The Qektoth Connection (ORC Dominion of Yuuzhan'tar)

[Kimiko Taiyou]

The Beheading​

​

The ramp lowered, painfully slow, and almost upon its descent, the battle had begun. The Twi'lek Jedi had rushed forward, Ki closely behind, Tsuriai in hand, and swept through the enemy defenders. The troopers skillfully took positions that provided cover to their fearless leaders. This was the easy part.

Ki finished her final target with flourishing twirl, viridian blade creating a fan of light as the severed head of a Sharukan soldier fell from it's shoulders. For several moments, Ki regained her breath, the only sound being the hum of the saber blades.

The joke was received well as Ki chuckled delightedly,"I do not believe they even planned on us crashing the party. Shall we see what other festivities we can derail?" the woman grinned, baring teeth.

The troopers regrouped, and quickly reorganized the layout of the hanger bay, using the already available cover pieces to offer main and secondary defensive positions in the worst case scenario.

[member="Coren Starchaser"] | [member="Cambria Zadira"]

 

[Coren Starchaser]

Starchaser knew his task and he knew it well. The man was here to assist the Outer Rim, but he was also a loyal member of the exiled Alliance. Working with the people on his ship, though, he knew what was going to come of this. The Yuuzhan’tar system would be given the chance to come to an agreement with the Outer Rim Coalition and join the ranks of the chaotic Rimmers, or not. With the species and multitude of technologies here? It would help bolster the abilities of the Coalition.

But he was here to help pull some of the Underground out of the fire. The ship had landed, the boarding ramp opened. He was already out the door with the rest and by the time Cambria and the team had dispatched the opposition he couldn’t help but grin.

“Seems so. I can get them to focus on me while we move forward. Get us to Mynock, back to the ship, easy.” The Jedi Master looked at his team, flexing his right hand, it did start to glow, a trick he was working on with Tiland and the Light Hand crew. The Jedi was always up for a fight, so long as it was for a good reason. And a rescue of a comrade?

What better reason was there?

[member="Cambria Zadira"]
[member="Kimiko Taiyō"]

 

[Gray Venasir]

Objective: Breaker of Chains
Post 2
Allies: [member="Yula Perl"] | Jaeson Starchaser | [member="Griet van Vliet"]

From behind the stage, Gray could hear the prices that people bid on the slaves. One was sold for 6 000 credits, which wasn't very much. But it didn't seem like the auctioneer thought the slave was worth more. But what was more curious than the price, was who the slave was sold to. A Zeltron. From Gray's knowledge, they were not common on this planet.

But he didn't have time to think on that. What was important now, was to find the back entrance to the compund where the slaves were held. Every Place like that had a back entrance, one only had to find it. Gray looked around, and brushed his hand against the wall that was the back of the stage. And sure enough, there was a hidden Hatch, which hid a opening pad for a hidden door. Gray managed to make it work, and walked in the now open door.

It was dark inside, and Gray had to feel his way forward. Which was hard, considering there were stairs he had to walk Down. But once Down, it got lighter. And soon, he came into a fully lit corridor. Gray chose a way to og, and sneakily followed it. It didn't take long before he met some more slavers, but he didn't have the time to speak to them, or even punch them. Instead, he swiftly shot both, and continued walking. Now, a bit faster. The shoots might have attracted more. But it seemed it would take time finding where the slaves were held, the Whole compound seemed like a Maze.

 

[Kingsley]

GRAND BAZAAR​

ZERUS-TULE​

[member="Andan Solo"]​

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"Praise Yun-Lingni!" Captain Kingsley cried, palming a fistful of talons into the spaceport official's outstretched hand.

This was his first time on Yuuzhan'tar, and he had to say that he liked the look of the place. After being surrounded by disgusting near-humans and their appalling sense of beauty, it was nice to finally be somewhere that had a true appreciation for aesthetics. He had always believed the galaxy could do with more tentacle installations, but try explaining that to the pinkskins crawling all over practically every star system.

"I'm telling you, Iziz. It doesn't get any better than this."

"Nyeta," was all his first mate could muster, clutching at his belt and shivering in fright at their surroundings.

"Oh, relax," the avian smuggler sighed, batting the little Jawa away as they descended into the urban sprawl that was Zerus-Tule's bazaar, "We're on the clock on this one. Rrrawwk!"

"Kuminee bok cuza..." Iziz trailed off ominously.

"Just a few kilometers," Kingsley answered dutifully, already counting stacks of talons in his mind, "So no time for haggling with the locals."

"Omu'sata!" his first mate swore at him, still worried about becoming a part of the local cuisine.

The Hiitian stopped suddenly, causing his Jawa cremate to bump into him.

"Did you lock the shuttle?" he tilted his head, peering down at the little creature. Iziz's eyes widened, and he shrugged, "Well one of us is going to have to go back and check."

Kingsley stared at his first mate expectantly. The little Jawa's eyes widened even farther in terror, before suddenly narrowing, "M'gasha."

"Oh come on, lighten up. Rrrawk!" glancing down at his chronometer, he sighed, "Now hurry up, we're already late."

 

[Yula Perl]

Objective: Breaker of Chains
Location: Yuuzhan’tar Underworld
Tags: [member="Jaeson Starchaser"] [member="Gray Venasir"]

“Warning?” Yula snorted, amused but not in a mean-spirited way. “Sorry, kid, conveniences run short here.” With a flick of her wrist, she drew the blade across the slaver’s neck and released him. The man collapsed to his knees, then onto his face, blood seeping onto the duracrete floor. Now that she noticed, there were faint stains of rust spread throughout the floor of the warehouse, faded from time and numerous attempted cleanings.

Yula’s eyes flickered over towards the guards, down for the count but not dead. She never liked taking a life, but the Zeltron held a deep loathing for slavers after what their kind had done to her family. Nodding in approval at his work, she reached into her pocket and handed Jae a device similar to the one she was carrying—a chain breaker. “Use this.” She insisted, gesturing with the one in her hand. “It’s a deactivating wand with a knife built in, good for taking out slave implants and collars. Can’t have people blowing up if we’re going to get everyone out of here in one piece. C’mon, chop chop.”

As pair began the second phase of their work, Yula couldn’t deny the rapid beating of her heart. While not a stranger to danger, that didn’t stop the adrenaline rush. “Ivan, are you ready?” She spoke into the comm resting at her ear, giving the device a few taps until it finally connected to the frequency she’d set it for. With both hands now free, she busied herself with removing the collars off of what appeared to be a family of Twi’lek.

“Ugh, damn Coalition junk, can’t afford—you there? Yeah? Meet us in 10, we’re almost ready.” The man was an old friend of her mother’s, having been employed as her personal pilot for quite a long time. Helped teach her to fly, too. Briefly, she wondered if there’d been anything between him and her mother while suppressing her gag reflex.

 

[Griet van Vliet]

Objective: Breaker of Chains
Allies: [member="Jaeson Starchaser"] [member="Yula Perl"] [member="Gray Venasir"]
Enemies: Sharukans, Yuuzhan'tar underworld

Time was short: the cleanup crew was busy putting as many dead slaver bodies as they can into one cart. If there was just one indication of the high body count of this incursion, that had to be it. She could feel the bodies she was after were in that cart, so she had to at least try to get the cart from them. Oh poodoo; I'm not sure the sponsors of this bounty even have enough securities to pay me if I just try to get the cart out to them, full of corpses, and load it onboard the ambulance, she thought, while her mind plotted a course to get the cart out of the slaver compound and into the ambulance, which returned to a compound devoid of anyone needing medical attention. Either way, it would be one last trip for the ambulance to the safehouse. But, to take the cart away from them, she still needed another shot of Neural Storm to take out the current custodians. And, once that was done, the custodians were hit by seizures severe enough to make them let go of the cart so that she could seize it afterward. And it was a race against the clock: the path to the ambulance wasn't going to remain clear for very long, so she used Art of Movement to run at speed with the cart in tow towards the designated spot.

 

[Tiland Kortun]

[member="Peyton Steele"]

"We... are here to see the sights," the lead Trandoshan said after a moment, flicking his tongue against the edge of the tea-cup. "Sssoo different than our own world." He gestured with one scaly hand to the Vong-formed buildings and organic technology that soared above and around them. Tiland nodded, interlacing his fingers around the cup and leaning back lightly.

Something stirred in the Force and he caught sight of a young woman hurrying towards the gate with a few blue-skinned Vong behind her. She felt familiar and he thought they had met sometime before.

"Ah, there you are, my friend!" Tiland called out to her, holding out a hand. "Please, join us. Did you get the inspiration for your sculpture that you were seeking?" He gave a warm smile to those behind her. "I do know how difficult art can be."

Around him, the three Trandoshans nodded understandingly. "Indeed, yet thisss place hasss ssssuch potential and beauty. I hope to finish a painting of it sssoon."

 

[Maokai Bantam]

Yuuzhan'tar Orbit
Hangar of the Tyrax
Objective: The Beheading
________________________________________
[member="Cambria Zadira"] | [member="[FONT='Helvetica Neue']Coren Starchaser"][/FONT] | [member="[FONT='Helvetica Neue']Kimiko Taiyō"] | [/FONT][member="[FONT='Helvetica Neue']Mynock Dubrillion"][/FONT]

Mako had remained silent throughout the run to the Tyrax. He had to remember his place, we was an initiate a newly minted judge but only a deputy. Basically nothing more than an elite trooper. Master Starchaser lead this mission, a full fledged master Jedi and damn fine man according to his father. He looked down at his only weapon, the shotgun issued to him at his initiation. A fine weapon but very limited in range and ammo capacity. He needed to remember that, make your shots count and fine cover when you had to reload. If all else failed he would need to grab a smoker off of a fallen during the battle.


He was awoke from his thoughts when the transport made hard contact with the enemy hanger. After that the rest was a blur he heard the command to move out and unstrapped as quick as he could. Following the rest of the folks down the ramp he took aim at the nearest enemy and waited for a clear shot. He was in the thick of it now, no turning back.

 

[Delaney Wilder]

[member="Tess Sparrow"]

"Can't ever go wrong with over-preparing for everything."

He winked at her, giving a little salute, before accepting the bag back. Slinging it over his shoulder just in time to be yanked into the crowd by her again. Almost tripped because of the suddenness. At this point Ori was used to it though. Tess always dragged him to and fro. Seemed to be the standard modus operandi they were in, hell, since they met each other and got comfortable.

More than fine though.

At the very least Ori got to see some fun stuff along the way.

"I don't know, maybe we can get them to take a stop in betwe-" Then the manta thing flew off. Eyes WIDE and Orin couldn't help but stare. Shutting his mouth after a moment or two. "Hot dang."

"Hmmmm, well, there is this manta-like creature in space that can fly, because of gas build-up in their stomach. Might be something like that?" Orin murmured, while watching those sleek lines. It really did seem like the air was almost like water for it. Swimming right through them. Gliding. It was amazing to see. "Oh, look!" He pointed towards the other side.

Half a dozen smaller Mantis being prepped.

They were good enough for two by the looks of it.

"We could take one of those! How difficult can it be?"

 

[Arage Bao]

[member="Rian Taske"]

"AH"

"AHH"
"AHHH"

BLAM BLAM BLAM

"AHHHHHHHHH" Rian looked at her and Ari shrugged. "Figured I'd try and fit in with y'all."

Then they stepped on through into the ..... icky elevator. It felt like pushing yourself through goo or gelatine or... something else that Ari didn't want to think about it. It covered their legs. Pressing in tight and then- it dissipated. Merging back into the walls of the elevator and leaving them standing. "I don't know what that was, but I didn't like it at all." Ari muttered as the doors of the 'elevator' closed with a squelching sound. Another problem came up almost immediately. There was no... button. What the... frak, honestly.

"Okay, I don't know-"

The same face suddenly melted out of the wall. It was missing half its eyes though. It also seemed less than amused.

"You know, I thought the scientists were rude, but you two-" Before Rian could AAHHHHH and shoot again, Ari pushed the blaster down. "Will you calm your arse, Ri-Ri? I swear."

It took a little bit of negotiation. Some discussion, but eventually the 'warden' of the elevator acceded to her demands. Apparently they really had been rude to it. So, it didn't mind sliding them down to the level, where the scientists were currently preparing to flee and escape. "Kill them good for me, ta-ta!" And the elevator shut behind them and whirred away again.

"Well... that was weird."

Ari finally said, before pulling the blaster out of her holster and prepping it.

The walls here were pulsing. Like veins, translucent and opaque at the same time.

 

[Koushou Mito]

[member="Orin Hawke"]

"Come on!"

As it turned out? Not difficult at all. Like manta-taxis, only cheaper than any taxi Tess had ever flagged down. They negotiated with the handler (who was about knee high and they hadn't even seen until they were close and about to clamor on). It took only a few minutes to agree to a trade- two tubes of the nutrient paste Tess grew bacterial cultures in.

"I wonder what she wants it for," she mused mostly to herself as they settled down. Reaching out she squeezed his hand, grinning.

"We're off!"

The manta lifted into the air and after a moment, Tess started to look concerned.

"Um. Orin?"

"Yeah?"

"Did you ask how to fly this thing?"

"..... I thought you knew."

"Fark."

Out into the jungle of Yuuzhantar. An adventure waiting. A story to tell when they returned.

But for the moment-

"Faaaaaaaaaaark." Into the distance as the manta coasted over the tree tops.

 

[Rian Taske]

[member="Ari Flannigan"]

"Weird doesn't cut it. This is fever dream chit. I am so. Farking. Done. Withthisplace."

Hi yes, she hated it. Every damn bit of it. This wasn't her bag. Usually Rian walked around with a particular confidence but the mission on Yuuzhan'tar had dramatically cracked that all over the facade. She hated everything about the place-

And everything about the mission.

Their job had been to destroy the bio weapons. And as they moved toward their final goal, her comm bipped softly with confirmation from the team upstairs. Was there a chance there were others? Absolutely possible. She tapped back a message quick, instructing the slicer to try to scrub the data for the experiment from the system.

She hated that she couldn't guarantee that the job had been truly completed. That there was a chance there was a second site, or even just that the data existed somewhere else.

She hated that the last step hadn't been technically ordered. But that it was the only way to ensure that at least the people who knew the process could never recreate it.

She hated that it still promised nothing.

The wall pulsed and the blood thundered in her ears. Rian had killed before. She was a medic yes, but soldier first.

This was different.

The door slid open with a sickening sound. A half dozen scientists looked up.

*****

"Everyone back to the transport." Rian's voice cut through with a crackle of static a few minutes later over the other team's comms.

"Time to go home."

 

[Griet van Vliet]

Objective: Breaker of chains
Allies: [member="Jaeson Starchaser"] [member="Yula Perl"] [member="Gray Venasir"]
Enemies: Sharukans, Yuuzhan'tar underworld

"What is the meaning of this?" the ambulance driver asked Griet. "Why am I driving... corpses? Injured slavers I could drive around, but dead bodies?"

"The place you used to drive injured slavers to also posted a bounty on who's in the corpse cart"

Once the ambulance has arrived to the designated location, with the corpse-filled cart in tow, Griet swiftly unloads the cart in front of a puzzled front desk receptionist. She could feel that there are questionable motives involved, and also six injured slavers in that underground medical clinic, used by organ thieves. I'd like to bring these organ thieves to yet another bounty, probably somewhere else, but not before claiming the bounty for these slavers, she thought. But unless the person that ran this place's finances was a dividend stripper or otherwise used securities to commit crimes, such as moneylaundering, there was little chance of these bounty clients even having securities. Yet, she feels she had to try cashing in on the bounty in securities whose fair market value is worth the bounty's face value before settling for cash. Even if it meant using the mind trick to get the securities from those organ thieves. It wasn't that large of an organ harvesting operation, but she realizes that she must do something to get these organ harvesters out of business. I can't, in good conscience, allow these organ harvesters to operate any more; even if I must hold them onboard the Shield of Light after the fact, she thought.

"Who did you bring in?"

"I was the one who brought in these six injured slaver grunts alive, and also a Vong slaver kingpin as well as a Talz one. For this reason I demand to be paid in securities!"

"What do you mean, securities?"

"Stocks, bonds, commercial paper, and other financial assets that can be traded" Griet then collected herself. "You will pay me in securities"

"I will pay you in securities" the receptionist replied, while mind-tricked into handing over the entire clinic's securities portfolio, in a datapad listing its contents.

And then came the hard part: while someone else was saving the slaves, Griet was, right after walking away with the organ harvesters' securities portfolio, using Neural Storm so that the slavers and the organ harvesters were stunned for custody off-world. Unfortunately, the slaver already exposed to Neural Storm is in a coma, with the possibility of dying. Everyone else lost consciousness, slaver and organ harvester alike, hopefully long enough for them to be exfilled and brought onboard some penitentiary facility somewhere.

 

[Zark San Tekka]

"Exalted one, our surviving agents on the surface report they were too late, the weapon is gone. Suspected Underground agents were observed fleeing the scene."

"Failure..." for a moment Mynock thought that Zal would kill his subordinate where the Sharukan stood, "On this scale, it is inconceivable. Break orbit, let us be rid of this miserable place."

"You're not going anywhere Zal," Mynock managed through broken teeth, rising to stand as much as he could enchained through great physical exertion, "This ends here."

The overseer glowered at him, "I grow weary of your empty threats."

Raising his working hand into the air, Dubrillion thumbed the ignition switch on his jury rigged remote detonator.

There was a shudder throughout the starship, and alien alarms began to wail throughout the bridge. Mynock had been held prisoner on this ship for a long time, ostensibly for the purpose of study. But he had been studying them too. Their technology, their security systems, what material there was laying around on hand. It had nearly cost him his life, sneaking out of his cell to plant a homemade EMP device near the Tyrax's hyperdrive. To see the look on Zal's face, even as the hulking alien strode forward to murder him, Mynock knew it had all been worth it.

Only a call from the bridge crew spared his life.

"Intruders have breached the command deck!"

"In the history of the Empire," Zal rallied his officers around him, "no ship has been successfully taken by the enemy. Defensive positions! Witness, little spy, the last gasp of your pathetic Underground."

An ornate tensor rifle was presented ceremoniously to the overseer by one of his elite guardsmen, and the regent took up a position near the center of the room, using the bridge's command throne as cover. Before long, the bulkhead doors began to warp and sizzle as on the other side lightsabers went to work reducing its locking mechanisms to molten slag.

[member="Coren Starchaser"] | [member="Cambria Zadira"] | [member="Kimiko Taiyō"]​

 

[Kimiko Taiyou]

The Beheading​

​

Tsuriai's silver-green blade sliced easily through the foreign metal of the command deck's doors. The fight this far had been rough, one of her own had fallen to an enemy staff. Every loss was a hindrance and sad moment especially one her own. The team was battered, bruised, and all sorts of shaken, but they were tough, and the fight ahead needed them to be.

Ki paused her cutting arc, just shy of loosening the chunk and looked at the team. Hair matted with sweat, muscles aching, but resolve hardened,"I believe the appropriate term for what is about to happen would be all hell is about to break loose once this door comes down. Is everyone ready?" she focused on her remaining guard and asked sternly,"Ryouku, once we're clear, you know what needs to be done?"

The other Kitsune nodded, steely-eyed, prepared for his task. He, along with his fallen team mate, were assigned to hack into the enemy network and find any information they could on Tsubasa's whereabouts, after all the blasters were silenced of course.

[member="Coren Starchaser"] | [member="Cambria Zadira"]

 

[Griet van Vliet]

Objective: Breaker of Chains
Allies: [member="Gray Venasir"] [member="Jaeson Starchaser"] [member="Yula Perl"]
Enemies: Sharukans, Yuuzhan'tar underworld

Or perhaps... I can extort more securities from the underworld! Because I fought Sharukans in the compound, delivering the organ harvesters and the slavers to them is not an option; I have to dump the criminals somewhere else that posted bounties on them, she thought, realizing that she would be offloading these criminals to more organ harvesters. For one's ordinary Jedi, they would be content with simply delivering these criminals to justice without necessary even claiming any incidental bounties; here it seemed that Vong organ harvesters would prefer to have crooks from other races serve as their source of organs for harvesting. Especially people from rival underworld operations. Yet, that was their cost of goods sold right there. These organ harvesters will face the consequences of themselves being subjected to organ harvesting, and the slavers will suffer about as much, too. Once those criminals are delivered to the nearest Vong organ harvester that posted bounties on slavers and other organ harvesters, she introduces what she is delivering those organ harvesters, believing that courts are too slow or uneven to bring them to justice...

"Here: fresh slavers, organ harvesters from a rival gang! I am claiming the bounty, and I would like to be paid in securities if possible"

"Securities?" the Vong organ harvester asked, rolling his eyes.

"Stocks, bonds, GICs, futures, that sort of financial instruments"

"I'm sorry, we don't have enough securities in our investment portfolio to pay the entire bounty balance to you now; in fact, we may as well have to pay cash for the outstanding balance that cannot be paid in securities"

 

[Coren Starchaser]

They had the team, but more importantly, they had the mission. He knew what he needed to do, and it was to cut the head off the snake here. The Jedi Master grinned over at Kimiko and nodded. “Lets get it. Once we’re inside, you keep them busy, I’ll deal with the Overseer.” Ever the crusader and paladin, Starchaser would go right for the head, and mop up the mess left behind. A deep breath, centered and ready, the man was awaiting the door to open.

And when it did, the first ting he did was fall into a bit of battlemind. The world slowed for him as the Jedi put up a barrier to protect his team, they could move through it but the enemy would be hard pressed to break it completely. And from there, he moved, his lightsaber igniting, his targets being lined up. A leap, guided by the Force put Coren closer to the overseer, batting aside blaster bolts.

“Its over, Zal. Surrender.” Coren wasn’t the one to give many options, or words, when combat was around.

But the blue blade, and the light in his eyes, and glow of the Force around him was speaking volumes of just what Starchaser had in mind. He was going to free the Underground, even if he had to remove Zal to do it.

[member="Kimiko Taiyō"]
[member="Mynock Dubrillion"]