impact and Kyle's skin perspiring to the drumbeat of an achingly slow heartbeat in the breast of a Gene-forged superhuman. "Yes, fold his spine like paper and drink the blood from his veins!" Amur demands of the wordless Kyle in a snarl, the three warriors' struggle something belonging in a saga their wills and bodies clash in a beautiful cacophony of loud violence each fighting as if caring nothing for their own lives. It had been the secret behind the Death Trooper's inability to perceive harmful pain stimulus or fear, instead, these sensations were replaced with addictive spirts of intense electro-chemical pleasure indulging in careless, guiltless fury.

Kyle's lungs finally howled out a long hearty stream of insane laughter under the amber light of a burning world beneath the gaze of Eshan's near-perfect albeit alien main sequence star. The reek of Kyle's acrid drug-addled adrenaline-drowned blood tanged on the air, withered limb muscles tense and twitch. Discipline won wars, fury won fights. Kyle's psychotic fury was one beyond reason or containment and so depthless it couldn't be countered their mind bleached by all caution, reason and mortal or moral instincts. Even as Rhaegar no doubt could have landed hits on the Sergeant, they always attacked and continued attacking and attacking never noticing the wounds and gashes in their armour like some possessed Berzerker from legend given life by Bio-Engineering. Kyle's annunciator screamed their hate towards Rhaegar for having injured them so callously, it is pure and beautifully simple, their mouth frothed in a panting manic fever desperately trying to have their force-pike bite into their prey's flesh fighting alongside although not in concert with the enraged Centaris. Even if Ryndrae joined them, the possessed warrior greets them with indifference even blinded in their bloodthirsty haze. Kyle was gone and in-place Amur, their psychotic persona fought and fought unbelievably ignoring the deep lacerations cast into their body first from the wall of concrete and a melee worthy of legend.

 

[Alkor Centaris]

Location: Eshan City Outskirts
Enemies: [member="Rhaegar Nemesis Dib"]
Objective: Kill.

His entire body rose with the blow, right foot passing behind his left as the other man turned into him. He threw his right elbow forward, changing the direction of the lightsaber hilt mildly. The blade glanced off of Rhaegar's parry, which shunted Alkor's lethal blow away as intended. Instead, the Dark Jedi ripped the beskar-plated back of his weapon across in front of his body.

As Rhaegar drove forward to tackle him, sent the dense hilt barreling toward his former Clan Brother's face. He had not intended it- he had expected to send it slamming into Rhaegar's chest in order to force him off balance- but this worked just as well.

The world behind them was background noise and blurred paint on canvas. Neither man saw anyone else not understood their words. [member="Kyle Whir"] followed closely behind Alkor on his ascent, and incidentally been collateral damage from Rhaegar's telekinetic onslaught. It was senseless violence, but neither Mandalorian nor Dar'manda could be convinced to care.

This was something beyond words or actions. It was instinct.

What Alkor did feel, what he could taste and feed on like a parasite, was the anger that the Death Trooper emanated into the Force. So close to someone who had been perverted and twisted into an unnatural shadow of their former self and with that inhuman rage flowing into his already vicious confluence of emotion, Alkor seized that power hungrily and made it his own.

There would be Beskar involved in Rhaegar's intended kiss- but it would not be quite as he intended.

 

[Rhaegar Nemesis Dib]

Location: outskirts
Enemy: [member="Alkor Centaris"]
Objective: new nose piercing
Involved: [member="Kyle Whir"]

Alkor reacted. A shift in footing and an alteration of arm, the elbow pulling in, which placed the man's lightaber hilt into the path of Rhaegar's face. Beskar bit into flesh at the unalterable course of the headbutt, the rigid and tappered hilt skipping across his cheek and breaking his nose with a sharp crack. Pain radiated in his face as a searing hot poker.

Moments like these were when men flinched. Retreated. Faltered.

Moments like these were when warriors pushed. Attacked. Rebelled.

Moments like these were when monsters did evil. Shocked. Awed.

The pain fed him, adrenaline pumping and feeding his already heightened abilities. The madness of the death trooper as he closed with the former clansman stoked the fires that built within Nemesis. The lancing strike invigorated him.

Exhaling heavily through his bent nose would send a spray of blood outward, Rhaegar seeking to momentarily blind his opponent, as he pressed closer still to Alkor. Simultaneously he gripped the cane with both hands to keep the lightsaber away from his body. Right hand slid a ways down the length as Rhaegar, hopefully using the second of blindness, to twist the handle of the cane with his left and draw it in a smooth motion, dragging the Sith sword across Alkor's midsection, edge seeking to bite deeply into hip joints.

Meanwhile Kyle attacked rabidly, his actions as he approached maddening and unpredictable. The force flowed through all things, the warriors, the ground, the very air that had grown choking with smoke, dust, and the faint scent of copper, a subtle reminder of the blood that flowed across the city.