Public Marooned On Mustafar

[Zephyra Kárvuna]

Zephyra sat in co-pilot seat of their Jedi Zodoh Twin-Seater Star Fighter which was on its way to Mustafar. The Local Mustafarians had called for aid over the aggression of The Blackguard, a band of zealots who used the dark side and were attacking The Miners. Zephyra was excited, Master Von Tzur had petitioned The Council to make this her Final Trial, to face The Dark Side and become a Jedi knight.

The Padawan Learner fiddled with her apprentice braid, the locks a reminder that this would be her last mission under Master Tzur who had become a father figure to her. The comms came alive,
“We will be making the jump to Mustafar. Remember your training, we are Keepers of the Peace, if we can pacify The Blackguard by means other than arms, we will.”

Zephyra replied on her head set which had copper metal clamps on her forwhead.

“Yes, Master.”

The Jedi Master looked over at His Padawan through the glass,
“You are uneasy. That is to be expected. So much pressure on your shoulders. Forget The Trials, Knighthood, and preformance. Instead focus on the moment, what matters is that we tend to this situation with clear minds.”

Zeph chimed back,
“Yes, Master.”

Master Tzur looked at her as they approached a lightspeed gateway,

“I have not been honest..”

Zephyra looked at him intently.

“I feel a disturbance in The Force.. and back on Coruscant I consulted a Seer.”

Zeph blinked,
“What did they see?”

Returning his gaze to the gate his face became mournful,
“Death..”

Omens were usually ignored by Jedi, “always in motion is the future,” said a sage Jedi Master of Yore. And yet mystics had a pulse beat in The Force, and Master Tzur paid them heed.

The Twin Seat Starfighter clamped on to the Great Ring and made the jump into Hyperspace. A trail of white stars bidding them to the molten world that was infamous for being a place of transformation as much for the Dark as the Light. That alone disturbed Master Tzur, that this planet had been where the greatest tyrant of history was truly forged, Darth Vader. His hope was that his guidance would help keep Zephyra on The Narrow Path of Ashla. That is why the omen of the Seer unsettled him so.

The Jedi Starfighter came out of Lightspeed above the great orb of orange, red, and black. It descended towards The Mining Facility poised above the Falls of Lava that fell into the depths of valley below of black rock.

The Twin Seater landed on a plateform where tall figures in gray and black jumpsuits, with masks that connected via tubes to back packs approached. At the front was one with a chrome helm who bowed his head.

“Welcome Jedi. It is not without great reluctance we summon your help. The Blackghouls have sabatoged another Mining Facility on the border of their territory. Their magic is too powerful for us.. so we have called another magic to meet it.”

Master Tzur in his brown robe nodded as he crossed his arms.
“Have there been casualties?”

Zephyra stayed close to the side of her Master, she did not opine or inquire, she let her Master dialouge with locals as she observed and examined with her gray eyes the great facility, she saw black marks across the sides of the outer walls, a sign of a lightsaber. Which meant this enemy was trained in the Jedi Arts of Saber Combat.

“There has been thirteeen deaths, and we have forty wounded from a attack on our mobile stations at the falls.”

Master Tzur combed his bearded chin with his olive skin hand.

“What are their numbers?”

The Mustafarian Chief Miner said,
“Legion.. too many to count.”

Master Tzur sighed and said,
“We will do what we can, give me a moment with my Apprentice.”

The Jedi Master and Padawan stepped aside.

“Thoughts?” asked Master Tzur.

Zephyra remained stoic in her expression as she spoke softly,
“There are marks of an attack here, which they said nothing about, and the uncertainty of the enemy number is a factor.. we should call for reinforcements.”

The Master crossing his arms and nodded.

“Return to the ship and contact The Temple. I will continue to make inquires, and perhaps learn more.”

Zeoh nodded as she headed to the Starfighter, opening the glass cockpit and sitting down in the seat as she sent a signal which bounced, and seemed to not land anywhere. She tried another frequency, and the same echo came back to her. This either meant the planet was interfering with the signal or something was jamming it. Getting out she headed towards her Master who turned and she whispered in his ear,
“Communications are jammed. Whither by the atmospherics or something else, I do not know Master. I suggest we leave and make contact in orbit.”

Master Tzur nodded and said,
“Prime the engines, I’ll be along in a moment.”

Zeph headed back to the ship when she found that nose was sliced off with amber ring of burning molten marks that faded to black. She reached for her lightsaber hilt and ignited a larimar blue blade and shouted,
“Master!”

A Black Robed Figure leapt from the shadows of the craft and snapped a red blade to life as it hissed, Zeph parried its thrust and could hear a faint noise like a growl or hiss that was continuous like a chant as it engaged her. The Padawan parried and with both hands on her hilt she cut at the helm of the Blackghoul, which it blocked, and then kicked her in chest, throwing her on the hood of the noseless ship. The Marauder leapt into the air and dug its blade with both hands, the tip coming down like a tent spike, which Zeph rolled to evade, it cutting asunder her Paddie Braid, pinning it to haul of the ship for a moment. The Black Guard recovered for another flurry when a emerald saber blade swept through its lower torso and it split in half collapsing into its black cape, the figure shrieked, and Master Tzur stabbed his blade into its head, ending its misery.

Zephyra picked up her braid, and held it in her palm while she kept her saber already, humming. Master Tzur checked her,
“Are you alright?”

Zeph nodded,
“But the ship..”

The Jedi Master sighed,
“Will need repairs. Well the hope of diplomancy seems moot now. We must default to agressive negotiations Zephyra. If you see one of these Blackghouls as the locals call them, do not hesitate, you do we die.”

The Apprentice took her severed braid and tied it in loop around her hilt as she said, “Yes, Master.”

The Two Jedi returned to Mustafarians with lot blades.

“Did you know about this ambush?” asked Master Tzur the Chief Miner.

“The Marauders can be anywhere Master Jedi. They venture far beyond the border. I admit I should have warned you.”

Master Tzur raised his brown eyebrow.
“Is there anything else we should know?”

The Chief shook his head.

“Very well, we will need parts for repairs,” said Master Tzur.

The Chief nodded.

“Come inside, more of them may be about.”

Zeph deactivated her saber only after her Master did. She felt The Mustafarians were hiding something. This entire affair felt like a trap, that they had been summoned to be butchered. But why? The Black Guard were believed to be an ascetic dark side cult that was content to dwell on Mustafar and stay out of the politics of the galaxy. Why would they play this game? Why isolate two Jedi on their world? None of this made sense. The facts were they were marooned on Mustafar, and without an ability to signal The Council or leave meant they had to trust The Force, which despite her training did not come easy, perhaps this was The Will of Ashla, that she learn to trust The Force.

 

[Lucretia Lister]

Wearing: Liar's Flesh

Armed with: Dauntless Blade (x2)


The tall, fair skinned woman with a shock of blonde hair, clad in an unusually reflective silver catsuit oversaw the whole commotion from a rangefinder from a distant overlook on the rocks.

The elderly but well built and athletic warrior, not prone to being callous or apathetic, put away her range finder. She had been exploring the ancient ruins of its people, seeking adventure.

She was no slouch in the Force herself, and wanted to help if she could, so she had ended her meditative retreat (Curiously, she couldn't remember exactly how she had gotten here) and began the journey to help them, not noticing parts of her silver suit had been scorched somehow.

She approached slowly, her two swords slung in sheaths over her back in an X pattern.

"Hey out there!" she called out, waving her hands in a placating manner. "Don't shoot! I'm here to help!"

Zephyra Kárvuna

 

[Zephyra Kárvuna]

The Jedi Master and His Apprenrice were about to enter the Mustafarian Facility when a cry came from not too far away. Master Tzur looked at a figure approaching in silver. Zephyra tightened her grip on his saber hilt, her eyes watching this Stranger with all the grace of a Nexu.

Master Tzur turned to Chief,
“Do you know this person?”

The Chief paused and said,
“All manner of folk come to our world, we tend to keep ourselves out of their affairs.”

The cryptic response of The Chief made this all the more concerning. But deciding to gamble, The Jedi Master went out to meet this New Arrival,
“We will not shoot, we are Jedi.”

Zeph joined his side and awaited the approach of this unusually attired being. They held blades which made her snap hers to life, giving its light blue light that bathed her stoic face. Her Master did not rebuke this caution, but kept his hand ready to draw his own weapon from his belt. So far everything that had transpired had been one catastrophe followed by another, so caution was warranted.

“You may approach, no harm will come to you.”

TAG: Lucretia Lister

 

[Lucretia Lister]

"Thank you for your patience..." Lucretia called out, lowering her hands.

"My name is Lucretia Lister. I'm an explorer on Mustafar. I saw you were attacked. And that you didn't immediately leave afterwards...is your ship damaged? I have one in working order--"

There was a war cry in the distance, as over a dozen of the warriors that attacked Zephyra Kárvuna and her master descended on their location. And this time, two more black robed figures armed with red lightsaber blades were leading them.

Lucretia drew her blades on instinct as the first of the armored warriors came near her, and gutted two before she was set upon with furious attacks by one of the red blades warriors.

Lucretia revealed her knowledge of form two, weaving it into her sword work, being driven back as much as she wanted before she tricked him into overcommiting a swing, side stepped and beheaded him in a spurt of blood, before charging into another warrior and crashing her blades into his.

Lucretia didn't know what she had walked into but she intended to make sure her attackers weren't walking away...

 

[Zephyra Kárvuna]

Zeph holding her blade ready eyed The Lady who offered her ship. This was suspect, their ship damaged and now a Stranger offering them succor with their own ship. This was confirmed as a carvan of the Blackguard emerged with a cry and charged.

The Womab had identified herself as an Explorer, and gave a name. And yet the Padawan Learner kept one eye on her as the tumult of combat commenced. Master Tzur snapped his emerald blade to life and closed ranks around Lucretia Lister and cut at the one of the Maraunders who’s blades met his. Zephyra came to her Master’s sixde and helped repel several Blackghouls, their blades dipping into the dark robes, when one leapt into the air and drew a knife, and moved as if water itself, around their strokes. This Trinity Assassin had the dark side as its ally as it slash as Zeph across her collar bone, and she winced as a scar of green appeared. The Master Jedi pointed his empty palm and caste a funnel wave of Force energy like the wind that threw the Assassin on its back as he leapt tp drive his blade in its chest.

The Mustafarians grabbed mining spades, poles, and cutters to join the fray. The Two Jedi and The Lady had given them courage, and the Black Offensive was held, one Miner beat one Marauder with pokes making them fall down like a pool of shadow as they bludgeoned him. There was an appetite for gore, as Miners assailed their Tyrants.

Zephyra spun her larimar blace aroubd to cut the helm of another Blackghoul who fell as sparks flowed from its croen of iron. The field was ringing loud with the crackle of sabers and clanging of metal, as combatants collided.

Zephyra kicked one Blackghoul towards Lucretia to dispatch with her twin blades if she so pleased. She still watched the Lady with an air of distrust, and yet she could not ignore that she hewed down the enemy with great skill and grace. This was moment to adopt, “the enemy of my enemy is my friend.”

 

[Zephyra Kárvuna]

The Black Guard began to retreat up on a level of lava rock above the ensuing battle, one of them in Black Mantels and starring with its metallic visor looked at its feet and felt it. A fissure was beginning to open, The Elite Wilder reached with both hands and called to the power of the Darkness, causing the a flute to open and the magma to flow. Zephyra was lost in her cartwheel of cuts, the exhilaration of tilting with the enemy had dulled her senses to the danger about to burst forth. She spun in a circle, her larimar blue blade sparking bounced off garnet blades and maces, when the lava flow flew out like a great water main bursting. The hot magma fell upon The Padawan, her Master Tzur reached out with both hands dropping his saber, causing two Marauders to stab him in on both sides.

Emerging from a cauldron of fire and steam was Zephyra who shrieked from the pain, her chest covered in burning coals of flesh and her neck down to her back waist like scales of hot iron in the fire. She saw the two Blackghouls striking her Mastee and she commanded raised both up, their metal visor bending down to their necks as it closed around like links of a squeezing chain till both necks made a loud snap and were tossed to the volcanic ground.

Master Tzur fell on his knees, looking at his Apprentice, blood trickling down his chin from the edge of his mouth. One of Black Guardsmen seeing this scene, their visor focused on The Master as he looked at His Apprentice.

Zeph approached in wake of burning hail fire falling with her steps as she came to her Master. He fell and she caught him with black scaly arms with fissures of orange flame, her eyes like amber of fire. He coughed as he looked at her, raising his gloved hand to her still perfect cheek.

“Zeph.. your final lesson.. the dark.. is.. inside..”

With that her Master let out a deep breath and it was clear He was gone.

The Black Guard began to form a circle around her as Zephyra held her dead Master. Letting out a cry she began to command lava to rise like rain into air, coming to surround them like a wave poised to fall, when a Black Guard struck her across the head, knocking her unconscious. Two Wilders came and took her away as the suspended surf of magma fell. This Black Guard closed the eyes of the Jedi Master, and bowed his helmed head in reverence then rose up as he joined his Brothers.

 

[Zephyra Kárvuna]

Zeph awoke inside a a structure of onyx, the pain that flooded her senses was so severe she let out screams. Outside was The Blackguard who had given her Master some reverence. He came inside ro see her thrashing on the floor cot, her back and chest burning as hot coals in a stove. Using the knowledge of the dark side, he entered her mind and said,
“This will pass. Rest.”

Drifting back into unconsciousness her skin cooled as her burnt chest rose and fell. It was upon this serene moment that The Blackguard returned to brethren outside who whispered,

“She should have been left to die.”

“She is a grave threat..”

“End her now Rune!”

The Blackguard stirred at this name and replied,
“I shall go and see The Oracle. She will know what destiny this Outsider deserves.”

They all whispered amongst themselves.

Rune went near the Great Magma Falls, the lava falling over the great cliff into a river of orange and yellow and red. Beneath it was hollowed out mouth of a cave, where veins flame like roots lead the way inside. There a Elderly Lady in black mantels held a grail dish which she poured some steaming water in. Her eyes were heavy with the weight of wisdom and time as ahe took notice of Rune,
“You have come once more.. seeking council about The One who suffers so..”

Rune nodded his helmed head ad he bowed on both knees.

“What am I to do Prophetess?”

She turned and smiled,
“Prophecy is a dangerous art. The Great Power reveals much, though it be shadows and echoes of the reality. Only glimpses to the blind, and like those without eyes we make little sense of those brief moments of sight.”

Rune remained patient, he ws accustom to these homilies of the Holy Maid.

“You care for her.. that much is certain and it will be your undoing as all love undoes us all.”

Rune rustled,
“I hardly know her.. love is forbidden in our community.”

The Oracle laughed,
“You can hide behind the mask, but the Power betrays you, it stirs around those with strong feelings.”

Rune bowed his head,
“What must I do?”

The Holy Maid sighed,
“If you wish to save your Cult, caste her over The Great Fall. If you wish to save her.. you will take her place.”

Rune bowed his head to the riven rock floor. The Prophetess placed her hand on his shoulder,
“Or you could charter a ship and both of you get off world.”

Rune raised his head up to her. The point was clear, he would have to make his own decision, and face the consequences. The Oracle was not going to influence him.

 

[Ashka Tamas]

Ashka had come to the Molten Mud Pit to find some treasures. Castle Vader was the crim de la cray, though likely picked over by cultists. Still The Dark Jedi woukd try, often the greatest trinkets were not found due to painstaking trouble to hide them. Descending form his ramp of the Graverobber, he grabbed a spade, and began his march towards the Fortress of the Famous Sith Lord.

Ashka in his silver helm looked at the smoking mountains. The place was raining ash, the thick black flakes falling in his orange cape and robes. The Castle was quite a walk, and when he arrives”d, to his suprise there was Storm Troopers. How was there an Imperial Remnant here? Among the troopers was one with armor that denoted a lady, who upon seeing him approached drew a blaster.

“Halt! Tresspasser!”

Several Stormies raised thier blaster rifles and pointed the barrels at Ashka who lowered his shovel.

The Graverobbin Dark Jedi said,
“Long live the Empire!”

Some of troopers looked at each other in their white bucket helmets. Then raising his hands they flew up into air lwtying out a panicked cry (Wilhelm Scream). The Lady Trooper opened fire, to which Ashka dropped and rolled, and taking up his saber hilt ignited the amber blade to meet another rain of bolts. He then rushed at her and attempted to use his arm to take herd down by the neck, when she grabbed his arm and tossed him over her shoulder, knocking off her helm to reveal long flowing blond hair.

Ashka looked up at her on the flat of his back.

“Well hello there..”

She placed her boot on his neck and pointed his pistol at his head.

“Move an inch and I’ll aim low..”she pointed barrel below his waist.

The Dark Jedi replied,
“This is hot.”

She persed her lips and gave a look of disgust.

Ashka continued,
“No really.. this ground is hot. May I get up?”

He held out his hands, to which she motioned the barrel and held out her free hand.

“Hand over the laser sword.”

The Dark Jedi gave it to her.

“You try anything again, and I’ll kill you, got it?”

Ashka nodded,
“Yes Ma’am.”

She clinched her teeth,
“That’s Commander to you!”

Ashka held out his hands,
“Yes Commander.”

He was then escorted by the two Troopers who he had thrown across a great bridge of lava rock, on the walls was more Bucket Heads. The Commander kept her pistol close to back of his head as he was taken inside.

Inside was an entire battalion of Troopers all standing at attention with rifles, and others marching up and down stairs and through hallways.