Frigid Shadows [Atrisian Empire Dominion of Csilla]

[Qhorin Solas]

@Rexus Drath @Cronos Aegir @Mirien Valdier @Bellalika @Naamah Aesham @Black Dove @Ashin Varanin​

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Though I doubted the wisdom of Mirien resuming her position at the head of our group, I kept my silence, frowning instead to showcase my displeasure. I knew she was hurt, but I couldn't discern the severity of her injuries, and lingered at her back, just in case we were ambushed again. I hadn't forgotten her words; I couldn't forget them, and they colored my actions, goading me to ignore whatever vitriol might come.

She ordered Naamah to scout ahead, and after a macabre promise, the blond girl changed, morphing first into her true, reptilian form, and then into one of the grey-skinned Ozzlites. She'd been a pretty human, but she was an ugly Ozzlite. Of course, all of them were ugly, so I supposed her transformation was accurate, in that regard. As she disappeared into the tunnels ahead, I leaned against the cavern wall, still recovering from my use of the Force.

The newcomer introduced herself as Karrde, and revealed that she too, despite her experiences in the Unknown Regions, had never borne witness to the strange creatures assembled against us. Man had extended its reach from one edge of the galaxy to another, and yet mysteries still remained in the universe. Did the Force have any answers? It hadn't before, but in that instance, I hadn't known what questions to ask. Now that I had met the aliens, battled against them and prevailed, I had an idea of what inquiries to make.

I settled against the cold ground, closed my eyes --

And a deafening bang echoed through the tunnel, snapping my concentration in two. I leaped to my feet in alarm, lightsaber slipping into my hand almost unconsciously.

 

[Davik Tren]

Simon walked into the turbolift quickly and pressed the button that would bring him to the level he was assigned to. Apparently he was to pry open a couple of doors. Bring a couple of lights back on. As it was nothing major he felt a bit insulted as he the doors finally opened to the floor and he walked out onto the floor with slight confusion for a few moments as the hallway was pitch black. He switched on his small head lamp and began down the hallway towards the first blast door that had malfunctioned in the power outage and began to work on it with his tools. He knew better than to go at the damned thing for an hour with his welder and instead worked at the wires that were behind the code panel. After a few minutes of this, a small spark shot out and the doors screeched open.

With the opening of the blast doors, came several crewmen who then thanked him and went on their way up the turbo-lift to other levels to continue their routines. He dolefully began to go at a second door while trying to search for a main breaker in the vicinity to perhaps turned the damn lights on. Though it was not crucial, it would be helpful.

@Akio Kahoshi @Cara Sampson

 

[Antera]

"Dao 1 to Dao Squadron, form up on me and begin an attack ru-"

Somarae was only a few kilometers away from the rendezvous when the commlink went dead. The lead fighter was conspicuously absent when she and Dao 4 reached the coordinates, the other craft tangling with a few more of the Ozzlite fighters.

"Dao 3 to Dao 1, did not copy. Say again," silence, "Dao 3 to Dao Squadron. Has anyone seen Dao 1?"

A few scattered reports came back. No one had eyes on the Captain or his wingman. She clenched her jaw. The sheer numbers were wearing them down again. They had to punch a hole for those bombers or they'd be overwhelmed in a matter of minutes if this kept up.

"Dao 3 to Dao Squadron. I am assuming command. Find a wingman if you need one and form up in pairs. Keep each other alive and keep these pests off the bombers! Dao 4, you're sticking with me," her heart was pounding in her ears, but somehow... somehow this felt right.

"Dao 4 copies, forming on your wing."

A series of similar replies followed. Six survivors in total, the squadron was depleted to half strength. It would have to suffice. The other Naginata flights would tend to their grids, she was going to be damned sure her squadron got superiority here. The three pairs of fighters broke apart in three directions, spreading out to give the Chiwei flights breathing room.

@[member="Akio Kahoshi"]

 

[Juno Wren]

The Chiss Arrival​

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When Garec's Armada ejected from hyperspace over Csilla, it was to the sounds and sights of an intense battle; laser fire burned bright across the viewscreen, accompanied by fiery explosions beneath the atmosphere, and drifting debris in the cold maw of space. Three Star-destroyer class vessels bore down on Csilla, flanked by Corvette's, Carriers, and A.S.C.'s, their multitude of lasers already prepared to fire. If not for the chaos of the battle below, Garec would've already issued the order to fire -- as it were, he waited for the right moment, listening idly as Malek, his uncle and 2nd in command, ordered the A.S.C.'s to engage the enemy fighters. In unison, the Chopper, captained by Commodore Quinn, one of Garec's closest friends, and the Bloody Pike, captained by Commodore Barsooc, Garec's unfeeling cousin, descended towards the planet, quad lasers and turbolasers firing at will.

They had encountered such ships before in the Lost Sectors of the Unknown Region, and had developed a number of strategies against them. The two Guillotine class A.S.C.'s approached from the same direction but at differing angles, increasing the spread of their lasers to encompass almost the entire fighting force of the enemy. The gunners had to be careful to avoid the Atrisian fighters, however, relying on the complex targeting algorithms generated by the ship's super computers. The spread of their laser fired insured that none of the unshielded enemy fighters could draw near enough to engage the fleet with their own weapons. The suddenness of their arrival and swiftness of their attack only made the assault all that much sweeter to behold.

"Patch me through to Lekin'ed'omelan and the Emperor," Garec ordered the officer manning the comm. He didn't like either man, not really, but he respected them. It had been Jun Nedo's message that brought him here -- he'd been dead set on ignoring the summons, and would've if not for Malek -- and it chafed to know that for his pride he'd have unwittingly left his people to suffer at the hands of flesh-eating cretins and their hapless slaves. Red eyes flickered to Malek on the other side of the bridge, coordinating their efforts with the Tarkin I Class destroyer, The Solar Wind, under the command of Rear Admiral Catt, as well as the Nuruodo I Class destroyer, Vengeance, under the command of Garec's aunt and Malek's wife, Rear Admiral Marai. Maybe he should've left the Armada under Malek's command after all? No, he told himself. His uncle trusted him, his men trusted him... he needed only to trust himself, bury his pride, and be the commander he knew he was capable of being.

All around Garec men scuttled to and fro, stopping to press beeping consoles, shift levers, relay coordinates and recalibrate equations. For all the activity, the bridge was nearly silent, and Garec needn't raise his voice above a whisper to be heard. "Malek?" Garec began, a wicked smile dancing on his lips. These creatures dared to attack his home? Enslave his people? I abandoned you once... but no more. "Have Catt release her fighters; all of them. It's time for a game of cat and mouse." The star fighters would draw the enemy craft nearer the drifting destroyers, pulling them away from Atrisia's fighters and into the bosom of the Black Prince's impressive weapons systems. The Isard I Class destoyer had more than enough firepower for the task. He needn't explain his plan, either; his captains had been with him for so long they sometimes knew his thoughts even before he'd had them. "Nah csarcican't nan'eehah etah," he vowed through clenched teeth, anger as cold as the northern winds of Csilla pooling in his gut. These 'Ozzlites' and 'Klaxxi'... they would pay.

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@[member="Somarae"] | @[member="Davik Tren"] | @[member="Cara Sampson"] | @[member="Akio Kahoshi"] | @[member="Lekin'ed'omelan"]​

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A.S.C. -- anti-starfighter craft/cruiser​

Nah csarcican't nan'eehah etah - We will annihilate them​

 

[Lekin'ed'omelan]

It was a relief to see the additional chiss ships arriving. The enemy fighters had to be exhausting their numbers, but they were wearing down the Atrisian forces as well. Immediately the chiss force's arrival acted like a shot in the arm to boost the Atrisian ships nearest them, including the chiss fleet that had already been present. It took enough pressure off of them that they could recoup for a moment and continue their extermination of the enemy swarm in greater force. Within a handful of minutes the cloud around them seemed to have been thinned substantially.

"Admiral Varg'are'csapla has sent a message Sir," the communications officer notified.

"Get me a comm channel with him," Jun Nedo ordered. He waited until the communication had been set up before sending his message. "Welcome home Admiral, it seems our people were in even greater danger than we thought. The Emperor's ship is suffering from mechanical difficulties, which has caused a large hole in our attack screen. So far the fighters have not proven a significant threat to our large ships, but we have destroyed thousands and still they come. It has become a battle of attrition."

@[member="Prince Garec"]

 

[Mirien Valdier]

The voice, within she heard clearly. But try as she mind, placing the woman was impossible. Whisperings in thoughts she replied, Forgive me, but while you are so familiar, I know you somehow some way.... I do not remember. It's complicated. Don't have time to explain.

"Yes, a good man. One we cannot let perish. I feel he is alive, but in grave danger. We've got to move, or all will be lost. Maybe even our own lives too."

The boltgun, Mirien heard echo through the caves, startling her. Seems they were not the only one's fighting for their lives. They needed to keep going, badly. "Alright, time to press on." She said coldly as she rose off the floor, not a sign of the pain that bothered her. It took a bit to mask it, but for not it was the best she could do.

Eyes moved across the ragtag team, it was going to have to do. She wished Naamah would hurry back. She needed to know what was ahead. But something told her there was a problem. All while the force screamed at her about Cody. He needed her help badly. Their help. Two problems and she could not do both. Nor would she break the team. Cody was going to have to hold a little longer. Please Cody, just a little longer. I'm coming. Not that he could hear her, but she wanted so much for him to. He was not going to die today, and at the very least, he would not die alone if it came to that.


@[member="Zalderic Drayke"] @Rexus Drath @Cronos Aegir @Bellalika @Naamah Aesham @Black Dove @Ashin Varanin

 

[Akio Kahoshi]

Those who heard Cara's insult all stopped deadly quiet. She had just broken a social protocol that any sense would never break. But the silence was more than just astonishment, it was anger. She had insulted their country and them along with it by daring to insult their Emperor's honor. It did not matter if you liked the Emperor, you were still expected to respect him. Just because of what he represented. The throne was more than any one man, and the throne of Atrisia was ancient and a very part of the planet's cultural makeup.

"I will send someone to arrest her immediately," the ship's captain offered.

"No Captain, not while the battle still rages we need her working. Your ship will not repair itself, and she remains the one who knows its systems best."

He sounded surprisingly calm given the insult, but sounding calm did not mean he was not unhappy. Simply that he was capable of putting personal feelings aside when duty required it. A surprising, but not unwelcome, turn of events occurred when more ships arrived, both of chiss and Galactic Imperium make. The numbers of enemy fighters thinned greatly. enough that he saw a clearing. "Send our acknowledgement to the Admiral, then order half our anti-fighter Yovshins to descend into the atmosphere and assist the bombers and fighters. The rest shall remain with the fleet to pick off any that break through."

@[member="Somarae"], @[member="Davik Tren"], @[member="Prince Garec"], @[member="Cara Sampson"]

 

[Darth Libertas]

@[member="Mirien Valdier"], @[member="Bellalika"], @[member="Rexus Drath"], @[member="Cronos Aegir"], @[member="Black Dove"], @[member="Ashin Varanin"], @[member="Zalderic Drayke"]


Unfortunately Naamah, still disguised in the form of an Ozzlite, had gotten herself into a bit of a mess, far away from the group. The barking of the boltgun startled the Ozzlites, who until recently had been herding the procession of enslaved Chiss and here and there throwing one into the eager mouth of a Klaxxi, for the hunger of the spiders knew no bounds. The Ozzlites hissed and snarled, some of them taking off into the tunnels in pursuit of the interloper who had slain so many of their brethren, for they lived to serve their arachnid masters, in life and in death.


<<Take the meat into the Citadel << the Klaxxi commanded, its voice resonating in the mind of Naamah, who now found herself unable to disentagle herself from the group as she was pulled along by another Ozzlite wielding a spear. This sort of sucked from her perspective. But she fell in line...perhaps she could gain information, even find out where the agent they were supposed to free was...she just had to wave a pike around, beat a Chiss here and there, then when no one was looking...


<< This one is impure. False! << the spider hissed, so loud it hurt her ears. Naamah froze as all the eyes of the Ozzlites turned on her, baring their sharp teeth and gripping their spears.


Err...impure, yeah, sorta. I kind of have the hots for my boss...and she's sorta my replacement mum. Does that make me impure? I also collect fingers in jars, but violence is better than sex! Clearly this was the right moment to break the 4th wall and so the Ozzlites closed in on her she sprang into action, delivering a hard kick into the chest of one and then unleashing a telekinetic blast that knocked several down. By her powers ice was thrown up and hurled at them like projectiles. She grabbed her hidden lightsabre to hold the foes at bay, slicing and dicing her way through Ozzlites, but then suddenly the Klaxxi rammed into her with the force of a battering ram, sending her flying across the land into a hard rock. Her chest slammed right into it and she felt the wind get knocked out of her, something had definitely broken...perhaps a few ribs.

As she lay there the Klaxxi raced towards her, she managed to grab her lightsabre and hurl it at the beast, but the exoskeleton just shrugged it off, likewise the fire from her hidden slugthrower, though it gave the creature pause did not stop it. Then the spider pounced, a blast of telekinesis sent it slamming a few metres away from her and she got to her feet and started running, but then its spines slammed into her, pulling her down. Under the pressure her skin began to painfully shift and morph, returning to her reptilian shape, making her cry out. She tried to telekinetically grip her lightsabre but then the Klaxxi just enclosed its spines around her right arm and twisted hard...so hard she cried out in pain as a sickening crunch was heard and her arm was broken. Immediately it tore into the vulnerable flesh, ripping into it, she breathed heavily, in pain but her good hand managed pluck a grenade free and she landed a hard kick against the beast, reinforced by the Force and her rage so it was driven back and then as it jumped towards her threw the grenade in its mouth, adrenaline driving her as she ran. The spider was blasted from the inside as the grenade detonated.

 

[Moira Skaldi]

@[member="Mirien Valdier"], @[member="Bellalika"], @[member="Cronos Aegir"], @[member="Black Dove"], @[member="Ashin Varanin"], @[member="Zalderic Drayke"]

The boltgun echoed through the caves as Moira fired, pummeling the spider with explosive bolts as she moved through the caves, coming ever closer to the Inquisitors, though she did not know that yet. The creature was tough and canny, she had to give it that, moving with surprising speed as it tried to dodge the hail. Fortunately this was the Mark Two variant, with a larger magazine and better firing rate, albeit less lethal. But while the spider was fast, so was she, expertly dodging as the creature's spines came for her, at one point slamming her leg straight into them, then with one hand grabbing one of the appendages, while the other still wielded the boltgun and turned to blast at incoming Ozzlites, blowing them into chunks of flesh, twisting the spine hard to ram it into the spider.


As it reeled she jumped high and out of it grasp, then fired, blasting it full of rounds. The exoskeleton was tough, but armour piercing and explosive rounds would clearly penetrate it. As the spider jumped at her she leapt up high into the air, her boot meeting its head and knocking it back, then the bolter was aimed and she fired, finally ending it and incidentally blowing up quite a bit of the wall. There were loud screeches and more beasts came at her, seemingly from all angles. Ozzlites suddenly burst from a vulnerable part in the ceiling as it gave way, cornering her.

Ramming the boltgun into the face of one so that it split like yellie, before grabbing one by the throat and crushing it and ripping its arm off to ram it into the chest of the next one. The Ozzlites were no challenge and fell before as easily as Reavers. Her eyes flashed red behind her human irises as she turned around a corner, grabbing a frag grenade to hurl it across the distance, the explosion that sent the creatures flying was most satisfying. Her eyes flashed red behind her irises as she turned around a corner, incidentally now in sight of the Inquisitors.


But then she was grabbed by the spines of a Klaxxi storming towards her, being pulled into the air and propelled towards it, legs and arms being held in an iron, bone-crushing grip as the boltgun dropped from her grasp. She sought to wrench herself free and drove a hard kick into the Klaxxi's face, so hard it recoiled, then pulled hard at its spines, wrenching them forward with a powerful pull and flipping the beast over her so that it smashed into a wall with such force a small hole was knocked into it, the killing machine herself falling to the ground. As the spider charged towards her, she grabbed three free spines and hurled them at it, impaling it upon them. Moira got up, beholding her surroundings, grabbing her gun.

By now she looked sort of like this. Well, just older and blonde, but you get the picture. Organic looking and clearly mechanical eye turned as she beheld Mirien, scanning the room as she cocked her head to the side, seemingly assessing them. "Miss Novar, I presume," she said emotionlessly. Her scrutiny of them was calculating, sizing them up like a predator, but her stance not immediately hostile.

 

[Cody Weadge]

As Cody dodged away from the spider's dangerously long and powerful legs, he tried to think of a situation where his life had been more in danger. That time when he had chased an enemy spy by jumping from one air car to another might come close, but so far this was certainly looking like it would top the list. At the moment he was trying very hard to make sure that he had the opportunity to top the list another day, but the monster spider was doing its level best to stop such a thing from happening.

<Stop moving human so I can eat you>

"Very motivating," Cody responded.

Rolling to his left, he watched as one of the smaller aliens was hit instead and set flying through the air. Clearly the well being of these ones meant little, which meant that he could not use one as a hostage. When he got to his feet, he charged one of the red eyed minions and stabbed it with his electrostaff when it tried to stop him. Dropping low, Cody let the now unconscious creature fall over his shoulders then stood quickly pushing back to send the body flying back hoping it would distract the spider for a moment.

The giant alien simply grabbed its servant midair, and opening its horrifying mouth bit off the smaller creatures head. Again the spider was proving to be very motivating to Cody, who was searching for the entrance to this room. If he could get out, perhaps he would stand a better chance. Or run into more of them.

 

[Davik Tren]

Meanwhile aboard the Reliant, Davik waited patiently on the bridge as the gunners told him only of good news. The enemy fighters had been pushed back down to the atmosphere of the planet and were beginning to reel under the combined firepower of the fleet and it's fighters. With the Chiss arrival they were utterly decimated and only a few remained to cause havoc amongst the smaller ships still in orbit and the ground troops.

When Davik recieved the order from the emperor to lower the frigates down into the planets atmosphere to assist in bombardments he complied immediately telling his navigation officers to begin decreasing their altitude to that of the Stratosphere. They may be in range of heavy artillery fire from the surface, providing the enemy had such technology, but this did not make the young Lt. Commander anxious in the least. He had faith in his shields and gunners to provide him with nothing but positive results and as the ball of ice that was Csilla came closer, he smiled with confidence.

@Akio Kahoshi @Prince Garec @Lekin'ed'omelan @Somarae

 

[Zalderic Drayke]

Zalderic stood as @[member="Mirien Valdier"] gave the orders to move. He quickly checked his gear again. It was obvious to anyone paying much attention that he was nervous. He couldn't remember a time like this. He was lucky to have survived with almost no injures this far, but he doubted his fortune would last long. One of the inquisitors had gone on ahead, @[member="Naamah Aesham"] and still hadn't returned. Gunshots had been heard up ahead. They were going to have to fight some more, he just hoped no one else had been captured.

More gunshots, an explosion. Those sounds could not mean anything good. Then a woman droid appeared. His saber dropped into his hand instinctively, he didn't know who or what this thing was, but he wasn't taking any chances. It scanned them awkwardly. He just stood there, frozen, but ready to slice it's head off. Then it said something to Officer Novar. He realized a little. At least it wasn't outwardly hostile.

 

[Juno Wren]

-- Bridge of the Black Prince​

As fighters spewed from the Solar Wind, Lekin'ed'omelan's voice sounded on the young Admiral's comm.

"Welcome home Admiral, it seems our people were in even greater danger than we thought. The Emperor's ship is suffering from mechanical difficulties, which has caused a large hole in our attack screen. So far the fighters have not proven a significant threat to our large ships, but we have destroyed thousands and still they come. It has become a battle of attrition."​

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It was a battle of attrition, Garec thought. Now, it was a slaughter... or it would've been, if not for the chaos of battle. With so many Atrisian starfighters engaged with the Ozzlite fighters, the Black Prince's numerous weapons were useless. They had to rely instead on the lesser corvettes and A.S.C.s, when a few volleys from the Black Prince's assortment of lasers and canon, coupled with simultaneous assaults from Vengeance and Solar Wind, could bring the engagement to a resounding close.

"Have you established any sort of contact with our people on Csilla?" He wondered how they were faring, if any of them had prevailed against the Klaxxi. He'd encountered them himself in the Lost Sectors of the Unknown Regions, but never in such force.

Malek's voice sounded behind him; his uncle stood at the command station barking orders, even as Catt's throaty voice echoed over the comm, confirming her adherence to the strategy. In the massive window looking out to space, a line of IS-BSFs spewed from the Tarkin I class destroyer, flying through an opening in the cover fire from the assortment of A.S.C.s. The Solar Wind carried a full regiment of 60 starfighters; the accompanying Chimera and ISC-H class carriers held 36 Nissis clawcraft and 48 IS-BSFs each. Both the Black Prince and Vengeance were flanked by matching ISC-H's and Chimera's with full regiments as well. 142 starfighters joined the fray in classic wedge formation, the 12 squadrons led by sleek Praetorian's.

A column of alien fighters broke away from their haphazard formation, and as planned, the starfighters split, leading them on a circuitous route into the path of the Vengeance's lasers, up and away from the main engagement. They needed to open a wider path for a greater number of fighters to enter the fray and put a stamp on the ending acts of the battle. His carriers were laden with a total of 96 starfighters, a medley of Chiss and Imperium ships, and Vengeance's carriers as well had 72 various starfighters to lend to the fray, it's own 48 fighters notwithstanding. They could offer some relief to the Atrisian fighters already engaged in the massive skirmish, and when no more alien craft flew in the sky, descend to the planet were the remnants of his people waited.

An aide appeared at Garec's side. "We've received a message from the emperor, sir; he sends his thanks."

Garec scoffed. He didn't want thanks. He wanted to devise a strategy to end the engagement so he could liberate his people! Even now, he felt the echoes of their suffering, a solemn song of agony and death. He waved the aide away and focused on the sights beyond the window. Standing idly by wasn't going to cut it. These creatures had no capital ships -- merely thousands of ships like so many buzz-beetles. There was nothing for him to do here, and he trusted his men to follow protocol. Malek was still a great leader, and his mind had only been sharpened during his illness -- he couldn't match Garec's seeming omniscience, but he could come close.

"Ready my ship," Garec ordered his ensign, Rek'elle'marno.

"It's already ready sir," Elle was quick to answer. She'd served Garec long enough to know where he'd rather be. "The Black Squadron is prepped and ready as well, sir. And I've had your astromech replaced with the self-updating R9 model, as you requested."

Garec nodded, walking the length of the bridge to the executive turbolift, Malek's eyes boring a hole in his head. His uncle hated when the young prince personally led his squadron. "Good flying," the Vice Admiral called out. As the turbolift closed shut, Garec let out a savage grin.

"Not good flying," he mouthed to his uncle. "Great flying."

@[member="Lekin'ed'omelan"] | @[member="Akio Kahoshi"] | @[member="Davik Tren"] | @[member="Somarae"]​

 

[Mirien Valdier]

@Zalderic Drayke @Rexus Drath @Cronos Aegir @Bellalika @Naamah Aesham @Black Dove @Ashin Varanin

With all the chaos, now it seemed an interesting change of events had occured. Moira was here ... and she was not what she had seemed to be in negotiations. "Indeed, Miss Skaldi. Glad to know my instincts were right on you. I had you pinned for force dead or an HRD. Guess I was right." She same a little smugly. A glance to Zalderic, and she motioned to stay his blade. They were friends here as far as she was concerned.

Now with Novar, her cover name out ... She glanced to the others, a knowing look of not to call her by anything but Rebecca or Novar. For those outside the Inquisition knew her as just Directorate Chief Rebecca Novar.

Pain screamed out in the force at her, ripples from Naamah. "Shaw's hurt, bad. MOVE!" She yelled, following the sound of the explosion. For her Inquisitors, Mirien would run right straight into the depths of hell. "None of ours is to be left behind! Am I clear?" Shouting still. No one, at all would be left to die, left to suffer alone. No, if they all died, it would be together as one. "Get to Shaw, do what you can, save what chiss you can. They can't keep up, have to leave em. We bring this tunnel down the same as the last, got it?" It was cold, it was harsh, but Inquisitors were resources that could not be wasted. She wasn't going to lose them for a handful of nameless Chiss. And this time it was not they would would be caught flatfooted. There'd be none of that fething poodoo.

"Gunna be messy, but we know this. Knew it when we came here" Then silence, Mirien said no more as she pressed on at the lead coming around the corner to the carnage with Naamah.

At this point, there wasn't much left of the Chiss, many eaten. Only a couple still standing. Her saber was useless and knew it. She actually clipped to her belt and reached for something else, a long vibroblade. Seeing Naamah on the floor, and it just drove her angry. Now she was furious, deadly so. Her own so badly wounded. It was pure rage, really. She raced forward as another of the spider like beasts came forward towards Naamah, looking to eat her. There was a theory she was about to test. Sabers and blasters didn't work, but would a blade? It was time to get down and dirty. If not, there were still a few grenades that she had on her. One way or another, this was happening.

Without a second thought, without a word to the others, she instantly placed herself between the appearing alien and Naamah, stance firm, eyes lit with fiery rage. The line in the sand had been drawn and not one of these beasts would cross it. "You shall not pass!"

"GET SHAW!" She shouted. "GET HER OUT NOW!" The tone, the rage, more than evident, palpable in the air. Likely none of her Inquisitors had seen this side of her. Few would, and live to tell the tale. This, the old Mirien that Ashin knew so well from years past.

A thin smirk formed as the beast paused, looking at her for only a moment as if considering something. Then it pounced. Wasting no time as it collided with her she drove the blade into the thing's chest. Or what she thought it was. "Piercing works!" The blade went through with a bit of force behind it but it pierced through none the less. The creature shrieking in pain. Ozzlites were moving towards her, the Ice Queen nothing but pure fire and rage at the moment. With a wave of a hand, she threw the ones closest to her without batting an eyelash Each slamming into the ice wall, left unmoving. The beast seemed slower this time as it came at her. Clearly, she'd done some damage but now there was the small problem of spiny legs looking to crush her, kill her.

 

[Ashin Varanin]

The Dark Master raised one hand, eyes half-lidded. @[member="Mirien Valdier"]'s pet Klaxxi began experiencing technical difficulties. Specifically, those legs that could crush, impale or otherwise discomfit Mirien found themselves...constrained. The Klaxxi's legs froze, then splayed, keeping Mirien safe. And then those legs ripped off the Klaxxi's body.

Ozzlites appeared, and the Klaxxi's gore-fountaining legs became impromptu missiles and scythes. Much of Ashin's power was a matter of straight lines, simple actions, and intense emphasis to those actions. In some ways, she'd been known to remind people of Siobhan Kerrigan, or Darth Vader. For an immovable object, she did have her moments of unstoppable force.

Limping forward, she grabbed a Chiss survivor and shoved him towards at least momentary safety.

 

[Darth Libertas]

@[member="Mirien Valdier"], @[member="Ashin Varanin"], @[member="Bellalika"], @[member="Cronos Aegir"], @[member="Black Dove"]

Naamah had been running as fast as she could from the horde of Ozzlites and their Klaxxite masters, though limping strongly. She was not so powerful in the Force that she could perform something like Dark Repair or blot out the pain from getting her arm broken, it felt dead to her. Some shots had been fired from her slugthrower, aimed to keep Ozzlites at bay, with her good hand, but they were imprecise. Finally she had fallen, stumbling over some corpses. Ozzlites came at her, seemingly coming from all sides and she raised a pained hand and fired.


Two Ozzlites were hit and fell. As more pounced at her she drew on what energy she still had, pure rage and anger driving her as drew on the darkness that was the centre of her power, fear and desperation providing the fuel, so that a shockwave was unleashed that sent the beasts flying into an ice wall, blood splattering across the snow. The creatures shrieked in pain and screeched, for a moment she smirked, but then she just sunk and slumped to the ground. The attack had drained her, she could no longer ignore the pain she was in. One of the big spiders came for her, she could literally feel the primal hunger driving it. Well, just a moment ago she had blown one of the suckers up, so screw them.



Then...she appeared....the Grand Inquisitor...coming for her. Admittedly Naamah had always been convinced that she was terribly unique and important. For some reason, but it should be plain to anyone. Still...Mirien leaping to her defences, pure and fiery rage in her eyes, looking very much like a fury meant...a lot. She felt the sheer anger and fury emanating from her mistress...it felt intoxicating...the sheer power she had. Power she was unleashing for her Inquisitors...slaves...Naamah knew where her place was and was fine it. It had never felt better than now. Despite how cheeky and inappropriate Naamah often was, something bound to get her into Trouble, she was loyal...and now she knew she would do anything the Grand Inquisitor demanded of her, die for her if she commanded it. Gods, I turned out to be such a damsel in distress. And now I'm getting freaking corny, she thought to herself.


"Hey...I blew a spider up for you...I'll cut the heart out later," she managed to get out. As Mirien drove her blade into the beast, Naamah tried to get up, staggering and limping, but suddenly filled with an energy she had not possessed before, as she tried to move out of the firing line. Briefly her eyes flickered over to Mirien...gratitude...worship perhaps in her eyes.

 

[Moira Skaldi]

@[member="Mirien Valdier"], @[member="Ashin Varanin"], @[member="Bellalika"], @[member="Cronos Aegir"], @[member="Black Dove"]

There was a smile, ever so thin, a very human gesture, on Moira's lips as Mirien spoke. "You are perceptive," she said emotionlessly in response, as if that explained everything. She noticed the lightsabres they were carrying, cold eyes fell upon Ashin Varanin/Karrde - needless to say Moira would not know who it was, especially with the mask and armour, but she could tell it was not an Imperial. Most interesting indeed and knowledge was power. Of course...useful for herself, for Moira had no allegiance to anyone but herself.


And Cora Passek. Everyone else could be...sacrificed.


If there was any doubt about Mirien being a forcer - and doubt simply did not exist in the mind of Moira, for she was beyond organic weaknesses - then it was expelled by the sight out in the field when she unleashed her powers upon the charging Ozzlites, sending them flying across the field like ragdolls, her blade striking at the charging spider, with the stranger accompanying them sending the gore-coated legs of the spider flying at their attackers. Very much like a certain Siobhan Kerrigan Moira knew well - and would terminate at some point. Why would Moira do that? Because she could and because Kerrigan was a challenge and Moira wanted her terminated.



The fury Mirien felt was palpable, even for someone dead to emotions and feelings such as Moira. She could not partake in such emotions - she had developed beyond that, forged into a weapon of logic and power. But....she would protect Cora. Even if it meant taking control over her life since she could not take care of herself. If someone were to hurt her...Moira would...make them feel pain.



But Moira did not stay idle as the beasts charged. The hail of impromptu missiles unleashed by the Dark Master and the telekinetic strike by Mirien - or rather 'Novar, as Moira knew her - had driven the Ozzlites back and smashed many, now Moira sprang into action, with a superhuman leap across the field, seemingly untroubled as she hit the ground from high, smashing directly on top of an Ozzlite and breaking his bones in the process. As the creatures came at her she beat, kicked and rammed everyone she saw, bones broke, heads were smashed into jellie, one was grabbed by her and thrown straight into an ice wall so hard it broke, another had ist head slammed into the chest of a fellow. The sheer carnage she caused was beautiful. Moira might feel no exhilaration, but this was what she had been made for.


Grabbing her boltgun as a Klaxxi came at her she fired, the deadly weapon barking out rounds at the beast, each smashing into it and punching a hole into its powerful exoskeleton. As the spider creature pounced, coming in fast from on high, she dropped the gun aside and grabbed several of its spines, pulling and twisting hard as she held the creature in mid-air. The beast shrieked, sharp teeth coming for her and sinking them into her neck and cheek, further ripping into the vulnerable flesh and in the process biting on metal. It sought to free itself from her grip and its powerful legs pounded at her hard, slamming into her chest and thus making her fall, though it fell over her. As the creature turned and pounced, spines coming for her limbs she drove her fist into its head, knocking it back hard as she punched straight through its mouth, breaking its teeth in the process as they shattered against her metal fist. Jumping up she drove her knee against it, grabbing some of its spines she twisted and, as it struggled, wrapped them around its head. The beast shrieked and struggled but she persevered and strangulated it until it ceased moving, dead.

 

[Qhorin Solas]

It seemed we weren't the only people trying to navigate the tunnels. We came across some sort of cyborg woman who seemed familiar with the Grand Inquisitor, but before further introductions could be made, we were racing ahead to Naamah -- her pain was loud in the Force, loud enough that we wasted no time in reaching her. Not that Mirien would've allowed any such delay -- she moved with a purpose and directness that was inspiring, and I found myself itching to initiate a fight, if only to pay back the Klaxxi for the suffering they'd inflicted on the Chiss.

Moments later, I found myself once more locked in battle, surrounded by familiar sounds and sights. Fighting came naturally to me; I cut through the numerous Ozzlites as if they were nothing, furiously engaging the Klaxxi whenever I came across them, my blade cutting a blue beam faster than the unaided eye could follow. They were worthy opponents, the thick shelled arachnids, but so to were they true constructs of evil -- when I plunged my blade into their mouths, it was with a sense of satisfaction so great I wanted to sing.

An over-powered Force push cleared a small, rapidly closing path for a line of Chiss to rush through. They did so, seizing the opportunity for freedom, and I filled the space they vacated, engaging the Ozzlite and Klaxxi deeper in the tunnel.

@[member="Moira Skaldi"], @Mirien Valdier, @Ashin Varanin, @Bellalika, @Cronos Aegir, @Black Dove​

 

[Juno Wren]

Garec led his double-large squadron into the fray, preceded by 40 or so Nissis clawcraft, flanked on both sides by 4 seperate squadrons of IS-BSFs. They punched straight through the gap left by the alien fighters, accompanied by blazing laser fire from numerous anti-starfighter cruisers. The Praetorians at the head of the squadrons, while lacking the agility of the smaller IS-BSFs, more than made up for the deficiency with firepower. Aided by the Guillotiness and Cheunhs, the massive Chiss flotilla remained in tact and unharmed for long enough to clear a sector of space sufficient enough for Vengeance to squeeze through. The other destroyers in the Armada were simply too large.

"All squadrons on me," Garec ordered. "Initiate hammer protocol." The 12 squadrons -- one with 24 fighters, as opposed to the standard 12 -- assumed dense, overlapping wedge formations, creating a veritable wave of laser fire as the ships stacked one atop another. They didn't allow the alien fighters the chance to react; when they pyramidal ships wheeled about to direct their powerful lasers against the incoming Chiss ships, the formation broke apart like so many puzzle pieces. The anti-starfighter crafts fired their lasers into the resulting opening, matching the alien ships blast for blast, and then some. The 1st wave of fighters flew at the fringes of the tight formations, picking off any alien fighters that managed to avoid the 'hammer'.

Around them, lasers blasted, torpedos fired, and missiles detonated. The enemy ships were thinning.

Victory was eminent.

 

[Antera]

Somarae felt her sense of self slipping.

There was nothing else outside the fight. No larger war, no other individuals, only the intricate, lethal knife fight of dueling starships.

She had stopped giving orders minutes before, trusting the men and women on her wing to keep each other safe and defend the bombing runs. The Chiwei flights had descended, and casualties had been kept to a minimum. Somarae was vaguely aware of the explosions rippling across the surface of the glacier, finally thinning the oncoming swarm of launching enemy fighters.

She maintained her silence, utterly still save for the movements of her hands and feet on the controls. Quick, precise twitches, pulls and pushes. She was on the razor's edge of her Naginata's performance envelope. A thin layer of frost was creeping along the edge of her canopy from executing such extreme maneuvers in the cold, but she didn't notice. Another Ozzlite fighter exploded into a fireball. She twisted to the next target rather than disengaging. She felt the presence of the hostile fighters, the killing intent and undisciplined rage. She had no need for her scanner, drawing a bead and snuffing out its presence in the Force.

The Chiwei pulled up and away, their run completed, attempting to escape from the remains of the hornet's nest of pyramidal fighters. She jerked her fighter hard to the right, moving in pursuit to protect them on their way up.

No one else dies. We all go home.

It was the first truly conscious thought she'd had since resuming the fight. She raced to do as much damage as she could to the tattered remnants of the opposition, but even after all their efforts, it looked as if at least one squadron of the bombers was about to be overrun.

No.

She maxed out her throttle. Another kill. A second. A third. All she was was focused into this single moment, a glinting sword of the Empire flying through the icy skies. Three fighters remained, their lasers beginning to charge... She wasn't going to catch them.

The three Ozzlites exploded as fire rained down from above. Ascendency fighters had entered her combat grid. The Chiwei were safe. The skies were theirs.

She took several long, deep breaths. The battle still raged nearby, but finally, finally she could relax. Her mouth had trouble forming words for a moment, but she spoke.

"Dao 3 to Ascendency craft. Your assistance is appreciated. Area secure. Dao Squadron, report in."

@[member="Akio Kahoshi"], @[member="Prince Garec"], @[member="Davik Tren"], @[member="Lekin'ed'omelan"]