Subjugating The Warlords

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Coruscant
14:23 PM


Years of planning had brought them to this point.

The fleets of Ession, once more restored and tempered in the fires of holy war, stood on the precipice once again. Though their world lay broken, the people persevered. A decade of genocide, ostracization, and endless conflict had forged the Essonian people into a race of warriors, and almost the entirety of their adult number had answered when the banners were called.

The Essonian mercenary regiments had fought in countless battles against the forces of darkness since their world had fallen. They were battle hardened crusaders now, their strength of arms driven to further heights by their endless faith in the Ashla. These were zealots of purest form, and they would serve as the blade that would cut off the head of the dying imperial serpent.

The seat of galactic power stood alone. The throne was vacant - it was time for change. With his familial ties to the empires of old, Cedric had little trouble securing the loyalty of several imperial commanders garrisoned throughout the fallen empire’s territories. They recalled the last time a Grayson had led their armies to march on Coruscant, and they wanted part of the spoils.

Six million fighting men and women had been conscripted into the Jedi Lord’s army. Led by the dogmatically loyal Sons of Ession, these soldiers had been packed tight into whatever vessels they could fit into. A handful of small Star Destroyers hovered around the ecunemopolis. They met with little resistance in the void, the meager remnants of the imperial space force either fleeing to safer territory, or maintaining such a distance that their ability to cause much damage was negligible. The fleet had never been much of an issue - rather it was the bloody prospect of digging the handful of warlords that had carved pieces of Coruscant into their own fiefdoms out from their holes.

The greatest of these individuals resided in the imperial palace, having taken control shortly after the head of the imperial state had seemingly vanished. A former line general, Lord Gorvish was a skilled tactician, if not a failure of a statesman. His death would serve as the funeral bells for the remnants of the Core Imperial Confederation.

Several dropships broke off from the fleet, flanked by dozens of starfighters as they sailed down to the planet below. Cedric stood upon one of these dropships. Clad in his full war-plate, the Jedi Master was more than ready for the combat that would soon follow.

“The imperials are heavily entrenched around the palace. We need to bust through their lines before the rest of the assault begins. Once we have the palace, we can take control of the planet’s comm network. They won’t be able to hold out without communications.” Cedric explained to his ragtag group of companions.

The shuttle shook as anti-air salvos burst all around, just narrowly missing the vessel due to the pilot’s skill, and perhaps a bit of luck. A holographic timer ticked at the front of the crew bay, indicating they would be making planet fall in thirty seconds.

The Jedi Master drew in a deep breath. His father had lead the exact same assault two decades ago. He could only hope this invasion went as well as it had for his progenitor.

“Ready?”

 

[Tobias Dracks]

The dark void of space with an array of small specks of illumination from the galaxy of stars. A massive array of lights of blue and white erupted from the darkness. From there a massive array of ships ripped the dimensional rip they caused as their Faster Than Light capability. At the head of this Armada was elegantly warship with slim curving angles and massive weapons hidden away in its hull. The ship was the Flagship of the Freeworlds Dominion. The Wyyrlok-Class Star Destroyer, "Chancellors Remnant", Flagship of the Warlord Tobias Dracks. This ship was a remnant of a long forgotten hero who fought for many of a fallen nation. With this massive Warship was a veteran fleet of many wars and continued Rebellion out in the Fringe.

Within the ship stood the Politician turned Warlord at the fall of his once mighty nation. A reptilian warmaster stood at the bridge, one eye covered with a metallic slab held in place by a tattered cloth. The war in the Fringe had taken its toll on the man who once lead a nation. He now led a fragment of his people, and the man who sponsored his people's freedom had called in the debt. He looked down at the planet he never saw before, yet everyone had spoken of. This mighty planet was the home to many changing nations, many of which were of a sinister leadership. He thought back to his once great Republic and to survive no one could continue to be pure.

The bridge came to life as Commanders and Captains readied for battle.

“My Liege, the fleets have sent their ready signals, Laser Line Communications have been deployed and the Shield Ships have taken up deployment, we are prepared my Lord.” One of the Deck Officers send a green signal to the Command Console.

Tobias nodded and send a hail to the man who had called on him, “Lord Grayson, the Warfleet of the Freeworlds are at your disposal, we await your command.”

[member="Cedric Grayson"]

Warships -
Wyyrlok-Class Star Destroyer - "Chancellors Remnant"
Mephirium Class Battlecruiser
Jaraden-Class Fleet Carrier
Cypress-class Hammerhead Cruiser
Kyr'yc Ayahada Attack Frigate
Jansserie-Class Shield Corvette

Fighters -
SF-58 "Thunderbird" Class Starfighter
Awaud Superior Mark-12
AS-B19 Bomber
TCW-09 Proton Torpedo Bomber
Breaker-class Cargo Ship

 

[Burc’ya Narric]

Ready? It was simple, spoken in Basic, a language that the droid knew well, however it didn't seem to register well enough. There was something off, something that didn't want to go all the way through, it stopped, over and over his processors pulsed the simple request.

Ready?

It had been six-hundred years, he was supposed to come back, he was meant to at some point. There was just a hope, however fleeting, that he would be seeing it with someone else, that he would be arriving to party and watch his fellows get drunk at a tavern. These men who stood now, while far from strangers, never would fill the endless space between the BX and his lost brothers. What was he expected to do? Plunge down like a War Droid of old, shimmering in the light as blaster salvos echoed across his plating, screaming into the night as he fired into the crowds with his carbine, a warfront that would have brought the Sith Lords of old to their knees?

Clan Narric would have it no other way, the BX would have it no other way, he had come back to his homeworld with his newfound friend, his newfound savior, packed with enough will, power, and blaster fire to carve a damned moon out of the mega-city's surface.

The droid was more than ready, he nodded his head, bringing his carbine to his grip, his HUD coming to life, instead of speaking, his vocabulator began to sound off, akin to a music speaker, carrying the instrumentals and all that would normally be acommpanied the full rendition of the song he had learned so long ago.

"Kote... Kandosii sa ka'rota, Vode An, Coruscanta a'den mhi, Vode An..."

 

[Shanoed Marais]

The Spyder stood ready. The Miralukan woman was full geared in armor she had made herself from the hides of beasts she had slain. Each one was resistant to lightsabers and blasterbolts. Her shoulders and torso were covered, but her stomach had no shielding. She had refused heavier armor, as it would slow her down. From her right shoulder protruded a spike forged from a massive fang. Her pants were made from similar hide to her upper armor. Her boots were soleless, allowing her bare feet to feel the vibration of the dropship under her. Her breathing was calm, but there was tension to her.

This was going to be a battle that would leave a mark on the entire galaxy. She was going to be a part of that battle. The corners of her lips twitched in a smile, before it was gone again. Only her mouth and cheeks were visible, the rest of her face hidden behind what appeared to be an ancient mask. It was broken in a few places, but the ancient worksmanship was clear. Her platinum hair fell around the back of her head, somewhat tame for the moment.

"I am always ready, Cedric."

She had near purred the words, the beast clawing at her mind, trying to break free. This was it's territory. It should be in control. You're too weak without me... Shanoed took a slow breath, her head turning towards Cedric. The fingers of her right hand stretched, readjusting the to clawed gauntlet. The weight of the reverse blade was familiar and comfortable.

"Before we land, I must know, what are my limits?"

One hand reached back, wrapping slowly around the hilt of the basic saberstaff. Strapped to her back was a mighty spear, also crafted with her own hands, the spearhead a massive fang, tied securely to a metal pole that was lovingly wrapped with the same hide her armor was made out of. The saberstaff would be the first weapon she used, but if it failed her, the spear had already proven it could kill.

Her head turned towards the droid as it started to play a song and she raised her brows behind the mask, though her lips didn't change from their pursed line. She was leaning back and forth on the balls of her feet, getting her muscles ready for the drop. She only needed Cedric to tell her what he would not allow in this battle. She would do her best to restrict the beast to his orders. She would try.

[member="Cedric Grayson"] [member="Tobias Dracks"] [member="Cedric Grayson"]

 

[Zam Ulgo]

https://soundcloud.com/thezealot-1/star-wars-galactic​

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"Jump successful. Marking hostiles."

The corvette captain's voice, muffled by communications traffic and the counterjamming systems cleaning out the jamming pulses, echoed over the GS-77's main hold as Zam, a platoon of orderies and a company of infantrymen all stood by; waiting for the blast doors to open. "Take us to the old Temple Site, captain", Zam said as she released her finger from the communications transponder in her ear. "Aye, master Jedi", the reply came in kind. Everyone could already hear the fore laser cannons firing as their stomachs lurched from the corvette's rapid descent.

Zam allowed herself a small gulp. Just 12 hours ago she was a researcher on Manaan; now she was part of the vanguard assigned to set up a forward medical and resupply base for the invasion. The site she'd chosen was symbolic - the old Coruscant Jedi Temple grounds. She was just about to space out again in a bout of cold unease as the corvette's hull was rocked with a hard jolt.

"Captain?", Zam said over the comms.

"Anti-aircraft fire, Master Jedi. Hull's at 97% integrity, shields holding. We're getting reports of local resistance from the temple site. Comm chatter out there confirming it too."

"They ain't gonna' sink this bird no way", one of the guardsmen muttered as everyone tried to ease into their personal effects."

"5,000 feet. 4,000, 3,000,2,000.. LZ up ahead."

Zam had to take charge now, and probably for the first real time in her life. She'd run simulations back in the day, but this was the real deal. This was war. "Alright listen up, when we drop our priority is to set up the forward command post. Offload the medical supplies and the turrets and we can set a perimeter around the temple. No one try to be a hero please and keep yourselves alive. Do not venture out beyond the grounds until we have air support."

Once they'd secured the LZ, Zam would then give the fleet in orbit and the planetary invasion force the green light to begin shuttling supplies and orderies to the site. She'd need the corvette on standby as well to shuttle soldiers still fit for combat back to the front lines.

"May the Force be with us."

"Doors open. Lock and load!"

[member="Cedric Grayson"] [member="Tobias Dracks"] [member=[COLOR=rgb(122,152,162)]Burc’ya Narric[/COLOR]] [member=[COLOR=rgb(122,152,162)]Shanoed Marais[/COLOR]]

 

[Alyson Halle]

War had been a part of Alyson’s life far longer than she would have particularly liked. She had wasted much of her youth fighting on Merides, unifying the planet. Then she spent the rest of it learning the ways of the Jedi and fighting with the old Dominion. She had seen Cedric grow from a young, uncertain boy into a strong man, hardened by nearly as much war as she. He had known more loss than Alyson ever would, and she knew that.

Merides had changed much in her lifetime, it had gone from a backwater into an industrializing world in less than 30 years. People were living far longer and harvests were better than ever. Small trickles of ships came and went from the world. Much of it was not her doing, but the work of her knowledgeable advisors. She trusted them dearly.

She now stood by Cedric’s side again, she had done so many times before, but something about this was different from the old days. She was middle aged now, not the young woman she used to be. She stood in the cramped shuttle wearing body armor. The gold light saber she had assembled in her youth still sat on her belt, but it was now joined by an assault rifle and a handgun. The old blade served her well, but modern war had certain requirements that could not be met by it.

She had an appreciation for the Sons of Ession. They had lost their home to a crime worse than any she had seen. She saw the footage of the destruction, it was indiscriminate and petty. She was a fighter, but she had values she kept, this act went against every one of them. She was happy to see that perhaps they would finally have a proper home.

She turned to her old friend, nodding at his statement. “Ready as I ever will be I suppose. Feels like the old days doesn’t it?”

She racked the bolt on her rifle, and turned on the sight that sat on top of it. She was ready. She felt young again. It felt good.

[member="Zam Ulgo"] [member="Shanoed Marais"] [member="Burc’ya Narric"] [member="Tobias Dracks"] [member="Cedric Grayson"]

 

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The atmosphere within the dropship was electric. The tinny drone of Burc'ya's Mando'ade carried over the blast of anti-air fire. Cedric recognized the song - he'd heard it sung by Mandalorian warriors that he had both fought alongside of and against in his long career as a soldier. It had an energy to it that drove the Mandalorians into a blood frenzy. Cedric was curious if the droid could feel such a visceral emotional effect, or if Burc'ya processors could even replicate something so complex.

"That is does. If you die here I'm going to be disappointed. You've lived too long to get killed by an army of clones." He replied to [member="Alyson Halle"].

Nonetheless, Cedric felt the confidence burning in his chest with the chanting. That, and the normal worry that always accompanied battle. No man lost his fear of death, not even Jedi MAsters, and pre-battle jitters were something he suffered from as much as anyone else. He squeezed his eyes shut, mumbling the Jedi Code beneath his breath as the shuttle's landing alarm began to klaxon. When he opened his eyes again, he saw Shanoed speaking to him. He strained to hear her words.

"If they surrender, disarm them. Prioritize taking prisoners. No civilians. We only fight worthy combatants." Cedric announced, speaking loudly enough that the group could hear. He keyed on his comm for a moment, lining in first to [member="Tobias Dracks"].

"It's good to hear from you brother!" Cedric's voice boomed over the comm, true pleasure at having the old alien at his side again clear in his voice. "We will take the planet, you must take the void. Begin the assault."

He keyed the comm to the tactical channel. Most of the soldiers would hear him if they happened to be listening. "Today Coruscant is liberated! The first step to avenging Ession lies before us brothers and sisters."

The doors to the dropship slammed open. A hail of gunfire rushed forth to meet the occupants, but Cedric's blade was quicker. "For the Light!" He roared, blade dancing in swift pirouettes that the mortal eyes struggled to track, dozens of bolts being sent back to their sources. The Sons of Ession surged forth on either side of their commander, rifles roaring burning plasma into the imperial line as they struggled to find cover.

The dropship had landed in a large courtyard just in front of the imperial palace. The courtyard had once been a verdant green park, but now it was various dugouts and hastily dug trenches intended to defend the palace's entrance. Hundreds of imperial clones lined the trenches, weapons spitting death at the attackers.

The Essonians wasted little time overpowering their way through the first line of trenches, dropping in to use them as cover themselves before the clone soldiers could counter the push. Cedric stood at the fore, blade spinning wherever it was required to protect his soldier's heavier gun emplacements from blaster fire.

[member="Alyson Halle"], [member="Zam Ulgo"], [member="Shanoed Marais"], [member="Burc’ya Narric"], [member="Tobias Dracks"]

 

[Alyson Halle]

Merides was not a world known for its technological prowess. They were in an age which most planets had long since past, an age where the world was just starting to be linked together by computers. The changes had been rapid and there was still problems with it, and they were far from being able to produce functioning blasters. They had, however, become rather good gunsmiths, in the traditional sense. They decided to put their expertise in the long lost craft of slugthrowers, mostly due to something their empress had noticed in the field.

Blasters had their advantages, ammunition capacity and accuracy being the main points in its favor, but they also had several problems which Alyson did not see as worthwhile exchanges. The first problem, far more relevant to the average soldier, was Mobility Shields that made blasters nigh on useless. They could take 50 heavy blaster bolts, and those were just the base models. Fearing widespread deployment of these weapons, Alyson had always advocated for ballistic firearms. The second concern, far more concerning to the Jedi master, was lightsabers. Lightsabers were able to reflect the blaster bolts with ease, turning your firepower into their firepower. Slugthrowers avoided this entirely.

She left the rifle slung over her shoulders, once the doors opened the blaster fire would be unbearable. She drew her .50 caliber revolver, and ignited the ancient blade on her belt. It had been awhile since she used it. She would prove her theory about blasters in practice. A combination of a lightsaber, and one of the mobility shields should render her nigh invulnerable to enemy fire.

Alyson looked back to the Sons of Ession behind her. “Set up a defensive line and assemble the mortars. The main targets are their heavy blasters! The rest of you follow us.”

She let out a few shots of her revolver, using her highly attuned force senses to lay down pin point accurate fire. She could sense every soldier on the battlefield, the chaos not enough to overwhelm her highly attuned senses. The strings of fate were messy and interwoven. Strings were cut all over, and yet the pattern grew ever more complicated. They were all bound together now.

“Cedric. We should attempt to eliminate the gunners as quickly as possible, we can move far faster than most of our units and we should use that to full effect.” She said to the man beside her.

[member="Cedric Grayson"] [member="Zam Ulgo"] [member="Shanoed Marais"] [member="Burc’ya Narric"] [member="Tobias Dracks"]

 

[Zam Ulgo]

The whine of blaster fire zipped past and just above Zam's head as she ducked by the base of a ruined perimeter statue of the temple. The corporal by her side also took a knee to cover themselves from the heavy blaster fire coming from inside the temple. Around the perimeter, soldiers engaged in a back and forth firefight, but with the defenders slowly retreating deeper into the ruined Jedi temple. One more pass from the GS77, and the gunship had cleared a hole through which Zam and the Grayson forces could breach.

Zam drew her lightsaber, igniting it in time as she deflected a blaster bolt headed her way, and several more after that as she cried, "go, go!", leading the charge into the fray. Several corpsmen followed behind her, providing suppressing fire as they made it to the front entrace, that had now been blown open. Inside, imperial troops bunkered down behind the large columns that supported the main temple structure.

"Looks like we stirred up the mynock's nest", the corporal remarked as he emptied out his clip and immediately ducked for cover again.

Zam nodded in agreement as she occasionally rose to her feet to deflect blaster bolts back in the opposite direction. "We need to push forward. When we get to the council throneroom, contact the fleet to send the Kolto and Bacta down." She then stood up, yelled and led another charge deeper into the temple.

Outside, 2 squads remained by the outer grounds to hold down the perimeter. No doubt the imperials would attempt a counterattack to retake the temple, so they had to be ready. The orderlies were also outside tending to some of the injuries, and their assisting medical droids were already beginning to reassemble some of the medical equipment. The stasis tanks however were still untouched - Zam and the company would have to clear out the main hallway instead for those to be set up as a power source would be needed.

[member="Cedric Grayson"] [member="Tobias Dracks"] [member="Burc’ya Narric"] [member="Shanoed Marais"] [member="Alyson Halle"]

 

[Shanoed Marais]

As the doors slammed open, Spyder sucked in a deep breath, taking in the smells of battle. Her hand on her saberstaff switched it to stun. That was the only way any of her foes were walking away from her alive. The beast stirred in her mind and she lowered herself, darting out of the mouth of the drop ship after the others. The moment her foot left the edge of the dropship, she seemed to vanish. Creepy laughter gave her away as she landed in a primal crouch, a grin on her lips. "It's time to play, boys."

The saberstaff was drawn and ignited, the blue light contrasting with the reds and tans of her armor. The primordial staff barely moved on her back, so secure was it's holster. She stayed by Cedric only long enough to hear Alyson's request about the gunners. Spyder came out of the crouch, spinning the saberstaff rapidly around her body before she took off. Near silent steps ran up behind the first set of trenches before she leapt on top of them. Blaster fire whizzed by her, some shots connecting with the resistant hide. Her legs bent into a low crouch before she pounced.

Again, she seemed to disappear, she was moving so fast. One moment she was behind a clone, slamming the end of her saberstaff into the back of his head, the next she was deeper in, cutting down two clones in one fluid movement. The Crystal Spyder never stopped moving. Before the clones had started to fall, she was gone. She was using clones as cover, as well as their hastily constructed fortifications. Her prey wasn't the clones though.

She moved in an erractic zigzag, causing just enough chaos at each point to make the gunner aim there before she was gone. Suddenly, she was above the first heavy gunner, a warcry tearing from her lips as she landed behind him, sweeping his legs from under him before quickly changing the direction of her spin and slamming the end of her saberstaff into the gunner's head. She then brought the tip of the saber down on the heavy cannon itself, having switched it off of stun mode. It tore through it, ensuring no one would be able to come up behind her and start using it again.

She didn't stick around, back flipping away from the gunner's slack body. Her body twisted midair, so she was facing the next prey, the next heavy gunner. Her feet barely touched the ground before she was leaping again. It became apparent she was using force stealth between each jump.

[member="Cedric Grayson"] [member="Burc’ya Narric"] [member="Tobias Dracks"] [member="Zam Ulgo"] [member="Alyson Halle"]

 

[Burc’ya Narric]

The droid clutched the carbine in his hands, the powerpack humming with a latent energy, humming, begging to be released. The doors of the dropship opened, and he could swear he could feel the air, the breeze, the warmth of the planet, between that and the hail of blaster fire, the droid felt more at home than he had in decades. It was an onslaught, an endless barrage back and forth as troops across the field unloaded, the white plasteel that dotted the landscape in front sending return shots back across the plain, red bolting from the tips of black-blasters, slamming into their marks with a trademark scream. Over and over the return fire came, soldiers rushing, men diving for cover, sabers igniting.

Ages ago, the droid found himself on this planet, armed with a blaster, fighting clones in plasteel. Ages ago he marched under the orders of a general, to take the same building, to breach the same defenses, to fight the same heirs to this dying claim.

This would not be the same.

The droid, not rushing, not vaulting, simply stepped off of the gunship, the Jedi rushing ahead making clear the path he would follow. He brought the carbine to bear, resting it on his hip, he had wished he would have sprung for an exterior powerpack, but that was far from the worry at this rate. If the droid existed in the Cedric's beloved Force, if he had a soul, a heartbeat in the eternity, it would be with him this day.

The droid pressed down on the carbine's trigger, there was a second delay, a loud wirring sound coming from deep in the receiver, then the weapon exploded into life, the twin-linked barreled firing in response to one another, in it's trademark speed, nearly putting a rotary blaster to shame, a buzzsaw of red blaster fire, nearly a consistent stream, began to pelt into the distant sections of ruins the Imperials were set up in. The blaster was labeled as a carbine, it would drain it's power pack quickly, however, more accustomed to a suppression role.

The droid, the pressure from the blaster's fire actually locking his arms back, simply began to march forward, a laser-pointer of death brimming at his side as he went.

Cedric Graysonhttps://starwarsrp.net/user/8234-cedric-grayson/ Zam Ulgo Shanoed Marais Tobias Dracks Alyson Halle

 

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It had been some time since Cedric had stood at the front of a full scale war. He felt the empyrean rumbling around him like a hurricane. It threatened to overwhelm him, to wash over his senses and intoxicate him in its cacophony. It was a familiar pull, and one he had mastered long ago. The Jedi Master envisioned himself as the eye of the storm, a spot of perfect tranquility in the midst of hell itself. His movements became more nuanced, his reflexes quicker and tighter in form.

Operating on his own instincts, Cedric fully adopted the defensive form of Soresu as he marched across the trenches. His arms barely moved as they shifted in the most minuet of fashions to send bolts careening back to their owners. Six clones fired upon Cedirc from the nearby line, their fully automatic rifles threatening to overwhelm the Jedi. Concentrating on the empyrean, Cedric willed its energies to flow through his limbs. The silent prayer worked, as instinct momentarily took over, and he found the bolts crashing back into the trench. The six men were eviscerated beneath the hail of their own laserfire.

It was then that the tanks showed up.

Two heavy repulsortanks wheeled out from either side of the capital building. They hovered gracefully above the battle field, blaster turrets spitting plasmic death at the attacks. Two large cannons sent shell after shell of explosive plasma into the Essonian line. One of those shells collided with one of the fleeing dropships. The vessel was rent apart by the blast, its remains crashing violently into a group of men that had been hurrying to prepare an assault cannon.

"Get to cover!" Cedric shouted over the combat, calling upon the empyrean to once more fill his limbs with unnatural strength. He focused it into his feet, crouched, and sent himself flying several meters over the imperial lines. His arc came to an end as he fell upon the tank, the telekinetic energies he'd built up stored in his clenched fist. That coupled with the crushgaunts he wore sent his fist crashing through the durasteel outer plating, sending a shockwave of telekinetic energy through the tank. It was all Cedric could do to roll off the thing before it exploded in a mass of shrapnel and flames.

The battle raged across Coruscant. Militia groups were rising up against the warlords, and numerous detachments of Essonian troops had been assigned to the home regions of those lords in particular. The remnants simply lacked the resources to hold off such a coordinated assault. So long as they managed to break the palace, it was only a matter of time.

The remaining tank turned back upon the Essonians, its weapons easily bringing the push to a halt. An AT-ST that seemed to have been covered in several thick sheet of armored plating stumbled out from behind it, rapid fire cannon spitting suppressive fire out into the lines. It seemed the remnants were using whatever they could get their hands on at this point.

[member="Burc’ya Narric"], [member="Shanoed Marais"], [member="Zam Ulgo"], [member="Alyson Halle"], [member="Tobias Dracks"]

 

[Tobias Dracks]

The aging politician turned warmaster nodded as the Lord he now joined answered his call. The man who was no more then a boy in the eyes of his long struggling life inspired loyalty in his soldier, as such he had no choice but to accept the man. Tobias was not loyal to the young man who so called answered to the Light, this was no more then giving back to a man who supported what was left of the Republic. Exiles from the so called Jedi and rebellious leaders within the Corellian Union, he and his people fled the Core Worlds. It was out in the Fringe Territories that they were forced to struggle. Lord Grayson was the only one to offer him aid, even though he was once the Chancellor of that fledgling nation called the New Republic. He saw what the galaxy thought of his people, and though he could not offer much to them, he could only protect them with war.

This was the testament of that time spent fighting the Remnant of the First Order as well as fighting other Warlords calling themselves Freedom Fighters in the name of the Light. Words meant nothing to the torn man. He was no longer a man who believed in peace, forged in the fires of conflict, tempered by the soothing pain of betrayal, and sharpened by the skills of his past. He was now a Warlord, a tyrannical leader of several worlds, a master of a vast armada, and leader of legions of men. The call of a returned favor is not an act of loyalty, for that this young man who once served his nation would need to show more then flattery words.

He nodded as the communications ended. Waiting for the pattern on his screen to vanish showing the man was no longer there to vocalized his orders. Tobias was one of the few men the Jedi Lord could call upon who had a fleet at his disposal, he would let them take the planet. The center of the Galaxy was more then the one planet.

The Warlord turned to his helmsmen, "Lieutenant, order the fleet to break what meager lines these Imperials have left," The man walked to one of the windows looking out to the space fight outside his window, "Shield Corvettes to the front line, the Attack Frigates will move to flank, fast attacks and withdraws behind the shields, continue this till we bottle them around the carriers, that should poke wholes in their blockade for supply ships to draw to the surface and keep our logistics unbroken." He tapped on the glass with his thick reptilian finger and turned his head to one of the moons, "We will hand command over to Warmaster Twozer, hes an old Tatical Droid, but he's programmed with some of the best space maneuvers by Admiral Jaster Awaud, he will make quick work of this small pitiful force."

One of the Command Officers bowed and then sent the orders. Once that was finished, Tobias continued his orders, "The rest of the Armada will move to attack Centax-1, it is a Prison Planet for the Governments of this World, I am sure some would be loyal to those that liberate them from Imperial Tyranny, we move to liberate the Prisoners who were interned for Rebellion against the Core Federation," He nodded, "I am sure the Fighting First would like the honor, be sure to support them with the Freedoms Remnant and those still loyal of the Sons of Ession, it should be a good base of operations for the fleet, records show a old Dockyard on the Moon."

The orders were given, Tobias would make quick work of the space above the planet. Even giving a base for logistics to be harbored and shipped to the bases of their little invasion.

Soldiers fought battles, Leaders offered the means of not loosing.

[member="Zam Ulgo"] | [member="Alyson Halle"] | [member="Cedric Grayson"] | [member="Shanoed Marais"] | [member="Burc’ya Narric"]

 

[Alyson Halle]

Tanks, exactly the kind of challenge she needed. The machine guns could wait, a tank was far bigger of a threat. If they managed to get a strike at the transports behind them it would be catastrophic. She saw Cedric go for the repulsortank, she would have to handle the walker.

They had a critical weakness, the legs. A proper lightsaber strike would collapse the walker. She just needed to get close enough. She used the force to improve her physical prowess. She was fit, but now she could run at immense speeds. In the blink of an eye she had made it from the defensive lines. Her lightsaber quickly took care of the walkers legs.

The walker fell to the ground, but the threat was not eliminated. She made her way to the top of the walker, and used the force to rip the hatch from its bearings. She gave them no time to escape. A few quick shots was more than enough to kill the walkers crew.

Many Jedi find unnecessary killing to be cruel, Alyson simply saw it as necessary. She turned back towards Cedric. “Walker Eliminated!”

She quickly ran back towards friendly lines, waiting for the next break in the enemy line.

 

[Shanoed Marais]

The Miraluka was a whirlwind of motion. She was like a leaf, floating on the wind. The Force guided her jumps. There was no thinking. She couldn't think, thinking slowed her down. Slowing down was not an option. As she landed on a barricade in front of the next heavy gunner she let out a vicious cry, bringing the saberstaff down, piercing the heavy cannon. She used the staff as a pivot, swinging and slamming her knee into the gunner's helmet, knocking him back. As her feet touched the ground next to the downed gunner, the saberstaff was pulled out of the cannon and embedded itself in the clone's chest.

A group of clones turned on her and started firing. She pulled the saber out and spun it rapidly in front of her, precisely deflecting the blasterbolts back to their owner. Four went down in the same amount of seconds, the fifth dropping his blaster rifle and putting his hands up. Shan whipped the saberstaff out to the side, staring at the man for what must have been the longest second of his life. Then, she twisted, and leapt away, leaving the man alive and well.

Her next prey wasn't far, and was well aware that she was coming for him. He had a group of clones circled around him, guarding him from all sides while he focused on raining hell on the attacking force. This didn't matter to the Spyder. She slipped into the group, coming out her stealth as she raised a hand. The winds of the Force whirled around her before blasting outwards. The clones went flying, and the Heavy gunner was sent falling over the barricade he was taking cover behind. Shan was on top of him, her saberstaff coming down and piercing his neck.

There was no time to celebrate the kill. The beast was already sniffing out the next victim. Shan's whirlwind of Force energy expanded as she expanded her Force Sight. She was wearing down, her armor had singe marks all over it, and her stomach sported a nasty red burn from narrowly missing a blaster bolt. Two more. She could take two more before she had to retreat. She set her sights on the next one, and began weaving her way to him.

[member="Cedric Grayson"] [member="Burc’ya Narric"] [member="Tobias Dracks"] [member="Zam Ulgo"] [member="Alyson Halle"]

 

[Burc’ya Narric]

He expected the Imperials to have some form of fight left in them, whether that was the call of E-11s or E-Webs was Narric's main question, however, there was something steadily different about repulsortanks and walkers, those were armor units, those were things that the droid just didn't have the equipment to deal with.

He let go of the trigger, both barrels blooming smoke into the open air as he made his way into a trench, nearly diving into the dirt and mud, knocking durasteel to armor as he muscled his way back up through the swarms of friendly troops. He brought the carbine back up, settled it on the top of the trench, stabilizing the weapon before leaning back into the fire. Letting the soldiers next to him call out the location of where his fire should be directed, what units needed cover, what Stormtrooper lines needed to be thinned. This was it, this was what a Mandalorian was meant for. Field combat, faceless souls that he would never speak to again becoming battle-brothers, this was what he had always hoped for.

Rolling the gun along the edge, when it made contact with troops, it was far from a few shots and the man dropped, it was a show. The sheer force of the repeated fire floored most when they were caught, sending them tumbling in an explosion of blaster scorch and nearly melted plasteel, the sheer amount of sparks that shot up from impact would make a Lifeday Celebration look dull.

He would need a new powerpack soon, but that could be sorted during the push, until then, the blaster screamed on.

 

[Zam Ulgo]

By now the fighting in the temple had gone on for hours, and the imperial defenders had successfully been driven all the way back to the council throne room. Only a barricaded door stood in the way between Zam, one squad of the Sons of Ession, and the last of the resisting local fighters inside. By now they were all out of ammunition, since they hadn't counted on an invading force going straight for a ruined holy sight, and the rest of the company had by now successfully put up a perimeter around the grounds - resupply efforts were now at nil. The orderlies and medical droids were now also setting up the full forward medical center in the main hall, and corvettes were now regularly arriving at the site with injuried and more supplies. As far as the immediate objectives were concerned, this strategic point was now held.

Three members of the squads were now trying to fry the door's control panel into the room as the corporal spoke with Zam, who now stood by the door with her lightsaber still activated, but was now held low by her side. "That's the last of them", the corporal said, his helmet now off with his face covered in grime, oil and dirt. "The temple's ours."

Zam sighed, letting out a small chuckle as she wiped some grimey sweat from her forehead. "How many do you think are still in there?" She looked on at the barricaded door - from how she reckoned, it'd only be a few more moments before the Essionites opened the door. "Those men in there don't have much more fight left in them", she said.

"How could you know that?", the corporal replied, obviously bamboozled.

"I'm a Jedi", Zam replied in turn as she deactivated her lightsaber. "Leave this to me. 5 hours without resupply, water or rotations? They're done."

And so as soon as the corpsmen brought the door down, Zam stepped in first, greeted first by a small desperate volley of blaster fire which she quickly deflected with a split-second ignition of her lightsaber. She then raised her hand and force-pushed two of the defenders down flat on the floor.

"That's enough!.."

[member="Tobias Dracks"] [member="Cedric Grayson"] [member="Cedric Grayson"] [member="Burc’ya Narric"] [member="Shanoed Marais"]

 

[Placeholder 0128]

The clones were starting to crumble. It was a slow retreat: their warriors were well dug in. It was simply a matter of attrition that forced them back. The confederate remnants had no force users to fight on their side, and the arrival of Essonian battle tanks at the back of the infantry only served to shift the odds in the invaders' favor.

Battle reports rung in Cedric's ears as he marched hurled himself over one of the trenches, landing in a secondary trench further back in the colones' line. Caught by momentary surprise, several of the soldiers were unable to raise their weapons before Cedric struck them down with rapid, merciful blows. The panicked clones turned about, trying to gun down the Jedi that had pierced their lines. Cedric responded by charging down the trench, carving his way through the closest clone soldiers.

A throng of them rapidly turned their e-web turret about, bringing the weapon to bare on the Jedi Master. Having grown rather tired from his exertions, Cedric was keenly aware he could not hold back the turret. Instead, he called upon the empyrean once again, willing invisible tendrils to violently rip a chunk of dirt and permacrete into the air. With a gesture, the mass of earth was hurled at the turret. There was a loud crunch as several of the men were crushed, and the turret collapsed inward.

Cedric took cover, taking a moment to recollect himself. They had crossed most of the courtyard now. The remnants were retreating back to the palace, attempting to ready their emplacements in hopes of maintaining a desperate defense.

[member="Zam Ulgo"], [member="Burc’ya Narric"], [member="Shanoed Marais"], [member="Alyson Halle"], [member="Tobias Dracks"],

 

[Alyson Halle]

She would be called into action sooner than she would like. Cedric was swamped with enemies. At one point she served as a bodyguard to him, it appeared she would have to serve in the roll again. She holstered her pistol and revolver, and picked up the rifle. She flicked the safety to semi-automatic and began to fire.

The force guided her movements, telling her where to move to avoid blaster fire. She could see the bolts coming before they reached her, and she simply did her best to step out of the way. That combined with her force-enhanced speed made her rather difficult to hit, and when the stray bolt did strike her, the mobility shield absorbed the blast.

The force guided her shots, she didn’t even have to aim. She never bothered with a scope because she rarely missed. Her senses told her where to aim and she fire accordingly. She moved her way towards Cedric, clearing large swaths of enemies. She had dumped a magazine by the time she had reached him.

She dropped the magazine and loaded a new one, popping the bolt release on the side. She was pleased to see that the enemy lines were finally breaking. Their resolve was shattered, she could feel, see the jagged motions of their strings. They were jumpy, hungry, and tired. Now was the time to push.

Alyson pushed in the earpiece, calling out to anyone nearby. “All forces form up on Cedric and I, we are going to make the final push for the palace. Prepare for close quarters fighting. Affix bayonets.”

This was the make or break moment. For now, she would just fire into the enemy lines, taking out enemy heads when they dared pop up over the line. The two Jedi would be forced to lead the charge, but from this vantage point she noticed a strange sight.

There was another jedi, one she had seen before the battle but hadn’t had the chance to talk to, tearing through the enemy formation. She was alone, yet her actions were very deliberate. This wasn’t a blood rage, she wasn’t needlessly tearing through the enemy, she was targeting specific people, the gunners and their weapons. Anyone who didn’t pose a threat to her was spared.

She would have to have a talk with the girl later. Alyson could see the strings which bound her, they were strong and confident, but lacked finesse. With training they could be taught to use them to great effect.

 

[Zam Ulgo]

By now the fighting at the temple had died down, and the small company that was Zam's contingent of troops had managed to get the medical base fully up and running. A small, portable communications relay had also been set up to assist in clearing up comm traffic on the surface and with the fleet overhead. An additional company was also sent down to clear out the surrounding blocs, so while firefighting could still be heard in the distance if you stood out by the temple grounds perimeter, it was far away now. Gunships could come and go freely, arriving with orderlies, supplies and additional equipment for reconstruction. These in turn were then picked up by other transports and corvettes who'd shuttle them off to the different units operating around the planet surface. It wasn't a frontline forward base, but it provide the Sons of Ession with fresh supplies and equipment every other hour, and of course acted as sanctuary for the dying, or the dead.

Zam stood inside the Jedi Temple, hunched over a control panel to the 12 stasis vats that were now fully operational and all occupied. A nurse walked up to her with a datapad, which Zam quickly looked at and nodded off on with a smile. "I haven't heard any details of Kolto being used since the time of the Old Republic. Doesn't Manaan only make it?", the nurse said with a smile back as she took the datapad back into her hands from the Jedi.

"That's right", Zam said with some of her gusto back again now that she'd rested a bit, "I like to save the bacta for the more grevious injuries. If you've just taken a blaster bolt though, I'm sure it's nothing you can't handle right?"

The nurse smiled once more as she took her leave. "What you're doing is amazing, Master Jedi. Back then, it was a race to whoever could get their hands on bacta first. I don't even think we've got a waitlist anymore."

Zam just smiled. "I do what I can to help."

After she'd been left alone again, in the midst of a bustling floor of droids, soldiers, nurses and equipment, Zam took a deep breath, and allowed herself to get a good look at the ancient structure around her. It was magnificent.

"What a beautiful sight", she mumbled in marvel. Maybe after her next round of inspecting the patients, she'd go downstairs to where the old archives were kept. At about the same time, the rest of the fleet would have gotten news by now that the Battle for the Jedi Temple was won, and that they now had a fully operational command post with medical facilities on standby on the ground proper.

[member="Cedric Grayson"] [member="Burc’ya Narric"] [member="Shanoed Marais"] [member="Alyson Halle"] [member="Tobias Dracks"]