Shadow Out Of Time [ TSE Dominion of Chiloon Rift Hex ]

[Jairus Starvald]

Location: The Chiloon Rift
Objective: Discover the Time Foundry
Curiosities: [member="Zambrano the Hutt"]
Allies: [member="Vereshin"] | [member="Darth Lykos"] @anyone who is interested!

Cerbera did not seem surprised at the appearance of Lykos.

This was not to say that she wasn't surprised, but there were no outward external factors to suggest it. In truth? She had noted a while ago that wherever she went... 'assassins' followed, cloaked in mystery, lies and shadows, they did their very best to hide their presence from her. Some succeeded, most... did not. The Sith was unsure if Ophidia had put them on her as a form of protection, a test, if they were completely independent in their interest for her dealings.

"Your Master has taught you well, darling." The Sith Lord acknowledged with the smallest inclinations of the head, but then her lips followed amusement curling upwards. "It would be my pleasure to speak of Serenno to you."

Then her attention swept back to Vereshin- "To the very center-" It was cut-off as complication fed itself into their situation. She exchanged a look with Lykos and then slowly followed the young apprentice through corridors towards the control room.

Darkness swept, static burst lighting up the room every few seconds, it was an interesting sight.

"Starweirds? Perfect. I have been trying to get my hands on them for a few months now." Now the amusement turned into genuine pleasure as teeth bared in anticipation. "Darling, please leave one of them alive for me?"
It was unclear which darling she meant here, but presumably both was quite acceptable.

 

[Darth Caecus]

The Black Library​

Antechamber​

The nod and Caecus was moving.

It was clear in the moment that the turrets were not keyed into motion. The antechamber, despite being sealed for who only knew how long, was immaculate. Abandoned yes, but no dust or debris from the simple passage of time. That told her droids functioned in the area, cleaning and doing whatever it was droids were wont to do when their masters weren't watching. And having the cleaning droids get picked off regularly would have been a serious flaw in the design of this place (not to mention have left a mess they'd be able to see). It seemed likely that if they'd had the proper clearance instead of drilling their way in, these turrets would have been silent, but that helped them here not at all.

If not movement..... then heat was the next likely trigger.

There was no time to test it. The sound of wings had already filled the room. She breathed in deeply, focused within. A heartbeat, two, the air around her warming by a single degree as she shed heat and slowed her heartrate. Iron control of self and the Force. Mostly, for this degree, however, it was the Force, and a blending of abilities that allowed her this.

On the ship here, she had moved slowly, conservatively and almost sedate at all times. Now she darted in, faster than should have been possible. Enough that, if she were wrong, she would likely be able to keep ahead of any shift in targeting. If it wasn't heat that drew their fire....

Embedded in the wall, protected, she leapt, pushing with the Force to bring her to height. Deep within her cloak, a simple silver cylinder, bare external mechanisms necessary to mark it clearly for what it was- lightsaber. With the ignition internal, she flicked it with a twinge of thought- the unfamiliar blue of the blade, even deep in shade as it was, unexpected for those used to the red or yellow of most Sith sabers. It happened too fast to see, Caecus moving between blaster bolts to stab the barrel through the hole in the wall.

She dropped ducking and throwing up a field not unlike the acolytes as the internal mechanism exploded, showering stone through the room- safer than blaster fire, but the acolytes would have to protect themselves or be hit by shattered chunks of the wall.


[member="Jacob Crawford"] | [member="Darth Filiae"] | [member="Venthis Zambrano"] | [member="Emile Kaiden"] | Helix Syndicate | [member="Eldaah Aderyn"] | [member="Darth Saarai"]

 

[Jacob Crawford]

Location: The Black Library, Antechamber
Objective: Defend

Jacob remained cautious as they pushed on, his senses were already in disarray and could not be trusted. At least the ones that relied on the Force anyway. The only thing he could really trust right not was himself, the Nexus could nip away at his connection all it wanted. It couldn't take away who he was beneath it all.

Breathe.

As they walked, his eyes were everywhere. Looking at the surroundings they passed, although his attention was always on the others and what was before them. He stopped when the group had, halted by the presence of a large door blocking their way.

He had similar thoughts as Saarai, to break through the doors. But he was curious to see what the Chiss cyborg was capable of, so he simply remained silent and observant. He watched as she strode with confidence, moving up to the door and interacting with it. To Jacob and probably the others, there was nothing at least visually apparent as Filiae went about unlocking the doors. Not until they hissed and groaned as they opened up.

Now he was even more cautious, feeling that constant pressure on his shoulder become greater as he stepped into the Black Library proper. Jacob could feel it trying to claw its way in, to find any doubt that lingered within and impose more of it upon him. But his time on Maena had seen it torn apart, if there was any shred of doubt left, it was buried deep.

The tension had become thick as the group entered the antechamber, there was no doubt in his mind there was going to be something to halt their path. The layout of the room was too obvious in that fact. His hand moved close to his lightsaber, and it was snapped into his right hand the moment the second smaller door opened. However before he could do anything, the Chiss had already deflected a few of the turret's fire before shielding herself. Then Saarai and Caecus had swooped in at blinding speed, the latter moving to take out the defense itself while the Lord Inquisitor slipped in front of the Chiss and became a shield.

It was an impressive sight to see the Thirriken taken the blasts like they were nothing.

There was little time after Caecus had dealt her blow to the turret, that chunks of stone were sent hurtling towards the group. Jacob quickly called upon a memory, one from back on Dxun when defence was rarely an option and only offence was available. Surrounded by metal walls and prying eyes, a cage like any other of the beasts he had been forced to fight.

With the lightsaber hilt still in hand, Jacob curled his metal fingers into a fist, summoning the Force around it before he swung forwards. It impacted with a chunk of stone, that was heading right towards him. The impact shattered it into smaller pieces, which showered over him but the damage and pain they dealt was nothing compared to if the whole thing had struck him.

[member="Darth Saarai"] | [member="Eldaah Aderyn"] | [member="Darth Filiae"] | [member="Venthis Zambrano"] | [member="Emile Kaiden"] | [member="Darth Caecus"] | [member="Helix Syndicate"]​

 

[Nan'eth'illa]

[member="Darth Saarai"] [member="Darth Caecus"] [member="Venthis Zambrano"] [member="Jacob Crawford"] [member="Helix Syndicate"] [member="Eldaah Aderyn"] [member="Emile Kaiden"]

The Chiloon Rift​

Inquisitorial Vessel​

Bad idea bad idea bad idea!

How long could she keep this up? It felt like the turret intensified, but Nethil knew it was her own shield simply thinning. The Nexus, it kept clipping away at her, forcing her to focus on the shield rather than blinding the turret with mechu deru. The angrier she got, the more the nexus drained her. The more she set her anger aside, the more she was forced to focus on a singular task.

She had gone karked up.

K’easo euhn vn’inen’i​

Then, the pressure abated as wings spread out in front of her. Against the relentless beating of green plasma crashing against her shield, Tai Fa’s feathers appeared almost black. He looked so much bigger than before, and Filiae’s jaw hardened.

Disappointment.

At least now she could- Caecus rushed past in a blur. Filiae could barely see what it was that flashed past with an illuminated blue in its hand. Who was this person? How could she be so fast? Nethil could barely catch her at all, but she made sure she captured and stored it for her master to see.

Crack! Stone, duracrete, and bits of metal came showering down. Having caught half a breath, she reinforced her shield and lifted her hands up, warping the shape of her shield so it tapered into a semi-oval. The more acute angle turned stone away, rather than simply taking it head on.

She would walk away from this unscathed, and she would do better.

 

[Venthis Zambrano]

The Black Library,
Antechamber,
Chiloon Rift.

The turrets unfolded. They began to blast into the Chiss cyborg, eating away at her shield. Though it was quite a sight when the Thrikken Sith Lord dashed in front and began to repel the bolts. Then the unknown Sith, sliced through the turret causing various shrapnel to fly around the room, more specifically towards Venthis.

A chunk of stone was headed towards himself and Jacob. Venthis heard a robotic, somewhat metallic sound from his right and with that, it clicked in his mind. He dashed to the side, behind Jacob. Covering his face with his right arm, shielding it from the dust. Jacob punched through the stone. As it flung passed them, Venthis would place a hand on Jacob's shoulder. "Good job." He said, giving a nod to the fellow acolyte.

He would thank him later, there was little time for that now.

Quickly continuing forwards, he would join the rest of the group. His eyes morphing into a squint at the Chiss-cyborg. Shaking his head he would continue to glare at her with his swirling emerald eyes. He went to speak but chose against it, waiting for one of the Sith Lords to scold her for her mistake.

[member="Darth Filiae"] | [member="Jacob Crawford"] | [member="Darth Caecus"] | [member="Helix Syndicate"] | [member="Darth Saarai"] | [member="Emile Kaiden"] | [member="Eldaah Aderyn"]

 

[Eldaah Aderyn]

Location: The Black Library
Objective: Eyes and Ears

"Eager aren't they?" Her Master's voice whispered in her mind, and Eldaah had to agree. Rushing headlong into an unknown situation just spelled rushed eagerness for some, but at least the two Lords with them knew what they were doing. While the one Chiss girl was distracting or controlling the turret, projecting a shield against its power, Lord Saarai and Darth Caecus moved to destroy the obstacles in their path. The machine exploded, taking chunks of the wall and turning them into projectiles.

A snap-hiss and her lightsaber's blades were spinning, reducing anything that neared her to dust or at least smaller bits that would harmlessly bounce off her armor plating. One chunk hit her arm and she hissed in pain as it likely had left a bruise. She had already recognized that any use of the dark side here would just make it harder on themselves, so she would have to rely on her saber skills... and the Lords themselves in a way. It was clear to Eldaah, with her Master's amused agreement, that only they likely had enough power at the moment to fight against the nexus plaguing them and utilize their abilities at their fullest... for now anyways.

The blades vanished back into her hilt, but she kept her blade in hand for just in case once they started to move again.

[member="Darth Filiae"] [member="Jacob Crawford"] [member="Darth Caecus"] [member="Darth Saarai"] [member="Venthis Zambrano"] [member="Emile Kaiden"]

 

[Xevek Nekonis]

Location: Chiloon Rift.
Objective: Discover the Time Foundry.
Curiosities: [member="Zambrano the Hutt"]
Allies: [member="Cerbera"] | [member="Vereshin"]


A low, rumbling growl, barely audible to human hearing, would echo out from the depths of the Zabrak's throat, annoyance blossoming within his chest at the surge that impacted the ship. Only through the grace that he had so painstakingly beaten into tired muscles and aching bones meant that the cloaked Sith kept his balance as the ship lurched unnaturally and unexpectedly. The fact that the direction of force seemed to originate from the 'side', an exact a direction that could be conjured up within the void of space, meant that whatever had caused said force was natural something natural to the spaceship. Indeed, just as Vereshin exclaimed out his discovery, the sharp gaze of Darth Lykos had spied the exact same anomaly - causing a hairless brow to arch beneath the shadows of the Zabrak's robes.

As learned as Lykos might be, despite his rather brutish appearance - a purposefully crafted oxymoron, he had only very little idea as to what might have caused such an event. It was for that reason that exasperation and a touch of anger coloured the look that he exchanged with Cerbera as the Acolyte ran out off. What they were facing was currently an unknown, even if vague conclusions could be made at this time, and, as such, for the Assassin, rushing off towards that unkown without care or caution was very close to the height of stupidity within the Zabrak's opinion.

Still, Lykos could not deny that his own curiosity existed as he silently trailed behind Cerbera in pursuit of Vereshin, so, he chose to bottle those emotions, letting them fester into greater power within the Dark. That curiosity would soon be satisfied, however, as he and Cerbera both would lay witness to Vereshin frying a creature very rarely seen - more so because most that it encountered ended up dead rather than living to tell the tale; a Starweird.

As Cerbera's voice shattered the silence that had fallen in the wake of the Lightning, the fact that he was behind both Sith meaning that the slight flinch that he had made at the sight of said Lighting went unnoticed (electricity had been commonly used in his time as a slave, a time before his life as a Sith, and, as such, it had left a stain upon his soul, a stain only worsened by the fact that Darth Ophidia, his Master, had used Force Lighting to cow him into submission during his early days as a Sith), Lykos simply chuckled at the green-skinned woman's words, paying little mind to eruption of hisses form more of the creatures.

"'Darling'?" The word would be repeated as Lykos stepped forwards to grow level with his fellow Lord, one hand coming forth from the depths of his robes. "My, my, how forward of you, my dear." Instead of it being cold and stoic as his voice had been just prior, Lykos' voice now held a false layer of jovial friendliness. "And to think we met only minuets ago."

While the Starweirds were not yet visible, for Lykos who was halfblind, he did not see as most did and, as such, he could see the creatures well enough. Reaching out through the Force, gesturing with his hand so as to help aid his focus, he grasped one of the creatures and fed. Feasting upon its very essence, he unwound its grasp to the force, his sight beyond sight allowing him to see as such, before beginning to tear it apart from the inside out. In the end, seconds passed and another of the creatures would end up removed from the fight. Another of the creatures would be seized the exact same way, however, this time, instead of tearing it apart, Lykos only fed, leaving it alive but weakened, its connection to the Force remaining by a thread only.

"But, then, the Lady doth command, does she not?"

 

[Via Dolorosa]

It was a wonder that the galaxy hadn't found a creative way to dispense with the Swamp Witch, yet here she was roaming freely even after her self imposed exile. From time to time she popped up to observe the galaxy she had once felt deserved to burn, then she would withdraw back into her world cradling her madness letting it fester further.​

​

Now with the galaxy in turmoil, again, she felt it was time to do her part. The Sith whom she loved dearly had regrouped after their failure to conquer and rule the galaxy when she was a young girl, full of anger and lost in her own egotistical ways. In exile, she had aged and matured learning from her mistakes. She was not that young girl, Xhexania, who once walked into the Sith Temple proclaiming she was the saviour of the Sith. No longer was she that young lost child of Dagobah who believed the galaxy owed her a better life. She had shed those skins in her pursuit of maturity, leaving behind the pieces that no longer fit in her grand scheme of immortality.​

​

Her betrayal of the Sith had been a legend, though she was wise to see how they had begun to flounder. She preached it, while they failed to listen and now as the One Sith had ceased to be she stood proudly upon her prophecy, returning now with hopes this new generation would not make the same mistakes as their predecessors.​

​

With her return, came a new philosophy on her survival. She fought her battles and the battles for the Sith, the scars drawn on her skin like portraits of history. Where others shall take up the sword to strike down the enemy, she would gladly accept her new role pursuing her dreams. Dreams that would ease her downward spiral of a mind, where the madness continued to grow just as she aged. It would come to no one's surprise why she was here now. The potential to find Jedi artifacts held just enough reason for her to expose her life to the galaxy.​

​

She hated the Sith of old.​

​

But her hatred of the Jedi ran deeper.​

 

[Lord Depravious]

Location: Chiloon Rift.
Objective: Discover the Time Foundry.
Allies: [member="Darth Lykos"] | [member="Cerbera"]

Depravious had been within the ship in his quarters when the ship was impacted. His quarters lay away from the majority of the rest of the crew and Sith merely because he didn't enjoy travelling along side what he considered to be mostly pests; however, something to rock the ship in such a jovial fashion was enough to draw his attention. He stood up from the bed he was just laying in and grasped the halberd at his side - his weapon of choice should anything get particularly bloody.

As Lord Depravious skulked down the hallways of the ship he could feel the presence of Starwierds - to most and especially the un-trained this could have easily slipped by them; but the Kamari had experienced his fair share of Starwierds during his day, specifically a Sith Lord that had dark transfered his essence into one by the name of Darth Serpen. He could also feel the presence of two powerful Sith in front of him that he had not come to meet yet. He was a recluse upon Korriban that hardly left for anything unless it was rather important to him personally so it wasn't that odd that he didn't know many of these Sith; however, he could still sense the level of power both of them radiated and the level of hatred and seething angst flowing from both of them.

He did not want to frighten them and possibly end up in a fight of his own by running up on them and scaring then - so he made his presence known in another way. Darkness began to spew from his body as he manipulated the bogan side of the force. He allowed his hatred to seethe as the aura of darkness around him began to manifest and almost become tangible. Two Starwierds right next to him had their connection to the first literally ripped away - and their forms made corporeal once again.

With silent - and eloquent use of his halberd the Sith Lord spun decapitating both corporeal Starwierd bodies - with their connection to the force severed and their corporeal force severed there was no getting back up for them. As Lord Depravious stood fully erect once more his armor could be heard moving around his body as the metal brushed up against each other - and he looked ahead his fiery red eyes now pinned on the two Sith ahead of him - his face stern and cold - he continued walking towards them with his halberd at his right side with the end of it pointed downwards and the bottom of the halberd up across his back.

"Looks like you've started the party without me my friends."

 

[Jairus Starvald]

Location: Antechamber
Objective: Claim.

Chunks of duracrete slammed itself into him, but Lord Saarai remained in position without so much as twitching in response.

It was easier for him.

No Darkside channeling through his body to enhance his strength, just the cold neutrality of Force Body and similar disciplines to make himself strong in the moment. Ashin had taught him well. Finally the barrage of stone and rock ceased. His wings folded back, at once making him smaller than he had been just a moment ago. To look at Tai now? You wouldn't even expect that was something the Thirriken was capable of. The chaos of the moment receded as Tai sighed, shaking his feathers a bit to remove stray dust and pieces of stone.

"You took a risk here.
It paid off only in part.
Embrace true caution."

After that his attention left all of the acolytes and instead Lord Fa wandered over to where Caecus was standing. It was the hallway that led away from the antechamber, deeper into the Black Library. Here Tai could feel the strong barrier of the Lightside.

It was almost tangible.

"We have made a breach in their defenses." Tai finally said. "I will signal for the other Inquisitors to join in now. It will be much easier with the antechamber ours."

[member="Jacob Crawford"] | [member="Darth Filiae"] | [member="Venthis Zambrano"] | [member="Emile Kaiden"] | [member="Darth Caecus"] | [member="Helix Syndicate"] | [member="Eldaah Aderyn"]​

 

[Darth Caecus]

The Black Library​

Antechamber​

The deep blue of the saber vanished, leaving the mask in shadows once again as the figure's hand withdrew the hilt back beneath the cloak.

Behind the mask, grey-blue eyes tracked those gathered. Without warning of what she had been about to do, most of them had managed to defend themselves from flying debris. But it was the way each of them had done it that interested her. She filed those away, weighing each of them. Not judging- there were many paths of Sith, and each of those here exhibited a different one.

She appreciated that.

This was the largest group of those who fell under this new Empire that she had worked with. And while there had been little enough, it was enough to see... diversity. History doomed cults of overly homogenous darkside users to fanaticism.

And Caecus knew only too well the price that went along with that.

She nodded after Tai Fa spoke.

The Thirriken looked up at her for a thoughtful moment.

"You speak of this need.
Does the tide need the ocean?
No, they are the same."

Behind the mask, Kith smiled.

Unlike his Saaraishash, Kith was not part of this Empire. She bowed slightly to him. Then, wrapping herself tightly in the Art of Small, took her leave.

The way was paved for these Sith to explore the Black Library. What it would cost them, she didn't know yet.

And what helping them here, with a certain Dark Lord watching, might have cost her, she did not know yet either. Of course, the gains for them all might be greater than the costs.

Time would tell.

 

[Zambrano the Starweird]

Location: The Time Foundry
Objective: Harass the Real and Living from the Edge of Eternity and Oblivion
Prey: [member="Darth Lykos"], [member="Cerbera"], [member="Vereshin"], [member="Lord Depravious"]

An intangible spirit of a decrepit being long dead and destroyed from this reality had wandered the mechanized hallways of the Time Foundry for decades since its "descent" from the Ancient Monolith, which had been a gate way, a rift between at least two realities. This was the spirit of a Zambrano the Hutt which had been killed in his final battle with the pale assassin, but did not suffer from oblivion as the spirit of this realm had. It was a "mirrorverse" soul of this infamous Warlord, who was same in all faults save for his final demise.

Just as his wandering spirit crossed the vast expanse of space to travel to such worlds as Thule, and Korriban, so did the resulting spirit of the now deceased hutt, afflicted with a never ending cycle of unintended reincarnation. The spirit though, the spirit lacked a host, and for decades its aura of unadulterated mania began to erode... until that very aura attracted another peculiar sort of incorporeal creature:

A Starwierd.

These beings were incorporeal creatures, lacking in any fleshly bodies, as well as possessing an abhorrent hatred towards the witches decadent spirit. Due to their more spiritual nature, it made it difficult for the reincarnating spirit to inhabit one of these peculiar creatures with any degree of permanence. Thus, the spirit stuck to wander the now well decayed remains of a fleshly hutt's body began to occupy its time dominating the wills of these time-lost Starweirds that seemed to attack the "docked" space station floating in this vortex of distorted time, known as the Bubble of the Lost. The spirit of Harma Chael (the original name for the being who possessed Zambrano the Hutt's body) however had come from a place of unimaginable power, and thus brought with it unnatural capabilities.

Time was meaningless to the spirit, in fact, time was fluid surrounding this incorporeal being that haunted the Time Foundry. Death was life, life was continued death, and all was reversible, or repeatable. With enough time, bent to the will of the malignant spirit's will and strength, the Starweirds began to fuel the power of the spirit, growing its black aura until the incorporeal being was strong enough to fuse its essence with one of these unwilling banshees. Immediately, the infusion of the alien mind and its stable body form allowed the consciousness of Zambrano the Hutt to return in full...

Except now, no longer was the Hutt a Hutt, but a Starweird. Zambrano the Starweird however, was not constrained to the gaunt form of its host, and through its great power, likened its body to its identity, transforming it into the ghostly apparition of the once terrifying Hutt. The black and grey tatooed high priest of the Primeval cult, the Court of Balagoth risen from beyond Oblivion, plucked from the veil of Eternity.

Now with a flock of Starweird controlled by the Witch Elders twisted mind, the powerful being guided a ship full of more... suitable, hosts presented themselves. Through Zambrano's unique perspective of fluid time, the Witch was able to pluck their ship out from the many "time zones" of the Bubble, guiding them through violent hunger. In the far distance, the Black Prophet himself would be see out in the depths of space, watching intently and feeling the destruction of his incorporeal minions. With a voiceless incantation, the Host of Balagoth created an array of green energy between its tentacles fingers, before throwing the destructive energy towards the engines of the ship, with the intent of immobilizing the craft completely. Then, his mind opened, allowing his essence to leak through in a grand broadcast surrounding his realm.

"Little ones... you are alone! Let us be your Host," A slithering voice would echo throughout the vessel, mentally and physically in the air around them, a serpentine sound curling to all corners of every room. It was an evil voice, a voice marred by unreality, one many thought would never be heard again (and the galaxy better for it)... yet the nightmare continued still, "... ask for what you desire, and given to you, shall be what you deserve!"

What did they deserve?

 

[Lord Depravious]

Location: Time Foundry
Objective: Investigate Disturbances on the Ship
Allies: [member="Darth Lykos"] | [member="Cerbera"] | [member="Vereshin"]
Enemies: (Possibly) [member="Zambrano the Hutt"]

The Ship shuddered, and a chill ran down Lord Depravious's spine as he could feel the force being manipulated in un-natural ways around the ship and more importantly towards the ship. The voice of the deceased Hutt rang through his head and Shaidin racked his mind to remember the tones of the voice. He hadn't spent much time outside of Korribans Tombs and Caves as of late and honestly didn't know this powerful Witch Elder; however, he did know what the feeling of this force usage was. It was something he was quite attuned to - and rather enjoyed a fight with if he could get in the users face.

Shaidins crimson eyes slowly drifted over to his current companions Cerbera and Darth Lykos - a look that exclaimed his worry for what was about to happen to them and their ship. Without a target in front of him Depravious had no true way to combat such a being from so far away - leaving him with the feeling of helplessness and dread.

In an instant his predatory instincts kicked in and his mind focused as he realized just how close the danger truly was - as their engines were about to be blown into small space debris. His mind in that moment jumped to the hangar bay where they could make their escape from the ship and at the same time be more maneuverable on their trek towards this nuisance gracing their presence.

"We need to get to the Hangar bay. NOW! We can track down whomever is attacking us a lot easier in smaller fighters."

Truthfully, Shaidin knew that these powerful Sith wouldn't like him ordering them around - but in his case this wasn't ordering them it was him trying to save their lives from sinking with the ship they now sat helplessly on.

 

[Vereshin]

(post deleted, since the dom is finished)​