Return of the Klaxxi (OP Dominion of Sullust)

[Kaida Taldir]

[member="Amnell de Portiers"]


More slaughter, bloodshed and cries of sentient beings as Caerys continued her single-minded process of elimination. All those who impeded her would be exterminated, none would be allowed to live. All those except Amnell and her bots. And thus her dispassionate violence reaped a bitter harvest as her absurdly brutal Sith chainsword sliced through Ozzlites and Sullustans, ridding them of limbs, heads and sending innards sizzling across the ground.



She picked up the pace as more spiders came upon them. She would be the rear guard and draw their attention, being the strongest combatant, giving Amnell and R9 time to get out. As strange as it might sound, in times such as this there was no better protector than an amoral death machine.


One of the Klaxxi came at her with its massive tendrils that could crush a man and a maw full of teeth that lusted for flesh. However, Caerys did not give it time for as it charged at her she leapt into the air, jumping over the beast just as it sought to pull her into its maw. The Klaxxi immediately spun, but Caerys was faster and, seemingly undaunted by the vicious beatings it sought to pound her with, grabbed ahold of what looked like its head with both her hands. There was a loud, sickening snap as the terminatrix literally ripped the beast's head off and abruptly tossed it into a Sullustan who had taken aim at Amnell.


However, then Caerys abruptly found herself wrenched back as behind her a Klaxxi manifested and its tendrils wrapped around one of her arms. The assassin droid struggled but further tendrils came for her and then in a snap her arm had been ripped off! The machine twitched and shook very strongly, then abruptly smashed the elbow of the one arm she still had into the creature, knocking it off her. Before the Klaxxi could come at her once more she had taken a frag grenade from her belt and tossed it into the beast's mouth. There was a loud bang as the Klaxxi came down with a grenade-sized stomach ache, showering the damaged terminatrix with ichor, flesh and innards. Ominous sounds were heard from the shadows and as Caerys turned, scanning, more and more Klaxxi bore down upon them, along with their slaves. Far more than she was capable of handling.


Without hesitating, Caerys acted. "I shall blow up the tunnel. Leave," she ordered emotionlessly. The eyes of one of the bots flashed and suddenly Amnell would find herself picked up by one of her guardian droids and raced out of the tunnel, with R9 presumably following in tow. As beasts charged upon her and blaster fire from the Sullustans came her way, Caerys gripped a thermal detonator, and flung it into the fray, then another, as she ran, The explosion resonated across the tunnel as she brought it down upon her and the spiders.

 

[Vaena Askari]

[member="Anika Od'Manteiv"]


"My Lady, a message coming in from the Protectorate forces," an aide spoke whilst Tarissa watched the space battle. She would have very much liked to be down on the ground, she had still not healed from events on Kaeshana, so here she was on the bridge of the Artemisia, doing her duty from there.



"Patch it through," the Lady spoke, whereupon she would receive communications from Od'Manteiv and be able to hear her message.


"This is Major Anika Od'Manteiv of the Omega Defense Force, thank you for coming to the aide of Sullust.

What are these Klaxxi in the report?"


"Major, this is Lady Cadalthor of the Kaeshana Confederation. As far as we know, these Klaxxi come from the unknown regions. The Atrisians fought them at Csilla, a joint Firemane-Eldorai force under Lady Kerrigan fought several during the Second Battle of Gehenna whilst boarding a derelict Bando Gora ship. They're essentially big, vicious, superstrong spiderlike creatures with an insatiable appetite for human flesh. They are endowed with telepathic powers and a natural Force Cloaking ability, by warping light and sound. They are very strong and their exoskeleton is reminiscent of songsteel, very resistant to conventional and energy attacks. My supposition is they came here to get new slaves and meat," Tarissa replied, at the same time transmitting what data the Eldorai possessed on these creatures.


"Their exoskeleton's main weakness is that they're susceptible to piercing. Armour piercing bullets and even sharp blades can pierce their skin. Wait a moment," she spoke when she suddenly received another transmission from Sullust. "Our forces have secured Elaris and are holding off a Klaxxi assault to evacuate her. She is in urgent need of medical attention. We've landed our light walkers."

 

[Coryth Elaris]

Coryth reached her good arm around Kaida, trying to protect herself from further injury and pain. The breathing mask, made life so much better for her, easier as she could now breath less painfully and no longer had to breathe in the toxic smoke. Her eyes drifted between Kaida and their surroundings, for beyond that there was very little she could do.

At the explosion, Coryth only remembered really falling and debris and shrapnel pelting her back. Okay, so my day can clearly get worse. The redhead groaned softly, but that soon turned into an agonized cry as she was picked up by the Angelii trooper. Her body had been broken and injured one time too many today.

As the fighting broke out around her, the small woman had never felt so helpless before in her life. She simply couldn't move to help anyone, or do anything except lay still in Maeve's arms. Every last movement and bounce from the Eldorai carrying her, only brought her more pain. The broken leg getting jarred around far too much. Dizziness and darkness threatened to pull her under.

Gods how I hate when it is all out of my hands. For there were many things Coryth could handle but being this helpless, this useless was not one of them. Letting others carry her to the finish just seemed wrong. Her flight here had been so simple, just to check on the planet and now ... now ... It was so much more. I guess we'd never have known if I was not here first. Someone had to be the first one and as chance would have it, this time it was the small Jedi Master.

[member="Rhen Qel-Droma"] | [member="Anika Od'Manteiv"] | [member="Kaida Taldir"] | [member="Sarge Potteiger"]

 

[Amnell de Portiers]

Amnell did the only thing she could at that point, run. Despite all the pain coursing through her body and the way her lungs just didn't want to function to give her enough air, needless to say she was in agony but there was little else she could do but keep moving forward. Behind her numerous spider like creatures were bearing down upon them and she could sense more coming.

Hearing Caerys emotionless words, Amnell glanced worriedly back but nodded, "Okay." She said as she bolted with all the strength she had left. Anything to try to get far ahead of what was happening. It was then that she found herself suddenly scooped up by one of the droids that she'd picked up along the way.

Nine was hauling, doing everything he could to keep pace with Amnell and the security bot that gripped her tightly, forcing her to keep her head down to protect her from anything else along the tunnel path. She only dared to look back once, to see the carnage that Caerys was leaving behind them. It was then that she was forced to duck again as a shot from a Sullustan was fired her way. All she could do was trust in Caerys, the security bot and Nine and hope to get further along before the tunnel came down upon the creatures behind them.

[member="Caerys Argente"]

 

[Kaida Taldir]

[member="Amnell de Portiers"]


With a magnificient bang, the entire tunnel had come down upon Caerys and the mass of Klaxxi along with their slaves. Clouds of smoke rose up into the air as the entire structure came apart, accompanied by angry, agonised screeches. Then there was silence, no movement, no activity. Those monsters who had been pursuing them were dead. At least those who had not been smart enough to run for it.



Then slowly, very slowly, there was movement and one could hear the screech of metal. Then suddenly a pile of rubble was roughly thrown off by a badly damaged, mechanical hand, its synthflesh burnt away to reveal badly dented durasteel that looked like it could use some serious repairs. Slowly Caerys crawled out of the rubble and managed to get to her feet. There was pretty much no part of her body that had not been damaged, her synthetic skin had all but vanished from her body, the metal was cracked, broken and badly dented.


One of her eyes seemed to have been destroyed, the other was flaring a bright crimson. Caerys tilted her head to the side slightly as she surveyed the carnage, then slowly limped out of the tunnel, still scanning the area for hostiles, her one good hand enclosed around a bolt pistol.

 

[Kaida Taldir]

[member="Coryth Elaris"], [member="Rhen Qel-Droma"], [member="Sarge Potteiger"], [member="Anika Od'Manteiv"]



The Klaxxi were strong, vicious bastards. They were also facing the problem that the Eldorai had just landed ridiculously well-armoured, even more absurdly well-armed Mag'ladroth light assault walkers that were not at all 40k Dreadnought expies. The bark of heavy bolters and the massive volumes of fire spewed out by the shattercannons swept through the air to impact upon the beasts, to be joined by the ferocious assault of the Angelii.


Eldorai fell to the beasts, but the rest stood and held the line. Inspired by valour, the unbroken tradition of their ancestors, survival instinct...in the end it did not matter. To both sides a phalanx formed and as the beasts seemed to be reeling the Angelii advanced, unleashing an onslaught of Kaeshana valour and Kaeshana steel. As Kaida cut and hewed her way through ranks of Ozzlites and spiders, she was suddenly immobilised and forced to the ground when a Klaxxi manifested and pounced her from behind, sendling her tumbling to the hard ground as she was pinned down.


Legs immobilised and held in a crushing grip, pain surged through her body as the beast lunged at her, its large, sharp teeth seeking to tear through the layer of armour that protected her throat while it used its large form to hold her in place. Reacting quickly she managed to grab a nearby sarzmigar and slashed through one of the giant spider's many legs, throwing it off for just a moment that allowed her to disentangle herself and get out. The Klaxxi screeched in violent anger, sheer venom bleeding through the telepathic thoughts it shot into her mind, but as it came at her once more she bashed it with her Taegis shield. Under the force of the impact as its used its superstrong legs like bludgeons, the shield broke, but in that moment Kaida stabbed the Klaxxi in the throat, driving the polearm through till it was coated with blood. Her shield was broken, but the chunks of it were still useful.


Acting on instinct as a Klaxxi tried to leap upon one of her battle sisters, she grabbed a long, very sharp-looking shard of her shield and tossed it, sending it sailing through the air to scythe the spider, piercing its exoskeleton to shore through its vulnerable flesh. Panting very strongly and in deep pain, she nonetheless held up her sarzmigar as she guided the surviving Angelii to fall upon the remaining Klaxxi with the ruthlessness of furies, with the walkers forming a protective screen to get Coryth out as the dropship swooped down. Just a few metres more and she should be safe, still being carried by Maeve.

 

[Sarge Potteiger]

[member="Anika Od'Manteiv"] [member="Coryth Elaris"]

"We're dispatching troops and medical aid to the surface, Master Elaris will be brought into orbit and the doctors aboard the Leviathan will see to her; unless, of course, the delegation from Kaeshana objects." Hastings knew enough about their society to know they'd likely cause a fuss over someone they clearly had a vested interest in. He'd do the same in their position. An olive branch, from the rest of the Protectorate to the warriors of that world.

We're here to help, unless you'd rather we not.

Really that was the Protectorate way at all times.

And, sure enough, as they awaited their evac, the menacing black square shapes of Protectorate dropships screeched into view, heavy weapons churning as they skittered across the ground to form a defensive perimeter of death. A medical dropship squeezed its way down through the covering fire, a lone Apothecary standing on the ramp, waiting to see the girl aboard. Where she went wasn't up to him, but it didn't matter.

What mattered was her survival, little else.

 

[Coryth Elaris]

Coryth whimpered as Maeve raced through the battle, making her way to the medical evac ship. Carefully she was laid upon a stretcher and wheeled deeper into the vessel as she tried to keep her pain under control, to keep from crying out and making the situation worse. Her back was covered in small nicks and wounds from shrapnel, from the explosion and thus she'd been positioned with care on her right side.

"The Eldorai Delegation have requested she be transferred to the Artemisia for further care." Spoken quickly before the Angelii departed. For her battle sisters were waiting on the field for her to return.

Coryth's eyes only searched the room, not moving her body at all. Being a healer, she knew better. Her injuries needed to be treated with care, and writhing on the bed would only make matters worse for her.

[member="Sarge Potteiger"] | [member="Kaida Taldir"]

 

[Tilda Sai]

[member="Sarge Potteiger"] [member="Coryth Elaris"] [member="Tarissa Cadalthor"]

Omega Defense Force


Anika gave a nod.

"Thank you Lady Cadalthor, I appreciate the intel. I shall relay it to the rest of the Protectorate Forces." She would move to make various taps across her holographic screen.

"We will send back up to aid in your extraction of the Jedi." Forces were subsequently dispatched.

A word came in from the Vice Admiral. She would relay it.

"At the request of the Interim Vice Admiral, we would like Master Elaris will be brought into orbit and the doctors aboard the Leviathan will see to her; unless, of course, the delegation from Kaeshana objects?"

 

[Rhen Qel-Droma]

Sullust

Rhen would head towards the mayday, but it appeared that the Jedi Master was already taken care of. Right now, he would serve to help the rest of the Sullustan people.

So far, so good.

The People of Kaeshana were helping Protectorate forces and slowly getting Sullust back into their care.

For now, the Protectorate would stand.

 

[Sarge Potteiger]

The Apothecary hefted [member="Coryth Elaris"] into the dropship, and then promptly closed the ramp while Protectorate forces advanced against the Klaxxi. He was already heading into orbit for the Leviathan before the course correction came in. She was wanted by the Eldorai, apparently and so the dropship screamed through space towards their vessels. The Protectorate worked with its member worlds as best it could.

Give and take.

"The Eldorai have spoken. The Master is theirs."

 

[Anya Venari]

[member="Sarge Potteiger"] | [member="Coryth Elaris"] | [member="Kaida Taldir"]

Eldorai healers took possession of the stricken Jedi Master when she landed on board the Ariane’s Fist.
There, she was taken to the medical facility on board and helped by the healers.

It had been a close thing, but now it seemed that Coryth was both safe and the planet of Sullust had been secured.

Down below the battle would continue against the Klaaxi, but now Coryth could get some (enforced) rest.

And of course a collar with a bell so she couldn’t run off all the time.

 

[Kaida Taldir]

[member="Anya Venari"], [member="Coryth Elaris"]


And so the battle was won and everyone was shiny and happy! Well, presumably there was still plenty to be done, lots of monsters to kill and so on. Not to mention boring things like finding people to run the planet and restore its infrastructure, but that need not concern us anymore.


Coryth Elaris would be receiving the full attention of a contingent of Eldorai medics and healers aboard their battleship. She could also be assured that she would not be put into a bacta tube, since that sort of thing seemed to terrify the poor redhead. Oh, and yes, her devoted attendant Harmony would be there to help with her recovery!


Meanwhile on the ground the last Klaxxi had been mopped up at the landing zones and now the Eldorai forces, along with the Protectorate, would be landing further reinforcements and purging the planet of the last of the beasts. For her part, by now Kaida was in a bad shape and despite her protests would end up having a date with healers as well. It was perhaps a bit unfortunate that the first test of the new Angelii cortosis armour had been against super spiders and not against lightsabre-wielding forcers, but it had done its job well.