Dominion Tyrants Without Thrones || GA Dominion of Lazerian IV

[Connel Vanagor]

"In my experience,
when you think you
understand the Force,
you realize just
how little you know"​

[COMM TRAFFIC]
LOCATION : Lazerian IV | OBJECTIVE : ¾ Hybrid | TAG (FRIENDLY) : Jonyna Si | Jack Wright | Diogo Talon TAG (FOE) : @

Now THAT was a question that knocked him back a step.

You should look up “Investigator” with questions like that. It was a simple and honest question, not to mention prudent, and add to the fact that he was trying to joke, Connel honestly needed a moment to think about it. Slowly pulling his mask off and letting it hang behind him like a hood, he was still thinking, wanting to give a real answer.

Wow…

Looking at the ground ahead of him for another moment in thought, he tweaked his neck. Sometimes…

Sucking on his gumline as he took a few steps toward Diogo, Connel became a little more resolved in his opinion. I started on the archetype of a Guardian because my father is like “Uber-Super-Amazing-Defacto-Ultimate Guardian”. He honestly chuckled at the comment, showing some humor he rarely does. It was so wrong for me. Socially, I am shy, awkward and ridiculous. I also had to deal with expectations and his shadow. I won’t bore you with the details. But I made a change at an appreciated suggestion and idea from Master Valery Noble herself. So I took that Huttball and ran with it, it’s the “Vanagor” in me that does that… but “details”. He sighed.

I do regret the loneliness from time to time, but when I take the mask off, I let myself be “me”. I train and hang out with my Padawan, my best friend and his best friend, and enjoy my downtime when I have it. This mask… He grabbed it and “half pulled” it over his head, keeping his face in view.... when I pull it on… it’s “time to work”. I’m a different person… a person you have seen and dealt with. He said with a smirk, remembering their first meeting on Rishi.

This sort of thing doesn’t work for everyone, but this mask on allows me to “work” and off allows me to be myself. Almost “hide in plain sight” as I don’t normally take it off in front of people I don’t know.

 

[Diogo Talon]

Refugee camp outskirts
Connel Vanagor

Diogo was taken aback. His question was a serious one, meant to probe for an answer beneath the surface, but he wasn't expecting it to strike such a chord with the big guy. With the mask off, Diogo could see the genuine thoughtfulness in the lines of Connel's face; he was even making jokes, which was revealing in itself. Not many people saw this side of the Shadow, Diogo suspected.

What he was describing was akin to a split personality. A duality, one always hidden by the other. Mask on: Shadow; mask off: Connel, or whatever was left of him. It wasn't so simple, though, was it? It must have been a thin line; a porous membrane where each side occasionally bled into the other. Kinda like those mid-mornings when the sun was a quarter way through its daily routine, yet the faint visage of the moon lingered like it wasn't ready to let go.

Unbeknownst to Connel, Diogo understood it well. Too well. But to a starker degree: Anzat, or not; monster, or not. There could be no in-between for him, no blurring of the lines—it was too great a risk. There was no mask to take off and put back on, just a wall that had to be impervious and unbreakable. He had to be one, and one only. Was he capable of being a Shadow, then? Could he walk the tight rope that life demanded? The ambiguity frightened him.

"I see," he said softly. "I understand that... more than you know. You seem strong, though, a lot stronger than me. Do you think that kind of life is truly sustainable?"

 

[Nos Voros]

REFUGEE CAMP

Outfit: Senate Security Durasteel Armor
Weapons: Heavy Blaster Pistol | Vibroknife | Loadouts in bio

"I can arrange that, yes. And please, do eat something. I've got convoys of these freighters with fresh food every day. I fully expect this one to run out of food by the end of the day. It's a whole system."

Nos didnt know if the sludgespawn could understand what was being said or was simply waited for a positive sign, but Sugar rushed away as soon as Jonyna said "yes", leaping into a trashbin like a professional diver, the lid swinging from the momentum as the bin itself began to fumble and gleeful bubbling sounds emerged from within. The idea of the sludgespawn gorging on garbage slightly repulsed Nos, but it wasnt his pet. He was just. . . Slimewatching?

More uncomfortable than the refuse being ravaged Nos was unsure how to respond to the Jedi Master's hospitality. He allowed himself to to be led to the diner-freighter, uncharacteristically sheepish, reminiscent of when Lady Sylvia Organa first fed him after rescuing him from life on the streets.

"It's certainly an effective system you've set up here," the compliment felt foreign on Nos's lips, still trying to distract from his reluctance to order.

Subconsciously hunching his shoulders in, Nos accepted the burger, all while trying to think of a way to justify that it would be better served in a refugee's hands than his. All he could croak out was a "Uhm. . . Thank you. . .", standing in a fast food freighter, holding a burger in blue durasteel commando armor, a polar opposite of the joyous trash bin rumbling around beside him.

Karking Jedi and their karking hospitality.

Nos took a bite.

Jonyna Si​

 

[Connel Vanagor]

"In my experience,
when you think you
understand the Force,
you realize just
how little you know"​

[COMM TRAFFIC]
LOCATION : Lazerian IV | OBJECTIVE : ¾ Hybrid | TAG (FRIENDLY) : Jonyna Si | Jack Wright | Diogo Talon TAG (FOE) : @

Another great question, but one that would have to wait a moment.

Connel heard something.

Pulling his mask on and signalling for the kid to find cover, he did so himself. There was another patrol, they were clearly responding to the area, still on their comm-links trying to call for those to whom they could not contact.

“Still getting static…”

“They’re looking too… they’re talking…”

“I don’t buy it… something is wrong.”

These three were clearly professionals. The only thing giving them away was the comm-link chatter on Connel’s confiscated device. They were following a path that kept obstacles obscuring their position but not their vision. They were not going to give away their position easily, but that does not mean that Connel did not have an idea.

Crawling in the brush towards Diogo, he whispered. Help me overload the powercells on these rifles. Glad that the kid hadn’t completely gotten to them yet, he took one, and explained step by step what to do. It was not an easy task, but it was doable.

Learned that working with Special Forces. With luck… they’ll make themselves visible… if it works. I’ll take the followers, their leader is yours.

He wasn’t entirely relying on Diogo’s combat readiness, he would move in a way that would enable the Anzat to be successful. Give these things some space. He tossed one out into the open, they hadn’t reached that point yet so those of the Syndicate would not see it “flying” but the “thud” of hitting the ground would get their attention.

Three Nikto Warriors, each as armed as they looked mean, were slowly approaching, but as the powercell on the rifles each began to glow more and more, until “Boom”, their attention was diverted.

“Something over there…”

“On it…”

“Hold…”

“Why?”

“I know an overloaded powercell when I hear it.”

“If it’s not?”

“I’ll grab Overwatch. Call it in. You two move.”

Frak

Looking back at Diogo, it was time to improvise here, unfortunately.

”Overwatch” guy is moving to a place where he can play “Sniper”. I'll take him. Watch and wait for my signal. You think you can handle the other two? He didn’t really give the kid a chance to answer. If you’re not “there” yet, it’s fine. I’ll take the other.

Regardless of the answer, the next few moments were fast and violent. Connel’s signal was “Overwatch” falling from a tree. He would then wait for the kid to move as the other two turned his way. If Diogo took both of them out? Great! If not, the survivor would get a throwing Lighknive to the head..

To finally answer your question… no… it’s not sustainable… but is the life a Jedi lives as such? This mask of mine may be a blessing, it may be a curse, but it is what works for me. If you find something that works for you? More power to you.

 

[Aadihr Lidos]

BARRACKS RESCUE

Outfit: Field Attire | Sigil Bead Earring
Weapons: Walking stick / Lightsaber Pike | Legion Long Range Precision Rifle Mark I

By the time Aadihr made it back to the watchtower the guards were a flurry of activity. Valery and Azzie had approached, Azzie even saving him from targeted fire with a last-second shove.

Aris had. . . Breached the wall by fist? The strength of the boy astonished Aadihr, but there was little time to ponder the strength of Valery's children.

The grandmaster warned of backup, and Aadihr sensed some of the guards making a break for the barracks. He trusted the others to handle any external threats - protecting the POWs until release was priority with this angle.

"Sorry in advance," Aadihr whispered as he drew the rifle once more from the watchtower.

A slight pifft sound emerged as the rifle fired, accompanied by the click-slide of each reload as Aadihr fired round after round.

The approach to the barracks was a much louder cacaphony. The first guard running to the entrance had no warning, just a subsonic slug piercing through his weight bearing knee mid step, collapsing suddenly and crying out both in pain and to warn the others. Two more hostile Lazerian guards found their legs shot out from underneath them as they approached the barracks.

Aadihr allowed the guardsrunning to rescue their own to drag them off back to cover, but a bolder and more persistent guard made another dash for the barracks. After the knee was blown out, he continued crawling to the door, earning him a slug round through the elbow.

"Just stop it, please stop approaching" Aadihr whispered as he chambered another round.

The guard used his remaining good arm and leg to approach the door.

Another slug rendered his remaining arm inoperable.

Aadihr winced, but held firm. The amount of pain he had just inflicted did not bring him joy, but pain and death were separate things, and he had no qualms delivering pain if it meant averting death.

Aris Noble | Valery Noble | Azurine Varek​

 

[Caelan Valoren]

"The people that attacked my family," he said in response to Cora. "They were dressed differently than these. And they were... stronger."

They moved as quickly as they could through the streets of the city. Before, the city was pristine and well kept. The Smokes were generally more dirty but that was to be expected amongst the fires of industry. The rest of the city was normally well maintained. But now, buildings were in disrepair, damaged, and debris and trash filled the streets. Clearly they had utilized the Kingdom military vehicles to dismantle parts of the city, probably to quell uprising and maintain control.

The trees of the park, came into view without them running into too much trouble. It seemed, at least to him, that the enemy forces were far more limited than he had expected them to be. Strong, but limited. They'd clearly maintained control over the Kingdom through the use of the Force rather than through the use of numbers.

As they neared the park he happened to notice several poles sticking up from the ground, rising at least as high as three of him. He discounted them at first, figuring they were probably part of some power display, and focused instead on surveying the streets. They seemed clear, so he started across to the park itself, and at this point took the opportunity to really look at these poles. There were several of them, but the two tallest ones were in the center of the line, and when he looked up at them, he could see that the poles had skewered bodies.

But not just any bodies.

The lightsaber fell from his hand, and deactivated when it hit the ground. Caelan fell to his knees and tears began to roll down his cheeks, for at the top of the two poles were nearly picked apart bodies that wore crowns.

"Mom... dad..."

The words were strangled as they escaped his lips, barely audible because of the sobs that escaped him. The last time he'd felt like this was on Tython and here it was happening again. His parents. He'd known they were gone. He'd known. But to see them skewered atop poles and displayed as a warning towards the populace? It was callous. It was cruel. It was evil, and he felt all strength drain from him as stared up at them.

Why was life like this? Why were so many things taken away from him? All joy gone. First his parents killed, and his sister disappeared, then Ahriaa disappeared. Tython saw more loss. Onderon more. It seemed that at every turn the joy was taken from him. Each time he found new it was quickly snuffed out.

And now this. He felt the immense weight of it all on him for the first time. This world had counted on him and he'd known that, but now he realized that he actually had to take on all of that responsibility himself. There was no one else. This was real. The Kingdom of Devit was his to save and to lead and he wasn't going to have parents who had retired from leading to guide him. He had nothing but himself and what he knew of his parents goals to go on. It was all on him.

He lowered his gaze to the ground, tears still running down his cheeks, and just sat there.

---

ATTIRE: Link | WEAPON: Lightsaber | COMPANION: BD-F8

TAGS: Corazona von Ascania | Drystan Creed | Thralrii Hillbolt | Grrwunhoooll Agaburry ​

 

[Katarine Ryiah]

Tags: Dean Walker

Dean got the door open and Katarine slipped under his arms, leading the way inside. Inside were rows of crates and equipment. There was a slightly machine oil smell that hung in the air even now. She followed him as the crouched behind a large crate.

"Holocron's not gonna be in plain sight. They'll have it locked up somewhere secure. Let's stick together and keep things quiet for now. If we run into trouble…"

She nodded at him, but inwardly she hopped they didn't run into any trouble. She didn't want to show him her weakness just yet, or worse get her partner killed in action. Katarine always struggled with confidence. It was something she was working on with Caltin Vanagor, who was trying to tell her not to compare herself to other Jedi. That was a hard thing to do though.

They slipped through the warehouse like two unseen mice scurrying from crate to crate. Finally they paused as they noticed a group of two darksiders talking near the edge of the room. Both seemed to be low level guards and had a cup of caf in their hands, clearly on a break. Their presence while the war raged outside meant that there was something in this warehouse worth guarding... a good sign for Kat and Dean.

"I'll take the one on the right... you go left...."

 

[Resh]

Eloise Dinn​

"You can do that?!" Resh asked in disbelief. She said she'd need a whole lot of concentration to do it, but still, the thought left him in awe. "O-Okay!"

Even as the counted down in sync, Eloise moved a bit fast for Resh. He hopped out behind her, fumbling with the hilt of his weapon. The soldiers fired quick, but thankfully most of the early shots were misses, as they were still trying to zero in on the moving targets. Resh had just enough time to take something of a position, and raise his weapon. His senses honed in, and it was as if everything was moving slower than before. He saw the next blaster bolt, its trajectory on course to find its target. Resh ignited his lightsaber, and his face was illuminated by indigo light. It was the first time he had ever brought it to life in a real combat setting, but there was hardly time to dwell on such a thing. As the blade sprang forth, the bolt ricocheted off with a sharp pang. It was almost… easier, than Resh thought it would be.

But his skills would be tested as more shots came, forcing him to move and adjust his defense. "How long do you need?!" He asked anxiously.

 

[Eloise Dinn]

"You can do that?!"

Eloise would let the results be her answer.

She charged out into the line of fire, putting her trust in the inexperienced Pureblood. After a moment's hesitation, he pulled through, deflecting any blaster bolts that came their way.

"How long do you need?!"

"Just a little longer..."

Wind blew Eloise's purple hair in all directions, but she kept her green eyes trained on the tank. It started to rise, metal groaning as she lifted it off the ground with the Force. The strain of it was apparent in her grit teeth and clenched jaw, yet she couldn't stop now. It was lifting a huge weight. All you had to do was raise it just enough, turn it upside down for good measure...

... and let it fall.

The tank plummeted to earth. It landed on its top, either crushing the occupants or trapping them inside. The impact was explosive, sending pieces of shrapnel and debris flying as far as where the Padawans were standing. It looked like Eloise, drenched in sweat and dizzy from fatigue, wasn't going to move out of the way in time.

Resh​

 

[Thralrii Hillbolt]

​

2200 hours
DEVIT MILITARY BASE - Echo + Sierra platoons
Valery Noble Aris Noble Aadihr Lidos Azurine Varek OPEN!

Alarms throughout the base continued to blare as the ghost and jedi made their moves independent of one another. The sight of a trooper being thrown from the height of a watchtower had surely indicated the size of the threat those defenders faced, but in spreading out their forces to deal with the jedi they'd play directly into the Sanval's grasp. Echo and Sierra began to get aggressive with their cloaking devices and melee weapons, ambushing countless troopers who'd been off rotation and as a result nearly alert enough to see them coming. One by one did the Sanval increase their kill count, closing upon the shield generator with every tally.

In the same vein, the psychological effects of this raid were already wearing on the defenders clear as day. Through the night did those fools attempt to find the attackers, any of them, so desperate were they- but it wasn't enough. The forty odd men spread out wide, engaging in smaller fights with the defenders, leading them to flood the radio comms with calls for help and sightings of further reinforcements, leading central command to assume there must have been hundreds of attackers, striking from the shadows and tearing his forces apart.

Then, not five minutes after the first shot had been fired, fireballs began to rise from the base. In truth, every commando carried with them the tools to complete the mission, and were to deny far more than just the shield generator. What had been blown to bits would all be replaceable in swift order, but made for a spectacular show to enjoy. Fuel tanks, communications towers, random buildings that drew far and wide- Until eventually, the shield generator itself had been popped, exploding into a grand display of fireworks for all to see, including those overlooking the situation from the base itself, who could almost swear those shadows were getting closer to them...

Elsewhere did the acting commander contact the jedi grand master, all too cocky in tone as to be expected from the Sanval. "Target destroyed, I can see the show from here. Would you like assistance on your side?"

How quaint. Each and every one of them should have stood trial, the savages.

​

TIME UNKNOWN
DEVIT CHARGE - Alpha Platoon
Caelan Valoren Drystan Creed Corazona von Ascania Grrwunhoooll Agaburry open!

Despite their distaste for open combat, Alpha platoon continued to serve with honors as they shifted positions and guarded their escort. Diamondback was soon transferred to escort the wookie jedi, spreading out the Sanval even further. However, unlike the platoons of Sierra and Echo, Alpha had found themselves in the most unsightly cross roads imageable. None attempted to stop the kid from crying, instead with quick thinking and a motion from Hillbolt did they improvise a perimeter. The captain himself removed the helmet which covered his face, and offered a glance to the bodies strung above, lowering his head in respect for the dead.

For a moment did the captain's eyes remained closed. Thralrii had long since feared the day his own parents would pass on from this mortal realm... And he could only imagine the feelings coursing through the boy's mind in that moment. Despite his lack of qualification on the matter, despite not even knowing the boy beyond name, Hillbolt stepped fourth to the distraught kid frozen in time. His blaster was slung, a knee was taken, and the helmet placed upon the ground next to the boy. And for that moment, he remained, head once more lowered in solace with the poor boy.

Silence. Words had never been the captain's strength. No, someone such as Princess Ascania would have been far better suited to actually say anything. Instead, Thralrii was only there for the fourteen year old boy, someone who should have never seen frontline combat, or the horrors of war. The jedi had always prided themselves upon the idea that they alone were the true moral pillars of the galaxy, the ultimate force for good. Yet here they were, allowing a child to play commander, and put into the sights of his slain parents.

What a hypocrite captain Hillbolt had been.

 

[Diogo Talon]

Refugee camp outskirts
Connel Vanagor

Crawling in the brush towards Diogo, he whispered. Help me overload the powercells on these rifles. Glad that the kid hadn’t completely gotten to them yet, he took one, and explained step by step what to do. It was not an easy task, but it was doable.

Diogo did as he was bid, clumsily tinkering with the rifle's power cell with an inexperienced hand.

He wasn’t entirely relying on Diogo’s combat readiness, he would move in a way that would enable the Anzat to be successful. Give these things some space. He tossed one out into the open, they hadn’t reached that point yet so those of the Syndicate would not see it “flying” but the “thud” of hitting the ground would get their attention.

The rifle Diogo threw landed with a thud. His accuracy paled in comparison to the big guy, but it was just a distraction so it didn't require precision.

”Overwatch” guy is moving to a place where he can play “Sniper”. I'll take him. Watch and wait for my signal. You think you can handle the other two? He didn’t really give the kid a chance to answer. If you’re not “there” yet, it’s fine. I’ll take the other.

Regardless of the answer, the next few moments were fast and violent. Connel’s signal was “Overwatch” falling from a tree. He would then wait for the kid to move as the other two turned his way. If Diogo took both of them out? Great! If not, the survivor would get a throwing Lighknive to the head..

Diogo eagerly leapt forward as though their earlier conversation conjured tangible words into the air and he was trying to outrun them. With a snap-hiss and swoosh of his blue bladed lightsaber, the padawan hit the ground and rolled, cleaving through one of the Nikto warrior's torso. When he popped back up at the end of the roll, the other Nikto warrior was behind him, poised to deal a killing blow. Diogo's instincts took over and he ducked just as Connel's lightknife wizzed by, striking the Syndicate thug between the eyes.

Like Connel's face beneath the mask, it didn't look pretty but all's well that ends well. Diogo retrieved the lightknife from the thug and handed it back to the big guy. "Good chit, brother."

To finally answer your question… no… it’s not sustainable… but is the life a Jedi lives as such? This mask of mine may be a blessing, it may be a curse, but it is what works for me. If you find something that works for you? More power to you.

Diogo nodded. It made sense. Connel was nothing if not practical. "You're right, man. Our lives are defined by sacrifice. We'll always have to give up some parts of ourselves, but at least we get to choose which. One last question, then: if you could go back, would you make the same choice?"

 

[Connel Vanagor]

"In my experience,
when you think you
understand the Force,
you realize just
how little you know"​

[COMM TRAFFIC]
LOCATION : Lazerian IV | OBJECTIVE : ¾ Hybrid | TAG (FRIENDLY) : Jonyna Si | Jack Wright | Diogo Talon TAG (FOE) : @

Sliding the handed knife back into its hold, he thought momentarily about the last question.

This one was easy. Pulling his mask up enough for his face to be in view.

Absolutely. Which is easy for me to say as I was literally born into this. My father is a Jedi, my mother was a Sith Lord. He smirked, and held up a reassuring hand. She gave it all up. She was redeemed.

Anyway, yes. I would never change a thing because each step leads you to who you are, right or wrong. It comes at a huge cost, yes, but I have found my true place doing what I do. I may not get the recognition of others, but my father trained directly under the one who coined the phrase “Adventure, excitement. A Jedi craves not these things.” It’s not our qualities, but our actions that define us." It's all about finding where you fit. That is one great thing about the Order as well, so many options and so many that are willing to help.

Pulling two ration bars out of a pocket in his webgear and tossing Diogo one, Connel took a couple of bites and pulled his mask back on. Stripping the weapons, and grabbing the knives, Connel simply said.

Take a minute and enjoy that… which I know is saying a lot since those things are basically cardboard… we’ll move when you’re ready.

 

[Valery Noble]

​

Outfit: Jedi Jumpsuit | Wedding Ring
Weapons: Blasters | Lightsabers

Valery's fiery gaze darted between her team and the chaos unfolding around them. Aris' powerful display had clearly rattled some of the guards, and as she advanced, she saw several raise their hands in surrender, dropping their weapons to the ground with loud clatters.

But not all of them.

From her position, Valery could see a smaller group of guards further inside, shouting commands and forming a defensive line near the barracks entrance. They were ready to fight — their blasters were already trained on Aris and the others. She felt their tension through the Force, sharp and desperate, and she knew they wouldn't go down easily.

"Good work, Aris. Secure the ones who surrendered and stay sharp," Valery called out, her voice carrying both command and encouragement. "Azurine, keep those cannons off us. We can't let them stall us here."

Valery's own lightsaber ignited with its familiar violet glow as she strode forward toward the defensive line. Blaster bolts erupted from their formation, streaking toward her with lethal precision. She moved like a storm, weaving and deflecting with her blade, the bolts ricocheting harmlessly into the air or striking nearby walls.

Her movements quickened, her connection to the Force deepening as she closed the gap. With a Force-assisted leap, she landed directly in their midst, her lightsaber spinning in an arc to disarm two of the guards before they could adjust their aim. The hiss of her blade meeting metal filled the air as she cut through another guard's blaster, forcing them back.

"Stand down!" Valery's voice boomed, her tone sharp and commanding. But when one of the guards raised a vibroblade to charge her, she pivoted smoothly, sidestepping the attack and delivering a powerful strike that sent his weapon flying from his hand. A swift kick to his midsection sent him sprawling to the ground, groaning in pain.


Around her, the remaining guards glanced at each other nervously, some dropping their weapons and raising their hands in surrender. But a few bolted for the barracks, likely attempting to lock it down or reinforce their position.

Valery's gaze flicked to Aadihr and Aris. "They're making a run for it! Cut them off before they reach the entrance!" She called out, trusting in their precision and ability to handle the stragglers.

Aris Noble Aadihr Lidos Azurine Varek ​

 

[Ariana du Couteau]

Ariana du Couteau, Jedi Padawan
Location: Crystal Valley, Lazerian IV
Objective Two: Crystal Valley
Outfit

Ariana paused, her eyes shifted from the corpses of the enforcers and towards the arrival of the apparently Mandalorian figure that pushed through the barracks. With a simple upwards nod the figure continued to push forward and finish off the remaining enforcers within the barracks. Ariana kept up her usual smile, seeing no reason to change her expression.

The bodies that laid strewn across the barracks hadn’t the appearance of officers or leaders, they all wore similar outfits. Ariana kept her lightsaber ignited, both as a precaution but as well as a light source as several of the lights above had been destroyed during the fight. The blaster fire from the Mandalorian figure continued and Ariana felt confident enough to explore the area a bit more diligently, none of the enforcers appeared to carry any data-slates or data-keys. Or at least this group within the barracks. The offices outside would probably be the most promising places that would help her find the Syndicates headquarters out here in the valley.

With a quick glance, Ariana turned her lightsaber off and placed it back on her belt, the blue hue of the brilliant sapphire blade vanished. She could sense terror and fear of nearby sentients, but whether they were more enforcers or the indentured workforce of the Syndicate it was difficult to completely discern for her currently. Tracking down the Mandalorian from where she last saw the figure, she slowly approached and called out from a fairly safe distance.

“Hello! I’m a part of a Jedi Order mission to remove the Syndicate presence from this valley. For operation security’s sake, do make your intentions known, if you could be so kind.” Ariana spoke out her smile unchanging. A profession curtesy to hopefully clear up any future misunderstandings, Ariana really did not wish to cause unneeded harm to anyone outside the Syndicate.

She really had no intention to fight it out with someone that appeared to be a contractor doing a job. While Bounty Hunting wasn’t technically outlawed within Alliance space, contract work with the military had been all but effectively removed; so seeing someone in non-Alliance garb during a military operation was certainly a curious event. She wanted to spend more time on finding the Syndicate headquarters and not play investigator for proper Alliance military doctrine and such. Litigation was more her bother's thing in the Senate, and was something she intended to avoid like the plague.
​

|| Stevru Klamat | @Open ||​

 

[Corazona von Ascania]

Caelan Valoren | Drystan Creed | Thralrii Hillbolt | Grrwunhoooll Agaburry

It was not unusual for Ukatian Kings to display the heads of slain rebels on pikes. It was a warning as much as it was a power move, and for Cora, it was a grim practice that only existed in historical texts.

When they came upon a line of impaled bodies, she recoiled in shock and disgust. The sight was unimaginably grotesque. Barbaric.

The metallic clank of Caelan's lightsaber hilt hitting the ground shifted her attention to the Padawan. He'd fallen to his knees, tears flowing freely.

"Mom... dad..."

Cora's feet moved before her thoughts did. She rushed in front of Caelan, her hands taking a gentle grip of his shoulders as she sought to block what she could of the brutal view in front of him.

She didn't know what to say. Any words that crossed her mind seemed too little, too meager in the face Caelan's reality. As the soldiers formed a perimeter around the young Prince, Cora glanced nervously to Captain Hillbolt as he joined Caelan in quiet reverence for his tragedy.

Silence stretched between them for a few long moments. Eerie and suffocating. Blaster fire in the near distance echoed through the city, but it might as well have been white noise.

Cora squeezed Caelan's shoulders, offering him her quiet, sympathetic gaze. Then, she rose slowly. "Look after him," she said softly to Thralrii.

She paced toward the perimeter slowly, the soldiers shifting to let her pass. Cora placed one hand to a wooden stake and craned her head back. It was the first time she'd taken a good look at skewered corpses.

Scraps of fabric hung from mangled bodies, so desiccated that she could not distinguish between the former king and queen. The stench of rotting flesh hit her heavily, and she pressed her face into the crook of her elbow, suppressing a gag. Her eyes traced down the length of the pole, stained dark from where blood had seeped into the wood and dried. All the way down, until she found that her hand was pressed against a swath of deep maroon.

"Creed," she said quietly. Cora withdrew her hand and ignited her lightsaber. "Help me get them down."

The blue blade hissed as it kissed the wood.

 

[Aris Noble]

Breathe.

Aris let his gaze drift between the different soldiers on the staircase. Above and below. They weren't here to kill. He could hear their heartbeats. Fear, mostly. Panic at his sudden appearance, at how he came through the wall. It deterred some, he could see it in their twitches, how they gazed down the stairs, towards the others. But not all. He didn't need to hear Valery call out for him to hear the guns pointed, the tensing of fingers on triggers.

He was through the crowd in an instant. Without the Force, without the mind of a droid, they couldn't see him. They blinked, and half of them were already down. Aris cleaved bodies with his silent blade, but only those who had chosen to fight. He came to a halt where he'd started, idly lowering his blade as he glanced between those still conscious. Those who wanted to run, but now knew they couldn't escape him.

"They're asleep. Take them and go, don't die for this."

They were pawns in whatever game of thrones had been played. Soldiers trying to make ends meet. It was a leader's burden to accept the sins of their orders. He turned his gaze to those already fleeing towards the entrance and he turned his gaze away. They were fleeing, not acting as reinforcements. He wasn't going to attack them.

"Let's get to our objective."

Valery Noble | Azurine Varek | Aadihr Lidos

 

[Aadihr Lidos]

Outfit: Field Attire | Sigil Bead Earring
Weapons: Walking stick / Lightsaber Pike | Legion Long Range Precision Rifle Mark I

"They're making a run for it! Cut them off before they reach the entrance!"

--PIFT --
--CLICK--​

Another joint destroyed, another guard crippled. Aadihr loaded the next round, chambering the slug and continues firing at the soldiers rushing the barracks entrance, one at a time. The slow fire rate of the rifle wouldn't suffice - Aadihr began running atop the battlements, firing and reloading, stabilizing his aim with the Force as he continued thinning the here.

Aadihr lept from the outer wall to the roof of the barracks, dashing towards the front side, pushing his capabilities to speed his steps with the force. At full speed he dropped onto one thigh, other leg extended into a slide, holding the rifle in one hand and pike in the other, gliding off the rooftop foot-first, landing with a roll. Mid-roll, Aadihr dropped the rifle to the ground behind him, between him and the barracks entrance.

Aadihr stood with staff in a frontal guard. He could not hold them all off, but he could delay their entry a bit longer.

"You will go no further" Aadihr spoke, igniting his emitter.

The rifle set behind him was a clear indicator - this Jedi was the very same that had injured their comrades, fired upon them with a silenced weapon. The soldiers didn't hesitate to fire their blasters during their charge.

Aadihr remained silent, recalling the streets of Keshi and the wall of plasma he had met. The moment first bolts reached him, he became a blur of movement - deflecting with the Force, saber, and staff as he lept and pirouetted to avoid the thickest density of blaster fire.

The moment the crowd closed the distance, attempting to reach the entry panel, Aadihr snuffed his saber and went on the offensive - none will pass him. His pike now acting as a quarterstaff, the miraluke fought the crowd, continuing to deflect blaster fire as he averted the thrusts of vibro-knives and shock batons.

For these most tenacious of combatants, broken bones and concussions would serve. No momentum was wasted, as motions that thwarted the swing of one baton would promptly feed into a brutal bash on the inner forearm of another opponent; a jab into an approaching thigh fed into an upwards parry on the opposite side, all while Aadihr blinded crushed the assailant's nose with a palm strike, blinding them with pain.

Pain, but not death.

One guard let a victorious shout out as Aadihr felt a warm liquid pour from his back. The vibroblade-wielder was much less enthusiastic when a swing of the blind man's staff fractured his orbital.

Aadihr was getting sloppier. If he wasn't careful, one of these strikes would be lethal. The numbness and sting of the gash across his back began to set in. Aadihr tried to ignore it, ignoring his blood flung from the momentum of his strikes coloring the attackers as he fought.

This couldn't last much longer. Aadihr was certain some had slipped past him, but he was hardly alone here.

A thrust with the cold emitter took the wind out of a guard's lungs shortly before his head met Aadihr's elbow. The group of guards rushing the barracks was thinning, either losing courage or withdrawing from injury, Aadihr noted deliriously.

A flash of warning from the force stirred Aadihr once more into immediate action as he turned, raising a hand and pushing outward with the force to deflect with as much effort as he could. An inch from his palm was the tip of a vibro-knife mid-thrust from a Lazerian traitor. To deflect a physical projectile was hard enough, but to deflect a melee strike doubly so.

The knife slowly sunk into Aadihr's palm, triggering a surge of burning pain over the entire arm, the cursed burn from Eiattu finding purchase in Aadihr's pain and frustration.

The arm-length searing flare of pain bypassed the mental block in Aadihr, turning his meager telekinetic deflective defence into an overwhelming blast of the force, fueled by tumultuous emotion. The knife wielder and several others were pushed back, knocked off their feet by a sudden burst of invisible energy, crashing into buildings and barriers, cracking bones and concrete.

Aadihr withdrew, relying on his allies to cover for him as he focused on re-centering himself, horrified at what had emerged from his bleeding palm. The pain of the burn slowly subsided as Aadihr regained control.

Azurine Varek | Aris Noble | Valery Noble​

 

[Diogo Talon]

Refugee camp outskirts
Connel Vanagor

All of Diogo's serious questions got good answers, but they didn't make his decision any easier. He shifted back to his usual playful demeanor.

Absolutely. Which is easy for me to say as I was literally born into this. My father is a Jedi, my mother was a Sith Lord. He smirked, and held up a reassuring hand. She gave it all up. She was redeemed.

"Your dad is into baddies, huh?"

Redemption was a sore spot for Diogo. It just made him think of his own father, who was probably well passed the point of no return and only getting further. If he was even still alive. "Good for her," he muttered.

Anyway, yes. I would never change a thing because each step leads you to who you are, right or wrong. It comes at a huge cost, yes, but I have found my true place doing what I do. I may not get the recognition of others, but my father trained directly under the one who coined the phrase “Adventure, excitement. A Jedi craves not these things.” It’s not our qualities, but our actions that define us." It's all about finding where you fit. That is one great thing about the Order as well, so many options and so many that are willing to help.

"Wait, your dad trained under the McYoda guy?" Diogo knew Yoda was one of the most powerful Jedi of his era, of course. But Diogo's first frame of reference was the McYoda guy.

Fast food mascot > an old ass Jedi with a weird—and frankly unnecessary—speech pattern, who was deader than dead.

Take a minute and enjoy that… which I know is saying a lot since those things are basically cardboard… we’ll move when you’re ready.

Speaking of McYoda's, Diogo would kill for some right now. He bit into the cardboard-esque ration pack with disgust. He chewed like he was in pain and his tongue was about ready to sever itself in protest. "What the hell is this, man? Got some hot sauce or somethin'?"

 

[Connel Vanagor]

"In my experience,
when you think you
understand the Force,
you realize just
how little you know"​

[COMM TRAFFIC]
LOCATION : Lazerian IV | OBJECTIVE : ¾ Hybrid | TAG (FRIENDLY) : Jonyna Si | Jack Wright | Diogo Talon TAG (FOE) : @

Stopping momentarily, Connel stared at the kid for a moment.

That is my mother… and my father that you are talking about. Knowing full well at this point that this is just the way the kid snarked, er talked, Connel let it go. He went back to breaking down weapons. No Syndicate would be able to use these again. . Thank you.

When Diogo freaked out over… who? No, he didn’t learn how to flip burgers at a fast food joint, he did on his own… his are better anyway.

As he checked his lightblaster and re-holstered the weapon, Connel held back a laugh at the reaction to the protein bar. It was disgusting after all.

Finding a way to enjoy that piece of cardboard is a trial of Discipline. Holding back a smirk which wouldn’t matter as it was under his mask anyway, he waved. Master Si brought actual food back at the camp if you want it. I’m moving on the crystal mines if you want to come.