A Cluster in Turmoil [ Mando'ade Dominion of Hapes Hex ]

[Nyos Val]

Location Vena
Allies: [member="Bestala Vizsla"]
Enemies None atm
Post 2

Looking down to Bestala, Titan chortled, he'd never had such a comment to his normal armaments. But it made sense in this time of attempted peace.

"If an army come to disrupt our talks, then I will have something to say" he replied, shifting the repeater on his shoulder as if it would do all the talking then.

Titan turned to show his undevided attention to Bestala, she was quite amusing. He laughed briefly again.

An a more serious note he returned, "I should hope never, as we come to talk peace and to quell the rumors that Vena will be attacked next. Hopefully our presence as protectors is seen primarily, as warriors second. I shall holster my repeater during the conversations, though I think it best that you do the talking, as I...can be difficult to believe that I'm not here for destruction."

 

[Ria Misrani]

Objective 1: A Consumed People
Location: HVS Auli'i en route to Hapes Cluster
Post 2

The Auli'i was your average Mantis, except after that run in down by Anoth it would be receiving an upgrade to the hull. As of now, Amaya was on her way to Hapes after weeks of travel up from the dreaded gravimetric nonsense she'd experienced elsewhere in the galaxy. Accompanied by the news that she was the product of a one night stand between Ajira Cardei of Naboo and more notably of Theed and Isley Verd, head of Clan Verd and of the short-lived Mandalorian Empires. Now as the Auli'i approached Hapes she would be here to help her people, the Flotilla had always been home to the Mandalorians and now more than ever before. The destruction that the planet was experiencing now only caused Amaya to rethink the history of Taris and it made her sick to think that there were people out here who committed atrocities just to commit them. Worse, the Imperial Remnant believed that the answer to this problem was simply to destroy the planet itself. She would be joined by another Verd of a different name @Kiera Ticon, Amaya wasn't sure if this woman was already here or not but she would send out a message to her anyway to let her know that the HVS Auli'i had arrived.

 

[Strider Garon]

Location: Hapes
Objective: Hunt [member="Dredge"]
Allies: Mandalorians and friends
Enemy: Dredge

"I should of killed him!" The old warrior's low resonating voice snarled in self anger. Strider was reminiscing a time long past, back on the crisis of Myrkr when he had Dredge at his mercy. The dark creature was on his knees before The mandalorian and he had shown mercy by sparing his life. A tactical judgement to cease the siege to end the bloodshed. How many have died since. How many lives could he had saved if he had just ran his beskad through the mortal monster. If he could go back in time, he would of sacrificed everything then and there just to watch Dredge shiver in the last throws of life. Now, the galaxy has suffered for his mercy. A mistake Strider will not make again.

The Transport rocked in the turbulence as it rushed towards the last known location that their intelligence had tracked the Force Entity. The troop hold was empty though, there were no supercommandos or other mando warriors accompanying the warmaster. This was a solo mission, a quest long over due and the old man would not risk anymore of his brothers to fix the mess he should of cleaned up long time ago.

"In coming!" The droid pilot warned his only passenger. A large beam of laser cascaded through the clouds and erupted on planet side impact. The concussion of the blast shook the transport harder than the turbulence had. The old man's body rattled in the harness, but his nerves were not shaken. His mind and soul was put to task. He was not afraid of death, it had reached out and gripped him before and now he was familiar with its embrace. "30 seconds!"

Strider stumbled to his feet and walked over to the back loading ramp that was opening. He could see the destruction below. Hapes, a beautiful planet of many artistic pleasures and architecture delights. Nothing more than a scorch mark of chaos and horror. Was time to end this......

*Jump!" THe droid commanded.

With out hesitation the old warrior flung himself out of the transport, free falling to the planet where below a huge dust bowl of orbital bombardment had kicked up. This was where dredge was. The imperials had zeroed in on him and fired a shot, he was sure of it. What seemed to be a life time of falling was actually over in seconds. Strider ignited his heel thrusted and slowed his decent to safe and comfortable landing. The dust in the ruins clouded vision, so he resorted to technology with in his helmet to find his target.

"Fek!" He snarled "Where did he go?" He was certain dredge was here. He didn't see the Force Entity escaping the planet and taking the fight to the imperial fleet above.

 

[Dredge]

Allies: None
Enemy: [member="Strider Garon"]
Objective: Sweet sweet payback
Location: Hapes

Righteously upset, Dredge could do nothing as Tanomas tucked tail and ran. At least he understood his place on the food chain and knew when it was time to pack up and go home. So that helped Dredge mend a bit of the rage that he felt. Though as he left, he felt something or rather someone. Someone who was very near to one of the memories and minds swimming in the hivemind that was his existence. That person was none other than [member="Strider Garon"] who had helped slay the original Dredge of this universe. This was before he had plucked the Mirrorverse variant of Dredge out of his realm to once more adorn the armor the former Sith Spirit resided in. Before he had sacrificed the man and ascended into godhood, now Dredge had quite the opportunity to not only get a little payback for one of his former incarnations, but to remove an influential Mandalorian from the midst of this new order.

Slowly calming himself down it would take a bit for his thralls to get back in line, things like that weren't instant. His emotional state had to transfer to the thousands of people infected on the planet. So while Dredge might of steadied himself, his minions were still acting like mindless zombies detached from central command.

With a focus of energy, Dredge phased himself down to Hapes' ruined surface behind Strider. Standing only a few meters away, the seven foot tall shadow looked down at the man and a smile of jagged white fangs spread across his face from ear to ear. The mandalorian stood little a chance against a Force Entity of his caliber and more than likely Strider knew that as well.

"Hello, Strider. Thanks for the killer advice on Skor. Really helped me put things in perspective on this whole God thing." He was of course referencing to the corpse he had assumed was Strider in his psychosis.

"You know old Dredge up here, he really respected you. I mean that truly, he considered you to be his nemesis." Dredge slowly began to step forward and feelings of darkness and dread would spread outwards from the nexus and dark side embodiment that was within him.

"But gods don't have those. All they have are bugs to scrap off the heels of their boots. And you know what you look like to me, Strider?" Dredge slowly began to get bigger and bigger growing in size until he looked down at Strider from a good nine meters.

"A bug."

 

[RC 212]

[member="Ardgal Raxis"] [member="Stardust Raxis"] [member="Vilaz Munin"]

On the Ground

Hell began to break loose as they surged w the ship. The first Echani blaster bolt struck him in the shoulder, burning flesh and cloth with a nasty smell. Jack grunted and roared in rage and pain. Their was too many of them descending on the ship. If they didn't move quickly they would be overrun and the survivors would never stands a chance. Both palms came up flat and he closed his eyes, focusing as heavy as he could.

The force began to surge through his body as a barrier form between him and the battle. A force shield that protected both him and Stardust in a small impenetrable bubble emerged. As they moved Jack focused on trying to reinforce the barrier. Each round that careened into it weakened him, causing him to falter.

He was not as strong as his young self any more...

"Stardust, Survivors now, combat later!" He roared through the din. Already he could sense there were some who were deep in the wreckage.

 

[Strider Garon]

Location: Hapes
Objective: Kill a God
Allies: Mandalorians and friends
Enemy: [member="Dredge"]
Post: 2

'There he is', A cold shiver ran down the mandalorian's spine as he heard the dark voice of Dredge from behind him. He slowly turned to face his quarry, the creature that took no true form yet was still the same dredge as before. Dredge was a being obsessed with power and in the time that he was allowed to draw breath he had ascended to this unholy apparition. A cess pit of vile evil, a plague to mortals, a galactic cancer that needed a cure or life as they knew it would end. Strider would stare down the monster, the cold sheen of his t visor visible angled up to what would be Dredge's face.

He could feel the darkness ooze out from the being before him. The familiar ilk to dread soaked into the mortal fabrics of the mandalorian. He was not immune, the old man had experienced much in his life and dread had plagued him plenty. So it wasn't hard for the Dark Lord or what ever title he was giving himself, to pluck at them nerve strings. But, unlike most beings, The veteran warrior was not paralyzed by such. He was battleborn, the horrors of war and the tragedies were no stranger to him. His will was unmoved by the corruption thus far.

"Still think you're a god!' The low resonating voice of Strider metallicized and echoed out from his helmet. Dredge would sense fear and any man would be rightfully scared of him. Strider was no different. Yes, he has been embraced by death before but there were things far worse than death it self and he knew that this entity could bring upon such a hell on him. Yet, there he stood. A Soldier, a mortal man of flesh and bone standing up against what would be considered the purest form of evil this galaxy has ever suffered. "Sometimes a god needs to be reminded he is not invincible"

Strider's traditional load out would be useless against Dredge. He was the force, an untouchable element and could only be hurt through the force. Now Strider was no space wizard and could not command the magical powers the force could grant. Just a soldier......... A warrior that knew his craft well. He blinked into his visor's command que. Dredge and his enhanced senses would hear an electrical pulse come from with in the Mandalorian's jetpack. Then, he would for a split second sense a heartbeat before the force dissipated as if a shield was brought up around the old man.

The intellect of Dredge would catch on quickly. That Jetpack was nothing more than an elaborate casing for a Ysalamri. Strider was wise enough to have the delicate creature cybernetically controlled and on command could be placed in a death like stasis hiding the true intent of its being. But, that wasn't the only surprise Strider had. If a surprise at all. Dredge would know that Strider was not a man of many words and such egotistical monologues were not his style.

He pulled a lightsaber from his belt and thrusted himself at the Dark Being. Fear, dread, passion, love, lust, duty and the list went one would fill the courageous warrior. His boots lit up and the force of the thrusts sent him spearing upwards, blue blade ignited and swinging with expert fashion at Dredge.

 

[Dredge]

Awkward dance partner: [member="Strider Garon"]
Allies: None
Objective: Walk away casually
Location: Hapes

Strider's charge was... anti-climatic to say the least. When the Ysalamir bubble went up it was a ten meter stasis bubble in which no force energy could enter or be performed. Factually speaking when powers hit the bubble they didn't just vanish into it, it was a literal impenetrable wall in which they slammed off of in a violent fashion. Strider's bubble forced Dredge far out of striking range of his saber and placed the two of them in this awkward position where strider was too far away to strike with a saber and Dredge couldn't get in close to kill him. It was a real Catch 22.

"Well this is awkward." The entity said as it rubbed the back of its head in a less than socially comfortable manner.

Having reduced himself back down to around seven feet the entity was taken back by this a little bit. He honestly didn't know what to do. On one hand he could just throw a bunch of stuff at Strider, and on the other he could just blow heavy winds and send him flying. But those wouldn't be enough to kill Strider, he knew that much about him.

"So did you want to like drop the field and try again? Or we can work around it? What's the deal?" Dredge once again in an awkward stage just took a sharp inhale and looked over towards the horizon where his plague was still spreading.

"You know I think I'm just gonna go. See ya." Dredge said as he turned his back to Strider and started to casually walk away.

Really there was nothing to be done, the moment Strider dropped the barrier Dredge would gank him in a heartbeat, and it wasn't like Strider stood much of a chance against him without it. So the only real option was to just kind of walk away.

 

[Ardgal Raxis]

Post: 3
Objective: 3, Bad blood
Allies: [member="Stardust Raxis"] [member="Jack Raxis"] [member="Vilaz Munin"] [member="Nolan Detta"] [member="Pykares"] @Anyone else going to kick Echani butt

"Ardgal, don't ever address me as 'my lord' or things like that. Call me by my name or 'sir'."

Ardgal dipped his head for a moment apologetically, "I'm sorry my L--Sir. Our approach vector should fall in line with yours in less than five minutes."

The old rusty Corvette creaked, a spark flashing off behind Ardgal's right, almost as if to say 'HA! that's what you think.' The general looked off camera to his helm's man, who shrugged quietly with a semi-reaffirming nod.

"But it might take as long as seven," Ardgal said with a hint of humble retraction in his voice.

With the conversation over, he grabbed his helmet in both hands. It looked like Stardust felt about the same too. They were all trying to find a way to work around this, to find a new normal. He supposed they all just had to find what that was, or if they even ever had a normal at all. He tapped out a quick reply,

"Just keep your eyes open. Munin cautions vigilance and says to make him work for his money. Will be joining momentarily."

The general sealed his helmet on his head and made his way bellow deck. The Behemoth was waiting for him, strapped on the underbelly of a dropship for rapid deployment. His choicest soldiers were on hand and Virgil was in tow waiting to kick this off to some seriously wonderful rescue action.

"Sir, we received word the landing site is clear for us." Ardgal's cousin piped up suddenly.

"Oya, vode, let's slam that rock!" Ardgal shouted, elicting a roar of approval.

 

[Stardust Solus Skirae]

[member="Jack Raxis"][member="Ardgal Raxis"]
Post 3
Obj 3

Hell had indeed opened on the ground, stardust fired at the echani without a second thought her westars a fury of bolts each hitting somewhere on the target

She looked to jack as she nodded and ran back towards the dark, she looked around eyes closed a a she smiled a family and ran inside the room hold a hand up

vod vod vod! I'm here to get you out

She said waving her hand as she started helping them out her westars leveled as she looked around the place and to jack yelling

jack we gotta move I got a group let's get them to the drop ship

She yelled as a few more joined them some with weapons as they fired at the echani, stardust ran to jack placing a hand on his shoulder and focused energy into him

come on brother we have to go now

She felt a chill in the force...somethimg wasn't right at all

 

[MoonClaw]

Deleted

 

[Keira Priest]

Gear in signature, more or less.
Location: Hapes
Objective: I - A Consumed People
Allies: [member="Amaya Verd"], [member="Strider Garon"], Mando'ade
Enemies: [member="Dredge"]
[1]

Ever since the reports had come in Keira had a feeling, one of the variety that she had learned never to ignore. It was one that told her everything about this was familiar, and if not that then at the very least she knew who was behind it. When the very first scrambled transmission came in, her stomach knotted. There was something more sinister at work than a simple gathering of local defenses. Her people could have dealt with that easily, and the distress call wouldn't have been so desperate. Instead, this one carried with it talks of a god, and somehow she had a feeling that she would become personally involved. That was always the case when it came to matters such as these.

"If it really is him you owe me 200 credits."
"What are you going to do with credits? You're an AI."
"It would make me feel better."
"Isn't the satisfaction of being right enough?"
"Not when it happens all the time."

Before she could respond a transmission from her niece came through indicating she had arrived on the planet, and Keira sent one in return indicating she would rendezvous shortly. As much as she wanted to investigate into the attack immediately, this was a day to reconnect with her relatives as well, no matter how botched a family reunion it made. Following in her late brother's footsteps, she'd never been the greatest at keeping close ties with family, whether related by blood or otherwise. This was one of Isley's children, and another addition to the cadre of nieces and nephews she had learned she had thanks to near and distant family ties.

"If he was here you'd be able to sense him."
"I can sense something, but it's not entirely familiar." His presence - if she wasn't making overdue assumptions - wasn't near as insidious as she remembered. By no means was it benevolent, but the volatility that had always existed on the surface was buried somehow, existing at once separately and yet intrinsically entwined with this new being's existence. It was something she was uncertain of how to interpret, but if it was here and causing harm to her people, that was enough.

With her niece's ship coming into sight she resigned herself to waiting outside, not wanting to intrude on a woman she was meeting for the first time, family or not.

 

[Ria Misrani]

Objective 1: A Consumed People
Location: Hapes Cluster; Hapes
Post 3

When the docking procedures were completed, Amaya took a moment to look at the photo of Lady Ajira Cardei. She studied it a moment and recalled [member="Ashin Karrde"]'s words regarding some of her mother's personality traits. The girl wondered for a moment if she possessed any of them, a natural plotter, cold, incisive, judgmental... the thoughts trailed off as she lugged a blaster into a holster on her hip. Axe and blade on her back, she wore the same studded leather, as usual, heading away from the flight controls she looked to the device on her wrist that controlled her two droids and sent them to secure her Auli'i before she departed its safety. [member="Keira Ticon"]'s name wasn't familiar but then again neither had the name [member="Deneve Verd"] been familiar to her before her time on Dxun. She was slowly learning that she was just one of many of her father's children.

In time, Amaya came to approach Kiera. Amaya stood about five foot seven, five foot eight with boots she was built with a slender athletic build with the shoulders of a Verd, but her facial features were softer. Indicative of her Naboo heritage, there was a softness to her eyes and her skin was more of a deep tawny. "Amaya Verd, and you must be Kiera Ticon." She was rather frank about and observant, "is there a preference in how I should address you?" Wouldn't hurt to be polite, even if she was nervous.

 

[Rashae]

Objective 1: A consumed people
Purpose: Accepting wounded from all sides, coordinating with all relief efforts and Medevac units, evacuation of survivors.

Objective 4: Support Rocks.



It was tough finding a spot without hostile fire as the Commander wove the Convoy around and into a dead stop to survey the situation. Multiple scans from their sensors were going full blast to determine the best route. Multiple readings, reports and com chatter was filtering through. Rashae was wondering why there was a stop. The Commander had called her up to the bridge.

It took her a few minutes to get there but as she did so, what hovered at the big wide viewing windows in the distance was a system. Which one of the Hapes cluster planets it was she wasnt sure but there was fire fighting around it. All sorts of blaster fire could be seen. The Commander hung back for safety reasons. Anyone around should be able to see the huge red cross on the outer hull of the Padme as well as the other vessels with the convoy.

“What do you got for me Commander?” She asked as she walked up to the command center to look over what he had. She was in scrubs and lab coat.

Commander Stephen Cantolas looked up as he gave a rare smile to the Minister. He motioned his hand towards the reports and details. She needed to know about. The woman would more than likely thrust it onto him but as Minister she can not idly sit by and just sit out on these details. She needed to learn.

“Minister, Mandalorians seemed to have went planet side. Imperials are here, signatures and communications are coming in from Silver Jedi and other Mandalorian clans to assist in evacuation; however.. “ The man pointed out the window at the fire fighting. “That is in our way. “

Then as if something heard them, things changed. It was like watching the folding of a floating butterfly mullusk that folded and rippled in the water. Then in a few minutes the imperial vessels started to go into warp. The commander and herself blinked at each other.

“Well then, that was unexpected. “ Commander Stephen Cantolas said as he took in a deep breath. “Lets notify our escort. You will also need to make a general call out to the various entities out there. '

“Why me? Isnt that what I have people for?” She looked at him as she itched to get back down with her crew.

The ever patient Commander shook her head. “Your the Minister. No one is going to want to hear from an old worn out veteran like me. “ It was a gentle prod and if it was anyone else, she likely snap their head off.

“Old my butt. “ She hung her head in resignation. “very well. Warm up the holo. “

The old man chuckled as he nodded to the coms technician as there was snickers a bit. They had a long day and a bit of humor didnt hurt. The Minister of Medicine was a rather lovely raven haired beauty. The piercing ice blue eyes are what you would notice. The following would go out to the various contingents that are on the rescue, evacuation effort as well as advising a place for ships to bring wounded. The Padme had a fully functional hanger bay.

///////<<<Holo Transmission Begins>>>\\\\\\\

To: Silver Jedi, All Mandalorian clans, Sacred Lotus, Any Hapan vessel

This is Doctor Rashae Lovous, the Minister of Medicine for Alderaan of the Free World Coalition and The Pii Confederacy. We have available a fully operational and functioning Medical frigate able to take on wounded and the afflicted of any and all who have a need. We will be sending medical corvettes planet side to assist current Medevac vessels to take on survivors. We have brought suitable vessels to transport a large number of survivors.

This is a coordination effort to bring communications together for the efficient extraction of wounded and survivors from the afflicted Hapan cluster systems. I encourage any who hear this to bring mercy and peace to Hapan so we can heal that which has been torn. Coordinates of the Padme are in this transmission as well as communication channels.

Doctor Rashae Lovous.. out.

//////<<<<end Holo transmission>>>>\\\\\\


Once that was completed, the medical corvettes moved out to head towards the planets to follow beacons, emergency transmissions and calls for help. Their mission is to search and rescue, stabilize, carry as many as possible and get back. Rinse and repeat. It wasn't too long before transmissions and com channels burst into activity. Rashae's hands wrapped around the bar at the command center looking down at what used to be a lovely planet. The why's circled a bit. This had no sense to it.

It was a good thing that they borrowed a few cargo vessels from Ashhearth Industries. They would have room and hopefully it would be enough. “Keep my corvettes safe, Commander. I am headed where I can do the most good. “

The commander nodded to her. “I will let you know as we get transmissions in. “

Rashae acknowledged this as she went back down to surgical and her teams. Soon the frigate became a rather busy place. They were able to handle light freighters as they would come in, unload and leave. These unloads had to be triaged in the hanger. Those who had little to no medical issues were shuttled to one of the cargo vessels where social and psych teams were in place to help with these frightened people. This wont be fixed today but a little grain of hope goes a long way.

It became necessary to separate wounded by wing as a variety came in. The doctor found her self naturally moving from one trauma to the next offering advise or assisting in assessments. The next moment she was in surgery taking shrapnel out of someone's abdomen. No, none of this will be fixed today.






[member=Vilaz Munin] [member=Amaya Verd] [member=Keira Ticon] [member=Elisea Korrado] [member=Arisa Yune] [member=Vitha Sat-thuron]

 

[Alkor Centaris]

Objective IV- What he saw in the darkness.
Location: Realspace, Japrael Sector.
Post 1

I do not remember their names. There are none left who do. I still recall their faces, if I strain. Horror for some, anguish for others, and a few even found relief. That was my legacy. Is my legacy.

Majesty stretched out into the horizon, decadence built up over millennia by men who played at power. It changed hands countless times, fickle and uncaring at their deeds or disposition. At his feet, dust rose as buildings crumbled. It slowly encroached from afar. Everything that Alkor could see crept toward ruin.

When he closed his eyes, he saw a massive creature, twisted by blight and death as it lorded over a terrified man. The voice of his master still curdled his blood. "It is a shame that we could not come to an agreement," the monstrosity spoke solemnly. The hooded figure behind the man stepped forward. "I had hoped that we could find a solution that would not end this way."

The cowering noble raised a hand. "Please," he sobbed. "My wife- my children," he recited the tired list for them, but no one seemed to hear. "Alkor," the behemoth bellowed. The figure met his yellowed eyes for a moment as he peeled back his hood. Alkor watched his younger self as the crimson blade came to life. He had never questioned it.

The weapon rose and fell instantly, but it sheared the scene. Around them, reality fell away. Where a corpse should have lay, he could see only darkness. It mocked him.

His eyes opened, and civilization broke. Society rejected him, and even the voices he rememberer cursed his name. "Demon," they hissed. "Murderer."

It had always been that way.

He turned away from it. Those constructs would always be there, in some shape. They persisted despite chaos, in spite of every force that tore away at them. Alkor refused to cling to them, to be accepted. They had refused him first.

It was faced away from those things that Alkor saw something else. "Isley," he spoke evenly. The man was dead, the last person to call him Brother. The last man to offer him a purpose, but curiously, the first to let him decide for himself. It left him hollow, but in a way that was far different from before. "I killed again. I always kill."

It was not an admission of guilt, but a profession of character.

"I killed, but I found no answer. What is it that you found, but I cannot see?" He took a step forward into the darkness, and it blossomed into a brilliant white. He did not shrink from the sudden brightness. Instead, he continued forward.

[member="Malok"]

 

[Elisea Apollodor]

Post 4
Objective: Provide Medical Assistance
Location: SLV Horizon, En Route to Hapes Cluster
Awaiting: [member="Arisa Yune"]
Processing: [member="Rashae"]

"Incoming transmission," one of the men called.

Elisea nodded, "what's the signature?"

"Free Worlds Coalition."

"Let it through," she told him plainly, as she kept her arms folded across her chest. Elisea stood there quietly, she listened as this Rashae spoke. When the transmission ended everyone in the pit fell silent. It seemed as though the FWC had brought the bulk of the equipment, nevertheless the Scared Lotus would be here to assist in anyway possible no matter how small. "Do we have the coordinates?"

"Aye," the man confirmed, "how do you wish to proceed?"

"Let's get down to Hapes, advise Arisa Yune of our own coordinates in relation to the Padme." She turned away from the pit and headed for the swamp, "let's suit up."

 

[Soeht]

Hapes: Time to Leave

Monika hesitated to respond to [member="Jorel Imos"] by pointing toward the destroyed inner-city of Ta’a Chume’Dan.

Soon after Monika’s gesture, a beam of green light descended from the heavens due to [member="Tanomas Graf"]’s orders. Monika’s eyes widened at the sight with her mouth slightly ajar.

Rubble and debris surrounded Monika and Jorel. The previous proton beam destroyed any shelter they could feasibly use.

The air quickly [acronym="I'll handle this."]chilled[/acronym] near Monika and Jorel.

As the beam contacted the ground, Monika dashed to Jorel. She attempted to push him into a crevice of duracrete rubble. There was strength behind her shove.

“Get ̕d̶owņ!”

The shockwave rapidly approached…

 

[Zef Halo]

Hapes: About Time​

​

[5]​

​

If the shady deformed figures in the distance were an issue at one point, they no longer were. The Hapan woman's hand pointed at a direction in which immediately after a green beam struck.

Jorel's heart skipped a beat at the sight of destruction. He watched helplessly as the blast wave began to take shape in the gathering of rubble and dust en masse. It was all headed their way.

The woman was quicker to react than the agent and he felt her body slam into his tackling him down into what appeared to be a crevice within all the debris. He heard her warning and instinctively wrapped his arms around her as both fell to the ground.

Eyes closed and hands tightly enveloping the Hapan, Jorel felt the blast wave through every cell of his body. New debris piled upon them and the crevice became a coffin.

Adrenaline kicked in, the result of mild claustrophobia and fear of death. The agent kicked at whatever was above them and sent it flying away. A small gap of light pierced and frantically, with the Hapan in arms, he stood up.

The moment Jorel and the woman were out of what was about to be their tombstone, he retracted his arms away and landed on his backside quietly panting.

"Well..." The investigator coughed. Too much dust. And he forgot what he was about to say. "Thank you." He coughed once more, before his eyes locked with hers. Both their faces shared dirt and weariness. "Are you okay?"

They really needed to leave.

[member="Soeht"]​

 

[Soeht]

Hapes: Time to Leave

None of the debris that buried [member="Jorel Imos"] and Monika managed to harm them – at least, not in a fatal manner.

Once Jorel emerged from the crevice with Monika, she broke away from him. She took several steps away before collapsing on her hands and knees in apparent exhaustion. She clinched her fists – gripping pieces of duracrete.

A h̕͝i̷sş͘ could be heard as she exhaled – as if relieve a great amount of tension.

Jorel gave his thanks, Monika turned around. Her eyes momentarily locked on his. Yellow-red light in her eyes faded in that moment. She then turned away.

“I’m fine,” she answered Jorel as she pushed herself back on her feet.

A cough escaped her mouth once she got on her feet. Monika turned back to where a mountainous Dredge stood. Nothing but a demolished city could be seen.

Turning back to Jorel, Monika asked him, “Are you?”

 

[Preliat Mantis]

Objective 1: A consumed people.
Post 1.
Enemies: [member="Dredge"]
Allies: None here.

There was a sound of footsteps- heavy, confident footsteps behind the spectral beast. The ground of Hapes was giving way to a vicious killer, approaching his old foe. The man stood, in the vicinity of [member="Dredge"]. Preliat wasn't clad in the Beskar'kandar armor that he normally was (or more importantly, when he killed Dredge the first time)- he stood in the Olympian armor of his clone children. He reached upwards, facing the entity, peeling off the helmet. He set it on the ground neatly, before he reached to his back. He pulled out the beskad that took Dredge's life the first time, and put one foot back. He took a strong two-handed grip to the beskad, crushgaunts tightly gripping the hefty blade.

"This ends- you end, now, Dredge. For the last time."

Preliat had to end Dredge. He was responsible for the monstrosity in front of him. And the beskad that killed him the first time- would hopefully, do the trick again. He ignored the Mandalorians around him. They didn't matter. Only him and Dredge. Arguably, Dredge and Preliat were interconnected on a deeper level- after all, Dredge had possessed Preliat and gotten a glimpse at one of the galaxy's most complicated men. But truthfully, Dredge and Preliat weren't entirely that different. Preliat focused his rage and anger inwardly, Dredge projected the pain he suffered onto others. Preliat and Dredge were both impressive warriors, accomplishing feats that many had died even attempting to do. Preliat had come not to help the Mandalorians, or the people there- but to end Dredge. To finish what he had began so many years ago.

This was his fault, what was happening here.

"Of all the things, Dredge. You coming back, I truthfully didn't see coming. But I am more than willing to rectify my mistake of not totally destroying you the first time."

Preliat felt something that he hadn't felt in years.

Fear.

 

[Dredge]

Location: Hapes Cluster
Objective: Sweet sweet payback
Allies: None
Enemies: [member="Preliat Mantis"] [member="Keira Ticon"] [member="Strider Garon"]

There was a pause and that same monstrous grin spread on to Dredge's face. The certainty of knowing that he could end Preliat without so much batting an eye, it was all so intoxicating for the entity. With that smile stretched across the entity's face it gave a raspy little chuckle and then spoke to Preliat.

"Oh, Preliat. The Dredge you seek, he's dead. The Dredge from the Mirrorverse, he too has died. But their memories, their thoughts and dreams live right up here." Dredge pointed towards his head as he took a step forward his own footsteps silent.

"But I should be thanking you, because in a way you created me. Your hate and rage birthed my spirit inside the armor. From there I was able to escape and ascend to be the glorious god you see before your own eyes." Dredge's grin widened and those rows of razor sharp fangs of light bared at the man in a maddened smile.

"I can taste your fear Preliat. We both know that blade won't hurt me. Nothing you do will hurt me." Dredge then chuckled again and started to toy with his own hand.

Moving his fingers in almost a rhythmic motion, the force channeled and flowed around his hand so raw power could be accumulated. Oh the ideas of how to end Preliat were virtually endless, all of it was oh so stimulating to the senses. Dredge had ascended beyond the realm of mortals, of those who could not feel the force. To him, Preliat was now nothing more than a fly on the wall. A mouse to toy with and to make submit in the face of his awe inspiring terror.

"So what would you like? Closed casket? Open casket? Tell you what. You lay down your arms and kneel before me, and I'll give you a spot in the new world." Dredge said and then his grin started to fade a bit into a sinister little smirk of what was to come.

"I'll even bring back your family. I can do that for you, Preliat. All you must do is kneel."