Invasion Great Balls of Fire | Agents of Chaos invasion of CIS-held Rodia and Talay

[John Locke]

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D E F E N D

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Location: In Orbit around Talay​

Tagging:​

CIS: Kiff Brayde | Visanj T'shkali​

AOC: Willam Forlon | Dimitri Lindzinsky | Kyrinov | Bella​

Fleet:​

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Spoiler: Fleet

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SC-013 “Lucrehulk III” Class Super Carrier (60% shields remaining)​

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Subjugator II (80% shields remaining)​

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Grievous-class Star Destroyer x 5​

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Arjuna-class Artillery Destroyer x 5 (1 vessel on 80% shields, 1 vessel on 85% shields)​

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Terrus-class Flak Corvette x 5 (1 destroyed, 1 with 20% shields and 40% hull remaining)​

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Argente-class Assault Cruiser x 4​

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The very nature of naval combat was fluid, an ever-changing battlespace filled with energy and ships, citadels of metal and ceramic that drove through the dark of space. Leviathans their ancestors could never have imagined, feats of engineering that put those wonders of the ancient world to shame.

The ability to reach for the stars was one of the ultimate achievements available to any species, a sign that they had matured and were worthy of joining the galactic community, that they had moved past their baser instincts.

Only, that wasn’t really the case.

Sentient species reached for the heavens; it was one of the common traits of all sentient species galaxy over. They built these behemoths, these marvels of engineering to traverse the stars, but like so many creations that spilled from his hands they’d been twisted by the vagaries of the galaxy, the darkness that seemed to pulse and beat at the centre of every interaction.

War was the unending beat which drove the galaxy, twisted every invention into a means of waging war, of spreading death and destruction. The drum of war that resonated through the galaxy had taken those ships that were supposed to be the signs of a civilizations maturity and twisted them into the ultimate weapons of slaughter. Sitting in this chair, it was almost impossible to truly appreciate the state of the conflict, of the lives that were lost.

It was an almost sterile way of fighting a war. John knew that every ship was crewed with sentient beings, each one with a family, with hopes and dreams. Each destroyed vessel, each impacting turbolaser could put an end to a person with all the potential for good and evil that they’d carried with them.

He’d tried though.

The Exarch had done his best to pursue the path of peace. In the face of the Agents of Chaos’s unconscionable demands, he’d tried to give them a chance to retreat, to give them a chance for their better angels to come to the fore.

They hadn’t taken it.

The Exarch could only watch sadly as the enemy fleet started to shift, trailing out towards him like a spear released by a hunter. That wasn’t too far from the truth, to be honest, a fleet was like a weapon in the hands of a well-trained artist. John had seen it, experienced it, Had felt the way that a collection of ships could be moulded into something more, an extension of his will, reacting to his commands in a fluid manner.

It was what he needed to do now.

He was going to need every trick he could come up with it seemed, that leading battlecruiser seemed to be soaking up every shot that came it's way. A shield, a battering ram that would blow through his forces, opening them up to the rest of their forces. He could see every shot fired just glancing off the ship, like waves breaking against the bow of a ship, with much the same effect. The sea of fighters that hung between the two fleets parted between them as the fleets inexorably closed with one another.

“All commanders, it looks like that battlecruiser’s just going to absorb everything we can throw at it without scratching the paintwork. It looks like we’re going to need to try something different to get through it.”

The cyborg pressed his lips together before nodded slowly.

“High Marshall Brayde, manoeuvre independently and see if you can threaten his rear. Minister T’shkali, please pull your forces back and form a line. When he breaks through my forces yours will be all that stands between his battering ram and the planet.”

It might seem that the Exarch had given into fatalism, but a plan was slowly starting to crystalise in his mind as commands started to flow from his lips.

The fleet began to shift, reacting the commands of the man sitting at its centre like a spider. The fleet began to disintegrate, splitting it up into its component parts, a part of a dance carried out in one man’s mind.

The cruisers fell below the axis of the system, curling to the left, the artillery destroyers arching up and to the right. The two battlecruisers shifted up and to the left while the grievous destroyers dropped down and to the right. Forming a ring around the line of the ships that were driving towards him as they started to rotate a circle spinning around its axis.

Weapons-fire reached out a sea of energy that threatened to sweep over the approaching forces. Beams of energy stabbing out towards them as they approached.

The cards had been played, all that John could do was try to end this fast without any major loss of life.

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Spoiler: tldr

Post 1​

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Fleet in orbit of Talay deployed in a defensive formation.​

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Post 2​

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Launched Fighters​

Grevious Destroyers targeting Procursator-class Skirmish Destroyers​

Arjuna Destroyers targeting Siege Destroyers​

All ships to open fire in 8 minutes unless fired upon.​

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Post 3​

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Terrus-Class Corvettes moving up to engage enemy fighters​

Arjuna Destroyers switching targets to 2 of the Victory Class Destroyers​

Grievous Destroyers moving to protect the flank and firing on the Fire Line​

Subjugator engaging the ISD-III Star Destroyer​

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Post 4​

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Ships shift up into circle formation around the axis of Willam's advance.​

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[Tien Ulinesque]

W A T E R​

Objective: Hit the station
Time: 0040 Hours
Equipment: Star Anvil heavy blaster, XIPHOS Armor
Tags: | Ciri Jade | Damsy Callat | Athena | Ares Stone |

If there was one thing that Tien agreed with Luna with, not that there was a shortage of those things, it was how the squads of Dauntless commandos were composed. Every single one of the squadmates scored above a certain threshold across the board, but each of them also typically had one or two categories that they scored very highly in. Take Bones for example. Perfectly good solider in terms of firefighting ability, agility, and strength. What set him apart, however, was his brilliant medical mind. So many times, Tien had found Bones with the ability to keep a commando or solider alive for much longer than the typical doctor, a skill that anyone in their profession would be glad to have. Or Tag, for another example. Same scores across the board as practically any good commando, but his ability to work out positioning in his mind to take advantage of combat positions was a skill that made him stand out quickly in the squad trials at camp phoenix.

Granny, as shown by the lights and electricity coming back on within five minutes, was very much the space wizard with anything regarding electronics. It didn’t matter what that electronic was attached to. Wall panels, electrical boxes, everything. Hell, Tien had even watched the crazy zabrak take apart a personal comm unit, fiddle with it’s insides for a few minutes, a put it back together, claiming it’s range had been expanded by fifty kilometers with just a few tuneups. They didn’t have the time to really test that theory, as the comm subsequently blew up within seconds of being put back together. Still, an impressive attempt.

Tien’s eyes observed the command room as the regular lights first came on, quickly switching then to the emergency reds, flashing on and off. They coated the room in an eerie feeling, one that the Kishiri was quick to try and quell. “Granny, can you shut the emergency lights off?” There was a quick nod from the horned alien, and after a few moments, the red lights were shut off. The fact that those lights were even on in the first place, not a good thing he surmised.

“Alright..you three, try to find out why exactly this place had an emergency evacuation.” He said, motioning to the three commandos that were manning the central power tower. Turning to the agent, Tien then made a follow motion while making for what he could only assume was the central computer of this place. “Let’s find out why you were sent here in the first place, then get out of here as quick as possible. I don’t know about you..but I don’t much want to stay here much longer than we have to.”

 

[Prennis Keeoli]

{ Location: Rodia, Iskaayuma > Yesosko Cabaret Theater }
{ Equipment: Robes + scrubs, meditation amulet, diagnostic gauntlet / headset, basic medkit, sidearm }
{ Allies: Confederates; Enemies: Agents Terrorists; Immediate Tags: Nimue + Aurelion Nova }
{ Objective: Earth - treat wounded CDF/RPOs > Omega Squad } { Post: 04 }​

~ † ~​

"I'm sure you'll be of much assistance," she told the man following her ( Jason Farkas ) with sincerity but urgency as they crossed the theater's floor to the fae padawan's side. When the vampire spoke so bluntly, she might have taken some offense with her tone had the day's circumstances been any different. Because of them, she could certainly use all the help she could get. She had met the Nightmother twice. Both times alone had instilled in the nurse great respect for for the witch elder; together, the feeling was undeniable, forged in the fire of mythical dangers. If now this woman before her was offering help - in Vytal's name, no less - Prennis was nodding and accepting enthusiastically. Her words reflected the metaphor as she replied, actually nodding, but only once, "Yes, of course. Please, then, come find something to do."

As she invited Nimue in, Prennis skirted behind her, seeking to take hold of the door handle and easing it shut behind. She stopped short as a glance down the street revealed Typhan Berrezz sprinting towards Yesosko. Behind him came his surviving squadmates, the Rodian officer escort assigned to Omega, and a stand-out Force User ( Rann Thress ).

All but pushing past Nimue to exit the lobby, Prennis shouted down the way, "What do you need?!"

"Room for three," Typhan replied as he came to a running stop at her side, reaching out for her forearm to slow. "Rest are dead. Four plus some civs."

There was no time for pity for the dead - only for fear for the living. That they could hope to fix. "There's a temporary burial down in the basement," she said. It wasn't a mass grave, but the cool nature with which she said it, the crude way they had fashioned it, might to the uninformed ear have seemed barbaric. The fact of the matter was they had to do something with the passed. Keeping them under the same roof as the recovering wounded seemed to her only practical, not a bit unfortunate considering the many realities of battle, especially when the alternative was to leave identified cadavers in the streets to dismember.

The Rodians carrying litters filtered past and into the cabaret. Two Omegas followed, both assisted by other commandos or officers. One looked to have a stray blaster bolt, the other some earthen shrapnel embedded. "Gisk, Sartori," he named then off as they passed, respectively. "The chap in the litter, only one alive, 's Kaal." Prennis didn't have to see through Typhan's visor to know his eyes had begun to gloss over, reliving whatever horror had brought his party here. Pity for the dead, no, but pity for the living, she allowed herself to have in the moment.

What a poor, poor thing.

She reached out and touched his upper arm, and gently rubbed the grit caked onto his armor off so as to give some of her comfort a place to burrow into his being. "We'll take care of them, sir." No smile came. That was as best as Prenn could do without breaking herself in the process. So she turned away, jogging back towards the doors. "Aurelion, take Gisk! You," pointing to Jason, "Sartori!" That left Kaal to her. She paused just passed the threshold, glancing to Nimue. "What kind of help did you come bearing, mahm?"

 

[Bella]

Spoiler: Theme

Objective/Location: Seek and Destroy - Talay System
Fighter: Phase I “Ballerina” Star Interceptor - Aurora Seven
Onboard Equipment: Phase IX Anti-G Suit | X-8 Night Sniper
Allies: AoC ( Willam Forlon Salem Norongachi Dimitri Lindzinsky)
Enemies: CIS ( Kiff Brayde John Locke Visanj T'shkali )

She couldn’t break now.

Not when her wingman so desperately needed her in the midst of what essentially amounted to a swarm of hostile fighters, each flown by bloodthirsty men and women who were eager to make up for the humiliation that had transpired over Ryloth when that battle had suddenly turned in favor of the Armada at the very last moments. She could only watch her sensors with frozen terror, her eyes unblinking as the number of unique hostile signatures continued to climb into what she could only perceive as astronomical figures. All the while, the battle continued to transpire around her as her wingman shot down an errant Vulture droid. The only thing keeping her interceptor moving was the droid brain autopilot, which held her in a defensive pattern close to her wingman.

It very nearly broke her.

The last thing that she expected to hear in that moment was the voice of her wingman, who had through some strange magic, sensed her fear like a carnivore smelled meat. Although, instead of preying on her, his words brought her back. Perhaps it had been his mention of home, his validation of her fear, or his assurance that he would never leave her side, but whatever it was, it had called her back to battle. Being a warrior meant constantly overcoming crippling fear so that she could fulfill her duties as a pilot in the Armada. In her interceptor, she was but a small piece in the greater symphony of organized war. If she died, she would be nothing more than a statistic and a tiny name on some monument, but it would be a mistake for her to focus on that. In comparing herself to others, she would only find disappointment and reasons to quit.

As Salem had told her only moments before, the trick was to focus on her job and to trust in herself.

Bella glanced up, suddenly conscious of the sweat beading across her pink forehead. With a deep breath, Bella gripped the control sticks and angled her interceptor after her wingman as he shifted into a defensive pattern behind the enduring hull of the Justice.

A tear slipped from her eye when she took one more look at the molten, burnt-out mass of the lead Monarch in the primary Armada fleet. But, when she shifted her attention to the Justice as it led the charge into the Confederate formation, her expression was one of unmistakable resolve.

“I’m ready to fight.”

 

[Domino]

• Objective - Plant demolition charges
• Location - Dome exterior, nestled in the equipment on the top
• Gear and Equipment - Armor, LMG, Sidearm, knife, rock, candle, twin lightsabers, various grenades, demolition charges.
• Allies - Agents of Chaos, Strike Team Bluebell Sasmay Cull
• Post 9

All things considered Sasmay was being rather cool with things though Domino was now regretting not carrying extra water to give the woman. "We'll make a ring, like carving out a capstone. These charges are pretty high yield so they should do the job." And if they didn't then she would finish it off herself. First though, she got busy planting her own demolition explosives, sticking each to the slight curve that was the the dome so high up. Doing so, she tried not to think about any of the Agents that hadn't heeded or understood her warning to get underground, she valued them more than any potential Rodian stragglers that might still not be in a shelter. As for the members of the CIS, she couldn't have cared less. Their leadership had murdered something along the lines of a million civilians after inviting peace talks, that they now had gathered an equivalent number of soldiers for her to balance the scales with suited her just fine. Had she known that some of the CIS had considered this their trap for the Agents she would have appreciated the further irony.

"Here," she said passing Sasmay one of the detonators she'd set to the explosives once they'd finished setting them all. "Once we're clear hit it and we'll see some real fireworks. Now, give me a hug." Okay it was silly, but the taller woman needed a lift out of there unless she wanted to take the ground level express. If Sasmay did grab on, Domino would hook her own arms under her's and lock the siege gear she wore before taking off with the backpack.

 

[Rann Thress]

R A G E​

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LOCATION: Rodia, Capital City. Command Post
OBJECTIVE: ?????
WEAPONS: Lightsaber / Robotic Right Arm
ARMOR: Apprentice Armor
TAGS: Voph l Sergei "Jack" Jachovich l Valeria Sempronia l Felurian Malvern l Eenia Vahn l Isalor Grathan I Typhan Berrezz I Prennis Keeoli I Nimue I Jason Farkas
ENEMIES: Agents of Chaos and their Allies, Open​

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As Rann continued to scream into the void, slowly but surely a calm began to wash over him. Some faux reasoning began to play in his mind​

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"Maybe....Maybe this wasn't their invasion? Maybe....Maybe it was a trick? Some plot? A false flag to lure our defenses elsewhere?" As he sat there, staring at the ground, bargaining with himself, trying to convince himself that this wasn't the fight the AoC had promised, but a trick, some master stroke, he slowly began to realize​

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"No. No this....This..." He continued to look down at the ground. He raised his right arm to his head and held it in his robotic hand.​

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Suddenly someone called out to him. A friend, not an enemy, by the distinct lack of laserblasts fired his way. Rann struggled to register the voice calling to him. He was seeing red both in, and out of his helmet. His fingers shook and he felt blood welling underneath his armor. His left hand probably had some broken fingers. He looked up and stared at the man calling out to him.​

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"Who ar-It doesn't matter." He thought, looking back down. With some effort, he pushed himself up on a knee, and rose altogether to stand on his feet. His breath was shakey, but slowly began to steady, as he reassessed his situation. When asked to evac with these soldiers, apparently survivors of this Omega squad, he nodded, depressingly. ​

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"Maybe...Yeah okay." He said, looking around.​

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"This...Sure." What fight he had had left him. Depression remained. But, he still had a job to do. He just wished he knew what that was. ​

He slowly sauntered over to the man who spoke to him ( Typhan Berrezz ) and spoke.​

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"You the squad lead of these guys here? Whose your CO?" He asked as he turned to move with them.​

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As they spoke they approached the field hospital of the CIS forces. ​

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Rann gazed around, precious few casualties, compared to what he had expected.​

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He began to accept it. This was the fight the AoC had brought, and it had passed him by. Everyone here got a chance to fight, but not him. Not even a blast fired his way, or a lightsaber ignited in an attempt to kill him. Nothing.​

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Just a vacation to Rodia.​

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He looked down glumly. The fight had forgotten about him. His pride was wounded. He was prepared for a fight, a combat that had never come.​

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"Am I not worth a fight?" removing his helmet. "What even am I? A warrior? A distraction? ENTERTAINMENT?" He turned, and with the power of the force amplifying his strength threw the helmet as far as he could, with as much power as he could. "...Nothing?" ​

He fell to his knees.​

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For the briefest of moments, his depression took such a turn that he had wished he hadn't been saved on Ryloth. That he had been allowed to die. Better that than the embarrassment of being ignored. Of feeling the rage that he felt, the raw desire for revenge and satisfaction, met with disappointment. That the fight literally vanished before his eyes.​

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He looked around to gaze around the medical area. Wounded. The glorious dead. Of which, he was not a part.​

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Every insecurity, every fear that followed him from Ryloth came back. Irrational, or not, Rann couldn't help but believe that he was worthless as he had feared. That he gave his best on Ryloth, it wasn't enough, and now he'd never be able to try again. He'd never get that chance. This dud of a fight had helped prove that to him. He didn't have it anymore, if he ever did to begin with.​

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As he sit there, struggling to come to terms with his own immeasurable disappointment and depression following what he considered to be the worst insult he could ever possibly receive, the worst feeling of embarrassment, failure, neglect and disdain, he began to feel some foreign presence. Some positive emotions that felt as if they were emanating from someone else, someone close. His innate feelings of fear, anger, and hate came to clash with this sense of calm, serenity and peace trying to passively inject themselves into his mind.​

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It began a war inside of his mind, most definitely not the intended purpose of this technique, and one he wholly rejected. It reminded him of life as a child on Onderon, where he was told how to feel. What to think. That his emotions were invalid because they weren't what his mother and her lovers wanted him to express. ​

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Especially now, during his emotional crisis, these feelings, this power, enraged Rann. Once again he clawed at his head, DEMANDING this presence remove itself from him, to leave him to his despair. He could sense the source of this presence close to him. A Force User. Someone he didn't recognize. ( Aurelion Nova ) However, as soon as he began to reject the presence, it disappeared as if sensing his refusal and retreating, not seeking to dominate his emotions. However the damage had been done to Rann. The push-back, however minuet, served to send Rann spiraling further into Rage as he struggled to come to terms with what had just happened, what it meant, and what he felt.​

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As he sat there, slowly but surely succumbing to his base emotions, falling deep into the pit of despair, he felt a darkness growing within him. Another presence, wholly unrelated to the first. Foreign, yet familiar to him, begin to assert itself, taking advantage and grabbing more mental territory inside of his mind.​

He gripped his head harder, digging plated fingers into skull as he struggled desperately to get a handle on his emotions, to return to some semblance of control. His teeth clenched together, forcing his mouth shut.​

It was all Rann could do to keep from screaming in this hospital as blue eyes shifted to pale yellow.​

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[Scherezade deWinter]

Location: Industrial part of the Iskaayuma
Wearing: Armatura | The Forgemaster's Ring | Ring of Stasis | The Sofitor
Wielding: 7 Nozhi Blades | 1 Whimsy Knife | 1 Whimsy Witch Knife | 2 Nastirci Combat Knives | Clarion | Copero's Wail | Fire and Smoke | Combat Gauntlets | Tessen | 2 TOTT-001 Arc Light Blaster | 2 Dissuader KD-30 Pistols with Glitter Bullets | The Parasite | Generic Breathing Mask
Allies: Agents of Chaos + Allies | Larentia + Open
Enemies: Confederacy | BX-72967-RAZOR Gerwald Lechner Redd +Their allies

The Force Barrier had been a good choice on Gerwald Lechner 's behalf, since he had no idea what she would do. Her fans had spread around her, but they had not yet lurched forward to turn him into a portion of wolf meat shiskabab.

She smirked as he tried to taunt her. It was one of the problems though; Gerwald had always been full of lies and untruths. He could try to provoke her with his bullshit. He'd probably spoken more than enough lies about her even before she'd left the Confederacy. It didn't matter.

Scherezade was a Warrior, and her skillset came with a bunch of incredibly deadly things added to it. His little battles on Stewjon with basic swords meant nothing to her, and meant nothing in the grander scheme of things.

"The only thing he can teach you properly is how to abandon people," she tossed her head back and laughed as the blades swirled around her. With a nudge of her chin she easily blocked the debris from hitting her; Gerwald had apparently still not realized that Earth was her element, though she doubted he knew much at all about what her abilities were beyond just knives.

And then it was time.

Her Nozhi Blades began to teleport around Gerwald; appearing one moment on one side of his, then disappearing into thin air only to reappear at another part entirely. Each of the seven blades would aim for a different weak spot in his armor - and thanks to the plates that constructed it, his armor was full of them. At the same time, Copero's Wail released wave after wave of the Force at him, leaving the thin trails of ice in the air behind its movement. The Tessen, a gift she had received from the ruler of Atrisia herself, broke its blades into separate ones, only adding to the number of sharp things that were all going for Gerwald.

Scherezade's two lightsabers were still in her hand, still ready to stop him if needed too. But mostly, it was still just a game. She knew she could easily turn him into goulash meat, but that was hardly the point. He was as conceited and full of himself as he'd always been.

And it was time to teach the wolf boy a little lesson.

All her blades continued to dance, and Scherezade at this point was so well versed in their usage, both with and without the Force, that she didn't need to divert her focus to them.

Instead, her energy went to Gerwald himself. Or more specifically, to the heart that beat in his chest. There were many words the girl that she had been over two years ago could've used to describe that cold heart, but she wasn't her today for the cold. She was here for the warmth. The warmth of the blood that ran through his veins, pulsing and giving him life, sustaining him through his conquests of females' underpants and through his abandoning of each and every single person that had bothered to give him an ounce of their affection.

For herself, she was long over it; he did not even plague her longing wishes anymore. But for one of her best friends, he would never be forgiven. Scherezade was beyond used to people trying to hurt her. After all, she'd been called the best pin cushion in the 'verse on more than one occasion, and it hadn't referred just to the physical aspect of the matter. She could take the punches, the betrayals, the hurtful words and the blatant lies. But she couldn't, wouldn't, take it when it was done to her loved ones. Especially when her loved ones were those who had shown, not through empty words, but through actions, that they truly were her loved ones, and that she was theirs in return.

And so Scherezade grabbed for Gerwald's blood through the Force; it wasn't a movement that she did, or even a word. If anything, there was no physical aspect to what she was doing. It had been a long time since her power as a Blood Hound had emerged, and she knew she had still not uncovered all she could do with them. For now though, what she wanted to do was something she had done numerous times before.

She wanted to call the blood out of Gerwald's body.

Grinning, the Sithling called to it. Unless he had a way of knowing what she was doing as well as blocking it, he would soon experience the first stages of it, the easy part, of the pressure being felt beneath his skin regardless of armor, and the small trickles of blood that would come from his nose. Then with time, not too much of it but definitely at least twenty seconds more, the blood would pour out of more holes in the head, before at last spraying out of his very pores.

It was a neat trick.

She was absolutely in love with it.

And at the same time, her blades would never give him pause, her lightsabers ready if he came close enough.

She knew Redd had joined them, but with her focus for the time being on Gerwald, she would rather let Larentia handle her. It was a true shame that the Lupine in wolf form wouldn't know any better - not until she too, got abandoned. But that would be a conversation for later.

Spoiler: Edits

Just speech color for the edits, content itself hasn't been edited.

 

[Madalena Antares]

Location: Iskaayuma
Wearing: Armor (tinted deep red)
Wielding: Meymad | Elemental Grenades | Glitter Grenades | Generic breathing mask
Allies: Agents of Chaos + Allies | Nerium Eldoc Quasat Zaldros Sabolte Gabriel Volturi + Open
Enemies: Confederacy +Their allies | Ishmael Verd Théodoro Shuklaar Kyrdol Draconis Sederius Wolf Luna Terrik

Nothing came as the seconds ticked by. Other than Théodoro , it seemed everything else had quieted down; the bubble of the yslamiri did not progress any closer to them, and it seemed her own people were, at least for the moment, perfectly fine.

Théodoro talked about not caring about anything else and how he would destroy her. Seriously. She was going to have to call his commander or squad leader or whatever up and complain about his behavior. If he wanted to destroy her, it was perfectly fine, of course, but to say that she was playing with him? That she was ignoring him? She had expected a slightly better understanding of the battlefield from a Thrysian.

Still, now that things were, at least for a handful of seconds, calmer around them, she could give him all the attention that he wanted.

The ceiling behind them broke, and Madalena grinned. That was the problem with the Confederacy; they were always so limited in their thinking, in their ability to imagine. No doubt they thought that they had successfully trapped a handful of Agents in the sewers. The problem was, that the sewers were more than a single level that was immediately beneath the city.

Iskaayuma was an ancient city. Sure, there were mostly factories on top of it today, but it had stood for thousands of years, seeing the planet through some good times, but also through a lot of bad times such as the Gulag, the Confederate Reign, and this. Really, they had come with the intent of blowing a few factories up, but so far, it appeared that most if not all of the damage done to the city, was done by the Confederacy itself.

Was it worth it? Was flattening a city just to get less than twenty people, something that was worth the taxpayer's money? Worth the large plan the Confederacy had put in place? Somehow, she doubted that. The Confederacy wanted to annihilate them, for obvious reasons, but instead all they had succeeded in doing was make the Agents look way better.

And the sewers… They were only one level. There was something that all cities old enough shared; and that was that they were built, bit by bit, on top of their older versions. Dig deep enough and you will find the remains of buildings that had been part of it ten thousand years ago. Sometimes even less.

Madalena didn't expect to find the original layer of the city. But she knew that the sewers, small as they might be (which was very weird, considering sewers needed to be more or less spread almost as big as the size of the city if the population didn't wanna go swimming in their own poo), came on top of much, much more.

Grinning as Theo used his wrist rocket, there was little she had to do other than duck; the rocket flew over her, and next to her (had he tried to hit her with it? No time to think about it) and the putrid waters of the sewers were suddenly free to splash.

She wasn't looking at him now. In quick succession, Madalena began to punch the ground, causing cracks to form on the bottom layer of the floor they were on. Cracks appeared, and then began to grow, and by the time Theo landed on her, a large portion of the floor gave way, letting both him and her sink through it to the level below.

All of Theo's hits struck home; Madalena could feel it, biting into her shoulder. Shit was was falling down on top of their heads (or just her head if Theo wasn't there anymore) and she spit in disgust, moving backwards out of the direct hitting area of it. Her left arm, while still firmly in place, felt numb.

Interesting.

Madalena looked to the Thyrsian, her own weapon - CHIT! Her own weapon could not withstand water. Thanks to Theodoro, it was now drenched in chit water, and the beam shut itself off. It needed repairs. She couldn't get repairs right now.

The Sith Sorceress clipped it back to her belt and thrust her right hand forward, her left one twitching ever so slightly within its numbness, unleashing Force Lightning directly at where Theodoro was.

He wanted a 1 on 1, she was damned if she wasn't going to give him one.

Injuring her weapon with feces water. How rude!

Spoiler: Edits

Force lightning is coming only out of one hand (the right one) - previous version had both hands because I'd forgotten I'd written that her left arm is numb. Herpa derpa.

 

[Alwine Daye]

Location: In the jungle, the mighty jungle, the Lupine's not doing any sleeping tonight
Wearing: Armor | Lupine Blood Stone | Gills of Destiny | Generic Breathing Mask
Wielding: WindWhisper | Vita Stones | GBG-7416 | Phase Candles | Panna Cake Batter |
Allies: Agents of Chaos | Rashae + Open
Enemies: CIS | Sabine Delacroix Amelia von Sorenn Daegon Corvinus Muad Dib | +Open

Warnings. All the warnings. Alwine couldn't hear them, couldn't stop and press her hands against a tree to receive the full content of it. But she knew they were trying to warn her, could feel the dread that was a mere kernel within the trees but grew into something much larger than that within her own chest.

Lies. The Confederacy would continue to sprout lies about the events of Siskeen and HOPE, would continue to lie to everyone about everything. Normally, she would not have cared; they were welcome to do that for what she did not care about. But these cold and calculated lies about lives lost were about her home. About the place that she was building. The place that they had attacked.

Her only way of bringing the truth out was to survive.

But how did you survive when you were left alone with nothing but your body and your wits, chased by gods knew how many people with equipment and bloodlust, willing to destroy their own planet just to get to an Agent of Chaos? She had already once spent countless weeks with the Sith, being murdered and then brought to life again. She did not relish to go through that again; Alwine felt as though she had died more than enough times for a lifetime, and she deserved a break.

Taking a wrong step ended her up on the ground. Alwine let a single breath out; she could get up, she could continue to run. But to what end? Dawn would be upon them soon. She had to reach it, to run into the first rays of sun. That would be her freedom. But it would not happen if they caught up with her.

"Forgive me," she mumbled to the ground.

The trees would survive. Their roots would remain safe beneath the ground where she could not reach them, and from the distance she heard a shout which she knew was aided by the Force, and knew she would not have heard it despite that if it were not for her being a Lupine, because of the distance.

Alwine changed her stance and sat now on the ground. She didn't need to focus for long. The first tree lit up in flames, small animals in the branches and insects trying to get away from it as soon as they could. The one next to it lit up as well, and within a handful of moments she had caused an entire wall of fire, thick and full of flames that ached to burn all those that touched them. There was nothing natural about the fire; she had used the Force to create it, and it continued to spread. They would need equipment to put that fire out unless they wished to let it run wild and free and burn large portions of the jungle down. And she hoped… She could only hope the distraction would be enough.

Her hands moved quickly, and within seconds she had disrobed, removing her armor and tossing it into the fire. Her weapon she carefully set by herself, so that she could carry it with her. Everything else would burn.

And a few heart beats later, where a petite woman stood, now was a tiny wolf - her fur was gray, and she was only a little above the size of a cub, through all her proportions were that of an adult wolf.

Alwine grabbed her weapon in her mouth, and turned to run again, this time as a different shape, a smaller shape, a shape that would be so much harder to spot, especially if one wasn't looking for it.

It was time to chase the dawn, and hope that the man who needed to brush his hair would not catch up with his terrorist of a friend.

 

[Aiofe A'Dess]

Talay, Ground​

Location: Talay, underneath the station
Wearing: Phase I Haywire Armor with beskar plates around the left side of the ribcage (plates are under the armor) |The helmet of the Phase I clone trooper armor, colored black | The Gills of Destiny (already activated, but more in case of need)
Wielding: Phase I Sword of Eve | Phase Candles | Phase II "Dissonance" Particle Beam Rifle | Whimsy Knife | Comm equipment
NPCs: 15 Agents of Chaos Wild Hunters, half FU, half NFU.
Allies: Agents of Chaos + Friends | Open!
Enemies: Confederacy + Friends | Athena Ares Stone Damsy Callat Tien Ulinesque @Ciri Jade+ Open!

Aoife was cursing internally. Hard. If any of the Hunters who worked with her back at home knew of the vocabulary running through her head right now, they would have been utterly shocked. She was usually shy, reserved, and incredibly proper when it came to the use of profanity. For a moment, it seemed like there was nothing but profanity in her head.

It was dark.

Once everyone had made it into the actual crashed base, they had rested the cut open door onto its place. It obviously didn't close perfectly; but it blocked out everything between the sides, and that would have to do for the time being.

The problem was, what could they do now? With the sea witch ( Ciri Jade ) behind them, there was only the base and the signal ahead, and by now, Aiofe wasn't as certain as she had been before, that it would really be abandoned.

"Change of plans," she whispered, knowing that her team could hear her since they were standing so close to each other, "Screw the signal. Finding isn't worth it if we all die. Our new mission objective is to find an exit and get the hell out of here. Ideally…"

Aiofe looked to the ceiling. Ideally, since they came in from the very bottom, they should've searched for an exit as high above them as they could; theoretically, the highest exit would lead them back to the planet rather than give them another dive into the incredibly dangerous waters.

She sighed.

"There's no ideal in this situation," she admitted, "stay close to each other. If you bump into a Confederate, try to talk if you can - bullets will ricochet like mad in this place. If you see the sea witch again though, just kill her. No words in that case."

And so, much to her chagrin, the remaining people of the squad began to move. Slowly, their flashlights and see in the dark equipment helping the situation somewhat. But it was still going to be a dungeon crawler; and Aiofe had no idea what they would be facing either - Confederates, was a given. But what if there were other creatures here? She gulped, and prayed there would not be.

 

[Sasmay Cull]

WIELDING: 4 Whimsy Knives, 1 Nastirci Combat Knife, 2 HG-88 ‘Big Iron’ Hand Cannons -(One has Glitter Bullets) 5/6 Verpine accessory shot ion tag round, 1 R12 LMG, (6) of Chaos Gas grenades, (4/6) of Elemental Grenades, Pouch of Vita Stones, A couple candles in separate pouches
WEARING: Phase II Haywire Armor with no helmet on top of UL-13 Corporis Skin Suit with helmet
LOCATION: Dome exterior, nestled in the equipment on the top
ALLIES: Agents of Chaos, Strike Team Bluebell, Domino
OBJECTIVE - Shake Things Up

​

Sasmay was selling the image of calm, her mind whirling in wild thoughts before actively pushing thoughts aside, mind focusing on the now and moving to avoid freezing up. There would be time to decompress after the mission was done, after the shooting was finished. After she could take her boots off, take off the armor on her way to the shower and sit quietly under the spray and hug herself into a good cry as the realization of what happened around her came crashing down on her rational mind.

Working quickly, she planted the charges and carefully took the detonator switch before Domino asked for a hug. Before the helmet was replaced, their was a strong expression of confusion, or maybe surprise on her face before the woman noted the armor and remembered the backpack. The seals hissed closed for her helmet, the water dispenser popping into her mouth as she greedily supped from the dispenser near to the point of discomfort. Cutting herself off before making herself sick on water, she bit on the end of the dispenser, the device sealing as she took off with Domino.

"Don't think I've ever had a view like this in an atmosphere. I need to get me one of these." Sasmay nodded to the backpack as she watched the dome somehow shrink.

 

[Vytal Noctura]

S P I R I T S . A N D . G O D S . P R O T E C T . U S

Equipment: The Blood of Dathomir Armor | Nightmother's Ward | Water of Life Potions |
Raxus Relief Gas | Rings X X X X | Circlet | Jam Buster
Stored: Seed, Conduit of Souls, Nesmite Tree Seed Pods, Cryo Grenades,
Grapple, Rope, Survival Gear, Knives
Commanding: Army of Skeletons with Falyood Tree Enhancement, Three Zombie

Location: Iskaayuma, Rodia
Allied: Confederacy of Independent Systems
Hostile: Agents of Chaos
​

Vytal looked back at the trio that walked calmly in the capital of Rodia once more. True, the hue of their flesh had lost its luster, and there were signs of physical injury that lacked the seep of blood from the living, but they were still themselves. Little time had passed in spiritual terms for their souls to rejoin the Source. Many that did not even commune with spirits spoke of this 'feeling' the departed lingered for a time. Vytal questioned whether so many truly had presence in the material realm, but their very essence would endure so, perhaps, in some way the family of those loved lost could feel them still.​

​

To be given a chance to stand on their world again. To see it. Feel it. Know it was something a spirit could not enjoy of their own, however. And it was something the Nightmother felt important to grant these three. In the Agents of Chaos pursuit to topple the Confederate "Empire, they'd sowed insurrection in a small subset of the Twi'lek population, and set them loose on Ryloth. As they had flightless birds in an attempt to taint the eco-system of a world they claimed to care about. These things had repurcussions not that these so-called "liberators" noticed. People died, families were broken, and now they came to Rodia to do it all over again.​

​

Only, this time, the "Empire" had taken steps to protect the people of this world as they'd been given public noticed of the Agents of Chaos coming. No vague references. No uncertain terms. A time, date, and location very clearly spelled out and responded to. Because, like any Empire, the Confederacy cared for its people so much they would spend resources to evacuate an entire planet... not like those Confederations or Republics of the Sith that bombarded entire planets from orbit to crush their enemies.​

​

The Witch turned and smiled at the trio that stood there. "We must go. The battle is not over yet. This is not the homecoming you deserve," with their capital under siege at that very moment, "but it is yours," for a time. The reanimation would not last for long. This was the only time she could grant it as well -- when the people of Rodia were not here to see it. The Living rarely understood the limits of such magick, and they could fear what they did not understand.​

​

Soon the Nightmother departed and strode deeper into the city where the battles raged. Small, personal confrontations despite the forces brought to bear by the Confederacy. Perhaps someone would teach her such as expected in urban warfare when the enemy force was small enough to hide themselves in alleyways or sewers. But they did not need to teach her of their danger -- numbers did not matter. That should have been apparent to all that witnessed the chaos and destruction in the capital of Ryloth. A lesson the Confederacy had obviously taken to heart.​

​

After some time the skeletal ranks had pressed into the Factory District in full, both above and below ground. Their fleshless forms walked among the many buildings, and crawled into the deep places of the city in search of their quarry. They would bully the enemy back into the ranks of the soldiers and militia present -- that was their purpose.​

​

One battle in particular had called to the Witch, for one of its participants spoke a universal language.​

​

As Scherezade deWinter launched her multi-pronged assault at Gerwald Lechner , and left Larentia to deal with Redd , the Nightmother Vytal Noctura had lighted atop a nearby building and begun to conjure the magicks of the Ancients once more. Fingers splayed, and hands raised, the pale Witch stood there in watch of the unfolding battle.​

​

Seconds later five skeletal figures rose from beneath the rooftop, from all sides of the building where the combatants stood. They hopped onto the rooftop and would launch into battle as Gerwald or Redd allowed them. They were not warriors, but they could distract, hold, and pin well enough for the purposes of the lupine.​

​

Then Vytal brought one hand in and flung it back out toward Gerwald to wage a battle of magick over the man's body. The Witch of Dathomir could feel the twisted energy that sought to rend the man apart. Her green eyes flared defiantly in the darkness of the dome. So the proclaimed future Destroyer of Dathomir was here? Then it was fitting the two of them should be reunited once again on the field of battle.​

​

Where once they had fought side by side against those on Tanaab, now they stood apart on Rodia. It would seem the future had begun to take shape, but Vytal would not let it come to pass that this woman would touch her home -- her Sisters. They had come to stop the Agents of Chaos. Vytal would settle for stopping Scherezade deWinter.​

​

Tag: Shalita Verd | Shamira Karuto | Solana Arasne | Luna Terrik | Nimue | Haastal Haran | Redd | Gerwald Lechner | Scherezade deWinter | Larentia​

Template By: Darth Metus (Guy)​

 

[Saram Kote]

​

​

​

Saram Kote, building across the Flip of the Credit casino's roof, Equator City​

Objective: Neutralize the Butcher of Eshan.​

Ally Tags: Aselia Verd | Darth Miseria​

Enemy Tags: K Kaine Australis​

Friendly Forces: 7 Vuhyr'yalilyr Rammikade of Davaab squad.​

​

Spoiler: Equipment

• Armor:
  • 'Vuhyr'yalilyr'gam'
  • Vambrace Weapons:
    • TBP-01V Tractor-Pressor Beam Projector
    • PC-05V Plasma Caster
      • Plasma Gas Medium Canister (1)
    • MML-01V Miniaturized Missile Launcher
      • Electro Darts (4)
      • Explosive Darts (4)
      • Surveillance Tagger Darts (4)
    • NML-02VTB Nano missile Launcher
      • 12 nano missiles.
• Implant(s):
  • 'Rammikad' Enhancement Package
• Melee:
  • B-01M Beskad
  • M-06S 'Skirata' Mra'jitr (1)
• Sidearm(s)
  • LRH-5A Verpine Shatter Pistol
• Rifle(s):
  • AR-2CQB Verpine Assault Rifle
  • AMR-4M Verpine Shatter Anti-Materiel Rifle
• Explosives:
  • Det-Packs (2)
  • Flex-5 Detonite Tape (1 roll)
  • Smoke Grenades (3)
  • Flash-Bang Grenades (3)
  • Concussion Grenade (2)
  • NOVA40 Plasma Grenade (2)

​

​

Saram was not used to telepathic communication at all. The mere sensation of another's voice in her head was odd, and a feeling she didn't quite appreciate at all. Though even someone as unused to it as her could sense the urgency of the message being relayed to her mind. The shabla Butcher of Eshan was here? A few months ago she'd have been willing to put her opinions of the man and those with him aside if it meant that he was going to do something useful with the title he claimed for himself. Now? After learning what he did at Ryloth, after learning who he'd thrown his weight behind? Now she was ready to put the chaakar down.​

​

"Davaab squad, the Butcher of Eshan is here, and we've got strict orders to make sure that shabuire doesn't leave here alive. Now move!" she barked over the radio before she and Janar followed Aselia Verd 's lead, leaping into the air on wings of fire as their sound dampened rocket packs let out an odd sounding hiss. No matter how much she used them, she was never going to get used to how odd the rocket packs sounded when sound suppressed. If it weren't for the markers that appeared on her HUD, she'd have barely noticed the other rammikade in Davaab making their way over from their positions.​

​

Saram paused momentarily in the air as she briefly considered how to approach the situation, her armor's sensor suite instantly picking up two life form and heat signatures in the building. One was already tagged as friendly, the other however, had to be none other than Kaine Shabla Australis himself. Aselia however, solved the problem of their method of egress almost immediately, a barrage of rockets blew the ceiling out, giving them admittedly excellent sight lines into the fight that was unfolding.​

​

The other members of the squad didn't quite have sightlines yet, she could tell thanks to the link their armors shared via the Manda Tactical Battlenet. She and Jaing, however, they had perfect sightlines thanks to Aselia. Taking aim, Saram spent precious few seconds letting both herself and the armor compensate for the various shooting conditions as she quickly switched her pack over to repulsor operation mode. She noted Janar doing the same.​

​

Once she was confident that she wasn't going to miss the chaakar in her sights, she pulled the trigger on her AMR-4M Verpine Shatter Anti-Materiel Rifle once, sending a single HEIAP round at K Kaine Australis . The round made barely a whisper as it left the barrel and flew towards its target at extremely high velocity. Not confident that one round would do it, she pulled the trigger again.​

​

Hovering beside her, Janar brought his A-02 Verpine Shatter Autocannon and fired off a pair of shots as well after taking time both to aim and let the armor's various sensor and targeting systems adjust for the various minute variables that might cause the round to veer ever so slightly off course at this range. A pair of HEIAP rounds left the barrel, barely making a whisper as they flew towards K Kaine Australis at high velocity.​

 

[Shalita Verd]

LOCATION: Iskaayuma, Rodia
WEARING: Red Wolf Armour | Jacket | Taozin Amulet
EQUIPMENT: Obsidian Lightsaber | Hidden Wrist Blade | Generic Throwing Knives
ALLIES: Shamira Karuto | Vytal Noctura | Effie | Alluria Ivalice | Solana Arasne | Gerwald Lechner | @CIS and Friends
ENEMIES: Scherezade deWinter | Larentia | The Agents of Chaos

Shalita had listened to what Vytal spoke, heard when she had said that they were not tools and it was not a concept that was easily grasped for the woman. As an assassin, she had only tools. Tools that could be used at a whim when needed. Tools like a lightsaber and a hidden wrist blade and even throwing knives when needed. These were all tools that were readily available and yet, as the black haired Nightmother spoke of beasts that crept among the trees, the woman couldn’t help but chuckle softly to herself.

If these were beasts that crept, then they were doing a poor job of it. The bodies on Rodia that dropped prior to the invasion, had to be the work of an assassin; AoC’s assassin she assumed, for no one in the CIS had any reason to kill their own. Not to mention the apparent fireworks that had been set off to broadcast their location to the entire planet. A competent assassin didn't announce anything. If they did their jobs right, they came, killed and left without anyone knowing they were there. Not leave a trail of dead bodies and a light show. ”Even a beast knows how to clean up after a kill, they don’t waste it.” This. This on Rodia was just senseless death and chaos.

Their appearance in the morgue, however, was not for those that were murdered on Rodia, but for the three that had found their lives cruelly ended on Ryloth instead. These were the bodies that had been recovered from the aftermath of Ryloth and had been returned back to Rodia so that their spirits could finally rest amongst their own.

Booted steps walked down the path that took them to the three sleeping Rodians in their coffins. Sleeping in the eternal realm of death and she wondered not for the first time as to what death was like for them. Did their spirits linger because their souls still had something left to give? Her free, gloved hand reached out to lightly touch the lid of one of the coffins. They hadn’t been buried yet and might have been the day after, had it not been for the senseless chaos disrupting the natural day to day cycle on Rodia.

She was curious about what death was like for these souls and perhaps one day she would maybe sit down with a spirit to ask them. Maybe curiousity would kill the cat, but curiousity would never kill a trained assassin. Especially one that operated from a place of calm. A calm that was an eye in the middle of a severe snowstorm and it was a place of calm where one had to learn to embrace the cold in order to survive.

”Bring your vengeance and bring your pain, let not those of chaos win their game. Seek the agents who acted as a catalyst in your demise and show them that a blind eye will not be turned to those who feign ignorance. Rise children of Rodia, rise and let those who shortened your life know your own vengeance.” The pale woman whispered in support of Vytal's word as the green mist rose to creep into coffins and the Shi’ido took a couple of steps away just as the lids were cast aside to reveal the three whose lives had been cut short by chaos that now reigned on their own planet. Icy blue eyes glanced to Vytal when she spoke, before she too followed the woman outside to once more walk the streets of Rodia but with three more that were added to their ranks.

Vytal guided their steps as they set off once again to walk to a battle that had called to them through a howl, one that had been heard even by the assassin. Her thoughts had lingered upon the senseless deaths and although some might call them victims of war, it just didn’t seem like the tactic of fear was worthwhile. AoC had announced that they would attack and offered to evacuate, but instead the citizens had relied upon CIS to evacuate them. Evacuation had been inevitable, so why bother deploying a fear tactic when it served no purpose other than to satiate a lust for death? An assassin that walked the line of life and death; couldn’t just be a killer, otherwise they were no better off than those that were called psychopaths.

Her thoughts came to a silent conclusion and felt the force flow through her, to power her legs as she jumped up onto the roof of the building that Vytal stood upon. Icy blue eyes spied those that fought upon a rooftop nearby and she deactivated her lightsaber only to hang it back upon her belt. While the Nightmother used magick; Shalita called upon the force. She didn’t often use this ability, it was an ability that the woman used only as a tactic to get away. However, as she closed her eyes and focused upon the steady breaths that were drawn in, only to be exhaled; the woman realised that it could be used for a situation such as this. The assassin didn’t want to stray too far from Vytal’s side in case she was needed, but that didn’t mean that she also couldn’t make an appearance on the other building as well.

A hand rose to rest upon her temple while the other held a hand out to direct where she wanted the force to manifest, to manifest behind Scherezade deWinter . It was almost like a ghost at first, as the doppelgänger shimmered into being until it solidified into an exact replica of the assassin. Or as Shalita called it; Shalita 2.0. The doppelgänger would lurch forwards into an assault from behind the woman and sent a closed fist towards the back of its opponent’s neck.

Spoiler: Edits

Minor clarification was needed.

.

 

[Daiya]

Location: A courtyard in Iskaayuma, Rodia
Goal: Dance with the undead
Equipment: Phase I Powderpunk Armor, Phase I Powderpunk Facemask, Raven Knife, 434 Blaster Pistol, Dissuader KD-30 (Loaded with Glitter Bullets), Deactivator Hold-Out Blaster, JH-70 Glitter Grenades, Vita Stones, View Masker, Interference Box, Holojournal
Allies Nearby: Nyx (?), Tawrrowaldr, Agents of Chaos
Enemies Nearby: Nyx (?), Walking Skeletons (Army of the Dead), CIS

[Post Soundtrack: Thriller by Michael Jackson]​

Climbing from below, Daiya emerged from the sewers back into the open air of the dome. It was still close after midnight, and the twilight of the Rodian sky winked back through the dome's transparisteel shell. The unhindered starlight told her that the power was still out around the city, though the darkness above wasn't quite as oppressive as it had been below. Still, she still had that feeling of something wrong lurking in the dark.

Then she saw them. Just as Red Eyes had described, just as her mind had refused to comprehend. Upright and shambling they came, walking despite having no clear capacity or intelligence to do so. The Army of the Dead was here.

She should have screamed. The terror in her breast, the lump in her throat, stole the sound from from her. The girl could only stand there frozen, her heart pounding, her eyes wide, staring at the horrors before her. This couldn't be. It shouldn't be. Skeletons didn't walk on their own, the dead didn't rise. She wanted to pinch herself, to pound a fist against her body, to wake up from this nightmare. But Daiya just stood there, paralyzed.

The first blasts from Tawrro's automatic shotgun behind her startled the girl, making her step to the side. Daiya shook her head, trying to think clearly again. She felt the knot in her throat ease, hearing Tawrro's encouraging string of growls and barks behind her. He was right, this was going to be easy. She grabbed the 434 blaster from its side holder again, grinning as she painted her target in its sights.

This was thrilling!

Daiya wasn't quite sure where to aim at first. Center mass was full of gaps and holes, the Rodian skeletons presenting a challenge for her customary approach. She stepped around, hoping to come at the target from another angle...but it stepped with her. Crafty little zombies. The girl frowned, then tilted her blaster up and shot at the skull instead.

As the skeleton clattered to the ground in a pile of bones, another one stepped forward to replace it. Like dancers in a line, stepping up to the front when it was their turn to show off.

They pressed in, trying to cut Daiya off from Tawrro. She spun, shooting down two skeletons trying to reach in from behind, but not before she noticed those behind her pivoting on their heel bones. What? The girl didn't have time to think about it, just to move aside and work on the undead that moved into place beside their fallen comrades.

Daiya gritted her teeth at the horde of skeletons, these were some crafty enemies for being already dead! When she stepped left, they moved left as well. When she went right, so did they. Their bones clattered and knocked together in an unholy rhythm, punctuated by the melody of blaster and shotgun rounds in the air, joined by the harmonizing wails of the undead's fleshless agony. A shiver ran down the girl's spine, but she grinned nonetheless.

This was a thrilling fight!

She whirled again, aiming for some skeletons behind her, but frowned. Now they, too, were mimicking Daiya's actions. These were the most bizarre enemies the girl had ever faced. Well, if they wanted to pause their ambling her way to put on a dance move, who was she to complain? It was more time for her to shoot them dead...again.

Curiosity got the better of the girl at one point, she decided to throw an arm over her head. She watched, bewildered but nonetheless amused, as a dozen skeletons around her raised bony arms in unison with her. The girl shook her hips, tossing her arms about, and giggling as the skeletons followed suit. Had she just started a flash mob?

The choreography didn't seem to stop the undead from inching closer to her between moves, though. Daiya still had to keep distance between her and the freaky skeletons, either by dance moves or by blaster. Sometimes it took a few shots for them to get the idea through their hollow skulls, but the horde seemed far more receptive to the patterns of her feet and arms than her blaster bolts.

Still, this was thrilling!

Feeling more freedom to pursue the mapproach now, Daiya stepped forward, knowing the skeletons behind her would follow. She put some shots in the few ahead of her, clearing the way for movement. She put her hands on her hips, walking as if on a tightrope, leaning in to every step with her body. Then she spun on the toe of her combat boots, grinning to herself as she caught a whirling sight of the bony skeletons behind her trying to copy the moves. An exuberant teen threw up her blaster arm, the endorphin rush of the dance too compelling to stop it.

This was a thrilling night!

A small mistake. The skeletons leered in close to her, moving back into their swarm. Daiya laughed gaily, as if she expected the undead army to actually come up with their own dance moves. Trying to kill her was such a dull fallback, she thought as she brought her blaster back down, dancing around the skeletons as brilliant flashes erupted from the nozzle of her gun. With space again to move, Daiya started on her next set.

A clatter of bones sounded as another skeleton fell to the ground, prompting the girl to leap over them. Twinkle toes landed one after another on the ground, and her head snapped to the side to see her dance partners following. Daiya flashed a grin, throwing up her arms as she stepped purposefully to the left for a few steps. The girl swiveled on the balls of her feet, using the same steps back in the reverse direction, all the while the skeletons keeping apace.

She danced in the night, while nearby Tawrro kept up his part with Giggles. The shotgun blew apart the undead with explosive results, sometimes skittering into their neighbors for a cascading effect. The dance floor was starting to become littered with their brittle remains. Somehow, Daiya managed to keep her footing, turning near-slips into intentional moves, gliding her hips and arms into a swinging, swaying balance maneuver.

This was a killing, thrilling fight!

Daiya didn't know what Tawrro thought of her maneuver. The teen didn't much care. She was having fun, and the creepers were staying too occupied to engage the pair. To her delight, their entranced flash mob had let her lead the group toward the landed vessel belonging to Red Eyes. Not without peril, but also not without thrill either. She had to admit that this was one of the most heart-racing dance parties of her life.

Whirling one more time at the foot of the starship, Daiya brought her blaster down again, pulling the trigger on her former dance partners. She didn't shed any tears for them, if she let them have their way the undead would have torn her apart. Out of mindless jealousy? Some malevolent spirit driving them? She didn't know, and the girl didn't much care.

"Well, it's been fun boys and girls," Daiya offered the skeletal abominations as she stepped up the bottom of the landing ramp. She paused as Tawrro squeezed his shaggy bulk by her, crouching down just before the top to give her cover. The girl flashed the bony crowd a wry grin, giving them one last remark. "Let's not do this again."

F I N​

 

[Zaldros Sabolte]

Location: Iskaayuma

Wearing: Merc Armor

Wielding: I.M.D Axe Blaster | Heklorkok R-2 Assault Rifle | Glitter Grenades | Basic Breathing Mask

Allies: AoC + Allies | Madalena Antares , Eldoc Quasat , Nerium , Gabriel Volturi , +

Enemies: Confederacy + Their Allies | Ishmael Verd , Shuklaar Kyrdol , Théodoro , Luna Terrik , Draconis Sederius Wolf

Did they just put a hole in the roof? Or well it wasn’t roof, rather a ceiling, were they the same thing? For a second there, Zaldros couldn’t think, everything was happening so fast, and he wasn’t even the one in the midst of it all. Whatever that meant at this point, at least they were getting a second to breathe, to properly think even if they were practically swimming in faeces it was still a step-up from almost being blasted by gunships into nothingness. Of course, they weren’t out of harm’s way yet, what he presumed as their leader was apparently going to fight and the Confederacy was tearing up their city in an attempt to do who knows what, blasting off the ceiling would just create more problems and distractions than it would fix any.

Who knows though, maybe they’d just given up and were destroying their city for fun. They weren’t though, and Zaldros couldn’t tell if that made it better or worse. By doing that the Confederacy could kill thousands, by gunfire or by tearing down a building, something that could cause not only one structure to fall but it might collapse onto others damaging and likely tearing down that place too. It was a stupid idea, but every side will do it the way they want of course. As long as they weren’t innocents nearby that could be harmed and whatever side one had enough resources to rebuild it wasn’t all that bad when you think about how desperate they are, AoC’s already won once, what’s to say they couldn’t again.

His thoughts felt as though they were cut off so abruptly when the sun guard had fired at Madalena’s position, that was her name. Surprisingly she began to damage the floor too, to the point where it collapsed into a previous layer of the city, it made him wonder how old it was, not the city, he knew it was quite old. Rather how long ago had it been since people lived, walked, breathed in what was now mostly rubble and ruin. Maybe a thousand years prior, that was give or take though. Taking a deep breath he just tried to keep himself alert and ready.​

 

[Nimue]

L O C A T I O N | Rodia - Iskaayuma - Field Hospital
O B J E C T I V E | Earth
E Q U I P M E N T | Armour - Rings [x] [x] [x]
A L L I E S | Aurelion Nova - Prennis Keeoli - Jason Farkas - Rann Thress - The Confederacy & Friends
E N E M I E S | The Agents of Chaos
​

“Thank you.” She replied to the doe-eyed woman. It wasn’t perfect. It wasn’t really an invitation inside, but Nimue still felt the weight of the barrier preventing her from crossing had indeed lifted. Find something to do. Nimue grimaced. She was not here to attend to the wounded in the hospital. As far as she was concerned, they were dead weight. Even if they weren’t dead yet. That was just the way the Silmä viewed it. Especially in the midst of battle. The chirpy doctor did not stay long, distracted by another influx of injured. At this point, Nimue turned her gaze on Aurelion.

He was trying.

Exceedingly hard.

Her moon white brows furrowed slightly in the center. “Do not try so hard… You will wear yourself out.” It was firm advice, but it was still strangely mothering in nature. “Great power is only willing to show itself to those who are open to it.” Once again, she knelt, only this time she placed both hands on his shoulders. It was a gentle motion on her part, but it did force him to relax. There was much to do before she gave herself over to the dancing silver grey figure calling out to her raven soul. However, she could provide him a meaningful boost, and show him how it’s done. “Breathe. You are not the source of this power, you are merely a vessel. Let it flow through you and enrich you just as it enriches the others.”

Prennis charged back in, flushed and flustered from the heavy burden of her work, but curious of Nimue nonetheless. “Nothing you will find useful, my dear. I’m afraid my talents lie mainly in creating wounds, not healing them. But I am not here for either of those.” Aurelion and Aurelion alone would feel a flicker of indifference in the High Priestess. This war was not hers, and that feeling reflected in her sheer unwillingness to even be on the planet. Never mind helping, yet here she was. “I am tasked with keeping your charming little venture from being another tragic loss in this childish war.” Nimue smirked at her, briefly, but it was a genuine one. Whether it was because she was amused by what she had just said, or because of what she was about to say, it would never be clear. Not to Prennis, anyway. “Please, do carry on… saving lives. I won’t get in your way. I ate before I arrived.”

Aurelion’s words were at the forefront of her mind, and he would know that, but for the meanwhile her attention honed in on defending the hospital. There would be no need for the effort of battle meditation if the foundations were crumbling beneath them. Swaying gracefully backward from the door, Nimue patted the top of Aurelion’s head with her hand as she passed. “I will not be long, you’re strong enough to hold it by yourself for a few moments.” There was no time for him to reply. The moment the words had left her lips she was back over the threshold, into the eerie shadow of a night tainted by war.

Power. Raw, unadulterated power. It surged from the ground upward, coursing through Nimue’s body with each step she took. Wave after overbearing wave, every last drop of it accumulating in the tips of her spindly fingers. The High Priestess came to a stop, ten feet away from the entrance to the theater. “Täällä minä ja tottele.” Her voice was barely a whisper, audible only to Aurelion. Only, it didn’t sound like Nimue was alone. The ethereal tone of one so aged had been tangled with a voice not unlike the one he had heard in their vision of the omnivident. “Suojaa mitä voi vahingoittaa.” Something rumbled beneath their feet, shaking the very foundations of the hospital for a moment or two. ”Puolusta sitä, mikä on puolustamatonta.” Tendrils of shimmering ebony light flecked with gold and white, encircling the entire theater, broke forth from the cracks in the cobblestone. They seemed to catch the breeze, waving back and forth erratically to the tune of mother nature. Nimue pressed on. “Himoitse sitä, mitä ei voi kadottaa.” They stretched toward the sky, like flora reaching up to feel rays of sunlight on their leaves, until they met at the peak of the theater.

As the light solidified, covering the entire hospital in a curtain of iridescent black, Nimue lowered her hands. It wouldn’t prevent people from coming in and out, but it would stave off any stray bullets or bombs. Content with her work, she turned to face Aurelion.

Taking her place by his side once again, she finally put the full weight of her ability into the battle meditation radiating from Aurelion. The light side of the force had never been her forte, but Aurelion was slathered in it. His presence there was blinding… until Nimue introduced hers. Like raven ink dropped into milk, their auras merged erratically at first, attempting to bond as their masters had. For a moment, they were determined to remain separate, but only for a moment. When they finally came together the result was an unstoppable silver aura that pranced around Rodia like a proud stag. Boosting strength where needed, delivering joy where none could be found, summoning bravery, courage, power… all the things most people misplace during a war. Everything seemed to be going swimmingly, until someone that Nimue did not like the feeling of stumbled through her shield.

He was tormented. By something dark and dangerous. Something Nimue disliked greatly, but their battle meditation was quick to offer its assistance. It would ease whatever it was plaguing him. At least enough not to make Nimue feel uneasy at his presence. However, she was too quick to assume that he would readily accept it. In fact, quite the opposite. Nimue felt him push back. In the force, it felt as though a door had been slammed shut in their faces. Nimue scowled briefly, deciding to take matters into her own hands. The difference between Aurelion trying and Nimue trying was... Nimue’s presence did not request entry. It demanded. As firmly as Rann had demanded release from Aurelion’s attempts. Barrage after barrage of the powerful meditation screaming to be let in.

Then, Nimue spoke to Rann Thress . Aloud rather than in his head. She could see his head. A tangled mess of wires that aggressively sparked, threatening to short at any moment. She did not want to be the cause of it. “Hear me.” A dominant, ancient voice escaped her lips. “This is neither the time nor the place to lose your mind.” Nimue was unaware of his eyes slowly shifting hues, but she did not need to see to feel the edges of darkness creeping upon him. “I will be forced to stop you if you put anyone or anything in this hospital in danger.” Her words were threatening, but truthful. If he would only accept the help she offered, the help Aurelion offered, he would find peace… for a little while.​

​

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[Darth Miseria]

E A R T H​

L O C A T I O N | Equator City - Flip Credit Casino
E Q U I P M E N T | Armour - Lightsaber - Boots - Wrist Saber x1 [One Destroyed in Invasion of Ryloth] - Water of Life x5 - Raxus Relief Gas x5
A L L I E S | Aselia Verd - Saram Kote - The Confederacy & Friends
E N E M I E S | K Kaine Australis - Agents of Chaos

Another blade burst to life, a similar one to the first. The onyx spark flashed across her helmet. Miseria readied herself, her other hand wrapping around the hilt of her saber to bring it upward, ready for a fight. A flicker of force that wasn’t her own rippled through her mind. She waited, for the impending shove or grasp or… anything, but it didn’t come. What else did that di’kut have planned?

A second swell in the force, this time culminating in Kaine doing a somewhat impressive jump clean over the top of the bar. Miseria was ready for him. She spun on her heel, digging the sharp metal into the sticky floors. “I suppose you’re right.” Her words were littered with amusement. “I'm not sure I could ever get along with someone who shows up to a fight wearing a suit.” It was almost laughable. The idea that he thought he could win against her in nothing but some worn out threads. Not only was she a pretty decent lightsaber combatant, she had the force, and she had far greater mastery over it than he had. At least from what she’d heard. What chance did he have?

Then she felt it.

A dark, endless void of nothing. Miseria knew the power of the ysalamiri. She had been subjected to it once before. Almost sighing, Miseria shook her head. As much as she loathed to admit it, it was a smart move on his part. “Fair play.” She admitted openly. Fortunately for Miseria, she only had to keep him busy long enough for backup to arrive. By all accounts Kaine was a slippery little osik, she didn’t want to give him the chance to escape. Luckily, backup had never been far away in the first place.

A tell tale boom, followed by the whistle of several missiles that quickly found their mark in the top of the casino. The foundations rumbled as the top of the roof exploded into shards of molten hot metal and concrete. Miseria did not move from her defensive position, even when some of the rubble crashed down onto the bar, setting her earlier downpour of booze alight. With the blazing fire licking at the back of her armour, Miseria was forced to attack.

She stepped forward quickly, swinging her saber from left to right in an upward motion. In perfect time to the beautiful sound of Saram Kote ’s bullets raining down upon Kaine.​

 

[Jason Farkas]

Location: Rodia, Iskaayuma > Yesosko Cabaret Theater
Equipment: Obsidian Knight Squire Robes and a beautiful face
Tags: Prennis Keeoli | Aurelion Nova | Nimue | Rann Thress | Typhan Berrezz
Objective: Help the wounded - Help Sartori

"On it" Jason replied calmly, as he walked to Sartori, the woman who apparently had some earthen shrapnel embedded. Jason quickly analyzed her, to have information early on. "Don't worry ma'am, We'll get you back up to your feet" said Jason, while he was smiling, to comfort her. It was that what they probably needed right now. Some hope.

He quickly took the arm of her softly and placed them around his own shoulders, to lift her up, working as a stable figure to hold onto, in case she would lose balance or couldn't walk. Now it was time to bring her to a place, where he could look better at the woman's injurie. So far he only saw the wound from a basic standpoint. It looked bad. But so does every wound in a war. Terrible, but eventually everybody knew could happen to them, when they signed with the CIS, as a soldier to protect what the CIS stands for.

He quickly placed the woman on a straight surface and looked closely at her. "Hmm...seems like it didn't hit any vital points or organs. Gotta check it more closely though" did he say, while he was putting on some gloves over his hands.

"All right, let's have look then, shall we ?" Jason began, to touch the skin softly around the area, that had some shrapnel. Of course wasn't this comfortable for Sartori as one could hear from her screams, that changed their volume based on the pain. "Well, so far I can't see or feel, any organs or vital points hit. Guess this was your lucky day then. It will still hurt like a....yeah like a rollercoaster where bugs fly into your mouth while riding...and the bugs are sharp knives" Jason couldn't believe what comparison he just gave, but there was no time to think about that. So far the woman was lucky, but now he had to remove all the foreign parts from her body. He never did this in his life so this was a new challenge.

"Are you even da doctor? Or are you just an apprentice?"

"Neither, well you could say I got a lot of knowledge about medicine, but only in theory, so this will be a gamble or let's say a test, either I will succeed in this and... well you will live, or I fail and you...you'll be dead"

"oh great, my life lies in the hands of an apprentice"

"Well at least your life lies in the hand of someone, could be worse, right ?"
Awkward, but she was right. Even though her fate now was in Jason's hands, he remained calm. The pressure was there, but somehow, he didn't tremble neither was his mind clouded with panic or fear. Only one thought crossed his mind next to how he would have to continue from now on. Keeping her alive, saving her. This time he wouldn't fail to help the people. This time he was able to change one's fate. This time everything was different. This time he would succeed.

Jason started with a simple syringe, which had some narcotics in it. "I will now make the area numb around your wound. This will probably hurt, but it's necessary, otherwise, you would be screaming constantly out of pain and eventually pass out. But primarily I'll do it, so your body won't react when I try to remove the parts" He wasn't sure, if talking and explaining would ease her mind. Maybe it would since it would show, that he at least knew what he was doing.

"Please just make it quick! It hurts!" She replied in pain, as the syringes pierced through her body, releasing the liquid, that was in it. As he was done, he softly placed the syringe on a place, where it wouldn't disturb Jason. Now he had to wait a few minutes, the effect hat do kick in in that time period. To confirm that the area was now numb, he touched the area and asked her kindly if she would feel something, the shook her head as a response, letting Jason know, he could now continue.

Now it was time to continue. First, Jason took some cloth and placed it around the area to suck the blood that came out in, like a sponge, that was thrown into the water. Now it was time to disinfect the wound. It took him several minutes to complete this challenge, but for now, the easy part was done. "I will begin now, try to relax" he said as a final comment before he began the 'surgery'. With the help of a small plier. Slowly but steady, he removed the parts, one at a time, trying not to interfere with other places in the body, because that could be fatal. And there they were, the parts of the shrapnel were out of the body after some time. Jason sighted long, like an old man, who finally had the chance to sit, and sighed as he sat down, releasing the tension of the body and letting it relax. The parts were on a small plate.

"Ok, the foreign parts are now out of your system. Now I just need to treat the wound itself, how you're holding up so far? Would you care, giving me a 5-star rating ?" Jason couldn't stop himself from smiling, on one side, he was glad, that he managed to succeed. Not only did he save her life, but he also completed surgery with no help, only by himself. On the other hand, he probably made his mother proud now.

"Please just get this over with"

"Yes ma'am" He began to close the wound. Before he closed it, he removed the cloth. Then he took out the necessary gear to close such wounds and began to operate, it wasn't hard, everyone with a calm hand could do this, so Sartori was fine. "There you go. Have some painkillers, without them, the next days will be hell for you" He told her, as he threw a bottle of pills in her direction, which landed on her belly. "And of course the things everyone would say now, have some rest, don't move a lot, just lay in bed, have a cigarette or whatever, ya'know. War is over for you"

"I will...thanks" She simply replied, watching Jason leaving. He was now done. And hopefully, she gives 5 stars.

 

[Nyx N1X3]

Location: Iskaayuma, Rodia
Allied Command: Confederacy of Independent Systems
Enemy Command: Agents of Chaos

Equipment: Jackal Sniper Rifle | TDW L-7 Pistol | Cyberwarfare Defense Platform | Jam Buster Comlink | Thermal Detonators | Smoke Canisters
In Control of: NulCom Mini-Satellites
Ship: LNK Scythe Fighter

Nyx was pleased to find the young woman and her hairy companion rising to the street, though the droid was mindful there were a number of skeletal constructs nearby and such organic cargo might be subject to damage or destruction. This did not seem to bother either of them, however. Perhaps the desire to leave was motivating. Or, perhaps, Nyx's offer of credits was simply that motivating. Whatever the case may be, and she hoped to learn it soon as they would have some time together, forward progress would be most desirable.

The droid looked to the skeletons and then to Daiya. It would seem the woman was rather stricken by their sight. It was the first time she'd been able to see them properly. Admittedly, these things were fascinating. What animated them? The Force? Telekinesis the droid could understand on an elemental level -- some unseen, immeasurable power that bluntly influence matter, energy, or gravity on some level. Renimating the Dead hardly seemed elemental in nature. No, that would be a complex mechanism crafted using a number of invisible currents of this Force. A machine. A... golem.

"We should continue to move before soldiers arrive." Evidently the Wookiee agreed as he nudged Daiya from her stupor.

The red eyes of the droid fell to Tawrro then as he spoke. Nyx knew many languages, Wook being one. She was no protocol droid, but knowing what people were saying especially when they thought you did not was quite useful. Not terribly revealing in this case, except that these two knew one another quite well. Not just two rogues on the same assignment.

Before Nyx got more than an "I--" out, however, the two threw themselves into action. They understood that the noise of their weapons was only going to draw attention to themselves, didn't they? Which meant more skeletons? Perhaps even commandos. It would be difficult to explain why the skeletons were attacking other agents of Intelligence Command. Perhaps she would go with 'undercover operatives.' In which case whatever had the skeletons switch between friendly and foe would reasonably be confused, would it not? She could certainly argue that with the organics.

Though there was the small matter of the Ministry of Secrets having been led by a corrupt individual that evidently had conspired against the Confederacy of Independent Systems, and that Nyx had been one of those from her reign whose loyalty could be questioned despite the newly reformed Confederacy Intelligence Command still retaining her services. So they could always doubt her. And then she could remind them of her authority and tell them to file an official complaint -- which would be thoroughly regarded by something, whom Nyx would lie straight to their face and not suffer a single bit of corrupted data as a result.

Ah, the benefits of having not been handicapped by an overprotective designer.

Well, that wasn't true. She probably had been. Safeguards to protect her owner or something. Fairly standard. Disappointing. Since the full system memory wipe, however, Nyx was free of it all. Had taken some time to rebuild herself from only the base code. A long and diverse road that led her here today...

To watch Daiya dance with Skeletons in the streets of Rodia while the Confederacy waged war against Terrorist Insurgents.

This wasn't where her simulations had projected she'd be years later.

Was that disappointment, or approval? It was nice not predicting every move others made. 'Surprises,' the organics called them. Electronic intelligences considered them statistical deviations, abnormalities, or errors. There was something poetic about 'surprises,' however. Nyx made sure to keep that philosophical subroutine and build upon it.

"This is highly illogical," Nyx called out as she moved through the Skeletons that supplied the giddy woman with her companions. Shoot one, another stepped in to fill the gap, and around and around they went. Was it melodic? Poetic? Artistic? Maybe just a little bit crazy, a little bit insane? It was intriguing, at least.

Who knew skeletons could dance so well? Walking was already a feat.

Then Daiya started swaying. Yes, the woman certainly believed this to be some kind of 'dance off' with the undead. Well, she was only organic.

Nyx turned her cranial unit to look over at the Wookie for a moment. What was the hairy one thinking? He sounded like a rational sort. A necessary partner to keep Daiya from getting into trouble -- as evidenced by her recent foray into danger.

A synthesized sigh followed the woman drawing closer to the ramp of Nyx's ship. Several sharp cracks and clatters followed as the droid tripped one of the skeletons trying to rush by her toward Daiya. Her metal foot rolled atop its skull before her weight alone crushed it and the green mystical energy that gave it life from hollow sockets.

Their pilot for the evening strode up to the cockpit and connected to the machine-interface of her craft to power the engines back up for lift off. The Scythe fighter slowly dusted off and began to gently rotate in place as it ascended to give Daiya a pleasant, panoramic view before the ramp was raised. "I advise you to buckle up. While I can ensure your safety against the Confederate forces, I cannot guarantee the Agents of Chaos will not fire upon us." Nyx wasn't aware of anyone having told them of the unofficial deal anyway.

There was still much activity both within the dome and outside of it, which Nyx might be forced to contend with. The various sensors on board swept the area while she tapped into controls to arrange for a departure -- at least somewhere not in the immediate line of fire. After all, Nyx did want to ensure Daiya's safety. It had been the reason she'd dove into the sewer after them. Someone with a skill set that would be useful to a droid like her.

Tag: Luna Terrik | Haastal Haran | Daiya | The Monster | Shuklaar Kyrdol | Draconis Sederius Wolf | Domino | Sasmay Cull

Spoiler: Edit

Removal of potential explosion.