Private Reemergence II

[Chaussidier]

Reemergence II​

Tranquility. It was what one expected, seeing a habitable planet from space. An orb of life protected, by a thin atmosphere, from the lifelessness of space - oftentimes lightyears away from the next inhabitable planet. Dromund Kaas, however, was different. Chaussidier watched the planet from the bridge. The planet was one of violence and turmoil. Even from afar, he could see how the clouds twisted and turned into storms and where the layer was thinner, traces of lightning could be seen underneath. Some might be comfortable in that kind of environment, but Chaussidier was definitely not.

He leaned over the command console "Mathieu, Report" his voice rung out over the bridge as he sought an update from his agent on the ground. It was far from a sure bet that the Jedi would answer, for his task was a covert one. To seek the means needed to find a well hidden stronghold belonging to a powerful Sith lord whom they had sought to undermine for a significant period of time.

The comms only produced static noise for some time before a somewhat distorted voice could be heard. "//I've arrived safely, Admiral//" Mathieu spoke with a low voice. Rain could be heard in the background.

Chaussidier threw a glance at the Morellian's armour. Instead of being mounted on its owner, it instead laid by a nearby footlocker. It meant that the danger to the young warrior was greater - a necessary precaution for the rather covert mission he was to undertake. "Good. Status?" his voice was cold, focused on the mission. The thoughts of empathy and care were buried deep within him. What mattered presently was efficiency.

The static returned for a brief moment before Mathieu's voice could be heard again. "//By the stars, these lightning strikes are intense//" he said, sounding as if he had just been frightened. "//I've just made it through the shuttle station's security controls and am making my way through the Departures area. This place is a maze! Finding the speeder will...//" the static noise returned, cutting the Jedi off mid-sentence. "//...my holdout blaster. But at least noone else seems to....//"

The Admiral looked up from the command console as Mathieu's voice cut out once more. The communications officer looked to him and received a nod in return - saliently granted permission to speak. "Admiral, there's a heavy storm above Kaas City. We cannot fix the connection without being noticed."

Chaussidier nodded. "Very well. It seems like he is on his own for now."

 

[Shai Maji]

Shai's reason for venturing to the other side of the galaxy, to the former heart of the Sith empire, was actually quite simple. There were still remnants left, it was the heart of the Empire... and she wanted to make sure the galaxy forgot about both those facts. Things were in a bit of a lull in the Enclave after the Krakens hit Hefi. She knew the higher ups were planning something big, but for the moment there was a calmness. So she didn't need to feel guilty over this little trip of hers this time around...

Walking through the streets of Kaas city, Shai had her jacket zipped up and hood covering as much of her head as possible from the constant deluge. It wasn't her first time in Kaas City, she had run plenty of jobs through the Sith Empire many years ago, either buying or selling guns to the underground crime presence lurking beneath the surface. Only issue was the fact that she had been off the criminal map for a very long time, getting back into contact with her old connections was proving difficult. Unfortunately she needed to go through the loops if she hoped to find out where to find her quarry.

Her gaze drifted through the crowd around her as she walked with her hands tucked into her jacket pockets, keeping watch for anything out of the ordinary. Her gaze finally settled on a very tall individual that seemed to have emerged from the shuttle station. Every type of person had their way about them. In Underworld, one learned quickly to identify who was legit and who was trying to be. To others, he seemed quite where he belonged in the crowd of Dromund Kaas... but she couldn't shake the fact that he seemed off for some reason.

Calmly she shifted her direction and followed after him, making sure to keep some distance between him and her and to match the crowd around her. Pulling a nervestick from a pocket, she took a few casual puffs as she tugged at her hood, trying to keep the rain out as the direction changed. No wonder the Sith were such garbage people. She would be too if she had to smell like wet dog every waking moment of her life. Her cybernetic eyes constantly kept him in her peripheral as she glanced around or checked her datapad. Perhaps he could lead her someplace useful...

Mathieu Brion

 

[Mathieu Brion]

Reemergence II​

Location: Korriban
Notable Equipment: Jedi armour, lightsabre, holdout blaster
Tags: Shai Maji

---​

"Admiral? Admiral." Mathieu whispered as the comm now only gave him static. The Jedi let out a bothered sigh as the realisation sunk in. He was on his own. It was far from the worst time to be operating alone as his main task was to secure information and follow leads. But there was always a risk that things would get out of hand and take unexpected turns. It was far from ideal but there was no use in crying over spilled juma juice.

It was not the first time he had been on Dromund Kaas. His mission had brought him to all corners of the heart of the old Sith Empire - this planet was no exception. It worked to his advantage as he didn't feel completely lost whilst making his way through the wide avenues of the planetary capital. Of course, he was never quite at peace here. The planet was oozing with a dark aura ensuring that he constantly had to be mindful of his temperament.

His apparel, a black turtlenecked shirt underneath a leather jacket, ensured that he could blend in in many environments. Naturally, it was very different from the armour he used to wear, but it was not something which bothered him. What did feel out of place, however, was that his lightsabres were with Chaussidier at the ship. The only true weapon he had brought was a simple holdout blaster. Naturally, Mathieu had less orthodox 'weapons' at hand too, but few things could match the lightsabre.

Eventually, he arrived at a highrise. It was one among many in Kaas city - this one, however, rose taller than many others, and offered a number of private landing pads on the upper floors. Entering the building, Mathieu removed his shawl that had kept him from becoming completely soaked by the heavy rain. The information he sought was possessed by a high ranking law enforcement officer believed to be letting off some steam at a more exclusive club - Lightning Catcher Café, a name reflecting its location at the very top of the building.

Taking the turbolift, it wouldn't be long before he found himself by a bar, ordering himself Corellian whiskey whilst quietly studying the crowd for someone who looked to be a match.

 

[Shai Maji]

Shai kept hung back with her cybernetic eyes watching him closely, always keeping him in the line of site. So far he was the only odd one she had encountered. Either he was exactly who she was looking for, or she was going to make a fool of herself once she cornered him.

Though his choice of destination was sparking quite a few questions as she watched.

Shai let him go into the lift first and took a separate one to the penthouse way up in the sky. This place was snazzy, though. Typical of the sith, they overspent on all the luxury items... at least they lost the war in style. She could see herself indulging in this little guilty pleasure that was visiting Sith restaurants and bars, get a slice of that high life.

Reaching the bar, she quickly spotted her quarry and sauntered over to the bar. Once she was next to him, her left hand opened and the barrel of her integrated blaster pressed lightly into his side. ”Alright, bucko. Just play casual, I’m just your squeeze for the evenin’. You alert any of your sith buddies and I’ll clean house tonight.” She muttered with a cold voice, her free hand waving over the bartender as she stuck close to him to keep her weapon hidden.

”Start talkin’. What do you know about hidden Sith bases?” She asked him once she calmly ordered a glass of brandy and cola from the bartender.

Mathieu Brion

 

[Mathieu Brion]

Reemergence II​

Location: Korriban
Notable Equipment: Jedi armour, lightsabre, holdout blaster, Corellian Whiskey
Tags: Shai Maji

---​

He had not been allowed to survey the room for long before he found someone he seemed to be a match. From a first glance, the man, wearing a captain's ribbon, looked burly. But the Jedi sensed that he was a softer spirit. And upon closer inspection, it was possible to see that his hands were soft, not marked by hardship. His face was relatively free from wrinkles, suggesting that he had had an easier time in life than most. Perhaps he was competent enough to have made life easy for himself. Or perhaps he was a product of greased palms.

Before he could make any real moves, however, a woman sat down next to him. Mathieu didn't pay her much mind at first. But the sudden appearance of a weapon certainly made her hard to look past. Playing it cool wouldn't be much of a challenge. the large Morellian had been held at gunpoint on multiple occasions in the past and had a couple of option on how to get out of the situation in mind already. His eyes ventured up, from the blaster to her face. It was curious, to see an alien on Dromund Kaas. They weren't commonly seen there, especially not at an establishment like the one they were at.

When she referred to the Sith as his buddies, Mathieu couldn't help but to let out a chuckle. "My goal is to bring them to the light" he whispered, offering her a playful smirk. "...but I can keep them in the dark for now" he continued, maintaining a friendly tone as she huddled closer to hide her weapon.

He stretched out an arm as the bartender offered him his whiskey whilst taking the order of the stranger. "You don't look like much of an informant" he whispered whilst studying her facial features. "Shistavanen?" he asked casually, although keeping his voice low. It was a little embarrassing to not know her species for certain, but there were many different aliens in the galaxy and Mathieu didn't do all that well at school.

Nodding discretely towards the burly officer, he spoke once more "I don't know that much about their bases. But I've got a hunch that that guy does. I was considering chatting him up" he gave her another playful look "Do you have a charming side too?"

 

[Shai Maji]

He completely lost the Shistavanen the moment he started to speak... what unsettled her more was the fact that he seemed to help her keep a low profile. "Hey, wait..." She muttered, blinking in surprise as he simply continued to talk as if they were on the same team. Her eyes narrowed as he correctly guessed her species, earning a jab with her blaster barrel. "Yeah, don't try me. The teeth work quite well." She grumbled with a cold voice, watching him carefully.

He referred to a nearby officer and continued to talk as if they were working together. She wasn't liking it one bit, not on this planet. "You stay right where the kriff you are. Who the hell are you? Stop talkin' like we're on the same side, I'm here to clear out Sith. I dunno where the kriff you're comin' from." She muttered. Despite her reservations, her blaster barrel retracted and her hand returned to normal. With one fluent motion she picked up her whiskey and sipped at it, her crimson gaze drifting between the stranger and the officer he referred to.

Her cybernetic eyes snapped back to the stranger as her beskar claws rested against his inner thigh, already catching onto his trousers with the sharp edges. "You not with them, you take the lead. Sith don't exactly like folks like me. You try anythin' funny, me and you gonna have some issues." Her hand retracted as she downed her drink and ordered another. "Get to it. I'll play backup. Don't try and cross me." She threatened softly, glancing back to the officer he mentioned.

Mathieu Brion

 

[Mathieu Brion]

Reemergence II​

Location: Korriban
Notable Equipment: Jedi armour, lightsabre, holdout blaster, Corellian Whiskey
Tags: Shai Maji

---​

A sting. Mathieu brought his right arm against his cheek. It was oddly inconsiderate of her to throw a jab at him with the barrel like that. The large Morellian wiped away the small trace of blood that seeped out. It was a scratch, nothing serious, but still rather inconvenient. Maybe it would have been of value if they were at a rowdier establishment, but in this upper class club, it was a bit more out of place. He sent her an annoyed glare whilst wiping his hand against his shirt under the jacket, figuring that it was better to spoil his clothes than to leave a bloody trail for someone to follow.

It was interesting to observe her apparent bitterness. Or perhaps it was just cynicism. His mind went to Sammy and Ara. This one reminded him of the two of them. But in their case, it was a defence mechanism and a desire to not get hurt by someone. Of course it was possible that that was the case here too, but it was not possible for him to know.

Mathieu didn't respond to her demand. Instead, he looked to her with a friendly gaze, wondering when she would realise that their goals were rather similar. His reaction to her claw resting against his thigh was similar to that of her barrel being directed towards his core. Unphased. Calm. Curious. She was lucky that Mathieu wasn't the more explosive and impulsive type. But considering her armament compared to his, maybe he was rather lucky too.

With a smile, he leaned in "Got it" he said, ensuring her that he wouldn't try to cross her. He continued in the same breath "But know this: I want to return here in the future. I won't be able to..." He paused for a moment to consider his phrasing. With an amused smile, he continued "...stay as your friend if you cause a scene." Unlike rather light-hearted demeanour he had displayed so far, Mathieu gave her a look conveying the gravity of the situation as he rose from his stool before walking over to the officer.

The burly mark was surrounded by a few others. It was hard to tell who they were. Perhaps underlings. Perhaps just friends. Civilians. Regardless, the large Morellian was not there to cause a scene. Drinking from his whiskey, he approached the group with a big smile. "Make room" he hollered jovially. The crew looked to him with surprised, not quite sure how to react until it was too late. With one swift move, he squeezed himself onto the sofa where some of them sat. "I was going to play some pool before this madman hit me" his voice carried enough enthusiasm to bring a couple of the Imperials onto his side as he pointed at the scratch he just received.

"So what?" the burly officer spoke, looking to the new arrival with both amusement and suspicion.

Mathieu grumbled before taking another sip "So I came here" He raised his eyebrows innocently as he shrugged before taking another sip-

The officer, seemingly less suspicious took a sip of his own drink "Boy, do you have any idea who I am?" He leaned forth, knowing the intimidating effect it could have for those who knew of his position. His friends chuckled along, more than likely having seen it in the past.

Continuing his ruse, Mathieu looked to the man rather blankly. An uncomfortable amount of time passed before he let out a resigned "No"

Another uncomfortably long period of silence ensued as the officer looked to him harshly. Rather suddenly, both him and his crew burst out in laughter. They had been allowed to give the kid a fright. They were happy. Much in accordance to Mathieu's hopes. The officer leaned back again "So what's stoppin' ya?"

"Huh?"

"It's just a scratch. What's stoppin' ya from playing pool?"

"Oh, uh..." Mathieu trailed off as if having been caught with an uncomfortable question. His spirits then rose "Even the best needs some rest" he said, flashing a confident smile.

"Is that so?" the officer was amused as he eyed the large Morellian. He then looked to his friends "Why don't we show 'the best' what we can do, eh?" It wouldn't be long before the party rose with the officer putting an arm around the neck of his new pal as they walked towards a free pool table. "I was the winner of the Shyrack Club Galactica's pool championship in 855." he displayed a confident grin, eager to instill some humility into the newcomer.

 

[Shai Maji]

Shai merely stared at him as he gave a subtle warning and left to go swindle the target. Letting out a huff, she sipped at her drink and turned slightly to not seem conspicuous, though she could still listen in easily enough as they conversed only a few meters from her. Luckily her hearing wasn't that bad after everything she went through.

Every now and then she glanced over, all the while mumbling and grumbling all kinds of mockery and insults to herself as she waited for the stranger to soften up the target. As they started with their game, the insults continued as Shai tried to reassure herself that she was better than the uppity officer. It was a hard pill to swallow that she wasn't nearly as good, even after years of playing the game in bars. But after a while of listening in and watching she finally reached the limits of her patience and downed the last of her drink before she rose from her stool. Putting on a rather hasty appearance, she rushed over to the table. "Hey guys, sorry to bother. I just got a call, I need to get to the hospital, your speeder's blocking me in, sir." She stammered, looking nervous as she spoke to the officer directly. Understandably the man was quite confused and also quite annoyed as he looked at Shai and then at the rest of the table. "Sir, it's my mom. Please." She stated, chewing her lower lip as she hastily tapped her foot.

"I'll be back in a second. Don't skip me." He ordered the rest of the table before he turned to the exit, cussing all the way. "Thanks a lot, sir. Her condition's worsened the past few weeks, I dunno what it is this time." She rambled on, running a hand through her hair as she entered the elevator with him.

She took the ride down with him and exited the building completely, though when they reached what seemed to be his speeder, she slammed his head into the door the moment he unlocked it. "Shyrack club, meet fight club." She muttered, staring down at the unconscious man by her feet. Casually she popped open the trunk and dumped him inside before resting against the driver's side door with a nervestick in hand. The stranger was likely not too far behind. Her foot still tapping away, she waited for him to join her by the speeder. "Took ya long enough." She quipped as she got in. Not wasting a second longer, she blasted off with the speeder until they found a secluded alley to hide out in. "The name's Shai, by the way." She introduced herself as she held out a hand. "Now lay it out for me. You're here to hunt Sith as well?" She asked him with a more relaxed tone, wanting to make sure they were on the same page.

Mathieu Brion

 

[Mathieu Brion]

Reemergence II​

Location: Korriban
Notable Equipment: Jedi armour, lightsabre, holdout blaster, Corellian Whiskey
Tags: Shai Maji

---​

It was going surprisingly well. Mathieu had spent quite a bit of time in bars and clubs back on Morellia and even more during his time as a Mercenary. Both the officer and his crew were warming up to him as the rounds continued. Of course, he could always cheat with a bit of telekinesis, but at this stage, what mattered was the social part. He had set out to win them over and it was all going in the right direction. All until she showed up again.

Continuing to play his part, the Jedi hung back as she approached the group. Her acting was on point, despite taking a role so different from the side she had displayed when they spoke in private. At first, he didn't think much of it. The first assumption was that her intents were similar to his own, to befriend them. It was only when she tried to make him leave them that he started becoming more suspicious of her intents.

As the Shistavanen and the burly officer left for the elevator, Mathieu looked to the others with a shrug. "Well... what now?" he asked. The overall consensus seemed to be to wait for the officer to return. Something which Mathieu didn't mind. Until he realised that the stranger might have started to display her more violent side when they were alone. "Come find me on the dance floor when he gets back" he spoke with enthusiasm as he moved away towards the crowded area.

After having spent some time loosing the others, he quickly moved to the stairs. It was a quick climb up to the speeder pads. There she was, inside what he could only assume was the officer's speeder. Mathieu shook his head in frustration as he jogged over and hopped in to the passenger seat. The large Morellian remained silent as they ventured through the busy city. He had been too generous. Too trusting. Letting this one in on his plans was a grave mistake. "Well, Shai" he said, the annoyance clear in his voice "I tried to tell you not to cause a scene. This is worse. It will be hard for me to do anything in this sector in the future if I am wanted for kidnapping an high law enforcement official."

Mathieu let out a sigh as he contemplated how close they were to making Chaussidier's anti-Sith efforts in the sector that much harder in the future. "I'll take whatever data I can from this thing. Then I'll be out of your hair" his voice appeared to be resigned as he started downloading the navicomputer data and begun a search for datapads or other notes in the cabin.

 

[Shai Maji]

Shai looked very much offended at his very rude assumption of her messing his plans up. Before she could even get a word in, he started to download the information from the speeder. A plethora of things went through her head in that moment. For one, she simply kidnapped the guy the stranger was suspicious about... only thinking afterwards that it might not even be the right officer. The second issue was the fact that he was rude enough to not even give a name for her to make fun of.

"Hey, the least you can do is gimme a name." She started, resting a hand on her knee as she turned to face him. "Plus, you're after the Sith. I'm after the Sith. Gonna be rather stupid if you keep being a salty little schutta about the whole thing when we can actually be workin' together to find them. Only thing more perfect would be if you're a Jedi or somethin' then you can just make the guy forget. If not... don't worry about it. Bottom line, you'll be clean." She relaxed somewhat as she got her concerns voiced over the matter. With a deep breath she finally managed to relax and gave him a tap on the shoulder. "Now come on, quit whinin'. You're worse than one of my foundlings." She quipped as she got out of the speeder and opened the trunk.

A few slaps later and the officer woke up, understandably taken back by his current situation. "Okay bucko, start talkin'. Where the hell are the Sith bases on Dromund Kaas? No way they just upped and left." She ordered him without even giving him the chance to recuperate from his injuries. "The kark are you on about?" He grumbled, massaging his head. Another issue Shai overlooked: Tying his hands and legs down. At least he wouldn't get far if he ran. "I'm having a crappy day here, buddy. And I'm smellin' like wet dog. So you better start talking before I make your life spectacularly miserable." To emphasize her point, her hand opened up again and a plasma cutter ignited, coming uncomfortably close to his face as she glared at him. "You gonna keep testin' me or are ya gonna talk?" She growled.

He finally relented as he leaned back in the trunk. "Yeah they're here still. You're crazy if you think the Sith will just disappear like that. Karking womp rats." He admitted. "You already got my speeder, so no use in telling you where they are. All the info is on the speeder... though you might need the passcode to unlock the information." He was looking rather smug until the plasma cutter nearly burnt his eyes out. "Hay, whoa! Whoa! Alright, alright! The passcode is seven-three-five-five... six-zero-eight." He relented with a sigh.

Shai gave an appreciative nod as her hand returned to normal and she glanced over to the stranger. "Well, that should give you more than the bare minimum, I'd say. Now what are we gonna do with him?" She asked him casually.

Mathieu Brion

 

[Mathieu Brion]

Reemergence II​

Location: Korriban
Notable Equipment: Jedi armour, lightsabre, holdout blaster, Corellian Whiskey
Tags: Shai Maji

---​

He looked to her in disbelief as she snapped back. Who was she to call him salty after endangering his anonymity? It was only as he truly listened to what she was saying that he started realising that, while her words were harsh, the sentences they formed seemed less so. She was actually tying to ensure that he would be able to keep his anonymity. His upset facade faltered as he flashed a reluctant but genuine smile at her. "So a Shistavanen and a Mandalorian, huh?" the playful tone was accompanied by a readiness to raise his guard, in case she decided to smack him again.

Exiting the vehicle, Mathieu stood back by its hood, far away from the officer's field of view. The woman was technically correct, through the force, even memories could be wiped from existence. But it was not a technique which Mathieu had learned and it was definitely not one he was keen on using. Instead, he chose to simply stay hidden for this one. The only memory the officer would have of him was as some happy guy who was decent at pool.

Listening in on the interrogation, Mathieu was quick to enter the speeder to punch in the code. A winning smirk appeared on his lips as the console welcomed him and gave him access to the preset coordinates in the GPS system. He looked out the window to give Shai a thumbs up. They were set.

Mathieu stepped out of the speeder once more. He was silent for a few moments as he considered their options. Finally, he walked forth, quietly and approaching from an angle where he couldn't be seen. With a strong grip, he then wrapped his hand around the officer's face, muffling him and depriving him of air. Once the man was knocked out, he stepped back. "Strip him. Should keep him quiet for long after he has regained consciousness." On first glance, it might have seemed like a rather drastic measure - but all things considered, it was probably what would do the least amount of harm whilst still working towards their objectives.

Not taking part of the stripping, Mathieu walked back to the speeder, now taking the driver's seat. There, he explored the information stored in the vehicle's systems until he found what seemed like a treasure trove. The coordinates of a base belonging to a powerful Sith Lord that Chaussidier had named as an extremely important target to undermine from early on in their journeys. Once the Mandalorian returned, he looked to her and offered a sincere nod "You're alright, Shai." he smiled softly "I'm Mathieu."

A brief pause ensued as he weighed the options. There really wasn't much to consider. "These coordinates" he pointed to the console "..leads to an old temple outside of the city. Looks like my target has set up camp there. Normally, I'd like to be better armed than this" he paused to reveal the holdout blaster under his jacket "but I'm afraid that they might pack up and move if I wait for too long." He looked to her for a bit "Are you coming with?" In truth, he didn't know what to expect. On the one hand, it appeared to be a rather crazy mission. On the other hand, he was speaking to a Mandalorian who had more than a few surprises in her cybernetics.

Regardless, the speeder would soon be on its way. At first quickly making its way through the city, smoothly weaving between different lanes on its way out. Then, they would fly low above the jungle towards the destination. From the outside, the temple wouldn't look like much. Some more advanced equipment laid under durable tents outside. A large central opening - large enough to contain a fighter or two - appeared to be its only entrance. With a smooth turn, Mathieu steered the speeder away from the preset route. Instead, it went towards what seemed like a clearing. A short trek through the jungle would be way better than getting shot down by some AA or surface-to-air weaponry.

 

[Shai Maji]

A menacing grin formed as he gave his suggestion. That same menacing grin turned back to their captive who was understandably looking very much worried. "Don't worry, my dude, you got nothin' to fear if you got nothin' to hide." She muttered before her blaster emerged from her hand and she dropped a stun bolt on him. Quickly she got to work on stripping him of any valuables, tech and other belongings... then literally stripped him down to his underwear. Every now and then a snicker escaped her, which quickly turned into an amused cackle when she was done. "Dude needs some hedge clippers, hot damn." She snickered into the speeder.

Once she was in though, she blinked in surprise as the stranger introduced himself and dropped a compliment without skipping a beat. "Pleasure to meet you, Mathieu. You mind if I call ya Matt?" She asked with a smile, taking hold of his hand to shake, regardless of if he wanted to or not. Their attention turned back to the console of the speeder as Mathieu gave a rundown of the situation and his target. She raised an eyebrow as he asked whether she wanted to come along. "Ya kiddin' me? Chance to wipe out some more sith? Wouldn't miss it for anything." She quipped. "Though I definitely don't wanna go in there just like this... plus I think I might have some toys for you as well. The landing pads are in that direction, we can stop by my ship and quickly gear up." She suggested to him. She had enough weapons on her freighter to kit out a small army... there was bound to be something there for him. "Just make sure you pay before you fly off with the stuff." She warned with a stern glare.

Once they got everything they needed, they were off to the temple. Shai rubbed at her helmet's visor as Mathieu took an alternate route and set them down a bit away of the temple. "That temple still looks very much active... I'm struggling to figure out how the kriff the New Imperials missed this." She commented as she slid her helmet on and got out of the speeder. A quick check of her pistols and suit functions and she was ready to head in. "You wanna hang back and let me take the first couple hits?" She teased with a grin behind her visor.

Mathieu Brion

 

[Mathieu Brion]

Reemergence II​

Location: Korriban
Notable Equipment: Jedi armour, lightsabre, holdout blaster, Corellian Whiskey, vibroblade, M.I. Model 4 Service Rifle, M.I. 'Sunstroke' Jetpack
Tags: Shai Maji

---​

"Matt? Yeah, Matt is fine" While he was not prepared for shaking hands with her, Mathieu didn't resist and responded in kind.

"People who are so eager to destroy the Sith aren't all that common around these parts. More common than when the Empire still stood, but still..." he paused, assuming that she got the thrust of his point. The large Morellian nodded to her suggestion. They were pressed for time - at least that was he assumed since they probably had some kind of security measures either attached to the officer or the speeder they were in - but going into a Sith base with something more substantial than a holdout blaster would probably be wise. "I'll probably just borrow the gear, if that's okay" he chuckled, knowing that his financial situation wasn't all that good.

Once they had arrived at the Mandalorian's ship, he grabbed a rifle, a vibroblade and a Jetpack. With the jetpack on his back, Mathieu aimed the rifle at a wall to get a feel for its weight and how it handled. It was clear that he was used to handling firearms - a trait he brought with him from his days as a mercenary. The muscle memory was still there. "This will do better than the holdout blaster." It was obvious that he was somewhat excited about using the weapon. After switching it to stun mode, he glanced to her "I'm not a rich though. If these things break, I'm not sure if I can pay you back." he spoke with honesty, the thought of Chaussidier picking up the bill not even entering his mind.

Soon, they were en route to the temple. As he veered off to the clearing, Shai commented on how it could still be standing. "The Sith Lord who runs this place - he's a powerful guy. Maybe he pulled some strings or bought some fancy tech to keep it hidden. I only knew that it existed. Didn't know that it was here until now." The Morellian shrugged "But what do I know. All that matters now is that we take them out."

This time, Mathieu didn't take on his shawl. The rain poured down on him as he exited the speeder. "Should probably keep it running, just in case" he said, figuring that neither of them cared much for the energy waste of the officer's vehicle. "I was hoping to avoid getting hit today" he said, flashing her a smile. The Jedi crouched as he moved forward, away from the clearing and into the shrubbery, hiding in the cover that the forest offered. Mathieu had not revealed that he was a Jedi - it was information that could get him in trouble when operating in the heart of Sith space. It was also something which could put the defenders on high alert in a snap.

It would not be long before the temple became visible. Guards patrolled the temple ground and inside the massive opening, two smaller personal combat ships could be seen. One was unremarkable aside from added armour plates and the other was marred with extensive damage and seemed to be undergoing repairs. A few technicians on top fixing its sensors and at least three people welding plates at various places. Turning to Shai, Mathieu spoke with a hushed voice in order to avoid getting heard "If we can take out that ship..." he pointed at the one that still functioned "...we can probably prevent them from escaping. We can either go in with shock and awe, try to catch them by surprise and get to the ship before they know any better. Or go about this more stealthily." The large Morellian wasn't quite sure which option his new ally would choose. On the one hand, she did seem to have a rather violent temper. On the other, she had shown impressive acting skills which indicated that she might have a gentler side too. Regardless, with his large stature, continuing to hide would be hard, at least without the aid of the force.

 

[Shai Maji]

Shai thought about his words for a moment as they approached the temple. "Definitely covert stuff. NIO is way too hardcore to let a Sith slip some creds under the table to stay under the radar. I serve with them occasionally, they don't let Sith get out alive." She explained idly as she studied the temple for a moment. Her gaze returned to him upon his comment of avoiding shots. "Hey, I had a solid set of armour there for ya. Your loss, dude." She quipped with a punch to his shoulder as she snickered away.

Their approach was slow and quiet, something Shai wasn't good at by any stretch of the imagination. At least the patrols didn't seem to stretch out that far, best guess was a lack of staff to properly cover a good perimeter around the area. They halted in some shrubs close to the temple and Shai couldn't stop a light smirk from appearing as she looked at the shrubbery. "A very nice shrubbery, I dare say." She muttered to herself, thinking back to the movie she and Xyoz watched the other evening. Matt suggested taking out the ships, even giving them both some options as to how to proceed with grounding any attempts of escaping. "Quiet or loud, huh? I know what option I'm goin' with." Standing up, she bent forward as both sides of her jetpack opened up and two missiles fired at the shuttles.

Very quickly chaos ensued as the shuttles burst apart in colossal explosions. "Wardog's in the house, baby!" She shouted as she flew from cover with her pistols firing golden particle bolts at anything that looked like it wasn't Imperial. Very soon the courtyard of the temple turned into a warzone with the Shistavanen clearing the way for Matt to get into the temple. Her pistols continued to fire at the Sith loyalists as a few stray bolts bounced off her armour. "Gonna have to do better than that, schuttas!" She barked as she lobbed two explosive bolts at an unfortunate soul trying to run away. :: Coast clear, let's move up. :: She radioed over to Matt as she carefully entered the temple's lobby.

Mathieu Brion

 

[Mathieu Brion]

Reemergence II​

Location: Korriban
Notable Equipment: Jedi armour, lightsabre, holdout blaster, Corellian Whiskey, vibroblade, M.I. Model 4 Service Rifle, M.I. 'Sunstroke' Jetpack
Tags: Shai Maji

---​

He couldn't help but to let out a chuckle as she complimented the shrubbery. "You're right. This is some mighty fine shrubbery, Shai." his amused tone soon shifted as he continued to lay out the options he saw for them. A smirk grew on his lips as she made her decision. While he had been unsure of what she would choose earlier, he could feel that stealth was not her go-to approach.

What came next, however, was a surprise. Her jetpack-mounted missiles destroyed the armoured combat ships directly. The large Morellian glanced back at his own jetpack "Maybe I should just mount this thing on my ship" he whispered jokingly to himself as the Shistavanen burst into the fray. As his attention returned to the field of battle Shai had already shot a couple guards.

With careful but decisive steps, the former Mercenary rushed forth onto the temple grounds. The risk he exposed himself to was low, considering how much attention the armoured 'Wardog' attracted. Deciding to keep a low profile for a little while more, Mathieu continued to push towards the temple without opening fire, well aware that the blaster bolts would increase his perceived threat level tremendously. Once he could no longer 'safely' continue, the large Morellian fired off a couple shots at the nearest opponent, quickly stunning them.

Still paling in comparison to Shai who tore them up from above, Mathieu continued on his way towards the temple, dashing from cover to cover, only firing off a few shots from time to time when there was a call for it. A few guards - one with some kind of missile launcher - were stunned by him. Once closer to the temple entrance and the two burning ships, the Jedi noticed an open hatch a bit further ahead. Two guards popped out from it but were soon downed by the flying Shistavanen.

He moved closer to investigate. It seemed to be the exit of a larger underground complex. Multiple persons could be heard coming towards the exit as their boots hit the low lying water underneath. With a discrete move and back turned against Shai and the rest of the battlefield, Mathieu activated his strength enhancing stim, further augmenting his already powerful physique. Quickly firing a few shots down the opening to slow them down, he then closed the hatch and started to push a massive block of crates towards it. Soon, their presumed exit would be blocked by an impossibly heavy weight, preventing them from pouring out to reinforce their allies - and presumably also preventing Shai from killing them. Both positives, in Mathieu's mind.

Pushing on, he soon reached a massive wall-bound pillar by the entrance. Two manned turrets inside had revealed themselves as he approached. Their heavy fire and high rate of fire ensured that it would be rather suicidal to try to move closer. Judging by the power they offered, Mathieu guessed that they would even give Shai with her heavy armour a run for her money. Reaching out through the force, he could sense a dark sided force user higher up in the temple but having studied the outside of it, he could exclude accessing it from the outside. Looking to his ally he hollered "Any ideas on how to deal with these things? I think I've blocked their reinforcements for a while, so we've got a little bit of time."

 

[Shai Maji]

Upon entering the temple, Shai was quickly hurled back out of it as two turrets let loose on her. Her smoking form crashed down next to Matt by the entrance with a groan. "Was not expecting that one..." She grunted as she pushed herself off the ground and picked up one of her pistols. The other was on the ground by the two turrets waiting patiently for them to try something. "Gonna kark these people up, that's my plan!" She barked over to him as she carefully peaked around the corner. A shot bouncing off her helmet indicated the threat the two turrets posed.

"Don't got any missiles left... wrist rocket's too risky... gimme a sec." She checked her kit for a moment as she leaned against a pillar. "AHA! Got something!" Pulling out a magnetic thermal detonator, she stuck it to the tiny repulsorcam droid on her vambrace and deployed it. "As long as we can get one out..." Carefully she guided the overloaded recon droid around along the blind spot of the nearest turret until she managed to get right next to it. With a press of a button, the thermal detonator exploded right next to the first turret. "Alright that's one... I'll draw its fire, you take it out. You got a particle rifle, use it!" She ordered him as she readied her pistol and activated her jetpack.

With guns blazing she flew around to get the turret's attention... her distraction only worked for a few seconds as it pelted her with heavy blaster bolts. The shistavanen was sent careening off into a pillar as the turret continued to fire at her, its attention diverted away from Matt as Shai's armour strained underneath the assault.

Mathieu Brion

 

[Mathieu Brion]

Reemergence II​

Location: Korriban
Notable Equipment: Jedi armour, lightsabre, holdout blaster, Corellian Whiskey, vibroblade, M.I. Model 4 Service Rifle, M.I. 'Sunstroke' Jetpack
Tags: Shai Maji

---​

He was going to check on how she was doing, but the Mandalorian got up and was as spry as ever. Mathieu should not have been surprised. Their armour was famed for its toughness and judging by what he had seen so far, Shai was just as tough.

Leaning his head to the side, he studied her devices and how she employed them. It brought a slight and subtle smile to his lips, watching her work to solve their current dilemma. Although he didn't take the risk to peek out from behind the cover, her success was easy to hear as the turret blew up. "Well done" he commented.

"You sure?" he asked upon realising what her plan was. Of course she was. Still, the risk was evident for anyone to see. Despite not having any real experience with the rifle except for from the last hour or so, the large Morellian still managed to change its settings. It was fortunate that it was designed intuitively enough for someone as used to fire arms as himself.

As she burst out from cover, Mathieu waited for half a second before following. Just barely enough time for the turret to turn to target her. Standing still and taking aim, he eventually fired off a few powerful shots that made short work of the turret and its operator. A look of sadness manifested in his features briefly as he set the rifle back to stun. There was no time for mourning now. Instead, he jogged towards Shai's crash site, keeping an eye out for enemies.

The area was cleared of enemies. They could be heard from the cellar but the crates still blocked their path. Upon arriving to where Shai was, the large Morellian extended a hand for her to grab "You did some heavy lifting there" he said, well aware of her essential role in getting past the turrets. Aside from the muffled screaming from the cellar, there was finally some peace and quiet as the two turrets and ships burned in the background.

He looked around the wide temple entrance area before finding what looked like a mechanical lift. It laid on the floor, meaning that it could go up but not down to the ceiling. Momentarily closing his eyes, Mathieu reached out through the force. There was a dark presence up there. He looked over to Shai "I am guessing that the Sith are holed up there" he said - with the force or not, it was a reasonable guess, seeing as a Sith would have managed to escape the cellar by now. Walking up onto the platform, his eyes ventured to hers "I guess this is it." a slight smirk appeared on his lips "I won't ask if you are ready or not. By now, I already know the answer." He placed his hand on the console and would activate the lift once she was on it too.

 

[Shai Maji]

Shai groaned as her eyes fluttered open, the static in her vision clearing up to the sight of Matt standing over with a hand extended. "You don't say." She grunted as she took hold of his hand and hoisted herself off the ground. After a quick look around she went over to where she dropped both her pistols and holstered them as she walked back to Matt.

"Makes it easy to corner them." She commented on his guess as they stood in front of the lift. Drawing her pistols again, she dropped the power cells and slotted in fresh ammunition as she boarded the lift with a snicker. "If you encounter a Mandalorian who isn't ready to rip and tear at a moment's notice, they're probably not a proper Mandalorian." She teased as she glanced over to him. "I'll take point again. Take the heavy hits and stuff. Not sure how you're planning on taking down Sith, though. Without armour or anything... either you're holding back on me or you are incredibly opportunistic." She studied him for a moment. "Just don't die, you're actually fun to be around." She stated casually.

Turning her X-ray vision on in her helmet, she looked up to get a layout of how many people are in the upper levels. "Oh crap... we ain't gonna be alone up there. I count eight bodies. Don't look like normal soldiers." She warned with a hint of annoyance. "One more body further inward... looks like they're sitting on a chair or something. Can't make it out quite well from here. But the other bodies seem to be at attention." Switching her vision modes off, her visor turned to him again. "You might regret not bringin' that armour along."

Mathieu Brion

 

[Mathieu Brion]

Reemergence II​

Location: Korriban
Notable Equipment: Jedi armour, lightsabre, holdout blaster, Corellian Whiskey, vibroblade, M.I. Model 4 Service Rifle, M.I. 'Sunstroke' Jetpack
Tags: Shai Maji

---​

With the press of a button, the mechanical lift started elevating. It was far from fast, giving them some time to talk. Shai sure did seem eager to throw jabs at him. At this point, he understood that it was simply part of who she was. There were no real ill intents behind it all. The large Morellian mostly looked to her as she spoke, chuckling along with her jokes and teasing. He was taking a backseat. She started speaking of taking the hits and and questioned his lack of armour. He looked quizzically at her, wondering if her clan was completely unfamiliar to battling without armour. It brought his mind to Sammy and how he was not fighting similarly to how she used to fight. No armour, just wits and a blaster. In his mind, he was not holding back, but rather, fighting differently. A slight smile spread across his lips. "If you meet a warrior who takes on tasks they cannot complete, then maybe they aren't much of a warrior to begin with." He joked lightheartedly, firing back at her with the same line that she had just used for Mandalorians.

"I have enjoyed your presence too, Shai." he spoke sincerely, having grown increasingly fond of the woman. Once more, his eyes shifted from a kind and careless character to a more serious one "Just holler if you're in trouble, okay?"

He nodded as she shared the information she had. Nine foes in total. One of them Sith. The others a more elite guard. From what she said, it seemed like the guards where closer to the entrance than the Sith. A few thoughts on how to deal with them went through his mind when she mentioned his lack of armour again. It was something she seemed to like bringing up. He let out a resigned chuckle before flashing a mischievous smile at her. She had been doing some heavy lifting so far. Perhaps it was time that he did some too. Moving the crates had done a lot for them, but it was not nearly as flashy as what he had in mind for this occasion.

"Maybe" After sending her a cheeky wink, Mathieu activated his jetpack and shot up much quicker than the mechanical lift would carry them. Arriving by the metallic doors that lead into the final chamber, he grabbed the upper edges of the port to get a firm grip from where he could swing. First, he flied up a little bit further. Then he deactivated his jetpack, allowing gravity and muscle to bring his feet toward the doors like a ram. With his impressive - and heavy - physique along with the strength enhancing stims, the framework holding the metallic doors in place was quickly destroyed. With that, he entered the chamber with a massive crash.

The guards were caught by surprise. The lift was supposed to arrive later and the doors used to open slowly. Now, all of a sudden, the intruder was already inside. Using the missile stored in the jetpack, Mathieu fired it straight at the Sith by the end of the room. The one person who was not surprised by his entrance. The one person who could sense his presence in the force all along. The dark sider's arm shot forth quickly. Through the force, he gripped the missile midair, freezing it in place in the middle of the room. Fortunately, this was according to plan. Mathieu fired two precise shots at the missile with his rifle. Before the Sith had the time to redirect the missile, the bolts impacted, creating a massive explosion. Mathieu hopped out of the chamber to avoid the blast. His timing was impeccable, for it was a short fall before he would arrive at the lift which was bound to arrive soon.

Once it did arrive, the destruction inside the chamber would be clear to see. Four guards were already dead, their corpses burning in a sea of fire. The other four were spread out throughout the room, having been lucky enough not to be near the centre when the missile exploded. And then there was the Sith. Physically unaffected, but clearly writhing in anger - never a good sign when fighting a dark sider.

 

[Shai Maji]

Shai blinked in surprise as Matt suddenly took off ahead of her, breaching the next floor rather majestically. A few moments later an explosion lit up the entrance above her, turning the Shistavanen rather green with envy. She wanted a piece of the action as well! She turned to face him with a mixture of annoyance and surprise as he came tumbling back into the lift. "You leave some for me?" She asked cheekily before the left came to a halt.

She turned to look at the carnage brought upon the guards, an impressed whistle escaping her. "Not bad. At least you left some for me." Walking out of the lift with a dark chuckle, she drew her pistols as she faced the Sith Lord. "I'm going to enjoy cleaving you in half." He muttered with anger dripping in his voice. His guards started to encircle them as his lightsaber ignited with a sharp snap-hiss. The guards themselves had some interesting weapons as well. Shai's best guess was vibroblades, still a decent threat and she was sure they knew how to use them.

"I don't got time for this." She grumbled just before a series of whistles erupted through the air. From her boots shot a flurry of whistling birds, sailing through the air at the Lord and his guards. Two managed to evade the deadly weapons, though the other two dropped to the ground as the tiny missiles impacted and penetrated their armour. Unsurprisingly the Lord avoided them entirely, sending a powerful force blast at the two warriors. Shai's jetpack kicked in and brought her forward while the two guards converged on her. "Take the Sith out, I'll deal with these two." She barked as she ducked beneath one guard's swing and sent him flying back with her repulsor. Soon she was locked in a tight fight with the two guards trying to overwhelm her, though she seemed to have the situation under control at least.

Mathieu Brion