Welcome To The Machine [Incursion PvE]

Evoros · Sep 16, 2017

the
INCURSION

Ever since the day that an unknown signal had reached Rishi, the galaxy had held its breath.

Fear of the unknown was a powerful thing and for a long time everything that surrounded the Contingency had remained firmly in the unknown. Within weeks, everyone seemed to know that something was about to happen - but nobody knew what. The Contingency had unleashed a wave of uncertainty on the planets they had come for, put questions in every mind but left an empty space where answers belonged. The galaxy had searched for those answers. The galaxy had found none.

And the galaxy was still searching everywhere for answers when one day out of the blue, buried away in some hidden corner of the HoloNet, something appeared that could end their search and start another.

5, 8
-27.8996 56.7890.
The Machine is running. All organics will soon be punished.

A set of coordinates, nothing more.

No answers, not yet. There would be no answers for a while still. But it was the start. It was something when since Rishi there had been so little to go on.

It was there for barely a few minutes before something decided that was too long and issued a hasty deletion. But it was enough time for people to take note.

The message spread like a virus. Many dismissed it, overlooked it. It could mean anything, and investigating was far more trouble than it was worth. But those who decided that a chance at answers would be worth the risk could look into the leak. They could search and find that it took them to the surface above an underground facility that nobody had heard from in years. And it did indeed have a machine located inside it. A machine linked to the Contingency. One that could stop the Contingency - or stop sentient life everywhere, forever.

Few answers, but some. But they weren't pretty answers. They offered more questions, and danger.

The facility was silent and shrouded. Its aura was not the kind that invited. If anything, it was the kind that said you would do well to turn around.

But answers lay beneath. An end to the danger and confusion that had settled over the galaxy lay beneath. Anyone who wanted to find it would have to ignore the urge to go back the way they came and keep going.

No matter how much they didn’t want to.

Zircon · Sep 16, 2017

Stealthed dropships flew to the location mentioned in the mysterious message. Patrols of Incursion ships flew around yet seemed to ignore a particular spot: a maintenance entrance. This odd spot seemed to be overlooked, as such places tended to be, and it matched up with the coordinates discovered on the net. The dropships landed on a small platform just outside of it and let everyone off. After everyone is off they lift back up into the air to retrieve the next round of passengers, but before they could activate their stealth mode, automated defenses took them out with anti-air missiles. Everyone was now stranded on the platform with only the maintenance entrance before them and the abyss beyond the edges.

[SIZE=11pt] There was little a maintenance entrance could offer in the way of views. Cold metal upon even colder metal was before everyone. Lights barely on that slowly blinked like depressed red fireflies guided the way into the otherwise dark depths. All that was left for those gathered was to push forward down the two human wide passage as all that was behind them was the small landing zone with nothing but a perilous drop into the unknown. No sounds greeted the brave souls who had come to stop the terrible mechanism that was simply called “The Machine” as they would move on.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt] It would be hard to say how long the silence and darkness would last for the would be heroes, but eventually taps and creaks and groans would echo from seemingly all around. Some might call it the signalling of working pipes and parts but some might call it a heralding of the inevitable vermin that always found their way into the bellies of buildings. The further everyone pushed forward the more the soft sounds grew. The original whispers would soon enough be roars as if a banshee guarded this unholy place….[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt] BVVVVVVVVP! Suddenly all around the group little drones would erupt out of unseen burrows in the metal cave. Their shrill beeps seeming a warning at first but then suddenly they all would burst apart. A vile black ooze would land on everyone indiscriminately. Had they just ended their own lives out of fear and now their ebony blood coated the source of their terror? It was hard to say as the substance felt almost unnatural, but it had to be oil didn’t it?[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt] There was still only one way left to go for everyone: forward. The sounds were gone once again to be replaced by a deafening silence. Serenity was not within the quiet hall. Eventually a brighter light like a guiding star would shine for everyone. The source was a larger room with two doorways on either end of the illuminating fixture. What could be learned in this place?[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]

OOC: Onyx and I are co-DMing this event. We might post twice today but assume we will be posting once a day for the rest of the thread. Have fun and let's have an enjoyable event![/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt] EDIT: I added on another paragraph to the beginning since we were confusing people. I hope this helps.

[/SIZE]

HK-36 · Sep 16, 2017

[member="Onyx"], [member="Zircon"],

Prelude

HK was in a way nervous, or perhaps even paranoid, in recent time since encounter with the Contingency over the Far Harbor. It wasn't just for the fact that as far as he knew it was yet another violent droid revolution, which in itself was a phenomenon that could place all his plans and work in danger of dissolution should his neighbors decide that they would rather not take any risks and turn on Metal Lords while they still could just because of the fact that they were sentient and free machines ruling their over their own space. It wasn't because HK knew that there was something else at the heart of the Contingency, that it was not all droids for he saw their power on Far Harbor, power to stifle and assault organics through their minds in a way that he tried to replicate many times over but the best he could do, as far as he knew the best any droid could do, was approach only a fraction of the power. It was because he heard the news of so many territories being infringed by the Contingency, so many capital worlds besieged by this Incursion, including the Droid Lords' neighbors, so close to the fringes of their borders.

After the rejection and insolence he showed towards the Incursion HK expected his own space to become the next target, great fleets of derelict and freshly forged Metal Lord vessels were being gathered over their planets, the work on stations, both military and civilian, surrounding their capital of Denon was hurried along almost every day, their drone armies expanding in preparation for the inevitable war between machines. In hindsight it was a wonder that Alderaan, Commenor, or the Alliance did not assume this hasty militarization was preparation for crossing their borders and assaulting their holdings, perhaps HK managed to actually win their trust, perhaps they were just too busy to notice the Lords' preparation. Either way, the attack never came, there was no great battle over Denon, there was no great battle over any of their planets. Still they waited and somewhat cowered in their keeps, waiting for the possible attack, careful to step away from their territory just in case this assault they were predicting was to come at a moment when they finally decided to let their guard down. Sometimes worse than actual punishment is the amounting crushing weight of anticipating what the punishment would actually be.

With that, HK's trigger was much more looser than what it usually be, so seeing the strange message on the HoloNet with the coordinates leading to a planet deep in the Rishi Maze the droid decided to act upon it. Even if it was just a rumor, a false lead, he was tired of waiting, tired of hiding in his keep waiting for the siege to come to him, if the Contingency was not going to humor him, then it was the ancient droid who will conduct the first preemptive attack upon them.

So there he was, aboard his personal frigate, the Siege Tower, an aged Protectorate vessel, attended by his Greycloak honor guards who were covering him in the Vong-shaped armor biot and attaching the duraplast and shark-skin plates over their proper positions, preparing him to face off with whatever threat may have summoned him in person. HK decided not to bring much troops with him, or additional ship escorts outside of his prized personal stealth shuttle, the Knight of the Eclipse, hoping that he would not attract too much attention coming so close to dangerous territories, or avoiding letting his potential enemies know about his encroachment before he arrived. Besides, if the attack upon Denon or other Metal Lord worlds would actually come while he was on this potential wild goose chase, he would want his ships and soldiers back home where they could help other Metal Lords defend their territory.

Although he originally set out on this venture alone, he heard rumors about at least one other Metal Lord deciding to heed this strange message on the HoloNet as well, perhaps [member="Archim Calixis"] would be able to tell HK about his decision to check these coordinates, perhaps not. Whatever happened, whatever was going to come, as far as HK knew, this could have just been the prophesied War Of Machine Against Machine, For The Fate Of Organic-Kind, although he always expected it to be waged between the forces of Guild of Hammers and the Cultists of the Machine God or shady corporations he had some suspicions towards like Archangel. Either way, he was going to take his part and join it, he was going to fulfill his vows and support his believes, he was going to fight alongside the organics to try and keep them from extinction.

kuat_drive_yards_nebulon_d_escort_frigate_by_shoguneagle-dbanqbk.jpg

Some time later the droid would find himself sneaking through tunnels within what they came to call "The Machine", crouching slightly as he moved carefully, scanning his surroundings for any potential signs of traps, a hidden laser emitter, or a pressure plate. The paranoid mood he was in lately translated into the current situation he was in and the way he approached it, even though in reality he was just making his way through glorified sewers. He used his sound dampeners to hide even the touch of his metal feet, covered in the armored organic coating of his biot, against the floor, peering into the darkness and unknown ahead of him with his audioreceptors, listening to the breaths and heartbeats of the organics and other adventurers he encountered when arriving on Tartarus and finding his maintenance entrance, determining it to be the only place they could get through without immediately being shot at by pretty much everything. HK wasn't sure how he felt about being accompanied by so many organics into this mission, especially since he did not had the backing of Greycloaks who helped him prepare for this mission, the other droid warriors he brought with him were forced to split with him, choosing different paths in the tunnels or staying behind to guard their shuttle and frigate. However he supposed he didn't had much choice now, he was stuck with the group that fate and the Force gave him.

Suddenly his contemplation was interrupted by appearance of drones from the corners and sides of the tunnel,

"Chit, take cover!"

He tried to warn the organics around him as he shuffled to the side in a quick dash, hugging the wall as he raised up his arm and activated his Abregado Combat Shield to manifest a shield-like energy surface above him, limiting the surface it covered as he tried to strengthen the deflector to repel the liquid. Even he wasn't fast enough to protect himself completely from the sudden maybe-attack as the black liquid washed over the energy shield, covering at least half of his armored body and black cloak with its substance.

Deactivating his shield the rest of the way HK would be occupied with angry mutterings as he grabbed his black cloak and tried to wrangle it to purge it of the unknown substance.

Coming up on the large room with the two doorways the droid would scan his surroundings, peering down each route with his photoreceptors and listening in on any signs of life or perhaps more mechanical presence. Looking over the walls for any symbols,

"I suppose we have to split up now?"

He asked his companions looking back to them,

"Unless those of us gifted in the Force can actually sense some metaphysical clues that could help us."

TheNewUpgrade · Sep 16, 2017

Location: In Split hallway with two door's while covered in strange liquid.
Objective: Seek and destroy any opposition to life itself
Allies: Dark-side,Mercenary's,First Order,etc.
Gear,Desc,Stats,etc: {-Here-}

Blitz stood in the dark hallway with the other's who also were here now covered in a strange substance.

His right hand quickly pressing a small button on the side of his helmet turning on his low light vision mode (Not night vision mind you) to better allow him to see as well as turned on a flash light attachment on the end of his 500 Riot Gun as he advanced forwards down the hallway his boots would make soft clacks and noise as he walked forward keeping focus on the adjustment ahead as he went over his arsenal ounce more in his head.One primary 4 extra mags 50 rounds each 250 possible shots,one secondary 25 total shots worth of ammo and capability,one small side arm 2 extra mags one pre-load 21 shots total,4 thermal detonators,many chances to kill his enemy's and good defense as well he shouldn't have too much a of a problem dealing with any thing defending this area...should he?

Many thoughts ran his mind currently he was freshly here only arriving a few minutes ago with what he would guess would be the small group of others that had seen the message,he ounce again in his life was on the front lines against something that was here to threat not only him or a select group but the entire galaxy.

'Who or what sent out that transmission? What does it mean all life forms will pay? What is this crap those bots sprayed onto me?' And many more thoughts like this ran through his mind as he continued walking forward being cautious of the floor he walked on to not set anything like a trap or alarm off staying a low position as he lead forward.

The piping of the current structure he was in made ominous sounds.

'Reminds me of a horror movie...' He thought

Blitz made sure to keep his blaster up and ready,set to fully auto-matic if need be.

He would make way to the first door on the right keeping his radar on if any bombs or devices keeping the door booby-trapped he should know if not he would check if the door was unlocked if it was he would continue into the next scenario if it was indeed locked he would attempt to force it open with his extremely strong left robotic arm he was determind to continue moving forward either way,if he was sure for one thing he wasn't gonna let some damn machine be the end of his fate.

He would continue on.

Darth Empyrean · Sep 16, 2017

The man who had come to be known as nothing more than The Slave moved through the still air of the underground facility like so many others. With form shrouded by an invisible cloak, and his normally pervasive aura hidden behind the jewelry around his neck; there was little that could be done in terms of noticing him. He moved like the shadows all around him, letting not even the dust unsettle in his wake. There were some questions he wanted answers, just as so many others seemed to be attempting to do.

In the beginning, it wasn’t even him directly who took notice of the odd message that spread far and wide across the holonet. In Fact, it was the AI controller of his beloved Technicolour Beat; her massive, almost omnipresent presence over the Holonet allowed for her to keep tabs on nearly all the areas where the would be taunt would appear. Eventually, when her own research was done on the subject, she moved to tell The Slave what she had come across, likely knowing that whatever it was that it wasn’t a simple prank.

Something was coming, and she could only make a guess as to what.

So The Slave came to find the exact cause of her oddly focused attention, now finding himself deep in the metal intestines of a long dead facility nobody had heard about, and even fewer actually knew the purpose of. A faint sigh left his lips as the distant cry of machinery let him a glimpse into the rustic heart of the too far gone facility.

│ @Onyx │

Enyo Typhos · Sep 16, 2017

Archangel's military power had been crippled. Maelion Liates was dead. Or at least the droid equivalent thereof. Perhaps Archangel had a backup copy of her mind stored somewhere. Indeed, Enyo would not be surprised. She would have done the same way. It was immaterial. Should she face a copy of her mechanical 'mother', she would destroy her as well. Moira Skaldi was next on the list.

Her devil's bargain had paid off. At least this was what the clone told herself. The Contingency had lived up to their end of the deal, now it was up to her, though suspicion gnawed at her in the back of her mind. So she waited inside a room somewhere inside the underground base. The computer monitors showed surveillance feeds of the facility's various rooms and corridors. It was only a matter of time before the assault began.

The Contingency had gambled by deliberately calling attention to its presence. If the gamble paid off, the Galaxy might be theirs. If not, it would go down in history as a folly equal to that of Emperor Palpatine when he lured the rag-tag rebel fleet to the moon of Endor.

The Contingency wanted to burn down the old order and remake the Galaxy in their image, exacting vengeance for perceived wrongs. The legions of organics and their allies wanted to avoid that fate. The clone had her own goals. For now Enyo brooded, biding her time. She was clad in full phrik armour. Behind her lay a rack with enough guns to make a tin pot dictator's praetorian guard very happy.

Astromech DD2-R8 · Sep 16, 2017

The Astromech had ended up in a creepy metal hallway after pursuing its quest to become the greatest R2 of all time. A lot of buzz surrounded this 'Incursion' of late, and something weird tugged on DD's mechanical brain. It wasn't yet in DD's capacity to fully understand the threat of this situation.

Drones appeared suddenly... A welcoming party?

"*Hello t-*" Not quite, the drones exploded and covered the poor droid in odd ooze. This was pretty traumatic for the Astromech, evident as the visual sensor stared into the light at the end of the tunnel. Dead already? Still no, there was a myriad of individuals around, so many strangers! DD regretted this expedition already but it was worth the fame.

"*See you on the other side...*" The droid beeped in mellow tones as it raced off into a doorway.

Xevek Nekonis · Sep 16, 2017

Location: In the room with two Doors, Unknown Facility.

Objective: Investigate the plans of the Contingency.

Team: Self.

The looming threat of the unknown incursion hiding within the peripherals of the majority of the populous of the galaxy had been weighing heavily upon the mind of the Iridonian Sith. He had stood at Commenor beneath the mask of another and witness Iron Knights cutting down Padawans, witnessed the experiment and corruption of the only surviving Padawan of the even. He had delved into rumour and whispers, seeking to learn what he could so as to position him and his in situations that would ensure both survival and the fact that they would benefit from the incursion. He had cast his gaze into the Force, plucking and twisting at threads fastened to items belonging to the Iron Knight he had encountered; seeking to unravel the secrets of their pasts that had been bound to them. And, finally, he had stood aboard the station within the depths of the Chiloon Rift, bartered with the devil called Emerald and attempted to position himself in an advantageous place.

Plucking at the knotted threads of thought and memory within his mind, Lykos' amber gaze stared into the depths of his empty tumbler. Having already drained the whisky, all that remained were the three ice cubes steadily melting as they slid around the glass interior of the tumbler with every twist of his wrist. Something was locked within that tangled mess, something important. Something that would serve as the linchpin holding down the shroud that hid understanding of the situation away from him, of that he was sure. And, yet, try as he might to navigate the maze of his own mind, what he sought remained elusive and hidden; the epiphany he sought shying away from his search.

Vibrations beneath his feet finally served to break him from his introspection, causing him to push his search to the back of his mind and set aside the tumbler he held. After all, such vibrations were ones that he was well aware of: the feeling of his ship dropping out of hyperspace and entering the space above Tartarus. After all, as soon as his loyal shadows had directed him towards the message that had originated within the depths of the holonet at the same times the programs he had had set up for him to troll through the holonet for similar messages had, he had immediately set out towards those coordinates. This thread had been praying upon his thoughts for too long, raising his paranoia to levels greater than it normally would be and placing stress and strain upon his shoulders. It was time that it was dealt with.

Pushing himself to his feet, Lykos grabbed his cloak from where it sat across the back of his chair and pulled it over his armour. But, rather than it settling over the rudimentary leather armour that he wore, for ceremonial purposes more than anything else, the black folds of cloth instead settle over a phrik breastplate and greaves; the ahead job was not one that would be easily conquered should he approach it with his usual set of armour, after all. Finally, fastening the sheath of his blade at his hip and covering that beneath the cloak as well, Lykos strode out of his quarters. There was work to be done.

----------

With the shroud of the Force settled across his shoulders, and a similar one encompassing his Presence within the Force, as was habit when entering unfamiliar, and even familiar at times, land, Lykos was nothing more than a ghost - obscured from sight, sound and Sense - as he prowled along the metal innards of the factory. Silence hung heavily in the air around him, not even shattered by the sound of his footsteps that to the Cloak wrapped around him. However, at times, it would be broken by the soft sound of machinery ahead and the creaks and groans of metal pipes and whatever had chosen to make their home within those same pipes. Still, he pushed ahead, not unnerved by the noises and his own lack of sound from experience alone. He had pushed past the feeling that had coiled within his gut upon approaching the building, after all, what he was experiencing now would not drive him away.

Eventually, the noise of the construct that surrounded him grew to be near constant, as did the sound of voices ahead. Here and there, the odd scent of another being would catch his nose, but, other than that, all he could smell was the sharp tang of metal. But, in the end, even that would be overwhelmed by the scent of what he could only describe as unnaturalness. Pausing in his approach, Lykos crouched down near the puddle of black ooze covering the surface of the tunnel before him. His first thought may well have been oil had it not been for that foul scent of the liquid. And were it not for the memory of the corruption that the Padawan from Commenor had gone through.

As soon as that memory had sparked to life within his mind, two things occurred. Shrill beeps pieced the still air, cries of warning as they seemed to focus in on the very real heat of the crouched over body. At the same moment, Lykos recalled how that vial of black liquid had moved and writhed with an energy impossible for something inert - remembered the sparks of unnatural life within it - and, paranoia ruling him as the sound of the tiny droids shot through his sensitive ears and served to only empower his instinctive fear, lashed out with a Force Barrier in the efforts to ensure that nothing touched him and that he would be shielded in equal measure.

Cursing in silence as he stared, pupil dilated in fear and no longer just the darkness, at the ooze that the Barrier had caught, Lykos wasted no time and speed ahead; the Force being channeled towards his legs in the effort to escape the ooze as quickly as possible.The dark veins, waves of movement beneath flesh and the corruption of the girl was strongly present within his mind. He would not allow himself to fall prey to such a foul concoction (even if he had to admit within the depths of his mind that it was rather inspiring - he was not one to waste a resource after all).

Stepping into the larger room with caution, amber gaze flickering around the room and never settling, Lykos watched as some were foolish enough to step through the doors without caution. Instead, he reached out into the Force, seeking to stare into the rolling void that was the Force and gleam answers from the ever shifting future as to which path whispered to him the most. He started to do so, letting the Force Cloak fade so as to focus all the more on his efforts, just as the metallic voice of the Droid that had entered the room with the group before him (a Droid that he absentmindedly recognised as being the droid known as [member="HK-36"], having peripherally encountered him once before) spoke up to suggest just that as Lykos backed away to one of the corners of the room so as to not have anyone at his back.

And, constantly, there was a whisper in the back of his head that he was forgetting something, someone.

[member="Onyx"] | [member="Zircon"]
[member="Ex-Major Blitz"] | [member="The Slave"] | [member="Enyo Typhos"] | [member="Astromech DD2-R8"]

Ylva Heavenshield · Sep 16, 2017

Location: Unknown Facility
Objective: Discover the origin and intent of the contingency for the Iron Empire.
Team: Lightside.
Allies: Neutral.

Ylva wasn't the typical agent to be sent out on these sort of missions, though she had reluctantly agreed for the sake of [member="Théodred Heavenshield"] not being able to call her a coward. The two had grown to trust one another over the time they'd spent together and yet the Iron Empire itself still remained distance, the wilder woman hardly the embodiment of loyalty and service to any but herself which incidentally made her the perfect person to send out on a scouting mission without leading any tracks back home to the north or Midvinter. As always the case was with her however, the scouting mission had turned up more than they'd expected and before she knew it she was delving deeper into some sort of monstrous facility taking it upon herself to do more than she'd agreed to all out of intrigue and that little devil on her shoulder that yearned adventure and action. Hers was a heart of wild fire and unlike most common folk, she had spent her life within the wilds, hunting and fighting to earn her keep. The adrenaline that flowed through her veins kept her on edge, that excitement and danger made her feel alive and here in the darkness of the unknown, she couldn't have been more on edge.

Out of nowhere those little buzzard droids had come and without explanation or immediate result, they'd caked the group she'd run into in some sort of black fluid, oils of some sort though for what purpose she didn't know. Putting her nose to her sleeve the stench was thick and metallic, the little flyers had disappeared as quickly as they'd come and once again silence found them. [member="HK-36"] was with them, the droid who seemed to carry more personality than half the legion had back on Roxuli, he seemed gave his questions and queried the scene as much as any would seek to understand the mess they'd found themselves in yet Ylva kept quiet, her War Axe's within each hand drawn at the sight of movement though yet needing to be thrust against flesh nor alloy; she eyed those around her uncertainly, her trust was difficult to earn and those among the Iron Empire had struggled to get to know her let alone strangers she'd been thrust into the mix with outside of her own design.

Eventually they'd find themselves at a turning point, a room that would lead them in two directions. Their droid companion suggested that one of their peers make use of the Force, this power that Ylva still wasn't entirely convinced was a good thing. Théodred had proven to be able to do some astonishing things but that kind of power over others had never done anyone any good, especially in the hearts of men whom yearned to conquer most things. Strength in numbers here however seemed the wiser move, though she knew not their intentions for being here and they understood hers none, for the time being it seemed like her chances were better alongside the group, especially now that their presence was obviously known by whatever lay deeper within the facility.

Ein Harper · Sep 16, 2017

Location: Chamber with two paths
Team: Mom
The People: [member="Ylva Solveig"], [member="Darth Lykos"]. [member="Astromech DD2-R8"], [member="The Slave"], [member="Ex-Major Blitz"], [member="HK-36"], [member="Zircon"], [member="Onyx"]

"There's something not right about this momma." Jorah had groaned as his shuttle had latched on to the outer carapace of the facility.

"All the more reason for you to come home," his progenitor's voice was little more than a pained crackling in his ear now. Signal reaching back to the galactic core had proven itself to be a rare commodity at the best of times, and entirely nonexistent. "You were a surgeon Jorah. You had credits, a home - Lirah wouldn't have wanted you to go off doing this crazy chit if she were here!"

The hunter's thoughts flickered to the image of a youthful woman with long brown hair and warm dark eyes. His brow furrowed.

"I just wanted some excitement," Jorah groaned as he forced himself further into the darkened corridor. "I was working a job and these folks came through. Folks are saying they're a big threat," the hunter paused as he rounded another corner. "Big enough to make their way to the core: to you and Sarah."

The aging woman's voice fell silent. Jorah grimaced. "I'll be back soon. I just need to lend these people a hand here. You understand."

"I do."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

The comm clicked as the connection was broken.

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

Some time had passed since the conversation Jorah had held with his mother. Her words hadn't resonated much, but her tone did. The woman terrified in a way he'd never seen in his twenty-odd years. Perhaps this was all more of an issue than he'd realized, and he'd gotten in over his head?

Doesn't matter.

Then came the noise, and the oily liquid along with it. Jorah looked upon his erstwhile and all too temporary companions with relative confusion. Entirely enshrined within his kit, the oily liquid almost went unnoticed. The hunter sneered.

"I suppose we have to split up now?

Jorah tilted his head toward the automaton. "Division likely means death if this is all as serious as it seems," he answered the droid, his own voice distorted heavily by his helm. "Let the psychics make a more informed choice on our path."

However many I can put between me and a bullet.

Tmoxin Temi · Sep 16, 2017

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tjWQ7ZP894[/youtube]

It had been quite awhile since [member="Kyrel Ren"] had summoned Tmoxin to Cloud City. True to his word, he’d left her to her own devices in the Southern Systems to rebuild the CIS from the blackened ashes of the Techno Union, and their conquest had been fruitful. Lok was now under Confederacy control, and she considered that quite a win as in her lifetime, the entire time her garrison and her business had resided on the sulfuric, barren planet, it had been a lawless world. The CIS brought it to heel quickly and efficiently.

The enigmatic signal had caught the ear of the Master of Ren, who’d decided that the Hapan Jedi would finally pay her penance for treason by serving by his side. As if my DNA was not enough, she sneered.

Either way, they’d discussed the coordinates and taken The Sovereign Stingray to the location in question. Tmoxin worried that the droids of the Southern System had somehow taken root here, but as they arrived upon the planet, the mystery deepened.

Other dropships had arrived, and there appeared to be no security whatsoever to prevent them from landing.

Tmoxin did not like this, not at all. “Kyrel, what on heaven and earth is this anyway? Is this your idea of a night out? Because I don’t enjoy these types of thrill-seeking vacations. Is there anything at all to the message and this location?” Unusually, the Hapan would look to the one who called her “his servant” to answer the questions.

In the meantime, the stealthed dropship took its two passengers to a stark platform. Was this some kind of mysterious party for some secretive galaxy cabal? Or was it an elaborate way for Kyrel to finally kill her? If the latter, Tmoxin had come prepared and with surprises if she found the conditions ripe to do finally break the bond of Master and Servant.

HK-36 · Sep 16, 2017

[member="Astromech DD2-R8"], [member="Ex-Major Blitz"], [member="The Slave"],

"Try not to kill yourself already."

HK called out after DD2-R8 as the astromech seemed to be hellbent on going through one of the doorways already, and as a warning to others who might try to follow him,

"My kind lives in the world of mathematics, odds, and efficiency. We love to strike when the chances of our victory are the highest, for example when our target is alone, cut off from their allies. I do not know these machine or fully understand their tactics, but I would not be surprised if they were lying in wait, poising to attack those of us who go off by themselves."

As [member="Jorah"] chimed in, the droid would cock his head towards him, nodding in agreement,

"That guy gets it. Your armor seems familiar by the way, have we met before?"

HK turned to look at the mercenary, glancing to [member="Darth Lykos"] who seemed to have taken a seat in one of the corners in a meditative position. Just how the Sith recognized the droid, so did the assassin droid recognized the Sith as one of the prisoners he took during the Atrisian Incident, taking the cyborg's enhancements and stripping him. HK witheld from taunting and reminding the man, this was not the time, not when for once he and the Sith had a common enemy, plus he did not want to proceed further until he heard input from the Force user about what the Immaterium could tell him about their surroundings.

In the mean time, [member="Ylva Solveig"] could see the droid look to her axes as well, taking note of them at least briefly, hoping to himself that they were not just going to be normal steel weapons as that would make the woman more of a burden than anything else to them.

He also brought his fingers up, playing with the black substance that was sprayed over portion of him, coating some of this armor and cloak still, trying to analyze it a bit better, curious about what was its true purpose as he rarely saw droids spontaneously destroy themselves and spray just such vast amounts of oil or hydraulic fluids.

Darth Bellum · Sep 16, 2017

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23ZL_0WFNoc

Location | Maintenance Tunnel
Objective | Investigate
Company | A myriad of people from many factions

The tall armored figure stood amidst the individuals packed into the shuttle that had been sent to drop them off at an unguarded point of entry; a chink in their defenses or perhaps a spot that they had been deliberately allowed to use like a rodent being put at the start of a maze. Once the stealthed dropship had arrived at the landing platform, the first to disembark from his particular shuttle as he had little space to stand anywhere else but by the exit. He strode out onto the platform as the shuttles began to empty out, walking with an atmosphere of someone more dignified, the fabric that trailed behind him billowing with each step. His metallic boots would move at a rhythmic pace as he marched forward; how he disliked cramped environments.

As soon as everyone had disembarked and began to make their way in their shuttles had been shot down, only furthering his own suspicions that they had been allowed to land and that this was just one big trap to Vexen. He would turn to the maintenance tunnel as he continued forward, lightsaber in one hand and ready to be ignited at a moment's notice; there was no escape from the way they came, no retreat should they encounter hostility. The only path to take now was forward, and forward he went, his larger, bulky frame taking up a majority of the tunnel space, only really allowing someone of a smaller size and stature to slip past him.

Upon entering the rather cramped passageway, perhaps when he was about halfway through did he discover that they were not alone as numerous drones appeared out of unseen areas like insects coming out of the woodwork. His first instinct was to grab anything that came to fly at him and crush it in his hands, however, the sounds of shrill beeps forced him to think and act otherwise as he raised his arm up in self-defense to shield his face, his magboots locking him in place as he braced for an explosion. What he got instead was them exploding and spraying his rather pristine armor with gunk, staining the magenta fabric that he wore like a cape as he thought to himself, How dare they soil my visage with such filth.

The gunk that had been deposited off him would likely slide off the grooved channels carved onto his armor and to the floor if they did not possess any other particular properties, though the fabric he wore would be forever stained. His lightsaber would remain inactive in hand as his magboots unlocked themselves to allow for him to continue to proceed. He would continue along the maintenance hallway, hopefully without hinderance this time as he made his way to a larger room with two different doors. It seemed that this was indeed a maze and they now had a choice to make. Vexen would move forward, standing just a bit away from the center of the room as he looked up and around, trying to see if there was anything to learn, or perhaps the faint presence of gaps in the room that might house dangers in the form of traps or defenses. Whatever was to happen from this point forward, he would remain watchful and vigilant.

[member="Zircon"] | [member="Onyx"]

Muad Dib · Sep 16, 2017

LOCATION: Door #1
OBJECTIVE: Investigate
ALLIES: the lightside group (Muhahahahahaha)

The hidden message had been found within the CIS. Immediately it had been relayed to the Geonosian Knights for volunteers to search out the possible information that could prove beneficial to the war brought on in this Incursion. Of course there was a high likelihood that this was merely an elaborate ruse to draw powerful individuals into a trap that would end in their untimely demise.

Of course the Scion, Muad Dib, immediately volunteered to join the search for answers. Flying to Tartarus with the E-25 squadron from Charlie the Unicorn the squadron dropped from hyperspace. Taking the controls he set course for the planet while the remainder of the starfighters took up position in orbit, powering down and waiting for the return of the Scion.

Landing near several other ships that discharged their own explorers who, like him, had come for the slim chance that the information was not a trap but rather an opportunity that could sift the tide of war into the Galaxy's favor.

As the group moved into the facility he moved down the corridor with many more. It seemed the element of surprise would deteriorate quickly with their numbers. As the thought crossed his mind the droids entered and launched the vile fluid I to the midst of those gathered. Shaking his head he attempted to wile the crude, black fluid from his buy'ce. Finally surrendering to the fact that his visior was not easily cleaned off he removed the helm and hooked it to the netting at his waist.

The black of his beskar'gam was covered in the black ick giving his armor a sheen in the light. Sighing he shook his head and turned to look at the several gathered. Conversations of where to go and the methods of deciding which path to take echoed in the room. The mismatched ollection of varying factions and individuals were certainly an interesting conglomeration of beings. But the man with the glowing blue eyes preferred action to words.

So with a shrug he moved into one of the doorways beginning to walk down the long corridor.

Nima Tann · Sep 16, 2017

Allies: Team Firemane, [member="Taryc Ap'Irae"] [member="Laira Vereen"] [member="Tempest"]
Location: Inside the facility
Objective: Investigate the facility

It started as a normal day, except it wasn't.

A message. A simple message including a few threatening words and coordinates stirred up the entire galaxy, spreading like a virus in a matter of minutes.

"The Machine is running. All organics will soon be punished."

Considering the reports they had about several droid attacks towards different systems, and what happened at the auction recently, this message was worth investigating. It was obvious to her that the ones who sent the message were the same ones who attacked them, as she remembered hearing about a bigger plan in progress.

So, with the orders of [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"], Nima was on board of the Revenant with several others, sent to investigate the coordinates. With a sigh, she moved towards the bridge to talk about the mission.

"Thank you for joining me in this investigation." She started her speech. "As you know, there was a message that went viral which included a threatening message, along with some coordinates. Considering the recent reports about droids who call themselves Contingency, we believe that they are behind this message. They have caused a considerable amount of damage wherever they went, and if what the message saying is true, it will not stop there. We don't know where these coordinates will lead, but whether this is a trap, or not, it's certain that we will face a strong opposition." She said, and then added. "I wish you all good luck." And then, in the screen right in front of her, some info about the mission appeared, giving them a chance to discuss tactics before they arrived to their destination...

Which led them to a facility of some sorts. Surprisingly, defense systems weren't activated... unfortunately, it seemed like she thought too soon, as she could hear a sudden boom which downed a dropship. It proved that they were on the right track, but there was no escape from this platform now. It started looking more like a trap as the time went on.

...

Moving through the tunnels, Nima noticed that this place was suspiciously silent. "We should be careful." She said to her companions, and then added. "Silence in a place like this isn't always good news." And it seemed that she was right, as suddenly drones appeared, filling the once silent facility with their voice. She activated her lightsaber reflexively to prepare herself for an attack, but instead, they suddenly exploded and some kind of black liquid spilled from them coming directly towards the team. "Watch out!" Before she could react, some of the liquid landed on her armor. Luckily there was no way of this liquid contacting her skin as the armor was sealed, but it didn't change the fact that it smelled very bad. Nima created a barrier to prevent the rest of the liquid land on them.

And then silence again. What was that all about? So many questions raised, but she had this feeling they were about to find out very soon.

"Are you all okay?" She asked, looking at forward, where the bright light was coming from. "I think we're clear... for now." She added, as complete silence reigned over the facility once again. "Let's move."

Razel Kolt · Sep 16, 2017

Razel muttered curses under his breath, wiping the odd liquid off of himself. It did not entirely come off, but he managed to remove a little. He mostly ignored the others, running a few tests to see if the oily liquid interfered with anything of his. Not particularly, except for his white hair (now black in splotches) which was ruined. Fortunately, aesthetics were hardly something to worry about. Or, perhaps not fortunately - this was not a good situation. Razel looked ahead, returning his thoughts to the matter at hand and listening to some of the conversation.

"As much as I'd like to kark off, the droid has a point. If we go off alone or separately, chances are we'll meet our not-so-glorious ends." As if on cue in some comedy show, a man went right off on his own just as Razel said this. "Don't follow his example... I'm rambling, the droid said it better than me." Absent-mindedly, Razel drew his sword and shook off the black stuff on it's hilt before planting it back in it's sheath.

He placed some energy cells (of which he always carried as much as he could on him) in his compartments for them, including the ones for his Vibroblasters. "Now, having given that whole spiel about not splitting up, we're gonna still need to move ahead at some point." He fired off a normal-power blast from his vibroblaster, sending black liquid on his hand flying away, "We'll need to prepare for combat."

Marcus Faust · Sep 16, 2017

Location: Facility
Allies: Self
Team: Lightside, ironically enough

This was an interesting change of pace for Vindica, having followed to coordinates to some derelict facility, the man was now in the company of an abundance of strangers. A far cry from keeping a low profile and living out the rest of his days in guilt-ridden silence. But the galaxy itself had been threatened, and a new, softer voice had urged him to answer the threat with justice, or some perversion of the ideal. So he'd ventured out, and found himself here surrounded by all the sorts of people he'd hoped to get away from.

Hood drawn over his head, and pale white mask over his face, the former Sith Lord entered the hall with the others. When the mixed bag of allegiances didn't all rush for the throats of one another, he was almost impressed, even more so when they'd moved into the facility together. When something finally happened and the black sludge came surging forth, he simply raised up a hand and stopped it mid flight, flinging the substance far away before wincing horribly, the pain radiating off his very presence. It was the first time he'd truly called on the force in a long while, and it felt as if he'd just torn open an old wound.

Perhaps those in tune with the force would sense it, perhaps they'd think him weak. They would be wrong. Letting out and exhale the man simply laid his eyes on the two doors ahead of them. He called out to the force for guidance, but alarmingly he could not find an answer, perhaps his connection was weaker, or perhaps it was something else. "I cannot sense the way. But we must choose a path all the same. Be it together or separately." He spoke up hoarsely, looking to [member="Muad Dib"] as the man proceeded through the first door without much of a word. Darkness radiated from the man, just as it did [member="Kor Vexen"], just as it did [member="Darth Lykos"], just as it did him. To be fair [member="Tmoxin Temi"]'s darkness was sensed by him as well, but anything or anyone deeper within the facility was a mystery to him. Regardless, he could only hope the other dark ones would follow another path.

Vindica said little else as the man made his way to the first door, casting a glance over at [member="HK-36"] whom he knew of, but could not recall if the two had ever truly met on the field of battle. It didn't matter now, he ironically trusted the droid not to stab him in the back more than he did any of the darksiders, hopefully he would follow after Vindica. Either way, the dark Jedi went through the second door and entered into the hall behind it.

Vaylin · Sep 16, 2017

Location: Maintenance Tunnels
Objective: Investigate the Facility
Team/Allies: Dark Side - Sith Empire

As Vaylin cautiously stepped down the shuttle's ramp, she couldn't help but feel tense. The whole situation reminded her of what happened with the Time Foundry. Being lured in, trapped and then left to whatever devices the attackers had left. It wasn't entirely the same, but it was enough to make her suspicious.

The fact there just so happened to be a maintenance entrance that was being overlooked? It didn't settle well in the Zabrak. Sure something like that could be overlooked, but she had a feeling it wasn't entirely so when it came to the Contingency.

All in all, it wasn't enough to completely stop her from following the lead, she still needed to pay them back for the people she had lost on the station.

The hidden message in the Holonet had been picked up by someone within the Sith Empire, then immediately distributed to the necessary people to get the various forces into action. Somewhere down the pipeline Vaylin was informed of it, whilst she was already in transit to somewhere else. It hadn't mattered what planet she was intended to explore right then, the moment she was able to hit groundside, she had turned right back around and followed the coordinates.

It had brought her to a dropship, one that had gradually been occupied with countless other individuals that seemingly had the same purpose as her. A number of them she recognised, both in and outside of the Sith Empire. Not long after she began to sense the presence of Jedi, Vaylin had to curtail the anger that was brewing within. It wouldn't do anyone any favours to suddenly lash out in such a crowded place.

Instead she pushed on, only to halt when the drones burst from their hiding spots and began to loom over the gathered. Vaylin's senses kicked into gear and she quickly turned around crouching. She felt the liquid splash across the back of her armour, although she could've sworn she felt a bit of it hit the back of her neck. Either way, it was soon over and she pushed on, eyes searching around for any familiar faces she could find.

[member="Onyx"] | [member="Zircon"]

Atlas Kane · Sep 16, 2017

Maintenance Tunnels -> Doorway #1, the one [member="Muad Dib"] entered.
Team Darkside | Sith Empire

Theme

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RM7MPrEdjw&

Telos IV, sometime before the Present.

Ba ... dum. Ba ... dum. Ba ... dum.

The sound of a beating heart, loud enough to drown out all other sounds, and pain that accompanied each note of this slow staccato melody. He felt the pressure of his hand pressed firmly against his forehead, fingers embedded in ashen hair, thumb and little finger massaging his temples in an attempt to quell the aching flesh out of sheer frustration. It did little to lessen the near-constant torture he endured as part of his seemingly cursed existence. The empty vials of pain-dulling chemicals were cluttering the small room he called home. The pain had been there consistently for weeks now, maybe even months. He couldn't tell, his perception of time's progression was blurry, just as all his senses were numbed as a result of his overuse of the chemical. It was a crutch he had to rely on, a necessary evil to make his waking hours (and his sleep) bearable.

He opened his eyes, the red-orange irises of his eyes almost burned brightly in the darkness of the night. He paced around the room a few times, attempting to find something other than the pain to focus his mind on. Lap after lap after lap he walked, yet he made no progress in his attempts. The pain had come to define his life, almost every action was a response to it in some way. He donned his mask and white robes quickly and left the room, out into the dimly lit streets of Telos IV's space station. Perhaps he would find a distraction here. The artificially fresh air smelled vastly different to the chemical-ridden mixture in his apartment. The pain spread as he walked, from the front of his head to the back, then down his spine. The muscles of his face began tensing.

"Mater Kane! Master Kane!" Someone called to him from behind. He ceased his movements and turned his head and upper body slightly to face the one who broke his sacred silence. A human, running towards Atlas, shorter, younger too. Imperial Intelligence.

"Master Kane, a report from the Sith, they sent me to relay it directly, they wished to keep it confidential." He said, attempting to catch his breath.

Ba ... dum. Ba .. dum. Ba dum. Ba-dum. Ba-dum. His eyes glared, almost burning, through the visor of his mask. They met the blue eyes of the human.

"S-something hap-happened in the Chiloon Rift. An incident of c-considerable d-danger, Master Kane." The human stammered, avoiding eye contact. He extended his arm, presenting a sealed envelope to the Sith. Slowly and deliberately he plucked it from the human's grasp. His eyes scanned the content. A battle? Droids? Incursion? The letter was quickly hidden inside his robes, legs resuming their action at a brisker pace. The human was wise enough not to pester the Sith.

_____________________________________________________________________

Unknown System, Present time.

The clang of boots on metal was all around him. Most attempted to keep quiet, some didn't, others were incapable of even attempting. He cared little, his footsteps adding to the quiet cacophony of sounds. His gaze was focused straightforward, his mind deeply in-tune with the Force. The usual pain was absent, a fresh red dot graced the side of his neck, hidden beneath the fabric of his white robes. The dim red lights painted it a muted fiery orange, the brazen plates appeared a darker shade of crimson. He paid little attention to the others, rarely glancing at those in his immediate vicinity, though they too were distant, as he maintained a good distance from all around him. Most remained silent. He appreciated that, at least. He marched on.

Then the silence hanging over the congregation of individuals was broken by a choir of piercing beeping. Atlas stood still as the drones awakened and floated, merely observing. The things appeared non-threatening, simple measures installed as detection devices. Then they all exploded in a most messy cloud of black fluid. A trap, then. The unguarded entrance to a corridor leading deeper into the facility had raised red flags in Atlas' mind, he had expected a trap. It was his intention to trigger it and confront whoever dared face one of the many prophets of the Dark Side gathered here. To answer this trap he quickly created a physical barrier between him and the goo, utilising the Force to do so. It wasn't perfect, he'd misjudged the liquid blanket's trajectory, some of it splashing against his feet. He groaned quietly. Many others didn't seem to have been as lucky as he had been. A shot broke the silence. He groaned again.

The group moved on. They entered a large chamber, brightly illuminated by a singular light, flanked by two doorways. He stood, just as many others did. Some broke their silence to speak, those too weak to be sensitive to the Force sought guidance from those who were. They would find no such kindness from Atlas. He ignored their pleas and the chatter from all those around him, simply stepping towards the doorways. Two others did the same. Atlas paused. The strangers approached the doorways, one entered the left, the other the right door. A smirk grew on Atlas' face, though it remained hidden beneath his featureless mask. At least some had a spine.

With a few quick steps he approached the doorway the first warrior, armoured in Mandalorian metal, had gone into. He paused at the doorway to peer into the darkness, in hopes of catching something, anything.

Ba ... dum. Ba ... dum. Ba ... dum.

Venthis Zambrano · Sep 16, 2017

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIfxo_Hs07I

Location: Maintenance Tunnels
Team: Dark Side

Venthis had eyes and ears in all reaches of the galaxy. He was a man with a reasonable amount of wealth, which allowed him to have a wide reach in the galaxy. Various agents worked for the Sith. Though usually, they would report little things, nothing major. Though for a particular reason he decided today of all days, he would check the little reports. Finding one, stating... co-ordinates, posted on the holonet. How peculiar?

It perked the attention of Venthis that much, he decided to head there as at the time he wasn't too far away. He started up the Corvette he was utilizing and headed to the signal. His crew members slightly bewildered to why he was taking them there, however, he was in charge.

The ship entered the unrecognized system, and Venthis was astonished by the amount of ships and vessels landing in the particular vicinity of the coordinates. His ship stood dormant in the atmosphere before he would exit on a small transport pod down to the surface. In his mind, he was excited. Who knew what this could be? Hopefully something worth his time. Using a transmitter, he would follow the beeping signals until he found where the gathering took place. His eyes would remain cautious, sensing the presence of Jedi. Then it clicked in his mind, the only reason Sith and Jedi would be stood together, The Contingency. A force he had met beforehand and understood they were not to be underestimated.

They all entered the tunnel. One which they would all be close enough, that any of them could feel a sharp puncture in their back and no one would know who it was. Venthis' hands lay on his lightsaber and the small dagger that laid holstered on the other side of his belt to his lightsaber. There was one he recognized, Darth Lykos. Though, the others were unknown to him. Little did it matter.

[SIZE=11pt]BVVVVVVVVP![/SIZE]

A horde of droids would fly out and spray a liquid all over the group. Venthis would instantly, turn away and wrap himself in the Force, struggling to do so. Pieces of him would remain, unprotected more specifically his left arm. He would turn and glance to the arm, frowning. "Ergh." He released, in annoyance.

Though before he could even attempt to wipe it off an almost blinding light would appear down the tunnel, causing his attention to swap. He marched down the hallway, along with the others until they found themselves before two doors. He would seemingly shift to the back of the group. He would rather see the others enter first before he did. No need to put himself out there anyway, there were Jedi here for that. If they could get themselves killed it would be easier for him.

[member="Zircon"] | [member="Onyx"]

Welcome To The Machine [Incursion PvE]

Two Faced

Clear or Clouded Our True Colors Always Show

The Iron Lord Protector (Neutral Good)

Ex-Major "Blitz"

The Dead God

Control

Pushy Little Dustbin

From The Shadows

Ylva Heavenshield

Guest

hippocratic fethin' oath

Blood Monarch

The Iron Lord Protector (Neutral Good)

Lord of Eternal Conflict

Paragon of Virtue

Master of Her Own Destiny

Machine or Man?

Fracti No Ultra

Moirai No More

Atlas Kane

Guest

Graveyard Shift

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