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Location: Valley of the Jedi
Objective: Flee with [member="Solan Charr"] and [member="Haytham Kaze"] with body/soul intact
Gear: Sasori Armor, Ranger Shotgun, AI Wrist Blaster, 1x standard Vibroblade
The raucous laughter emanating from [member="Darth Orcus"] caused Joza to tremble, her body seizing for a moment in utter fear as his words hit her like ice creeping over her soul. He’s right, there’s nothing…nothing. Nothing. Even extending her senses as far as she could allow, she sensed nothing but endless, barren wasteland. Disheartening. Crushing even, to the girl who could not make sense of what she was feeling or even what she was. Victory right now meant survival, out of desperation or humility.
Is this even worth it…?
She stumbled again, feet dragging over a shallow pocket of rocks seeing as how Solan still maintained his grasp on her. She’d lost Haytham, and she’d probably lost her place amongst the Silvers. Why was Solan even helping her? Her saber hadn’t been a warning jab, it was meant to slay him. She had been radiating killing intent not too long ago, and would have even gone against [member="Jericho"] had he intervened and attacked Vanitas.
But for some ungodly reason, they still cared for the wretched Zeltron. It was unmistakable in Solan’s words, in Vanitas’ aura, and even in Jericho’s presence despite the ever widening physical distance between them. Perhaps it was cliché and ultimately futile, but Joza closed her eyes and drank in their feelings. With that, she found a sliver of hope and clung to it. Would any of them be sad if she died today? She couldn’t deny the connections she’d forged ever since leaving Zeltros.
Don’t die, Old Man.
He was still fighting, always fighting. The thought almost brought a flicker of a smile to her face as she sought out Jericho’s presence and tried her luck at sending a telepathic message to him. The Master and “Padawan” had formed a strong bond over the years, and Joza was not intent on attending his funeral any time soon.
We will settle this later.
Her mental messaging system shifted towards Vanitas next, surprisingly relieved at feeling him follow behind her and Solan. Maybe there was a chance to salvage the smoldering wreckage that was their relationship, but that would have to wait until they reached safer and hopefully familiar ground.
Olmondo: Inner City Allies: ST and Saeva, [member="Laguz Vald"] Enemies: SSC
"That karking Jedi." Kiran said none too quietly as Laguz slipped a splint around his arm. "Broke my karking wrist."
The Zeltros man practically fumed, pheromones of rage and anger filling the air. His lips were turned down in a scowl, his eyes were set on one of the rifles that stood against the wall. He was ready to kill someone...someone else rather. The pain still shooting up his stomach and directly into his shoulders, his nerves still tingling even as Laguz tied a bandage around the two thick pieces of wood. There was a sharp inhale as she very suddenly jabbed a needle into his neck. "I'm fairly certain he's dead."
Kiran explained as the syringe was retracted from his skin.
"Unless Jedi can now miraculously heal from severed arteries." Landing that tomahawk had brought him a great deal of satisfaction, though right now it all seemed rather moot. "I'm going to need a week of bacta to get this karking thing working proper again."
The mercenary waggled his broken appendage in Laguz' face, ignoring the anguish that came with taking the action. For now he supposed it didn't really matter all that much, he'd won after all. The Jedi was either dead, or he'd need an entire person's worth of blood to get back up on his feet. The Mercenary on the other hand was still walking, even if he was a bit...twitchy. A frown pulled on his lips as he slowly stood, wavering slightly as the stims that Laguz and pressed into his neck took hold of him, the bacta patch on his side dulling the throb of the already cauterized wound there. He shifted slightly and took a step, grasping one of the weapons leaning against the wall.
Kiran wouldn't be winning any one on one fights anytime soon, hell he could barely stand, but he could at least shoot someone.
Location: Orbit, Cardan V-class Space Station Quest: To Seek the Holy Grail Tag: [member="Siyndacha Aerin"] | [member="Kyrana Gould"]
A moment passed, then someone spoke up regarding the fate of the Coalition's famed vessel. "We're not punching through those shields."
"Typical." The Barsen'Thor could wait, he supposed. Adekos had more pressing concerns, like the fate of Battlegroup Delta. The EWAR had been very effective. So much so that the Coalition's entire picket fleet was being forced to turn around, leaving them vulnerable as they tried to retreat. "Refocus fire on their skirmishing line."
The good thing about Hellbores was that they were made to fire in quick succession. Not long after the Barsen'Thor withstood their first volley, the ships were firing again at the vulnerable picket fleet as they were just attempting to turn tail and flee. All ships working in tandem, targeting solutions were not very long to draw up. If Battlegroup Delta had been anticipating a clean run back to the rest of their party, they had been mistaken. Since they lacked the heavily shielded sensibilities of the Triumvirate fleet's previous target, Adekos suspected they were going to be in for a substantially worse time.
If it became necessary for the the Triumvirate fleet to move forward to keep Battlegroup Delta and the other Battlegroups it had linked up with in their sights, then they did so. But not before launching several HELIX warheads towards the Battlegroups approaching Right Station. By the time they reached the station, they would be subjected to the bursts from those warheads- suddenly a large amount of unaimed, invisible X-Ray lasers making a veritable pincushion around everything. Ships would not be heavily damaged, but at the very least confused and dazzled.
And that was all anyone could really hope to do in these sorts of fights: dazzle their opponent.
The Battlegroups approaching Right Station would soon become preoccupied with return fire, not to mention several swarms of droid Tri-fighters bellowed out of the hangar bay. Tri-fighters were old, but useful, and disturbingly fast. They were also cheaper to house on defense stations like these instead of living, breathing, hungry pilots. These droids were also coordinated through a command center on the station, allowing them to synchronize and work in tandem. The Triumvirate really liked to have things synchronized. It was very quickly becoming a regular feature whenever they did anything in relation to fleeting. Tri-fighters had been the latest and greatest in automated star fighters back in their heyday. Technically speaking, since that brand of technology was largely stagnated in this post-Gulag era, this might as well have still been their heyday.
How convenient.
There were no bombers among the Tri-fighters, as they were presently being held in reserve. No need to play their hand all at once. In the meantime, their strafes against the larger ships in the two Battlegroups regularly discharged discord missiles into enemy hulls. Should any of them have landed, buzz droids would soon be running amok on their hulls. They were limited in what they could accomplish against ships of this size, but they weren't after the ships themselves. More like their turbolaser batteries. Shields were of no consequence to them. They would scour the ships, hunt down their turbolasers, and attempt to cut through the durasteel into the conduits powering them. It was more of a quaint annoyance than anything else and would probably take some time to actually work properly, but it was infinitely better than just sitting there taking turbolaser fire.
And they did take turbolaser fire, both stations. Shields were impacted, but they held fast. The Coalition had yet to actually bring its full firepower to bear on either of them as the distance was still being closed.
Once Delta had actually linked up with the larger Battlegroups, the fire of the Triumvirate fleet's Hellbores became more indiscriminate. The largest of the ships that weren't the Barsen'Thor were favorites. If the Barsen'Thor could not be broken quickly, it would have to be broken later... When most of its friends were incapacitated. The EWAR projected by the Triumvirate was now picking up intensity the closer they got to one another.
In-between giving orders, Adekos heaved a sigh. "Ugh, this is always such a tedious affair." He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Remember, Siyndacha: never command a fleet if you don't have to."
But Adekos did have to, because this was his planet these thugs were trying to bulldoze over and his constituents they were presently trying to slaughter on the surface.
Location: Valley of the Jedi (Netherworld)
Nearby: [member="Jericho"], [member="Darth Orcus"], @Loray Trayes, [member="Joza Perl"], [member="Solan Charr"],
Haytham continued to go after both the King of Kesh and his lover. Even when he felt the rage from Orcus and his cries. It wasn't like his Master and although he wasn't running at breakneck speeds to actually catch Solan and he knew he could within a heartbeat. Joza was being pulled along, it was relatively clear she wasn't running along with him. That alone would slow what he assumed to be Silver Jedi Scum. Coupled with the fact that he kept turning around to look at the Sith Knight, that would certainly slow his momentum down.
If I wanted to catch you. It would've been done.
Mistakenly, he had directed that to Joza, he wasn't one for this telepathy stuff. In fact, it had been why he had been learning mentalism for a brief period, if only so that people wouldn't be able to rip information from his mind or to speak to him without his permission. To him it was akin to an invasion of privacy. Only a part of the reason why he was of the mind to keep chasing the duo, if only to rip Solan Charr in half for getting involved in a situation that most certainly didn't involve him.
Especially if you're going to intervene and not even fight.
The Sith Knight skidded to a stop.
Without hesitation he just turned back to the Sith Lord that was Orcus and those that surrounded him. Speaking, telepathically again, he spoke the words aloud, barely over a whisper. "You know where to find me."
He didn't move though, instead he just deactivated his saberstaff and hooked it back to his belt.
It was time to watch.
To wait and see what would happen.
From his own experience the Herglic Sith Lord was calculating, he always had a plan. There wasn't a chance that he hadn't thought of one to get off of this... planet...? Even if he was consumed by the Dark Side in this state, he knew his mentor was still in there. He had faith.
Location: Olomondo Inside the Ruined City face down! Allies: SSC in the City Enemies: ST in the City Specific Healer!: [member="Cathbodua"]
There was no breath.
Limbs needed to be reattached in 6 to 12 hours, legs quicker than this, of course massive rehab to the limb followed. Getting the leg back on wasn’t the problem! She was quick enough to save most of it, and clear headed and experienced enough to give him a chance at walking. There were two big dangers for the almost unconcious Jedi Master, who needed some serious waking up, first it was the bloodloss around him, and more than that an arterial embolism as it was known, was a big shock to the heart when a major artery was severed like this, something even a lightsaber would often cause. For the blood, Kei had a blood pack in his first aid kit for his bloodtype, smart and common when you were a former solider, never went anywhere without his medkit. She’d feel very weak force attention trying to put the image of it in her mind.
Because…. No breath. Then breath.
Gasping. Beneath the dull thud of the work above, he could barely make out anything. Stress mounting on the body, Amadis felt severe chest pain clenching at his innards, excessive sweating, finding it hard to breathe and his heart speeding up to palpitations. Shock to his entire system if he could move, which with the sedative now working on relaxing the body this helped. Clever!
But he was breathing. His head and eyes opened and he looked up, white as a sheet, all the color gone from the Epicanthix’s face. Not out of it yet, as that breath was erratic, heart was erratic, healing to tissue and artery, but she’d need to go internal, because…
“I'll try not to disappoint.” Kei's feint voice stubbornly joked. It was short lived. Blackout and convulsions ripped across his body.
Draco hammered metal on forge and stopped. The Force roiled and roared around them, screamed, echoes of a thousand agonies poured out from the Force and reverberated around. Something was not right, something had changed and been torn.
"IJAAT, YOU'VE GOT TO GET OUT!" Draco roared across the din of battle, anvils and hammers, and screams that echoed in his mind. Something was not right.
Carach. His first thought was that Carach had gone mad with power, power from this place, from himself, from the things he had seen, and decided to kill everyone. The Sith Lord wasn't that crazy, he was far too much of a self-conservationist to try something that felt this... wrong. This evil. This, broken. But, if anyone knew what was happening, it would be the Force Master, the Codicier. His knowledge of the Force was vast, much greater than Draco could imagine.
His sense's expanded as he sought the lone Sith he could consider a friend. He didn't agree with his zealotry or his beliefs, but it did not change that he could call the man a friend. He walked, holding the blackened eukgar hammer, unfinished, crystal in his pouch, tools on his belt. "Ijaat, its going to get worse from here. I'll see you another time." He winked from behind his buy'ce and smiled, his tone confident, assured of his intentions and methods. The Mandalorian could evade the Silver Jedi well enough to get off planet, and possibly get off planet with Carach in tow.
He took off, using the long handled weapon to brace himself against the howls of wind and the Force as it writhed in agony as though it lived and was in terrible pain. Carach was there, near the source of the fault.
It took Draco a moment to find the Sith Lord, deep in the valley, away from the apex of the font, thank the Force. There was some hope to keep whatever it was happening, whatever turmoil going on from polluting the font of power. Though, perhaps this was what the Sith Lord wanted, maybe this was what the Sith Lord had planned to do to the Valley of the Jedi. Draco would have to cross that bridge when he came to it, too much thinking would delay action. "CARACH!" He wanted to ask more, but he didn't have much time.
The Sith was fighting, possibly this was a symptom of his broken concentration, and the purple twi'lek needed a hand. He didn't intend to fight Carach, but where as the Sith might torture her or torment the poor girl, stun blasts, or paddle beamers, were a much kinder way to be sedated.
The mandalorian flicked his wrists, activating the pair of Ssiruvi Paddlebeamers in his gauntlets, light weight, mediocre range. They were non-lethal paralytics, but they were special in that technological shields and most armor was useless. Ultrachrome maybe? Some other materials probably existed. That and they circumvented Lightsabers, being difficult to bend the beams enough that they didn't hit the person weilding the glowing plasma stick.
The Mandalorian aimed at her midriff from about fifteen or twenty meters, slipping, but not stopping his jog towards the Sith Lord. A shot on the move, against a svelte, no doubt agile target. Stranger things were already happening.
Location: The Citadel, Valley of the Jedi Objective: Embrace fate. Allies: Me, Myself & I + [member="Draco Vereen"] Allies: [member="Nima Tann"] - [NO]
Something was wrong.
No, that wasn’t the right word, not the correct word, because what just had happened went against… everything. It made him lose his concentration during the most critical of moments.
Instead of countering her Force Push it landed straight in his chest.
Momentum was a thing, of course, she was a little thing compared to him. That was the only thing saving him from being sent flying back into the treelines behind him, instead he skidded back a few feet and was about to retort when a shout brought him back to his senses.
“CARACH!”
The voice shouted.
Vereen. Good man, one of the few good men left in the Galaxy as far as the Sith was concerned. Effective, willing to learn and willing to pay for services rendered when it applied.
There was anger bubbling up inside of Carach. Fury. Rage. Murderous rage. But it was uncontrolled and unfocused, it had no focal point to be aimed at and these emotions did not belong to him.
The Field of Blades… I can sense it.
And he could, because he had fought there. For a hundred years or a hundred days or a hundred minutes or seconds, he did not know. But he had shed blood there and his own blood was shed as well.
Things were becoming uncontrollable.
The tugging at his soul and being intensified. Already his body was raising itself a bit more in the face of that anchor pulling at him.
“Something is wrong, Vereen.” The Sith shouted over the screams - the screams weren’t real, they weren’t here, they were there and they sounded thirsty. Some of his attention was still on Nima, if she acted, he would too.
But at this point in time… the priority had changed.
“We need to put space between us and that, Dr-”
Too late.
Carach looked past Nima and saw the emerald lights burning in the sky.
“Draco.” His mind touched his and the instructions were relayed. Almost as if they were back in his study and learning the mysteries of the Force together. “Center your being, focus solely on what it means to be Draco Vereen. Think of the bonds that bind your soul to your body and your body to this world. Think of Faith, of the children.”
The Sith Lord strained against the pull, they didn’t have much time but Vereen needed to know how to survive this: his mind was already shattered and barely glued together.
She was taking the time and working on it, force energies reaching down as she poured it into the body to slowly knit the body up. Her hand bringing the blue cube out when he seemed to be reacting badly from the injuries. The healing cube was designed for this purpose as the telchek activated creating the entrophy field, suspending in a small bubble below it the flow of blood going out. Her medical kit opening as extra blood, equipment and everything she needed could be done. A small field cleaner at the leg while she was focusing on that and thanks to the field created by the cube she could get everything ready while his body and heart were suspended. "Good then freeze."
Her work was no where near done while she was focusing the force energies to his body then deeper in. Slowly going as it knit the nerves and muscle. Down to the bone where she could see it with less spurts of blood coming out. The healer gripped at the leg when she didn't finish but she had it along with a strap from the medical kit to tie off the circulation and keep it from bleeding out heavily once she deactivated the field. His blood type while she looked up seeing [member="Thelma"] moving about as she went back to it. Hooking up some of the universal blood from a field kit properly with the full Nysillin iv. She could work it out and he'd be abe to have the pain fully dulled with accelerated healing processes.
"Just a little more." He was being taken care of and time stood still for her while more of the work went into it, there was something on the edge of her senses from the valley but she couldn't tell exactly what it was as her eyes and senses drifted back tot he jedi master in front of herself. Focused on the force energies when her hand rested on his leg to push the force energies and sense the microscopic activity so she could reattach and boost the healing. Nysillin was not bacta but it dulled the pain just enough for everything when she started on the second parts of it. Finishing up the knitting muscles, flesh and parts of his body keeping him calm and prepared. Her healing crystal making blue bursts of force energy.
The rest came from the cube and her suit while she could repair and bring back the nearly dead with her power and energy when she moved on. A medic joining her as they washed at her hands to get the blood off and the jedi knight checked his vitals with the scanner. Letting it penetrate the leg to show her where they might still be problems but her methods were working. She could keep him going while she spoke. "Now now come on." The next important thing was working his heart to ensure everything would work good when she killed the field and she couldn't open him up. She just needed to make sure it wasn't going to be getting clots fro te rest of the body.
Location: Valley of the Jedi Sinistra Gear: Sinistra's Personal Armor 2 sabers; 1 silver, 1 red Fela/Arianrhod Gear: 1 red saber each, fitted armorweave bodysuits with full head covering masks. Opponent: [member="Matsu Ike"] [member="Sorel Crieff"] [member="Rasu Gan"] [member="Setzi Lunelle"]
She listened, sipping the caf in her hands while Fela and Arianrhod watched them all with impassive eyes. Neither woman made a move for their weapon, while Sinistra had leaned back against the massive stone statue behind her. She turned her attention to Rasu, as Matsu sipped her tea.
"Duty is a noble pursuit I guess. You seem dedicated to it and the Order who you deem embodies it. You wear the burden of a soldier and if I may point out..."
Her voice trailed off as the tide of the battle in the valley floor shifted. The world seemed to tremble, the veil of reality rippled in front of her eyes like a sheet of crepe waving in a breeze. The wrenching sound and feeling of something being sundered nearly caused her to drop her cup, but her hand reached out to set it shakily on the stone base.
The nether gaped at her now, and a cold finger of dread traced her spine, chilling her as her eyes swept the battlefield for some sense of [member="Darth Carach"]. An involuntary grip of panic flashed in her eyes, that only in hindsight had she wished were covered by the mask she usually wore. Setting her face in a calm mask, she glanced at the Jedi a moment before she stared back down at the rift between this world and the beyond.
Location: Deep Within Olmondo || In the Town, Somewhere. Allies: [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] || Right Next to Her. [ [member="Tempest"] - Arriving ] Enemies: [member="Dak Canton"], [member="Cameron Centurion"] Objective: SURVIVE!
A whistling, it was a whistling sound and that was all Charlyra could recall. A loud ear piercing whistle followed by a subsequent boom. She'd been in enough battles to know what to do, dust trickled down from the debris above her. Her ears were ringing terribly, and when she opened her eyes her entire field of vision was - it wasn't. Everything crazy, she could make out the blurred shade of her master's form. Squeezing her eyes tight she shook her head but it only seemed to make matters worse. Sitting up, she propped her back up against duracrete. Wincing as she put her hands to her head, "fething..." She cursed, sucking in her breath between teeth.
Closing her eyes again she opened them, and things started to come back together. "I'm fine." She lied, again. Her eyes opened and close. Sweeping hair back with her hands. "Master, I'm alive and fine." Standing up was fine, she could stand, she could totally stand. She winced and grunted getting to her feet. It didn't hurt to be on her feet, it just sort of hurt to get up - because her body had finally begun to rest and all the pain from the battle was catching up to her. Rotating her neck and shoulders, Charlyra was more than aware of them popping.
Location: Deep Within Olmondo || In the Town, Somewhere.
Allies: [member="Charlyra Araano"], [member="Tempest"], [member="Arisa Yune"]
Enemies: [member="Dak Canton"], [member="Cameron Centurion"]
As cliched as it might sound, time seemed to slow for Siobhan. Both she and Charlyra had hidden in their little hole. Once it had been a building, but the walls had crumbled and now only debris remained. Her power provided a shield and kept the ducracete from burying them. While Charlyra remained hidden, Siobhan emerged from cover.
She could hear the Sith aircraft approaching as their motors roared loudly and their shadows passed above ground. They were coming from on high. Republic aircraft were moving to attack the Sith vessels like birds of prey. Would they make much of a difference? This was something Siobhan could not tell. She did know the bombs were falling. Her ears were ringing loudly, for they were terribly abused by all the noise. The earth shook violently as a bomb impacted upon Coalition soldiers, causing a massive shockwave and making the ground tremble.
Right now Siobhan did not particularly care about the battle anymore. Perhaps the Coalition of the Willing would prevail, perhaps its forces would be crushed and forced to flee from this accursed wasteland. The only thing that mattered to her was keeping her apprentice...her sister in spirit alive. The need to protect family can turn even the meekest lamb into a raging lion.
This particular lioness erupted in an explosion of fury as her protective streak took over. Proton bombs were very nasty. This made them ideal against capital ships, fortifications and large troop concentrations. Their destructive potential was very substantial...but they were still bombs with a big punch.
This meant they were not immune to her power. The air bent to her command as she stretched out with her power, twisting it to follow her will. Concentration was etched over her features, for this was a strain for her, but she still persevered.
Strong, howling winds blossomed into being and her willpower drove them forth towards the four Sith Gunships in the sky above the city. Clouds of sand and dust billowed up into the sky as the winds raged, obscuring visibility. What came into being was an omnidirectional tidal wave of telekinetic energy as she poured her will into attacking the gunships and blowing the bombs off course to thrust them away as far as possible. Ideally, they would impact upon Sith Triumvirate soldiers and tear them apart. Sith Gunships should be gripped by the massive eruption of Force energy and be knocked off course, perhaps even crash to the ground when she exacted her telekinetc willpower upon them.
There was naturally the risk of allied aerial forces being impacted by this, but that wasn't where her concern lay at the moment. She could not stop the entire bombing run, so what she was doing came down to mitigation. Her face and back were baked in sweat, her head was hurting, but she would make sure that Charlyra made it out. "You'll be fine, dear. I'll get you out of this alive," she said quietly, slumping to the debris-covered ground.
Location: Valley of the Jedi, Field of Blades Gear: Items in profile Allies: [member="Darth Orcus"], [member="Haytham Kaze"] Enemies: [member="Jericho"], [member="Solan Charr"], [member="Joza Perl"], [member="Alkor Centaris"] Other: [member="Darth Nephthys"] (NPC)
Slow steps brought him forth, leaving footprints in the sand, as he pressed left hand against the shimmer of her shield. Her fingers were mere inches away, nails chewed down and charred, pulsating with power. Every bit of pressure he could apply simply dimpled the sphere, pressing in against unbreakable gelatin. Reaching forward with his Voxyn hand, he pressed against the sphere. The inherent qualities of the Vong arm left it almost immune to her telekinetic powers. Wedging his fingers together, he pushed in, only to find his arm stuck with the inability of the phrik to pass through. Pressing harder, the armor began to slide back, peeling back the blackened flesh of the arm with every insistence. Grimacing beneath his helmet, his hand turned to clasp on to her outstretched wrist, covered in the blackened ooze of the Voxyn.
He could wear his armor for a lifetime, be it in this form or the other, but he couldn't escape his heritage. The kiffar in him awoke a memory, one not his own, as he stood powerful and stern in the halls of a ship. Before him, he saw the ghostly azure glow of a gyrating reactor, and he felt mighty. Droids crashing against his power, a combination of lightning and telekinesis and protection. Turning his head, he looked up to see a figure he had known once: [member="Darth Carach"]. With time as fluid as the currents of an ocean, he stepped before the reactor and smiled wildly. At the thought of sacrifice, his heart swelled, for the notions of such an impact and what such sacrifice might bring. It was a feeling unnatural to his inclinations, but it felt oddly wholesome in this moment. Priming the detonator in his right hand, he stepped from the ledge and plummeted into that churning ocean below.
Opening his eyes, he loosened his grip against the statuesque woman and tilted his head. May Vahl's blessing keep you well...brother.
For the first time, she responded. With what he assumed was a surprised expression, one indicated by a widening of the eyes and the slightest arch of the brow. He couldn't see her face during the event of her death, but he imagined she wore a feral grin. One that he now mirrored his own as he stepped back, retracting the arm from the shell, and vomiting the soulsaber from his palm of the hand. It ignited in a blast of violet energy, peppered with suspended flecks of sanguine resin. He felt the remnants of her impression, her passions for sacrifice during death, and it festered within him like an acute cancer. He desired for nothing more than it's removal.
And abashed, the devil stood and felt how awful goodness is...
From the corner of the red slit, Loray saw the Herglic rushing towards him with that mammoth shield, arcs of lightning dancing across its surface. From over the woman's shoulder, Loray nodded. Join me, fight with me. Or don't. And never know the presence of the Goddess again.
The force poured out from him, empowering the blade as the striking surface took on an outward red glow. Tendrils of black and burned blood circled it, whipping about, as he passed the woman and stood between her and the charging Lord. This wasn't his ally, no one was. Except the other two. And they weren't here. So the world could burn for all he cared.
"This is my blade!" He pointed the saber towards [member="Darth Orcus"]. "And this is my world!"
He didn't have time to respond to Jericho, but the same sort of mania would have guided him. He wasn't looking to make friends now and he wasn't looking to survive or to take some advantage. It was simply a matter of combat, the aura of the field of blades soaking deep into his bones. And to his side, [member="Darth Nephthys"] stood, crackling with that same power he felt in the reactor room. They both charged in tandem, to meet the whale head on. Loray moved forward, bringing the sword towards the electrified shield in a downward swing that smacked against the electricity. With the upheaval by [member="Jericho"], the blade's edge would clash harshly against the surface. Running in a semi-circle around Loray, Darth Nephthys came in from the side, just to land empowered fist in the general arc of the massive hammer of the Sith Lord, once intended for Loray. The amalgamation of powers, four masters converging upon the same point with all the tempest of the field, tore the still wounded rip in the threshold between Ruusan and the field of blades.
The worlds began to merge like alcohol poured against water paint. The imagery of the cogs melted away, dripping to the sand below, as the blades faded to reveal the corpses that stood now in their stead. Silver Sanctum and Triumvirate soldiers alike, hollow meat shells blown about by the dusty wind of the barren land. The atmosphere changed, expanding outward from the collision of the powers, as the transplanted field of blades destabilized and rocked free. Fading from vision, Loray lifted himself from the ground, a good distance from the epicenter of the conflict. Extinguished blade still clasped in hand, he looked up to see the corporeal form of Darth Nepthys attempt to lift herself from the ground.
And in the distance, the summoned army of the dead, moving upon the still living. Billowing through their aura, they carried the presence of the field of blades back with them. Into the world of the living.
The world around them became silent, and the darkness that engulfed them grew tighter. A large banging sound which sounded like thunder crackled above them, and echoed through the under passage. She stopped in her tracks, and a chill flew up her back. She looked up and witnessed the stone above them crack. The construct was ripped from it location and drawn into a crack in the skies Ruusan. Her face emitted a green shadow from the destruction above.
When the covering was torn away, everything away gave in and she was cut off from her fellow Jedi by rubble. She covered her face, but a pulled much stronger than gravity swept her from her feet and threw her about. She balled herself up as stone collided with her body as she was thrown about. Her scream was overshadowed by the sounds of the world around her shattering. She was finally engulfed in green light.
She launched into a plane of the Netherworld. Colliding with sand which partially broke her fall. She rolled for a few second, and landed on her back. She squirmed around on the ground, trying to push herself up. She heard the chaos ensuing around her, but her ears rang and she was dizzy. She looked for her lightsaber, which had fallen a couple of feet away. She went for it, but her ear rang. In reaction she brought them up to cover, her left had a small trail of blood...
Tempest joined Siobhan as the bombs started to fall. Once, when she was a girl, the cruel oppressors of her native planet had attacked her village from the sky. On that day she could only look up in horror as her home was ruined and her family terrorised.
Twenty five years later a very different woman stood there beside Siobhan and her new Apprentice. In Tempest’s mind too was the need to protect her student, a need to do so.
So despite all the pain in her shoulder she stood beside Siobhan and turned her face to the heavens. Her power was over the air and lightning. The latter would not prove of much use here, the former would.
Joined with Siobhan in a unity of power she strove to protect her friends and allies, seizing the bombs as they fell as diverting them. Proton bombs were powerful but mostly unguided, and so by one nudge or another they could be diverted off course to fall away from allies. Fire lit the sky and dust rained down, but the three of them stood unbroken amidst the destruction.
For the gunships, Tempest left that to Siobhan, she did not have the strength to combat both. The bombs were powerful, and she could feel many dying, Coalition and Triumvirate alike. However, the three of them had survived, though it had taken all their strength to do so.
Tempest reached to her commlink. “Get us a transport. We’ve got wounded here.”
XXX
On the battlefield, the fast moving armoured units of the Sith would rapidly find themselves in deep trouble and with nowhere to go. After all, they were now very close to the city, and a vehicle travelling at 350km/h would travel a kilometre every 12 seconds or so. Thus, since they had to be within two kilometres, they would have less than half a minute of speeding before they’d come across the city, the defenders, the rocks and rubble around there.
Assuming 44 APCs and 15 tanks speeding at such an exhaustive rate did not crash into one another, they would either speed on right past, off into the distant plains beyond the city or have to circle around, Parthian style. However, 59 vehicles spinning around like a gyroscope presented a great target.
This must also bring one to the infantry, which as previously related had taken station in rocks and other difficult ground. Attempting to ride them down like charging knights would run into the same problem all vehicles and cavalry found; it was really hard to drive at 350km/h through rocks!
Now, surely the Triumvirate drivers were good at maintaining formation despite the rushing speed which should be enough for them to take off into the air, but they would find that the infantry could mostly take cover and wait the charge out. After all, these tanks moved over 90 metres every second, so their targeting could not be especially good at soldiers hidden among rocks and gullies.
The infantry therefore was still in place, and in cover as the whale infantry came advancing. Advancing over open ground, or even using cover where possible was fraught with danger. After all, frontal assaults against infantry was not a wise move, especially with the tanks and APCs having moved off, as they would have to maintain their speed. Thus, the advancing Herglic would be met with a hail of blasters, e-web, mortar and walker mounted fire. Though technology was greatly advanced in a Galaxy Far, Far Away, attacking dug in infantry mostly in the open sounded like an order Lord Haig or Falkenhayn would give. The rotary shatter cannons on the walkers especially were especially strong against infantry.
There was a reason armoured warfare was not about rushing about at top speed, and the perhaps maligned redeemers had a thing or two they could teach their rapid yet equally inaccurate breathren. Tanks, rocking and bumping around at such velocity not only kicked up vast amounts of dust, their sheer speed made aiming the laser cannons very hard. So whilst the Redeemers would indeed have trouble hitting a vehicle travelling at Mach 0.25, so too would the Triumvirate machines. Indeed, over the uneven ground which even repulsorlifts would have to conform to the curve of the terrain, disrupting their aim further. One must also remember that whilst the Lykos has their jammers on they could not communicate so this would be quite an issue for formation movement.
The difference was of course that should a Redeemer round hit an enemy vehicle it would be utterly destroyed and even its lesser weapons were stronger. On the other hand, should one of these wild shots hit back it had far less chance of doing severe damage.
In the air, the Mantas were indeed faster than their enemies, though it was rather confusing due to the fact that their enemies used the old speed gauges which were base 10 whilst the Manta were base 20. Thus, in relative terms the Manta was indeed faster. Regardless, speed only helped so much, it was other things which did more damage.
Blaster aerosols were a useful piece of kit, but with a range of ten metres and with the gunships moving at a speed of xxx would find the aerosol rapidly stripped away and frankly quite useless. Fartbugs indeed, but it should be of little comfort to the brave Pyrrhus pilots. If they wished the aerosols to be effective they’d have to stand almost still, not a wise move when your enemy could now dance around you.
As for tractor beams, the problem with these is that they relied on mass and whilst the Pyrrhus ships were indeed heavier they were not massively so and would find themselves slowed and held in place too. This was a perfect time for all and sundry to remember that the Manta had 4 proton missile launchers whilst the Pyrrhus had only 1 lighter weapon and a cluster missile launcher. All told, they were comprehensively outgunned.
The remaining dropships made their dive in to attack the tanks, though one must imagine that this vast array of exactly 126 seismic charges would hit their own vehicles too. After all, such a blast radius from 126 seismic charges would cause quite a sweat for those rascally APCs barrelling through the battlefield at such speed. Indeed, unless the APCs and tanks wished to speed off into meadows brown they’d almost be guaranteed to be in the blast radius – blasts they would be far less well armoured to survive. Not to mention that at such speed the pulse of a seismic charge would knock these speeding vehicles off course and possibly into each other.
Now though, striking at this moment of glory came the aerial reserves from space. The Cobras had the ability to jam sensors and hide their approach. Doubtless the Triumvirate had some impressive boondoggle which might pick up some clue of their approach. However, they’d be too late to prevent them coming.
In they swept, and the Avenger fighters, unrivalled in speed and agility, fell upon the dive bombing Pyrrhus and Dreadhawk gunships. With blasters, missiles and speed, they could strike the much slower and unprepared gunships as they straightened out of their dive. This was, historically, the weakest place for the gunships to be in, and with their weapons less well designed to face actual fighters these gunships would face a lot of danger.
The Cobra gunships meanwhile moved in on the Herglic infantry. The Cobras were built like bricks, but unlike bricks they sported a vast array of anti-ground weapons, from missile pods to laser cannons and auto turrets. What missiles the whale-men did have would be met with the standard series of flare and chaff launchers as they strafed their enemy. Infantry in the open, especially ones already under attack, probably would not enjoy 18 gunships gunning for them.
Alas the last Hydras and several anti-air platforms perished. However, since they didn’t seem to have hit much due to laser cannons and miniguns being surprisingly less effective against air units, their loss would not hurt the Coalition as much as one might guess.
(Losses not calculated for city forces as it is less NPC battle there.)
Coalition Forces – 1st Expeditionary Division
1st Brigade (In and around city)
2nd, 3rd Battalions, Coalition Infantry (varied armament). (1,200 troops)
2nd Battalion operating inside city. 3rd Battalion in reserve outside, one company with Boo Chiyo.
[*]1st Armoured Battalion, Redeemer Battle Tanks. (27 25 vehicles in 3 companies of 9)
1st Company operating inside city. 2nd & 3rd Company outside. Those outside taking cover and acting as reserve.
[*]1st Walker Battalion, Mag'ladroth Walkers . (27 26 walkers in 3 companies of 9)
1st and 2nd Company operating inside city. 3rd Company outside. Those outside taking cover and acting as reserve.
[*]1st Iron Legion Company, Iron Legionnaires. (150 145 droids in 15 squads of 10).
5 squads inside city, rest outside. Those outside taking cover and acting as reserve.
[*]1st Company Heavy Platforms, ARGH Mobile Platforms. (9 droids, 1 heavy, 3 medium, 6 light)
Deployed inside city.
2nd Brigade (In reserve)
1st, 4th Battalions, Coalition Infantry (varied armament). (1,025 troops)
Forming defensive position ~1km from Olmondo. Taking cover in any terrain they can find.
1 company 4th Battalion defending rear with 10 mobile barricades. 150 110 troops.
[*]2nd Armoured Battalion, Redeemer Battle Tanks. (27 15 vehicles in 3 companies of 9)
Forming defensive position ~1km outside Olmondo. Firing on enemy tanks.
[*]2nd Walker Battalion, Mag'ladroth Walkers . (25 walkers in 3 companies of 9)
Forming defensive position ~1km outside Olmondo. Integrated among infantry.
[*]2nd Iron Legion Company, Iron Legionnaires. (150 140 droids in 15 squads of 10).
Forming defensive position ~1km outside Olmondo.
[*]2nd Company Heavy Platforms, ARGH Mobile Platforms. (9 droids, 1 heavy, 3 medium, 5 light)
Firing on Dreadhawk gunships.
Division Assets
1st Artillery Battalion, Thunderer & Typhoon Artillery. (21 Thunderers in 7 sections of 3. 6 Typhoons in 2 sections of 3.)
Thunderers destroyed. Typhoons withdrawn into defence line and firing on enemy infantry/APCs.
Matsu looked at the sith who seemed to be showing something more now without her mask. More were getting pulled into the rift as Matsu was glad for the moment to have chosen with the others a place on the edge of the valley rather then in the middle of it. Her force energies working with some of the others here. She moved back a little and focused on the barrier as she reached out with the force. "You girls come over here." She spoke to Setzi and Sorel to bring them into a safer place while Rasu could stand with her. She looked at the rift itself and was feeling what she had experienced briefly when she had been taken to the netherworld. Coming out had been an interesting experience but she knew one or two ways to work with it as she moved her hand to her belt. Taking some food out while she knew if there was one who could lead the way it would be [member="Joza Perl"] once the snack cakes were opened. She took one out and made small force pushes at the opened end to push the scent out while opening a small can of the jerky for all of them and offered it.
Location: Olomondo Allies: [member="Cathbodua"] [member="Kei Amadis"]
Enemy: both sides air strikes
As tried to staunch wounds, more medical transports came in, even now pows where coming in. The bodies just kept piling up, airstrikes have pound the city to rubble. She could only imagine what horrors people where dying in out there, senseless violence that Silver's Sanctum had unleashed to, save the galaxy from the sith. A small a part of wonder was it even worth it, as their troops fought just as hard as there's, and where willing to kill them. She wonder why they hated them so, where they not here to liberate them from the sith. She did wonder, then all of sudden as her last patient was shifted of her table next came in. She then realised what was left of his arm, was shackled to one there troops. He looked at her and asked, Why even bother healing this scum, he killed some of our before put him down. His voice was angry, angry due to fact he was shackled to man who killed some of his squad. She placed her hands on the wound Sith soldier, and as she started to use the force to stabilize him, she replied If we give them no way out but death, then they will have no choice but to fight on and kill more our men. We must let them know if they surrender, we will show them mercy, then they will not necessarily fight to death. That will help more your freinds survive the battle, and may help them realize the Sith are lying about us. As her sith soldier began to stabilize, she injected him with bacta and then he moved on, and another patient came in front of her. Then she realized one way or another, she was not going anywhere even if the sith won she would not be able to leave, as she had to many lives to save.
Location: Olomondo Inside the Ruined City face down! Allies: SSC in the City Enemies: ST in the City Specific Healer!: [member="Cathbodua"] Amadis’s fate had been up to her and still was. Getting their fast. Keeping her head. Stabalizing before moving him, which was the big one. These things gave that legless, grizzled, old timer? A fighting chance. Blood flow stopped, leg on but in no condition to do anything yet, be months before he was standing again if he could, more to walk. The artery work she did was critical, getting the blood going but the heart badly needed oxygen!
Limping old soliders might have some charm to some, but he had to earn that limp!
Because his heart was still stopped. Her field stopped his body convulsing, again saving further damage to nerves, the spine, and soft tissue, more importantly her work on his leg! Focus on the heart wouldn’t start it at the first try. There would just be silence and no breath. Even as force energies pooled around him, he was going to need a good old fashioned jump start of a kick or two! Maybe that wouldn't be enough, adrenaline, anything.
Slipping further away from her, she might feel his spirit more distant. He could hear nothing, remember nothing.
In a battle all of her own [member="Cathbodua"], that only healers got to see from their patients. Blackness, falling down in his mind, and looking up at his body,watching her work, she was losing him.
Unseen to anyone else. Door opened? Light stepped out next to him, spirits or near death delirium?
Who was in that doorway? [member="Fyor Nayus"]. His dead crewmate, who took a long flourishing bow, pondering the situation. "Indeed a fine mess you've gotten yourself into here again. Ah I see. Not yet." Fyor reached up and slapped the Epicathix across his face, "COME ON". He heard from above and from the spirit of his friend below. Pulled back into his body, Cathbodua might see his head physically turn. He was still unconscious and weak.
She'd saved his life. Done what others thought impossible.
Sadly for Kei he would play no further part today or for some time, because he'd just entered a coma.
She stayed with it, the force energies dancing out of her hands while working on moving Kei but only when what she needed had arrived. A hushed casket, so named because it looked like one but served to put patients into stasis so they could be worked on by doctors and healers. That she was able to move it with the repulsor lifts and get one of the shielding crystals to hold and protect a barrier over them also served an invaluable purpose. She was looking at Kei as they set him down into the casket with the force energies continuing to work on healing his leg and body. The jedi healer stood tall grasping the side of the casket. "Careful now and we will have to see it."
She was working on a number of the things as more medics and healers were coming from the field hospital as they were going. She could feel all of the turmoil that was happening within him. SHe wasn't certain but removing the entrophy field that would let him work as she was injecting to jump start his heart after being in field for so long. It let the jedi healer have a few moents until she looked around hearing some of them talking before they were giving a few bits of information. "Get us in there and bring us to one of the medical ships, Sakura's healers will be able to work on him in better facilities and it will send in more reinforcements for us here to help you."
Location: Deep within Olomondo. Allies: [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"], [member="Tempest"] Enemies: [member="Dak Canton"], [member="Cameron Centurion"]. Objectives: Enable Rescue, and give'em one last show. Notes: Charlyra's Exit Post
Charlyra looked over to find Siobhan slumped against the duracrete wall, of the hallowed out shell of a building. Fear took over for just a moment until she recognized that her master had simply been tired. As had all of them had become, she looked to the crack in their cover. Where Ruusan's sun bled through, her eyes drifted to the figure of her other master, Tempest. Tempest had contributed to their cover, to their safety - to her safety, and her cover. Motivated by this, Charlyra who had been leaning against the same duracrete slab stood on her own. Wincing as her muscles ached, she reached out and for the first time touched Tempest. She laid a hand atop of Tempest's shoulder. "Watch Master Kerrigan, you both have done so much, and now it is time for me to repay that kindness."
Closing her eyes, she could feel him. She could feel her late master, Master Ra'alon. The old twi'lek who had been more of a father to her than a mentor. Taking a long hard breath, tears welled up in her eyes as she stared out into this crack where she had seen the light coming in. A light that shined in the darkness, hope in the wake of such desolation and she could hear her master calling to her. So she took a step forward, a hand along the edges of this crack like a curious child peeking in to see what her parents are up to. Yearning to know what it is they are doing in her absence, Charlyra looked down her master's old sabre. The one she had refused to lift during this entire invasion, but now she knew - she knew what she had to do.
Charlyra, my child. Do what must be done, and know that I will always be with you. So long as you keep my memory, I will forever live in you. Go now, and serve your new masters well, you can be the hope, you can be the heart, and you can be the spirit. May the force be with you, Charlyra.
With her eyes still closed, her hand went to this sabre. And in that moment, she felt the last of his essence, the last of all that had made Ra'alon in his life. Would now be part of Charlyra's energy, her lips quivered her body shook. She would have to say goodbye. Charlyra would have to tell him, "goodbye father ." Her lips would not cease to quiver as the tears would not cease to fall. Taking his lightsabre in her hand, and taking a step back she channeled the last of him through her. Her other hand to the duracrete that kept much-needed aid and transport from getting to them and the other coalition forces. A bright white light surged through her hand, and light began to crack along from the center of her palm.
And the small crack of sunlight began to grow, glowing with the light. The light side of the force made itself known to those within a thirty-foot range as Ra'alon finally traveled to the other side. While this occurred, Charlyra in her emotional state recalled the moments of teaching, the moments the everyday moments of Ra teaching her the Jedi code and so she recited it. Because if she did not recite it, she might fall to her knees and grieve again. Charlyra was so fething tired of crying, so fething done with grieving that she turned to the force, she turned to the Jedi code.
There is no emotion, there is Peace.
There is no ignorance, there is Knowledge.
There is no passion, there is Serenity.
There is no chaos, there is Harmony.
There is no death, there is the Force.
These were the words she spoke, softly at first, and with each passing moment, the words grew stronger. Until the duracrete slab was gone, crumbled into dust and before them the light. Ruusan's sun bursting forth with such energy that they had to shield their eyes for it was so bright and their eyes needed to adjust. Charlyra's eyes began to dry, but her tears left stains she took a five-foot step forward into the sunlight. Closing her eyes again, she let the light feed her energy. Refueling her force cells she sheathed her master's old sabre and held her hands out welcoming the light into her body. When she had opened them her field of vision changed, focusing on the electromagnetic and magnetic auras, she began to selectively channel her powers.
Walking forward, further and further toward where the darkness seemed to be. She stuck her hand into the air and slowly, the shrapnel, the metal and the ragged edges of machinery came to her and began to swirl around her. This continued until it was that she was completely surrounded. A single gesture of a finger pointing up the swirl moved up into the air, and as she crumpled her fingers to ball into a fist, the shrapnel did as well. A large tight ball of metal formed in the air and now hung there waiting for her command.
Pulling from within herself, her grief, her pain, her anger and all that fed into the force she channeled her force destruction as she aimed this ball toward the epicenter of darkness. Magenta hue turned a vibrant maroon, the shrapnel then jettisons forward like a cannonball being shot forward. Only this cannonball was being hurled along magnetic lines with the power of force destruction built within it and at the last moment a light side, the trail of pink. It was a quiet thing that now seemed to speed toward its destination. And when it made contact with Sith Triumvirate forces, all they could hear was silence followed by the implosion of the ball's force combined with the power of force destruction.
And Charlyra?
Charlyra had fallen, her body laid on the ground.
She had used every ounce of power she had and overdrew on the residual energies left by her masters, alive or dead. She was still breathing, if barely. Charlyra had fallen without a word, her knees had fallen first followed by her torso and then her face. Dust billowed from where she had landed, sand had now begun to cover her limp body. Metal arms splayed above her head, and her body was so tired, so heavy with pain, and so it was Charlyra Araano had finally closed the longest chapter of her life, she had finally let go of Master Ra'alon, and the Jedi Order. Charlyra would never forget the man who had been a father, she would never forget her initiate clan and she would never forget the love of her life. But it had been past time for her to move on, and as her vision blurred, as her eyes began to shut, a smile formed on her lips.
LOCATION: On the way to the Netherworld, floating in air
ALLIES: Well, there is only a little chance to find allies in Netherworld
Enemies: [member="Darell Irani"]
It looked like the Sith Lord took the hit! If he wasn't huge, with the intensity of Force Push she would have more effect on him but of course a direct hit was better than nothing as well! But... there was something else. A not so foreign feeling, included with an unspeakable rage inside her which was not organic at all looking atthe situation, returning back with many unpleasant memories, and this feeling growing inside her was not about the fight but at something else in the background. She put up her defenses against this intruder before it could influence her mind, as she was going to comment on this situation though, she was faced with another situation so she prepared herself for a surprise attack. The Sith was not fair, nothing wrong with being a little more careful. From the distance, another force signature could be felt, this one was a bit mixed and felt like an enemy as well, but she couldn't be so sure, felt like the signature was too fractured to get a good first impression, but the apperance would complete her thoughts. The first word from him, was what she presumed to be the Sith Lord's name. Carach, she remembered that name from somewhere, but wasn't so sure about that.
Then the Sith Lord talked. Something was definitely going very wrong, whatever preparations she had for her mind she could still hear the distant whispers coming from the green abyss in the background. Something seemed to pull her towards there, as the distant whispers continued to grow and grow in her head. So, this was awfully familiar. She stopped trying to attack, as it would not be very helpful in this situation anyway. Before they could be pulled in fully, they still had a few seconds to prepare themselves for the things to come. "Netherworld. It is Netherworld, isn't it? It looks very familiar. Good job whoever managed to tear that world into ours again." She was legitimately pissed, as she wasn't very excited to return to that place, the last time she had been here wasn't the most pleasant time of her life. She lost her Sith tattoos, which her father used to control her, there not in a very calm way, and also the voices were so difficult to endure so she had a little bit of her mind left there as well. But this time, this was a totally new Nima. She wasn't a person that wouldn't protect herself from the invasive whispers anymore, she was prepared, and the Netherworld was weakened. Whatever Netherworld had in store for her, she would be ready.
Not so long after, the whole place's gravity seemed to slowly decrease and decrease to the part they started to float in air. And guess their destination... the huge tear in the air. The air around them felt like it was getting dirtier and dirtier, definitely making it very difficult to breathe. Resistance was futile, as the environment had it's fair share from the gravity change as well. Even in that moment, she would hear the voices, they were mostly not understandable, with a few only could be heard if you listened very closely. "Welcome back to your home." One said, after dissolving back to nothingness again. Another one talked then. "We missed you." Maybe the Sith Lord and his friend was hearing things like her as well, or maybe Netherworld had very different things in store for them. But, it didn't feel as strong as before. Maybe the battle in Netherworld changed some things as well. If that was the case, then she would have less things to fear. And that was indeed a very good improvement! "Well this is awkward." She said, her words were a bit forced from the lack of oxygen.
Their destination was very clear at that point, floating in the air like birds but not having the total control over their environment.
