Dominion The Secret of The Promised Land [Silver Jedi Concord Dominion of Taris/Hodasal Hex]

[Amani Serys]

Objective 2
Kei Westbrook | Yula Perl | Cadere | Mathieu Brion | Inara Basai | Marus Saretti | Acaadi | Kyra Perl | Jyoti Nooran | Charlie Nooran |

Amani finished up responding to whatever questions the group had left. It felt strange having this many people, even some above her in rank, looking to her for answers. But, if it meant she was playing her part, she was glad to take up the responsibility.

“No, I think that about covers it.” Amani nodded to Kei Westbrook. Cadere and Mathieu Brion quipping between each other managed to lighten the mood at least a little bit, and even elicit a single snort of laughter from Amani. Just don’t die. As much as it was a sarcastic comment, it was... kind of true. Her spirits were even further lifted as the medic in the back ( Inara Basai ) made her presence, and the serum’s presence, known, “That’s great, thank you. We’ll make do.” At least now they stood a marginally better chance than before.

There had been a pause in the action, when a few stray gunshots ( Marus Saretti ) brought a new swarm of them crawling out of the woodwork. Distant snarls and growls were suddenly much closer as the rakghouls descended on the group in a matter of moments. Several of the infected broke through a nearby manhole out of the sewers. Reactively, Amani threw them back again with the Force, causing them to pile up and at least slow their advance momentarily. Another one leapt at her from the side, and the padawan brought out her staff just in time for the creature to bite down on the haft of it instead of her arm. She kept its flurry of claws at just enough of a distance to stop it from hitting her body, but was caught in a contest of strength with the monster, “Everyone... still... alive?”

 

[Mathieu Brion]

O B J E C T I V E . 2

Objective: 2 - Rakghouls
Tags: Kei Westbrook | Cadere | Amani Serys | Yula Perl | Inara Basai | Marus Saretti | Jyoti Nooran | Acaadi | Kyra Perl | Charlie Nooran | Mathieu Brion

The new woman's, Inara's, presence was welcome as she seemed to be dressed similarly to a medic or some other form of soldier and had a sense for how much serum they had. Hopefully, it wouldn't be necessary to use it but in an emergency, at least she was there to help them get through the day. He was more used to being treated by non-force sensitive healers anyways.

The peace they had would not be allowed to remain for long, it seemed. Another could be seen fighting the beasts in the distance and at the same time, a massive number of Rakghouls emerged and darted towards the position of the group. Bringing out his blaster pistol, Mathieu opened fire upon the horde, hitting a few of them but what truly put a halt to their charge was Amani's impressive force fueled push, staggering most of the creatures coming at them.

Kei had charged off towards the guy in the distance, proficiently wading his way through the monsters on his way there. In a sense, it looked elegant but of course, it was not quite on the level of someone using Makashi. But then, it was ultimately efficiency and safety that counted here and in that regard, he was good. Normally, it would be worrisome to see someone rush off like Kei did - but then he was a master and having met with him a few times, Mathieu had faith in his capacities.

While primarily focusing on thinning the numbers of the many foes up front, hearing the vile noises of a Rakghoul up close caught his attention. It was attacking Amani but she had managed to fend it off with her staff. There was no doubt in the new Padawan's mind that she could fend for herself but if they were to survive this encounter, working together seemed to be of key importance and with that in mind, he shot at the creature, hoping that it would allow the Mirialan to redirect her efforts to the larger group of Rakghouls. He had already observed that she was a powerful force and had a hunch that she could do more to stop the hoard than he could.

Stepping to the front of the group, Mathieu kept firing until the beasts came uncomfortably close at which point he quickly holstered his blaster and drew both the practice sword and the stun baton. Neither weapon was too efficient in killing beasts - at least not when compared to a lightsabre, but they would get the job done. Physically strong, tall and wearing full heavy armour, the Morellian started to intercept the Rakghouls as they got closer, making use of slashes, bashes and kicks. While the attacks were not always lethal, it did create space and vulnerabilities which could be exploited, either by himself or the others. Internally, Mathieu was thanking the stars for how the Mirialan had managed to stagger them as the task would have been nigh on impossible if they had all been allowed to attack at once.

 

[Centin Tillo]

Objective 1
Tags: Sakadi Marathi Sinvala Tracyn Ordo Josh Dragovalor Ura Iolar Risen

“Sorry I’m late master.”

Centin sidled up next to Risen and joined the small band of Jedi as they delved deeper into the cave. Everything about their new environment felt off. There was something intangible that caused a tingling across all of his senses and he was slowly growing jumpy. Each shadow cast on the walls was a brief glimpse at a potential threat, each echo a sign of incoming danger.

Sword in hand, he continued to advance with the group, lagging near the rear. The swath of inky black darkness that accompanied them on all sides made him even more uneasy as they progressed.

He was unfamiliar with most of the group, save for his own teacher and Ura, a fellow padawan he had briefly encountered a few times before. Even despite his unfamiliarity, he had faith that their group was strong, though exactly how strong remained to be seen.

“So, what exactly do we know about what happened here?” he asked the others in a hushed tone. “The others vanished searching for the Promised Land, sure, but don’t we know anything more?”

 

[Marus Saretti]

Objective: 2
With: Acaadi Amani Serys Cadere Inara Basai Kei Westbrook Kyra Perl Mathieu Brion Yula Perl

It didn't take the first pack or two of rakghouls long to find him and the others nearby; by that point, he'd already holstered his Enforcer pistol, switching it out for one of the blasters he'd managed to pick up. Ammunition was expensive for specialty weapons, after all. Still, while he was a crack shot, there was no way to take out the massive number of creatures that had surrounded him. Of course, this had to be how things would end; hustled into joining a cult, dropped on a ship off to Taris, and then torn apart by a swarm of ravenous mutants.

"Just my luck, isn't it?" he muttered to himself, before ducking under a clawed swipe from one of the pale, glistening creatures. Kicking it in the face—at least, he thought that was its face—he rolled backwards, coming up in a kneel as he shot the stunned monster. At least he wouldn't go down without a fi—

Wait. What was that weird humming sound?

And why did everything smell like ozone and burning flesh? He hadn't shot that many—

"Get back to the pack kid, go!"

He nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt the unfamiliar hand on his shoulder. He glanced up at the man that had just come up beside him, before glancing backwards at the swathe cut through the horde behind them. "I need to get one of those things," he grumbled, gesturing at the lightsaber.

Pew. Another rakghoul down. The grip of the blaster vibrated slightly, warning him that there were only five shots left in the power cell. "Must be nice not to have to worry about ammunition." He turned fully, letting Kei cover his back as he made his way over to the group behind him. Not that it was entirely easy going, of course; there were still more rakghouls coming, all of which needed dealt with.

Combat roll!

Matrix dodge!

Duck, punch, and—

With a yelp, Marus fell as one of the beasts hip-checked him, tripping him over the corpses of some others. Before it could descend and start feasting upon his tender flesh, however, he fired the remaining few shots he had in his pistol, and the steaming corpse fell upon him.

Leaving him trapped in the middle of a pile of dead, moist, clammy rakghouls.

While he could hear more coming.

So, he did the most logical thing, and screamed:

"GET IT OFF ME!"

 

[Inara Basai]

Objective: 2
With: Amani Serys , Kei Westbrook, Mathieu Brion , Cadere

Inara offered an affable smile to Amani and anyone that turned her way after she'd spoken up. But that smile faded the moment screaming was heard echoing through-out the area. Her eyes grew wide at the sight of a lone man ( Marus Saretti ) fighting – and drawing the attention of a horde of Rakghouls.

Reaching back, she retrieved the blaster rifle on her back and swallowed the lump in her throat.

She'd been through basic; she'd prepared for this. But not really, not for this – not for these hideously frightening creatures. Even from where they were, she could see the black-hued liquid oozing out of the fallen Rakghoul's wounds. This was like something out of a holo-film, not real life.

The rifle shook in her hands, and she watched, awe-struck, as the Mirialan woman blew the oncoming Rakghouls back. One of their group (Kei), had moved to assist the man that had stumbled out into view. And Inara's wide-eyed gaze only grew as an armored man stepped to the front of their pack, pressing the beasts back with blaster fire. So gallant was he, as the man, Mathieu, continued to fight with a sword and baton.

But Inara shook herself and stared down the sight of her rifle.

These aren't people, she reminded herself sternly. And she fired – taking out some of the creatures that Mathieu had previously injured, finishing the job. Ranger basic training echoed in her mind. She was a medic, and that defined her job description, but if she could keep her fellows from getting injured in the first place, that was certainly preferred.

Then, the man from before yelled -- GET IT OFF ME.

Inara jumped, but ran to assist -- and shoved the Rakghoul corpses off him. "C'mon," she urged the man. "Let's get back before--"

Before there were more upon them.

 

[Josh Dragovalor]

Objective 1

"Oh no, you're just in time" the Master spoke curtly towards Centin Tillo when he made his appearance, greeting him with a small smile in turn as their vessel went down into the Promised Land. The more the merrier, so long as they didn't get separated. With whatever was calling them, they couldn't afford to whatsoever. But when they touched down, it appeared that things were darker than they could have hoped. Literally. It was practically pitch black, with not even enough light to see their own footsteps.

"I got it" Josh promised as he sniffed the air a moment to ensure that there was nothing explosive around, before holding out a hand and summoning a candlestick's worth of fire from his pointer finger. Moving it about to try and get a good look around the area, at least now they could see each other. "Unfortunately, we know fairly little. Just that whatever this Promised Land entails, it isn't friendly."

He peered downwards, seeing footprints. "Looks like we have a lead to start with, at least. Tracks look like they're just a few days old, at best. Anyone have ideas on how we should proceed?"

Ura Iolar I Sakadi Marathi Sinvala I Tracyn Ordo I Risen

 

[Ura Iolar]

Objective 1
Centin Tillo Sakadi Marathi Sinvala Risen Josh Dragovalor Tracyn Ordo

Ura looked over at Josh, nodding as she looked around. Thankfully she could still see in the dark, thanks to her Force Sight. "Right, Master. I'll be car.... Do you hear that?" She could almost hear a call as she looked around. She wasn't sure what she was looking for, but she became as she looked around before quickly reforming to a normal humanoid form. She shifted he mass a little, clearly worried as she looked around.

She looked to Centin, but before she could say anything Josh spoke up. She then heard the note of the tracks, and a question of how to proceed. Ura looked around again, Once again hearing something. Gah! Crazy Force calling from whatever the Promised Land was! It didn't help that Ura was partially made of Force. She looked at the others, trying to ignore the call.

"Well.... We should probably follow the tracks."

 

[Cadere]

Objective 2
Amani Serys | Kei Westbrook | Yula Perl | Mathieu Brion | Inara Basai | Marus Saretti | Acaadi | Kyra Perl | Jyoti Nooran | Charlie Nooran |

Playfully nudging the Morellian's ( Mathieu Brion ) practically duracrete bicep, he quipped back "What would I ever do without you, Stretch?" flashing him a wink and a goofy smile. With the appearance of the other healer Inara Basai and the revelation she had some serum to combat the effects of the plague if anyone gets bitten, put him at ease slightly - in his mind, it also allowed him to be a bit more aggressive with his lightsaber although he only had one serum to fall back on if he was dumb enough to get bit or clawed.

Then they were off, the Kiffar watched as a growing swarm of Rakghouls appeared and began to make their assault on the group. "Hoooooo boy." he said igniting his lightsaber amongst the collective snap-hissing of the other lightsaber wielders in the area, Cas followed Amani's Force push with his own making sure to hold the hoard off for a bit more longer. Seeing the Jedi Master Kei Westbrook in action and assisting Marus Saretti swiftly reminded Cas that he wasn't the top dog here right now, and that he still had much to learn.

"Yeah, think I came a bit under-dressed though." Cas answered Amani, referring to his lack of armor compared to the majority of the group. With a twirl of his lightsaber, he horizontally struck at a Rakghoul that had gotten too close, bisecting it in a blinding yellow flash. The Kiffar shuddered at the sound of the infected creature's grotesque growling but fortunately, it alerted him to what was close by.

Ducking low, he narrowly avoided being attacked by a lunging Rakghoul before quickly standing back up and whipping his lightsaber behind him in a reverse grip, throwing his organic arm forward he pushed it away with a light Force push. "GET IT OFF ME!" caused his ears to perk and for his body to twist in the direction of the call for help. The Knight saw Inara rush to the aid of the guy stuck under a Rakghoul corpse, following behind her to provide backup as she helped him out. Cas thrust his lightsaber into the abdomen of a Rakghoul attempting to catch the pair off-guard "Nope! Cannibalism bad!" he quipped... was it even cannibalism at this point? Driving his lightsaber upward, he split the Rakghoul into two. Seeing more on the way, Cas felt this was already getting tedious.

 

[Kyra Perl]

Objective 2
Tag: Acaadi

Amani Serys Cadere Inara Basai
Kei Westbrook Mathieu Brion Yula Perl Kyra Perl

OBJECTIVE TWO

"We get to visit all the best places," Acaadi said to Kyra. "I actually thought this was the sewer."

It wasn't the sewer. It was the lower levels of Taris. Places that only those with no place to go with inhabit. They smelled just as bad as a sewer. It was fortunate that they weren't densely populated or else the plague would have been out of control by now.

Acaadi was feeling ready to become a full Jedi Knight. This mission involved facing up to demons from his past.

There were many experiences that haunted his dreams. He knew that to be a Knight he had to be ready to face up to any of them. He had been trapped below ground with sith spawn before, fighting his way to freedom.

If he managed today then he felt that his final challenge was to meet a sith in battle once more and to stand his ground. These were all personal battles. Acaadi had explained some of this logic to Kyra on the way here.

"I hear fighting."

Acaadi usually wore light clothing so he could move freely. Today we wore armour across most of his body. Better to be a little slower than to catch a claw and end up infected with the plague.

Kyra's departure from Silver Rest had been abrupt and unexplained to most on the outside, but it was not a departure from the order. Despite her conviction to turn shadow and infiltrate The Sith Empire alongside Thirdas Heavenshield , she was still someone's padawan, child, and friend.

Caedyn Arenais had been in close contact with his padawan. The mission to locate Nida was a long and complex one, and a home base had been established. At his bequest, Kyra had taken a break from her fruitless search with Thirdas Heavenshield to come accompany her peers at Taris. It was a training moment, Kyra knew her Master wanted nothing but to help prepare her for what lay ahead.

He supported her mission. Even if it was emotion-riddled and foolishly dangerous. He knew better than to try and direct her off course. They had struck this compromise-- one they could both live with. And so here she was.

All she could think about was how she wanted to be back out there, shuffling through Odesson's underworld trying to scrounge up answers.

Her metal hand twitched, then reached out to tuck her padawan braid behind her ear. Acaadi had his stolen saber back, but he did not have answers about the night she had cut off her own dud arm. No one did. Kyra didn't want to talk, she just wanted to move. She had listened quietly as Acaadi confessed his goal for today.

His reminder of Kintan and the tunnels they had been trapped in brought goosebumps across her flesh. He had fought sith spawn. She had fought Darth Prazutis , at lease one of them could resolve their fears today. She resisted the urge to take his hand, the sounds of fighting reaching her too.

Her new saber flew into her left hand, her right still too... clumsy, compared the to non-dominate hand she had been forced to use while downed. Ironically. The hue of Caedyn Arenais gifted hand-me down lit up the dark path of street around them, reflecting of the black body suit she wore. Neither of them looked like themselves here. The under belly of Tarish did indeed smell like a sewer. She crinkled her nose, gesturing onwards. "Then let's go."

She walked first, a buffer for Acaadi and the fears he had to face. She hadn't been there for him on Kintan, a wall of rock had separated them. She hadn't been there for him on Yurb, his fighting quadrant prevented it. They hadn't been there for each other time over time again, but that all changed today.

 

[Okkeus Dainlei]

Objective 3: Shopping

A slash was drawn through a box.

On his datapad he was scrolling through his checklist. On this list was every single planet that he had visited. Though an ambitious goal, his master plan was to visit all of the planets. From what he had heard not many people have done this. It is certainly an inspiring dream.

Saving the list he shut off the datapad, tucking it away in his bag. Many of the Jedi has gone down to the lowest level, trying to find the missing knight and Padawan. But today he opted to spend some time exploring the city in some much-needed downtime.

The mid levels were bustling with activity. Many shops had set up tables outside of the buildings, enjoying the nice weather. To the left a shop was selling some good smelling desserts. Tiring to his right was a shop selling some exotic purses and handbags. But that wasn’t what he was after.

Turning back to the left he approached a little shop. He had heard some stories about this place and the man that worked inside. Apparently the owner was a from the same species as the legendary Master Yoda himself.

Opening the door he stepped inside. The shop was filled with different trinkets. Many different Durasteel and wooden models were hanging from the ceiling. As he looked up he started listing off the ships he saw: X-Wings, B-Wings, Ties, CR-90s, and evening some Star Destroyers.

In the distances he heard the sound of wood being sanded. Looking over he saw a man sanding down a recently-finished wooden Super Star Destroyer. He wonder how long that must have taken. Walking up to the man the he looked up from his work.

“Hello, Asal Wiss, my name is. To my shop I welcome you. Help you, I can?”

The man had long, dark hair flowing out of his head. It went almost to his legs. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out a white crystal.

“I was told you could help tell me what this is.”

Opening his hand he showed the man the crystal. His green hand reached out as he grabbed it. Bringing it close to his eye he examined it. Lifting up the crystal he looked at it through the lights. After a few minutes he handed back to the Jedi.

“What you have yourself is a Firkrann. These types of crystals are able to hold electrical charges very well. Where did you find it?”

Honestly, he stole it from an abandoned Hutt temple. But he decided that wouldn’t be the best answer.

“I bought it from a market stall for a few credits. The seller thought it was some sort of pearl.”

The man chuckled at the his reply.

“Well, it is most definitely not a pearl. Here, let me show you something.”

Hopping down from the table the man guided him to a back room. Waving his green hand he heard the door lock and the ‘Open’ sign flip to ‘Closed’. Looking again at the wooden Super Star Destroyer he looked at all the intricate details put into it. Tiring back to the man he had opened a door leading into a dark room. Where was the man taking him?

 

[Griet van Vliet]

Objective 3: False charities

"The Purple Shift bids welcome to Taris. As you have seen on Iokath, not many were spared the blue nonagon of the Sith Civil War" the Gree suspect told Griet.

"Blue nonagon? Does it mean devastation, chaos, turmoil or something else altogether? Also, please show us the donation records"

Because of the rakghoul threat still lingering on Taris, Griet thought appropriate to come to the planet with her oversized gun at the ready, and a suitcase that contains not only ammunition, but also a datapad and other items that are useful on a forensic audit. The problem with the Gree was that they used idioms containing a color and a geometric shape, or an angle, for items that had no geometric meaning. While I could understand them naming a charity the Purple Shift, blue nonagon I have no clue, she thought, while Griet was shown the makeshift office near the Transport Station 5 the Gree suspect used to operate the suspicious charity. At the same time, the Gree suspect showed the construction work being done around the transport station to ensure that the area would become livable for the refugees from the Sith Civil War as well as for refugees from the Bryn'adul, in an attempt to distract Griet from the funding sources of the Purple Shift. Yes, it seemed that many charities these days were funded from dirty money, and hid their fraudulent nature by actually doing what they claim. But that caused problems from refugees: would they actually keep using their services if they realized the providers are ultimately borne from criminal misdeeds?

 

[Charlie Nooran]

//: Objective 2 //:
//: Jyoti Nooran //:

---

---

​

Pulling on a thick layer of clothing over the armorweave she wore, Charlie nodded at her doting mother. The woman was a rare sight in the field, but when she did step foot off the ship and out of the gardens of Kiribi, it meant things were out of hand. Charlie wondered if Jyoti forgot that the girl had been in several combat situations, wandered the galaxy as a Jedi, and could slam a half-pound bantha burger in mere seconds. Rakghouls were just another obstacle that stood in the way of peace. ​

​

A soft groan came from the older teenager as she strapped on the leather belt and harness for her twin hammers. Combat and fighting were easy; it had been most of her life. What was hard was when she had to be an actual teenager. Lucky for her, she was able to have that separation - without Jyoti, she wouldn’t have had the chance. When Charlie thought about that, she instantly felt terrible for the trouble she would give the former grandmaster. As the Echani finished her small lecture, the girl smiled and nodded, quite the change from the angsty teenage noises. “I’ll be careful, promise.” ​

​

Charlie took a few steps, coming from behind the woman. Slender arms wrapped around the waist of the older woman as Charlie hugged her mother tightly. A rare moment from the girl, but one that conveyed her feelings. Jyoti had been the best master anyone could have asked for, and the best mother the girl could have ever been blessed with. “Thank you.” It was all the K’paur needed to say and then let go, not wanting to embarrass herself. ​

​

Returning to the cool teenager she was, Charlie pulled back some of her stray raven black hair and clipped it back. Shaking her arms and legs, she worked out the pre-combat, pre-mission jitters. Charlie was ready for whatever rakghouls decided to cross her path.​

 

[Risen]

Objective 2: Rescue mission
Dramatis Personae: Tracyn Ordo Ura Iolar Josh Dragovalor Centin Tillo Sakadi Marathi Sinvala

“Sorry I’m late master.”

Risen turned to address his padawan, but Master Dragonsflame replied instead. Right, he thought. ‘Master.’ Instead, he nodded to Centin, acknowledging the misunderstanding. Here, chain of command would matter. Risen’s standing orders dictated he protect his apprentice first and foremost — but they both would heed the Masters.

He’d hoped to dispel this confusion when he asked the boy to call him ‘sir,’ but Jedi habits are hard to break.

For now, they stalked through the dark. The Master’s trick, a steady orange flame, underscored the chiaroscuro of these lower levels. Long shadows surrounded them like trees in a thicket, orange and black. And the presence. Padawan Iolar seemed to sense it, too. Something distant, benthic. The Force was as natural as breath or sunshine, yet it seemed so alien sometimes.

Risen marched on, falling just behind to keep the padawans in view. These improbable tracks lead them on.

 

[Acaadi]

Kyra Perl

The fighting couldn't be far away. He heard a loud shot ring out, followed by the sounds of the rakghouls. He had seen some archive footage of them. They had once been people, twisted by a sith plague. That made them even worse that sith spawn made by twisting animals to him.

Acaadi had also thought about how long it had been since they had fought side by side. He had wondered if it had been fate or because of how badly everything had gone when they had been making the decisions. When the trandoshan had been broken free. They weren't the same people as back then. That was the point.

He kept the shorter saber at his belt. Acaadi was still blissfully unaware of exactly why she had borrowed it. He kept the other in his right hand, but the blade was off.

He sensed the encroaching darkness, tilting his head to one side. There was a scratching sound. It came from below.

"Ky..." he managed before the ground beneath his feet crumbled away.

He didn't fall far, landing in water on his back. The pack of ghouls leapt on him from all angles. He was in the sewers. They were going to rip his armor apart in seconds. Panic flared up from deep within, but he pressed it down.

Acaadi took a breath and dropped himself into the space between heartbeats. A jedi was fast, but they needed to be able to think at superhuman speeds too. Time seemed to slow.

He looked up. Kyra was already looking down through the hole he had fallen through. She was so fast now. There were six rakghouls around him, more coming from further down the tunnel. Acaadi could sense his saber several meters away in the water. Acaadi closed his hand into a fist and drew the Force to him.

Time sped back up. Or at least his perception of it. He had simply meditated in a way that compressed his thought into that half a second of time. The Force exploded outwards in a wave of telekinetic energy, sending the ghouls flying.

Acaadi stood sharply. Activating the shorter blade of his left hand saber, as he drew the other one to him with the Force. He was surrounded, but at least now he was on his feet and armed.

 

[Sakadi Marathi Sinvala]

Objective 1​

Tracyn Ordo Ura Iolar Josh Dragovalor Centin Tillo Risen ​

The descend to the lower levels of Taris took them to a place unlike anything she had ever seen before. The cave they now found themselves in was devoid of light, and dark in the Force. A combination she wasn't too fond of. Once her eyes were fully adjusted to the light cast by the conjured flame, Sakadi would share her thoughts. She disliked intruding the minds of others, but she had little choice in this particular matter.​

"I have a few ideas." The Jedi Master would send her telepathic voice in a pulse, able to be picked up by any with an open mind. "A good one might be to not touch anything without extreme care. The rakghoul plague is not something I'd like to bring back to Commenor." With her advice given, the Jedi Master knelt down beside the footprints. She had spent two decades on Shili among the Togrutans, dedicating her days to studying the Force. And as with all planets she had lived on for multiple years, the culture of its people had somewhat rubbed off on her. In this particular case, it was the Togrutan connection to the earth, and some of their predatory instincts.​

Seconds after giving it, the Sephi decided to neglect her own advice, for she felt like something was amiss. They had entered a cave, right? A place that shouldn't be covered in soft soil. So why were they seeing footprints? Placing the warm palm of her lavender hand against the cave floor. It was wet to the touch, but not the kind of wet that indicated a high humidity or a swamp. "I know I just gave the advice not to touch anything, but could somebody tell me whether the cave's walls feel wet to the touch?" None of it made sense. This place reeked of death and disease through the Force, and was as unnatural as unnatural could be. That line of thought brought her to one, important question. "The Jedi we are looking for were on their way to the Promised Lands. So why would they pass through here, of all places?"​

Sakadi rose to her feet again, drying her hand with her brown cloak. If someone confirmed whether the cave's walls felt wet as well, the Sephi would nod in return. She had some sneaking suspicions about this place, but none she wanted to share yet.​

 

[Tracyn Ordo]

​

Objective One

In the darkness, Tracyn lead the way, his feet expertly falling, rolling to avoid making sounds.

He crouched near the tracks, trying to examine the footfall pattern. Tracyn was a Supercommando at heart- and an essential part of the Verd'goten as a child was being able to hunt. And what he knew about footfalls from animals was just as useful was useful for the enemy.

He checked for the fall of the sole, the distribution of weight on the tracks. Would help to determine if they were running, walking, how much equipment they had, and how many of them there were.

Tracyn looked up, his Solari-infused blade lighting his path in the darkness.

"Don't touch the walls. We follow the tracks. Be cautious of our rear as much as our front."

He came to the conclusion that the Jedi were running, or at least, moving quickly in the tunnel.

"And please use your voice, not the one inside our heads."

Tracyn, trained in Teras Kasi, found it hard to concentrate on everything she said.

Sakadi Marathi Sinvala l Josh Dragovalor l Risen l Centin Tillo l Ura Iolar

 

[Caedyn Arenais]

Location: Taris Academy

Objective 3: Bring your own objective.
Present Company: Lexas.
​

​

The Academy of Taris stood out from the rest of the upper levels, a shadow of what it once stood for and now a derelict tower in great need of care and maintenance of those who might still hold admiration to the way of the Jedi Path. This was a place where the Jedi Knight would take heed of, for the amassed fortune of House Arenais could offer just the reprieve from decay that it so deserved, providing the Order of the Silver Jedi would approve of such a project, and that it would benefit other Jedi regardless of their beliefs and belonging to various Orders across the Galaxy.

"Is everything alright, Master Arenais?" Lexus asked from his right side, the droid turning to him with that blank and heartless stare, trying to portray the concern of a droid that so yearned for a heart and soul to relate to and empathize with. Standing before the entrance of the Academy, Caedyn had lost himself to his thoughts and reflections on the history that he could recall from previous lessons as a student, while gazing up at the tower that loomed over them.

"I'm fine, thank you Lexus..." Caedyn replied softly, turning to offer an appreciate smile to the droid; "I suppose it's just a little sad when you see a place like this that once likely stood as a beautiful beacon of hope and guidance to others following the Jedi way of life, and even those civilians who might be in need of encouragement..." he explained, soon motioning for the droid to follow him on inside.

Caedyn's visiting the Jedi Tower of Taris would be taken at a slow pace, giving respect to those who had come before them while also reflecting on his own journey of growth along the path. What it meant to be a Jedi today within a galaxy endlessly engulfed and revolving around so much conflict, a beacon of light to those surrounded and caged in darkness.

 

[Gir Quee]

Objective 2: Rakghouls (providing back-up to other groups)
Tags: Jyoti Nooran | Charlie Nooran | Cadere | @ Amani Serys | @Kei Westbrook | @ Yula Perl | @ Mathieu Brion | @ Inara Basai | @ Marus Saretti | @ Acaadi | @ Kyra Perl
Accompanied by: 1st Directorate Jump Trooper Regiment - "The Admiral's Fist"
Equipped with: Howlrunner-class Power Armor with Neti Field Cloak and Ferrazid Particle Distortion Shield; armed with Firespray Shotgun and Furor Sonic Pistol

"This could be worse," mumbed Colonel Saar, kicking a chipped piece of duracrete away across the deserted street.

The two men surveyed the underlevel outskirts even as the Jump Troopers began to fan out to secure the entrance. Taris had almost a mythical reputation to many historians, and even to military history buffs like Gir. Yet the man had never felt affinity to the place, and was less and less of it the more he stayed on the world. He eyed a crumbling brick wall that might have been a thriving storefront thousands of years ago. The man wasn't sure if he should feel pity or disgust as he looked down the row of shuttered and abandoned buildings. he turned his helmeted head back to the jump trooper's commander.

"Oh? In what way? The place crawling with Sith and Sithspawn? Perhaps some Bryn'adul?"

The armored figure rocked on his heels from side to side, "That would be worse. But no, I was actually thinking about structural integrity. Can you think of all the loadbearing weight these buildings must have on them from the levels above? It's a wonder they're able to still do that."

Not unlike Coruscant I suppose...

"I'd bet it's to the bare minimum," mused the middle-aged admiral, "and not something to test out with grenades or explosives."

An icon on his HUD flashed, announcing incoming reports from the various squads that were fanning out to set up cordons around known Rakghoul exit sites. he began to scroll through them, preferring to read the transcripts of the messages from the platoon leaders rather than listen to their audio messages. Most of the reports simply stated that the groups had arrived at their designated zones and were setting up defensive perimeters. Other teams and groups were going inside to deal with the threat - a task the man didn't relish, but just as important as eliminating them on the inside was to ensure that none of them escaped outside to infect more people. The admiral had little doubt that they could at least contain the threat without too much worry. The synthetic soldiers that made up most of the unit weren't really organic, which had the benefit that they simply couldn't be infected by a virus. He wouldn't hesitate to send them in to reinforce the other groups investigating this menace, yet he knew that doing so could potentially stir up even more trouble if they weren't careful - there was nothing remotely subtle about large groups of heavily armored figures hosing down areas with flechette canisters and tossing out fragmentation grenades. Saar's voice disturbed him from his reverie.

"Are you thinking about going in yourself? I see that you managed to deck yourself out in some new gear..."

"We'll see."

He barked out a quiet laugh.

"Even if the clothes have changed, your wariness has not, I see..."

 

[Kyra Perl]

Objective 2
Tags: Acaadi

Kyra Perl

The fighting couldn't be far away. He heard a loud shot ring out, followed by the sounds of the rakghouls. He had seen some archive footage of them. They had once been people, twisted by a sith plague. That made them even worse that sith spawn made by twisting animals to him.

Acaadi had also thought about how long it had been since they had fought side by side. He had wondered if it had been fate or because of how badly everything had gone when they had been making the decisions. When the trandoshan had been broken free. They weren't the same people as back then. That was the point.

He kept the shorter saber at his belt. Acaadi was still blissfully unaware of exactly why she had borrowed it. He kept the other in his right hand, but the blade was off.

He sensed the encroaching darkness, tilting his head to one side. There was a scratching sound. It came from below.

"Ky..." he managed before the ground beneath his feet crumbled away.

He didn't fall far, landing in water on his back. The pack of ghouls leapt on him from all angles. He was in the sewers. They were going to rip his armor apart in seconds. Panic flared up from deep within, but he pressed it down.

Acaadi took a breath and dropped himself into the space between heartbeats. A jedi was fast, but they needed to be able to think at superhuman speeds too. Time seemed to slow.

He looked up. Kyra was already looking down through the hole he had fallen through. She was so fast now. There were six rakghouls around him, more coming from further down the tunnel. Acaadi could sense his saber several meters away in the water. Acaadi closed his hand into a fist and drew the Force to him.

Time sped back up. Or at least his perception of it. He had simply meditated in a way that compressed his thought into that half a second of time. The Force exploded outwards in a wave of telekinetic energy, sending the ghouls flying.

Acaadi stood sharply. Activating the shorter blade of his left hand saber, as he drew the other one to him with the Force. He was surrounded, but at least now he was on his feet and armed.

Kyra gasped, a scream catching in her throat as she turned to find Acaadi falling out from under her. This was not helping him! Her hand reached out, a faint attempt tug him back up made through the metal limb. Her father had told her it was a conduit, imbued to make her stronger in the force. He did not mention how hard it would be to control the force through it. It was like trying to scratch an itch with oven mitts on!

The bite of frustration was fleeting, lasting longer in her thoughts than in real time. Acaadi burst out of the water, shoving the the encroaching horde back with a strong telekinetic wave. It was impressive. A noise of frustration hit her as she tried to pull him out again, very little happening beyond her metal finger tips. Dammit there wasn't time for this!

She seemed to dismiss her attempts at once, not willing to treat these streets like a training room as she jumped down with him instead. Ew ew ew! She did not let her thoughts linger on what they stood in, their backs brushing. "This is not an ideal place to be," she chirped, her voice pulling higher as the first sith spawn came leaping towards her.

The holograms didn't do them justice. Terror flashed through her as she cut through it with a simple twirl. The once-was human dropped dead in the water. Kyra felt a quake hit her core, her back brushing against Acaadi's again.

"On second thought, I'd take the sith lord again," she concluded, their age old game of who had had it worse that day on Kintan resolved in a heart beat. Her heart slammed fast in her chest. She took a steadying breath, the death of the first creature enough to hold back the others as they fell in and surrounded them with hungry, crazed eyes. Kyra worked with Acaadi to keep all angles of them covered, the water slooshing underneath their footwork.

"You didn't happen to pay attention to the sith spawn class did you?" Cause Kyra sure didn't. She'd kick herself over that later, for now... "Any brilliant ideas?"

 

[Auteme]

Objective 2 | Jyoti Nooran Charlie Nooran ​

Auteme was nervous. A healthy amount, of course; it wouldn't do to lose her head in front of Jyoti Nooran. Or any of her other body parts. Rakghouls were dangerous. Maybe it'd been a bad idea to tag along on this one, but after Foerost she couldn't help but feel that she needed to help. She had experience when it came to these sort of things -- mistakes were highly educational. She hoped never to see the twisted insides of Zaavik Perl again. Nobody should be put through that.

Still, the rest of her thoughts were occupied by her companions today. Charlie was first, of course; the other padawan meant more than she knew to Auteme. She jumped at the chance to spend more time with her girlfriend, especially with how busy she'd been as of late. Representative Auteme Denko-Durren of the New Jedi Order needed to be working hard to keep the less friendly senators from calling for the destruction of the Jedi. Plus, she had midterms coming up. She needed to make time to relax a little.

The other woman with her kept her from relaxing completely. Auteme had heard a lot about Jyoti Nooran; a former Jedi Grandmaster and all-around cool person. She could see how Charlie got so cool. It was in the genes.

Charlie's dad must've been pretty awkward.

Auteme just wasn't sure how to act around Jyoti. It was clear that the mother and daughter were close; there were a few moments in the trip where she felt like she was third wheeling. Which was fine -- Auteme hadn't known her own mother for most of her life, and it'd be rude for her to be in the way of something so bright and loving. Still, she didn't know how to fit in. Had Charlie even told her mother that she'd started dating? Auteme hadn't talked to the Jedi Master much on their trip, so she didn't know. As it usually went when she was nervous she suddenly became extremely aware of her hands and where they were when she was speaking. She didn't know if she was ready for a meet-the-parents thing.

And yet there was that urge to be useful; to impress, to learn. Jyoti was an impressive Jedi and Auteme wanted to make a good first impression. If she was to improve herself, it'd be good to learn from someone influential and skilled like Jyoti.

When the tender moment between the mother and daughter had concluded and Charlie was feeling cool enough, Auteme slipped into the conversation. In her hands was a small scanning device.

"I've got a genetic code scanner," she said, waving the thing in the air. "And I've brought a few samples of variants of the serum. Maybe they'll work, but it's probably best to focus on gathering samples for a new cure for this strain of the plague."

She might be far less adept in combat than the other two Jedi, but everyone had their strengths. She could just focus on that. The thought brought her a little more confidence; enough to face the former grandmaster and speak sincerely.