The Full Reach of Law (GA Dominion of Atrisia Hex)

[Rhen Qel-Droma]

Allies: [member="Rhen Qel-Droma"] | [member="Franc Kotrag"] |[member="Nataya Graf"] | [member="Deacon"] | [member="Roon Ganar"] | [member="Poro Maaht"] | [member="Kit Budoa"] [member="Draconis Caesar"] | [member="Siriwook"] | [member="Dar'rak"]
Atrisia
New Jedi Order & GADF

"We are going on!" the overhead comm blared for all the New Jedi Order and their Rangers. "Everyone hold on tight!"

The first of the New Jedi Order shuttles shuddered under the immense shake of the combined nature of the lingering hyperspace anomalies and the volcanic ash cloud that drifted across the planet's upper atmosphere. Rhen strapped himself down, the old Corellian Green Jedi cursing loud enough for a few padawans to hear in the old tongue. When one stared at him wide-eyed, he gave a small shrug.

"Old habits," he managed to grumble out, turning to glower outside the viewport as their pilot took them planet side. Their goal wasn't to fight. Their objective was to save any wounded and refugee's who required aide.

"We are heading towards the southern hemisphere, there are less disturbances there." and better odds for survival for those who were there for extraction.

 

[Aeron Kreelan]

Location: Atrisia; Planetside
Objective: Survive.
Allies: @Michael Sardun

Another heavy snort followed. A level stare brought those electric blue eyes to the Jedi, and she shook her head. She didn't need any of that sort of aid. She could handle herself. Always had, always will.

"I'm all right." appraisal swept from head to toe, and the Prex gave him a level look. "I'd check youself." boldly she strode ahead. The entire field was a mess. Charred bodies of Alliance GADF, Pyre, and others littered the place. Her lips drew into a thin straight line. More losses. They would come back. She would ensure that they came back for them all and received their proper burial.

Finding a usable bolter, the Prex bent down and picked it up. With the efficiency of a well season soldier, she checked the power pack, and it's condition. It must have suited her standards because she charged it up and held it at the ready.

"Let's go."

 

[Arieth zh'Vranthi]

K H O M M
Galactic Alliance Diplomatic Force


The Galactic Alliance Ambassador's private datapad gave a small buzz. She had been led into a small council chamber to discuss openly with the Khomm Council. This had been intended for a different affair, in a venue of opening and potentially being able to open trade between the planetary council and the Alliance. To have such an event happen during such a discourse was already troubling indeed.

We have made it to the City of Shiso we will begin to look for survivors immediately. If you could have one transport send our way it would be most appreciative. Situation will have to be evaluated to know exact circumstances. One is a start. HRH Faith Organa//

A small sigh of relief came to the woman. If Faith Organa had found a safe place to land, then perhaps not all was lost when it came to survivors or wounded.

Another buzz came in. This time from the New Jedi Order affiliates. It was a notice that the first wave of their ships had arrived at Atrisia. This was good news. Perhaps Faith Organa could meet up with them there.

A quick message was sent to [member="Faith Organa"].

The New Jedi Order has arrived on Atrisia. They may better serve you not only as support but as protectors. I will send them your information so please be on the look out for their call.

Following that, a small status update was sent to the following delegates who have been working in the nearby planets of the sector. [member="Cathul Thuku"] [member="Riimaurus"] [member="Sor-Jan Xantha"] [member="Ayden Cater"] [member="Jasper Varanin"] @Ajira Cardai [member="Aerion Ivelisse"]

 

[Hira Mitsae]

Location: Atrisia; Planetside
Objective: Survive.
Allies: [member="Aeron Kreelan"]

Now it was Sardun's time to snort.

He cracked his neck, before stretching his back during the walk. Already his wounds were slowly closing themselves, flesh binding itself together and only leaving behind faint scars -- even those would disappear given enough time, but that would have to wait as he was conserving his energy right now. They still had a job to do.

Making himself all pretty wasn't good usage of his time.

"I'm good, Lady Prex." He finally replied, while waiting for her to pick up the bolter. Looked deadly. But Sardun had never needed such tools to dish out damage.

When you could punch a hole in metal with your bare fist? That was really all you needed.

"What do you have on you?" Depending on what equipment they had, between the two of them, this could be either a relative breeze in the park or gorram hell incarnated.

 

[Kenth Typho]

Location: Atrisia, Outskirts of Jar'Kai.
Allies: GA | [member="Joza Perl"], [member="Symara Tarriq"], [member="HK-36"], [member="Thraxis"], [member="Seria Ventreme"], [member="Adele Adonai"], [member="Jacen Voidstalker"]
Enemies: Sith | [member="Desmond C'artyom"]

Locke was no superhero either.

He was a squishy little meat-bag. About three-fourths of his body was water and the rest was hope; hope that he'd get through the day without having to qualify for the gorram Alliance's prosthetic program for disabled agents. The last thing Elliot needed was to be evac'ed out of a warzone while screaming about his arm being chopped off or something similarly gruesome.

it was those mental images that made him careful, exceptionally so. More than any Jedi Master or Sith Lord who could cheat death by the drop of a dime.

This was why when he finally reached the top floor, while suppressing a nasty cough of exertion, he didn't immediately rush towards the exit to the roof. Instead Elliot took his time with it, he crept up -- and immediately dove to the ground when another explosion rocked the scene outside.

HK's high-powered rifle roared and soon after Desmond's E-web started to spout loaded plasma bolts through the door. Most of them missed him, a few burned off a few stray hair.

"This karker's gonna pay for the hairdresser." He mumbled, before crawling further. Just in time too. He witnessed the cloaked humanoid vault from one building to the other, like some kind of gorram Jedi or... superhero. He hated superheroes.

"To hell with it."

Locke pushed himself off the floor and burst into a run. There were people in the Galaxy who were more cyborgs than humans, he wasn't one of them, but he did have a few key tech points that gave him an edge. One of them was a bio-circuit that boosted his awareness and reflexes when it was needed... like trying to vault over a building, while paying attention to your target.

His gun was already in his hand. Beautiful thing; a Tir Stunner from Vanir that would incapacitate this hooligan without actually killing him.

Two meters... gorram, I am actually doing this, aren't I? Feth. Feth feth fe- His body was already flying through the air. No time for regrets or second-guesses. Elliot raised the barrel of the gun mid-flight, aimed at the back of the Chiss; his cybernetics were already synced with the gun.

Target acquired.

A highly-concentrated burst rushed away from the gun.

 

[Rainbow Kitten Sunrise]

Tony would make sure the Sith paid. Paid for every last Artisian death. Pay for what they did to him. He was angry, frustrated beyond measure. He wanted to kill this girl, but not just her. All force users. Her essence would peel off her like dead skin. It flew into Tony's hands and empowered him. He pushed her back more and more. He was suprised they did not trip.

Then [member="Soeht"] came. A chill crept into his bones. He heard the ignition of a weapon. The blade sliced through the air with an audible hiss and Tony felt a pain like no other cross his back. He released his hold on the woman and fell to the ground writhing in pain. It was a large flesh wound that would leave a nasty scar. Tony's eyes peeled open and he saw the formidiable figure before him.

The man was going to take his prize from him. Tony, now rejuvinated from the girls essence. Fired a weak volt of lightning at the cloaked being. The boy had become consumed by hate and driven by fear, but still it was not enough. Blood leaked from his back and pooled around his bottom.

[member="Mala Arar"]

 

[Shaddi]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcsiQPdS-Sw​

Looking at [member="Adas James Malgus"] mount his beast and then prepare to ride out, Erebos couldn't help but think that the apple hadn't fallen far from the tree at all. Looking towards [member="Serena Bouie"] once more he placed his hand on her shoulder. "Get somewhere safer, I'll make sure he lives through the day... even if I have to knock him and drag him off world out to do so." He said reassuringly as he took his Telsword in hand and made his way to a mount of his own. "This kid'll be the death of me..." He mumbled to himself before chuckling. "Just like his father." He added as he mounted the guarlara, his presence seemly shaking the creature prompting Erebos to place his hand on the top of it's head and wrench it's mind to his whims, after he was done the creature would march headlong into hell without even flinching.

Moving his mount to be next to Adas's own as he raised the Telsword's hilt to the sky while pointing the blade down, a Shawkenese greeting to those that he'd deliver death in the coming battle. "You inherited your fathers recklessness all right." He said right after he felt something akin to Mythos in the force reassure the young man. "Mythos if you can hear me, help me keep your son safe, grant me that power." He whispered into the air as he flipped the sword up, extended it's hilt and turned on it's electrical field. Then as he kicked into the side of the Guarlara, he rode into battle at Adas's side.

 

[Desmond C'artyom]

With his left optical blinded and his right aiming down the scope Des did not see the enemy coming at all. He loosed his last shot and began to get ready to move. Life in a ecmnupolis had taught him a few things. One was the physical art of free running.

Regardless it wasn't enough to stop locke as he vaulted the roofs and fired his stun gun at Des. The man felt a sharp pain, a sense of numbness then things went black. His last thoughts were 'I didn't die a coward' as he cradled the rifle and fell to the surface below.

[member="Elliot Locke"]

 

[Jamie Pyne]

Jamie didn't know much about Aela's father. He had come up in passing chatter here and there, but he was for the most part, pretty ominous in Jamie's eyes. What she did know was that he trained Aela, and that she had been pretty open about informing her of how much stronger he was with the Force than she. Whether or not that was simply fact or the pride she held for a man who raised her was hard to discern, but Jamie tended to lean towards the side of caution in times like these.

"No." She said through thinned lips. "I left Naboo to help the galaxy. I agreed to be your student to learn how, and to do just that."

She shook here head as she continued, "Staying here won't help anyone and serves nobody. I'm coming."

Her confidence in those words were more out of necessity than actual belief that she was ready for something like this. If it had Aela on edge, she knew this was likely over her head. Bastion had been a good example of what not to do however, and so she would not repeat the same mistake twice on Atrisia, that much she was certain of.

[member="Aela Talith"]

 

[Aela Talith]

Space - To Surface; Palace
[member="Jamie Pyne"]

Aela nodded. She had known Jamie would react that way. Her apprentice was about as headstrong as she was, and even though this situation was beyond dangerous...well they were still going. She smiled and put a hand on Jamie’s shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze to perhaps instill a bit of confidence.

”The landing is going to be rough.” She pointed to the fighter. ”Let’s try and stick close to together.”

Neither of them were piloting their crafts of course, but Aela had said the words loud enough that the pilots overheard. With another smile and a quick nod Aela parted ways with Jamie and wandered towards the fighter that would bring her to the surface. She said some quick words to the pilot, and within just a few moments both she and Jamie were strapped into their respective ships.

The pilots wasted no time, they, just like the two Jedi, knew what was at stake here.

The wing of fighters flew out of the hangar bay within a heartbeat, jumping into the cold of space and immediately heading towards the surface of Atrisia. The storm that had been raging above the world had disappeared for the time being, it’s power either drained, or perhaps entirely gone. Aela didn’t know which, but as they flew closer she couldn’t help but feel anxiety grow in her chest.

They broke atmosphere a few seconds later, heatwaves forming around them even as the chaos of Atrisia came into full view. Another few heartbeats passed, and then Aela and Jamie found themselves quickly deposited near the outskirts of the palace grounds, A-wings flying away with the same speed they had arrived in, blaster fire and turbo-lasers sailing all around them.

 

[Cathul Thuku]

Location: Inysh
Allies: Alliance [member="Geloyra Malleus"] [member="Sieb Tevv"] [member="Zark"] [member="Siriwook"]
Enemies: Sith [member="Jagger Fuga"] [member="Maizono"] [member="Marcus Itera"] [member="Suravi Teigra"]
Objective: Take care of the incoming patients

"The patient has been stabilized but it took a lot of Force-energy for you to cure the patient. I understand that it will leave a scar somewhere, no one would expect a witch initiate to be curing patients in a scar-less fashion, nor in a painless fashion" she told her Wookiee apprentice, as she briefly heard the patient scream in pain prior to being stabilized. "But, if you want to become a witch doctor, I think it will be a good fit for you"

"Admiral, [member="Arieth zh'Vranthi"] sent a status update to you. How could you miss it?" the communications officer asked.

She turned to the communications officer. "The screams of the nearby patients were drowning out any ping on my communicator"

"Oh"

She then turned back to the Wookiee. "You should probably go to rest for a bit, and once you're rested then you can heal another patient with the Force. That's one of the main drawbacks of witchcraft: you have to pay closer attention to your own mana"

The hoversled stretcher took the patient away to another ward, where nurses and medical droids could take care of patients at later stages of treatment. But the patients kept coming in and the second batch should arrive soon. Cathul looked at the next patient; hopefully her Wookiee apprentice would take some rest while the Twi'lek took care of the next patient. At the same time, Geloyra was probably off curing another patient that she lost track of, maybe even overextending her power doing it. Sure, High Command saw it fit to send the most medically serious cases to Inysh first, but the Hero of Coruscant reported that there was a ship loaded with ordinary refugees that was inbound for Inysh: the situation was serious enough for having refugees split among both Darhtag and Inysh. And refugees from Atrisia kept coming in, according to the other officers in orbit.

"Open a channel to [member="Arieth zh'Vranthi"]"

"Channel open"

"This is Therapy Command: we have just received the first batch of 300 patients, another batch of 300 patients is on the way to Inysh, and a ship filled with refugees is inbound"

Therapy Command (4300m):

Spoiler

ANS Hero of Coruscant (Mateus-class fleet carrier): 2000m
ANS Yag'dhul (Dreadnought Mk3): 700m
ANS Vandelhelm (Dreadnought Mk3): 700m
ANS Moenia (Nebulon B7): 300m
ANS Otoh Sancture (Nebulon B7): 300m
ANS Spinnaker (Nebulon B7): 300m

Attack craft (deployed in a defensive screen):
144 T-70 X-Wings
60 BB-2 bombers

NJO ships:

Spoiler

In-system:

ANS Tylenol (Cardea-class medical cruiser): 790m
ANS Pharmacokinetics (Cardea-class medical cruiser): 790m

Inbound:

ANS Bestine (Acclamator-class assault ship): 752m

Outbound:

ANS Ritalin (Saint-class SAR craft) 250m
ANS Prozac (Saint-class SAR craft) 250m

 

[Asmus Janes]

Spoiler

Rogue One/CO – Commander [member="Asmus Janes"] “Slick”

Spoiler

Rogue Two – Flight Officer [member="Aedan Lochlan"] “Beardface” [OCC LOA]
Rogue Three – Flight Officer [member="Ben Carlin"]
Rogue Four – Vacant
Rogue Five – Lieutenant [member="Loske Matson"] [OCC LOA]
Rogue Six – Flight Officier [member="Cal Sedaire"]
Rogue Seven - Lieutenant [member="Choli Vyn"] “Smalls”
Rogue Eight – Flight Officer [member="Vale Endriss"] "Eight Ball"
Rogue Nine/XO –
Rogue Ten – Vacant
Rogue Eleven – Vacant
Rogue Twelve – Vacant
Rogue Thirteen – Flight Officer [member="Allyson Locke"] “Lucky”
Rogue Fourteen – Lieutenant [member="Owen Holst"] “Pie”

[member="Adas James Malgus"] [member="Darth Erebos"]

“Keep it tight! Keep it low!”

Rogue Squadron sliced through the atmosphere at great speed towards the capital city. Asmus didn’t know that a member of the Underground had died to compromise the air defences, or the struggle between Light and Dark that had led to the storm starting to lose its hold on this world. What he knew was that the Terror had been sent packing and he needed a target.

“Precise laser fire only, no ordnance. There are civilians still in the city underground. If you don’t have a clear firing solution do not engage.” Asmus gave a call as he pulled backed on the throttle. Repulsors whined to keep his X-wing in the air as the ion engines reversed their thrust to slow him to a suitable speed to attack ground targets. That was the versatility of the X-Wing. Interceptor, fighter, bomber and ground support down to the level of gunning down a single fire team.

Both hands stayed on the sticks as he thumbed the display controls. His augmented reality display overlaid a grid to show the layout of the city on top of the poor optical visibility. The storm had been messing with location sensors but the Alliance had pinpointed several key enemy and friendly positions and put them on the battlespace control grid.

“Command, there’s a mistake on my grid. Some idiot labelled an enemy asset as cavalry.”

“Rogue One that is not a mistake. Confirm?”

“…confirmed?”

The Alliance hadn’t seen a cavalry charge in a long time. They hadn’t seen many enemy forces attempt to attack them with spears, longbows or catapults either. The role of cavalry had long been replaced with heavy repulsor tanks and air assets.

With a shake of his head he dropped his X-wing into a long main street, following the line over Alliance forces towards the cavalry charge. He thumbed the controls on his control stick to switch the cannons to sequential firing.

“Kriff they’re actually waving banners…” Asmus broke comm discipline as he squeezed the trigger. A torrent of heavy laser fire streaking up the street towards the cavalry charge. The first volley obliterated the roads ahead of them, making their continued advanced impossible at full speed. Another example of why repulsor vehicles had replaced horses. The second volley would potentially cut a swathe right through them.

 

[Seria Ventreme]

]ENEMIES: @Jacen [member="Elpsis Elaris"] @HK-36 and all alliance forces
]ALLIES: [member="Break"] [member="Thraxis"] and the remaining Sith forces

Seria watched as Elpsis attempted to kill her once again, and with the evenings events was no longer shocked that an apparent Jedi would stoop so low as to execute the injured and surrendering. Far above her, the sharpshooter team had been decimated. The droids constant barrage having turned their cover to a ruined form as the shattergun tore the unfortunate troopers apart. Now, all that would be heard from their position was screaming and moaning. The unfortunate and horrific reality of war was that people got hurt, something Seria realized the Galactic Alliance was all too happy to do as it struck blow against blow upon the city it had nuked and leveled.

As Elpsis' flame moved towards her, Seria sighed and rolled back over, seemingly accepting her fate until the flaming mass had come so close it cloaked her from site, and then Seria moved. Rolling back to face Elpsis as she swung her fist at the ground in a force enhanced strike and caused the concrete and stone to lunge up and protect her from the blaze. As this happened she stood. Charging with newfound strength towards Elpsis with the stone still shielding her body from the sight she thought her foe required. As she neared the injured woman, Seria anticipated yet another barrier to try and stop her approach and the moment she felt resistance. Would have struck at the stone with a force enhanced kick. Knocking it through and freezing a small section at its back which crumbled underfoot as she sent it towards Elpsis at startling speed in an attempt to flatten her. Regardless of its success, the well trained Anzat, enraged by the woman's efforts to murder her and her new companion. Finally armed herself with the twin vibroknucklers she kept inside her robes and sprinted towards her, using her momentum to launch a flip kick down at the womans neck on the same side as the shoulder she had earlier shattered, before attempting to backhand her with a particularly vicious -If not so dangerous- downwards slap to the face to knock her down, while uttering a single shaky statement the empath would feel to be heartfelt and true. "You butcher. Have no honor."

 

[Choli Vyn]

Rogue Squadron : [member="Asmus Janes"] [member="Allyson Locke"] [member="Ben Carlin"]
Targets: NPC Forces of [member="Adas James Malgus"] [member="Darth Erebos"]

Beep, beep, hoot, beep!

"Force, that was a close one!" The massive tentacle had almost struck her starfighter. It had only been the quick reflexes and actions of Rogue Thirteen that had saved Choli from a very fast trip to the Nine Hells then.

[ I owe you one Thirteen! ] her voice crackled through the squadron comm, Choli making adjustments to go swooping in and meeting with her wingman [member="Ben Carlin"], Rogue Three.

[ After that, I don't know what could ever top that! ] she laughed, the adrenaline rush hitting her as if she'd down seven energy drinks in one go.

Now it was time to head into the stormy planet.

[ You are sending us into some strange Nerf Rodeos, Rogue One. ] A few more beeps and her targeting array brought in the fresh batch of information. Zooming on by, they narrowed in -- only for the young woman to give a double take.

Choli was taken aback by the enemy asset labeled 'Calvary'. That couldn't be right? When the confirmation came in through the comm, Choli blinked. Truth be told, she knew that times came where they would have to shoot at living beings on the ground. However, she wasn't too keen on the actual visual of it happening.

So when the targeting sights came online, instead of shooting at them directly, Choli aimed for areas in front of the charge that could potentially simply have them fall over upon themselves. If she could disable them, then all the better.

The less lives lost would serve best.

 

[Jacen Voidstalker]

Location: Capital city, heading for palace

Enemies: [member="Darth Mephirium"], [member="Seria Ventreme"] [member="Darth Lykos"] [member="Adas James Malgus"] [member="Thraxis"]

Allies: [member="Adele Adonai"] [member="Gabriel Sionoma"] [member="Seras Rose"] [member="Spencer Varanin"] [member="HK-36"] [member="Elpsis Elaris"] [member="Aela Talith"] [member="Jamie Pyne"] [member="Joza Perl"]

Voidstalker was tired. Each new breath didn’t seem to do much for the fatigue. Even after plugging the wound with a bacta sealant the pain in his shoulder pulsed every few seconds. His shield felt so heavy. The Underground members continued their fight with the two who had challenged them. Kana was seeing to Spencer. A look over his shoulder drew his attention. Adele calmly kneeling in sieza with a familiar Sith stood before her in a seemingly benign stance. The droid was doing... a lot of things.

His attention drifted beyond the physical realm. The Force was still coalescing around the world as Light and Dark clashed. Grayson. He was the centre of it all. More familiar presences. Aela was here somewhere.

He was tired of fighting. His shield felt so heavy. It slipped from his grip, bouncing once on its edge before it fell to lie flat on the ground. Leather creaked as he tightened his grip on his saber. He was tired of it all.

“Stand down,” he whispered.

“Stand down!” he shouted across the distance to Thraxis and Seria. He turned to give Elpsis a look to indicate for her to do the same. His newfound focus cut through the fatigue like a knife. Unencumbered, his wounded left arm came up towards the woman who had injured it. He tried to hold Seria in a firm telekinetic grip to hold her firm before she could complete her charge. Last warning. The left, open hand held mercy. The right did not. It held his blade.

“Lay down your arms!” he called over his shoulder to Lykos as he conversed with the iridonian healer.

“Signal the Atrisians,” he called into his comm. “Tell them to lay down arms and no more military action will be taken against their Forces, but that the dark forces at work must be purged. The Sith will be taken in peacefully if they lay down arms. Ensure the mandalorians understand that a ceasefire may be arranged.”

Grayson. He was the centre of this. It was time to bring this all to an end.

"Gabe," he sighed. "We have to end this."

 

[Seria Ventreme]

[member="Jacen Voidstalker"] [member="Elpsis Elaris"]

Having been hidden by the fire and stone until the last few moments, Seria would have finished her charge and continued in her attempts to knock the pyromaniac out of the fight if not outright killed, and once safe from another attempt of unjust execution by fire. Said her words as Jacen held her in place.

 

[Ashin Varanin]

[member="Ta'yise Betna"]

"Hibridium? Lady, if I had a hibridium cloak to spare, I wouldn't be kicking around junkyards. No, without replacement stygium, this sucker won't have cloaking capability. I might, might, be able to rustle up a solution to the stygium issue, but it'd cost extra, maybe another thirty. That'd bring it to a total of a hundred grand, and that's me doing you a favor." His lips twitched in what might have been a smile. "If you're really hurting for stealth to get home, I could paint the ship black for you. I hear that worked wonders for the Republic at the Battle of Roche." He turned to face her now that she was reasonably dressed. "Your gun and stuff are in the locker under the bed. Just didn't want them immediately accessible in case you're the kind of girl that wakes up angry. I knew one that'd rip your face off if you shook her awake."

Behind him, the Pathfinder's hatch opened. The Parnapy brothers and Jasper's other associates began using that hatch with a vengeance. They carried junk, tools, scanners, fresh components, all sorts of things. The refit process began.

"You need a rest that doesn't come from a needle, Betna." How old was she? Somewhere between seventeen and twenty-seven, but that was the nearest he could narrow it down. The term 'jailbait' sprang to mind. "There's a cantina around the corner that rents secure rooms if you want to crash."

 

[Ranga Desilijic Boga]

Post 12
Location: Thebeon Space
Objective: Elaborate

Ranga toned down his voice a little, he didn't want to come off as hostile anymore.

"We are remnants of Sith or so I've heard [member="Jorus Merrill"] . As for who leads us, I honestly don't know. If I did I would, but I don't. We're not lying, and you have my word on that. Is that good enough?"

Tuuka fumbled around in his seat and armed the hidden laser cannons mounted under the wings of the ship. They were specifically designed for things like this. He whispered to Ranga.

"Sir, I'm going to ready the lasers in case something happens."

Ranga liked Tuuka's thinking.

"Good thinking Tuuka, this man is still very strange."

(OOC: the last lines were not said over the comm, so don't say you heard that. Thanks!)

 

[Jorus Merrill]

[member="Ranga Desilijic Boga"]

"Well, Captain Ranga, seems to me you're in a little over your head with these Dominion people. They've got you answering to a Sith splinter group and fighting the Galactic Alliance, probably the most powerful government in the galaxy right now. That's just not a tenable situation, you know? So here's the deal, and I think it's a pretty good one. Comm your SCUBA mercs down on the planet, order them to surrender to the Alliance. You've got...two minutes to make that call. At the end of two minutes, if I'm not reading a fifty percent reduction in total weapons fire down there, I'll partially disable your ship. I'll be aiming for the weapons and hyperdrive. Then I'll capture you. You're mercs working for the Sith, and that's me doing you a favor; you'd be getting off easy. We clear on what happens next? Over."

 

[Bethany Kismet]

Atrisia
Nearby: [member="Darth Mephirium"] [member="Darth Vitium"] [member="Alecandria"]

On your palm an endless wonder
Lines that speak the truth without a sound
In your eyes awaits the tireless hunger
Already looks for prey to run down​

​[media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bj2p_v_FfJ8[/media]​

"You long for life...and all its suffering?.... Admirable."

​Bethany had watched impassively as [member="Reverance"] had undergone his macabre transformation. He did not draw his saber- he birthed it. The only sign that this sight impacted her was something in her eyes. A deep, haunted pain lurked in those forest eyes, but for whom, exactly, was unclear.

​She did not answer him. Once, in another lifetime, she would have countered the very premise of his words. Would have argued from the depths of her soul that life was so much more than the suffering. Even now, she knew that it was, knew that there was joy and pain in turn. Beauty and ugliness. But she understood better now. After all, life was suffering. But there was a false dichotomy. Suffering and joy were not separate. They were intertwined. All things were not simply connected- they were the same.


"We only see one tiny fleck of reality, and that fleck is fake. The idea that we are independent of each other is deep and pervasive and so easy to be taken in by. After all, that's what it looks and feels like, doesn't it? Every one of us alone, moving through this galaxy in a billion random directions. But this is false. There is no 'us' and 'them'. The illusion of separation is just that- and illusion. It goes beyond the idea that we are all connected, though that is how many Jedi interpret it. There is no separation. What we do to another, we do to ourselves."

-Excerpt from Jedi Master Bethany Kismet's personal holocron


​There was no arguing with his statement. It was not false. It was also a shallow understanding of a much deeper chasm of experience.

​As the stench of the saber roiled over them, Bethany stepped back, closer to the other Jedi. She felt the ripple in the Force, [member="Veiere Arenais"] 's intention to act even before the light enveloped them. She watched the burning shadows without thrashing- one of the pillars rocked, then fell with a muffled crashing, sending hot ash in to the air around them.

The dance of flames and shadows in the street
Make poetry nobody's ever heard
The weight of loneliness stands on your feet
The cage already there around the bird​

​She glanced over at Veiere. While she had not intended for him to put himself at risk here, she did not now rebuke him for stepping in. Events unfurled around them, tight lines of fate and action coiling and poised. She had hoped to keep any potential violence contained. Often enough, Bethany didn't get what she wanted.

​"If they persist, your men will die," she said, her voice low and swift. "If not by him, by the collapse of the building. There's nothing we can do to stop the lashing shadows. I may be able to stop him- but I won't be able to protect them- or myself- from falling debris. Get them out of here, if they will go- and-" she paused, then smiled softly at him, "and I'd appreciate if I didn't get crushed by part of the ceiling."

​She turned the trust in her physical safety from the effects of the burning shades on the building over to Veiere without a second thought. A soft breath, and Bethany plucked at the Force. It was never far, always connected. Seeking out the strands of connections, she began her weaving.

​A healer. A pacifist. The Jedi Master had sought her own path when it came to protecting herself and those around her. She had delved deeply in to the functions of the body and soul- she could walk the passages of the flesh as easily as some tread the path back to their home. Carefully, but without hesitation, she reached out to [member="Reverance"]. With the unforgiving heat of the air around them, she chose a sensation of coolness- of deep and mossy groves beneath high canopies, of trickling creek between stones, of high mountain meadows. Everything seemed slow, calm, cool.

​

Where's the cooling wind
Where's the evergreen field
Where's my mother's open arms
Where's my father lionheart
S'like the sun's gone down
Sleeps in the hallowed ground now
With the autumn's browns leaves
With the one who never grieves​

​Morichro was a technique she needed to be careful with. Used improperly, it could cause death with only the slightest of mistakes. But the Healer was conscious of the risks. She focused on the parts of Reverance that was still man- was there enough of that left to have an affect? Would his breathing slow, his eye grow heavy? Could she bring his body to a standstill and then repose? Was there even such a thing as repose and rest for someone who had gone as far as he had? Moving with the Force, Bethany felt a touch of dismay- she could feel the monstrous parts, overwhelming and ravenous. As she tread the paths, she wasn't sure there was enough of him left. The balance teetered precariously.

What does tomorrow want with me
What does it matter what I see
If we all walk behind the blind
Tell me where do we draw the line​

​

​

Whatever tomorrow wants from me
At least I'm here, at least I'm free
Free to choose to see the signs
This is my line​

​