Faction The Blood Price (Exploration of Ol' Sadow - The Family)

[Ivory Stroud]

The metallic flesh of the old beast - this ancient Sith Battleship - was scarred from centuries of weathered storms. Its immense form sat like a forgotten monument to Ancient Evils; Tales of fortunes won & lost, lives taken, secret paths tread where no mortal or sane creature would ever dare. Many long years ago, The Sith of Old would have used these great destroyers to carve a swath of destruction & tyranny across the Galaxy… Stories, passed down through the Ages, spoke of the immense power and unstoppable nature of these Sith War Machines. Of the few that existed, most had been relegated to sit silently in museums or lost to the annals of time; destroyed & scrapped for parts, or left to rot on forgotten worlds.

Shrines of Darkness, they were, but most were harmless.

If the stories were to be believed, this ship was anything but harmless.

The great Derriphan-Class Battleship stood, deep in slumber, silent. Still. Unmoving.

Some of its flesh had been stripped away through the ages to expose the skeleton beneath. Much of its’ armor was intact… but had taken on a pockmarked, faded, damaged appearance. Storms of terrifying fury must have torn at its hull; celestial chaos burning away what natural color they’d once been and leaving it a shadow of the glory it had once held.

From stem to stern, armor plates covered much of its surface, but one would notice scars… long, jagged welts where battle had been joined and the protective surfaces had held. Turbolaser burns had melted the metal in some places, where others were riddled with dents & dings - likely from traveling countless asteroid fields in the darkest regions of space. The ship’s passing must have reduced many such floating rocks to tiny shards of rubble. In strange contrast, however, the large angular blade at the Fore seemed practically untouched. Beskar was a strange material - shrugging off damage and remaining shiny even after years of exposure to the harshest conditions. Whomever had attached the Navel Ram had spent a fortune - likely a stolen fortune.

Many viewports could be seen, but all of them lay dark & dormant. What could be described as the ship’s Main Mast - though for a space-faring vessel, it had little need for such a term - rose to a considerable height and was the tallest point on the vessel. The numerous engines and exhaust vents seemed to have not been used in ages. Amidships lay the Foremast, primary sensor arrays, crew-quarters, and primary stowage holds - at least if the diagrams provided were to be believed. It was unlikely the stowage holds or squadron bay held anything of interest… but of the last group who’d entered the ship in an attempt to ascertain this information, all but two were lost to its eldritch interior.

The survivors had escaped the ship, stark-raving mad. One of them, to the horror of their comrades, had hung himself that very night in his cabin after drinking himself into a stupor. The other was catatonic, placed in a psychiatric care facility by his family.

The only thing the crew of the doomed expedition could agree on was that the men ranted about “Voices in the walls”, “Blood in the vents”, and sounds of laughter… inhuman, cold, manic laughter.

The two survivors swore their doomed comrades were prisoners of the ship; one of them mentioning “The Blood Price” for stepping foot aboard (though whatever that could mean was anyone’s guess).

The endless void of space stretched all around them, kept at-bay by only thin metal and glass. The common sounds of the ship-board navigation and sensor systems on the shuttle should have offered some sense of comfort in their regularity - but for the moment, did little to stave off a deep, unyielding sense of dread which lay like a heavy cloud upon the inhabitants.

Perhaps it was the distance they’d traveled, and how far they were from “Civilized Space”; or perhaps the stories about this ship were true, and there was something very, very evil aboard.

They were deep in the Unknown Regions… largely unexplored, extremely difficult to navigate, and fraught with danger. The Family had been instructed to bring whatever tools, equipment, and supplies they felt were necessary; resupplying was likely to be a difficult endeavor.

The assembled group had boarded the Luminary-Class Light Explorer, the perfect choice of ship to carry The Family and its’ guest into the darkest depths of unknown space, and set off for the coordinates provided to them by Jerec Asyr . The Donna had purchased this monstrosity for next to nothing, and looking at it now, undoubtedly each of The Family members who’d joined her on this ill-mannered expedition were questioning her sanity.

As Ivory looked out the viewport and inspected the exterior of the Sith battleship during a second pass, she was questioning it herself.

Alongside herself and the members of The Family, she’d also enlisted a team of soldiers (each with backgrounds in engineering, piloting, piracy, and similar skill sets she thought would be useful). The ship they were using was the property of Moonveil Communications & Holdings, Inc, and possessed all the necessary documentation listing it as a surveying and exploratory vessel with clearance to operate out of Coruscant. The Luminary-Class Vessel would serve as a fine base of operations during their “salvage” operation…

And if, in case they could not complete their objectives, it would give them an equally useful escape from what could possibly be their demise.

"Well," Ivory said, turning toward one of her companions, "It doesn't look like anybody's gotten in. I guess that means nobody's home."

The salesman for Qwekko's Choice had given her a quizzical look when she'd asked where he was storing it. The Ithorian had simply handed her the coordinates and wished her luck. His team had not been the last ill-fated expedition, and he'd likely not desired to repeat the same mistakes. The Donna couldn't blame him.

Throwing one last sideways glance out of the viewport toward the foreboding old battleship, The Donna turned away and left the cockpit, leaving the controls in the hands of one of her capable pilots. She rejoined the majority of her team on Deck 3, in the Crew Lounge, where they were all waiting. Her pilot had orders to bring them close to the ship, and would dock once the team was prepared and standing by to board.

Skorvek Yu Karloo Dedata | Celty Ree Diocletian Kahmen’’a
(Props to Kal for creating an awesome unique pirate ship!)​

 

[Dedata | Celty Ree]

Celty had found herself a nice quiet little space on deck three a blanket thrown up to prevent those who would try to peep. She was used to alone, now there where so many people around. Of course she had not spoken to a single person. Only Ivory from time to time when she peeked her head in. Though she already knew her face, her voice. It felt as if her identity was ripped away. Though having time to think on it as she worked on making a new datapad to deal with her needs and ensuring her secure interface worked on it. She could not understand truly how having something you thought buried in your past been dug up by some stranger. The more she thought, it was just easier to draw comparisons to her reason for hiding who she was from the galaxy.

She did not know what it was these people where here to do. She could jack into the systems and find out, but she really did not want to run into others and she was content on the final touches of the data pad. She did not take in the concept of time during their voyage. Still it was hard to ignore the intercom. Such loud things, the worst ones had a crackle to them. She slid in her datapad onto her hip and placed her helmet over her head. As Dedata walked out of her little privacy nest she pulled the blanket with her wrapping it over her shoulders with a corner trailing along the metal floor.

Making her way to the crew lounge there where many other there. She looked around for a moment. Somewhere that people did not crowd, somewhere with a spot to sit maybe. Sadly there was not, least not one with someone not sat or stood next to it. Knowing her luck they would try to initiate a conversation. An awkward conversation. "No thank you," she thought. Still she kept looking around and decided that shed just sit on the floor behind The Donna with datapad in hand.

 

[Stardust Solus Skirae]

No no no no stardust already had thrown her fit to ivory the whole idea set off to many warnings within her head she couldn't really think about much more, unfortunately for stardust for them to go without her might truely be a death sentence especially aboard a old sith ship that potentially had some skeletons in the closet, so begrudgingly stardust agreed to come with them.

When they began to grow closer stardust stayed up in her room ring off as she sat in the middle rotating 3 fireballs that cast a glow about the room, the darkness oozed from that damned ship, stardust could feel it, a breath was let out pure steam came from her as she brought the fireballs closer into one as her eyes opened and looked into it. She was a bloody deity! Why was she so damned spooked! Eyes narrowed as she watched the surface of the fireball crackle and began to alternate between a few cors before she grabbed it and made it disappear. She stood and grabbed her ring as she slipped it on and sighed moving towards her armor

Coming out of her room her buyce was under her arm as she walked down the corridor to a elevator and headed to deck 3, stepping out stardust could already see Ivory Stroud as she took a breath and let it out as she walked forward and nodded to her

ivory, I really hope you know what were doing

She said with some concern, after all if stories were true and what star felt was true...this wasnt a normal salvage op

 

[Yu Karloo]

Curiosity. It was the least lucrative of motives, the weakest of excuses. But it was the one Yu had to confess was the primary reason why she was there. The Nautolan buccaneer would admit it to only her closest associates. Her crew would assume her absence from the Pharaoh III would only mean some plan for profit. But since her affiliation with The Donna began, Yu understood that there were some calls you answered regardless, some ventures that paid in currency much more valuable than credits. Loyalty, trust, support. these both accrued and paid debts that credits could not.

Turning from the lounge viewport, and the haunting spectre of the Sith battleship beyond, Yu sipped at her wine. Large, unreadable black eyes met the woman who had entered the room. At the sight of the face hidden by the helmet, Yu's feminine mouth curled in a practiced, sincere grin.

Clad in her flattering skin suit and concealing felinoid helmet, draped in a blanket, Dedata was more like a loth-cat than just in appearance. Yu had noted her aversion to people, how she liked to find a position both distant and with a good view, just like a cat. The mysterious slicer's contribution to the expedition was obvious to anyone who knew her reputation for highly efficient tech support.

"Good evening, dear." Yu offered, not expecting a response, nor offended if none came. The introverted woman would eventually find her safe-space behind the Donna, who had also arrived, and not alone.

A powerhouse packed into a perfect Twi'lekish feminine body, The Emerald Dragon needed no introduction. Queen, Mandalorian, wielder of the Force, cult idol. Her alleged death and resurrection had only fed the mystery and awe surrounding Solus. Quite a persona to accompany the Donna, and a force not to be provoked.

And then there was the Donna, Stroud. The woman possessed a charisma that was somehow both exquisite and edgy, a charm that Yu could not resist. While the Nautolan's knowledge of the Donna was not detailed, such partial ignorance was intentional. Digging too deep inevitably garnered unwanted, and dangerous, attention. So, both out of respect and self-preservation, Yu satisfied herself with what the Donna, or reputable sources, told her.

Yu surmised that, rightly or wrongly, the woman might be like Yu, at least superficially. Yu began on the streets and wormed her way into aristocracy, and she thought that Stroud may have had much more humble and sordid beginnings before becoming the honored matriarch of the Family. Regardless, the woman was a beautiful cocktail of elegance and grit with a presence that demanded respect.

Yu's wine glass lifted in greeting to both the Donna and Skirae.

Santeria Decuir Dedata | Celty Ree Diocletian Kahmen’’a Stardust Solus Skirae Ivory Stroud

 

[Diocletian Kahmen’’a]

Location: "Luminary" Class Exploration Vessel - Crew Lounge
Equipment: Ship Armour Scimitar Railgun Carbine Rifle Thermal Detonators BARC Speeder, Weaponized Breaching Oxidizer Foam
Tags: Dedata | Celty Ree | Stardust Solus Skirae | Ivory Stroud | Yu Karloo | Skorvek

Something fishy was brewing, and it's not the sandwiches he had earlier, no, it has something to do with the hulk outside. He has no force abilities at all but that certainly does not mean he doesn't know uncanny when he sees it. The unease that lingers afterwards, because of something that looks ordinary but you know through instinct that it's not normal and seems rather off-putting. If he squints his eye the Sith Ship looks like a railgun, well almost if you tilt your head a bit.

He was able to get all his weapons, sharpened, loaded and ready for the mission too.

But he is getting distracted with strange thoughts again, these tangents that snowball out. He joined the expedition because he was between jobs and the objective fascinated him, thus making it hard for him to say no. The pitch was just right to pull his interest in such a way that he focuses on it. completely and will be cautious not to refuse.

This is why he is here, drink in hand waiting for the chance to board and check out what is inside. Since the last time he went on exploration, he has been well versed in going into the unknown. He also knew that between himself and his brother, Diocletian had more common sense. The Mushroom incident travelled quickly, but he kept it to himself, it's too good to share and he cares enough to let Tovald keep his dignity and his reputation. Tovald would have done the same.

The Ubese shook his head, returning from the tangent he had wandered into and took a look outside, it's cold outside with no kind of atmosphere. Which tends to be all there is in space. He knew there were others here, he paid them no attention, he is not a social person, nor does he light a room up.

<"That thing gives me the goose pimples."> He muttered inaudibly so that nobody can hear him say it.

 

[Skorvek]

It was odd seeing such a job pop up, however when one is planning to blunder through a haunted area looking for knowledge in how to handle such things without causing a catastrophe and perhaps there is some benefits to all of this...we shall see as he made is way to the meeting point he dawned the newest armor that was made for him the Noctis Mors he might not need it but you never know. He docked with the ship and made his way to the meeting room. He has heard little about this organization however he is willing to test them and give them the benefit of the doubt in these matters.

He walked into the meeting room his spear in his hand as it let out a metallic light thud when he entered, was hard to tell outside of his head moving slowly that he was scanning the room and the people, he only recognized Stardust the others he has not met but he went to the view port to see the ship in question...why do these people want the ship so badly.

Before we start I want to make one thing clear, I am here to deal with these spirits so you can have your ship..my price is any artifacts that are onboard. How I deal with the spirits if any are onboard depend on the spirit in question..


His voice was calm yet to those unfamiliar with him he had a icey cold aura too him in his neutrality yet Star would know more then anyone how stubborn he is in these matters..even more so when it comes to ghosts and their artifacts

Dedata | Celty Ree Stardust Solus Skirae Ivory Stroud Yu Karloo Diocletian Kahmen’’a

 

[Ivory Stroud]

Location: "Luminary" Class Exploration Vessel - Crew Lounge
Nearby: Skorvek Diocletian Kahmen’’a Yu Karloo Dedata | Celty Ree
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ivory stood at the front of the room, surveying her assembled crew with a steady gaze. Everyone was here... Celty had taken a seat behind her, against the wall. Ivory had flashed her the briefest of smiles, knowing the young woman was unlikely to say much in such a large group. Yu Karloo, the Nautolan corsaier & newest associate of The Family, seemed to fit right in - the woman was enjoying a glass of wine (something Ivory would have joined her in, if she wasn't so focused on keeping them alive). Her face impassive, Ivory gave the woman a subtle nod in greeting.

Diocletian was present... but seemed a little on edge. Ivory let a smirk slip across her face, knowing it was not because he wasn't paying attention. It was likely he was just as spooked as the rest of them.

Stardust, however, had been much more vocal. The Twi'lek woman had been adamant that the entire venture was risky & dangerous - Ivory was inclined to agree, but her own curiousity had gotten the better of her. Indeed, it was her own curiousity that would likely be the death of her.

ivory, I really hope you know what were doing

Ivory grinned in response. She hoped so, too.

The arrival of their "special guest" had caused them all to turn: witnessing an extremely tall, extremely powerful Anubian enter the crew quarters. He looked about as intimidating as the ship which lay off their starboard side - positively prepared for war, wielding a large spear and dressed in flowing ceremonial robes which seemed less "Ceremonial" and more like a priest prepared for battle. Ivory was familiar with some of the stories of this... "Skorvek"... Stardust had actually facilitated Contact briefly after Ivory's visit to Stardust's home.

Skorvek was, if the rumors were to be believed, precisely the perfect fit for the job Ivory needed him for.

Before we start I want to make one thing clear, I am here to deal with these spirits so you can have your ship..my price is any artifacts that are onboard. How I deal with the spirits if any are onboard depend on the spirit in question..

"We've yet to be certain there are actually any artifacts present... The last team that attempted to survey the ship suffered considerable losses. But, I can promise you will be paid accordingly - whatever we find."

"Well, I can see we're all here..." She began, clasping her hands in front of her. She took a deep breath, then let it out. "We'll just get right to it."

"I understand that everyone is... aware of what's sitting outside right now. Just so we're all on the same page, I'd like to explain why we're here."

"We're here, because I purchased this ship at quite the bargain from a private seller. I have little need for ghost stories, but what I do require are ships and equipment with desirable features. This ship..." Ivory indicated through the viewport toward the hulking monstrosity, "Is an old Derriphan-Class Sith Battleship with a long and sordid history. There are some things to be concerned about... but I have requested Lord Skorvek's assistance with these possible issues, and he has been kind enough to accept."

"There are... supposedly... Spirits on this Vessel. Sith Ghosts. As well as some kind of living Artificial Intelligence. The details are not entirely clear, but we are to board and ascertain the nature of these rumors. I have to stress that, at no time, should anyone be left alone. We must either stay together in a group or select at least one partner. We will all be equipped with specialized Comms units," Ivory indicated two cases on the table nearby, each of them holding a number of Neahtid Earpieces, "That are tuned directly to my frequency. You will all have direct communications with each-other, and myself, at all times. These devices cannot be blocked, jammed, or interfered with through electronic means."

"At all times, follow mine or Lord Skorvek's instructions to the letter. The ship we're currently on is a safe haven and possesses everything necessary to remain in deep space for a considerable time... including a full med bay, sleeping quarters, a science lab, and an armory which is fully stocked. If any of you require anything, I am certain you'll not be disappointed."

Each member of The Family would be provided access to a full loadout of weapons - though Ivory was concerned the equipment they'd brought would do little against the adversaries they might face. EMP grenades, or explosives of any kind which could damage the ship, were not allowed. Skorvek had claimed he could provide repellants or other means of protection, and Ivory would allow him to present them if he had them.

"Are there any questions?" She asked, offering the floor to The Family.

If there were none, she would direct them all to prepare their equipment and meet her at the main airlock in thirty minutes.

Then, they would enter the belly of the beast.

 

[Diocletian Kahmen’’a]

Location: "Luminary" Class Exploration Vessel - Crew Lounge
Equipment: Ship Armour Scimitar Railgun Carbine Rifle Thermal Detonators BARC Speeder, Weaponized Breaching Oxidizer Foam
Tags: Dedata | Celty Ree | Stardust Solus Skirae | Ivory Stroud | Yu Karloo | Skorvek

So it's a Sith Ship, go figure. Their ships are usually dark, dull and full of bad vibes, but as Ivory spoke his predatory focus was now back to its acute clarity once more. His unease pushed back to be dealt with later. He follows orders to the full stops, even if he wasn't keen on the one giving them out. He liked Ivory, this new arrival, not so much, he will be paid for his services, that is why he's here. So it didn't matter if he liked someone or not.

Then it came down to communication, they will no doubt split into groups or pairs and sometimes comms don't work. So he had seen what the new tech was. Diocletian rolled his eye, remembering the last time he needed to use an earpiece. He had to tape it onto his ear which pulled a chunk of his hair out.

The earpieces were going to be troublesome, it's going to take him time to get it to stay in his ear. He has larger ears than most of his species, which mean it's going to take all his patience. He took his earpiece graciously and moved to his room, so he can take his helmet off safely.

Several attempts failed, it kept falling out so, he positioned it just right so that it won't fall out again. He was unlucky today, Tovald levels of unlucky, it fell out again. His nostrils flared in temper. So he tried again until it was secured properly. His ear was not well made for earpieces. With that done, he put his helmet back on and went to meet with the others at the airlock, well-armed and ready for the task at hand. This was going to be interesting, to say the least.

 

[Dedata | Celty Ree]

Celestial Breakdown - Tonebox

Dedata looked up to the woman that had approached her side. It was not till she spoke that the info broker paid the Nautolan any mind. People made her uncomfortable so why would she? The slicer would flip through a few programs till getting to a blank screen and typed. "Fine I guess. Just waiting for the brief to start. Besides the view is not so bad.

" Somehow it felt like Ivory knew what she had just typed, seeing that the smiled at her or it was coincidence. Holding up the datapad, she would wait for the woman to read it before placing it back onto her lap and continue the new foundations to block out an entire com network that would work in something so dainty as a spike stick. The issue was to work out how to do it in a way that it would not be detected the moment it was put in. It was a fun challenge.

As Ivory began to speak, Dedata locked her datapad slipping it into one of the bags that was strapped to her thigh. The moment the word Artificial Intelligence was mentioned she perked up. Those things were a pain in the ass to fight, but this one sounded old if it was surrounded by ghosts. Without knowing the age it was hard to calculate the deterioration of its mind., the possible corruption in its living code. It came with a question of containing it to restore it or destroy it?

She stood up and walked over to Ivory, once in the woman's field of view she tapped the side of her helmet to suggest to put on the visor she had given her. "Two things if it's okay, or maybe three I don't know... um. The AI, allow me to deal with that. I highly doubt anyone onboard would have a higher chance to succeed dealing with them. Secondly, I would rather stick to just the communication with you. You know how I feel about anyone knowing my voice, you being an exception to that rule since you already have.

I promise that I will remain hot mic all times just expect me to mutter things to myself. Not used to the whole... talking to others thing, especially when the helmet was on. Third thing, mind if we paired up because of the communication thing?." She did not understand why her face felt hot, perhaps nerves. She knew no one else would hear her. Her helmet was soundproofed but it was just a new element. There was no use hiding anything from Ivory but the same time it felt like she was braking her own code. Perhaps she was overthinking it. "Fuck me, I'm such a looser." She said then turned around at the immediate realisation. "ignore that." Dedata blurted out quickly, the embarrassments was clear from her tone. If there was any time she was glad to have her face covered, it was now.

She quickly made her exit trying to act her normal self, not that she would notice her pace was abnormally fast. Heading to where her little covered corner was she picked up the two items she had commissioned. It was a little ironic, the wife of one of the crew who made the two weapons that she had zero clue how to use, was on board. If anything they would be useful as a prying tool. Rolling the rest of her stuff up in the blankets and pillows. Dedata lifted up one of the floor panels and placed it all inside.

Ivory Stroud | Yu Karloo | Diocletian Kahmen’’a | Stardust Solus Skirae | Skorvek

 

[Stardust Solus Skirae]

That damned grin of hers, stardust let a defeated sigh out and shook her head as she mumbled enough for the Donna to hear

if you weren't here doing this I'd likely not be, but someone's gotta keep monsterawya from you

She didnt need the force to feel the arrival of her brother, her attention went to him as he spoke ans she approached over to him to clasp his shoulder and pat it

glad to se you took the job up, makes mine a lot easier

With that however she offered a grin before moving back to the side of the sona as they were briefed on this mission, which was more less a refresher for stardust then anything, regardless she didnt like the idea even with skorvek aiding them. Looking around the room she spotted celery when she spoke and got a look of genuinely surprised seeing her especially with her talking. Looking to Donna she glanced about again see if anyone had a question

 

[Yu Karloo]

The team was a curious lot, some were strangers to one another, most all to Yu, but none so to the Donna. That was enough for the self-styled Lady Pirate. She moved to recline leisurely in a comfortable, functional chair, one long leg crossing over the other as the wine glass was lifted frequently to her lips. Large, all-black eyes sized up her new companions, the glassy orbs offering little for others to read.

Then he arrived. The team went from curious to ominous.

The Anubian entered with that powerful presence that shrouded his kind, gilded with that pervasive Anubian egotism. Conceit aside, Yu found it hard to blame him for such arrogance. He was physically god-like, a towering statuesque form cast in ebony. In spite of Skorvek's icy distance, Yu felt better knowing the mysterious creature would accompany them to the cryptic ship.

With a revisit to the nature of the Donna's interest in the ship, there was little else to discuss at the moment. Yu set her empty glass on a table and joined the others in retrieving one of the comm sets. She wondered as her gaze slid over the others who would be her partner if it came to breaking off into pairs. Time would tell. A smile was flashed at the Donna and Stardust next to her as the Nautolan passed by. "Always full of surprises, aren't you?" Yu smirked. Then she too left the room to assess what she may require of the offered equipment.

Ivory Stroud | Diocletian Kahmen’’a | Stardust Solus Skirae | Skorvek | Dedata | Celty Ree

 

[Ivory Stroud]

Ivory made a mental note to herself that, if they managed to survive this little endeavor, she'd give the Pilot a bonus. He managed to bring the ship in-line with what appeared to be the main entrance of the dark Derriphan-Class Destroyer like a professional - completing docking procedures with nary a bump or grating of metal. Either the man had nerves of steel, or he was the best damn pilot in The Family.

Ivory and her team would leave the warm, inviting atmosphere of the Luminary-Class Vessel behind. She waited for each of them to arrive just outside the entry to the airlock; Skorvek standing beside her. The Anubian seemed anxious to get this proverbial show on the road, so to speak, mirroring her own anxiousness. Stardust Solus Skirae and Yu Karloo arrived together, and Ivory gave them both a thumbs-up. "Congratulations on being the first to the party." She quipped and offered a grin. It was her attempt to lighten the mood.

The truth was, she was more nervous than any of them.

Dedata | Celty Ree was the last to arrive, preceeded by Diocletian Kahmen’’a who appeared equipped for a battle against ten thousand. She couldn't blame him - she was armed herself, but had foregone selecting a heavier weapon for a simple sidearm and a Stormpike. Not many of the Family knew her proficiency with the long staff, but she appreciated as much reach as possible. She stood with the weapon in her hand, leaning upon it lightly - mirroring Skorvek's ready but relaxed posture. She wore a headset with a simple monocular readout over one eye, and an ear-piece in her other ear. She'd be able to maintain communications with everyone on her team, as well as retain her own ability to see and hear.

"Alright, people... here we go." She said after a brief pause to look over her small team.

She led the charge into the airlock. The doors shut behind them and a low hiss began. Ivory flexed her jaw and popped her ears, relieving pressure as the atmosphere equalized to that of the docked Sith vessel. She couldn't help but shake this strange & dreadful feeling that suddenly the seals would fail, and they'd all be plunged into the dark depths of Space...

The sudden voice over the intercom made her (and potentially the others) jump.

"Light is green. You're clear."

The Donna let out a breath, stepped forward, and touched the control panel beside the exit. The doors hissed open... and ahead, they could see only blackness.

The green glow of chemlights lit their first steps into the darkness.

Ivory had thrown a few into the black interior, revealing for the first time the path that lay before them:

Dull metallic walls and a hallway that seemed wide enough & tall enough to accomodate all of them (including Skorvek). Whomever the Sith had once been, she could assume they'd been much taller & wider than humans. The metal had taken on a strange reddish color, as-if every surface had rusted... or been covered in dried blood. The air smelled stale - as if it had been recycled numerous times - and immediately took on a strange, metallic, chemical scent she couldn't easily identify. The interior was completely dark with no light whatsoever to guide them... but Ivory and her team had come prepared. Each of them possessed a number of chemlights as well as personal torches, and she left a tracking beacon actively running within the airlock. If at any point they were separated, they'd at least have a fall-back position to rendezvous.

"Watch your step, people..." She warned, taking the lead.

She reached up and triggered the small light affixed to her shoulder, casting a bright white glow down the hallway which lit it better than the chemlights - but did little to dispatch the oppressive darkness which seemed to fill every space. Their footsteps echoed off the walls and ceiling.

Ten feet beyond the entry to the airlock, the hallway broke off into four separate directions: the way back to the airlock, a larger hallway which appeared to be the main access point running lengthwise along the ship's interior, and directly in front of them the hallway continued. Ivory stopped at the junction point and raised her arm, keying a button on her wrist-link.

"Okay." She said, keeping her voice low to minimize echo... and also, because she felt strange about speaking in a loud tone in such an empty ship. As-if she might literally wake the dead. "If this map is accurate, a left takes us to Aft toward the storage bays, hanger, Captain's Hanger, the bridge, and eventually the Engine Room. Right takes us to the fore; weapons batteries, Crew Quarters, Mess, Auxiliary Docking Bay, and the Operations room."

She looked at her crew, realizing she was making a life-or-death decision in that moment: Who to send, where?

"The first thing we need to do is get some power to this place." She made her decision.

"We go together. Celty, Karloo, and Star - The Engine Room. Dio, Skorvek, you're with me. We're going to the Bridge. We'll follow this hallway aft for about..." She consulted the map. "Fifty to sixty meters before we split. The hallway continues to the Engine Room past the hanger. The Bridge is up a flight of stairs at the junction. Celty," Ivory tooked at the helmeted woman. "You have access to the map. I need you to stay in constant contact with me. Report anything unusual."

The team would then turn to the left, heading aft. Thankfully, the ship was not incredibly large - but its size and oppressive atmosphere made it seem even smaller. The interior of the ship was clear of debris of any kind - almost as if it had been swept clean of refuse. It didn't seem like there was even any dust; but if the stories were to be believed, nothing living had walked these decks for months. It was entirely possible they were walking in the same footsteps as the last expeditionary team of men who'd disappeared without a trace.

A few moments later, they reached the junction where they'd split up. They had passed a few alcoves and closed entry doors, but Ivory had pushed the team onward - her main concern being providing some form of lighting to the ship, and if possible, bringing the engines online (at least into standby). Making sure the vessel could travel under its' own power was the second priority.

Ivory bade half of her team goodbye as she, Skorvek, and Diocletian climbed the staircase toward the next floor.

The bridge awaited them.

 

[Skorvek]

He waited until they where on the ship as he kept walking with them he kept vigilant about their surroundings even prepared some defensive spells that he gave to the team to prevent ghosts from possessing them easily before carrying onto the bridge, He wasn't bothered by any noises or sounds that where made by the inhabitants he has been in worse places, he only hoped this woman and her team know what they are doing.

He encountered a couple of unruly spectres that tried to be a nuisance however his eyes even inthe eye pieces of his armor this could be seen glowed a bright color for a moment before these ghosts seemed to halt mid charge and fall they seemed to be afraid and cowered to the side out of their way as he continued walking.

These ghosts are children in comparison to the beasts i normally deal with...keep with me and you shall not have a problem with these spectres anymore..the ghosts know better then to deal with one who has roamed where they roam

Ivory Stroud Diocletian Kahmen’’a Dedata | Celty Ree Yu Karloo

 

[Diocletian Kahmen’’a]

Location: Ol' Sadow, interior
Equipment: Ship Armour Scimitar Railgun Carbine Rifle Thermal Detonators BARC Speeder, Weaponized Breaching Oxidizer Foam
Tags: Dedata | Celty Ree | Stardust Solus Skirae | Ivory Stroud | Yu Karloo | Skorvek

Once on the ship, Diocletian gave the hallway a look over something is unsettling about it but he is certainly not backing down and out. He won't get paid otherwise. He still found Skorvek grating and full of himself just someone he disliked. But his distaste will not overshadow the mission/exploration at hand. He hated everyone equally but this guy was higher on his list than most. As long as nothing goes wrong, he will get on with it regardless of what he thought.

Ignoring this, he walked briskly, passing a wall with Sith Script scrawled on it, he had walked by it, stopped and looked again. He could not read it, so he had no idea what it said, then more scribblings appeared. All he could do is take photographs of it on his Datapad. They could be sinister or just very naughty and vulgar writings about their captain. He didn't understand the language enough to tell the difference.

Something doesn't feel right, so he kept close to the group, careful not to fall into any holes, or get plied into going elsewhere with tempting corridors and stairs. Several spirits did try to hassle them but Skorvek sorted them out through some magic or something. Just because he saved them from being pestered did not mean Diocletian changed his opinion on the scaled, dragon thing in front of him.

But they have to find the Bridge first and knowing big ships, that could be a very tricky thing. This place looked like a labyrinthian nightmare. So he kept looking for signs that pointed to their destination. As an extra precaution, the Ubese stuck luminescent magnets as a path so that they can find their way back, so they won't get lost.

He certainly didn't want to find himself stuck and trapped here.

 

[Dedata | Celty Ree]

Disappearing Light - Kodomo

She trailed behind the group till reaching the ship, however her focus for the moment was on her datapad as she walked through the airlock herself. By the time she was through green chemlights had already been laid down. Not that she needed them of course her eyes are well adjusted to the dark. "Dee bring up Motion sensors tag everyone around me in blue. Overlay Infrared at a thirty percent transparency." Each one would appear as her VI did its job.

Well that was it. She was with the Twi'lek and the Nautolan, "go girl power yay." She thought sarcastically. Though disappointed she was not going with Ivory least she could talk to the woman, or potentially make a fool of herself... again. Dedata just had to remember inside thoughts needed to be inside her head and not in the helmet. Dedata inwardly sighed to herself. It would be best if she stayed behind the two women who likely knew how to fight. She may have weapons herself, but didn't mean the info broker knew how to use them.

It was funny though, some would think her attention was always on the datapad, Dedata did not need to look at it all the time to know what she was typing. That alone was enough for her to be observant. Her concealed face made it hard to know what she looked at, and that alone would mislead enough. It did not take much for her to observe how the others looked at the tall brooding mutt... dog thing? A race she had never encountered before. The man was maybe worth looking into later. After all he was an unknown variable on a mission that depends on his skills.

As Ivory spoke to Dedata the woman would look at her. "Yeah I got it. I will display it on my HUD. Things go wrong I am tracking everyone, I will send the map with the motion sensors to the visor. Flick to it as you need it." She looked around at the people in group one and two. "Dee display a static map of each level across the top of the HUD. Change the motion sensors colours as I instruct. Ivory, purple. Dioceltian, orange. Skorvek, Blue. Stardust, green. Yu, yellow. Myself, Turquoise. Display others part of the help as Cyan and anything else as white."

This Skorvek seemed into his occult nonsense, for all she knew, they where projections made by a degraded AI to scare away intruders. Far as she was concerned there was only one ghost here in a metaphorical sense. Dedata swiped her screen to a different tab began to type on her datapad. "I am just the glorified tech for the most part. Hope I can count on you both to deal with the hostilities.

" She then tapped the shoulder of both Stardust and Yu so that they could read what she had to say.

Dedata gave them both a moment before locking her datapad to follow the group up until the point they would separate. As Ivory, Dioceltian and Skorvek moved up the steps. With a slight nod to them she would press forward down the hallway that would lead team two to the engines and hopfully a reactor in hopes to jump start the rest of the ship's power. Though mostly she was just hyping herself up to battle against an AI using her software.

Ivory Stroud Skorvek Stardust Solus Skirae Diocletian Kahmen’’a Yu Karloo

 

[Yu Karloo]

The Nautolan had exchanged her practical but expensive travel attire for black bodysuit armor. Some stubborn carbon scoring on the suit's surface proved the outfit was not just for show. In place of the wine glass that had been in her hand was grasped a short electrostaff, the weapon accompanied by a limited-edition disruptor pistol holstered low on her feminine hip. Strapped to her back was a compact pack with miscellaneous items, some provided by Ivory, including sources of light. Not only had Yu's appearance changed, but so had her demeanor. She walked with a predatory swagger, the set of her features more mischievous and edged. Gone was the elegant noble persona, giving way to the true Yu Karloo, the street-rat turned con-artist turned pirate captain.

With the team assembled, Yu followed with others as they slipped through the airlock into that of the silent Sith ship. Yu's large all-black eyes had permitted her aquatic ancestors to see in the darkness of the sea's depths. Now, they peered down the blackness from behind Ivory and the tall Anubian. Even before the glowsticks were tossed into the shadowy passage, Yu caught a glimpse of the strange crimson-stained bulkheads and wide corridor dimensions. The passage was quite large for a ship of that size, which gave Yu some encouragement. More room to fight or escape if needed.

The Nautolan listened as Ivory spoke with an almost reverent hush, Yu adjusted the comm to better hear. The Donna was thorough, and included an adapter to the comm kit that fit the Nautolan's earless head.

So, Yu would be teamed up with Stardust and Dedata. She was pleased with the company, even without the creepy Anubian, whose presence seemed more and more relevant as they tread further into the dark bowels of the dead Sith ship.

Yu felt the soft tap on the shoulder, turning to the helmeted slicer as she addressed her two teammates. "We'll keep you safe, if you keep us on the right path." Yu assured the young woman with a smile and a glance at the Twi'lek. Yu knew that if came to some sort of fight, Stardust would be their heavy hitter. That was, as long as their foes were corporeal.

The teams parted ways, The Engine Room group heading towards the hanger bay and their goal beyond. Yu switched on the light on her suit and gazed down into the darkness. She had never really given much thought to the existence of ghosts, until that moment. Suddenly, in that musty, cold, dead vessel, they seemed more likely than ever. And if they were, Yu had no idea what to do about it, aside from the little the Skorvek had provided.

Ivory Stroud | Diocletian Kahmen’’a | Stardust Solus Skirae | Skorvek | Dedata | Celty Ree

 

[Stardust Solus Skirae]

Shes faced tanks head on, monster tall as buildings, even with he brother here the master of souls she still felt her nerves being shook to the very foundation. Stardust felt her skin jump at the voice, no....no stardust would not back down now! Her path in this new body would be filled with test and she felt this was the first of many major ones. Her hand clenched tight as she began forward with the group crossing the threshold as she put her face shield up as she took slow breaths each step measured while she looked around the corridor hand brushing the crimson walls

these walls are not painted with paint....no its something I've sene far to many times

Blood, blood caked on and dried to the point it stained, eyes narrowed at it before she turned her face to the paths that split off from the one they walked. Glancing to Ivory Stroud she went to speak in protest but stopped herself as she swallowed her words and looked to Skorvek as she gave a nod, he would keep them safe she had trust in him. Turning she let a deep breath out as they walked forward glancing to celery as she gave a grin and nodded

do not worry, should the ghost wish us to be their meal they will have to face hell fire

She removed her ring now, her force signature soaring and the air around her grow rapidly warm enough to break the hill air around her body. That feeling of power made her grin in delight as she moved from the group to avoid touching and burning them

do not show fear, sith feed off it, they'll be attracted to it. Feel my warm and know that the eternal fire protects us all [/COLOR]