Campaign Return of the Jedi: SJC Campaign to TSE held Voss (Jabiim; Nespis VIII; Chandaar; Ossus, and Voss Hexes)

[Darth Carnifex]

"The Shadows whisper~"​

​

The Dark Lord of the Sith came to stand at the top of a balcony, one of the many overhangs which ringed the Library's central chamber from which all other wings branched off from. His body was shrouded by a large black cloak, hood pulled up over his head to keep his features a mystery. Only his eyes, burning baleful orbs of fury, seemed to pierce the veil of gloom which shrouded his countenance. Only one other stood beside him, Isolda, similarly shrouded in shadows and secrecy. Shara was not among them, the large silver-skinned Maelibus having gone down beneath the library in preparation for the hunt. ​

​

"And what do they whisper?"​

​

He reached out, power dancing between his fingertips, as an orb of inverse light materialized with a thought. The tips of his fingers pressed against the ball of light, pressing on into its mass with visible give. The shadows in the room began to churn and broil, all visible light starting to edge closer towards the Dark Lord as he continued in his actions. ​

​

"They whisper of enemies, dear lord. They say that they are near."​

​

The shelves in the library began to rattle, shaking back and forth though not dropping one single item in their contents. Dark shadows pooled beneath them, dripping down from each tome, each datacron, like so many liters of putrid oil. At his will, the darkness coalesced into Aurebesh letters that streaked across the floor, moving swiftly along the walls and ceilings of the library before disappearing into the seams and cracks between the masonry and wiring. ​

​

"Then let us see what the shadows reveal."​

​

Searching, seeking, hunting. The shadows move to uncover the disturbance in the Force which had alerted the Lords of the Sith.​

​

Yula Perl | Kaia Starchaser | Kaia Vullen | Alana Sunrider
Jerek Zenduu | Jaeson Starchaser | Jonu Zihtil | AMCO

 

[Jonu Zihtil]

OBJECTIVE | Meditate near the Library
ENEMIES | Alana Sunrider | Kaia Starchaser | Kaia Vullen | Yula Perl (planned)
ALLIES | Sith Friends
EQUIPMENT | Pair of sabers and standard robes

The attempt to return to silent meditation, was troublesome. She had to shift and move her legs once more to allow.herself to once more slip into the macabre sense of self that permeated her mind. Ancestors of long ago and some of the not so long ago seeming to enjoy being a pressing weight on her mind at this very moment. Dark energy swirled through and around her once morr, sith magic forming a tangible barrier to the room in a slow arc. Deep red, angry energy filled the room as nervous energy from elsewhere in the structure began to color the energy she was trying to tap into.

She sat in silence still, arms resting on her legs as she tried to push out the nerves and feelings around her. A small and almost unnoticeable smell began to waft through the air, her nose crinkling at the smell of something...burning? Incense maybe? No. To coarse a smell for that. Almost smelled...metallic? Could still be incense. Just someone terrfically lazy about them.

 

[Yula Perl]

OBJECTIVE | Infiltrate Library
ALLIES | Alana Sunrider | Kaia Starchaser | Kaia Vullen | Jerek Zenduu | Jaeson Starchaser
ENEMEIES | Jonu Zihtil (planned) | Darth Carnifex | AMCO
EQUIPMENT | Emily | Nail implants | Non-descript standard saber and blaster
ACTIONS | Gave the remaining 5x EMP Ant droids to Kaia, Fell through the vent into Jonu’s waiting arms, separated from the rest of the team

Yula grinned back at the blonde, giving her a quick two-fingered salute in receipt of her compliment. The sylph of a woman slipped through the open vent noiselessly, a feat Yula would never be able to achieve herself. Stealth was not her forte. Next was Alana, who wriggled her way into the darkness of the vent without hesitation. Kaia announced that she would be bringing up the rear, and Yula nodded.

One foot in the vent, she paused and turned to the Mirialan. “Here,” Shoving her hands into her pockets, the Zeltron retrieved the remaining five of her EMP droids and shoved them into Kaia’s hands. “Use them well, Starchaser.” With that, she dropped through the vent, leaving the woman to deal with the squirming ants in her hands.

Yula grappled her way down towards the others, using her cuticle implants to elongate her durasteel nails and grip onto the ridges of the vent. Emily followed suit, skittering down the vent on six legs with ease. When the flickering light of Alana’s hologram trickled through one end of the vent, she knew that she was getting close. Familiar voices drifted to her, and that was exactly when Yula had lost her grip. “W-woah!” The Zeltron went tumbling the remaining length of the shaft, hitting the side and rolling in the opposite direction of where the others had gone. “Oof!”

Her body pinged off of the vent as she went, and once she managed to regain her focus, Yula realized that the vent had been constructed so that it gradually sloped downward. Even worse, with how quickly the light was reaching her, an end was in sight. With the speed that she had gained, the Zeltron went barreling through the opening of the vent, flying across the room and into the lap of a red-skinned woman who’d been trying to meditate.

Emily came next, the droid shrieking in her own language before landing splat against the wall, all six legs splayed out to the side. As the droid slowly slid down to the floor with a chorus of damaged warbles, Yula shook the vertigo from her head.

Staring up at the ferocious beauty, the Zeltron tried to blink the dizziness away.

“Uh…hey.”

Spoiler

 

[Cato Harth]

LOCATION: Voss-Ka
OBJECTIVE: Infiltrate security
FRIENDS: Risen | Centin Tillo
FOES: Sith

Cato grumbled to himself as Risen tagged along. When he offered for someone to back him up, he was hoping for someone with a more basic understanding of technology. Not to mention Risen had become something of an extension of his sister’s will when it came to watching over him, which irritated the young knight even more than just having Naria do it herself. His padawan tagged along too, though Cato knew little to nothing about him.

“Meh. Ten credits says it's just some trooper lackeys. Should be no problem, especially if we catch them off guard.” He muttered, tapping away at the datapad before finally shoving it away in his coat. “You think they keep the lights off here for a reason? Or just to be all ‘dark’ and ‘scary’?”

Their path continued further down into the dark corridors, though a lengthy walk never stopped Cato from dragging on a conversation, “Risen never mentioned having a padawan. Or maybe I just wasn’t listening. Anytime he talks it just sounds like white noise to me.” Cato smirked to himself, looking towards his peer, “Once we’re in there, we’ll need to access the admin computer and shut everything down fast, before they can send any further warning out. You do know what a computer is, right Risen?”

The padawan made a comment about their age difference, which Cato regarded with a side-eye, “It’s not about how old you are, bud, it’s about how good you are,” Another self-satisfied smirk crept across his lips, “I became a knight not long after my sister did, actually, and she had a few years head start on me.” Cato jokingly patted Centin on the shoulder, “There there, you’ll get there one day, sport.”

The set of doors came into view. Unguarded. Nice. The Knight sidled up to the other side of the door, effortlessly disabling the lock with his scramble key. He looked to the other two, holding up three fingers and silently counting down.

Three. Two. One.

Cato swung the door open violently, and as he predicted, smacking a guard square in the face on the opposite side.He quickly moved in, grabbing the disoriented guard and spinning around behind him, using his body as a shield. “Hi! Is this the restroom?” He reached into the guard’s holster, withdrawing the sidearm and firing at several of the other guards in the room. “That a pistol in your pocket? Or are you just happy to see me?” Bolts began whizzing across the room indiscriminately, with Cato trying to keep the attention on him so the other two could charge in without drawing their full focus.

 

[Cadere]

Objective: Attack a Command Centre
Enemies: Darth Insatious (planned)
Gear: Lightsaber, 3x Stimpacks, FF-CAR1, Standard Attire

Cas, the Commander and the rest of the Silver Rangers continued to press onto their destination - encountering a few Imperial opposers along the way, although they were quickly dispatched by the group with the aid of the Jedi Knight. With every step Cas took he sensed Insatious' presence grow stronger and stronger, meaning that he was nearing - the Sith Lord had a unique signature to Cas, in which it felt like being in his presence was as if there was a void in the Force... or, he himself was the void.

Clearing the path for the squad he was aiding, Cas rushed toward another group of Imperial soldiers and discarded of them when, in a blur of motion, the Jedi launched his lightsaber at them. In a quick yellow haze, the blade cut through the soldiers weapons before being summoned back to its master's gloved left hand, prompting the Silver Rangers to stun them after.

"How far until we--nnngh!" the Jedi grunted, cutting himself off mid-sentence. Clutching his chest, Cas felt it again - the same sensation he felt when Insatious drained the life force of his fellow Jedi on Dorin, the Force feeling like it was literally ripped away from a life form. The Commander and another soldier quickly rushed to Cas, grabbing his arms and shoulders to keep him up "What was that? Are you alright?" the Commander asked, concerned. Locking eyes with him, Cas offered the Commander a weak smile "I'm good, just tired of carrying you guys." he quipped, keeping tensions relaxed... or as relaxed as can be. The Commander shook his head disapprovingly as a result.

Glancing in aimlessly away, Cas knew that Insatious was near, very near and that the squad wouldn't last a second against him. First and foremost they had a mission to complete and Insatious stood in the way of that. Face turning serious, he looked at the Commander again "I know this is your squad and I have no jurisdiction here, but trust me when I say - change the route you were going to use, take a longer, safer way. What's ahead of us is dangerous..." the Kiffar advised, earning him a suspicious look from the Commander "And what about you?" he asked. Standing more upright, Cas gently moved out of the grip of both the Commander and the other soldier "I'm going to buy you guys sometime. Please don't die, it'd look bad on this epic sacrifice I'm about to make." he stated, quipping to make himself feel less tense.

The Commander glanced between Cas and then to his men, deliberating on what to do before eventually giving the Jedi Knight a salute. Leading his men away from Insatious, Cas stayed behind - it was time to right his wrongs, the Sith Lord wasn't going to take the lives of those he'd be protecting. Not again. Gripping his lightsaber firmly, the young Jedi Knight took a deep breath and steeled himself before making his way toward the Lord of Hunger, who was somewhere on the battlefield but close by.

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

​

Location: Approaching Voss
Equipment: Blue bladed lightsaber, Purple bladed (shadow) lightsaber | Tech Ward Armour
Tags: Enyo Typhos | Thurion Heavenshield | Valae Heavenshield | Jared Starchaser

It did not take long for the Break of Dawn to enter Sith controlled space, immediately the Cruiser was detected. The alarm warned them of approach. They had not come all this way to attack but to defend but they would be seen as the aggressor, the force knows they had been in that position before no matter what the rhetoric was. Thurion spoke to Voss, anyone listening to his broadcast and some would remember the Silver Jedi and look upon their return as hope, but others would not. Coci was not so convinced that their return would be entirely joyous, there would be people that were once friends now enemies and she could understand why.

Past friendships would need to be rebuilt if they are victorious in this war. Trust in Jedi, any Jedi would have been destroyed the day the Sith moved into Voss-ka.

She allowed herself the moment of peace with her husband, used it to sure up her resolve and strengthen her mind. They had a job to do firstly, to contend with the Sith before starting the reconstruction of relationships. As the platform lowered, she looked over the faces of the Valkyri here under the command of their king knowing that some of them would not return to Midvinter. There was not one face that held any doubt, each warrior here to give their lives to their king if called to do so. The strength of their people was like nothing she had ever seen in the wider galaxy and their presence here would never be taken lightly. The Valkyri remember the day the Silver Jedi came to Midvinter to help fight against the Sith and so they are here to repay a debt.

Thurion would call his men and women to arms. Coci took the moment to armour herself, fitting on pieces of the body and leg plates of the Silver Jedi Warden suit and checked her sabers which was a habit never broken. One blue blade, one purple blade. She found a quiet place, sat on the floor holding her sabers in her lap and meditated. She pulled the shadows around her, find solace within them, turning her mind to the mission and clearing all distractions until all that was left was the force flowing through her. Coci turned the connection toward Voss, reaching for the place she had known so well, the sense of fear and anguish of what was to come reached back to her, but that too would be placed aside until this war was finished, one way or the other.

 

[Jyoti Nooran]

Location: Transit > Voss Surface
Objective: Seize (Formerly Silver, and League) Voss Temple, Rescue Prisoners ( Vaeri )
Allies: SJC ( Allyson Locke )
Opposition: TSE
Directly Engaging: Taeli Raaf (Open to additional interactions.)

The small flotilla of Great River capital ships broke out from hyperspace, joining the small collection of Silver warships already in orbit. By now, some fighting had broken outt, but it was little more than skirmishing compared to the main thrust of the Silver Fleet at Chandaar against. Still, Great River would soon get their own little greeting by the Sith ahead as they were detected. The space began to glitter with flashes of red, green, and more as opposing capital ships brawled, and fighters began the deadly dance of duels.

Among the Great River wings present, a flight of Mantis bombers split from the main body, diving for the surface.

They were fast, screaming past even nimble interceptors on their way planetside. Built to the specifications of one eccentric Mandalorian Verpine, the Mantis were made for extreme speed, little more than oversized engines strapped to the smallest frame possible to make them fastest thing on the battlefield.

In less than a minute, they had transitioned from the orbit to atmo, right for Voss-Ka and the old temple complex. Along the way, they left a giant contrails in their wake, as their plasma projectors burned bright. The result of another odd request during their construction. Odd because the giant plasma plumes created in the sky would show up like giant lit Life Day trees on enemy sensors.

Normally the use of the projectors was just asking for trouble, but now that's exactly what was desired playing Wild Weasel.

Above in orbit, Jyoti was still aboard the Nighshade as her squadron was being loaded with their special payloads for the second wave. She toyed with the yoke of her X-wing, overcome with a sense of nostalgia as she viewed Voss from the virtual display of cockpit. The Echani had never set foot on the planet before, yet it still seemed so familiar.

So this was home, huh Arisa...

 

[Matvec Triddol]

THE FORCE IS WITH ME​

Objective: Infiltrate.
Equipment: Lightsaber, Robes
Tags: | Senari Gravis | Risen | Farrina | Naria Harth | Centin Tillo | @Knightwatch |

The idea seemed to be taken well.

If the smile on his face could be any brighter, it might’ve grown a bit as they began to split into groups based on the suggestion he had made. While he wasn’t in charge here, not one bit whatsoever, he still wanted to see the mission succeed. Working together as a cohesive unit towards one goal would only make them stronger. And if they could cut off a part of their enemy that would make that goal harder to achieve, then it only made sense to at least try. That being said, he was perfectly fine with the idea changing, and Farrina ‘s words were met with a nod from the Nautolan. “Whatever we need to do to make sure we have coverage on both areas, we should do.”

The young man ( Cato Harth ) that spoke up soon after, if the muttering words he spoke could be considered speaking up, caught Matvec’s attention. It was a good idea as well. No reason to get violent if they could avoid it. The…meathead’s comment was a bit uncalled for, but was as quickly shrugged off as Matvec just rolled with the punches. The Nautolan did flash Naria a teasing raised eyebrow. No harm in it. "Tailhead. Not a meathead."

As the others began to split off into the two groups, ending up with two knights and the padawan learner heading toward the security with the rest of the group making their way to the command center, his dark eyes turned to regard Senari with a thoughtful gaze. Playing to everyone’s strengths would be key, and his fellow knight knowing exactly where those lied for him was quite helpful. “You take the middle, as you suggested. Myself and our long haired friend,” a quick motion to Farrina followed, “will sweep around the sides. Should clear out the room quick and efficient.” He was ready to let the team headed for security handle their business before they busted into the command center, but Naria seemed to have a different idea.

Force light. A wonderful, devious idea. They would never know what hit them.

Matvec gave her a wide grin and a wink, his tentacles flopping back and forth as he nodded. Time to do this, then. Taking the explosive from the woman’s hand, he did as directed and placed the small device on the handle. Then, the countdown began. The countdown…to the fun.

Three…

Two…

One…

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM.

The entire corridor rocked as the control room doors were blown clean from their hinges, going flying into the room of unsuspecting soldiers. Just as the plan dictated, first came the flash of light from Naria’s palm, then Senari’s boisterous entrance. Once they occurred, only then would Matvec push forward, flinging himself to the side off the room with two quick bounds. The solider he landed next too seemed quite surprised to see him, something that he regarded with a smirk before flinging the man into the stack of servers behind him. Elsewhere in the room, the rest of his comrades would begin the cleaning up of the trash quickly. He just hoped they were quick enough, and that the security team had had the chance to complete their objective as well.

 

[Risen]

Objective: Infiltrate
Dramatis Personae: Cato Harth Centin Tillo @Knightwatch, enemy unknown​

Risen’s first instinct was to dismiss Senari’s speech as nagging. Of course he knew to care for his padawan. But then, there was something else in the older man’s words, a weight and distance, like he spoke to more than just Risen. He nodded. “I’ll do what I can.” Then he jogged to join the others.

He crept ahead of Cato and Centin, his presence low as he checked each corner in advance of them. What he hadn’t considered was the noise: putting Centin and Cato in close proximity meant trouble for sure. Annoyingly, the level of conversation was just quiet enough for a guard on low alert to ignore. And Cato knew it too. Exactly his style recklessness: not dangerous, just poor form.

Most of that conversation faded behind Risen. The darkness put regular troops at a severe disadvantage against Force-sensitives. Were they hoping to pass below notice of the battle that raged outside? Or was the comm station actually abandoned? Danger registered on each step forward like pins and needles. Risen considered retreating to the larger squad to strategize.

“You do know what a computer is, right Risen?”

Yes. And I’d know a rancor if it ran me over, too. But he didn’t actually say it. For one, engaging Cato in a game of insults would not end well. For another, he didn’t want to start slinging mud in front of Centin. The boy would already have a field day with this once it was all said and done. Risen grunted. “Right. Just point at what you want me to break.”

At the door, Risen took a position opposite Centin. He locked eyes with the padawan. Stay low, pick stragglers. That was protocol. Cato gave the signal.

Risen mantled over the stupefied guard. In the center of the room he crouched low at the waist, twisting his legs into the air like a dancer. He made sure he was surrounded.

The puzzle he had been presented by Master Or'Fol Moric was this: how could Risen control wind if it wasn’t a part of him? He had found his solution.

Risen exhaled, breath in light blue streaming around him as he spun. Wisps and ribbons trailed from his wan-shen, encircling him before blasting outward. The sudden gust sent a few guards tumbling out of position for Centin to pick off. Those that stood met the full force of a Matukai.

 

[Aberrant]

​

Naria Harth Senari Gravis Risen Centin Tillo
Matvec Triddol
Cato Harth

Farrina stepped aside as Naria pushed them forward, the tone of her voice now a worry for the woman at another time. The group had deeper wounds than they let on it seemed. The hooded face turned when Matvec and Naria began to enact their plan. The slight shake of her head a sign of preparation as she watched the handle before a hand covered her face in the moment the area exploded with light.

Had she been of Hapan birth, she might have enjoyed the lightshow, but with how dim the sith seemed to keep their surroundings, likely the opposite. The door burst open, the initial sounds from inside of fear and pain as the woman took to the side.

The person had covered their eyes with an arm, hand nearly on their ear as Farrina pressed her left hand onto their extended elbow and put pressure to keep it there. Her right hand turned to a point, pointer and middle finger forming a non-lethal weapon as two strikes to the ribs had the arm seizing in place before the hand opened and grabbed their neck.

Her leg swept behind their knee as she shifted around them, her right hand applying pressure as they tumbled back and lost balance against the waiting hooked leg and was promptly tossed to the ground.

There was crack from their landing, her mouth forming a tight oh as she realized how much pressure she had put into move. Her leg pushed behind their left arm, locking around their neck before the other leg interlocked with the first, pushing away while she pulled on their right arm. Hearing a pop, and feeling the struggle go out of them, she rolled quickly to get back up to a fighting stance. The whole scene lasted mere moments as she prepared to move to the next enemy.

 

[Allyson Locke]

//: Voss Surface //:
//: Play Wild Weasel //:
//: SJC //: Jyoti Nooran //:
//: TSE //: Taeli Raaf //:
//: Golden Speed Demon //:

​

Facing the Empire was a tale as old as time. The Corellian didn't realize she would be back to war so soon after coming home. Was peace the dragon that they all were chasing, and it didn't exist? Though Allyson could feel a weird familiarity with the enemy having spent nearly a year undercover. There were going to be faces that she had developed relationships with and friendships. All of it was a lie, and she needed to keep reminding herself of that. Her real friends, her real companions, were all in the Alliance and Great River. Betrayal was still heavy on the hearts of those she called friends. ​

​

A hand moved flipping switches and checking systems as they cut through hyperspace. Voss was a planet she hadn't been to in years, the surface was different, but she could still feel some familiarity to it. ​

​

Being back in the cockpit of a fighter felt like a dream; it was where she started her military career. She was an ace pilot and had climbed the ranks quickly in the defense force of the original Alliance - back when the Rogues were the premier squadron. Now it seemed their concept was replaced with the Sabers. There was a pain of frustration; she remembered the letter denying her reinstatement - but she understood why. They were all there. They were Saber Squadron. ​

​

Falling from the clouds, Allyson got a visual of the anti-aircraft weapons of the temple. A hand waved as she forced the golden bullet's system to divert all its powers to her engines. Through the use of the Force, the Corellian pushed the craft's stabilization, knowing that with everything dumping its energy into the machines, she could quickly burn out. ​

​

<Time to play, guys. I'll distract, and the rest of you head in and take out the targets. Everything should be up on display. Maybe the Force be with you.> They had to take out the defense system to allow the second wave to do some damage. As the rest of the squadron chimed in. Allyson had wanted to play with the Elite 'Ugly' Starfighter for some time now. Playing a wild weasel game seemed to be the best time to test out the limits of the machine. ​

​

Not only was she going to be fast, but she was also going to be sickeningly fast. Either way, the fighter would be a golden bullet or a flaming coffin, and the Corellian liked her odds. The golden starfighter darted through the Voss' sky, cutting the clouds in its wake as it hit top speeds. The defense systems of the temple quickly locked on and attempted to shoot down the hero fighter. Hand on the throttle, Allyson continued to push it as she changed course quickly, threatening to rip the ship in half. "Come on, you got this," Allyson felt a kinship with the ugly ship; they were both misfits of sorts, but were extremely good at what they did.​

 

[Darth Insatious]

Theme​

Objective: Testing out the newest batch of bred Sith Soldiers
Enemies: Cadere (planned)
Gear: 2x red lightsabers and his Sith outfit

Insatious could feel, no almost taste the flowing energy radiating from Cas. As the Lord of Hunger slaughtered or ate his way through the battlefield, so increased his hunger for the Knight's life essence. Nothing would stand in his way for devouring Cas Tynen's life essence, to see how the Jedi would slowly devoid of any life.

One life after another, the Lord of Hunger devoured and not even Imperials were left alive if they were caught in Insatious's feeding. Each step the Sith Lord took, he left death in his path of destruction. The Sith Lord's Death Squad were brutal and insanely efficient in gunning down any opposition against them. The Imperial soldiers witnessing the Lord, icing chill ran down their spine as they saw plantlife withered away, forming a trail of ash behind the Lord of Hunger.

Right as the Silver Order Rangers left Cas's side, the Jedi Knight would feel the voidless wound in the force, followed by seeing the robed and cloaked Sith Lord. Standing on top of a small knoll, looking down at Cas, with the crimson blade in hand. Insatious's Death Squad appeared around the Sith Lord, all armed with blasters or electro staffs. As messed up and horrified the Death Squad of soldiers chad in blood-red armour were, it was nothing compared to their tortured signature in the force.

Insatious tilted his head a bit, almost bemused by something, followed by looking in the direction of where the Ranger squad went. Without even saying a word, his Death Squad with help fo the force, pounced after the Rangers, like wild animals and was gone in the chaos of the invasion.

Looking back at Cas, the Jedi would hear the same eldritch nightmare of a voice, fill his mind again. "Cassss" hissed the voice excited, pointing his lightsaber at Cas. "you are mine!" projected the voice and with incredible speed, the Sith Lord flew towards him with a swing from left to right, aiming for his head.

 

[Joycelyn Zambrano]

TOWER OF PROPHESY, VOSS
Kingsley (Just) Duncan

Spoiler

Joycelyn’s stuff: Zaudraka, Zealot’s Maille, Jin’wodasir x3, SIF-7 Minos.

Joycelyn severed the liquid cable as she found purchase on the wall. Digging her fingers into the crevices, she slowly lowered herself down the near vertical surface. It was going fairly well until her foot caught what felt like a solid spot, but that turned out to be slick with some kind of local vegetation. Joycelyn did not know its name, she did not care. She only cared that her foot suddenly lost purchase.

Her hands slipped out of their crevice.

And the giant of a Sith fell.

She grimaced as she turned to break the fall, then felt the thorny embrace of vegetation. They scratched and clawed her face and her clothes, but did not fully penetrate. Those elements that snagged also snapped against her bulk. A branch caught her in the back, but most of the force was dissipated by the breastplate she had become so accustomed to wearing now in times of war.

The branch made her topple forward and land, hands first, in the grass and bushes. In those bushes, Joycelyn lay still for a full minute before, simply breathing to keep her composure. Sith were encouraged to act on their passions, but even they knew that wanton rage had its limitations.

There was a time and a place for flying into rage and-

Feth it, this was it.

Whipping her hands out to the sides, the bush was suddenly enveloped in a fire which spread and consumed the grass around her, reducing it to crumbling coal and ash. Joycelyn pushed herself to her feet and drew her blaster, fully intending to waste the first non-Sith she saw.

With every step she took, the fire spread a little more, carving a path for her as she released the safety and ensured her blaster was loaded.

“I swer by Fff-” She held back on the blasphemy “I will wring their necks.”

Around the corner, into to the visible range of the wreck and its survivors, she wandered.

 

[Centin Tillo]

Location: Voss-ka
Objective: Break into security
Friends: Risen Cato Harth
Enemies: Sith

Centin chuckled at Cato’s barb about Risen. He enjoyed hearing from the knight who knew his master, always curious if their experiences with the man mirrored his own.

The padawan’s mood quickly soured after the unfamiliar knight patronized him. He resented being called a kid by someone who was hardly any older. But now wasn’t any time for bickering, there’d be plenty of that on the ride home.

Cato busted through the doorway and began firing into the room, followed by Risen leaping into action. He was unimpressed with Cato's seeming penchant for dramatic flair, unaware of the laughable hypocrisy. The boy couldn't help but internally critique the knight's efforts.

At least do something interesting before starting the theatrics.

Centin waited until his master’s breath released, sending some guards flying backwards. He took that as his opportunity to join the fray and advanced inside. Drawing on his knowledge of the Djem So the boy began to carve his way around the edge of the room, dispatching those guards who had been disoriented by Risen’s initial attack.

His use of the Force was limited, restrained to only enhancing his speed and the strength of his attacks. They were still techniques he didn’t fully grasp, at least not in the ways his master did. But slowly he had begun to understand their applications through observation.

Nearly finished with cleaning up the rabble on the room’s outskirts, Centin turned his attention to the security console and began to clear a path towards it. He couldn't help but check Cato's progress, internally comparing the knight's skill to his own.

 

[Beltran Rarr]

Beltran Rarr

Location: City of Voss-Ka, Tower of Prophecy courtyard
Objective: Engage in posturing with Ingrid L'lerim prior to damaging her ;-)
Allies: SJC and allied personnel, Mathieu Brion
Enemies: The Sith and allied personnel, eventually engaging Ingrid L'lerim
Loadout:

• Armor: Katarn Mk. II Combat Armor
• Clothing: Katarn Undersuit, Bantha Load-bearing system
• Primary Weapons: 10mm Pulse Rifle
• Secondary Weapons: Death-Dealer Handcannon (drop holster, right hip - loaded with Sith-Killer Ammunition), Pulse Pistol (chest holster) Lightsaber (clipped to waist), Lightsaber Pike (strapped to back), Wrist Mounted Blaster (right wrist), Tactical Vibroblade (right boot)

Commanding: Paladin Company (150 Rangers)

Beltran had been one of the first to enter the garden that made up the rather large courtyard of the tower. With the twelve members of his personal squad, he moved swiftly with his rifle raised at the high-ready, searching for targets. He could hear the increasing sounds of weapons fire to his rear, as the bulk of his force fought to hold the opening they'd made in the tower's gate from the massing Sith forces within the city.

”You may have arrived, but you're not going anywhere from here. At most backwards because you have to blow a retreat.”​

The voice, cold and matter-of fact, sounded easily throughout the garden even over the din of battle. A dozen rifles, plus Beltran's own levelled on the red haired woman in the shimmering black armor who had come to stand in their way.

”This is your first and only chance to retire, gentlemen. I suggest you consider and take the opportunity before it’s too late.”​

Beltran lowered his rifle slightly and took a step forward, differentiating himself from the troopers on either side of him.​

"You know I can't do that," He responded crisply, his helmet's vox modulator giving his voice a cold metallic quality. "The Sith occupation of this world cannot be allowed to continue. The Voss deserve their freedom, and they will have it."​

Motioning to the emblem that the woman wore on her shoulder, he continued. "The Eternal Empire has no fight here," He continued, recognizing it from intelligence reports. "This isn't your war. There is no need to waste your life fighting it. Take whatever troops you have with you, withdraw. I will not stop you. But, be warned. If you make any kind of aggressive move against us, your life will be forfeit. I will not show mercy."​

This was probably as close to diplomacy that Beltran ever got. And the fact that he'd even wasted this much breath on a conversation he knew would go nowhere had probably more to do with the look of disappointment Mathieu Brion had given him when the Jedi had been informed that the Rangers would not be able to fight the Sith with stun blasts.​

Feth me, The Lorrdian thought to himself. That Jedi idealism must be getting to me.​

​

 

[Thurion Heavenshield]

Spoiler: Mood Music

​

Aboard SJC Battle Cruiser Break of Dawn
Commencing Assault
Allies: Coci Heavenshield | Valae Heavenshield
Enemies: Darth Prazutis

Walking amongst his people, the King made a mental note of each and every face he laid eyes on as they shouted their war chants, beating their chests as Helm, the God of War, imbued their spirits. They knew, as their liege knew, that this was a chance to prove to the entire galaxy what warriors of Midvinter were truly capable of. That they were a force to be reckoned with. The excitement knew no bounds.

Stepping onto a parked shuttle from where all could see him, Thurion addressed his Valkyri brothers and sisters.

"Rise up, Sons and Daughters of Midvinter!" He was greeted with roaring cheers as he uttered the timeless phrase of his father.

"A momentous occasion this is, for today we children of ice and snow embark on a mission not of conquest nor self-preservation, but for the sake of an entire world! Decades ago we faced the forces of the Sith on our homeworld, fighting bravely to hold on to our way of life, and we came out victorious! Together we have withstood usurpers, hordes of undead, and even Death itself, and yet here we stand!"

"The Silver Jedi, in their great compassion and generosity, have assisted us on numberless occasions, providing hope when many times all seemed hopeless! Today we repay the favour by bringing the Sith to their knees at Voss, by showing them the forces of darkness will never prevail so long as there are good people to take a stand!"

Reaching for his sword Anarion, the flash of steel rung out as he uttered a phrase in the ancient tongue, prompting all to climb into their suits of power armour and bring them to life, brandishing huge two-handed swords, axes and hammers. It was a moment they had all been preparing for after years of training.

"We ride now, TO VOSS!"

The towering titans of steel all climbed aboard their designated drop pods, as Thurion and those who would fight on foot boarded the shuttles. The Break of Dawn had broken through the atmosphere above the city of Voss-Ka, and from it a thousand white streaks were unleashed, each belonging to a single drop pod as it cut through the air at breakneck speed, heading towards the ground.

Standing aboard one of the shuttles joining the countless pods, Thurion watched the familiar city unfold beneath him. They came in hot, under fire from the Sith defenders stationed inside the city even as the war raged on in the hills and fields surrounding Voss-Ka.

Thurion turned to his wife and daughter who stood beside him, embracing Val the way only a father could, and kissing Coci with the deepest and truest of love. "For Voss."

As the shuttle swooped in low, its passengers disembarked and set foot on their former home once more. Drawing his lightsaber, Thurion charged into battle alongside the first wave of Valkyri warriors leaping out of their drop pods, smashing into the Imp troopers like a force of nature.

Even in the midst of combat he could sense a presence of great and terrible evil within the Tower of Prophecy.

​

TLDR; Thurion and his army of Valkyri have made landfall in the city of Voss-Ka.

 

[Mathieu Brion]

Location: Outside the Tower of Prophecy, Voss-Ka, Voss
Equipment: Ashlas wristguard | Blaster pistol with a stun setting | Stun baton | Two Lightsabres | Brion Substance Regulator | Electromagnetic pulse emitter | Jedi Robes | One-time-use Jump Jet
Allied tag: Beltran Rarr
Hostile tag: Ingrid L'lerim AMCO

Stepping into the courtyard was eerie, for while the battle raged on outside, many of its horrid noises were muffled by the high walls which surrounded it. He could only imagine how oddly peaceful it must have been inside before they cut the gates open. Still, he kept his sabre high in a defensive stance as he kept moving in a few metres with Beltran and his squad stepped in. Perhaps it was for the best that they were fewer in numbers, seeing as how little room they had for mistakes.

A quick thought of how surprisingly nice it was of their foes to offer a way out from battle passed his mind as their pace slowed to a halt. His eyes fell on the woman by the fountain - she was only one person, vastly outnumbered by the intruding troop. Mathieu wondered what the cause for her confidence might be and with her not carrying a distinct dark side presences, it was hard to pin it on her being Sith. Still, something felt wrong.

Looking over to Beltran, Mathieu followed the Captain's lead and extinguished his lightsabre. If the Ranger was going to try to deescalate the situation and find a peaceful solution, the Padawan would support him all the way. The Jedi had been part of a few situation requiring diplomatic touch but he still assumed that his ally had a better idea of what to do and say himself. With that, he remained quiet, finding himself rather impressed by Beltran's observation capacity - it took the Morellian a few more moments before he noticed the badge of the Eternal Empire on her arm.

For a few moments, Mathieu looked to his ally with a friendly smile and nod - he didn't know if it could be seen or not, but at this point, it was of little importance. Soon, his eyes returned to the armoured woman ahead of them. Of course, Mathieu would who mercy if he had the option to, but he had no intentions of contradicting the Captain who had already made a good case for her to surrender. With that, he simply stood aside, waiting for her to, hopefully, agree and leave the planet.

 

[Cato Harth]

LOCATION: Voss-Ka
OBJECTIVE: HACK
FRIENDS: Risen | Centin Tillo
FOES: Sith

The trio made quick work of the guards in the room, Cato finishing their dramatic entrance by knocking out the guard in his grasp and letting him slump to the floor. “What did I say? No sweat. Nice whatever you did, Risen.” He stepped over the unconscious bodies, tossing the blaster to the ground beside its original owner. “Anyway, what were we talking about? Oh right, yeah I’m sure your master here didn’t make it to knighthood until he was what, late twenties? Thirties? How old are you anyway?”

Cato planted himself in front of the console before even listening for an answer, rapidly clacking away at the computer and inserting a drive into the port. “Come to papa…” The screen flashed several times as programs began to shut down. The knight whistled a sing-song tune to himself, eagerly waiting for the drive to give him admin access and make quick work of their communications. Then, the screen flashed red making Cato do a double take as he reread the text, “...WHAT?!” He pulled out the datapad again, taking another look at the layout, “What do you mean there’s TWO security rooms?! Who has TWO security rooms like that?!”

Standing up straight, he looked to the other two in the room, “Right then, so turns out there’s another security room across the other hall. They intentionally kept it hidden on the main layout.” Cato began talking faster and faster as he ran a hand through his hair, “They’re gonna send a warning through that console very soon. I need you guys to go to the other room, and shut that one down. We can’t prevent the signal from getting out without confirmation from both admins. If we don't, that warning is gonna let everyone know what we’re doing.” He put his hands on both of their backs, shoving them out of the room and back into the hall. “Just head down there. I’ll hold down the fort here.” He eyed Risen in particular, “I got this. You gotta keep an eye on your paddie, after all.”

In truth he was just fine with the opportunity to finish up here on his own, solo work was sorely lacking, especially when people always felt compelled to watch over him. With another shove, he pushed them back towards the opposite hall and watched them head on. Cato sighed, preparing to step back in when his ears perked up at the recognition of another presence. He craned his neck down the opposite end of the hall, into the continued darkness. The sound was unmistakable, of course. The trademark snap-hiss.

One red lightsaber.

Two red lightsabers.

Cato blinked, “...How about that.” Just as quickly, he slid back in and shut the door, locking it shut behind him as he returned to the console, trying to slow down the transfer of the alarm. “Nothing’s ever easy, is it?”

 

[Enyo Typhos]

Equipment: Armour, Rifle, Grenades, Sidearm 1, Sidearm 2, Sabre, Knife, Wrist Weapon.

Her present location - first floor, behind a window, in some abandoned building - gave Enyo a good vantage point, allowing her to watch events unfold in the streets without unduly exposing herself to potential enemy fire until the right moment. Supposedly, the paragons of the Light were using stun bolts, which would not be effective against a Phrik HRD, but nonetheless. Presumably they would still use lethal force against Dark-Side Force-Users and all that.

As she looked through the sights of her rifle, she felt something akin to a jolt in her skull. Enyo knew who the transmission was from. The message was heavily encrypted. Enyo's response was not verbal though. The fact that she was closer to a machine than an organic came in handy in this regard. "On the shuttle, en route to the Lightbringer. The asset is safe. Space is pretty calm. A Jedi speechified." Clipped, to the point, and with a tone of dismissiveness towards the end. Alexia was not one to go on a tangent. Enyo had always liked that about her.

"Bring the asset to base. Put her under guard, question her. Take Valerian along. He can assist."
"He's a pompous fool."
"He's your brother. Teach him. While you're at it, Sergeant Annika Doyle oggled Thuella and made lecherous comments about her while drunk. This is unbecoming. Thuella is not a piece of meat; this is a respectable business, not a Firemane whorehouse. Process Doyle."
It probably said quite a bit about this type of family and their interesting view of morality that, on the other end of line in space, Alexia did not bat an eyelash. "Yes, sister."
"Dispatch Alpha Team to Vorzyd. An Anton Brüning and a Sophia Golitsyn are becoming a problem. Jan has the details. Terminate them. Make it clean."

While Enyo was having this conversation in her head, she was observing. She saw drop pods rain down from the sky. Hulking behemoths emerged from them and proceeded to smash into Imperial troops. Moreover, she saw the flash of an ignited lightsabre as Jedi emerged from a shuttle, joining the power armoured warriors.

"Consider it done. Sure you don't want some extra muscle? Those lizard savages of yours would love nothing more than to death charge the nearest enemy."
"No, and you shouldn't be so eager to throw them into the next-best fight out of xenophobia. I'll contact you when I'm finished," and with that Enyo cut the connection. Her gaze followed the figures in the distance. She had no dramatic dark side aura or anything similar that heralded her presence. Her armour's myriad stealthy features did their part to obfuscate her and shroud her presence - for now.

Coci Heavenshield

 

[Jared Starchaser]

There was a war looming below, a war all around them, the Sith were here and they were going to give up their stranglehold on these worlds. Ossus was a sacred world to the Jedi, while the Silver Order felt a responsibility to Voss. And the latter was where Jared was going to find his action. With the return to real space, Jared was awaiting a location to become clear, and he could feel the other vessels reverting to real space, including one chock full of the Heavenshields, another strong Jedi family. Maybe it was wrong to think it, but there was something different working with one of the Force families, like his own.

The Jedi and Force were open to all, and the ones who didn’t come with some legacy behind them certainly improved upon the Force and what it means to be a Jedi. Still, he had his tasks here today, and from what he was reading, there were a number of resistance fighters on the ground, ahead of the Silver expeditionary force. Yes, yes, he knew that was a fancy way to say ‘Invasion’ but should Jedi be invading?

If you asked his father? Yes.

As he heard the crackle over the comms, he smiled. Valae Heavenshield. Good, she was a wonderful healer, and that was when he saw the target he needed. There was a hospital that needed to be locked down, one near the outskirts of the city, no doubt set up to assist the Voss on the outskirts. He was not able to identify an easy landing zone and landing on the roof would be… He could do it.

“Reading you Val. Sending you coordinates. Think you can land on that hospital? Or do we need to walk it?” He had a grin on his face and it was clear in his voice as he lifted the Preybird from the hangar floor.

Valae Heavenshield