Operation: Reclamation Swarm [Iron Empire Dominion of Ornfra Hex]

[Kaili Talith]

Head nodded at Theodor. There was no denying that she needed a leg up to where she needed to go and there was also no denying that it wasn’t a very conventional way of reaching higher grounds, but they were grounds that needed to be reached. Arms, legs and hands spraddled as Kaili jumped up and down for a few seconds to ready herself.

“Uh huh.” She bobbed her head up and down once more. Shoulders twisted side to side to pop them, legs curled up and down to loosen them a bit. Fingers swept at the cloak on her back to untie it and let it drop to the floor before she continued her warm up.

“You worry too much.”

It was all she said before she set off into a sprint towards the man while making sure her eyes were set on his hands for the boost up into the air. She leaped for the man’s grip and he would proceed to thrust her high into the air, far higher than she had anticipated from him at that. Control was lost again. Arms weaved, body spun and made the struggle to regain control somewhat something of a problem, but she managed. A single hand latched on with all her might to a spike that was poking out of the pillar. She now dangled above the ground, half-amazed her plan even worked and half-worried for her life. On one hand it had worked, but now came the part she had kind of avoided…

How the hell would she get down from here?

A hand extended towards the crystal that called to her. A small crack called out with a slight echo around the room and Kaili was plenty sure it was because she had just pulled a freaking crystal from a rock as if it was nothing, but had she looked up she’d see the crack forming in the very same crystal keeping her from falling down to the ground.

“I got it!” Kaili shouted down to Theo with a laugh as she held it out before her. “I actually-” Another crack. She shut up, and fast. Eyes set on the crystal keeping her up in the air. “Oh that’s not good.”

A final crack.

A fall.

“CATCH ME, CATCH ME, CATCH ME!!”

​

[member="Théodred Heavenshield"]​

[20]​

 

[Klesta]

Location: Schesa
Objective: BYOO (open another magazine and ergonomic assessment office)
Post: 7/37

"It's going to be a few busy weeks ahead, so I'd rather get to the heart of the matter quickly when it comes to talent management"

"I concur" the consultant told Klesta.

The consultant was useful to Klesta to a certain extent and he was grateful for it. But the consultant was just that: a consultant that would be called upon to hire the HR staff. He wasted no time getting the HR staff postings done, with himself and Klesta as stopgaps until these could be finalized. Hopefully the HR staff could take it from there, with the head of talent acquisition being a priority position. Meanwhile, Klesta began combing through the commercial realty listings, hoping to find some building that is large enough to house printing presses as well as administrative offices for both the ergonomic assessment portion and the newsroom (whatever that meant in the context of a magazine that specializes in workplace health and safety). Also, each and every ergonomic assessor will need to have at least a working knowledge of workplace health and safety, as well as be placed under a manager that understands workplace health and safety and that has experience working in that field, albeit not necessarily in a managerial capacity.

 

[Théodred Heavenshield]

Ilum - Ilum Caves Chamber


Expect the unexpected


[member="Kaili Talith"]

Objective 3 & 4.

[19]

Her plan had actually worked! and Theo would not be a red blooded man if he did not stand below looking up enjoying the view. From under the pillar, with hands on hips, all he could see was Kaili's butt so it wasn't really his fault. Gotta give credit where credit is due, she has a nice one. Jedi aren't monks anymore, at least those that had served under the Silvers which he had of course. "Don't mind me, just enjoying the view". He yelled up to help the situation with a silly grin on his face.

The initial sound of the first crack caused his mirth to vanish and brows to pull inward with concern. He was most pleased when she declared success and retrieved her crystal, "Well done!", he shouted with laughter as well and even moved back to allow her to jump back down. But only moments later time seemed to freeze, the next cracking in the pillar of ice foretold of ill event "Kaili! .. ", she was falling.

Most Jedi would raise their arms and catch her through the force, well his arms did raise but .. where is the fun it that? Theo took little time in covering the ground required to be directly under her, planted his feet firmly and braced for impact. His judgement was on the mark and Kaili fell into his arms, his legs and knees bent on impact to soften the landing and take momentum out of the fall.

"Gotcha", he said standing straight once more with Kaili sprawled cradled in his arms. "You alright?", he asked still holding her and in no hurry to put her down but a grin met her face mostly out of delight but also he was genuinely happy for her to have gathered her crystal.

"Lets get out of here before we end up destroying the place or it destroying us". Still he had not put her down after all it is not everyday that women, pretty ones, fall from the sky into your arms.

 

[Klesta]

Location: Schesa
Objective: BYOO (open another magazine and ergonomic assessment office)
Post: 8/37

But clearly he was distracted by the talent needs. For those familiar with HR, talent management was only one branch, and payroll was another; they were the main ones that are visible to the general public. However, Klesta decided that payroll management would be one of the accountants' responsibility. So there were three or four accountants in the finances team: one for payroll and other accounts payable, another one for accounts receivable, the comptroller to whom the other accountants answer to, to name the ones he has to fill most urgently. Klesta began to sift through the résumés of the people who applied for the chief talent officer position. He realized that many of those résumés were sent by, and possibly through, some people that didn't pay attention to the job requirements, and it was clear to them that some of them were just sending out résumés to fill out a quota or some such thing. Nevertheless they may be considered for other positions as they are being considered.

"Now that's one pile of résumés that I'd rather consider for other ends, other lower-level positions, or perhaps just entry-level even"

"Just go back to perusing the commercial realty listings..." the talent management consultant told the Jawa.

 

[Caelag Vass]

• Location: Sharb
• Objective 2: Investigate mysterious disappearances
• Objective 4: Prove worth to the Iron Empire Army
• Post: 6

Stay calm, stay calm. Caelag was breathing slowly, holding her head as she caught herself up. Slow, breathe. Breathe. She had to focus, she still had a job to do, and she would do it right. She took a deep breath, and slowly straightened herself up. She was focused, she could think clearly now. She started turning to her rifle, which lay on the ground, before she paused. If she had eyes, she would be narrowing them as she paid close attention to her surroundings. A soft crunch... gentle whispers of the air in the forest. She felt.. off. Something wasn't quite right. She slowly reached back, wrapping her fingers around the body of her X-52, as she felt something approaching.

Something dark and violent.

Whether it was another Chiss, broken by drugs or who knows what to create one of those things, or something else entirely, she couldn't tell or care. She spun to face the sensation, drawing and leveling the lengthy, heavy weapon and quickly taking aim. So many trees... she squeezed the trigger, and a myriad of sensations would reach out, both to her, and [member="Kiran Arlos"] and [member="Talos Rygat"]. The distinct scream of the X-52, the smell of ozone, the crash and splintering of wood as the bolt hit the trees.

As expected the first shot hit a tree, not whatever was rapidly approaching her. She brought the weapon back down, its recoil throwing the weapon up violently with each pull of the trigger. She squeezed it again, and again, four shots evenly paced, expertly placed, aiming for the thing's leg. Yet each shot missed, striking a tree or the ground. Whatever was coming for her was swift of foot... The soldier began to backpedal as she tried to aim another shot.

 

[Klesta]

Location: Schesa
Objective: BYOO (open another magazine and ergonomic assessment office)

With commercial realty, such as leases on buildings, Klesta would rather have an option to purchase it after X years have elapsed or if the landlord goes under, whichever occurs first. If such options were available, he would probably stomach a lease over outright buying property. He needed enough space in an industrial park to house a few offset presses, a building that is part warehouse at a minimum was a must for what he planned on doing. He could always had additional office space built above the warehouse's administrative offices, so as to house the newsroom and the health and safety inspectors doing the ergonomic assessments. That was quick, he found a building that the owner was willing to part ways with for the rather whimsical sum of 1,000 credits, probably a foreclosure or something. And it was easy to get in touch with the owner regarding the property. Too easy even. In no time at all he found himself with a landing from where he could go around his busimess on Schesa.

 

[Krayzen Dratos]

Location: Schesa
Post;7/15

A knock could be heard in the Anzat's office, as he was discussing something with Onfra's Finance Minister.

"Come in."


"Apologies sir, one of the builders requires your attention on something important."


The Anzat knew that he couldn't pay attention to what he was working on at the very moment, as well as the construction of the fortress. There was only one solution.


"I'm putting you in charge of the construction of the fortress, as well as the inspection that I was carrying out."


The man was surprised, but he immediately went on to work.


"Now, as we were discussing about the shipyard, I believe it will serve as a beneficial project for your people, not only in jobs, but because Drakos Systems, and all its subsidiaries have an established, and well documented policy of always hiring the local people. With the backing of the Iron Empire, we will also work to train them in such a complex project, as well as the construction of ships."


Meanwhile

"The General has temporarily put me in charge of the construction of the fortress. I will be conducting the inspection." Michael stated.

He immediately returned to the General's previous location.

"What automated systems do we currently have?"

 

[Talos Rygat]

Sharb
"The Case of the Disappearing Villagers"

~Back In the Village~

As the Archons and a contingent of Lieutenant Vass' men scowered the village for signs of the vanished Chief Elder and the other Elder lead the team to Council Chambers. Footprints/dragged steps, that showed signs of a hurried pace from someone who is not as youthful as they believed, gave evidence to the investigators that the Chief Elder had come this way. [member="Arisa Yune"], [member="Jerit Kolomor"], [member="Valae Kitra"], [member="Valkren Calderon"], and [member="Vitha Sat-thuron"]; if they chose to investigate the area, would start to hear guttural sounds echoing throughout the village. Worried citizens began to scatter to their homes, creating a minor sense of panic amongst those left behind. If something was not done to wrangle the villagers, there would be a massive spread of panic, surely making the now edgey situation much worse...

_________________________________________-

~In the Forest~

Near [member="Caelag Vass"], the rustling of the underbrush would shift after her shots, moving left and right at the same time. She would easily be able to deduce, whatever was out there, there was more than one. As the rustling moved, those same growls she'd heard back at the woman's hut, would grow louder. She would be nearly surrounded, two, no three, more? How many of those Ferral Chiss had chosen her as their next target?

Beyond the encircled Miraluka, Talos and his new companion, a young Private of the Legionnaires, would tie the feral Chiss up with vines and rope, like a hog ready for roasting. Using the Force, Talos strung the creature to a large flagpole with the villages sigil fluttering in the wind. Soon after, a feeling of fear and desperation would reach Talos.

Our ally may need assistance, Private, follow closely, I will leave you behind if I must.

Augmenting his speed, Talos dashed off into the woods, as he moved, he sent out an Echo, it would manifest above Caelag, appear like a tiny ghast of a skull.

Lieutenant Vass, We are on the way to your location. Hold out a little longer. The skull would whisper... Then as quickly as it had appeared, it was gone like a wisp of smoke.

How long could she hold out. With each moment, the creatures beyond her sight would inch ever closer...

 

[Kiran Arlos]

Location:Sharb
Objective:2
Secondary Objectiveon't screw up and don't die.
6

They did what was necessary with the creature before them and that was when Kiran heard the call through the force. While his training with the force was minimal, he could feel and hear that at the very least. [member="Talos Rygat"] instructed him as such and he disappeared before him, no doubt using the force to aid him. Kiran took off as quickly as he could, while the force did not enhance his movements, he was quite fast without it. Kiran knew Talos would arrived before he did, and that was good enough, definitely a greater asset to have at his side than Kiran was at the present time. The young man had already better than average military training. The force however seemed to be a greater weapon to have, or so he thought.

Pushing through area as quickly as he could, he hoped nothing happened to either of them. Hold on [member="Caelag Vass"] The young man thought, as he felt the vestiges of darkness creep upon him again as they did earlier the closer he seemed to get to her.

 

[Caelag Vass]

• Location: Sharb
• Objective 2: Investigate mysterious disappearances
• Objective 4: Prove worth to the Iron Empire Army
• Post: 7

Hold out longer, that's what the words from, she assumed [member="Talos Rygat"], were said? Well, she wasn't exactly planning on giving up anytime soon. NO the real threat was her clip, as another shot echoed through the forest. The seventh to be precise. And as Caelag spun the weapon to another target, squeezing the trigger, the eight shot would ring out. The clip for her weapon was very small, due to the power of the sniper rifle, and each squeeze was missing its targets, impacting wood and dirt with deadly force instead of taking someone's legs out. How many were there? She could hear plenty, sense them too. Three.. four... five maybe? This had been an epidemic of kidnappings, who's to say there weren't ten or twenty closing in on her?

Nine. She pulled the weapon up and planted her feet. She had to disable at least one, the closest, just long enough to prepare a new weapon. Where was the Wo3a? She desperately reached out, trying to find something, the target, the weapon. She took a breath, she had to think quickly. She had to be ready.

Ten. The clip ran dry as her mind brushed against her weapon, unintentionally coaxing it gently to tilt, ever so slightly. Knowing her beloved gun was empty, she dropped it, rolling in a dive for the blaster rifle. Fingers curled around the handle, her index finger brushing the trigger. Yes, this was what she needed. The tenth shot seemed to impact the ground just in front of one of the chiss as she rose with the more useful weapon in this situation. Armed once more, she had a chance. She made sure it was set to stun, before unloading a solid burst of the stun rounds into the chiss she tripped up with the rifle's shot, and turned to face the next closest.

She wasn't helpless. She wouldn't fail. She couldn't. If [member="Kiran Arlos"] could sense her negative feelings, her fears and doubts, the things she now fought to put to rest and prove her ability, he'd sense it growing rapidly. Round after round of stun bolts ripped into foliage, perhaps even chiss, as she did exactly what a soldier was supposed to. She had been ordered to hold out, and a soldier followed orders. She deffinately hit another chiss attempting to grab her as she elbowed him when he tried to grab her from behind, firing more stun rounds into him. Though she had perhaps a few minutes before either they got her overwhelmed or she ran out of shots, at the pace she was firing them off.

 

[Talos Rygat]

Sharb

Within the limits of the village, Chaos reigned as the cries of civilians and the Echoes of the creatures sent the people into a frantic race for safety. The Village guard tried to wrangle those they could into the Council Hall, it was large enough for them all to hide in until it was safe, this made it easier for the Archons and Vass' men to search for any signs of the Elders and maybe a sign as to the cause of the sudden outbreak.

______________________________


Leaping over a fallen tree, splintered by a high velocity round, Talos knew he was close. He was nearing where the concentration of Fear and unrest and primal savagery originated. He came up behind one such feral Chiss, a woman, mid-thirties, missing a sizable chunk from her waist. It would seem that Caelag's shots had found pay dirt. Sort of. Reaching out with the Force, he dove into the mind of the woman. As soon as he made contact with her subconscious, he was bombarded with fear, anger, Hunger... but these feelings were not the Chiss' own. There was another entity inside. A Dark presence that had a grip over her mind. Thrusting himself deeper into her subconscious, Talos felt for the roots of the corruption, feelings it's center, he ripped it out. The presence squirmed like a leech plucked from its host, searching for another. The magnitude of Talos' presence would obliterate the Darkness.

Upon withdrawing from the Chiss woman's mind, she collapsed into the foliage. Most likely she'd die from her wounds, but her mind was free. She muttered quietly under Talos, with just enough strength, he was able to make out her last words...

"No Elder, please! I don't wanna die. Let me go!" She repeated those words for a few moments until her breath expired, forever silent.

These weren't sick people, they were corrupted, shattered from within, Darkness had taken hold of their minds, he wasn't sure he'd be able to save them all. Turning to the center of a clearing, Talos witnessed Caelag's 'last stand' as she seemed prepared to fall, but not before she took as many creatures with her. Stepping into the clearing, Talos leveled his staff into the brush," Come with Us, We need to get the Jedi involved in this!"

Calling back, "Kiran, We are getting Caelag's out of here, you escort her, We'll cover you."

[member="Caelag Vass"] [member="Kiran Arlos"] [member="Arisa Yune"]

 

[Kiran Arlos]

Location:Sharb
Objective:2
Secondary Objectiveon't screw up and don't die.
7


The young man arrived as quickly as he could, and a pained look on his face showed when he saw [member="Caelag Vass"] fending off as many as she could, it looked as if it was something out of a tragic yet heroic story. It didn't take the young man a fraction of a second later to raise his rifle and pop off as many accurate shots as possible, to take the fight off of the soldier for as long as he could. Kiran moved up towards her among the cover fire that was placed before them.

Kiran ran up to her, as he fired more from his blaster rifle until he was right on her. "Your a damn soldier Caelag." The young man said as quickly and as easily as anyone could have said it. While Kiran was in some way moved by her actions, and while that was nice, the key was to escort her out of here. His words portraying a feel of pride amidst the chaos around them. "Let's go!"

[member="Talos Rygat"]