Nothing

[Ameli Trahir]

Ameli froze. Kark it. That didn't last long. She had slipped past the notice of some other people out in the chaos, as well as a few guards and soldiers. She clung to the walls and never ventured too far from the shadows. Yet this one saw her. Without a doubt, she even addressed her. Giving the other woman, who had the kind of fabulous hair that filled Ameli with envy, a quick glance over, it gave strength to the theory that she was a Jedi. That explained things. Well that was highly inconvenient. It was time to put some of those skills that had gotten her this far on Deneba to use. At least the Jedi didn't know she was a Sith. Ameli hardly knew herself sometimes.

"You don't understand!" she exclaimed, in the most indignant tone she could muster. Ameli took a step back, signalling that she was not about to grasp this stranger's hand. "My sister is out there! I have to know that she is safe!" Compassion and dependency. Yuck. "You've shown that you can't protect anything!" and with the exclaim of a rebellious teenager, Ameli ran away from home. That is to say, she darted off into the side-street, into a fast sprint down the alley, quickly turning around a second corner further into it. She wasn't ready to be held up quite yet.

[member="Joza Perl"]

 

[inactivechar01]

[member="Thema Csapla"]

The Harbinger could feel how the Jedi was slowly but successfully going down the only path that existed - the Dark Side of the Force. He could feel the cold shivers that ran through her spine as her fears from his illusions struck her. Yet, they also fueled her. They gave her the energy for the following Force Blast, a dangerous technique that only his reflexes saved him from complete strike. Nonetheless, he could feel pain in the right side of his body. Pain that fueled him too.

"Tap into your fears, feed on the only thing that is real. The dark side. It will save you, it will open your eyes."

His speech was cut short when she shoved a Force Push at him which he least expected and was tossed away like a sack of potatoes. His landing was less graceful but it had sent him further away from her. Something that he would take as an advantage.

"Do you think I am one, Jedi ? You cannot kill me. I am an idea." The dark jedi spoke, his face still shrouded by the hood as he attempted to materialize four more illusions of himself around him. "The more you attack me, the more you will realize how futile it is. There is only one way, Jedi. It is the Dark Side of the Force. Now tap into your fears and your pain and find out how right I am."

Under his breath, he tapped into the Force for what was to come.

 

[Travot Ravenna]

Location: Meru City streets, Meru City
Objective: Not hurt?
Allies: GR & friends
Enemies: [member="Harley"]
Equipment: lightsaber, lanvorok, tabard, FastFlesh medpac

As she spoke, Travot suddenly felt a burning sensation work itself up from his lower left abdominal quadrant and rise up towards his diaphragm. He winced as his muscles briefly twitched. What is this feeling? Where is it coming from? His eyes darted around the scene, at the woman in front of him, the crashed truck, and the handful of buildings around them, yet he could not determine its source. But I only have one opponent here...that I know off...She must be doing this somehow...He briefly thought about the pain, and only felt it increase in its intensity. He let out an expiratory grunt. What did Master Vaas always say...acknowledge what you feel, but always concentrate on the end goal...A flurry of thoughts and images fluttered into his mind about the people who lived around them and their relatively quiet and peaceful lives. He felt a wave of appreciative stillness come over his thoughts that was only slightly nipped at by one thought: At least until the suspected sith terrorists arrived. What I'm feeling now is but a taste of what she'd do to them if she had her way unopposed...He straightened up his back to resume his normal posture. As he did so, he felt the pain recede to become a constant dull ache that tugged at his abdominal muscles.

He tapped the activation stud of his lightsaber. A short, vibrant turquoise blade sprung out of its hilt, casting an ethereal light around him. In its light, [member="Harley"] seemed somehow even colder. He eyed her for a brief second, wondering just what she was doing. Whatever it is, it's not likely to be good...As a defensive form, Soresu didn't have many opening gambits if the woman didn't attack him but he knew there were more ways to subdue a threat than just with his blade. He pushed his left hand out at her, sending out a concussive Force Push at the Sith knight.

 

[Darth Carnifex]

 

[WolfMortum]

Allies: [member="Zator Carr"]
Persons of Interest: [member="Xenro"]

The sudden eruption of the black blood caught him completely off guard, the slithering poisonous mass expanded at an alarm rate to cloud the area, thinning out and seeming to become much more like a cloud of dense smog than the liquid base that it had been. Veiere's personal defense and evasion of the cloud was paramount and yet already in full sprint, he was forced to veer off, his boots digging deep into the sand, hands reaching for the sand floor as he more or less skidded sideways before pulling himself back up to his feet and launching himself with the aid of the force augmenting the muscles in his legs to propel himself a good few meters before coming to an eventual stop and disengaging his lightsaber so that he could use both hands to summon a barrier around himself in the force before the cloud had surrounded him. His attack against Xenro had been effectively cut off and dissuaded and now in the darkness that was his dark and death bringing alchemist ways, Veiere's sight of Zator Carr waned.

Now, once more at a distance from the Sith Lord and with the foe occupied by the attacks of Zator, Veiere sought to study the situation. Taking a moment to watch the cloud of darkness that surrounded them, he breathed in slowly, controlling his breath while the barrier around him kept the Jedi from the infections air outside. Such Darkness could only truly be countered by the Light, the Force that encompassed both sides, influencing all users in their emotions and fueled by their passions, it was as much within Xenro as it was within them and through balance, one half would never be more powerful or dismissive of the other. The answer to this fight was not in the physical limitations of themselves, nor how they controlled and called the Force to their Will but rather enveloping ones self in the light, strong enough to equal the dark and bring it to a reluctant halt.

Altus Sopor would see that Veiere's presence within the Force was diminished so much to the outside world that within the cover of the thick smog, he would not be felt nor seen, his barrier around him ensured that the black poison that Xenro used, could not touch him and therefore would not counteract the disappearance of his signature in the force to their senses. Using the moment to his advantage, Veiere soon dropped to his knees, his hands falling to his thighs, holding the hilt of his lightsaber in both while his gaze lifted slightly and his eyes closed, entering what would be a meditative state of concentration.

"Keep him busy" his words would find the mind of [member="Zator Carr"], Telepathy reaching out to his friend in the hope of being granted enough time to draw in upon the force around him. His body becoming a conduit for the energies that surrounded them all whilst his spirit would delve beyond the visible and connect to the Force directly through his trance, channeling and harnessing what he knew to be the light side of the force. Altus Sopor was a broad term for a range of abilities such as to cloud oneself from the senses of others, more than this, it was a core aspect of control in that a Jedi of experience could seek to enhance their affinity and ability to wield the force for a temporary period, doubling and in some cases (Most often Jedi Masters), tripling the impact that they could deliver in combat.

For the time being, it seemed he would take a back seat in the fight, empowering himself through the advanced meditation while Zator Carr would hopefully be able to cover for him.

 

[Haytham Kaze]

Mount Meru.
[member="Dune Rhur"] - [member="Cath Lorr"]

When the saberstaff was instead angled away from the centre of the Bith's large head, Athyssius had almost touched down to the ground in the same moment. But when he saw that he wasn't going to hit actual flesh, the sapphire beam of the staff was pulled away and counteracted the attempt to split the saberstaff in half. Instead of the beams on both end being extinguished, it was instead caught with the very last few inches of the front end of plasma as the Jedi's lightsaber was pushed to the ground.

Stepping forwards to continue the aggression, should the Jedi's lightsabre be pushed towards the ground, he'd guide the beam of his saberstaff up along the edge of it, continuing to apply pressure with his larger, muscular form to keep it away from his body.

The saberstaff leapt up from the Jedi's lightsabre, twisting and spinning in his left hand as the front end threatened to cut a line through the Jedi's throat, but regardless of whether it was avoided or not, which it likely had been, the Dark Lord's large form was dropping to the ground in a partial kneel as the saberstaff was spun around his back and into his other, right hand, the staff dancing it's way past the fingers of his hand as the back end of the staff was slashed horizontally along the midriff Jedi.

Naturally, there were risks to what he did. In the time that his staff had been behind his back, he was open to a strike, however brief, but he had already calculated the risk was well worth it. Should the Jedi have taken the opening to split him in half, he'd be opening himself to the horizontal strike which would've

 

[Dune Rhur]

E: [member="Haytham Kaze"]
A: [member="Cath Lorr"]
Mt. Meru

The human reacted quickly to Dune's attempt at bisecting his weapon. He showed great strategic awareness as he went to pin the Jedi's weapon. He clearly understood his size and strength advantage. He was no witless berserker either as he went for a quick slash sat Dune's exposed throat.

Dune knew the lightsaber too. The man's tactic might well have worked against a metal weapon. The lightsaber could be shut off and so he did. He brought it up just as he reactivated the blade in time to intercept the otherwise mortal wound.

The impact was more jarring than the first attack. It made the Bith stagger back a step. Then came the other end to open his belly. The back step bought him time to make a proper defense.

He angled the deep blue beam away this time. Dune recognized a slugging match was his opponent's game. No attempt was made to offer up a counter. Not yet, but, a counter would come....

 

[Haytham Kaze]

Mt Meru.
[member="Dune Rhur"]

The darkly cloaked Dark Lord of the Sith rose up to his feet slowly after the Jedi Master stepped back from him.

The black cloak was the only thing that shrouded his armoured form as his golden gaze settled on the Master.

He spun the staff in his hands as he faced the Master, stepping towards him with both hands clasping the hilt of the staff, he moved slowly enough to put up the illusion of being imposing, intimidating as he put his right hand at the top of the staff, his left just below the midway point as he slashed across the chest of the Bith. His movements were quick, a contrast between how he walked to how he fought. Perhaps his opening attacks were more testing the Jedi than trying to kill him immediately.

The slash threatened to split him in half from his left shoulder to his right hipbone.

 

[Dune Rhur]

[member="Cath Lorr"]
[member="Haytham Kaze"]
Mt. Meru

Stop and start. The Sith's attacks came in a staccato rhythm. He would change the angle with a deft turn of his wrist frequently. Even a combat droid couldn't quite simulate the random quality.

The trick was to move as little as possible. Relax and let the Force itself guide you out of harm's way. Dune trusted in the Light because it had gotten him out of many bad situations. He could see a Jedi of less experience being quickly overwhelmed by this attacker.

Minimal movement meant minimal energy expended. Bend but don't break. Move wrists instead of arms and sidestep rather then leap. The heat of the saberstaff's beams were felt centimeters away from flesh.

 

[Hailey Sosis]

Objective: Cause Mayhem and ram the prison gate
Allies: The Black Empire
Enemy: The Republic and there cruel ways, [member="Travot Ravenna"]
Equipment: Hide Armour, two red lightsabers, two woe bringers and a speeder bike
Note: I am now a Knight, and new tags have come.

The Jedi was a fool, how could you get angry a fool, was the thought that raced through her mind. She was not angry anymore, no matter how she tried. None the less she had job to do, and that was to free them pirates. He hit her single point force push, she slid back but dug her feet in and the pushed passed. The hide protected her from force powers, though they still had an effect. As she dug in her heels, her helmet began being pushed back into her face, she bend down and to remove the pressure of it. She was now off balance slightly, if she had jumped it had been bigger effect as she would not been able to dig her heels in. He then lite up his one lightsaber to face her, so she retorted by grabbing her two lightsabers, and lighting them up. The crimson red blades then struck the pavement, and she began to walk forward, all time keeping up her stare. She started to say a nursery rhyme
Ring a Ring a roses, as she did she circled her blades in the ground, heating the tarmac up. She then said ​A pocketful of posies, A-tishoo A-tishoo we all fall down. As she said we a fall down, she fell into forward roll with her light spinning as she did. She was going to try and leap up next to him, and cut him in half.......

 

[Haytham Kaze]

Mount Meru.
[member="Dune Rhur"]

Darth Athyssius continued the onslaught upon the Jedi Master. There was no lee way given, no moment that he'd be allowed to catch his breath. The saberstaff was a blur of movement, ranging from jabs to slashes, to around his back only to continue jabbing and slashing with the other side of it. Occasionally he'd even reverse the grip of the staff and feint to try and earn himself a cut or a faint slash across the Jedi's chest or legs.

His attacks were made to slow the Jedi.

To make him understand that he couldn't beat the Dark Lord of the Sith.

To make him understand that he'd be slowing down while the Dark Lord appeared to have an endless reserve of energy at his beck and call. He summoned forth his rage to his attacks. Every strike came harder, faster as he pressed the Jedi Master. The Force helped with his movements and tricks with the saberstaff. He was not nearly as proficient as he seemed with the staff without it. Only a few days before Ruusan had been when he first picked up the weapon, and even then he hadn't been able to trump his foes, mostly because there wasn't an opportunity to... Because they couldn't mind their own business.

He was a silent storm of rage. There was no need to talk at this point.

 

[Dune Rhur]

Mt. Meru
[member="Haytham Kaze"]

Combat occurred in a circle. Real combat was never head-on but the stuff of holodramas. So Sith and Jedi moved around in a kind of dance. Adjustment and re-adjust as they tried to go around.

There was a surge in the Force. The armoured figure drew on his passions for strength. He seemed to double in his speed and power. The Dark Side was a raging inferno.

Fires were deadly dangerous things. They could burn both ways and they burned for only a certain time. A forest of trees could be singed without ever being fully consumed. A tree seemed weak but it endured far longer than a great blaze.

Just then the Bith saw an opening. The tip of his blade flicked in a riposte to a heavy slash parried. His target was the wrists of his foe....

 

[Haytham Kaze]

Mt. Meru.
[member="Dune Rhur"]

Never once, not for more than a heartbeat were his hands in position to be struck in at the same moment.

Never once did he remain in a single position for long. That was how you lost, in many forms of combat.

His saberstaff was parried, but he didn't let himself remain in danger to lose his wrists. He moved with the saberstaff in the direction that it had been blocked, through that, his quick movements had earned him a slash through his black cloak and the Jedi Master somewhere to his side and behind him. With that positioning he let the Force aim a rough kick in the back of the Bith to hopefully shove him forwards and away from him as he threw the black cloak off of his body.

Rolling his shoulders, he walked back and forth, pacing as he watched the Jedi. Not only had his cloak been cut, but there was a relatively faint furrow across the side of the armour that covered his ribs. The SI-HD Armour was quite efficient at protecting glancing strikes.

A first blood of sorts.

It fuelled the focused fury within him.

The Saberstaff was extinguished and replaced to his belt. Almost in the same moment had his regular, first lightsabre joined his hand. Perhaps it was best to stick to what he was good with.

 

[Xenro]

Blood splattered across the sand as the Dark Lord bowed his head and his eyes slid shut.

A turgid mire spread out across the grainy terrain as the strange Tof moved to encircle Xenro in a field of Force energy. It shriveled, writhed, and grasped the land beneath it like greed fingers sifting through to find buried treasure. The viscera slithered downward into the world like water through a porous membrane and dissipated from view. Xenro took a long, unnecessary breath and his shoulders sagged. The Jedi Knight intended to pin him in place- that was fine. Had he really not noticed? Not once had he taken a step in defiance of them.

It was unnecessary.

He no longer felt the other Jedi. Rather, he noticed as the presence rapidly diminished. The Necromancer slowly smiled as he slowly glanced up at the Tof. His arms were at his side, not moving. "Are you impressed with yourself, Jedi?" he asked, though he already knew the creature was no longer listening. The Vong-twisted beast would be its own undoing.

Deneba itself howled as Xenro twisted it to his whim. "This has been fun," he commented, "but it is over, now."

The desert exploded into motion. Sands shifted violently as he pulled them apart with his mind. The ground shook violently beneath the Tof, Xenro, and anyone close enough unfortunate not to get out of the way. "Enjoy entombment."

Xenro tilted his head backward and his rotted lungs filled with air. His dark form drooped lower as the world around him rose and he descended. The lands shifted turbulently like quicksand above, twisting and drawing everything downward like a bathtub with the stopper pulled out. He drooped ever lower and the sand consumed him, and continued to gulp greedily at everything above.

The desert began to swallow everyone.

[member="Haytham Kaze"] | [member="Ashmedai"]

[member="Dune Rhur"] | [member="Cath Lorr"] | [member="Veiere Arenais"] | [member="Zator Carr"]

...

....

......


Some time later...

Xenro rose far from the Jedi Enclave of Deneba, and those Sith who the sands consumed alongside him- the ones who had not made efforts to evade the antlion tactic- were spat out gracelessly nearby. The Dark Lord's eyes fluttered slowly and his body shivered. "Tiresome creatures," he muttered.

Truth be told, that final effort had drawn on a great deal of his power- though he had enough to maintain control of his corpse golem, another fight with Jedi would likely end badly. Blood seeped back up his legs slowly and writhed up his flesh, into his mouth, eyes, nose, and ears. He slowly drank back in his viscera for later use, and he spat out useless grains of sand as the built up behind his teeth.

"Take this time to reorient yourself and plan for the next attack," he said to no one in particular. "The Jedi are still licking their wounds."

The Enclave was far away, naught but a stain on the horizon. Any effort to get there would take time, and since they were spirited away by Xenro's machinations, they lacked the back up of their forces.

A fair trade.

The Jedi who did not avoid the sands would be buried alive. If they were lucky enough to make it out of the way in time, they would now have lost sight of their quarry.

 

[Cameron Centurion]

Location: Deneba System
Allies: [member="Aram Kalast"] | [member="Natasi Fortan"] | [member="Willam Forlon"] | [member="Darth Carnifex"]
Enemies: Terrorists
Immortal Adjudicator

Captain Brosious casually tapped the bottom of his chin as he listened to the broadcast from the Republic Fleet. As he and the Commodore had both been briefed prior to setting course for this system, plans had in fact been put in place to provide the appropriate response to Republic action. While the Captain couldn't say he was unaffected by the rather quick acceptance of Sith Triumvirate assistance, he was not so inexperienced as to allow it to show in any manner. The reply he sent to the Republic was simple. "Thank you. Unfortunate our arrival and proximate meeting had to occur under such...horrid circumstances. I will instruct our forces to do their best not to interfere in Republic efforts. That being said, we'll be the ones in marked uniforms." To which end, the Captain was quite certain none of the so-called terrorists possessed.

Once the link had been terminated, the Captain turned to the Officer of the Deck whom merely nodded regarding the recording and broadcast of the conversation to relevant parties. "Officer of the Deck, I'll be in my cabin. Keep me apprised of efforts on the ground."

"Aye, aye Captain." As the Captain strode off the bridge, the Officer of the Deck turned his attention back to managing the watch team. Several shuttles carrying the first wave of Triumvirate relief resources continue to rocket towards the surface of Deneba. In rather little time, the first battalion of troops would arrive near the outskirts of Meru City to aid in the establishment of safe zones for the extraction of civilians. At the same time, medical transports would arrive to provide on-site immediate care and transport for those that were stable enough to move in large quantities.

Once the secure landing zone was established, armored Triumvirate Troopers fanned out towards the tone to seek out those civilians still trapped in the steady, ongoing chaos.

From the hangar bay of the Attrition-class Star Destroyer that had detached from the main task force came one flight of Sekairo-class Stealth Transports. The four spacecraft conducted a rapid flight profile towards the disengaged side of the planet prior to initiating re-entry procedures. They had a very specific purpose...being poised to extract key Triumvirate officials and even members of the Black Empire was one of them. A contingency plan should the need arise.

------
Location: Mount Meru, Jedi Enclave
Allies: [member="Haytham Kaze"] | [member="Xenro"]
Enemies: [member="Bryn'jarr Astaris"] | [member="Alyona Volkovna"]

Trust... It had always been a rather interesting concept to Ashmedai. In fact, he couldn't really say that he harbored a great deal of trust for very many people. In fact, outside of Amorella Shamalain, he suspected there was, for better or worse, no one else. Even that trust...that trust went so deep before he could even acknowledge it as such that their souls were practically one. It was not merely just a sub-par romantic notion to say that his trust was earned only through the most sincere of deeds.

The feel of Alyona's hands against his arms didn't stir any particularly uncontrolled emotion within him. Throughout the action, in fact, he kept his gaze focused rather intently on her own. That is, of course, until she broke the contact to brush past him. Unflinching, the Sith Lord shifted his gaze to her associated. The young man seemed...slightly less comfortable than his master, but Ashmedai did not poke and prod at the feelings. However, as a show of good faith or, perhaps, casual indifference, Ashmedai turned to gaze at Alyona's form once more.

The Sith Lord had no reason to step forward to gaze at the spaceport. The bulk of the devastating actions there had happened, they were rooted in the past. If one thing was for certain, Darth Ashmedai was not here to right the wrongs of the past. If that were the case, he would merely have launched a massive assault on the Republic capital. He would be attempting to rip the limbs off the two Jedi closest to him for some enigmatic, moronic allegiance to spreading the strength of the dark side. That was a method for some...or perhaps slaughter was just that appealing to some. Darth Ashmedai had not been a man of that grade in...some time. Perhaps in his younger years, Cameron Centurion had absolutely entertained a large blood-lust. In the days of being known as Lord Illuminus, the much younger version of Cameron had ripped souls from the very fabric of the galaxy without a care in the world.

These days...sure...death was a natural part of life, the Force. He did not fear it, nor did he fear bringing it upon others should such an action serve the greater good, a larger design. The touch of Alyona's smooth skin against his own once more prompted little more than a deep inhale. The heaving of his exposed chest didn't really mean much of anything other than the preparation for a response. "Violence begets violence, Jedi. This is not a reality of the galaxy that you or I can change. Similarly...the Galactic Republic is not so romantic as to be a collection of people all stepping in the same direction. I have to imagine if that was the case, many of its very recent issues would not be issues at all. Like all governments, the Republic is an organization...one that has proven to be rather ineffective."

Withdrawing his hands from Alyona's, Cameron clasped them behind his back. No insult intended, but the Sith Lord wasn't much the touchy feely type. For him, such an action was usually merely a precursor to much more intimate encounters. "I, like the Sith Triumvirate, am willing to work with anyone that holds the goal of justice and security chiefly in their mind. Our people want war no more than you, but I daresay we are much more prepared to do whatever it takes to maintain the promise we've made to those that depend upon us. What wouldn't you do, Jedi? What wouldn't you do to safeguard a people that have only rather recently survived the near genocidal actions of Jedi?"

Motioning towards the horizon, the Sith Lord indicated two shuttles that had only recently dropped low through the atmosphere to approach Meru City. They both carried paint schemes of the Triumvirate. "What do you see there? That is the Triumvirate, rising above its differences with the Jedi, with the Republic to benefit the people of this sector of space. You speak of listening and loving...yet I wonder if you listen well enough to all that happens among your own circles within the Republic?" Cameron was not here to pass judgment on anyone...least of all a Jedi that, for all intents and purposes, seemed to be very level-headed and open-minded. "The Sith Triumvirate has never contributed to the harming of innocents. That is a rhetoric that your Order, government, and those allied with flood into the holonet to justify your own Imperialistic actions. Tell me, Jedi, why did the Republic even come to Deneba? What did Deneba need that the Republic now prov---"

It was a genuine question that was abruptly cut off as the Sith Lord was presented with flashes of images. The ground quaked violently as if the very mountain itself was attempting to tear itself apart. The dirt upon which the Sith Lord stood seemed to come to life as his lower extremities were pulled down towards the abyss. The more Ashmedai struggled, the quicker his body was enveloped until there was naught but darkness.

When the vision ended, vibrant green eyes snapped in the general direction of Xenro as he rather instinctively closed the basically non-existent distance between himself and Alyona. Without warning, the Sith Lord snaked an arm around her waist just as his gaze found that of the male. "Hold your breath!" Aided by the speed of the Force, Ashmedai traveled the short amount of distance to Bryn. The instant his free hand gripped the man's forearm, the Force compressed in on the trio. Just as the initial actions of Xenro's manipulation of the elements took hold, the air around them seemed to bend and contort for a brief moment before they disappeared from existence amidst a crack of light.

Seconds later, in a deserted area of Meru City, a similar phenomenon occurred before several wispy lines of dark blue light raced down an alley and ended with the physical manifestation of Ashmedai, Alyona, and Bryn. Almost immediately, the Sith Lord released his hold of both Jedi and braced himself against a wall of the alleyway to catch his breath. Having only very recently recovered from his earlier action, following it up immediately with the movement of not just himself but two others across the ether of the Force...was a touch exhausting. "This is but the beginning..." The non-threatening, enigmatic words failed to indicate whether Ashmedai was speaking with regard to Deneba, this sector, or something much larger.

 

[Salmakk]

Location: Bulwark Mk III Battlecruiser Nagato, Deneba
Objective: Aid civilian population
Allies: [member="Willam Forlon"]
Enemies: Ebola

Salmakk offered a brief half-bow to [member="Willam Forlon"] before the man began his talk with the Triumvirate commander. As the soldier talked, the mon calamari looked around the bridge, observing its various features. Part of him, the professional engineer, unconsciously began to assess the ship's design through its controls, station, and the bridge layout. But on a conscious level, his attention drifted to one of the vocally busier stations where an Ithorian, a silver bipedal droid, and a gray-haired woman conversed in frequently strained tones.

"With all due respect, I do not think that we are dealing with a hive virus outbreak," said the woman, placing her hands in the pockets of her lab coat, "I think we're dealing with something more intentional. Perhaps a variant of the Krytos virus...Consider what else is going on this world right now and the timing of the outbreak of this sickness. I don't think they happened together by pure coincidence."

The ithorian briefly lowered his T-shaped head, "Bioterrorism is a threat we have not seen in a long time. But this is unlike the Krytos virus biologically, is it not?"

"Laboratory is still running more tests on the blood samples," replied the droid, "we do not have a full genome of the virus yet."

"How much longer, M43?"

"I would estimate it will be another half hour at the minimum for viral antigen test. It could take many more hours though depending on the complexity of the virus. My data-link shows that the accelerated viral culture test is expected to be complete in one hour."

"A waiting game," sighed the ithorian, "The people will get restless being cooped up, even if they are 'isolated' for alleged security reasons."

"Not being cooped up doesn't mean anything if they die," said the woman, "though if the bioscan triage is successful, those with the fewest or no symptoms could be released to other parts of the ship like the lounges or cafeteria after we do confirmation antibody screening to make sure that they are no infected."

"M43," said the ithorian, "how are initial treatments fairing so far?"

"Bactade and kolto applied to the three dozen critical test subjects has appeared to be effective in treating symptoms, but does not appear to have treated the disease itself. All other critical patients placed in our suspended animation appear to be stable. Nearly all other patients appear to symptomatically respond to basic treatments administered thus far."

"But they're not cured."

"Correct."

"So we need to buy time for our patients so that the virus to be properly identified in order find a proper anti-virus for it..."

"Correct."

Salmakk cleared his throat, "Perhaps I may be of assistance to you. My name is Salmakk, I am an engineer from Lucerne Labs..."

 

[Matsu Xiangu]

LOCATION: Thokosi System - Shador
OBJECTIVE: Super top secret assassin recruitment.
ALLIES: [member="Cerita Sarova"] | all dark side bros
ENEMIES: none...yet… | [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

She’d been comfortable with silence before it had been foisted upon her, and now without the choice to fill the void with any meaningful sound it was almost exactly like home.

The journey down to the planet’s surface had been quiet and she was reminded of that strange physical sensation that came with trying to find words to put out in to silent space. They had all collected behind her teeth, pushing against her lips to escape and find something to talk about to pass the time. The air was full with that want for sound and she imagined Cerita might have been wondering what most did nowadays - was it weird to just talk out loud to a woman without a mouth? Would Matsu be able to respond, or would they feel a fool saying something out loud as the Sith lady just stared at them blankly? Some tried and still more did not. The two women in the ship had been hastily thrown together to see out this plan, Matsu’s interest in the Triumvirate’s scientific pursuits making the pair an obvious choice. But little had been exchanged beyond a few words and a nod, none of the former from Matsu.

And now they sat, guests of a group with whom they sought to form some sort of alliance, waiting in still more silence.

To pass the time, Matsu took to staring at the woman, one of her legs swaying softly in its position crossed over the other. Resting her chin on her hand, she tried to place the Vinithi. She seemed oddly familiar.

 

[Cathbodua]

Location: Shador
Allies: Republic Fleet and Locals
Enemies: [member="Matsu Xiangu"]
Objective: Continue to work with locals to protect medical stations

Klaxon's came,with the attacks near Deneba the fleet here protecting the medical ships that were being used to protect and treat the ones who had been evaced from the world by the Republic were being brought in. The jedi kknight stood tall and ready for what was there with a small look on her face under the mask. She adjusted the proto-mesh giving a small look on her face. "Mysterious ships are descending to the planet, we have the locals on the communications network for you." Cathbodua moved as she stood there and looking at the locals who she had worked with to pay for their help in protecting the medical fleet and the evaced exclusively. A smart thing to do this close to assassin's and looked like they might have a chance to protect them for more then enough credits thanks to the backing of the Republic and Sasori. "You seem to be getting some company. We will be intercepting the ship and if they prove to be hostile we have the contract with you for protection and support. Your reputaton is based on fulfilling such a contract. It would ruin your reputation to go back on it."

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

Location: Thokosi system - Shador
Objective: Fight the Zombie Queen
Allies: The Dark Side
Enemies: Got a 1x1 date with my best buddy [member="Matsu Xiangu"].
In the area: [member="Cerita Sarova"]


"You're sure it was her? Dead sure?"

Elpsis nodded and breathed in deeply, looking quite shaken after her disturbing vision. She gulped down her glass of water. "Yeah, dead sure. The queen is gonna be on the planet. Don't know what she's up to. I saw some masked figures...but that's it." Sweat dripped down her face and back.


"Whatever it is. It's something bad," Siobhan grunted. "You did good, kid. Now rest."


"Hey, where are you goin'? You're not gonna death charge right to Shardo?"


"That's exactly where I'm going. I know what I'm doing."


"Yeah, right. Didn't she feth with your mind and drive you totally nuts on Kaas? And then you got bitten by a zombie. You should at least take Tempest with you, Sio."


"I survived. And I also smashed her legs and wrecked her arms." So it was kind of a draw. Alas, it seemed Elpsis was fated to be the voice of reason. It was a very unusual role for her. Being the Cassandra was an unpleasant role. Siobhan held up her hand to stall further protests. "I'll be ok. Now rest, dear. I love you," she gave the clearly agitated teenager a hug.


That had been then. Time had passed, and Siobhan's ship had descended through the planet's atmosphere and landed. The journey to the planetoid's surface had been uneventful. One might call it the calm before the storm, as cliched as that phrase sounded. En route she'd received news of the conflagration that had engulfed Deneba, but it did not sway her from her course. She was not here to lend her aid to a crumbling Republic.


However, the peace and quiet, fleeting as it was, gave Siobhan time to focus and prepare herself for what was to come. It had been a long time since Kaas. She had not emerged unscathed from the fight. Likewise, Ruusan had taken its toll on her, but she was filled with determination. Above all, the Dark Side was her ally. Its energies flowed through her body as she made her way to what Elpsis' vision indicated should be Matsu's location.


Tip, tap, tip, tap, the sound of her cane on the ground created a rhythm of its own. The Countess was no longer a young woman. Years of fighting and battering ramming took a toll on her body, but the power of the Force still slithered and seethed around her like a serpent. She was clad in fully sealed beskar armour. Her new suit blended Mandalorian efficiency and practicality with a distinct Eldorai aesthetic and runes. It was heavy and bulky, but it also felt like being encased in a tank. Of course, it would offer no protection against the Zombie Queen's mental powers. Siobhan would have to rely on her own wits and mental defences to survive the onslaught that Matsu would no doubt unleash. Or be pulled into a pit of madness and oblivion.


A mini flamer was concealed in her right gauntlet, a shatterpistol in a hidden holster on her left hip. Her Mark One Bolter was at the ready in her grasp, whilst the newly purchased hard sound carbine rested on her right hip. Grenades and her rarely used lightsabre completed the arsenal. Her approach was neither stealthy nor subtle. The local cult of assassins soon took notice.

 

[Jairus Starvald]

LOCATION: Shador
OBJECTIVE: Alliance Recruitment Drive
ALLIES: [member="Matsu Xiangu"] | [ST]
ENEMIES: [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

Many lived on the world of Shador.

Many a species, but all called themselves Shadorian for the simple reason that their existence had an unifying quantity: all were practitioners of the art of blood. For an outsider it was difficult, nigh on impossible to clearly describe the fabric of their society, but as far as Ceri could recognize they were spread into guilds.

Many guilds, thousands of them and all scattered across the world. Many took on contracts, staying only very briefly on their own world and hunting their targets outside the familiar scenery, and yet… yet the guilds could never be considered amicable in their co-habitation, if anything it was the contrary.

Frequently there were fights, wars and vendettas being executed until the dead of night. Many guilds had been burned to the ground simply because of a look, a word misspoken or an insult uttered in the not-quite-secret.

But there wasn’t anything like an enemy from the outside to unify and settle past grievances for a later date.

The Republic: broken, divided, often bullied by the nations surrounding it and utterly bankrupt in both the monetary and morally department. It had showed up on Deneba, a minor fleet was floating above Shador itself, its forces trying to pacify a shadowy people who slinked away instead of fighting head-on. Medical facilities, but why here? Why on a world of acid and poison, surrounded by assassins?

These were the questions posed and no suitable answers came back, but that was where the Triumvirate came in.

They were law.
They provided stability.
They represented order without the undue burden of moral qualms.

Xiangu - Triumvir and Sith Lord, joined with Cerbera - scientist and alchemist . They were waiting, awkward silence hanging heavily around them, while the various representatives of the Shadorian people would arrive.

After a moment Ceri noticed Matsu looking… staring and she looked back. No fear, curiosity, but a mentalist as accomplished as this one would have felt her uncertainty regardless, no matter how much it was wiped away from her features.

"You know, I was on ‘Kaas." The words came before she could stop herself. "It was a… fascinating situation to be in."