Here Comes The Freedom Train (The Republic Invasion Of Korriban)

[Josh Dragovalor]

"Blast...."

Alex's group was dead, the only survivors being Alex himself and two other recruits. Force sakes, he'd just enlisted after the Battle Of Metalorn, and now here he was, fighting for his life on Korriban.

His squad had been killed by those Imperial pigs. One of his co-recruits was missing an arm, and was howling in pain.

"Poor Poggle" said the other recruit, who had helped Alex drag the single-armed man to a cave. "I hear those mechanical hands are a ton of work. Luckily it comes in our health care plan"

"We have a health care plan?" Alex asked, trying to patch up the gaping hole that used to be Poggle's arm. He was losing way too much blood, too quickly. Alex was using his training in first aid as fast as he could...

"No duh" the other recruit said, as he finished work on trying to shake feeling back into the knee he'd banged up during the firefight. "If we didn't, I wouldn't have enlisted. I have a family to provide for, you think I'm going to pay for health care in a profession where I'm likely to get my legs blown off within minutes?"

"Point taken" Alex remarked, as he finished doing all he could. Poggle's howls in pain subsided as the pain was alleviated a bit.

"Aren't these caves tombs of old ancient Sith Lords?" Alex finally asked. "Why are we hiding in a Sith Lord's tomb, where we're more likely to be killed then out there on the field?"

His companion simply shrugged.

"Come on, let's get him to the med bay" he said, before helping Poggle to his feet and supporting his arm with his shoulder.

"Alex, get the other one!" he said, trying to take charge. Alex looked at the socket where Poggle's arm used to be, and blinked.

".... What other one?" he asked, shrugging.

"Just help me get him to the ship, you sod!" he yelled, and Alex shrugged before they started to make the trek, Poggle in tow, toward their ship, where hopefully they could get him some medical help.

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

Location: On board the Acerbatis
Objective: buy some time for Syn, Ronin and Rasu. And smite the Sith


Iella summon the force to strengthen her legs as the Sith seemed to telegraph his intention, she recognised the style immediately and prepared. The blade of the Sith sweeping in on her which she blocked easy enough. The push hit her and for a moment it forced her body back but her feet remained solid. Iella raised her arm and pushed the force to her hand, raising her palm upward she return the push in kind, her push funneled like a punch aimed at the center of his chest only an inch away. Interesting, he is buying time too, she thought.

Her blade looped low on the right side aimed for his thigh, then in an upward motion toward the right arm to get under his defenses and attempt to sever his arm from his body.


@[member="Syn"] @[member="Talon Vosra"] @[member="Ronin Wendigo"] @[member="Rasu Gan"]

 

[Tormax Tryte]

@[member="Darth Praelior"] @[member="Darth Tyrana"]

Arvis looked about the area with a grim smile on the face behind the helmet. "Go on without us." He said to Balaya and Eruna. He looked to Avara and then to the hole in the walls of the Academy and turned back to deal with the Jedi who had crashed. They weren't going to leave without getting their weapons 'wet.'

Darth Avara and Arvis entered into the Academy through one of the holes that were created by the escape pods. He had leaped through it with his lightsaber within his hand, his two fingers were brushing over the ignition button. He sensed the Jedi ahead, and he craved their blood.

He turned a corner to see the two Jedi there. He kicked a rock and it skittered over the floor and crashed into the wall announcing his presence to the Jedi, he hoped. He wanted them to know who it was who killed them. And with that he casted a force shield over his body and finally pressed his fingers on the ignition of the lightsaber and the blue blade extended out of it's hilt casting a blue hue over Arvis's robes.

"Jidai." He said with the faintest hint of a growl. "Have you come to die?"

@[member="Vulpesen"] @[member="Gherron Vael"] @[member="Darth Avara"]

 

[Eruna Delmarra]

Eruna stopped and looked back as he said to keep going. As much as she wanted to say "With pleasure" she couldn't. She actually hated the idea of seeing him and his master fall behind. Still nothing could be done and she and her master Balaya had to make it out with the information while they still could. She only nodded to Arvis, indicating her "good luck" to him before turning and running for the exit as fast as pssoible with her master.

@Darth Naefas @Darth Praelior @Darth Avara

 

[Vulpesen]

Vulpesen's foot stopped him place, resting on the stone steps for a moment before he calmly turned around to meet his opponent. "Why hello there. I was just looking for the restroom." He mood was light and a small smile stayed on his lips as he cast his gaze on @[member="Darth Naefas"]. Vulpesen watched the saber rise from its emitter then settle his hand over the switch of his own weapon, waiting to turn it on for now.

Upon hearing the sith's question, Vulpesen's grin dropped a bit, showing his displeasure with his enemy's attitude. "Surely we can meet some sort of agreement. After all, if you look around, your precious empire has already fallen. The jedi have stormed the gates of your front door, and now we have made it even here. The very heart of your homeowrld. Tell me, exactly what hopes do you have to defeat us? You sith hold power above all else. Well, I believe you have woken a sleeping dragon and have the Jedi not proven ourselves superior?" He would always look for a peaceful solution. Whether or not the sith used it, was up to them.

@[member="Gherron Vael"]

 

[Balaya Praelior Zambrano]

@[member="Darth Tyrana"]

Balaya looked at Eruna when the time came and she heard the others as she smiled affixed to her face. The jedi crashing into the temple was helping them out while she moved and deactivated the saber running and pulling at her apprentice. The haunter would be a tight fit, no it would be more then that it was going to be a joke to fit in but she moved towards the tombs while throwing her cloak to the entrance. Just as promised so they could follow it to the othe side and then she kept going. Jumping down the canyon and towards the pyre in the distance while accessing the tac-pad and linking to a speeder at the bottom. A reinforced nexu designed for the purpose of her and she got on. "Quickly." Leaving space for Eruna to get on and hold before she took off the sith chanted focusing on concealing them from the force as she bobbed and weaved into the canyons.

 

[Tormax Tryte]

He shook his head with a grin behind his helmet. "Silly Jidai." He started to walk forwards to the Jedi Knight and his apparent Padawan, or so he thought. He was summoning the power of the Force to his free hand, he was ready to kill the Jedi.

He stopped until they were within ten meters of each other, and he grabbed the rocks that had been scattered across the hallway from the destruction of the corridors due to the Republic escape pods. What a waste of an escape plan. More Republic forces would die because of that then.

He sent his hand forwards to the Jedi Knight, Vulpesen, and released the rocks to go flying at him. Once the rocks had passed by him, not harming Arvis, he smiled and started to run forwards towards Vulpesen. He figured his Master would handle the Knight's padawan.

He was already summoning the dark side of the Force to his body again. He already knew what was going to come to the enemy when he casted the Force upon him.

@[member="Vulpesen"] @[member="Darth Avara"]

 

[Adamus Straife]

Darth Avara followed his apprentice through the hole, chasing these Jedi down with less fervent excitement than Arvis. Still, he relished in the opportunity to still gather some semblance of revenge against the Jedi Order and the Republic for their decimation of the Sith homeworld. He held his curved-hilt lightsaber within his hand as he saw the faces of the two Jedi. Arvis kicked a rock over which skittered across the floor, and crashed into the wall. So much for a surprise assault, Arvis seemed to enjoy heading into situations guns blazing. Darth Avara was far more subtle about destroying his enemies.

When Arvis activated his lightsaber, so did Avara. A sickening snap hiss was heard as the blood red blade shot out of the hilt in his hand, glowing around him with the power of the dark side of the Force. He looked at the Jedi Knight, and regarded him with a cool stare. Though from his exterior, it could be said that he made no reaction at all to his presence. The Knight did as Jedi do, preach utter devotion to their cause and denounce the Sith Empire as inferior. True, the Republic had won a victory here, but they had not won the war. To win this war was to destroy the Force itself, and it was such it was that you could not simply kill the Force. This was an eternal war, it all depended on the shifting of the scales, and right now, the light held the advantage. But not for long.

"Swallow your words, Jidai, they will not save you against us," he said. Iron tones escaped his voice, muffled by the metallic impression that his mask made. He almost sounded robotic, motonous, as if he never even cared about Korriban at all. He held his hands abreast, and conjured the power of the dark side into a single hand. His sorcery was powerful, and it glowed in his hand in black and red flickers of light. "Woyunoks hadzuska koshûjontû," he spoke the first line of the incantation, in the ancient language of the Sith. Slowly, smoke began to rise until it created a cloud between them, bubbling with intensity. Out of the smoke came a demon, a manifestation of the dark side. His breath smoked, his hands burned, and his body reeked of the darkness. Avara let loose a metallic laugh, and stepped aside his summoning. He poised his blade at the two Jedi.
"COME!" he bellowed. "Come kill me, if you can."

@[member="Vulpesen"] @[member="Darth Naefas"] @[member="Gherron Vael"]

 

[Marek S'hadar]

@[member="Devin"]

Marek nodded to Devin, as did Cale. The former drew his hilt and flipped it into a reverse grip, the icy blue blade springing to life in his right hand, the latter drew one from each shoulder, igniting cobalt blades in each hand. Marek was ready, this was payback, one that didn't require him to give in to the darkness. He'd waited for this a long time. Stepping on to the crimson sand, the trio quickly came under fire. Marek and Cale's blades spun wildly, deflecting blaster bolts which surged towards them rapidly. Many shots were returned to sender, others went off into the distance, however none struck the Jedi.

 

[Talon Vosra]

Location: On board the Acerbatis
Objective: Avoid being Smote

Talon was already begining his next attack when the force leapt from the Jedi's hand and struck his chest as he was turning. The blow was strong and Talon knew that he would not leave this unscathed if at all.

Talon could not toy with the Jedi or he would not live to buy time. His second blade leapt to his left hand and the blue blade came to life just in time as he swept it blade down to meet the Jedi's own. He continued the motion in a tight spin sweeping his silver blade aroud toward the Jedi's left shoulder. He couldn't bring himself to aim for her neck but his strike was designed to either injure or gain some space between them.

"Nearing transport sir," came a voice in his helmet's com, "eta 3 minutes."

@[member="Syn"] @Iella E'ron @[member="Ronin Wendigo"] @[member="Rasu Gan"]

 

[Eruna Delmarra]

@Darth Praelior

Eruna followed Balaya to the speeder and jumped down. As they rode off Eruna wrapped her arms around her master's waist and held on tight as they sped off through the valley. As they did, knowing they would reach the haunter, she used her wrist communicator and said "R7, prep the ship! We'll be there in a few minutes!"

With that order the astrocmech beep in command before it situated itself in the ship's port for a droid. He began turning on all the engines and what-not while waiting for them to arrive.

 

[Vulpesen]

Vulpesen's hand shot up to cast aside the stones, causing them to halt within the air before dropping to the ground. Whoever this sith was, Vulpesen wasn't about to let him put a scratch on the jedi with such a simple attack. Of course, his master seemed to hold a few tricks of his own as he summoned a sort of demon from out of nowhere. "Well, that's an interesting trick." His saber ignited , sending a golden blade through each end, shining their yellow hues against the wall. His saber marked him as different as he finally showed what he held in his hand. The blades were different, holding a black core instead of the normal white and now he was allowing these sith a small view before preparing to slice them apart.

Vulpesen's eyes flicked to the demon and his curiosity was evident. He'd faced the emperors ethereal slaves and now he was going up against something just as intangible and likely just as dangerous. "Rather cowardly to rely on back up ain't it?" Vulpesen focused himself in the force, letting it flow through him. The sith had tried a simple attack. Vulpesen was going to show them how to make a true impression. Pulling up several random stones from the area, Vulpesen brought the rubble into the air. Beside, in front of, and behind the sith, stones were coming up and Vulpesen let a grin come upon his face. His hands flicked around, bringing each stone to attack his enemies in fairly random patterns, striking from all sides and putting quite a bit of emphasis on the demon's head, aiming to overwhelm the men with sheer number of attacks. @[member="Darth Avara"] @[member="Darth Naefas"]

 

[Gherron Dragovalor]

Ah, finally. Upon hearing the sound of new arrivals, Gherron looked back from his position on the stairs and nodded in their direction. Master and apprentice. His lightsaber already on, he walked back down the steps, cautious as ever. He and Vulpesen were on the same levels of power, but the new arrivals seemed to be teacher and student. They would likely have a stronger bond and would work together easier, while he and Vulpesen had just met minutes earlier. However, it made no mind to him. As he listened to the other Jedi attempt at reasoning, the stronger Sith summoned a demon from the dark side, and he smirked. Now it was three on two. "Hey, look. Now it's even." Stepping next to his acquaintance, he whispered a few words into his ear. "If this turns into a fight, and it will, i'll take the apprentice. You take the knight. We both watch each other's backs for their pet." Though the strategy may have been obvious, he still figured it would be best to sound it out to the other. Now walking to the side slowly, he kept his eyes on the angered ones of the apprentice.

Almost immediately afterward, the battle had begun as he had predicted. Brandishing his weapon, Gherron charged toward the Sith apprentice, bringing two sideways slashes at the chest.

@Vulpesen @[member="Darth Avara"] @[member="Darth Naefas"]

 

[Tormax Tryte]

The Jedi's simple attack was quite useless in actual fact. His force shield simply halted the debris and rubble's progress when it came to him. And with the Force from his free hand, he was in point blank range of the Jedi Knight now, it would be impossible to stop it completely.

Launching his hand forwards he threw the force lightning from his finger tips directly at the Jedi Knight. He was going to learn why Arvis was still alive, through all the combats, all the trials, why he. Arvis Syphex, Sith Knight, was going to survive the Sacking of Korriban.

If the Jedi Knight did block the force lightning, Arvis was already summoning the Force to his hand again. And once it had empowered him enough, he threw quite a powerful force push at the Jedi Knight in front of him. Always the aggressor, he was an animal, a brute that used the Force more than his lightsaber.

But after he had launched the force push at Vulpesen he brought his hand up and low to the side to try and cut open Gherron's chest. Even if he blocked it, he knew his Master would back up his attack.

@[member="Vulpesen"] @[member="Gherron Vael"] @[member="Darth Avara"]

 

[Marek Sh'adar]

Acting as one, the three Jedi seemed almost an impenetrable wall. Between Cale, Marek, and Devin himself, nothing got past them. Back to back to back, they sent back blaster fire and debris as it came their way. Devin could've almost smiled then. For once, he felt a sense of fulfillment, a sense of duty. He knew that he was doing something right for the first time in his life. As he fought alongside his brothers, he felt a strange new sensation through the force. The three of them working together in such harmony began to generate an aura of power. He felt powerful. He felt invincible.

@[member="Marek S'hadar"]

 

[Adamus Straife]

What good were stones against smoke? The pebbles passed through the demon as if they were nothing, and Darth Avara parried any random pebbles that came his way with his lightsaber blade. Spreading his fingers to initiate an attack, his summoned smoke demon dispersed into a cloud of smoke, rushing toward the two Jedi. It was then that the sorcery took full effect. It was a solid being, true, crafted out of the dark side of the Force, but this demon was in their mind too; slipping their grasp away from the light and pulling them closer to the dark. And with Korriban's natural nexus by their side, they would soon find themselves powerless. The smoke demon rushed toward the Padawan as a myriad of spiraled tentacles, aiming to paralyse the boy but leave him conscious enough to watch his master die. "Cowardice?" he said, almost laughing. "No, this is power."

@[member="Darth Naefas"] @[member="Vulpesen"] @[member="Gherron Vael"]

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

VALLEY OF THE CLUSTERCUSS

@[member="Joshua DragonsFlame"] would quickly discovered that his lightning-bolt-like strikes had been preempted by an actual lightning bolt. Two of them, as it happened. One arc, which apparently hadn't hit yet, slammed into his first slash; the other into his second. The blasts jammed his sabres back, interrupting his rhythm. The right side of the horizontal lightstaff rose to meet the third strike, as Rasho flipped that hand's grip to hold the lightstaff vertical. A little twist, insanely fast for a Hutt, dealt with the third before it could reach his magnificently vonduun-clad head. Well, not quite before -- it left a shallow scar on the armor. The vonduun crab shivered slightly.

Rasho's lower blade deactivated as he twisted one hand over the other and slashed straight down at prettyboy's guard, intending to bash and then thrust forward at his breastbone. The inert emitter of his lower blade pointed at the center of Rasho's chest.

Both Josh's first two strikes were blocked, and the third blocked with the armored shoulder. That armor was going to be a piss off... But he couldn't complain, he was well armored himself.

Josh backed up as he slashed, using the longer range of his new lightsaber in his right hand to slash right back from a small distance. The blades clashed, but neither man (Err, man or hutt) were able to gain the advantage.

Josh needed a new strategy. If he couldn't get his head, and his shoulders were armored, what else could he do?

That's it. He took a breath, reaching into the Force, his teachings in Ataru coming into effect as he flew through the air over the hutt's head, slashing over and over and over as he flipped through the air, his blades contact the Hutt's over and over as he went for his head. Eventually, Josh would land behind him, going for a slash toward the Hutt's back. Whether his strikes hit or not, or if they were all blocked, Josh immediately rolled frontwards as soon as he slashed the back shot, hit or block, gaining distance from his opponent once again. He hopped to his feet and stared the opponent down, taking small breaths.

 

[Arors Drusus]

Location: Sith Academy?
Objective: Survive

"Voracitos!" The former slave awoke with a start from a deep meditation as finally, the apparition of his former Master surge painful and disturbing memories through him in a rush. His mere presence permeated through his skull and ripped away his security. The entire planet was in ruin. Originally, he had planned to simply sit here, and meditate within the Temple, avoid and thus survive the battle. But the sheer presence of Voracitos being here... it ripped the heart out of him. How was it possible? He had died, he saw the corpse himself, visited his tomb even! Nonetheless, the unholy being of Darkness that enslaved his parents before his birth and killed friends and family with the sheer ability of doing so. He provided them a degree of security, housing, and though considerably less than was needed, sustenance. Do not mistake however, Arors memory of him as any form of appreciation, that man was the true manifestation of death, decay, and evil. He would have to do more than survive now, he had to escape. If Voracitos was here, the Force only knew what would transpire here today. It would be more than war, it would be diner, and no one would be spare from his unnatural maw... capable of swallowing the suns of imagination. Wholesale destruction would be at play this day, Arors did not plan on sticking around for that long.

He would be forced to fight.

Donning his dark robes, he pulled his hood over his blonde head. He gripped his saber in a fearful anticipation. He had always been good at pounding this to dust, when he had his heart set on it, and thus the fear came from what his heart felt. What could be felt, other than weakness? His childhood tormentor of legitimately vile powers had appeared to him beyond death, the place he had lived for the entirety of his prepubescent to adult life was under siege by the enemy of his peers, and he was a target too. He started to feel the special sense within him that made him want to punch something. He tired to focus on it, and tried to focus what rage if any in this moment he could into it. The rage was weak, difficult to conjure for him. It would take much practice, or he would have to find a better source. He had tried to use pain before, that was... unpleasant to say the least. Sorrow as a source only lead to pain.

Unfortunately for his mentors, it seemed that for Arors, fear turned out to be his greatest known source of energy. Remembering this, he felt a pain in his stomach, the looming imaginary shadow of Voracitos high above pierced something inside him. Fear. His squeezed shut eyes immediately popped open, dilated and wide in terror. His skin began to perspire, and his clutch on the lightsaber was white knuckled and sweaty. His heart raced, and his lungs gasped. He was afraid, and it was what motivated him to press the button that would activate his Orange blade. He lurched forward into the Chaos.

Wild eyed, he searched for something to attack, anything to attack... everything to attack.

 

[Adonari Cinn]

Academy Doorstep
@[member="Vinyata Nicashii"], @[member="Reela Witko"], @[member="Count Aretine"]

A'donari's blade was held before his face defiantly as it connected with the lightning being shot from the girl. It was wild and aggressive jumping across his blade. Her strength even seemed to grow every moment she inhaled. The energy darker than even some he had fought before her. Either she was a Sith Master or the very ground he stood on was fighting back like a body would fight off a disease trying to invade. His eyes remained locked on the girl though he allowed his gaze to move past her. Soldiers were beginning to push the army in black armor back again. The bridge had been blown but the Drop ships were able to come closer and closer to the Academy as the anti air weapons were being destroyed all across the battle field. Each small victory coming at a price far greater than he would have been willing to pay. The fight was out there and he was wasting time here. His mind worked rapidly as he focused on ending the fight with this Sith within the next few moves.

A force push followed the lightning. A'donari had been thinking the same. Both attacks collided causing the sand under ground zero to explode outwards. Less than a moment later the Sith was attacking again as he saw her body emerge from the dust in front of him. He held his ground in the beginning stage of Soresu as she approached. Again she swung wildly at him. Her attacks placed at random trying to penetrate his guard. Many of which he dodged through agile footwork of his own. The rest he parried with soft precise blade work causing her blade to glance away from him harmlessly and taking away from her attacking momentum or causing her to go flat footed. She was fighting with hatred and leaving herself open due to the nonstop amount of attacks. A'donari leaned backwards ducking beneath her staff, as it was jabbed at his head, followed by another quick attack which forced him to side step pulling his own blade in the way of the slash intended for his mid section. His blade rebounded across his body while his wrist spun the blade rapidly. All show. Leaning forward he aimed and stomp kicked downward at her front knee. A'donari's calm mind already preparing his counter and careful to not leave an opening. His left arm moved the spinning blade back across his body; ready to catch the back side of the woman's staff. It would only be there if she had thought to attack him quickly but he wouldn't be a knight in Soresu by leaving openings for his enemies to exploit.

 

[Syn]

ABOARD THE ACERBATIS
@[member="Rasu Gan"], @[member="Iella E`ron"], @[member="Talon Vosra"], @[member="Ronin Wendigo"]

Syn kept moving and slashing, as much as he wanted to pretend he knew where they were going... Well he did kind of he was relying on Rasu to read the direction if there were any while they just kept heading back towards the ships other side. He continued to go and found an area as the bite bit into one of the soldier and he pushed him away. Taking in the sight of the knight before he spoke and slid from his robes the bottle of spirit ichor. He took a sip while the green mist worked it magic and he focused on it using it as the waters of life, something to cheat as it were and he focused on it while speaking. "Drink some, it will revitalize you and save your strength." A smirk was on his face while he spoke on the comlink. "Iella... Ronin, we are hopefully near the engine rooms and moving with haste. Just follow the bodies in the hallway to meet up with us."