Reclaiming a Legacy (One Sith Dominion of Iridonia)

[Darth Ferus]

Ferus and Zarvik would begin instantly, one wielding a saber, the other a spear. None around them would interfere with the lethal dance, the pair seeming to be equals as they traded blows. There movements were a blur on the holonet, cameras barely able to keep up as the Sith Lord and Jedi Weaponmaster flew at one another with a flurry of blows, counters, and blocks. They both fed off one anothers strength, and pressed at each others weaknesses. It was a duel many wouldn't be able to follow, especially as it went on, but it was clear the two were evenly matched.

A short break would ensue, and the pair would breath evenly, eyes locked on one another. No words were spoken, there was no need for that, but for the next minute they would simply watch the other, neither wanting to act just yet. They both seemed to be planning.

 

[Darth Timoris]

Swoop gangs were swoop gangs the galaxy over. Puffed up womp rats that make a big noise and scatter at the first sign of resistance. Except most swoop gangs weren’t composed of Mandalorians.

As Melori disembarked her ship, she could see how a casual observer would see the dust and debris as signs that this area was derelict and abandoned. But the clear lane created for bikes to ride around was the first clue. The lack of vermin was another – someone was clearly keeping their numbers down.

And the faint aroma of swoop bike exhaust fumes was the clincher. And presence of swoop bikes meant races and of course criminal activities. And the latter meant some meek folk to prey on. In a sense she wanted to leave them to it – the weak deserved to die or serve – but she suspected the Jedi sympathisers were the exception to this rule and no doubt provided the only resistance to the Mandalorians.

Sensing a gathering, she picked up her pace and headed in their general direction. Sure enough she heard them before she saw them, as she turned a corner and came across something of a town square, where men in a variety of Mandalorian armour were parading up and down, women of a variety of species fawning over them and one figure – covered in what approximated to shiny new armour – sat on what could only be described as a throne, made out of swoop bike parts.

As she entered the square, all eyes turned to her. “Jedi ain’t welcome here,” one of the men called.

“Good,” Melori said, “I was hoping you were going to say that. Now – who’s up for giving me some directions?”

 

[Darth Veles]

The symbolic death of their beloved Jedi Master did not go unnoticed. First Zabraks started to react to the impending Sith invasion, usually by running away. Whether to hide and find safe shelter or to take up arms, the streets started to clear out, abandoned bags filled with groceries and suitcases guarding until recently very important documents, only the few fools too proud to get out of the battle zone remained, just a small portion of them visibly armed; be it a makeshift melee weapon in form of ordinary tools not usually used to attack others, or holdout melee blasters. The amphibian also noted several young men rushing to the gunstore across the street to gather themselves some weapons and ammo in hoped of fending off the invasion. Foolish; the civilian weaponry in civilian hands wouldn’t do much against the well-trained veterans of the One Sith, armed with the best equipment the Sith could offer. Didn’t the rebels realize their resistance would only make it easier for the One Sith to remove the bad apples from the start, silencing any opportunity for a large uprising once the dust settled? Their pride was about to be their undoing. On the other hand, they clearly showed they did not want to be invaded. Quite a change after so many who have willingly submitted to the rule of Sith.

Blue bolts of a blaster whizzed past Veles’ large head. The Mon Cal did not even flinch, coolly taking the curved lightsaber hilt into his webbed hand, his right suddenly moving up in an open palm to catch the first shot that would not miss and definitely deliver a fatal injury. The cybernetic hand took the blow, slightly lessened by the Sith Lord’s knowledge of Tutaminis that took in a bit of the destructive power of the blaster bolt. With a slick snap-hiss, a blade of crimson plasma sprang to life just as the first Zabrak, enraged by Agen Kolar’s destruction, charged at him. The horned man received a punch, the Mon Cal’s cybernetic fist sending him down to the ground where he remained lying, never to get up again. Two more met a similar fate before the Sith Lord advanced, long strides taking his closer to the gunner who now stood all alone. Batting away another shot, Veles flicked his wrist and brought the blade down upon the man’s weapon, cutting it in two. Smirking, he watched as the Zabrak’s legs trembled in expectation of the last blow.

Leaving him, the Sith Lord started to bend his signature in the Force to act as a beacon of darkness, beckoning any Jedi to come try to slay him. It wasn’t long until the first came; the Force warned Avreet of her arrival. A young Zabrak with tan skin and long black hair, dressed in traditional Jedi robes launched herself from the roof of the nearest structure, her orange blade pointed at the Mon Cal, marking his death upon her fall. The Sith Lord’s gaze shot up along with his free hand as he telekinetically grabbed the defenceless Jedi and simply tossed her into the wall, immediately violently yanking her body again and slamming the Jedi into the ground. The strong and stubborn woman tried to get up, but by that time the Sith Lord was upon her, his crimson blade almost touching her neck. The eyes of the Iridonian shifted around, searching for her lightsaber that was nowhere to be found. Locking her gaze filled with defiance with that of the Mon Cal, she hissed in frustration, but made no attempt to foolishly resist.

“Are you an Ataru user?” the Sith Lord asked, reaching out through the Force to see any other threats around. Nothing immediate, meaning he had some time to question this young Jedi’s fighting form. The woman, as expected, seemed somewhat confused by the question; not something one might expect upon capture. She had many traits of beauty on her face, it was unfortunate she had chosen the wrong side to fight for and the worst form to fight with.

The Zabrak hesitantly nodded without saying a word, the urge to resist within her eyes replaced by uncertainty and fear alike. She obviously had no idea where the Mon Cal was headed to in this little conversation, if he only played with her or if he had darker plans, typical for the Sith.

“You should have picked a better form, lady Jedi,” the Sith Lord informed his captive, “Please, do not resist. Surrender peacefully and I promise you will not be harmed. Once the battle is over, you will be released from captivity and free to return to your home. I understand you may have heard many stories about Sith treating their prisoners poorly, but I…” Avreet did not finish as a volley of blaster fire forced him to move his blade to intercept those. Naturally, the Jedi used this moment to attack, launching a powerful kick of her armoured boot towards the Sith Lord’s head. Only his thick skull saved the Mon Cal from a more serious injury as cold metal impacted his face and sent him backwards, immediately followed by more blaster bolts and telekinetic pushes meant to distract him. Such a shame.

None of the deflected blaster bolts was sent back, as Makashi focused on different aspects of lightsaber combat. A short bolt of lightning proved to be enough to temporarily distract the Jedi with stunning pain, leaving the Sith Lord free to focus solely on the soldiers. One lunge, several cuts and jabs, all fell to his lightsaber as the Jedi recovered. Veles saw the pain and fear in her eyes, yet she wanted to continue fighting. The stubborn witch. Negating all telekinetic strikes with his own, the amphibious Sith Lord slowly paced towards the desperate woman.

Another kick aimed at his head. Sidestepping to the left, Avreet let the woman’s foot land on his shoulder, his free arm wrapping around it and preventing the Zabrak from retracting it, removing the woman’s mobility. As the Mon Cal’s blade hummed through the air, the fear in her eyes could be seen clearly; the Jedi understood the mistake she had made. Letting go of the severed leg, the amphibious Sith Lord let the woman fall down, right next to the broken statue of Agen Kolar. Looking at the broken rock, then back at the woman, the Sith shook his large head.

“Forgive me, lady Jedi,” he said, plunging the crimson plasma into her head, robbing the woman of her beauty as all features burned away along with her face.

 

[Darth Timoris]

The gang did what gangs invariably do. First they looked to their leader and then they bunched together – safety in numbers it seemed.

The leader shook his head – clearly a signal of some sort and five men rushed Melori from the side. She lifted her hand and an invisible wave pushed at them and they ended up in the dust, their butts no doubt bruised – but probably not as much as their egos.

Melori knew this was a temporary reprieve. Knock five down and ten will replace them. And sooner or later they’ll put too many against her. She was an Acolyte after all. But then, there was no way she would flush out the sympathisers if they thought she could handle herself.

And sure enough, where the five now stood dejected and brushing down their leathers on one side, a dozen now stepped forward to her left – and this time they had weapons drawn.

“Stop right there.” The voice cam from behind her but she didn’t look back. She didn’t need to – she sensed them, and she heard the sound of weapons charging. “We’ll give her directions, OK?”

Melori looked up and saw the tell-tall red dots peppering the swoop-leader’s face. He nodded and the gang stepped back as one. Melori smiled and turned and saw a number of heads poking above the rubble, scopes and barrels pointing past her. One man stood tall wearing tattered Jedi robes but no saber. She headed towards him – so far, so good.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Objective: Establish Sith dominance, capture the capital city

The battle was pitched, but the defeat and capture of the Jedi Padawan had an affect on some of the Zabrak security forces. Some were fighting harder, even as they were pushed back and the dead mounted on their side, but some others were far more interesting. A few, not many, but a few had started to turn on their fellows, joining the Sith forces. It wasn't out of loyalty to the Sith, but Taeli had proven herself stronger than one of their commanders.

Two more Padawans tried to stop her, but they were equally unsuccessful and subdued, but not injured. She had no interest in killing Jedi that could be brought back and shown the error of their ways, especially since as a teacher, she could tell someone had been neglecting their training. Each Padawan had tried to be an overwhelming force, but they had fallen short. Taeli was sure reviving the Sith Marauders here on Iriodnia would be interesting. Regardless, her forces, even as they suffered high casualties, had pushed the Zabrak security forces back further and further. More civilians were under Sith-occupied parts of the city, and surprisingly, accepting Sith control quietly. The Sith were showing how strong they were, that they could protect the planet.

In orbit, the space battle had ended with the Sith flotilla having complete control of space. Only a few security force fighters had escaped and now Krayt Industries engineers and ships arrived to begin constructing a few shipyards and orbital defenses. It was no longer a matter of if the Sith took the planet . . . it was only a matter of when.

[member="Darth Venefica"] [member="Darth Ferus"] [member="Darth Veles"] [member="Melori Raaf"] [member="Nulgath Zardai"] [member="Tain Organa"]

 

[Darth Veles]

The few Zabrak attackers that attempted to surround the Sith Lord on the street suddenly stopped in track when the Jedi fell, their eyes staring at the corpse in both terror and acknowledgement as if they finally encountered a worthy opponent, one they could not beat, leaving them with only one option; submission. They had the Sith Lord outnumbered and outgunned, yet none dared to take another shot. Confusion and uncertainty passed among the men and women of Iridonia as they exchanged looks between themselves, then glanced at the Mon Calamari Sith again. He had just killed one of their strongest, a Jedi warrior who should have never been defeated. That, and the amphibian had desecrated the statue of their hero, their ancient protector. A Jedi, just like the faceless woman lying next to the broken statue. Two unmoving bodies with their heads destroyed. The Jedi and the statue of their idol were not supposed to fall, yet there they both lied, their ancient enemy standing over them, the crimson tongue of his lightsaber casually touching the pavement.

“You have witnessed what happens to those who reject the will of the One Sith and spit the Dark Lord’s offer back to his face,” the Mon Cal took his chance and spoke, his Imperial accented voice commanding and firm, demanding their attention. All eyes turned to the Sith Lord, all ears listened, be it out of fear or respect.

“But there is no need for any of you to sacrifice your lives for nothing. You can still throw away your weapons and return to your homes and families, embrace the light the One Sith offers. Become a valuable part of a strong body that will bring peace and order to the galaxy. Forever.” The Sith Lord smiled, a warm and welcoming expression that was in stark contrast he had just slain a Jedi. With the one radiating the Light Side dead at his feet, there was little to stop the Dark Side user from planting seeds of corruption into the minds of the Zabraks around, twisting their thoughts and beliefs through the Dark Side and influencing them to see his words as the greatest of truths. Sometimes all it took was a little push in the right direction.

"Remember what you have seen here. Tell your friends about it. Make them see the light as well."

Serve us

The first man dropped his blaster rifle, followed by a woman. More joined, and soon all Iridonians touched by the Sith Lord’s presence walked away, unarmed, their minds no longer thinking of the Sith as their enemies. A pity Veles still had more work to do; he would have loved to simply take a walk through the city and learn from the rich culture of the species inhabiting it. All in due time; more Jedi had to fall to his blades.

 

[Darth Timoris]

Melori knew that turning her back on the men was a risk - but it was one that she felt worth taking. The Jedi sympathisers she was walking towards didn't take their eyes off the swoop-gang and once she'd walked over the top of the rubble they'd taken cover behind she saw and felt a collective sigh of relief.

"Hi, I'm Sterling," said the one with the tattered robes that had done all of the talking before. Melori noted he didn't prefix his name with a rank, nor did he bow. But then he might just be a more progressive Jedi.

Melori bowed - as much as it pained her to do so, she did it. "Jedi Raaf," she responded, and wondered if any knew of her sister. Even if they did, sh could probably bluff her way through any questioning they had for her. When the man didn't bow back, she felt more sure he was not a Jedi himself.

"I'm the leader of this little group. To be honest, we were surprised to see you. This isn't the friendliest of places. Is your ship OK? I guess you're here because of the Sith invasion, yes? And...oh, sorry, I'm bombarding you aren't I? Sorry, we don't often get to meet a real Jedi."

Melori smiled thinly. "I'd prefer to talk somewhere a little more private, I guess you have somewhere local to go?"

The man nodded. "Our base is nearby, there aren't so many of us, but we stick together. Perhaps you can tell us all about how the Republic fares? And news of the Order too?"

Melori smiled again but waved away the man's questions. "All in good time, I'll tell you everything you need to know soon enough. Once we're inside and you have introduced me to everyone."

 

[Davin Jusik]

Objective One

Max crept silenty down an alleyway in the expansive capital, hugging an apartment building's wall as he did so. The sounds of blasterfire and the occasional explosion echoed throughout the city. Above craft of various function screeched over, forming a melancholy symphony.

It'd been a while.

Behind Max a group of younger men followed, all wearing the Imperial Standard. All well trained and highly motivated. Blind to what they would become if they survived long enough. It brought a cynical grin to his face as he pressed along the alleyway. His left hand rose to a fist as the alleyway turned into a circular dead end. In it's center sat another circle, the shape of a manhole cover. Their object was to ensure resistance fighters couldn't use this part of the city's network to escape, which four other teams were doing in four other sections simultaneously.

With one motion of Max's hand the troopers behind him executed. One moved to open it, another covered the hole, while the others (Max included) kept a watch.

The piece of durasteel took some prying with a crowbar before popping off.

"Clear."

The group moved forward.

 

[Darth Timoris]

Sterling led her in a convoluted dance, over a variety of debris, through passages that connected to abandoned buildings until they reached what must be an underground bunker. He tapped in a code and the door swung open. She allowed him to enter first and was pleased to see the remaining men all followed them in.

Inside it was..pungent. It was underground and therefore had no natural light or access to air. The dampness was palpable and so the various moulds that lined the walls gave off an unusual bouquet. She must have wrinkled her nose in disgust.

“Sorry about the smell, everyone comments on it. But don’t worry, you’ll get used to it.”

The thought horrified her, the less time she spent here the better. She was led to a large room, with cushions scattered on the floor and a variety of chairs dotted about.

“Can we get you a drink?”

Given the levels of hygiene, she declined politely. “Thanks but I’d rather get down to it, update you on all that’s going on.”

The men and two women all nodded and leaned forward from their sitting positions, clearly eager to hear news. “Is everyone here?” She noted one of the men that had accompanied her was missing.

“Just Jak not here. He’s on guard at the entrance.”

She figured that insisting he was here might cause alarm, so she decided to end these lives as quickly as she could, so she could reach him before he got too far – for he was bound to hear the struggle that would inevitably follow.

“Now,” she said, her arms folded, “Where to start?” Her eyes morphed from blue to yellow as she drank in the Force. Her saber was in her hand and it’s crimson glow lit up the dull room as it activated with a snap-hiss. “How about I admit I might have told a little white lie before?”

One hand stretched out and blue arcs of Fore Lightning erupted from her fingers as she moved to cut down the others with her blade. It lasted a matter of seconds. None were able to reach their blasters in time. But despite her speed, she heard the tell-tale ‘thunk’ of the entrance door closing as the remaining member escaped. She clipped her saber back on her belt and started to run back the way she’d come – eager to finish the job properly.

 

[Darth Veles]

Another Jedi met his fate at the pointy end of Veles’ lightsaber, his limp fall ending with a silent thud on the street, the only sound being the gasps of disbelief from the onlookers. Given the feeling of disappointment and terror Veles felt in the Force, he guessed most of them have expected the protagonist to win, as in all stories. Not everyone shared the sentiment of the majority though; among the negative sensations, the Sith Lord also picked feelings of satisfaction, even happiness, indicating some definitely wanted the One Sith to take over the planet, or at least purge all Jedi, the living icons of virtue. The thought caused the Mon Cal’s lips curl into a mischievous smirk for a second as he cast a disdainful look towards the fresh body. One black mark on the beige tunic. Such a small wound, yet so deadly. Had Veles jabbed a few centimetres to the right… But he had not. Playing with the Jedi wasn’t the point; Avreet could have easily disarmed the man, most likely a Padawan or a very green Knight. This display of power served fairly well to display the One Sith was not there to make compromises though, sending a strong message to the population that the invaders certainly did not dawdle with pacifying any resistance.

Taking a deep breath as if inhaling the Jedi’s rapidly fading presence and life, the Sith Lord grimaced as the stench of burnt flesh and tissue that filled the air. And the smoke; it was reminiscent of poorly ventilated restaurants full of smokers, but instead of tobacco, this smoke carried the putrid smell of death. Raising his gaze towards the civilians that surrounded the whole scene, unspoken threat that almost asked if anyone dared to fight the lost fight and join the dead Jedi within the large eyes of the Mon Cal, the gawkers quickly turned their sights towards everything but the Sith Lord right in front of them before starting to move, the crowd calmly disassembling. Veles’ wrist flicked and brought the crimson tool of death down once more, cutting through the lightsaber that has fallen from its owner’s hands as the man fingers lost the will to hold the silver cylinder. A flicker of sparks followed, a small flash of light as the crystal within shattered, and it was over.

There was still more to be done though. While the number of Jedi present of the planet drastically lowered as they either died or fled, their supporters, the Jedi lovers, still wished to continue fighting, show the Republic Iridonia did not want to accept the rule of Sith. A desperate call from a dying man to a cripple in a wheelchair, as if the latter could change the situation somehow, as if the former did not know his friend was soon to follow. A hiss came with Veles’ extinguished lightsaber and the Sith Lord spun on his heel, striding through the streets filled with motionless bodies, the sound of his elegant paces lost to the thundering battle that still raged within many parts of the city. Barking blaster rifles safely led him towards action, but that is not to say he disliked moments of peace. Quite the opposite; Darth Veles had learned to appreciate these moments with no shots whizzing past him, such as right now. Both eyes evaluated his surroundings, watching the walls of buildings as he studied their architecture, noting the advertisements proudly displayed in shops that were supposed to be full at this time, yet found themselves utterly deserted.

DISCOUNT!!!! ALL FOR 7.99!

 

[H3xle]

Objective 4: End Jedi Influence

Time passed swiftly when one was having fun. Tain had just slipped out of the home of her fifth victim of 'Jedi Brutality' when she started to hear the ruckus from along her path of mischief. The people of Iridonia's capital city were begining to notice that some of their most influential citizens were being killed by lightsaber strikes just after speaking to an envoy of the Jedi. She smiled to herself, the idea had originally been to have the council members of the city's ruling council be the targets, but orders from high above had nipped that idea. So instead Tain did more digging. She had found underworld crime bosses, labor union bosses, corporate shareholders and outspoken townspeople. She made most of the deaths those that wanted independence from the Jedi, they wouldn't have been of use to the Sith as they likely wouldn't want any rulers. Mixed in among the number were people on neutral ground and a few minor supporters of the Jedi.

Make it look like the Jedi are taking out rivals, stir up resentment against the Jedi and other objectives became so much easier. What became more difficult, however, was moving around in a Jedi robe. They would be looking for a young woman in Jedi robes, so she discarded them and put them in a trash receptacle along with the gauze covering she had used to obscure her face. Now she stood in her red leather outfit, one she planned to customize as she earned more and thought of things she needed. She made sure her varried weapons were secure and she ascended to the roofs of the cityscape by the simple expedient of climbing up between two closely built buildings.

She ran along rooftops, very much like some costumed crusader, and searched for her next target. This one got to be a lot more fun, she needed to find a Jedi on his or her patrol and wait. Soon enough, she found a Jedi patrolling as the young girl, likely a padawan, was accosted by a group of citizens. They were demanding to know why the Jedi were killing their people. As Tain had figured, the Jedi was dumbfounded and started denying anything to do with it.

Enter, Tain Organa.

Flashy wasn't her style, but she decided that a little bit here might go a long way. She leapt off the rooftop into a somersault. She spun twice before nearing the ground, and with a quick effort of will, she used the Force to slow her fall. She landed on one knee and one hand on the ground, looking up at the Jedi and smiling.

"I was approached by some citizens...little one. They told me the most horrifying story." She rose to her feet and crossed her arms across her chest. She smiled wickedly at the Jedi, who was looking uncertain. The citizens had fallen silent. "They told me that a Jedi envoy was travelling this quarter of the city and killing those who opposed your oppression. That simply won't do."

"That is absurd...I...we...we would never kill w-w-wantonly." Faced with the Sith Acolyte, the Padawan was losing her hold on the training. She took a step back.

"Iridonia is now under the protection of the One Sith. Your depravities are over." Tain took a long, languid step forward and let her arms fall to her sides, swinging lazily near the hilts of her sabers.

"Iridonia will never go to the One Sith, the Jedi Masters wouldn't allow..."

"Wouldn't allow...Since when have the Jedi so openly defiled the free will they so fervently say they defend?" She smiled wickedly and glanced at the saber hilt dangling from the young girls belt. "I can't let you continue to oppress...our people"

Talk over with, Tain slipped a knife from her waist and flung it at the Jedi. She wasn't very good at throwing them, but she got the reaction she was hoping for. The padawan lit her lightsaber, green light filling the darkened street as she cut the knife from the air. The padawan wasn't bad, she fell into her form like she was trained. However, Tain could see her knees trembling, her lightsaber shook and her eyes were so wide that the schlera nearly glowed. Tain saw the fear and remembered the exercise that her Master, Darth Valtryx, had been teaching her. She let her mind sink into her center and push the hatred and anger out from within her, suffusing the air around them with it. She practiced doing this many times each day, when not busy spreading mayhem. The look on the Jedi's face was priceless. Her fear response doubled, but then she stilled. She realized that Tain meant to kill her. That was when she attacked.

The Jedi padawan leapt forward, letting a yell of frustration out as she flew, lightsaber held high overhead for an overhead chop. Tain rolled forward and spun as she came up behind where the padawan landed. The padawan kicked out behind her, unexpectedly catching Tain in the midsection and sending her tumbling backwards. Tain rolled a few more times and rose, raising her hands to grab the wrists of the padawan, who was again trying the overhand slice.

Tain lifted her right knee, slamming it into the padawan's gut, then rolled backwards. She planted her feet in the midsection of the padawan and pushed, using some Force behind it to send her tumbling back behind Tain. Tain rolled with it and came up, spun to face the padawan. The padawan was right there, hacking and slashing wildly, the irises of her eyes nearly gone in the panic that had overtaken her. Tain, hands deceptively clear of any visible weapon, dipped, ducked and dodged around, letting the lightsaber pass her by at mere inches sometimes. She let the fight go on like that for a few more moments as she assessed the padawans technique.

'Every fifth stroke is a chop from the right at chest level.' she thought to herself, almost feeling detached from the fight, 'If I step into her right, I should be able to...'

Time for thought was over, the fifth stroke came and Tain lunged into the strike, spinning so her shoulder got behind the hilt of the saber. For a moment she was the padawans little spoon, until she reached back suddenly with her elbow, smashing her nose, then kicking her knee sideways and leaping into a backward somersault over the padawan as she fell. Tain landed neatly behind her, made her hidden blade appear from her gauntlet and slipped it into the nerve cluster behind the young girls ear. The padawan went rigid for a moment, then fell limply to the ground.

Tain wiped the blood off of the blade, then rehid it as the citizens came closer. She grabbed the padawan's lightsaber and hooked it to her belt. She looked up as the citizens stopped a couple of meters away.

"I've never said I was nice, but I won't lie to you. The One Sith are taking Iridonia. We won't pretend to 'Guide You' with vaunted ideals that we don't live by. We will tell you what is going to happen, and that is that." Not one for speech making, Tain turned around and began to walk away.

"Lady Sith!" An older Zabrak man shouted after her. Tain tensed, ready to defend herself. "Thank you." He said as he motioned to the dead padawan.

She smiled wickedly as she turned away again and sauntered into the shadows.

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Location: En route to Iridonia
Objective: Understand a few things
Theme: I won’t cry for yesterday


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_F4HqAeBbw


‘What has happened to it all?
Crazy, some are saying
Where is the life I recognise?
Gone away.

But I won’t cry for yesterday
There’s an ordinary world
Somewhere I have to find
And as I try to make my way
To the ordinary world
I will learn to survive.’

Iridonia. Birthplace of Darth Maul and until a matter of days ago, of no more consequence to Corvus than that. But since then, two things had happened.

Firstly the One Sith had invaded. But then they’d invaded a lot of planets and the Republic did not have the necessary resources to combat their occupation.

Secondly, Corvus had attended the funeral of her good friend Nyx. And in a moment of quiet reflection – as she’d shunned company during the service – that old thing called Farseeing had affected her. The Holocrons say it is common when a Jedi is so focused on the here and now that they get a vision. But Corvus had two. Neither could be truly labelled visions it had to be said. She got glimpses – no more. The first was of her sister – and she was dressed like a Jedi. In fact she looked much like Corvus, only the blonde hair sticking out from the hood differentiated her. And she was on a planet that gave enough clues as to its name.

The other image was of a Sith. Someone she recognised. It was the one that killed Nyx. She saw her standing atop rubble. Was she there to kill Melori? Maybe? The woman seemed more powerful than the time they met. She didn’t know how she knew or why she felt it – but she did.

So, with no aspirations she would save the planet but every expectation she would find answers, Corvus entered the atmosphere of the planet. She headed to Wortan – a major city built on the Aro River – that offered Ferronconcrete buildings and a natural canyon wall that housed a series of natural and artificial tunnels – many of which were connected to the exterior buildings by bridges. In particular she was aiming for Banol’s Maze – a labyrinth of collapsed tunnels and destroyed stores that survived the Mandalorian Wars and was primarily inhabited by criminals, swoop gangs and Jedi sympathisers. This is where she sensed both figures were.

So she followed the flow of the river Aro to navigate the Aro-voa canyon. She knew the city was at a much wider spot and as she approached it she realised it was in fact very wide here - maybe two kilometres across.

The city was effectively in three parts. The most visible were the new Ferronconcrete buildings - but these were in the centre of the city and only numbered a few blocks and were adjacent to the south wall of the canyon. The largest inhabited part of the city was built into the canyon itself - but neither of these was of concern to her. So she landed close to the part of the city that appeared to be little more than rubble.

Glancing out of the cockpit, she wondered if she were on a fool’s errand. She could not feel her sister’s presence at all and wondered if she should simply take-off and leave. But there was something holding her here. She’d had to deal with a lot of personal issues lately and had to remember she was a Jedi. She was a guardian of peace in the galaxy. This could never be a personal mission – she wasn’t here for Melori, or Nyx or even herself. She was here for anyone…for everyone.

‘Every one
Is my world, I will learn to survive
Any one
Is my world, I will learn to survive
Any one
Is my world
Every one
Is my world.’

[member="Vrag"]

[ooc - this is purely a 1:1 thing - thanks]​

 

[Vrag]

[1/20]​

Objective: Duel [member="Corvus Raaf"]​

Location: Wortan – South of Aro river​

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0G9ubauVow​

As Hand of the Dark Lord, no planetary dominion was complete without her presence. Naturally, some were more important than others, and those received more attention in turn, but eventually the woman set foot on every world that needed taking. She would pry it out of their hands, then, indiscriminate in her methods and means as she pursued a goal delightfully simple in nature. That was the beauty of freedom afforded to her by the power she wielded; it was hers, it was deserved and it was earned. Nobody in the whole wide Galaxy could come and claim she hadn't worked to get where she was now, and worked hard. Blood and sweat and tears — just don't tell anyone — had all been shed in the endless strife of life, but one could claim that Vrag had bled like any other mortal to achieve what she wanted.

And while that might hold some grain of truth to it, the firrerreo would gladly prove just how wrong they were both with word and sword.

She was on Iridonia doing just that, reminding the inhabitants of the planet how the rules of the Universe worked. Despite the many delusions and lies people liked to tell themselves to make it all easier to bear, such notions were quickly stripped away when truth came knocking on your door with orbital strikes. The iridonians, a proud warrior culture, would never give up without a fight, and a fight was exactly what the One Sith would give them. Oh, would they ever.

By the time the Hand arrived planetside said battle was already well underway, troops and Vong dishing out damage wherever they spread. From above, the landscape looked like it was being consumed by a wave of incessant black ants, swarming cities from all sides as the defenders tried and failed to hold their own against the war machine.

Wortan.

Didn't look like much as it lay there in the basin, half-ruined from conflict far older than the One Sith. They had just come to finish the job and turn the rest into rubble, it seemed, and Vrag couldn't say she cared. At this point, it would probably cost more to rebuild and restore the old as opposed to razing the town and starting from scratch. Then again, what did she know about making things? She was a creature that reveled in destruction, in the delicious, satisfying disassembly of all that would crawl the Galaxy. She liked peeling back the layers until she saw what things and men were really made of, until her fingers were steeped in that which made them breath and move and tick.

Woe unto those who crossed her path when the Hand of the Dark Lord strode among the demolished buildings of the ghost-town, their empty skeletons reflected on the seemingly calm surface of the river. If she tuned out the sounds of war in the distance, the woman could almost pretend she'd come to visit the graves of the fallen from some unknown age. But Vrag couldn't, of course, for she was war, insofar as any living creature could be the embodiment of a concept.

Chitinous boots ground the gravel beneath her feet as the woman reached the crumbling bank of Aro, coming to a slow stop as she gazed at her reflection in the flowing mirror. The skull gazed back with its dead red fire, and the woman allowed herself a wry smile as she raised her gaze from the muddied waters.

'Twas truly better to be a commander than a common man.

 

[Iroatas]

Objective 3: Fortify and build military presence.

Malphas stood at the window of the transport ship as it descended to the planet below. He heard one of multiple chief constructors approaching, and he awaited for him to speak.

"My Lord, there is an ideal location for the construction of a Sith Fortress." There was a pause, as if he were waiting for recognition, but alas, he received none as Acarus continued to look out the viewport as they descended through the atmosphere. Will there ever come a day when they just spit it all out, or must I wait? "It's located between two mountain ranges. There are other locations as we-"

"It'll do."

Acarus brushed past him, and brought a comlink up to his mouth and said, "Norduin, send the ships to a canyon at the location I am sending to you. Tell me when it's started. I'll be establishing a perimeter."

He rolled his shoulders back and looked through the viewport one last time as he saw the canyons start taking form.

Yes, it was time to press onwards.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Objective: Establish Sith dominance, worry about a new arrival

Taeli sighed as she took a small break from the fighting, listening to reports from other sites of the battle. The advance was going well so far, many of the cities on the world were now under attack and being taken. Still . . . something just didn't seem right to Taeli about everything. Maybe it was she was tired, maybe it was the fact that some Sith had taken it upon themselves to wipe out the traces of the Jedi on the world. Yes, she had given that as an objective if parts of the Inquisition wanted to help with taking the world, but she didn't personally agree with it.

Destroying history and knowledge, ugh, and then . . . something twinged in the Force. Something all too familiar to her, and elicited both happiness and shock in her. Corvus was on the planet, what the bloody hell was she doing here?!

'Corvus! What are you doing here?!' she sent through her Force Bond with her sister. She didn't want to deploy any forces against her sister, none whatsoever. She might be leading the operation to take the world, but she certainly wasn't trying to be overly destructive with the troops under her command. There was a reason she had ordered no civilian deaths were allowed.

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Location: Wortan
Objective: Not revenge…definitely not revenge
Theme: I’m on another planet with you

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvO7HNQPFRI

‘I always flirt with death
I could kill, but I don’t care about it
I can face your threats
Stand up tall and scream and shout about it.

You always get under my skin
I don’t find it irritating
You always play to win
I don’t need rehabilitating.

I think I'm on another world with you, with you
I'm on another planet with you, with you.’

Rubble and a lot of it. Corvus moved forwards, to where she didn’t know but she knew she had to keep moving. And then she felt it. A presence she hadn’t felt since…Cularin.

Jedi don’t believe in revenge. Or fate. But someone, somewhere must have planned this surely?

And then she heard her. Chitinous boots grinding the gravel beneath her feet. She was near to the river. So Corvus scanned the immediate area and walked quickly to the top of the highest pile of what was once a city, positioning herself so the sun was behind her and she was afforded the best view. And of course she had the higher ground. She was also a handy target as she’d been at the Enclave, but this encounter would not be resolved from afar. No, this time they would get up close and personal.

And the vision was half correct. Melori had long gone, Corvus could sense that. But this Sith was indeed more powerful than she’d been on Cularin. Corvus blocked all thoughts of Nyx out of her mind now. This was about a Sith and a Jedi. No more and no less. Light versus Dark. She needed no distractions.

'Corvus! What are you doing here?!'

How she hadn’t sensed Taeli when she was searching for Melori was anyone’s guess. Too focused perhaps?

‘Don’t worry, I’m not sticking around. I have someone I need to see and then I’ll be gone. At least, that’s the plan.’

Corvus closed her eyes and smiled. It was a passionless expression, born from habit more than anything else. She opened her eyes again. Once upon a time she felt destined to be a librarian at the Academy. Today? If she was honest with herself, she’d missed this. This was being a Jedi at the cutting edge. Today was a good day.

[member="Darth Arcanix"] | [member="Vrag"]

 

[Vrag]

[2/20]
Objective: Duel [member="Corvus Raaf"]
Location: Wortan – South of Aro river​

​

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvEdljiAqe0​

​

​

Her fingers coiled and uncoiled at her side as her gaze traveled the length of the crumbling canyon. It was a pocket of this world that history had forgotten, a buried graveyard whose fallen would never be remembered. Rust and blood and soil mixed among the ferroconcrete, an earthly pallete of colors that were all familiar to the woman. It was just another sign of time, another mark on these forgotten ruins that would stand for Force knows how long. The wheel would turn, always, and those who would do its work would come and go as minutes and days and years trickled by like droplets of molten gold.

Some fall faster, some are made of steel,
Some know no God or Master,
but all of them are made to kill.​

​

​

Her red eyes left the skeletons of a bygone era to rot in peace, turning them instead to the figure that stood backlit by the setting sun atop a fallen behemoth of a skyscraper. The rays of light filtered down around the person like a halo, making it hard to see who they were. Was it intentional or merely a coincidence?

The firrerreo reached out with whatever Force she could, tiny tendrils that would ghost against the aura of the newcomer. It was a tentative touch, but even that revealed a light so powerful it could rival the sun in the sky. Vrag narrowed her eyes behind the skull mask coveirng upon her head, and slowly she turned her whole body to face the silhouette.

"There is nothing for you here," she called out, her voice cold but level. "Only death."

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Objective: Establish Sith dominance and worry
Location: Capital City of Iridonia

'Just . . . be careful, Corvy,' she sent through their bond, worry filling her up at what she could possibly be doing in the middle of a warzone, and who would warrant seeing in such a place. She would said more to her sister, but several blaster bolts pinged off where she was taking cover, reminding her she was in the middle of engaging in a battle.

"All forces, I'm going to reiterate that no civilian deaths are permitted. If a civilian is killed, I will personally see to it you'll be tossed into the brig and tried for a war crime," she said over the comlink to all Sith forces on the planet. Sighing a bit, and full of worry now, she knew she had a job to do, but the fire in her heart to keep going had extinguished itself . . . but she had to.

Deciding to deal with the immediate enemy then switch to an overarching role of coordinating the continued advance, she lashed out with several powerful Force Pushes at enemy positions. They would be enough to disrupt them and would allow her forces to mop up the resistance.

[member="Corvus Raaf"]

 

[Corvus Raaf]

Location: King of the hill
Objective: Do what a Jedi’s gotta do
Theme: So maybe tomorrow, I’ll find my way home

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2q9_ZEtuTR8

‘I've been down and
I'm wondering why
These little black clouds
Keep walking around
With me
With me.

I look around at a beautiful life
Been the upperside of down
Been the inside of out
But we breathe
We breathe

So maybe tomorrow
I'll find my way home
So maybe tomorrow
I'll find my way home.’

Corvus stood and waited. Ever the counter-puncher, perhaps it was her Jedi upbringing – or just a desire to never strike the first blow. That’s what the Code said didn’t it? Conquer Recklessness? It is not necessary to strike the first blow. It is vital to strike the last blow.
Words they teach Padawans – and for good reason. But they were, after all just words. Standing here, facing a Sith Lord covered in some fancy armour whilst you stood there in nothing more than a few layers of cloth? Would words save her? Or defend her? Or help defeat the Sith?

No, but then that was never the point. She was a Jedi, first, foremost and only. If she chose to ignore the Code, she’d cease to be what she’d spent over two decades becoming. But sometimes – just sometimes – it would be good to resolve these matters without using a saber. A discussion and an agreement. At least there were no innocents to protect here. No buildings to save. It was just the two of them.

“There is nothing for you here. Only death.”

Some days you were up for witty one-liners. There was the one from Obi-Wan about fancy armour that was tailor-made. But…no. A moment ago she was ready for the fight. Now she was suddenly weary. She just wanted it to be over, to indeed find her way home. She closed her emotions down, the durasteel ‘wall’ the natural empath had constructed aged four now in place.

“Walk away and I shall not chase you down. Surrender to me and I’ll promise you a fair trial.” The words were standard but they weren’t spoken with their usual sincerity. Of course a fair trial was a given but walk away? No, Corvus did not want that. This creature before her was evil and the weak and defenceless must be protected from her and her kind. She closed her eyes, aware she must focus if she were to survive this encounter. ‘There is no emotion, there is peace.’

She opened her eyes and allowed her cloak to fall to the floor…

[member="Vrag"]

 

[Vrag]

Post count: [3/20]
Objective: Duel [member="Corvus Raaf"]​

​

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQxjgT2g8xk​

In a hypothetical scenario, where the world wasn't swarming with Sith and where the skies weren't blackened by their fleets, Vrag might have given serious consideration to the words that came forth from the unknown intruder. There was a truth to them, and she knew, objectively, that her actions constituted crimes of the highest order in the eyes of governments such as the Great Republic.

Problem was, the Hand of the Dark Lord didn't really care what they got their panties in a twist over, and since Sith space — or soon-to-be Sith space — most certainly didn't fall under their jurisdiction, she wasn't obliged to do so anyway. Such a happy coincidence, no?

"Jedi," she replied, her voice infused with but a touch of weariness. Maybe she was doing the stranger an injustice; maybe she was a random rogue who had decided to pop by during a massive planetary invasion and chat up a Sith Lord. It would certainly make more sense than a member of the Jedi Order paying her a visit, but you could never be sure with these people. They had strange ways of interpreting their precious Code, so who knows? Certainly not her.

"Look around you," she continued even as the challenger let her cloak slip from her shoulders. "This world is beyond your help now. Turn around, leave, and I'll forget I ever saw you here." While unusual for Vrag, the statement wasn't a lie, for the sun kissing the Jedi's back was doing an excellent job of obscuring her features. Her helmet helped, of course, but the woman hadn't bothered to zoom in on the face of the offender just yet. Once she did, there would be no going back; she would remember the woman always even if she let her go, and the memory would follow her until she sought her out and struck her down. Vrag didn't have time for that, and she strongly suspected that the Jedi wouldn't be too thrilled about it either.

She calmly reached to her belt, unclipping her trusty lightsaber with a simple, unobtrusive gesture. Her gauntleted hand brushed briefly against the Chom-Huun that held onto the Vonduun at the small of her back, a momentary linger before she wrapped her fingers more firmly around the hilt of her primary blade. It lay in the grip of her palm, her muscles still relaxed and her body well-rested, for the Sith had not seen any battle today. Yet.

"Stay, and you will die."