ATTN: The Jedi Council //
Valery Noble
Subject: After Action Report - Emergency Evacuation - Lower Coruscant
Signee: Jedi Knight, Ran Serys
Hello Councilors,
It is with a heavy heart that I must report the deaths of five of the ten Jedi assigned to my strike team [REDACTED], [REDACTED], [REDACTED], [REDACTED], and [REDACTED]. I accept full responsibility for my role in this event and I request that I be the one to break the news to their loved ones. With that said, I will continue on with my account.
As you know my strike team was one of the few tasked with stopping dark side rituals aboard the Sluis Van Shipyards. We made an attempt to do just that. We boarded, went through several companies of Sith forces and followed a path that would lead us to the dark ritual of the "Dead God"
Darth Empyrean
and his Sepulchral Priests.
We were intercepted by the Sith Order's Emperor alone. He cut us off from the ritual room by sealing the door behind him. It was locked with a hidden mechanism that could only be undone with the force. It was at this time that I ordered a separate way be found. The former security experts and Jedi Knights Storra and Tike took on the role at my request. They listened and they left to find one.
The confrontation escalated from there. Mistakes made of fear on the parts of two of our fellow Jedi led to their deaths at the hands of Empyrean. Events progressed too quickly to stop rash actions without causing more fear and confusion. My team was dispirited by the swift dispatch of two of their number. Still we encircled our enemy preparing our assault. Then another two fell. Their empathy, preyed upon by evil psychic visions courtesy of Empyrean.
I exchanged words with Empyrean to buy time, to embolden the Jedi by my side, see his shatterpoint, and to distract as Knight Shutala unlocked the mechanism through the force. It was a success for a moment. We rushed past the broken man called Empyrean. The door was breached. Our goal seemingly within our grasp as Shutala reached to stop one of their priests, but then we were displaced through a mysterious ability of Empyreans, right back to where we started. He altered reality. It is the only way I can explain it. Another of our Jedi was felled by the trauma of that experience alone, unable to resist the might and power of Empyrean. The force did not protect him. Empyrean wrenched the door closed with the force once again.
There were only three against Empyrean left. The Jedi Sage Shiba Shutala, Myself, and former G.A. Soldier and young, talented Jedi Knight Tinn Dizo. I couldn't justify any more sacrifice. I ordered the two that accompanied me to retreat. They didn't want to, but they honored my direction.
I exchanged blows with Empyrean alone, briefly, before the ritual finished. When the ritual completed, he evaded me, and displaced himself among the stars and emptiness of space over Sluis Van. He then released the energies that would ravage the space around the planet. I ordered a full retreat. Me, Tike, Storra, Shutala, and Tinn met at the rendezvous and awaited orders to board one of our medical ships where we received psychological and trauma evaluations from galactic alliance professionals.
It is my official request that on the next occasion we believe an encounter with Darth Empyrean is imminent, we send our best fighters and force wielders. My strike team while talented and well rounded was unfortunately no match for such a strange and corrupted being.
Signing off,
Ran Serys - Jedi Knight