Invasion The Bacta War | Sith Order Invasion of High Republic Thyferra Chapter 1

[Revna Marr]

Wearing:
Ring || Lightsaber || Necklace || Armor​

​

The young woman across from Revna was silent for a moment, as if weighing what had been said to her. She seemed to study the Sith woman, before giving a small nod and announcing that she ‘would do what she must’.

Behind her mask, Darth X’aviera gave a small but grim smile. “As I would expect you to.” she said in the same soft voice as she watched the readiness for combat fall over her admittedly beautiful foe.

The Force swelled as the Jedi told her forces to secure the facility behind her and make sure the forces that Revna had been tagging along with didn’t get through. That didn’t bother the Vahla too much - the Legionnaires belonged to Gerwald Lechner and the Second Legion were formidable fighters in their own right. They would be able to handle whatever troops the Jedi sent against them.

There was a flurry of movement, and Revna could feel the Force hum around her opponent - whose skin seemed to suddenly shift in a dazzling display of colors that momentarily made the Sith pause in wonder. She’d never seen anything like her before - but now was decidedly not the time to stand there in awe.

Though if Revna was being honest with herself - she would much rather have had a nice chat over a cup of caf or tea with the woman across from her than fight her.

Then, there was no time left to think, only act and react. The Force flowed through her enemy and Revna pulled her own power forward to erect an invisible shield between her and the Jedi to block whatever was incoming, even as her blood red blade ignited her other hand with a crackling hum. She was not prepared for the blinding flash of light that erupted, though the Force shield around her was able to diffuse some of the brightness, but not all of it.

She sensed the Lightwalker moving up on her, then the distinct sense of incoming danger - so she dropped the shield and launched herself upwards in a Force aided jump to clear the area she had just been standing in, landing a heartbeat later right amidst the troopers that had been following their Jedi. The dark red blade flashed in a lethal arc, carving through armor and flesh and bone in the blink of an eye - and at the same time, small explosions registered where Revna had previously been standing and amongst the Second Legion, though they didn’t appear to be fatal. At least, Revna did not sense the swell of death in the wake of the explosions. Whatever the Jedi had tossed at her and the Legionnaires seemed to stun them or otherwise fry the electronics in their weapons.

Tricky tricky - Revna thought to herself as she threw the energy of the Force from her that sent both living and dead troopers flying away from her in a short radius so she wasn’t so crowded. Those that hadn’t been caught by her small scale Force blast however were firing on her, their bolts either deflected by her blade or skimming off her armor. The Sith’s movements were controlled, disciplined; she didn’t seem to be concerned about being surrounded by enemies that were shooting at her.

She kept herself in their midst, using their proximity to hopefully deter the Lightwalker from throwing any more of her little surprises. Surely those little grenades would impact them as well and she didn’t think the Jedi would be willing to harm or otherwise disrupt her own troops.

“What is your goal here, Lightwalker? If you stop me, what will you do? Arrest me?” Revna called out to her opponent, as she blocked several more shots and even redirected a couple bolts straight at the Jedi herself. “I’d say kill, but you do not seem like you have the heart to do such a thing.”


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Allies: The Sith Order
Enemies: The High Republic
Opponent Tag: Zaiya Ceti ​

 

[Velda Nar-Donna]

TAGS: Brandyn Sal-Soren / Bastila Sal-Soren
OUTFIT: Black Sith Robes
WEAPONS: 2 Lightsabers hidden

After the attempted shearing off of the barrel, Bastila’s blaster fell to the floor, smoking in pieces.

It did not seem as if Bastila herself completely trusted the situation, choosing to sacrifice the weapon instead. Which was likely wise. Velda wasn’t even looking to take the fingers or the hand, as removing the blaster from the space had been the primary idea.

Though Velda would have found removing the fingers or hand to be a completely acceptable outcome.

What happened next could only be called inspired.

As the violet tip thrusted upward, Velda’s right wrist snapped inward with ruthless, microscopic precision. Crimson met violet in a blinding explosion of white-hot light, the two blades locking with a deafening, metallic screech that filled the tight space between their faces. Velda made sure to direct the plasma to the side, clearing the gap.

Then came the shoulder. Velda anchored her legs within the Force.

Bastila’s full weight slammed straight into Velda’s chest, a desperate, heavy tackle built on pure kinetic velocity.

The impact hit with a dull, sickening...

CRACK!!!

Velda barely yielded, taking only two or three heavy steps back as her boots bit into the deck.

The collision shuddered through the air, sending the rush rebounding straight back into the Jedi. The energy reflected off Velda’s anchored frame like a violent wave breaking against a sheer cliff.

They stood chest-to-chest, the locked sabers snarling, a faint smell of ozone hanging heavy between them.

Velda looked through the darkness of her hood at Bastila, her dark eyes cloaked in shadow, narrowed in pure contempt as she heard the garbled static message Bastila received regarding the relief fleet.

“Oh, what a hopeful communique...” Velda’s voice came through as a smooth defiance on the reinforcements, contrasting against the sizzle of the locked plasma of the blades. “This planet is dying, and there is no sanctuary left for the Jedi here.”

Her eyes fell on Brandyn, who was stalking ever closer.

With a sinister curl to her lips, she glanced back at Bastila, then back to Brandyn. She could feel the rage, the pure anger radiating off him.

Then she felt the Force wrap around her, in response she did the unexpected.

She lifted the anchor from her legs. Whatever he was planning, she wasn’t going to impede it at all.

Then Velda was ripped from where she stood, thrown into the darkness at relentless speed, swallowed whole by the black shadows of the bunker.

She was airborne for only a few seconds, though to Velda it felt longer.

The armor beneath her robes hit with a heavy smack against the rusted durasteel of the bunker wall. The violent impact knocked her saber loose from her hand for a brief moment and threw her hood back over her shoulders, though that hardly bothered her, considering her identity was already out in the open.

The hit was a bit harder than she would have preferred, but she slowly rose back to her feet.

Reaching out through the Force, she called the hilt back to her grip and stalked back toward the main entrance.

She reemerged from the shadows with her blade still ignited, circling around Brandyn and away from Bastila while maintaining a respectable distance. As she moved, she dropped the tip of her saber low, the crimson plasma finding a shallow puddle on the deck, sizzling and sending up wisps of white smoke as she walked past.

“Do regale me, Brandyn, about who I’ve taken from you...”

 

[Tobias Dib]

Allies: Sith Order
Enemies: Everyone else
Tags: Connel Vanagor , "Ariel" , Seren Gwyn , Aiden Porte , OPEN


Shuttles, ships, and other atmospheric craft rose from the duracrete pads of the hangar bays of the prison. Large bay doors rolled back as they streamed from the depths. A motley bunch of aircraft emerged. But they served their purpose in getting the makeshift army brigade from point A to point B. They didn't have to look good; they just had to be good. In one of the leading ships, Warden Cobbs and Sergeant Mills stood on either side of Troigs. They had divided their force of nearly a thousand strong between them. Cobbs and his guards would push from the landing bays and seek to establish a foothold for the Republic forces. Meanwhile, Mills and Troigs would push past and infiltrate the facilities. But there would be nothing stealthy about their approach.

Utilizing the layout of the city, the ships streaked down straightaways above the city streets, slowing only to bank around buildings before continuing onward. The pilots knew the danger zone would be the open ground between the city's outskirts and the start of the industrial park. Troigs' orders were to hit the open ground and open the throttles. Then they cleared the final obstacles and accelerated. Enemy fire ricocheted from the hulls, but thankfully none pierced them. The ships still shuddered from the small-arms fire, yet they continued unerringly to the perimeter of the industrial park. When they landed and disgorged their recruitment of troops, there was a moment of confusion before Sergeant Mills revealed himself to be a military member on leave when everything went to hell. Warden Cobb and his guards gladly welcomed their assault position in the Republic forces, while Mills and Troigs pushed their groups inward.

"This is Sergeant Mills and Jedi Troigs. We are entering the industrial park and pressing toward the central hub, where the enemy commander is presumed to be. Any Sith we encounter on the way will be exterminated with extreme prejudice." Mills noticed the discomfort exhibited by the wording. They had already discussed that this was war. Any Jedi teachings about mercy and fluffy feelings were no longer valid. Especially considering the state of Thyferra. Troigs had agreed. "Time to do this, my Jedi friend." They entered the facilities at the head of their rabble-rousing contingent. Mills did have a question about what they would do if they encountered sealed bulkheads. Troigs only smiled. "I have a key." The blue blade of the lightsaber leapt to life, along with their shared smiles.

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The squadrons took evasive action when they were fired upon. Though the ships were splitting through rain clouds, they knew what the targets would be—the bombers. The Sith interceptors knew their jobs. Protect the bombers from enemy fire at all costs. Using the dense storm clouds, they wove in and out of visibility, knowing if they couldn't see the enemy, then the enemy couldn't see them. Rain hammered at their hulls as the three-pronged attack finally separated.

The first group flew for the capital. They used cloud cover for camouflage and concealment until it slowly began to dissipate. It didn't matter. They were close enough. Bombers readied their loadouts even as they jinked from side to side evasively. Several fighters were blasted from the skies, but the mission remained. Beneath them were the outer edges of the capital, and several more of the support craft were hit, falling as burning debris into the city. The bombers lined up on their final approach. However, defensive fire hit two of the bombers, sending them crashing along the city's edges. At the same time, the final two Caldoth-Class Tactical Bombers released their full arsenal before screaming straight upwards to escape enemy barrages of firepower.

Twenty Discord missiles flew over the city before they hatched, raining down a swarm of buzz droids from each container. Their programming wasn't to attack ships and droids but rather the population of the capital, sowing as much chaos and death as possible.

Forty Trauger missiles aimed for the rain clouds above the city. Upon detonation, the clouds of gas emitted combined with the showers to turn into acid rain capable of liquefying the most resistant of metals and, if contact was made with organic beings, extreme burns and nerve damage, often leading to amputations being required to save the victims.

One hundred and twenty Bunker-buster torpedoes were launched in rapid salvos. The sheer number served one goal. To carpet the capital with torpedoes capable of driving into the surface itself in search of hidden bunkers before the proton bomb in each detonated. Regardless of whether they found anything, the explosion could cause multiple city blocks of upheaval, damage, and death. Not to mention the obvious lasting effects of structural damage and destruction.

And then there were the mixed payloads of the big boi bomb bays. Six Deathball proton bombs fell toward the city. Each was more than equal to tons of TNT-equivalent yields. And all six fell toward the heart of the city.

The other six massive payloads were merely carriers of the Nihilblight Xenotoxin. Leading to rapid cell degeneration within seconds of contact, it also could cause neural failure, seizures, and nerve disruption in as little as twenty seconds. Even worse, the gas seemed semi-sentient, often following signs of life rather than merely dispersing. And they fell toward the most populated areas of the capital.

The fallen bombers crashed, releasing the creeping gas that searched for victims indiscriminately.

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Over the Jedi army formations in the burning fields, the second group of fighters and bombers swooped down. Instead of defending from orbit, the Sith interceptors flew in a forward screen, taking incoming fire like bodyguards made of metal and engines, consciously sacrificing themselves to the cause. One bomber was hulled through the viewport, spinning toward the burning fields while another was clipped in the wings, launching it toward the fiery forests. However, the other two bombers unloaded on the enemy army with the same directives.

Twenty swarms of buzz droids from the Discord missiles.
Forty Trauger missiles exploding near the rear of their formations to limit friendly fire via the acid.
One hundred and twenty Bunker-buster torpedoes lobbed at enemy artillery and armored support vehicles.
Six Deathball proton bombs dropped in the thickest formations.
And six Nihilblight Xenotoxin payloads dispersed toward reserve Jedi.

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The third group of Interceptors and bombers disappeared into the storm clouds, circling the industrial park while remaining hidden.

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All the while, the massive armored giant remained silent in the central hub located within the towers. View screens locked out several of the hackers and slicers. Reports said the enemy was pushing the perimeter well within the bounds of the industrial park, while well-placed attacks demolished artillery emplacements and sniper nests. And the enemy continued to advance. Bulkheads continued to open and close at random, cutting off reinforcements and forcing them to reroute. Trask was unreachable. A discouraging number of shuttles were being taken out over the facilities. And then a voice cut through their comms.

"I'm coming for you."

The gargantuan figure did not respond. All that was seen was his grip tighten on the unlit lightsaber hilt held in one gauntleted hand. Somewhere, the timer kept ticking.

2.54.17
2.54.16
2.54.15

 

[Darth Strosius]

Equipment: Lightsaber - Sword - Dagger - Robes
Tags: Lina Ovmar / Madrona A’Mia / William Thule / Andromeda Demir / Open!
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The situation was already evolving fairly quickly and not necessarily to their advantage. Darth Strosius didn't care very much for either occurrence at all, they couldn't afford to be pinned down in the open like this for long. He didn't know what other forces might be moving to intercept them but they had to rid themselves of these first ones and fast. He looked back for a moment to give an order to His Legionnaires, to command them to form proper positions and begin pushing forwards while the droids were still functional, yet a scream tore His attention from them.

"Lina!" Darth Strosius moved to her side at once, His free hand hovering behind her back as she raised a shield for herself just in case she needed a steadier footing. His hidden gaze snapped over her and widened when the slight disconnect between her movements and the echo that plagued her form. The stole had been affected and the effects of Lina's condition were already far too apparent for His liking. "Kark not now. Are you alright?" There wasn't much that could be done to repair the runes amidst a battle, not without risking getting shot to bits at any rate.

"Just hang back and I'll-" Lina was off before He could fret over her any further, bringing her creatures of shade to bear against the firing line whilst she charged the Jedi. That was supposed to be His duty. Unfortunately His forces were in dire need of guidance, the droids' march forwards had already resulting in glancing blows becoming disabling shots and their numbers were thinning. Not to mention the sample collectors were starting to take direct fire themselves even as the droids shifted to position themselves far before them.

A grenade soared through the air and was about to land right in a plot where two legionnaires had dove for cover, though it never hit the ground nor did it effect them at all. Darth Strosius stopped it in mid-air and threw it up with a gesture of His armored fingers, letting it explode high up and far away from His soldiers. As the droids began falling He rushed forward and began taking up the task of deflecting the bolts aimed to put down the collection teams.

With a gesture the handful of remaining droids broke into an all out charge towards where the Vratix and Republic soldiers, their blasters running hot as they fired with reckless abandon. :"Someone kill that fething Jedi!": The legionnaires glanced at one another and then at where Lina and one of the Jedi seemed destined to clash, the other having broken off to defend the soldiers from the creatures set upon them. Without any further delay they began to maneuver along the flanks of the two charging lightsaber wielders, firing at the Jedi in the hopes of keeping his movement limited so that Lina could manage a swift and decisive strike.

Darth Strosius meanwhile had taken to the air, soaring up on the pale translucent tendrils that flowed from His back and served as an odd parody of "wings", before diving ahead of the droid charge. He came down upon the Jedi as she moved to cut one of the creatures down, His crimson blade snapping down to sever the hand that held her weapon before it could meet the shadow walker. He needed to get rid of the Vratix and more importantly the soldiers before His teams could advance properly.

 

[Quinn Varanin]

//: Running up that Hill //:
//: Equipment in Sig //:
//: Offices //:

//: Arris Windrun //:
​

Her eyes never left the cyborg's.

She could still sense her blood, that same small drop that stained the underside of Arris' tongue. The faint thread of it remained familiar against Quinn's senses, untouched. Arris hadn't switched it out for another part.

Which meant Quinn could still find her if she needed to.

A blood trail.

It was how she cared about the people that were hers.

Her gaze glided over Arris' face once more, lingering on every subtle movement while she listened to the woman ramble. It was frustrating not to hear what she wanted. It had been such a simple question, one others had answered without hesitation.

Why did Arris hesitate?

Quinn found herself thinking of the blonde woman. The one Arris had so easily said she needed.

Without realizing it, Quinn felt the faint sting gathering behind her eyes. Tears welled along her lashes before she could stop them. It was silly. Pathetic jealousy. She had given Arris something — something the cyborg claimed she needed — yet she couldn't simply answer her.

Quinn caught her lower lip between her teeth, biting gently as she forced the tears to remain where they were.

She didn't want Arris to see her frustration.

Instead, Quinn stayed close.

Close enough to hear the softness of Arris' breathing. Close enough to feel the warmth between them, the space separating their bodies reduced to almost nothing. Her smile faltered for only a moment before she leaned in, brushing a gentle kiss against the corner of the cyborg's lips.

Not yet.

Arris wouldn't receive the gift just yet.

Quinn wanted something first. Needed something from her.

Her mind wandered back to the kiss before the fight against the Kestrians, to the way she had given Arris so much of what she offered without hesitation. The memory still sat warm beneath her skin, intoxicating in a way Quinn hated admitting.

She wanted more.

But she wanted Arris to want her just as badly.

"That's not what I was asking you." The words came in a whisper.

Her thumb drifted beneath Arris' lower lip, tracing the soft edge of it with deliberate slowness. Quinn let the silence settle between them afterward, her touch remaining there as she wondered what was happening inside Arris' mind.

Why she continued to dodge what should have been the easiest question Quinn had ever asked.

It only made Quinn lean closer.

Made her want to coax the answer from Arris until there was nothing else occupying that strange, mechanical mind of hers.

"You said I make you feel alive…"

Quinn's hand slipped around the back of Arris' neck, her fingers disappearing gently into dark hair. The touch lacked her usual possessive sharpness. Instead, there was something tender in it, something vulnerable that Quinn had only recently begun allowing Arris to see.

Their faces were barely apart now.

Her lips lingered only a breath away from Arris', close enough that every whispered word brushed warm against them. Quinn's voice lowered further, turning into something meant only for the space between them.

"I want to be the reason you feel something…"

Quinn pressed herself more fully against the taller woman.

The promise of her gift lingered on her lips, close enough to tempt, but deliberately withheld. She wanted Arris to act. Wanted to hear the answer without having to drag it from her.

She wanted to feel that want.

That need.

That terrible little desperation to have her, to keep her — to need her.

But Quinn didn't kiss her.

Instead, she remained there, her fingers still tangled softly in Arris' hair, her thumb brushing near the corner of her mouth. In contrast, the faint shine of unshed tears remained trapped along Quinn's lashes.

Her eyes searched Arris' face, hungry for some sign.

Something.

For what exactly, even Quinn wasn't entirely certain.

All she knew was what she wanted.

She wanted Arris.

//: Sibylla Abrantes //:​

Quinn tried not to look at Sibylla as she checked the fallen guards. Her own people were fortunate enough to survive, hardened by the training they had been given. The woman who had accompanied her looked over at Quinn and nodded — understanding the next course of action. The group fanned and began to help the wounded, giving aid where they could and handling the situation. Quinn never gave them another look. Her focus was now on the Naboo noble.

Frustration furrowed her brow; it was an annoyance to hear the woman assume the Sith were the only terrors in the galaxy — the monsters the Republic was meant to push back. No, they were all monsters — some just accepted the monstrosity better than others.

"And is the Republic any different?" She wanted to shout, but she didn't. Quinn knew fighting would only make things worse, and that was something she didn't want. Still, her emotions were starting to bubble up; everything around her was going to chit, and there was very little the woman could do.

"YOUR Government was more than willing to cut off any contracts with the Sith. What about MY people? Are they considered less than yours because they live under a different banner? Are they considered monsters because of where they were born?"

Quinn covered her face for a moment; she could feel the composure leaving her. There was so much resentment towards the Republic; they had assumed who she was, what she was — before she could even try and prove their thoughts otherwise.

"You know nothing… about anything," Quinn mumbled as she dropped her hands from her face. Eyes settling on the woman, they had been in this situation before, and Quinn took to heart the words Sibylla had wisely given her.

But Quinn was now convinced it was a facade, taught by the Great Noble Houses of Naboo. While Quinn had taken the chance to learn about the galaxy, Sibylla remained in the small sphere of hope.

This was only more somore so when she watched the woman, confused by her question, with the Outbound Flight. Quinn raised an eyebrow as she watched and listened. From her understanding, this endeavor was Dominic Praxon 's thought child. She took him for someone who wanted the glory and the attention — only to ensure his next election. Another thing Quinn didn't quite understand.

But for the Voice of the Houses to not know anything, she scoffed.

"Does the right hand not talk to the left? The Outbound Flight, I was there, in that horrid hangar. I watched as my—" She paused; she didn't know what to call him. Was Dominic a friend? A companion? A business partner?

She needed to know.

CT-312 was up there… So was Eira Dyn and Arris… so many others…

Her breath caught as she felt one presence she hoped for… but wanted never to feel again. Bastila Sal-Soren was here on this horrible forsaken world… and a weight sat heavy on the Echani's heart.

Thankfully, Sibylla had cut off, and Quinn's eyes followed where hers were now. The brutality of the Sith now bled through the Force. She could feel it; an unnatural hunger cried out amongst the dead and the dying. At her side, her fists balled tightly. None of this was going according to the plan she had been given. Perhaps that was the plan — she was known for her bleeding heart, her inability to do what was necessary at times.

But she was different now. She had been labeled a monster — and so began the transformation.

Quinn watched as the shuttle spun out of control and crashed into the fields of flame. She didn't move; she didn't react, only listened to the frantic words from the woman beside her.

It was hopeless. She thought quietly. The lives aboard the shuttle were no longer theirs; they belonged to a new master, and her stomach twisted at the thought. She watched the horrors unfold as the bodies that had been thrown about, ragdolling like a child's abandoned toy…

They stood.

They moved.

They hungered…

Their bodies twitched and shambled along the edge, knowing where flesh lay. Something caught her attention as she looked towards one of her guards. They too were unbothered as they removed their weapons. Unspoken words between them, and then suddenly the sounds of guns echoed in the halls.

One shot, then two… then more. Each aimed out of mercy…

Another movement as they shifted, moving to sacrifice themselves for the woman. Her handmaiden, on the other hand, had a different job. Then she was revealed to be a Sith herself. She moved out towards the fields to fight, to make it off and head back to Eshan. That was the plan; it was their contingency.

"Sibylla," she spoke, her voice gentle despite the horrors they were seeing.

"This is the power of the Dark Side… what I fought so hard to avoid…" She tilted her head, seeing the dead move like this was nothing new. It was almost numbing.

"The dead, they aren't themselves anymore… reanimated to do their master's bidding. Sacrilegious."

They drew closer, and Quinn watched; she didn't move until the horde realized what awaited them. Quickly, they moved toward the open viewport. At that moment, Quinn shifted her feet; something sparked, growing in the palm of her hand. Almost in an instant, she had lunged forward at a blinding speed as the lightning that she held cracked and danced along the undead. The shock was enough to stop them momentarily.

"Sib, we need to run." Turning back, Quinn reached for the woman's hand. Part of her wondered whether she would take it or try her best to fend for herself. Quinn wouldn't wait to find out. They needed to move as the Kinetite seemed to only shock them.

Running now, Quinn wondered if she was holding back, or if the monsters were suddenly immune to what she threw at them. Still, stunning them bought them time.

As she ran, she could suddenly feel the tendrils of her bonds blip out of existence. Her eyes widened as usually that only meant one thing.

Death.

But unlike others, this one didn't burn or tear at her mind. Remembering what was mentioned over the communications, she now felt a blinding fury bloom in her chest. They rounded the next corner, and Quinn took the opportunity to try and shove Sibylla into the adjacent wall.

"I don't feel them anymore!" Her voice suddenly frantic, rattling under her breath.

"What is out there, Sibylla? Don't lie to me!"

A darkness fell over the Echani's features…

"Tell me…"