Private Shadow Op 1

[Aayla Shan]

Location

Lantillies, Sith Space
​

Objective

Destroy Sith Artifact in transit, Any method​

Equipment

Lightsaber (blue kyber) Lightsaber (dirty yellow kyber) Interception (Stealth X-Wing) Stealth Flight/Body Suit​

Aayla veered the X-Wing lower into the atmosphere, going into a dive and hitting the SLAM drive in the same instance; grunting a bit from the sudden kick of G-force. Though not relenting. The freefall lasted about twelve seconds, only pulling up because she felt herself losing consciousness; once she leveled out, she would be flying merely feet from the ground; shaking her head as the blood circulation in her body righted.

'Targets are just ahead, three ground vehicles... Your target is in one of the vehicles, but I have a strafing stratagem that can disable all of the vehicles at once. Perhaps you may not even have to get out; bringing it up now'

The spider currently right behind her head in its web said to her telepathically; Aayla nodded, allowing herself to close the distance before engaging the X-Wings combat mode; the wings broke into the iconic X-pattern; and as she broke the coverage of the hill in front of her, there was an immediate firing on her ship. She swerved the initial volley, returning fire with a bomlet. The explosion was huge, and she carried on; spinning on axis and going into a tight loop to line them back up. Though, the repeated ping of a missile lock would cause her to rethink going directly at them.

'Aayla...'

"I can hear that, thanks!"

She snapped back, yanking on the control column and hearing the beeping fade, then grow stronger.

"Come on..."

She growled, hearing the beeping change to a quick and steady beep; a missile lock warning flashing on her screen.

"Don't say i-"

'Missile Lock..'

Aayla shook her head, leading he missile and cutting over a cliff as it neared. There was a dull thud behind her, and she glanced over her shoulder as the missile warnings cleared.

"See, easy... Now to finish this..."

She said, admittedly a little taken aback that she was taking life with such impunity; but also aware it was somewhat what she had agreed to do. To strike at the Sith where ever needed, in whatever manner needed. That was what she swore to do...

Spinning the ship around, she flew around the bank, and pre-fired where the trucks should have been. The blasters hitting the ground and kicking up dust.

"Wooaaahkay? Where did they go?"

'It seems they disappeared... The rubble from the trail vehicle is still ahead; shall I scan?'

"I'm landing..."

Aayla said, deactivating the combat mode, and finding a suitable, and yet roughly nearby landing area; once all that was done, she had stood up in the cockpit, glancing around at the area.

"Vers, keep all the stealth systems up... I'll be back in a little. Lets hope the intel was right, and this isn't exactly a sanctioned action; or this mission is going to be real short, real soon"

Aayla said, turning and offering the arachnid a grin. Something that she had come to terms with, but still almost couldn't believe. Look at her, with a spider as an Astromech... You truly did live and learn. For now, she hopped down from the ship, letting her bodysuit do its work in scattering her Force Signature equally around the area. She would be sensed, but her exact location would constantly be shifting. Suggesting there was either more of her than there really was, or that she was maybe even disembodied.

With a mental thought, she willed the Seeker Drone on the back of the suit to life, allowing it to scout ahead, and she continued on foot.

Aayla was supposed to wait for someone to back her up on this mission, but as the targets had moved the artifact earlier than expected, it forced her to move quickly in turn... She hoped they weren't too far behind.

Phalsi Drynchen
Allyson Locke

 

[Phalsi Drynchen]

SNAZZY TITLE
Objective: What you doin
Equipment: Under-Armor, Clothes-How they look, The Mask, Just in Case Cloak, Scope- on belt, Wrist Device, Slicing/Gaming Tool, The Encoil, Zerek Stowaway Node, ICE/iBorg Clarion Personal Translator,
Weapons: Five Zenji Needles, Pair of Blue Lightsabers, Hard Light Weapon, Pair of Shock Whips
Ship: Sanguine Tempest
Tags: Aayla Shan Allyson Locke​

There was a mission to recover artifacts that had come shortly after her asking Nimdok to be included within the shadow organization of the Silver Jedi. It worked out for the best honestly, given the Mistryl's were sort of on the same page with the whole thing. Investigate and recover for the Jedi, gather data and share with the sisters of Emberlene. So long as she could avoid getting more scars on her knuckles, she was game for the whole thing.

The Tempest had not engaged anything, having come into the system well after the first to arrive. She was getting ion trail readings, but had not bothered to deploy in the strange double cross formation her ship wielded. The weapons were disengaged, but the added speed and hull strength was better than her other option of having a large vessel to try an hide. She pondered if the Mistryl's had something a bit more...concealable.

The thought was cut short by an engagement that was caught on her sensors. She couldn't find one source, but another seemed to trail off in the distance. There was a spot just large enough for her ship over an embankment that she settled down in, throwing the plasti-shroud over the vessel before closing the mask over the top portion of her face. The environment was breathable, and she wasn't sure what she was walking into.

Pulling the hood up on her robes, she stood on the embankment, her presence becoming muted though not hidden as she sensed someone's presence dissolve ahead of them. There was a scanning look over the side, spotting a droid with the magnified vision over the bank.

"That's the other one, let's go." She spoke softly, not taking the mask off her eyes just yet while speaking to herself. She moved quietly towards their contact, the soft hiss of loose material the only giveaway of her slow approach.

 

[Allyson Locke]

//: Lantillies //:
//: Aayla Shan //: Phalsi Drynchen //:

​

“Close.” A low voice spoke to itself, though the Force, the shadowed figure felt the X-Wing’s flight, and she had been monitoring it. The scanner in her hand lit up, showing the faces of those she was supposed to be meeting; their code names weren’t available. Frustration creased her brow as she shoved the device into her coat. The Shadows division was far different from what she remembered. Her formative years were filled with constant training and developing into the hardened spy and infiltrator she was today.

Either way, the pair would make the day enjoyable. Unfortunately, Lantillies wasn’t known for its entertainment - just its boring and domestic ships.

The Corellian unfolded her lithe frame from the hidden nook. She headed towards the two and when they drew close enough, a figure would slowly flicker into sight, Allyson Locke. Her arms crossed with a folded bow on her back. At her side, a small quiver filled with variants of arrows. Seeing the two, her shoulders tightened, feeling the leather stretch over her back as she waited.

She remembered a small detail and a hand secured the black eyepatch over her cybernetic eye; this was off the books for the SIA and was a personal favor for a friend. “Names.” She stated as slowly her force signature would begin to flow off of her. Allyson finally returning from the void she made for herself in the Force.

“The files that were sent to me had no names, so I’d like to know who I’m working with - your alias would be preferred.” Real names were dangerous, they made things personal, and if something were to happen or one of them were to be someone else in disguise - it only spelled tragedy for the mission.

A single viridescent eye scanned the two, one looked like she had just woken up and decided to be a Shadow while the other seemed to have welcomed the summons, and the shadows felt more like home. A slight hint of a grin spread across the Corellian’s features, a kindred soul.​

 

[Aayla Shan]

Aayla was distracted by the images being fed into her armors HUD from the seeker drone, noting the wreckage of the trail vehicle. It simply didn't make sense, it was a long stretch of dirt road near the mountain; she hit one truck, swerved, and broke a missile lock. By the time she turned around in her X-Wing, they vanish into thin air?

'Vers, anything on your scans?'

'Oddly enough, nothing; though, it would appear the rocky mass near the road, the same one you lead the missile into... Its hollow. My sensors can't penetrate it, or are being bounced away.'

They had a brief mental discourse, and Aayla would zoom at the tracks visible from the road via her Seeker drone. He wasn't wrong... They had disappeared straight into the solid rock... Or a hidden entrance.

'Well Done Vers, be ready I might need you t-'

Aayla's head snapped right, fingers rubbing against the cylindrical hilt of one of her waisted sabers. Phalsi Drynchen approached, and Aayla's eyes narrowed on the individual curiously; before realizing... Well, she happened to know this specific individual. She smiled at her, a little taken aback that of all people that would be backing her up, it would be Phalsi... She ALMOST said the others name aloud, but would instead shake her head aloud...

"What a small Galaxy..." She said, sending a mental signal to recon the reconnaissance drone; within ten seconds it would've returned, pressing itself into its slot on her back. Within that time, she would offer the other a bow of respect, then press her right hand gingerly over her heart.

"Stratza... I must say, I wasn't expecting you, of all people"

Aayla started, before she again turned to see another approaching. This woman looked older... Seasoned, though Aayla was judging that from a purely aesthetic standpoint; not to mention her choice of armaments. She remained quiet, letting the other speak; then would glance at Phalsi, with an obvious look that suggested she wondered of the other knew them.

Though, she was also aware three people were expected for this mission. The only alias she had gotten either belonged to Phalsi, or... She pointed an index finger at her.

"Lucky? I'm Stratza... The Sith have taken the artifact into some sort of enclosed base area in that rockface over yonder"

She did a quarter-turn, extending her hand, and pointed in the approximate direction the trucks had taken the turn.

"One of the target trucks is down, but I didn't expect them to have such an immediate exit stratagem; my mistake... And from what I could pick up on my seeker, they made no attempt to go back and retrieve anything from the destroyed vehicle; which means target zero is likely still in their possession."

Aayla said, briefly disengaging the Ablative armor, and allowing her face to be seen by the other two. She took a few back steps, then turned away. She was eager to begin, after all...

'What did you need me to do?'

Vers asked telepathically.

'Hold off for a moment, we're going to investigate this potential bunker entrance; and if there is no clear way to open it; I want you to hit it with the Vanguard Cannon...'

She responded in kind. A few beats would pass, and Vers shot her a reminder.

'Which I would need one of your lightsabers, to activate...'

The Wyyyschokk responded in a monotone manner, as if she was supposed to know that already

"Chit..." Aayla said aloud, turning back briefly to the ship, but not stopping her movement... "Just... Hold off, for a bit... I'll let you know" She aloud again, though with her X-Wing quite literally invisible, they might have been confused as to who she had suddenly broken into discourse with.

Phalsi Drynchen Allyson Locke

 

[Phalsi Drynchen]

SHADOW GAMES
Objective: Find the Artifacts
Equipment: Under-Armor, Clothes-How they look, The Mask, Just in Case Cloak, Scope- on belt, Wrist Device, Slicing/Gaming Tool, The Encoil, Zerek Stowaway Node, ICE/iBorg Clarion Personal Translator,
Weapons: Five Zenji Needles, Pair of Blue Lightsabers, Hard Light Weapon, Pair of Shock Whips
Ship: Sanguine Tempest
Tags: Aayla Shan Allyson Locke​

There was a moment of pause as the person she was meeting came into range, then upon further inspection was in fact someone she recognized. Seemed they had both been assigned this task. Her brain nearly had a hiccup in judgment as she too faltered on names before Aayla rectified the situation.

"Same to you. It's-." There was a shamelessly trouble making grin at the mention of a name. She had nearly spoken until another approached, calling for their names. She hadn't expected a meet and greet at the beginning of the job.

But it was not unwelcome.

"Puffball." She stated simply, and clearly. The choosing process hadn't been glamorous. Nor had she been prepared. The names provided hadn't struck her fancy and while she was typically the creative type. Of late the Mistryl's and their naming conventions had been on her mind.

That convention in particular. Being flora from different planets. And she had a sadistic glee about her when the name was selected.

Everyone was always scared of the more prominent names. Shade, other mysterious leaning titles, so on and so forth. It was a little less appealing should anyone catch her name to admit to being bested by someone called Puffball.

The came the explanation they had been seeking. One truck was down, a hidden entrance was likely ahead. And the item in question was also very much still in their possession it seemed. There was a visible frown, glancing around Aayla toward the entrance in question.

She followed behind Stratza toward the entrance without questioning the discourse she'd been engaged in. Trucks didn't just vanish and rocks didn't become corporeal. There was something mechanical afoot she hoped silently.

"If it's got wires and controls, I can give it a go." She offered quietly, scanning around them with her visor. She was switching through the vision modes, tracking heat and ultraviolet sources.

 

[Allyson Locke]

//: Lantillies //:
//: Aayla Shan //: Phalsi Drynchen //:

​

Allyson’s lips parted to speak, to offer a phrase to let the pair know that she was an ally and not an enemy spy. But it seemed Straza was already ready to divulge the information she had collected. Her gaze followed the younger woman’s words and direction; if Lucky had been the enemy - she was given the name of the contact they were to meet and the information she would have been looking for. This would have been her easiest assignment; why couldn’t all her targets be so forthcoming with info.

The Spy mused over how many more vacations she would have a chance to take. Lucky nodded, accepting the information along with the name and then a snort hearing the other’s name. “Cute,” she murmured and then turned to Straza. “Thank you for the update.” Then, very slowly, the tendrils of the dark side would begin to swell around them. Allyson covered her lips with the palm of her hand, watching who she assumed to be the younger of the pair.

Allyson began to change her Force signature to mimic that of a Sith. It was only for a brief moment and then faded, returning to the Light. “First lesson, Straza, trust no one - in this network, we have lines - phrases, and protocols to ensure that the person you’re talking to is on your side.” Disappointment lingered on her face as she looked at the young Jedi. “You offered your contact’s name, then in turn, before getting confirmation, you spilled every detail of your mission. Yes, I’m Lucky - but I think today you’re the lucky one.” Her face softened, and she then looked towards the direction that she had mentioned the artifact had disappeared.

Her gaze wandered and looked towards Puffball, “You have a way to find machines? Mechu-Deru?” Allyson was curious; there weren’t many that she had met in the field that could do the typically frowned upon skill. The last person she had met was her former apprentice and fellow Shadow. “If you can see it, please do so and prepare your equipment; we’re going to go inside.” Pausing, she remembered how the pair arrived and chuckled nervously.

“You both can Force Cloak, right? And I mean through the Force and not with technology.”​

 

[Aayla Shan]

Aayla had barely taken a few steps before she felt it, heart sinking from her assuming the situation Lucky was trying to warn her about had actually come to fruition. Vers as well shot her a quick warning.

'Aayla!'

Her companion said through the Force. she turned on a dime, clipping her lightsaber, but... Not igniting it for some reason. The reason? Simple... The other had not activated their lightsaber. As such Aayla glared across the short distance with tension building within her. She made a mistake... Then, came the explanation. Aayla glanced to Phalsi, then back to the other looking down and letting her saber clip back onto its magnetic plating.

'Well, she did have a p-'

'Vers, I swear on everything I love... J-.. Just hold off.'

She responded, rolling her shoulders, and offering Phalsi one of those 'whoops' looks. Who told Ms. Mysterious she could take her anyway?

Aayla would let the other go first, then look to Phalsi with a light eye-roll, moving to follow.

"I'm adequately trained in using Force Cloak, I'm no Expert, but it'll hold..."

Aayla said, somehow sort of just melting into the clear command structure the other Woman commanded by action, and aura. She was in charge, and she hadn't even said she was. As much as she had put Aayla on the spot, she was equally impressed by it. She looked up to that...

"What's Mecha-Duru?" Aayla asked curiously, having heard it for the first time herself.

Phalsi Drynchen Allyson Locke

 

[Phalsi Drynchen]

SHADOW GAMES
Objective: Find the Artifacts
Equipment: Under-Armor, Clothes-How they look, The Mask, Just in Case Cloak, Scope- on belt, Wrist Device, Slicing/Gaming Tool, The Encoil, Zerek Stowaway Node, ICE/iBorg Clarion Personal Translator,
Weapons: Five Zenji Needles, Pair of Blue Lightsabers, Hard Light Weapon, Pair of Shock Whips
Ship: Sanguine Tempest
Tags: Aayla Shan Allyson Locke​

There was a pause that she barely picked up on as Lucky lagged behind them. Straza whipping around and bringing their movement to a halt as she followed suit before glancing back to Lucky. There was astonishment at first, having never been so thoroughly confused by someone's presence before. The switch between light and dark bringing a halt to her thoughts as she processed it.

It was an alarming trick. And something she would keep in mind for the future even though she was not the direct recipient of the lesson.

Lucky's presence shifted back to the light as she unlocked the surprise that held her firm. Then came the questions. And there was a pucker to her lips at the shortcoming she was about to divulge.

"Mechu-deru, no. I rely on heat signatures to find machinery. Thinking like an idiot also helps a little at times. Places that are isolated tend to have an external failsafe for less than able members of their organization to access controls." She offered, slightly guarded about further admittance of skills.

"I slice since mechu-deru is, well, frowned upon. Haven't found someone to teach it." She replied with equal measure, a silent question without asking. There was shared look between herself and Straza with Phalsi giving a small shrug as she followed behind the two.

Then the following question had her drawing short and ultimately deciding to be blunt.

"I have practiced it...but...no. I am sithspit at that skill." She clicked her tongue a little at the last bit, finding a sour taste at the words. She had a lot of learning to do it seemed.

 

[Allyson Locke]

//: Lantillies //:
//: Aayla Shan //: Phalsi Drynchen //:

​

The concern she had didn't show on her face. Not knowing Mechu Deru was understandable; the skill was never taught to padawans unless the affinity was shown. On the other hand, one knowing Force Cloak somewhat and the other not knowing didn't sit right with her. Force Cloak or some way of concealment was one the Corellian had nearly beaten into her. It made the jobs Shadows had to do easier - especially within a territory, not their own. Allyson rested her knuckles against her lips, doing her best to avoid the telling sign of her nerves.

"Quick lesson then kids, Mechu Deru is a skill that uses the Force to manipulate technology. That's the gist of it - it can be used in really terrible ways." Allyson shrugged, "It's pretty helpful, though, but slicing is also a way to do things. If necessary, I can get into something if you can't slice it." She nodded in Puffball's direction, "Yeah, I ran into some issues myself when I was with the Silver Jedi. Wasn't allowed to teach it - but if you survive today, look me up, and I'll show you a thing or two."

Allyson looked towards the coordinates that were last located; she sighed and scratched the back of her head. "If one of you can kind of do force cloak and the other not so much - we're gonna have to be creative." Allyson had hoped the Silver Jedi would send their more skilled Shadows, ones that were seasoned - not pups that were still wet behind the ears. Her mind wandered for a second, wondering if Jyoti was still about the Silver Rest - if she was still in charge, then this was definitely a chance to have someone train the new kids.

"Okay, we know the direction everything is going. Can you get a read on what we're dealing with, Puffball?" Orders, she was good at giving those, but the Spy needed to be great at them with the two she was assigned. "As for you, Stratza, you were the closest; what information have you gathered on the item, what are we dealing with, and have you gotten an idea of what's in the base area and how big it is?" Pulling up the binoculars, she peered at the distance and gave a quick assessment, "As much fun as going in blind would be - I'd like any information you've gathered, and then we can jump in and get going."

Allyson smiled to Stratza, "You did a good job tracking it this far - let's finish the job. We can work on your Force Cloak too." As much as she hated to admit, Allyson had grown accustomed to having padawans and offering her skill set as unique as it was. "And whatever else you want to learn, I guess - after the mission though, the longer we dilly dally, the farther that artifact gets."

Tossing what she assumed to be an Echani girl (Stratza), the binoculars, she wandered to Puffball to wait for the girl's assessment. "Let's be ready to go in 15."​