Invasion The Ossus Massacre │ SE Invasion of SJC held Jomark & Nespis VIII

[Atlas Drake]

There is no light in earth or heaven
But the cold light of stars​

---

// FREE FALL
// OSSUS ATMOSPHERE
// ADEGA SYSTEM, OUTER RIM TERRITORIES
​

Captain Drake drifted between stray laser cannon fire and starfighter debris. Every second he delayed the explorer was exposed to a hundred different things that could kill him. His only reference for relative speed was the holonet relay accelerating rapidly in his direction. After a prolonged braking maneuver he settled into a velocity that was less terminal.

"Drake to Constellation, the eagle has wings."

"Copy that, eagle."

A few evasive course corrections saved his life. He tried not to think of the burning corvette's crew when he darted past what was left of its forward hull. Their sole link to the outside galaxy now loomed before him. Relative to the leviathans still brawling in space for supremacy the relay satellite was a tiny thing but Atlas was dwarfed by its scale. Tension filled his muscles. He would only get one shot at this.

Atlas reached out to snatch at anything the spacer could reach. He felt his glove's magnetic seal engage only for the relay component to snap in a spray of cables. He nearly ricocheted off and into open space but at the last possible second fingers grasped one of the exposed cords and Drake could feel his body strain against its own counter-momentum. Fortunately both his grip and the cable held.

"Constellation," Captain Drake signaled to his crew, "the eagle has landed."

"Hell of a thing, eagle. We'll walk you through the procedure from here."

One hand after the other he reeled himself in until he was securely tethered to the relay. Enough years working on the frontier made Atlas familiar with most standard and even a few non standard satellite designs. He already knew more or less where he was going and when the first instructions came through he was already prying off the corresponding panel with a spanner.

"Alright, once your scomp link is jacked in you need to-" the transmission cut out.

"Constellation, I lost your signal. Repeat last."

"Drake!" Q²'s alarmed voice pierced the static "Get the hell out of there!"

Overwhelming light nearly blinded him until his EVA suit's visor auto-tinted. He could feel the hair on his skin stand up as charged particles stirred through vacuum. When Captain Drake's blurry vision cleared the other half of the HoloNet relay was simply gone, shorn off completely by a precise turbolaser blast. His tether's slack grew taught as the destroyed satellite's orbit began to decay.

Thinking quickly Atlas cut his tether and fired maneuvering thrusters. It saved his life from a narrow collision with one of the relay's shorn off solar panels. He navigated as best he could to the 'topside' and tethered back on. Nowhere near enough protection to survive reentry but the wreckage would serve as a crude heat shield buying him at least a few extra minutes to survive.

Shadow loomed across the Ossus sky casting Drake and the relay in gloom and fire. What looked like the Red Dragon, flagship of these unknown new Sith marauders, raced as if to catch him. It towered over the relay as it plummeted toward the same earth. His eyes widened in fear and disbelief. Then a thought struck him and Atlas smiled.

"Constellation, this is Drake. The eagle has another bad idea."

---

Equipment: EVA Suit, Tool Kit, Glie-44 Navy, Tehk'la Blade
Allies: Gir Quee Ura Iolar Okkeus Dainlei
Enemies: Tithon Antilles Arthos Vynea Errix Feh'room
Manifest:

• Trident-class Surveyor Ship​

Actions:

• Manual tether with holonet relay in orbit. Get shot at by a turbolaser.​
• Spacewalk from satellite wreckage to the Red Dragon while still in upper atmosphere.​

 

[Sakadi Marathi Sinvala]

Objective 3
Location: Ventilation shaft, heading for the bridge
Allies: Dis | Romi Jade | Coren Starchaser | Caedyn Arenais | Vexander Graves | Mathieu Brion | Yula Perl | Kyra Perl | Caltin Vanagor | Taiia Locke | Auteme | Maja Fiore | Thirdas Heavenshield | Syd Celsius | Aaran Tafo | Thalia Senn | Ura Iolar | Beltran Rarr | Vulpesen | Nathaniel Wellchoestor
Opposing: Aspect of Passion , Darth Empyrean

It was eerie still in the disabled turbolift.

Her lightsaber, hung in the air before her, levitating at eye-level as she concentrated. The humming of the silver-white blade helped deepen her concentration even further as Master Jade relayed her plan. It was difficult, daring and ambitious. But it just might work.

Thus, the Jedi Master went to work. She sunk down to the cold floor of the elevator and crossed her legs. The established connection with Master Jade was no exploitable unified weakness, but a source of strength and light. One that allowed her to push out the whispers of the Dark side with greater ease, as she began to connect her own strings to the elaborate web of minds Romi was building. Sakadi sought to integrate those who she could easily reach first. Those whom she shared strong bonds with. Cadere and his padawan Yenna , her second padawan Mi'la Undari, Knights who often accompanied her, like Zemira and the many younglings whom she mentored on Kashyyyk. Sakadi Sinvala had trained in the art of telepathy for over five decades, day in and day out. It was no child's play across these vast distances, but it was far from impossible for the likes of her to accomplish.

The voice of Dis drew her back to the physical realm as she relayed her established connections to the Meld. Escape. The shadowcat was right. Eventually she would have to leave the doomed battleship. But if she did, if she broke concentration to save herself… What would become of Ossus? The devastation would tear through Force Users and non-Force users alike if she gave up now.

Non-Force users….

For a brief moment, she stopped. The Jedi were undoubtedly giving their all to push back the impending doom. But there were more than just Jedi who fought for the salvation of Ossus here today. Immediately, she began a frantic search for one specific ranger. A man who had stood beside her against overwhelming odds, and had deservingly left a lasting impression. She vividly recalled his signature in the Force, but had never thought she would summon it again in the face of similarly dire odds.

"Captain Liram Angellus . The Red Dragon holds a weapon of unprecedented power. It cannot be allowed to reach the surface. Please, you must do whatever is in your power to remove the wreckage." She didn't know if he remembered her well enough to recognize her disembodied voice. She just hoped that he would not dismiss her plea.

Now, she could fully focus on the matter at hand. The battle that would decide the fate of Ossus. She fully surrendered to the flow of the Force, adding her own will and might to the united Jedi front. She raised both hands, palms facing upward as if carrying a heavy load, and the master began to chant through the Force.

"We are one with the Force and the Force is with us. We are one with the Force and the Force is with us…"

"And together, we will make it move."

 

[Dagon Kaze]

THE PROSPERITY | PRE-OSSUS
IN THE AIR TONIGHT

You're smiling like an idiot.
​

“What the hell is this emoji?!” Dagon exclaimed, staring at the screen in his hands. “I don’t even use that emoji.”

“Auto-correct, probably.” Aelys snickered.

“Yeah, I believe you, actually.”

Lucien nearly choking on his drink spat out, “She’s way out of your league, man - you gotta be using a mind trick or something.”

“Relaaax, man. We didn’t write no stupid chit.” Ryv grinned, his hands resting behind his head. “Least nothin’ more stupid than what you’d write.”

The table erupted into endless laughter.

“I go for one second away and-- you know this is why Maynard’s the only one out of you with some semblance of a relationship, I swear. Yours doesn’t count, Luc. Ehh--” he waved his hand dismissively, turned heel, and departed back to his quarters under the echoing chuckles. A long-lasting smile emerged on his face. Yeah, he had exaggerated there a bit.

The New Jedi. Bruised, bloodied, and scarred but still unyielding. Skirmish after skirmish, battle after battle. Dagon would always welcome a laugh at his expense if it meant raising their spirits.

He slid into his room and crashed on the bed with his phone glued to his hands, chatting. The smile glowed more than the cyan-white screen. It had been a long time since he last had experienced this sensation... and purity of mind. The veil of twilight enveloping his psyche receded away to the bright warm rays of-

“Escape.” a familiar voice interjected startling the padawan. Arcanus Sunstrider, or the AI of the Prosperity which manifested as the legendary Jedi Master. A voice he hadn’t heard for a long time.

“Huh?” Dagon put his phone down as his conversation with Ayana came to an end.

“She is your outlet. For all the grief, pain, and torment weighing you down, buried inside the depths of your mind.” Sunstrider continued, no mincing of words. As always.

Dagon’s smile disappeared, a frown moving in to take its place. “How do you even-”

“And she will be the one to pay the price in the end, Dagon Kaze. Selfishness is not the Jedi way.”

“She’s not! An...outlet.” the padawan snapped back, then sighed, “It did start oddly but that’s no longer the case.” sure, that chemical agent on Jedha had sent him into a cantina he would’ve otherwise skipped and made Ayana entertain a conversation she would’ve otherwise cut off early. But the animated spark had kindled a warmth that lasted longer than the effects of the chemical.

And now here was the AI of the Prosperity telling him otherwise.

“Who else have you opened up to, Dagon Kaze?” the AI threw the question like a javelin straight at his heart. “Your friends? You’ve always kept them in the dark from what haunts you. Your master? To Asmundr you’re like an open book but every time he tries to reach out, you shove him away. You believe you have erected walls to keep these demons at bay but the truth is - you have built them to keep your closest away while the shadows inside consume your mind and your soul. Never allowing anyone to help you-”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Dagon’s nose wrinkled, a scowl creating deep fissures over his face.

“-except her. You’re turning her into a conduit for all that darkness inside, whether you know it or not.”

He clenched his fists till his knuckles went white, then jolted off the bed towards the control panel on the wall.

“But what you unleash - it will break her.”

“No one deserves-”

He slammed shut the speaker.

---

NEW JEDI ORDER | GALACTIC ALLIANCE

“She’s a soldier. Soldiers-”
“I’ll make sure she comes back home safe and sound.”​

Back on Jedha, he had assured her that there was no way he could mistake her for her twin sister. But he sure as hell would’ve struggled hadn’t Suri carried herself with the angriest of faces he had ever seen. Battleborn, ready - the only thing that was missing was a knife between her teeth. Nothing like Ayana.

So that’s the scary sister.

Ayana never said, nor did she imply it, but Dagon had the feeling Suri wouldn’t think twice cracking his head open if he misstepped in...whatever Dagon and Ayana had going. Looking her over, the padawan didn’t doubt it.

Glancing back at Ayana he was greeted by a joyful grin to which he returned his signature lopsided smile. Behind it a crippling dread began slowly to seep in his veins at the muffled sounds of war battering the hull of the shuttle. All too well he remembered the descent on Ziost and Generis...and what followed after. He was once again going into the maw of death and demise with those he cared for beside him.

everyone

Huh?

He brushed away the intrusive, foreign thought as a figment of his imagination and focused on the daunting task ahead. Only for a powerful presence to wash over him through the Force bringing his hand up to his temple.

Master Jade.

The padawan squeezed his eyes under the strain of sensory overload. Diving into a meld with Asmundr, his master, was one thing - their bond facilitating it - but with Romi; it was a whole different ballgame. The turbulent currents of the Force rattled him far more than the shaking of the transport did. He craned his head down struggling to find his bearings. He exerted a chunk of energy to latch onto something in the ethereal and hold.

We're gonna stop it. Together.

Romi's words echoed in his head, the last one ringing in his mind as he stepped back into the material world. He made sense of her beckoning call when the pilot of the transport observed the obvious - a massive Sith vessel lurching down towards the surface. Meanwhile. the Jedi below were rushing for shelter within the confines of the temple; despair, terror, and urgency reverberating across the tether binding the servants of the Light.

“Alright major, what’s your call now? We do the ground as planned or..we’re..” Ayana's voice came from behind. “Nuh-uh. We are not equipped to jump on a flaming ball of metal about to hit a planet. I do not have enough bandages for that.”

"We're going down to the Temple." Dagon interjected throwing a solemn glance back at the medic. Non-negotiable.

A stubborn resolve seized his heart, its grasp driven by the dreadful experience of helplessness on Korriban; a painful memory to relive that seemed too identical to their present predicament.

This time it would be different.

Or would it?

ALLIES | SJC | GA | NJO | Ayana Vullen | Suri Vullen | Romi Jade
ENEMIES | SE | Aeric Kaze

 

[Yula Perl]

LOCATION | Ossus Communications Hub | Hall
ALLIES | Kyra Perl
ENEMIES | Soloman Priest | Jorii Vizsla

Mandalorians were not the most talkative people. Direct and to the point, there wasn’t much room for a lengthy conversation. Yula counted herself and Kyra lucky that this pair seemed to have a measure of patience, but that had rapidly come to an end.

The next few second played out in slow motion. The crack of the Mandalorian’s blaster, the breath leaving Kyra. Yula’s lips parted in a shocked gape, turning in time to face the muzzle of the second Mandalorian’s weapon. Another shot turned Emily into a fried heap, her dying beeps rattling an eerie tone though the hall. Maybe she was screaming, grasping for her sister, but her nerves weren’t synching up to her brain.

Then, the strangest thing happened—comfort. Something rippled overhead, around them. Something familiar and reassuring. A barrier, a shield wrought from the Force itself.

Confusion crinkled her brow. Mom?

The barrier exploded outwards, and the next thing she knew, they’d dashed around the corner. “What are you-“ Yula held fast against Kyra’s shove, meeting her sister’s gaze of wild clarity. The crimson mane, the pink skin, the look of severity in her eyes. From the part of her hair to the point of her chin, Kyra undoubtedly resembled their mother. And today, with the perseverance she’d displayed, mom would be proud.

She had caught Yula off guard. Even if she’d always be Yula’s bratty little sister, today she had proven to be something more. Someone more.

Yula pushed through her stunned revelation and grabbed Kyra by her free wrist. “Not without you.” As she spoke, she fished into her pocket and slapped a small plastoid rectangle against the outside of the trash cute. Then she fell in, dragging her sister with her. The device attached to the wall began a series of blinks and beeps, gradually increasing in a warning tone.

A decoy bomb.

 

[Liram Angellus]

GAME ON YAKHEAD!​

LOCATION: Upper Orbit over Ossus
LOCAL TIME: hours
BASED: The Carrier "Liberation"
ORDERS: Destroying "The Red Dragon" at all costs
WINGMATES: Gir Quee Ura Iolar Atlas Drake Okkeus Dainlei Sakadi Marathi Sinvala Romi Jade Tithon Antilles Other Space Kaiden Lunafreya Solidor

Things were actually going well, the Sith Eternal Fleet was coming apart at the seams and the reinforcements came in just in time. Things may actually look up as this invasion might be turned away as Liram watched a massive explosion rip the ventral side of ” The Red Dragon” apart and it began to list heavily forward. The support ships, the other Star Destroyers, were holding up the best that they could, but it was a losing game. They something happened that made him blink.

” The Red Dragon” was not in a list or lurching, it diving for the planet, as if someone was actually making a suicide dive. This was something that seemed to catch the eye of everyone as the chatter on the comms was mainly about this. Maybe it was that, maybe it was letting their guard down, maybe the damage from the ” Hellbore” was worse than they thought, but a group of Sith bombers was actually able to break off and hit their command tower, taking out one of the shield generators and heavily damaging the structure itself.

As alarms klaxoned damage reports were indeed rolling in.

“Hull breaches on multiple decks.”

“Port shield generator destroyed.”

“Structural integrity of tower down to 43 percent.”

Closing his eyes, Liram was disgusted with himself. What kind of Captain allows this to happen to his ship? It was when he had heard a voice in his mind... wait what? His mind? How is that possible? Wait? Is that the Jedi Chick? Saladi? Salami? The Dragon had a WMD? WHAT THE?

“Losing main power.”

Halpern ran to a station and began looking over the reports. “Catastrophic failure in targeting systems.” He looked up shaking his head. “That thing hit us in the worst possible spot.”

Bowing his head, Liram spoke up.

” Engineering, transfer all available and non-essential power to the sunlight engines. Tactical, prepare to transfer targeting control to the helm.”

“Yessir.”

“Yessir.”

Everyone began to fear the worst, what he was ordering sounded like they were preparing to ram another ship. Tapping his comm-link, Liram got onto a frequency that could hit as many Silver ships as he could.

” The Liberation” is preparing to tactically ram “ The Red Dragon””. If you could keep any opposition off me, I would appreciate it.

Halpern, as well as much of the bridge, looked at Liram, who at this point was walking over to the helm and ordering them to get up like he had four heads. “Did I hear you right, sir? ‘You’?” Liram just looked at his XO and mouthed the letters "W" "M" "D", which seemed to change things.

Nodding, Liram sat down.

” Sound the evacuation. Contact ” The Persavi Perseverance” to prepare to receive our escape pods, as well as the Carrier Corvettes.”

“Sir?”

” I want everyone off. The ship is lost. There is something going on with that Star Destroyer, and I’m going to use what is left to stop her from doing whatever she is going to do.”

Now, now there was a protest, not just from Halpern, but from almost the entire staff. This actually lifted his spirits to know that he had earned such loyalty from them, many were flat out arguing, stating that they were not going anywhere. ” The Persavi Perseverance” responded, preparing to receive everyone, as well as provide fire support and even sending over transports. The thing is though, Liram was not going to have their potential deaths on his hands, his ancestors didn’t he wouldn’t.

” That’s an order. Thank you all, but I have to do this.”

“Dammit, Liram! We’re not leaving you behind!” Halpern was probably more deserving than Angellus of the Captain’s position right now, but he respected Liram greatly and learned to consider him a friend. His sentiment was shared by much of the bridge crew as while they may not know the Captain enough to consider him a friend, they all respected him through their experiences and his command abilities. Liram just looked them all in the eye before saying…

” I have no intention of dying here.”

Reluctantly, as if one by one many of them began to get up and head for the escape pods. All of them slowly left, all of them except for Commander Halpern.

” Get out of here, Gym!”

“Kiss my ass, Liram. You’re here? I’m here.”

The Captain just smirked.

” Kiss your own ass and take tactical. Shoot these karkers.”

With that, Liram set full power to the stern maneuvering thrusters and main sunlight engines. As escape pods jettisoned and screamed towards the Battlecruiser, the carrier pressed forward at full sub-light. The turbolaser batteries soon began to fire at Sith ships again, but the targeting was slow as normally there was more than one person working all of the necessary systems and controls.

Silver Forces assigned to the Liberation Task Force began to focus fire on nearby Sith vessels so that the doomed fleet carrier could make her final charge, and slam into ” The Red Dragon”. Their actions could not stop weapons fire from Sith Eternal forces, but ” The Liberation”, nor her captain would be denied.

“Time to impact… 2 minutes.”

” Wait for it.”

“Captain...”

” Wait for it.”

“Time to impact… 1 minute… 45 seconds...”

” Wait for it.”

He was finishing entering a few last commands, the ” The Red Dragon”’s silhouette grew bigger and bigger in the viewports. Finally, the two ships met in the most violent way possible, the forward "spear" bow of the carrier driving into the opposing Star Destroyer setting off destructive waves of explosions and shrapnel in all directions, the impact threw the both of them forward. The engines were still firing, pushing " The Liberation" further and further into ” The Red Dragon”, Taskforce Undertow's tractors were doing their job, but the Liberation was there to finish it.

“Liram!”

” We. Are. Out of here!”

Both getting up, they ran towards the Captain’s office as Within moments, they took off on the “Captain’s Launch”. ” The Liberation” would hopefully either send the Sith flagship careening out into space or destroy it completely.

Spoiler: “Battlegroup”

“The Liberation” (going down)
5 Squadrons NC-1 X-Wing(1 Lost)
4 Squadrons RZ-3 A-Wing interceptor (6 fighters lost)
4 Squadrons Telepath-III strategic bomber(1 lost)
2 Squadrons Gregale-class Heavy Fighter
3 Squadrons Apex Heavy Escort Fighter(1 Lost)
2 Squadrons "Arch-Angel" Heavy Dropship/Gunship

“Green 6”
4 Squadrons NC-1 X-Wing

“Green 7”
4 Squadrons Telepath-III strategic bomber(1 Lost)

“Green 8”
4 Squadrons NC-1 X-Wing

“Green 9”
4 Squadrons Telepath-III strategic bomber(1 Lost)

“Green 10”
4 Squadrons NC-1 X-Wing(2 Lost)

“Green 11”
4 Squadrons Telepath-III strategic bomber(1 lost)

“Green 12”
4 Squadrons NC-1 X-Wing(1 lost)

“Green 13”
4 Squadrons Gale Class Starfighter(1/2 squadron lost)

“Green 14”
4 Squadrons Gale Class Starfighter

“Green 15”
4 Squadrons Gale Class Starfighter

“Dragnet”
4 Squadrons Erakyte-Class Heavy Bomber(lost)

“Magneto”
4 Squadrons Vortex-II Class Interceptor(1 squadron lost)

“Gundark 3”

“Gundark 4”(lost)

Spoiler: Backup from Taskforce Emerald Undertow

Wavebreak-class Battlecruiser Persavi Perseverance

Tritones II-class Heavy Cruiser Corellian Courage

Starhammer-class Attack Corvette Green Two

Spoiler: Liberation Squadrons for RP purposes

Voodoo 2 (Razorback Squadron) NC-1 X-Wing
Voodoo 3 (Wi Squadron) NC-1 X-Wing
Voodoo 4 (Fi Squadron)NC-1 X-Wing
Voodoo 5 (Prac Squadron)NC-1 X-Wing
Voodoo 6 (Tic Squadron)NC-1 X-Wing
Voodoo 7 (Tac Squadron)[ RZ-3 A-Wing interceptor
Voodoo 8 (Gator Squadron) RZ-3 A-Wing interceptor
Voodoo 9 (Cal Squadron) RZ-3 A-Wing interceptor
Voodoo 10 (Jok Squadron) RZ-3 A-Wing interceptor
Voodoo 11 (Kers Squadron)Telepath-III strategic bomber
Voodoo 12 (Murr Squadron)Telepath-III strategic bomber
Voodoo 13 (Que Squadron)Telepath-III strategic bomber
Voodoo 14 (Joe Squadron)Telepath-III strategic bomber
Voodoo 15 (Gatto Squadron)Gregale-class Heavy Fighter
Voodoo 16 (Vulcano Squadron)Gregale-class Heavy Fighter
Voodoo 17 (Larry Squadron)OSA-04 Apex Heavy Escort Fighter
Voodoo 18 (Gunk Squadron)OSA-04 Apex Heavy Escort Fighter
Voodoo 19 (Domo Squadron)OSA-04 Apex Heavy Escort Fighter
Voodoo 20(Ferret Squadron)OSA-03 "Arch-Angel" Heavy Dropship/Gunship
Voodoo 21 (Ferret II Squadron)OSA-03 "Arch-Angel" Heavy Dropship/Gunship

Spoiler: Summary of Actions

Liberation is going down, evacuation has been initiated, Captain Angellus and Commander Halpern committing to tactical ramming of The Red Dragon, to either assist with Task Force Undertow's tractors or take over.
Fleet regrouping and firing on all ships in the area to keep pressure off the LIberation.
"Corellian Courage" and "Green Two" targeting Sith Interdictors.
Carrier Corvettes, and Interdictors focusing fire on supporting Star Destroyers.
"Persavi Perseverance" focusing fire on "The Red Dragon"
GreGale and Gale Class fighters continue to hit Sith Fighters.
A-wing Interceptors conducting high-speed fire suppression, firing on Sith Bombers.
X-wings target frigate and cruiser turrets on attack-runs at Sith Interdictors.
Bombers now focus their attention on mopping up Sith Eternal support ships.
Angellus and Halpern will exit the ship via the "Captain's Launch" when either the desired effect is on its way to being reached or there is no way to continue to be there safely.

 

[Other Space Kaiden]

The Inferno
Warrior's Skin
Objective: III
(The Shadow Realm Jimbo)

"Good, Lord Vulcanus...very good" Sanem spoke, the orange glow of his eyes burning through the fleeting veil of Hord's ashes as they disappeared forever into the inky darkness, "now you have come to understand the truth."

The Lord of Embers did not answer and there was only silence. Vulcanus watched as the shreds of Hord's apparition drifted away, leaving behind only a shattered existence. The beast's burning gaze turned downward as he lifted his claws, eyes glued to the place where the smoking nub had been moments ago. "Truth..." Vulcanus growled in a voice like a sharp crack of thunder, imposing and powerful but never again to be the eruption of directionless power it had been his entire life, "...your truth brings me only unanswered questions, specter."

Vulcanus hand fell back to his side and his sulfuric eyes laid claim to Sanem's, "If The Force is a master making slaves of us all - then what does that make you? You say yourself that your hand has guided The Graug. How do I know you are nothing more than a hand of The Force. Why should I suffer you to live?"

"I guided so that The Force could not. Your species was created to be subversive. Defiant...but you are not immovable. You are not invulnerable. Left to your own devices The Force would have guided your people to their own destruction and extinction." Sanem paced away from Vulcanus in measured steps as he continued, "Until your people had developed as adequate individuals capable of resisting its pull, it was simply a risk I could not take. After all, your people and I are symbiotic now. One does not exist without the other. To purge me from this existence would be to destroy your people to the last man and woman."

"And what do you gain from this? A corpse has little to gain from the living."

"Of course I do. To take part in the Kaggath of the Sith'ari is to become truly free of The Force's will. Ultimate individualism through the effortless consensus of the grandest Sith minds to have ever walked this realm. To be Sith'ari is to be a soul dethatched forever from the pull of prophecy and the will of an omnipotent tyrant. The true self will be isolated from the tumorous growths that the force has allowed to fester on your soul, shed away until all that is left is the untainted, unmanipulated truth of yourself and what you are.

My time has come and past, but through you I will be ascended."

"For what end? The Sith wish to simply cower?"

Sanem turned back, his hands folding inside the sleeves of his robe and a smile peeking through his beard. He would never answer the question as his eyes drifted slowly to the right, gazing at something just behind Vulcanus.

"It was brave to enter Vulcanus' mind, Jedi. Brave...but very foolish" Sanem spoke to Auteme as her form materialized in the twisted realm of Vulcanus' mind. The beast himself turned to face her, appearing nothing like the monster she faced outside. Where Vulcanus' body was wreathed in fire and set with horns, the Vulcanus here appeared as he had more than two decades ago. Gone was the torn flesh and necrotic gums of the body Carnifex had built for him. Gone were the horns and the demonic scowl.

Before her stood Vulcanus' original Graug body. "What is this lesser thing doing here? Another apparition to test me against?"

"No. It would appear that the Jedi facing your mindless body could not stand to face it. Perhaps she wishes to speak to you" Sanem mused in his gravely voice, "have things gone so poorly for your order Jedi? Do you wish to bend your knee to the next Sith'ari?"

 

[Soloman Priest]

​

Objective I: Blackout
Allies: Jorii Vizsla
Enemies: Yula Perl │ Kyra Perl

"Kark.", he said to himself - making sure it didn't go through the vocoder as his mag boots activated. They maintained his balance, and the push spread without much of a effect; at least nothing he hadn't experienced before. Still, he could feel the burning stare of Jorii through her vizor - even if she hadn't said anything, but that was done and over with.​

​

Seems he wasn't getting his bonus for having jedi with.​

​

Still, he followed - if they wanted to escape, he'd make good on at least one of his promises; only one of them would live. Leaving without Jorii, or at least checking if she was following, he let the combat boots and exoskeleton of his armor speed his sprint in chasing them; checking just barely close enough to watch them disappear around the next corner - but the last he almost hesitated on as he saw and heard the beeping.​

​

But he wasn't one for wasting time - raising his hand gun, he pointed it at it as his compensation books locked him to the floor and he fired. His muscles had tenses, bracing themselves for what he thought would occur - an explosion to threatened to launch him against the opposite wall; but what happened was nothing. The beeping stopped, the wall was unharmed besides the dent from his shot, and he was left simply standing.​

​

Well, better than expected he imagined.​

​

Quickly, he closed the distance between him and the trashchute and lifted its latch. Undoing his grenade belt, he armed them with a single suicide bomb button saved for emergencies, and tossed it down. If they wanted to run, he'd leave them with something extra. From pink skin to a charred and bubbling black - a good reward for their courage. As he slammed the cover back down, he let a laser on his arm weld it shut before clicking the nearby button to inform the facility trash was collected.​

​

If power was still operational, it would likely lock the doors and begin the crushing procedure - just in time for his present to arrive. If the power was off - then the door was likely sealed shut anyway.​

​

With a glance back to Jorii, he simply shrugged -​

​

"Didn't hurt to try. Let's get outside.", he offered her.​

 

[Tithon Antilles]

​

Objective I: Blackout
Allies: Arthos Vynea
Enemies: Gir Quee │ Atlas Drake │ Ura Iolar │ Okkeus Dainlei

"Enemy fleets have changed targets - almost all guns are focused on the 'Red Dragon'." the officer informed Tithon.​

​

"Shooting a falling ship. Ramming it. It's going down, what do they hope to accomplish?", he said with a disgruntled laugh.​

​

"Bring all forward guns to fire on the ships putting power to tractor beams - precision trikes on any exposed weapons generators, capital guns, and shield generators. I want them pacified before the 'Red Dragon' is done.", he said with a point towards the surprise fleet that had chosen to impart on them a surprise visit.​

​

The Khan's and Lussk's would move their weapons to such - before the very slow 'Liberation' began to make its way across the battlefield in a vane hope of moving a ship twice its size. Tithon watched it, rose a finger - then motioned to one of the bridge crew;​

​

"Turn the Carnation's main guns on the ion engines of that vessel. Disable it, and let both fall to the planet together.", and so it would be done. Massive cannons would fire on the ship that was already damaged enough to be going down - which ran on less than a skeleton crew as it did, and fired upon by the depths of the cruiser.​

​

"Last, fire on any ships departing the 'Red Dragon' failing to show the proper coordinates. I want the transgressors gone.", he said as one of the frigates began to move and follow the beast down, at least into lower atmosphere.​

​

" Arthos Vynea I need a report.", Tithon offered as he glanced to his communications hub - seeing a small representation of the consul before him.​

​

"Enemy ships have focused almost all their attention on the 'Red Dragon', meaning your betrayer likely isn't there. Have you found any leads as of yet?", he said inquisitively.​

​

Star Destroyers: 2x SD-9s "Khan" Class Sith Star Destroyer - Belated / Asha 16x SFi-3 "Tomb" Class Starfighter (2 Deployed, 1 Destroyed) 6x GS-60 "Valkyrie" Class Heavy TIE Fighter

Cruisers: 4x SC-07 "Lussk" Class Assault Cruiser 4x SFi-3 "Tomb" Class Starfighter (2 Deployed, 2 Destroyed) Carnation // Stygian Pride // Fury // Firestorm

Frigates: 8x SF-13 "Legion" Class Star Frigate 24x SFi-3 "Tomb" Class Starfighter (6 Deployed, 2 Destroyed) Cauldron // Red Iron // Nuemidon // Velum // Thunder // Passion's Rise // Dragon // Gauntlet

 

[Ura Iolar]

Tags: (surface duel) Skorne (enemy) Soloman Priest Tithon Antilles Arthos Vynea Jorii Vizsla Errix Feh'room (ally) Gir Quee Atlas Drake Okkeus Dainlei Kyra Perl Yula Perl Liram Angellus Romi Jade
Equipment: Lightsaber
Fleet: Sunrise (Yurbian Arquitens, shields damaged, Engine 3 heavily damaged), Seagoer (Neebray-class cargo frigate: carrier conversion, shields damaged, midship hull damage), 9x Deathseeds, 9x Y-TIEs, 4x YT-2000 freighters

Location: Ossus Surface

Ura stood still for a second, looking around as she heard.... Romi? She could feel the others too. It was a Force Meld, and one where Romi carried instructions. A ship.... Not again. Not another ship. Her mind flashed back to Yurb and what happened. Her fear. That she wasn’t able to stop it! It started to feel cold. Yet, she began to feel calmer. Romi asked everyone to help her redirect the ship. Ura closed her eyes again, lending her strength to them, even if she couldn’t directly help now. The other voice however....

Who are you? Why am I hearing all these thoughts? The voice was similar to Ura, but different. A confused and scared sense among Ura’s now calming one. It was... it was off.

Location: Space above Ossus

The Yurbian fleet slowed as the crews began to realize they were away from the battle. Nalos nodded at the communication, knowing Gir might not hear what she said next.

“Thank you. That will help. Is there anything we can do from here? We still have fighter craft, and some Volts.” Nalos didn’t like the idea of not helping when she had vessels ready to fight. Even so, the Yurbian frigates would move to make the corvettes’ jobs easier. She could at least do that much.

Spoiler: Fleet actions

• The Yurbian ships prep for repairs.

 

[Jend-Ro Quill]

"Give me access to them all. Let their will drop to you, so that I may feed their minds with dark truths - a Trojan horse to your invintation.", he mocked before descending into laughter, his staff glowing from the monsterous strength he now held in his palm.​

For a single instant, the entire galaxy would feel his call; witness his strength in a single wave that spread itself across the Force so wildly, that none could ignore.

OBJECTIVE II

Two calls pulled at Jend-Ro Quill's mind from far off: the direct grasp of Darth Empyrean , and the broader voice of the Worm Emperor.

Before it could crash down on Romi Jade , the battering power of Maliphant's dark clone met opposition of a curious kind and sighed away.

"Whoever you are, son..."

The voice was a whisper, audible soul to soul despite the windstorm one or both Maliphants had summoned. A hazy presence took form around Romi, occupied the same space as her or rested on her shoulders like a mantle of authority. Of all the distant friends Romi had called upon for strength, at least one had the wherewithal to offer qualitatively more. Quill's gossamer-thin presence rose above her in a protective aegis of sorts. Far away, he saw and heard as if he was right there in the room. He eyed the staff in Maliphant's hand and felt, far off, his face go tight. Instinct called that staff a serious weapon. The dark side was strong on this ship for more reason than one. He had full faith in Romi's abilities and her heart as well.

But against this kind of preening, cackling, superlative hell, she might appreciate a helping hand.

"...bring on these dark truths of yours. And in the spirit of fairness, have some of mine."

Without exception, every Darksider in history had faded into the Cosmic Force at some point, no matter how well they'd fought death. Adas, Vitiate, Palpatine, Kun - centuries of resistance but, in the end, nothingness. If one was to call the soul quantifiable, some infinitesimal speck of Naga Sadow and Marka Ragnos lived in a blade of grass. The inevitable destiny of Darth Maliphant was annihilation. Nothing to be proud of, nothing to enjoy, no will to power or power or will. Nothingness. Submission. A soul dissolved into the universe, like virtually every other lifeform.

Quill had wrestled with that existential question more than once. The Jedi path was to find a way to reconcile oneself with the churning wheel of the Force. The other path was denial, scrabbling in the dark, clawing at a cliff's edge for one more miserable century or moment.

If Quill had one specialty, it was memory work. And as Maliphant tried to connect with him, Quill poured in the heartrending memory of sleepless nights, grasping dread, hollow laughter of denial and dismissal, and ultimately the inescapable knowledge that he would come to nothing. Quill had been a darksider too, once upon a time. He remembered all too well how keen and bitter the truth could be.

 

[Darth Empyrean]

​

Objective II: Regicide
Allies: Alina Tremiru │ Grundark │ Irina Volkov │ Arcturus Thesh │ Melydia Gold
Enemies: Vexander Graves │ Mathieu Brion │ Vulpesen │ Taiia Locke │ Caedyn Arenais │ Romi Jade │ Starlin Rand │ Maja Fiore │ Nathaniel Wellchoestor

Long nights, energy exhausted, the natural comings and goings of age. Jend-Ro Quill had lived a full life on both 'sides' of the Force; and what he had felt emotionally tumbled into Maliphant like a river; his own mind racing with thoughts of himself in Jend-Ro's place, growing old and complacent, realizing the inevitability of it. The depths to which he would go to fight against the dying of the light.​

​

Adas, Vitiate, Palpatine, Kun. A thousand Sith before him had failed, and a thousand more would - a dark truth that spread into his mind like a blizzard, threatening to calm the flames of his youth and temper his convictions - but they would meet an inferno of their own. As the thoughts of the two masters danced between them, Jend-Ro would receive his own set of thoughts; truth's Maliphant had found through experimentation, emotions that were not what one would expect of a Dark Sider.​

​

Jend-Ro would feel hope. Passion, surely, but hope - that the Force's grip would not be eternal, that hardships and catastophre not simply be written off as the unknowable machinations of the Force. In Maliphant's mind, Jend-Ro would see years studying the lost archives of Plageius, Sidious, Vitiate and more - connect what they could not, come to conclusions only 'The Wise' among them had neared. That the Force was domineered by the Celestial's transcended in a ritual not dissimilar to Vitiate's own.​

​

That the truth's Jend-Ro had come to know were not natural process, but the indignations of a race selfish - to hoard immortality to themselves, to stricken mortal kind with pain and sorrow to change the very course of Destiny in their favor. The Force, the very nature the Jedi and Jend-Ro served in itself was already manipulated by a face they had not seen.​

​

What lay just beyond the truth's Quill had come to know was the reality they faced - a world driven by invisible slave masters guised in the thin coating of morality. That the Jedi enforced the will of beings who had believed exactly what the Sith did - only achieved it before they were even born as an idea. That all his acceptance, his long nights spent on meditation and coming to terms with the Eternal Force was in vain - that in the end, he had only surrendered himself to a collar, because he couldn't see the chain it was attached to.​

​

Weep, Quill - He'd hear in his mind - that all those who have faded did not do so lightly; but fought until it was your 'Force' that took them. Hid them in the Tartarus of the Nether for breaching yet too close to the reality we face.​

​

Weep, Jedi, for your very actions make you culpable to nature's atrocities.​

​

Jend-Ro Quill​

 

[Aeric Kaze]

OSSUS
ALLIES: THE SITH EMPIRE
ENEMIES: THE NEW JEDI ORDER
NOTICE: Dagon Kaze , Suri Vullen , Ayana Vullen

​

It was impossible to not be apprehensive at the thought to the amount of Jedi that'd be present on Ossus. A Jedi world, on an important day for their Order, and government. A return to the fold, wasn't it.

Once, there had been a longing to return to what things had been. Ruusan, the farm, when times were simple. But sacrifices had been made, lives had been taken, and the blackness of the Dark Side had been glad to swallow him up effortlessly. And in return for the deeds he committed, he was granted power. Of the likes he was certain not even his father had touched. For once his commitment to the crimson shadow had been made on Ziost, he knew there was no coming back from the abyss.

Once the work was done, once revenge had been had, he could rest.

Or face eternal suffering at the hands of the Jedi.

Either fate he'd be content with. Once the work was done, there'd be no more reason to continue.

The grounds surrounding the Ossus temple were littered with bodies, whether they were soldiers in the legions of the Sith Eternal or the bodies of slain Jedi, made no difference to him. He stalked the grounds like a spectre in his obsidian cloak. In the skies above, a ship rapidly descended towards a fiery end at the Temple, and still he approached the Temple.

The Jedi would fight to ensure it would not crash on their heads. Or they would die, and in their number he would be included. But he'd make no attempt to help.

Just as he was stepping over a sprawled body, he felt the brush of a familiar mind touch against his own. And for a moment, in his never ending march across the war torn grounds, he finally met a pause. First, he glanced over his shoulder, his black cloak concealing much of his frame, save for the two lightsabres at his belt. One, simplistic made, rushed even. His own, the second, belonging to the first Jedi that he had slain.

Korriban, Byss, Ziost, and now Ossus...

At his hand, more Jedi would die.

And into the ethereal tethers of the Force, he sought those deadened bonds that bound the two together. And despite the frayed ends that had since snapped after that fateful encounter on Ziost, the mould that was the Force drew them back together to utter a single phrase.

"Come and see."

 

[Jorii Vizsla]

Objective: 1
Location: Underground bunker, halls
Equipment:

• Beskar'gam
• Beskad
• Tomahawk
• Mandalorian ripper (pistol variant)
• Blaster rifle

Allies: Soloman Priest
Enemies: Yula Perl | Kyra Perl

The ripple in the air that Jorii had learned to recognize as the Force served to momentarily unbalance her and delay a pursuit, if she'd been interested in attempting one in the first place. No, her goal had remained the same since their mission began: finish the job they were being paid for and get out as quickly as possible. That didn't stop Soloman from chasing after them much as it hadn't prevented his previous attempts at capturing the Jedi, and much like before she didn't have any interest in stopping him. He'd already demonstrated he could make his own choices, that much was clear.

Her less urgent pace meant she missed the majority of the chase, but she arrived in time to watch the grenade belt fall and the door slam shut. Now if only he'd demonstrated the same efficiency before, maybe this mess wouldn't have taken as long. Before he turned he would hear the click and quiet hum as her blaster rifle turned over from stun to live rounds, and that was the only indicator she gave of her presence. There was no need for her to break the silence first, because he already knew what she was thinking.

As he took point on their navigation out of the facility, she took stock of the past minutes. "This is why I kill Jedi." A strategy he'd been resistant to at first, but recent actions demonstrated that things changed quickly under pressure. In the end he hadn't gotten either of them killed or wounded, and at this point that was all she could ask for, short of already being off-world.

Now that the biggest threat was hopefully out of the way they could return to some semblance of stealth and tactics, that was at least moderately comforting. The scanners of her helmet picked up on the movement before she did, and she all but picked him up and put him behind cover before doing the same - it seems theirs hadn't been the only firefight after all, but adrenaline was a hell of a thing. "I'll let you have this one. Just remember we're not taking hostages."

 

[Auteme]

Other Space Kaiden ​

Auteme blinked, then blinked again. She'd never found herself in a mindscape such as this. It was different from a meld, and far different from the calm of her mental library. The energy here was charged with darkness; pain and hatred and all that was terrible permeated the Graug's mind. It was unclean. There was confusion and obscurity where there should have been focus and clarity.

Yet, somehow, she'd known she'd needed to push deeper. When she arrived she realized why. That sense, that presence -- Ryv had faced it on Korriban. Darth Vulcanus, the Seven Day Emperor, the Khaan of the Graug... seconded, mastered by the spirit of some other Sith Lord that was not far in the mindscape. It didn't take much for her to guess the dynamic. She was in his head. She could see past what was given.

"Have you ever considered," she said, focusing on Vulcanus while ignoring the other's questions, "That we've always been free?"

The idea was, to some extent, the antithesis of the Sith doctrine. Breaking chains and all that tended to require chains in the first place. But those restrictions were built by one's own will. "The ultimate freedom -- in fact, we're cursed with it. We're cursed with understanding, cursed with knowledge, cursed with consciousness; because there is no ultimate purpose, and no higher truth. But that's just it -- we're beyond everything. Every exterior event, every circumstance. It's always up to you how you react to things, how you perceive things, how you change. Even things you think are immovable -- fate, or the Force, society, everything -- it's always up to you.

"All this-" she gestured to their surroundings, "-is of your making. No one's trapped you here, no one can control you, not truly. And even if they had that ability -- you're Darth Vulcanus. You're far stronger than I am; you could probably force me from your mind if you wanted. Just like you could force out this old ghost.

"Your body's been made an empty husk, but you? You're still alive. You're still here. You don't need to be tested by anyone else, you don't need to be condescended by some spirit." Though she worried she might be off the mark, she kept her mind and expression resolute.

"So, come on. Own up to what you are, what you have, and get back to living. You still have things you want to do, don't you?"

Auteme worried she was making a terrible mistake.

 

[Caltin Vanagor]

IT'S ALWAYS DARKEST BEFORE THE DAWN...​

Location: Ossus
Equipment: Conservator and Vanguard 2.0 (Lightsabers)
Comm-link, Rebreather, Custom Robes
Starship: Starlight Sentinel, (Dilorian in cargo bay)
Companion: Astromech R01R - "Roller", Pilot droid Mu51c - "Music"
Tag: Coren Starchaser Romi Jade Jend-Ro Quill Darth Empyrean Other Space Kaiden Caedyn Arenais Syd Celsius Starlin Rand

Standing at the doorway, Caltin stood just inside the shield formed by the Sorceress Syd Celsius . He had a line of sight, so the big guy could still manipulate objects on the outside, and was doing so. As he stood, reaching out through the Force and either pulling, grabbing, lifting, or throwing FIrst Legion, Caltin could also feed those Rancorr with them. These troops look to kill younglings, he had seen it and there was no way he would let this pass. The massive Jedi Master wanted to be out there, but he was needed here, and when a presence entered his mind, he understood why. It was one he did not openly recognize, but he could feel it cleanly and identify it as Romi Jade .

No "smut" jokes.

You're the one who couldn't contain yourself when the two of you met. Anyway, he could sense her presence in his mind... penetrating... pushing deep...

Enough of that! She's not like that!

Man, you are naive. Anyway, he knew what the plan was, just by the nature of the connection.

~"Let's do this."~

... YET THE DAWN ALWAYS COMES.

 

[Suri Vullen]

「feel the fury closing in」
FURY
ECLIPSE TEAM
76TH PATHFINDER REGIMENT
GALACTIC ALLIANCE ARMED FORCES
Ayana Vullen | Dagon Kaze | Aeric Kaze | OPEN TO OPPOSITION

Suri’s fingers dug into the fabric of the arm chair. Every fiber of her being told her to stand up and defend herself, but she knew better. She focused on the commander’s words, despite her anger.

“-ailure to obey direct orders, dereliction of duty, conduct unbecoming of an officer, conspiracy to commit offenses under code… The list goes on, Vullen. Not only you, but a few in your unit, too. The feth got into you?! I’ve taken your attitude time after time, despite your station, because you’re a damn good soldier. Was I wrong in assuming that? Because this isn’t even something a rookie would have done, dammit.”

The commander’s hand floated to his red face, exasperated. The streaks of grey were becoming heavier, and Suri couldn’t help but feel a twinge of guilt. She wondered how many this situation had caused

“We have a fourth of the regiment wiped out.” He continued, defeated, his rage nowhere to be found. “I know that wasn’t all your little stunt, given reports- but that will hardly help if this goes to court. They’ll bring the hammer down. I don’t want to see you spend years in a cell, or worse. Even after all of this, I still like you, kid. You did a fine job getting the 99th in shape, and Eclipse Team has made its mark already. I can hardly blame you for wanting to end the Empire- it’s what we all want. Your spirit could be useful, if you learn to control it, instead of letting it control you.

My personal feelings may not hold enough sway. Even with me going to bat, if the powers that be decide to pursue this- they’ll have a field day. You need to keep your fethin’ head down, Vullen. Someone tells you to jump, you ask how high. You can’t afford even a toe out of line with this hangin’ above you. Walk straight, no more outbursts- and we may just be able to sweep this under the rug. Now, orders have come in- and you will comply this time.”

Suri’s gaze snapped from the floor to the commander’s face. The words that she had been dreading didn’t come. Had they gone mad? She knew what the consequences were, and was prepared to face them- yet they were absent.

“Sir? I’m not… relieved of duty? Suspended?”

He grimaced, leaning back in his chair.

“A fourth of the regiment, Vullen. And a third of what was left followed you, knowing what it could mean for them. You had a lapse in judgement; we’ve all been there. Even still, your ability to lead can’t be denied. We don’t have anyone to step into your place, that may not be facing these same charges. I told you, I’m going to bat.”

A wave fell over her. The tension she had been in her shoulders fell away, replaced by gratefulness.

“Thank you, sir.” Her voice was full of emotion.

“Don’t thank me yet. Sith forces are falling on Ossus. We must aid our allies. Eclipse team will be deployed via stealth ships to the front. The Concord needs our help immediately. Get ready, the ships leave at 1700.”

The descent was full of bitterness for Suri. This was a test, and that fact didn’t slip past her. Any soldier with half a brain knew them aiding the Concord was some kind of game of political chess. For so long, the Alliance had been at war with the Empire, and time and time again, the Concord had turned their noses away, ignored their allies, and let them die trying to extinguish the evil that plagued the galaxy. It was almost ironic that the Sith had brought their fury down upon them- ignorance was bliss, until it was interrupted by the very thing you had sought to ignore.

Despite the guilty pleasure she found in the attack, anger still plagued her. Having to throw her life on the line for the people who never did so for them was almost sickening. She owed nothing to these people, and held no fealty to them. Yet, she had to comply. There was no option for refusal this time. The commander had made that clear enough- and so she would go, and defend the Concord, and show those who had her back she was worthy of their help.

"We're going down to the Temple.

Suri turned to shoot him a dirty look, one she hoped he could feel beneath her helmet. Her gaze then flickered back to the ship, the shuttles weapons barely making a dent.

“We do anything from the ground to that thing, it’s gonna grapeshot and cause more damage.” She stated.

Just as she finished, a ship appeared in the distance, barreling towards the falling destroyer.

"Son of a…" She stared in disbelief for a moment, unable to pull her eyes away. Finally, she snapped out of it, shaking her head.

"Cease fire!" She bellowed to the pilot. "We gotta get outta here, they're ramming- we aren't gonna be caught in it if it goes wrong! Take us down- NOW!"

The landing was a rocky one, the speed aiding them in moving away from the battle above, but not so much for a clean touch down. Suri released her grasp on the rope that hung from the ceiling of the shuttle, moving to the open door. The few rangers that made up the heart of eclipse team glanced up at the entry of the three, awaiting orders. Suri slid the rifle from her back, looking to them.

"We're gonna cover them as they fall back!" She yelled over the wind. "Stay close, watch each other's backs!"

Suri took the small leap to the ground, crouching as she landed. Jedi moved en masse, fear evident on their faces. Targets were easily identifiable by their lightsaber colors. Just off from where the shuttle had landed, she moved the rifle to her chest, ready to take aim.[/JUSTIFY]

 

[Dis]

Dis the Shadow(cat)
Shadowcat, explorer and wanderer; Owner of the Cat’s Paw; Member of the Greystone Mercantile​

Objective III.: Corruption
Location: Sith Eternal’s ship
Equipment: N/A
Writing with: Sakadi Marathi Sinvala

However, nothing happened after they returned, they got no reaction, nothing. It looked like the woman was meditating on something, but the ship would crash, crash into the planet, and then Sakadi would die. Dis didn't know that the Jedi wanted to prevent that, after all, how could the Shadowcat have known? They felt only the swirling dark and light side forces, nothing else. They were so unfamiliar with the use of the Force.

It was the only thing that came to their mind, but they hadn't tried anything like that before. Dis didn't know if they could succeed. A kind of symbiosis where they would control Sakadi’s body, but without suppressing the woman’s consciousness and being able to continue what she had done so far, undisturbed. It was a very good question, worth a try for Shadowcat by all means. They haven't done this before.

~ Will you allow me to possess your body to keep and bring you safe? I will not suppress your consciousness, you can do the same thing you do now, only I will move your body. ~ they said honestly and also conveyed such emotions.

They really wanted to help and saw no other option. They had no hostile intentions, nor did they want to usurp the woman's body or keep her occupied any longer than necessary. Dis just wanted to go out into the hallway from here; and to do so they had to cut an exit into the wall. If the Shadowcat gets Sakadi’s consent, they will try to occupy the woman’s body but leave the consciousness intact.

 

[Mathieu Brion]

​

Tags: Alina Tremiru Caedyn Arenais
Other tags: Vexander Graves Vulpesen Taiia Locke Romi Jade Caedyn Arenais Caltin Vanagor Nathaniel Wellchoestor Maja Fiore Starlin Rand Thirdas Heavenshield Sakadi Marathi Sinvala Jend-Ro Quill Syd Celsius
Location: Ossus, Jedi Temple
Equipment: What is detailed in the character sheet.

"Hurry!" Mathieu hollered for the last few Jedi who were still outside of the temple by the entrance he was at. It was a desperate last line that held the Sith off but there was still hope that they would be able to disengage. A couple villagers armed with rifles stood behind him, firing their rifles in an attempt to create opportunities for the Jedi to retreat back into the temple. It was a ferocious battle and he couldn't help but to feel sorrow as another one of his allies got cut down. Blaster fire and skill allowed the other three to escape and rush back towards the temple. It was just in time too - for just as they came in, Mathieu saw Alina approaching at a rapid speed.

The sabre pike she threw posed a threat but the temple entrance really needed closing. Seeing the Sith having thrown her sabre pike and was left only with a lightsabre, one of the villagers advanced a few steps, firing a flurry of bolts at her - it was a suicidal move - for when the pike eventually came, it pierced right through the valiant defender and managed to hit Mathieu to his side. Fortunately, his armour tanked most of the blow but even then, with its large gaps, the sabre managed to get a cut by his side as well as throwing him back a little, causing him to cry out in pain and fall down to the ground. He let his eye shut tight for a moment as he suffered from the wound her blade had caused. As two other Jedi rushed forth to close the massive doors he had been pushing to close himself, Mathieu picked up the deceased villager's rifle - he had been a Mercenary for some time and was far from unskilled with the rifle. Taking aim - albeit somewhat shaky from his wound - Mathieu fired a total of four carefully aimed bolts, aiming for an arm, a leg and two different points at her centre in a hope to overwhelm her defences.

Just as he fired the last bolt, the gates closed and he let out another pained groan whilst holding his side. "I just need a little time" he whispered, quickly being given a hand and support as he searched his way deeper into the temple while some remained to secure the entrance that he had just defended. It was strange - for inside the temple, he felt a sense of peace - it stood in stark contrast to the thunderous sounds of war outside. The violence and pain of the outside world had suddenly been locked away - it created a feeling of safety - like standing in a warm room whilst listening to the smattering rain pouring down outside. In a way, it was selfish for while the Padawan found peace and safety in the relative safety of the Temple, his friends and allies were fighting for their lives outside.

It wouldn't be long before the large Morellian arrived deeper inside the temple where numerous wounded combatants had gathered, still holding on to Alina's sabre pike and using the shaft of it as a cane of sorts. The beautifully crafted weapon was now being used in a more functional and productive way - at least in his opinion. A few younger Padawans and some experienced healers had gathered there to treat those who needed it. Mathieu was left leaning against one of the walls while his able-bodied allies returned to the entrance where Alina had been. Holding his side, he tried to fight the tremendous amount of pain that stemmed from the wound she had caused.

It was only after a few moments that he noticed the person next to him. He had met Caedyn Arenais before but the circumstances had been very very different. Trying to compose himself, he let out a pained "Hey" whilst looking to the Knight who also seemed to have suffered some kind of injury. "It is good to see a friendly face" he added - it might have seemed odd since they were now surrounded by Jedi - but anyone who had ever met the Knight would understand what the Padawan meant. "No limits on lightsabre usage this time, eh?" he asked jokingly with a smile.

After some time, he could feel how someone reached out to him through the force. Mathieu looked to Caedyn for guidance "What's that?" he asked, obviously not quite as familiar with the techniques which Romi Jade and Sakadi Marathi Sinvala were employing. The large Padawan's hope was that the Knight could guide him now - for only then would he be able to aid his friends and allies in their efforts.

 

[Ayana Vullen]

D U L C E T
ECLIPSE TEAM | 76TH PATHFINDER REGIMENT | GALACTIC ALLIANCE ARMED FORCES
WITH YOU

Ayana could feel the flash of emotion that came with Suri’s reaction to Dagon’s direction. Internally, protectiveness and anxiousness twisted into a lump behind her ribcage. She’d been in battle with Suri before, along the Stygian Campaign, and trusted her explicitly –– despite her irrefutable stubbornness –– but that sort of rapport hadn’t been established with Dagon and her yet. And he was a Jedi, and for all the stories he’d told her, she didn’t actually know how they operated.

When Suri glared, Ayana bit her lip.

Her unavoidable anxiety spiked from that knot, shooting through her but remaining trapped behind her teeth. Her meekness prevented her from speaking out. Which was wise –– the circumstances beyond their control pushed Suri to agreement anyway.

She released a breath of relief she didn't know she'd been holding, and sunk deeper into her crash webbing.

From the cockpit, the Pilot disengaged their weapons and redirected their throttles to adhere to the Captain’s command. The shuttle trembled from the rapidness forced for the landing, coursing quickly toward the planet’s crust. They rattled and quaked, rocking side to side and everyone inside gripped something to stabilize themselves if they weren’t fortunate enough to be strapped into crash webbing.

Once they were stabilized, the Eclipse team did what they did best and poured from the shuttle, armed and taking position. Chatter filled the comms with updates on targets locked, observations on the scene, and partnerships established between the soldiers to reduce casualties on their side.

From Ayana’s perspective, the ground was chaotic. The smell of ash, copper, ozone –– all war smells. Nothing like what she would have expected from Ossus; it should have been more earthy: humid mossy smells, leafy oxygen smells, distant honey, rare flowers. Instead, it was a battlefield littered with smoking bodies.

Nearby, someone, who looked like they’d been a civilian or rag-tag militia, was on the ground. A smoking hole ripped through their unarmoured chest. Her first reaction was to drop and check for a pulse, as hopeless as it might be, the individual could still be clinging to life. It only took the pressure of her two fingers against their neck to confirm they were gone. Standing again, she looked to those getting in formation, and through their silhouettes, she saw ghosts walking.

Another civilian cored through a renegade lightsaber amidst the chaos, a Jedi ( Mathieu Brion ) retreating into the temple, ushering others into the safety of the ancient structure. By now, it looked as though the temple doors were sealed.

All of those bodies. She patted a pack at her hip as if feeling its fullness would reassure her that she could save all those lives.

Sucking a breath in through her teeth, she adjusted her comms to her twin: <Captain, lots of casualties.>

Casualties. She hated that word. It sounded so crass and accidental –– there was nothing accidental about war. Everyone that jumped on this battlefield was ready to take a life. And she hated that she was one of those people now; armed to the teeth with juxtapositions. Rifles, blasters, knives, bandages, splints, bacta pads, stim packs. Part of her had been unsettled from the moment she'd chosen to drop out of school and join the Defense Force's ranks. And that part of her just amplified whenever she had to refer to lives lost as casualties.

<I'm going to try and keep low, look for signs of life and see what I can stabilize. Be careful these are Sith sith. Please be careful.> At the same time, she activated the heat sensors on her HUD.

Amidst the forward-motion of The Eclipse team’s charge, she sought to see what their Jedi companion might be feeling. The briefing had mentioned that this was an ancient place for the Jedi, a world of solace. His face being exposed made it easy to read, but she felt uncomfortable by the story the lines of his countenance were telling. Before keeping in step with the final lines of the company, she touched his wrist to give him pause and her attention: <Are you okay?>


ALLIES | SJC | GA | NJO | Suri Vullen | Dagon Kaze
ENEMIES | LOTS | Aeric Kaze

 

[Dagon Kaze]

NEW JEDI ORDER | GALACTIC ALLIANCE | OSSUS
SEE WHAT I'VE BECOME

“She’s a soldier. Soldiers-”
“I’ll make sure she comes back home safe and sound.”​

He felt Ayana's anxiety shoot up at the briefest of tension that sparked between her sister and Dagon. That vigilant stare behind Suri's helmet - an indomitable aegis to protect her sister from any harm. The padawan knew it all too well. Memories struggled to resurface of a blissful time on Ruusan with his own twin brother Aeric Kaze . Before he had no strength to keep them at bay, to stop them from leading him to the grim reality of today - that of his brother's corruption. But now Dagon found his own vigil to reach for. To give him the needed vigor to rebuke the calamity within; he only needed to glance back at Ayana's form.

every bond
​

They poured out of the shuttle into hell. Once more. The brown earth, the torn, blasted earth is the background of this restive, ashen world of ideological apparatus. Last drawn gasps scraping the air like gapped knives, eyes debauched with stupor staring into nothing, dry lips uttering delirious goodbyes. All around them voices quivering from overwhelming fear, seeking escape from this conscious nightmare. Voices of the walking dead.

Within the dark side miasma of anguish unleashed upon the sacred world of the Jedi, a dreadful grip latched unto him through the ethereal. The suffocating hold petrified him in place and through the tethers that bound the two, he felt his brother's challenging words.

"Come and see."
​

A tender touch on his wrist broke him free of the strangling grip, "Are you okay?"

Dagon looked at her; a frown throwing shade over his ocean blue eyes and within them a mixture of uneasiness, concern, and zeal vying for control. "Remember when I told you I had a twin brother?" Dagon began, opening up to the only person he felt he could. His nose wrinkled, maybe Sunstrider was right. Maybe he really was turning her into his conduit.

"He's here." he averted his eyes, pain clinging to the tones of his voice. His head turned, as if on cue, to the approaching mirror image of himself. Black smoke, ash, and soot heralding his arrival. Dagon squeezed her hand for a long moment before releasing it, "Go." as far away as possible.

Snap-hiss.

ALLIES | SJC | GA | NJO | Ayana Vullen | Suri Vullen | Romi Jade
ENEMIES | SE | Aeric Kaze