Invasion BLOOD GULCH | Bryn'adûl Invasion of SJC held Chalacta, Alee, Sarka & Roche

[Ostak Cl'mana]

BLOOD GULCH​

POST: III
OBJECTIVE: BABYSIT DREK'MA AGRAPHOBIA (II)
LOCATION: BURROWER, PLANETARY SHIELD EXTERIOR
DRAEL ALLIES ON OBJECTIVE: Primarch Drek'ma (in close proximity) | Galak | Osam
HOSTILES: SJC | Laertia Io 's NPCs | Open to engaging up to 2 more Jedi opponents
EQUIPMENT: Traditional Shaman robes
BEASTS: 1x Servitor (burrowing/hunting), 4x Sirracus Wyrms (several meters underground, hunting/observing)

Ostak reacted to the erection of the barrier around him by the Primarch by adjusting his eyes to the new filter on his vision.
​

The Primarch's translucent barrier had not come a moment too soon, as it absorbed dozens of bullets and other offensive projectiles that were flung up at Ostak. With a slight invisible nudge on the Servitor's mind, the great worm turned to the side and broke away from the Primarch's pair, smashing through various robots and tanks that he missed. The Sirracus followed closely behind, sliding through the softer ground left behind by the Servitor's digging and occasionally rising upwards to chomp soldiers in half before diving down to the safety of the Servitor's side. As Ostak was occupied overseeing the concert of creatures, he lacked the time to react to an anti-tank missile flung directly at him.

The barrier held firm as the missile exploded against it; however, the force of the explosion created considerable knockback. Ostak's grip on the Servitor, already strained as the it took a sharp turn to the right, was completely lost. The Shaman-Overseer was hurled to his left, the barrier cracking as it absorbed his impact against jagged rocks in newly excavated and damaged tunnels. After about twenty meters, Ostak regained control of his limbs, grinding his hands and feet against the ground in an attempt to anchor himself. After several meters of bruised fingers and rocky skid marks, the Shaman-Overseer halted his fall.

THE CAVES - INNER DEPTHS

The first feature of the caves that struck Ostak was their silence.
​

Compared to the path of destruction created by the Servitors and Excavators not more than a quarter a kilometer away, this cave system seemed to be in pristine condition, spared out of pure luck. Aside from a faint shaking feeling that occasionally assaulted his feet, it was nearly impossible for him to tell if he was anywhere near a battlefield. Ostak sent a small portion of his energy outwards in a glowing orb that fit in his hands, lighting up his surroundings for about ten meters in all directions. The cave was short but wide, likely only about triple Ostak's height but extending out for at least a kilometer in all directions, likely further extended by offshoot tunnels. If the Shaman-Overseer wanted to find his way out, then he would have to successfully navigate the underground labyrinth.

Just then, several dozen bullets struck the rear of the shield bubble, deepening its cracks. Turning around, Ostak found several of the battle robots firing at him, along with several humanoids. Deciding that the shield had to be compromised to preserve a small slice of the Primarch's strength, the Shaman-Overseer discarded his orb of illumination, reached out with a shockwave of purple energy, and shattered the barrier from within. Ostak struck before his foes could, using the thermal signatures of his opponents to aim a dozen thin pink throwing lances projected into existence with his power. They all landed true, severing the mainframes of the most of the machines. However, one of the humanoids managed to score a direct hit on Ostak with a cyro armament.

Unfortunately for his assailant, Ostak's Aeravalin skin thrived in the cold.

Barely feeling any degree of pain beyond the sensation of being pricked, Ostak ripped the vial of frigid chemicals out of his chest. Sensing the signature of the man about ten meters in front of him, the Shaman-Overseer swung his arm back and hurled the vial. It landed with enough force to pierce the glass of his helmet, the remaining cyro munition flowing into his skin. By the time Ostak arrived at his position, he had fallen limp and his heat signature had faded into nothing.

Yet Ostak stepped back in surprise as a spark came from the man's head. It was followed by several more, and then a small electrical explosion. Peering down into the dead man with a new projected illumination orb, he realized that it was actually a machine. With that critical realization, Ostak understood why he had been unable to drain his life force earlier.

Ultimately, the Shaman-Overseer did not understand the logic of the Jedi in their creation of robots that looked like humans. After all, the two fought the same and were defeated with similar ease. If the galaxy was to be supervised by such idiots, then Ostak would completely understand the urge of a group such as the Byrn'adul to launch a crusade to restore a competent order that was not bound to their machines.

Letting out a deep sigh, Ostak prepared to navigate the cavernous maze.

She brought to their mind an image of a burning white fire that had come so instinctively to her call. She imbued it with so much power that the air nearly hummed with energy, and the metallic scent of aspiration seemed to lurk on the edge of sensory perception. A moment later, she could feel the minds of their opposition opening themselves to the ubiquitous energy field, and a deep rooted pressure flooded the Force.

A massive wave of her influence shooting across the Drael forces in angst.

Before he had taken a single step forwards, Ostak sensed something. It was a strike on the mind rather than the body, something that sent ripples through his inner pools of raw energy. The Shaman-Overseer knew of no Seer, or even any past or present Primarch, who could produce such a presence. Clearly, something was brewing.

With a stroke of urgency, Ostak realized that the Primarch had likely felt something similar, along with many of the Shamen currently preparing the Excavators. He would have to warn them all, keep them safe, keep the order safe. Ostak's walk turned into a jog, water splashing under his feet as he rushed to find his way back to his kin and his beasts, set loose by the involuntary release of his control the moment he was first knocked off his Servitor.

 

[Primarch Drek'ma]

BLOOD GULCH
​

Objective: Agoraphobia
Location: Burrower > Shield Exterior
Bryn'Bois: Ostak Cl'mana | Hrajlmak'Natok | Sethrak | Tathra Khaeus | Galak | Keldothera
Enemy: Laertia Io | Travot Ravenna |
Equipment: Staff | Cuirass |

He fought against the strain as more of the droids battered against his shield, the twin Servitors unbothered by the explosions nor the cryoban in such a small dosage. Streaks of enveloping ice would be needed to harm such massive, hide engulfed beasts. The Primarch on the other hand, was something soothed by the cold. It was only so often a Drael world was of moderate temperature rather than blisteringly hot to suit the other species. But that was his only comfort as Ostak was struck, thrown from the near top area of the Burrower down below into the depths.

Drek'ma had no time to search for him, his mind already amuck with too much information. A hand extended, gripping the mind of the third Servitor now released from Ostak's immediate care. Bolts of invisible weaponry continued to bludgeon the shield, every strike like the pendulum of a migraine drowning out rational thought as it raged at his head.

His facial muscles twitched, a mild distraction as he attempted to express his pain to relieve some but it was no use. The radiation, he could smell it in the air but could not know what it would do. They had many tools to bare within the Burrower, he did not have to fight alone. A communication came from the Warlock Sethrak but he almost immediately pushed it away, too focused on the conflict at hand as he poked into the minds of the dormant Syphons, tempted to utilise the Seekers but they would be needed below.

He relieved the Excavators he had sent along with their infantry into the care of the beast masters below. He could not hold them any longer, he had to focus on the now. It was life or death. Drek'ma commanded six Syphons out from the underbelly of the Burrower, using his own power to enhance theirs as they began to syphon the energy from every piece of technology within the created sphere.

His hands shook, tongue stiff against the roof of his mouth as the shield around him weakened. Eyes burning with so much power that it hurt, blinded by it as the twin Servitors continued to attack the tanks and the vehicles behind them that were being used to trap them. From Drek'ma's hand a beam of energy struck out at one of the closest groupings - leaching their energies from them and causing them to explode in a cacophony of power.

He could sense something, something coming. But he could not imagine what worse fate was in store for him as his mind readied to snap.

I... I CAN'T.... HOLD ON... ANY LONGER...

 

[Val Drutin]

Objective: Agraphobia
Location: City outskirts
Gear: Armor | Lightsaber
Tags: Laertia Io | Hrajlmak'Natok (engaging)

Val felt a tingling of warning across his senses. He leaped just in time to miss the flame the big Drael blasted his way. The blade came close on the fire’s heels, but Val was already gone, darting around behind Hrajlmak, attempting to ignite his lightsaber in the Bryn’s back. If Hrajlmak managed to evade the stab, Val was ready to follow it up with wild fencing-style slashes and even a horsepower kick to the monster’s middle... or legs, if he couldn't reach high enough.

He was angry, and that anger fed his strength, revitalizing him. But he wasn’t really interested in killing Hrajlmak, only in removing this obstacle that stood in the way of his reaching his wounded brother.

 

[Sethrak]

Post: 5
Objective: Coagulation
Allies: Bryn'adul
Foes: Open to engagements, all non-Bryn
Inventory: 1x Barad Kukri X Theron Armor X
Location: Northern Quadrant

Neither of the Drael had responded to Sethrak's inquiry. That was both normal in the heat of battle, and worrying. It could be that they were both engaged with a foe but it could also mean they were hurt, or even dead. The disturbance in The Force hadn't disappeared. Something was undoubtedly happening, or going to happen, but Sethrak had no clue what. Nor did he have time to think about whatever it was going to be as he had reached the frontlines. Around him Drael were fiercely fighting The Jedi, at range and up close. Beyond the Jedi some kind of turrets fired down on Bryn forces. Sethrak would disable them.

He was tired and sore but it would not stop him as he began sprinting toward the nearest turret. It aimed in his direction with about 30 yards to go before he reached it. Sure enough the turret began firing at Sethrak. He juked left, avoiding a blast, then he leapt into the air. The turret wasn't made for air targets, and so it struggled to hit the airborne warlock who made it pay the price for its' misses by slicing right through the machine.

It was one of many.

The Warlock took no time after destroying the turret as he began his journey to the next one. This time he met resistance from a Jedi whose blade nearly decapitated him, and would have if not for an instinctive ducking motion by The Warlock. The blade had come so close that he felt the heat and his heat-detecting vision was impaired by a white blob every time he blinked. The Jedi was quick to correct their failure with a second swing, this time at Sethrak's chest. This one was blocked, but only barely as Sethrak was nearly overpowered by the Jedi. His own blade had nearly sliced his chest.

He could hardly see past the temporary blind spot caused by the brightness of the saber. This prevented him from launching a series of retaliatory strikes against the Jedi. However he was able to fall backwards into a roll and regain his footing. The breathing space didn't last long as the Jedi, apparently preferring offence in a battle, was already bringing the lightsaber down in an overhead strike. This was dodged by Sethrak with a simple back step.

He was regaining his vision now, but his stamina was drained from the series of last-second blocks and dodges. This battle was not going to be easy.

 

[Kad]

​

BLOOD GULCH
​

OBJECTIVE: COAGULATION
LOCATION: Burrower > Southwest Quadrant
EQUIPMENT: Glaive | Shredder [2] | Splitter Bow | Armour |
ALLIES: Udomek Seker
ENEMIES: Caedyn Arenais

Gredak moved through the rubble, Udomek was a good Juggernaut just like his idiot Captain. In truth, Gredak cared little of they survived the skirmish. Like most of his brethren, they were a means to an end. But he would've preferred if they were Risen-Srael he was sending in to their deaths. It made him woner where that slime Osam was.

The Zealot Shadow moved with almost no weight to his steps, darting through the crumbling buildings as he circled round the Jedi and his forces. Gredak settled down into a high-rise spot, looking down at the Jedi's ranged infantry that had hung back to oversee the battlefield. They would be his first targets. His first shot, he fired a grapple shot from is bow across the battlefield to a roof adjacent, crossing the span of their held position. Dull yellow eyes looked about the ground to see if there was any reaction, thankfully none.

It was high enough and loud enough that nobody took notice nor heard it. He took the extended bolt attached to the chain of the grapple shot, using the butt of his left Shredder to push it in between two large pieces of rubble. He'd need the grapple line in a moment, but not just then. He was smug, smirking to himself as he slid behind a slump of permacrete, sitting down as he took an explosive arrow from his quiver. He only had six of them, but one would do.

Gredak loaded the bolt, aiming down into the sight at what appeared to him as their communications officer. The Zealot fired from on high, the bolt landing by their leg rather than aimed to hit them. The explosion would be enough, in all but three seconds.

That was all he had to, he slid into the open - putting his two feet against the sturdies pieces of rubble as he pried the grapple shot from the rock and slotted the extended bolt back into the Splitter Bow. As the explosion rocked the ground below, Gredak placed the Bow on his waist; allowing the grapple mechanism to slingshot him across the distance to the other side with both Shredders in hand.

The Zealot Shadow opened fire at the snipers and whatnot as he was pulled from one building to another.

 

[Mathieu Brion]

Objective: Two-ish
Location: Remote surface entryway
Equipment: Ashlas wristguard | Espresso Revolver | 10 L'Escargots with Cryoban charges | Stun baton | Two Lightsabres | Brion Substance Regulator | Electromagnetic pulse emitter | Covert Jedi Robes on top of Gundark II-class Power Armor | 5 LPD-39 Coldblast Cryoban Grenade | LPD-40 Icejet Miniaturized Cryoban Projector | Commlink
Enemy Tag: Osam
Allied Tag: Ki'an Vizsla

Mathieu looked to the Mandalorian who stepped up by his side, recognising the helmet from the space station over Nooli. The medic had been a valued ally during their struggle against the Starweirds and here he was once more, ready to fight along the Concord and the Silver Jedi in the defence of the innocent. The large Padawan shook his head upon hearing the question "No" he replied before throwing a quick glance down at his ally's abdominal area "Are you hungry? I've brought a few sandwiches and an apple." he offered, producing a friendly smile as he reached for a pouch hanging by his side. Opening it, Mathieu held it out for Ki'an to take the food he desired.

The peace that seemed would not linger for long, however. After a little bit, rumbles from within the tunnel system could be heard. The canyon-eseque area in which they stood by the mouth of the tunnel started to fill with an increasing amount of evacuees. Most of them looked distraught as they seemed to be running for their lives. Extending an arm to catch one of the almost panicked civilians, Mathieu tried to catch their attention "Wait up" he said, holding them in place, maybe not giving them quite as much choice as his question suggested. "What's going on?" he asked, only receiving a terrified "Ahhh, they're coming! The Bryn are coming!" The Padawan and the nearby soldier quickly jumped to attention, leaving the civilian to their own devices - they were far removed from the other Concord and Bryn forces - this fight was not the most expected one but even then, they were highly prepared for a fight.

His hand fell down to his belt, brushing away the outer robe to rest his hand on the hilt of his sabre. "We better get ready" Mathieu said, looking to the troops nearby and the Mandalorian to his side. They were well equipped to fight the Bryn - his main concern now was that civilans might get caught in the crossfire. Catching friendly troops in the crossfire, chasing the Bryn, seemed extremely unlikely as they would probably have received warnings of their arrival long before now if that was the case.

Soon, enormous projectiles started to sprinkle down towards them - most likely aimed for the civilians that were being chased or maybe long ranged harassment from the incoming force. The troops started to deploy point defence drones to shoot down the larger projectiles while simultaneously firing a few preemptive Sundae Shells. If they were lucky, any foe they hit would be in for a cold cryoban surprise. If they were not quite as lucky, the shots would hit the ground and leave an extremely slippery surface which could make effective charges more challenging to achieve. Mathieu ignited his sabre, preparing for the foes to come closer.

Spoiler: OOC

Commenced a light Bryn attack with permission from Osam

 

[Udomek Seker]

BLOOD GULCH
​

OBJECTIVE: COAGULATION
LOCATION: Burrower > Southwest Quadrant
EQUIPMENT: Verikast Juggernaut Platform 12A | Assault Carbine | Glaive
ALLIES: Kad
ENEMIES: SJC | Caedyn Arenais

---

The Grenadiers who were the two farthest back in squad started firing into the Neutralizer lines to keep them clear of there primary targets the Jedi and Rangers. As explosions from the Bryn shots rang out around them creating a ground pounded barrier taking out as many of the Droids as they could with every rapid successive shot.


Next aiding the Grenadiers in pushing away the neutralizers where the Heavies with there Radesh and Glaives if anything got to close to them. The radish shredded through Neutralizers again like the grenadiers they had high rate of fire that just slammed hard junking every Neutralizer they hit. Anyone looking at the battle from afar would see skeletons riddling the battlefield only on closer inspection would they notice they were metal.


In the front of the squad armed with Glaives and Assault Carbines were the Juggernaut minors the grunts and real fodder of the forces. The Minors had push through the Neutralizers and were now hitting towards the Antarian Rangers the squishies of the force so far even if they were in heavy armor just meant it would take a few hits to get to the creamy caramel center.


Udomek’s Captain barked his order from the center of the group as they tried to punch forward and through the line. Udomek watched only catching a glimpse and blur of something rush past him. It struck at a knee joint on his armor narrowly missing the area that could have cut into him instead the saber scrapped right off the edge of where armor and joint meet. Udomek spun though the nine-foot five beast moves where slow especially in his heavy armor as he spun around the blur that was Caedyn Arenais had already struck at a few of his fellow Minor’s and he was heading for the captain.


It was hard to keep track of the Jedi but for some reason Udomek could at least to some degree not enough to call out where the Jedi would strike but just enough to catch glimpses of him. One of his fellow Minor’s howled as his Ligament muscle was severed causing him to stumble collapse to one knee. The Captain the one with the heaviest armor of the punch began to swing wildly for Caedyn hope against all hope he might catch tiny speed demon.


Udomek sneered as the Captain could not seem to keep a solid eye on the Jedi. Not to mention the Jedi was being a distracting as his Rangers hammered home on several of Udomeks brethren in arms. Udomek saw the other squads were getting slowed and held back once more. Blood squirted into Udomeks face as the Jedi bouncing about as he was severed the jugular of the brethren who had just fallen to on knee earlier. This where panic mood should set in for someone so green instead Udomek gripped his Glaive tighter and calmed himself for a just a second noticing the Jedi’s patterns as the Jedi passed him once more, He came in with heavy swing in a low sweeping manner towards Caedyn Arenais right leg the intent to cut the Jedi’s legs clean off if he could or at least trip him up.


In the moment he was not going to let some Jedi cut him and his whole squad down just for some arrogant old Aeravalin's need of glory. He let out a guttural roar. “Die you pesky gnat!”

 

[Osam]

Objective: Chase The Weak
Allies: The Bryn'adul
Enemies: Engaging Mathieu Brion | Ki'an Vizsla
Equipment:
Kukri
Verikast Drone Armor
Assault Carbine
Pulverizer Sidearm

---

Movement from such a vast transport as the Burrower was bound to attract a notable degree of attention from the defending forces stationed throughout the city. While they had failed to penetrate the shield proper and thus been excluded to a series of caverns, tunnels, and assorted areas broadly within the municipal area, but not the city proper, their landing had nevertheless been "loud". Osam had already begun to move towards the tunnels behind the fallen Burrower, but he paused for a few moments at the suddenly more intense noise of shouting Juggernauts and the animal-cries of the Bryn'adul war beasts.

Something fierce had begun to reach into the minds of the Shamans and their Force-sensitive kindred. While they maintained effective control over their beasts, this was a troubling development. It was well-known that the Force Orders of the galaxy were privy to arcane and esoteric Force abilities, but was it possible that a cabal of their mightiest users had been able to envelop the Draelvasier's own forces? He didn't feel anything particularly terrible within his own mind, and so it stood to reason that this was an event that had been primarily restricted to those with a sensitivity to the universe.

The Titan would doubtless seek out the interloper, and Warlord Galak would assist him. Neither were so easily affected by such intrusions, and both were immensely capable and mighty warriors. Doubtless, the interlopers would be silenced in physical form even if they could not be prevented mentally. A sudden detonation in front of his eyes forced an ailing Shaman to disappear into a cloud of smoke and dust and sediment. He cast his eyes upwards at the impossibly high ceiling, watching as a secondary mortar shell fell upon the area, this time striking nothing more than chunks of already churned meat and rock. ( Laertia Io )

"Artillery fire. Move into cover, swiftly, and spread out. Put a couple of meters between each other where possible." He spoke to his squad, raising his stone in order to repeat the advice to the Juggernauts and Aeravalin still within the area. A few of them began to comply, recognizing the validity of spreading out in the midst of an artillery strike, or else of relocating themselves to areas with low hanging ceiling where the mortars would limply slam against stone walls.

Elsewhere, the sudden appearance of aerially-capable forces meant that previously neutral structures were rapidly being occupied by hostiles. Of course, casting oneself into the sky had a nasty habit of turning soldiers into skeet, and the Bryn'adul were flash-trained and more than capable of firing upon rapidly moving targets that were lacking in cover. Barring sudden shifts of altitude, it seemed quite likely that the Juggernauts would be able to pick off at least a few of these Skytroopers and their aerial allies by the simple use of their massive rifles. ( Travot Ravenna )

Nevertheless, at least a portion of these aerial units had managed to secure buildings near them, and the establishment of auto-turrets was harrying to their movement. The presence of Quilxyn Protectors cast throughout the ranks and present per every squad-level group was enough to eliminate a solid portion of the Cryoban grenades effectiveness, however, the forces of the Draelvasier having long ago recognized the reliance that humanity placed on their temperature-based weaponry.

The situation was beginning to stabilize if Osam's understanding of it was complete. In spite of the appearance of a number of armored opponents apparently capable of holding their own against the mighty Juggernauts, they had failed to fully establish air superiority, and engaging in CQC with the Draelvasier meant that their fire-support was unlikely to strike danger-close areas where it was vitally needed. They'd need to focus their mortar fire on specifically called out areas instead of wanton area bombardment or else risk striking their own men.

Skags and war-beasts swarmed, free from the shackles of patience by their Shaman masters, and Osam felt confident that the battle lines here could be at the least held until he had finished with his task. Thus, he abandoned the battleground and continued into the tunnel system where he had initially deigned to enter, taking along the squads of Risen and Sraelvun with and a quadruple-set of Quilxyn Protectors.

---

Whether the refugees deemed it necessary to wait nearer to the city, or whether they had simply been slowed down by the presence of wounded or elderly among their ranks was impossible to discern, but the marauding band of Sraelvun came across a crowd of them within mere minutes of having pushed into the tunnels. The moment of realization was painted upon their faces as they recognized that the approaching steps were neither others of their kind nor their saviors.

Gunfire lit into the tunnels in staccato bursts, spattering the walls with viscera as the never-ending approach of the Bryn'adul manifested itself in brutality and ruthless execution. The refugees began to run, cut down when the next bend of the tunnel was further than it took for their executioner to take aim. The tunnels were not exceptionally large, and so to the benefit of the retreating civilians, the bodies in the hall began to pile and make it more difficult for the ravaging Sraelvun to advance.

This continued for several dozen minutes until they had managed to make their way to a long and fairly wide hall that seemed to open up onto the surface judging the ambient lighting. A few of the civilians were still visible from the level-grounded exit, and so the Sraelvun opened fire upon them, catching a couple with their massive rounds, and forcing the others to scatter beyond view. Osam thought he saw a few of their bullets being dissolved in the air, but the ridiculousness of such an implement made that impossible.

"Major Hyle, Major Pirr, advance thirty paces and have Grenadiers launch into the opening. We'll flush them away from the entrance." He commanded sending two of the squads forward to begin the dangerous work of establishing a beachhead. He observed from behind them as a large shell launched itself directly into the tunnel, spraying out oily and slick liquid which was rapidly neutralized by the Quilxyn. While the temperature element had been eliminated, however, the floor was still slicker than he would have hoped. It was a lucky matter that it had not stricken one of the Sraelvun directly because he felt certain that even weak artillery launched at reasonable speed would cause severe damage.

The Grenadiers reached their destination, raising their heavy ordnance weapons, and launching a small salvo of explosives out of the tunnel to the unseen corners where foes might be hiding. Scrambling away their forces from the tunnel's exit was imperative to gaining a foothold outside, and pursuing the running civilians and their hostile protectors.

Osam would make sure that they died tired.

 

[Hrajlmak'Natok]

Objective: Agoraphobia
Post: 4
Allies: The Bryn'adul
Enemies: Laertia Io / Val Drutin
Location: Northern Tunnels
Equipment: Warlock's Armour / Battle Staff

_______________________________________________________

Unseen to Hrajlmak, his target faded behind the arcing wall of fire. His staff cut through the inferno's cloud and came upon no flesh. Again using the momentum of his staff, he used the lack of a bodily wall to his advantage and twirled around with the staff. Before his own mind could register the event, his staff clashed with a lightsaber blade only a finger's width from his back. The pair now faced each other, with his opponent making the first move. The boy was fast, wild and moved with finesse. With all that was clouding his head, Hrajlmak struggled to keep up. If the fast-paced slashes had continued without respite, he knew he'd have had to fall back and put distance between them. But the chain was broken, and the boy attempted a hard kick to Hrajlmak's lower abdomen. With no time nor the range of motion to critically maim, Hrajlmak shifted backwards and brought his backhand around, smacking the boy's leg as hard space would allow. Hoping the move would floor his opponent, he aimed to immolate him where he lay.

The Mental Landscape
​

In his mind, the situation was worse for wear. The duel added strain as fine motor function weighed heavy on his cognitive bandwidth. Groups of savages in the tunnel were systematically released from his telepathic grip, leaving them to run amok with no clear orders. This wouldn't be too problematic now since their only duty was mopping up what wasn't pummeled by the Rhivaks at the helm, but savages were just that. Animals. And the most unpredictable at that. They needed guidance or they would follow pure instinct. On top of this mounting migraine, a white ball of purest light shone its blinding beams over Hrajlmak's consciousness. And like any fire, it hurt. Across the city, every Draelvasier with any number of neurons could feel its searing gaze, weighing them down in body and soul. Hrajlmak fought back, but his input was pitiful compared to less occupied Aeravalin. All he could do was suffer and stay sane.

 

[Seer Kalanthir]

​

BLOOD GULCH​

Objective: Coagulation
Location: Salyrini City
Allies: Primarch Drek'ma | Ostak Cl'mana | Osam |
Enemies: Romi Jade | Auteme | Caedyn Arenais |

The Burrower crashed into the city, the drill crushing the ground beneath them as black oozed from the ground beneath. The Seer had landed some distance away from the battle, the Burrower doors opening as he stood on the base platform. The Seer's arms were clasped behind his back as the bay doors opened outward from the massive vessel. The fresh air of the battlefield gushed in like a warm welcome.

Seers rarely departed from Draemidus Prime. But it was one of the few delights that his battle meditation brought, every planet tasted different. The air, a mixture of the scents of flora and fauna of a planet. The air told a story, and today's was havoc. Hundreds of Gunboats carried near fourteen thousand Drones to the battlefield alongside a ground force of Savages, Brumaks moving to support the Chieftain's forces taking the northwest quadrant of the city.

Kalanthir's eyes were drawn to the ground below, staring at the black liquid pouring out from the crushed pipes beneath.

"Sarka is bleeding."

He could feel the world's pain, the planet suffered terribly at the hands of its host species. They had poisoned its land with their technology. But there was a greater offence at play, something slithered through the undergrowth of their minds. A blade held behind the back, ripples in the force that told the Seer that a powerful force user was on the planet. One using battle meditation that surpassed his own, perhaps he and the Dreddikkast could bolster their own forces enough to make up for the difference.

That was why the Seer was here after all, he too was devoted to their task. His mind shut off the auditory distractions of the planet around him. He could feel the fear of their enemies, the civilians of Sarka burned and bled under scorching fire of Gunboats. Concord soldiers fought and died against Bryn'adul, whom lived and breathed this life. He fed on them, through the force he fed and empowered himself.

His battle meditation came like a swell of adrenaline, pouring out into the Warriors under the careful tender of the Chieftain. His minds eye focused on his opposite, he had no one foot firmly set in light nor dark but this Jedi was a paragon of the Ashla.

He wished dearly to know what she was hiding from them all.

 

[Kaleleon]

LOCATION: Somewhere in the City.
OBJECTIVE: 1, Be the Shield.
LOADOUT: Saber, Pistol, Holster, Jumpsuit, Poncho, Gloves, Lodestone, Gel Packets,
ALLIES: Auteme
ENEMIES: Galak

The enemies of the Silver Jedi attacked. They were a formidable force and attempted to get through their defenses every time. However, it was meeting up with Auteme that made me question myself. She had grown so much more since I last seen her. Her maturity was skyrocketing in such a short time. It was strange to see that she was once a Padawan who sought quite a many things that some considered unrealistic. Now? She was fighting back. While I wouldn't say this directly, she asked for me to come with her. Having no clue on how long the shields would last. Part of me had an idea, but not really sure how to go about it.

"The shields are what's keeping the city safe. Is there a way we can fortify them?"

She would have better ideas on what to do with this. Considering she had a thought process going, I followed her without much more. Mostly due to the fact that I had very little knowledge of this place. Let alone the surrounding area. I could see through the shields. Some of the Bryn were making their way through. Some kind of Shield disruption. But as it was such a large shield, it would only make small holes for a short period of time before closing back up.

"Wait, You can use the Light right? Romi and Jend have talked in the past of combining minds to reach that which couldn't be done."

Thoughts flooded my head. With a shield generator being affected by the scientific aspect of disrupting the shields, It kind of hit me. While it wasn't a back-handed slap, it was enough to, I believe, send us down the right path.

"You know pretty much all of my training is force shields right?"

We needed to to do this right. She had the other half of the idea we could work together on. We just needed to be at the right place, at the right time.

 

[Auteme]

Kaleleon | Galak | Romi Jade Seer Kalanthir Keldothera ​

"Yes, and- yes-" Pain lanced into her mind, as though a kind of invasion; another, prying in search of her secrets. On the other side she found the subtle influence of Romi Jade. Her mind became part of a network for a brief moment, matched by the weight of the Drael seer that searched for a way into her mind.

She tried to keep an open mind, but then she was forced to slam the doors, cutting herself from both attempts at connection, however different they were. She focused on herself, on the present; then on Kaleleon. "Harmony- together, both of our skills, both of us. Jend-Ro and Romi aren't right here, but their strength is ours, too."

Two students of two powerful Jedi Masters, both backed by that very same power.

"I don't know how long the shield will last, but I know that the more defenses the better. I can weave the city another barrier; give the Concord more time to continue the evacuation and slow down the Bryn'adûl. Come on -- no time to waste." With that she started into the city.

---

The battle raged. Above a cruiser began to fall towards the surface, crippled by some Drael attack. Their warbeasts pressed on; the warriors chanted their chieftain's name. Auteme stepped to the roof's edge.

Her hands rose as though a conductor for a symphony. She traced the first threads; a sort of ethereal dance. The first of them became visible. A glimmering strand of the Force, floating through the air. It was joined by another, then another -- soon, the building she stood atop was aglow with radiance. A beacon. The beacon.

For a moment she returned, pausing her work. Her gaze swung to Kaleleon. No words, just clarity -- he knew what he was there to do. The weaving continued.

Her heart tightened with worry.

 

[Tathra Khaeus]

​

BLOOD GULCH
​

Objective: Coagulation
Location: Burrower > Southwest Quadrant
Allies: Galak | Keldothera | Hrajlmak'Natok | Ostak Cl'mana | Udomek Seker | Kad | Seer Kalanthir |
Enemies: Travot Ravenna | Gir Quee | Laertia Io | Ala Quin | Romi Jade | Caltin Vanagor |
Axe | Gauntlet | Armour |
Mount: Dreddikkast |

The Bryn'adûl fought a bloody and sporadic battle with the defenders of Sarka all throughout Salyrini. Tathra fought at the backend of the open streets bulk of forces; clashing with the infantry as the strike of his Axe overturned one of their subterranean tanks - another firing point blank at his face only for the obsidian gauntlet to absorb the swirl of fire around him into a powerful concentrated beam that turned a score of retreating soldiers into charcoal. His Axe, flung from hand into the tank's cannon with enough force to rock it as he leapt toward it, calling the weapon back to him as he crashed down on it with the Axe's blunt end striking it - the kinetic shockwave of red energy near flattening the vehicle. Standing a top the ruined metal, Tathra held the Axe behind him - aloft. His right gauntlet raised to his face, the Mind Stone linking him to the battle-net.

He was on the ground now, but Galak was unavailable. No doubt too busy in the fight to conjure a thought for anything but. He didn't speak but rather asked through thought to the Majors of the Warlord's attacking force, the reply was a breakthrough. But likewise, it seemed. He almost didn't believe it till he looked to the sky, seeing the massive Burrower crashing down toward the enemy Command Centre. It was reckless, but he was glad she was close to the Shield Generator. He had given her a special mission to assist the Warlord Galak - he knew she would not fail, as to risk the consequences would have been dire for her. He could not see through the fire and smoke if there was an enemy cruiser being pulled down with it or not however. Once he was done here, that was where he would go if fate permitted.

Up above, explosions rippled through the sky as the Siege Tower opened fire with its on-board cannons and turrets; firing at the TIE's as they came for the Dreddikast. The Brumaks moved out from the Burrower in columns of black, a total of three hundred of the massive beasts moving toward the Shield Tower, led by a dozen Shamans. The sky seemed near clear of Phedraks bar the new arrivals as more Gunboats flew overhead to land support groups. The Obaliscs had made it to their strategically chosen positions, filling the sky with powerful energy beams that cut whatever was in their way, two of them focused on the ehemy cruisers as another burned skytroopers alive in the sky - the three remaining opening fire on the defences surrounding the Command Centre, massive shards of energy decimating anything caught in their beams. The numbers were not as dire as he had thought, or Galak had indeed. This was no Kesh, and niether did these scum fight as hard as the Keshiri. A number of their field-commanders had met resistance past the shield and were only arriving now, it gave the Titan hope. But he did not see his closest comrades.

So many were missing. The First Warlock, the Risen, Drek'ma - Overseer Ostak.

He hoped they were alright. He could not do this without them. The thought of their demise near sent the Titan into a rage as he leapt back into the fray, teeth bared as he yanked a trooper from the ground threw them overhead to the maw of the Dredd - the massive beast had luckily been protected by the Siege Tower as it screamed at the soldiers at his feet, crawling over one and other to escape him as they poured into the hands of the Juggernauts at the battlefront.

He pitied them. It wasn't their fault. But it had to be done, for his kin. For their survival, it was his duty to see them end. Tathra may have been entirely alone on the battlefield, but he was close at heart to his children. Always. The battlefield behind them was ignited with blue-flame. But even at this distance, Tathra knew the smell of cold. Though his focus was not on the small pocket of Drones and Juggernauts beyond them at that time. Try as the droids might, the factory-line bots were no match for actual warriors with experience. Processors on full or not they still had the same limitations as any technological slime, mass-produced scrap metal.

A lone individual approached, skirted the edges of kinetic waves from his Axe as she approached, speed at her heels and blades at the ready. The Titan had wondered how long it would be until the next in a long list of fools came at him. Strength nor speed mattered much when the warrior telegraphed themselves so much, as one did with strikes like a falling avalanche. It was Djem-So, he had studied all of the lightsaber forms and understood them - he had spent a hundred years fighting saber wielders and he knew how poorly devised many of them were.

Tathra stepped inward with his right foot, hunching slightly as the force user darted through the air, lightsaber raised over head to strike him. He had the range and the ease of movement, and she left herself open. The Titan side-stepped to the left, Axe aimed to his right and into her swing, the Axe would collide with her mid-jump to cut her in half before her blade even reached him.

But it seemed she was not alone, a Jedi leapt from the closest of the Dredd's many wings as it recoiled in disgust. Tathra watched as the fear came into the Jedi's eyes, no blade to show for her bravery.

Another one of Quill's perhaps. How unfortunate.

Tathra caught the Jedi's arm in the paw of his right gauntlet; he turned his right ankle outward, bracing himself as he swung the Jedi with their own momentum - wrist snapping like wheat in his grasp as he threw her over his shoulder.

CRACK!!!

The air was filled with the sounds of violently crackling as the female Jedi slammed into the uneven rubble - spine splintering. Another fool, Tathra had killed so many Jedi he was nearly flippant about it. Tathra turned, stepping away from the broken corpse to face whatever came next with his Axe raised in his left.

 

[Ostak Cl'mana]

BLOOD GULCH​

POST: IV
OBJECTIVE: BABYSIT DREK'MA AGRAPHOBIA (II)
LOCATION: CAVES, CITY OUTSKIRTS
DRAEL ALLIES ON OBJECTIVE: Primarch Drek'ma (in close proximity) | Galak | Osam
HOSTILES: SJC | Laertia Io 's NPCs | Open to engaging up to 2 more Jedi opponents
EQUIPMENT: Traditional Shaman robes
BEASTS: 1x Servitor (burrowing/hunting), 4x Sirracus Wyrms (hunting/observing)

The Shaman-Overseer was running out of time.​

Guided by little more than an orb of pink light held in his right hand, Ostak rushed through hollow after hollow, occasionally squeezing through passes barely wide enough to fit him crawling sideways. Yet through it all, the Shaman-Overseer's sense of urgency remained. He had been separated from his Shamen and his Primarch, his role as a leader unattainable in his current location. Anguish struck him: without his facilitation, would the Primarch be forced to take on all Ostak's labors himself?

As if answering his unspoken question, a second ripple of energy struck Ostak's psyche. It was nearly as powerful as the first distortion, but carried the presence of an ally rather than an unknown power. After a quick mental analysis, the Shaman-Overseer realized who was the only Drael who could have sent such a desperate energy signature.

It was the Primarch.

Ostak had to return to his side, and fast. His absence had likely strained the Primarch too far, too soon. Even Drek'ma lacked unlimited vitality or spiritual energy, and if someone as powerful as himself were to crack, the aftershock would be catastrophic. Yet the Shaman-Overseer had no easy way of digginng over to the Primarch's location. He was beyond the range at which he could detect his long-released beasts, and no Excavators would pass through this area. Until he found something that would enable him to dig, Ostak would have to follow the natural length of the cave using his best judgement.

As he came near an especially large hollow, the wall four meters to his right suddenly began to crack. Turning to the right, he detected several seated humanoid signatures behind the wall, likely situated inside an armored vehicle. Just as he prepared to snuff out their lives, the vehicle smashed through the walls, large headlights instantly centered on Ostak.

The Shaman-Overseer immediately knew that he could not withstand the tracked vehicle's mining lasers for long. Fortunately, his amplitude in the spiritual arts allowed him to avoid such a threat without scratching the vehicle. While its thick plating and sealed cockpit could resist a considerable physical or corrosive beating, the driller had little resistance to the energy of the spirit. An invisible wave of Ostak's inner energy seeped through the drill crawler's hull and into its cockpit. Within seconds, all three crew members were feeling extremely dizzy and disoriented, no longer capable of tracking the Shaman-Overseer. After exactly twenty-three seconds, Ostak ceased to detect any of their signatures.

The Shaman-Overseer would not bother hijacking the vehicle, finding its over-reliance on technology and sensitive control panels to be beneath him on a moral level. Instead, he took advantage of the long and wide trail that the machine left behind through the ground and descended into the tunnel, leaving the drained husks within the untouched driller to be found by later search teams.

For now, Ostak's attention was consumed solely by ascent.

 

[Keldothera]

BLOOD GULCH
​

Objective: Coagulation
Location: Shield Generator Tower Exterior
Bryn'Bois: Galak | Tathra Khaeus | Primarch Drek'ma | Udomek Seker | Kad | Seer Kalanthir | Ostak Cl'mana |
Enemy: Auteme | Kaleleon | Travot Ravenna | Romi Jade
Equipment: Armour | Splitter | Crippler | Carbine | Dual Shredders

Keldothera cheered herself on as she staggered across the controller platform. The Artificers looked at her like she was mad, but they understood - holding on for dear life to the braces as the Burrower and the Cruiser came crashing down toward the surface, their fighter Sqaudrons, a mixture of Phedrak and Radesh Oil coated Strikers blasting out from the doomed vessel at nearly the last possible moment. The map of the battlefield had disappeared, the Mind Stones unable to maintain a steady connection with their exterior systems so badly damaged.

The forcefully joined ships came spiralling down to the surface like a comet engulfed in fire and void-black smoke as they narrowly avoided the Command Centres tower, aiming to land somewhere beyond the length of its rows of tanks and infantry the two ships explosively collided with its exterior defences. The cruiser, exploding as it was torn in half as they slammed into the surface; the Burrowers drill all but destroyed as it crashed across the perimeter of the Towers most exterior defences, its opened deployment bay doors shredding apart as they spiralled off of the ship into shards crashing across the battlefield and into buildings.

Keldothera was thrown on her stomach, slamming into a pillar in the centre of the command console as blood was spat from her lips. Groaning in pain as she landed upright - both arms keeping her steady with legs pulling her toward the railing to climb out of the Burrower.

Some of the Artificers had survived, other had not. She would mourn them later, but now she had work to do. Regardless of her own self-sustained injuries. She had a duty, a devotion to seeing the goal reached. she climbed down from the top, reaching the Shamans at the mid-section of the vessel.

"Launch the Debaucher! I will lead our ground forces!"

The General was renewed, confidence and conviction filled her stride as she took the elevator down to the basin of the Vessel, to what remained of their infantry. Out from the barracks, the most well insulated place on the ship came a score of a thousand Juggernaut Heavies adorned in purple warpaint, supported by a grouping of Syphons alongside Quilxyn Protectors as they moved into the dense cold blue-hued air.

Brumaks and Rhivaks moved in two groupings of one-hundred and fifty, mixed and matched between each other as they immediately moved to engage the enemy tanks that remained around the crashsite. Beyond that, Keldothera could see Galak's forces pushing through at the base of the hill. Her immediate squad took cover behind one of the many sporadically buried shards of the Burrower doors.

Her forces were supported by the convoy of Gunboats that had ejected from her Burrower, following them down on the way in, but the entire exterior of the Tower was laid with generators, defences and infantry as the bulwark of her warriors were immediate engaged in combat. Rhivaks moving, leaping through the chaos as they fired red concentrated beams at Sarlacc's, Brumaks - some ensnared in tangle booby-traps beneath their feet firing lines of compounding vaporising black bombs into the centre of the vehicular arrangements.

The Gunboats that had made it in, nearly two-hundred in total dropped their forces behind the large cover of the Burrower's broken chassis, delivering Seekers, Syphons and further Drones and Juggernauts to the field before they moved upward, over the arrangement of enemy vehicles and opened fire with their dual turrets in concentrated circuits of fire as they rained down plasma fire on the enemy defences as well as they could.

The General wished she'd crushed them on the way down, but nothing was perfect. Explosions and death rippled across the battlefield, chaos ensnaring all pitted in the battle for the Tower's exterior.

"Galak. Allow me to deal with the Generator. Focus on the battle, and the Jedi."

The words came earnestly, almost a plead for the opportunity. She wanted this opportunity to prove her mettle.

"Let me do this."

 

[Caltin Vanagor]

IT'S ALWAYS DARKEST BEFORE THE DAWN...​

Location: Salyrini Obj 1
Equipment: Conservator and Vanguard 2.0 (Lightsabers)
Comm-link, Rebreather, Custom Robes
Starship: Starlight Sentinel, (Dilorian in cargo bay)
Companion: Astromech R01R - "Roller", Pilot droid Mu51c - "Music"
Tag: Tathra Khaeus Ala Quin Caedyn Arenais Romi Jade

Guys, an ally of ours is on that roof. I’m going to jump up and check on her.


The 412th were willing to go everywhere with him in this case and it was a good thing for him. They were an elite group of troops and not afraid at all of the situation. They were not suicidal, but good at their job and fully prepared to sacrifice themselves to protect the people, especially after that last speech. Caltin respected that and appreciated their approach, but he had to jump up here alone, which is why he told the truth, but not all of it.

When he reached the ceiling, the big guy saw the two of them standing there, this monster grab her...

...tick…

SOME TIME AGO… Caltin was visiting the Bendu again after quite a long time...
______________________________

Atollon was a planet that Caltin had not expected to come back to, not for a long time. Yet more and more, with what he sees in the galaxy, he needed to speak to someone that he could speak to, one who “got it.” So he was here, on this planet again, to speak to the one being in the galaxy that could judge him, and in his eyes, be allowed to. It’s not that Caltin had thin skin, maybe he did to an extent in some cases, but he took his choices and his lot in life seriously, others did not seem to get that.

He could sense the presence of the being easy enough, there was no mistaking it. Caltin was no that far away from the Bendu.

An ancient being, Bendu claimed to represent the center of the Force, standing between the Ashla and and Bogan, or “The Light Side” and “The Dark Side”. Caltin was by no means the first Jedi, or Sith, or even sentient to meet the being, Jedi Knight Kanan Jarrus once met him while meditating after losing his sight. He told Caltin about this, the Bendu did, and led him on a bit of a wild mynock chase. He told Kanan the same thing that he told Caltin, that “imbalance” woke him up.

The massive Jedi Master normally would have been on the defensive on the comment, but something about what he said, it put him at ease in the fact that it made sense. The big guy knew at the time that he was touched by the Dark Side and that while he felt he could control it, there was a problem that he felt inside. The problem is that at the time he felt nothing, nothing at all, he could not feel anger, happiness, pain, anything. The Bendu told him that it was the Force fixing his imbalance. The Force was changing him into something different altogether.

That day was vivid in his mind as they conversed about why he was imbalanced and the Bendu’s view on it.

After conversing, the Bendu told him how he stood and where his position was. It was then that Caltin put it together that he was much the same way, no he did not compare himself to the Bendu, nor did he consider himself “gray”. The outlook he gained was that both sides have it wrong. There is no “Ashla” or “Bogan”, there is only the Force, period. The Force is a gift, not a tool, not a curse, it is something to be celebrated, not feared, or weaponized.

Caltin was forever changed after that, not looking on the Jedi as well as the Sith as anything more than people. It was the choices that were made not the “side” that made a being who they were. This was always the case, but more so to this point.

“Hello, old friend!” The voice as booming and full of wisdom as ever, Caltin could hear in his mind before he had even seen the being. That was still something weird to experience on this end as it was always he who had done that to Padawans. It wasn’t so much unnerving, but just went to show that if you are open to it, the Force and its possibilities are indeed limitless.

I thought that I would find you here.

“Where else would I go? Glad to see that you were finally found.” He said happily, almost flippantly.

Wait? You knew where I was all that time? Why did you not contact someone?

The Bendu smiled. “I know that it had not been that long for you, but it was still over 800 years. The planet you were on was covered in ice, and I sensed you. However it was also the residence of many different beings and almost none of them would have been happy to find you… or maybe they would have in a bad way… it does not matter now, does it?” As aloof as ever, the Bendu just smiled. “It is good to see you though. What brings you here?”

You as well. I came here, because I wanted to let you know that I finally understand what you told me, all those years ago and I want to thank you.

“Thank me?” He asked sounding rather confused. “Did I do anything?”

Caltin just nodded.

I lost my way when I came to you. I did not know what I was doing anymore and it felt like I had absolutely no purpose. In your own way, you showed me that I had the same one as always, but I needed to learn exactly what it was. Only recently did I see exactly why I learned to feel the way that I do. That what I do is about me, and who I am, not what I feel that I need to do. For that, I thank you.

The Bendu just smiled. “You did that yourself, so you should thank yourself.”

Caltin just shrugged. Maybe, but the appreciation is still there. I’m also glad to see that you’re still around annoying those who can sense you.

That last comment was said with a rather sardonic smile, the Bendu laughed anyway.

“Well, that is what I saw in you, and that is why I taught you how to manipulate the weather, didn’t I?”

Caltin was genuinely surprised at that.

That’s why?

The being just laughed at the genuine surprise. It was rather easy to get one over on the big guy. “A ‘Thank you is not why you are here though. You could have spoken through the Force. No, you’re here for something else… and I believe that it has to do with the past eight hundred years.”

The last observation was spot on, and the look on the big guy’s face proved it.

Well, yes I suppose. It’s just that… I didn’t lose my way. Now, I’m not sure that I have a place in this galaxy anymore. I’ve only been forgotten.

“Hmmm, not very “Jedi Like” to want attention like that.” The observation was meant as a joke, and though he gave a look as if to say “Really?” Caltin understood it. “Do you know about the carrier butterfly? Interesting creatures from the planet Maridun…”

An eyebrow raised, Caltin sat down in a lotus position.

You’re comparing me to a butterfly...

The Bendu just laughed. “Hear me out. Now, where was I? Oh yes. The butterfly. They do not start that way, oh no. They must grow their wings wrapped in a cocoon. It takes quite some time and they are oblivious to their surroundings, but do you know what happens when they exit the cocoon? They are out in the world, or in your case, the galaxy. That’s it.”

That’s it?

“That’s it.” The Bendu shrugged. “It does not matter how long you were away. You’re back now, that is all that matters. You’re back, you have Ala Quin back with you. This is a second chance, you might say.”

Good point… heh… I didn’t think you knew about Ala, I never told you.

The Bendu then just smiled. “You never had to, my friend. No disrespect to you, but you are not that deep.”

Okay, but the galaxy has changed immensely, the Jedi have changed.

“So change with it…” The Bendu just shrugged. “... or don’t. You can only control yourself.” As usual, Caltin found the Bendu to be annoyingly wise… in a good way. Of course, he went on about Ala some more, there were some cryptic comments, some talking in circles as always, and on top of that, there was something about the way he kept mentioning Caltin’s adoptive sister.

“If you live it up, you’ll be better for it.” He said in his own odd way.

What are you talking about?

“You’re going to have to learn that for yourself, my friend. I’ve seen what could happen, more than one option.”

No! You can talk to me about anything else, but you KNOW I can’t be played with when it comes to her! Now tell me the truth!

“Get the bass out of your voice, kid!” Suddenly a raging thunderstorm surged overhead. “To tell you one thing is speculative!” The storm ended as quickly as it appeared. “If I told you one thing happened, then the other happened, what then?” Caltin didn’t like it, but the Bendu had a point.

So what? I’m supposed to sit here for however long and wonder what is going to happen to her?

“I thought Jedi abhorred attachments?” The Bendu’s response came sarcastically.

You honor those you care about. You let those attachments inspire you. She inspires me to be better.

“... so as long as she is around, someone can control you.” It wasn’t really a question, more a factual observation, one that was not what Caltin wanted to hear.

You don*

“YES I DO!” A lightning strike hit the ground behind him. “There will come a time where you will have to deal with it too! Now begone. You can come back, but I’m done talking to you today!”

_______

This huge Bryn just grabbed her by the wrist, there was nothing she could do. She was not a fighter, but his little sister could handle herself in a fight, but this? This thing manhandled her and he was too late to stop it, all Caltin could do was watch…

... tick…

_____________

SOME TIME AGO…

With brow severely quirked and the corner of her mouth contorted into wry amusement, Ala ducked into the room beneath the water. The floor was slippery after water having made its home there for hundreds of years. She steadied herself with some hands facing down and a soft projection of Force power. The room was so familiar, but yet with the taint of years, centuries of decay.

"This is not my home anymore..."

Her words were barely audible. More to herself than for Caltin's benefit. Nothing had survived the rot and decay, but rather every thing was smoothed over with slime and the eroding nature of time and water.

She turned back to Caltin. "It's ok, really," she said with a bittersweet smile, "nothing survived...except us...and that's OK."

Turning, she pushed off with the Force and slid across the floor and into Caltin's direction where she embraced the hulk of a Jedi with as big of a hug as she could.

"I am not sure when it was that I last told you that I love you," she said, "but it has been far too long."

_____________________

When he swung her… there was no fear in Caltin… there was no sorrow… no sadness… there was anger… and it was building exponentially. The big guy was long touched by darkness, he could hold, control and handle the fire building inside of him, why? He had been doing so over eight hundred years ago. This was nothing new.

... tick…

_____________________

╞╪╪╪╪╪╪╪╪╪╪╪╪╪╪╪╪╪╪╪╡

"Caltin?"

She knew his embrace instantly. She had been carried from the mountains near the Jedi Temple when injured during a contest between Padawan. That had been the first of many times he had saved her life. It seemed fitting that it would be her hero once again, her big adopted brother. She had only been out for a short time then, a year maybe at most. This thought comforted, even as her eyes were yet to open.

Her senses were slowly coming back to her and with it the darkness surrounding from every angle. A malevolent force hovered not from where they were. Clearly, they were in imminent peril. She expected nothing less.

As she slowly came to, she realized that her body was still not anywhere near cooperating, but she took small comfort in the feeling of her two short saber hilts hitting her thigh with each massive step that Caltin took.

"I knew you'd come."

The feeling of tiredness pulled on her, creating an urgent need to take a breath like she was going underwater. Taking the breath, she faded into unconsciousness again. In spite of all the darkness her dream now contained, there emanated light from within her that pushed it all back.

______________________

When he swung her, Caltin saw red, nothing but red, but he was so enraged, the Master Jedi had blinders on. He wanted the anger to boil over. He wanted the fury inside him to come to what was about to happen. He wanted all of it. The only thing that Caltin did not want, was what he had heard, the sickening crack of her spine as it snapped. Now he knew what the Bendu spoke of.

... tick…

______________________

THEIR FIRST EVER MEETING… EIGHT HUNDRED SIXTY+ YEARS AGO...

Friends and family! Really!

Ala almost staggered at the thought.

I don't think I've ever had a friend...but family too!

A cheeky smile came across her face, and she nudged Caltin with her elbow.

"I guess that makes you my big brother then...I feel sorry for you," she said with a smile. Perhaps it was a little forward, or brash, but it never occurred to Ala that it could be the wrong thing to say.

_____________

... BOOM…

The Bryn done (censored) up now. I’ve tried to warn people. I’ve tried to give them some chance to prepare. To do the right thing. I talk about it all the time. No one seems to want to listen. Caltin has officially lost any and all reason to hold back, at least for the time being.

Lightsaber in hand, Caltin was busy calling on all of the moisture in the air that he could, he was calling on the moisture to raise the humidity and formulate droplets into the air that would group into clouds. He was taking the Bendu’s training and creating a Thunderstorm with one individual in mind. The no-good piece of Bantha poodoo in front of him. Checking for a pulse, he looked down at her, he would not tear up right now. He would not show emotions, anything that this Sculag could use. No, he would just mouth the words “I’m sorry” to her and lookup. His eyes electrically vibrant as he stood. The storm was forming overhead, the electricity was crackling, building, and coming to a crescendo.

A bolt came crashing down as he stood.

He learned how to control the lightning, the weather, the Bendu taught him so Ala was untouched. She was as safe as she was going to be, and as Caltin touched his comm-link he called for medics to come to retrieve her. Caltin finally understood that of what the Bendu had spoken, this was what he meant about Ala, but you know what? If you ask Caltin, he wouldn't have it any other way. To him, she represented everything that was good about the Jedi, about being a Jedi. Maybe that was this monster in front of him who wanted to destroy her. She was the "yin". The problem is, with the "yin", there is always a "yang". That was Caltin. Where she was the light, the good. He was the fight, the sword. Her eyes were on the light above. His eyes, his focus, his target was in front of him. Who was he? Didn’t matter. What did he do? Don’t care. How important was he? Don’t give a flying womprat. What was he capable of? Other than hurting women a quarter his size? Nowhere near enough. What was he to Caltin? Next.

I don’t care who you are. I don’t care where you come from. Do you want to live through this? Do you want to be anything but a greasy stain? Leave. No ifs. No ands. No karking butts. Leave and take all of your followers with you. If you do not. You will rue the day you had heard of the word “Jedi.” No threat. No promise. No prediction. A spoiler.

Cracking his knuckles and his neck, Caltin raised an eyebrow.

I… am… going… to… kark… you… up.

He started walking... he wouldn't stop until this son of a ... "Female Akk Dog" was thrown off this building and this planet.

... YET THE DAWN ALWAYS COMES.

 

[Gir Quee]

NPC action with Dav Hannser and Elder Vil, Chieftain of the Sarkan Defense Forces
Location: Sarkan Defense Force Command Center, Southeast Quadrant, Salyrini, Sarka
Objective: The Siege of Salyrini
Allies (in immediate area): Travot Ravenna Syd Celsius
Enemies: Tathra Khaeus Galak , other Bryn'adul

"They are getting too close," cautioned Dav, crossing his arms, "it's now or never."

Vils head slowly sunk before he turned to Tissh'ar and nodded, "Do it."

The Starlight Scutum shield suddenly faded from view. The aegis that had prevented almost half of the Bryn'adul forces from punching through had seemingly vanished. Fear briefly spread throughout the SJC ranks, likely even furthered by some of the Bryn'adul's leaders ability to use battle meditation. Yet not even three seconds passed before the ethereal blue shield reappeared again, this time just behind the front lines of the battle raging in the Southeast Quadrant. Tissh'ar's long tail wiggled like a blue serpent as he crouched over a holo tank.

"There are still some Bryn'adul within the shield's radius," observed the junior elder.

"Yes," said Elder Vil, "but not in overwhelmingly large numbers and without their massive warbeasts or vehicles or constructs to fight alongside them. Trapped with us they are....but..."

The gray-scaled Sarkan turned his reptilian eyes onto the old smuggler, "History will judge me harshly for this. We have just abandoned thousands of our own, cut off from us now from the shield. We have thrust them in a fight for their lives."

"Maybe," said the old smuggler, "but was it really any worse than it was before? The same street struggles are breaking out."

"Mister Hannser," said a red-scaled lizard, "you told me to tell you when the first of the tunnels from the Northwest Quadrant to the Southeast."

"Excellent. Ready the diversion," said the man, "but let's not execute it yet. It'll work better with more tunnels...and at just the right time. Which, excuse me Elders, I have to make a quick call to an old acquintance."

The old smuggler shuffled over to a far end of the room and held his comlink close to his mouth and whispered.

"Gir, it is done. Finish the job for me, will you?"

Just as the line shut off, a deathening thud resounded throughout the building.

***********​

Location: the Emerald Undertow, Task Force Undertow, atmosphere of Sarka near Salyrini City
Objective One: The Siege of Salyrini
Allies: Jyoti Nooran Romi Jade
Enemies: directly engaging Tathra Khaeus Tathra Khaeus , Bryn'adul

The man from Hast watched the battle unfold with pained fascination. It seemed that both sides had prepared for a long grind. The Bryn'adul marshalled out fresh forces from the massive burrowers even as the Silver Jedi Concord forces and their disparate allies, some from the deepest regions of Galactic Alliance space and the Mandalorian provinces up north, marched out forces long prepared for the inevitable Bryn'adul attack. He let out an exasperated sigh of frustration. And nothing I can do but wait...and hope that the others are up to the task. His comlink chirped, signaling an incoming call. He tapped a button on it and his father's old smuggler friend's voice flowed out of the ear piece.

"Gir, it is done. Finish the job for me, will you?"

"Thank you old friend. I'd considered your original debt to me paid."

"I want an actual payment, you know."

"You will, I promise. Just keep things steady down there and work with Master Jade, just like we discussed, okay?"

"You know I will."

The admiral turned his attention to his sensor's officer, "Is the shield scaled down?"

The mon calamari officer nodded, "Its shield sphere is covering now almost 2/3rds of the city. The outer third is heavily contested, but it is safe to say that the outermost edges of it are under Bryn'adul control. It looks like one of their burrowing ships has crashed next to the command center, our troops are moving to engage."

"Now that we're no long protecting the enemy, execute suborbital strikes, let's focus on that siege tower that they seem intent on deploying. Deploy all available strikecraft through the entrances in the Northeast Quadrant. Time to be on the offensive again."

His well-oiled command lurched into action as crewmen that had accompanied him from the fall of the Galactic Republic, through the Tempered Wastes campaigns in the Unknown Regions and now against this terrible Bryn'adul threat rolled into action. Swarms of Zephyr-class Droid Fighters followed by hundreds of slightly slower but more heavily armed Cyclone II-class Starbombers and Mistral-class Starfighters jetted away to enter through the collapsed ceiling spaces in the Northest Quadrant before spreading out to engage the forces of the Bryn'adul. Concord fighters darted in quickly to jump onto the new Bryn'adul aerial forces, especially in the Southeast Quadrant. Not to be outshone, the newly arrived bombers began to carpet bomb heavily occupied Bryn'adual areas with proton bombs and concussion missiles. Yet even this macabre dance was overshadowed by the presence of a new light. Brilliant pulses of emerald light from the Emerald Undertow's Thunderer Heavy Particle Cannons lanced through the stony exterior of the mountain that contained Salyrini before piercing through and driving into the Siege Tower brought into the Southeast Quadrant. Even as these precision weapons brought their considerable firepower to bear on the alien construct, the rest of the batteries of the fleet were busy stripping away the exterior stony walls of the Southest Quadrant to expose that quarter of the city to the outside, from the largest Ragnarok-class Batteries on the massive Emerald Undertow to the smallest turbolasers on his picket corvettes. Dust filled the jungle air as stone disintegrated and even newly dislodged dirt and rocks began to rain haphazardly onto the battlefield itself, pelting both the Silver Jedi Concord forces and the Bryn'adul alike. He felt his stomach drop and contort into a thousand angles - it was only slightly dampened by the fact that the city's own Starlight Scutum shield was protecting the inner city from any accidental hit from either his weapons fire or collateral damage from the crumbling mountain. The cost of this action is high. But the cost of defeat is higher. What good is it for our people to die if they die and lose the battle? Another race and culture wiped away from the face of the galaxy? Can the galaxy really afford to lose yet another? He pressed his lips tightly together. I have to focus on the immediate now, not philosophy with which to grieve with later...He slowly opened his mouth.

"Once the mountain is gone, all batteries on all vessels are clear to engage any targets of opportunity on the ground. Priority focus on the larger Bryn'adul vehicles, constructs, and warbeasts first. Let's try not to hit our own people if we can help it..."

A dull murmur of unenthusiastic acknowledgements answered him. They are not thrilled with this...neither am I. Could this be the end of my career? His comlink chirped again, this time announcing Romi Jade .

"Admiral Quee...I've made considerable stride in figuring out this stone thing. I'm about ready to follow through with the rest..."

"Excellent. I don't have to tell you that we're pressed for time. Mister Hannser assures me that that the field preparations are complete. Let me know if there's anything else I can do. May the Force be with you, Master Jedi!"

As he clicked the channel off it chirped again to reveal the voice of another Jedi - one that he knew better than the last: Jyoti Nooran .

“Admiral Quee, this is Master Nooran. Please be be advised, Anvil is beginning out ground assault. From here on out it will be danger close with those air strikes. On that note, I need you to hit the breach points of those... digger things (burrowers) with staggered volleys of bunker busters and breaching pods loaded with Inago. They’ll soften up those diggers before I move in with strike teams. Inform everyone inside the city to hold on a little longer. We will break this siege from the ground up.”

"Will do Master Nooran. I have troops from the Ebony Torrent marching out at this moment as well. I will place them under your command with orders to follow you for this relief. We're executing the requested fire mission now."

The man turned met the wide-eyed glaze of sullustan who had been with him since the third Battle of Roche, "Tien, you do that. Comms, pass the word along to Elder Vil and the rest of the city - Help is on the way."

The sullustan chirped eagerly as he rapidly began to execute the Jedi's orders. The man crossed his arms. It's better than possibly shooting your own people, isn't it? I can't blame his eagerness for that, can I? Some of the vessels present began to divert their weapons fire to match Master Nooran's orders even as turbolasers, plasma energy torpedoes, and other energy weapons continued to strip away the exterior of Salyrini. He felt Ariela brush up against his side as rays of sunlight began to pass into the Southeastern Quadrant of the city.

"Salyrini used to be an underground city," the replica droid observed.

"Not any more," said the blonde man quietly.

 

[Val Drutin]

Objective: Agraphobia
Location: Tunnels
Gear: Armor | Lightsaber
Tags: Laertia Io | Hrajlmak'Natok (engaging)

Had he been in better spirits, Val would have laughed at Hrajlmak’s awkward attempt at swatting away his leg in the cramped space of the tunnel. But he was too enraged and upset for his usual humor, and could only see that the kick had failed to land. With a snarl, Val kept his balance and charged at the Bryn, recalling how he had struggled under the blows of his saber.

If he noticed that this particular Drael was distracted or suffering from some sort of mental attack, it served only to work to Val’s advantage. He cut and slashed and stabbed with a seemingly boundless reserve of energy, fueled by a fervent need to get past this hulking obstacle that stood between him and the only family he had left. He looked for weak points in Hrajlmak’s armor, found them at the joints which allowed for agility at the expense of protection, and struck at those.

All the while, he could feel his brother dying. He was somewhere in the caves, armies of monsters between them... and then, suddenly Val couldn't sense him anymore. Their bond had been severed, the thread between them cut.

That was when Val's assault turned truly vicious. He tried to slice one of his opponent’s arms off at the soft part of the elbow, hoping to cripple him. He hacked away at both joints, cutting up the routine with unpredictable swings at the Drael's legs or neck, screaming in anguish.

 

[Sylok'Vanari]

Planet: Sarka
Location: City Streets | Southeast Quadrant of Salyrini
Objective: Coagulation - Find Clarity in the Force
Forces: x2 Ashaka Battlemasters (Hybrids) | Army of Ik'straktors | Small Unit of Juggernaut Minors | Small Unit of Juggernaut Heavies |
Gear: Model A - Verikast Drone Armor | Barricas Oil | Superior Restoration Mutagen | x1 Barad Kukri | x3 Barad Impact Grenades
Allies: Sethrak | Hrajlmak'Natok | Galak | Osam | Tathra Khaeus | Kad | Keldothera | Udomek Seker | Primarch Drek'ma | Ostak Cl'mana
Enemies: Jedi
Intent to Engage: Jyoti Nooran | TBD

The sudden echoes of war rushed in like an uncontrolled torrent of water. Every crevice of peace, snuffed out from the invading forces of the Bryn'Adul. There was little left to the imagination, as blood splattered through the streets in a display of pure devotion. The thundering chimes of technological advancements on the other side began to reign down from the surface above. It was clear now, that the Jedi were willing to kill their own, another desperate attempt to breakthrough the crust. It was a clever tactic, but it would kill thousands in the process. Still, the Bryn marched forward. In their path, destruction and death.

The Jedi should've known, yet they faltered. In the grand scheme of things, their people would die anyway if the Bryn were successful. Sacrifices, had to be made. Even so, Sylok could feel it in his thruming heart. The pattern of his heartbeat matching the chaos around him. The seconds he stood motionless, he stared out into the flooded streets. The same blue light pierced through the crowd like it had been moments before. Like the innocent light of the Salyrini people being killed, Sylok would snuff out yet another false hope, a Jedi.
​

In one motion Vedkar shifted his weight, blaster fire seamlessly whizzing passed him. He couldn't make out what was in front of him, except a large metal beam inches from his face. The dust and stone littered about made him refocus and he slowly reached his feet. His fingers pressed carefully along the lobe of his temple, tendons twitched as he did. With his left hand he formed a fist, a small circular stone resting in his plam.

"This is Vedkar, of the Ashaka order-"

A sudden spark erupted through him, if any other force sensitives like Yek Trell and Sylok were in the area they would feel it too. A disruption, shattered through in the form of a large explosion above. A burst of raw flames lit the sky. A cruiser met its fate as a burrower drilled into it with ease. It was clear to Vedkar now, there was no turning back and as he pressed through the smog, all that remained was war. Another shock wave shattered through above, debris trickling down in waves of violent turbulence. So far, it seemed the orbital strike on the surface wasn't within reach of the Ashaka Battlemaster and his allies, wherever they were. Vedkar cared little that he was alone, but just when he thought he was truly by himself another stream of blaster fire sprung forth from the alleyways of Salyrini. A futile attempt as a surge of raw energy curved into a manifested shield before him. Vedkar hissed, his muscles bulging as he embraced the challenge, he wouldn't die here, he would prosper.

The forces that landed and stormed the city met with the SJC forces in the blink of an eye. The skies above were filled with gunboats, Ra'mak's and the most notable Tathra Khaeus 's Dreddikast. It was clear, support from above wasn't an issue to Yek Trell, instead, the ground forces seemed to waiver. He looked for Vedkar, but the debris seperated them. Under normal circumstances, he relied on Vedkar to protect him, but instead a large group of Ik'straktors circled him. It wasn't the best form of shield, but it would do. Yek Trell looked up the large cruiser above sparking to life in a red ember. The booming clash of its demise rupturing through the whole city.

Now..there's no time.

Yek Trell stood in the center of the Ik'straktors and began to weave the force around him. Streams of soft tendrils flowed into him, each from every direction. Yek Trell grinned, the power seeping into his pores. He could feel its neutral control slowly turn into his own. Yek Trell waved his his hands in a mystical way, tiny bright forms of the force revealing themselves slowly. It would take time, but soon, the Bryn'adul's forces would be gifted a new found invigoration. The fateweaver hoped the Ik'straktors would hold.

Everything coalesced into an eruption of explosions. Vast amounts of stone and large peices of earth shattering the drael that fought ahead of him. Sylok bit down hard, frustration surmounting as his allies were cornered. More explosion came, wave after wave of firepower from the SJC forces continued their assault. There wasn't time to consider anything other than survival. With haste, Sylok ran, each bombing attempt sending shrapnel and casdcading rocks in his wake. His breath faltered as a string of bullets ripped through him, his verikast armor taking the brunt of it. The only casualty, his left pointer finger lifting to his eyes level before smacking him in the face as he lunged forward. His teeth slid, locking into each jagged position anatomically created for comfort. Then it happened.

The flurry of blows from the Jedi caused a gap, rays of light bursting through as more dynamic pieces of the earth fell. In an effort to escape death, Sylok called on the force. Orange hues of threading presenting themselves to him as he dashed toward safety, a familar Ashaka standing in the center of Ik'straktors, Yek Trell. Sylok jumped, a burts of energy lifting him before propelling him upward and into the center of the circle next to Yek Trell. The cascading mountainside flooded behind him as a furious blast of dirt, smoke and debris swallowed the entire Southeast area. Before Sylok lost all sight, the final image gave him a glimpse of the source. The same blue light in the force that tugged at him since he landed, a woman. He could feel her power competing with his own. It was an odd feeling, one he had never dealt with. Sylok could feel the confusion run through his mind. A question he thought he knew the answer to arose once more.

Why the Jedi? Why did the force gift them too?


​

 

[Laertia Io]

Not-Yet-Xiphos had faced Battle-Axe users before. Enough to know what he was going to do as he shifted to her right, not a fool.

She barely managed to avoid getting cut in half by the axe though it managed a medium sized gash against the plating. The pain was great, but the armor was already repairing the damage to her flesh, which came in the form of a bloody, burned gash across the stomach. She had been lucky...he had only managed the tip. Another Jedi was not so lucky and her blade didn't even activate. Poor girl. Not-Yet-Xiphos couldn't worry about her through. Tathra Khaeus had to die. The person in Laertia's body was determined to make it happen as she hit the ground, forcing herself to rise as Juggernauts bore down on her, her Lightsaber moving with her mind in a vicious circle as they attempted to cut her off from Tathra. They lost their heads for their trouble.

Not-Yet-Xiphos caught the Lightsaber blade, still in great pain, though her cold will refused to show weakness to this cretin as her injures sealed, her mind conjuring cold blue flames around them to cut him off from retreat and hem in his ability to move.

The creature that had been purely Laertia Io clenched its hand, the somber, unsmiling female visage of her helm reflecting the cold blue flames she generated around her.

She used a trick Syd had taught her, the blue flames swirled into a twister of blue flames, painfully freezing solid Tathra's children as it moved through them and towards him. But that was only part of her strategy. Out slid the spear.

Not-Yet-Xiphos refused to even leave this day without seeing Tathra's blood. He had nearly cut her in half. She would battle his deadly, white hot rage, with her frozen, unyielding zeal.

He had gotten the first blow, though...he clearly wasn't stupid. Not-Yet-Xiphos then cast her hand out, the twister of cryonic flames heading right for him as she teleported very close next to him to the side where the Axe was at the wrong angle for him to properly, fully defend himself. She took advantage of the Lightning display by Caltin Vanagor

The blade of the spear thrust forward to his side at a very high speed, the enchanted ice magics of the Lightsaber Spear capable of heavily damaging even the sturdiest alchemized material, even alchemized materials designed to resist Lightsabers all the while her unexpected guest talked instead of just attacked as she did. He'd start hurling every fething lightning bolt he could if he really wanted to help...

Meanwhile...

The Nuetralizers started to suffer heavy losses at the hands of the fanatical warriors around Tathra. But the ones that remained seemed to grow only more vicious and vengeful. Though many fell, the ones that were surviving were the ones to watch. They began to rally with other Organic troops, often flying into bloody hand to hand combat against Juggernauts and starting to win more and more, even as they suffered heavy damage. It was starting to require only one Nuetralizer to kill a great number of of the bigger ones. The Nuetralizers in the TIE's had started to target the Siege Tower firing on them, launching heavy amounts of Concussion missiles at it to aid the Starfighters already attacking it, though many were destroyed for their effort.

The Nuetralizers grew increasingly vicious and determined to win, coordinating more effectively now with Organic troops, using themselves as distraction while Organics shot at the large and small ones from all sides, flanking them and small ones. The War Knights violently slew the Juggernauts. However relatively easy it was getting to kill Nuetralizers, the War Knights had been once experienced Jedi Guardians, now heavily mutated by the Magics of Themis to be stronger and faster, but they were few in number and were still getting cut down. The ones remaining were the truly skilled, their green lightning killing the creatures due to being filled with intense, Sith-like hatred of all that were not Bryn'adul. Not all were affected the same way, and some managed to fight past it and kill their attackers...The Nuetralizers were now taking extensive losses, despite slaughtering twenty or forty for every one of their own destroyed. Self Destructs occured if surrounded, maximizing as many casualties as they could.

The Nuetralizers that had not yet been overwhelmed were now dual wielding their Stoukers, acting almost as a make shift turret as they took as much of the brunt of the attack for the Organic Forces as possible. But one line of Nuetralizers had already collapsed. More of the Protectors had been targeted and sniped by Nuetralizer Marksmen, getting better at spotting and predicting their movement patterns, sniping more of them and always immediately following up with concentrated cryo grenade attacks. One particular team of Nuetralizers had gotten very good at sniping, and were starting to snipe the warlocks specifically, blowing the heads off some, taking advantage of whatever Romi Jade had done to them with the Force, ruthlessly exploiting those suddenly affected.

As the burrower Keldothera was on crashed close, Syd Celsius had been reinforcing all troops near the Generator and Tower. Her flesh shuddered violently, feeling Laertia's pain from the blow Tathra had managed to land.

She began hissing more rituals, trying to strengthen as many of the defenders around the inner City as she could get in range of, even her magic taxed by the massive effort.

Finally, the white and gold clad Force Spawn could no longer hold back. Her thought struggled to focus, Seer Kalanthir was attempting to disrupt morale.

Syd would disrupt theirs.

She perched atop the generator, meditating, letting the excited atoms build throught the atmosphere around the facility.

A great tornado of flame erupted in ranks of the Bryn'adul trying to reach the Generator facility, igniting Bryn'adul as it swept through their ranks, traveling in a constant circle, carefully avoiding what SJC she could, but even she couldn't account for the utter hell Gir Quee was raining down.

Gods it looked like it would be another evacuation. She felt the tendrils of Auteme reach out, and suddenly felt bad about how Laertia had dissed her at the start of Laertia's disputes with The GA and NIO. Only those most ready to battle the horror of the Bryn'adul dared to be here as gunboats crashed from the sky, some raining burning debris on the Bryn'adul, the giant tornado flinging fire balls at any Bryn'adul nearby, also destroying their protectors.

Syd got out her comlink "Syd Celsius to all SJC forces near the Generator! Burrower close by. I need immediate airstrikes on that giant fething machine that just crashed through. I got this tornado going, but It can only kill so many Bryn at once!"

Meanwhile...

The Advanced Prototype was swatted back by Hrajlmak'Natok , form turning to a mercury sheen for a split seconds as she was flung backward. She looked at Val Drutin , the distress and rage on his face as he battled him.

"Brother!" She called out to a Nuetralizer who had broken a Juggernauts legs and then sadistically strangled him before ripping his head off.

"Yes?" It called out pleasantly, casually blasting a Drone and a Savage in the face with his Sonic Disruptor.

"Where's Alyosha?"

"I cannot detect his heartbeat over the fighting." It answered.

"FIND HIM!" Lyssa ordered.

The Nuetralizer nodded, heading to Alyosha's last known coordinates, cooking alive anything in it way with the Flamethrowers in its throat.

The Nuetralizers in the tunnels, were well dug in at this point, having chosen excellent ambush points to frustrate any advance, one marks men plotting a fire pattern on the Protectors, sniping them while Other Nuetralizers had planted charges at key points of the tunnels, triggering them and caving in certain sections Civilians were not evacuating through to hamper and slow any progress. Their Ion Disruptors were fired from fortified nests as the squads of homicidal aliens burst forth. Many Nuetralizers were indeed smashed apart, but they were exacting a bloody toll in the cramped tunnels, butchering the larger, slower beings, reserving the M-45 Repeater Fire for the hoardes of smaller ones. Nuetralizers were often killing a few dozen as they started to enact lethal attacks from both ends of an enemy team's advance. One warlock got his neck snapped from behind, the last words he ever heard a whispered "Surprise Motherfether." from a Decloaking Nuetralizer.

"SURPRISE MOTHERFETHER!" was shouted frequently as Nuetralizers leaped out of spider holes in the tunnels, firing their sonic disruotors and Concussion carbines in unison, ruthlessly exploiting cover to avoid being hit, Berzerker Nuetralizers charging into some squads with axes, killing as many as they could.

A squad following the vehicle Ostak Cl'mana had thwarted met him with chain gun fire and Sonic Disruptors, having heard the commotion. They were ten and all, and upon spotting him, the Droid blood rage they had been experiencing since Laertia had been struck caused them something akin to glee as they engaged him, trying to force him behind cover as they saturated his space with heavy fire, sticking firing in unison to try and keep him pinned. One released a micro ball drone from his chassis with a det charge in it and raced it towards him as it fired, hoping to detonate it...

Other Nuetralizers, seeing Primarch Drek'ma weaken grew more zealous, directing not just blaster fire from silent, invisible laser bolts, but firing their sonic disruptors at him in unison. A lot of them had been taken down by that strange thing sapping their power, but what remained poured as much fire as they could on him and the other monsters he brought, directing Organic troops rockets and repeater fire on them and him also...they pressed from all sides, X-Ray scans seeing his stressed bodily state, memorizing what looked like vital organs as they fired, pressing from all sides, a combination of heroic troops discovering their inner Punisher, and pissed off heavily damaged still shooting Nuetralizers discovering their inner Arnold

Osam

Udomek Seker

Kaleleon

OOC: If I missed any, sorry...