Dominion Lost Children: Silver Concord Dominion of Krant

[Caltin Vanagor]

"The proverb says that Providence protects children and idiots. This is really true. I know because I have tested it." - Mark Twain

Objective 1: Quiphoth​

Once everything was settled and the two "snakelike" creatures were scurrying away, Caltin nodded for Dagos to follow him, but not simply mindlessly. He wanted the Padawan on his game, especially since he could sense something out there, a life. a disturbance out there that was unique from everything else that they were in the middle of.

Do you sense that?

There was someone out there, someone in danger, not just the lost children. There was someone else, maybe this was one of the children among them, either way they were going to find here.

TAG: Boo Chiyo | Leddie Gred | Matsu Ike | Dagos Terrek

Spoiler: Personal effects

"Vanguard" (Secondary - Long Handle)

"CONSERVATOR" (Primary - Long Handle)
HK-88 Robes, Battle Armor,Toraynor-Henkan(mind crystal added) Advanced Jedi Utility Belt
Starship: Spectre, (NC-1000 X-wing (Jedi Variant) in the hangar, Dilorian, and Bike both in the cargo bay, the late Karki Eusith's Armor, Shield, Temple Guard Lightsaber mounted on the wall)
Sanctuary Island

 

[Gir Quee]

Objective IV (BYOO): Establish an SJC Outpost
Location: Le'Roche, Krant

After walking several hundred more meters, the trio ended up bumping into their contact at the town square: Major Tomi ended up being a middle-aged roan-haired man with a pleasantly affable Mid-Rim accent. Gir briefly looked the man up and down as the other man struggled under Sariya's playful teasing. Barely met him, and you're already almost flirting with him? Leave it to Sariya to keep people off-balance though...He spared a brief glance at Ariela, but the HRD seemed just as engaged in analyzing the militia officer in front of them.

Tomi's cheeks turned crimson, "My uniform is not too tight..."

It wasn't, at least in Gir's opinion...

"Hmmm...if you say so," said the echani, "but looks pretty close to me. What do you think admiral?"

"It looks fine to me," said the blonde man, "but I'm no expert in style, just in general military regulations, at least from a Concord perspective."

"Thank you sir," said Tomi gratefully, before turning to gesture at a squat, duracrete structure on the shoreline, "now that we've got that out of the way, that is our garrison. Why don't we walk and talk about it...just so that there aren't any surprises."

Gir curtly nodded and managed to not frown. It seemed unwise to discuss any potential military information in public, especially as uniformed as the major was. Yet there was the alternative that he wouldn't tell them anything particularly sensitive, which in his mind, was almost a waste of time. Not only had the admiral read the base reports from the planetary defense force, but he had briefly looked at scans of the building from his own starship. Nothing suggested that the plainly named Le'Roche Garrison was anything particularly interesting: merely a gathering of old, prefabricated buildings surrounded by a several meter thick duracrete wall topped with a number of blaster cannons. SOmething suitable for withstanding light attacks from irregular light ground forces and maybe a small starship or two.

"I've been here around three years now, after transferring from the northern cities," started the army officer, "the soldiers of the battalion are all pretty much locals just doing short term stints, but the cadre is all professional and gathered from across the world."

"What about the garrison buildings themselves?" asked the admiral, "they look like they've been around for at least few decades."

"Almost a hundred years," admitted the major, "and not without a lot of changes either. But that said, we've kept them in really quite good shape. A lot of systems have been outright replaced over the years and fresh layers of duracrete added to just to make sure they won't fall apart."

"They look basic," quipped Sariya, "at least to my untrained eyes. But I'm no commander, not like you or the admiral here..."

"There's nothing wrong with being basic," protested Major Tomi.

 

[Leddie Gred]

Leddie looked up, sliding one of her Trayc’kal into its scabbard as she reached for his hand, pulling to get up before pulling her weapon again. She stuttered a bit, clearly not having a great time seeing all this.

“R-right. Worse before it gets better.”

Zak Dymo Caltin Vanagor Dagos Terrek Matsu Ike

 

[Gir Quee]

Objective IV (BYOO): Establish an SJC Outpost
Location: Le'Roche, Krant

As they approached the outpost, the admiral's respect and opinion of the outpost changed for the better. Up close, the walls seemed much taller and stout, and while the buildings that budded out from those walls still seemed small, they at least didn't appear to be dinky. It runs right into the nearby cliffs. That caused Gir to blink. While the observation seemed obvious - he had known the simple observation just from looking at holos - seeing it person opened his mind to other possibilities. The outpost's walls were big enough that they might easily conceal further workings into the cliffs themselves, which opened up a host of possibilities that wouldn't be immediately apparent to outside observers, whether they were friendly like Gir or hostile enemies. He forced himself to bite back asking that question while they were still in public.

The quartet passed towards the blast doors, under the watchful eye of a pair of sentries manning a heavy blaster cannon at the guard house. He doubted that the entourage would stand much of a chance against such weapon, as would any number of lightly armed or poorly trained foes, but he wondered just how strong that vantage point would be against a more militarized foe. Could it withstand the hit of a single artillery shell or missile? He doubted the guardhouse could unless it was protected by some yet to be seen defense like a deflector shield generator of some sort. Curious.

The blast doors slid open as they passed through the outpost's perimeter. A handful of soldiers walking the other way, apparently going off duty, abruptly and sloppily saluted the major before continuing into the city itself, making the man wonder if security was lax, or just the official military decorum. Some officers preferred to keep the decorum to a minimum just because of their own personal preferences, or sometimes they were just weak leaders who couldn't maintain higher levels of discipline. Which one it was made the man from Hast wonder even more.

Tomi briefly paused and halted.

"I apologize if you're more used to...shall we say official dress and pomp - it's not really our way here, nor have we really had a reason to do anything really more ceremonial in decades."

"I'm not missing it," quipped Sariya.

"She's awkward about it," testified Ariela, "probably more so about it than your men."

"That's a relief," smiled Tomi, "but I assure you, we are competent and motivated enough with our real duties - defending the city and our people."

 

[Matsu Ike]

Caltin Vanagor Leddie Gred Zak Dymo Aydin Daunson Dagos Terrek

The grandmaster continued forward... the trees going deeper and further but opening into caves and gashes in the dirt that went down. Like uncovered pits for trap spiders. She moved slowly but the others were within sensing distance and she had some of her jedi guards with her as one hand brought out her saber. One of them at least and she didn't activate it just slipped it into the loop for it on her belt. The sounds of others being dragged around the forest was there.. screams from below and the rocky dirt was more flesh like and twisted when she found a groove to head down leaving a beacon so they could locate her. The twisted and gnarled flesh solid and in screams like a horrible tapestry.

 

[Zak Dymo]

[ armor ] [ amphistaff ] [ short swords ]

“R-right. Worse before it gets better.”

"That's the spirit," the Pantoran deadpanned dryly.

The songsteel blades spun in the boy's hands, as the former Knight of Ren circled so that he and the Mandalorian were back to back as the insectoid mutants continued to close in around them.

He could possibly get a Force blast off for one or two, but it seemed as though these monstrosities had sheer numbers on their side.

Not at all unlike the vinterbound back home. But when Boo had dealt with that, he'd used a summoning ritual to try and level the playing field. But when that had happened, he'd had Theo and Audren Sykes to keep the enemy at bay while he'd pulled off the complicated spell.

In this situation, he didn't have that. Just an amphistaff that was trying to sleep off lunch and a Mandalorian he'd only just met at his back.

This was starting to sound like the opening to a joke.

He wasn't sure he wanted to hang around for the punchline if it was.

Dropping into a low stance, the boy adopted a Shien reverse grip on the blades as he steeled himself for the next wave. Watch. Observe. Reflect. Then come up with a strategy to react.

It was a First Order play, but right now it was the only one he knew to run with these odds.

 

[NPC's]

Zak Dymo Leddie Gred Caltin Vanagor

She listened... she waited and watched... the things ignored her they had no interest in something adult... this was a land of children and she spoke on the winds towards the Pantorean. "Run faster." She said it and cleared a path speaking in the black current to form a small tunnel as the things seemed to ignore and then there was the plop plop plop sounds of something falling out... the sacks of fleshy slurry were dropping to the ground. The sound of footsteps as one of the soldiers came running through the trees. The sounds of the slugthrower echoing before he stopped a moment and looked at more of the fleshy sacks dropping them with concentrated fire. Screeches all around and the small group who was with him were charging through the gore before one slipped. The Man getting her up and tearing his shirt off to compress the wound on her side before he went back to firing itno the woods to try and try attention away from the ones fleeing.

THe Valeyard looking on and moving as she made space for the boy and the mandalorian standing there and looking towards them in the distance.. the white flare of the force illuminating her visage for a moment before she was charging in deeper with a blade drawn. Crimson red and pulsing under her hands. The force itself opening a gash in the fleshy stone so they could go in deeper and the things were running around. Screams of others who were trapped and stuck to the floor under branches and rocks on their limbs. Another chained to the wall while gore spilled around and drained into the central pit.. a tide of fluids and flesh. "IF you can fight, start going after the things wanting to rip your face off and wear it not the children playing." She said it and her voice was cold... calm but looking at the dangerous things forming in the water where flesh formed into lumps and continued to grow to form humanoid shapes.

 

[Nathan Bloodscrawl]

Wearing: Interceptor Gear

Armed with: Old Mercenary Set

Mercenary Slugthrower

Spore B Stun Grenades (2)

C-14A Stun Grenade

Tent Supplies, Medpac, Food Supplies.

Objective: 1

A few weeks earlier...

He had been living in a shack on a deserted, ancient battlefield in Dantooine for weeks and weeks now, interacting with no one but the animals he caught for his food.

His memory was swiss cheese. He knew who he was. Where he had come from. He knew he had a wife but all he could remember about her was the pain of watching her die. Pain that ate at him. Haunted him.

Getting up from the meager mattress he had pieces together alone was a chore. He had to will himself to stay active. Will himself to not go back into death.

He didn't care about the passage of time. The long stretches of nothing between him struggling to feed himself. Inevitably, he came to the conclusion that he eventually must leave this dead place. So he at last bothered to pay attention to what was going on in the skies above.

Hs knew wherever, whenever he was, that the Gulag Plague was done. Way more sky traffic. More than he had seen in centuries. He felt no sense of awe or wonder, and no sense of hope as he looked at the starry night sky in its brillance.

He saw a combat shuttle approach in the distance. His lack of hope left him without fear.

He watched it touch down, grimaced as he saw what appeared to be Militia file out of it. About 14 to be exact. He didn't know who they worked for, and didn't care. He knew he wouldn't be able to hide. Their sensors had likely detected him.

He remained still in one corner of the shack, as the soldiers entered.

"Squatter..." one of them said. "Stand up."

He slowly stood up, hands in the air.

"Search him." The Leader ordered as lights were shined on an unkempt face. Dull green eyes didn't blink.

"He's clean, sir. Nothing. Not even ID."

"Are there any weapons in this shed, squatter?"

"There's a gun in that box on the shelf..." The unkempt man answered quietly in a gruff baritone. "Spear and Shield in the back room. Nothing else."

Wordlessly another soldier searched the box, another searching the back. The pistol, a long barreled Semi-Auto in forty-five caliber, with a large, powerful looking laser sight and a single clip of ammunition. It looked like it hadn't been used in a while.

The other Soldier retrieved the Spear and the Shield.

"Vibroweapons. Military Grade."

"They were in here when I found the place..." The Man said emptily.

The Leader glanced at the soldier near the weapons they had recovered.

"Spear and Shield are cheap. Discontinued Czerka products. Pistol is custom. No serial numbers. Electromag parts. Wookiee Stopper, but nothing you'd write home about. He smells clean. Rags are clean too. Place is tidy. Limited supplies, likely scavenged from that old battlefield nearby. But other than that. Nothing. Not even a single credit. He's destitute."

"Run his face, and his prints." The Leader said.

The unkempt man said nothing as his fingerprints and face were scanned.

"Sir..." the man who ran the scan said. "Nothing."

"He's got a clean record?" The Leader asked.

"Sir, I mean there is 'nothing'." The other Soldier repeated. "No record. Birth or otherwise. His prints aren't in the system. Not even his Face."

"They will be soon. Along with a name. What's your name, Squatter?" The Leader asked.

"Nathan." Nathan answered.

"Got a last name?"

"Bloodscrawl."

"Well, Nathan Bloodscrawl, we are here because we have gotten reports from locals of an unidentified man matching your description. Yet you don't seem to be registered in any Imperial database. At all. Gonna have to rectify that. Care to tell us where you're from?"

"Refugee." Nathan lied.

The Militia Leader's expression softened.

"Maw or Bryn'adul?"

"Maw..." he answered instinctively. "They fired on my ship, damaged its Hyperdrive. Ended up here after I bailed out. Escape Pod blew up after I crashed. Decided to stay."

"What planet did you flee?" The Leader asked.

"Empress Teta." he answered randomly.

The Leader sighed. "Nothing personal, friend. Just business. The Empire can't have an unknown in its borders."

"What happens now?" Nathan asked.

"We take you down to the local garrison, run your profile through ISB, see what comes up. Maybe they know something about you we don't."

"I'm a law abiding Civilian. All I do out here is hunt and sleep. If I was a criminal, I would have have a record. If I was a rebel, I'd be better armed and supplied. If I was a spy...I wouldn't be here." Nathan offered in his defense.

The expression on the militiaman seemed to waver.

"If I'm disturbing anyone, I'll try not to in the future."

The Leader's expression faltered.

"Besides...awful lot of paperwork for a nobody." Nathan offered.

The Leader sighed and shook his head.

"For what it's worth, I don't think you were out here hurting anyone. I hope you're on the up and up." The Leader spoke apologetically. "But there can be no unknowns, and it'd be a dereliction of duty not to report you. If your story checks out, perhaps you should think about applying for Imperial Citizenship. That way you can...do whatever it is you do out here in peace without any questions.

"I understand..." Nathan replied.

"If you come with us peacefully, you won't be placed in restraints."

"I have no intention of resisting..."

Nathan was led out to the combat shuttle, his confiscated weapons placed in the cargo section and the shuttle lifted off. They flew for about two minutes before the cockpit flashed a warning.

"Uh, we got a problem. We've got electrical failure in engine one..."

"How bad?" one of the soldiers asked. Nathan's grim expression didn't change, in-between two different soldiers.

The ship rocked.

"Bad!" the Pilot answered.

Certain control switches in the cockpit blew and the ship lost power and began to drop from the sky.

Nathan's expression didn't change, as he was thrown against the bulkhead. The breath left his lungs and he almost blacked out.

Still, as the shuttle went into a tailspin he was the only one who had enough of his bearings to leap to the cockpit, pulling the unconscious pilot to one side and getting in the seat, desperately hitting every switch he could think of to restart it, yanking back hard on the controls. His heartbeat didn't go above 70 beats per minute.

The console flickered back on and the engines turned back on seconds before the spin would have become terminal, the ship pulling away from the ground just before it would have smacked into the green plains.

Nathan turned to look at the Militia, his expression the same as it had been when they first saw him.

"I'm going to land now."

On the ground, the Leader of the Local Imperial loyal Militia unloaded Nathan's weapons and gave them to him.

He also gave Nathan 4000 credits, ordering his men to wipe their scans from the records.

"Listen Friend, I'm breaking every rule in the book doing this. But we owe you. I owe you. Take this money, and walk to a local space port about three clicks from here, North. Ask for a man named Elgoth. He owes me one. Tell him Holsbin sent you and give him all that money when you do. He'll take you anywhere you want to go. Out of the Empire if necessary. After that, your fate is your own hands." he said to Nathan.

Nathan accepted the credits. "Thank you."

"Eh, I wouldn't have been able to sleep tonight. ISB never lets anyone go until they get the truth. I dunno who you are...but I get the feeling that you wouldn't want to be in their custody long."

"Agreed." Nathan said, not elaborating.

"Start walking, Nathan Bloodscrawl. And no offense, but I hope I never see you again (KOTOR REFERENCE #5543444!: 7000 XP) . You won't get this lucky in Imperial territory twice."

With a nod, Nathan began walking North, his expression unchanged.

Present...

Krant was remote, forrested. That was why he had chosen it in the Gulag Era to hide stuff.

It wasn't much. An old C-70 Charger. A Portable Fusion Generator inside to provide emergency power. Still better than the shack.

He had picked up snippets of info on the trip here. Massive Wars. Massacres. Bloodshed. Insanity. Puppy Kicking.

Business as usual, in other words. At least there was no Plague.

Nathan didn't care to ask further. He had his own problems. He had his own battles. Ones he doubted would involve them.

His beard and hair were nearly trimmed now, having used an onboard garment fabrication unit and spare armor parts to create a copy of his old, pitch black biker gear. But he would need fuel or a power source if he wanted to leave Krant, which he did.

Nathan ventured out of his Charger to go looking. His transceiver had picked up other ships. Someone was up there.

He didn't care who they were, as long as they helped him get off Krant.

Nathan went venturing out of the Charger, hidden in an old armored hangar he had built during the Plague.

He grimaced as he saw corpses.

His heart beat, even as he came across bodies increasingly defiled, didn't raise above 70 bpm.

He just got ready.

Something inevitably leaped out. It was covered in mutated flesh.

He barely managed to get his shield up in time to block the attack, though its claws left marks on the curious livery of stars and bands emblazoned on its surface.

He backed off, keeping the flesh monster at bay with his spear. He poked at it, and it swiped back violently. But he kept jabbing at it, forcing it back before it pounced. He activated his Shield's vibro function and it's repulsorlift function and tossed it.

The Shield cleaved through the horrid beast, spilling rotting, fetid gore within everywhere. The Shield flew back into his hand just in time to let him block the deadly swipe of another flesh monster. This one he managed to impale through the chest, pinning it to the forest floor, using his vibro shield to behead it.

"Just once..." he remarked in a dull tone, like he was watching dust settle on a table.

"Just once I'd like to be able to avoid upsetting the locals."

He retrieved his spear.

"It really is unfortunate."

Nathan decided to see if anyone else was alive. He was not wanting to play hero...he had no taste for it anymore...but he wasn't a sociopath.

What would Lysandra think, him leaving the innocent to suffer?

Nathan went deeper into the woods...

Matsu Ike

Caltin Vanagor

Leddie Gred

Zak Dymo

Dagos Terrek

 

[Caltin Vanagor]

“The proverb says that Providence protects children and idiots. This is really true. I know because I have tested it.” - Mark Twain

Objective 1: Quiphoth​

What he was searching for was getting closer, the energy he was feeling was getting stronger. That was when he had heard some kind of noise coming in the opposite direction. It sounded like weapons fire coming from the village. They were in a clearing, he and Dagos, so for a moment, Caltin wanted to see if he could get a glimpse.

I’ll be back.

Using the Force to assist him, the big man leaped high into the air and just over the treeline. Caltin could not see exactly what was happening but he could discern that it was not good. Landing on the ground, he simply waved for Dagos to continue with him. It turns out that there was indeed a massive Terantatek, just like he had thought out here, but it looked to be corrupted somehow. Horribly corrupted to the point that it looked to be in pain. They had to keep moving until all signs pointed to the cave in front of them.

Inside the cave were hordes of children. Some were okay (physically) many were not, and the source of his searching was in here too.

Come with me if you want to live.

It took a few minutes, too many minutes but still, they were on their way out. The problem is that the Terantatek had found them.

Dagos… go… get these children out of here. I will buy you some time.

Looking at his Padawan dead in the eye.

They will not make it out of here without your help.


TAG: Boo Chiyo | Leddie Gred | Matsu Ike | Dagos Terrek

Spoiler: Personal effects

"Vanguard" (Secondary - Long Handle)

"CONSERVATOR" (Primary - Long Handle)
HK-88 Robes, Battle Armor,Toraynor-Henkan(mind crystal added) Advanced Jedi Utility Belt
Starship: Spectre, (NC-1000 X-wing (Jedi Variant) in the hangar, Dilorian, and Bike both in the cargo bay, the late Karki Eusith's Armor, Shield, Temple Guard Lightsaber mounted on the wall)
Sanctuary Island

 

[Gir Quee]

Objective IV (BYOO): Establish an SJC Outpost
Location: Le'Roche, Krant

There's no doubt that proper motivation can play a key role sometimes...but sometimes establishing consistent habits is even more important than simple elan. The man's eyes darted around the base as they entered its interior - looking for signs to see just what sort of force that Krant's defenders were. For the most part, things did look neat and orderly. The hallways were clear and the man did see that supply crates were neatly ordered in rows on shelves in at least one room that they passed. Equipment seemed to be slightly dated, but well reasonably well maintained. He didn't see soldiers trying to hide from them, nor did any of them appear to not be doing something productive. All of which was good start.

"When was the last time your people fought someone?" asked Sariya idly.

Her tone almost seemed innocent, though he doubted the probing intent behind the intruding question was shrouded from anyone. They were all too professional or experienced for that. Sariya seemed to be gunning to be the proverbial bad cop in the situation, yet Tomi seemed unoffended by her probing.

"Probably two decades ago, at least here at the base. It was a large pirate raid according to the archives involving several dozen starships, the largest of which was a Corellian blockade runner. We've had smaller incidents since then, but nothing that was all too troubling. I think we've personally hit the sweet spot. Enough incidents that we get the funding and people that we need, but nothing too dangerous or destructive."

"That sounds nice," agreed Ariela.

"You're pretty quiet admiral, maybe even more so than I thought you'd be, despite your reputation."

"I try not to judge until I feel like I know most of the situation, both internal and external. Of course, we all have blind spots."

"I feel like you're evading me."

"You have a more direct question or concern you'd like to discuss?" rebuffed the admiral.

 

[Leddie Gred]

Leddie stood there, now back-to-back with who she assumed was a Padawan. The Zabrak's was still shaking, and honestly she wasn't sure what to do here. Watching someone be... dragged in.... She started breathing heavily as she starting to fire at anything that tried to get close. She wasn't as accurate as use, her mind racing through everything. Could this place... change people? What would happen if she was caught, how would they stop these things, could she trust the jetii'ika (Little Jedi/Padawan)? She had to focus.... To try and not be killed by these things..... She'd really need to talk to her cousin and aunt about this, and she wasn't exactly excited for that.

Zak Dymo Matsu Ike Caltin Vanagor Dagos Terrek

 

[Nathan Bloodscrawl]

Nathan found and killed more of the fleshy, snarling abominations, using shield and spear in equal measure. He didn't use his pistol. He had only one clip.

The attacks grew more aggressive. More pronounced.

One particularly large variant came out of a nearby cave and charged, it's body riddled with horrible sores that bled pus.

Nathan took aim, and hurled his spear at its face...

...and the monster caught it, snapping it in two.

"Damn..." Nathan grumbled, his heart beat over 70 per minute only due to the physical exertion.

He at last drew his pistol, took aim, using the large, top mounted laser sight to assist his aim and opened fire, emptying the clip into it's face. It stopped to a dead slide on the ground a few meters from him. He immediately retrieved the pointy end of his snapped in half spear, noting the Vibro Electronics still worked.

More snarls. He ran, not because he was afraid, but because he was outnumbered. One tackled him and he just barely managed to get the shield up in time, it's swipes for vital parts scratching up the surface untill the claws threatened to shear through.

Nathan beheaded it with his broken spear, deflecting the next brutal attacks from another, backing off, not yelling in pain as he sustained a gash to his shoulder.

It leapt for him again and he cleaved across it with his damaged vibro shield and then ran again as more gave chase. He slew any that got close, until they started to withdraw. He heard the cries of pain elsewhere and saw a Jedi Knight surrounded by the things, fighting them off. The Lightsaber triggered burst of pain across his entire body as he remembered his death, before he rushed to the others aid, slashing into the surprised monsters very brutally, no grunts of exertion, no expression beyond the grim one that never left his face.

The Monsters fell dead at their feet, and the Jedi, who was more wounded than Nathan, breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank you, Master, I...wait...who are you?" the male Nautolan asked.

"Nathan." Nathan answered.

"Got a last name, Nathan?"

"Yes." Nathan answered (A Burt Reynolds reference in 2022?: 90 XP). He turned away from her, didn't elaborate, and walked away.

"Hey wait!" The Jedi called out. "Are you with the SJC?"

Nathan shrugged. The Jedi began to follow him.

"It was... fortuitous you came along when you did. They'd just about overwhelmed me. I'm Varzin. Gael Varzin."

"My name is still Nathan." Nathan replied in a voice devoid of mirth or warmth. "And I presume you are conducting some sort of operation in this area?"

Varzin frowned, off-put by the unnaturally cold demeanor as they walked through the dark woods.

"Yeah, there are children missing... what's it to you?"

"I want off this planet, but I don't have the fuel." Nathan replied bluntly. "Perhaps we can come to an arrangement. I help the Jedi with whatever is going on in these parts, you give me the fuel I need to leave."

"I...I think something like that can be arranged, yes. But what were you doing in this area?" Gael asked.

Nathan's head swiveled to Varzin, in an unnaturally slow and precise motion.

"You ask a lot of questions for a man who was almost monster chow."

Varzin decided to drop the questioning, creeped out beyond words by the calmness of his voice and the steely, unfeeling expression that seemed permanently stuck to his face.

He could sense his very strong presence in the Force, though, which was why he had mistaken him for a Master.

Whoever he was, he was someone to be watched...

Nathan heard monsterous roars ahead. A Tarentatek. Hs went slower, bringing up his shield, watching the heavily corrupted monster trying to corner Caltin Vanagor .

"Let's go give him some assistance before that beast slaughters those younglings..." Nathan said in a dispassionate tone, like he was painting a wall.

He ran forward with Gael, looking to try and sneak up on the beast to distract it from all those kids...

Leddie Gred

Dagos Terrek

Zak Dymo

Matsu Ike

 

[Matsu Ike]

Caltin Vanagor Leddie Gred Zak Dymo Aydin Daunson Dagos Terrek Nathan Bloodscrawl

The interior of the caves were not much better Twisted bodies, twisted faces... contorted in pain, in agony... wirthing fleshy arms grasping at the jedi master as she moved and didn't activate her saber yet... it was more tempting... the way down the holes had been worse... skulls... faces and more trying to move... stretched into a spiral as it was going up and up. From there she followed the bodies... the bodies that were being stretched impossibly long or was it art to something... the bones of the ribs there and spread as little creatures used them like hollows. THe mollusks seemingly aware but ignoring same with some of the moth lik things that flew around.

The sloshing of water as she came to a shore and could see more things there in the waters? She wasn't sure what to call the viscous slurry before her as things formed and moved below the surface... the snap-hiss of her blade was the first sound she recognized and it was followed by the blades of her other Ta-Ree jedi activating as the silver blade illuminated the area. Making things scurry away... making other things bare teeth and claw. SMall aabominations of flesh and teeth that screeched and were covered with green skin as they lept at the jedi and her blade went through them bisecting and sending them flying back into the wall.

THey kept moving only a little as from the slurry pinkish, fleshy crustacean composed of fleshy rings with hundreds of paired appendages scurried. Claws moving to pincer and grab while their heads were antennae. THeir blades moved as in the center she could make out the glow of flames and ritual. CHants echoing off of the cave walls as a swirling cloudy mass of stubby legs, mouths and dripping small parts of it that grow and are consumed or escape into the waters. Her stomach clenched watching it as the ancient sith chanting was something more dangerous but it wasn't a darkside cult of new these were red skinned and tall... hunched but still taller then most with their barrel chests and facial tendrils.

 

[NPC's]

Zak Dymo Leddie Gred Caltin Vanagor

Manny moved with the survivors getting through the crowds as they were making headway towards it. Several more were showing as a jedi master near them found some survivors in a cave and he went into a holding position motioning towards the group. "Go with them, the jedi can help." He motioned for them to follow while pulling an explosive from his belt while still firing into something... large and slug like that was moving slowly through the trees and towered over them. it was being attacked by another and something was massive behind it. The corrupted monkey thing with a humanoid head and large maw got a look of "You ugly son of a..." Shouts were heard as it charged grabbing trees and swinging them. Manny ducked down and tried to dodge as one of the trees smacked into his side sending him into another and he was grabbed looking at a massive eye on the shoulder of the beast... then tossing the grenade into the largest maw when it opened and slammed down on his leg.

The Valeyard continued as she saw the edge of the sea... things were worse then she had thought and she could see it there in the center of the waters... thick and heavy with what they called the darkside while she stood there with the crimson blade in her hand. One of the creatures coming close to her before she slashed into it and observed two things... one... the things that died still moved and two the bisected parts were slithering to the edge of the pool and forming into a larger shape... a humanoid form with thick intestines and arms for her body as well as sinew for hair... twisted knots of flesh forming a face as it looked with black eyes and light was around the chamber from lightsabers more then anything else.

 

[Gir Quee]

Objective IV (BYOO): Establish an SJC Outpost
Location: Le'Roche, Krant

Major Tomi eyed him curiously, "Yes, actually, but not here."

The krantian soldier abruptly turned, giving a brief moment for Gir to exchanged glances with Ariela and Sariya before the group tread deeper into the outpost. Verbal skirmishes weren't uncommon, especially among new power brokers and influencers trying to size the other up. Yet Gir couldn't quite help but notice the disparity. While Major Tomi undoubtedly had some considerable influence on the planet, it didn't seem wise to potentially irritate a high ranking officer of a large galactic power. The quartet soon passed through a maze of corridors, doors, and a short turbolift ride before they arrived in an underground rectangular room crammed full of comscans, computer consoles, and a single holo-tank that dominated the center of the room. He briefly eyed some of the consoles. This looks a lot like those old rebel base commander centers in the holo-archives...Kind of limited from a modern perspective, but capable of at least fulfilling the basic functions. His eyes began to look at the console displays a little bit more carefully.

"I can tell you everything, you know," offered Tomi quietly, "you don't have to look at the consoles trying to figure everything out."

Ariela briefly peered down at the holo-tank before looking back up, "I'm impressed that you have sensors monitoring not only the air, but the sea as well."

"There's practical reasons for that," said the major, "half of our funding comes because we can do more mundane...governmental tasks. Monitoring fishing fleets and sending out rescue teams if a watercraft comes into trouble."

Gir briefly scanned one console screen before turning to make eye contact with the Krantian officer, "Speaking as a fellow officer, sometimes you have to do what you can to keep the bureaucrats happy."

"Yes," sighed Tomi, "surviving budget cuts and the like, but it does detract from what I think the outpost's original intent, or at least, the original intent of my unit: to protect Krant. Not a lot of time or money has been spent on actual combat capabilities."

Sariya quickly chimed in, "It says here you have a whole half dozen blaster cannons and two missile launchers."

"Exactly," said the major , turning to the admiral, "There are starfighters and gunships that have more power than the fixed weapons of our base. And that's why I have asked you to come here. What can I do to make things better in your professional opinion admiral? Or what aid can I get for it through the Silver Jedi?"

 

[Caltin Vanagor]

“The proverb says that Providence protects children and idiots. This is really true. I know because I have tested it.” - Mark Twain

Objective 1: Quiphoth​

Did Caltin need help against this twisted Terantatek? Maybe.

Did he want help? Not really.

Was he welcoming any of it, especially from Jedi? Not at all.

It wasn’t that the big man was “ungrateful”, not at all. However he was more concerned about getting those younglings to safety. There was something out there holding them, and it was most assuredly linked to this beast in front of him, so when Vanagor saw Gael Varzin approaching with another individual looking to join the fight, he frowned.

That was all that the Terantatek needed to make a move as it bounded towards the massive (by human standards) Jedi Master and lunged. However while he was distracted momentarily, he was not in any real kind of distress just yet. Sprinting and sliding in between the Dark Side Corrupted beast’s legs, he felt his throat beginning to constrict violently. This animal was not only corrupted, he was imbued with the Force and intelligent enough to know how to use it.

Reaching and pulling through the Force (his “Electro-Force” as he calls it, as everything he does is enveloped in some form of electrical power) Caltin pulled a large tree branch down upon the head of his foe. It would do little more than ring the monster’s bell, but that was enough to break the hold and Caltin could commit to a cold reset.

Switching to a reverse grip, the big man spoke loudly. Loud enough for the others to hear, but his eyes and attention directly on the Terantatek in front of him.

I am more concerned about getting those younglings to safety, but if you are going to stay here. Then know that this thing is intelligent.

“Yoouuu have no iddeeaaa…. Jedi…” They all could hear the ancient tone and language through the Force.

Well, that is interesting.

I don't know who you are, or what might be posessing you to do this, but those younglings are innocent. You will not get your prize through them.

TAG: Boo Chiyo | Leddie Gred | Matsu Ike | Dagos Terrek | Nathan Bloodscrawl

Spoiler: Personal effects

"Vanguard" (Secondary - Long Handle)

"CONSERVATOR" (Primary - Long Handle)
HK-88 Robes, Battle Armor,Toraynor-Henkan(mind crystal added) Advanced Jedi Utility Belt
Starship: Spectre, (NC-1000 X-wing (Jedi Variant) in the hangar, Dilorian, and Bike both in the cargo bay, the late Karki Eusith's Armor, Shield, Temple Guard Lightsaber mounted on the wall)
Sanctuary Island

 

[Dagos Terrek]

“Bet.” Dagos said, serious as a heart attack. He was gonna get these kids out. He had too.

“Be careful, Cal.” Dagos told his Master, coming just short of wishing The Force to be with him.

“Come on younglings. Those of you who can walk help the ones who can’t.” he told them with surprising authority. “My name is Dagos. You can call me Dag if you want. I’m gonna help you get home. Don’t worry about that thing any more.” He said, indicating the Tentarek. “My Master has got that chit handled and I’m gonna keep ya’ll safe, I promise. Now let’s go.”

It was not quick going as Dagos and a group of more than a dozen younglings tried to backtrack through the chithole of a forest. Between the youngest of them being barely old enough to walk and more than a few being less than wholly healthy but they made their way step by step when suddenly something burst from the ground. The children all let out high pitched blood boiling screams.

“I got you!” Dagos yelled to the children trying to calm them. He squared his shoulders, bent his knees and formed a strong base for using the broken gate fighting technique. The monster scuttled disgustingly, spit flying from snapping jaws as it came after him. Dagos showed no fear only competence as he launched a kick that sent the creature flying through the air and crashing hard into a tree with a crunch. It lay broken on the floor of the forest and Dagos turned with a smile to face the children.

Another creature burst from the ground and there was another chorus of screams. His voice was one of them as he was dragged to the ground by two of the monsters.

“Oh chit! Oh chit!”

His mind flashed back to when he was pinned under a drooling snapping evil Bryn creature. He’d lost his hand in that encounter and hadn’t had a nightmareless sleep since then. Panic filled every part of him as hands or claws or whatever pulled and tugged at his body seeking purchase to pull him under the dirt and into the dark forever. Panic would not serve him however. It clouded his focus, made his connection to The Force strained and shaky. He needed to find peace in the chaos, calm in the fear. Should be easy right?

He did not push the fear away, that wasn’t his game, no instead he chose to live inside it.

This was no different than whipping that speeder way too fast in the shadowlands or the time we got shot at by hijackers while also whippin way too fast. Same fething thing. Heart pounded then too but we did the thing. That's what he told himself as he tried desperately to not think of his rent and torn flesh from the last encounter with monsters.

Dagos slapped the palms of his hands down behind himself into the dirt and with an assist from The Force pushed off and launched himself up into the air, did a front tuck and landed safely on his feet, earning a few appreciative gasps from the younglings he was escorting. He turned just in time to see the creatures pulling themselves from the ground.

Feth that.

Back in his Broken Gate stance Dagos launched two of his most lethal force punches he could muster. The monsters stood no chance. Dead before they had a chance to scream.

The younglings cheered. The group pressed on. This wasn’t over yet.

Caltin Vanagor Matsu Ike Zak Dymo Leddie Gred Nathan Bloodscrawl

 

[Milla Caranthyr]

She could hear the whispers in her head. Dark and cold, they gave promises of power and more as she rested here in this place. But where was here? Here is where she was curled up like she was in an egg, although....it didn't hold the same feeling of safety. A darkness pressed in on her from all sides in whatever she was trapped in. The whispers only growing louder and more persistent as her mind slowly began to wake. Why was she here? How did.....ah, now she was beginning to remember. Krant, that was the place right? People had gone missing, but why? Focusing on her thoughts was difficult do the constant whispering to her, and it was growing irritating. Something primal in the back of her mind shifted, pushing the voices further away for now.

Apparently the voices didn't like being pushed around. They growled in anger and demand her to bow to its command. Pushing back hard with the darkside of the force, trying to break her will. That was a mistake. Milla growled back in challenge. Her ancestors were dragons and their blood ran thick in hers. Even as primal and wild as they were, they could be prideful to a fault and they bowed to no one they deemed unworthy, especially voices demanding them to bow. Instinct pushed her forward to meet this challenge head on. She stoked the inner flames that coursed through her, her body temperature soared with each passing second. Breathing in, she gathered all that stored up energy, then....

Sitting at the base of a tree was an egg sack of sorts, created by the twisted forms of Sith alchemy. Designed to turn normal beings into monsters. Well....most anyway. The side of the egg sack exploded outward as a ball of orange fire rocketed out of it. The orange ball collided with a mutant before slamming both into a tree in a violent display of fire. From the newly formed hole in the egg stumbled out a small figure. Milla dropped to her knees as steam rolled off her superheated body. Fresh air filled her lungs and cleared her mind, but the primal urge to face her challenger remained strong. Above her, mutants screamed in anger at her sudden appearance, appearance. Or was it because she had escaped the egg? Either way, even with her senses somewhat dulled at the moment, she could tell these monsters held the same dark energy as the whispers that challenged her.

The mutants wasted little time in sizing her up, but rather charged down the tree recklessly. Milla gave a low feral growl at the direct assault these beasts were taking. Her body temperature began to rise again as her inner fire roared to life. The primal part of her made Milla a little more feral right now as her dragon ancestry sang out its excitement for the battle ahead. With a scream of anger, one of the mutants closed in to strike Milla, that was its last mistake. Milla breathed in deep before releasing a torrent of flames from her mouth. The mutant was engulfed by the wall of flames that roared like a jet engine. All behind said mutant was caught in the hellish flamethrower, every mutant that came down to challenge Milla, the boughs of the trees, even mutants that had stayed high above. Everything caught within the intese heat was set ablaze. The ones one fire began to fall from the trees to the ground below, those not with range quickly backed away from the fire and screamed out their protests in anger.

Milla let out a slow breath as the flames she breathed ceased. Smoke lazily drifted out from between her bared fangs as she watched the large bonfire above her disperse her foes. They wanted this fight, and now she would do what dragons do when challenged. She would drive them into the ground, crush them, render them to ash. The mutants behind the wall of fire still screamed at her. Using the force, she roared back at them in a voice that sounded to loud and to primal for someone as small as her. This was a challenge and a warning for any who got in her way. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed something. Her attention turned to where a young Mandalorian and a Pantoran stood. She hadn't noticed them before, but they also seemed to be fighting the mutants. So were they friend or foe?

Leddie Gred
Zak Dymo

 

[Matsu Ike]

The churning waters continued to come as Matsu had managed to regroup with her Ta-Ree jedi... their blades lighting up the area as it was still a vicious circle around them. the mutated creatures scrambling around and fearful... large things were coming from the depths and in the center she could see something... you could practically feel it in the air itself like a weight down here. Her hand shooting out as she pointed and one of the jedi moved holding her blade at the ready and ran at the grandmaster... Matsu focused on her and moved her blade in a slace as she went towards the shore and the blade gleamed with the spells making a crescent shape... and then there was another one in the distance mirroring it.. the jedi jumping through and slashing as she came out into one of the things moving aaway. SHe was able to hold her own as she popped a barrier of force energy and they could judge the distance better.

 

[Leddie Gred]

Leddie continued to shakily fire, getting a lucky shot here and there, but clearly not having he head in aiming. She just wanted to get out of…. Then someone come out of one of those sack things. And quickly started to fight the mutants. Was she not one? Was she a friend? A foe. The Zabraktook a breath, nodding to the girl as she tired to move, only to have one of those mutant things grab her leg. Leddie finally couldn’t help it, and screamed out.

“Ah! Get off get off get off! No no no!” She started kicking at it, just hoping it would let her go.

Zak Dymo Matsu Ike Milla Caranthyr