Mission Frost and Fire

[Jakharl]

Jakharl was rather put out to discover that, rather than detonating on impact, the plasma rocket fizzled through the gelatinous mass and shot out the other side before exploding into a plume of superheated gas, too far from anyone to do any real damage. Perhaps his armorer had given him a bunk batch of rockets, he'd take that out of the man's hide once he was done here. As the mass surged uphill the Gank briefly considered loading an anti-personnel flechette rocket just to see what would happen, collateral be damned, but he knew the Hutt would get uppity if he turned her toy into a pretty red smear. Plus, with his shuttle karked to Hell only Xoff and his crew had the demolition equipment for their flank attack.

"It's mine, back off and do your job." Jakharl snarled over the comms to Xoff before Dropping to all fours and hurling himself forward across the field with blistering cybernetic speed, he was halfway to the blob by the time it threw the torso of a Nikto at him and he dodged it easily. For all his love of fine mods, there was something truly, organically satisfying about barreling toward a target like a primal hunter.

Whatever this thing was, it seemed to get a little smaller after taking damage, and a little bigger after eating someone, so his plan was simple: throw his largely inorganic body at the creature and rip it to bloody shreds. Once in range, Jakharl deployed the plasma blade in his left gauntlet and lunged at the mass with a horrific, artificial shriek of bloodlust, laying into it with searing blade and molecularly sharpened claw.

Mr. Usher Xoff Chantin

 

[Stevru Klamat]

Alias⠀ Prodo Vasilias, Outer Rim Mercenary, Imperial Sympathizer
Uniform⠀ Modified Shore Trooper Armor with Airtight Body Glove (Ice Field Camouflage)​

---

⠀

Location⠀ Outside the Lobby, EnSol Headquarters, Mygeeto
Objective⠀ Demolition of EnSol Headquarters
Tags⠀ Ma'lur'kek'thwin Mr. Usher

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀His singular cybernetic eye tracked targets via heat and electro-signals returns, even through the smoke. And none of them moved as fast as Ma'lur. In that moment, as he watched her cut through the front line like a vibro-knife through gelfruit, he quietly resolved that, had he the chance to do it again, he'd be Ssi-Ruu. A killer born instead of a killer made.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀There wasn't time to truly appreciate her handiwork, though. As he emerged from the smoke himself, he absorbed the scene in front of him. Chaos, disorder, confusion, blood. And an opening of his partner's creation. He let loose another torrent of blaster fire, the reciprocating barrels steaming in the Mygeeto chill. Bracing the weapon against his hip, he lashed out with a gloved hand and struck a mercenary in their helmeted head.

"CHUBA! HOPA TA CHINKA!"

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀The Trandoshan snarled, before following the direction the 'Imperial' gestured. There was a moment of silence, and then understanding, as the mercenary rallied their own band to follow the Ssi-Ruu into the maelstrom.

"HOPA TA CHINKA! HOPA TA CHINKA! BOSKA BOSKA! JEE-JEE GEDDA PORKO MOOLEE-RAH!"

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Body's fell as the mercenaries pushed into the gap, rallied by the barked orders of their 'Imperial' ally, but they were making progress. Grasping at the shoulder of another mercenary with a heavy blaster, he communicated a simple plan via hand gestures. Overlap fields of fire, walk the guns, suppress the enemy. The merc nodded, then relayed the plan on.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀The fight towards the lobby, following in Ma'lur's violent wake, was a grinding one, but they were making progress. During a spare moment in cover, back pressed into a blast crater, he glimpsed the nightmare hulk of flesh and tendrils doing battle with what he imagined to be the Hutt's heavies, if the rocket fire was anything to go off of, and then peered over the top of the crater, witnessing smoke and blaster fire already coming from the facility. Everyone had their own problems. They needed to make it inside. Plant the charges. Blow the facility. Get big paid. And Ma'lur needed to make it out alive. He couldn't worry about the others now.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Despite their losses, this felt too easy. If the enemy had never wanted them to make it this far, they could have easily mined the approach, set up more turrets, even put some static defenses in place, even something as simple as razor wire. The closer he drew to the lobby, the more the hair on his neck began to stand up. Everything looked the way it was supposed to... security in the lobby, returning fire. But something felt deeply, deeply wrong. The electrochemical returns from the guards didn't make any sense. Some freak genetic experiment perpetrated by N&Z? Maybe. Regardless, he raised his voice in warning.


"NOPA GARDOS! GEDDA WEETEEBAH!"

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀He took cover again, opening up his comms line.


"KRAYT THIS IS PRODO. DO NOT ENTER THE LOBBY. I REPEAT. DO NOT. ENTER. THE LOBBY."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀He had a bad feeling about this. Despite his shouting, some of the mercenaries were pouring into the lobby regardless. But some remained, using the craters in front of the lobby as cover, heeding the instructions of the shouting commando and forming overlapping fields of fire, ensuring at the very least that their more foolhardy comrades had an unceasing barrage of blaster fire for cover, each gun taking up the slack for the others in as they paused to reload.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀He just hoped he'd spoken up in time. For Ma'lur's sake.

 

[Xoff Chantin]

WEST FLANK
​

Outfit: Something Nice
Weapons: Holdout Blaster | Vibroknife

"It's mine, back off and do your job."

The gank didn't need to tell Xoff twice - the Zeltron ran as fast as his heels and fishnets could carry him - he was certainly going to be chafed if he didn't get eaten by that nightmare first.

Xoff rushed back to pick up the demolition pack began running down the hill, two of the remaining enforcers disengaging to cover him.

As he fled towards the objective he saw the gank fly at the hulking abomination like a rancor unchained - plates of bone and chitin and tendrils were ripped as fast as they were formed. Scarier still, what little empathic telepathy he could pick up from Jakharl was that he was having fun.

"Hurry up boys, we've got some charges to place and executives to kidnap" he said to the enforcers, who grunted affirmation.

He found the hulk's exit crater from the building rather convenient, and on his approach it seemed the automated defenses were powered down and the frontal mercenary assault had reached the lobby, but showed some hesitation.

No matter, Xoff could be quiet.

He slinked into the building, slow and quiet, planting small sync-detonators at every corner. The hall to the lobby echoed with with the sound of violence. The enforcers prepared to cover Xoff as he half-crawled, half jogged by the open office area just behind the lobby, only the occasional blaster bolt flying by.

Xoff planted the thermal detonators he needed to and sliced a data terminal for any juicy Intel his beloved Whottoomuzz Chantin could use. With a quick glance back he saw...

He saw the mostly-consumed remains of the two enforcers he brought with him and a trail of blood, droplets that descended from the ceiling on a path towards him.

Xoff held his breath and held as still as possible. He looked up -

"Ohkarkohkarkohkark..."

-and the pin-striped prowler of Mr. Usher met his gaze.

Mr. Usher | Ma'lur'kek'thwin | Stevru Klamat | Jakharl | Gorba Savak | open - pretty boy in distress!​

 

[Detritus Ren]

Location: Mygeeto
Objective: Destroy N&Z HQ/retrieve research data
Nearby: Joseph Torson Darth Moskvin
Enemies: OPEN FOR ENGAGEMENT

First it was the Galactic Alliance, then it was the Diarchy, and now it was more Corpos that were resisting. It seemed the list of enemies of the Dark Empire had grown numerous. Detritus knew the importance of Mygeeto, after all back in the old wars was Mygeeto the site of many battles. The crystals used to power generators had once served the Galactic Empire as focusing crystals for weapons of mass destruction, not to mention much of Mygeeto was used as another world for the Banking Clan’s purposes. Now the Dark Empire seemed to target the new criminal element that was slowly rising.

As the transport would descend to the planet below, a squad of black armored Stormtroopers would stick closely behind him, while the religious zealot seemed to ponder where it all would lead. Did the Empire still have the resources to fight against so many foes? He didn’t know, but unlike the Lord-Regent he had the power of the dark side at his full potential. Regardless of what the outcome this mission would bring, he knew that the Force would be enough to guide him in all that he needed to accomplish what the Lord-Regent desired.

The imperial transport would descend through the grid temperatures and howling winds. The grip on the shuttle run grew tighter, occasionally facing the turbulence of the wind upon atmospheric entry into the planet. “We have a simple mission, destroy the headquarters and if necessary retrieve any research data that would be beneficial to the Empire. This is our Regents command.” Detritus would say stoically though he was tempted to give a silent prayer, for now he had withheld his tongue from putting his beliefs into that of an imperial focused mission.

Then the landing craft would hit the the snow. The craft would jolt slightly, many of the troopers kept hold of the rungs keeping themselves from falling forward. Then the door opened and Detritus would emerge with his lightsaber in hand, before him on the horizon through the howling wind, and roaring snow he could see the headquarters. The troopers moved into formation, their blasters as hot as the thermal armor they wore to protect them from the intense cold. “Alright, let’s move and secure the mission. For the Empire!” He said with the activation of his crackling orange blade. The troopers remained silent, some gave a small retort while raising their blasters. Both Ren and his squad moved through the frigid cold and blankets of snow, marching towards the facility ready for whatever the Hutts be it friend or foe would throw at the dark warrior. He didn’t trust the criminal underworld for a moment, anything could go haywire in an instant, but he didn’t think of that for now his sights were focused on the building before him.

 

[Darth Moskvin]

FROST AND FIRE

"Horrors, I believe, should be original--the use of common myths and legends being a weakening influence."
- H.P. Lovecraft -

Orgasmatron - Sepultura

Location: Mygeeto (Landing)
Objective: Apprehend Employees
Gear: In Sig
Tags: Detritus Ren / Joseph Torson

One building, three floors to sweep; and a whole lot of fun in between.

The first floor was scarcely inhabited by non-knuckle breaking employees, whose main occupation was a monotonous and less fulfilling task that only plagued their piteous lives further than imaginable; secretaries. The four women and one man looked at us, first with confusion, then puzzlement, and finally with horror. The man, such a brave hero he would have made one day, babbled about we weren't supposed to be in here and he was going to call the floor security officer.

The former was spot on, we were invading their daily routine, pirates come to plunder files and data disks, with the occasional tossing of a computer or two. The latter, unfortunately, was entirely impossible; and I proved it by tossing the severed head of their floor protector, eyes plucked out by my gluttonous fowl, Archie, on the nearest desk. I love hearing a chorus of screams, it's like death infused symphonic music. The mercs began to round them up quickly, slapping stun cuffs on wrists, ushering the woman toward the door we came in where they would be detained until further notice.

As for the man, the one I pronounced would be brave hero one day, had his dreams of grandeur smashed, along with his jaw, and several limbs. A pile of mess on the floor, he resembled a robot that had been dismantled and its parts scattered about carelessly, and that's where they would collect him piece by piece. I don't take threats well, rather, I don't take them at all.

 

[Ma'lur'kek'thwin]

LOCATION⠀|	N&Z Front Lobby, Mygeeto
OBJECTIVE⠀|	Detain & Destroy

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"KRAYT THIS IS PRODO. DO NOT ENTER THE LOBBY. I REPEAT. DO NOT. ENTER. THE LOBBY."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Too little too late a warning, Prodo. Ma'lur had perked up at the mention of her assumed name over the comms while still barreling ahead through the crater and debris. She glanced back the way she had come just long enough to see the rest of the mercenaries behind her pulling back into cover. Too little too late for her, indeed. Returning her focus to forward (always forward, Ma'lur. Don't look back), a bold security guard took a few brave shots at the singular Ssi-ruu assault. They struck home, the plasma dispersing in an actinic splash like flowers tossed atop a casket.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Except Ma'lur wasn't going down. What rounds had not struck the armor across her chest instead fizzled out over the thick scutes beneath the black bodyglove, the energy imparted slowing her fevered gallop by a few measured steps. Infinitesimal in the wake of everything else going on. Of the scent of loamy soil and festering rot. Had she the wariness and fear to curb her enthusiasm, Ma'lur might've slowed her pace as she passed over the threshold and into the lobby. Such things were not in her now. Blood pumping in her ears, the hammerblows of her heartbeat just as good as any war drums ever could be, Ma'lur raced past the blown out doors and their initial guards without stopping, eyes only for the deeper corridors beyond the front desk.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀When Xoff Chantin 's voice, however quiet it was compared to the din of blasters and the screams of dying mercenaries, emerged from the exact hallway Ma'lur had been keen on avoiding based on smell alone, well... Sometimes forward meant taking a turn or two. Even if it led straight into the waiting jaws of the thing that stank like a blown open carcass in noon-day suns. Ma'lur dropped her thick talons into the tile floor and came bounding around the corner into the hallway at Xoff's back, speed diminished but spirits alive with ferocity.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"S'cuse me," the Ssi-ruu quipped as she collided with the Zeltron's impossibly nubile frame, none of the humor belying the very real danger they were both- now knowingly- in. The impact could have sent the two sprawling, left open to an attack from anywhere... But with any luck it didn't. With luck- and a little room-reading on the Zeltron's part- he'd find himself scooped into her arms and tossed over one shoulder, already back at Ssi-ruuvian speed by the time he knew what hit him. With luck, anyway. Ma'lur didn't have eyes on the source of the stink, nor Xoff's fear, but caught between the repeated "oh kark"'s and the stomach-churning rot permeating every flicker of her nasal-tongues as she'd closed the distance, Ma'lur could guess well enough.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀|⠀Don't look up.⠀|

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Keep running forward. Forward, and away from the saccharine aroma of certain death. Forward, and deeper into the corporate labyrinth where the unknowns grew, but the presence of decay did not. In the midst of said running, Ma'lur remembered her comms and spoke swiftly into them. "Prodo, this is Krayt. Find another way inside. Tell anyone you can to avoid areas that smell like rotting sweets or wet dirt." As if he needed warning when it was his words that had danced in her wake as she'd stepped inside. A quick glance to Xoff, if she had indeed managed to scoop him up, and she added, "I've got hands on the Rose too."

Stevru Klamat Xoff Chantin Mr. Usher

|⠀TAGS

 

[Mr. Usher]

WEST FLANK
TAGS: Jakharl​

---

The meager entrails of the enforcer were not enough. Both the Zeltron and the cyborg were fast-too fast. The gank rushed at the hulk with predatory speed, and the hulk swept out it's tendrils in an overconfident embrace. The hulk enveloped both the remaining enforcer - the one who had not left with the Zeltron - and the cybernetic assassin; where one was easily consumed, the other's shell resisted, no amount of sawing, serrated teeth or brute force could stop the gank from shredding away biomass in clumps, an alarming and painful rate of loss for Mr. Usher.

The hulk bellowed, thrashing seen from within a the gank cut and ripped and tore, flinging viscera every which way.

The hulk was lost, and so would the rest of the Gank wasn't slowed down.

Mr. Usher guided the tendrils not to try to remove or hurt the cybernetic ripper, but to smother and then calcify, attempting to lock the Gank within itself, a prison of bone - it was the final act before the hulk was slain, connection to the hive mind cut off. The western flank was taken.

---

EAST FLANK
TAGS: XaraXunia​

Simultaneously, the Insectoid Warrior accepted the challenge and pressed the attack - their polearm more than capable of shattering the organic poleaxe Mr. Usher formed. Nerve tissue in the spinal axe revealed with the first block that the weapon could not sustain a second.

While Mr. Usher's warrior form parried and retaliated, the insectoid overlord was prepared to feint and strike again - cleaving through both the half of Mr. Usher's weapon and his right arm.

The warrior husk lept back - he knew he could not win. But this whole operation was to make it costly to take the building - and the longer he could distract the insectoid Lord, the better.

Mr. Usher adjusted the form as it expended biomass, replacing the severed right arm with a whip-like tendril, lined with teeth like a saw. The cost of biomass slimmed the husk, and small adjustments to muscle mass and nerve connections prioritized speed and reaction over strength and defence. He simply could not afford to be hit by that weapon again, so he would have to fight defensively, dodging to prolong the conflict.

---

INTERIOR
TAGS: Ma'lur'kek'thwin Stevru Klamat​

A scaled blur rushed past just as soon as the prowler pounced from above - the red one seemed harmless, but the other creature was a threat - one that would have to wait. The prowler could Chase after...

But there was a veritable feast of biomass slain on the frontal pavilion.

The various crawlers—meat centipedes that waited in ambush were redirected through the building's ductwork and pipes to intercept Ma'lur'kek'thwin and Xoff Chantin while the prowler pushed forward with the pseudo-security guards providing covering fire as the prowler galloped into the open, impaling the corpses of slain mercenaries to be devoured by myriad maws that formed along each limb, steadily growing. If uninterrupted there were enough casualties to bulk the prowler to a hulk, but this area was exposed.

Instead the prowler split off, keeping it's biomass and leaving enough for a second to try to form from the bodies.

The first prowler made a break back for the cover of the facilities — to mitigate the risk for more biomass.

---

​

 

[Jakharl]

As Jakharl plunged into the mass of the strange creature, he ripped and clawed with mechanical fury into the quivering shape, sending chunks flying and reveling in the creature's pained shrieks. Tendrils and teeth snapped at his shell, but he felt them slide uselessly off his armor plates or crack against his integrated carapace, barely slowing him down. There was something so deeply satisfying about running across some kind of biological horror only to decimate it through sheer cybernetic superiority, metal over meat.

Unfortunately, he was so caught up in the rush of brutal violence he didn't notice that the creature was starting to fold back in around him and harden into some kind of bony shell. Slashing his way into the creature had been easy, but as he realized the trap forming around him trying to get back out was much harder. It was like trying to crawl his way out of quicksand that could fight back. It already had his legs nearly to the waist and no matter how fast he clawed, he knew there would be just enough to encase him solid if he didn't act quick.

Thankfully quick was his specialty. He didn't like burning his single-shot weapon so early in an op, but he had no choice and aimed his wrist laser down into the gelatinous mass rising around him, even letting it swallow his arm to the elbow just to ensure he got a good shot. He charged the laser just to just under the threshold of being overloaded and fired into the base of the creature with a shot strong enough to slag armor at this range.

Mr. Usher

 

[Stevru Klamat]

Alias⠀ Prodo Vasilias, Outer Rim Mercenary, Imperial Sympathizer
Uniform⠀ Modified Shore Trooper Armor with Airtight Body Glove (Ice Field Camouflage)​

---

⠀

Location⠀ Outside of the Lobby, EnSol Headquarters, Mygeeto
Objective⠀ Objective⠀ Demolition of EnSol Headquarters
Tags⠀ Mr. Usher Ma'lur'kek'thwin Xoff Chantin

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Too little too late felt like the story of his life. A chill more icy than the air around them nested in his stomach as he watched Ma'lur disappear into the lobby.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀There wasn't long to sit with that feeling though. The not-guards within the lobby redoubled their push. They were losing people faster than the enemy, and it was only a matter of time before someone's nerve broke and the ragtag band of mercs broke and fled. It was with this in mind that he pushed himself from cover, preparing to throw caution to the wind for the sake of morale and make some bold declaration.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀It was at this moment that the prowler exploded from the front of the building. When flamethrowers were created, at their very inception in whatever primitive culture they first arose, this thing was precisely what they had been created for. And it was with such conviction that the faux Imperial pulled the trigger on the flamethrower their blaster was haphazardly lashed to, hosing the prowler down with a searing stream of sticky napalm as it swerved and broke away from them.

""BOSKA! BOSKA! CHINKA!""

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Even modulated as it was by the Shoretrooper helmets inbuilt speakers, the guttural ROAR that erupted from his chest had a galvanizing effect on the nearby mercs, the raw ferocity that radiated from the lone commando palpable. Even as blaster fire struck around him, a stray bolt clipping his shoulder armor and leaving it smoking, he primed the central charge in a bundle of thermal detonators and HEAVED the explosive at the wall to the right of the main entrance, blowing the reinforced blastcrete inward in a shower of rubble and a cloud of dust.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Ditching the cumbersome blaster and flamer combo, he drew dual E-11p's from the holsters on his hip and charged the newly created opening at a dead sprint, utterly intent on forcing his way into the structure.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀He'd only half registered Ma'lur's message as he'd rallied the charge, but the words sank in just as he was about to radio her back. Just as the sweet stink of decay found it's way through his helmet's filters.

Shab.
⠀⠀

 

[XaraXunia]

N&Z Research Facility - East Flank
Objective 1: Capture N&Z Executives
Tags: Mr. Usher | Ma'lur'kek'thwin | Jakharl ​

Xaraxunia watched the bio-mass creature [ Mr. Usher ] change form again. Xaraxunia's yellow, slitted eyes narrowed even further. He advanced on the combatant again. This time, his opponent was quick and agile. The slender bio-mass was dodging the strong, swinging strikes of the Conqueror of Koboth, even getting a few hand-to-hand strikes in himself.

Xaraxunia relented for only a moment, only to ask the attacker: "What are you?" ZZT! Xaraxunia growled, in his own buggy way.

The two insectoid beings circled one another. Xar's eyes met his attackers, trying to see if the power of the Hivemind was inside of him. "You hazzz Type Five Infection, doeszn't you? Why doezzzzz the Hivemind Queen favor you?!"

The duelists were heading towards a corner. Xaraxunia had Mr. Usher on the defense, but Mr. Usher's faster form gave Xaraxunia a significant challenge. Once Xaraxunia gets Mr. Usher into a corner, the bugman reaches for his throat with his insectoid claws. Xaraxunia concluded that he would need to eat this opponent, and add him to his Hivemind's strength. If he did manage to get a hold of the biomass's neck, he would snap it and begin to start devouring his opponent. If Mr. Usher was too quick, the battle continued... and then, that means...he izzz szzzpecial...

The droids, biomasses, and red carapace warriors continued their shoot-out in rooms all over the East Wing of the research facility. They were stalled, but one of the elite Kobok shouts behind his shoulder in insectoid, and the tan grunts went running.

It was time for a new strategy: one that would flush the Executives out of their hiding places.

Anyone inside of the facility who could see the East Flank would see a brilliant orange and red licking the ceiling of the East Flank, followed by the blare of the (backup) fire alarm. One of the tan carapace insectoids was armed with an industrial blowtorch and she was frantically waving the flames back and forth. Part of the East Wing, the one closest to the lobby, was lit ablaze. An elite warrior found the accompanying gas cannister and rolled it down the hall. The tan warrior grab the lit blowtorch and tossed it. The uncontrolled blowtorch fire was heading towards the gas canister! Oh, the humanity!

 

[Joseph Torson]

F R O S T_A N D_F I R E
Objective : Demolition Squad

DARK EMPIRE
MYGEETO, OUTER RIM TERRITORIES

Spoiler: Gear

• Plasma Disruptor Rifle
• x2 NK01 Fujita Rail Pistols
• Tenebrae Commando Armor Mk. II [w/ Jetpack + Flight Attachment]
• x5 Konīde 10 Plasma Detonator
• Supplicant-Series Service Droid

Spoiler: Accompanying Forces

• 24/24 HAAGx's
• 360/360 Red Right Hand Operatives [Deployed]
• 720/720 Red Right Hand Operatives [Undeployed]

As the Gunships emerged from the clouds of Mygeeto, zeroing in on the EnSol Headquarters, they opened their doors as they began their final approach to the landing zone ready to insert the Lord-Regent's Red Right Hand onto the Battlefield. Inside his Gunship, Torson watched as the landing zone was engulfed in smoke while hearing the distant sounds of blaster fire from the battlefield. "Seems like the Mercenaries are having fun without us." one of the Operatives said as he checked he joined Torson in observing the distant battlefield. "Well, we can't let them have all the fun can we?" the Special Forces Captain said with a smirk, eager to execute the will of the Lord-Regent once more.

Soon enough, some of the Gunships would arrive at the landing zone, located right outside the EnSol Headquarters, soon swooping down to land and unleash the Red Right Hand upon the enemy. Once his gunship made landfall, Torson did not hesitate and jumped out of the gunship first followed quickly by the rest of his men as they began their advance towards the Headquarters in order to further support the rest of the Imperials and Mercenaries on the ground. Now, it was only a matter of time before the facility was overrun by the overwhelming might of the Empire and it's allies.

Tags [Friendlies] | Darth Moskvin | XaraXunia | Jakharl | Stevru Klamat | Xoff Chantin | Ma'lur'kek'thwin | Gorba Savak | Whottoomuzz Chantin | Detritus Ren
Tags [Hostiles] | Mr. Usher | Tertius C. Nargath | Ova Ziss | Liin Terallo ​

 

[Liin Terallo]

There is no word from the Marquis yet. Nor from Mister Usher. More than likely they are both preoccupied.

My pacing within my lab had stopped. For instead the little creature housed in his own enclosed environment has caught my attention. He reacts as though he was in battle himself; alternating from being almost pushed around, to being in extreme pain, and then towards being fine again. It is almost as though I was watching the strange creature perform in it's own one man play showcasing a great battle.

Could this be what is happening out there to Mister Usher?

I can only watch in silence; both fascinated and horrified at the same time. Rarely have I witnessed such violence. I can only hope that such attacks never again arrive to New Cov. In the meantime I must be patient for the outcome, whatever it may be.

Tag: Tertius C. Nargath Mr. Usher

 

[Whottoomuzz Chantin]

SKIES ABOVE​

Whottoomuzz smashed a fist into the table before them, crackting the fine marble with the force of it. The three traitor pilots wouldn't go down not answer comms.

The drop ships landed with no issues, but one had turned to the space-slugs to fire and another attempted to contact the Imperial Armada - Whottoomuzz had suspected the foolish Merc was trying to cut a deal but had no clue what monstrosity actually piloted the vessel - Mr. Usher .

Waving to a holocomms, A Miralian slave-interpreter spoke for the Hutt as they hailed the captain of the destroyer serving Joseph Torson of the Dark Empire,
"That mercenary has turned sides and is not to be trusted - I recommend shooting them and be done with it."

The message was sent, but Whottoomuzz cared little about whether it was received or followed, the holoscreen showed something that could actually stand up to Jakharl for more than a minute engaged in a losing battle against the Gank as he bought time for Dear Xoff to Infiltrate.

The Hutt recorded footage of the beast - a bounty on any info related to or capture of whatever that was would be placed. Especially if something happened to Xoff.

As the minutes drew on, Whottoomuzz grew increasingly anxious as Xoff spend longer and longer indoors, out of view of the holoscreen. The Hutt tried to hide it as best they could, but found themselves repeatedly wiping their hands across their torso, as if slime were upon them. Whottoomuzz should never have let Xoff lead the enforcers, no matter how upset he would have been.

Mr. Usher | Joseph Torson​

 

[Whottoomuzz Chantin]

[WRONG ACCOUNT]

 

[Xoff Chantin]

Outfit: Something Nice
Weapons: Holdout Blaster | Vibroknife

INTERIOR​

⠀"S'cuse me,"
" Wha- oof~"
A voice said just before scooping Xoff up and dashing just out of the path of the monstrosity, pouncing from the ceiling. It looked like a rancor in a suit, crawling like a Nexu - albeit with no skin.

Xoff had a horrifying view of the chase that ensued. For a few meters, the prowler barreled through desks and kept over debris but quickly gave up and headed for the entrance.

"Okay, heroic saviour, I think we can slow down a bi~"

The things that began crawling on hundreds of little legs from the vents and ceiling tiles gave Xoff a start, a high pitched yelp that turned into a full shriek of panic as he saw how fast they moved, and how many there were.

"Nevermind fasterfasterfasterfaster!"

Xoff pulled the holdout blaster from their thigh holster, shooting the meat-Centipedes closest to him and fired from the shoulder-carry of Ma'lur'kek'thwin thankfully hitting the head of the beast and seeing it skitter and writhe moments before more caught up.

Mr. Usher | Ma'lur'kek'thwin​

 

[Detritus Ren]

Location: Outside of N&Z Headquarters
Nearby: Joseph Torson Darth Moskvin

One foot in front of the other would Detritus make his trek towards the facility, he had been given reports to watch out for any security forces, but his worry was on the Hutts. While they could be persuaded to offer support for the right price. Detritus never had felt comfortable working with criminals, or even mercenaries to aid in imperial matters. After all the old priest had been an Imperial at heart, but with enemies on all sides it became more difficult on whom to trust and not to trust. Regardless he would carry out his mission as best as he could.

The wind continued to howl, the now became increasingly heavy with each step did Detritus took. The troopers behind him only kept marching, hands held tightly to the blasters they were armed with, all the while did the dark sider sense eyes were always watching him. It didn’t matter, as long as no threat was to be found would Detritus only kept pressing onwards towards the facility, his mission was to gain hold of any data that could be valued by the Empire, perhaps even reverse engineered. Time would only tell, but for now his main focus was getting inside of the facility.

Through the icy haze could he see the large outline of the building, he could hear various voices, all of them sounding like Huttese to him. He let out a low growl, gritting his teeth as he motioned for his troopers to stay close. He was nearby Hutt mercs but didn’t know where any enemy forces would be, perhaps the mercs had disposed of outside security, while the tougher defenses would be closer to the research vaults. The Master of Ren would stick to the cover of the snow and ice utilizing it to camouflage himself.

His squad clung to his back, as Detritus would move in low towards one of the walls of the facility. He instructed the Stormtroopers to remain silent while Detritus activated his blade. The crackle of the orange lightsaber blade would fill the air, stormtroopers remained on high guard watching for any signs of disturbance. Detritus fully focused his attention to the wall as he would cut an opening inside. Once the lightsaber had made a circular entrance did he enter inside.

His stormtroopers followed one after the other. Immediately inside did Detritus no longer felt the icy sting of the weather outside, the building felt warmer. His saber still activated, but lowered downwards as he looked to the various halls that led to various chambers. The question was where the research data was located? With one gesture of his free hand did he instruct his troops to split up through the corridors and move out. Ren would find the data one way or another.

 

[Ma'lur'kek'thwin]

LOCATION⠀|	Security Control Room, N&Z Complex, Mygeeto
OBJECTIVE⠀|	Destroy N&Z EnSol Headquarters, keep the gallant damsel safe

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀No response on the radio from Prodo. Hmm. The Ssi-ruu tossed the worry away before it had a chance to grow, too caught up in the moment with Xoff and the horrendous things crawling through the complex towards them. 'Slow down', he'd said? Not on his life. Ma'lur had the wherewithal to shake her head at this request, though she needn't have done so- the sound of vent covers collapsing under the weight of their malformed pursuers served as more than enough argument otherwise. The sharp shot Xoff took shortly after only reinforced her decision.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀The further in they went, though, the quieter the sounds of conflict became. Now, as Ma'lur took another corner and slowed to inspect a directions board, beyond the crash of her own heartbeats she could only hear the faint roar of more drop-ships coming in to land... And the skittering of too many limbs. The screaming, weapons-fire, and the reassurance from other allied forces whooping and hollering... All of it lay back the way she'd come with that thing no doubt lying in wait to intercept. So... Where to? Still clinging to Xoff- more out of fear of reprisal from the Hutt at this point, than actual safekeeping- Ma'lur scanned the board for a purpose beyond just running away. Then she saw it.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀|⠀Security Control Room.⠀|

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀A perfect place for Xoff, no doubt. Nestled among other listings such as 'employee lounge', 'server storage', and 'warehouse B', the unimpressive font marking out the way for security control could have easily been missed had she not stopped long enough to give the sign more than a cursory glance. After all, as smooth as she spoke the shared language of the galaxy, reading Aurebesh did not come easy to her- poor eyesight and all that. The seconds gathered, the skittering horrors drew close, and though it surely wasn't the most comfortable to be held over the shoulder, Ma'lur did not put Xoff down just yet. "Hold on a little longer," she warned just as another vent almost overhead buckled, "I have an idea." Then, into her comms so Prodo and the remaining mercenary forces were informed, "Krayt here. Taking the security control room."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Making a break for said room at a familiar (and deadly) sprint, Ma'lur's nasal-tongues flickered wildly as she navigated the corporate maze. No matter where they went the corridors reeked of wet, stagnant dirt. Nowhere would be safe unless she could close the vents or get back out into the open with the mercenaries and Imperials. "Ah! Chit! What the-" The reptilian mercenary jerked away from a spray of watery foam from above. As the Ssi-ruu and Zeltron all but crashed into the security room the fire suppression system kicked in. Though she didn't know how, the insectoid creatures at the East Flank had tripped the system. Not only was the system still active on the auxilliary power presently painting every corridor red, but being as sophisticated as the company was, the vents had compartmentalizing barriers just like the hallways did- both of which began shuttering in an effort to keep the supposed flames (and horrible nightmare bugs!) under control.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Now she set the Zeltron onto his own feet, rounding in the narrow space long enough to slam the door shut behind them and toss a shelving unit over as a barricade. Were there guards inside the cramped space with them? She didn't know just yet, but if there were... Between Xoff's apparent crack shooting skills, and Ma'lur's imposing frame, surely the two could handle it.

Stevru Klamat , Xoff Chantin , Mr. Usher , XaraXunia

|⠀TAGS

 

[Gorba Savak]

GORBA
Orbit | Mygeeto
TAGS: Open

​

“Now at thirty percent losses, boss,” a bridge lackey reported. Still not ideal but Gorba could live with it. Sporadic communications from the surface forces indicated they were gaining ground inside the N&Z complex. Sith lords had made vicious progress, as they were known to do. No surprise reinforcements had arrived to save the day. A small smile creaked across Gorba’s face. Although it was difficult to tell with his deep sagging wrinkles.

“Alright then, that should do it,” Gorba began, “Let’s move to phase two.”

“There’s still a lot of activity down there,” a Toydarian advised, “it might not be safe yet.”

“It’s now or never. If we wait much longer there won’t be anything left but a smoking hole in the ground.”

Gorba opened a line of communication to his merc squadron, “Fighter squads, eyes up. Ground team is headed your way. Give them cover.” He turned and grabbed a different intercom microphone.

“Recovery team. You’re up. Get a move on, clock’s tickin’. Bring me back something good,” Gorba’s voice rasped through the speaker system. He stood back to watch through the viewport as a single light freighter departed from his ship’s docking bay. On board was a special team he had assembled. Unlike the other ramble mercenaries, he greatly wanted this crew to survive.

This team was made up of a couple technicians, a slicer, and a pair of bodyguards. In the chaos of the battle, Gorba had tasked them with obtaining any proprietary N&Z loot that they could find. Schematics, weapons research, shipping manifests, project files. Gorba wanted it all. There was a good chance that the N&Z employees had metaphorically shredded everything important as soon as the first attackers entered the atmosphere but there was still a chance. A small chance to get a peek inside what the megacorporation was working on.
​

 

[Darth Moskvin]

FROST AND FIRE

"Horrors, I believe, should be original--the use of common myths and legends being a weakening influence."
- H.P. Lovecraft -

Orgasmatron - Sepultura

Location: Mygeeto (Landing)
Objective: Apprehend Employees
Gear: In Sig
Tags: Detritus Ren / Joseph Torson

Floor number two, much like the first, was nearly void of life, and with little resistance and cries of injustices, they too were rounded up and ushered outside. An expeditious investigation of the floor provided very useful contents, so I ordered anything technologically based to be destroyed, any datapads or cards were collected and sent out with the captured employees to be further analyzed by the Empire's tech nerds. Unlike the previous floor we scoured, the second floor was rigged with thermal detonators connected to a single detonating device.

There were other buildings targeted for demolition activity, but this particular building housed on the third floor some of the companies more lucrative contracts; sort of like the financial lifeblood of the company. Contained in those computers and archives and other sources of storing apparatuses was where the company monitored incoming and outgoing financial transmissions, such as who owed them what and what they owed to whom. Essentially destroying the economics of the company, which will find the burden of dealing with bankers and other loaning agencies who will come seeking their compensation in return for the loans approved and dispersed to the company.

With the final preparations completed, those nasty little explosive attitudes set to balk after a simple depressing of a crimson button, we moved toward the stairwell, filing our way up to the third floor.

 

[XaraXunia]

There is no word from the Marquis yet. Nor from Mister Usher. More than likely they are both preoccupied.

My pacing within my lab had stopped. For instead the little creature housed in his own enclosed environment has caught my attention. He reacts as though he was in battle himself; alternating from being almost pushed around, to being in extreme pain, and then towards being fine again. It is almost as though I was watching the strange creature perform in it's own one man play showcasing a great battle.

Could this be what is happening out there to Mister Usher?

I can only watch in silence; both fascinated and horrified at the same time. Rarely have I witnessed such violence. I can only hope that such attacks never again arrive to New Cov. In the meantime I must be patient for the outcome, whatever it may be.

Tag: Tertius C. Nargath Mr. Usher

Mr Usher tasted...delicious. Xaraxunia's insectoid antennae flicked with glee as he pressed the black sludge on Mr. Usher's neck in his mouth, crunching it over his razor-sharp teeth. He felt something snap, but it was the integrity of the creature's exoskeleton - not its life. Xaraxunia swallowed harshly. Mr. Usher was still alive. As the black sludge enters Xaraxunia's digestive system, there were new voices in the Hivemind of Xaraxunia's mind. The voices were cacophonous; the army, near-infinite. It was a kaleidoscope of different creatures, animals, and entities that joined the bio-mass of Mr. Usher. Xar believed that Mr. Usher may have been an advanced version of his planet's obsidian slugs, one that had reached much farther than Koboth. That's what he believed, anyways. And now, the "obsidian slugs" - the one that few understood - were likely to be inside of Xaraxunia's body.

Xaraxunia relented his attack against Mr. Usher as soon as he takes a bite out of him. Xaraxunia was uncertain if his opponent was even "alive" in the proper sense. He would either push Usher away if he was conscious, or let his unconscious form slump to the ground. In either case, Xaraxunia doesn't deliver the killing blow. Xaraxunia's red-and-yellow eyes gleam at Mr. Usher.

"You're one of my own, zzzzzSludgebag. A black carapazz warrior. I muzzzt not kill you."

Xar pulls his halberd back and away from Mr. Usher. He holds it like a staff, respecting his foe with a slight bow, even among the chaos. He takes a few careful steps backwards, and then he uses his wings to dash through the open door. Xaraxunia slashes at the droids as he sprints and then long-jumps through the closing shutter doors. The doors and the droids explode into sparks. The bug heads to the interior.

INTERIOR
Tags: Ma'lur'kek'thwin | Xoff Chantin | Open

As Xaraxunia entered the interior and slashed through the shutter doors with over 600 lbs of force, he breathed heavily and then scoped out the area. Xaraxunia saw the mercenary Ma'lur'kek'thwin carrying Xoff Chantin away from a massive form that he now knew to be Mr. Usher . It seemed like the interior of the EnSol research facility was a series of offices, labs, storage facilities, and secret projects.

Xar remembered what the Hutt had warned him about: no friendly fire. It was an unusual rule. If another bug was stupid enough to steal Xaraxunia's hunt, then didn't it deserve to die?

Xaraxunia hated the rule, but he could not attack any other mercenaries that he saw. It looked like the alien, the screaming meatbag, and the husk would be allowed to live...for now.

The alien mercenary and his squadron was setting fire to the interior, too. The flames were moving quickly. The gas canister near the East flank explodes, accelerating the fires. The Eastern fire was converging on the one in the Interior, creating a flash point. Despite being shocking uncoordinated and un-strategic, the mercenaries did a lot of fire damage to the facility. The insectoids even took off with a few weapons as loot.

Xaraxunia pushed forward with his mission to steal away the Executives and hand them over to the Hutt. He grasped a blaster pistol from one of the enemies on the ground and stuffed it into his belt, against the back of his durasteel armor.

Xaraxunia turned towards one of the labs, and he could see something moving inside. It was three people, Executives, trying desperately to hide themselves from him. Xaraxunia and four of his elite red warriors stepped inside, hurling all of the lab equipment and flasks on the ground as they entered. The insectoids towered over the captives, who were half their height. Desks were overturned. Chairs were tossed through the glass and into the hallway to feed the fires.

As the four elite bugs and Xaraxunia turned the corner into the lab, the three Executives screamed.

Xaraxunia leveled his halberd at the three Executives with one massive, powerful hand. Xaraxunia's voice was low, gravely, and monstrous.

"YOU! ALL OF YOU! You muzzt leave with uzzz! You are now captivezzz of the Lord Hutt!"

The Executives were pulled, screaming, out of their hiding places. The elites blocked the door and preventing the Executives from leaving, and they sure tried: they kicked and screamed and pounded their fists against the Kobok troopers. The insectoids began stun-cuffing their fresh captures.

The other Executives a few rooms down could see this happening from her hiding place. The bugs were about two labs away, which was less than thirty feet. It was likely that they would be next, unless they could come up with a cunning plan to escape.