Private The death of a loved one

[Ben Craig]

Ben Craig
Director of The Military Department of Advanced Weapons Research; Vice-Secretary of State; CEO of N&Z Umbrella Corporation​

Location: Schesa , Intelligence & Security Center , Secure Control Room #4893
Dress: Link
Focus: Salis

​

Ben watched from the control room as the shuttle dipped through the atmosphere of the planet Thearterra. It was dark and pouring heavy rain which helped the elite 115th Armored Infantry Company slip under the surveillance of the opposition. Their target, a notorious crime lord who had been a long thorn in the Union's side. "ETA 5 minutes." one of the pilots said. "We have eyes on the compound Director." Ben nodded, "Proceed." Everything was being recorded, audio being filtered back to HQ. The screens were showing live thermal images along with the heart beats of the five special ops troopers.

Ben paced around the room. Operation Blackout, a long list of targets needing to be quietly eliminated. "The hawk has landed, I repeat the hawk had landed." Ben nodded leaning over staring at the main screen on the wall.

​

​

 

[ECHΘ]

Jason Moran
Sergeant ; 31st Squad ; Echo 112 ​

Location: Schesa , Intelligence & Security Center , Secure Control Room #4893
Gear:

• Armor
• YE-3T Hand Grenade
• U-66E

Focus: Salis

​

The shuttle rocked and turned. It was quiet except for the pilot's calls and the booming of thunder. "ETA 5 minutes." Echo 112 checked his gear, making sure his blaster was loaded. No one spoke the whole time. He heard the Director's voice, "Proceed." Another day another target. He looked at his squadmates, Wasp, Dicker, Salis. They were ready. With a harsh thud, the shuttle landed, the ramp gears grinding as they worked to get the ramp lowered.

The rain continued to pour. It would help conceal them. "Form up on me." He took a look at his surroundings, the tactical readout showing not only his heart rate, but the others as well. They were a little ways from the compound.

​

​

 

[Salis]

Location: Schesa
Interacting: ECHΘ Ben Craig
The woman put on the head piece of her armor. A familiar feeling. She had worn a mask regularly probably for over two decades now. It happened not too long after she became a sith apprentice, when she showed her connection to the dark side as she delved so deep into the joy of violence that her face began to pale, and then scar. Course she no longer had those scars, yet, the mask was one she held onto as she used it in combat, often.

She was with a small crew this time. That was fine. She was used to that. Once upon a time, it was mostly just her, Zepher, an astromech, and a police droid. These people were more effecient. Well, except perhaps for Zepher. He was pretty dang good. She readied the Paladin blaster rifle, another old weapon she'd used for a long time. Not nearly as long as her lightsaber, but she was used to it.

She heard ECHΘ 's call, but made her way swiftly to the front, "I think it's better if I take lead." she said simply, she knew very well she outranked him but that wasn't the reason why. She had years more experience and the force at her fingertips, if someone was going to be in direct fire, it should be her. "If any of you think something's wrong, speak up. I don't care about formality if it comes with a cost."

For now, she was normal. Neither excited, nor bored yet. Nothing was happening yet. But she was expectant...but perhaps not for something else. The first sensation began to tap her soul. Not strong enough to notice, but it would grow stronger.

Gear:
Salis Lightsaber
Stun Pearls
-armor
-Sith_gloves
-Several phrik throwing knives
MK_II_Paladin_blaster_rifle
2 Model_Kylan-3
XAD_Omnisight
Wrist_link with up to date commlink and chrono that also connects to head piece.

 

[ECHΘ]

Jason Moran
Sergeant ; 31st Squad ; Echo 112 ​

Location: Thearterra , Coordinates: 41°24'12.2"N 2°10'26.5"E
Gear:

• Armor
• YE-3T Hand Grenade
• U-66E

Focus: Salis

​

As the group began to form a tight circle, Echo checked out the map. The compound comprised of one main building with smaller structures, which he assumed were barracks, sprinkled around the site. Along the perimeter were guard towers and electric fences. Nothing they couldn't tackle. Echo turned to look at one of the higher ranking soldiers walking towards him. He gave a brief salute, "Of course" No one spoke up. It didn't matter who lead the assault, they were working together as a team.

"We're about 2 klicks from the compound. It's not the most secured compound we've infiltrated." He paused letting the information sink into everyone's mind. "The target is presumed to be located within the main structure." He pointed at the center of the map on his datapad. "Anything else to add ma'am?" They all had already been briefed at the ISB HQ, but it was best to not forget.

 

[Salis]

(Didn't get tagged for this)

Location: Schesa
Interacting: ECHΘ

She chuckled softly as she saw ECHΘ salute. Never did get fully used to being in high ranking positions. In truth it just wasn't her style. Yet, here she was. Topic switched to discussing the objective, and apparently that he had gone into harder compounds before. Good. It was always easier when people with her actually knew what they were doing.

As she looked at the map, she felt a feeling in her heart. It was like it was being tugged. Caused a slight hesitation. At first, she thought it might be Neli. The little girl was always at the edge of getting herself in trouble. But that didn't seem like it was it. She hesitated for a second inside as she was asked if she had anything more to say, "That should be good. This should be fun."

She tapped her rifle thoughtfully, the tug was growing. What was that? She'd had some issues recently with...morality as it was called. But she couldn't think of anything right now that'd make her feel something like that. "Everyone ready?" she asked, eager to get moving. She'd be multitasking on this.

Still it tugged, pulling and causing her heart to start beating faster. This would have been normal if someone knew Salis well. She loved violence. But this time it was different. It wasn't the excitement causing this one.

Gear:
Salis Lightsaber
Stun Pearls
-armor
-Sith_gloves
-Several phrik throwing knives
MK_II_Paladin_blaster_rifle
2 Model_Kylan-3
XAD_Omnisight
Wrist_link with up to date commlink and chrono that also connects to head piece.

 

[ECHΘ]

Jason Moran
Sergeant ; 31st Squad ; Echo 112 ​

Location: Thearterra , Coordinates: Classified
Gear:

• Armor
• YE-3T Hand Grenade
• U-66E

Focus: Salis

​

There were no questions, they all had been previously briefed back at HQ. Echo nodded, "Let's move out." He took a last check on his gear, selecting burst fire mode on his U-66E Blaster Rifle. They got into formation, Salis leading with Echo close behind. The distance to the base wasn't the issue. The journey was. The terrain was quite difficult to trek with the bulky gear they were carrying.

In half an hour, they made it to the edge of the compound. The rain continued but wasn't pouring. The group halted as they surveyed the area. Echo crouched and adjusted the optics built into his helmet. The group was cleverly concealed by the rain and the cliff they were currently at.

 

[Salis]

Location: Schesa
Interacting: ECHΘ
They were on their way. It was a long trek, she probably had it the easiest. Her armor was lighter for one. And she was used to unusual terrain due to her heavy ataru usage when fighting. It only helped the concerning sensation that just kept on growing. She looked through the rain at the compound her breathing faster than it really should be given she wasn't exhausted.

For one of the few times in her life, her mind was unfocused. It was drifting away from the confrontation. Her gaze had no direction and her steps were just enough. She began to feel the connection, began to feel a direction of the pull of where it was coming from. It wasn't on the planet. It turned from a pull, to a pain, a fear. Her heartbeat got faster.

"What is this..." Her words came out like she was choking, she felt dizy, felt weak. Couldn't be poison right? Not disease? What was this. She gripped her head breathing faster. She would find soon what was yanking. An attachment. Soon to be severed.

Gear:
Salis Lightsaber
Stun Pearls
-armor
-Sith_gloves
-Several phrik throwing knives
MK_II_Paladin_blaster_rifle
2 Model_Kylan-3
XAD_Omnisight
Wrist_link with up to date commlink and chrono that also connects to head piece.

 

[ECHΘ]

ECHO
Sergeant ; 31st Squad ​

Location: Thearterra , Coordinates: Classified
Gear:

• Armor
• YE-3T Hand Grenade
• U-66E

Focus: Salis

​

Echo counted the number of guards around the perimeter. According to the layout of the compound a intelligence operative had provided, there were four guard towers each holding two guards. The towers themselves were primitive, as was the entire compound. The Union forces were hopelessly outnumbered, but a precision strike could sow confusion and chaos within the compound.

He turned to Salis when she muttered. "Major are you alright?" He whispered. There wasn't really a reason for silence now as they were far from any patrols.

 

[Salis]

Location: Schesa
Interacting: ECHΘ

Yanking, pulling, ripping. Where where. She never felt this type of panic before, this type of pain, a person, a face. Her knees hit the ground as she gripped at her heart, "No...Mike don't go." the words barely left her mouth.

Gone. The connection was ripped. Torn from her in a final moment as she sensed his life no longer. She had not heard ECHΘ speak to her. She could barely hear the rain. She felt only absence. Her body and mind were breaking. The ground, the trees, even some of the troops, would feel the pressure. Stones shattered and trees snapped. And followed that her voice, a scream of pain amplified by the force louder than a cannon and filled with pain.

She gripped the earth, her hands fisted and her eyes yellow. Her heart beating faster. Even the enemy target hadn't heard her scream. They might feel her pain very soon. Her lightsaber removed itself from its sheath and flew to her hand, activating. And she leapt. Assisted by the force she threw herself through the air towards the fortress, likely only landed halfway but that wouldn't matter. Even in the air she had begun. All that pain and hatred she felt was pulled by the force in front of her forming an orb of pure Destruction that she would release upon the enemy encampment like a bomb. Intent on following close behind.

She did not consider if anyone of the troops behind her was hurt. She no longer cared if this moment cost her anything. Repercussions were irrelevant All she could feel was pain and hatred. And she needed to take it out.

Gear:
Salis Lightsaber
Stun Pearls
-armor
-Sith_gloves
-Several phrik throwing knives
MK_II_Paladin_blaster_rifle
2 Model_Kylan-3
XAD_Omnisight
Wrist_link with up to date commlink and chrono that also connects to head piece.

 

[ECHΘ]

ECHO
Sergeant ; 31st Squad ​

Location: Thearterra , Coordinates: Classified
Gear:

• Armor
• YE-3T Hand Grenade
• U-66E

Focus: Salis

​

Echo wasn't force sensitive but he felt a wave crash over him. The ground shook, not violent at first but it began to get more rough. "Major what's going-" He was interrupted when everyone flew back as if a huge wind had engulfed them. When he turned back to where Salis was she wasn't there. All that was left around them was the remnants of destruction and chaos. Trees bent, rocks upturned. An alarm began to sound from the compound below. "That's not good. She's probably down there. Let's go, be careful." The shockwave that Salis had produced had cut out all the communication within a 20 mile radius.

 

[Salis]

Location: Schesa
Interacting: ECHΘ

She didn't feel anger often, especially not like this. She had to force it most of the time. But now it was pure, natural, pain, stretching pain, that tore at her very soul. The world around her felt brittle, slow, and filthy. Blaster fire came her way, only to be deflected by the saberstaff. Her entire being seemed to be made up of that red blade as she moved. One of the towers was broken, it's remains sent careening into another building to bring them both tumbling down. She leapt again, far too fast for a group of men to get out of the way, each of them severed into several pieces as the woman raged forwards. Tears obscured her eyes. But the force guided her from victim to victim. her lightsaber was barely even held in her hands anymore, nor were the phrik blades at her side anymore. Guided by telekinesis and tearing through enemy after enemy. And if their armor wasn't penetrated, the blade would just keep going, forcing them into a wall, or high into the air.

The ground seemed to quake as she pulled buildings down and threw any vehicles within her sight. Nothing and no one was safe inside this facility. A rocket came to destroy her, and was sent into a building. Blasterfire mostly missed it's fast moving marked, the few that didn't were deflected off course. The even fewer that hit her only served to strengthen her rage.

Only once before had she shown anger anything like this. When a sage of some alien species had attempted to show her her greatest fear, which she took as a threat. Uprooting trees to hurl at them. This was different. This was different because it wasn't just an illusion anymore, or a vision. This was real. She had lost any semblance of self control presently. Her only regard, pure destruction. One could only hope it would stop at the facility.


Gear:
Salis Lightsaber
Stun Pearls
-armor
-Sith_gloves
-Several phrik throwing knives
MK_II_Paladin_blaster_rifle
2 Model_Kylan-3
XAD_Omnisight
Wrist_link with up to date commlink and chrono that also connects to head piece.

 

[ECHΘ]

ECHO
Sergeant ; 31st Squad ​

Location: Thearterra , Coordinates: Classified
Gear:

• Armor
• YE-3T Hand Grenade
• U-66E

Focus: Salis

​

With comms offline, Echo had to bark orders through his vocalizer. "Alright men, we need to get down to ground level and reinforce Salis. Use the ropes to grapple to the ground." They pulled out grappling hooks and fastened them to their waists and stumps of trees. In a matter of minutes, they descended from the cliff and arrived at the bottom. They approached the north gate and stared in awe the carnage that was all around them. There were screams, but not from them. Bodies were strewn everywhere and buildings were destroyed.

"Where is she?" A trooper asked, Echo replied, "Just follow the screams." Enemy reinforcements ran to meet Salis, while the target and a group of guards attempted to escape via a armored convoy of trucks.

 

[Salis]

There was barely any pause. The moment she got any sign of another enemy, she went after them. The ones that were close enough were shredded by her lightsaber that was't even held in her hands anymore. As she continued her onslaught she sensed others approaching her and her yellow eyes turned to them, her lightsaber already headed their way but stopped, realizing they weren't her enemy. That was ECHΘ and his people.

Her rage nearly pushed her to go after them anyway. Would anyone even know? They'd all be dead anyway. She turned away from them, forcing herself to forget about their existence and go after another. By now, there were a number running...or limping, while others laid on the ground, alive perhaps, perhaps not.

One had tried to take a speeder, she didn't move her hands anymore than she did running, and the speeder bent in a 90º angle, throwing the rider off as the speeder darted to the side and cartwheeled across the ground. She reached for them, and they flew through the air towards her, cut into four steaming parts as they reached her.





Gear:
Salis Lightsaber
Stun Pearls
-armor
-Sith_gloves
-Several phrik throwing knives
MK_II_Paladin_blaster_rifle
2 Model_Kylan-3
XAD_Omnisight
Wrist_link with up to date commlink and chrono that also connects to head piece.

 

[ECHΘ]

ECHO
Sergeant ; 31st Squad ​

Location: Thearterra , Coordinates: Classified
Gear:

• Armor
• YE-3T Hand Grenade
• U-66E

Focus: Salis

​

They followed the screams. There she stood. The woman with a energy of rage around her wasn't Salis. It was a beast. Echo called out to her, "Salis Stop! Stop this carnage at once!" She wouldn't stop but it was worth a shot. He backed up from her. She looked at him then back at the enemy and lept to them. Echo and his team finished off those fortunate enough to not meet Salis's wrath. Soon it would be all over. The target was dead, which wasn't the objective, but it was what it was. Echo took a holopicture of the target, or what was left of him and sent it to HQ for verification. They wouldn't be happy, but they wouldn't punish them.

 

[Salis]

Interacting: ECHΘ

Salis stood, her boots were covered in blood, she was also splattered in it. Her blades returned to her, sheathing themselves. Her lightsaber did as well. She dropped to her knees, her body weary from the battle. Her muscles tired, her mind tired. She pulled the head piece off letting the air hit her face, wet from tears. Her heart felt...gritty. She stared at the ground. No longer wanting to do anything, there wasn't anyone left she had interest in killing.

She waited, staring at the ground holding the mask. "Gone." the word came out shaky. She didn't care about what came next. She barely cared at all for anything else right now.

Gear:
Salis Lightsaber
Stun Pearls
-armor
-Sith_gloves
-Several phrik throwing knives
MK_II_Paladin_blaster_rifle
2 Model_Kylan-3
XAD_Omnisight
Wrist_link with up to date commlink and chrono that also connects to head piece.

 

[ECHΘ]

ECHO
Sergeant ; 31st Squad ​

Location: Thearterra , Coordinates: Classified
Gear:

• Armor
• YE-3T Hand Grenade
• U-66E

Focus: Salis

​

The job was finished. Not one member of the compound survived. Echo shook his head at the pure carnage. He wasn't sure whether to approach Salis or not. "Are you ok? We have to go now." They would pack up, securing the compound before heading back to base.