The Setup

[Jairus Starvald]

ERILNAR HOLONET HUB
ATTN: Rash Tsona

I saw it your way the moment you walked through that door, you gorram simpleton.

"O-of course, sir." Rash mumbled out, before looking at his two captors with a questioning look. One gesture from Jack was enough to get them to unhand him. He tried to rise up immediately, but suddenly saw lights in his head. The punch to the stomach had taken more out of him than he first suspected. He wasn't a soldier, gorram it! This wasn't his game.

Why did Lord Fa and Vnut put him up to this?

But before the Echani could wonder about it even more, Jack took him by the shoulder and pushed him towards the consoles.

"Enough." He really was an oaf. Hands the size of Rash's head, a face that portrayed raw violence and no sense of proportion, and the gun strapped to his back only underlined that there wasn't anything imaginative about the Renatasian. "Fix what you did or you are dead."

But they all knew that he was going to kill him regardless. That was part of the fun, wasn't it? It was why Snotty was grinning evily at him, no? Because he knew what was gonna come next and figured Rash was too much of a coward to do anything about it. Half right, if there was even a sliver of a chance he would have been allowed to leave alive after he was done? Probably would have done that, situation as it is now?

There was a different kind of plan rummaging around his brain.

His fingers ticked on the screen, but - unknown to these idiots - that was never a requirement for Mechu-Deru experts. While he was typing code that led the entire routine into circles, his brain was tracing far more elaborate circuits behind him, near the console Jack stood by.

"What is taking so lo-" A piercing snap, miniature explosion and the screaming of big boys brought low by technology. Rash turned around and suddenly realized he had made a miscalculation. Jack was down for the count, but Snotty had not been standing where he should have been standing. The lad was still staring at Jack's torn torso with a gaping mouth, but that would change soon enough.

The Eshan didn't think, couldn't think, he just rushed and jumped at the knuckle-lad.

 

[Darth Osano]

ERILNAR MAGRAIL SYSTEM
NODE 4

Eventually someone who could aim straight and not die acquired the launcher and blew the gate wide open. Not that it mattered. The Renatasians were already in full retreat, although there was nowhere for them to retreat to. Their encampment was completely boxed in and Maleagant's men were swarming through the entrance. Most of them were surrendering the minute the Enforcers got to them, others were trying to scramble over the walls. They were rewarded for their efforts by being shot in the back. Those few that remained fighting were dealt with in short order, profanity the last things that fell uselessly from their mouths.

There were a few shacks that stood around the encampment, as well as some cargo containers that had been re-purposed into barracks and a portable that had once been used as an office. There were a lot of structures. More than Maleagant would have liked. Not only did they need to wrangle up the survivors now, they were going to have to clear out the ramshackle buildings. Not Maleagant's idea of a good time. They could be trapped, or worse.

"Round up the survivors, make sure they've been disarmed. Bring them to the center of the encampment." Maleagant ordered.

"What about those huts?"

"They'll be dealt with. Keep an eye on them for now."

[member="Thengil Ri'Shajirr"] was more than welcome to finish clearing them out himself, if his author could bring himself to dignify the readership with a post. Maleagant had no intention of wasting any more of his men on avoidable casualties. Thengil's Sunguards could take the brunt for once, blighted simpletons that they were. If not, Maleagant could find a more creative solution to the problems posed by the building.

 

[Jairus Starvald]

ERILNAR MAGRAIL SYSTEM
NODE 4

It was true what they said about humanoids.

Most of their blood was not in their brains, which caused them to be incredibly stupid at the worst of times. This was Vnut's musings as he punched another Renatasian in the face, sending him flying back into a wall, a sickening crunch could just be overheard. Well, not by the Renatasian who was very much either unconscious or the inanimate form unconciousness, which was to say that he was very, very dead, indeed.

Lord Fa wished for as many prisoners as possible, but it was difficult when they were so, so eager to throw their lives away.

Not all of them, of course. The moment they stormed into the camp, a healthy dozen or so already went on their knees and dropped their weapons. They were called traitors and other nasty words, but were otherwise left alone -- mostly, because their fellow brethren were having enough issue trying to defend themselves from the Helix Operatives, the Sunguard and Lord Fa's militia which the writer did not have a name for yet, so it remains unnamed for now.

He ducked and the big beskad whirred right past his head. Vnut wasn't impressed and his claws lashed out accordingly. The Renatasian backed away, but not enough to avoid claws racking right through his armor and skin. The Balinaka followed up by a headbutt, which caused the mook to crash to the ground.

This one was not, in fact, dead.

Mission accomplished.

Truthfully the anthill was starting to dissipate in terms of activity. Most of the Rennies -- he really hated repeating that dreadful name over and over again in his head -- were already laying on the ground, either cradling themselves while crying or just plain being dead people.

Now it was just mop-up duty.

 

[Gorba the Hutt]

Node 4

There were, in total, only six Sunguards present. Two attached to Farrlo, two to One-Eye, and two to LeFrange. Fortunately, six was all that was needed.

One-Eye peered down his scope, the targeting reticle centered on the exit of a hut. He breathed in and out in a slow, repetitive process, waiting for the inevitable. One thing separated successful Ghestslayers from dead ones: patience. A few headstrong Rodians might charge in and get a lucky kill, but eventually their luck would run out. One-Eye preferred to wait, like a spider feeling for tremors under its trapdoor, able to strike at just the right moment.

Fortunately, the right moment proved obscenely obvious. A Thyrsian stood at the front door of the building and squeezed the trigger of his weapon. A line of flame spewed into the entrance and beyond in an all-consuming heat. The Thyrsian made sure to dose the windows too. As the building itself caught fire and smoke roiled up, the screaming started. Ash billowed out from the back exit and a Renatasian bolted from the door, clutching a hand over his mouth and coughing furiously. One-Eye squeezed the trigger. The bolt took him in the thigh and sent him down to the ground.

More followed the first out the back door, only they stumbled out blindly, bodies aflame. One-Eye shot each one in the chest in a calm, efficient series of mercy kills.

His brothers were doing pretty much the same thing at the other buildings, using the Thyrsians to smoke out the Renatasians through flamethrowers or cryoban grenades. It was not long before any remnants of resistance had been extinguished. They had a few prisoners and lost a couple of the hired guns, but not everyone got the memo about minimizing the death toll. More than a few surrendering Renatasians got gunned down in cold blood by laughing goons. Not that One-Eye particularly cared.

[member="Manda-Rishi Outfit"] | [member="Helix Syndicate"]

 

[Jairus Starvald]

ERILNAR MAGRAIL SYSTEM
NODE 4

The growly voice of Vnut boomed a few times after the fact.

Mostly to rebuke or chastise the trigger-happy infants which called themselves mercenaries. In truth he had hoped that [member="Maleagant"] would have a better handle on his men, but alas, it seemed this was not exactly the case. Oh, they had enough prisoners to commit to their future plans, but it would have been cleaner otherwise. This wasn't a very clean business, the Balinaka reflected later, in fact, it was not a clean business at all.

They would probably have to increase the awareness campaign in the future.

The citizens of Erilnar were afraid of the Renatasians after their terror streak, but that wasn't enough. No. They'd probably have to document the many lives lost during this operation, young cops, honorably discharged soldiers from the Centrality army who simply wished to help, concerned citizens who had flocked to the militia's banner, it would be a waste, of course.

But it would publicly cement that the killing of so many Renatasians was not a huge issue all things considering.

"Node 4 is secured." Vnut finally reported as he secured the last prisoner. Teary-eyed, just a blushing young face, seduced towards something he did not even understand.

"Report, please."

 

[Ugoto Chivaro]

ERILNAR MAGRAIL SYSTEM
NODE 1

Aldabert nudged the sobbing Renatasian with the muzzle of his rifle. "Vy do you crei? Zis is nhat so bahd."

Bad (bhad) was only a little subjective in this case. For Aldabert, who stood among the carnage of Renatasians, the rubble of their formerly formidable operations, this was not terribly interesting. This was another Wednesday evening for him. If anything, the Renatasian should have been weeping tears of joy. For Lord Fa had ordered he be shown mercy and the Helix Syndicate had listened. Because the Syndicate believed in professionalism. The same could not be said for the [member="Zareca Cartel"] , whose trigger-happy and unreliable troglodytes Aldabert did not look forward to working with again. If the [member="Manda-Rishi Outfit"] sought to pin the shortcomings of the Zarecans on the Syndicate, it would be the Zarecans who suffered for it.

"You should all zing a merry tune." Aldabert suggested to the Renatasian and his few surviving friends. One hand dropped from the rifle as he pulled a ringing commlink from his pocket. "Zat isk vhat cheers meinself up, vhen times are nhat so kind..."

The Gand flipped his commlink open and held it approximately where the right ear would be on a Gand. "Vhat...? Ach, yes. Node eins is secure."

 

[Jairus Starvald]

ERILNAR HOLONET HUB
ATTN: Rash Tsona

It was quite important to return to the worthy figure of Rash Tsona, of course.

A man of keen mind and even keener self-preservation we would currently find him crouching over the remains of Snotty. His hands were drenched in blood, as was were his borrowed uniform. Even his face had some blood smeared across it. None of that made the scars on his face any more pleasing to the eye, but at this current stage Rash did not seem to be able to care about that.

His entire sense of propriety went sailing through the window, defenestrated without ceremony, when he started bashing in the thug's face with his fists. They were bleeding, too, from the cuts and bruises.

It hurt a little.

But as Rash's vision returned from the red ocean and focused on the lad underneath him? His stomach turned upside down and he had to immediately dispel anything that might still be in there.

A few moments later, as the Echani was still spitting the taste away, the familiar voice of Vnut sounded into his ear. He pushed himself away from the corpse and his left-overs, before carefully pulling himself up by the table. His legs were shaking, there tears swimming in his eyes, but at least Rash could now truly say that it was over and that he was alive.

"HoloNet Hub secured, but... in need of clean-up." His voice whispered over the line

There was only silence on the other side for a moment, before Vnut's growl hummed through the comms.

"Acknowledged, we will send in a team."

 

[Gorba the Hutt]

Node 1

Fortunately, Aldabert found himself working with Pauul Farrlo and "Punchy" Pawnchee, whose methods were quite a bit different than One-Eye and his brothers. The two contract killers wandered over to Aldabert, several of their surviving hired goons pushing a group of prisoners as if they were herding cattle.

Pawnchee bleated at Pauul.

"Nah, that last building is on yuz, Punchy," replied the Rodian.

More bleating.

"Komelo? Fuggedabodit. Took a blaster bolt right to the noggin'." Pauul walked over to a Renatasian and wiped the blood off his dagger on the hapless mook's shirt. "Hey what's kickin' Aldy?" Farrlo waved to the Gand.

Node 3

LeFrange put a few extra blaster bolts in the chest of the downed Renatasian, then took a stumbling step backward. The side of his shirt was stained red around a circular charred hole. The Devaronian hissed as he placed a hand and gently pulled at the shirt, trying to get an idea for how bad he'd been hit.

"You'll live."

"Eh?" LeFrange looked over to see Jiimi Skrambles wandering through the corpses while sucking on a salt diamond. "What the kriff, you're not even supposed to be here."

"Figured I'd show up anyway. Got a message from Narbo."

"Oh yeah? What about the cat?"

"We'll tell mangy later. But between us two I'm not sure if claw boy cares about this too much."

"What is it?"

"Ubese mercs been hassling our shipments. Time to make a statement. Get patched up and ready to go asap, leave the target heads to clean up the mess. Western dock in three hours. Gate 732."

"I'll be there."

[member="Manda-Rishi Outfit"] | [member="Helix Syndicate"]

 

[Jairus Starvald]

The Twilight's Shine​

Erilnar​

[member="Zareca Cartel"] | [member="Helix Syndicate"]​

--​

​

Lord Fa was sitting quite amicably across the table he shared with the Omwati, Xuxi Pillik and the Erilnarian-born human, Distan Ravoon.

The one was a minister within the ministry of infrastructure -- who, coincidentally, was the same individual who helped resolve the HoloNet Hub situation. The other, Distan, ex-military and was currently campaigning to replace the head of the law enforcement agency on Erilnar itself. Both were quite handily in his pocket by now, which was how they managed to accomplish the many things they had over the last few weeks.

"Yeah! I remember that, he was-" Ravoon was chuckling about a shared memory, when from the sidelines an assistant of Lord Fa approached the table, before whispering something in the ear-region of the Thirriken.
Who simply inclined his beak in acceptance of the facts relayed.

Xuxi, was looking on with amusement, before finally breaking the silence.

"Well, my Lord? I know you enjoy your theatrics but please don't leave us in suspense for so long!" Ravoon laughed again, but nodded all the same in agreement. They seemed to enjoy themselves. It was why Tai had picked them, after all, they weren't leaders... in the way that their ambition was easily fed and they had little issue being led along, as long as they got what they wanted.

"Very good news, friends.​

Davoon's mission a success.​

Terrorists broken."​

​

"Scattered to ashes."​

The two gentlemen exchanged a look and a smile, before raising their glass.

"To you then, Lord Fa, and prosperity for the Centrality!"

 

[Ugoto Chivaro]

ERILNAR MAGRAIL SYSTEM
NODE 2

Among the ruins of the encampment, two Helix Syndicate soldiers strode side by side. There were other support personnel in the area- they now outnumbered the guards. It had fallen to them to start getting this place cleaned up so that construction could resume. Bodies were were thrown onto pyres, captured prisoners were being loaded into unmarked Fa Holdings speeder trucks to be dispatched to ambiguous fates. The remaining Enforcers were there just as a token security force. A real one would be unnecessary, as any possibility of reprisal had effectively been wiped out here and at the other three nodes. All in all, it was looking like another job well done.

Something caught one of the Enforcers' eye. He stopped in his tracks, nudging his compatriot. "Hey, what's he doing?" He indicated Deglarch, who was sitting cross-legged, eyes closed, muttering to himself.

"Pal, you don't wanna know. He's a morogoku or somethin'. Weird cult-thing. He's probably doin' some kind'a ritual-whats-it."

"Ritual-whats-it?"

The apparently knowledgeable Enforcer continued. "Yeah, s'like a cultural thing. The morikgiki like all that jazz."

"I don't think you're saying it right."

"Well," he replied haughtily. "I think talkin' 'bout it like we is is grounds f' a death wish. Them Mocalattes ain't too pleased t' be the subject 'a gossip. 'sides, I heard once that if you ever hear one 'a their post-battle murder-chants, you're liable to die next."

It was amazing how the apparent imbecility of his partner could destroy any interest he had in Deglarch's activities. "Yeah, okay." Was his final response, at which point he resumed his patrol route and the ignorant, mouthy fellow followed after him.

 

[Darth Osano]

ERILNAR MAGRAIL SYSTEM
NODE 4

There had been some time to kill before the transports for the prisoners showed up, so Maleagant took the opportunity to work on his Force Fear. One by one, about a dozen of the prisoners were dragged off to be put in front of Maleagant. At which point, the Shi'ido criminal dredged up their most horrifying fears before their very eyes. It was not so difficult. The lot of them were terrified most of all at the prospect of death. And having narrowly survived a battle against the Zareca Cartel, Fa Holdings, and Helix Syndicate... It was still at the forefront of their minds. Maleagant was a mere acolyte of the Sith, but he was not oblivious to the emotional outpouring that had risen from this battle.

Fear. Anger. Anguish. Pain. It was like a boiling tsunami of Dark Side energies had erupted in this one spot, but Maleagant had little idea how to tame those waters. He supposed this little exercise in Force Fear would be enough. When the last one was dragged away from him, streaked with tears and barely conscious, the speeder trucks finally arrived. Now with that out of the way as well, Maleagant could fully reflect on the productivity of the evening. With his end of the bargain held up, [member="Tai Fa"] would begin the operations necessary to smuggle the requested spice and [member="Thengil Ri'Shajirr"] would oversee the production. It was a less optimal arrangement than what he had initially hoped for, but all things considered, he would take the deal and pray they did not alter it further.

Besides, Maleagant now had a 33% stake in these magrail lines Fa would be operating. A considerable source of income. Definitely appropriate considering the manpower he had deployed and sacrificed here. Aside from Ri'Shajirr's Sunguard, which was laughably small, Maleagant observed that he was the only one among this triad who employed a professional fighting force. How long would that advantage remain his and his alone? Probably not long enough. More additions would need to be made, units reorganized, arms, armor, and droids added.

But before anyone could do that, they had to roll the credits.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1TmbCFBG_k​