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Invasion Woken Furies | BotM Invasion of NIO held Nirauan


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NIO PAGE CLAIM
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IT'S GORY AT THE TOP
THE_IRON_MAIDEN
LORD EXECUTOR
Nephilim | "Doombringer" | Shockgaunts | Sidearm | Grenades
// Tegan Starfall Tegan Starfall \\

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'THE HELLHOUNDS' - 4/6
"Grenade!" it was Charlie's choosy vow of silence broken that torqued the Lord Executor's head, just as the proximity sensors implanted into her skull alerted her to the hostile action. Instinctively, she lunged toward him, throwing them both to the floor. The warbling explosion shattered the windows encircling their former perch, dislodged the flooring, and blasted chunks out of the walls they sought shelter by. Her systems glitched briefly, a flicker of disruption with the expulsion of energy. "Safe!" it wasn't until her comrade called again that she slid off him, twisting herself right back to a readied position.

The shatter of the windows released the bloody red clouds the Hellhounds had filled the floor with, sending them whipping away upon the winds, disrupting Strasza's original plan. Smoking the Sith out was no longer an option, however, the intruder had scrambled to a new position entirely. One that the cyborg had caught outright. Nostrils flaring beneath her helmet, the Lord Executor surged into the occupied office, racking a round into her heavy scattergun. "Another cockroach scurries somewhere it shouldn't be," she droned coldly, wrenching back the trigger to fire the first deafening shot now that she was face to face with the one responsible for a number of atrocities to her men and Empire.

ALLIES | NIO | Rurik Fel Rurik Fel Ragnar Bloodfist Ragnar Bloodfist Khroraic @IMSAAVEINA Djorn Bline Djorn Bline Keilara Kala'myr Keilara Kala'myr
FOES | BOTM | SITH | Kyrel Ren Kyrel Ren Jin Kyrel Jin Kyrel
 

Halketh

Libertas quae sera tamen



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JINN
DARK LORD OF THE SITH
DARTH CAELITUS
The Aegis of Woe | Ace | Lightsaber
The Perished | 6572/7000
GROUND ZERO - NEW CARANNIA
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At last, he had found a reason to draw his weapon for personal engagement, or so he considered. Someone, or something, was picking off his sorcerous devout one by one, and it was with ruthless efficiency. Had his madness not devoured his fear, perhaps sweat would have broken across his brow and his heart fluttered to his throat. Fear was something he had forsaken long ago, it was what unlocked his potential, what had created him. The Dark Lord combed his surroundings more intently, expanding his senses beyond his mortal coil to pulse dark energy with his position as the epicenter.

He sensed no presence. Nothing new, nothing murderously intense. Nothing marked by the silvered glow of the Light or grey neutrality. It was not an Imperial Knight, he suspected then, responsible for picking off his acolytes. His soldiers had not warned him of anything inbound directly for him, not close enough to be a concern yet at least, nor had the preternatural senses granted to him piqued. Whoever, or whatever it was, had effectively managed to find his true blind spot and was operating within it with calculated expertise. The lack of response and alert from his Perished was enough to fill in further blanks; this thing was not one of the living. It had no blood, no flesh, no air in its lungs. Nothing they craved to destroy and devour, and thus, it had effectively rendered them blind as well.

Knowing his enemy, as one of them upon a time, he wracked his knowledge of its shadowy underbelly. Its assassins. He knew of COMPNOR, enough to be wary of them, and there was one agent amongst them who stood out as a threat to him, one that he had fostered paranoia toward. She looked like one of them upon the surface, walked like one of them, even spoke like them, but she was a far cry from any living assassin. He had known it in the brief encounters he had suffered with her in passing. There was no life behind her mechanical motions. No human nature or instinct driving her forward, orchestrating her thoughts.

Rika Hiro Rika Hiro .

She was a machine, one tuned precisely for murder.

Beneath his gothic masque, the Dark Lord smiled broadly.

"Oooh? Now things are finally interesting..." he hummed aloud, twisting himself to waltz through an alleyway, baiting his hook.



ALLIES | BOTM | SITH | THE DARK SIDE | The Mongrel The Mongrel Zachariel Steelblood Zachariel Steelblood Laoth
FOES | NIO | DECEASED Erskine Barran DECEASED Erskine Barran Kolson Vrask Kolson Vrask Willan Tal Willan Tal Sturit Goan Sturit Goan Enedina Tal Rika Hiro Rika Hiro Alric Árheim Ortʹtʹo Mikla Ortʹtʹo Mikla Aemilio Valaar Aemilio Valaar Raus Garrat Shai Maji Shai Maji DECEASED Aron Gowrie DECEASED Aron Gowrie Alex Eldar Nukth Kelga'an Nukth Kelga'an Knight Knight Errant Errant Waymar Geyer Amaya Vollmond Amaya Vollmond

 
Ziare Dyarron
COMPNOR (ISB) Junior Agent, Nite agent
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Objective II: Hand of Thrawn
Location: Hand of Thrawn, Nirauana
Equipment: FS-18-UP2 Omega Phase Assault Rifle | 2x PV-16 "Sunfury" Pulse Pistol | Druetium Armour | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit | 2x Vibrodagger || Stealth field generator || OPBC-01m
Allies: Ragnar Bloodfist Ragnar Bloodfist | Djorn Bline Djorn Bline | Khroraic | Saaveina Saaveina | Noel Strasza Noel Strasza | Rurik Fel Rurik Fel
Enemies: Tegan Starfall Tegan Starfall | Darth Solipsis Darth Solipsis | Kyrel Ren Kyrel Ren | Jin Kyrel Jin Kyrel | Darth Mori | Lord Letifer Lord Letifer | Zori Kapshan Zori Kapshan
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[ Planet Hell ]
"Galactic Basic" | ~"Telepathic" communication ~ | << comm. channel >>

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I was already two corridors away when the turbolift arrived at this level, according to a MANIAC report. I ran past quite a few doors, I didn't see a nameplate on any of them. None of the doors opened. To tell you the truth, I had no idea what floor I could be on. I was just sure they could control covert operations from here. In a better case. Worse case, I don’t think I want to know.

Deep sounds as the metallic boots met the metallic floor. The noise of these haunted me as I ran. The next moment, however, I stopped and was unable to move. I could feel the cold sweat running down my back, the line of my spine, and my face, starting from my forehead. My heart rate also rose rapidly and I began to gasp. Another panic attack, following the cries of the marauders.

Just like at Lao-Mon when I wanted to escape. The same shouts as they tried to scout their victims. Now they could hunt me again. Then there I failed to escape, and not even my suicide attempt. The traces of my teeth and the place of the tear were still there on my wrist. I tried to move, but the dread still forced me into this situation with an iron grip.

~ Miss Dyarron, it would be time to move forward, the enemy getting closer. And based on your body's reactions, you don't want to be caught again. ~ said MANIAC.

It is very, very easy to say! To do it, it was less easy. Move, move Ziare! I tried to break the damn circle. I clenched my teeth and tried to step. I could hear the marauders behind me getting closer and closer behind me. The scanners said they were very close.

My leg finally moved. It was a huge relief. The first steps were very difficult, but after about five or six steps I was already running. Two more corners and I finally reached the next turbolift and the entrance to the staircase next door.

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Mogra'teksa Mogra'teksa

Maestus Bracer Shield
Dragon Shield Talisman
Maestus Fury

Damn! No sooner had the opposing Lethan taken notice of Maestus, she let loose the blinding flash of light. She was able to close her eyes and turn her head, but not before some of the blast dazzled her vision, rendering her momentarily blind.

Maestus knew she had no time to waste. If Mogra'teksa Mogra'teksa was worth her salt, she was not going to wait and just give Maestus vision time to clear. No, when you have the upper hand in battle, you press that advantage for all it is worth. It's what Maestus would do...No mercy. So she expected the same from her opponent.

After the explosion of light, Maestus took a couple deep breaths and did not open her eyes. Fool me once and all that. This Jedi was tricksy, and she would do well to remember that. That ballsiness invigorated her. Perhaps this would be a worthy battle, a worthy foe. Perhaps it would be glorious.

Keeping her eyes closed, she quickly attuned her sight with the Dark Side of the Force. True, she lacked the calm that a Jedi would have when using this technique. But what she lacked in calm, she more than made up for in strength of will. And her will to live was extremely high.

She smiled faintly in Mogs direction as she settled into an open stance. Legs shoulder width apart for a good balance base. Arms and shoulders loose and ready. Her head, eyes closed, tilted towards Mogs and slightly upward.

Idly, she wonder if this is how Halketh Halketh feels all the time. She will have to converse with him about it.

I abhor generalities. I am Maestus, you may refer to me by my name. Now, remember you manners and introduce yourself.

Maestus drew no weapon, yet. She did lift a hand to eye level, and began moving her fingers slowly. Rhythmically. Mogs would be able to feel a chill descend upon them both. It was a cold that seeped under the skin and impeded itself deep, into the bones.

In her mind, Mogs could feel tiny little vibrations as Maestus worked her dark arts. The vibrations were innocent enough at first, painless. As time passed, the vibrations became stronger, more powerful. Until they reached a crescendo, exploding inside Mogs mind as Maestus unleashed Memory Walk upon her Lethan enemy..

She waited then, rife with anticipation. She wanted to hear and learn of her enemy. Her fears, embarrassments. Maestus wanted it all.
 

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KNIGHT OF THE EMPIRE
IMPERIAL KNIGHT ARMOUR | Dual Lightsabres
Engaging: Darth Tennacus Darth Tennacus
Weapons of the Empire: Rurik Fel Rurik Fel - Mogra'teksa Mogra'teksa - Saaveina Saaveina - Errant Errant - Khroraic - Waymar Geyer
Ignatius Ignatius - Lucien Dooku Lucien Dooku

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The Force worked in whimsical ways. One day, a warrior's perception would see all that would threaten him. It'd show him the visual of an enemy making a move before the thought, reflex, even instinct even fired. And then on other days, it left them blind, barely capable of fighting off another opponent outside of martial skill. The miasmic energy field was a wondrous thing that could never be truly quantified, never truly anticipated, for it was the Force's gift that allowed its users to elevate above the common sentient.

His sabers scorching burns tread a path through the Sith's jacket and across his back. To his credit, he did not retreat from the onslaught of the Imperial Knight this time. He remained still, and for the briefest of seconds it caused a question, but who was he to hesitate if an enemy was blinded by the mesmerizing sight of interlinked Warriors of the Force executing their empire's will? Pain seemed to be the required chemical reaction to kick the Sith's senses back into motion.

Ragnar was already in the midst of pivoting back around to face the Sith - silent this time. He need make no mockery of the Sith any longer. Destruction of their empire had led them to passivity, and that was more than enough insult to those of his former Creed seriously.

Nose flaring, he sensed the retooling of pain into fuel, and in his minds eye he saw the crack of lightning once more consuming him. He was ready, and as another hand fell from the saberstaff, Ragnar kept it aloft to summon the Force in a shield of his own, though... It was more akin to a bubble.

Silver translucent energy leapt up from the ground to meet the Sith's lightning storm. Not around him, no, but around the Sith Lord himself as Ragnar enacted the protection bubble. Some of the bifurcating currents were quick enough to lance out and strike him, and the lightning struck the armoured bulwark that was his chest piece, forcing him backwards across the ground - though remaining steadfast. The flesh was charred underneath, and even through use of the Force, the muted pain was felt underneath.

But still, the bubble surrounded the Sith Lord, his own lightning used against him as it cracked, thundered, and ricocheted off the energy bubble that the Horned Knight entrapped him in.
 
NPC Storyteller
  • Shi'ido Fleshtakers conduct mild sabotage on Fort Imperium's air defenses
    • They introduce a tiny targeting delay to give Alars Keto Alars Keto 's ship an opening



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Interlude: The Changeling's Tale
DECEASED Erskine Barran DECEASED Erskine Barran | Alric Árheim | Alars Keto Alars Keto

First Lieutenant Dawson Bentley, the Junior Garrison Adjutant at Fort Imperium, conducted himself throughout the brutal conflict as any proud soldier of the New Imperial Order should. He showed no fear as the Mawites descended in their devastating crash assault, and he accepted his superiors' decision to use artillery lay waste to the city he had lived in for years in order to stall their advance. He did not flinch when street-fired rockets began to fall on Fort Imperium itself, no matter how close the detonations got. And when the walls of the fort were opened, a small but tactically significant breach blasted into them, he still held strong under pressure.

There was only one problem. Dawson Bentley had been dead for several weeks.

In the aftermath of the conflict, as rubble was cleared away from the countless leveled buildings and blasted streets, a corpse would be discovered in the sub-basement of a nearby apartment building. The body had been tied to a chair with thick durasteel cables, and was covered in burns, welts, and lacerations. By the look of it, the unfortunate man had been brutally tortured over the course of a week or more, the heavy duracrete ceiling and out of the way location preventing anyone from hearing his screams. Given the length of the torture, it seemed the young man had held out for quite some time before he bent to his torturer's will.

But in the end, Dawson Bentley had told them everything. He had taught someone how to wear his skin.

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The "Dawson Bentley" present at Fort Imperium on the day of the Mawite attack, then, was not the real one. His true name - or her true name, in this case - was Elahi Pahlon, and she was a Shi'ido Fleshtaker. Years ago now, when the Brotherhood of the Maw had first invaded the jungles of her homeworld, she and her family had tried to escape he brutal marauders. She had shapeshifted time and again to evade them - into a nondescript tree, a scurrying rodent, a swift avian. But in the end, their nets and tranquilizer darts had brought her down, and she had been dragged back to the black stone keep at Goshen War Camp to be remade.

The torture she had experienced there made the horrors she'd wrought on Bentley look like mild tickling.

Over the course of an entire year, Elahi had been stripped down to her basest parts. They had taken her memories, her personality, her whole sense of self, and had left behind only what was useful to them: her shapechanging ability, her talent for mimicking the faces and voices of others. It wasn't the pain that got to her, in the end, but the utter despair of knowing that she was totally helpless. No one was coming to save her, and the Brotherhood would not let her die. The torture would go on and on, physical and mental, day in and day out. There was only one escape: to give in, to do what they wanted, to become a servant of the Maw.

In the end, she did. They all did. What point was there in endless suffering for a lost cause?

The Brotherhood promised paradise to all who served their dark gods, and that paradise became the only light left in Elahi's life. It was the promise of a brand new galaxy, one where she would be reborn - free of chains, free of the agonies that wracked her body, free of the equally agonizing fragments of memories of who she had once been: mother, teacher, Shi'ido. She and her pod of infiltrators - for Fleshtakers always worked in pods of three - clung to this foreign faith when nothing else was left for them. Across their many missions, assassinations and thefts and espionage and sabotage, they prayed for worthy deaths to release them.

Maybe today, whispered the mad voice in the back of Elahi's mind. It whispered that every day.

She had ambushed Bentley on his way back to barracks after having dinner with his mother, some mid-price downtown restaurant becoming the last place he would ever see. She'd scouted the sub-basement of a nearby apartment in the Pellaeon District days earlier, disposing of the janitor who kept his supplies down there. He lived alone, in the low-income apartments of Pellaeon, always rundown; no one would note his lack of cleaning for weeks. Then she'd dragged the poor Lieutenant down there, blindfolded, and gone to work on him. It had been a full day of torture before she'd even asked him any questions, letting his helplessness set in before she began.

She had learned her craft from the Taskmaster himself. She was an expert in breaking prisoners.

Step by bloody, brutal step, Elahi coaxed it all out of him: his daily routine, his responsibilities, his friends and comrades, his access codes. He tried to deceive her only once, and the deception failed instantly. Her two podmates had also captured low-ranking officers, people who were on a few days' leave like Bentley was, and would not be immediately missed so long as their faces were seen around town. Every scrap of information they gave up was cross-referenced with the confessions of the other captives, and if it did not match up, there was punishment. By the end, Bentley was begging to tell her the truth, sobbing out broken apologies. He'd never lied to her again.

Elahi practiced impersonating him over the course of the week, using what he gave her to take his form and interact with his friends and family. She read all the subtle cues that told her if she acted just a bit off, amending her mannerisms and routine. Her natural shapeshifting abilities came with a certain Force presence that covered minor missteps through a sort of mind trick, the ability that made Shi'ido the greatest of all the galaxy's shapeshifters. When she had used that and all the information he had spilled to truly master impersonating him, Dawson Bentley was no longer useful. She gave him a clean death, severing his spinal cord with her molecular razor.

Shock took him instantly, putting an end to the Lieutenant's long week of suffering.

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On the day of the Mawite attack, just like over the weeks before it, Elahi gave no sign that anything was amiss in the life of Dawson Bentley. The First Lieutenant performed his duties as Junior Barracks Adjutant with the same dedication and precision he always had, in no way causing trouble for the NIO response to the Brotherhood's landing. That was not the Fleshtaker's designated assignment. Everything progressed just as it would have if Bentley himself had been the one wearing his skin, right up until the breach in Fort Imperium's walls opened. At that moment, Bentley quietly slipped away from his post, heading back toward the center of the fort.

If questioned, Elahi had a dozen credible reasons ready. An adjutant's role could take him most anywhere.

The Fleshtaker knew the way to go; she had practiced this route a dozen times over the past two weeks, and now, with the fort's defenders largely occupied by the wall breach, it was even easier to walk it uninterrupted. Her path took her around a maze of bunkers and barracks buildings, the inner defenses of Fort Imperium, until she reached her target: an air defense battery, keeping the skies clear of Mawite forces and intercepting incoming Mongrel's Howl missiles with powerful point defense lasers. The spaceport's big guns were not the only defenders of New Carannia's airspace. The fort had a defense grid all its own, military-grade and powerful.

There was no way to completely destroy it, of course. The NIO was far too careful to miss someone, even one of their own officers, smuggling detonite inside the fort's walls, so explosives had been out of the question. But even the Maw could be subtle when it needed to be, as the rise of the Death Cults outside had already proven. When Elahi reached the battery, one of several watching over the fort, her two podmates had already arrived. They wore the skins of other junior officers, allowing the three of them to appear to be in conference about ammunition and other logistics. In truth, each of them carried a few electronic components, pieces of a larger device.

The three of them were well accustomed to working together, and it took them less than a minute to assemble the computer spike. Under the guise of checking power consumption, Elahi approached the control terminal... and slid the spike into place. There was no grand explosion or sudden, juddering lack of power. That would have been too obvious, letting the enemy onto the Mawites' plans. Instead, the little virus merely introduced a tiny delay into the targeting data feed, less than a second, the kind of thing it would take a Givin mathematician to detect. The exact delay that had been coordinated with Alars Keto Alars Keto 's incoming starship, payload at the ready as it streaked over New Carannia.

It would buy the ship only an instant... but perhaps long enough to unleash the Brotherhood's secret weapon.

With their task complete, the three Fleshtakers simply returned to their posts, resuming the lives they had stolen. They coordinated and supplied and relayed messages. They were even ready to join the fight, to use their sidearms to gun down onrushing marauders, if it came to that. The grand deception was everything, the plots within plots that they held within their broken minds all still in play. There might be security doors to open, or shields to sabotage, or commanders to kill, if the right opportunity fell into place. Or perhaps they would be discovered somehow, make some error. They were not warriors. Without stealth, they would die.

Maybe today, whispered the voice in Elahi's mind. Maybe today she would go to paradise at last.


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Auria Blackmoore

Guest
A

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ALLIES: Konrad Harrsk Konrad Harrsk (apparently he is one now) | NIO
ENEMIES: BOTM
| NSO
ENGAGING: Jester
GEAR: Not a dress and even a gun

Oo~~>CAUGHT IN THE FIRE<~~oO

Suit systems were starting to flash warnings.

Auria could not understand why the Darkness within the man's mind had backfired so badly. She walked neither the Light nor the Dark planes of existence. By all accounts, she should have brushed it off. She had braced against it, after all. Yet it seemed that the sheer chaos and hatred that drove this scarred man forward had been more than she had bargained for.

If she survived this, she had to get some kind of anchor to hold onto when she did chit like that.

Not that consciousness wanted to work with her so well at the moment as shivers ran up and down through her in waves, the HUD complaining all the way. Bloody technology and its inability to cope with temperature issues. Yet she strained to keep awake to able to hear the satisfying song of Konrad's sword do it's work on the stranger.

But it never came.

Instead...

"Aargh! Damn you, woman, and your fickle nature."
What?
The next moment, the domino mask was in front of her mumbling complaints. She almost did not have enough presence of mind or strength to portest.

Almost.

"P-put me d-down, f-fool!" she shivered with indignation as she was unceremoniously potato-bagged before being crashed through a window. She couldn't see chit through her fogged up visor while hanging over his shoulder. All she knew was the fall wasn't far and the springs in the Buckethead's knees worked well.

What the hell besieged him to throw directives to the wind?

"Should've let that blasted rancor eat you."
Through her haziness, a sharp jab hit her thigh. She was going to fry his bloody...

The effect of the mix surging through her cold body was almost instantaneous.
"What the hell did you give me?!" she barked as she stumbled to her feet while heated adrenaline spread through her veins while she ripped the complaining helmet from her head. "As for the damn rancor, I should have let it smash you into a more solid tree. Why the feth is that shabuir still alive?" she growled at him, resorting to Mando'a insults once more while it took her a few tries before finally conjuring flames within her hands once more.

She wondered how long it would take the Dark being to reach them.

No more memory walks. They were outside.

If she couldn't burn his Dark ass, she would let the rest of the elements do their job.

Hopefully they do it better than the Butterhead that saved her life.

The irony of the situation was not lost on her.

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Location: Nirauan, New Carannia
Allies: Zachariel Steelblood Zachariel Steelblood | Halketh Halketh | Tor’r Tal’Verda Tor’r Tal’Verda | Maestus Maestus | Khamul Kryze Khamul Kryze | Alars Keto Alars Keto
Foes: DECEASED Erskine Barran DECEASED Erskine Barran | Kolson Vrask Kolson Vrask | Ortʹtʹo Mikla Ortʹtʹo Mikla | Aemilio Valaar Aemilio Valaar | Alric Árheim | Sephi Karneh Sephi Karneh
Nukth Kelga'an Nukth Kelga'an | Mogra'teksa Mogra'teksa | Aurelian Sigismund Aurelian Sigismund | Willan Tal Willan Tal | Sturit Goan Sturit Goan | DK-03 DK-03
Raus Garrat | DECEASED Aron Gowrie DECEASED Aron Gowrie | Errant Errant | Gabriel Taggart Gabriel Taggart | Shai Maji Shai Maji | Alex Eldar | Alora Vizsla Alora Vizsla
Knight Knight | Rika Hiro Rika Hiro | Dante Corvus Dante Corvus | Fiolette Fortan | Julian Qar Julian Qar

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  • The Mongrel, badly damaged, drags himself over to Sephi Karneh Sephi Karneh
    • He attempts to grab her and break her with a cybernetic punch
  • Mawite forces largely withdraw from Saffia to reinforce the assault on Fort Imperium
    • Remaining forces in Saffia lay mines and set up ambush points to slow down the walkers
  • The remaining street artillery keeps trying to clear the horde a path
  • The diminished horde charges the breach, finally crashing into NIO lines


The staccato thump - boom - thump - boom of the micro-grenade launcher filled the alleyway like some kind of ultraviolent metronome, further scattering the ashes and rubble that had become of New Carannia. The Mongrel fired from his knees, sweeping his opened palm back and forth across the alleyway; if the randomly-targeted bursts didn't kill his foe, they might at least buy him the time and space he needed to get back to his feet. Damage readouts flashed across the insides of his cybernetic eyes, urgent and blaring.

There were few parts of his chassis that weren't flashing red.

This was the warlord's brutal reminder that he was no Jedi. A mere trooper, a soldier of the NIO with a good arsenal and a misplaced belief in her stagnant government, had all but shattered a cybernetic form he had come to believe was invincible. He had become arrogant, and the Avatars had seen fit to humble him, to remind him that he was still only just a man. If he behaved like a demigod, if he acted on the assumption of invulnerability and unconquerable strength, he would suffer for it. The Maw did not abide the delusions of mortals.

If he wanted to survive this, if he wanted to fight once more beside his warriors and lead them on their glorious charge to victory or death, he needed to remember the old lessons. He needed to remember how to fight like a sand fly stinging a great ronto, a little creature of flesh and blood against a demigod. For was the industrial, high-tech military might of the NIO any less overwhelming a challenge to the chaotic hordes of the Maw than the Jedi sorcerers? These Imperials had broken the back of the Sith Empire itself, torn down those gods.

He'd been a fool to underestimate even the least of them.

Boom. He caught her that time, pulverizing her cover with the latest micro-grenade and throwing her back through the ruined building in a burst of duracrete fragments. The Mongrel stared at her, lying there in the rubble, and wondered if he had finally, actually killed her. But no; his sensor-enhanced vision detected life signs, and there was a faint rise and fall to her chest. She was broken, blood seeping from her cuts and scrapes, but still breathing. He could take no chances with that, not after she - already badly wounded - had almost ended him.

Click. His micro-grenade launcher was empty, its full clip spent in the frantic barrage. His other integrated weapons systems were among those flashing red on his retinal readout, disabled by the terrible damage her wrist rocket had wrought upon him. If he wanted this finished, he was going to have to see to it by hand. Spitting out a fresh torrent of the thick black lubricant that had replaced his blood, The Mongrel tried to regain his feet... and found that he could not. His leg, already damaged at the knee, had been too badly twisted in the fall.

But he had not become who he was by letting such things stop him.

Reaching out with his giant arms, his durasteel fingers punching handholds into the cracked duracrete pavement, The Mongrel dragged himself toward his foe. Hand over hand he pulled his colossal body across the rubble-strewn alley, his blackened and dented chassis throwing off sparks, leaving a trail of viscous oil in his wake. His right leg spasmed, helping to push him along in uneven fits and starts; his left dragged behind him like a drooping tail. Within his ruined face, the synthskin peeling back from the metal, crimson eyes burned.

They stayed locked on Sephi, his hated foe, his target.

The Mongrel reached her at last, slumped against the far wall. He managed to draw himself up into a sort of crouch, leveraging the wall and his one semi-functional leg, so that he could loom over the trooper. "You fought well," he thundered... though the was an undercurrent in his voice, a mechanical whine that betrayed internal damage. "A pity that the Avatars allow only their faithful into the Galaxy To Come." With one hand he reached out, trying to grab her around the torso. The other he cocked back, balling it into a massive fist.

He would finish this by shattering her with a single blow.

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The city burned, and the Mawites burned with it.

Beneath the ongoing hammering of Task Force Kingsman's bombing runs, covered by NIO air defenses and unopposed by the preoccupied Mawite fleet, the dwindling marauder force suffered and died. They had no good counters to the enemy air support, nor to the walkers now taking the field. Their traditional support - raging warbeasts and scavenged armor - could not fit into their crash-entry ships, nor could the hordes of Moon Children who had screened their more valuable troops from immediate harm in so many prior battles.

And their champions were occupied in the Hand of Thrawn.

Denied these advantages, the hordes found their numbers steadily dwindling. If their task had been simply to turn to guerrilla warfare, laying low and forcing the NIO to clear them block by block in brutal bursts of ambush fighting, they might have held out for days, even weeks... but that would not have brought them true victory, nor delivered the message that the Dark Voice wished to send. And so, by the command of their prophet, they charged Fort Imperium. They would spend the last of their flagging strength to earn victory or death.

Whatever the outcome, of course, New Carannia was rubble.

As Knight Knight and Nukth Kelga'an Nukth Kelga'an coordinated and consolidated their forces, they began to encounter fewer and fewer Mawites across the Saffia District. It wasn't just casualties that were causing it, though the bodies of dead marauders were piled high in the ruined streets; it was a tactical withdrawal to the southwest. The effort to claim the caches of smuggled vehicles had come to an end; with Fort Imperium's walls breached, it was simply no longer a priority. Instead, every available Scar Hound unit was en route to assault the fort.

Those who remained had but one task: to bog down the Imperial walkers as much as they could, hopefully keeping them from hitting the force assault the fort in the rear. The Scav Kings led the surviving marauders in the effort, laying anti-vehicle mines in the cratered streets and taking up heavy weapons positions in ruined buildings. They fell back from 26th North just as they had from 73rd, but they didn't fall back far. As soon as the enemy walkers moved out, they would fire on them with everything, missiles and grenades and concussion blasts.

It might not be enough to stop them, but it could slow them down.

The Mawite street artillery, hovering at the edge of the Myrmidon Quarter, kept up much the same pattern as before: fire, move to evade, repeat. They peppered the stretch of defenders between the charging horde and the inner fort with their screaming rockets, sending blood-red trails across the sky... and then fled, hoping (often in vain) to evade the retaliation of Task Force Kingsman's air support when their positions were revealed. Nor was this the only incoming threat, for Ortʹtʹo Mikla Ortʹtʹo Mikla was also on the hunt now, streaking toward them.

They would have to hope their impact had been enough.

Charging through the flames and rubble those strikes had left behind came the full remaining strength of the Scar Hounds, baying Firefang Wardogs at the fore, mighty Scav Kings in their battleframes leading plasma-wielding Tarar Warbands, a horde of eager Aspirants surrounding them. It was a ragged force, men and women who would be true veterans if they survived the day, both strengthened by experience and haunted by grim memories of exploding shells and dying comrades. To bolster them from all sides came the Perished.

For those dead comrades weren't necessarily gone just yet.

Onward they rushed, gaining speed and momentum, for a Mawite army was most powerful on the charge. All of them waited eagerly for the great clash, the crash of bodies against one another, the crack of weapons and the screams of those who fell beneath their marching feet. But all of them expected that, be it in a minute or an hour, they would enter paradise that day. The last great charge of Mawite warriors against entrenched NIO forces, years ago now on Csilla, had failed to break their lines... and this charge had been weakened.

The odds were against them, but they showed no fear.

There was still one hope, of course, one contingency that the Brotherhood had prepared in case all other plans were brought to a halt by the stalwart resistance of the New Imperial Order. It was the reason that each marauder had been issued a special piece of equipment, one to be used if the signal was given and this final scheme employed. The plan rested on the broad, bloodstained shoulders of Alars Keto Alars Keto , who even now approached New Carannia. Perhaps he could give them just enough advantage. Perhaps he could turn the tide.

Crash. The warriors met, and the killing began afresh.
 
Sergeant, Walker Pilot

"As you say." responded the commander of the Shadow AT-AT. The four blaster cannons continued to bombard the Mawite positions down the street, doing their best to go after any 'oddball' infantry or support units that could threaten the more conventional forces of Banshee. Meanwhile the AT-RT took a few tentative steps forward as Knight withdrew the macrobinoculars again as he heard Nukth's voice in his helmet "That may not be needed." he responded as he brought the device into focus. It seemed the assault in this part of the city had crumbled at the arrival of the Specter of Night which was a welcome surprise to be sure "They're retreating..." Knight relayed to Nukth and the AT-AT crew "We believe you're right. From our vantage they seem to be leaving in a hurry."

Knight turned the AT-RT to face the APC and then had the walker trot towards the stricken vehicle "If your shield generator is shot I don't know if you can repair it, have you contacted Recovery?" he asked while looking over the battered frame of the personnel carrier "Specter of Night seizing the advantage." came the stern voice of Commander Dorne. Sure enough the jet black AT-AT began to lumber down the street. Its large 'feet' crushing through makeshift barriers and the dead "Copy that Commander." Knight replied while looking over his shoulder at the hulking war machine "I have to get me one of those." the pilot whimsically commented to Nukth.

Moments later as Knight tried his best to aid in the repairs of the APC the AT-RT's comm began to buzz and a familiar voice overlaid by static exclaimed "Er'kit, Specter of Knight, enemy anti-vehicle weaponry on our position." the static became louder, most likely from the AT-AT being struck by one of the Mawite missiles "-Armor holding buzzz Contin- vrrrz Fort-" the rest of the transmission was so buried by static it was impossible to decipher. Knight stood from his crouched position by one of the engineering compartment panels and looked to Nukth "Sounds like they found something." as he clapped his hands together to clean them off he went to the AT-RT. Putting a foot on the bent knee of the walker and hoisting himself up by grabbing onto a reinforcing bar he was able to pull himself into the seat without much difficulty.
 

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FIFTH POST
THE_TUATH
WILDCAT BATTALION

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OBJECTIVE 1: GROUND ZERO

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Willan Tal Willan Tal Shai Maji Shai Maji Alex Eldar Sturit Goan Sturit Goan Gabriel Taggart Gabriel Taggart

BOTM: The Mongrel The Mongrel
Zachariel Steelblood Zachariel Steelblood Alars Keto Alars Keto
Tor'r Tal'Verda Tor'r Tal'Verda Maestus Maestus
Khamul Kryze Khamul Kryze


ARON'S LOADOUT
OFFICER-ISSUE DISRUPTOR PISTOL
VIBROSWORD CAVALRY-SABRE

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TUATHA'S WRATH: NEW SWORD, NEW MAN - PART 7
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NORTH PELLAEON DISTRICT,
NEW CARANNIA, NIRAUAN (868 ABY)

'Yes, Saffia,'


The dryness of Aemilio's reply hadn't escaped Alun's notice, as it seemed to hint that the young Lieutenant had other, grander plans after the eastward push had served it's purpose, such that may have been easier for the Woad to piece together in his mind if he had caught what Valaar was saying on the matter; but through the sensory hellishness that was their curving northeast advance, Reed found himself unable to hear his friend's inquiry into the matter of the Myrmidon Quarter, nor of his inquiry into the matter of evacuations from the same district. However, it wouldn't be long until the Commoner-Captain's eyes returned to the holographic plinth, as certain inbound distractions would find themselves facing a wall of AFV, rotary-cannon and Disruptor-LMG fire in the midst of their conversation, guaranteed to clear through anything in order to get back to the brainstorm at hand.

As the first of the opposing elements to the perpetual eastward advance made their attempts to halt the aggressing Imperial formation, the conversation would switch to the current state of political affairs in general, understanding that if it had not been for the rather lacklustre efforts of most Bastion-Accords factions who dared feign full involvement to those who put everything on the line every time, then the defence of the Imperium's frontier planets may very well have gone much more smoothly. 'With the allies we got ourselves, this war'll take a lot longer than it should,', Valaar added, saying exactly what was on everyone's minds at the time. Though many of the previous Imperator's edicts had been suspended outright, and publicly at that, everyone in AFV One who could hear him (both the Woads and Valaar's subordinates) understood that Aemilio's opinions had a foreshadowing none dared articulate yet, being of pay-grades low enough to know they would be speaking out of turn and trying not to spoil their chances of living through future glories at the same time.

'HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! BELTER!!!! No lie detected!'

'We ay'ways did fare better against foes we faced without help after all - beating the Zambranos soundly aw'ready afore the Ashlans arrived, mind?', the Commoner-Captain weighed in, understanding history well enough to know that Tavlar's legacy found itself marred by the poor willpower of the NIO's allies eventually, gritting his teeth as he recalled Lao-Mon, Ziost 2 and 3, Csilla and Korriban's end results. In each and every battle, the Imperial part was played to resoundingly successful extremes, only to be marred by the slow, fearful and short-lived efforts of the other Bastion-Accords factions, undoing all of the NIO's hard-fought progress and forcing the Imperial contingents to retreat without recovering subordinates' corpses, scrap and unused ordnance as a result of their allies' failings. Enough strategic defeats like that would sour any faction's perception of their so-called allies, and if it looked like the Imperials' arrays hadn't instilled any confidence in those who struggled against the darkness each time, everyone knew that it would have the same effect on the Imperials who held the line and won their engagements on each and every occasion, but intensified to contrastingly volatile extremes.

'Well, oor allies had some moments of use - but,"Some", won't ever be enough for factions who throw every last resource into the struggle. If its mostly just let-down after let-down, then there's really nae point in letting such elements grift on our hard work.... Well, that's my two-credits. I best get back to it anyway, can't be letting autopilot do all the work. An' certainly no here of aw places!'

Perpetually aware of the immediate situation as it unfolded around them, everyone onboard AFV One within earshot would find themselves returning to their tasks or viewports after taking Corporal Muir's cue to resume their main functions, especially after realizing how close they were getting to the Maw's crash-site; and in seeing how stubborn the opposition was looking set to be already, the urgency of their task would increase exponentially. However, both Reed and Valaar would return their gazes to the holographic plinth once more, taking every possible opportunity to keep up to date on the wider battle as it progressed into the night. Pointing the Woad-born commoner northwards to expand the display over the ground they were expecting to cover, the young survivor of Bastion's darkest days explained,'We ought to split the forces before we hit proper resistance. Some to the North, through the suburbs, and punch through whatever's waiting for us.', making his suggestion as concise as he could, understanding that time and luck were still stacking up against them.

'Givin' 'em the ol',"Mongrel's Hill" treatment, aye? Heh! Winnin' formula, so I obviously approve! Nostalgia, strategy, an' unbridled ultraviolence.... Dreamlike, utterly dreamlike.'

<"Reed to Guardian One! Get ready to split off, flat-ground Mongrel's Hill action! Further orders impending!">

<"Copy that, sir. I'll just latch onto the main thrust like last time - making you an' Valaar the best choices for spearheadin' the left prong of oor manoeuvre. Guardian One out!">

The native of Ravelin would then point the native of Milton-on-Westcape to the Myrmidon Quarter, silently prompting the other commander to expand over the eastern corner as his eyes narrowed at the (already easy to see) sight of the carnage at the artillery-breach, and as soon as the holographic enhancement had gotten to a comprehensible scale, it became apparent that a desperate fight for the district had been underway for a while. Bodies were piling up, with some returning as grey undead blips in the process, though it seemed that Erskine's defence of the Myrmidon Quarter was still going well for the most part; orange and grey Mawite blips were disappearing in rapid succession still, and the duracrete rubble threshold had not yet been crossed, but seeing the odds that were stacked against the Lord-General had both Valaar and Reed more than a little concerned for a moment. Peering around the holographic display, Alun would widen his eyes but held up a placating hand for a moment before admitting,'I don't think he's making it out o' that one alive, Valaar. But he's chosen to go out this way, and in the process, taken all the worst pressure off the rest of us- so I suggest we let 'im, at least for now.'

'As much as I enjoy disagreeing just to piss aff the Captain - I'm inclined ti agree on this one!'

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TUATHA'S WRATH: NEW SWORD, NEW MAN - PART 8
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NORTH PELLAEON DISTRICT,
NEW CARANNIA, NIRAUAN (868 ABY)


'Always, sir!'

Responding to the Lord-Colonel's rather excited question, it became fairly obvious that the excited anticipation of the mayhem they had been hoping for was clear and present in his new Mandalorian acquaintances, especially Krayt, stepping up to play the part of company-commander to well-vocalised standards as any in her position ought to. However, Shai would step up with a particular request in mind, one that Lord Aron would find impossible to deny as she asked,'Sir, with all due respect, I'd like to be out there with my men and my second in command by my side. Permission for us to join up with our unit?'. Lord Aron didn't like it, nor did he approve of the timing in which the request had been made, but the Kellas knew he had no real choice in the matter, realizing also that he'd fall into the realm of hypocrisy in refusing or even lecturing the Mandalorian commanders on such matters.

'They're getting killed out there while we're in here. That's not how we roll, sir.'

Though he understood the sincerity, the will to fight alongside their own with blaster-trails flying past their heads, and to be there for those who were falling without their commanders in sight, Colonel Gowrie was in no way impressed that he'd have to direct the supporting units in ways they were seemingly dead in the water without. He was hoping their abilities would transfer well to map-holographic coordination, but it seemed that the sensory overload had the holographic-plinth as far from their mind as one might expect from dealing with heavy enemy barrages from within the hull what was fast-becoming their makeshift armoured-transport, showing very quickly that it was very likely for the best if Krayt and Eldar commanded and fought in closer proximity to their subordinates, a sign of which that it would be a few years yet before such individuals were in the right headspace to strategize and coordinate in the same way the Tuath had for almost four years by that point.

'We want to fight, sir.', the young Commander concluded, knowing there was no use in overcooking a well-spoken request, knowing that self-confidence in their choice would be looked on more kindly than any appeal to the Kellas' inner ethos and pathos alike. Lord Aron's glare would dart back and forth between Shai's and Alex's eyes as he formulated a workable plan, irritated that they wouldn't be participating in the vanguard's close-quarters attack when the lines eventually clashed, though pleased to know what sort of soldier he'd be directing hither and yon as the southward push progressed. Further adding to the Mandalorians' good fortune, Gowrie believed that despite their shortcomings in the ways of complex ground-warfare tactics, there would still come a day when they would reap all the endless benefits that holographic-supervision had to give them - making inward peace with this fact, Lord Aron would subconsciously promise himself to help them survive long enough to learn the ways of the archetypal grand-strategist.

'Eldar, left flank - an' stick t'the rooftops! Krayt, right flank - but stick t'the alleyways an' side-streets, aw'right? Ye both need t'pick up as much momentum as yees can, an' aw the way t'the spaceport....'

Pausing to grab them by their helmets so he could pull them both in closer, not to whisper, but to let them see in Lord Aron what they were to expect as soon as the slide-door opened for them. As the fluorescent bulbs in the overhead lights glowed bright enough to render the pupils of Gowrie's eyes little more than dots on iris beds of cold, psychotic grey, the Kellas sneered stark warning before his trademark fear tactic was spoken, baring teeth before he growled,'Stay alive! Victory, an' your place in history, depend solely on yer survival at this point.... For if we lose here today, the Imperium has no choice but to leave your corpses unburied, unreported for the most part, and eventually - unremembered. And do not forget the same fate awaits me should I - fail - you!', letting their helmets go with as much delicate care as possible in the moments after his warning ran it's course.

'Good luck out there, an' use your environment against these fething Mawites ahead of us! Cunning beats brute strength every time, an' most surviving Goidels in the Galactic theatre of war can attest to this.... I hope to see you both at the spaceport gateway when we're done, get moving!'
 
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Wilhuff Krieg

Guest
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F E R R A T A
NEW IMPERIAL ORDER
KNIGHT ADMIRAL

FIRST CRUSADE FLEET 'SWORD OF RETRIBUTION'
CHAPTER 'IRON CRUSADERS'


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ASSAULT
NIRAUAN ORBIT​


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TASK FORCE GODHAND
NEW IMPERIAL NAVY
STRATEGIC CRISIS RESPONSE | 28000m
NIRAUAN SYSTEMS FLEET PATROL | 3000m
COMBINED STRENGTH | 31000m


FLAGSHIP
NIV FERRATA | Highlord-class Dreadnought | 100/080 | 10000M

BATTLECRUISERS

NIV ANTARES DRACO | Legate-class Star Destroyer | 100/004 | 5000M

STAR DESTROYERS
NIV VENGEANCE.. | Pellaeon IV-class Star Destroyer | 100/074 | 2000M
NIV PERTURBATOR | Pellaeon IV-class Star Destroyer | 100/080 | 2000M


CRUISERS
LONGBOW I.. | Intercessor-class Star Destroyer | 100/092 | 1000M
LONGBOW II. | Intercessor-class Star Destroyer | 100/100 | 1000M
LONGBOW III |
Intercessor-class Star Destroyer | 100/100 | 1000M
ARABLEST I.. | Cuirassier-class Cruiser | 100/092 | 1000M

ARABLEST II. | Cuirassier-class Cruiser | 100/092 | 1000M
ARABLEST III |
Cuirassier-class Cruiser | 100/092 | 1000M

FRIGATES
COURIER I. | Vanto-class Escort Carrier | 100/080 | 500M
COURIER II | Vanto-class Escort Carrier | 100/090 | 500M
BILLHOOK I.. | Escolta-class Frigate | 100/094 | 500M

BILLHOOK II. | Escolta-class Frigate | 100/096 | 500M
BILLHOOK III | Escolta-class Frigate | 100/090 | 500M
BILLHOOK IV. |
Escolta-class Frigate | 100/089 | 500M


CORVETTES
Vandal-class Corvettes | Several
Gurkha-class Corvettes | Several


STARFIGHTERS
Type | Fleet Distribution

Screen
TIE/OTx Outlander Space Superiority Fighters | 40%

Pursuit
TIE/INx Interceptor Starfighters | 15%
TIE/Vx Vanguard Defender All-Purpose Starfighters | 5%

Strike
TIE/GA Mauler Ground Attack Heavy Starfighters | 10%
TIE/HF Slasher Heavy Fighters | 5%
TIE/HB Heavy Bombers | 5%
Petard-class Droid Starfighters | 20%



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NIRAUAN SYSTEMS FLEET

STAR DESTROYERS
NIV ASTARTES.....| Tyrannus-class Star Destroyer | 056/018 | 2000M

FRIGATES
NIV RAPIER I...| Mantero-class Missile Frigate | 074/012 | 500M

NIV RAPIER II..| Mantero-class Missile Frigate | 048/009 | 500M

Nirauan's air superiority being swayed in the favor of the Empire certainly threw weight from Krieg's shoulders. He was reminded of the Imperial assault on Bastion, when the Seventh Fleet, outnumbered by a factor of two times its own fleet managed to maintain a contested air and space superiority in the thick of the Empire's most vital assault. As much as he stewed in the strife of the conditions laid out before him now, he was grateful in the superior resources the Empire could throw at this threat. But even so, the records of simulations where esteemed officers could misuse their resources was vast. There is no advantage in numbers, certainly not when facing an adversary used to working with less. The Empire had perhaps grown too comfortable from the titanic war machine it constructed and Krieg thought for a moment that he was being too willfully risky with his vessels.

But a battle need be one. As the might of the Imperial Army worked to scrape clean the infestation from this vaunted world, the Navy had to purge them from the stars and skies.

Soon enough, he needn't bare any anxiety over the state of the Antares Draco. He saw in an outright display of controlled, machinelike rage as the vessels of war turned their cannons from the ailing battlecruiser...unto the Ferrata.

Good. He thought, not only did this allow the second most powerful vessel time to breathe, but offered a great deal of leeway to the rest of the fleet entirely. The Maw had reached into the salt and grasped ahold tightly, they would not let go until the prized Ferrata was strewn scrap in the high orbit of Nirauan.

"Sir...one of their vessels is accelerating to ramming speed. Towards the Antares Draco." The Ensign sounded off from across the holotable after which, the Admiral could only nod in acknowledgement, stringing together a paltry defense for the vessel in its darkest hour.

The Wraithborn, a heavy Star-Destroyer seemingly fit for the task it was assigned perfectly.

"Have the Antares Draco redirect all firepower onto the ramming vessel, shift its fighter protection to knock out the ship, fire its 'Covenant', they must not be able to get the scent of blood from our fleet." He said, knowing well the futility of its resistance as he looked to the map projection to see the lumbering Battlecruiser take aim and fire its devastating hypervelocity cannon in the direction of the ramming vessel, all the while the stormtroopers aboard readied to fend off a boarding party in close quarters marine operation. Such was the originative purpose of the Stormtroopers, to attack and defend in naval warfare. They were the fit for the job, but to sacrifice his battlecruiser now would be a dire event.

"Shift both Pellaeon-IVs to target Aeon's End, smite one of their prized vessels. Shift all shields to frontal defense. We can handle the punishment for now. In the meantime...fire the Starbreaker at their dreadnought. They seek to strike us down, we will throw the first spear." Such was the inherent nature of warfare. He who attacked first had the advantage in the thrumming rhythm of battle that would ensue. With the Fatalis being such a monolithic target, the Highlord-class Dreadnought hardly had to make any vector adjustments to train its sights on the vessel as the massive round was loaded into the chamber of the nigh apocalyptic cannon with heavy duty robotic arms. It was primed and ready to fire once more.

Once more, Krieg gave the vaunted command.

"Fire."

Once more, the Starbreaker unleashed its horrid panoply with a metal roar within the ship's hull before the round fired into the painful silence toward the Fatalis, with an intended trajectory aimed at grazing the ship's hull itself, slipping under the shield and detonating in fiery hell against the bare hull of the Star Dreadnought. It was a risk wrought task which led to the reloading processing of the megalithic gun to begin immediately after the round's discharge before soon enough the silence gave way for violent detonation once more.

"One by one, their battlecruisers will be brought to ash until its prize is left in isolation. They may rain hell onto the Ferrata all they care to. We will endure. What is the estimated time of fighter mission aurek?"


D A G G E R - O N E
NEW IMPERIAL ORDER
181st STARFIGHTER GROUP
DAGGER SQUADRON
TARGET // AEON'S END
TIE/HF Slasher |
Flight Suit
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TURBO KILLERS

Ninety seconds. That was our estimated time of arrival toward the target spot of the Maw's battlecruiser. We were but lone renegades in a sea of chaos, easily plucked and swept from the stars around us. But our mission matched the importance of any other. The vital nature of the Empire wasn't the individual, wasn't every single gear in isolation. It was the process, the machine itself, how every moving part interacted with one another. Each and every flight as another moment grazing with death. Each and every second in this chaotic hell another roll of the dice if I'd make it back to solid ground or be a charred pile of flesh and bone plucked from the wreckage and mailed back to my family in an inglorious urn of ashes.

Didn't matter in these seconds. The thrill and adrenaline of it all was a drug in and of itself.

We neared the battlecruiser with breakneck speed, interceptors pairing off to give us the goal perimeter and open space we could operate within.

<"Daggers! Form up!"> I barked out, netting in the fast and loose formation we disembarked in, the other heavy attack fighters fell into line similarly, but we were the first.

<"Ten seconds!"> I yelled just as we slipped under the shield, power splitting the burden between keeping enough shield power up so point defense wouldn't cook us alive and enough juice in the twin ion engines to keep us from getting hit at all.

<"Power to weapons, turbos on!"> Then the pendulum shifted completely into the nigh suicidial routine TIE Slashers undertook in the moment of attack, dumping all power allocations into the weapon systems to bring to life the turbolasers armed on each fighter. In numbers, they would bring down the widdle the shields down of the most formidable vessels. But slipping beneath the deflectors, concentrated on one segment of bare hull? It was devastating. A tactic pioneered by the ancient rebel sweethearts of Rogue Squadron, we used it to a master stroke regardless.

<"Fire! Fire! Fire!">
I said as I unloaded each and every weapon loaded unto the Slasher, disruptor missiles, blaster cannons and of course the turbolasers which threatened to stall and jolt my fighter back with each slam of the trigger due to the sheer force of ordinance in each shot before eventually the twin ion engines were pressed to the limit once more and we each dumped all our power into engines, veering away from the bridge we'd just laid the punishment on as we waited for hit confirmation.

In total from the attack formation? Eight less blips in the group. A lot of good pilots downed in a matter of seconds, but a worthy sacrifice if it went to fruition. If.

TLDR
Antares Draco makes a futile attempt to target and destroy the Wraithborn, onboard Stormtroopers prepare to fend off boarding and ramming operation.
Ferrata fires at the Fatalis with the Starbreaker.
Perturbator and Vengeance focus Aeon's End.
181st executes Nova Flare on Aeon's End.


[/QUOTE]
 
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Location: Atop Hand of Thrawn Fortress
Enemies: Saaveina Saaveina Imp Knights/NIO
Allies BOTM/ Kyrel Ren Kyrel Ren
Equipment: Crossguard Lightsaber, Armor
Objective: 2

Jin focused on pure rage, as the young Kyrel often tended to do even in his service as an Imperial Knight, his feelings often going dangerously close to the edge between the light and the dark side. Now no longer having to worry about the fine line between such things, he kept pressing attack as the Amazonian behemoth only continued to complicate matters. Kyrel's form was much like that of his father's focusing heavily on the use of Djem So always focused on turning the tide of the battle in his favor.

Unfortunately for the fallen Knight he had not faced an opponent like her, every strong attack was met with a block between blade and shield, her stance remained unwavering. It was as if he was fighting a mountain, and still he kept fighting against her. Still using wide powerful swings it was as if his lightsaber was a massive club that he swung, accompanied by the block of her shield only made him grunt in protest of it all. It all came to a screeching halt when she took one of her weapons and tried to pierce him with it, causing him to switch from Djem So into a more rugged Soresu barely able to block her next strike. Her attack causing him to stagger back, and almost made him stumble over the edge.

He growled in anger while she still stood as a towering guardian over the Fortress, preventing anyone from entering inside. He raised his blade defensively, and matters did not help sensing a familiar presence in the Force. Someone that had brought him dread since leaving the Imperial Knights for quite sometime. It almost filled him with dread thinking about it, that fear would just be enough to fan some fire he had within him. Using the Force, he started pulling waves of stone from the ground they stood on, to send it flying towards the guardian of the Fortress, before once more jumping and beginning a series of power attacks, along with the barrage of his telekinetic attack. "I won't let you win!!"
 

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N O V A
TASK FORCE TRACHTA
1st GROUP | 'VANDAL' SQUAD
Equipment listed in char. bio.

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Z E R O

The weight of her eyelid nearly felt too heavy to bear, its influence growing more and more seductive the longer she slouched in her defeat. Blood pooled around her, what little she had left to spare seemed eagerly intent on freeing itself from her mortal coil. Through the flickers of haze, the strobing blackout, the dazzling pixels flashing across her sight, she struggled to keep her focus on the cyborg. He was coming closer, dragging himself, as broken as she, through the ruin of their lethal tango; no doubt to finish her off. What strength she could summon was kept close to her chest, hidden away. She was down, but she wasn't out.

He was stronger. He was faster. But she was smarter. She had not lost her humanity, and her instinctual fear of death is what kept her wits about her, honing them into a weapon far deadlier than any she could have conjured up to further score him. And as adrenaline waned throughout her veins, she found herself immobilized, still. He was closer horrifically across the broken ground, clambering like some sort of nightmarish beast, a creation of twisted metal and false skin, his red eyes burning with the inferno of Hell itself. Already, she could feel its heat scorching her skin. It dove deeper, puncturing into her blood, igniting every fiber of her being to action.

There was but one ace up her sleeve, one card she could pull in a last-ditch effort to ensure neither of them made it to the flare. The fight was over, the mirialan the obvious loser, unable to move from what would become her grave- the wall painted by winged splatters of her own life force. Closer now than he had ever been, the commando glowered up at him, her lone eye spewing with light tempered by the inferno and bolstered by the will of Iron; the defiance which had built their Empire to what it had become. It could crack, it could melt, but it would never break, and it would always find a way back to form.

The Mongrel The Mongrel leveraged his remaining strength against hers, hefting her to fatigued legs. She grimaced, gasping at the pain sent coursing through her battered bones, though she offered him no groan, no whimper, no cry of pain. He seized her by the guard of her chest, fingers crunching through the weakened armor, securing his grasp. Her own slid limply to her sides, her hands swaying. The raging storm of stimulants and adrenaline had finally worn off, leaving her as little more than a woman outmatched in physical capacity by a tragic degree. In his shadow, she seemed so small, so insignificant, a mere pest to be crushed beneath his boot.

"You fought well," he thundered... though the was an undercurrent in his voice, a mechanical whine that betrayed internal damage. "A pity that the Avatars allow only their faithful into the Galaxy To Come."

With her final breaths, the mirialan managed a weak, tortured laugh, her eye locked onto his parasitically. She needed him to focus there and on nothing else. The trickling stream of crimson leaking from beneath the patch hastily slapped over her ruined eye dripped onto his arm, her blood becoming his warpaint as it had served as her own. Dust-kissed lashes fluttered again, Nova fighting for consciousness tooth and nail, the trauma to her head seemingly coming to claim its price yet again. "Well..." she hummed low, a jolt of tension suddenly seizing her muscles in his grip.

Her wounded hand closed around the disc-like grenade tucked beneath her hip pouch, the other claimed the grip of her vibroknife. "Tell 'em Vandal Squad sent you!" Busted lips curled into a triumphant smirk, that wild eye of hers suddenly wide open and alive, a raging forest fire of defiance. Her weakness had been a ploy. No, she wasn't going to die, not slumped and bleeding on the ground. She was going to die as she deserved to, fighting with every last ounce of blood still left in her veins. The ace up her sleeve.

Both arms snapped in time with one another, the right plunging the heated blade of her knife through the joint of his wrist to hopefully keep him from squeezing further and crushing her. The grenade she had claimed from its hidden place was slapped against the armored chassis of his chest, its magnetic field activating the instant it made contact to anchor it. A beep, then another, and another. Lights flashed, circling around the housing for the specialized explosive. With no time to specify the lethality setting, the grenade would release a near-sonic EMP blast, focused and conducted solely through the armor it was latched onto.

"This is for Kolson, you son of a b*tch!" Her scream of fury resounded from their interlocked position, echoing through the discord.

As did the final beep of the grenade stuck between them.

Nova twisted as best she could in The Mongrel's hold, lifting both arms to shield her head and neck. Whatever happens, happens.


ALLIES | NIO | Kolson Vrask Kolson Vrask Raus Garrat Aemilio Valaar Aemilio Valaar DECEASED Erskine Barran DECEASED Erskine Barran Ortʹtʹo Mikla Ortʹtʹo Mikla Alex Eldar Shai Maji Shai Maji Keilara Kala'myr Keilara Kala'myr Errant Errant @IMMOGS
FOES | BOTM | The Mongrel The Mongrel Tor’r Tal’Verda Tor’r Tal’Verda Zachariel Steelblood Zachariel Steelblood @IMCAELITUS

 
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Post: 5
Objective: The Kids aren't Alright
Location: Hand of Thrawn, Heading for Strasza and her snipers.
Equipment: Mind Crown | Black MidNight Duster with Hood | Echani shield suit | Grav Boots | Eltro Life Gloves | x4 red lightsabers | Defender | Forearm Lanvorak | Wrist Laser | x2 FWG-5 Flechette Smart Pistol | Boomer | X4 Daggers | Pack of Death sticks | Various Explosives | Holopad
Allies: Darth Solipsis Darth Solipsis | Kyrel Ren Kyrel Ren | Jin Kyrel Jin Kyrel | Darth Mori | Lord Letifer Lord Letifer
Enemies: Khroraic | Ragnar Bloodfist Ragnar Bloodfist | Djorn Bline Djorn Bline | Saaveina Saaveina | Keilara Kala'myr Keilara Kala'myr | Rurik Fel Rurik Fel |
Engaging: Noel Strasza Noel Strasza

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Tegan was ducking for cover under a nearby desk when the shot was fired, there wasn't much Tegan could do. With he force she had a thousand and one options, here and now all she could do was rely on her armor. The shot caught her in the left shoulder, the shoulder of her Jacket just got shredded as well as the left strap to her backpack. Tegan herself went flying back and slammed into some filing cabinets due to the concussive forced from the bast as she did the shielding on her light armor spurted out and died. Her head in the helmet got some whiplash as well as her head slammed into, he filing cabinets causing her to be dazed and her ears were ringing as well.


Taking which inventory, her shielding on her armor was completely gone granted it was built for hand-to-hand sword fight so high impact weapon could easily take it out. The damn echani never built anything to last long, granted her old sith armor would have been much help in this situation either. Stunned she only looked momentarily at the one who shot her and quickly around her realizing her sonic grenade had taken out the all the glass in the surrounding area and the Gas was dissipating. That was at leas tone good thing maybe now she would have to use her last resort option after all.


She quickly grabbed her boomer from her backpack then shed the backpack completely, thanking what ever God wasn't her that she didn't take one in the back with all the explosives she had in her backpack. She then scrambled up to her feet raising the Boomer she fired to consecutive grenade rounds in the direction of Strasza, it would either create distance between them or kill the Strasza, then again it might just floor to collapsed and they would both go tumbling to the floor below them.


After firing Tegan quickly moved to the desk directly in front of her to take some cover at least enough so if Strasza got off a few shots she would have some protection as her Jacket and Echani armor weren't going to be able to protect her from a second hit from the scatter gun. Tegan needed and exit strategy currently that option was seemed to be a leap of faith out a window.
 
Ziare Dyarron
COMPNOR (ISB) Junior Agent, Nite agent
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Objective II: Hand of Thrawn
Location: Hand of Thrawn, Nirauana
Equipment: FS-18-UP2 Omega Phase Assault Rifle | 2x PV-16 "Sunfury" Pulse Pistol | Druetium Armour | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit | 2x Vibrodagger || Stealth field generator || OPBC-01m
Allies: Ragnar Bloodfist Ragnar Bloodfist | Djorn Bline Djorn Bline | Khroraic | Saaveina Saaveina | Noel Strasza Noel Strasza | Rurik Fel Rurik Fel
Enemies: Tegan Starfall Tegan Starfall | Darth Solipsis Darth Solipsis | Kyrel Ren Kyrel Ren | Jin Kyrel Jin Kyrel | Darth Mori | Lord Letifer Lord Letifer | Zori Kapshan Zori Kapshan
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[ Planet Hell ]
"Galactic Basic" | ~"Telepathic" communication ~ | << comm. channel >>

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I pressed the turbolift call button, but it was not on this floor. And the steps got closer and closer. The noise of their heavy footsteps became louder and louder with each step. And my pulse was getting faster, my heart was pounding more and more in my chest, and I felt like I had a bigger lump in my throat. It was as if that made it harder and harder to breathe.

MANIAC projected on the retina where the enemy was currently. From this I saw a few moments and they arrived. Unfortunately, the motion sensor was accurate. I really didn’t want to die or be taken prisoner again, so I chose the stairwell. I was already half a level higher when the elevator arrived at the level I had been before. However, so far the Marauders have been there as well.

The door to the stairwell locked itself and this turbolift was also such that it would not start without proper codes. So I hoped they wouldn’t be able to come after me. I ran, I ran, just like whose life depends on it. Maybe it wasn't true, but I felt in that way. The floors were running out and down as I got to the ground floor. Since I didn’t know where I could be, I was a little worried I would overrun and I'll go to an upper level.

But as I thought about it, MANIAC immediately showed me the 3D image of the building as well as where I am inside the building. Good AI. Although I was averse to using it in the beginning, by now I felt like I wouldn’t be successful without it. And based on that, I already knew that I couldn’t go beyond the ground floor. And so I finally got to the top of the stairwell. I stopped here a bit to rest a little.

I could also hear the fights from outside, and based on my data, it had the library or archive nearby. According to the data, the fight took place here as well. I was hoping not against the dead. Be strong Ziare, be strong. I told myself, as well as that I would be able to fight the dead if necessary. And why? Because I have to! Because I have to do it for the Empire. I took another deep breath…

And I stepped out of the building, under the open sky.

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Location: Nirauan, High Orbit
Allies: Isabella Pavan Isabella Pavan
Foes: Wilhuff Krieg | Fiolette Fortan | Culas Vile | Scourge Harz Scourge Harz | Albrecht F. Herlock Albrecht F. Herlock

  • The Wrathborn loses its bridge to the Draco's hypervelocity cannon
    • Inertia carries it on its ramming course, and boarding pods deploy
  • The Aeon's End is crippled by the Nova Flare strike, losing engine power
    • It redirects its remaining guns to the Vengeance
    • Surviving crew begin to launch boarding pods at the Vengeance
  • The Fatalis suffers a major hit from the Starbreaker weapon
  • All remaining Mawite capital ships redirect their fire to the Vengeance and Perturbator

Fatalis, a Fatalis-class Star Dreadnought (10,000m)Firing All Guns on the Perturbator
Aeon's End, a Praetorian-class Star Destroyer (3,000m)Crippled, Firing All Guns on the Vengeance, Launching Boarders
Nightmare Eternal, a Praetorian-class Star Destroyer (3,000m)Firing All Guns on the Perturbator
Forge of Laments, a Praetorian-class Star Destroyer (3,000m)Firing All Guns on the Perturbator
Wrathborn, a Crucifix I-class Star Destroyer (1,800m)Crippled, Ramming the Draco, Launching Boarders
Oblivion Herald, a Crucifix I-class Star Destroyer (1,800m)Firing All Guns on the Vengeance
Mournfang, a Crucifix I-class Star Destroyer (1,800m)Firing All Guns on the Vengeance
Soulbreaker, a Crucifix I-class Star Destroyer (1,800m)Firing All Guns on the Perturbator
Nine Samael-class Frigates (398m)Ion Fire on the Vengeance
Three Samael-class Frigates (398m)Destroyed



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The remaining Samael frigates fell back under a hail of fire from Le Valeureux, firing frantically behind them as they retreated to the line of capital ships. The time of skirmishers was done, forcing them to vacate center stage like a lightweight boxer making way for the heavyweight competition to follow. Fortunately, there were no further losses; the NIO Star Destroyer appeared to be focusing more on keeping the group of frigates at bay than on destroying any one of them, and they had already been on the retreat. Tu'teggacha paid them small craft little mind as they rejoined his battle line, still doing their best to wear down the Draco's formidable shields.

The Taskmaster had far bigger concerns, after all... like that seismic cannon.

Or the fact that the Final Dawn reinforcements had thus far failed to significantly contest Nirauan's airspace. Reports from the ground were grim; thousands upon thousands of marauders lay dead, and with neither of their primary objectives completed to show for it. If they failed to take New Carannia, it would spell true disaster for the Mawite invasion. Tu'teggacha's fleet could not defeat the NIO battlegroups arrayed against it without support, and that meant surface-to-space support from captured planetary defenses. If those could not be secured, not only would they be forced to withdraw, but it would be impossible to evacuate their troops.

Striking Nirauan, former capital of the New Imperial Order and still among its most formidable fortress worlds, had always been a dangerous plan. Where the attack on Coruscant had been meant to stay just a limited engagement, spreading fear of the Brotherhood and doubt in the strength of the Bastion Accords without actually contesting the Alliance's control of the planet, this battle was far more ambitious. The Maw had committed significant forces in the hopes of truly ravaging Nirauan, driving the NIO forces garrisoned there from the planet. Losing those forces would be their first major defeat in the Second Great Hyperspace War.

Tu'teggacha could not allow that to happen. Not if he had any recourse.

The Brotherhood did not fear sacrifice. That was the simple truth that had allowed them to rise from its humble beginnings and threaten the entire galaxy. And there was perhaps nothing more emblematic of that fearless savagery than a Crucifix I-class Star Destroyer coming in at ramming speed. Like a firaxan shark that had caught the scent of blood, there was nothing that could dissuade the hunter from its prey once it became locked on, nothing but its utter destruction. The guns of the Draco shifted, firing frantically at the Wrathborne, ripping into its shields... and through them when the hypervelocity cannon went off, shearing off the ship's top wedge.

In an instant, the entire command crew of the Wrathborne was slain, the bridge annihilated.

If only it had mattered. This was what a Crucifix I was designed for: to withstand a full frontal assault as it rushed in to smash into its prey, its reinforced prow hungry for hulls to break. The ship could not be steered, could not respond to orders, could not direct its weapons with its bridge shattered... but it did not have to. Even if the engines had cut out entirely, simple inertia wold have carried it along its trajectory, right at the Draco's flank at breakneck speed. In that way the ship was like the Maw itself: once it got going, it was almost impossible to stop. And though the marauder officers were dead, the swarming Kitiakira boarders were not.

Even before impact, the boarding pods began to launch, streaking toward the weakened Draco.

At the same time, however, Aeon's End was under dire threat. With two enemy Star Destroyers firing on the vessel, its shields strained badly, steadily declining under the continual punishment. They did not deviate from their concentrated fire even as the other Crucifix Is began to fire on them, evidently trusting to their strong shields to keep them intact until their work was done. Had all this happened in isolation, they would have won out, but it would have taken significant time. That was where Dagger Squadron came in, the aces cutting through the Mawite fighter screen with disturbing ease... and swooping up for a concentrated attack from below.

Tu'teggacha watched in horror as the Nova Flare strike impacted the Aeon's End, ripping through shields and boring into the ship's armored hull. Explosions wracked the vessel, blowing out its hangar bays, rippling across multiple power systems... until the sublight engines guttered out and died, leaving the ship drifting helplessly at the edge of the battle. The Taskmaster could envision what was going on inside: damage control crews rushing about, breached bulkheads being sealed off, remaining power being redirected to weapons and shields. But that would not be the only thing. No Mawite wished to die without drawing blood with his own hands.

Soon, boarding pods began to streak out from the crippled Aeon's End... and they weren't filled solely with actual boarding troops. Ships in a true Mawite fleet didn't even have traditional escape pods. If your ship was crippled, you were expected to board an enemy ship and fight until your last breath to take it, either replacing the loss or dying gloriously for the Avatars. Soon, every last crewman on the Aeon's End would be either dead or attempting to board the Vengeance, covered by the last available shots of the dying vessel's damage weapons. Many would be intercepted; the pods were being launched from too far away to easily board.

But they would be a distraction... and perhaps some of them would slip through.

Meanwhile, the Taskmaster was forced to accept that he had fallen right into the NIO's trap regarding its flagship. He had thought he could force it back with intensive fire... but even with the Brotherhood's four largest ships firing everything on it - MegaCaliber turbolasers, orbital autocannons, turbolaser and missile batteries, everything - they had damaged its shields by a mere twenty percent. A grim realization was crossing the Ebruchi's mind: if the Ferrata could so easily withstand all of that, it might as well be invincible to his heavily-besieged fleet. They would never wear down such advanced defenses before they were all destroyed.

Their only hope was to resume their old strategy and try to bring down the escorts... though without a single kill in their favor yet, and with several of their own ships down, that might also be a doomed strategy. For now, as they began to shift tactics once more, there was only one thing they could do. "BRACE!" Tu'teggacha howled, as the Starbreaker fired once more. This one was point-blank, and at a massive target; there was no possibility of evasion, or even of rolling with the blow, only of tanking it head-on and praying to the gods to survive. Space lit up in a bright flash as the seismic round slammed into the Fatalis and burst like a tiny star.

Everything shook. The Taskmaster was nearly hurled from his command throne as the inertial dampers whined in protest, and many of the bridge crew were thrown bodily across the room, slamming into consoles and bulkheads. Damage reports screamed across the readouts, their angry red flashes reflected in Tu'teggacha's glassy black eyes. Several turbolaser batteries were offline, and there was a major hull breach across several decks of the starboard wing. Bodies, small and dark against the endless stars, streamed out of the opening, flailing a moment amid the debris before becoming frozen and still. Flickering energy shields sealed the breach...

... for now. Until the next one was ripped open, or power failed.

For the first time since Korriban, the Taskmaster felt true despair begin to coil around his dark heart. How could they stand against a vessel with such resilience and such firepower? The Brotherhood's greatest monster, its flagship, was clearly outclassed by this brutal marvel of NIO technology. But there was no choice save to stand and fight, even if retreat hadn't been anathema to the Maw; they were interdicted, and there was no escape save victory or death. So the Ebruchi gave the only order he could. "We will weather the Ferrata's blows as best we can. Concentrate all firepower on their support ships! They are more vulnerable!"

Which was to say that they were at all vulnerable to Mawite firepower.

Some dim, distant hope remained that the Brotherhood fleet could survive this battle. Perhaps if they somehow cleared every other NIO ship in the battle, their combined firepower could make some dent in the shields of the Ferrata. Or perhaps their boarders would succeed in overrunning one of the NIO ships, turning at least some of its guns back on their own fleet. But a deep unease, bordering on panic, was swiftly infecting the Taskmaster's heart. He did not believe in the Mawite paradise, and he had no wish to die for their supposedly all-powerful Avatars. He could not abide the feeling of powerlessness or fear, all too familiar from his childhood.

What escape was there for him, fleet be damned? Was there any way out?!
 


Ground Zero

Witch of Dathomir


Ground Zero

Waymar Geyer | Errant Errant | Aridius 'TK-1575' Aridius 'TK-1575'


D E V I L


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Almost as swiftly as she had called out her words, the Imperial Knight replied. Well, somewhat, except the words that poured from his mouth as his form was taken were not his own. Her eyes widened as the battle field itself froze at the command that bellowed out from the NIO lackeys that surrounded her. The Witch of Dathomir shook, her fear then seeming so small and insignificant when compared to what now coursed through her veins. The aura of the Force went from it's typical whisper-like embrace into a cacophony of sheer power, the hairs along her body raising from the static energy that crackled in the wind.

This. This was Hell.


She knew in that moment with a sense of finality that she would never leave this place. Never avenge her sister's deaths. Never return to those golden fields. Amaya was bound to the New Imperial Order, to Rurik Fel and that damned Imperial Knight that drug her from her lands and forced her into servitude. The only way out, was death.

She pivoted as soon as their fierce some echo ceased, Errant Errant 's brutish war-words snapping her focus back to the reality of what still lay before her, clawing and clamoring to spill her very life-blood on the sea of red below her. Seeing that the Knight had his back properly guarded, she turned instead towards Aridius 'TK-1575' Aridius 'TK-1575' . With nimble bounds across dead bodies and clamoring enemies, she moved to his side, rotating to cover his back and fight off any that attempted to close in and attack from behind.

"I felt your lethality, Knight." She offered up with an idle laugh, the low hum and shrill shrieks of their sabers echoing around them as she fought.

"After that, I think you and I both know I won't try anything." She continued cutting them down one by one, her violent purple blade sinking into the gut of a coming enemy. With the familiar sound of organized chaos ringing through the air once more, she doubted he could even hear her. Their bodies spun in unison, as if connected, all too familiar with combat positioning. Now was not the time to worry whether he would pivot and sink his blade through her petite form as, and frankly, she did not care if he did.

"On your left." Amaya called out, a few of the horde managing to slip past her flurry of attacks, right at the man. He would be her shield, and she his sword, and vice-versa. Such was the dance of battle between two warriors, and despite how much she detested those who stole her away, she would protect him as fiercely as he protected her, and any other Knight engaging in the adrenaline inducing havoc of combat.




 

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NEW CARANNIA | NIRAUAN
NEW IMPERIAL ORDER | 501st LEGION
16th COMPANY | 1st PLATOON
50 TROOPS | 8 BASILISKS
ALLIES: NIO | DECEASED Aron Gowrie DECEASED Aron Gowrie | Alex Eldar | Sturit Goan Sturit Goan | Willan Tal Willan Tal | DECEASED Erskine Barran DECEASED Erskine Barran |
ENEMIES: DA MAW | The Mongrel The Mongrel | Zachariel Steelblood Zachariel Steelblood | Alars Keto Alars Keto | Tor'r Tal'Verda Tor'r Tal'Verda | Khamul Kryze Khamul Kryze
ENGAGING: Come at me bro
GEAR: In bio | Basilisk War Droid | Standard loadout

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She could see the hesitation in his face as she made her request, the contemplation as he mulled over her choice. She prepared herself for a hard 'no' and likely some protest from both herself and Alex beside her. To her relief, he allowed it and gave a gameplan for them before they head out. Shai brightened up with a broad grin as she slid her helmet on, ready to move out and take the fight to the Maw personally. There was likely an advantage for the commanding officer to hold back and coordinate with their men like that over comms... but she had been removed from the front lines for far too long. That fact became very clear on Coruscant and she was reminded of it every day in the mirror. If she was going to tear Sith apart, she couldn't do it while holding back.

She was not a failure.

But perhaps there was wisdom in Colonel Gowrie's strategy that she failed to see now in her vengeful judgement.

She blinked when he took hold of both Mandalorians and pulled them closer to give them a warning that they'd do well to heed. Shai gave a nod as he let go and listened to Gowrie's final words to them. She would make sure it wouldn't be the last time they spoke. "We make the rules, sir. Dyin' ain't one of 'em. We'll have a case of tihaar ready for ya once you join us." She quipped with a quick salute before she got out of the AFV.

Outside, she quickly gave Alex a bump to her shoulder. "You got the comms, Alex. Give Overwatch something to do other than just lookin' pretty. You take ten men, I take ten men, and we clean this mess up quick. Rest marches with the column." She instructed quickly as she shouldered her rifle. "Let's make sure Misha and the others didn't clock out for nothing." Her voice grew darker as she spoke, her visor glaring directly at Alex's. She was convinced that Alex harboured resentment against her, she had good reason. She hoped that she could at least repair that broken trust after their mission.

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:: Alright Sixteens, new rules. Ten of you come with me, ten of you go with Sergeant Alex. We're gonna go around the sides towards the spaceport. We'll make sure they fear the howls of our Basilisks and the fire of our rifles after today. The rest of you, you stay with this column and you protect it at all costs. You report to Colonel Gowrie and you make sure his every wish is catered to. ::

The platoon quickly split up into their respective squads to head out with their commanding officers, all ready to take the fight to the Maw. Shai touched down by an alleyway and soon ten soldiers landed by her. "Let's move out, stay low and hammer them hard." She instructed before she flew off with them, staying low to the streets.

:: Colonel, you're linked up with our Overwatch. Whatever you need, you ask them. There's a squad of Basilisks ready for your command as well. You need air or artillery support, sniper fire, whatever, you say the word and tell us where exactly you want it. See you on the other side, sir. :: Shai quickly reported over comms as she touched down with her men and opened fire on a group of Marauders. In and around the buildings they found a lot of Mawites pillaging and looting in their advance towards the spaceport.

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In the distance they could see the main force as they wove through the alleys and buildings, making sure to keep a low profile. They didn't stop for anything in their advance to aid the port and form a break for Gowrie to push through. Every few moments they busted through an offending door in their way and sprayed down a couple of enemies before either moving through another doorway or making one in a wall to continue in their advance.

Once they reached the forces, they fired from windows and alleys. ”Set charges in this building, let’s bring it down on ‘em.” Shai instructed two of her guys. Quickly they planted thermal detonators along the strong points of the apartment complex before clearing out. ”Rip it!” She barked.

The detonators went off and the apartment complex tilted forward. A few seconds later several dozen screams were snuffed out as the building collapsed on the horde of Mawites. ”Gowrie wants us to use the terrain, let’s go.” She cackled away with her men as they switched positions.

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:: Evenin’ govna! Mah name’s Arden and I’ll be your Overwatch for today. How may I be of service? :: Arden’s politely sarcastic voice chimed in on Gowrie’s comms while the remaining Sixteens spread out and secured positions around the column of vehicles. With another thud, a soldier landed on his rooftop, ready to roll out.

The attacks on the forces of Zachariel Steelblood Zachariel Steelblood were relentless and a few minutes away from being legally permanent. Every few moments another thundering BRRRRRRRRRRR split the air and battered the troops beneath the Basilisks howling overhead. Rockets and blasters meant next to nothing as they impacted the Beskar armour. When it wasn’t the rotary cannons, it was the missiles or laser cannons that peppered the force smashing against the spaceport.

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The onslaught of 16th company was rife with determination to break the Maw’s attack. Squadrons returned to the Overwatch base after their strafing runs, only to be replaced by another squadron. Snipers laid close to the port inside buildings or on piles of rubble, their scopes scouring for anything that looked like it gave orders or was important.

By the column, the remaining 30 troopers were fighting with everything they had at their disposal as Gowrie’s column advanced. Occasionally a group would reload, hunker down and use their rifles’ mortar setting to rain enormously condensed particle bolts at their enemy wherever they bunched up. If it wasn’t the rifles, it was the missiles and wrist rockets. In the cases where the Mawites got too close, the Mandalorians would draw their pistols or extend their vibroblades. Their targets were anything that could harm the column, then everything else. If it wasn’t imperial, it was shown no quarter.

But no matter the thickness of their armour, or the might of their guns, they were far from invincible…

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Gira took aim at a Mawite brandishing a rocket launcher and fired, quickly dispatching him before she focused on her next target. ”We got a group moving to our left!” She called out as she took aim. The two beside her took aim as well and fired before they moved on. ”How much more can there be, honestly?!” She called out as she dropped her spent magazine and slotted in a fresh one.

”Just keep shooting, private! As long as you got ammunition you keep shooting!” Her corporal spoke up a few meters from her as he fired from behind a broken wall and moved forward. ”But bolts run out… and those Mawites don’t.” She commented as her battered gaze stared at the enemy through her visor. Her armour was scorched and littered with scratch marks from the constant battle the platoon was left with.

Her corporal was beside her suddenly, giving her a slap over the head. ”We don’t need that now! You wanna cry, go cry somewhere else! Unless you wanna become someone’s meal for tonight, you’d better-” A rocket impacted the wall they hid behind and sent them rolling backwards. She scrammed to get up and rushed over to the corporal with a pistol in hand, returning fire as best she could.

”Come on, corporal! We gotta move!” She shouted, trying to help him up. ”Gira… Gira…” he mumbled, drawing her attention. A leg was gone, along with part of an arm. For a second she froze up, not knowing what to do. It was when he started to shudder that she holstered her gun and pulled him up and over her shoulders. :: We need a medic! :: She shouted into her comms as she carried him away from the fighting. Once a medic was by her, she relinquished him over to the man. ”Get him out of here!” She shouted at him as tears formed.

With a grunt she fought them back and returned to the leading vehicle. In a stroke of luck she found the rifle Morgan gave her and continued to fire at the enemy. As she fired, she pondered on what she did wrong in her 19 years of life to deserve the horrors she faced today. She was Mandalorian, trained and drilled to fight like hell. But never before did she ever expect something like this.

:: Medic! :: She heard Morgan over the comms. Quickly she rushed over to him where another soldier was clutching at her neck. ”Gira! Keep pressure on her neck, shrapnel tore through her suit. I’ll get a medic.” He instructed and rushed off, leaving her to tend to her comrade.

Without hesitation she knelt down and wrapped her hands around her neck to keep pressure on the wound. ”You’re gonna be okay, okay!” She cried out. Her comrade’s helmet laid beside her head, leaving Gira to stare into her blue eyes as they slowly faded over. The woman stopped lurching and moving a few moments later and her eyes finally glazed over.

Gira sat back on her knees and stared at the woman. She didn’t even register as Morgan and a medic got there and rushed the fallen soldier off...

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INVASION OF NIRAUAN
OBJECTIVE I
| GROUND ZERO
OPPOSING | BROTHERHOOD of the MAW
PINGS | DECEASED Erskine Barran DECEASED Erskine Barran | Knight Knight
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A BEACH TOO FAR: PART. 5
— 868 ABY, Saffia Sector, New Carannia, Nirauan.

"That may not be needed."

Kelga’an got a look at the Mawites in disarray while he was preparing the One-Thirteen for a counter-offensive. Why were they retreating now? Anyway, they weren’t threatened anymore, and this fact was the best that Kelga’an noticed for a while. Now, the Mawites were no longer here and, now, Anaxes was protecting him and his men — and Knight’s.

"If your shield generator is shot I don't know if you can repair it, have you contacted Recovery?"

The Captain looked up to Knight’s walker, and said:

<Hum… Well, not fo’ the moment. But ya’re here so ya can do it, can’t ya?> he asked the Sergeant. <I mean, usually, we’ve sappers with us to fix APC’s problems, but they’re currently busy by other streets in Saffia District.>

The commando looked at the walker while pouting and then listened to the coms in his helmet. His men were preparing an assault in 73rd North, where there were Hurley, Guardian and Uniform Squads, regaining strength for a second period in that area. Everywhere in Saffia Sector, the Banshees were moving forward alongside more conventional NIO’s troops. Maw’s presence on Nirauan was just a matter of time, according to him, and the Imperials just needed to fight a few more hours.
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Kelga’an and a commando were behind the tank pilot, trying to understand what he was doing with the control panel.

Huh, what a program, he thought.

The Captain had never understood how someone could be interested in mechanics, because he didn’t feel anything for this practice. Anyway, it wasn’t his job, and Kelga’an was grateful to Anaxes for that. When Knight stopped himself to take a com, the Captain looked at the other Banshee in the room and the soldier just shrugged his shoulders while waiting for a movement from the Sergeant.

"Sounds like they found something."
Stang! Do ya know where?” Kelga’an asked, while signalling to the commando to call the other Banshees in the zone.
<Gret’karg-ir!> he ordered on Banshees’ comlink.
“I’m preparin’ my men fo’ this mission, Sergeant. Just tell us when we're movin’. We won’t let them do anythin’ to our brothers.” he declared while greeting the pilot from the ground.
 
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Location: Nirauan, New Carannia
Engaging: Sephi Karneh Sephi Karneh

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  • The Mongrel's grip is frozen around Sephi by the thrust of her knife
    • His hand still grips her tightly, but cannot crush her
  • Sephi's EMP fries The Mongrel's cybernetic body
    • He is out of the fight, his organic bits slowly dying


For The Mongrel, the battle had narrowed to this contest.

Rationally, of course, he knew that the fight for Nirauan would be decided by the things happening all around him - the head to head grind at the edge of the starport, the charge into the breach at Fort Imperium, the fighting withdrawal from Saffia in the face of Imperial walkers, the ongoing duel between Mawite mobile artillery and the NIO air support hunting them down. There were a thousand vital tactical considerations running through the back of his mind, the distribution of his forces that would make all the difference in these desperate fights.

But in that moment, as his battered cybernetic body loomed over Sephi, the wider war effort faded away. He could think of nothing else but that this lone trooper, this isolated, wounded soldier of the enemy, had brought him so low. How had he allowed this to happen? How had all the battles leading up to this, all the scars and prosthetics that had made him stronger, more experienced, more cunning, suddenly betrayed him and left him weaker instead? This wasn't even a Jedi he was facing. He would have expected such wounds against a Jedi.

But not against Sephi Karneh, a mere NIO grunt.

He would reexamine his entire philosophy, he decided, when this battle was over. He would conduct a post-mortem on his foe, and review his own performance against her, to determine how he had become so blind to the potential of ordinary warriors. She was his own story staring him in the face, or what was left of it, and yet he had discounted her as a threat from the very beginning. He had treated her with the same arrogance and disdain that so many Jedi had shown him, and he had lived to regret it, just as they had so many times.

He needed to remember what had made him special in the first place.

After this was done, of course. The Mongrel could not let her live, could not let her crawl away, and not just because it would wound his pride and reputation. He had been in her place so many times, broken nigh unto death but wiser for it, and he knew where that path led: to becoming more dangerous, stronger and cannier than ever before. The warlord wrapped his colossal hand around her chestguard, the armor deforming under the terrible strength of giant metal fingers, and slid her upward along the wall. Time to end this threat before it grew.

Her blood flowed freely, spattering his ragged mask of metal and flesh like some particularly disturbed artist's painting. But as her one remaining eye met his burning gaze, as he held her limp body up for the final blow, she laughed. "Tell 'em Vandal Squad sent you!" she spat, and suddenly this woman - this broken half-corpse - surged back to life. The Mongrel did not know what she could possibly be planning, but he knew the look in her eye. She had chosen to go out on her own terms, to meet her gods of order with her head held high.

Instinctively he tried to end it there and then, to crush her by simply closing the massive hand that held her tight... but she was ready for that. A vibrodagger appeared in her hand, and with a last desperate swing she plunged it through the mechanisms of his wrist, freezing the joint. No matter. He would carry out his original plan: turning her head to pulp with a single punch. It took him a moment to realize that it was too late for that, too. Something had latched onto his chest, something rapidly beeping. He reached down to brush it away. It did not budge.

For the first time in a long time, The Mongrel felt fear.

"This is for Kolson, you son of a b*tch!" That was it, the last thing he heard: a final scream in vengeful memory of a man he did not know, whom he could not possibly have picked out from the countless soldiers he had killed... if Kolson had even died by his hand. Then the grenade went off. Arcs of electromagnetic lightning coursed over The Mongrel's chassis, infiltrating his subsystems, making synthmuscles seize and wiring burn as they were overwhelmed. The cyborg warlord's back arched beyond its limits; internal components snapped.

There was nothing organic left of The Mongrel save a few bits of his nervous system, a brain floating in nutrient-rich fluid that still directed his thoughts and movements. As his mechanical body shut down, the focused power of the EMP grenade frying his overwhelmed systems until they threw off literal smoke, that brain was the only thing that remained inviolate. That brain got to watch, and to feel, as each of the components it controlled fell offline, stripping away movement, sight, hearing, leaving it alone in a dark and silent vat.

As everything shut down, the whole galaxy snatched away, The Mongrel's brain still had plenty of time to think. He found that he suddenly remembered things, pieces of a life that the Taskmaster's systematic torture had shattered and hidden away. What stuck in his mind was a fragment of memory, just a little snatch of what he'd once known, but a vivid one. He was a child again, lying in bed in a little apartment on Coruscant. His mother sat in a chair beside him, reading to him from a holobook. He could not remember her face.

The story she was telling him was the kind he had always loved. It was about a brave young hero, whose love had been stolen away by a fierce dragon. Though he was youthful and inexperienced, he traveled without fear to the dragon's lair. He had no magic sword to slay the beast with, only the simple hunting bow he used to bring home food, but he was clever. He tricked the dragon, discovering the spot where its scales were weak, and with one well-aimed shot he laid low the creature terrorizing the kingdom. The child had wanted to be that hero...

... but he'd become the dragon, in the end, hadn't he?

As The Mongrel's chassis slumped backwards, wracked by EMP lightning, the hand gripping Sephi did not loosen its durasteel grip. It could not; the systems that controlled it, that kept it clamped tight around her, had been fully disabled by the thrust of her knife, and could not even spasm as electricity ran through them. The warlord's metal body collapsed to the shattered street, doing its best to drag the commando that had laid it low along with it... and likely conducting some of the charge that had defeated it into her body as well.

But how much of the EMP - and the electrical burst of the systems it had overloaded - affected Sephi was now beyond The Mongrel's control. Whether there was life left in her or not, the fight was over for him, and he could not even know what had become of her. He had no sight, no sensation, no way to know that there was anything in the world around him save an endless, gaping void. If she pried her way out and limped away, or if she died right there, still closed in his fist, he could only speculate as he drifted through nothingness.

In the dark, without circulation, his brain began to die.
 

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