Dominion Horns of Freedom [GA Dominion of Iridonia and Uda IV]

[Aadihr Lidos]

Into the Warehouse

Outfit: Field Attire
Weapons: Walking stick / Lightsaber Pike
Objective I

Aadihr should have known better.
The cut had slashed through his ear and scalp. His white hair was stained with fresh blood. His blindfold had been cut away, exposing the concave smooth skin where his eyesockets would be.

Walking directly into an ambush armed with a stick wasn't a smart idea. He stubbornly refused to ignite his pike despite the advantage of the enemy. Another blaster bolt emerged from the window as the butcher approached with what seemed to be crude, oversized cleaver. Aadihr barely managed to deflect the bolt and stumble out of reach of the blade, redirecting the bolt into the Iridonian murderer’s foot. With a rapid twist and spin of his staff, he delivered yet another full-forced two handed swing into the side of his combatant’s head. As before, the hardy Iridonian stumbled, snarled, and resumed his onslaught. Albeit with a fresh limp.

“Don't make me do this” Aadihr muttered to himself. The Iridonian seemed to confuse Aadihr’s reluctance for fear. While Aadihr was focused on predicting and dodging the blaster, the cleaver swung once more at Aadihr. There were no more options.

In one fluid movement, Aadihr ignited his pike, spinning in two horizontal arcs, aligned perfectly to sever the wrists and ankles of the Iridonian combatant. Aadihr’s hand trembled with frustration as The cleaver clanged onto the pavement. The butcher lay writhing but alive as Aadihr took cover from the blaster fire.

Waiting for the right moment, Aadihr stepped out from cover and used his pike to redirect the bolt he anticipated to the shooter in the window. He wasn't able to cleanly hit the blaster like he intended, but also scorched the hand of the shooter.

Aadihr stepped back out to the center of the street where the furious Iridonian butcher sported four new stumps. The Zabrak seemed to ignore his own pain as he cracked open the cauterized limbs in an attempt to crawl at Aadihr, perhaps to headbutt with the horns ringing his scalp. Aadihr stepped onto the back of the flailing man, pinning him to the ground. As Aadihr’s pike went dark, he leaned down to spare a bit of his own life force to heal the stumps. Another bit of vitality drained from him - it was going to catch up to him eventually. The berserk Zabrak's stumps ceased bleeding. At least the killer would be able to crawl without getting himself killed slowly. The aura of the Iridonian spiked at what must have been a most grave insult - being disarmed, maimed, and healed while left helpless.

Aadihr couldn't find enough sympathy to care for the murderer. Aadihr would not regret leaving someone to live, even one that forced him to such violence. Movement within the building stirred Aadihr back into action - he clambered up machinery along the side of the processing building to enter a chute, pausing long enough to rub bacta into the cut on his scalp and ear.

Aadihr took a moment to search behind him. Even with the insulted Iridonian’s force signature lighting the street, he couldn't spot the scrap of his blindfold among the other inorganic and lifeless debris. It was just another bloody scrap of cloth among a confusing, jumbled mess of transparent objects. There was no hope of finding it.

He felt a sting in his chest despite himself. He felt pressure in his sinuses from tear ducts he didn't have. That blindfold was his last memento from home.

Steadying his emotions, Aadihr slipped inside the warehouse through the chute. Getting these people out alive was all that mattered.

Iris Arani | Zaiya Ceti | Open?​

 

[Caelan Valoren]

ATTIRE: Link
WEAPON: Lightsaber
TAGS: Roman Vossari | Diogo Talon

Roman seemed relieved to see him, but he didn't quite know why. Under the circumstances, he had felt like he was quite in control of the situation. In fact, it seemed the situation was well in hand with the only exception being freeing the hostages from the rooms. That, however, was being left to the locals as it was their people that needed to be freed, and only they could decide how to properly handle the situation. Or something like that. Chiefly, it seemed like they wanted the Jedi, even though they were all padawans, to handle the Sith.

Diogo wasn't anywhere to be seen, but it seemed Roman had seen him not long ago. If the other padawan was shook up, he should have remained where he was. That was the situation Caelan had been in on Tython. He knew, all too well, what it was like to not be ready for combat. It had happened to him twice, and now he'd never let it happen again.

"I don't see him," he said, looking past Roman.

The other Padawan used his comlink, but to no avail. There wasn't anything that came through from the other padawan, and Caelan had a really bad feeling about why that was.

"He's in trouble."

Their local guide, so to speak, mentioned the Sith being likely in the penthouse and that it was time to move toward that engagement, so Caelan followed Roman along, disengaging his lightsaber since he didn't need it for the moment.

They ascended to the next level via lift, and the doors opened onto an empty corridor. Caelan stared at it for a moment, frowning, before they moved forward. There was something off about the lack of resistance, but at the same time, he was certain this was likely to do with the arrogance of the Sith in the room ahead of them. He could feel him as they stood at the door to the penthouse. They were close enough he could register the Sith's presence despite his lack of sensory skills.

Roman asked if they should knock, and Caelan almost smirked. Almost. But he knew what was beyond the door, and so decided that, if it were going to go down, might as well get it over with. He slapped the door release so it slid open to let them in, strangely wasn't locked.

"No sense playing games. He knows we're here anyway. Besides, Diogo's in there."

 

[Lysander von Ascania]

Objective I: Capital Carnage
Tags: Gil Horn | Open

​

There was something about listening to the powerful engine roar that made the boy’s heart race. It was like a caged beast begging to be unleashed. He glanced at Gil, who was gliding ahead with a sense of authority; his voice then came through the comm unit. The Padawan found it encouraging.

“Remain mindful,” he whispered to himself. His concentration was torn between properly handling the speeder and the flashing screen in front of him. He was also constantly conscious of not crashing into anything in the streets. As his fingers loosened a bit on the handlebar, he could easily detect the change in the atmosphere. It felt like the tension was building as they drew closer to their inevitable confrontation with these Sith terrorists.

His body began to lean forward again, this time in anticipation. Questions began to cross his mind. What if he miscalculated the jump? What if he fell short? However, the thought of disappointing the Jedi felt far worse than the giant leap they were about to take. There was no turning back now. He then pushed them aside.

“You know, Gil,” he said into the comm, his voice smooth despite all the adrenaline coursing through him, “if we pull this off, it calls for some bantha burgers when we get back to Theed!”

Lysander twisted the throttle all the way now, pushing the machine to its limits.

 

[Marissa Shoda]

IRIDONIA | MALIDRIS
TAGS: The Vulptex | Phy
GEAR: In bio

THEME​

The various tones of disappointment earned a quiet snicker from Marissa as she scanned the area, listening in on the team’s coordination. They would get their chance when the time came. She would be lying if she said that she wasn’t in the mood for a good firefight, either. But this mission was critical, stealth was the best approach.

Wizard didn’t sound too happy about the decision of using his drone, but he agreed nonetheless. Marissa quickly pulled the spare Raven from her kit and fiddled with it for a few moments, trying to remember how the system worked. Once it was operational, she sent it soaring into the air while Phyla took custody of the other one. :: Raven’s in the air, Wizard. :: She reported, moving up along the path.

Distant explosions and gunfights did a good job of masking the team’s sound from the patrols and advancing units. Marissa was exceptionally happy about the helmet’s capabilities sparing her eyes the trouble of cycling through the various vision modes. For the most part, things were going smoothly… until Phyla reported a tank ahead of them. Marissa came to a halt as the enormous machine rounded a corner, its repulsorlifts blasting dust and debris aside.

The cyborg ducked into a busted alleyway and hoped that her camouflage would do the trick. The tank’s gun was facing forward, but what made her heart sink was the commander’s sight facing in her direction. To make matters worse, the tank came to a halt and the turret began to turn. Perhaps it was simply scanning the area, chances of it seeing her was pretty low.

The boom of a cannon and a bolt tearing through the wall right next to her confirmed Marissa’s fears. The force of the shot sent her flying a few feet, miraculously moving her from where a volley of laser cannon shots tore up where she was located only a few seconds ago. :: Contact front! :: She called over the comms, scrambling from her position to move around the tank. :: You guys got anything for this? :: She pressed herself against a corner, sparing a quick glance at the vehicle as it searched hor her.

 

[Diogo Talon]

OBJECTIVE 1
PENTHOUSE APT
TAGS: Roman Vossari Caelan Valoren

The penthouse apartment door opened with a hiss. The eerie silence after was broken by, of course, the green haired idiot.

"Hey, boys," Diogo said from across the way, tied to an office chair, with a busted lip, crooked nose, and bloody smile.

"Welcome," Verok said with a deep, booming voice. "Don't be shy. We have things to discuss." The large Devaronian tightened the grip on his unignited lightsaber hilt and pressed it harder into Diogo's throat. "Like whether your friend lives or dies."

Diogo kept quiet, though not by choice on account of him being choked and all. He figured the others should take point on this, anyway, seeing as how he'd caused enough trouble and he was most likely the least diplomatically disciplined among them. In the meantime, he focused on building energy in a slow-burning Force Valor, ready to tap into his strength when things inevitably went south.

 

[Jonyna Si]

TAG: Aris Noble Azurine Varek Braze

"If they were planning an ambush, we'd be surrounded by now. Iridonian warriors aren't exactly known for their patience."

The locals weren't the only ones here, and that's what worried her. Still, she kept her stance. She wasn't here to do the mission her lonesome, she was here to watch over the team. The addition of Braze kept her watchful eye, knowing he had a tendency to go off on his own. Not necessarily a bad thing, but in moments like this, they needed to stick together.

The city was much like a jungle. Rather than follow behind through Alleyways, Jonyna elected to act as a sort of overwatch. Not on rooftops, but through the infrastructure of the city itself. Across electrical lines and pipes, through the air silently from one spot of traversal to another. If there was one thing she wanted to impart to the padawans today more than anything, it was one of the simple truths of the hunt.

No one looks up.

It wasn't a fact of ignorance, it was a habit of instinct. Humanoids, bipeds, rarely found themselves in nature in a position where a threat would come from above. A universal truth of the jungle, as most would be instead getting the jump on those below them.

She was the Zercath'era. today, leading their party into the concrete jungle. Even if this was a mission, lessons could always be learned without words spoken.

Still, she let Azurine lead the command. She watched for handsignals, and when they approached a rogue group, she watched the girl attempt to subdue them with nothing but the Force.

Still, the Jedi Master lay in watch, prepping her stun blaster in one hand, her lightsaber in the other, just in case.

 

[The Vulptex]

Iridonia, Capital City of Malidris​

Tag: Phy Marissa Shoda
Names: Lyra, Samantha, Alex, Beatrix
​

:: Raven’s in the air, Wizard. ::

<Copy. Eye in the sky, ready to->

:: Oh dear. I have eyes on a vehicle entering the path of least resistance between here and the target. Looks to be a repulsor tank. I suggest you make haste plotting a new course of action. ::

:: Contact front! ::

Wizard's words were cut by the sound of a resonating boom, and without a second word, the team got to work.

The next few moments were a blur. Some sort of bomb went off right in front of the tank, filling the whole street with a sudden cloud of thick smoke that seemed to be impenetrable by any form of sensor.

A streak of white and red flew across the street, as what seemed to be a scarf trailed in the wind. A figure disappeared into the smoke, sneaking behind the tank, strapping a small device to it's rear, before disappearing once more into the concrete jungle. Then another, seemingly the same figure, leapt in from an entirely different angle, and climbed on top of the tank, setting up something before once more disappearing into the alleyways.

<Kaboom.> Was all that was heard over the radio, as the first detonation went off, a ion bomb that cut the tank's repulsorlift, before the next one went off, blowing the tank's main hatch clean off, as well as disabling the main gun by sheering off a piece of the barrel.

The smoke lingered, as Wizard flew the raven just over the tank, dropping it's two thermal detonators, normally inert little things, right down the hatch.

<And...Fireworks.> Wizard said with a clear smile in his voice, as a plume of smoke shot from the hatch.

<And you said we couldn't take out a squad of troopers.>

 

[Iris Arani]

​

Iris's brow twitched for a moment before she opened her eyes. The meditation didn't fade though, even as she stopped her own focus on it. Domxite had taken over fully, keeping the colors Iris had painted going. "He's a healer, not an agent." Iris let out a sigh before glancing to Zaiya, then to Domxite who'd tucked away on her back. The droid was inactive for the moment, but the rainbow gem within was certainly very aware of everything.

"With me, Padawan. Keep your mind open and your awareness out."

She jumped then, sprinting across the rooftop to follow after their third healer. Danger, hurt, she'd seen the colors from him. As healers, their job wasn't to be the ones rushing into danger. If they got hurt, or worse, the healing needed to keep everyone else alive would be compromised. Even chasing after him was a foolish thing to do. Logically.

They were Jedi, though. Helping people, helping each other, Iris could never blame that.

<Aadihr.>

Her 'voice' echoed through the Force and to his mind before she pulled on it. Not just his, but Zaiya's as well. A meld that only Iris could create, pulling the two into the world of colors she lived in. Dampened down to avoid being overwhelming with all facets of life and the Force mingling in their colors, but bright none the less. Hostages and captors alike were visible in her world, their colors darkening the natural flow around them all.

<Go.>

The order wasn't an order so much as a feeling all three shared once they were in position. Iris struck immediately after, dropping from the shadows in a flash of blue as her saber sprang to life. She cleaved through one of the Iridonians, knowing the other two would handle their targets in turn. The co-ordination the meld provided would help them to keep these captives safe.

Then they could talk about their actual mission instead of just running off by themselves.

Aadihr Lidos | Zaiya Ceti

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

Outfit: x x x x x | Equipment: x x x x x x | Weapons: x x x | Companion: Domxite
Interacting with: Iris Arani Aadihr Lidos

There was the sense of that meld again, that intimate, unique oneness that resonated through Zaiya in a way that was as surreal as breathtaking.

Don't let it overwhelm you, Zaiya told herself, even though she knew that her Master and Domxite were there to assist in ensuring it. What came next, of course, was the sort of interaction the Lovalla Padawan didn't desire to jump into but knew they had to do in order to save the captives identified.

Following behind, Iris, the Padawan, was in pursuit -- and it wasn't long until Iris's saber was drawn, and she delved straight into the fight. Domxite gave an encouraging trill in the Force, and perhaps it was the melding that allowed her to not fall back on her worry regarding what would happen next.

Instead, the Lovalla focused on what she could do. While she did not ignite her saber, Zaiya instead summoned the Force. As a warrior came towards her, Zaiya drew telekinetically upon loose debris, bringing it up to send a multitude of dust, rocks, and blinding, disorienting sweep of projectiles to cause them to fall back. They tumbled to the ground, being pelted repeatedly until Zaiya could grab hold of what appeared to be a durasteel pipe. Ripping it from its perch along the wall, she guided it to wrap around the Warrior's arms, pinning him in place.

It took a bit longer, but at least it wouldn't kill him.

 

[Aadihr Lidos]

Outfit: Field Attire
Weapons: Walking stick / Lightsaber Pike

<Aadihr.>

He felt the voice, pulsing with a faint shockwave of light from the epicenter, Iris. Like a thin fabric the wave of light enveloped Aadihr and tightened, connecting him to Zaiya and Iris, sealing itself into a meld between the three.

The relief from their luminosity eased the spikes in his aura. While he felt some shame at getting the others involved, the feeling was distant. It was easier to focus.

<Go.>

Even at seeing the harm inflicted by Iris, his usual emotional reaction was distant. Not gone, not repressed, but it didn't control him. He was able to continue what he set out to do with clarity of mind.

Her Padawan fought nonlethally, using the light of Ashla to blind and bind and bludgeon but not kill. Gratitude spread from Aadihr in response.

Aadihr dropped from the conveyor that fed into the chute. He was above the captives, could hear their nervous hushed chatter, see their anxious and despairing auras even as they were soothed through the force. They were packed uncomfortably into a locked room with heavy industrial equipment that had a supervisory gangway suspended overhead. The gangway was patrolled by the shooter from before and another iridonian, which now fired out of the window at the approaching healers while the previous zabrak shooter finished wrapping his hand and reached to pick up his blaster.

With what telekinetic force he could muster, Aadihr pushed the active shooter out the 3rd story window.

Spoiler: Wilhelm Scream

Immediately after, he leapt towards the other captor as they reached for their blaster. The Zabrak grabbed it and lifted it to aim at Aadihr.

Aadihr could simply let it fire - his foresight revealed the blaster was damaged and would backfire. That wasn't enough. Aadihr spun his unlit pike, striking the blaster and knocking it out of the Zabrak's hands.

Murmers from the captives arose from below, fingers pointed, their auras lightening with hope. ​

Aadihr continued to assail the Zabrak with blunt blows from his staff, keeping the robust Iridonian off balance instead of wasting effort attempting to knock them unconscious.

Another Iridonian grabbed Aadihr from behind, under his arms and behind his neck. The first Zabrak ran after their blaster, grabbed it, aimed, and pulled the trigger.

The backfire cost him his fingers.

Well, Aadihr had tried. With one hand wrapped and the other freshly injured, that combatant wouldn't pose much of a threat. Only the assailant trying to manipulate Aadihr into a headlock remained inside the captive's room.

In a reckless gambit, Aadihr leaned back against his opponent and lifted his knees to his chest, extending them horizontally with all the force and might he could manage. Aadihr could barely trickle any Force into his legs - Force empowerment never quite clicked with him. Aadihr still managed to kick off the wall of the gangway, sending both him and his assailant over the edge of the railing and onto the heavy machinery below.

Several painful pipes and corners bashed Aadihr on the way down, breaking the grip of his attacker on the way. The world spun for a moment as Aadihr landed on the floor. He found himself being helped to his feet by one of the captives, an elderly Iridonian with defective, rusted cybernetics. Aadihr quickly searched for the assailant.

The hostile Zabrak' force-light was already dark; Aadihr could see these elderly, infirm, and injured Zabraki still beating the lifeless body. They had done what Aadihr refused to, working together to pulverize their captor. To save each other.To save him. A strange emotion welled in Aadihr. Gratitude. These people would help a stranger and a fool who climbed into captivity of their own accord. The room grew more vibrant by the second.

The elderly Iridonian captive handed Aadihr his Pike.​

Aadihr gave a nod of gratitude accompanied by a sincere touch on the shoulder. Every bruise, fracture, cut, and burn was worth it to save these people. The common folk so frequently caught up in events larger than them. Those that fuel the societies that help and harm them. This was Aadihr's purpose these people, strangers one and all, meant the world to him.

Aadihr ignited his pike, a vibrant blue that matched the swelling saturation of the survivors. Within a few seconds, the saber’s tip cut through the lock of the door.

The fight was far from over - the other Jedi still fought the captors, but these people had begun to take their first steps back into freedom and safety.

Zaiya Ceti | Iris Arani​

 

[Connel Vanagor]

"In my experience,
when you think you
understand the Force,
you realize just
how little you know"​

[COMM TRAFFIC]
LOCATION : Malidris - Iridonia | OBJECTIVE : I | TAG (FRIENDLY) : Azurine Varek | Jonyna Si | Aris Noble | @Aadhir Lidos | Iris Arani | Zaiya Ceti TAG (FOE) : @

Objective One:
(NJO/SIA OBJ)

Capital Carnage​

One by one.

Nest by nest.

He was taking the Imperial fringe terrorists out. It did not matter if it was the young group targeting Zaiya Ceti , or the more experienced trio targeting Gil Horn

He was not some “superpowered” spectre, to be sure, more and more attention was drawn to him as he was drawing more and more fire. That was important because while it was slowing him down, having to deal with each of foes and dodging weapons fire, the attention was on Connel and no one else.

That was his promise.

A larger nest was his current target and they saw him coming. That was fine, he was not in the mood to be subtle, his “Guardian” training was coming back to the surface. Only this time he was not alone, two blaster shots to the head of two fallen Imperials came from nearby Zabrak. They must be militia.

I guess that is all the help I warrant… that’s cool…

He did not take it personally that, though he did have help, no Jedi seemed interested in taking this route.

It was just as well… new players had entered the arena.

Sith.

Assassins.

They were clearly highly trained and powerful.

Unlike the cannon fodder that work with the Dark Empire.

 

[Roman Vossari]

Lightsaber: X | Talisman: X | Armor: X | Training: X | Casual: X
Tags: Diogo Talon | Caelan Valoren

​

Roman watched Caelan, a flicker of surprise crossing his features as the Padawan bypassed any caution and simply forced the penthouse door open. The air crackled with tension, the silence of the hallway shattered by the sudden, harsh intrusion. Blasters were drawn almost immediately from both parties, the loyalists' movements practiced and swift, as if they had been anticipating their arrival. It was a tense stand-off, a silent exchange of threats, but no one fired yet.

Roman stood, his right hand instinctively finding the hilt of his lightsaber, the familiar weight a small comfort in the face of the overwhelming chaos. They were ushered into the penthouse, but not far. Loyalists, clad in black, surrounded them, weapons trained on their every move. Roman scanned the scene, taking in the hostages huddled together in terrified groups, a battered IG-88 unit slumped against a wall, and the healthy contingent of loyalist soldiers. In the distance, across the expanse of the penthouse, a chilling scene unfolded: Diogo, bruised and battered, sat bound to a chair, Varok's lightsaber pressed menacingly against his throat.

"Found him." Roman quipped to Caelan, a forced lightness in his voice that couldn't quite mask the grim reality of the situation. The heaviness of it all pressed down on him, a suffocating weight. One of the loyalists barked a sharp order for them to drop their weapons. Roman nodded towards Caelan, silently acknowledging their shared predicament. They had no choice. He and Caelan laid down their weapons, including his lightsaber, handing it over to a wary loyalist. Perhaps Caelan's insistence on keeping his blade away was the right way to go, especially now that they had no other choice going forward.

They were escorted toward the office where the confrontation was playing out. Roman found himself standing before a sleek, dark desk, his heart pounding in his chest. A brief silence hung in the air before he broke it. "Well... I'm not sure what you are hoping to accomplish here, Varok. Maldidris will be liberated by the Alliance soon." he stated, his voice steady despite the tremor in his gut. He had faith, unwavering faith, in the strength of his fellow Jedi and the Alliance forces. They would break through, reclaim the city and the capital building, brining peace to Iridonia.

 

[Iris Arani]

​

In an instant the combat was over. At least for this building, this group. Iris settled her saber down, extinguishing the blade as she looked to the other two. More bodies had been dropped by her. A calm, almost cold demeanor of control that she had adopted long ago to avoid the troubling emotions that came with killing in the moment. It was something she'd reflect on later, as she always did.

Right now, there was too much to be done.

Her gaze shifted to the survivors, whom she gave a nod. They were injured, but nothing life threatening. They could escape. "Back towards the outskirts to the east, the Alliance has a line drawn. Get past that and there'll be supplies and medics waiting. Go now."

They gave a nod before they rounded each other up, and left. Some armed themselves, others didn't. As much as the King had tried to reinstall the bloodlust traditions of the Iridonian back to the forefront, there were many that still believed in the pacifistic route they had found in the Republic of the Clone Wars. They would be fine. "You two, with me. No more running off. Our job, our task, is supposed to be finding those injured and keeping them from death. A family like this, there are others who can save them and will."

She paused, her gaze shifting to the Miraluka. Actually on him, rather than the usual drifting gaze she carried that never quite looked at someone directly. She was staring right into his soul.

"Medics who can fight on the battlefield like we can, who can run across the battlefield in the blink of an eye and find the people who are at death's door because we can feel them long before we can see them? There's just us. We're not here to be heroes. We're not here to defeat the enemies. We're here to keep the heroes and soldiers alive so they can."

Aadihr Lidos | Zaiya Ceti

 

[Caelan Valoren]

ATTIRE: Link
WEAPON: Lightsaber
TAGS: Roman Vossari | Diogo Talon

"Yep," Caelan agreed, standing next to Roman and eyeing their fellow apprentice.

Didn't look good for Diogo at the moment. How he'd managed to get himself caught was a mystery for another day. At the moment the focus had to be on getting him free so he didn't lose his head. Literally. They were forced to give up their lightsabers, something that bothered Caelan immensely. His saber was important to him. It offered a connection to his mother and without it, well, he didn't like the idea of losing something so important to him. He'd make sure to get it back.

Roman spoke, pointing out the impossibility of Varok's situation. It was true, there was no chance of him winning this day, not with the full might of the Alliance against him and his forces. Not with the Jedi against him as well. Diogo was a good bargaining chip, but he wasn't at the same time. He'd been beaten pretty good. Probably for his attitude, which Caelan found amusing, though probably inappropriate for the sitaution.

Caelan listened to Roman speak, and then looked at Varok again. He and his people hadn't immediately attacked. They'd wanted to parlay, hence the need for a bargaining chip. He'd seen this sort of thing before, just not with people's lives at stake. It was a common thing within royal circles for political games of this nature to be played out. It was called a gambit. The move was taking a hostage and them playing them against their attackers in hopes it would keep them free. It was Varok's only move.

"We could guarantee you safe passage off of Iridonia," he said after a bit, his eyes locked on Varok. "I could personally escort you and your men to a ship, if you free Diogo. Killing him would guarantee your own death, you know that."

Time for the bluff, and the next he said with a practiced cool precision that came from years of royal upbringing.

"And if you do, I'll lock your soul in a cage and intentionally lose it within the Maw. You'll be frozen forever, an agonizing fate."

 

[Azurine Varek]

We Will Not Be Silent

Outfit: Clothing/Armor | Glove | Right Arm | Talisman
Weapons: Lightsaber 1 | Lightsaber 2 | Hook Swords

Azurine didn't want to have to be put in a situation where she would have to use deadly force. Even when she drew her lightsabers, she tended to try everything within her power not to make those strikes lethal if the situation could allow it. She had seen so much war in her life—so many battles, sometimes with barely any time to recover in between—and she could no longer count on her fingers how many lives she had taken during that time. Just because she was prepared for it didn't mean she couldn't attempt to keep the death toll as low as she possibly could.

Trusting that Aris, Braze, and Jonyna could handle whichever targets of the large group came for them (including the one stalking a mid-level terrace close to the Jedi master), she kept her energy focused on the attempt to force sleep into the minds of the few she had managed to capture the aura threads of. She watched and concentrated; two of the three warriors in the group that had begun to sway finally collapsed to the ground, completely asleep, by the time Aris and Braze had made their moves on the group as well. Both of them had been silent as the night air. The only sound to be found was the soft whistling whirl of his chain. In that regard, they still had the upper hand of surprise.

The third she had attempted to subdue quickly shot back into focus as he realized there was an ambush, though, and she muttered a couple of Zabraki curses under her breath, pressing the suggestion harder, willing her gentle requests of the force to resonate through his aura. Her outstretched hand shook, and she could hear a ringing in her ears, but eventually, he too succumbed to the strength of the mental lullaby placed into his mind.

They didn't have time to wait and stick around. Swiftly, Azzie moved onward, every so often stopping to completely take in her surroundings and use a combination of her aura sight and echo sight to better perceive her surroundings. Jonyna's aura was bright as ever, up above them. She didn't have to worry further about what may try to drop in on them, if any, with her there at the mid-level and with the hope that Team two led by Knight Connel would be able to handle the rooftops.

Finally, Azzie's eyes rested on a familiar brick-patterned building as she sprinted through the shadows of its alley, the Malidris Library. She had spent so many countless day trips there with her mother, and to see it once again with holes and shattered windows like it had been during the occupation by the First Empire sent a wave of pain through her. They were close now, only a few more blocks before they reached the capitol building with its domed roofing and sharp, patterned metalwork and caliche stone decor.

Aris Noble | Jonyna Si | Braze​

 

[Diogo Talon]

OBJECTIVE 1
PENTHOUSE APT
TAGS: Roman Vossari Caelan Valoren

Caelan's cold, calculated words surprised Diogo—the thinly-restrained ruthlessness of the nobility. Those were the sounds of a man raised on threats and power plays. Even Varok seemed taken aback—the flicker in his eyes and increased tension in his posture were dead giveaways.

Varok responded, his voice raw and irritated, "Is that supposed to scare me, boy? Idle threats?" He looked to Roman and barked, "you think I don't know that?" There was a silence as the rogue Sith Lord was thinking. "I'll accept your deal," Varok continued, with a slimy, sharp-toothed smile. "But your friend comes with me. I'll let him go after I'm outside the system."

Well, chit. Diogo didn't like the sound of that. But, for the sake of the hostages, what choice did he have? It was his own fault he was even in this mess. Still, he wasn't sure the situation would get that far. Varok's resolve was wavering, he just needed another push.

In the meantime, Diogo reached out with the Force to touch the minds of his fellow padawans. His ability to manipulate the Force outside of his own body was a constant challenge, one of the drawbacks of not indulging his Anzati hunger. His mind felt sluggish as he tried to gently nudge the others. My lightsaber, Diogo thought, under the storage cabinet. In the surprise chaos of the moment, nobody had retrieved it when Diogo was ambushed. It was near the others and open for the taking.

With more urgency, he continued, Caelan, use your protection abilities on the hostages. Roman, the loyalists. Take 'em down. The Horns of Freedom, he knew, were battle hardened and well-trained—with perfect execution, they would know exactly what to do when the time came.

As the connection began to waver, Diogo struggled to keep it going. I can handle myself. Hostages come first. The Force connection dropped. Diogo would find a way out of this, he always did, but if it came down to it, he was ready to suffer the consequences of his reckless actions. He trusted the abilities of his fellow Jedi enough to know they could save everybody else.

 

[Roman Vossari]

Lightsaber: X | Talisman: X | Armor: X | Training: X | Casual: X
Tags: Diogo Talon | Caelan Valoren

​

Roman's mind went spinning on the possibility as the room felt silent, each member sizing each other up. It was then, his thoughts were penetrated by Diogo, his attention now drawn to the green-haired Padawan's lightsaber under the storage cabinet right next to Varok. A flicker of hope sparked within him, a daring plan forming in the recesses of his mind, fueled by Diogo's telepathic nudge.

Roman moved around the desk, his right hand extended in a possible handshake to the Sith in a mere distraction. "So we have a deal then?" Roman said casually, his voice laced with a deceptive calmness. His other hand, unseen by Varok, reached out with the Force, a subtle yet powerful manipulation twitching the lightsaber towards a position to be snagged at a moments notice. This newly concocted plan of Diogo made sense in his head, if they all played their parts. Roman would snatch the lightsaber, hopefully catching Varok off guard, free Diogo, then deal with the loyalists. All the while, Caelan kept the hostages and their militia friends safe.

A subtle smile touched Roman's lips, a silent signal of his understanding and readiness. He waited, a practiced patience born from years of Jedi training, for Caelan to spring this whole plan into action.

 

[Phy]

Iridonia
Tags: Marissa Shoda , The Vulptex

Droid Body​

<And...Fireworks.> Wizard said with a clear smile in his voice, as a plume of smoke shot from the hatch.

<And you said we couldn't take out a squad of troopers.>

:: Are you okay, Cricket? ::

Phyla attached the drone to her back and drifted down to Marissa's position, popping her head out of the Holographic ghillie suit so that she could properly examine her guardian. A gentle smile came to her synthetic face after taking a moment to perform a biometric scan on the cyborg.

"Ah, no critical damage," she noted with some relief in her tone. "That was rather close-"

And then a blaster bolt hit Phyla square in the head. Not that it did much. Her interior frame was composed of Songsteel, so it simply bounced right off, but the Shard still furrowed her brow at the sudden cosmetic damage. A portion of the synthskin on her forehead was now singed, with a gash now present that exposed the cybernetic frame that lie just below it.

"Marissa, I'm afraid I have an oath preventing me from seriously injuring other sentients," Phyla stated in a polite tone, though one which was oozing passive-aggressiveness just below the surface. She was pissed. "I would like you to give that sniper cosmetic damage, please."

 

[Aris Noble]

Aris let out a breath, calming his mind as he rewrapped the chain around his arm to keep it close. To keep it from dragging. They continued on from their first little fight, weaving through the streets, keeping as quiet as possible. Their goal was the capital building, to clean out the Imperials and the Sith likely still fighting there. But the streets had been silent.

Much more silent now.

His expression tightened as they made their way past the library. He heard it too late as he suddenly spun. Pain leeched across his face. A cut. And a metal blade. A hidden blade cut across his neck. It was a shallow cut because of his movement. But, it was a cut. He gritted his teeth as he brought the chain up, catching the next strike before he kicked the shadowed figure away.

A figure of no description, of no sound. Scent.

"Assassins!"

Azurine Varek | Jonyna Si | Braze

 

[Braze]

TAGS: Aris Noble Azurine Varek Jonyna Si

A soft breeze blew past the group, causing loose cloth to billow and flap in the wind that swept over the field of battle. Braze stood still, his jade-green eyes narrowing as he focused. The wind carried knowledge, revealing what lay unseen. He reached out through the Force, feeling the breeze wash over the hidden forms of three enemies concealed nearby.

Zeroing in on them, Braze moved his hand in a slow, deliberate motion, his fingers curling inward in a rhythmic undulation as he concentrated. He could almost picture the precious oxygen being pulled away, siphoned from the very air they breathed. The hidden enemies began to falter, one by one.

The first dropped to their knees, clutching at their throat as their strength faded. The second stumbled backward, their body slumping against the wall before collapsing in a heap. The third struggled for a moment longer, but Braze's focus didn't faulter. With one final curling motion of his fingers, the last enemy fell unconscious, their body hitting the ground with a soft thud.

​