Campaign Spit Out the Rinds | Ord Providence (GA and Allies)

[Aron Brood]

Aron held his hands up. "Okay, sorry," he muttered apologetically. Can't blame a guy for questioning a random woman asking to kidnap children.

The Padawan knew nothing about CPS, but he did know he'd probably be dead if his parents hadn't whisked him away from Sith-controlled Shiva IV. This child deserved a chance to live, too. And if the kid's parents weren't going to give that to him, Aron and Inanna could. "If we distract the parents, I can snatch the kid," he shrugged. If they went that route, they'd figure out the rest later. It wouldn't be an elegant solution, but that didn't make it wrong as far as Aron was concerned.

In the meantime, the exchange was putting Aron's head in a tizzy. Everyone was at loggerheads and the kid seemed terrified.

Inanna Harth Valette Puritis Yumia​

 

[Inanna Harth]

Aron, for better or worse, changed his tune and confirmed his willingness to help her snatch the kid. Inanna swallowed any remaining reservations over what she was about to do and steeled her resolve. She couldn't condemn a child to die on her watch.

That left Valette. As the Godoan stateswoman launched into an impromptu sermon, the couple refused to listen. Before they could argue, however, Inanna started to position herself between the mother and father. "Listen," she said. "If you don't get on that evac ship right now, you're going to be charged with child endangerment. Do you understand?"

It was their final chance. Instead of taking it, the Godoan male pulled his arm back, threatening her with his fist. Rather than let him take the punch, Inanna knocked his legs out from under him, leaving him sprawled on the ground.

The mother screamed. The kid started wailing. Inanna restrained the father, counting on Aron to do what needed to be done.

Aron Brood Valette Puritis Yumia​

 

[Everest Vale]

Outfit: Padawan Robes, Tunic
Equipment: Lightsaber
Tag: Valery Noble

Even with the domes still barely holding together, the threat of an unnecessary danger just beyond them sent a constant prickle of unease along her spine. She forced herself to focus, handing out masks one by one as the line organised itself.

One by one, trembling hands reached out, grasping at the devices as if they were lifelines. Eve's fingers brushed against rough palms, delicate hands, the clammy skin of frightened children.

"You're going to be okay," she murmured, offering a weak smile to an elderly woman warily adjusting the straps of the rebreather over her face. The woman's wide, fearful eyes locked onto hers for a moment before she nodded, stepping aside to make room for the next in line. Eve tried to keep her own breathing steady, but the sheer weight of the situation gnawed at the edges of her resolve. There were so many people, and too little time. She glanced up for just a second, watching as an uneasy groan came from the dome overhead. She wasn't the only one to notice.

Her fingers fumbled for a moment as she handed a rebreather to a young boy no older than ten. His small hands trembled as he tried to put it on, his breathing coming too fast, too shallow.

"It's okay," Eve said, lowering herself to his level, her voice as gentle as it ever was, as that sudden maternal instinct kicked in once more. "Here, let me help."

She adjusted the mask over his face, pulling the straps snug behind his head. "Nice and slow, just like this." She took a slow, exaggerated breath in demonstration. The boy hesitated but mimicked her movements, his frantic inhales smoothing out into something steadier.

"There you go," she said softly, a smile forming on her face. "See? You're doing great." He gave a small nod, though his grip on her sleeve didn't loosen right away. Eve squeezed his hand once before ushering the next person to come forward, pushing down the lump that had formed in her throat. Her heart was racing, but she couldn't afford the time to focus on what threatened to complete upturn her composure.

For now, she had a job to do. She could feel the panic later.

 

[Reina Daival]

Location: Ord Providence
Objective: 1
Tags: Aris Noble
Outfit - Lightsaber​

"I don't know. We might waste our time running through empty houses that don't have people in them...I'm not good at sensing things with the Force. Not yet at least."

That was something Reina was going to need to work on in her free time. From the looks of it, the best way for them to get some help done was going to be going from door to door through all of this chaos. She sighed to herself at that thought. This was already turning out to be a lot harder than just fighting someone. But who knows? Maybe it'd be far more rewarding as well.

 

[Aris Noble]

"I can't sense anyone at all. .. Yeah maybe it would be best to stay here." Running around blind wouldn't help, and while he could hear heartbeats and the like, how much help would it really be for a pair of Padawans to be rushing around the city breaking into people's homes to give them masks? There were people here and now who needed these masks. People he was still handing them out to as they rushed by.

"I feel like we should be doing more, though."

Reina Daival

 

[Makko Vyres]

"That means no blowing anything up unless as a last resort. I'll try and talk the guards into letting us pass, but if they don't – you might have to find us a way in."

"It makes sense, it's just a difficult ask..."

"Save millions of people but also their jobs."

Makko straightened his shoulders. Whilst he preferred a straight and simple brief, like Cora he had come to respect that decisive action was necessary.

"Good day, gentleman," she greeted. Cora raised a hand in a little wave, then drew it slowly to the side. "We're refinery inspectors from the Galactic Alliance. We have an appointment."

The Godoan guard in the booth blinked. His brow scrunched.

"You're...inspectors from the Alliance…?"

"Inspectors from the Alliance," Makko echoed.

He had never been skilled in the overt arts of the Force. Subtle manipulation of minds always felt like it could bring him closer to the dark if he overused it, but he was good at it.

"Inspectors from the Alliance... Let me check my schedule..."

Makko sharply reached out to the data pad with the Force.

"Oh yes, there you are. Here take these badges, they won't work on the yellow doors to restricted zones."

Makko took the plastic pass and clipped it to his tunic.

"Thank you so much..."

He offered a pleasant smile and tried to act as if he belonged. A mind trick could only cover so much.

 

[Katherine Holt]

Location: Ord Providence, New House of the Goddess (Rooftop near Tower of the High)
Objective 2
Tags: Dean Walker​

The Valkyrie looked around at Dean’s suggestion, noting the defences that lined the structure’s perimeter. Namely the guards that were patrolling the rooftops, who so far appeared oblivious to their flight overhead.

It was a matter of luck they hadn’t been spotted yet, and there was no need to further push it.

“Good point, I’ll get us close to the western tower.” Katherine replied, letting out a small chuckle at Dean’s last comment.

She weaved around the central tower, taking special care to avoid being sighted as she curved around the building and gently dived down towards a nearby rooftop, close to the Tower of the High.

Katherine flapped her wings, slowing her descent enough that she could let Dean go and let him land on the rooftop softly. The Valkyrie joined him seconds later, making sure to quieten her landing as much as possible.

She had opted to forgo her armour for this mission. If stealth was needed, it wouldn’t exactly be a good idea to be wearing a full suit and be stomping around. Instead, Katherine was wearing the body glove that she wore beneath it. Her lightsaber was clipped to her belt, while a unique looking device was secured around her left hand.

It was something Katherine had been working on for years, ever since Valery had gifted her one of her old lightsaber crystals. A project she had endlessly tinkered with, never being too happy with the final product. By the time she was through, Katherine was glad she had refrained from testing it.

Otherwise, she would’ve lost it during the battle on Coruscant.

“So game plan: I’m thinking we make our way over to the western tower; the ‘Tower of the High’. If we get up close to it, we should be able to just fly right up the side of it to reach the top. Intel points to the High Council chambers being in that tower, but also an archive at the very top.”

 

[Valette Puritis Yumia]

Ord Providence, Objective 1
Tags: Aron Brood, Inanna Harth

Aron would not get the chance to act. Instead Yumia did, using the Force to pull the child from their mother's grasp before gently moving her towards the young Jedi.

"Kyo, stun them."

Cowardly as he was, the soldier obliged, pulling his pistol and firing two stun rounds at the parents. Yumia was not unfamiliar with extreme cases of fringe orthodoxy, but that didn't mean she was going to let these people kill themselves. They were her people, and they had no doubt been groomed by malicious actors to believe these things. She was quick to pull her hood back on to return to her ritual meekness.

"Take the parents," she stated. "The child is losing their home. Losing their foundation will crush them. See that their lives are not squandered."

The senator would leave behind three rebreather masks before setting off down the streets of Ord Providence once more. She didn't have time to dwell on these decisions. Her priority was the maximization of saved lives, and she certainly wasn't going to delay that necessary action for anything. Maybe brutal in the moment, but an act of compassion ultimately.

She certainly wouldn't enable self-harm.

"Come, Initiate. We're not done."

The Godoan soldier was quick to scramble after Yumia, having been in a daze for a moment. Before long they were gone down the alleyway...

---

Tags: Valery Noble , Everest Vale ​

"Are... we headed back yet?" Kyo asked. "I-I'm not sure if-"

"Must you whimper?" Yumia groaned in response. "You are well aware that I'm not altering my course of action, aren't you?"

"Yes Ma'am..."

The Senator sighed as she made her way into the depths of the lower districts. Reports had come in that leakage was in much higher concentration than other parts of the dome. According to reports a small fragment of the dome cracked from the depressurization, unable to balance the pressure of the planet's atmosphere. Certainly not fortunate by any means. So a supply run was necessary. With a large population still stuck there it was necessary to ensure that no individual was left without a rebreather.

"By the prophets..." the senator mumbled, her breath growing heavier.

The air pressure was already leaving the atmosphere feeling rather thin. Not a lightness that would last. The pressure of an ocean would be crashing in once the dome was fully breached. This was just the beginning signs of the loss of oxygen.

"Everest, once we've wrapped up here, let's call in supplies and keep going."

Fortunate, then, that a distant voice lead Yumia and the supplies she and Initiate Kyo carried to the place she needed to be. The Sword of the Jedi was here, alongside a padawan... and little ones. Many little ones.

"Please, do not slow yourselves resupplying," the young politician called out, making her presence known. "I have enough rebreathers with me to extend your stock for a few minutes."

A sigh escaped her chest as she took in the sight. Children...

What had those fools up in the Tower of the High done? They had to have known...

 

[Loomi]

Ord Providence, Objective 2
Tags: Braze

​

"I'm here for you. No matter what happens, it'll be okay... okay?"

"I... appreciate that, Braze," she said with a weary smile. "I-I'm sure that-"

And then the elevator lurched. It slowed down... then stopped entirely, right at around the 26th floor. The emergency sequence triggered, forcing the elevator to open abruptly open. They could step out, but the elevator had notably stopped a little lower than it should have. It had locked up, the internal systems clearly indicating that functionality was no longer safe to proceed as normal. The padawan stepped out, letting out a breath as she calmed her nerves.

"Weird..." she muttered. "I wonder why it decided to stop..."

The wave of cold followed, potent and dark. Loomi would be unsure of the origins, but Braze would be able to tell what the source was immediately: the Tower of the Mighty, the collapsed headquarters for the Godoan Military where Lord Kalrath had made his presence known.

---

Deep below the New Temple of the Goddess, the spirit of the ancient Sith festered. Bested by a Kai'el again, the recurring curse that filled him with hatred, a malice that kept him grounded to the realm of the living. Even as he felt his essence being recalled to his true form, away from his deceased puppet, he let his hatred spill forth like a fountain, contaminating the area around him. The darkside Nexus below the temple only spread his hatred. Yet this sensation didn't last, as Kalrath's soul would be whisked away...

After a moment of stillness, the dead in the Tower of the Mighty began to crawl. Flesh was discarded, and machine was all that remained.

Drystan Creed , Kaelos Vryn , Vera Noble , Shan , Katherine Holt , Dean Walker , Deson Sanei​

---

"Freeze!"

A small squadron of soldiers filed out into the hall, blasters raised at Loomi and Braze. It seemed that their moment of calm was already over. The Godoan padawan quickly wove a shield for the two to take cover behind, preparing for their plan to storm the hallway...

 

[Aron Brood]

"That works." The kid stopped crying and its eyes brightened when the fiery Godoan woman moved it with the Force. As soon as Aron snatched it out of the air, it resumed wailing. Looking down at the child, Aron froze. This was not the conclusion he was expecting, and now that the child was in his arms, he didn't know what to do with it. Plus, it kinda smelled.

After Valette Puritis Yumia departed, Aron turned to Inanna. "Uh, Inanna. Do you wanna take the kid? I can handle the parents." Six-foot-five and stuffed to the gills with testosterone, picking things up and putting them down was more in Aron's wheelhouse than child-rearing.

Inanna Harth​

 

[Inanna Harth]

The mother's scream as her child was yanked from her arms was a sound Inanna would not soon forget. Inanna was preoccupied with trying to restrain the father, who only struggled harder, when she heard Valette give the order to shoot them. The Shi'ido backed off barely in the nick of time to avoid being struck as well, standing in shock over the limp bodies of the parents.

For a split second, she thought they were dead. Then it registered that they were merely stunned. Of course they hadn't killed them. They weren't monsters. This was the best possible outcome. So why did it still feel so rotten?

"Uh, Inanna. Do you wanna take the kid? I can handle the parents."

Valette and her soldiers had walked away, leaving behind three rebreathers. Inanna released a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. "Sure," she said, reaching out to take the child.

"Mama!" he wailed, pointing a finger at his unconscious mother on the ground.

Inanna held the toddler close, using her hand to shield his view as Aron hauled his parents away. "Shhh, it's okay. Mama is going to be okay," she soothed, bouncing him gently against her hip.

Aron Brood​

 

[Aron Brood]

After Aron handed the toddler over to Inanna, he gently placed rebreathers over the parents' mouth/nose. Signs of anguish were etched and frozen on their faces. As the events sunk in, he felt a pang in his gut. "This feels wrong," he muttered.

Ostensibly, they got the outcome they wanted. The entire family would survive. But physically forcing the parents to leave against their will, threatening to separate their child from them—did the ends justify the means? Was morality just arithmetic, then, and all that mattered was what sat at the end of the equation? He didn't like the implications. That logic felt cold, sterile—inhuman. Might as well let droids be our overlords and call it a day.

Aron contemplated that, unsure if the Jedi Code offered a satisfying answer, as he hoisted the parents' limp bodies over his shoulder and hauled them away.

Inanna Harth​

 

[Dean Walker]

Dean landed lightly on the rooftop, rolling his shoulders as Katherine set him down. He was about to turn, about to make some quip about finally having his feet on solid ground, when his sharp tactical mind, trained to analyze everything in his surroundings, immediately picked up on the fact that Katherine was not wearing usual gear. Instead, she was in a skin-tight body glove, the fabric hugging every muscle, every contour.

Force help him.

Dean immediately looked away, exhaling sharply through his nose as he focused on the temple ahead. Mission first. Focus. He was not about to get caught up in distractions, not here, not now.

Katherine then laid out the game plan, and Dean nodded, forcing his mind back into the game. "Makes sense. If they sealed themselves inside, then the Council chambers are where we'll get answers. And if we don't find them, the archive might tell us what the hell they were thinking when they made this call."

Dean adjusted his gear, making sure his blaster was secure before he took the lead, crouching low as he moved forward. He gestured for Katherine to follow, keeping his eyes trained on the path ahead. The rooftop they were on had a series of decorative ridges and small elevated platforms, giving them enough cover to move undetected.

Then, without another word, he pressed forward, leading them toward their next move.

Katherine Holt
​

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsabers

Valery's sharp gaze flicked toward Everest as she knelt to help the trembling child with his mask, her expression softening for just a moment. The warmth in her Padawan's voice, the gentle way she reassured him — it was something special. She's got a good heart. "You're good with kids," Valery said just loud enough for Everest to hear, a small smirk tugging at the corner of her lips.

"Could be useful in the future… if you ever want a babysitting gig."

Then, before she could properly respond, Valery felt a tremor in the Force.

A murmur of unease rippled through the line. Valery didn't need to turn to know what was happening. She felt it— that distinct, selfish desperation that turned people into something ugly in times like this.

A group of three shoved their way forward, their movements too aggressive, too focused to be just frightened civilians. One was broad-shouldered and towering over the crowd, his stance full of the kind of arrogance that came from knowing he could throw his weight around. Another was already eyeing the crates of rebreathers like a prize. The last one — the loudest — was pushing people aside, sneering as he approached.

"Move," he barked, grabbing the nearest person in line and shoving them aside. "We need those masks more than they do."

Everest Vale​

 

[DEVILMAN]

Ord Providence – New House of the Goddess – Nearby Rooftop
Objective 2
Direct: N/A || Indirect: Shan | Deson Sanei | Katherine Holt | Dean Walker | Drystan Creed | Loomi​

The Shadow Philosopher reviewed the last transmission from within his own mind. Under the house. Something underneath the structure had warranted one of the religious elders to send a transmission to warn the Alliance. He had intercepted that signal when he first heard the news about Ord Providence and the evacuation. If there was a way to stop this situation from becoming far more critical, it lied in not only the information the elder held but also within the foundations of the house itself.

Millions of lives depended on it.

Atop the rooftop of a building far enough away from watchful eyes, the Black Ace's visor zoomed in on the structure and began to take a wide-ranged view. Several groups had already moved into the temple or its premises. Each taking a different route. Consisting of Jedi and SIA operatives, Group A had taken the front entrance and smashed it open. A slow and risky operation. The whole premises would be on alert. That must have been the plan as he took note of Group B and Group C. Group B—a winged woman and her SIA compatriot—had descended upon the roof of one of the buildings near the Tower of the High. Group C had taken to the vents and comprised of a Jedi and padawans.

Prioritization remained key here. Information from the elder and the archives would prove fruitful but only if he got there first. If not, he would have to settle on listening in on the interrogation that would take place should one of the other groups arrive first.

["Network, provide schematics on the House."] A swift tap to the side of his cowl followed, activating the built-in communication device.

["Providing a real-time map for your HUD now."]

</Map updated.>

Any stealth and combat on his part would require memorization of the schematics. A redundancy like this allowed him to review those schematics should his memory fail him or become impaired. It also allowed him an approximation of the routes each group may take so as to avoid them rather than come into direct confrontation. However, memorizing and marking the outer defense's patrol routes through his visor took concentrated effort on his part as he surveyed the compound. With his observations concluded, wings extended from his back before he twisted the dial on his belt. The suit shimmered for a moment before rendering itself completely invisible to the naked eye.

Leaping off the rooftop, the Demon flew across the open sky before slowing his descent and landing atop one of the House's rooftops. His visor scanned for any security measures that might make his descent known. Nothing. Hiding behind a nearby ridge, the Black Ace twisted the dial back to its original position before his suit shimmered and became visible once more.

Group B was the least congested cluster of operatives. Less operatives, less chance of being seen either by the Jedi and SIA or the security of the House—the Mighty Ones. He would follow from a safe distance and, when the opportunity presented itself, move on ahead of them to reach the elders before them or any of the other groups. Besides, less security to contend with on the outside than the inside with the noise Group A was creating.

Allowing the Walking Shadow to become nothing but an afterthought as he silently crept through the premises.

 

[Inanna Harth]

"This feels wrong."

"We didn't have much choice," Inanna murmured, still comforting the toddler in her arms. "The parents are free to become martyrs themselves, but they aren't free to make a martyr of their child. The kid isn't old enough to understand, let alone consent." Heaving a sigh, she muttered, "But she didn't have to stun them. Take away their ability to make the decision just because she disagreed with their beliefs."

It was a lawsuit waiting to happen, if nothing else. Assuming they would be allowed to sue her. Valette seemed pretty powerful, traveling with her own personal guards. Inanna didn't know much about the Godoans, but she'd heard they had a caste system. Not the most equal society from the sound of it.

Inanna followed Aron as he carried the bodies away, bringing the little boy with her. She'd had quite enough of this planet.

Aron Brood​

 

[Aron Brood]

Inanna was right about the kid, Aron assented. They were just defending someone who couldn't defend themselves.

"Do you think the parents could've been convinced?" Aron wasn't sure, but he had wanted to keep trying. He quietly wondered if Inanna had faced this kind of thing before, back when she was forced to flee her homeworld. "And who was that woman, anyway? She acted like she owned the place."

Before they reached the transport, Aron glanced back at her comforting the child. The little boy was calm now, nestling in her arms. "You're good with kids," he commented.

Inanna Harth​

 

[Katherine Holt]

Location: Ord Providence, New House of the Goddess (Rooftop near Tower of the High)
Objective 2
Tags: Dean Walker​

Katherine caught that look of Dean’s, and had this been before she would’ve thought nothing of it. Now though? The redhead smirked a little, but made no further comment and opted to keep her focus on the mission at hand.

Folding her wings in, Katherine followed behind Dean as he led the way across the rooftop.

“The reverse order might be more ideal. If we can gain access to that info, potentially create an uplink with the Alliance. We might be able to what’s the saying…twist their arm? And get them to stop whatever it is they’ve enacted. They might not seemingly care for their own people, but what if their actions were brought to light to the greater Alliance, or the galaxy as a whole?”

It was also equally possible the clergy wouldn’t give a single damn about their actions being made public.

Eventually, the duo reached the end of the rooftop they were on. Katherine peeked her head up, looking over to check the distance between them and the rooftop that wrapped around the tower before them.

“It’s quite the jump, think you can make it Walker?” She asked, glancing over to him, the corner of her lips twisting into a grin. “Or do I need to carry you again?”

 

[Dean Walker]

Dean crouched low beside Katherine, scanning the rooftop ahead as she laid out her plan. She wasn't wrong — hitting the archives first might give them the leverage they needed. If they could get the information out, force the clergy's hand in the court of public opinion, maybe they could stop this madness before it got any worse.

"Not a bad idea," he murmured, adjusting his grip on his blaster. "If we get that data, we can make them sweat." He exhaled, eyes flicking toward their next obstacle. And then she grinned.

Dean didn't miss it.

He followed her gaze, tracking the distance to the next rooftop. It was doable. A stretch, but doable — if he really wanted to risk it and use his grappling hook. But the way she looked at him, that slight curve of her lips, the tease in her tone? Yeah. She already knew. He turned back to meet her grin with one of his own, a deep chuckle rumbling from his chest.

"Oh, I could make it," he said, tilting his head slightly. "But seeing as you seem to enjoy carrying me so much…" He smirked, crossing his arms over his chest. "Who am I to deny you that pleasure?"

He winked. "Try not to drop me."

Katherine Holt
​

 

[Inanna Harth]

"Do you think the parents could've been convinced?"

"I don't know," Inanna replied. "If it were possible, clearly we failed to do so. It's harder to convince someone to change their beliefs than it is to correct misinformation."

"And who was that woman, anyway? She acted like she owned the place."

"I think she may be a Senator." Inanna followed galactic politics enough to recognize certain key political figures. Valette was one of the ones who stood out, mostly due to her outspokenness. "I wouldn't be surprised if she does own it."

They made their way to the transport. The kid had more than likely exhausted himself into complacency, but she was grateful that he seemed calm now. She hated seeing children, especially the very young, in such distress.

"You're good with kids."

"I have a few of my own," she said with a little smile. "My two youngest are grown now, but I remember what they were like at this age. I hoped Godoan babies were at least a little bit similar, and it looks like I was right."

Aron Brood​