Faction Under Endless Starlight (SJC & friends)

[Trista Consta]

The distant past...

"...expects every citizen will do their duty..."

As I once wished myself....He tapped a button on his comlink, abruptly dismissing the holo footage of his once idol, a Coruscanti politician who had reached the highest heights of power known yet to the galaxy. One who had promised the galaxy to clean of corruption, like many had before. Yet this man had delivered on his promise, at least partially. The Hutts recoiled from his machinations, and volunteers had swelled the ranks of his own soldiers to take on the criminal underworld. To take back their worlds and what was rightfully their's.

But now it simply felt empty and pointless.

Surely this one knows...

"Corporal, I can sense your presence...and your fear."

"My lord."

Lord Sunstrider cast his amber eyes on the bronze armor-clad figure who appeared out of the darkness at the edge of the room. The other man glanced at the lightsaber resting across his lap but quickly managing to partially recompose himself, at least managing to straighten out his back and bring his eyes forward to stoically stare down the wall, even as his voice faltered.

"I regret that the initial engineering report is correct. We are well and truly lost...the crew feels hopeless given the circumstances..."

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The current day...

Kolit-class Light Frigate Solar Flare, somewhere in deep space

"What's this all about?" asked Brea, shuffling through the narrow corridor.

"A distress call...we think."

"Doesn't sound like something they need us for," murmured the hapan woman.

"I know," agreed the other woman, "but there's more to it than that. I mean, it's a weird one. No-one is saying anything, but everything I'm hearing makes it sound like it's not a normal one. They aren't informing the local authorities, they aren't contacting the local medical services, nor do they seem to be quite in a rush about it either."

"I heard the broadcast was only heard once, and faint...that they're still trying to triangulate the position."

"Maybe true. I heard we're on the first ship to hear it..."

"Maybe it's something they think is really minor."

"I don't know," said the hapan officer, "a ship with jedi docked with us a half hour ago, and one of the padawans asked about where the briefing room was for it."

"They're bringing in jedi specifically for a rescue mission? Maybe they're trying to give them more experience before taking on something more dangerous?"

"I don't know Brea, I don't know..."

The two hapan soldiers cross the threshhold into the frigate's circular briefing room. She could already tell it was getting crowded - most of the bridge crew was present, along with the senior marine officers and half a dozen jedi padawans along with a jedi master that appeared to be chaperoning the pack. She glanced at her wrist chrono. And there's still a half hour before the briefing starts...

Metis Athena Elpis

 

[Gi Gregain]

Trista Consta Metis Athena Elpis

The Heralds were sent.. well one was needed... rarely more then that unless specifically requested. Gi stood looking at some of the others and she dind't have her armor on.. the undersuit served like body armor on its own and she could wear it on a ship. The ablative helmet able to deploy should she need to be in vacuum. The chamber brought on and ready for when the briefing finished and if she wa sneeded to fight or protect the others. Her massive size towering over the other jedi who were there but she remained silent going into the briefing room to listen to the plan and stood there with the two hapan soldiers.

 

[Metis Athena Elpis]

Metis scanned or holopad for… well truthfully she wasn't sure what she was looking for nor how many times she had tried to. Metis was nervous to say the least in fact the word nervous would be an understatement. Anxeity would be more accurate, damn near panicking would be even closer. Metis had attended her fair share of diplomatic events, but those had been formal occasions with clear guidelines etiquette and courtesy. Metis could quite literally research everything she had needed to know, from which spoon to use to any and all of the cultures and factions at the events.

Even the few times Metis had been in battle had been more or less straightforward, defend yourself, complete your mission save as many as she could starting with the children. They had been terrifying even horrific, but the chaos of battle had a certain element of simplicity. Plus Metis had almost always been apart of a larger force or at the very least in the company of other Jedi her Master and his Padawans, people she had known fairly well.

This was something new, something she couldn't just research or train for. Oh she could research rescue missions and distress beacons as much as she wanted, but a lot of those came with the benefit of hindsight after they had already discovered who or what the situation was and what it required. Right now they knew nothing more than there was someone out there who may be in distress.

What was distressing Metis the most however was that she might be expected to lead others on this this mission herself or at the very least have her rank and status as a member of the Jedi acknowledged while an potentially emergency situation developed.

Metis sighed and did some breathing exercise as she straightened her jedi robes.

"Just do what you can to help" Metis mumbled to herself "Try not to get in anyones way"

Metis entered the circular briefing room.

"Sorry I'm late… I was... preparing for the mission ahead."

Trista Consta Gi Gregain

 

[Trista Consta]

The distant past...

"I see..." said Lord Sunstrider with a deep sigh, "I feared as much. Inform the command team that I will be to the bridge shortly, after I visit the brig. Corporal, your dismissed."

The corporal silently bowed and quickly fled the room, leaving the alderaanian native to brood by himself. His eyes wandered the room, briefly settling on the bronze of a stylized eye before drifting to a holo of his extended family near the old Killik Nests. Not that I'll ever likely see them again. With a groan, the man rose up and carefully smoothed out his robes before departing his cabin. Red uniformed crewmen seemed to be almost aimlessly wander throughout the ship, some talked in quiet, conspiratorial voices among each other while others seemed almost catatonic or panicked. The fear pervaded the Force, and Sunstrider found himself fighting to not engage it while he made his way to the now unguarded brig and the solitary confinement cell. After pushing in several buttons next to it, the door whisked open to reveal a furred humanoid bound in chains to the bulwark. He regarded the old chief with a mixture of pity and disdain. The being's globe-like black eyes looked up impassively at him as the master stepped inside.

"You know, I once thought of us as friends..." started the lord.

The alien regarded him curiously, "As did I. But you changed after your trials, when you were promoted from padawan."

"For the better I think," said Sunstrider, taking care to remove an errant piece of lint that clung to his robe, "but that doesn't matter now. Did you do it?"

"Did what?"

Sunstrider scowled as he focused his mind on the other being's mind. It was not something he liked to do. He pried open the being's mind and began to search it, eliciting a howl of pain from his once-friend. Yet search as he could, he found nothing. His former friend knew nothing of the sabotage that plagued them.

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The current day...

Kolit-class Light Frigate Solar Flare, somewhere in deep space

Trista and Brea had managed to wedge themselves in a corner that afforded them a good visage of the room's holo projector as well as the main entrance to the room. Most of the newcomers seemed fairly mundane - other troopers and naval crewmen. But there were other more interesting characters, including a woman wearing some sort of military jumpsuit that she had never seen before, who promptly moved next to the pair of hapan soldiers. Whoever she was, the woman seemed imposing and stoic, and someone Trista guessed to not get on the bad side of. Conversely, one of the padawans seemed to be running a little late and offered an apology, which only endeared the other woman to Trista more: it reminded her being out of place in the courts of Hapan nobility as a teen herself. Whatever her thoughts were on the others filing in the room, the ship's captain apparently thought that he had waited enough and with a very exaggerated manner, cleared his throat before the holoprojector flared up to reveal what appeared to an ancient derelict ship of make that Trista had never seen before, even in the historical holos.

It almost could have passed as a maritime ship that someone had retrofitted for use in space. A handful of shattered masts rose up from its topside. Countless hull panels appeared to be missing, giving it the look of a ship that had already been partially scrapped despite being in space. Perhaps most eerily to the hapan woman, she could not see a single sign of power on the ship: no running lights or soft glow from the windows; no ion trail from the rear of the ship.

"We don't know what this is, though it appears to be a derelict ship," started the captain, pointing at the holo of the starship, "two days ago, we briefly picked up a burst of transmission that used a little bit of High Galactic in what seemed to be an automated distress call. It's only transmitted it one more time since then. We sent out a number of probes, and now one of them has finally found it. These holos are from that probe. Now, it's obviously very old, and in very rough shape...but surprisingly, the probe has found the signs of active life forms on this ship whose readings are consistent with those of humanoids. Initial scans suggest that there are twelve beings. The ship is approximately a kilometer long. There are only some areas that appear to have some very low level of functioning power. Anything beyond that is conjecture. I know I have heard of one rumor going around the ship that we've probably found some marooned scavengers or criminals.

That's highly possible, but not certain.

We are currently a half hour away from the vessel and will be moving shortly to dock with it to determine what's going on inside. Our orders are to rescue any living beings onboard the ship and determine what it is, possibly for recovery for study by the fleet or an archaeology group, depending on what it is. Everyone present in the room with the exception of my bridge crew is expected to go onboard as part of this mission. Now, I will open up the floor to questions..."

Trista raised a hand.

"We will be working in assigned teams?"

"This is a very last minute operation," bluntly stated the captain, "and I have not the authority nor the resources to organize everyone present. You will informally form groups based on your prior relationships or on the circumstances on which you find yourself in when onboard the vessel. Next question?"

Gi Gregain | Metis Athena Elpis

 

[Gi Gregain]

Metis Athena Elpis Trista Consta

"Tactical readouts?" SHe spoke from the corner, arms over her chest and watching it as the visual implants in her eyes zoomed in allowing her to see what was there and the readout. There was a lot and the large Herald stayed prepared for anything in this situationShe didn't shift from side to side she stayed still almost like a statue before listening but didn't need follow up questions. It would take a little time for her to get into her armor even with the AI asssistance speeding things up but she would be able to function as just that... the walking tank and if there was breached sections she could operate in vacuum easily enough.

 

[Silver Strand]

Captain Alastair looked at Gi Gregain with a steady, piercing gaze.

"Tactical readouts?" repeated the man quizzically, "We don't have any. The vessel class is unknown at this time, though I suspect with some more time and exploration, we will be able to identify it. Given that it had subspace radio to transmit a message, it probably has a malfunctioning transponder or computer system inside that could tell us more about the ship and its history - and that could certainly be useful even if just to preserve the ship's tale...but I digress. We can provide readouts from the initial sensor scans by the probe and by the ship as it approaches. But it is likely to be of limited value right now. As far as we can see so far, the ship does not have any active weapon or defense systems. Any other questions?"

Metis Athena Elpis

 

[Metis Athena Elpis]

Metis raised her hand.

"In the event of hostilities- assuming for instance they are scavengers or criminals- what are rules of engagement?"

Metis felt it important to establish combat protocols before combat itself became necessary. If their orders were to take someone alive they needed to know before hand, otherwise instinct and the chaos of battle would take over. Despite military academies attempts to organise previous conflicts in neat lines of blocks or choreography. Metis knew in real combat things got messy and confusing.

"Incidentally what's our evac contingency?"

Metis asked nervously but firmly. The last thing anybody needed was for they themselves to be marooned out here in the dead of space.

"If they got caught out here in the middle of nowhere then it could happen to us as well."

Trista Consta Gi Gregain

 

[Silver Strand]

Captain Alastair nodded in understanding at Metis Athena Elpis as she spoke - they seemed like sensible questions to the man.

"In the event of hostilities- assuming for instance they are scavengers or criminals- what are rules of engagement?"

"There are a lot of unknowns in this situation," started the man, "but this is not likely a full blown war scenario. Rather, under the circumstances, any sort of hostile action on the vessel will likely fall under law enforcement norms. In other words, a typical use of force continuum would be appropriate, where proportionate force is brought against any possible hostiles that you may encounter. Personally speaking though, I think it would ideal to capture anyone potentially hostile onboard if it doesn't present too much danger, even if they do use some lethal force against you, simply because they're potential source of information, of which we have very little."

"Incidentally what's our evac contingency?"

The captain briefly hesitated.

"The Solar Flare here will dock with the derelict to disembark the boarding teams. However, I cannot guarantee that this ship here will stay docked after the teams have boarded the derelict. A lot could potentially happen - anything from pirates attacking to a solar storm to the appearance of significant amounts of hostiles onboard the derelict - which would necessitate the Flare decoupling from the derelict. We do have several small transports standing by, which can dock with the derelict if the frigate has to disembark, or you find yourself needing to exit the derelict on an end distant from the Flare. This is admittedly one of the more dangerous possibilities of the mission. We do have more friendly starships en route to our location now, who should be able to provide us with more resources in the coming minutes and hours. However, sometimes the minutes matter, and if you have access to a space suit or environmentally sealed armor of some sort, that might not hurt to consider. We do have stores of rebreathers onboard if you would like to acquire one, which can provide you with an hour or two of breatheable air if you would like to have an...insurnace policy of sorts. Anyone else?"

Gi Gregain

 

[Gi Gregain]

Metis Athena Elpis Trista Consta

She listened to the other questions and had no others. Nodding when it was time to get ready and heading towards the medical bay that served to house her chamber. The mechanical arms holding the aarmor as she secured it upon her body with it sealing over the body suit. THick boots adding to her height considerably and her belt compartments holding the equipment that could be used when she finished. Her rifle going to her hand and then onto her back... a blade secured to her hip with mango clasps and she had some other equipment to debate as the dar'yaim cannon and nornfang were there but she didn't need them in this case. her shoulder cannons being checked when the herald calibrated the targeting system with her shots as needed. The gauntlet weapons running for the test and all of her systems checked out as something she could use. Once she had it the herald walked towering over the others and held one of the sonic cannons on her back working like aa shotgun and her rifle with pistol that doubled as a blaster pistol. THe hanger where she could go presented itself and the powerblade ejected from the gauntlet while she prepaared for the others.

 

[Trista Consta]

Trista and Brea listed to several other questions before Captain Alastair concluded the briefing. She shuffled out with her old friend and two made their way to the ship's armory to gear up. She ruefully inspected the various arms and weapons that neatly lined the racks. She would have preferred to have some different options, but they had only embarked on the frigate as a means of convenience to their next duty location, with their gear already en route with the rest of her regiment. She grabbed what she knew, or rather what she had preliminary training on, which included a suit of power armor, a shotgun, as well as a few sundry item. Brea helped her strap on the hefty breastplate.

"What do you think we'll find?" asked the other woman.

A smile flickered across her face, "Hopefully something that'll be a good story to bring back home...a lost treasure or maybe some artifact...wouldn't it be cooled if they towed the ship back and it became a museum?"

Those thoughts receded from her mind quickly though, along with her smile.

"...but I'm probably not that lucky. But maybe that's for the better. If there are some scavengers on there, and we rescue them, then we've done something good too."

Brea hesitated, "You think they'll be legitimate salvagers?"

The captain hesitated again, "I don't know....maybe? One can dream, right? The galaxy can't be all bad..."

Brea finished tightening the rest of the armor suit on, upon which they traded places, with Trista fastening up the straps on her subordinate's armor. Brea seemed to open up her mouth as if to speak several times before she finally did.

"I don't know ma'am," said Brea, "people seem simpler in their motives here in the outside galaxy when it comes to the scheming, but there's just so many different things that they want and do, I can't make heads or tails out of them."

Trista smiled, "You want to go back to Hapan courtly intrigue?"

"By the maker, no. Maybe when the galaxy is more at peace, I can find a good mate, and a nice quiet plot of land back home...."

With that, the two hapan woman grabbed their weapons and headed out to their stations as the Solar Flare moved to dock with the derelict...

Mission Gear

Spoiler

Gralloc-class Space Power Armor
LPD-45 Firespray Shotgun
LPD-74 Enforcer Stun Baton
3 LPD-12 Hydra Electronet Grenades
3 LPD-24 Fireblast Dual Purpose Grenades

Gi Gregain Metis Athena Elpis

 

[Metis Athena Elpis]

Metis nodded as her questions were answered. Enemy combatants preferred to be taken alive, personally any personnel or situation that necessitated combat it was preferred to deal with efficiently, but she understood the value of a prisoner as well. Even if they didn't know anything of strategic value on a vessel as mysterious as this even their mannerisms could be crucial information.

Aggressive negotiations as the Jedi termed any negotiations with a lightsaber almost as an in joke but still an industry term. Metis stifled a bemused smirk and grunt.

Metis frowned but nodded as their back up and evacuation plan was laid out. It wasn't perfect there was still plenty of risk, the plan wasn't airtight, but her space suit better be. Unfortunately she didn't have any special power armor, though made a mental note to look into commission one once they got back. As it was a standard issue space suit would have to do, though Metis also took one of the rebreathers the captain offered.

"Yes Captain" Metis acknowledged with a formal nod.

Metis went through some breathing exercises while she adjusted her breathing apparatus, making sure that any kinks were dealt with well before it became necessary. If there was something that needed adjustment it was better to do it now than find out when she needed it. With that in mind Metis made sure to go over her space suit thoroughly as well.

Metis gave an amused grunt as she overheard the others conversation.

"Everyone's inner child dreams of finding lost pirate treasure" Metis commented with humour "Most of them also wear an eye patch and a limp while doing so, personally though I'd rather keep my eye and all my limbs."

"Hapan is it?" Metis asked curiously

"I'll trade you Hapan court intrigue for Echani and Nubian." Metis offered lightly, humour before a tense mission often helped relieve the stress and in Metis opinion was crucial to forming proper camaraderie. It was harder to forget a fallen comrade's smile then most other aspects of them. "Two for one offer."

Gi Gregain Trista Consta

 

[Gi Gregain]

Metis Athena Elpis Trista Consta

She looked at and listened to the group of Hapans with well indifference it wasn't her conversation but walking in she went to stand in line. Full armor and height putting most of the tall females at her chest and stomach while she looked ahead. Another was talking and she didn't turn just flicking her eyes in the helmet to observe as the bio layer of her armor shifted and was flexing itself to be at the ready. ONe of the few indication of nerves maybe since going itno a ship like this she was one of the few not built for non-violent encounters... she was there if things went bad and then she would just have to smash... or slash or possibly suplex like with the drengir. She looked as the two were moving and went towards the airlock that was going to dock. Her systems setting up and the shielding activating as it shimmered just over her armor. Compartments being checked by the system to make sure she had shield gates and deployable cover if needed or some of her scythe weapons for corridors.

 

[Trista Consta]

"Everyone's inner child dreams of finding lost pirate treasure. Most of them also wear an eye patch and a limp while doing so, personally though I'd rather keep my eye and all my limbs. Hapan is it? I'll trade you Hapan court intrigue for Echani and Nubian. Two for one offer."

Trista blushed and for moment was briefly comforted that her helmet hid that...and then she briefly glanced at the other woman. Jedi...oh feth it all. That jedi is probably reading my every thought and emotion... The blushing returned, but thankfully for the young woman, Brea stepped in.

"Oh no, master jedi, I left the Hapes Sector to get away from it all, sort of," said the hapan soldier, "But Captain Consta here..."

"Well..." stammered Trista, "I will have to agree with Private Zar here. We're probably not the most cosmopolitan of the hapans out there. We come from a more backwater world in the sector, Terephon. But we know of pirates some, after all, all true hapans are descended from pirates..."

Brea laughed and snorted, "Thousands of years ago...ma'am..."

"But it's historical fact-" defended Trista.

A shudder reverberated throughout the ship's corridors and she felt the deck beneath her briefly shake as the Solar Flare docked with the derelict. Whatever thoughts she had about the Lorell Raiders and mythical pirates vanished as the immediate realization of the action came to mind. Instinctively, she gripped her shotgun a little more tightly even as her head tilted to the nearby airlock. A brief hiss of gas erupted from the two vessels as the ships coupled and briefly became one. Almost instantly, several of the nearby Concord personnel raised their weapons to fire upon any beings that might attempt to board their vessel. But it was not to be. The nearby airlock slid open to reveal that the other vessel's airlock doors had only partially opened: a very slender and small human might be able to squeeze through it, but there was certainly no way that any armored figure such as Trista or Brea could. Yet they could see partially see the interior of the derelict's halls.

They were unusually wide and tall - especially compared to most modern warships - but perhaps more peculiarly, were covered in now dingy murals and flickering holo displays. Her HUD zoomed in on one, which appeared to depict an early jedi wielding a protosaber against some sort of alien wielding what appeared to be a large axe. Another appeared to show a hutt surrounded by his retinue pointing to a myriad of stars around them. Shreds of clothing and trash seemed to litter the nearby floor. She noted with some relief that whatever ship it was, regardless of how old it was, it at least seemed to have very common, galactic norms like blast doors and artificial gravity instead of some incomprehensible alien layout.

"Well guys," started Trista, pointing at the partially opened door, "I know that I need to get on a diet, but I can't think of diet that'll get me through that. Anyone have any bright ideas on simply getting onboard?"

Mission Gear

Spoiler

Gralloc-class Space Power Armor
LPD-45 Firespray Shotgun
LPD-74 Enforcer Stun Baton
3 LPD-12 Hydra Electronet Grenades
3 LPD-24 Fireblast Dual Purpose Grenades

 

[Gi Gregain]

Trista Consta Metis Athena Elpis

Gi listened to the banter but didn't include herself in it instead awaiting the doors to open as she was prepared with the others for an attack and her shoulder cannons were set... targeting systems prepared to lock on... and nothing came the airlock didn't fully open as she was debating how they were going to get through that and grabbed the pistol on her hip as the officers blade appeared the pistol shifting in her grip to present a combat blade that could be used the and edge of it glowed white hot. "Stand aside." She said it and for the most part there was few things in the galaxy able to resist the blades edge it was designed to handle like a lightsaber in terms of cutting but was rated for cleaving through beskar plating. Her other hand going to her hip as it pulled one of the containment shield gates and she attached it to prevent decompression right away. The massive figure sliding the blade itno the door as she sank it in and gripped with her free hand once the gate was attached to the top and it started to scan and measure the distance for the shielding itself. Gi started to slice at it to extend and push the door inward to bend it under her strength enhanced body and armor that they were still testing... most giving it a rating of full movement at several hundred times gravity in the armor. She turned her head to look back and motioned with the helmet for them to start going through before pushing herself though and looking around for threats while a seeker drone went off the back plate of her armor to scan and start mapping.