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K-3S5's emotionless gaze watched Darth Ptolemis
and the near sobbing wreck of what remained of the miner. Desperation to live, survive. All living things held so tight to that glimmer of hope. It was interesting to see that glimmer get shut out and so completely crushed by the Sith. Screams of agony filled the night sky. Yet where many would break, this miner didn't. Even to the last second they refused to give their friends up.
Admirable, if unnecessary. As he laid out hobbled and broken, waiting for his last moments to finally pass by, the shadowed droid above him reached down. Plucking free a datapad. At first the miner thought nothing of it.
"Ah. I believe I can use this to trace the signals of his allies."
Horror and despair filled his last seconds before the miner's heart finally stopped.
K-3 plugged into the datapad, humming. An unnecessary sound for sure, but one they made none the less. His eyes flashed as he scanned through the data, then tossed the pad onto the still warm corpse of the miner.
"I believe the leader is holed up in an abandoned and condemned shaft. At risk of collapse, though there were notes that it wasn't. A lie to make a hole to hide in. Intriguing."
The rain poured on the concrete streets as it was still a downpour, all the while the lone Human walked through the worst of the weather. Each step flashed water all around his body, himself now soaking wet as the thunder crackled behind him. Overseer Thalin...will soon see the error of crossing him. Approaching a small roadblock comprised of Purge Troopers from the Brotherhood of the Maw, he decided to chance the possibility these were not under Overseer Thalins thumb. Stepping out in front of the roadblock, two spotlights was shined onto his body as a silence enveloped the area, all except the heavy downpour of rain with the Humans recently acquired blaster resting still in his left hand. One of the officers could be heard from behind one of the two spotlights, screeching out from his voice box.
"Kill the Traitor! Blast him!"
Quickly, the Humans sense went into overdrive and quickly pointed at the two spotlights and in turn, shot the glass as sparks of electricity erupted in the area. Blaster fire erupted from on top of the roadblock vehicles with Dalos vanishing from view in the heavy rain with someone throwing a grenade at the spot with a concussive explosion erupting into the area. The blasters would go silent as a cease fire order was given and a few leaned out, turning on heat sensors to look around.
"Where the hell is the body?"
The one that spoke turned to face a blaster directly at his helmet and an audible blaster noise was heard. The body crumbled as others turned to open fire, only for precision shots made from the EC-17 impacting onto each Purge Trooper in turn as flashes of light erupt from it, blinding their attempts to get a proper shot on the Human. One by one, another soldier fell with Dalos constantly walking closer to the Officer in charge. Turning his arm completely to the side, he fired another shot at a trooper that was trying to get the upper hand, it did not work and he fell as well. The Officer opened fire with his blaster rifle, only to see the shots ricochet off his armor and Dalos firing at the arm, then at the kneecap of the officer as he fell down, screaming.
"I will make this quick. Where is Overseer Thalin Traitor?" "Go fuck yours-"
A blaster shot rang out.
"YOU FUCK! AHHHH!!!" "That is just your right thumb, you got nine more for me to shoot if you want to keep it up. Thalin, where?" "Where the fuck else! HQ! He is at headquarters!" "Good. By association with the Final Dawn, I purge your Hersey." "Wait, STO-"
The blaster would erupt again, ending the Officers life. The rain kept pounding onto his body, giving a loud sigh as the battle had ended. This felt extremely natural to him, far more than before and the EC-17 in hand, even more so. Leaning down, he started to grab power cells and put them into his robe, gathering ammunition as he was going to soon go to full war. What would Marlon Sularen
say to this? He had no idea, but those in charge abusing the powers of the Final Dawn, to tip the scales in ones favor is not something Final Dawn would do. That and of course, someone attempting to end his life only invoked his wrath.
Placing a fresh power cell in, he let the old one clatter in the rain and started to walk down the steps, only to glance and see a weapon leaning in the darkness. Grabbing it, he gave a small smile and grabbed the ammunition for it, having been accustomed to something like this in his training operations. Carrying the Yajirushi D71 Smart Rifle, he would walk towards where Headquarters was, ready to eliminate a molding parasite from the grand tree of the Final Dawn.
The rain peeled away at his camouflage as the transparent veil fell around him. The Sith assassin turned Lord of the Sith snarled with a mechanical grunt, he rose to his feet from his kneeled position to stand tall atop the nearby building watching as Dalos Cameron neared. Fire rained across the city, the wet rain inside the domed edifice whilst feeling natural was merely a suppression system engaged during the revolt.
"Potential."
The Sith Lord eyed the wanderer with dark eyes under the cold crimson visor that glistened from the heat of war. He had watched this one for a time, perhaps he was worthy of joining them, perhaps he could be an asset most powerful.
Time would tell, he would watch this one with interest.
"No, vod."
The Horned Wolf scowled into the bartender's ear as his blade pressed deeper.
"It must of been a misunderstanding."
The Mandalorian turned to face his brother as the body of his quarry fell before Kralmus Orr
, "I HATE misunderstandings." There was suddenly a palpable aura of fear piercing every inch of the very atmosphere, between the cold Tor'r and the ultra-violent Kralmus, they were trapped with no way out. There was a stirring, a shuffling of drinks and bodies as Kralmus joined with the booth of the dearly departed. The haunting features of the cannibal Mandalorian were revealed as his helmet set down atop of the table before taking one of their drinks as his own.
"Ah, yes," he said, smiling nastily as his feral gaze swept across the cantina. "I think one of you has something to tell us."
The bartender whimpered and wailed, a coward naturally. Tor'r had little patience for those without honor, without the decency to face the edge of a blade knowing death was coming for them and fighting to the very end regardless.These civilians were cattle, proper body bags waiting to be carried away.
"Elysium Estates."
The Wolf's ears perked up under his helmet, his veiled gaze rising to meet the stranger in the bar. The voice of reason. Tor'r looked upon the image of a boy, a teenager by the looks of it who cleaned tables. The Mandalorian eyed down his companion and tilted his head in silent gesture, his hand released the bartender while his other hand removed him from his sight with a heavy push. He approached with a cold stride, knife still in hand.
"C Sector. Said something about getting supplies."
Tor'r stopped just inches before him, towering over the boy.
The man proved resilient, and Orlov ceased his psychological torture of the miner, instead letting the machine cut to the chase – namely physical torture. Even still, the miner's willpower was commendable, albeit futile, for in the end, the ruthless automaton found and subsequently hacked into the person's datapad. What remained of him could no longer be called Human.
"I believe the leader is holed up in an abandoned and condemned shaft. At risk of collapse, though there were notes that it wasn't. A lie to make a hole to hide in. Intriguing."
- Do you have a name, machine? – The neophyte Sith inquired as he gazed over the city, looking for signs of any inbound enemies, but these premises appeared calm for now.
Morphing into the shadows cast by industrial buildings at the city's limits, Orlov saw the arched entrance of the downward mine shaft with his macrobinoculars. It was closed shut with two crude and heavy iron doors. They were at ground level; trash and detritus littered across the streets, the primary dome sheltering the city now very low, this close to the edge of the city. A dry dirt road cut straight across the deserted premises surrounding the mine, not even a fence bordering the barren area.
- I think they did not expect anyone to get this close, this fast. – Reports Orlov to the droid standing close to him. – Two snipers are lying camouflaged beside the entrance. – The Sith clips his portable macrobinoculars to his left thigh and lets his cloak drape over it. He closes his eyes, takes a deep breath and reports once again. – I can't feel any other hostiles around us. Do you register anything? I wouldn't want to be shot in the back.
Orlov squints his eyes as he formulates a plan for the breach. He decides to withhold the location of the local leader from Maw command for now, in hopes of garnering more recognition upon reporting that the resistance in Menelath had collapsed by his hand. The involvement of the machine he may also include. – I saw a digital keypad on the gate. Since there is no cover around the mine, I say we walk straight in through the road over there. – Nodding at the dirt road once. – Neutralizing the snipers will be easy, and if you've found a code inside the insurgent's datapad… - Orlov looks up at the construct looming over him. - … Getting in will be just as quick. – He looks away, towards the entrance in the distance. – If not, we can always just knock. What say you?
The Domes rainfall never seemed to cease, neither did the long walks around the city. The potential to use a vehicle was great but it would attract to much attention...no, it was better to walk in the rainfall and keep gathering along the path. With the rifle slung around his back, he noticed another area as people were being herded along the wall. Protestors, possible people that had incited this rebellion from the start, that caused such backup in labor and production. Purge Troopers had started to shove people into the wall...there was already blaster burns coating portions of the wall. This was an execution, attempt to remove all problems through the simple method of execution.
It was a simple, effective tactic to eliminate. While it may bring memories to haunt, it was efficient to get people to be effective, to bring slaves back down to their heels. The officer in the group started to pace as more were being brought towards the wall, smaller men and women, teenagers he could only assume. Their fate, was sealed before them and only intervention would possibly save them. But the numbers, were far great and the amount pointed was beyond his control, at least a dozen. Walking along the side, he breathed in and situated himself against the corner of a wall, out of sight and lifted up the Smart Rifle.
Sliding a round into the rifle, he pressed part of his body into the walls structure and along with it, the rifle. This was not an ideal situation and would been foolish...but this rifle had an ace up in its sleeve. Its rounds focused on the target and with a good possible shot...the Purge Troopers started to line up, the Officer beginning to issue orders loudly, causing the soldiers to start pulling their rifles up. All twelve started to aim their rifles at the crowd on the wall with Dalos finally taking the moment to breath in, then back out.
"READY! AIM! FI-"
A loud BANG could be heard, echoing through the night as the seeking round flew past three of the Purge Troopers. The bullet landing on the back belt and colliding directly with the troopers issued Plasma Detonator. The result was what the Human had hoped for, a plasma explosion erupted and killed nine of the Purge Troopers in a blaze of energy with ashes only remaining. With the cry of hostile, they tried to turn to only hear another loud BANG noise and two of the soldiers dropping dead. The Officer and the last Purge Trooper opened fire on where the noise was coming from with Dalos hiding from the side as chips of the building came off.
Lowering his rifle, he slowly took out the Hold-Out Blaster, only to hear other blaster fire erupt and cries erupting from the other side. Glancing just briefly, he noticed the last Purge Trooper and the Officer laying on the ground, their corpses smoking from blaster wounds. Several from the wall had grabbed weapons from the corpses of other Purge Troopers and used them. Others had reached towards a crate, most likely confiscated weaponry and used it against their oppressors.
Slowly, the Human would come out of cover and walk towards the group in question as blasters were raised in his general direction. Looking up towards them, he noticed an opportunity, one that should not be discarded so easily...a small bit of...old habits possibly from his previous life. Grabbing onto his mask, he slowly removed it to appear more humanized to them, holding it in his right hand but never letting go of the hold-out blaster in his left hand. Speaking with precision, authority and with a gentle voice, he went with honesty.
"My name is Dalos Cameron, these men betrayed what the Final Dawn is and have attempted to kill me. If you want the Overseers head, then follow me and I shall grant your families vengeance. If you wish to follow, then walk behind me and know your families will be rewarded for your acts. If you do not, then leave and may my eyes never grace yours again for death shall follow, just like the souls laying at your feet."
Tor'r played off of Kralmus's violent, theatrical chaos perfectly. It wasn't so much good cop, bad cop; there was no good cop in this situation. It was more of a game of hot and cold. The cantina patrons could see that Kralmus was already wild, ready to do violence to any and all of them at the drop of a hat. That left them with only one hope: to appeal to the cold, calculated menace of Tor'r instead, telling him what he wanted to know before he, too, unleashed his fury on them. It was herding livestock the way a frontier mastiff did, barking and baring teeth until the pliant nerfs walked the way you wanted them to. Kralmus just liked to speed things up by biting a bit while he barked.
In the end, it wasn't the bartender who broke and told them, but some server kid. Maybe he did it to save his boss in particular, or maybe he was worried that the Mandalorians would start brutalizing everyone in the bar until they got the information... which had been a genuine possibility. "Elysium Estates, eh?" Kralmus grinned, downing the rest of his stolen drink. "Sounds fancy." He reached across the table and swiped the drink of the man sitting across from him, one of the drinking buddies of the guy he'd dropped with the knife. He stared at the victim of his theft the entire time, daring him to object, but the man kept his eyes firmly on the floor and his mouth firmly shut.
Pathetic. These fools probably rolled over for every pirate who so much as looked at them funny.
"Well then," he said, taking a long swig of the drink, "it's been fun, but we'd better get going. Places to be, people to kill." Standing leisurely from the booth, he snatched up his helmet and replaced it on his head, the neck seals hissing as they snapped back into place. The cannibal strode back over toward the bar, then paused, standing over the whimpering form of the man he'd dropped earlier. "I'd like my knife back now, if you don't mind," he told the mewling idiot, crouching down beside him. He tipped his drink sideways, pouring the alcohol over the man's face from above. "Here, for the pain." He dropped the empty glass, which smashed on the floor beside his victim's head.
One hand grabbed the man's shoulder, holding him in place. The other seized the hilt of his knife... and yanked.
A scream - and a gout of blood - ripped free from the poor miner, and a crimson pool began to form on the floor. Kralmus rolled his eyes. Weak. He pushed an armored finger against the man's lips, shaking his head as he did. "There, there. Shush now. It's over." He rose, turning away... then kicked the fool again, doubling him over a second time. "Well, now it's over." Whistling a jolly tune that was gratingly off-key, the cannibal strolled over to Tor'r... and the server kid who'd spoken up. "Now then, young man," he said, looming over the youth beside his equally menacing companion. "You're a helpful lad. Perhaps you could show us the way to C Sector?"
There was a definite undercurrent of threat in the false sweetness of his tone. "Pretty please?"
There was several loud raps on a metal door. A groggy voice could be heard from the other side as a short male started to dress, putting a robe on as he spoke over the loud knocking on his door towards the front.
"For fucks sake! I just paid the rent! Quit your knockin, I am coming!"
Reaching the door, he had it slide open as it revealed a disheveled yet young, mid-twenties, dark green Rodian. His eyes looked exhausted, he had not had any sleep for the past few weeks due to the inciteful nature of this rebellion. Glancing upon those on his front door step, he quickly realized that these were not people from the Maw, rather, it was a lot of rebels that had surrounded him on his front doorstep. There must have been more than sixty around his residence, unheard of at the time in such a large gathering as he spoke up quickly before one could try to convince him.
"For the last time, I am not interested in your civil war bullshit! Now leave me alone!" "I would rethink your words, Baronet Kailen."
The Rodians eyes flashed for a moment as people that heard the voice in the crowd, started to part away. Slowly, the Human known as Dalos started to climb the steps of the others home. It was ramshackled, something that someone with a noble sounding name, would never truly own. Reaching the top of the stairs, he looked down upon the Rodian as he let the mask hang off in his left hand. The two would stare at eachother as the Rodian looked to the side and spit at the ground.
"What? Help more of your pointless wars? He is crippled, broke and worthless. There is nothing left of the Blades." "You still have your limbs, you still walk and have a great mind. It is not my fault they grounded all of your members and confiscated your walkers." "Then whose is it? Whose fault does it lay that almost all ours been butchered? Who should I lay blame for this miserable house, these miserable conditions and over half of all I knew, laying dead at my feet?" "Overseer Thalin. These people told me of what occurred, how Callum Saville is now held in a prison camp. His treachery has long reach and long bounds from what the people say to me." "Like that matters now. What good does a bunch of people and a wannabe Sith do in a Dome pouring rain. Assault the main headquarters?" "Yes, we need your assistance." "This has to be a joke, what, do you expect me to punch them?" "No, I expect you to destroy them. Destroy them, with this."
Looking to the side, he made a motion with his left hand as a large walker came into view, its image very obscured in the rain as it rode onto a large hover truck. Turning to look at the Rodian, he stared up at it and then back at the Human, rain pouring around them as he spoke up.
"I do this, I want everyone out of the camps and on our way." "You have my word Baronet. Prepare your war machine, we strike in an hour."
This was considered insane. It had been almost a full year since the Court of Blades has been, in the nicest term, kicked to the literal curb and almost all members imprisoned by Overseer Thalin for supposed treason during their contract. On the back of the truck, he glanced upwards as the rain was still pouring rather heavily inside the dome with Dalos looking at him from afar. Breathing in, he grasped onto the sides of the ladder and started to climb up. What person believed he could win a war all by himself? The Rodian barely got away from the camp as was and could not ever have the time to find a walker in approriate condition yet...they found this. This old prototype that was meant for Callum Saville himself!
Reaching the inside completely, he pressed the control to bring up at the ladder as two people were in here alongside himself, keeping engine levels and other controls at a minimal from just exploding on start up. Going over the pilots chair, he brushed off a bit of dust and sat in it, grabbing a nearby neural helmet and starts to strap it onto his own head with the top nodes folding back. It was a bit painful, not close to his own neural helmet but it was confiscated, he had to do what he had to do. Looking around, he noticed the controls were way more sophisticated than anything he had used beforehand. Flicking a few controls, the Armored Walker started to come to life, powering up in a way he never seen it do before, the top portions of the cockpit finally closing.
It was the most advanced Armored Walker he had ever used, possibly for any use. It had controls he had never seen, advanced systems to merely turn the sides of the Repeaters. Laser Cannons already were primed and ready, this thing...was a masterpiece. No wonder Callum Saville was working on it, it would been his Magnum Opus! Slowly, a leg lifted off the truck and landed on the ground, moving forward very slowly as the intercomn came to life, speaking outward.
"Radio Channel Six Six Four Two Nine Seven. Operation Successful, Moving Out."
There was some form of pointing and blaster fire already erupted, the ground being littered quickly with explosives and other forms of warfare. Apparently they did not want to wait to start this fight...though the opposition failed to see this large Armored Walker starting to move forward. Turning the body just lightly, he opened fire with his laser cannons as craters were formed on the other side, people flying over. Stepping forward slowly, an APC started to arrive of the Maws, only to meet a missile as it whistled out in front before colliding directly into the side, blowing it completely out. With another step, it encountered one of the walkers that was confiscated as it opened fire only two salvos of blaster fire.
Flicking the stick to the side, he failed to notice how responsive this Armored Walker truly was, it reacting violently as a whir can be heard from behind and it dashed to the side with the use of jets, almost as if it flew for a very brief period of time. Slamming into a nearby wall, he felt disorientated from the impact but pulled the triggers, opening fire and dummy firing a few missiles...one being a Seismic Missile. While most missed...the Seismic Missile did not. It collided into the side and then exploded, taking out a nearby apartment building and part of the road with it as rubble started to form onto the road.
Breathing out, he regained complete control and forced the Armored Walker to move forward, Dalos Cameron on the ground as he made a motion to follow him, Callum Saville ripping out something from the destroyed APC and tried to use it, walking as it was an oversized looking communicator.
On the bridge where Marlon Sularen was located, a communications message would start to beep. It was from a device on Shrikel, not supposed to use this channel. It had the encryption codes of Dalos Cameron. It had a very simple message, as if done in a hurry.
"Attempt on Life. Traitor Overseer Thalin. Shrikel Warzone. Se-"
That was the end of the message. On the other end, the device been destroyed in another firefight as it was devolving into a large warzone. It is unknown how much longer it may last, but now there was another piece in play...an Armored Walker.
The cold glare of the emotionless T-Visor peered down at the scared youth. He had courage, stepping forward to save their skins at risk of his own. Tor’r could respect that, but he had little patience for the weak and the fearful. In the end they were cattle not warriors, a sword or blaster shoved into their hands would not a soldier make.
"Elysium Estates, eh?"Kralmus grinned, downing the rest of his stolen drink. "Sounds fancy."
As Kralmus swiped away the drink from his neighbor, daring the fool to act with wild eyes dissecting him like a cadaver waiting for the chance to unleash hell, Tor’r activated a holomap of the capital and searched for this mysterious location.
"Well then,"he said, taking a long swig of the drink, "it's been fun, but we'd better get going. Places to be, people to kill."
<“That sector will be a war zone soon. With tram traffic and speeder ways shut down it will be difficult to get through without losing him in a crowd.”>
Tor’r lifted his gaze, setting his veiled glare upon his battle brother as the neck seals hissed from the descending helmet falling back into place. He casually watched on as the cannibal retrieved his knife from and humiliated the whimpering fool felled in one swoop.
His thoughts turned to the fallen, unironically matched the same demeanor as his vod.
<“Weak.”>
"Well, now it's over."Whistling a jolly tune that was gratingly off-key, the cannibal strolled over to Tor'r... and the server kid who'd spoken up.
The Mandalorian’s silent gaze followed his comrade over.
"Now then, young man,"he said, looming over the youth beside his equally menacing companion. "You're a helpful lad. Perhaps you could show us the way to C Sector?"
The Rally Master’s cold veiled glare snapped to the boy. The teen who had so valiantly spoke up in effort to appease the two warriors on the precipice of true violence.
“B..bu.. but the fighting. It’s heading that w..way.”
<“Then you’ll have to be quick on your feet. Show us the fastest way.”>
The Mandalorian brandished his pistol and held it cupped between his hands.
<“Do this and you can walk free.”>
The teen looked on at the cannibal before him, shell-shocked in fear, before his eyes averted back to Tor’r. The Mandalorian swung his blaster a few times in gesture toward the doorway, a signal that it was time to go.
Darth Ptolemis
and the near sobbing wreck of what remained of the miner. Desperation to live, survive. All living things held so tight to that glimmer of hope. It was interesting to see that glimmer get shut out and so completely crushed by the Sith. Screams of agony filled the night sky. Yet where many would break, this miner didn't. Even to the last second they refused to give their friends up.
