Mechanical Introduction Thread

[Xena Amonali]

Watching [member="Trextan Voidstalker"] and [member="Taheera Sollo"] jump over the barrier the young girl sighed heavily to herself. "So much for sticking together," she thought before going and jumping over the cylinder as well, sliding down next to the two.

"You know we were supposed to stick together... Though it is better that we stick in a group of three then a group of two." Her soft voice echoed a bit down the barren hallway. "What do you think it is?" She left the question up in the air for the other two, slipping her DC-15s blaster pistol into her hands, her thumb quickly flicking it to the stun setting. The soft sound of the blaster charging itself hummed in addition to the normal creaks and groans of the facility.

The area ahead of them looked a bit dark, with the lights flickering in and out. Small sparks dropped down from exposed wiring in the ceiling, landing on small puddles of water. Each flash, each spark, they all lit the corridor ahead of them with an eerie mix of blue and yellowish light. Considering the conditions, Xena slipped her ultraviolet glowrod into its holder on her satchels strap, flicking it on. Thanks to her being a firrerreo the whole area ahead of her lit up for her. To the others it may seem dark still unless they were able to see in the ultraviolet range. Anything that would normally glow thanks to the ultraviolet light would be glowing, if there was anything.

"We have a few ways we could go.. looks like there is a service corridor up to the left that runs also down to our right. I can't see way up ahead, though I think the rest of this corridor leads deeper," a small frown going onto her face. Whatever had been here, it may have scampered down the other pathways. During the whole decision process, Xena was sensing around herself with the force for really any anomaly, not liking the situation one bit.

---

| [member="Trextan Voidstalker"] | [member="Taheera Sollo"] | [member="Elmont Block"] | [member="Azna Kahn"] |​

---

 

[Winter Ardmore]

Other than a few encounters here and there Winter had never actually done any combat training other than on stage, which, to be honest, wouldn't be much use. She hadn't gone on any other missions either. Other than her saber, her not-very-strong Force power and her tiny martial arts skill set, she was kind of defenseless. Yeah, she'd have to team up too. She looked around at who was left.

She looked at [member="Azna Kahn"] and [member="Elmont Block"].
"The three of us can stick together," she said after a pause, gesturing vaguely. "We need to scan the area." She had no idea what she was saying. It sounded cool, and that was good enough.
Waiting to see their reactions, she started onwards, moving strategically as she looked around. Nothing of note, yet.

[member="Xena Amonali"] | [member="Lokthra Dawning"] | [member="Alexandra Morrow"] | [member="Jacen Voidstalker"] | @D'vok Windroamer | [member="Taheera Sollo"] | [member="Trextan Voidstalker"]

 

[Elmont Block]

Elmont sighed…audibly. His attempts to go it alone fell at the first hurdle as a helpful Padawan decided to rope him into a team of three. Winter? He was sure that was the name he’d picked up. And the other was Azna.

He had the feeling he’d been chosen as the least bad of a poor bunch. Not that he minded. His general Force abilities had lapsed over the past few years, but he still knew how to wield a saber and carried a borrowed blade that had served him well enough on a couple of missions.

This Winter appeared to be in charge. So he went with the flow. If she knew what she was doing, he was cool with that. If not, it would be down to her to explain her decisions away. Elmont was most certainly not back in the habit of being a team player. Not by a long way.

He followed a few paces behind her. “Works for me,” he said and looked around his surroundings – not wishing to be caught out by anything that might decide jumping on an unsuspecting Jedi was a good idea.

[member="Winter Ardmore"] [member="Xena Amonali"] [member="Trextan Voidstalker"] [member="Taheera Sollo"] [member="Azna Kahn"] [member="Jacen Voidstalker"] [member="D'vok Windroamer"] [member="Alexandra Morrow"] [member="Lokthra Dawning"]

 

[Taheera Sollo]

[member="Xena Amonali"] [member="Trextan Voidstalker"]

She had to physically stop herself from offering Trex a hand-up. Seemed like the type of guy that wouldn't like it. But she couldn't help her eyes giving him a once over, just to make sure he hadn't hurt himself in the force jump.

A healer's eye once over.

She looked to Xena and whispered, looking back down the corridor as their little party made progress further up. "I'm not sure yet but...," voice trailed off as she saw the glow and heard a steady thrumming. It sounded like...

"A battle droid!" Myrtle-ellipses widened as the metallic ball set roots and promptly started to open fire on the three of them.

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

[member="Taheera Sollo"] [member="Xena Amonali"]

"They're not supposed to make those here," he mumbled to himself. Trextan didn't actually move for a second as the droid extended blasters and started to open fire. A very particular off-key noise came with each shot from those heavy weapons.

Trextan managed to deflect one whilst another left his skin tingling and warm by how close it had come. He dove for cover and his lightsaber slipped from his grip and rolled to come to rest just out of reach.

He looked sheepishly towards Xena and Taheera. They had both seen that. He called it back to himself. Something else moved. A droid trying to flank them. A...Protocol droid. Trextan raised one hand and pushed it over where it mostly fell apart.

"Need to get round behind that battle droid!" He called.

 

[Diysuperguy33]

[member="Alexandra Morrow"] | [member="Eepee Tii"] | [member="Jacen Voidstalker"] | [member="Azna Kahn"] | [member="Winter Ardmore"]

//ooc Sorry on holidays, had to prioritise my limited time. Should be much more active now

Lokthra decided the best and safest option was to stick with the Master, she could both learn a lot from him and had the best chances of actually being useful. This decision wasn't intended to be bootlicking, Merely the most logical decision. She carried on the hallways, but was stopped by the sudden loud, high pitched 'beeps' and 'boops' coming from a room up ahead. The group proceeded with all due caution, having their lightsabers ready to be drawn at a moments notice.

 

[Xena Amonali]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mS52F3KFRcY&ab_channel=SoundtrackOST

"A battle droid!"

Those words were ones that Xena had been hoping she wouldn't hear. Staring forwards at the metallic sphere that had planted itself into the ground ahead of them. Her golden eyes opened wide in fear; she remained planted where she was even as the droid opened fire, like a deer in headlights. Memories, like a tidal wave, washed over her mind reminding her of her fear.

"Fight, or flight. Choose quickly Echo before it is too late."

The dark, deep words of the doctor she had been held with came to her mind.

"Fight, or Flight."

Again and again they repeated themselves, beating themselves in against mind until one one remained.

"Fight."

A small smile cracked across the girls face, one with a dark intent behind it. One that only someone who was faced with no other option would give. Like a criminal backed into a corner, or a soldier locked in his bunker. The fear they had breathing hard down their necks. In those situations where their mind saw no way out and they decided to fight, that was where this smile came from. Calling on her training from her master, Xena lifted up her hand to an incoming bolt, one of the few that the droid managed to get near a target. The force moved around the bolt of energy, stripping it of its power and redirecting it into Xena's compact frame.

"Fight!"

With the sudden surge of energy from the blaster bolt, Xena raised the same hand that she absorbed the bolt with and sent out a force push at the droid, the power from the blaster bolt adding to it. She felt the singeing of other blaster bolts grazing her skin, pushing her out of her state fighting state temporarily, just long enough for her to realize that she needed to move out of the way with the others. The girl slid down along the ground, ending up next to [member="Taheera Sollo"]. She was able to see her force push hit, dust, wires, and shards of metal impacting into the battledroid alongside the force.The whole orb of death began to tilt over to its side, blaster shots burying themselves into the ceiling causing sparks and bits of metal grating to fall down around it. Warning beeps from the droid became audible to the three of them as wires and burning metal cascading over its form from above, the current from the wires alone starting to short out its systems. Blaster bolts just firing off at a constant rate until the droids weaponry began to over heat, the notable smell of electrical smoke filling the air around them.

"Sorry. I.." the young girl was thinking on her feet, trying to come up with a reason as to why she just did what she did. She glanced over at [member="Taheera Sollo"] and [member="Trextan Voidstalker"] trying to gauge their impressions on what just happened. Xena, carefully, slid her blaster pistol into its holster in her robe, frowning more.

She had lost control, she had done the one thing she had told herself not to do. Through her hearing, being augmented by the force, she could hear the light clinking noise of other droids deeper in the facility. No matter what way they went they were going to run into something. It was all a matter of what it was specifically, would it be more battle droids or would it be just some protocol droids?

 

[Taheera Sollo]

[member="Trextan Voidstalker"] [member="Xena Amonali"]

She grimaced and a protective force bubble shimmered to life between them and the battle droid. Eyes closed as she concentrated. The bubble flickered as Xenia did her thing. And Trextan threw that protocal droid.

Smoke filled the air. A blast of heat hit her face. Body crouched down next to Trex and Xena as the girl mumbled an apology. "Get down!" She hissed, feeling the nudging warning in the force. Hands rose and the protective bubble went around the three of them as the battle droid exploded a few feet away. Metal and a blast of heat engulfed their tiny, protective shell.

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

[member="Xena Amonali"] [member="Taheera Sollo"]

Trextan had grown up with Force Users who channelled their emotions into their abilities. If Xena had been looking for any sign of judgement in Trextan's expression she wouldn't find any. Instead there was a heartfelt thanks. He hoped the pair would assume his flushed cheeks were from the exertion and not from his embarrassment. So far he had dropped his lightsaber and pushed over a protocol droid. Xena had smashed apart a battle droid whilst Taheera had created a perfectly formed barrier of protection around all three of them.

As it dissipated he could still feel and smell the heat that had engulfed them. He slowly pushed himself up to his knees and then stood up. With a snap-hiss he reactivated his lightsaber. His face was bathed in the deep purple glow from the blade. He hoped he looked suitable imposing. He could not see any more movement ahead of them, but this was a big facility.

"Shouldn't have been any battle droids here," he said quietly. "Someone has changed the plans for the machines. Press on?"

 

[Xena Amonali]

"Press on?"

A swift nod was the response that Xena gave to [member="Trextan Voidstalker"]. Her mind had already been made, she would not touch her blaster if she was going to face more droids. It provided less of a risk that she would accidentally shoot her allies. She was extremely thankful that [member="Taheera Sollo"] was quick to react to the droid overloading, things could have been much worse. She gathered up the force around herself using it to enhance her senses. The creaks and moans, the light clanking of droids and the subtle sounds of electrical discharge filled her ears. It took the young firrerreo a moment to centre her senses.

"Well.. it wouldn't be hard to change this to produce battledroids.. Right?" She asked, stepping just ahead of the others, her UV glowlight painting the area ahead of her with UV light. Making sure to walk around the droid husk, she went ahead speaking up to [member="Taheera Sollo"] and [member="Trextan Voidstalker"], "There are more droids up ahead and down the side paths.. Not too sure how many though but it is more then one." Her voice hid her fear, but it was clear to the other two that it was there.

"Up to you two though on where we go. I really think we should finish our.. task?" Either way, Xena was sticking on edge, letting the fear and the force keep her mind keen in the dangerous environment.

 

[Taheera Sollo]

[member="Trextan Voidstalker"] [member="Xena Amonali"]

Purple lips pursed as she stood. She didn't like the idea of more battle droids. That one....well, they got lucky. But they did have each other.

"She's right," the Mirialan nodded to Xena, turning to Trex. The purple really brought out his eyes. "We press on. We need to get to the assembly lines and shut it down or see what's going on. I'll comm command and let them know our location and that we might need back up."

Command was probably Jacen but she didn't want to say that name out loud considering the tenuous relationship between Trex and Voidstalker senior.

She nodded to them both. "I've got your six." She hung back and began keying in a message with a report update.

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

[member="Xena Amonali"] [member="Taheera Sollo"]

Trextan merely nodded in agreement. He didn't really have any particular thoughts on tactics and their approach. Get in and disable the production line seemed as worthwhile as any strategy.

As they advanced one thing did occur to him. Mobile weapons platforms would be best suited to wide open spaces. Whilst the place made his spine tingle, the dark narrow corridors were probably best for the Jedi. It would prevent the Jedi getting surrounded and gunned down.

"Let's head down here," he suggested, turning into a side corridor. The walls were sleek and angled in towards them. In the centre of the ceiling loose pipes and cables looped down the length of the corridor. Perhaps cutting into stone left less room for cabling under floors? No that didn't make sense. They'd just build floors on top of stone with room for cabling underfoot.

"Maybe they've been making some adjustments," he murmured, pointing the tip of his saber towards the messy cabling.

With a loud clank several humanoid protocol droids emerged ahead. Instead of hands they had light blasters.

"Lovely."

 

[Xena Amonali]

A nagging at the back of her head made her move before her mind actually registered what she did. Her arms moved out and pushed [member="Trextan Voidstalker"] and [member="Taheera Sollo"] to the sides, two preemptive shots from the droids flying through where they had both been just a moment before.

The scent of charred flesh and the metallic tang of blood began to fill the air, but where it came from was a mystery to Xena. She instead focused on pressing forwards, taking in a heavy breath she lifted up her hands, creating a semi-circle before the group of three, a temporary barrier flew up between the group. Even if she couldn't attack she could at least give the other two a chance to take out the droids. Her mind was sharp and focused on her one task.

"Protect"

The word repeated itself in her head, further strengthening her resolve. Even if she was being faced by her largest fear, she knew that breaking down was not going to help. She had to try her best to ignore the fear that made her legs shake and her body scream to run or fight. Each bolt that hit the barrier caused Xena to strain. The young girl had given the others time to quickly figure out a solution to their whole "firing squad of droids" problem. It was very clear that Xena wouldn't be able to keep the barrier up for too long if they kept taking sustained fire, even if it was just light blasters.

 

[Taheera Sollo]

[member="Xena Amonali"] [member="Trextan Voidstalker"]

She hit send on the report to command and jogged lightly down the corridor to catch up with Trex and Xena. "Feth," she swore, biting back saying something more. Xena through up a good shield. Lightsaber hilt fell to her palm and she flicked on the golden-blade.

The shield gave her time to do so.

"Ready!" She spoke to Xena as the shield went down. Golden-blade whirred through the air as she fought next to Trex, parrying and volleying shots back at the droids. One went down, then another. The heat of a blaster volt singed across the outside of her upper arm. She grimaced but kept working.

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

[member="Xena Amonali"] [member="Taheera Sollo"]

"Language," he pretended to chide the mirialan as they advanced. Sabers hummed a tune as they danced tight circles to keep the blast bolts at bay. Trextan lacked the experience to send the bolts back with any accuracy. In the tight corridor they at least only had one angle to block off.

It was like a pressure bearing down on him. Like diving deep into water. As they pressed on the droids fanned as as much as they could and increased the rate of fire. Trextan could feel breaking point coming. Where either his foresight or his arms would fail him.

There was a simpler solution. Blasters hastily mounted to protocol droids did not make battle droids. One firm shove through the Force sent the front rank tumbling into those behind buying them a few seconds.

 

[Xena Amonali]

Dropping down to her knees, Xena let out a gasp, taking in a hard breath of air.
In through the nose, out through the mouth. She began to notice the scent of burnt flesh once again, this time she could clearly smell the light hint of iron that came with the smell of blood. She glanced at the others, giving them a look over, they both looked fine, apart from maybe some light burns.

If they were fine.. then where was the smell coming from? She shook her head a bit, sliding up to her feet once more, stretching out. Her body ached from the effort she was putting it through, but it would be worth it in the end.

"Nice one.. both of you. I think we should keep moving before more droids arrive.. we kinda made ourselves known," her words came between heavier breaths. Why was she feeling so exhausted? It was just a simple barrier, something she had cast many many times before in practice. They never drained her this much, ever.

That is when she noticed it, a bit of a burning sting to her side that was rapidly growing into a mild throbbing pain. Her eyes trailing down her own figure, noticing the small bit of crimson that had soaked into the burned cloth.

"Lovely... that explains a lot..." She thought to herself. Swiftly moving her cloak, Xena covered up the area so that it was hidden from view, letting her natural healing do its work. "A few minutes and I will be fine," she thought to herself, putting on a smile for [member="Trextan Voidstalker"] and [member="Taheera Sollo"].

 

[Taheera Sollo]

[member="Trextan Voidstalker"] [member="Xena Amonali"]

Language.

Chestnut-brows rose at the quip from Trex. "You haven't heard anything yet broody-pants." Yes. She totally just called him that.

Breath caught as they got a brief respite. Most of the droids were crushed or broken from Trex's force push. "How about more of that next time?" She grinned at him before turning back to Xena. The Mirialan frowned. She was an empath and a healer.

Xena's pain was evident even the girl did a good job at hiding it from her face. Lightsaber clipped back to her own belt as she knelt by her fellow Alliance member. "We DO need to keep moving. But do you need me to look at anything before we go?"

She gave the girl a pointed, quiet look. On missions, there was never a good time to heal but things would get worse if they didn't take care of this now.

 

[Trextan Voidstalker]

[member="Taheera Sollo"] [member="Xena Amonali"]

For a moment Trextan had started to raise one eyebrow in a mischievous look at her reply. Then she’d called him a name. His mouth hung open at ‘broody pants’ and he was left speechless. Her second question went without reply as he tried to wrap his head round her presumption. He wasn’t broody! Just… well… it was complicated. He had every reason to be annoyed at Jacen. Jacen had shot him after all.

In the interest of covering the other two – but mostly so the mirialan wouldn’t see his expression – he kept his back to them and his saber high protectively. He could hear more movement ahead. The rapidly converted protocol droids weren’t a threat in small numbers, but if they came in bulk and surrounded them it would be dangerous for the young padawans.

"Might be best if you get patched before we move on," Trextan said quietly, keeping his eyes on the corridor ahead.

 

[Xena Amonali]

Raising up her hand a bit to stop [member="Taheera Sollo"] from getting closer. "I am fine, really. Its just a flesh wound.. we can continue on. If we stay here, well... I don't want to think of that." She idly gritted her teeth, "Let's at least get out of this corridor so we have more places to go."

With that Xena moved forwards, keeping her wound hidden from the others with her cloak. Sure it hurt like hell and would have most people crippled on the ground moaning in pain. Sure she should have it looked at. But really her mind was set and she knew damn well that they couldn't do any patching where they were. Maybe in a side room out of view? That would be much much better.

"Just a few minutes... and I will be fine"

It was the one thought she held onto. She forced a smile stepping forwards between the two of them. At least [member="Trextan Voidstalker"] was helping to cover them in case more droids arrived.

She continued to give them her normal, soft, smile. "Really, its fine. Let's just get to somewhere safer first.. plan for the future and let the others know.. well what is going on, perhaps meet up with them again." She made a nod forwards, she was going to keep herself between [member="Trextan Voidstalker"] and [member="Taheera Sollo"]. It would be safer for all of them.

 

[Taheera Sollo]

[member="Trextan Voidstalker"] [member="Xena Amonali"]

"Okay," verbally, she backed off but it was clear from her facial expression that she wasn't buying it from Xena. There was nothing else she could, though. If the girl didn't want to be looked at or healed, she couldn't make her.

"Command knows our situation. Sent a message to Jacen," the mirialan cut a quick look to Trex out of the corner of her eyes. Taking out a datapad from her pocket, she pulled up the schematics of the factory. Looks like the next corridor to the right will bring us out into the main production line. It would be a massive room with tons of equipment, lines, and machines. Basically, a warehouse.

"I bet that's where we'll find answers." She still gripped her lightsaber hilt in her hand and moved up to Trex. "Press forward?" Worried-gaze hitched back to Xena. Didn't have much time to deliberate because a whirring noise sounded from behind them. Could be another battle-droid or something-other combat. She didn't want to wait to find out.

She went to Xena's other side and offered her a hand to lean on if she needed it.

"Looks like we're moving forward people. Come on - comeonecomeoncomeon!"