Dominion The Bleeding Force | Eternal Empire Dominion of Quethold

[EFCOM]

The Bleeding Force​

Many centuries ago, after the fall of the original ‘First Order’, the Unknown Regions became evermore a realm of chaos and uncertainty. Even as the remaining powers of the galaxy sought to bring some semblance of order to the region, it became a unique home to all manner of individuals and entities who wished to live with little to no supervision or intervention. While some utilized this period of instability to roost amongst the myriad of planets to establish hideouts, research laboratories, secret paramilitary bases, or other more nefarious settlements, one of note stands out in particular when studying the planet of Quethold.

Known as the homeworld of a sentient insectoid race known as the Quesoth, whose society was seasonal and inherently migratory amidst three major hive cities, a sizeable dark side cult decided to make the isolated reaches of the planet their home during this aforementioned period of turmoil. Modern day scholars know this cult today as the ‘Remnant of X’eloth’, known for their profane interpretations of the dark side of the force in their worship of a ‘god’ who went by the name of X’eloth. Their worship of this dark god involved the sacrifice of sentient races, which they believed empowered their incantations to bring him back to the physical realm and consume the galaxy in a neverending eldritch fire. Amidst the teeming forms of insectoid life to be found on Quethold, the Remnant found bountiful sacrifices to bring their god to this realm. But in their hubris; or more accurately, their foolish understanding of the force and its machinations; instead of bringing forth their god for his promised “day of reckoning”, they did something that would impact the planet and the Quesoth forevermore.

With their sacrifices and incantations, they rent a terrible wound within the living force upon the planet - a seeping wound between this corporeal realm and the Netherworld which bent all life to its image. For the vast majority of those alive, both Quesoth or otherwise; their death was instant and merciless. But for those strong enough of will and purpose, their lives were spared, but twisted nonetheless into malign variants of their former selves. The once lush, vibrant planet became a tainted wasteland of death. So it became, and so it remained for centuries thereafter, until the outstretched sphere of influence of the Eternal Empire touched upon this previously isolated world once again.

But rather than consigning this world to nothing more than one to be avoided, Quethold became a focal point within the quest of the Wardens of the Shroud in their secret mission to bring about the death of the living force. If a band of miscreants and fools could bring an end to the life of a world that had previously been lush & vibrant, then imagine what an order such as theirs could do with the knowledge the Remnant held...

Objective I: Forbidden Knowledge​

For years, the Wardens of the Shroud have been scouring the galaxy for any knowledge to be found to accomplish their nefarious and highly secretive ends to rid the galaxy of the taint of the force. When Imperial archeologists and scientists stumbled across orbital scans dating back to the age of the Remnant of X’eloth, said discovery was too profound to merely be filed away. In the hopes of rediscovering the lost knowledge the Remnant utilized in a misguided effort to bring forth their god upon the galaxy, the Wardens have assembled a highly specialized force to scour the surface of the planet - thus untouched for many centuries up until now. No one knows for certain what dangers they will encounter upon the planet, but almost any risk is worth the knowledge they seek to find.

Objective II: Imperial Order​

After receiving orders from the highest level, STRATCOM has mandated an orbital cordon to be established for the planet of Quethold, with only ships bearing top security clearance being permitted to land. While establishing this cordon, elements of the Eternal Fleet scouring the system have found signs of what appear to be a secret base upon a nearby moon. As it stands now, it is unclear whether the base has ties to smugglers, pirates, or extremists - but one thing is for certain regardless; it must be eliminated with extreme bias.

Objective III: Blood Sacrifice​

Although the Remnant as we know it today no longer exists, an upstart band of cultists and delusional novice force sensitives have managed to capture a host of Mandalorian hostages from a nearby settlement; the majority of which are little more than farmers and craftsmen. A handful have been identified as warriors however, who were overwhelmed during the raid and subjected to unspeakable acts of barbarism. Intelligence suggests these captives will serve as sacrifices to X’eloth in a misguided attempt to finish what the Remnant started.

Objective IV: Bring Your Own Objective​

While STRATCOM and the Wardens have gone to extreme lengths to keep their operations on Quethold secret from the general public or the outside galaxy, even the most stringent efforts to do so are not absolute in their efficacy. Whether it be idle curiosity on the part of freelance explorers, profiteering by smugglers or other criminal entities, or rebel cells active in the region, the mystery shrouding Quethold risks drawing more attention than the Empire desires. But that won’t stop the bold, or the foolhardy from trying.

 

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Lady Ingrid L’lerim Ragal Terassi Vandiir
Eternal Empress of the Eternal Empire, Lord Commander of the Wardens of the Shroud, Archon of the Primyn Group
Empress of Terraris, Supreme Commander of the Terraris Command, Head of the House L’lerim, CEO of the HPI Consortium​

Objective I.: Forbidden Knowledge
Location: Ancient Ruins, Quethold
Equipment: The Soulsabers (hidden) | Brynja coat and hat | Hersir Imperial Uniform | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit | The Last Gift || Empyrean gland | OPBC-01m
Tags: Arturo Braga | Open

[ The Unforgiven ]
<"High Nelvaanian"> | ~ telepathic communication ~ | << comm. channel >> ​

Quethold; the planet was only interesting because it was inhabited by an insect-like society. Ingrid knew from the memories of the Night Spirit that the woman dealt with such creatures in her life and she was supposed to be able to command them. The red-haired woman had never tried this; she didn't really want to. She did not want more power, she did not want such power over others. There was still no Sith. She was more interested in the scientific part of the current expedition. Yes, the woman was still doing the same thing, even so many years later. Ingrid still hadn't given up hope.

Based on satellite imagery, she looked for a larger ruined city in the depths of the jungle. Based on the data, this seemed to be the most interesting area. At least for the woman, because there were other places that seemed promising, but she sent only knights to those neighbourhoods to investigate those ones. It was the place where others came too. Originally this wasn't the plan, but when she learned that this would be the case, she had no other option than to send the knights to the other places, and she and others came to this one.

As leader of the Wardens of the Shroud, she had to do everything she could to protect her own people from being exposed. True, they could have come as soldiers or scientists, but it was safer to search where they were. Probably not very surprisingly, but it was brought down to the planet by a dropship that landed not far from the ruins. A little further away so as not to harm any building or possible artefact.

When the red-haired woman saw the first person here, or just arriving at the same time, she was a little surprised. Ingrid didn't expect a man in a place like this. Because Braga was an old acquaintance, she nodded in his direction in greeting.

<"Mr. Braga! Nice to see you! I hope you feel good in your new position."> she said, this time in a conversational tone, not in a cold, military voice.

She didn’t like the jungle, next time she will going to choose some cold and snowy place. Although, this place was still better than a desert or plain. Ingrid looked around, through the Force too. Maybe today, maybe today she will finally find something which will move her job forward, after more than three hundred years. No, she didn't look at the hallucination now, which… no, who had been with her for centuries. Adrian…

<"I didn't think you were interested in archaeology, Mr. Braga. Ready to go?"> she inquired, and if the man and those who had come today had no objection, she set out for the ruins..

 

[Silhana Cadera]

Silhana Lolaes'ra
Lynne Tal’kira aka Lady Orchid; The Angel-faced killer
Bounty Hunter, Verd'ika, member of the Clan Cadera; Headmistress of the House Orchid and The Hounty Hunters' Guild​

Objective IV: Save the Mandalorians
Location: Work Camp, Surface, Quethold
Equipment: 2x PV-16 "Sunfury" Pulse Pistol | 2x Simple short sword | Light armour | Mandalorian vambrace || Stealth field generator || OPBC-01m
Tags: Open

[ Mando music ]
"Galactic Basic" | <"Mandalorian"> | ~"Telepathic" communication ~ | << comm. channel >>​

It wasn’t a day I’ll be happy to remember later. I heard what happened on the planet Lwhekk; I rightly assumed the whole thing was over and we could close that case. So that is why the news came as a surprise that the former warlord has labour camps on this planet, where Mandalorians are being held as prisoners. Of course, it was something I couldn’t say no to either, but I came right away.

Already on the way to the planet, I retrieved the data; I don't even want to believe it when I say that Arturo Braga is the one I have to ask for this information because he became my "boss". The boss is not a completely good word, but rather the liaison between the Empire and the House Orchid. I wouldn’t involve the Bounty Hunters ’Guild in this story yet. It may be later, but now it’s typically like I’m here as a Mandalorian, and that’s House Orchid's issue. Since my ship didn’t really have a stealth system, I landed much further away from the camp and simply flew with my jetpack to the right place.

I had already activated the cloaking device near the camp. I wasn’t happy to use it, but it was necessary to survey the terrain. Oh! Suddenly I had an idea. There are Eternal Imperial ships up there. I can get fresh data and pictures from the camp, so I don’t even have to go near it yet. So I went to one of the high points, luckily there were some quite far from the area. Since I didn’t know how long the indoor sensors and scanners would reach, the distance was safer.

I didn’t use droids and due to the tall trees, hills and more, there were places in the area I didn’t see. What remains was my idea. I just don't know why it didn't occur to me before. After all, I hadn’t wasted time with him yet and I could only hope that the prisoners inside were quite well. Yes, it wouldn't hurt to know where they were either. Where should I need to start the rescue operation, and of course I would have been happy if I hadn’t been alone.

<< This is Lady Orchid to the Eternal Fleet! I would need some "satellite imagery" of the coordinates around me. A former warlord is running a labour camp here and would need fresh pictures of it. Would they do it for me to make some and send it to me? >> I asked and then we are waiting now; luckily I didn’t have to wait long for an answer, one of the ships responded.

<< Lady Orchid, this is Lieutenant Thorpe, you will receive the requested data within a minute or two, just hold on until then! >> he answered.

Now I really have to wait until I get the data, so I have scanned the area to see if anyone else is coming here. It would have been nice if my rescue operation wasn’t just one-person, there were too many at stake to be alone.

 

[Asaaj En Kelsani]

Loadout

Tags:
Ingrid L'lerim
Arturo Braga

Dark green smoke, flecked with glowing orange embers swirled around in the air. There was an acrid smell of burning herbs and a shadow began to form in the centre of the cloud, the shadow coalesced into the form of a pale skilled woman with silver hair wearing a black suit with a red robe covering it. She wafted the smoke away from her and stepped forward. That was a little longer a trip than she was used too, it would take her a moment to clear her head.

Not far from her she saw the red haired form of the Empress and she walked towards her confidently, this was earlier than she had planned to present herself to the Empress, but this was a perfect opportunit. "My Lord, I am Captain Asaaj En Kelsani, of the Imperial Fleet, I wish to assist in your expedition in any way I can.". Asaaj kneeled in front of the Empress, bowing respectfully, as was right. Her blades were worn proudly at her waist and she held herself with the confidence of someone who knew how to use them.

She raised her head and slowly stood up, her tattoos clearly marked her Dathomiri heritage and she smiled at the Empress. Her own sources were vague, but something about this expedition, to an ancient ruin in the depths of a jungle? The woman in front of her was no simple archaeologist, it would be a leap to think the Empress didn't come here for a reason. She had very little to lose, and potentially much to gain, at the very least this was an interesting diversion from sitting on her warship that she had not long left.

Asaaj did not recognise the man that she spoke to, but she recognised the uniform of a military man, although she didn't recognise the Insignia as part of the Navy, so she gave him an informal salute.

 

[Arturo Braga]

Tags: Ingrid L'lerim Asaaj En Kelsani
Kit: BR-212 'Jackal' ACR, KC-77N Hybrid Pistol, Black Sun Armor Mark. I

Arturo watched as the Empress's dropship descended beneath the canopy of trees. From his vantage point near the ruins, he watched as the sea of green shivered and quaked, the dropship's vertical thrusters exerting a tremendous amount of force on the ancient, crooked boughs. "Well, I guess the show's about to begin. Stay here and keep an eye on things till I get back, yeah?" The Director of the Contractors' Guild told the mercenary stood beside him. Clad head to toe in armor, the mercenary's adaptive camo made him look more chameleon than man.

The man-chameleon nodded, said, "Give the Empress my regards, will ya?"

A half-committed nod, and Arturo started walking. It wasn't too far to the dropsite. A minute, two. By the time he got there, the ship had begun to power down. Arturo made his way over to the Empress, his helmet clipped to his belt. She seemed surprised to see him. Arturo supposed he would have been had the roles been reversed. "Settling in." He answered her question, slightly disturbed by the warmth in Ingrid's tone. "It's good to see you, too. I know it has been awhile since last we worked together." A pity, really. Ingrid was a master of her craft, as beautiful as she was deadly.

He guessed being Empress kept her busy. Being the Director of the Empire's Contractors sure kept him busy.

"I didn't think you were interested in archaeology, Mr. Braga.

"I'm not." He replied, his gaze drifting for a moment. "What does intrigue me is why you have come here. I'll assume it's to stretch your legs and see the sights." He commented lightly. In truth, Arturo wasn't sure he wished to know the reasons behind Ingrid's being here. Indeed, he had learnt early on not to ask too many questions. It was better that way.

A sound behind him made him turn. His eyes widened briefly as a cloud of green smoke and fire engulfed a spot nearby. His hand drifted to his holstered blaster on instinct. "What-" He began to ask, only for the question to die in his throat as a figure stepped from the swirling mist, tendrils of green smoke trailing her lithe form. Now who the hell is that? Arturo thought, letting go of his pistol. He watched, curious, as the figure approached. Pale-skinned, silver-haired, the woman made to prostrate herself before the Empress.

Arturo took a step back. Whatever this was, he didn't want to interrupt.

"Your Highness, I am Captain Asaaj En Kelsani, of the Imperial Fleet, I wish to assist in your expedition in any way I can."

Standing, the Dathomiri Captain threw a salute his way. He hesitated for a moment before returning the gesture. He would have made introductions, but the Empress had asked him a question. Likely a rhetorical one at that. "I am. Let's go."

 

[Aximand Sicarus]

OBJECTIVE: II - Imperial Order
TAG: Open - Possibly Priscilla Kuben Woods

Aximand's dour, rigid figure could be seen staring upon the world of Quethold from the observation platform within the bridge. It had been a long while since he had seen any real action or deployment, what with organizing and managing his newly acquired Battlegroup Stygian. Seemingly overnight, he went from only having to worry about his single Heavy Assault line, to a total of 7 battlelines of the Eternal Fleet. Despite his capabilities and experience, such a jump was daunting for anyone. But thus far, he had proven himself up to the task, despite how much he hated the amount of paperwork such duties required. He still officed out of his flagship however, he made it a point of that. A fleet officer should be on his ship, and he'd be damned if he'd be forced out of what he enjoyed the most out of his chosen profession. Someone would have to pry him off of this ship bodily before he'd permanently leave it.

It was in light of this anecdotal fact that he volunteered himself and his crew (along with the obligatory escort which came with them) to cordon off Quethold per the request of the secretive Wardens of the Shroud. He wasn't precisely sure why exactly they requested such a seemingly heavy-handed involvement of the Eternal Fleet. As far as he could tell, this world was a barren ruin fit only to be passed up whilst in lightspeed, or at most a temporary anchorage for repairs. What was it that attracted the attention of the Empire's force users? He had given up trying to understand the Wardens and their machinations a long time ago, for those curious few who persisted in delving too far into the inner workings of the Wardens tended to disappear, never to be seen again. Few things in this galaxy instilled any real measure of fear within Aximand, but when it came to the force - he gave it a healthy level of respect and... distance.

As he stood in-situ, eventually the voice of one of the tactical officers on duty broke the otherwise mundane silence. "Captain, you need to see this."

The newly promoted 'Captain' Varys Praxis strode over to the tactical station, the fresh bars and stripes upon his uniform smartly displayed as he did so. It was a promotion long overdue in Aximand's eyes, and it pleased him that he had the authority to grant such a promotion now. Although the Retribution was unquestionably under the command of the Admiral, there was no finer officer or man in which he would entrust the shpi in his absence other than Varys. The two men had formed a bond with each other that those outside of the service could not quite understand. They were brothers, not just colleagues. "What is it?" The Captain began as he approached the station, his hands folded behind his back.

"I'm picking up faint signals from deeper in the system. At first, I thought it was perhaps feedback from the sun's elevated radiation levels, but it seems too... well, predictable to be standard interference." The Captain examined the terminal for a moment before he spoke again.

"What type of signals? Comm frequency?"

"The best I can tell sir? Yes, likely subspace beam transmissions."

"That would be localized communications." Varys intoned to no one in particular. After another moment's pause, he spoke again - this time directing his comment to the tactical officer: "Dispatch a squadron to investigate at closer range. Report back to me whatever they find."

"Aye sir." The officer, an ensign by the look of him, responded dutifully. Within minutes, twelve Lancer Fighters surged from the Retribution's hangar bay, following a flight path deeper into the system in the direction of the signal. The Captain strode over to Aximand's side after giving the order, and gave him a curt nod with a faint smile on his lips. Thus far, everything was proceeding uneventfully. But who was to say that would continue when it came to the antics of the Shroud. Although he couldn't quite tell why he felt like something was... amiss, he knew to trust his instincts nonetheless. They hadn't led him astray yet.

​

 

[Kuben Woods]

Location: Planetside
Equipment: Jackal ACR, Sk-RS Mk. IV, four fragmentation grenades, four flash bangs, lightsaber (concealed)
Objective: Imperial Order
Mission: Stand by for Orders
Tags: Aximand Sicarus

Damian stood by in the bay with the rest of the troopers. They were currently going over equipment, loadouts, and checking their gear. Damian himself was looking over his suit as he prepared for the possible mission. They'd been sent along as an accompaniment to the fleet, in the traditional Ultranaut role. So now was the waiting game, to prepare and hold fast until the call was received. He stopped what he was doing though as the platoon sergeant entered the room, hearing the call to "At ease," as the men went to parade rest. They all had been preparing in their own way, so they were scattered about as the platoon sergeant inspected what they were doing. Each man came to terms with what might come his way, in their own way. The platoon sergeant would stop in front of Frost and spoke with a grizzled gravelly voice.

"Frost, report your men's state,"

"The squad is currently doing pre-combat checks sergeant,"

"Then why is your man in his locker Frost?"

"He's praying sergeant,"

"To who?"

Frost paused, because he didn't know the answer. He tried to remember what the man was a believer in, but before he could pursue the thought any further the platoon sergeant would continue.

"Frost, you have just been promoted to the squad leader position. You've seen our standards. I expect you to execute them, am I clear?"

"Yes sergeant,"

The man would nod as he turned to the door and spoke as he exited.

"Carry on,"

Damian would grit his teeth at the gesture. Their platoon sergeant had come in because he was bored and looking for an infraction. Not the actions of what he considered a proper leader. He was nervous as well. Rumors had been that they were deploying to a dead world. His squad would look at him expectantly as he looked back across the room. He would speak loud and firm to them as he finally answered their unspoken question.

"Finish your checks, I'm doing my inspection in five. When done be in a ready state. Simmons, finish praying,"

The soldier would nod and turn back to his small idol to finish his prayer. Frost sighed internally as he prepared to go over everyone's gear, again. These blasted quiet runs were more stressful than combat drops.

 

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Lady Ingrid L’lerim Ragal Terassi Vandiir
Eternal Empress of the Eternal Empire, Lord Commander of the Wardens of the Shroud, Archon of the Primyn Group
Empress of Terraris, Supreme Commander of the Terraris Command, Head of the House L’lerim, CEO of the HPI Consortium​

Objective I.: Forbidden Knowledge
Location: Ancient Ruins, Quethold
Equipment: The Soulsabers (hidden) | Brynja coat and hat | Hersir Imperial Uniform | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit | The Last Gift || Empyrean gland | OPBC-01m
Tags: Arturo Braga | Asaaj En Kelsani | Open

[ The Unforgiven ]
<"High Nelvaanian"> | ~ telepathic communication ~ | << comm. channel >> ​

<"Batuu, not long after the Maw's attack."> she nodded at the man's words.

At that time the Maw was not yet a threat, the Eternal Empire was perhaps fortunate that the horde led by Darth Solipsis did no more damage. True, they were just pirates back then and the like, not a ready and strong empire. Things are changing fast, and those will always be the strongest in the fastest way, who shouldn't. It was particularly uncomfortable that Maw was nearby on the galaxy map. At Arutro's words, a smile appeared on the woman's lips that wasn't really typical or at least rarely seen.

<"So you missed me, you wanted to see me, flattering!"> she said in a voice that had already reached the flirting's level; Arturo hadn't heard that tone from her before.

The smile disappeared as she felt the disturbance in the Force. The Empress had looked before the part where the fog and the captain had appeared even before any of them would have been visible. Her whole body tensed and she was ready to jump to act immediately if an enemy arrived. Although none of this seemed to the others, she was able to hide it all perfectly. Eventually, however, only one of the captains arrived. Ingrid had heard of the woman from the Wardens, there were not too many Dathomir witches in the fleet. She raised an eyebrow as she knelt.

<"Stand up, Captain, that's not the custom here!"> she said. When the woman stood up, she saluted her in the traditional way. Clenched fist over her heart, in the manner of the Eternal Imperial military and fleet. <"A simple salute is more than enough.">

After that she indicated with her head to leave, and during the walk she replied to Braga as well, though her voice was now changed back to the usual cold, military.

<"I am interested in science, in all its forms. And the local is an interesting culture, not least an alien species. I wonder what we can find here. Are you a captain, are you interested in archaeology?"> inquired during the walk and fortunately did not even have to lie about her goals, but could tell the truth.

 

[Silhana Cadera]

Silhana Lolaes'ra
Lynne Tal’kira aka Lady Orchid; The Angel-faced killer
Bounty Hunter, Verd'ika, member of the Clan Cadera; Headmistress of the House Orchid and The Hounty Hunters' Guild​

Objective IV: Save the Mandalorians
Location: Work Camp, Surface, Quethold
Equipment: 2x PV-16 "Sunfury" Pulse Pistol | 2x Simple short sword | Light armour | Mandalorian vambrace || Stealth field generator || OPBC-01m
Tags: Open

[ Mando music ]
"Galactic Basic" | <"Mandalorian"> | ~"Telepathic" communication ~ | << comm. channel >>​

I really only had to wait a few minutes, the communications officer was really accurate and quick on this issue. Probably also contributed to the issue's solution that it is unlikely that they had just fought with someone up there. Yes, in peacetime, military technology is much faster than when there are fights. My biochip also received the data and they immediately appeared on my retina. And what I saw was not good but very, very-very bad.

Images from the ship or satellite saw the terrain from above, meaning they also noticed things I didn’t know. So I could see in their recordings what wasn’t here anyway because it was covered by buildings and other things as well. And it was a huge altar around which dead people were already lying. Although I was not familiar with the Sith or any other Force user thing, even I recognized the evil and ugly Sith runes. The galaxy has been at war with them long enough for these signs to be equated with evil and even a layman to recognize them. Feth!

However, it made it absolutely obvious and unequivocal that I don’t have time to waste, because if I wait for others to arrive, there will be no survivors left. Why do I always get into this situation? Unfortunately, compared to the other Mandalorians, I was not an one-man army. I was able to fight quite well, but my job was to reconnaissance and scout the targets rather than the frontal attack. Now it seemed like I had to do it anyway. The cute pink army…

For security reasons, I posted the images on the secure channel to members of the Eternal Empire so they can see it too. I took a deep breath, then it was time for me to leave. I still had a cloaking device, so if I needed to, I could sneak on the ground. Because I'm not going to be able to fly with that, I mean, while I'm still disguised. However, I knew if I was flying low, close to the ground, the radars might not detect me. That way I can get closer.

And if I'm close enough, I'll sneak in. So with this method, I arrived near the camp in about five to ten minutes, from where I could only go on disguised. I looked around again and retrieved the data, hoping someone else would come. But I couldn’t afford the luxury of waiting for that. Those cultists inside will not wait for the enemy to arrive, but will start to kill the prisoners before it. Then alone for now. I took a deep breath one last time and then headed to camp.

 

[Asaaj En Kelsani]

Loadout

Tags:
Ingrid L'lerim
Arturo Braga

Asaaj stood at the Empress response, she did not regret bowing, but exchanged a salute back to the Empress as instructed. "Apologies my Lord, I did not intend to overstep." and she smiled politely before stepping in to line with the others. For the walk through the jungle, the heat was uncomfortable her but not completely unpleasant. The stink of the jungle though was intense for her senses, and some of the richer aromas made her eyes water, it would take a moment to adjust.

"You heard my name, do you mind if I ask yours as well, I find it so improper to not know the names of those I work with. She spoke to Arturo while the began making their way towards whatever destination they had in mind.

Are you a captain, are you interested in archaeology?"

As Asaaj listened to the conversation she mulled in her head her own reasons for being here, unasked she would offer "I am also extremely interested in ancient cultures and their traditions, you can learn so much from these old cultures." She knew that Ingrid would be familiar with her heritage, so there was no reason to try to hide her intentions. "Sometimes and old practice, maybe one that helps crops grow, increases fertility or wards of enemies, turns out to be a long lost magic of some description. Now it might not be possible to recover it, but it can inform study. I suppose it is the science of witchcraft for want of a better description."

She looked back towards Arturo, wondering if he would understand what he meant, she knew much more about the Empress than she did about him, but then books had been written on her exploits and her name was now part of galactic history. She drew one of her blades and thrust it into the undergrowth in front of her, pulling out a skewered, brightly colored lizard with long fangs that desperately used its last energy to try and attack her.

"Shh shh now little one, your fate was decided for you when you were chosen to attack me" she whispered and closed its eyes "Thank you for your gift," she pushed on the back of its head and venom drooled out onto the edge of her blade. Asaaj sniffed at it and raised her eyebrows thoughtfully. "Potent, would likely kill a human at a fraction of this dose." she resheathed her now poisoned blade.

 

[The Amalgam]

Wearing: Ursula's Armor

Armed with: Skin Shears (Purple Split-Saber)

Eternal Silence

Objective: BYOO


72 hours prior...

Coruscant...


The devastation by The Maw Brotherhood had left chaos in its wake. So much was still unrepaired, in addressed.

Coruscant was bathed in suffering and it was delicious to both Darth Phyre AND The Amalgam...

She had come in, solo, shielding her presence with Dark Blood Magic. She had expected a tough challenge. She hadn't been disappointed.

There were few things more deliciously ironic to The Amalgam than an enemy that did not know the value of something in their possession. Something that, had it been known what it truly was, would have been kept under lock and key a thousand times more elaborate than what she faced.

As it had turned out, what she was after (What House Io was after) was in an SIA Black Site vault in one of the ruined sections of Coruscant's Underworks.

She hated the Underworks. Only her affection for Laertia had made her go here...

The Amalgam was in disguise as an SIA officer she had slain and mimicked. All the puzzle pieces Laertia had quietly gathered at all the hot spots of the third Imperial Civil War, busily digging for leads in the aftermath of (and even during) conflicts like Ziost and Vjun had lead to this final puzzle piece, a search that had been conducted often right under The Amalgam's (and by extension, Darth Phyre's) nose.

Far from being enraged at being deceived, The Amalgam and Phyre were gushing at the lengths Xiphos had gone to, both to pursue her own goals against the Bryn'adul (The object of her obsession), as well as lay her hands on a lost Sith Treasure Planet all without them finding out what she was after until relatively recently...

Had Maple known? Even before Laertia had gone to war? That was what had made her curious...she hadn't expressed any surprise at Laertia hunting for Khemost. She had to have known far longer than she had let on.

But she totally understood the need for secrecy. Khemost wasn't Feth-You Money. It was far beyond that.

Xiphos had risked death to find it. If she had died at any point before, it all would have been for nothing.

But she hadn't died. She had lived. In spite of the odds, Laertia would not give up. She had persisted, fighting through every set back, every soul crushing revelation about herself, AND on the losing side of a war. She had passed through trials that would have utterly destroyed others. In doing so, perhaps the powers that be had declared her worthy of the secret no other living being had laid claim to or seen in centuries.

The Amalgam had surprisingly little trouble getting past the front door of the safehouse, which had been savagely defended in the chaos. Magic Spells applied to her blood, eyes and skin had helped to fool the biometric screening. She even had a legitimate cover as to why she was here, thanks to Lyssa Io (who was also at the facility in secret, having secretly hacked the alarms and communications, sabotaging them with feedback signals ...they had learned the person she was imitating, a Devaronian woman, had to make a pick up here to transfer sensitive artifacts to a far more secure location.

She had played it perfectly to a tee as she was escorted past multiple barricades and turrets, and scores of heavily armed personnel, powerful scanners deceived by the Dark Side as she was escorted to a turbolift and then upward on the tall skyscraper in the Shadow of far greater ones. They guarded stuff like Sith Holocrons encased in Nullification Resin, Crystals and Archeotech in a large chamber. All of it paled in terms of value compared to the real treasure: an ancient, small golden statue of a naked woman holding a Lightsaber on a pedestal. It had no Dark Side Aura, and was composed of Solid Aurodium...or so they believed.

The greatest treacheries of the Sith sometimes lie in sticking secrets of great worth right in front of the feeble minded to taunt them. Sidious had done it throughout his whole tenure as Chancellor, sticking Sith Artifacts in his office in full view of any Jedi that came to visit like an absolute boss. That chit was hardcore AF, what he did. He was a beast, and for doing something that badass on its own merits he deserved his place as the greatest Sith of all time... every one that had come since, her included, would never live up to his greatness. Sidious would never have made the mistakes in this war that Darth Solipsis had made. But the Alliance had made every mistake the Old Republic had made and worse.

If they had only known just how much it would cost them, this one, tiny statue...they would have destroyed it, and possibly preserved the secret of Khemost's location, forever keeping it from her hands.

But they didn't know what they had.

Precisely at the agreed upon time, Lyssa had cut the alarms. The Amalgam's cover had been permitted to remove only certain artifacts. But not the statue.

That was when the Lightsaber, hidden in a cavity of her stomach due to her Shi'ido physiology, had come out. The purple blades sang through those they cut down after she reached the artifacts chamber, brutally killing those who had been there to supervise what was taking, only to be reduced to chunks by her constantly moving purple Lightsaber blades, savagely dashing through their weapons and bodies.

Multiple security teams converged on her location as she seized the small statue, hiding it in her stomach and planting a thermal Detonator with a magically enhanced baridium charge in the center of the chamber to annihilate all evidence.

(John Wick Medley Plays)

The Amalgam flipped over and ducked and dodged machine gun fire from the squads, ravenous in her blood lust, near impossibly beautiful figure a blur as she dashed through one of the guns then it's wielder, fists and legs slamming into heads and rib cages, using her elbows to break bones and jaws through their helmets. Her blades spun like those of a helicopter, activating and deactivating unpredictably through faces, decimating foes with powerful blasts of purple lightning when she wasn't executing them with headshots from a stolen slugthrower loaded with armor piercing rounds.

A whispered curse dampened all light in the area, but she saw clearly. They disappointed her with their courage but she delighted in the flashes of agony she experienced in their various brutal deaths that she chose for them. Each flash of pain was an endorphin rush to her. She eliminated the deadliest, most heavily armed threats first, parrying blaster bolts and sword assaults in equal measure. She always kept moving, each attack transitioning to the next fluidly. Inevitably, one by one, they fell, and then she was running for her life back the way she came, except she cut a hole into the wall and kicked it out, diving into open sky.

Surviving security reached the hole just in time to watch her wave bye as she cloaked herself with The Force...

She had a remote detonator in the hand she waved bye with.

The blast utterly annihilated the floor she had dived out of, and the three below it.

The repulsorlift belt she wore slowed her fall and she hit the street running, turning into a dog that ran down an alleyway as she uncloaked, diving into the back of an animal capture wagon driven by Lyssa, who piloted the repulsor truck away slowly as she saw unmarked black assault shuttles fly past them overhead. The Amalgam resumed her usual form, shifting her flesh to look like she wore a white catsuit. She slid a viewport open, saw Lyssa at the wheel.

"Security feeds wiped?" The Amalgam asked.

"Corrupted beyond all hope of data recovery." Lyssa confirmed.

"Dear Lyssa..." The Amalgam cooed. "My protege truly outdid herself creating you. Oh, the damage we could have done together, if you had been available back in the day."

"I am quite familiar with your depravity."

"Which you make use of as a terror weapon against your enemies. C'mon, you must get a teensy thrill from killing." The Amalgam teased.

"I do, but I'm usually quick about it."

"That's where you're making the mistake...the best kills are done slowly. You have to learn to savor pain and fear."

"I am a Nuetralizer, Amy..." Lyssa replied in a dissonantly serene tone as she turned a corner to the nearest star port. "I am pain and fear."

"So am I, my dear Lyssa...but I've been doing it longer."

The pair both smuggled themselves by means of stealth onto a small cargo freighter. It would be seized on its route by a stolen ship via interdictor mine, where they would be extracted without the crew even knowing why they had been boarded...

A half hour before present...

Aboard the Leviathan of Sev Tok...

Darth Xiphos stared at the statue. It had taken more than two days of both The Amalgam and Lyssa transferring to random ships to make sure they had lost any potential trails.

The Leviathan was positioned over Hoth, where it had been quietly stationed the past few weeks.

The Matriarch of House Io examined the statue in the privacy of her utilitarian quarters, wearing a pitch black kimono. The Amalgam was close by lounging on a sofa eating grapes, along with Maple Harte, who had been the one to finally recover the pair, and Lyssa, busily doting on her pet rabbit, feeding it a little piece of vegetable.

Maple was more morose than usual. No one was certain why.

Xiphos reached forward, as the previous scraps of info she had obtained instructed, and twisted the golden blade the statue held clockwise.

The statue seemed to come apart in orderly sections, revealing a magically concealed cavity with a piece of parchment, the pieces of the statue hovering around it.

Xiphos slowly unrolled it, and smiled.

"We've done it. Khemost is ours for the taking." Xiphos said quietly, her damaged voice enhanced by experimental vocal chord workaround strips containing delicate circuitry. "I know where it is. We can go there any time. But one last thing remains..."

"Are you sure this place is as rich as you claim?" Maple asked.

"They would never have gone to the trouble of concealment if it were not. Especially the lengths they went to, in order to conceal it." Xiphos replied. "The Citizen Starships will always be a thing, in case we need to evacuate. But we know where Khemost is."

"What's the final remaining thing?" Lyssa asked.

"Quethold...Khemost has defense networks and a Planetary Shield Generator. There is an old tomb here where the IFF codes were hidden. We'll need them if we don't want to get shot at."

"Count me out. I'm on break..." Maple said, pulling out a flask and taking a swig.

Xiphos noted this extremely unusual behavior on Maple's part but let it slide. Everyone had been under severe stress since Rhand. Because of her.

"Take as long a break as necessary..." Xiphos said. "You've more than earned it, Sister."

"Whatever..." Maple said glumly, walking out.

"Lyssa, go see to Maple. Get her to relax somewhere." Xiphos requested.

"At once, Mother..." Lyssa replied, heading out.

Xiphos and The Amalgam were now alone in the room.

"Admit it: You're quite happy with me right now..." The Amalgam teased, eating another grape.

"I certainly have less reasons to strangle you."

"Awww, don't you know how much I'd love a good throttling from you?" The Amalgam retorted.

"I think you confuse throttling with something else."

"That's the beauty of it, my darling protege..." The Amalgam said, sitting up with a demonic smile.

"In my world, Throttling and Something Else are totally the same thing..." she hissed seductively.

Darth Xiphos scowled but headed to a nearby cabinet.

"For what you have done for me, I am prepared to overlook quite a lot..." Xiphos said, retrieving a special blade.

Xiphos presented it to The Amalgam...

"Ahhh, I was wondering what these were..." The Amalgam trailed, running her fingers over the blade hilt. It reminded her of a Darksaber. She pressed the activation stud.

It came on with a buzz like that of an electric shaver, a double edged shape to its purple blade.

"And I even like the color..." The Amalgam said, noting it's difference from a normal blade. It seemed more ruggedized and utilitarian than even an ordinary saber.

"Yet it has weight...this is no Lightsaber...it's some sort of energy sword..." she realized, shutting it off.

"Does it make me officially part of your little club?"

"Yes. I worked out a deal with Batty. As long as none of your cult inflicts it's depravities on my citizens and whoever is a lawful inhabitant of territory I control, your cult will be allowed to operate in my space and no one will have the right to challenge it. But I know you wouldn't care even if I forbade you from ever setting foot in my territory again. So I offer one further incentive..."

Xiphos drew closer to her. The Amalgam's thirst meter went over 9000.

"Teach me Force Lightning..." Xiphos said an instant later, making The Amalgam's thirst meter creep over 14000.

"Oh Julia..." The Amalgam trailed, dead purple eyes twinkling as they momentarily went the full sulphur of a Sith.

"Teaching you Force Lightning would be better than Danuta...I'm so glad you reserved the honor for me..."

Yes, bringing her the statue had yielded a true reward. The Amalgam yearned to draw Julia closer to the Bogan. If she only knew just how much Xiphos had planned this moment, this exact moment out, even she might have been given pause at just how scheming Xiphos had become.

But, just as Xiphos guessed, the chance to draw Julia closer to the Dark Side, and save her soul, in The Amalgam's eyes, was so overwhelmingly tempting that it blinded The Amalgam as to the why now of it...

So overwhelmed by the emotion that came with asking for the knowledge, that she temporarily lost hold of Darth Phyre within, her face melting and shifting to an exotic looking redhead that would have been familiar to Starlin Rand .

Darth Phyre wrapped her arms around Xiphos's shoulders. Xiphos kept her expression neutral.

"One of these days, I'll win you over. And you'll see, everything Amy did, everything I did, was for the best..."

"One of these days, Phyre, you're gonna learn that having a thing is not nearly as stimulating as wanting it." Xiphos replied calmly.

(Cutaway of Spock fighting Kirk in "Amok Time".)

"Not where you are concerned..." Phyre said breathily. "If taking such a big risk going to Coruscant doesn't prove how much you mean to me...what does?"

"Khemost is a massive payday: You get something out of it too."

"Oh, hang the money!" Phyre scoffed, running a finger under Xiphos's chin. "You think someone like me cares about money? I'd blow up Khemost with a Death Star to keep you."

At this, Xiphos's lip trembled, but only a little. Even she had been affected by the response, despite it's source, and much to her own well hidden internal shame...

"Let's make sure it doesn't come to that..." Xiphos said.

"Now is not the time for fear...that comes later..." Phyre chuckled. (Victory has defeated you: 90 XP)

"Tom Hardy quotes won't win me over." Xiphos replied, her current mental health issues allowing her to break the fourth wall without thinking about it.

At the realization that Xiphos had broken the fourth wall, The Amalgam immediately seized control of her body again, warping Phyre's face back to hers, gave an absolute squee of delight, jumping up and down in an utterly childish manner before remembering Xiphos was still there.

"You're crazy! You're finally crazy!" The Amalgam gushed, seizing her by the arms.

"I don't know what you mean..." Xiphos replied blandly.

"Oh don't play dumb, everybody reading this saw it!" The Amalgam said fiercely, half of her face warping to Darth Phyre's for a moment before going back to her own.

The Amalgam's hands then gently clasped around Xiphos's face.

"Now we really have something in common. Just give in to the madness a little more and you'll enjoy yourself...I promise..." The Amalgam said softly.

"My life isn't made for enjoyment...it's made for purpose..."

"Then enjoy your purpose..." The Amalgam replied softly. "I enjoy mine, certainly..."

"And just what is your purpose?" Xiphos asked.

"Beyond spreading the glory of the Dark Side? Saving the souls of the only two people I genuinely love...so we can be happy together..." The Amalgam replied.

"I wish I could believe you..." Xiphos said quietly.

"How can you not believe I love you?" The Amalgam asked in an unusually small voice.

"You misunderstand. I absolutely believe you love me, in your own fethed up and twisted way..."

Xiphos struggled not to flinch as The Amalgam ran her fingers through Xiphos's raven-black hair.

"I meant the part where we can truly be happy together..." Xiphos elaborated, pulling away, and exiting her quarters.

"I'm-your-biggest-fan, I'll-chase-you-down-until-you-loooove-meeee..." The Amalgam sang softly, breaking the Fourth Wall as she followed Xiphos out.

"Pro-mise-I'll-beeee-kind, but-I-won't-stop-until-Xi-phos-is-miiiinnne..." Phyre sang, taking control of the body momentarily before the Amalgam seized control once more...

Present...

The Shadow Bride, the infamous warship of Darth Xiphos, was too high profile to take to Quethold. They had instead come in a nondescript Assassin Class Corvette.

Xiphos had brought along one of her newest creations, one she had custom made. It lay resting on a table in a Kimono. She was shorter than most production line models of this new series...it might be strategically advantageous to have a warrior of short stature other than Cameron Crownwraithe ...

"So..." The Amalgam asked after they landed in the bleak wastes. "What's this one do?"

"Spiritual Guidance. And ass kicking..." Xiphos answered, wearing dark blue robes reminiscent of a Jedi Temple Guardian, as she ran her fingers over the temple of the Chaplain Nuetralizer that was designated Alessandra Io .

"Wake up, Daughter...glory awaits..." Xiphos said softly.

"And loot! Sweet loot..." The Amalgam said playfully...

 

[Markus Evremonde]

Location: E RR O r
Objective: B y OO
Equipment: Nevremore

The young man sat aboard his flagship, his steely gaze looking outside the viewscreen, his eyes cold, almost dead. His leg was crossed over the other, his elbow propped up as his finger tapped at his bottom lip. The sounds of the bridge dim and quiet. There were crew who surrounded him, but if a pin were to drop it would be heard inside the room.

A voice stepped in, cutting through the monotonous tones of the ship beeping around the crew, the only other sounds being the machines that worked around them and their typing at the consoles they were stationed at. All the young man could do was turn his head slowly towards the disturbance of the silence, his golden brow raised in slight questioning.

The voice spoke towards the man, his voice showing the slightest hint of fear as he addressed the commander of the vessel, "My Lord, we have the reports you have requested." The man gulped as the last words escaped his lips, the diamond blue eyes of their leader blasting small holes into the man with every passing moment.

"Good very good Ensign...... Rivers?" With these last words the man across from him gave a quick sigh, "Yes Sir, here are the reports." He handed them over to the man, the gentleman giving a slight bow as the Ensign bowed deeply to his commanding officer.

As the man returned to the post the Golden Commander could be seen glancing through the datapad, reviewing the information his crew had acquired for him, They will die for what they are about to do, these mongrels do not understand the might of our Nation, the fools, the lot of them will die for their ignorance, but the challenge, oh may it be glorious. He licked his lips at this last thought, even the thinking of battle gave him excitement, it is what fueled him.

 

[Alessandra Io]

Location: Assassin-class Corvette
Attire: Kimono
Tags: The Amalgam

In real time, there was not a single moment of delay between when her mother gently touched her forehead and when her photoreceptors opened to the galaxy. To a conventional, unaugmented perception, it seemed that she woke up in an instant.

However, the Nuetralizer’s digital-biological cognition systems operated at speeds far faster than that, running through a series of pre-initialization sequences, security checks, tests, subroutines, and yet more within the span of a microsecond, before her artificial awareness finally came online. The Nuetralizer knew that her Mother had woken her up before she even activated her optical sensors, her tactile systems having identified her unique dermatoglyphic signature, thereby verifying her as an authorized agent.

Within another fraction of a second, her databases registered positive identifications on the individuals inside the room. The Amalgam was tagged with a warning, drawing on information downloaded into her personnel databases, that in spite of her beauty, the Witch was not to be trusted. Then, there was her Creator, standing over her with a matronly expression borne across her pale, pulchritudinous visage.

“Hello, Mother.” The Nuetralizer said, her words delivered in a refined, Coruscanti accent, a soft smile manifesting on her lightly-toned sepia features as she spoke.

“Is there anyone in the vicinity who needs to hear of our Lady and Savior, Rip and Tear?”

Then, her bio-organic photoreceptors narrowing with dangerous intent, she turned to the Amalgam in a snap motion, her torso twisting with preternatural, nigh-uncanny flexibility in the process.

 

[Arturo Braga]

Tags: Ingrid L'lerim Asaaj En Kelsani
Kit: BR-212 'Jackal' ACR, KC-77N Hybrid Pistol, Black Sun Armor Mark. I

Following after the two women, Arturo kept to himself as they left the sparse clearing behind. Or tried to. The Empress's words were still floating around in his mind, the tone, mainly. He understood it, recognized it, and surprisingly found himself warming to the idea of shooting the chit with Ingrid once all this was said and done. Maybe over drinks. Maybe not.

They would see.

"You heard my name, do you mind if I ask yours as well, I find it so improper to not know the names of those I work with.

A small smile crossed Arturo's face as they walked. Righttt. "Forgive my impropriety, Captain. My name is Arturo Braga, of the Contractors' Guild. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Smiling some more, he nodded in the Captain's direction. He had left out his real title, not out of any wish to deceive, but because he wasn't fully used to being addressed as Director just yet. Grateful as he was to the Empire and Ingrid, the mercenary felt it was a title he hadn't truly earned.

Then again, maybe he had.

Arturo listened as his companions spoke of their interests in archaeology. His own interests lay squarely in the looting of such sites, though, he found it distasteful to say as much when the two were clearly intrigued by the mystery surrounding the ruins up ahead. Indeed, Arturo saw the archaic ruins as little more than a bunch of crumbling stones being reclaimed by the jungle, but what did he know? He was just a mercenary, a hired gun. And he was happy in his profession.

"Potent, would likely kill a human at a fraction of this dose."

"Not this human." Arturo said, watching the captain through narrowed eyes until the blade was back in its sheath. Picking up the pace, he made to walk alongside the Empress as the ground beneath their feet began to pitch slightly, the long grass brushing against their legs subsiding as they began to climb. Up ahead, the ruins awaited the trio. A figure stood at the entrance. One of his mercenaries, Arturo figured. Putting up a hand, he waved, only for the mercenary to pullback into the shadows of the archway.

"Huh, that's odd." Arturo said, letting his hand fall. "Pretty sure I told the fools to wait for us."

 

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Lady Ingrid L’lerim Ragal Terassi Vandiir
Eternal Empress of the Eternal Empire, Lord Commander of the Wardens of the Shroud, Archon of the Primyn Group
Empress of Terraris, Supreme Commander of the Terraris Command, Head of the House L’lerim, CEO of the HPI Consortium​

Objective I.: Forbidden Knowledge
Location: Ancient Ruins, Quethold
Equipment: The Soulsabers (hidden) | Brynja coat and hat | Hersir Imperial Uniform | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit | The Last Gift || Empyrean gland | OPBC-01m
Tags: Arturo Braga | Asaaj En Kelsani | Open

[ The Unforgiven ]
<"High Nelvaanian"> | ~ telepathic communication ~ | << comm. channel >> ​

Ingrid smiled to herself as she felt through the Force the reactions her words had elicited in Arturo. Ingrid both had telepathic and empathic abilities, which did not require the Force, as they were one of her kind's special abilities. She needed them to be able to feed on emotions. It was fun; yes, she could have fun too, and it was best for her to be able to scout and get prey. It wasn't really the first time she'd thought she might have fun with the man, she was already thinking about it at Annaj when they first met there and then on the pirate ship. However, she did not take the next step. Maybe this time.

However, her thoughts stalled when she sensed something. She didn't feel anything exactly, and that was unusual. Tilted her head slightly to the side as she looked in the direction of the building. Eventually, however, she raised her gaze to the captain as the woman responded to her words. So the woman was also interested in archaeology; the fact that her interest in plants was not surprising to Ingrid, almost every witch was interested in them. Herbs, poisons, and could have been listed, not to mention mind-altering effects.

However, she did not have time to answer because she saw movement out of the corner of her eye. If she had accidentally thought it wasn’t so, Arturo’s words confirmed that they really weren’t alone. She did not feel them; then, in turn, they were able to hide in the Force, whatever they may be. They may not be living beings, they are droids, something like that could not be ruled out. In any case, the inorganic life forms could not be felt through the Force.

Ingrid raised her hand to stop the others, then spoke softly when they were close. She hadn't been particularly involved in the conversation so far, she was used to speaking on a mission only when she really needed to. The red-haired woman was an assassin after all. And she had no opportunity to respond to the captain's words, although she agreed.

<"You're not wrong, Mr. Braga. We are not alone. They are not detected by the sensors and I do not feel them in the Force. Last but not least, something is blocking the Force around and inside the building, I can’t perceive anything inside. Everyone, be very careful!"> she said softly.

Since she did not have any other weapons at the moment, she was forced to take the two lightsabers in her hands so that if she had to fight, she could defend herself with them. The red-haired woman showed her two companions with military hand signals that they, too, should be located on either side of the entrance and would cover each other's progress. MANIAC didn't sense anything either, so it was getting more and more suspicious. But it's also more interesting.

She waited for everyone to take up the position, then signalled with her hand for Asaaj and Arturo to move forward.

 

[Asaaj En Kelsani]

Loadout

Tags:
Ingrid L'lerim
Arturo Braga

Asaaj also spotted the movement and was concerned with talk of the force being blocked within the ruins, she would like to experiment herself. She held her hand out in front of her and whispered af few chants, reaching out, she felt what she was looking at, a small rodent, knawing on something soft and warm. The colour faded from her own eyes and the blood red swirled in the iris of the rat.

It took a moment for Asaaj to regain her balance as her perspective shifted and she moved around as the small creature, she could smell death and decay and could feel the hunger of the tiny creature as it scavenged. The entrance to the ruin was up ahead and she moves towards it quickly, scurrying through the undergrowth. As she approached, she saw more movement, further down in the tunnel, what looked like something creeping around and trying to hide. An ambush perhaps? The smell from the tunnel was wretched and she felt her new skin tingle with interest. She pushed forward and felt cold, things began to fade and she lost the connection, inhaling sharply as her consciousness returned to her own body suddenly.

"Something is blocking my own powers too," she said aloud for the others to here her "not far beyond the threshold of the tunnel." Her force abilities would be reduced, but she had other abilities she could rely on.

As the Empress instructed, she moved into position not far from the entrance of the tunnel, she was lithe and moved with speed and grace, a fact that was not apparent from the way she carried herself normally with a purposeful nobility. She pulled both of her blades out and went into a crouch, drawing some symbols in the ground in front of her. Symbols that would hopefully bring her luck.

She waited for the signal from Ingrid to move forward, time to spring the ambush, she pitied them, but only a little as she flashed forward towards the tunnel entrance and into the darkness. She was confronted almost immediately by two armed figures, one tried to hit the fast moving woman with the butt of his rifle and she ducked low, swinging her blade in arc and severing the muscles on the right arm in a spray of blood. The other lunged for her, the look in his eye was not natural, something seriously wrong was up. The clumsy charge from a man possessed was of no concern to Asaaj, who rose from a slight kneel, thrusting her blade upwards into the base of his chin until the tip protruded out if the top of his skull.

The first assailant, his right arm hanging limply beside him swung a combat knife at her, she leaned back, allowing the blade to sail wide, before inserting her own katar into his rip cage and piercing his heart.

 

[Arturo Braga]

Tags: Ingrid L'lerim Asaaj En Kelsani
Kit: BR-212 'Jackal' ACR, KC-77N Hybrid Pistol, Black Sun Armor Mark. I

Something was wrong.

He was beginning to think as much even before the Empress issued her warning. Unclipping his helmet from his belt, Arturo made to put it on as as the Dathomiri captain moved up. Gods, I hope you two are wrong about this, he thought, realizing with a start that someone or something was actively dampening the two Force User's abilities. Trying not to think about what that might mean for him, the non-Force User, Arturo extended the stock of his rifle and thumbed the safety as he moved into position opposite Asaaj.

Looking to Ingrid, he waited the few seconds it took for the red-haired assassin to give the signal.

Stepping into the ruins a split-second behind Assaj, Arturo broke left as the captain went right. His visor compensating for the sudden shift in light, he didn't see the body on the ground until he was tripping over it. Stumbling, falling, the mercenary stretched out an arm as he fell, hard. Shock jarred up his limb. Looking back, the man's eyes widened as he recognized the body.

Chameleon-man, his adaptive camo still active, his head resting at an unnatural angle. It didn't take a genius to see that he was dead. "What the feth." Arturo whispered, clambering to his feet as a sudden pain reverberated around his skull. Clutching at his head, Arturo's mind couldn't help but surrender to the complete, all-encompassing pain as it settled in behind his eyes. Blinking, Arturo tried to gather his thoughts. Someone, somewhere, was fighting. Looking around, Arturo's gaze alighted on Asaaj as she slew the foe- No, friends! She was killing his friends!

"Captain, stop--" Arturo's voice cracked as he pushed away from the wall he was leaning against. Something felt off, somewhere in his head. What was it? "Captain," he said again, taking a step closer. "I said... Stop!" Lashing out with his rifle, the mercenary slammed the butt of his weapon into the woman's ribs hard enough to double her up.

Somewhere, deeper within the ruin, a creature laughed. Arturo didn't notice.

He barely even noticed as the third man fell, pierced through the heart. He only had eyes for the captain, then. The treacherous, two-faced, murderous captain. Lifting his weapon, he made to hit her again. She had killed his friends after all. She had betrayed him. The Empire. She had to be stopped. She had to be...

Right?

 

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Lady Ingrid L’lerim Ragal Terassi Vandiir
Eternal Empress of the Eternal Empire, Lord Commander of the Wardens of the Shroud, Archon of the Primyn Group
Empress of Terraris, Supreme Commander of the Terraris Command, Head of the House L’lerim, CEO of the HPI Consortium​

Objective I.: Forbidden Knowledge
Location: Ancient Ruins, Quethold
Equipment: The Soulsabers (hidden) | Brynja coat and hat | Hersir Imperial Uniform | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit | The Last Gift || Empyrean gland | OPBC-01m
Tags: Arturo Braga | Asaaj En Kelsani | Open

[ The Unforgiven ]
<"High Nelvaanian"> | ~ telepathic communication ~ | << comm. channel >> ​

Ingrid also stepped forward to follow her two men when she saw what they were doing. She felt something want to penetrate her consciousness and then the huge rage as the something or someone realized that the Empress' mind was much more protected than average. There was something really inside. Ingrid has been trained with torture since she was a child. She was tortured to ward off as much pain and mental pain as possible and not to tell anyone anything. The red-haired woman would have died before her mind was broken.

That's why she was able to withstand the daily torture of the NIO and GA while in captivity. As an assassin, an agent, her body had to surrender before her mind and willpower. And her trainers did a great job after nearly two decades of training. However, as a semi-Force Entity she felt the effect of not having Force in this place. She was much weaker, feeling like she was sick. It was something that the gland wasn't completely protected against either. The last time she felt this was when Rausgeber's microbes infected her. And the gland, yes, only affects the woman’s immediate environment that comes in contact with the woman, further away, if the Force is blocked, it will remain blocked there. It just generates any effect around the woman.

As Ingrid stepped forward she saw the bodies, recognizing in them the men of Arturo, for she had seen them before; the captain killed them and now the man tried to beat the woman. The Empress felt pain in her mind as the something inside the ruins was trying to penetrate her mind again. Wrong idea. She stepped closer when Arturo wanted to hit the captain again, the woman trying to grab the man's hand. With the other, she grabbed the woman's shoulder and tried to push them to two opposite sides of her own so they couldn't reach each other.

She didn't want to hit or hurt anyone. It was very much alive in her memories when Tacitus hit her instead of helping her and almost let her die. The former Overlord vowed there she'll never to do so; not only will she not raise hands to her people because of the laws, but because one cannot be brought up by force. It was good for deterrence and for terror, but she didn't want those she worked with to be afraid of her. She did not rule with fear, she ruled with the respect she earned with hard work.

<"You both are trying to overcome the illusion or the influence. Someone or something is playing with your mind. Don’t force me to try to purge your minds by force."> she warned them.

If she wanted to do this with the Force, she had to take them out, but she hoped that even a little shock might be enough to take away the effect of the something. But in the meantime, Ingrid was able to do one more thing so that no one else would find themselves in such a situation. No more casualties if that is possible.

<< This is L'lerim, everyone who is on my coordinates, should return to the dropships and leave the ruins. Just send droids for reconnaissance, there’s something here or someone that manipulates our minds and turns us against each other. I don't want casualties, just safe reconnaissance! >> she issued the order in High Nelvaanian.

 

[Asaaj En Kelsani]

Loadout

Tags:
Ingrid L'lerim
Arturo Braga

Asaaj had only steadied herself momentarily from the combat when she felt the heavy butt of a rifle come in at her middle. The Pulvisa suit took the edge off the blow but he was strong and it doubled her over. She snapped her head up and snarled at him, squeezing her hands around her Katars she was ready to pounce, the fresh blood on her skin was driving her into a rage which she struggled to control.

It was only the hands of the Empress on her shoulder pulling her back that snapped her out of her frenzy. "Apologies my Lord" she hissed to Ingrid whilst staring directly at Arturo. "I disagree with your assessment that our minds have been tricked, these foes attacked me and the look on their eyes made me beleive them to be foes." she gestured to the second man, his skull penetrator by her left blade. "This one practically ran himself onto my blade."

She stood up straight and wiped her blades off before adding them back to her belt. It was probably best that the infantry pull back, soldiers were often strong in body but dull of mind, making them vulnerable to mental control.

As Ingrid made the call, Asaaj felt inside her suit, a cracked rib no doubt, but already she felt her body working to mesh it back together, if not she could feed, she would be healed in moments. She stood next to Arturo and spoke in a hushed voice only to him. "I apologise for the loss off you men, it was an unfortunate situation and I respect you for your reaction." she smiled with an almost friendly malice. "but come for me like that again and I suggest you kill me." she looked at him in the eyes to convey that it was a warning, but a friendly warning.

Asaaj approached the Empress and pulled some rolled up plant parts from her waist pouch, it would help dull the pain from her rib until she could reach in to the force again. "My Lord, as we are now proceeding alone, how do you wish to continue?"

 

[Arturo Braga]

Tags: Ingrid L'lerim Asaaj En Kelsani
Kit: BR-212 'Jackal' ACR, KC-77N Hybrid Pistol, Black Sun Armor Mark. I

Raising his Jackal once more, Arturo prepared himself to bring it down on the traitor's skull. It was easy to imagine the weapon striking home, the feel of the captain's skull giving way beneath the blow. He had done it before after all. People like her were brittle by nature; it wouldn't take much to snap her like a twig. Or so he thought.

A gentle hand on his arm stopped him mid-swing. Turning his head, the mercenary was surprised to see the Empress stood beside him. He hadn't heard her approach, and for one wild moment, Arturo thought that she might have betrayed him, too.

Only she hadn't.

Letting his weapon fall, Arturo returned Asaaj's stare with a calmness that he hadn't displayed before. His head still hurt something fierce, and now that he had the time to look over his fallen comrades, he noticed his eyes were starting to itch as well. He was not sure why. Maybe it was all the dust in the air. Or maybe it was the simple fact he didn't like seeing his friends killed and tossed aside like so much dead meat.

"I disagree with your assessment that our minds have been tricked, these foes attacked me and the look on their eyes made me beleive them to be foes."

"And what about the look in my eyes, captain? Are we foes?" Arturo asked, his words all venom and bile. Staring the Dathomiri in the eye, the mercenary squared up to her. His trigger finger flexed as the anger boiled up inside him. How could she murder his men, and then pretend nothing had happened? Why was the Empress allowing her to get away with it? It was wrong. All wrong.

Perhaps he was wrong.

A moment passed. Another.

Taking the Empress's words to heart, the mercenary took a step back, let himself breath. Ingrid was right. Someone within the ruins had them fighting each other, and as Arturo gazed at the dead around them, he began to realize that he had a good idea of who that someone was. His thoughts, however, were quickly interrupted by Asaaj.

It seemed she had some empty words to share, and Arturo had no choice but to hold his tongue and listen to them. Of course, he had to stomach her smiling, too. In any other circumstances, the mercenary would have found her gesture of sympathy heartwarming. As was, he just saw it as her taking the opportunity to gloat.

Hell, maybe she was.

"Worry not, captain. Your suggestion has not fallen on deaf ears." Returning her smile and eye contact for a moment, the contractor was quick to brush past her. Mind control or not, the sight of her was starting to make him sick. Ingrid on the other hand made for a much nicer view. Ignoring the smell of blood and the pounding behind his eyes, Arturo listened as Asaaj asked her question. He was curious too, truth be told. How would they proceed?

"Whatever you choose to do, I think it best you let me lead the way." He said, reaffirming his grip on his rifle. "I don't trust myself to watch your back just now. And I'd rather not hurt you." The confession came with a shrug, and, surprisingly, a small smile. "Not that I could."