It's time to Unleash the Beast (Terrorist attack on Mandalore)

[Lina Djo]

Mia hauled herself up into the midst of another fire fight, ricocheting slugs narrowly missing her head. Cursing under her breath she opened fire towards the advancing droids forcing them into cover, before bolting to the rest of the group. The rally master recognised her and nodded his respects. "Can you hold them?" She yelled over the racket of gunfire and battle cries. Mia couldn't see his face behind the t-visor but she felt his determination in the force and noted the slight tension beneath his armour. He replied with a firm nod. "Do what you have to do."

She almost felt guilty leaving them, but these were seasoned warriors, and they were more than capable of dealing with a few droids. Her boots hammered over Durasteel floor. Using Shadow as her guide on the floors beneath, she found the corridor she sought. She reached out in the force, feeling the terrorists aura beneath. She reached out to Ember, a flash of warning. Keep your distance.

Focusing, she began peeling back the floor beneath her with the force, it groaned in protest, spitting sparks where electric leads caught. With any luck, the gen'dai beneath was occupied enough to put the racket down to the fight throughout the station.

[member="Ember Rekali"][member="Saverok"] [member="Brent Warnel"] [member="Despair"] [member="Kade Kelborn"]

 

[Ashin Varanin]

The Clan Rekali Skira-class battleship Like Hell broke Concordia orbit and steamed in the direction of the attacked station. Comm pingback from the retired aliit'buir's besalisk indicated that Ember was aboard. In a hastily rigged meditation chamber just aft of the bridge, Oren sat crosslegged with a pelko bug pressed to his carotid. He watched the fight in vision, wincing with every hit Ember took. But other visions intruded: ships and fury, bound for here. No, not just fury. Confusion.

The door opened. "Cousin Oren?"

"What is it, Barth?"

"You wanted to know when we got the sensor data from the UCM Vigilance mines seeded through the system. It came in. Lots of interesting small-ship traffic lately. Also, there's been a transmission from Dantooine, from Clan Raxis in the M.E. You should hear it."

" To all who care to listen, and even those who do not, I am Gray Raxis. Alor of Clan Raxis. I and my clan have committed ourselves to the Mandalorian Empire. We serve the Manda'lore Isley Verd. Family, Honor, Clan. Those are the values my clan follows, and we uphold ourselves to the traditions of all true Mandalorians. The United Clans have not been following these values. They have lied. They have deceived. They have not been honorable. Our clan left them because of these reasons, but the Mandalorian Empire is not like that. The people of the Empire have upheld the values of honor. They have been True Mandalorians. This attack being carried out in the name of both our honorable Empire and our Manda'lore is something we would never permit. It is not something we would ever support. For those who are suffering, for those who are apart of this horror, the Alor of Clan Raxis is coming to see to it that the innocent and victimized are helped. I will do every thing in my power to bring this terror to an end. It is the way of Mandalore. It is the way of the Mandalorian Empire. And to the one who is doing this attack, you are no Mandalorian. Mandalorians do not kill Mandalorians. No matter the crimes of the United Clans, the people of Mandalore are innocent. To kill them is to kill all honor you may have possessed. I hope you see the light of the situation and stop as soon as you hear this message, but if not then I will bring an end to this violence. That, and everything else I have said, are a promise. And a Raxis, a Mandalorian, always uphold their word."

Oren cursed in Kissai. "Just another child believing what he wants to believe, Barth."

"Or a declaration of war."

"Depends how tight a hold Isley Verd has on his leashes. Tell the captain to head for whatever hyperspace reversion point corresponds to an approach from Mandalorian Empire space. When they arrive, I feel they will arrive in force."

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Family, Honor, Clan. Those are the values my clan follows, and we uphold ourselves to the traditions of all true Mandalorians. The United Clans have not been following these values. They have lied. They have deceived. They have not been honorable.

Rach, sitting aboard the Sovereign blinked as the message was broadcast. "Did he just call us Dar'manda?" The words sat dead in the air on the bridge as the rest of the bridge crew sat in awkward silence.

"I think the little brat did. Someone must not have gotten his nap today is all." The ship's officer of the watch muttered, trying to make light of what had been going on.

Rach knew Isley and Draco went back, they were friends. He knew that Draco was trying to remain neutral in the conflict of interests and not pick sides. He knew that his master didn't want to fight either the Empire or the Clans unless he was forced to. However, some worthless twerp had just called him Dar'manda and there were Hyperspace signals registering far out system.

"No, he did. He just insulted me in my own home like he's some kind of hero. I don't even know who he is. I've never even heard of his clan, and he's here calling me and mine Dar'manda. Activate the Tra'kranak, move us to respond to the station with assistance from the Devil Eyes. Put the Saber Defense stations on condition yellow." The old admiral's orders rang out. "Open a channel to that nose-wiping piece of trash."

"Listen here you slow-witted toddler, I've been fighting for Manda'yaim since before your learning disabled father first crapped himself. If you think you are going to come to MY home and call me honorless and soulless, I'm going to take that binky out of your mouth and beat you over my knee like your mother should have. Vizla out." The old man, gave the communication's officer the kill sign and turned to the crew.

"Mark that imbecile and those that entered the system with him enemies. Leave everyone else as friendlies and unknown. Drop complement." Three squadrons of Ra'gr Starfighters began powering up alongside five To Vhin and five Hecr. The two Roche-class Corvettes in the hangar would take a little longer before they could be deployed.

"Send a message to the Aliit'buir telling him what's going on. And see if you can get [member="Isley Verd"] on a call. Maybe he can pull his idiots back."

"Broadcast to those other vessels." The old warrior sat back in his seat and looked at the space station. It was pretty clear what was going on to the old man. Saverok jumped the gun. They may not realize it, but flying the same banner as an attacker, interdicting a world that his allies were openly declaring as enemies, and attempting to board a station under attack by members of their own organization was generally, no, it was always considered aggression by anyone with half a brain cell remaining.

"Unidentified vessels. You aren't flying UMC Id's. Back off the planet or be vaporized. If you are Mandalorian Empire, it goes the same. So far people under Verd's banner have attacked a civilian station and called civilians, the people on the planet of Mandalore, and myself Dar'manda today. I don't trust you are you're words. Back off all ships and get away from my station with drop ships." He couldn't trust anything they said. At a moment's notice the set up could spring and the Empire allied fleet could begin firing on civilians just as their monster was trying to do. At any moment they could all scream Dar'manda and start their blasted crusade. All because Draco wouldn't grovel on his knees.

No, today Rach would secure his own damn home and these children would let him or get wrecked. "Close Channel. Firing solutions, load out with eight homing cluster EMP Det, sixteen ACS Clusters, and four assault Proton torps. Someone get word to one of the Saber's that these idiots might not be friendly." Massive, ten barreled Long Range Heavy HVCs filled with pain, more direct firepower than a star destroyer condensed into ten weapons with a continuous fire mode. It might take a moment for those stations crews to realize what all was going on and get oriented within range of whatever Mandalorian Empire vessels were in route.

Deployed
Sovereign-class Star Destroyer
Warden-class Sentinel Frigate

Activated
Tra'kranak-class Space Fortress

[member="Gray Raxis"] [member="Alkor Centaris"]

 

[Darth Metus]

Proximity.

It brought the Mand'alor within range of the broadcasts, yes. But he was not there – not yet anyway. That alone frustrated the ever-loving kark out of him.

First, the words of [member="Gray Raxis"] sounded over the channel. And while there were parts of his words that Isley did agree with, one did not walk into someone's home and take a hot piss on their coffee table.

"Gods dammit Gray..." he muttered under his breath.

But wait, there was more. Some folks might have looked upon his words without care. Some folks might have ignored it. But one voice, one whose finger was on a metaphorical shiny red button, took it personally. No surprise, it was an insult after all. And now, the Mandalorian Empire force that had come to retrieve the wayward Gen'Dai were in danger of being blasted out of the sky.

Great.

"Kark me running sideways." he breathed, before switching over to the channel. Anyone who had heard Gray would hear him now.

"Gray, stand down and return to Echoy'la. That's an order." he said. A man who called an entire world Dar'manda shouldn't stick around; and gods willing Gray would go without question – lest he be eaten alive by the poodoo storm below. "Defenders of the United Clans, this is Isley Verd. We've come to retrieve a rogue: a Gen'Dai who claims to be fighting under my orders. This is a falsehood. I am inbound with a small band of ships – interdictors backed by capital support. I am not here to spill the blood of my brothers, but to right a wrong. Nothing more, nothing less"

"Do not regard us as an enemy due to the actions of this rogue."

He then flipped over to the encrypted channel owned by his Empire.

"[member="Zef Halo"], bring only the Interdictors within range of Mandalore. Leave the capital ships at the edge of the system. They're antsy, reasonably so. Gray didn't help the situation."

He sighed. Couldn't this karking thing fly faster?

[member="Rach Vizla"]

 

[Laira Darkhold]

"Mand'alor the Reclaimer." The tone wasn't condescending over the open channel as Rach spoke. "You have to understand the confusion. You've got people attacking us calling us Dar'manda. You have people coming to 'help' us calling us Dar'manda and slandering everyone for some asinine reason. And your have people trying to board a station under attack by your people, and all of these are flying your banner and your cause." The Old Fang glared out at the sensor boards with a grimace. Too many variables, too many fanatics screaming at each other. This was exactly what he had been hoping to avoid. "You can understand the precautions and how this looks. It looks like your supporters are trying to join the fray, and given the rhetoric I've heard from them, I don't think they plan on helping Aliit'buir Rekali." The other elderly Mandalorian on the station had his hands full already. He didn't need the added distraction of trying to decipher friend from foe, as that would likely end with Ember stabbed in the back by someone he trusted. And given what he had heard from Isley's supporters, they would just as likely kill both the old warrior and the gen'dai.

"I can't allow a fleet flying the same banner as the attackers, and those calling me and mine Dar'manda to claim space superiority from me. Out of respect, I will provide support and aid your flagship for this operation as a subordinate, but in return, please call off the rest of your dogs. Given what they've said, I can't trust any of them but you right now. Vizla out." Concordia was Mandalore's moon, and also home to the vast majority of the families to Clan Vereen's warriors. Not every single sentient that aided the clan was a warrior, not every ship's crewman was a devoted, raised from birth Mandalorian. And not every Mandalorian claimed Mandalorian wives or husbands. Those non-combatants, as alien as the term was for Mandalorians, were too close by to have a possible enemy fleet between them and safety.

"Mark the Mand'alor's ship as the fleet flagship. Keep the sniveling pup as enemy. Broadcast a demarcation line around the station and keep firing solutions tight on those unidentified vessels. Give them time to respond, but I don't want those boarding ships landing. Use Ion cannons if you have to, but unless they are carrying the Mand'alor of the Empire, fuggem." This was probably the best, logical compromise the old fang could think of. He falls in as a subordinate and provides fleet support for Isley, the Mandalorian Empire's additional forces scale back so as not to force out the UMC ships from their own home as that is just as much an act of war as dropping a station on the Mandalorian homeworld, and Isley gets shown that there can be at least some cooperation between the two.

"Spread Ra'grs out. Put one squadron on escort detail for the Mand'alor's ship along with two Hecrs and two To Vhins. The others keep in fighter screen. Where are my Roche corvettes?" The Mandalorian shifted in his chair looking around, searching for his flight control officer. The petite woman beside him nodded in a direction as the old man scanned the bridge, directing his attention to the proper crew pit.

"Yellow lights on all systems sir. Power up time is t minus two minutes." The officer said.

"Commander, perhaps a more subtle approach next time. I've sensed... confusion and uncertainty from the Empire's ships." The woman's soft voice was barely audible to anyone other than Rach, and with the bustle of the bridge one would have to be trying to listen in to hear her.

The old warrior waved her off. "Drop into my system, try and park a fleet above my home, during a terrorist attack in your name. Eh, I'm being very understanding." The old man's voice was much the opposite of hers, loud and boistrous, ringing across the bridge to be heard by all.

[member="Isley Verd"] [member="Gray Raxis"] [member="Alkor Centaris"]

 

[Sal Katarn]

The sonic screaming stopped and Kade managed to back swallow the contents of his stomach, rather than fill his helmet with them.

Kade's attention was drawn away from the Rally Master by a whisper-threat that rose the hair on the back of his neck and sent a chill down his spine. Spinning, the Kelborn thumbed the cylinder in his left hand and a half-dome of energy shimmered to life along his forearm. He raised the dinu'ul shield before him, angling his beskad up over it to point directly at the masked figure who had appeared out of thin air behind him.

A new voice sounded on Rekali and Kelborn's frequency. Warnel.

"Vod, aid the Rally Master with troublesome Gen'dai and leave masked foe to Kelborn blade."

Acidic aftertaste of bile still clung to Kade's throat. Growling defiance, the Mandalorian launched into action.

"Jet."

Flames roared from his jetpack, shooting out in a wash that sprayed the back of his kama. Kade was propelled forward at the speed of a rocket across the ground, shield held before him, blade back and ready to thrust as he sought to barrel into the masked menace's chest.

[member="Despair"] | [member="Saverok"] | [member="Brent Warnel"] | [member="Ember Rekali"]

 

[Gray Raxis]

Objective: Following Orders
Location: Space

Gray got the message from [member="Isley Verd"] as he was trying to get the last bit of his armor on. He was ordered to head back to Echol'ya and not be involved with the fight to defend the innocent people of Mandalore. This had to be because of the message he had sent out. There was no other reason he would be sent away even though orders for all hands to be on this matter had been given. He didn't like this at all. He wanted to be on the ground doing everything he could to defend people. It was what he did, it was what his clan did. It was what any Mandalorian would want to be doing. Defend the home world and your people..... but he had orders and he would follow them no matter how he felt.

Gray walked to the cockpit and pressed the com system button. He said, " Understood. I will pull back to the capital." He let go of the button and sighed. He turned to his droid Key and said, " You heard the man. Drop us out of hyperspace and get us back to the capital. Seems I hit some nerves." He paused after his last line and thought about it a moment. He said after he had, " Good. Maybe it will make people re-evaluate their actions. I just hope too many people don't get killed. This is a very bad situation. Mandalorians should not kill other Mandalorians." He went back to his room and began to strip off his armor. After he was finished he sat down on his bed. He still didn't like any of this. The worst thing was to be told to do nothing while others died. His leg began to bounce nervously, and even trying to meditate was not helping much. He could not stand doing nothing while people died.

[member="Ember Rekali"] [member="Saverok"] [member="Kade Kelborn"] [member="Alkor Centaris"] [member="Mia Monroe"]

 

[Zef Halo]

Spoiler

Cleaning Force 'The Gardeners" :

2x Scintel-class cruiser

1x Gunray-class Star Destroyer

4x Indoctrination-class Frigate

6x Stratus-class Light Corvettes

From this thread. This is the force Isley called in his initial post in this thread.

What the kark.

Zef had his palm on his helmet in the manner of what is considered as a facepalm. Shaking his head as 'The Gardeners' strike force emerged from hyperspace in a V-formation spearheaded by the force's flagship - the Gunray-class Star Destroyer where Zef was currently aboard.

The scoundrel had just arrived and was in range to catch the signal by Gray Raxis and the replies that followed. It was a complete mess. The reports of explosions in the space station above Mandalore added more into the mess. Immediately after, the Gunray was able to grasp the communications between Mand'alor and the Vizla man. Apparently the latter was in command of the two ships that were active over Mandalore.

"The Space Fortress is currently being activated, that's what our readings are stating. We're still a bit far off from a more certain conclusion but I wouldn't be surprised." One of the deck officers voice was heard from behind the ex-smuggler.

Zef shook his head, he was no admiral. He was a damn scoundrel, a smuggler, a gunslinger. As a smuggler, of course he had some knowledge of ship operations but naval warfare. That would be too much. The captain besides him though knew his thing.

I can shoot your head before you could blink.

The thought running through his head was somehow supposed to raise his spirits.

"Zef Halo, bring only the Interdictors within range of Mandalore. Leave the capital ships at the edge of the system. They're antsy, reasonably so. Gray didn't help the situation."

With a nod, the ex-smuggler passed the orders of Mand'alor to the captain. The four interdictors' engines lit up as their thrust pushed them forward towards Mandalore.

Might as well tell 'em.

"Open a channel to that Star Destroyer." Zef ordered the communications officer. If the hail was accepted, Zef's holographic image would appear.

"Su'cuy. We're moving four of our frigates in range of Mandalore and the assaulted space station. Uh." He paused, his heavy Corellian accent evident in his Mando'a. How the hell did naval protocols work. "This is Zef Halo. Clan....Zef Halo. Mandalorian Empire. Keep it y'all chill, we ain't gonna shoot at ya."

To hell with this dialogue protocols and to hell with ya Saverok.


[member="Isley Verd"] [member="Rach Vizla"] @Anyone affected

 

[Alkor Centaris]

"Centaris, we have a problem." Vaela hailed the Jen'jidai on his comm and tapped her fingers impatiently. When he did not respond immediately, she bit her lip. "Kad forbid that when we actually need him, he be here." The redhead blew a whiff of air up toward her bangs and stared out at the planet of her forebears. "They actually plan to treat us as hostiles because of one man calling them Dar'manda? All of us? There's pride, then there's stupidity."

"You never insult what's in a fragile man's pants where he can hear you," Alkor replied curtly as he reentered the bridge and held up a hand toward the Communications Officer. "Give me a succinct report of the situation. I don't need to know every word that's been said."

"One of the men flying Isley's banner and riding our comm's signal insulted the Clans," the youth explained. "It's... ah... not something you'd understand, probably."

"No," Alkor responded in mild annoyance. "Such a petty notion should not incite a warrior to irrational action. It does not make sense to me in the least. Aren't you Mandalorian types supposed to be seasoned veterans by the time you're commanding flagships?"

Vaela grit her teeth. "Are you going to stand here and insult us all day, or are you going to give us our next move?"

"I rescinded my command to you, Lady Ordo. My presence here is a fleeting annoyance, and one that you requested. I believe I'm well within reason to scrutinize the current situation."

"Alkor, I'm asking for your help." Vaela let out a ragged sigh. "They are going to make things worse if we don't take proper actions in resolving this situation."

"They've already told you what it is that they want," he replied. "They want you to back off and leave this situation to them. They're convinced that they can deal with [member="Saverok"] themselves. By all means, they're welcome to try."

"That's not good enough," she took a step toward him and grabbed the neckline of his cloak. Alkor stared back into her fiery green gaze as she pulled him to where her hot breath caused his face to contort with disgust. "I want this situation to end so that none of my people suffer any more for the idiotic actions of a few men."

"Chastise Raxis when you get back to Echoy'la," Alkor grabbed at her wrist. "And get out of my face."

He threw her hand off and glanced sidelong. "Do you have any empathy at all, you Corellian scumbag?" Vaela whispered as she searched his features, half hopeful and half dissatisfied with the man. "Does being a Dark Jedi truly mean that you care nothing for anyone else? That makes you no better than Sith, little man."

Alkor slowly moved his gaze toward Vaela again, and he did not blink. "You do not," he stated coldly, "want to follow that path to its end, Ordo."

"Show me that I'm wrong," she challenged. "Do something that constitutes compassion, or show me something real. Damn you, Alkor Centaris, look at the world as it is, not as you want it to be."

"You have no idea what I see." He stared back at her before he finally turned to the Comm's Officer. "You want me to take action, then so be it. I will stop Saverok myself," he pointed to Vaela, "and you will shoot down any ship that tries to impede me. Likewise, I will end anyone who gets in my way."

"W-what?" the Communications officer had stopped the signal in disbelief, and he now stared at Alkor with mouth ajar. "You're going to do what?"

"This folly," Alkor let his arms hang and sighed. "Posturing, threats, attacks on civilians, insults and heated arguments- this is not war. This is not even a true battle. This is bickering between children, worthy only of contempt."

Vaela reeled, gnashed her teeth, and grabbed Alkor by the shoulder. He glanced at her. "I will put an end to it, in the Old Way."

Her mouth fell open, and Alkor shrugged off her hand. "Since no one else has seen fit to challenge him as a warrior, he sees none of them as warriors. He can see only victims. He is treating them as such. You must understand," he smirked at the Ordo woman, her expression clearly astonished. "They have done nothing worthy of his respect, and so he has gone- perhaps in a way we do not agree with- in hopes of finding something in them to respect. That is how the Gen-Dai was raised and trained. These are not the same times, but he is no less the same creature."

"You have empathy for a monster," she laughed. "How utterly ironic."

"We are the same," Alkor replied. "Two relics of a dead time, stuck in the ways that we were taught. Perhaps that will be our downfall," he yawned. "Or perhaps, the people of these times are ill prepared to deal with the Old Ways."

"That's not-"

"I'm going, Vaela," he responded. "See to it they know I'm coming."

[member="Isley Verd"] | [member="Zef Halo"] | [member="Ember Rekali"] | [member="Rach Vizla"]

 

[Aedan Miles]

Aedan Miles sat on the bridge of the first of two Facade-class ships they flew the IFF codes of an SSC trade convoy and owing to the design of the ships they should easily slip under the radar. Watching the movements of the ME ships at the edge of the system Aedan grinned and started to run hot his communications officer sending out an sos about being warned off by the ME and ignore it. Following protocal while also appearing on edge Aedan flew the ships in towards the planet quickly pressing a button on the arm of his chair so that the second one lagged behind a bit smoke bellowing from one of its engine pods. It started to swerve to one side and towards the planet he triggered a short burst message towards the ME ships sensing the presence of Isley on them. The message was simple and to the point This one is on me. Lifting a data pad Aedan looked it over before gesturing to the side the crew of both ships knew that their only goal here was to stop Saverok from doing anything farther the rest involved Aedan paying back an old debt and getting that off of his shoulders.

Aedan stood and left the bridge heading back towards where his personal Devastator-class heavy fighter was stashed climbing into he he prepared to launch rumors were they were fighting on a station that saved his men time in having to secure a extraction point they could pick Aedan and Saverok up at an air lock later for now the pod opened slowly just enough for the fighter stashed within to launch. Grinning Aedan launched the moment he had a clear opening his fighter flashing from the ship and around towards the station weapons off and all extra power routed towards his shields as the fighter streaked haphazardly towards the station. Nearing it Aedan started to circle it opening the cock pit the armor he wore sealed from the lack of atmo he would be good for half a day. Watching he waited for just the right moment before kicking out of the ships cockpit and floating across space towards a hangar his ship flashing away from the station and towards the sun. The second facade-class took off after it to retrieve it at a preprogramed location. Aedan turned his head and activated his jet pack moving faster towards the stations hangar bay waiting and counting quietly to himself as he neared it hitting zero he felt the gravity there take hold and he fell rolling forward as he did and looking around quietly finally starting to move swiftly towards where he could feel the fight taking place. Using the force he reached out to Saverok a single simple word piercing into the Gen'dai's rage fogged mind. "Stop." Not an order but a very cold suggestion that indicated they were done here and he was to prepare to leave instead of continuing the fight.

[member="Ember Rekali"] [member="Saverok"] [member="Isley Verd"] [member="Alkor Centaris"]

 

[Brent Warnel]

The Gen'Dai took the combined firepower that he, Ember and Kade could throw at it and it just didn't slow it down. Not in the slightest. Brent sprinted up to get closer to the other two warriors and heard Kade call out to him and tell him to assist Ember, and leave the masked foe to him. Masked foe? Brent hadn't seen anyone as he came up the corridor but he would respect the others decision.

"On it," he said as he moved past Kade towards Ember.

He could tell the Gen'Dai wanted to come thundering down the corridor but it seemed as if something was stopping it, a malfunction of its armor maybe? Brent thought that maybe they would get lucky and the Gen'Dai would be stuck and they could hammer it with firepower, but that wasn't to be. It just roared in protest and began to tear its armor off and before he could even think about what to do it was launching itself towards Ember.

"Kriffin' hell I'm in over my head," Brent thought as he sprinted forward towards [member="Saverok"] and tried to take a position near Ember to give him some type of support.

From a distance that seemed nearly impossible the Gen'Dai lashed out and struck Ember with a..fist, appendage? The other Mando absorbed the blow and was lifted off his feet and into the air. Brent thought he was going to collide with Ember so he dropped to a knee and slid to a halt behind and to the side of Ember with his SAR-20 out and aimed down the hall, already spitting out blaster rounds at the monstrous being. Ember, meanwhile, was able to grab onto a cord in mid-flight and swing himself around and back to the deck still in one piece. It looked as if he meant to re-engage the Gen'Dai and Brent continued firing down the hall, waiting for Ember's next move.

[member="Ember Rekali"] [member="Kade Kelborn"] [member="Mia Monroe"] [member="Despair"]

 

[Ashin Varanin]

SKIRA-CLASS BATTLESHIP LIKE HELL
MOVING TOWARD MANDALORIAN EMPIRE SHIPS
LOCATED BETWEEN MANDALORIAN EMPIRE AND UCM FLEETS

[member="Zef Halo"] [member="Rach Vizla"]

"I cannot," said a gravelly voice over the comms, "believe that I am the one saying this. But you don't know me, so why would you care?" A cough, and some sort of rasping sound. Clearly the speaker was unused to military-grade electronics though he was obviously transmitting from the bridge of a Rekali battleship. "My name is Oren Rekali, right hand to Warmaster Ember Rekali, aboard the Clan Rekali vessel Like Hell. We must have peace and we must have it now. Your bargains must be sound."

An indrawn breath, as if at a sharp pain. "I see futures unfolding from today. Continue to find a way forward in good faith, or your homes will likely burn. I have faith that you are both, or can both be, reasonable men. To ensure your compromise endures, I am ordering the captain to keep this ship between your fleets. No misunderstandings, accidents, or moments of temper, please. I like my skin as it is."

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Rach frowned. He didn't actually know Oren, but he did know of Ember Rekali, one of the men he was dead set on protecting right now. As much as Rach was a grouch and too old, too stubborn to take crap from anyone, he wasn't disloyal or disrespectful. "Noted Like Hell. Give me a moment to come up with coordinates." Hand across the throat and the comm muted so he could address the bridge.

"Alright, we aren't about to fire on Clan Rekali, so come up with distance from planet and station where interdiction works on the station but point of presence is on the far side of the station. Push fighters in escort mode, with Hecr's to assist Ra'grs." The Old Fang was a bit heated after the insults and attacks had been slung, but he was calculating. It didn't take a genius to understand compromise which was easy enough to propose, a lot harder to agree to. Navigation tapped on datapads and dataterminals as they worked on complying with these new orders.

"Alright Like Hell, we got something. Pull Interdictors to transmitted coordinates. You can fulfill orders from there without endangering the planet or getting between me and mine. Sovereign will pull to low orbit between station and planet with her fighters running escorts for civilians taking them to orbit with the Tra'kranak. You gotta understand we don't want a bunch of explosives heading for the planet or escape pods filled with terror droids, so they have to be scanned before I can release them to the general public. Roches will pull close monitoring duty of the station in case this Saverok tries to bolt."

So far so good. "Move us as instructed Helm. Dorsal facing to station." Roches were fast enough to keep up with anything short of an interceptor, and armed enough to deal with just about anything short of an attack corvette. Repeating twenty milimeter Coilguns on omnidirectional turret mounts, no. This beast wouldn't be running from them for long. Fighters moving civilians away from the station, but taking precaution enough to check them for explosives and abundance of arms before heading to the Surface. The station, in combination with the Hecr's was more than enough for such scans to be effective in keeping large groups of terrorists or explosives from continuing the attack towards the ground. And the placement of the Sovereign was dual purpose. Not only did it put something big between his main guns and their vessels, but it also moved him in a position to block debris and keep that station from hitting the ground.

[member="Zef Halo"] [member="Oren Rekali"]

 

[Laira Darkhold]

Double post.

 

[Alkor Centaris]

Location: Modified XJ7 Callsign Black Wind
Allies: Stay out of my way.
Enemies: Don't even think about it.
Objective: [member="Saverok"]

The foil-winged snubfighter broke free from its Patrol ship prison and crawled slowly through the dead of space. "Vaela, transmit a secure line to [member="Isley Verd"] and apprise him of the situation. Issue a directive to the Clans- Saverok is my responsibility as of right now, and he will be dealt with in accordance with Adumari Sword Law." He doubted the Mandalorian culture cared much about backwater planets like Adumar or their culture, but the fierce code of conduct and trial by combat made it ideal for situations like this, where conflict was the only real solution.

He opened a communication line with the two Clans' ships and spoke clearly. "I am landing aboard the station," he stated flatly. "Saverok is one of mine, and this action jeopardizes the strict neutrality that the Dark Jedi wish to maintain for the time being," Alkor announced. "As such, I will deal with him in a matter befitting his crime, and with as little loss to the Mandalorian people as possible."

There was little else to say. Alkor had no intention of drawing out the conversation for longer than necessary, and if he did it was more likely that he would rub them the wrong way. When you were better with actions than words, actions were what you stuck to.

"Ordo here," Vaera opened a channel in his ear, "the Clans are releasing their fighters in high Orbit. If they decide to open conflict, you're in for problems, Centaris."

"If they want a war, then that's their prerogative. I've come to collect a Gen-Dai. That's all."

"They're not going to let him leave alive, Alkor, and if you try to take him they're going to gun you down-"

"They would not be the first to try it." He flipped the channel off quickly and focused his attention on the station. Even if they were to engage, he could reasonably make it aboard without too much trouble. He preferred not to instigate a conflict if it could be avoided, however. There were already enough problems for one day.

Saverok would not get out of this situation unscathed. Nothing Alkor could do would stop it. The problem was that now Alkor needed to assure that the enemy saw how he was dealt with, and that his actions were not going unanswered. And Saverok needed to know that Alkor respected him enough to face him.

He transmitted on a closed frequency to the Gen-Dai. "Cease your attack, Saverok. I have invoked Sword Law, and will face you in combat. The war you crave will not be found here, with these people. You must hunt worthy prey, as befits a Jen'jidai. This is our lot in the galaxy. We settle for no less than that."

His course was direct and did not change. Within minutes, his vector would bear him hence.

[member="Rach Vizla"] | [member="Oren Rekali"]

 

[Grrwunhoooll Agaburry]

Location: Hallways
Enemies: Mandos
Objective: Explode

With mental and physical stress bordering his set limits Saveroks mind snapped. A Data pad from his belt on the ground flew to his hand after it was called, only to be absorbed into his body just like [member="Kade Kelborn"] was about to be. A nice live meat shield to fend off [member="Brent Warnel"]'s shots. With a sudden burst the Gen'dais chest opened up and tentacles reached out to embrace Kades charge in numbers. Just like the datapad the young mando would get stuck in the mass of muscle and tendons till he was constricted to no end. A very nasty situation. As for [member="Aedan Miles"] & [member="Alkor Centaris"] their messages would only receive static or no response at all. Saverok was at war with the universe. His foes were seen as ants with their petty attempts to stop him. His endurance had no real end, his strength was unmatched and his sanity was as far away from him in different dimensions of time and space.

Through and through he was wickedly insane and twisted.

Actions spoke louder than words. Displaying a rather insane amount of muscle control the Behemoth growled retracting his cut of arm away from [member="Ember Rekali"]. Once by his own person a data pad could be seen meshed in on the surface as if it was implanted by his own will. A single tentacle from his arm sprouted and fell on a medium sized button causing it to beep. Flashing lights began to lite the hallways as all the droids began to cease combat and drop their weapons. Synchronized beeping began to occur like a bomb & with the bumber of droids on the space station that was going to be disastrous. Things were about to get heated.

Self Destruct has been engaged and there was no override.

" Heheheheh... Flee now and you might survive. I have lived four millenniums of this poodoo. Ive seen it all, which is more than I could say for you. If im still alive after this you best believe im going to raze Mandalore to the ground and then murder Isley myself for being the coward he is." he said aloud.

{{ OOC: My next post explosions start }}

[member="Zef Halo"]
[member="Isley Verd"]
[member="Mia Monroe"]

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Kade Kelborn"] [member="Brent Warnel"] [member="Despair"] [member="Saverok"]

The Gen'Dai did a whole bunch of things all at once. As pieces of Ember's alchemical sword tumbled to the deck, daubed with Gen'Dai flesh, Ember did exactly one thing. It wasn't much, in the same sense as it's not much to pull the trigger of a rocket launcher or press the button that starts a Rube-Goldberg machine, a thousand steps all set up to launch preset kinetic and potential energy across the space between infinitesimal action and a final, devastating reaction-

He looked at his ring.

The ring was black metal. It covered his finger from first to second knuckle. It looked like a beetle with wings half-spread for flight. In it was contained the product of twenty witches' ritual and the strength of a galaxy-class Sith temple's shades, consumed and repurposed to feed a Witch ritual they never could have understood.

Activating the ring took no more than a thought -- the right thought, disciplined by the right career.

In a moment, the pain of his arm was gone. The weight of his armor was gone. He no longer had to look up at Severok's face; now he could look the Gen'Dai in the eye, man to man, with no humanity involved. He'd had strength, but strength alone could never match the brute force of the hulking shapeshifting Dark Lord. What Ember needed was mass -- and Nightsister talismans had no respect for the laws of conservation. When Witch arts woke up, the 'verse looked the other way.

The Nightfather was gone. Something totally other stood right in his place, launched itself toward Saverok, threw a spiked punch at the dar'manda's face. It spat acid.

 

[Alkor Centaris]

"Multiple thermal irregularities detected. Preliminary scans suggest deadman type self-destruct protocols have been engaged by one or more parties."

The message flashed across the HUD of his X-Wing and Alkor stared at it for what felt like an eternity. His jaw clenched tight, the Dark Jedi glanced up at the station as he glided through space toward it. Mere minutes separated him from the opportunity to save another one of his dying brothers, but circumstance saw fit to rob him of the opportunity a second time. His fingers traced the comm for a moment as he considered another attempt at a transmission, but halted when he decided against it.

If he wanted to die, and if the others had sought death so readily, that was their decision. His ability to save any of them had always been a delusion of pride. Alkor had always known the folly of pride. He closed his eyes and reclined in his seat as best he could, a myriad of questions burning though his thoughts. What was the point of all this? What drove some men to ultimate foolishness, and what made so many Dark Jedi fascinsted with no more than face-layer chaos? Was it truly so impossible for them to find common ground?

No.

For too long, the actions and motivations of others had dictated Alkor's thoughts and actions. This nonsensical act of utter violence would not be allowed to command him, nor would it definite who he was. Alkor gripped the throttle so tight that his knuckles throbbed white and he set his eyes on the station.

"Aedan, that station is about to get real hot, real fast. My sensors picked up auxiliary power spikes in line with self-destruct sequences. It's like a multitude of droids is slaved to a killswitch, and someone just tripped it." Maybe it was too late for [member="Saverok"] but [member="Aedan Miles"] was somewhere in this mess and Alkor had the opportunity to get at least one of them out alive. "I don't know where you are right now, but try to make it as far from that place as possible."

He glanced toward the flotilla of Mandalorian ships above, and Alkor heaved a sigh.

"This is..."

His eyes slid slowly shut as he pulled down hard on the controls. His X-wing banked hard, and he split back toward the ships convened above Mandalore.

"...Sithspit."

 

[Darth Banshee]

[member="Isley Verd"]

Sabine was on maneuvers with her small fleet, when word came that mandalorian homeworld had been attacked. She had no idea what was happening, but only her personal motto meant she had to act, that motto was she chose violence always. Her ship where not near enough to the mandalorian homeworld to stop the incoming, but it was close enough to stop them leaving. She looked at her bridge commander, and then gave her orders Take the fleet into orbit of mandalore, so we can restrict outgoing traffic. Also get me any member of the Alor Council, to tell me what needs to be done! Her voice was almost emotionless, and she spoke with steely determination to help out where she could. Come what may she hoped to atleast be recognised, just once would be nice. It would not be long before her fleet was in position, and she was already getting some scans of some other capital ships holding back.

Spoiler

The Banshee
The Cobra
The Rattlesnake
The Adder
5 Squadrons of Eagles

 

[Aedan Miles]

Aedan blinked as word came in and he snarled leaping straight up if the force was right he was below where Saverok was fighting Ember he had a job to do first he would get out before the explosion hopefully. Grabbing the ceiling with the force he cut a hole in the floor poking his head up into the next room looking around curiously. Catching sight of the fighting group Aedan called out loudly. "OI REKALI GET THOSE TWO AND GET OVER HERE WE NEED TO GET THE KARK OUTTA HERE!" Aedan pulled himself fully into the room pulling his helmet off to reveal his now black hair.

[member="Ember Rekali"] and those with him