Dominion The Night is Dark...|| Enclave Dominion of Talay Hex

[Vren Rook]

SNOWSTORM​

Kestri.

The frigid world that was home to the Mando’ade of the Enclave. Snowstorms were quite common across the planet, keeping everything as a constant winter wonderland.

It was this that made the Life Day celebrations so much more festive. Lights and decorations were strung all around the city of Tor Valum, bathing the snow within the city in multicoloured hues as music blended together from different buildings to create a jolly atmosphere throughout the evening.

And yet, while the Mando’ade were enjoying their festivities, sinister forces were at work.

Some time ago, the Sith Lord Darth Empyrean was finally captured and brought directly to the Karjr Headquarters for detainment to be trialed by the Mandalorians themselves for his role in the crimes committed against the people of Mandalore more than a decade prior.

What the Mandalorians did not take into account, were the Sith and troopers still loyal to Maliphant and that they would do all it took to get him back.

While the Sith Lord rotted in jail and the Mandalorians were celebrating life and remembering their fallen, Maliphant’s followers managed to track their lord all the way to Kestri with aid of the Force. Infiltrating the planet in drips and drabs, they finally congregated and managed to strike the Mandalorians where it would hurt - by damaging the power grid of Tor Valum, causing a city-wide blackout.

All the while, a snowstorm raged.

Spoiler: Objectives

• With the power out throughout the city, there is no protection against the frigid temperatures made even worse by the snowstorm. Help the children and elderly as well as each other to find as much shelter as possible against the elements while the temperatures are rapidly dropping to dangerous lows.

• While confusion rages within the city, the Sith strike at the Karjr Headquarters to break out Darth Empyrean . Try to stop the jailbreak by fighting those that are getting the Sith Lord out. Be careful, however, as they are still Sith and pretty powerful. Darth Maliphant is already loose within the facility, so be wary.

• Find the fault on the grid within the main station that is preventing the Fusion Generator from getting power through to the city and repair it as fast as possible so that people don’t freeze to death. But be aware - there are some Sith Troopers in the area that want to prevent the restoration of power.

• Kestri and Talay are both vast planets with a lot to discover. Go and have fun.

 

[Darth Empyrean]

Objective II: Frigid Flight
Location: Maliphant's Cell
Allies: TBA
Enemies: TBA

​

They had tortured him for a truth he would not give - but he grew up as a slave. A whipping or two was nothing new to him.​

​

They had stopped feeding him since he insulted The Quartermaster - but he'd trained without food for days under the tutelage of the Telos Holocron.​

​

They'd torn out his eyes - but he saw more than they would ever dream of.​

​

Deep in confines of the Karjr Headquarters, Maliphant began to stir. Despite the Ysalamiri, he had begun to breach their force nullification through the strategies he had developed since his tutelage under the Worm Emperor. It was not perfect - he could not use his full berth of abilities, but it was enough to sense what was around him. The panic, the tempature beginning to seep into the building, and the lights gone. Emergency power was still working some of the doors, a few lights - but it was pitch black in more than a few places.​

​

His own repulsor cuffs had deactivated, letting him fall to the ground a few moments ago. The door was on manual override - he could see the light blinking. Standard protocal would likely have someone check on him - move him to a temporary redundant holding cell that didn't require power to keep him dead to rights; and it would be a devastating move to assume him still weak.​

​

The door slid open, two mandalorians in full beskar'gam pointed rifles at him as he kneeled on the ground, looking off into a random direction as the bandages covered what was once the socket of his eyes.​

​

"Hands forward, scum.", the first said.​

​

Maliphant oblidged. A magnetic energy leash attached itself to his cuffs, and he was forced forward. Outside the cell, he felt for the presence of others - but it was only the two. A few more steps, and the Sith would strike. Like a mantis, all his strength went into slamming the large cuffs into the far Mando's head - knocking him aside before he twisted back around.​

​

The energy cord slipped beneath the gorgette of the other - and began to draw blood with how tight Maliphant pulled. HIs teeth clenched tighter, he could feel blood form in his mouth, on his wrists, from the force exerted. It was all he could do to keep a knee into the soldier's back and keep him from breaking free.​

​

That was, until he heard the other stand - call something out in Mando'a, and lift his rifle. He had a clear shot at Maliphant's side - but a twist as he heard the trigger click, and the blaster round ended up in his friends stomach instead of Maliphant's own. He went limp nearly instant - and Maliphant kicked the man's rifle as he still held it to fire - bouncing a shot from a far wall into the other Mandolorian's head.​

​

He wanted to say it was skill that allowed him to achieve it - but the reality was it was just as much luck as it was skill. He gritted his teeth as the man in his grasp fell to the floor, leaving Maliphant alone in the darkness. It'd take a few moments to break the cuffs from his hands - and it only revealed the blood from the cuts on his wrists from his effort, but he would simply have to be content with freedom.​

​

No lightsaber, and minimal skill in the use of blasters, he was in an only marginally better position. The Ysalamiri didn't allow him to summon his weapons nor his armor as he once had - and he could not content himself with shadow dopplegangers to confuse his opponents. No doubt the Sith were here to save him - but he needed to survive long enough to be saved.​

​

He picked up a blaster from the ground and felt it's grip - sturdy, well made. Expected of Mandalorians, but it wouldn't mean much in his hands. Stretching his arms, he began to walk down the hallway - keeping as much of a guess on the far senses as he could.​

 

[Darth Carnifex]

The corvette dipped into Kestri's atmosphere, sensor scrambling instruments attuned to the local Mandalorian systems as it snuck past their perimeter scanners. Controlled thrusts brought the corvette within close range of the capital, Tor Valum, and minimized ion expenditure as the ship slipped down through the ravine bisecting the great city in two. Ventral panels retracted to reveal row upon row of triangular compartments. Controlled detonations burst the connective cradles that bordered each compartment, freeing the first row to fly loose from the corvette and down towards the darkened cityscape below.

Thrusters roared to life, a brilliant flash of light in an otherwise darkened city. Mechanically driven on straight-forward flight trajectories, the pods would not stop until they had reached their destination. The first of the pods slammed into the side of the blocky Karjr headquarters. Three mandible-like arms extended from the pod's surface, digging into the surface of the building like a tick burrowing into warm flesh. More and more pods slammed into the building, launched from the corvette as it made its pass through the ravine before pulling away into the night.

Plasma torches cut easily through the wall and subsequent metal, breaking through to open-air as the cutters breached hallways and rooms all along the building's outer surface. White cylindrical canisters were jettisoned into the breaches, clattering across the ground before releasing thick plumes of blue-gray gas. Only a few seconds passed between the launching of the gas canisters and the deployment of the soldiers hidden within the pods, armored warriors cloaked in blood-red armor moving with methodical and well-trained precision.

Emerging alongside them were the black-cloaked scions of the Sith, their faces obscured by combination breathing apparatuses and vision-enhancing goggles. Scarlet blades ignited in the dark, gruesome flickers of hate in the smog-filled gloom. Among them with a giant, standing over eight feet tall, and directing those around him with the unquestioned authority.

Demiurge watched the soldiers of the Kainate move through the lens of his mask and smiled to himself.

Darth Empyrean ​

 

[Taeli Raaf]

​

They had arrived three days ago, observing the Mandalorians and taking careful notes on the major points that would need to be hit. Most importantly, they had begun laying the seeds for the mission to liberate one of their own from captivity. It galled Arcanix, honestly, that a band of Mandalorians had captured Darth Empyrean , and while they were not the tiny remnants of the Australis clan she still desired to hunt down, they shared her ire.

The Vyraal that had brought the insertation team in was concealed a short hike away from Tor Valum, twenty-four Sith Adepts, garbed in a specialized armor and all trained in infiltration and assassination missions, had accompanied the Lady of Secrets and a few special containers to the world. The containers were what had ultimately been responsible for the power failing throughout the city, leaving many exposed to the elements. And none of their enemy had been any wiser that an ignored pest was the cause. It had taken three days for the insects to reach critical mass.

Garbed in the same armor as her Adepts, they had begun moving into the city an hour before the mission was to begin. Holographic Mando armor had covered them as they quietly made their way into the festive atmosphere, darkened by the tiny Sithspawn among them. She felt the absence in the Force that was where Maliphant had been held, but now, the flickers of two lives suddenly flared and then vanished. And more were coming from above.

"Begin."

A simple order, but her Adepts knew their plan. To cause as much confusion and quiet death as they could, to cripple the response as the drop pod smashed into the side of the building. She would move with two others towards the building, pretending to rush towards where a clear enemy had suddenly attacked. The others would spread out through the city and wait.

Darth Carnifex Vren Rook

 

[Kimora Min]

​

Hidden away deep within the Mandalorians ranks, Kimora bided her time. She managed to infiltrate their people through stealth and guile. And a couple of knives, as is her specialty. The Life day celebrations were in full swing. So many of the barbaric cutthroats and criminals all in one little spot. And they had the nerve to act as if they weren't holding a prisoner of war as important as Darth Maliphant. Kimora would be satisfied with a dagger to all of their hearts, but that would be for another time.

Kim glided through the celebrating crowds with ease as she made her way towards Karjr headquarters. Her target soon came into sight. A massive cube stood before her. She looked up at it's peak and back down where the structure met the ground. The harsh snowfall clouded her vision, but only slightly. The cybernetics helped with that. She caught a glimpse of Demiurge's pod in the distance and made her move towards the building.

She checked her weapons. a pair of Berrakas at her hips and her carbine hanging from the strap resting on her shoulder. Her communicator beeped once in her ear. Raising her hand to it, the message was relayed.

"You may begin, agent." said the voice from the other side of the comm unit. Kimora silently nodded and continued towards the detainment center.

Darth Carnifex Darth Empyrean Taeli Raaf ​

 

[UX-0626]

Location: Karjr Headquarters - Kestri
Objective: Take Control of the Headquarters
Allies: TSE ( Darth Carnifex Taeli Raaf Darth Empyrean )
Enemies: ME

It had been too long.

Silence hung thick in the artificial air of the pod's troop bay as the crimson-armored Strand-Casts as still as statues as the pod soared through the frigid air, on a course with the Karjr headquarters. The handpicked soldiers in the strike force were among the most elite troops the Grand Army had to offer, second only to the augmented Blackblades. Veterans of the Third Imperial Civil War stood amidst their ranks, one among them, Junior Lieutenant UX-0626. While she had not been deployed since the Battle of Thule, where she had engaged the Mongrel in single combat, the Strand-Cast felt fitter than ever. Constant, seemingly endless battle had pushed her body to its limits. With the long rest and recuperation, perhaps she was stronger after the war…

Or alternatively, made weak in defeat.

The inside of the pod shuddered as the pod slammed into the side reinforced building. Before long, the plasma torches drilled through the wall. Then, the squad of crimson-clad Strand-Casts disembarked into the building with swift, violent action as UX-0626 took third point in the formation, having exchanged her typical pulse cannon for a KCR, a more maneuverable weapon for the close-quarters combat she anticipated.

And yet, the Strand-Casts soldiers were eclipsed by the most dominant, divine presence among them, the Godhead of Carnifex.

At His command, the warriors of the Kainate moved to enforce His will.

Spoiler: Loadout

• "Taral" Sith Trooper Armor - Designation: UX-0626
  
  • Gauntlets
    
    • Wide-Beam Sonic Stunner - L/R
    • Universal Gas Launcher
      
      • Pink Vapor
  • Undersuit
    
    • UL-14 “Virtus” Class Underlay
  • Energy Shield
    
    • Phase III “Force Avenger” Energy Shield
  • B-11 “Greitis” Class Combat Boots
    
    • Whimsy Knife - L/R
• Kainate Combat Rifle Model Sixty-Two
  
  • Carbine Configuration - Proton Torpedoes
• FAE/M-01 “Scherezade” Energized Vibroblade
• M-18 "Pit Viper"
• Impact Grenade (4)

 

[Stone Gra'tua]

​

Tags : Vren Rook
Darth Carnifex Taeli Raaf Kimora Min

He'd warned them, just to kill the shabuir, and have done with it, but nobody listened, or at least not enough, from whoever was in charge of this debacle. Stone had known that something like this escape was bound to happen, because Sith were just that dangerous. The only way to end the danger they posed was to end them. Now, with his escape attempt Darth Empyrean was fair game for the Gra'tua Mando'ad, and would make a fitting piece for the Shi'ido's plan.

To escape the Enclave, the Sith had to get out of the Karjr facility, and find a ship. Stone suspected that such a powerful and influential Sith Lord would have allies coming to rescue him from his prison, and so did not pursue the escapee directly. He had taken possession of a quartet of Ysalamiri, one for each of the members of his squad, and the four of them had deployed near the main entrance. They were watching scanners now, watching as hostiles deployed into the city and into the very facility they were guarding. "So, the game's afoot, eh?" Stone said, watching one red lightsaber blade after another hiss to life on the monitors. Maliphant had made fantastic bait to draw other Sith to Kestri.

He turned to his three companions. "Let's hunt." And the four of them moved out as a unit, ready to take on the Sith and anything else they'd brought along. Darkness, Gas, Sith, the Mandalorians feared not these things, not the deadly gaze of a Sith Lord nor the wrath of a dead Empire. It was the wrath of the Mando'ade that would be satisfied this day, and Clan Gra'tua would ensure the galaxy knew that the spirit of the vode still burned bright.

 

[Sergeant Omen]

Objective 1
Tag: Open

The Mythosaut's Tooth had become a makeshift homeless shelter for all of those who needed a winterized warm place to stay. Cots had replaced the regular tables with most people sleeping wherever they could find room in the packed space. The Clone Bartender busied himself making warm tea via several survival stoves and handing up warm blankets to those just coming in. Thank the Quartermaster that the propane hadn't frozen yet. Those who stayed read from his recently created small community library, played cards, or just talked to pass the time. Anything to stop the boredom from making the patrons go insane.

Omen was trying to cover up the front window to keep the heat from escaping when the sirens started to go off at the Karjr facility about a half of a mile up the road. The only reason he could see is that some prisoners had used the lack of electricity to get loose from his cell and at worst, a whole prison was about to turn Kestri into their own personal playground. At least they would all freeze to death before the day was out. Well, now was not the time to twiddle his thumbs, now was the time to offer help. Quickly, he dialed up Kranak Vizsla on his suit communicator, which if the squad leader picked up would be. "Kranak, you seem to be having some problems at the prison right now and need all the vod you can spare. Where do you need me?"

 

[Isidor Justeene]

Objective: Escape and alert the Coalition of his situation
Location Kestri Jail/corridors
Enemy Tags: Enclave
Ally Tags: Kraken Coalition
Neutral: Sith

The capture bruised more than Isidor's ego, it broke bones and he had to steal sleep sitting up, as lying down made him retch. They took his weapons, well he expected as such, after all, it is jail. So far he had no means to escape and the lights helped little with sleep. He had a deep thought related convocation with his mind, on how he should have run away. Then all the screaming from that day.

They fed him, but with meagre rations, so he was nourished but not very much.

Justeenes' don't run, they stay their ground, besides how can he be a Pirate Lord if he high tails it at the first sight of Mandalorians? Isidor never runs, well, that's only half true. He had to retreat from the Blood Slug debacle.

The lights dimmed, once, twice and then brightened before going dark. Well, well that seems like a blessing from above. He braced himself as he got up onto his feet, the door slid slightly as the power went out, a dim light shone from backup lights across the corridor. Checking that no Bucketheads were nearby, Isidor used his uninjured shoulder to push the door further open. He bit his lip to stifle the yelp that followed.

He needs to get out of here, he needed to get out and send a distress signal to the Coalition, his face burned with embarrassment. How did he let this happen? He wasn't supposed to be that easy to capture. He was supposed to be delivered to the Hutt, but a few Bucketheads recognised him and changed tack and he was taken here.

He refused to give up Coalition secrets or his fellow Pirates, No matter how much they pried, Isidor clamped down. He made it harder for them to get anything from him. He held strong and kept what he knew from his captors.

After a while he reached an opening from the jail, where he could relay a distress signal, they might have noticed him not there, first two nights, hangover but more than that may have sent alarms off. Isidor wondered rather darkly if anyone noticed at all. He felt shame for thinking that the instant he put the question out there.

Soon he was able to get a clear signal, but it could disappear with the snow at any time, he has to be quick.

::<"Kraken Coalition, this is Captain Isidor Justeene, I'm being held by the Enclave, I need help!">:: He spoke into the emergency system, his voice had a twinge of pain added to it. ::<"Hurry!">:: He then sent coordinates.

Now he can only hope that it got there safely, he continued his escape up until he gets to an exit.

 

[Kranak Vizsla]

FRIGID FLIGHT

​

Location: Kestri, The Kom’rk, Rooftop
Local Time: 12;19
Date: -DATA CORRUPTED-
Primary Objective: Dull the pain
Secondary Objective: N/A
Equipment: Loadout 1 + Goran’s Stand (Backpack and Secondary weapons left in his bunk locker.)
Vode: Enclave | Sergeant Omen | Stone Gra'tua | Vren Rook
Allies: N/A
Hostiles: Inmates | Sith | Darth Empyrean | Darth Carnifex | UX-0626 | Kimora Min | Taeli Raaf
Directly Engaging: N/A

Fading Away, Slowly​

Several hours before the blackout over Tor Valum…

With heavy steps, the giant left the briefing room alongside several other squad leads. They had sat down, discussed and theorized on newer squad tactics and touched up on slight inter-squad organizational issues that had surfaced in more recent operations for three hours, with some fifteen minute breaks every now and then. When they were not busy in the steadfast enforcement of their people’s will across a number of theaters in the galaxy, the Si’kahya were busy honing their skills further, and coming up with newer, improved tactics and strategies to keep up with the ever evolving challenges of their times. To remain idle meant stagnation, and stagnation had regrettably seen vode[1] fall in battle in the past.

Occasionally passing by a fellow Si’kahya[2] or two as he made his way towards the more solitary part of the Kom’rk[3], the Alor’ad[4] walked the spacious and well lit halls of the Kom’rk with his hand casually grasping the hilt of the ancient relic, sheathed over his left kama pistol holster, and his head held high; carrying himself with an air of authority his comrades would usually see from him.

But it was a mere façade. It had been ever since Panatha. His demeanor belied his true state of mind. Although his buy’ce[5] was held high as he walked, his head was heavy with anxiety. He wasn’t aware of it at the time, but the giant grew more and more detached from his fellow squadmates and friends with each passing day -a side effect of the drugs he took in secret, to get his mind off of Gwyn and Eliz- despite the fact that he tried to solve his issues on his own, without his squadmates and comrades noticing.

But for how long that would last was the question. His squad… They were a family after all.

Sooner or later, they would notice something was wrong with him. Maybe they already had noticed, but hadn’t confronted the Alor’ad yet. Not only did the drugs have seen him become more withdrawn from his family, his pride also had a hand in his accelerating descent into depression. He never forsaken his help from those vode who needed it, to those that came to him for assistance; but he never asked for help with anything in return, always handling his issues on his own; even though his current state of mind strongly demanded otherwise.

His brows furrowed. The Alor’ad’s grasp of the ancient beskad’s hilt tightened at the notion. He felt it beneath him, asking for help, sharing his grief with someone close to him to ease the pain.

Every Mandalorian had their own way of dealing with the passing of those that were close to them. This was his own way of trying to come to terms with reality. But he couldn’t, no matter what he tried. And thus he stooped down enough to do drugs and get chit-faced on a few occasions. Although the pain never ceased to remind itself to him, drugs, alcohol and war were the only things that made him forget, so far. The latter had him feel like himself again. Never before had he craved so much for war. His free time in between operations was spent taking morphine intravenously, and sometimes drunk on tihaar[6], and in agony. The morphine did the trick so far, but it was just a matter of time until that no longer sufficed, until he began taking something more effective.

The grief had led him to a path he never thought he would tread before. He had dealt with the passing of so many vode before, all alone. But why? Why, in Death’s name, was this so different, so hard to overcome this grief? Why couldn’t he make his peace with the kid’s passing?

He knew damn well why.

He felt the sharp, eviscerating sting of shame in his heart, every time the fact reminded itself to him; failing Gwyn and Eliz. Unable to find any other sensible explanation to the fact, that notion had stuck into his mind. He was the one responsible with training them, so they would come back home alive from battle, in one piece.

To him, he was the one that got Eliz killed in that forsaken rock. He tried to understand, to find where in the kark he made the fatal mistake, or series of fatal mistakes that had seen the young lad die, and had his daughter end up missing in action, not long after Panatha. He spent almost all of his free time when he wasn’t high or drunk, trying to find that out, assessing everything he had taught them during their training. It was effectively driving him insane, slowly. This fate was worse than his year long captivity and torture at the hands of the Sith aligned Death Watch, years ago.

The gloom began choking the air out of him as the doors of the rooftop access slid to the sides before him. He had made his way here with practiced caution, making sure he was not followed in the slightest subconsciously with his training taking over, even in his preoccupied state of mind. It was one of his hideouts to dull the suffering in peace and in secret, away from any prying eyes.

He lived in the Kom’rk at the time, in the bunks along with the members of his squad. This was one of the few locations he could have some privacy.

With anxiety induced haste, the giant ripped off his helmet and threw it towards a ventilation unit in front of him as the automatic doors behind him closed shut. The painfully cold air of Kestri stung his lungs, as the cold breeze slowly began numbing his face. His broad chestplate rose and fell heavily with each heave of breath as he walked the snow covered roof. With heavy steps, the Alor’ad made his way to one of the HVAC units scattered along the roof. Resting his back against the ventilation unit, the giant slumped down to the ground, sitting beside his buy’ce. He then reached for a single-use morphine autoinjector from his IFAK.

The Alor’ad extended his left arm forwards as he balled his fist. From practice and his medical knowledge as a baar’ur[7], he had no problems finding his cephalic vein in his left bicep over his form fitting flightsuit for the injection. The giant popped off the safety cap enveloping the needle with his thumb with ease, and jabbed himself with the needle.

He let out a sigh of relief as the drug coursed through his veins. The spent autoinjector fell next to his helmet on the snow covered ground, after the giant’s grasp of it faded away. The Mandalorian blankly stared at Tor’valum and the frozen landscape in the distance for a long while; the latter stretching as far as the eye could see.

And at last, after a little over twenty minutes, the Alor’ad fell into the sweet embrace of slumber, indulging in this temporary respite as his eyes closed shut. He slumped to the ground soon after, laying on his side.

​

Local Time: 18:36

Recoiling from the ear splitting blare of the Citadel’s base sirens, the giant woke up after sleeping several hours. Straightening up, he rubbed his eyes as he reached for his buy’ce beside him, and slipped it on afterwards. He picked up the spent autoinjector beside him and put it in one of his pouches as he stood up. His mind raced as he tried to figure out why the sirens went off. There weren't any scheduled drills for today.

Regardless, he was bound by protocol to report to his station, all geared up. Turning towards the rooftop entrance, he would hear the howl of several dropship engines spooling up as the doors before him slid open to the sides. <What in the…> Was this an unannounced exercise to measure their combat readiness? Regardless, the giant picked up the pace, breaking into a sprint towards his squad’s bunks to grab his primary and some ammo before heading over to the landing pads to board a Dropship.

The unexpected transmission he would receive from his Jango clone friend would shed some light to the situation at hand, however.

”Kranak, you seem to be having some problems at the prison right now and need all the vod you can spare. Where do you need me?”

<”What-”> he transmitted back in response, pausing mid sentence as his helmet began picking up increased comms traffic over the command net frequency as he ran in the hallways of the base towards the Iron Barracks. <Haar’chak!>[8] He cursed silently as he was brought up to speed, listening to a sitrep. For unknown reasons, Tor Valum’s power grid was knocked out, plunging the city into darkness. Taking advantage of the situation, the inmates in the Karjr Headquarters were attempting an escape. There were high value targets they had imprisoned over the months there. If even one escaped successfully, that would compromise Kestri, revealing the planet to the rest of the galaxy!

They could not let that happen.

Having reached his squad’s bunks swiftly, the giant wasted no time in grabbing his Paranaor from his locker, alongside several fresh magazines for both his primary, dual particle blaster pistols and underbarrel grenade launcher shells of various types. Sorting out his ammo pouches, he made his way towards the landing pads. The giant reached out to Omen through their private net as he sprinted. <”Omen, I need you to gather up any and all able bodied vode in your vicinity,”> He said as he joined several other Si’kahya personnel making their way towards the dropships spooling up by the landing pads. <”We’re gonna need to set up a perimeter. Organize into squads and lockdown Sector Two! Get patrols out, cordon off the Karjr Headquarters and send a few squads to protect the Datacenter,”> He ordered his comrade. The Alor’ad needed someone on the ground to stabilize the situation before they could reach the city and sort out this mess. <”Reinforcements are on their way to assist the Karjr, we will be there soon! Keep me posted, you’re gonna be my eyes and ears out there.”> The giant informed him jumped into one of the dropships heading to Sector Two of the city. Several others joined the Alor’ad shortly after he sat down at one of the empty seats.

<”Last one in! We’re good to take off.”> The crew chief informed the pilots over the dropship’s intercom. With a tender judder and the sharp howl of her engines, the dropship took to the cold, dark skies as the pilots steered the dropship towards the city.

He certainly did not expecting to wake up to all of this.

The anxiety in his mind from hours ago was now replaced with anticipation of battle as he began evaluating the situation at hand. The sitrep he was given was sufficient enough to take a reactive action, but he needed more information to get a better grasp of the situation, and act accordingly. He needed someone in the Karjr Headquarters feeding him real-time developments of the situation. With that in mind, the giant tuned his commlink frequency to the Karjr net. <”This is Kandosii Actual of the Si’kahya to any receiving Karjr callsigns, be advised, reinforcements are on their way. I need a status update here. How many inmates are we dealing with? Have any inmates escaped your headquarters? Do you have any wounded personnel in need of medical attention? Please respond, over.”> He patiently began to wait for a response while the dropship made its way towards the Karjr Headquarters as he conducted a quick weapons and equipment check, passing the time in between.

​

Spoiler: Translations

[1] Vode = Brothers/Sisters. Plural of “vod”.
[2]Si’kahya = The shield and sword of the Enclave, sworn to enforce the Enclave’s will with utmost loyalty, dedication and prowess in combat. Elite commando units.
[3] Kom’rk = Gauntlet. The main base and proving grounds of the Si’kahya on Kestri.
[4] Alor’ad = Captain.
[5] Buy’ce = Helmet.
[6] Tihaar = Alcoholic drink - strong clear spirit made from fruit, like eau de vie.
[7] Baar’ur = Medic.
[8]Haar’chak = Damn it!

​

 

[Thonn Rokkal]

Allies: Vren Rook Stone Gra'tua Sergeant Omen Kranak Vizsla
Enemy: Darth Empyrean Darth Carnifex Taeli Raaf Kimora Min UX-0626
Also: Isidor Justeene

---

"…Kark!" The single syllable of profanity punched through the sudden still quiet that now filled his quarters. All illumination within vanished in an instant, save for the now stale blue glow of the disconnected data reader held in his hands. Thonn looked around in the darkness his surroundings had become; as the seconds ticked by, irritation gave gradual way to concern.

Thonn was far from an expert on electronics, but he knew enough to be aware that if the lights had been out for more than a moment, they weren't coming back on anytime soon. Thonn fumbled about with an outstretched arm to locate his desk drawer, pulling it open to reach inside and withdraw his pulse pistol from the contents. While it wouldn't be useful (very wrong assessment) it carried a flashlight attachment, along with a power supply that could keep it lit for hours. With a flick of a switch, light poured instantaneously from it. The resulting uneven bright circle on the rough stone wall scattered just enough to brighten the room and re-enable his vision of it.

With the light to guide him, Thonn eased himself off his bunk and towards his door to open it. A leftward look followed rightward with the flashlight sweeping along the ground; he was far from the only one, and through the halls several other doors did open, with a few quizzical or annoyed Mandalorians emerging the same as he had.

"What's going on?" Asked one.

"The power's out, genius." came a sardonic reply.

"Hey... kark you."

* * *​

Still no power, but he'd at least made himself cozy. Battery units were powering personal heaters, and Thonn was going though his gear – more out of boredom than diligence. So when the alarm was given and all were put on alert, he was uncharacteristically prepared and wound up the first to be ready to go. Beskar'gam thrown on and his backup weapons holstered, Thonn made his rapid departure with his loaded rotary cannon in his grasp.

As was his usual pattern of problem solving, Thonn simply began moving before he truly knew what he was doing. It might not the brightest strategy, but the Jorir knew his limits. Staying put and not doing anything just didn't sit well with him anyhow.

Scanning his hud, he'd noted Sergeant Omen nearby and Thonn changed his course to approach. Omen looked as prepared as Thonn, but moreover he and his squad looked like they actually knew what they were doing. Thonn sure didn't, he just knew there was trouble and had begun to move as a response. Wanting for answers, he posed a question to Sergeant Omen; tired from his rapid deployment, it probablty wasn't quite as to the point as it should have been.

"...What's going on?"

 

[Joycelyn Zambrano]

Tags: Darth Carnifex Taeli Raaf Kimora Min UX-0626
Thonn Rokkal Kranak Vizsla Stone Gra'tua Vren Rook
Objective: Rescue prisoners Isidor Justeene Darth Empyrean

KESTRI
​

Maliphant was only one of many reasons she had joined the strike on Kestri.

To aid in freeing a Lord on the Dark Council was of some importance, but there were more personal stakes at play; the mandalorians had attacked Panatha and crushed the city of Canthar. Such an offense demanded revenge paid thrice over, and the extraction of Maliphant served as a perfect opprtunity to serve Panathan justice. While the jailbreak was peripheral to such vengeance, the chance was too opportune for her to pass. Furthermore, there was a possibility that there would be another prisoner trapped in the same prison. He did not serve the Sith as Maliphant did, but his freedom would serve Joycelyn's designs. She did not know he was there, not yet, but there was a chance.

And she could do with a favour from a fellow Pirate Lord.

For the occasion, the crew of the Ebon Shard had been bolstered with troops from the former Sith Empire. Troops that revered her, that owed her their lives and livelihoods. While they did not perceive her as divine, as some of her followers, they had a deep-seated loyalty for the once Empress.

They came in smaller shuttles, among the other Sith.

At their vanguard was Darth Vornskr the Second. A hood was drawn over her head, its fur trim framing her face. Underneath the black velvet glinted silver and black; a relatively light, but sturdy armour for clandestine missions such as this. In her hand, she held her silver pike. With a blast, her pirates blew a hole in the side of the prison's outer wall and stormed in under the cover of darkness. Four other teams had since peeled away to make the best of the darkness, bombs in hand, seeking the civilian areas nearby.

She had barely stepped inside the prison boundaries when the distress call from Isidor reached her. Her face broke into a wry grin. She did not reply to him, as it would give her away. However, she did try to get a lock on his last known location, alas to little avail.

 

[Lesha Priest]

TAG: Raze Krayt | Luna Terrik | Open

MAD WORLD​

Stuck on babysitting on Life Day Eve.

After all the things that had happened, it was high time to unwind and celebrate Life Day while remembering those that have fallen in battle avenging the Mando'ade on Panatha. Now, Lish was assigned to keep an eye on the highly suspect Luna Terrik - the Confederate Grand Marshal that was captured. The particulars were hazy. Most of it, Lesha only got from Vren and Siv in any case.

So Lish was in a bad mood.

At least she had Raze to help her. If anything, the Krayts were hard warriors aside from their other skills. So they were sitting in one of the cantinas, trying to enjoy a glass of tihaar.

But it was all cut short.

All of a sudden, the power went out in the bar and seemingly, the rest the of the city. Lish was on her feet instantly with a blaster pointing at Luna.
"Don't you dare move anywhere, aruettii. Raze, can you find out what's going on?" she asked her Vod.

She pulled her helmet over her head with her free hand. The HUD took a second to adjust properly to the dark. All she had in the meantime were the three flood lights in the room that had kicked in.

Hopefully, the backup generator will start up before they freeze.

 

[Raze Krayt]

Location: Cantina, Tor Valum, Kestri​

Raze did nothing to dispel people's preconceived notions of Kryat under the Alor Shai Krayt. After all, why should she? It'd taken her a few years after word of the Enclave starting in the Confederacy before Raze even showed up on their doorstep. Not that anyone whined when she did. After all, she could just pack everything up and saunter off to the dilapidated Western reaches, the crumbling South-Center zone, or punch some lingering Bryn in the face to the East to fix what they broke. Long as someone paid her for the work, Raze and all the talented souls she knew could forge a life for themselves. And as for the Enclave... well, they'd been in need of solid Construction workers hadn't they? Lofty goal of building up Wild Space! So, no attention paid to anyone wondering where she'd been the whole time building her little enterprise.

Now, today, they were here in a cantina hanging out tossing back drink, upsetting patrons with loud laughter, and generally not giving a kark. When you fought, you fought well. When you relaxed, you relaxed the hell out of it.

A toothy grin preceded the loss of power as Raze had been about to suggest a drinking game. Her glowing, golden gaze shone all the brighter with all the lights snuffed out. The sharp clack of a glass atop a table expressed how Raze felt about the intrusion.

The bright eyes blinked lazily over at Luna as Lish jumped to her feet and pointed a blaster at the other. They blinked back just as lazily when asked to find out what was going on. "You don't need to point a blaster at her, Lish. Point at it the sad sacks that waltz in here trying to take her." Raze reached over to thump Luna's shoulder in good humor.

With a sigh, Raze reached over with her hand to open a channel to Command. A beat passed before Raze tried again then her features tightened. "No response." Another tap and she switched over to a private channel. "Are you just going to sit on your collective asses, or am I getting a sit-rep, you crate-benching, piss-chugging karksons?" Raze bellowed.

"Instead of fireworks, we got everyone nullworks. Thought you'd appreciate it." Only a beat to punctuate the joke followed, because they knew if they waited longer Raze would chew both ears off. "Looks like a wide-spread power outage. We're getting the backup generators online at the sites, but..."

"Vintu lott, gunsos jho, m'lo het..." Raze growled to herself. "We need eyes. Make sure the sensor towers are up, and someone haul their asses down to Command and see if you can find someone competent to jerryrig a backup for them." Her bright eyes darted over toward Lish. "I'm headed to the Power Station. Hala knows if they've managed to botch the grid this bad they'll not know how to fix it."

"Will keep you apprised, Rage."

The red woman snorted at the moniker. If people didn't kark things up, they wouldn't get yelled at. "So, up for a walk in the freezing cold? Worse that could happen is a ground assault. No point going for the generator if you have mass drivers in orbit." The toothy grin sprang back to life at the good cheer with their luck.

Tag: Lesha Priest | Luna Terrik​

 

[Cass Gemini]

Spoiler: Gear and other links

Equipped: Calypso's Thunder, Harlequin sabers, Gravpack, Viper mk2 skinsuit
Ship: Midnight Kyber
NPCs: Crew of the Midnight Kyber

​

Tags: Isidor Justeene

Cass Gemini sat aboard the Midnight Kyber deep in Enclave territory wondering what to do next. Thrace sat opposite her in her ready room in silence, she had tried everything, she had found a couple of leads but the lack of proper civilisation around it this area of the galaxy made public records fairly unreliable. She hated Mandos before and now for taking her Isidor she hates them even more. "Thrace, do you have anything? Please say you have information."

"Captain, I don't know you love this guy, but I don't think we were going to find him, I am saying this as your friend, you might have to accept that the Mandalorians have got him for good."

Cass shot her a filthy look, she wasn't giving up, not yet.

Cass's personal communicator pinged up and she opened her holographic interface. She heard the familiar voice of her man, he sounded in pain, but she knew where he was and he would get to him. "Isidor, I am coming, I will be there as soon as possible, I am only a few parsecs away from you." She touched the holo, as if she could feel his face. Opening her command interface she redirected the ship and ordered her crew to full readiness.

"Thrace, tell Pix to get dressed and suited up, was are going to need her squadron ready to launch straight away, nav says 3 hours, we will arrive cloaked and stay that was as long as possible. As much as I would love to Glass those bucket heads, I want to avoid conflict if possible."

Her ship was already in hyperspace when she arrived on the bridge, all systems checked out and were ready. With any luck they could jump in, scoop Isidor up and be gone before anyone even noticed them.

 

[Darth Empyrean]

His eyes were gone, and the pain was till fresh. Through the Force, he struggled to see - a haze, static in the darkness, small outlines in the distance of people and things. What was once a clear take on the galaxy had been pinholed into nigh on nothing; a hinderance given to him by the cruel efforts of the Ysalamiri. For once, at least, he was glad he had put in the effort to out due them - that the books and techniques he had written upon and developed served him now.​

​

Thought, it would be more helpful in the moment if he had written a book on how to shoot a gun. How long had it been since he used one? When he was still the unnamed Slave, during his assassination attempt on the Hutt Popo at the battle of the Wheel? The years that had transpired since then were immense, and his skill had not grown with it. On the contrary, it had gotten weaker - and without eyes, it faired no better. Still, the comfort of the handle was something to press his bleeding, sore hand upon - it gave him the knowledge that soon he would be free.​

​

That he would soon be able to enact revenge upon these people - foolish of him to think Mandalorians had enough braincells to negotiate with in the end.​

​

Yet as he rounded a corner, hid in a small alcove as beskar clad men rushed by him, he felt a familiar presence in the distance. Someone he yearned to call out to, but knew it would only come with time. Srina Talon was planetside - somewhere nearby, no doubt able to feel him out through the Force. Were there anyone on this planet so dedicated to free'ing the Dark Lord, it would be the Echani Warlord herself.​

​

A small smile flicked onto his lips as he fell into the hallway once more - waiting, working, patiently moving as he could.​

​

Stone Gra'tua // Thonn Rokkal // Kranak Vizsla // Sergeant Omen // Darth Carnifex // Taeli Raaf // Joycelyn Zambrano // Kimora Min // UX-0626​

 

[UX-0626]

Location: Main Entrance, Karjr Headquarters - Kestri
Objective: Hunt Lizards
Allies: TSE ( Darth Carnifex Taeli Raaf Darth Empyrean Joycelyn Zambrano Kimora Min )
Neutral: KC ( Isidor Justeene Cass Gemini )
Enemies: ME ( Thonn Rokkal Kranak Vizsla )
Direct Engagement: Stone Gra'tua

Orders and callouts were delivered in sharp, cutting Ghoul-Speak as the crimson-clad soldiers moved through the facility. It hadn’t taken long for the ysalamir to become a problem, not necessarily for the soldiers, but for the Sith accompanying them. The creatures seemingly infested the facility, more so as they got closer to the prisons, where a mass breakout was beginning to transpire.

“The ysalamir, take them down, UX-0626.”

“Yes, Captain.”

The short-statured Hapan broke off from the main group, which continued deeper into the prison as she switched her lifeform scanners to pick out the creatures. The lizards were mounted on the walls, contained in special nutrient frames designed to keep them healthy and blissfully unaware of their surroundings. The Strand-Cast targeted those first, firing the sonic stunners on her wrists to slay the creatures in their slumber, one after the next. With each one killed, the bubble would grow smaller and smaller, diminishing the advantage the Mandalorians held bit by bit. Just as she took down her sixth, her armor’s sensors picked up four more signatures entering the facility, accompanied by four additional sapient life signs.

The Mandalorians had arrived.

Setting her sensors to low-feedback, UX-0626 immediately set off on a course towards the four Mandalorians, moving towards the main entrance. Readying her rifle, the lone Strand-Cast quickly closed in on that location, shooting out any cameras or sensor equipment in the halls as she did. Before long, she arrived, taking position on a balcony overlooking the foyer.

The salutation that the quartet of Mandalorians ( Stone Gra'tua ) would receive as they entered the headquarters would be a salvo of two miniaturized proton torpedoes, delivered from roughly twenty meters away and locked onto the two soldiers at the middle of their formation.

Spoiler: Loadout

• "Taral" Sith Trooper Armor - Designation: UX-0626
  
  • Gauntlets
    
    • Wide-Beam Sonic Stunner - L/R
    • Universal Gas Launcher
      
      • Pink Vapor
  • Undersuit
    
    • UL-14 “Virtus” Class Underlay
  • Energy Shield
    
    • Phase III “Force Avenger” Energy Shield
  • B-11 “Greitis” Class Combat Boots
    
    • Whimsy Knife - L/R
• Kainate Combat Rifle Model Sixty-Two
  
  • Carbine Configuration - Proton Torpedoes
• FAE/M-01 “Scherezade” Energized Vibroblade
• M-18 "Pit Viper"
• Impact Grenade (4)

 

[Stone Gra'tua]

​

Tags : Vren Rook Raze Krayt Lesha Priest Kranak Vizsla Thonn Rokkal
Darth Carnifex Taeli Raaf Kimora Min Cass Gemini Joycelyn Zambrano
Engaging : UX-0626

The loss of holocams and security feeds and the meaning of such was not overlooked by Stone's team of Mando'ade as they penetrated the complex. The Sith had planned their operation well, and it looked to be a wide approach. Stone pushed thoughts of what had to be happening elsewhere from his mind, and focused on the current problem. Vansen and the big two looked to him, and he motioned the team to continue forward. They were all veterans, they knew it was likely they were rushing into an ambush, but the boss had given the word. They moved out double time, ready to spring into action when danger found them.

They did not have to wait long. The Mandalorians' own gear was good enough for short range, and they knew there were no friendlies ahead. "Shock and awe." the Alor ordered, and the Mando'ade emerged into fire with two proton torpedoes coming towards them.

With the aid of jetpack fire, reacting instantly to the danger, the four Mando'ade came forward fast, with the pair of missiles detonating far behind them. Weapons up, Stone was first to fire, targeting the one who had fired with two blasts from his trusty Pulse Cannon. Vansen engaged another way, moving fast and low, ducking swifly inside her opponent's guard to get at their legs with her vibrodagger. The Houk and the Wook were splitting the room between them, lashing the whole space with heavy repeating fire, one left, one right, both laughing uprorariously at some shared joke, covering Stone and Vansen as they did so.

 

[UX-0626]

Location: Main Entrance, Karjr Headquarters - Kestri
Objective: Hunt Lizards
Allies: TSE ( Darth Carnifex Taeli Raaf Darth Empyrean Joycelyn Zambrano Kimora Min )
Neutral: KC ( Isidor Justeene )
Enemies: ME ( Thonn Rokkal Kranak Vizsla )
Direct Engagement: Stone Gra'tua

The response of the Mandalorians was swift and aggressive, the Sith trooper immediately forced on the defensive as the enemy attempted to close the distance by rocketing up to meet her position on the balcony. Covering her position, UX-0626 fired a single charge of Pink Vapor, which detonated in mid-air to unleash a pink, anti-energy weapon cocktail, dissipating the incoming fire from the pulse cannon and the two heavy repeater-toting Mandalorians before it could reach her. As she did, her repulsor pack carried her up into the air with violent speed, her form punching through the cloud of gas and just above the vibrodagger-wielding Mandalorian as the woman attempted to strike at her legs.

If the Mandalorians wanted a dogfight, she would give them one.

The repeater-toting Wookiee and Houk would be forced to contend with the sonic stunner on the Sith trooper’s right gauntlet, which delivered a wide-spread wave of hard sound on the maximum setting, carrying the potential to shatter bones and rupture organs. The attack came less than a second after the Hapan flew out of the pink cloud, delivered from above and with slightly less than ten meters of distance separating shooter and targets. Then, for the bladeswoman and the pulse cannon-wielding warrior, UX-0626 ascended upward as she attempted to lock onto both of them with her rifle’s targeting system.

However, with the ceiling fast-approaching, the Hapan quickly realized that she couldn’t afford to wait.

Less than a second after the sonic attack, the Sith trooper leveled her rifle towards the pulse cannon warrior’s chest and dumbfired a single miniaturized proton torpedo from above, hoping that it would strike him in the chest or at the very least, force him on the defensive. While it was still a short distance of slightly less than ten meters, making the Mandalorian an easy target in theory, the fact that the fight had turned aerial could very well complicate the engagement…

Spoiler: Loadout

• "Taral" Sith Trooper Armor - Designation: UX-0626
  
  • Gauntlets
    
    • Wide-Beam Sonic Stunner - L/R
    • Universal Gas Launcher
      
      • Pink Vapor
  • Undersuit
    
    • UL-14 “Virtus” Class Underlay
  • Energy Shield
    
    • Phase III “Force Avenger” Energy Shield
  • B-11 “Greitis” Class Combat Boots
    
    • Whimsy Knife - L/R
• Kainate Combat Rifle Model Sixty-Two
  
  • Carbine Configuration - Proton Torpedoes
• FAE/M-01 “Scherezade” Energized Vibroblade
• M-18 "Pit Viper"
• Impact Grenade (4)

 

[Stone Gra'tua]

​

Tags : Vren Rook Raze Krayt Lesha Priest Kranak Vizsla Thonn Rokkal
Darth Carnifex Taeli Raaf Kimora Min Cass Gemini Joycelyn Zambrano
Engaging : UX-0626

With the engagement moving at the lightning speed of battle, any missed step could be extremely costly. The Hapan trooper moved quick, utilizing a variety of eclectic weapons with the practised skill even a Mandalorian could admire. Vansen's blade missed clean, as UX-0626 zipped clear, and dealt with the Wook and the Houk, sending both blasting backward, though their armour mitigated much of the damage, they were momentarily shocked and out of action.

The time it took her to escape Vansen, and then take down both Tank and Angry had left her exposed to the angry Shi'ido. Before the Sith's rifle could come to point at him, Stone intercepted the Sith trooper's flight with one of his own, barreling into her armored form with his own, too close for either of their longrifles to bear, and smashing both of them into the ceiling. "Sith chakaar!" The Gra'tua Alor growled as an exhalation as he hit home.

Stone's pulse cannon was already slung, and he was punching and grappling with both hands free, going for the trooper's neck with a grasping crushgaunt. He had her outmatched in size and strength, and he hoped, surprise. One versus four was usually a losing prospect, and his squad had drawn this one's attention masterfully enough for him to get in close enough for a killing strike.

Neither of the three Mando'ade of Clan Gra'tua could fire with Stone so close, though Vansen traded her vibrodagger for her Amban rifle. She, just momentarily, risked a glance across at the very angry and no longer laughing Wookiee and Houk getting back to their feet a little the worse for wear, before sighting down the barrel in case she got a clear shot.