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______________________________________________________________ D U L C E T TASK FORCE NULL | EXEGOL | ????? ______________________________________________________________
“I'm not worried." Cordé argued. Her words were tense and hard, but her voice was soft. " Because you’re not going to die, V. You can’t die on me out here.”
Bedside manner basics meant that it would be bad practice to tell a patient clinging to life to shut up. Anything that kept them feeling alive was good, and should be cultivated.
So instead of growling that it was her job to be reassuring Verin, Cordé glared down at the needle, pinched the skin on Verin’s neck, and took her frustration out with a swift jab right to the external jugular vein. Or, where Cordé expected the vein to be between her fingers. Given she’d just removed a supposed-all-hope-in-syringe from her friend’s wrist, she wasn’t sure what else to expect going on under there.
When she could press the needle no deeper, and thumb the plunger down no further, and the barrel seemed fully drained of its mysterious contents, Cordé loosened her grip and smoothed her thumb over Verin’s throat. Her other hand moved to split her fingers half between cradling Verin’s jaw, and the other two pressed to the soft spot beneath to feel the slowing of Verin’s pulse.
“Stop talking like you’re dying” she whispered, and leaned in closer to give whateve version of consolation she could at their weird angle. It was like they’d been trapped upside down on a roller-coaster ride, with Verin still strapped into her seat, back to the earth, legs limp, and Cordé crouched between her and their ride-buddy who was very, very, passed out or dead.
It was only in the painstaking moments of futile ignorance that Cordé felt the strangeness of their upside-down world suddenly churn through her when all she could do was look at Verin and hope, really hope, helplessly, that whatever she’d just pulled out of her body and injected back in, was some sort of miracle cure.
THE EMPIRE | THE RED HONEYCOMB PHASE 2: APPROACHING THE CITADEL
They had different missions and that was okay.
Before Vilu could walk off, he quickly grabbed her by the shoulder and whirled her around. "Stay safe, Kopma." His helmet tapping hers as he held her there. "No theatrics, no bullshit, get in, get out and we will be back smoking cigars on one of our accounts soon enough." A little squeeze she would only feel the smallest of pressures of before Castian let her go.
He watched them go.
Hopefully Vilu would keep them all safe. Bets or not.
Only after that did Castian set his visor to his own objective. It was a doozy. While the others were primed to be siege support and sapping, Vero had a solo mission. Because of course he had. Apparently the Force cultists were still active inside the shattering corpse of the Empire. They were interested in rumors that the Maw had managed to get their hands on a powerful artifact.
A giant crystal filled with souls.
That wasn't concerning at all, was it?
Said crystal was rumored to be somewhere inside the Citadel. So, without any support, Vero needed to infiltrate the Citadel while dodging blaster fire and alchemized monsters. Easy enough. Vero was more annoyed about having to somehow lug it back on his own.
He set off, the HUD giving him the shortest path, which Vero did NOT take. It would take him straight through the battlefield. But he used the mapping software to get behind enemy lines. In the skies he saw grotesque nature occurring. Lightning strikes, ships clashing against one another... and then out of nowhere a new fleet materializing.
They were statuesque. Formidable. They were like the hammers they used to shatter anvils. Even from here Vero could feel them. Light... but it burned, there was nothing soft or gentle about it.
Shivering Vero refocused on the journey ahead. He'd have to get through a ventilation system (sewers was another option, but it was ALWAYS sewers and for once Vero would prefer not having to imagine what he was wading through, if it could be helped).
"Jus' another day in paradise..."
ALLIES | THE EMPIRE | ASHLAN CRUSADE | Vilu Kopma FOES | THE GALACTIC ALLIANCE | THE NEW JEDI ORDER | THE BROTHERHOOD OF THE MAW | Ishida Ashina
"Briana Sal-Soren! Did your scars heal nicely? Looking to obtain some more?" His voice calm, steady and filled with a darkness few could match.
The other one, female that he did not know. She was curious but seemed to hold a sassy tone. One that Wallgof could only laugh with, "a friend? Is that what I am? How fun!" Wallgof took a slow deliberate step forward as he felt the Force blasted against him in a hard shove. However, this was Exegol, it was connected to the Dark Side almost as deeply as he was, his power here was much stronger than it had been before. His smirk behind his helm as he pushed against the Force Push was palpable. Inhaling deeply, "Don't you feel the power this world holds Briana? It is the darkness, flowing so heavily, so strong here that a mere apprentice could demonstrate skills of a Sith Juggernaut." Wallgof cackled deeply as the Lightning in his hand crackled with Force Lightning.
"Who is the friend? Someone else you care about? Someone willingly to die for you?" Wallgof taunted as he continued to slowly step forward. His towering figure looming like a dark shadow as his hand reached up to blast the two female Jedi with Force Lightning. Lightning of a deep blood crimson colour. However, as he went to raise his hand, the voice of Brandyn called out and the Sith Lord could only smirk more. He could feel the anger, the fear of others dying because Brandyn could fail again. He already failed one Jedi Knight, who is to say that he wouldn't fail more? The death of a trooper didn't fazed Wallgof at all, it demonstrated where Brandyn's mind was at, and it was perfect.
Lowering the hand, Wallgof looked to Briana, then Brandyn before returning his gaze to Briana, "Do you truly believe your brother can handle me? I think he is seems a little unhinged. As if a certain Ralia lingers on the mind." Wallgof teased with a deep chuckle. The Sith Lord then turned and faced Brandyn, "which one do you care more for Brandyn? Your sister or the friend? I wish to know so I can make you watch as I torture them viciously after your defeat." The tone of voice wasn't vicious, cruel or malice, it was jovial as if this was a fun, teasing conversation amongst friends. His insanity was inescapable as he continued to chuckle.
THEY MUST BE STRONGER NOW! TO TRY AND FACE YOU ALONE! KNIGHTS NOT PADAWANS ANYMORE! BE ON GUARD, ALWAYS! Naga roared in the back of Wallgof's mind, the Sith Lord nodded in agreement.
"So much anger inside you Brandyn. Did you love Ralia that much? Was she that special to you?" Wallgof teased as he turned his whole body to face the Jedi. "Do you dream of that day? Dream of killing me? Letting your anger in and crushing me like an insect?" His mind games were already beginning again with Brandyn as he didn't seem to be looking to fight with his Lightsaber but fight the break the mind of the young Jedi.
"Mm, darrrrrling, every day is mah lucky day." Mercy murmured there with a smile that was threatening to grow into a grin by the breath.
She was positively bouncing on her feet as the thunderous noise got closer and closer. Her hands twisting and clenching into fists, releasing, then back to anxious anticipation. Until the warriors bound around the corner and showed themselves in their full glory. They were... something else. And perhaps a normal person would have been intimidated.
Mercy?
She had fought flesh-eating evil trees with napalm and flamethrowers. She had stood against a gargantuan Chrysalide beast and refused to budge.
Even still, Mercy could be impressed.
"Damn they real chunky boys." Mercy muttered over to Maijan as they came to a halt halfway through the corridor. They both sized each other up. Without a second thought she grabbed Maijan by the wrist and pulled her behind her. "Fade out, babe. Play support." Something told her that if those things caught her girl, they'd snap her in half without breaking a sweat.
Then without a second thought Mercy launched herself at the half a score of monsters.
She punched one straight in the face and send him spinning into the side wall. Blocked a kick that pushed her back until she dug her heels in. Mercy laughed voraciously and was about to bite someone throat's out.
One of the monsters punched Mercy straight in the face and send her flying.
Over Maijan and into the far-flung doors that separated the hangar and this corridor.
"Mm... I am dead, darling." About to reach out to cup Cordé's face, but her arm could only flop uselessly. "Dead in yar eyes."
Verin convulsed.
A hard shudder lightning through her body and making her tip her head back in a soundless scream. Her eyes opening wide and now Cordé would see her eyes. Half remained brown but became darker, the other half? Bright green. Her skin tone shifted through. Irradiant lines of bright emerald vines ripping through her skin.
Like roots through harsh bark.
But through the pain Verin smiled, because she could feel it again. The absolute pleasure of the Force. There was nothing like it. No drug, no chemical, not sex nor alcohol. Nothing that felt the same as the connection ripping open between herself and this grand life-web.
Life tasted so sweet. Now Verin could feel the damage. Every part that ripped bark, twisted root and harshed leaf. It was as easy as breathing to grab the Force and move it through her branches and let it grow. Healing not in the old fashion Jedi way. But through the use of Plant Surge... on herself, rather than something external.
"I always hated this power I have." Verin muttered as she worked, her eyes fixated on Cordé's. "You have to understand. I never had a choice. I was made to be this way... and when they abandoned me, I ripped it away from myself."
A sad smile there.
"But we cannot deny who we are. Not when life is so sweet and death is so cold."
Verin looked around and the smile became a bit brighter. She didn't see the dead corpses of her compatriots. Perhaps it was more accurate to say she didn't want to see them. Instead? She saw nature coming to her beckon. As if Verin was a bright light and nature was a firefly, drawn to it and her. Their shuttle was mangled and ripped apart and broken.
Many a gaps.
Through them? Leaves and stems and plants had grown. If they managed to get out? The immediate area around their shuttle had transformed from a cold, bloody wasteland to a little nature's grove.
Who knew if it would last. But as long as Verin was right here the plants would persevere.
"I am sorry I misled you. I wanted to be part of something that hunted what I was... revenge against them."
Ziare Dyarron | Keilara Kala'myr | Mercy | Freedom Mongrel's Shadow and his widow; Matriarch of the Scar Hounds Tribe; Guardian of Mongrel's armour and sword
FINAL ECLIPSE The Galactic Alliance will annihilate Exegol. // START: FEBUARY 1ST - END: MARCH 1ST // IT ENDS HERE. Valiens Nantaris "How vast a resolve must these people have, time and time again, to face hardship and horror and tragedy and terror, and still take up the mantle of freedom?" -...
Final Eclipse Shadow & Bone N. Kelga'an, Banshee-Actual The Empire Third Sector Defence Forces First Anaxsi Free Brigade -- Second TodHusars Regiment 'Banshee' Company IV Berzingue From Anaxes Ultimate Sprint -- Part I Interacting with: Aron Gowrie Eina L'lerim-Vandiir 878, Donnager...
Final Eclipse Shadow & Bone N. Kelga'an, Banshee-Actual The Empire Third Sector Defence Forces First Anaxsi Free Brigade -- Second TodHusars Regiment 'Banshee' Company IV Berzingue From Anaxes Ultimate Sprint -- Part I Interacting with: Aron Gowrie Eina L'lerim-Vandiir 878, Donnager...
"Multiple hostile forces detected in orbit!" "The High Regent has engaged with the Alliance fleet!" "Jedi are attempting to breach the upper atmosphere. Do not let them break through to the shipyards or the Citadel. The ritual must succeed at all costs!" Orders, warnings, commands. They rang...
Arage Bao Valery Noble Cynthia Alucard Henna Sarratt Asmundr Varobalder Kahlil Noble Grand Shepherd Burtch Kyrel Ren Marlon Sularen Y'sanne Stradd 12x Noble Edition Y-Wings (Gold Squadron) Then Gold Squadron had not had much time to get to know their new commander during the trip out to...
Arage Bao Valery Noble Cynthia Alucard Henna Sarratt Asmundr Varobalder Kahlil Noble Grand Shepherd Burtch Kyrel Ren Marlon Sularen Y'sanne Stradd 12x Noble Edition Y-Wings (Gold Squadron) Then Gold Squadron had not had much time to get to know their new commander during the trip out to...
Engaging: Sisserith Nearby Allies: Jasper Kai'el BB-610 Minerva Fhirdiad Tren Chaar Shar Sieu [ armor ] [ lightsaber ] [ blaster pistol ] [ drengr of the ragnarok ] Kahlil Noble had told him to be aware of his emotions. With the adrenaline feeding into his blood, it was hard to be aware of...
Lady Ingrid L’lerim Ragal Terassi Vandiir Eternal Empress of the Eternal Empire, Lord Commander of the Wardens of the Shroud, Archon of the Primyn Group Empress of Terraris, Supreme Commander of the Terraris Command, Head of the House L’lerim, CEO of the HPI Consortium Objective: Survive (?)...
Lady Ingrid L’lerim Ragal Terassi Vandiir Eternal Empress of the Eternal Empire, Lord Commander of the Wardens of the Shroud, Archon of the Primyn Group Empress of Terraris, Supreme Commander of the Terraris Command, Head of the House L’lerim, CEO of the HPI Consortium Objective: Survive (?)...
THE EMPIRE IMPERIAL SPECIAL FORCES Enemies: Galactic Alliance | The Sith Order | Brotherhood of the Maw | Corin Trenor Allies: The Empire | Ashlan Crusade | Eternal Empire Equipment: In Bio "Why do they always talk so much?" She rhetorically asked her companion, ignoring the Jedi's remarks...
Cordé Sabo It should have hurt. It didn't. Even as the sharp edge cleaved into her wrist Verin couldn't feel anything. Not over the waves of pain roiling through her. That was bad news, but Verin didn't say anything about it. There was no need to worry Cordé even more. The poor girl seemed...
Cordé Sabo It should have hurt. It didn't. Even as the sharp edge cleaved into her wrist Verin couldn't feel anything. Not over the waves of pain roiling through her. That was bad news, but Verin didn't say anything about it. There was no need to worry Cordé even more. The poor girl seemed...
www.starwarsrp.net
~ Mercy ~
I was fast, at least for a human. I had no cybernetic implants, no limbs had to be replaced. At least so far. Asher always sent me to First Dawn medics when I was injured and didn't trust me to the shamans of the tribe. I think he didn't want me to lose all my limbs like he did. This is exactly why I was at a disadvantage against Force users. MANIAC did not give me such an advantage, it was more of a convenience nanochip, providing data, rather than increasing my reflexes or abilities. The speed and reflexes of Force users will always be above mine. At least, in this world. I was very good against ordinary people and soldiers, but not against them.
Granted, Asher taught and trained me, when he was in his last body, and that body was close to Force user level, but I was never in danger there. He never wanted to kill me or hurt me, but rather served to make me even better and to be able to defend myself even better. One or two opponents would not have been much. But the one against three can be quite uneven, even among Force users. Let alone against a non-Force user…
I had to buy time so that Manifold could open the door. If I didn't succeed, then everything was useless. And the three Palatini attacked at the same time. I did everything I could so they couldn't get me against the wall. As long as I can move, I can still fight back. The whips wrapped around me in the air as I made defensive movements with my hands. Over the years I learned to use them, I was able to cut dozens of plain soldiers apart in seconds or defend myself from their weapons. Not from ranged weapons and shots, but melee weapons, and I could even move like I'm dancing. An elegant, very elegant and infinitely deadly dance. But I was still skilled only in mortal combat, not in space wizard fencing.
I managed to push the two side attacks aside with the whips, as well as move away from them, but the third one was too much. As I moved aside, his jab hit my side. I cried out in pain. I've never been burned by a lightsaber before, even though my armour partially protected me, it was damn hot and painful. I fell to one knee and was gasping for breath from the pain. I gritted my teeth in a snarl to try to stand up, but the pain made it not so easy.
And the next moment I felt a strong, telepathic blast, but it wasn't me, it wasn't Tu'teggacha, it wasn't Kallan...the twins were doing something. My eyes widened for a moment and I also felt fear for a moment, I was sure the Taskmaster felt it too…
~ Keilara ~
I felt Kallan's tiredness, so I tried to assume that I was tired, not him, and replaced his with my own energy. The twins were also here now, we really were like family. I wanted to create the most relaxing environment possible for ourselves, especially for Kallan, so I concentrated a little. A few moments later we were in the arbour next to the house, surrounded by flowers, and there was a "swing bed" attached to a tree on one side and the house on the other. I made Kallan sit there and sat next to him. The whole thing was more like a big net with pillows, you could lie comfortably on it.
When I sat down, I was wearing his shirt instead of my previous sweater. I wanted to distract him as much as possible and I knew that he likes me to wear his shirt. I was still holding his hand when I finally leaned back and pulled him along. I hugged her close and let her rest her head on my chest and shoulder, while I hugged her and pressed a kiss on her forehead. The smell of flowers filled everything, the sun was shining warm and the wind was pleasantly warm, and the rocking bed swayed us peacefully. The tree next to us provided partial shade and we could hear the chirping of birds. I know it's not real, because it's just made up of memories, or just sounds that MANIAC played, but that still made it pleasant.
The way the twins also climbed up to be hugged and they wanted to be there too with us.
~ I can't wait for this to happen in reality. ~ I whispered; I know that in reality this can only happen in years, since it will be years before the twins become as old as they are here in the mind palace.
I gently caressed his back, neck, shoulders and hair. I wanted him to be able to relax completely, if he didn't feel fear or fatigue. That is why I gave him my own strength, so that he would be as little tired as possible. And of course I also made sure that it never reached the level where it would be too much. He didn't want to die, and I will do everything to make it so, to keep him alive. He didn't have to go out now, like the last time we were here, he stayed here with me.
~ When this is over, I want us to have a big sundae. ~ I said the first thing that came to mind; of course I couldn't do that, even if I was able to take a physical form, or I don't know, I haven't tried yet.
I felt the fatigue too, as I took it from Kallan, thanks to the dyad between the two of us, I felt Kallan's fear and his strongest thoughts even though I didn't want to spy on him.
~ Don't be afraid, I won't let it happen to you like it happened to Asher. You won't die. I won't let anyone hurt you. ~ I whispered reassuringly as I continued to caress him reassuringly and placed another kiss on his forehead.
~ Abi and Little Asher ~
For now, the twins were peacefully there with Keilara and Kallan in the mind palace to help them. Their previous attempt to warn Tu'teggacha didn't seem to be very successful because the ugly little green evil man wasn't really paying attention to them. However, they both felt that their mother was in danger. And they wanted to protect him, because they wanted to go home to their parents in reality and not just be with them in the mind palace.
Their mother had three opponents, the twins are two, and together with their mother there are already three people. So everyone got one. Abi and Little Asher targeted the two Palatini on the flanks. They concentrated, then each of them launched a powerful telepathic attack at their respective target. They primarily did not want to kill, although they knew what it was from their parents' memories, but they were still innocent.
Their aim was more sophisticated, their attack was like a telepathic blast, intended to overload the Palatini's mind, causing migraines and confusion, or pain so severe that the warrior will be paralyzed for seconds or more by the powerful impact on his mind. The mother of the twins will be able to handle the rest on her own. Even if this confusion is only for a few moments, it can be a great help to their mother.
Danton had to admit his surprise by how quickly the catapulted Sith had been killed. Bisected, buried, and burned to mist. Madness was a running theme in the Maw, but never had he expected insanity like that. Fortunately, the Sith he'd sensed from before had taken up the dead man's mantle, lashing out at the Jedi with harsh winds and bolts of lightning. A witch, with molten eyes and violet swirls of magic. A dark and terrifying goddess.
A remarkably short one, too.
Danton was tempted to join her and the other Sith, who struck out from thin air at one of the Jedi's flanks, but he hesitated. There was another presence he felt. A threat he couldn't pinpoint through the Force alone.
Then he heard it. Smoke hissing in the corner of his eye. He whirled, and just in time to see a white fog rapidly approaching his position. He'd no idea if the gas was poisonous or not, but even with his mask, he was in no mood to guess. Danton flew back, dancing away from the mist, lightsaber glowing red in his hand.
It wasn't a moment later that a shot rang out, a series of slug-thrower rounds aimed at his feet and rising to his chest. Already on guard and on the move, evading them was a relatively simple affair. What shots he couldn't lunge from, Danton absorbed with the slash of his blade, turning the shots into a blast of sparks and steam.
"Hiding behind a cloud of gas and the scope of a slug-rifle? Don't make me laugh." His voice called out to this mystery attacker as he kept close to a heavy crate of circus confetti. A thread of rage and disgust ran through his every word. "Why don't you come out and face me in the open, as a Jedi would?"
Forbidden District Outskirts - Airfield
Writing With: Thelma Goth
The damnable creature was slippery. Very slippery.
Even with all the distractions he could muster, she not only ducked out of the way, but she did it in such a way as to put his Husk in the line of fire. The sheer force with which he had thrown the debris and the damaged state of the dead soldier meant that it was almost cut in two by the impact. There was a bit of Anima left in it, but it was all but useless nonetheless.
There was only so much one could do with teeth and a pair of semi-functional arms.
"Sisas dsisrorira," He snarled. The meaning was lost on his prey, but it was unlikely to be polite.
Once more he was put on the defensive, though without his tools he had a harder time pushing her back - which was made evident by the long gash she burned across his left shoulder. Unlike the wound on his torso, which had largely vanished by now, the cauterized gash did not seem to heal itself. No wonder he was skittish around the blade.
Growling furiously, he exhaled once more - this time, it was a thick gas of some sort, not acid. If inhaled, it would knock her out - or more likely given her resilient biology, merely cause lightheadedness. At the same time, a trio of thick 'quills' would shoot forth from his right hand and towards her centre of mass.
Kahlil gritted his teeth as the Master of Ren's voice cut through the haze of the others. The haze that turned to a roaring sea all around him. The wails of the dead, of people he once knew, consumed him. The room, the world, everything faded. Leaving him in the darkness. Darkness until he started to see them. Faces. All around him faces. Some he did recognize. The family who lived down the street from the palace. The librarian. Servants, who once served him and his family. The people who'd sneak him a snack or give him something to try and make him feel not alone.
Seeing them now, he'd only just realized how much they were trying to help.
"You weren't there."
He saw it then. Life, all life, just ripped away. Soldiers, royalty, the common folk. Families and hermits alike, suddenly just gone from the world. And pulled into the hate and rage of one single person.
The voice was there. Her voice was there. Pained? Through their bond he felt it now. She'd been hurt. Kyrel was.. It felt the same. He was trying to drain her of life? His vision couldn't settle on reality, only the faces around him, their pain.
The voice cut right through the haze this time. His gaze traveled around the room, towards all the anguished faces. And he took a breath. Anger, grief, they were emotions he wasn't going to be able to ignore or push away. But that's never what he was going to do. The stunned expression on his face calmed as he reached out.
"I'm here now."
He moved, finally. Beside Valery. Set a hand on hers as she focused on the barrier. Gave her a smile. Then stepped through it into the raw darkness Kyrel was using to try and drain her very life away. For a moment, he faltered in it. But only for a moment. His gaze stayed focused on the abomination. Anger, pure and simple, filled his eyes. He wouldn't deny what he was feeling. But despite his anger, he wasn't going to let it be in control.
A rune flared, a simple one this time as he set his palm to the wicked beam of energy. Then let the energy be drained. Not his life, not what Kyrel was trying to get. But the Light. Pure, calming Light. The sea of souls around him, the darkness of those devoured, he stilled those waters.
"Their souls are not yours, Master of Ren. It's time to let them go."
The light intensified as the once prince of the Epicanthix went to shield their pained soul from Kyrel's own wicked heart. Stop him from leaching off their anguish to make himself strong. Weaken the monster, by protecting his victims.
Location: Exegol | Forbidden District Target:Caedyn Arenais
(Retconning my last post, starting anew)
"Do you think our lives will be this good forever?" "I sure hope so." All was quiet, there was peace. There was purity. "I want you know something..." "Yeah? What is it?" Their eyes locked, passion stirred and hearts beat as one. "You're everything to me. Before you, I was losing hope. No one has treated me like you have, loved me like you do. You make me believe in miracles." "Bit of a sap, you know that?" "I know. I wouldn't have it any other way though." "Me either."
They ripped through him like hot knives, these memories. Words that flooded into his conscious mind like an unrelenting flood - a rush of emotion previously unknown to Xiveros; he could finally see it, the face that belonged to the voice on the other side of the haze. Tears began to stream down his face as he could feel the very name of this person form upon his tongue, his lips trembling as he quietly began to speak it into existence.
"Vera..."
Overwhelmed and confused, experiencing the pain of heartbreak without knowing such a thing existed. He was someone before this; he had something to live for, before what he knew as the present. There was a reason he couldn't simply shake off the curiosity always eating at his core, there was truth waiting for his questions. He was a person.
Was.
He could never have any of it again, though. It was all gone. This was simply a glimpse into a reality that would never be his, a life that he can never claim. He was a husk of whoever he used to be, a strange imitation of a man that held a much different sentiment than now. A good man, a man that was loved.
Her.
Gone.
Forever.
For the first time in his existence, Xiveros was shutting down. All of the weight of his memories began to debilitate the spawn of malice - his mind in a fog of melancholy and bitter sorrow, a dagger through his heart. He had to do something about this, and the solution was the one thing he understood better than the pain of his mind. Bloodshed. Their deaths, those that oppose the advancement and victory of the Sith, they would have to suffice - exchange their lives for this weakness.
Rising from his resting position upon a stone seat, Xiveros walked slowly through an old corridor as the sounds of war intensified to an extreme - heat could be felt through his armor as fires raged and blaster bolts populated the surrounding space with streaks of crimson and cobalt. Lightsabers clashed and cut deep into flesh, the familiarity of death sinking in and washing away the strangeness of unknown emotions from Xiveros. Warm bodies still bleeding, sweat turning dirt into pungent mud.
As he stepped forward into battle, his grip tightened. His mace in hand as he broke into a full charge, throwing himself into a sea of viscera and hatred. Finding his balance once more with each skull he crushed, no matter their affiliation or willpower. Nobody would take these memories away from him.
Nobody.
As Xiveros raged through the battlefield, he sought more dangerous prey. Something to meet the brunt of his wrath.
Kyrel was determined to take his pound of flesh and rejuvenate himself through the bond the two of them shared. The billions of souls that he carried within himself had echoed pain and horror. In a sense they were still living in a new kind of hell meant to feed Kyrel’s growing power in the dark side. At first the hulking monster seemed to take advantage of the Husband Noble and eagerly put him in the path of the life drain. What had further astonished him was when Valery in her haste had gotten in the middle of the beam, and slowly he could feel some part of her slowly being drained and into him.
Kyrel would let out a growl as she collapsed from the beam, and Kahlil rushed to her. “Pitiful Jedi… She just couldn’t wait her turn to die.” Kyrel would say slightly irritated, and still his mockery held firm within his voice. He would keep himself steady as he watched with some fascination of what Kahlil would do. With taking a piece out of Valery, Kyrel would slowly start to feel better than what he was previously, and made the exciting discovery of what the dyad could do that caused a sinister grin only to widen further.
Then Kahlil would finally face the wrath of the draining beam. He stood there unafraid and Kyrel seemed to be mystified by the attempt. He would raise his visage at what game Kahlil was playing. The beam had intensified and so did the screams of all the tortured souls within Kyrel. He could slowly feel Kahlil starting to drain, but then he felt something horrible happen from within. He could feel his body covered in shrouds of darkness start to glow, and would try to break the drain from Kahlil. “The only way you’ll ever get them back is through my cold, dead corpse!” He growled out as he wasn’t ready to give them up to this one Jedi.
Kyrel reacted quickly, and soon his eyes settled on the form of Valery. Extending another hand out he would try to have her body jump from the ground, and into his grasp. Slowly holding Valery by her throat Kyrel looked at the Jedi with deadly intent. “Tell me Jedi… Which ones can you save? The woman you love, or the souls in the dark abyss? It’s either them or her…” He would say letting out a screech from the light he tried to put into him. Now Kyrel was testing Kahlil to see what would happen, or if Valery would wake up and try to struggle against him. Still he was all but determined to see what such madness would bring in such an ultimatum.
Objectives: Primary: CUSTOM — Help provide orbital cover for the evacuation of Final Dawn Assets. Secondary: OBJECTIVE 1 — Provide additional support to the Maw blockade efforts
Burtch wasn't too keen on intervening in the finer decisions of his junior officers and NCOs. All too often throughout history, the overbearing nature of senior officers would reduce the effectiveness of decisions made by frontline leaders. Especially amongst imperial navies.
He simply stood and observed as the two advance forces converged on one another. He paid close attention to the holodisplay while listening in on the comm traffic that could be heard from other stations on the bridge. He also received diagnostic feedback data through his Holy Communion Neural Implant, which had a level 5 setting.
The effect of Battle Meditation seemed to have notable bearing on the proficiency of the alliance fighter pilots. Despite the overwhelming barrage of the DZA fighters' cluster missile volleys, the X-wing pilots appeared to be able to rally a formidable coordinated defence. Many fighters were lost by the enemy in the initial salvos, but his own fighters were being challenged and matched. The X-wing counter attack had been otherwise comparable.
For every fighter that the Nomadic Peoples killed, they seemed to lose one in turn. Thankfully, the DZA fighters had excellent abort systems, and ejection seats. The commanding officer of the line of Corvettes wisely deployed their umbilically docked Thunderbird Assault Transports to carefully weave into the foray and scoop up the survivors.
They were also quick to pick up surviving EVA Alliance fighter pilots as prisoners as the opportunities presented themselves.
The gunnery exchange between capital ships was much more fruitful for Burtch and his fleet, but still incurred a cost. The Obstruction Interceptor Corvettes did a commendable job in providing gunship support for his fighters, but the took some hits. Sporadically, stray opportunistic x-wing pilots would take pop-shots at the line of corvettes and inflict cursory damage, as best as they could. The incurred damage seemed minimal for a time until one small flight of X-wing fighters managed to form up and exploit a small opening. The 4 fighters successfully broke through the foray and lined up a coordinated run on the Lady Uriel. Guided ordnance of some kind was fired at the corvette, and struck hard. The first half of the volley completely overloaded the forward shields, and the second half detonated on the upper bow, just in between the fire control array and the gravity well generator dome.
Burtch could mutedly feel the damage himself through his neural implant, and he sighed. The Voice of his own ship, Shii-Cho rang inside his head, Uriel is out of the fight, now. You should bring her back, Burtch.
Soon, I will,Burtch agreed. Uriel was a brave Angel with a fantastic service record. No one would question her courage if he ordered her retreat.
Aside from the from the defeat of Lady Uriel, the naval gunfight was going well for his forces. 3 of the small patrol frigates were wiped out in the barrage of his long range artillery, while a fourth succumbed to the overwhelming assault of his ION canon batteries. At this rate, his gunnery would likely drive back the alliance picket force.
Then, quite suddenly, swarms of Final Dawn fightercraft seemed to materialize into the foray. The sheer numbers seemed to have little trouble overwhelming the advance force of X-wings. The enemy commander showed sound judgment and ordered a tactical withdrawal with adequate fire support coverage. One of Burtch's DZA squadrons seemed to get swept up in the retreat and were carelessly drawn under the waiting guns of the light corellian carriers. Overextended from their Gunship support, the entire fighter unit was easily shredded by flak canons. Burtch felt his chest tighten at the careless loss of angels and pilots, but there was nothing for it. Mistakes killed good people, but mistakes would happen all the same.
Just then, orders came in over the comm from FDS Prophet. Marlon Sularen, being in nominal command of the joint forces for this mission, was ordering Burtch to fire on a captured Mawite star destroyer. Burtch keyed called up a basic scan of the ship on his holodisplay. It was a refitted Imperial Class Star Destroyer. Ancient vintage. The chief gunnery officer stepped over to share in the image and he grunted something of a mix between confidence and disappointment. He then looked at Burtch and said, "ISDs… old ships, sir. Even refitted, they have consistent space-frame structural limitations that are overly well-known for the past few centuries. I'm amazed that they still keep popping up like this, honestly."
Burtch raised an eyebrow at the man, "So, dismantling it should be easy for you then?"
The man scoffed with a hint of arrogance, "ISDs are used as simulator practice for teaching surgical gunnery, sir. I'm well acquainted with what goes where on those old relics."
Burtch gestured with an open hand, "then be my guest, commander. Do you think you can handle the enemy light carriers and the star destroyer at the same time?"
Instead of answering Burtch's question directly, the Commander puffed out his chest, straightened his spine and began to bellow his orders in a baritone voice, "Helm control, listen up! Bring the bows of our four star destroyers to split the angle between the alliance carrier fleet and the Mawite Star Destroyer! Portside L91s will target the star destroyer, and aim for space frame studs! The starboard L91s will target the three correllian pocket carriers that are screening our fighters. Full salvo fire! Open with bracketing fire from the cholesterol guns so that we can plug that data into the TECMIS software!"
"Execute!" Burtch ordered, affirming the gunnery chief's set of commands. He then turned his attention to the lone, disabled patrol frigate, now left behind by its comrades. The next course of action became fairly obvious to him.
"Flight Control," Burtch ordered, "instruct Lady Uriel to grab that disabled frigate with her tractor beams and drag it back to our fleet. Keep hitting it with ion cannons to keep it from surprising us. When it gets here, have Lady Soresu capture it inside her ventral hangar bay and commence boarding action. Then have Lady Uriel dock inside of Shii-Cho for field repairs. We'll see if we can get her fire control back online quickly enough. If nothing else, we can keep her from being shot at. In the meantime, keep the rest of the advance force where they are to maintain control over the enemy front line. I want to try and force them to expose an opening so that Marlon Sularen's bombers can penetrate their formation."
The order was accepted and executed promptly. Burtch took a moment to watch out the viewport.
All of a sudden, the entire ship shook with salvo after salvo! It was strange, seeing all the guns firing at once in two different directions. The guns were sharing one trigger for added accuracy and compounding impact, but were shooting at different targets at the same time. The opposing recoil cancelled itself out for the ship as a whole, with minimal compensation by the engines, giving them a chance to cool down after the last barrage.
TSEEEEER!! TSEEEEER!!
TSEEEEER!! TSEEEEER!!
The L91 long range turbolasers marched into the night with a steady, rhythmic cadence, tossing salvo after salvo into the seemingly endless void…
TLDR:
Roughly 2 squadrons of DZA Fighters are lost in the dogfighting.
As he continued to pick off Mawites with his sniper rifle, while scanning for his next target he caught sight of Galactic alliance troops heading in his direction he decided the need to pay for their betrayal of the empire.
<C> Ciper 8 to Eclipse squad, GA troops heading our way initiate vengeance protocol 2-1 -delta.<C>
and with that in between ambushing mawites, they began planting bombs around the district as they moved, so when the GA forces made it to this section of the district, not only would not only have to contend with remaining Mawites but the sudden explosions of the bombs.
As the chaos and blood continued Rancor squad had successfully sliced the door to the holo communications building, and we now fighting their way to the main control hub blaster fire and blood spatter from vibroblades of Mawites and imperial filled the dark corridors and the squad moved forward. finally, with few casualties of their own, and a lot more casualties to the Mawites they made it into the control hub, they jammed a data spike in the main control hub, and while the data spike downloaded and sent Maw com encryption codes and protocols to IMPCOM the squad set charges to take the communications hubs and maker for an air strike to finish off the building. Once all the charges were placed in the communication hub and the download complete, the squad quickly made their way out of the building, and to a safe distance and detonated charges.
<Rancor Squad to dread wing, requesting bombing run Frobiden district, section 45 mark 80 target maker in place and active. <C>
<Dread wing to Rancor squad, request approved, bombers are inbound ETA 5 minutes.<C>
5 minutes later a distinctive roar could be heard overhead as 3 TIE/HB Bruiser flew over dropping a mix of Blazer, and Concussion bombs on the holo communication building, leaving nothing but a smoking, burning husk
<Rancor squad to Cipher 8 Object Bravo successfully completing moving to position for objective Gundark <C>
<C>Cipher 8 copy, Rancor squad, good luck I'll rendezvous with you shortly.<C>
<C> Eclipse squad to Cipher 8 The gifts for friends in the GA are in place radius for 3 city blocks, Moving the Objective Gundark. <C>
<C> Cipher 8 Copy rendezvous with Rancor Squad, I'll meet you booth at checkpoint Gama.<C>
Col'dral pick off a few Mawites, and tapped and few commands out on vanbrace set to the bombs to explode when GA, or Jedi personnel were in close proximity. before packing up his sniper rifle, and stealthily heading off to arranged checkpoint for the attack on the citadel
"Thank you," Valery said with a pained smile as Kahlil stood beside her, and went straight into the path of Kyrel's life-draining beam. Valery had been able to resist most of it, but the punches and impact against the wall had stunned her enough to allow his corruption to claw away at her presence. It wasn't nearly enough to take her out of this fight, but she was relieved that her husband stepped in to stop it.
Slowly, she began to push herself up from hands and knees while he summoned another rune, and turned the Wrath's attack against him. She could feel it — the Light — as it reached out to the souls trapped within Kyrel Ren. They were starting to fight back against the darkness he kept them in, but it was going to take a lot more to set them all free. Perhaps the only way would be to destroy his darkness from the Galaxy.
"We will-" Valery's voice cut out as she felt the Force grip tightly around her throat. Her eyes widened and her body abruptly moved several feet through the air, until she was able to resist and stop herself. The Master of Ren kept pulling on her body while he applied pressure to her throat, but her resistance kept her levitating above the floor under immense pressure. Pain surged through the bond once more, and the lights of the room they were in started to grow dim for Valery.
"Tell me Jedi… Which ones can you save? The woman you love, or the souls in the dark abyss? It's either them or her…"
"No..." Valery replied, her voice strained and her body under immense stress. But her willpower was stronger than ever before and allowed her to finally push through. The grip he held on her throat ceased, and as she landed on her feet once more, Valery's fiery eyes were burning with conviction. There was only one way this could end. "You're not going to kill me," she assured him, as her hand found its strength around the hilt of her lightsaber.
While Kahlil became the shield of the souls trapped within, Valery would be the sword they needed.
With another burst of speed, and hopefully with Kahlil's support, Valery closed the distance to the Master of Ren. Tendrils of light and flame seemed to glow around her arms, as she lashed out with a first attack, one much more powerful than those that came before and without sacrificing her speed. It was time for the Sword of the Jedi to live up to her name and purge the darkness she had sworn to destroy.
Due to the extreme pain he was in he almost didn't sense the danger flying towards his back at that moment, his blade having only inflicted a shallow cut on Quintessa
. And he was only able to roll out of way at the last moment, though another grazed his shoulder, sending sharp spurs of pain as he dived, deflecting the other chakram.
He spun the staff in a defensive barrier around him as he headed towards her, a vicious series of slashes coming from up high to try and thwart her attempt at jumping away from him. But the pain was immense. He powered through it. He had to or his Soldiers could die.
Location: Exegol, Hon Zduul Plateau Engaging: Silhana Cadera
Silhana blows up one of Kralmus's grenades while it's on his belt, damaging his armor
He is thrown into his own cooking fire, where he taunts her one last time and then dies
And I hate you for it. Kralmus smiled at those words - the nasty, condescending grin of a schoolyard bully who has needled his victim into saying something embarrassing. In his mind, within his own petty, insane thoughts, he'd won. He had made Silhana set aside her Mandalorian code of honor, temporarily put down her moral scruples, so that she could deal with him. That was almost as good as killing her, because he had forced her to change who she was. Her meat, when he devoured it, would be flavored with the bitter tang of shame. "Aww, poor little Pinkie," he mocked. "I did you a favor, really. All that 'do the right thing' baggage was holding you back, making you soft."
He chuckled nastily. "When they told you 'cheaters never prosper', they were lying to you. Cheaters win."
Silhana rolled with the force of Kralmus's strike, keeping the mighty blow from cleaving her in half, and came up in a crouch. That was fine. He had the advantage of reach, his long weapon more than capable of covering the distance between them, and he wasn't nearly as banged up as she was after the missile strike. He was certain he could wear her down, tire her out until she could no longer dodge his blows. There would be no escape this time; his ring of gravity traps was still active, keeping her from leaving the plateau unless she shut them down, and she wouldn't have time to disable them with him right on her tail. He had her right where he wanted her. Soon he'd be roasting her whole.
Or so he thought... for Kralmus had made a mistake when he had chosen his huge arsenal for this fight.
I'm so sorry, Kralmus. "For wha-" the cannibal began, his voice mocking, an instant before Silhana's blaster bolt struck home. It slammed into one of the high-explosive grenades he wore at his belt, and the detonite core activated immediately. There was a flash of bright orange and a deafening bang. For Kralmus Orr, there was shock and pain. He was hurled through the air, blasted and battered, his armor cracked by the force of the explosive going off while pressed against it. He flew right back into the pit he had blasted into the plateau, slamming into the end of one of the pine logs he'd cut. The splintered wood pierced the damaged plates of his armor, impaling him through the shoulder.
Kralmus Orr, the Mad Mawite Mandalorian, the eater of his own people's flesh, began to roast on his own cooking fire.
The cannibal looked down, his yellow eyes wide, at the thick trunk that had impaled him. He could feel his left lung collapsing, blood pouring from the wound, his flesh beginning to char. Oh, the irony! He laughed, high and long and loud, the mad laughter of a man who sees that the galaxy has played a dark joke on him from which there is no escape. Slowly that laughter trailed off, ending in a gurgle. With the last of his strength, Kralmus looked up at Silhana, his gaze full of grim amusement. "Well done, killer," he rasped out. "Always knew you had it in you!" Then his head sagged against his chest, his muscles going limp. The feral yellow light left his eyes with his last breath.
He'd gone out fighting, as any true Mandalorian should. He had just one regret as consciousness left him...
... he was too deep into the fire to cook evenly. His meat would be burnt and bad-tasting.
The lightning struck, she appeared from inside the tent, and Jand's gray eyes narrowed.
Starfall.
The monster had died, yet it seemed she was back, which spoke of the power some were able to wield. There was no understanding of how, who or why, but that didn't matter to Jand, as all he saw was the same individual that had been defeated... albeit with a considerable stay in the Alliance's bacta treatment ward.
Jand took a step toward the monster, as he called out to Corazona--
"Starfall is lethal, I will enga--"
--but was stopped, as another individual materialized from Force Stealth in close proximity, and Jand's surrounding area was lit up with sound and light of Force lightning. If there was one dark side technique that the Nagai despised, it was the lightning, especially as he had been the recipient of such an attack at the hands of Tegan Starfall in their last encounter to near-fatal levels.
But that also meant Jand had taken it upon himself to improve his defense against that weakness.
* Crack-zzzzzzt! *
Jand's blue lightsabers caught the brunt of the attack, as he shifted his weapons slightly in his defensive stance, which caused a whine of energy as both sources clashed. Across the way, it seemed Starfall wanted to toy with the noble Padawan, which meant the Nagai had to work quickly to engage the monster and take attention away from Corazona.
"Agent, support Corazona," Jand shouted, with Dominik Borra
in mind, though he didn't take his eyes from the humanoid that fired lightning. "I will deal with the apprentice and then assist!"
With a grimace, Jand began to push against the lightning, and began to advance step by step as light and sparks surrounded his form. All the while, the pale-skinned Padawan knew time was not on Corazona's side, though already the disparity of power could be felt between both dark side users; and, while the humanoid - Darth Solgun - was strong, Starfall's apprentice had no idea what he faced:
F I N A L -E C L I P S E OBJECTIVE 2 | PHASE 2 | LANDFALL - MEAT GRINDER LOCATION: ADVANCING [ The Forbidden District ] ALLIES: IMPERIAL FORCES FOES: MAWITES - GALACTIC ALLIANCE - NON-IMPERIALS TAGS: Col'dral Renfro
2nd Post
"Mortar Squadron MS-Z-10-Gamma, request for assistance has been accepted. Please standby Lightning Squad." A Local Technical-Unit spoke into Imperial Ground Comms, the request for support being accepted. A loud 'BLOB', 'BLOB', was distributed throughout the locality as the flash of a bright-beacon was sent airborne from a clandestine area quite some distance from the Logistical Outpost. A loud 'SCREECHHH' followed by 'ZZZZss, BOOM!!!" was implanted into 312's eardrums as the Outpost was hit by Artillery Rounds from an WG-211 Walker's Howitzer Gun; the building collapsing heavily in on some parts.
"Strike has been successful. Infrastructure destroyed...Wait-" The Agent paused looking into the distance.
"Uff, Uff..STOP! WE'RE POWS! WE'RE POW'S!!! I'M IMPERIAL...THERE'S SOME INJURED GA POW'S ASWELL!!" A lady yelled in a raspy voice, middle-aged, buff, definitely a soldier. Her skin was incredibly bruised from endless labor & torture. Some moments passing before more laborers limping out, insignias on their collars, she wasn't lying.
"Settle down. We're apart of the Invasion Force & and are here to help." TK-112 said, shaking the Imperial POW's hand before stepping back. As for 312, well, he was standing some distance back quiet; his index & middle finger holding something on the side of his helmet.
"Yes sir, Prisoners-of-War sir, Imperial? Yes sir...Yes there are..some sir. Cipher 8 & his group are deployed if correct sir. Of course sir...Mobility?..Yes sir." 312 spoke into his helmet, communicating with someone on the other line before killing it. Walking forward he switched to his secondary weapon before priming it. <<"No Quarters, TK-112..No Quarters.">> he said scrambling his voice as TK-112 nodded.
"POW!! POW! RUNN! POW! POW! POW!!!" The duo opening fire on the POW's, gunning the Imperial down before turning on the GA Pow's and spraying into the small group of laborers. 312 walking forward and stomping his boot multiple times on a POW's face before firing once into his chest. Banality of Evil, it was everywhere, the Emperor dead, High-Command being Idle bureaucrats, the old Imperialistic formats and perhaps some Sith-Imperial Cultural elements reminiscent of the old Empire was returning.
"Huff...Huff...Huff. Imperial Intelligence Units, requesting to converge as a large strike force. I repeat, converge, Mawites are turning tail...Killing POW's...We have to end this threat. Lightning Squadron moving on." The Agent being out of breath from doing something so simple as pulling a trigger. He had orders to push forward, and to commit some clandestine acts. The ISB-Agent nodding at 112 before walking away. The Stormtrooper examining the destruction before stepping back and shacking his head; perhaps he didn't realize what he was doing..Then again, orders are orders, 112 interpreted the situation as the POW's being a threat to Order & Stability...Because someone higher ranked recognized them as said threat without asking the question of whether or not they are a 'threat'.
The creature’s shoulder burned easily, as though his flesh were kindling. Thelma continued her assault—only to receive a face full of thick, billowing gas. She stumbled backwards, coughing.
Through bleary eyes, she saw the quills moving toward her and reacted swiftly. Her blade vaporized two of them, but one slipped through her defense, lodging itself in the soft cartilage between two ribs. Stifling a cry of pain, she grasped the end of the quill, yanked it out, and tossed it away.
Even as she did so, the gas began to cloud her mind. She staggered, falling to her knees, before falling in a heap on the tarmac. Curiously, the blood leaking from her side ceased to flow once she fell unconscious…
Stripped of her connection to the Force, a face in the mirror that was not her own, on a planet far from those she loved, Ala had awoken strapped to a slap of metal as a mere experiment for the flights of fancies held by those that craved immortality. She had escaped that day. Making her way through the acidic rain of the outside world. Had it not been for the pity of a merchant on a one-off supply run to an isolated medical research facility, Ala would have died that day in a puddle of acidic rain. Nothing would have been left to be found. Instead, she had been returned to the Jedi, disfigured, barely alive, and with fragmented memories of what had occurred.
"You speak from a place of ignorance," Ala said calmly, her aura in the Force pushing against the darkness that encroached at all sides, "I do not deem to belittle the pain that you have suffered, but I do stand before you as proof that there is another way."
Unsurprised with the ease at which he had dealt with the makeshift projectile, Ala simply stood and shook her head. "We stand here today. Witnessing the Maw's defeat and you question Jedi conviction?"
Behind her the tower groaned again, some of the masonry cracking with pieces falling to the ground at Ala's feet. The Jedi Master turned off her lightsaber blades.
"The Dark Side has blinded you to the alternatives. If the woman you speak of is lead by the Dark Side, she is as much a fool as you..."
Eyes closed briefly in concentration in concert with uplifted arms. Her lips curled as her mind slipped over the Force enabled grasp of the tower behind her, before dropping to her knees and bringing her hands to the ground. The tower behind her fell forward towards both Sith and Jedi Masters alike. Beneath the invited rubble, in a small pocket of a Force created barrier, Ala felt as each piece of the tower bounced off her mind and the shield that it created around her.
Verin
