Fighting to the Death--godkillers pt 2

[Ardgal Raxis]

Ardgal stood overlooking the holographic data read out. What was left of Courscant was largely tattered, not only from the Alliance's offensive but the ages of One Sith rule. The mecca of the galaxy was but a shimmer of its once magnificent glory. There was evil, there were horrific things to be had at every corner, nook, and cranny. Smoldering remains of the Sith power still lied within these ashes.

It was the perfect testing grounds for the first generation of god killers. Ardgal tapped his comm active, bringing it alive for the eight soldiers standing around him. For a man used to leading armies to battle in land wars, eight was a very small amount for him to bring with him. Some would look and be baffled, laugh even, perhaps. But he knew the sheer power of these godkillers, their ability to destroy all who opposed them--and more specifically Force users. They were the targets today and eight was all he needed. The names came alive on Ardgal's HUD:

--Mars
--Vulcanis
--Zeus
--Hercules
--Prometheus
--Dianna
--Athena
--Artemis

He looked to each of the soldiers with him, their names illuminated though the encrypted tags in their Matrix armor. The hunger in their eyes for blood shown, the same look he saw in them when he met them at first in Hell Camp.

He nodded, "You all know what to do. We have located the Sith Cultists in the remains of what was the Central Bank And Loan Disbursement Offices. We've uploaded maps to your HUD, and while there aren't any heavy defenses in place, this building is dangerous for structrual integerty. The power is off, so be careful and stay on your guard. These are force users. Remember your training and let's stay together." He shouldered his rifle and began leading them on foot through the trek to hot zone.

[member="Gray Raxis"].

 

[Ardgal Raxis]

The godkillers followed their lord through the wasteland of what was once Corouscant's glory. Battle scarred remains of buildings rose around them like carcasses of the past. Vagrant survivors who were either brave or desperate enough wandered the twilight. Within this realm of the living dead the sky was dense with clouds, overcast. It was difficult to tell if it was supposed to be night or day.

Gaunt, dirt stained faces peered in fear and awe at the armored warriors passing by. There was nothing they could do to stand against such armored and armed beings. Even in their days of the sith, such warriors did not walk the streets. They crouched hidden, behind burned out speeders, ravaged buildings, and mauled war machines. But the God of War was not here to fight them. He was also a God of Order and Society; he was here for their protection. Their Savior.

But perhaps it was not their appearance alone that frightened the others. Perhaps it was also their lack of resonance within the force. All nine of the warriors were force dead; Ardgal from being shaped and turned into a God by the Vong and these godkillers from the Amalgamation process. They were his children. The children of the Mortal God, made in his image.

They reached the edge of the walkway, it had been shattered during the cross fire of the war. Fifty feet of void stood between the strike team and their target.

 

[Ardgal Raxis]

"Kneel for your benediction," Ardgal offered his men with a wave of his hand.

The eight men and women around him lowered themselves to their knee, weapons resting by their side or on their knee.

"I did not come to bring war but peace," Ardgal began.

"But to us you give peace, not peace as the world brings, but peace as you see fit," said the two Sargents Mars and Artimis in unison.

"Do not pray that my will be done and my kingdom come on earth as in Manda."

"Will shall act to make it so," intoned Prometheus and Hercules.

"I will not lead you into temptation."

"For you are our deliverer from the evil ones," Zeus and Vulcanus chanted.

"Go therefore into all the worlds, doing all as I have commanded, making disciples."

"And you will be with us always, even to the end of the ages," finished Dianna and Athena.

Ardgal waved his hands upward and they rose together. He strode to the end of the platform, his rocket boots kicked on and began to carry him across the void. The other eight followed him in kind, their resolve strengthened with religious zeal.

 

[Ardgal Raxis]

Ardgal's boots touched down silently on the metallic platform with a soft clunk. The eight godkillers followed behind him shortly after. The Once grand structure that had once been an awe-inspiring bank entrance was hoveled before them. Both twenty foot tall doors had been battered in, the twin pillars on either side had been toppled into crumbling masses. Darkness stood beyond in the gaping void, a darkness that was clearly unnatural.

The god of war aimed down his rifle sights as he crept forward. With two blinks of his eye, he maxed his bio and heat scanners to their max. The data fed back into his brain through the cyborg implant in his optical lobe as he crept through the lobby. All of it fed into his mind, just like a second layer of vision, illuminating the world in whole new way.

Shattered glass covered stone flooring of what had been a once glorious mosiac. Now it was a cold, lifeless heath where dreams, hopes, and a world without mention had once been. Rotting, long dead bodies were splayed about the destruction in rampant death. Scans indicated they had been dead for quite some time.

"All clear my lord," Mars reported through their closed circuit comms. Though the god could tell his man was hungering for the chance to kill a Force user.

Prometheus and Hercules made their way from the door, where they had placed P-6 explosive packs, per the plan. Just in case.

 

[Ardgal Raxis]

Ardgal's scanners picked up fringe traces of heat in a trail-like set of steps on a winding stair past the receptionist desk. There was a 98% chance these had been committed in less than 1 minute, and a 94% chance it would lead them to the person who made those tracks, according to the threat analysis program.

Ardgal led the men up the stairs. He was careful to not make them creak, as best he could. He peered into the door, the trail went on further down the hall past the door. Ardgal studied it, careful to keep looking down his rifle. Something was still not right, he could feel it in the back of his mind as his subconscious tried to work it out.

A blade shot out where Ardgal's head had been miliseconds before. A being who had not been vong shaped would have died as the crimson saber hissed through the air where his neck had been.

"Forcie, we are live," Artimis barked.

Their silenced rifles hissed, sending several slug thrower rounds down range. The Sith who had cloaked herself in the Force by the door was fast enough to swat two of the shots away with her saber, but the second tore through her hip, its incinerary round exploding in her body. She would have cried out--except the fourth and fifth tore through her chest, vaporizing her lungs. The husk of a body collapsed on the ground.

"We got one, sir," Athena said with no small measure of pride.

"Yes," Ardgal agreed, "but they know we are here."

 

[Ardgal Raxis]

All hell suddenly broke loose. The roof of the lobby came crashing in amid a spray of plaster, duracrete, and dust. A dark-clad crimson saber weilding warrior arced to the ground, landing in a prepared battle stance. The stone flooring shattered as black leather clad woman leaped into the air, landing on her feet. In her hands, a dual crimson lightsaber hummed to life as her feet hit the ground.

"For up, now," Ardgal ordered, both of the Sith had landed next to each other in a prepared battle stance, each was covering the other's back. While it didn't make things impossible, it made it harder, "Mars, take your men and flank right. Artimis take yours and flank left. I will take center."

His troops fanned out, surrounding the duo. They were careful to stay well out of lightsaber range. Both of the Sith were covered from all angels, and they could see it staring down the nine rifle barrels. They both circled, shifting and looking for a weakness. Their eyes bore the desperation of caged animals and this message; they had greatly underestimated their attackers.

 

[Ardgal Raxis]

As the duo turned in their cage, Ardgal's scanners in his helmet got a good look at their faces. Facial recognition software in his brain implant recognized them Lord Shimma and Lord Byridus. Both had committed atrocities unspeakable against the common civilians, with more war crimes than most beings knew could exist. Shimma had a reputation of toying and experimenting with her enemies before ending their lives. Byridus was a known for his love of sucking life out of his victims--slowly.

"I am Ardgal Raxis," the general said at last, his voice rang across the room with authority, clarity, and justified anger, "I have weighed your hearts and found them lacking. The punishment for your crimes, past and present, is death."

On cue, the godkillers unleashed their assault at once. Prometheus let the flame thrower he gripped in his hands unleash a rolling cone of fire, Mars to his right let his slug thrower's rifle with incinerary rounds give a pair of precise shots each with a crack, aimed at Byridus' head and shin. Against Shimma, Vucalnis and Artemis mirrored the assault. Zeus and Dianna's sonic rifles sighed on their waists, letting out a single shot each that literally screamed through the air. Hercules and Athena each tossed a sonic grenade that detonated on impact behind the pair.

At first the Sith lords tried to hold their ground, erecting Force Sheilds. Battles, firefights, in reality were so short. But when they came to superbeings that could call on esoteric powers to speed and strengthen them, it was even faster. It took another being, one with superhuman speed to perceive it. In the miliseconds of fire, bullets, and sonic rifles, Ardgal watched them as their force shields glowed with each hit, shattering a the grenades detonated. Groping for survival, they stumbled for a moment, recovered, and leaped out of the circle barely in time.

 

[Ardgal Raxis]

Lord Shimma landed right behind Ardgal. The general spun on his heel, his blade springing to his hand in a wide slash. The woman recoiled, barely able to move out of its razor edge in time.

"Squad on me to the general, Artemis take the man," Mars barked, he did outrank her--but barely.

The Sith retaliated with a cruel slice at Ardgal's ribs, the general blocked the blade on the back of his hand. Her eyes locked on his for a fraction of a second, widening in terror.

"Yeah," he said, "Phrik."

Prometheus was suddenly on Ardgal's right flank, his flame thrower sent out another superheated charge of fire, and the woman barely was able to backflip out of the way. Mars pressed the advantage, screaming two obscenities with a trio of bullets. Her senses were slowing as she struggled to side step the first, shield from the second--the third tore into her bicep, exploding in a fire of heat. She clutched it, tears of pain welled in her eyes. "Nnnnngh, feth you common swine, I will not be beaten-"

She didn't have time to finish her statement before she had to backpedal again from two more slug thrower rounds from Hercules and Zeus.

 

[Ardgal Raxis]

On the other side of the room, Lord Byridus watched with delight as the four Godkillers moved towards him. They weren't rushing, they were stalking cautiously, prepared for his attacks. Arrogance shimmered in his eyes, filling the air around him in a visible flowing cloud of darkness. "You've almost made me work up a sweat," his eyes shifted from one to the other, trying to incite as much fear as he could in them, "Good thing I have a cure for that."

His free hand stretched out in the crooked claw of Sith symbols. Through the Force he reached to Artemis--and felt nothing. His lips curled in a scowl of puzzlement as he tried again, reaching harder. Nothing. He turned to another, then another--nothing, "What the feth?"

"Force dead," Artemis said proudly, jutting the chin of her helmet at him, "now shut up so we can kill you."

Byridus waved his hand with a broad sweeping gesture, redirecting Vulcanis' flames away into the wall, it shook the ceiling causing several chunks of duracrete to come clattering to the ground. Dianna jumped out of the way to avoid getting crushed. Artemis gave a shot at Byridus' chest as Athena shot at his stomach, a planned attack they had drilled during hell camp. Byridus managed to twist around, barely dodging both as they cut holes into his flowing black robes.

 

[Ardgal Raxis]

"She is too strong," Ardgal said as Shimma backed away from another set of slug thrower volleys, "But she is weak. On me, men, I will draw her fire, we are cutting her down. Prometheus, cover us with fire."

"With pleasure," Mars agreed.

The pyromaniac let his golden flames flow in a line, Shimma retreated, running from it towards one of the walls. Ardgal charged towards her, from the opposite direction, Mars on his left, Zeus hung back behind the wall of fire. Ardgal's blade came down in a heavy crash she was barely able to block with her weakened arm. Mars didn't bother with the vital parts, he rammed his gauntlet into her damaged bicep. Shimma stifled a scream, countering with a wild slash at Mars' head. The warrior ducked under the attack, Ardgal blocked its cross cut that left her right side wide open. Rising up, Mars brought his fist up in a heavy haymaker--barely missing the center of her jaw, but still connecting.

Shimma reeled back, covering herself with blind and chaotic slashes. Ardgal hung back, circling to one side, Mars to the other. Shimma panted, at least she had the fire to her back and only had two fronts to worry about. The general tested her range, moving in, then out quickly as she jabbed at his hips. Mars seized the moment and brought his elbow around in a skull-rattling blow. Shimma stumbled forward, blacking out from the blow--long enough for Zeus to emerge from the flames, kicking her forward on her knees.

 

[Ardgal Raxis]

Byridus' twist finished and he followed up with a toss from his lightsaber at Vulcanis. The warrior dodged most of the blade, but the tip still cut a thin slice along his shoulder.

"Press, now, now, now!" Artemis shouted, her troops knew what she meant as she let a salvo of shots down range.

The Sith Lord erected a barrier against it that stood strong still as Dianna's sonic rifle battered him. Athena's rounds began to break it down further, Byridus' face tightened as he struggled to maintain concentration. Artemis took steps closer as she emptied her clip, the explosive rounds lighting his crimson bubble of energy like a firework show. Her barrel finally came pressed against the energy shield, he smirked haughtily, "Your out of bullets."

She brought the butt of her rifle around in a bone-breaking swipe that only a bio engineered being could produce. The shield shattered under her assault, "Your right," she admitted flourishing the frag in her off hand, pin removed, "But not grenades."

She dropped it as her rocket boots roared to life, it detonated right in front of his feet. The shockwave reverbrated through her armor and bones, rattling her teeth in that uncomfortable feeling that made her nose tickle.

 

[Ardgal Raxis]

Shimma flet her body buckle under the stomp from Mars' boot. Her shoulders strained, threatening to dislocate under the attack. She felt a few ligaments snap and her armor protested. It wasn't designed for this kind of warfare. This kind of conflict.

She flicked her lightsaber, buying her enogh space to scramble to her feet. Her eyes flicked from her three opponents, trying to be warry of each one. But even still they were a safety against the maniac with the flame thrower. The only thing keeping her from being burned into the unlife. Ardgal could see the look in her eyes; a face determined to take as many into the grave with them as possible. She was even more dangerous this way than not.

Shimma lashed out, her blade arcing at Hercules and Mars in a two pronged attack, both recoiled just in time to avoid the crimson weapon. Ardgal swept at her legs, she stumbled forward, struggling to maintain her balance. Zeus saw his opening and took it. His rifle fired, shattering her left femur with an explosive round. Ardgal took a step back to let his men work. To let their training take over.

She collapsed on her knee. Mars attacked from one side, only to recoil to avoid her blade. Hercules struck from then other side, his fist breaking her jaw with a sickening crack. In her pain she lashed out blindly, but Zeus gripped her hand, stopping it in mid swing. Mars leaped into the air, his fist came down on the forearm next to Zeus's hand. Her radial ulna cracked in two. She gave a desperate headbutt against his breastplate. The warrior took half a step back, but blood streamed from her forehead, matting her sweaty hair.

"Finish it," Ardgal ordered. She was weak enough. They had battered her down to next to nothing.

 

[Ardgal Raxis]

The explosion of Artemis' grenade dissipated, the mangled form of the Sith lord stood there. He had somehow managed to stop most of the damage, but still blood poured from several spots on his body. Her HUD scanners indicated that his heart was at an elevated level, his body heat was high. They were breaking this Sith Lord, wearing him down--slowly. Lord Byridus swept his hand wide, hurrling a chunk of duracrete at Dianna with his Telekinesis. The woman caught it in her free hand, twisting and tossing it at Athena. Athena swatted it high in the air, like a volley ball, "Artemis, set."

The Sargent twisted in the air, bringing both her fists down on the boulder with all her might, "Spike!"

The projectile screamed through the air, Byridus twisted his lightsaber around, managing to catch most of it. Sharp end still carved around, cutting his shoulder in a flesh wound. Vulcanis leaped into the air, spraying a cover of fire hot on the heels of the duracrete chunk. His rocket boots began to carry him higher up. The Sith Lord jutted his free hand out with a cocky grin, absorbing it all with Tuntimis. Artemis smirked. He thought he was so cleaver with his mystic powers. She deactivated her rocket boots, plumetting strait at his head, she wanted to see how well they could handle 400 lbs of warrior, armor, and gear.

"Artemis, stop, are you crazy?" Dianna shouted.

Artemis felt Vulcanis' flames lick her armor as she crashed down boot first on the man's body. He held up pretty good--for a mortal.

 

[Ardgal Raxis]

"With pleasure, sir," Mars agreed, a jagged blade jutted from his gauntlet.

Shimma's eyes widdened, as much as the could swelling up from her headbutt on Zeus' breastplate. She tugged against Zeus's hand trying to free herself, but there wasn't much she could do with the broken forearm. Hercules gripped her other arm and shoulder, pinning her there, upright facing Mars. Her face hardened to defiance as he stood there before her. Ardgal couldn't help but wonder for a moment what the man was thinking, standing there waiting. It was a tactical error, the sooner they dispatched her the sooner the threat was eliminated and the sooner they could help Artemis finish up the other.

"I am not going to beg for my life if that is what you want," Shimma spat, her voice barely articulate from her broken jaw. "You might as well kill me now. I will never bow, cave or plead."

Mars removed his helmet, its airseal lock disengaged with a familiar hiss. He looked older than several of the other recruits, in his late thirties. A trimmed goatee lined is face, but still premature flecks of white and grey were intermixed with his raven hair.

"My real name is Janson," he began, "Janson Raquel. I served in your army, forced into conscription under the One Sith until I deserted."

"Coward," Shimma managed.

The sargent backfisted, her, slapping her into silence, a fresh trail of blood ran down her lip.

"I left for my wife," he shouted, "She was dying, I had to see her one last time! And in return you killed my family. You killed my son, my only son, my mother, my father, brothers--everyone I ever loved!" His roar echoed with the rage of a lion as tears streamed down his hardened face, "For what? To send a message? To show what happens to those who desert?"

"We only do that to spec ops-" A moment of realization crossed her battered face. For a woman about to die, Ardgal had to admit she had a lot of panache. She smiled knowingly, 'I killed them all. Personally," a hideous laugh gargled from what was left of her wheezing lungs, "You would be ashamed of your son. The way he cried, whined and begged for his life. I am glad I killed him, he was--"

Mars' fist flashed, cutting her sentence short. Her body collapsed in a heap, he glared down at it with burning pain and hate, "Go to hell, queen."

 

[Ardgal Raxis]

Another time Ardgal would have comforted Mars. But this was war. They were in a hot zone, taking on a Sith Lord and if he didn't move in soon while they had the surprise, Artemis and her squad could die. "Mars, snap out of it, we need to re-enforce Artemis. Prometheus, try to sneak around his back, when you are clear, burn him down. The rest of you, on me. Full charge."

Mars reattached his helmet. Magazines were quickly changed out--then they charged at them. Artemis had landed on Byridus' left leg, apparently breaking it in several points. He grabbed her by the throat, amid the fire around them, pulling his bade back for the final strike. Dianna fired a sonic round that reverberated through his arm holding her. Ardgal's bio readings indicated the massive tissue damage of the muscle and tendon fibers. Byridus released her, his nerves deadened and backpedaled as much as his damaged leg would allow--in time to see Mars' squad move into the perimeter position alongside the others.

'Took you long enough," Artemis growled, "I was starting to wonder if you had a victory song before you wanted to check in on us."

"Enough talk, more kill," Hercules growled, firing shots at their enemy. One tore through his good foot, planting him where he stood.

"Yes, more," Zeus agreed before his sonic rifle ripped through Byridus' rotator cuff. D

The Sith Lord clattered back, into the arms of Prometheus. He looked up into the warrior's helmet for a fraction of a second, his perception slowed by the pain.

"See you in hell," Prometheus growled before burning the Byridus to ash.