Fool Me Once - TSE Dominion of Rychel

[Sith Supremacy]

Disturbing news have reached the ears of the Sith Empire.

There is a recent power that scares even the most battle-hardened of the Yuuzhan Vong. Subjects in interrogation have not yielded much useful information concerning its nature. Their unwillingness and inability to discuss it, even under torture, suggests these Vong themselves do not know the nature of this new power in the outer rim. The only thing they could say, was where they would not go:

Rychel - That is where we must venture.

A dry world of little importance, Rychel had existed at the borders of the Sith Empire and their neighbours for some time, enjoying the peace that comes from its insignificance. However, peace is a lie, and the Sith Empire must discover the source of this terror that threatens our Yuuzhan Vong warriors.

The Sith Armada have begun their blockade. Their initial scans and orbital photographs have identified several Yuuzhan Vong settlements bearing unfamiliar marks, taking over the mining and moisture-farming settlements around the planet. These elements are presumed to be rogue and opposed to our glorious Empire. Most of them are congregated in one location, which SIFIA assumes to be their base of operations. Saaraishash agents were able to pull a blueprint of the station from old Primeval archives. While it should be reasonably accurate in terms of layout, they cannot begin to predict what one may find inside.

The suggestion of orbital bombardment and pinpoint strikes have been floated, but the structure is shielded and the Diarchy would like to know what these rogue Yuuzhan Vong are hiding from the Empire.

We must learn what they are hiding, what strikes this fear into our own Vong elements.

Some of our Sith and a large contingent of our troops will lead the Imperial Legion to victory and control of the planet, defeating these rogue Vong elements on the battlefields and in their ramshackle homes, drawing them away from their base and establishing secure landing zones on Rychel.

Others will be assaulting the main base, and this is where the battle will be the hardest. The structure shows a high count of life-forms and many other strange readings. Those who delve into the structure will have a threefold mission:

1. Destroy all hostile elements, meet opposition with extreme prejudice.
2. Collect unknown Yuuzhan Vong technology for our own shapers to study and perfect.
3. Find the source of the Vong terror underneath their base of operations. Discover its true nature and take samples for our scientists and shapers to study.

Glory to the Sith Empire, glory to the Dark Lord and the Sith Empress. Let nothing stand in your way.

​

Spoiler: Objectives

Dominion objectives:

• Attack and eradicate the rogue Yuuzhan Vong elements on Rychel. Gather unknown Vong weapons for our own shapers.
• Delve into the rogue Vong’s main base and find out what new power they have developed that terrifies our own Vong elements. Take samples and bring them back to the Empire for further study.

Spoiler: Map

Spoiler: Tags

Ingrid L'lerim
Ardana Vorco
Arctus Silmar
Lark
Pom Stych Tivé
Darth Carnifex
Iasha Rha
Teresa Pelles | Darth Pellax
Gunnr Zambrano
Vigdis Zambrano
Thaelius
Alejandro Chadian
Skorvek
Vandra Zambrano
TE-236
Gnox the Insatiable
Varzali Khorza
Other Space Kaiden

 

[Gnox the Insatiable]

​

Objective: One
Tags: Lark Darth Strosius

Large, clawed fingers rapped upon steel. They had been for hours, and the well worn groves only grew deeper with each addition wave of fresh taps. To say he was impatient would be an understatement. His mouth was wet with a new appetite, one that hadn't occurred to him before. The Vong did not exist in his time before he was sealed away. Even now he hadn't noticed those force dead beings. The fact they didn't exist in the Force had spared them of his unyielding hunger, which desired those truly gifted above all else.

Now he knew them. How did they taste? How much could he consume? If they were dead to the Force, did they truly have a soul for him to devour? Too many questions he needed answers to. But first, he had to wait. Had to be patient. He'd eat that word if it was possible. The only thing stopping him from sating his hunger now was the vacuum of space, and even he couldn't survive in that for long. Worse still, he was to lead troops and other Sith? That would only delay the feast longer, and that only made him hungrier.

The behemoth's gaze turned to those who were to follow him into battle. A pair of acolytes. Perhaps he should invest in teaching these newer souls. Perhaps he might, if they weren't consumed themselves. A guttural and annoyed growl escaped him as he tore his gaze back to the approaching world. "Your names, Sithlings?"

 

[Darth Strosius]

Objective One
Gnox the Insatiable / Lark

Outwardly the acolyte seemed calm, introspective even, as he stared at the planet that they were soon to conquer. Rychel, currently in the clutches of some alien species that he had never heard of until the briefing for the assault that they would take part in. Speaking of new aliens, inwardly his thoughts kept being interrupted by the sound of steel being clawed away every few seconds. Still, he wasn't exactly going to complain to the owner of said claws; he much preferred to keep his organs right where they were.

Alisteri turned to his superior for the assault, bowing his head respectfully. "Haxim, my lord." Truth be told he was rather wary of his allies at the moment. His superior looked as if he could rend the acolyte's head from his shoulders with but one stretch, and the other acolyte had been one of his opponents not all that long ago on Korriban.

He could still feel the bruise on his side from where a flying rock had hit him.

Yet he did his best to not display his feelings on the situation, thankfully his mask helped him in that regard. However, his remaining eye twitched every time he shifted in his uncomfortable seat. He almost pitied the troopers for having to sit in these accursed seats. As his gaze returned to the planet that they sped towards, his only hope was that this ship could go faster.

 

[Salamander]

Objectives: II and III
Location: Medical Lab/Storage

There was a plant growing in the medical lab. Scratch that—given that this was a Vong lab, it was chock full of organisms that could be described as plants. All of the tools and devices were organic. Sutures made from the pincers of insectoids. Sinewy vines serving as restraints. The usual array of villips and yammosks for communication, monitoring and management.

But back to the plant. Its dark green leaves were waxy, and it bore a single large white flower in full bloom. While Messala examined the lab, his gaze kept drifting back to those pale petals like fair fingers curled around the spiky yellow heart at its center. And the smell—no perfume could compete with it. The heavenly fragrance hit him even through the mask, and no amount of dilution could soften its beauty.

Finally, his initial inspection completed, he gestured for the small army of scientists and scientists' assistants to begin their work. They filed into the room single file, datapads and other doodads in hand, and commenced cataloging everything they could find.

Meanwhile, Messala was drawn to the plant. Cupping gauntleted hands around the bloom, with a swift jerk of his wrists he plucked it from the vine. "Can anyone tell me what type of flower this is?" he asked, twirling the severed stem between two fingers.

"It isn't a flower, sir," a young scientist with a wobbly voice answered. "At least, not technically. The petals are really just modified leaves."

"Isn't that the case with all flowers? Petals are just modified leaves no matter what."

"Yes, well..."

Messala stared at him, waiting for the kid to actually answer his question. After a moment's helpless hesitation, the youth blurted, "It's a sylarat, sir."

"Never heard of it. Which is odd, given how much I appreciate Vong biotechnology." He turned his back on the others, sniffing the bloom. "It isn't biotechnology, is it?"

"No, sir. It's a very old plant. One of the oldest in existence preserved from the original Vong homeworld. It is notable in that they did nothing to alter it."

"Not much reason to," Messala murmured. "It's quite lovely as-is. Mmm. Even during their warlike days, the Vong must have loved these. They're not poisonous, are they?"

"No, sir." The youth winced at the sound of armored plates shifting, the image of the spaulders sliding across Messala's back too reminiscent of bloody muscles flexing. Messala had raised the front of his helmet, and when he turned his head, the kid caught a brief glance of a white leaf-petal disappearing behind yellowed fangs. "It... it has several known medicinal properties, however, including a soother for a sore throat."

"I still would've eaten it anyway." Messala popped another leaf-petal into his mouth, shredding it thoughtfully. "I'm part goat, after all. We'll eat anything. All right, you can run along now. No need to stand there shaking in your boots."

"Thank you, sir."

"No problem, boss."

 

[Scion of Darkness]

​

Hood drawn over their face, the figure watched as each piece on the chessboard maneuvered into position. There was little error in the prediction of their movements, the slightest margin of variance. Waving a hand over the tranquil watery surface, the image shifted to that of the Legionnaires and their commanders as they sat in stoic silence, the red cabin lights transforming their grim faces into grotesque parodies.​

​

Another wave of the hand and the scene again shifted.​

​

This time the waters transformed to show the vision of a hulking monster, rippling muscle and sinew disguised by matted black fur. Unmistakable was Gnox the Insatiable, the scion of the hungering dark. The watchful being could sense his voracious greed from even here, far beyond the margin of what was to become a slaughter field. No doubt the poor unfortunate Sith who were forced to occupy the same cabin as the gargantuan Shistavanen felt as if they could end up Gnox's next meal if they were not careful.​

​

The being would have found it amusing if it could feel anything at all, instead, it waved its hand and shifted the image yet again.​

​

Now it gazed upon their destination, the rogue Yuuzhan Vong outpost. It was unremarkable, but the exterior belied the possible importance of what was lurking within. The being could see several Yuuzhan Vong warriors about the facility, though they could not sense them. ​

​

Another wave and the image disappeared completely, the waters lifeless and still.​

​

Walking away, the being disappeared through a doorway and later reappeared in a small hangar bay. A single ship sat docked, suspended by grappling arms with a boarding ladder pushed up against its hull. The figure climbed up the ladder, situated themselves within the cockpit, and went through all of the pre-flight checks. A minute later, the ship disengaged from the grappling arms, pivoted in the hangar, and took flight out into the empty void of space.​

​

In the far distance was Rychel, wreathed by the Sith Armada.​

​

The ship silently began its approach to the planet's surface.​

 

[Lark]

Lark couldn't help but give a bemused smirk as Gnox the Insatiable continued to tear into the metal, the beast had been at it since they boarded the shuttle taking them to Rychel. There were so many groves in so many different places it was almost as if the Sith Lord was passing the time by turning the shuttle into some primal, abstract art. Lark could sense the brute's insatiable hunger gnawing away at him, the literal need to consume and devour the Yuuzhan Vong. For what purpose, he couldn't hazard a guess.

In many ways, Lark's own hunger matched the bestial creature. But his hunger would not be satiated by flesh and blood of the Yuuzhan Vong, but the secrets they held would bring a sense of nourishment. What was it that caused them so much terror? How was it the Force couldn't detect them, or even harm them? They existed outside of the influence of the Force, which should be impossible. And yet those extra-galactic beings were proof that this was not so. If their existence, origins, and abilities were unknowable, that only made Lark's desire for the truth stronger.

Lark gave a friendly nod to Darth Strosius after Gnox's question, it was nice to put a name to the mask. The two had dueled recently on Korriban, and though they had been opponents then Lark had never been one to hold a grudge. The young man lacked experience, but he showed tremendous potential. No better way to test oneself than by warring against one of the most savage threats the galaxy had ever faced.

"And I'm Lark," he said amiably as the ship broke through the atmosphere. Deserts and canyons sprawled beneath them, a beautiful backdrop for the ensuing carnage. Soldiers readied themselves as the shuttle landed, final preparations were made and orders were finalized. But Lark was detached from all the bustling anticipation.

The covetous acolyte beamed, intoxicated on the thought of what mystifying horrors the Yuuzhan Vong kept secret.

 

[Gnox the Insatiable]

​

Objective: One
Tags: Lark Darth Strosius

"Haxim. Lark." He repeated the names much like someone would order from a menu. All at one his tapping ceased as he stood tall. A desert world. Barren. Beautiful. The creatures here know hunger. He'll fit right in. Gnox turned his gaze to the pair of acolytes. No, they wouldn't need to be feed upon, not yet at least. And, if they got stronger, would they end up more filling? An interesting experiment, at least for himself. They might not like the results, if they did turn out to be tastier than they would be now.

"Do you know how to kill something that is dead to the Force, with the Force?" The behemoth stepped past them, his claws flexing as the anticipation built up inside him. Inside his muscles. Inside his stomach. The hunger was always there, always wanting. There was only one thing in this galaxy and beyond that could pull his attention from it, and he sensed it. Just for a moment. The eyes, hidden in the darkness, watching him. For the briefest moment his gaze turned to where the Voice of Darkness was watching. A silent acknowledgement to the power he willingly served.

Deep, guttural growls and yips escaped his maw. An old tongue from his world, before it was destroyed.

" T̼̭͙͠h̲͡e̪͇ ̟̩̳͙͍fi͖̣̪͉͖ͅŕ̝̮̼̥̣͕̦s̞̰̞͞t̙ ̩̹͠g̭͞i̮͉f҉̰̞͇̹̳̠̻t̮͙ͅ ̱͇̕i̥̘̫̺̼̱̠s ̵h͈̳̮͎u͕͓̪̖̯ṇ̵̤̙̘̥g͙e̞̕r̹̣͙̜̜͟.̹͟ ͙̫͖͢I̛̝͖͖̟͈t͇͙͡ ̭̱̤̫͝i͕̥̞s̶͚̱̠̻̝̤̙ ̧̖H̝̪͕̮i͖̳̙̫̳s ̵̙b̮̜̻̯̦̮l͡es̨si̯n̙͕̙̟g̠̯̭̤."

He stepped to the exit ramp of this shuttle just as it touched down, gazing upon the dry landscape as it was slowly revealed by the lowering ramp.

"Learn quickly. I will not keep you alive." As he spoke blasterfire erupted around him, from the troops quickly rushing out. And from the Vong mounting their resistance. One bolt slammed into the beast's face, but he didn't seem phased. He turned back to glare at the two acolytes, his flesh charred. The bolt melted flesh, revealing his wicked fangs that were hidden under his cheek. And slowly, his flesh knit back together.

"Survive, and you will grow strong." Then he was gone. A cackling, howling war cry echoed over the gunfire and shouts of battle. Gnox tore across the cracked ground, his claws ripping into dirt and stone alike to propel him forward. Faster and faster until he met his first target. He could not feel them in the Force, but he could smell them. Bolts ripped into his body, trying to stop him, bring him down. But they couldn't. He leapt upon the first, who hadn't even realized he had so rapidly approached.

His blood was tasteless, but it was filling none the less. The beast of war ripped his throat out, draining his life, his very essence. Fresh wounds healed, knitting together as the unnatural darkness that kept him alive and hungry showed it's hand. Another series of growls and yips roared out as he continued forward on his slaughter.

"T̖̬̮h͎r̗̰͎͍͝o͉̰͞u̼̞͍͜g͝h ̡͓̻̲͉̱̘̰m̰e̶,͎̤̭ ̗͕̗Ḩ̻̥͙̖̭e̳̗̝͚ ̨͖̘͖͈̹̘s͈͇̠͚̠͖h͚a̯̻̜l̯̞̜̰̟̘l̺̲ ̵̪̤̝̗̱f̷̳͖̥̭͚͕ͅe̞̹͎ͅa̜͉͡ş̠͖̮̼̳̺̣t̩̞̪̱̩!"

 

[Darth Strosius]

Objective One

The acolyte suppressed the urge to stare at the Sith with incredulity. Gnox the Insatiable was by far the most beastly ally he had ever encountered, not even the odd alien slaves back on Kessel were so ferocious. Wookies included. Nonetheless a part of him was relieved to be fighting with said Sith, as Alisteri could hardly take too many hits himself.

If nothing else, he got to follow someone powerful to a good death today.

He returned the nod to Lark , silently wishing the other acolyte some form of luck. May the Force guide them all to victory against these Vong creatures. Soon they would land, he could tell by the attitude in the shuttle.

He was ready.

Although he did not reply verbally to his superior, he did tilt his head in confusion at the question. He had no answer, killing anything with the Force wasn't exactly his strong suit regardless of whether they were dead to the Force or not. He had to admit though, as he examined his lightsaber for the final time before they landed, that he was eager to learn the answer to that question.

Alisteri sprung out of his seat the moment the exit ramp hit the ground, his weapon clasped in his right hand as he watched his superior step out of the shuttle. His look of horror at the other Sith's seemingly lack of care that he had just taken a shot straight to the face lasted only a few seconds; shaking his head to clear his thoughts as he ignited his saber and leapt out of the shuttle.

He glanced back at the other acolyte and nodded in respect. "I wish you luck, fellow Sith."

With that he charged into the fray alongside one of the squads from the shuttle, doing his best to try and block whatever was fired their way as he followed them to the nearest cover. Today was his first taste of real battle, and if his fellow Sith were anything to go off of; he was about to get his fill of it.

 

[Milou Ishkal]

Voice in the Wall​

Thrown into the deep. Just herself and three other fresh-faced acolytes, saddled up with the task of bringing back any and all technology they could find. Hostiles were to be dealt with, of course.

How terribly exciting.

Milou felt their fear. They knew most, if not all of them would die. That was the intention, no doubt. The weak were culled, the strong would succeed. The cornerstone of Sith philosophy. And yet, all three of them kept complaining about how unfair it all was. Insufferable. She had half a mind to leave them behind and move forward by herself, but she supposed they could act as brilliant distractions when the situation called for it. The woman herself, of course, remained silent. She didn't waste words.

Their objective was to get to the sub-level lift. They had managed to push their way to the north door without too much trouble, but this was where things were going to become much more difficult. Two stood on each side of the door, and at the signal of one, the rest followed up in a combined application of the Force to get it open. Behind it waited Yuuzan Vong forces, and they didn't take too kindly to trespassers.

The three other acolytes were quickly in their sights, and targeted by a barrage of weapons fire. Milou was never noticed, not until it was too late. In the heat of conflict she had managed to quickly jump up to the rafters, with a little help of the Force, and while the hostiles were distracted by her 'allies', she simply snuck past and into Security.

Turns out they had been useful, after all.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Objective II

"Fascinating," she mumbled, looking over the latest samples brought in from the expedition. She normally didn't study Yuuzhan Vong, it had been decades since she had dabbled with crossbreeding crystals and slave seeds. Back during the One Sith days, when she was still an aspiring Knight trying to make her name known and her Master proud. Now... well she had gone leaps and bounds beyond that.

She was working separately from the Vong shapers as she much preferred to work with her own scientists and alchemists, but she was making sure data would be shared with them as they made breakthroughs. Which led her to her present state, bending over a microscope as much as her pregnant belly would let her, observing the Vong sample reacting to the latest stimulation.

She wasn't as sure about Vong DNA, it was so different from original galactic, but there something that seemed a little off. Some of their specimens were more violent than usual, more protective. Territorial. She did love a good mystery, and she had been sure to check for any of the little devices that Voracitos had made to possibly explain the behavior. But they hadn't witnessed cannibalism yet, so that was ruled out.

 

[Other Space Kaiden]

Objective I & III

Weakness. He could smell it. An oily noisome that oozed from their pores and coated their soft skin. Even through their thick armor and faceless helms their reek was visceral. The Great Khaan of the Graug towered above the Sith Troopers who'd been tasked to slug their worthlessness onto the battlefield beside him - yet Vulcanus would have found more use for them as raw meat than as warriors. A deep growl slipped past his fangs as his shadow passed over them in the cramped shuttle, their fear sweetening the air.

"The Sith provide me an army of worms" Vulcanus growled in basic, his eyes slipping downward to rest upon the yellow eyes of his priest. After his resurrection the Graug Lord had contacted the very priests of his species whom he had been communicating with while his soul lingered in the fires of the afterworld. They scampered to his side as any faithful being would.

"Your burning eyes flay the skin, My Lord - no weakness escapes you" the priest's voice was like grinding glass, his serpentine tongue flicking the air as he addressed his god in their native tongue, "These soft skins are not worthy of your godly presence"

The graug tipped its head to Vulcanus, the top of its anvil shaped helmet nearly meeting the ground as he bowed low to his god. His god did not speak back. Instead, Vulcanus rifled the air with a long, bestial snort before walking to the ramp of the shuttle. They were nearing the ground now. He could sense the death.

Without turning to face the critters he had been given to lead Vulcanus boomed to them in a voice like thunder, "I grow tired of your musk" he called as the shuttle rocked into a landing, "scurry to the field and die so I may be rid of you"

And then the ramp fell open and the burning shells of organic ammunition poured in. Vulcanus strode down the ramp as the troopers surged forward, falling in piles of shredded meat as they were torn apart by the Vong attack. Yet the Sith Lord was unflinching as he bent reality, focusing his rage on the incoming rounds until they burst into molten goo and collapsed into puddles of magma on the barren landscape.

Yet another enemy of the Sith he would crush for them - but the spoils would be of the Graug. He would allow no less.

Darth Strosius Gnox the Insatiable Lark

 

[Qor-Cuzoacl]

The boarding ramp thumped against the dry desert sand, the lockstep orderly march of the Legionnaires leaving impressions as they rushed out to fight in the name of Empire. They were more than eager to leave their transport, which remained sitting on the dune with the cabin ramp yawning wide. ​

​

A pair of eyes stared out from the darkness.​

​

Hungry eyes.​

​

Suddenly they were gone, a foul wind whipping across the sands without nary a sound. The faintest impression of claws created a long arcing pathway towards the Yuuzhan Vong facility, never stopping or slowing as it moved faster than anything seen upon Rychel. A keen Yuuzhan Vong scout turned his head to look at the sudden gust of sand off on his periphery. He didn't even have a moment's notice before he felt something collide with his chest like he had been punched multiple times right in the center of his sternum. ​

​

He looked down.​

​

And his head rolled from his shoulders and bounced across the ground. ​

​

The rest of his body detonated in a cloud of viscera, organs, and other body parts tumbling down amidst blackened blood. Licking his claws of gore, a hulking reptilian creature lurked in the base's shadow. Elongated tongue, slick with spittle, voraciously cleaned each individual claw until nothing of the Yuuzhan Vong's blood remained. The tongue then licked large dagger-like teeth, a deep rumble that sounded awfully close to laughter bubbling up from behind his lipless maw. ​

​

"Sour."​

​

Without another sound he was gone, nothing more than a darkened blur as another Yuuzhan Vong fell to his claws, and another, and another.​

​

Other Space Kaiden | Gnox the Insatiable ​

 

[First Sister]

Location: Primary Yuuzhan Vong Base, Rychel
Tags: Qor-Cuzoacl Other Space Kaiden Gnox the Insatiable Darth Strosius
Objective: I & III

Amidst the charging formations of the Legionnaires a trio of shrouded figures emerged from the shadows, each clad in the black vestments of the Cabal of Typhojem as the assault on the Yuuzhan Vong Base transpired before them. While the appearance of Kissai Priests might have been unexpected at such an early stage in the operation, their purpose in arriving at the base was almost self-evident, as there were secrets within that would be of interest to the Ari’Kissai, in spite of the Vong’s absence in the Force.

And so, sensing her master’s telepathic command, Athanasia Starfire readied her rifle as the other two pulled out their lightsabers, igniting them to unleash a pair of fiery red blades as they began to march forward across the blood-stained sands, the discordant harmonies of battle filling the diminutive Qilin’s pointed ears as the trio entered the fray. Perceiving a monstrously imposing figure charging her master, Athanasia raised her rifle, squeezing the trigger as she buried a pair of supercharged particle beams into the beast’s armored chest, causing the Vong to collapse to the ground, writhing in agony before she silenced the creature with a final shot to its skull.

As the Vong’s life dissipated before her eyes, a burning, yet distinctly pleasant sensation erupted in her chest. Fleeting as it was, it nevertheless primed her senses and stimulated the fires of Bogan within her soul, allowing her eyes to perceive another Vong just as the creatures popped up from behind cover, their blaster trained dead center on her chest.

Nevertheless, the priestess was faster.

Another pair of supercharged bolts found their mark, striking the Vong’s skull in an explosion of vaporized brain matter and smoking viscera, leaving a decapitated body in their wake which remained standing for a few moments before crumpling to the ground. Glancing out the corner of her eye, she saw her fellow apprentice bisect one of the monsters in twain, just as another emerged to strike him across the shoulder. Once more, her shots came just in time, putting the warrior down with three bolts to the chest, earning the priestess a nod of gratitude from her peer.

“Sentinel!” Her master, Venlana’ulak called out to a passing Legionnaire. “Gather your squad and have them accompany us into the base. Let the rest of the men deal with the Vong.” The soldier nodded, gathering the Legionnaires under his command as the Pantoran Kissai turned back to her underlings.

“With me, apprentices.” The woman spoke, her voice taking on a deep tone as she approached the base. “There are secrets to uncover within, that only the strong may reach.” She growled. “Prove yourselves worthy and we may yet emerge with our prize...”

Spoiler: Gear and Equipment

• Light Gammaplast Armor (X) │ Healing Amulet │ Shield Talisman
  • Energy Shield
    • Phase III “Force Avenger” Energy Shield
• Small Arms
  • “Judicator” Adaptive Battle Rifle
• Melee
  • Tactical Fighting Blade

 

[AMCO]

<Must we really just... let them die? It seems so wasteful.> Unseen by all, their passage leaving no tracks nor even disturbing the surrounding air, a pair of shadows followed behind the Acolytes as they faced victory or death. <It is their way, sister. I have seen the Sithlings in their places of study; if they are seen to have received outside aid they will simply face another Trial, likely one more lethal still.>

There was still much to understand, of course. They were multifaceted beings, these Sith - not the white of their stories nor the black of their foes'.

<Still, I should wish to lend some assistance to the blue one. It seems capable, in its own way. Gentle nudges may be enough.>

<Understandable. I shall follow the clever one, she seems the best of the bunch. We shall see if she remains viable.>

As nothing further remained to be said, the elder shadow slithered along in the Acolyte's wake, needing no fancy acrobatics to remain undetected. Not long after, its younger counterpart commenced its machinations, fading out of "sight" before the results could be seen.

All around them, the Vong fought or lurked, soiling the atmosphere with their taint.

Milou Ishkal​

 

[Lark]

All of the wars and conquests that Lark had been a part all shared similar precedents. The tactics of the NIO and the Silver Jedi obviously varied, but the Sith could still fight them in the same way. But fighting the Yuuzhan Vong took away one of the constant factors from those previous subjugations. Lark gave some thought to the question Gnox the Insatiable asked, now really wasn't the time for riddles but if there was something to be learned from the cryptic quandary, it would be unwise to disregard it entirely. The hound clearly had no intention to answer his own query, hardly a moment after the shuttle touched the desert world the beast was rushing off for lunch.

"I'd prefer you alive as well," Lark said as Darth Strosius charged into the frenzy of blood and cacophonous throes of despair. Organic weaponry tore squadrons apart, such unusual armaments only further set this campaign apart from all the rest. Amphistaffs shot venom with startling accuracy, as Lark stepped out onto the sand he witnessed a young acolytes face melt as the poison seeped through their veins until they finally crumpled over. Another acolyte tried to avenge their fallen ally, but their lightsaber didn't even but a scratch on the staff. The young man's head then hit the ground, a look of surprise still visible on his face.

Lark had read of the Yuuzhan Vong, but no story or chronicle of their conquests could prepare one for when they actually fought against them. Now he understood how the the Yuuzhan Vong nearly brought the galaxy to complete ruination.

Oh, how beautiful this devastation will be.

The Yuuzhan Vong had their tricks, but Lark was a crafty one as well. Just because they existed outside of the Force did not mean that one was required to abandon the Force altogether. Lark reached out and lifted a piece of scrap metal from a crashed Sith shuttle, and sent it flying like a disc towards the Yuuzhan Vong soldier. His head then hit the ground beside the acolyte's, dead eyes gazing into one another.

Lark wasn't sure if this was the answer Gnox had been anticipating, but it worked for him.

Other Space Kaiden Qor-Cuzoacl Milou Ishkal AMCO First Sister

 

[Milou Ishkal]

Now that Milou was past the first line of defense, she had even more reason to remain in the shadows. While being alone meant remaining undetected was much easier, it also meant getting caught was essentially a death sentence. She knew her limits- any hostile encounter where she didn't have the upper hand from the start was likely to end in death. She had to strike from the shadows if there were any hostiles needed to be taken care of, but if it were up to her, nobody would ever find out she had been here in the first place.

Thankfully, the security room was unoccupied when Milou entered. Surely there was more than enough trouble still waiting for her, so she savored every moment of relative safety. She was up against the odds and was very much aware of that fact, but if all the Yuuzan Vong had the situational awareness of the previous bunch, perhaps she'd be able to get quite far. If not...

Nonsense. She wasn't going to perish by the hand of such disgusting creatures.

Rather than simply force open the door to the living quarters without preparation, she needed to know what she was going to get herself into. After walking up close to the door, she blinked, switching the vision of her cybernetic eyes from normal to heat vision. She could see one single heat signature behind the door, this was doable.

Readying her lightsaber, she waited for the heat signature to get close enough to the door to get the jump on it.

AMCO ​

 

[Gnox the Insatiable]

Objective: One
Tags: Lark Darth Strosius Other Space Kaiden Qor-Cuzoacl Milou Ishkal AMCO First Sister

The smell of Vong blood was so much sweeter than he expected. But for the first time he left behind corpses. The Vong's death to the Force made it impossible for him to truly devour them as he would others mid combat. When the invasion was done he'd have to return. His red gaze scanned the battlefield as he watched more and more Sith arrive to slaughter these poor fools.

Another to be eaten, only for it to be cut down by wreckage. He laughed his cruel, hackling laugh, turning to look towards Lark. "Good. Crush them with the world around them. Or, if you can." He cut off midsentence before turning to face another group of Vong. Lightning danced across the monstrous figure's arms before in a crack of thunder it slammed into the lead enemy. It spread quickly, frying them an instant. Gnox lowered his now charred black arms, both slowly healing as before.

"Lightning works just as well."

 

[Darth Strosius]

Objective One
Gnox the Insatiable / Lark / Other Space Kaiden / Qor-Cuzoacl / First Sister
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A torrent of fire from blasters and Vong weaponry alike filled the air as Alisteri sprinted for cover, finally managing to dive into a decent sized crater in the ground. The squad that he had been accompanying had been scattered after the first few seconds of being on the ground, most of them being cut down by lines of fire from the enemy ahead.

He had barely managed to dodge out of the way of Vong firing lines himself, several shots whizzing past his head before he had dove into the crater.

The acolyte growled in frustration, flinching as a shot hit the ground next to him and caused a burst of sand to cover him. Not even a full minute on the battlefield and he was already hiding in cover. Disgraceful.

"Get busy killing or get busy dying I suppose..."

With a sigh he gripped his sabre tightly and hauled himself over the edge of the crater, landing in another sprint towards the nearest enemy. Thankfully, the chaos and haze of battle somehow allowed him to make it to the Vong warrior that he had his eye on. Soon enough he would have his lightsaber through said warrior as well.

A yell erupted from his throat as he swung his weapon at the warrior, his eye narrowing as his opponent dodged just in time to render his strike useless. Another growl left him as began furiously attempting to decapitate the Vong warrior, ending up in a bit of a duel with him.

 

[Karn Zhakul]

How long had it been.

Since he entered the Netherworld in Darth Voracitos name alongside his horde. What was seen, experienced was etched in his mind, woven into his very skin. Its dull gray had been bleached almost bone white, with noticeable mutations. The world felt different. Time passed differently in the nether than it did here. So much more time had passed he felt like a different graug, a thousand different graug since he had left. All in service to the Shadow Emperor, the Chaos-God of Gluttony that was his undying master. All to exactly two ends...the first to find the missing fragment of his master. The second? The Index. To store everything he had seen, everything his horde had seen and every scrap of information gained in one object for the gluttonous ones perusal.

Now he was here.

In the name of the Sith Empire he was here fighting the organic menace, casting them into oblivion. There was one thing that had come as a shock however. That was the reveal that the living god, the Great Khaan Other Space Kaiden was alive. In truth? He couldn't believe it. He had to see the living god for himself. So he would grind down the Yuuzhan Vong to see the face of Imperial Krag once more.

Qor-Cuzoacl | Gnox the Insatiable ​

 

[Other Space Kaiden]

​

The harrowing wall of organic shells tore through Vulcanus' small army in seconds. So thick was the swarm of beetle-like ammunition that the barren planet began to fade behind a black veil that shimmered like holovid static as the rounds passed by too fast to track. Still, Vulcanus pushed through - his power turning batch after batch of Vong fire into molten slag. But then a credit sized hole blew open in his right shoulder, spewing the battlefield with strands of shredded meat and thick globs of black ooze.

The God howled, his voice cracking the air as he stepped behind the cover of a large stone protruding from the ground. Blood pooled down his ashen flesh and collected into a puddle at his feet...just in that moment a blur of shadow passed him by. He watched as a reptilian beast (Qor-Cuzoacl) tore through the corpse-like bodies of the Vong ahead with fang and claw...then Gnox the Insatiable lurched forward and vaporized a column of the creatures in a powerful display of lightning.

Vulcanus' rage grew.

But as his sulfuric eyes fell upon Darth Strosius , a lesser so far beneath him that his presence was an insult, his anger peaked. The apprentice leapt from the crater he had been cowering behind and towards the battle.

Hatred flowed through his every muscle. Blood boiled in his veins and his rotting gums bled black as he shredded his own flesh with gritted fangs. The mortal flesh he now inhabited disgusted him.

A God does not bleed.

All at once Vulcanus let out a howl of rage so deep that the glass of a nearby structure shattered. A moment later that same glass turned to boiling liquid as The Lord of Embers unleashed his hatred against the stone he had stepped behind. The rock vanished in an instant - replaced by a wall of molten rock that was flung through the air by a single, powerful burst of convection. The attack was as indiscriminate as the one who conjured it. Molten shrapnel cut through Vong and Sith alike, the heatwave following it enough to turn human flesh red as if the sun had suddenly lashed out and bit them.

A force of destruction, Vulcanus walked in the wake of his fiery attack - his footfalls leaving behind deep craters that hissed with steam. A Vong pulled himself up from behind a burning fence he'd been using for cover. Vulcanus held out a hand. A wreathe of fiery energy conjured and constricted around him. Vulcanus' claws clenched. The vong vanished in a mist of blood and burning chunks.

A deep breathe. A ferocious exhale. A column of Vong screamed in agony as a stream of black fire surged from The Sith's mouth - engulfing them in a flame that peeled their skin in seconds.

He did not speak or command. He simply destroyed.

Beastie Boyz:
Gnox the Insatiable Qor-Cuzoacl

Others:
Lark First Sister​