Heart of Darkness (DMed Story)

[Aithne Charr]

Location: Near the Strip Mines
Immediate personnel: [member="Bryce Bantam"], [member="Effie Duanna"], And [member="Kira Vaal"], Plus [member="Karen Roberts"]
Objective:Heading to the Landing Pads.


Solan blinked as everyone ran off, heading out to do their own things and he stood there with his hand scratching at his head and smiling.

"Good job team."

He said the words to himself, glancing back at Effie for a few moments before a somewhat crazy smile claimed his face again. He was clearly with something a bit stupid in his mind and soon enough his voice rose up to tell the sephi woman just what he was thinking and it was certainly just as interesting and stupid as ever.

"Well that's out, so how about we go and steal their ships." Even before she could answer he would start off walking and moving towards the direction of the landing pads. His hands dropping the sabers into them and the dark blue glow appeared from his hands as the blades leapt out and cast their light around them. Blue on the white snow across the ground, and on the clothing that wrapped around and mostly obscured him.

"Can you run and keep up, or do i need to carry you My Lady?" He was himself, that crazy relaxed shadow prince, one who found excitement in doing the stupid and the risky. The Sith soldiers were no doubt in a panic and it would be easy to get close to the landing pad but he wasn't sure how easy it would be to take it. He had hoped that the power being cut by [member="Bryce Bantam"] and the slave revolt by [member="Karen Roberts"] was going to help him with this but alas he wasn't quite sure if that was so or not.

With his question he had moved his thumbs to the sabers' activation stubs, waiting for her answer before either turning off the blue blades and picking her up or keeping them on and running towards his target. It was up to her whether or not she ran or was carried as he was being completely serious.

 

[Darth Caecus]

“I think it had whispered to him things about himself which he did not know, things of which he had no conception till he took counsel with this great solitude - and the whisper had proved irresistibly fascinating. ​

​

It echoed loudly within him because he was hollow at the core.”​

​

-Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness​

​

​

The Omega​

​

"Lady, the Admiral is preparing to utilize the Omega."

It was the first time since the enemies had arrived at their gates that the frozen sith had reacted. She turned her head a fraction of centimeter. Eyes, filled with storming ice, cast in the direction of the crew member who had spoken. He took a single, involuntary step back, but then regained his composure, swallowing hard.

This was not what she had wanted. While yes, the Omega could be used in such a fashion, and had been indeed built to do so, it was not the primary purpose. This was so.... small. A frown ghosted across her face, vanishing a moment later as though it had never been.

"Whatever the Admiral requires, of course," she murmured.

To build a weapon of such elegance and use it against ships.

Small minded creatures.

The Sith Academy​

The Shadows Bend​

​

The Blind Leading the Blind - Main Corridor

Spoiler

[member="Atheus"] [member="Vustia"] [member="Samka Derith"] [member="Wolf"] [member="Mael Ren"] [member="Thresh Sken"] [member="Kierel"] [member="Darth Ophidia"] [member="Doc"]

The corridor beyond the curtains was long, lit only by the cool, filtered light from high, snow bound windows. It was just warm enough here for the cracks in the stone to drip- but still only a degree or two above freezing. While their feet were silent on the stone, their breath puffed before them still.

The blind sith walked forward with calm intent, never once checking if they had followed him. After all, they either would, or leave.

"Jareth. When students come to this Academy, they must be tested. The weak have no place here. Either they are strong, or they are dead."

Half a millennia ago, Darth Molior had trained her students by that same rule. In 30 years, only three had survived to reach knighthood. She saw no reason to change her methods. Jareth had seen the wisdom. Or at least, knew better than to argue.

Once the last person who was joining them would enter the upper hallway, the blind sith made a single flicker of motion with one hand.

Concealed in the walls were dozens of tiny holes. Blaster fire would fill the corridor from both directions, catching the group in a hail of energy. Those with sensitivity to the Force strong enough, or with some training already, would sense the danger a heartbeat before it happened. The first test was meant to weed out those without sufficient talent to be here. Would the Force Users of the FO protect their not so gifted allies?


Lonely Wanderer - Left Lower Room

Spoiler

@Nomar

When the door was pushed open, the air from the hallway rushed in to the room beyond. Odd. Why would a room here be kept under negative pressure?

The sweep of that artificial puff of wind sent the plants within the room moving, rocking gently. Plants? Oh yes, this room was warm as no other part of the Academy had yet been. The air was heavy and damp. The lab itself wasn't large, just a moderately sized square room- another door opposite the one he had entered. Two lab tables fit snuggly in the center of the room, various tools and flasks littering them. A stack of data cubes, labeled neatly with their contents, was on a shelf on one wall. The only light came from the artificial lamps over the hanging hydroponics set up. A closer inspection would reveal however that the liquid feeding the plants was not, in fact, water. It was too dark, too viscous for that.

At least it explained the scent in the hallway.

Several of the plants in this room, disturbed by the air movement, had released tiny puffs of spores. Each one had a different property, though the experiments weren't complete and most were still very unstable. Three of the plants however, would be of concern to this uninitiated occupant. One's spores caused vivid hallucinations. Another's, temporary blindness. The third's, weakness of the muscles. Each one affected different people- some were better able to fight off the effects than others. But most people, exposed too long, would succumb to one of them. While each was temporary, it would still last for hours before wearing off. It he remained here too long, one of them would have an effect on him.



In the Belly of the Beast - Beneath the Academy

Spoiler

[member="Matsu Xiangu"] [member="Jude Falkrowe"]

When they both worked in tandem, they would find that the hulking humanoid slowed it's motions. Lifting it's head, it turned very slowly, the movements heavy and deliberate. It's face was half covered in a mechanical mask, but it's eyes cast about. In one hand, it held a small, whirring, mechanical saw- the kind used for cutting through bone in an operating room of a by-gone, more primitive era.

The shadows in the cells shifted back, a reflexive action. They shrank from potential notice. They knew, all too well, what went on down here. And when that man's attention shifted to them, nothing good ever came of it.

The Warden can be influenced. Make it good.

 

[Thoja Arlos]

Location: Strip Mines
Objective: Save the slaves
Equipment: Wraith Class Stealth Armour MK2, Eclipse Assault Rifle, Obsidian Combat Knife, Oblivion Semi Automatic Pistol

"Stick with me, try not to get shot." Arlos said to [member="Lark"], before heading deeper into the mine. Sounds of revolt were echoing through the place, and even with his helmet Arlos could smell smoke. He saw the Jedi, trying to save as many people as possible, but he didn't stop. He kept going deeper into the mine, one thing on his mind, cutting the head from the snake. He'd continue until he was stopped by something, be it bullet or otherwise.

[member="Raziel"]

 

[Visser Chernykh]

The Blind Leading the Blind: A Beckoning Hand
[member="Samka Derith"] | [member="Wolf"] | [member="Kierel"] | [member="Thresh Sken"] | [member="Nomar"] | [member="Darth Ophidia"] | [member="Kith Verloren"]

A beckoning Sith adept between curtains was too convenient. The Ren had no idea where to proceed and then there was a guide. Mael Ren suspected a trap from the treacherous ones. The decrepit man twitched the curtains aside to reveal a corridor.

Cold and dripping stone as old and cracked as those who made it. Cold winter light filtered in to give blue to shadows. Mael felt the damp chill settle into his bones. He shivered involuntarily as breath misted from his mask.

In better light Mael could see their guide's blind eyes. The blind leading the blind. But to say the Sith couldn't see at all was a lie. The Force saw the true essence of everything.

The guide flicked a skeletal hand to the corridor. Recognition dawned on the masked man. His eyes narrowed as he saw holes in the stone. His lips curled into a smile as he looked towards his companions.

 

[Doc]

The Blind Leading the Blind: A Beckoning Hand

Spoiler

Atheus Vustia Samka Derith Wolf Mael Ren Thresh Sken Kierel Darth Ophidia

Doc followed a distance behind the rest of the group, he suddenly hit with chill and sense of dread, and overall bad feeling about what was about to happen, as decrepit man twitched the curtains aside to reveal a corridor at the front of the group it was long, lit only by the cool, filtered light from high, snow bound windows Doc was unsure whether the bad feeling he was getting was his force sensitivity his instincts or combination of booth he slowly eased pulled his riffle, and waited to cautiously follow the others, he had not yet revealed he was force sensitive to his companions yet in fact only a select few knew about his sensitivity and related abilities.

 

[Darth Ophidia]

Location: Sith Academy, second floor, tunnel.
(Potential) Allies: [member="Wolf"], [member="Vustia"], [member="Matsu Xiangu"] [member="Mael Ren"] [member="Samka Derith"] but wait, there are more!
Enemies: TBA.

'The blind leading the blind.'

Darth Ophidia understood the warning. One should not be so quick to judge the blind man. There were species' without who had a sight greater than most humanoids. However, the potential results outweighed the risks and in her eyes there was only one path: Forward. She did not reply through the Force as she stepped into line behind their blind guide. One thought reverberated through her mind:

Success or death.

Her breath was visible in the air, shooting out from her nose like plumes of smoke and vanishing in the low temperature. Her species did not like the cold, but she wiggled the heavy, dark cloak closer around her form.

As before, she surveyed their surroundings. She noted the holes, but not before catching the gesture of the hand out of the corner of her eye. Had she been further back, then she would probably not have caught it. They could say nothing, warn no-one. Clever. She would have to remember it for the future.

The crimson hue of incoming blaster fire lit the room as she raised her hands and dropped down to a crouch. A shimmering bubble of force energy enveloped her body, functioning as a translucent shield against the blaster fire. By crouching, she hoped to make herself a smaller target and expend less time in fully enveloping herself. It was also a feigned moment of cowardice as her posture showed fear and literal cowering. By using a basic technique, she revealed none of her greater prowess and experience.

From her covered position, she kept her eyes on the blind man in case he showed further antagonism.

 

[Effie Duanna]

Location: Near the strip mines
Allies: [member="Solan Charr"] , [member="Karen Roberts"] , [member="Bryce Bantam"]
Objective: Heading to the landing pads

Once again, Effie was caught by surprise by Solan's next request. She had no idea if she was not made aware of the full extent of the plan before hand or if things were just being made up as they went. Effie did know one thing, she was going to be in for an eventful night. Effie looked at Solan, her brow furrowed in confusion and she prepared to protest as she thought the task would be too dangerous, She thought better of it. She thought it would just be better to go along with what Solan wanted to do.

"Sure....lets go and steal some ships" Effie said with a gasp that signalled defeat.

Effie soon snapped out of her mood when the quick and sudden flash of blue illuminated the place. Effie stared at the sabers for a moment, they were so beautifully dangerous. Her gaze left the sabers and met Solan's eyes after he uttered yet, another smart remark. Effie smirked and approached him, she gave him one playful pat on the shoulder.

"Oh don't worry your highness. I can run" Effie said as she pulled the soft hair dangling behind her to tighten her ponytail. She pulled out her blaster, gave it a quick look over and said to him.

"Ready when you are"

 

[Doc]

Spoiler

Wolf, Vustia, Matsu Xiangu Mael Ren Samka Derith but wait, there are more!

The blind leading the blind

Doc had barely taken step forward when, crimson hue of incoming blaster fire brilliantly lit the hall in front him in bright flashes, “Fracking great, This why the medic stays in the rear.!” He exclaimed as took cover behind a pillar, to contemplate his next move. He periodically took quick glimpse from either side of the pilled being careful to expose as little of head and torso as possible. “Anyone got a plan!” He yelled, his riffle in the low ready position, as he quickly dove for and rolled to a better cover position.

 

[Matsu Xiangu]

LOCATION: Below Sith Academy - Caverns
ALLIES: [member="Jude Falkrowe"]
ENEMIES: None directly

While her talent in Sith sorcery was innate, she’d had to cultivate mentalism. When she had been very young and just discovering the size of the galaxy she’d run across a man who’d known such arts - though, she realized now, not nearly as intimately as she had come to know them. He’d used them against her when she’d voiced her dissenting opinions to his opinions for the galaxy and she had suffered for it. That had been the first time she’d lost her left arm, forced to cut it off when she’d been tricked in to thinking she was on fire. Years later she’d tracked him down and watched him burn after pushing him in to a fire and she’d lost both arms several times which took the sting out of that original loss. But it was still the reason she reacted violently to anyone trying to get in to her head.

But she’d invited Jay and after her initial reluctance she felt the way he artfully melded with her creation, delicately folding inwards to his stream of consciousness to a shared space she found surprisingly comfortable.

Their power together was heady, sending a shiver down her spine as they seized hold of the Warden’s mind. The creatures within their cells seemed to sense something had changed though it would be impossible to tell what, their apprehension palpable in air already thick with menace. They cowered towards the back walls of their only safe space, possibly happy for the bars for the first time in their lives. Several options lay before the pair of mentalists, each more tempting than the last. The idea of using the Warden to kill the creatures in the cells and then using them as thralls was right in the forefront, but then it occurred to her they should conserve their power. She had no idea what lay ahead and it could require more of her than she’d ever given before.

They would have to use the Warden for more than animal strength.

Their connection seemed to ease their collaboration, the search for thought and memory a fluid transition as Matsu rooted for images of the way up to whatever enemy lay in wait in the Academy. Surely the Warden would have access to doors that would otherwise be locked without his unwilling assistance.

“There,” she said suddenly, halting her fast flipping through memory and diving after the image of a sliding door that opened to stairs with an eerie yellow light at the top. “Go,” she commanded the Warden, watching him start his shuffling in the direction opposite the pair of mentalists towards the goal.

The creatures seemed to stay against the back of their cells, but they were decidedly more interested as two intruders moved quickly across the cavern to follow their thrall.

 

[Jaster Starfallen]

Location: Strip Mines
Nearby: [member="Doc"], [member="Mael Ren"], [member="Darth Ophidia"]
Equipment: SpecForce Armor, M19 Falcon, 4 Smart Grenades

"Rancor one, this is command. Be careful of the area up ahead. Forces have already arrived, but are having difficulty pushing through for whatever reason. Command out."

"Roger, ETA is one mike. Will exercise extreme caution."

This place is a mess. Reports of enemies holding hostages, brutality, and other rumors fly. I ignore them. That's not my concern. What my concern is is taking a building near an underground tunnel. Should be simple, unless they have power armor, or a sith, or hostages. Actually, this isn't going to be easy. My HUD says there's a hill that I can possibly flank their building from if I get around it. It seems like a good option, better than a full on assault for sure.

"Command, this is Rancor. I'm taking a detour. Flanking right around the hill to attack from behind. Over."

"Roger that. Good luck."

I'm almost at the front lines, and I begin to see the destruction that signifies it. Groups of soldiers, wounded men, and blaster fire. As I approach the hill, the feeling of battle comes over me. Calm, collected, cool. Focused, sharp, and energetic. Battle never thrilled me, but it sharpens my senses more than anything else. The hill curves ahead of me and I can see soldiers, both enemy and friendly, trying to push ahead to flank their enemies. The hill curves up sharply, not easy to scale. I arrive at the base of the hill, just behind another soldier.

"Can you cover me? Going up hill and trying to come from another angle." He nods and I get to my feet.

"Go!" The soldier pops out from a piece of wreckage and shoots towards enemy positions ahead. As the friendly soldier shoots, I sprint up the hill at an angle taking me towards the enemy position, but up as well. I reach the apex of my height and I turn around. I face the enemy position now, and I sprint back down the hill. I fire, trying to suppress them while I'm out in the open. It works, but I still feel blaster fire hit me. The armor takes some of the damage, but it stills hurts. As I race down the hill my speed becomes uncontrollable and I start rolling. I roll all the way to the base of the hill, right at the foot of the enemy's position.

Surprise! One commando grenade! I toss it over a piece of metal and it explodes. This gives me time to orient myself, and I look around. There's scrap metal everywhere, and groups of soldiers cluster around each one. I bring my rifle up, set it to railgun, and fire through the gaps and thin pieces of metal. Cries of pain erupt and soldiers frantically shoot at my position. Luckily, the soldiers behind me have pushed up. The Sith are forced back and we've effectively routed them.

"Command, Rancor one. We have successfully taken the hill with minimal losses. Moving on to primary objective, over and out."

"Roger Rancor, proceed. Nice job."

This is only the beginning of battle, the start of the war.

 

[The Upright Man]

Location: Voracion Citadel
Allies: [member="Rhan Komo"] | Mandalorians | Commonwealth
Enemies: Sith OpFor
Equipment: MM99, MM110, SD-11 (2), SpecOp

[ T H E M E ]

"Every hit blazes the path to our victory"​

Hope swelled as the MARV gently rolled onto its wheels once more. There was no hesitation from Dean, with a final salute to the drivers corpse, the Jaguar Commando leapt into the drivers seat and hit the ignition. The engine roared with a new found fury and a low growl followed. "Kommandant, I am locked and loaded," Rhan said, Dean turned in his seat and instructed him, "You're on a swivel plate, three-sixty-degree view, fifty-caliber rounds."

This was what was familiar to Dean, the safety of a MARV. He wasn't used to combat on this scale, Commonwealth marines fought guerrilla wars, not these immense battlefields where waves of lives collided and died. The MARV was vibrating with the power of its engine and his feet settled on one of six pedals, he gently began to press down until his foot was touching the floor. They were gaining speed, and fast.

The battlefield whirred past them, a blur of motion and color, a cacophony of explosions, blaster fire and screams of the dying were rising in pitch to a final crescendo of war. Deans hands held tight on the steering wheel, he would jerk now and then to avoid a sudden crater from the artillery barrage, or a missile that was coming for them. He knew his vehicles, and the MARV was the Commonwealths baby.

 

[Jsc]

The Droid Automated Factories
w/ - Dominate the Factories, Arm the Horde (5)


"She was on the clock now. All the gears turning. All the strange pieces slowly falling into place. Mm. With the slave revolt already well established in it's foundations all across the mines. Nah-h. There was nothing left to do for Castomeer, but to leave her." ~ Sid's Log, The Omega War


On the outside of the shanty town wall there lay the automated factories of Castomeer. Massive sprawling complexes designed to take the raw materials of the strip mines and to finally create the processed goods used by Omega. It was an automated process. A droid process. That was built to require as little manpower as possible. However. There were still thousands of possibilities available to the creative mind. The Force could make it so.

She began with the Dump Trucks. She finished with the Crab Haulers.

As for infiltration. Her process was deadly simple. Use the Force to sense the future for nearby Sith Adepts then gather up a shield of Force energies and start blasting her way in. Turrets, guards, droids, and blast doors were no match for her experience. No. They were no match for the Force. Even her equipment was designed for the deadly dance. Her disruptor could melt carbonite war shield and send a human-sized droid flying through the air. Her armor was sealed against smoke, toxin, and acidic spray. And, of course, her twin lightsabers could cut a path through any resistance. Luckily, her Vong-Sense would not be needed here. Only her keen sense of the present. Indeed. For the next hour of battle and blood,

Foundry 02 was her playground.

* * * * *​

​

"To my young Navy eyes, everything I saw and experience down there was just chaos. People running this way and that. The madness and shouting of slaves and broken skies. Nah-h. To me it was all just one big mess. One giant cluster-kark. ...But to Karen and Bana? It was different. They saw this chaos and madness through the eyes of a different monster. They saw these people and their frenzied rebellion through the eyes of something more. The Force. ...And their efficiency in that regard. Was terrifying." ~ Sid's Log, The Omega War


Order to chaos.

The Dump Trucks would be the slaves transportation. Karen had manually freed twelve of the massive vehicles for the task ahead. A fortress, everyone of them. Designed to carry tremendous amounts of material between the mines and the factories. They would be the perfect siege engines to deposit a wave of slave workers into an Air Base. Like the water transports of D-Day onto the beaches of Normandy. A crude instrument of war.

Next were the Crab Haulers. Large crab-looking droids designed for more menial tasks and repairs. Karen had perceived that these droids could be overridden and then, yes, ...actually ridden. A single slave worker could mount the back of such a metal creature and ride it like horse. Unleashing this large machine against any smaller foe who just so happened to get in their way. But the best part? Hehe. They all could carry heat-buckets in front of their frame like blast shields. Making every Hauler a battering ram of blaster-resistant excellence. Nice.

Karen had freed many of these things and more from their electronic shackles. It was now up to the slave workers to make deadly use of them. Now was the time for a rebellion. Now was the time to resist.

"Bana! How we doing down there!? Give me an update!"

Karen called down from the rafters of the Foundry. Smiling under her helm at the flurry of slave activity beneath her. Bana's Resistance had arrived in grand numbers. Free of their collars, this throng of rugged peoples was eager and willing to do their part. To be free.

"I'm getting the last of drivers settled into the big trucks now! Most of my people are still scavenging the factory for improvised weapons! It's a mess! Why!? What's our time table!?"

Karen dived into the Force and connected with as many Jedi minds as she could. Seeing a world with the eyes of the Force. Yes. They had a time table. And it was chaos indeed. The others were still working.

"It's complicated! We need to be ready for more workers to arrive here in under an hour! Look! Line up the trucks and the haulers outside the wall in a straight line and open up their cargo beds for the workers to climb inside! I'll get on the intercome and tell everybody else who is still scavenging for weapons to get ready for a charge! They'll come to you!"

"Roger that Master Jedi! We'll be ready down here!"

Karen stopped her shouting and moved back to the nerve center of Foundry 02 to get the com system up and running again. She would need everybody down there to be ready for when the call to charge the air base finally came. The trucks would need to be aligned and filled with slave soldiers. The haulers would need riders and the understanding to stay behind the trucks formation as they advanced. But most importantly, all of these slave workers would need to understand that the objective was still to take the Air Base. A Zerg Rush if Karen had ever seen one. Desperate, desperate clarity.

And so it began. In the sounds and chaos of Karen's second hour at Foundry 02. She and Doctor Bana Perth built up and organized the rag-tag outline of a mechanized slave resistance. Nay. Nothing so eloquent. This wasn't an army,

This was a Horde.

___

 

[Leos Palle]

Location: Strip Mines
Objective: Take out Command/Reach the Starport
Allies: [member="Zark"], [member="Dax Fyre"], [member="Tiland Kortun"], @Anyone I Missed
Enemies: [member="Raziel"]

Says the being who's part of a group that strives for balance by killing the other side. Hypocritical, Master Kortun.

She rounded a corner and was immediately met with a hail of blaster bolts. Swiftly she ducked back into cover. That had been way too close for comfort. She'd lost count of just how many of them there were, having been forced to retreat as swiftly as she had been. The most unfortunate part of it all was that her ducking the shots had exposed a myriad of slaves to the blaster fire. There was at least one dead and several wounded across the way. Her heart ached to go to their aid, but she couldn't do so at the moment. They would have to suffer for the time being as she had work to be done that was just too important to waste her time on helping the slaves.

Instead, she jumped up on top of the ramshackle hut and made her way from one to the next until she was behind the group of guards. It didn't take long considering they'd started moving forward to investigate after she had ducked out of sight. Leaping down behind them, she drew on the Force and the extra energy she had previously drained from one of the guards and unleashed torrents of Force Lightning on the group of guards. They dropped their weapons and fell to the ground, writing in agony as she proceeded to electrocute them. There was no joy in this, but there was some grim satisfaction that the bastards would die a horrible death after what they had done to these people.

When it was over, she sighed in relief and turned to look. If she went left, the command center. Straight ahead, the starport in the distance. She'd rather fight Sith than whatever was guarding the command center. Plus she needed to get up to the Omega. She went straight.

 

[Zef Halo]

Location: Sith Academy passage
Allies: The First Order; [member="Matsu Xiangu"]

Both minds joined together upon their raid on the bulky behemoth that seemed to be the warden of this prison. It was at this particular moment that Jude realized Matsu's mental capabilities, a product of hard work. While her skills seemed quite strong, they lacked the sharpness that came with regular use. It was both astonishing and scary to think that her trump cards laid somewhere else. Nonetheless, his mind would not wander at that now. They had more important things to do.

In the immaterial world, errors do not exist. It is not an audit, where one can misread the numbers and pile a report full of mistakes. It was beyond all barriers, it revealed all that it was as it was. Unless, one had proficiency to deceive those that threaded the ethereal. The agent's own presence in the Force always tended to be slightly dampened, always a bit concealed and less revealing than it actually was. That was where he extorted most control over his skills in the Force, over controlling his presence. Perhaps it came from the fact that he was Lorrdian or that he was an intelligence operative, or perhaps both.

Matsu's presence beside him was authoritative. It led. A rather commanding presence that completed her aura in the physical world. She was certainly not one to hide. It worried him once again. Her confidence, intimidating presence beyond the fragile physique, and the chance of having greater powers than her powerful mentalist skills was a frightening thought. Beyond that, he saw pain. Whether she covered it or not, Jude could see it even without gazing upon it. Jude once again retracted back his observations and opened his senses.

No longer his own. The smell of sweat, blood and iron. The numerous blisters upon his hands. The hands of a butcher. An executioner. The desire for life was no longer present, the hulking man was a shell. A hollow shell that served only as a tool. Jude assumed that Matsu too could feel this. See through the man's eyes, feel the man. Suddenly joy surged through the man, the joy of once again cutting joints and torturing the weaklings in the cells. Yet, the joy felt...outlandish. Not his own but someone else's.

Something pulled at him. Matsu's presence within the man was fading away from Jude, she had gone directly for what they had come for. Her mind raced through memories, digging deeper and deeper into the man. Drilling through his thoughts unknowingly to the brute. Both like a feather and a scalpel the duo made their way surgically for what they were looking for. The woman was first. The image of their next destination followed by Matsu's command upon the will of the butcher.

Their interwoven presences within the mind of the torturer completed each other's skills. His erratic nature reigned in the leashes to keep control of the brute while she announced the orders that were followed by the warden.

And off they went silently through the blood-soaked corridors of the cells. The shadows that moved in his periphery were the movements of the beings that were broken physically and mentally within this place. Ironically, they all felt similar to the butcher. Empty. Life fading away while their mind hidden and barely flickering in the corner of the enveloping darkness that covered their existence. Jude felt an odd cold air run through his lungs, it was the sign of pity and sadness. Yet, at the sight of their destination drawing nearer, he drew a silent breath and washed away his concerns. He had a mission to complete and an enigmatic Matsu to profile.

"Not bad." His thought passed onto Matsu while once again his notorious smirk was painted on his face. "Not bad at all."

 

[Dax Perl]

Location: Strip Mines
Affiliation: The New Republic and her allies
Nearby: [member="Zark"] [member="Raeya Papanoida"]

Dax heard the distinctive sound of blasters firing nearby, his head turning quickly towars the source of the saoud, a couple slaves falling, the Pantoran ducking behind cover and a series of guards firing. Cursing Dax cut his conversation short and sprinted towards the small fight. Yet by the time he arrived it was already over, the Pantoran walking away. Calling to her he informed her of his plan. "I'll go take out the control center. Release the slaves, start a riot, draw forces away from the target!"

 

[Matsu Ike]

Location: THe Strip Mines
Objective: Free the people
Allies: [member="Arisa Yune"] [member="Claire Ouron"] [member="Rasu Gan"] [member="Lyth Meran"] [member="Joshua DragonsFlame"] [member="Celiana"] [member="Jakkor Kess"] , [member="Xiarr Sair"] , [member="RC-506 Lock"] [member="Viktoria Kess"] [member="Lark"]

Matsu could see that they were all getting to work, her hope to disable and handle the slave collar going when she was fighting into another guard and let a blast of energy come from her hand to send him into the air. The sound of all the slaves in agony came to her when she was roaming over and looking at the collars she was moving within it. Focusing the force when she reached out for a quicker way to start deactivating and removing them when she came across a group of the slaves who were starting to try and rise back up to their feet. It would take a lot of work for them to do still. She was workign on the electronic manipulation of the collars to go after more of them when she was being alerted. "Give me protection where you can."

Matsu foused on it letting the force flow through her hands and her fingers when she was reaching out to feel the collars with the force and then she was going deeper to let Lyth figure out what she was doing but Claire and Joshua were here to protect her and them while they went about the different things. The others in the group and from the silver jedi here were able to do the same when she was focusing on the delicate electronics in the collars. Pushing deeper to work and to really start messing with them when she started to adjust and tamper with the small internal working through electronic manipulation. Talking to machines was just like people and you could alter them to... "Open open open." She heard the click and then another and another.

 

[Kruel Zing]

Location: Sith Chambers
Allies: None
Objective: Read datacubes and investigate Sith Chambers.

Having peeked into the room I took quick stock of it, the wind that pushed in seemed to urge me further inside and I obliged at first not noticing what had been knocked into the air. At least not till some of the spores neared the lights above. My kind could easily see into the ultraviolet range of the spectrum which to the surprise of many worked just as well in doors as long as there was some form of illumination. It only worked when close to the small bits of radiation the lights put out. What I saw were tiny near imperceptible follicles violet in color. What type of stuff were they growing down here, unaware of what it was I continued into the room examining the hydroponics set up. These Sith certainly did know their stuff about growing these plants except for the thick blood that was pumped into them. Feeding the plants, what had the Sith been toying with? Did they themselves even understand it?

The tools and flasks meant little to someone like me, but the datacubes on the shelf certainly posed some significance. They could possibly contain some information on the academy itself. Its teachings didn’t matter. The main datacubes I would take are some that refer to the plants itself and others that had anything to with the academy. If I could pry any information on traps that could be waiting further in I would certainly use it. Or secret passages. If only the Sith were blunt enough to label one of the datacubes “secret entrances” How easy that would make my job.

Whatever had been spread through the air still flew beneath my notice at least until my head began to feel light. Nothing like I had experienced before, not even during my time of drinking. I’d continue searching through the datacubes for anything of significance before making my way to the opposite door. With the datacubes I’d need something to read them on.

 

[Ghorua the Shark]

LOCATION: VORACION CITADEL​

EQUIPMENT: IN BIO​

ALLIES: BLACK SUN ([member="Thraxis"], [member="Cadan Tazi"], [member="Flannigan Mcnash"]), COMMONWEALTH, MANDOS​

CURRENT MOOD: IN THE ZONE​

​

https://youtu.be/7xbZMJGpc9I​

​

Ghorua growled as he ducked low into the trench, trying to find enough cover to hide his massive girth. His attack had been successful, but now he was in a bit of trouble. The next trench over had seen his assault, and were now taking shots at him. The Shark gripped his pistols tightly, preparing himself. Just as he was about to charge, he felt a small burst of heat on his shoulder. The massive hunter turned to see one man, badly injured, still trying to kill him. The Herglic felt only a moment of pity as he walked over slowly, and put one giant foot down on the man's chest. It was over quickly; he deserved that much.

The black-plated monstrosity turned his gaze back to the immediate threat, and cocked his head. They had stopped firing. Why would that be. Ghorua came up with the answer in the nick of time.

The Sith troopers' grenades sailed into Ghorua's trench. He had little time to react. With a flurry of motion, the Shark activated his Portable Shield Generator, the bubble of green light projecting out around him just as the grenades exploded. The sudden outburst of energy glistened along the shield's luminescent surface, draining a considerable amount from the device. Ghorua was knocked back a few feet by the impact, skidding on the snowy ground. Thanks to his shield, which would definitely need recharging after this battle, he had avoided a very dangerous situation.

The troopers paused, in shock from the fact that the whale hadn't been reduced to a pulp. Ghorua smiled under his visor, and holstered his pistols, grabbing something large from his back. The Shark revved the tines of the Spinster, the familiar hum it produced calming to his ears. "Big mistake, kids! Let's teach you all a lesson on humility, shall we?" His hands a blur, the Herglic disabled his shield generator, and laughed. Then came the sound of discharging blaster fire, and screaming.

Ghorua the Shark stampeded over his cover, firing a wall of red bolts as he went. Three fell to the initial onslaught, caught in the waves of crimson death. Two more were bowled over by the plasteel colossus. Once he had reached their trench, they were easy pickings.

Ghorua's head snapped sharply to the left as a grenade burst along his left flank. A piece of shrapnel embedded itself into his visor, sticking out of the glass. The Shark frowned, and squeezed the grip of his weapon.

The Spinster immediately narrowed, it's body lengthening out. From within the tines, two extrusions, crackling with energy. The newly-transformed stun baton slammed into the sender of the grenade, the sheer force of the monster behind it breaking the soldier's spine. The Shark twirled the Spinster at his side, looking for more threats. He felt his anger begin to grow, but pushed it down.

Not yet, Balin. Not until I have to.

 

[Omega]

Elpsis, Lyra & Nima

With their Sith enemies dispatched the Fire Order were in clear space. There was one last obstacle to reaching the Citadel though – a pair of AT-LAWs. These light walkers were armed for anti-infantry assault and stood in the path.

Beyond these two though there was nothing preventing them access to the Citadel.

Arla Balor, Dean Letham, Rhan Komo & Cole Dagos

The Sith in the trenches, battered by the Mandalorian attack, began to fall back rapidly. Many of their number were dead or maimed.

The trench line was cleared. Behind the line though a gunboat…which despite its name was neither a water vessel nor a flying machine…was preparing itself. It was the final obstacle before the pathway to the Citadel was open.

Said gunboat would prove a good target for the MARV’s weapon.

Flannigan McNash, Thraxis & Cadan Tazi

The speeder bike incursion caused a good deal of consternation and shock amongst the Sith soldiers. However, they soon began to rally.

Thraxis, after ploughing into some tents, came into an area closer to one of the emplaced fortresses, and came under fire from several fortified e-webs, regular blasters and some vehicle weapons. Ahead was one of the artillery pieces which had been bombarding the attackers. This could be an opportunity for Thraxis to deal some damage, but approaching would be extremely hazardous due to the crossfire.

Flannigan and Cadan meanwhile also came under fire from entrenched Sith troops further up the line who had not been ejected from the fortifications yet. Several of them had PLX launchers to give some heavy support. Again, continuing forward would be extremely dangerous, whereas turning back would let them link up with their other troops.

Ghorua the Shark

The massive cannon had the desired effect and soon the Sith were dead or in full retreat. A gap had been torn in the line, and the path to the Citadel was open for the big shark.

Spoiler

[member="Ra Vizsla"] [member="Rhan Komo"] [member="Damien Daemon"] [member="Lyth Meran"] [member="Thraxis"] [member="Flannigan Mcnash"] [member="Cadan Tazi"] [member="Ghorua the Shark"] [member="Korro Kenyu"] [member="Ronan Vizsla"] [member="Rylan Thatcher"] [member="Nara Basaar"] [member="Werah Unon"] [member="Drogh"] [member="Cole Dagos"] [member="Arla Balor"] [member="Dean Letham"] [member="Funky Balor"] [member="​Nima Tann"] [member="Elpsis Elaris"] [member="Charlyra Araano"]

 

[Kira Vaal]

Location: The Strip Mines
Current Objective: All or Nothing (Heading to Remove the System Control)
Allies: [member="Tiland Kortun"] [member="Taeli Raaf"] [member="Raeya Papanoida"] [member="Zark"] [member="Aerion Ivelisse"] [member="Bryce Bantam"] [member="Solan Charr"]
For Reference: [member="Raziel"]

The Falcon had come in low before Kira and Alasdair had rushed out of the main hold into the cold wastes that surrounded the tower, both watching her ship slip off into the sky as it headed to where-ever it was that General Merrill was located.

“He’ll bring her back.” Alasdair said, placing a hand on Kira’s shoulder. He could clearly read the worry over the Jedi Knights face. “Charlwook knows that damn ship inside and out. He’ll bring it back.”
“I know.” Kira said as the Falcon twinkled on the horizon. “I just have this feeling like its the last time I’m ever going to see her.”
“We will see her again.” The determination in Alasdair’s voice was contagious and filled Kira with confidence.

The pair had moved quickly through the area around the tower, dark clouds of smoke twisted and flicked from where the ground had been torn away by the Sith’s never ending hunger for what lay beneath making the air tight and tough on the pair. Fortunately Alasdair had grabbed a pair of re-breathers from the Falcons maintenance kit, simple attire that attached themselves over one’s mouth and purified the air. It was a god send to be honest as the thick sulphate that concentrated heavily around the tower would have otherwise made the going very tough.
“You sure this is the main tower?” Kira asked as the passed over a connection bridge, a giant chasm beneath them scarred the planet from where the Sith had torn at it.
“I’m trying to work that out, It’s either this one or that one.” The Underground agent pointed towards a second semi-larger tower in the distance that was connected to this one by large metal pipes and wires. “Could all be for nothing if we try the wrong tower, maybe we should split up?”
Kira didn’t like the idea of separating, especially with such rumoured activity on the communication jammers. Alasdair however was right, it would be a short trip if they hit the wrong tower.
“Okay I’ll take the second tower, I can get across those pipes. Hopefully.” Kira said splitting from Alasdair who moved towards the blast door that was the access point to his tower. “Good luck.”
“Kira.” She stopped and looked back for a moment. “May the Force be with you.”
She nodded.
“And you.”

Kira

She had made easy work of the pipes, each being large enough to count as a bridge for a single person. Only having to duck down once into a crevice as two Sith Gunships had flown over her position heading for the power-units where [member="Bryce Bantam"] had done his own job well, she wished him silent luck before carrying on to where the pipes entered the tower and had found an entrance where the panelling had rusted away due to excessive exposure to the atmosphere.

The area she had entered was a small access corridor that ran adjacent to a large storage block, rare materials moved across great conveyer belts before being loaded into haulers to be transported to, Kira assumed, Omega. From her vantage point she was invisible to the ranks of slaves who were positioned on either side of the belts, hands busy sorting out the raw waste from the freshly mined dirt. Scattered around them were countless guards, overseers and droid enforcers. The general feeling in the air was one of dread and the Force did not like this place at all.

She carried on through the tunnel until she found a vent shaft that was large enough for her to slid into and begin working herself further into the station proper.

Climbing through the vents reminded her of Coruscant where recently she had been part of the strike team to climb through the old hatches of the Jedi Temple to infiltrate the Sith Controlled Valley during the invasion. The air was very similar here, still and dry and the anticipation was probably worse but she put that aside and continued onwards, at least she had more room here.
Another hatch gave her access to a corridor further up the tower, more open and industrial then the last.
She carried on down coming to a corner where two guards were positioned unseen to her in all but the Force.
She closed her eyes and reached out, touching their minds with her own. “Leave the door and retire for the day.” She exhaled as she felt her will begin to convince the pair. Both turned and began to walk away allowing Kira to quietly get to the door which turned out to be the Turbo-lift up to the main control station.

The main deck was dark and as smoggy as the rest of the tower, Kira emerging from the turbo-lift into the operational centre with her blaster held tight in her hand.
Faces turned to meet her but none made any moves of hostility.
Something was wrong…

The Foreman ([member="Raziel"]) stood in all his mechanical glory facing her, the knelt form of Alasdair before him, beaten and bruised. A malicious laugh was all that met Kira’s ears…

*DM notes:
Kira and Alasdair head to shut down the main tower, Alasdair gets captured after separating from his companion and Kira confronts the Foreman. Waiting on DM to decide Foreman’s actions and permission to use as NPC in next post.