Invasion Hubris of Empires | The Cold War | Invasion of Ilum [Empire vs. Alliance]

[Azula Merr]

​

Operation Golden Wind
Task Force-667
Stellar Legionnaire Azula Merr
Gear: [x] [x] [x] [x]
Allies: New Imperial Order | Ignacious Korvan , Velran Kilran , Gallius Orcana , Hyperion , Veno
Enemies: Galactic Alliance | Liedran Kathause , Jadwiga Drozd , Pa'Kar Sang, Caedyn Arenais


The view from the hangar was stellar. Explosions of starfighters ripping apart starfighters among the stars. Capital ships traded heavy volleys with one another. The heat of battle raged before Stellar Legionnaire Azula Merr and her fellow legionnaires. She awaited her moment to join the battle from the somewhat safety of the hangar bay on the Ave Imperator The Nediji's Valor awaited the mercenary. It's engine growled lightly in anticipation for battle. The task force had their assignment: infiltrate the nearest enemy ship, and bring hell.

"Stellar Legionnaire. We are ready at your command." spoke one of the legionnaires behind Azula.

"Many, many years since the galaxy was blessed with the Golden Company. And many years it has been since we last operated. There is no room for mistakes today. We must remind the galaxy of who we are. Commence final preparations for combat. We leave in 5 minutes." Azula commanded.

The obscurity that currently held the Golden Company in a chokehold was one Azula was prepared to fight out of. She had not seen her other brothers and sisters of the Golden Company in some time. Even so, she was going to honor them and those that came before in this battle.

"Move out." Azula called out. Her command was met with the cheers and roars of the rest of the 667. After the rest of them, Azula hopped onto her ship. The 667 got settled in and the Valor took off from the hangar.

 

[Ichika Masudo]

​

ALLIES: Ariana Du Couteau | FYI: Aaran Tafo
OPPOSITION: Kriegan Tavlar
EQUIPMENT: 1 x Songsteel Katana | 1 x Songsteel Wakizashi | 1 x Practise Lightsaber | 2 x Climbing Picks

Corin had called in a whisper for them to get down and she hadn’t hesitated to hit the ground, the sheaths of her blades clacking against the rock… but scant minutes passed before they were discovered, and a scalping of their heads was called for, making the act of hiding futile. Up until recent times, she had been led to believe that the Imperial Forces would stand the line with her. That was no longer the case.

For a considerable portion of Ichika Masudo’s young life, Imperial was ally, honoured in much the same way in her discussions with her Jedi father that his fellows in the Jedi Order and service-persons of the Galactic Alliance were. She had gained an appreciation for the orderliness of the ally, and their origins in drawing a line in the proverbial sand with the Sith. In all the ways that mattered, they had been on the same page. So when the cord that connected the two nations was cut, she had to wade through what that meant.

It was wrong.

Having borne witness to the state of the cavern, raped of its bounty, and now attempting to inch closer while fending off a volley of particle beams with the only lightsaber she had as of yet - a blue blade, broader than the two of songsteel on her person - those murky waters perhaps gained a little more clarity. Though she couldn’t wholly see them as the enemy, they nonetheless had to be stopped. No matter the common edict of a good soldier following orders, there was still a choice. And they’d chosen.

As the smoke grenades were lobbed, and smoke filled in her visual space, she could feel the troopers move around them. Daisy extinguished and stowed the ineffective practise lightsaber, knowing it would shine to some degree through the smoke like the lanterns of the harbour of her hometown on a foggy morning, and calmly reached cross-body to grasp the hilt of her shorter blade, a wakizashi, with her right hand as her knees bent and she began taking hushed, delicate steps towards the flank of soldiers coming to her left. She would take every single one of these by herself, if she must, but it was her hope that wouldn't be the case.

She didn’t need her eyes, suffused with the Force as she was, to find them, but would use her eyes as she got close; she would drop to a low stance the moment she was near enough to the first one, unsheathing her wakizashi in a clean motion off of the momentum of her drop, with the full intent to slice the backs of knees, yanking sharply on the first one with the force to hopefully topple them back towards the moving edge of her blade as she turned... a process of a smattering of seconds.

​

 

[Katja Javik]

The Empire
SCAR Squadron
Equipment: Armour, Pistol, Vibroknife, Thermal Detonators x2, Stun Grenade x2, Enforcement Baton
Engaging: Kara Jade
Nearby: Jem Fossk | Silas Westgard | Cailen Corso
Allies: Kriegan Tavlar | Hal Vaiken | Margo Liaeris | Lily Stevens | Castor E-196

​

The apparent lack of cohesion between the Jedi had the potential to become a strategic advantage for the Imperials. They were stronger together so if one acted alone they would be easier to pick off, like picking off the weaker of the herd.

They didn't manifest the discipline of Imperial soldiers. It would be their downfall.

<Spectre, fry that girl!>

<Already on it.> She curtly replied to her ally in a voice devoid of emotion, though her actions spoke as loud as her words as she began a confident stride towards her adversary.

However, it seemed the Jedi had different ideas as she used an ethereal grip on loose items littering the tunnel, repurposing them into projectiles which were launched in her direction.

With a frustrated huff, she narrowly dodged the flurry of objects and pressed herself firmly against the wall, protected only partly by the slight indent which provided a small amount of cover. In any case, it was enough to suppress her from advancing for now.

She abandoned her pistol in favour of the baton attached to her back. It was by no means a dainty weapon but was operated with one hand, leaving the other hand free for grabbing Jedi scalps.

By the time the assault had stopped, the Jedi had already had already grabbed her companion and retreated. "Come back here and keep the peace!" She taunted, still showing no real sense of urgency.

So far, they hadn't proven themselves to be quite the famed peacekeepers they claimed to be. The cowardice among the group was evident and pathetic.

"Spread out -- leave them no angle to breathe!!"

Her head turned slowly in the direction of the voice before setting her focus back ahead to where the Padawans had disappeared to, following hot on their trail.

 

[Corin Trenor]

HUBRIS OF EMPIRES
Iris Arani Jand Talo Hal Vaiken

​

Forced to confront the would-be barrel of the hand-mounted repulsor cannon, Corin shifted the blue bladed saber in his hand and slammed the rounded end of it into the rock beneath him while his head bowed into a forearm intended to be a shield from the sudden flash of white. His conditioned frame tensed from the harsh blast in his half-squatted stance, but remained on his feet and lost no more than a few metres; a scar woven into the stone beneath him as a result of the lightsaber.

"Go on, find a way out." He urged with a huff.

His saber freed from the rock below, Corin rushed forwards with a series of agile movements. With his idle hand, he called on the Force in an effort to pull the stormtrooper closer towards himself only for his saber to swing wildly with practised precision.

 

[Jem Fossk]

bjective 2
Fightin: Margo Liaeris with Cailen Corso

Spoiler: the story

STALKER

Objective: Hubris of Empires
Location: Ilum - Subterranean Tunnel
Tags:

​

SCAR: Hal Vaiken | Kriegan Tavlar | Castor E-196 | Lily Stevens

​

NJO: Jem Fossk | Cailen Corso

Ghost

Deep in her soul, Margo knew this operation was more than what it was advertised to be, yet she had not expected this... The elite soldiers of SCAR emerged from the shadows, with Hal dramatically sharpening his vibroblade against his vambrace as they did so. The supersoldier’s black-hued mask covered her features, and just as well that it did - the expression lining her face was of pure, unadulterated...

Disbelief.

Unlike some of the others, Stalker had never served alongside the fabled Jedi. Most of her deployments prior to joining SCAR were amongst her Death Trooper unit, and at most were in situations wherein members of their unit were embedded within regular stormtrooper fireteams. Her experience had been similar within SCAR, with the exception of the occasional run-in with a member of the Imperial Knights.

Be that as it may, as was the case with countless trillions of sentients throughout the galaxy; she had heard stories. Stories of guardians of both peace and justice in the galaxy; of those who denied self in favor of others. Even as the daughter of a humble farmer, the Sith Empire had not been so successful to stifle tales of the heroics of legendary Jedi. Her father had tucked her into bed with stories detailing the adventures of Jolee Bindo in the days of the Old Republic, or of Luke Skywalker and his underdog tale of restoring balance to the galaxy; and redeeming his own father Darth Vader in the process.

Those stories alongside countless others had given her hope for a better future even as her family toiled under the yoke of the Sith. The patriots of the New Imperial Order movement had taken that place as she grew of age, and up until now she had hardly spared a thought as to the heroes of her childhood...

...only for those memories to come crashing down here, and now; even as the barrel of her particle rifle pointed at the group of padawans before her. Her lensed eyes focused on them - on the sheer youth in their face. If she had to guess, many of them were likely not much older than fourteen or fifteen. ‘This has to be a bloody mistake...’ she thought to herself. But before she could say anything, Hal’s words had answered any lingering doubt in her mind.



Her helmet tilted fractionally in his direction, with Margo hardly believing what she was hearing. Sure, technically, these were Jedi, but...

But they were kids! This wasn’t a battlefield where they were asking for trouble. This... this looked like a damned field trip.





‘Good soldiers follow orders.’ She could hear the voice of her old instructor even as Reaper’s own words echoed through the cavern with murderous intent.





Margo wanted to protest; wanted to say something to stop this before they crossed the point of no return. This wasn’t war. No... this felt like murder. Just as she was about to say- no, shout as much to the others, something inside of her seemed to... take over. She felt a... calmness begin to prevail over her, as well as a focus that caused her feelings of reservation to recede into the background. Rather than her own mental voice screaming in protest, all she could hear were the same words being spoken by her instructor.

‘Good soldiers follow orders.’

Rather than young teenagers and borderline children, these padawans began to seem more...

More like a threat that needed to be ‘taken care of’.

The voice inside of her that was kicking and screaming, hoping against all hope to warn her off began to grow quieter... and quieter...

Quieter...

Now, all she could see was her father’s face, gazing down at her as she took in a strained breath from her respirator several years ago. She was plunged into a tank of some fluid, a dull pain racking her body as the doctors had... done things.

Things to make her stronger, and more lethal.

Things to make her a Death Trooper.

“Copy that.” she heard herself say. It felt odd, but less so as it had before. In the span of moments between their arrival and the opening shots loosed by Reaper, Margo had seemed to suppress whatever misgivings had befallen her mere moments prior. Instead, her eyes lensed eyes craned over to form of a young male padawan, standing alongside a slightly older female padawan.

Wordlessly, the SCAR trooper snapped her rifle square against them both, and unleashed with a series of three round bursts - high intensity particle rounds surging toward them in quick succession, and with deadly precision.

Good soldiers follow orders.

HUBRIS OF EMPIRES
Iris Arani Hal Vaiken

​

Trial by fire.

From embers, to an inferno. Even on a world carved from ice and coated in snow. The frozen and eternal winter wints blew in from the vast, endless trench as the hot exhaust flew in and melted away at the caverns. The same ones the Padawan and his peers had become ensnared within, with Imperials on all sides. Corin remembered those words, everyone comes back, and with members of the infamous SCAR squadron encircling them all... the mortality rate plummeted, like a stone in a lake with such little chance of retrieval. Cut off, alone, this was to be their stand.

" Jem Fossk !" His voice cut out over the sounds of the blaster bolts deflected by his blue-bladed saber with his head forced to pivot over his shoulder for no more than second several times, "Come on! You can do this!"

Corin failed to understand it, whatever it was. He remembered all her experience in combat from before, from the moment she thrust that blade into his side and sent his once considerably smaller frame off of a shattered skyscraper, off towards an abyss. It was there, like muscle memory, and yet she was a trapped insider her own mind. All she needed was a shove, and that was all Corin could offer. Forced to re-engage the Imperial with the sudden and sharp increase in accurate, speedy fire.

He circled about the best one could, content to continue the effort to block as many bolts as Corin could manage. Some could maybe take their leave out from behind him, to rush back to the surface, to find the masters and inform them of their new Imperial foes. If he died, so be it, it was a better death than a needle infested arm with a face in the gutter.

Objective 2
Fightin: Margo Liaeris with Cailen Corso





Shots flew out around her head.

Jem kneeled frozen, eyes wide and reflecting the chaos as imperials bared over them in a surprise attack. Her peers jolted to life, defending each other with multicolored sabers snapping to life. She wasn't cleared for this. Jem remained locked on the ground, afraid that her own fragile recovery could all shatter with one step off the planned path. That fear was all the darkness needed to seep in. Darth Solipsis 's voice bit sharply into her head

Daughter. The darkness implored, offering strength to the cowed girl in the corner.



Fitful eyes caught Corin's; the confidence in the look he gave her cutting through it all. She shoved the darkness away and stood.

It's a choice, she breathed, the words practically leaving her lips in an inaudible whisper as she took to her feet. "It's a choice," she whispered again, pulling out the blue saber of a once fallen jedi and lighting it too. The darkness's hold clawed at her mind.

"It's a choice." She uttered to no one, stepping in front of the youngest of faces and taking a deep breath. She dodged** several blasts and managed to survey the situation.

"...We're too outnumbered." And if they waited any longer, their exit would be cut off as well. Her eyes darted towards the round drill path they had emerged from. "We need to go back," she told those around her. She stepped forward and blocked the way, buying a jedi or two the chance to retreat into them behind her back.

"Into the tunnels!"

INVASION OF ILUM
Hubris of Empires #2

Location: Hallowed Scar, Ilum
Tags: Jem Fossk ; Margo Liaeris
Objevtive: #2 Hallowed Scar
Soundtrack: Raining Fire

Everything changed so quickly.

The mission to Ilum had been less than typical, and certainly not what any of them expected… mysterious earthquakes, missing Padawans, injured friends… Many of the young Jedi had completed their Gathering ceremonies here, but nothing had prepared them for the evil that lurked beneath the icy surface.

Cailen’s senses were dulled from the horrors he’d survived on Tython, but he still felt the presence of the Force when surrounded by fellow Jedi or when traveling on Jedi ground. And right now, seemingly out of nowhere, the Force shouted ”DOWN!”

Instinctively, the boy ducked into the cold snow, narrowly missing a barrage of particle bolts that flew overhead. He wanted to spring back to his feet, to ignite his lightsaber and stand at the ready, but the senior Padawans had already done so. They were deflecting bolts that seemed to explode on contact with their sabers.

“Jem!” Cailen shouted over the sound of blaster rifles and lightsabers.

“What’s happening!”



Cailen glanced behind the group, to the mining tunnel they’d emerged from. He gave Jem Fossk a confidant nod, then rose to his feet and dashed for the tunnel as she deflected the particle bolts. He helped several of the younger Jedi into the tunnel before turning back to Jem. She stood on the front line alongside several of the other older Padawans. Cailen called to her before slipping into the frozen tunnel.

“Jem! We need to go, now!”

HUBRIS OF EMPIRES
Iris Arani Jand Talo Hal Vaiken

​

Forced to confront the would-be barrel of the hand-mounted repulsor cannon, Corin shifted the blue bladed saber in his hand and slammed the rounded end of it into the rock beneath him while his head bowed into a forearm intended to be a shield from the sudden flash of white. His conditioned frame tensed from the harsh blast in his half-squatted stance, but remained on his feet and lost no more than a few metres; a scar woven into the stone beneath him as a result of the lightsaber.

"Go on, find a way out." He urged with a huff.

His saber freed from the rock below, Corin rushed forwards with a series of agile movements. With his idle hand, he called on the Force in an effort to pull the stormtrooper closer towards himself only for his saber to swing wildly with practised precision.

“Corin,” Jem called with wild urgency. Near everyone else had taken her opening and retreated into the tunnels behind her, but it was becoming harder for Jem to hold ground. The imperials took their scattered positioning and they squeezed. Jem's saber whipped in brilliant blue arcs, catching what it could to hold the tunnel entrance, but it wasn't enough.

Jem caught sight of Iris Arani 's face among the flashes of white chest blades and metal barrels, and Corin seemed no less inclined to break free of his own scuffle. Her heart dropped. "Padawan's, now!" She ordered, her voice ringing out through the chaotic dim.

Dagon hadn't put her in charge. She didn't care. This was not the place to take a stand, the idiot was going to get them all killed.

A bolt shot through her left shoulder.
Margo Liaeris

 

[Shai Maji]

ILUM | TELLAN LAKE
ALLIES: Enclave | GA
ENEMIES: The Empire
ENGAGING: DECEASED Erskine Barran
GEAR: In bio | Basilisk War Droid | shield

SOUL OF A MAN​

A sheepish smile formed at the Lord-Regent’s compliment. Despite already coming to terms, it still felt surreal to be herself again. To be natural again, despite the ‘gift’ Xyoz gave her. ”Thank you, sir.” She muttered, though her smile disappeared as he ordered his men to stay away from the lake.

”They will still watch. They need to watch.” She spoke up as she looked at the camp in the distance. ”It will be treason for them to leave their Lord-Regent undefended.” She was banking on it. If they interfere, there will be more eyes to bear witness. Her empty gaze returned to him as the last bit of joy left her body. As much as she didn’t want to do it, she needed to.

”I don’t deserve anything anymore, Erskine. I did bad things when the Maw turned me against my people. I… I gotta make things right.”

Her hand rested on the hilt of her Beskad as she watched him, though she made no move to engage just yet. ”I’m thrown out of my clan. My people hate me, my achievements and honours are struck from the records… I’m little more than an outsider. My only hope of making right is to do what I can. Even… even if that means cutting off the head of the snake.” She admitted with guilt in her voice. But she made no move. Her hand stayed where it was as she took a deep breath.

”Erskine… leave. Go home, abdicate and retire. Be with your wife, love your last son. Thomas… he’s looking for you. He wants your head. Don’t… don’t stick with this path… please? Just let go and enjoy your last years in peace. I don’t want to do this to you.” She pleaded with him, begging in hopes of avoiding this fight. Laying waste to his camp and officers was easy. But drawing her sword against him was wrong.

Her fingers curled around the hilt as she waited for his answer. She prayed that he would simply step back and retire, though she knew it was a fool’s hope. They were both dogs of war. They wouldn’t sleep until their last mission was completed. For her, it was always revenge. Now, it was redemption. No matter how tired she got, she had to keep marching.

And the old Woad was no different. He couldn’t turn back even if he wanted to. That final battle called like a loved one to him, luring him down the path of damnation to his death just like it did for her. She got a second chance… but that was a rare luxury. Erskine Barran would not have that privilege.

 

[Kriegan Tavlar]

PRODIGAL SON
501st STORMTROOPER LEGION | ENIGMA PLATOON
SUPPORTING | IMPERIAL SPECIAL FORCES
NIO | Hal Vaiken | Lily Stevens | Margo Liaeris | Castor E-196 | Katja Javik
NJO | Ichika Masudo | Ariana Du Couteau

INVASION​

A sliver of Kriegan's consciousness felt pity, remorse for this action. Just as they were brought up- so was he with the impression that the sons of the Starbird and the Empire were intrepid allies in opposition to the darkness. Lies. They were sycophants of a sick cult no different than the scions of darkness they opposed. Bellows of choking grey smoke emerged from the grenades in the tight corridors only to be further illuminated with violent streaks of blaster fire as Kriegan did all but eye the destructive dervish. It was all but tradition of the 501st, trailing back to the Galactic Empire that in spite of being outmatched in every conceivable fashion- they would put down every force user they'd come across and effectively.

With the assistance of the helmet's heads up display- he was able to trace the outlines of both friendlies and enemies in the burgeoning clouds of smoke ahead of him as he slowly made his way toward the chaos, a slow and deliberate stride ever compounding upon the desired contempt for danger he was trained to exhibit to his subordinates.

Eventually those crimson silhouettes grew close enough to justify the Lieutenant taking the hand grip of his blaster into his left hand and peering down the sights again to deliver another punishing burst - thumping the kinetic punishment into the chest of another. His focus went down the sights, ever the sin that came with discharging his weapon as an officer. He lived in vain ignorance of the rest of the battle for that moment to fully check in to the violent exchange and cycle that came with his finger squeezing the trigger and the sounds of pain and death whimpering from the dying lips of the enemy. It was as much a traumatizing vision as much as it was fulfilling in its tangible result.

He broke his focus from this when the suffering transpired at his flank. The vocoded cry of anguish emerging from one of the Stormtroopers to his right when he snapped his gaze in his direction to see a pool of blood emerging from a rushing flow from the man's leg as he was cut down by the Jedi- collapsing unto the icy cavern's floor with a crunch against the ice and a thud of his slain mass against the ground as he continued to writhe.

<"Sir!"> Another trooper sounded off before a blade cut through one of the many slits in his duraplast armor plating. Kriegan honed in on the figure, firing another burst before eventually capturing her silhouette in his sights, letting the carbine drop over his chest by the sling around his neck- taking aim with his indomitable-pattern vambrace and firing out a grappling line toward the Jedi to seize her in place, should it make purchase around her he'd send an electric impulse through it before rapidly closing the gap toward her- pulling a vibro knife from his chest mounted sheath and slicing it toward her collarbone in a vicious, wordless assault of the Jedi.

Immediately, his Mandalorian training began to show through in spades with the encounter. He'd have his mark and nothing would hinder the Empire. Never under his watch.

 

[Zoraya Ives-Ayres]

The Empire
COMPNOR
Imperial Security Bureau
Equipment: Armour, Pistol, Vibroknife, Thermal Detonators x2, Stun Grenade x2
Engaging: stimky Amani Serys

​

Neither seemed overly keen on engaging with the other. Even in her ignorance of Jedi she knew they tended to be the type only to attack when pushed - at least the sensible ones.

The smirk on the Jedi's face only served as an irritant for the agent. Despite her begrudging respect for some Jedi, the Mirialan was proving not to be deserving of such an accolade. "Somehow, I doubt that." She replied curtly.

For a few moments, there was an awkward standoff as neither wanted to relent, but the truce was soon broken after her blaster was pulled away through carefully controlled use of the Force. A skill which she had not perfected, nor had any desire to.

Regardless of the Jedi's intentions, the agent viewed the move as an offensive one as it left her more vulnerable to attack. Quickly, she closed the short distance between herself and the Jedi, hoping to reach her before she had an opportunity to ignite her lightsaber, but in any case Zoraya was prepared for the eventuality with the personal shield at her wrist which could be activated at the click of a button.

Once close enough, she threw a fist towards the Jedi's face, leaving her other hand free to attempt to react to any counter attack that might come her way, though her focus was primarily on the offence.

 

[Jand Talo]

HUBRIS OF EMPIRES
Equipment

The combined attack worked, at least in putting the enemy onto defense, and affording the pair of Padawans a momentary control of the fight. But then the momentum shifted, as the trooper released a forceful blast from his gauntlet - there had been a buildup of energy, bright white-blue. And due to his higher elevation mid-jump, during the attack, there wasn't ground for Jand to use to stabilize immediately, so he found himself spinning through the air.

A sarcastic response from the opponent was barely heard, as Jand's ears rang.

He deactivated his lightsaber with a press.

Jand then landed on the rocky ground several meters away - on his feet, but still with backward momentum - and managed to tuck into a ball, before he rolled onto his back and came up to his feet in a more stable stance. The training lightsaber was activated again, held before Jand just in case of blaster-fire, though Corin had already started to move in again ahead.

"Iris, my mind is still open," The Nagai called as he began to run forward, angling to the left of both the trooper and Corin. "And I suspect this opponent will use underhanded tactics whenever possible, be prepared."

It seemed the other Padawans were mostly away, as the leader shouted for the other troopers to pursue, and that meant Iris would be able to resume concentration on the combat taking place. Or at least Jand hoped so. The opponent was experienced, quick, and likely had a multitude of gadgets and tricks up his sleeve - after all, the trooper had already fired a rocket and unleashed with a repulsive gauntlet.

Instead of approaching directly, Jand continued to skirt the edge of the fight near the tunnel wall, as he began to approach the opponent's flank.

The purpose was to try and split the trooper's focus, to force him to consider danger from two opposing sides, and to create opportunity...

Allies: Corin Trenor | Iris Arani
Engaging: Hal Vaiken​

 

[Kyell Laysel]

Location: Ilum
Tag: Miri Nimdok Hacks

<Be careful, she's huge!>

<You don't say!> He called out while Hacks backed up and took some hits. They were in a relatively small room, so he feared that soon enough a stray bolt would get either him or Miri too, but the giant cyborg had other plans for now. While two railgun-wielding arms kept Kyell pinned down and forced into a defensive stance, her other two reached for a pair of phrik blades and slammed them down towards him with great power.

Knowing he could never block them with natural strength alone, he augmented himself and raised his blade up to catch them, but the impact still almost forced him down to his knees.

<If you keep her distracted long enough, I can bring out the big guns. But you'd better get out of there once I give the signal, unless you want to feel the heat.>

<I've...got...it> he communicated with clear difficulties, while he kept the two blades away from either cutting through him, or just crushing them with sheer power. But while he held them there, a sudden surge of danger forced him to move — the weapons in Hack's other arms fire, and he felt one bolt graze his side before he rolled away to distance himself. The pain was quite immense, but adrenaline and help from the Force kept him going.

He really hoped Miri would be ready for her little plan soon.

But until she was ready, he decided the passive approach would get him killed, so he switched to the more overpowering Form V he had practiced with Miri, and rushed forward to deliver a few powerful sweeping strikes at Hacks, meant to force him through her defenses.

 

[Saul Vandron]

F I S T _ O F _ T H E _ E M P I R E
501st STORMTROOPER LEGION
HUBRIS OF EMPIRES
BLACK ICE
Kragr Krayt Wolfram Triko

Fehu​

Few platings could sustain a salvo from an AT-AT walker and live to tell the tale.

Even fewer those that would merely stagger against the impact and eat it. Saul could probably count them on the fingers of a single hand. It was no simple automaton either, his life form scanners indicated as much. Someone was steering this titan of war.

"General! This is Torrent 1-1, we have begun an advance to break the encirclement, I repeat we have begun an advance."

:: Roger that, Captain. :: came the general's reply. He eyed Torrent in the distance moving into an all-out assault to cut a gap in the Alliance's noose that was tightening further and further around the throats of the Imperials. A red blip on his HUD stole his attention back to the armored behemoth causing the 501st problems. It was surging forward in a beeline toward and through the Torrents.

Saul clenched his jaw. Calling in further walker support would detract invaluable firepower from other positions, especially those already heavily weakened from the initial onslaught of the ambush.

No, he had to deal with this problem himself.

Head on.

Sheathing the blade and slinging the cryo gun behind his back, Saul cocked the anti-tank rifle and kickstarted the repulsorboots darting him like a missile towards the steel giant at great speed. Nearing the target, Saul released his payload of cryoban grenades at the charging colossus aiming to carbon freeze the enemy, or at least some of its heavy arsenal, before the general broke upwards into the sky to a somewhat safer position.

He twisted around his axis to face the giant from above and pressed continuously the trigger of the single-action SI-74 without reprieve. His aim mostly focused on the titan's dome, scanners actively seeking and guiding the crosshair to any parts of the armor less reinforced or vulnerable.
​

 

[Iris Arani]

Good.

Iris's blade snapped to life as she ducked out of another shot, battered away a second. No time to stay around, no time to hold back. No time to think. The Padawan's gaze shifted through the colors again and again, seeing the path, seeing the danger. Jand at least kept his mind open enough. His colors, she reached out, touched on them like she could her own.

Guide them through the danger. It was subtle, but she'd influence Jand's movements. Help him see and sense the danger around.

"Corin! Everyone goes back! Open your damn mind you ass!"

Her blade flashed up, cutting through the chest of another trooper. She shifted and bent, trying to let the bolts coming from the awkward angles pass by. This wasn't something she was going to keep up for long. She tensed, flicking her blade to block another bolt. Even with her colors she wasn't going to be able to keep up for much longer.

Corin Trenor | Jand Talo | Hal Vaiken

 

[Amani Serys]

Objective II
Engaging: Zoraya Ives-Ayres
Equipment: In bio

Amani shrugged, "It was worth a shot." Such an outcome was unlikely, but still she couldn't help but try and hope for it anyways. In the end, they were both set on their paths, and those paths were on a collision course. Her efforts to diffuse only served to instigate, as the agent quickly closed the distance as soon as her blaster had been taken. She was quick. The signature of the Force was apparent in Zoraya, though unrefined. The Jedi made no move to draw her own weapon, realizing full well that she wouldn't have time. It wasn't needed anyway; Amani thrived in hand-to-hand combat.

The blaster dropped lifelessly to the ground, and she raised her hand to catch the incoming fist. In one fluid motion she then attempted to use her weight against her by pulling Zoraya in closer, and throwing a leg out to sweep her to the floor, where she could be pinned. "I don't wanna fight you."

 

[Cale Gunderson]

Objective I
Allies: GA, Aleksandr Stirsea , Kai Bamarri
Enemies: Sylus (Γ059)
_________________________________________________________​

There was no time to cherish the small moment, to savor his boy’s response. Cale had meant to enjoy watching the boy take the smoke with a confused look across his face, then watch as the realization dawned on him. It would’ve been a good memory amongst a day likely to be filled with so many bad ones, but they were at war, and the universe could not abide them even such a small moment.

Aleks had no sooner taken the stimstick than the both of them jumped into action as war again began to rage.

Morality overrode self-preservation, and the sensation still was utterly alien to him in spite of the time he’d spent trying to be the kind of person he’d once been. His first impulse had him drop and turn, reaching out in the force with a kinetic wave, shoving Alliance troops out of the way of an agonizing death. Too slow for some, but not for all, and he’d been in too many trenches to get hung up on the dying.

But their men weren’t the only ones in the trench, even as blaster fire rained down and fusion cells detonated, and plasma sprayed, Cale couldn’t forget that. He dove, grabbing the Stormtrooper he’d likely concussed with the trench wall and rolling with him out of the path of another fireball, one close enough that he knew it’d been meant for him. The man groaned, but he’d live.

Cale wanted to worry about Aleks, to wonder if his boy could handle war like this alone, but Cale had made him a Knight, and he had to trust that Aleks could do this on his own. He could’ve gone for his saber, done things the old fashion way, but the Imps were getting creative, and Cale wasn’t going to let them have that. They’d turned debris into weapons, and he’d return the favor in kind, all they had to do was provide the ignition.

“Heads down!” He barked, sinking down beneath the lip of the trench. “Heads down, now!”

He reached out, felt them, still live cores, brittle components, shattered fragments of a dozen broken wholes. They came up from the ice and snow, floating up, up, and then some stray bolt caught the first of the explosives, and as heat rolled over the battlefield, Cale flug the storm of molten shrapnel simply in the enemy’s general direction, returning the favor of their opening salvo. He didn't need to see them, the Force was his spotter.

Some were lucky, spared the improvised burst of flechette, some died instantly, but others found gaping holes where flesh, bone, and armor had once been, then they screamed. Ugly, ugly business, he fething hated war.

Men roared as Alliance troopers and the COMPNOR grunts engaged in furious combat, and Cale’s saber again sprang to life. He’d lost the smoke somewhere along the way, but it didn’t much matter now, he rose and batted back a blaster bolt, then set his mind to killing.

 

[Liedran Kathause]

[Rear Admiral Liedran Kathause]
[74th Expeditionary Flotilla]
Ignacious Korvan , Pa'Kar Sang , Jadwiga Drozd , Aculia Voland , Gallius Orcana , Velran Kilran , And, uh, other folks, sorry

Spoiler: Fleet Composition

(AP: Armor Plating, SH: Shielding, SF: Starfighter Squadrons)

Spoiler: Fleet Composition

• Flagship - Hydian-class Tactical Carrier
  
  • ANV Lightmaker [AP: 87/100, SH: 0/100, SF: 18/25] - Task Force 1
• Liberator-class Star Defender
  
  • ANV Cadence [AP: 90/100, SH: 0/100, SF: 7/8] - Task Force 1
• Concord-class Star Defender
  
  • ANV Providence [AP: 74/100, SH: 0/100, SF: 0/4] - Task Force 1
• Emancipator-class Star Defender
  
  • ANV Minotaur- DESTROYED. OOPS
• Novella-class Heavy Cruisers
  
  • ANV Andromeda - DESTROYED. OOPS
  • ANV Herald [AP: 80/100, SH: 40/100, SF: 0/1] - Task Force 2
• FarStar-type Corellian Corvettes
  
  • ANV Prelude - DESTROYED. OOPS
  • ANV Muse -[AP: 90/100, SH: 30/100, SF: 4/4] - Task Force 1
• Sacheen II-class Frigates
  
  • ANV Galena [AP: 89/100, SH: 15/100, SF: 0/1] - Task Force 1
  • ANV Raven [AP: 87/100, SH: 0/100, SF: 0/1] - Task Force 1
  • ANV Nova [AP: 91/100, SH: 0/100, SF: 1/1] - Task Force 1
• PDC-40 Aurora-class Destroyers
  
  • ANV Aurora [AP: 70/100, SH: 30/100] - Task Force 2
  • ANV Chariot [AP: 94/100, SH: 54/100] - Task Force 2
  • ANV Theia [AP: 80/100, SH: 70/100] - Task Force 2

The loss, very rarely, was the worst aspect of her position. Now that Liedran thought of it, what bothered her most was being helpless, so very helpless but to watch her friends and colleagues die around her. Enveloped by the reinforced bulkheads of an Alliance bridge, well, put even more distance between her and those thousands upon thousands of victims. That aggravating, all-too-familiar feeling of helplessness would hammer at her heart, seizing its opportunity in that medley of isolation and fear.

When the beam hit, there was a huge, thundering screech from seemingly every one of the Lightmaker's bulkheads. Metal groaned and wailed, the impact sending a wave of energy clambering through the carrier's spine and leaving a trail of battered decks and flaming circuits in its wake. When the tsunami of motion finally made it to the bridge, it sent the crew tumbling, flying from their seats into the bulkheads, into consoles, into one another. Their terrified screams were shouted amidst a spray of sparks, amidst a hideous screech as a badly scorched support beam shot across the room and embedded itself in a wall.

It felt eerily like that fateful day over Foerost. Searing scraps of metal bombarded her from all points, leaving burning scars in her skin where they'd cauterized near-instantly. Liedran slammed into the ground, head pressed to the ground as the world around her seemed to flicker between two points in time. And all throughout, she couldn't help but hear their screams, the final, terrible, agonized utterances of crewmen around her and farther down the corridors. The old memories struck again, and amidst the shouts of her crew, she could hear the inhuman warcries of Brotherhood soldiers. She closed her eyes, tight. She covered her ears. She screamed, begging the memories to finally stop.

And then it was quiet. Or, quieter...

Those who remained among the bridge crew raised their bloodied faces from the shrapnel-covered ground, slowly taking in a new atmosphere of flickering consoles and the sparks jolting out of their shattered displays. Small fires burned across the room, injecting a steady crackling into its ambience. A nauseating smell of burning flesh wafted among the dead, the debris, and the badly wounded living. Liedran hobbled to a stand, clutching the battered podiums at the center of the CIC for support. "Fleet-wide status report... Now," she demanded with a tone of bitterness that seemed to startle the rest of the bridge crew.

Ensign Laine, the bleeding and limping comms chief, took a long few seconds to take over a fallen tactical officer's console, and even longer to finish retrieving all the necessary data. Liedran stared, that momentary bout of sternness draining from her face and leaving an intense expression of fear behind.

"We took a glancing blow, just off aft. Scattered damage across ship. One impulse engine down. We don't have casualty listings yet. Shields drained completely. We've absorbed enough of the beam's energy to bolster some additional systems, but it's going to be a while before the Chief can-"

"And... the other ships?" There was silence for a brief moment. Liedran finally turned to lock eyes with the young ensign; his face's color drained a noticeable amount, though she didn't quite know if it was because of the sight of her wounds, or whatever grim data was on the screen. Laine stuttered something out, but it seemed more directed to himself than anything. "Ensign?"

"Right.. m-ma'am." he continued to stutter, "I'm not reading Minotaur, Prelude, Andromeda. They- they were in the superlaser's path so I- I think-" The junior officer stopped himself there. Grim realization made it onto the faces of the rest of the crew. "Providence and Cadence report severe hull damage. Shields lost. Our remaining frigates are pretty battered, b-but we fared a lot better than the other formations, ma'am."

Liedran could only manage a slow, shaky nod.

"How long before that Onager can fire again?" The admiral turned to watch her first officer pulling herself up by the rim of a console. A dark, bleeding gash ran across the side of her face, and soon as she caught Liedran staring, D'Nea covered the wound with a shaky hand.

"N-not sure, ma'am."

"Well let's make sure it never does. Is Task Force 2 still on course?"

"Aye, ma'am."

"Good." She took a deep breath, all the while trying to ignore the smell that had infested the bridge-- that horrid odor of blood and guts and smoke and decay. She tried again to ignore the sights of limp, mangled corpses a mere glancing blow had left in its wake. And she couldn't. Again, her demeanor began to change, this time darkening to a nearly inhuman degree. Fury took the place of the tears in the base of her eyes. Liedran felt a rage, an anger, a hunger for blood she'd previously only felt for the Brotherhood of the Maw. "Accelerate to join them. Standard wedge formation. Lightmaker, Cadence, and Providence in center. Put the carrier-corvettes in far aft. I want the guns of our vanguard fixed to that damned Onager, and the guns of our rear guard blasting everything around it. I want our remaining bombers loaded and ready for attack runs on their escort ships. Notify the rest of the fleet that they're free to join us."

"And task our gunships with searching for allied survivors. Keep me advised on their progress."

The viewscreens began to pan, following the bow of the Lightmaker as she limped to face the Imperial fleet, gradually exposing the vast horrors of the battlescape. Debris belonging to every faction involved was arranged into the form of a long, shakily drawn line from the superweapon's barrel. Drawn by the gravity of the planet below, and still carrying some energy from Onager's beam, they slowly began to shift, the metal clouds expanding, growing to envelop the sector between the Alliance and Imperial fleets. The 74th began to wobble, taking on impacts from some of the loose debris as they sailed foreword with guns blazing.

It couldn't compare to the damage the Empire had already done. And it sure was hell wouldn't compare to the damage the Alliance would inflict back.

Spoiler: Action Summary Because I Don't Want to be Cruel

-The 74th loses three ships. Everything else is heavily battered, with most losing shields
-Angry Liedran charges forward. The remaining vanguard focuses fire on the Reckoning while the rear guard targets the vessels surrounding it. Bombers are prepared for an attack run.
-LEEEROOYYYYYYY JENKINS

 

[Aaran Tafo]

Location: Ilum
Equipment: Arete Talisman of Iron Fists
Opposing: Aoki-Barran Mira

He was not going to give her an easy out. The Imperial Knight would have to make the active decision on if she left her opponent go on their way or not. Aaran wasnt one to ever tolerate the excuse of 'just following orders'. So the rope was offered, and the young woman was hoisted out of the pit she had fallen into.

"But please, you act as if the Galactic Alliance is blameless."

"Never said or implied they were. Senate is a bag full of snakes. But I think we're both intelligent enough to know there are degrees of scumminess in this Galaxy." He said, shrugging slightly as he began to walk beside Mira, hands at his side, not appearing even the slightest bit threatened or on edge. Either he had complete confidence that he was not going to be attacked, or had complete confidence in his ability to defend himself. The sheer serenity in which he carried himself made it tricky to determine just what was underneath the mildly bemused expression on his face.

"Granted, there are decent people there. Just like I imagine the Empire still has decent people in it." He admitted, before his head whipped upwards into the sky. The Imperial Superweapon unleashed a moment later, igniring the horizon with its sheer destructive might. He inhaled sharply as the death from up above was felt by those below, his head shaking sadly from side to side at the utterly pointless loss of life.

"That reminds me of Ziost. When the Sith crashed their own crusier into the city. They were fine sacrificing their own men to ensure that their enemies fell." He spared Mira a glance as she moved to tend to the injured troopers, all of them dragged out onto the snow. The rest of the dead still on the drilling platform.

"Makes you wonder doesnt it. Just how long until you become no better than those you once fought against." He turned on his heel and began to make his way towards one of the parked speeders. Hand reaching into his robes to pull out the detonator to some hastily rigged mining charges that had been placed over the platform.

No threat to the wounded men or Mira, they were too far away. But more than enough to ensure that the platform would be rendered inoperable.

"Tell me Imperial Knight. What is your own limit? How far will they have to go before you decide enough is enough?" He was holding out the detonator in his hand, not pressing the button yet. If she tried, she might be able to stop him. Draw her blade and attack before he could detonate the charges and wreck the drill.

Or she could just ignore him and let him move on. Just like she ignored how the Empire she swore to serve was rapidly turning into a mockery of its former self.

 

[Grendel Krayt]

Sōla Taan
​

Grendel was hoping the his opening attacks would work but wasn't surprised when they didn't land and was surprised at the speed the jedi had approached,. Knowing where she was aiming with her blade Grendel reacted on instinct, rising one massive foot into the air and brought it down with his full strength onto the ground shattering and causing the area to be unstable for serval meters around himself. Thankfully the ground slam thrown the jedi's strike off but not by a lot, the lightsaber still hit but only caused a flesh wound on the side of Grendel's leg which stung like hell.

With how close the Jedi was Grendel turned and brought his full weight to bear, unleashing a flurry of axe blows down on the tiny jedi, hoping to keep the Jedi from staying that close to him

 

[Zoraya Ives-Ayres]

The Empire
COMPNOR
Imperial Security Bureau
Equipment: Armour, Pistol, Vibroknife, Thermal Detonators x2, Stun Grenade x2
Engaging: stimky Amani Serys

​

Evidently taken by surprise, she had little defence against the attack and was swept to the floor with a thud. She may have only recently returned to active service but there was still shame in being beaten by a Jedi.

Her adversary, however, reinforced the notion that she didn't want to fight, prompting Zoraya to stop struggling to free herself for a moment while she contemplated. Her gaze shifted to a camera in the corner of the room, behind the Jedi, before shifting back to the Jedi. She didn't doubt that any evidence of her refusing to fight would be investigated.

"Enough talking." She replied, frustrated with the Jedi trying to reason with her. The agent needed to be willing to fight; The Empire demanded it.

Zoraya hit her her semi-free fist against the ground to activate the knuckle blade in the armour in an attempt to slash towards the Jedi in any place she could reach.

 

[Nida Perl]

Objective 1
Allies: The Alliance
Enemies: NIO; Sars Sarad
Equipment: Armor, lightsaber, sad feelings
—

"You do not have to do this."

But he would, that much she knew. Despite her being here in the capacity of a medic, Nida was aware that stepping onto the battlefield painted her as a target. That was a reality of war: this man pointing a saber at her for…credits? Glory? Love of battle? A little of each, maybe.

He moved, and Nida watched Sars carefully. The mercenary was keeping to the edge of the cave, allowing almost a respectful distance between the two. Nida would have mirrored his movements to maintain the space between, but she stood rooted in front of the medical team as they clambered over the pile of rubble behind her.

"They can leave."

Nida's gaze tightened on him, discerningly. His words rang true in the Force, but instinct wouldn't allow her to spare a glance at the team behind her. She could feel their eyes boring holes into her back and while locking eyes with Sarad, she finally waved them through. Even the mortars crashing all around them seemed distant in the fresh, eerie silence of the cave. The unharmed medics shuffled past and found refuge in their (thankfully intact) shuttle.

Nida nodded her thanks with a nearly imperceptible tilt of her head, but Sars was watching her close enough to detect even the tiniest of movements. Then, he moved.

Surging at her with his lightsaber overhead, Nida staggered to the side a millisecond before the bright white saber would have cleaved into her upper torso. Fine fragments violet hair floated where she had been, and the scent of singed hair tickled her nose. She slid back, putting a few feet of distance between them.

"You should not be fighting me," She breathed while forcing one foot into the ground, the action sending a brief but startling shockwave towards Sars at approximate ankle-to-knee height. A tripwire made of the Force. Her thumb brushed over the ignition of the borrowed saber, blue blade springing to life and joining her opponent's phosphorescent sword with a low thrum.

"I am no warrior."

 

[Sars Sarad]

Objective 1
Allies: The Empire
Enemies: GA; Nida Perl
Equipment: Armor; Duster; Lightsaber; Old Sin

---

Landing on his feet after he'd leapt forward Sarad couldn't help but let momentum carry him ahead as Nida Perl opened the distance between them by moving backwards. He could read her body language easily enough but it was her manipulation of the force that was the biggest interest to him. It amassed and then as her foot came down, planting downwards and forcing itself into the ground it released as a shockwave.

Already governed by the laws of forwards momentum Sarad knew better than to try and reverse the laws of physics, he could not move away from the shockwave but he could move over it. In an instant the force would wash through him, this time he used it to leap upwards and over the wave of force that had come at him just below the knees.

The Force Jump propelled him forward, augmenting his forwards motion as he leapt into the air again however as he continued to press the attack he became more aggressive.

He'd come down right at her, his lightsaber flourishing ahead of him again before snapping outwards in an attempt to catch her own weapon on the outside and lock both sabers together. If contact was made cleanly there would doubtless be a crackle of energy, the hiss of the phosphorescent blade against the blue of hers while the ambient heatwaves of Sarad's lightsaber radiated outwards.

"You all say the same thing."

...he remarked, the intensity of his gaze reaching between the locks of their blades to seek out her own while his words revealed he'd done this more than once. Many more times actually....

"You carry the weapon, you have the connection. Now you're going to have to use them."

...in his experience Sarad had found the Jedi always attempted to avoid combat, they claimed their weapons were to defend the innocent but when has a weapon ever had anything but one purpose? The Sith were often much more amicable to combat than their counterparts. Then there were the other traditions, the loners, etc. Wildcards.

In the position Sarad tried to force on her he would actually attempt to pressure Nida back towards the wreckage where the Med Evac Team had been trying to hide before he'd allowed them safe passage. The Lightsaber was in his right hand, his left arm had curled back around behind him after dipping into the confines of the duster he wore but for what purpose remained a mystery...