Protector
// OUTRIDER // Raider Sqd
// OBJECTIVE // Harnaidan
// DUEL THEME // Mr. Rager
// TGA // Loske Treicolt
// TSE // Ellie Mors
First to the saber he wasn't content leave room for undefined variables. Not in a warzone, surrounded by the enemy, with her at his side. Patience was not the path to be tread here. Even if patience had bared its fruits many times over for the wayward Jedi, now simply wasn't the time. When backed against the wall - he'd moved by will alone. Anger coursing through each movement not into frantic blows but a far more frigid application. Each cut measured, meticulous as opposed to the delusions in his striking at random against Tathra Khaeus displayed not all too long ago.
"Captain!" Jambo sounded out in close alignment to the hissing vibration of his cobalt saber retracting into the leather padded, battered hilt. Clutching the very same weapon he'd abandoned on the Mandalorian agri-world.
<"Corporal. Restrain em, see what they know."> Treicolt ordered out with a nod toward the newfound prisoners brought low to their knees in fear. The entrance might've been jostling and overwhelming to the senses but- Loske, Maynard, the Alliance troopers...they were all mortal. Operating on a more just terms of engagement that contrasted in shades from the New Imperial acting policies reflecting a nation seeking to will the Sith Empire into its inevitable Götterdämmerung whilst operating on shades of nuance that could only exist between the Galactic Alliance which held sentient life in great value and the Sith Empire which all but seemed to regard it as nothing.
It wasn't the modus operandi of the democratically reformed and unified Core but even still, the Alliance had at least the reprieve that not only were they on the offensive, but Muunilinst was a far ways off from Coruscant. Losing here only meant the evasion of any Sith encroachment, not the undoing of their way of life.
Regardless, Maynard wasn't himself. At least he hadn't been in these situations in a long while. The more easy going man who'd utilized a far more boistrous attitude in the fray to cope with the ever present danger hadn't lingered in some time. After Brentaal his composure more often chilled than anything in these critical, tense moments.
He knew immediately. Even though he was able to isolate her among the Vong Fleet at Pabol Hutta -- she'd all but escaped his senses here. As soon as the realization struck him the very same haunting sentiment he'd heard then sliced through his consciousness akin to a meat cleaver, burying itself into the forefront of his mind.“This isn’t secure.”
“There’s someone powerful waiting for us.”
"Again. Together."
"In death, I am born -"
Feeling a faint tremor seize his form a for moment he heft his spare hand to his temple, screwing his eyes shut for a moment as he clutched his saber hilt in his right hand, squeezing his palm against the leather padding the weapon as his vision shuddered the vision of Braith's form clasped beneath the cognition hood of her Vong craft before it melted away to reveal her Firrero face, once more cracking at the seams to unravel Darth Alekto in her totality before his gaze snapped open, his eyes shifting to Loske as she offered him that look of conviction. She was certain.
<"Again."> Maynard stated in return, steeling himself as he unfurled the inevitability of this encounter. As brief and decisive as it might've been before, he had every reassurance he not be given a second chance at victory so easily. That self-doubt had been seemingly vanquished until it skittered back from the recesses of his subconscious now. Why? Why of all times did he feel his nerves calcify, his senses strain as he prodded out with the force like a hand frantically waving through water.
Where was she? As clear as she stuck out before -- she was shrouded now. Be it the death around him, the staleness of the air. With so many Sith present on the field in Harnidan, darkness was not a premium.
In relation to the main planning area - the rangers and their Jedi commanders were standing right above. Assuming Alekto had taken charge of that point, she would be there. Maynard assuming well as she did aboard the Vong ship she would not take the initiative. She would wait for him- for them.
<"Split up...check the other rooms. Me and Blue will take care of the nexus point."> The Captain ordered out to his Rangers. The NCO of the squad piped up in protest.
"Sir-" The Sergeant piped up, taking the Viperwasp into his hands once more as he stepped toward Maynard, the Jedi offering a shake of his armored head side to side toward the man.
<"Trust me on this one..."> The Concordian uttered. A foreboding inflection unto his tone as if he knew something he didn't. The Rangers could only do so good here.
Ever wary of Jedi, the Sergeant offered up a reluctant nod, the gaberwool balaclava serving to conceal the look of skepticism. With the Raiders fanning out the two were left alone with one another. Shifting his T-Visor gaze to Loske he slowly angled his index and middle finger to the floor beneath. She was right below them. Finding any alternate means of descent meant time to be detected, time for 'Braith' to set the trap. They had to go. Now.
<"Together."> He uttered to her in confidence before he slowly brought himself down unto one knee with one palm laid flat against the floor, motioning her to do the same with a nod. In isolation, he couldn't manage the task but with her - it was viable. The structure around them was ancient, carved from time test reliable Muun methods but even still, it was not engineered in anticipation of any powerful concussive force at its flooring suspended between the ornate supporting structures.
Closing his eyes he reached out through the Force. Seeking to envelop her mind in his - mending the disembodied schism between them with a faint meld before he reeled his outstretched hand back, eventually slamming it into the floor beneath with a potent push, the force manifesting into an immeasurable bludgeon that beat against the floor with their synchronized thrust.
It'd take another. Breathing in through his nose as he felt the flooring faintly flex beneath him he pumped back his arm and sent it surging forward again as he manifested a powerful destructive wave through the force around his hand intune with hers which send the floor beneath shattering into several large chunks of rubble that sent the pair falling in line with it. Opening his eyes again he set forth to roll against the planning table beneath on his descent, eventually springing to his feet only two meters away from Braith before he summoned the prismatic blade from his saber again, sending it alight in super heated blue.
Ever brazen, Maynard leaped forth, grasping the hilt in both hands with the aim of twisting his upper back before surging it forward with a thrust of the blade to her chest. All but an ode to the coup de grace he inflicted on her before.