Junction Mustafar: Legacies | EE/AC/BotM/GA Juncion of Mustafar/Jaminere/Ord Bostadus/Mechis III (SGHW)

[STRATCOM]

Mustafar; there are few iconic planets in history like this. Not just its location makes it iconic as one of the Core Worlds, or its rich history as an ancient Jedi world, or an iconic place in the Sith space. No, this planet earned its legacy with Darth Vader's reputation and stay here. It was such a great and important fact, even centuries later, it remains relevant.

But the planet has been in the hands of the CIS, the Galactic Empire, or even the First Order, under the centuries. And in recent decades, the Sith has also turned up here a lot of times. Among other things, the former Dark Voice, Darth Solipsis , also collected the Sith here for the Maw and the New Sith Order. But Ren's knights also have a big influence, through Kyrel Ren , and due to the fact that the First Order ruled the planet formerly.

With the recent focus on Mustafar from The New Sith Order, the planet’s independence is impeded by its main affiliation: Kyrel Ren and his Knights.

Despite the heavy Knights of Ren presence, more and more underworld people have appeared here who have a connection to the Sith on Panatha. They are led by Pralva, the Hutt, whom the Mandalorian warriors of the Unknown Region want to see dead, as the Hutt's men have already killed countless Mandalorians, and the Hutt openly wears the armour of the slain as a trophy.

The Maw is now returning to the planet under Kyrel's command; the Sith rebuilding his base, the Fortress Vader, over the past decade, where the strongest Knight of Ren wants to open a portal to Netherworld to continue his plans.

The aftermath of the Tython Accord is also being felt, with the Eternal Empire, Ashlan Crusade, and the Galactic Alliance coming to the planet together to cleanse it from the Sith, rescue prisoners, and stop the Sith activities here. Not to mention the Eternal Crusade (Eternal Empire and Ashlan Crusade's alliance) wants to gather more information on the relationship between the Sith on Pralva and Panatha.

However, one thing unexpectedly hit both sides… they did not expect each other to be on the planet or in the system…

Objectives​

Objective 1: Under Siege

Relevant link: Fortress Vader
Fortress Vader; according to most reports, has been abandoned and is not being used by anyone. The place should have been in ruins, but someone restored it. With the fortress restored, Kyrel Ren has become its owner and Lord, and has begun to embark on a ritual with Maw Force users to open a portal to the Netherworld. The Allies felt an unusually high level of Dark Side activity around and inside the Fortress due to the ritual. And such an event cannot go uninvestigated and the ritual must be stopped. If the portal manages to open, it must be closed! Whatever the cost. (PvP/duel or PvE, not warposting!).


Objective 2: Spy Games

Relevant link: Gahenn Droid Foundry
There is a large droid factory on the planet that is not under anyone’s control. This factory continuously produces a large number of droids, which are sold or given away, mainly to pirates, the Sith, or even benefactors from The Maw as a gift to remain their neutrality. Because of the factory’s consistent output and quality manufacturing, the soldiers, spies, agents on both sides are tasked to compete with each other in this area. The Allies want to acquire the factory and bring it under their own control to shut it down. Maw tries the opposite, they are to try to prevent the Alliance's endeavours or try to sabotage and destroy the factory. If the factory cannot be theirs, it shouldn't be anyone else's. (PvE / mild PvP)


Objective 3: My City!

Relevant link: The Forge | The Arabesh Flats Military-Industrial Complex
The Maw has been on the planet for a long time, so they have an advantage, their military units have already occupied this fortress city and are overseeing the planet from here. However, the city is in a strategically important place, so if the Eternal Empire wants to control or oversee the planet in the future, the Allies must gain control of the fortress. The same is true for the Maw, if they want to continue to have significant influence in this region, away from their own territory, they must retain their influence over the fortress city or bleed fear into the residents by destroying it entirely. Whatever their objective, The Allies cannot see the fortress fall to The Maw’s cruel rule. (Warposting)

Spoiler: City map

Objective 4: Racing With Time

Relevant link: Sunspot Prison
Over the past decade, Pralva, the Hutt, and his allies have built a huge space station around the system's star, serving both as a prison and as a defence system. However, the Maw tried to occupy this when he arrived at this place. The prison is hard to get to because it’s so close to the sun but those imprisoned are worth the effort. Among the prisoners were not only civilians, but also countless high-ranking politicians, diplomats and senior officers. These were mainly members of the Galactic Alliance, the Eternal Empire, and the Ashlan Crusade. The deaths of these individuals could painfully affect all three factions. In a race against time, the Allied fleet must try to save the place while the prisoners are evacuated, and the Maw tries to destroy it. (Fleeting and PvE)


Objective 5: Bring Your Own Objective (BYOO)

Relevant link: Mustafar
There could be countless other tasks/narratives on the planet and in hex. Exploring and examination of the planet, exploring ancient ruins, possibly searching for old First Order facilities, contacting the locals and all that could be listed. The point is to make everyone have fun.

 

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Lady Ingrid L’lerim Ragal Terassi Vandiir
Eternal Empress of the Eternal Empire, Lord Commander of the Wardens of the Shroud, Archon of the Primyn Group
Empress of Terraris, Supreme Commander of the Terraris Command, Head of the House L’lerim, CEO of the HPI Consortium​

Objective: Try to stop the ritual
Location: Fortress Vader
Equipment: 2x Sigra vibroblade | 2x Striith vibrosword | The Soulsabers | Heilagr MK. I Assassin Armour | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit | The Last Gift || Empyrean gland | OPBC-01m
Writing With: Kyrel Ren | Closed
Allies: Open
Enemies: Open

[ Valley of Death ]
<"High Nelvaanian"> | ~ telepathic communication ~ | << comm. channel >> ​

Spoiler: tl;dr

• She arrives to the Fortress Vader

It was hard to guess what was more surprising that the planet was bustling with life, or that it wasn’t because of the Sith and Prava, but because of the Maw. To tell the truth, they were one of the last on Ingrid's list she expected. I mean, she knew Solipsis would be here on this planet several times because when the woman talked to Cedric Grayson and Onrai in Korriban, Darth Solipsis also showed up, and then the Dark Voice was originally on this planet. But he was already dead and Maw suffered a big defeat and loss at Tython.

That is why it was surprising that Maw is present in such a large number on the planet. At the moment, she did not know much about how the internal hierarchy had evolved, although if Kyrel Ren had gained enough power, it made sense for them to be here. She had to get and find an inner man to help her with the espionage. Maw was still strong, at least she assumed. It would have been nonsense and suicide if she thought it otherwise.

The fact that the Maw was also here did not change much of the plans, the goals of the Eternal Empire were the same, only the threat to the Maw had to be added to the original one. But the killing of Pralva's people and the killing off of the Sith were still the most important. Fortunately, Maw was part of that, of the Sith, in a loose meaning. However, something happened during the mission that was an event that the Eternal Empress wanted to investigate in person.

She, too, felt exactly that the ritual had begun. What the red-haired woman would have left for the Jedi and the Crusaders anyway, however, she felt something which made her decide to go there, too. And it was that she felt that reality had been damaged again and that the red-haired woman felt the power of the Netherworld. Since Ingrid was part of Netherworld, that wasn’t surprising. And because of this, she had to come here. She didn’t like anyone playing with Netherworld in this dimension. After all, that place already felt more like your home than Realspace.

She arrived near Fortress Vader by teleportation and then set off through a cavern for where she felt the ritual. Definitely wanted to stop it…

 

[Elaena Kessia Miran]

Kessia Miran / Agent Chameleon
Knight Warden of the Wardens of the Shroud, Agent of Blackwatch, sithspawn, L’lerim’s right hand, Agent of Nite, Member of the Hellhounds​

Objective: Work together with the Private Merc. Group
Location: The Forge | The Arabesh Flats Military-Industrial Complex
Equipment: Væringi MK. I Assassin Armour | 2x Sunfury Pistol | 2x Sigra vibroblade | 2x Striith vibrosword | 2x Red blade lightsaber shoto | Cloaking Device | Amuler of Many | 5x ASBF Probe Droid || Empyrean gland | OPBC-01m
Allies: Jas Katis | Dylan Marsek
Enemies: Thomas Barran (indirectly)

[ Rise of the Empire ]
<"High Nelvaanian"> | ~ telepathic communication ~ | << comm. channel >> ​

Spoiler: tl;dr

• Kessia arrives at the two men

It was finally such a planet, such a mission that Kessia was even happy about. Chameleon loved planets that were hot. Well, it was harder than lava to find a hotter place. All right, all right! If we don’t count the desert planets, the lava-filled ones were the best the woman loved. That’s why she hated that both Kalidan and Terraris were ice planets, and she had to spend most of her time in these places. The third place was Zakuul, which is already a degree better, although it often rained there.

She arrived at Mustafar aboard the Crimson Empress. When they arrived she had heard that the Maw was already present on the planet. Chameleon found it incredible that they were even here in this place, even though it was damn far from the usual area of Maw or what they held currently. They had to go through the whole territory of the Eternal Empire. Even the hypergate could not be used by them, for the one at Hoth was also in the hands of the Eternal Empire.

Anyway, fortunately she didn’t have to think about it today; because today the strategists and analysts will do it instead. Her job was to execute the order. And she didn’t even have to do something special either, because again she had to work with the same mercenary group as on Isis. I mean, she hoped. She just didn’t know she was with the same person or others. But it will be clear soon.

Kessia soon arrived with a dropship to the place where the meeting was discussed between the Mercenary company and the Eternal Empire. After getting out of the ship, she soon saw the pureblood Sith, but this time there was another man with him.

"Oh, you again?" she asked in surprise. "Did you enjoy the joint mission on Isis so much?"

 

[Eina L'lerim-Vandiir]

Lady Eina L'lerim-Vandiir
The Light of Ashla
Champion and Avatar of Ashla​

Objective: Try to stop the ritual.
Location: Fortress Vader
Equipment: Sverð Fyrstr (swords) | Ljósspjót (spear) | Skrúð Engill Fyrstr (armour) || Empyrean gland | OPBC-01m || Current appearance
Allies: Open
Enemies: Open

[ Valkyrjan ]
<"High Nelvaanian"> | ["Essonian"] | ~ telepathic communication ~ | << comm. channel >> ​

Spoiler: tl;dr

• She arrives at the planet.

Eina arrived at this place quite differently than the others. That is, probably. She was originally on Ession when some of Valkyrja and Children of Ashla told her someone wanted to open a more powerful portal from Realspace to the Netherworld. Not to mention it was a Dark Side ritual. Since Eina was interested in something like that, she promised to go after it. She was worried that the Avatars might want to transfer themselves from the Netherworld to Realspace. Or someone, wanting something similar that would upset the balance between the two worlds.

And she couldn't let that happen. And that's why she followed the clues. Of course, she had to start at Netherworld. She left Gei and their daughter home, promising to go home as soon as possible. Fortunately, the investigation was fairly quick, and she quickly found the place where the very small rift had occurred for the time being. The former Valkyrja knew she could close it, but she wouldn't accomplish anything with it.

If the ritual does not stop, the rupture will be created again and again, and then the portal from it. So on the other side, she had to prevent that. She opened a rift for herself, through which she essentially slipped into Realspace.

The former Valkyrja arrived in the air near a huge fortress. Lava flowed down everywhere on the ground, she saw lava lakes too, but she also felt Lightsiders nearby. However, yes, she felt the ritual and the dark side energies from inside the huge fortress.

To tell the truth, Eina had no idea which planet she was on at the moment, although her biochip indicated that there were Ashlan Crusade and Eternal Imperial units nearby. Then she asked MANIAC where they were. Mustafar; she didn't know much about this place, so the name wasn't important to her.

Her duty was inside to stop the ritual and close the portal, closing the rift between the Netherworld and Realspace. Eina could not teleport in, a shield protected the place, so she set off to find a normal entrance to the gigantic fortress.


OOC: I'm looking for duel or team-up from the good guys.

 

[Keilara Kala'myr]

Ziare Dyarron | Keilara Kala'myr | Mercy | Freedom | Anonymous
Mongrel's Shadow and his widow; Matriarch of the Scar Hounds Tribe; Guardian of Mongrel's armour and sword​

Objective: Help the Maw forces with intelligence information
Location: The Forge | The Arabesh Flats Military-Industrial Complex
Equipment: FS-18-UP2 Assault Rifle | 2x Sunfury Pistol | Light Armour | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit | 2x Vibrodagger | 2x Riftblades | Promise of Freedom || Cloaking Device | 5x ASBF Probe Droid || OPBC-01m
Tags: The Manifold (as Kallan) ? | Thomas Barran

[ Come back… ]
"Galactic Basic" | ~ Telepathic communication ~ | << comm. channel >>
​

Spoiler: tl;dr

• Mercy is in town, in the observation room
• Keilara is talking to Kallan

~ Mercy ~
When a fleet of part of the Tython Accord appeared on the radars and sensors, I sighed wearily at the safe station where I was. Now, in reality, I ran into a problem that wasn’t needed in the previous, alternative reality. I no longer wore armour there after we found a home. There the children arrived much later than here. There I had no problem getting into my armour and being uncomfortable. But here? It was terrible! And yet I was only at the beginning of my pregnancy.

I was just able to hide my condition by wearing more loose clothes. I didn't want to explain this to anyone. However, I was glad to finally be able to come after Mar’zambul and Rhigar, it was finally good to be away from Maw space and Y'sanne's gaze. I knew Tu'teggacha was just waiting to see when I was trying to escape or when I would take action. I was sure his agents were everywhere and watching me. It's not time for me to try to go home.

The incoming data was not very good, the enemy came out of three different factions and began to land on all areas of the planet. Sending the report, my heart pounded for a moment at how Asher would react to the data I collected, but then I had to realise painfully that he wasn’t getting them anymore. This was my first field task since his death. He loved to hear my voice from the beginning, so I kept telling him all the important things, or less important things.

But now I had to report to Barran, and I was unable to call him the Warlord. It was Asher. And our relationship on the battlefield was unique from the first moment.

<< Sir, this is Mercy. I have collected the usual data, if you need it, I will send you and your strategists too. In addition, the Eternal Empire, Ashlan Crusade, and the Galactic Alliance have arrived, and most of them are still heading for Forge, Gahenn Droid Foundry or the Fortress Vader. >>

I had no idea what he might want to see, that the same information would be good for him as it was good for my husband. Where, because of the bond we have developed over the years, we knew without thought what we wanted from the other…

"I miss you so much…" I whispered hoarsely to myself quietly as a few pink tears dripped down my face.

~ Keilara ~
I couldn’t really say it was an easy task or we would have had a task with Kallan. I didn’t know how to help Mercy, she was still in deep depression, in pain and had grief due to Asher’s death. It was so certain that she listened to Kallan more than to me, he could affect her more easily than I did. But the truth is, it was bad to watch her suffer, especially that I didn’t know what to do. However, the roles seemed to form and separate.

She was still present in reality, full of anger, hatred, and pain. She did what it took to survive or get revenge, but she didn't really do more than that. Mercy didn't have much appetite either, although most of the time it was just because of the twins. If they hadn’t existed, she might not have eaten for days. And the mind became Kallan and my business and duty.

Sure, it happened many times that Mercy was here, too, but she wanted to be alone then, every single time. I used to see what happened to her sometimes. Either I found her sitting on the floor in their joint home with Asher, sitting where Asher was last felt and seen, in the living room. She sat there waiting for him to reappear. Or in the bedroom, lying in bed, sobbing unstoppably. She shouldn't show pain and weakness out there. I didn’t know how I could alleviate her pain and suffering.

As for our minds and the mind palace, essentially only the part that remained untouched and intact where Mercy and Asher lived is the house. I think Mercy insisted on it the most, she wanted to keep this together the best, his memories. Everything else lay in ruins, the defences, the shields, and our memories tangled. All. Ironically, to survive Asher’s decision and death, we had to merge together. Now that we should survive the aftermath, we had to act separately again. I didn’t want Kallan or the twins to suffer because Mercy was suffering too.

Although Mercy closed her pain away from us, I saw and felt it in part. Although I was still weak, I wanted to do something. I wanted to live, I wanted to be with Kallan and take care of the children too. After all, Kallan wanted two as he told me how he imagined our life, if we would be free; and Asher and Mercy wanted two as well. I know he didn't like it when Asher was thought of as similar to him, but they were really similar. Like me to Mercy.

Now that Kallan was also telepath and empath, thanks to the fact that he also lived in Mercy's mind, so I started teaching him how he can use these abilities. I took out again the tasks that Mercy used to train Asher’s mind to be stronger. The ones that eventually led to Kallan's awakening. But now these have served not only him but also my own strengthening. Mercy doesn't care about anything, we had to do it. Or me if Kallan didn't want to. I didn't want to force it.

Without Mercy, we will have to put things right again, heal Mercy's mind so that we can survive. To make the mind palace safe and strong again so that we can defend ourselves. First of all, we also needed a safe point, a shelter, so first I wanted to fix and rebuild our own home and I hoped Kallan helped me too. This is already good enough practice. By the end, there were already two houses in the meadow.

The more modern building, it was farther, at place of the ruins of the old castle, where Mercy had been imprisoned for nearly two decades, there was her and Asher's house; the less modern house was ours with Kallan, an older one with many plants in the house in its old place, where always was, from the start. There was still a lot of work left and progress was slow, but at least we and Mercy's mind were starting to recover.

~ I don’t know if I could stand this situation, or could do everything without you. You help so much, though you wouldn't have to. I can't be grateful to you. ~ I whispered as I cuddled to him on the couch in our own living room. ~ I still have guilt and feel terrible that I couldn’t tell you sooner I am still here. I'm so sorry you had to suffer because of me and watch me "die." We weren’t ready to become one yet, so it was so drastic and painful. ~

 

[Kyrel Ren]

​

Location: Fortress Vader
Enemies: Ingrid L'lerim
Allies: Maw/Sith


Home at last… Was the first thought that came from the mighty Kyrel Ren. His own steps inside Fortress Vader for the first time in years. Over the past decade alone the Wrath of the Maw spent his time on the great crusade through the core worlds. Much changed since he began on the path, and yet found it ironic that it led him to the place where it all began. Once he ruled as a part of something he imagined as a new empire, before that came tumbling down and all he had was the Fortress before that too came crashing down. Now he only stood in awe of how the Fortress was restored to glory, while he knew it was only in the clandestine intentions of the Sith since the reconstruction that he missed his home. He studied the obsidian throne that he once sat in as a warlord of the past, now he sat in it as the Wrath of the Maw.

His undead gaze stared at his own hands on the rests of the throne. Mustafar was by all intents and purposes a hellhole, but since first coming here he couldn't deny the intense connection he felt to Lord Vader and his Castle. That connection only grew stronger since the days of the First Order's invasion of the planet, and driving off the New Jedi Order from Vader's sanctum. Those times had felt like pure melancholy as he was alive, served under a vision he held so dear. The Knights of Ren back than were numerous, remembering how a force drove the heroic Jedi Knights away with fearand inspired sheer terror across the galaxy. With his return to the Fortress his new knights Kybo Ren , and Vorm were the first of a new generation. Kyrel himself found faith the shadow would endure well past him with the emergence of those two.

He rose from the seat slowly, his heavy steps thumping against the eerie silence. The dark side surged as powerful as the first day he walked the obsidian halls. Once he walked with only Stormtroopers, now he had raiders, cannibals, stormtroopers that had been twisted, corrupted by the dark side and fought with barbaric weapons as the sword and hook. The hiss of steam echoed almost reminiscent of Vader's breathing, as he moved deeper into the Fortress. Kyrel this time hasn't come with just his own force, but the entire force of the Brotherhood was behind him in his latest plan to feed the never ending hunger from within. A hunger that drove him into the darkest reaches of space, even now as he moved he felt the void call to him. It would whisper often telling him to gorge himself, that he would only be satisfied if he killed more, consumed more. He never knew if he could stop; he only hoped the Netherworld of the Force would show the way.

Soon the Master of Ren would descend down the turbo lift, much of the Sith-Imperial architecture restored in exact detail. The lift would lead him down deep into the catacombs and the very foundations it was built on. The lift descended deeper at a high speed until opening and Kyrel was surrounded in an underground network of caves, tunnels, and everywhere was an endless flow of lava. The dark side felt as if a nervous system, the lava filled with anger and malice, the lifeblood of the Fortress. He only followed the pulse of the shadow that called him until he was directly at the source. Soon entering into an opening on the inside was a cave. The cave itself was covered in Sith markings, perhaps the language of the Sith? Then there stood three mysterious black monoliths.

Mustafar being a hellhole was not the only reason he chose it as his domain. He chose it because of its immense power in the dark side, the planet itself a locus for the shadow. There in front of him was the key to the Netherworld, the Fortress itself was a conduit that channeled dark side energy. The destructive energy would lash out on the outside, but on the inside of the Wielder was strong enough they would tear open a hole into the Netherworld. Walking up to the stone, his hand reaching out to feel the Sith engravings into the rock. He soon recollected that he tried once more he was so close before the Jedi stopped him. He was a boy then, now he was a man with the most terrifying force the galaxy has ever known at his back. His hand glided over the surface of the rock as he slowly moved it away to make a fist. "Never again… I will take what I seek, what answers lie in there will be mine!" He said with a determined growl. Fortress Vader had welcomed home its Lord and the horrors he would soon unleash with the ritual.

 

[Iris Arani]

"-Okay, so it might not work. But I think it will! Trust me on this. Just- Hey c'mon when has paint ever gone wrong? .. No, I wasn't a slave I was almost sold as on- You've gotten waaay more sassy since you got back!" Iris huffed in annoyance, glancing away from her droid companion on her shoulder. Domxite just let out a low whistle, which sounded more like a laugh than anything else.

A laugh that was desperately needed. The Padawan glanced to her paint covered pack, a frown steadily taking over her otherwise bright smile. The colors ahead, she could feel them. Unnaturally dark and.. Savage. Unworldy. The Nether, then? She tightened her grip. No, no fear. Not this time. Hoisting her pack over her unoccupied shoulder she hopped down into the halls of this Castle.

"It has to work, Domxite. .. It's all I can think to do to help."

 

[Felmorante L'lerim]

CHAOS REIGNS

​

Equipment: Twin Full Leg Braces, Aspara Armor over Viper Mk. I Skinsuit, Dark Purple pair of Wrist Dazzlers, 7 Whimsy Knives, 6 Terminus Shivs, 1 Scherezade Blade
Companions: 1 Wolf Boi
Objective: Dunno Yet. I Just got Here to be honest.
Location: Fortress Vader
Tag: Iris Arani

She watched silently as the girl jumped down. Her Scherezade blade at the ready, hiding herself inside the dark presence of the force. She wasn't here to harm the other girl, but at the same time it was a strange time to be wielding a bag of paints inside what she had been told was a stronghold of the Jaw's Knights of Rem.

Her face scrunched up behind the helmet, her wolf Droid sliding their photo receptor cores to look at her bewilderment. She crouched, the servos in her braces whining as she picked at the lip of her helmet.

It was Jaw, wasn't it? Or Maw? Maw didn't make any sense when she thought about it. But it did at the same time. The members were mostly humans though if she remembered correctly. And Rem didn't fit what someome had told her either.

The girl ahead of them spoke to her Droid as Felmorante began to question the naming conventions that existed within the galaxy. The wolf companion unsure if prodding Felmorante would be a good choice to commit to as it watched Iris Arani enter deeper into the Fortress Vader.

Why would they call themselves the Maw if they all had Jaw's? It didn't make any sense? Was it homage to their intent to sweep through the galaxy and devour everything in their path? The certainly had a way of ruining her trip plans with her mother.

She pondered longer before the slight contact from her Droid against her arm brought her back. Her gaze falling to the now empty space where Iris had been.

"Sith spit and Jawa juice you-" She stopped cursing her luck with a glance to her Droid companion. Who was wearing the best oh really face it could muster.

She had to stop letting Shiny Paws the Third hang out with the sentient meatbag guards. They were rubbing off on him too much.

"Okay so I might have been...not doing what I was supposed to. Never mind. Let's go!" She let the repulsor systems deaden the sound of jump down, offering to catch Shiny Paws the Third as the droid stared at her before slinking down with all the grace and told you so sass it could muster.

If it wasn't for the leg braces helping her walk, she might have been entirely silent behind Iris.

 

[Khione]

​

Tag: Ari Naldax
Equipment:
Ballerina
Eyes of Khoine
Pulsiva flight suit
2x Cartridge Revolvers
Retractable Neural Stinger

In space, prior to land fall…
Khione flinched as sparks burst out of the console of her Ballerina, that damn Alliance pilot had her hit, her elevation thrusters were shot and she was losing power. <Ek is getref, gaan hard af! vir die Newel!> I'm hit! Going down hard! For the Nebula! she shouted into her radio to nothing but static, someone had been blocking transmissions for most of this battle for her, things had not gone well. The only grace was that she was certain she scored a kill shot on that damn ace that had been plaguing her. There was another jolt as she saw one of the front cannards dissappear into the void and she saw the grim planet of mustafar getting closer. She had hoped for somewhere prettier to die, but this would have to do. She braced herself and fire engulfed the friction shield of her ailing fighter and sue plunged through the toxic atmosphere of the volcanic planet. Her whole world shook and piece by piece her ship disintegrated around her until eventually everything went dark.

an unknown time later

The palliduvan woke still strapped in to her flight seat with her ears ringing and most of her ship in pieces around her, blood trickled down her temple and her back ached, but she was in pretty good shape all things considered. She looked out of the shredded metal of the once beautiful ship and half expected one of the avatars to be waiting to give her her rewards in the afterlife, but no, just the red glow of the hot air. She dragged herself free of the wreckage "hoe leef ek nog! kom ons kyk wat oorbly" she muttered to herself as she climbed to her feet. The ship was done, no salvaging that, she surveyed the area around her, she appeared to have gone down in a valley made of volcanic rock with steep sides and sharp outcrops. Damn it was hot, she thought to herself as she took some of her water. She needed to call to the Nebula for help quickly.

Grabbing the comm out of her cockpit she dialed it in, again, nothing but static, she couldnt be certain if it was the geography or if her signal was still being jammed. "hoër moet word"need to get higher she said as she look up at the ridge. There was a thin plume of smoke, possibly indicating habitation, or even maybe another downed ship just beyond that ridge. Either way she would have to be on her guard.

Khione salvaged what she could out of the Ballerina as it began to catch fire, but the smoke plume would quickly attract unwanted attention so she had to move. She collected water, her gear, the comms unit and a small flask of hyperfuel that could be helpful for barter, or as a weapon in a pinch. But then she had to set off quickly. She didn't feel safe using her eyes to scout right now, maybe once she was in the shadow of the valley wall and less exposed.

 

[Aaran Tafo]

Location: Fortress Vader
Opposition: Dimitri Voltura


He didn't really understand the need for a Force Nexus to assault his senses with a bitter cold as soon as he stepped inside one of the tunnels. One could almost consider it a relief from the oppressive heat that dwelt outside. Granted, it was not a relief Aaran was willing to indulge in, simply wiping some of the sweat from his brow, taking a sip from his canteen and pressing onward.

He never quite understood the idolisation of Vader by many of the Sith he encountered, historically speaking they were a rather terrible example of a Sith. The Jedi Order of the old republic was mostly taken out by being spread thin and then hit by a sudden sneak attack, betrayed by their own soldiers. Vader mostly took down stragglers and the occasional survivor. Not terribly impressive when one really looked at it. They were a vulture picking at a carcass, not a hunter taking down healthy prey.

Any idiot could make use of a sneak attack and take advantage of an uncoordinated opponent. And considering how many records state that Vader renounced the Dark Side after saving their own son from the Emperor, the Knights of Ren's almost fetishistic worship of the former Darth made about as much sense as the Jedi revering one of their own fallen.

He shuddered at the thought of some Jedi down the line revering someone like Count Dooku as a misunderstood idealist and not some lunatic iconoclast.

But such thoughts could be left alone for now, his passing musing on the Maw's pet thugs could be left alone for now.

He had some charges to plant after all. This place was a horrible nexus of the Dark Side and a monument to oppression, pain and corruption. And while he'd be the first to say that Mustafar was not the number one vacation spot in the galaxy, a place such as this was still a blight upon any world.

So a few charges in a few key places should bring this place tumbling down into the lava below. Finally ridding this world of a cancer that had gripped it for centuries.

 

[Ingrid L'lerim]

Lady Ingrid L’lerim Ragal Terassi Vandiir
Eternal Empress of the Eternal Empire, Lord Commander of the Wardens of the Shroud, Archon of the Primyn Group
Empress of Terraris, Supreme Commander of the Terraris Command, Head of the House L’lerim, CEO of the HPI Consortium​

Objective: Try to stop the ritual
Location: Fortress Vader
Equipment: 2x Sigra vibroblade | 2x Striith vibrosword | The Soulsabers | Heilagr MK. I Assassin Armour | Viper Mk. I Skinsuit | The Last Gift || Empyrean gland | OPBC-01m
Writing With: Kyrel Ren | Closed
Allies: EE/AC/GA | Open
Enemies: Maw/Sith | Open

[ Valley of Death ]
<"High Nelvaanian"> | ~ telepathic communication ~ | << comm. channel >> ​

Spoiler: tl;dr

• Ingrid follows the Dark Side presence and energies.
• She finds Kyrel.

Spoiler: the story so far

Ingrid #1

Junction - Mustafar: Legacies | EE/AC/BotM/GA Juncion of Mustafar/Jaminere/Ord Bostadus/Mechis III (SGHW)

Mustafar; there are few iconic planets in history like this. Not just its location makes it iconic as one of the Core Worlds, or its rich history as an ancient Jedi world, or an iconic place in the Sith space. No, this planet earned its legacy with Darth Vader's reputation and stay here. It was...

www.starwarsrp.net

Kyrel #1

Junction - Mustafar: Legacies | EE/AC/BotM/GA Juncion of Mustafar/Jaminere/Ord Bostadus/Mechis III (SGHW)

Mustafar; there are few iconic planets in history like this. Not just its location makes it iconic as one of the Core Worlds, or its rich history as an ancient Jedi world, or an iconic place in the Sith space. No, this planet earned its legacy with Darth Vader's reputation and stay here. It was...

www.starwarsrp.net

Ingrid barely took her first few steps when she sensed that Eina had arrived as well. She knew Felmorante L'lerim was on the planet, but now two of her three daughters were here. The third was not here, just because it was too small. Although she never showed any sign and tried her best to suppress the feelings; nevertheless, the red-haired woman was worried about her children. Although Fel did not have her own, she loved her as much as she loved her own children. Ingrid let few people close to her, but she did anything for them. That's why she wanted to save Zachariel Steelblood on Tython. Mostly from his own stupidity.

As the woman entered the dark cave and its passages, a familiar feeling greeted her. Although the Empress of the Eternal Empire was not Darksider, the darkness greeted her as an old friend. The shadows that didn’t embrace the corridors in complete darkness just because lava flowed on the ground in some places on the walls too, and this red-glowing liquid rock made the woman’s path dim. The shadows moved with her as if they were part of her. As Ingrid expanded her power, the shadows really became that.

Where there were shadows, there was no secret left before the red-haired woman. She saw what was hidden inside the darkness. Although she was neutral in the Force, she was kept alive by the life-force, or Dark Side Energies, due to the changes caused by the Night Spirit. She hasn't been human for a very long time. As she got older, Ingrid felt the urge to start eating and consume souls. The woman had been struggling with this hunger for a long time now. Ingrid had always considered herself a monster; every step she took was a struggle to not to become an even bigger monster than she was currently.

Although the red-haired woman was not a human anymore, she did not want to give up the last remnants of her humanity. However, she had no problem absorbing and consuming the Dark Side energies, so she reached into the Force and began to absorb them. The Sith runes on the walls, the corruption of the place, alleviated her hunger enough and kept reproducing themselves so she could have continued to do so. But then the Empress sensed a presence not so far away from her.

A presence that the woman had felt before, not once. Different locations where she fought. Most recently, for example, on Tython. Silently, quickly melting into the shadows, she set off in the right direction. As always, the red-haired woman hid her presence in the Force, so there was only a silent shadow in the darkness, not making the slightest sound as she slid almost through the maze-like passages and corridors. The Shadow Company trained the woman perfectly to be able to move silently and in her exotic way.

The woman followed the call from the Dark side; she did not want to answer it, but assumed that others would go there as well. She soon got there, the Dark Side was the strongest there. As she entered the cave, still moving in the shadows, she saw three black monoliths, the Sith runes, which she could easily interpret thanks to her late husband. She grimaced under her helmet for a moment. Then, at the end, she looked up at the mysterious man.

She immediately felt that the man was like her, similar to her; in the sense that he was also a creature like Force Entity and he was clearly connected to Netherworld. She finally recognized the man based on his armour. Ingrid stepped out of the shadows at the other end of the room compared to the man.

"Oh, so the Wrath of the Maw, in person. I could have thought that the lord of Fortress Vader would return home. Although, after the Sith soiled this place, it’s a little surprising. Or maybe the new leader of Maw has broken you and you have to accept the will of the new Dark Voice and have to use Sith practices?" she asked him, in her voice now the mockery is deliberately hidden. "I don't think I need to introduce myself. But let me give you a hint, you are in the future territory of that very empire; whose army and fleet I command and control." and even in this situation she did not call herself an empress or say that the empire she led and controlled…

 

[Marlon Sularen]

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M U S T A F A R_L E G A C I E S
Pacing with Time

FINAL DAWN
PRIATE , OUTER RIM TERRITORIES

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SIXTH SECTOR FLEET​
Fleet Comp. FDS Sovereign [Flagship] | [100|100] FDS Invincible | [100|100] FDS Manticore | [100|100] FDS Basilisk | [100|100] FDS Gorgon | [100|100] FDS Hydra | [100|100] FDS Scylla | [100|100] FDS Titan | [100|100] FDS Brawl | [100|100] FDS Iron Fist | [100|100] FDS Dominatrix | [100|100] FDS Binder | [100|100] FDS Spectral | [100|100] FDS Constrainer | [100|100] FDS Crimson Linings | [100|100]

The Sixth Sector Fleet emerged from hyperspace arriving in proximity of the sun of Priate far from the location of it's primary target, a large space station which doubled as a prison and a defense platform which the Brotherhood of the Maw had apparently attempted to seize before in the past. In command of the Sixth Fleet, was none other then the High Regent of the Final Dawn himself, Marlon Sularen who had decided to pay a little visit to the Mustafar System when he learned that a Combined Eternal Imperial, Ashlan and Alliance Assault on a Mawite controlled Mustafar was imminent. While the High Regent had little interest in defending the Mustafar and the assets the Maw held there, already deeming them as lost and as insignificant to his own plans and operations, Sularen had still come here with the intent of testing out the Final Dawn's latest machines of war along with other vessels within it's Naval Arsenal that saw little use throughout the Second Great Hyperspace War to test their effectiveness in battle.

As such the elements of the Sixth Sector Fleet that had assembled here were largely comprised of a mixture of Final Dawn produced warships and decades-old open market warships and the results of this battle would determine on whether these warships were worthy of being used in future operations or should be shelved and replaced with more capable ships capable of carrying out their intended functions more effectively. Thus the Fleet began slowly approaching the space station and the Combined Eternal Imperial,Ashlan and Alliance Fleet defending it preparing itself for the Battle to come. On the bridge of the Flagship of the Fleet, the FDS Sovereign, High Regent Marlon Sularen was seated within a command chair watching as his fleet slowly closed in on it's foes ready to begin the fight. Beside him to his right was his trusted aid, Colonel Rackham holding a datapad in his hand containing information regarding their target : the prison/defense platform that lay in orbit of the Star of Priate.

"The Fleet is maintaining their formation and slowly approaching the space station, High Regent" Colonel Rackham informed Sularen. "Good, and the estimated size of the Enemy Fleet?" Sularen asked. "Still unknown, my Lord" the Colonel replied. "Although we think there are atleast two separate fleets already gathered one from the Galactic Alliance and the other from the Ashlan Crusade, no sign of the Eternal Imperials yet though." Rackham said. "Very well then. Have the fleet slow down it's advance and stay out of firing range of their forces. We will let them make the first move. In the meantime have the Interdictors activate their Gravity Well Projectors. No one will escape our grasp today and it's time we reminded our little friends here our defeat of Tython was nothing more then a minor stepback." Sularen proclaimed.

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Tags | Liedran Kathause | Pa'Kar Sang | Isla Draellix-Kobitana ​

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[Darth Tennacus]

​

Objective: Fortress Vader
Allies: New Sith Order, Brotherhood of the Maw
Nearby Allies: Whispering Swarm
Location: Main Gate
Mentions: Rakaan Horne



Tennacus surmounted one of the stone columns to acquire a suitable vantage point. The Force fluctuated in the waking presence of the Light; lowly conduits of the ignorant , playing as meagre heroes against the everlasting Dark. It made sense that they would come here; the light always trembled in the presence of the great shadow in the Force. And if Kyrel Ren completed the ritual, they would have a whole greater reckoning to despair in.

Nevertheless, Tennacus didn't observe any within his immediate vicinity. He'd sent forth two of his Xenomorphs to scour ahead, but thus far it had been concluded that the enemy were keeping their distance - at least from him. The chitin clad beasts returned to their Master's presence, manoeuvring the entrance with bearing teeth gnashing at the air, and eldritch bellows sounding through the skies. Elongated tails whipped frustratingly against the ground, feeling the presence of the enemy, yet not sensing them within the area close enough to warrant an attack. Tennacus didn't want them to stray too far, in any case; he was here to guard the temple, and guard it he would.

The two midnight beasts continued to prowl the area, shifting between bipedal movements as they circled the terrain beneath their Master. Tennacus lingered atop the column, his eyes averted to the distance as he reached out with the Force to feel for any strays attempting to advance on him. He felt nothing in regard to the light. Then the Force winked at him through the intangible strings that bound its kin together, kindling a curiosity in the Sith that made his pupils dilate. He didn't feel the light, but he felt something. Neither light nor dark, but something in-between. Then the two Xenomorphs beneath him turned to face the distance, curling their black lips above their ferocious maws as their tails curled up over their spines, ascendant in respect to a cautionary composure. Tennacus followed them with his eyes, sensing that someone was wandering toward them. That same presence that felt conflicted in the Force, concerning enough that both the black beasts were on guard.

So who were they?

 

[Rakaan Horne]

Darth Tennacus

In the Galactic north, chatter of the Sith dealings emerged. The Imperial intelligence agencies, of ISB and COMPNOR, were so often hard at work. Few left their notice, no major events, and especially not the great amassed armies of the Sith on a mission for a devastating ritual. But with the involvement of the Jedi of the Galactic Alliance, the Crusaders of Ashlan, and the Eternal Empire's forces... it hardly warranted further involvement of the Empire. Be it the legions of stormtroopers to bear down on their foes with a crushing might, or the Imperial Knights themselves with their argent blades and loathing for all things Sith and Jedi alike. Rakaan, the young Knight-Commander, had contacts of his own - those to inform him of such battlefields to be made, and once more took himself on a mission of his own.

Be it to repent for the sins of his first crimes or those that came later in the encounter with Jedi Master Noble, none were to say; possibly no more than to fight and kill all the Sith he could. It was an objective of the Knights, after all. It was a journey that felt longer than what it was, all for one reason or another. He failed to tell, and refused to think on it more. His time spent in silent meditation when not reeled into conversation with his droid companion. It had seen him deployed to the surface of Mustafar. Sent on his way.

Rakaan emerged over the volcanic plains ahead of the vast temple dedicated to the Sith. Bathed in the shade of it, if there were any on a system so volatile. Ashen air almost choked him, with sweat beating across his brow from the intense heat. No matter the minutes, hours, days spent in preparation, it made it no more bearable. But as his dull blue eyes set themselves over the structure, the Imperial had noted the lone figure atop a column high above him. Wordlessly, Rakaan extended the pale blade of his saber and pointed it towards the Sith as if an extension of his own arm.

He could feel the influence of the dark side. It was strong here, stronger than elsewhere in the system. Least from his experiences. It was thick in the air, as much as it was beating against the barrier that shielded his mind from those intrusive voices. Promises of more, of better. He shunned them, cast them out for now. Rakaan was no paragon of the light, neither an agent of darkness. Imperial Jedi differed from their distant relatives in the Force, no matter his past.

Across the rocky terrain, he advanced with eyes on the foul creations of the Sith. Doubtless to be lethal killers in their own right.

 

[Tu'teggacha]

​

Location: Mustafar, Gahenn Droid Foundry
Tags: Open

Wars, the Taskmaster knew, were not won by heroes.

Wars were won by logistics. Resources, materiel, supply lines, these were the keys to victory.

That was why Tu'teggacha now stood on the northern landing pad of the Gahenn Droid Foundry, supervising the loading of its assets onto Mawite transports. The facility, patterned on the centuries-old war factories of the original CIS but updated to modern specifications, was a relic of Kyrel Ren 's journey before he had become a warlord of the Brotherhood. The master of Ren had led those remnants of the First Order that were still loyal to him here, to Mustafar, and dug in on the planet. It was here that his Crimson Hand stormtrooper legion had degenerated into savage cannibal barbarians.

They had become the Crimson Hands tribe, adorning their battered armor with bones.

And the Crimson Hands still guarded this place.

Not for much longer, though. The Eternal Empire, backed by their allies in the Ashlan Crusade and Galactic Alliance, had come to take control of Mustafar, and the Maw couldn't hold them back forever. The planet was much too far from their core territories for the Brotherhood to swiftly or continuously reinforce, and in the wake of the beating they'd taken at Tython, they simply didn't have the resources to fight their foes so far from home. They needed to consolidate their remaining might and give themselves a chance to rebuild in the Unknown Regions, or they would be crushed by the coming counterattack.

That didn't mean simply abandoning Mustafar, of course. Tu'teggacha was practiced now at rapidly extracting all useable resources from worlds about to fall to the enemy; he'd done it on Copero, he'd done it on Teta, and he could do it here as well. Every last droid, every last crate of military-grade alloys, every programming chip, everything of any value would be extracted from the factory ahead of the enemy advance. And then, if all went well, they would burn this place to the ground. There was no sense in letting it fall into the hands of the Eternal Empire, who would be able to turn it against them.

"Set the charges at the structural weak points," the Taskmaster commanded.

"We will detonate them as soon as the loading is finished."

 

[Darth Tennacus]

​

Objective: Fortress Vader
Allies: New Sith Order, Brotherhood of the Maw
Nearby Allies: Whispering Swarm
Location: Main Gate
Mentions: Rakaan Horne


Despondent hearts were often led astray by the cunning of power; laden hearts of guilt and sorrow might not have benefitted in being here. The Dark was a conduit of such emotions, fuelling them to ends that often held linear roads in the path of the Force. Questionable as it may be, the path would still and always be free. And if Tennacus sensed any conflictions, he would unquestionably use that to his advantage.

Reaching out through the Force, he supressed the feral likeness of his two beasts, weighing down on their minds to compel them to submission. The Dark Side was apparent in his rude awakening of exposure; no longer supressing his affiliation, it would have been blatant to any associated to the Force that he stood away from the light. The air was dense and heavy, as if an ocean was being suspended above their heads. The closer the enemy got, it would have only grown denser - tighter - depending on how strong they were in objecting the Dark. It couldn't be concluded as to whether it was coming from the man atop the column, or whether it was whatever was going on in the temple; but either way, it was powerful.

The two Xenomorphs stood idle, allowing the stranger to come closer.

"Kindred stray . . . what is thy business in coming here?"

Tennacus's voice was attuned with a muffled lilt, having been wrought from the minimal suppression of the masque clasped around his mouth. Whirred breaths trickled through the vents as an absence in words dawned upon them. The Sith reached out into the Force, mildly attempting to relay his enemy's thoughts. While he wasn't exactly reading the stranger's mind, he attempted to scratch at the surface, trying to discover what compelled him to this sanctuary.

". . . I see. Penance, perhaps, to rid of a guilt that has tarnished your morals. The Force has wrought us all a suffering. Such is the path thou must impart in the everlasting quest for greatness. But even so . . . I feel no loyalty to one flame or the other. Walking the borders is a dangerous path; the light and the dark become a twilight which seldom offers clarity. Perhaps thou'rt in need of a formidable sway."

The Sith leapt down from the column, landing between the two Xenomorphs. A hand rose, falling upon one of their elongated heads. A voiceless gesture swayed the creature to cautiously motion forward toward the stranger, leaving the other alongside the Sith.

"Never let it be said that a Sith does not try to bring another into the fold. If thou would survive, they might find themselves a potential candidate. And if not, then the gate to the Netherworld will be upon us shortly."

 

[Rakaan Horne]

Darth Tennacus

In silence, Rakaan had listened with his neck craned. Often times able to shield his mind rather well, so fresh from the act that had burdened the man as of late had left him vulnerable to the Sith and his own abilities. From atop the column, Darth Tennacus had been correct and the relayed information had forced a scowl to settle itself across Rakaan's features as much as it had forced the furrow his brow and the narrowing of his eyes. It persisted, even as the Sith landed to impoart his wisdom face to face. Yet, even while his white blade still hummed with life Rakaan had not made a motion to strike.

Rakaan made an effort to examine the foul creature in the midst of the cautious wander it set towards himself. He failed to find memories of one like it, with no name on the end of his tongue, and neither had the Imperial ruled out the idea of those created by the Sith for the Sith. It was easier to settle on that being the truth, rather than wound an innocent animal. If one could even consider this creature either innocent or an animal, even.

It was with minimal effort that Rakaan raised his skyfacing palm in a bid to see the Xenomorph rise into the air with the Force. No matter the protests, if any at all, Rakaan would not release it. His hand started to close with the persistence of his scowl, a crushing grip closing around the creation until it was no more than a mangled pile of limbs and acidic blood. His eyes widened as it poured out and burned the rocks beneath it, a fact worth noting, he thought.

"You can forget about me joining you," he answered as he assumbed a stance with his lightsaber, "And you can forget about opening that gate."

 

[Isla Draellix-Kobitana]

Location: Sunspot Prison combat theatre system
Objective: Defend the evacuation of the prison
Tags: Marlon Sularen Liedran Kathause Pa'Kar Sang Valery Noble

Spoiler: Fleet Assets

1 x Noble Crusader Battlecruiser 4.75km
Divine Purpose

1 x Templar Class Star Destroyer 1.85km
Bogan's Nemesis

2 x Letton Class heavy cruisers 1.8km
Zygerrian Freedom
Void Watcher

4 x Dominion Class Escort Frigate 1.2km

3 x Principality Class corvette 0.48km

2 x Warden Class anti-starfighter frigate 0.5km

Even split complements of
Pegasus Interceptor Starfighters
Phoenix Multirole Starfighter

Numerous
Ashla's Mercy orbital insertion shield generators

Infantry available
Ashlan Marines
Sisters of Ashla

Spoiler: Isla's Personal Gear

Admiral's Sabre
Ashlan Rosary
Personal guard of Ashlan Praetorian droids
Overseer Biochip OPBC-01a

Isla stood on the command bridge of the Divine Purpose and watched as out into space at where her holo informed her the mawite fleet had arrives. She was not suprised to see the Final Dawn here come to try and capture the prison complex and her evacuation was well under way. "Captain, what is the status of the evacuation"

"Going as planned Admiral, the Watcher reports that the HVIs are proving to be fairly cooperative with out demands."

"And the status of the Mawites?"

"holding outside of extreme range currently, they have engaged their gravity projectors"

"Thank you, please move the Purpose between the station and the mawites to give them as much time as possible, move the Nemesis and Freedom to cover our rear arc."

The Captain nodded and carried out his orders, and within moments the gigantic ships began to move in the way thw admiral wished. The opposing commander, suspected to be the head of the the Final Dawn had fairly classic tastes in his tactics, so she would prepare to receive incoming ships into his gravity well. Ahead of her though was an atypical fleet for the man in question, many smaller ships than she was used to seeing in his after action reports, but still primarily a heavy force. She signalled to the Alliance flagship her intention to hold position in defence of the station and then walked to her holorecorder to broadcast a message.

She broadcast on a tight beam towards the enemy flagship.

"Good evening, Marlon Sularen I presume? Welcome to the system, can I offer you a cold beverage?"

She smirked as she spoke, she had faced the man on a couple of occasions, but this time he didn't have his Avatar, the accursed weapon that had been destroyed at Tython.

"So how about we save ourselves the trouble of blasting and try to talk this out, the system you are in is now under the jurisdiction of the Eternal Empire, I would recommend you leave now or have the combined allies send you packing. Even if you were to win today, how long do you think you could hold out against the rest of the Eternal Navy or their allies?

Or maybe i'm reading it all wrong and you are here to switch sides, please dont keep me in suspense."

 

[Onrai]

Objective 1, Vader's Castle, Sith Archives

@anyone

LIQUIDATION

Mustafar was under threat of the Eternal Empire. Kyrel Ren had evidently grown preoccupied with other matters. So it was that Onrai had made the decision to take advantage of the vulnerable state of another rival within the Maw, the first true move of aggression, she supposed, she had even chosen to make within the persistent back and forth power struggles the Maw faced. Her acquisition of resources, of manpower, and of loyalty had come naturally, not through senseless aggression but through being the moderate option to the more genocidal others.

And now that the facility was under threat, she had a perfect opportunity.

Shadows manifested into the amorphous form of a woman, white eyes peering out over tomes, holocrons, datacrons, and the entire archive's collection of Sith knowledge. There were likely no secrets here that were not already hers from other sources, but Onrai had made the decision individually: there would be nothing left for the Eternal Empire to salvage or study after they inevitably took this place. A smile crossed her lips as she focused, preparing to enact her own ritual.

A ritual to drain all the knowledge of the archives and leave nothing but emptiness in her wake.

 

[Dylan Marsek]

Mustafar. The Arabesh Flats Military-Industrial Complex
Gear: In Bio.
Friendlies: Jas Katis | Elaena Kessia Miran
Hostiles: Thomas Barran
​

Everybody Wants To Rule The World​

A sense of urgency dominated the merc’s forward operating base in the city; their engines dwindling down from a sharp whine to a howl, several gunships touched down over the hastily made landing zones inside the F.O.B, with several squads rushing towards them, starting to unload ammunition and medical supplies with all due haste, as several squads mobilized to head deeper into the city towards their assigned defensive positions; the ground shook underneath the massive wheels of their universal utility transports as they drew out the wire in convoy formation.

Gathered nearby a small cluster of crates close to an unoccupied landing pad, the members of Acklay squad went about their ritualistic weapons and gear check they’d do every time before heading out on a mission.

Inspecting the massive universal repeater in his hands, Tower, complained about the heat in casual chatter. ”For kark SAKE it’s hotter than a Zeltros orgy in here,” the giant of a man grunted in discomfort amidst the soft crackle of weapons and gear. Flipping open the feed cover of the repeater, the heavy weapons specialist hooked up a large, fresh powerpack into its socket. Slamming the feed cover shut shortly after, the weapon powered up with a muffled, synthesized hum, indicating the repeater was loaded.

Satisfied with his weapon and equipment, the man looked at the squad’s techie fiddling with his electronics, sitting cross-legged on the ground with his back resting against a crate. ”How hot was it again?” Tower asked him as he reached forth for his helmet, set on the crate’s lid.

The tinted visor of the young tech specialist looked up from the touch screen of his wrist computer, sparing a glance at his fellow squadmate standing tall among them. <”You don’t wanna know,”> Aiden answered him truthfully. Their armor came equipped with a temperature regulator, and that helped them put up with the heat to a degree, but even despite that piece of tech, they could feel Mustafar’s scorching, charring heat.

Tatooine would be a paradise planet compared to this literal hell hole.

Sat atop a large, empty weapon’s case next to his best friend Aiden, the young explosive specialist went about inspecting his particle rifle for the last time in silence; the hands that swept over the various parts of the weapon occasionally dithered, having issues keeping his apprehension in check. This was going to be his first ever combat deployment on such a large scale. He wasn’t too bothered by the fact that they would be going up against the infamous, bloodthirsty hordes of the Maw, but more so about the sheer scale of battle he found himself deployed in.

For the most part, the contracts they took saw him partake in operations that’d be considered miniscule to this.

He felt out of his element.

He was almost certain the others, beside Skif and Scalpel who were among the more seasoned of their bunch -especially the former, their squad leader- felt about the same. They all had a rather subtle way of showing it. Tower would complain or partake in some casual banter with Aiden. Aiden would join Tower if he was feeling it. Talking, and joking the stress away.

Dylan, however; his usually jolly and joking nature would leave its place to a silent, worried pondering of what fate had in store for him.

He couldn’t help but feel he wasn’t going to survive this.

That was a thought to be left unfinished, however, as he felt a familiar pat over his right shoulder. His gaze shifted from the particle rifle cradled in his hands, to the weathered features of his squad lead, Skif.

Casting a glance at his men, the squad leader reached for the lit cigarra between his lips and puffed away the smoke with a heave of sigh. ”Long, tiring day ahead of us, lads,” the old man muttered, flicking the ash on the lit smoke with a tap of his index finger.

The faint, distant whine of a gunship approaching the landing pad they stood closeby reached his ears soon after. Glancing over his right shoulder at the approaching craft, the old merc’s firm, yet fatherly grasp over Dylan’s shoulder faded as he took a few steps forward, inspecting Tower’s gear up close.

It wasn’t long after he heard the craft approaching, a cloud of dust kicked off from the ground as the craft’s landing gear pressed firmly on the durasteel landing pad they stood next to; a silhouette of a woman emerged from the lowered ramp, and walked towards their brass hat of the day, Jas.

Not sparing his attention to the conversation happening between the unfamiliar woman and his higher up, the old merc went about inspecting their heavy weapons specialist. The young merc and his battle buddy stood up slowly in silent response; their rifles held at a casual stance, waiting for the command to move out.

The veteran merc’s grasp coiled over the straps of the giant’s chest rig. ”We move out in ten. Make sure you’re packing enough ammo to last you through the day,” Pulling the straps towards himself firmly, and giving it a shake, the old merc gave a curt nod of his head in a silent expression of his satisfaction with the state of Tower’s equipment; his rig was strapped firmly over his chest plate, there weren’t any excess gear hanging out his pouches and everything was tucked in firmly.

<”Where’s Doc?”> Aiden asked casually, glancing around from underneath his helmet visor to see where he was in the camp.

Moving on from Tower, the old merc turned around to inspect the gear of his squad’s techie. ”Packing up on extra bacta in the infirmary,” the old merc answered his question, flicking his cigarra on the ground, extinguished from the localized whirlwind caused by the gunship during its landing.

Quickly going over the merc’s chest rig, the man nodded his head to the side in a wordless gesture. Understanding and complying, the young techie turned around, facing his back towards the old merc as the old man went about checking the electronics inside the young merc’s black assault pack.

”Jammer?”

<”In working order.”>

”Extra batteries?”

<”Check.”>

A small grin emerged from the old man’s weathered features. ”Good lad,”

Going over Dylan’s equipment, the squad would wait for their medic, Scalpel, to arrive as they remained on standby for the order to move out from their commander.