Invasion The Bacta War | Sith Order Invasion of High Republic Thyferra Chapter 2

[Caltin Vanagor]

She was dying... then in a blink of an eye...

Remember this place? It was the lobby of the museum that the Sith Mikal Sarn had set up the perfect ambush. He had assassins, and a droid army waiting for them. Caltin was pinned down and she had worked up the courage and strength most of all the will to not be a victim anymore. She was there to FIGHT.

This was a memory of her from almost 900 years ago.

You think strength is what you’ve got left in your arms? You think it’s how much blood you’ve got left to lose? That was never where your strength came from. She was watching her get MAD that Caltin was holding the line but was getting pinned down.

I’ve watched you walk into things that would have sent others running. I’ve watched you hurt. I’ve watched you afraid. I’ve watched you lose. She was holding her ears.

And do you know what I have never seen you do? She yelled “SARN!” Quit. The look on her face was different, Masterful.

So don’t start now. She stood.

Stop looking at him and deciding how this ends because of what he is. Remember who you are. Caltin back then threw her lightsaber at her and the caught it blindly with no effort.

He wants you to think about how powerful he is. How long he’s lived. How many battles he’s fought. How many Jedi he’s broken. That first clash, it was clear, Sarn was powerful but out of his league.

Let him worry about you. Ala, you are inwardly stronger than I could ever have been. I mean that. You’ve carried things that would have broken me. You’ve kept moving when no one would have blamed you for stopping. You’ve found reasons to stand when there shouldn’t have been any left. That strength is yours. It always was. She was thrown through a wall and got RIGHT BACK UP.

But if you need some of mine… I’ll gladly give it to you. Take my hand. I can’t give you courage. You already have that. I can’t give you resolve. You’ve had more of that than you ever gave yourself credit for. What I can give you is enough strength to remind your body what your heart already knows. She would see when he rescued her from stasis.

You’re hurt. Fine. You’re tired. Fine.You’re scared? Good. Means you understand what’s at stake. Fight hurt. Fight tired. Fight scared. But you fight. You have never walked away from anything in your life just because it was hard. A huge Bryn’adul breaking her back like a twig. She spend time in a hoverchair.

You are not starting now. She fought to walk.

You are not dying here, Ala. Not today. Not ever. She would see one of the many times brother and sister hugged.

Now quit worrying about whether you can beat him. Make him worry about whether he can beat you. Go. She would see Conservator, his lightsaber hanging on the mantle in her office.

Show him.

... in the blink of an eye...

 

[Dominique Vexx]

HRNS Grace of Theed

"As you choose, Representative of Naboo." Dominique lifted her chin. She didn't bother to take a single step toward the precious Kinsguard that felt threatened by her presence. Drawing tighter ranks would do them little good.

"Commodore," the Chancellor pivoted on the heel of her foot to look at Tiberius Rath , "annihilate the Sith forces, but your priority is protecting the Republic's citizens. You can relay that to Director Damos Rennar as well."

Shadows darkened where the bridge's blastdoors would be if sealed shut. A force of equal compliment as Aurelian's had arrived. They wore Dominique's Rachne Industries' own R-D30.1 Daemon Assault Armor. Like Aurelian, she had her own security force -- CTRLd. Unlike Aurelian, she'd spent considerable personally collateral training and equipping them to take on CorpSec and force out the corrupt, inept, and mad thugs of Denon's Directors. Ayumi used her money to rebuild districts; Dominique used hers to make certain the criminals didn't move right back in and set everything on fire.

Her golden eyes beheld them assembled there, but did not motion for them to do more but stand on this side of those blast doors. Tiberius would not appreciate open violence on his bridge while he fought a war, and Dominique would find such chaos a sickening display herself.

She pivoted back around to look at Aurelian Veruna once more. "We will conclude this discussion once hostilities have ended." In case the man thought he was just walking off the bridge surrounded by his guards because they were mere politicians. And if this turned out to be a grand coup? Well, Dominique had been prepared for that contingency when Ravion was on the cusp of unilaterally assuming control; today was no different.

As for Vizion Trozky , Dominique had no further comments. He seemed content with sending his messages and coordinating that with the Commodore as she'd just given the man such instructions moments ago. That was sufficient for her purposes. At least their own wouldn't die because the artifact was haphazardly activated without warning.

"As the Jedi have been warned, perhaps the Naboo Representative would do us all the honor of extending the field and leveling the playing field on Thyferra." Dominique had to hold back quite a few barbs and remarks about how they weren't even trying to use the artifact strategically. It was haphazard at best. Blind luck, and at this point hope that the Sith weren't already prepared for the full brunt of its effects because of the gradual expansion of its scope.

The klaxons of alert and tremors of enemy fire on the Grace did little to draw Dominique's attention throughout the clash on the bridge. Tiberius had matters in hand. It was his duty to manage the situation among fleet forces. Even if the deck were to lurk beneath her, the Chancellor's ardent will alone would ensure not so much as a step out of place.

Verity Stuyveris​

 

[Ala Quin]

The heavy, metallic thud of Lorn landing on the engineering floor made Ala startle. Hurried glances bore no immediate evidence of his location, forcing her to scramble behind an outcropping of massive ventilation ducting. Her chest heaved, frantically drawing in what little air she could as her mind raced to make sense of the moment.

The pain. The sheer, suffocating pain.

Her beloved falling to the dark side hurt worse than the ache in her shoulder from dropping into the machinery. It hurt more than the gash across her forehead that was now causing blood to cloud her left eye. It hurt more than the crushing headache settling behind her temples. But none of it compared to the agonising realisation that she had not been enough for him — that she had failed to save him.

Then came a thought. A whisper of a memory from long ago, carrying a sense of calm that had been lost to her until now. She remembered the day vividly. She had been so young, hunted by the madman who had killed her mother.

So much heartache. So much loss. So many times she had fallen.

You're hurt? Fine. You're tired? Fine. You're scared? Good. Means you understand what's at stake. Fight hurt. Fight tired. Fight scared. But you fight. You have never walked away from anything in your life just because it was hard.

How she missed him. Her brother, who had always come to her rescue, who had always been there for her. Now, he had been gone for far too long.

Ala clenched her jaw, forcing a spark of determination back into her spirit.

"Running away from your responsibilities again, Ala? Can't bear to face your own failure?"

Lorn's words drifted through the machinery, explicitly designed to wound. It was a cruel, twisted corruption of the voice that had once whispered things so sweet she could have curled up in them forever. And now, this.

But she was done hiding.

Caltin had been right all those years ago. If standing and fighting meant she had to kill the man she loved just to protect some small shred of hope for the Jedi Order's future, then the Grandmaster would not hesitate.

"Did you even know what they'd do?" Lorn taunted, his voice echoing off the vibrating bulkheads. "Or did they keep you in the dark as well?
How many Jedi do you think are dying this exact second? You can't even feel them if they are... You're all alone, Ala. Alone with me."

She didn't reply. Instead, she quietly clipped her lightsaber to her belt and moved quickly, scurrying low across the floor like a rodent. She could hear his heavy footsteps on the opposite side of a massive, vibrating conduit. A plan finally formulated in the absolute silence of her mind.

Lying completely prone, she squeezed herself beneath the boiling pipe. The intense heat radiating from the metal immediately warned her not to delay — though a few seconds longer to steady her breathing would have been nice. Through the narrow gap, she watched his boots march past, the amber glow of his golden blade washing over the small cavity providing her cover.

The moment his back turned, Ala crept outward. She stood, ripped her lightsaber free, and ignited the blade in a single, desperate, and blinding arc, throwing everything she had into one final attempt to end it all right now.

Addendum: Till Death Do Us Part

Darth Carnifex
​

 

[Darth Carnifex]

The snap-hiss at his back made the hairs along his neck stand on end, a cold chill slicing through Lorn before his body began to turn. A shaking hand clutched his lightsaber, swinging it around towards the sound with the full force of his strength. Ala Quin gradually came into his peripheral view, growing ever more present in his sight. He aimed for her neck, a decapitation strike. He'd end it all here, silence the voices. He could envision it now, Ala Quin lying dead at his feet, and he would be rid of the dreams that have plagued him night after night.

Except that isn't what happened.

His blade sang true, but Ala had the initiative. Her blade was already moving to meet his. It skipped off at an odd angle, continuing on to cut through the emitter, then through armor and fabric, and finally flesh. Lorn recoiled back, bewilderment etched across his haunted expression. A smoldering furrow ran across the front of his chest from collarbone to navel, pain exploding from one end to the other. His lightsaber, now useless, tumbled from slack fingers.

Then a voice, weak like a child's, whispered from behind Lorn's lips. "Ala...?"

A moment, disbelief. The air hung suspended between them, the loud noise of the engine momentarily forgotten and replaced by rough, shallow breathing. But that shock did not last, and as it melted away it left anger in its wake. Murderous anger. Lorn lunged towards Ala, adrenaline pumping through him. He bashed Ala's swordhand aside, leveraging his larger frame to close the distance and bring her within his reach.

His fist snapped out, right towards her jaw.

Ala Quin ​

 

[Rowyna Galeway]

Rowyna Galeway
CAPTAIN // TASK FORCE VALIANT // THYFERRA
ALLIES: Taeli Raaf | Darth Carnifex | Darth Malum of House Marr | Arris Windrun | Eira Dyn |
OPPONENTS [INDIRECT]: Verity Stuyveris | Corazona von Ascania | Dominique Vexx | Aurelian Veruna | Vizion Trozky | Verity Suun | Damos Rennar
ENGAGING: Tiberius Rath | Cyrine Zereth | Kurayami Bloodborn

---

Post 2: Arrival in system for myself and Cyrine Zereth . Activated Hyperdisruptor Well, locking down routes for the Republic but will enable Sith/Commonwealth forces to come and go. Orders given to Captain Zereth to acquire targeting solutions. Task Force Valiant taking up positions around the Sith vessel; Idirsholas. Seeking to wedge between it and the Republic. Acquiring targeting solutions, no shots have been fired, yet.

Ship Name​	Class + Tonnage​	Shields + Hull Status​
ICV Valiant​	Cimmerian 750m​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
ICV Ardent​	Sondheimer 1600m​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
ICV Centurion​	Vindicator 750m​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
ICV Blackfin​	Seawolf 440m​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
ICV Bashaw​	" "​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
ICV Dreadfast​	Dagger 260m​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
ICV Draugr​	" "​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
ICV Dauntless​	​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
ICV Myrmidon​	Mukhtiar 190m​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
ICV Meteor​	" "​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
ICV Cassandra​	Bercey 200m​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
ICV Fearless​	Fortan 200m​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
ICV Formidable​	" "​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
ICV Ravager​	Raptor, 450m​	​
ICV Harrower​	Johnston, 320m​	​
ICV Hereward​	" "​	​
​	​	​
DESIGNATIONS​	WOLFPACK RED​	​
B1 - B4​	Bolt x4 [60m x4]​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
K1 - K8​	Kelly x8 [30m x8]​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
​	​	​
​	WOLFPACK GOLD​	​
B5 - B8​	Bolt x4​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
K9 - K16​	Kelly x8​	Shield: 100% | Hull: 100%​
	TOTAL TONNAGE: 7,790

​

The Commonwealth had no desire to engage the High Republic, quite the opposite they had desired and continue to desire relations befitting of nations. Alas, that was no longer to be, drawn into the engagement by obligations to their suzerain. Captain Rowyna Galeway would assume the rank of Fleet Captain for the duration of combat. The hues of hyperspace continued to engulf the ICV Valiant, and for a moment Galeway felt for what was to occur. They would arrive and take action against the High Republic, on behalf of the Sith Order, who by all accounts are enemies of the galaxy.

The Imperials of Dosuun and across the Commonwealth held the Sith disdain. Practically however had been their own enemy, for the Commonwealth that was. Too small to fight but too large to simply allow their culture, their languages and worlds to be consumed by the Sith. So therein they created a deal that ensured their autonomy... At a cost.

"Revision," announced their navigator, "in three... two... one."

The tactical plot resolved out of hyperspace static in a rush of hostile icons, and Rowyna read it with haste. Two hyperspace signatures collapsed into realspace within the same breath, Task Forces Valiant and Highmarch. "

The Idirsholat sat forward and exposed, still recovering from whatever had scoured the Force out of that stretch of space moments ago, the readouts on that quarter of the plot gone strange and quiet, Sith Battle Coordination dark where it should have pulsed steady. Beyond it, the Grace of Theed held position with the cold discipline of a commander who'd just given an order he meant to see through to the end.

Telemetry data from the Idirsholat, spooled to the ICV Valiant. Information was relayed and shared with the ICV Highmarch.

Through encrypted Commonwealth channels, the Dosuunian ordered.

"Ardent, Sovereign," she ordered. "Sync your wells. Full field, joint geometry. We control who goes in and who goes out." A moment lingered as she moved to stand beside the comms officer. "Encrypted message, direct to the Idirsholat. Commonwealth reinforcements are arriving as we speak, the second half of my reserves will be enroute once I send for them." Ro had only brought half of her actual Task Force. "We'll walk the line for them, have them gain separation."

"Bring us in behind the Idirsholat's screen," Ro continued, already turning back to her own plot. "Between her and the Grace. I want the Commonwealth standing in that gap." There hadn't been a moment to lose. "Operations, continue sensor read outs, tactical adjust weapon frequencies on all energy weapons. Once you've acquired targeting solutions, you are free to engage."

"Blackfin, Bashaw, forward of the Valiant, hard facing the Grace's approach vectors." A beat lingered between orders, the way it always did. She continued on encrypted comms with Zereth. "Captain Zereth, take Highmarch to stand-off range, Thunderer and Tempest anchor the line, Sovereign holds the well. I want fighters fielded and a targeting solution on the Grace of Theed."

For her own formation, Ro gave the orders, "deploy all fighters, have the Harrower and Hereward brought up close. If the Grace remains in close range, engage Gravehands, and Shredfires."

 

[Kurayami Bloodborn]

Location: Thyferra Orbit

Equipment: XC-86 Assault Commando Armor, Lightsaber, Modified SE-44C heavy pistols x2

Ship: TIE/in 'Huxian'

Arrival with Taskforce Valiant and Background engagement with starfighters

Allies: Taeli Raaf | Darth Carnifex | CT-312 | Darth Malum of House Marr | Arris Windrun | Eira Dyn

Opponents: Verity Stuyveris | Verity Suun | Corazona von Ascania | Dominique Vexx | Aurelian Veruna | Vizion Trozky | Tiberius Rath | Damos Rennar

As the time to reversion neared, Kurayami checked the seals on his helmet once more, making sure it was securely in place. The Force around him flared, the nexus of the armor fueling his abilities in a constant feedback loop. [[::R6 engage ECM and ECCM.::]] While the droid handled the activation of active stealth, the Corellian activated the sensor mask. A shimmer and then the ship disappeared from both sensors and visuals.

The stars went from the spinning tunnel of hyperspace to streaks and nearly immediately to their normal pinpricks of light. The Force shuddered, then went nearly silent. All the life, and the chaotic hum that went with it was a blur of chaotic emotion, not the threads that were normally able to be traced. Still the dampening effect did not dull his precognitive senses, nor his reflex enhancing powers, his armor kept those things safe. Granted unlike other times he would be unable to channel the Force into the kyber shards throughout the hull of his ship if needed in an emergency, but that was a minor issue at best hopefully.

He dropped just behind the ICV Valiant in the same position he had deployed, quickly making his way towards the action, weapons fully charged and ready. As he pushed forward through the airspace, he cleared fighters with precision bursts from the turreted cannons. Saving shots from the wingtip mounted cannons for clearing bombers or targets of opportunity. As soon as the kyber-enhanced laser shots landed, the other ships were nearly disintegrated by the impacts, leaving only floating shards of craft as he continued to weave towards the Grace of Theed.

 

[Atham Harek]

​

Equipment: Commando Armor l Boarding Mace l Trench Knife l Shield Generator l Wristblade l Service Pistol l Couple of grenades, ion, flash, the like l Breaching Shotgun l Submachine Gun l x2 Magazine Explosive Rounds l x2 Armor Piercing Magazines l x5 .48 Caliber Magazines l

7th Republic Commandos

With: Arris Windrun l Corazona von Ascania l


To the rest of the world and the ships around them, a great calamity occurred, a soul-wrenching inquiry of what it was to do to be without the thing that made you you, that connected and bound you all, to rip thyself from the fabric and tapestry that you had seen your entire life. To be ripped from your senses, every blade in your mind dulled at once, every engine coming screeching to a halt, grinding and twisting, gears fouling and ceasing!

But, to Atham, it was still, just work. He had no idea that the artifact even went off.

That was his job.

To kill. He was given a task, a mission, a set of rules, and told to do it. He had been set forth, ripping and raving through the ship in order to reach the Lady. A rescue mission, but also, a rescue of themselves. She was a powerful Jedi, and she could either turn the tide of the battle, or be it's ruin if the enemy was to capture her.

The Commandos lie in wait for another boarding party, the screech of metal and the churn of boots above them against durasteel plates. Atham's team Sergeant waited expertly, counted the steps, and clicked the clacker on his detonator thrice. Once, twice, thrice. A small breaching charge, inadequate for say, breaching a blast door. Nothing short of a turbolaser, cutting tools, or a rather large lightsaber in the shape and width of say, a house or so, would cut those!

But those pesky windows, perfect for viewing the majesty of space, pondering what life meant above the Quibbler? Well, those breaching charges would do just fine! All it took was a crack, and the vacuum of space-

Would suck the enemy out. The Commandos braced against the maintenance shafts and against the hulls, the instantaneous rip of air being sucked out of a small space so violent and so catastrophic that it defied even his expectations. His bicep curled hard for a few seconds before the emergency shielding went up. He stood up and poured out of the shafts, his team doing the same, dispatching the survivors and fallen-over droids.

He checked his ammunition and pushed forward, radioing in to Cora again.

"We're getting close Lady von Ascania. Please do be ready for our arrival."

Ever-so-polite, Atham!

​