Sic transit gloria mundi
"How did I beat you? It was no great mystery or special technique. It was one simple thing. Preparation. You are strong, Elpsis, but you did not research me. You thought you could simply swat me away, and if I hadn’t researched your strengths your strengths and tactics I would have been I’m not offended. You’re young, you’ve grown very strong and you’ve faced threats I wouldn’t like my odds against. But power isn’t a linear path. There are many things the average Force adept can do that I fail at. I cannot summon fireballs, mind trick someone or shoot lightning from my fingertips. In the time it takes me to lift a pebble with my mind, you will have raised a boulder and flattened me with it. But I’m fast and sneaky; I can stun you, and take away your ability to control anything bigger than a few molecules.”
- Saito to Elpsis after beating her in a training duel.
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
Intent: Expand on the Silencers and sub a character developed through rp.
Image Credit: Here. From the James Bond movie 'Tomorrow Never Dies'.
Role: Saito is a Force-Sensitive Firemane NCO and a member of the Silencers, a Firemane unit. She's a team leader, Force suppression specialist and advisor to Firemane officers.
Permission: Can use Abregado-Rae Guild of Hammers equipment due to Firemane gaining access to ARGH tech in this thread. Permission for all ArmaTech gear and all other subs made by Laira Darkhold's writer here and here. Permission to use Tricks of the Trade submissions here.
Links: Firemane Industries, Epicanthix, Panatha, Into Darkness, Leonina Varkathras, Know Thy Enemy.
PHYSICAL INFORMATION
Age: 35.
Force Sensitivity: Master.
Species: Epicanthix
Appearance: Saito is an Epicanthix female in her mid-thirties. Her skin is tanned and she has dark brown, almond-shaped eyes. She has a charming smile, but rarely shows it. She keeps her dark brown hair practical at shoulder-length. Saito has a scar on her left cheek. Another scar marks her right shoulder, where she was shot with a slug round. Overall she is well-built and strong but not hugely muscular, relying more on her skill and dexterity. Saito dislikes fancy attire. Off duty she will usually wear boots, pants and a shirt or tank top. She can always be seen carrying a sidearm on her hip and will usually also wear a hold-out bolter. Saito hates robes, preferring to wear military fatigues or armour. Her standard combat attire is a Spectre Scout Armor or some form of camo outfit. She will don whatever is appropriate for the mission she is on though.
SOCIAL INFORMATION
Name: Sergeant Hikari Saito. Her call sign is Stille.
Loyalties: Order of Fire Silencers, Firemane Industries, Order of Fire, House Kerrigan-Alcori.
Wealth: Saito receives remuneration from Firemane in return for her services. The pay is on a sliding scale based on experience, rank, reward and so on. Saito is an NCO, but also a Master of the Force, which is reflected in her salary. In addition to her Sergeant's pay, she has received bonuses from her employers for her service. Once her time in Firemane's services comes to a close she should have enough to retire comfortably, though not luxuriously. She has money and valuables from her mercenary days stashed away, allowing her to make special purchases if needed.
Notable Possessions:
- Hold-Out Bolter
- Spectre Scout Armour.
- Firemane Force Suppression Devices.
- Terminus Shiv
- Stealth field generator.
- Last Whisper
- Monomolecular Energy Chorded Combat Knife. Inherited from her dead father.
- A family curio: She and her younger sister Ayana have a pair of matching rings.
- BCC BC-11 Comlink
She can also use Force Stealth, allowing her to conceal her ability to use the Force, her alignment or even her entire Force presence from other Force-Users, and Force Cloak to turn invisible. Skilled in the use of Force Stasis, Crucitorn, Force Affliction, Control Pain, Force Speed and Force Sight. She has strong telepathic and Sense abilities. Being an Epicanthix, she possesses a natural unconscious talent to shield her mind from Force-assisted mental tricks, influence, domination and mind reading. This inherent ability has been honed through many years of training. Skilled markswoman, knife fighter and trained in small unit leadership. Decent understanding of low level logistics. She is an avid mountain climber and enjoys hiking.
Personality: Saito is a driven, serious, very direct woman. She becomes very focused, pragmatic and take charge in the heat of battle. Although she has served Firemane skillfully in many battles and been awarded several valorous decorations, she has consistently refused promotion to anything beyond being a Sergeant. If she wanted to, she could be a senior field officer by now. This has caused her superiors a good deal of frustration, as a Master of the Force should obviously be more than 'merely' a senior NCO. It also annoys her mother Eshima Saito, who became a high-ranking Firemane officer and is a rather demanding parent.
However, Saito enjoys being where she is. It may also be a manifestation of disdain for the high life she was born into. She likes getting into the action and views a good NCO corps as the bedrock of an army. In her view, it is even more important for a group as diverse as the Order of Fire. The fact that a greenhorn junior officer can give her orders does not seem to faze her…in theory. In practice, if any officer is foolish enough to ignore her 'advice' they will soon realise that an NCO is not to be trifled with.
Saito has on occasion taking charge of larger forces than her rank would entitle her, when say her commanding officer was shot, otherwise incapacitated or simply not up to the task. Saito is very confident in herself and direct in dealing with others, even commissioned officers. She has a good knowledge of small unit leadership and low level logistics. She defines herself as a soldier instead of a space wizard and conducts herself accordingly on the battlefield. While her relationship with her mother is not free of tension, she gets on well with her cousin Fuyuko, who serves in the Silencers and, ironically, outranks Hikari, and Ayana. The latter is a younger sister of Hikari. She was raptured during the Netherworld Event and left traumatised by the experience. Hikari sends back money to support her and visits her regularly. She is serious and very focused while on duty, but outside of her job she's quite willing to let her hair down, be rather genial and show she has friends and interests outside of her uniform.
Due to her past, Saito feels strong hatred towards Sith and the Zambrano Dynasty. She lost family when House Zambrano conquered the Pacanth Reach and was part of a group of Epicanthix who fled from Panatha, becoming an exodite community. In her youth her hatred of the Sith was all-consuming. This drove her to reckless and foolhardy action. She has matured in her middle age. Her revulsion has not abated, but she has become more careful and a lot more tactical in her action. After all, people may sing songs about heroes, but the heroes are often not around to hear them because they got themselves killed death charging. That said, she is still rather vengeful and would probably treat captive Sith poorly if she got custody over them.
Ironically, Saito is rather neutral when it comes to specific sides of the Force, though she is mystified by Jedi philosophy. She has worked with Lightsiders, Grey Force-Users and Dark Masters, provided they were not chaotic, unduly destructive or had their heads in the clouds. This pragmatic mentality is helpful in the Order of Fire, as she has to command, work alongside and under a rather diverse group of Force-Users. It includes Xio witches, Vash healers, Qadiri fire mages, Sio's Dark Jedi posse and Grey Force-Users. It is an eclectic and potentially explosive mix that requires deft management to forge into a cohesive whole. To her, the conflict lies not between metaphysical sides of the Force, but between freedom and oppression. She judges Force-Users on the basis of how and what they use their power for, not its source. She views conflict as the natural state of the world, but this accompanied by a dedication to defending the meek from the destruction it causes and destroying those who seek to abuse them. Her experiences and warrior upbringing have made her extremely impatient with people who, in her eyes, refuse to stand up for themselves. Saito gets on quite well with Karrigan'Xalda, a Xioquo warrior who fought under her command during the Tephrike campaign. Saito treats her job with Firemane professionally. It is a good day-job and allows her to do things she is good at and believes in, but her bosses are just that - her bosses.
The core of her unit is composed of Epicanthix and she has a strong bond with them. Saito still follows the polytheistic Pantheon of her people. She is particularly devoted to Nukheia, the Goddess of the Hunt, Vengeance and Justice. Her people have a history of deifying kings and queens who have had a profound influence on Epicanthix history, starting with Canthar the Great. However, Saito's experiences and exposure to other cultures have made her a good deal more sceptical of this tradition. She regards tradition as important since it is part of her identity, but is not one to take things at face value. Given her opposition to Sith, she rejects the idea that Kaine Zambrano is a god-king. She has served alongside Xio and Qadiri zealots who attribute divinity to Siobhan Kerrigan, but is equally dismissive of that concept, regarding it as humbug. People are people and gods are gods. The gods help those who help themselves instead of looking pensively at the sky and waiting for a miracle to happen.
COMBAT INFORMATION
Weapon of Choice: Force abilities. She is capable of using a variety of ranged and melee weapons.
Combat Function: Saito is a markswoman, a Force suppression and stealth specialist and an NCO. She can snipe enemies with precise shots, sneak, lead small units and suppress or dampen the Force powers of hostile adepts. She can exercise command over small units or be a good NCO to the officer in command, ensuring that the unit runs smoothly, fights well in combat and make sure the commander is aware of what it can and what it cannot do.
She is responsible for the skills and conduct of the enlisted soldiers beneath her and held accountable for it. Saito is very committed to her job, carries out regular drills and exercises and leads from the front. As an NCO she also serves as a liaison between the enlisted soldiers and officers, which can involve resolving conflict between them as well as handling administrative duties. She has a preference for light combat armour or camouflage outfits. This gives her mobility and enhances her stealthiness, but leaves her more vulnerable to heavy attacks.
Her use of the Force is very specialised. She focuses on extrasensory perception, concealment, containment and suppression. Her Force Stasis and Force Affliction abilities are strong, enabling her to paralyse, freeze or debilitate enemies. She likes to use Force Stasis in close quarter combat at a crucial moment to get the drop on an enemy. It can also be used to extract herself from a dangerous situation. If she goes up against Force-Users, her focus will be on negating, suppressing or dampening their powers. Depending on the skill of the enemy adept in question, this obviously requires a good deal of focus and can be overcome with enough strength, as the example of Darth Bane in his fight against the Huntress, later known as Darth Cognus, shows. She also cannot do it from far away. If she is working with allies, she will focus on suppression, while they eliminate the weakened hostile Force-Users before they can recover or adjust. She can obviously also take on hostile Force adepts on her own. She has extremely strong mental shields.
Force Sight enhances her visual and spatial perception even in the dark or behind walls. When using it obstructions such as doors and walls appear translucent, allowing her to see through them. It also helps her counter Force blinding powers, flashbangs and so on. While she uses Force Sight, she cannot see Force Dead beings. She is very skilled at detecting Force-Users who are concealing their presence or alignment. Her Force Sense abilities are well-developed. She is trained in the detection of cloaked individuals who hide by concealing their Force presence. By searching for the secondary effects emanating around them in the Force, rather than the presence of the individuals themselves, she can perceive the presence of ripples in the Force that are seemingly without source. At the epicentre would be a cloaked person.
However, she lacks many of the flashier powers that are commonly associated with trained Force-Sensitives. She cannot shoot lightning from her fingertips, chuck boulders with her mind, summon strong Force shields, block a lightsabre strike with her bare hand or mind control other beings into doing her bidding. Her telekinetic abilities are subpar, which seems to run in the family. Thus depending on the type of enemies she's up against, the methods she uses may be closer to that of an NFU soldier than a space mage. This is especially the case if she's fighting against droids or Force Dead, as her offensive powers would not work on them. Saito recognises this and trains extensively with conventional weapons, ysalamiri and anti-Force-User gear. She is good at using conventional melee weapons, but is not proficient in the use of a lightsabre. Her lightsabre duelling skills are about equal to those of an acolyte. She knows the basics, but anyone who is actually good at sabreplay would beat her if she tried to employ a lightsabre against them in melee.
Strengths:
- Master level Force-User. Extremely skilled in negating, suppressing or dampening the Force powers of hostile Force-Users. Very proficient in concealment, Stun, and Sense abilities. Inherent resistance to mental attacks.
- Force soldier. Saito is a capable markswoman and small unit leader. She excels at leading strike teams or militias against a specific objectives.
- Force-wise she is a specialist rather than a generalist. Her telekinetic abilities are subpar. Similar to Corran Horn, it takes great effort for her to make a small stone so much as wobble. She lacks his ability to redirect energy absorbed through tutaminis into telekinetic feats. Her defensive powers are basic.
- Lacks significant skill with a lightsabre. It is about equal to that of an acolyte.
The Epicanthix have a long tradition as a warrior race. From the earliest days of their civilisation, Epicanthix clans did battle for control of territory and resources and in pursuit of slaves, plunder and martial glory. Warlords carved out kingdoms on their homeworld of Panatha. It was a king by the name of Canthar who united many of the clans, ushering in a planet-wide era of peace under his rule. He would be deified upon his death. With the advent of the hyperdrive, the Epicanthix expanded beyond Panatha, developing beautiful yet deadly ships to conquer their neighbours. Over time they came to dominate the worlds of the Pacanth Reach. Though they came under the control of the Galactic Empire, they retained a certain degree of autonomy.
Like most worlds in the Galaxy, Panatha went through a period of chaos when the Gulag Virus ravaged the Galaxy and plunged it into a Dark Age that lasted roughly four hundred years. During this time period the Epicanthix splintered into separate nations, with each city-state being ruled by its own king or queen. Eventually the period of isolation came to a close and Panatha was united under the rule of a Lucatus King called Hotep. He intended for his son Nasir to succeed him to the throne. However, fate had other things in mind.
This was the world Hikari Saito was raised in. She was born into a family of warriors. In the past the Saitos had been sellswords and minor warlords. Having made a name for themselves during the conflicts of the Dark Age, they hitched their wagons to the cause of King Hotep. They became his vassals. Their fealty and skill in combat was rewarded with land and privileges. The Force was strong in Saito's bloodline, but very few family members manifested any affinity for the powers commonly associated with Forcewielders. Instead they had an affinity for suppressing or negating the powers of other Force adepts. Her mother in particular had won renown due to her powers.
The Force manifested in Saito from an early age and she was trained in the ways of the Force by her parents. She was raised on the stories of the great Epicanthix warlords of yore, giving her a somewhat romantic view of the glories of war. She dreamt of becoming a great warrior herself, yet she also chafed under the expectations and restrictions placed upon her. Her young age prevented her from participating in raids or campaigns though. She grew up admiring her parents' deeds, acquiring an idealised view of the battles they had fought in. At the same time she was raised to one day run the family's holdings, which she regarded as confining. She also looked up to her aunt Asuga, who had made a name for herself as a warrior both offworld and in Panatha's internal conflicts.
Ironically, fate conspired to bring war to Panatha. It turned out to be the exact opposite of glorious. After a long absence, the Zambrano family returned to Panatha following the fall of the Sith Empire to the Republic's crusade. They were led by Kaine Zambrano, former Sith Emperor, and sought to claim the throne of Panatha for themselves. In fulfillment of their oath to King Hotep, the Saito family rallied in opposition to the invasion. However, Hotep was slain by Kaine in single combat and the Zambranos began a campaign to force all city-states to bend the knee. An army of Imperials, Graug and Sith laid siege to Gekha. Here Prince Nasir, who styled himself as the True King, and his supporters made their stand. The Saitos were among them.
The fighting was brutal. Saito's parents tried to keep her away from the bloodletting due to her youth. At first she helped out in a field hospital, caring for wounded soldiers and civilians. She was also used to carry ammo packs and ammunition. However, as the situation grew more and more desperate, she was pulled into the fighting. When the Imperials launched a nightly raid on the city walls, she was forced to defend herself, grabbing a blaster. She was injured in the fighting, but survived. But the Imperial assaults wore down the morale of the defenders. Her father was killed in an artillery bombardment. Using his last strength, he manifested a barrier to protect his daughter from the explosion, at the cost of his own life. It left her deeply shaken, but there was no time to grieve.
While Prince Nasir and his closest supporters were smuggled out of the city, the defenders surrendered. The attackers seemingly accepted terms of surrender. But after the city gates had been flung open, they laid waste to the city. The Saitos were able to escape the devastation, having fled the city, but they could see the flames from afar. Angered by the destruction and the personal loss she had suffered, Hikari wanted revenge. But this was not practical. For a while they had to hide in the wilderness to evade Imperial forces. What Saito did not know was that their aunt Asuga had betrayed them. Her mother remained in the dark as well. She was believed to have been lost in a skirmish, but had in fact betrayed them when they fled and tried to have goons capture them. Asuga was Eshima's younger sister and craved her claim and title. Saito and one of her younger siblings were seized by her minions, but Eshima overpowered the attackers and rescued them.
Prioritising survival, her mother Eshima led what was left of the clan into exile. They linked up with other Epicanthix who did not support the new régime, which proceeded to unite the Pacanth Reach under its control. Her mother used their remaining assets to found an Epicanthix sellsword company, using funds gained from the contracts to keep the family afloat. Where possible they tried to fight back against Sith and their allies. However, Hikari was angry and wanted to do more.
Her moment came when the Galactic Republic deployed an invasion force to O'reen. Until recently, this planet had been controlled by the Galactic Empire, a neo-Imperialist polity based on Atrisia. However, after its invasion of the Omega Protectorate's capital Fondor failed, the Atrisians agreed to absorption by the Lords of the Fringe, fearing retribution. In the aftermath of the Empire's collapse, many Sith had found safe haven in the Fringe, such as Kaine Zambrano himself. For Saito, it was a way to do battle against those she regarded as her enemies. She cared little for the Republic and was mystified by Jedi beliefs.
Against the wishes of her mother, she joined the Republic troops as a mercenary, lying about her age. However, things did not go the way she had hoped. Her aggression, impetuousness and inexperience were not a winning combination. The armies of the Republic and the Lords of the Fringe clashed upon the planet's surface, with the latter emerging as victor. At first Saito managed to take out some soldiers, but then she made the mistake of commandeering a light walker to death charge a Sith. However, the vehicle was wrecked in the attack and Saito was badly injured. Owing to her wounds and inexperience, her attempt to use her powers on the Sith failed. Fighting when one was bleeding out was awkward, as one could imagine. Fortunately for her, she was saved by Shakkara Kalon, a Togruta Jedi Master and veteran of the Republic-Sith War. Shakkara was a radical Jedi who believed in direct action against the Sith, and so the Republic's peace treaty with the Fringe left her disappointed. She sensed Saito's potential and offered to train her in the Force. However, the ways of the Jedi were not for Saito.
With the Jedi's help, Saito was nursed back to health. She was strongly tempted to accept the woman's offer, but decided it would mean letting down her family. So she returned home to the clan's mobile base, though not before exchanging contact details with the Togruta. Once home she had to face her stern mother. Eshima was understandably angry and knocked some sense into the girl. Saito was forced to realise that she had not just been a fool, but also extremely selfish. It took a while for the lesson to sink in, but she took it to heart. She intensified her training, honing her Force abilities and marksmanship. She lacked the ability to become a powerful tank or achieve great power in the more traditional feats of Jedi and Sith, so she decided to specialise in the traditional strengths of her bloodline rather than become a jack-of-all-trades. After all, a master of all was a master of nothing.
Her moment to prove herself and redeem herself in the eyes of her family came when the Omega Protectorate and the Fringe clashed. Saito had missed the earlier battle of Kayri, where an Omega Protectorate invasion force was routed by the Fringe. However, she was there when the Fringe launched its retaliatory strike against Eriadu, a vital Protectorate world. The Fringe was supported by Eriaduan exiles, followers of the Tarkin régime that had been deposed by the Protectorate. Saito, her cousin Fuyuko and her mother were contracted to protect a local Eriaduan dignitary who supported the Protectorate and had been a political dissident under the old order. When he was targeted by commandos and some of the guards turned traitor, the trio defended themselves fiercely. While Eshima drew the enemy fire away from them, Saito and Fuyuko got the politician to safety. Working together, the two were able to dampen the powers of a Dark Jedi and slay her. Eventually the three were reunited.
Saito had regained a little bit of her mother's respect, though Eshima remained aloof and demanding. Eriadu was a Protectorate victory, and both nations settled into a cold war of sorts. Saito participated in a few skirmishes in the border areas between both nations, though she never joined the Protectorate military or Omega Pyre. Her loyalty lay with her family. Her hatred for Sith remained as strong as ever, but she was growing more thoughtful and less blinded by rage.
Then the One Sith 'returned from the shadows' and struck a blow against the Republic by seizing Coruscant in a surprise attack. They proceeded to go on a conquering spree across the Core. Sith from across the Galaxy soon flocked to their banners. For Saito this meant that she now had a clear target to pursue. She and other clan members became involved as mercenaries, signing up with the enemies of the new One Sith Empire. Her mother approved this, though she drilled it into their skulls to place family loyalty first. No nation and no one else's cause was worth them throwing their lives away.
Saito saw action at Carida, Coruscant and Alderaan, among other things. She also reunited with Shakkara, who had become even more radical and was now the master of a young Cathar Jedi called Leonina Varkathras. The three worked together on a number of missions aimed at disrupting the One Sith war machine through strikes against war factories, research facilities and Sith academies. Unfortunately, Shakkara would eventually be captured by the Sith after a sabotage mission went awry. Under the influence of Darth Libertas, Shakkara fell to the Dark Side and became a Sith. Lured into a trap by her traitorous master, Leonina was captured, but managed to flee. The two would have a duel, which ended with Leonina leaving her master for dead after the roof caved in, though the Togruta in fact survived. Having received a distress signal, Saito came to aid her Cathar friend and some fugitive prisoners escape.
While Saito made a name for herself, her aunt Asuga had been rising in the One Sith hierarchy. At the same time she used a double identity to ingratiate herself with Epicanthix opposed to the new order, manipulating them to her own ends. After Kain Zambrano was slain by Kiskla Grayson, Nasir and his followers tried to take control of Panatha. Asuga tried to lure the clan back to the homeworld, claiming that she was a resistance fighter.
In reality Asuga was still in contact with the One Sith and knew that an attack was imminent. Fortunately for the clan, they grew suspicious. Asuga feigned friendship, but tried to have her niece seized. However, Saito sensed the danger and leapt out of the way. She fought her aunt, trying to out nullify her for a while, but this was not a fruitful endeavour. Her aunt had greater endurance, but Saito managed to get ahold of a bolt pistol and blow her away. In a rage she riddled the turncoat with explosive bullets. Able to escape, she reunited with her family. Meanwhile, Imperials of the One Sith Empire took control of the planet and Kaine Zambrano reclaimed his throne. Thus hopes of a swift return to the homeworld had to be put aside. The clan had to face the fact that they might spend the rest of their lives in exile. Saito returned to the frontlines, fighting the One Sith and their allies.
Then came the Netherworld Event. Saito was not raptured into the Underworld, but her younger sibling Ayana was. The girl was still rather young and looked up to her older sister. Saito and her mother went after, after hearing rumours of a portal on Alderaan. It was a harrowing journey. They could not call upon their powers in the Netherworld and faced the demons of the past. Trapped inside a labyrinth, they were driven almost mad. Manipulated by spirits that sougt to take possession of them and driven mad, the two ended up fighting each other. Eventually they came to their senses.
Saito found Ayana in a lifeless, silent canyon with acidic rain and filled with skeletons. The pair was able to retrieve her and escape through the Dathomiri portal. However, the whole experience haunted her deeply traumatised sibling and she had to be put in permanent care. Saito sent back money to help her out and tried to visit regularly. She soon returned to the frontlines, leading a squad of Epicanthix soldiers from her mother's sellsword group. The Netherworld had caused great turmoil in the Galaxy, with great powers competing for lost territory. She fought pirates, dark cultists and Sith.
However, the Republic was losing the war. The clan was opposed to Sith, but did not want to go down with a sinking ship. Thus they began to distance themselves from it. Even Saito agreed, for her Netherworld experiences had left their mark on her as well. Hired as a mercenary, Saito participated in the Mandalorian invasions of Roche and later Kashyyyk. Both battles ended in defeat for the Republic. However, it also meant she faced soldiers she had once fought alongside of. It was them or her and she chose herself. She was relieved by the fact that Leonina Varkathras had cut ties with the Republic after it had enacted authoritarian policies and executed supposed political enemies. It meant she did not have to fight her Cathar friend. However, for a while Leonina held a grudge due to her dislike of Mandalorians.
She accepted contracts with the Galactic Alliance, participating in their offensive to drive the One Sith out of the Core Worlds. Coruscant fell to Alliance. Leading a squad of specialists, Saito was able to capture a Sith Master wanted for atrocities. Saito took her time to hurt the Sith before handing him over for the bounty. She was exultant, but also adrift. She took time to care for her younger sibling and help her recover from her trauma. For a while, the Galaxy had peace. This state of affairs was, of course, a temporary one. While on a job, Saito had a reunion with Leonina, who was now a Firemane officer. After negotiations between Eshima and Firemane's autocratic leader Siobhan Kerrigan, the group decided to work for the corporation. They formed the core of an Order of Fire unit called the Silencers, who specialised in negating or dampening the abilities of hostile Force-Users.
Their skills made them useful for eliminating or capturing high-value, enemy Force-Sensitives on the battlefield. This could also apply to Force Sensitive Firemane employees who had turned traitor. Saito saw action on Tygara and during the First Galactic Alliance-First Order War. One of the Silencers' first missions involved taking down a rogue Xioquo priestess and her legion of dark creatures and fanatics. Leaving the hordes to the regulars, Saito and the Silencers were able to get close enough to the witch to dampen her powers, sabotaging the dark ritual she was performing as she fed off the deaths. This helped Firemane regulars and the soldiers of the Xioquo Queen Liavondra overcome the witch's creations an her followers.
What vexed Saito's mother was her daughter's disinterest in aspiring for more than a field role. Many of the clan members, including Fuyuko, rose in the ranks, but Hikari lacked an interest. She was happy being a Sergeant. Their relationship had improved over the recent years, but this caused a good deal of tension between them. The fact that her mother was so pushy might have contributed to Saito being so stubborn. This did not change after the Order of Fire declared her a Master of the Force. Saito preferred being in the thick of things, getting into the action and yelling at people. Fearless under fire, she was not afraid to seize the initiative, but refused all offers of promotion. Fuyuko soon outranked her despite being the younger one.
On the bright side, she was able to reconnect with Leonina and rebuild her friendship with the Cathar. With Siobhan Kerrigan focusing more on the business side of things and the 'big picture', the Cathar ran the Order of Fire on a day-to-day basis. Saito proved herself a competent field operator. She became something of a confidant and insight into how the Order's low-ranking members were feeling. She also provided training in stealth and countering mental powers. When Firemane and the Order began to recruit Tygaran natives in large numbers, Saito was often seconded to assist with training. She was a demanding taskmistress, but unpretentious. On more than a few occasions, she stood up for natives who were receiving poor treatment from racist Firemane superiors. Once she smacked down an officer, who was also a member of the Order of Fire, for harassing a Vashyada.
Saito got on well with Natalie Dorne, an anti-Sith insurgent from Ession who ended up working for Firemane as a free contractor. A detachment of Silencers was assigned to Firemane's Exploration Corps, headed by Tegaea Alcori, the corporation's founder. Saito was put in command. They were aboard the Scarlet Destiny when it embarked on its maiden voyage. However, what was supposed to be a peaceful exploration mission to initiate first contact with worlds cut off by the Gulag Virus turned into something significantly more bloody when they came across the world of Tephrike. A Firemane delegation was ambushed by extremists in the Jedi-led Dominion of Light, a totalitarian theocracy. Elpsis Kerrigan-Alcori covered the delegation's retreat and was captured by the Jedi Inquisition. In response, Firemane declared war, allying with the Republican Guard, a native insurgency that opposed Force-Users.
However, while Tephrike's technology had regressed due to near-constant warfare and four hundred years of isolation, the Dominion was a formidable opponent. When Firemane troops assaulted Fortress Purity, the Dominion employed the Force and a weather control machine to even the scales. Many Dominion troops fought to the last man. Some of the most fanatical turned themselves into living bombs. Saito's Silencers were among the Firemane ground troops deployed to take Purity. However, a kamikaze pilot attack forced Saito and her comrades, along with the Xioquo warrior Karrigan'Xalda, Laira Darkhold and a RESISTINT squad, to hastily exit the craft.
Once under ground, they came under enemy attack. The Silencers pulled off a flanking attack to relieve Firemane regulars that were being swarmed by Dominion militia and Jedi. Using their special abilities, they were able to suppress the powers of several hostile Forcewielders and disrupt the Force meld they used to coordinate. Saito and Xalda worked together to take out the main caster. Linking up with scattered Firemane troops, they tried to secure a landing zone. However, the storm created by the weather control machine made it difficult to reinforce them or communicate with the Firemane command. Saito was injured during the fighting, but proved vital in rallying and inspiring Firemane troops that had been cut off.
Upon reaching a hill that held Dominion forces, the allied troops were subjected to a massive psychic wave. Being more resistant to mental influences, the Silencers were better equipped to resist it, but then the Dominion attacked with Jedi sharpshooters and death charging militia who had turned themselves into living bombs. The Jedi used their Force powers to guide their heavy slug rounds towards the enemy. This forced the Silencers and their comrades on the defensive. Casualties were severe. The special operators could use their powers to stun and contain enemies, while Xalda and Laira used their terramancy to cause spikes to shoot from the ground. Saito was injured when a bullet struck her shoulder. Moved to the rear, a medic doctored her wound, but she remained in the fight, sniping Dominion attackers.
A stalemate ensued, as the enemy was well-entrenched on the hill. Contacting Leonina, the commanding officer of the Firemane ground troops, Saito requested support from elementalists, who could harness the storm. The Celestial Dragons, a unit of Qadiri aeromancers, were deployed to steer it. While Dominion positions were being struck with lightning, Saito had Xalda summon a mist to help conceal Firemane and Resistance soldiers during their assault on the hill. But the attackers had to be mindful of snipers and traps. Saito herself used her stun powers to disable a would-be suicide bomber who had hidden beneath corpses and was about to blow up some of her allies, whereupon Xalda hurled the explosives away and shot him.
Eventually, Firemane was able to take the hill. Brutal fighting ensued as Firemane troops stormed Purity. The Silencers proved their worth in the battle by dampening the powers of enemy Force-Users, stunning enemies and through good marksmanship. Their stealthiness allowed them to pull off surprise attacks. The Firemane soldiers faced the Ever Loyal Vanguard, an elite sect of Jedi warrior-priests. Clad in imbued armour and wielding alchemised weapons, they proved a tenacious opponent. Using her stealth skills, Saito ambushed the Jedi Commander, who was using a meld to boost her warriors. The Jedi paladin hammered her in melee and with potent telekinetic Force abilities. Lacking the raw power of her enemy, Saito used stealth, guns, debilitating powers and finally her Force Suppression abilities to weaken her. When the wounded Jedi choked her with her hands, Saito shot her in the ribs with a holdout bolter. The Jedi died, but the blowback broke the Panathan's hand. In the last phase of the battle, the Dominion officers covered their retreat by throwing a brigade of Younglings at the attackers. Though she hated doing so, Saito ordered her soldiers to fire. The Youngling Brigade charged bravely and was mowed down. Troubled by the pointless loss of life, Saito felt intense anger towards the Dominion for abusing and manipulating mere children this way. She helped bury dead Younglings.
The Silencers were among the Firemane units that entered what was left of Fortress Purity. Many members received commendations after the battle. The Republican Guard raised its banner upon the ruins of Purity, but it was clear that the Dominion was far from beaten. In the aftermath, Saito met up again with Leonina. By now Firemane had found Elpsis. The Fire Princess had been able to overcome her brainwashing and incite a prison revolt, slaughtering her captors. In the aftermath of the battle Hikari was commended for her actions and even earned an approving word from her mother, something she was very secretively proud of. She also visited Ayana again. Her sibling was receiving care from a Vashyada healer Hikari had befriended. Now the Sergeant continues to dedicate herself to Firemane and for their campaigns doubtless soon to come.
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