Private Reorganisation

[Mathieu Brion]

Reorganisation​

Location: Har Gau, Felucia
Notable Equipment: Jedi armour, other items
Tags: Darth Strosius

---​

Surrender was indeed uncommon among the Sith. Still, it was worth giving the peaceful resolution a shot. Particularly in light of Mathieu's previous encounters with Sith in the past. It was, however, becoming abundantly obvious that this Grub Lord had no intents on surrendering. What's more: He threatened to call in reinforcements. Something which would complicate matters and up the risk of failure.

Mathieu was not going to respond. Instead, he moved at an ever quickening pace. It seemed as if his thoughts matched those of his ally who called for him to deal with their Sith opponent. The large Morellian's fast paced walk soon turned into a sprint as he closed the distance between himself and the Lord. Although there had apparently been time for a little monologue, the Grub Lord had still just been dismounted. Hopefully, it would give the Jedi an advantage, even if it was just a slight one.

Before he reached his opponent, the Sith went on the offensive. It suited the young Morellian just fine as he was more comfortable defending regardless. Still, the attack leveled against him was an aggressive and brutal one. His eyes quickly followed the foe who shot up into the air. Quickly analysing it, Mathieu realised that his opponent exposed himself in exchange for added power behind his attack. At least that was how aerial attacks usually worked. With a quick and sudden move, he rushed forth whilst dodging low. At the same time, he sent his blade in a wide sweep upwards, both to clash against that of the Lord as well as threatening to cut him in half if his defence failed.

 

[Darth Strosius]

Location: Har Gau, Felucia
Equipment: Lightsaber, Vibroknife, Blaster Rifle
Tag: Mathieu Brion
------------------------------

The leap, whether made out of desperation or simple aggressiveness, did not go as well as the Grub Lord intended. Mathieu suddenly moving forward to meet his strike caught him off guard and clearly was not what he had planned for. In mid air he twisted slightly to defend against the counterstrike, his own attempted attack being forgotten in the process. The Jedi's initiative hadn't been anticipated evidently, a weakness that the Grub Lord had yet to properly account for.

Alisteri meanwhile kept up his line of fire against the Grub onslaught, by now many of them having turned to face him instead after seeing their brethren gunned down before them. One that got too close was quickly kicked right back into the tree that it had fallen from as the masked Acolyte's blaster rifle ran hot with use. Giving it a moment of rest, he backed up to put some more distance between himself and the oncoming Grub horde.

The Grub Lord himself landed on his feet behind Mathieu, shaking with rage and with a maddened look in his eyes. His attack had failed but he would not be dissuaded so easily. "Accept your fate Jedi! You are no match for me!" He punctuated his boast with a battle cry as he rushed forward in an attempt to catch his opponent off guard and attack from behind. His swing aimed to cut the Jedi in half, but again his effort seemed to be all poured into that one strike instead of minding his own defense.

 

[Mathieu Brion]

Reorganisation​

Location: Har Gau, Felucia
Notable Equipment: Jedi armour, other items
Tags: Darth Strosius

---​

Sparks rained down on the Jedi as their blades clashed above. It was just a few brief moments before the Sith swooshed past up ahead and Mathieu could stand up. His head and upper body instinctively turned to track his sabre wielding opponent. In the background, he could see his ally opening fire at the grubs. Some of them appeared to be getting close but Alisteri did seem to have the siutation under control.

The Sith had already begun throwing taunts around - but this time, it was just a few words rather than rants. Before long, another attack was produced. It was a rather simple attack - just a wide swing as he rushed forth - but it was still fast and deadly. Having tracked the movements of his foe, warding against the attack was, however, not all too much of a challenge. Mathieu brought the hilt of his lightsabre high while allowing the blade to fall low in order to block the attack.

Just as their blades locked, he would produce a powerful kick from the opposite side of where their blades locked. Fuelled by stims and enhanced by the force, it would be a most potent kick if it connected. The Jedi let out a "He's open" in the hopes that Alisteri might be able to finish him off or at least injure him.

 

[Darth Strosius]

Location: Har Gau, Felucia
Equipment: Lightsaber, Vibroknife, Blaster Rifle
Tag: Mathieu Brion
------------------------------

His attack was blocked again but he seemed to have expected it this time, using the momentum of his charge to throw a punch at the Jedi right as their blades connected. Unfortunately for the Grub Lord, Mathieu landed his kick first. The Sith's eyes widened as he was thrown back by the kick and subsequently crashing right into a large tree. His lightsaber flew from his grasp and twirled through the air, stabbing itself into the ground near Alisteri as he kept backing away from the Grubs.

The masked man did not waste the opportunity, grabbing the fallen Sith's weapon with one hand and flinging the heated rifle at the nearest Grub with the other. He pulled the lightsaber from the ground and swiftly turned to see the Grub Lord slowly getting back to his feet. "That's...mine!" The Sith let out a roar and lightning flew from his hands at the other Sith.

Alisteri's eyes narrowed as the lightning raced towards him, using the Force to leap to the side and out of the path just in time. His feet barely hit the ground before he flung the lightsaber right back at its owner, the Grub Lord's eyes widening as his blade flew towards him. Before he could try and stop it with the Force however, the blade impaled him right through the center of his chest. "N-No..." He weakly attempted to pull the lightsaber from his chest as he collapsed back on the ground, a choked gasp heralding his final breath as his body went limp.

 

[Mathieu Brion]

Reorganisation​

Location: Har Gau, Felucia
Notable Equipment: Jedi armour, other items
Tags: Darth Strosius

---​

The kick landed. It was the beginning of the Grub Lord's downfall - for Alisteri was quick to capitalise on his moment of weakness. The method was unexpected. Instead of shooting the man - who had now lost his sabre, the masked figure instead chose to discard his rifle. Mathieu watched his temporary ally pick up and wield the red blade of the Grub Lord. It suddenly became abundantly obvious to him that maybe, the person he had been travelling with might actually be Sith or at least connected to them. He felt silly for not realising it sooner. Perhaps he was too trusting after all. Still, it was not confirmed, right?

His eyes followed Alisteri as he skillfully jumped out of harms way. It was a feat that few humans could manage lest they had the force. Thinking that his ally might be in need of support, Mathieu rushed forth. But before he had the chance to act, the blade had been thrown in a path which lead to the Grub Lord's demise. Watching as the impaled figure fell back down to the ground, he glanced over to Alisteri. His expression was puzzled but lacked suspicion or hostility. Continuing forth, he jogged over to the now dead Grub Lord.

"Where did you learn to do that?" he asked, crouching down by the dead man's side. There was no real use in checking for life signs. Nobody survived being impaled by the chest. Mathieu took hold of the hilt of the Lord's blade and made sure that it was deactivated before standing back up. The few surviving grubs from before were now charging at them, enraged by the death of the Lord - but with the distance created during the fight, there was still a little bit of time before they would truly become a threat.

 

[Darth Strosius]

Location: Har Gau, Felucia
Equipment: Lightsaber, Vibroknife
Tag: Mathieu Brion
------------------------------

Oddly enough Alisteri couldn't recall having ever killed a fellow Sith before. He wasn't sure whether he should be thankful or resentful of that fact. Either way he didn't have the time to dwell on such things, there were still Grubs to worry about. Without the rifle he only had his vibroknife to rely on aside from his Force abilities and his lightsaber. He quickly pulled the blade from his belt and glanced at the Jedi as he spoke, shrugging off the question as casually as he could manage. "Saw it on a holovid once, turns out cybernetics make you very agile when they're installed correctly."

Admittedly he had wielded and used the lightsaber of the Grub Lord like any properly trained Sith would, but that momentary mistake on his part would have to be overlooked for the moment. With any luck Mathieu had never seen too many Sith in action and wouldn't have noticed such a thing. He wasn't that lucky of course, but one could hope. If they could at least hold up their alliance until the grubs were dealt with then he could run off into the jungle and hide if need be.

"I don't think I can grab the rifle with those things in the way. I can try getting around them but they would have to be distracted by something." Together the two of them, even with his small blade, could potentially finish off the remaining Grubs if they were quick enough and fought strategically. It wasn't the best option but it was potentially viable. "Think we can take them without the gun?" Alisteri glanced at his temporary ally for his input. The Grubs were descending upon them and enraged, but they could be handled one way or another. So long as they decided on a plan of action put together quickly anyway.

 

[Mathieu Brion]

Reorganisation​

Location: Har Gau, Felucia
Notable Equipment: Jedi armour, other items
Tags: Darth Strosius

---​

'Holovids' was not the convincing answer that the young Morellian had hoped for. Indeed, it was probably one of the worst answers he could think of. The way which Alisteri handled the blade was not how someone who had just watched holovids would have done it - that much was clear. Whether his temporary ally felt a need for deception or if it was simply his - previously observed - reluctance to answer questions was not clear. It did, however, not work to build trust.

Regardless, Alisteri's attention shifted to the immediate threat - the remaining grubs. It was the most logical step and for now, it was something which Mathieu was willing to go along with. With the rifle tossed, Mathieu considered his options. Summoning the weapon through the use of the force would be easy enough. Arming the masked figure with a rifle was hardly a thought he enjoyed for the time being as the man's true identity had come into question. But then, if Alisteri was not a Sith, leaving him unarmed may have been a rather rash act. And if he was indeed a Sith, he could easily summon the rifle himself. Holstering the Grub Lord's sabre, Mathieu reached out through the force, extending his free hand towards the rifle and causing it to levitate and eventually drift towards Alisteri. "I don't know" he answered.

Moving forth, he prepared to once more face the few remaining grubs. With a calm hum, Mathieu's blue blade came to life. Not rushing forth, Mathieu would wait for the grubs to come. Hopefully, Alisteri would be able to take them out before they became a true threat. If not, the Jedi would be ready to keep them safe.

 

[Darth Strosius]

Location: Har Gau, Felucia
Equipment: Lightsaber, Vibroknife, Blaster Rifle
Tag: Mathieu Brion
------------------------------

There was a noticeable moment of surprise in the masked man's body language as the rifle levitated towards him, as if he hadn't been expecting Mathieu to rearm him. Not that he was going to complain of course. Alisteri quickly swiped the rifle out of the air and readied himself to blast away the remaining Grubs while the Jedi moved forward. He had a brief thought to try and get a surprise shot on the Jedi, attempt to end the other Force User in one shot or even injure him and leave him for dead.

He raised his rifle and aimed, his finger resting on the trigger as he debated what exactly to shoot at. After a moment he fired and one of the closest Grubs to Mathieu was sent flying back with a direct hit. There was still an entire base full of Sith-Imperial brigands to handle and he'd rather not have to deal with them all alone. The Jedi was still useful, for now.

So long as they could agree on that point about one another then they would have no problems. "How many of these little chits did that maniac breed?" Wasting little time he kept on firing at the approaching Grubs, mainly focusing on the ones that weren't heading towards Mathieu or were trying to flank the pair. If they could just keep the creatures from swarming them then they should have no trouble dispatching the rest of them and moving on. Provided that the rest of the Grub Lord's forces stayed away anyway.

 

[Mathieu Brion]

Reorganisation​

Location: Har Gau, Felucia
Notable Equipment: Jedi armour, other items
Tags: Darth Strosius

---​

The two were soon fighting the grubs off. Alisteri fired off the rifle and took out a large portion of them by himself. Still, their numbers were large and it soon became obvious to the Jedi that he too would have to get involved. Swinging his blade, Mathieu stepped forth and made short work of the grubs who were closest to the duo. "These might be the last ones" he said, hoping that there weren't more of them at the base they had sneaked around earlier.

When the last grub was dead, Mathieu turned to face his ally. Once he had extinguished his blade, he approached the masked figure. "I guess that's that" his gaze ventured to the body of the Grub Lord as he uttered the final-sounding words. "I don't think we need to bother with his followers. These Imperials, without their leader, I'm not sure for how long they will remain. I think it might be for the best if we leave them be. With time, they might leave by their own accord, without the need for further violence." Mathieu nodded towards the still functioning speeders "And it looks like we should be able to make it back to the rental speeder rather quick."

 

[Darth Strosius]

Location: Har Gau, Felucia
Equipment: Lightsaber, Vibroknife, Blaster Rifle
Tag: Mathieu Brion
------------------------------

Thankfully for them the little creatures, while incredibly vicious and hostile, didn't seem the brightest. Most of the Grubs just kept rushing forward and snarling as if the didn't even see their brethren being cut down by blade and blaster alike. "Hopefully it is, I'm starting to run low on ammunition for this thing." When their numbers had thinned and then finally been put to rest entirely, Alisteri allowed himself a sigh of relief and a moment of calm. Finally the immediate and most prominent concerns were extinguished. Now would come the hard part, that of seeing if their little alliance would last any longer with the bigger threat dead.

The rifle went slack in his grip and he planted the barrel in the ground, leaning against the weapon as Mathieu approached him. He inclined his head as he listened, choosing not to comment on the blind faith the Jedi had in brushing off the remaining Imperial forces. Such a hope may hold weight, but he would not bet on it. "Perhaps they will. Either way they'll be even more disorganized than they are now, the villagers will get a rest at the very least." He nodded to the speeders as well and slung the rifle around his back. "Well then, I'll follow your lead onward. I still don't trust this wretched jungle myself, especially with troopers still crawling around somewhere."

 

[Mathieu Brion]

Reorganisation​

Location: Har Gau, Felucia
Notable Equipment: Jedi armour, other items
Tags: Darth Strosius

---​

Mathieu offered the masked figure a nod upon hearing that he agreed that it was a good time to depart. It was probably for the best seeing as his rifle was running out of steam too. But then, there were a few more rifles laying around the area from the battle. Looking to Alisteri, he asked "It is more likely that these weapons will fall into the hands of the remaining Imperials than it is that they'll be swallowed by the Jungle, isn't it?" The question was primarily rhetorical for the answer was relatively obvious. They were at the site where the Grub Lord had perished - it was only natural for his followers to come here looking for him and his assailants.

"I don't think we'll have time to clear this area completely. Let's try to grab a few before we escape." It was fortunate that they had exploded a few of the speeders earlier - for it had made plenty of equipment impossible to salvage. With a few long strides, Mathieu neared the still functioning speeder and picked up one blaster pistol and one rifle on his way there. Perhaps it would have been possible to sweep the area in its entirety but it was not a risk he wanted to take.

With a few more steps, the young Morellian arrived by the speeder to turn it on. "Alright, let's head back"

 

[Darth Strosius]

Location: Har Gau, Felucia
Equipment: Lightsaber, Vibroknife, Blaster Rifle
Tag: Mathieu Brion
------------------------------

"Very likely yes." If the soldiers were following standard protocol in any way then it was almost a guarantee that whatever was left behind would be salvaged and recovered, including the body of their leader. Well that and of course common sense as well, given that their initial target to draw them out had been on a sort of supply run for the base. Whether or not he gave them enough credit to follow either of those was up for debate though. Still, no sense it leaving it all lying around just in case they did have some sense to come looking for the Grub Lord sooner rather than later. "I agree, waste not want not and all that."

Alisteri grabbed what he could manage comfortably, mainly pocketing ammunition instead of focusing on the weapons themselves, as quick as he could. They did have a limited timeframe regardless. "Maybe we can even arm some of the villagers and give them a fighting chance against the rest of them." He spoke as he caught up with Mathieu, nodding to the various weapons still scattered around. "It'll take too long to get enough to make a difference though." A shameful truth but one that was too accurate to ignore. Hopefully the lack of the Grub Lord would temper the remaining forces a bit and give the villages enough breathing room.

He decided not to dwell on that for too long. "Right behind you."

 

[Mathieu Brion]

Reorganisation​

Location: Har Gau, Felucia
Notable Equipment: Jedi armour, other items
Tags: Darth Strosius

---​

"Alright, hop on." he said, seeing as the speeder was good to go. As they got going, Mathieu considered what Alisteri had said. They were now in possession of both weapons and ammunition. Arming civilians or simply increasing the threat levels in general was something which would best be avoided. Usually. In this case, the weapons they had would only be enough to arm a few people - perhaps the deterrence of that would do more good than the potential threat of having a few people, presumably police officers, in possession of weapons. As they sped along the forest caps, he quickly turned "Yeah, offering these weapons to the locals would probably be for the best."

"I don't know when I'll be able to return. I'm not from around these regions. Felucia isn't a very common destination for us." he said, deciding to let his temporary ally know that whatever support he could offer would be spotty at best. "You seem to know your way around a fight though. Do you think you'll stick around?" As the question was asked, Har Gau could be seen in the distance - while the treck out to the Grub Lord's territory had taken some time, the speeder would make the trip back to their starting point much faster.

 

[Darth Strosius]

Location: Har Gau, Felucia
Equipment: Lightsaber, Vibroknife, Blaster Rifle
Tag: Mathieu Brion
------------------------------

There was no hesitation as he climbed aboard the speeder, taking a moment to ensure that nothing would fall of before they went onwards. It would hardly due them any good if they were dropping the spare weapons they picked up after all. Alisteri nodded in agreement with the Jedi's assessment and idly patted the rifle hung across his back. "That we can, a good blaster is invaluable in a place like this. They help against crazy jungle troops and crazy jungle wildlife, what more can you ask for?" There was always the worry about someone going rogue with one of the weapons of course, but it was a risk he was willing to take. It was either give the weapons to the villagers or let them be free game for the remaining soldiers in his mind.

The masked man didn't offer an answer to the question at first, seeming to think on it. Felucia was unclaimed for the time being but it was still far too close to Jedi and Imperial space to be safe. Any cleanup or sweeping patrols would undoubtedly make their way to Felucia eventually, especially with reports of remnant Sith like the Grub Lord. "Not long no. I don't want to leave them undefended but there's only so much work here you know? Gotta let the locals handle it like they've been doing at some point." Not to mention his efforts to convince the locals to join him whenever he left had yet to turn up any good results.

 

[Mathieu Brion]

Reorganisation​

Location: Har Gau, Felucia
Notable Equipment: Jedi armour, other items
Tags: Darth Strosius

---​

A reluctant "Not much" escaped the large Jedi upon being asked what more one could ask for other than a rifle. Of course there was much more that an innocent civilian could ask for and perhaps even that they could justifiably expect. But in this context, it was only reasonable to agree. The weapons would indeed likely do more good than harm and that was something which Mathieu had to accept regardless of how much he hoped to keep the capacity of doing deadly violence among civilian populations to a minimum.

Mathieu let out a slight sigh. He was not disappointed in Alisteri, not at all - in fact, he was quite glad for the masked figure's initiative in taking out the Grub Lord and defending the locals. What he did find disappointing was that there wouldn't be anyone capable of defending the people of Har Gau so that they could stabilise and defend themselves. "Of course - you are correct. There is much that has to be done, not only here."

As they approached the outer edges of Har Gau, Mathieu looked to the horizon - it looked like the storm was about to clear. Good news, seeing as that meant that the other expedition would soon be free to depart. It also meant that the time he could linger was drastically shortened compared to what he had expected. Still, as it seemed, their timing would be fine if "Say, could you turn the weapons in on your own? I've got a shuttle to catch"

 

[Darth Strosius]

Location: Har Gau, Felucia
Equipment: Lightsaber, Vibroknife, Blaster Rifle
Tag: Mathieu Brion
------------------------------

"That there is. Much to be done indeed." His tone was slightly somber, as if in recognition of the fact that neither of them would be around to help get such things done. Given his lack of resources and time the best that Alisteri could offer to the people of Har Gau was a way off planet and an invitation to his cult, but that was all in a best case scenario. Without a central authority, even a regional one, there was only so much that could be done by a bunch of poor and isolated villages.

Perhaps one day they would get the help that they need, but that day was not anytime soon. However for the moment Har Gau had two things to be thankful for at least, the storm clearing up and the Grub Lord being deceased with his forces scattered. It wasn't much but it was something that they could rely upon. When in harsh times one had to take their victories when they could. Felucia itself needed support from external forces, that wouldn't change, but at least Har Gau would be relatively safe from immediate danger for now.

The masked man seemed surprised by the question but he didn't hesitate to nod in agreement. That was something that he could do, and attempt to recruit some of the locals again without the Jedi there to interfere. "Of course, I'm sure the villagers would want to congratulate you though." The offhanded remark wasn't entirely true either, the villagers of Har Gau didn't seem to be the most festive of people from what time he had spent with them. He doubted that they would even celebrate the news of the Grub Lord's death at all. A very stoic people indeed. "So where is your next stop then Jedi? Off to save another rural village?"

 

[Mathieu Brion]

Reorganisation​

Location: Har Gau, Felucia
Notable Equipment: Jedi armour, other items
Tags: Darth Strosius

---​

It was not unreasonable to think that Mathieu might be the person to congratulate. But in truth, the masked figure was the one who truly deserved credit in this. While Mathieu may have played a role in the battles, is was the other who had offered both initiative and information. Mathieu lowered their speed as they neared the light traffic by the edge of the city and looked to his temporary ally "If anyone should be celebrated here, it is you. This whole operation was your idea"

The next question caused Mathieu to wonder. In truth, he really had no idea where they would head next. Still, he had faith in Chaussidier to guide him right - that was more than enough for him to rest easy. A meek smile formed on his lips "I don't know." he stated blankly before throwing a casual glance to the calm settlement they now found themselves in. There was something charming about smaller villages and towns - a kind of innocence and sense of familiarity that was often lost in larger metropolises. "I hope so"

Soon, the two would arrive by the local precinct. By all accounts, it appeared as if this was where they would part ways. Mathieu considered offering the man his contact information. While he was somewhat suspicious of him, he had proven to be a good ally so far and if he was going to continue to do good deeds like they just had, it would be good for him to have the possibility of calling Mathieu for support if the need should arise. But then, the covert nature of Chaussidier's operations made the entire idea problematic. "You should head towards the Silver Sphere if you want a break from all of the hardships out here. I hear it is supposed to be much safer there now." Hopefully, the two of them could meet again in the future - under much better circumstances. If no more words were to be exchanged, Mathieu would offer a bow and a "Safe travels" before departing for the shuttle.

 

[Darth Strosius]

Location: Har Gau, Felucia
Equipment: Lightsaber, Vibroknife, Blaster Rifle
Tag: Mathieu Brion
------------------------------

A scoff and a small chuckle left him at the Jedi's response. He would have lost credits on the idea of a Jedi complimenting him in any capacity, especially after a day of fighting and foraging through the jungle. "And you were the one that helped it manifest and run properly. I was hardly expecting an army of Grubs to burst out of the trees and try to devour me today you know." As reluctant as he was to admit it Mathieu had been invaluable in killing the Grub Lord and coming out alive. Even without having to limit himself to only using a blaster and none of his Force abilities, storming the compound and fighting another Sith weren't exactly the easiest of tasks to do alone.

Mathieu's answer was an interesting one but not one that he would question any further for the moment. He highly doubted they would be going to the same place again anytime soon so it didn't matter too much. The odds of the pair meeting again at all were pretty slim to none if he were honest, paranoia was the only thing keeping such a low possibility in mind still. Alisteri looked up as they neared the local precinct and he shifted slightly in his seat as they slowed down.

"Silver Sphere?" He very much doubted that he would be allowed anywhere near what was supposedly safe for too long, especially if there were any other Jedi that could sense his Sith nature easily. "I'll keep that in mind, but I have a soft spot for dangerous places and situations. Something about rough living draws me back." It wasn't a total lie but he had little intention of visiting a place recommended by a Jedi regardless. "Safe travels Jedi." The masked man spoke with a nod and a wave as Mathieu headed his own way, turning back to walk deeper into the village and towards where he had met with the leaders of the villagers earlier. It was time to see if they would listen to his words of warning and offers of salvation now.