Dominion Mining My Own Business (SO Dominion of Subterrel)

[Aspect of Chains]

Dominion of Subterrel
The Subterrel system does not look like much at first glance. It is not a planet of grand cities, legendary exploits or immaculate culture; it is not a world that is renowned for its political power nor its beauty. But, to those plotting to supply an army, the mineral-rich system is a veritable feast of supplies waiting to be harvested and put into action. The Sith Order knows this, but they are not the only ones.

However, Subterrel is not without its dangers. The planet itself is prone to clouds of acid fog, potent enough to strip the flesh from your bones. On the best of days, the air is toxic and most humanoids will require breathing masks to stay there. Still, the Warlord Council is set on their claim.

Initial attempts at contacting the mining operations through corporate means have shown themselves fruitless. The Frumentarii were sent to inspect, and were met with a destroyer blocking them. They were able to make some scans before they were forced to leave, but there is still much we do not know. They could identify three objects of interest:

1. The system is guarded by an older, battered, but still functional Star Destroyer of unique design, along with a handful of smaller support crafts and starfighters. While the Destroyer is in orbit, we will not be able to secure the system. This fleet must be dealt with. The admiralty have proposed a quick assault with ion torpedoes that will knock the destroyer out of commission temporarily. Then, we will send a boarding party to deal with the destroyer while our fleet engages the smaller vessels.

The admirals are divided on the desired outcome: Some think the ship should be destroyed to ensure our victory and set an example to the rest of Subterrel that our naval forces are not to be trifled with. This could be done by detonating the ship’s core. Others think that a grand ship like this could help bolster our armada if one is brave and skillful enough to take it; the ship should be commandeered and used to fight for the Sith Order. However, that would require the boarding party to take control of the bridge.

They will not agree, so this decision is left up to the boarding party.

2. The mines are why we are here, they are filled with metals and minerals needed to build war materials that the Sith order will need if they are to fend off the other powers of the galaxy. The mines are many, and the fight for resources is also a fight between the Warlords. If you can claim a mine for your Dark Lord, then you may just provide them with the edge they need. Such an action is worthy of commendation, one should think.

But the mines are not unguarded. Scans show the most profitable mines are heavily guarded by both troops and armoured vehicles, more so than normal. Whoever is here wants to ensure that no one else gets a hold of these mines. Do not underestimate them.

3. Near the planet’s equatorial line, there is a fortress built high into the mountains. The fortress has an older, imperial design but an unfamiliar insignia. Still, the shield generator alone is proof that it is inhabited. While unconfirmed, there are rumours of an unaffiliated warlord in the nearby systems, and if they have taken control of Subterrel, they may pose a legitimate threat to our expansion.

The Frumentarii are launching an investigation to find out who or what resides in the fortress, with an open invitation to the warlords. Infiltrate the fortress, seek the truth, and do what you must to send it back to your masters.

Objectives:
1: The Destroyer: Occupy the destroyer so our troops can make landfall. Board the destroyer and decide if it should be destroyed or commandeered. Optional: Fleet combat against the smaller ships.

2: Claim the Mines: Clear out the resistance and claim the mining operations for your dark lord.

3: Fortress Subterrel: A secretive fortress in the mountains beckons and there are rumours of a rogue warlord. Infiltrate the fortress and investigate what lies within.

 

[Iasha Rha]

Tags: Alina Tremiru​

The shuttle ride was ridden with tension.

Not only had they left things at a tense point during their last conversation, they knew that at any moment they could be blown out of the sky if someone failed to uphold their part of the plan or if there was some unseen detail. They tried to use the planet for cover, but they were bound by their target.

They were not alone.

The ship was well stocked with a full squadron, armed and ready to aid in the struggle. The silence was pregnant. Every motion, every cough was as loud as a yell as they stood in silence waiting for the hellish ride to finally be over. Whatever they faced on the other side could not be more tense, more dangerous, or more chaotic than the tension between Iasha and Alina at this moment.

"You don't need a mask?" -Iasha asked while preparing her own. "I hear we will have a heavy bout of acid fog."

She was covered head to toe in a shining body-suit made to prevent any of the atmosphere's toxic air from touching her skin. It even covered her lekku. The bodysuit was cut with a belt of dark, brushed metal, holding her lightsabre and a smattering of other kit. In addition, she had a cloak wrapped around her shoulders, with a hood thrown back. The mask in her hands was not unlike the front of a legionnaire's helmet, with large red eyes and a rebreather resembling a frown.

"That is not part of my skincare routine."

She hissed with a sting of humour before putting her helmet on and sealing it. The ship shook as it entered the atmosphere, and the crew readied themselves. Two on each speederbike, a lancer and a gunner. Iasha climbed on the back of the one designated for Alina, but she carried no gun. The plan was simple: Blitz the defences on speeder-bikes and seize the mine before they could react.

It was a gamble, but that was why they sent sith to get it done.

 

[Darth Strosius]

Objective: Infiltrate and Investigate
Location: Outside the Fortress
Equipment: Lightsaber, Dagger, Armor
Tags:
--------------------------------------------

When conquering a planet, one had to be precise. Careless slaughter would make the whole ordeal wasteful, but hesitation would damn any invasion to attrition. As such one had to act with purpose and use every advantage at their disposal. And one advantage that reigned above all others was knowing who or what you would be fighting.

"Good old infiltration. One of my favorites." Alisteri's gaze ran over the wall of the fortress that he had been hiking up a mountain towards, the looming structure being lone amidst the mountains around it. It was purposefully hard to find, which meant that it hid something important. Something that the warlords of the Sith wanted. As such the Frumentarii had been scouting the fortress long before any Sith Order forces made landfall on Subterrel, but this one fortress seemed to be eluding them until the rest of the Sith arrived.

That was where he came in. He was no stranger to sneaking in and gathering information, being a forward scout and infiltrator more than once during the wars in the Sith Empire. This would be no different. Aside from the planet itself trying to kill him of course. The acid fog was his main concern, but high up on the mountains it would theoretically be less of an issue.

Or so he hoped anyway.

Finally the Sith Knight pulled himself up and arrived at the base of the wall, a drain that lead right inside the fortress's underbelly being his point of entry. It was one of many that the Frumentarii had marked as possible avenues of infiltration, but this one seemed fairly inconspicuous and easy to slip inside. Relatively easy of course, the climb up hadn't been the easiest.

Alisteri tapped on his helmet's commlink as he rolled his shoulders and examined the drain before him. :"This is Knight Strosius, I have arrived at infiltration point delta, beginning my entry now.":

 

[Darth Empyrean]

Objective II​

Tags: @Eternals​

​

The Adonis drop ships raced through the toxic atmosphere with purpose - their holds full of First Legion members armed with Velok Rifles. They were doing the last triple checks on their equipment, while the armored avatar of Empyrean stood in the middle of them - a hood covering the corrupted visage of a man consumed by Empyrean's will. Short hair, blackened eyes, veins that writhed beneath the skin as the Sith Lord twisted his will into subservience.​

​

"Landing, my Lord.", the Captain offered to him.​

​

He nodded, and took a step towards the exit door as the ships began to land. He could hear the shots ringing off the nearby armor plates - but they were reflected into the atmospheric shielding around the area. When the doors opened enough for shots to ring inside the transports - Empyrean's vessel ripped a lightsaber out to bat away the strikes. His own forces shot back in a surge as they all moved forward to secure the outside areas of the mine.​

​

Vehicles moved to find new fire positions before being fired upon by a heavy weapons specialist - and men began to slowly be pushed back into the Mine as their fortified position. Command buildings nearby would be the second issue - but they could at least be cleared quickly, given the skill of the First Legion. The true problem would be the mine - short of killing everyone within, leave alone they had multiple shielding units inside to keep the siege going.​

​

If he wanted to ensure a victory of hegemonic import - than he needed to end this today.​

​

"Gather the Eternals before him - I would speak to them."​

 

[Alina Tremiru]

Sometimes being what she was had it's benefits. More than the immortality or constant, unchanging youth. Not that Alina necessarily viewed those as boons, but the fact she could breath this planets atmosphere, the fact she could survive the acidic fog without issue, it set her path for the Sith here. The Mines would be her domain to claim and clear out. With whatever help she got from others.

Alina had no intention of bringing her Inquisitors, not when they could be used elsewhere.

"Kyrilu, take the Inquisitorius to the fortress. Find that rogue, if he's there. I want him reclaimed, if not out right killed. .. Bonus points if you do actually catch him, though. You have full command. Do not fail me."

It was the only time she spoke in the shuttle. To command and show some semblance of power in front of Iasha. Yes, she was showing off. The tension needed to be cut somehow. Then, she grinned.

"My youthful charm can survive even the vacuum of space, I'll have you know. Poison clouds and acidic atmospheres are nothing." The shuttle touched down, and all Alina did was retrieve her pike from where she'd leaned it beside her. She needed no armor, needed no shielding. Just the flowing black battledress she usually wore, her weapon, and blood. The later she was sure to get the fill she'd need earlier that day.

Having a reserve kept her alive.

Alina took her seat on the speeder, casually glancing over the machine to make sure she had a good idea on how just to use it. Different speeders, different controls. She turned it on, letting the vehicle hover above the ground as she glanced back to the Twi'lek. Watched her. There was a hint of concern in her gaze. Their conversation from before had ended.. It didn't end. It was left cut off at a part she really wanted to not leave it on.

A conversation for a different time, though.

"Be sure to hold on. I don't need to slow down like the others here will."

Iasha Rha | Kyrilu Storm-wracked

 

[SF-3335]

Location: Approaching Alpha Mine - Subterrel
Objective: Claim the Mines - Breach the Outer Defenses
Dialogue Legend: <<Ghoul-Speak>> │ “Imperial Basic” │ <”ur-Kittât”>
Unit Support: Kainate Outriders
Tags: Darth Carnifex Iasha Rha

<<Resistance will be extremely heavy!>>

The voice of the veteran Outrider Lieutenant was grizzled, but carried through over comms with a booming resonance, leaving no doubt as to the meaning of his words.

<<Expect armored vehicles, including walkers, landspeeders, speeder bikes, and a few tanks.>> He continued. The schematics of the vehicle types in question automatically appeared on SF-3335’s HUD, but the strand-cast had studied each of them in advance of the deployment, out of a desire to serve to the best of her ability. <<These are old designs pulled from First Order stocks. They might be unreliable for their operators, but don’t doubt their lethality.>> He continued. <<Our objective will be to breach their outer defense network and make a run into the mines. Once there, the Armor Corps will reinforce our flanks and keep their outer defenses occupied, while we claim the mine.>> He added.

<<We will have to be fast. There’s going to be…competition, possibly from the Eternalists, the Inquisitorius, and the Tsis’kaar.>> He spat, with barely-restrained contempt in his tone. <<Unfortunately, we have been instructed not to engage the heretics, unless they do so first.>>

As if on cue, SF-3335 felt a lurch as the Mastodon-class transport touched down a few kilometers from the mines. Squeezing the vanes, the strand-cast revved the engines of her machine and slammed down on the accelerator pedal, launching her bike out from the bay, along with the seven other bikes that made up Tempest Squadron. With that, Tempest Squadron sped across the red desert and towards the mine, plumes of dust kicked up in their wake. It went without saying that they could not afford to waste any time. Like it or not, they were going to be one of the leading elements for the assault.

<<RK-2107, recommending that we break off and engage enemy speeder bikes in order to keep them off of our tails.>> SF-3335 spoke up. She anticipated that those would be their greatest threat, as the tanks and the walkers would be too slow and unwieldy to follow them into the mines.

<<Copy that, SF-3335. I’ll be right on your wing.>> Her wingmate replied.

<<We’re almost there, get ready to launch the gas!>>

Spoiler: Loadout

• Crimson Velocity
  
  • Primary Gun Hardpoint (4)
    
    • HFL-02 Heavy Flechette Verpine Shatter Launcher
      
      • Anti-Personnel Flechette Canister
    • HFL-02 Heavy Flechette Verpine Shatter Launcher
      
      • Anti-Personnel Flechette Canister
    • FAE/W-09 "Yammka" Medium Machine Gun
      
      • 10.36x77mm Explosive
    • FAE/W-09 "Yammka" Medium Machine Gun
      
      • 10.36x77mm Explosive
  • Universal Chemical Projectile Launcher (2)
    
    • Pink Vapor
    • Nagnol Gas
• FAE/A-03 Repulsor Craft Riding Suit
  
  • Utility
    
    • Neahtid Earpiece
• X8 “Gambit” Elite Disruptor Pistol

 

[Darth Carnifex]

The wind whipped at his hair, which was loosely bound by a single silver circlet fixed halfway between his scalp and the frayed ends of his hair. His vestments also fluttered uproariously, billowing out behind him as he sped across the landscape. Unlike those beneath him, he was not astride any speeder or swoop bike. Rather, he was standing tall on a disc of hammered silver, rough two meters by two meters, the surface of which was etched with pulsating green runes; the putrid stink of Nightsister devilry an ever-present companion in his nostrils.

In his right hand he held aloft a scepter of detestable darkness, wrought from a single vein of twisted iron, and capped with the visage of a skull. The skull's mandible creaked open, letting loose a bloodcurdling howl audible even over the gusting wind. Always the will of the skull was seeking to escape its confinement, to free itself of this monstrous prison, but always to no avail. The will of the Dark Side was far stronger, and thus it remained shackled.

Looking down, he could see the vanguard swiftly approaching the mine. Plumes of red dust fell upon the earth in their wake, a terrible rancorous whirlwind that blotted out the sun in the land they passed through. Angling his disc down towards the mine, he could see that the entrance was guarded by both soldier and armored vehicle. He tipped the head of his staff down towards those at the farthest perimeter from the mine, dark magic coursing through the rod of iron as the skull's empty sockets glowed red.

A thin beam of energy was coaxed out from the skull's sockets, slicing across the ground and through several guarding soldiers. Those in the beam's path were scythed down, falling into halves as the beam continued on. A breath later, the ground touched by the beam erupted into flames as if a line of explosives had been detonated along the beam's trajectory. The wall of flame would be seen by the approaching speeders, but it would not impede their rapid advance and would, in fact, mask their final approach and give them some element of surprise.

Demiurge would watch the battle unfold from above, a cruel smile slowly spreading across his face as the flames grew higher.

SF-3335 | Iasha Rha | Alina Tremiru ​

 

[Kyrilu Storm-wracked]

OBJECTIVE: III - Fortress Subterrel
TAGS: Daxa Zuul / @Inquisitorius / Darth Strosius

"Kyrilu, take the Inquisitorius to the fortress. Find that rogue, if he's there. I want him reclaimed, if not out right killed. .. Bonus points if you do actually catch him, though. You have full command. Do not fail me."

"Have I ever, Master?" Ky replied over his helmet's comlink, having donned a suit of the 67th Legion's combat armour in order to be able to breathe. He would find out the next time he saw his Master whether that comment had went over well, but hopefully he'd also be bringing some good news in the form of one captured warlord. Whether that was possible remained to be seen - there was no guarantee this fortress contained anything more than rats and skeletons. Ky doubted his Master would be happy with a bag of bones and rodents dropped at her feet.

Still, his first mission in charge of the Inquisitorius while his Master rubbed shoulders with the other factions. That was certainly something to smile about, even if the prospect was daunting. During his relatively short time in service to Lady Tremiru, he had crossed paths with the other Inquisitors on occasion, and the idea that they now were instructed by their leader to take orders from him gave Ky a sick thrill, first, then he worried about controlling such freaks. Would they listen to him? Could he force them to if they didn't? That remained to be seen, but Ky had a plan in place and needed to see it through.

"Let's go, quick and quiet, Shudder," Ky said as he picked his way through the lightless caverns deep below the fortress, surrounded by the men and women of 21st Purge Squad, affectionately nicknamed Shudder Squad by their fellows after the effects each trooper returned with after fighting alongside Ky on Jutrand at the Jedi Enclave.

Shudder Squad were named so because they were the only troops from the 67th during the assault on the Jutrand Enclave that didn't end up losing their minds - both during and after the assault. Ky's infliction of Horror upon the enemy at the Enclave had been terrible, glorious and exquisite. Some soldiers had been caught in the crossfire, and even though the soldiers of the 67th were well-trained, loyal to their leader - and her apprentices - and expected to fight alongside Sith, they were not resilient enough to resist the effects. Even those nearby had been tainted irrevocably, some experiencing debilitating nightmares for days after which left them insensate, others subject to waking delusions of insanity that forced them to end their own lives. Truly, Ky had never known he possessed such power. Lady Tremiru had made Ky personally oversee the mind-wiping of those legionnaires that had survived physically but not mentally. Clean up your own mess, she had ordered, and so he had complied. When the Alpha barks, the wolf follows.

The rest of the 67th had their orders. They waited, cramped into shuttles and transports halfway down the mountain, just outside of the detection range of most scanners just in case the fortress was occupied, waiting for the order to begin the assault. Ky was leading Shudder Squad through what he assumed was part of an ancient watercourse running through the mountain which the fortress had tapped into who-knows-how-long ago, but that now ran dry. Ky had seen the ancient path with his Sight, followed it up the inside of the mountain to the bottom of the fortress. He couldn't see anything inside, not from the distance he'd started at, but now something was almost blocking his Sight, it was hard to make out exact details of what was within. That didn't bode well. The shield generator needed to be taken out first and foremost before any of the Legion could march in, regardless of the place being empty or not. Ky chuckled to himself as he opened up his comlink.

"You all know what Lady Tremiru expects of us, Inquisitors. One rogue warlord, dead or alive, preferably with a still-beating heart. The 67th are waiting to reinforce us if things become a little...tense, but they can't with that shield generator cordon active. Daxa? I need you to find it and take it out of commission. That's not too difficult for you, is it, Sister?"

 

[Venn Kolis]

THE SITH ORDER
Darth Empyrean Dyyr T'Pada

Mining My Own Business: Picking Your Poison
Subterrel, the Vatra Mine Complex​

It's incredible, ludicrous even, how hard some sods can fight when the odds are clearly against them.

The Dhord Buqari were primitive sorts. Their cycler rifles were deadly at long range, but took time to reload. They favored spears and swords at close quarters, and rode Dalgo mounts rather than speeder bikes. Their hit-and-run fighting style was great for desert raids, but less effective when fighting topside over the mouths to an enormous tunnel system. Their foes rode in armored vehicles and used repeating blasters. And the Dhord Buqari were suffering losses. But they weren't stopping.

In fact, they weren't even slowing down. Dozens upon dozens of them were nestled in the rocky spires surrounding the many entrances to the mine, their long rifles cracking out into the battlefield. Any resistance forces stupid enough to be caught outside of a vehicle were ambushed with blade and beast, dead in seconds with no one left for their comrades to seek revenge against. It was a hard fight, certainly, but the Dhord Buqari pressed on. Their reason was simple. They had Venn.

Pale fingers extended, bare to the poison air of the mining planet. Into the slender hand gathered flames from nowhere, orange tongues that sought to leap and dance. Instead their flickering was condensed, contained, as a shining orb took shape an inch above Venn's palm. A deep breath. Then his arm wheeled back, before he hurled the sphere with everything he had. It sped across the blasted canyon like a missile, striking a light repulsor tank. There was a single moment of metal warping, glowing, deforming. And then... kaboom.

Cheering from the scattered snipers, as Venn huffed in exertion, and began to gather another firebolt.

["First Legion, for the Hierophant."]

The Sith scion paused. When had the First arrived? He touched the side of his helmet. His comm clicked on. ["Go for the Hierophant."]

["He's called the Eternals."]

Without warning or preamble, explosions rocked the dirt at Venn's feet, sending him flying into the air. The apprentice was jumping, flying, sprinting, flying again. Every running stride he took propelled him onwards in a gout of fire. He knew exactly where to go. As soon as he'd reached out in the Force, Venn had felt His presence. It was muted, by some trick or device. But the moment he'd looked for it, that incredible paradox had struck Venn's senses, potent as ever. The Corpse God.

Cloak snapping in the wind like a leathery wing, Venn fell out of the sky amidst the First Legion's landing zone. He landed on one knee, and did not rise from it. Head bowed, he spoke calmly, even as his blood burned to draw the sword at his side, to kill for Him, to conquer and destroy and reforge in the name of Freedom Incarnate.

"Master."

 

[Yraven Lakke]

Operation Minecraft


One dropship carried the young marauder Yraven Lakke in tow towards the mine complex. Fresh from his victory at Vanahame, the Echani was eager to seize yet another world at the behest of his Emperor. As the bay doors opened, Yraven's lightsabers immediately ignited. The fiery crimson of them both illuminated the ghostly visage of Yraven. He stepped off the dropship and was fired upon by the enemy. He deflected bolt after bolt back towards his foes. Their retreat was all but guaranteed as Yraven drew ever closer to them.

"Yraven. The Emperor has requested your presence." a trooper reported.

"He calls. I answer." Yraven replied

Yraven's lightsabers hushed as the firing stopped. Yraven made his way to the forward position, basking in the miasma of the dark side radiating from Darth Empyrean himself. It filled him with such vigor and bloodlust. It felt so freeing.

"My lord. I come at your request."

Darth Empyrean ​

 

[Khamesi Aivar]

Location: Boarding Shuttle - Subterrel Orbit
Objective: 1. Occupy and Commandeer the Destroyer to allow for system fleet control.
Unit Support: Sith Order Troops, Ash Dragon Pirates

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Khamesi's fists tightened as the shuttle rocked back and forth, shaken by the very barrage that would allow her to land safely on the destroyer blocking her way. She watched the tactical readout on the shuttles console, waiting for an update on the Ion Torpedo barrage. As she did she could hear one of her officers, a Lepi male by the name of Art, making sure the troops aboard the shuttle with her checked their equipment one final time. She could hear the clacking of guns as power packs were checked, straps were pulled tight, even swords and axes wielded by some of her more adventurous crew shift in their sheaths or harness. Aboard her personal shuttle were purely Ash Dragons, pirates she had trained and recruited personally as part of her own fleet. All of them wore skin tight vac suits, including sealed atmosphere from face masks. Attached the masks, including the one worn by Khamesi herself, were thin plasteel visages of a dragons maw, colored like bone. Every person had something slightly different to theirs, Khamesi's was blackened and cracked, as if the the skull had been burned.

There were other shuttles besides her own, most others were loaded with Sith Order soldiers, though more of her men and woman were mixed into the other shuttles, this shuttle had her most experienced crew, as well as a group of four Scourge War Droids that were magnetized on the outside of the shuttle, ready to drop once they had set down in their target, the Destroyer's hangar. Landing somewhere on the hull and cutting in might get her to the bridge faster, but the hangar was just as vital to control if they wished to hold the destroyer, and would make it easier to get large numbers of troops in and out of their target. Khamesi checked her weapons one last time, her lightsaber was fine, a Gurreck Heavy Shotgun, a blaster pistol just in case, and a trio of concussion and cryoban grenades. Her fairly standard assortment, she wouldn't risk any heavier duty explosives and her saber could make short work of any blast doors in their way, rather than a breaching charge or waiting for a plasma cutter.

As her eyes watched the readout, and saw that the ion torpedos were ten seconds from impact, she ordered the launch of all shuttles under her command, her own lifting off to lead the charge. She worked her way to the back of the shuttle, brushing past some of her crew that weren't paying attention, so that she could be the first off the ship after the droids. She closed her eyes, counting down the twenty seconds the shuttle would take to reach the Destroyer's hangar. They'd still be just out of range of the ships weapons when the ion torpedos hit and knocked it offline.

With ten seconds left, she grabbed her saber, bringing it to the ready, though not igniting it so she didn't depressurize her own shuttle. Five seconds. She felt the shuttle rock slightly as some of the Destroyers escorts strafed it and the others accompanying her. Three seconds. Her fists tighten and her face moved from calm to a viscous, if hidden smile, taking over. She felt the shuttle rock slightly as it entered the atmosphere in the hangar. Before it even sat down she hit the button for the back door, dropping it open as they were slowing to land. Her saber ignited and deflected a few stray bolts aimed at her.

"DRAGONS! BUTCHER THEM!"

She yelled her command as she hopped the last ten feet to the ground, war droids dropping with a clang behind her, shields snapping online as she took off in a sprint to begin cutting down her first few unlucky targets, some lightly armed crew that were still scrambling to try and flee the hangar as properly armed troops were already bracing behind cover. The hail of bolts that filled the air gave it the slight tang of ozone, then the smell of burnt flesh, invisible to her sealed senses, filled the air as the first body of the day fell before her. The War Droids provided suppressing fire as her troops began to disembark, moving for cover or pepping flash and smoke grenades to create openings. She could only hope troops from the other shuttles were as prepared for a hangar assault as her own crew. They had their orders, first step was locking down the hangar so more and more troops and crew could be shuttled in as needed. She'd be heading for the bridge, but her Ash Dragons would mostly be securing the nearest armories and locating any consoles they could use to try and wrest control from the bridge as secondary systems came back online after the Ion Torpedo barrage.

 

[Jonu Zihtil]

Location: Boarding Shuttle - Subterrel Orbit
Objective: I - Boarding Party
Supporting Units: Sith Order Troops, Ash Dragon Pirates
Dialogue Legend: "Galactic Basic" | <"Imperial Basic"> │ <<"ur-Kittât">>
Tags: Khamesi Aivar

An old Star Destroyer was halting progress in the region being subjugated by the Sith. An odd thing really to see one of the vessels standing in the way of progress rather than assisting in it. But it was merely an object of someone's construction rather than a sentient thing.

With no hope of directing its own course of survival or otherwise.

A shame if they ultimately decided to scuttle the vessel. With some attention the beleaguered thing could be of some use to the budding assembly of dark siders. Or at least that was her observation of the whole situation. Her presence was merely to assist in the matter of taking control enough to ultimately decide the fate of the old ship.

The idea of keeping such a vessel was unappealing. At least for herself anyway.

The ease of traveling with a small cargo vessel was a far more pleasing situation to find herself in. Especially for being a dark pilgrim such as herself. The assembled bodies around her in the boarding vessel jostled her back to the real, her commonly crimson eyes shining with an amber hue, deep within her own emotions as she felt the presence of those lost souls below.

Trapped within the dark of a long forgotten mine shaft from what she could discern from the screaming remnants that dwelled between life and death.

Those remnants becoming an idea as she began to speak under her breath in her natural tongue. The sound emitting from her mouth like that of grating metal as the words flowed quickly with haste.

<<"Anger of the long dead, form removed from meddling with the real, I welcome your anger to renewed purpose, to lash out against those that brought you the end without slumber, welcome my words and give freely to let your anger become the blade of vengeance.">> Her glove having slid off of her right hand as a small utility blade emerged from her leg armor.

The blade sliced the tip of her finger with effort as she leaned back into the seat, seeming to deflate as her hand moved against the plates of her armor without her interference.

Symbols of the sith language in a smeared scrawl against the somber ebony colored plates as the spirits pulled themselves from their forgotten Tomb below and empowered the scrawl.

Power seeped into the armor she wore, the amber color fading from her eyes as she came back from the small side step of the Sith Magics. Taking the end of her finger into her mouth, pulling the energy from her armor into a small spell to return flesh to its previous state.

The taste of blood was a there and gone thing as her skin pulled itself back together against her tongue. The glove slid back over her exposed hand before securing her helmet and picking up her pole-axe.

The Sith troopers around her paid her no mind where she could tell as the boarding shuttle began its warm up. The command given as the sudden lurch was met with relative silence as she stood and moved to the front. A voice rose up to stop her, the pole-axe poked into the offending trooper's chest with intent.

<"Unless you are keeping me from being ambushed, don't stop me again."> The sharp nod was all the more response she needed as the klaxon shifted from crimson to amber as she took the few remaining steps forward and waited.

It felt like an eternity before the door opened into the hangar bay. The sharp thrum of her fist beating against her chest plate an announcement of the end as she strode forward into the fray. Blaster fire scored the hull of the boarding shuttle as she engaged the shield in her armor, creating a zone free of fire just outside her shuttles door.

The troopers moved with alacrity beneath her form into cover. The lanvarok shimmering in her hands against the lights as the last trooper cleared the door.

The dark magic inside her armor plating sang with rage as she stepped off the door and leapt into the thick of the battle for the hangar bay. The pole-axe swiping across enemy cover as blaster bolts sang across her dome shield from both enemy and ally. Her path cutting between the opposing sides as she let herself be the biggest target. Her form seeming to grow in the enemies eyes as the souls of the restless dead imposed their will upon their minds.

The marks upon her armor aglow with the expended energy of the souls she had bound there.

A creeping dark spread from her shadow towards the enemy positions as storage containers were swatted aside beneath the Lanvarok. More than once a body snagged on the sharp tooth of the backside and flung against the wall or simply out of her way. In her presence, the small ebbs of terror slowly grew as she pressed into the resistance of those foolish enough to holdout against their encroaching presence.

Spoiler: Loadout

Armor

• Bodyglove
• Armor Plates
  • Gauntlets

Weapons

• Longsword
• Lanvarok Pole-axe
• Particle Blaster Pistol
• 4 - Grenades

 

[Darth Empyrean]

Objective II​

Tags: Yraven Lakke // Venn Kolis // @Eternals​

​

The Sith spirit that remained inside this Lord struggled against Empyrean's will - but it was pointless. To fight his possession now was to rip a bank vault apart with your fingers - he was simply trapped within a prison he would never open without Empyrean's willfull agreement. Still - to fight back against his eternal will was heresy, so he allowed a touch of his strength to torture the soul within him. Absorb it, bit by bit until it was too weak to function.​

​

As the two joined him, and a handful of knights behind them he spoke;​

​

"The enemy intends to wait us out - likely hoping someone can escape the blackout to inform the rest of the First Order Remnants. Within the tunnel they have multiple barriers; each meant to prevent shocks and gas from leaving or entering the mines - we need them gone."​

​

"More importantly, we need the holdouts brought to heel. I want you all to enter the tunnel, and prove to them the fault in resistance. Prove to me your strength, so that I may reward your dedication."​

​

"Do you have questions, my children?"​

 

[Lirka Ka]

Objective: 1
Location: Freighter entering Hangar
Tags: Jonu Zihtil Khamesi Aivar

Among the armada of fine military vessels and carefully drilled boarding craft, there was a vessel that stood out as being very much neither of those things. A floating hunk of junk scarred by dozens of little skirmishes out in the great vastness of space, the tempo of the Sith Boarding Crafts' rush towards the Destroyer's hangars was interrupted by the weaving and maneuvering of the craft, always staying behind a thick line of the Order's craft to take the brunt of any incoming fire, such was her way.

Lirka Ka returned to the fold.

Well, in a manner of speaking. The Grand Moff of old was dead and gone now, but then again: so was the Empire she had served. Making a sharp turn with the freighter as she entered the hangar alongside the initial wave, the vessel landed on the hangar floor with a hard thud, all but immediately followed by a whining hiss as the boarding ramp descended. And soon, out came the goliath that was Lirka Ka. A creature even fouler than she had ever been, new attachments bulging out from her power-suit, the hissing of its mechanisms having an almost organic breath to it now, a new worn appearance had come to the set of plundered metals that adorned Lirka's rotten flesh: a testament to her long adventures marauding the Galactic Rim. And to think, here she was: fighting among Sith again.

Funny how the Universe liked to repeat its cycles.

Taking a moment, Lirka took a gander at the gathered assembly. A decent lot, the Sith had scrounged together this time. Of course, she knew that it was made all that much better by her own presence. Though two things, in particular, caught her eyes, the cathar taking point among what seemed to the be the bulk of the proper boarding presence, and the Sithling rat stealing her fun by grabbing the attention of what looked like the majority of the defenders. But alas, not every job was allowed to be fun. Briefly shrugging to no one in particular Lirka joined the fray quickly, and brutally.

Her dance had begun once more, a cacophony of violence and scattered limbs following in her wake.

 

[Anthysius Soraysom-Calimondra]

MINING MY OWN BUSINESS (LITERALLY)

Objective 2: Claim the Mines

​

Subterrel. Not a bad place, really. Air of acid, riddled with caves, clogged with the desperate and the unliving, fueling the wealth of their owners. It was a dream come true for any mining magnate.

Unfortunately, there were far, far too many entrenched interests on the world for ZIMC to break in; the scale of production and refining coupled with millennia of on-and-off corporate consolidation made it extremely difficult for Anthysius to either buy out or build his own operations here. And so the wealth of Subterrel flowed to other hands, their owners refusing any offer Anthysius could make under his corporate identity, unable to do anything but wait, plot, and... wait.

The stubbornness of the Subterrel magnates was admirable, he decided, waiting in the lobby of the space station orbiting said planet. Almost admirable. They had refused his offers for so long that even now, as Sith ships blackened the skies, as their security forces were slaughtered en-masse planetside, as they took front-row seats to the return of true Sith, as they huddled in their space station in orbit of Subterrel, as they were herded into a conference room by Anthysius' soldiers to be given a very generous buyout option... they hemmed and hawed, these mining magnates, captains of industry, cloners of labour. Anthysius had run out of patience.

So now he waited in the lobby of the conference room, looking out the glasteel windows at the battle raging below.

The door slid open, accompanied by a heavy thump.

He turned to see Issan walk out, blood splattered on her pristine corporate dress as she stepped over a corpse. She held out a dataslate.

"Two of them didn't make it."

"Hmm. Tougher crowd than I expected."

Unfortunately, these magnates he had gathered only owned a tiny fraction of the most productive mines; enough to be worth the effort, but nothing compared to the complexes the Three would seize. He frowned at the annoyance, thinking about them.

Anthysius signalled to his escort and Issan, and the group made their way to the station's docking bay. The rest of his mercenaries on the station would ensure the safety of those that had caved to Anthysius' demands.

Perhaps he needn't get mad at the three-headed Serpent of the Sith. As his father always taught him, why be mad when he could be better? Advice the old man never took to heart himself, but it was the thought that counted.

Anthysius stepped into the transport, changing out of his vest and into his armour. He read the dataslate, detailing one of the mining complexes n the surface; the one whose owners refused to sign over ownership. A small smile crept onto his lips as his mechanical hand brushed against his lightsaber.

Yes, indeed, why get mad? And as the Sith ultimately taught each other throughout the millennia:

Why buy when he could take?

 

[Neesa]

N E E S A: O B J E C T I V E III​

Darth Strosius

The fortress seemed to be occupied. Neesa was quite certain of that when a lightly armoured figure walked past her. The man's entire face was covered by the breathing apparatus. That suited her plans quite well.

She had found over time that there were two ways to approach a problem. Firstly: to put the time and effort into scoping out the problem until the plan was perfection. She had once taken six months preparing to assassinate one of the most well guarded senators on a planet. Secondly: assess the problem, form a vague plan and let the Force guide her through to the solution. Today was certainly in the second of those options.

The shadow that was Neesa detached itself from the rocks. A small splinter knife, no larger than an iron nail, slipped from her gauntlet and floated in the air in front of her.

"Excuse me?" she called out.

The man turned. The blade shot forwards and cut through the side of his neck. He had enough time to bring a hand to the tiny cut before the nerve toxin killed him. Neesa approached slowly. Her under-suit would protect her from the atmosphere, but she was going to have to hold her breath to swap mask. The man's clothes would be a poor fit.

"This is Knight Strosius, I have arrived at infiltration point delta, beginning my entry now.":

"Walking in the front door," Neesa replied quietly. She didn't know if anyone was even guarding the front door to the foreboding fortress or what identity checks they might carry out. This was going to be a little risky.

She remained quite unaware of the Purge Squad from the 67th that was on its way.

 

[Daxa Zuul]

Objective III: Fortress Subterrel
Kyrilu Storm-wracked | Darth Strosius | Neesa
​

"You all know what Lady Tremiru expects of us, Inquisitors. One rogue warlord, dead or alive, preferably with a still-beating heart. The 67th are waiting to reinforce us if things become a little...tense, but they can't with that shield generator cordon active. Daxa? I need you to find it and take it out of commission. That's not too difficult for you, is it, Sister?"

The Second Sister could not help the taunting laugh that slipped from her lips. Modulated through her helmet, her savage cackles were sharp as vibro-knives. The pup never failed to amuse her when he tried to act tough, for all that the implied slight annoyed her. "Why Little Brother," she said into her comms, "you wound me! Is that doubt I hear in your voice?"

The fortress loomed ahead, thrust up from the craggy mountaintop like a fist. It was an ugly thing, but sturdy, all stout towers and jagged spires, surrounded by a tall curtain wall and protected from assault by a powerful shield. Above, the sky was wan and sickly, painted in swaths of toxic gray clouds. The planet looked like death warmed over, miserable and despairing.

It was beautiful.

Daxa ghosted her away across the rocks and stones like a shadow wrought of blood, her presence hidden in the Force, scarlet cape flapping. She did not consider the past nor worry for the future. She cared not for whens and where, for whys and hows. It did not rankle that little Kyrilu had been placed in charge of her, because she did not care that he had been placed in charge of her. Her purpose was her own, regardless of who the orders came from. She would sneak into the fortress, destroy the shield, and then she would kill the warlord.

This was her truth. She wrapped it about herself as a cloak, let it ground her in the moment. Nothing mattered- only the task ahead.

:"This is Knight Strosius, I have arrived at infiltration point delta, beginning my entry now.":

Another infiltrator?

"Walking in the front door," Neesa replied quietly.

And a third.

Perfect. The Warlord would never see her coming. The beast within that was Darth Xanthis- her true self, howled in vicious delight.

​

 

[Iasha Rha]

Tags: Alina Tremiru SF-3335 Darth Carnifex​

"Show off."

-Iasha muttered near Alina's ear as she settled in behind the taller woman. The back seat was a little taller than the front, giving them both anchor points against the g-forces and providing Iasha with a view other than Alina's back. She pulled up a hood and snapped it to a small magnet on the peak of her mask, keeping it from being peeled back when they punched the throttle.

Her voice was warbled by the mask, but the pitch and intonation was still there.

"Don't hold back for my sake. I'll bet you can't shake me."

She wrapped her arm around Alina's abdomen and pressed herself up against her back. The hand that wrapped around her grabbed a handful of Alina's clothes to anchor herself in, there was a small tremble. Whether they came from nerves, anticipation, or just muscle strain, who knew? In the other hand, she held one of the two sabre hilts she carried on her belt.

It wasn't active yet, but it seemed to thrum with anticipation.

That was the same sabre as before, and the scuff marks showed. It had been crushed, repaired, and seemingly upgraded, but it was the same. Now, some may ask what she thought she would be hitting from the back of a speeder, but the powers and ambitions of the Sith were beyond guessing.

The ship opened, and engines howled as they set off. They were not the first, but she reckoned they would catch up to the vanguard in no time. Above, but not immediately, they saw a figure on a disk, releasing terrible magicks.

That was their real competition.

 

[Khamesi Aivar]

Location: Destroyer Hanger - Subterrel Orbit
Objective: 1. Occupy and Commandeer the Destroyer to allow for system fleet control.
Unit Support: Sith Order Troops, Ash Dragon Pirates
Tags: Lirka Ka Jonu Zihtil


__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


There was only so much an unprepared hangar could do to repel a sudden assault from superior forces, in more ways than one. They couldn't seal the hangar itself, that needed the ship to be fully recovered from the Ion Torpedo strike. As it stood the enemy crew wasn't entirely incompetent. The rafters and walkways above them were slowly getting some extra soldiers trying to help stop them with fire from above. The main exits of the hangar had people pulling out through them so they could seal them and slow down the boarders and force them into a chokepoint. Khamesi cut down another pair of soldiers as they desperately tried to slow her down, what few bolts remained on target through their panic easily deflected by her blade. As she did so her voice rang out through the comms as she gave some orders to the rank and file. She couldn't well order the other Sith that had arrived on the scene, or whoever that was in the armor, but the rest of the troops could hardly refuse her.

"Grapple lines, secure the rafters and the doors leading to them. Pilots once you're empty of troops, go get another load or clear space for the next shuttle. Shuttle 21-CA, prep to receive wounded. Shuttle 15-FC, prep to hold captured officers. Ash Dragons follow your commanders, everyone else lock down all entrances and exits, and get me a computer tech or astromech working on commandeering the hangars controls and isolating them from the bridge. War Droids, hold the main doors, do not allow them to counterattack."


Her voice was calm, she was barely even breaking a sweat as she use the force to fling another trio to the side, slamming them into the wall hard enough they were either dead or unconscious, her troops would find out for her. Once she was done giving her orders she sprinted towards the nearest hangar exit, using her shoulder to knock several defenders to the side as she lept into the group trying to seal it before her and her troops could get there. Her blade swung and more than one trooper collapsed as she used her free hand's claws to rip into the soldier trying to slam the blast door button to save his own life from her.

He collapsed, hands clutching the wound as her foot lashed out and caught another soldier in her stomach, sending her sailing back down the hallway. She was probably alive, but if she wasn't unconscious she would really, really want to be. Khamesi maintained her spot, preventing anyone from reaching the controls, while focusing on deflecting the hail of bolts aimed at her. Further down the hallway troops had already set up a position, repeating blaster mounted on a tripod aimed towards her position. That could be problematic, even as a trooper was desperately trying to get it aimed she removed a cyroban grenade from her belt, tossing it into the position. It didn't have the same bang as a proper grenade, but the spray of cryogenic chemicals was plenty to stop the soldier, freezing him to the blaster.

She held her position for a moment, allowing some Ash Dragons to secure the door behind her before she resumed her advance, smiling as she could make out the faint crunch of someone falling from a great height. Good, those grapple lines would have them getting some troops onto other levels of the ship, that would force them to scramble their defenders over a wider area instead of focusing on just locking down the main hangar doors. She snapped back to reality as a blaster bolt slammed into the wall close to her face. The offending soldier found himself ripped from his feet and pulled directly into her waiting hand, where a simple twist of her wrist created a satisfying snap, another body dropping to the deck.

 

[Jonu Zihtil]

Location: Destroyer Hangar - Subterrel Orbit
Objective: I - Boarding Party
Supporting Units: Sith Order Troops, Ash Dragon Pirates
Dialogue Legend: "Galactic Basic" | <"Imperial Basic"> │ <<"ur-Kittât">> | <<Communicator>>
Tags: Khamesi Aivar Lirka Ka

In the frenzy, she didn't recognize allies appearing in further vessels inside the hangar. The lingering tendrils of anger unyielding as the long dead guided the heavy hand wielding the Lanvarok. A spirit fueled frenzy as the focused fire began to split between herself and another.

Whether Jonu or the spirits found the lack of attention a slight against them mattered little.

<<"A form given freely, by will of the damned, the real will surrender to the whims of the dead, and be torn asunder.">> Her voice crackled beneath the helm.

Both hands grasped the weapon as her form pushed forward, leaning into the shift of momentum with a shoulder pressed down and forward. Like a bull rushing forward, the makeshift cover was thrown backwards by her charge forward.

A starfighter hanging above groaned against a crate being tossed skyward. A few of the defenders fall back through a side door, trying to take cover in the open doorway while providing cover for their allies still inside the hangar.

Blaster fire from above drew her limited attention however, half glazed eyes watching grapple lines lifting bodies up to the rafters. The low growl of dissatisfaction a preamble to her gaze falling to a stack of crates before grinning and making the half baked plan into reality.

The Lanvarok was settled into her left hand, the right prepared as she sprinted towards the stack of crates. The shield dome around her fizzling and beginning to form holes as a heavy step upset the stack she launched herself from. The rear Spike of the pole-axe buried into the hull of the rocking starfighter as she curled into the momentum and propelled herself up and forward with a slight push from the hands of the spirits guiding her along.

Those same spirits that hunkered for revenge as her frame pushed through the top rail, boots catching the upright of one side while her right hand gripped the remaining tether for the rafter scaffolding to keep from sliding off.

The Pole-axe was not set aside just yet, the haft point being presented as she pushed forward. Bodies ahead of her, some hanging off the edge to let her pass, others attempting to clear the way as she watched for those raising a blaster to her.

Those bodies were wrenched from the gangway and tossed aside with either a hand or the force. The satisfying thud from below appeasing the sigils upon her armor as the glow began to dim. One defender thought to charge her as she threw another from the walkway, the haft point in her left hand rising sharply to run them through as she lifted them up and over the edge.

A blaster bolt sizzles against a shoulder plate, drawing an ire from deep within the pureblood at the audacity.

She stared for a breath, bringing the flailing being back from the edge and into the walkway before charging down the line and pushing more defenders from the gangway. At least she hoped in the back of her mind they were the enemy.

The walkway ended in a large sealed door, with a series of viewports to the front and sides.

Spoiler: Loadout

Armor

• Bodyglove
• Armor Plates
  • Gauntlets

Weapons

• Longsword
• Lanvarok Pole-axe
• Particle Blaster Pistol
• 4 - Grenades