Populate [RNR] To Hell and Back || The Sundering || Populate of Vendaxa

[Kalantha]

TO HELL AND BACK
… a Royal Naboo Republic Story

A chilling discovery prompts Queen Kalantha to authorize an elite strike for a perilous mission into the Netherworld.

Several years ago, before Kalantha was the ruler of Naboo, Baros Sal-Soren – father of Brandyn, Briana, and Blaire – founded a dark organization known as The New Way. From the shadows, they worked toward a singular goal of eliminating Force sensitivity in the galaxy. During the height of its existence, The New Way carried out several violent attacks against Force-users. They bombed Coruscant, unleashed a midichlorian-killing parasite, and performed agonizing experiments on countless people.

Their reign of terror was finally halted when Baros was killed. The galaxy’s Force orders believed The New Way had disbanded, scattered and disillusioned by the death of their visionary.

They were wrong.

In the shadows, The New Way stoked the flame of their hatred for Force sensitives. They took on a new name, the Unblessed, and under this guise they resumed their work. They’ve remained hidden, their machinations unknown to the galaxy, until now. Following leads from Rook Merriex, the Order of Shiraya’s Vanguard division discovered the Unblessed conclave and a disturbing project dubbed “Operation Sunkiller.” By sacrificing Force sensitives in an infernal machine gifted by the Archon of the Netherworld, the Unblessed can send a powerful shockwave through reality itself that can not only neutralize midichlorians on a galactic scale, but disrupt organic life en masse.

The Republic has green-lit a counteroffensive, dubbed “Operation Elysium.” A joint task force of Jedi, Vanguard, and the Royal Defense Force will spearhead an invasion of the Netherworld to end the Unblessed plot once and for all.

Netherworld Objectives

A sprawling complex houses the machine that the Unblessed need to enact their plan. Within its labyrinthine corridors and myriad labs, the lives of three Force-sensitives hang in the balance: the abducted daughter of Lossa Aureus; the infant son of Blaire Sal-Soren who was stolen at birth; and Jedi Master Elias Edo, trapped during the Second Cataclysm and tortured by the Archon himself. The machine must be stopped at all costs, and the captives must be rescued.

The following mission tasks are available to complete:

• Locate the machine and destroy it
• Rescue the captives, namely Zeriana and Blaire’s son
• Apprehend Unblessed scientists, engineers, and agents for questioning
• Download any data relating to the Unblessed, the machine, or the Netherworld
• Duel a possessed Elias Edo to drive out the Archon

Anticipating opposition, the Unblessed have reinforced the primary entry point where Naboo connects to the Netherworld. This anchor point, known ominously as "the Gatehouse," is the only thing standing between the hellmouth of the Netherworld and the galaxy at large. It must be liberated and defended against both Unblessed agents and their demonic allies.

The following mission tasks are available to complete:

• Secure the Gatehouse by any means necessary
• Eliminate high-value Unblessed and Netherworld targets
• Defend the Gatehouse from counterattacks
• Prevent the rift from collapsing

Meanwhile...​

The planet Vendaxa, known for its lethal biodiversity and nightmarish predators like the acklay, was once part of the Galactic Alliance. Following the strange planetary shifts, it now sits uneasily on the outer edge of Naboo-controlled space, in the place once occupied by Zolan. Though its transition into the region caused no visible spatial damage, something beneath the surface is beginning to stir.

The Royal Naboo Republic has dispatched a team of senators, engineers, and relief personnel to assist with stabilization efforts and begin soft diplomatic integration. But what was meant to be a routine goodwill mission has quickly turned into something far more complicated. Multiple aid outposts have reported sudden equipment malfunctions, inexplicable power surges, and waves of electromagnetic interference. Static energy now pulses intermittently through the tall grasses and tangled undergrowth, with the highest concentrations clustered near long-forgotten Rakatan ruins, recently uncovered by shifting terrain.

Meanwhile, Vendaxa's infamous predators have begun to act out of character: acklay sightings in areas once devoid of them, unusual patterns of avoidance, and bursts of unprovoked aggression. The planet's natural balance seems… disrupted. Among the displaced locals, unease is growing, with whispers that when Vendaxa was pulled into the Southern Systems, it tore through something it was never meant to cross—the already thin veil between reality, and the Netherworld.

Vendaxa Objectives

Uncertain of how to handle anomalies without a baseline, teams of explorers and scientists are dispatched to affected areas. Until now, proper scientific analysis of Netherworld phenomena has been too dangerous to acquire. While unfortunate, now is the most opportune time to collect as much data as possible.

The following mission tasks are available to complete:

• Use sensors to measure temporal or dimensional shifts.
• Study residual energy signatures from Vendaxa's planeshift.
• Record unusual findings in at affected sites.
• Contain any abnormal plant or animal specimens.

To ease tensions and maintain peace, Royal Naboo Security forces are inbound to Vendaxa as a small but coordinated force. The mission is not to intimidate the Vendaxans, but to protect them from potential attacks from the Nether.

The following mission tasks are available to complete:

• Reinforce perimeter defenses around vulnerable camps.
• Intercept saboteurs or opportunists who may be trying to loot from or take advantage of the Vendaxan.
• Patrol temporal rifts in the event of Netherworld incursions.

​

A veritable diplomatic crisis is on the rise as the Vendaxan government struggles to comprehend the situation. Senators and ambassadors from the Royal Assembly arrive in the capital to help mitigate upheaval in the government.

The following mission tasks are available to complete:

• Manage tensions between Republic aid teams and Vendaxan locals who may still identify with the Galactic Alliance.
• Hold a town hall-style discussion on formal negotiations to ease fears. Distribute goods, emergency supplies, and medical attention to those who have been displaced and might need it.

Threads referenced:
The Five Veils Conspiracy | The Storm Gathers​

 

[Laphisto]

Laphisto didn't know much about the Netherworld. He'd only ever heard of it through Fyrirdögun, the rare, otherworldly material at the heart of nearly every weapon, ship, and tank fielded by the Lilaste Order. But now, standing before a sea of armored visors, he had no time for speculation. This was their first official deployment with the newly issued LO-58A armor. Behind the assembled troops loomed five towering AT-AE MKIII walkers, silent sentinels of steel and power. One full battalion 576 soldiers had been dispatched to Vendaxan, under contract by the Royal Naboo Republic. Arms crossed over his chest, Laphisto's voice carried across the mustering ground, sharp and grounded.

"Alright, listen up. We're here on assignment from the Royal Naboo Republic. Now, I know some of you still carry bitterness over what happened on Kalinda getting pushed out of our own damn home. But I don't want to hear it." His eyes scanned the crowd, narrowing into a small glair "We're here to do a job. So keep it professional. If I catch anyone stepping out of line, I'll court-martial you myself." A beat of silence. Then, in perfect unison, the soldiers of Tarain's Sword responded: "Sir, no sir!"

A rare smirk tugged at Laphisto's lips. He gave a casual wave of dismissal. "Good. Get to work. Let's show these people what the Lilaste Order is made of and if we're lucky, this won't be the last time they call on us." With that, the battalion moved with purpose, spreading across the area. Checkpoints were established, fallback zones marked, and machine gun nests fortified at potential incursion points. Every motion was precise, every placement calculated. They weren't just preparing for battle. They were bringing order to a world on the brink of the unknown.

 

[Lorn Reingard]

Aiden Porte
Gatehouse OBJ

​

Beneath the blackened sky of Naboo's haunted fringe, the Gatehouse loomed like a wound torn in the fabric of space. It pulsed faintly with an otherworldly shimmer, neither entirely real nor entirely nightmare, but something caught between. Twisted architecture clung to it, remnants of buildings lashed together by Netherworld corruption. Through the ashen wind, the silhouettes of the Unblessed watched from the ruins, waiting like spiders.

Encased in their EVA suit laced with sigils of the Order of Shiraya, he looked like a shadow given purpose. The faceplate of his helmet reflected the Gatehouse's sickly glow, but behind it, Lorn's eyes were calm, distant. Eyes that had seen too much.

Around him, the Vanguards moved like phantoms, tight formation, their movements quiet and lethal. Lorn's lightsaber hilt thudded against his thigh as he crouched behind a shattered archway. The air was dense, heavy with the static charge of what waited just ahead. He looked over his shoulder at Aiden, voice crackling over the comms, low and rough.

"Where's your father, Aiden?" Lorn asked. "I'm surprised he's not defending the exit here with us."

Above them, the Gatehouse rumbled, and from its fissured maw spilled the guttural howls of things that should not exist. Red lightning tore across the sky, illuminating the field of black stone and twisted bone that stretched between the Vanguards and their objective.

He didn't speak poetry. He didn't yell inspiring orders.

He just said, "Hold this line. We secure this point and give them enough time to get out safely."

Then he ignited his saber. Golden light bathed his suit, hissing in the charged air, and with a wordless motion, he moved forward into the nightmare. The Vanguards followed without hesitation.

 

[Sibylla Abrantes]

​

Location: Vendaxa
Capital Outskirts, Temporary Royal Republic Field Pavilion
Objective: Town Hall

The faint whine of repulsorlifts faded into the thrum of cicada-like insects as the last shuttle touched down behind her. Lady Sibylla Abrantes stood at the edge of the raised command pavilion, the Royal Naboo Republic crest fluttering at half-mast above her, its golden sigil catching the surreal tint of Vendaxa's sun.

Behind her, murmurs rippled through the tent as engineers and aides updated Senator Eharl Sarn on settlement progress. Sibylla hadn't spoken to him yet tonight, for he was deep in negotiation mode, but their earlier strategy session lingered in her thoughts. This mission had been sold as an assistance initiative, a stepping stone for goodwill. But what they'd walked into was a crucible: galactic reconfiguration, deep planetary unrest, and possibly something ancient stirring below the soil.

And beneath it all? That nagging dread that the Royal Republic was playing catch-up with the ramifications of the Steller Convergence. Something they couldn't see.

She keyed open a comm channel.

"This is Junior Representative Sibylla Abrantes. Town hall prep begins in thirty. Displacement aid coordinators, I need confirmed supply manifests before we begin. Please ensure Ambassador Sai is invited to join the floor panel. Local voices need familiar faces. Sentaor Sarn and I will meditate."

She paused, then added in a softer, but no less firm voice.

"And if anyone's received more reports about anomalous magnetic spikes or unexplained behavioral shifts in wildlife, forward them to Senator Sarn's office immediately."

She cut the channel. Somewhere behind her, thunder growled with a rolling, guttural sound not from the sky but beneath the soil. As if something that Vendaxa had swallowed whole was starting to shift.

 

[Tasia Palpatine]

Carrying: Palpatine's Saber, Hunting gear, Kiffar Blade, Underwater breather
Wearing: Raiments of Shiraya
Tag: Come get me!

"Tasia Palpatine! Are you insane?" She could hear the voice of her mother as she flew low across the netherscape towards the facility. Her Aiwha wasn't happy either and it flew in silence adorned with all manner of carved trinkets and ritual paint from her village to ward off any wickedness that might try and pluck the innocent creature from the sky. Tasia banked and crossed over a bluff to see the complex in front of her. It was as sprawling as the briefing had said and she gestured to her allies where she was heading, a small square to the north that was suspected as the best way to the facility housing the trapped force users.

Tasia's skin bristled as she came in closer and the aihwa made uncomfortable noises, the darkness was getting stronger the closer they got, but she was a knight of Shiraya now and her family only added to her strength so she punched through the almost tangible bubble of darkness around the area and made her landing. She immediately hopped off of her mount and sent it on its way with a thought to keep it safe. The unpleased would hopefully have transport for them to steal on the way out but she could call back her mount and its waiting brothers to pick up the captives if necessary.

Tasia nodded to her comrades and they headed forward towards an archway, unblessed soldiers had not yet had a chance to respond but they soon would so she made sure to active her deep orange lightsaber with a hiss before she got to the dark archway that led into the complex.

"This is strike team Fox, we have made contact and progressing to the nest. The force guides" she spoke into her comm, hearing only static in return.

​

 

[Aiden Porte]

"Where's your father, Aiden?"

"I'm surprised he's not defending the exit here with us."

"I believe he is with Briana, he had another task to take care of." It was something that he was being very vague about. Aiden didn't press the issue, as Kahne had told him they would talk more after this. Aiden's mind and body had been broken beyond repair. He asked himself a thousand times over how he was still alive. The Dark Exchange had been wiped from existence as where their dark leadership. At great cost though, more than he ever wanted to give.

And here he was, still drawing breath. Perhaps it was as his father had spoke of so many times before. It is the will of the force.

Aiden couldn't hide his fear or worries over the issues. Yet, somehow he was still getting reassured by his father. Things were going to be okay. Trust in the force, all that sort of stuff. The more Aiden tried to see and believe as he could, he still had doubts and they only manifested after this recent event. And now the push to end this scheme that the New Way, the unblessed.

Mongrels, all of them.

The Padawan gripped his blade tightly, ready to strike them all down. Whomever came their way, he would see to it that they would not take another breath. They had denied that to so many others, it was only fitting that he returned that in Justice.

Aiden moved with Lorn and the Vanguard, into position. To meet the enemy, Justice would prevail this day.

It had to, otherwise Naboo would never know a small measure of peace that it so rightly deserved.

 

[Phillip Slate]

Objective: Gatehouse
Tags: Open

To say Phillip was terrified would be a massive understatement. The lad's legs wouldn't stop shaking as he kept a firm grip on the lightsaber he was going to use for this battle. The hairs on the back of his neck were stood on edge, as he twitched at every faint breeze. He knew he didn't have to come here. There was another task that he could have done. Something. But Phillip wanted to be here. To prove to himself that he could stand against the Darkness. The Lad took in a deep breath as he tried to steady his mind.

Where this is no emotion, there is no life...Where there is discord, find balance...Where there is life, stand as its sword and shield...Where there is doubt, trust in the Force

He was alive. That's why he was afraid. But he couldn't let that fear control him. Phillip had to control it instead. He had to find a balance between his emotions and focus on the task at hand. He was here now. There was no backing out of it. He was not meant to be passive. No, he couldn't just stand to the side and let others do the hard work. He was meant to help protect the Light. He just had to trust in himself. In the Force.

A few short exhales brought his mind back to focus, watching the red lightning crashing amongst the sky. In a terrifying sense, it was a beautiful sight to behold. A classic clash between Light and Dark...It would make for perhaps an interesting painting for when Phillip got out of this. Yes, when he got out. Not an if. He believed that he'd survive this. He just had to be smart and well...Phillip could do that at least.

 

[Lorn Reingard]

Aiden Porte | Phillip Slate

​

Lorn didn't respond to Aiden right away. The silence stretched, broken only by the ever-present thunder of the Gatehouse. He looked ahead, scanning the field, gauging every angle, every shimmer of movement. And yet... there was something distant in his posture, like the thought of Kahne's vague errand rattled in the back of his head like a ghost whispering through a ruined corridor.

"Let's hope he's where he needs to be." Lorn said at last, voice rough with fatigue and something harder to name. "We'll cover our side."

A glint of movement caught his eye, off to the flank, too far from cover. A lone figure crouched near the shattered husk of what used to be a landspeeder. The boy was young. Helmet slightly askew, saber trembling slightly in his grip. Lorn narrowed his eyes.

Phillip.

The Unblessed had begun their volley, jagged plasma streaking the air like hellfire. It sizzled against stone, burned through dead foliage, and cast the entire battlefield in a strobing red-and-black nightmare.

Lorn's boots pounded the soil as he sprinted low and fast toward Phillip, blasts slamming into the ground around him. One seared the edge of his shoulder plate, blackening it. He dropped hard into a crouch beside the young Jedi, golden saber still blazing beside him. His breath misted faintly in the air. He placed a steadying hand on Phillip's shoulder.

"You with me?" Lorn asked, voice muffled by his helmet but still clear. His eyes searched Phillip's through the visor, not demanding strength, but offering it.

Lorn didn't wait for a response, it didn't matter at this point if he wasn't ready.

"Good. You stick close. You're not dying here, not today."

Lorn looked between them. "If we move as one, we make it out." Lorn said, pulling them both in close, voice cutting through the chaos. "No lone heroes. No sacrifices. We move as a unit. First, we secure that gate. Then we buy the others time."

He stood then, saber raised, a blazing beacon of gold against the crimson chaos.

"On me!"

He surged forward, cutting low into the advancing Unblessed. The first fell before they even registered the attack, his blade cleaving through their armor like it was paper. He flowed like water, pivoting into a wide slash that sent another screaming into the dirt. Blaster fire hissed past his ear as he pressed in closer, the golden saber a furious arc in the dark.

 

[Elias Edo]

-|| Location: The Facility, Netherworld
-|| Theme: The Normandy

BEFORE…

How long had it been?

Time moved differently here, that much Elias knew. But just how different the flow was, he couldn't discern. It likely had only been a few days at most, but from where he sat—clothes ragged and smeared in dried blood—it felt like months. He hadn't eaten properly and had resorted to drinking the inky liquid native to the Netherworld just to stay alive. The demons had not been kind in the slightest, either.

Elias ran a scarred hand over his head, feeling only stubble where he once wore long locks. Uncut hair was a very sacred thing for his people—and it was one of the first things the Archon took from him. It did not take long for Elias to learn that fear was the game the demon lord liked to play. Demoralization, dehumanization, confusion; these were all tools hanging from the Archon's belt.

“What do you want from me?!” Elias screamed one day. He’d been beaten, had his memories infiltrated, and his connection to the Force unnaturally severed by the dark energies that permeated this evil plane.

The Archon only chuckled. “I want everything you have, and everything you are.”

PRESENT…

A low rumble made Elias part his eyelids. The cold, sterile ceiling was a bitter reminder that he was not dreaming and that death had not given him mercy while he slept. He was still here, still a test subject for the Unblessed. The last few days in their “care” had been so intense that he was surprised he didn’t have IVs and monitor leads attached to him when he awoke. Another rumble shook the lab, this time causing the overhead light to dim and flicker.

"I'm not falling for it," Elias said bitterly. His hope had been dashed so violently that even the vibrations in the floor couldn't be counted out as just another cruel test. It was the shouts of security guards and the distant sound of blaster shots that clued the broken Jedi into what was happening outside his cell.

Someone was finally here.

Elias sprung to his feet with a haste that made him dizzy. The extent of his malnutrition made itself perfectly known as he stumbled to the cell door and pressed his face against the thin rectangular window. Through it, he saw a team of doctors moving with chilling determination. They were flanked by a pair of armed guards, far more equipped than the typical security elements that patrolled the corridors. They were more akin to soldiers than sentries, clad in sleek black armor that reminded Elias of Imperials.

“Step back, Subject Three,” the lead scientist ordered. They gave him that label and stuck with it from the moment the Archon handed him over. He wasn’t Elias here, only a number. An object. An experiment. He complied, knowing he was outnumbered and far too weak to retaliate.

He did risk a question, however. “What’s going on? Where are you taking me?”

The door slid open and the doctors entered quickly, wasting no time cuffing Elias and guiding him into the hall. Another explosion outside shook the floor beneath his bare feet.

“It’s time,” the scientist said coldly. “We must activate the machine.”

​

 

[Cali Ziiva]

Friends! Join~
Not Friends? Why would you do this?
Objective: Security! Protect the Nice People, Keep out the Spooky Things
Equipment of Note: Mobile Workshop, Lightsaber, Bubblegum Popper Gloves

​

A bright pink bubble burst out from behind the generator with a white slash that split it across the center. "Try it now!" The Zeltron raised her wrench in the air and gave it a shake when the power started cranking. "See? No problem."

Cali's head disappeared back down below. A few grunts and huffs sounded from within the metal confines until the lithe figure wiggled its way out of the confines. She plopped on to the ground on her butt with a giggle as she'd gone out feet first. Not that she had a choice. Was barely room to get in there; certainly not enough to turn around.

As she got up, the Pink woman dusted herself off before one of the camp leaders came over to shake her hand. Another face-splitting grin followed suit. "Of course. Now we just gotta take care of the rest," she chimed in with enthusiasm. Her bright eyes scanned over the camp; she could already tell there were a lot of electrical things that'd need a stabilizing unit installed to counter... whatever was happening. So many it might be daunting for one cutey to do it all alone, but Cali never paid attention to small details like 'there are only so many of you' and 'it is impossible!'

She should probably find someone that knew a thing or two about engineering though. Maybe she could build them and others install them? Oh! "Say, do you have any Smiths?" Cali giggled. "Ah, no, blacksmith? Armorsmith? Weaponsmith? Mandalorian Armorer? Someone that bends metal things with a hammer, really. And anyone that tinkers with electrical things. I could use as many smart and creative types you can gather." Team work makes the dream work! Uh, a coordination a day keeps the spooky scary skeletons away?

Cali wandered over to her portable workbench and checked on its forge. She grabbed another piece of metal and popped it in the open furnace so it'd get up to temperature. No time like the present to start building the next stabilization unit, right?

Zeltros, she couldn't wait until the spooky things were gone. Then they'd have such a party!

 

[Shinja Joka]

"Empty. Feth." Shinja had not noticed he had run out balos. He should have. They had been the only things keeping his hunger at bay. He did not want to be out. Being out meant slipping back into his old ways, back to who he used to be before he found himself stranded in this strange realm so many years ago... Or had it been decades? Centuries? It was difficult to tell; impossible, really.

---

The Gungan could not help but think back on when he was just a Gungling on Naboo. He missed the water and the greenery. He even missed the jabs about being a hybrid of Otolla and Ankura. The teasing had never been done maliciously, but an immature Shinja had hated it and run off to join a gang of pirates when he was old enough. It was a decision he regretted immensely. Sure, the adventure had been fun for a while. A long while. Until the day decided to capture and board a transport guarded by a Mandalorian by the name of Kel Vasher. Shinja had been the one to finally take down the Mandalorian, but not before he had slaughtered his way through the entire rest of the pirate crew and set the reactor to blow. By all accounts, Shinja should have died in that explosion. Instead, he had awakened here in this nightmarish land. He figured it was a fitting hell for someone like him...

---

Snapping himself to the present, Shinja rose and trekked out of the dark cave he'd chosen as a home for the last however long it had been. He needed more of the mushrooms if he were to maintain any semblance of normalcy. And the only way to get them currently was to raid the Facility again. The purple-skinned Gungan did not know what exactly the Facility did, other than experiment with ways to nullify the Force. Balo mushrooms could certainly do that, among other things. He gave a sigh. "Well, let's get this over with."

 

[Cerys Dyn]

She didn't roll her eyes—but the effort it took not to was almost painful.

Team Fox. Great. Of all the squads in this force-forsaken nightmare, she had been assigned to the one with her in it. Newly knighted, full of radiant promise and idealism, the kind of Jedi who still bowed too low and smiled too wide.

Cerys hadn’t gone to the promotion ceremony. That wasn't exactly a secret. She’d claimed she was on assignment, but really, she just didn’t want to see someone else be knighted while she remained a Padawan. Still. A very accomplished Padawan, if anyone bothered to ask. Not that they did.

And now here she was, being teamed up with the girl whose name had been on the announcement holo Cerys had promptly deleted. Brandyn had arranged it, she was sure of it. No way it was coincidence. A silent message buried in orders and logistics: Confront it. Deal with it. Grow up, Cerys.

She hated how well he knew her sometimes.

Each footstep was measured, quiet, purposeful—though every stride felt like it carried more than just her weight. Her sabers—still a Padawan’s—swung lightly at her hips, not with pride, but like a wound she’d grown used to carrying. Ahead, the silhouette of the facility loomed, and somewhere in the shadows just up the ridge, Team Fox was waiting. Of course they were. Probably with her at the front.

Fine. Let’s get this over with.

| TAG: Tasia Palpatine |

​

 

[Brandyn Sal-Soren]

Objective: Facility - Save the children.​

The ledge was jagged, the stone blackened and veined with glowing crimson like the arteries of some wounded god. From this vantage, Strike Team Igitz lay prone along the ridge, staring down into the twisted sprawl of the facility below. The silence was deceiving.

Brandyn barely noticed the ache in his elbows from holding the macrobinoculars too long. He’d been watching movement near one of the northern entrances—a security pattern, perhaps, or just paranoia playing tricks on him. Either way, the weight in his chest wasn’t leaving.

This was it.

They were close.

The terrain of the Netherworld defied logic and light. It was all illusion and shadow, but his gut said the children were here. Lossa’s child. Blaire’s maybe, if only a fools hope. He dared not think too deeply about what might already have happened. His intel had pointed them here, but certainty in this place was a luxury he didn’t have.

Still, he'd staked everything on this lead.

The familiar presences of Briana, Rook, and Master Porte lingered just behind him. He hadn’t spoken much since they left the overworld, not because he was focused—though he was—but because the burden of being right or wrong here wasn’t abstract. It had names. Faces. Futures.

Brandyn's gloved fingers tapped lightly against the outer casing of his belt, a nervous habit. A breath. Then another.

Let this be the place…

Rook’s presence offered some reassurance—her experience in this wretched realm giving their path credibility. He’d relied on her instincts more than once already. Now all that remained was timing.

The machine had to be somewhere in there.

And with it, the children.

He adjusted the focus again and murmured, mostly to himself, “Come on, give me something…”

| TAG: Rook Merriex Briana Sal-Soren Kahne Porte |​

 

[Seth Denko]

VENDAXA

Seth Denko stepped off the transport shuttle just as the wind shifted, carrying with it the metallic tang of ozone and the scent of damp soil. The air on Vendaxa felt heavier than usual—thick with static, like the pause before a storm. He tugged the hood of his lightweight robe down, squinting toward the temporary field pavilion where the Naboo crest swayed uneasily above its frame. The standard's golden sigil glinted in the sunlight, but the half-mast positioning didn’t escape him.

Trouble was always easier to feel than to define.

He adjusted the strap of his utility satchel, the soft clink of tools and datapads muffled by the fabric. A Jedi he might be—barely—but a pilot first, and today, a courier of supplies and information alike. A bridge between the cockpit and the Order of Shiraya, between war rooms and wary hearts.

A few Republic engineers nodded as he passed. Most were too deep in their work to notice him. That suited Seth just fine.

He spotted Lady Sibylla Abrantes at the pavilion’s edge, her posture that peculiar blend of poise and pressure, like someone balancing a crown made of glass. She’d just cut her comm transmission—he caught the tail-end echo of coordination efforts still hanging in the air.

“Lady Abrantes?” he offered with a polite dip of the head, voice even and respectful. “Padawan Seth Denko, reporting in from the Royal Naboo Navy liaison detail. I’ve got the latest relief manifests and ambassador rotation schedule from the southern camps.” He extended the small datapad to her.

There was a beat, filled not by words, but by another low rumble, this one unmistakably beneath their feet. Seth’s eyes drifted toward the horizon, scanning the swaying grass and distant outlines of too-still treetops. Something in the earth groaned again.

He frowned.

“…Also,” he added, shifting his weight, “pilot’s instinct says the weather’s about to turn, but this doesn’t feel like weather. If there’s a need for an escort or a sweep crew before town hall kicks off, I can be wheels-up in three.”

A slight grin tugged at the corner of his mouth—not cocky, but trying to be useful. That was what this mission was about for him, wasn’t it? Learning to help. Being in the room. Even if the room was falling apart.​

Sibylla Abrantes​

 

[Raigryn Vayd]

Sibylla Abrantes Seth Denko

Location: Vendaxa
Capital Outskirts, Temporary Royal Republic Field Pavilion
Objective: Town Hall

"My Lord, we have set up more comfortable..."

"I will be quite fine thank you," Raigryn said. He tone of voice almost managed to snap at the aide whilst he offered a calm smile.

He really did want to rest his old bones, but he had a reputation as a veteran to uphold.

There was a beat, filled not by words, but by another low rumble, this one unmistakably beneath their feet.

"Well this is hardly ideal," he muttered. The slight sense of panic didn't reach his expression.

"Lady Sibylla Abrantes," he announced himself. He offered a curt hint of a bow. His great grandfather had once tried to poison the Abrantes line. It was all terribly undignified and his family tried not to bring it up.

The locals were in distress. That was entirely sensible in his opinion. A bit of charm always put people at ease.

 

[Kahne Porte]

Hours Before
​

To my son, Aiden.

I know there are no words that can be said or haven't been spoken to you already. That can ease the pain and the guilt that you carry. I cannot have you believe as I do, but trust in me as you once did. When I tell you that this will pass. The Light will persevere, and whatever you feeling you are carrying that brings you such grief. It will pass, you have people out there that need you. You have spoken of them many times prior, so I know that you are not so easily defeated by any darkness. I've seen strength, light and hope inside you. Carry it forward and be that beacon that people have looked to you to be. I've walked the streets of Theed, and they have spoke of you often. Regardless of what you think, they believe in you. This will come as a shock to you I suspect, but I know that any other way it would've been worse.

Tell your sister, and mother. Tell them that I love them with all my heart.

Farewell, my son.

*****

Lorn Reingard

My good friend, Lorn.

I feel I should apologize for any sort of deception on my part leading up to our venture into the Netherworld. I felt you or Aiden might've dissuaded me from such a thing. It is the will of the force my friend, as I have told you numerous times. You have been a true and loyal friend to me and my family and I can't thank you enough for that. You have a bright future ahead of you, its tough but you will find strength beyond anything you could've imagined. Once that shadow of doubt falls and the light pours in. Take care of yourself my friend, and If I could ask one final favor and to look after Aiden as best as you can. I shall see you again my friend.

Farewell


*****

My friend, Briana.

I've seen you struggle for a really long time, struggle with loss, pain and the feeling powerlessness. It is not the end, as I had told you before. You get to decide how they are remembered. You are not alone, I know it didn't always feel like it. If I made any part of that uncomfortable I apologize. But I was still here because I believe in you. And I always will, just like your brother Brandyn does, and Vizion Trozky , Lossa Aureus

All of them, they see the strength in you. There is so much that you still have yet to do. I foresee they are a many great things.

Farewell

Remember, the force will be with you, always.

***********
​

"Gala, you know what to do." Kahne said with a smile as he took a small drink of caf as he looked out over the ruins of the homestead. It would be another few days and it they would start pouring in to rebuild. The Jedi Master glanced over to his astro droid, listening to a few of the beeps and whistles, the motherly tone setting in and he laughed. "Not this time my friend. You stay behind, I'm counting on you and John to get these things squared away.

Even amongst the ruins there was grass already slowly starting to grow in, replacing that which was dead. Things would always get better, they had to.
Kahne smirked as he turned around, making his way back to the land speeder.

Present Time
​

Objective: The Facility
Allies: Brandyn Sal-Soren Briana Sal-Soren Rook Merriex Shiraya's Hope

"Remember, our main priority is the children, and Elias. We can't destroy the machine until we find them first."

The Jedi Master led his group after Brandyn and Briana, while it wasn't exactly an easy ticket. No ones said this was ever going to be one. The Jedi Master moved up alongside Brandyn. This could be it, but they had to make absolutely sure, a joint but decisive decision before. They couldn't risk attacking the wrong place and things could take a turn for the worse.


"What do you think?" The Jedi Master's eyes scanned what he could, before glancing over to Rook. "You okay my friend?"

​

 

[Sibylla Abrantes]

​

Location: Vendaxa
Capital Outskirts, Temporary Royal Republic Field Pavilion
Objective: Town Hall
Raigryn Vayd Seth Denko

Sibylla took the datapad from Padawan Seth Denko with a calm that belied the storm of thoughts swirling behind her eyes. The files from the southern camps -- damaged equipment, delayed aid, the mention of strange electromagnetic pulses, all of this added more weight to an already fragile mission. Yet, it was the report about the chasm near the secondary outpost, with its fractured ground and unsettling energies, that gnawed at her most.

"Thank you, Padawan Denko," she said simply, her voice steady as she scanned the manifest. "I'll make sure this gets to Senator Sarn."

The wind shifted, carrying with it the scent of wet earth, and the ground below her boots trembled once more. The rumble was subtle at first, a groan of the planet itself, but it felt like an omen.

Sibylla sighed, lowering the datapad.

"The air is heavy today," she muttered under her breath, confirming what the Padawan had referenced. Her eyes flitted to the horizon, where the sky had deepened into a violet wash. The air wasn't just thick with static; it felt charged with unease. Not weather, she thought, but something else, something deeper, beneath the surface.

She didn't have time to dwell on that. There were more pressing matters.

Just then, the sound of footsteps drew her attention. She turned and found Raigryn Vayd approaching, posture upright despite the wear of years carved into his expression. There was something almost theatrical in his presence, but it was the kind earned through survival, not artifice. She recognized him too, of course. There weren't many noble lines as complicated, or as awkwardly intertwined, with House Abrantes as the Vayd legacy. Her grandfather had once called them 'cursed Dejarik pieces with just enough sense not to knock over the board.'

"My Lord Vayd," Sibylla said smoothly, as if she hadn't read the historical report about the attempted poisoning generations ago during a diplomatic summit between their families. She dipped her chin in respectful return.

"Your presence honors us. Senator Sarn relayed that you will be taking point with discusssions in the town hall." As a junior representative, there was only so much she could do other than assist when necessary, and if in an emergency, step into the role as a proxy of Senator Sarn. At this time however, with a full fledged Senator, it would be more appropriate for Raigryn to oversee it.

"Please," she continued, glancing between them, "walk with me."

She motioned them towards the clamor of tents and alongside a cliffside overlook where they could speak privately.

"The situation here is... delicate. The locals are unsettled. And I don't blame them. The shift of Vendaxa into Naboo controlled space wasn't just a matter of geography; it shook the very foundation of their lives."

Turning back to Raigryn, she continued, her voice soft but resolute. "The locals haven't fully accepted us. They still identify with the Galactic Alliance, but a few have shown some interest in hearing us out. However, with the current state of the planet, it's hard to blame them for their wariness."

She paused for a moment, considering her next words carefully.

"We can't push them too hard. The last thing we need is an uprising... or worse, a fracture between them and the Royal Republic that will be impossible to mend."

Sibylla took a step closer to the cliffside overlook, adding, "We'll distribute supplies, offer medical assistance, and make sure that they see we're not just here to 'take over' or 'exploit' their world. The Royal Republic is already stretched thin, but we cannot let the fear of 'what could happen' drive this whole world into chaos."

She turned to look at Seth, "Padawan Denko, it would be much appreciated to have your assistance, especially as a liaison from the Royal Naboo Navy. Are you authorized to speak for the Royal Navy if questions arise regarding them?"

 

[Aiden Porte]

"No lone heroes. No sacrifices. We move as a unit. First, we secure that gate. Then we buy the others time."

Phillip Slate Lorn Reingard

"Understood." Aiden voiced following his command as they moved forward. The Padawan's blade moving with a good precision and attack as he cut through those that were in front of them. The stakes had never been higher than they were today. The Padawan didn't want to think about it, the thought of the Unblessed succeeding, wiping out all those that were force sensitive. It wasn't just Jedi, there were countless out there that were force sensitive, millions in the galaxy alone.

if they didn't stop them here, he wasn't sure what he was going to do.

"Lorn!" Aiden spoke clearly as moved by him to block and attack that was coming his way. The Vanguard had trained together for a long time, daily, they had a strong bond and camaraderie. They were strong as could be together, they had to stay that way.

There was also another with them, a Padawan whom he didn't know. Aiden just being a Padawan himself he carried that goal that Lorn did. He would not wish to lose anyone, not today. So he would help however he could with guiding Phillip as well.

 

[Phillip Slate]

Tags: Lorn Reingard Aiden Porte

Deflecting bolts was nothing like he had expected. It was different in training. He messed up in training, the worst he'd get is a disabled limb for a little while. He messes up here? Worst case scenario he doesn't get a chance to mess up again. He just couldn't let himself think, thinking would make him freeze. So he just relied on his reactions and reflexes to dodge and deflect the bolts as he huddled for cover, before feeling a hand clap on his shoulder

Phillip hadn't been expecting Lorn neither Aiden to come to his side, but it both strengethed him...and made him more vulnerable. Now there was no way he'd be able to turn back. He'd have to stand his ground for as long as he could, whilst helping to secure the gate. He could do that. He was as ready as he was going to be, as he nodded at Lorn.

"I'm...I'm ready."

There was no worries about him doing any heroics. Phillip wasn't at that level of selflessness. The lad was still selfish, he had things he valued that he wanted to return back to no matter what as the Padawan followed Lorn and Aiden through the battle, trying not to think about what he was doing as Phillip slashed at any Unblessed that came near him. Fighting didn't come naturally to him, not that he was opposed to it. The boy just had to rationalise it. It was them or us.

That being said, it still felt uncomfortable. Wrong. His eyes darted over towards Aiden and Lorn, coming to the mental decision to try and leave the offensive to them. Phillip could focus on trying to be more defensive, deflecting blaster bolts or using the Force to keep any dangers at bay. Phillip could do this.

 

[Rook Merriex]

​

Location: Netherworld
Tags: Brandyn Sal-Soren | Briana Sal-Soren | Kahne Porte

​

"The facility is close," Rook assured her team as they trekked through the craggy landscape of the Netherworld. They moved quietly, both on their feet and in conversation. Even Rook, who was a veritable library of information regarding this hellish plane, kept mostly to herself. Each of them knew precisely why they were here and what was at stake.

Even Rook, who was unaffiliated with the Order and uninvolved with their affairs, felt the weight of their mission. The very lives of not only a Jedi Master, but two children, were on the line here. They could not fail. She could not fail. Lossa Aureus and Blaire Sal-Soren had endured enough pain, and while Rook was not a parent herself, she knew what it was like to be the lost child stuck on the other side.

"You okay, my friend?"

Rook's eyes shimmered purple with emotion as she looked to Master Porte. "I'll be okay when we're done," she remarked. Her bitterness was noticable, but certainly not directed at him. This place simply brought out the worst in her.

Crumbling slate crunched beneath her boots as they neared the Unblessed facility. It was just as she remembered—an unnatural obelisk of cruel science juxtaposed amidst dark stone and swirling purple haze. "This is the place," Rook confirmed as when it came into view. She had seen no other site like it during her time spying on the Unblessed. They had field camps and mobile command centers from which they conducted experiments on stray demons, but nothing as permanent—or foreboding—as this.

Rook checked her blaster rifle and made sure her sword was properly fastened before giving a nod to the others. "I'm ready when you are," she said to the team as a whole.

"Let's save your families."