Expedition: Dragonflower | CIS Dominion of Hex (T, 43)

[Ginnie Dib]

“My battle was over, dar’vod. I’d surrendered. Not mentally, but physically.”​

​

A flash. ​

​

Before him now, the suffocating vision of Ginnie as she died, being picked up in a pair of masculine arms. He’d gone to give the killing blow and halted.

​

“My opponent was healing me. Holding me to his chest. I died fighting to breathe, if that’s a kind of fighting.”​

​

The image turned, as did [member="Rhaegar Nemesis Dib"]. Ginnie nestled in his arms, her choking head on his shoulder, broken fingers still attempting to reach for her beskad, to end him.

​

She tried to breathe fire. ​

​

It was hot upon his chin. ​

​

Nemesis whispered in the air, saw the devastation around him. ​

​

Shielded her body. ​

​

“I died a weakling’s death. You stole my grand end, as you steal everything dar’vod. Hearts, minds, planets. Yet you feel none of the sting. Dar’tome.​

​

… there is no snow which could cover your actions… ​

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You are forsaken…​

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Yet for all his sins… he is not.”​

The words lingered as Ginnie got out of Nemesis’ arms, and a dragon of fire once more grew from her, expanding out with wings of flame which burst across the Dragonflower forest and set the trees alight.

​

“Die a warrior’s death, Dar’tome.”​

​

The air combusted. [member="Darth Metus"]​

 

[Malok]

The time for words had long since passed.

The Inferno had risen within the Dead One, giving rise to her Drake once more. With burning wings did it burn into the heavens. With a mouth of Hell did it lay waste to the surrounding forest. What once was vibrant and green was robbed of all life. In an instant. Just like [member="Ginnie Verd"]. She was always like this, the explosive little Mandalorian. Her offenses were grand and fiery, yet they were not nearly enough to put a terrorist into the dirt. And they would never be enough to best her elder brother.

The very air around him exploded - the most mortal of men would have been evaporated in an instant. Burnt to a cinder. Lost to the flame. Yet amidst the flurry of dancing flames, there was emerald. A cocoon of fire, born of ichor, which coiled itself about the Sith. Sustaining. Keeping the inferno at bay.

"Surely this is not all you have, child of the Dark Lord."​

His words were viciously spat. He could feel himself standing before the Abyss once more. The maw of the Dark Side was eager before him, waiting and willing to consume him. Darth Metus had given in above Maramere - and in an instant stolen his sibling's future. Now, pressed against a wall, he would do so again. There was no hesitation. There were no more words.

Darth Metus raised a hand.

Thunder boomed on the horizon.

[member="Ginnie Verd"]

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

OBJECTIVE: Run
WEARING: Nothing
COMPANY: [member="Katrine Van-Derveld"] | [member="Scherezade deWinter"]
POST: 5

​

Her scent drew closer, as did that of the human. Gerwald's tail was wagging as he barked impatiently for Katrine to find him. The wolf in him was thrilled to be free, and happy to have a friend to play with. There was no other feeling like it. Even when he had run with his brothers it was different, and Gerwald wasn't sure as to why. Yes they would play games, enjoy their freedom, but they had never left Stewjon, and it was always them. Now Gerwald was on a new world with new woods to explore, and another lupine. His life had changed completely in the matter of one day, and he was still adjusting to it.

The human was getting closer, but Katrine was the one who had his attention, she was the only other wolf after all. She barked, and Gerwald barked in response. His eyes were locked on hers as she moved closer to him he froze. She was taunting him. Gerwald dropped low with his two front paws extending outward. He wanted to play.

Gerwald ran around the clearing hoping that Katrine would follow along. It was a game all of it that would end with them tired, and whatever else. Gerwald was having fun and that was the point of being free. They would not have been able to do this on Stewjon. The world was always one where Gerwald had to be careful of who he was, but here, with the Confederacy, and with Katrine, he was free to be himself. It was an invigorating feeling.

That was why he suddenly stopped and looked at Katrine again before looking to see if the human was coming. When his curiosity was satisfied, Gerwald simply started to chase the other wolf seeing of she would budge. What would she do?

 

[Er'in Tenel]

Objective: Explore the big hole
Location: Forest, NW of Base Camp
Transport: Jade Dragon
Post: 3

Er'in listened to the cut off transmissions from the forest behind her, the banter dropping out of her tone even as she knelt to secure her descent line into the top of the chasm.

Should she go back?

A ripple in the force. Metus and another. She'd felt them before.

Oh.

No. She could not help in that battle. She shook her head sadly. Besides, she was here for what she wanted and since it was so close...

Er'in threw herself into space, gloved fingers tightening around the line as she fell through the air, slowing her descent through friction alone. She could use the Force, but that would make this less fun. Bend the knees, take the strain and...

... whumph. A solid landing, perhaps fifty or so meters down the side of the chasm, which descended an easy two or three hundred meters more. She reached out with her senses, counter-acting her night-blindness with a simple force trick she'd learned. Then began to descend further.

It was hard work, extremely hard - if she was not a Force User, Er'in would not have had the skill to make the climb, as it was she was forced to 'cheat' on several occasions. Definitely an impact strike - something moving very, very fast near did on to the plane of the planetary orbit and direction of solar travel had gone through the atmosphere like a hot knife through butter, then embedded itself almost half a kilometer below the earth. This far down, the sky was barely a line of light above, her comms unreliable and the scent of... something, hot metal? Burning rubber? She was unsure, but it was growing stronger on the air.

Below, the bottom of the chasm flickered with a strange illumination that probably shouldn't be there.

 

[Sor-Jan Xantha]

Spoiler

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qh1GZUff6kw​

[ Corellia Digital ship Odyssey ]​

​

The blast doors pulled aside to admit the small figure.

Inside, the bridge of the Mon Calamari starcruiser was a flurry of motion as orders came down from the command deck. With a nod, Sor-Jan signaled for Janus to commence with the routine procedure.

Standing at the railing, Janus barked, "All stations, stand by for hyperspace reversion."

A chime echoed throughout the ship, signaling the alert. Meanwhile, Janus continued. "Helm, stand by sublight drive." Then, as the helm and engineers prepared to bring the ship's ion drive to power, Janus said the command that would initiate reversion. "Navigator, take us out."

"Aye, sir," came the response from below. A countdown marked with, "Hyperspace reversion in three... two... one."

The mottled sea of blue that seemed to illuminate the ship with softly glowing blue light suddenly flashed brilliant white. Fine black lines bleeding across the horizon until, all at once, the familiar view of eternal darkness returned. The Odyssey was now back in normal space-time.

Walking along the railing that was right at his eye-level, the young Anzat passed overhead of the sensor technicians as he said, "Com-Scan, the show is yours."

The lead scientist looked up to answer, "Thank you, General."

With a nod, the boy merely continued along the bridge railing. Pausing at the foreward part to gaze out into the stars. Then, after a moment, the report came. "Sir, I am showing a planetary system on the relative galactic axis of north by northwest from our current position," the Com-Scan officer said. "The heliopause is approximately eight lightyears from our present location."

So they were just a single jump away. But from where?

"The system does not conform to any known star chart."

A light clapping echoed around the bridge, growing louder each second, until it stopped a few seconds later.

This was it. The undiscovered country. That brave new world, like so many elusive rumors he had chased across the Outer Rim.

Azul Gol would have been proud.

And he'd have very much liked if Dilly could have been here to experience it with him.

But neither was the case. Jedi came and Jedi passed, and new Jedi emerged. And discoveries continued, even without the ones who had first made discoveries as these so meaningful.

To him, at least.

Lightly tapping on the rail, the short, green cape twirled as the youngling turned and stepped away. "Navigator, start working up a course plot," the boy remarked, coming to stand beside Janus as he continued speaking. "Com-Scan, find me a good spot to drop a subspace relay station in orbit of the system."

That would allow them to start the process of providing subspace radio and HoloNet coverage for this star system.

"We came all this way. Let's make sure that they can say 'hello' back to the galaxy."

 

[William the Bloody]

The drug that he had been previously inspecting rushed through his veins, the sense of euphoria diminishing his cognitive responses. His heart raced, adrenaline spiked, and endorphins flooded as he felt the drug take effect.

Colors grew more vibrant, sound was amplified, the hair on his scalp waved with a life of it's own. A laugh echoed in his chest, resounding as a symphony of war drums that illicted amusement. Rising from the tent he moved to the mountain foothills to let the full experience was over him.

The wind brushed his exposed skin, goosebumps leaping to the fore. The trees swayed, a song of nature humming in his ears. The scent of budding flowers sought to ensnare him in their sultry aroma.

Chuckling he walked across the grass and heard the terrified screams of those he felled with every footstep. Falling to his knees he looked upon the forlorn blades of grass that cried out in despair at those the young man had crushed, never to reach their fulfillment in the circle of life. Never to feed the wild beasts and be deposited once more to the ground to continue the circle.

Unbidden he lowered his head and took several bites of the greenery, the least he could do for the loss of destiny. He would save them, the multitude of enraged and despondent grass. Every bite saved their little fates. Minutes passed as he feasted upon the grass until a guard injected him with a counter agent. Moments passed until the man rose from the ground spitting blades from his teeth. An enraged look crossed his face as he turned to his guard.

"This is never mentioned. Ever. And I want all samples to be transferred to our facilities on Ryloth. This drug has great potential. Now let's leave this rock."

As the group departed William couldn't shake the uncanny desire for a garden salad.

 

[Asantas]

Instead of hanging around with the others enjoying themselves she decided it be a smart idea to unload supplies at the colony, But someone needed it to be done so she decided to take the reigns besides she could use the physical exercise hauling crates all over the place. She cursed in echani for a minute when she dropped a crate on her foot, One of the times she wishes she was abit stronger physically and less of a cluts would be nice but she's just gonna work with it as she hauled crates that are 5 pounds short of it is way to heavy for me to be lifting but im doing it anyway.

She would rather be stabbing something or someone right now and after this she might just do that to make her feel better but for now just keep hauling and hope someone tries to take her supplies.

 

[Valgærd]

I was late, as usual.

I knew exactly what Izak would be saying right now, in fact I was avoiding him for that very reason. He knew all of my buttons and exactly when and how much he could press them. Not to mention, father would probably be disappointed as well. No, not probably, he would be. It was in moments like this one that I was especially thankful for my dark skin as although my cheeks were hot with shame at the thought of father's stern gaze, outwardly no one would see me blushing. I huffed out a sigh as I picked up another crate, grunting as I balanced it on one knee in order to adjust my grip. For a moment I was still, making sure I had it steady, before beginning the trek towards the warehouse it was going in.

I swear the route is longer with both arms full.

The echani girl I was with dropped a crate on her foot, letting out a no doubt harsh word I didn't understand. With a grimace I placed my own crate on the ground and wandered over. There was no rush, she and I were about as strong as one another, I knew there'd be no serious damage. As I approached, it occurred to me the sight the two of us must have been to any onlookers; ebony and ivory, a starless night and the snow.

Standing with my weight on one leg, I curled one fist and rested it on my jutting him as I watched her for a moment, a subtly triumphant smirk fighting its way onto my lips. After only a moment, however I reached out a hand, a gesture of openness,

"You alright? Need a break?" I asked, flicking a glance at the crate I'd just put down, "have sit for a minute, I won't tell anyone."

I winked at her before dragging the crate over. It was big enough that both of us could sit on it provided out legs were facing away from each other. I sat on one side, canting my head as my braid fell over my shoulder, and patted the top of the crate next to me,

"Don't believe we've actually been properly introduced yet. You can call me Hadashah."

[member="Kilia"]

 

[Anastasia Verd]

The intake of information recently had been plenty. Anastasia was still adjusting to herself before Dad had begun telling them about his maternal family. Vi'dreya. It was foreign, rolled off her tongue slightly unnatural as she tried to adjust herself to say it. Just days into her freedom, Anastasia had been putting herself to sleep curled up into a ball, still unsure whether the monster would be back or not. She'd developed a sort of mantra in those early days to keep the fear from taking over her. My name is Anastasia Verd. My parents are Isley Verd and Phoebe Draclau. I was born on Kamino. I belong on Krant. My name is Anastasia Verd. Now that mantra no longer held true. My name is Anastasia Vi'dreya. I am a Vi'dreya, her mind reminder as she stared out into the open planes. Dad had gone off somewhere with his favored Apprentice.

It was unnerving that the monster had been right. Srina Talon. The monster had been completely right in her words and Anastasia hated it. She was his daughter, she was a pale-skinned Echani. Not that Anastasia had gone out to find what an Echani was since her release. Instead, she had been studying about her family, about the ways that had now been discarded, about her maternal family. She'd been searching through everything she could find though one thing had slipped her mind until the moment Dad had informed that they had the blood of royals on Umbara. Royal, the thought played on her mind even now as she recalled her Mom, remembered her telling her stories about the Draclau. Mom is a princess on Lao-Mon, she remembered then and she remembered now.

Taking a step forward, the young woman walked into the unknown. "My name is Anastasia Vi'dreya. I am a Vi'dreya. I am a Draclau. My Dad is Isley Vi'dreya. My Mother is Phoebe Draclau. I was born on Kamino. I belong to Krant. I belong to Umbara. I belong to Lao-Mon. I am Anastasia Vi'dreya." she muttered to herself as she walked out, by herself, her mind going back to what she needed to know. It was but a scratch on the surface of what she was and yet, it started. A start Anastasia needed to balance herself after her longtime captivity.

 

[Sor-Jan Xantha]

Spoiler

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

[ Corellia Digital ship Odyssey ]​

​

The Mon Calamari designed ship slid silently through the sea of stars.

The vessel glided into orbit of the world. A world that they knew nothing about. A world that they had come this far to discover the unknown. Revel in the mysteries of unexplored space. And take relief in knowing that, even after all these centuries of exploration, there were still parts unknown to them in this vast cosmos.

"Subspace relay station on-line."

As the youngling craned his head up, he saw holographic displays that depicted the electromagnetic spectrum across the planetary solar system and the sector as a whole. A series of signals were radiating outward, intersecting and interacting with the galactic network of distributed satellites that had previous laid just out of reach from this system.

Connections were being made. Protocols exchanged. Data packets transferred.

Piece by piece. One by one.

And the blank spot on the map was suddenly connected to the intergalactic HoloNet.

But that was only the beginning. Planetary survey teams were being assembled. Already, Corellia Digital's stingray probe droids were conducting terrestrial contour and terrain mapping. Soon, scientific survey teams would be augmenting the probe data with direct observation and measurements.

It had been a long time since Sor-Jan had felt like an explorer.

Ironic, that he would have to walk away from the Jedi Order before he could find himself doing something other than leading another war or fighting another battle.

"Mister Janus, the ship is yours," the young Anzat remarked. The short, green cape trailing behind him as the child made his way off the bridge.

Horatio Janus was one step ahead of the young Jedi. "Might I remind the general that company policy prohibits the commander of a company starcruiser from disembarking an unknown situation?"

Few people were bold enough to quote corporate policy to him. "I'm aware of the regulation, Mister Janus," the boy answered simply. Stepping around the taller figure, the boy added, "That's why I didn't select you for First Officer of the Odyssey. I selected you for command."

And, with that, the Anzat stepped off the bridge.

Leaving in his wake, a very confused navigator. "Command..?"

Horatio Janus was certain that he wasn't certain just what had happened.

 

[Er'in Tenel]

Objective: Explore the big hole
Location: Bottom of the big hole, Forest, NW of Base Camp
Post: 4

The bottom of the impact chasm was narrow and angled, making what was a challenging climb almost impossible, even for Er'in with her ability to use the Force.

Which is how she ended up hanging upside down over what appeared to be the mangled remains of a starship of unknown - and seriously alien - construction, a faint frown on her face.

It was obvious the starship had ceased to be more than its component parts on impact, but it was almost as if something in the middle of the vessel had torn free and forced its way forward and into the rock - and that was where one of the sources of illumination (a dull blue light) came from, the other was from the sparking, hissing discharge of what should by all reason be long dead capacitors running through the hull of the vessel.

If she was any judge (and she was) the vessels shields had stayed together long enough to permit it to impact in one piece, with the several hundred meter long bulk of the vessel tearing the ragged scar that rose above her in the earth. Quite how it was shielded from sensors she had no idea. But this close she could feel the force tugging at her - neither light nor dark, just a swirling vortex of power. That vortex had survived the several hundred meter journey into the earth, then... ripped free?

Yes, that had to be it. Whatever she was looking for was tougher than the ancient vessel that had been carrying it.

This... wasn't going to be easy.

She released the catch on her climbing harness and dropped the ten meters to the deck of the ship, lithely slipping between two of the sparking, charged plates. This ruin was tens of thousands of years old - the growth above said that plainly - there was no way there should still be charge in the vessel, but from the ozone smell and the hairs raising on her skin, she was certain a single touch might be fatal.

She needed to locate the relic, then she could get droids down with lifting equipment and... with difficulty, get it out of it's resting place.

Because she was fairly certain the relic was the reason the ship was still functioning, if what the texts she'd found said were true.

 

[Ascendant Muse]

The silence of Dragonflower had come and gone, and the Confederacy would now remain forever. Amidst battles of the heart and exploration, the nation cemented their presence upon this frontier planet. With time, those who had come would settle into their new lives and the Confederacy would reap the untold rewards!

At this time, the central story of the Dominion has concluded, feel free to continue posting your own resolutions!​

 

[Srina Talon]

Location: New World [In a glade not far from the river]
Standing Near: [member="Nysana Talon"]
Wearing: This
Quote: "I am afraid to think what I have done. What I may do. I dare not look upon it again."

‘What is that? Sensitivity training?’, her expression, typically flat, though now touched with a vein of disgust and a little disbelief. She couldn’t imagine what that entailed. For an Echani, there was nothing that could not be expressed, could not be said, by the careful evaluation of body language. It was less than a nanosecond after that in which she felt that which she had longed for since first leaving her green and blue homeworld. Family.

Darth Metus had made the separation bearable. It was still mind-numbingly painful, but at least, within the Confederacy, she held a purpose. She served something greater than herself just as she had on Eshan. Her first moment of feeling her little Tellu through the Force in a way she never had was awe-inspiring, and then, concern set it. She felt the comforting hand of her Master upon her shoulder and then…He was gone. Swept away by a ghostly presence that she did not immediately recognize, until, she placed the spirit. Of course, it was the recently departed [member="Ginnie Verd"].

She distanced herself from both [member="Darth Metus"] and [member="Vyra Silara"]. Distantly, in the woods, she could feel other presences. Disguised as lupines? It was an interesting thing to try and track but mostly, she was just concerned that something would happen to them in canine form. That thought seemed to be correct when she realized she smelled smoke in the distance. When she turned away from the point in which she knew her sister would emerge she could actually see a flame. `Master you MUST put that out. Use the river. Do what you need to but we can’t allow a new world to catch fire…`

No doubt, the Sith Lord already had a plan, but Srina left nothing to chance. If the seemingly lush and green world had enough dry tinder to be found there could be a real problem. It could endanger the entire ecosystem as well as the CIS personnel that had landed to explore.

Her distraction, however, cost her precious time to evaluate her own family struggle.

Once upon a time, Tellu had been bright. A star that glimmered with enthusiasm and life. Her younger sister, though one of many, was perhaps the one she was most fond of. They were close enough in age that they easily found commonalities growing up, however between the two, Nysana had always been drawn toward the more creative world. That, and the copious amounts of armor-clad women that dotted their local military station—Larinkáoi.

Tellu was a free spirit where Srina had always been grounded in every way.

This was not the sister she had once known. In such a short time she no longer held the breath of life, but instead, reeked of death. She could see familiar faces among the green leaves. She had grown up with many of her guard, trained with them, and knew their movements like the back of her hand. Srina could only brace herself. There would be no gentle embrace, no expression of soft longing, and certainly no kind words. Her sister was hurt. Deeply. So deep, that Srina almost didn’t recognize her, despite the familiarity of her face.

The Force Scream that echoed through the small glade caught her off guard. She was hit with it head on, and it was only the fact that she’d built up a small tolerance by working with dragons on Ryloth, that let her stand on her feet. It didn’t stop her from trying to cover her ears, to no avail, as the sound traveled not only through auditory canals but via bone conduction. Her eyes began to redden as her pale face became marked with little crimson pinpricks of pressure. Blood, paler than the human-red, began to leak from both ears. Her vision swam and she had to bite her tongue to stay upright. This was new. This was not their way. This was a different version of her beloved sister. Tellu, who borrowed her weapons and clothing without asking, could not do this. Tellu, who loved her despite her varying childish complaints, would not do this.

Srina had no wish to harm her but their culture demanded that she fight back. With equal, or greater, violence. It was clear, Tellu had something to say. She would, as always, listen.

The Sith Apprentice breathed deeply before reaching for her connection to the Force. It obeyed, as it always did, and built up within her. Srina could feel the pressure. She would be able to contain it for moments, seconds, before kinetic force burst from her being. It flowed in a wave that she had no words for, a pulse of pure Force energy that was extremely potent, raw, and unfiltered. It would seem like a widespread telekinetic explosion that fanned out from her person in a spherical pattern. It dug up the earth, rocks, and trees as it passed onward, creating kinetic ripples in space that would taper off in intensity as it got further from the epicenter. Anything not deeply embedded in the ground would be thrown at Nysana and her Guard at a high velocity.

Her sister would either be forced to block, take cover, or accept being nailed by the onslaught her elder sibling unleashed. Either way, her banshee cry would end—and the real discussion could begin.

`Why are you here, my Tellu? What has become of you?’

 

[Er'in Tenel]

Objective: Search the ruined ship
Location: Inside the ruined ship, bottom of the big hole, Forest, NW of Base Camp
Post: 5

Er'in slipped through the broken remains of the alien vessel like a lithe panther - a live, slightly scorched and cut panther, for it was impossible to get through the mangled wreckage without either disturbing it and risking collapse, or accepting injury.

So she chose to accept injury. Once she knew she had found what she wanted, she could mark it then call in assistance to cut away the wreckage - after methodically cateologuing it, the University on Ryloth and the Galactic Academy of Archeology on Coruscant would be very interested in this find, as would the Sith Empire. Fortunately, the item of value to the Sith would be in her hands long before her papers were released.

One final twist and she found herself at the fore of the craft - or rather through the final fore bulkhead of the craft and its outer pressure hull... if it could be said to have had one, it was a strange construct, not a bio-ship like the Vong or the Ang-tii (as far as she knew, in the latter case) but still seemingly almost grown, rather than made - even if it was obviously constructed from something akin to durasteel as a hull component, and by a species roughly humanoid in design.

And there it was, nearly twenty meters long, a double-ended obelisk embedded into the crust of the planet with all the force a crashing craft at near relative velocity could manage - yet somehow it was undamaged, the alien and inexplicable carvings on it's surface as fresh as the day it had been placed aboard the vessel. One end was capped with a dark-hued stone, the other with a light one, and between them the surface shifted through every visible spectrum, moving as a watcher blinked or shifting their gaze, yet staying still if stared at. The object - the vergence - raditated... no... it drew upon and radiated the force in perfect balance, or perhaps it did so without leaning towards light or dark - the latter was the Ang-tii belief, they had called the the Rainbow Obelisk, but to Er'in's perception, the flow from dark to light in perfect concordance - not harmony, for the two never touched, flowing around one another without mixing - was definitive.

This was the heart of the vessel, a unique artifact she had been tracking for months from a side reference of Darth Cadeus in his holocron. The old master had been so... irritatingly smug about it proving his One Force theory. A theory Er'in found... attractive. Surely the 'Unity Obelisk' would be a better name? She almost wanted it to be a lie. After all, he'd never found it, had he? Nor any other Jedi or Sith in an age. The last records he claimed to have seen placed it in the first era of the Jedi and the Sith, when the names did not even exist. A time she really ought to put more study into herself. But it was such a large galaxy.

She eased forward, careful not to touch the artifact. The vessel was important - particularly the odd almost bonelike structures that had once been attached to this artifact. But the vessel was also obviously younger - and made by a different race - than the artifact.

Fascinating. This had been worth the trip. She tabbed her commlink, her voice barely audible over the interference from the wreck and multiple relays to the surface.

"Tenel to base camp. Please dispatch a Category A survey team to my location, along with a perimeter control force, some heavy lift droids and a repulsor sled... hundred thousand kilo capacity should do. We've got archeology to do."

And then, if this is what legend claims it is, a ship to build.

 

[Ria Misrani]

Dragonflower

---

---

---

[member="Srina Talon"]

Indeed, there was a time when Nysana was the breath of life. A mischievous girl who admired her older sister, and when their eldest had fallen ill. She watched in awe as Srina stepped up and led their family, and so the familiar faces that now moved through the glade brandished their weapons in the direction of the woman who should have been at their head. No, there was no gentle embrace there was no delight in this reunion, for the pain that Nysana bore she unleashed through the scream.

No. It was not their way, their way was often met on the battlegrounds weapons clashed creating a mesmerizing display of prowess. Alabaster armor glistened in the sun, delighted in the ways of Eshan. A scar by the age of four was often generous, Srina and Nysana had given each other plenty by then. They had grown up so close in age that all they knew was to test each other. Nysana who stole from her sister's closets, who borrowed weapons without asking, who lingered around Larinkáoi.

It was there that she met her wife, Aela Valkun. She had been a strong ranged fighter, beautiful too - but then all women of Eshan were beautiful, weren't they? For Nysana, Aela was perhaps the best of them all. Aela soon accompanied the Talon Sisters on their expeditions. It would become obvious that Aela had quickly stolen Nysana's heart. Often Srina found herself waiting for Nysana and Aela to be done with their trivial romance so that they might continue on their way.

Nysana brought up her guard, arms crossed as the golden vambraces absorbed most of the energy. Still, it would not be enough to keep Nysana rooted - she would be pushed back cutting through the trees, rock, and dirt as if a meteor had struck them down. What had once been deep blue cape was now a darkened red, it resembled the blood that had been shed during Srina's absence.

Dust drew into the wind, Nysana on bended knee rose with her onyx clad leather armor.

Aela.

The Eshan could hear her sister's words calling but all she could focus on was her beloved Aela, and their daughter Iuuna. Nysana held them both only after they had already died. It was a scene she seared into her mind and it was in that moment that she swore to find the one who ran away.

As the fires licked at the forest Nysana moved her arm, outstretched she summoned her halberd. She moved quickly through the depths left by the marks she created earlier. Nysana with gathered momentum leaped through the air halbred ready to strike.

Why? You ask such strange questions, the answer should be obvious Vail. Or have you forgotten our ways already, sister.

Clash.

 

[Srina Talon]

Location: New World [In a glade not far from the river]
Standing Near: [member="Nysana Talon"]
Wearing: This
Quote: "I am afraid to think what I have done. What I may do. I dare not look upon it again."

Brittle. That was the feel of her lungs, when she exhaled, in preparation for what was to come. Were it not for the fact that the events on Maramere had drained the life from her, she would have awaited this clash with baited breath, no matter the reason. Aside from Tatooine and occasionally sparring with her Master she hadn’t really had a singular, halfway decent fight, since leaving Eshan. Distant silver orbs lingered on the sight of her sibling, whom she loved, more than she had any way to express. No one could get away with being such an obnoxious brat, not with Srina—But Tellu had made it an art form.

She broke something or someone, and Srina smiled. She whined, preferring physical intimacies with her wife over training, and Srina remained indulgent. There was very little she could do, or not do, that didn’t bring some form of joy to her day to day routine. Srina loved, envied, and cherished every bit of her family. One of the strongest, most recognized soldiers on Eshan, had disappeared in the middle of the night, seemingly without a word. She had given up her world, her life, and everything she knew.

Life on the run from her snide, arrogant, would-be husband Dalantus Vectius was better than the alternative. She left because, at the time, it was the only way. Srina hadn’t been strong enough to challenge him formally and win, not without greater access to the Force, and Echani did not know the meaning of a proxy. House Talon would never survive such a thing regardless, so it was entirely, and completely out of the question.

Her eyes fell to the ivory-clad guard that followed Tellu and she noted, absently, that they did NOT leave the tree line. Srina had returned so man of House Eägon back to Eshan, pounds lighter than when they’d left, and word seemed to have traveled. Whether it was lingering loyalty, respect for a family matter or fear didn’t matter. If it became required she would deliver them the same mercy she had gifted the others that had come before.

None. They would live, perhaps, but they would writhe in pain before the end.

She could not suffer fools, not when the gaping hole that lived within Srina at the sight of what Nysana had become, in such a short span of time, was mind-numbing. It felt like someone was pouring gallons of salt in a fresh-made wound. Yet, none of this, not the slightest shred of emotion would be visible on her features. Her pale expression that mirrored that of the onyx and crimson-clad woman seemed barren. There was nothing to indicate how she felt, as Larinkáoi had taught her early on, not let such secrets show.

It was weakness. Their parents had guided all of their children very well. Both living, and breathing, they still did. Srina, was anything but weak.

Aela.​

She both felt and heard a pang of bitter agonizing loss. A familiar smile swept through her, one that belonged to her sister-in-law, but as Tellu took to the air, intent on bringing down her halberd to slice her in twain, Srina remained where she was. At the last possible moment, she moved to the right, just far enough to avoid the heat of the plasma blade. The pale woman seemed silent, light as a feather, as if she were more specter than solid flesh. The grace of their mother flowed easily in her veins, pronounced and boundless, in a way that seemed almost an exact duplication.

‘I forget nothing,*Onónë.’ [*Sister]

Srina knew the favored weapon of her sister. It was not the first or the last time she surmised, that it would be leveled in her direction. This was simply the only time the apprentice had felt that they were not on the same side. With the flames still growing brighter in the distance the warrior spun into Tellu, ignoring the halberd entirely, and instead made a quick jab toward her face. The key to dealing with washing pole weapons was to remain uncomfortably close, maintain, pressure, and to remain incredibly spatially aware.

Yet, just as Srina was familiar with [member="Nysana Talon"], her opponent would just as familiar with her. Srina favored adaption above all. There was not a single weapon she could think of in which she could not excel. Her fighting style was primarily close quarters, however, the Force had added to her repertoire. Were she not Echani, however, she would have never been able to move close enough, not without some sort of fancy roll or trick of the eye. Her not-so-little Tellu was the furthest thing from a pushover. Her attacks were simply…Different. There was very little of the well-known Echani precision.

She attacked with her heart.

Or, what was left of it.

With that in mind, Srina began to move back and forth around the swinging halberd, falling into what must have looked like a dance, with her sister. Tellu led, Srina followed, and then they reversed. In the moment's in-between the apprentice did her best to isolate her sister’s dominant hand. It wasn’t specifically a two-handed weapon, but it was more effective that way. At the very least she could make it more difficult to swing. Eventually, she would move to attempt to disarm her.

Iuuna.​

Sadness blossomed anew in her heart. The more they fought…The more she began to understand the horror that had fallen in her absence. Srina felt as if someone had pulled the planet out from beneath her feet. Still, she fought. She would meet Nysana blow for blow, dodging to avoid when necessary, but otherwise remaining steadfast, close, and well within her range. She breathed in sharply with a rather close call, but caught her footing again, using her forearm to block if needed beneath the blade to keep it from crashing down.

Once that happened, she always pulled back the second she felt Nysana move. It would be easy to take her arm off that way. No matter who held it…the halberd sliced, diced, and made julienne Echani. She would be a fool not to take it seriously, as if Tellu were House Eägon, or equally as repugnant, the Empire.

For now, she would endure.

 

[Ria Misrani]

Dragonflower

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---

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[member="Srina Talon"]

Alabaster guards stepped back into the treeline, weapons out and hands to the ground. The earth began to tear ripping them away from the fires that threatened to consume them. They knelt in respect, but weapons ready at the defense all the same. Their blue cloaks formed together to reflect the light away, muting it completely. Nysana thought the world of her sister, she who cared not for authority or those who wielded it, consistently yielded to Srina. When Srina's logic dictated that they stay longer, or press further, when her words demanded that she be kept from Aela. She obliged the silver woman in the distance, the two sisters have always fought and sparred.

Every battle, every scar was earned in battle they tested one another with each and every clash. Battlemaster after battlemaster brought to them to the edge but it was the other who pushed. Srina had a way of forcing Tellu out of making her, her best taking the axe to the grind and it was said that there was no weapon that she could not master. That they could not master, no aspect of their way that they did not instill into one another.

Dalantus Vectius's name flashed in her mind.

Nysana learned quickly at a young age to block and move with her sister's attacks. A darkened rage burned at the thought of the man. Stone-faced with each clash and while Srina moved with their mother's grace, Nysana struck with the same ferocity that their father showed in battle. He often pit the two against one another his words were, 'she who conquers herself is the mightest warrior.' In that regard, Srina and Nysana were the mirror in which they stared.

Aela.

The younger of the two let out a cry of pain. All she craved in that moment were the arms of her wife, to hear her laugh once more to see that smile one last time. In a way, Nysana almost begged for death a wounded creature who thought she could bring her sister down. In truth, she knew there would be no way for her to best Srina most especially in this state. She knew Srina would attempt to disarm her, it is what she would have done but Nysana hardened her heart.

Dalantus drew Nysana away, for there he had a plan. For House Valkun, a loyal family to House Talon had long since launched their investigation and as they drew closer to informing Echani Command. The man of House Eägon would not have his work, his livelihood taken from him. No, and the perk? Valkun married into Talon giving him a way to strike at Srina from a distance, just as Nysana moved to strike at her sister from a distance.

Iuuna.

Nysana recalled the day they informed their families that they had not only decided to have children but that they were already expecting. The day Iuuna came into their lives, she'll never forget they were at a retreat and their family surrounded them. Srina was present and perhaps the most level-headed of anyone there. And when on would expect a child to come wailing into the world. Iuuna did not, it was Srina who reassured them that she was just fine. 'She is a Talon,' before handing the infant to Aela, the infant's only crime was that she too was of House Valkun.

And so with every step, with every thrust and block. Nysana would keep in her mind, the image of Aela clutching Iuuna. Their blood stained the floors of House Valkun's manor and not far from them laid Aela's mother and father, her three brothers and the youngest Valkun sister. Bloody Thyrisians, how they thirst for Echani blood, mhmm? And where was your sister? Is she not your protector? Where is she? Gone? How sad for you, I give you my most sincere condolences Tellu. Nysana let out another scream one less marked by the force but anchored by the betrayal she felt in her heart.

For as the fans flamed around them so did the idea of her sister having betrayed their house, their values for this.

You have forgotten everything.

 

[Karlie Lynn Destat]

Objective: Test Flight to Dragonflower Nebula
Transport: Castan LCX-L3
Current Location : Hyperspace
Post: 2





"Oh wow..." She had been in fast ships before...but not this fast.

​The space/distant/time chronological algorithm was cycling at a rate she only seen in simulations but never experienced. Sure, there were ships both present and in the past that were as fast, but they had been few and far in between. What would take a capital ship like the SD Tecknor to cross a quadrant measured in hex one day, these vessels could do it 1/3 the time in 8 hours.

The ship was clearly humming away now as her drives pumped out 0.3 efficiency. Her course through hyperspace was being projected right in front of her, along with the drives readings and ship's system.
Karlie was just still sitting forward in her chair. The controls were locked and all she really had to do during the crossing was relax.
But it were difficult to relax with being so forward, right into the tunnel of hyperspace itself. She were literally surrounded by the light..over, under, left, right...
Karlie was sitting forward in the transparent durasteel nose of the ship and it was one awesome feeling.
It was what she had imagined...maybe more for she was still sitting forward and her heart just wouldn't stop beating.

She then sat back and spread her arms...it were like she was flying through hyperspace on her own...say for the slight hum of the ship's drives reminding her that it was the ship, not her flying. She was still the little fly in the far going for a ride.. Hahahaha..." She laughed thinking about how minuscule she was. But still, this little fly had finally built a glass jar she could call ship.
Ok, well that didn't make much sense...but who cared? Karlie was out here by herself. No mech droid to check on her progress or suggest she check this first or that. Nope, this ship needed no droid it flew by moi only.
So it had a voice operated nav comp. But it didn't go question anything like a astro mech droid did. Nope, she simply had to voice her command to where she wanted to jump and the ship's comp obeyed without question.
"YEA!...freedom to fly on my own accord...Ahhhh..." She exhaled closing her eyes and dropping her arms. They still got tired holding them up like she was flying.

"Sigh...for the life of me, I don't know how birds could keep flapping all day." Karlie muttered rotating her tired shoulders.

She then retracted her seat back toward her berth, taking one last good look at the near blinding tunnel of hyperspace her ship was slicing through.
She waved her hand over the holo control that darkened the duraglass canopy. The interior lights of her cabin adjutsed accordingly.

"Ok...time to see how well the refresher works..." She had been holding to relieve herself ever since the jump.

All the excitement that led up to the launch and then the jump..along with checking every little details of comfort that had been built into this little missile had finally took it's toll and karlie had found herself asleep the minute she closed her eyes when her back hit her queen size berth. The music that she had requested slowly reduced it's decibels to a near whisper as the ship's comp seemed to monitor her biorhythm and welfare. And so did the ship's climate control, sensing she were not under her covers but asleep on her bed.

"Karlie..." a soft female voice started in a whisper.

"Karlie, honey...time to wake up." It slightly increased it's tone.

But Karlie remained in deep sleep, simply rolling over on her stomach and drawing her pillow closer..hugging it.

"Karlie, we're approaching emerging point... time to wake up.." The soft female voice of the ship's comp continued to try and wake her.

"Karlie honey...time to wake up. Wake up now Karlie..." It patiently urged as it increased it's tone...like that of an alarrn clock...starting out low and getting louder.

"Karlie, we're coming to our destination soon...time to wake up Karlie.."

"Harrr... classes are cancelled today.." She moaned, drawing the pillow more around her head to block out intruding voice urging her to wake up.

"You are dreaming, Karlie. There are no classes scheduled at this time. We are approaching our drop point on schedule. Wake up now Karlie."
"Shut....up....let me... sleep..." She urged, fighting to grab hold of the remnants of a fading dream, so that she could continue to keep it going.

"KARLIE!"

"Aahh!....what?!" She got jarred awake, tossing her pillow off the bed and sitting up.

"We're coming up on our emergence in 40 minutes, Karlie."

"40... what?" she looked around getting her bearing, as she had thought she was back on Castagne..in her estate room...

"39 minutes and 30 seconds now to emergence, Karlie."

Wow, had she been out the entire jump? Well yea..the bed was so comfy...just like she had designed it...
"What the hell!...40 minutes? Gah!...." She dropped her back right down back on her bed.
".....I could have been sleeping for another 40 minutes...what's wrong with you?!" She replied to her ship's comp.

"Nothing is wrong with me, Karlie. I calculate your readiness at 38 minutes including buffer time for this conversation."

"You what?....no no, forget that. Who the frak programmed you?!"

"Your Father Karlie"

Wide eyed,she sat back up on her bed. Her father?
"Shoot..." She got off her bed and looked about, catching the projected hologram of their current trajectory, Hex U-47.

"Karlie, you are procrastinating."

"Shut up already!... I'm going, I'm going..." She said picking up her pillow off the floor and throwing it at the hologram, before she left her cabin and entered the refresher.

All showered up fresh and dressed, Karlie sat back down on the pilot chair at the foot of her cabin's bed, as her ship comp was counting down to her emergence.

"Karlie, count down to-" The ship's comp started to inform her again before getting cut off.

"Shush!
What did I just tell you a minute ago?"

"To let you do the piloting as you can read the data on the HUD"

"That's right...so shut your trap until I ask you a goddamn question." Karlie had just about enough of her new ship's comp that seemed to have an attitude. It would figure her father had installed an AI nav comp, for she had insisted on making her ship able to be self sufficient without the need for an astro-mech droid.

"Yea?...well, hello?...did you not hear me?..." She then asked, for the comp had not replied to her order.

"Yes, I am always alert, Karlie."

"Ok...well, did you understand what I said about you not butting in before I ask?"

"Yes, I understood and complied. You had made a statement and it was not in a question format."

"Uhm....what, you being smart with me now? ...Is this what you're programmed to do?...irritate me?"

"Yes, Karlie. Your father programmed your personality likeness in me. You are actually irritating yourself.
But the answer to your statement question is yes, I will comply to your order to not interfere until you ask me for assistance."

Karlie was flabbergasted...had her jaw dropped in shock that her father had actually gone ahead with his notion of letting her taste her own medicine...or something to that effect. She had not perceived it not one minute that he had been serious. But here now as the countdown to emergence was at less than a minute to go, he had done just that to her own custom designed ship.
"Grrrr..." She buttoned up her lips, not saying another word. However this nav cop had been programmed, Karlie didn't know yet the extent of it's AI. So as the clock ticked down to emergence, she fumed..steeped in her pride and irritated to hell..

...4...3...2...1....The ship dropped out of hyperspace and in quadrant Hex U-47.

 

[Karlie Lynn Destat]

Objective: Test Flight to Dragonflower Nebula
Transport: Castan LCX-L3
Current Location : Hex U-47
Post: 3



"Sigh..." frustration wasn't the word for it...she was beyond that.

4 hours at sub-light and she was just going around in circles...or to put it more in a tactical stand point; search and find.
karlie for the life of her just couldn't locate the DragonFlower Nebula.

She had the quadrant map of the complete Hex U-47 and was going over the known starsystems in that sector over for the thrird time, while her ship continued the systematic grid pattern to locate the nebula. Karlie had even edited the sensors to not be distracted to anything outside the Hex U-47. But as refined and state of the art sensor array she had on her ship, it just wasn't locating the Nebula. It located eveything else.
And twice already as she passed a few known CIS systems in the Arkanis sector. Karlie had to explain a few times already that she was not lost, just...just cruising.
One system Christophsis even offered assistance, seeing she was not cruising, but searching for something.

"No..no thank you... I'm fine... I'm just testing my new ship's sub-lights.."

And so it went for another two hours with karlie not wanting to hear from her smat-aleck AI nav comp.
"Karlie, it is obvious, that what you are looking for does not exist" So finally the comp had to butt in.

"What did I tell you?
WHAT FOR HEAVEN' SAKE DID I TELL YOU?!!" she was at wits end and now taking it out on the nav comp.

"You stated that if you needed help that you'd ask me."

"Yea!...and what are you doing now?"

"In your previous assertion of my effort to assist you, you have stated that I'm butting in your business."

"That's right. " Karlie ran her fingers through her hair, she was so frustrated. "So I'm telling you for the last time; don't butt in!
Where in God's creation was that freakin nebula? Karlie was at her wits end. No way, her ship's sensors were missing it. They had been gone over through and throughout with her best techs. The nebula simply didn't frakin exist!
Unless....

"Gasp..." It suddenly dawned on karlie. Was she in the wrong sector? No freakin way...she had given the comp U-47 as the coordinates and sure enough they were in Hex U-47.

"Frak...

Sigh...


....computer?"

"Yes, Karlie"

Silense. Silence because she knew the comp was likely going to give her the answer she didn't want to get from it..or hear.

"Yes Karlie, i'm still here. I cannot read your mind, so you will have to verbally ask me"

"Grrr.....Oh I hate you so.."

"That is not a question, but a statement."

Arrrg!...enough of the smart-alecking!...where is Dragonflower Nebula?!" There, she asked.
Karlie knew quite well she had given in to the comp. But she had been going around and in loops, cross gridding for 8 freakin hours since she had emerged in this sector from the jump and no way was the nebula here. Silently she prayed maybe the nebula had by some god's wits been sucked up in a black hole or something or maybe-

"It's not in this sector, Karlie. It's in Hex T-43"

"What?...T-43?! What the Hell you jumped me in U-47 for?
Are you kidding me?"

"DragonFlower Nebula is in Hex T-43" Her nav comp replied, instantly displaying the Hex quadrant map of T-43 and it highlighted the DragonFlower Nebula."

"Sheesh!...you've done yourself in...Hahha.." Karlie laughed.
"I'm going to strip every freaking wire, diode and circuit of your godamn stupid malfunctioning brain and-" But she was cut off when the comp replayed Karlie's own words and command..in a hologram instructing the ship to plot out a course for Hex U-47.

"Oh?...oh yea? Yea..you think that will stop me from wiping your program from my ship?! ? I'll erase-
Gasp!
NOOOOO!!!!!.." Karlie suddenly witnessed right before her eyes, the entire ship log being transmitted to Castagne.

"Oh my God... I can't believe you just did that.
Oh my God...you didn't!"

"I forwarded the flight recording data up from your first step inside to 30 seconds ago to your father, Karlie."

 

[Malok]

Darkness seized the heavens above.

Dismal gray billowed and rolled, obscuring the warmth of day from the forest below. The vibrance of the wood seemed muted in that moment, for shadow had stolen its brilliance. Cold. A vicious chill swept through the branches, swaying their forms against the flames which consumed them. Against the might of the apparition, all hope for the forest seemed lost. All life - from the fowls huddled in their nests to the critters fleeing the fire - seemed only moments from a swift demise. But relief came as Paecian lyrics slithered from the Sith's tongue.

A boom of thunder rolled across the sky.

A flash of brilliance briefly illuminated the gray.

A torrential deluge began to fall upon the thirsty ground. Against this, the inferno had no choice but to extinguish. Against this, even the mighty dragon would begin to smoke and diminish into naught. And as the threat of his sibling slipped away, Darth Metus sank to a knee. Sulfuric eyes fell upon the charred and broken helm which laid before his feet - the very same pink buy'ce he had fashioned for her all those years ago. Shaking hands took the Beskar form into their grasp, fighting against the moisture that now slickened the metal.

"All of us would have done the same. Father. Rigard. Oron. Even you. If the roles were reversed...If a butcher of your people was about to walk free, you wouldn't hesitate."

The trembling ceased. The conflict roiled underneath the surface. He had killed his baby sister...the same little girl he had shielded all his life. The same little girl who he spoke to in signs when no one else would. The same little girl who only wanted to make him proud. But. But she was a Mandalorian. To die as she did...to perish to save ten thousand more...was that not what they stood for? And if it were not his sibling aboard...would he be Dar'manda for that choice? Were it any other, vode or otherwise, would the Manda torment him for the choice?

His grip tightened upon the helm. A fresh fissure erupted through the T-Visor's glass. The Manda was not the source of his torment, it was her. She held the same might - the same defiance against death - that had seen him claw his way back after Mandalore's destruction. This was her anger. This was her sorrow. The Manda cared not for who lived or who died - but [member="Ginnie Dib"] was wrath personified.

Resolve burned within the Sith's gaze.

"You would have done the same. Now. Begone."

The finality of his words were met with a crick and a crack. The sound of the buy'ce giving way filled his ears...until his hands finally broke through. The jagged shards sliced into his flesh, but as the remains of her helmet touched the ground, they turned to ash. Darth Metus did not rise from that spot. Silence ruled him. Silence and a cold beyond that of the rains falling down upon his head. He felt numb. He felt...nothing. Even the throbbing of his wounded hands felt dull in these moments.

And thus, the unseen link between Master and Apprentice went cold. [member="Srina Talon"] would feel none of the confidence or wrath so typical of her teacher. But rather, something that she had turned into a tool over the years. Cold. Unfeeling. Emotion never ruled the alabaster woman - instead she always turned the Silence into a weapon.