Into the Jaws of Death [OP Invasion of Sith-Occupied Coruscant]

[Ayden Cater]

Some days you were the bug.

Other days you were the triple-injected overcharged ion engine that roasted the bug.

Word first came in from panicked reports on the Holonet. The One Sith were on Alderaan. Soon after the reports were confirmed with heavy fighting projected in several areas. It was going to be a brutal fight. The few images and shaky videos that came through showed some of the most brutal fighting Ayden had ever seen, but it also made him think. The One Sith appeared to have thrown a large percentage of their weight behind the attack. It was evident that they were out for blood. A choice had to be made then. What to do? To Ayden, the choice was clear. They would only get this chance once.

"This is either madness, or brilliance."

Ayden turned and stared at Admiral Nai with a smile. "There's nothing that I know of that says it can't be both, Admiral." He turned back and looked at the holoprojector. It illuminated his face with its soft blue light, photons dancing around in a display meant to mimic the hundreds of starships that were flying through hyperspace. The assemble fleet was colossal, easily dwarfing what the Protectorate had mustered for Kayri. Unlike that ill-fated invasion though, this was a fleet full of experience and high on the victories that had been won from the fights with the Confederacy and Fringe.

The Spirit of Druckenwell led the fleet. Onboard her bridge, Ayden stood with High Admiral Nai and several other high-ranking military officials. Several of them had been brought aboard in haste during one of the few drop spots the fleet had to come out of hyperspace to make a course correction. Many of them seemed stunned at the turn of events and what they had been told. None had expected an assault so quickly after the last.

"Do you really think this will work, Lord Protector?" One of the Admirals asked. A man younger than most at his station, his hair had not yet begun to grey, but he remained experienced all the same. After Kayri, men and women like him had been recruited into the ranks of the officers due to their unique and non-traditional strategies.

"Of course I do, Admiral Neran. This attack comes when our enemy least expects it. They are committed elsewhere and will be unable to return to reinforce the besieged world before it is too late." He explained confidently, turning to each of the other officers with that same look. "Our plan is risky, yes. But this situation is unique. We will likely never get an opportunity like this again. If we do not strike now, we risk losing the entire Core. We cannot allow that to happen."

"But will our force be sufficient?"

"You forget; we will not be fighting alone." Ayden turned to the holoprojector and switched it to a map of the galaxy. "Already, several of our allies are making their way towards the target world. Unlike us, they are not burdened with a great fleet. Theirs is an advantage that lies not in brute force, but tactical. We do not have to bring a force sufficient to subjugate the planet's populace. They will cheer at the sight of our ships and will work with our troops to liberate their world from the hands of the Sith. Once we arrive, I expect the enemy force on the ground will rapidly find itself under increasingly numerous civilian riots and attacks. All we will need to do is target several key areas. Once we have taken those, we will be able to secure the planet."

Murmurs worked their way through the assembled admirals and generals before they each looked at him with a matching look of resolve. In short order, they each got their orders and returned to their ships. They had come out for the last time before the assault would begin in earnest.

Barely six hours after the One Sith began their assault on Alderaan, the assembled Protectorate fleet dropped out in realspace above Coruscant.
The bulk of the fleet engaged the defenses the Sith had left over the planet. Their hubris, the gaul, to think that none would contest their assault on Coruscant was astounding. While the warships kept the Sith forces occupied in space, thousands of dropships descended. They were flanked with an equally great number of starfighters and bombers. One third of them broke off and headed for the ruins of the Jedi Temple. Another third broke off and headed for the old Senate building and Senate District. The remainder headed for the Palace District. Other groups of dropships headed to different locations, but these target sites were designated secondary.

"People of Coruscant. We come to you today not as conquerors, but as liberators. The Sith have stolen away your liberty and we are here to give it back. We fight today not to destroy your homes, but to bring families back together." Ayden spoke with great confidence, knowing that the entire galaxy was listening. "If you can believe that in your heart, then I ask that you join me in repelling the Sith from Coruscant so that it might be returned to its glory, free of their tyranny. Theirs is a leadership that rules through fear and oppression. That is not the way of Coruscant. That is not the way of the Republic. Today, freedom calls. Take it!"

As the channels were filled with cheers from innumerable sources, Ayden turned and monitored the deployment of the Protectorate forces. Quietly he muttered to himself.

"Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die:
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.

Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them
Volley'd and thunder'd;
Storm'd at with shot and shell,
Boldly they rode and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of Hell."

Immediately all outbound communications were jammed. Further out, interdictors began priming their gravity well projectors and locked down the space above the galaxy's most populace world. There would be no help. No cries of warning. While their masters attempted to pillage and burn one of the most peaceful worlds in the galaxy, Coruscant would fall.

The Protectorate had come to liberate the people of Coruscant from the One Sith.

----------

OOC Thread

 

[Ashin Varanin]

APPROACHING VALLEY OF LORDS, ON FOOT

Ember Rekali was out of the liberation business. He was, however, pretty much OK with the prospect of getting Sith blood all over his nice shiny armor.

Said armor was currently concealed under the sort of all-enveloping cloak that apparently allowed those of the Sithly persuasion to claim free access to any secure facility in the galaxy. Being the sort of man who enjoyed concealment, he had figured that anything so metaphysically capable was at least worth trying. As a side benefit, as he travelled in that preternaturally concealish cloak, those few who noticed him mistook him for one of the hundreds of Sith, would-be Sith, false-Sith, demi-Sith, true Sith, truer Sith, honorable Sith, Sith-in-name-only and de-facto-Sith running around Coruscant. He fully intended to feast on the smorgasbord.

His destination was the Valley of Lords, a little bit of tacky revisionist history in the location of the unlamented Jedi Temple. Specifically, he intended to make his way toward the statue of Darth Talon before unveiling his Force presence. Would he get stopped before then? Maybe -- he was awful clanky under that robe, one asthma diagnosis away from coming off as 'more machine now than man.' Eighteen kilos of beskar'gam would do that. So maybe he'd stand out among the tourists a little.

 

[Darth Nephthys]

Location: Coruscant Imperial Palace
Objective: Watch silently in wait
Allies: One Sith
Enemies: Omega Protectorate

Crimson eyes would bear watch as the pods would descend from the heavens. However, the stoic doll like visage of the Sith Master would show no fear. No. The Goddess and the One had molded her to what she was now.

And the entirety of Coruscant was now a Dark Force Nexus that all darksiders would be able to pull energy from. Over a thousand tributes burned for Her glory.

And in this Nephthys would steal herself for what was to come. She would bear the traditional garb, complete with hydra staff as a belt, and the living sword at her back, ready to be fed at her command.

Those who dared trespass here would face Her wrath.

Her Fury.

Her Vengeance.

 

[Myra Elspeth Arceneau]

Location: Senate Building
Objective: Amuse herself
Enemies: The Protectorate
Allies: The One Sith

Oh how -- quaint -- would come the Countess of Bathory’s internal muse. A throaty chuckle would come bubbling forth from her delicate mouth as tri-colored grey, white, and black eyes would stare upon the approaching chaos.

A delicate snort would be sent at the direction of the holographic image of the Lord Protector, his speech causing her to roll her eyes at his lunacy.

What fools, she’d muse as a snap of her fingers would bring forth her attendants. At the sound, six dark heads of Vornskr’s would perk in attention.

“Come on sweet-lings… looks like we are going for a hunt.” she’d say with a throaty purr. Six pairs of crimson eyes would glimmer in response as they would rise at her command.

 

[Alexandra Feanor]

Alexandra picked up a stone and tossed it as she lay on the roof of a barracks, her eyes staring at the sky silently and thinking to herself while she lay there and only then catching an all to slight light in the sky. Then the roar of sirens under her began but she didn't move an inch, a few more minutes of silence and soon she reached out and touched the mind of [member="Darth Tsolan"], watching the edge of the roof now as the message went to him. "The Republic?"

 

[Serah Oricion]

Location: Transport in a OP ship, waiting for the launch


Yusan crossed his hands behind him and looked at the others in the transport he had been waiting in for hours, his armor pitch black and his mind already moving to think on all that the Sith would pay for. His hands closed on the saber tightly, his eyes rimmed black from sleepless nights, he was a shadow of his former self, he didn't laugh, he barely ate, the only thing he did do was train and even that was in dark arts and methods that he no longer cared for who would be victim to them. There was only one enemy of his and he would make sure that that one enemy, the Sith Order, was exterminated and that all that serve them would share their fate. With that he placed his helmet on and grinned beneath it, for the color red will flow out of their temples and tombs, and Coruscant shall be the One Sith's final resting place, their order will die here.

 

[Ilsa Voll]

Location: Dropping onto Coruscant a little off target.
Objective: KRIEG KRIEG KRIEG KRIEG
Allies: [member="Ember Rekali"]
Enemies: The One Sith

The drop pod holding the Skocha MBT inside had veered slightly off course. Whether to enemy AA fire or a guidance malfunction, Voll didn't know. She couldn't see from inside the tank and, honestly, she wasn't about to get out and check to controls. They'd either land safely or not and, if they didn't, she wouldn't know about it.

The drop pod hit the ground with a resounding thud. A moment later, the pod opened and the Omega Protectorate Skocha trundled out, turret and repeaters scanning for targets.

Voll popped the hatch and looked around for a moment as she glanced between the map she held and her surroundings.

"Wir verloren sind wir nicht?" called the driver, Zenti, over the internal comms.

"Nein, wir gehen nicht verloren. Ich bin nur ... nicht sicher, wo wir sind," came Voll's reply.

"Ich sehe in der Ferne Rauch und hässliche Gebäude in der Nähe. Ich weiß nicht, ob das hilft," came Strobel's commentary.

"Vergiss es . Wir werden auf die hässliche Gebäude zu gehen. Logisch, kann es wichtig sein, von der Hässlichkeit."

With that, Voll closed and sealed the hatch and the tank trundled off to find something to kill.

Spoiler

"Wir verloren sind wir nicht?"
"We're lost, aren't we?"

"Nein, wir gehen nicht verloren. Ich bin nur ... nicht sicher, wo wir sind,"
"No, we're not lost. I'm just... Not sure where we are."

"Ich sehe in der Ferne Rauch und hässliche Gebäude in der Nähe. Ich weiß nicht, ob das hilft,"
"I see smoke in the distance and ugly buildings nearby. I'm not sure if that helps."


"Vergiss es . Wir werden auf die hässliche Gebäude zu gehen. Logisch, kann es wichtig sein, von der Hässlichkeit."
"Forget it. We'll go to the ugly buildings. Logically, it may be important from the ugliness."

 

[Linna Beorht]

Location: Senate Building
Objective: Smoke Up with Ozymandias
Enemies: [member="Countess of Báthory"]
Allies: The Omega Protectorate

From a side passage into a Senate box -- the Metellos box, unused since the Anaxes relocation -- came a woman just old enough to know better. Her face would be familiar, from HoloNet News Presents: Battle For Democracy. A war hawk and a demagogue, she had been remarkably quiet since the One Sith occupation began. Her show's ratings had tanked. Tabloids spoke of glitterstim, ryll kor...even dextrophetamine.

"...whose frown, and wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command tell that its sculptor well these passions read, which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things."

The Pundit of Pulchritude leaned on the railing of the Senate box, exposing tremendous cleavage.

"The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed, and on the pedestal these words appear: My name is Ozymandias, king of kings! Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!"

A sonic servodriver whirred in her hand, and the Senate pod slouched out from its dock towards the middle of the room.

"Nothing beside remains."

 

[Sven Talith]

Valley of the Dark Lords Cafe-Eating
[member="Ember Rekali"]

Well, this was certainly interesting.

Sven sat in a small cafe not too far away from the Valley of the Dark Lords. This planet was not his home of course, but he enjoyed coming here. This planet was rich in every culture from across the galaxy, and this cafe had probably the best biscuits in the entire galaxy. When he received a comm message from the One Sith Fleet HQ he wasn't too surprised to find that there was an invasion going on.

These people always seemed to be invading or getting invaded or something along those lines. It was honestly quite annoying and he found himself a bit perturbed by the whole situation. Slowly he stood, finishing his biscuit and pulled up his mask.

Slowly he swiped his Electro-staff from the side of the table and began to walk towards the Valley of the Dark Lords. The place was big, and likely a prime target for whoever it was that wanted this planet so badly.

He thanked the cloning vat he came from for the fact that he always carried his weapons.

 

[Nameless Knight]

Location: Coruscant Skyline
Objective: Imperial Palace

The Rassilon-class Elite Starfighter dropped out of hyperspace and Knight was looking at it all. She couldn't believe the sight of Coruscant again after all this time and she checked the sabers in her lap with the Mk I Omega Boltgun while she held the controls of the ship. The protectorate fleet was there and preparing but she had a goal in mind, not disrupting the planet she could try and fail in that but she was looking at the senate building and the sith that would be there. She shifted a little so she was looking better in her kimono and robes, her bubblegum colored hair there and shorter just a bit so it didn't get caught. The Rassilon shot towards the planet to land in the under city and she would be able to make her way up.

 

[Gorba the Hutt]

Location: Wherever the tank landed, near the Valley of Lords
Enemies: [member="Ilsa Voll"]

Main Battle Tanks dropping out of the sky were not exactly subtle affairs. Consequently, it didn't take much for Orcus to notice the gigantic drop pod plummeting through atmosphere, even amidst the chaos of the sudden Protectorate invasion. The Herglic Sith rode atop his leather-winged Drexl, the beast - a grotesque amalgamation of bat and insect - had inspired fear long ago in the Beast Wars of Ossus. As its shadow fell across landing Protectorate troopers, that same dread would rise again.

Orcus clacked his teeth in thought as he plummeted through the sky. He did not like flying, nor did he enjoy fighting a war on two fronts. Fool Protectorates, did they not understand the reign of peace the Sith were attempting to establish here? He supposed he should expect no better of a nation birthed by mercenaries. How many more orphans would this attack on Coruscant bring.

Humming a tune of war and anger, Orcus seized the reins and drove Kite down toward the now landed Skocha MBT. He'd believed such a vehicle to be exclusive to the Republic, but apparently that was not the case. He snorted once from his blow holes, then promptly dropped the reins and leaped off his mount.

Eight hundred pounds of Force invigorated blubber landed with a resounding smash atop the turret of the Skocha tank. The ray shields flickered once, but they were designed to stop energy attacks such as blaster bolts and laser cannons, not falling seven foot tall orbalisk-armored humanoids. As a result, Orcus found himself standing atop the the tank turret ready to do unspeakable things to the occupants inside.

"Haha, hauum."

If they had not heard his landing, they would surely hear his booming laughter.

 

[Lina Djo]

Location: Near the Valley of the Lords
Allies: [member="Ember Rekali"] [member="Ilsa Voll"]
Enemies: [member="Hion the Herglic"] [member="Sven Talith"]
Objective: Bring down the house

The Kom'rk cruiser that dropped out of hyper space to join the protectorate was a flurry of activity. They'd had hours to prepare, and Mia wasn't about to waste a moment of it. She paced the hangar, bellowing orders at the crew as the loaded weapons into the drop pods. As each one was filled and sealed, it was fired towards the surface in the wake of the Protectorate's dropships. If they were to liberate Coruscant its applicants needed to be armed.

When seventy five drop pods screamed for the surface filled with weapons. The rest of them were filled with ground troops.

"Drop pods away, sir!" yelled a soldier from the other side of the hanger. Running for her gunship, its passenger capacity replaced with vornskr all baying for the fight. Jumping for the pilot seat her comm clicked in her ear. "Rally Master, the ship is yours."

"Roger that Liberator. Oya!"

There was no pep talk, there was no need to rally the troops. All you needed to say was sith and point in the right direction. For the mandalorians, for Mia, that was enough. Behind her, the remaining gunships carried her biggest defence, their greatest chance at shifting the tide of the battle. Protectorate fighters flanked the group, keeping fire at bay. Anti air guns hammered them as they hit the atmosphere, alarms screamed as the engine was hit.

"I'm hit! Engines are down. Frak!" The Valley that had replaced the temple was in sight, she could glide it in right?

"Field Marshall?"

"Get that thing on the ground as close to the temple as you can! I'll meet you there."

She had no real steering, but she could point. Pointing was enough, when she was satisfied, she un-clipped her harness and opened the hatch. The ground was growing closer, and much faster than she would have liked. She waited for the right moment, for a roof to be at the right point and she jumped. Six the Vornskr's followed their handler the rest jumped to late or didn't jump at all. She hit the roof hard and rolled, coming up on one knee she watched the gunship crash ahead of her.

Carving through buildings near the valley it slammed into two statues, toppling them before coming to a halt. She waited for a moment more and the fuel tank exploded. Smiling to herself, Mia didn't stop to admire her handy work for too long. Running along the rooftops, her pack on her tail she pushed forward to the Valley of Lords.

 

[Darth Tuk'ata]

Location: Coruscant Imperial Palace
Objective: Watch silently in wait
Allies: [member="Darth Nephthys"]
Enemies: TBD

With his sister, [member="Darth Nephthys"], Darth Tuk'ata waited for the time to draw his Sword. Darth Nephthys had gained enough accolades to be declared as a Lord of the Sith - something which fueled a great amount of pride in Tukata as well as a hint of envy.

Rather than use the biological monstrosities that Nephthys wielded except for the Yuuzhan Vong Crab Armor, Tuk'ata had a dual bladed lightsaber secured to his belt.

The twins would be together for this battle.

 

[Serah Oricion]

Location: Two km from the old Senate Building, Temporary LZ for OP Forces


Yusan's dropship hit the ground and while his men charged out Yusan took a far more careless dispatch, moving all too slowly as he focused on securing the area. "Men, i want this to be a major offloading zone, set up a perimeter, snipers get up in the buildings around this area, even if you have to blow doors open. I want some Anti armor set up and aimed at both the sky and prepared for any armor that the Sith will drop on us. Riflemen and bladesmen, i want you set up on the two main points of contact, make sure that they dont get close enough. Im going to move up with three of you and don't you dare turn deserter on me..." He looked at his men and as the visor parted a singular feature was clear to them, two golden orbs and his presence imposing itself on them, saying for them to follow his orders or be sent to the fire.

 

[Leon McConnell]

Location: En Route to Palace District
Allies: Omega Protectorate, Mandalorians
Enemies: The One Sith

The Tora-class Drop Pods, courtesy of the Atrsians, streaked through the air amidst descending dropships and escort fighters. This was a crazy mission, dangerous. Almost suicidal. That's why they were getting paid triple their normal amount. Made for plenty of incentive to the half-Zeltron. He had managed to secure twelve pods for his men. Their target was the old Palace District. Republic intel sent out after the fall of Coruscant indicated there were some planetary defense controls located there. His mission was to find them and secure them for use against the One Sith; to destroy them if all else failed.

The first pod hit ground a kilometer outside the Palace District. "Well this is some lovely weather." Leon snarked, already seeing trails of smoke in the skyline. Today was gonna be bloody. He didn't have much time to enjoy the scenery before Sith troopers began to rally and charge their landing zone. Diving behind cover, Leon leveled his rifle and sent one Sith soldier to the ground with a shot to the knee. "Give them nothing, but take from them everything." One of his squadmates lumbered out with his heavy repeating blaster and laid down surpressing fire while two more took to the air with their jetpacks to fire off several grenades to scatter the Sith lines.

"Norik, Lorne; secure the landing zone for further Protectorate forces. Red group, proceed to waypoint Alpha. Blue group with me. We're gonna charge those steps and paint the district red with Sith blood." Leon leapt from cover and lead his half of the mercenaries towards the heart of the Palace District, and hopefully to their objective.

 

[Ordo]

[member="Ayden Cater"] [member="Ember Rekali"] [member="Darth Nephthys"] [member="Countess of Báthory"] [member="Alexandra Cinthra"] [member="Ilsa Voll"] [member="Linna Beorht"] [member="Sven Talith"] [member="Knight"]


Bah dum.

Once again the tale tale figure of a Mandalorian man mounted on a Basilisk war droid sat on the cold hull of a ship in low orbit.

Bah dum.

A huge rotating auto cannon locked to the side of the metal beast, a gift from his Master. His black armor shone in the light of the city world below as the droid took a step and fired its thrusters.

Bah dum

The cold lifless void merely centimeters away as the warrior careened through space with the intent of destroying. The Sith were a mighty band this time, motivated, driven, ambitious, but they were not infallible.

Bah dum.

Soon the atmosphere rushed to meet the veteran Mandalorian as it again tried to hold him back warning him reminding him that he may not leave this time. His thoughts then turned to [member="Rianna Ordo"] and the wonderful gift of happiness she had given him. He continued on through all that faced him. Blossoms of death dealing laser cannon fire came to life around him as one and all the city world on which he once had a home fought for its dark master.

Bah dum.

The sound of shedding durasteel and crumbling duracrete was deafening as the droid and its relentless ride smashed into the side of the towering spire of the new Sith palace. Ordo's boom stick now held with the aid of the force spun up to speed with an electric whirling that rose in pitch until the laser cannon fire began. More chunks of duracrete blew away as dust and debris filled the air and the palace as Ordo tore through. The Droid pounded with beskar claws before diving inside like a great reptile into the water after its prey. The sounds of alarms and hell unleashing filled the halls as the mount and its rider breathed fire from chaos itself into the defenders. Wall after wall cane down as the beast and his mount hunted the Dark Lord of the one sith...until.

Ordo dismounted in the thrown room as the dark figure rose from his thrown.

"I've expected you Jasper Ar'klm." The echoing voice sounded in his head.

"Then you expected death." Ordo responded as his droid continued to rampage away.

 

[Ashin Varanin]

VALLEY OF LORDS
Objective: Statue of Darth Talon
Enemies: [member="Sven Talith"]
Allies: [member="Mia Monroe"] [member="Ilsa Voll"]


The statues of Talon, Nihl, and Krayt stood at the end of the Valley, two flanking the entrance, one above it, far as he could tell from this perspective. They trembled as drop pods plowed into the area. Ember paid them no mind, though tourists scattered. He didn't budge, thus pretty firmly placing himself as a less normal tourist than most. He profiled himself a little more clearly when he went down on one knee and rested a bare hand against the ground.

He could feel the death, the evil, the attempt to turn this place into a nexus of the Dark Side of the Force. But such things had been tried here before, by Irek Ismaren and others, and this place's nexus had stood the test of time -- stood firm as witness that this nexus was of the Force, no more and no less, not swayed in one direction or another. Darkness there was, a shield and a skein, but he moved past it and tapped into the ancient power of this place unflinchingly. He was not in search of transcendence, nor apotheosis, not even youth.

His will rippled out through the clearing plaza, and cracks spiderwebbed the base of Darth Talon's statue. Fully expecting interruption, he turned his attention to his helmet sensors as he rose. One calloused hand rose to his cloak's clasp; it fell away to reveal green and gold armor, an aesthetic combination of Mandalorian and Dathomiri and Keetael traditions. A long-handled sabre, unlit, found his other hand as he stretched out to the future for guidance.

 

[Sawa Ike]

Location: Imperial Palace
Allies: One Sith
Enemies: Omega Protectorate
Objective:

She was watching now and waiting, let them come and pool in while the others around her prepared. Sawa was more interested in what she would be able to do and fight while the majority of big guns were on Alderaan it had left them open and vulnerable. That was a dangerous problem with the capitol under attack but of she was looking forward to finding who she could and her hands gripped the twin blades. No need for a saber yet but the fire and ice on the blades as they pulsed with the darkside excited her. Made wanting to pierce someone with the AEL/Mohc Extractives 'Dauntless' Combat Blade's a reality while she spared a thought for Ben Trasker who most liekly was still in a heap dying or dead in the ground now. [member="Darth Nephthys"] was somewhere as Sawa crabwalked up the wall to hold herself.

 

[Sven Talith]

VALLEY OF LORDS
Objective: Statue of Darth Talon
Enemies: [member="Mia Monroe"] [member="Ember Rekali"]
Allies: THE GODS OF WAR

Sven made his way into the Valley, passed the streaming soldiers and yonder the running tourists. He had assumed correctly when he though the planet was being invaded, though what he saw at the base of Darth Talon's Statue surprised even him. His eyes opened in bug shaped as he saw the mismatched armor that was decidedly Mandalorian.

Mandalorians had come to Coruscant? How odd.

Sven didn't wait to really call out or speak to any of them. Most seemed to ignore him as he passed through the crowd, and only one really caught his eye. A strange miss match of gold and green armor. He knew the capabilities of that armor well, perhaps better than many other outside of the clans. He knew that the man would see hi, but he also knew that wouldn't matter.

As soon as the Assassin stepped out of the crowd Sven pulled his Tir Stunner from hits holster. In an instant he thumbed the power setting, pushing the weapons strength up to thrice what a normal human could endure, and then he fired.

Three shots in quick succession, straight at the Mandalorians back.

 

[Ayden Cater]

Location: Coruscant Orbit
Allies: The Omega Protectorate, Mandalorians, [member="Ember Rekali"]
Enemies: The One Sith, [member="Sven Talith"]

Deployment was proceeding according to schedule. Dozens of fire fights had already broken out and more were coming in. Escort fighters broke off to tangle with Sith fighters and bombers made attack runs on active planetary defenses. The fleet was holding the line, the use of Shield-class cruisers enabling them to hold out and give their dropships time to descend. Once they were all through, the real fun would begin. However, Ayden was not going to see it. Taking his leave of the bridge and leaving Nai in command, Ayden dressed himself in his armor, accented with the Leviathan bracers and longcoat he so often war and stepped onto his ship, Carath's Own Luck.

While the Protectorate fleet wrestled with the Sith in space, Ayden headed for the ruins of the Jedi Temple. He could feel the Force leading him there. This would be the first time he had returned to the temple since his wife passed away in his arms all those centuries ago. Ironic that he had left the temple in despair and swore to never return. Now he was returning to be its liberator and restorer. The closer he flew to the temple, the more ominous a feeling grew in the pit of his stomach. His time on Druckenwell was enough that he knew what this feeling was. The Sith were creating a Dark Side Force Nexus beneath the ruins of the Jedi Temple.

Setting down on an empty landing pad, Ayden trotted out and saw strange statues around. It took him a moment to recognize them from the historical holocrons he had acquired in an auction. They were Sith Lords. Typical. The Sith took the planet and were already making themselves at him. A new feeling began to blossom, the antithesis of the malaise that tugged at his mind. Looking around, Ayden found the source to be a man. He recognized the Mandalorian design of the armor, but was unsure of some of the other elements that he wore. However, Ayden felt that the man was not his enemy, though he did get a sense of great anguish and hate within the man.

As he approached the man, Ayden felt a flash of murderous intent. Leaping overhead, Ayden drew his saber and thumbed the activation stud. Viridian light sprung up as he jerked a large slab of rock to intercept the fired energy blasts. He was going to ask the Mandalorian if he was an ally, but if he was the target of the Sith, then he was an ally to Ayden.