Novam Umbrarum Arcanae

[EmKay]

ROTHANA
THE TENEBRAS ACADEMY

Archon Asher Valentine of the Obsidian Order stood in his new, somewhat ornamental quarters in the new Tenebras Academy. This was a special Obsidian Citadel built during the Techno Union's dominion of the world Rothana, both in design and intent. It was referred to as a 'Prime Citadel' in the documentations, for starters. A break from the mould of tattered spires dotting every world. This one was a complex asteroid colony, one which spanned two halves of a massive rock, and branched out to two other, very large asteroids. All was connected by glasteel walkways that gave view to the asteroid field and, beyond that, the glittering ice planet itself.

The outer installations acted as the port authority and security headquarters. To one side was the hangar, mechanics, and such technical and spacefaring institutions. Even as far as including flying lessons to the astronomically impaired. To the other side was the armoury, security centre, space traffic control, and other authoritative networks. One had to pass through at least one of these stations to enter the Academy Citadel proper, and both were heavily secured. Even the outside of the station had point defence cannons to target starfighters and/or drop pods that came too close. Not intimidating to larger ships, but the asteroids were there for that. Those and defences hidden in the Field. After everything had been set up, the engineers termed this particular asteroid field 'Death's Shroud', representing the hidden dangers of traversing too close to the Academy without authorisation.

Upon arrival into the Academy, one would be presented with a whole manner of things that would take at least a handful of tours to see all of. The complex was massive -- built to accommodate Sigma's dream for the Order to become one of the great Force gatherings. Large enough to rival Jedi and Sith. A Third Side, the True Side of the Force. There was Dark, and there was Light, but mastery came from uninhibiting one's self from using both. Power and freedom, the things the Sith promised... yet without costing one's very soul. However, weakness was still an unacceptable feat. Rather than turn away a weak Uninitiate, however, steps were taken to strengthen them. Be those methods cybernetics, biotechnology, or simply grinding away at the resolve until it toughened and pushed back against challenges.

This ideal. The becoming greater than the sum of your existence. Ascending to the next plane of understanding of the Force. Thus the title of the Masters of the Order. Ascendants. Everyone, however, must start somewhere. The bottom. The ground. Asher's boots clicked against the polished durasteel floor as he made his way to the hangar. Along the way he tapped an earpiece that synchronised to his datapad. He'd already established a line to Eridium Industrial, to initiate the next phase of his Tenebras Academy. The Uninitiate Plane.

"Hello? Yes, I'd like a construction team on the surface of Rothana at your earliest convenience. The Archon of the Obsidian Order. Yes, that's right. I'll transmit coordinates when I'm at the appropriate location. Yes, that's fine. Thank you, you too. Goodbye."

They said they'd be over as soon as he was ready. Funny how a position of authority and recognition got people what they wanted faster than the common man. He shrugged the thoughts off. Castes, classes, division. They were part of every social system. Even the Obsidian Order. Valentine reached the hangar before he knew he had, and he borrowed a standard shuttle and a thick coat from the hangar, then flew down to the planet's surface. He switched on the transmitter beacon and set it to an Eridium channel so they'd know to lock onto it. Now it was just a matter of waiting.

[member="Phade"] // [member="Jennifer Blanchard"] // [member="Darell Irani"]​

[member="Adekos"] // [member="Charlotte"] // [member="Dagora-Kel"] // [member="Jemmila Kyrgen"] // [member="Marek Starchaser"] // [member="Molly Rieux"] // [member="Seto Du Couteau"]​

​

OBJECTIVES ​

 

[Zola]

Jemmila Krygen, Dark Jedi Padawan and apprentice of Adekos made her way to the window of her transport vessel as it slowly descended into a small asteroid field over Rodia. The young woman's large brown eyes widened in awe at the massive construction site of the new Tenebras Academy, the new home of the Obsidian Order. Raising one hand to the window, Jem gently traced the outline of the architectural foundation with her fingers. Nestled within several large asteroids that were connected by enormous walkways, the Academy was a sign of new things to come for the Order, a shining beacon of the ingenuity that the eclectic members of the Techno Union possessed.

Although Jem was still an Apprentice, her Master had slowly started to bestow more freedom on the sometimes defiant and hard-to-handle Hapan, a reward for excellence in her training, especially for her telekinetic abilities, which seemed to be her best skill so far. According to the Archon of the Obsidian Order, the grounds were open for the Apprentices to explore. For Jemmila a little bit of freedom went a long way, so as the door to her shuttle opened, she shot down the ramp like a comet. The training areas were of the most interest to her. Although after spending time on Adekos' battleship, with mostly droids for company, living in one of the new dormitories didn't sound half bad either.

[member="Phade"] [member="Jennifer Blanchard"] [member="Darell Irani"] [member="Adekos"] [member="Charlotte"] [member="Dagora-Kel"] [member="Marek Starchaser"] [member="Molly Rieux"] [member="Seto Du Couteau"]

 

[Jennifer Blanchard]

Considering her writer swapped her into the Obsidian Order because she had muse, it made sense that Jennifer was showing up at the final construction project for the Obsidians on Rothana. She knew soon she was going to be assisting a friend of Marek's with some work near and around Coruscant, but until then? She was going to make sure she had earned her keep here. Being taught and paid by Marek, she was the type to take her own specialized and burnt orange Santhe Challenger down to Rothana. It had all her gear, minus her partner. She really needed to speak to Emerald and see if she would be interested in joining this Order. They seemed competent.

The Dark Jedi Slicer had made her way to the planet. Without a true Master, since Marek wasn't claiming her, and she wasn't exactly looking to learn from the playboy, she landed and started up her holonet terminal, probably the most devastating weapon in her arsenal. Pulling up the Obsidian computer system, she made to break into a quick firewall, mainly just so she could watch what was going on. Eridium was called, The Archon was on his way. She was early. Of course she was.

She'd wait in her ship until someone collected her or it was obvious that other things were going on.

[member="Asher Valentine"] [member="Jemmila Kyrgen"]

 

[EmKay]

ROTHANA
THE TENEBRAS ACADEMY
GROUND ZERO

The Archon's footfalls stopped short of his destination. There were instances where even a great leader had to put his people to the test. Where one had to stir the pot, and make it into an unrecognisable mass. His mouth arced into something between a smile and a grimace, and he flicked channels. Secure lines. Corporate, private. Sudoka had its uses, encryptions were becoming a speciality. It would take months to intercept the transmission, and that transmission would last five seconds then be wiped. There would be no knowing that this ever happened. The crew? Skeleton. Paid off. They would disperse, then never be heard from again for one reason or other. A smooth operation. Clean. Sigma learnt from the Fall, that to take matters into your own hands you had to make it flawless.

"Begin." he muttered into the air, then continued on his way like nothing happened.

As he neared the hangar, it blossomed into a ball of flame. Ships within spontaneously combusted. Pieces flew out and smashed into objects, sparking new explosions and chaining off into fuel systems and sparking new bursts of flame that blast apart the very asteroid it rested upon. Nearby ships either scattered or were smashed by hunks of space rock. The walkway Asher found himself on was depressurising rapidly. He let out a grunt of effort, wrestled with the switch for his helm, and let out his breath as the helmet closed around his head from below and kept him breathing. He watched the port asteroid shatter and flicker its last few flames and reveal its smouldering wreckage. His head swivelled looking to see the aftermath, and the public announcement system of the facility blared at maximum volume.

"DEATH TO THE FORCE!"

The voice rang out, then the next explosion blasted out and engulfed the dormitory wing, the puff of fire spreading out from the asteroid superstructure. Insignificant from outside, but on the internal structure it blazed a hole in the station, and let out another hull breach. Alarms sounded across the facility, as minor explosions sparked throughout the Tenebras Academy. Security Forces spread out from their locations, but the damage had been done. There was no conventional way in or out, and the Citadel was slowly breaking. Fracturing. Destructing.

It had begun. The test for all the Obsidian Order. Would they fight their way out and make a difference, or would they rely on the Techno Union to bail them out? He needed strong. He needed thinking. He needed real Force Users, loyal to the Order, who could break through disaster and prove themselves worthy. Those who died, or proved themselves weak, would be left behind. The Order was not the Union. The Order was symbiotic yet ultimately separate. Those spires across Techno Union space were reminders of that. Distinct from the rest of the structures. Distinct from the rest of the Union. A separate entity, bonded by necessity and convenience.

Things were in need of change. It happened before, under the hand of Norongachi.

[member="Phade"] // [member="Jennifer Blanchard"] // [member="Darell Irani"]​

[member="Adekos"] // [member="Charlotte"] // [member="Dagora-Kel"] // [member="Jemmila Kyrgen"] // [member="Marek Starchaser"] // [member="Molly Rieux"] // [member="Seto Du Couteau"]​

 

[Seto du Couteau]

His armor laid ontop of his bed, in a quite ungraceful looking pile of rubble. The young Du Couteau heir sighed happily as he fixed his yellow tie and patted himself down to remove any creases on his vest or pants. Training was not scheduled for another few hours and he really felt inclined to explore more the Citadel, it was indeed a large place, much larger than the other Citadel from where he first began this path of a Obsidian Knight.

Seto slowly moved away through the doors, his hands raised high as he stretched his arms upwards. His eyes scanned around him as he continued to move down the hallway, each step making light footsteps, the echoes barely reaching a few meters down the hall. A single thought made him raise an eyebrow, it felt a tad deserted. He never really noticed it, even when he landed in the docking bay he saw a few workers and droids but as he moved to the dorms than to the training rooms and back to his dorm he hadn't seen a single soul since when he docked.

Even now he felt not lonely but rather isolated, being alone didn't exactly bother the Du Couteau heir but being isolated felt as if someone had intentionally done so. Instead of Seto choosing to be alone, but be that as it may Seto was sure the Citadel should not be this devoid of others. With a shrug though Seto continued on his way, towards the library perhaps. He hadn't chosen a real destination but maybe he would find something interesting.

Run

"Death to the Force!"​

The thought,a single thought pushed hard into his mind, into his head as he froze for a single second. Something rocked the entire station, he felt a shudder and than without a single thought his feet took off forward, further into the hallyway and into a small hub. His eyes quickly targeted the computer terminal, his fingers already dancing across the keys and trying to figure out what had happened. Something was indeed not right here, but even worse Seto did not even where to begin here. It slightly unnerved him, as if someone just took away two or three of senses away from Seto and forced him to maneuver through a maze.

His eyes narrowed, the hanger where his ship was docked seemed to had been targeted, but what made it worse was that the dorm wing too suffered a hull breach. The floor shook once more, Seto turned his head towards the other hallways. He rolled his shoulders as he started move quickly towards the Network control side, if he could connect to someone outside and perhaps even learn as to why the Citadel suddenly exploded perhaps survival was more than just a instinct.

"Building a Citadel on several asteroids in the vacuum of space was a good idea they said, nothing could possibly go wrong they said," Seto muttered, being slightly spiteful since he was sure his ship was just tattered ruins or a heaping pile of smoldering durusteel. Someone was going to pay for that, and he was damn sure he was not going to die until that someone does, regardless of whoever that person that had done this to the Obsidian Order Citadel.


[Member="Phade"] // [Member="Jennifer Blanchard"] // [Member="Darell Irani"]
[Member="Adekos"] // [Member="Charlotte"] // [Member="Dagora-Kel"] // [Member="Jemmila Kyrgen"] // [Member="Marek Starchaser"] // [Member="Molly Rieux"] // [Member="Asher Valentine"]

 

[H3xle]

[Member="seto du couteau"] // [Member="Jennifer Blanchard"] // [Member="Darell Irani"]
[Member="Adekos"] // [Member="Charlotte"] // [Member="Dagora-Kel"] // [Member="Jemmila Kyrgen"] // [Member="Marek Starchaser"] // [Member="Molly Rieux"] // [Member="Asher Valentine"]



Phade's hands slid over the console of his ships flight controls like a lover's hand caressing. The ship responded like said lover, dipping down under and around enclosed walkways as Phade navigated to the hangar designated for personal ships that belonged to the personnel of the Obsidian Order, rather than the Obsidian Order itself. In the unlikely case of an attack, they would need the outward facing hangars for attack craft. Personal ships would then be used to evacuate from the inward hangars if necessary.

"Obsidian control, this is Phade. I am approaching Hangar I-4, and requesting permission to land and disembark." Phade spoke outloud, he knew that his ships computer would transmit to Obsidian Control. The response came quickly.

"Phade, this is Obsidian Control, you are clear for I-4." Came the reply. Phade easily slid his ship into the hangar and picked a berth along the starboard wall. He set down, powered down, and stood up. He stretched, then headed out of the cockpit, locking it behind himself.

"Soldat, connect to the Citadel's power and air, then go into spectrum silence mode." He said, referring to the ship and droids as one entity. To him they were. He didn't wait for a response, instead just climbing down the ramp and out into the hangar. The ship behind him buttoned up behind him as he strode to the lift in the wall opposite the hangar opening. The air was being held back by an advanced security field, letting objects in and out in this configuration, but not air. Phade entered the lift and pushed the button for the living quarters. In a base this size, truly larger than some major cities, the lift system had to be advanced. Any single lift could get to any single area of the base, given time. Reserve lift units would come to lift doors that were left abandoned and any lift that was finished being used, but was not needed to man a door would be put into the reserve area. That meant that no one would likely need to wait for a lift, and could get to where they needed at any time.

The living quarters area was actually two separate areas. Phade had chosen the one where his own quarters were, in the sunward half of the asteroid base. The spaceward side also had a nearly identical area. Phade stepped out of the lift and around some engineers who were just arriving at the lift. The base was done for the most part, but the benefit of working with and for the Techno Union, was that you never had to deal with monk like style unless you truly wanted to live that way. Every member of the Order could be housed in this base, though it was still not the primary base. This afforded the ability for everyone to have personal quarters, sized according to the importance of the person. In Phade's case, it was a bit confusing. Phade was merely an acolyte of the Obsidian Order, one of the lower people in Taozin Network. However, Phade had also recently taken the post of Sub-Director of Law in charge of Law Enforcement, making him one of the highest law enforcement personages in the whole of the Union. This afforded Phade with a set of quarters that were several steps above his Obsidian Order station, but not quite at the director level. In this place few would be above the directors and the Archon. His suite of rooms on Roon would likely be equivalent of the Archon's, but Phade was rarely there. His duties from his many hats kept him busy, which was as he liked it.

Phade walked down the middle of a corridor that was roughly twenty feet across and several stories high. On either side there were various entrances to the quarters in between windows that showed in to droid run establishments for those Obsidian Knights that were present. Restaurants with food styles from all over the galaxy sat next to constantly open gyms and ranges, which all stood next to a massive cineplex that showed all the latest holovids. Phade walked past the cineplex and turned down a side corridor. He walked for a few more meters, then stepped up to a blank section of wall about a meter wide and two high. He made sure there was no one around before he reached out to the force and sent his personal signature into the wall. The wall itself shimmered and vanished, showing a set of stairs leading down to a landing with a lift door in it. As Phade descended, the solid holograhic image of a wall was replaced, Phades ARC's allowed him to see in the dark, along with strategically placed glow strips. Phade walked to the lift door, which opened for him automatically, and stepped inside. Inside there were no buttons, Taozin network didn't work in obvious ways. Phade placed his hand on the wall beside him and focused on the destination he had in mind.

The hidden areas of the base were connected by a series of equally hidden lifts. Taozin Network liked to be discrete, and loved their toys just as much as their Zillo brethren. (Maybe not quite as much.) The lift moved along the hidden pathways and soon they were no longer near the promenade of the sunward quarters area. The hidden lift let Phade out into his quarters, which were on the sunward facing side of the sunward side of the base. He had windows that showed the entire inner system, occluded from the outside by another ingenious holoimage. His quarters were tasteful and modern, sleek gunmetal gray walls and matching furniture. The room he was let into from the lift was his main living area, to his right he had an office where he could plan his operations as well as have secure communications with whomever he needed to. To his left he had his bedroom and bathroom. It was dimly lit, but had the atmosphere that Phade liked. It wasn't the largest set of rooms, but Phade liked them.

 

[EmKay]

He drifted through space, slowly coming to the primary asteroid. A few more metres, and then he touched down on the rock. He could feel the chill of space. This armour wasn't designed to be in the vacuum, so it was doing little more than keeping him alive. He clawed his way across the surface, and slid into an emergency access hatch. As his boots touched durasteel flooring, another explosion shook the foundations of the superstructure. The vibrations from the blast shook across the whole facility, rattling the structure, shaking people off balance, and bringing more fragile constructs to shatter. Places buried inside the asteroids were next to feel the hit. Rock fell into the facility, sending out more breach alarms.

From different sectors of the facility, primarily the ones with the least damage, pockets of insurgents appeared. Wearing slate grey armour with no form of ID on them, and a suicide system that would decompose the body upon death or failure, they were the ultimate hit-and-not-exist sleeper agents, at least in the not existing part. They were picked up off the streets. Taken in for a bit of credits. So easy to manipulate, but terrible shots. They had no strategy, they had no direction. Just as a real expendable team of nobodies would be. They were there to bring terror and kill what few they could, not successfully wipe out the Obsidian Order. All as planned.

A team unfurled around Asher, and the only lightsaber he'd managed to keep ignited in his hand. He deflected one blaster shot, brought his lightsaber to pierce through a torso, spun around and reflected a shot to its owner, decapitated the third of his victims, and in the same motion cut the fifth in half. The sixth of the unit made to flee, but his suicide suit made that impossible. A pungent aroma filled the air as the toxins did their work, and in a few minutes the armour would be empty, save for moisture. He didn't have time to wait, though. Valentine made his way to a PA terminal and barked out to his Order.

"Anti-Force Terrorists have infiltrated the Citadel, evacuate the premises by any means necessary! I repeat, eva--" his voice was cut off.

In place of his voice commanding the Order to escape the destruction, maniacal laughter filled the entire complex, then a recording was put on loop to jam any further communications through the public announcement system.

"DEATH TO THE FORCE!"
"DOWN WITH THE CANCER!"
"WE ARE THE SOLUTION TO THE DISEASE!"
"THE GALAXY WILL BE RID OF THIS INFESTATION!"
"WE WILL BE FREE OF THESE SO-CALLED GODS!"

Valentine's lightsaber spun in his hand, and his face hardened. He had more to do. A blast from below him sent a shockwave up the structure which cracked the walkway he was on. He lost his footing, deactivated his saber to prevent hurting himself, and tumbled down with the rubble. He reached out for something to grab onto, and felt himself being held up by hands and unseen fingers. He looked around to see a group of Neophytes working to save their Archon from the blast, on a mid-level. They hauled him up, and he dusted himself off.

"Thank you," he said, "You're smart to work together. Try and find a service station, or delivery port. The companies who established themselves here would have had private terminals installed."

They all nodded and agreed to find somewhere like that, and were off. Asher watched them go for a moment before he was brought to kneel by another blast. He growled deep in his chest and went in search of an interstellar terminal. He needed to feed this happening into the HoloNet.

[member="Phade"] // [member="Jennifer Blanchard"] // [member="Darell Irani"] // [member="Seto Du Couteau"] // [member="Jemmila Kyrgen"]​

[member="Adekos"] // [member="Charlotte"] // [member="Dagora-Kel"] // [member="Marek Starchaser"] // [member="Molly Rieux"]​

 

[Caulder Dune]

[member="Phade"] // [member="Jennifer Blanchard"] // [member="Darell Irani"]​

[member="Asher Valentine"] // [member="Charlotte"] // [member="Dagora-Kel"] // [member="Jemmila Kyrgen"] // [member="Marek Starchaser"] // [member="Molly Rieux"] // [member="Seto Du Couteau"]​

​

"At which point, he constricted my throat with the Force and called me a cheater." Adekos retold a story, watching idly as mainframes were installed by a half-dozen technicians. He was speaking to their boss. "Now, by that point, things were already looking rather dire; throne having exploded like it did. Yet, somehow, it managed to get worse. Because what Shorn then proceded to do was-"

A tremor suddenly wracked the still-under-construction facility. Tools clattered to the ground, scaffolding shook violently, men and women stumbled slightly. If the man overseeing the installation of the Obsidian Order's own central archives weren't so worried about the source of that tremor he would have been grateful for the interruption to Adekos' long-winded story. Many parts of the Obsidian Citadel were still under construction, but the archives were nearing completion. Adekos had, perhaps, hijacked that authority and designed the archives and their security systems himself.

He did, after all, know a little something about what it took to keep these things secure. That was another story he had intended to reflect on before he was so rudely interrupted.

Adekos caught his balance on a nearby wall, waiting silently for the shaking to pass. It felt distinctly like an explosion, or perhaps series of explosions.

"What was that? Are we under attack?" The overseer asked, already alarmed.

"Anti-Force Terrorists have infiltrated the Citadel, evacuate the premises by any means necessary! I repeat, eva--"


"DEATH TO THE FORCE!"
"DOWN WITH THE CANCER!"
"WE ARE THE SOLUTION TO THE DISEASE!"
"THE GALAXY WILL BE RID OF THIS INFESTATION!"
"WE WILL BE FREE OF THESE SO-CALLED GODS!"

Once the PA had finished blaring those six different voices, only one of which was remotely welcome, Adekos unclipped the electrum-hilt lightsaber that hung from his side. And here he had the gall to think he had left this "Forceless Future" nonsense behind when he abandoned One Sith space for a more lucrative and less bloodstained career in the Techno Union. No, it appeared the Forceless Future Society were just as intent on ridding Force Users from Techno Union space as they were in the core. But now Adekos had a vested interest in the lives of Force Users living in the Techno Union.

Because they weren't going to be bred into bloodthirsty psychopaths.

"I'm going to go find my apprentice. You should evacuate. Quickly."

Without further dialogue, Adekos departed the archives and started making his way down the hallway. The hallway that only existed because all seven sets of blast doors were currently either opened or not yet fully installed.

 

[Jennifer Blanchard]

An apprentice without a master. She was like dogs without horses. And whoever can name that comic gets a cyber cookie. Watching what was going on outside her ship, that was when she saw the reports. Fire suppression systems, mag seals and… an explosion? Was that what just happened? Who planted that? How did anyone get into the asteroid without going through the security check point? She shook her head. People coming for the Order was not a good sign. Sure, they operated separate of the Union, but the organizations were siblings, and symbiotic, that was why net Zillo was such a major player, at least according to Marek.

Stepping from her ship and locking in her armor, she readied her weapon. What she needed was to build her own ligthsaber, this rental work from the Obsidian was nice but… it wasn’t hers. She loved the color though, she’d need to build one. Once she was told to. Marek and Sasha didn’t let her carry one during her Tion operations, but she was coming from there to so much more. She readied her weapon.

“This is Gambit…” She had such a bad habit of using her holonet handle before her actual name over the radio. Okay, Neo, show them what you can do. “Errr, Blanchard, to any Obsidians. Any report?” She could hear the anti-Force garbage being played over the airwaves

She had the option of going to see Carach and assist with the Titan situation or come here for a few days. Clearly she made the best choice. Where were the Masters? Linking her cybernetics and her armor she started to do her best to break down the Citadel’s wireless networking and find a map. She needed to find others. She knew that they were all over here. But where?

Couldn't Emerald join the Order too? Then she'd at least have her fething partner.

[member="Asher Valentine"]
[member="Phade"]
[member="Adekos"]
[member="Jemmila Kyrgen"]
[member="Seto Du Couteau"]
@Not tagging my alts because that’s lame.

 

[Zola]

Jem was currently poking around the soon-to-be training areas of the Obsidian Citadel, which were several ziggurat-like structures, their facings glazed in different colors, when she felt a strange disturbance in the Force. Suddenly, the klaxons began to blare and the voice of the Archon himself could be heard throughout the trembling structure. As he ordered all personnel to evacuate, his voice was cut off by the presumed terrorists themselves. They not only sounded mad, but barely literate as well. Jem had heard some of the dogma of these Forceless Future Society who preached a better future without Force-users. Out of curiosity, she had browsed their badly designed Holonet sites, and she had found some of the flimsiplast leaflets they air-dropped on Coruscant. The FFS was so ridiculous, Jem surmised it was someone's idea of a joke or perhaps an avant garde piece of performance art.

Apparently they were serious. As construction workers and technicians began to pour towards the exits, Jemmila ran the other way, in the direction of the blast. Were they not warriors in the Force? Why not fight these monsters instead of fleeing? Grabbing a rebreather from a nearby maintenance locker, apprentice began hunting for the culprits with lightsaber in hand. Oh to be a plucky young apprentice, throwing danger to the wind.

[member="Adekos"] [member="Jennifer Blanchard"] [member="Asher Valentine"] [member="Phade"] [member="Seto Du Couteau"]

 

[Caulder Dune]

[member="Jemmila Kyrgen"]

Adekos stalked away from the archives, lightsaber in hand, like a man who had a particular bone to pick with anyone even remotely associated with the Forceless Future Society. How many civilians had been killed on Coruscant during that ill-fated attack, again? There had been casualties, that much he remembered. Adekos was of the stringent opinion that any amount of civilian casualties were too many. Particularly when the underlying goals were physically and logistically impossible. A galaxy without Force Users?

Who was going to keep these plebeian fools from hurting themselves then?

He exited the hallway into one of the main corridors, nearly bumping into his apprentice as he did so. The corridor was filled with people attempting to scurry off to their designated evacuation points. Oddly enough, Jemmila was heading in the opposite direction. Lightsaber out and equipped with a rebreather. She brought a rebreather! His foresight was rubbing off on her, clearly.

"Jemmila." He said, voice more tinged with surprise than the greeting he intended. "Off to defend the citadel, are we?"

 

[EmKay]

The piercing sound of cracking superstructure sliced through the air. Durasteel beams, stressed beyond their tensile ability, were splintering and sending out shuddering groans that shook the complex. The lights flickered once. Then twice. The blaring voice of the terrorists was silenced and the lights went out. A moment of silence, broken by footfalls and panicked cries, passed before a hum rolled into life and the emergency backup generator kicked online. Some businesses were still active, with their respective owners not trusting the main grid and having their own small generators plugged in. Directional lighting illuminated the nearest exits -- provate, public, or otherwise -- and a final stream of light marked the path to the auxiliary communications array.

Sigma adhered to that line, using the Force to manoeuvre the ever-increasing treacherousness of the paths through the station. He worked his way up, decimating any resistance he encountered, and finally broke his way into the room. He tapped on the console and fired up the cameras. Power diverted from a portion of the emergency lighting to rekindle the security cameras, and he patched his voice in. The broadcast relayed a transmission across all Techno Union space, and would be accessible from elsewhere in the galaxy as long as they had holonet access.

"This is Asher Valentine, Archon of the Obsidian Order, member of the Techno Union," he introduced himself then got to the point, "The Academy Citadel of Rothana has been attacked by a terrorist cell bent on the destruction of Force Users. We're evacuating, but these atrocities cannot be left unanswered. We must redouble the Order, reorganise, and strike ba-" he was cut off by a blaster shot to the console.

Valentine frowned and crushed the offender's skull with a thought. How dare he interrupt what was going to be a rousing speech. No matter, he needed to get himself and whomever was left on the Citadel off before-

A massive explosion rocked the whole facility. The elevated pylon he stood at the top of shifted just enough to break, and it scraped down itself until it hit another surface. That communications tower fell, as one half of the asteroid broke apart slowly. Cracks formed on its surface, and chunks flew out, clipping some ships. A spire of flame spewed out from a crater, followed by an even louder bang that had no flame. A seismic charge that shattered rock and blew out panes of glasteel. Emergency hatches sealed over the broken windows, but the Academy was now structurally compromised. There was no saving this place, only getting out alive or not at all.

[member="Phade"] // [member="Jennifer Blanchard"] // [member="Darell Irani"] // [member="Seto Du Couteau"] // [member="Jemmila Kyrgen"] // [member="Adekos"]​

[member="Charlotte"] // [member="Dagora-Kel"] // [member="Marek Starchaser"] // [member="Molly Rieux"]​

 

[Jennifer Blanchard]

She was listening to the broadcasts. That was one thing that Jenn always did. She may not be a fighter, but she was a controller. She could slice systems and give her team mates a leg up, or at least information on what lay beneath or around the next turn. But this? She had no idea this was even coming. Her message was on a loop, trying to contact the others in the Order, [member="Phade"], or [member="Adekos"] or [member="Jemmila Kyrgen"] or [member="Seto Du Couteau"]. Even [member="Charlotte"] if the cyborg was around, though Jenn still didn’t know how to handle her.

The explosion knocked her off her feet. Her armor was protecting her from the fall, but still, it hurt. And that was… was it the asteroid? Right, build it on a big rock, that was a smart move. Where was the Archon? Where was anyone? She shook her head and looked into the data streams. There were a lot of networks going down on the asteroid base and even more that were starting to show signs of damage.

“Anyone report? What happened?” She needed to find someone, safety in numbers and all that.
This was why the agents of Tion always operated in pairs.

[member="Haga To"]
[member="Nova 'Creation'"]

 

[Haga To]

"Why arnt you on Tython?" Takato asked him in her strict voice.

"Arnt you... dead?" Haga responded.

"You didnt answer my question"

"I didnt want to go back to those hypocrites"

"DEATH TO THE FORCE"

"What!?" Haga asked confused.

"WE WILL BE FREE OF THESE SO-CALLED GODS!"

With that Haga woke with a start. He had been dreaming. Not just any dream, a dream of his recently deceased master Takato. Disoriented the Zabrak looked around orienting himself. With sleep rapidly departing his mind began to function normally and he remembered that he was in Techno Union space on a citadel called the Tenebras Academy. Haga had come to learn more about this enigmatic group of force users who called themselves the Obsidian Order. So far his visit had been tiring. He didn't know anyone in the secretive order and they did things much differently then what he was used to with Takato. ....Takato... Haga was beginning to realize that he missed her very much.

Haga shook his head at his own melodramatic nostalgia. "She is gone, accept it and pull yourself together" he chided himself.

Haga's thoughts were [SIZE=11.9999990463257px]cut-off[/SIZE] by the sound of distant thunder and it took him a few moments to realize that he was in space where there was no thunder. The floor suddenly shook and Haga found himself thrown against the wall of his sleeping quarters.

"DEATH TO THE FORCE" A voice almost screamed the words through the PA system.

If Haga had more time he would have pondered why he had heard those same words from Takato's mouth in his dream. But the sound of distant explosions was growing closer and time was a fleeting commodity. Grabbing his only possession, a vibroblade, he rushed out of his quarters into the hallway outside. It was dark but emergency lights were active casting a red hue over the hallway.

"Where do I go now" Haga said to noone in particular as he cursed himself for not learning more about the citadel when he had the chance. He didn't even know if the facility had escape pods. An explosion nearby knocked Haga off his feet again and this time it also brought parts of the roof down. They were getting closer.

Rising on his now shaky legs the Zabrak sprinted down the hallway away from the explosions, his feet fuelled more by adrenaline then anything else.

"Anyone report? What happened?" Haga heard a female voice coming from the hallway he had just abandoned.

Turning around he considered his options. A strong part of him wanted to just leave and forget he had ever heard whoever it was. But another part of him realized that he didn't know the citadels layout and it would behoove him to find someone who did. At the end of the day logic won the argument and Haga sprinted back down the hallway towards [member="Jennifer Blanchard"]


Phade // Jennifer Blanchard // Darell Irani // Seto Du Couteau // Jemmila Kyrgen // Adekos
Charlotte // Dagora-Kel // Marek Starchaser // Molly Rieux

 

[Nova 'Creation']

Nova had been walking around the knew facility and was generally Impressed by the design of the place. Nova had been walking around for a good few house trying to memorize the place and every hallway and room. When nova had finally figured out the place and could walk through the place blind she headed for her ship which was in the farthest landing dock from the facility. Nova had some time to think before she go to the Ship seeing the corridor was super long. Nova was thinking about the clones that were in her child hood they seemed nothing like the ones now adays, They had taught her everything they knew and basically raised her in the sith academy with out anybody noticing. "Now looking back on it. They were like the clones talked about all those years ago same tactics same ways of fighting." Nova smiled at this remembering everything they had done for her and she hadn't even thanked them. Right Before Nova got onto her ship the PA system said.

"DEATH TO THE FORCE!"

At this moment Nova knew they were about to get attacked and she yelled "Q-5" start the engines!" as the engines started bombs started to go off and then two went off in the hanger she was in. Nova felt the whole facility shake from the explosions causing the hanger roof to collapse over nova. Nova had looked up at the last second using Force Barrier Breaking the piece of metal that almost crushed her into pieces and scattering it around her. Then nova looked over at her ship seeing the wounder being loaded up into it and seeing it take off.

As her ship left she watched it leave and when it exited entering hyperspace she saw four drop ships rapidly getting closer she started to help the wounded to the remaining ships. When the ships got close enough Nova grabbed a mounted turret (Like a mini gun.) and ripped it of the supports and pointed it at the attackers and Unleashed rain of lasers at them. Nova Was just spraying hopping she would hit one but with her luck she was only able to hit one of them causing it to go off course and hit the main facility. Then one of them shot a missile at nova. Nova dropped the gun and started to run from the incoming missile. Nova was about to jump away from the explosion when it went off early throwing shrapnel at her and hitting her left arm. Nova tried not to scream but failed then but it wasn't like a "banshee" scream but a loud enough one. Nova got up picking they pieces from her arm then looking at the attackers as they jumped from the Drop ships. Nova grabbed her "Jedi" Saber with her right hand and activated it trying not to feel the pain. As they jumped off the ships they started to shoot at nova. Nova started to spin her saber deflecting the lasers back at them she was able to hit a few of them before they got to close And nova was backing up into the corridor. When the doors shut she stabbed the control panel for the door sealing the door shut allowing her a few minutes to figure out what to do. Then she heard a girl on a transmission. "Hello? Hello?" Nova wasn't even sure if anybody could hear her. Then nova covered her arm in some ripped cloth she had found then started to run away from the hanger. When she was about to turn the corner she could sense some one was there but couldn't figure out who it was because she was to much in pain. Nova grabbed her saber and turned around the corner activating her saber. Then seeing a girl standing there "Oh nvm mind then." Nova deactivated her saber and put it on her belt. "I'm guessing you the girl on the transmission? Names Nova. I'm gonna guess your not with the attackers." Then nova sat down leaning against the wall. So whats happening is were getting attacked bombs went off I'm not sure what else has happened. Oh i was caught by a bomb." nova said as she unwrapped the cloth on her arm.

[member="Jennifer Blanchard"]

 

[Seto du Couteau]

His footsteps echoed across the hallway, quick steps as he raced to the Network Control side of the Citadel. All doubt was removed that the accidents were not 'accidents' but actual attacks caused by some over zealous group of beings. Seto was irked that such mindless mongrels would dare to act upon their idiotic beliefs and thoughts. He turned the corner and nearly couldn't dodge the incoming butt of a rifle swinging his way.

He arched his body as back as he could to dodge the attack before falling back to use his hands to stop before hitting the ground. The attacker took no time and aimed his rifle at Seto but Seto's feet launched at him and smashed the rifle barrel wide right as Seto's legs swung down as he forced himself to stand back up quickly.

The momentum he shot forward Seto used to propel his right fist to slam into the attacker's side before unleashing another hook from his other hand smashing against the attacker's other side. Seto growled as he swiveled his body to generate as much momentum to add to his side kick, smashing against his attack to knock him off of his feet. Seto opened both palms before placing them side to side and smashing into the attacker's chest as he called upon his Force strength to create a ball of the Force to crash into the attacker's chest.

The man grunted before crying out in pain as Seto stood on top of him, his eyes furious as Seto kicked away the rifle as he placed his hand around the man's throat. "Now you will tell me what I want to know or el-" Seto commanded but even before he could finish his order the attacker he was strangling was decomposing within his own armor. Seto jumped back as the man garbled his last incoherent words before becoming an empty suit of armor.

A heavy sigh escaped Seto's rather annoyed expression as he picked up the rifle and began to move to his original destination. The Network Control area was up ahead of him, but with the sudden appearance of invaders within the Citadel Seto refocused his mind to stretch out around him to detect malicious thoughts and aggressive emotions. He did not care for mongrels nor the fodder that the mongrels send, they were already dead men. Dead men were all equal and the same in the young Du Couteau's eyes.

--

Seto breathed out heavily as he sat in a secured control room, secured as he personally removed two trespassers that did not understand their folly in time before obtaining their misfortunate end. Two empty armors laid collected in a pile in the corner of the room as Seto replayed the messages and other communications running through the citadel.

The rest of the Order was indeed aware the attack and the trespassers that were seeking the Knights through out the Citadel. Messages of either 'help' or attention were being sent through but Seto refrained from responding, he was not certain the depth of which these mongrel's had seeped their savaged claws in as he was not fully sure that their communications were compromised.

Seto muttered a few things as he swept his fingers across the keyboard as quickly tried to connect back to whatever company ship he could possibly contact. His eyes narrowed as he located one several lightyears away, he sent a coded message towards his company's ship. If he was sure than he would then need to simply find a way to get unto his ship once it arrives within the hour. Depending of course whoever on that ship would make it anywhere near the citadel Seto mused as he turned his attention to the rest of the communication going through.

His eyes zeroed in upon the security feed as he noted several knights running out of the hanger bay, Seto assumed that it was nothing but a flaming ruin, he wondered on how much of the Citadel was damaged. The instillation shook once more as Seto grabbed one of the Comm-Unit as he moved out of the room. Seto needed to return back to the main Citadel halls. He had little time to search for escape pods and life hatches as he was sure the Citadel was teeming with more attackers awaiting for unsuspecting prey. Surely they wouldn't just explode the entire asteroid with they themselves still inside the Citadel? Seto thought as he practically sprinted down the long stretch of the hallway.

Flashes of memory of the dissolving man flooded his mind as he than realized the folly of his assumption. They're going to bring everyone, including themselves, down, oh jolly Seto thought. His fingers holding unto his CommUnit he closed his eyes once, as he hoped to some god in these unforgiving galaxy that Seto would never pray to, would grant him some luck. Please let our communications not be compromised "This is an emergency alert, please located and defend access points to hatches to allow evacs to commence without trespassers to otherwise deter our escape," Seto rang through the Order's channel. "Do not attempt to reason with the dregs that dare defile our Citadel, they have already chosen their fate, their armor will activate if capture or apparent the wearer's death is immanent and will kill the wearer," Seto added as he moved swiftly.

Seto slowed down near the end of the hallway, finally reaching the main part of the Citadel, the hallway's entrance to the rest of the areas appeared barren of life. His mind focused as he stretched out once more with the Force to sense for any enemies as he moved in haste to possibly find an access hatch to allow himself to escape to his ship once it arrives. Another shake of the Citadel as he felt these vibrations last perhaps rather too long as he was unsure if his ship would even arrive on time.

[Member="Phade"] // [Member="Jennifer Blanchard"] // [Member="Darell Irani"]
[Member="Adekos"] // [Member="Charlotte"] // [Member="Dagora-Kel"] // [Member="Jemmila Kyrgen"] // [Member="Marek Starchaser"] // [Member="Molly Rieux"] // [Member="Asher Valentine"] // [Member="Haga To"] // [Member="Nova 'Creation' "]

 

[Jennifer Blanchard]

Jenn was looking around. She fething hated space. She liked being either in her ship, or on a planet doing whatever kind of hood rat things her and Emerald could get up to. It was typically to increase credit flow for Sasha and Marek, that… odd couple or whatever they were. Business associates? She knew it wasn’t her place, Marek sponsored her for the Agents of Tion program and brought her over to the Obsidian Order, where she was apparently on a space station getting attacked by people who didn’t like the Force.

What she needed was a more adult adult.

But what she was getting were other trainees! Good! That was good. She nodded as she looked at [member="Haga To"] who came sprinting her way. She looked over to the other side where Nova was. She nodded. “You two are both new here, right? Or… you don’t feel like Masters.” Lets be honest, Jenn’s skill extended to computer systems and messing with droids. She felt like a mini-[member="Adekos"] sometimes, as close as this writer would get to writing a child of Ardik.

As she spoke, she heard the transmission. That was a familiar voice. [member="Seto Du Couteau"]. Finally, someone was giving direction here. “Transmission received. Heading to the nearest working hangar. What’s your current location?” She looked to the gathered. “We should get out and help with getting people moving.”

Because she could do so much of that.

[member="Charlotte"], [member="Jemmila Kyrgen"], [member="Nova 'Creation'"]

 

[Seto du Couteau]

Eyes narrowing as peered further down the hallway, his mind stretching out with the Force to detect any trespassers. Good enough Seto thought quickly as he started to once more to run quickly, he needed to assure himself that the Citadel would at least hold together for however long it would take for him to get on his ship. His CommUnit spoke up and Seto quickly pressed the unit into his ear as listened the voice respond to his message he had sent out moments ago.

“Transmission received. Heading to the nearest working hangar. What’s your current location?”

His mind whirled with possibilities the idea that, with enough numbers any opposition or attacks from the trespassers would prove futile, seemed to be the smarter idea currently. The nearest functional hanger from his own location would not take too long, given that he wouldn't run into anybody wanting to kill him, he mused perhaps ten minutes if he did not lower his pace. "Moving away from the Network and Communications Buildings, and heading towards the hanger in the east of the hanger that was attacked," Seto responded.

His legs began to move, each step picking up speed ever so slightly, he had little time to stretch out with the Force and assure each turn he would take was safe. He but could only keep his range of reaction close enough to at least dodge the first blaster bolt heading his way. "The Security system detected trespassers from the attacked hanger, and several emerging from both the top and lower levels of the Citadel. If you encounter any you are more than honored to execute them with extreme prejudice," Seto added, moving faster as he willed his body to hold such a pace for as long as possible. Should not have opted out of that cardio day with the Instructor Seto thought wearily. He refocused himself quickly, he should not waste energy on jokes.

"Survival is key here, the eastern hanger appears empty but that will soon change once the enemy figures out where we are headed and knows that we intend to evacuate ourselves, ships will soon come to aid us but if they will be hard press to do their job in a firefight, meaning that the hanger must be cleared of all hostiles, I will be there in fewer than ten minutes," Seto finished his response as he focused on his breathing as he continued to run at a break neck speed.

[Member="Phade"] // [Member="Jennifer Blanchard"] // [Member="Darell Irani"]
[Member="Adekos"] // [Member="Charlotte"] // [Member="Dagora-Kel"] // [Member="Jemmila Kyrgen"] // [Member="Marek Starchaser"] // [Member="Molly Rieux"] // [Member="Rilus Mercer Sieron"] // [Member="Haga To"] // [Member="Nova 'Creation'"]