The Silver Jedi Come (Dominion of Malachor V + Sith Order Rebellion)

[Jessica Med-Beq]

Location: Elom, Saak'ak wreck
Objective: Exploration and information gathering
Allies: Silver Jedi
Enemies: Oversized felines
Post: 7/38

The Saak'ak had many, many hull breaches that let sunlight in; some of them permeated through the hull and no lights were active: ah, if only Charzon was an actual Jedi, rather than simply being the Protector of Ringo Vinda with the duties of a Jedi... then again Ringo Vinda is not the first SJ world an attacker would think about. Or Jessica: she commented on one or two occasions that, as a pre-teen, perhaps aged 10 or 11, that the people around her told her that she was too smart not to be a Force-user, or something along these lines. But the oversized felines being mostly cave dwellers, sunlight makes them uncomfortable. Sunlight forced them to stay clear of the Saak'ak wreck. But how exactly did Jessica's R9 unit find out that There is no power supply active onboard: the fuel cells have ruptured when it crashed and the reactors were shut down before the crash. They are rusting away, their fuel lines have ruptured, along with the fuel cells, which meant that they were unsalvageable. Hopefully Marcia's Kadabra subscription was suffiicient to get them out of the mess.

"Can Kadabra tell us where the bridge is? We know it's a LH-3210 Lucrehulk battleship we're dealing with, though"

"Are you sure the transponders are on the bridge, Jessica?"

"R9 told us such is the case"

"The bridge is on the 200th deck of the centrisphere"

"That's a lot of ladders to go up. Anyway, let's go to the 200th deck, speaking of which how high is the main cargo deck from the bottom deck?"

 

[Judah Lesan Jr.]

Objectice: Do my own thing (whoever wants in to help make a story)
Post: 3/38
Allies: [member="Teynara Jeralyr"]


Affirming what he had been taught did not help him to see her point of view, nor did he see it as help. However he could not help but drop his eyes to find his grip tightly holding to the very weapon he had used to kill the Sith. It was suggested that he put his weapon away and he nodded. Quietly he replaced the hilt to where it had been plucked from at some point during his wandering. He couldn't tell anyone when he had removed it from his waist, and for that he felt even more guilt. Was he looking for a confrontation because of the guilt, yes. Would it help, no, not here, and Tyenara, whose name he did not yet possess, knew it. Judah simply nodded again as she spoke to him of the violence he had arrived with.

"I did not come here intending to find a fight, but it seems I only succeeded in bringing my own struggle with me. Not much help to the Order in this state am I?"

She did not need to answer the question. Both of them knew the answer was no. Judah was no help to anyone as long as he refused to deal with the demon he carried inside, one which was not his fault. In truth he needed to let go of it. This was not his burden to carry, and yet he did. The one question he did not expect was the one asked. Was it his choice? Judah jad never thought there had been a choice. The events which led to the confrontation had been a split second decision. He was the one with the choice. Judah could have killed the Sith or let the Sith kill Kaitlyn, and kill an entire species.

"She was not given the choice no. The Sith had containers of poison rigged to explosives in underwater cave which led to a pocket of breathable air. We found the barrels, the Ranger I worked with at the time. I engaged the Sith while Kait worked on diffusing the explosives. When the Sith had figured out what was going on she directed her attention to Kait. She was going to kill her, she was going to kill me. Had I let that happen she would have poisoned the water, killed countless Mon Cal, and I could not let that happen. At the time I did not see another option, and weighed one life against countless many. I chose to end one rather than fail and see many lives lost."

Some would say the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, and yet perhaps their had been a way to save so many lives. As Judah rehearsed the story he knew the truth. He had not acted to save the lives of many. His own feelings betrayed him and calling Ranger by a nickname did as well. Judah had been in love with his Ranger, and his choice was solely made to keep her. It had been a selfish decision which he had justified with saving the lives of the others.

"Was I wrong... Did I make the wrong decision?"

 

[Undin Jaii Kryze]

LOCATION: Malachor V
OBJECTIVE: Shadow Temple.
SECONDARY OBJECTIVE: Fashionist.
IC OBJECTIVE: Try not to jump at Lyth.

ALLIES: Silver Jedi, Matsu Ikehttp://starwarsrp.net/user/1413-matsu-ike/, Claire Ouron
ENEMIES: Possibly Lyth Meranhttp://starwarsrp.net/user/12256-lyth-meran/

POSTS: 3/38

He was impressed by the effects of the robes. He wondered how something so simple could do so much. Then, he heard a familiar voice. One that made him get nervous and angry. He turned to see the little fairy, and he with fear of making himself look like a fool to Master Ike, ignored her and continued walking, since if someone found out he was apart from his Master, he would probably face some severe consequences. Instead of listening and trying to figure it out, Undin looked towards Matsu and asked "What are we supposed to do exactly Master?". The boy secretly hoped for something dangerous instead of just exploration and talking to eachother.

 

[Sorel Crieff]

Sorel remained seated on the ground and reflected on what she’d read on the way to the planet. She’d never considered ‘how’ someone might fall to the dark side, just ‘if’. But lore suggested there were typically four stages – and it appeared that awareness of them actually helped a Jedi resist the allure, although that was by no means a guarantee. Not by a long way.

It seemed the first stage was temptation. Typically a selfish use of the Force – however well-meaning the Jedi believed their motives to be. Like helping a friend or a family member. Haste – it appeared – was an ally of the dark side here.

The second stage was imperilment and it appeared that Jedi readily put themselves in danger of falling but naively believed that they were strong enough not to succumb fully. That they could dabble in the dark side and then return to the light unscathed and by their own free will.

The next stage was submission, where even if the Jedi believed that the end justified the means, the truth was that they had given themselves to the dark side – despite any protestations to the contrary.

The final stage was atonement. Or sometimes redemption. But this was a rare occurrence – as most fallen Jedi never returned to the light, nor had a desire to.

She wondered what happened to her first Master, and how he fell. What tempted him and if, had he lived, would he ever be capable of redemption. In her heart she wanted to believe so. Not just for her Master, but every fallen Jedi.

 

[Teynara Jeralyr]

Planet: Malachor V
Objective: Exploration/None
In Proximity: [member="Judah Lesan Jr."]
Post: 3/38

Not much help in that state? Teynara could perhaps have said the same about herself: not for her the running, jumping and maneuvering of battle, given that she was stuck in the hoverchair that propelled her around. She couldn't even make it over uneven ground, or up a flight of stairs. But the impairments we struggle with do not make us useless: it simple directs our utility elsewhere. Perhaps the young man had yet to learn this, but Padawans often felt so unsure of their place within the Order that the idea of it often failed to cross their minds. It certainly didn't when I was a student.

The reasoning that her fellow Jedi offered was appropriate - ultimately, he had been forced to make a hard choice to protect many lives by sacrificing one. Many see it as the butcher's choice, but we Healers understand it in a different light: triage. When many were brought in, wounded and dying, ultimately they forced themselves to choose between life and death. One who was severely injured and would require the working resources might be left to die while the Healers saved many others in their stead: it was a truism of their profession that you couldn't save everyone. You made the right choice, she reflected. But did the boy know this?

It was hard to say. His body language was giving off a lot of different and, in some instances, contrary signals. He justified his actions in a defensive fashion, perhaps concerned about being judged for them, and yet he felt guilty for what he clearly believed was the right choice. Yet here it was, eating away at what equanimity he may have otherwise established.

"I remember once having a discussion with one of the Masters, back when I was training," she remarked, skirting a little around his questions in a reflective manner. "We discussed the ethics involved in combat, and whether it was ever appropriate for a Jedi to kill when we are all capable of incapacitating an opponent and removing them from the fight." Her pro-life self had always been inclined towards stopping an attacker without having to hurt them overly much, but her instructor at the time had disagreed. "The Master said that you have to imagine any aggressor in context beyond just your current fight: allow someone with harmful designs to live, expressing your own mercy. When their wounds heal, might they not try to kill again? And where would you be, at that moment, to stop them? A living enemy is, he reminded me, a full-time job."

They'd disagreed on that, too, but Teynara had expressed a preference for rehabilitation over killing. Life wasn't nearly that neat and simple, though: in the heat of the moment, with pressure on all sides and lives at stake, it was often the case that a Jedi might strike out and kill to permanently end a threat that might otherwise persist and take countless lives. As with triage, you think not of those that have died, but rather those that are saved by your actions.

"What you've told me sounds reasonable, my friend," she observed, pausing just long enough to offer him a searching glance. "Only you know what you thought and felt in that moment, but the results are the same. You took one life to save many. That's not an action to be proud of, but the decision to die was your opponent's, not yours."

It was easy to accept responsibility for someone else's choices, sometimes, just as the boy was doing now. He hadn't gone forth to murder another in cold blood, and had not done so purely because he wanted to: his actions had been committed with the intention of saving the lives of others. Where the Force was concerned, as with the Jedi, intention mattered a great deal: a person who killed because they could was not to be trusted. One who killed only when they had to was one that understood well the consequences of their actions. That was the Jedi way: to avoid violence was their highest ideal, but when they were forced to compromise that, death should be swift, precise and for good reason. It seemed to Teynara that all these were true in his case.

"The Sith did make a choice, though," Teynara continued, perhaps somewhat correcting the Padawan's own assertions. "She chose violence, chose to make an attempt on your life and on those of others around you. Submission or resistance were your options, and you chose the one that would preserve the most lives. I ask again: was her death your choice, or hers?"

 

[Jessica Med-Beq]

Location: Elom, Saak'ak wreck
Objective: Exploration and information gathering
Allies: Silver Jedi, [member="Count Morcus"]
Enemies: Oversized felines
Post: 8/38

The donut of the Saak'ak, as with other Lucrehulks, had roughly 50 decks underneath the main hangar or so. And 50 more decks above the main hangar, about 200 meters high and able to store C-9979s alongside vulture droids on ceiling racks that were different, if only because vulture droids were using different refueling sockets compared to organic-manned snubfighters that were mounted on ceiling racks. (Not all fighters could however) And said vulture droids were very short-ranged. 35 minutes at 10 kilometers per second would severely limit their ability to be used in offensive capacities, even with 18 vulture droids on a squadron (or even tri-droids). Most Techno Union commanders, regardless of the era, had to take this into account (and even during the Clone Wars, where the Techno Union was subordinate to the Confederates) when deploying fighters. The Hutt Cartel knew the limitations of Techno Union fighter screens because they depended a lot on droids to operate. As they begin the painful ascension of the web of staircases of the centrisphere...

"Let's not forget that the centrisphere's base lies about 20 decks below the base of the donut" Marcia began.

"But the ship has crashed on a planet. Unless the centrisphere punched a 20-deck-deep hole inside the ground, we still have 150 decks to climb: said centrisphere would also have fallen out of the ship!"

"A centrisphere colliding on a planetary surface would also leave dents, holes even, upon crashing!"

"Does anyone have a grappling hook? Perhaps we could climb up to the 200th deck climbing from hull breach to hull breach!"

"I have one" Marcia said, still wearing the WESTAR Skirmisher armor, unlike the other two who wore Jedi robes despite not being Force-users.

 

[Lief]

PLANET: Elom
OBJECTIVE: Lucian Cordel's Estate: The once Governor of Elom and a prominent sith lord with the lord empire. He built up his home like a fortress that can be used to help oversee the planet and have a generall foothold
PERSONAL OBJECTIVE: Relive the Past. Redeem Oneself
TOTAL POSTS: 7/38
PERSONAL POSTS: 3/38

ALLIES: [member='Thurion Heavenshield']
ENEMIES: Her Past

When was the last time she had wholeheartedly accepted someone's support?

As she stood there with her beloved friend's arm around her, helping her face each step which to her felt like a new mountain to conquer, Kära could not help but wonder how simpler things might have been if she had simply accepted Cordel's requests back in her youth. A six year old, nowhere to go... Why had she been so reluctant to give up the name of the fool who had taken her from the Academy on Korriban? He had done her no good in the end, after all, following his own agenda. Using her to his own gain. Yet for some reason giving up his name had never seemed like an option.

Not until the beast Shinju had taken that choice from her.

But he, Lucien, had been so warm and welcoming up until the point the cannibal had been called in. He had even offered her a home, a family... And she had resisted it all. Even more so once the horrors of the basement were over and she was sat alongside them in the parlour. As though nothing had happened. She could still recall the distinctly green tone to his face though, and she knew that at some point he had thrown up.

Funny how the mind worked. She had kept all of this from her thoughts for so very long, and now out of nowhere here it was again. Slapping her in the face. Then again, she was back within the halls.

Words snapped her from her thoughts, and she turned her head just a touch to look upon Thurion's face. Far more rugged than it had once been, but it still held the boy that had ran with her through the Room of a Thousand Fountains. The boy who had sat with her in earnest, and who had gifted her a small white pebble... The boy who had cried just as much as she when she decided to leave the Jedi Halls.

She choked back tears for a moment as she stared at him, listening to all he said of his dear sweet wife and child. Her sister now. Her nephew.

They were atop the stairs, and Kära knew the exact route to the room she had used during her time here despite the fact that she had never once walked the path. Her focus wasn't on that though, it was on him.

Reaching up a hand she delicately touched his cheek.

"You always were such a kind soul... You never once looked at me as though I was an outsider. Never once looked on aghast, not even knowing where I had come from. Not even when that Knight stormed into our hideout and tried to drag us apart..." That day with Tracyn had been more than a little horrific, but Thurion had stood his ground, defended her til the last, a memory she wasn't going to forget any time soon.

"I am sorry for all the hardship you have suffered, for all that you have lost. If I played any part in that, then I wish only to undo it a thousand times. I have done so many horrible things while also trying to do what was right..." Togoria came to mind, the day that she had faced down with Coci though Thyrian had borne the brunt of the assault... She had only been trying to save the children from Kaine's wrath... To stop the extermination of a species.

No one saw it that way of course. Nobody save Thyrian that is.

"Will you help me? Please... I cannot live with the knowledge of all I have done, Thurion. It is not enough to hide away on the remote world of your forefathers until my actions are forgotten..."

 

[Judah Lesan Jr.]

Objectice: Do my own thing (whoever wants in to help make a story)
Post: 4/38
Allies: [member="Teynara Jeralyr"]

JJ listened. She was giving him a lecture, or her perspective, whatever one wanted to call it. He would not open himself up to her fully as he did not yet trust her. She was trying to help, and for that he was grateful. The last thing either of them wanted was for Judah to allow the darkness to overtake him completely, and as she had pointed out, he was on his way to that end. That was why Judah was not helpful in his situation. The woman may be physically handicapped, but JJ was handicapped in his psyche and his will. His was by far the least useful.

She posed her question again, and Judah nodded. He remained quiet for a bit, but then finally answered.

"She chose," he said to affirm the point Teynara was making to him. The Padawan still closed his eyes and refused to look directly at her. His blue eyes staying clear from hers. They reminded him too much of a set he had grown fond of. This was his weakness and JJ knew it. He formed attachments too easily. This was why he felt the guilt. Had the attachment not been there he may have been more inclined to find another solution. "I was the one that took the life regardless, and I cannot help but wonder if it was because of the emotional attachment I let myself have with the Ranger I was travelling with. I feel guilty because sometimes I fear I was being selfish."

Judah didn't know if she would even understand his position or why he felt as he did. That prompted his next question.

"Have you ever allowed yourself to be in love?"

 

[Barinthus E'ron]

Location: Malachor, Trayus Academy
Objective: Meet Masters Other Padawans
Secondary Objective: Fashionista
Allies: [member="Rasu Gan"] [member="Celiana"] @Ar'ekk
Enemies: N/A
Post: 8/38

"These are for you." The one padawan was there offering the outfit to him as they sat around on Corbos. His father usually brought him out here for training and to learn how to really deal with the sithspawn they could fight. He had been working there with his father and providing some new ideas for them to be able to use or wear as news that the jedi were here. Moving through the section of space and his master was helping lead one the planets. They would be able to do it, she would be able to help out greatly but how could she head out without sending him a message that she was going to be close by? That just seemed rube while he was moving to go to the ship securing the armored robes over his should with the cape as it was flowing and he liked that is was black.

"I make this look good." He said it while in the ship looking over all of it before heading off to meet his master using the bond and trust that he had developed over many years of working with his master. She was on Malachor V and he was heading there before anything. he could get in and ready to work on many more of the things as the ship was arriving and seeing the silver fleet as they were setting up stations and relays to observe and report around the caldera he beelined it for the planet getting all of the authorization he needed through the things. Then he was arriving on the planet near the coordinates of the temple before reaching out with the force to rush towards the Treyus academy and go meet his master as the saber was on his belt.

 

[Claire Ouron]

Planet: Malachor V
Objective: Dark Temple
2nd Objective: Fashionist
Allies: [member="Matsu Ike"] [member="Undin Jaii Kryze"] [member="Lyth Meran"]
Post: 4/38

Claire collected the outfit and rushed back to her ship to try it on. She soon returned wearing it. "This is prefect... I love it." The teen said as she smiled. Soon she noticed two kids tagging along with Matsu. "Oh hello. I'm sorry I didn't notice you at first. I'm Claire Ouron. What's your names?" The young lady said, trying to strike up conversion with the two padawains.

 

[Rasu Gan]

Location: Trayus Academy, Malachor V
Objective: Gain abandoned knowledge
Allies: [member="Celiana"] [member="Ar'ekk"]
Enemies: N/A
Post: 3/38

Staring down the narrow hall, Rasu attempted to catch a glimpse of any objects that might hint at the source of the darkness that ebbed towards the group. A shiver ran down her spine as she felt the weight of the dark side brush over her. Rasu wasn't sure if she could handle lingering in such a place for much longer. It amazed her to think that the Silver Jedi had once constructed a enclave here. Perhaps this darkness would explain the reason for its abandonment.

Turning to her Padawan's, the Shi'ido listened to each. They had both observed their designated halls and returned with similar results as the Master. This academy was truly a mystery in the Force.

"Well I'm glad to have Master Surik on our side then. I honestly don't know where to start so it's a small comfort to know we have her guiding us through this place." Rasu had known little of the Jedi that seemed attached to Celiana, however if the Jedi was willing to help, Rasu would gladly take it. Meetra had fought against the triumvirs of old, so perhaps she would be able to lead the group to their goal.

Gesturing for Ar'ekk to return, Rasu pondered over the decision. Each Triumvir specialised in a different aspect of the dark side. Sion in rage and constant agony; Nihilus with his insatiable appetite; and Traya, master of deception and betrayal. Perhaps the Jedi could find a clue within each to reveal the location of the archive.

"Why not do..." Rasu's voice was cut off by a dull howling. Her body froze at the sound, as if frozen in carbonite, Rasu could do nothing but listen as the howling grew stronger. Something or someone had a grip over the woman's form, and as she moved her eyes against the force of this being, she realised the Padawan's were in a similar state. With the three Jedi now fixed in place, the Shi'ido could do nothing but watch as the trio were surrounded by a ominous dark aura.

Cackling and moaning added to the howling as the aura grew thick, seeming to spread from the three gateways towards the center plateau. Within seconds the walkways were hidden from sight as the cloud of darkness inched closer to the petrified beings. Panic had now enveloped the woman as she desperately fought against the will of the unknown beings. However it was all in vain. Without warning, the cloud spread with a great speed, enveloping the group, hiding the two Padawan's from Rasu's sight. Unable to make a sound, Rasu opened her mouth to scream before it was filled with the dark aura. She fought against it, but slowly her eyes closed as she was wrapped in her own unconsciousness. Hands grew limp as the Force holding her up relaxed its grip.

Glowing red eyes replaced the iris of the Shi'ido, as her skin shifted to a more darker shade. Rolling her shoulders as if to stretch, her hands came to inspect her new body. A voice escaped the woman's lips, however it shared no connection to the Shi'ido others knew. This voice reeked of pain and agony, seeming more of a scream than a speaking tone.

"The Triumvirs have returned."

Location: Shadow Temple, Malachor V
Objective: Destroy Jedi Invaders
Allies: Darth Traya ([member="Celiana"]), Darth Nihilus ([member="Ar'ekk"])
Enemies: [member="Matsu Ike"], [member="Undin Jaii Kryze"], [member="Lyth Meran"], [member="Claire Ouron"]

All conversation was cut short by the four Jedi as a deafening crash caught their attention. Smoke and dust riddled the area as the wind blew away the debris. A dark heavy cloud of smoke hung low around the three figures who had appeared out of nowhere. The dark eyes of the Shi'ido gazed at the group of Jedi lingering around the Atrisian. Cocking her head to the side, Rasu adopted a sinister smile before igniting her saber, issuing a challenge.

"It has been a while. Time to see what this body can do."

 

[Teynara Jeralyr]

Planet: Malachor V
Objective: Exploration/None
In Proximity: [member="Judah Lesan Jr."]
Post: 4/38


Ah, so that's the real problem here. Of course there was something else - there almost always was, when Jedi started to struggle with their emotions. It was something Teynara had noticed time and again during her counselling sessions, and it honestly struck her that many among their ranks had come to a fundamental misunderstanding regarding how they felt towards others, and thus ended up spending their lives hiding secret guilts because they felt they were somehow compromising themselves as Jedi. Not that it stops any of us, she thought wryly. Goes to show that we've lost plenty of things that were obvious to our ancient brethren.

Even the way the Padawan had phrased his question spoke a lot towards that misconception: nobody 'allowed' themselves to be in love. It wasn't exactly a choice: it was something that simply happened. The choice came in when you decided whether to act upon those feelings, to pursue romance or to cast it to one side. The idea that no Jedi should pursue a relationship was simply the height of absurdity: and a rule often broken in modern times, and the ridiculousness of the situation became apparent, and that manifest misunderstanding became more and more recognised. And Force Sensitive children don't just appear out of thin air, she mused with a faint smile.

"There's nothing wrong with being selfish. It's necessary for a healthy emotional balance," the Healer noted in her soft tones, not oblivious to the fact that the young man wasn't even looking at her at this point. He's nothing to be ashamed of, but he feels it all the same. "I've never fallen in love, but as I understand it, it's something that happens to you, whether you will it or not," Teynara continued, offering the faintest of shrugs. Perhaps she was lucky in that respect: when she saw what love did to people, the blonde had a feeling she might be better off.

"Where so many of us fall into a cycle of guilt and self-recrimination is because we fail to understand the idea of detaching ourselves from the connections we form with others," she remarked, her tone softer now, almost as though she were speaking to herself and not to him. Even her eyes appeared to be looking past him, her expression becoming somewhat distant. "So many understand that to mean that we should not have relationships, or let go of those we do have, so to fully devote ourselves to our duties." The young woman shook her head with a soft sigh escaping her, a cascade of blonde hair falling around her shoulders with the motion. "Truth is, we're never whole without them: Master and Apprentice, mutual friendships, perhaps even romantic ones. Our key is always thus: we must be prepared to put them second, behind whatever duty the moment demands of us."

It was the old moral question: if a building is on fire, three people trapped inside and you have chance to save but one person, whom would you rescue? One is your spouse, a person of consequence only to you. Another is a criminal, recently released from detention, trying to carve out a new life for themselves in a way that does not involve returning to lawlessness. Another is a Doctor, a researcher of deadly disease, a person bid to perhaps one day cure severe neurological illnesses. Which would you rescue, and why?

The Jedi believed that a person in love would only ever make one choice: to save the person they were in love with. It's an understandable emotional response, and is ultimely a selfish choice, because it demands that you act on your own feelings alone, looking to your own emotional health. You would feel guilty because the others died, but they were not someone you were close to, and the guilt would be that much less. This, so the Jedi taught, was wrong: it lacks objectivity, and thus is unbecoming of a Jedi's actions. What if the former criminal might one day save lives, or go forth to do something amazing for their community? And the doctor? Could save billions of lives if able to develop a treatment for a common but lethal disease. Is it objective to save your love over the lives of those two? It was always a question which frankly stumped many of those participating in the classes on Ethics.

"If you're doing anything wrong, it's in by demonstrating your humanity by feeling guilty about it," Teynara added, amused by the irony. You feel that your actions should have been more objective and derived less from your feelings, and so you let your feelings take centre stage, with guilt eating away at you. "It's okay to feel conflicted, but you know you did what was necessary. Your reasons for it don't matter to the dead, and I imagine there would have been a great many more of those if you had not acted. Your feelings cloud the issue, but in the moment, you did what needed to be done."

That much was at least clear to her, judging by what he had told her. Had it been otherwise, she suspected they would not have been having this conversation.

 

[Jessica Med-Beq]

Location: Elom, Saak'ak wreck
Objective: Exploration and information gathering
Allies: Silver Jedi
Enemies: Unknown
Post: 9/38

The trio arrives at the point where the centrisphere detached from the donut. Charzon feels that, more than ever, she was freezing as a snowstorm was brewing outside and Marcia attempts to use the grappling hook first. And yet Jessica was worried that the ascension cable would rupture under her weight while she climbs, and she could fall to her death. Legitimate seeing that she was the heaviest of the gang, due to her near-Wookiee morphology. For the purposes of using gear like ascension cables, she was the same as a Wookiee. But the ascension cable Marcia brought with her was only long enough for 20 decks at a time, which meant that they would have to repeat the operation about eight times before they could reach their destination: the bridge. Hopefully they will get a sense of where the staircases are once they are to get out of the centrisphere. A centrisphere with so many holes and whose salvage costs are way too high to render it functional: it was, in insurance terms, a constructive total loss, that is, when the cost of repair and salvage would exceed a new hull, maybe even an actual one, in that case repairs alone would exceed the cost of a new hull.

"Charzon, stand by for the cable"

"Roger"

"Now Jessica, your turn to climb!" Marcia shouted.

"I'm heavier than Marcia: doesn't mean the ascension cable will work on her that it will work on me - even when accounting for differences in armor mass and in weapon mass, I'm about half again as heavy as she is"

"Don't be foolish, Jessica, just let Marcia use the ascension cable on you. It was designed to hoist up to 200 kg at one time: your total mass is about 125 if you add all the equipment you have"

"All right"

 

[Micah tol Powl]

THULE
Post 5 of 38
Objective: Secure the Sith Arts Academy
Gear: Primeval Light Combat Armor | Azi | Broodica's Grimoire | Translation Talisman

Emerging from out of a hedge fence, the young Pantoran found himself back in the courtyard where he'd first appeared.

There were seven different exits that could be seen from within the courtyard, each at a different cardinal point. He'd taken the one to the north, stayed on a path that offered no turns, and somehow returned here from the west. He'd gone east, made a turn south at a T-junction, and emerged back from the north.

Then he'd tried to re-trace his steps, and the T-junction he'd countered earlier hadn't been there.

This place, where ever here was, kept re-shaping and re-defining its own shape or dimensions. That suggested it was more a perception than it was a reality. It is was an illusion, it was on a scale that was worlds and beyond his own skill.

Returning to the center of the courtyard, the young Pantoran quietly sat on the ground as he composed himself for meditation. Pulling his legs into a lotus position, the boy pressed the points of his fingers together as he folded his arms down in his lap and took a cleansing breath. "O bonph Nogras, cahcata me'ae bahietka'en neu chake'e neu."

A prayer to the Starmaker, from whom all light descended, to illuminate the darkness so that he might have a vision to see that which could not be seen. "O bonph Nogras, cahcata me'ae bahietka'en neu chake'e neu."

As the boy opened his eyes, the power of the Force radiated from within the amber colored orbs.

...and there, before him, was a door.

 

[Celiana]

Location: Shadow Temple, Malachor V
Objective: Destroy Jedi Invaders
Allies: Darth Sion (Rasu Gan), Darth Nihilus (Ar'ekk)
Enemies: Matsu Ike, Undin Jaii Kryze, Lyth Meran, Claire Ouron

Master Gan had been about to say something when the darkness had snatched her away. I felt the darkness approaching and fought it for all of a few seconds and then a word hissed through my mind. "Betrayal!" Then I was Darkness, manipulation and betrayal incarnate. I was Darth Traya. It had been too long since the Galaxy had truly feared and trembled before The Sith. Centuries since we'd ruled supreme now the Jedi had made themselves supreme and this could not be allowed to continue I was manipulation and betrayal. These tools would do the same now as they had then rot the galaxy fromt he inside out and allow for a swift victory.

Glancing up I saw that Master Gan, No. she'd become my apprentice Lord Sion. Excellent though I'd have to remain cautios he and Nihilus had betrayed me once before I would not allow it a second time. Then an explosion blew away a wall of the temple and Jedi emerged. SIon ignited the saber of a body he'd controlled and bellowed a challenge. Typical, he had always had a temper that governed more than the cold embrace of logic or manipulation. Glancing over the body I now inhabited I smiled, this body was very nice curvy in all the right places and even more of a tool fro manipulation. The weapons I had were twin sabers with a third resting on my left hip.

Brushing my hands over the weapons I felt a familiar presence attached to one of the sabers though I couldn't place it. Extending my right hand I called one of the sabers to my hand and ignited it with a snap hiss while I called the other to my left hand and connected the two into an aqua saber-staff. Switching the staff to my left hand I called the third to my right hand and ignited it. There was a voice as I ignited the thrid saber. "Celiana? No...Impossible. I will not allow you to have her betrayer!" Chuckling I said, "You can not prevent it either. While I don't know what spirit resides in this saber I'll crush you along with the millions I've killed indirectly."

I felt the sense of a smile from the spirit then it spoke again, "Good luck....Master." Impossible! Revan? The sense of this spirit reminded me of him. No matter, he'd joined The Sith and I'd pushed him that way. In the end he'd help me. I saw the Jedi and my disgust grew into hatred if they wanted to fight a Dark Lord of The Sith so be it. I'd throw their corpses into the pit beneath this academy...

 

[Kurayami Bloodborn]

Location: Malachor V, Trayus Academy
Objective: Exploration and information gathering
Allies: Silver Jedi
Enemies: N/A
Post: 4/38

Kurayami found that the crescent was far straighter than he had anticipated. However his slow pace through the area allowed the sensors to pick up the details of the halls as he wandered. Mostly straight hallways though there were some containers that had been looted long ago. Given their positions, he figured most were medical supplies or other necessities, not anything that would have held great value.

The entry point was a simple, yet relatively spacious, rectangular room. Once he reached the center of the room there was a door directly to his east. This lead to a very short hallway, narrow with only two exits. The door he came through, and another directly in front of him. Once he exited that hall he found himself in a rectangular room, about the size of the first, with a small alcove to his north, and doors to the east and west. He made his way to the center, allowing the sensors time to map out the location, before making his way to the west. He had chosen this direction because he had entered from the east originally and determined that it would likely just lead him back to the place he had come from in the end. When leaving he would test that theory.

As he exited through his chose path, he was in a small, square room with only one other door. Thankfully the mapping of this area took only a few minutes, allowing him to progress through the door in front of him and...into a room that looked exactly the same. Well not everything was going to be discovery of the century, or even mildly exciting. Again he let the sensors do their work as he moved through. Opening the door in front of him lead to a much larger space.

Entering he could sense that there had been blood spilled not far beyond where he stood. To his right. The attack had been sudden, an ambush. Vicious, but controlled, the battle had ended in favor of the one ambushed. The anger and hatred resonated strongly still from where the Sith had fallen to his opponents blade. Continuing along this corridor, small alcoves on wither side were revealed. A bit larger than the other near the entrance, but not by too much either. More cargo containers, looted and left as a reminder of the times long passed. They were clearly ancient in design, thousands of years old, and yet they looked no worse for the wear. One alcove, on the right side the second of the three seemed to have something interesting. An unopened container. This would require a bit of time to unlock, but in the end it would be worthwhile he was sure. Or so he told himself.

He knelt down in front of the container and began to try and bypass the lock. It would take time and a bit of luck, but he was sure he could find a way to do so. A good ten minutes passed before he finally succeded through sheer luck to open the container without damaging anything. He reached inside and was immediately disappointed. A datapad. There was something odd about the container though. He reached back into it and tapped on the bottom, the sonic amplifiers in his helmet picking up a slightly hollow sound. Carefully he tapped it again to make sure he had heard right. Same sound. A false bottom. Clever. Linking his HUD to the datapad he turned it on. All that cam up was a jumble of indecipherable letters, numbers, and symbols. Useless, the data had been corrupted. So much for not damaging the container it seemed. He reached out through the Force and as carefully as he could, pulled out the false bottom. It took some work and the case was irreparably damaged, but within he found something rather unexpected. Another datapad. Kriffing hell. Just his luck. Might as well see what this one contained. After linking it to his HUD again, he decided to simply download the data, and send it over an encrypted Holochannel to his waiting ship. That was where all this data was ending up anyways. Once done, he pulled out the data crytal and pocketed it in his belt before starting back down the corridor to continue on with his less than exciting adventure. At leas so far it had been uneventful which was...

Oh that was nice. Apparently the others who had come into the temple were now facing some incredibly dark presences. Or were they the dark presences? They hand't felt dark before, of course he was known to miss obvious things now and again when he zoned out. These were not some acolytes either, the darkness was far stronger than that. Overwhelmingly stronger than a simple acolyte or knight. That was not a good sign. However, the problem was not his to deal with currently. Maybe if they were at the core when he got there they would be, but not just yet. And where were the archives around here anyways? Either way, he had reached a door so instead of heading through right this moment, he sat down and leaned back against the wall, removing his helmet and pulling out a small ration bar. He was getting hungry and a bit thirsty, so for now he would rest and refuel. WHen he was done he could continue on.

 

[Matsu Ike]

Planet: Malachor V
Objective: Shadow Temple
Secondary Objective: Fashionista
Allies: [member="Claire Ouron"] [member="Lyth Meran"] [member="Undin Jaii Kryze"]
Enemies: Darth Traya ([member="Celiana"]), Darth Nihilus ([member="Ar'ekk"]) Darth Sion ([member="rasu Gan"])
Post: 9/38

There was something, a shift in the air as Matsu was standing in the temple and she looked at her padawans feeling them and then off in the distance there was something else. Rasu and the ones at the Academy were different when she was reaching out with her senses to try and find them before she looked at the others and stood there ready to head off with the others while she spoke. "Padawans assemble and move with me, there is something happening at the academy." Matsu looked at them to make sure they would have the robes secured and ready for themselves to wear before she started moving leaving Arya to organize with the other a number of the different things in system.

Matsu was moving with them as they pushed forward from the temple towards the silver marble academy in the distance with its large bridge while the overseer was working on coordinating different teams. They were bringing all of the information from the seeder ships and relays around t the consoles and the screens to display for them some of the finer details. She could see Matsu heading quickly and leading the way through the fields towards the mountain area and the academy with the other padawans and As-Aki following her hopefully to give a better idea. They were sending teams throughout the Caldera as she stood there crossing her arms over her chest. "Begin setting up operations and primary posts, I want field teams reporting in."

 

[Judah Lesan Jr.]

Objective: Got emotionally healthy
Ally: [member="Teynara Jeralyr"]
Post 5/38
"Okay to be selfish," Judah asked with a shocked expression on his face. ​"This is the first time I have heard those words come from anyone who syas they are a Jedi. I have to admit it seems.... un Jedi..."

It may not have been, but it seemed to be that way. There was nothing like a conflicting philosophy to make one think, but she was presenting one to him now as she explained exactly what she meant. His mind couldn't help but understand that his selfishness and feeling betrayed his humanity. That wasn't such a bad thing, and in the end it led him to a decision that was best for the whole. He had rationalized this to himself over and over again, and it did not change the fact he struggled with ending a life. Maybe this made him human too, and the Jedi simply sighed. An all powerful force was his to call upon when needed, and yet at the end of it all he was still a frail human being. Perhaps it was embracing this weakness which would make him strong. He was not a defender of the galaxy, and those in it, because he was better or stronger, but because he was weak and helpless as they were.

"Perhaps my problem is not as much the fact I feel guilty then, but the fact I cannot seem to let go of it. I have given up everything to be a Jedi. I have gone separate ways from my parents despite the fact my father is a master of this order. My first love I drove to the darkness, and the woman I fell hard for... she is gone now too. I have no master to guide me, and all there is what can I do to live each day. How can I ensure that tomorrow I am still breathing, and wanting to fight against the darkness. In my guilt I have isolated myself, and I know that is wrong."

Judah made steps toward the crippled woman. She seemed so bright despite her injury. It was the only bright thing for miles on this accursed world. He was drawn to it. The padawan mused if she could find her light in the midst of something so permanent, then he could climb his way out of the dark hole of guilt he had been digging as grave for himself. Blue eyes shifted to look at her directly now. There was a determination in them. No more wallowing, and no more looking for pity. It was time to let go, and while that would take time and be a process, he needed to take the first step.

"I shouldn't be on this world, but since I am here perhaps there is something productive we could do. The guilt, the darkness, it can be left here. Perhaps as this world is purged my own light will shine bright again."

 

[Teynara Jeralyr]

Planet: Malachor V
Objective: Exploration/None
In Proximity: [member="Judah Lesan Jr."]
Post: 5/38

Teynara waved a finger at the Padawan, a faint smile crossing her features, reflected brightly in her blue-grey eyes. Beating himself up about such natural mistakes was worse than the mistakes themselves, to her mind: ultimately it fixated his mind on the wrong thing. When you act in error, you learn from this, so you don't repeat it again in the future. Focusing on the mistake is an even worse one, because you don't move on, and thus never learn.

"A Jedi isn't all that we are, my young friend, it is a role we have taken for ourselves, a path we have chosen and been chosen for." Teynara offered a slight shrug. Perhaps it was because she had been trained as a young adult, and not as a child, but to her mind, being a Jedi was an additional layer on top of everything else that she was, something that complemented her as a person. It wasn't the entirety. "I like to think of myself as an aspiring Jedi: I'm working towards being better, each and every day. But perfection in that role is a little beyond my grasp," she continued, adding a small grin for good measure.

It often struck her as funny at how many different taboos the Order had, for reasons beyond her understanding. Don't be selfish; focus on your duty instead of on your relationships; be in touch with your feelings, but don't act on them unless appropriate. And so on, and so forth. That the Padawan was shocked to hear her encouraging the occasional act of selfishness was even funnier, to her mind: it just went to show how...out of touch some Jedi could be. They grow up with the Order, so they never learn to exist without it. They eat, sleep and breathe the Jedi path, and anything beyond it is something to be wary of.

Clearly her young friend had much to learn.

"Sometimes you just have to accept that you're going to make mistakes, from time-to-time," Teynara observed tartly, unable to keep the mildly sarcastic tone out of her voice. It was definitely one of her worst habits, but it wasn't something she was prepared to let go of any time soon. "In my experience, the more you dwell on things you can't change, the more they're going to affect the present. And so you give influence to events that should be behind you."

It wasn't nearly that simple, she knew, and many Jedi struggled to cope with traumatic events and actions which were contrary to what they'd been taught by their Masters in the Temple. And much of that comes from being stuck inside, instead of living life outside the Temple walls. You don't learn the flexibility demanded of a Jedi in the field until you're there. If he was making mistakes, it was because he was trying to stumble along a path he wasn't ready to walk yet. Which is probably true of us all.

"Also, there's one more thing you need to understand: you can't banish the darkness without creating more shadows for it to hide in," the Healer remarked cooly, her expression shifting to a slightly more serious one, her smile fading and lips compressing. "A Jedi has to be accepting of the darkness, both in ourselves and within the world around us. Otherwise we become blind to it, and that blindness is where the true threat of the dark lies: in our inability to accept that it must always be there. So one, thus the other. And that includes your own darkness, too: without it, the light within does not exist, either."

 

[Micah tol Powl]

THULE
Post 6 of 38
Objective: Secure the Sith Arts Academy
Gear: Primeval Light Combat Armor | Azi | Broodica's Grimoire | Translation Talisman

He passed through the door.

He felt himself walking on a path. The interplay of light and shadow told him that he was passing through another doorway, then another. Walking toward the light at the end of the tunnel. As he passed through the second door, he was vaguely aware of his steps becoming lighter. The third, and something was gnawing at his subconscious.

Something missing.

Something he was missing.

He stepped through the fifth door, and was startled as the Heads-Up Display - the view from within his helmet - was just gone. When he looked down, he realized that he was no longer wearing his armor. The amphistaff that had been coiled around his body was absent as well.

Instead, he was barefoot. He wore torn, dirty, ragged clothing that looked at though it had been passed down for generations without ever being recycled. The darkness was stark. Shadows illuminated with pale neon lights. The smell of the nearby sewers hung thick in the air.

This was Coruscant.

This was as far as one could go. The Undercity. It was where he had been born. This was home to him.

"Why are you here?"​

The hair stood up on the back of his neck.

Turning, the young Pantoran looked up to see the towering form of the Dark Lord of the Sith who'd found him in the ghetto. A man to whom he owed much. A man he'd murdered in cold blood.

Darth Scorpius.