The Eighth Battle - Coalition Invasion of Triumvirate Ruusan

[Haytham Kaze]

Location: Valley of the Jedi.
Nearby Allies: [member="Darth Orcus"], [member="Dagorn"], [member="Shargon'Ta"], @Loray Trayes (I think)
Nearby Enemies: [member="Jericho"], [member="Solan Charr"], [member="Connor Harrison"], [member="Alkor Centaris"],
Engaging: [member="Joza Perl"].

In the time that she had been sent stumbling backwards, Vanitas's gaze tracked back towards the large Herglic that was Hion, reaching out to him, he tugged off the holster of the Gun of Command, bringing it into his left hand as his right was otherwise preoccupied with holding the saberstaff. Spinning the saberstaff in his hand, he tugged the Gun of Command out of the holster it was in as he looked back to the Zeltron. Extending the hand that held the saberstaff out, he lifted three fingers from it as he raised a barrier in the Force, surrounding his body as the flames around him suddenly started to kick up now that she was out of the circle.

Barely spending a moment to glance down at his surroundings, his lower half immediately went downwards, unknowingly avoiding the blaster fire that was shot at his head presumably as the twister began to close in on him. With that downwards movement however, the saberstaff was set to the ground beneath his feet aggressively and there was an explosion of the Force, starting from his knelt position before exploding outwards against the elemental manipulation around his person, sending the Fire away from him and dispersing it into the air around them.

An effective force repulse. An ability he used in almost every engagement he had, notably against [member="Nikias"], he had casted both shrapnel out and away from his person.

Raising up to his feet, he took a step forwards, only to find that if he had taken another handful of steps he would've collapsed down into a fissure. Frowning, he lifts up the Gun of Command as the Zeltron Knight appeared to be assaulted by her thoughts. He squeezed the trigger, barely even hesitating. Should it strike her, it likely would've left her in a state of stupefaction and should it actually affect her, he would've straightened out and then spoke the words.

"Feel the Dark Side run through you. Indulge yourself. Give yourself to the power of the Dark Side."

 

[Aithne Charr]

Obj: PVP with them Sith.
Location: Valley of the Jedi.
Allies: [member="Jericho"] [member="Connor Harrison"] (?)
Enemies: [member="Loray Tares"]
Observing: [member="Joza Perl"], [member="Darth Orcus"], [member="Haytham Kaze"]
Equipment: 2x Lightsabers, 15x Vibrodaggers, Jung-jii Fiber Armor, belt with number of pouches for seeds


Solan's attention was drawn to Jericho's actions as he was forced to bring the vines and roots he had been growing out in that direction back as they lay on the ground still when he saw the fissure break up the ground. He sighed as he was simply done with this poodoo and instead of allowing it to go any further, his own Voice joined the fray of fighting out in front of him, not yet noticing the incoming suit of armor falling from the sky. None the less, though, his voice would sail out to Joza Perl.

"Joza, Listen to my words and keep your eyes focused on that boyfriend of yours. The Darkside isn't something to avoid like they say, but you are still right to oppose them. The Darkside can do things as beautiful and marvelous as the light side, it all depends on how you use it and your motivations. Don't fall on wanting to kill for killing's sake, focus on saving the life of the man you love and if you can't bring him with you then don't give up. Your only job is to survive this and to make your own choice about your path... Jericho was simply worried for your safety just as I told you that the Silvers would be. Remember."

He smiled as his words spoke of the night on Nar'Shadaa when he had grown the flower and told her that the Silvers worried for her, sure enough, that would snap her out of her fall... well he hoped it would.

Solan looks up to find what looks like a Black Knight with a Cannon. In times like this, only one thing can go through the mind of the man who is wearing fiber armor. Run. And with that his hands pushed down on the ground as he ripped up the vines and roots along with the earth around them in front of himself, pushing the earth to provide as best a shield as he can before duck and rolling as the grenade was sent flying and he truly hoped that it would be enough to protect him from the blast and the shrapnel. He was sure that it would, but he had been sure of many things in the past that were proven wrong.

Now, this was not the first bastardization of life that he had seen from the Sith, and even in the few seconds he had looked at [member="Loray Tares"] he had not been sure what he had seen. But the eyes he had inherited from his mother, those eyes that saw the force for itself, and not just the physical world before him told him enough. This being was as dark as any of their creations, as dark as their manipulated beings, this thing was enough to put another scare in him... and it made him scared enough to create a shield for himself. Between this thing, the Shadows that he still didn't quite understand, and that mechanical sithspawn that could infect their victims. He was done. "Feth the Sith, Feth their Creations, AND FETH THIS PLANET."

As he had hit the ground, though, he spent no time cowering, instead, he was drawing out seeds from the pouch on his belt. This time, he was not grabbing the vines, though, instead, he was grabbing those that were the seeds of trees, the idea, this time, would be a little weird what he was thinking, but it would become apparent soon as he started to reach out and take hold of the seeds. Pushing to grow them quickly, but the way he would grow them was in a fashion to help his ally rather than to bar his way. Of course, his focus depended on how well his earthen and flora shield held up.

 

[Rasu Gan]

Location: Valley of the Jedi
Allies: [member="Matsu Ike"] [member="Sorel Crieff"]
Enemies: [member="Sinistra"]

Like an emerald gem, the Jedi Master sprinted across the desolate plains of Ruusan. All around her the Force shone with brilliance as the armies of the Light and the Dark clashed in battle. It appeared as though Rasu had been absent from the conflict for too long, the galaxy had need of the Shi'ido and the woman would respond to her calling through the Force. The Force nexus that was Ruusan clouded the mind of the aging Jedi, yet she brushed this aura aside; there was no need for such a distraction when her life hung in the balance. The woman had not seen battle for a long time, however as she was caught up in the adrenaline of war, she felt a familiar rush that had plagued her spirit during the great conflict of the Republic and Sith Empire. Muscles that had once ached, were replenished and strong, dust-covered armor now was adorned polished and solid. A vision of the recent past now flew across the landscape of Ruusan; a fragment of the Shi'ido's past, battle-hardened and ready to cleave through the forces of the dark side.

Sensing the familiar presence of her dear friend, the Shi'ido shifted her direction, homing in on the Atrisian Jedi and her companions. Drawing upon the Force, Rasu lengthened her strides, appearing to hover across the ground as she raced towards the aid of her fellow Jedi. Hair flew behind her ears as the light of the primary sun reflected off her emerald skin. However the Shi'ido slowed her pace as she felt a foreign presence scan the initial area. The aura radiated a prominent presence in the Force, however Rasu was unsure of the figures true allegiance. Approaching with caution, Rasu extended her own presence towards this foreign figure, radiating the purest form of kindness and compassion that she could summon. She would ensure that the figure knew that the Shi'ido meant them no harm. Her only desire was to reach the famed Master Matsu Ike.

 

[Tempest]

Location: The Road to Olmondo
Friends: [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] [member="Charlyra Araano"] [member="Kei Amadis"] [member="Arisa Yune"] [member="Audren Sykes"] [member="Boo Chiyo"]
Enemies: [member="Kiran Vess"] [member="Laguz Vald"] [member="Cameron Centurion"]

(Thank you for your patience.)

The hostages perished. Tempest couldn’t see it, but she could feel it in the Force. Ninety-nine deaths all within seconds caused a ripple, and she gritted her teeth. There would be vengeance.
The hostages had been dead from the moment they’d been marched out, but the Coalition had tried. Now, it was time to get down to war.

Unfortunately the ion shells seemed not to have done the required job, but there would be more incoming.
A second unfortunate was the snipers. In their efforts to move forward swiftly to try and reach the hostages, Squad 1, 2nd Platoon, had been a bit hasty moving forward. It had cost them dearly.

A hail of long range laser cannon fire arced into the advancing troops. Several went down, including one Private Wilhelm who let out an amusingly distressed scream as he was blown apart. Wilhelm came from a long line of KIA soldiers, and this one added glory to his family’s name by dying in the forefront of battle.

Regardless, with half the squad down, the rest rapidly took cover with the tanks and walkers. By the time Tempest arrived she found the column had stalled a little. The drones did not have the juice to punch through heavy vehicle armour, but with long enough there might be other weapons brought to bear.

Tempest helped Lyra off the speeder bike. It was well she was wearing her armour because Lyra’s metal arms had gripped her tight enough to have broken bones if she hadn’t!
“Lyra, try and spot where these bolts are coming from. Stay down,” she ordered.
Moving to the nearest tank, she waited until another bolt arced out of the buildings and leapt up to the tank.
“Commander, building at 1 o’clock, two story. Fire!”
She jumped down just as the tank fired its mini-railgun at said building. With any luck that’d be one less sniper.
“Alright, move forward, bring the walkers and tanks up. Fire for effect at any buildings with hostiles. And get me artillery backup fire. I know the comms are down, so get a runner or a droid or something over there with these co-ordinates. Smash the buildings where the jammer might be located.”
The Coalition force would begin to push into the city.
“Get a runner back to Countess Kerrigan. Ask her to bring some mobile platforms and gunships. We’ll take this place block by block if we have to.”

When Boo landed and brought his troops in he would receive a message urging him forward to meet up with Tempest, Lyra and Siobhan to allow them to push deeper into the city.

Kei’s force moving from the flank and the Jedi’s advance would also hopefully meet up soon.

Arisa and the Republic forces would receive word that they should land on the opposite flank, to the west of the main Firemane advance and move in. With a combination of Republic from the west, Firemane from the south and Kei and Chiyo from the east they might well be able to pincer their way through and break the enemy.

 

[Subject 37]

Olmondo: Inner City
Allies: [member="Laguz Vald"] | [member="Cameron Centurion"] | [member="Dak Canton"]
Enemies: [member="Tempest"] | [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] | [member="Kei Amadis"]

The building wasn't a large one, at least not the one that they initially rushed into. The way that Olmondo was built meant most of the structures were interconnected in some way. It was a way to save on space and also a way to make things more convenient. Ancient cultures usually exhibited this same architecture and Kiran and been on more than one world that had done the same. Of course, that didn't make traversing the place any easier, but Kiran had earlier had the foresight to study and create a mental map of the nearby structures.

This was what allowed he and Jeremy to run so quickly through the inner city of Olmondo.

"I can't believe...I can't believe they shot first."

Jeremy said as they came to a stop, nearly crashing against one of the heavy brick walls as the sound of heavy gun fire began to ring out. He could hear explosions not far away, and suddenly the structure they were in shock as a heavy explosive round struck it's side. Kiran shifted slightly, looking at the dust that fell from the roof before motioning for Jeremy to keep moving. "Honestly, I'm as surprised as you are. I'd thought at the very least they'd offer to trade hostages, maybe give me some money."

The Mercenary shrugged.

Maybe the Jedi had finally grown some balls.

"Who knows." There was a listlessness to his voice. In truth the Hostages had always been little more than a ploy, a way to gain insight into his enemy. He now knew quite a bit about this Countess Kerrigan and the way she did business, something that he was sure would eventually come in handy. Of course, for Jeremy this entire experience was entire traumatic. He had thought that the Jedi would save him, that they would rescue him, instead the evil mercenary had freed him and was now protecting him. How quickly things had changed. Kiran shifted suddenly as he heard something. "Head that way, find Liran."

The Mercenary pointed to one of the corners knowing that his Saeva Guard was nearby, turning on his heel to face out the window. He half saw a reflection of something, a moving something. He frowned for a moment, knowing that none of his troops would be in the street. His lips thinned, and slowly he began to move forward. As he moved forward the figure in the reflection became more and more clear, [member="Kei Amadis"] coming into view as he rushed forward in the alleyway. Kiran's own pace increased, until suddenly he broke out into a sprint.

The Zeltron dashed forward, his armor obscuring his signature in the force as he suddenly jumped out and struck out with his fist to hopefully land a blow directly on the Jedi Master's face.

 

[Ria Misrani]

Location: Main Road / Olmondo, Ruusan
Allies: [member="Tempest"], [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"], [member="Arisa Yune"], [member="Kei Amadis"], [member="Audren Sykes"], [member="Boo Chiyo"]
Enemies: Sith Triumveriate [[member="Kiran Vess"], [member="Cameron Centurion"], [member="Laguz Vald"]]
Objective: Rescue Hostages, Eliminiate Hostile Forces.

Theme: Audiomachine, Blitzkrieg​

​

They had stopped, oh thank the maker they had bloody stopped. Tempest had to peel Charlyra's arms off of her like one peels steel from a column, as one does, of course. Master Tempest might as well have ordered her to attack because it didn't take long for her to find those snipers. Utilizing her infantile force ability to feel through electromagnetic pulses she was tracking these droid snipers. Even better that they were completely unaware of their magnetism. With a kark-eating grin she got down and pulled with her hands, and at first, it seemed like nothing. For she had hidden behind the same tank but it was hard to do much from there so she shuffled along the ground, crouching just enough to get a clear line of sight from where she could feel the droids. There was a lot of noise, and so with a splayed hand against the gravel.

Charlyra felt for the droids, getting a much clearer sight for the battlefield around them. One by one, the sniper droids popped like cans along the fence post. Charlyra tilted her head as she summoned the sniper rifles to their cause. Soon their tank became a cache of sniper rifles. "Mistress." She called toward Tempest, "the electromagnetic fields are ripe, and I can feel everything." Just as she had when they had gone after the Space Orks, when she virtually ripped that shuttle open with her raw use of the force. "If we can get closer to where we suspect the jammer is located, I may be able to shred it myself."

It would be easier to send a handful of force users versus the non-force users who were sorely needed on the front. A sniper's blaster grazed against Charlyra's arm, which would not have happened had she been more careful and actually taking cover. A feral growl is heard from within the padawan's throat as she sticks her hand out in the direction of where the blaster round came from, and in a swift motion of her hand, she causes the rifle to blow back against the shooter, who could be heard screaming in the distance.

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

Objective: Storm or destroy the Citadel
Location: On ground in the Valley of the Jedi
Allies: Silver Sanctum and allies
Enemies: Sith Triumvirate and allies
Equipment: Lightsaber and Jedi Robes

[member="Thurion Heavenshield"] | [member="Rasu Gan"] | [member="Matsu Ike"] and @Everyone in the Valley

​

Before them stretching high to the sky is the Citadel. Already there is many on ground from the Sanctum and the Sith engaged in the fight and much flak from the fortifications of the Citadel rained down around them. Her arm raised giving direction to the troops to move out toward the monstrous structure and take out the batteries and set in place the charges to destroy the Citadel. The commander understood the orders well enough and issued command to the troops who immediately formed up and began their charge across the field of battle.

Turning to Thurion, her face set in grave determination she managed a smile before they too joined the fight. The presence of familiar Jedi could be felt through the force, all here but for one purpose, some very familiar in the old guard of the Silver Jedi had ventured to rid this place of the darkness corrupting and sickening the planet, other new to them but with no less purpose.

The purple blade of her saber ignited as Coci began to start a run, deflecting blaster fire and dodging the volleys from the citadel, which on impact with the ground sent up a spray of dirt and debris around them all. The air became thick with dust, pieces of Sanctum ships littered the ground as it fell from the skies but so too the from the citadel as the Sanctum forces and the mobile artillery vehicles began to fire on the structure. There is a pause in her purpose, the feeling of anther close by she had encountered before, so too Thurion as the aura of [member="Darth Vornskr"] spewed over them and closing on them. This alone was enough to curl Coci's lips into a snarl. But he was not her target, her objective was to lead the fight against the sith and take the Citadel. Several of the artillery vehicles had been destroyed but they continued to advance, the fortification began to break in part under the constant barrage, but still it stood strong and unbreached.

 

[Darth Carnifex]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUaQrWyM6mU​

Location: Somewhere else on the sprawling citadel's outer walls, most likely a courtyard of some fashion
Allies:

• The Sith Triumvirate
• My boi [member="Darth Adekos"], even if he doesn't like me hanging around

Enemies:

• The Smelly Plebeian Coalition
• Probably [member="Thurion Heavenshield"]
• And his soon to be widowed wife, [member="Coci Heavenshield"]

Gear:

• Laid-back Sith Armor
• Muh Lightsabresaber

Vornskr nimbly scaled a flight of steps leading from the uppermost levels of the wall to a lower courtyard filled with grim-faced soldiers and other Triumvirate officiaries scrambling about as they collectively responded to the uncouth Coalition invasion. None dared get in his way as he strode across the polished stone to a group of handlers that struggled to hold the reins of a great and mighty Kral'ın Montaj with a coat of black fur that shone in the rays of the Ruusanian sun. The majestic beast could smell the coppery odor of blood on the wind as it shifted, and it struggled against the binds that kept it stationary despite the protests and the hushing whispers of the handlers. Much like its master it desperately wanted to be free of these useless imbeciles and gallop down to partake in the carnage, and at the sight of Vornskr's approach it knelt down to allow the Sith Lord to saddle up in stark contrast to its unruly behavior a few moments prior.

The Epicanthix Sith Lord swung his left leg over the best and hauled himself up onto its back, shuffling about to position himself correctly as the beast rose up to its full height and shook its mane affectionately as Vornskr rubbed the back of its head with an armored hand. This black beast was far larger than most of its kin back on Panatha, bred specifically for the purpose of carrying the Sith Lord's massive muscular frame into battle with the same nimbleness, speed, and ferocity of one made for smaller individuals. Vornskr snatched his horned helmet from one of the attendants nearby, and quickly slid it over his head and allowed the couplings to connect and lock into the rest of his armor. He was then handed a cavalry spear fashioned more like a poleaxe than a traditional spear, although the bladed end was large enough to pierce through an average man all the way through with enough wiggle room to almost spread through the man behind him. The axehead was sharp enough to rend through armor and flesh as a hot knife through bantha butter, and had an edge wide enough to chop off the heads of three men in a single swing.

Of course his curved-lightsaber remained sheathed at his side, always ready to be called into an open palm at a moment's notice, but the Sith Lord seemed to hunger for more traditional methods of butchery. With a shout he commanded his attendees to stand aside, and with a whip-crack of the reins he spurred his mount into action. The beast roared, crouched for a moment, and then leapt far into the air so that it was perched upon the rampart's jutting edge before bounding down the many walls, stairs, and other outcroppings until it had at last reached the earth below. From there it charged full tilt at a platoon of Coalition soldiers that had detached from the main invading force, and right before the moment of impact the Sith Lord leveled his weapon downward to spear one of the soldiers at the perimeter of the group, at first skewering him and then cleaving him right in two as the momentum from his weapon carried on through the body effortlessly.

What followed after was a whirlwind of teeth, claws, blades, and shouts of horror and alarm as rider and mount moved with twin purpose to shred and disembowel all who stood arrayed against them. The armor strapped over the beast's frame allowed it to walk among blaster-wielding foes with only minimal worry for its own safety, its claws flashing out to rend soldier's chest and bellies clean open with an explosion of gore. Vornskr wielded his weapon like a farmer wielded his scythe, each swing reaping a terrible harvest as many died at a time to his sinister blade. Heads bounced across the ground alongside an assortment of limbs and mutilated corpses flopping in the dirt like stuck hogs, some maliciously left alive to writhe in agony as their intestines spilled unbidden from torn stomachs, their hands soaked through with blood and excrement as they attempted to stem the tide that sought to erupt from their bodies.

Vornskr had gotten so caught up in his debauched revelry that he had hardly noticed the familiar auras that burned brighter than the scorching heat of Ruusan's star farther out in the battlefield, but even if he could not visibly see them he knew exactly who they were. His own mouth confirmed what he was feeling in one word, oozing with hatred as he steered his beast away from the slaughter they had just created to a point farther out in the dusty gloom.

"Heavenshield."​

 

[Siyndacha Aerin]

Location: Orbit, Cardan V-class Space Station
Quest: To Seek the Holy Grail
Tag: [member="Darth Adekos"] | [member="Kyrana Gould"]

Lectures never bored her to an intolerable extent, so long as they were pursuant to her interests and ambitions, and history was not to be ignored, but 'brain-dead mutant' fell well below the cutoff for what qualified as interesting. Any monkey could be taught a few tricks and learned behaviour was no match for innate talent, yet when the Triumvirate Decanus came in a bundle of nerves, she cut him a withering look for the interruption as if the igniting of emergency lights was also his fault and listened in on what he had to say.

Invaders, then, the thought spat, it could only be the Coalition.

With both the Republic and the Alliance under the purview of the One Sith, and the Mandalorians essentially blasé about that which did them no harm, it had to be the reclusive sect of so-called Jedi. Surprising to say the least, but given the location the deductive results spoke for themselves. When Adekos bade her follow, she went without question, and without a word to say. There was frustratingly little she felt she could do in this scenario, but she had every confidence that the systems would function as programmed and be successful in their work.

Entering the bridge on Adekos' tail, she situated herself by the holgraphic display of the opposing sides and their fleets, while the Umbaran gave orders. Most methods of warfare were not within the realms of her expertise, but rather than being indifferent about it like many would do, the half-echani technopath paid some approximation of rapt attention to the goings-on, drinking in everything relevant that she could, catching on where her understanding of the stations and fleet ships at their disposal and the orders given met. Electronic warfare was tangible to her, and she could see its effectiveness with ease.

It very well could be her where he was standing, one day.

 

[Alkor Centaris]

"They are," Alkor acknowledged. "They talk about peace, but here they are bringing war."

The Corellian heaved a sigh and gestured toward the bloody scene that unfolded beyond them. "This is the nature of the galaxy. They rail against it in every breath, but in the end, chaos consumes them." His eyes slipped shut as he reached for his collar and peeled the cloak from his body. It caught in the breeze and flowed to the dirt at his feet. "Peace and order are indefensible notions. Their idealism is nothing more than words."

He took another step toward [member="Darth Orcus"], seeped in the malevolence of the Force. "Once, I fought for Brothers who no longer exist," he focused his intensity on the massive opponent and the flames of hell burned hot within him. "I fought for the fall of civilization, and the sundering of decadence," darkness twisted up from the pit of his stomach and swirled rhythmically around the Jen'jidai as he prepared himself for the deadly dance. "But all of those notions were contradictory to the truth."

Alkor tore the bandages from his torso in a fluid motion to reveal his true, battered form. Blood seeped from still gaping wounds, and pain echoed through the world around him. The howl of his agony in the Force rose as the air gently caressed his now exposed body and touched gouges he would not allow to heal. "I fight for myself, Sith. I will make myself free."

The Dark Jedi drank in all of his own hatred, rage, and suffering like a noble greedily guzzling his wine. It came as a choleric sensation. Darkness flooded his senses and augmented them. The Force elevated him above mere humanity. Though he stood far less imposing than his foe, or for that matter any of the others on the battlefield, Alkor bathed the bloodied world in his shadow.

He brought the lightsaber forward in a vicious thrust toward the Herglic's midsection. While he knew it would most likely be met with a worthy defense, it invited his foe to engage. Though no sound came from his throat, the Force itself seemed to howl as the Jen'jidai moved.

 

[Darth Metus]

https://youtu.be/5qY-gWF9AF8​

Objective: PvP - Valley of the Jedi
Location: Citadel - Outermost Wall
Allies: The Silver Sanctum, [member="Zef Halo"]
Enemies: [member="Oron Verd"], [member="Belis Verd"] - COME ON DOWN

My Brothers.
Unyielding Swords of Echoy'la's Prince.
Rise, if you would...
For that is our Curse.​

* * *​

What twisted delusion had blinded the eyes of Mand'alor?

How could he deny himself this sweet sensation: the feeling of being whole once again?

As the Coalition forces mustered in the heavens above, a cadre of vessels slid forth into realspace. Few, were they in number; yet mighty was their cause. Dubbed Espada by their maker, these ships clung to the shadows and descended upon the blighted world. Desecrated had it become - a terrifying testament to the might of its new masters. The Triumvirate had twisted the ancestral, Jedi home...and the resulting aroma was divine. Whilst seated within the leading, stealth vessel, Isley felt himself torn. He had devoted himself to the path of his Mentor: cleared his mind of any delusions of following a Force-centric religion. He was no Sith, nor was he Jedi - for the Force was a tool.

But.

The Darkness was enticing.

Here, where the Light once ruled every crevice, the Force now sang a wretched song. Its melody - a cacophany of lies - echoed within Isley's mind as the ship drew ever closer to the planet's surface. The temptation to cast it away...to forsake the solemn vow he had made following Rave's demise...was immense. Could he endure? Would he endure? "Lord Verd, we are at the drop point." Mando'a rattled the troubled King from his internal turmoil. Perking up, the beskar-clad warrior rose from his seat and took hold of the railing. He had to hold it together, not just for his sake...but for the sake of his Empire. To Fall was to become Lost. To become Lost would be to forsake Reclamation.

A fate that Mand'alor the Reclaimer would never allow.

Today, Isley had come as an ally to the Coalition. In the name of forging a bond as strong as beskar, their struggle - the Battle of Ruusan - would become his own. "Ib'tuur jatne tuur ash'ad kyr'amur." he muttered, before conducting a mandatory weapons check.

Darksaber? Check. Backup? Check. Rings? Yep. Blasters? Loaded.

The grand finale manifested itself in the din of hydralic hissing. The rearmost bay began to open, revealing the blur of the ground below. According to plan, the target was that of a Citadel: and the Mandalorians were hellbent on adding some flames to the decor. "GO GO GO!" The light was green. One after another, the Espadas introduced their passengers to freefall. And, in the seconds following, the roar of jetpacks could be heard alongside Mando'a warcries. Drawing a breath, Isley took a tentative step forward before jogging out into the heavens. To him, the air seemed to thicken as he fell; but this was most likely yet another result of the Darkness. It had to be.

"OYA!"

The defiant cry tore from his lips as an ocular command ignited his jetpack. Onto the outermost wall did he propel himself, touching down only briefly before being introduced to a swath of adversaries. In a single motion, honed by literal decades, the Mand'alor seized, prepped, and hurled a grenade from his utility belt. It sailed into the gaggle of opposition whilst the Mand'alor took aim. "[member="Zef Halo"], you're with me!" he barked. The command came in response to a meager glance at the adjacent IFFs provided by his HUD. He could see, more or less, where his cadre of subordinates had ultimately landed - and Zef was relatively close behind. Yet, just before he set his gaze back upon those noticing the explosive, Isley noticed someone who should not have been present.

In fact, last he checked, [member="Oron Verd"] was on Echoy'la.

What was he doing here, in the Belly of the Sith?

"...Oron?" he spoke his sibling's name over the channel, just in time for the explosion to rock the wall. Charred remains and stone went tumbling over the wall - yet this was just the beginning. Mandalorians had a...certain talent for making a fiery mess of enemy positions.

Spoiler: Equipment

• Taozin Beskar'gam
• Terentatek Bodyglove
• The Darksaber
• CT-12 Jetpack
• The Ring of Umber
• Talisman of Calling
• Paragon Energy Shield
• "Lazy Eye" Edition, Merr-Sonn Power 5
• Yrkaa Sidearm
• Grenades: [x] [x] [x]

 

[Audren Sykes]

Location: Olmondo Main Road
Allies: [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"] | [member=Tempest] | [member="Kei Amadis"] | [member="Charlyra Araano"] | Coalition members
Enemies: Triumvirate Members, any Knight-level Force user

The place reeked of Darkness. Siobhan was a major player in that from their side, and there was more than one on the other side. And there were those who weren't Force sensitive, yet doing the bidding of those who were. That increased the dark power present as well. He didn't miss the girl watching him as he walked up either, it felt almost like she expanded her presence in the Force as he did.

It reminded him of an animal puffing itself up in the face of a predator.

Any form of amusement he might have felt was washed away in the wave of death that swiftly followed the initial barrage. Either the shells hadn't been what he'd expected - always a good chance, given his lack of familiarity in the area - or the Sith had thought something up to counteract the possibility of ion weapons. Either way, it was the Sith who were at fault. Using civilians as shields was an act almost any decent government would call a war crime. Still, Audren was glad that he hadn't needed to be the one to make the call. It would have been a major stumbling block for him. Yet an answer had been easily drawn upon by the leader of Firemane. As expected, Siobhan had sensed his arrival.

"Jedi Sykes, glad you could make it. Our vanguard has moved in to attack under Captain Tempest and Master Amadis. You're welcome to join the assault."

Direction without making it an order, which could have been awkward. Discounting the whole Dark Side thing, he could learn a fair bit from her. He replied with a nod and began moving again, less than a minute since he'd arrived. A walk turned into a trot into a full-on sprint, and he began drawing on the Force. Not for Speed, not yet, but for Sense. He broke past the line of tanks, the line of cover not long after the ion wave swept over the mines. He stepped between them at speed, not touching a one. More than that though, the instant he felt a targeting reticle drop over him, he shifted. Didn't matter if it was living or droid, he didn't sense intent, just the impending danger. A random dodge each time that would have droids' predictive circuits squealing in rage. No fewer than five bolts were flung at and ultimately missed him, each one providing his allies with a location. They would have had better luck with the spray-and-pray tactic.

As he moved into the outskirts of the city, he began drawing on the Force to enhance his reflexes as well. His speed didn't increase, in fact he slowed a slight bit as his attention shifted. His perception seemed to stretch however, and he was able to react much quicker. When Triumvirate ambushers were still orienting on him for example, he was flooding an alley with blaster bolts. He might have been better off trying to slip in without using the Force, what with the darkness still so powerful. As it stood, his use of the Light side would no doubt be a beacon for any Sith in the city.


OOC: Knight-level Force user welcomed for a fight.

 

[Ria Misrani]

Location: Main Road / Olmondo, Ruusan
Allies: [member="Tempest"], [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"], [member="Arisa Yune"], [member="Audren Sykes"], [member="Boo Chiyo"]
Enemies: Sith Triumveriate
Objective: Rescue Hostages, Eliminiate Hostile Forces.

All Charlyra could discern was a bit of a whirlwind that had been the Jedi she saw moments ago. Was it moments ago? Feth knew if it was moments or hours, all of it was a blur to her by now. She wanted to tell that person to stay put but all she could do was groan. Stupid Jedi. Well, she thought - she was a stupid Jedi, but now she was a stupid Dark Jedi. Which only meant that the moment he sped past her she rose to her feet, dropping cover again. Hands moving down to the ground, she fed off the dark side of the force, the energy being pushed out into the field was powerful, very powerful. As if some dark master was purposefully showing his power.

No matter, she would use his power just as she had fed into Master Kerrigan's power before. Ion mines, any droid left over that had served the Sith began to pop. A battle growl came from Charlyra as her hands turned into a fist and what seemed to be a punch into the air. Was only the work of a conductor to the orchestra demanding a crescendo that would call for the collapse of any remaining non-organic resistance. Sweat along her brow, she took another shot to the arm spinning on her feet she tried to discern where the shot came from. Unfortunately, she was in too deep with the force and it blurred with her view of electromagnetic fields.

"M-mistress." She braced herself against the tank, grabbing for breath. Squeezing her eyes shut, she took a deep breath - trying to get a hold of her senses again. It would be some time before she could do that again, "will be alright, I just need to keep moving - how long until we reach the jammers?"

 

[Akhilleus]

Location: Underground Caverns
Allies: [member="Alkor Centaris"]
Enemies: Sorzus Syn
Objective: Alter the Syn Talisman

[SIZE=10pt]Sliding into the cave Nikias was swallowed by the darkness. His entire body engulfed by it, there wasn’t a single light inside the empty cavern. No sound besides the dripping of water further in. Here the force thrummed with power, called out to him made Nikias stronger. For the first time in weeks Nikais felt as though he wasn’t on the verge of death. The mystical energy flowed into Nikias, through him recharging the spent Hellyni. The Syn talisman began to vibrate beneath Nikias’ tunic as it reacted to the force nexus. The talisman began heating up against his skin while inside Nikias’ mind he felt as though his head was about to explode. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]You still think your pitiful plan will work boy!? I am the original Sith! I am the one that created this talisman, that carved the legacy of those that your allies fight. The code they follow is my doing. It’s all mines and I will not let some whelp undo all I have done. [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]Syn bellowed in Nikias’ mind materializing besides him her mouth open revealing sharp teeth. Those crimson eyes stared into Nikias’ very being with a rage and hatred that could not be met. For months the two had been bonded together and no matter what she said, what she offered Nikias’ will held strong. Your power is nothing, will never be anything compared to mine. Look at all I have done and what could be offered to you. What have you done boy?[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]“I can’t claim to have done anything on the scale of you. I did not go on to create a cult of sycophants that believe they know what is best for the galaxy. Nor did I become some great jedi hero that became a symbol of hope.” Hand against the wall Nikias kept himself upright while making his way deeper into the all-consuming darkness with each step and word Sorzus spoke his determination strengthened. He had made it this far, he would not give in to her now. “What I have created is a Brotherhood… We may not be nowhere near as powerful or numerous of the Sith, but we have what they never will. We have freedom, the freedom to do as we wish. We are not bound by your code, nor the jedi’s. We are the ones who walk our own path. Something that your descendants can’t truly claim.” [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]Deeper into the cavern Nikias entered a portion of the cave where there was a small pool of water forming. It was as good a place as any to begin the ritual. They Hellyni didn’t fear others chasing him due to the guards at the entrance. He would hopefully be safe. Lowering to his knees, Nikias entered a meditative pose ignoring the ancient Sith Lord that glared at him. You are a fool! I will not give you my power or knowledge! You do not deserve it![/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]“Who said I was asking you for it?” Eye’s closing Nikias took a deep breath calming and centering himself. He imagined himself as being the center of the nexus, of the galaxy itself and he began drawing the strength in and forcing it through his body and into the talisman. A wild scream left the spectral being’s mouth as she flew at Nikias trying to stop him.[/SIZE]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Objective 1
Location: Valley of the Jedi
Mission: Defeat the ST | Advance to the Citadel
Allies In Area: [member="Joza Perl"] | [member="Jericho"] | [member="Solan Charr"] | SSC
Enemies In Area: [member="Darth Orcus"] | [member="Shargon'Ta"] | [member="Haytham Kaze"] | ST

He didn’t get far before the taunt – was it a taunt, or a goad – came to his audio sensors in his helmet, picking up the voice of the Sith Whale. That was enough to stop him in his tracks. The ring of fire belched upwards around the Jedi and Sith in combat, and Connor saw the ringmaster of the whole show.

Jedi would strike darkness in all forms, and Connor was the sword of light; to cut through the dark regardless of who or what frowned upon his methods and morals. When his actions or his Order were mocked, especially one he helped to build, that irked him more than anything; an attack on his pride.

And so Connor fixed his sights on the Whale and started for him, glancing to the figure of Solan still in proximity across the way as the fire raged. There were many forms of attack Connor could use, but right now he wanted to feel the release of personally taking out his vengeance hand to hand.

"You speak strong words , but as they say, actions speak louder."

He broke into a run towards the Sith, with the red mist down to do nothing but stop him goading on the others and take him out. His first target would be the face, with a powerful pull back for an even more powerful impact.

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

Location: The road to Olmondo
Enemies: [member="Kiran Vess"], [member="Laguz Vald"], [member="Cameron Centurion"]. None directly engaged yet. Mainly bringing Sio to the front for pew pew.
Allies: [member="Audren Sykes"], [member="Charlyra Araano"], [member="Kei Amadis"], [member="Tempest"], [member="Arisa Yune"], [member="Boo Chiyo"]


Predictably, the hostages had perished and Coalition soldiers were dying in the line of duty. In the absence of functioning comms, messenger duties were as hazardous as in the trenches of a war on a planet in a galaxy far, far away from this one...


Anyhow we shall move on with the plot, for Siobhan had finally reached the frontlines and was linking up with her own forces. Screams, explosions, the roar of artillery fire, the chaotic sounds of battle - the former Sword of the Protectorate felt right at home. Before her lay the ruins of Olmondo. Her speeder raced across the battle-scarred ground with great speed, kicking up a storm of sand and dust in the process. This was the exact opposite of a subtle entry, but she had a taste for the melodramatic.


Sniper drones put her and the Firemane reinforcements under fire. Beams of laser fire lanced through the sky towards her craft and struck it despite her wild driving. Pulling the Force into her muscles, Siobhan simply jumped off the craft while it was still racing, letting it crash into debris while she fell to the ground and broke into a roll. Presumably she'd have bruises and all that, but it's not like she wasn't used to it.


Power surged through her and she retracted her gauntlets, conjuring up a storm of dark side power. A powerful torrent of blue-white torrent of Force Lightning leapt from the fingertips of the Force Mistress, probably strong enough to blow the drones to smithereens as it leapt from robot to robot.


Quadrupedal battle droids advanced across the debris. They kicked up a storm of their own by unloading shattercannons or shatterbolters. Where they fired, snipers were forced to withdraw from the rooftops or perish. After all, a shattercannon could put holes through medium vehicle armour. The roar of engines was heard and shadows passed over the ground as Coalition Gunships swept across the ruins, providing air cover. The ground seemed to tremble beneath the feet of giants as walkers moved into position, adding their firepower to the advance.


Getting to her feet, Siobhan broke into a sprint and reached Tempest and Charlyra. Just in time to see Tempest play Ground Commander and Charlyra blow stuff up in an awesome display of aggression and rage. Naturally Siobhan had to say something she considered tremendously witty. "Ok, that was kinda hot," she spoke to Lyra, giving her a light slap on the shoulder.


"Don't drain yourself, Lyrie. You can unleash so much energy before you're sucked. Remember to take cover. You're a tough girl, but not blasterproof. Tempest and I can take the heavy hits," she advised, sounding a bit big sisterly now. She removed a flask from her utility belt and passed it over to the younger woman. Needless to say it was filled with water, not whiskey. Siobhan was trying to get her drinking under control after certain 'fun' family drama!


"We need to get moving and push ahead. Tempest, what's our status? Any progress on finding the jammer?" Admittedly they'd only just reached the city's outskirts, but she knew Charlyra was particularly sensitive to electromagnetic fields.

 

[Zef Halo]

Objective: PvP - Valley of the Jedi
Location: Citadel - Outermost Wall
Allies: The Silver Sanctum, [member="Isley Verd"]
Enemies: [member="Oron Verd"]; [member="Belis Verd"]
Equipment: Sig.

Jedi ?

Sith ?

What the hell is the difference ?


Both orders, hellbent on destroying each other since the galaxy has existed, looked absolutely the same in Zef's eyes. He'd never liked either of them. Just hokey religions and ancient weapons.

And yet here he was.

Paying a debt. A Halo always pays his debts. Wait, that was not his saying. The smuggler shook his head clearing his thoughts as the Espada transports were approaching the perimeter for drop off.

The Mandalorians beside him had seen the destruction that was occurring on the planet. Most were younger Mandalorians, eager to prove themselves, even Zef could feel the adrenaline rushing through their bodies. Seeping into their veins, preparing them to face the maw of death. It even influenced Zef.

His eyes monitored the constant explosions and his ears were full with the sound of war. The luminescent colors of the planet's surface turning into a battlefield reflected on his visor. So many deaths, so many useless deaths for karking sentimental reasons. Anger began building up within him as he clenched his fist, he would never like Jetii or dar'jetii.

The light was green.

Zef's thoughts and emotions were cut short upon the blinking green light and the sudden row of Mandalorians running after another jumping from the hatch. Typical Mandalorian entrance.

"OYA!"

Mandalore's cry was followed by numerous other Mandalorians' response over the channel: For Mand'alor!!

"Well, here we go. Old bones better hold on tight." Zef muttered to himself as he lunged forward, the last Mandalorian to leave the Espada transport.

Like missiles, the Mandalorians were painting the sky above the surface of Ruusan. The notorious warriors, famous and feared due to their exceptional capabilities in war and battle. They were pouring down upon the surface bringing more death and destruction.

That's right, boys. Show 'em bathrobes why they gotta be scared!!

Landing safely thanks to his Grav boots, Zef quickly rushed for cover as fire out of almost everywhere was laid upon him.

"Zef Halo, you're with me!"

"Got it, Mand'alor."

The ex-smuggler rushed out from his cover firing as accurately as possible while moving, mainly to cover his movement as he approached Mandalore the Reclaimer from behind. The Mandalorian ducked behind a cover and looked at his old friend. Mandalore had said something over the comm but damn static had interrupted it and the gazing contest he was having with something made him worry. Zef knew that Mandalore was a force user, a strong one as far as he knew. It slightly worried him if the forces on this planet influenced him by some chance ? The scoundrel was absolutely ignorant when it came to the mystical space mojo and he liked it that way.

"Did you say anything ?" Zef came in through the annunciator. His visor fixed on the intimidating figure of his leader.

 

[Thurion Heavenshield]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_8tuNcqykE​

Location: Valley of the Jedi
Objective: Storm the Citadel
Allies: SSC | [member="Coci Heavenshield"]
Enemies: ST | [member="Darth Vornskr"]
Equipment: Lightsaber

As soon as the dropship touched ground the two Jedi and their strike team disembarked only to find themselves in the middle of a war zone. All around them the valley was filled with combatants from both sides, locked in seemingly endless conflict much like the Jedi and Sith throughout history. Thurion let Coci take the lead as their team began carving a path towards the citadel, slow and steady. The Sith were well-entrenched, and albeit outnumbered they would be capable of inflicting sizeable losses upon the Coalition forces unless their morale didn't waver before then.

Watching Coci go to town on the enemy forces made him thankful she was not a servant of the dark side; he wouldn't wish upon anyone to have to fight her. Husband and wife worked in unison as they eventually managed to punch a hole through the Sith defenses, enough for the Coalition forces to take up forward positions along the valley. Blaster fire was a constant threat, and keeping one's guard up became paramount if one wished to last longer than three seconds.

He'd sensed the looming darkness the moment it descended upon the battlefield, axe in hand and sat astride a great beast of war. Confirmation came in the form of a direct challenge, one they could not deny as the dark servant issuing it would stop at nothing until they did. Thurion looked to his wife, and sent a nod her way to let her know of his intentions. "I love you," he'd speak into her mind before brandishing his azure lightsaber in preparation for the thunderstorm that was Kaine Zambrano, or what remained of the man.

"Zambrano!"​

 

[Gorba the Hutt]

Location: Valley of the Jedi
Those Nearby
1st Fight | [member="Joza Perl"] | [member="Haytham Kaze"]
2nd Fight | [member="Jericho"] | [member="Solan Charr"] | [member="Loray Tares"]
3rd Fight | [member="Alkor Centaris"] | [member="Connor Harrison"]
Bystanders | [member="Dagorn"]
Equipment: Koodan battle armor | Sith Aspis | Grabthar-class Breaching Hammer | Gun of Command | Greatsaber

A grenade went off nearby, bits of shrapnel whinging through the air. At this distance none struck true against the thick black plastoid of the koodan armor. Ah, that would be Loray’s work. Collateral damage meant nothing to the fellow, but Orcus’d known that when he hired him. So be it.

The human dark jedi who spoke before him now stripped away cloth to expose a battered form, with horrible, festering wounds that wept puss and blood. The Herglic’s lips curled in disgust that had nothing to do with those yawning lacerations and everything to do with the view the fellow espoused. Some sort of former anarchist, devoted to the fall of civilization? At least he saw it was foolishness now. What pathetic drivel.

The foe struck with the speed of a viper, darting forward to stab at the cetacean. Seven feet and two inches of blubber-bound muscle casually lifted up the burnished shield and interposed it betwixt blade and body, saber leaving no more than a glowing red line across the alchemized surface. All further blows met with a like manner deflection as Orcus’ words rolled out and beat upon the shores of Alkor’s mind, a steady tide.

“You strike like lightning, but you will have to do better, boy.”

A belly laugh shook Orcus’ frame. He unclipped the great saber from his belt, still shaking with grim mirth.

“You don’t fight for freedom. No, you fight because you are lost. You want a sense of purpose, but you are terrified because you’ve realized that all the purposes, all the causes… they’re all touted by liars. ”

The only thing Orcus could see the man was free of was his senses. A sad, broken shell of a being. This dark jedi served no higher calling. He was a drowning man who scratched and clawed anything within reach, too terrified to realize who was there to help and who to harm.

“You’re in pain. Incessant anguish.” Orcus knew it well. “But worse than the holes in your body is the one in your soul. To lead such a futile existence, for no one and nothing but yourself. You hate us for giving logic to our causes, because you know we only seek higher power. But you must hate yourself more, knowing that you have no such excuses to hide behind. Nothing but your own pure selfishness, naked and deformed in your waking eye. So you seek to kill me, because I am a Sith, or because I am simply here and in reach of your blade. No more rationality behind it than a rabid dog biting whoever is nearest. Do you think killing me will fill that void, human?”

The retort might be one of a thousand lines. ‘No, but it might help.’ Or ‘Let’s find out.’ All of which Orcus had heard before, a hundred times over. And he knew that no matter what they said, the words always dug deep. Beneath the blades and the snarls they were all only people in the end. Sticks and stones might break their bones, but words still cut the deepest.

Black eyes flicked to the side, noting the lay of the land. Nearby, Loray had engaged the one with the glowing eyes and another who Orcus recognized as the king of Kesh. Joza and Haytham still fought on, though the boy seemed to have snatch the gun of command from Orcus’ belt while he was busy with the tirade. Hmm.

Ah, and there came the Jedi in the armor. Not so keen to run away after all.

“Come to make a noble stand against the Sith, hand in hand with your dark side ally, noble adversary?”

The man charged straight for him. Orcus’ lips spread wide exposing conical teeth in a grin. He opened his maw still further, heaving in a great breath, then released it all at once.

“HAUUUM!”

The Force Bellow rippled out toward both foes at once, a shockwave that might knock them off their feet and send them sprawling backward, but no more than that. Orcus did not deign to use the full limits of his power as yet, thus this small, short bellow would only knock back, not kill.

 

[Sinistra]

Location: Valley of the Jedi
Gear: Sinistra's Personal Armor,
2 sabers; 1 silver, 1 red
Opponent: [member="Matsu Ike"] [member="Sorel Crieff"] [member="Rasu Gan"]

"And why should I? Are you so swayed by spurious insults in combat that you cease to focus on the task? Are all the Sith you find so stereotypical in their actions and manners?"

She moved from the floating Jedi's strike, using a rather dramatic flair for a parry to continue the shared civility of the duel. They were not exerting themselves, and certainly she wasn't about to. She did not employ the bits of Ataru that she had perfected, sticking to a grounded display of Makashi mixed with Soresu.

The padawan seemed to be quietly watching or meditating off to the side. She made no move to interrupt, nor to engage and for that Sinistra was somewhat thankful. Too often, she found herself with two opponents, two sabers to block and a constant defensive battle. The back and forth of this display was actually a welcome exchange.

She did have to chuckle at a slight bit of irony.

"Your order is bringing violence to this valley and you are amazed by my calmness."

She spun to her right, her blade continuing the path of elegance as the pair fenced, their footwork solid and intricate as though both were performing a private ballet for just their own benefit and the view of the padawan when Sinistra felt the presence of another in the vicinity, an intruder upon their civility who dumped her aura into the area. It caused Sinistra to pause, motioning to Matsu with her free hand for a break in their duel a moment.

"A friend of yours?"

The bubble that Matsu had surrounded them with blocked most of the sound and chaos from entering but the closeness of the green woman was enough to bleed to the edge of Sinistra's sense periphery.

While she waited for Matsu to reply, she cut the external speakers and messaged her second quietly. It took several tries to get a sentence through but it eventually carried on a rarely used subchannel.

::Fela, initiate extraction protocol delta.::

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Sitting in Sinistra's personal ship within the hangar at the citadel, Fela had been watching the people scurry around to defend the Sith emplacement from incoming attack. Lights flickered with every strike and every boom, and determination sounded in the voices of the ones who scrambled to battle. Fela had not joined them. Her instructions had been clear. Stay with the ship, and keep the channels clear.

She had spent a cramped night in the pilot's seat watching old movies and reading up on the latest intelligence dossiers.

The sounds of battle had only stirred her awake, but she dared not leave the confines of the star courier. To disobey her lord was madness that she had personally experienced.

The radio crackled and the transmission failed several times before she got a message to Lord Sinistra and they tried a few other channels and methods until the Sith's words came through the console loud and clear.

Extraction protocol delta.

Well then, it was going to be an interesting morning indeed.