Public A City of Fear

[Aris Noble]

Right. Neither of them could really control the beasts of New Cov, which meant that if something went wrong, as it certainly would, neither of them would be able to stop it. He kept low with her as they broke their way into the city, and frowned as he heard the broadcast from Darth Nefaron met his ears. They had the whole city on lock down. It was smart, as loathe as he was to admit it.

The protective dome from the beasts of New Cov was now a prison.

"Alright, we can-"

"Val?! Stars am I glad to see you!"

Aris blinked as a whole different person sprinted behind them. He could hear the footsteps behind her. Ragged and random. Not soldiers. Undead? He turned his gaze to the sudden group as it rounded the corner and took off like a bullet. He didn't bring his saber to fruition just yet, wanting to keep that from reaching the ears of the Sith in charge. Surprise was their only real asset.

So he beat down the corpses with his hands. His enhanced strength made quick work of them, scattering them over the ground before he glanced back to the two woman.

"Do you know where the Sith is holed up?"

Lily Rhodes | Valery Noble

 

[Jonah]

FIRST BANK OF ILIC

When Jonah rang upon the bell, there was no immediate answer. He quickly heard the chime of laughter from his partner in his mind, clearly bemused by his choice of words - and that alone caused his lips to maintain a smirk. However, that expression quickly became serious when the announcement from the Sith Lord rang across the air. <<Heard that loud and clear.>> he began. <<But, there's something rubbing me wrong about this - and no, it's not a spontaneous change in heart.>>

<<Let's say that toxin of his actually does go. How the heck does Nefaron intend to protect us? There wasn't exactly Corpse Legion exclusive, toxin-proof masks included with the brochure.>>

Protection was quickly becoming too vague a term, but Jonah was not about to try reaching the Sith on the comm to inquire. Rather, he had a goal to achieve, and from there? Exfil. Thus, he leaned over the counter and saw the huddled form of a blonde woman. She looked the part for the role of teller: blouse, pencil skirt, hair pulled into a neat ponytail, glasses, the whole nine. Rudely, he pulled her to her feet with the Force before clutching her face with his hand.

"Hi there..." he began, throwing a glance to her name badge, "...Kria. Gotta say, your customer service is trash. But you have a chance to make that up for me."

He then released her face and reached over the counter once more. The woman began to cry, stammer, and would have buckled to the floor where she not compelled to stand. Jonah procured for himself a marker from her station and began writing numbers onto the counter. "See this? This is my account number. Everything this bank has gets transferred here, got it? I don't care who you need to grab in here to make it happen, get it going. If you don't? Well, you won't have to worry about toxin. I'll kill you myself." Jonah then patted the woman on the top of her head. "Now please."

The sniffling wreck of a soul began typing furiously on her keyboard.

All the while, Jonah cast a thought to his partner-in-crime. <<After this, I'm thinking we take the scenic route back to the LZ - give you a chance to whet that appetite and all. Sound good?>>

TAG: Leven Jeyd

 

[Leven Jeyd]

Tagging: Jonah , Open.
Wearing: XxX.
Equipment: Slugthrower Rifle. Blades (Necrium made). Throwing knives.

Showtime

​

Leven's grin widened at Jonah's retort, enjoying the dark humor of their situation. Nefaron's grandiose threats and promises of protection felt more like a twisted joke than anything reliable. But that unpredictability was part of the thrill, wasn't it?

<<Oh, don't be that hard on the man. Us people with a flair for theatrics sometimes bank on people being too entertained to notice any gaps in our promises. It can be tough work, you know?>> She grinned to herself.

As she watched Jonah handle the trembling teller beyond one of the windows, Leven's sharp eyes caught sight of a figure stumbling through the street nearby. The person was clearly not in their right mind, their eyes wide with terror and their movements erratic. Leven's curiosity was piqued. She approached the person like a hungry hunter, crouching down to meet their frantic gaze.

"Well, what do we have here?" she purred, circling the terrified individual while sizing them up. The person whimpered, trying to back away, but their fear-paralyzed limbs couldn't carry them far. "Looks like you got an early taste of our host's special brew."

Leven leaned in closer, her face inches from the person's. What horrors did it see?

The person babbled incoherently, their eyes darting around as if seeing invisible monsters. Leven chuckled, enjoying the spectacle. She reached out, brushing a finger lightly along their cheek, causing them to flinch and cry out. "Shh, shh. No need to run. The fun's just beginning and you have a long way to go."

After a few more moments of toying with the poor soul, Leven grew bored. She stood up, leaving the gas-addled person to their hallucinations. <<Jonah~ one of Nefaron's toys must have malfunctioned and went off early. Our friend here got a head start on the fun.>> Her voice was dripping with satisfaction. However, it also cemented her companion's judgement. She would appreciate not being anywhere near that gas.

As she returned and settled back into her position, Leven's mind was already racing with possibilities. Not of extending their stay, but of making the most out of every moment before their swift departure. After seeing the effects first hand, she couldn't help but find them...inspiring.

<<After this, I'm thinking we take the scenic route back to the LZ - give you a chance to whet that appetite and all. Sound good?>> Jonah's voice echoed in her mind.

Leven's grin turned wicked. <<Sounds perfect, Jonah.>>

She kept her eyes peeled for any more signs of trouble, her senses attuned to the city around her.

 

[Melissa Bloodscrawl]

Melissa crept through the jungle, The Ranger and The Mystery beside her. The Healer and Stealth Clones were in the back, next to the Pyro. The Stealth Shuttle had lifted off, as per protocol, and gone back into the Atmosphere.

"Heads up Boss. One of our Probes up ahead just spotted signatures..." one of the Stealth Clones, SC-20 said.

Melissa signalled them to all go quiet as a small squad of Legionnaires passed by them. They might find evidence of landing struts, but landings occured all the time in the jungle, and judging by their shambling, decaying appearance, Melissa guessed they were not exactly too bright.

She let them pass, their business was in the city...

About a half hour later, they started coming across Legionnaires blown apart on the ground, many shot up. The sounds of blaster fire made them all focus on the source

"Survivors ahead..." Melissa whispered on encrypted comms.

"Did any employees make it out of the assault on our outpost here?" The Mystery asked.

"Not sure. They wouldn't have lasted long in the jungle. We didn't even have any operatives here. Just salesman..." Melissa answered as she got closer to the fighting.

She saw a bunch of dead New Cov police amidst piles of dead legionnaires. It had been a mutual kill. They had gone down swinging.

"Excellent..." 202 noted. "We can use this. This indicates ranks have been thinned slightly up ahead. We can move along the trail they made following these ones."

Melissa knelt down and picked up what looked like a brand new GWE-002 Select Fire Blaster Rifle from a Police Corpse. Barely depleted clip.

In the meantime, The Healer examined the bodies.

"Heavy Mutations..." The Healer said in disgust. "Barely coherent I imagine..."

"They aren't Zombies?" The Mystery asked...

"Dude, I ain't sure what they are. But I'm betting this stuff they're releasing won't affect them much..." The Healer admitted. "Nothing impressive. They'll die the same as anything else. Their real advantage is numbers and their psychological effect."

"Then we engage on our own terms. Not theirs. Hit and fade. The bodies here betray nothing but wave tactics..." Melissa trailed, standing up.

"But we are House Bloodscrawl. We are bound by our Three Directives..." she added, signalling to move along the trail of dead to conceal their movements into New Cov better...

"Serve The Public Trust. Protect The Innocent. Uphold The Will of The Force..." The whole team whispered in creepy hivemind fashion as they traveled.

(Cutaway of RoboCop blasting Dick Jones out of a Skyscraper)

The hole that had been blasted outward from the city's protective walls provided a handy way inside, and as always, the situation looked much worse up close than it did with a scope. Melissa wanted to be sick at the sight. But right now, what she was focused on were the towers being set up. Melissa signalled them to head into a blasted up ruin to get a better view of everything going on.

202 got his rifle as he aimed through the remains of a window.

"Multiple sentries, directly around the tower and it's defenses up top..." 202 observed. "Basic transmitter towers. Likely a way to receive the remote command to detonate..."

"Can you confirm with drones, Spec Ops?" Melissa asked the team members in the shadow trooper armor.

"Can confirm. Multiple heat sigs in the tower proper." one of the Spec Ops clones confirmed.

"Those Drones are equipped with Micro Grenade Launchers, right?" Melissa asked.

"Yeah Boss. Good yield too per shot." one of the Spec Ops answered.

Melissa's tactical database processed the variables. Infiltrating the tower was paramount to understanding the extent of Darth Nefaron 's strategy.

"SC-20, you take the left perimeter guard. I'll get the right. 202, you stand by to snipe. Mystery-Man, you're with me." Melissa said to the illegal apprentice of Nathan Bloodscrawl. "SC-12 and SC-07, you keep drone overwatch and ID targets. Bandage, I want you and the Pyro stay here and protect 12 and 07."

Everyone nodded and Melissa, The Bladed Mystery and SC-20 proceeded forward, Melissa crawling on the ground to reduce her visual profile. The Mystery used the Force to make himself invisible as he moved alongside her, clutching his vibro double blade.

"Heads up, patrol headed your way..." 12 said on encrypted comms, watching from above via his drone. "Some cover up ahead Boss. Move right."

Melissa spotted some large piles of rubble created from one of their enemies own crashed ships. She went over and got behind it. As she went still, her cloaking device went active, giving her an optical cloak, the Mystery close by. These old Bloodscrawl Armors were top of the line, designed to resist biohazards. She watched legionnaires pass by her, waited a bit before moving closer to the tower, still crawling.

"Sentries in the window ahead of you..." 07 warned.

"SC-20, status?" Melissa asked.

"Inside the tower perimeter. Right behind a squad." SC-20 answered.

"Mystery-Man, you get inside the tower itself and take out those sentries at the windows..." Melissa ordered.

The Mystery nodded and slowly walked ahead, concentrating to keep his invisibility field up as he found the entrance to the tower proper, watched two sentries shamble outside it and slipped in before the door could close.

He proceeded quietly up the steps, activating his double bladed sword, looking at one of the first sentries, stopped as four more came, headed up the steps above him carrying some sort crate, and snuck up on the first window sentry and shoved one end of his sword staff through the back of the abominations head, killing it instantly. He was careful to position the body so it looked like it was leaning against a structural pillar rather than dead, then crept to the second sentry, and ran him through from behind in a similar manner, de cloaking and signalling Melissa, who took a running leap into the window, drew her knife as she landed and proceeded to zip to the four sentries descending the steps, her Dovin Basal heart thudding fast as it slowed them down to a snails pace, allowing her knife to quietly eviscerate them, signalling the Mystery to follow her up the steps at a walking pace, and Melissa spotted a whole load of sentries up top, ducked to the side of the entrance and signalled the Mystery to head in as she got on comms.

"07, 12, 202, stand by to snipe frontal sentries. SC-20, prepare to direct Drone fire on targets at Tower Apex. Mystery-Man, get ready to use what my Brother taught you."

The Mystery confirmed and got in position.

Melissa's Dovin Basal heart thudded rapidly as she rapidly slowed the gravity of those in the Mystery's immediate vicinity, allowing him to rapidly close on the opponents closest to him as she gave the signal on comms.

It happened rapidly, a few sentries close to the edge being exploded by a single shot the sentries on the ground rapidly cut down by well placed shots and up close attacks by SC-20. Melissa came out of cover and ordered the Pyro to join her to examine to dispensers set up. She ordered everyone to touch nothing until he had examined it.

"Careful..." Melissa warned the insane Fett Clone as he carefully examined it.

"MY ARMOR IS CONTEMPT..." he said loudly as he examined the dispenser system. "MY SHIELD IS DISGUST."

"Do you even know what an indoor voice is?" The Mystery asked.

"IT IS THE PATH TO HERESY!" The Pyro exclaimed loudly without looking at the Mystery. He was careful not to touch it.

"LOTS OF FAIL-SAFES. WHICH MUST. BE. PURGED." The Pyro emphasized. "PURRRRGED..."

"Care to be specific?" Melissa asked.

"HERETICAL MERCURY SWITCHES! BLASPHEMOUS BACK UP SENSORS! SINFUL BACK UP EXPLOSIVES BUILT INTO THE DISPENSERS," The Pyro answered, standing up, hands going to hips thoughtfully.

"Y'know, I'm just gonna call it. Best way to disable it is either going wireless, or by destroying all of the chemical payload at the same time." The Pyro added in a completely normal sounding voice.

"I need a sample of the chemical being used..." Melissa said.

One of the stealth clones searched nearby equipment, pulling out a small vial of strange orange toxin. Likely for up close, experimental purposes...

Melissa took the vial, grabbed one of the injectors from the Healer's medkit, placed the vial inside, and injected herself.

She immediately felt a sense of raw, crippling terror that brought her to her knees, shivering even as her biot genetics kicked in, slowly beginning to understand the chemical in question and formulate an antidote, but it would take time--this was an extremely potent toxin.

"Send the Drones to mark the other towers. If we can't hack their systems successfully we need to plot some sort of targeted saturation bombing throughout all of New Cov..." Melissa ordered the clones. "And we would have to hit them all at the same time, with stuff we know will destroy the chemical on impact...or failing that... somehow disperse an antidote throughout the city..."

Everyone got to work trying to figure out the deadly dispenser, not daring to touch it, just use the scanners on hand...

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

Cora looked on as the Sith broke free from the vine's snare, shearing it with his saber before leaping away. He was quick, precise, and powerful.

At the very least, the slaughter had stopped.

Around them, civilians fled further into the marketplace or out into the street - some managed to remain hidden, while others were caught by the Corpse Legion.

"He'll have no use for credits after he's dead," he said in a callous manner. Kasir almost gave her a chance to challenge him, but would press on. "And soon enough, neither will you,”

Cora arched a manicured brow. Palpable anger radiated from him, but she could not place its origin. What she did know- as he honed in on her and unclasped the cape from his person - was an invitation to duel when she saw one.

"You confidence is enviable,"

She glanced to the blue plasma thrumming at her side, then back to the Sith. Cora weighed her options.

"But your taste in clothing is a little…drab."

The Jedi's free hand raised, fingers spread. A bruised melon suddenly slammed into the visor of the Sith's helmet.

Corazona killed her saber and fled further into the marketplace.

Kasir Dorran

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Double-Bladed Lightsaber

"Val?! Stars am I glad to see you!"

Valery blinked and turned around. She recognized the voice immediately but the name and face escaped her for a moment. At least, until Lily wrapped herself around her. While certainly a kind gesture, Valery would have preferred for her not to pin down her arms in the middle of a combat zone. Luckily, Aris was quick on his feet and charged into the lines of undead. He pummeled them down with his bare hands within seconds, which had her squint at him, but she decided against speaking up.

She didn't like him taking risks, but he wasn't a baby anymore.

"It's good to see you too, Lily. But... why are you here?" She was confused and certainly hoped that she didn't come to try and fight against these invaders.

More likely, she was just passing through.

Realizing that Lily wasn't familiar with Aris, Valery held up her hands to introduce them both, "Aris, this is Lily. Lily, this is my son, Aris." She smiled proudly and gave them a brief moment for introductions.

"I suggest you stay close to us or find some shelter. We'll be going after the people responsible."

Aris Noble Lily Rhodes ​

 

[Lily Rhodes]

Lily could only watch the jedi's display of strength as he made quick, though albeit gross, work of the undead that had tailed her. She blinked away her surprise and flashed him a wide smile. "Nice moves." she offered with a wink. Her thumb flicked the switch on the quarterstaff and it collapsed back into a baton that she clipped along side the lightsaber.

"Anyone who's anyone holes up in the New Cov labs. If mister spooky is gonna be anywhere, it'll be there."

She turned her attention to Val and gave her a smirk. "Pit stop on the way to wild space. Wrong place wrong time as usual, its like Celanon all over again." She shuddered recalling the way the city there had become overrun with undead. she's never quite gotten over that day. "At least these guys aren't eating people."

She extended a hand to Aris, her smile wide. "Nice to meet you."

Her head snapped round to Val as she suggested she find shelter. "No way in hell I'm hiding. I've stuck in my head in the sand enough when it comes to sith. I can help you. Might not be the best fighter but I can get in peoples heads and I can get places you can't."

Aris Noble Valery Noble

 

[Aris Noble]

Lily.

Aris glanced between Valery and Lily, giving a simple nod. "Likewise." Well, mostly. It could've been better. Zombies and hell on earth certainly weren't the best of times to meet friends of his mother. He did raise a brow as the woman mentioned joining them. Given how quick she was to hide behind the Jedi, was she really going to help?

"We should move quick. If they learn Jedi are here, we'll be a target. Not sure how much of the auto defenses they have, or the cameras."

Valery Noble | Lily Rhodes

 

[Kasir Dorran]

Tags: Corazona von Ascania

Kasir absorbed her words, allowing them to simply pass through his mind without much thought. They carried no weight or meaning to him. Therefore, it left him with nothing to return. His head may have even tilted ever so slightly, a gesture that exuded arrogance and a clear indication of his disdain towards the Jedi.

As he focused on studying her every movement, his mind began to calculate and predict the next move, but a sudden impact broke this thought process as a melon smashed against his visor. The fruit's juices temporarily blinded him and made it difficult to see. Instantly, he attempted to wipe away the mess, and his gloved hand slipped against the surface. It left behind a thick layer that only worsened it.

Now he had another reason to try and kill her.

The Sith reached up and pressed the buttons that kept his helmet sealed. With a click, he unlocked each one. As he lifted it off his head, locks of brown hair cascaded down over his pale features. He scanned the marketplace, tossing the piece of armor aside. The dark energy radiating from his body seemed to only intensify the longer he stood there; he was determined to tear down every stall, and cut down every person in his way until he found her.

The words of Darth Nefaron then lingered in the air above. Amidst the destruction surrounding him, his focus fell upon a single figure running in the near distance, fleeing in an attempt to not be slaughtered by the Corpse Legion.

The way that he understood it, to protect others was not just a duty for Jedi; it was their calling. It was time to find out.

In a swift motion, as he summoned the power within him, his hand reached out to seize the targeted individual by their throat. With a tight grip, he constricted their airway, quickly bringing them to their knees. "Choose wisely," his voice echoed through the chaos, unsure if it would even reach beyond the mass destruction. “Show yourself, you coward!" he taunted.

He was not affected by drawing out their suffering; if anything, it added to his enjoyment as they gasped for air.

 

[Jonah]

<<Y'know what else is tough work? Breathing. Or at least it will be if we end up sucking on Nefaron's theatrics.>>

If the circumstances were any different, the man might have considered his phrasing. However, there was a bank to rob and a calamity to dodge. Thus, Jonah returned his attention to the teller who had been hammering away at the keyboard after his polite request for a withdrawal. In order to ensure that she was complying, the man reached into his pocket and produced his own datapad. A few taps upon the screen pulled up the account in question.

And, like any law-avoiding citizen of Nar Shaddaa, it was one that had been routed through many others to make it painfully difficult to pin down. (That was assuming the bank personnel was even sane enough to try recovering the funds after the Sith Lord had his way.) At a glance, Jonah saw the balance increase a staggering amount...and then stop. His eyebrow raised inquisitively. "Miss Kria, I know you're doing your best, but what's the issue? I'm only seeing...what, two hundred thousand in here?"

The teller, flustered, began to stammer an answer. "That's all we keep on hand at this location, I've given you everything that we have access to." Jonah squinted. "You're telling me a bank only has a couple hundred grand on hand? Seriously?" The man sighed. Apparently bank heists weren't like the holovids. He and Leven wouldn't be retiring off these funds, but a profit as a profit. "Alright, one last thing before I get out of your hair. Got any titles to anything? Easily and quickly procured titles?"

The teller paused and looked behind her towards one of her coworkers who was hiding in the rear of their station. They quickly mouthed a few words to each other, before she turned to face him again. "Nothing that would be quick, sir. We'd have to request them from central and that'd take at least thirty minutes." And that was thirty minutes too long. Jonah reached out, patted the teller on the head once more, and pocketed his datapad. "Well, I do appreciate your help today, I'll be sure to leave a five star review Kria."

Jonah turned, about to stride out, but then paused. "If there's a basement, I recommend getting down there and hunkering down. The next folk who pop in here won't be looking for money, if you catch my drift." The advice would most likely prolong their lives until later in the day, at most. But at least they'd live longer than running outside like the fool Leven caught a few moments ago.

<<Well, we're a lot richer now than we were earlier. Let's make sure we're sane enough to spend it all, shall we?>>

Jonah wasted no time in leaving the bank and orienting himself. It wouldn't be too hard to retrace their steps back to their LZ. But, as promised, they would take the scenic route. After all, what was a few extra blocks, right?

TAG: Leven Jeyd

 

[Leven Jeyd]

Tagging: Jonah , Open.
Wearing: XxX.
Equipment: Slugthrower Rifle. Blades (Necrium made). Throwing knives.

Showtime

​

Leven watched with a sinister satisfaction as Jonah emerged from the bank, his expression a mix of triumph and annoyance. He seemed less than thrilled with the bank's paltry sum, but Leven's grin remained wide.

As Jonah approached her, Leven's eyes flicked with a mocking glint of amusement in her gaze. "I never imagined a bank heist to get boring - but I guess that teller was entirely too helpful." She chuckled, the sound almost musical in its cruelty.

With a casual wave of her hand, she motioned for him to follow her as they began their walk through the bustling streets. She was craving something, her darker urges sitrring within and around her, but Leven wasn't an easy one to satisfy. Challenging, entertaining, and yet relatively easy to dispatch - encountering targets that matched that criteria wasn't easy. Too little and there was no point in it, too much and it was not worth stiking her precious neck out for.

Leven's eyes roved over the cityscape, still searching for her next source of amusement. Her gaze landed on a group of smugglers who appeared to be engaged in a heated argument with a rival gang. Oh, they were so lucky they had not chosen the same bank as them. The scene was ripe for disruption, and Leven's grin widened as she veered in their direction.

Without waiting for Jonah’s reaction, Leven slipped nearer to the crowd, her movements fluid and almost imperceptible. She approached the argument, her presence going unnoticed amidst the chaos. As the tension between the groups escalated, Leven saw her opportunity. With a deft flick of her wrist, she unleashed a series of small, controlled bursts of force energy that sent the combatants reeling. Their confusion and fear were palpable, and Leven reveled in the disarray she caused.

She took her time, carefully selecting her targets and dispatching them with calculated efficiency. The violence she wrought was both beautiful and terrifying, it was, without a doubt - a performance.

By the time she finished, the scene was a tableau of disarray and death. The smugglers and their rivals lay scattered across the street, their once-confident bravado replaced with a desperate scramble for survival. Leven emerged from the fray with a satisfied smile, her attire slightly disheveled but her demeanor composed.

With the streets now cleared of any immediate threats, Leven would continue making their way back to their ship. The journey was uneventful, the city’s lights slowly fading as they approached their departure point. As they boarded the ship, Leven's focus shifted to the preparations for their escape. She moved efficienctly, her mind already turning to their next destination.

<<Everything ready for takeoff, Jonah? I believe we’ve earned ourselves a peaceful departure. For now, anyway.>> Her tone was light, but there was a gleam of anticipation in her eyes, as if she was already planning their next thrilling adventure.

 

[Ar'chii Terallo]

Objective: II

The domed city of Illic was quickly becoming a prison. The entire population being held hostage by the self proclaimed demon. And one that my daughter had naively let in the front door. However I can hardly berate her for it. Raids of a similar kind have happened on New Cov many times in the past. The Empire of old had also taken control of the planet for our resources. But one thing that the history books also show is that the Covie always prevail. Our way of life and our resources are always secured. Our independence is always returned to us. And as history repeats itself so often, then so too will every aspect of it. What is happening in Illic now is only temporary.

I take solice in that as I hear the Demon Lord's broadcast echo through the halls while I run. Protocols have been in place for centuries and I am now doing my part. My darling wife Loretta was fortunately not within Illic, yet I am certain that she is enacting the same protocols in the other dome; just as the other members of the Board of Directors in the other cities should be doing.

The laboratories are deep beneath our Headquarters, yet our turbolifts are quick. Minutes ago I had left the scientists and engineers to continue their part of the lockdown. Fortunately there are safety shelters for them with food, medical supplies and air. It all relies on a different power source seperate from our Headquarters building in case of a power outage above.

"Initiate Lockdown procedure Priority Alpha. Authorization Ar'chii Terallo 643215." My eyes are scanned, as well as my biometrics.

<Authentication verified. Initiating lockdown procedure Alpha.>

The doors to the laboratory seal . I can see the shimmer as the bioshields are activated. The grinding of the barriers are heard as they slide into place. The clicking of the locks are the last that can be heard.

It is done. Now I must find my daughter!

I ride the turbolift which carries me up through the underground levels and up high. Liin's security team is sure to be leading her that way. I've hired myself a good one and I have a lot of faith in them being able to handle my daughter's bouts of stubborness. At this moment I am sure that panic has started to cloud her judgement, so I must relieve her of that fear.

My assumptions are correct. I realize that as the turbolift's doors open. I can see Liin running with the security team and so I break into a run to catch up. "Liin! Get out of Illic!" I am fortunate in that her running speed is not quick, so that I am able to catch up to them. I do not urge them to stop, but instead run along side them. "I've initiated Protocol Alpha! You know what that means! Now get out before it's too late! Do not let the demon bait you, no matter what! I love you, my darling! I am so proud of you, now go!"

I break from them to run to my office. There are things in there that need to be secured. And I need to message Loretta. Although if communications are compromised, it can at least prove to be a distraction to help Liin to escape.

Tag: Liin Terallo Karlo Kyrr Darth Nefaron

 

[Nej Tane]

TAGS: OPEN

Speeches.

Bad guys always gave speeches.

Why the speeches?

Did they rehearse them?

Nej elected on the higher payday. Plus, it seemed like a better option given the circumstances. No risk, no reward! To the NCBC he went- intercepting the Sith to get to the loot first, now that, that would be a story. Plus, the outlaw in him couldn't stand to let the big bad guy take the money before him.

Nej activated his rocket boots, and began to screech across the sky in short bursts, eagerly counting the credits in his head that he could potentially get. A few million credit payday would mean a nice easy lifestyle for a while. A long while.

Maybe he'd pay off his bounty, maybe he'd stop sneaking around Alliance space. But then again, Valery did give him that transponder that made it so easy to slip past Alliance patrols, so... why stop?

He was the most Outlaw of all Outlaws (as far as he knew, and dared to claim outloud).

​

 

[Jonah]

- EXIT -​

Where Jonah was nowhere within the zip code of amused, his partner-in-crime couldn't seem to be happier. She joined him a moment after his departure from the bank, commenting that she never imagined a robbery of this sort could be boring. Given their history on the infamous Hutt moon, such heists were usually a lot more violent. Hell, on the day of their meeting, they literally painted a warehouse red in order to make off with some loot. It seemed that, on more civilized worlds, folk were more likely to comply. Something to keep in mind for next time.

"I bet she had something to live for, unlike the rats were usually deal with on 'Shaddaa." he said. Jonah then followed after the woman as they headed down the more scenic route back to the LZ. And oh, what a scene it was. Leven went quiet as they moved, for her eyes had picked up a group of smugglers. And, before Jonah could so much as open his mouth, she was off. He had seen her work before - how she'd blast and bludgeon with the Force before picking off the survivors one by one.

She was intentional. It was as if she were dancing upon a stage with the universe as her audience. And when her bloody performance was done, Jonah - for the first time - tangibly obliged her. His hands clapped together enthusiastically and he whistled, much akin to a dad who was way too proud of their child's first ballet. "Bravo I say, bravo!"

Yet, Leven was focused. It was no surprise that she quickly moved on from her bloody display and rejoined the man in their journey back to the Landing Zone. They drew no undue attention to themselves as they boarded one of the Legion shuttles strewn about. And, once the door slid closed behind them, Jonah released a pent-up breath. <<Looks like we're in the clear. Let's get the heck off this rock - this money is burning a hole in my pocket.>>

So it was that the duo's time upon New Cov came to a close. It wasn't everyday one could say they came to the site of an imminent disaster and made it out richer.

TAG: Leven Jeyd

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

As Cora wove her way through the marketplace, the projected words of Darth Nefaron washed over her - toxin, rend flesh from bone, and Liin Terallo stood out. The Knight had first met the chairwoman when she was only a bright-eyed Padawan; they'd exchanged pleasantries once after that during a Ukatian festival.

Had she truly invited this beast into her home?

Cora was about to clear a hovercart bearing crates when an unpleasant gargling rose from behind her. She turned to find a young woman on her knees, eyes wide with panic as she gasped for breath and scratched desperately at her throat.

The Jedi's face pulled in a mixture of surprise and horror. Her plan to have the Sith focus on her and give chase had failed - and now an innocent civilian was paying the price.

"Enough!"

Her jaw clenched through hard words as she called out to the Sith. With his helmet discarded, she was again surprised, this time by how young he looked - roughly her age, if she had to guess. She always pictured aged, greying faces beneath the austere armor Sith tended to favor.

"Let her go - I am your opponent, not her."

Cora paced to the middle of the street, onlookers scattering to give them a wider berth.

Kasir Dorran

 

[Darth Nefaron]

The Galaxy Shall Burn. Only then can something new be born.
​

It had been mere hours since Nefaron and his horde descended upon New Cov, and already a city burned, its inhabitants clutching dearly to not only their lives, but their very sanity as the Corpse Legion spread itself throughout the city. Toxin flooded entire districts, while others burned at the hands of the lost and damned, those who once lived entirely normal lives before they were taken to Anoat, the black heart of the Nefarons realm. They came terrified and left utterly mad, devoted to making others suffer as they had in their master's name. If there was more time, Nefaron may have attempted to take the other domed cities and graced them with his dark majesty, but alas there was little time for that. Aside from the city defenders and the Mandalorians that were hired to protect his prey, it became abundantly clear that servants of the abhorrent light had come, Jedi and their ilk seeking to, in their ignorance, prevent the gift of terror from consuming the city. While he might seek to challenge them openly with the fellow Sith that had joined him, he knew that they had come for their own purposes and would, if they hadn't already, abandon their pledge to aid his forces. No matter, they are a distraction.

In truth, there was still time for a deal to take place. Everything that happened now, all the death and slaughter, was little more than performance, an assurance that the power Nefaron wielded was very real. The precious biomolecules that were native only to this world were of great interest to the Corpse Lord, and he sought a supply of his own for experimentation. But did he need to do all this for a few vials that might have been purchased? The Terallo family was all too eager to make a deal, so why stab them in the back?

In essence, Nefaron was covering his tracks. ​

Samples of the jungle wildlife had already been taken, but he needed but a few refined samples of the biomolecules found within the NCBC labs if he was to carry on with his plans. The attack was made to look like a simple Sith raid, perhaps as a ruse to refocus the Galatic Alliance and have them commit to defending neutral worlds.

No. Nefaron cared little for the war that had begun, once again the Sith fought the Jedi in open battle, and he had come far from the battlefield in search of a key ingredient for a new toxin, one that could successfully infect a force user. While his toxin was still a danger to the Jedi, they could prevent inhalation through proper control of the force. While injection was still effective, Nefaron was no expert duelist. No, his weapon simply needed to be refined. First, he would decimate the Jedi Order, his toxin would drive some mad, perhaps force some to embrace the Dark Side. Others might cower within their temples, seeking safety in numbers. But in the end, his final challenge was not the Jedi. He had one question he had yet to find an answer to;

How do you kill a Dead God?

Nefaron would have his Dread Empire. But he must first cast down the False Emperor of the Sith.

All in due time.

​

"Master, our forces surround company headquarters. But the building is heavily protected, and our access to the heart of the facility has been cut off-"

"No matter. Surround the building, drag civilians from their homes, and gather them here. The scientists within may be safe, but their families? That I very much doubt. Speaking of, have you found Liin Terallo ?"

"Our forces pursue, but they are hindered. But she has not entered company headquarters, nor has she attempted to leave the city."

"Good. Ensure our continued control of the local holonet, I have another message to make."

Citizens, I know how you must feel

Your homes burn. Your families are butchered. You seek to blame me for their suffering, but I was invited in.

The Terallo family, in their greed, brought me here. Now, they would deny me what I came for and you suffer for it.

I offer this. Ar'chii Terallo, Liin Terallo , grant me access to your laboratory. I seek but a few tiny vials, not the destruction of your company or you city. Grant me this, and I will leave, my forces will scour themselves into the jungle to be devoured.

Every hour you deny me, I will flood another district with toxin. You'd do well to heed my warning, how long will it be before the staff you seek to protect takes action to save their families?

As for our new arrivals, I have sensed members of the venerable Jedi Order have come into my city. While I would relish a chance to meet you, I'm afraid you would just slow me down. So allow me to give you a chance to play heroes.

In one standard hour, I begin flooding one of two districts with toxin. The locations will be broadcast, but I'm afraid it won't be as simple as destroying a few canisters. Already, my Legion moves to occupy the district, they will cut down any who attempt to flee.

So decide. Come for me now, in which case I'll flood the city. But maybe you'll end me before that can happen.

But will you take that risk?

Tags: Kasir Dorran Nej Tane Aris Noble Lily Rhodes Valery Noble Corazona von Ascania Sahan Dragr Adeline Noctua Karlo Kyrr Meleena Bloodscrawl​

 

[Kasir Dorran]

Tags: Corazona von Ascania

Kasir's desire for vengeance could now be fulfilled as the Jedi finally revealed herself. A twisted desire for blood and destruction flooded his mind. The darkness within consumed him, driving him to embrace his chaotic instincts and relish in the destruction surrounding him. The Sith wished to strike her down in a way that could only be described as inhuman.

His piercing gaze fixated on the delicate curves of the Jedi’s face, relishing in the display of her shock and distress. With a single movement of his wrist, he decided to tighten his grasp momentarily, silencing the desperate gasps for air from his victim. While he could see her clawing at the neck in an attempt to break free from the corner of his eye, he would maintain his focus on the one who had tried to attack him earlier. The assassin savored the power he held over the civilian, listening with satisfaction to the sounds of her fight against death.

When the Jedi spoke again and pressed forward with a more determined stride now, he relinquished his grip, allowing the helpless woman to crumple to the earth before desperately trying to crawl. Finally, the Sith could sense an aura of hidden strength in his target. “Then come closer, dear protector of peace,” he taunted, his voice a cold whisper.

As the final syllable escaped his lips, his body instinctively shifted forward at an angle, propelling him towards her. His fingers tightened around the hilt of the saberstaff, positioned at its center, ready to begin their deadly dance. He attempted to study her body language while moving, to anticipate any potential attack.

While their district remained untouched by the toxins that had overtaken neighboring areas, Kasir figured it was only a matter of time before the air here became more deadly too. He noted a large building that loomed nearby, and though the structure was crumbling, its towering walls seemed to offer sanctuary from the inevitable. Perhaps he would have to find a way to draw her there in due time.

“The great Jedi Knight, standing alone in the dark, thinking she can save the galaxy. How quaint,” he said, closing the distance between them with slow strides. “Tell me, do you feel the weight of your precious ideals crumbling around you?” With grace and precision, he aimed a swift strike towards his opponent, maintaining a safe distance to toy with her rather than immediately attempting to end her life. This move was merely a way to initiate their duel.

 

[Melissa Bloodscrawl]

One of the DRK-1 Probe Droids carefully examined the dispenser, the stealth clones covered the roof, their stealth probes mapping each dispenser location, along with troop movements and placements. Gradually, the puzzle assembled itself as to how Darth Nefaron planned to drive everybody to a state of pure cuckoo.

Melissa huddled in a corner shivering in terror as Nefaron's toxin was processed in her body, her biot blood slowly but surely working out an Antidote. But this was a truly fierce toxin. She was only a quarter of the way through.

Terrors she had never even considered flooded her mind. The idea that she was, deep down, nothing but an expensive bio droid. That The Bloodscrawl Family was nothing but a pipe dream, that Nathan Bloodscrawl would turn out to be like his daughter.

The idea that she had no soul.

She shivered at all of this, even while SC-20 and the Pyro carefully examined every facet of the toxin delivery system.

"Say what you will about his army, but his technical skills are above reproach. There are very few ways, even electronically, that these could safely be disabled..." SC-20 said. "We would need the source code to the systems regulating the storage environment, as well as what governs the mechanism that actually controls the release. There are multiple sensors designed to detect any such attempts to breach the computer system from outside.

"What about freezing the chemical?" The Ashla Healer inquired.

The Stealth Clone shook his head. "Inadvisable. The dispenser systems would automatically register a drop in temperature and release the chemical."

"What about Molecular Solvents?" Melissa asked. "Degrade the chemical bonds once airborne..."

"We would need the means to disperse such a chemical. One tailored to the toxin itself. There is no way we could make enough of it ourselves in time...it would need to be dispersed throughout all of New Cov, and linger in the air to blunt the effects of the chemical. But you wouldn't entirely eliminate it's effects. Just lessen them enough to open the possibility of recovery..."

Everyone went quiet. There was not going to be a nice, neat little solution to the city's problems.

Melissa fought through her terror to think.

"We need to get in contact with the Cruiser waiting outside the system..." Melissa said. "We need them to send what we want and get some sort of city dispersal method arranged. Meaning we will need drones. Lots of them."

"We could load them up with the counter-agent!" The Bladed Mystery realized. "Or we could load the drones with enough explosives to destroy the dispensers..."

Just then, Nefaron's latest transmission came in on the tower equipment.

No choice now.

"SC-07..." Melissa trailed, using one of their medkits to extract a sample of her blood.

"The sample has an incomplete solution..." Melissa explained, shaking as she handed it to him. "You need to take this and one of the other toxin samples, egress out of the city and back into the jungle. Contact our forces from there. We will head deeper and try to acquire a dispenser that hasn't been fully set up yet...that may be our best chance of getting into the system controlling all this..."

SC-07 nodded and took one of the toxin samples along with Melissa's blood. Without a word he descended the tower turning on a cloaking device in his armor.

Melissa rose up and, still battling her terror, readied her rifle.

"SC-12, you got anything for me?" She inquired...

"Some freaks south are running behind schedule about two blocks from us. If we hurry we might catch them before it's fully assembled..." he offered.

Melissa nodded, fighting her fear. The only thing that could have made the situation worse was if Mark Hamil started voicing someone flamboyant to troll her.

"Follow me..."

Fifteen minutes later...

The team moved deeper into the city, saw people choking and screaming from the toxin. The Healer used the Force to generate a barrier to keep the gas away. They didn't have long.

Melissa spotted Nefaron's forces assembling another tower.

She wanted to go stealthy, but she was constantly assessing risk and reward. Start the fighting too early and they could get swarmed by reinforcements. But move to slowly and you get nowhere.

Melissa signalled everyone but the Pyro to stay put and she moved ahead, her Dovin Basal heart thudding as it increased the personal gravity of her targets as she mercilessly opened fire on full auto, moving at superhuman speed and gunning down three, then seven more after, blasting without mercy, dodging return fire and scoring headshots only due to her targeting systems.

More and more dropped, her rapidly clearing the site out with cold efficiency, aided by the sniping of the stealth clones and the Pyro ruthlessly butchering every enemy at close range with his Therm-Ax, which had the delightful feature of setting them ablaze as they were cut down.

"BUUUURRRRRRRNNNN IN HO-LY FI-RE!" The Pyro shouted as he hacked and shot his way through the mutated foes without mercy.

Soon all the Legionnaires at the site were dead, the dispenser only partly assembled.

Melissa has taken multiple wounds, and was bleeding silver blood, the toxin making her collapse, the exertion having momentarily weakened her immune system.

She clutched at the ground desperately, huffing, battling the terror in her. The others rushed to check on her, Melissa still in a panic...

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

The Sith finally loosened his deadly hold on the captive. Cora watched as the woman crumpled to the ground, unmoving aside from the desperate rise and fall of her chest.

Ashla, she is alive.

The relief that touched her face was short lived, her expression sharpening as the Sith strode forward and levied a taunting a taunting jab.

"The weight I bear is nothing compared to the burden you carry, consumed by the Dark as you are." As he closed the gap between them, she met his gaze unflinchingly, her voice measured and firm. "I stand alone, but I am not alone. The Force guides me."

At the very least, he did not hide behind a veil of pleasantries. He was a monster laid bare, undeniable in his lust for power and destruction.

A sharp side step kept crimson plasma from cleaving through her skull. A singed lock of blonde hair drifted to the ground, its gentle movement a stark contrast against the pandemonium surrounding them.

Cora threw her free hand out to the side, her telekinetic grip yanking the canvas awning from a nearby nuna kebab stand. As the striped fabric flew towards the Sith, she surged forward, her lightsaber aimed to cut a burning path from hip to shoulder.

Kasir Dorran

 

[Kasir Dorran]

Tags: Corazona von Ascania

As the piece of fabric hurled through the air in his direction, with the Jedi also quickly closing the short distance between them, his mind became a whirlwind of calculations. His instincts along with the years of training in the Dresuoti kicked into full gear. He was not one to allow chaos to break his concentration; rather, the Sith embraced it as another source of power. Kasir refused to let anything divert his focus; every ounce of his being now honed in on one of the targets.

There was a powerful pull from the rage that simmered within him, as if guiding his every move, allowing it to take full control and guide him. Instinctively he began to deftly wield his saberstaff in a swift motion, shifting the hilt slightly in his grasp. With a thrust, he extended it forward, using its length to his advantage. The scarlet blade sliced through the air, piercing the canvas in the air with a hissing noise, and causing it to fly off to the side.

With fluidity, he then shifted his weight and twisted his lean body with the expertise of a seasoned assassin, evading the full force of her strike. However, not all of it was avoided. The moment it made contact with the plascloth and armorweave of his armor sparks erupted around them. Kasir had felt the intense heat radiating from her blade just above his skin, and the scent of scorched fabric filled the air as a scar was etched onto the bodyglove's surface. A vibration coursed through his body but he did not lose his resolve. He was already prepared to retaliate; now it was time to try and counter the near miss.

With the Jedi directly in front of him, the Sith barely had to adjust his stance, refusing to give an inch of ground and remain close to her. With fingers from both hands curling tightly around his saberstaff before him he thrusted his knee upward. The Sith aimed straight for her ribs; it was a movement of speed and strength. He wanted to send a message that he was not one to be taken lightly.