Public Survivors

[Tydeus of Tion]

Aboard a Pellaeon-class Destroyer

Sweat dripped down Tydeus' brow and into his eyes, stinging. He hung upside down from a bar in a small converted cargo hold.

Four days, 16 hours. The time elapsed since the Pellaeon picked up his encrypted beacon and scooped him out of dead space where his stolen freighter's engine failed from Dromund Kaas.

Air rushed from his nose as he grunted and swung himself up, muscles clenching in his gut. Another repetition. His stomach felt as though someone was hammering nails into it. Tydeus hissed through his teeth and swung himself up again in another crunch.

Beneath him lay a training mat. An assortment of weapons sat neatly in racks on the walls. All sorts. A holotrainer control panel stood affixed to the wall. Why train in the sparse environment of a Star Destroyer when you could be on Haruun Kal's darkest jungle? Unless you were a sadist.

Tydeus stared at the upside down lines of the sterile white walls, then willed himself up into another crunch as he hung suspended. The folds of his loose black tunic felt soaked through.

Four days, 16 hours, and the only time Tydeus had not been in the training room was when he ate and when he slept.

He grimaced and pushed out one more repetition.

 

[Dezorath Barcu]

Thump, thump, thump.

Rhythmic heavy steps echoed down the corridor and the space between. The movements of the large alien that approached were apparent to most and observe. Head held high, armored chest abroad and both arms clasped behind his back at the forearm. Though it was not clasps or shackles that held him. It was his own hands.

The Gen'dais eyes never left where his destination was and his gait and how he walk suggested a past as some high ranking official of some sort. He walked liked he owned the ship. He in fact, did not. But who would oppose me if I claimed it as my own? Dezorath pondered and smirked briefly. Coming to a slow halt he narrowed his eyes and observed a man? A man training.

Hmmm. Is this who the crew talk about? Training like a mad man.

The Gan'dai approached.

" Excuse me, But I must ask, What has smitten you that you would subject yourself to this training regime?"

Tags: Tydeus of Tion

 

[Sol Dara]

Sol entered the room shortly after Dezorath. She was quiet as a mouse in comparison. Anyone who locked eyes with her was given a quick smile and nod in greeting as she made her way across the room.

Sol came by for two to three hours at a time, sometimes multiple times a day because she didn't know what else to do. She wasn't surprised to see Tydeus there. The mirialan had been by this morning already. And for a few hours yesterday. And the day before that. And it didn't matter what time she came by. Tydeus was always there. She knew the bare minimum about him. Just his age, his name, and the driving force for his determination. The latter reminded her of Kyric even though their personalities were worlds apart from what she had seen.

Sol gave Tydeus of Tion a wave as she passed him by and stopped near the holo-trainer system. As usual, she started with basic stretches. Left arm raised over her head toward the right. Hold. Right arm raised over her head toward the left. Hold. Sol slowly made her way through her mental list of stretches that would take up the next seven to ten minutes of her time.

While she stretched, the mirialan wondered how she should approach her training today. She debated practicing new forms as she was always open to improving her skill with a saber. That, or she could improve her use of the force. 'Improve' felt like an odd way to frame it. Though one should never cease improving skill in any area, the force had been an easy tool for her to use, and it was her bladework that she felt left more to be desired. The Niman style wasn't 'weak' but it wasn't 'strong' either. Sol imagined most of her comrades could defeat her in a one-on-one lightsaber duel. It wouldn't be surprising at all. But what was surprising was her recent troubles.

For one reason or another, the mirialan was going through brief bouts of... anxiety? Paranoia? She wasn't sure. But it was sometimes hard to center herself and remain calm. Force abilities risked coming out as a stutter instead of the bold projections they once were. Sol was able to explain it away the first time. But the second time gave birth to small voice in her heart that wondered if each attempt would be like the last. She was aware that her doubt in herself risked the problem snowballing into something bigger than it had to be when her troubles could be placebo. But the first time wasn't. And that scared her.

Exhaling, Sol reached down to touch her toes.

 

[Laphisto]

Aboard the Lilaste Warship, the Valiant Shadow (Air'mar MKII Heavy Cruiser)

The Valiant Shadow shuddered under the relentless assault of the Dusate Pirates. Turbolaser fire raked across the hull, causing sections to buckle and warp under the intense heat. Laphisto stood firm on the bridge, gripping a console for support as the ship rocked violently. His lone ear pinned back against his head, he barked out commands to the crew.

"Return fire! Concentrate all batteries on Ubbals flagship!" he ordered, his voice a steady anchor in the chaos. The bridge was a flurry of activity as officers relayed orders and monitored the ship's systems.

"Sir, our shields are failing! We can't take much more of this!" an officer reported, urgency clear in his voice.

Laphisto's mind raced. They were outgunned and outmaneuvered, and the Valiant Shadow was taking a beating. with a hiss of frustration laphisto Growled lightly, they had planned and cordinated for weeks on this assault. but they had bad intell, and Ubbals fleet was three times teh strength they were expecting. witha sigh of defeat he shook his head before barking out "Prepare for an emergency hyperspace jump," he commanded, his tone decisive.

"Coordinates, sir?" the navigation officer asked, eyes wide with fear.

"Anywhere but here! Just get us out of this mess!" Laphisto snapped with a snarled growl.

hurridly the navigational officer attempted to input teh co-ordinates for Kalinda Station. and as teh hyperdrive sharged up and ignited a power surge rushed through the ship as The transition was anything but smooth; a violent jolt threw Laphisto to the deck as the ship dropped back into realspace. that was odd, they should have been in hyperspace for more than a few minuets. with a sickening lurch. The bridge lights flickered and died, leaving only the dim emergency lights. The silence was broken by the crackle of damaged systems and the groans of stressed metal.

"Status report!" Laphisto demanded, pulling himself upright. The crew scrambled to assess the damage.

"We've sustained critical damage. Hyperdrive is offline, main power is down. We're adrift," the damage control officer reported grimly. Laphisto's eyes narrowed as he looked out the viewport. The once-proud vessel was now a ghostly silhouette against the backdrop of stars. The Ships hull, was marred by gaping holes where the armor had been breached. Scorch marks and twisted metal told the story of the fierce battle they had just escaped.

Inside, the corridors were dark, illuminated only by the occasional spark from damaged conduits. Bulkheads were sealed shut in a desperate attempt to contain the atmosphere, but here and there, wisps of air escaped, creating a haunting mist. The bridge was in disarray, with consoles shattered and debris scattered across the floor. The emergency lights cast an eerie glow, highlighting the tense expressions of the crew. some members were not so lucky, being trapped in the venting sections of the ship as per the safety protocols installed into the ships software

"Sir, systems check complete," an officer reported, looking grim. "Hyperdrive is completely offline, and we have multiple hull breaches venting atmosphere. Shields are down, and we have critical failures in our main power grid. Life support is functioning on emergency reserves, but we're losing oxygen. Communications are down, and we're flying blind."

Laphisto was about to start barking orders about getting a team outside to try and asses the damage further and possibly get an emergency beacon up an drunning before one of teh bridge officers fearfully pipped up

"Sir, we've got something on the sensors!" another bridge officer called out, eyes fixed on the flickering display. "ID tag lables it as a Pellaeon-class Destroyer, and we are in its path of heading sir, approximately a kilometer out"

The tension in the bridge was palpable. Without power or communication, the Valiant Shadow was adrift and vulnerable. The next moments would be crucial, determining if they had found allies or new enemies laphisto spoke up after a moment " get me our position on the galactic map. i want to know whos territory we just stepped on. and try and get communications online. imediatly"

Tydeus of Tion Dezorath Barcu Sol Dara

 

[Tydeus of Tion]

Eyes the pallor of a summer storm regarded the hulking creature.

Never met a Gen’dai before.

The being stood both broad and tall and moved with the unhurried assurity of a trained warrior, like the prowl of a vornskr. Tydeus immediately wanted to fight him.

“Smitten,” repeated the upside-down boy flatly. Images flickered through his mind. His eyes went out of focus, staring past the creature for a moment.

Behind the being, Sol Dara sidled past, flickering a little wave at him before moving into a series of stretches that unlimbered her svelte jade figure.

Tydeus frowned.

He dropped from the bar and to the floor, knees bending slightly to absorb the landing. He turned away from the huge warrior as the frown continued to deepen, a mess of emotions whipping through the boy’s chest.

”I lost everyone I loved. And when I tried to avenge them, I wasn’t strong enough.”

Back turned from the other two, Tydeus’ vision swam and he blinked away something hot in his eyes. Scowling, he tugged at his tunic, peeling the soaked material away from his body and tossing it into a nearby laundry bin before towling off the sweat dripping down his face and chest.

He stared at Sol a moment. She’d been constantly in the training center over the past several days. He should count her a friend. So why did he feel the need to term her a… distraction.

“My name is Tydeus.” He turned to face the Gen’dai, “What do they call you?”

Beneath his feet, he felt the star destroyer’s engines hum to life. They were moving somewhere, where or why did not yet concern him.

Dezorath Barcu | Sol Dara | Laphisto

 

[Kyric]

Kyric marched silently through the dull gray halls of the Ardent Blade. The ship was one of few who've flocked to the cause of the Lightsworn following Stennis Fel and his declaration of brotherhood, and it unfortunately fell within the kiffar's purview during his recovery period. High Lord Inosuke Ashina and Lady Henna Ashina made it abundantly clear if Kyric were to enjoy the taste of freedom, it would be under strict guidelines that guaranteed his recovery in the aftermath of Coruscant.

The boy's simple black haori acted as a symbol of status to those aboard the ship. It boasted the heraldry of House Ashina, a clear indicator of Kyric's loyalty and station within their organization. That same station saw him striding through an open blastdoor into the command deck where Admiral Syzik awaited him.

"Admiral," Kyric bowed his head.

"Lord Karis, our sensors have picked up an approaching ship expected to depart hyperspace any moment." Syzik carried herself with an Imperial's decorum. Her hand was clasped firmly to the opposite wrist behind her back, and her posture remained entirely rigid–like an ancient pine.

"What system are they comin' from?"

"Something close, but we cannot pinpoint the exact sector. What are your orders, sir?"

Kyric scratched his scarred cheek and considered the circumstances. An unfamiliar ship approaching from a neighboring sector could be anything. A surprise attack, for one, or a chance encounter with galactic nomads, if he opted into a brighter outlook. The ship itself didn't stir feelings of danger within the boy. Caution, perhaps, but not concern. Not yet.

"Engage the forward deflector shields and position ourselves so we are in line with the ship's approach. If we're to be attacked, we will be ready to defend ourselves." Kyric leveled his one-eyed gaze on the taller woman. "Prime our guns. Do not take aim or open fire until my say so, we clear?"

"As day, my Lord." Admiral Syzik began barking orders out to those in the bridge. They leaped into action immediately and begun preparation for the errant ship.

When the Valiant Shadow appeared from hyperspace a smoking, damaged mess, Kyric spoke without pause.

"Hail their ship immediately and begin approach," Kyric moved to stand before the star destroyer's holocomputer as the command deck's engineers worked in tandem to greet the mysterious interlopers. When the kiffar got the all-clear once the lines of communication were established, the Jedi Lord appeared as a white-blue hologram to those aboard the opposite ship's command deck.

"Greetings, stranger," Kyric spoke with a mimicked authority borrowed from the likes of Bernard . The boy's cadence was succinct, much like the Arkanian Sword. "Declare yourselves and your loyalty. Be you an enemy of the Sith, I shall call you friend. Be you a follower of the Crimson Shadow, the Ardent Blade will finish whatever battle you fled."

Kyric stood at an impressive 5'8. His right arm was slung up and covered with bandages, while his left arm boasted myriads of lightning-like scars. The haori hung around his frame to reveal a sheathed katana at his left side, and an unblemished lightsaber at his right. He wouldn't look a day over eighteen if not for the intensity within his one-eyed gaze, made all the more severe by the horrific cut running through where his right eye should have been.

Laphisto | Dezorath Barcu | Sol Dara | Tydeus of Tion ​

 

[Dezorath Barcu]

”I lost everyone I loved. And when I tried to avenge them, I wasn’t strong enough.”

Back turned from the other two, Tydeus’ vision swam and he blinked away something hot in his eyes. Scowling, he tugged at his tunic, peeling the soaked material away from his body and tossing it into a nearby laundry bin before towling off the sweat dripping down his face and chest.

He stared at Sol a moment. She’d been constantly in the training center over the past several days. He should count her a friend. So why did he feel the need to term her a… distraction.

“My name is Tydeus.” He turned to face the Gen’dai, “What do they call you?”

Amber eyes glanced briefly behind Dezorath just to take a glimpse at what his body was already feeling toward the new comer in the room. It was Sol Dara . Personally I had yet to meet this green skinned female, but she seemed friendly enough. Dez gave a nod at Sol and turned back to face Tydeus. " Then that makes two of us unfortunately." He commented and blinked hard trying to keep the memory of losing his father from surfacing. Let alone the tragic loss of the Gen'dai homeworld. A loss that happened almost ten thousand years ago and yet the young Gen'dai could still feel it.

There was nothing that had simply smitten Tydeus. He was obsessed and rightfully so. Dez did not need the man entire life story to understand the look in his eyes. A look that could be found in his own gaze as well.

A look that most species unjustly carried in the galaxy now.

" My name is Dezorath Barcu, but you may call me Dez." He said introducing himself with a nod and a simple bow. When the Gen'dai straightened his stance again there was a smirk on his face and his amber eyes had a glint to them. Something almost feral. " I would be honor If I could join you and your mate in training, What say you two?" He asked but had already began moving toward the training sabers mounted by the wall in the chamber. His question was phrased with the assumption that Tydeus and Sol were somehow paired together.

Tags; Kyric Sol Dara Tydeus of Tion Laphisto

 

[Bernard]

A mission to recover and debrief survivors from the Dromund Kaas raid left Bernard a small sliver of free time aboard the Star Destroyer that had picked up the stray Lightsworn. That free time had quickly been occupied by complaints from the ship's crew, however. The Jedi they'd picked up had set up a makeshift PT area in the cargohold, misappropriating both valuable storage space and equipment.

It sounded like something they might do. The Jedi weren't known for their strict adherence to policy or regulations, especially not these Jedi. That kind of scrappy spirit conflicted with the orderly attitudes of the Star Destroyer's crew. Before it could come to any more serious alteractions, he'd been asked by one of the officers to take care of the disturbance.

Three of the Jedi had already gathered in the PT area. The Jedi were engaged in conversation or light, what might be considered, exercise. He'd hoped to find all of them there, but Kyric was unaccounted for. Bernard had a feeling he was poking his head into other matters he didn't belong in. More complaints would surely follow.

Some of the equipment was dedicated workout equipment, but he could see a few of the non-regulation items the crew had reported. Mainly, the arrays of weapons and a holo-trainer. From the looks of it, the cargo hold had previously been dedicated to holding weapons shipments meant for the forces on Atrisia, before it was ransacked and turned into a fully functional Star Destroyer gym.

Bernard stood at the edge of the area, just outside the entrance, as he waited for the Star Destoyer's crewmen to pass by.

Dezorath Barcu Sol Dara Tydeus of Tion

 

[Sol Dara]

Sol didn't mean to eavesdrop on the only conversation taking place in the room. But there was no way around it. She didn't find it odd the two had similar histories, though it was unfortunate.

" My name is Dezorath Barcu, but you may call me Dez." He said introducing himself with a nod and a simple bow. When the Gen'dai straightened his stance again there was a smirk on his face and his amber eyes had a glint to them. Something almost feral. " I would be honor If I could join you and your mate in training, What say you two?" He asked but had already began moving toward the training sabers mounted by the wall in the chamber.

​

The word 'mate' easily stuck out. Tydeus didn't give himself time to do anything that wasn't eating, sleeping, training, or working. There was no way he had time for a partner that wasn't assigned to him on a mission. Sol's brows knit together as she held her hands above her head and leaned backward to stretch her back, wondering who this perceived 'mate' was. As Sol leaned forward, she swiftly brought herself into a handstand. But it only lasted two seconds as she finally processed the last part of Dezorath's sentence. The implication was easy to understand when she was the only other person in the room.

The mirialan arched her back and her feet made a fast yet controlled descent to the floor behind her. As her feet touched the ground, momentum and a bit of muscle carried her into a standing position. The movement was executed with the grace of a dancer until she stuttered when she lowered her arms halfway. Sol turned to face Dezorath.

"Sorry, Dez, there has been a misunderstanding," Sol smiled awkwardly as she began to correct the Gen'dai, waving both her hands almost as if she was physically dispersing the claim. The thought that her and Tydeus were together wasn't what made her feel slightly out of place. It was that she had never spoken to Dezorath before, and this was the first conversation. "I am open to training together! And I appreciate your interest. But, Tydeus and I are not mates."

Dezorath Barcu | Tydeus of Tion

 

[Laphisto]

Laphisto stood at the helm of the ship, teh bridge crew running a muck in a hurried tone trying to get communications back online. as the crew worked the navigational officer would speak up " sir ships closing in, shields raised and weapons aimed for us ! thye seem to be trying to hail us but we cant get a messsage through"

laphisto hissed softly his ear pinning back on his head as he marched towards the front of the bridges viewport. his eyes flashing with a teal blue coloration as he peered towards the ship though the force, trying to get a sense of things. before another voice called out " sir comunications are online! but they are spotty "

laphisto turned his gaze from the ship. his force signature showing by this point. whither he didnt try to hide it or purposly made hismelf known was up in the air. marchingover towards the holotable Laphisot leaned in looking at the Visage of Kyric and listened to his message

"Greetings, stranger," Kyric spoke with a mimicked authority borrowed from the likes of Bernard Bernard . The boy's cadence was succinct, much like the Arkanian Sword. "Declare yourselves and your loyalty. Be you an enemy of the Sith, I shall call you friend. Be you a follower of the Crimson Shadow, the Ardent Blade will finish whatever battle you fled."

and standing tall laphisto rumbled out, his own impressive seven foot eight stature being seen. he stood upright adorned in his Customized Set of LO-56A MKII the emblem of the Lilaste order on his right shoulder, an dthe mark of Clan ordo on his left [image found here, as the sub image is broken] on the mans left hip would be seen the hilt of a Light Saber [ image here] " i am Laphisto Gix of the Lilaste order, my crew and i were ambushed by pirates. the sith are no friends of the order" laphisto rumbled out his ear pinning back on his head slightly.

Sol Dara Bernard Tydeus of Tion Dezorath Barcu

 

[Kyric]

"I am Laphisto Gix of the Lilaste order. My crew and I were ambushed by pirates. The Sith are no friends of the Order."

Seeing the unique lightsaber hilt at Laphisto's hip nearly broke Kyric's mask of quiet apathy. There was nothing more exciting to him than a well-designed sword, but that could wait. It had to. He eyed the massive man in full, taking in the various symbols across his body, as well as the sudden presence within the Force that gazed so forcefully into their ship.

Kyric's narrowed gaze softened at the stranger's declaration. "Very well, Laphisto. You may call me Kyric. I am a representative of the Lightsworn," he paused and motioned for a nautolan woman to step into frame. "This is Admiral Syzik, she and I will be working closely to determine how we shall proceed, so be mindful." The Jedi scanned his Admiral's visage for dissent. There was none, so he continued. "What can you tell me of these pirates, Laphisto? Do you expect them to give chase?" The kiffar asked.

Admiral Syzik stepped out of frame and approached one of several ensigns tucked into the various terminals spread across the bridge. "Talahrus."

"Yes, ma'am?" a teal-skinned twi'lek answered.

"Scan for more ships approaching via hyperspace. I've no intention of being surprised a second time today in front of Lord Ashina's apprentice." Syzik turned to watch the conversation playing out before the holoterminal. If the pirates intended to give chase, the Ardent Sword would be prepared to face them.

Laphisto ​

 

[Tydeus of Tion]

“The Lady Dara is unaccompanied,” Tydeus agreed reflexively, pretending his eyes had not lingered on her arching form. “Though I am sure there is no shortage of suitors. Well met Dezorath.”

He nodded to the equipment against the wall, reaching out a hand and curling his fingers inward. The boy concentrated, exerting his will.

A training saber hilt leapt off the rack and smacked into his palm. He regarded it thoughtfully. A week ago he would not have been able to do that.

“Master Bernard,” he glanced over a shoulder, looking back at the Jedi whose presence he felt observing from doorway. “Will you be joining us?”

Bernard | Dezorath Barcu | Sol Dara

 

[Laphisto]

Laphisto stood simply at attention, his arms crossing over his chest with a slight rumble, " the Dusate Pirates are cowards, they won't give chase to us. The Lilaste order has them... caged in their respective part of the mid-rim. " laphisto looked over to his left towards the large ship that had pulled into closer view. a small grunt pulling a crossed his frame as he jostled. A large explosion was seen on the ship's exterior, sending fragments of Seigurium armor, throwing itself through space and into the path of the ship approaching.

in the background, voices could be heard," Ammunition storage A-5 has had a catastrophic failure. im trying to reroute some power to the security protocols to make sure the other storage units don't explode, but I'll need to take from life support."

laphisto hissed out before turning his attention back to Kyric " I can't say I know who the light sworn are, but if you could lend us a hand i would be much appreciative."

laphisto rumbled out he didn't like having the fate of himself or his men under the control of some strangers he wasn't even sure he could trust. But at the very least, it was better than a fiery death. in the backdrop, a small argument could be heard as one officer protested against drawing power from life support, and laphisto turned lightly and snarled, "Do it. If you can give a ship-wide announcement and warn the more damaged sections of the hull that their life support is being cut to prevent a catastrophic explosion."

laphisto took a soft breath looking back to the holo table " The order would be in your debt if you lend us a hand captain"

 

[Bernard]

His one-eyed gaze swept over the area, acknowledging the three Jedi gathered in turn.

"I hear you're spending every waking hour here, Tydeus," Bernard side-stepped the question.

He moved away from the entryway and paced slowly toward the Tionic prince. His gaze shifted as he walked, to Sol then to Dezorath, finally settling on Tydeus again.

"And it seems you've roped others into the habit, also," he stopped near the center of the room and crossed his arms, entirely impassive in his demeanor.

Tydeus of Tion Sol Dara Dezorath Barcu

 

[Dezorath Barcu]

"Sorry, Dez, there has been a misunderstanding," Sol smiled awkwardly as she began to correct the Gen'dai, waving both her hands almost as if she was physically dispersing the claim. The thought that her and Tydeus were together wasn't what made her feel slightly out of place. It was that she had never spoken to Dezorath before, and this was the first conversation. "I am open to training together! And I appreciate your interest. But, Tydeus and I are not mates."

The Gen'dai turned his head and faced Sol. The new addition to the conversation. Opening his mouth to speak Dezorath was promptly cut off before a word was even spoken.

“The Lady Dara is unaccompanied,” Tydeus agreed reflexively, pretending his eyes had not lingered on her arching form. “Though I am sure there is no shortage of suitors. Well met Dezorath.”

A training saber hilt leapt off the rack and smacked into his palm. He regarded it thoughtfully. A week ago he would not have been able to do that.

“Master Bernard,” he glanced over a shoulder, looking back at the Jedi whose presence he felt observing from doorway. “Will you be joining us?”

" Is it not within your culture to-" Dez flashed a grin and ended the act of feigning his ignorance. Instead rather he lifted up and hand to Sol Dara and chuckled after giving a polite nod to her. " If you and and ah yes, Master Bernard.." The Gen'dais eyes scanned over the master lacking in stature. Bernard was a man that Dezorath had read many things about. High ranking military access codes gave allowed that. In fact Dez knew a basic amount of info on most Jedi that were prominent enough to be caught on Dark Empire databases.

Beside there were still extensive archives from the New Imperial Order as well.

" Of Arca?" Dez muttered and tilted his head. After hearing Tydeus's question for the master, Dez immediately jumped in to up the ample per say. " One can only imagine the honor to be had, the Sword of the Jedi train with us?" impatiently Dez began staring at the the Jedi Masters missing eye. How did this occur? As he pondered, his hands found solace in a loose grip apon his training saber.

Tags: Kyric Laphisto

 

[Kyric]

"I can't say I know who the Lightsworn are, but if you could lend us a hand I would be much appreciative."

Standing off to the side, Admiral Syzic would shake her head and speak. "We don't have the space to take on an entire star destroyer's crew."

"We cannot take on the entirety of your ship," Kyric began. "But we can begin ferrying over some of your crew to make room for those escapin' the damaged sectors." The Jedi waved a hand toward the admiral. "Have Shieldbreaker deploy and begin the process."

"Yes, my Lord."

Kyric returned his attention to Laphisto. "We've little in the way of supplies given the nature of our mission. We can provide oversight, but little else. If you and your crew are going to survive this, Laphisto, it will be of your own merit." He shifted his gaze from the holoprojector to a menagerie of security-feeds. Something like electricity shot down the length of his spine as each one flickered at uneven intervals.

The gym appeared and the kiffar sighed.

Thankfully, the image of the four awkward force sensitives gathered in an attempt at socialization shifted into that of Shieldbreaker squadron jolting awake across the ship. The six pilots leaped from their bed at the blaring alarm. Drills were nothing new. Each of them found their footing and geared up in record time before piling into hangar-bay 1. Little murmurs erupted through them as they saw, not sleek and deadly starfighters awaiting them, but clunky troop transports.

Another officer debriefed them and set them to work. The transport ships hurriedly flew toward the damaged star destroyer in a bid to evacuate the sectors adjacent to those condemned.

Laphisto ​

 

[Laphisto]

Kyric returned his attention to Laphisto. "We've little in the way of supplies given the nature of our mission. We can provide oversight, but little else. If you and your crew are going to survive this, Laphisto, it will be of your own merit.

Laphisto gave a slight nod towards the holoprojector, " Of course, captain. " laphisto looked over towards one of his bridge officers and spoke off to teh side lightly, "How many personnel do we have in the sectors you plan to cut off from life support?" the bridge officer began tapping away at their station " I count only a hundred and fifty-two crew. With another two hundred still showing life signs in the secure sections of the hull sir."

laphisto frowned. While the heavy cruiser only had a maximum of six hundred crew members needed to operate the ship, it was still a sorrowful sight to know that more than half had met their demise in one way or another. " captain. How much space do you have exactly? I want to try and at least get as many of my men off this sinking ship as possible. " laphisto gripped his chin in thought as he tried to ponder a way out of this mess, and that's when he gave a firm grunt, grabbing at the side of his head with one hand.

His force precognition kicked in and showed him a possibility of what lay ahead. He watched as the transports approached and began to load any possible survivors aboard. Before the transports could return to their ship, a power surge sent an overloading power supply exploding with electricity, which sparked and arched over the live shells hidden in their autoloaders. The sudden and extreme heat cooked one shell, another, and another. This led to a chain reaction that caused shells to fire off and throw themselves through the hull and into other ammo storage units. Up until the entire ship went up in a giant fireball

Reeling back, laphisto shook his head, the world coming back to him before he quickly turned on his bridge crew. " Evacuate everyone to the escape pods now!" turning to the holo-projector laphisto spoke in a hurried fashion, " Captain, full power to your frontal deflectors is advised."
The bridge officer was shocked before quickly hitting the emergency alarm, signaling an abandon ship order to those capable of reaching an escape pod on time.

Meanwhile, laphisto ruched to the bridge's viewport and looked around for something. His eyes eventually set on his intended target reaching out with the force, laphisto moved to bend, pull, and crush the ammunition storage of the ship, ripping the hull open in some spaces and creating cracks in others. While it wouldn't stop the cook-off entirely, it hopefully would provide enough time for escape pods to launch and get far enough away.

The bridge crew scrambled, rushing for the escape pods. With laphisto straggling behind, one of the officers held the door open and prevented the safety protocols from being enacted. Once aboard the pod laphisto turned around and used the force to launch the pod outwards. Nothing seemed to happen for a moment as pods reeled back from the ship, and then one of the LO-10C cannons exploded, sending the turret flying off into space.

What seemed like internal explosions as fire leaped from the cracks created in the hull before a large singular explosion rocked the ship, followed by another that leaped closer toward where the bridge was. The chain reaction set off other minor explosions within the fuel tanks before the ship's reactor went critical, sending a large shock wave spiraling out, which rocked the escape pods and anything within two kilometers. Debris and shrapnel went spalling in all directions.

Kyric

 

[Kyric]

"Captain. How much space do you have exactly? I want to try and at least get as many of my men off this sinking ship as possible."

Kyric gauged the status of the Ardent Blade in silence. The ship was running on a skeleton crew designed to keep it afloat in space while out searching for the likes of Tydeus and remnant extremists. Rare was the Imperial Star Destroyer not outfitted with the means to conquer a planet via superior forces and fire power, but the Lightsworn were sorely lacking in the numbers necessary to deploy their growing fleet. To welcome strangers aboard the ship could very much pose its own danger. What if Laphisto and his men betrayed them?

Danger flashed within the kiffar's mind. In comparison to the ancient Force User in the opposite Star Destroyer, Kyric's precognitive warning did little to define the peril they faced. He saw only fiery death and heard myriads of cries as many lives were extinguished at once.

"Captain, full power to your frontal deflectors is advised."

"Do it." Kyric said aloud.

Syzik knew better than to question a force sensitive's judgement. She echoed his order to the crew and the one-eyed man watched as the deflector shield's manifested nearly four-fold their power. Shieldbreaker-squadron turned about completely and roared back into the shadow of the Lightsworn's vessel. Dozens of escape pods burst from the sides of the Valiant Shadow in time to avoid the horrific explosion ripping through the derelict Star Destroyer. Shrapnel buffeted the shields ineffectually, and a wave of force ripped across space and sent the entire ship listing awkwardly to the side.

Those aboard the Ardent Blade would experience something akin to their world shifting on its axis. Loose items slid awkwardly across the floor to slam into cold durasteel. The experience lasted ten, maybe eleven seconds, before the crew managed to right the destroyer.

"What now, sir?" the Admiral asked from where she strapped herself to a seat.

"We'll make room for those we can, and begin transporting those we cannot to the fringes of Alliance space." He tapped a small green button on the terminal next to him.

Activating within the cargo-bay-turned-gym, a singular terminal projected a blue-white manifestation of Kyric beside the door. The Jedi appeared to have seen better days to those familiar with him prior to Coruscant.

"Padawan Dara," Kyric began. "Please bring Dezorath and Tydeus to bay 3. We've stumbled upon survivors of a most recent scuttling. They could use some help gettin' aboard the ship." The kiffar nodded toward Bernard. "Master Tanith."

Back aboard the deck, Admiral Syzik worked to re-establish communications with Laphisto and his pod.

Bernard | Dezorath Barcu | Laphisto | Sol Dara | Tydeus of Tion ​

 

[Ali Kare]

The High Admiral found her hands gripping the sides of the tac board ever tighter, teeth clenched in a way that her dentist certainly wouldn't like. Ali watched the bright blue images above the board, and the lights flashing between them. Well, the ship that was the Valiant Shadow was now dowsed in red and orange. Either completely destroyed systems, or ones on the brink. How could they have miscalculated the pirates' strength this badly?

No...we didn't mess up. I did.

It was her responsibility to be the leader of the Lilaste Order's naval forces and their operations. A failure like this would surely ruin her reputation among the other officers. And that mattered. Big time. Who would want to follow Ali Kare's orders now, thinking they would lead straight to a fiery death.

Suddenly a voice came over the intercom. "All personnel, prepare for emergency jump!"

All she could do was grip even tighter on the table before the lurch of hyperspace. And this lurch was much more noticeable. Thank goodness the inertial compensators hadn't been completely destroyed, otherwise both the High Commander and the High Admiral would have gone down in the same ship. Not like she was repulsed by the idea of dying on the same ship as Laphisto. In fact, it would be an honor.

Ali released her clutch on the table (now clear of enemy vessels) and raced to the bridge, only to turn around and join the stampede of crew gunning for the escape pods. Would there be enough? Probably. She wasn't foolish enough to believe all six hundred people aboard survived.

As she reached the escape pod and slapped open the release, she yelled at six others to get in before diving in herself. As soon as her podmates were secured, she undocked the pod and fired off the engines. Just in time too. She watched one of the turrets implode, sending a chain reaction through the Valiant Shadow.

Ripples of energy slammed into the pod, sending it careening farther away. When the pod's maneuvering thrusters balanced out, the frontal viewport showed the devastation. However, besides the charred and scattered hull remains, there were other ships. Star Destroyers?

Great. And she meant that both sarcastically, and genuinely. They were in the middle of interstellar space, and it could've taken weeks for help to arrive. Weeks aboard this cramped vessel with six others. Others that probably didn't like her. However, being delivered straight to unknowns on a silver platter didn't seem too nice either. She would hope that they were civilians, but a civilian with a Star Destroyer? Likely not. Their best hope would be that those ships belonged to the Empire of the Lost, but she wouldn't hold her breath on that hope.

Oh well. Her life was in their hands now.
Kyric Laphisto

 

[Sol Dara]

The mirialan glanced at Tydeus at the mention of there probably being 'no shortage' of potential suitors for her.

Whoever these people were, Sol couldnt name them, and briefly wondered if Tydeus knew something she didn't about some of their crewmates. She listened as the men spoke, then watched as Bernard entered the conversation, bringing a tense air with him.

It wasn't long before the slight tension in the room became much more serious.

Shrapnel buffeted the shields ineffectually, and a wave of force ripped across space and sent the entire ship listing awkwardly to the side.

Those aboard the Ardent Blade would experience something akin to their world shifting on its axis. Loose items slid awkwardly across the floor to slam into cold durasteel. The experience lasted ten, maybe eleven seconds, before the crew managed to right the destroyer.

Finding herself sliding across the room, Sol nearly fell over from the surprise, but managed to keep herself somewhat upright. She lowered herself to her knees, and a palm joined the ground in front of them as she slid toward the wall.

Now sturdy against the wall, anything that came toward her was held back or diverted with the force. She watched out for anything that could harm her companions as well.

Then, the ship leveled itself. A few things made 'thud' noises at varying volumes across the room.

Activating within the cargo-bay-turned-gym, a singular terminal projected a blue-white manifestation of Kyric beside the door. The Jedi appeared to have seen better days to those familiar with him prior to Coruscant.

"Padawan Dara," Kyric began. "Please bring Dezorath and Tydeus to bay 3. We've stumbled upon survivors of a most recent scuttling. They could use some help gettin' aboard the ship." The kiffar nodded toward Bernard. "Master Tanith."

"Understood," the mirialan commented as she surveyed the state of the room and her comrades with a quick glance.

She shot Dezorath and Tydeus each a look, ensuring that they were behind her as she swiftly left the room.

Dezorath Barcu | Tydeus of Tion | Kyric | Bernard