Set Controls (Silver Jedi Dominion of Shri-Tal)

[Moira Skaldi]

((Posting with permission. Just, ahem, requisitioning some stuff!))



By all rights, Moira Skaldi should not be here. Nor, as a matter of fact, should Nalia Alderana, her alter ego as a respectable businesswoman and droidmaker. However, strictly speaking it was not 'her' who was here, for she was wearing a different face, as changing faces and bodies was as easy for an HRD as switching clothes.



At the far edge of the system the Lightbringer had rippled into space over the Orsonian moon. The stygium array, coupled with the finest engine emission controls available meant the ship was invisible to almost every observer. Certainly today, with so much else going on it would pass unnoticed. A small shuttle seemed to appear out of nowhere and head down to the moon, containing Moira and three HRDs, soon touching down upon the surface. The death machines were not here to interfere with the Silver Jedi's reoccupation efforts or hinder them in any way.


They were simply here to harvest. Ideally this would all happen quietly and get accomplished with little fuss. Of course, there's this saying that no plan survives first contact and all that, but no matter. The terrain was less than inviting, but being a death machine came in handy when it came to that, though it took quite a while to scale the massive cliffs that arose into the dark sky. Fortunately, droids did not feel something like exertion, nor did they get tired. Darkness had fallen upon the moon and the winds pulled at them, but the droids persevered, ascending the mountains.


Eventually...Moira would find herself staring down upon the fabled Valley that held the beautiful Black Orchid. Eyes flashed briefly as she took in the sight, scanning the area for hostiles, though obviously given the vastness of the realm perception would have its limits. Red blasts of light and laserfire lanced across the sky above. Evidently the Silvers were fighting a battle of some sort, though this did not concern her. And so the HRDs began their descent and climbed down the mountains. Strong and durable they might be, it would obviously be very bad for their functionality if they slipped and fell down from the mountains into the Valley. After all, they were not indestructible. And so step for step the droid climbed down. Correct footing and placement was perhaps even more important for a droid than a human simply because the former was on average a good deal heavier. One HRD minion would stay behind on the mountains and seek cover behind the rocks, scanning the area for hostiles with a sniper rifle.

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

[member="Moira Skaldi"]

She had only heard recently of the events around the galaxy, that people had simply vanished, thousands of them if not more apparently, and even more the Force had become erratic. Waves of flucuations disabling at times but had rendered it unstable and unreliable, however Abaigeal used it to help her descent, she had too or else she would fall mainly from fatigue.

By the time she had reached the ground surface into the valley she had to stop and rest, her chest heaving with the exersion and her limbs ached, burning and muscles weakened for the moment. Pulling the force to her helped but it would take a little time for her to regain strength.

The sight before her, one could only describe as breath taking, thousands upon thousands of Orchids swayed gently in the wind, the scent of which unknown to her and beautiful, intoxicating and the force pulsed.

​

Abaigeal stood up, her eyes finding the irridescent speckles of colour within the flower, like lighting the way to the field. She did not notice the shuttle or heard it as her mind is focused on the vista before her. As if pushed on by this will, her legs found strength to move once more and she entered the field, just marveling at the sight.

 

[Moira Skaldi]

[member="Abaigeal E'ron"]


The sight before the HRDs was beautiful, once they had finally managed to climb down the cliffs, without facing the embarrassing situation of losing their footing and tumbling into the valley. Droids could not feel pain, but it was very likely that they would not have gotten up again after such a fall!



Could droids appreciate such beauty? Did they dream of electric sheep? Well, Moira dreamt of the annihilation of all organics, but that's another story. So, leaving the mind of the probably insane death machine aside, the HRDs wasted no time and quickly initiated harvesting operations. Across the vast valley thousands upon thousands of orchids were swaying gently in the wind. Lacking the Force, the droids could obviously not feel them through it, though they were that of the high midichlorian count these flowers possessed.



The irridescent speckles of colour within the flower would not escape their keen gaze, likewise their fragrant scent. But it was something that...droids could not appreciate. And so instead they went about their business of gently...delicately extracting orchids. They would be gently removed, for if they were to die due to the robots being crude, that would be most unfortunate, and stuffed away. So far Abaigel had not been noticed. While droids were quite good at perception, they were not infallible, though they often acted as if they were, and the valley was enormous. And so, baring any unforeseen interventions and circumstances, they would perform harvesting and then quickly seek to leave the valley.

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

[member="Moira Skaldi"]

She was in her own little world for the moment, just feeling the freedom of being alone and in such a beautiful place. It had been a long time since she had seen beauty, having lost the eye to see it under the yoke of Kaine and so she simply allowed the indulgence. But it would not last long, it never does these days for beauty reminds her of someone now lost to her. She hated it. She hated herself because of it. I am not worthy to feel anymore, she chaisted herself.

A harsh hand reached down and ripped at one of the Orchids, pulling it up roots and all before placing it in a bad she had on her for the purpose of the harvest. Then she heard it and her head snapped to the left. Someone else is here, but she could not sense them? She fell down to hide within the Orchids but lifted her head to find the source of the noise. In the distance she could just make out three figures, at least it seemed like three, could be more and they are harvesting.

What are the Silvers doing here now?, but it is not any of the Order, her eyes flicked to the space fight above them. No that does not make sense and why can't I sense them. It did not take long for the penny to drop, that she is looking at droids. Abaigeal began to crawl on hands and knees toward them, in order to get a better look, probably not the smartest thing to do, but curiosity got the better of her.

Close now, she lifted her head above the swaying Orchids, clearly now she could make out two droids, but the other for all accounts looked humanoid. Whoever they are or whoever they work for she did not wish to find out or confront them. As she back away the hilt of her saber struck a rock in the field of Orchids making a metalic clink. Damn it, she said under her breath, and immediately flattened to the ground with only the Black Orchids for cover.

 

[Aithne Charr]

Solan whistled to himself as his shadow company moved with him through the doors, splitting up between three squads of twenty men each. The team itself was made up of twenty men, two marksmen, two tech specialists, two medics, two heavy weapons/demo specs, and the rest basic hit and clear troops that moved up with him. Nothing too special about them yet but the teams would be a interesting thing. His shadow company would use this like the red raven assault as training to be better equipped and ready to be utilized by Solan for his own purposes later on in the Dynasty and out of it. But for now his hands gripped his scythe, Viola Coat, and pitch black cloak and pulled them to his body as he placed on a mask of death and let an illusion of a skeletal man over come his features and make him look like the reaper.

His smile only grew as he laughed to himself at the things he could be doing but a certain few jedi were getting on his nerves over his use of the darkside and sighs at them as they stare at him. His face shifting as he looked at them and his face thinned and became skeletal once more before shifting back and smiling at them. "Don't worry little Jedi, im on your side." With that he pulled himself into one of the Umbra class dropships he had made sure were loaded onto the ship before securing himself and waiting as the dropships readied to take off.

 

[Moira Skaldi]

[member="Abaigeal E'ron"]


((Thought four HRDs against a Padawan was a bit unfair OOCly, so I'd be cool with Abaigeal say playing dead and Moira departing without knowing the contrary. Got no intent to interrupt your own harvesting! Alas, Moira is not in a talkative mood here!))


Moira and her two minions, HRDs like her, had been busy with harvesting the beautiful orchids. Beautiful, indeed, for they were a pathway to many abilities some consider to be...unnatural. Most of which would probably be outside of the ability of the droids to actually use because for one, they were already immortal and could not use Sith alchemy anyway. Still...they would serve their purpose well. A certain super scientist, who had been recently integrated into the Collective, would assuredly love to play with them.


However, though they were quite occupied, they were still on their guard. As a matter of fact, Moira had finished collecting and was actually leaving the Valley, when suddenly her sensors flared up. They were not alone. The sound of something striking a rock was heard loud and clear. A weapon perhaps. Likewise movement under the swaying Orchids was picked up. Of course, said orchids did provide a good deal of cover but for just a moment the HRD sniper hiding in the mountains caught a very small glimpse of Abaigeal, and fired. One shot from a shatter rifle, silenced and accelerated to hyper-velocity, leapt out of the weapon.

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

[member="Moira Skaldi"]

Run like hell, was the plan that popped into Abaigeal's mind as the shot screamed toward her. She rolled to try and get away from the shot but it hit her thigh burning into the suit, which save her somewhat, but burned regardless seering her skin. The pain unbearable to most, but Abaigeal focused and used it to fire her sith blood. The pain was nothing compared to what she had .. has endured on Kaine's experimental tables.

Abaigeal would not hang around, crawling on her stomach using her feet and arms to propel her through the field of Orchids toward the rock face, it would afford some protection if those droid would come after her, and she could run, with the help of the force to give speed she might just get out. It is clear whoever they are are not members of the Silvers and she cared little for their reasons for their harvest.

Her gathering however, would have to wait another day, only pocketing one, it would not be enough but prudence to survive paramont now. She made good ground quickly, and found cover behind a large rock just on the edge of the Orchid field. Abaigeal looked back toward the three darkened figures and waited to see if they would move toward her.

 

[Moira Skaldi]

[member="Abaigeal E'ron"]


For a moment Moira stopped, apparently trying to scan the area, but it was difficult to get a clear line of sight upon a target hiding in an ocean of orchids. Had the target been taken out? It was likely that the droid sniper had hit, though the only way to verify it would be through searching the valley, something for which she lacked the time.



A quick transmission to her ship did not yield anything in terms of Silver Jedi encroaching upon their position. Monitored comms chatter yielded nothing in that direction. She had in any case ruled out the possibility that the unexpected intruder had been one of them. Unless the Silver Jedi were seriously compromising their religious dogma, harvesting these Orchids would not be a course of action they'd undertake. Perhaps a salvager then, eager for a profit. Or one of the many variations of Sith or dark Jedi.


Musings cast aside, with no one following them, Moira and her minions climbed back up the cliffs. The journey upward was possibly even more annoying and took even longer than the one down. Correct footing, placement and such were important. As Moira would learn, this was awkward when you were as heavy as a death machine. Suddenly the rocks beneath her seemed to come loose and she stumbled, seemingly falling before she managed to grab ahold of a rock, holding on tightly and trying to pull herself up as rocks came tumbling down, before one of her minions grabbed her hand and quickly pulled her up.


Flashes of laser fire could be seen across the sky when they had finally climbed up and once again had firm ground under their feet. Whatever battle in space was being fought, was still ongoing, though it did not concern her. Eventually the droids, along with their harvested Orchids, reached their shuttle, apparently unmolested, and swiftly embarked. Within moments the small transport craft had lifted off into the sky and eventually taken off into space. There was a chance that the Silver Jedi's ships, unless they were otherwise busy, would detect the shuttle. Perhaps they would investigate, perhaps not. In any case the transport craft would seemingly vanished as it was welcomed in the hangar bay of the concealed, invisible Lightbringer. No time would be wasted, since droids were not really the sort to indulge in small talk, and so the stealth ship would quickly jump to hyperspace and leave the system.

 

[Quenladose]

[member="Solan Charr"]

Quenladose frowned at that comment only a little... mostly because she didn't like someone pointing out the obvious.. She was tiny and more akin to a child to some and yet she was older then most of the jedi in the order. She had a small grin on her face though that replaced the frown quickly as she brushed it ot not going off on him like she would have in her youth speaking. "That is good, be careful and we'll make a hole for you to push through towards the ship. They are forward heavy but fighters are reporting beyond some firing arc they are not very strong or able to protect on the sides and ancient ships at that." She moved towards the hologram and looked at the BAC's readings as the display came around the room with her eyes flicking across the display of fighters. "Shift coordinates and work to disable those cannons, the turbolasers are dangerous but those cannons can tear our ships apart."

 

[Aithne Charr]

[member="Quenladose"] @Anyone else accompanying me on the boarding.

"Now now..." He said over a headset as he was listening to the bridge from the cockpit of the one dropship he was personally flying at the flagship of the other fleet. "... Have some faith in us Dark Jedi You purple haired beauty. We aren't as useless as you would like to think and nor are we as evil." He smiled and with that he pulled slightly on the controls, shooting out of the hanger and making his way into the darkness as his umbra dropships were to take a wide arc around the battlefield to hopefully avoid a majority of the fighting and then come in and hit the forces from the side. His own eyes looked over the controls as he waited for their ships to get far enough out that they could loop back without fear.

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

[member="Moira Skaldi"]

[SIZE=10.5pt]They began to move off, having completed their harvest of the Orchids and made for the rock face to climb. Abaigeal moved lower behind the rock and watched as one of them lost footing and clung dangerously to the holds before aid pulled her up. She would remain in place for some time, making sure they had departed before moving out to leave. It was not long before a small shuttle blasted off into the atmosphere. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]It was only then that Abaigeal sighed with relief and leaned back against the base of the rock face with her eyes closed. All thoughts of her harvest vanished, quite frankly this whole trip was not worth the grief, and she decided to leave well enough along. What was I thinking?, she chastised herself. The climb back to the ridge took much time and finally pulling herself up and over the last lip she lay flat on her back panting short of breath. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Abaigeal’s eyes looked up into the night’s sky, directly over her the ships of the Silver Jedi remain in combat, strangely beautiful to watch like fireworks and in the distance she could have sworn she heard the explosions as laser blast struck metal or shields. She could make out one of the Silver Jedi squadrons, coming around for another run, “Hit the sensor array!”, she yelled out, “Take out their Eyes!”. She found herself having an interest in the outcome. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Confused mind, grieving heart,[/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt] came a voice out of nowhere, how will your garden grow?[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]“What!”,[/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt] she sat bolt upright thinking the droids had returned, but nothing or no one was there. “Who is there?”, she demanded regardless, but she was only met with silence. [/SIZE]

 

[Quenladose]

[member="Solan Charr"]

[[we need a fifth active rper]]

She was looking at him now with that and raised an eyebrow, while the idea of working with dark jedi was bad she also knew he was correct. Not all were evil, they just weren't all good in the way some jedi were. Which was saying somethin because she had seen enough of jedi to realize noble and light yes a slogan to most much like cooperation and unity. So she wasn't against a united front while shifting the holograms to get a better look at the objectives and the ships. Their firing arcs able to tear them apart if they aren't careful but she was plotting a course for the fighters and rendili ships they had moving to get around and distract them enemy ships. "Keep up the pressure and move quickly."

 

[Aithne Charr]

[member="Quenladose"]

(( Ill grab someone. ))

He smiled as he heard the words and only grinned harder as his eyes focus in on the target that he wanted, his breath controlled as he was leading the head transport and they did catch a bit of a few fighters at their heads, his hands turning the thing into a hard roll as one came a bit too close for comfort and spoke into the intercom between the three dropships. "Seems we have a bit turbulence in the middle of space, please enjoy the inflight movie and strap in." The rest was up to the gunners as they took hold of the rotating laser cannons and let loose on the fighters that thought it was a good idea to terrorize Solan and his forces.

The first part though was concluded as his dropships looped around and went for the side of the enemy ships, they just needed a distraction long enough for them to get in and take over atleast one of the ships and then tear through the enemy if they decided not to surrender once they had the capital ship's bridge. "Its times like these my friends, that make you wonder if there really is a god."

 

[Neyana]

(Hi Im your Fifth, please excuse me for my lolTP)

Nicole slightly groaned.. Why did her teacher decide it was a grand idea to bring her here anyway? She hates being in space. Nicole is sitting in the Co-Pilot's chair in Solan's Gunship, trying to help him fly and hoping that nothing bad will happen. "Why... why did he bring me here. . ." The girl moved one hand to rub her nose abit. Then the noise of battle came, and she sighs. "Solan, please tell me exactly why I am here?" The girl went to grab onto the controls again.

The girl was oblivious to anyone else who was in the room.

[member="Solan Charr"]

 

[Aithne Charr]

[member="Nicole Sarah Feanor"] [member="Quenladose"]

"Well you see i decided it was a good time to show you what a actual battle is like. With that said im going to be nearby you at all times so you don't need to worry about it... oh and Nicole. You have Romeo's saber right or did you leave it back at the compound, i am going to be a bit disappointed if you forgot it as a person once told me. Your lightsaber is your life... then i got this scythe and he started saying that." He smiled, no one had ever said that but it was good to get the thought into Nicole's mind to never leave your saber behind, it would be a bad idea for such. Just in case though he had his old saber at his waist to give to her once they landed. "That reminds me, don't take chances Nicole, the people here will shoot to kill and if there comes a time that you need help call for me over this, i will be there immediately." He reached out and handed her a communicator as he continued. "I don't need you dying on me there, so make sure you don't risk your life Nicole." He was sincere and calm, no jokes, just a soft hold on the voice as he was truly wanting her to remain more than simply safe.

 

[Neyana]

[member="Solan Charr"]

His student slightly flinched. "Noooooo.... I didn't forget it." She did. She was just told to get ready, and come with him on a journey. She wasn't aware that said journey would lead straight into combat. "....Yeah..." After speaking, she moved her head down and to the right. "Yeah.. . .I-I didn't forget it. . ." She sighs slightly, and looks back at the battle outside. "Buuuut I-I think I'll just stay here. Ya know, and keep the ship safe if things go south."

 

[Aithne Charr]

[member="Nicole Sarah Feanor"]

He sighed and unclipped his old blue saber and reached out to give it to her before speaking. "Nicole, i can tell when you are lying so please don't because it only makes you look bad to lie. Ok?" HE sighed, they were going to have to work on getting her to remember to always carry her saber but for now it was not something to dwell on when he needed to focus on getting to the enemy ship and not dying. "Everyone, T-Minus 2 minutes to target, get ready." He spoke to his men, careful to avoid any heavier resistance than needed.

 

[Neyana]

[member="Solan Charr"]

She meerly sighed again, and takes his saber. "Alright, Alright, I'll try to remember next time." The girl stated. She is going to have to remember to keep one on her. She would place his old one on her belt, and goes back to assist him in flying the ship. "Lets hope we don't get tractor beamed by two ships at once..." She mumbled.

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

The only sound is the wind howling. Agaigeal stood up but nothing is around her save for a few rock and the long trip back to her the ship. "I am hearing things", she said and began to make her way. "This place is weird", She slung the bag over her shoulder.

Take some care! I am delicate! the voice again.

Abaigeal whirled around saber in hand looking in all directions to find the person but there is no one. You did not answer my question.

"With Silver bells?", she said out loud but had realised the voice entered her mind telepathically. Interesting, Jedi.

She reached out through the force trying to locate the author of the voice, hard to detect considering the high concentration of force energy down within the field of Orchids and the fact the force remains unstable. Her tendrils intermittent at best. And yet something is close by, very close.

"I am no Jedi", she said finally, "And where are you?".

Open the bag will you I need air!

Abaigeal peeled off the bag from her shoulders and held it out, her eyes wide in wonder. The Orchid! She unzipped it and opened the flap looking down into the bag to see the one and only Orchid she had picked roots and all.

A strong surge of force energy entered her, taking her breath away as the Orchid bonded with her. "What .. what just happened?".

You chose me Jedi.

Spoiler

A big thank you to [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]'s character for joining in. ^_^

 

[Quenladose]

[member="Nicole Sarah Feanor"] [member="Solan Charr"]

[[40 posts in, almost there nice work]]

Quenladose saw another coming in and she was moving now directing them, a quick movement while the honorable fighters squadron distracted and used their cannons to strafe the charging cannon of one of the ships. The cannon overloading we it detonated prematurely in the tube vaporizing a forward section of the ship. The second firing its cannon off to punch through their escort while she spoke. "Engineers tell me the status?" Chirps and confirmation beeps came.... as the screens read 90% for the solar ionization cannon Rendili gave them. The advanced systems working to secure and power up while she spoke. "Spin up the reactors and fire the main cannon when we have a solution."