LOCATION: THEED, THE FIRST BREACH
ALLIES: ASA [ [member="Salem Norongachi"] // [member="Anesia Jy'Vun"] // [member="Gravesen Conclave"] // @HWD-001 "Prime" // etc. ]
ENEMIES: OP AND AFFILIATES [ [member="Jorus Merrill"] // [member="Sarge Potteiger"] // [member="Kaida Taldir"] // etc. ]
OBJECTIVE: HOLD THE LINE, SURVIVE, STRIKE BACK
It happened so fast, and for the Knight Commander, mentally hardened but lacking in real experience, it was all a matter of swift improvisation. The moment the word left Merrill's lips, Atretes knew something was happening. In the split-seconds of initial activity, he dove to the side, tucked, and rolled, cornering himself out of view of anything that tried to get a concrete visual on him. He muttered orders into his communicator, and the Knights in the Cordon shuffled their arrangement into a more equalised state and more secluded among the regular infantry. While their uniforms stood out, using the footmen as meat shields was an effective way to acquire their concentration. They'd need it for the orders given. Moving as one unit, the Knights worked in their unit, denser parts of the city a few metres behind the front of the Protectorate force, and metre-or-so gap between the Authority and enemy forces, it worked to their advantage. In one motion, while under the covering fire of Marines and ranged-weapon-equipped Knights, the ring of coordinated Knights fell to their knees and struck the ground with their palms. A handful of moments passed before the ground quaked and the ground rose to form a three-foot-high cover wall of stone and rock that divided the line into the outer reach of Protectorate control, and the inner core that created a U-shape that guarded the more open area the ASA forces occupied and the breach in the wall they entered through. Those Knights who created the wall began to support covering fire, aiming for the nearest threats, even as their comrades around them died. The next set of operatives, the vital ones to the defence plan, were smart enough to keep low as they slid beside Marines into the cover wall. They solidified themselves and exhaled in near perfect unison, and a Force Barrier erected itself upwards, forming a series of invisible walls like barricades along the wall. They started out no wider than the Knights themselves, but as they sank lower and outstretched their arms, the barriers followed suit. For those on the inside, the Obsidians-turned-generators were markers for the invisible barrier limits, but for those on the outside it was much harder to tell where the barriers stopped and for both sides determining the height was a challenge. It didn't protect far inward, due to needing the barriers to remain up as long as the Knights could take it, but they curved enough to protect the Marines from overhead grenades.
Then came the Ice Storm, replacing the lightning and dramatic effect with a scene from a cartoon with too much singing. The Frozen water fell, but bounced off the Barrier's curve and comically off the helmets of Protectorate forces. That didn't stop the cold, or the ice further into the court where the Authority had established their foothold. Atretes felt the freezing rain first, and, not taking kindly to being turned into a meat popsicle, used his knowledge of Pyrokinetics to heat the air around him, in a field that kept him warm and reheated most of the ice to water. Still, that Ice storm had its uses. Dangerous as it was, it was just as uncontrollable on a wider scale as any Force storm was. Atretes sucked into the building he was positioned beside, and barked out an order into the earpiece that units willing to tear away from the defence move into a building and establish a nest. While most remained to reinforce the front, a few pockets moved into buildings and established positions. Marines with sniper rifles of both energy and high-caliber slug-based rounds quickly set up and began counter-sniping. Concealed as the Protectorate snipers may have been, it was not difficult to follow a round to its origin or keep a watchful eye out for the signs of a sniper encampment. While the enemy snipers may have claimed to be the finest, everyone has rivals. The first loud bang signaled the kill of a Protectorate sniper, and the long-ranged hidden war was begun. The Authority Marines didn't make the mistake of staying visible for long, either. They took peeks out, and the devour soldiers willing to die for their cause stood back in the shadows with their rifles raised to mimic snipers. While it was death, it was a dummy tactic that worked, and with telekinetics of Force users, even the dead may look living.
The trio who previously controlled the storm were irate at best that their creation was nullified by gardeners. It irritated them even more when the voice that spoke for the trees was replaced by an ice storm. The three looked outside at the ongoing struggle, but felt that they weren't going to be very useful anymore. So they decided to work as informants. Every Obsidian knew telekinesis, and within that was levitation, so they pushed out the outer wall of the battlement to open up to the zone outside of Theed, and lowered themselves down. Their drain made them fall the last few feet, but pain aside they managed to get up and walk to the field where Norongachi, Jy'Vun, and the others were.
"Lord Marshall! Commander Jy'Vun!" the male of the trio called out to get attention, and went on, "Commander Rhoujen is in trouble, there's soldiers everywhere, a giant man, and ice from the sky!" he said it as well as his weakened mind could process it, before his legs wobbled and gave out. The less tired of the three, joined by a few others from the local force, escorted the tired ones to the back, to rest. Unfortunately for the scouts, Anesia herself was already out on her own, but the lack of attention could be excused for an exhausted soldier.
Meanwhile, in the battlefield, Atretes was communicating with his forces, learning how the battle progressed. The barriers were holding up, even with the falling ice, and the rock wall was doing its part. With a mutter and a prayer to the Force and whatever greater powers may exist, Atretes let out another order. One that could work, but was somewhat risky. With the ranged attacks, sniper battles, and ice storm, there was already much going on, but he needed to put pressure on the Protectorate rather than his own forces. With covering fire volleying out of the gaps in the barriers, enough to suppress counter-fire through those very gaps, the Knights who developed the wall began a very, very slow advance. They pulled from the ground and pushed on their creation, strengthening the barrier as they moved it forward by inches. Fractions of metres. An excruciating slow, deliberate advance that put the blockaded areas at risk, yet the cone-like spray from the gaps allowed a good level of suppression and mowing down. Unknowing of the Knights who fled, Atretes called out once more.
"This is Commander Rhoujen to available units, I need reinforcements here. We're outnumbered, on the verge of being outgunned, and I need more men and women." he hoped that would do the trick, since this would turn very bad very quick if nobody came.
A bright cerulean booma passed just over Raziel's shoulder as a pair of Gungans closed on him. He leant away as an electrostaff hissed through the air towards him. There was a quiet snap-hiss as both his sabers ignited. The wily assassin back-pedalled a few steps to give himself room to move as the Gungan warriors started to surround him. He'd need his speed in this battle and couldn't afford to be cornered.
