Splinter Cell

[Frontier Tenacity]

"...Remember, remember the fifth of November,​

The gunpowder treason and plot..."​

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Soundtrack: Killzone 2 OST - Visari's Lament​

Attn: [member="Adron Malvern"] | [member="Faye Malvern"] | [member="Corran Conner"] | [member="Saabossi"] | [member="Curupira Hawk"] | [member="Ingrid L'lerim"] | [member="Gerhard Manndorf"] | [member="Ilsa Visel"] | [member="Anton Delane"] | [member="Hydrocus Venetia"] | [member="Lorelai Ventira"] | [member="Zoe Rosella"] | [member="Rath Exigo"] | [member="Darth Tacitus"] | [member="Wilhelm Von Reinhardt"] | [member="Kerstan Blackmoore"]​

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For a decade and a half, the Eternal Empire has made its home on the harsh, frozen world of Nelvaan, deep within the southern systems, ruling the planet with an iron fist. Away from Jedi interference, it had established itself as one of the Confederacy's most powerful and aggressive states, raising armies that had earned the distinction and notoriety of being amongst the deadliest, most disciplined and efficient in the history of the galaxy.

For a decade and a half, the Empire crushed its enemies and the enemies of the Confederacy without mercy or hesitation, its armies waging brutal war on worlds throughout the galaxy, leaving only carnage in their wake and its agents partaking in even more devastating acts. From the downfall of Zakuul, to the Chiss genocide on Copero and, secretly, even the destruction of the New Republic, the Eternal Empire had orchestrated tragedy after tragedy, each time bringing the galaxy one step closer towards being engulfed in darkness, all simply to settle old grudges and secure its interests, goals which the small, yet fierce nation pursued with a kind of cold, terrifying ruthlessness.

Yet, in the forgotten recesses of Wild Space, an old enemy lurked, watching and patiently waiting for the right moment to strike...

The Hand of Light was a Jedi order based in the Nibelungen system. Like all those who upheld the Light Side of the Force, they saw themselves as guardians of peace and justice. But these Jedi were unlike any other order in the galaxy. Utterly fanatical in their beliefs, the Hand of Light were ultimately an order of religious fundamentalists. And fifteen years ago, in their pursuit to establish their ideal theocracy, they had engaged in such practices as terrorism and even genocide.

The conflict between the Hand of Light and what would become the Eternal Empire, was an old one, grievous wounds and atrocities inflicted by both sides the Nelvaanians believing it ended and their enemies destroyed. This was to be the Empire's greatest mistake...

Several Months Ago...
The Tanaab Campaign, Mandalorian Space​

"FleetCom, this is U-287," the message, broadcast from one of the Empire's highly secretive subspace cruisers, said. "We are being boarded by unidentified Force-wielding assailants. Requesting immediate reinforcements."

That was the last anyone heard from the ship. And due to the secrecy surrounding the Fenris Project, the disappearance of U-287 was buried away in the dark recesses of some Blackwatch server, going unreported to the Confederacy or the public. For months, Blackwatch conducted its investigation, with assistance from the Wardens of the Shroud, their agents scouring the galaxy for traces of the missing cruiser, to no avail. No piracy reports mentioned a ship with its capabilities, no nation in the galaxy had suddenly constructed a ship with similar technology, it was as if the cold, empty void had swallowed up the subspace cruiser whole.

Exhausting every lead, the investigators never thought to consider the involvement of an enemy long thought dead. Or that this enemy would ally with an organization such as the Crucible, in the pursuit of their goals. It was the perfect storm. The Hand of Light would position themselves to eliminate an old ideological enemy and take over its world, while the Crucible eliminated one of the Confederacy's most powerful actors. It was a match made in hell and neither the Empire, or the Confederacy, saw it coming...

Present Day
Confederacy of Independent Systems​

A strange ship was intercepted by the CDF at the southernmost border of the Confederacy. The vessel, who's transponder had been shut off, seemed to have suffered some sort of malfunction to its hyperdrive and although the ship resembled reports of cruisers deployed by the Eternal Navy, the recent troubles with the Crucible meant that the CDF was taking no chances.

The ship was hailed, then boarded, CDF inspectors encountering fierce resistance from soldiers wielding Nelvaanian weapons and equipment. The missing U-287 was finally found. And within its hull, it held something terrible. Thousands of slaves of highly sought-after species had been packed tightly into cargo holds, the vessel's manifest seeming to point towards a secret agreement between the Eternal Empire and the Crucible, whereas the former supplied the latter with the outlawed 'merchandise' in exchange for vast sums of money. Worst of all, this was not the first such trip the subspace cruiser had made. Within its logs, investigators found evidence of over a dozen such missions, authorized by the highest levels of government, including the Eternal Emperor himself.

The inevitable accusation was brought before the Viceroyalty and Tacitus was summoned to Geonosis to explain himself and present his case for innocence. Only, he never arrived... In his stead, came a group of Jedi, who claimed to have been secretly investigating the Emperor's activities for years, bringing with them what seemed to be a mountain of evidence, all pointing towards the Empire's involvement with slavery, the Crucible and even a planned military coup.

And with Tacitus seeming to have fled to escape justice, the Jedi proposed a solution. They would govern Nelvaan for the Confederacy and root out all Crucible influence from the frozen world, bringing peace and democracy to a world too long engulfed by the suffocating shadow of slavery and military dictatorship.

Meanwhile, as the Viceroyalty was convening to vote, the Eternal Empire scrambled for a response, a single message from their ruler instructing them how to proceed.

[CLASSIFIED: ULTOR LEVEL AUTHORIZATION REQUIRED]​

Attention all forces loyal to the Eternal Empire. An XK scienario is currently underway. Our defenses have been bypassed by an unknown enemy which has successfully undermined our relations with the Confederacy. As such, all forces are now directed to enact Splinter Cell protocol immediately.

As of this moment, Nelvaan is under enemy occupation. All naval units are directed to withdraw from the system and regroup at designated waypoints, the coordinates of which are known by select personnel. Ground forces are hereby ordered to hide their vehicles and equipment and vehicles into the planetary tunnel network and proceed to blend in with the civilian population.

StratCom is hereby ordered to immediately destroy all records, wipe all personnel and equipment manifests and erase any and all information concerning the underground tunnel network and classified deep space outposts. All communication shall henceforth be restricted and will be conducted solely through Psi Corps. All prisoners held in our detention facilities are to be terminated immediately and Settlement Defense Force and Blackwatch personnel are to disperse amongst the civilian population.

All forces are hereby directed to await further instructions and prepare for the commencement of hostilities.

Stand strong. We will rise again. Long live the Empire.

 

[Adron Malvern]

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Geonosis | Early Morning | [member="Darth Tacitus"]​

The Exarch had been sitting in his office on Geonosis, his eyes growing heavy as he gazed at a mountain of paperwork covering his desk. It was nothing new. He never did trust his Master to see to the small, meticulous parts of his office. It was always better for him to do it himself. There had been a good deal of excitement lately, more than he was used to and certainly more than he cared for in a time of peace. Well, peace was a hellishly relative word in the galaxy these days, yet one of The Confederacy's largest enemies had been scattered to nothing more than dust, so that was something to be considered. He could hear a deal of commotion coming from outside his office. This was not normal. Raised voice, ire, and only a moment later he could sense the turn of violence.

The Sith Lord stood up from his desk, pulling his glasses off and tossing them onto the desk. The metallic cylinder that rested on the corner of the desk shot into his hand, just as the door to his office came open. Four men entered into the room, with flowing pearl robes flecked in gold and crimson. They were easily identifiable as Wardens of the Shroud, the elite Force Users of the Eternal Empire. Following closely behind them were guardsmen from Adron's own personal guard. One of the Exarch's guardsmen stepped forward, tapping his fist to his chest as he bowed his head to the man he called King. "Your Grace, you ordered us not to interfere if they arrived, but they-" Adron held a hand up to the man, not caring to hear of his plights or complaints. He had done as ordered and that meant he had done his duty. "That's enough Captain, thank you." Of course, the Exarch had heard of the misadventures that the Eternal Empire was going through, but not at length. He was uniformed of this Jedi sect that had been secretly waging war against them, but more importantly he was uninformed of Tacitus' whereabouts.

"Where is your Emperor, where is my brother?" He demanded, looking to the men glad in off-white and gold.

"Vizier." They each acknowledged the man per his title and respects, bowing their heads to him and offering the salute of the Eternal Empire.

"I will not ask a second time." Adron said, his voice showing a hint of agitation as he spoke. One of the shrouded stepped forward, his voice distorted by the helmet that covered his features, keeping them hidden. "We are to take you to him, my lord." The man revealed. Adron glanced to the Captain of the guard, exhaling softly as he clipped his lightsaber to his belt. "Then let's be off." The Wardens of the Shroud stepped back, allowing the Exarch to take his place in the center of their group. The four men closed in around him as they made their way out of the office. As they walked, Adron's guardsmen followed closely behind.

 

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Location: Cabin in the Woods, Nelvaan, The Eternal Empire
Equipment: Bio link
Tag(s): [member="Darth Tacitus"]

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When the “event” happened Ingrid was on Nelvaan. As a loyal subject of her emperor she never bows her head to the enemy. She held on to her master and emperor for as long as she could, but in the end she needs to flee too. She was… no, she is the baroness of Vengard, she wants to get back, what she deserved. She wants to liberate her city and the planet too. That was the reason why she not left Nelvaan and went back to the CIS, or her husband, but remained on Nelvaan.

After she went rouge and the occupation jedi team was hunted her too. Ingrid just wants to kill them, one by one, but she didn’t know enough yet from the Force. However some times ago she had a divination, that was the first time, she felt something from the Force, but she didn’t what was that. She just followed this divination, or feeling, which lead her to the woods. Ingrid didn’t remember when she walked this area last time, years, or decades ago. Long, long time, but this time she walked here, as if she done this yesterday.

On the woods she found a cabin, and her emperor and master, [member="Darth Tacitus"]. This happened days or weeks ago, Ingrid didn’t remember, but that day, her emperor finally become her master, and they started Ingrid’s training. From dawn to dust every day, not just physical training, but spiritual/mental as well.

This day, just like the others, she waked up before the sunrise. Ingrid walked through the area, searching for enemies, or someone else, who get lost and find this place. She putted traps out; she felt it was her job to protect the emperor in this situation as well. Even so he was a Sith lord, and she was only an assassin; but good one.

After finishing her morning inspection tour, he returned to the cabin and stopped in front of it. After the inspection tour she never went to the cabin again, just if [member="Darth Tacitus"] let her in. Luckily while she was out there, it was easier to guard before they starting the training. So, just like the other days, she waiting outside, and watched the distant. As usual she picked up the most comfortable position. She stand in a small straddle, and she clasp her hands under his back, and shows her back to the cabin.

She will only turns around, when she hear her emperor, when [member="Darth Tacitus"] came to outside. Then she turns and salutes the emperor.

”My lord! Everything is clear, no one here except us” she said.

 

[Curupira Hawk]

"She is fire and ice. You'll fear the cold and crave the burn...

Aboard the Kestrelsong, enroute to the Emperor​

There were Jedi in their house, there were enemies seeking to destroy what the Eternal Empire had built. They would fail. They would fail miserably. We care not for what the light does, a quiet little voice inside her head went as her perfect nails tapped against the keypad. Her computer skills were limited in comparison to others but it was enough, along with the codes she was a privilege to have.

An encrypted message had been sent through the system, instructing them to delete all records and wipe all personnel and equipment manifests. Everything had to disappear. That was what Curupira was dying as her ship rushed through hyperspace to the location sent to her on back channels. She knew where she was going, her ship was jumping through several hyperspace locations before she would finally step out where she had to be. In the meantime, she did the work the Emperor required of her.

Curupira Hawk was a great many things. She was a born Witch, a former Jedi, and Sith warrior. She was a drifter and a salvager, she was a mother of children she had yet to give birth to, she was a future Queen of a Moon and someday, she would be the wolf she was promised to become. It hadn't been an intended reveal but small conversations with her future daughter had required to her - Curupira Hawk would someday be a Lupine. Until then, she was on a journey of discovery. What she was, was not all she could be but she was growing.

Far in the galaxy, she could feel him. The further she fell into the darkness, her connection to her mate grew stronger. Each day, she felt him a little more than she did the day before. He was there and he was falling back into the dark same as she was. They had a future together, a destiny but each of them seemed to be on their own path to getting there. To a beautiful future, Katrine had spoken of. A beautiful childhood for her little ones. Except, there was a cry in the distance, another soul she hadn't know yet. Curupira felt him even though she had never met him. There was someone out there whose blood sang with the same rhythm as hers, someone Ket had fathered just as she had mothered him. He was out there though Curupira couldn't tell you were that someone was... he was growing stronger in the Force just as her eldest girl was fading away, traces of her disappearing as if she, herself, was disappearing. As if she was never there at all. It was painful to her heart, feeling it. Chloe was the first of her children to come. She seemed so beautiful and unique, so strong. And as time went on, their connection seemed to grow weaker. Katrine was growing stronger, so much stronger than she had thought. And this new presence, this boy, he was growing stronger as well. They were coming age, of power. Curupira welcome this power among them, even though she knew they were not hers yet, not in the way they had all longed for their mother. She was still not that person, she was still not their mother. It would be a long journey before she would become their mother.

Someday though, Curupira Van-Derveld would rule. And her children would grow up in a world she and Ket built for themselves and them. The Lupines would rise, grow, they would overcome those beath them.

Nails tapped into the keypad still, finishing off, watching the screen, though her golden gaze switched to the screen to the side to make sure she was still following the trajectory she had set out at the beginning of this journey. She was on course still. Bit by bit was being deleted.

Once it all was all completed, she had gone for a short slumber, before her journey would end.

The Warden arrives at her destination...
Cabin in the Woods, Nelvaan​

Tags:
[member="Darth Tacitus"] [member="Ingrid L'lerim"]​

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The sound system came to life as the autopilot reached the end of its program. Eyelids snapped open before she jumped out of her bed, hurrying to the console to take manual control of the ship. A planet came into view as she looked ahead, taking control of the systems to descend into the atmosphere, landing a short while after.

A small clearing presented itself, allowing her to take cover at the edge of the trees before she would dawn an outfit upon herself before she would exit the ship, locking it before she ventured into the woods, to her destination. Her Master would know she was coming.

 

[Kainan Wolfe]

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Attn: [member="Adron Malvern"] | [member="Ingrid L'lerim"] | [member="Curupira Hawk"] | [member="Faye Malvern"]​

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• Cabin In The Woods
  Nelvaan, Central Mountain Range

Surrounded and besieged by enemies on all sides, from without and now, within. It had taken his enemies a great deal of effort and resources to pull off the false flag and subsequent coup which now placed Nelvaan under Jedi occupation. And to make sure he could not challenge the impressive amounts of false evidence which they had concocted, they had him abducted and placed on a slaver ship.

It would take far more than that to dispose of the Ghost of Eshan, though. Though it took him a few weeks, he managed to kill his captors and make his way back to Nelvaan, too late to stop the coup, but just in time to organize the troops for the inevitable revolution to come.

Not one to leave his Empire in its most dire time of need, he set up his base at one of the properties he secretly owned on the planet, an out-of-the-way cabin on the planet's central mountain range, a modified Styx-class dropship with additional communications and encryption equipment serving as an improvised command center from which he could direct his forces all across the planet and the galaxy at large, where his armada awaited, scattered and spread out at classified locations unknown to all but a few.

And there, he did what he did best. He planned, he schemed and plotted until he concocted a strategy to reinstate the Empire and crush those who had tried to usurp it.

He summoned his apprentices and sent a team of Wardens to fetch his siblings and then he waited. First to arrive was Ingrid, who was already on the planet when the coup unfolded and he took advantage of the time to teach her the basics of wielding the treacherous Force. He was in the process of explaining to her the technique known as Darkshear when Curupira's ship finally arrived.

"The Spear of Midnight Black, also known as Darkshear, is killing intent given physical form," the Sith Lord explained to his red-haired apprentice, demonstrating by drawing upon the cold currents of the Darkside, coalescing them and shaping them into a black spear which he held in his right hand. "It is an immensely powerful technique when used correctly. Even a scratch will be enough to kill your opponent," he said. "With time and practice, an adept of this technique will be able to maintain the spear's form for longer periods of time and even summon several of them, though it is most commonly used as a projectile, especially by beginners."

"It is an unnatural weapon which will wink out of existence as soon as it is able to, which means that the wielder must maintain concentration for as long as possible. Focus on your hatred of the enemy, on your desire to kill the enemy and cast your will against the laws of reality, bending them until the universe gives in. In order to summon the spear, you must force it to exist."

As Curupira approached, he let go of the spear, allowing it to dissolve in mid air, the energies which created it dissipating and returning to their natural state. He turned to face his other apprentice and greeted her with a nod.

"Welcome, apprentice. Have you found the answers you were looking for?" he asked her.

__________________​

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The Wardens would lead Adron to a nondescript speeder, which wound its way through the sprawling capital of the Confederacy towards an industrial compound at the city's edge, where a single freighter awaited in one of the seemingly abandoned factory's large hangars.

Although the surrounding buildings appeared deserted, a closer look would reveal the snipers posted at key locations, surveying the surrounding area for potential threats and undoubtedly, more troops were hidden inside the complex, out of sight but ready to spring into action on a moment's notice. Security was extremely tight.

Crewed by the silent and enigmatic Wardens, the freighter would take off and make a short jump away from Geonosis, to a set of coordinates seemingly in the middle of nowhere, where it would rendezvous with a much larger ship, another one of Tacitus' classified stealth cruisers, which were wrapped up in so much secrecy that even the highest echelons of the Confederacy had very little information about them. They were known to exist and to possess some kind of advanced hyperspace technology, but that was about it.

The subspace cruiser would make another, somewhat longer jump, to Nelvaan, engaging its cloaking fields as soon as it exited from hyperspace, waiting silently at a set of predetermined coordinates where another freighter would meet up with it, giving the Exarch a means of sneaking onto the planet, past the defenses set up by the Jedi, especially now that the planet's formidable shield had been shut off. A lack of funds, the new government had claimed.

Nelvaan was in a sorry state. The Jedi government's 'reforms' had dramatically scaled back the planet's armament industry, closing down dozens of factories, which proved to be disastrous. The military-industrial complex was Nelvaan's lifeline, the beating heart of its economy. With it gone, the supporting industries soon collapsed. There was no one left to buy resources, so the mining industry quickly went bankrupt. Manufacturing and shipping followed suit, along with high-tech, R&D and heavy industry. The new authorities tried to compensate by establishing a welfare program, but this only put more strain on the already collapsing economy, causing even more businesses to shut down, in the end leaving millions of people without jobs. It wasn't long before starvation set in.

The freighter would pass through Arcenon, the former Imperial capital, the once shining city now grown dark, a large number of buildings without power or heat, their inhabitants struggling to survive. Undoubtedly, things were much worse down in the streets.

Flying low to avoid tipping off whatever air defense sensors still remained operational, if any, the freighter would make its way towards the central mountain range of the planet, descending into one of the many valleys which were sheltered against the harsh weather beyond, setting down in a clearing which overlooked a single building, a simple cabin the kind of which a hunter might live in. Two other ships stood beside, some kind of patrol boat and one of the dropships employed by the Nelvaanian military.

Tacitus stood nearby, dressed in plain, military-style clothing, simple and practical, in the company of two women. He broke away from them and turned to welcome his brother. "Welcome, brother. I'm glad that you have arrived. We have much to discuss."

 

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Location: Cabin in the Woods, Nelvaan, The Eternal Empire
Equipment: Bio link
Tag(s): [member="Darth Tacitus"] | [member="Curupira Hawk"]

---

The Force, that thing what is in everything and everybody in the Galaxy, but still Ingrid still knows nothing about it. Of course already knows more, than few months ago, and thanks for it, she feel herself so small, or nothing. She was knowledgeable in technologies and sciences, but the Force was much-much different, like the previous two things.

During the time when her master, [member="Darth Tacitus"] teach her, he received her full attention. She can rarely be impressed, but the Force and what the man done with the Force, are impressed Ingrid. She saw the spear, but she can’t imagine how she should do this.

”What if I don’t feel hatred my lord? My whole life I learned how to smother my feelings under my work. I always work with cold head, without feelings and emotions.” she said.

Everything was chaotic. At last one day, under their training the emperor’s other apprentice appeared. Ingrid didn’t know her, she didn't even know the other woman is part of the Eternal Empire, or not. How she hated this, maybe that was the mistake, she don’t investigated the emperor’s “friends”. But she just can’t spy on her master and emperor. Just like she thought chaotic times.

”Welcome!” she tell to the other woman.”Ingrid L’lerim, baroness of Vengard” introduce herself.

Not much later they travel back to Golbah City, the capital city of the CIS. In the capital Ingrid wears a uniform, just like she did when she didn’t do a job, or mission. When her emperor left she and the other woman to welcome his brother, Ingrid wait few second, and followed the man.

”Sorry for the interrupts my lords, but we don’t have time for this. Nelvaan is still under occupation. You can talk each other when we are heading back to Nelvaan my lords, but this time our Empire is the first, and we need reinforcements. ”

Maybe she made a mistake, but their empire was the first now, not the family discussion, unless the Eternal Empire is the subject.