The Return [TRE/SJO Invasion of Dromund Kaas]

[Jessica Med-Beq]

Location: Dromund Kaas orbit, CIC, SSV Tenchu
Objective: Provide close air support around the Citadel and Jungle Remnant regions
Allies: SJ [member="Ayumi Pallopides"] (direct) [member="Thurion Heavenshield"] [member="Coci Heavenshield"] [member="Jericho"] [member="Audren Sykes"] [member="Sorel Crieff"] [member="Vitha Sat-thuron"] [member="Mishka Larraq"] [member="Catherine Soja"] [member="Sko'saht"] [member="Kaden"] (indirect)
Enemies: RE [member="Tai Fa"] [member="Darth Carnifex"] [member="Vitor Avendahl"] [member="Aeterno"] [member="Vilaz Munin"] [member="Athena Heron"] [member="Maleagant"] [member="Veritas"] [member="Catalys Maijora"] [member="Vrak Nashar"]
Directly engaging: [member="Velok the Younger"] (in orbit) [member="Joon"] (surface)
Music: The Most Powerful Dash (FFTA2)

"Radiation alert in the bow section!" the life support chief told the bridge crew. "The enemy brought in a tank in the premises, bogged down by the narrowing corridors"

"Internal bulkheads have ruptured on deck 62" the chief engineer reported.

"A... tank did that?" the captain asked, shaking its head in disbelief.

"This is our one chance to capture the Sith trapped in the paralysis beams alive: bring them to the nearest brig immediately! Get some men behind the Famos emplacements and sling some thermal detonators underneath the tank while the tank absorbs fire from those: we will repair the floor later"

The tank bursting out of nowhere - in a zone afflicted by a radiation alert - was a sign that the enemy was oblivious to the radiation or even exploited it, and [member="Velok the Younger"] found his precious tank under fire from different kinds of weapons, while other troops previously assigned to the search for the mouse droids now attempt to surround the enemy tank, believing that something capable of firing a would be slow to reload, and that they can get a thermal detonator slung underneath it or two, where the tank is stuck, due to the narrow corridor the enemy tried to maneuver it, exploding in the tank's vicinity, leaving a hole in the floor where the three thermal detonators exploded, not being able to use more of those in such a cramped area. And those men throwing the thermal detonators swiftly retreated to safer locations, knowing that, in radiation alerts, it was best to run the frak away. Meanwhile, the two Sith acolytes trapped inside the paralysis beams are then bound in special shackles designed to provide feedback effects the more they try to struggle, with their lightsabers being seized beforehand, and taken further away from the mostly-contained radiation zone, with a few more radiation traveling with the guards taking the two Sith acolytes to their cells, where they will be interrogated later. Sure the radiation would spread after the hole in the deck floor has been punched and the bulkheads pierced by the enemy cannon, but the worst of it has already passed due to the decay, and would decay some more once some more time has passed.

"Citadel Group, we have additional orders: keep low and do not drop any ordnance! The Citadel is actually a city with its own civilian population!"

"Copy that, Outsider Actual" the leader of Citadel Group acknowledged, before turning to its own craft, upon his own flight spotting [member="Joon"]. "Begin Attack Pattern Delta" he ordered, while four fighters shot laser cannons at Joon below, before fanning out, as if Joon was herself a walking anti-aircraft emplacement.

"Master Med-Beq, a different contact in-system: the Pirate King, Aedan Miles" the communications officer told Jessica. "I have taken the liberty of opening a channel to him"

"This is Outsider Command: we are currently doing close air support in the Citadel and in the jungle" she told [member="Aedan Miles"] over encrypted comms.

When each group began their strafing runs, after a descent to the atmosphere where the remaining enemy fighters, if any, didn't bother with them because they hid in the sun (or whatever equivalent there is to that sort of thing), the six squadrons of attack craft forming Citadel Group began firing laser cannons at the people in jetpacks that [member="Vilaz Munin"] had in tow, in addition to any Sith close by, with Joon having the dubious distinction of being spotted first. Or Sith troops; strafing runs were also aimed at any somewhat dense formation of Sith troops to thin the enemy ranks before any ground reinforcements could make any beachhead, if they chose to deploy on the ground. Meanwhile, in the jungle, [member="Athena Heron"], [member="Maleagant"] and [member="Veritas"] would also see a similar scene being played out, with four fighters (or bombers) flying in a single flight line, firing at each of them, and then fan out in different directions after shooting at them. Whether any Sith shot at in that fashion would actually be hit after each strafing run, it would be hard to tell. Hopefully they will have scored hits on the enemy Sith...

Spoiler: Outsider Command

Capital ships:

SSV Tenchu (Tenchu-class dreadnought) Shields: 100% | Hull: 99%
SSV Midvinter (Mateus-class elite carrier) Shields: 100% | Hull: 100%
SSV Dellalt (Sionoma-class elite destroyer) Shields: 100% | Hull: 100%
SSV Kenobi (Tector-X-class Star Destroyer) Shields: 100% | Hull: 100%
SSV Gallia (Tector-X-class Star Destroyer) Shields: 100% | Hull: 100%
SSV Tano (Munificent-X-class heavy cruiser) Shields: 100% | Hull: 100%
SSV Jarrus (Munificent-X-class heavy cruiser) Shields: 100% | Hull: 100%
SSV Wren (Munificent-X-class heavy cruiser) Shields: 100% | Hull: 100%
SSV Hardcase (Lothal-class artillery cruiser) Shields: 100% | Hull: 100%
SSV Tup (Lothal-class artillery cruiser) Shields: 100% | Hull: 100%
SSV Rex (Lothal-class artillery cruiser) Shields: 100% | Hull: 100%
SSV Reath (C-9980-class assault frigate) Shields: 100% | Hull: 100%
SSV Chasin (C-9980-class assault frigate) Shields: 100% | Hull: 100%
SSV Chopper (C-9980-class assault frigate) Shields: 100% | Hull: 100%
SSV Baker (C-9980-class assault frigate) Shields: 100% | Hull: 100%
SSV Rail (C-9980-class assault frigate) Shields: 100% | Hull: 100%
SSV Honoghr (Hardcell-X-class anti-starfighter frigate) Shields: 100% | Hull: 100%
SSV Husavik (Hardcell-X-class anti-starfighter frigate) Shields: 100% | Hull: 100%

Attack craft:

312 T-70 X-Wings
144 TIE Reavers

 

[Velok the Younger]

Mission: Sink The Tenchu
[member="Jessica Med-Beq"]

The Dark Side of the Force gave access to abilities many considered to be unnatural. For example, Velok could throw rocks blindfolded, without using his hands.

The thermal detonators just bounced right back at the troops who'd thrown them. White-hot baradium explosions evaporated whatever happened to be in their precise blast radii: bodies, bulkheads, other detonators. Meter-wide round holes soon marred the corridors. Superheated metal vapor choked the air all around. The tank's repeating blaster turrets ripped into anything that moved. Antipersonnel fire glanced off the ray shield harmlessly. No doubt the ship contained weapons capable of hurting the slim, blocky Skocha, but they hadn't yet appeared on the scene.

The gigantic proton cannon fired again, this time aiming across the superstructure. The goal was to punch through the axial mount or its surroundings, bounce the round off the inside of the ship’s ultra-durable armor, and scatter hell through a deck or twelve on the rebound.

***

The radiation did not decrease. Velok had stuffed the mouse droids with an isotope whose half-life measured in years. As intended, they'd died in conduits, access shafts, and, most crucially, air ducts. The remaining twelve accessed similar ducts, water pipes, et cetera, and deployed their own payloads. Dozens of kilograms of metallic dust rushed through the ship's arteries. The radiation warnings continued to spread.

***

Meanwhile, the two Gunjack-drugged Padawans found themselves disarmed, shackled, and taken to a medical centre.

Whose radiation detectors promptly went haywire.

***

The goal here was really fairly straightforward. A ship like the Tenchu required a crew well into the quintuple digits. Starting at the prow and working back, the battlecruiser's corridors and passages had been choked by glop, shredded and torched by Famos emplacements, irradiated by a hundred curious mouse droids, holed by detonators, lacerated by the tank's repeaters and proton cannons, displaced by troops, intimidated by faux Sith berserkers, obstructed by osmotic fields and paralysis beams, and made hellaciously, ear-shatteringly noisy by the tank and all things pertaining thereunto.

The more of the ship that descended into such chaos, the less able its crew became to access their places of work, perform their duties, remain calm, remain alive.

 

[Coci Heavenshield]

Location: The Citadel
Allies: Silver Jedi and Allies
Enemies: The Resurgent Empire and Allies

Armour - Saber

[member="Thurion Heavenshield"] | [member="Jericho"]
[member="Vrak Nashar"] | [member="Joon"]


---------------------------------


The pull on the force streamed into the man in the mask, he had laid eyes on her approach and so decided to do the same. Good, I hate time wasters. Her face locked in an expression that showed nothing, nor would her entire being give any indication of her thoughts. Her intentions however, by her actions, would be clear.

A faint voice in the background managed to penetrate her focus, the Jedi Azsedo had cleared the path of massing Massassi although she could have burned them just like she had Harrison, his actions left her with an open avenue to deal with this forsaken soul. There is no redemption for this one, she knows a lost cause when she see it.

The raised arm and pointed finger directed a stream of fizzling lightning toward her, she raised her hand with open palm and allowed it to hit. Coci began to absorb the power, the energy surging through her arm and body, she centred her concentration and latched onto it and began to syphon the lightning from him.

It would not be possible to do this for long, she knew well enough the energy needed to be release and so it would, but she allowed herself to pushed to the limit before the blue ball of pure energy formed and with both hands sent it back from whence it came, with great speed.

 

[Thurion Heavenshield]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpxKvy5T9Uo​

Location: The Citadel
Allies: [member="Coci Heavenshield"] | [member="Jericho"] | SJO
Enemies: [member="Vrak Nashar"] | TRE
Directly Engaging: [Open]

The battle was well and truly joined, with Jedi and Sith forces clashing just as they had for untold millennia. Rare was the time when peace was achieved by either side, for the battle between light and dark, good and evil, hope and despair, is eternal. It is a battle of wills, beliefs, tenets and faith. It is a battle neither side can truly win, because no matter how different they are, the two are part of each other. Just as there can be no light without dark, darkness requires light to even be classified as such.

Witnessing his old fellow-apprentice quake the very earth, the Jedi now rushed forth to meet the Sith head on, with blaster fire from both sides littering the field. Leaping into the thickest of the fighting, Thurion crashed down with full force. "FOR THE LIGHT," he sounded his battlecry, with armoured fists slamming the ground upon landing to cause a massive shockwave throw the surrounding Sith off the feet. Then came the blue blade of his lightsaber shooting out of his hilt, and thus began the dance he knew better than any other.

Hacking and slicing through Sith Force-users and soldiers alike, as always during such battles his Valkyri body and Jedi mind were as one, entwined and integrated with one another so deeply and so perfectly that they may well have become another being entirely. A moment of respite had him witness his wife's duel with an unknown Sith Lord, and through their Force bond she knew to call on him if need be.

 

[Vrak Nashar]

Dromund Kaas - Citadel
Objective: Reclaim the Citadel
Directly Engaging: [member="Coci Heavenshield"]
Allies: TRE

The bright ball of energy flew towards him, sparking every few seconds and leaving a trail of singe marks in its wake.

Vrak scowled, then leaped forward. His lightsaber crackled for just a moment, the force flowing through him as his fingers ripped forward for just a moment. The Pureblood didn't try to deflect or dissipate the ball, rather he used it as an opportunity for something else. A hand swiped forward, the force bleeding before it. The ball pressed against the wave of the force, rushing towards him for just a moment before quickly bouncing forward and striking the ground.

The energy exploded, a wave of dust, debris, and lightning bounding into the air.

The deflection shrouded him within a wall of dust, but it also meant he rushed headlong into the crackling explosion. Lightning bit and tore at his skin, singing his red flesh and burning him. A scowled pulled across his lips, but Vrak ignored the pain and surged forwards.

The same hand he had used to force the ball into the ground pushed up and then forward. The wall of debris and dust would suddenly surge forward and then higher, cloaking himself and Coci in a foggy cloud. Sight became near impossible, his lightsaber almost disappearing from his view as he closed the rest of the distance between himself and the Jedi. The moment he neared her, Vrak lifted his saber-staff. The twin blades swung forward, arching towards the womans legs.

 

[Neesa]

[member="Thurion Heavenshield"] [member="Vrak Nashar"] [member="Coci Heavenshield"]

There was no fanfare to Neesa joining the battle in full. No grand display of power. She made no battle cry. Instead there were just two whispers. The first was her heavy, mottled grey cloak slipping from her shoulders; there was no need of its camouflage now. The second was the wicked splinter knife sliding from its sheath. That whisper spoke of death.

Neesa didn't approach Thurion from the front. Her concentration was dedicated to keeping her intentions and presence shielded from him for as long as possible. In one smooth motion she took two steps and flung the splinter knife for the back of his neck. Even the best armour typically left a gap there, as otherwise it prevented the wearer from looking up. The barbed tip was coated in a powerful tranquilliser and if removed would rend flesh and leave poisoned shards behind.

Then Neesa drew Sorrow and Thirst. If the throwing knife had whispered death these magically forged swords sung it as they were freed. The runes etched into the blades glowed briefly as the recognition of battle being joined.

 

[Kratacos]

Dromund Kaas - Citadel
Allies: [member="Vrak Nashar"], [member="Neesa"], [member="Joon"]
Enemies: [member="Coci Heavenshield"], [member="Jericho"]
Directly Engaging: [member="Thurion Heavenshield"]

Vraukt's lightsabre flashed from side to side as he slashed through Antarian Rangers and Jedi alike. His goal was simple, to get to the man who quite clearly led the Silver Jedi forces here. Cries of battle he gave, urging his warriors on while those onthe side of the Sith were silent. Vraukt decided that the Jedi needed it.

Had they seen the attack coming?

Maybe, maybe not. With their close proximity to each other, the Jedi should've expected the Ancient Sith world to be the first point of contact.

"JIDAI!" He cried out as Sith that the Jedi Master had previously thrown backwards began making their way back upon their feet. Vraukt pushed them out of the way, black armour and cloak sporting splatters of blood. Enemies and allies alike.

But in that moment when he called for the Jedi's attention there was a respite in the battle, opening a clear avenue for each other to engage each other. Had he noticed or not, Vraukt charged him, quickly, especially for someone of his size.

 

[Athena Heron]

Location: Jungles
Objective: Takeover outposts, preen
Enemies: [member="Jessica Med-Beq"] [member="Mishka Larraq"]
Allies:[member="Maleagant"] [member="Veritas"] [member="Aeterno"]

The half-omwait used Caid's strength readily, pushing her will into the minds of the Jurgoran herd until she felt as though she'd always been mixed within their beastly brains. From one beast to another. Explosions from the enemy cracked into the jungle nearby almost distracted her control before she was able to cement the deal. But with Caid's strength, she maintained her sticky-darkside web on influence.

Athena was thankful the environment was on their side: thick canopy jungles of vines and leaves that blocked the sky with abundant life-forms. If the bombers kept on, she wouldn't be surprised if they hit their own people. But that concern was not hers.

Dark-orbs flecked with yellows and reds snapped open, the herd of jurgoran looking at their mistress, patiently. Eyes flickered to Caid and back over her shoulder to Maleagant. A cruel, brief smile twisted its way on her pink-lips. "My precious creatures are hungry. Come. Let us take back what is ours." She paused, hearing crashing through the jungle, amidst the bombs in the distance.

Perhaps another of the dark was coming to join them.

Conversations of absences and sudden appearances with old acquaintances could come later. Much later. There was a rumbling as one of the jurgoran scooped her gently up in its massive clawed-hand and began lumbering and crashing through the undergrowth toward the outpost towers. She always had a flare for the dramatic.

 

[Zef Halo]

THE DARK TEMPLE
DROMUND KAAS

The descent into the darkness with a drop pack from high altitude cleared his mind for what was ahead. The adrenaline of such jump purified his thoughts from the creeping uneasy feeling that the structure they were heading to emitted.

Vitor's landing certainly spoke of an amateur, despite that he balanced himself well enough not to look like a complete fool. He quickly unbuckled the drop pack and left it on the ground as his eyes followed the lines of the dark temple in front of them.

The building emanated addiction and wickedness.

He wondered how much did it affect Fa and was it even affecting their ship captain - Catalys?

"You would think the Jedi would have a strong presence around such a beacon of the Dark Side."

​

[member="Tai Fa"] | [member="Catalys Maijora"]​

 

[TB-705]

THE SMALL COMPOUND​

[member="Ayumi Pallopides"]​

​

A sufficient amount of time passed since the Cathar carved his way inside the compound's doors. The fallanassi magic once concealing it now lay useless due to his usage of psychometry.

Screams started to issue from inside the compound. The life forces within the compound started to vanish, like candle flames flickering out beneath staccato gusts of wind. Some vanished one at a time, others snuffed out in whole groups.

Smoke, pungent and black, roiled out from the hole Thengil had carved in the front doors.

Several of his followers, slower to extract themselves from the orbital drop pods, picked up on their leader's scent and followed his trail into the compound. They were large Togorians, wielding their favored sc'rath swords and wearing little else beyond.

 

[Soeht]

The Imperial Citadel: The Veteran​

After Azsedo repelled the first wave of Massassi warriors, he stepped back to survey the fighting. Something caught his attention from the corner of his eye. Before [member="Vrak Nashar"]’s actions had covered the area around [member="Coci Heavenshield"] in a cloud of dust, Azsedo dashed toward where [member="Thurion Heavenshield"] was fighting.

[member="Vraukt"] already charged toward Thurion. Clenching his jaw and in midstep, Azsedo desperately reached out with one hand. The splinter knife that [member="Neesa"] threw stopped flying midair. Then with a flick of a wrist, the knife flew off as if thrown away.

Then, Azsedo pointed his lightsaber toward Neesa. Facing her, he slowly backed up toward Thurion.

“As I said,” Azsedo began with a [acronym="He'll stab you in the back, Heavenshield."]heavy breath[/acronym], “I got your back.”

 

[Aithne Charr]

LOCATION: Jungle
MISSION: Help a Mandalorian finish her mission.
ALLIES: SJO, [member="Mishka Larraq"]
ENEMIES: Sithies, and company.


Solan whistled while he walked through the jungle he had found himself in with a rather interesting man walking nearby him. [member="Atheus"] was an ally from what he knew, someone he needed the help of if he was to complete his mission today. His mission was not entirely complicated either considering that he had signed on simply to search and take out any sith he could. He normally would try to find his old friends in the Silver Jedi, those like the Heavenshields or if she was still around Joza Perl. Right now he was busy tracking down a Mandalorian that he had been told ran off in this direction, tackling it through the foliage and using the plants as his guide.

"Hey, you. You are one of Aedan's friends, no?" He glanced over at Atheus as he walked through the jungle, having been the second time he had ever met the man and even then he still did not know a great deal about the man. After signing onto this little project of Aedan's, he was unsure if he would be able to continue without being drawn into something distasteful. Most Darksiders could not resist the urge to do as they wish with the power that was given to them and he knew that Atheus might be one of those. As much as he needed this man's help, he needed to make sure that the man was not the same kind of person as a Sith, needed to make sure that he was not another one like Sin who had hated the Sith to the point of being just like them.

The Mandalorian would not be far off, but he was a bit worried about how it might react to his appearance. Something that made him place a hand on his saber while he walked and another on the gem that was in his chest pocket inside his jacket. The gem was comforting, more so than many other things he carried. It connected him to the past and to the plants and life around him. He felt it like he felt the emotions of people, a natural sixth sense so to speak and his smile slowly grew as he could sense they were getting closer. Getting rid of these Sith would be humiliating for them, to lose their ancestral home would be simply perfect of a result for their actions of the past.

Soon enough he stopped and looked to the right calling out to a life he could feel nearby.

"Mandalorian, come out. We are here to aid you."

 

[Kaden]

LOCATION: Citadel
OBJECTIVE: Defend the Citadel
ALLIES: [member="Thurion Heavenshield"] [member="Coci Heavenshield"] [member="Ayumi Pallopides"] [member="Jericho"] [member="Catherine Soja"]
ENEMIES: [member="Vrak Nashar"] [member="Soeht"] [member="Vilaz Munin"] [member="Vraukt"] [member="Darth Carnifex"] @Neesa

Boots ground rubble into dust and guts into mulch as the Sith advanced. The crescendo of death was approaching its climax and required every able body to fight on behalf of life, lest Kaas be cast into shadow once more. Amidst the screams, a cloak ruffled. It mingled with the ashen wind, catching air in its tufts and folds, as the being it draped fell to the ground below.

Guided by the force, Kaden landed on the wet duracrete with a soft thud and his cloak fell silent.

Before him, battle raged. The flurry of multicoloured lightsabers reminded one of the light operas on Coruscant, such was the finesse. Everything else was a roar. The buzz and hum, the sparks and snaps, the cries and the screams; they all fought for the competition of one's attention. Sensory overload was just as much an enemy as the encroaching Sith themselves and it had already sent a few individuals on either side into a state of manic flailing.

Kaden blinked the madness away. Focus now held his mind in its firm grasp and ushered courage to make the first move.

A brilliant blue light erupted into existence and suddenly, he was amongst it all. Kaden's double-bladed lightsaber glided through air and flesh alike, halted only momentarily by the parries of worthy opponents.

 

[Audren Sykes]

Location: Citadel
Objective: End the invasion
Allies: [member="Thurion Heavenshield"] | [member="Coci Heavenshield"] | [member="Ayumi Pallopides"] | [member=Jericho] | [member="Catherine Soja"] | [member=Kaden] | SJO
Enemies: [member="Vrak Nashar"] | [member=Soeht] | [member="Vilaz Munin"] | [member=Vraukt] | [member="Darth Carnifex"] | [member=Neesa]
Equipment: Armor | Blades | Sidearm | Lightsaber

Another week, another attack by the Sith. This one was on Dromund Kaas, and like before the Jedi had detected the attack and prepared. Fleets in orbit, armies on the ground. Shields, armor, and weapons emplacements. In short, they were ready to not only weather the storm but to break it. Thousands, maybe even tens of thousands, of Sith forces had been killed so they could reach this point before even facing Jedi. Now they were facing Jedi and finding that the vast majority were not prepared to face concerted resistance.

Thurion and Coci had taken command of the defense here at the Citadel and were actively engaging the Sith. Other Jedi were present, either actively fighting alongside Rangers and other soldiers or acting as support. Audren had waited in slight reserve, using his senses to monitor the state of the battle. There was a Jedi performing Battle Meditation to bolster the efforts of the Silver Jedi and hamper those of the Sith. The force that the Sephi waited with was not a true reserve force - that waited elsewhere if needed - but a blade waiting to slip between weak links.

Unfortunately, a flight of Mandalorian warriors spotted the reserve teams and attacked. Through the Force, Audren and the other Jedi present were aware of the assault and coordinated to wave away missiles and streams of projectiles via telekinesis while the group took what cover they could find. Casualties were taken yes, but far fewer than there otherwise could have been. To one side, someone spoke into a comm unit. Seconds later, laser cannon bolts ripped through the air at the flying Mandos. The bolts originated from two starfighters that had been held back as well but now had their tasking altered. A few Jedi slung rocks at their attackers, or reached out directly to try and interfere with jetpacks through the Force. Then it was time.

"Go."

At that simple word, snipers pulled their triggers and soldiers rushed to the fronts to add their weight to the battle. They were force added when the Sith soldiers were just starting to get used to what had been arrayed against them. Jedi as well. The Master didn't rush, but he did make his way to the front lines. Blaster bolts that came too close were deflected away through the Force, and his lightsaber remained unlit. At least, that was the case until a Sith was rushing at him. The crimson lightsaber was swung like a sports bat, all muscle. It was simple to duck beneath it and bisect the attacker. From there the orange blade stayed alive, deflecting blaster bolts back into Sith soldiers and intercepting onrushing Sith. While the Sephi didn't go out of his way to end any but the most intense fights, he worked to make a difference in them. The minor application of telekinesis to trip up a Sith and give the Jedi opponent the advantage. A slash - or even the threat of a slash - to distract the dark siders and influence the fight.

Understandably, there were multiple Sith congregating towards the Heavenshields. They were in the thick of things, and anyone who wounded or even brought them down would win galactic acclaim among the enemies of the Jedi. While he didn't actively intend to do so, the flow of battle had him moving slowly in that direction as well.

 

[Velok the Younger]

Mission: Sink the Tenchu
[member="Jessica Med-Beq"]

ONE HOUR AGO

Jesper Caldwin awoke in the cockpit of an unfamiliar transport. His mind waded through fog and recognized it: the old Fringe transport where he'd fallen asleep after the battle at Corbula. The old Whiphid Jedi had dragged him aboard after they'd both received a lethal dose of radiation.

Them, and Janna.

His sister shivered in a corner behind the seats. She greeted him with a wan smile. “What a way to go. Always thought it’d be Sith that got us.”

Memory flooded back as he struggled to think: taking those expired anti-radiation meds. Seeking sanctuary at the nearest Jedi stronghold - Dromund Kaas - only to find it under assault. The powerful mental pressure that the old Whiphid Master had called a Phobis Device. The blade-shaped Sith command ship that held the device. Janna’s realization, despite the potent mental fog, that the old.Fringe ship’s stealth suite could let them slip aboard near the main battery. The Whiphid - K’Kruhk, he'd called himself, an occasional visitor at the small Corbula enclave - spending his remaining strength to give Jesper and Janna a little more energy for the boarding attempt.

Now K’Kruhk slumped over the controls, spent. He had a radiation deflection badge, sadly exhausted by the sheer force of the Sith rad spike back at Corbula. Age took its toll on the old Whiphid, and yet he'd given all he had to empower the two Padawans for one desperate attack.

It had worked. The enemy Phobis Device's mental pressure would remain until Jesper and Janna destroyed it - but he felt strong. Stronger than he ever had. Janna wasn't shivering, she was trembling with energy.

“You gave us too much of yourself, Master,” said Jesper, checking the buckles of his armor. His tongue felt swollen - the expired rad stim, maybe. “You'll die.”

The Whiphid shuddered out a laugh. “And join my ancestors in the Force. All of us will. There's no tragedy in that. All that matters is what we accomplish while we can.” One shaking claw lifted off the controls and gestured at the oncoming prow of the command ship. “This transport carried a hundred disguised Sith sabotage droids. Once you and Janna cut through the armor - make the hole wide - let the droids go first. They'll exhaust-” The Whiphid hacked out a cough. “-and scatter the defenses. Then you make your move. Charge and keep charging until you find the Phobis Device.”

He had to repeat the instructions twice before they stuck, but stick they did.

END FLASHBACK

 

[Connor Harrison]

LOCATION: The Citadel, Dromund Kaas
OBJECTIVE: Take the Citadel; Destroy the Jedi Knights
ALLIES: [member="Vrak Nashar"] | [member="Stephanie Brown"] | [member="Vilaz Munin"] | [member="Darth Carnifex"] | [member="Vraukt"]
ENEMIES: [member="Thurion Heavenshield"] | [member="Coci Heavenshield"] | [member="Jessica Med-Beq"] | [member="Kaden"]

--

Joon had just thrown an old Jedi Knight headfirst off the roof of the building she was crossing with a grin when she was blown back herself, falling two floors down and through a balcony, crashing to the ground - thankfully cushioned by a body.

A blast from a fighter above had cut her down to ground level, and she wasn't happy.

Rolling over with a snarl, a shard of stone sticking out of her back, Joon pulled it out and cried in pain - and pleasure - as she wiped the blood down her face and snatched her lightsaber from her hand.

She had been hurt, and now she had the scent of blood. The Citadel was ahead, and she was making her way for it one way or another.

She ignited her crimson blade with a gloriously sharp snap-hiss and followed the edges of the buildings down the street, looking for anyone she could bludgeon and take down in her path.

 

[Eugen Aker]

Location: Space > Citadel
Objective: Obliterate the Sith (Challenging [member="Vilaz Munin"] for a duel when I find him on the surface)
Allies: SJO and Friends
Enemies: TRE and Friends

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2C6G3PCpqw ​

At the edge of Dromund Kaas's orbit, several groups of fighters and gunships would revert back into real space. These groups would then split into smaller squadrons and flights as they initially picked out larger capital ships for destruction for an attack to the rear as the Sith pressed on with their mindless advance against the planetwide blockades of Silver Jedi. Fencer drones would begin beaming these ships with their signal jammers to begin sewing chaos within the ranks of the Sith formations. From their large bomb bays, Cyclones would release their complement of intruder missiles in staggered salvos, filling the space with hundreds of them on their way to targets. Just one intruder missile was often enough to spell the doom for a struck warship. Escorts of A-Wings and Fencers buzzed around the Cyclones as an interdiction force to deal with the inevitable retaliation by enemy interceptors that would come their way as the Sith realized what was occurring.

It was nice big flashy opening of the Silver Jedi's reinforcements, but also just a distraction. Among the waves of attack craft, there would be a small group of Eidolon transports that initially moved with them, the stealthy vessels having used them as cover to mask their own Cronau radiation upon reversion. As the fighters and gunships did their thing, these transports would break off in full stealth mode, nimbly weaving through the maze of ships and their fire on their way to the surface.

Within their holds, the Eidolons held Jedi strike teams reinforced by fireteams of Ysanna riflemen, the race of force sensitive warriors arguably the best shots in the galaxy. Leading this strike force was Arisa herself, going straight to ground this time around in her endless struggle against the Sith. The General and Jedi Master had figured out that, no matter ships she destroyed, or armies she decimated, that wouldn't matter in the end. There would always be endless pools of obedient drones to replenish their losses. To deal with the Sith, she needed to cut the head off the snake. So she was heading right for the Citadel to relieve her Jedi allies and eliminate the Sith.

Through her neural link, she would receive a flood of updates from the local battlenet. It seemed that Mandalorians had also joined the party. So the Mandalorians had come full circle, the ones originally to bring devastation to this planet, which the Sith then subsequently abandoned as they set their eyes Coreward.

She wasn't bothered by this news. In fact, it presented an opportunity. If she were to guess, she imagined the same Sith-loving Mandalorians would all be down there on the surface. That would likely include Vilaz Munin, who never seemed to miss a battle. Once before, on the blood-soaked sands of Kachirho, she had challenged the then Mand'alor to a duel for the title as a Padawan. As the Force would have it, though, interlopers had gotten in the way of that, robbing her of one final chance to save the Republic.

Never again. At the citadel, she would not only reap the heads of the Sith, but also that of the Munin.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ji3MJksAYGo​

Spoiler

[member+"Thurion Heavenshield"] [member="Coci Heavenshield"] [member="Ayumi Pallopides"] [member="Jericho"] [member="Catherine Soja"] [member="Kaden"] | SJO
[member="Vrak Nashar"] | [member="Soeht"] | [member="Vilaz Munin"] | [member="Vraukt"] | [member="Darth Carnifex"] | [member="Neesa"] [member="Audren Sykes"]

 

[Jessica Med-Beq]

Location: Dromund Kaas orbit, CIC, SSV Tenchu
Objective: Provide close air support around the Citadel and Jungle Remnant regions
Allies: SJ [member="Ayumi Pallopides"]
Enemies: RE [member="Velok the Younger"]
Music: The Most Powerful Dash (FFTA2)

"The main cannon has been disabled" the chief engineer reported, while the enemy fired another round in the direction of the superstructure.

"Casualties stand at about 80, captain" the forward medical officer reported to the CIC.

"Don't fret: even though firing it was what caused the enemy to board the ship in the first place, we can still win in space without it" Julie commented after the report from the chief engineer. "Remind me to evacuate the crew once repairs are underway"

"That's most... puzzling: Voss was some sort of feint as a prelude to this invasion. The Sith's elite naval officers were deployed on Voss, and were swiftly defeated"

With holes being pierced into the deck floor where Famos emplacements used to be, the tank is now surrounded by holes large enough to make the corridor impassable without grav-boots or other repulsorlift-powered means. That, even though the glop being indiscriminately dropped earlier became brittle soon afterward. But there was an opening for precisely one KV-1 Bengal to fire a heavy particle cannon at the enemy tank from two decks below. Onboard the Tenchu, there were hundreds of vehicles for ground assaults, but they were scattered everywhere onboard the ship precisely because of its labyrinthine layout. Which may cause problems if ground reinforcements were required even though this does not appear to be the case at this point, especially not since [member="Aedan Miles"] and [member="The Librarian"] were coming in with troops in tow. Inspired by the trick Jessica used in the Rift campaign (which was lost in the Rift proper) to defeat the main Primeval army, the tank crew promptly exploits that opening: best case-scenario, the shields of the enemy tank would be brought down and they may fire another shot, worst-case scenario, the enemy would simply fall back to safety while the floor deck is cut off underneath the tank. At the same time, the radiation alerts spread and, for now, most of the radiation is spread over the forward-most 100 meters (and the breach into the spinal mount is in the first 50 meters of the nearly 1200m-long spinal mount) but once the battle is over, there will be roughly the same amount of total radiation, becquerel-wise, perhaps a tiny bit less (given the length of the half-life), only spread across all the ship. Which would probably give the crew about a day or two to return for emergency repairs that included venting the ship away, having an emergency shipment of anti-radiation medicines flown in and replacing the consumables, provided the ship survived the battle. Meanwhile, in the sickbay where the two disarmed Sith berserkers were taken, the Geiger counters went haywire when placed close to the patients, which was the sign that anti-radiation medications were required as an emergency; they were each given several dose sof anti-radiation medications, as was safe in their condition and for their physiology. In addition, they were being medically monitored until they could be taken into custody.

"That is never going to work: strafing runs prove useless in the dense jungle" the commander of the jungle group reported.

"Intercept any enemy reinforcement transports that might descend into the jungle: make their landing zone hot. That will work, especially since nearly all their airpower has been tied up in orbit or annihilated altogether"

"We seem to have had more success in the Citadel: we scored a few hits on a few Sith and their line infantry" the commander of the Citadel group reported in shortly afterward.

"I believe Thurion Heavenshield and his subordinates can take care of the enemy forces on the Citadel's ground from the here on out: just patrol the airspace around the Citadel for enemy reinforcements, ground or air"

While bombers weren't really intended to fight against other airborne targets, against what the Resurgent Empire managed to align for landing craft, they were apparently just fine. Making the landing zone hot was going to be the task of those squadrons: they pulled up to altitudes where they could go strafe any high-value target 60 (and perhaps even 30 in the Citadel's case) seconds after being spotted. And they could swiftly be called up to orbit if the enemy sent reinforcements in space. That's a big if: the Resurgent Empire proved to be worse than the Brotherhood of Darkness for space stuff, she thought, while realizing that the rhythm at which explosions occurred in orbit was steadily declining.

Spoiler: Outsider Command

Capital ships:

SSV Tenchu (Tenchu-class dreadnought) Shields: 100% | Hull: 98%
SSV Midvinter (Mateus-class elite carrier) Shields: 100% | Hull: 100%
SSV Dellalt (Sionoma-class elite destroyer) Shields: 100% | Hull: 100%
SSV Kenobi (Tector-X-class Star Destroyer) Shields: 100% | Hull: 100%
SSV Gallia (Tector-X-class Star Destroyer) Shields: 100% | Hull: 100%
SSV Tano (Munificent-X-class heavy cruiser) Shields: 100% | Hull: 100%
SSV Jarrus (Munificent-X-class heavy cruiser) Shields: 100% | Hull: 100%
SSV Wren (Munificent-X-class heavy cruiser) Shields: 100% | Hull: 100%
SSV Hardcase (Lothal-class artillery cruiser) Shields: 100% | Hull: 100%
SSV Tup (Lothal-class artillery cruiser) Shields: 100% | Hull: 100%
SSV Rex (Lothal-class artillery cruiser) Shields: 100% | Hull: 100%
SSV Reath (C-9980-class assault frigate) Shields: 100% | Hull: 100%
SSV Chasin (C-9980-class assault frigate) Shields: 100% | Hull: 100%
SSV Chopper (C-9980-class assault frigate) Shields: 100% | Hull: 100%
SSV Baker (C-9980-class assault frigate) Shields: 100% | Hull: 100%
SSV Rail (C-9980-class assault frigate) Shields: 100% | Hull: 100%
SSV Honoghr (Hardcell-X-class anti-starfighter frigate) Shields: 100% | Hull: 100%
SSV Husavik (Hardcell-X-class anti-starfighter frigate) Shields: 100% | Hull: 100%

Attack craft:

312 T-70 X-Wings
144 TIE Reavers

 

[Velok the Younger]

Mission: Sink the Tenchu
[member="Jessica Med-Beq"]

Through the numerous breaches in the dreadnought's decks, a titanic particle beam reached out to give the Skocha a love tap. Shields dropped, the beskar tank rocked, and one of the three heavy repeaters fell silent. The tank lurched away from the gap as its shields began to recharge. Its main turret couldn't depress far enough to return fire, and lingering by that gap was a bad move anyway.

The second enemy shot missed by a hair and punched yet another hole in the Tenchu’s internals.

With the axial mount silenced, the Skocha’s turret traversed to point, once more, down the Tenchu's long axis. The Bengal's bunker-leveling particle cannon could more or less match the Skocha's proton cannon for firepower, but particle beams exploded furiously as soon as they struck. By contrast, proton cannons had far greater penetrating power - this exact cannon had punched through Acclamators. The Skocha fired, and its rapid-reload functionality came into play. One shot after another, each shredding internal bulkheads, the Skocha began to hammer out a long thin tunnel to the ship’s heart.

***

The drugged Padawans’ vital signs dropped rapidly. They hadn't just been irradiated, they'd had radioactive material packed inside their armor - and now the med bay was being irradiated too. A good bit of its paneling and equipment would need replacing before it could do much for the mounting casualties.

***

The twelve surviving mouse droids jacked into various scomp links, at which point the Tenchu's advanced electronic defenses ate them alive. They were entirely out of the game, except as small bombs: scuttling charges went poof. Fare thee well, mouse droids.

 

[Catherine Soja]

The Citadel, Dromund Kaas
Objectives: Defend the citadel, decimate Sith forces.
Allies: SJO and all other friendly forces.
Enemies: [member="Joon"] [member="Vitor Avendahl"] and other sith

As Catherine’s forces rained down fire she called in secondary groups. Each one began to move in on the flanks. With even more blaster fire and blaster cannon shots and repeating blasters the rapid torrent of fire began to overwhelm some of the acolytes who fell as they were pelted. “Delta Brigade move in start forming the trap. But keep it down some until their main group comes in. Then we spring it.” She noticed the sith below watching formations and movements with a keen eye. Above small flights of fighters and attack craft flew doing seemingly weak strafing runs. But these were a ruse as they gathered and waited for the trap. She'd wait till the sith tried a bigger push.