The Black Garden | CIS Dominion of Tyra'Weilen

Kathryn Foster · Aug 5, 2019

Objective: Vault

Location: Front-line of Fireteam Beta

Wearing: Black BDUs, black gear vest with plastoid inserts, black military boots, open plastoid helmet with black cover. Jacket wearing the CIS-insignia on both shoulders.

Loadout: E-22 blaster rifle, LBP-3 blaster pistol, vibroblade

Tags: [member="Kiff Brayde"], [member="Scherezade deWinter"], [member="Gabriel Hynatos Umberhorn"], [member="Ephraim"], [member="Shakti Sweet"], [member="Xobos Yakieer"], [member="Layla Solari"], [member="Kaden Farr"].

It was always something. At least, the H1 battle droids were somewhat closer to that of a human being than those destroyer droids... Her experiences of them at Haruun Kal had not been the best, but she had pulled through the campaign. Much thanks to working with admiral Brayde, that Calnov-guy and the the few others made out of flesh and bones. The droid army was an incredible wonder in many ways, and tech had never been a problem with her. She did not criticise its existence, but it was always a welcome fact to know that there was feeling humanoids that held in the ropes. And having someone around you could crack a joke and laugh alongside with. Almost as important!

There were a couple more humanoids that would fight together with their mechanical counterparts for this mission. This was also something very different than Haruun Kal. A still pretty much unidentified foe. Its intentions. Its motives. And its origins, still dwelling in mystery. While the briefing aboard one of the flag ships had left her with a faint uneasy feeling, it had also awakened the explorer inside of her.

By common practice, Kath made the last checks to the double-barreled E-22 blaster rifle. BlasTech had made a good job with the sturdy E-22, probably why it had been in service on many muddy and dusty battlefields. Just cleaned and maintained before they set down on the planet. Full battery. She adjusted the sling around her neck and felt on the outside of the gear vests pouches. Extra batteries, medpac, comlink. Everything was where it needed to be.

A slight sigh left her, as a finishing sign from her body that she could not be more ready for the admirals orders. With long and calm steps, she begun to stroll between the first and second line of H1 battle droids, every now and then throwing a glance at the tunnel enterance that loomed in front of them.

Alejandro Chadian · Aug 5, 2019

Location: Preparing to Enter Tunnel
Tags: [member="Kiff Brayde"], [member="Kathryn Foster"], [member="Scherezade deWinter"] [member="Kaden Farr"]

Cypher had never seen the Crusader class Battledroids before but obviously they were built for precison and death. As the two approached he was busy organizing his forces. He noticed [member="Kiff Brayde"] but didn't bother to give a salute. It was not a symbol of disrespect but rather a symbol of his attention to getting rid of these 'glass automatons'. He felt discourged by the man. He was an Admiral and yet he was some how able to climb the ranks becoming a High Marshal. The only problem he had was the man had no experience commanding ground forces expect at Haruun Kal where he had heard rumours the man was not able to do his job correctly. But of course soon he would have the Sith Lord's expertise on commanding everything. As soon as Confederate High Command saw his ability but of course it would take months for the bureaucrats to sort out all of the nesscary paperwork and then he would do what he so desired. "Hello Kiff and Kathryn. Welcome to Hell" he said. He ignored normal procedure for a reason: In War one must never waste time on simple ideologues like rank. The Sith knew this as did all High Marshals, Field Marshals and of course Fleet Marshals. He was leaning on a Phrik cane due to him not wearing his power armor. It seemed during Tannab he had sustained injuries so bad he was no longer able to support his own body without the help of either his cane or Armour. He stared into the tunnels. He felt like the tunnels stared back at him.
[member="Kathryn Foster"] and [member="Kiff Brayde"]

Layla Solari · Aug 5, 2019

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oefWIEUeOQ0

Objective: Chat with a pretty Lady and play in a hole

Equipment: Weapons, Armor, anything else she can find, Dress when armor is not active

The little one helped pull people from the rubble. When no one was looking, she reached up and forced the fires to die off using her pyrokinesis. She just kept weakening the flame until it simply went out. She ran here, she ran there, she ran everywhere, with so much glee and bliss. The destruction was glorious, the smell of blood was like the sweetest candy. The screams on the wind were like beautiful songs. The sight of the devastated city was like beautiful scenery. It was so pretty! However.....this still interfered with her plans, and she wasn't quite happy about it. But it was a free buffet...but the problem with buffets was that it was a single meal. A wasteful meal. While it didn't really bother the nanech, she hated the smell of decayed flesh, so tended to only eat fresh kills.

It was no matter. Part of her thought to just leave it to the Confederates as they came. However, the creatures had pissed her off. Her tranquil little paradise. It wasn't perfect as Culroon III, with its eternal war. However! Was it WRONG to want to just stay put and survive for awhile? To just...exist? Everything in the galaxy seemed to think so! Every time things were looking up, something came along and destroyed it all. She was fed up with it. Her time with Animus had taught her....even Darths had to be wary of her. She was able to devour them all. Jedi didn't matter, other beasts didn't matter. She was the Monster here. It may get her into trouble. But, right now, she was tired of having to dance to another's tune. They destroyed her home, her food.

The little one walked across the crumbled streets towards the abyss. She admired the smoke filled skies, blazing red as fire licked them. The sun was just rising as the Confederate forces arrived. She giggled softly and shook her head. Ah well, it would get noisy. As she stood near the abyss, she looked down into the dark and her hazel eyes shimmered in the dim light.

Her ears twitched, and her nose raised to the sky as Scherezade followed her scent. A little tug formed on the corner of her lips, as the woman talked to her. Layla twirled, her little skirt fluttered as she turned to Scherezade. “Oh. Pretty.” The little one's voice was so soft, so innocent sounding. “Me? Oh...I'm...” Her mind flashed to the word that had been used against her since she was four. The thing that even Animus and Raven thought of her as. She gave Scherezade a cute little smile. “I'm a monster.”

The black material covered her form once more, the pain of it as it pierced her body was intense, but again she endured it. In a mere moment, the little girl was gone, and replaced by the armored, four armed, tentacled alien like monster. Her swords seemed to grow from her hands quickly. The large eyes on the hilts twitched, and moved to look at the woman who was close by. Their grotesque, unnatural apperance was accompanied by an increase in telepathic pressure as Layla stopped hiding.

Her mind reached out as the dark side surrounded everything she was. If Scherezade's mental barriers were not up, she would begin to hear giggles of excitement come from the force, seeming to echo around her. If she tried to sense the girl using the force herself, she would feel extreme hunger and overwhelming pain, as if that was Layla's entire existence. Her smell would be heavily of blood, and death, but also the strange, unfamiliar scent of the organic nanech. It would be very similar to blood, heavily metallic and sickly.

The tentacles on her back grew and interacted with the ground. They lifted Layla from the ground and shot her towards the hole. As she descended into the darkness, her sonar began to explode the space around her, and her long tendrils grabbed hold of the walls. Millions of cilia dug into the material, finding rough patches. And in the places they couldn't pierce as easily, they would thin to find a hold between the molecules themselves.

As she swiftly crawled into the abyss, and searched the area, she spotted the glass. It had been delicious. The hunger rose, the desire to devour it all, until nothing remained. As she poked her head down into the area, her sensory organs expanded her view and understanding of the world around her. “Hmmm.” It wouldn't be wise to rush into this quite yet. She was a spider, Layla always did best when she could lure them into a trap.

Vytal Noctura · Aug 5, 2019

Vytal Noctura of the Mandragora strode out from a building where she had been communing with the spirits out of the public eye. They would not understand the important of her work, or that of the Mandragora. They rarely did. Certainly not when it came to a Nightsister; a pale woman of Dathomir who wore her tattoos proudly on her skull. Even dressed in Offworlder armor prepared to enter into the depths of this planet, many would know her kind. They often frightened their children with humorous tales of how Sisters would gobble them up.

She would not attempt to dissuade them from that belief.

High Marshal Kiff Brayde prepared his forces to delve into the pit that had drawn Vytal to this rock. The plights of the Jedi and their sad attempt at studying whatever they'd found had not drawn her to them. Such people should have been better prepared. Would any look sympathetically upon the Mandragora if one of their subjects of study had escaped confinement? On the other hand, given their isolation, it was unlikely anyone would even know it had happened until much, much later.

As she drew near there appeared a regal man that called out to the High Marshal. He announced himself a Lord. Viceroy of Cantoi. Vytal possessed no knowledge of this planet, but it was a very large galaxy. Far larger than she had ever imagined when leaving Dathomir. Only by the Fanged God and Winged Goddess' mercy or power had they managed to find sanctuary far across that empty expanse.

"Will you?" Vytal replied as she approached the men. Her eyes examined the man that stood there for a moment. "He does appear to have potential, High Marshal. Whether he will be of great service remains to be seen."

Her attention swung to the High Marshal himself then. "Mistress Vytal Noctura of the Mandragora. I will assist you should whatever lay below be of a mystical threat, and will help secure any artifacts for retrieval and study." A slight nod of the head followed her declaration and offer of services. Blasters, droids, and tanks were fine and good if your enemy was just another organic creature you stumbled upon blindly. From the reports Vytal had read, however, there seemed to be more than just strange creatures involved. Possession or parasitical habitation, perhaps.

A pack was slung over one shoulder containing a number of potions and mystical items to protect those venturing below.

Without further ado, the Witch found a comfortable seat for a ride into the abyss. Where else would you find a Witch, but at the mouth of hell?

Keva · Aug 6, 2019

[SIZE=11pt]Objective: [/SIZE][SIZE=11pt]Relief Effort [/SIZE]
[SIZE=11pt]Location: [/SIZE][SIZE=11pt]Tyra’Theed[/SIZE]
[SIZE=11pt]Tags: [/SIZE][SIZE=11pt]Open[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]In the great below, that mighty casam that had burst open in the city, so many forces had been funneled in that Keva knew it would simply be a waste to throw her meager force into the depths. Besides, if they failed, who would be there to force an orbital bombardment on the gap?[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]So instead, she merely marched through the city. In what seemed like something so grossly uncharacteristic, she had joined a relief effort first and foremost. Though, relief itself took many forms. And Keva would tolerate nothing but the utmost efficiency in her work.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]Still traversing the ruined city in her command tank, Keva quickly shot commands to her various via her poor poor tactical (secretary) droid.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]“Major infrastructure buildings are to be saved first, all local residences are secondary priority. Any and all looters are to be shot on site, and any who wish to try and slow the convoy are to be detained.”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=11pt]Now. It was no longer uncharacteristic, her cobbled force of military units and fire support droids from the ships above made their way through the city, now hunting for banks, hospitals, warehouses, meager help was given to residential buildings. A fire-droid or two lending their hose if need be, and blasters all at the ready for the second a dissident dared to show themselves. [/SIZE]

Kiff Brayde · Aug 6, 2019

Kiff turned around as [member="Gabriel Hynatos Umberhorn"] approached him. The youth was taller than him by a good three inches, yet he could tell that despite the young Viceroyal's haughty demeanor, the boy obviously carried some sort of respect for him. That was refreshing, Kiff thought as he extended his hand to shake with the Viceroyal. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Viceroyal Hynatos. I hope you will be an asset," he said with a grin as he eyed the lightsaber that hung off of the Hycantoi's belt. Kiff did not have much experience with lightsabers or those who wielded them, but he had heard the tales and read the stories (including a few HoloWiki articles) on their supposedly legendary properties. Perhaps Kiff would get to see if those legends held up to reality. Kiff opened his mouth again, to perhaps ask more about the weapon the young Viceroyal wielded or if the wine of Cantoi was any good when he was interrupted by another, much older man.

Kiff turned to greet the newcomer and saw Fleet Marshal [member="Cypher Raige"], limping towards him on a cane. Kiff had interacted with the officer on Mechis and Arkham, but they had never met face-to-face. Kiff's eyebrows raised when the man addressed him by his first name, leaving out his rank or any other term of respect. The Fleet Marshal could learn a thing or two from the young Viceroyal. "Fleet Marshal Raige. You would do good to adress your superiors by their rank," Kiff said, correcting Raige's error. Glancing at the cane that the Fleet Marshal was limping on, he looked back up to the older man in slight skepticism as the Fleet Marshal stayed into the tunnel. "And do you think it will be a good idea to enter with the vanguard, Fleet Marshal? Your injuries concern me -- it might be best that you stay behind with the garrison by the shield. Someone has to watch our backs," Kiff said with a a slight smile.

Turning back to the Viceroyal, he noticed that [member="Kathryn Foster"] had taken the lead with Fireteam Beta, and he nodded his approval. He'd served with the young woman on Haruun Kal, and did not question her valor or her skills. "Viceroyal, would you like lead of Fireteam Gamma? I'm sure there will be enough excitement for you in the tunnels," Kiff said. He barely had time to finish talking before another person joined the mesh, this time someone he was not familiar with; a woman who intruduced herself as [member="Vytal Noctura"] of the Mandragora. Kiff nodded his thanks towards the Mandragora. "You've just arrived in time for the party, Mandragora."

Without missing a beat, Kiff turned on his heel to begin the procedure for moving into the chasm -- other elements had already begun to move out, and Kiff didn't want to be last to the party -- Kiff and the Fireteams began moving out. They didn't get far though, before they where met with a true chasm; a gap between the tunnel and what looked like to be glass stairs, so deep that Kiff could only see ever-extending darkness. He cursed privately -- they would have a rough time trying to maneuver droids over that. He turned to the assembled fireteams, thinking hard. Finally, he turned towards the Mandragora that had just joined them. "You have some sort of magical power, right? Would that be able to ferry our forces over the gap?"

KIFF'S FORCES

Tunnel Forces

Fireteam Alpha
~ x44 Crusader-class Battle Droids [Vanguard]
~ x22 H1 Battle Droids
~ x224 B1 Mk. II Battle Droids
~ x12 DSD-2 Spider Droids
Fireteam Beta
~ [member="Kathryn Foster"]
~ x44 Crusader-class Battle Droids [Vanguard]
~ x22 H1 Battle Droids
~ x224 B1 Mk. II Battle Droids
~ x11 DSD-2 Spider Droids
Fireteam Gamma
~ [member="Gabriel Hynatos Umberhorn]
~ x44 [URL="http://starwarsrp.net/topic/136469-crusader-battle-droid/"]Crusader-class Battle Droids[/URL] [Vanguard]
~ x22 H1 Battle Droids
~ x224 B1 Mk. II Battle Droids
~ x11 DSD-2 Spider Droids
Fireteam Delta
~ x44 Crusader-class Battle Droids [Vanguard]
~ x22 H1 Battle Droids
~ x224 B1 Mk. II Battle Droids
~ x11 DSD-2 Spider Droids
Fireteam Zeta
~ x44 Crusader-class Battle Droids [Vanguard]
~ x22 H1 Battle Droids
~ x224 B1 Mk. II Battle Droids
~ x11 DSD-2 Spider Droids

City Defense Forces

ACTIONS

All fireteams have descended into the tunnels beneath Tyra'Theed; all fireteams are currently trying to pass over the gap
The lead of Fireteam Beta has been delegated to [member="Kathryn Foster"]
The lead of Fireteam Gamma has been delegated to [member="Gabriel Hynatos Umberhorn"]

Scherezade deWinter · Aug 7, 2019

I'm a monster.

Scherezade openly rolled her eyes and gave a snort. The smile the child had given had no sway on her, and despite the fact that her scent was one that the Blood Hound had never caught before, it was more than clear that she was obviously not very impressed.

The black form covered her then, yes, and while her glowing green eyes held their gaze over her, the expression on Scherezade's face spoke volumes about curiosity. Not fear, not disgust. Her mental barriers did go up as soon as the sound came, but once more this served to increase her appetite to understand what this girl was.

Wasting no time once the girl had gone into the hole, Scherezade jumped after her, thinking little about important things like safety and how she was supposed to land. Unless there was a specific lizard at the bottom of that rabbit hole, she was certain she'd be just fine. The scent of the girl continued to call to her. It was not blood, no. You could not fool a Blood Hound with a scent that was not caused by blood. But she was not oblivious to the similarities.

Down and down they went. What her eyes could not see, her nose still picked up. And then there was ground – Scherezade landed comfortably thanks to the Force, surprised to discover that there was more light and she could actually see things without needing to rely on special senses.

"You didn't answer my question," she accused the girl as she got near her, glancing at the glass only for a moment, "And you're not a monster," she felt the need to add, looking at the child.

No. Strange, sure. Dangerous? That remained to be seen. But definitely, not a monster.

Gabriel Hynatos Umberhorn · Aug 7, 2019

TAGS: Layla Solari | Scherezade deWinter | Gabriel Hynatos Umberhorn | Xobos Yakieer | Cypher Raige | Kathryn Foster | Ephraim | Kaden Farr | Shakti Sweet

Gabriel had offered a quick response to Kiff's words before he was met with a new arrival, "It truly is a pleasure." With that however he hardened himself to greet the woman. The organization she had claimed to stem from was still foreign to him, and so he questioned her validity, however it seemed the Marshal had welcomed their arrival. It seemed that Kiff's suggestion had gone over his head for the briefest of moments as he inspected the being before him.

"Oh no, the chemistry would simply be off, it would be best if they were lead by someone who is more acquainted with them." That and Gabriel would not accept responsibility for the lives of others especially in such a dire circumstance. Today he'd stand 'alone' to some degree. However he would make full use of those around him when the time came.

As the party began to drift towards the chasm Gabriel felt a disturbance in the air. This went unspoken of, but once the Marshal had stated his opinion Gabriel had shook his head. He felt as though going deeper into the opening might be the right move. However he held his peace curious to see If anyone else would hold the same assessment of the situation. In particular his eyes drifted towards the strange woman known as Vytal.

Vytal Noctura · Aug 7, 2019

The Nightsister's eyes roamed over the gaping maw of darkness on the surface, and over the tunnel Kiff's forces passed through. She kept vigil for a threat that emerge from anywhere at anytime. Men and women of blasters and armor would watch the fore and after of the group with great fervor, she knew well. It was the creature that appeared out of what appeared to be a solid wall that concerned the Mandragora Witch most. Rock beasts, slimes, and spirits with armed forces were not prepared for at the spur of moment. Though no failing of their own; but their frequent enemy did not appear and vanish at all, but by trekking across the same space they shared with their opponent.

After only a short time, however, the column came to a stop. Vytal slipped free of where she'd taken purchase and drew near to the edge of the abyss that threatened to swallow them whole. A soft grunt acknowledging the impressive depth of the chasm was then issued. Now this would be a problem with tanks and droids. Not that she minded. Little robotic feet clink-clanking the entire way ruined the mood.

Nevertheless, when Kiff looked over to her and actually asked about a mystical option, Vytal returned his gaze. Were Pomsty here she might have been floored at being acknowledged even if just as a means to an end. It was more than she believed most Confederates capable of toward the Mandragora.

A moment passed and Vytal turned to regard the mechanical host Kiff sought to bring with them.

"Yes." The pale woman turned back to regard the leader of the expedition. "However, you have considerable forces. You should advance one...Fireteam at a time. And your droids are programmed to march?" She knew Basic well enough, but it was not her first language. Her concern was over resonance setup by the march; it would not bode well if they were heedless of the danger.

No doubt the droid knew how to break properly, and so Vytal drew out a carving of wood. She advanced to the furthest reach of the ledge that extended in the direction they wished to go. "Show us the path to the darkness below. Guide our feet to the clutches of our enemy. And we will offer their blood in tribute to your glory." The totem hovered in the air, suspended between the palms of Vytal's hands for a moment before it slowly descended and then sank into the ground beneath their feet. She would build them a bridge wide enough to cross to the other side; whether it lasted for Kiff's many automatons would have to be seen. It was yet to be seen how merciful the gods would be toward a droid army.

Tag: [member="Layla Solari"] | [member="Scherezade deWinter"] | [member="Gabriel Hynatos Umberhorn"] | [member="Xobos Yakieer"] | [member="Kathryn Foster"] | [member="Ephraim"] | [member="Kaden Farr"] | [member="Shakti Sweet"] | [member="Darth Elyria"] | [member="Cypher Raige"]

Ascendant Muse · Aug 8, 2019

What defines Humanity?

The average man spends their waning years entertaining such questions - and yet the Masters of the Vault have spent millennia. Silent, their eyes wandered across the cosmos. Endless were their observations. And though Humanity crafted for itself a lofty name, the Masters referred to them as Organic-Temporary-Primates. And these creatures, as it were with all creation, were defined by a primary objective: Consume-Enhance-Replicate. It mattered not which planet they descended upon. It mattered not how inhospitable or extreme the conditions were. Every planet touched by the Organic-Temporary-Primates would find its resources consumed and its terrain "Enhanced" to their designs.

And when they were finished, the process would Replicate. Over and over and over again. With no end in sight, the Masters of the Vault enacted a protocol of their own. One poised to purge the anathema from the Galaxy's cosmos. Extermination. Only by cleansing the stars of the Organic-Temporary-Primates would all creation be preserved. Thus, as the soldiers began their descent into the Vault, it was as if the end times had begun. Some say the end is heralded by a trumpet...yet here, there was a BLARE. A violent, bone-chilling cacophony erupted from the depths of the Vault and rocketed into the afternoon skies.

And with the noise came the erection of their barrier. A crimson field of energies sprang into being, effectively mirroring the shield generator's path. Yet, those outside the obstacle would notice something...off. Especially those attuned to the Force. T'was as if the entire expeditionary Force had disappeared from the spectrum entirely. And in its place, a literal void had erupted into being - not dissimilar from a Ysalamir. Moreover, as the troops began to make their way across the mystical bridge, azure lights erupted into being. Upon platforms overlooking the magickal path and all about the "steps" leading to the other side.

They came from nothing. Yet rose to take everything. Glistening automatons, wrought from shining glass took aim and fired. The hum of their weapons soon rivaled that of the persistent whine - and the first droids which fell bore witness to their true nature. For, as their weapons struck their chassis, vaporization was instant. Nothing was left but Ash.

Xobos Yakieer · Aug 8, 2019

Location: Outside of the Vault
Equipment: Lightsaber, Faceless Armor
Mental State: Tense
Tags: [member="Shakti Sweet"], [member="Ephraim"], [member="Layla Solari"], [member="Scherezade deWinter"], [member="Gabriel Hynatos Umberhorn"], [member="Kathryn Foster"], [member="Kaden Farr"], [member="Darth Elyria"], [member="Cypher Raige"]
Post: #2

Awaiting the other two to get off the shuttle didn’t take long. The man was first, getting a glare from the masked apprentice, with a small nod in his direction afterword. When she saw her sister approaching, Xobos rolled the stress from her shoulders before starting toward where the rest of the confederate forces were beginning to gather. They all seemed to be headed into what only could be described as the vault that they had been informed about. This was supposedly where all the enemies had gone into. Sending this many forces, however, seemed a bit overkill. She and her sister, and hopefully the extra man that had tagged along, would be able to handle this.

The smaller Miraluka began to push her way to the front of the crowd, the single track idea on her mind to be one of the first into the vault. The voices, obviously, were interested in this as well. Glass structures lined the inside of the area, made into interesting and weird shapes and sizes. That drew the attention of Ora, who began to point out some of the more intriguing shapes to her. “Although they seem like they could be quite dangerous…these see through structures are quite…lovely.” Xobos just nodded internally, somewhat agreeing with the voice. It didn’t matter in the long run, but perhaps once this was all over she could cut a piece of this glass, take it back to her ship as a nice little memory and paperweight. Or a gift for Cali. That zeltron would surely like something pretty like that.

However, this was not the time to be zoning out. Watching as the pale skinned woman began to seemingly build a bridge across the large chasm that spanned the gap from their position to the other side, where the barrier was located, she began to scan the area and see if there was a quicker way across. It didn’t seem like the gap was that wide, so the Miraluka began to slowly take a few steps backward. Taking a moment to turn back to her sister, the more mischievous of the pair gave a little, faux salute, before sprinting as quickly as she could to the edge, leaping with the aid of the force underneath her feet.

The spring was well enough to help her clear the gap comfortably by a few feet, yet the landing was less than stellar, as she rolled multiple times before coming to a rest. Ambrus couldn’t help but laugh lightly at her endeavor, giving a quick, “Beautifully executed, little master,” to her as she stumbled up to her feet and patted herself clean of the dirt. Speaking a few explicitives under her breath, Xobos didn’t have very long to be angry before the screeching sound filled the chamber, practically piercing her mind with the sound.

Events that followed had the apprentice reeling. Her cloak, imbued with the force, suddenly felt much more heavy, as well as a cold emptiness beginning to fill her body. Creatures, made of the beautiful structures that she had seen on her way in, rose from the ground around her, beginning to use some sort of weapon to completely disintegrate the droids attempting to come across the bridge. Seeing these creatures made her quickly ignite and pair her lightsaber, giving the duel blade a quick spin before charging at them with every intention to slice each of these creatures in two. However, something stopped her in her tracks, causing her entire body to practically seize up in fear.

It wasn’t the creatures, even as they saw the frozen Miraluka and began to approach her. No, it was something far more mind numbing, hurting for apprentice. She quickly tried reaching out to her sister, finding that the connection was blocked, much like her connection to the force. But that wasn’t the worst part of the lost connection, or the most horrifying. No, there was something much worst, that completely caused her to lose all sense of herself.

The voices were completely and totally silent, and their presence was gone. For the first time in so many years, they were utterly gone. And that fact and what it could mean terrified Xobos.

Gianna Aegis · Aug 8, 2019

Objective: Get the the Ground [Do What Jedi Do] - BYOO

Location: Deliverance to Tyra'Theed

Tags: [member="John Locke"] | [member="Valdemar Halstein"]

“John…I think I missed my shuttle. Every corridor looks the same and I think I’ve passed the same droid at least three times.”, Gia spoke into her communicator while jade eyes took in the interior of the star destroyer. She breathed in deeply and exhaled slowly. There was no need to panic.

No need to panic. Right?

The flame-haired Jedi was admittedly a little lost. The Deliverance was much larger than the ships she was used to traversing alone. She had been spoiled thus far when traveling through space in that she always had a friend with her. [member="John Locke"] was usually the one she referred to as Admiral. She moved through the halls easily enough. The droids that marched, readying for deployment, broke around her form as a stream would when passing a boulder. Her newly issued Confederate comm was buzzing with chatter—But her focus was on the markings that lined the halls so she could figure out where she was going.

How had she gotten so badly turned around?

Gianna was supposed to be taking a group of medical staff and droid units to the ground. She tapped her comm and tried to find the correct frequency to her partner in crime, [member="John Locke"], but it seemed to be on the fritz. Wonderful. The flame-haired woman moved through throngs of droids that moved in neat little rows. All of them marched in the same time. With the same abrupt turns. She shivered. There was something unnerving about how many droid units the Confederacy had access to.

“Excuse me—“, she tried to speak up, briefly, but the robots kept marching on. They didn’t even seem to see or hear her. Gianna bit her lip and tried not to feel the smallest bit overwhelmed. She reached for that quiet, soothing place, that often-led others to equate her with a sense of peace. She steeled her nerves and kept moving around the ship until she found someone that looked like he or she might be in charge. Technically, her credentials belonged to the Silvers, but the Confederacy had never really quibbled before. “Hello—”

“Hi I’m—”

Again. Ignored. This time by a person. An actual person. With real ears. Gia frowned. Being polite wasn’t getting her anywhere. Not entirely realizing where she was following the Ensign, she found that she wasn’t stopped when they passed from one portal to the next. The Jedi didn’t think much of it at the time, at least, until they spilled out into next sector properly. Dressed in robes that were made more for swift movement and negotiation, the red-haired woman stood out, severely, like a sore thumb.

A quick glance upward told her that she was probably in the one place she wasn’t supposed to be. Everyone was so focused on their tasks, for some reason, no one seemed to notice the diminutive creature that seemed like a lost foal. She backed up slowly while they began to talk about reports and backed away from the Command Deck. In doing so she finally ran into a helpful naval officer that that informed her another dropship would be leaving shortly. The kind lad was also generous enough to give thorough directions.

So, when Captain [member="Valdemar Halstein"] was situated into his shuttle, he was far from alone, and had a Jedi to accompany him. She didn’t recognize him right off the bat, how could she, in a military that was full to the brim with different faces. “I always hate this part…”, she breathed softly, securing crash webbing, while ensuring that nothing on her person was loose. Dropships in the Confederacy were nicer than some, but rarely, did she feel like she hadn’t just been shot out of a ship like a mini-tin can through a straw that just happened to have thrusters tacked onto it with space tape. Perhaps it was because she spent too much time with John...But bigger ships were always better. “Really…Really do. I'm Knight Aegis. Gia, if you like.”

Her eyes closed briefly while she felt the shuttle begin to move and she decided rather quickly that the sooner they made landfall the better.

Valdemar Halstein · Aug 8, 2019

[member="Gianna Aegis"] [member="John Locke"]
BYOO - En Route to Tyra'Theed

The Captain had just secured himself into his webbing when he noticed that he had a fellow traveller.

He scrutinised her for a moment in silence. Finally he leaned forward as much as the webbing allowed.
“So you’re Jedi Knight Gianna Aegis? I had been informed you were aboard my ship. It’s strange to see a Jedi here, working with the Confederacy. Or perhaps not, I am quite new to this faction, I admit. Still, welcome aboard.”
He noted that her robes were considerably more fancy than the usual. It didn’t really bother him, but it was curious.

“It helps to focus on something else if you a poor flyer. Don’t close your eyes, that’ll just disorientate you. Meditate, or whatever the Jedi do.”
He’d had a lot of experience interacting with Jedi in his years with the Republic and Galactic Alliance. They were usually, in his experience, a tightly wound bunch, given to unfortunate fits of massacre at the wrong times.

“Captain, we are dropping out in 3…2…1.”
The sensation was…odd. As they left the ship and headed down there was not much gravity to start, they were in space beyond the lower orbits. However, as they descended down towards the ground the turbulence picked up.
The jostling didn’t bother him overly, it was something he was used to, and he had something of a tough stomach for travel sickness. As he came in though and looked out the window he could see the smoke rising from fires in the city.

“So whose command are you under down here? What is your mission?” he asked the Jedi. Unfortunately the Jedi in his experience rarely had the sense to have a proper structure.

John Locke · Aug 8, 2019

Location: Tyra'Theed

Objective: Save Lives

Tagging: [member="Gianna Aegis"] | [member="Valdemar Halstein"]

For a moment it was quiet, the cool metal chassis of the car behind him a welcome support as John leaned back, his head tilting back to look up at the sky. Out here, the smoke that clouded the rest of the city was absent, the Confederacy forces on the ground had been quick to put out the fires they could see new to their base of operations before spreading out to the rest of the city. John knew there was a reason behind it, as more and more injured and sick were allocated back to the location they needed to make sure that there was no smoke no possibility of something that could irritate already inflamed lungs, or worse. The man's hands slipped into his pockets as he scanned the heavens, watching the small specs that were shuttles appear and slowly grow larger as they came in to land, the transports unloading additional loads of droids and medics, soldiers and supplies. Everything they needed to help the city stabilise, to rebuild Tyra'Theed into the city it had been before, to be better. It was only, before they could start on that they had to deal with the fires, with the devastation rocking the city. Between now and then there were a host of decisions to make, decisions about who would get the aid and who wouldn't, about which houses could be saved and which had to be abandoned to the inferno.

The cyborg's gaze dropped as he saw a man with a tablet bustling towards him, his voice carrying over the thump of the droids moving past into the city, something about additional resources for the local businessmen to relocate their assets to the safe area. A soft sigh escaped John's lips as he straightened, hands coming up out of his pockets as the moment was lost, the harsh truth or reality intruding on the cocoon of calm he'd built around himself. He could feel a headache starting to press at his temples, as the man arrived, waving his clipboard in front of John's face. "You said you have how many trucks ready to go, 8? Excellent, we can work with that." The man raised a hand, dark eyes glittering with amusement for a moment as he beckoned one of the eponymous B1-B droids that seemed to be the staple of the confederacy over to join them. "Could you please escort Mr," "Freedman," "Mr Freedman back to his trucks and have the drives head to," a quick glance at his comm unit gave John the rest of the information he needed. "and escort them to Hill's Garden. There's a hospital there and we need to shift the patients back here if you please." Cold dark eyes cut over towards the spluttering official, "all those assets aren't really work anything if everyone's dead are they? So you have a choice, you can go with the droids, be a hero, save some lives, or they can leave you here, and go and do it either way. Your choice."

John turned away, his boots making a soft thump as he headed deeper into the makeshift base, leaving the dejected man to lead the droids off. That would at least get them ahead of the fire for now. It probably wasn't the most...tactful way to handle the situation, but then it had been efficient. Something John had quickly realised was that he lacked Gia's knack for convincing people to do what needed to be done. A ghost of a smile touched his lips, she'd probably have had him volunteering and thinking it was all his idea, hopefully she'd get here soon...if she hadn't already gone directly to the hospital. Still, the man had...annoyed him just a little bit. The world was coming apart around him and all he could think about was his money, and his friends property. John would say it boggled his mind, but he'd met far far too many people like that before. Reaching for his comm-unit John started answering messages, working through the backlog that had built up as his stride carried him towards the spaceport, better go meet the new troops and deploy then into the city.

Kathryn Foster · Aug 8, 2019

Objective: Vault

Location: Front-line of Fireteam Beta

Wearing: Black BDUs, black gear vest with plastoid inserts, black military boots, open plastoid helmet with black cover. Jacket wearing the CIS-insignia on both shoulders.

Loadout: E-22 blaster rifle, LBP-3 blaster pistol, vibroblade

Tags: Kiff Brayde, Scherezade deWinter, Gabriel Hynatos Umberhorn, Ephraim, Shakti Sweet, Xobos Yakieer, Layla Solari, @Kaden Farr, [member="Vytal Noctura"]

Many experienced and skilled members of the CIS was beginning to show up alongside the fireteams of droids. From a distance, Kath recognized the long brown hair of [member="Scherezade deWinter"], her flight trainee and the first person she got to know within the Confederacy. She had offered quite a few nervous moments in the cockpit but had also achieved alot and showed a great learning curve, even if it was a bit motley at times. Who, or rather what she saw next to her made her eyebrows rise and left her amazed. Watching a clawdite change form was nothing compared to what that little girl did. Kath had seen alot during her times in the explorer fleet, but she could not remember anything that resembled the form she suddenly turned into. Wow.

Her eyes were drawn to the tall blonde man that approached admiral Brayde and presented himself, seemingly offering his assistance and joined up with them. It was a good feeling seeing that more humanoids rejoined them to take on this unclear threat to Tyra'Weilen. A man with a cane joined the two. A man who she had not met before, but his uniform and way to carry himself with honor even with the cane, spoke of his high rank. She offered the three men a soft but more forced smile because of the imminent battle ahead. A polite nod to them and she turned her steps again for a second stroll between the ranks of battle ready droids. She did tend to aim her focus inside of herself at moments like this. Kiff would probably know that it was not a sign of nervousness, but rather of preparation.

Admiral Brayde gave his orders and the fireteams begun to march towards the enterance of the tunnel. As instructed at the briefing, she took position by the first line of H1 battle droids. Other droids would serve as the spearhead while the H1's provided defensive capabilities with their shields. The glistening glass structures inside made her look up in awe. It was a sight to behold, alright.

Her amaze were however exchanged to reluctancy when they were ordered to a halt and the finishing steps of the droids echoed in the tunnel. A wide gap in the earth stretched itself in their way. Just making out its darkness from a stonethrow away, she knew it was as deep as it would set the sinkholes on Utapau to shame. She cursed inside, giving a prolonged blink of her eyes and a deep sigh.

''Iii hate heights...'' she said to herself and gazed down to the floor before looking the vanguards and admiral Braydes way, seeing what their next step would be.

She watched as the pale, tattooed woman that accompanied them made her way to the ledge and enounced some kind of spell. A bridge. A passage of some sort, she guessed, hoping it would be wide and strong enough.

Gerwald Lechner · Aug 8, 2019

w. [member="Eli-Mae Forrest"] | [member="Alkor Centaris"]

It was hard. Gerwald wanted to be objective but his mind was clouded by anger and regret. Twice now he’d let Naedira fall into danger, and the second time had been fatal. The wolf was distracted, so much so that twice now he had been told to be patient. [member="Josiah"] and [member="Kurenai Yumi"] were told to work with the Jedi after the male had scolded Gerwald. The wolf looked over Eli and nodded as she said she was ready, but again he was distracted.

The arrival of [member="Alkor Centaris"] brought with him a strong sense of familiarity. The closer the man came the more of a certain sensation Gerwald felt that he only associated with [member="Naedira Darcrath"]. His eyes were fixated on the man who was certainly not the woman he had feelings for. The wolf could not pull his eyes away, however, the look on his face was on of confusion mixed with desire. Gerwald shook his head to clear it as Alkor asked if they were prepared, and then he nodded.

“Anything to get my mind off... well... you know...”

Alkor Centaris · Aug 9, 2019

He stopped short, recalling the brief meeting between the male Lechner and Knight Darcrath he had chances upon several months before. The two were close, somehow, and the connection between them jilted Alkor's senses as the woman's presence practically reached out to the young Warden from within her ring.

She had entrusted it to him when he found it on the Fortressa, above Tanaab, but Alkor found himself at a loss. All of the ways he knew to undo the sinister things afflicted to the Naveen woman held a heavy price, and certainly not one that would be his to pay.

That aside, there were many emotions already in play, and it was his duty to sort through them as best he could

Consolation for Lechner was improbable, but there were things that he did need to say. There were things he needed to be sure of.

"It was... unexpected," Alkor frowned. "And unwelcome, to be sure. Rest assured, we are taking actions to learn what happened, and who to place the blame with. The Knights act as a whole, Knight Lechner- do not take matters into your own hands. Be patient- retribution will be found in due time."

He felt no ease in delivering those words, but the burden had been lifted. He had given counsel as best he could. That was the advice others had given him. Lead by example. Trust in your subordinates. It was difficult.

It made him uneasy.

"For now, focus on the present. We have a job to do, yes?"

[member="Gerwald Lechner"] | [member="Eli-Mae Forrest"]

Kurenai Yumi · Aug 9, 2019

Location: Jedi Temple Place
Gear: Armor, Shatory Reishūkaku, Mk1 Shadow Rifle, KO Pathfinder Boots
Peps: [member="Alkor Centaris"] [member="Gerwald Lechner"] [member="Josiah"]
Post: 2

Kurenai gave Alkor a small nod of acknowledgment at the orders, walking forwards towards the presiding monks, giving the group a short bow while letting the others members of the Obsidian Knights go about their business. "Greetings master Jedi, I apologize for my comrades brash nature, I'd like to esquire into the threat of this monster, how is it that such a beast could provide such a challenge to you"? Are they resistance to the force or light sabers? or have these beings got some other sort of ability that just makes them hard to fight in some manner"? Several ideas came into mind, the shards that slit off becoming reanimated into smaller beasts, the crystal surfaces of the construct like beasts being plasma proof and more.

The Jedi stuttered a little before speaking up, "it is less about it's actual abilities and more its mental melding, they make you think different things, distort your views around you, think of them as force users with powerful mind altering abilities... that is not to say their actual fighting skill is lacking". That was quite the worrying thought to hear.

Kiff Brayde · Aug 9, 2019

Kiff turned to face the hesitant Viceroyal with a slightly incredulous look on his face. Kiff had seen his fair share of droid's right activists on the Holonets, but he sincerely hoped that the Viceroyal of Cantoi fell into that category. After all, the Confederacy was a military made up of primarily non-organics: droids. On the other hand, it could've just been the Viceroyal's inexperience in combat and pre-battle anxiety combining into something else, but Kiff wanted to make sure it was the latter. He gave a reasurring smile before he beckoned towards the fireteam the Viceroyal was supposed to be leading. "I assure you, they don't know anyone. so you don't have to worry about chemistry. The only life you'd be responsible for is your own," he said as he turned back to the Mandragora as she answered his question.

Were they programmed to march? Kiff hoped so, as she watched her ritual and a magical bridge seemingly appear out of thin air. Kiff had little experience with what people called 'The Force.' He knew of it, and he surely did not deny its existence, but sometimes he felt a strange disconnect with the sorcery often displayed by those who could wield it. It was almost a feeling of exclusion, as if Kiff was not physically good enough to wield the mystical power. It matters not, Kiff thought to himself as he shrugged off those jealous thoughts; time to focus on the task at hand, and leading these droids to whatever waited for them at the bottom of those glass stairs. And that was when it happened.

That was when those beasts struck.

Flashes of light blinded Kiff's senses as sound and light erupted, unbalancing him and sending him to the ground. Perhaps it was a stroke of luck, perhaps even the mystical force had intervened, as a streak of pure white blaster fire streaked through the space that had only momentarily ago been occupied by Kiff's torso, instead passing through and vaporizing an unfortunate B1 unit standing behind him. Other droid units had a similar lack of luck, with H1, Crusader and even an unfortunate DSD-2 Spider Droid vaporized into dust instantly upon impact. Kiff scrambled back in shock, still on the ground, as he unholstered his BAW-55 Heavy Pistol with one hand. "Get on the ground, NOW!" he barked to Hynatos as he threw himself behind a boulder for cover, grabbing the barrel of his heavy pistol with his free hand. "GIVE US SOME COVER!" he practically screamed at the H1 Units, and those who hadn't been already vaporized instantly activated their energy shields.

To Kiff's surprise, the shields of the H1s actually worked, the purple-blue shields absorbing the white lasers from those glass droids. Kiff paused for a second to breath, before another white laser soared past his head and impacted against the wall behind him, dusting a column of rock. "Chit," Kiff swore as he aimed his blaster and fired, sending a bolt o' red back at the glass automatons. It was a poorly-aimed potshot, and only served to get one of the droids to notice his position, and soon many more white lasers were streaking his way. Kiff ducked and rolled, narrowly dodging impact with the lasers as he got to his feet, behind the shield-wall created by the H1 units. Suddenly, a red bolt fired from one of the Confederacy droids crossed the void before impacting one of the glass droids, its frame shattering into fragments so fine it was as if the automaton had been dusted itself.

Thoughts raced through Kiff's head. They weren't invulnerable -- and that meant that the Confederates could fight back. "Officer Foster, take your fireteam to the right flank and engage in return fire. Keep your forces protected behind a H1 Shield Wall," Kiff shouted over to [member="Kathryn Foster"] as he lept over a boulder to slide into position behind one of the energy shields. "Hynatos, take the left flank! Mandragora, you're with me!" Kiff barked as he aimed down his sights at one of the glass droids and fired, the bolt firing through a crack between two shields to find it's target, the glass droid shattering into a million pieces. "Fireteam Alpha, form shield wall and begin the advance. I want all guns to focus on those glass droids, and bring them down."

With that order, the Fireteam began to slowly advance. Droids hit by the glass automatons were pushed off of the magical bridge by the recoil, disentigrating even as they fell into the void. But the Confederacy was just as brutal; Crusader units with deadly accuracy, DSD-2 Spider Droids with extreme power. Slowly and surely, despite heavy losses, the first Fireteam began to cross the void, Kiff with them firing his heavy pistol and doing his best to avoid being hit. It was simple, he thought sarcastically to himself. Avoid getting disintegrated, and you'll be fine.

KIFF'S FORCES

Tunnel Forces

Fireteam Alpha
~ x44 Crusader-class Battle Droids [Vanguard]
~ x22 H1 Battle Droids
~ x224 B1 Mk. II Battle Droids
~ x12 DSD-2 Spider Droids
Fireteam Beta
~ [member="Kathryn Foster"]
~ x44 Crusader-class Battle Droids [Vanguard]
~ x22 H1 Battle Droids
~ x224 B1 Mk. II Battle Droids
~ x11 DSD-2 Spider Droids
Fireteam Gamma
~ [member="Gabriel Hynatos Umberhorn]
~ x44 [URL="http://starwarsrp.net/topic/136469-crusader-battle-droid/"]Crusader-class Battle Droids[/URL] [Vanguard]
~ x22 H1 Battle Droids
~ x224 B1 Mk. II Battle Droids
~ x11 DSD-2 Spider Droids
Fireteam Delta
~ x44 Crusader-class Battle Droids [Vanguard]
~ x22 H1 Battle Droids
~ x224 B1 Mk. II Battle Droids
~ x11 DSD-2 Spider Droids
Fireteam Zeta
~ x44 Crusader-class Battle Droids [Vanguard]
~ x22 H1 Battle Droids
~ x224 B1 Mk. II Battle Droids
~ x11 DSD-2 Spider Droids

City Defense Forces

ACTIONS

Fireteam Alpha is crossing over the bridge and is engaging with the Glass Droids, taking heavy casualties but dishing out damage as well
Fireteam Beta and [member="Kathryn Foster"] have been directed to the right flank, to give supporting fire to Fireteam Alpha
Fireteam Gamma and [member="Gabriel Hynatos Umberhorn"] have been directed to the left flank, to give supporting fire to Fireteam Alpha
Fireteams Delta and Zeta are waiting to cross the bridge behind Fireteam Alpha

Gianna Aegis · Aug 10, 2019

Objective: Get the the Ground [Do What Jedi Do] - BYOO

Location: Deliverance to Tyra'Theed

Tags: [member="John Locke"] | [member="Valdemar Halstein"]

The flame-haired Jedi could feel eyes on her person but didn’t acknowledge it. She was dressed in robes that [member="John Locke"] had made to help keep her safe. The Admiral, however thoughtful, had designed them with eyes that looked toward the pallid browns and pale greens that many of her Order seemed to favor. He made it to mirror the personality she held. Rich color, hidden designs, and careful truths that no one else would know. Essentially, her friend worried for her too much. He wanted her to have nice things. To be protected. He wanted something to shield her when he could not.

The Nabooian woman was too kind to refuse or object. Too stunned to think that someone would take the relative safety of a wandering Jedi into account. Gianna didn’t really belong anywhere, despite, having a place to rest her head in both Confederate and Silver Space. She went where she was needed or wherever the Force decided to lead her. John…John just had too kind of a heart, despite, all of the darkness he waded through. It was reassuring. For all of the dangerous things that came from his workshops?

He was good. Gentle.

Pale eyes fluttered open when the voice of Captain Halstein met her ears. Her head tilted at his very blunt assessment of her place among the Droid Nation. Something about him rang familiar. There was a long scar along his face, something, she knew she would have never forgotten. No. She did not know this man…But there was still something about him that she recognized. “It’s not as strange as one might think. The Silver Jedi had been allied with the Confederacy as long as I can remember.”

It was a strange dynamic. Occasionally, she likened the CIS to a wayward child that the Jedi refused to give up on. Some said that the Silvers ought to give up on them. But, a good parent, never gave up on their children. They suffered the pain of watching something grow in a way that they could not necessarily agree with, but, they were still family.

“I appreciate the welcome. Your ship…I’m not used to traversing vessels of this size alone. I can find my way anywhere on the ground, but, up here? I think I’m a lost cause…”

She was a little surprised to realize that this man would have any idea that she was actually among his crew for this venture. Gianna was a small fish in a very, very, large ocean. Outclassed in nearly every way except for her stubborn personality and need to preserve life. Pale lips formed a delicate smile when the dark-haired man gave her a little advice. “Thank you for your counsel. I will keep my eyes open.”

As promised the Jedi Knight did indeed try and focus her thoughts elsewhere, while, keeping he eyes wandering on different parts of the shuttle. Mostly, she found herself watching the Captain. He was a curious fellow. Stern. Gianna seemed fine until turbulence began to kick in and she held on to her restraints just a little bit tighter. The man across from her remained unbothered.

That was when she realized it. John. Captain Halstein reminded her a little bit of John.

“I was assigned to [member="John Locke"]. He is coordinating on the ground and thought I would be able to aid the wounded. He is waiting for me just inside of Tyra’Theed. He won’t be pleased when my team shows up without me.”

Especially not since she hadn’t really figured out the new comm yet. Ever since Taanab he’d had trouble letting her out of his sight. Gianna believed that fighting should be a last resort. She was a healer, a bringer of hope, of life, and light. She rarely even carried a lightsaber save for the direst of circumstances. “What will you do in the city?”

She paused, though, her sweet smile—Lightly contrite remained at the kiss of her mouth. “Please forgive the inquiry… I am used to a Captain staying with their ship.”

Talking actually made the flight easier. Her curiosity about Captain Halstein was born of more than just proximity. She had only ever come across so many individuals that were still mostly organic within the war machine of the Confederacy. There were droids, droids, and more droids. But people? There were some. Scattered, here and there, but she was used to seeing legions of robots when it came down to requiring an overwhelming force to see the job done.

The closer they got to the ground the more she could see the smoke. It reminded her of the recent war. She blinked and chased the memories down. They were neither here nor there. She had a job to do and that was that. “Just once I’d like to head toward a world that isn’t on fire.”

Wishful thinking, of course. Only wishful thinking.

The Black Garden | CIS Dominion of Tyra'Weilen

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N I G H T M O T H E R

Blueberry flavored Sith

The One and Only

The Blood Hound

King of Cantoi

N I G H T M O T H E R

L I B E R T Y

Three Voices, One Mind

All Things With Love

The Ironfist Captain

V U L K A N

It's one of life's mysteries, sir...

Relationship Status: It's Complicated

Son of Liberty

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The One and Only

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