Return of the Damned

[Anya Venari]

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]
“As bizarre as it sounds, it seems to be true,” Anya said gravely. “There’s a massive asteroid, hollowed out and seemingly filled with enemies coming towards Kaeshana. We believe it’s the Kar’zun. I need you to hold the Citadel of Dawn for me. I am ordering martial law and putting all our forces on high alert. The fleet is being assembled, and I’d appreciate if the Firemane ships would join with us too.” The Queen’s authority over them was…unclear…but she knew Siobhan would accept, so she asked politely.

“I’ve sent my daughter and consort to one of the Crowns. There they’ll be safe. If those fortresses are breached then Santaissa is lost. Tell Tempest that Dusk must be held also. You and Tegaea have my full confidence defending Dawn and may override any commands if necessary. I am sending the authorisation now.”

Anya took a deep breath and let it out. “May the Force be with you, Siobhan. I am going to address my people.”

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Anya Venari"]


"An asteroid? Shame I can't just go into space and just fething chuck it out of the way. It's no more bizarre than the Lost Sith attacking Coruscant with an ancient fleet held together by spit, glue and duct tape," Siobhan said very, very dryly. Yes, that event actually happened because this writer is largely sticking to the at times bizarre adventures of Siobhan Kerrigan and Adril Tythorin on TGC. She was clearly being far too meta for this thread and undermining its seriousness. Oh, and for the record, Siobhan could not chuck a 4km asteroid on her own. See, the Force is infinite, but your ability to use it is not.


"Dawn will hold," she said curtly and then cut the connection. Nothing more needed to be said and so she forced herself to stand, despite the evident strain it caused her, but perhaps the sense of impending danger was filling her with new energy and availing the tiredness in her muscles.



Her call went to the Firemane headquarters."This is Kerrigan. Kaeshana is facing invasion. A massive asteroid is hurtling towards the planet and we expect ground invasion. All Firemane military vessels are to launch and act in conjunction with the Eldorai fleet. Theatre command falls to the Eldorai commander. Ground forces are to prepare for deployment to repel landing of hostiles. Further orders forthcoming."


There would be no pity, no prisoners! That's why they called her the Butcher, after all. Firemane had its mercenary force, though it was comparatively small, though it also had a few squadrons of armoured units, including Reaver-class tanks and Hydra anti-aircraft tanks. They could not do much in the mountains, given how difficult it would be for them to move in that terrain, but could help defend Santaissa and attack columns of landing Kar'zun. Artillery strikes upon invaders trying to reach the Citadel would be useful.


She limped over to Tegaea, wherever she was. "Lost Kar'zun are copying me by chucking an asteroid and copying the Lost Sith by coming after a thousand years for revenge. We got to hold Dawn. Let's get to the command bunker. Where's Aeda?" Feeling impatient she gestured to one of the High Captain, whoever she was.


"You there, put the base on alert. I want all troops mobilised and the cannons brought online. Get interceptors in the air and I need a line to Firemane forces and Ariane's Fist." When the High Captain in question just glowered at her, presumably about to say something slithering, Siobhan got annoyed. "Just do it. I have orders from the Queen." Her tone might have sounded a bit like she was about to give the Eldorai a good choking if she did not comply and so after a nod from the commander the elf nodded and hurried off.


As the entire base was thrown into a flurry of activity Siobhan managed to get a line to Tempest. Her annoying limp continued to be a queen and hurt like hell, but she did not care at this moment. "Tempest, a big rock is coming for Kaeshana. What's your status?"

 

[Vaena Askari]

[member="Elanil Saedaris"], [member="Anya Venari"]


"Well, what is it?" Tarissa snapped impatiently. Apparently the bloody minion was taking her time with telling her what the hell was shooting towards holy Kaeshana. If only flogging had not been abolished as a 'cruel and unnecessary punishment'.


"It's an...asteroid, my Lady. Estimated length is three to four kilometres," the sensory officer reported, clearly needing some time to compose herself before she responded.


"I see," even Tarissa seemed to tense for a moment before she straightened, her eyes turning very cold. "Any other objects incoming?"


"Not as far as our sensors show, Lady."


"Then tell the Ashira's Wrath we're engaging and request support from their guns. Our bombers have these shiny torpedoes, make use of them. Doctor Saedaris, once the asteroid is in range, fire your device," she said, sounding strangely calm.


"New transmission from the Citadel. Invading force has been identified as...Kar'zun."


"Then the legends are true. A legion of foul rock demons made a pact with forces of Chaos and has returned to destroy the chosen people," a chaplain said solemnly, whereupon Tarissa shot her an annoyed look.


Her eyes travelled across the bridge as she looked upon every crewer one by one, at the bridge officers, navigators, comms specialists, marines and so on and so forth. As she pulled upon the tangled web of the Force to gain a sense of their minds, she did not like what she felt reflected in their auras.


"What? Are you afraid? Of the lost legion of broken fools who have returned from the shadows? Of a race that our ancestors defeated a millennia ago, when we had naught but blade and faith? Disgraceful. Look at you. Look at the power we have at our command. Our technology. Failure will not be tolerated, cowardice punished, valour rewarded in this world and tenfold in the next. You will not let your race down at this moment. When monkeigh corsair scum came to rape and pillage our weapons were inferior, yet we fought and triumphed. And so these invaders shall perish as well, by the fire of steel and the will of the Goddess. As all scum that dares to lay a hand upon holy Kaeshana shall, Goddess willing. Do unto them as Ariane the Great did."


"Yes, ma'am. Bombers launching!"

 

[Aeda Shaytari]

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]
“Here,” Aeda said, stepping forward. She had heard, or at least comprehended the words of her cousin. She was being effectively overruled, put under the command of Siobhan and Tegaea if needed. Probably Anya had not known she was here. Probably.

Still, with a unique amount of wisdom, she made no move to show she resented this.
“Where do you need me? I have time to return to Santaissa if you don’t need me here.”

 

[Tempest]

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"], [member="Elayne Saedaris"]

Tempest was already somewhat ready when Siobhan’s message arrived. The base had been put on red alert from Anya’s official message. However, she had not known if the prophecy of doom had been confirmed yet.
Still, she listened to Siobhan. “Everything’s on alert here. We’re ready for when the enemy comes.”
As she spoke the Tempest cannons began to move, aiming up at the sky….

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Aeda Shaytari"]


Siobhan responded to Tempest first after having received the transmission. "Good. Hold the line. I'll send what armoured and infantry units with Gunships to help you out. It'll have its limits, but you can pincer Kar'zun landing forces between them and the base. There's only one way up to Dusk, keep them pinned down on the road and they're done. If they're following the pattern of past armadas 'returning from the shadows', they don't have the tech we have. Fry them, fry them good," Siobhan said before cutting the connection. As has been said, most Firemane and Eldorai troops were concentrated in the area around the capital, though some smaller garrisons obviously existed and were spread across the continent. These would be contacted to help out Dusk and likewise what detachments could be spared at the capital front would be ordered to load onto dropships and deploy.


Then she turned her attention to Aeda and limped over to her, leaning more heavily on her cane than she would have liked. Siobhan was had zero skill points in empathy but it did not take a genius to figure out that the Eldorai had been upstaged and would not be happy about that. After all, Siobhan would feel the same way.


"I need you here. Last I checked, you're not the one who has trouble standing. I need you holding the phalanx when our rocky friends come marching up the road." She quite deliberately did not say 'if'. "I'll be calling in at the Ariane's Fist garrison and directing them to the city." She looked down at the business outfit she was still wearing. "And I guess I need some proper armour."

 

[Kaida Taldir]

[member="Tempest"], [member="Elayne Saedaris"]


Kaida's outlook on things was very clear, concise and to the point. "How dramatic." She was laconic as usual and her tone was terribly dry. Needless to say there was no dramatic speechifying as she did her part to organise the troops at Dusk because she considered that a waste of time. The Tempest cannons to move, aiming up into the sky, so did the Keraunos turrets, ready to unleash a hailstorm of missiles.


Rotary cannon emplacements were manned and countless soldiers took cover behind the mobile barricades, bolters, sonic blasters and light repeating blasters at the ready. Ordinary grunts were intermixed with Angelii, with the latter being organised according to their specialisation. Pyromancers and cryomancers would be of limited use given the Kar'zun's resistance to their elements, so they would either be part of the phalanx and form a defence barrier with Taegis shields, sarixi or sarzmigars or be drafted into Team Natural Disaster. See, aeromancy was a thing and so was unleashing a massive storm upon the invaders. Electromancers and terramancers would be supported by the first line and unleash the full range of their powers.


"Talon, take over Section Two," Kaida ordered Elayne, pointing to a team of soldiers at the gates, one of the many squads. "Once invaders are in sight, you'll combine your powers with mine and the Lieutenant's."

 

[Anya Venari]

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"], [member="Elayne Saedaris"]

“We’re live in ten seconds, Majesty,” the aide said, then counted down on her fingers.
Anya Venari, Queen Tirathana VII, sat at her desk in the Oblong Office. Since she had taken power she never gave addresses from the throne, with crown and regalia, rather she dressed simpler and wore only a circlet in her hair to show her rank. Traditionalists were scandalised about this loss of majesty, but Anya had insisted. If she was going to be the Queen in this new age it couldn’t be one where she was a semi-divine being. She was the Queen, ordained by Ashira, but still a mortal Eldorai. She was not better than her people…just richer, more powerful and with near unlimited powers.
The countdown finished, and she began.

“People of Kaeshana, word has just reached me from our fleet that a threat has arisen to challenge us. A large object, seeming to be a hollowed asteroid, is heading towards Kaeshana, and seeks to assail us. This is not a time for panic, this is a time for resolution and strength. The possibility of such an attack has long been known, and therefore our defences, fleet and soldiers are all prepared for the coming struggle. The enemy’s affiliation is unknown, but they are not belonging to any other major faction in the galaxy. I will not speculate on this point, but I ask all my subjects, Eldorai and otherwise, to join with me in praying to Ashira for guidance and strength. I ask that everyone follows the instructions and guidance of our soldiers or officials. Other than that, stay in your homes and be prepared for further news.”

That was the end of the broadcast script, but she held up a hand to prevent the transmission being cut.
“On a personal note, I want to say that Kaeshana has endured a lot in the last few years. However, we will get through this, we will overcome whatever our enemies try, and we will endure. I am remaining in Santaissa for the duration of this emergency. Whoever they are, wherever they come from, we will show them that Kaeshana stands!”

The transmission cut. Slightly dramatic, sure, but there was nothing wrong with that to Anya’s mind. She took a deep breath, stood and looked at her Angelii and staff.
“Activate the shield,” she ordered.

Soon the oft-mocked and despised shield would shimmer into place over Santaissa, and those who had scoffed at it as ‘Anya’s Hat’ would soon be grateful for its protection.

 

[Darth Libertas]

In times of crisis and war, motivational speeches are all too common. To be sure, speechifying cannot win wars alone. Nor does a particularly 'charismatic' and 'dramatic' speech automatically endow your forces with class ten moral and a bonus to their bravery. If you give a big speech urging them to fight to the last bullet and promise them that the cavalry will arrive soon, it's tremendously embarrassing when it turns out that your brave troops really are outmatched.


Oh, and naturally talking is not a free action, so if a leader wants to give a motivational speech, they should not do so whilst they are actually engaged in battle, especially your typical duel. This is one of the reasons why heads of state should not charge into battle themselves. Heroic? Surely, also tremendously foolish.


Whether the Eldorai would automatically receive a ten point bonus to their moral was another question, though doubtless the Angelii already merited a 'fanatical' rating. However, their Queen had actually read the fine print and commissioned the construction of by no means impregnable, but still formidable defences before addressing the nation and urging the people to stand firm. Who would hold dominion over Kaeshana would be decided in the next few hours...


And thus we return to the bar of low-life thugs and would-be adventurers somewhere in the Visitors' Quarter. As a matter of fact, the speech had been heard there as well. For all of a sudden the programme that was running on the holotelly - as a matter of fact it was the latest pod racing contest on Malastare - stopped and after the national anthem played, the presumably not that happy patrons could listen to the words of Queen Tirathana the Seventh.


Given the multicultural makeup of the bar's patrons, reactions were obviously mixed. "Well, that was dramatic. Elf Queenie's easy on the eyes. Gotta give her that. Wouldn't mind a couple moments alone with her," the friendly neighbourhood vampire snarked, apparently under the illusion that he was being tremendously witty. "Hey, barkeep, get me another round of whiskey. I'm soddin' thirsty!"


The Kar'zun who was sitting at the table with Naamah and friends looked stony. Well, he presumably always looked that way since he was a big piece of rock on two legs, but now especially so. In the time that had passed since we last looked at the bar a few more of his tribe of stone people had joined the patrons. They wore clothes over their rock bodies, but their nature was unmistakeable, and they carried weapons.


"To hell with them, the Elves are getting what they deserve. All her apologies can't change her people put us through. Az'varik drove our entire race almost to extinction, and she named her daughter after that monster. I hope they get a good lickin'!"


One of the big Kar'zun who had entered passed his brethren and gave him a slap on the shoulder. Compared to the first he was a paler shade of grey.


"I hear you, brother, but calm yourself. The shamans have sensed a disturbance in the Zak'zakada. They have felt it in the stone and the earth, though they dare not speak out. The moment of deliverance is at hand."



"Hey, Stonehenge, you still playing? And where's my sodding whiskey?" the vampire exclaimed irritably.


Naamah was uncharacteristically quiet as she absorbed the news, though not because of fear. Far from it, for she was immersed inside the Force as she reached out and touched the ocean of primal hatred and ferocity that seemed to be flooding the planet. She could sense fear, hatred, anger...it was beautiful, almost intoxicating. For the moment she felt a stab of concern touch her as her thoughts drifted to [member="Mirien Valdier"].


As usual, something happened to shake her out of her thoughts. In this case the interruption came from one of the Eldorai toughs, who was stepping out of the shadowy booth along with her companions, blasters ready.


"Hey, Arish, what are you yammering about? Dirty rock face shouldn't even have the right to be here. I bet you lot are in league with whoever's attacking us. If Anya was a real elf she'd finish what Ariane started!"



"You mind your tongue, Eldorai. Unless you want me to pull it out. Knife-ears act so superior, but one day you'll pay," the first Kar'zun grunted, his voice angry and guttural, as he arose and stepped towards the Eldorai. Naturally she was quickly backed up by her companions, though the stone man seemed unimpressed and devoid of fear despite their guns.


"Pay for what? Ridding the planet of demonic filth. You're damned lucky Anya's Queen, but mark my words, when the Revolution comes all of you'll be made into rockery."


"And we'll recycle the rocks to build monuments to our glory!" another Eldorai declared, apparently thinking she was being terribly witty by making such a comment.


For a moment there was a tense silence and the Eldorai leading the band looked smug, apparently thinking that she had won this round. "Typical Arish. None of 'em have the pluck to...," she did not get any further because all of a sudden the Kar'zun had crossed the distance with a surprising speed and smashed his rocky fist into her face. Kar'zun are very, very strong. They are also composed of stone. Such was the impact that the Eldorai was tossed through the air and crashed straight into a table where a few Zabrak mercenaries were playing cards. The table likewise fell to the ground and the elf's brain matter flew everywhere. Quickly drawing their guns the aliens jumped to their chairs.


"The Damned are returning and you'll all pay!" another Kar'zun declared and within seconds the bar descended into chaos. Blaster bolts and slug rounds flew everywhere as the Eldorai and some of the aliens fired upon the Kar'zun, but the stone men seemed little bothered by the incoming salvoes as they unleashed their fury upon the elves, beating any they could find. Tables and chairs were smashed or used as improvised projectiles, blaster bolts scorched the walls. One Kar'zun cried out in pain and was shaken badly when a Dark Eldorai, with her lips curved into a cruel smirk, unleashed bolts of blue-white lightning from her fingertips to fry the stone man. All in all, it was complete chaos.


"Finally got ourselves a decent brawl!" the vampire declared happily and jumped into the fray, apparently not caring about who he fought as he unleashed a flurry of fists and bites.


With lightning reflexes Naamah threw the table over to provide some cover and ducked as blaster bolts came shooting her way and peppered the wall behind her. Watching the bar descend into chaos and everyone fight everyone was obviously lots of fun, but for a moment she found herself wondering about what to do, then an idea hit her. Namely one she had gotten from Mirien and that shiny datacron she had stolen some time ago. And so she immersed herself in the Force and pulled at its tangled webs, willing the power to be drawn into her. In a flash, every single lightbulb in the bar was gripped by her might and gave up the ghost, exploding loudly, bathing the bar into darkness, though it was soon lit up by the flashes of lightning and blaster bolts as the battle continued with even greater ferocity.


However, she was not done yet and reached down with her hand to grip the vibro-dagger she had hidden. Then she took a deep breath and sought to concentrate even as the sounds of battle invaded her hearing, harnessing the Force. Darkness and the shadows were her element, her fiefdom as a Clawdite, and so she called upon the shadows to wrap around her body. Thus she drew upon the power of the Force to wrap the darkness around her, hiding her from sight. It took a good deal of effort and concentration was not easy to maintain given the chaos all around her, with beads of sweat dripping her forehead and back, but she was persistent, in spite of the throbbing headache that was making itself known.


"Bloody traitors and foreign devils! We should've freed our country ages ago!" an Eldorai called out, small balls of fire manifesting in her hands, which she tossed with reckless abandon. Focusing her eyes upon Naamah, her eyes burnt with righteous fervour as she reached out to sense her Force presence. "Dashdae Sciian!"


Then suddenly, just as she readied a fireball, Naamah vanished from her sight as her meditation took effect and the shadows answered her call. "What sorcery..." enraged the Eldorai let loose a stream of cleansing fire right into the space Naamah had just vacated, setting table and chairs alight as she dragged the flames across the area.


"Boo," at that the Eldorai suddenly spun to find Naamah standing right behind her. There was no time to respond as the Clawdite let her cloak of invisibility drop for just a moment to plunge her dagger into the elf's heart. Naamah, her knife splattered with the elf's blood, took a very deep breath, for she had clearly been scorched by the flames and was in pain, then the shadows claimed her again. Attracted by the commotion people from outside were rushing into the bar to join the mayhem. It was beautiful, for Chaos Was Everything! The sweet, delicious scent of blood and burnt, charred flesh was filling the air.

 

[Coryth Elaris]

The day had come, that the little redhead never imagined would have ever happened to her. Fame, it had come right to her doorstep as the poor delivery guy, was on his third cart full of gifts, being brought into her tiny apartment. The mail man looked equally displeased as he dumped a sack of mail at her feet.

Coryth just blinked, not wanting to believe it. "That sack weighs more than I do!" She grumbled aloud. "How in the name of the stars did this happen?!" She knew too well, exactly how it happened. She completely blamed the soldier that had uploaded the video of her and the ride of the reeks on Gehenna to Galaxytube, the incident in the lab certainly didn't help either! From there it had been a stream of friend requests on Spacebook. There'd been interview requests from the major networks, and sooooo much fanmail.

With a sigh, she turned to her Reek, certain that the apartment company never had that in mind when they allowed pets, and took the pet deposit from Coryth. "This is partly your fault, you know." The beast rolled its eyes and grunted at her, as she used the force to lift the bag of mail onto it's back. "Yes, you are helping, like it or not." She sighed as the Reek groaned with the weight of the mail bag and turned around and walked back in the door and shook the sack off with a heavy thud.

"Call it the price of me rescuing you from your evil master." The Reek didn't bother with a reply as it flopped down in the far side of her living room, the only space left big enough for him to do so.

"I'm starting to think, I need a bigger place.... Between you, the fanmail, and the Acklay that's on it's way to Kaeshana.... Maybe I do need to think about a new home. An apartment just isn't going to cut it anymore. And I still have Mittens..." She said sighing once more as she watched the Nexu enter the room, seeking attention and pets from her. "Not now Mittens, I've got packages and mail to sort." At this rate, Coryth was going to need an assistant to dig through it all!

Her holoset was on in the background as she closed the door. Hearing the chime of the national anthem, got the little redhead's attention. She actually had to push over a stack of unsorted mail to see the video playing now as the Star Queen made the announcement of the invasion. "Joy.... This day just keeps getting better and better."

She was about to start for the door, to see if she could assist in any way when a giant stack of packages toppled over right in front of the door. "Oh, for the star's sake! This is not my day." Clearly, [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] was going to have to give her tips on how to deal with the new found fame and perhaps take her house shopping!

 

[Anya Venari]

[member="Tarissa Cadalthor"], [member="Elanil Saedaris"]

From the depths of space it came, a vast shape.

An ancient asteroid, a remnant of Kaeshana's creation from long ago, now returned with vengeful intent. Vast engines propelled it, weapons studded it, hanger bays had been cut in it. The huge thing was easily four times larger than any ship Kaeshana could muster in reply. It dwarfed even the massive Tirathana Skyport by a full third, and many times its mass.

The Eldorai scouts, having learned all they could, withdrew before its onset towards the fleet. However, they were not unmolested, as the glow of launching attack craft appeared and gave chase.

"Do not engage, return to hanger," the order came out.
However, one squadron of twelve fighters, Firemane pilots flying Adril Class Fighters, dawdled either by luck or design. As the enemy came in to the attack they broke into pairs, turned and counter attacked.
"Hydra 1, do not engage!" the order came across angrily.
"I'm sorry, command, you're breaking up," pilot Grafton Pic, a veteran of the Protectorate and Republic navies, said. On his squadron channel he called his wingmates. "Let's light 'em up, boys and girls!"

The dozen fighters were faced by at least their number of enemies, but Grafton had noticed something odd about the enemy. Their fighters came on in oddly rigid formations, as if unused to action. He intended to take advantage.
Into battle they swept, and in seconds his instincts were proved right. A pair of his concussion missiles shattered one of the stocky enemy ships into gas whilst his wingmate's laser cannons destroyed another.
In half a minute it was over. Eight enemy ships down. They were simply not agile or tough enough to resist the modern ships.
"Hydra Ten, what's your status?"
"Bit of a cook in a fireball, boss, but I'll be fine."
"Hydra Eleven?"
"One of them tried to ram me, had to pull emergency evasion. My bird will need TLC, but I'm fine."
"Right, form on me, let's fall back to the Skyport. Watch for chasers."
"They're not pursuing, boss, we’re clear," Hydra Four reported.
"Who are these guys anyway?" another asked.
"Good question. They've not stopped for a chat," Grafton said.

The squadron was not pursued as both sides took in what had just happened. The attackers had been tested and easily bested. Even now the computers and officers of the fleet were analysing the data. Was this a flaw in all the enemy fighters, or what Hydra Squadron merely had the element of surprise?

On board the bridge of the Ashira’s Wrath, Captain Yadea watched the skirmish with interest. She was a middle aged Eldorai woman, once Admiral of the seagoing fleet before a whole new vista had opened.
“Lieutenant, scan results?” she asked. In the navy at least the Eldorai had reluctantly changed over to the ‘Outsider’ ranks.
“It’s strange, ma’am, they’re not trying to shield themselves from our scans.”
“Tell me everything,” Yadea ordered.
“They have basic particle shields, but I’m not detecting any conventional ray shields.”
“Is it possible they’re simply not raised?”
“Possible, ma’am, but unlikely.”

Before the Captain could give any more thought to the matter, the comms officer hailed her.
“Ma’am, incoming transmission, broad spectrum.”
“Receive.”
The screen showed a tall , looming figure, craggy and stony. A Kar’zun, his skin so dark a grey as to be almost charcoal.
He began to speak, and a protocol droid began to translate, for the Eldarai he spoke was so archaic and broken that it was almost indecipherable.
“Eldorai scum! We have returned for our vengeance! For 800 years we have prepared for this moment, and now we shall have our revenge! Your world is defenceless before us, and we will lay waste to your cities! There will be no surrender, there will be no mercy, there will only be your doom!”
Yadea gestured at the comms officer to cut the link.
“Lady Cadalthor will answer this for us,” she said curtly. She hoped there’d be a recording of the queen’s rant, it was something that would warm her heart. However, since it seemed unlikely that Eldorai would surrender considering Lady Tarissa Cadalthor was in charge, Yadea turned to her gunnery chief.
“Are our long range turbolasers in range?”
“Yes, ma’am. Extreme range, but we’re closing all the time.”
“Open fire, full battery. Let’s test out this enemy. May the Goddess bless and favour us!”
On the superstructure of the Ashira’s Wrath the ten dual long-range cannon emplacements took aim…and fired.
The Battle of Kaeshana had begun.

 

[Vaena Askari]

[member="Anya Venari"], [member="Linna Beorht"], [member="Elanil Saedaris"],


So the hour of battle was at hand. Within the span of the next few hours, the fate of Kaeshana would be decided...and the race that would hold dominion over the planet. Eldorai or Kar'zun. The ancient asteroid, a remnant of Kaeshana's creation from ages past, was massive. Bristling with firepower and equipped with enormous engines that sent it hurtling towards the planet, it was bigger than any ship the small Eldorai flotilla fielded, even larger than the Tirathana Skyport, which was the crown jewel of Kaeshana's orbital defences.


All in all, the asteroid was enormous. Compared to it even the Valora's Blade, the heavy support cruiser that was one of the pride and joys of the Eldorai new model army, seemed terribly small. However, Lady Tarissa Cadalthor remained impassive as she beheld the scene. If there was anything she felt beyond the righteous fury and fervour that could be seen in their eyes, then her appearance and expression would not hint at it. So she sat in her captain's chair, eyes affixed upon the scene before her.


She could see the skirmish play out before her eyes as Adril-class fighters piloted by Firemane pilots surprisingly managed to take out Kar'zun attack craft without losses despite the enemy having superior numbers. Was it because they had the element of surprise or was their enemy truly that underdeveloped? If the sensors of the Blade did not betray her, then the Kar'zun fighters had plain and simple been unable to catch up with the Firemane craft due to being far inferior in speed and toughness. Nor had they actually made an attempt at pursuit.


"It's like they thought this was a parade. A formation that rigid is begging to be blown up. Unless this is deception. You're going to love this, Lady. The Ashira's Wrath reports that according to their scans the enemy only has basic particle shields, but no ray shields," her XO, Commander Kumari, reported. "Either they haven't raised them or they that primitive."


"Interesting," Tarissa said tersely, apparently giving this startling revelation some thought.


"Hydra Squadron has returned to the Skyport without casualties. CAG Medusa Squadron is requesting permission to launch a strike against the vanguard of enemy fighters. Chimeara Squadron of Kerrigan-Class Bombers reports readiness for bombing run at your command."


Before Tarissa could respond to that the comms officer hailed her, having received the same transmission as the Ashira's Wrath. "Ma'am, incoming transmission, broad spectrum. It's coming from the asteroid. The Ashira's Wrath is receiving it as well."


"Oh, sweet. I imagine they'll announce their dramatic revenge and whine about genocide. Receive." If the gentle reader were to assume that Tarissa was enjoying this a bit too much, then they would not be mistaken. Anyhow, the screen would display the tall, looming figure of a Kar'zun, craggy and stony. With skin so dark a grey to be almost charcoal. Fortunately there was a protocol droid there to translate. To Tarissa's ears the stone man's voice sounded archaic, vile and guttural.


“Eldorai scum! We have returned for our vengeance! For 800 years we have prepared for this moment, and now we shall have our revenge! Your world is defenceless before us, and we will lay waste to your cities! There will be no surrender, there will be no mercy, there will only be your doom!”


Tarissa listened to the words in silence and with a measure of boredom written upon her features. Oh, and, yes, she made a gesture to the comms officer to record everything, including the rant she was about to unleash as if it were a broadside. "How dramatic. I take it you are the omnipotent 'dark lord' then? There is a saying, 'what's lost should stay lost'. Your entire race was broken by Eldorai fire and Eldorai steel almost a millennia ago, and Goddess, willing it shall be broken again. You come here to this world riding upon a big piece of rock and full of bluster about our impending doom. Eight hundred years have past, and we have developed. You have not. Stuck in your archaic ways, as immovable as stone. Truly fitting for your race. Your armies shall be crushed, every invader who dares to assail holy Kaeshana will be smashed into pieces and our wrath shall surpass that of Ariane the Great tenfold, by the will of the Goddess."



With that she gestured to her comms officer to cut the link, then made a motion to her gunnery chief."Are our guns in range to support the Wrath?" she asked impatiently.


"Ready to wipe the stars clean of enemy fighter craft. If we move in closer, our ion cannons should be able to target the asteroid's engines."


"Make it so. Doctor Saedaris, if you would, activate your device. XO, pass on the order to launch our fighter squadrons to wipe the stars clean. Kerrigan-class bombers hit the asteroid once we have an opening. They are to try and hit the rock's engines."


It was probably a bit easier to do that than blow up the entire rock. Apparently the enemy had not bothered to try and prevent their long-range scanning, so that gave them an edge when it came to finding targets. Of course, the main problem was that the asteroid was fething big. The guns of the Blade took aim and fired. Space was lit up in a brilliant light show as laser fire lanced across the cold vacuum of space to hit the swarms of Kar'zun fighters, providing cover for the Wrath. At the same time swarms of fighters and bombers shot through space to engage the enemy. The contingent of Adril-class fighters and Nova-class Interceptors was being thrown into the fray and now came at the Kar'zun fighters like a birds of prey, viciously falling upon them. Pending an opening in the enemy formation bombers would unleash torpedoes on the asteroid.

 

[Anya Venari]

[member="Tarissa Cadalthor"], [member="Elanil Saedaris"]

"All attack craft, launch!" the order went out. Keeping some squadrons rotated at the back to defend against enemy bombers, seven Eldorai and Firemane fighter squadrons began their attack.

Captain Yadea watched as her first salvos of long ranged turbolasers flashed across space. The target was still too distant for her eyes to pick up hits, so she looked at the tactical monitor.
"Four hits, ma'am!" the gunnery officer called.
Forty percent, not bad for such long range, but still not great.
"Damage?"
"Enemy shields holding for now."
"Locate enemy shield projectors, target and destroy them, then switch to their engines."
"Target in-putted."
Again the batteries flared. Five hits this time. Getting better.
"We're through the shield! Explosions on the surface!" The gunnery officer sobered. "Damage minimal though. We will need to move closer to have more effective targeted fire."
"Move closer to engage. Order the other cruisers to form up behind us, and have the Skyport squadrons screen us."

Meanwhile, in space, the battle got down to it. Oddly, for such a massive ship, no vast horde of enemy fighters had emerged. Unless they were planning a massive ambush, they had only deployed about one hundred of their fighters, only slightly out numbering the defenders.
Into battle then the Kaeshana Confederation craft sped. Their missiles and laser cannons tore into the enemy who seemed, again, completely unprepared for the full force of modern warfare. War was an evolution, and this battle was like pitting Sopwith Camels against FA-18 jet fighters. It was ferocious, and yet rather one-sided. Whilst the Quasar and Nova were underpowered compared to the Adril, they were more than a match for the Kar'zun ships.

In less than five minutes the battle, such as it was, was largely over.
An aide came to Lady Cadalthor with the reports. "Ma'am, we've lost eight fighters, mainly Novas. Confirmed enemy kills...fifty-six. The enemy fighters have ceded the field to us and retreated." She sounded stunned. This was the invading legion of doom they had all feared?

In the palace on Kaeshana, Anya watched the reports come in anxiously. However, the news from space both surprised and intrigued her.
"Get me a line to Countess Kerrigan," she ordered. "Siobhan, something weird is happening. The enemy...doesn't seem to have any intel on us. They don't have modern technology, they've evolved separately. They are completely outmatched...but don't underestimate them if they get to the ground. When you're in range, fire the Tempest cannons."
She had a horrifying thought as she considered the recent past. "If they had come only ten years ago...five years ago...we would have been helpless," she said aloud. Then she grinned. "But they've come now. Siobhan, you may fire when ready! Commander, give orders to the Crown and to Dusk - fire when ready."

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Anya Venari"]


By now Siobhan was in the command centre of the Citadel of Dawn and busy bossing people around. She always liked doing that and she had an actual reason this time, so like it or not, her minions would have to do as they were told. The entire base had been fully mobilised for battle. Moreover, units of the regular Eldorai army had been mobilised and were being deployed to dig in at the plains below the mountains, though the bulk of the forces were being sent to Santaissa in case the enemy tried to storm the gates of the capital.


Martial law had been declared throughout the planet and those Eldorai who were not regular soldiers or Angelii but part-time reservists who served in the militia had been called to arms. It helped that the Elves had a slightly higher ratio of force-users compared to humans. Of course, reservists could only do so much good, but from a cynical perspective they could serve a purpose as cannon fodder. Likewise a call to deploy heavy armour had been received at the Firemane headquarters and so a battery of Typhoon-class self-propelled rocket launchers would soon be at hand to provide artillery support via bombardment, pending the transmission of targeting coordinates from the Citadel. Presumably being bombarded by HEAT missiles and cluster bomb munition would not be pleasant for the stone people! It would take time before the reinforcements arrived, but it would help giving the Kar'zun a good mauling.


Mine fields were also being laid to further impede the enemy's progress. Anyhow, it was at this point in time that Siobhan received Anya's message, while the base was being thrown into a flurry of activity. Ideally the Kar'zun would find themselves pinned down on the road leading up to the base before being hit by the reinforcements, both ground and air forces.



"Did I ever tell you about that one time the Lost Sith invaded Coruscant and their 'superweapon' blew up the first time they tried to fire it...and wiped out almost their entire fleet?" she asked wryly. "I've called in the Ariane's Fist and what heavy armour I could get from Firemane at short notice. Deploying part to the city to aid you, rest will be trying to hit Kar'zun landing forces and give them a mauling if they try to hit Dawn. These rock people have the best timing...for us."


No, Siobhan did not care about the fact that 'rock people' was not politically correct. Anyhow she cut the connection and gestured to one of the officers. "All Tempest cannons of Dawn, Dusk and Crown are to fire when ready. Have there been any disturbances in the Kar'zun habitats?"


"Not yet, Lady. The army is keeping watch and ready to strike if they join the invaders, but so far they're sitting it out. Probably hedging the bests to see whether the 'great crusade' is worth backing. Unlike their Damned cousins, they know what we can do."


Siobhan nodded. "Good. Hopefully it stays that way."

 

[Kaida Taldir]

[member="Elayne Saedaris"], [member="Tempest"]


All was prepared, now the only thing they could do was wait. That was always the most annoying part. Needless to say the Queen's speech had been broadcast at the Citadel of Dusk as well. Perhaps it would strengthen the morale of some of the soldiers and steel them for the coming struggle, those that needed such encouragement. Obviously the troops were not that conscious about the situation in space, though over the comms traffic some news had been received as it made sense to keep the ground forces updated.


At least about the important stuff such as whether the enemy was being beaten back or about to perform a surface assault. Likewise a message was received from Dawn. The news perplexed Kaida a bit, though she did not let it show outwardly, keeping up her impassive facade. Apparently the Kar'zun...were using outdated pieces of crap that would have been considered hopelessly archaic even during the Clone Wars. It made the Angelii wonder whether they would be facing stone men using bolt action rifles and musquets.


The Tempest cannons were primed and ready to fire, the crews were itching with anticipation and eager to unleash the technological terrors the engineers had worked tirelessly to construct. The troops were in position of at the barriers that shielded the base's entrance and kept the road, a metaphorical and very literal phalanx of firepower. Kaida had taken her place at the outer defences of the base, positioning herself so that she could get the optimal view. The Captain General had taken command and she was comfortable at the frontlines. For some absurd reason she was smoking a cigarette, a stream of smoke escaping into the air that seemed as heavy with anticipation as the auras of the soldiers. Her lightsabre was at her side, her Taegis shield strapped to her back, at her beck and call to protect her.



They would hold the line! For Kaeshana and the Eldorai People, the Goddess....oh wait, she had never been divine...well, for a steady paycheque! This was the perfect moment for a last-minute dramatic speech. The only problem was that Kaida did not do dramatic speeches. Besides, Queenie had already covered that part.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXLVFnl3WcE​

 

[Mirien Valdier]

Gehenna hadn't exactly set well with Mirien. Her shoulder still in a sling, to keep her from using it. The fragile connections the surgeons made in her shoulder still needed time to heal. And it wouldn't have done her much good to have gone right back to work, considering the nature of her job. The last thing she needed was to go on some mission and have yet another being try to kill her, and during such fun, tear her shoulder apart, again.

Mirien was at home, alone. She was sitting in the middle of the living room floor of her apartment. A box in front of her, with all sorts of various objects laying around her. All artifacts from a past long forgotten by her. Wrapping her mind around how evil she'd once been, was no easy task. None of it seemed real not even now with these things from her past laying around her. A journal from her time with the Bando Gora, detailing the evil acts she';d helped the to carry out. Experiments of a most sickly nature, things that turned even her stomach.

This isn't who I am. It's a person I was. A woman that died a long time ago. She doesn't exist anymore.

Is that really how you can justify this? You did it. Her blood is in your veins. Can you really say that Inquisitor Mirien was really all that different from Bando Gora Mirien?

.... Mirien didn't have that answer. She hoped not, but really didn't see much of a different between the two.


I'm not her ... I'm not. At least, she wanted to think she wasn't her anymore. That when she'd lost all of her memories that, the old her had died.

So is this one of the lies you're going to tell yourself to sleep at night?

With a heavy sigh, she carefully pushed herself off from the ground and headed over to her cabinet, pulling out a bottle of vodka. Usually, she have her preference for a fine martini, but right now, she didn't care. This point, she didn't even bother with the glass, and twisted the cap off before taking a large drink from it.

Or are we just going to get drunk now?

"Would you stop asking questions and just shut up!" Yelling at her brain more than anything else, and it's annoying habits of getting on her nerves, before taking another sip as she settled herself back down in the floor.

Drunk it is. So very ladylike of you....

A sigh came as she reached into the box in front of her and pulled out at rather dark looking data crystal. "Wonder what you are...." It could have been a million things, but something about it radiated with sinister power as she held it between her fingers. Plugging it into a datapad, she started to flip through the files it contained, realizing quickly that it was a small hoard of information of her early alchemy experiments. "Perhaps you go with the holocron we got..." She kept reading the lengthy notes, until she got to a rather gory tale of her first encounter with mechu-deru. Her hand, still wrapped around the bottle, she more than happily picked it up and took a heavy gulp. This person, that she is, was .. was something she loathed inside and out. Experimenting on living and innocent humans and aliens alike was wrong on so many levels.

How are the lies you've been telling yourself looking now? Sweet and adorable isn't it? Slaughter of the innocent without so much as batting an eyelash... You're a monster.... Another gulp from the bottle, as she heavily slumped back against the couch, staring at the far wall as she grew more and more angry with herself.

 

[HK-36]

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"], [member="Anya Venari"], [member="Mirien Valdier"],

Meanwhile on Abwegado-Wae

In orbit of the mercantile planet HK's personal fleet of the ex-Sith star destroyer The Dancing Queen, the frigate captained by the droid himself, The Siege Tower, and four escort corvettes, Bleep, Bloop, Frank, and Cuddlyantisocial, were finishing up boarding the troops of the Iron Company and Abregado-Rae militia and preparing for combat. It was the call for Operation: Centurion, another venture into Alderaan the droid was preparing to answer, at least until he received the call from Kaeshana, a distress signal about an attack by unknown forces, at least unknown at the time, and so the machine came to crossroads, whether to answer the call of Centurion and attempt to recover Lady Protector with others, or answer distress signal from Kaeshana and help his old friend Siobhan.


And so he stood at the bridge of Siege Tower, calculating and thinking, his arms folded behind his back, pressing the flowing grey cloak always clasped around his shoulders neatly to his back.

"Sir?"

His yeoman would ask him, the rest of his bridge crew looking to him,

"What are your orders?"

She would ask, the same question was on the minds of rest of his officers.


"Do we have any notifications of other Protectorate task forces responding to the Kaeshana call?"

The Yeoman would look to her console and then back to him, shaking her head,

"No, sir. Nobody is answering the distress signal, all captains are looking towards Alderaan and answering orders from Lord Protector."

HK nodded slightly before turning around to look at his yeoman and commanding,

"Set course for Kaeshana, we shall answer the call and break the siege."

The Yeoman nodded before punching in the orders,

"And summon the Northern fleet-"

At that she would stop looking to him, he would stroll from the helm of the bridge to go among his crew,

"Have them rally back around Abregado and protect the planet while we are gone."

"They will not be heading to Alderaan?"

Yeoman would ask and HK would shake his head looking to her,

"I am done."

He would look to the rest of his crew then,

"I am done sending my friends, brothers, and sisters at arms into their death at the beckoning of Lord Protector. I am done fighting for symbols, fighting for figures. I would rather fight for you, for my soldiers, for the people I have sworn to protect."

The machine would pound his chest over where heart would be looking to his crewmen,

"On Coruscant I have seen the so called Protector Lord run one of our greatest spaceships into ground to try and recover Lady Protector. Lady Protector who has disappeared seemingly for no reason, gave no explanation as to why she went away, why she returned, has done little to nothing since then, and now is supposedly to be taken by Sith and just as well may be working for them or may just as well be dead."

HK would shake his head, looking to his crew,

"Make what you want from what is happening, try to make sense of things because I cannot, but I have chased after her ghost and it has cost too much. Lady Protector is gone."

The machine would mutter, shaking his head again,

"She has been gone for a long time, and we need to accept that. Otherwise would she allow for our plans to be formed seemingly at the drop of Lord Protector's hat, reveal nothing to us, her soldiers, and then for blood of those she is supposed to protect run like a river, thousands to die for her, and vessels who fly in her name to run into ground, not caring who dies and who lives as result?"

The crew stayed silent, taking the machine's words in and forming their own opinions, whether they agreed or not,

"We are not the Empire to reap so much death among our own kin for no reason! We are the Protectorate, we are supposed to protect lives of those who serve and depend on us, not blindly charge into death, not destroy our fleets and run them into bloody mud like children playing with toys."


HK would move back to the helm of the bridge,

"I am done chasing the dead, let us go save the living."

He would extend his arm out melodramatically,

"Set course for Kaeshana! And you may just as well call me-"


And the camera would zoom in on him,

"Tom Bombadil."

And there was that LOTR reference Sio wanted so badly out of the writer.



Soon enough the vessels would jump into hyperspace, more ships would alive soon after, in service of HK as he was the Exarch, assigned to protect Abregado-Rae in his absence, they were not aware of the words he spoken aboard the Siege Tower, but among the crew of the task force he was taking to Kaeshana his crew would be silent and somber for the duration of the trip as word of it would quickly spread among them.

 

[Meanken]

Times were hard. Fact of life there. Work had dried up. Chaff could not believe it, given how many damn wars were being fought round the galaxy, but a number of weeks had gone by without any jobs that he was capable of doing. So he was forced to sign up for another PMC. Chaff wasn't gonna take the chance that the PMC would fold on him again. He went right for the top. While he'd heard that the Protectorate was less PMC and more government these days, fact was they were still paying, and he needed a paycheck.

They'd gone and assigned him to something called Iron brigade. As names went, it was a decent one. he'd heard much worse. He knew they were going on some kinda mission, that much was clear. Didn't have the details. Added to that, the ship was really big and no one had bothered to give him a map. So now he was lost. Typical. Now he looked like an idiot. As he wandered, he wound up walking directly onto the main bridge. Damn it. No doubt he'd be spotted instantly as being out of place in his pitch black full combat armor. Last thing he needed was to get chewed out by the guy in charge on his first mission. He really wished he'd won that 5 mill price from the tournament he'd been in now. Then he wouldn't be here looking like an idiot.

[member="HK-36"]

 

[HK-36]

[member="Meanken"],

The droid would look to the door of the bridge as the black armored trooper came inside, the machine stepping between his officers and bridge crew to get a better look at Chaff.

"Now you are either lost-"

The machine would begun in his usual monotone, sounding weirdly familiar to Mister Feeny from Boy Meets World,

"Or you are here to assassinate me."

He would continue, his arms folded behind his back,

"So should I show you where the hangar is or throw you out of the airlock? During hyperspace jump that can be quite nasty."

The machine quipped, giving him a nod,

"But I suppose introductions would be necessary either way, I am called Hunter Killer series Thirty Six, unit one. But in the Protectorate I am known as the Iron Knight."

He would spread his arms then,

"Iron Protector of the North!"

His crew of officers would cheer then in unanimous "Hyugh!"


The machine would lean in to Chaff then, muttering to him quieter,

"We had to rehearse that ten times or so."

It would become apparent to Chaff most likely that the machine's age did not really serve him that well with sanity.

 

[Meanken]

Ok....this got weird quick. Chaff was now real glad that he had a helmet on, as it hid the shock on his face. Not only was he being threatened by a frigging droid, but he appeared to be in charge. Someone had neglected to tell him that when he showed up.

"Er....ya, sorry dro....sir. No one bothered giving me a map when I got assigned to this ship. If I was here to assassinate ya, I'd have made a stealthier approach then walking in the door like that. Done more then my fair share of assassination jobs."

[member=HK-36]