Broken Core (Rebuilding Mandalore)

[Vixley CM-01]

[member="Bethany Kismet"] | [member="Michael Sardun"] | [member="Ijaat Mereel"] | [member="Briika Tor"] | [member="Bonde We"]​

Suddenly, there was a transmission response, almost as quickly as he ended his last. It was a little distorted, though. The ship probably didn't have modern comms and transmitters, even with their age, the unstable core might have been affecting them, or it may have just been bad reception on his end. He made the computer compile it together, at least enough, so that Vixley could translate it easier himself by running it through systems and algorithms. "Sorry for the delay, this is Vixley, Combat Medic One. I have received your transmission, however there seems to be some minor interference. I will check all my systems, but I believe it is on my end. I will do my best to secure better communication in the mean time. Copy, searching for individual [member="Bonde We"] , here's to hoping if the worst has to happen, we can save as many people as possible. Vixley out."

Vixley did what he could at the command seat of the MX-2, converting power, shifting systems, shutting things down and increasing power.... Hopefully it would be enough. "What's the word, Vixley?" Alexis called as she entered back into the cockpit. "We've been diverted from the planet, we'll be heading there soon. We have to find an individual named Bonde We. Are the supplies ready?" Alexis sat down in her seat and nodded, getting her things together. "Everythings ready, Vixley."

 

[Bonde We]

[member="Vixley CM-01"]

Bonde moved farther into the city. Houses burned and crumbled as he trudged through the piles of bodies on the road. His commlink went off. "My apologies for being a bit slow. Bonde We, field surgeon reporting sir! I'm out right now looking for any survivors. Hopefully Vixley can assist me should I need it. I'll reach out to him now." He switched channels and called Vixley. "If you can, I'd like you to stay in the area. I'll probably have to so what I call flash surgery on some survivors and I need you to be the transport ship. You get all that?" Bonde found a Twi'lek with a missing leg buried by rubble about forty yards away. He pulled out an emergency flare and ignited it. The Kaminoan took off whilst screaming into the commlink at Vixley. "I got someone. A Twi'lek, male, missing a leg and bleeding out. Wait, his kids are with him! I need you down here now!" Hastily removing the rubble, Bonde reassured the hurting kids. "It'll be okay, your dad will be fine."

 

[Eugen Aker]

Vraco, Kiribian System

For years, ever since the Alderaan crisis, the KSU had prepared for a dreadful scenario where the Mandalorians would turn coreward for conquest. However when they did finally did arrive for the Kiribian system, they were not refused. Rather than invade as adversaries, they had been invited as refugees. Dozens of freighters and passenger liners were now docked at a small military station above Vraco near the edge of the system. There, refugees were housed and treated for injuries. Relations between Izrul and Keldabe could be considered chilly at best, their soldiers having crossed paths on several occasions in battles for or against the old Galactic Republic and the Silver Jedi, but the Mandalorian survivors would not be allowed to suffer because of geopolitical kerfuffles. Even at their worst, there were few Kiribians that would have ever wished for such a calamity to befall Mandalorians.

Arisa included. The Jedi had no love for the Mandalorians, having almost been killed by one in at least one occasion, but she was not a vindictive woman. She believed in justice but was not one for senseless cruelty. So she was out there among the soldiers and dispatchers, doing her part to make sure that Kiribi's new Mandalorian guests were properly cared for during their stay. Things were mostly quiet, but then as a precondition for their stay, their weapons had been stored away in armories by the Spacy. Most didn't seem to mind, just happy to have food and shelter. More than a few had been caught quite literally with their pants down when all hell broke loose on Mandalore, so they weren't even able to gather much of anything before fleeing.

Children ran through the station hollering in joy as they gave each other chase, or sat glued before projectors playing on Holostations set up by local aid groups. Adults played Sabaac, or sat huddled over datapads trying to contact friends and relatives that may still be trapped on Mandalore. Others isolated themselves in mourning, well aware of the fate of those left behind. At times she would run with the children, play cards, and comfort those poor grieving souls in need. All the while, she never presented herself as nothing more than a simple aid worker.

It was a much-needed experience for the Jedi, to remind her that there were still hearts that beat under those thick shells of iron. At this moment, if there was any good that came out of this crisis, it was the Mandalorians would finally know peace for their sake as well as the rest of the galaxy. If this wasn't the tipping point, then she didn't know what would be.

 

[HK-36]

[member="Elisea Korrado"],


Meanwhile, while whatever was happening with the Sith and Kismet was happening,


HK and Elisea were in their respective parts of Keldabe, helping the smallfolk directly by searching for and evacuating survivors from the burning wreck that now was the Mandalore. The droid pushed his way inside of the ruined building from which he just carried out two Mandalorian children.

CRACK

A beam collapsed above him, swinging down straight at his body with long glowing strands of flame licking through the air just enjoying the ride along with a hot stud (because it's on fire), when suddenly HK turned and caught it in his strong Phrik hands, his energy shield lighting up around him to catch onto excessive heat of the fire and dissipate it. With metallic creak and groan of his mechanical muscles the set the beam down, wedging it into the floor to support the ruined ceiling. The beam did however cracked a tear within the floor, opening up a hole through which the droid could have a look at the lower floor, and he just happened to spot with his scan a couple of armored beings down there.

Slipping down HK jumped through the hole, falling through the flaming building with a hard thud of his Phrik feet-claws absorbing the impact as he raised his hands, the fingers contorting into weird hand-gestures and signals, sigils through which he activated his grav-gloves, changing their various settings to fit his current situation.

WHOOOOOOOOSH

He lowered his hands down quickly, swinging them to either of his sides as he launched a power gravitational anomaly, erupting in a pressurized shockwave that sucked the oxygen out of the nearby area in a strong gust, immediately extinguishing the flames in the room and raising up a torrent of ashes that danced around them like some sort of weird depressing disco. The male figure was trapped face-down with another beam resting on his armored chestplate, the female was down on the floor, leaning against a charred wall.

The droid stepped closer to the man and lifted the stud off of him like it was nothing, tossing it aside and lifting him up to sling him over his shoulder before moving to the woman and doing the same. Looking up to the hole through which he fell his jetpack and rocket boot systems activated, lifting him and the two unconscious Mandalorians up off of the floor to fly away from their ruined homestead and into the safety of his transport ship.

HK did not bother checking whether the parents were still alive or not, he could not just leave their bodies behind if they were not, either way there was nothing stopping him from getting back to the Greycloaks and the children, and soon enough on the open channel his voice could be heard,

"This is Iron Knight, we have just finished evacuating the last survivor group in the Northern Keldabe District, search and rescue groups and confirmed survivor locations send coordinates and further support will be sent to you. We will be heading to the Eastern District next."

If Elisea's group could use help or cooperation with the droid, it was now their chance to return his offer and send their coordinates for him to join up with them.

 

[Jakkor Kess]

Objective 1 Rebalance
Post 3
Allies: [member="Valae Kitra"] OSL


Jakkor walked through the ruined streets. He didn't enjoy walking through all the destruction in streets that were once filled with life. He silently muttered prayers in his Tusken language, the series of grunts were filled with sympathy for the dead, and in a way wished them peace. He kept walking sensing several force signatures but were scattered all around him, and he couldn't pinpoint them.

He walked for what seemed like hours that he walked he had found a familiar face. It was a young girl by the name of [member="Valae Kitra"]. He had not met her although he judged by the way she looked that she must have been Tatooine born. He guessed although the way he could tell how outsiders walked especially ones that came from the same homeworld weren't very hard to read. He did find it comforting to find a Jedi from Tatooine despite being centuries and ethnicity apart. He nodded as he came up, and shook her hand. "Greetings Valae, I don't believe we have had the pleasure of meeting. But yes let's see if we can help. There is much to be done while we wait for Bethany to arrive."

 

[Avin Starfire]

Mandalore upper atmosphere
Obj 2
Allies: OSL and co

The entry into high orbit was never fun in his ship, and it was even less so now that the previously correct exterior was now missing its belly-side turret. It caused the blast boat to shake and rattle about the inhabitants and equipment kept within as they broke through levels of red sky and thick storm clouds leading down to the objective marker set by Elijah and the first landing team. Avin had been tasked with a resupply of food and water and then to be on stand by with his ship for any search and rescue operations that cropped up in the local area. As well as helping out with the construction of a base site on Mandalore's unstable surface.

The crew of the boat passed through the final set of nimbus clouds and gained a visual bead on the landing site. It had already established a foundation of an impressive size in the day or so that the OSL had been deployed to Mandalore. Most likely down to the dedicated work ethic of the highly varied set of skills possessed by the selfless few that gave their efforts to the order. As well as this it cant be forgotten that the authoritarian leadership style used within these situations especially by ex-military types like Mr Henderson tended to create a sense of speed and efficiency to get tasks completed.

"Leading for landing, hold yourselves steady!" Avin announced over the intercom to his passengers and the resupply shuttle that was accompanying them down.

The ship came in for a landing in a clearing next to the assortment of small temporary structures in various states of construction. The blastboat swung in and settled kicking up dust in and around the landing site. Avin slid open the crew door and dragged the few crates of supplies out to the unloading area alongside the cargo of the other shuttles. Once completed with this task Avin whistled back for his Astromech and turned to take in the sight of the construction area before making his way inside to let them know of the new arrivals.

[member='Elijah Henson']

 

[Darth Prazutis]

"You died."

​It was only partly true about his death the experience brought him as close as one could possibly get to death. When one hunts for so long on the top eventually those around them catch up. A trap on Corellia leading to a brutal shootout, and a collapsed building nearly killed him, the images proclaiming his death on GNN still played out in his mind.

​But so did the images of [member="Bethany Kismet"] later on when she too passed.

​A confrontation with the Sith Order on Zonama Sekot left her deceased the records had shown, killed defending it. He raised a glass for his fallen friend, even mulled over past choices not made about taking up her ever present offer to come with her back then, when the traces of his darkness hadn't quite ensnared his own soul. But still her death bothered him for a time, it shouldn't have. Bethany Kismet was only human after all, he needed to expect that her life would be brief and short, ultimately he was going to outlive her then but still for years after regret hung in his mind until the darkness found him and wrapped him in its cold embrace.

​[member="Darth Carnifex"].

​​A memory distant in the past flashed to his mind of an Braxus untained by the darkness dressed in the uniform of an Imperial commando. He trailed behind the titanic Kaine Zambrano who wore a set of grey green banded armor his black hair tucked into a warrior's ponytail. "You would stand among the sheep no longer." ​

​It was in this moment that he thought of Beth's offer years prior, the briefest moment of inward hesitation before taking the plunge that created the Dark Lord who stood before her. "So did you." ​He replied to her, his gaze snapping quickly to @Reverence

​A flood of memories from the man surged through his mind a byproduct of his joining with [member="Matsu Xiangu"], the Spider's memories adjoined with his own and a delicate hand was needed to sort them out. There were many warm memories of the two, fond feelings held. Perhaps it was these same memories from his sister that changed his perceptions, but he was glad the man was here. A light grin formed on his face as he turned to the man he sent images of Matsu through a telepathic connection to the man, before sending the message. "Sister. Our's is the Way."

​Braxus looked to Beth again then "I saw your death on every network news channel at the time. The righteous defender killed protecting Sekot from certain destruction. They were absolutely sure you never could've survived that."

 

[Elisea Apollodor]

"We've got more wounded!" Elisea shouted onto her comms, as Quith and the other man worked to secure the debris to a crane that managed its way into the area. Dirt beneath her knees mixed with the chipped duracrete and glass pinched at her clothes like little needles pricking at her. Thankfully she had enough sense to have knee pads; not that it didn't make it hurt any less. Behind the first man she saw there were more, three children and four more men all with various injuries.

"Give'r a go, aye - three, two - LIFT!"

A chunk of the debris was then peeled away like the top of a can opener. Quith could now see down, "there you are lass, you got room for a stretcher?"

"I think so," she paused, "I need help down here though, I can't get this piece of debris off his leg." It looked shattered, amputation might have to be a thing for him but even if there was a chance at getting him out in one piece she wanted to try. Quith lowered himself down and felt the light be swallowed up by the darkness of the disaster they were in.

With Quith beside her, Elisea could focus on getting the man out and then one by one the other seven. "You get the kiddies lass, I'll get this one."

She nodded and worked to get the children out, men handed them up to her from one set of scooped arms to another. The Avalonian looked up through the hole and watched as the stretcher came down. "You'll be alright," she said to the girl in her arms, "I've got you, you're okay." Elisea felt the girl clutch her arms around her neck. Tears hit her shoulder and in that moment the brunette knew she had to keep her smile on. "You're okay now, you're okay 'ere we go gonna get on this nice bed, alright?"

Grabbing a little hankerchief from her pocket, Elisea wiped the girl's face of blood and dust. Securing the girl to the stretcher she leaned over and gave her a warm smile. "There's your pretty face, look at that you ready?" The girl nodded.

"Bring'r up slowly!"

 

[Julius Sedaire]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkFqg5wAuFk​

​

It hadn't taken much to sway him, really... And it usually didn't... Like a pendulum weighted wrong, or a top that hit a bump while spinning, Ijaat was not the most stable of men. The smallest interjection could swing him back to violence like a pebble causing an avalanche. And so he had taken to the side and put on plates of forged beskar he had hoped he might put off wearing a little while longer if maybe to never wear again. The last piece was a helmet that slid over his head to seal with a hiss and pop of closing atmosphere. Taking a deep breath he pulled the hammer from the trunk and slung it over his back, fitting the lightsaber to his belt and performing a last minute weapons check. Then, with a simple flick of the controls, the speeder whined and shot off towards the nearby presences with every ounce of speed it could muster.

When it arrived, [member="Darth Prazutis"] stood speaking or staring down [member="Bethany Kismet"], and [member="Darth Carnifex"] and [member="Michael Sardun"] stood nearby. The air faintly crackled with potential and danger, and to someone with his senses it was alarming the potential for conflict that screamed in the Force. Dark and Light and mixtures of the two flowed like the worlds most volatile cocktail. Personalities ranging from serene calm to volatile psychosis and violence to arrogant self-assessment clashed and it took him a moment of sitting on the speeder a handful of meters away before he could focus enough from it to swing his leg down and begin to approach the stand-off.

Still, he said nothing. His armor had been repainted and reworked most wouldn't recognize it, and the plates shone black and gold now, for justice and vengeance, rather than his prior white and bare beskar. The slitted visor of the helmet took everything in with a casual dimissal, standing as a third point to a triangle of the gathering. The deadly mass-driver rifle in his hand was pointed in a cocky at-ease stance at the ground, and he didn't acknowledge either side with a greeting of any sort. Just stood there, waiting, slouched in posture. To most he would be just lazing about waiting for orders, but there was a sense of wild waiting and eagerness, as if he wished a mir'osik would pull something stupid.

This was their planet, for any to walk it like Lords of it but they themselves stopped. He had been duped and used enough. It would end, here and now.

 

[Vilaz Munin]

Indeed, it had been too long since the two entities had seen each other. The Mand'alor tried to remember if the two ever seen each other recently, but his memory served him well and told him otherwise. The last time the Sith Lord and the Mandalorian Warrior were by each others presence was during their campaign against the late Galactic Republic. And it had been many years since those events had happened. Ever since the rise and fall of Ra and Vilaz taking the mantle of Sole Ruler of the Mandalorians, the two had not been in touch with each other as neither figures sent greeting transmissions or anything of the like.

But now they were here, standing on the unstable earth of Mandalore as her core shook with violence and force thus causing a huge change to the landscape. It was as if though the planet itself changed inside out.

In short it was very unrecognizable by just giving it a quick glance from the stars and heavens that orbited around Mandalore.

"Indeed, Carnifex," the Munin replied back to the Dark Lord with a bow of his own as he saw Kaine as his equal in strength and power. What would the other clans say about this? No doubt would they riot and yell childish words, but none of that mattered to Vilaz. He had pulled himself out of the damned politics of the Alor'e Council as it served only stagnation to the Mandalorians and made the position of Mand'alor more or less like the many Chancellors of the Grand Republic. He felt like a figurehead with flawed system; however, he did not feel that sensation anymore as all the clans tended their own and not care about the actions of others that didn't affected them.

But a new era and generation of Mandalorians were rising. One that would be as resilient and strong like beskar.

"You have my thanks, Carnifex. As well as Braxus," the warrior said to both Sith Lord, offering his thanks to both Kaine and his uncle the latter which he went off to have converse with two unknowns.

"Let's talk in private, as you requested. I have other guests coming to see me, but I think they can wait for a few minutes longer." This was in reference to the delegates of the Order of the Sacred Lotus that came to see Vilaz today in regards of Mandalore's reconstruction.

[member="Darth Prazutis"] [member="Darth Carnifex"] [member="Bethany Kismet"] [member="Michael Sardun"] [member="Ijaat Mereel"]

 

[Bethany Kismet]

Outskirts of Keldabe
Objective 1, Rebalance
In Scene: [member="Michael Sardun"] [member="Reverance"] [member="Darth Prazutis"] [member="Ijaat Mereel"]
Near By: [member="Darth Carnifex"] [member="Vilaz Munin"]

She could feel the steady warmth of her friend at her back, and as the darkness around them tightened, was glad for it. His words were unnecessary, they echoed her own thoughts. The knowledge that he stood with her and that his mind mirrored her own in this case was the important aspect.

There were no steps taken to close the gap. After all, his presence within the Force was impossible to miss. So much time had passed, and she had no way to know how he had changed, how deep within the Dark Side he lived- except for the corruption she could already feel. And that was not hopefully. He had been lost and adrift when she had known him, half a millennia ago.

It seemed as though he had found his path. It sat heavy on her heart.

If it had only been Braxus, it would have been one thing. But things were rarely that simple. Bethany's eyes cast to the side- she felt him before she saw him. Had known he was here, but simply not recognized the feeling or the implications until that moment. Reverance. Their last meeting on Atrisia had ended peacefully, but she had no illusions about that. If it had, it was by nothing she had done- but by his choice alone.

But Bethany was stronger now- not ripped to this place by the pain of a wounded planet, but stepped on the surface with deliberation and light. She came to help of her own accord, rather than being taken by forces beyond her control. More time had passed since her reformation, and much of the lost feeling had dissipated as she'd found her footing in this new time and began to walk forward, rather than looking back.

She didn't know that the reasons he had responded that way then however, were unchanged now.

Her face was expressionless as his single eye found hers, his hands tearing and rending the biot with a sickening series of cracks and pops and beyond. There was little that could shock her- the interplay of predator and prey and the savagery inherent in that relationship served at the very base of her existence within Zonama Sekot. Life and death functioned in the same moment, always, and she was intimately familiar with that interplay. This was different and she knew in her core.

The fact that he was here, on Mandalore, somehow did not surprise her. First Atrisia. Now here. Reverance was not a simple predator. He didn't kill for sustenance or even for sport. Considering how brief their interactions had been, she was very certain of that, though she assumed that knowledge came to her through the Force, as other insights in the past had.

It was a very pretty assumption.

"Life is the only meaning," she said softly. "It is the entire point. If the fall is inevitable," which she did not necessarily agree with, "Then the rising is the only thing worth fighting for. It doesn't need to mean anything more than simply what it is."

She didn't turn her head, just flickered her eyes back to Braxus when he spoke. The dust swirled in the air around them all, making it thick and difficult to breath. But the tension as another person, a Mandalorian who she didn't recognize joined them, was worse.

"I did," she said simply to his statement. Unlike him, the rumors of her death had been wholly accurate. She paused for a moment, looking him up and down.

"You've changed."

Verdant gaze flickered over Revenance, then back to the masked Mandalorian. She could feel the anticipation, the barely contained energy there, despite his apparently casual stance.

"There is no war here," she called to him. The unspoken 'unless you've brought it with you' hung in the air.

Bethany had not come here to fight anyone. She had come here to heal, and perhaps, more. This was a shatterpoint, and she knew it, though she did not have the skill to follow each crack to it's conclusion. She had not come here to wage war.

The question was only 'Had they?'

 

[Hira Mitsae]

Above Mandalore
Objective 1, Rebalance
In Scene: [member="Bethany Kismet"] | [member="Darth Prazutis"] | [member="Reverance"] | [member="Ijaat Mereel"]

All around them were enemies and unknown quantities.

Had they been alone, she would have heard the I told you so from a mile coming, but in public they were one voice. In this instance the voice spoke of observing silence, of patience trickling down and a steadfast hold onto his instincts. His eye was caught by Reverance and he knew him.

Of him, but also knew him.

As Sardun took a breath in and a breath out, something at the edge of his awareness trickled at him. The sight of him breaking apart a biot and using it as a meal for his arm only solidified the memories stretching back years ago. Not much had changed with this Wrath, a bit more unstable, a little less there, but the same voice, the same eye, the same detached presence from reality and past reality itself was here.

Dangerous games were played here, especially with the presence of the Mandalorian who seemed not too happy either.

Underneath him, deep down, down Sardun could sense Mandalore - ever so briefly... and it reminded him of why they were here in the first place.

"Sith. Jedi. Mandalorian." Michael looked to all those around them. "Conflict eternal, maybe. But every conflict has a lull, every battle an eye of the hurricane, every war a truce... no matter how brief."

"We may fight on any other day. Let today be the eye, so we may assist where we were asked to."

He breathed in, enforced his mind and then simply waited for what was to come.

 

[Darth Carnifex]

His gaze swept down the tarmac, where a tense confrontation had emerged between the arriving Sith and the arriving Jedi. For once in his life the Dark Lord did not desire bloodshed, and had conferred with [member="Darth Prazutis"] long before their physical arrival on that fact, because he was not here to conquer, he was here to build relations with a people that had always been at odds with his own. Over the years he had attempted to remedy that division, but to no avail.

But now? The ruination of Mandalore had given him an opportunity he had never possessed before, and he fully intended to exploit it for all its worth.

But still, the presence of the Jedi grated on his nerves. He derisively snorted, "Jedi. What pitiful mongrels, I'm surprised you let them even land. I hope they don't plan to saturate Mandalore with bombardment like they did with Korriban, they have a knack for it." He crossed his arms and waited for Mand'alor to sweep him into the command tent where they would further discuss the future of Mandalore. Carnifex didn't know all the details on this, but his spies had heard whispers that such a catastrophe was induced by actual Mandalorian clansmen.

He was quick to bring the subject up, "So, is it true that Mandalorians were the cause for such destruction? I've heard that they were bonafide Mandalorians as well, not in the same vein as those Death Watch hooligans who nuked Keldabe all those years ago. Have you any ideas on who exactly was responsible?"

[member="Vilaz Munin"]​

 

[Vixley CM-01]

[member="Bethany Kismet"] | [member="Michael Sardun"] | [member="Ijaat Mereel"] | [member="Briika Tor"] | [member="Bonde We"]​

Spoiler

Truly sorry for my absence. I'm around now.

Vixley was about to speak up in response to Bonde We's message, confirming what he asked, but Bonde We spoke up again, interrupting him. Vixley engaged the FTL drive as hard as he could, "I read you, Bonde We, I'm coming in. It'll take too long to land, I'm going to drop in with the Maw. Think of it as an all-terrain ambulance. Trust me, it can handle itself." he transmitted over the radio. He engaged the partial autopilot as they began descending into the atmosphere. "What's going on Vixley, what'd I miss?" Alexis asked, removing her seatbelts, understanding she needed to basically take the wheel. She hadn't heard the comms. "They've got a lot of severely wounded down there. After I drop, I'm going to get to Bonde We's location, in the mean time... I'll need you to find a suitable landing location. There won't be any Triage's here. The planet won't be stable enough." he said as he continued to the door to the cockpit. "What happens if I don't find a suitable place?" she continued, sitting down in the pilots seat to assist the autopilot, "You know I always like having a backup plan."

"We do what we always do," Vixley said quickly, "evacuate by jumping the Maw back into the MX-2" He didn't waste any time, leaving the cockpit to Alexis as he headed down to the cargo bay. By the time they broke through the atmosphere and were low enough to the ground, Alexis had found Bonde We's signal and lowered near him. "Attention Bonde We, this is Alexis of Trauma Ward. Vixley is dropping the Maw near your location and will be heading towards you." she radioed over.

Vixley strapped himself into the driver seat and turned all of its systems on. When Alexis opened the cargo bay doors, Vixley wasted absolutely no time. Before the doors were fully open, he hit the systems to release the restraints on the Maw and it dropped. From Bonde We's point of view, it looked like a large escape pod plummeting to the planet. Just before it hit the ground, its thrusters engaged and slowed its decent. It didn't take any time to recuperate, as the Maws engines kicked on and it started driving like a mad jeep on the terrain, heading towards Bonde We. As the Maw approached, it turned and skidded on the ground as it halted. The pressurized airlock door opened, and droids started flowing out, Vixley right behind them, as he rushed over. "I'm here Bonde We, what've we got?" he yelled out as he urged one of the Gurney droids to come over.

 

[Elijah Beckett]

Mandalore's Surface, OSL's Main Base
Objective 2: Establish the Base of Operations
With: [member="Avin Starfire"]
Allies: OSL

Elijah was stood on the medical ship's bridge, looking out the viewpoint as the Order's main camp steady began to expand outwards. During their planning stage they had set up initial parameters to how far the initial camp was allowed to go. There would be enough room between the different parts that should a tremor hit them hard enough; cause something to collapse, then it wouldn't disrupt whatever was by it. Though at the same time they didn't want to overreach needlessly, opting to expand only if more room was required.

"Someone give me a sitrep!" He ordered, his head shifting left and right until he saw one of the crew hurriedly move over to a console. Elijah returned his gaze back to the glass as he heard the crewmember begin calling out the various sections of the base. After several minutes the man turned from the station and addressed him.

"Sir, we've got confirmation from the medical rooms. All are operational and ready to take in any wounded. Accomodations have been set up and ready to expand if required. Food, water and general supplies have been evenly distributed to the different sectors. And the security force has just been dispatched to begin their duties along the camp's border."

"Good, make sure they know to check in on schedule, if there's any sightings of potential threats."

Elijah sighed as he remembered that conversation. He had made insisted that the camp should have some security presence. Sure, the Order were peacekeepers, and they often might not need it. But this was Mandalore; and as Elijah knew them, they generally didn't like outsiders. And they had just had a big medical ship suddenly swoop down and set up shop on their turf. It would certainly ruffle some feathers, but then again...

His eyes lingered out towards the ruined city, Keldabe, which some distance from the base.

"What about the ship's sensors?" He heard the rustle of feet as someone rushed over across the bridge.

"They're...operational, but have a very limited reach." Meaning any tremors or general seismic activity it would pick up would already be at their doorstep.

"What of Meran Station and their satellites?"

"Still working on getting them in position."

"Very well, keep open communication with the station. As soon as they have it working, I want to make sure those readings get to us prompto."

"Sir! [member="Avin Starfire"] has just landed and brought in the latest bunch of supplies."

"Excellent, get them transferred to the base's reserves for now. And get a message to Avin to hit the bridge."

Elijah grabbed his flask and downed some more of its contents.

"Alright folks, this base is a go. Start sending out a call to those in distress, use the public coms-net if needed. Make sure it gets to any teams out in Keldabe, let them know we're all set to take in any injured."

He listened as the crewman began broadcasting a set message out.

This is the Order of the Sacret Lotus, we are here to help anyone in need. We have a base set up to take in any injured that are in need of medical attention. These are the coordinates...

Hopefully it would reach those in Keldabe. [member="HK-36"] [member="Elisea Korrado"] [member="Bonde We"] [member="Vixley CM-01"]

 

[Avin Starfire]

Mandalore Surface: OSL FOB
Obj 2
With: [member='Elijah Henson']
Allies: OSL

A small man in his late teens came running up to him as Avin entered the compound. The boy panted for a few seconds before looking up to Avin's inquisitive look. The boy was bent over holding his knees catching his breath when Avin let out his grumbled exclamation.

"Do you want something or are you just going to stare at me and pant?"

With a slight look of fear the recruit snapped his back up straight and made an awkward half wave half attempted salute towards an ever more confused and dissatisfied looking Avin.

"Sir you have been requested to the bridge by commander Henderson sir!" The recruit let it all out in one breath and then stood awkwardly staring at Avin waiting for a reply. Avin's eyes narrowed as he took a long inhale from his cigarra. He continued to purposefully stare over the boy for a few more seconds.

"All right kid" he said putting on a fake gruff voice to screw with the recruit some more before he let out a cloud of smoke. "You can run along, but if I here you call me sir again ill sell you to the outback rancor gladiators!"

"Um yes si- ah I mean "

"Just call me Avin"

"Sure, Mr Avin"

As the recruit stopped himself from saluting and ran off Avin almost broke into flat out laughter. It was a mean thing to do, but he had gone through it just the same.

He took about five minutes to get to the bridge entrance. He spat out his cigarra and stamped it as he entered making a b-line for [member='Elijah Henson'] who was stood, flask in hand staring at the yard below.

"Its all coming on pretty well I must say!" Avin opened with as he approached "I wasn't expecting the base to operational for about three days, you've really hit it out of the park one this one." He continued as he made eye contact with Elijah as he said extending a hand. "So then, how can I help?"

 

[Valae Heavenshield]

Objective: 1 – Rebalance
Allies, [member="Jakkor Kess"], OSL

Valae nodded to the Tusken man and gave his hand a hearty shake. Her chestnut eyes turn towards the rubble and piles of rock. There were some bodies lying nearby, she was almost afraid to move closer and confirm whether or not there were life signs. Her nerves were palpable, and her heart began beat swiftly within. Clenching her fist, she took the first steps forward. The motionless body on the ground was face up, eyes closed, and the man’s face was dust-covered. As she approached, she moved tentatively, almost as if on tip-toe. Just as she leaned over, the man’s eyes fluttered and he began to cough violently. Instantly, she knelt and placed a hand on his shoulder.

There were other Sacred Lotus volunteers present, assisting with locating and transporting the injured. She motioned for a stretcher and then looked over towards Jakkor. “Let’s get him to the transport.” Her hands wrapped around the man’s ankles, and she glanced up to see if the Tusken would take the man’s shoulders and assist with lifting.

“I hope the base camp is ready,” She said, pushing out a sigh. And as if on cue, a voice came over their comm system to confirm that they were ready to receive wounded.

 

[Reverance]

Outskirts of Keldabe
Objective 1x: Counterbalance
In Scene: [member="Michael Sardun"] [member="Bethany Kismet"] [member="Darth Prazutis"] [member="Ijaat Mereel"]
Near By: [member="Darth Carnifex"] [member="Vilaz Munin"]

A nearly inaudible click escaped his mouth, tongue simulating an unsteady clock. All the moving pieces were having the opportunity to say their peace or nothing at all. He exuded mania but the expression of intent faded from light, replaced with a visage of faded withdraw beneath this enduring aspect of stoicism. A lone eye lingered, moving from one enemy to the next. It seemed, without his knowledge of Prazutis and his connection to Matsu, that this sea was filled to the brim with opponents. He smiled, imagining a broken world further drowned in blood.

Their blood.

His blood.

It didn't matter which. But as the pain of the voxyn neurotoxin coursed through him, molested nerve endings fired off with a runners high. Exhilaration and adrenaline bred euphoria, in fond memories of pain that persisted in some distant past. For the tall figure, he oozed of an ache that could never truly heal. The woman, the one whom he had left a tenuis connection that only needed nurturing, seemed to be far more shielded than what he had perceived on Atrisia. It was a shame, he thought, as hers was such a unique acceptance. Like she had been born to shoulder that burden.

He drifted to the Sith Lord, feeling some sort of kindred exaltation for pain and suffering. Until there was but one, the man in Mando armor. On this world, it made sense, though he still found plenty of contempt for the metallic plates and insignia. The voxyn arm shook with spasms, heaving as it choked out bile and flashed teeth through clenched fingers. Tongue coiling around his fist, it flexed and pushed, forcing Reverance's downward facing hand to open. The edge first appeared as convulsions continued. The hilt of beast and embellished metal breached, coated in stomach fluids and chunks of vong biot. Reverance nearly closed his eye, letting out a sigh, as he acquiesced to the demands of the arm. In one final heave, the hilt ejected, dripping fluid to the ground.

"Life is but empty medium..." He narrowed his gaze towards the man and his slit beskar helmet. "Made whole through pain and conflict." He drifted back to Sardun, feeling and prodding at that sense of historical pain. Like a wound that just wished to be opened, he pressed his mind in just enough to find hints and traces of Yuuzhan Vong. Beneath such presence, such prowess and control over vong and their biots, the Jedi Master might feel the desire for his own form of expression. And extraction of those lovely biots. "Like entropy and chaos, pain and conflict know no end. Or beginning. They simply...exist."

The sense of unease and discomfort, catalyst for nausea and headaches, poured out from the hilt like endless tar spilled along a forest floor. Crawling, lingering, and soaking into the very ground through open cracks and permeable layers. The nexus of energy radiated out in pulses and constant waves, simultaneously, for those present to understand the inherent impossibility of its existence. A potent weapon, beyond the powers of simple lightsabers, manifested in the form of a cylindrical bronze dragon, poised to emit the violet and blood specked beam from it's open maw. Towards the ground, it lazily yawned.

This was the culprit of his madness...if only that were true. And set upon that madness and unease, he waited for the frailty of this lull to show itself. Within the eye of this storm, the walls would soon collapse.

 

[Bonde We]

[member="Vixley CM-01"]

Alexis from Trauma Ward radioed in to Bonde. "Attention Bonde We, this is Alexis of Trauma Ward. Vixley is dropping the Maw near your location and will be heading towards you." Bonde replied back quickly. "Roger that! Over and out!" The injured Twi'lek began to twitch as Bonde uncovered him. "It'll be okay kids, your dad is fine." As more debris was removed, the writhing increased. He tried to pull himself out, but Bonde said otherwise. "You leg is missing and you're in shock. It's inadvisable for you to be moving right now." The Twi'lek calmed back down and Bonde pulled him out the rest of the way. Screams of pain poured from the man's mouth. His children began to bawl now seeing the full extent of the damage. One of them piped up. "Will he ever -sniff- walk again?" Bonde looked grim. "I'm not sure, but I'm not worried about that. I'm more worried over the fact that he may not make it. I can begin what I call 'flash surgery,' but I need another man down here. Please try and calm down, I'll tend to your injuries in a minute." Taking a small kit from his bag, Bonde laid out the tools needed to close the wound. Thread, needles, Novocaine, cauterizing tools, bandages, etc. All things were considered when going into this. He was already is shock, so he did the proper procedures for shock prior to beginning. Picking up the syringe with the Novocaine, he applied it where needed. "Ah, not so hard!" The Twi'lek said in a choking sound. "Try to relax sir, I'm trying to numb the area. Tension will only make this worse. Besides, half of this tissue is dead anyway, so you won't feel much at all if anything." "That's -grunt- suppose to reassure me!?" "Just, relax okay! Let me do my work." Bonde had gotten fed up with the man's constant butting in, but that was only part of his job. Once the numbing took affect, he prepared for the main incision. Just as he reached the skin, Vixley zoomed out of no where on the Maw. "I'm here Bonde, what've we got?" He looked grim. "This man is missing his right leg, his son on the far right has a broken arm. The daughter in the direct center has minor scrapes and the youngest daughter on the far left has deep lacerations. One across her face, one on her back, and one small one one her inner wrist area. I've not been here long, but I've mainly focused on the dad here. He's in shock, so be careful. I was also about to begin flash surgery prior to you blasted from the heavens, but I'm glad you're here. Now we can work efficiently. I hope we can finish this soon so we can find more survivors. Once again, thanks so much for arriving when you did. We're in a better state now."

 

[Elisea Apollodor]

SLV Horizon had heard [member="Elijah Henson"]'s transmission as well as [member="HK-36"]'s. For now, they chose to decline assistance from the droid and acknowledged Henson's. "SLV Horizon acknowledged, prepare for incoming wounded."

SLV Horizon had been just one of six Steadfast-class vessels donated to the Order of the Sacred Lotus. A Blackwell-class medical transport would soon arrive to Keldabe, SLV Kismet. A miniature hospital the Blackwell was and three of them were now owned by the Sacred Lotus. "Kismet to base, en route to your position - do we have clearence to land?" In her original blueprints the Blackwell was not made to land, a quick refit for the Sacred Lotus would now enable her to touch down onto the ground, utilizing her hangar as a ramp to allow for boarding.

Over at Keldabe, Elisea having cleared the location of wounded and missing. Worked with Quith to stablize the man on the stretcher, with a tug on the line he would be taken in by the SLV Dawnstar. "Right lass, c'mon let's keep movin'." Quith ordered and gestured for them to move forward. Debris from varying buildings spilt onto the walkways, roads crumpled like Avalonian paper looking just as frail and brittle as well. Her suit was dirty, slightly torn at the edges where a harness had been. Search dogs had been brought in now, with pads on their paws so the glass wouldn't cut them. The Avalonian moved up toward another mountain of durasteel, transparisteel and duracrete, she walked until she could see an opening and as she looked down, Elisea regretted the decision. "We've got dead here."

Closing her eyes, she felt Quith's hand on her shoulder, "aye lass, poor souls... Mark it for the others to pull." He handed her a can of aerosol paint shaking it she made a large red x over the debris so that it would be visible from the sky. The dogs whined they could feel the atmosphere here, the dread that rested with some of the rescuers as they continued to work through. A quietness fell over them as machines, and people worked to clean up what had been a lively district from the makes of it. Bodies were strewn across, indicators of how they died could be seen. Shops toppled in on themselves, all Elisea could think of was Avalonia and what the Ssi-Ruuk had done with it. How their proud architecture was in ruins, homes trashed and businesses burnt to the ground. "Ever think about Avalonia?" She asked Quith.

"I do, thinking about it now," he answered honestly. "Me mum had a little bakery on the corner of Herevan and 7th. Some of the best pasteries you could get." Quith paused a moment, his whiskers twitched and his nose tinged with sadness. "Bloody scales tore through the store, and her... she'd locked the basement shut, it took me hours to get out and when I did..."

"Herevan and 7th, you mean Nan's Bread Shoppe?"

He nodded with a smile, "that's the one."

"You have my condolences," she told him, "what's going to happen with it now?"

"Not sure, government's set up some sort of relief program to help the businesses out. Me sister's lookin' at takin' it over so, we might keep it."

Elisea nodded as they continued to walk along, "hope you do, let me know. I'll tell me sister, she can go in and buy a few things."

"Bless you lass, an' aye I'll let you know," he said in rapid succession as his attention was caught by one of the dog's behavior. "Think he's found somethin'."