Dominion Reytha Without You | GA Dominion of Reytha and Terrijo

[Spirit of Patience]

REYTHA and TERRIJO
AFTER THE WAR | THE RENAISSANCE ERA

​

Covered in oceans teeming with fish, and productive agricultural fields, Reytha has enough food to feed an army. And to prove it, and show their dedication to contributing to the Alliance’s infrastructure, Reytha’s representatives and farmer’s coalition have dedicated ten percent of their food production to go toward The Galactic Alliance’s Defense Force.

______________________________________________________________________________

I - FEAST FOR THE EYES | REYTHA
Suggested for: All merrygoers​

To welcome The Alliance, and to showcase their exemplary production, the farmer’s coalition has organized a giant feast by Montrosa’s oceanside. Reytha’s citizens co-mingle with themselves, and citizens from all through The Alliance who have been welcomed.

The table spread is bountiful, the smiles are broad and genuine, and the fun is only beginning — Reytha is fast-securing heir position as one of the top productive agricultural worlds within The Alliance’s scope.

II - COMMITTEED TO THE CAUSE | REYTHA
Suggested for: Senators and their accompanying characters​

Restructuring The Alliance’s senate to be more productive and equipped for a time where winning a war is not the sole focus, is a long and arduous task.

As The Alliance expands to encompass more and more worlds, the demand for facilitating these acquisitions and affairs is at its peak. The Senate convenes therefore, to discuss and elect a Chair and Members for the Committee of Foreign affairs and create a Subcommittee for Admissions of New Members.

III - CATO'S CRADLE | CATO NEIMOIDIA
Suggested for: SIA, Jedi, and GADF vs. any Imperial or other third-party opposition who like to take advantage of a messy situation.
//THIS IN MEDIA RES\\​

The SIA’s network has detected growing hostile activity near Reytha’s system, on a sisterly planet, Cato Neimoidia.

As an early exhibit of the benefit of The Alliance’s protection, agents are dispatched to prove or disprove the suspicion. Because Cato Neimoidia has a sanctuary for Jedi, personnel from The New Jedi Order accompany the SIA’s agents to protect the spiritual connection of the planet.

Suspicions are quickly confirmed. The SIA and NJO quickly discover an assault has been deployed on Cato’s bridge cities by a group of renegade Imperial Knights, who are scorching the planet as retribution for the fallen Empire — “If Empire can’t have it, no one can.”

The GADF are called in for reinforcements to douse the fire before it becomes an inferno and consumes all that Cato Neimoidia have built.

​

 

[Loomi]

Reytha
Tags: Toby Perris , Ceri Fraissi

Dress​

All of the food was sort of just the dressing for the larger shock for Loomi. To most, a beachfront venue's focus was the venue, in this instance the massive feast that had been arranged What had captured the Godoan's attention was the ocean itself. She had never seen so much water in one place before, so much so that she seemed stuck in one place. Her mechanical feet were glued to the floor as she gazed out at the sea, completely enamored with such an alien sight. This was such a peaceful departure compared to her last outing. Maybe it was that juxtaposition that made the large body of water far more captivating.

Her train of though was cut off by a sudden force coming into contact with her. She staggered slightly and turned to seen an older human woman had walked into her.

"Watch where you're going," the lady snapped. "I thought you Jedi were supposed to have enhanced awareness."

"But I-" Loomi began, but she didn't get far.

With nothing more than a scoff, the old woman had already stormed off. A frown came to her face as she looked down at the floor.

"I wasn't going anywhere..." she muttered.

Loomi sighed as she turned back to the ocean. Maybe this wasn't going to be as enjoyable as she thought. The Godoan couldn't help but think how much she'd rather be out there in the water.

 

[Minerva Fhirdiad]

III - CATO'S CRADLE | CATO NEIMOIDIA

Trantor-class Division Frigate "The Jaius Yorub"​

Holding her helmet with one hand to the hip Lieutenant Minerva Fhriaid stood facing her platoon outside a boarding pod. Most of them were new members saved for a few familiar faces. With the war against the Maw over many a veteran had left to enjoy life outside the military. For Mandalorians like herself, living and dying as warriors is part of their whole identity so one could wonder how they fit in this new era.

There is always someone left to fight.

On a personal level she had no ties to Cato Nemodia but she did have a score to settle against Imperials. Technically the Alliance and the former Empire never concluded their struggle with one another. Rather curious, she admitted silently.

Whatever the case the troops before her mattered just as much as her code. Deadly serious she glanced from one end to the other before declaring.

"Warriors ready yourselves! Remember watch each other's backs and don't do anything reckless or you'll answer to me. As much as I love to humble the Imps we're also to help the people down there. So watch your shots and give aid to the civilians if you can without compromising your squadmates.

Aside from possible stormtroopers our enemies today are Imperial knights. They may have lightsabers stuck up their rears but they're trained in the force and motivated. The Jedi can handle them but we will do what we can to assist. I expect nothing less than your best today Talons. Now let's go kill those Imps!"

Several commandos raised their fists and all of them roared. Grinning savegly Minerva quickly put on her helmet and charged up the ramp and into the boarding pod. Her platoon immediately followed in, feet loudly thudding. Taking seats Minerva and all of her comrades strapped in within a minute or two. Looking up at the pod's ceiling she took a deep breath before releasing.

Soon, real soon.

 

[Simon Meinrad]

C A V A L I E R
CATO NEIMODIA

A loot worth of a thousand systems.

The Neimodians were always synonymous with their greed as they surrounded themselves with luxurious architecture and expensive habits. The purse world of Cato Neimodia was analyzed to be important to the Alliance’s ever growing expansion, even a fool wouldn’t dare to overlook its system.

Which was why it was critical the Alliance would not inherit it in fine conditions. The Empire could not afford the resources to expand quickly to Cato Neimodia, though it did have the manpower to enact a cruel display of military strategy.

Scorched Earth.

No stone left unturned. If the Empire could not have Cato Neimodia, then no one would. Its riches would be plundered before everything would be left in ashes.

Imperial Knights and Stormtroopers were already on foot, doing as they were ordered with a few Imperial vessels having space control later to contest it in order to buy time for their infantry counterparts on planetside. Any and all resistance no matter its origin was to be terminated with no hesitation. Civilians were ignored, but some had the misfortune to be in the crosshairs of firefights.

Desperate times called for desperate measures.

 

[Thalia Senn]

Allies: Open
Enemies: Open​

The last time Thalia was on Cato Neimoidia she had been a murderer, a raider. Her grip on her crash webbing tightened as the thick clouds engulfed her drop ship, flashes of that day washing over her.

A younger Thalia stood over a burning bridge, her padawan braid along with most of her hair cut. The wind rushed over her freshly shaved scalp. She was here to do one thing. Her Master had sent her here to as a test. 'Kill a Jedi', he had said, 'Take their saber and make it your own.' She jumped from the cargo bay just as the transport crashed into a spire.

Blaster fire rocked the troop transport, the red energy bolts tearing through the HAAT's deflectors. She could feel the air around them. They'd left the port side stabilizers.

"Port side stabilizers down! I'm loosing control!" The pilot shouted over the gunship's com. Thalia laughed dryly. The marines around her were shaking like leaves. They were new, she could tell. What did they used to call them? Shinies?

"Put on your helmets," Thalia said, freeing herself from the crash webbing. "And grab your grav shutes. We're jumping." Nervous group of shinies behind her, Thalia slid open the gunship door. Rushing air filled the compartment, the sound of battle coming from below. Damn Imperials were like lesser sky eeles, always where you didn't want them, gobbling up anything they can. She took a deep breath and jumped.

​

 

[Bayaz]

Allies: Open
Enemies: Open

Operation: Cato's Craddle

​

The rythmic sound of the Alliance tactical enforcer's slow and steady gait echoed in the command compartment. He watched as his unit of enforcers and colossus battle droids, supported by an infantry unit scaled the Neimodian spire in miniature. The Empire had reared its ugly head again, this time in old Silver space. Entrenched atop the massive rock pillars that towered over the tops of clouds and held Neimodian cities together they rained fire up above as a small Alliance task force moved in on the warlord.

Elements of the 203rd, including his own "Tin Man" Company moved as quietly as possible through the cloud-covered nether reaches of the planet to take the Imperials not only unaware, but hopefully at a disadvantage. He looked to the infantry commander, an old warrior by the name of Marcus Rail. He had grey silver, almost translucent hair, a cybernetic eye that glowed red like his own in the dark, and a cybernetic arm rippling with corded metal muscle. A veteran of three wars he now preceded over the entire military operation and a substantial portion of the 222nd. That he was here for what the higher ups were calling "Operation Cato's Craddle", only meant that it was a mission being watched by the senate and high command.

"I hate heights," the man grumbled. "This was a bloody stupid plan whoever thought of this."

"Sir," Bayaz dared to reply, "You thought of this plan." The grizzled Corellian snorted.

"Oh, right." Silence. Awkward silence.

 

[Jasper Kai'el]

Cato Neimoidia
Tags: Minerva Fhirdiad , Open

Lux Ultima​

"The Jedi can handle them but we will do what we can to assist. I expect nothing less than your best today Talons. Now let's go kill those Imps!"

Jasper couldn't help but be impressed by the sudden roar of the Mandalorian's troops. They were ready, more than most could be at the prospect of going up against Imperial Knight. He knew that, truthfully, this was a different monster than fighting the Maw. The Knights of the Empire weren't fueled by rage or alchemically altered. They were cold, disconnected, and highly tactical, utilizing the force as a tool and nothing more. Not fully corrupting, but not in line with balance either. It was a twisted form of separation from the struggle of light and dark, one which he would have no advantage over with his more unique ability, as weak as it was.

But he was quite good at relying on things other than the force. You had to when your connection was below average.

"I'll cover your men," Jasper added to Minerva as her speech wrapped up. "These Imperial Knights aren't like the Sith, so I can't guarantee too much force protection, but..." he paused, taking a moment to gesture to the sword on his back, "I've always preferred using steel anyways."

A man with a mechanical arm and a large sword certainly could capture attention on the battlefield. If it could draw heat off of the Talons and shift focus to him, that was an edge he'd take. With a half salute., the Sentinel of Harmony made his way over to his drop pod. It surely wouldn't be long now before they would be making landfall. He had hoped there would be some time away from the warfront when the war ended, but things changed, as they so often tended to do. Jasper wasn't here as an attacker though, not like his younger years. No valor through victory or the felling of enemies, only his hands guided by the will of the force to preserve life.

"Alright," he muttered to himself within his pod. "Here we go."

Hopefully he'd be able to put that into practice.

 

[Roxy Rizzan]

SPARKY
MONTROSA | REYTHA
TAG: Loomi | Toby Perris

ABYSS​

Reytha was pretty.

Very much like Chandrila. It was like being home. So Ceri floated like excited bubbles into the great hall where the feast would be, dressed in a cute black dress. And hopefully new friends would be made. While meeting some old ones.

She was just about to head to the food table, when she caught sight of someone that looked totally out of place here. So she took a sho't left and headed to the Godoan who was frowning at the floor. Without ceremony, she linked her arm around the Godoan's, who she now recognised as a fellow Paddie.
"Hey there! Why are you so angry at the floor?" she asked, her big eyes looking at the girl, full of interest in what her response would be. "You look like you need a juice. C'mon, let's get some. And some snacks. Food always makes everything better." she would then add and, without ceremony would start to lead her toward the immense table.

She wasn't joking about food making everything better.

 

[Jester]

Location: Cato Neimodia
Objective: Take advantage of the chaos
Tags: OPEN

*any Black Sun members feel free to write yourself on board Jester's ship, shuttle or fighters

Inventory: In bio
Ship: Corvus Pattern Raider

The Vigo's ship, a repurchased ex-imperial vessel slipped in with the larger imperial raiding fleet, the ship looked the part and a few stolen transponder codes would hopefully pull off the ruse long enough for Jester to achieve her objectives. She would help sow chaos with the Imperials while her own crew would slip in and collect a couple of Black Sun contacts, and perhaps relieve the defenders of some expensive munitions, she could then bomb the bases as an imperial and the evidence wold vanish, perfect.

<<INS Ouroborous, you are late and out of formation, please report>> a message crackled through from the lead vessel of the small imperial flotilla her ship was attempting to blend in with. He was using the ship name on the stolen transponder box, so that was a good sign.

<<Ouroborous here. I apologise on behalf of my captain, he is suffering a medical incident and in indisposed, preparing ti engage.>> technically true, his guts had been turned inside out by the poisons Jester had used to ensure his real ship never arrived here.

<<Tell your captain he will be having an incident with my boot. Proceed to atmosphere and engage immediately Ouroborous. Maximum destruction, weapons free. Out>>

Jester looked at her crews and nodded to helm to take them down. "You heard our orders" she laughed, pleased with the success of the ruse "Weapons, if its not imperial or Sun, pick your poison and have fun. Ready the fighters to repel interceptors and tell the rest of the Sun we are in position."

She triangular corvette screamed through the atmosphere and was greeted with a quad of imperial tie fighters that would hug the ship for support but also provide them with a measure of additional combat air patrol. Torpedoes began to launch from the missile tubes at the front of the corvette causing blossoming explosions on the ground, mostly targeting fuel depots or anything that looked like a troop build up. The carnage was already in full swing by the time Jester arrived, but she was more than happy to have a little fun while flying a false flag. Towards the back of the ship, the shuttle in the hangar prepared to launch along with the squadron of her own interceptors.

One of their objectives was on the neimodian spire that Bayaz was assaulting, she looked at the holofeed. "Send them a couple of torpedoes to keep them honest, but don't kill them, once or infiltrators land we are going to need the Imperials to be just as distracted as the rest of them." WIth that said, two long range proton missiles streaked toward the climbing alliance soldiers. Aimed close enough to shake the soldiers and spray them with shrapnel and maybe kill one or two if they are unlucky, but largely leave them unmolested.

​

 

[Simon Meinrad]

C A V A L I E R
CATO NEIMODIA | JEDI TEMPLE
THE EMPIRE
Zhea Nox

Even now as the Alliance drew in, sending more reinforcements to aid Cato Neimodia his attention was on Zhea and her question, caring less for the battle at hand. Obviously he’d have to return to his duties as field commander, but a moment could be spared for a dear friend.

“I just know it is, Zhea. I’ve had to commit to hard decisions to achieve what we’ve always wanted,” a time where they could finally rest their lightsabers and not ignite it for another war. “It’s hard and complicated to explain, but it’s much easier to show you what I mean. I didn’t join the Empire for the sake of growing my own power and I was hesitant to join their ranks when I left you, but they have shown me ways to achieve that vision we’ve dreamed of.”

A moment of silence between the two only the screams of starfighters and the distant explosions were heard.

“I don’t regret leaving the Jedi, but I do regret leaving you. Even now I choose to have a moment with you instead of leading my men in battle.” A hand extended towards her, palm open. Much like he was her weakness, so was she for him. It was hard to burn away what affections he had for her. “I don’t wish to leave you again, so I ask again as I did on Ilum.”

“Will you join me?”​

 

[Zhea Nox]

ECLIPSE
JEDI TEMPLE | CATO NEIMODIA
TAG: Simon Meinrad

WALK THROUGH THE FIRE​

The sound of battle reached them.

Somehow, the Alliance had rallied, coming to aid her and her men in keeping the Empire's slaughter at bay. If she could manage to ensure Evan's release from the Imperial fist, he would be safe. But as she stood there, looking at Simon, it was only the two of them. No sabers bared, no threats. Just two individuals that cared enough about one another to give each other a chance.

So she listened to what he had to say. It made sense that he would rather show her. It had always been easier for him to revert to the practical instead of trying to explain. That was her job. That was what she was good at. But she felt the question well up within her - how was destroying a world and its inhabitants a step toward order? But she didn't ask it. Not yet. She finally had him talking and she'd like to keep it that way. If she asked him that now, he'd shut down again and they would be back to square one, facing one another over sabers. And that would shatter them both.

...vision we've dreamed of."

The phrase hung between them, echoing within her. They did dream of a Galaxy without war. But that dream never involved killing and kidnapping innocents.

But then he spoke again.

And what he said, resonated throughout her.

The hurt of him leaving without a goodbye. The regret of not taking him up on his offer all those years back because she put duty before personal gain. And despite all the bad, it resonated with the affection she still held for him. That she would always hold for him. Even if they had to face one another in violence.

He was one Imperial she would never be able to kill, despite what he does.

He reached a hand out to her, making her the same offer he had made twice before. But this time, it was much more sincere. So much hurt and violence had passed between them. The offer he gave now, though the same words, carried so much more emotion than ever before.

And in this moment suspended, battle drew closer. They were running out of time. If she were to secure anything, this was it. She stepped closer to him, lifting a hand, but not taking his yet.
"I'll join you, Simon. But I ask one favour of you. If you still have a sliver of affection for me, please let my Padawan go. He has no part in this. His stubbornness put him in the wrong place at the wrong time. Let him go. He'll be cast from my side." Of course, she didn't tell him of the Padawan she left behind on Coruscant when she came here. Vaylaar D'artagnan would have lost his mind with this situation. He still might. But she trusted the Order to handle it.

All she needed now is Simon's acquiescence in her request.

 

[Hall Mannarra]

The Empire
Quellor Sector, Cato Neimodia System, Cato Neimodia, Cato's Cradle
Primary Objective: Reduce the Bridge City to a burning rubble.
Secondary Objective: Provide armored support to friendly elements.
Friendlies: The Empire | N/A | Open
Hostiles: Local Planetary Defense Force | Galactic Alliance | N/A | Open for tags.
Directly Engaging: N/A
Gear: In Bio

Epitaph​

War had finally caught up to Cato Neimodia, and it could not escape its desecrating touch.

Columns of black, oily smoke blotted the virgin skies above; the scorching flames left in the wake of a white phosphorus barrage began to rancorously ravage the gilded, marvelous architecture of the bridge city. Several buildings that reached and pierced the very heavens were already reduced to a husk of their former selves, covered in soot as their remains pointed accusatorially at the clouds, like the boney fingers of the dead.

The flaring and consuming fires shone off the silver badge of the young Tank Commander’s black beret as he took in the destruction they were responsible for. Unhurried, his gaze shifted from one corner of the street to the other; from his Cataphract’s Commander’s Hatch he watched impassively as the friendly mechanized infantry elements walked past his tank in orderly single columns. They began their movement to the next city block to scour.

His young but distinct features remained indifferent as he looked, turned out from his hatch, but on the inside, seeds of doubt began to bear fruit in his mind. He couldn't help but remember the letter he wrote to his mother back home.

Each day they fought, took them deeper into the abyss. Each word he wrote, felt like it was his last. Each breath he drew, he felt victory in it; and defeat, when he woke in hell, every morning. He found it hard to not ask himself the impossible question.

Why?

Why do we slaughter? Why do we suffer?

For peace?

It was only after a nudge to his shoulder could he shift his mind away from such dark thoughts and questions he found no answers to; Stege, the resident giant and Loader of their tank crew, a brother in arms, stood turned out from the hatch beside him, fumbling with a cigarra packet in his hands.

”Reminded you of Drastarra?” he offered Hall a cigarra.

”Yeah…” Hall answered dryly with a heavy sigh. He accepted his kind gesture, as he spared him a nod of his head as a sign of his gratitude. Absent-mindedly he placed its butt between his lips as he slipped a hand down to one of his pockets, searching for his lighter.

The crisp metallic clatter of a zippo lighter to his left had him cease his efforts.

”I can’t wait to go back home,” Stege casually remarked as he lit the young Tank Commander’s cigarra, covering its tip from the mild breeze with the palm of his hand.

”Yeah…” Hall idly responded while he leaned slightly towards Stege, to make it easier for the man to light his cigarra. ”I don’t know if I have a home left to go back to.” he said troubledly after a hefty heave of smoke from his cigarra as he pulled back. ”It’s been a month since the last time I got a response to my letters, from back home.” he remarked after billowing smoke from his lips, turning his head to the right to avoid blowing the smoke towards his comrade’s direction.

The Loader kept his silence for a moment after he lit his smoke, with only the crackling of flames, the occasional barks of order from somewhere and the inaudible chatter of the men clad in white armor as they marched past their tank cut the silence that befell them both.

”Try not to dwell on it too much, man.” he finally said after a moment, his words followed after a drag of smoke from his cigarra. ”You know comms have been karked up for a while. Maybe they’ve replied but-”

”Yeah ,yeah, I know. Maybe…” he said while he pinched the bridge of his nose as if to stave off a headache, as he rested the palm of his other hand flat on the roof of the tank, the cigarra tucked between between his first knuckles; the black leather of his gloves strained and stretched.

”Nothing I can do but to hope for the best, right?” he voiced a rhetorical question at him as he drew his hand from the bridge of his nose, and pulled the cigarra to his lips. From his peripheral Hall saw the Loader give him a nod of his head in silence, his features suggesting mild amounts of concern.

Age of doubt and uncertainty dawned upon them all. The crackle of the headset he wore under his beret only reinforced that fact.

Whose turn was it to die, this time?

The Tank Commander swiftly reached for the right ear cup of his headset with his hand and remained motionless as he listened to the voice on the other side. It was their Platoon Commander, Lieutenant Löwe. ”332, confirming our readiness,” Hall spoke with a stern tone of voice. ”Orders received and understood. Moving out,” the young man spoke with a curt nod of his head. The transmission concluded as fast as it occurred thereafter.

”That’s our cue,” he said to Stege as he flicked the half-smoked cigarra onto the street. ” Let’s get buttoned up.” Hall said as he reached for his hatch. The two young men disappeared into the tank two seconds later.

The hatches shut with a metallic clang after them.

”Litzke,” he spoke to their Gunner, whose station was just right beneath and forthward from his own. He gently shook him from the shoulder as he spoke. ”Wake Kale up,” he ordered. With a groggy yet confirming grunt, the young man, no older than nineteen, reached for a broom and leaned down, poking the Driver with it.

” Yeah, yeah I don’t want to hear it,” he brushed off Kale’s groggy growls and mutters filled with protest. ”We got work to do. Start her up,” he said as he flicked the switches on the panel before him, bringing the screens and systems of his station online.

”Where to?” Kale asked as the mighty engines of the Cataphract first hummed, whined at a high pitch, and finally growled and roared to life.

”We are to link up and provide armored support to our mechanized infantry element just three blocks from here,” he quickly explained. ”Stege, HEAT.” He ordered a heartbeat later.

”Loader ready, HEAT loaded!” he shouted both his readiness and carried out his commander, after a series of metallic clangs resounding from the gun breech shutting close after feeding it a HEAT shell.

”Gunner ready, HEAT, indexed!” Litzke shouted over the intercom, confirming his readiness for what was to come in their near future.

”Driver, move us out,”

”Confirmed!"

The steel beast gently lurched forward at the step onto its gas pedal shortly afterwards; the sharp howl of her engines that echoed amongst the burning structures and smoldering ruins, and the loud clatter and clangor of her wide tracks heralded its oncoming arrival.

Whether it was going to be them or the enemy this time, they would soon find out, no matter if they wanted to find out, or not.

 

[Minerva Fhirdiad]

III - CATO'S CRADLE | CATO NEIMOIDIA

Trantor-class Division Frigate "The Jaius Yorub"​

Ally Tag: Jasper Kai'el
Enemies: Open

The waiting was the worst part. Even inside the pod she and her troops felt the ship rumble and shake. More evidence of the fighting already claiming Cato Neimodia from the ground to space. To distract herself from frustration Minerva thought back to what the Jedi from earlier said after her speech.

If nothing else we can trust him to take on those Imp knights. He doesn't strike me as the type to abandon his allies on a whim. But we will pull our own weight.

This is not the first time she worked with Jasper. They fought in the same mission onboard a Mawite warship at Exegol though mostly separately until around the end. Now that battle felt like ages ago even though it really wasn't so. Her thoughts were interrupted when the red light above turned green. Before she could even think the pod launched like a missile at full speed.
_________________________

Bridge City ​

Everything shook loudly inside the pod so much so that Minerva couldn't hear anything else. It wasn't long their pod and numerous more broke through the atmosphere. The swarm of pods continued their violent descent toward one of the bridge cities. As they neared Imperial anti-air batteries not engaging Alliance flycraft opened up on the new targets.

In seconds several exploded or veered course by the blast. The Talons' pod sped downward as if a falling meteor. Seconds later the surviving pods struck throughout the city, crashing into buildings, alleys, parking lots, rubble and in one case slammed into an Imperial walker.
Minerva held onto the straps for dear life until the pod came to abrupt halt. For a few moments her vision inside the helmet blacked out until she got hold of herself. Hearing some groaning from the others the pod's straps were released. Getting up Minerva drew her blaster rifle while the pod's door opened.

She led up in front of her platoon once again. They poured out stepping into…water!? With small splashes they realized they were stepping into a water foundation of all things. Looking all around, she noted stores from various angles before noting an abandoned food court.

"It's one of those super malls!" Rhon declared in surprise.

They must've gone off course. Regardless, Minerva then ordered.

"Secure the area! I don't want the Imps getting the drop on us."

Subsequently the Talons did as told with each squad coming out of the foundation, setting up a perimeter. Then it occurred to the Mandalorian to call in her Jedi ally.

"Jasper, do you read me? What's your position?"

 

[Jasper Kai'el]

Cato Neimoidia
Tags: Minerva Fhirdiad , Open

Lux Ultima​

Jasper threw one solid punch with his mechanical arm, sending the door of his drop pod flying off the hinges before assessing the cramp in his neck.

"Feth..." he hissed as he massaged the cramp.

He wasn't regularly accustomed to dropping down in such a manner. The knight's body clearly needed to adjust to such a thing more. It wasn't long before a call came in on the comms.

"Jasper, do you read me? What's your position?"

<"Just touched down. Give me a sec.">

As the knight climbed out of his pod, he found himself surrounded by the scrap of an imperial walker. It had been reduced to scrap, and the outer shell of his pod had been really messed up from the impact. Jasper clambered his way up the ruins of the walker to the top, where he quickly sighted the ruins of a supermarket. That seemed to be a good position from a tactical perspective. He should probably head there anyways.

<"Few clicks out from the ruins of a supermarket. Turned a walker to scrap on the way down. Let's regroup there if you see it. Over.">

The supermarket itself was blasted to hell and back. Old decaying remnants of foodstuffs, water from annihilated storage systems, and all kinds of crumbling walls. Still, the foundation seemed firm enough. It seemed that Minerva had indeed recognized the position's value and moved her men into it. A relief for sure. Jasper would have certainly hated to be separated from his squad in a warzone again. Ilum was a while ago now, and he very much didn't need a repeat of that event. The knight wouldn't be stuck on his own this time. He had people to defend.

"Over here," he called out, but not in an overly loud manner to maintain their cover. "They really blew this place to hell... Empire takes their Scorched Earth seriously."

He scoffed. They were a band of lunatics, organized or not. Every part of their system was engineered to be cruel and oppressive. Jasper had no respect for such a thing, and even disliked it more that these were decisions made without the corruption of the darkside to blame. It was simply evil people behind it all.

"What's our next move?"

 

[Ishida Ashina]

THE DAUGHTER OF DUTY
CATO NEIMOIDIA | IN THE SKIES | ON A SHIP OVER A BRIDGE

​

“You absolute—” her voice was strained, and a less kind descriptor was lost to Cato Neimoidia’s mist, “—Idiot.”

All her muscles were stretched and screaming. Pulled between two points.

Ishida probably should not have called her Padawan an idiot.
Ishida probably should not have a Padawan.

But she did. And she was holding onto him as tightly as superhumanly possible. With a final grunt, she hauled him back over the edge of the ship’s wing back to relative safety beside her. They stayed flattened against the durasteel, her katana stabbed into the metal to keep them from tumbling away into the hazy ether.

Castian hadn’t been swallowed by gravity’s pull to the acidic seas, and she wished she could have felt the relief a little more deeply, but Cato Neimoidia was fast-becoming a world on fire.

“Do. Not. Overextend.” She frowned, breathlessly admonishing her student. The raw frustration was a knot between her shoulder blades.

Persistent fog wrapped the rock formations up in fluffy silver, but through it all, Castian had pointed out this ship as the one to damage based on the formation. Given his tenure within Imperial rank — Master Sergeant— Ishida was prone to consider, and act on, his advice.

For someone who’d gone so long trying to suppress the Force, throwing himself headlong into shadowing her was proving to be more troublesome than it was endearing.

Truth be told, she’d forgotten he was supposed to be with her. She’d leapt from her ship to the wing of the Imperial one, and hadn’t realized Castian was in distress until she heard his yell. She hadn’t even felt it.

That was a problem.

It had been a long time since she’d been on a battlefield with a partner — Tython had been the last time, and even then she’d ended up alone. Castian was insatiably sticky.

On the bright side, this was her third time saving him. The Eol Sha facility, getting him into the NJO, and now. Equipped with this information, Ishida still scowled, but less.

She drew in a long breath, and let it out through her teeth. Wind whistled past her ears and whipped her hair. Her glare was full of scrutiny.

“What happened to your pack?” Was it broken? Did he lose it? Did he never have it to start with? Had he just jumped out after her?! Ugh! And then, because she couldn’t restrain it, and given the context of the Imperial incursion, tsk’d at him: “You’re supposed to be good at following orders."

---

Immediate tags: Castian Vero
Proximity tags: Simon Meinrad | Zhea Nox | Jasper Kai'el | Minerva Fhirdiad

 

[Castian Vero]

Ishida Ashina

She finally yanked him over the edge and he landed on his back next to her.

Breathing heavily.

The joint in his arm pulsing with pain.

It could take a moment before Ishida realized her Padawan was too busy answering her question, because he was laughing. "S-sorry." Another chuckle and then he bit his tongue. The additional pain managed to take away the giggle fit. "That was just... really fun, you know." He rubbed some of his hair out of his eyes and started to climb up to his feet.

"Well, ma'am, I don't know if you noticed but the last time I was with the Imperials they strapped me into a rack and went to town on me." Bemused there as Cast finally got himself upright again.

His arm was still painful though.

"So I am not sure why you'd assume I am good at following orders. Besides, I couldn't very well let my Master go have all the fun herself. So no, I didn't have a pack and I figured I'd just use the Force."

It was a bit stupid, yes. But also Castian thought he did pretty okay? He got all the way to the edge on the other side. That was something that deserved some points. But Ishida Ashina didn't do bonus points. If you weren't excellence she only gave you a scowl. If you were excellence? Okay, probably a scowl all the same.

"We going to talk much more or are we going to get to the action?"

 

[Ishida Ashina]

THE DAUGHTER OF DUTY
CATO NEIMOIDIA | IN THE SKIES | ON A SHIP OVER A BRIDGE

​

“Master.” Ishida growled her correction through her teeth as soon as he dropped the term ma’am. It was difficult enough being in the same age group as him, but if he kept perceiving her as a peer, it made it even more of a struggle to exert the natural dynamic of respect that came with age.

Recklessness was a fool’s hazard. Starting out with no pack and depending on that which he was just getting reacquainted with was — she shook her head, and pushed herself up, keeping her centre of gravity low. Their charade on the ship’s wing eliminated any surprise she’d hoped to have on those inside, and they were already posing out of their shuttles to fire at them. Ishida kept hold of her katana, to stay stable, and used her free hand to conjure a bubble that shielded herself and Castian from the plasma.

“Get in there.” She ticked her chin in the direction of the hull, and made an entrance for them. It was quick. Relieving her katana from stabbing the wing, and pushing the bubble out to transfer its energy from defensive to offensive. It managed to push out and two knights were surprised by it and swept out the open side of the high altitude entry transport.

They yelled out their surprise, and swirled out into the clouds. Whether or not they’d land safely on the bridge or be swallowed by silver mist was beyond Ishida’s scope of care.

Behind the bubble-shield-turned-burst, Ishida landed and immediately kicked out to the last one converging on the spot she’d arrived to. They slammed back, but quickly righted with their saber aglow.

“Pilots are yours.” Ishida called over her shoulder, leaving the eventual driving to Castian.

---

Immediate tags: Castian Vero
Proximity tags: Simon Meinrad | Zhea Nox | Jasper Kai'el | Minerva Fhirdiad

 

[Andromeda Demir]

MONTROSA WATERFRONT
​

The wind whipped Andromeda's simple teal frock around her slender frame as she stood at the edge of a broad balcony overlooking the ocean. She had never seen once before. It was another first for her. The wonder of this new reality never seemed to wear off, but it was a double-edged sword. Each new thing -- a massive space ship, a planet covered by a single city, a beautiful temple, an ocean -- filled her with childlike delight and excitement, but left her feeling unsatisfied after. These things that seemed so routine for everyone else, these things about which any child would know, of which Andromeda -- a grown woman of nearly twenty years -- was completely ignorant.

It wasn't her fault, necessarily. But that knowledge didn't help when those feelings hit her.

"Should've brought my cloak," Andy murmured irritably. In addition to a subtle salt-sweet scent, the see breeze also brought a chill. Her dress wouldn't win any fashion contests -- her funds were, of course, rather limited and she had to make do with what she could -- but it had been warm, at least until now. Andromeda told herself she should go back inside, and yet -- she was too ashamed to ask anyone if there were oceans like this elsewhere. It would be a shame to miss the chance to see it. Maybe closer up.

There were steps that led down to the sand, after all. And she could see people strolling along, sitting, watching. She shielded her gaze and watched a beautiful bird swoop down from her left. It landed in front of her on the railing, peered at her inquisitively, its head cocking to one side then the other before it began wandering down the railing. The bird paused a moment, ruffled its plumage, and looked back at her before it issued a little chittering sound and began walking again.

Toward a staircase.

"All right, little bird," Andy said under her breath. She hiked her skirt with her free hand, the other still shielding her gaze from the sun, and trotted after it. "Let's see where you'll -- "

The words were stifled and silenced when Andromeda slammed headlong into what she could only guess, in that moment, to be column of some kind. Before she realized what had happened, she was on her back, and the bird was screeching in alarm as it flew away. Andy squeezed her eyes shut and looked around for what she had run into, but there was no column there, only a person. She tried to apologize, but the wind had been entirely knocked out of her. Instead she lowered her hand from her face and used both to push herself up to a seated position, then shakily got her feet under her.

"Sorry," she finally said, social pressure pushing her to speak where shock had once robbed her of her voice. "I wasn't looking. My fault."

Reid Brimarch​

 

[Reid Brimarch]

Andromeda Demir

All of this was still new to him.

And weird.

The outfit felt strange on him. Nothing expensive or fancy, but clean and crisp and new was unique to his previous experiences. A thief on the streets of Empress Teta. It wasn't exactly conductive to be used to a good set of robes. Neither to the concept of being able to eat when he felt hungry, drink when he was thirsty and sleep with both eyes closed when tired.

Reid could get used to this.

He was wondering around this place. His Master was busy negotiating some sort of important treaty and had bided him to go explore, meet his fellow Jedi and relax.

Odd.

Reid was about to step into the dining hall when something bumped into him. He turned around. Then turned his head again. Nothing. Something was making a noise however, so his attention was drawn down to Andromeda. "Oh, hello." Sort of nonplussed Reid looked around to see who she belonged to, but it didn't seem anyone was waving for her attention.

"No, you're good. I usually pop into places at the worst times. You okay?" He offered his hand to her to help her up to her feet again.

That seemed to be the Jedi thing to do, yes?

 

[Castian Vero]

Ishida Ashina

He would have raised his hands in surrender, but Castian's hands were currently occupied with his shiny new vibro-sword.

Yes, vibro-sword.

He was supposed to be a Jedi Padawan, but for some reason the Order didn't trust him enough with a lightsaber yet. He had to prove himself worthy of the Jedi tool. Which seemed a bit much considering these sabers could be found on the black market for a few hundred credits. The fact that Castian knew this was not evidence of his own experience in the matter, of course.

Okay, so maybe Cast did have a bit to go, before he should have one.

"Yes, Master, of course." Nodding there eagerly with a determined smile. "Right behind you, Master!" Running into the bubble right in time, because the spot he had been a bit ago was currently being assailed by blaster bolts.

He watched curiously as Ishida carved a hole with her katana.

"You know, for a Jedi, you don't use your lightsaber that much..... Master." Belatedly adding the honorific, since Cast didn't really know how often she wanted him to refer to her as 'Master'. It seemed a bit odd to insist on it. What was wrong with 'ma'am'? That was just as respectful. But some people really needed to hear the official term, he reckoned.

She quickly dispatched a handful of enemy combatants.

"Wow. That's really cool, Ishi- Master. You should teach me that trick."

Already moving towards the cockpit he raised his vibro-sword. Then he kicked the door in with a slight amplification by the Force. It kicked one of the pilots in the face as it burst open, who had raised up to check out the noises. The other one panicked... and before he could rear his blaster, the vibro-sword swiftly ripped through his head.

It was gruesome.

"Sheesh. I need a lightsaber, this is just a mess." Castian muttered as he settled down in the co-pilot chair. Trying not to look at the corpse he had just made and the blood gushing down.

He shivered.

"Where are we going again..... Master?"