Faction Frontier Liberation: The Show Must Go On || The Confederacy

[Tamna Korvan]

F O X
CAMP PHOENIX | SCARIF
TAG: Zesh Harko | Tyrias Aran | Na-Nihilus Soth | Eva Tektus

APOCALYPSE​

"Whatever's here isn't getting out. How should I address you?"

"Jaxon Shaddix, Patrol Commander." Shaddix introduced himself to the Chiss before they all walked to join the Intelligence Operative at the door. As they moved, Tamna could feel the tension within Weller. He knew very well what had come from this very place last time. And he had the feeling that the Mandalorians didn't get everything.
"Easy, Wells." she told him softly. "We got each other's backs."
"Thanks, Tam." he replied quietly.

"It appears power is still running but the entrance is sealed. Does anyone have the access code or a way to slice past the lock down protocol?"

Tyrias stepped forward while the patrol observed.

"My access code will still work."

By the time she turned toward Shaddix to tell them to fan out, he had already given the silent command for them to take up defensive positions. Everyone's rifles were at the ready and helmets properly secured to filter out any unwanted stuff.

Tamna watched from the corner of an eye as Tyrias worked to get the control panel operational. In that moment, the Force whispered a foreboding warning to the ex-Imperial. She dared not put the others more on edge than they already were, but she readied herself for whatever was to come, pulling the Force close to use it when she absolutely had to.

Then the door slid open.

The inside was dark. Though power was still operational, lights were out. Some loose wires hung from the ceiling, occasionally sparking as power pulsed through them. But it was deathly quiet otherwise, the hallway empty. But Tamna could feel various presences further into the bunker, though they weren't normal.

Shaddix had them moving, following the others into the hallway, visors switching between thermal and night-vision while rifles were still somewhat ready but held close to the chest. All was quiet as they slowly moved in deeper.

And then a scraping sound rang through the silence from somewhere deeper in...

 

[Judah Dashiell]

Danger Arceneau | Brakkus | Tertius C. Nargath | Sentapoth Findos | Ardin Paskal | Vemric Keldra
​

"Excellent to hear. Dashiell Incorporated goes, same old same old."

Judah nodded along as Brakkus spoke of Nargath having his hand in every pie. This was true. The man was too close to too many governments and was now trying to weasel his way in to a third. They were not close and Judah couldn't detect motive, but he suspected the man was trying to cement himself as another type of Trade Federation. The speech going on certainly had the same vibe - come in, offer a solution, pretend that they were the only solution in the 'verse. Ripped right out of the Trade Fed's book, so much so Judah wondered if Nagrath had paid Rulonom Laborr for private lessons.

Now it was just eyeroll inducing. Before he could ask any questions, the Trade Queen did, moving to poke holes in the proposal by N&Z. Talks of a monopoly floated about, as well as the important question of who owned and profited from these power plants. Judah had his own line of power solutions and much of the revenue came from training and replacement parts, so it wasn't quite 'free' energy but very reduced. More of a pet project for him than a real business avenue.

Standing, the shaggy CEO buttoned his suit jacket as he did so, looking to speak and take the floor.

"Marquis, you seem offended that Miss Arceneau even dare question your bill when you assemble us, stand before us, and present a bill that offered no avenue for collaboration. There was no mention of bringing in other sectors. No mention of sourcing materials from others in this territory or government. Its clear that this bill and proposal is just a way for you to secure yourself a position in the hearts and minds of others and therefore the government itself. This isn't about bringing lower-cost energy to the citizens, its about you trying to greedily gain power and influence. Don't stand here and tell me otherwise, you're merely upset that Miss Arceneau has questioned and turned your proposal into cheesecloth."

A pause.

"So spare us the outrage Marquis. You will find none who pity your position."

 

[Zesh Harko]

HARKO
Camp Phoenix | Scarif
TAGS: Tyrias Aran | Tamna Korvan | Na-Nihilus Soth | Eva Tektus
GEAR: Tactical Suit | Helmet | Blaster Pistol

LISTENING​

Harko watched as Aran attempted several code entries before going to work manually repairing the console’s hardware. Resourceful and impressive. Most commanders of her rank would recoil at the thought of getting their hands dirty but she was clearly a different caliber of Admiral.

"One more time."

He followed the fireteam through the door. A shiver ran through his body. The place seemed both dead and alive. It sounded as if the facility was yawning as fresh oxygen rushed in to meet the thick stale air. Even through his air filters, Harko smelled the damp musty reek of mold. The sounds of their footfalls and rustling gear felt alien in the silence. Skreeeeee. a long scraping noise echoed up from the belly of the beast. It didn’t sound small like rodents or deterioration. Something was moving.

Harko pulled the blaster from his beltline. He supposed his assumption that the rumors had been exaggerated might be wrong after all. The whole team tensed for a passing moment before continuing forward. Veterans like these weren’t usually skittish but there was no telling what was down there with them.

Another shiver. Something wrong rippled in the Force. Corruption. If something was trapped down there, they had just opened the vault door. A single mistake now would mean the horrors within were free to ravage Scarif. Sometimes nightmares do come true. Harko activated the night vision imaging on his helmet and clicked on the cam recorder.

“Sending visuals to the support team,” Harko reported in a gravely whisper. His active cam would deliver real-time video of their situation to the fleet stationed above. At least for as long as the signal remained strong. As they descended, the interference from the base would mean delays and static in the feed before losing it completely. The cam would continue recording internally but as for the team; they would truly be alone.

OOC:

Spoiler

Beaming up some "found footage" POV style horror video to anyone who wants to watch and react to the jump scares.

​

 

[Tertius C. Nargath]

PARLIAMENT FLOOR| ROTHANA
TAGS: Vemric Keldra | Judah Dashiell | Ardin Paskal | Sentapoth Findos | Brakkus​

He had learned his lesson before, making decisions hastily and without deliberation would generally only lead to one's own downfall. While he had always thought of his own intellect to be rather good, his emotional disconnect to people usually made it hard for him to successfully maintain a straight face, but he had been admonished for his actions twice before. He had been practically humiliated by Castor Crane and Makai Dashiell for the actions he had undertaken when he had been shown the door by Braze . Though it took some time, he had learned from this, he had learned to listen to others, to allow others to question his actions, his desires and his ideas, to test his resolve and his character with constructive criticism and solutions he would not have thought of. He knew his limitations and as such sought out the best and brightest to attach them to the N&Z in order to let the company flourish and grow further.

Yet, somewhere deep within him, there was a limit...that limit was that he did not take kindly to those who clearly did not listen to his words and his replies, who had clearly been caught up within their own mind rather than showing the dignity of listening to the words, the questions and the answers that had been given within the context of the current parliamentary meeting. While he felt like Danger Arceneau 's list of concerns was...partially his own fault for not being clear enough on the matter of the Proposal (NOT the bill), the words...or rather the spitting venom coming from Judah Dashiell 's end were rather shocking and rather uncouth for a man who so far had been in high esteem with Tertius due to his ability to lead even the most heated conversations within the CIG...this, somewhat disturbingly childish outburst coming from the head of the powerful Dashiells was entirely unexpected.

When it was clear that Judah Dashiell had said his piece, the Marquis of Valkan stood up again. Visibly somewhat shaken, but still calm and collected, taking in a deep breath to avoid any emotional imbalance within himself, tempering his bewilderment and shock of that very moment. "No, mr. Dashiell, I am not offended by any of the questions Lady Arceneau made towards this Proposal...not a bill, need I remind you. Her concerns were valid and it would have been a disservice at my own end not to try and answer her questions and concerns with truthful answers and correct numbers and terms."

Waving his hand in the air as if to dismiss the head of the Dashiell family, Tertius calmly nodded towards the man with a neutral smile. "As I have previously said, this proposal will be handled in a case by case manner, with all planetary systems and their leadership free to choose any of the companies that would follow in this proposal and as such...should there be other, more suitable choices...who even can say if the N&Z would come out of this with even one contract? Because of the fact that I yet again reiterate that this is an open proposal, to be looked at, discussed and ratified not through force, but honest dialogue, questioning and reason...I must have been talking to other people just like you have been doing while I was answering the esteemed Lady Arceneau's questions. I am not forcing the N&Z's products on the Confederacy, I am OFFERING to fund and build my company's power plants and refineries. A proposal which as I said is open for all other companies that wish take part in this endeavor, to do so with their own terms and offers considered."

This time it was the Marquis' moment to have a pauze, looking Judah straight in the eyes without a smile, without even a single muscle flexing or relaxing within what could be called an extremely neutral expression.

"Do you have any substantial questions to make or concerns to air in regard to the PROPOSAL, or do I send you a Judicial BILL for your unwarranted slander in this place oif dialogue and civil discourse?"

 

[Na-Nihilus Soth]

Na-Nihilus Soth
Sovereign-Class Assault Cruiser Fist of Yag'Dhul | In Orbit of Scarif
TAG: Eva Tektus Zesh Harko Tyrias Aran Tamna Korvan
GEAR: Admiral's Tunic and Trousers, Type 59 Service Pistol

The Blockade Snaps Shut

​

"Sir," TX-23 began "We are receiving a transmission from The Star Spider. Captain Tektus thought it pertinent to inform you of Camp Phoenix's poor air quality. Initial scans reveal general system failure base-wide. Organic forces are most at risk."

Soth pondered this for a time, fingers interlocked as he rested on his command throne. While such a report was hardly surprising given the poor condition of the base, it was still something to note. Whatever occupied Camp Phoenix could hardly be a normal organic if the air quality within the base was so poor. This could mean many things, all of them were hardly good.

"Keep the ground teams apprised, I want that base continuously scanned for any abnormal readings. No surprises, Commander."

"As you command, Admiral."

Soth turned his attention to the communications officer, another Givin like many of those aboard the Fist of Yag'Dhul.

"Contact Captain Tektus. I wish to maintain constant communication, her ship's sensors are more capable than our own. She may discover something we might miss."

"Yes Sir!"

From across the bridge, another officer spoke up, standing from his station to catch the Admiral's attention.

"Admiral, we are receiving a video feed from the ground team. Agent Harko is the source."

Soth wasted little time, he keyed in a few commands to his command throne and the video feed was projected before him. The Givin sat back in his throne and watched as the ground team began to plunge into the depths of the decrepit facility. Even safely in orbit, the Admiral could sense the unease that such a place brought on. As the feed continued to play on, occasionally crackling as the team pushed deeper into the facility, Soth chose to lean over slightly to speak to the Tactical Droid that had been at his side.

"Deploy additional combat droids to the surface. Do not inform the ground team of their presence."

Though highly intelligent, TX-23 seemed confused by the order and looked to the Admiral for additional clarification

"Sir?"

"If there is a biological threat, we cannot risk one of our own personnel spreading the sickness beyond the facility. All organic forces are to be thoroughly scanned and tested before they are allowed to depart from the containment zone."

"And should they refuse?"

"Terminate them. Burn the remains."

The droid bowed slightly in acknowledgment, unaffected by the grave orders that were just issued. Using his throne once more, Soth hailed the Star Spider, attempting to contact Captain Tektus directly.

She would be informed of his orders. Only she could be trusted to carry out what may need to be done.

 

[Tyrias Aran]

Camp Phoenix, Scarif
Tag: Na-Nihilus Soth | Zesh Harko | Tamna Korvan | Eva Tektus

​

Tyrias calmly stood to her feet and turned her rifle over in both hands as the mercenary company advanced and Zesh fell in behind them. Ruby eyes flicked up at the maw ahead as her rifled whined. Two taps on the commlink sent static bursts back to camp; the mission clock had started. House keeping in order, she moved swiftly after the group.

Slowly, the Chiss swept the floor, walls, and ceiling as she advanced. The door would begin to close in their wake, sealing them inside with whatever lie in wait. She could have overriden the automatic protocol, but Tyrias didn't need to give those in orbit an excuse.

Support team? A small smile played across her blue features. Man was an optimist. He'd need that spirit for the trials ahead.

As for the groans of a derelict subterranean military facility, the Chiss' countenance was carved from blue marble. Others felt tremors in the Force. Premonitions, perhaps. She didn't have the same sort of connection they did, but she didn't need it to tell her what lay ahead. Their Farstar station, Tirco Vizan, hadn't gone missing in a place between worlds only to reappear in the Rothana system without incident. A long and all too storied career even before that signaled this mission would be perilous. Which hardly mattered. They'd advance, make contact, and strategize a means of crushing the opposition. All that mattered was meeting their mission objectives, not worrying about the nature of the beast that lurked ahead.

Speaking of which, "If anyone has ulterior motives, now would be the time to air them," Tyrias said softly as she joined the group at the rear. Wasn't like they could turn back and throw someone outside just because they came here for unofficial reasons. Little late for that. Perfect time to admit it so they weren't betrayed at a crucial juncture. Not that they would, of course. Admit it that is. It was just an offer. She might not be inclined to forgive them later if they kept it private.

​

 

[Eva Tektus]

Tag: Na-Nihilus Soth | Zesh Harko | Tamna Korvan | Tyrias Aran
Liberty Class Cruiser - The Star Spider​

Teams have made their way into Phoenix. Eva eyed the tactical map and with the camp's schematics installed on the ship, the Star Spider could easily monitor their activity. Agent Harko had broadcasted his helmet's video feed to the support ships and Eva already had her droids monitoring his feed. She briefly walked over to the B1 who was watching the feed and it was just as she feared, desolate and decrepit. If there was any that were to incur on the ground then the droids would perform their primary function and inform the captain.

"Ma'am! We're detecting additional drop ships departing from the Fist of Yag'Dhul" Said TX-09 who approached Eva as she was eyeing the video feed. She was shocked upon hearing the news. Looked like Admiral Soth took her report seriously. Surely, she felt uneasy with him putting faith into this counsel and sending more ground troops seemed a bit overkill. But with an unknown, you couldn't be too careful.

"We are also being hailed by the admiral." The droid said in its neutral robotic tone.

Eva didn't want to make assumptions but it did seem as though the admiral wanted to coordinate with her personally. But before that she had to start delegating. "Monitor the holomap and be ready to respond to any irregularities."

It wasn't good conduct to keep an admiral waiting so Eva had rushed from the CIC over to the holocomm overlooking the other crew in order to receive Admiral Soth's hail. "Admiral Soth? Captain Eva Tektus, reporting."

 

[Danger Arceneau]

Interacting with: Tertius C. Nargath Brakkus Judah Dashiell Ardin Paskal Vemric Keldra Sentapoth Findos
| Dress x | x | x | x | x | x | X | X |

​

Danger had witnessed enough heated exchanges to know when to step i--- and now was one of those times. Her gaze flickered briefly to Judah, his words still hanging heavy in the air. While she certainly appreciated his passion, it wasn't the most tactful of displays -- then again the Old Salvager hadn't been one to mince words as of late. No matter; he and the Marquis had their say. It was time to smooth the feathers a bit.

With a slow inhale, Danger cleared her throat, a low and throaty sound that seemed to settle the room's tension before it had the chance to build too much. The soft, practiced curve of her lips came into place as she turned her attention toward the Marquis.

"Now, now, gentlemen," she drawled, her voice like warm honey, dripping with civility and that southern charm she'd perfected over the years. "While I've got a mighty respect for the... passion y'all bring to the table, we oughta bring our focus back to what's truly important here." She spoke with a deep understanding of the concerns and passions of the others in the room.

There was no mistaking her meaning. Business was business, and tempers were best kept in check. Her expression softened, though the underlying steel was still there, just beneath the surface. Her eyes, dark and keen, flickered briefly to Dashiell with a polite nod, then shifted back to the Marquis.

"Marquis, you've been kind enough to answer my questions and make some clarifications, and I do appreciate your openness. But, with all due respect, there's a little misunderstandin' I'd like to address." She paused, letting her words settle like the dust around them. "Now, as much as you speak of voluntary participation, and I'll grant you that's a generous way to approach it, I believe your words left a little... wiggle room. The term 'proposal,' for instance... it didn't quite hit the mark in explainin' this wasn't a regional contract in the strictest sense, did it?"

Her eyes met his, steady and direct, though there was no bite in her gaze -- just a clear invitation to see her side of things. "You see, it's not about whether this is a 'bill' or 'proposal,' as you so rightly pointed out," she continued, her voice soft but unyielding. "It's about the ripple, the quiet hum of the things left unsaid. We can't always hear 'em at first, but trust me, they're there."

She leaned back just slightly, hands resting gracefully in her lap, before continuing in that smooth, coaxing tone. "So Marquis, what I'd like to do is this... I'm more than happy to take a closer look at this proposal of yours and see if we can't all work somethin' out. I'm sure others in this panel would be as well. After all, if we're all in this to see the economy and Confederacy grow, well, I do believe we can find a way to help each other rise without trippin' over one another."

With a small, knowing smile, she straightened herself, a gentle but firm authority in her posture. "Now, ladies and gentlebein's, shall we continue?"

 

[Na-Nihilus Soth]

Na-Nihilus Soth
Sovereign-Class Assault Cruiser Fist of Yag'Dhul | In Orbit of Scarif
TAG: Eva Tektus Zesh Harko Tyrias Aran Tamna Korvan
GEAR: Admiral's Tunic and Trousers, Type 59 Service Pistol

The Blockade Snaps Shut

​

Just as Soth appeared as a blue hologram aboard The Star Spider, Captain Tektus appeared before the Admiral. Soth had never worked with humans until he had joined the Confederacy and he still found them immensely fascinating. No other species varied so widely in their personality, beliefs, and predictability. Some were foolish, little more than animals who relied on instinct. Others were brilliant, inspirations to their species as well as the entire galaxy.

Captain Tektus appeared to fall into the latter category, but that judgment could not be made until she heard the Admiral's command.

"Captain, I am sure you are well aware of the potential biological threat that Camp Phoenix poses. While our ground forces are highly skilled and I do not doubt their ability, some things are simply inescapable."

Soth paused, moving to interlock his fingers as he calculated the best way to relay his orders. She would obey regardless, but there was no need to cause alarm just yet.

"But our organic forces are unpredictable. They will likely succeed in their objectives, but that does not mean they are immune to whatever lingering threats may remain. They must be examined before they can leave the containment zone, some may very well agree to such an examination but others may react out of... fear. My duty is to the Confederacy as is yours. We cannot allow a breach of containment."

While the implication was clear, Soth thought it best to leave little room for misinterpretation of his orders

"Should our ground forces fail to submit to examination, the additional combat droids that I have ordered to the surface are to execute those who resist. I tell you this in complete confidence that you will obey my orders, even should Admiral Aran contact you in an attempt to override my commands. These measures may not be necessary, but we would be foolish to believe that self-preservation is not a factor our operatives on the surface value greatly."

Soth leaned forward then, so far he had proven that he had great faith in his subordinate, but Givin were mathematical by nature. There was a chance, no matter how small, that Captain Tektus may defy his orders. He was prepared for such a thing.

"While you do have my trust, Captain, failure to follow my orders will be met with the harshest punishments."

The Admiral simply let that warning hang in the air for a moment before he settled back into his throne, seemingly relaxing his posture.

"Continue to monitor the surface. Should you have anything else to report, do not hesitate to do so. Destroy any ships that attempt to breach our blockade."

With these last commands, the transmission was cut and Soth was once again left alone with his thoughts, his attention once again returned to the live feed of the operations below.

 

[Judah Dashiell]

Judah was not as stupid as perhaps some may think he was. When the Queen of Trade looked in your direction twice, one tended to get the hint no matter how dense they tended to be. Were his words uncalled for? Not in his opinion. Could he have chosen them a bit more diplomatically? Always. He wasn't one to stand idly by while another was trying to steam roll a project then claim if they had such great ideas, then to join the project. A bit hard in his opinion when it hadn't been presented as an option at first.

He would remain suspicious of the entire proposal.

"Apologies Miss Arceneau, Marquis."

Danger had taken over speaking and he sat back down, mulling over the entire situation. It was odd to him - why hadn't this been presented as a private contract to the Confederacy? Calling in the entire assembly - including the corporate partners - didn't sit right with him. Judah felt there was more at play than merely providing a service.

It was a move the Trade Federation would have made. The Marquis however was not as polished or refined. At least not yet - maybe this was his first attempt at weaseling into a government.

Brakkus | Danger Arceneau | Tertius C. Nargath | Sentapoth Findos | Vemric Keldra Ardin Paskal ​