A Return Home[TRE Dominion of Korriban Hex]

[Darth Abyss]

"Understood Apprentice. Continue with your plan, but stay covert. Once everything is in place I will need your finger on the trigger the whole time, ready to ignite the spark on my command."

The plan of his apprentice [member="Serenity Loveheart"] was a good one, but it was a card better kept on his hand until it was needed. Creating chaos already would only give his enemies a chance to use it, while he was still in control. No it was a spark that would ignite a fire but only when he needed one. Until then he would work the shadows, trying to keep them from getting to the point where such methods were needed. With a few presses on his terminal the Black Port was on lock down, at least for roughly half an hour for "emergency maintenance", with only "official personal" allowed to enter or leave it. That was all he could do for his apprentice right now, at least without making to much noise.

A 3D depiction of the Free Cities hovered in the Citadel's command center, and every other minute a mark on the map appeared. Each of them showed a simple, yet decrypted signal by his operatives all around the cities, signaling their leader that their plans were in ready to be executed. Con man in the upper city of the Spheres walking the high society, keeping an eye out for anything unusual, as well as twi'leks that kept up surveillance on the free spirits. Gang members of the legion that reported back from their respective gangs either in the red light district of the tainted city or in the underground railroad system of the Spheres. Slicers in Firewall that closely monitored the network.

Additional forces gathered unseen around the core buildings of the different cities. Legion members indistinguishable from the rest of the populace took position around the Spires of Light, around the Hub, around the Pyramid of Prosperity and around the Spring of Life, ready to defend what were the main sources for almost everything in the Free Cities.

"Glory, keep the swarm ready for dispatch. I want them stocked up with any humanitarian resources they can get from the Market and The Blessing, so they can keep the cities from being starved out."

They came here to play a game he had created. No matter how good they would be at it, he would be better.

[member="Antherion"]

 

[Vrak Nashar]

Korriban
The Tyrant [3/20]
[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"] | [member="Vilaz Munin"]

Vrak smiled beneath his mask.

She had always been a fierce one, ever since they'd met on Coruscant. Seraphina easily could have killed him a dozen times over since then, slit his throat while he lay in bed, stabbed him while he bathed, a dozen other means that she'd had open to her. Yet she had so far chosen not to. Perhaps it was because of the benefits she acquired by staying with him. All the comforts of the galaxy, a palace, and occasionally someone that needed to die. In truth he didn't really understand it.

Were their positions reversed Vrak would have killed Sera long ago through whatever means were open to him. Perhaps that was the big difference between them, why she chose not to call herself a Sith. The Pureblood glanced back at her for a moment, then returned to his gaze out of the viewport. "How exciting."

Ryloth was of course too far away for him to actually even care about it. If he were to cross half the galaxy for the conquest of a world it would not be for a ball of dirt and Slaves, it would be for Naboo. A world that he desperately wanted to see burn.

That would have to wait, however. First would be Korriban, the Caldera, then more would come in time. The Empire would eventually take the galaxy, though it would likely take longer than the span of his own life. For a moment The Pureblood frowned, watching as a fighter ducked beneath the prow of his ship before swooping towards the planet below. He glanced back towards the ensign who he'd sent to inform the Mandalorians, the man had returned to the bridge just a moment earlier, nodding to Vrak as a sign that the warriors were on their way.

"You have no need to concern yourself." He told Sera. "I have no interest in your people."

Not specifically anyway.

 

[RC 212]

[member="Nick Imura"] [member="Vrak Nashar"] [member="The Slave"]

Korriban- En Route

The planet loomed in the distance. On top a large gray cargo crate she was immersed in meditation once more. this time it wasn't the peaceful kind, it was turbulent, and painful. She was trying to draw as much of the light into her as she could. Korriban was an ancient dark place, plagued with the spirits of thousands of Sith. She doubted she'd have an easy time maintaining her center here.

​

Best not to get into any overt fights then.​

The Ship in question was the Riptide, Captained by a Rodian and his Trandoshan friend. A simple mindtrick had worked to lower the price, and she'd agreed to trade what she had left in creds to get on world. It was meagre, but they were desperate so they'd taken her offer up.

As the Riptide sped towards the poles sensors began to ping in alarm. The two Crewmen were jabbering in Rodian, some kind of dialect she had no clue how to decipher. She didn't need to know the words to feel their fear however. From the depth of the force she reached, touching them each with reassurance, steeling their nerves as the small frieghter plunged in a roar of maroon flames through the atmosphere.

"Where you trying to land miss?" The Rodian asked in broken basic.

Seraya snapped her eyes open and strode into the cabin, leaning over their shoulders to peer through the view port. It was rather rocky, and filled with ridges and canyons. She guessed they were a ways out from where she felt the largest of presence gathering. Another educated guess that whatever Sith forces had arrived would make for the Tombs first.

​

Don't know why, there's nothing left. Unless..... they hid something recently.​

"Take me down here, I'll walk the rest of the way."

"You crazy?"

"No, I'm very sane. Do you have extra water?"

"Yeah couple bottles in the back."

"Thank you."

She gave them both a slap on the shoulder and made her way down the halls and through a bulkhead to the cramped compartment they called their galley. in the fridge she collected two bottles of water and filled her canteen up. She returned to the cargo bay and collected her things. One utility belt with Lightsaber, Old Jedi robes and Combat harness. She snapped each of them on, then cast the robes about her frame, flipping the cowl up.

There was a jolt as the craft made contact with the surface. Seraya grinned, and snapped her goggles over eyes, drawing her cloak in tighter than before. Wash from the engines created a roaring brownout as the ramp opened with its familiar hisssss.

She stepped off into the Korriban dirt. She'd arrived.

 

[Bethany Kismet]

Elos, Elom
In Scene: [member="Elijah Henson"] [member="Electroheart"]
Nearby: [member="Joon"] [member="Corin Zanith"]

The trio moved through the eastern sector toward their destination. They were already in the city when the first bombs started to fall. Bethany felt it before she heard it, the ripples of the Force reaching her long before the concussion echoes in the distance.

Someone else might have grabbed her companions and run back toward their ship. Surely, they could make it before their own sector was at risk. Fire up the engines, get out of there. This wasn't their world. It wasn't their fight. It would be the easiest, most sensible thing to do.

"Get out of the streets! Underground!"

Bethany didn't even hesitate. Elos, like most cities on Elom, was built over extensive tunnel systems. They had repelled more than one attack by outside forces over the years, the citizenry and armies alike utilizing those tunnels for safety and mobility in dark times.

She wasn't yelling at Elijah and Electro- she was yelling to the other people out in the open.

"Elijah, north. Electro, south- get this people out of the open, NOW."

 

[Leos Palle]

Location: Elos, Elom
Allies: [member="Elijah Henson"] and [member="Bethany Kismet"]
Enemies: [member="Joon"] and [member="Corin Zanith"]

He heard the bombs falling and realized that sneaky trouble feeling in the back of his mind wasn't for nought. Bethany had been right about trouble looming on the horizon.

"I'm on it. Stay in contact," he said as he turned to head south.

It wasn't going to take a lot of persuading to get people to start heading for the underground. Bombs were a good persuasive device. He took a moment to glance skyward as he could feel dark presences descending upon them. He deliberately amplified his own presence in the Force, trying to draw them to him and away from the other two if possible. He hadn't come along just to be a representative of the Order. He liked to go into dangerous territory to serve as a guard and protector of the others, even if they didn't need it.

Come to me. Leave the others be, he thought as he turned his attention back to ushering the others below the ground. A child tripped and his mother didn't notice so he scooped the child up and rushed him to the tunnel entrance, handing him off to someone waiting there before turning and rushing back out, doing his best to avoid the track of the bombers as they descended upon the city.

The door of a building was jammed and there were people trapped inside. He used the Force to kick it down, fortunate it wasn't a security door. Those inside he ushered out before moving into the open and scanning the skies for where the dark signatures were located, still trying to use himself as a beacon to draw them in if he could.

 

[Elijah Beckett]

Location: Elom, Elos City
Allies: [member="Bethany Kismet"] | [member="Electroheart"]
Enemies: [member="Joon"] | [member="Corin Zanith"]

"Commander, watch out!" The sounds of explosions, of his squadmates yelling. The feeling of someone tackling him, of fire scorching his body.

The memory had frozen Elijah stiff the moment he heard the sound of ships zooming past and bombs being promptly dropped in their wake. Even the screaming of the civilians around him didn't stir him immediately. It took Bethany's yelling for Elijah to finally snap out of it and jump into action. He did not hestiate or question her orders, knowing that getting underground right now was the best option. His mind was awhirl with various battle strategies, where to place the men, where the enemy would likely attack-

Elijah shook the thoughts away, realising he wasn't in command of anything right now. Instead he had to focus on getting as many civilians to safety as possible, and as such he made a dash for the northern side of their sector. With the bombs in the distant an ever constant presence in Elijah's mind, the ex-soldier kept a subconscious check on how far they were. Trying to calculate how long it would take before the ships would eventually reach this sector and attack.

It could take a matter of minutes depending on their pattern, the only chance there would be to not reach is if-

Elijah's thought was cut off as he felt them. Through the Force he could feel two presences getting ever closer to their location. It felt like a pair of locusts were approaching, desiring to sow their disease across the city.

Sith. It was a venomous thought in Elijah's mind. He hadn't encountered one in a some time now, not since his retirement from the SIS. And here he was, with only a Vibrodagger to fight with.

He stopped however and took a deep breath. He was no longer a soldier, nor an agent. He was of the Sacred Lotus and he was here to protect and help the civilians; the ones caught in the middle.

"Come on, hurry it up. Get into the tunnels!" Elijah's voice managed to boom over the terrified screams of everyone around, as he gradually shepherded the crowd through the nothern underground entrance.

 

[Neesa]

Jaguada
Darth Gravid's Fortress

Everything had to be returned to their rightful owners. Every scrap of knowledge, every historical site and city. It would all be reclaimed and the galaxy would tremble.

Neesa had chosen not to travel with [member="Joon"] to Elom, in part because she truly despised the cold. Even in the heat of summer she wore thick robes and cloaks to cover her slender form.

Some pirates had moved into the remains of a fortress once owned by the Dark Lord of the Sith. They'd been warned and told to move out. They had ignored that warning.

 

[Klesta]

Location: Elom
Objective: Repel the Resurgent Empire's forces
Allies: [member="Electroheart"]
People of interest: [member="Bethany Kismet"] [member="Elijah Henson"]
Enemies: [member="Joon"] [member="Corin Zanith"]
Post: 2/38

"Make no mistake, we are closing in on the main enemy landing force. Some Mako heavy starfighters, but otherwise a rather rag-tag assemblage of fighters and troop transports"

"Porkins flight, cover us, the rest of Sith Hunter Squadron is going in and shoot down the enemy landing craft"

"All units, de-cloak as close as you can to the enemy craft and engage the enemy craft at point-blank range!"

With the wing leader's orders, the sixty Yutans all decloaked in very short order and at an equally short range from the enemy convoy. Now, poodoo will get real, she thought, now that Yula and the rest of the pilots actually had a chance to fly combat missions. Until today they would have been happy to fly even surgical interdiction missions against the Sith factions: now Yula had a chance to show her valor in starfighter combat. The enemy landing craft are of various models: she'd readily recognize a Neimoidian Yacht among those, giving stern-chase to it until she could get a good lock-on to the landing craft, laden with about a hundred Kaleesh. The Neimoidian Yacht is a little weak to the rear, but so are most of the enemy fighters. While Yula de-cloaked, she had one of the heavy concussion missiles fired at the Neimoidian Yacht, flying towards it and the yacht having some difficulty letting go of the missile when, all of a sudden, she hears Pixie over comms, while her craft is being chased by a Mako heavy starfighter. Shooting down the Neimoidian Yacht is of little comfort, especially since the Neimoidian Yacht only carried a small fraction of the troops.

"I've got one behind me" Pixie warned over comms.

"I'm on it"

Yula had to perform an Immelmann to get to Pixie's position, and then she fired the twin heavy autocannons (20mm was heavy by starfighter standard, especially when you have a 3 km/s muzzle velocity) at the Mako's underside, using a five-second burst while also taking a hit from one of the enemy heavy repeaters mounted on another transport craft, leaving her shieldless for the time being. And defenseless for an additional five seconds other than by evasive maneuvers. Meanwhile Daisy entered a corkscrew maneuver to hunt down another TIE fighter, shooting it down with a well-placed volley of armor-piercing rounds. Also, while, on the whole, the effect of surprise was exploited at their advantage, left and right, with the other five squadrons also scoring some kills, this was not done without casualties.

Attack craft:

Spoiler

55 Yutan stealth fighter-bombers

 

[Darth Assimilus]

Ancient power boils.​

Chaos to Order. Balance.​

Our time had arrived.​

​

Shaking the darkness.​

Vessels roared, such might. Despair.​

Ambition drives us.​

​

Those who oppose fall.​

Those who give in are consumed.​

Resurgent Empire. ​

​

​

post 1/20​

 

[grammaticus]

As the transport was heading towards the ridge, the pilot called back to Corin from the cockpit. "My lord, we are receiving reports from the capital landing forces. Enemy fighters appeared out of no where and are attacking the landing craft." The news surprised Corin, but he didn't let it show. So there was resistance on this world after all, and they had stealth fighters none the less.

"Send word to all transports in the air. Order them back to the fleet, and have all bombers follow them. Send five squadrons of fighters back to defend the fleet, and have the rest focus on the enemy fighters. Order all troops on the ground to cease killing the civilians. Order them to gather them, and take them with him. Lets see how willing they will be to fire on the innocents." The orders were quickly sent to the rest of the invasion force.

Hundreds of transports pulled back from their coordinates, heading back to the fleet in orbit, escorted by fifty fighters. The bombers dropped a final barrage before pulling off as well. The remaining fighters, numbering still well within the hundreds, broke off from their attacks and diverted back to the engagement, flooding the air with numbers. The Kaleesh warriors on the ground, numbering around one thousand, began to round up civilians and bind them, before dragging them along as human shields.

Turning to [member="Joon"], Corin waved his hand through the air briefly. "It seems Elom has aid in this battle."

[member="Yula Knezevic"]
[member="Elijah Henson"]
[member="Electroheart"]
[member="Bethany Kismet"]

 

[Kratacos]

Korriban.

Vraukt came with the Resurgent Empire's forces on this day when they sought to re-establish control over a relatively large swath of the Stygian Caldera, though it would be nowhere near complete. Multiple shuttles were heading down to the planet, all for different reasons. Vraukt's own shuttle, one that held other Sith of varying shapes and sizes was heading for the Ancient Academy that had long since been abandoned and fallen into ruin.

How such a structure could've been allowed to collapse in on itself and left in disrepair, was beyond Vraukt, though the fact that multiple battles had been fought on and over the planet was not lost upon him. Besides, it appeared to be in a good enough state to allow the Resurgent Empire to rebuild Vitiate's Academy.

Vraukt closed his eyes as the shuttle entered the planet's atmosphere. Soon, they'd arrive.

[member="Yidhra"]

 

[Natalie LaForte]

Location; Malachor V
Objective; Plant explosive charges
Post; 2

The go ahead had been given. They continued their journey to the black port, one of the better and more prosperous areas of city. The sleek, steel archways, golden lights and modern ships/technology certainly made it appealing to the eye. It was sad that this was to be the target of propaganda. As they entered the bustling trading hub, she knew her exact intent. She allowed her sister to catch up with her, who was slightly panting from the long walk.

"So run this by me again... you're going to blow up these ships and make it look like those invaders are doing it?"

She didn't respond, instead opting with a quick nod.

"Huh, and I thought I was the crazy one."

She simply smiled as she began to make her way to the various ships, looking for the most high value targets. There were people from all walks of life here, Twi'Leks, Humans, Zeltrons, Rodians, Ithorians; but they would all be subject to this unfortunate plot, should the worst come to worst. She began with the freighters, discretely placing the charge on the side of the ship, it sticking and holding a remote control device in her hand, before tossing it to her sister.

"I'll tell you if to do it. Now when. If." she nodded in response. "Go to the control tower and say the phrase; The Prophet prospers. They'll let you in, they already know what's happening." The port being one of the few areas which was under government control meant it would be a good target, not only for the sake of a cover-up but also as a symbolic target. The free people enjoyed not having a government and prospered in its limited aspects, it being attacked was a direct threat, especially such an important target.

She maticulously continued to place the charges, before meeting her sister in the control tower with some security and protocol droids manning the security cameras, which overlooked the entire port, the incomings, the outgoings, the trades, the auctions, all right infront of her eyes. At this point, every single ship in the port was rigged with some sort of explosive, any onlookers who even spotted something were tricked with the force into thinking they were going crazy.

Once more, this desperate appeal could be made to their advantage to the Jedi. Their one flaw, helping everyone. If they heard of such an important population center being under threat, they would rush to the aid of her Lord. Then, her sister announced on the loudspeaker.

"Under the authority of our Prophet, all outgoing exports have been halted and are subject to immediate security inspection by Trade Authority Officers. Please have relevant identification ready when stop and searched. Thank you."

Her sister looked out the glass pane, realizing that this was just a necessity that needed to be done.

Serenity opened her communicator once more and spoke to her Lord on the same encrypted channel.

"It is done, my Lord. My sibling will be able to set the explosives off" her sister giving a nod with the explosive charge detonator in her hand. "I believe that my presence would be more useful elsewhere, do you have somewhere I could make myself useful?"

[member="Darth Abyss"] I @Anybody else on Malachor V (Don't believe there is anybody yet)

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

On all trade channels the following message would be relayed.

"All incoming trade vessels and military are subject to immediate inspection upon arriving at Black Port. Please have relevant identification ready."

Little did they know, should they enter they would be apart of the chain reaction that was set.

 

[Darth Empyrean]

~
Post: 2
Objective: Korriban - Reconquista of the Old Artifacts
~

As the inner door to Ajunta Pall's tomb opened, its dark energies surged outwards into the valley. Its source was obvious, but The Slave had not noticed any other beings in the area before descending. The air was cold, still and heavy as it seemed to hold him down with every step. His robes stuck to his body, holding warmth to his body as the sudden change in tempature seemed to cause a shock roll through his system. He grinned, the shiver moving down his spine felt foreboding, a sign he was on the right path. He could feel the ancient energy rush past him, brushing the fabric on him aside like a flag in the breeze.

Still, he descended farther into the main hall. It was here he'd begin to meditate, search the tomb through foresight, through the power he was slowly beginning to harness to a higher level. Its ceiling was high, supported by massive stone columns and an abyss beneath it that seemed to descend to the core of the planet. He could neither see, nor sense, its bottom; but its depths were filled with corpses and history that he couldn't even begin to comprehend. His thoughts came back to the task at hand, moving to the center of the platform and kneeling once more.

He closed his eyes and began to focus, letting the energies that flowed through this tomb as the currents for his senses, letting them drift and search. What lay behind the walls, the floors, the world as a whole that stay hidden behind the stone. His focus wandered, while the forces outside seemed to move on their own....

[member="Seraya Whisperwind"]

 

[Ras'kala'han]

~
Posts: 1
Objective: Malachor V - Seizing Control
Allies: Himself, the Force
Foes: [member="Darth Abyss"], [member="Serenity Loveheart"]
~

Antherion glided on his hoverchair through the Upper Sphere, a contended smile on his lips. Everything was moving as it should be, as was planned. He had kept his dress simple, yet reflective of wealth and power (irrespective of said wealth or power's existence) to better disguise himself so that he could move freely throughout the Upper Sphere - a set of stiff, navy blue bankers' robes over a white, Zeyd-Cloth shirt. The only ornamentation was a single, threadlike chain of metal that gleamed with iridescent colors as lights flickered off it. His feet did not brush the ground, scrape the polluted and stained soil. His breath was steady, unbothered by pollutants or city odors. His gaze was fixed forwards. The layer of scum the previous landlord had allowed his tenants to build up had no hold over the Sith order's paladin of purity.

He pressed two fingers to his earpiece. "All units, status report." He had little access to covert ops, but had managed to commandeer a lightly trained special operations unit for the sake of his mission.

"Negative. The Black Port is under emergency lockdown - we're having to circle back around and make a landing elsewhere."

"All attempts at securing covert access to the Firewall are being repelled! We've had to move two times since starting to avoid being caught - and we're getting ready to move again."

"..."

He pursed his lips. "Squad Three - respond. Have you gained access to the Spires of Light?" He couldn't have known that their bloodied corpses were cooling after a brief, brutal conflict between a squad of Legionnaires and Imperial Soldiers in civilian guard erupted, a war of conquest in the guise of a gang war. Squad Three had fought valiantly, taken many lives, but were dead to a man - and the power source of the Tainted City was unsecured.

He brought a finger to his lips, frowning. This was... beyond the level of what mere incompetence could offer in terms of setbacks. This was... purposeful opposition. Moreover, it was opposition that pinpointed the most vulnerable parts of Malachor's infrastructure for special protection, anticipating the moves with a level of familiarity that only could be possessed by...

...no. No, no, no! He was supposed to be gone! What is that man doing here of all places, now of all times!

He grimaced. He had hoped to avoid military subjugation, to slip quietly into Lord Abyss's place at the center of the Malachor spiderweb without disturbing it. It would have been great for personal power and profit margins. Now, he had to shift tactics. If he... no, no, no. He lacked the intel and the means to counteract Abyss's intrigue on his own home turf. His biggest mistake now would be trying to play that one's game.

He needed to draw the Darth out of hiding. If he could destroy the Mindeater, Malachor would be vulnerable to his influence. All he needed to win was to clear the field. "Squad two - make your way to your transport, override the autopilot. Divert it towards the Spires - mangle the safety enough that it crashes straight. I want it dropping in from high orbit - as high as you can go that the atmospheric burnout doesn't stop it from smashing Abyss's clenched fist wide open."

"It will be done, my lord." Dutiful. Unquestioning. Unlike that cultist's hooligans, his subordinates knew their place.

"And us, my lord?"

"Circle back around to the Upper Sphere for pickup. Clearance codes will be provided on site by myself, wait above the Pyramid of Prosperity. While squad two makes a blast with their crash landing, you can get us with the rest of the fleet to take action in the aftermath and invade the planet with the main force. We will leave naught but ashes."

He actually didn't plan to leave - or invade the planet. Part of him still believed he could take what did not belong to him and make it his own. But his soldiers wouldn't do knowing that the plan required their deaths. He smiled, taking his comlink out of his ear. Radio silence from here on out, but he had made sure to broadcast part of his message on two frequencies, 'accidentally' picked up by his private comlink to his ship - going nowhere, but easily intercepted.

"Circle back around to the Upper Sphere... above the Pyramid of Prosperity. [Unintelligible] blast with their crash landing...the aftermath... ashes."

Does your wretched refuse have anti-terror defenses this high in two places? He would find out soon. For now, he waited on a high balcony, a walkway floating at a fair distance from the Pyramid of Prosperity. He watched, waiting expectantly. He had to make a bold play - his next move would need cover, and chaos was to his advantage.

 

[Vilaz Munin]

Location: Some ship
Allies: Sith, me, and Mandos
Enemies: I'm safe, right?
Objective: Get Chris that hex
Post: 1/20

Was it publicly known that the exiled Sole Ruler of the Mandalorians had a huge vendetta against the Jedi and perhaps was leaning towards rebuilding an ancient alliance between his culture and the Sith? He did not have the answer for that, but whether it was known or not he simply did not cared. When had he ever cared what the Galaxy thought of him and his people? Never. He only cared for the opinions and thoughts of his family, clan, and the sect of Mandalorians known as the Aka'litt.

Though when his followers had heard of Vilaz's views on the Sith, some came to worry. Some worried that history would repeat itself with the Sith taking advantage of the Mandalorians and leaving them in ruins. However, that would not come to happen. Vilaz refused to sell over his people to anyone and wouldn't allow anyone to step on them. Thankfully, he reassured his followers that he was nothing like the early holders of the mantle of Mand'alor.

And this was true.

The Sole Ruler, with pride and grace as well as his guards, walked about the corridors of the Tyrant with Sith soldiers escorting them to the [member="Vrak Nashar"]. Mere moments the Sole Ruler stood outside of the doors that led to the chambers where the Sith was waiting.

[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"]

 

[Vrak Nashar]

Korriban
The Tyrant [4/20]
[member="Seraphina Shel'tah"] | [member="Vilaz Munin"]

When the Doors to the bridge opened and the Mandalorians stepped into place Vrak half turned to Seraphina. "More on that later."

He flashed Sera a brief smile, knowing that the words would irk her more than a little bit. The Servants on the Bridge immediately approached the Mand'alor, pointing out Vrak to the Mandalorian before slowly bowing away and letting him pass. The Pureblood smiled for a moment, but didn't make a single move to approach the other way. Though he wanted this alliance, Vrak's ego was something that almost always got in the way of everything he did.

The Pureblood waited until the Mandalorian stood in front of him, and only then spoke.

"Welcome." He told the man.

There wasn't really a need for a lot of small-talk here. "Lets do away with the formalities."

"I wish to hire your people, permanently." He didn't want to drag this out. "Name your price."

 

[Kratacos]

Korriban.
Post Two.
Ruined Sith Academy.

Massassi, Kissai, and Zugukruk alike disembarked from the shuttles that had transported them to their ancient planet. Although the Resurgent Empire was relatively new, much of its powerbase stemmed from Athiss and their Purebloods located there. Not that Vraukt had a problem with that. Purebloods in positions of power and influence in a Sith Empire?

That wasn't something that could ever possibly dampen his mood.

He rolled his shoulders back as his shuttle finally touched down, rising up to his feet.

The Academy would've likely become infested with all sorts of creatures. The Jedi didn't care enough to clean it out periodically, likely. Just another civilization they destroyed without a second thought.

Typical.

 

[Darth Abyss]

From one moment to another the lights went out in the Tainted City, as the spires burned bright for a moment and then died down into nothing but ash. The lights inside the citadel jumped off an on again, as the private generators of the sith lords personal Ivory tower kicked in and restored the functionality of his command center. Frustration danced over the expression of the mindeater, but the feeling was gone as quickly as it came. The lose of power was bad, but it would help them to build a narrative in the future, it would give people the will to fight this new sith empire.

"Glory, report."

A slight hum could be heard as the AI gathered every small bit of data she could dig up without the main network up and running.

"Blackout in 45% of the City, greatly reduced energy levels 50%, and 5% with readings barley distinguishable from any other day."

Many people had their own small generators at home, but they did barley more than keep a handful lights on in their homes, allow the to turn up the heat and keep a very basic level of communication running. All in all this was a bad situation, but not an impossible one.

"Rewire the network. Reroute as much energy from the functional structures as we can spare, including the citadel."

The lights in the city turned on again, or rather a few did. Neither the spire nor the other structures had much energy to spare, but it was enough to show the people that he had no abandoned them. But there was more he could do than that. The men and women of Malachor were one things above all else: survivors. Through the terminal in front of him he recorded a message for his people.

"People of Malachor. I know it is not often that I address you all so directly, but certain situations require more direct solution. The enemy has come, and the spires have fallen. The Tainted city might be dark today, but our spirit still burns bright. Tomorrow we will fight our little conflicts again, for money and property, for honor and reputation, but today we have to stand as one."

The prophets words could be heard everywhere, and it was not long that the people reacted. They had lived in scarp and dirt so long that they could make something out of nothing, which in this case meant that neighbors began to connect their generators, restoring at least a very basic level of energy inside the Tainted City. This new player was good, but he showed a lack of subtlety for the Prophets taste. Now for the next step. He patched his comm to his apprentice [member="Serenity Loveheart"].

"Hands of the trigger. In his foolishness the enemy has revealed already, and now he will pay."

Before he could continue his command to his apprentice, he was disrupted by a electronic bleep on the terminal, informing him about a intercepted message. The words played over and over again, and worry crept on his face. The fall of the pyramid would reduce the spheres into nothing, as the upper city would fall down on the lower city. But something was off. His opponent had played this game with a certain degree of skill, so it was unlikely that he would make such a rookie mistake. Still it was not impossible, but even if it was the truth than the spheres were lost. There was nothing he could do, the swarm and the city's defense wouldn't reach a similar attack quick enough to stop it. But despite that it seemed more like a ruse to draw him out than anything else. A smile crept over the face of the sith lord, as he moved the pieces on the table once again.

"Apprentice, I have a task for you. Our enemy wants to make a stand, send a message. For that he needs a target, and what better target is there than my apprentice. Just make as much noise as possible and wait. I will monitor the situation and act when the time is right. May the force be with you."

Serenity had many things to learn, but he knew that she was really, really good at making noise, and her natural borderline insanity masked the intention of that behaviour. She just had to play megalomaniac sith acolyte war chief in the city for a while, and tell everyone how important she was. Typical sith apprentice behaviour when the master was caught up elsewhere, something alike a security meeting with the swarm, or rather a few freighters filled with ordinary legion members making their way from the citadel to the Floating market.

[member="Antherion"]

 

[Garza]

Korriban - Acquire Relics of the Past

The time had come to relive the past. Should anyone stand in my path, my katana surely would cut them down. My steps were easy as I made my way past many. While most were ex-soldiers looking for work after being abandoned by the Silver Jedi, or even Mercenaries who wanted to fight some dangerous Tuk'ata. Maybe look within the tombs to find the famed beast of them all. The Terentatek. A being that could feast upon the dark side of the force. A beast that were nearly extinct once. Yet, they still reside in the deepest of tombs.

Maybe creatures that had been altered by the corruption of the force still roamed within? The only way to find out, was to clear them, and make away with what I could find. I could feel the presence of the Dark side around me. It was growing with every pulse. Yet, I could also feel the light of in the distance. Trying their best to hold out. They were damned if they did, damed if they don't.

It was walking past various archaeologists who still wanted to find something of value that I passed now. Not a huge number of acolytes, but enough to notice that the Jedi were now gone. The Sith were wanting to return. They wished to find their own place, and their own freedoms.

Until then, it would be a fight for the planet. And I could only assume, that an attack like this, would be one to attack all the planets within the hex. Walking past others down into the tomb, The main areas were clear. With tents playing out against the sides, and even people working to get materials down into the tombs. Removing rubble and debris.

Walking past many of them, I had a soldier stop me. Pressing his hand against my chest, and two other men behind him holding blaster rifles. I smiled lightly as he started to talk to me.

"You don't look like you are from around here. You have ID to be here?"
"I don't need one."
"Then you can't move forward."
"You don't have to stand in my way."
"You don't have to be here."

This man really wanted to argue with me. Preventing me from moving forward. I smiled lightly as I looked at him. Bringing my hand down to my sword, the three men prepared for a fight. Drawing the blade slowly from the sheath, I could feel the dark side flood my veins. Bringing it out, I took one step back as it was held wide to my right, and then brought in front of me. Held with both hands, They fired on me.

Twisting the blade, I reflected the bolt to slam home into the wall. And sidestepped to the left to avoid another bolt as I took a long step forward with a lunging slash at the first man. His armor was tough enough to withstand the major blow, but my blade cut into it. Just enough to cause damage and cut into his flesh. Yanking my sword out as I held up my left arm in an open palm. The blaster bolts fired at me were dissipated with relative ease. However, it drained me to hold it for a little longer than I wanted. Reverting back to my katana, I lashed out at the second man. placing the blade at the gap between his helmet, and his collar. Pressing with enough strength to cut through the fibers, and into his skin. And yanked to the right.

The blade covered itself in blood as I used the force to push the man down into the ground. His yelling was silenced as I literally crushed him under an invisible weight. Turning around to the man who stopped me. I smiled down at him as he was trying to crawl away. My left hand came and gripped the man. Lifting him up with the strength that I had. I placed the sword against his neck.

"I believe, this is my identification."

Cutting into his neck and cleaning the blade with my off hand before replacing the blade into the sheath. The people around me were either scared, or angry that I did this. I couldn't care less how they felt. I walked on deeper into the temple. Smiling as I already knew which temple it was.

The Temple of Marka Ragnos.

[member="The Slave"], [member="Seraya Whisperwind"],

 

[Connor Harrison]

She didn't even know who this warrior was, but his tone irked him. As the assault ranged around them moving to another area of the city, the transport moved lower.

”You watch who you are talking to! Lord Vrak will have you head if you talk to me like that AGAIN.”

Fighting the urge to run him through with her blade, she looked past him to the outside and moved to the door, staring out into the streets below and holding onto the railing while her eyes scanned below.

People were falling, soldiers were moving in, panic gripped the city that was - she lurched forward, like a predator spotting the next meal.

”There!”

Her hand shot out to point to a group herding civilians away, like freedom fighters. Resistance fighters? Jedi?

”Put me down right now - they can't get away to rebel against us!” She turned her head to the Sith. ”You either do it with me now or I go alone, but bear in mind Lord Vrak will hear if you run from duty.”

Joon looked back, desperate to locate where they were heading.

"We need bomber support and flatten their escape routes if there are more of them.”

[member="Corin Zanith"] | [member="Elijah Henson"] | [member="Electroheart"] | [member="Bethany Kismet"]