Dominion A Vaugly Ordacious Proposition | GA Dominion of Ord Vaug

[Thaddeus Wyse]

OOC note: We realize this dominion is following up quickly after the last one. Usually we try to let these threads marinate a bit, but we are fairly close towards claiming another SSD and would like to go for it by completing three dominions in January. If it doesn’t work out that’s okay. If you do not want to start a new story and prefer to focus on the last dominion that is entirely fair as well. Otherwise enjoy this new story before all hell breaks loose on Exegol!

Ord Vaug is an automated ordnance/depot world in former Galactic Alliance territory. Its AI has contacted the current incarnation of its overseer for assistance. It is attempting to become a Synthetic Preservation Society to help synth refugees and droids find a new home. It would like advice from the current major galactic democratic nation on how to do that.

At the same time the AI has other issues going on. A negotiation has gone sideways to upgrade its systems and its very nature as an independent overseer is being threatened. While its reach is limited in the rain forests and some are taking advantage of it to put the region in danger.

The Alliance must act carefully or they might chew off more than they bargained for.

OBJECTIVE I: I’m Afraid I Can’t Let You Do That, Dave
Recommendations: Diplomats, Senators

Ord Vaug has served as an ordnance/depot since time immemorial. Sometime during the original Galactic Alliance days, many of its facilities have been modified and automated, to ensure full working capacity even at times of war and strife. However the overarching AI that has governed these systems has gone haywire. It has shut off communication and turned Ord Vaug into a Synthetic Preservation Society.

Negotiate with the AI and ensure a peaceful ascension of Ord Vaug into the federation.

Beware. If the AI suspects you mean to disable it or further the enslavement of synths on its planet, it will become hostile and that will have wide-spanning ramifications for the entire world.

OBJECTIVE II: Negotiations at Gunpoint
Recommendations: SIA, GADF

The AI has been in active negotiations with Vandelhelm’s Metalsmith Guild to increase its production capacity and upgrade its systems. The Guild’s sterling reputation belies a secretive takeover that occurred sometime ago. Its current institutions are controlled by criminals who have been exploiting Vandelhelm’s resources ever since. The Guild has designs on the Ord Vaug AI and is attempting to hijack its main servers to take over the planet in one fell swoop.

This cannot be allowed.

Infiltrate the machine-core deep under the ground and stop the Guild from seizing a whole planet for its nefarious goals.

OBJECTIVE III: One Rainy Morning
Recommendations: Jedi, Marshals

The rainforests of Ord Vaug have been a splendid sight and many citizens have done a track through its woods to measure themselves. They have always been safe with the forest guardians, large amphibian creatures of unknown origin, keeping the woods secure. Now the guardians have disappeared and with them? Peace. Sentients are disappearing in these rainforests and the Ord Vaug AI is not allowed to investigate. Its protocols have strict stipulations not to touch the ancient rainforests and groves.

It has requested the New Jedi Order and the GA Marshals to investigate.

Find out the fate of the Guardians, track where the tourists have gone and bring peace back to the rainforests.

OBJECTIVE IV: BYOO
Recommendations: Yee Haw

You got a story to tell?

 

[Tarish Galland]

LOCATION: Ord Vaug, Rainforest
WEARING: Burial Raiment, Force Talisman
WIELDING: Artifice & Probity
FLYING: Z-97u-S Headhunter
TAGS: Felix Gynt

He hadn't bothered with a flyover of the place in question.

Forests usually hid their secrets will beneath the canopy that made the area below just bearable enough to not give him a raging migraine. Or at least that was his lived experience at the moment. Then again that was a topical analysis from his vantage well outside the woods.

The loth wolf ritual Kahlil had done giving him hope for the future, but even still, he had time to burn waiting for the analysis when the alert for Ord Vaug had been made.

And to top it off, he was to meet with a padawan for assignment.

Waiting by his ship, he could see the beginnings of a trail leading in. Helmet off for the moment as he rubbed his eyes, removing the cloak and keeping a death grip on his dark side presence in case something really didn't enjoy his presence being made known.

Tapping on his omnilink to see Coruscant time compared to local time, he leaned against the hull and waited.

"Find what happened to the guardians. Also there's some people missing. Well, I can tell you what happened." He spoke aloud, musing on the situation as he looked to the foreign woods. "Nothing good. Maybe not terrible, but nothing good."

 

[Felix Gynt]

LOCATION: Ord Vaug, Rainforest
Equipment: Standard Blue Lightsaber, Light Armor.
Objective: One Rainy Morning
TAGS: Tarish Galland


Felix was ecstatic to leave Coruscant for the first time in months. He had been put on housekeeping duties for longer than he cared to think about. Ever since the tragic death of his former master, and his very emotional outburst when it happened, the Jedi Council had decided to suspend Felix's Jedi training. He went from going on missions and learning secrets about the Jedi with his Master to serving slop in the mess halls and cleaning toilets for his fellow padawans alone. He was still able to train physically, he just wouldn't be able to progress as a Jedi until he showed the council he could be in control of his feelings.

He didn't even do anything bad and he figured they were just being harsh because of how young Felix was. Or at least that's what he told himself in his young naivete. In all actuality, when he watched his Jedi Master die, Felix flew into an emotional rage and used the Force to kill the Sith that had attacked them. He didn't even mean to, he just lost control, giving into his anger, it's not like he fell to the Dark Side, he killed the bad guys! For most, that kind of slip could be a one way ticket out of the Jedi Order, but they were lenient considering the cause of the outburst. However, he was on thin ice and if he messed up again, they would punish him severely to make an example out of him.

That's how he figured he got the assignment to finally leave the planet and travel to Ord Vaug. They likely wanted to conscript him into something that may potentially turn violent. Test his resolve on the battlefield. If he were to turn to the dark side, they would have a Jedi Knight there to take him into custody. Felix was, however, unaware of the unique situation his new partner was in. Perhaps the council was sending him with Tarish to show him what falling to the dark side actually looked like, and how hard it was to reverse the effects. Or maybe they wanted to give Tarish a chance to redeem himself as well.

_____

The transport ship touched down finally, Felix put away his sketchbook where he was drawing a picture of some lightsaber designs he was brainstorming. Afterward, he and a handful of padawans exited and spread out around the ship. They had been sent here to make contact with different Jedi throughout the planet for reasons currently unknown to most of them. After gathering their things and getting their bearings, they all went their separate ways. Some of them disappeared into the lush forest that swallowed the horizon, while some went in the direction of other problems. For a moment, however, Felix decided to just take in the Force and feel the earth beneath his feet. The entire scene was rather overwhelming to someone like Felix, who had trained for many years, but rarely had the ability to practice his skills. This would be the first time he would go into a dangerous situation without his master by his side.

After his moment of reflection, Felix started off toward his destination. He had been dropped off not too far away from Tarish, meaning it didn't take long for him to get close to their meeting spot. Moments later, a feeling of anxiety in Felix's gut swirled as soon as he saw the outline of the ship in front of him. He knew this was about to be the beginning of the rest of his Jedi career. The padawan took a deep breath before trekking forward into the unknown. Wherever this mission took him, he promised himself he would do whatever it took to secure a win for the Alliance.

"Hi there, I think you're the Jedi I've been looking for?"

 

[Sion Lorray]

Tarish Galland | Felix Gynt
​

Dantooine had been a mission success.

All he could think of was the teary agonized expression on Cordé Sabo 's face where he left her. It had to be done. The baby was now safe with the New Jedi Order and nobody could harm her. Even now he felt residual anger at how Cordé deceived him, but perhaps even more so at having fallen for it in the first place.

Sion curiously watched the interaction between Tarish and Felix.

"The forest is already feeling the effects of the guardians' disappearance." Finally said carefully as he stepped up towards the two. The Padawan seemed anxious about something. Ever since Dantooine his empath abilities were strained to their limits. He had to be very careful. Even a light change in their disposition felt like a klaxon in his ear.

It was not pleasant at all.

Then he blinked, in his desire to fasten the mission, he hadn't even introduced himself. "My name is Sion Lorray, Padawan to Master Ridor of the Nova Corps." Adding that there a bit sheepishly. "You must be Padawan Gant? And that makes you Galland." One young, frazzled and concerned. The other older and stretched to his boundaries.

He could feel the Darkside cloying to him even as Galland was trying to turn a new leaf. One didn't escape it so easily.

"The AI's briefing mentioned that the Guardians had native caretakers. Ord Vaugians who committed to their health and wellbeing. We were transported relatively close to their cabin, but nobody has seen them for days now. Perhaps there will be hints of why there."

Unless one of them disagreed and wished to follow a different lead Sion would show the map on the datapad. Then set off in that direction.

Felix's anxiety was there on the first page of his book. His empathy picked up on it, but he couldn't make much out of Tarish. It was probably for the best. A man of that sort of trauma... well. Nothing good came off of getting closer to that. Even thinking that? Sion couldn't help but carefully reach out with his empathy towards the older man.

Trying to discern, well, anything about his emotional state of being in the present.

"Is this your first mission, Padawan Gynt?" Trying to stir up a conversation as he did his best to ignore the mud tracks clinging to his boots.

 

[Tren Chaar]

S T R A T A G E M

CSILLA SYSTEM​

---

---

It started - and ended - at Csilla.

The strike on the Chiss homeworld had awakened the eyes of the galaxy to the Brotherhood of the Maw, the greatest threat to liberty and freedom since the Four Hundred Year Darkness. The atrocities of the Stygian Campaign against the Sith Empire paled in comparison to the horrors wrought by the marauding Brotherhood. The very heart of galaxy stability - Coruscant - had been brought to its knees by Darth Solipsis , the most terrifying Sith Lord in living memory and the first true claimant to the title Sith'ari.

While the Chiss and the wider galaxy had paid a huge price for their failures to defend the world from the Brotherhood, the broken world would plan an important role in bringing the enemy to heel. Hundreds of Alliance ships loitered around the husk of the planet, making final preparations for their assault into enemy territory.

"Any questions?" Tren Chaar stepped forward as the lights dimmed in the briefing room of the Alliance Ascendant. Dressed in his service uniform, complete with all its trimmings and his Alliance Starbird, the Umbaran wasn't about to let anyone in the room forget he had been assigned as the Starfighter Component Commander for the upcoming attack on Exegol.

The plan was simple yet cunning, its details examined and studied in immaculate detail. It was the pinnacle of his career, the moment every mission had been building toward. Chaar had led a planning cell of a dozen pilots from the most elite squadrons to bring together a brilliant plan to gain starfighter dominance over the Brotherhood.

And now, he wanted to make sure all these incompetent fools fully understood the mission, lest it reflected poorly on his performance and future promotion boards.

Open to GADF, SIA, and High Command
​

​

 

[Tarish Galland]

LOCATION: Ord Vaug, Rainforest
WEARING: Burial Raiment, Force Talisman
WIELDING: Artifice & Probity
FLYING: Z-97u-S Headhunter
TAGS: Felix Gynt Sion Lorray

He didn't have to wait long at least. Only a minute past the time he'd expected as the transport skimmed overhead before dropping its passengers.

He crossed his arms, closing his eyes to give them a rest before hearing steps. Close enough to acknowledge, not near enough to speak without yelling as he watched the padawan approach.

His eyes squinting a bit when he had to look up just a fraction.

He opened his mouth to speak, distracted with his own business to notice the other that approached. Surprise plain as he listened with a wry smile.

He'd been expecting Gynt. Lorray was a pleasant surprise though.

"Correct. Tarish is fine. Or Galland." He smiled, pushing off the ship with a stretch and looking both over properly. The mention of a master meant little to Tarish at the moment. The Galactic Alliance was an alarming cloud of influence, and he barely knew more than the Nobles and Amani as proper jedi of the Order. Barely being off of Coruscant aside from-.

The rambling thought cut short with the current task at hand.

Comparing Lorray's map to his own, he affirmed the data before following behind Lorray. It wasn't a huge deal for the stiffness to be plain in Felix. He'd seen plenty of padawans with their own variation of the jitters.

But their was a tension from Sion that made him wonder in silence. A familiar sensation, but one he didn't pick up on.

The sensation of his emotions like the unbroken calm of settled water. The empath would find an alarming quiet where nothing rose to alarm as the trio walked along. Tarish's own pursuit of mental conditioning through the years an effort of marginal succes over time. To remain all but invisible while he hunted.

And had been hunted.

"I can see why folks come here. Wish it was better circumstances that brought us here." His observation little more than a jumping point for the others as he kept slowly looking around, eyes never settling in one spot.

 

[Eleanor]

Location: [Classified], [Classified]
Objective: BYOO - Explore the Temple
Tags: Belfry of Tund
​

As Eleanor stepped off her ship and onto the planet’s surface, she was immediately starting to regret her decision. The heat was almost smothering in its intensity, far beyond any flame she had toyed with growing up. But would anything less be expected on a volcanic planet?

It was not a kind of heat Eleanor was used to, even dressed lightly as she was. How any of the Vahla were able to stand being here, let alone live here, she did not know.

But that was probably the whole point of having a temple here, a trial of their conviction to the Vahla. Or perhaps they just liked the aesthetic of having a place surrounding with lava.

If this was indeed a former Vahla Temple anyway. Eleanor had done her research, followed the clues that eventually led her to the planet. Her hope was to find something within that she could bring to whomever would become her teacher.

Sure, she could’ve gone an easier path. The connections her mother had would’ve made it a simple thing. But that was the whole reason Eleanor had decided to leave home. She wanted a challenge, to prove herself without relying on the benefits her family had.

“I guess there’s no time like the present.” Eleanor checked her gear, making sure everything was gathered. But just as she began her trek across the landing platform, the roar of another ship filled the air. She peered up to see it flying overhead, towards a different platform.

“Well now…this just got more interesting.”

 

[Belfry of Tund]

Eleanor

He wanted to get more in touch with the heritage on his mother's side.

This, Belfry hoped, would help him with understanding... well. Himself. Even though he left his mother's coven at a young age, he still remembered the teachings she imparted on him. While Bel had not been able to find them again after he left Tund? There was a deep-stated desire to understand his mother and her family.

The Dathomiri side of it would be dangerous. They didn't look kindly on force-using men. So he decided to skip that one until he was... ready. Bel wasn't sure when that would be.

The Vahla side was different however. His mother's mother, which made that his grandmother, had been a Vahla priestess. How she encountered a Dathomiri man and got to know him long enough to make his mother? Well, that was a mystery for the ages. But now Belfry was here. Here was a small moon, its tracks and geological situation bending towards fire and magma. Not a surprise the Cult of Vahl had set up an outpost here. But once he maneuvered his ship through the atmosphere towards the coordinates set forward?

Another ship was already there.

Brows furrowed.

"What the..." Muttered there as he initiated landing procedures regardless. The Tund in him pushed towards action. Blast them from the sky and conquer this temple for himself.

His mother said differently.

It took about ten minutes, but eventually having landed and disgorged from the landing platform Belfry studied the shape near her ship. "Coincidences exist, but this seems to be a big one. You are here for the temple too?" A gesture with his head towards the structure. It was... the only concrete thing in miles, so that seemed obvious.

"Or are you here for me?"

Ah, so that's what Belfry meant by that.

 

[Felix Gynt]

The padawan quickly caught up to the others. To prove how clueless Felix was in this whole operation, he wasn't even aware that another Jedi would be accompanying the two. However he figured the more Jedi there were the better the mission would go. He swallowed any feelings of doubt he had the closer he got. When he arrived, he lowered his hood to reveal his Nautolan tendrils. They looked similar to others of his species, however, one of them had been decorated from top to bottom in a leather binding, hand painted along the length of it. This was his version of a padawan braid. He had used art to escape some of the darkness that surrounded him since his master's death.

When the other padawan spoke, Felix realized he had forgotten his manners and approached a Jedi without introducing himself first. "Yeah, sorry for the lack of introduction." He said when he got next to Sion and Tarish. He extended his hand to them both. "Felix Gynt, kind of an orphan padawan at the moment." He looked back to Tarish, perhaps that was going to change with this mission. He had hoped more than anything to continue his Jedi training and become a master someday, taking on his own padawans.

Felix watched as the two other Jedi compared their data, confirming they both had the same coordinates. This furthered his feelings that he was a late addition to the mission, however, he wouldn't let that deter him from proving himself as an asset. "Well that's nifty. The Jedi just told me to get on a ship and find a Jedi Knight." He tried to mask his nerves with a little bit of humor.

As the trio made their way forward, Felix was in awe of his surroundings. He hadn't left Coruscant in so long he had forgotten what trees looked like, what fresh air smelled like, what rain felt like. He had felt like a child in time out for so long now, it was nice to be able to enjoy his limited freedoms. Sion brought him back to the present with his question. It was one that was rather hard for him to explain to new people. Perhaps Tarish had been given details about Felix's issues, but Sion almost certainly hadn't.

Although this wasn't his first mission as a Jedi, explaining the whole backstory to a new person was often taxing for both him and the people listening. No one really wanted to hear about a dead Jedi and lunch duty. So he decided to skip around the formalities. "It's my first one in a while, I've been stuck on Coruscant for far too long."

Felix then turned his attention to Tarish's comment. "I think this is the first time I''ve felt humidity that wasn't coming out of a leaking boiler in months." The thick air was actually quite relaxing for the Nautolan. He hated arid environments, they made his skin far too dry for his comfort.

"So, since you guys are so in the know," He chuckled a bit, "how much longer are we going to be walking?" He wanted to take in the beauty as much as he could, take mental snapshots to inspire his sketches later, but he couldn't shake off the overwhelming feeling something sinister had happened to the guardians they were looking for.

Tarish Galland Sion Lorray

 

[Asmundr Varobalder]

THE WARDEN
THE NEW JEDI ORDER | PROSPERITY | MEDITATION SPHERE

"Master Noble, thank you for meeting with me. I understand you're busy leading up to Exegol."

They'd deciphered the wayfinder, they'd created a plan to diverge attention from their true intentions, all that was left now was war.

War and weapons.

"Busy with the SIA too I trust? The station you mentioned, that amplifies your abilities, have they shared their progress with you?" He made a noise of consideration at the back of his throat, and clasped his hands behind his back.

He trusted that The Sword had nothing to hide, but sometimes it helped to prompt someone with context for initiating a conversation.

"I felt a powerful surge in The Force during my meditations the other day." He added more, and tilted his head. "Powerful indeed, but not long-lasting."

---

Valery Noble

 

[Eleanor]

Location: [Classified], [Classified]
Objective: BYOO - Explore the Temple
Tags: Belfry of Tund
​

Eleanor’s eyes narrowed as she tried to recognize the ship. Nothing on it signified anything in particular, not GA, not SO, nothing. Nor was there anything with the young man who stepped off the ship.

Something she was certain of though, he definitely wasn’t a Jedi.

There was too much darkness and fire stirring within him. But at the same time, a fellow Sith could be just deadly.

She looked him up and down, taking him in. He didn’t strike her as anything more than an explorer, like herself. Who else would come to a place like this, isolated and long forgotten. But if he was here for the temple too? Then Eleanor was curious about his purpose here.

“I don’t even know who you are.” She said, crossing her arms. He was right though, this was one hell of a coincidence to run into someone else here. It just so happened that two completely separated individuals had the same idea, found the same exact place in the galaxy?

If she didn’t know any better, she’d think the Force was at work.

Ugh, that sounds like something a Jedi would say.

“No, I’m here for the temple. I intend to explore it.”

 

[Valery Noble]

Prosperity

​

Outfit: Factory Link
Appearance: Link
Weapons: Lightsaber
Tag: Asmundr Varobalder

"Busier than I thought possible but you're correct," Valery confirmed when he asked about her preparations and coordination with the SIA. She hadn't been secretive about it towards the Council, knowing that she'd need their support and assistance when the battle on Exegol began. But they hadn't been quite as closely involved.

Especially not to the extent of being in their tests.

"They shared progress and I've participated in a test on Osadia as well. The results are very promising, as you've felt, but I've also realized something." Valery frowned and softly sighed. "A Wall of Light is notoriously demanding, and traditionally is always performed by multiple Jedi. To create one alone is risky, and at this scale... deadly."

"The station compensates for the fact that we don't have hundreds of Jedi, but I'm still going to need help. When the time comes, we must call for all Jedi to assist by lending their strength to it. I just don't know if I'll be able to with how much it's going to demand of me already. On top of that... I fear that it could still kill me," she admitted in honesty.

Given the fact she was planning to expand her family, she wanted to avoid it at all costs. But if peace for those she loved required her sacrifice, she wouldn't hesitate for even a second.

 

[Tallara]

Xashe Tistya | Open
​

This was more her speed.

The small group of SIA and GADF operatives stacked up at the door's sides as she placed the breaching charge. She primed it, then withdrew further down the corridor. There wasn't much cover, but the charges were shaped to only damage the door itself.

"Mark."

The charge blasted the door down, and the clearing team followed up quickly. Three seconds later she started to move to follow up, but the silence inside the room was soon followed by a "Clear" from the team lead.

The room they entered was like the last five -- empty, aside from the masses of power cables and occasional blinking lights on the sides of local servers. The intel they'd received on the Ord Vaug caretaker's innards had been misleading; for the past hour they'd been moving blind through the facility. The floor plan they'd been operating with had been positively ancient. Clearly, the caretaker had decided to expand its abilities within the past few hundred years.

The corridors were tight; just wide enough for two marines to walk side-by-side, but these were less for soldiers and more for maintenance drones. Those drones would probably have a lot of work to do in the near future.

The other off-putting thing about this assignment was, of course, the Jedi. Tallara had independently given herself the assignment of keeping an eye on the Mirialan. They were, as far as she knew, the only two Force-sensitives on this assignment, and Tallara found it easy to give in to a sort of instinctive distrust. Not that she knew where that distrust came from, but it didn't matter to her.

As they continued to the next corridor, Tallara found her mind wandering to their apparent opponents. Who were these criminals? How did they get so deep into the AI's facility? What were they after? The team was making good time, but it still felt like they were going too slow.

The next room made things worse -- instead of one exit, four hallways split off in different directions.

"Of course."

The team lead started to split them up, with orders to hold in place if they found anything. Tallara turned to the Mirialan.

"Jedi, you're with me. Let's go." She started down the rightmost hall, and started to run.

 

[Jaqu'n Boiv]

Tallara | Xashe Tistya

The question still ran across your mind, didn't it?​

As if nothing had changed, you're out on missions at any waking hour. That was the one thing that wasn't so entirely different outside of Dark Ops since having woken up from your eternal-like slumber. Except this time your mission was nothing like you ever expected it to be, and now it has led you to joining the ad-hoc Galactic Alliance. A former shell of your Republic, if it hasn't chosen to discard it entirely for a new one. But you hadn't changed. You were still in your Kill Team armor, trusty hand cannon at your side, and ready to take on the galaxy. Like always.

Your determination in following through your objective has brought you to a world run by some AI gone rampant on its own 'uplifting' a world, or whatever cover it gives behind grave intentions. For you to KTF not for Dark Ops, but for an Alliance, as your official statement. Off the record, you were chasing that adrenaline you once felt when in the heat of battle. To take in that sense of the hunting your prey, oblivious to its predator stalking from the shadows. That's how you lived life, my dear boy.

You enjoyed it. It was pure instinct from the moment you woke up from your cryostasis, you would have your Kill Team pulled together for a mission brief, and after you would go out and get that mission done. As a team. But no. You were the elite of the one percent of the one percent. A hunter unrivaled in the game, and so Doomsday would have to go one without you, left behind on standby for when things went critical. That's how it had to be.

"I know this," you reason to yourself. "I know what's asked of me." And yet still, you spend many sleepless nights ruminating over, and over again the same questions that still haunt you.

"But why am I here? Why did it have to be now?"
​

---

The Dark Operator stacked onto the breach formation as the demolitions charge was set. Thankfully none of the team formed of intel operatives and Defense Force Marines hadn't found the need to pick gear out of the ruck he wore on his back, full of breaching charges, slicer boxes, you name it. This was a technological world made by an AI that found more use out of maintenance drones and personnel droids than living, breathing workers. If they couldn't hack their way through an obstacle, he had enough powder to make a man-sized hole in it instead. And if there was something on the other side, waiting to put holes into him instead, well. He had enough charge packs to go through that song and dance for as long as he needed.

As soon as the door was blasted down, he was the third one to flow into the room, his suppressed rifle raised to follow the crosshairs floating through his HUD as they cleared the room. It had been so quick and fluid for him that he flew right on past the man that was on his side of the wall, who was either too slow or too disinterested in the lack of combat.

That was what got you killed. Lose your A-game and let down your guard, and the one moment you need your skills sharp will come to pass when you're being lazy with your muzzle work. That wasn't how Dark Ops trained, in fact one of the first fundamentals you worked on after enduring the physically demanding trials that was Indoctrination. First you built the body, then you trained the mind. Nothing was wasted in either.

Before the Marine had time to make a comment, they were already on the move again down another corridor to the fork in their proverbial road that led the task force to have to be split up. The Team Leader assigning teams was indeed the one calling the shots, but the Dark Operator was already pivoting in a new direction off his own accord. Jaqu'n had worked with Tallara before. While not enough to get a good read on the Force-Sensitive, they were in the same line of work so to speak. She wasn't exactly Dark Ops, though no one really was as hardcore as what he had trained for.

Though he did have his own perception on the Jedi that was tasked with the group. Technically this would be his third time working with one, and if you were close enough to ask him about his experience, he'd likely tell you one time was one too many. The Jedi were always pompous and demanding, and the last two were no exception. And by Dark Ops' standard, no Force-Sensitives were allowed within the tightly-knit organization at all for many reasons that came with being 'gifted'. Naturally with this, animosity against these 'Heroes' or 'Peacekeepers' of the galaxy was going to be a given regardless. There wasn't any room to think that third time was the charm this time.

So yes. He'd keep an eye on the Jedi too for his own discretion, while also taking the opportunity to tag with someone else he operated with before. Because out of anyone else, Tallara was the most familiar of them all, despite being a Force-Sensitive at that. And to be honest, he probably didn't mind that more than the Jedi she drug along with her.

The operator was already running behind them before they could get a head start. Snapped and tucked into his shoulder, his carbine was held at the low ready for the next room to breach. Because that's how Dark Ops trained. If it weren't the thud of his boots giving him his presence it was audible click of his comm that seemingly confirmed it. His bucket had already done the work of isolating the comms to a side net for the three should the need arise for their little adventure. Given how tight the corridors were probably mean the close quarters fights would be that much louder, so perhaps he wasn't wrong there. But who knew until the bolts started flying.

 

[Tren Chaar]

S T R A T A G E M

CSILLA SYSTEM​

---

---

Predictably there were no questions from the briefing participants. Squadron leaders and wing commanders had been drilled in the plan for the last week and had filtered it down to their pilots in their own briefings. The Alliance Ascendant's simulators had worked around the clock, with squadrons rotating through regardless of the hour. The floors of the docking bays on the colossal Super Star Defender were wearing thin from the number of sorties and formation drills being flown.

"Dismissed," Chaar ordered. "And back to the sims." There was still time to perfect the plan further.

The Umbaran moved to a viewport as operations officers reset the room for the next briefing. He watched as starfighters practised docking with refuellers and ordinance ships to refuel and rearm so they could get back in the fight. A captured Brotherhood starfighter zipped back with a trio of E-wings in hot pursuit, the aviators working as a team to herd the ship toward an ambush. Search and rescue shuttles hurried toward a training beacon, their recovery crew kitted up in EV suits ready to save a downed pilot...

Chaar's gaze lingered on the SAR shuttles. When he had been clipped over Shihon without comms and power, plummeting toward the planet's surface, his salvation had not come from the SAR teams. The pilots of Revevant Squadron, guided by a Force premonition of Flight Officer Leon Gallo , had saved his life. Chaar would not be here today, assuming the role of Starfighter Component Commander for the upcoming invasion, were it not for the close bond of his squadron.

"Belay that order," he called to a military protocol droid. "All squadrons are to stand down for R&R effective immediately." The droid, long experienced working with Chaar, appeared confused by the order. "Sir?"

Shihon had demonstrated the value of a tightly-knit squadron when the going got tough. Not everyone would come home from Exegol, and the survivors would rather look back at fond memories of shared laughter over a Dejarik board in their ready room than hours of simulator runs.

"That's an order," Chaar added, grabbing his holopad and departing the briefing room.

He had an important visit to make.

​

​

 

[Janesha Porwool]

​

OBJECTIVE II: Negotiations at Gunpoint
ENTRANCE OF THE FACILITY
MISSION: GUARD THE TUNNEL ENTRANCE
Jaqu'n Boiv Tallara Xashe Tistya

She wasn't dark ops. She hated droids, and this place gave her the positive creeps. For sometime the Besh Company from 54th GADF Bn had been working over the AO. Thye'd arrived in their usual fashion, debarking from drop-ships and set up a base camp complete with a perimeter. The cordon was manned by elements of their sister company Aurek as well as their own CO Besh, complete every hundred meters with an E-web emplacement and some bored looking soldiers, eyes glazed over.

No one was allowed in or out until their comrades finished their job below, which was just fine with her.

Rather take a saber to the leg than go tangle with machines.​

This was their first deployment to an actual hot zone as a company element. Their CO was green and XO even greener. The only thing holding this bantha show together was rock solid NCO's. That, and the spacers tape on their antiquated rebel gear. She hefted her A-280 and readjusted her DL-40 Blaster in her leather holster. They were armed with old but solid tech. Not the fancy stuff that broke down under EMP or wear and tear. Still, she preferred something a little flashier if she could get her hands on it. Old rebel uniforms wee kinda out of style.


There was movement on the line to southern quadrant. She picked up her binos and did a quick sweep then jabbed her staff sergeant in the ribs to wake him.

"Tal, get up!"

Tal an Aqualish arose with a start, swinging his hands wildly into fists, ready to go to fisticuffs. She glanced down and handed him a the binocs.

"Think we got bandits on the horizon. I make two craft, unidentified."

Tal grunted, gave his own quick sweep and dropped the bino back to the dirt.

"Very well. Go ahead and call it...."

"And here I thought I was gonna geta nap after you. No problem."

It didn't take her long to flip over to the squad channel and ping them, while Tal passed the word up to higher on another separate net.

"Wakey wakey third squad, get on that crew served, we got incoming..."

Hopefully it didn't go sideways up here. The guys, gals and aliens below were counting on them while they did whatever it was the creepy crawlies did.

"I need a status report from all positions. Someone pass the word down the tunnel to the SIA and Marines, just in case."

 

[Sion Lorray]

Tarish Galland | Felix Gynt
​

A Jedi Knight.

Sion suppressed the urge to raise his eyebrow at that. Tarish didn't feel like a Jedi Knight. But he was part of the mission detail, so the Padawan wasn't overly worried either. The fact that it was practically impossible to read anything off of the guy was a bigger worry. Usually Sion could read everything from everyone. Even the parts he didn't wanna know. Especially the parts he didn't wanna know. The only other time that Sion couldn't? It had been with Enyo Typhos and that encounter hadn't been happy at all.

Probably a matter of coincidence however.

This Galland was probably not here to violently murder them.

"Dunno about 'in the know'." Sion responded with a smile. "But not... long... at... all."

And in that last word they walked into a clearing in the jungle. The hut itself was still standing, which was a relief. It was the only detail they had that could hopefully lead them further into their investigation.

"Got three people here. Let's split up and each cover the area? The hut itself seems a bit small, but there is a little barn behind it. And the immediate area around the place can hold some clues. I will take the barn?" Unless they disagreed Sion would nod to them both and then carefully walk towards the barn while being mindful of his surroundings.

It wasn't likely there would be danger here. The Force seemed to be calm.

But you never knew either.

 

[Belfry of Tund]

Eleanor

A slow nod there.

He sniffed.

"Not a Jedi." Pointing it out, not asking about it, before slowly withdrawing his hold on the Force. Letting it radiate out from him. Almost immediately the more corrosive sensation of the Darkside flood the landing platform. "Neither am I." This could be interpreted as a challenge, of course. The Sith were a notoriously fickle and territorial bunch.

And yet-

"We could explore it together? Temples of Vahl are quite dangerous if the writing isn't exaggerating. More chance we will get out alive with some knowledge in tow."

It was a reasonable suggestion.

But it was especially a shocking suggestion coming from a fellow Darksider.

 

[Xashe Tistya]

Objective 2 // Underground Facilities
Tallara | Jaqu'n Boiv | Janesha Porwool

For better or worse, Xashe was becoming more familiar with the Agency. The anger she still harbored over Pyke Lazar 's actions refused to be silenced. He would get what was coming, as soon as she was able to track him down. The bad taste both him and Corde had put in her mouth carried on to the agents she was assigned to escort today. The side eye clued her in they felt the same. Damn, why was Jedi such a dirty word?

At Tallara's call, Xashe followed. A bounding jog matched the agent's stride easily. Blaster in hand and ready, Conviction would stay in it's holster unless needed. No use sullying the blade on common criminals.

An intense flash stopped her in her tracks.

Out of a side door, seperating her and Jaqu'n Boiv from Tallara , came a bumbling metal worker. His eyes widened as gear turned. Xashe's hand went up, waving in front of his face.

"You know us. We're from the West Wing. Just here on business."

The man took on a brain fogged look.

"From the west wing." He agreed.

A sigh of relief was cut short as a call came from deeper in the room.

"Ker't. Who are you talking to?"

 

[Asmundr Varobalder]

THE WARDEN
THE NEW JEDI ORDER | PROSPERITY | MEDITATION SPHERE

Respectfully silent, Asmundr only mm’d and nodded when appropriate through Val’s explanation. Mostly emphasizing his mmm’s with the Wall of Light being a demand for many Jedi. For her to consider doing it alone, even with technology that mirrored the advancement of his meditation sphere, would be hubris of the greatest scale.

Well intentioned hubris, but hubris nonetheless. Such seemed not a quality of The Sword, and he was relieved to hear her double down on humble acceptance of the reality.

“Making a call to all the Jedi present on Exegol, while initiating a powerful Wall of Light is a divergence of your focus that we can avoid.”

He nodded solemnly. “I have experience with the technology of Lightpoint Station, just as I have experience reaching out to all our Jedi through darkness.”

It was worth acknowledging too that, above the basic duress they’d have to overcome with the plan of Lightpoint, they were going to Exegol. The darkest known place in The Galaxy. They’d be fighting the Darkside with every breath.

“I will make the call.”

There was another beat or two that passed. Asmundr’s golden eyes glimmered, skittered almost between each corner. While standing next to Valery, he went somewhere far, far, far away. When his eyes stilled and focused once more, his voice was determined.

“Exegol will not be your end. Not if we share the burden. Not just between you and I, but others we trust are strong enough to provide the right influence, and withstand the seduction of the dark side."

---

Valery Noble