Back in the Saddle (Firemane)

[Kaida Taldir]

@[member="Anemone Nivalis"], @[member="HK-36"], @[member="Delila Castillon"], @[member="Tegaea Alcori"]

Blaster fire, explosions, the cries of the wounded on both sides, Iron Knights moving ahead like a phalanx against which the ferocious and desperate attacks of the pirates dissipated. Grenades exploded in a shower of fire and shrapnel, corsairs were pulled into the air and tossed across the hangar like ragdolls as Kerrigan exerted her mind, the ground shook under the force of explosions.

What else was new? It was perhaps a miracle that the hangar had not been ripped to pieces yet, given that Kerrigan, Castillon and Iron Knight - in other words the destruction trio - were busy causing mayhem. Least the roof has not caved in yet, Kaida thought to herself as the battle unfolded before them. At just this very moment there was a loud, resounding crack in the ceiling above one of the blast doors as an explosion thundered and rubble started falling down. Did I just have to think that out aloud? she wondered to herself, however, there was no time to think as there were pirates to kill. The missiles and grenades had blown apart a good deal of their cover, the relentless e-web fire from Castillon's unit provided back up fire, but a part of the wall was blasted as corsairs came in from the flank and through a side-entrance, charging them.

"More scum, form up phalanax!" she called out to the Eldorai troopers that were in the unit she was assigned to. While not as strongly armoured as the Iron Knights, they were equipped with the Taegis shield along with sarixi or the Sarzmigar, the latter functioning as a pike of sort that could resist even lightsabre attacks and blaster fire to an extent, though targeted deflection was very difficult. "Grenades, mages prepare for firestorm on my mark." Blaster fire flew through the air, bolters roared, Kaida concentrated on the water that had been released when a bolt blew up a water pipe, momentarily moving to the rear of the unit to be able to concentrate amidst the hail of laser rounds, extending her hand and making a gesture so that the water rose, cascading into a wave that shot towards the corsairs, smashing into them as they came close.

Manipulating the moisture and harnessing her own inner cold, she made the temperature rapidly drop, the water hardening as it crystallised into clumps of ice that soon grew larger. Cold steam escaped her lips and hand, around which a layer had ice had formed that functioned effectively like an armoured glove, as she exerted herself. Corsairs pulled back and dove for cover as the ice blocks came rolling for them, some were less lucky and hit, finding themselves encased. Desperately corsairs began lobbing in grenades, blowing the clumps up, or through repeater fire. At that Kaida gave the signal to the magi in the unit, what ice had begun fire would finish as the pyromancers unleashed blasts of heat that struck the disorientated hostiles, whose suits had just adapted to the cold, electromancers shot out bolts of lightning that homed in on the corsairs who were now full of watery goodness, thus attracting lightning.

"Kill them all, it is the will of the Goddess! They will melt before our righteousness like insects. Your Star Queen demands it! Show the monkeighs what the chosen people are made of," the Host Leader cried out dramatically and in Kaida's eyes most annoyingly, for the superior Eldorai officer was an annoying aristo. Oh, shut up. I cannot concentrate while you yell around, No, Kaida was not jealous at all of her higher rank and shinier apartment. It was then that one of the stormtroopers, who had been lucky enough to duck behind some crates, emerged and fired an RPG that flew through the air with blast and heat. "RPG!"

In the nick of time Kaida was able to gather the partially melted ice around her so that it rose into the air and formed an improvised shield of sorts, but even so she was caught in the blast and thrown for several metres into a pile of crates, hitting the ground hard so that she coughed up blood. The Host Leader, giving a rousing speech, was less lucky as the blast had rather unfortunate effects on her anatomy. Well, at least she won't start singing the Ballad of Ariane now, Kaida thought, waving to one of the Eldorai medics to see to her. Corsairs charged amidst the confusion, but were broken by the Angelii who with their shields and Sarzmigars functioned much like hoplites of ancient times, some of the pyromancers reorientating themselves as pirates bearing repeaters tried to flank them, unleashing fireballs, then Kaida gave the signal to charge, her lightsabre ablaze with yellow light. "For Kaeshana!"

Amidst all this everyone's favourite HK droid was singing. It was most irritating to her. Maybe she should have brought earplugs like the redhead had. But for some reason the Colonel liked it. But then Kerrigan regularly played Hammer of the Gods whenever they were staging an aerial assault. Kaida had long concluded that the woman was insane. A burly Trandoshan swinging a powerful axe that just narrowly missed her neck, though the force of the blow smashed into her armour-covered shoulder and sent her reeling, almost making her fall, forced her back into the game. The game being bringing up her Taegis shield to block a strike aimed to cleave her in half, though it knocked her back, a blast of cold emanating from her hand and enveloping the axe with frost, then her lightsabre flying for its chest as it launched itself at her.

 

[Delila Castillon]

@[member="Anemone Nivalis"] | @[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] | @[member="HK-36"] | @[member="Kaida Taldir"]

With the Iron Knights and Siobhan advancing, Delila was going to push her soldiers into the corridors after the group. It gave her flashbacks to Roche, when entire sections had collapsed on her and her soldiers. Yet that was long ago...Why I am thinking of that now? Apparently the former Major had never truly gotten over her trauma, as evidenced by her thoughts and mild claustrophobic tendencies. Pushing the thoughts to the back of her mind, she motioned over to Nivalis. It was odd seeing the good doctor leading anything outside of a hospital. It also gave her some sense of odd pride that she had a hand in it.

Must be what parents feel.

"Nivalis, lets start pushing in behind them and corner our enemies."

Keeping the same rough formation, just a bit more staggered, the group charged in after the group ahead. Their group also had a secondary mission : set some explosives.

"As we go down, install the explosives and set them. We've got the master control and once our friendlies are done, we're blowing this place, literally."

 

[Anemone Nivalis]

Blowing the place? Always with the explosions with these people...

Hearing Dells barking more orders, Anemone nodded. "Keep moving up. A few of us will be just a little behind you setting charges." With that, she signaled for a few of the troops to stay back with her, one of them having the explosives in a pack. As Dells' group got a bit ahead, she reached into the pack on the troop grabbing one of the explosives. This was one time being friends with this crazy bunch of wild people. If it wasn't for them, she'd have no idea how to deal with any type of explosive, let lone set them.

And odd grin on her face, she moved toward the wall, kneeling down and placing the charge at the base off the wall before turning to look to the others that stayed back with her. "Don't just stand there. Plant those charges. Time is moving, and we're ready to go, all these charges need to be set. So lets move." Immediately, they nodded, and moved to begin setting those charges.

Since she left the Republic, she'd simply been Dr. Anemone Nivalis. Today, even if it was for just one day, she Captain Anemone Nivalis again.

@[member="Delila Castillon"]

 

[Moira Skaldi]

Further away from the action,

The Nawab, Lord of the Corsairs, sat upon a gilded throne in his throne room, surrounded by nubile slave girls kneeling at his side. Behind him lay the massive window, through which, if he so chose, he could watch the space battle unfold. Fighters were scrambling to the station's defence, a few bombers were trying to get a hit on the Firemane frigate, but things were not looking good. He clenched his fist - his fingernails were delicately manicured, for he never got dirt under them, leaving the sordid details of pirate work to underlings like any lord should - and scowled before motioning impatiently to a lowly minion.

The lackey better do his job properly or he would replace him. "Established connection, running tracing programme," the minion, said at last. Like most he was a slave and had been outfitted with a slave collar that had an integrated explosive device, at the press of a button he could die.

"Good. We will show the invaders and annihilate them. The Scutarii bend to no one," the Nawab declared dramatically. His robes were made of the finest vine silk, the fruit of years of plundering and pillaging. The walls of the throne room were graced with trophies, such as weapons and stuffed out enemies he had brought down, along with portraits of past Nawabs, much like a royal family of sorts. One of crime, but then a pirate lord did in small what the average king or queen - or Supreme Chancellor - did in big.

Finally an apparatition sprouted out of the holographic projector and flickered into existence, life-sized. A slender woman in a dark suit, blonde hair tied back into a prim and proper bun, looking indifferent. "Nawab, what is it?" she asked - one would have said demanded if the tone had not radiated anything else than indifference.

The Nawab tightened his jaw at the impertinence. "Remember who you are talking to, human!" a Trandoshan bodyguard clad in heavy armour, wielding a mean-looking mace, snarled. Of course, given the fact that she was not on the ship, probably far away, that would have no effect.

"The Nawab of the Scutarii," the shape said blandly. "I am not talking to you though."

"Silence," the Nawab commanded with a powerful booming voice. "The Omegan scum - or Firemane, whatever they call themselves - and their elf whores have boarded my station. My warriors are fighting valiantly and will bring me their skulls, but I would appreciate support. In the light of our mutually beneficial relationship...it would also provide you with more..."

"Materiel," the shape finished. "You want us to save you. Why would I want to do that?" she asked, her voice as cold as the ice storms Taldir was conjuring up.

The Nawab glared at her, his rage coursing through him though he sought to control it. Losing control in front of his many minions would doubtless do him no good. "I have more than lived up to my end of the bargain. I have provided you with intel, slaves for your...purposes. This entire sector of space would be a black hole to you without me. I can pay you well, I have paid you well for your services and..."

"And you think this gives you power over us? Your money and infrastructure were useful. You were an asset. Now you aren't anymore."

"Now you listen, the Scutarii are legion, I will not be taken by the invaders and even if I fall...what I know will be passed on. Do you think I would make deals with someone like you without insurance. I have..."

"Leverage. Doubtless every holo-conversation was recorded, doubtless you have gathered as much information as you could. Anticipating betrayal. Your broker is dead. Your data is..."

At this moment suddenly sparks flew across all computers, some of the technicians falling off their seats as electric charges struck them. Then all computer screens turned black. "What is the meaning of this?" the Nawab thundered. "You there, fix this or will have your head."

"We've lost control over the systems, my lord. It's a virus!"

DATA PURGE COMPLETE

"You traitorous whore!"

"Resistance is futile. Assuming direct control over automated defence systems. This hurts you." The Nawab had enough foresight to press a button on the control panel attached to his throne, bringing a shimmering defence shield into existence that protected him when suddenly a laser turret opposite him turned and began spewing out high-powered laser rounds, blasting several minions to shreds as it fired out a barrage. Minions ducked for cover, then returned fire, computers were blasted apart, pure chaos reigned as hails of laser fire wrecked the throne room.

SHIELDS FAILING

He stared at the flickering hologram, which would soon give up the ghost as the turrets wrecked havoc and his guards sought to blow them to pieces. "Is that all you have to offer? I will have my revenge." Finally one of the turrets was blown apart by an explosion, the shield around his throne flickered violently as it was peppered by debris. The apparation made no comment, just tilted her head to the side, then a shudder went through the Nawab when a synthesised voice gave one last announcement.

REACTOR UNSTABLE

At the edge of the system, space rippled briefly as the cloaked Lightbringer, invisible to detection, made the jump for hyperspace.

 

[Vaena Askari]

@[member="Tegaea Alcori"], @[member="R2-5B"]
On the bridge of the Tempest

Because this tale has not had enough superior space elves yet, Tarissa Cadalthor was there as well! Well, that most assuredly was not the only reason. The pirate scum had dared raid Eldorai settlements on Kaeshana, Firemane was making it useful by killing the raiders in a joint operation with Angelii, so she was here as a government observer of sorts. Aside from making herself useful by coordinating the Firemane starfighters that had shot out of the hangar of the corvettes and were now diving in for the kill. Some of the pirate starfighters had broken off from the attack force and were now trying to speed out of the system, but that would not be allowed. An example had to made, so ion weaponry disabled them, then they would be blasted out of space if they were not captured for execution on Kaeshana. The astromech droid with a tendency for colliding with things was draining the shield generator, soon the corsairs would be helpless.

She nodded briefly as she looked over a datapad, the report saying that the assault team had breached the corsairs defences and was placing explosive charges, then passed it on to an aide. There were those among the Eldorai who thought it dishonourable that humans were used for this fight, the same sort of elves who thought the queen a weak puppet. Tarissa was a strong believer in the principle of 'let foreigners kill other foreigners for us'. With effort and technological advancement maybe in a few centuries the Eldorai could start taking over the Galaxy.

Well, if she got better quality Eldorai to work with. So many of them were wet hens! Or so assured in their superiority that they did nothing to work for it, just prattling about being the chosen people and being smug about it. If she were Ashira she would probably purge them all!

Ahem, gaze flickering over the computer she transmitted new targets for the fighters as pirate squadrons made a desperate attack. Briefly her gaze flickered over to Lady Alcori. For some reason, whenever she saw her Tarissa could not shake off the feeling that the red-maned human had stolen something - or someone - that used to be her property! She was not sure why this feeling overcame her, but did not ponder it further. "Enemy shields failing, fighter squadrons are reporting multiple detonations from the inside. Defence turrets appear to be firing blindly," she noted after having listened to a transmission from a minion. She spoke Galactic Basic well, though with a slight accent.

 

[HK-36]

@[member="Kaida Taldir"] @[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] @[member="Delila Castillon"] @[member="Tegaea Alcori"] @[member="Anemone Nivalis"]

Meanwhile in heat of combat,

The soldier just ducked under a swing of a vibro-axe by one of the raider mercenaries, stabbing him through with the bayonet at the end of his rifle and emptying the clip into the torso of the being. The mercenaries dead body jerked and twitched as his torso was vulcanized by blaster fire.
"Aaagh!"
The soldier squeaked madly in his war cry before he pulled the blade at the end of his gun out of the raider.

Looking around he saw the tall metal being throwing the enemies around with large sweeps of his lightsaber, accompanied by pained screams and crack of bones as he led the assault of the phalanx, a mix of Eldorai and Iron Knight troops.
Suddenly, another trooper popped up to their side from behind, holding an RPG launcher, he aimed it at the Iron Knight
"RPG!"
The soldier called out, trying to alarm the droid. The launcher flashed up in light as the grenade was propelled in the direction of their metal commander.

HK glanced to the projectile sharply and grabbed it in mid flight, its rocket slightly hissing, as he turned around in a quick spin, keeping up its velocity and launched it back at the soldier who shot it, blowing up the cover and sending the man flying back with the shock wave.

The soldier blinked at that, grumbling as he ran up to join the phalanx
I don't know why I even bother
He thought to himself.

The feet of his comrades moved quickly on the metal floor, picking up on speed like a locomotive, head of the droid visible to the soldier above theirs as they charger further down into the tunnels.
"We are getting close to their inner sanctums!"
The droid called out as more blaster fire came their way. All the soldier saw was the bolts flying into the sides, he heard the swift whooshing of a lightsaber, most likely signalling the droid was keeping them protected.
"Charge!"
The metal being called out, they must have been close to the enemy lines, he didn't saw just how close from behind others but the phalanx's war cries were soon answered by yells of the Corsairs.

He heard impact of armored bodies clashing against each other and metal scraping and banging as they rammed into the pirate lines in another assault.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

@[member="HK-36"], @[member="Delila Castillon"], @[member="Anemone Nivalis"]

Blades and shields clashed, walls were banged as people were thrust across the corridors into them, powerful explosions echoed and blew deep holes into the walls. The light show caused by intense blaster fire would be beautiful to watch on a holovid, but it was a deadly affair. Energy blades and blaster bolts roasted human tissue, wounds caused those hurt to scream in pain, grenades and explosive bolts dismembered enemies. Of course to some the sounds thus caused were a delightful symphony, music to their ears; some could even derive gleeful pleasure from it.

Those thoughts were not on Siobhan's mind as she advanced along with HK, leading the charge. The Butcher did not ponder such matters, she acted on instinct and automatically. The Force guided her blade to the greatest danger, slashed blaster bolts out of the air with ferocious parries and so she slew, limbs flying and heads rolling as the dazzling blue blade hummed as if eager to reap the souls of anyone that stood in its way. Incoming bolts and explosives shooting her way were reflected by a telekinetic shield that she had cast. Armoured bodies clashed and smadhed against one another, the pirate lines being battering rammed by the assault as the combined force of Iron Knights and Eldorai charged them, regular Firemane troopers from the secondary line providing covering fire. As Eldorai pyromancers sent forth streams of heat and flame that scorched pirates, screams were heard, small fires raged across the corridor.

The station rocked and shuddered powerfully as it was suddenly shaken by a series of explosions, tossing some of the Firemane troopers and Eldorai across the corridor, though the pirates were affected as well as the force of the blast tore through them, ripping apart a portion of the wall. The lighting in the corridor, already rather dim, was suddenly switched off altogether and an automated defence turret suddenly popped out of a section of the wall, spewing out grenades. Her shield overwhelmned by the force of the blast Siobhan was thrust through the air and pushed towards the wall before she spun and with her telekinetic prowess violently gripped the turret and yanked it around, her mind squeezing the trigger and overriding whatever control sequence directed it as she blasted pirates.

"That you, Castillon? I know you love explosions, but I'd like the station to go after we've gotten off," she spoke into her comm, not knowing that the detonations and the systems going haywire had nothing to do with the explosive-happy redhead. Her lightsabre had fallen onto the ground and now flew back to her bolt, in its place two boltguns leapt into her hands. Corsairs, using the momentary distraction came through a breach in the wall and, reacting quickly, she reached out with her mind, this time not sending forth a shockwave but violently pulling at their guns so that they would fly out of their grasp.

As they raised and moved to fire, suddenly their weapons were ripped out of their hands, though some dove to try and grab them, then suddenly turned around against them and fired. In the same motion she squeezed the trigger of both her bolters, explosions blasting into the corridor as the shockwave engulfed them along with the hailstorm of laser rounds suddenly turned against them. Long brown hair whipped back as she turned her head slightly, dead bodies hitting the floor, debris from the detonations being reflected by her, though a shard of a prematurely exploded grenade pierced her cheek, blood dripping down. Her bionic eye glowed in the darkness that had fallen upon the hall after the lights went out, providing some illumination in the dark.

They were getting closer to the bridge now, surprisingly enough from further ahead they could hear the sound of more explosions, perhaps a systems malfunction. "Let's go, more pirate heads await us," she said most inspiringly as she moved ahead, more targets awaiting her, the war cries of the Iron Knights being matched by those of the pirates, though the latter seemed demoralised. "Getting closer to the inner sanctum, Castillon. Set those charges and prepare for a bang. You should be getting close to the hold where they keep the slaves, get ready to evac them. Who knows, you might find a grateful elf maleling!" she could not resist quipping as she spoke into the comm before switching it off, in time to spin and seize a mace before it could smash into her shoulder, holding it static in the air as she roughly rammed her boot into the chest of a pirate with force-enhanced strength.

 

[Kaida Taldir]

@[member="Anemone Nivalis"], @[member="Delila Castillon"]

Narrow corridors, enemies seemingly ready to jump out an ambush them, explosions rocking the entire place, making it shudder powerfully with each detonation. Under the command of a woman she regarded as frankly nuts. Kaida had not been at Roche - that battle had been way before her time at the Pyre - but though much of the scenery was different it gave her flashes of another battle.

Gehenna. When deep in the tunnels beneath the hellish surface of the death world, the entire mountain ceiling had been torn asunder and collapsed on her and her squad, with them barely making it out. The feeling annoyed her, she was not supposed to remember this now! Especially since objectively she knew a few corsairs were nothing compared to Reavers. She pushed these thoughts out of the metaphorical airlock as the unit advanced. She and some Eldorai had linked up with the explosion-happy redhead and the good doctor.

Explosions thundered and her sabre deflected shots in fast slashes as the gun turrets suddenly went berserk, firing wildly at any target. Good for them because it went plenty of dead pirates, annoying as well when the barrage came for them as well. Her lightsabre batted shots out of the air, raising her shield to block shots when the barrage became too overwhelmning, before mentally gripping a grenade and making it travel through the air, not quite hitting the turret but causing a explosion that blasted it into debris. The force of the blast drove her back as the ship shook once more, she felt a prickling in the Force and spun, just a second too late as as she was engulfed with a blast of scorching heat shooting out of the nuzzle of a flamethrower, wielded by a stormtrooper who had snuck up in the darkness, using the distraction presented by the wild turrets.

Kaida had a natural counter to fire in form of her control over water and ice, but she had been caught off-guard and so her defences melted away amidst the blast, searing pain shooting through her as her as the flames swept towards her and a hard kick sent her shield knowing down as she moved to raise it, making her drop down. She rolled, trying to put out the flames that burnt her badly, harnessing her inner cold so that it wrapped itself around her, liquid dissipating the flames though she was burnt. As the stormtrooper saw this he seemed to have brought forth a blade and thrust it at her, she was quick enough to dodge so it pierced her side instead of her chest. Anger rising through her the liquid hardened and manifested into a shield of ice which she sent flying into her attacker, smashing against him, then grabbed his arm. The blade was swung towards her head, but stopped as the cold passed on to the trooper, his arm being covered in a layer of ice that soon spread across his shoulder towards his throat then over his visored helmet, encasing his face as he was encased and collapsed to the ground. Kaida slumped against the wall, bleeding from her side and covered in burns amidst all the water, breathing heavily.

 

[Tegaea Alcori]

@[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] @[member="Delila Castillon"] @[member="HK-36"] @[member="Anemone Nivalis"]

Tegaea turned and eyed @[member="Tarissa Cadalthor"], her ‘representative’ from the Queen. As the Eldorai looked at Tegaea as a thief, so Tegaea looked at Tarissa as a possible threat. She didn’t know why, but looking at the woman made her fists itch. She was pretty sure she’d never met her before, but still.

The battle was going well. The shields were being drained, the troops were driving forward. Then an aide called out warningly.
“Lady, getting some strange readings from the station! The weapons and shields have been disabled, and we’re getting odd surges from the reactor core! It’s like someone has set it to self-destruct!”
“Damn it! Cease firing on the station! Push back the rest of their fighters and move in transports for pickup on the Colonel’s orders.” Tegaea picked up her commlink. “Siobhan! Something’s happening to the station. Someone’s pushed the big red button and it’s starting to fall apart. Get what you need and get off there now. Understand?”

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

@[member="Delila Castillon"], @[member="Anemone Nivalis"], @[member="HK-36"], @[member="Tegaea Alcori"]

They had been making steady progress, the corridors behind them were littered with dead, mangled, burnt corpses of pirates. But all hell was breaking loose now, corsairs were charging them. Not carrying out a last futile death charge against the phalanx and the unit of Delila as Siobhan originally suspected, but running away. From a viewing port one could see escape pods raining out of the space station, dropping off into space. Scans, which might have been performed by the Firemane corvettes, would reveal that a great many of them were unoccupied, like they had been automatically released to prevent escape by cutting off that route.

Fleeing. But what? Powerful explosions shook the hall, smoke billowing up into the air, as one of the doors came undone and fell Siobhan narrowly dodged and tossed it aside with telekinesis, the force of the blast almost throwing her back as her powers anchored her to the ground. Blaster shots flew everywhere, as did slugs, and she unleashed a salvoe at charging pirates with her dual bolters. So loud were the detonations that it felt like her eardrums were being split. "What...what are you saying? Bit of a commotion here, Tegs?" she spoke or rather yelled into her comm, trying to make herself heard over the noise.

Then she understood. Well, that put a damper on the whole blow the space station to hell part. "I thought we were done with suicidal crazies!" After all, that was a Bando Gora thing! But there was no time for quips now and she sent a transmission across the general frequency to all Firemane and Eldorai units on the station.

"All units, some loon's pushed the red button, the station's about to blow. Pull back to hangar and evac. Castillon, HK, save what slaves you've encountered and get the hell off here, now," she ordered, voice brokering no contradiction as she emerged from the cover. She shook as a slug round grazed her, a blaster bolt shooting into her shoulder, making a bolter fall from her grasp. It burnt strongly, though her armour protected her, and so she raised a few corpses and sent them flying as improvised scatter shots at charging pirates, Firemane and Eldorai units beginning to disengage and retreat, firing as they did so. Hopefully Delila would still be able to save a few captured Eldorai malelings with her glorious redheadedness!

 

[HK-36]

@[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] @[member="Kaida Taldir"] @[member="Tegaea Alcori"] @[member="Delila Castillon"] @[member="Anemone Nivalis"]
"Roger that, Colonel!"
The soldier heard the droid reply to the command that echoed through all of their communications and updated their HUD's, it was time to rescue the captured slaves.
As the phalanx pushed forward, securing one of the slave blocks, soldiers rushed to the doors, the Eldorai soldier called out
"Slicers! We need slicers!"
HK slightly pushed him aside
"There is no time for that, son!"
The spoke loudly, moving closer to the door to call out
"Step away from the door, please!"
Soldier quirked his brow, not sure what the droid was doing
"Kick the doors down if you have no time to slice them!"
The droid ordered, taking a step back and raising his metal foot, winding himself up before he delivered a massive kick into the door.

The soldier was agape as the powerful kick dented the door, almost kicking it off of its metal hinges. With another kick, the machine fell the door, offering his hand to the slaves inside.
"I am here to rescue you."
HK stated and the slaves inside jumped at the occasion, at this point they did not care if a fully armored droid was leading them to freedom or not.

Unnamed soldier helped along, glancing around he saw other soldiers follow suite, cutting or kicking the doors down as their section of slave quarters was being quickly liberated.
"Sir, the raiders are retreating!"
One of the Iron Knights called out and Eldorai cocked his head, just helping a beaten slave to his legs and out of the cell
"No reason to stick around then, get these people out of here and into the hangar!"
Eldorai nodded, hearing his commander's order, rushing to another opened cell to help the last of its captives to freedom
"Colonel, we have cleared our section of slave quarters, we are moving back to the hangar."
The soldier heard from behind him, as he looked back he saw the freedom train of bodies, beaten and scarred, of all races and species, escorted to safety by the Firemane soldiers.
His droid commander took front of the her along with his heavy troops, in case they would come upon an ambush on their way there. The soldier saw him carry an older man, beaten and unconscious, cradled in his arms, while a couple of scarred children clang to his metal neck securely, sitting on his shoulder-pads.
Well, maybe he is some sort of a knight
The soldier thought

 

[Delila Castillon]

@[member="HK-36"] | @[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] | @[member="Anemone Nivalis"]

Ignoring Siobhans words -- it wasn't as if they were setting off explosives just yet -- Delila and her team continued to provide a backup line and explosive charge over the facility. In fact, they may had been a little too explosive happy, setting enough charges to probably take down a small city. However, it seemed like such a waste to merely leave them unset! With half the team setting explosives and the other half on the lookout, Delila had stuck herself on lookout duty.

Peering down a corner, dirty slaves started to pour towards them. At first, Delila had nearly shot the nearest slave. A little trigger happy. No matter. Calling to the others to help evac the slaves to the hangar, she set up along multiple corridors to steer them in the correct direction. Some had to be carried out, which was not surprising. They did look much better than the slaves the Reavers would take. Dells wasn't so sure her stomach could handle such a sight again so soon.

"Load everyone up, lets move it. Nivalis, whats the word on those explosives? We about ready to go or what? I think we've set enough to literally blow this place in half."

 

[Anemone Nivalis]

All of that comm chatter....and none of it was encouraging. Why did something always have to blow up prematurely?! Why couldn't it just stay in one piece until they were at a safe distance?! Or at least until she was safely away.. But we all knew that wasn't going to happen.

A deep sigh slipped from her lips, sticking the final explosive to the wall just as Dells rang to her. "Explosives placed. All that's left is to activate the detonator and send this place to hell. That said..." Immediately, she turned and began moving back towards the transport, holstering her blasters. "I'm getting on this ship before anything else around here explodes. I've had enough close calls for one day...scratch that. For a life time." Pointing to the vessel, Anemone called out to the troops that had stayed back with her. "Get those ex-slaves on the ship! We're getting out of this death trap!"

Her feet came to a halt a few feet from the ramp to the vessel, turning and looking back the same way she'd just come. "I'm gonna regret this, but.." She retrieved the commlink from her pocket, speaking into it in a low, monotone voice. "That means you too, Siobhan. Get to the ship. Doctor's orders.."

Oh...she just set herself up for so much more trolling..

@[member="Delila Castillon"] @[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] @[member="HK-36"] @[member="Kaida Taldir"]

 

[Kaida Taldir]

@[member="Anemone Nivalis"], @[member="Delila Castillon"], @[member="HK-36"]

I need a vacation...and a bloody promotion, Kaida thought to herself as she staggered up, limping. Her armour was badly scorched and burnt from the flames, skin had acquired the distinct smell that somehow made her think of when her mother had cooked apple pie. Actually it was more like when Kaida had tried and burnt everything!

Come to think of it, I need better armour! In that moment the space station rocked violently, Kaida narrowly avoiding a portion of the wall falling on her as the station lurched powerfully, though she was thrown through the hall by the tremors, painfully hitting the ground as a wound split open again.

"Kerrigan, could not wait until we're off the ship," she grumbled, a stream of courses in Eldarai escaping her mouth. She clutched the wound in her side, the cloth that had served as an improvised bandage having been torn of by the blast. "I do not need help, get your arses in gear and move to the hangar unless you want to get blown to bits," she growled out at the Eldorai troops who had caught up with her. Open palm of her hand spread over the wound she concentrated intently, cold steam escaping her hand as a layer of ice spread across the wound, the cyromancer welcoming the cold as the wound was sealed shut and the blood stopped dead as cold it sought to seep out.

Some corsairs tried to death charge them, desperate to get out, but they were cut down. Alarm sirens and klaxxons blared amidst the mayhem, declaring that the reactor was unstable and about to blow. Self-destruct...someone likes bad holovid cliches, Kaida thought as she moved towards the hangar.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

@[member="Delila Castillon"], @[member="Anemone Nivalis"], @[member="HK-36"], @[member="Tegaea Alcori"]

Siobhan Kerrigan felt rather annoyed as she hastened through the corpse-filled corridors towards the hangar that was their evac point, but then she was certain she had a good cause for that. One just needed to put things in perspective: One spent time and resources getting a force of trigger and explosive happy people together, outfitted them with a ridiculously large number of explosives sufficient to blow a large space station up twice over, boarded said space station and slaughtered a large number of pirates in various ridiculously brutal ways, causing no ends of property damage.

Then when you were about to seize the inner sanctum, claim the Pirate Lord's loot and put a bolter round through his head, you heard that someone else had pressed the red button and the reactor was about to blow! No one messed with her explosions and caused property damage before she could! It was blasphemy!

Regardless she was while Delila and HK had been playing a round of let my people go with the slaves, delivering them out of the squalid dungeon into the shining light, or rather guiding them towards the heavy transport ships that had landed, Siobhan had been covering their back by leading the rear guard. The Nawab had been found dead in a corridor near the bridge, evidently killed by a turret before he could reach the escape pods, which in any case had vanished into the vastness of space anyway. Some Firemane soldiers had hit upon part of his treasure trove, however, the loot would be put to the good use though alas they had to hurry.

Having reached the landing ramp of a transport Siobhan stood there as the Firemane and Eldorai soldiers filed in, counting, making sure they got off and were not left behind. She noticed a badly scorched Kaida enter, reluctantly helped by one of her Eldorai comrades. "Getting all bossy and dominant on me again, Doc? Will you examine me personally?" Siobhan could not help quipping in response to Anemone. Trolling the doctor just came natural to her. Dirty and poorly fed slaves, most not yet freed of their slave collars for there had been no time for that, poured into the soon rather cramped transports. At least they were better off than they would have been if they had had the misfortune of ending up in the slave camps of the Bando Gora - or the Sith concentration camp Siobhan had helped the Rebels liberate close to the end of the Empire.

"Alright, on board, we're leaving." Transport vessels and shuttles began shooting out of the doomed station, Siobhan heading for the cockpit of one of the vessels as the pilot prepared to take off. The counter for the reactor continued ticking down, big bang was imminent. Past the detritus of the battle the transport ship shot out into space, the destination being the Firemane Corvette.

 

[HK-36]

@[member="Delila Castillon"] @[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] @[member="Anemone Nivalis"] @[member="Tegaea Alcori"]
The soldier among with the rest of Iron Company and HK seemed to be one of the last to leave, as the shuttles began to take off they were still loading the last of the freed slaves and refugees.
"Hurry it up, we'll be cutting real close!"
Somebody from the shuttle called out
The soldier looked back as last of the slaves were moving through a little girl at the end of the chain
"This is the last one, come on, sweetie!"
The soldier hurried her along, but the girl suddenly tripped, she seemed to twist her ankle
"I got her!"
Soldier called out, rushing to her and picking her up.
Just as he lifted her off the station began to rumble and shake, they have very little time. The soldier tried to hurry but there was still a bit of distance between them and rumbling was getting worse.
Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap, oh crap
He thought to himself, huffing and puffing under the weight of the girl and his armor.
I'm not gonna make it!
He cursed at himself and his good heart.

It was then that HK sprang out from the shuttle and rushed to them as explosions deep in the station were heard, he used the speed of his body and his repulsorlifts to grab the soldier and the girl while they were running, he picked them up and in a quick turn he slingshotted them, throwing them inside the shuttle.

Before the soldier knew what happened, he was clutching the girl tightly as soldiers inside the shuttle grabbed them and pulled them aboard.
"Come on, commander!"
"We have to leave now!"
"He's still out there!"
The soldier heard voices as he turned back, he saw long rows in the metal clawed out by HK as his claws broke the momentum of his jump and throw, he was running on all fours towards the shuttle, but the shuttle began to lift off, rumbling and explosions getting worse.
"Go!"
He simply ordered sharply, still moving towards the shuttle.

The soldier watched as smaller explosions neared them, harbingers of the big bang that was about to come, the shuttle's door closing as the Iron Knight kept chasing after them like a dog would chase a car but never catch it.
As the shuttle's door closed they heard a close explosion and something hitting the door of the shuttle, scraping along their roof, must have been debris of the station falling apart.

As the shuttle rushed out just in the nick of time to avoid being caught in the huge blast of main explosion, the soldier's words would echo through Firemane channels,
"We had to leave the Iron Knight out there."

 

[Anemone Nivalis]

Part of her wanted to kick Siobhan in the ass for that comment.. Another part of her wanted to ask her what time she wanted to be examined. In her reaction though, she simply laughed, shaking her head as she waited for everyone to board, leaving her to be the last one to head back into the vessel. It seemed that Anemone had gotten over her incident for the most part. Or maybe she simply saw it as a way to get her hands on Kerrigan once more. Honestly, not even she knew, and there was no guarantee that she ever would. But, at least now she could face the woman and not go running for cover.

Boarding onto the ship, the doctor began barking orders to anyone would listen as she activated the detonator switch in her hands. "Fire up the engines! Contact Tegaea and let her know that once we meet up, we need to jump! The sooner we're out of this system, the better! Attend to those slaves and make sure they're holding onto something!" It was only then, after all that, that she heard about someone being left behind, not catching the name however. "We don't have time to go back! Anyone left back there is on their own..." It hurt her to say that, but it was true. If they went back, everyone would be at risk..

A heavy sigh escaping her lips, she looked to the others. "Someone tell that pilot to take off. It's time to get out of here.."

@[member="HK-36"] @[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] @[member="Delila Castillon"] @[member="Tegaea Alcori"]

 

[Delila Castillon]

Delila had barely made it inside. As it is, the ramp had been closing on her as she climbed up it. Now, the soldier was sitting in on of the jumpseats that lined the walls of the shuttle. Slaves and various others crowded in, including their wounded. Blood trailed along the floor and the sound of the sick and dying could be heard. Not exactly a success but the station had been destroyed, the slaves had been taken off. Hopefully they would be given a decent chance.

As explosions rocked the shuttle, Dells was thrown against the crash webbing constantly.

"Once we get clear we need to make a bee line for the medical center. Any medical center."

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

@[member="Anemone Nivalis"], @[member="HK-36"], @[member="Tegaea Alcori"], @[member="Delila Castillon"]

Siobhan would probably enjoy it if Anemone went all violent and dominant on her. A transmission was sent to the corvette Tegaea was on, passing on the information about the load of wounded they had. Hopefully they would get a medical centre soon. The transport ship lurched and shook violently as the powerful explosion overtook the space station after the reactor went critical, a beautiful explosion blossoming.

Countless slaves filled the vessel, blood was splattered across the ground, the cries of the wounded and the sick could be heard across the ship, giving it all a macabre appearance. Siobhan anchored herself to the ground with telekinesis as the ship shook, though even she was knocked towards a wall. She heard Anemone's comment about having to get out of here now and nodded, though she had heard about one of the Iron Knights saying HK was out there. The droid had a chronic protector syndrome and it seemed incurable.

Then she heard something banging against the roof. "Something's telling me that's not just debris," she said more to herself. HK, it's getting old. You do this on purpose, she thought to herself as the transport vessel shot towards the corvette where Tegaea was on, which should be making the jump once they loaded.

 

[Nyos Val]

Nyos stirred awake, he was strapped to a medical table in some dimly lit crap-hole haven to local pirates. He had been captured while on a mission to salvage raided vessels. He had just boarded a derelict transport when someone hit him with a droid popper. Shorted out the cyborg parts of him, leaving him defenseless and vulnerable. The pirate had brought him back to their lair to extract his cybernetics, seeing as they were the only model of their kind and were rumored to fetch a magnificent price on the black market. Nyos had been laying there for three days when an attack happened on the station. He could hear shout from the pirates, the whir of lightsabers and calls from some familiar voices. His cybernetics had yet to reboot, it took longer because of the pirates inept 'techies' attempts to remove his limbs without special tools. He finally got the chance to reboot, and with his body reactivated, he tore through the shackles and made for the exit. On his way out, he grabbed his mask and vibrosabre. As he made his way through the halls, the station started to blow up. Nyos ran as fast as he could to the nearest escape pod. Just as he reached one, a pirate tried to stop him, and take it for himself, but Nyos was having none of that, snapping the mans arm with one robotic hand. He jumped in and punched the launch code. Jettisoning from the station, the viewport showed transports leaving the station. He sent out a ping to the ships nearby for assistance, when a massive explosion from the station rocked the pod. The explosion sent shrapnel right into the pod, severing the O2 line and puncturing the hull of the ship. The Life Support failed and the atmosphere was leaving quickly. Nyos judged that if help didn't arrive soon, he'd be dead in less than 10 minutes.

He could already feel his breath shortening. To conserve air, he tried plugging the breaches and limit his breathing. His eyes grew dim and his head got lighter. Not much longer before he was gone.


@[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] @[member="HK-36"] @[member="Tegaea Alcori"] @[member="Delila Castillon"] @[member="Anemone Nivalis"]