Faction Unspeakable [CIS Adventure]

[Vytal Noctura]

Heavy weapons team? Vytal had seen something of the sort. They were the kind of unit that had a young Nightsister interested in learning more of offworlder tactics to help Dathomir survive if someone invaded. Sadly the invasion already happened -- twice. It left her with a difficult quandary. How could she furnish a planet that would resist the very concept of technology without igniting a shooting war? Was she prepared to led such a rebellion? Would the outcome of the attempt be worth the steep cost? There were many things that kept even a woman such as herself awake at night -- and the thought of someone half-cocked 'Base Delta Zeroing' her homeworld from orbit was one of them.

"I'm certain you will not," the Witch replied to Hark's affirmation that disappointment wasn't in the cards.

After the briefing and her own question to Hark's estimation, Vytal listened attentively as the woman spoke. A slight nod followed the dire portent for the Viceroy's fate made in confidence. It certainly did not bode well to the chances. "I do not hold it against you, but I have seen many strange and unforeseeable things in my time. In our number are several counting centuries to their years -- even if they were not awake for them all. Let us hope something miraculous happened, or else that the Viceroy is a secret survivalist by hobby." There was no need to cling to hope like a life raft, but there was still that sliver of possibility. They could not afford to give up completely. They were perform their duty until the search was called off and a formal declaration was made, or the man found in one state or another.

The door opened to admit Vanir Eris, which drew Vytal's gaze for a moment. A surprise to see him there, though not unwelcome.

His was not the only one to join the growing assembly, however. Soon Damien and Telula slipped within the tavern as well. A small smile graced her lips momentarily before her attention was drawn back to the group.

"Lechner, Locke, Hark, Al'verde (Kote), and myself will lead five teams." Vytal looked at those gathered as everyone wondered how to proceed. "Lechner, Redd, Feng. Locke, Aegis, Yumi. Al'verde's team, Eris. Hark's team, Hisaki. And myself, Van-Derveld, Vale. W should begin by investigating the last known location or most likely point of entry -- though it seems unlikely his tracks will have lingered this many days if there has been any weather to speak of." Of course they were free to object, but they would make progress toward locating the Viceroy all the same.

Tag: Anakwor Farlorn | Kurenai Yumi | Gerwald Lechner | Telula Vale | Damien Van-Derveld | Saram Kote | Meili Feng | Redd | Hisashi | John Locke | Gianna Aegis | Vanir Eris

 

[John Locke]

Location: Stewjon
Wearing: This and This (now given to Gianna)
Tagging: Gianna Aegis | Gerwald Lechner | Vytal Noctura | Anakwor Farlorn | Saram Kote | Kurenai Yumi | Hisashi | Damien Van-Derveld | Telula Vale | Vanir Eris

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There was something about stepping out onto a new planet, into a vista you’d never experienced before. It was that element of mystery, of adventure, that had drawn the first travellers to cross the void of space, to explore far distant stars. It’s what drew children today to stare up at the stars and picture a life up there, flitting from system to system, changing the galaxy, having the kind of adventures that you saw in the holomovies. There was no child who hadn’t dreamed about saving the galaxy, commanding fleets locked in deathly combat and found love and adventure. There wasn’t a child who didn’t dream about being a hero. John had been no different.

As a child, he’d looked up to the stars and imagined a life out there, imagined being a hero of the galaxy, of standing and defeating the darkness. Then he’d been out to space and found that life there wasn’t so different from life at home. The same stories, the same actors just different faces. There were planets that were jewels, and planets that were swamps. Planets that were deserts and planets that really didn’t stand out at all. He’d achieved so many of the things that he’d dreamed about as a child. He’d visited more planets than he’d ever dreamed of and found that they weren’t really so different from home. He’d been the hero standing unbowed against the dark, protecting people he’d never met, and found that it came with a cost. The nightmare’s that plagued him, left him waking in a cold sweat, the list of name, the faces of the dead he’d never be rid of.

The dark-haired man had arrived in the stars and found more than he’d ever dreamed, and lost more than he ever thought. He’d become a hero and a villain, a monster made flesh. He’d found love, only to see it slip between his fingers like drops of water.

Dark eyes flicked to the side for a moment, glancing at the flame-haired woman standing next to him staring out at the green field. Just being around Gianna made the world better, filled it with light and colour. She’d always been that to him, the embodiment of light and happiness, of all that was good and right in the universe. She had a way of bringing out the best in everyone she met, of giving someone her fullest attention in a way that made them feel that they were the most important person in the universe. She was the best person he’d ever met, the kind of hero he’d always dreamed of meeting, of being. She’d become his best friend, and somewhere along the way he’d fallen in love with her, he’d hoped for something more and for one brief heartbeat he’d thought that’d he’d have it.

Now…now things had gotten so complicated, so messed up and he didn’t know how to fix it.

Gianna had made her feelings clear to him, both on the day he’d kissed her, and the day she’d removed the blocks from his memory. Despite that, every time he saw her there was still that feeling of elation, of happiness that would well up inside him, those feelings that he’ expressed. Those feeling that had been rejected.

He still wanted to spend time with her, caught himself with those sidelong glances. More than once he’d found himself in his speeder inputting the directions to her house. The Sprite Gate Shore had always been a special place to him, a place which would wrap around you and welcome you in. Even when the mental blocks were in place when he couldn’t remember the anything about his relationship with the woman the place had still called to him.

Turning back had been one of the hardest things that he’d ever done. Yet...she’d said she didn’t want, couldn’t want that kind of relationship. The Exarch knew he’d been avoiding her, what choice did he have. Every time he looked at her he saw how they used to be, the comforting embraces, the talks that would last all night and into the next day. He missed having someone who he could bare his soul to, with whom he could drop the mask of Exarch, of the businessman, someone with whom he could just be himself. He knew that Gianna would be there for him, that he could confide in her, the missions they’d been on together, danger and sorrow they still worked well as a team. They could still be friends.

Only, every time John looked at the red-haired Jedi he saw the dreams he’d had that had fallen. They could still be friends, but he didn’t know if he could. In one moment he’d messed everything up, he wanted it back that easy relationship they’d once had, but, try as he might, he just didn’t know how to get there.

Hands slipped into the man’s pockets as he let his gaze slip away from the woman, although she was never far from his mind, to look out over the grassy field of the planet. It looked so unremarkable in so many ways, you could pick up the view and drop it on so many planets in the galaxy and it would look at home. An innocent beguiling look that made a mockery of the reason they were here, the dark threat that lay beneath the peaceful looking exterior. The Exarch’s eyes flicked back to his companion before he spoke, his head bobbing slowly in agreement.

“Hopefully they decided not to rush in but they’re going at it more cautiously. The Viceroy knew that the temple was dangerous, but if whatever’s there managed to take him down despite that knowledge then I’m afraid whatever’s out there is a whole lot more dangerous than expected.”

He’d pulled up the files on the Dark Ones, the threat that the CIS had dealt with on the planet. Or at least the threat that the CIS thought that they had dealt with. While to could have been anything waiting for them at that temple, Gerwald Lechner’s brief message had been clear, he suspected it was the Dark Ones and John had no reason to second guess him. The man knew his home better than anyone else, besides, it made sense to plan for the very worst possibility. That way, they couldn’t be surprised by whatever they ended up facing.

The Exarch’s dark eyes cut to the side again as he let his eyes shift over to the Jedi as he let her lead her towards the building. He couldn’t sense the force himself, couldn’t hope to really understand it except through anecdotes and second-hand offerings. People like Gianna, like his fellow Exarchs, were capable of feats he could only dream of, capable of warping the very fabric of the universe with nothing but the power of their minds defying the very laws of time and space as he understood them. Or something as simple as locating one another without any form of technology, often over vast distances. John couldn’t see any way for Gianna to know where to go, but he knew she was right in the same way he’d come to implicitly trust her hunches and feelings.

The man felt as much as saw the shiver that passed through Gianna’s body, reacting without even considering it. It was the barest second after the shiver shook her body that his coat settled around her shoulders, the heavy dark fabric enfolding her like a cloak. The dark-haired man’s eyes shifted away to look ahead at the tavern, his voice soft, barely a whisper.

“You looked cold. Are you ok?”

A note of concern touched his voice, danced unbidden across his features, slipping through his control as if it didn’t exist. Words unspoken hung in the air for a moment, words of apology and regret. Words he wished he could speak.

A half step forward, arm reaching out to push open the door as the warm air spilled out of the tavern door, washing over the cyborg as he let Gianna precede him into the room before letting the door close behind him. He recognised some of those in attendance and his access to the Confederacy databases allowed him to identify the others.

“John”

Those that knew him or recognised him would, and those that didn’t know him...well today he was happy enough to keep to the background for now. This was the Lupine’s mission, everyone here had responded to his request and the last thing John wanted was to take that away from him. For now, the Exarch was happy to sit back and watch, to wait and see what would happen as they started towards their goal.

The last time that John had led a mission it had gone...less than well. What should have been a simple diplomatic exchange had devolved into an all-out brawl where they’d almost died. Where people under his command had been injured. Every situation had the possibility to turn sour, but it was his job to plan for that, to predict these situations and protect the people under his command. He’d failed. It was that simple he’d failed in one of the most basic responsibilities any commander had. Bring them back safe.

Since then he’d mostly been immersed in the busywork of moving the Confederacy’s capital, of settling up the infrastructure of the government. Of moving from one crisis to another. That fear was still there, that guilt. That weight, the knowledge that failure was inevitable. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow but eventually he’d make a mistake, he wouldn’t be good enough and someone else would pay for his weakness. If today Master Lechner was willing to shoulder that burden, then John was more than willing to let him for as long as was necessary. His dark eyes met Gerwald’s across the tavern, head bowing slightly at the Sith before he examined the rest of the room.

It was the sight of the armoured warriors that drew his attention, the armour so familiar that stilled him, set his heart beating for a long moment. Mandalorians.

The man knew that not all Mandalorians were the same, but he couldn’t help that instinctive reaction, the memory of three fleets bearing down on him. The feeling of loss and anger. Intellectual he knew that not every Mandalorian could be judged by the actions of a few, but the reaction was there, contained within the icy control of the Exarch. The familiar sensation of claws pressing at his soul for a moment before he let out a breath.

“As Gianna said, we’re ready to move out whenever you are, if anyone wants to join us?”

 

[Redd]

BREIFING​

Wearing: Beskar'gam
Tags: Gerwald Lechner | John Locke | Gianna Aegis | Vytal Noctura | Anakwor Farlorn | Saram Kote | Kurenai Yumi | Hisashi | Damien Van-Derveld | Telula Vale | Vanir Eris​

Golden eyes watched as each and every individual began to slowly file into the room. She was quiet and reserved, yet she noticed that she was mostly overlooked by most within the room. Something which wasn’t at all common amongst those within the CIS. Redd was used to it by now and although she was mostly only here because she was summoned, the wolf kept an eye upon Gerwald. Especially those that seem to gather around him. The group of those that smelled partly animal, seemed to have already formed around Gerwald. Even Vanir, which made her press her ears back against her head at the presumptuous man and the red wolf growled at him. While she didn’t have much in the way of interaction with the man; he was slowly and surely nosing in on her territory, especially the territory concerning her brother.

Slowly, the wolf stood up on her four paws and moved away from her position behind Gerwald, only to reposition herself closer to the door. Of which, she moved to lay down with her head resting in her front paws. Even in a sea of people, it didn’t feel like her pack. As if her place amongst them wasn’t here and she huffed as she closed her eyes and simply listened to the words being spoken. Even though she tried to focus upon words which seemed to be repeated by others, she barely paid them any mind as she focused upon her thoughts of Haastal; her mate and she wished that he was here all over again. So far, it had been only he, who seemed to make her want to shift out of her wolf form and into a human one. Only he who gave her a reason to.

When she had gone seeking trouble after being wounded, it had been Haastal that she had found and although she had bitten him, they had somehow created a bond that she couldn’t even begin to describe. It was as if he was her other half and she missed that other half right now. So. The woman had retreated. She hid in a coat of red fur to try and distance herself from the feelings. Yet, it didn’t so much as work like it had the last time and so she refrained from biting someone who seemed to think that they could simply nose in on her position. For now. She let it be, but if pushed, the wolf would bite. Even someone who was supposedly under the same banner. Hell. She’d bitten Haastal twice already. Once in human form, the other in wolf form and she loved him. A stranger? She’d go for the throat with no hesitation.

With these thoughts swirling within her mind, she heard and smelled the other ones who entered but didn’t pay them any mind until a female spoke to her. Redd lifted her head while an ear flickered over towards the other red head, which was soon followed by her line of sight. This woman she also didn’t know, which wasn’t uncommon but she was… different somehow. Slowly, so then not to cause too much movement too fast, the armored wolf rose up onto her paws and turned to face the woman. Gia, as she called herself, seemed to smile which somehow eased the irritation that she felt towards Vanir and the loneliness of missing her mate.

Gia’s scent smelled odd; almost as if it was sunflowers and dandelions in a green meadow on a sunny day. In fact, it was a vivid image that had flashed through her mind. Almost as if she could drop and roll around in the fresh green grass, only to run through the meadows of sunflowers and dandelions. She could almost see the dandelion seeds that her fur had disturbed, rise up into the air and be blown away by the gentle breeze like wishes upon the wind. Light and full of such promise for the future.

After she had managed to pull herself from the mental journey that she had just traveled upon, the wolf shook her head and looked to Gerwald. Her thoughts pressed upon the man’s mind then, ’I’m with Gia and her friend.’ Redd said simply as she turned her attention back to the woman. If she was in this group, it meant that she wasn’t running beside someone who caused her to be irritated. Besides. She liked this other red head.

Redd moved with slow movements as she leaned forwards to nose the woman’s hand, only to give it a soft lick. She wanted nothing more than to taste the mental journey that she had found herself upon and she pressed her thoughts upon Gia’s mind. ’Thank you. My name is Redd, I hope that you don’t mind if I join you and your…’ The wolf paused as her golden eyes shifted from the woman to her male companion, only to return her eyesight back to Gia. ’Male companion?’​

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[Gerwald Lechner]

WEARING: xxx
WEAPONS: xxx
WITH: Meili Feng | Redd
TAG: Anakwor Farlorn | Kurenai Yumi | Vytal Noctura | Telula Vale | Damien Van-Derveld | Saram Kote | Vanir Eris | Hisashi | Gianna Aegis | John Locke

There were many coming and going, still others that were arriving. Eyes fell to two new arrivals in particular, Gianna Aegis and John Locke . He knew them both, one moreso than the other. Ginna was a friend, and John, he was someone Gerwald had been tasked to protect on two occasions. Gerwald considered them to be an odd pairing, and while he did not know the details of their relationship, something was certainly different about it. The Exarch was quiet, as though he carried a weight that was more than he should have to bear. Such was the burden of leadership, a fate Gerwald knew would be his one day.​

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A male voice echoed in his ear. It belonged to Vanir Eris . Gerwald simply sighed. Tardiness was something the lupine did not like, and among those who were, only one of them had been an apprentice of some sorts.​

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"Just do not make it a habit."​

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His words were short as it seemed everyone was questioning how they should approach the mission. Even the newest who had traveled with Gerwald wanted to know the best course of action. The young shifter, Gerwald could smell it on her, was said to be a good tracker. A small smirk tugged at his lips wondering if her senses came as natural as his. Gerwald knew little about her species, or even what she was exactly, but he would see if she proved her worth.​

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Gianna seemed to reach out to Redd . This was good. Something was troubling her as well, and Gerwald could not place it. If anyone would be able to make Redd feel welcome it would be the red-haired light sider. There was something else, she didn't seem to like Vanir all that much. Redd never seemed to like it when people got too close to Gerwald. There was a protectiveness which came from being part of the pack, a family, that Gerwald had not been accustomed too for a long time. In her own way, she cared and Gerwald appreciated it. He simply nodded when she mentioned she would go with Gianna.​

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"Be safe," the words pressed into her mind in reply.​

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Her injury from Rodia may have healed, or was nearly, but Gerwald was still concerned.​

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The concern was soon replaced with indignation as the nightmother spoke. Normally Gerwald would sit back and allow the woman to give instruction, if it was her mission, but it was not. This was Gerwald's mission.​

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His blue eyes moved toward her direction as the words began to leave his mouth.​

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"The input is appreciated, however this is not your mission, Mistress Noctura. Perhaps you would do well to remember that."​

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It was likely a mistake to chastise the woman publicly, but Gerwald was still a wolf, and Vytal was stepping into what he held in his territory. He did not leave the woman any time to reply before moving on to finish his thoughts.​

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"We will be heading to the temple. Whatever is taking place, that is the source. My hope is that we will find the missing Viceroy and such a large gathering will prove to be redundant, however my gut tells me otherwise. I do not know what we will encounter but be on your guard."​

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Gerwald started walking for the door.​

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"Feng, Vanir, with me... Yumi fall with what team you will. Let's ensure there is a force user with each grouping. If we do encounter the dark ones keep one thing in mind... kill them before they kill you."​

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There was nothing more to be said, and with that, Gerwald walked out the door. The weather was cool, and the breeze was shifting. A deep inhale brought with it the scent of rain. Gerwald cursed under his breath. This was going to make tracking harder. Still he pressed ahead. The temple lay at the center of the forest, and time was already against them. There was nothing for them to do but move forward.​

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A chill ran down Gerwald's spine as he crossed into the trees. Forests should not have made the lupine anxious, but this one did. Every few paces brought one close to the bodies which littered the grassy floor. This had been the sight of a great battle, and the remains of it remained unnaturally preserved in a perpetual decaying state. The air was rancid and the smell putrid.​

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The rain would only make it worse.​

 

[Vanir Eris]

The moment Vytal announced who would go to what group, Eris rebelled and he had to struggle to keep him contained. His other half wanted to run with their own kind. About the time that Gerwald growled softly at them to keep this from happening again, the blonde force user had his counterpart appeased.

He didn’t hesitate when the man called his name, he took a spot behind him to his left. He knew Vytal would understand, this followed his nature best. He never felt like this with his clan, only his two elder brothers, in this man’s presence had he found himself so. An outsider no less. Connection wasn’t precisely the word he would use, but it was close. This kind of unity wasn’t something that was explainable by one who didn’t share their nature. For right now, they were a pack and if they met in the future it would be so. Eris understood it and Vanir by proxy, so when the Nightmother presumed to trespass on that it had been...difficult.

His movements were without thought, keeping pace with the bearded male without even a need to adjust his pace or position. Once outside he wrinkled his nose. Old death, the forest was unnatural and eerie. “I don’t smell any ‘new’ death under all this old Gerwald and I hear… Just us.”

His words were spoken only so loud for the man to hear. The Lopara made barely a sound as they walked, even as a man he knew how to move to disturb nature hardly at all. When they saw the first of the preserved bodies he whispered an old clan prayer to these dead. The language he spoke was unique to his father’s people, a unique dialect spoken only in his clan. As far as he knew there were no Lupo alive that would ever hear their native tongue spoken again. His clan preserved it, like everything else and kept their own dialect as well.

The prayer was a common one, one he had spoken over dead within his clan a few times. It didn’t change the nature of this unnatural state, but it gave him some peace. He wondered how this state came to be and if there was a way to change it. “This… Needs to be set to rights. A forest should not be thus…”

Gerwald Lechner

 

[Hisashi]

D E S T R U C T I O N​

E N G A G I N G : Gerwald Lechner
A L L I E S : The Dark Ones

Cold.

Hunger.

As the heavens wept through the trees, making the horrendous state of the man's being even worse, the twin realities made themselves prevalent. In this world, nothing else mattered. In this world, there was only the bitter cold and the gnawing hunger. As the moments rolled by, the shinobi could not truly fathom...anything whatsoever. To form coherent thought, outside of these realities, was a task far too great to undertake. One step led to another...and another. The cacophony of rain rinsing down his flesh. The splash of water upon the forest floor. All heralded the slow advance of the shinobi.

Yet, in but an instant, there was a third reality.

The Cold intensified. It seeped into his bones like ten thousand daggers. If things were as before - if his blade had not torn him from the gift of life - he might have perceived this as pain. Instead, a guttural sound gurgled from his lips. His form. His instinct. His Everything. All became as a glove for something far greater. All became as a tool...and this new reality overcame the others. Destroy. In that moment, Hisashi became keenly aware of the Temple to the south of his location. The fog of his mind began to clear somewhat.

Darting, his eyes began to mark his surroundings.

His fingers flexed. His bones creaked, yet hastened with every step. He felt...Stronger. He felt...Invincible. And in a single bound, his form was launched from the forest floor. The inhuman feat saw his feet settle down upon a tree branch far above the moistened earth. And from here, his advance truly began. Bound after bound, leap after leap, Hisashi launched himself forward. Launched himself towards the enemies of the Black which had seen fit to rouse him from death.

And as his gaze fell upon the party, Lightning surged from his fingertips. The Force ripped through the air, filling the path with the stench of ozone. The target? The Wolf himself: Gerwald Lechner .

In this, Hisashi was not alone. The Dark Ones were coming. In the trees. On the earth. The Temple would not be so easily stolen. Such was the will of the abyss.

Cold. Hunger. Destruction

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[Meili Feng]

Location: Stewjon
Wearing: This
Tagging: Gerwald Lechner | Vytal Noctura | Redd | Anakwor Farlorn | Saram Kote | Kurenai Yumi | Hisashi | Damien Van-Derveld | Telula Vale | Gianna Aegis

The petite woman flicked the hood of her jacket up, feeling the rain pelting against it, sliding down the jacket to drip onto the ground around her. Dark eyes flicked up to stare balefully at the cloud-covered sky, as if she could drive them away by sheer force of will. She knew it wasn’t possible, but the thought comforted her slightly. Having to fight in the rain would just make things harder for everyone, maybe them more likely to slip or let the rain obscure their vision. She’d seen it before, trained and capable combatants making mistakes that they shouldn’t have, wouldn’t have made otherwise. She’d seen the best loose because of a slip, a foot placed wrong or a drop of rain in their eye. In competition it just meant a loss, but on the battlefield, it meant so much worse. It meant death, not for yourself but possibly for your team as well.

It was a fate that she was determined not to suffer, not to allow her team to fall to. She didn’t expect the Sith to have any problems fighting, not with the force as an ally. She may dislike it as a cheap way to manipulate a battle and take away from the honour of a fight by using additional powers to manipulate the battlefield. Yet even she couldn’t deny how effective it was in a fight. She didn’t know their other companion but if they were someone Gerwald had known, she was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Dark eyes flicked from side to side, peering intently at the edge of the woods, looking for any movement, for any threats that might be approaching. She may lack the force that so many of her companions were able to use, but she wasn’t without skills of her own, without her own abilities. Mei would be damned if she was going to be left behind. The petite woman had pushed ahead, taking point position as they approached the woods. She was close enough to hear something, her hand dropping to her holster as her mouth opened to call out a warning.

A warning that came too late as blue lightning tore out of the woodlands, lashing out at her party as the smell of ozone filled the air. It didn’t take much, the muscles of her legs tensing, throwing the woman to the side, one hand pushing off the ground to catch herself, writing her position as she charged forward, the other reaching for her holster, extending her spear to its maximum length, blades snapping out as she drove it forward, aiming for the head of the lightning wielding zombie. It was a solid familiar weight in her hands, her eyes settling on the zombie in front of her. This was an arena she knew well, just herself and an opponent, this was something she could handle. She might have been too late to warn her team, but she could at least prevent anyone else from ending up in danger.

 

[Kurenai Yumi]

Possibly With: John Locke Gianna Aegis
Others: Meili Feng Gerwald Lechner Vytal Noctura Vanir Eris Hisashi Redd Telula Vale

The trail of new comers didn't seem to be settling down anytime soon, even as people were discussing groupings and fire teams a few more individuals arrived to lend aid. Out of all the new arrivals only John Locke was recognizable, but less so due to the mans work in the CIS and more his company. Any merc with half a brain knew about Looke and Key Mechanics. Kurenai having browsed through their many products long before getting contracted by Metus, leading to her placement in the CIS.

Regardless there wasn't much time to greet said newcomers, each pushing forwards their reediness to begin with the operation, Kurenai ashing her cigar before standing up, stretching out as Vytal Noctura took it upon herself to deliberate fire teams, an action that earned a cocked eyebrow, less at the pairings and how would be in charge. Though John was indeed an Exarch putting him in a commanding position over Lord Marshal seemed like quite the misjudgment on her part.

It would seem she wasn't the only one having that similar line of thought as no sooner had she said those words did Gerwald Lechner counterman them, quickly organizing his own subordinates. The wolfs words followed with order for herself to do the same, and fall in when ready. "As you wish", such was a task, that in this instance proved to be harder then usual. Once more her time back home on Atrisia helping to incorporate it into CIS and spending time with family had left room for many new faces to join their ranks.

Logically she'd would want to pair up with someone in need of an experienced fighter, her gaze falling upon Looke and the red headed Jedi women who just arrived. "Mr Locke, Mr Gai, would you fall in with me during our approach towards the temple"? It was more a request then an order, she didn't hold rank of the Exarch and the women calling them self Gai was still an unknown.

 

[Saram Kote]

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A K A L E N E D A T​

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Tag: Gerwald Lechner | Vytal Noctura | Meili Feng | Kurenai Yumi | Redd | Anakwor Farlorn | Damien Van-Derveld | Hisashi | Telula Vale | Vanir Eris | Gianna Aegis | John Locke​

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The sheer numbers of people answering the call didn't surprise Saram one bit. The CIS never failed to help their own when they were in need. "No shortage of the who's who of the Confederacy's important and powerful, eh vod?" asked Ran over a private line. Ran was right. Gerwald Lechner, the shabla Nightmother herself, her only question was who else was going to join them on this operation? Somehow, she had the feeling that she hadn't seen the full team just yet. How much more to the situation was there that this was the case? How much worse were things than one would initially believe?​

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"Somehow I get the feeling we haven't seen anything yet, vod," she said, pausing as she noticed Gerwald Lechner standing to his feet. "Looks like we're about to get some intel, with our intel." Ran's chuckles filtered in from the other end before he terminated the connection. The first sign she had that things were likely to go to haran in a handbasket was when he mentioned that the Viceroy went missing investigating a temple in the woods that they'd caught a decent look at outside the tavern on their way in. Shab.​

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And just when she thought for the briefest of moments that he was done with the creepy osik, her illusion was shattered when he mentioned the 'Dark Ones'. Saram didn't scare easily, she'd fought force users before. Hell, she'd have finished the job with that shabuire Australis if he hadn't pulled a fast one on them at Rodia. There was something about these 'dark ones' that threatened to overwhelm her with concern. Especially from the way he was describing them. For most people, that might give way to unbridled fear. In a Mandalorian like her, that fear only filled her with an urge to put a round in every one of the shabuire.​

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He finished off by telling them to gather their gear. "Leave the speeders, we're not going to need them. I don't like the sound of any of this. Any of you even think you hear something, I want to hear it" she ordered over squad comms, getting affirmative responses from the rest of the squad. Unfortunately they'd left the birikade back on the gunship. Too many friendly force users to have to take into account. Kriffing shame given what they were possibly going to up against. It was up to said force users to handle that front. A lesson in trust at the worst possible timing. Again, shab.​

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There was some discussion about how to split their numbers. One of the CDF soldiers, a woman named Hark if her IFF tag was reading correctly, suggested splitting them up so there was a force user in each group. Saram instantly found a measure of respect for Hark. She definitely had her head on right, that was for sure. Without any way for the non-force users to be able to defend against force abilities, that was the best idea.​

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It was about then that another Viceroy entered the tavern, to Saram's complete lack of surprise. Vanir Eris. She didn't know much about the man beyond that he was Viceroy of Arbra. Though it appeared he was also an apprentice to Master Knight Lechner. That was...interesting. What was even more peculiar was that he carried with him an honest to Kad bow, and an old fashioned sword. While she had nothing but respect for anyone possessing the skills to use weapons as such, she wasn't quite so sure that they'd cut it here in this situation. Only time would tell she supposed.​

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Her theory about the extent of the team gathering was proven right when none other than Exarch John Locke and his...companion, Gianna Aegis walked in. You didn't need to be a shabla genius to figure out that they were together, but she didn't purport to know the extent of their relationship, and frankly nor did she care. What she did care about was that there were a lot of important CIS personnel here, and that if this all went south, things had the potential to have disastrous consequences for the CIS. Not that she doubted the Exarch's ability to handle himself.​

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It was about then that the Nightmother outlined her plan for splitting the teams. Saram was in agreement, and stopped short of voicing the same, not for any reason other than Master Knight Gerwald voiced his disapproval of the grouping. Saram resisted the urge to sigh. In changing the groupings he'd neglected to reassign the teams in a meaningful manner beyond what suited him. That didn't quite sit right with her, but at the same time she did understand where he was coming from. He and those with him moved off quickly, even for her cybernetically enhanced reflexes. This time, she did sigh.​

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"Viraen, Rusana, post up outside the tavern and report in if you see anything, and I do mean anything," she ordered. Rusana nodded and the two wordlessly activated their optical camouflage suites and stepped outside. The rain would make the optical camouflage far less effective, but it was better than nothing. She watched them leave and then turned her attention to the group left. The question was who to work with. She very much doubted that she'd get any volunteers, but before she could ask, she immediately got word from Viraen.​

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"Akalenedat! Energy signature from the woods concurrent with force lighting! It caught Master Knight Lechner. That Feng woman's moving to attack! Better get here quick, alor!" came Viraen's voice in over the comms, clear as day at this range despite the atmospherics and the EM interference from the force power.​

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"We're under attack, force lightning out from the woods. No more time to chat, we should move. My squad'll take a force user volunteer if anyone's up for it, if not, we're moving regardless," no later than the last syllables came out of her mouth, Saram and the other five members of Davaab squad bolted out the entrance to the tavern to rejoin their comrades and move to the source of contact. She knew that things were going to haran before they expected it to, and oh how she hated being right about it.​