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

[Alina Tremiru]

Location: Outside the Temple
Allies: Sith Eternal
Enemies: Silver Jedi
Tags: Mathieu Brion

A much more bemused expression took over Alina's features as Mathieu closed the distance the moment she started to speak. Was it a response to what she was saying, or just him going on the offensive? It didn't entirely matter, she supposed. She brought her pike up in a single grip to catch his blade, tucking the haft under her arm for that extra support in blocking his first strike. Her other hand snatched up the saber hooked to her waist, igniting the crossbladed weapon before catching his trust between the blade and the extension.

Trapping the saber against it.

"Do you want to know something truly unique?" Still she continued to speak, though this time she did start to move against him. "I can feel your friends dying." It was as taunting as ever, but there was a much more sinister reason behind it. Anima was needed to keep her alive and sane, but it also gave her even more power. Not even in a Sith or dark way. Just a natural part of what she was. It could be so much darker.

And she had no issue crossing that line.

The natural flow of life around them was something she could feel and tap into. She could feel it. Many still alive. Many still strong. But there were those weak. Dying. She pulled at them as she grinned behind her mask. Her already unnatural might increased as she pressed back against his blades to push them apart. "Oops, I guess they died."

She hopped up then, brining both feet up to slam into the man's chest and push him back.

 

[Liram Angellus]

GAME ON YAKHEAD!​

LOCATION: 3 sectors out of Ossus System
LOCAL TIME: 11:35 hours
BASED: The Carrier "Liberation"
ORDERS: "Help is on the way"
WINGMATES: Tithon Antilles
Arthos Vynea Gir Quee │ Atlas Drake │ Ura Iolar │ Okkeus Dainlei

"Commo-Conn"

" Go ahead."

"Passive sensors picking up Silver forces moving on other pings, no doubt the Sith Forces."

"... and?"

"This non-friendlies are moving converging on another, but doing so in the direction of Voss."

It's working. They're not being picked up yet. Halpern nodded.

"They're expecting the inbound reinforcements from Voss, but not us."

With a nod, Liram pulled the trigger.

" Conn/Commo... put us through to Goose and Rooster, and all of the ships put us on all-call for the "Liberation" as well."

"All units, stand by for Captain Angellus..."

"Go ahead, sir"

" Great moments are born from great opportunity, and that's what you have here today, Silvers. That's what you've earned here today. One battle; if we fought them ten times, they might win nine. But not today, not this battle. Today, we fight them. Today we keep them off-balance, and we shut them down because we CAN. Today, we are more dangerous than a thousand Super Star Destroyers. Today we are invincible, TODAY WE ARE GOING TO SEND THEM BACK WHERE THEY KARK THEY CAME FROM BECAUSE WE CAN! You were born for this—every one of you, and you were meant to be here today. This is your time. Their time is done. It's over. I'm sick and tired of hearing about the Sith Kriff 'em. This is your time! YOUR TIME! Now get ready and take it!"

He didn't hear much of the reactions, but a lot of the Comms department did. There were smiles of excitement coming from them. The bridge mood went from tense to inspired.

"All hands, stand by for orders from your flight leaders and ship commanders." Halpern completed the comm-call.

" Jump to Hyperspace on my mark. Destination Ossus! 3...2...1...mark" With that, the ships re-entered Lightspeed for the remarkably short trip. Gym Halpern looked on the ship's and battlegroup's commander with a respectable.

"Great speech." He pointed out respectfully. Liram was actually surprised. He was snarky and a hot-head but he never considered himself one for that sort of thing.

" Think so?"

Halpern nodded as they suddenly dropped out of hyperspace. They did not drop in front of the Sith fleets, nor the rear. This group dropped in from the Sith's port side.

"They're looking over their shoulder, not to their side." Halpern smiled.

" Alpha... go."

"Alpha" was the plan where all Gale Class Starfighters, RZ-3 A-Wing interceptors, and Vortex-II Class Interceptors would use their speed and maneuverability assets to draw fire from enemy fighters, as well as take them on and down, all the while moving from the Sith's port to starboard and out of the interdiction field at attack speed. Just like Quee's forces, a 'hit, and fade'.

" Bravo... go."

"Bravo" was the plan to send in all NC-1 X-Wings and take out targets of opportunity, be it fighters, bombers, or turrets on the cruisers and frigates. The Star Destroyers cannons were meant for capital ships and not fast enough for most fighters, other than lucky shots, which do happen, mind you. They too would continue on from the Sith fleet's port to starboard side and on out of the Interdiction files, at attack speed as well.

" Charlie... go."

Right behind "Bravo" was "Charlie", where all bombers, gunships, and corvettes would follow in and drop their payloads on those same frigates and cruisers. They too would be continuing at full speed. Moving to get out of the Sith's interdiction field on the starboard side.

"Delta... be ready."

If the Sith took the bait, no matter how little bit, and followed the fighters to their starboard side, they would run into "Greens 6-10" and the "Dragnet" and half of the heavy and escort fighters. If they did not and figured that these Silver Forces were drawing them away from an incoming fleet that was staging, then they would run into "Greens 11-15", the "Magneto", the "Liberation" and all of the remaining heavy and escort fighters. Either way, they would have to make a choice as both sides would close in. This tactic was to buy more time for the incoming Silver Fleet, as well as Admiral Quee's forces as well as the civilian ships to gather themselves.

Spoiler: “Battlegroup”

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

“Green 6”
4 Squadrons NC-1 X-Wing

“Green 7”
4 Squadrons Telepath-III strategic bomber

“Green 8”
4 Squadrons NC-1 X-Wing

“Green 9”
4 Squadrons Telepath-III strategic bomber

“Green 10”
4 Squadrons NC-1 X-Wing

“Green 11”
4 Squadrons Telepath-III strategic bomber

“Green 12”
4 Squadrons NC-1 X-Wing

“Green 13”
4 Squadrons Gale Class Starfighter

“Green 14”
4 Squadrons Gale Class Starfighter

“Green 15”
4 Squadrons Gale Class Starfighter

“Dragnet”
4 Squadrons Erakyte-Class Heavy Bomber

“Magneto”
4 Squadrons Vortex-II Class Interceptor

“Gundark 3”

“Gundark 4”

Spoiler: Liberation Squadrons for RP purposes

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

Spoiler: Summary of Actions

1. Fighters entering system from Portside
2. All ships enter the system and continue at attack speed.
3. Interceptors and Gale Class fighters hit Sith Fighters and Bombers while drawing fire, moving from Port to Starboard.
4. X-wings follow a few moments behind and take out Sith fighters, bombers, and ship turrets (frigates and cruisers), whichever is most opportune, moving from Port to Starboard.
5. Bombers, Gunships, and Corvettes follow in a few moments behind and attack cruisers and frigates.
6. If Sith Forces follow, they run into one Interdictor, half the Carrier Corvettes, and half the heavy/escort fighters.
7. If they do not follow, but head in the opposite direction (assuming that we are leading them away from something important) they will run into the other Interdictor, another half of the escort/heavy fighters, and the carrier "Liberation".
8. If neither trap is set, all forces move in from both sides.
9. Interdiction fields will only be set if traps are sprung. If not and they move in, both "Dragnet" and "Magneto" will be at maximum firing distance, just like "Liberation".

 

[Tithon Antilles]

​

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

"Ships dropping from hyperspace, port side.", Vo offered as the bridge moved with a startling precisions.​

​

Tithon watched as his hologram of the battlefield lit up with red triangles - marking corvettes, carriers, and a large amount of squadrons moving directly at them. It would seem that no matter what they attempted, their fleet doctrine revolved around squadrons - similar to the Rebel Alliance of old. The difference now, however, was unlike the Emperor - Tithon's fleet was not anti-capital, nor Star Destroyer focused.​

​

All these ships did was fly directly into picket frigates, so lined with point defense they had essentially volunteered their squadrons into the meat grinder.​

​

"Recall Squadron 2 and 3. They will not be needed.", he offered Typhojem, who nodded as the command went out. While they had taken damage, the Squadron quickly landed and rearmed - preparing itself for their next order as the frigates began to adjust themselves.​

​

The targets the enemy fighters and bombers would find were not so simple - heavily armored cruisers and equally as armored frigates; the former with anti capital weapons, and the latter bristling with anti-small ship armament. The Frigates laid the fire down thicker than before - and the few bombs that made it through would only find a small few targets open to be hit - with most being in recessed barbettes meant to counter exactly that manuever.​

​

While the Frigates continued their picket, Tithon set about his next command -​

​

"Set the Belated's, Carnation's, and Stygian Pride's main guns on the nearest corvettes first - ensure these squadrons don't have a fleet to return to.", he offered his bridge. Vo nodded, being his direct assistant.​

​

"Currently out of range, Sir. Do you want to reorientate the spinal mounts in their direction? They could make up the difference."​

​

"No, inform Arthos Vynea to turn his Star Destroyer against them - and to bring a relief for my frigate guarding the rear of the 'Red Dragon'. Bring the Red Iron back, we'll need it with the amount of Fighters saturating the space."​

​

"Understood, Admiral."​

​

The ships would begin to relay the orders, and the Red Iron would turn and begin to move back to its fleet - guns orientated to begin filling the space around them with the same specialized flak saturation as the others; making a 'no fly zone' full of casualities and dead, multiplied by the growing amount of debris that surrounded them. They would not however, fly from their designated path away from the Red Dragon.​

​

Like a wall, they served as the bulwark for the flaghip - what happened to their ships, afterall, would not matter.​

​

Star Destroyers: 1x SD-9s "Khan" Class Sith Star Destroyer - Belated 8x SFi-3 "Tomb" Class Starfighter (0 Deployed, 1 Destroyed) 3x GS-60 "Valkyrie" Class Heavy TIE Fighter

Cruisers: 2x SC-07 "Lussk" Class Assault Cruiser 2x SFi-3 "Tomb" Class Starfighter (1 Deployed, 1 Destroyed) Carnation & Stygian Pride

Frigates: 4x SF-13 "Legion" Class Star Frigate 12x SFi-3 "Tomb" Class Starfighter (1 Deployed, 1 Destroyed) Cauldron // Red Iron // Nuemidon // Velum

 

[Caltin Vanagor]

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

Location: Ossus Temple
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"
Desbre Gensan, Milya Vondar (both unless specified)
Tag: Grundark Darth Empyrean Cato Demora Alina Tremiru Irina Volkov Melydia Gold Tegan Starfall Vexander Graves Mathieu Brion Vulpesen Taiia Locke Caedyn Arenais Romi Jade Starlin Rand Maja Fiore Nathaniel Wellchoestor

This conversation suddenly reminded him of another day, one not all that long ago, relatively speaking, and a callback to an older conversation he once had with the same individual. It was annoying as the Bendu had an acute way of getting under his skin without meaning to or even trying to, but he was something to behold when it came to simply converse.

Atollon was a planet that Caltin had not expected to come back to, not for a long time. Yet more and more, with what he sees in the galaxy, he needed to speak to someone that he could speak to, one who “got it.” So he was here, on this planet again, to speak to the one being in the galaxy that could judge him, and in his eyes, be allowed to. It’s not that Caltin had thin skin, maybe he did to an extent in some cases, but he took his choices and his lot in life seriously, others did not seem to get that.

He could sense the presence of the being easy enough, there was no mistaking it. Caltin was no that far away from the Bendu.

An ancient being, Bendu claimed to represent the center of the Force, standing between the Ashla and Bogan, or “The Light Side” and “The Dark Side”. Caltin was by no means the first Jedi or Sith, or even sentient to meet the being, Jedi Knight Kanan Jarrus once met him while meditating after losing his sight. He told Caltin about this, the Bendu did and led him on a bit of a wild mynock chase. He told Kanan the same thing that he told Caltin, that “imbalance” woke him up.

The massive Jedi Master normally would have been on the defensive on the comment, but something about what he said, put him at ease in the fact that it made sense. The big guy knew at the time that he was touched by the Dark Side and that while he felt he could control it, there was a problem that he felt inside. The problem is that at the time he felt nothing, nothing at all, he could not feel anger, happiness, pain, anything. The Bendu told him that it was the Force fixing his imbalance. The Force was changing him into something different altogether.


That day was vivid in his mind as they conversed about why he was imbalanced and the Bendu’s view on it.

After conversing, the Bendu told him how he stood and where his position was. It was then that Caltin put it together that he was much the same way, no he did not compare himself to the Bendu, nor did he consider himself “gray”. The outlook he gained was that both sides have it wrong. There is no “Ashla” or “Bogan”, there is only the Force, period. The Force is a gift, not a tool, not a curse, it is something to be celebrated, not feared, or weaponized.

Caltin was forever changed after that, not looking on the Jedi as well as the Sith as anything more than people. It was the choices that were made not the “side” that made a being who they were. This was always the case, but more so to this point.

“Hello, old friend!” The voice as booming and full of wisdom as ever, Caltin could hear in his mind before he had even seen the being. That was still something weird to experience on this end as it was always he who had done that to Padawans. It wasn’t so much unnerving but just went to show that if you are open to it, the Force and its possibilities are indeed limitless.

I thought that I would find you here.

“Where else would I go? Glad to see that you were finally found.” He said happily, almost flippantly.

Wait? You knew where I was all that time? Why did you not contact someone?

The Bendu smiled. “I know that it had not been that long for you, but it was still over 800 years. The planet you were on was covered in ice, and I sensed you. However it was also the residence of many different beings and almost none of them would have been happy to find you… or maybe they would have in a bad way… it does not matter now, does it?” As aloof as ever, the Bendu just smiled. “It is good to see you though. What brings you here?”

You as well. I came here because I wanted to let you know that I finally understand what you told me, all those years ago and I want to thank you.

“Thank me?” He asked sounding rather confused. “Did I do anything?”

Caltin just nodded.

I lost my way when I came to you. I did not know what I was doing anymore and it felt like I had absolutely no purpose. In your own way, you showed me that I had the same one as always, but I needed to learn exactly what it was. Only recently did I see exactly why I learned to feel the way that I do. That what I do is about me, and who I am, not what I feel that I need to do. For that, I thank you.

The Bendu just smiled. “You did that yourself, so you should thank yourself.”

​

He half expected what the Cragmoloid would say, it was after all the natural justification, but Caltin was not talking about that at all. He had met many "darksiders" during his time, was actually friendly with some of them. This was even to the point of, well, we won't go into detail about where I was going out of respect, but anyway, "Sith", "Jedi", were choices and labels to him at this point. and in a way, they always were. The "not as big as THAT guy" big guy... man that is cracking me up...

Focus, Nerf Herder!

You know, I could still make you say what I want you to...

Oh be the best ever person on the planet and one I... HEY!

Oh, that was funny... anyway, Caltin shook his head.

Not what I was saying. There will always be two sides to every proverbial coin. That is the nature of evolution, evolution is conflict. The fact is, all sides have it wrong, the Force is not something to be feared, it is not a tool or a weapon, and it is delusional to think about "balance" as it is not and never will be. The Force is a gift to be celebrated.

What I am saying is that there is no honor in what I am sensing here, and that is what bothers me. You and I are locked in a duel of honor, that will not change things. I simply do not see this as something a being such as yourself would involve themself in. I have known Sith Purebloods and those trained by them. I have known their passions to be little more than "honor" and integrity. They would be repulsed by this. I am not trying to change you, or "turn you to the light". I'm just surprised that you are not like that is all.

With a shrug, he shook his head at the query that the enormous elephantine sentient asked. Truth is, Caltin didn't care how or where anyone got out to, this "attack" was something that was low and dirty, not that battles were meant to be clean. It was clear that this "herder" completely bought into whoever was leading this group of Sith and their methods. A shame really, but what can you do? Simple, you can fight. As the huge Sith attacked with a swing meant to separate his head from his neck, Caltin ducked again at the last moment and after Grundark missed, he would leap straight up, and his free hand leading the way would hopefully land a hard punch to the face. Chanting the Guardian's mantra...

I am a Guardian of the Force.

Oh yes, it was going to hurt and Caltin was prepared for it, however, he was not delusional and knew that, at best, he would walk away from this really sore.

The Force is with me, And I am one with the Force,

He did not flip or twist his body, but the momentum gave more distance, allowing him to close it. Leaping at the much larger target, Caltin's permafrost blade finally in the air, his intention was an overhead strike.

And I fear nothing Because all is as the Force wills it.

... YET THE DAWN ALWAYS COMES.

 

[Darth Empyrean]

​

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

"How juvenile.", Maliphant offered back with a slight downturn of the corner of his lips - looking more disgusted than anything else.​

​

"Was that the depth of what you learned as a Sith? A poor excuse for Dun Moch?"​

​

He continued walking forward, using the staff as less of a walking assitance, so much as a declaration of his movements. There was no hiding how quick or slow he was moving as every foot fall was marked with the iconic 'click' of its base. He spoke again as the energy moved to overpower what light was in the area - dampening it, pulling in the fear and sorrow of those around them, saturating the air in emotion so heavily the Jedi would find their very connection to the Force begin to hamper and fail in its wake.​

​

Just as the Nihil had once used to capture Jedi, Maliphant now used to weaken those around him while also emboldening his own forces.​

​

"You will learn what it can do, as all will.", he offered as he began to send out a constant wave of dark side energy that picked up and threw anything loose on the ground - always dangerously coming close to lifting the unaware and throwing them like a storm.​

​

"But what will you do when you find out how deep it draws on the Force? Surrender and beg for mercy, or fight to the death in a vain attempt at saving this pointless planet? Oh, perhaps you'll heroicly sacrifice yourself to stop our march, that your fall will be the first domino in our collapse.", he mused with a smile.​

​

"My guess? You'll die without so much a last word, a moral beacon crushed by the overwhelming darkness.", he offered as he pointed the Staff directly at her - and let loose a beam of pure dark side energy from its bone headed mouth. As strong as a lightsaber, the dark side energies burned and cut anything they came into contact with, threatening to cut support pillars from nearby buildings and bring them as low as they were now.​

​

And were she to move, he would simply adjust the beam to follow her. At the distance they were at, afterall, it shouldn't be too hard to aim.​

​

Romi Jade​

 

[Grundark]

​

Objective: Regicide
Focus: Caltin Vanagor
Allies: Darth Empyrean Cato Demora Alina Tremiru Irina Volkov Melydia Gold Tegan Starfall
Enemies: Vexander Graves Mathieu Brion Vulpesen Taiia Locke Caedyn Arenais Romi Jade Starlin Rand Maja Fiore Nathaniel Wellchoestor

There was no more time for words and in truth the Cragmoloid didn't have them anyway. It would have taken hours to work through the long depression the madness had put him through and his years of truly evil living. Compared to that this was nothing. He'd been a slaver and a true monster in spirit, worse yet without a herd to call home. Yet this ragtag group of individuals had given him the gravity to began to pull himself back together. He didn't give a damn about the Emperor or even the newly forged Empire if he was being very honest. What he did care about is the people within in it, and if they were going to fight on Ossus, so was he.

His time with the Sith had made him if anything grow more wary of the madness, and it's influence. Already a dark rage had nearly sparked anew the evil thoughts of old. There was no explaining to a man who didn't understand that corruption did truly exist that it wasn't simply a thing to be celebrated. Somewhere deep within the force held the great evil of the madness. How or why it was there was beyond Grundark, he wasn't a deep philosopher or a wise one who could feel deep within the currents. There was little time for such discussion anyway, the time for action had come.

As quickly as his own blow had missed his opponents struck as his teeth cut into his lips spraying blood as he stepped back grinning through it as passion built. As the drums played for him he could only smile broadly as the Jedi came flying through the air at him sword in hand. Lifting his face up he aimed one of his heavy tusks directly in the man's path, if he didn't avoid it his body weight and momentum would skewer him. The blade though he had no real defense against except the force.

Pulling on all his battle lust he filled his hide and skull with the force hardening it all and pulling it together even as the incredibly bright pain of his flesh being pierced filled his mind. The searing pain of oblivion filled him even as he channeled that into his flesh holding his body together even as it should have started to crumble. Angling off the force and his thick skull he felt a numbness as the skin off the top of his head fell away and even the bone was cut smooth before the blade finished its path off. Pain for a moment was all he saw and even as he pulled his focus together it took more focus then he liked to hold that great wound together in the force. The madness called to him then, to accept the rage and let it fill him with power, and yet he denied it. He would not let it control him again.

 

[Kyra Perl]

Communication Blackout
Halls
Yula Perl | Soloman Priest Jorii Vizsla

Spoiler: The Story

Communication Blackout
Halls
Yula Perl | Open for opposition



A jitter ran up Kyra's spine as she crept through the dark hall. The spices left her senses dull, but she didn't need em to know something was off.

So the dreams had been right after all... Force be damned.

She told herself she wouldn't come, but clearly she had the self-control of a bowless bowl of jello- all jiggling everywhere whether or not it wanted to. ... Alright, weird comparison, but it was what she felt like as she stumbled through the dark halls. She wasn't too far gone that she couldn't summon a ball of light to assist her, she just didn't think it was wise. Whoever did this to the station probably had planned; turning herself into a beacon while they lurked about was a dumb idea even to her.

That was, if people were the cause at all. A pang of self-doubt crept forward-- shots went off around the corner.

Kyra cursed and threw herself backwards. She crab crawled back the way she came, not wasting time to flip over and find her feet as she found her way around the corner.

Oh, she was so right! She forced herself to concentrate and reach for the distant hum of the force. A dim ball of light appeared at her side, illuminating her cybernetic arm as she pulled up the controls. She frowned, her good hand bumbling about for the life form scanner. Which was... where again? Metal parted at her wrist. A sharp whistle filled the air.

A flair shot out of the cybernetic.

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

Slicing her way through the door—either electronically or literally—wasn’t her best option. Too risky while under attack, you’d never know who might catch a wink of the plasma blade burning through durasteel, or be plugged into the same network.

Yet again, Yula found herself crawling through the ventilation shaft. Emily was ahead of her, the little spider droid skittering a path through the ducts. “Wait!” Yula hissed, grabbing Emily by the leg and pulling her back suddenly. Just ahead of them, a few rays of dim light filtered through the grate. “Someone’s there.”

Squeezing her way past the indignant droid, Yula peered over the edge of the grill. Her dark brows scrunched together tightly, pupils restricting with the sudden onset of light. Then she saw who it was.

She kicked through the grate, dropping from the ceiling at the same time a sharp whistle nearly pierced her eardrums. Hanging by the pads of her fingers, she swung her body to the side and narrowly dodged the flare. The projectile spiraled down the hall, screaming its big fat presence to this half of the communication hub before fizzling out.

With the beacon unfortunately lit, there was little time to act. “Kyra!” She snapped, eschewing introductions and grabbing her sister’s wrist. She dragged the younger Perl down the hall and around the corner, stopping only to push her against the cold durasteel wall. Yula’s hand went to Kyra’s chin, gripping it tightly while she turned her sister’s face this way and that—noting the lidded glaze of her eyes.

A shocked pause. “Feth, you’re high!” She snapped in disbelief. Nida’s disappearance had been especially hard on Kyra, and Yula felt a pang of guilt that she hadn’t intervened sooner. It had never crossed her mind that Kyra—the baby of the family—would turn to this sort of vice to dull her pain.

Yula huffed, blowing a strand of hair from her face in the process. They’d get to that later. Now…

“Kyra—Kyra, listen to me. We’re under attack. Someone took out the power.” They were quite literally in the dark, not knowing who their assailants were or how many had swarmed the facility. “I don’t know who it is, but I doubt that the bulk of their forces are here.” Ossus had more valuable targets, and hindering communication was likely only a piece of the plan. “Listen. Listen.” She motioned Emily forward, and the droid projected a map of the facility. “There’s a backup generator somewhere around here, underground.” She pointed a finger at the far end of the holo projection. “I don’t know if they’ve gotten to it yet, but judging that the explosions came from here,” Her hand shifted, this time to another end of the map. “There’s a decent chance it’s untouched. For now. We don’t know who they are or what they’re packing, so our better bet is to get to the backup. It won’t restore the entire hub, but it should be enough to get most critical systems running again if the infrastructure damage isn’t too bad.”

She paused, suddenly wondering if all that sank in. “You up to it? Lights go out, we fix them, yeah?” Another pause. “Seriously, if you’re not, you need to tell me now.”

The hairs at the back of her neck prickled in warning. Something was coming, moving in their direction.

“We need to go. Now.”

Communication Blackout
Halls
Yula Perl | Open for opposition​

"Whooaaaa~"

Kyra abruptly found herself yanked down a hall, her ball of light dissipating as her attention was snatched.

“Kyra!”

"Yula?" She replied dumbly back, her resistance melting away as the elder Perl started checking out the state of her makeup.

"Feth, you're high."

Or was that her eyes.

She jerked her chin back, wordless noises of sibling grumbles falling from her as she tried to regain her orientation. "And you smell like noodles." She huffed as the dreaded spider driod named Emily came forward with a map. They were still mortal enemies, though perhaps now was a bad time to try and crush her again. "Just what is going on he-"

Yula's explanation left her wide-eyed, dread creeping through her stomach.

"An invasion?" she echoed, not responding to Yula's final, probing question. Did the sith never let it rest? Stress crept through her shoulders, her scalp tingling.

Was she up to it?

No. Absolutely not. She wanted to skip right out on out. Her palms itched for the feel of a drink. Her skin craved the deafening vibrations of a club. Anything to drown out the chilling silence of these halls. Goosebumps rose over her skin.

“Seriously, if you’re not, you need to tell me now.”

And what? Leave her sister to it all? Her jaw set, her legs growing a little steadier on the ground.

"Don't be a doofus, I came didn't I?"

She pushed herself to her feet, mentally cursing the trippy dreams that had predicted this event. Either the spices were that good, or she was growing stronger.

She grimaced into the darkness, feeling along the wall with a sweaty palm.

"I'm all out of flairs tho'."

​

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

"Don't have any friends on Ossus.", he said flatly, synthesized by the vocoder​

​

Soloman wasn't actually sure of that statement, but he somehow doubted it. Doubled down by the flaming corpses in front of him, he stepped over them without a second glance as he looked around - hoping that if he did have any friends on this planet, they weren't nearby. He'd hate to have to put one down by surprise, but it was often the way things went when all your friends were killers for hire.​

​

Soloman's boots were muddled by a slight dampening material on the soles - but it wasn't enough to truly mask his imposing figure or the sound of his approach. At least when he wasn't trying - so as they rounded the corner and saw the two Zeltron's moving away from them, he shot a round off between their heads hoping to force them to a halt.​

​

"Freeze, aruetii.", he said with the gruffness of his people's tongue.​

​

"Where's girlies like you running off to at this fine hour?", he mused as he moved to close the distance.​

​

As he followed them, approached them, he offered through his internal comms where they couldn't hear him to Jorri -​

​

"We're going to need hostages if things turn ugly. Get at least one of them, see if they know the easiest route out, then move."​

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

Yula felt a brief measure of relief when Kyra seemed to absorb the explanation. Maybe she wasn’t completely lost in the sauce after all. She studied her sister with scrutinizing eyes while she appeared to mull it over. The clench of her jaw told Yula everything, and the corner of her mouth peeled into a tense smile.

“Enough flairs for one day. Let’s get moving.”

The pair of Zeltrons stumbled into a jog down the hall, but their pursuers shored up the distance quickly.

A shot rang out overhead, pinging against the wall and Yula ducked on instinct, squeezing Kyra's hand. A glance to the side and the fact that her sister hadn't dropped to dead weight kept her heart from thudding out of her chest.

“Freeze, aruetii.”

“Mandalorians??” She hissed to Kyra with an incredulous tone. The Mandos and Jedi had a tenuous relationship at best, but lately, they’d been keeping to themselves. Still, war was their religion. She hadn’t expected this.

“Bathroom emergency!” Yula called back, sending them into a zigzag pattern as they rounded another corner. “My sister’s got the runs real bad!” Which wasn’t far from the truth, considering what spice did to your gastrointestinal track.

Objective: 1
Location: Ossus, underground bunker
Equipment:

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

Allies: Soloman Priest
Enemies: Yula Perl | Kyra Perl

Taking hostages wasn't a bad plan, in theory. Guaranteed them a way out and kept combat to a minimum. But even someone like her was wary of going toe-to-toe with a Jedi with the express intent of not killing them. She'd rather have taken their chances finding a way out on their own, but in the end their odds of ending up facing another Jedi were about the same. Better to have collateral.

"Sure, why not. We haven't tempted fate enough yet," Jorii shot back over that same private line. Whether it was another jab was hard to tell, but it was obvious she wasn't entirely on board with the strategy, nor expressly against. What was done was done, and it was a matter of rolling with the punches now.

Begrudgingly she switched her rifle to stun, watching as their quarry took off around the next corner. At least they were smart. She took off after them, stopping near the beginning of the next hallway and sighting through the scope of her rifle, lining up her next shot as best she could with the zigzag they were running in. She let off two shots in quick succession, pressing forward regardless of their success. Either they would get backed into a corner, or be inadvertently led to the exit. There were worse odds out there.

"I hope you don't expect me not to kill them if they stand their ground." She left it at that. It wasn't a matter of fear, but common sense. Her clan had raised her to treat Force-users with absolute prejudice, and some things just didn't change.

Communication Blackout
Halls
Yula Perl | Open for opposition


A shot whizzed by Kyra's head, the wind in her hair sending a chill down her spine.

That close, huh?

She blinked hard, trying to will her head into clearing. A small voice in the back of her mind screamed at her to smarten up, but she couldn't. The haze clung to her, fueled by the shocking events that she walked into.

She had come here suspecting something would go down, and yet she stared through the dim darkness with a look stupidity plastered across her parted lips.

Mandos.

Guns.

Right.

She felt herself be yanked away. Her sister's urgency drove her forward, their connected hands giving Kyra an all too unwelcomed line into Yula's emotions. Her legs obeyed where her head couldn't. She jogged erratically, her pestering inner voice morphing into her master's. Be aware of your surroundings.

Yeah, okay! Sorry! She fecked that up!

Pew pew.

Her attention sharpened. She tried to jerk herself to the si- heat exploded over her shoulder. Her body seized up, the stun bolt sizzling its way through her muscle sheaths. For a flickering moment, the pain parted the fog...

And then she hit the ground. Her hand locked up and froze up inside her sister's grip, no doubt holding Yula back.

​

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

"Doesn't work if we kill the hostages.", he said as his heavy foot falls carried him past her - with a surprising speed considering how heavy the armor seemed to look. For his sake, it was due to the exoskeleton understructure that made his Beskar'gam nearly weightless to him - but for others, it was a nice intimidation factor to see the massive man charging them.​

​

As he closed the distance to the fallen Kyra, and Yula desperately trying to pick her up and carry her, his foot would shoot out to hopefully land directly in Yula's ribs. He would have gone for the head, even activated the repulsor lift in his heel, but he wasn't exactly looking to take her head off - or discombobulated her too much. Just a sharp kick as revenge for making him run.​

​

As soon as his foot would likely land, he pulled the other pistol from its holster and aimed one at each of them. The beskar'gam's helmet digitized his voice slightly as he began to speak;​

​

"You have about ten seconds to tell me the emergency routines in this facility, where the exit is, and how many people I'll meet on the way.", he said with a harsh gruffness.​

​

"And I'm not good at counting, so don't test my patience."​

​

That sounded tougher in his head.​

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

Like any well-planned attack, the assailants on Ossus had come as a total surprise. In the span of a few minutes, they had managed to cut the power to the communication hub and invade the facility. Yula didn’t know how many of them there were, if the Mandalorians were the sole invaders, or if they’d contracted their services to another power. Both were possible, but it didn’t matter. It didn’t matter why they were there, and it didn’t matter whatever the bigger picture was.

“No!”

Kyra’s dead weight was what Yula had dreaded the most. Taking care of her sister wasn’t a burden, but when she felt her arm stretch with the heaviness of Kyra’s stillness, her heart thudded wildly in her throat. Suddenly, she was acutely aware of the tightness of Kyra’s grip. “Damnit!” She hissed with raw irritation, concern lining her tone. Yula’s worry for her sister, amplified by their physical connection, would be palpable to the young empath. She shook her sister by the good shoulder, urging her to get up without words. Emily skittered her way to Kyra's slumped form, alternatively chirping in concern and trying to hide in fear among the fallen Zeltron.

Nida had been hanging by a hair’s breadth over the point of no return for the longest time. Yula refused to come close to losing another sister today. A good marksman, an unfortunate stumble, a chance—it didn’t matter what had brought her sister down. Their chance for a clean escape was rapidly dwindling, but the Perl family never went quietly into the night. Her hand left Kyra’s shoulder, reaching to the side of her hip and retrieving a cylindrical hilt.

Their initial pursuer had closed the gap in a matter of seconds. Yula tensed, the adrenaline of being hunted and the baser urge to protect her family fueling her hypervigilance. In an instant, she had disconnected from Kyra and turned sharply on both feet, whirling around while activating her sister’s lightsaber. Cerulean streaks burned a brilliant path through the dead air, angling downward slightly to catch the Mandalorian’s foot before it could make contact with her ribs. She doubted the blade would be able to sear its way through his beskar’gam, but the pressure she put behind the plasma blade was enough to keep her lungs from being punctured.

She could see her hard-eyed gaze reflected in the gloss of Soloman's helmet, determined to protect her injured sibling.

“Ooh, what’s the matter—didn’t plan your exit strategy, big guy? I don’t work for free, give me your info and I’ll send you my consulting fee.” Yula chortled in derision, pressing back against the foot and pushing away from the Mandalorian, one hand splayed back towards her sister in both a gesture of protection and to aid her balance. She was acutely aware that there was at least another one in the vicinity, which would make this tricky. At least they were after information, not lives.

“They never taught you how to count in Mando school? That’s saaad.”

Objective: 1
Location: Ossus, underground bunker
Equipment:

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

Allies: Soloman Priest
Enemies: Yula Perl | Kyra Perl

As soon as one of them dropped she knew the next few moments were either going to go very well or end with at least one of the three of them dead. Still, Jorii didn't stop Soloman from pressing the advantage, coming up behind him as he charged the one still standing. It was better to keep their kind backpedaling and not give them a chance to recoup and counter. She'd experienced firsthand what happened in that instance, and been raised on tales of worse.

All of that came to the forefront of her mind once the lightsaber ignited. In a split second the rules of engagement had changed. Her rifle was slung across her back in favor of the ripper she drew with her off hand, bringing it to bear on the other woman and aiming for center mass. If there was one thing they couldn't block, it was slugs, and she felt better knowing that if the attempt was made the only reward was melted lead in her face.

There was no need to communicate her change of strategy to Soloman, as he knew full well what that lightsaber meant. Mandalorians were raised to kill Jedi, and here was the chance to prove just that.

"Think carefully about how you want this to end. All you need to do is tell us where the exit is and what our odds are of running into any of your friends. Everyone can walk away." That was becoming less and less likely the longer this confrontation dragged on, and as good as their odds were she wasn't keen on testing them. Damn Jedi.

​

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

Where Jorii had seen it fit to shoot at the standing zeltron, Soloman knew that fighting a Jedi was rarely about going directly at them. Unlike his Mandalorian brethren who chose to overwhelm Jedi with bigger and bigger guns, Soloman had some strategy in mind - but it was what had garnered him the marred reputation for being less than honorable.​

​

All was fair in love and war, he imagined. So he took advantage of both in a single move. His two handguns twisted to point directly at the Zeltron still on the ground, hammers cocked, fingers already through the first stage of his trigger - even slightly more pressure releasing two verpine rounds directly into the drugged up Perl. His vocoder came through slower this time - darker than it was a moment before.​

​

"These pistols have targetting assistance. Push me with the Force, move in a way I don't like, and your friend gets two to the head. Don't make me slip, Jedi - they didn't teach me how to clean in Mando school either, and I'm about to make a mess."​

​

He motioned with his head towards Jorii without taking his eyes off Yula -​

​

"Listen to my friend. Put the saber down, and you both might live."​

No.

Nonononono.

Yula's fear was sobering. Flickers of her thoughts reached Kyra through the contact-- Not another sister. The words rattled her to her core. She hadn't paused to consider how Yula was handling the near loss of their other siblings. Kyra had simply assumed that she had been the only one affected. It was shallow of her, she realized. The intensity of Yula's fear shot through her like electricity.

Yanno maybe she had made a mistake.

Her face laid smushed into the ground, her breath fogging up the dirty tile. She should have thought this through more. She had been chasing a half-hazy dream and ended right back in the brutal reality of their work.

Her master's face bubbled up inside her mind, a phantom look saying it all.

Oh shut up. She groaned wordlessly, protesting the threats occurring over her head. No matter how much she screamed at her limbs to move and help, they laid unmoving. She tried to will her mind to clear, but will power alone couldn't clear her senses.

The spices she had taken to drown out the world drowned out the very skill that could save their lives. She could feel it pulsing in the cloudy distance.

The Force.

She had been shying back from it for months. She had witnessed the genocide of Myrkr. Tapped in, the empath had felt the death and heard the anguish of the billions the sith had eradicated in an instant. Every day it echoed in her psyche, reminding her of what might happen again if she reached out.

Her sister's fear pulsed through the air.

Not another sister. She steeled herself and reached out a quivering mental hand for the power.

The warmth of the force crept over her. ​

 

[Thirdas Heavenshield]

Escorting the Younglings
Ossus Jedi Temple
Tags: Starlin Rand | Arcturus Dinn
​

Eyeing this Thesh fellow through the crack of the security door, Thirdas could tell neither was gonna come out and just say he's one of the bad guys. Still, the fact that the two hadn't chopped each other to pieces yet made him reconsider. The kids needed to get out, no matter what.

"Fair enough," came his simple answer as he yanked the door wide open, much to the outrage of some of the elders who demanded to know what he was doing. He wasn't even from this temple, so who was this youngster to call the shots?

Thirdas turned, towering over each and every one of them. "We're getting these children out. You lot can stay, for all I care. Protect your precious archives, or whatever."

Looking down at Lee-Loo clinging to him, the two shared a determined nod as they were the first to exit the meditation chambers, prompting a boat-load of younglings to follow their example. "Thirdas Heavenshield, Lieutenant, Antarian Rangers," he decided to introduce himself properly to the pair. "This brave little girl is Lee-Loo."

The Togrutan waved as she peeked out from behind him.

"Thank you," he looked to Thesh and offered a small bow of his head. "For your help."

Another explosion rocked the building, causing a cry of worry from the younglings.

"Gentlemen, after you!"

 

[Sakadi Marathi Sinvala]

Objective 3
Location: Ventilation shaft, heading for the bridge
Writing with: Dis

A weary smile played about the Jedi Master's lips. "The culture imposed upon systems by the Sith is one that promotes hate, violence, pain and suffering. Despite this widespread culture and hierarchy of hate and violence, we have been cautious to engage only those who truly held the beliefs that they stood above others in our efforts to liberate the southern systems. I understand that it may not carry much weight, seen as it's coming from me. But please, do know that since I've taken up my position as Assembly member, we have not once sought out large scale wars and conflict." It was the truth. Apart from some planetary engagements, the Silver defense fleet was largely dormant. She considered it a good sign. A sign that, in this war-torn galaxy, peace still existed.

She strode forward as the shadowcat finished their sentence. "I'm not fond of war either. If I can prevent deaths, I will." Her gaze fell on a small grate. An exit vent, finally. "And if I'm honest…" She reached deeper into the Force, bringing its might down on the grating. The wave of telekinetic energy caused it to bent seconds before it would burst off the wall. "I think we may be able to avoid killing anyone on that bridge." She had no idea what the little shadow could do. But she had faith in her own strength, and faith in the Force.

"So, what's the shortest way to the bridge?"

 

[Starlin Rand]

Objective II: Regicide
Location: Ossus Temple Courtyard
Equipment: Armor | Lightsaber | Energy Bow | Bracelet

There was no time to crack wise over Thesh’s name, and from the sound of things it was a sore spot for the ginger anyway. Despite the protests of the elders, Thirdas had agreed to go with them, bringing the younglings along. Everything seemed to be working out—

Starlin steadied himself as the ground shook from an explosion, a spray of pulverized duracrete raining down on him. He’d spoken too soon. “We’re going now!” he announced, turning toward the south. He expected the others to follow, though technically Thesh should be the one leading them.

As he sprinted across the courtyard, he noticed suddenly that his master was no longer with them, fighting off Sith in his periphery. He stretched out his senses until he found her again. She’d gone elsewhere, helping another Jedi fend off his attackers, and gotten sidetracked. Chit.

In the time it took him to sense her, a Sith had charged at him, lightsaber raised. There was no time to grab his own weapon. Starlin reacted on instinct, the Force guiding his movements… and it told him to punch the Sith in the face. His prosthetic right hand, the skeleton constructed from solid phrik, made a loud cracking sound as it made contact with the Sith’s eye. Starlin winced as the impact resonated up the rest of his flesh-and-blood arm, but he was uninjured. The Sith was out cold.

More were coming. He unhooked his lightsaber, but didn’t stop to fight. They still had a chance of a clean run so long as they didn’t waste any more time. “Run!”

Arcturus Dinn | Thirdas Heavenshield​

 

[Aien Mueller]

You know those types you don't want to meet in a dark alley?​

ORDERS: OPERATION "Operation Supernova"

Spoiler: LOADOUT(unless missions specific):

Armor - "Apostle" armor(all),
Weapons (team)- Pistol, Combat Knife,
Grenade, Thermal Detonator
(Snipers)- Submachine Gun, Sniper rifle,
Wrist Blaster
(Assault)- Assault Rifle, Slugthrower Pistol
(Heavy Weapons)- Minigun, Assault Rifle

Spoiler: FIRE TEAMS

GOLD TEAM: Azrael(Aien Mueller), Castiel(Zev Tantor)
BLUE TEAM: Sauriel(Tauren Saryl), Samael(Tomas Isaacs),
Michael (Laroyce Bromin)
RED TEAM: Gabriel(Ewan Isaacs), Bartleby(Dem Oniqua)

ORDERS: Destroy the Red Dragon's main launch bay
OVERWATCH: “Seraphim”
Tag: Darth Sephi Tithon Antilles Lunafreya Solidor Aaran Tafo Auteme Beltran Rarr

They were indeed heading back towards the hangar but doing so in a way that might be considered “unexpected”. The team was now backtracking, the same path they took to get to where they were when they turned around. Yes, they were access panels and tubes, but Omega was working fast to get to their destination. Those last charges were set, the ones that were not baradium that is. The thing about having explosives and setting them is that it is not how many charges you set, it’s where you set them. One thing Gabriel knew was the inner structure of ships and buildings. No, he was not a designer, but he was an explosives expert and a student of his craft. He knew weak points, he knew where to put charges for maximum effect.

That effect? The internal waste refinement system. Yep, they just blew the bulkheads on the ship’s septic tank.

It may not affect everyone, some may even enjoy the smell, but the purpose was different now. Their purpose was different now and the team was utilizing their skills as a diversion. They were blowing everything that they could in order to draw as much attention on them as they could and get as little attention as they could on Paladin and the Jedi. There was a problem though as the attention came too early.

Getting out of the paths Omega was already being chased and for Sauriel, this was it. He was done with these laser-brains.

Kark this! Go!

Setting up in a cover position, the sniper primary began picking his targets and ventilating their helmets.

No man!

” Go, you Sculags! Mission first!”

Dammit!

Look! I don’t like it either, but he’s right. If we don’t move, none of us make it out of here!

Forehead touches came and went and they were moving, by they, Azrael, Bartleby, and Gabriel. Michael and Samael stayed behind. Sauriel didn’t want them to, but this was the most effective way possible to buy the guy’s time, a sniper rifle and two miniguns. The time they needed was to drop down a level, to the maintenance rafters of the launch bay.

Immediately Gabriel started setting the final Baradium charges. This was it, it was all or nothing.

... yeah, we scare them.

 

[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

Dis listened intently to Sakadi. Nodded several times at the woman's words, and the shadows followed their movement. When the woman had finished what she had said, the Shadowcat wondered if they should believe her or not. Both sides tried to set each other up as evil, which wasn’t very good for an independent, neutral Shadow. It was hard to decide who was right and who wasn’t.

~ But not everyone among them is evil, there are those who do not want to do evil things, and they are not like what you said. And there are evils among the Jedi who kill a child! ~ their message was serious and sad, and these feelings were conveyed as well. ~ But I believe you, I'll show you the bridge. ~

For them, the walls and the like were no problem, they could have easily crossed all of them, but Dis waited for Sakadi to make the exit. Then the Shadowcat set out, their movement was like that of a normal cat, though their legs did not reach the ground, they just floated above it, and the shadows danced around them and moved with them as if they were part of the Shadow. They really were, Dis looked out into the hallway, but it was empty.

~ Empty, you can come! In the meantime, can you tell me what the Jedi are like? I haven't met too much yet. ~

If Sakadi followed them, they continued down the hall and moved two corners forward, and finally a fork followed. Here, the corridor continued on, while to the left was an elevator, a short corridor section, after about five to six metres. There were two guards before that.

~ With this elevator we have to go up to the top floor, it leads straight to the bridge. ~

 

[Aaran Tafo]

Objective III

Location:
Opposing: Lunafreya Solidor
Allies: Thalia Senn

As Belias threw out a taunt of his own, he could feel the gaze of the Battlemaster turning to look at the squire. A slight look of mild bemusement visible on his face as his head tilted to the side. His demeanour and energy conveying that he found the two underlings more amusing than threatening. Maybe they would be excellent practice for Thalia.

"I'm afraid I'm rather attached to my head. But you are free to come here and try to claim it." He mused; his tone similarly whimsical as his gaze switched from the Squire to the sphere behind them. Watching the personal meditation chamber open with a loud hiss, as none other that Lunafreya herself stepped forth. He recognised her voice from Alderaan. The grip on his sword tightening as he recalled the memories of his time on that world. The fire, the death, the pointless attack in order to capture the royal family. His jaw set as he could quite clearly conjure those images in his mind's eye. Another reminder of why he fought. Why one could not simply be only reactive in the face of the Sith.

But he also remembered how they failed. Alderann still stood. The Royal family was safe. TheSith were driven off. There was also the titbit to consider that recruitment from the world spiked after the Sith attack and more than a few wealthy nobles donated a considerable sum of credits to the war effort in response.

Alderaan still stood. Hope persisted, the light shone despite the consuming dark.

And so would he.

Instead of standing his ground against the oncoming flame. He moved forward, looking to proactively cut the serpent's head off. He was grateful she spent so much time talking, It let him focus his mind. As his own feet carried him forward like a thunderbolt as the fire raced out towards him. Breathing in deep. His own sword lashed out. And around him, the environment shifted. Heat and life were taken from the air around him. That coldness was channelled, focused. The air around him shifting as he slashed with Arete. Draining the heat from the patch of flame that threatened to consume him. Clearing a path forward.

All that heat, all that kinetic energy simply added to his speed. Even at a base level. He was faster than the last time they clashed. And with the energy of the fire being transmuted into raw speed. Celerity that might even give someone as quick as Lunafreya pause. His blade arced out, looking to knock that staff out of her hands. Following up his swipe with a bolt of telekinetic energy. Aiming to knock his opponent back, or at the very least unbalance her.

 

[Caltin Vanagor]

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

Location: Ossus Temple
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"
Desbre Gensan, Milya Vondar (both unless specified)
Tag: Grundark
Darth Empyrean Cato Demora Alina Tremiru Irina Volkov Melydia Gold Tegan Starfall
Vexander Graves Mathieu Brion Vulpesen Taiia Locke Caedyn Arenais Romi Jade Starlin Rand Maja Fiore Nathaniel Wellchoestor

"Sometimes to throw a punch, you must take one." -advice was given to him by an old Teras Kasi Master.

His charge allowed him to throw knees into the chest of his enormous opponent, but the massive Jedi Master did indeed get "skewered". His left shoulder was on fire as Caltin planted his hands on the Cragmoloids shoulders and pushed off through the assistance of the Force. Walking in a circle around his opponent at maximum distance, Caltin didn't hide it, he was hurting, but the Force was healing him too, and he wanted that distance and time to get his shoulder and arm back. It would take a minute or two, but he'd be alright. Stopping for a moment, Caltin reached to the sky and began to manipulate the moisture in the air until the humidity rose and storm clouds began to form. When a lightning bolt rang down at the SIth, Caltin checked his wound, even if he didn't have full mobility, he would be fine as the bleeding had stopped.

Switching "Conservator" to a reverse grip and jamming her blade into the ground, Caltin held out his hands as if to say "come on?"

Hand to hand? Or are we going to continue this dance?

No disrespect was intended, but they could bounce off of each other all day and nothing would come from it, but the test that this guy was obviously looking for was that which came with throwing hands.

... YET THE DAWN ALWAYS COMES.

 

[Yula Perl]

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

Might live?

Yula was surprised by the measure of patience displayed by the Mandalorians. Maybe they taught negotiation in Mando school.

Her expression never withdrew, sharp features hardened with concentration. She might have been nimble enough to slip away and disappear into a vent, or disrupt the mechanical systems of their armor or weapons if she could get in closer. On her own, she might have been able to get away.

But she wasn’t on her own.

And she didn’t need to glance over her shoulder to know that her sister, ill and injured, had the muzzle of more than enough blasters pointed at her. Yula operated on taking risks—some measured, some not—and reveled in the thrill of her success and failure alike. Even if they were bluffing, and she was fairly certain they weren’t, she refused to play roulette with Kyra’s life.

The brilliant blue blade disappeared in an instant, its hilt clattering to the floor as Yula raised both hands, palms up to the Mandalorian in front of her.

“Fine. Don’t hurt her.”

 

[Vexander Graves]

Equipment: The Cyan Blade | Jedi Jumpsuit |
Allies: Mathieu Brion | Vulpesen | Taiia Locke | Romi Jade | Starlin Rand | Maja Fiore | Nathaniel Wellchoestor | Caltin Vanagor | Caedyn Arenais | Coren Starchaser
In Battle: Tegan Starfall

This little Sith was definetely weird and wicked... Vex never understood why all these darksiders were just insane... filled with madness and grief... in theory he knew that events in their life affected them greatly and that in the long run they end up corrupted by darkness. But at the end, most of them fitting that mold despite their age or appearance was quite curious.

Vexander's heart felt broken to see this girl in this state... but despite how much it hurt him he still had a duty to protect all the Jedi around and specially the young ones, filled with hopes and future, paths that would shine light for other beings that needed assistance and justice.

"The Sith do not change... always scheming, always with a greater design..." the Jedi sarcastically stressed a bit the last two words but still remained diplomatically stoic, with a grin in his face... his polite way to address all his enemies.

He didn't feel like attacking head on... especially after all the runes that she began to draw in the ground. Vex knew better than to just charge at whatever she was doing... he was not known due to his impatience or his lust for battle. He was actually there because he had to, because it was his duty and to protect those young hopefuls that would carry the torch.

Before he opened his mouth though, the Jedi began to walk and circle the place where the Sith was, he looked still with that confident grin in his face. He analyzed the situation a bit and looked at the runes in the ground... he knew that she had to stay inside for them to protect her... and what she had in mind would eventually relate to her previous powers.

"Very well young Sith... tell me your grand plan... will you rain another Star Destroyer on this place like on Ziost?"

If his hunch was correct, he would end up delivering a surprise to her.

 

[Soloman Priest]

​

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

"Good girl.", Soloman said slowly, watching her through the built in HUD of his helmet.​

​

Priest put one of the pistols away, but kept the other trained on Kyra; letting the other slip back into its magnetic lock on his hip. With the same hand he reached into his belt and tossed a Datapad to her - pointing to it as she caught it;​

​

"I need you to point out the fastest way out of here, where we're likely to find your friends, and anything we might've missed. Can't have Ossus making any outbound calls now, can we?", he said once more.​

​

"And for good measure - when you're done pointing them out, you'll be taking a walk with us out of this place. If you want to save some lives, your pink friend here's included, best you get some good information. And quick."​

 

[Darth Sephi]

Objective III: Corruption​

Allies: Sith Eternal
Enemies: Aien Mueller │ Omega

With most of the First Legion soldiers out of range, and well trained enough to not be shot in the head by a sniper in their own hanger, Sephi moved in through the lower levels and felt through the Force what was occurring. A stand off, tensions were high, emotions were filling the room like smoke; but not from the well trained and expertly placed Legion of the Emperor - but by the special forces who had somehow managed to drag two miniguns, a sniper, more than a few explosives, and bunch of men through the service ducts.​

​

"I'll give them credit for that, at least.", he said as he walked in, lightsaber waving around at his side. Its harsh red glow ignited the scantily clad Sith Lord in a beaming light - making him cut to be twice the imposing figure even from far below them.​

​

"Oh boys!", he called out to them as their guns rang out.​

​

"Stop all that playing around, you're gonna hurt yourself."​

​

Sephi beamed his sharp teeth at them as he grazed the lightsaber against the ground a few times in front of him.​

​

"You're surrounded, out gunned, out manned, and out of luck. What is this, some kind of heroic suicide mission?", the Sith said with a cock of his brow.​

​

"You think your names will be remembered if you go down a hero? That blowing the reactor, or engines, or even the bridge would stop this ship from reaching its destination?", he repeated, slowly hoping to drain what hope these men had from their minds.​

​

"The Worm isn't something you can comprehend - something your bombs can't stop. One way or another this ship will get where its going - and don't you wanna live to see what it'll do?", Sephi offered with a cock of his brow.​

​

"Surrender yourselves. Prostrate yourselves before me, and beg - and I might even let you watch."​

​

Aien Mueller​

 

[Syd Celsius]

Persona: Sorceress of Coruscant (See Bio)

The Sorceress of Coruscant was caught in the middle of a massive amount of fighting now, flinging steel balls everywhere at non-lethal speeds as her blades ripped apart weaponry, rather than flesh.

One warrior in black armor, determined to win at any cost like all his comrades charged at her with a Ballistic Knife, having clearly leveled up harder than all his other comrades, and had also possibly put all his perk points into one handed and possibly Alchemy, because she was to slow to evade the knife sticking into her side.

Pain erupted through her whole body as the Elderly looking Force Spawn was blasted backward, a hole erupted from her side, little chunks of metallic sheened organ and green, mercury like blood erupting out as she fell backward, flesh bubbling everywhere hideously as her long black gown began to repair both itself and her, disgusting loose strands of muscle from the wound Cato Demora had created starting to quickly lash themselves together at the wound site.

The Sorceress's flesh sloughed off her face on one side, exposing the Obsidian metallic sheened skull underneath, flesh everywhere else sagging and melting and trying to reform, clearly stunned and damaged.

The Witch stretched arms where the skin was starting to droop and stretch on the bone and hissed out a spell.

The metal piping tore itself up from the floor while the Sorceress used her mind to make the Lightsaber spin and deflect bolts independently of her hands.

The magic made the piping turn into Serpents made of metal, which then rushed in unison at Cato and his troops, not looking to kill but ensnare, some soldiers were constricted while others were destroyed by quick trigger fingers.

But a large number were still heading for Cato.

 

[Other Space Kaiden]

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

Vulcanus sat in speechless agony, sulfuric eyes narrowed in on the Sanem's stoic features. How dare this dead old fool insult him! He was Great Khaan of The Hordes, Emperor of The Sith and conqueror of worlds! Now he was to be sat aside and spoken too like an infant who could barely take his own steps. He would not be spoken to by the likes of a spirit who could not tame his own creation. Vulcanus' gritted jagged fangs, his mind focused on creating a fire that would not spark.

Then Sanem spoke as if every thought had been broadcast to him, "I could not tame The Graug because I underestimated my own genius. Even now I look upon a beast who climbed much closer to the sun than I had ever intended. I paid the price with my life." the old spirit leaned forward, his hands hung between bent knees and his eyes closed in remembrance.

"I strived to play a god, just as you have. To conquer life by creating it - subjugating a race of creatures that I'd molded into a shape and form that pleased me. What could be closer to a god than the creation of a life that served you? The Graug are the grandest achievement of Sith engineering that there ever has been. Any sorcerer can conjure a beast of war from spare parts. Only a true master can weave, from nothing, the intricacies of sapient life into a self-sustaining race that has flourished as The Graug have."

Sanem opened his eyes, sensing the frustration growing from the beast he'd created in life, "your people exist only because a man with power, will and intellect chose to create you. The power of a mind brought you into this galaxy. A thousand generations of Sith stood between me and your people's creation. A thousand generations of collective experience, scientific achievement, philosophy and secrets. A thousand generations of beings whose silence would have meant the destruction of The Order long ago. Without their minds I would not be the mind I am. Without the mind that is me, you would not have a mind to squander."

"The Sith preach that the strong conquer the weak! Yet at every turn they demand only order. They demand that the strong honor the weak fallen. Sith are all the same - I will conquer them again as I did in the past and when I do, the Graug shall tear apart their order and rid my existence of them forever. Rid myself of weak, dead spirits like you."

"Listen to yourself. You sit before a man who has avoided the gates of the netherworld for three centuries while you yourself were locked behind it until another pulled you from its grasp" Vulcanus was seethed, the truth only angering him further, "you are delusional. Pathetic. Weak. You deny the truth instead of conquering it and this is why you are doomed to be nothing."

"If I am so weak and you so strong, then kill me lesser. Do not waste more of my time with your talking"

"To allow you to die again, so close to the reestablishment of the cycle, would be a greater loss than suffering your stupidity for a while longer. Through you my own essence will be added to the cycle and we shall both ascend to be far more powerful than our current selves. So you will learn this lesson through pain if you must." Sanem stood from his throne, silk sleeves falling over his hands, "Three-hundred years ago the darkside granted me many visions. My master taught me of The Worm's existence and the Sith Eternal's goal to reintroduce its power back into the line of Emperors. I foresaw the plague and The Worm's return. I dedicated my life to ensuring that this return not only came to pass, but that The Sith would have a mighty army to reconquer the galaxy with. Unfortunately the future is always in motion and every plan can fail"

"the most foolish of my apprentices used what cleverness he possessed to poison me...but in my final moments I called upon a knowledge I had learned in my studies of the darkside. As my body died I sent my living force into the spawning pits where the first Graug were being born - anchoring my soul to this realm through each Graug that was created. I live within all Graug now, a piece of myself intertwined into every cell. It was I who guided Graug progress for three hundred years. I who gave your mother the vision to send you to Korriban and you the visions to find our old temple hidden in your homeworld's jungles.

Nothing you have achieved has been your own doing. Without my guidance you would be the warlord of a forgotten world of no significance. Without the knowledge of those who came before you, Vulcanus would be nothing just as I would be nothing without the knowledge I built my power upon."

The beast tried to rage at the apparition. He tried to curse and scream, to stand and rip him to shreds for telling such...lies? They had to be. He had built his power on his own but...no, everything sounded so true. It was as if he was being told a terrible secret that he had known but repressed. He wanted to destroy, To burn. Not only this world and the spirit, but his people, world and himself. Yet, his voice was lost. His body unmoving.

"Yes, wallow in your anger like a mud covered beast. Until you accept my lessons you will continue to be nothing more than that. Power is so much more than simply killing those you hate. It is looking back at the bones of a million Sith before you, collect their remains and build for yourself a staircase to raise yourself upon. Use the knowledge of the dead to become more powerful than they could have ever dreamed. I saw the works of the Pureblood priests, Exar Khun and Sidious himself and I dedicated my life to their teachings!

I used their knowledge so that I could become a better master of monsters than any of them could have been! The Graug are proof of my success! Now you will learn to respect the power that came before you - to look upon it and make it your own!" Sanem's voice grew louder, encompassing all that was this shadow of a world and as he did, the ground beside him began to shimmer, the painted glass fading away to a spot of pitch black as if a hole was eating away at this already bizarre reality, "you will face the terror that the ancient Sith could unleash and only then will you be born anew! Only then will you face The Worm and take upon yourself the teachings of a thousand generations! You will become a force of destruction who will destroy this galaxy so that The Sith may lay a new foundation upon it!"

The shape beside Sanem began to take unnatural form, the darkness rising up like a pillar from the ground until it was above the old Darth's height. It shaped and molded like clay until two armored arms jutted from its sides, then two legs a body and a head mounted by a fearsome helmet. Vulcanus knew the figure all too well.

"Now rise, Vulcanus, and face the terror of the past.

The Lord of Hate will show you what power the mind can bring you."

****************
Auteme
The Real World​

Vulcanus' body relaxed as ray shields kicked on, sealing the breaches throughout the hanger and returning the climate to something that resembled normalcy. While the mind was trapped within the trance concocted by The Worm's potion, the body still yearned to feed. To destroy. Nothing could sate its drive to do so, but this would not stop it from trying anyway. Empty eyes searched the room for the next meat to be destroyed and then, from the far side of the room, the hiss of an opening door drew its gaze.

Two pits of pitch black tar found The Jedi Thing's small frame as it squeezed through the door. Compared to the behemoth that was Vulcanus, the Jedi Thing was little more than a stone facing a mountain - the beast's shadow alone dwarfing the meat's size. The fire wreathing The Sith Lord's vacant form flared, forks of fire scorching the sealing of the hanger and sending a blast of heated air flowing outward from the fiery creature. With a sharp breath the beast drew in The Jedi Thing's scent. It smelled of flowers and blood. Of lightside taint and tender muscle.

The beast roared, the bulkheads rattling against the soundwave. Then, without a thought or word, the beast summoned forth a pillar of fire from its claws and sent a vortex of hellishly hot flames spiraling towards the young Jedi Thing.