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The tent was more complex than what may have first come to Noah's mind when she had mentioned it. Instead of being one single triangular prism, it was a series of shapes that formed one medium-sized complex. There was a lobby-like canopy in the very front leading into three back rooms. One was designated a storage room, another a shared bunk chamber, and the last an office for Efret.
"Thank you, Noah," she commented, fingerspelling his name. "May you keep your head on your shoulders." She grinned wide, the expression suggesting that she was playing along with what he had said about his wives.
She stooped to pick up a cargo crate then, ducked into the tent, and walked into her office. If he was to follow her into the empty space, she would notice and keep speaking after setting down the box. "I admit I didn't read the assignment confirmation in full," she began, referring to the document sent to her by the GADF that detailed the agreement they had negotiated with the Galactic Foreign Legion. "Too much to do, too little time. I'm sure you understand but I apologize anyway." She gave a regretful smile. "Would you mind telling me for how long we will be enjoying your protection?"
If it was for longer than it took to, hopefully, win the day here on Eiattu 6, then Efret wanted Noah to be forewarned of something. It wasn't in his wheelhouse but he might like to know to expect it nonetheless.
The thundering of guns raining down fire upon the shuttles and drop pods only seemed to embolden the movements of the troopers, spurned them to push forwards faster and more daringly. Admittedly not the wisest decision given the clearly entrenched enemy that they faced before them but it was better to charge into the enemy line than wait for the artillery to pick them off one landing zone at a time. "I can hear it, Acolyte." The masked man stepped off of his shuttle and hardly seemed to mind the rain nor the very close sound of a nearby shuttle being hit directly by an artillery strike and exploding. "Quite the loud welcome to war, is it not?"
It seemed as though this would be a rough landing then, as expected.
He reached up to tap on his helmet's commlink as the shuttles and troopers began to spread out in an attempt to avoid the artillery, each thundering shot drawing a flinch from the soldiers. :"Deploy the droids and mobile shield platforms, we need cover and we need it now.": His gaze drifted upwards to the sky still littered with shuttles yet to land and the blasts of anti-air fire seeking to prevent them from doing so. :"Our first objective is to silence as many of their ant-air batteries as we can, the sooner we clear the skies the sooner we can get some bombers on their artillery. The only way through is forward, now advance!":
His orders were punctuated by the unmistakable snap-hiss of his lightsaber's crimson blade igniting as he raised it high into the downpour, an act which did seem to put a bit more pep into the steps of the troopers around him. "Dorran." Darth Strosius glanced towards the assassin and gestured towards the Citadel with his free hand. "I sense many Jedi awaiting us. Far too many for my liking. Slip into their lines wherever you can and start thinning their numbers, the Acolyte and I shall lead the offensive."
Then his masked gaze settled on to Jarek. "Acolyte Voss, do they teach you strategy and leadership at the academy? Because if not, you're going to learn them today." Without further delay the Lord Inquisitor joined his troopers in their charge forwards, now slightly more protected by small shields scattered across their lines that moved forward with them. It wasn't much but non-direct hits by artillery were far less effective now. Not to mention the cannons of the droids that opened up on the defenders.
Without looking at her, Valery dipped her head in agreement and kept herself focused on this Dead God. One she had tried to destroy, but ultimately helped create. This was a chance to correct that mistake, but she wasn't going to let that desire turn into recklessness. Mirroring her exterior, Valery's heart was calm and her breathing was steady. This was no clash between ordinary Sith and Jedi, but one that could alter the war itself.
It was a battle she needed to approach carefully.
"I've heard these speeches before, Empyrean, and they don't frigthen me," Valery countered, her hand dipping down to remove the hilt of her double-bladed weapon from her belt. Coruscant had resulted in the loss of her other weapons, but perhaps it was fitting to wield this weapon in battle against him. It had once been her preferred one to fight Sith, and as a former Shadow, she had been good at it. Now, she was even better.
"I wasn't able to finish you last time, but it's not too late. You believe yourself to have grown stronger, but your very being is a curse upon the Force."
She paused and thumbed the ignition switch, bringing forth two blades of perfect, violet plasma. She could feel the tension growing in the room, and she knew they were all one breath away from tearing it apart.
"And it will not stand for it."
A sudden warning echoed through the Force, compelling her to act. In an instant, the imminent threat flashed before her eyes, and Valery responded with a raised hand. Her mind and body shifting into the currents of the Force, drawing on its strength for protection. A barrier of Force energy formed in front of her as a result, and wrapped itself around the two women, shielding them from the otherwise lethal attack.
"Cora, move!" She called out, while she maintained the barrier.
"You make the Sith seem just like us," Hakon said, an ironic smirk forming beneath his helmet. His words were direct and upfront, reflecting the straightforward nature of his people; tactfulness was reserved for the strategies of battle.
He could not deny Trajan's words—the sight of Sith shuttles boring down straight for the palace thrilled him as much as it did the Sith charging into the fray. A part of him did not lament for Mandalore's decimation; if there's nothing at stake – your possessions, your life, your world – then the battle's meaningless. The desecration of Mandalore and its sister worlds by the Sith was the most meaningful of battles. The greatest test against oblivion. And yet, rather than finding strength in the brutal fight, his people had fallen into a coma of lament and mourning, and abandoned the ways of their existence.
The Jedi and the Alliance were not any less formidable—their domain spread across the known galaxy, their reach extending even into the unknown. They came close to a demise during the Hyperspace War only to regroup and fiercely eliminate the threat over their people in retaliation. They may have seized the stars through diplomacy and politics, but only on the back of an impressive military might and the prowess of the Jedi.
And they wielded a weapon Hakon found both most intriguing and incredibly lethal: the power to influence hearts and minds. To this day, he heard stories of fellow Mandalorians fighting for the Alliance, not for the honorless work of mercenaries, but of their own free will.
They had conquered the very soul of his people.
But on Hoylin, he and Trajan and a few others had taken a vow to return to the true way of Mandalore, to restore the divinity of war.
His ruminations were abruptly shattered as the swamps south of the palace erupted in a violent blaze of bombardment, lighting up the horizon with fiery explosions.
He peered through the macrobinocs. "Seems like the Alliance really were hiding over at the swap. Or the Sith have decided to play it safe…are those Federation tanks moving in?" Hakon marked a specific square on his grid which Trajan could see through their shared, integrated view. "What would you do if you were the Alliance commander?"
This time he was not angry. He was disappointed. Jhyrack had come to test himself, to meet these great warriors head on. It seemed to him that these two would provide neither entertainment nor a true challenge to his strength.
"It is still your choice."
His eyes glanced down at his own lightsaber, yet his hand remained at his side. His gaze looked up to the pair of Jedi and their kill.
"Die where you stand or come at me with everything you have. I will let you strike first."
His eyes grinned on their own.
"If you put everything behind it, maybe you will get lucky and wound me. Then you may flee."
You know that light that flashes before your eyes before you die?
That's our targeting reticles.
For anyone that wants to read it, The Angellus family history to this point Is here. Angellus"Ewan Isaacs - CAG/SCAR Teams CO", LCaptain Halpern "Celestial City CO", Captain Zev Tantor "Silver City" CO, Captain Rojuh Pouil "Valhalla" CO, Captain Scott Pouil - Flight Director 5th Fleet, Chief Gribbs - NCOIC 5th Fleet.
URL='https://www.starwarsrp.net/threads/cas-101-warpig-close-air-support-fighter-gunship.185383/#post-2380096']Warpig Close air Support[/URL] x20 Squadron
[/SPOILER]
[ANY COMMUNICATIONS INSIDE THESE BRACKETS ARE THE RESULT OF COMMS COMMUNICATION]
SECTOR: [URL’https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Sullust’]Sullust[/URL]
ORDERS: Nullify or outright destroy Orbital shipyards
WINGMATES: Dracken Pryce
, Gress D’ren
ENGAGING: OPEN
The windswept echoes of Sullust were lost beneath the riveted hulls of the Sith-controlled shipyards, gargantuan structures that towered over the reddish haze of the planet. Rear Admiral Liram Angellus stood on the bridge of the flagship, “The Celestial City”, his gaze encompassing the sprawling expanse of fragmented metal and spiraling machinery that flanked either side. A fire burned in his chest, igniting memories of old dogfights, of thrill and terror, of the rush of battle that made him feel more alive than ever.
“Conn Comms!” Lieutenant Sera Quist interrupted his thoughts, her voice sharp and alert. “Incoming from Hellstomper Command, they need flyby assistance.”
Switching to “Chief Gribbs' on his command table, Connel thought about sending the Warpigs, but something was holding him back from it. Send the Seraphims to reinforce. Gunships give them what they want, but if those pilots have shots, take them..
Aye!, Find me Telaskta…
“Conn Tactical, incoming SO ships, they’re on an attack run for us specifically, trying to divert our attention.”
The bridge was a cacophony of noise, officers communicating in rapid-fire bursts, displays blinking with information scrolling faster than the eye could read. Angellus’s fingers gripped the command chair, knuckles turning white. Bring us about.He said, looking at the information they would get their wish, but not in the manner to which they wanted.I want our long guns on them the moment they are in range and keep firing.
Aye, Helm! Bring about heading 326. Tactical target the lead vessels. I want those frigates moving to open up a hole on those cruisers quickly!
Keep moving on the shipyards, my group will hold the incoming
This news was not welcome.
Sir, SCARS 9 and 11 are reporting success commandeering a frigate. We can come to bear on them!
We’ll handle these guys together and move on the shipyards together!
We’re not going to just watch you guys get pounded!
The loyalty was inspiring, but Angellus had a hand in designing these ships, he knew what they could do.You have your orders, gentlemen. We have no intention of dying here.Angellus knew that this move would force the incoming ships to make a choice. Either go after the Liberator groups attacking the shipyards and get pounded by heavy weapons fire, or engage the supercarrier and escorts, watching the shipyards be destroyed.
N-1000 X-Wings and Elysian Stealth Strike fighters roared their engines and began to directly engage incoming Sith Order counterparts , slick and poised, their pilot uniforms a melding of sleek whites and blacks, each crafted with the combined essence of function and style. As the war-pigs, those brutish CAS fighters that looked more like armored beasts than vessels, screeched out into the inky void, a moment’s pause filled the bridge—as if the vastness of space itself held its breath. The Warpigs were built for close range attacks with their payloads and TROF cannons. This made for a perfect lead in for the Seraphim interceptors, each still carrying G-DAMM bombs which would have been designed for this. The Sith Order had gotten the drop on them, but they dropped into a Rancor’s Den.
Sullust was a dark jewel in the Sith Order’s crown, and today, Angellus would cast its shine into oblivion.
“Shields holding at ninety percent. Incoming fire from what is left of the outer defenses, sir!” yelled an operations officer, the tension lacing their voice.
Return fire! Target their turbolasers. We don’t want to get blindsided from the flanks,Halpern, the Celestial City’s CO (and Angellus’ second in command of the fleet) ordered, his eyes flashing with fierce determination. Each command was executed with an orchestra of precision and urgency, the flagship sending forth bolts of green energy that danced across the abyss.
The war-pigs dove confidently into the fray, swarming towards the entrenched capital ships of the Sith. They were taking heavy fire but were designed to. With their bulky frames and heavy munitions, they engaged in a brutal onslaught, engaging turbolasers, and dealing with the relentless barrage of counter-fire. An explosion rippled out from the bow of the Liberty, the debris floating away, while Angellus steered the ship closer, orchestrating their movements like a conductor leading a symphony.
The Elysian Strike fighters were showing their Stealth capabilities, hitting Sith ships almost with impunity. However, even Stealth ships could be targeted from behind.The sleek vessels darted through the battlefield like will-o’-the-wisps. The moment they activated their cloaking technology, they became ethereal shadows against the backdrop of chaos, but several of them were being targeted by experienced Sith dogfighters. Elysian fighters were more than capable in a head to head fight, but they were very much on the defensive, this was a problem…
… for the X-wings..
“Enemy fighters incoming! Sith interceptors!” Quist’s warning pierced through the din of blaring alarms.
The Seraphim heavy interceptors surged forward, their wings spreading wide like predatory birds. The spectrum of combat evolved into a deadly ballet, as fighters intertwined in a deadly dance. Angellus clenched his jaw, watching the Elysian fighters engage head-on, their superior maneuverability slick as ice, evading the clumsy thrust of the Sith ships.
Suddenly, brilliance erupted in the black. Red laser fire streaked past the cockpit, illuminating the dark void like lightning. A flicker, too close—it struck one of the Elysian fighters, sending it spiraling out of control, a dancer lost to the tempo.
Focus fire on those Sith Interceptors! They’re flanking the rear!adrenaline fueling his resolve.
On it! Scott Pouihl, the flight Director of the 5th yelled back as he was barking those very orders.
Vessels erupted and faded, a chaotic symphony of sound and fury. The Celestial City shuddered under the weight of outgoing fire, smashing into an enemy frigate that had launched from the shipyard as explosions ripped through its hull. Angellus gritted his teeth, the hot spark of anger pushing him further as he mentally calculated their chances.
“Brace for impact! Shields at seventy-five percent!” Shouted the Tactical Department Officer.
“Admiral, we have a problem,” The Tactical Officer’s voice cracked as she focused on her screen. “We have multiple bogies breaking through—no way to avoid them unless we redirect to flank!”
A flicker of rage ignited within him; the kind that could have burned cities. The Sith were encroaching dangerously close, their goal not merely to resist but to obliterate his forces.Negative, hold position.
With a flash, the Celestial City turned, aiming straight for the oncoming fleet. The ship’s cannons roared, and the command staff orchestrated the movement of his remaining fighters as well as the ships, directing them into adroit formations around the capital ship.
The Carcharodon fighters, that much-feared fighter group of the Galactic Alliance, emerged from the shadows like harbingers of death, their designs sharper, sleeker—feared manifestations of their willpower. They tore forth unleashed, their stealth capabilities merging with the chaos like ghosts of vengeance.
Engage!Angellus’s voice thundered as the stealth fighters dived into the congested fight, their targeting systems locking onto enemy vessels that swarmed too close to his flagship. Their missiles screamed through the air, ripping through their targets with deadly precision. The enemy vessels were destroyed in an instant, and the stealth fighters would soon emerge victorious if this continued.
In tandem, Angellus controlled his own ship’s guns, blasting through the storm, feeling the tactile energy of warfare envelop him once again. Each strike returned a measure of satisfaction—every enemy fighter falling ignited a spark of defiance in him, reminding him of the risk, the drama, and the fierce necessity of their mission against the Sith.
As the chaotic battle unfolded, both sides heckled, pressed, and fought fiercely. But no shipmaster under Angellus's command faltered; they were steadfast and loyal, their trust in him unwavering. It was when things were at their most insane that the Carcharodon fighters made a run for the shipyards. If that was not bad enough, the SCARs were beginning to succeed, another frigate was commandeered and firing on the station defenses ahead of the two Liberator carrier groups moving in on it.
The shipyards of Sullust, once a tight-knit bastion of Sith dominance, were on their way to lay in ruin. The galaxy was shifting under the determined assault of those who dared to confront it.
Fleet composition in signature link as well as spoiler
1. Celestial City and escorts engaging Vanguard drivision directly - Long range guns firing and not stopping.
2. Warpig CAS fighter engaging and attacking Drommund cruisers acting as tanks for Seraphim interceptors
3. X-wings engaging Sith Order fighters and flying cover for others.
4. Elysian Strike Fighters engaging frigates
5. Carcharodon Strike Fighters moving on shipyards
6. Liberator Carrier groups moving on Shipyards
7. SCARs commandeered a frigate and are firing on Shipyard defenses.
8. Remaining SCARs returning to fighters to engage shipyard.
9. Marines and gunships deployed to Eiattu-6 to reinforce HellStompers. Gunships provide recon flybys.
It took a little long than Noah would have liked when it came to setting up the tent, it was a lot more than a few tents poles and some canvas like he had expected but still he was happy to help. He chuckled after Efret thanked him and used his name, his chuckle growing when she made her joke. "As do I Master Farr, I love my wives more than life itself but they can be...well scary when they are scorned or scandalized. Yasha especially."
He would follow behind her, picking up a crate that had been with the one she had grabbed, figuring that if it didn't need to go with that one then we would simply have to move it to another area which was no problem.
When the topic of the contract the the Legion and the Alliance had negotiated was brought up, and Efret's lack of fully reading it, Noah pulled a datapad off of his waist and quickly loaded it before handing it to the Jedi. "I don't blame you, most of these contracts are full of legalese so much circular speaking that sometimes it hurts my head to read them." He chuckled at his own joke before continuing on with the contract.
"The too long, didn't read version? We are here until after you are completely finished with receiving, cataloging and neutralizing the artifacts that come your way. Whether that takes a few days or a few weeks we will be here. Hopefully it will be shorter rather than longer but being soldiers, or at least former soldiers, all of my Legionnaires are accustomed to spending long times away from home."
Artillery Compliment//: HAG-M | x5 Units | Medium Artillery Support J1 Proton Cannon |x10 Units | Anti-Air Support Heavy Artillery Gun |x4 Units | Heavy Artillery Support
"Scanning....Scanning...Target Indentified" the voice of Commander OOM-7 said, holding a pair of Macrobinoculers within hand as the small convoy dubbed TN-4 proceeded through the dense swamp on the southeast side in a sweeping formation for hidden alliance units. The scans detected a blurry shadowy figure moving among the trees and vines, inadvertently revealing the presence of one of Sara Roche
's marine detachment attempting to blend in with the thick swamp vegetation.
Holding a hand up in the air as the convoy came to a screeching halt, "Open Fire with all forward batteries!, On coordinates 155.93817." the 10 Armored Assault Tanks emitted a deafening hum as they moved forward, while the Heavy laser cannon (1) and anti-personnel Repeating blaster cannons (2) unleashed their firepower, creating a destructive display in the jungle, tearing through the dense foliage of trees and roots.
"Regiment One - Advance on the enemy formation, with Heavy Battle Droids in front and Battle Droid Assassins behind to provide anti-sniper countermeasures." Commander OOM-7 additionally ordered, as the regiment consisting of 1,000 B1-Series battle droid progressing through the marshland, the formidable force advancing to confront the marine detachment, while the snipers provided sporadic covering fire.
The roaring sound of heavy firepower from Gress D'ran
's Firestorm could be heard from behind the convoy, as the four barrels of their mid-range turbolasers and eight volleys of slammed into the sides of two of the 3 Multi-Troop Transports, ripping through their heavier armored plating, yet the control mechanism was not entirely disabled, allowing for the unlocking of additional droids.
"Convoy to Base Command, we are under attack from heavy firepower from behind us and have begun to engage the enemy's hidden units. Recommend more artillery support and pressure on the enemy forces." Commander OOM-7 conveyed the information via the communication device to the mobile base command, which was concealed deep within the swamps. General Sentapoth leaned in attentively as the message was transmitted, his expression somber, fully aware that neutralizing the enemy's artillery support was the primary obstacle they needed to address before any advancement could be made.
"We-We-We must rid ourselves of the enemy's artillery compliment if we are to advance on the palace. What strategy do you recommend? A forward advance, close air support, a temporary diversion?" He adressed Zhom as the GRX Super Tactical Droid, ran through some caculations before making a decision that would enable them to secure a temporary victory over the Galactic Alliance, as the scanners on the mobile command center picked up the signatures of gunships from Rear Admiral Liram Angellus
.
"Patience, General. Our strategy will become clear once we have time to fully deploy our forces. Command Center to OOM-7, Proceed with your offensive into the swamp. You will eliminate the Galactic Alliance within that sector at all costs, deploy all specialized variants of battle droids to accomplish the task." Zhom said - switching channels to the Artillery Compliment within the Trade Federation Army.
"Roger, Roger." Commander OOM-7 said over the line before the channel was switched.
"Artillery Core - Bring up the HAG-Ms and redirect all artillery bombardments towards the enemy's artillery compliment and heavier walkers. Position the J1 Proton Cannon within the swamps, and begin anti-aircraft manuevers. Deny them any safe space to land that could compromise our position and staging ground. " Zhom added, terminating the communication link. The Artillery Core shifted their attention towards the Firestorm Walker Company and the Kyrat Artillery Platoon. The sky was filled with Anti-Aircraft fire and proton blasts, creating a formidable barrier to hinder Rear Admiral Liram Angellus
's landing force.
4 Units of Heavy Artillery Guns and 5 Units of HAG-M would redirect all firepower towards the Firestorm Walker Company and the Kyrat Artillery Platoons.
10 Units of J1 Proton Cannon would begin anti-aircraft fire to prevent Rear Admiral Liram Angellus
's landing force and gunships from approaching.
Seela glanced out the side of the viewport, briefly taking in the small, sleek interceptor and the equally small, sleek Sephi ace ensconced within its bubble cockpit. In essence, it was a craft that matched the nature of its pilot. By contrast, Seela’s superiority fighter, while still lissome and feline in character, took on a more aggressive, predatory stance with its eight cannons and twelve missiles. Ironically named after a large cultural dance, the Lobeha Mwadu III was a machine that could dance just as well as it could kill, reflecting its pilot in turn.
On cue, the astromech beeped, informing Seela that the sensors had been calibrated and tightened for chemical emissions. The Twi’lek signaled her affirmation, before locking on to three of the strongest and closest signatures as they approached the shipyards. A trio of stealth fighters, all committed to their objectives and none the wiser to the concealed predator observing them from afar.
Seela didn’t hesitate.
On cue, three missiles—two concussion and one proton—exploded out from her flex tube launchers, each locked onto one of the three fighters in the enemy flight element. Moments later, three kill marks popped up in her HUD, complemented by three small specks of blooming light in the far distance, all but confirming the success of her missile attack.
And yet, it was only then that yet more small craft signatures popped up in her sensor readout, thus revealing the overwhelming, swarming nature of the Alliance’s assault. Those kill marks had represented only three destroyed stealth fighters out of more than 90 which were bearing down on the shipyards.
<<Targets of opportunity sighted and ranged- look sharp, Revenant, they're onto us.>> His fingers ran across the console- transferring power from hyperdrives into combat components, powering up sublight engines, shields, and cannons. He felt the thump as the S-foils splayed open, ready for war.
“Bloodstripe One, I have an incoming enemy squadron on sensors! Initiating combat maneuvers!” Seela called out over the squadron’s shared comm net. “Designating targets on tactical net...claiming mark six!” The Twi’lek added, knowing that Lord Tooka and Kurayami Bloodborn would pick out their own targets for engagement.
Suddenly, the enemy pilot (Shar Sieu
) that Seela had marked might register a lock-threat warning blaring through his helmet. It was likely accompanied by the insistent howl of a missile lock alert as a single protonmissile raced towards the X-Wing of Revenant Four from extended range. With her own missile launched, Seela immediately rolled and broke hard to starboard, putting maximum Gs on her starfighter in anticipation of enemy missiles fired in response. All the while, chaff and flares were spat out in her wake. Even with the stealthy characteristics of her craft, the Twi’lek was not prepared to take any chances with so many hostile fighters active in the battlespace.
The dark-haired acolyte cast a furrowed gaze at the surrounding area, unwilling to comment on how unenthused she was to be among corpses. The other acolyte, Firrerreo, she believed she'd heard him be called, spoke with such vigor she'd hate to ruin his fun (that and she feared doing so would add her to the collection of corpses). Instead, she nodded along, casting quick glances at the area around the pair as the younger boy continued.
Navigating Netherbeasts and enemies in the Alliance hadn't been her idea of a field trip. The Epicanthix had agreed to come along more by accident than intention, agreeing to the trip before she knew what it'd entail out of fear of being singled out as a fraud.
So here she was, avoiding making eye contact with the not-bird that followed the other acolyte, just as she avoided the gaze of the wounded soldier, focusing instead on watching the area. She was watching the perimeter - yes, that's what she'd tell herself later in the wee hours of the morning. She shut her eyes when the noises came, the cracking bones and squelch of flesh. The green tones of her hair and eyes temporarily bled into her skin as she fought off a wave of nausea. Surely, she wouldn't be expected to create such horrors herself, right?
The glee in Firrerreo's voice sent a chill down Adean's spine, further solidifying her role could never be questioned, lest she end up like the creature he created. "That thing isn't going to come after us, will it?"
Tension laid thick in the damp cave air. At least until she spoke. First, a surprised frown in disbelief spread across his features. After having had a few moments to process it, however, the Royal lowered his weapon a few centimeters. Pulling it back up wouldn't take more than a second, but the action might have worked to put the child at ease. "Calm, calm. Don't be afraid." he spoke with a warm and compassionate voice.
In truth, there were probably not that many years between them. Yet, the Prince had developed into a formidable warrior in his own right whilst the girl had the outward appearance of someone considerably younger and frailer than himself. At this point, it became obvious that the next step was far from obvious to the young Heir, for he remained in place for a few more moments.
Finally, he let out a friendly "I don't intend to hurt you. But I would still like to hear who you are. Do you know where your parents are?" A friendly chuckle escaped him "This sure isn't a pleasant place to venture through alone." For now, the Prince would hold his position and allow the distance between them to work to both of their advantages. Without his team present, this was likely the safest option to him. And to her, it was hopefully of comfort to know that the comparatively large and armed stranger was not approaching. Still, he moved his flashlight methodically along her body with eyes following closely: All in an effort to scan her for potential injuries and weapons.
The Mando claimed friend, and displayed the proper signs of it. The lilac blade hissing as it was shut off. Watching him disarm before taking the helmet off. It had been a familiar voice, a feeling nagging at her but had been pushed down in the urgency to get to her objective.
The face that emerged similar enough to remember but different enough to show the passing of time.
"Oh! Noah. Hey!" Keeping her helmet on for the time being as she offered an awkward wave with her hand. Her helmet canted slightly as she thought on an answer.
"Doing. Seems you've been busy also." Turning to orient her map as she nodded to his gear.
"Get your stuff back on. Need to get to that staging area. We'll chat on the way." Lingering just long enough for him to grab his things before breaking into a slow run for her, and a hefty pace for a normal person.
"Life's been busy. Just. Chaotic upheaval. Still getting my feet under me. Had my kid same day we lost Romi when they attacked Coruscant. Life's been lifing." Leading the way while trying to gloss over some of the most recent events. Getting close enough now to the Sith staging site that the ambient nature sounds died away and were replaced by the sound of machinery and soldiers.
"Been practicing and working out. Which should come in handy shortly." Preparing once more as both sabers were gripped tight and she steeled herself with a glance back to him.
"Same as last time? You on overwatch or you want to charge in also?"
Location: Caverns of Naalol
OBJ: Extend Courtesies and Pleasantries
Enemies: Sith(Kalzok)
Allies: GA
Loadout: Battlefield
Vulpesen's tail twitched behind him and his gaze hardened on the sith. "Light-Blight. Got a ring to it, that one. Think I'll keep it." He sniffed the air then reached up, taking his mask and lowering it over his face. Then he felt it, a sickly assault on the wilds, an attack on the earth that melted and shifted it into an unnatural sludge. "Knowledge can be a noble pursuit. But some things deserve to stay hidden. I give you this one chance. Leave." The wilder's eyes flashed behind his mask as he spoke, a sign of the power that filled him as he let the rivers of the force run through his veins.
He let the conviction in his voice carry into the force. his stance widened and Vulpesen channeled the force through himself and down into his roots. Starting at the soles of his boots then spreading outwards, the ground would solidify and harden until he had his own little island. It wasn't much, but it would keep him from falling into whatever abyss this "seeker" had planned for him. In response to the attack on his person, meager as it was, Vulpesen finally ignited his blade, a core of black surrounded by brilliant gold springing forth to illuminate their cavern. But still he stood, true to his word and giving Kalzok
a chance to retreat.
Avel Som had no idea what was going here on Naalol, only that it was of some importance to the Sith Order, and that they had some kind of animal problem. They had helped him out a couple of times, so he figured he'd return the favor. It couldn't be too hard to get rid of some pests, or maybe even relocate them. He was rather fond of nature and animals. They tended to be a lot better and easier to get along with than most people, and they didn't judge him as a freak. He gave Darkwing, the ebonhawk on his shoulder, a soft scratch on the head.
Darkwing gave a soft screech, projecting images into Avel Som's mind. "This way, huh? All right." Darkwing gave a quiet yip. "It'll be fine. Things always work out for us. And we're kinda unbeatable." Darkwing pecked him and flashed a certain image in his mind. "Don't remind me..."Okay, maybe not unbeatable. Avel Som trudged toward the tall tower that was jutting against the sky. He wondered what other people he would meet from the Sith. He'd already met a pretty lady with cute Lepi ears. Darkwing had seemed to have taken a liking to Adeline Noctua
as well. Something about a "mutual respect between predators," whatever that meant. But Noctua and the masked one -- Al Hysteria or something -- didn't seem to get along too well. He had no idea why.
Objective: I - Eiattu 6 Equipment|loadout: [X][X][X] Activity: Observing the Citadel TAG: Derek Dib
| Darth Strosius
Despite their size and weight, the five droids, aided by their powerful internal generators and superb materials, their sleek frame and well proportioned bodies, managed to be surprisingly agile and superbly maneuvrable compared to your ordinary, everyday battle droid. This in itself did put the Sceleratii on a whole different level from the type of droids most jedi or even sith were used to handle in combat. The Sceleratii were what you got if you meshed a combat droid and an assassin droid into one unit and gave it the tactical capabilities and strategic thinking of a proper tactical droid. This also explained why there were but about a dozen in total of these hunter-killer droids and right now, a little less than half of those were testing their own skill and capacity in a war they essentially had little to gain or to lose from, neither they nor their master truly cared about all of this, only thinking it the best place to find formidable foes and test their might.
While the Sceleratii had continued their hunt, having scanned for potential targets, their scans had picked up an individual that seemed to be in a commanding position within the main body of jedi and legionairy troops defending the citadel. Yet, no sooner had they made their presence known or the droids had been hounded by what was without question a solid tactical decision made by Derek Dib
.
Providing the bomber squads and artillery regiments their targets and maximizing the chance of success by spreading out the perimeter in which their shots and bombardments could lead to the best effects, at the very least showed competence and military, strategic thinking. His decision was correct, not even KRONOS connected to the Scelerati could deny the smart and tactical nature of what happened, for when the droids attempted to flank the Force master's defenses, the sudden bombing of the ruins through which they had been traversing caught the Sceleratii off guard in such a way that their cloaking veils got fried and were no longer fully functional. Though external and internal damage was kept to a bare minimum due to the excellently build, strong frame of each individual Sceleratis, there were some visible scuffs and burnmarks, with a tiny dent in one of the sceleratis' shoulder plates.
It would take time for them to fix their cloaking veils and that was not exactly something they could do in the heat of battle, so a new strategy was instantly devised, when three of the five sceleratii begain to climb the remaining, still somewhat standing structures within the ruins after the heavy bombing and shelling raid, launching themselves from three seemingly erratically chosen locations towards the bulk of the jedi and their trooper comrades at the ridge. The two remaining ones hoped to use this veritable distraction to continue running further to the side of the massive Citadel and thus also the defenders themselves.
"Commence Strike Terror stratagem," KRONOS' metallic voice coursed through the Sceleratii's droid brains in the form of highly dense code, practically forcing them to do as they were told, like slaves or dogs.
As the first three Sceleratii jumped through the air, they each fired off a volley of force breaker rounds towards the large gathering of people that had been attempting to hold the sith army at bay. While already deadly for regular soldiers, these force breaker rounds, an invention of the current Sith Ruler themself, would in fact be worse to deal with for those used to defending themselves with the force. Trooper and most likely to everyone's surprise; jedi alike would fall prey to these shots, but not all of the jedi or troopers, some were lucky to avoid getting hit, while some of the jedi were smart or powerful enough to avoid getting hit by these fiersome projectiles coming from the Sceleratis' verpine handcannons.
Yet, as they landed, the three Sceleratis' would change their style and each reached for the hilt of their massive black blades, beginning to ruthlessly hack in on the defenders, all the while giving the sith army a moment of reprieve in order to regroup and redouble their offensive pressure.
The two remaining Sceleratii noticed how at least one of the members of the large strikeforce followed the desired target towards the ruins and by extension: themselves. While the initial order was to flank, this change in pace forced the two droids to conceal themselves a bit, turning aside and moving slowly back into the ruins, attempting to draw the two men closer to the broken and battered structures that remained outside of the citadel. If the two men were close enough though, the two sceleratii would attempt to swiftly come out of hiding, fire a few precision potshots with their verpine handcannons before vanishing back into the rubble again. There would be no doubt that these droids were not going to be some easy pickings...
He chuckled at the tilting of her helmet and the awkward wave but shrugged his shoulders when she mentioned that he had been busy, his hand instinctively coming to rub at the scar across his cheek, it had been a while since he had gotten it but he still was a bit self-conscious about it. "Yeah, I've been busy, been going around the galaxy. Bounty work here, cargo hauling there, probably not anything as interesting as you've been getting up to."
Heeding her advice he slipped his helmet back on, somewhat comforted when the usual hiss of it pressurising was heard. Catching his foot underneath the rifle he kicked it upwards and proceeded to catch the rifle as it fell back down, totally not to impressive the Zeltron woman at all.
Following behind her he kept good pace with her despite everything, his half Zorren and quarter Morellian DNA led the man to be a little more hardy than you baseline Human, add to that the years of Mandalorian and Force user training under his parents and he was more than physically able to keep pace.
He listened to her words as they ran, processing the words before the big one hit her, Lossa had a kid. "Woah woah woah! You have a kid!?" He seemed to be floored by the reveal but didn't let it stop him from moving forward. "...it's not mine right? I mean I don't think we hooked up but...I was pretty drunk after those townspeople liquored us up after taking down those pirates." When Romi Jade
was brought up he nodded solemnly. "Heard about that. My dad knew her. Said she was one of the few Jedi he respected AND liked. Big compliment from him."
When she mentioned working out he nodded and chuckled. "I can tell, you move a lot faster than back then and...are you taller?" It was hard to gauge her height as they ran but she seemed taller. Talk of what the plan would be came next and he thought for a few moments before shaking his head. "I've been practicing with my sabers a lot more recently...would hate to put that practice to waste."
Soon, artillery shots began raining down on positions. It didn't take long for the enemy to pinpoint some of the artillery locations, as their shots blew open parts of the buildings the troops had burrowed into. These strikes sent up dust and debris, creating a smokescreen for the next group of jump troops to secure their landing point.
The woman's blades spun around in an indiscriminate slaughter of enemies who still dared fire upon her instead of retreating to save their lives. Her charge hardly gave them the chance to retreat. She could tell where the enemy was by the color of their blasters and the sense of fear and anger, a stark contrast to the adrenaline-filled soldiers braking into the defence the line.
... One alliance soldier who had been separated from their unit from the chaos. They turned back in time just to see one of the Sith's lightsabers rushing towards them through the air. Ready to slice through them in an instant.
But just in time another lightsaber, a green shoto was ignited and spun through the air to collide with the Sith. Before quickly boomeranging back into the dust from which it came where Ko caught it and fastened it back to his belt. The obscuring dust was not an obstacle for the blind Kel Dor. But it was for all of his allies here. Taking in a deep breath Ko gathered a bit of energy before extending his hands out in either direction and taking a wide stance. Creating a rather weak and gentle Force repulse from his body to bush aside the concealing dust and smoke and offering those around a proper view of the battlefield.
She felt a strange resistance as the Trandoshan Jedi's lightsaber connected with another blade. The Valkyrie's smile widened as all the ones she had active returned. Reaching out with the Force, Teresa sensed the Jedi; they were strong but not so strong as to bring any concern. Instead, she felt excitement for the potential challenger. A gust permeated the area, momentarily lifting the fog of war by pushing away the dust.
With a short hop, she lifted off the ground, beating her wings to hover. Teresa grasped both Svikin hjörtu as she looked down at the one who had not only revealed their comrades but also themselves, clear as day. "What a strange move," she thought, noting that her opponent wore no armor and wielded a weapon she didn't yet have on her wall.
In the process he exposed both himself and the dark Valkyrie. She was quite large, much taller than Ko himself. Her massive wingspan only aiding in their imposing figure. Twirling around her were several lightsabers clearly being telekinetically manipulated. The Jedi had only ever heard of such an outlandish fighting style, but had never seen it himself. Ko’s gut told him this wasn’t just some typical Sith warrior. From his back Ko pulled out a rather unassuming looking baton. But upon activating it the length of the weapon practically tripled in size. Made up of three sections connected together via power couplings. The ends of the weapon crackled to life with scorching energy.
Ko gave a slight flourish with his weapon as it flicked and twirled across his body. Showing the improved and flexible coverage it would afford him. Imbuing it with Force Weapon would give it greater lethality and durability as well.
“Why don’t you pick on someone your own size? Or would that be too difficult for you Sith?” Ko practically hissed the title. Speaking it as if it was some horrible slur meant to offend and disparage. However, the hooded Jedi’s lightside presence was a little muted at the moment. Within a pouch on his belt was a strange amulet that he’d picked off of Valor prior, who said it supposedly belonged to Braze.
Her black wings, tipped with red, created strong gusts with each downstroke, further clearing the dust from the area around the one calling her out. She smiled down at the strange creature. "Don't make me laugh; I don't see anyone around here my size! And is that a catchphrase of the Jedi or something?" she jested with a growing wicked smile. The Valkyrie did not take the Kel'dor seriously, especially not with such a line.
Five blades spun and moved around her, intercepting the focused fire aimed at the Blackened Valkyrie. She eyed the soldiers, who seemed to put on a brave face with the Jedi's backup. "Besides, who said I'm Sith?" In the next second, the Valkyrie rushed forward, her wings spreading into a glide. No doubt the Kel'dor felt her intent to kill as she feinted an attack. Each telekinetically-held blade rushed forward, then suddenly shot off in different directions, impaling five soldiers closest to the Jedi—particularly those who had fired at her.
Teresa's wings beat once, propelling her over the top to land on another soldier behind. A gurgling scream came from him as she removed his arms, which had been carrying a rotary weapon spooling up. She wondered how the Jedi would react to the sudden loss of life, turning around with a big grin. "Tsk, such weak warriors," she said with an unsettling giggle.
"Sure, they fight back, but they're no longer a challenge." The five blades shot from the corpses, including the two in her hands, and dragged a wide, jagged circle around the two combatants, scorching the ground. Each of them returned after turning off and connecting back to her belt or slotting into their auxiliaries. Teresa's soldiers already knew not to enter inside, making their way around despite the potential advantage they might have had.
The Blackened Valkyrie's wings pulled tight to her back as she drew her lightsaber auxiliary forward. Her other hand fell upon the hilt and pulled it slightly. "Before I find out if you are a worthy warrior for my attention, does my challenger have a name?" Teresa waited for his response before drawing her long pink and red lightsaber with flat edges and settling into her stance.
Her force aura pushed out with more intent to kill, anything around her surely felt a pressing feeling wrapping tight around them. It was like a weighted blanket so heavy it could crush. Unsettling sounds of bones braking started to come from behind the Valkyrie as she started to alter her body. Her wings began to shrink down till they nothing appeared there. It was not without pain either as she forced the changed to be quicker.
Teresa positioned her left shoulder toward her opponent, preparing to strike. Grasping the handle with both hands, she angled the blade upwards at a precise 90-degree angle. Her stance was firm: the left foot pointed forward and remained straight, while the right foot angled out. Both legs were slightly bent, ready to extend for a swift and powerful strike.
Derek ducked into one of the nearby craters. The heat from the recent explosion left the interior sizzling against his armor. Jon, the massive Wookiee, crouched down below the rim and let out a growling roar near Derek’s ear which caused him to wince.
“Not in my ear, Jon! Now you keep an eye on the ruins. I don’t like this. Stay alert.”
His eyes closed and he focused as he reached out in the force and touched the Aegis matriarch’s mind. She too felt uneasy. Not necessarily a disturbance. That was when the three nightmares dropped from the sky onto the frontline on the ridge. Rounds tore into the allies from above. Death echoed out, whisps of light extinguished from life. A whirlwind of chaos erupted and Derek barked orders.
“Etyain and Coors, take one of those fracking boltheads! The other Aegis Knights, take a second one! Don’t take risks, use the environment! And Etyain, tell Jedi Master Balen to handle the third. Use electric judgement or pure force lightning if he has too!”
Derek turned away from the ridge line. He was not there so he had three choices. Fall back and retreat to the ridge. Stay frozen in his current position through indecisiveness, which was often a poor tactical decision that led to death. Or push on and continue his mission. But with a little more wisdom. He activated his comlink.
“I want another air strike. These ruins are a defensive nightmare. Take them out. All of them. I want them leveled and nothing left standing. I don’t want the Sith to be able to use that trick again. What? We have friendlies still in there? How many? Seven?”
He closed his eyes. He could feel their presence. A few were determined. Two were terrified. A couple were wounded, one very badly. But they all were there just as he was. Willing to lay his life down to save others. If he was in the ruins, would he be able to accept that his life was less important than the greater good? The Jedi believed that any decision could lead someone to the darkside. To sacrifice one’s self was honorable. To sacrifice others was against Jedi principles.
Derek Dib was not a Jedi.
“Confirm aerial bombardment. Disregard protocol and fire on those ruins now soldier! Yes! Danger close! Now you shabla blast those ruins now!”
His eyes stayed closed as the barrage of missiles were leveled onto the ruins. And then a new wave of artillery began to hit the defensive line as a new line of enemy aircraft of armored droids entered the fray. Not a typical day in the office. Then again, he was a Dib. This wasn't out of the ordinary…
~
Etyain barked her orders and charged forward with Coors by her side. The Matriarch and the Shaman burst through the defensive line and fell upon the first droid. Her shield was up and her right hand reached out to snatch a dozen blaster rifles from the dead the droid fell in his initial attack. They levitated and turned at the droid, the triggers depressed and a dozen sources released their deadly fire.
Coors raised his own shield but did not assist in the matriarch’s attack. At least not in a similar fashion. The Zabrak male began to chant incantations and opened three portals above the droid before pulling the portals down and trying to close them on the droid to sever portions of the enemy off into the nether. The attempt immediately caused perspiration to erupt from every pore from the sheer force of his will power.
~
The other six aegis knights attacked in concert. The second droid faced six shields and six lightsabers diving in and slashing. Where one attacked the next used their shield to block. Then the attacker would spin away and the defender would attack while the previous attacker would spin in with their shield. They were united in a hive mind and in their assault they united to shove the droid with telekinesis attempting to crush him in a vice grip powered by six strong Aegis Knights.
~
Jedi master Balen attacked with half a dozen Jedi knights. Lightsabers flashed and the master watched three of the younger knights fall to the droid. With a roar the Master reached deep, lowering his blade in the process, and released every once of power, stamina, and strength through the force ability Electric Judgement.
Here it was. The beginning of a war that Jonyna knew would define her time on the Council. For years now, she had engaged in small skirmishes. Run ins with sith, glancing blows that often found her on her ass.
No more. Now she was fighting for the freedom of the Core. Not from Imperial wannabe tyrants, but from the real deal. The Dark Side itself.
Stormclouds rolled in behind the blur of motion that pushed forward, ahead of the GADF lines. The walkers of the 3rd Walker Company that engaged the sith troops only saw a blur of lightning and speed, as Jonyna meticulously worked through the horde. The howl of a wolf could be heard as every troop fell to a twin barrage of movement. First, an bolt from Matthew hit the trooper's shield, then a pyrokinesis empowered ruby blade cut through them like butter, all within less than the blink of an eye.
Jonyna had a target, but she needed to thin the herd first. Instead, she pushed forward, hitting a support droid with a bolt of natural lightning from the storm above to stun it, then leaping into the air and hitting it with a shatterpoint assisted stab from Liz.
She was a jedi master now. She needed to show it.
All the while, her senses were fixed on Darth Strosius
as she worked her way closer and closer to him.
"Knowledge can be a noble pursuit. But some things deserve to stay hidden. I give you this one chance. Leave." The wilder's eyes flashed behind his mask as he spoke, a sign of the power that filled him as he let the rivers of the force run through his veins.
Starting at the soles of his boots then spreading outwards, the ground would solidify and harden until he had his own little island. It wasn't much, but it would keep him from falling into whatever abyss this "seeker" had planned for him. In response to the attack on his person, meager as it was, Vulpesen finally ignited his blade, a core of black surrounded by brilliant gold springing forth to illuminate their cavern. But still he stood, true to his word and giving Kalzok
a chance to retreat.
Spanning ten feet outwards from where they stood, the ground fell inward, pulled by a hungering power, into muck and torn earth. Still hovering, Kalzok moved his arms outward, then thrust downwards. A boom sounded, and the collapsed earth shot back upwards, in gigantic pillars of earth and stone, like spears of death. Some blocked the path between them, but many others shot towards Vulpesen at multiple angles, Kalzok aiming to hem in the cretin and skewer him.
Iroai Amulet
