Invasion Great Balls of Fire | Agents of Chaos invasion of CIS-held Rodia and Talay

[Domino]

• Objective - Regroup Strike Team
• Location - Dome exterior, nestled in the equipment on the top
• Gear and Equipment - Armor, LMG, Sidearm, knife, rock, candle, twin lightsabers, various grenades, demolition charges.
• Allies - Agents of Chaos, Strike Team Bluebell Sasmay Cull
• Post 8

That was quite the level of warm-fuzzies Cull was sending her way. Two things were paramount underlying the message, she was doing her best to hold together, and she wanted to be safe. If the human had known exactly what was going to happen to her, Domino doubted that she'd be feeling so eager for the upcoming trip. Domino had already established her perception of the weave which she now bent and folded, bringing the point where Sasmay was to a point where Domino wanted her until the two were one and the same, a gentle pulse of the force knocked Sasmay from one thread to the next, and Domino let reality snap back to its proper shape as her partner fell through the space between places to appear before her.

"Easy! Easy!" Domino rushed to grab the other woman expecting her to fall, Fold Space was a schutta the first few times until you learned to accept it. A newly awakened Force user who likely didn't even have a grasp on their perceptions would have the experience of both being and not being extra rough. "Helmet off now, it may smell but you don't want to puke in there." From there Domino would try to get her teammate calmed down if she needed it and siting down in some concealment to recover. "Take your time, we're good for now. I'm sorry I left you." Yeah... Her bedside manner still needed work. Hopefully the soldier would appreciate the lack of coddling. Of course the utter slab of metal that was her armor wasn't ever supposed to be comforting. So she was a bit disadvantaged to start with.

Once Sasmay looked like she was doing good Domino would stand up again and begin her limited precog and enhancement meditations again. "Alright, one last thing and then we can go home," she handed Sasmay the first of her demolition charges. "Those factories aren't going to destroy themselves."

 

[Bella]

Objective/Location: Seek and Destroy - Talay System
Fighter: Phase I “Ballerina” Star Interceptor - Aurora Seven
Onboard Equipment: Phase IX Anti-G Suit | X-8 Night Sniper
Allies: AoC ( Willam Forlon Salem Norongachi Dimitri Lindzinsky)
Enemies: CIS ( Kiff Brayde John Locke @Visanj T’shkali)

There were no words for what she saw next.

As she retreated and positioned her fighter behind the looming mass of the Justice and the picket corvette, her sensor readers began to flash red, as they detected fifteen more Confederate battlecruisers, presumably having ascended from the surface before engaging what was left of the Ravager fleet. With quiet trepidation, Bella watched as the lead Monarch was swallowed by fire and explosions. It was the ship that she had been stationed on when she flew under Phantom squadron during the first invasion of Talay, only a few weeks prior. Fortunately, Phantom squadron had been reassigned elsewhere, but there was someone on that ship who she knew only as an acquaintance, but one that had made an impression on her regardless of their short and ephemeral meetings. As far as she knew, he had been the only other Togruta on the ship during her brief assignment, and it just so happened that he was also the lead technician for her designated fighter.

Bella didn’t know his name, and in all likelihood, she would never find out his fate, but she could only pray to Discordia that he had somehow found a way to escape.

However, that could only happen if she managed to survive what would come next.

Her sensors exploded with red IFFs, and for a few moments, Bella thought they were malfunctioning before she finally saw what they had been processing with her own eyes. The hulking forms of fifteen massive battlecruisers, which were accompanied by a seemingly endless swarm of fighters, materialized in the distance over Talay.

She had initially been unable to admit it, but for the first time in her short life, Bella felt scared.

It was a kind of primal fear, born out of a realization that she was now in the most danger she had ever been, even surpassing the situation she had found herself in during the first stages of the battle over Ryloth. Even so, that battle had somehow turned out in their favor, in spite of the horrific sight the fleet had come back to upon their return to the Scintilla. This time, Bella didn’t see an avenue of victory. Not when they were outnumbered more than three to one, with one of their fleets reduced to molten slag within the initial stages of the battle.

No, this time, there would be no great resurgence to turn the fight in their favor.

Today, when she died, she would do so broken and frozen with fear. They would call her a heroine, who had died fighting a righteous battle against a numerically superior foe, but only she would know the truth of how she had went, which she would take with her to an early grave.

 

[Luna Terrik]

D E F E N D

Captain Maxiulis’s POV

Objective: Collapse the tunnels - LAPW’s
Time: 0034
Equipment: VAARS Rifle, XIPHOS Armor
Ally tags: | Anakwor Farlorn | Shuklaar Kyrdol | @Sergei “Jack” Jachovich | Draconis Sederius Wolf | BX-72967-RAZOR |
Enemy Tags: | Eldoc Quasat | Zaldros Sabolte | Madalena Antares | Domino | Gabriel Volturi | Théodoro |

The road was proving a bit more..tough to destroy than originally thought. Their original salvo hadn’t cut all the way down into the pipping of the sewer, but the searchlights did pick up what looked like some large cracks running along the top of the pipe. These rodian’s certainly knew how to make some solid infrastructure. Of course, the CIS would be repaying and recreating any damages that were caused by their hunting of the terrorists, so Maxiulis had no reservations for what was to happen next.

They needed to break into that sewer. It didn’t matter how many of these dogs were left, or how many they had brought. Not only had these Agents of Chaos backed and collaborated with some of the worst terrorist attacks to hit the Confederacy in it’s long history, but they had also told them they were on the way. There was nothing more that the Confederacy would like than to capture these men and woman and put them onto trial for their crimes. A few thousand dollars of structural damage to see them captured was something the Captain knew his superiors would see as an acceptable tradeoff.

That was why his next action was held back by absolutely nothing.

“Ulies. I think we’re done playing with our food.” The blonde pilot looked over his shoulder to the Captain with a raised eyebrow. He knew the connotations of the order, and what exactly it entailed. If the scarred man had the conviction, there was nothing this Lieutenant would say, or could say, to change his mind. A smirking nod was his only response, aiming the last four explosive missiles their walkers had at the cracks in the pipping. There was no need for the confirmation to fire. Both Ulies and Chance knew exactly what the stakes were now.

The same, screaming sound echoed through the night as one after the other, the last four explosives missiles were sent into the cracked pipping. Each opened up more and more of the hole, until the last one struck and the Captain was left with a large, few meter-wide hole for the walker to shine it’s spotlight downward.

Maxiulis’s leaned forward in his seat, a wicked grin now spreading across his face at the realization that not only did these dogs have no way to the factory, but they also were trapped between a pile of metal and rock and whatever else was down in that sewers, with their quickest way to the surface having three walkers bearing down on it. “We have them. They have no where else to run, no way off this planet. Today…we make a dent in their efforts to hurt the people’s of the Confederacy.” With all three walkers streaming their spotlights on the hole, and in relation, into it, the scorpions were ready for whatever tried to crawl out of the depths.

Perhaps if they came out with their hands up, Maxiulis wouldn’t order them to be minced on the spot.

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

Location: Rodia
Objective: Kill
Gear: Morph Armor, Wolfsbane
CIS: Redd | open
AoC: Scherezade deWinter | Larentia

Feet landed on the edge of the roof as Gerwald’s blade swung toward his enemy. As he lunged forward, Gerwald could feel the sudden surge of confidence which came from someone using battle meditation.This did not mean Gerwald would suddenly be stronger, but it would give him an advantage. Even as @Scherezade stepped back into the shadow and disappeared, Gerwald knew he needed to be ready for something.​

​

A force barrier was erected immediately, unsure of where the woman would appear from. Even as she approached from behind him, Gerwald could feel the force wave collide with his shield, pushing him back a couple of feet. He turned to look at her.​

​

She still carried her knives.​

​

Gerwald remembered the first time she had set her knives about her as she had done now. It was the night of their hunt, their dance. Things had been simple then, or seemed to be. Gerwald had still been learning what it meant to be among other humans and accepting the nature of the wolf within him. His wolf and his humanity were one, but they had wanted different things, and Gerwald had allowed the wolf to have what it wanted.​

​

Today that was not the case. The wolf no longer dictated the life he lived. There were other things, other concerns, Gerwald allowed to lead him. Yes, he was still an emotional creature, but he had been taught to channel those emotions, to use them in a way that made him more powerful. As he focused all of his emotions into one singular thought, Gerwald looked the bloodhound in the eyes.​

​

“I see you haven’t learned anything new. Same tricks.”​

​

His free hand raised, and as it did, debris from the latest explosion lifted and found itself careening for the back of the brunette’s head.​

​

The other seemed content to remain in a defensive position and watch on as the battle ensued. There was something about her which made him think he should know her, something that made him curious. It was a shame that she had chosen Chaos, that she had not remained with the Confederacy.​

​

“There is much I could teach you,” he said. “More than this one ever could.”​

​

As the debris advanced, Gerwald pressed ahead. The fan of knives would not stop him. Gerwald had always been a better swordsman. Even without the force this was his element. With speed he pressed ahead, his blades swinging to knock a path forward. If she did not move the debris would hit her, or Gerwald would crash through the fan of knives. Risking damage to his armor in the process.​

​

“This time our dance will end differently.”​

​

Spoiler: edits

Typo fixes and added the banner

 

[Haastal Haran]

Location: Rodia {Iskaayuma} - Weapons Factory District - CDC Command Post
Objective: Earth
Equipment: Armor, Assault Rifle
Tag: Luna Terrik , Tiria Reinhart , Jasmille Kavos, Typhan Berrezz , Safira Varad, Subject 73 Red Nighthaunter
Troop:
800,000 Dauntless Commando Infantry Units
4,990 Rodian Peace Patrol Officers
Supporting Armor Units
Supporting Air Divisions

As the darkness in the streets ensued, Haastal and his men moved about at an even space. It did not take long before the indicator on his helmet became illuminated to show that he was nearing his destination. "Perimeter guard, hold here." He muttered out, waving a hand back at his men. The Rodian police team stopped, turning to hold their position at the edge of the block while Haastal moved forward with his Commando team. When he stumbled upon the wounded Omega team, he couldn't help but curse out lout. "Get a set of litters set up, we're moving in five." He told his men before approaching Typhan Berrezz . He moved, keeping his head down as he pressed a hand into the Lieutenant's shoulder. "Yo!" He slapped the side of the man's neck.

"Listen to me. You have wounded and they need to get to the casualty collection point, get your ass there quick." He paused for a moment to glance up, making sure the street before them was clear. "Once you get there, post up and pull security. Six of the Rodian Officers with me will fall into your ranks and give you some cover. Do not stop moving, you hear me?" He said, before pulling back and grabbing Typhan, pulling him to his feet. "Move!" He yelled out, looking over Omega squad for a brief moment before turning back to Typhan. "Get the hell outta here!" He yelled again, turning back to his own men. "Team four, go with Omega, keep them safe!" One of the Rodian officers nodded before turning to join Typhan's squad. They had a number of carrying litters to help transport Omega's wounded soldiers.

"All right, we're moving back to the HQ." He said as he and his men filed back into the street.

 

[Redd]

REDD
LOCATION: Industrial part of the Iskaayuma
WEARING: A fur coat
EQUIPMENT: Wolf Form
ALLIES: Gerwald Lechner | BX-72967-RAZOR
ENEMIES: Scherezade deWinter | Larentia

Gerwald was in trouble, that was about as much as she knew and a low growl rumbled from within the wolf as she slowly began to back up. Without opposable thumbs she wasn’t going to be able to get through a closed door and even then it wasn’t going to be guaranteed that there would be stairs leading up to the roof. However there was one avenue that she hadn’t thought of just yet and that was because she was just so new when it came to the force that she had almost forgotten about it. In fact, she wasn’t even sure that she was going to be able to do it in wolf form, but taking the time to shift when Gerwald was so obviously in danger wasn’t an option. By the time she would have shifted, jumped and then shifted again, it just wasn’t an option. It didn’t take that long, sure, but shifting once up there was a risk. Not to mention fighting in human form wasn't an option considering she wasn’t completely fully trained in that.

Sure, she had basic training in some things when it came to the force, but doing even just a jump in wolf form was new to her and was going to be what she figured to be a challenge. Would it even work? The wolf asked herself as she continued to back up until she had a sufficient amount of distance between her and the rooftop to make a jump. If this worked, she’d need so much time to just get over the fact that she was able to do something like this in wolf form. She doubted though that there were a great deal of things that a lupine could do in wolf form, but this just seemed plausible. At least to her anyway. Drawing in a breath, she could see with golden eyes the one that now was attacking Gerwald and another growl rumbled from her. Well, here goes nothing, Redd thought to herself as she began to gather the force around her.

The wolf redirected the force into her paws and prayed to whatever wolf gods were listening that this worked, because if it didn’t she was all out of options. Pausing long enough to stretch and calm her nerves, she finally lurched forwards into a running jump. Her paws thumped against the cement before she launched into a jump. With the force powering the jump it seemed almost miraculous as the lupine flew through the air to the rooftop, but fly she did and she almost felt like a bird in flight. A wolf flying? Was not natural to say in the least, let alone the fact that she had jumped as high as she was. Yet here she was jumping and the wolf almost wanted to bark in excitement.

Front paws graced the lip of the building and her back legs were drawn up so then claws could hook onto the lip as well. Leaning forwards she propelled her form forwards so then not to fall off and as she staggered forward, the wolf steadied herself then. Golden eyes took note of those upon the rooftop then as she circled around. Gerwald was indeed in trouble but he seemed to be able to hold his own against the one that seemed familiar. Redd on the other hand focused upon the other wolf, the one with drawn lightsabers. Instead of attacking, the wolf remained at the ready in case the other lupine decided to jump into the fight with Gerwald. She didn’t want to get into a fight with a fellow lupine, not if she could help it, but she would if she had to.​

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

Location: Iskaayuma, Rodia
Objective: Defend Rodia, Preserve CiS Space
Inventory: Knight-Errant Armor | Lightsaber
Allies: Asaraa Vaashe
Opposition: Malerina Ka

Caedyn didn't have the chance to greet Asaraa Vaashe with the embrace that would've typically found the two together once more after such a long time apart; Forever they seemed to be parted by their different paths, her dedication to the people of Confederate Space and his to the Order of the Silver Jedi and all whom lived under their stewardship.

The Light Machine Gun of Malerina Ka 's opened up in Asaraa's direction just as Caedyn had found his feet, his eyes going wide as he watched his Girlfriend narrowly blocking the volley of blasterfire that came down upon her, whilst some of her droids beyond were taken out, turned to molten metal where their clumsy looking heads had once been.

The Jedi Knight's Lightsaber screamed in it's ignition, a loud snap-hiss and flare of Cyan energy streaming from the blade emitter of his hilt as Caedyn called to the Force, summoning strength to his legs and launching himself into a Force elevated leap.

Asaraa didn't feel her usual self, Caedyn picked up on it as soon as he had neared her. She seemed to be clinging to what little strength she had left, and her aura within the Force felt far weaker than she had in her best of times. The Woman had seen the Silver Jedi victorious through immense battle-meditation, it had nearly killed her back then yet now she seemed even a shadow of her former self that Caedyn remembered from times past. He'd already decided that she was not going to be taking on the brunt of a full physical fight if he could help it. He would save her from that struggle through whatever means he had at his disposal.

The Force carried him across the clearing and Caedyn's descent brought him down alongside Malerina Ka's left side, both of his hands tightly gripping the hilt of his Lightsaber as he pivoted on his heel and turned to bring the blade arcing from the city floor skyward, intent on slicing her fire-arm in half and severing her ranged advantage as quickly as he could manage.

 

[Rann Thress]

R E B U I L D​

LOCATION: Rodia, Capital City. Command Post
OBJECTIVE: ???
WEAPONS: Lightsaber / Robotic Right Arm
ARMOR: Apprentice Armor
TAGS: Voph l Valeria Sempronia l Felurian Malvern l Eenia Vahn l Isalor Grathan l Typhan Berrezz
ENEMIES: Agents of Chaos and their Allies, Open
​

​

While Rann awaited a response as to the identities and commander of these soldiers, he took the opportunity to start cleaning up the area. Remarkably so, there wasn't much damage to the area. Most of the damage was infrastructural, with the generators for the city cut and power out. Low light vision in his helmet allowed him to see the damage to the area. The buildings were practically intact around him. The only sign there had even been conflict here were the dead bodies of Rodians who had been left behind, these Omega soldiers, bits of droids everywhere, and a few giant holes left from Gunship fire.​

​

"Rann Thress to The Hope. I got wounded and KIA down here for collection and the area is clearer than it's ever been, ever. Feel free to send some ships down. Get us off this planet." he said into his commlink.​

​

Rann observed the surrounding area. It was peacefully quiet and dark. Even the gunfire in the distance seemed to have died down. The fights seemed to be getting smaller, which wasn't surprising. There wasn't much of a fight to begin with. As Rann went about checking the status of casualties around him, he almost started to wish someone would just appear and fight him. He sighed, realizing that most likely wasn't going to happen, and bowed his head sadly.​

​

"I....just wanted some payback. I wanted some revenge, and I've been denied. I wanted to rip the Agents apart, limb from limb....and I can't." He clenched his hands and fell to his knees. His hands went straight to his head, clawing away at his helmet.​

​

"RRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHGHGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" he screamed into the sky, falling forward and beating his hands into the ground.​

​

"ONE MAN? EIGHT PEOPLE AGAINST ONE MAN AND HE VANISHES INTO 'SMOKE'? AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Harder, and harder he beat his fists against concrete. The most workout his armor has gotten today.​

​

A new, better lightsaber he was excited to use against the AoC. Nothing.​

A new, robotic right arm. Better than his original. Excited to beat in skulls with steel. Nothing.​

​

This was worse than anything they could ever do to him. Denying him his revenge, even a chance at revenge, by daring to invade a planet with such meager forces. A strike team, at best. No ground forces to speak of. ​

​

"THEY THREATENED. A PLANET. WITH INVASION. WHERE IS THE INVASION? WHERE IS THE FIGHT? WHHHHEEEEEERREEEEE ARRREEEEE THEEEEEEYYYYYYYYY! RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGHHGHGHGHGHGHGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!"​

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He screamed. And screamed. Reducing himself to angry tears and bloodied knuckles beneath armor. He was sure the robotics of his arm were damaged, if ever so slightly but he could not care less. He demanded satisfaction.​

​

He demanded. Satisfaction. He. Demanded. Satisfaction.​

​

 

[Daiya]

Location: Underneath Iskaayuma, Rodia
Goal: Don't freak out. Don't freak out. Don't freak out...
Equipment: Phase I Powderpunk Armor, Phase I Powderpunk Facemask, Raven Knife, 434 Blaster Pistol, Dissuader KD-30 (Loaded with Glitter Bullets), Deactivator Hold-Out Blaster, JH-70 Glitter Grenades, Vita Stones, View Masker, Interference Box, Holojournal
Allies Nearby: Tawrrowaldr, Agents of Chaos
Enemies Nearby: Nyx , Tiria Reinhart , CIS

[Post Soundtrack: Creeping in my Soul by Cryoshell]​

With every sound in the darkness, Daiya could feel her heart skip. Her breath came in short gasps, her eyes darting across her range of vision. Every corner was blackness, illustrated only by the electronic visage of her HUD. The mundane and empty picture of the sewer it painted was no longer comforting to her, it was as if the system was taunting her now. Mocking her lack of sight.

The girl wanted to run, to hide. The sewers were large and expansive, but suddenly they felt confined. A prison she would never escape from, torturing her with a presence she could not see. She ripped her mask off, sucking in air as if for the first time again. The darkness invaded her vision now, but at least it was truthful. No more secrets, no more hiding. Just the sharp reality of the eternal night within the sewers.

The stink of the filth invaded her nostrils, and Daiya gagged at it. A putrid smell, worse than a thousand wet Wookiees, seeping into her very pores. She set her jaw, feeling her teeth grind at the effort. Suffering the smell was worth it, even if she felt ready to empty her stomach at any moment.

She stepped forward, more cautiously without her guiding vision. The walkway was still sturdy in front of her, unwavering from its straight path. That was a comfort, at least. Even as the sounds grew closer, faster, louder, Daiya felt more surefooted. She pulled forth her gun, settling on a spot to aim at. If the presence wasn't there, it probably wouldn't matter.

Green eyes flashed in the night, somewhere beyond the stalking presence with them in the sewer. They moved, faster than she could even think. There was a new sound, a wetness followed by a crunching noise. Daiya stepped back, gagging again, the primitive part of her brain recognizing the sound even if she consciously didn't. She didn't have time to comprehend it, only the speed of it all, the finality.

The red eyes.

Daiya blinked at the new visitor, backing up until she felt Tawrro's shaggy coat behind her. She was certain of it this time, there was someone new with them now, yet confused all the same. Where had the green eyes gone? What had their newcomer accomplished? She could feel Tawrro's hair standing on edge, and a low growl emanating from his throat. Her gun moved to settle on this new figure.

Then Red Eyes spoke.

No duh, she was in danger. Daiya rolled her eyes in the dark, almost forgetting that no one could see them. The news that the Confederates were collapsing the sewers was new, though. She and Tawrro had been making their way through more cautiously, they would have to speed up.

But Red Eyes ceased to make sense after that. Giving life to the dead? That wasn't possible, was it? She'd heard some spacers joke about cloning themselves to live on, but that seemed like an expensive prospect. The dead were dead, that was it. What Red Eyes was talking about sounded like a holofiction, not real life.

Daiya shook her head, wrinkling her brow. Red Eyes wanted them to go with it? The voice had a gravely-yet-feminine quality to it, her? It didn't matter, there was no reason to trust the newcomer either way. For all she knew, the figure was just leading them into a trap. "Why? What do you get out of this?"

Tawrro growled behind her, adding his own commentary to the mix. "Exactly, that doesn't make sense. The Confederacy evacuated everyone, so why would you stay just to help us offworld? Especially with your crazy story about the living dead stuff."

Daiya's finger hovered over the trigger, aiming to where she assumed Red Eyes' forehead was. She was close enough, it should only take one shot. The girl paused, waiting for an answer.

 

[Malerina Ka]

Location: Rodia, Weapons Factory District
Objective: Fill the enemy with holes, and try not to be hacked into ribbons
Allies: AoC and Allies
Enemies: CIS and Allies
Tags: Asaraa Vaashe Caedyn Arenais

Arrogance was a damning trait, and the Ka children all possessed it in abundance: grown in their shealtered little facility, the ascended beings among petty little rats. But here? Out in the real Galaxy? They were nothing special. Malerina was about to learn that the hard way....so entirely engrossed on hammering in her advantage at the weakened Jedi, she barely had time to react once the second one actually landed down for the attack.

She moved out of the way, of course, but such a thing was only so useful when fighitng against a real Lightsaber and not some sort of simulation of it, and the vast majority of her arm now laid dangling from where it once was. The Sephi snarling out in pain, reeling back and starring at the man with two hateful eyes, she froze, for a moment. Shock from losing a limb? No, no, something far deeper, something far more base.

Memories flashed in her mind, not her own, but they felt real all the same: murders committed against lightsaber wielding rats like this one, of an unquenchable hatred. And with that, one word uttered out of her mouth, though it was much closer to a bestial snarl.

"Jedi."

Malerina was quick, the shock must not've set in yet, a Vibroknife appeared from somewhere within her "armor". And with a buzz and a slash, what remained of her arm fell to the ground. She rushed forward afterwards, trailing blood as she went: her foot launched out, trying to kick away her weapon from the scuffle before trying to ram the knife into the nearest squishy-bit she could see on Caedyn Arenais

 

[Muad Dib]

Location: the surface of Rodia
Objective: Vengeance
Allies: CIS, Daegon Corvinus
Enemies: AoC, Alwine Daye open

Several months prior ...

“Why have you been traveling with me to Geonosis everytime my attendance is requested for a viceroyalty meeting? Shouldn’t you be running around causing trouble?”

Muad smirked slightly from where he lay on the couch. With his head hanging off the edge he appeared amused rather than annoyed at Derek’s question. The reason he journeyed with his brother was quite simple to explain. In the past the Viceroy of Siskeen was grievously injured unto death. And for some reason there were several other threats of fatality. So in essence the Madman was a self appointed security detail. Then there was the other reason, he wished to spend more time brother. With his head turning a deep red from hanging suspended he just shrugged lightly.

“I’m merely traveling to Geonosis to do an inspection on the Aegis base. And I figure this way you have to foot the bill for our trip.”

Still he smirked as Derek sighed and slipped into one of the chairs in the lounge. The Viceroy appeared out of sorts with his unshaven face and purplish bags beneath his eyes. It was obvious that he was pushing himself too far and too hard. And with so many pokers in the fire, Derek was being pulled in too many directions. Of course there was always the other reason that pushed him to excel in his role. Rhaegar, Gin, Amara, and Rhae. It was never an easy thing to lose something you never had. He shoved up from the floor and settled onto the couch in a more traditional way.

“You remember that one time at a bar?”
“You have to be more specific if we are talking about you and a bar”, Derek chuckled in amusement.
“Come on Derek, you remember. Don’t pretend you forgot.”
A sigh escaped as the viceroy responded, “of course I remember. And I’m pretty sure CorSec specifically, and Corellia generally, still remembered and will never forget. I on the other hand wish I couldn’t recall. A bar fight and then the escape …”

Derek shuddered at the memory. Muad laughed as he spoke.

“Hey, I got us out of there didn’t I? I mean, my genius plan was brilliant! And we picked up what we were looking for to boot.”
Derek glared daggers at the other man. “Escaping from within a dead hutt is not genius! It's ridiculous, madness, and utterly asinine!” Derek relented somewhat. “But, it did work. Course it took weeks for me to get the hutt … fluids off my skin.”

Muad just continued to smirk. The mirth dissipated as a sense of heavy loss covered them both. Leaned back, Muad closed his eyes. He, too, felt the burden of loss, the disconnect from one who should have endured long after the brothers faded to dust and bone.

“We haven’t heard a word to confirm William’s fate. Don’t mourn him till you see the body. He’s a Dib afterall. I would do anything to take the pain ner vod. I’d take a bullet for you and even taste death, not just for you but all of my aliit, Clan, and House. You aren’t dead yet broheim, so learn to embrace life more often. And get a life outside of your duties.”

Derek offered a smile infused with melancholy.

“And I would lay down my life for you brother. But I’d do it for my people too. Now, are we there yet? Because our talks are so compelling and polarizing that I wish we could extend it.”

Muad chuckled at the massive lie told to him. And yet for a moment the pyromancer was gripped in foreshadowing premonition. It was something that came to mind once again after the Invasion of Siskeen.

Now …

His back and shoulders resisted as liquid was absorbed by the underlay of his armor. Good ole beskar’gam was strong, but that didn’t stop the blast above him as he lay in the makeshift ditch. The heat almost cooked him like a shelled crustacean. Blisters sprang to existence along his backside then popped as the Madman flew through the trees. Behind him was heard the clash between two forces in a mortal kombat. That was going to be an ugly slugging match instead of a flawless victory.

Quietly he gave himself credit for his consistent training regime which included working out without the Force. Run. Leap a thickened was of bushes in order to hurdle the obstacle. Duck a low hanging branch. Run. A leap into the air to kick off a tree trunk to bypass a den of carnivores. And run some more. On his HUD revealed the Aegis Knights given orders to which they carried out with full conviction. It was a vengeance trail for those as well. The fallen knights that littered the ruined conference room were collected by their brethren and interred to the earth in their last rite as Knights.

Slowing to a brisk walk he found where the footsteps began once again. There was no way he missed the trail of the tenderfoot enemy. Must have been enacted in the force. Squatting briefly he looked at the separate paths with a frown. He reached out, fingers lightly dragging across the disturbed soil. Snippets of what transpired at the spot flickered through his mind. The past was revealed in brief moments as he ran his hand along even more and finally found the correct trail. Alwine stood here. Moving a few strides in the same direction he again caressed the impression and saw Alwine, her heel touching and her foot rolling until she removed it from the ground. The vision faded. Yes, the enemy travelled this way.

Quickly it became apparent that she renewed her pace in an attempt to out distance Daegon and Muad. Moving fast, once more while staying vigilantly aware of his surroundings, he began to slow as he sensed a creature in the branches above. He leapt, a branch caught in his hands as he kicked forward to add to the momentum of the swing. At the height of his vertical ascension the Madman released to soar several meters higher and grab another branch to repeat the same maneuver. Four times and then he landed in a crouch upon an especially thick branch, his eyes upon the winged creature.

“Me and you are going to be friends for a little bit.”

Muad reached out in the force as he calmed the creature enough for him to mount. His legs flexed around the creature’s abdomen as it’s wings came alive and raised from its perch. Using his mind, the Madman directed the creature forward even as he continued to track the prey from the air.

Speeding along he heard and felt the bellow from the Demon of Thyferra. The gap was finally closing. In slight frustration at the narrow flight lane in the forest, Muad raised his hands summoned the force in order to release the power into flames that spread with the trees, the forest catching blaze even as he finally came back into sight for the end of the game Hide and Seek. Now he wanted to play beat the pinata until all its delectable goodies erupted to the ground.

Oh, he was ready for some fun.

 

[Sasmay Cull]

WIELDING: 4 Whimsy Knives, 1 Nastirci Combat Knife, 2 HG-88 ‘Big Iron’ Hand Cannons -(One has Glitter Bullets) 5/6 Verpine accessory shot ion tag round, 1 R12 LMG, (6) of Chaos Gas grenades, (4/6) of Elemental Grenades, Pouch of Vita Stones, A couple candles in separate pouches
WEARING: Phase II Haywire Armor with no helmet on top of UL-13 Corporis Skin Suit with helmet
LOCATION: Dome exterior, nestled in the equipment on the top
ALLIES: Agents of Chaos, Strike Team Bluebell, Domino
OBJECTIVE - Regroup and make sense of things

​

She wasn't sure if the woman had...heard her. Holstering the hand cannon, she let out a breath and tampered with her helmet. Managing to undo a set of seals as the world seemed to fold around her, two different views of the world aligning before she felt herself tugged. No. Pushed. A push had her stepping through into the new view as her stomach flipped from the consequent feelings involved, mind panicking as her hands tangled themselves together trying to get the helmet off. She almost cartwheeled from the push, and the scenic view provided by tipping forward making the strength of her stomach pushing into her throat that much worse.

Words were thrown at her, hands grabbing her and pulling her back as she twisted in them and fell to the safety of semi solid ground. The seals hissed as her teeth clenched and her stomach pushed into the back of her mouth. The helmet was pulled off, forcibly put aside as she flung herself towards the edge and what little had been snacked on before the day had begun was now littering the top of the dome. A few gagging heaves later, her body relaxed, tension slowly easing back from feeling like she would snap in two.

Her throat relaxed enough to finally reply to the woman, mouth agape and heavy gasps coming in longer and more controlled draws of breath with time. Pushing back from the edge, she slowly scooted towards cover, eyes lazily searching around them before settling on Domino.

"I mean. You did some...force stuff. Tried ta catch a ride. I guess...I did some...force stuff...and ran. Really fethin fast. Hard to say...you left me." Sasmay replied with a weak smirk in between gasps for air. Her mind was racing, processing what had happened as best it could. The images were mostly blurred streaks of what she guessed were bodies, buildings, and streets, but the sensation of time was heavily skewed. Everything she had witnessed bore a fuzzy edge to it, as though passing it by on a custom speeder bike, but she had been able to react to all of it. Like watching a weak connection holo-vid without the jumps.

It didn't take long for her body to finally reconnect with the now, arms no longer light and almost numb as she flexed her fingers and moved her wrists. The lightheaded feeling was fading as she turned her full attention to the other woman. The demo charges were taken with a growing smile, and a small chuckle of joy.

"Ah, leaving a present, huh? So nice of us." Sasmay snorted, setting about the work and leaving Domino to her thing. "You got suggestions for where to put these?"

 

[Salem Norongachi]

Objective/Location: Survive - Talay System
Fighter: Phase I “Ballerina” Star Interceptor - Aurora Eight
Onboard Equipment: Phase I "Anchor" Heavy Power Armor
Allies: AoC ( Willam Forlon Bella Dimitri Lindzinsky )
Enemies: CIS ( Kiff Brayde John Locke )

The ripple of fire and concussive blast let him know his death had been postponed but he checked his sensors anyway for the confirmation that there wouldn’t be a missile erupting from the wreckage of its comrades about to rip his Ballerina a new one as soon as he relaxed. All clear. Just Bella had saved his ass.

They formed up and pulled back, the battle in full terrifying flow. Their tiny fighters darting through the biblical devastation until they put a solid hull between them and it. Then the sensor read-outs updated and all bets were well and truly off.

Bellas fighter was so close to his own it would have taken little more than a stretch to brush his fingertips across its fuselage and as they huddled against the storm while turbolaser fire lanced across the hull of the Justice, sending up flashes of electric blue where they struck the shields, before he felt like noxious hands had reached up and dragged him underwater.

The despair threatened to drown out his sanity, the flit between terror, shame and acceptance of a future written in the mind choked his consciousness to the point where these trojan emotions tried to bleed into his own like oil on water.

Sal threw a mental cage around them, boxed them in with a crafting of the Force and mental will where they could not reach him and looked at them with eyes unseen. The wound caused by the millions murdered on H.O.P.E had felt like that, looked like that, but those were old and hollow, their originators gone from the world. This was raw, unbridled, emotion that every thinking and feeling being could recognize even if they had never experienced it.

He didn’t want to die, not yet. There was too much to do and the clock was ticking down faster every year but he’d been here before, so many times that the prospect of his own end had been hammered and tempered by experience. It didn’t have the same unchecked hold as it once did but it was still there, buried beneath his self control.

The world outside was silence and death, bursts of colour and shadow playing across their fighters as Sal thumbed his com. “Bella..” he started quietly, his tone measured. ”It's okay to be afraid,” a fighter hit the shield of the Justice and blossomed into a spinning fireball, roaring over and beyond their position so fast that Norongachi couldn’t tell if it were friend or foe.

“Anyone that tells you otherwise has never sat where we are right now.“ his visor looked down at the sensors again with the thousands of blips representing the impossible odds, then back up and across the space to her cockpit. “The trick is to trust yourself, afraid or not you can do this in your sleep and don’t worry about anything else, we do our jobs and then we go home. It doesn’t matter if we win or lose. We do our jobs and we go the frak home. That's it, as simple as that.”

A scream of the Force kicked him in the gut and he hit the throttle, corkscrewing up and over to bring his nose down and his guns to bear on a straggler that had slipped past the defenses. “I ain’t going anywhere,” he said as his particle beam cannons traced a line of light across the void that caught the Vulture as it returned fire. His shields flashed, the retaliating shots clipping him as he sought to evade.

Alarms beeped at him but he set them to silent. “You take all the time you need, I got you.” he cut into a tight defensive pattern, with the numbers they were up against that was only the tip of the spear, pretty soon there wouldn’t be anywhere in the system the enemy fighters couldn’t reach.

 

[Nighthaunter]

Location: Sewers, Weapons Factory District, Iskaayuma, Rodia
Objective: Find a suitable target for his blade and generally cause chaos and fear within the enemy.
Equipment: MK I Nightsuit, Willbreaker, Throwing stars, Silent Blades, Collapsible sniper rifle (Destroyed).
Allies Nearby: Daiya
Enemies: CIS ( Nyx N1X3 Safira Varad Tiria Reinhart )

Watched as the girl and the wookie ran in the opposite direction further into the sewer tunnels. He just hoped that she and her wookie friend would be able to get out of this hellhole of a battlefield. He could tell that the girl had a long and bright future ahead of her and he didn’t want her life to be cut short. The Nighthaunter on the other hand had long accepted that he would die in battle. Whether that was today he did not know. However the situation he found himself in wasn’t a good one.

He snapped out his thoughts as he heard splashing from the entrance where he and Daiya had entered the sewers. He could hear these troopers splashing through the sewer water obviously still in pursuit of Daiya and her wookie friend. He held his breath and remained completely still, even though he was cloaked he still wanted to make sure that there was no chance of these troopers detecting him before he attacked.

As they got closer and closer to the area of the tunnel that he was hanging from the roof of he was able to make out the shapes of four Dauntless commandos. The one in front was obviously the leader of the squad and looked to be on a higher sense of alert to the rest of the squad that was following said leader's lead. As they came right beneath him he was able to see that there were two commandos on the left side of the tunnel, one on the right and the squad leader at the front. As they walked past him, the Nighthaunter began crawling on the roof behind them preparing to attack.

He decided that the two commandos on the left would have to be eliminated first. He crawled along the roof of the tunnel until he was directly above the two commandos on the left. In one motion he uncloaked and dropped between the two commandos, his Silent blades unsheathing from his wrists as he thrust them into each commandos neck. Blood spraying everywhere as their tracheas were severed. They both fell into the sewer water below blood beginning to turn the dirty water red.The last thing they would see would be the emerald eyes that shone through his mask.

As the two commandos next to him fell he saw the commando to his right begin to turn towards him with his blaster aimed right at him. As quick as he had dispatched the two who were falling beside him he pulled the Silent blade from his wrist gauntlet and threw it with deadly accuracy straight at the commandos eye socket. The shining kyber crystal blade of the Silent blade pierced the helmet and went straight through the commandos eye.

The commando screamed in and randomly fired his blaster, but missed the Nighthaunter due to the pain and his impaired vision. Nighthaunter ran forwards unsheathing Willbreaker and shoving it straight through his opponents chest plate and into his heart. The screaming stopped as the life of the Commando was taken.

The Nighthaunter turned to the squad leader holding his humming force blade in his hand. “It was a mistake to follow me down here trooper ( Tiria Reinhart ). If you leave now I will let you live.” He said, the threat of violence present in his voice.

 

[Nyx N1X3]

Location: Iskaayuma, Rodia
Allied Command: Confederacy of Independent Systems
Enemy Command: Agents of Chaos

Equipment: Jackal Sniper Rifle | TDW L-7 Pistol | Cyberwarfare Defense Platform | Jam Buster Comlink | Thermal Detonators | Smoke Canisters
In Control of: NulCom Mini-Satellites

Ah, the organic preoccupation with why. Though Nyx couldn't fault Daiya. After all, the woman had ventured to join an invading force to occupy a planet that wasn't their own in an effort to cause unlawful destruction of property and attempt to terrorize not only this world, but all those surrounding it that they might be next. No, indeed, the woman shouldn't trust a stranger that just happened to be there willing to offer her a way out. Then again, Daiya was here, Nyx was here, and if 'death' or 'enhanced interrogation' were the evening's affair then there'd be no need with foreplay.

"You have three options," the polished, yet gravely voice issued forth from the dark. "One, you turn around, go back down that tunnel, cut a swath through ranks of soldiers and commandos, dodging every bolt, grenade, and mine between you and the factory you came to destroy. Assuming you survive, you then turn back around and... Two, you continue to follow this tunnel, bash and claw your way through walking skeletons -- the means of which I cannot compute -- and the Surric Defense Forces in the hope you will find whatever remains of the Agents of Chaos not crushed under the onslaught of a government that intends to halt their progress here, whatever the cost. At this point, those remaining know that if they survive it will not be because they won the day, or because everything had gone according to Discordia's plan. It will be because they ran as far, as fast, and using every conceivable means at their disposal to escape the tsunami of rage these so-called Agents unleashed. One that will swallow you, and your companions, under its unrelenting waves believing you are one of those Agents. Or, three, you come with me down this side tunnel, and I get you off this planet."

"You want to know why you should come with me, even with the odds stacked against your survival?" The droid asked, not having forgotten nor ignored Daiya's question. It simply wasn't as important as laying out the rational reason why she should follow Nyx. "Because I will offer you the same amount the Agents did for you to come here. Your skills would be useful. Your lifeless corpse would not. I am not swept up in the consuming desire to annihilate the Agents of Chaos -- not because I do not believe they deserve it, as one must crush one's enemies -- but because it is not in my nature to do so. It is only rational to cultivate talent, is it not?"

"I do hope you will decide soon, however. The skeletons are not formidable, but in sufficient number will impede our progress long enough that the Surric forces or the commandos may catch up to us. I would prefer not to test their willingness to listen to my tale while they are on the hunt for blood."

Nyx had spent the time vocalizing to also signal her vessel remotely and program its approach. The dome airlock for aerial vehicles would be easy to control, and her IFF would keep the emotional organics from shooting it down -- hopefully. Indeed, the soldiers weren't so much Nyx's concern as it was these skeletons -- they could not be conversed with nor did they recognize command codes or rank. In truth, she did not understand what drove them or where their intelligence came from. Perhaps something instilled in their "mystical" reanimation? They were be an extraordinarily formidable foe if they were stronger or more intelligent. A shame she could not use this Force as organics did. It would have been interesting to experiment on such a disposal creatures being made such a daunting force.

All they would need to do was reach a lofty vantage point, or a sufficiently open area, and they could escape unharmed. Ideally.

"Let me 'sweeten the deal,'" Nyx added. Normally vocalized communication was unnecessary, but in this case the droid let Daiya hear what Nyx transmitted back to base, "Command, this is Nyx, the Dauntless are engaging the enemy sniper, and I have neutralized the 'girl.' Out." Of course, now she might have stricken off Daiya's first option of trying to return to the factory. It would look bad if the Dauntless captured or saw the 'girl' after she'd been declared dead wouldn't it? So, if Daiya chose to throw herself into the meat grinder, Nyx would have no choice but to neutralize her before she left the sewer.

Tag: Luna Terrik | Haastal Haran | Daiya | Nighthaunter

 

[Tiria Reinhart]

Location: Sewers, Weapons Factory District, Iskaayuma, Rodia
Callsign: Alpha Actual
Squad: Alpha Quad, 7 Dauntless Commandos
Equipment: Project Xiphos Armor | Modular Tri-Blaster | Micro Light Shield | Bayonet | Cryo Grenades | Fragmentation Grenades | Thermal Detonators | Comlink | Raxus Relief

Allied Command: Confederacy of Independent Systems
Hostile Command: Agents of Chaos

The Dauntless Commando stood before Nighthaunter in the sewer with her carbine cradled in both hands. What expression one would behold was hidden within the confines of her helmet, as was the intensity of her eyes.

It was difficult... Understanding Humans that is. Since the First Joining, Tiria forgot what it meant to feel Human. It took years under the guise of trauma before she could approximate that of their kind. With enough time Tiria even passed herself off as a 'well-adjusted' member of their society. With every new member of her Hive one might mistakenly believe her understanding of them grew, when in fact the opposite was true. It was a struggle every time to remember what it meant to be an individual. What it meant to be... alone. Apart. A creature that could find its very existence ended in an instant. As a result, it was hard to understand the sense of loss that came when others of that nature perished. Some raged. Others wept.

Tiria?

Slowly her right hand left the grip of the carbine, and her left pivoted the weapon toward the tunnel wall. The barrel was pointed up at the ceiling, and soon the butt of the weapon set against the ground. Some would take this as surrender; an acquiescence to Nighthaunter's offer. When her bayonet combat knife was drawn in her right hand, and the female Commando adopted a close quarter combat stance that should be all the assassin needed for an answer.

But she'd supply one anyway.

"It was a mistake not to kill me first."

Some believed you shouldn't bring a knife to a blaster fight. However, given an open battle field and close quarters the opposite might prove true. Never bring a blaster to a knife fight. Nighthaunter moved quickly, and the look of his blade suggested even if she got a shot off it wouldn't reach him. So why cling to her carbine? Instead, she'd use this opportunity to draw a weapon that would be effective -- both offensively and defensively. It was, most likely, what the assassin would have preferred regardless.

Righteous fury was reserved for the monster that sought to wipe her kind from the galaxy. However, for those under her command that had been taken from her and not given a chance to Join her Hive, Colonel Tiria Reinhart would welcome the rush of adrenaline and the seething anger of numerous, seasoned warriors that had joined her Hive. Their thoughts were with her now, and they would not be satisfied so long as Nighthaunter drew breath in their presence. Time for the man to die.

Tiria's foot shot forward as she lurched in Nighthaunter's direction with the blade in hand. Her momentum stopped as soon as it started, however. A feint intended to solicit a reaction.

Tag: Luna Terrik | Haastal Haran | Daiya | Nighthaunter

 

[Typhan Berrezz]

:: Location = Rodia, Iskaayuma > Weapons Factory District, CDC Avenue - > Yesosko Cabaret Theater
Objective = Evacuate the wounded
Equipment = Phase I armor, repeating rifle, heavy blaster pistol, commlink, WoL potions, relief gas, grenades
Allies = CIS ( Nimue Jason Farkas Aurelion Nova ) ; Enemies = AoC Post = 04 ::
​

This is what happened when the pilot fish weren't backed up by their shark.

Typhan barely heard when the Knight Obsidian ( Rann Thress ) called out to him. The silence that had descended upon the scene - massacre and lackluster battlefield wrapped into one - immediately began to ring in his ears. But his surviving men and women did. One or two or all called out to the lieutenant, but shell shock had already taken him too far away.

After the chorus trying to get their commanding officer's attention died down, Dyarron crossed over the rubble from his flanking team's hidden position to Rann. "I know," he replied regarding the multiple casualties. "What a sithfest. Sorry, commander." Spurred on by their squad leader's movements, Omegas survivor popped out of cover one by one. The coast was clear of danger now, not doubt, but the mess it had left in its wake had to be cleaned up yet.

Confederate and Rodian reinforcements stormed the street. Their stampede only slightly registered on Berrezz's radar, as he knelt behind a fallen bit of roof, his sunbonnet in the surrounding dirt. At some point in the haze it had ended up there so he could breathe. Still, the unfiltered air was gaseous fire pulsing down his throat. Like actively inhaling smoke. You knew it wasn't good, but you couldn't stop either, for fear of suffocating altogether.

But when the Grand Marshal ( Haastal Haran ) roughed him up, his attention finally snapped back into reality. His bare eyes found Haastal's visor, grasp on the presence loose. Still, it was just enough to fight the gloss taking over his irises. As the man gave his orders - extraction, yes, good - Typhan's gaze drifted out across the avenue. Across the living and to where he knew dead devil dogs laid.

Then he was yanked to his feet, his attention made straight again. Everyone but him hollered a "yessir!" back at Verd.

He swore he heard Damsy in the ensemble.

That pulled him back once and for all.

"Play scarce, Omega!"

Someone tossed his helmet his way. The moment he shook it off and fit it over his head, rage exploded in his peripherals. He ran towards it, initially identifying it as a possible KIA holding on. As he approached Rann, Ty was ready, hand it the air, to call over one of the litters. Well, not one of his, but certainly an injury, he thought as his HUD registered the man's bloody knuckles.

"Ya 'kay, mate?" he asked. Regardless of the answer, he followed up: "Evac with us." The enraged man looked to be a Knight Obsidian and, if the minutes before had showed Ty anything at all, it was that Omega would've better off with a Force User of their own on their side. And since Callat was lightyears away, this one would do.

After all wounded had been accounted for, Typhan led up his squad once more, both divided and undivided now - by the Netherworld rather than buildings. They double-timed down the avenue and wove into the greater cityscape, finally coming across the entertainment district, where the collection point's coordinates punched into his HUD had guided him.

 

[Daiya]

Location: Underneath Iskaayuma, Rodia
Goal: Choose wisely
Equipment: Phase I Powderpunk Armor, Phase I Powderpunk Facemask, Raven Knife, 434 Blaster Pistol, Dissuader KD-30 (Loaded with Glitter Bullets), Deactivator Hold-Out Blaster, JH-70 Glitter Grenades, Vita Stones, View Masker, Interference Box, Holojournal
Allies Nearby: Tawrrowaldr, Agents of Chaos
Enemies Nearby: Nyx , Tiria Reinhart , CIS

[Post Soundtrack: Freak Show by Dead Posey]​

As Red Eyes monologued, Daiya found herself rolling her own. Three options, two flavors of certain death and then salvation from none other than their self-appointed savior. Typical. This was sounding more and more like a holofiction, probably straight from the plot of Sor-Jan Xantha: Zombie Slayer. Red Eyes probably thought a supernatural bend helped her sell the story better, the whole 'overwhelming odds' shtick sounded like what every Corpo tried to pitch to preach law and order.

Then the figure mentioned payment or future work, and the girl's interest took hold. She glanced up at Tawrro, a futile move in the darkness of the sewers. Shaking her head at the gesture, Daiya pulled up her facemask again. Her lungs exhaled in anticipation, itching to breathe the clean air provided by the mask again, but the girl was only doing this out of necessity. She had to see who these Red Eyes belonged to.

A display popped up as soon as she fit the mask again, and cool air washed over her face. The girl ignored both of them, switching on the glowbeams of her mask again. The scene was illuminated for her, once again revealing the greyish walls of the sewers and the murky green of the sewage river flowing alongside them. Most importantly, the figure of Red Eyes stood outlined in her vision at last, and Daiya could see her for what she was.

A droid?

Daiya blinked at the sight. That wasn't what she had expected to see. At least it wasn't one of the Confederate soldiers, trying to deceive her in the dark. Droids were usually honest, they followed programming not emotions. She found that strange, but also strangely comforting.

Red Eyes didn't even need to sweeten the deal, the girl had been ready to accept before that point.

"Fine, we'll do it your way," Daiya nodded curtly at the droid. It wasn't like Red Eyes needed to know it wasn't a reluctant decision. "That side tunnel, you said? You first."

Droids might be strangely comfortable, but it didn't mean they were totally reliable. If Red Eyes did take the lead, Daiya would follow with Tawrro bringing up the rear. And the girl would be sure to swap out her conventional blaster for the Deactivator blaster instead.

 

[Nyx N1X3]

Location: Iskaayuma, Rodia
Allied Command: Confederacy of Independent Systems
Enemy Command: Agents of Chaos

Equipment: Jackal Sniper Rifle | TDW L-7 Pistol | Cyberwarfare Defense Platform | Jam Buster Comlink | Thermal Detonators | Smoke Canisters
In Control of: NulCom Mini-Satellites
Ship: LNK Scythe Fighter

Nyx stood there for only a second before she turned and began down the side tunnel she'd emerged from. It was well that the young woman had chosen the path of logic. Or credits. To organics following a trail of credits was in its own way a type of logic. Often not a very efficient one as it tended to wander to and fro, but one could -- as they say -- set their chrono by it.

Should she be worried about having an Agent of Chaos or one of their allies at her back? There was a statistical chance Daiya could betray Nyx, of course. It was only logical to lull your opponent into a false sense of security and then 'turn the tables' when they least expected it. Organics were, after all, not driven by logic; they merely... mimicked it from time to time. Nevertheless, no, the droid was not "worried" about that possibility. Survival was quite the motivator, as was the possibility of earning credits simply by following along. Or so Nyx would like to think.

The sound of bone against metal occasionally registered on Nyx's auditory receptors. Once or twice she paused at an intersection to observe a bony construct wander down a parallel tunnel at a distance. They did not seem to attack the droid if they saw her. Nyx believed this may have been part of their formulation. The same power that animated them knew who to attack. Unfortunately, Nyx had no way of making such things understand Daiya was no longer hostile -- or sufficiently so there was no need for kill on sight. Long as they didn't see her, the group was able to move along the sewers without issue.

After a few minutes they came to a ladder that led back up to the street. The red eyes turned about to regard her traveling companions. "My ship will land above. It appears there is a sufficiently large courtyard, and will provide the fastest means of leaving this world." If Daiya showed no interest in suddenly taking the lead -- perhaps wondering if a commando unit would be waiting above -- the droid wouldn't hesitate to begin her ascent toward the hatch.

With a groan and creak of disuse and moisture, Nyx shoved the cover aside to expose the fresher air of the dome. They were far enough away from the factory and the attempts to collapse the sewer in that area that the air was fresher. Certainly more so than the sewer, not that Nyx cared either way.

After the droid got topside, however, her optical units beheld a minor complication.

When her cranial unit leaned back into view of the hatch, however, clacks at both ends of the tunnel grew loud enough for Daiya and her Wookiee companion to hear. "My ship has landed, however there are skeletons in the surrounding area." Not that she was presently aware there were skeletons down in the surrounding sewers at that very moment as well. Seemed an opportunity to make a choice where best to engage the undead -- out in the open, or in cramped quarters.

Tag: Luna Terrik | Haastal Haran | Daiya | Nighthaunter

 

[Willam Forlon]

Rodia​

Location: Rodia System, AoC Carrier task force, Impellor-class Battle Carrier Bullseye

Objective: Engage Confed forces above Rodia.

Allies: Any AoC forces

Enemies: CIS Forces Sabine Delacroix Adron Malvern

The battle waged on as the forces of the Agents of Chaos and the Confed forces exchanged barrages. Fodder watched the exchange giving orders as required and adjusting fire where needed. The battle was one-sided and Fodder knew he was fighting a losing battle. If he could keep the CIS fleet engaged and keep them from turning their attention to the world below and the AoC forces on Rodia fighting for its freedom. They could fight without the threat of attack from the CIS forces in space. His mission had changed from engage the fleet and destroy it to one of a holding action to keep them occupied until he no longer could.

The deck shuttered as a barrage of turbolasers found their way through the shields and impacted the hull on the forward port section of the hull. Token took a moment to look at a display on the wall which was running through the damage reports. Two of the victory cruisers had nearly lost their shielding and if they could not withdraw soon they would have to scuttle the ships. One frigate had exploded and another was disabled and floating in space at this point. The situation looked bad and Token was torn about how to proceed. If he remained longer, he and his entire feet would be lost.

The ship shook throwing Fodder to the floor of the command deck. Token looked up from the deck at the holographic display in shock. The massive vessels now appeared in the hologram. "Where did they come from!" shouted Token as he grabbed the side of the table and attempted to stand. The battlecruiser appeared from out of nowhere and slammed into one of the invincible cruiser sheering it into amidships. The explosions rattled the Bullseye hull rippling across the shielding as energy and debris exploded out away from the cruiser. A secondary explosion shook the nearby ships as the ordinance aboard the Invincible cruiser ignited. A stray missile slammed into eh housing of one of the reactors which had been damaged in the initial impact releasing the compacted energy of the proton 8 reactors. The explosion released a sun's worth of energy causing a massive flare of intense light. Across the fleet, viewports dimmed and cameras were blinded as to the armored containment shell of the reactor shattered. What was left of the two halves of the Invincible cruiser were slung out and away from the impact. The forward section slammed into a victory star destroyer with such force the shields of the vessel buckled and were overpowered instantly. The Invincible hull section broke through the shielding and slammed int to he Victory-class ship caving in its hull forward of the command tower and pushing through into the lower sections of the light star destroyer. Deep I the interior sections of the ship corridors were crushed and shattered opening the ship to space. The chunk of cruiser pushed deep into the Victory-class ship hitting the upper hanger area igniting fuel and ordinance. Fire engulfed the ventral hull in a bloom of blue fire which was instantly extinguished as the fuel and ordinance burnout out and the oxygen feeding the flames was gone. The Victory-class vessel broke free of the formation as the Inertia of the impact pushed the vessel away from the impact. Lights flickered across the ship them went out as the power conduits which feed the ship were destroyed or shut down by safties.

Token Fodder watched in horror as the victory was decimated by the forward chunk of the destroyed cruiser. He thought of all the lives lost aboard all the ships in his command. The battle had been a nightmare from the start. A clear failure on the part of the Intelligence and command staff of the Armada. A scream shook him from his thoughts as a female officer pointed at the hologram. There, breaking out of the ploom of light that had once been a proton 8 reactor, the aft section of the Invincible-class toppled end over end towards the Bullseye. Token looked at the incoming hull. Speechless and silent as the aft section of the severed ship slammed into the carrier. A sound louder then any he had ever heard rang out through the entire ship as the shields gave way and the section of cruiser slammed into he carrier. Token Fodder felt his head throb as his eardrums burst under the intense pressure of the sound. a second later the ship lurched as the Invincible dug into it like a drill. The hull below him shook and buckled making any attempt to stand and run for an escape pod useless. Around him, he watched as his crew screamed in silence. His hearing was gone, his eyes sight blurred. He could see his crew crawling on the deck trying to make it to the edge of the command deck and the escape pods located there. Another second passed and sparks and fire shot out of the consoles as electrical systems were overpowered and shooting as the hulk pressed deeper and deeper into the carrier's hull.

The wall of fire was the last thing Commodore Token Fodder saw. The aft section of the invincible-class cruiser had pushed its way deeper enough to burst the cold fuel tanks which stored the fuel for the fighter wing igniting it as sparks from the metal on metal grinding found the fuel. The fire engulfed the tanks igniting the remaining fuel sending a tsunami of superheated flames throughout the vessel corridors. Emergency bulkheads across the ship attempted to close but they were too slow and too late to save the vessel. Fire shot down corridors through doorways and up repulsor lifts spreading out across the internal maze that was the bullseyes corridors. Fire engulfed the ship section by section incinerating its crew. Emergency fire retardant systems came to life but were too little to stave off the wall of fire moving through the ship.

Jus Tanpc looked up from the floor of his barber's room in time to see the flames shooting up the corridor for him. the thought of the fire burning him overpowered his mind. He was afraid of fire and had been since he was a child. The thought of burning alive was too much for the man to consider. it was his worse far. Burning alive had been his childhood nightmare. The thing that he had always said was the last way he wanted to go out. He picked up his barber sheers beside him and sank them into himself as the fire shot up the corridor hatch by hatch disappeared as the flame wall grew closer. The ship's barber had tried to end his life to escape the fire. He could not think of another way. He would not burn. As he watched and wanted for the end the fire engulfed him charring his flesh and immolating his corpse as the superheated flames washed over him and continued on.

Token tried to stand. If he could make it to a pod. He could escape and be picked up by one of his ships. even if he was picked up by one of the CIS ships it would be better than what he knew was coming. He made it to his feet but then was thrown across the room as an explosion from somewhere below the command deck shook the ship. He shook his head and looked for the closest escape pod. He saw a female officer make it to one then seal the door and launch. At least some of his crew would be saved he thought. To his left, an open pod sat waiting. he tried to move then winced as pain shot up his leg. He looked down at the leg becoming light-headed and nauseous. A piece of metal had pinned his leg down and shatter any hope of him standing let alone making it the escape pod. He was going to die. A wave of dread washed over him as the thought entered his mind. He was going to die here. Over Rodia. A world he had no love for. A world which had been cleared of its inhabitants just so the CIS could defend no one and nothing. It had been a trap. A trap set up by the CIS for the AoC fleet. They had lost the battle before they had even left their deployment zones that morning. A chill washed over his body as the blood from his wound bled his body of life. He thought to himself at least he would not bleed to death. The thought gave him no solace. He was going to die, going to be incinerated by the blue wall of plasma and fire that was washing through his ship. He could not hear the approaching flames but he did see the doors of the repulsor lift begin to shake as they grew near. The doors began to shake more violently as the wall of fire moved up the shaft towards the command deck. Token Fodder closed his eyes as the doors burst open releasing the inferno of flames and pressure onto the command deck. It was all over in less than a second as the large room which had been the command center of the Bullseye succumb to the fire and the entire command crew was incinerated.

The Carrier buckled and shook as the fire spread throughout its hull. A moment of calm spread over the ship as the fire cleansed the vessel of its crew. of the thousands of members of, the crew only a few had managed to make it to the escape pods. They looked out of the portholes of the pods are the cracking hull of the carrier. A brief moment passed as the survivors looked out in shock as what had been their job and home only moments before. They thought of their friends, loved ones. Their commanders, their colleges, all the people they had known aboard the Bullseye. The looked out at the Bullseye and they were engulfed by fire they had thought they had escaped. The ship cracked, its hull giving way as one of the reactors erupted in a massive plum of energy spreading out for a kilometer in all directions. The flash of energy brighter and more powerful than a sun engulfed the ships which had flanked the vessel wrapping around their shielding engulfing them in radiation and heat. The Bullseye disappeared in a ball of super intense heat and plasma and was gone in the blink of an eye. Her hull immolated then frozen as the coldness of space filled the place in the formation where she had laid.