Fly High, Die High - GR Invasion Of OS Ord Mirit

[Tes Dralyn]

Objective: B
Location: Sector 4
Allies: One Sith and Allies | [member="Sena Lassiter"] and [member="Ameli Trahir"]
Enemies: Republic and Allies | [member="Andras Garon"]
Gear: 2x Hunting Knives
Music: Flight Path

With her cutting hand pulled off course, the 'slice of life' stopped... but not before doing some damage. The blood was slick and it lapped at the back of her other hand, close as that hand was to the incision. It was warm and she caught a whiff of the telltale metallic scent that spoke success to her, and even if it was not whole, it still put a rise in her. Already she had a plan in place as to what to do next, as she found herself pinned under her prey and moving faster than a Forceless heathen was capable of on his own, dragged across the floor of the room with her back hard to the duracrete; it didn't cross her mind that she should be glad the floor wasn't any more coarse.

Change of plan - no plan but to do without thinking.

She could feel the heat caused by this friction, the friction itself making short work of what clothing covered the back of her torso, leaving little more than tatters. Her remaining hand had begun to slip by the time the duracrete went to work on her flesh, peeling away one layer of skin at the points it made the least contact, and two layers where her back pressed in hardest, with more to begin stripping away when the burn of the jetpack would cease. In that time, she was aware that she wouldn't be able to get away, with the heathen still having a firm grip on her other arm. She still held the knife, but it was useless where it was, and the fingers of her other hand were slipping, slipping, slipping...

As much as her tolerance for pain was high, there wasn't much she could do to mitigate it as it reached her threshold without sacrificing the attention she needed for the current situation. It gnawed at her thoughts, but she gritted her teeth and when the right moment came and her hand slipped, the fingers - as many of them as she could manage - sought to find purchase in the deep gash she had created in his neck. There would be no need to pull at the corner of the wound on purpose, for the momentum, the gravity effect brought on by the jetpack would force the pull anyway.

And for the first time since putting a knife to his throat, she had a few words to share with him, mind to mind:

Nice try, heathen. You won't be rid of me so easily...

Only then did she let herself scream.

 

[Andras Garon]

Objective: B
Sector 4
Allies: The Republic
Enemies: One Sith| [member="Tes Dralyn"] [member="Sena Lassiter"] [member="Ameli Trahir"]
Gear:

Spoiler

Andras Neo Crusader Armor
Beskad
Fett Kel Trenchknife
E-17 Assault Rifle
AT-1 Wrist Slugthrower
Force Breaker Grenades x2
Smoke Grenades x2

​

...the Jet Pack had ignited, rocketing Andras and Tes across the duracrete floor away from Sena and Ameli. The Wrist Slugthrower had run dry seconds after spewing a fully automatic feed of bullets blindly at the two Sith Acolytes. Andras wasn't even sure he'd hit either of them but he had more pressing concerns like that woman attached to his back, holding on and attempting to skewer him like a blood crazed horror. At first Andras thought she'd let go, he believed that the friction from being drug across the duracrete would pull her off of him but he greatly miscalculated the determination of Tes Dralyn. It was until she sunk several of her fingers into the wound on the side of his neck that he discovered just how much he may of underestimated her desire though...

...the pain came hot and real with the rich red that spilled from the side of his neck and underneath his helmet Andras actually howled..."Aaaaarrrrgggghhhh!"...it came like one would imagine someones fingers clawing in them would. Nasty business. Instinctively Andras would lift his left arm, the wrist slugthrower all but useless without being reloaded, clapping it over Tes's forearm in an attempt to minimize her ability to pull at him but due to the friction of the Jet Pack it had only minor success. Then the Mandalorian would suffer from momentary blindness...

...Sena Lassiter had done all sorts of electrical damage to his armor. The Jump Servos in his boots fluctuated wildly before failing. The Datapad on his right arm went dark. Helmet systems flashed too, then went dark and then were replaced by the standard vision his visor offered. It was a hell of a mess. Maybe the only good thing that came of it all was that the Jet Pack would take him and Tes a ways away from Sena and Ameli ensuring they had ground to cover before they could be on the attack again...

...the loss of several systems in his armor was minor in Andras mind as he contended with Tes. The Jet Pack was still hot and heavy, the Mandalorian wasn't willing to switch it off yet. Instead Andras did two things concordantly. Tes might notice that the grip of Andras left hand was rough, maybe just the gauntlets he wore, that was actually because of the Stealth 2VX-Palm Shooter integrated into the palm of his armor. Tensing the muscles of his forearm was all it took to unload a dart into Tes where he was holding onto her. The Dart was coated with a standard paralytic drug, it would numb her body and make it difficult to move while dulling her mind until she was completely incapacitated. The Palm Shooter was loaded with three such darts, Tes only potentially took one of them though....

...and the Palm Shooter wasn't all. Andras finally decided to allow the Jet Pack to deactivate. In the rush of a moment the rocket momentum that had been carrying them, dragging Tes, ceased and Tes would only feel the weight of Andras pressing down over her as he body was used to slow them from a potential 50mph to 0mph. Andras pulled with his left hand he tried to worm Tes's fingers out of that bloody wound while gasping, words were beyond him at this point, and still contending with her other arm which he'd taken in his right hand he tried to bring it out furth to his side and crush it down against the duracrete beside them. Maybe it would rip the knife out of her hold...or her fingers off of her hand...

...eventually they'd come to a halt, skidding slower and slower with Andras ontop of Tes. Sena? Ameli? They'd see Andras moving, mostly his legs, slow and sluggish as could be expected his only saving grace being that he -might- have more time to recover while the covered distance in this section of the factory towards him...​

 

[Lucianus Adair]

Objective: B
Location: Sector 2
Allies: One Sith and Allies
Enemies: Republic and Allies | [member="Dair Cotarin"]
Gear: [Weaponry] 2x lightsabers, 2x Derriphan's Eye | [Trinkets] 1x Ring of Aza'zoth
Music: Hellraiser

One eyebrow crept upward.

"My dark lord?"

He shook his head: right, left, then center and set eyes on the Jedi as pale and cold as the frigid surety that Jedi displayed. "It is promising to know that your sanity remains intact... at least to some extent," he said, finally, "where it falters is in the assumption that can be derived from your demand - that I am unreasonable for getting in your way."

He frowned, the faintest tinge of a sneer lifting one end of his mouth for but a brief moment.

"Wars are not won by asking nicely, Jedi," he chided, not reaching for a weapon as of yet, "and perhaps this explains the abominable state of your government. If this world is wanted so, then you must take it," and he spared a partial second of a glance at the hilt the Jedi held, then continued with his condescending tone, "as it is the way of life itself to be self-serving, to take what one wants and do what one must to get it, whatever the cost. Veiled threats will get you nowhere."

Eyes lifted to find the face of the misguided one, again.

"What will it be, Jedi? Will you take that which you believe is yours, or will I have to put up with more of your fruitless attempt to get me to 'see reason'? Decide quickly, before I decide for you."

 

[Darth Ophidia]

Objective: B.
[SIZE=9pt]Location: Section 7.
Allies: [member="Darth Venefica"], [member="Darth Veles"], [member="Jardo Snow"], [member="Darth Ferus"].
Enemies: [member="Aela Talith"], [member="Micah Talith"], [Engaging) [member="Jacen Voidstalker"].
Gear:

Spoiler

Lightsabre.

Spoiler

[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]Hidden Blade[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt], [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]Assassin Armour[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt], [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]Portable Shield,[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt] DL-44 heavy blaster, and a vibrodagger.[/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]

[/SIZE]

[SIZE=9pt]Her force-attack had some effect at least, sending her opponent into a tumble rather than grinding him against the ground. When her opponent begun his movement, she could already tell he was an experienced swordfighter. His balance, the way he moved his feet and held his blade. Of course, swordplay was one of Ophidia’s most precious skills as well. She turned her right shoulder to the man, making herself a narrow target and extending the reach of her weapon as she held it one-handed. The point of her weapon went from pointing diagonally to the floor to pointing at the space between her opponent’s eyes, following his every movement and keeping her safe behind the long bloodshine blade.

She kept close watch on him and let him approach her. Her weight shifted to the balls of her feet, allowing her swift and sure footwork and even though she was churning with hatred for this figure, she had a certain stillness about her. Much like the viper awaiting the perfect moment to strike with its venom fangs. She seemed to sway a little back and forth, obscuring a potential step to the side.

If his blade continued on the same trajectory towards her chest, then her scarlet blade would touch his yellow one lightly while she would make a fleeting step to the outside of his leading hand and with a motion of her wrist attempt to quickly strike at Jacen's hand. She did not need to sever it, just incapacitate the thumb. In any case, it would create a reaction. Then it would indeed be on.[/SIZE]

 

[Aela Talith]

Objective: B-7
Location: Outside the Depot
Allies: [member="Micah Talith"] | [member="Zaren Bouqi"]
Enemies: Darth Veles | Darth Ophidia | Darth Ferus | Darth Venefica
Gear: Drexl Leather Armor, Lightsaber, Covenant Ring, Hair Pins, Bracers

She felt the heat in her lightsaber and immediately knew what was happening. The Sith had stopped moving, the force flowed around him, and the simple metal hilt of her lightsaber picked up the heat quite well. She had seen one of the Sith do this on Telti, and knew what it meant. Within half a second of feeling the rising heat Aela shut off her lightsaber, cutting the power and tucking the lightsaber behind her back to cut off the Sith's line of sight to her saber.

Then she raised her free palm, her lungs filling with a deep breath.

A wave of the force hurled into the air. Not towards the Sith, but instead simply lifting particles from the ground. Rock, dust, and whatever else sat on the floor of the supply depot exploded out into the air, causing a thick cloud of debris to form around herself and the Sith.

 

[Tålamod Shapochka]

Objective: A for Animosity
Location: Champion-class star destroyer Admiral Ackbar
Enemies: One Sith, [member="Irys Arist'lar"], [member="Nulgath Zardai"]
Allies: [member="Gir Quee"], [member="Ryan Korr"], [member="Taeli Raaf"], [member="Torin Varik"]

"Opposition is already inbound, Captain," Tålamod's commander reported. "We arrived a little off-target for our jump exit." Already, several fighter squadrons and a pair of quick capital ships were closing in on the Admiral Ackbar.

Captain Shapochka turned quickly to her HUD to get her bearings on the big picture situation, then hurried up to the bridge viewport to observe the clash with her own eyes--ocular and superphysical. Being half-Miraluka, she could grasp the location and masses of the incoming attackers, but could not feel beyond that. She did not sense the souls of her opponents nor their shapes. But it all helped to make up for the fact that she was colorblind, and increased her awareness beyond. Perhaps that was the one thing she was imparted with in consolation for her physically excruciating childhood--to see at a transcendental view but be spared the agony of souls in the throes of death.

"That is a death charge," the captain scoffed as she watched the Scythe-class propel at full speed. "No patience. Leave him to live for a moment longer." She was steely calm for now, her wrath boiling beneath in preparation of her judgment on the Sith occupiers of this world. The careless corvette captain was her opponent, but he was not her enemy. She would have her crews focus on the more demanding problems at hand.

Not that the Ackbar's operators should ignore the Scythe-class vessel. Any ship that would make such a run posed a threat, no matter how heavily or lightly armed it may be. But it was low on the priorities. Shapochka had received orders from the admiral to unload half her hypervelocity cannons on the Maladi-class. "Follow orders. Fire immediate!" she barked, rushing to the shielding operators. The destroyer itself experience a muffled trembling as the force exerted in the HVC salvo was felt by the hull. "Shields switch mainly to front and port. Steal power from the propulsion and backup generators," the captain ordered, manually adjusting bow and portside shield allotment herself. The officers ducked underneath the reach of her pale arms while focusing on diverting power from systems less essential to integrity preservation.

Still working the shield controls, Tålamod continued delivering commands. "Lighter weapons, focus is on fighters, yes. All deployed squadrons defend the stern. We need an open field, yes." The Champion-class warship's mass driver cannons were loaded with scattershot ammunition, capable of thinning out fighter groups and taking the edge off a snubfighter sortie. "All drivers, fire on readiness." The sixty mass drivers on the Republic star destroyer unleashed their spread rounds into the strafing fighters, bombers, and gunships in a tremendous salvo, hoping to spread a net that would leave little room for even the lowest-profiled of interceptors to escape.

Shattering shield plating and the shredding of a dozen gun mountings could be seen out the bridge viewport. The nearby Watchdog-class vessel had projected its jamming signals to alter targeting and fuzz up the attacking ships' scopes, and had done well enough to prevent a huge volley from landing hits. However, damage was obviously inevtiable, and one segment on the ventral portside set off alarms to quarantine the zone until resulting oxygen depletion could be negated.

It was a tough setting to jump right into. But Shapochka would be damned if she missed out on her vengeance.

 

[H3xle]

Objective: B
Location: Sector 2
Allies: Republic
Enemies: One Sith, [member="lucianus adair"]
Gear: Winter, Jedi Guardian Armor


"Such is the difference in us. You see life as a series of conflicts that must be overcome. I see life as a series of peaceful periods that are set upon in violent ways by those who either know no better or feel they are owed something." Dair spoke, his eyes remaining on the Sith Lord. "It is a sad thing that the Sith do not vie for peace. Your goal of violently overtaking the galaxy will cause generations of needless conflict. But, I shall not attempt to sway you anymore, it would insult both of our intelligence. The Republic is taking this world for the obvious reasons."

Dair raised his light saber and saluted as he ignited it. Pale blue light washed from it, its pure aura combining with Dair's own one of peaceful, winter cold. Without further grandstanding, Dair moved swiftly in. He maintained his weight above his feet, keeping a good center of balance as he struck out in a classic combination. Feinting slash from right to left, a quick turn and twist of the wrist to change the momentum from slash to thrust at the Sith Lord's midsection. Dair was intending this to be a probing attack, and thus not over committing to anything, but also not likely to do very much damage. Dair wanted to see how the Sith Lord responded, and intended to adapt his style as needed over the length of the fight. He had to fight intelligently, as he felt his opponent was the more advanced of the two of them.

Spoiler

Initiating the combat is always the most awkward for me, so I am sorry for the short post.

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Objective: B (Been such a long time coming)
Location: Section 1
Allies: [member="Darth Atrophia"]
Enemies: Corvus Raaf
Gear: So many aspects of her personality to choose from
Theme: I’ve completely lost myself…and I don’t mind

Spoiler

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kw2Ic_2XdVQ

Spoiler

‘Under your spell again.
I can't say no to you.
Crave my heart and it's bleeding in your hand.
I can't say no to you.

Shouldn't let you torture me so sweetly.
Now I can't let go of this dream.
I can't breathe but I feel...

Good enough,
I feel good enough for you.

Drink up sweet decadence.
I can't say no to you,
And I've completely lost myself, and I don't mind.
I can't say no to you.

Shouldn't let you conquer me completely.
Now I can't let go of this dream.
Can't believe that I feel...

Good enough,
I feel good enough.
It's been such a long time coming, but I feel good.

And I'm still waiting for the rain to fall.
Pour real life down on me.
'Cause I can't hold on to anything this good enough.
Am I good enough for you to love me too?

So take care what you ask of me,
'cause I can't say no.’

Two people started this conversation. Old fashioned Jedi and Sith banter, Dun Möch and inverse counters too. But by now there were too many participants to track. And yet, to the untrained eye, there were still just of the two of them present.

The Sith Lord was still there and easily accountable for. But Corvus was in pieces - quite literally.

Some of it was based on biology. Not psychology, biology. The outer brain — the neocortex, corresponds with the "what" level of information. This was the Jedi that was present in the conversation and was responsible for all of Corvus’ rational and analytical thought and language.

But her limbic brain that was responsible for all of her feelings and decision-making was the truly Corvus part of the dialogue. Except this aspect had a developed age of four — the last time she’d allowed it free reign to influence decisions. And worst still and it has no capacity for language.

Suddenly the emotional Corvus was allowed to do what every other human took for granted — to drive behaviour. Except it quite simply didn’t know what to do. And like any child — it looked for a grown-up for guidance — and found one. And so she answered each and every question as honestly as she could, hoping to find favour.

"Tell me, Corvus, have you ever fallen in love?”

Corvus shook her head. “I haven’t.” Her cheeks flushed. She was honest and didn’t know if this was a good answer or not. Was she supposed to have? She was in her mid-twenties after all.

"I do not ask if you have lost your first kiss.."

Again Corvus shook her head, unaware this was not meant to be answered. “Do I disappoint you? I have never kissed anyone. That’s OK isn’t it?” Again there was a pleading in her voice. She so desperately sought approval, it was dripping from every syllable.

They were so close now. Either could move against the other and there was every chance they would be unable to defend themselves. Yet despite the battle raging around them, Corvus was totally oblivious — she only had attention for the Sith Lord.

"That feeling of emptiness, when you stare into the eyes of that person. When you feel every ounce of pity you have to give, grieve over their mistakes, and seek them out believing to be doing what is best only for them; not a children's tale."

Corvus’ head cocked to one side. This was nothing she’d ever felt — or truthfully heard of. She never discussed other’s feelings or relationships and wondered why anyone would fall in love if this was the outcome. The logical part of her brain started to nudge into the debate again. These words were not meant for a Jedi.

Yet Coci had married hadn’t she? Yes, and she was a fine Jedi and a woman. Why was she, Corvus, denied this?

"Your every choice hinges on their every word, your actions depend on where they might be, and every waking or sleeping moment is occupied by the image of their face."

The Sith Lord’s proximity felt…Corvus had no words for the sensation. It was…pleasurable but at odds with anything she’d felt before. Was it love? And of so, was it like that she felt for her mother or sisters?

She didn’t think so.

"When the very warmth of your heart leaves you for them, providing them the protection you so desperately crave."

And then a brief silence.

"Do you know what love is, truly?”

Once more Corvus shook her head. Her face flushed again. Was this shame she felt? It made her stomach ache and she wished the world would swallow her whole. She felt so…inadequate at the hands of what was clearly a more accomplished woman.

But there was a third force at work now. Freed from the barrier Corvus erected between the neocortex and limbic parts of her brain and now flooded with emotions, something she hadn’t felt since Alderaan entered her consciousness.

‘Listen to her. You are weak and naïve. Your thoughts sicken me yet often they betray you. The strong take what they want and the weak suffer at their hands.This one will show you the way. Only the strong survive because only the strong deserve to. We deserve to…’

‘You are a Jedi. First, foremost and only. There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no passion, there is serenity.’

‘Jedi lies. Through passion we gain strength. Search your feelings. You know this to be true. Do not spend the rest of your life denying what you desire. What you deserve. What you need.’

‘You are a J—‘

Corvus effectively shut her logical brain off – and trusted in not the Force, but her emotions.

“I do not know what love is — but take care what you ask of me, because I can't say no.”

 

[Darth Veles]

Objective: B
Location: 7
Allies: [member="Darth Venefica"], [member="Darth Ferus"], [member="Darth Ophidia"], [member="Jardo Snow"]
Enemies: [member="Aela Talith"], [member="Micah Talith"]
Gear: Clothes, lightsabers

The Jedi’s lightsaber swiftly vanished behind her back, its weird blade coloured by a mixture of pink and purple extinguishing with a disappointed hiss. Avreet’s gaze followed the hilt until it disappeared from his sight, the Mon Cal still looking in the direction as if his opponent’s body turned into transparent glass that allowed him to see right through her. The Jedi Master’s body acted almost as a wall, as if blocking the Sith Lord’s sight on the object of interest alone could stop the mysterious power of the Force from achieving its goal; it still offered him an option of reaching out and focusing his mind’s power into that little crystal residing within its cylinder cover that may and may not have been made out of lightsaber resistant material.

In the end, if the weapon exploded from within, it mattered little anyway. Phrik or durasteel; one dead or crippled Jedi was guaranteed. The pretty trophy would unfortunately be a goner as well, eliminating the possibility of Sith proudly displaying this extension of Jedi’s will on a wall.

The woman’s palm that menacingly hovered in the air again forced the Mon Cal to properly address this newest move of his opponent, one marking an incoming attack. Veles’ focus on the crystal suddenly broke; not because of the Jedi’s action of hiding it or even because he believed she was about to toss him backwards, but due to the fact the tip of his lightsaber moved forwards, going right through the air where a shimmering bubble used to be. No more hissing, no more barriers in the way, nothing. Another opportunity for him, another chance to strike her down provided he moved fast enough.

Excitement of this sudden turn of events flicked through his amber orbs and he lunged himself at her. One long stride that moved his body forward was followed by a powerful and quick thrust that moved the crimson blade towards the woman’s chest. The Sith’s other foot remained lightly planted on the ground, giving him the option of both retreating or advancing further, however he wished to assess the next few seconds. He did not care about what his opponent had done with the air, he no longer cared about the Jedi’s lightsaber either; all that mattered was her shielding technique, or rather the lack of it. The only thing blocking Veles’ path to her heart was gone.

 

[Ellie Mors]

Objective: B (Befriend but Betray)
Location: Section 1
Allies: [member="Corvus Raaf"]
Enemies: [member=Corvus Raaf]
Gear: Lightsabers, Singlet, Arm, Eyes
Theme: I Need You by Jars of Clay

Spoiler

[media]

Spoiler

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUIb3Q05cfE[/media]

​

If there was someone who could feel the rising doubt, the dark tug at Corvus' heart, it was the woman who presently stood so close with words of confusion whispered into her ears even as she held her in a loose embrace. While the Sith Lord knew her time was short - she had seen the vision so many years ago, before their duel on Prakith had ever taken place - but the Jedi would continue on living for years still. There was a strange feeling when you wanted something so selfishly that you wished to drag its connection through the dirt into the abyss with you, even as you walked through the shadows of impending doom, perverting that emotion that was called love. It was the knowledge of what she was doing, and the knowledge of why it was so wrong, that she both continued and loathed herself for it. Where the Grand Master had most certainly lost any naivete that there may be hope for people such as Atrophia, there was still the underlying and untouched emotion that had yet to bubbled up from beneath the slate gray of her intuitive mind. It only took one person, one loss, to ruin that experience forever, to make someone jaded to its touch, to reject it and deny its being. It was because of the experience that the galaxy as a whole believed its touch to be a lie, to have never existed - it was why the Jedi had denied the attachment to others, believing it led to a side of the force that shared contempt for that touch even more than their paranoid minds had.

Love.

In her embrace the Jedi had opened herself to the Sith's every word, every choice. There was no resistance, no pushing back, and pulling her head away from the woman's ear Silara could see the innocence in her eyes. There was something she had wanted to do, if only to do it before she, too, faded from the galaxy, but it was that openness, that fearless acceptance not of fate but of choice, that deterred the Sith's urge. Had she operating tear ducts, it would have been so obvious how difficult the Jedi had made this on her, and in her she saw more than just a shield for the Jedi Order, more than the woman that called herself such a warrior of light, more than the girl that had lost her everything. In stark contrast from Silara, Corvus had shut out the world when she had been most vulnerable, became almost robotic, opaque, in her persona. Silara, conversely, had ripped her heart open and pulled in every ounce of love, of hate, contempt, jealousy, greed, avarice and grief from the world, the galaxy, when she had been beaten, dragged through the mud, and starved in her youth. She had used that dark burden to brutally murder her own mother, to crush her with a telekinetic crushing embrace that showered her in the red hate that flowed through the woman's veins, and then had shot her father into oblivion with her Mandalorian mother's own pistol even as he failed to grasp the darkness that surrounded his daughter's shattered heart. So different were they, yet so similar. Skin-deep they were opposites in nearly every way, but to look into their souls they shared that same pain - only in a different method of expressing it. That grief which had brought the Sith to the Jedi so many times, seeking more than death, more than battle, more than redemption or corruption. It was the words on Prakith that she had wordlessly mouthed which she so desperately craved, and not from the man that had interrupted the confrontation between Sith lord and Jedi master that she had inadvertently directed her gaze at. The words had been meant for the woman that now stood before her, and again she repeated them, wordlessly, with absolutely no confidence in the minuscule weight with which they were carried.

​

 

[Tydeus of Tion]

OBJECTIVE: A

PC Template:

Spoiler

Location: Evasive Maneuvers, -> 0718
Allies: [member="Gir Quee"] | [member="Seraphina Shel'tah"] | [member="Torin Varik"] | [member="Taeli Raaf"]
Enemies: [member="Irys Arist'lar"]
Gear: x1 Stealth X, x1 lightsaber, x1 Korr's Combat Armor

NPC Fighter Wing:

Spoiler

x11 XJ-7 Stealth Xs: ->0718
x18 Scurrg H-6 Bombers: 0708 -> 0806
x18 R44 Snubfighters: 0709 -> 0807
x12 Shrike U-wings: 0609 -> 0807

Korr grit his teeth as he jerked up on the yoke and pulled away. He didn't need to see his target splinter apart like brittle metal smashed against a flagstone to know the shadow bombs had done their work. The sudden ripple of terror in the Force alerted him, soon followed by an abrupt silence as hundreds of lives snuffed out of existence. Ryan released a shaky breath before sucking in a lungful of air and tightening his grip on the controls. This was no time to lose focus to sentiment. He knew what came next.

The enemy could not detect his stealth fighters, but the sudden destruction rendered to their ship was as much a cue as any. There would be seconds of hesitation as orders were given and relayed down the chain of command and scans were made. To a discerning fleet commander there were only a handful of explanations for the sudden carnage ranging wildly from pure mechanical failure to infiltrating saboteurs. The most likely, however, were stealth torpedoes, or stealth squadron. Korr didn't want to stick around and see where the commander lay the blame.

"Evasive maneuvers," he said through the Meld, "Move for the other Sev'rance."

Alarms blared inside his cockpit seconds before flak painted the canvas of space in brilliant splashes of incandescent flame. Their fleeting beauty sprayed shrapnel through the blackness, polluting it with death. He could feel the frustration and anxiety of his wing mates pour through the Meld as they all battled silently for survival, a veil of transparisteel the only physical intermediary between their bodies and the merciless vacuum.

Ryan tugged on the controls, wheeling gracefully through space in dives and rolls that carried him away from incoming erratic laser fire and shards of metal with mere centimeters to spare. It seemed the fleet commander had made his decision. But the difference between knowing a stealth squadron was present and knowing its exact location could be compared to the knowledge that Firaxan sharks lurked somewhere beneath the murky surface of the ocean while one bobbed upon its waves. In short, while a select few might be able to distill productive results from the information, the general draft came out in flavors of fear and paranoia.

The Jedi Master's lips thinned at the thought. Inspiring that kind of reaction was exactly the reason he was loathe to use such underhanded tactics, but they had left him with no alternative. Besides, what did it matter? He was going to have to kill them all anyway...

Sudden alarm flared within the Meld. One of the pilots, Rikard, sent a spike of dread. Korr ground his teeth, sure that the next thing he would feel was an emptiness where Rikard's presence used to be. Instead, he heard a voice inside his head.

"Damn, I'm hit."

"Are you holding?" Korr looked over. He couldn't see Rikard's star fighter, but then... that was the point. Wait. He could make out a thin streak of vaporizing fluid con trailing behind an invisible shape. Blast. "Bug out, Rikard. Hyperspace. Now."

He could feel Rikard's unwillingness to leave the battle, but they all knew that if Rikard stayed he would be a danger to them all.

"Yes, Master Korr."

Rikard broke off, picking up of a trio of pursuing droid fighters that chased him for several heartbeats until he jumped to hyperspace and vanished from the meld and the battlefield.

The remaining stealth Xs managed to escape the area around the shattered Sev'rance, but were boxed off by entire wings of star fighters that clogged space between them and the other Se'vrance. Their advanced anti-sensor technology made the scanning efforts of the droid fighters and that of the capital ships futile. There was a reason why the Stealth X was not only incredibly rare, but outrageously expensive. There were only a handful of ways to detect them. One of them was a Gravitic Amplitude Modulator, installed as part of the Angel Eye Sensor system. The Stealth X's gravitic modulators could defeat a Crystal Gravfield Trap, but not a GAM wave. Fortunately, the range on the GAM was about 500 meters. Even if one of the ships in the Techno Union - One Sith fleet did contain one, they would have to be in fairly close proximity to pinpoint the enemy.

At the moment, Korr had enough on his mind without imagining a fleet of Techno Union ships equipped with Angel Eyes.

"Varik, change of plans. Converge with our flight. The target is the Tambor's bridge."

Korr's ships shrieked silently past watchful droid fighters and straight for the bridge of the Tambor. Stretching out in the Force, Korr released a shadow bomb and guided it toward the enemy's bridge. The four other pilots with him did the same. While the shadow bombs had the ability to rip apart the smaller carrier, Korr knew that they'd need a full wave to truly penetrate the shields and obliterate the bridge of the destroyer. If all went as envisaged in Korr's head, Varik would only be a few heartbeats behind and fire his flight's batch before the first wave even struck.

Losses: -1 NPC Stealth X (tactical withdrawal)

Target: Tambor-class Destroyer

As for the rest of the wing that had deployed from the Republic carrier, the U-wing interceptors, bombers and R44s pulled back at the sight of the approaching droid squadrons, unwilling to engage until they were beneath the cover of the guns of the capital ships. Once in proximity of the larger vessels, the bombers pulled back to the rear, while the snub fighters and interceptors turned to face the tide of enemy squadrons.

The miradyne communications jammers of the U-wings sought to play havoc with the all-important systems of the droid star fighters in an attempt to disrupt any semblance of cohesive tactics from the oncoming incursion.

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Objective: B (But if you never try you'll never know, Just what you're worth)
Location: Section 1
Allies and Enemies: Irrelevant
Theme: I promise you I will learn from my mistakes

Spoiler

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4eO_6kRiC0

Spoiler

‘When you try your best, but you don't succeed
When you get what you want, but not what you need
When you feel so tired, but you can't sleep
Stuck in reverse

And the tears come streaming down your face
When you lose something you can't replace
When you love someone, but it goes to waste
Could it be worse?

And lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
I will try to fix you

High up above or down below
When you're too in love to let it go
But if you never try you'll never know
Just what you're worth

And lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
I will try to fix you

Tears stream
Down your face
When you lose something you cannot replace
Tears stream down your face and I

Tears stream
Down your face
I promise you I will learn from my mistakes
Tears stream down your face and I

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you.’

And I will try to fix you.

The challenge with opening herself to emotions was that Corvus could not pick and choose which ones presented themselves. In a fairy-tale it would be love and happiness and those alone. But as much as she was experiencing those feelings, another was fighting for her attention the most.

Guilt.

She recognised it instantly. She’d felt it before…on Corellia, when her sister explained that due to Corvus’ actions, their parents and siblings were dead. That she’d pushed her sister into the hands of the Sith was an added layer of pain she had to endure at the time and that was exactly what she was feeling now.

A cursory glance around explained the emotion. Corvus was a Jedi. Her personality was struck with or without emotions. She was selfless — it was who she was. Here she stood, concerned only with herself, her feelings. It had nothing in truth to being a Jedi, a Sith or anything inbetween. She simply put others first because she could. Not because she had to or was obliged to. But instead because she wanted to. She needed to, just to be Corvus.

A faint realisation hit here. She was always a Jedi and a person, it was just the real Corvus was so close to being a Jedi in personality it was masked by the robe and saber. She didn’t know anything else because there was nothing else.

Emotions were new, she’d have to accept that — except…except she’d always had them, and passed them off for the Code. She thought back to Prakith. Her overwhelming need to redeem the woman she saw again now. Her motives at the time were entirely Jedi — she wanted to hold the woman and tell her everything would be alright. Was she wishing to redeem her for the Jedi or for herself? Was it any different with her older sister? For the Order or for Corvus?

In truth Corvus couldn’t tell the truth from the desire — and at the end of the day did it really matter? The woman she faced now, stood so close they could feel each other’s heart beating, she was necessary for Corvus. the Jedi did not pretend to understand the emotions — she was a quick study but she’d skipped adolescence and was at best confused right now. It felt both right and wrong, good and bad.

Corvus knew…no she hoped, no more, that the woman’s life of burden was something she wished she could change. In Corvus’ eyes there was always hope. Always a chance that a change was possible. Was it the Jedi talking? No…it was Corvus. In her heart she believed this as powerfully as the Code was logical.

It was almost humorous. The Sith had opened her eyes and her heart in a way that nobody else had ever done before. Corvus yearned to believe it was all true and not some sick joke — but deep down she knew she had to accept the woman’s words at face value. To risk being burned. It was worth the peril — she realised it now. The woman’s words had flooded her mind and only now were they starting to make sense as she assimilated them.

Corvus could re-engage the logical part of her mind again, but she chose not to. If she were to become a woman and a Jedi and accept both aspects of her life, she needed to understand where emotions would take her.

So when the woman said those three words, she remembered Prakith…the feeling she’d felt when she realised they weren’t for her. She’d lived since then the life she’d chosen. She’d received what she wanted, but not what she needed.

Finally she trusted herself to speak again. “If only it were that simple. I am a Jedi. Not because I have to be, but because I want to be. It is who I am not because I have become a clone of the Code, but because the Code quite simply reflects who I am…what I believe.”

“The Code does not ban emotions, nor does it expressly mention the Sith. Learn to live in my world. Learn to accept me for who I truly am — a Jedi. If you still love me then…tell me. I cannot…” Tears welled in her violet eyes once more. “I cannot begin to love you until then. I must not love you until then. I have chosen a lonely path. The Jedi in me lives a life that believes in denial of self. They say no sentient can long abide that. Perhaps not. But I cannot abandon the Jedi for selfish reasons. Not today. Maybe one day, you might say the word and I will leave the Order.” She stared into the Sith’s eyes.

“I make no promises…and if I had my time over, who knows what choices I might have picked given the opportunity. But I am here now, with you. I suspect I do love you and always shall. But is that enough? Are you prepared to meet my needs…let’s be honest, my demands?”

[member="Darth Atrophia"]

 

[Ameli Trahir]

Objective: B
Location: B - 4
Allies: [member=Sena Lassiter] and [member=Tes Dralyn]
Enemy: [member=Andras Garon]!
Gear:

Spoiler

Nothing to see here! Seriously though, there's nothing. Just a lightsaber. But it's orange! Soo heyyy... There's that. No one is ever gonna see this, right?

"Sena!" Ameli instinctively cried out, the very moment she heard her friend cry out in pain. More so than that, she had felt it. Sena's well being was very important to her. Still, she knew Sena could take care of herself, and she knew she'd be fine. Despite that knowledge, she could not hold back an intense wave of fury. That man had made her hurt. He had made her bleed. Every drop of blood trickling down Sena's back would have to be avenged, tenfold. Somehow, the shots to her own leg had been a cynically emotionless affair. He had shot at her, she had been hit. That was all. This, however, was personal. Ameli was angry.

There was a limited amount of cover to be had, but it would simply have to do. Did the Mandalorian have more things to fire at them? Hopefully not, but she suspected he might. Ideally, the other girl kept him distracted long enough for the other two to join the party. While it wasn't necessarily her area of expertise - and the other man appeared to have military training - Ameli began closing the distance, in preparation for close-quarter combat. One on one, perhaps he could take her. But with two other Sith teaming up on him? With Sena having her back? He was in trouble.

At this point, there wasn't much to do but run. Ameli's run, however, was made with a noticeable limp, although she powered through it. It was a matter of getting used to putting pressure on the leg again, and enduring through the pain. As she went on, her form seemed to steady itself. She didn't seem to have lost any greater sense of mobility. Hopefully, there would be no permanent damage. If he had somehow inhibited her ability to go dancing, she would tear the skin from his bones, fashion it into a cute little rope then hang him with it. Nothing got in the way between Ameli and fun. Not even Mandalorians.

 

[Ellie Mors]

Objective: B (Believe No More)
Location: Section 1
Allies: [member="Corvus Raaf"] | Giving Up
Enemies: [member=Corvus Raaf] | Time
Gear: Lightsabers, Singlet, Arm, Eyes
Theme: Enough To Let Me Go

Spoiler

[media]

Spoiler

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGKY0rooB4A[/media]

​

There it was, again. That crushing weight, that freezing cold, the burning, numbing, pain that rolled through every fiber of her being. It wasn't Corvus' fault, she didn't understand the magnitude of the words she spoke, the last chance that had been laid out before them. If it would have been so easy to simply wait, to try to buy out another ticket to extending the fragile tightrope that was life, there would have been no questions asked, no mind games or duels. Silara never would have shown up to Ord Mirit, never would have held a lightsaber again for the remainder of her days - which right now were numbered less than ten. But situations were different, they were frustrating and confusing, but they were different. In truth, if Silara had been more caring than she'd been selfish then she never would have shown her face to Corvus under the guise of an admirer. But here she was, standing at the boundaries of living and dying with one foot on either side, and this Jedi was dragging her damn feet. Could she not feel the delayed beating of her heart, the rasp of her breathing? If it had been anyone else - hell, why did it matter anymore?! The arms she had previously snaked around the woman's body receded, and her with them. She stepped away, her expression as empty as her soul would be in the coming days. The face she had wasn't one of guilt, one of pain, hate, but the blank look of numbed acceptance. Without even knowing she'd been sentenced to a slow death on her own, to suffer the way fate had wanted her to. Every last ounce of her being had been dedicated, since her youth, to fighting that monstrous hand, that of fate's, but it seemed the indecision of one woman, of someone who probably would have chosen differently had she'd not been ignorant to the pain, would damn her and end that war with one single casualty. But it served her, the murderer of thousands, right; didn't it? Could she justify the rejection, which she'd coined the delay in acceptance as, with the lives of thousands - with the perversion of nature through the austere hand of the force, of her subjugation of those she knew and loved.

Manipulation had been her key, but it had also been her own undoing. Outmaneuvered by the master. She wanted to speak, truly, but even as her lips - which had seemingly chapped in the short span between her speaking and now - opened to scorch her throat that had now dried. A single intake of air scraped at the inside of her mouth, her throat, and her lungs, as though the water in her body had already began to leave her. Her fingers curled into fists in annoyance, swallowing hard to try to return the moisture to her lips - to no avail - when she realized how cold her fingers felt on her palms. A shock ran through her, up her spine, and she wondered if Corvus could see it - though with someone so intuitive and so astute, it was so fitting she be blind to the Sith's Achilles heel. In defiance to it all, to this death sentence, this denial, and rejection, the Sith Lord forced her lips to curl into a pained smile, one of anger and spite. Words, perhaps, could not leave her lips, but the telepath had other means of communication. And being that she knew where, next, the Jedi would surely be - the brushing touch of her hand on Corvus' face telling her at least a hint of what to expect - she would make sure to give her a final out, a last chance. "I will see you on Ziost, Corvus. If you believe you could ever love me, if I deserve even an ounce of mercy from you, then be the one to end it for me; be there to kill me." Came her hollow voice, the blue in her eyes fading away to be replaced with an empty blackness. "If I don't see you there... I will understand." She hoarsely whispered, the words hardly sputtering from her lips as she turned away to leave the Jedi on her own - alive.

'I would understand if you couldn't stand such a monster as I.'

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Objective: B (Bring me to life)
Location: Section 1
Allies and Enemies: Irrelevant
Theme: Only you are the life among the dead

Spoiler

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YxaaGgTQYM

Spoiler

'How can you see into my eyes like open doors?
Leading you down into my core where I've become so numb
Without a soul my spirit's sleeping somewhere cold
Until you find it there and lead it back home

Wake me up inside
Wake me up inside
Call my name and save me from the dark
Bid my blood to run
Before I come undone
Save me from the nothing I've become

Now that I know what I'm without
You can't just leave me
Breathe into me and make me real
Bring me to life

Frozen inside without your touch
Without your love, darling
Only you are the life among the dead

All this time I can't believe I couldn't see
Kept in the dark but you were there in front of me
I've been sleeping a thousand years it seems
Got to open my eyes to everything
Without a thought, without a voice, without a soul

Don't let me die here
There must be something more
Bring me to life.'

Corvus was taken aback when the woman stepped away from her. Had she said too much? Were her demands simply unrealistic.

Whoever said it was better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all was an idiot. And had clearly never loved. Now Corvus was wrapped in a cloak of fear — that she’d scared the woman away with her unrealistic expectations.

One of Corvus’ hands lifted — to bridge the small gap between them, which to the Jedi felt like a yawning chasm now. But the Sith’s smile was no longer promising love or a future but instead felt like the grin of rejection and Corvus’ eyes filled with pain. Is this was emotions were? Something she’d longed to bring into her life for so long. They cut deeper than any Sith blade.

And then the touch returned and Corvus’ heart leaped. Oh how fickle emotions were - one moment you were wallowing in the depths of despair, the next you were soaring amongst the clouds. The power was not lost on Corvus.

Corvus nodded at the instruction to meet on Ziost until she heard all of the words. Part of her was dumbstruck but the piece that could speak was initially angry.

“Those who ask for mercy are too weak to deserve it.” The words tumbled from her lips before she realised what she was saying. Her hand went to the offending mouth, as if covering it would make it right. The fact she was quoting Bane to a Sith Lord might be funny any other day…but not today. Not now and now with the woman she now believed she loved with all of her heart.

“If you loved me you would not ask me to kill you, you would ask me to save you. You…of all people do not succumb to such a minor inconvenience as death.” Her voice was soft, barely above a whisper and simultaneously could be heard in the Sith’s mind, as Corvus brushed it gently, caressed it almost.

“You will see me there, you can depend on it. You have my word..but before you leave me, know one thing. If you were a monster, I could not love you. And my heart is not lying when it tells me of my feelings. I shall be on Ziost and there will be no more talk of death, only life.”

“For as surely as you have brought me to life today, I will do all in my power to do the same for you when we meet next.”

“Oh…and you can tell me your name then too.” Corvus smiled weakly. In truth she could not bear to let the woman go, but this was a warzone and they would be reunited soon — Corvus would move heaven and earth to make it happen.

[member="Darth Atrophia"]

 

[Ellie Mors]

Objective: B (Bereaved of Choice)
Location: Section 1
Allies: [member="Corvus Raaf"] | Giving In
Enemies: [member=Corvus Raaf] | Time
Gear: Lightsabers, Singlet, Arm, Eyes
Theme: Be My Escape

Spoiler

[media]

Spoiler

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTxBL_p1f1c[/media]

​

Those words, that primary reaction that Corvus had - to quote the person she had, at one time, strove to emulate - brought a seething rage to her chest, to which she recoiled heavily against. "Excuse me?" Came the hoarse hiss of her voice, the anger unmistakable as she pivoted and turned towards her, though perhaps the fact that she hadn't done anything to act on that rage showed just how much was gratingly right with those words. She breathed in and out, heavily, and her throat stung with each heave and ho. 'She's right, you know.' Spoke the secondary voice in her head, one which had remained dormant for some time now. Silara grimaced at that, looking down at the ground briefly and then looked up towards Corvus' piercing, almost vulnerable, gaze. She wanted to assure the woman that everything would be okay, that even falling on the Jedi's lightsaber in battle wouldn't make things so miserable for her, but she knew it would sound ludicrous, that she'd never believe her - or understand, if she went as far as to do that. Those words, of her being a monster, pricked at her crumbling heart, and she became impassive to meet that sentence that she had assumed - before Corvus' had finished speaking - was one of rejection, and by the time it ended, she knew that fate had won. There was something far more reaching than the Sith Lord that stood in front of her, or rather - the fact that she wasn't. The beginnings of a softer smile inched across her lips, though she tried in vain to hide it; something that would have both given herself hope and disgusted the Jedi - something she knew the woman would hate her for.

In the end, however much she wanted to deny it, she couldn't deny the woman the comfort of knowing at least the smallest of details. "There is no power to stop mortality, Corvus; surely as a Jedi you know that." Silara replied mentally, amused that she still used the same voice and identified herself with this face - wondering if perhaps such a death on Ziost was necessary to change that. "If I see you on Ziost, Corvus, it will not be the final time I do, but it will be the last time I live and breathe as you see me now. No amount of love can change that." She rambled on while she tried to think of a way to put her thoughts into words. "But I will see you again, I promise you. There is no force in this galaxy that will keep us apart." No sooner had the words been telepathically spoken had she realized how absurd a decision it had been to rope the Jedi into her web so late - or potentially so soon - into her plotting. Death was the means to an end for her now, to bring about something far greater, but it would mean alienating the Jedi Master that practically demanded she live - though that request was entirely impossible now. "My name, Corvus?" The words left her mouth, but there was no physical sound, and the voice was entirely unlike hers - if it was hers. "You can call me a great many names, I have hundreds to live by, and perhaps you would have known me as Silara - or the Sith Lord Atrophia - but I go back further than that, further than all of this." As she was spoken through there was no expression on her face, no light in her eyes. As if she hadn't even been there, mentally. "I will come to you, soon, and you will know me for who I really am, and if you accept me still I will stay; but even if this vessel were to die, know that I will always, always, love you." Atrophia, Silara, whoever, seemed to sway where she stood, as if she were losing balance. "You will understand everything soon enough, but until then I will part with a name; Braith." The whisper seemed rushed, as though what little time it spent being spoke was a drain on her, and then suddenly Atrophia was standing at attention again, chest heaving, as though she were exhausted. She smiled, softly, and turned. The cold prick of a memory tugged at the recesses of her mind, when she had been a child - when she had abandoned the world as the galaxy had abandoned her. Oh what a memory..

Qazoi Kyantuska.

 

[Torin Varik]

Objective: A; Naval Battle of Ord Mirit
Location: Ord Mirit Space
Allies: The Galactic Republic | [member="Gir Quee"] | [member="Ryan Korr"] | [member="Sressechka"] | [member="Jamie El-Eison"] | [member="Taeli Raaf"] | [member="Tålamod Shapochka"]
Enemies: The One Sith | [member="Irys Arist'lar"] | [member="Nulgath Zardai"] | [member="Thanith Gumara"]
Gear:
Weapons: Lightsaber, Blaster Pistol
Ship: Jedi-Class Stealth Starfighter
Target: Tambor-class Destroyer

Tearing through space unseen, Torin and his followers narrowly avoided a few more flak cannon blasts before promptly clearing the range of the Sev'rance carrier. Korr's command rang clearly through force and into the padawan's mind. The engines of his fighter cooed a deep rev as he pursued his new target with haste. His blast-shield painted a vibrantly animated portrait of space battle - what seemed like hundreds of droid fighters, dozens of y-wings, x-wings and star destroyers accented with luminescent explosions. Now was not the time to become distracted by the chaos that surrounded him. It would require all of them to put a hefty dent in a destroyer.

The Sable Squadron was once again complete as the two halves of the group merged back together. Torin's group converged slightly behind, bringing up the rear of the squad. Their synchronized flight passed over the Tambor's bridge, unloading the combined fire of nearly a dozen shadow bombs in total. Hopefully it would be enough to get the message across. Even more hopefully, he thought, it would enough to end this battle.

Summary of Action:
Torin and the rest of the Sable Squadron moved to target Tambor-class Destroyer and directed their shadow bombs at the bridge.

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Objective: B (Braith — a name to savour)
Location: Section 1
Allies and Enemies: Irrelevant
Theme: However far away, I will always love you

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyjtAdvte6Y

Corvus listened and was conflicted as she invariably was. Part of her was euphoric at the woman’s declaration of love — yet the rest of her could only hear the words of foreboding. Was love truly this cruel?

And then she was leaving — and Corvus clung to the promise of a future together as if her life depended on it. And that was the thing about love…you genuinely felt that was the case. Without…Silara she was little more than nothing.

She repeated the names over and over in her head. Silara, Atrophia, Braith. The first two were familiar to her ears but the last one was new to her. So she resolved to scour the Jedi archives once she returned to Ossus.

But as the Sith…no, as Braith departed, Corvus called after her, using her mind alone.

‘A few minutes ago, I felt I loved you because I needed you. Now I realise I need you because I love you. How can I do anything other than accept you? Until the next meeting…however far away, I will always love you.’

Corvus took in her surroundings and was shamed to see the carnage she’d been oblivious of. And when she looked back to the departing woman, she’d gone. Corvus sighed. Soon could not come soon enough.

And so she turned and started to make her way back to her ship. But with each step she took, a nagging thought gnawed at her conscience and she resolved to deal with it immediately.

[member="Darth Atrophia"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Objective: B (Being even more foolish)
Theme: However far away, I will always love you

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtlRyO25NDc

‘Didn't disappoint you
Didn't want to make you sad
Given all the choices
Good's given from the bad
There's a lot I need to tell you
There's a lot you should know
Oh anyway, it's been a long day.’

Corvus had sensed her younger sister the moment she landed. But lately her presence felt different and Corvus search among the fallen for her sibling.

Finally she found her, hidden behind some crates in what mist be a warehouse of sorts. She was all alone and Corvus initially wondered what she was doing there until she saw her sister was cuffed.

The Jedi checked the cuffs out. They were Jedi issue and — as good cuffs were designed to be — virtually impossible to be released from without the key. The material they were made from was Force impervious, so using the Force directly against them was fruitless — and using her saber was at best risky.

Corvus sat beside her sister and brushed her locks away from her face. Melori stirred and Corvus soothed her brow with a tender hand. “Shhh Bubala,” she said softly. It was a name their mother used for them all when they were small. Then she leaned forward and kissed her little sister on the forehead.

Corvus pondered the problem and could not fathom a solution. The one things she needed and did not have was a key. So Corvus did what she always did in these matters — she trusted in the Force.

She narrowed her focus — her mind and Force-awareness —until it became microscopic. While her physical body remained unchanged, her projected form shrank to an infinitesimal size. In that state, she was able to rearrange molecules, take them apart, and build new ones bit by bit.

In this form, using Art of the Small, Corvus entered the handcuffs and rearranged the make-up of the material so that it ceased to be resistant to the Force. Satisfied she’d done what was necessary, she returned to her normal Form and re-appraised the cuffs. She’d not done a perfect job, but with her shoto, she was able to remove them with care.

Then Corvus put a hand on her sister’s shoulder and sent a calming wave of the Force into her. The youngest Raaf stirred and Corvus stared at her. She ought to take her into custody. She was a Sith. That’s what Jedi do, wasn’t it?

Corvus sat cross-legged next to her sister’s prone form. What sort of a hypocrite would she be if she judged her little sister now? There would be Taeli to answer to of course. On more than one count. But for now, she had to do what felt right. What her emotions told her to do.
So Corvus immersed herself in White Current, to render herself invisible. And she searched for a nearby presence, a Dark-sided one. And locating one, she smiled to herself as she vaguely recognised the Sith — she was sure of it. It was a brief encounter but he nearly killed a Padawan under her protection - and you don't forget that in a hurry.

If Corvus remained here long enough, the Sith Lord and assassin would stumble across Melori. So Corvus where she was but made her more visible, so she could be seen, and kept guard over her until the Sith came to claim her.

Was she doing the right thing? Who knew? Did two wrongs make a right? Corvus certainly hoped so. Because in her heart she felt she was doing good. However twisted the logic was, she needed to do this. One day she’d redeem Melori — but not like this. She knew her well enough to know this was not the way. She was a Raaf after all.

Spoiler

Out of sequence timeline-wise but was otherwise engaged at the correct posting time, so please consider this to have happened before Melori was carried away.