The Return [TRE/SJO Invasion of Dromund Kaas]

[Catalys Maijora]

DARK TEMPLE

Catalys had just managed to dodge the debris before an automated defense turret began its work against the trio.

He rushes between the larger chunks of the dropship, using them as temporary cover as he tried his best to maintain pace with the two Sith. No force existed to aid him, and even his supernatural strength could only muster so much speed. A single well-placed round splattered against his side--melting through the superficial layers of armour that protected the denser interior.

A large, crude indentation surrounded by scorch marks dotted the strike. Catalys grunts before finally taking cover with the two, just outside of the turret's line of fire. A sickly trail of corrupted plant life led deeper into the temple. A stone structure sat idly only a few dozen meters in front of them. "That looks like a way in," the agent says after catching his breath.

Of course he didn't expect it to be a backdoor, there were certainly more defenses to face.

[member="Tai Fa"] | [member="Vitor Avendahl"]

 

[Yidhra]

Citadel
Objective: Reclaim the Citadel, also convert wayward Purebloods
Enemies: [member="Thurion Heavenshield"] | [member="Coci Heavenshield"]
Allies: [member="Vrak Nashar"] | [member="Vraukt"] | [member="Joon"] | [member="Soeht"]
Engaging: [member="Kaden"]

‘Twas a pity that her foe hadn’t run headlong into the Sith lying in wait. ‘Twas no deterrent, however.

Instead, the sorceress reached into her robes as the other Pureblood twisted his saber after the illusion, a sneer wrenching his features. Thence emerged – not a lightsaber; not even a blade – but a razor-sharp shard of black stone. It caught the ray of sunlight that pierced the clouds in that moment—

and consumed it. Not even a glint. It was as if Yidhra were holding a sliver of the void itself.

Which, considering where she’d acquired the object, wasn’t at all impossible. For this splinter was the very ground where the greatest Sith Emperor, Valkorion, had gorged upon the essence of a thousand Sith Lords, achieving immortality. It wasn’t merely imbued with the Force – it was the Dark side.

She was neither quick nor strong. But she didn’t need to be.

The blood traitor was angled away from her, pulling the Force into himself in preparation for some kind of attack. He was focused, burning up in pain, and – most importantly – he was distracted.

Yidhra would lunge forward just as Kedan cast his hands forth as a conduit for the Force, smiting her illusory double. The shadow of the sorceress would indeed tumble over the railing and into the yawning abyss below; the woman herself, however, would be well-poised to embed the sharp length of rock right between his ribs.

Left exposed by the trickery of her magic, Kaden would bow.

If not before her, then before the infinite, ever-reaching, all-consuming power of the Emperor.

 

[Athena Heron]

Location:Jungles
Objective: secure outposts, preen
Allies: [member="Veritas"] [member="Maleagant"] [member="Aeterno"]
Enemies: Jedi [member="Mishka Larraq"] [member="The Librarian"]

Mind withdrew as she met a sizable block. Must be something in this pretty little thing's helmet. Swift, light footsteps jogged quickly back but the temporary cage of roots and vines enclosed at her back. Feathers ruffled in annoyance.

But the memories flooding from the young woman's blade as she charged were like a drink of sweet, thick wine. Intoxicating and invigorating. The darkside mentalist lived on the fears of others and happily created nightmares to abandon people in. While a flood of these types of memories would've distracted or harmed others, it only fueled the crazy bird lady.

Words were muttered from her pink lips and the warrior might suddenly find her legs up to her knees wrapped around a darkside web. Red blade flashed up at the same time, ready to block the shiny-blade of energy as well as send a jabbing stroke back, depending on if the girl fell or stumbled.

 

[Jessica Med-Beq]

Location: Dromund Kaas orbit, forward reactor room, SSV Tenchu
Objective: Dealing with an enemy boarding party
Allies: SJ
Enemies: RE [member="Velok the Younger"]
Music: Undefeated Heart (FFTA)
Gear: [SIZE=9.9px] [/SIZE]Lightsaber | Armor | Beskad | Verpine shatter gun (8 rounds left)

"Cowardice? More like you exploited my own lack of experience at close-quarters combat!"

No use hiding it, she thought, with Velok still beneath gantries. But she was only able to put his shoes ablaze because she was within blaster-pistol range of the Sith. With that said, she closed the distance somewhat while still remaining away from the lightsaber, guided by the sight of his lightsaber, with her pistol holstered; by now she finally ignited her green lightsaber, while, of course, making sure that she would not unduly sever a gantry or a pipe in the process of getting the green blade up. Also, in her off-hand, she solved for the Maxwell equations of the Whiphid's rib-cage bullet hole, and from there, his three-fingered lightsaber hand, in her head, consuming considerable amounts of computational power to produce a green bolt of lightning arcing in the direction of the bullet hole created by her first shot, and later his lightsaber hand, in a display of lightning called Electric Judgment. And yet, even with that operation, she could still keep going and have two or three Force-tricks in reserve, provided said Force-tricks do not require the full extent of her own computational power. That is, provided thise tricks did not include Electric Judgment, much less chain-firing it.

 

[Zark San Tekka]

Location: Jungles of Dromund Kaas
Allies: TRE, [member="Veritas"], [member="Athena Heron"], [member="Maleagant"]
Enemies: SJO, [member="The Librarian"], [member="Mishka Larraq"]
Objective: Find His Place
Gear: Tattered Robes, Crimson Lightsaber, The Force


Aeterno crushed the last Antarian Ranger's throat with the strength of his thoughts alone.

Panting from the exertion of the melee, the Sith Knight deactivated the yellow junksaber and rose finally from his low guard position. Exhaustion flooded into his bones as the surge of adrenaline began to ebb away. Around him, the bodies of planetary defenders were littered along with a scattered few massassi hulks the enemy had managed to lay low. It was a sobering sight, Zarek reflected, for a man who had only hours ago been skeptical as to the mythic warrior races' existence. In the confusion of combat, he had long be separated from his brief and wordless encounter with the blue skinned Sith, pulled away in his hunt for new foes to sate the seemingly endless thirst of his saber.

With the haze of glorious battle lifted for him to a degree, he paused to take fuller stock of his surroundings and saw that not far in the distance the same woman was engaged in fierce close quarters combat with another, energy blade clashing against some form of apparently highly resistant steel. Zarek's first instinct, perhaps foolish in its bravado, was to rush to the blue skinned warrior's aid, but before he had taken more than a few steps he stopped as the colder, more calculating part of his brain paused to consider. If these allies of circumstance were truly Sith, would they perceive such an action based on his good intent, or would it seem to them as a condemnation of their weakness? He tried to imagine how he would feel, if in the middle of a duel another had stepped in and robbed him of his rightful kill.

Perhaps better to wait, and see.

Giving the two women a wide berth for the moment, Zarek circled around the scene of battle and instead came upon another sight entirely. Another scattered pile of bodies, but this one a mixture of Massassi warriors and even a few Sith. Their aggressor apparently nowhere in sight, the human took the opportunity to pause at one of the corpse's feet, and scoop up the fallen weapon at its side. Activating it with a snap-hiss, Aeterno grinned wolfishly in delight as the crimson hue of the blade splashed across his features, casting his face in a bloody glow. Tossing aside the hilt of the unstable yellow blade that had served him up until this moment, the Knight felt a pang of shame at taking the blade of a kill that did not belong to him. But as the rightful owner had apparently seen no need for it, ultimately he decided that it would be better for the weapon to be wielded again to shed the blood of Jedi than to lie forgotten and reclaimed by the jungles of Dromund Kaas.

New, fully functioning lightsaber in his hands, he set off once more in search for a better vantage point of this strange duel and his prospective allies. Before he had gone far, Aeterno thought for a moment that he sensed something ([member="The Librarian"]), as if a small local disturbance in the Force. Reaching out fully, he could detect nothing for certain, and so assumed it was probably just a general sense of foreboding. Nonetheless, he proceeded a little more cautiously as he a approached a spot where he could view the fight with his view unobstructed by the jungle foliage.

 

[Velok the Younger]

Mission: Sink the Tenchu
[member="Jessica Med-Beq"]

Velok's sabre clipped through a nearby conduit. His left hand closed around the metal pipe and bent it down, but too slowly - pain flared through his side. He sagged to his knees. Emerald lightning crashed into him, through him, and out points of least resistance: the conduit and the floor beneath him. Lights flickered and dimmed, and smoke rushed from within panels, as a Jedi Master's worth of electricity grounded itself in the isotope-5 reactor. Fumes billowed through Velok's fur in the gloom. Good gorram, but she'd electrocuted him well. He found himself chuckling with the bass notes of breaking rock.

"I remember you now," he growled. "The things you did at Stalgasin. Evacuate this ship..." He coughed heavily. "...or I tell your masters what you are."

His lightsabre hissed off as he slumped on a complex reactor pipe.

 

[Aithne Charr]

LOCATION: Jungle
MISSION: Help a Mandalorian finish her mission.
ALLIES: SJO, [member="Mishka Larraq"]
ENEMIES: Sithies, and company. [member="Athena Heron"], [member="Veritas"] [member="Aeterno"]
Equipment: The Gardener's Heart


Solan smiled at the feeling he got, watching the two and about to reach out to their minds and see if he could inspire a bit more bloodlust but someone interrupted. They did not interfere with the fight quite yet but they were getting too close for comfort, something Solan would rectify. His body stood and he moved along the cage of trees, smiling at Mishka's golem before leaving. It was easier to circle around and wait for the two individuals than to actively seek them out and possibly miss one of them. He did not have the time or patience to hunt down two sith, so he would simply wait for them.

He had no intention of setting up traps either for these two, wanting Veritas and Aeterno to reach him on their own. He would not see them without his illusion though, repairing the damage the darkside had done to his body with a veil, hiding his appearance from the two Sith as best he could. He wanted to chat with these two before any fighting began and he dislike chatting when he looked like a half dead corpse. His saber would be placed at his side in an non threatening manner, his gem still out in his hand and he fed the force into it to act like a beacon for the two individuals. All the while he would be layering the area around him with vines and bramble, clearing away it from where he stood and placing it around where he would meet the two heading towards him.

He would after a few minutes sit down on a root he pushed up from the ground, letting it take the form of a bench for him so that he may wait without having to stand. He did not mind doing so, but in this place where he had control of his surroundings, he did not bother with looking menacing or ready for a battle. He wanted to relax and entertain his guests just as the fight between Mishka and Athena entertained him. Battle was interesting to him, he did miss it from time to time and if the opponent was of sufficient ability compared to their enemy, then Solan saw a chance to foster growth through a loss and humiliation rather than killing the individual. That is why no matter who won their duel, Solan would protect the lives of both in an attempt to foster the need for growth out of humiliation for their loss.

After a few minutes more he would see one of the two Sith, smiling as he opened his arms and spoke to either Veritas or Aeterno.

"Welcome Sith, might I be the first during this battle to say I am happy to meet you. Would you like a seat to watch the battle occurring over there." His head would turn to point at the fight hidden from view, smiling and waiting for the answer.

 

[Jessica Med-Beq]

Location: Dromund Kaas orbit, forward reactor room, SSV Tenchu
Objective: Dealing with an enemy boarding party
Allies: SJ
Enemies: RE [member="Velok the Younger"]
Music: Scrap Brain Zone
Gear: [SIZE=9.9px] [/SIZE]Lightsaber | Armor | Beskad | Verpine shatter gun (8 rounds left)

"Forward crews, abandon ship: all other crew will be evacuated later. However, since you're in the forward engine room, you will be evacuated shortly, too"

With the fumes emanating from the panels - even though the reactor isn't going critical by any stretch - radioactivity levels increased to the point a radioactivity alert was issued. Before then, there was some ambient radioactivity due to it having permeated the ship's air conduits, but not quite enough to trigger an evacuation. Of course, evacuating such a massive ship is a lengthy operation, regardless of whether or not another ship somehow docks in underneath: the labyrinthine layout and the sheer number of crewmen required will make progress slow. In the meantime, using what she knew about Art of the Small (which built upon her quantum-physical and chemical knowledge), that is, what she knew about chemistry, she made an attempt to exploit the Whiphid's coughs to her advantage, by rearranging the smoke molecules around him into sleeping gas. With Whiphids, he needed to inhale a larger amount of still-dense smoke, knowing that, even if it worked (and there was a chance that it may not), Velok may not be fast asleep for very long. Maybe long enough for him to be carried inside a nearby escape pod, but he would likely awaken in the few moments after the pod's launch. By that point, the availability of her own computational power was steadily declining, and also her own Force-batteries, so she had to be cautious and not to wantonly waste those things.

"You have earned my respect here today, Velok. I just played this dejarik game to the best of my ability"

Meanwhile, back in the CIC, Julie realizes that there are casualties afoot both in orbit and on the surface, especially in the Citadel. She knows time is short, but she waited until now because the orbital battle that took place in the distance was now virtually over. Then and only then it was safe for medvac to come in. With that said, several ships in what Outsider Command called the main SJ battlefleet survived but some took heavy damage and had heavy crew casualties aboard and, of course, some of the crewmen survived with injuries. That's not counting the Citadel, where, even when the conventional forces of the Resurgent Empire were taking heavy casualties, there were still a few thousand SJ injured soldiers to recover.

"Open a channel to the closest medvac unit: we are taking casualties in the Citadel and even more in orbit"

"Channel open" the communications officer acknowledged, fearing that they may not arrive in time to be of significant comfort to any of the SJ wounded (and dead also).

"This is Outsider Command on Dromund Kaas, we need medvac here, stat!" she told the crew of the Cilghal, kept in reserve on Almania for such cases.

 

[Kratacos]

Location: Citadel
Allies: [member="Yidhra"], [member="Neesa"], [member="Darth Pyrrhus"], [member="Vrak Nashar"]
Enemies: [member="Kaden"], [member="Coci Heavenshield"], [member="Soeht"] idk anymore
Directly Engaging: [member="Thurion Heavenshield"]

The Jedi Masters ligtsabre crashed atop of Vraukt's own lightsabre, barely repelling the strike as it pressed him further into the ground, the double-bladed vibroblade was striking upwards into the midsection of the Jedi, even as his hand came down to press against the floor, and the Sith Warrior began rising up to his feet, lightsabre curving up and above his head as he spun - the momentum gained to split the Jedi Master in half.

But through his helmet's visor, all he saw was dust and he took a half step back in surprise as the large form of the Master flew up into the air.

Of course.

And before he knew it, the Jedi Master was crashing down to the ground.

Vraukt lurched backwards, a small leap as the golden maned Jedi hit the earth, the shockwave launching the Sith Warrior further as he slid across the floor, lightsabre deactivating so he didn't remove a needed limb. And then he stopped, pushing a hand against the floor to roll up into a low sitting three point stance on the ground.

"You will be one with the Force by the end of today."

Snap-Hiss.

Vraukt reached out with the Force, the twisted metal of a starship that had crashed earlier in the battle was drawn upon. Whereas the ship had been larger, and much more difficult to actually manipulate with the Force, the Sith Knight had taken a small portion, a piece that was only slightly large than the Jedi Master, his right hand went forwards in the direction of the Jedi Master, threatening to slam into his form.

 

[Neesa]

Location: Citadel
Allies: [member="Yidhra"], [member="Vraukt"], [member="Darth Pyrrhus"], [member="Vrak Nashar"]
Enemies: Kaden, [member="Coci Heavenshield"],
Directly Engaging: [member="Thurion Heavenshield"]

The flat of her blade caught nothing but air as the silver grandmaster launched himself into the air. The rune on the blade thrummed with power. She could feel the hilt reverberate with barely contained energy that had been meant for Thurion.

The assassin stepped back as the Jedi master came back down. However, instead of just landing he sent a telekenisis wave out from where he struck the ground. For an instant she lost awareness of how she was oriented. The breath was knocked from her lungs and the sky and ground span past her view. Red and blue collided all around her, send cascades of sparks rolling along the ground.

She blinked her eyes as everything stopped spinning. Move, she told herself. Move quickly. One blade was still in her left hand. The other called to her. Pushing the pain in her side away she placed her right palm into the ground and pushed her shoulders up from the ground. One leg, then the other found purchase and then she was back on her feet. The horizon still refused to stay still, but she was moving again. Her anger was a tight ball of fire.

Vraukt would have to fend for himself for a few moments longer as she scooped up her second blade and prepared to make the Jedi pay. He talked too much. Vraukt was right; it was time to make his vision come true and return him to the Force.

 

[Zark San Tekka]

Location: Jungles of Dromund Kaas
Allies: TRE, [member="Veritas"], [member="Athena Heron"], [member="Maleagant"]
Enemies: SJO, [member="The Librarian"] (nearby), [member="Mishka Larraq"]
Objective: Find His Place
Gear: Tattered Robes, Crimson Lightsaber, The Force


"Welcome Sith, might I be the first during this battle to say I am happy to meet you. Would you like a seat to watch the battle occurring over there?"

Zarek instinctively tensed, but to his credit the blade of the lightsaber he gripped in his hands did not activate.

The Sith Knight had been about to. About to ignite his newly found weapon, and bring it around in a sweeping arc behind him towards the general location of the intrusive voice. But as much as Aeterno was Sith, he was also a scientist, and the logical gears of a brain long used to playing three dimensional chess with potential career and political rivals quickly began to turn. The first thing he noticed was that they were the first polite words anyone had ever spoken to him in what was effectively the entirety of his newfound life, followed quickly by the realization that to come close enough to say them without Zarek sensing meant that whoever he was dealing with was the most powerful adept the human had come in contact with all day, potentially powerful enough even to kill him.

But when it came to warfare, there were more battlefields than just the kind they happened to be standing upon, and not all of them played to the same strengths and faults.

"I am most grateful for such uncommon courtesy," he responded as he whirled around cautiously, deftly turning the maneuver into an artful bow, "Do you know you are the first person today, besides the massassi, who hasn't tried to kill me?"

Yet.

The word hung between them, unspoken at least by Aeterno. The Sith could finally see who he was speaking with, the other man was humanoid but of a species or combination of species Zarek himself was unfamiliar with. Upon the stranger's request to sit, he shook his head politely but smiled as he did so. Most importantly, he made no move towards either the ongoing duel or the new arrival. In an overly casual gesture, he clipped the saber to what remained of his belt and let it hang at his side. No longer drawn, but within easy reach.

"You surprise me," he said at last, making eye contact with the uncertain foe, "I sense the Force moves darkly through you, and yet you align yourself with these...."

The Knight gestured back towards the nearest Silver Jedi corpse.

"Aberrations," as he spoke the word, it lacked the usual venom he might use in private or around his own kind. It was simply a statement of fact, a declaration of ideology.

Aeterno turned his back on the newcomer, as he resumed watching the ongoing duel.

"Do you know either of them?" it was a continuation of the earlier question, but Zarek was also genuinely hoping the Force adept would actually stop and speak to him long enough to give him some actual information about just what was happening on one of his people's ancestral shrine worlds, "You do not seem like the others. The lost ones or these...Aunt-err-iun Rangers."

 

[Velok the Younger]

Mission: Sink the Tenchu
[member="Jessica Med-Beq"]

Scorched hair rose on the back of his neck. She was doing something, but he couldn't tell what.

“Unexpected, but then again, I'd respect you if you killed a few hundred of my men and wrecked my flagship alone.” Force, but he was tired. That run had taken it out of him. “As for the evacuation, I really must decline. I'm blackmailing you to evacuate the ship so I can destroy it or steal it or crash it or something along those lines. So thank you, but no.”

He yawned hugely and felt his eyes go wide. “Ahhh… So that's your game.”

Poison detoxification techniques fell squarely in an apprentice skillset; he'd countered the venom of his homeworld’s predators more than once. Baring his tusks in a grin, he raised his comlink to his lips, but didn't broadcast just yet. With his other hand, he placed the emitter of his lightsaber against something that looked important. The reactor offered plenty along those lines.

“Order an emergency mass evacuation. Now.”

 

[Kaden]

LOCATION: Citadel
OBJECTIVE: Defend the Citadel
ALLIES: [member="Thurion Heavenshield"], [member="Coci Heavenshield"]
ENEMIES: [member="Vrak Nashar"], [member="Vraukt"], [member="Joon"], [member="Soeht"]
CURRENTLY ENGAGED: [member="Yidhra"]

Black sparks flew as the void shard ripped through cloth and impacted a breastplate. The durasteel of millennia old Sith warrior armour melted like butter under a hot knife before the dark might of the shard - a reminder of Vitiate's ancient and horrible power. It ground to a halt, embedded within the metal, just as the tip pierced Kaden's crimson skin and drew mutually coloured blood.

The Jedi pureblood threw back his head and roared.

It was unnatural; the sheer volume and intensity conveyed in his agonising vocalisation. Aided by the purest of dark side essence, the scream was heard by the entirety of Kaas city and beyond as the jaded and decayed spirits of 1,000 Sith Lords made their suffering known through their new conduit -- Kaden.

The roar subsided into a growl over time, before the pureblood turned to face his attacker. His amber eyes, fiery in their defiance and strength, were now orbs of black and empty as the void shard embedded in his side. They gazed into Yidhra's own eyes with an intensity indescribable. His skin began to visibly crack, revealing tendrils of darkness pulsating in the crevices. His jaw unhinged and an awful voice crawled out; one that sounded like many, one which seemed to infiltrate the mind with its sickening drawl.

The moment the final syllable ended, the air began to crackle. Those in tune with the force in the surrounding area would register a peculiar feeling; that of weakness. This was due to the black hole that Kaden had become. It sucked in all life around it, feeding an insatiable hunger that transcended mortality and demanded more. The force was drawn into this abyss gradually, rendering its usage in the immediate area a difficult task that would only grow more difficult with each passing second.

The hum of Kaden's lightsaber turned into a buzz as the weapon was thrust forth in a slashing motion fed by the unbridled, cold, rage of one thousand betrayed Sith Lords. Kaden, or rather, the Betrayed, intended to strike down the sorceress in one deadly, powerful, motion.

 

[Yidhra]

Citadel
Objective: Reclaim the Citadel, also convert wayward Purebloods
Enemies: [member="Thurion Heavenshield"] | [member="Coci Heavenshield"]
Allies: [member="Vrak Nashar"] | [member="Vraukt"] | [member="Joon"] | [member="Soeht"]
Engaging: [member="Kaden"]

This was one of those moments where you really needed the proper words to describe it – and fell utterly, completely, dismally short.

Yidhra stared, slack-jawed, at the monstrosity she had created through the desperate swing of an impromptu dagger. Teach you not to stab Purebloods with pieces of temples of Sith Emperors.

For all her knowledge, for the thousands of hours spent poring over books, over subjects, over holocrons… she was blank.

A small, incorrigible part of her Pureblood soul roared in triumph upon seeing Kaden succumb to his true calling. Or what was left of him, anyway. Instincts screamed at her to run, to flee while the souls were still clawing their way through their new host, but… damnation, if Yidhra wasn’t a scientist to the bitter end.

She simply refused to look away.

Even when the bastard slashed her with his blade.

With a pained gasp, the sorceress crumbled. Hand clutching at her side, the woman landed in the wet remains of her bodyguards. Her robes soaked their blood, her skin smeared nigh black with the cold liquid. Bile rose in her throat as pain radiated through her abdomen. Shuddering, she dared a glance downwards – and hissed.

“Feth,” she breathed out, going another shade of pale. Louder, then: “Please…”

Yidhra closed her eyes. Swallowed her Dottash pride. “Please, Master, I didn’t know.”

It wouldn’t go down, though. Emperor or not, her time wasn’t over yet. This bridge, this puddle of rain and Massassi blood would not be her shallow grave.

And so amidst her prostrate slavering, hidden by the halo of her robes, the sorceress would grab something, anything—

a broken piece of rebar, sharp as any blade.

 

[Mishka Larraq]

LOCATION: Jungle
MISSION: Locate a Thing
ALLIES: SJO, [member="The Librarian"], [member="Atheus"]
ENEMIES: [member="Athena Heron"], [member="Thengil Ri'Shajirr"], [member="Veritas"], [member="Aeterno"], [member="Maleagant"], Sith
ENGAGING: [member="Athena Heron"]

Grass and wind rushed past Mishka as she closed the distance between herself and the blue woman. Strange movements in the foliage squirmed at the corners of her vision, but Mishka's attention remained firmly upon the woman before her and the ground between them. Her arms moved, readying for a strong reverse-diagonal slash when what felt like a hand grabbed her left ankle. <What!?> raced through Mishka's mind as her face raced towards the ground. Grass filled her vision, then sky, then grass again as her face struck the ground and she tumbled for several more yards, finally skidding to a halt upon her back with her dress hiked up to her thighs, revealing knee-high greaves and a loose-fitting metal and fabric pants-like linen that disappeared somewhere among the folds of blue and white.

She... Was absolutely sure there had been nothing to trip over between herself and the dar'jetii woman. Sure of it!

Her mind and attention snapped from introspection to instinctive reaction as a flash of red came down, all but filling her vision. Rolling to her right as quick as she could, a flash of heat and pain raced through what the mathematical part of her brain guessed was her left tricep. As Mishka continued the roll, her left hand came down upon the grass and pushed, trying to use leverage and momentum to get herself off the ground, her left arm screamed in protest, but complied as her right arm swung her sword at the woman's face. The blow was unlikely to land, but the action added torque to her spin and would let Mishka get her she off the ground. Fully expecting a follow-up strike to come from the blue woman before Mishka could fully regain her balance, Mishka prepared to use the Beskar gauntlet on her left hand to block the strike if it was a slash, or grab it if the woman attempted a thrust.

Or so she thought. Instead she ended up face first with a vine cage, her left hand pressed against it.

"What the kark!?" Mishka said aloud in a very thick Mandalorian accent, entirely clueless as to how or why the vegetation was suddenly in a manner and place it had not been just a few moments ago.

<Karking witch.> Mishka though as she turned her face and sword towards the woman, ready to block an attack that must surely be coming.

Left exposed and vulnerable twice in so short a period... Mishka was furious at herself for letting herself get cought off guard like this.

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

Location: The Citadel
Allies: Silver Jedi and Allies
Enemies: The Resurgent Empire and Allies

Armour - Saber

[member="Thurion Heavenshield"] | [member="Jericho"] | [member="Audren Sykes"] | [member="Kaden"]
[member="Vrak Nashar"] | [member="Joon"]



---------------------------------



She stood by watching the Sith get to his feet once more, a snarl across his face did little to effect Coci. Nothing mattered in battle when one is fighting for the defence of people of the planet, regardless of what the Sith believe they have a right to. Nobody owns anything in this galaxy, even their lives are dictated by the nature of the place. True freedom is only found in death.

But not for her today…

His hand raised, an indication that something was about to happen, not only that but her force awareness alerted her and she had the lightside of the force to add to it. The sound of the igniting saber blade behind was enough to signal his intent and gave her time to move.

Coci pivoted on the spot her body side on as the saber lance passed her. As it did, her hand gripped it through the use of the force pushing it faster and keen to make sure that the mark was true to his outstretched hand, and if not prevented it would piece his hand and run him through.

 

[Kaden]

[member="Yidhra"]​

 

[Audren Sykes]

Location: Citadel
Objective: Stop the invasion
Allies: SJO | [member="Coci Heavenshield"] | [member="Thurion Heavenshield"]
Engaging: [member="Vilaz Munin"]
Equipment: Armor | Blades | Sidearm | Lightsaber

The Sephi's initial attack was a success, drawing the two Mandalorians together hard enough for the discordant clang of metal to be heard even over the din of battle. Both were knocked to the ground, but a stray blaster shot - one of the thousands crossing the battlefield at any given second - deflected off the armor of one and up under his chin. There was no way that could have been planned, but it eliminated one worry so he wasn't going to complain.

Before Audren could do more than take a couple steps towards his target the armored being tossed a grenade. It wouldn't go far - it couldn't go far with the position it was thrown from - but would no doubt do significant damage. In his heavy armor, the fallen Mando would fare far better than most of those nearby, which was doubtless part of the plan. It was unacceptable. A flicker of thought sent the grenade hurtling up into the sky where he paid no further attention to it. Even that minor distraction was enough however, for though his gaze returned quickly to the target the man was already back up and aiming.

As quickly as possible, the Master moved. The Force granted him superhuman speed and reaction times. From this close though, there was precious little he could do. He twisted as he moved to the side, and his lightsaber swept up along with the Force. In short, a full-on defensive reaction on all fronts. The lightsaber intercepted and incinerated a couple slugs. The Force Wall he manifested - angled of course - swept others away from him and into a small knot of Sith and their soldiers. His steps took him out of the reach of others. Yet still rounds struck sparks off his armor. There was no penetration, phrik did a fantastic job at protection especially at an angle, but the kinetic damage was absolutely felt. Not the greatest start.

In addition to the damage, the impact spun the Jedi around further than he intended. As he spun, his left hand blurred towards the holster and came up with sidearm in hand. Yellow particle bolts spat forth. His accuracy wasn't the greatest, never had been, but the hard-hitting bolts should at least shake up the other man. Who knew, maybe they'd find a joint or a weak spot in the armor. If he was really lucky, maybe one of them would take off the man's head.

 

[Yidhra]

Citadel
Objective: Reclaim the Citadel, also convert wayward Purebloods
Enemies: [member="Thurion Heavenshield"] | [member="Coci Heavenshield"]
Allies: [member="Vrak Nashar"] | [member="Vraukt"] | [member="Joon"] | [member="Soeht"]
Engaging: [member="Kaden"]

But really, she was the wrong Sith sorceress to pull the whole ‘Possessed vessel’ shtick over. Her experiments were uncounted, and despite her rangy limbs and washed-out pallor, Yidhra would defend those years spent cooped up inside ‘till her dying day.

(The irony of this conviction was not lost on her, but she had more important things to do.)

For ease of visualisation, the Pureblood – if pressed – would later describe her actions as such:



İ̺̻̗̝͖̥͖̫̖͍̣ͬͧ̾̓ͪͫ̋̋ͨͬ́̋͗̀ͣ ̘͖̙͉̺̭͖̹͕̭͖̣̰͈̼͙̠͑̈̈́ͥ̉͆̉̏ͫͫ̃̅̆̾ͪf̞̖̱͎̠̼̯̙͕̒̽̄ͭͪͧ͑̉̑̉͐ͦ̊ͥ̀ͥͦe͔͙̘̯͉̫̯̝͎̺̹̯ͨ̆̄̆ͮͭ͑͂t̬̳͖̹͚̣̭̼ͨ̃̋ͨ͆̋̚ḣ̠̻̻͎̤̠͍͉̪͇͚͇̠̤͙̺ͫ̐̑ͬͬi̦̩̞̟̯͚͛ͭͫ̓ͭͨn̗̪͙̮̹̙̞̩̳̠͋͐ͮ̾̓̃̾ͥ̒̊ͬͥ̎̉̅g̘̹͖̺̭̳̟̙̜̰͙̫̘͙̬͍͆͊ͭ̋ͫ̋ͬͬͨ̿̓ͤ͗̓͐ͬ̆ ̯̬̯̼̖̪̥̟̥̼̺̯͚̖̤̤͐ͮ̏͐s̩̖̩̬̙͓̦̯͇͖̬̗͆̒͋ͩ̑̍̌ͥ̾͗̽ț͍̪̻̘͖͚̻̬͉͙͉̆ͩͬͥ͌̂̈́̿̈́͐̅͌a̩͙͉̼̘̣͊̌̏̒͑͒́ͧ͊̎̍̚b͕̗͖̮̓ͭ̇̓̃̎ͯͫ́ͬͭͦḅ̫̗͇̰̞̮̫̖̟̼͍̩̏ͤͫ͊ͪ͐ͅẹ̼̣̪̘̯̰͙̥̯̭͕͇͐̏ͤ̽̈̐ͧͣͥ̇̊̂̇̊͋̅̀̐̽d̝̹̠̯̼̣̤̬̞͔̗͔͇͍̫̪͇͚͍̽̔̂̑͗̽ͯͤͧ̚ ̩̙̪ͤͭ̉̽̃ẗ͇͈̙̰̜̞͛̉ͯ͛h̤̳̱̤̺̖̩̝̬̟͌͂͑̏ͅe̺̯̲̣̝͍̩̬͖̫̬ͨ͂̓͋̀͐̄̊̈́͊̔̈̂̏ͅ ̰͉̫ͣ̇͌͐̌ͩ̊̃͊ͨf͔̘̤̤̻̠̣̦̤͚̭̳̙̤͇͙̣ͥ́ͯͮ̔ͦͭ͌̍ͯ̆̄̒ͮ̿̊e͓̼̪͔̫̳̯̤̖̣̬̩̜ͣ̏̋ͦͤͯ̾̈̓͋̌ͪͤ͗́̏̿ͣt͔̤̠̓͆ͫ̿̊̉̊͛ͫ̆̓̑͒ͯ̿ͥͧ̀̚h͚̭̯̣͔̞̗̲̪̯̭͇́ͦ̒̏̓͐̈́͌̍̈̎ͅi̱͈̖͓̬̥͔͎͕̗̪̪̙̮̲͂ͩ̋̓̑͊̊͋́͌̃ͮn͉̝͔̮̘͍͇̗̹͖̲̣͍̳͗ͤͪ̾͌ͯ́ͪ̑̐͊ͭͫ̾̋̍̚ͅg̳̩̘̳͐̾̄͑̎ͧ̿ͤ̄͋́͛͒̎ͪ̚ ̻̭̱͔̼͕̳͓͖͎̫̥̖̝͔̇̃͆̅f͍͖̗̯ͣͭ͛̽̉͋̽ͭͭ͌̑ḛ͓̪͈͕̰͇͇̼̙͇̭̖̜ͩ̄̍̂ͬ̃ͪt̯̠͓͔̮̭͆̆͒̐̅̍͂̚ͅh̖̯͙͉͙̬̘͍̼͉͍̲̦͇͆͊ͧ̀͋ͩ͂̔̈ͯ͊͛̚e͇̮̤̻̭͍̘̜̺̟̜͈͖̮̣̟͖ͭ͊ͪ̉̂ͬ͊̒̌ͣ͋̒́̌͌ͭͅr̭͇̺̜̰̦̥̩͖̥̺̹͍̞̬̮ͩ̈́̓̈͊ͅ ̝̪̱̜͈̭̲͙̣͙͈̤̅͌̈̐ͭ̓̎ị͔͍͈̜̹̥͇̜͉̝͓̜̺̹͓̒̐̓̿͐̽̀ͭͨ̐͒̄n͉̝̣̪̹͈̯̝̒̊ͯ̎ͥ̽̏̿͑͌̍ͩ̎͛̚ ̲̦͔̬̬̻͚̬̹̼͇̼̺̼̈͑ͤ̾ͥ̏͋̉̈́̐͐̉͋́h̟̙̩̦̩͇̐̔̔̃ͯ̽̀̍͌̽̽ͫͬ̇̚i̹̠̘̙̻̬͔̤̔ͯͯ̃ͯ̓͗ͤ͂̉̂̆̑͗̎ͅͅs̭̻̹̱̰̦̦̩̤̻̤͎̗̫̙̤͖̎̇͒ͦ͆̌͐́ͅ ̣̞͚͎͚͈͍͎̗̊̾ͣ̍̎̓̓͋ͮ̍͌͒f̗͚̝̳͇̪͋̄̈́̍̊͌̆̉e̟̬̮̦̜̠͒̿̾ͬt̯͙̭͚̾͗ͮ̏͆̆̀ͥͬ̂͋̄ͤ̋ḫ̬͙̜̝̹̭̮̺̎̓͂̓̃ī̤̰͇̠͚̙̻̼̤̖̩͔̰̞͗ͫͮ́n͎̞͕̹̣̺̝̥͉̯ͪ͌̓͛ͭͫ̎͋̄ͤͫ͆ͤ̈̂͂̂͐ͩg̺͍͕̣̖͈͇̗̺̘̠ͮ̈̔ͩͅ ̞̘̦͈͙͈͓̤̩͈̙̼̻̯͚̅ͩ̊̾̏ͥͭ̅̅̅͗͂f̞̯͈͔͂̿̅ͤ͆͂ͧ̏̍̅ͧ̋̄̀̒ͩ͋o̲̱̺̣͕̙̦̯̰͖͖̊̓̑ͪ͊̀̍̆͂̓̌͌̌͛ͤ͐ͫ̚̚o̫̞̱̳̙̟̪̜̤͓̳̭̳͍͕̔̏̊̄̓͂ͪͅṱ͍̣̟̖̗̑ͭ͋́̃̌͌̓ͥ̋̄ͪͤͭͤ̋̍ ̼͉̯̣̩͉ͨ͛͒ͩ͑̇̈́̌̅͛̓̏ͤ͂b͖̳̬̠͙̅ͤ̃̑ͮͦ̒e̖̲̬͔̳͇ͬ͋̑̎̽̍̔̋ͫ̎̊̑ͩͣͥ͊͒̽ͦf̞̞̼̜̪̭̣̞͚̮̰̩̘̊͐́̓̍̔ͧ̂͛̃ͥ̿̈́͑͌̚o̩͈͉̜͎͎̳̫̰̥͉̠̤͊̽̍ͩ̐͛ͤͯͭ̐͆̂ṟ͚̯̗̙͉̟̌̏̈̽̈͊ͪ̒ͧ̅ͬ͆̃ͬͮ̂͊e̮̯̞̰̯̯ͥͨͦ͌ͧ̽͐͒͑͌̔ͪ̓͋̎̋̚̚ ͉͖̟̦̻̹͍͖͔͉̹͎́ͪ̈̀̍ͬͤ͗̋ͅͅh̥̦̰͇͇ͥ̆̔ͨ̏̉͐̒̈̀ͣ́̀̑ͫ͛ͫ̚e̟̥̤͉̤̭͔ͮ̂ͬ͌ͮ̾͂ͩͯ̄͆̌ ̭̥̞͍̞͓̟̈̓ͮ̌ͮ͊̐͛̈́͋͋ͩ̓̾̋̓̐̋c̙̞̪̦̗͍̗͙̊ͦ͛͑̌ͫọ̦͓̥̼̦̑̊͛̅͆ͩͧͭ̽͋̒͐͗u̪͉̖̘̪̇̇ͣ̒ͨ̆̓l̰̳̝̣̰̝̹̤͍̺̟̗̩͍̯̬̳̻̍͒ͪ̑̈́ͪ̚d̟͈̩͓̤̼̣̭͚̰͈ͤ̀ͬ̉̃͐͋͛ ̹̜̖̝̥̲̤̖̩̥̄͛ͧͬͯ̂ͬͨ̿̓f̻̙̖͓͍͚͍͓̘̲͎̗̠̠̰̞̾̋ͦͨ̿̑̅͑ͬͥ́ͦ̾͐ͧe͎͙̜͔̲̱̠̰̼̟̫͈̗̔̍ͧ̀ṯ̻̗͕̘̲̼͖̞̬̩̹͚̗̼̥̋̓͗ͦ̃̽ͦͤ̏ͮ͛̋̆̉̏̚̚ͅh̹̯͇̻̤͙͍͕̳͖̀̊ͨ́̐ͨͤͪͩ̀̈ͣͬ̌́͗ͧ̚i͙̲̩̺̲̲̲̠̭̖͖̤̯͓͆̒̀̓̐̆̓ͭ̃̓́ͫ̆ͤn̜͓̰͇̱̱̤̭̣͇͈͕̖̍ͩ̔̓̔̓ͤ̈̂ͣ̽ͣ̉̅͊ǵ̖͔͕̗̗̗͈̲̹̱̠͔̼̊̑̆ͣ̌̍ͨ̐̔̈̊ͅͅ ͕̗̘̦͖̘̟̄ͯ̔̈ͅs͓͙̱̻̜̩̪̒̂͂ͧ͛̂͛͐ͦ͛̾͆̆ͨͣt͚̦͚̘͇̪͎̩̔͋ͮͯͣ́͂ͭ̿̄ͨ̅̑̌̈́a̰̳̟͔̺̳̮̻̜̜͙̣͙̞̣̳̜͎͐̑̃͂̂͑̌͗b͇̬͇̝͓̮͇̥̲͉̦̰̜̮̫̠̺̲ͧ̌̋̂̍ ̭̝̝̞̱̮̤̙̪͇̙̰̹̜̞͕̰̞ͫ̓͆̎ͧ͗̆͋̆̽ͅḿ̮͖͕͙̞̭̦͉̭͇̜̩̾ͩ̑ͪ̾͑̐̐̉ͮ͋ͣḛ̞͖̟̺̙̐̊́ͭ̇ͬ̍ͥͧ͐ ͈̥͍̻͖̖̹͈̭͐̈͗̆̒̎̑̓ͦ͌ͨ͛̆̽̉̚a͕̯̲͎̝͇̗̱̘͉̱̗̺̤ͩ̅̓͗ͭ̓ͅg̖̯̤̪̦̣̃ͦ͐ͧ̈̊ͫ̈ͯ̓́͊̑̄a̰̞͔͍͎̺͎̲͎̮̤͔͍̺̩͐̊͌̓̃̎͌̒ͥi̦̣̻̗͓̻̖̖̟͚͇̦̠̗̻ͥ̐̈́̓ͪ̒̓̑̒̒̌ͩ̚̚n̰̜̠̩͙̭͍̯̙̞̯͓̑̂͗ͬ̓̎̉ͥ̏̓ͦ̾.̠̖̟̼͈͍͇͕̩͕̼̝̯͓̞̜̊̓̓̑͗̊̽̓͗̀ͅͅ


As it turns out, a wide vocabulary also includes profanities. Lots of them.

Yidhra did, indeed, lurch forward in an attempt to impale the blasphemer with a rusted piece of rebar. Probably give him a nasty infection, too, if she managed to hit any part of his body. (Given her track record with weaponry, however, missing the foot altogether was less impossible than one would think.)

She was far less concerned about the other ace up her sleeve – the last one, really.

Even as his saber slashed through the empty air where her head used to be, Yidhra would attempt the crib-level maneuver of yanking the shard out of his back.

 

[Vrak Nashar]

Dromund Kaas - Citadel
Objective: Reclaim the Citadel
Directly Engaging: [member="Coci Heavenshield"]
Allies: TRE

Sacrifice

It was something that most Purebloods simply didn't believe him. It was something that his species couldn't even comprehend on one level. They didn't think about losing something to gain anything greater. Most Purebloods wanted it all or nothing else. It was in their nature, it was what they were born to. Power, the darkside, corruption. It all twisted and swirled around them, it all provided them with something more, something greater.

The idea of giving anything up? Even to win? It was unheard of.

Yet not to Vrak.

He had known the woman would move fast, he had known that she might dodge the lightsaber, and he had known that in the process he would lose his hand. The palm that had been sprawled across his ribs moved first, the force flowing through him. It pulsed, and then pushed. He followed Coci's momentum, using the force to grasp her, and then hopefully draw her own weight to throw her down to the floor, hard. He didn't seek to crush or kill, nearly use her own momentum to slam her to the ground hard enough to knock her unconscious.

Of course, the trade off was the lightsaber still hurling towards him. The weapon shot forward, the superheated crimson blade stabbing like a javelin. He let out a cry of pain as the weapon pierced through his palm, impaling his hand before he could turn the weapon off. His palm shriveled, a large hole sitting within the middle of it.