Invasion War in the Rim Chapter II — GA Invasion of SO held Sluis Van and Echnos

[Srina Talon]

Nearby Allies: [SO] Gerwald Lechner Kaila Irons Darth Carnifex Velda Nar-Donna Teresa Zambrano | Darth Pellax
Distant Allies: [SO] Jarek Voss Darth Ultramar Kasir Dorran Velda Nar-Donna Darth Nefaron QK-2510 Festerruman Sachiel
Enemies: [GA] Connel Vanagor Lt. Bren Alazar Gress D'ran Jonyna Si Varys Amun Tarw Rhyfelwr Vulpesen Judah Lesan Jenn Kryze Zaiya Ceti Avery Vaaki
Location: [Echnos City] - Governmental Residence/War Room/Makeshift Ritual Chamber
______________________________________________________

“Foolish.”

<<Yes. You are.>>
​

The plain thoughtspeak she returned to the Jedi, likely, in response to a murmur he hadn't expected her to note were final. There was no question. Palms stained with red caressed the floating dodecahedron like one might have regarded a cherished lover. It pulsed in time with her actions and continued to soak up every ounce of negativity offered. The smog in the manor increased, feeling almost sickly and wet, with the tears of black poison. The darkside pollution was spreading in the wake of the ritual. Bit by bit—Seizing Echnos City.

It started with the recently deceased Governor's place of residence.

It was creeping into the street.

Down into the levels below.

The sound of thunder, sleet, and hail slamming into the Dome was an omen. It was the sound of the heavens breaking open and the wrath of an invisible deity threatening to wipe out the occupants of the capital. It was born of fury, of hate, and the terror that rose from the abyss allowed the opposite of a God to rise. This new entity was primordial and had existed since the first men had managed to cobble together stones and sticks to make fire. Dread.

The crimson glow of the emergency lights cast eerie shadows over her otherworldly features. It made her paler, somehow, while onyx eyes bore into the heart of the elderly warrior before her in ways that were invasive. She saw what she shouldn't see. Knew, what she shouldn't know. His fear spoke to her in a lullaby that the artifact sang back two-fold. The darkness that clung to her body like skin made of smoke, swirled with purpose, as the ritual continued to draw on her essence. On her blood, her life.

The terror of this man, this, disillusioned and mistaken creature had been pressed to the forefront—she could taste it, feel it ripple through the Force like a cold, bitter wind.

It made him both useful and distracting.

Distraction…Was beyond costly.

The discomfort that lanced through her when the relic fluctuated only intensified the longer she delayed the conclusion. It had been so close, for so long, for centuries—And her denial caused some measure of backlash. Everything had consequence…Which was something the Alliance had yet to learn. Srina all but ignored the warrior of Light for quite some time while he became lost in the sensation of her art. Swept away, in tides of incoherent black.

Until his incessant speaking drew her focus once more.

Her voice, when it came, was soft yet unyielding, like silk, draped over iron. "You ask me to spare the innocent, Jedi, as if you do not understand the game, we all play. The game your people started."

Was it not the now Grandmaster Noble that had inadvertently set this all into motion? The dream walk they had shared so long ago still rang clearly in her mind. The sovereign of the Light did not regret cutting her then-mortal husband in twain. Merely, regretted not ending his existence sooner. Who was he to try and shame her for acting accordingly? For upholding the rule of the Order and maintaining a foothold on the border of the nation by any means necessary?

The pressure that he had experienced before would intensify while the scent of jasmine and rain began to infuse among the coppery scent of her own blood. It pressed through the derelict musk and nature of the darkside to wash the chamber in all that she was. The dodecahedron continued to rotate in her grasp, the dark pulse within it growing stronger, and hungrier. "You and your Alliance speak of peace, yet war follows your every footstep. You bring your soldiers into my city and expect…no cost? No price, that must be paid?"

The silence that followed was a hallmark of her being. Emptiness. No anger escaped her while they conversed, merely, statements of fact. Her inclination toward the truth as she saw it was brutal beyond measure. But…When he spoke of altruism? Something unnamable rumbled from the depths, starting low and guttural, as if the very foundations beneath her were trembling with fear. It was a laugh. The sound was ghostly…Echoing with rich, precise malevolence, that ended in a dual-toned growl. "As ever and always…You are wrong."

"I do not begrudge the Alliance. I am not altruistic—I am pragmatic. A cancer on the body must be excised swiftly lest it spread. You would have me relinquish power, spare lives, while your people set fire to the very foundation they claim to protect. There are no innocents here, not in a war fought on a battleground like this.", her tone remained flat, even, while the words exchanged took a sharper edge. The Dread Queen slowly stood from the high-backed chair, her stark white hair flowing behind her like a veil. "I do not justify bloodshed and believe my actions pure. War is survival. Power is truth. You attempt to banish your fear…But what will you do with it, Jedi?"

"Can you prevent what is already in motion?"

The agony from the ritual pulled at her again, punishing, and piercing while more of the Sith Order reflected that which she gave. A sharp inhale interrupted her speech, but Srina did not falter. With icy resolve, she continued, despite the strain that would become evident in the way the environment changed and mutated into a lost and plagued landscape. Judah's step forward did not escape her notice, and primrose lips curved, pale—a cold, and almost predatory smile. "Don't you see it? You fill this device. I set it free…But you are the center. You and all the others...Have given me your hearts without thought or care..."

This man, her Order, the citizens, and the Alliance. They all played their part and provided a specific set of circumstances for the ritual to become possible. People were the unique component needed to power such a relic. Their instability. Their flaws. Their weakness. It drew on the darkest facets of sentient nature—And in Echnos City? It was of the greatest supply.

Dyim…Five.

Dyis…Four.

Tsosûti…Three.

Yun…Two.
​

"Tell me…What will you sacrifice, Jedi, to stop this war? Your honor? Your life? Echnos? Will you call for the Alliance to withdraw? This is the choice you must make…", the Sith Empress spoke, her voice lowering even further, to a tone as deadly as it was intimate. "…Because…this relic will activate and this moon will burn for your trespass. Cause and effect. That is your legacy. Hubris, your gift."

"Death is mine."

 

[Allyson Locke]

Location: Echnos City
Objective: Secure Airlocks/Investigate potential Mole
Allies: Connel Vanagor
Enemies: TBH

Allyson stood back from Connel. She watched the scene between him and the squadron soldier go down. It seemed the two had known each other or something of the sort. Interference would only hinder their mission and the mission the troopers had. The scene unfolding before her was something new; she remembered when the GADF worked with the Jedi. Jedi and the Defensive Forces were equals. That couldn't be more different in today's iteration of the Alliance. More often than not, she gleaned the distrust the GADF had with the Order members. Being called the 'Galactic Alliance' was more of a formality than actuality.

What a funny time they were in; it reminded her of the original Alliance - right before the fall. Standing, Allyson shoved the small comm device she had been working on into the pocket of the worn leather flight jacket. "Don't let it get to you." She quipped. "We're all stressed right now and stretched thin - with the rumors of people joining the enemies, it feels like you can't trust anyone." Allyson shrugged. The Jedi Shadow had quickly learned to trust who she could, but she was prepared to pull away.

"It's nice to see another shadow on the field, I will say. I feel like we're a dying lot." Allyson smiled and waited till some of the stragglers cleared out of the area - at least far enough that she could speak freely with her fellow Shadow.

"I'm Allyson Locke, another Shadow." Now standing closer to him, she could feel and hear the hum of the cybernetics his body was laced with. They were going to be an exciting pair. The Mechu Deru specialist, and the cyborg. The thought amused her.

"I'm not sure what you were told, but our current mission is a farce - of course, if we go through with it, the better, but we are supposed to investigate those rumors." She opened the palm of her hand, and a small hologram with coded information began to appear. It was written in the code that only the Shadows knew - the universal language so they could share information without fear of others finding out.

"We have a mole in Alliance intelligence; I got a hit while behind Sith lines. They were catching wind of our battle plans, so it's probably someone privy to that information or someone who knows how to access it." Allyson's hand closed, and she returned it to her pocket. "Hopefully, we can get to our rendezvous, and I can find a line to slice," The Corellian flashed the man a grin, "You look like a strong fellow; you down to watch my back for me?" Allyson teased and winked - then, almost in the blink of an eye, disappeared from view, cloaking herself with the Force, becoming invisible to the naked eye.

"We should move," her voice echoed in his ears, and her presence began to wane as she waited briefly before heading toward their first checkpoint.

 

[Kaila Irons]

The longer she stayed her, the more Kaila's senses attuned were attuned to and empowered by the ever expanding influence of the Dark Side. Every shot fired in hate of one's enemy broadcasted their intent before they could even take aim, every solider ducking in fear of a grenade made themselves known to her. The city was dark without power, but the unchanging souls of men ensured that she needn't see well to fight.

Men who were cut down by saber, electrocuted inside their own armor or throats crushed by her unseen hand as she marched forward.

She paused her assault as the survivors of this most recent squadron were forced further into the killzone of Sith machine guns, reaping those who remained like a scythe to wheat. All dead in a matter of seconds.

Or so she thought...

Kaila could see the encroaching bolt of plasma before it ever fired, spinning herself around to bat it away with her saber.

Only this was no normal blaster, knocking her to one knee with explosive force as the shot burst on contact with her lightsaber, no doubt a particle-beam which she had heard of but never encountered until now. The blast burnt holes in her cloak, left smoking pock marks in her armor that burnt through the paint and exposed the earthen colored Cortosis beneath. She pat down the small flames in her clothing while searching for the shooter, having a pretty good idea of where it came from. It was fortunate that this was no kinetic explosive, as she may not have survived the shrapnel if this were a more privative explosive. Instead it was heat, heat and pain. Carnifex had exposed to both for as long as she could remember.

Knowing that another blast may come, She summoned an invisible barrier between herself and the ledge from which the shot originated.

She would need to act quickly as her enemy held the high ground and a ranged advantage would require a certain creativity if she wanted to match it. She could perhaps leap up there, aided by the force, but it may be difficult to keep this barrier up and they would surely fire again while she was in the air.

Unless they couldn't see her...

Kaila dropped the barrier just long enough to grab hold of the nearby flames left by war, flinging them upward in an crescent arc as if she were throwing molten liquid with an unseen hand directly at the rooftop, feeding the fire with her own Pyrokinesis in a bid to create a concealing "wall" of intense flame while she ran towards the building, using the force to leap atop a nearby sign and then leap again the rest of the way up the building as she came crashing down through the fire, Sabers reactivating as she swiped them both in a crossing pattern at her opponent's position with a speed and anger brought on by the burns they had dealt her, serving only to fuel the Sith.


Nir Si

 

[Jonyna Si]

TAG: Jenn Kryze Darth Carnifex

The blur that danced across the battlefield in fire and speed and lightning broke through sith lines like an avalanche. A songsteel blade cracked with lightning and the glow of the Light. A ruby blade slashed through officers, igniting them into cinder. Jonyna wasn't interested in mercy in this moment. She knew it wasn't a matter of showing the common soldier kindness. Not today. Not these soldiers. These were men and women animated by the dark side. She could feel it. She could feel it in every man she slain.

So she didn't waste time. She didn't bother with the morality of all this. This was war, and that was familiar. She thought back to it, the stormtrooper helmet she kept in her ship, right at the entrance. To her, it had become a reminder of her past. A keepsake for her own amusement. But...

In a moment like this, it wasn't a reminder of the past, but of the present. The soldiers were just like stormtroopers. Faceless tools of terror.

She was worried about Jenn. The mandalorians could take care of themselves, but Jonyna couldn't stop herself from protecting them in blurs of motion. She couldn't help but protect Jenn. Jenn wanted revenge, but Jonyna wanted...

She wanted Jenn to stay safe.

Then she heard it. She saw it.

"Come, Jedi," rang out His voice, "Come and show me what animals you have brought to slaughter. From this distance I see the blue warpaint of Clan Kryze."

It was here.

Her first course of action was to hit it with...everything.

A bolt of lightning so strong, it shook the ground. A clap of thunder that felt more like an explosive shockwave. She needed to end this quick. End this as fast as she could.

She needed to get Jenn safe.

 

[Judah Lesan]

Wearing: xxx
Allies: Connel Vanagor | Lt. Bren Alazar | Gress D'ran | Jonyna Si | Varys Amun | Tarw Rhyfelwr | Vulpesen | Zaiya Ceti | Avery Vaaki
Enemies:: Srina Talon

Her mind busted through his shields once more. Judah had always been a strong mentalist, but this woman proved to have a mental strength he had not encountered in any other before. It was disconcerting as no one had so easily broken through to his mind in this way the wintry Echani had. It was not something he could fight, nor would it benefit him to do so. She did not assault it, so there was no reason to give her cause.

Judah hoped it was the right decision.

The scene before him continued to unfold. She did not plan on stopping it. In a way the red and black which swirled about the device, a mixture of her blood and the tangible presence of dark energy, was a beautiful thing to behold. There was something mesmerizing and hypnotic about it all. The shadow found himself pulled into the rhythm of it all far too easily. It was seductive, and she was the siren which echoed the song.

Fear captivated his thoughts. Despite the call of her song, and the allure of the artistic scene which painted itself before him, the darkness promised a horrific outcome. It was dreadful and terrible, and Judah knew there was little he could do to stop it. She had assured him of the fact, but Judah was too stubborn a Jedi to allow her words on the matter to be final.

Once again he could not find fault in most of what she said. The Empress was a pragmatist, and her world was one of logic. The Galactic Alliance sought to strike at the Sith, to take territory from them in order to cripple their war machine. In response they would sacrifice a city, a moon. By her own words they would cut away whatever was required if it meant killing the disease.

It was clear to Judah she considered the Galactic Alliance the disease.

She made one mistake in her assessment. The Galactic Alliance were not his people, even if he fought alongside. The Sith were intent on destroying worlds, and the Alliance were the only ones standing between them and the annihilation of worlds. Perhaps the Jedi was also a pragmatist. Though one question plagued the back of his mind, and it needed to be asked.

“The Jedi started?”

His words were genuine. The woman would see the purity in his body language. Judah was not asking because he was accusing. Oh if she wanted him to lay blame at the feet of the Sith, he had plenty of reason to. It may not have been the Order he found himself battling now, but Judah had experienced first hand the atrocities their kind were capable of. The conviction of her words could not convince she was right and he was wrong, nor would he pretend that he could do the same with her.

Judah listened to the rest of her words. How could she claim there were no innocents when the city was full of them? Could Judah defend the Alliance to her, no. Would she ever see them as innocent? How could she when Judah refused to deny the truth of what she had spoken. War did follow the Alliance. It was no different than the Alliance which preceded this one on that front. They were both founded with the notion it was better to kill Sith than to reform them.

In her mind it appeared that death was… logical.

His mind found one moment of clarity. In it he could hear the cries of the city as they faced their own fear. The Order had not done this. The Alliance had. Had they followed the plan, the airlocks would have been the target. Instead a rogue unit found their way into the city and took out the power. Judah had to convince himself the action was not authorized, and the unit had not been officially deployed. Anything else made the entire Alliance wrong, and it would have meant the Shadow had been lied to.

Cause and effect, she spoke as if this did not go beyond a fixed point, the first cause. Had the Alliance not been formed to deal with a Sith threat to begin with? Judah had seen many things in the galaxy, and what he knew was this cycle would repeat itself far beyond the lives they lived now. Not unless something changed.

A new cause with a different effect.

“I have suffered greatly for my own sins, and many times over, but if my life is required to prevent the loss of others, then so be it.”

Judah stepped toward the machine, further. Memories flashed in his mind as he did. Life had been good, happy. Katara’s smile filled his mind, the way she looked during their honeymoon on the golden beaches of Corellia reminded him of why he continued to fight against the darkness. Despair overshadowed those thoughts as the visions changed to her death, the resentment of his son, and the loneliness he had subjected himself to.

Death was not what Judah feared, but it was something far worse.

Isolation.

The Jedi knew what it meant to be alone, not because of loss, but because he had made decisions which pushed those closest to him away. He would do it again and again if nothing changed, and the Jedi continued to see the faces of those he had disappointed or would disappoint. Judah’s biggest fear was that he would die alone, hated by those he sacrificed for.

Another step was taken, this time as though he was being pulled toward it. The siren continued her song, and Judah remained powerless to fight it and the fear which plagued his mind. He could fight it, or he could fight her, but the Jedi could not do both. It was not that he was weak, but the progress of the machine was that far along. The reality of what she spoke reverberated in his mind.

The relic will activate.

The moon will burn.

Suddenly Judah was confronted with images of dead bodies littering the city. Citizens lay in the streets, buildings set aflame, and in the center of it all the Jedi held both weapon and torch. Her words penetrated his soul, and somehow he was beginning to believe them. It would not be the Alliance or the New Jedi Order that would be the reason innocent men, women, and children suffered. It would all be because of him.

He could not see it, but the tendrils of her dark ritual seeped into his core. Like a marionette controlled by a master puppeteer, Judah moved toward the Sith Empress. His eyes grew dark as the vision distorted all function. Judah no longer controlled his faculties. She was in control. He was hers to command.

His mouth moved. A voice which was his, yet distorted and twisted by the darkness filled him. They were face to face. No matter how much he tried to fight it, he could not. Her hand controlled him. Judah spoke by her will and order.

Dyim…Five.

Dyis…Four.

Tsosûti…Three.

Yun…Two.

Wo…One.​

 

[Lt. Bren Alazar]

Galactic Alliance 305th Special Forces Unit - Codename "Omega Squad"​

You know those types you don't want to meet in a dark alley? ​

Yeah, we scare them.​

Michael
Gabriel
Sariel
Raphael
Uriel
“Raguel”
Remiel
Seraphim
Weapons, and gear = Click picture in signature
[Any text in brackets signifies comm-link usage and not face to face conversation]

Making their way back to the (shattered) open window posed a problem, the patrols had tripled and they needed to be silent about their movements. Every fiber in Alazar’s being said to “abort” and go back into the sewers. They would at least be able to salvage some sense of completion of their mission that way. The words they had with Connel Vanagor had been weighing on him. Was there something wrong with what they were doing? They were trying to destabilize the hold that was on the city, yes, it was causing a panic, but that was expected. They were doing the right thing, right?

Words did not have to be spoken, suppressors went back on their sidearms and out came their knives. With brutally swift precision a patrol was quickly taken out. On their way to another, their comms were abhorrently blasting what sounded like a scuffle.


[Do you have eyes on what happened?] No response. [Blue to Red, do you have eyes on what happened?]

[Get out now! Ge..]

Targets: [SO] Gerwald Lechner Velda Nar-Donna
Allies: [GA] Gress D'ran​

Location: [Echnos City] - Making way to the Governor’s mansion

​

 

[Connel Vanagor]

LOCATION : Echnos City | OBJECTIVE : Secure Airlocks
TAG (FRIENDLY) : Allyson Locke | TAG (FOE) : @​

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

[COMM TRAFFIC]

It wasn’t that she had the drop on him that made Connel reluctant to drop his guard. It was the fact that she seemed… interested in his appearance. He did not, nor did he try to know what her intentions were, but there was something that was pinging his red flags on this. Mind you, he was not mistrustful, or rude, she might well be on the level and Mother had always taught him to trust until you have reason not to. Of course, Father taught him to be mindful of his suspicions, so there you go. Connel was mindful, but had no real reason not to trust, so…

I’m Connel… Connel Vanagor… I’m still learning how to follow this path. I’ve been a Guardian up until a few weeks ago. Putting his combat shield over his back as she was explaining what was going on from her end, he did not like the sound of yet another Jedi who fell to the Dark Side. His trust issues were subsiding as he paid attention to the hologram for a moment or two. Though his mission was not hers. His was more or less complete at this point though, so he could indeed “back her up”.

He was unable to do more than mask his aura making it invisible to the Force, Connel could move quietly on his own. Lead the way.

Spoiler: Implants

Repli Implants that would be for the limbs
Bonemer enhancements to strengthen structure of the body
Muscle enhancements.
Hemo enhancements for blood flow
Hawkeye implants for eyes
Advanced Medical Implant
Scentzy

 

[Nir Si]

​

Tag: Kaila Irons​

First came the flame, and Nir just opened up the trigger as much as he could on the blaster designed exactly for spray and pray. But the sith used the flame to hide herself, and Nir waited. Let go of the trigger, waited for his moment...

Then she burst forth through the flame like a banshee. He opened up the trigger once more, a torrent of particle bolts opening up, just long enough before a Flash! filled the sith's vision, and all of a sudden the blaster cannon was gone, and Nir held a saber ignited in one hand, and pointed right at Kaila's face was a particle scatterblaster that unloaded one last shot before she could fall upon Nir.

He needed to keep her at bay. He knew that much. He couldn't trust himself to beat this sith otherwise...

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

Echnos City
Assisting GADF in Airlock Six
Outfit: x x x x x | Equipment: x x x x x x | Weapons: x x x
Allies: GADF Forces
Enemies: Kasir Dorran

-

Relief washed over Zaiya like a cool breeze, turning her silvery skin a bright turquoise that shimmered along the intricate patterns etched across her body.

It worked!

Zaiya felt the weight lift for a moment, only for her relief to be replaced by a sharp pang of concern. The Sith she'd flung back lay sprawled several meters away, stirring with a dark aura that coiled around him like shadows coming to life. She could feel it — the Force twisting and warping with his every move, a suffocating presence gnawing at the back of her mind like icy claws.

Without her hood, the iridescent magenta Kyber crystal in her hair glimmered, humming in resonance with her own empathic senses. It heightened her awareness, amplifying the dark energy radiating from the Sith, and in the distance where the Dread Queen bleed death, the Lovalla could feel an ominous pulse, ticking like a countdown. The citizens' fear crowded her senses, their panic mingling with her own as she fought to stay focused.

Block out the noise, Zaiya, she reminded herself, trying to ground her thoughts.

But then the Sith tore off his mask. Even in the dim light, she caught the flash of pale skin and dark hair, the sharp lines of his face twisted with a cruel smirk. And before she knew it, he was right there, his lightsaber staff crackling mere inches from her, spitting out his whole grim quest to end her.

This would probably be the perfect time to ignite my own saber, right? But something made her hesitate. Despite all his threats, he hadn't actually struck at her yet. He hadn't like the previous Sith she met in battle before. It reminded her of Teresa Zambrano | Darth Pellax . The pregnant winged woman she had met in her past. While she had felt the dark side seethe in her, she hadn't harmed Braze or Zaiya then.

That had to mean something, right?!

So, instead of reaching for her lightsaber, Zaiya did the next best thing — she tried to de-escalate, to meet force with calm.

Stretching out her hands, she channeled the Force, doing her best to craft a shimmering blue sphere around him — a protective bubble of the Force designed to hold off lightsaber strikes, blaster bolts, even the vacuum of space. Normally it was jused as a defensive protective measure; this time Zaiya used it to try and contain the sith. It pulsed between them, a fragile barrier of light.

"Whoa, okay! A little aggressive there, don't you think?" Zaiya's eyes widened, genuinely puzzled.

"Why does it have to be about death?"
Up close, the Sith could see the iridescent colors shifting across her skin, rippling like a living canvas — confused silvers, empathic bronzes, streaks of gold-flecked cerulean edged with a faint silver glow. Zaiya's emotions were on full display, her skin reflecting every flicker of her thoughts.

The Lovalla always feared her empathic abilities might forcibly sway others, bending their emotions without meaning to. It was a delicate balance — wanting to be liked, wanting to connect, without forcing it. But one of her mentors, Corazona von Ascania , had reassured her. It took years of training to truly manipulate emotions, and Zaiya wasn't there yet. Not to mention, it required cruel intent to do so; the kind Zaiya did not possess. Right now, she could only convey her intentions honestly, letting the Force speak through her.

"There's already so much fear and pain going around," she continued, her voice soft but steady.

"Why do we have to fight? I don't want to hurt you. I don't want to kill you. Why should anyone's spirit have to be crushed?" The warmth of her sincerity flowed through the Force, her mottled spots and stripes over her face shifting to a gentle iridescent blue before settling back into its natural rosy golden hue. "Your life is every bit as important as mine. As everyone else's."

But holding the bubble took every ounce of her focus, and she could feel the strain. In the distance, that oppressive darkness seemed to deepen, and the sense of dread twisted tighter. The putrid miasma of death that threatened to swallow everyone whole. It felt like the entire city was holding its breath.

Zaiya's head snapped toward the source of the putrid, deathly presence, deep in the city, her gut clenching in dread.

"Oh no… no, no, no," she whispered, her skin paling to molten pewter, the color of pure alarm.

She turned back to the Sith, her opal blue eyes wide and urgent.

"It's not safe. Something bad is coming." Her fear wasn't just for herself — it was for him, for everyone. The Force thrummed with the intensity of her plea. "Help me. Please."

It wasn't a command but a desperate call to action, her empathy reaching out with surprising strength. She didn't want to force him, just make him understand. They had to work together if they were going to make it through this.

Fighting each other was only going to make it worse.

 

[Kaila Irons]

Kaila saw the enemy's rifle raise and threw a hand in front of herself, Defensive shoto deactivating as she summoned the crescent barrier again. Something was wrong, She should have had him! No way any normal soldier could have reacted so quickly.

Particle beams exploded against the invisible barrier, the bouncing of molten plasma and then sparks from volatile pellets serving as the only visual indication of the half-dome's boundaries as Kaila landed in a crouch on the edge of the rooftop.

That was when she saw the Lightsaber ignite, a sky-blue light that shone brilliantly in the dark.

"Jedi...?" She would tilt her head. That explains his reflexes.

It was the first time she had ever seen one in person. He was nothing like the stories she had read in the Kainate archives either, Her research suggesting that their order was quite averse to firearms. Seemed there was a lot she didn't know, but there was no time to study them. She'd have to glean what wisdom she could from until he was dead or in retreat, no time for pleasantries or exchange between enemy combatants.

"Shorter then I expected"

Without warning she hurled her defensive saber at his blaster while leaping to her feet, charging the Jedi in hopes to disarm him of his ranged advantage and press her attack, to even the playing field for the moment.


Nir Si

 

[Jenn Kryze]

Beskar'gam
​

| Location | Echnos
| Objective | Let it be done

This was it.​

​

The culmination of a lifetime of blood and toil. After so many years, vengeance was within her grasp; the greatest wrong she had suffered could be put right, and the souls of her beloved family could finally be at ease. Jenn had no doubt that they were all watching her from beyond the veil, peering down from the Manda itself... and she would not disappoint them. Not again. Even now, as fear grasped at beskar and mind alike, the Mandalorian grit her teeth, and stood her ground. ​

​

She would not run from It. Never again.​

​

This grand gesture of his found its mark, as did his words; the sight of Carnifex's great cape, forged of the beskar of the fallen, was enough to send any who yet retained their wits in spite of the near-instinctual fear he induced in those who looked his way into a frenzy - a reminder of the atrocities visited upon the Mandalorian people under the Sith occupation of their homeworld. Their armor had ever been an expression of their very soul, and now... so many of them were lost, and forgotten. Their armor melted down, and the hallowed metal of their people fashioned into a vanity piece.​

​

It was then that the words of Herrel Eldar returned to her mind, unbidden.​

​

"Five thousand years ago Mandalore the Indomitable spoke of Ani'la Akaan. The Great Last Battle. His Crusaders faced theirs at Onderon. Mandalore the Ultimate's Neo-Crusaders found theirs at Malachor V. Satine Kryze's New Mandalorians and Pre Vizlas' Death Watch fought theirs on Mandalore. Great trials that the Mando'ade of days past failed."

​

The realization dawned on her, and time itself seemed to slow. This was to be her greatest challenge as a leader and warrior both - and, should she fail, it would be remembered as the day upon which Jenn Kryze and her Reformers faced their Ani'la Akaan at Echnos.​

​

But if she was to win, however... she would ascend from darkness, and into legend. Do or die, victory or death; the Mandalorian way. A Reformer she may call herself, her heart remained that of a warrior, and it kept on beating to the steady rhythm of the drums of war. Peace was an illusion, anathema to her nature; there would only ever be the next battle, on and on, forever. ​

​

I live.​

​

I die.​

​

I live again.​

​

"Dha'naast!" called the Mandalorian in a voice that carried raw, undiluted power within it - an elegant song transformed into a war chant woven with each syllable that left her lips. A promise, carried forth by a Songbird of the Sith. "Hear my name, and know thy fate; I am Jenn Kryze! You murdered my mother - prepare to die!"​

​

The Redeemer drew an elegant hilt from her gun belt, activated the personal shield of her off-hand's vambrace... and surged forth to meet her destiny.​

​

It was during this sprint that she noticed, out of the corner of her eye... a familiar weapon soaring through the air. The javelin she had lovingly crafted for her treasured child, finding its mark as it struck a winged harbinger of death - with some worryingly non-fatal results. It could only mean one thing.​

​

Varys Amun had followed the warriors of Clan Kryze in secret, in defiance of her mother's wishes for her to remain home. And now, she would get her first taste of battle... not against pirates, or lowly street scum as Jenn would have wished - but against some of the most powerful foes a Mandalorian could face. Her heart dropped, then - but it was too late for her to turn back. Skanah Aru'e was not named so lightly, and she could not afford to let him escape her sight; losing her concentration for a mere second may just be enough to cut her tale short.​

​

But Jenn was not alone in this fight. Had it been so, her defeat would have been inevitable... but at her side stood the Sentinel of Harmony. Her Jedi, whose presence in the Force served as a great beacon of warmth, light, and hope - qualities she latched onto all the more fiercely, so that she may guard herself from the yawning void that was Carnifex, Dark Lord of the Sith. ​

​

As Jonyna called down the wrath of the very elements down on the wretched embodiment of oblivion, Jenn leapt forward - and, with a swift and elegant gesture of her hand, brought her lightwhip to life. Every flick of her hand described a graceful, if destructive arc; an unrelenting assault one might liken to a dance, in truth. The fluid shape of the weapon could not allow for much in the way of defense, compared to a more traditional lightsaber - but so too did it present her with the chance to strike with speed and strength.​

​

She could only hope that their combined strength could force this greatest of foes on the defensive... the sight of his effortless (and disturbingly creative) murder of those with the misfortune of being in his general vicinity was enough to remind her of the immense threat they were in.​

​

| Friendly | Jonyna Si
| Hostile | Darth Carnifex ​

 

[Darth Carnifex]

The Dark Lord of the Sith watched with a bemused smirk as the younger Mandalorian declared her intentions, foolhardy as they were. What difference would she alone make? She would struggle and die, as had all of her kin before her. But, to her fortune, she was not alone. The Jedi had come with her, harnessing the power of the elements themselves to strike out at the Butcher King with a ferocious thunderbolt. It struck down upon Him with such ferocity that the ground appeared seized by a quake from the impact alone; the flash of the strike driving all who witnessed it to temporary blindness.

But the shimmering light born from such heavenly detonation did not last, and in fact seemed to collapse in on itself like a dying star. Light and energy rushed inward, coalescing into an infinitesimally small point just above the Dark Lord's outstretched hand. Through many decades of trial and refinement, the Dark Lord of the Sith had mastered the ability to transmute energy into any form He desired. When the bolt of energy had struck Him, He transformed and blunted its destructive potential. But the energy had not been destroyed, such was impossible by the very laws which governed reality.

Instead, the Dark Lord held it in containment as the Mandalorian approached rapidly -- her lightwhip springing to life with a deadly snap. He released the energy, which took the shape of a conical pillar of bright azure flame, and directed it towards her. Though resembling natural fire, these flames did not radiate thermal energy, but rather seemed to siphon it away from every around them. Not only that, but the flames possessed an entropic quality that gnawed away at anything it came into contact with, burning away dirt, metal, flesh, and bone.

Over the roar of the conflagration which had sprung up between them, the Dark Lord's voice emanated. "Your kind are all alike. Speeding fecklessly towards your own annihilation. That you, galère, disturb my atmosphere at all is grotesque." Beyond the flames, the Dark Lord's head became encased in metal, taking on the visage of a leering skull crowned about the brow by sharp angular points. Red eyes shone bright like rubies, seizing the young Kryze in its imperious gaze. All her vitriol and hate for the Dark Lord seemed to feed directly into Him, empowering Him.

Flames parted, the Dark Lord lunging through the partition. A lightsaber had slipped into His open grasp, large black crystal anchored to the hilt by vicious talons, the red blade crackling with violence as it swung towards whatever gap between her armor plating it could find first. He moved much faster than His large physique might imply, the Dark Side itself flowing through Him like an open conduit. He, the embodiment of all it's viciousness, moved to dissect the young Mandalorian piece by piece.

Jenn Kryze | Jonyna Si ​

 

[Varys Amun]

Location: Echnos, near Airlock 5
Equipment: Senaar'gam (armour) | Varys' songsteel javelin | Senaar'sen kite | Jetpack | Twin maser pistols
Objective: Defeat the Valkyrie
Allies: Jenn Kryze | Jonyna Si
Enemies: Teresa Zambrano | Darth Pellax | Kaila Irons | Darth Carnifex

-

It was a masterful throw. A lucky shot, even, considering Varys had hurled it without a second thought. The javelin flew straight and true, sinking deep into the Valkyrie's thigh. She recoiled, dipped and halted. She was badly injured! With an wound like that Varys would surely have the upper hand.

But then, the Sith plucked the weapon from her leg, seemingly unharmed, and sent it hurtling back towards her.

Varys shrieked and covered her arms with her face. Stupid. She should have been skewered. Instead, the javelin had embedded between Varys' feet, the haft of the weapon shuddering with the force at which it had been returned.

She gripped the javelin with both hands and pulled once, twice, three times, finally stumbling backwards as she pulled it free.

"Wayii!" Varys cursed. In the short seconds since she had thrown her weapon, Varys had realised she was likely in the fight of her life. To be struck down in front of her mother and her clan would not just be a waste, it would be humiliating. She could not die an embarassment.

Varys gritted her teeth and dropped into a sprinter's crouch. An instant later she was off running, ducking out from behind the half-cover of the doorway and ripping her rucksack from her back. From the bag she produced a mound of silken red cloth which billowed out behind her. Varys pulled the kite out with practiced ease, bundling it in her hands. This what what she'd been training for.

Cloth in hand, Varys activated her jetpack, a short burst that sent her spiralling into the air. At the peak of her arc she released the great kite, which filled with air and expanded outward until it hung over the battle like an enormous scarlet raptor, its eyes the aliik of Clan Kryze, which adorned the kite in white paint. She caught hold of the smooth wooden handles as they tore past her, and just like that she was one with the kite.

Climbing upward, Varys finally got a
good look at the battle unfolding below. Clan Kryze's forces had broken through, and she saw Jenns distinctive armour near the front, fighting fiercely. But something awful was coming towards her.

It came towards Jenn like a rolling cloud, dissolving the people in his way. It was Him. Carnifex, patriarch of the very Sith she fought. The original monster. The man which Mandoade families everywhere told their children of when they misbehaved. He was here, and he wanted her mother dead.

Varys tore her eyes from the scene, dipping a wing to turn around. She had her own problems to contend with. Jenn would have to handle herself.

She continued her circling motion until she faced the dark Valkyrie. Hot anger gushing through her veins, she goaded the villain in Mando'a, words dripping with hatred.

"Demagolka. Dark monster. Ash'amur. Die by my hand!"

With the kite as her wings and javelin outstretched ahead of her, Varys dived towards the Sith.

This time, the weapon was aimed directly at the woman's heart.

 

[Kasir Dorran]

​

Tags: Zaiya Ceti

Impatience twisted within the assassin’s chest, a feeling that grew with each passing moment as he faced the younger Force user before him. With a single and swift movement, he could have put an end to her then. For a reason he did not completely understand, there was hesitation, wondering if the taunting of a single blade might possibly provoke her to finally ignite her lightsaber. Had the helmet not suffered from the effects of the EMP pearl, then the hues that constantly shifted upon her skin would have surely caused confusion for electrobinoculars and other sensors built within it, as the aura she gave was quite unsettling.

His piercing eyes intensified with a yellow glow as he watched her arms extend. It was strange, but he didn’t feel threatened by the movement this time. But his feelings about the situation hadn't change either. Inhaling a breath, he raised a single arched eyebrow at the alien before him while feeling some sort of serene energy form in the air. It wouldn’t take long for the bubble to take shape, encasing the Sith in what felt like a protective barrier.

Kasir gave a subtle shake of the head as she began speaking once more, the narrative of the words causing confusion, and clearly not meant for comprehension. Every syllable was like a blaster bolt aimed at his sanity. Perhaps her true purpose for arriving at Echnos City was to cling to enemies like a parasite, and drain them of their will to live.

“How can it not be about death,” he questioned, finally ready to challenge her illogical mindset, one that surely tainted the rest of her kind; it was the Galactic Alliance that had come to them, not the other way around. From what he heard, he presumed that she was most likely born within the Core Worlds, and had no true understanding of hardship, or ever experienced any real danger. Her pacifist ideology also led him to believe she was unexposed to the harsh realities that lurked in other corners of the galaxy.

He, too, could feel the dark energy brewing deep within the black heart of the city. Though he did not always see eye to eye with the other doctrines of the Sith Order, Kasir knew there was a reason why the Dread Queen Srina Talon , and Darth Empyrean were at the top of the food chain; their power was unmatched. While often a man of few words, he now found himself driven by the dark forces that swirled throughout the moon capital. It felt like a source of motivation. "Attacking our city, killing innocent people, and plunging the entire population into a state of panic,” he growled. A snarl curled along his lips with disdain as he spoke. “You’re a fool if you truly believe that nonsense spewing from your mouth. You don’t know the first thing about war. How many more do you think will die today at the hands of your misguided cult?”

The anger that burned within was beginning to feel like a raging inferno, capable of consuming his self control. His fingers tightened around the hilt of the saberstaff. He began tapping one of the blades against the surface of the Force Bubble, as if demanding her attention, and inviting her to feel the heat of his hate. "You are right about one thing though. Something very bad is coming for your pitiful army. Whether it be the rats scurrying through airlocks and into the streets, or the ones I detect lurking down in the sewers– they won’t escape.”

He soon found himself standing between a barrier and pleas that he could both hear and feel. Silence lingered in the air as he focused on controlling his breathing. Suddenly, a sense of calmness washed over him. It was strange how it quickly enveloped him. After a pause, his weapon was switched off. Kasir wanted to be free from the bubble, even though he was aware that she would not be capable of sustaining it for much longer. "I will consider helping you for a time, but I can not ensure your survival." His index finger began to wave in the air as if giving a warning. ”If I encounter any of your comrades, I will slaughter them before your very eyes. And if you dare to turn against me, the only color your existence will know is the red of your own blood.”

 

[Velda Nar-Donna]

WEARING: Black Cherry colored sith robes
WEAPONS: 2x Lightsabers and The Dark Side
ALLIES: Srina Talon | Gerwald Lechner
ENEMIES: Lt. Bren Alazar

The storm thrashed against the dome with a fury that echoed the chaos within her mind. Rain fell like countless drumming fingers, relentless and insistent, while the occasional roar of thunder and the distant, muted flash of lightning painted brief shadows across the blackened sky. Inside the vast, towering structure, the air had thickened with something far more oppressive than the storm. The weight of dread, an almost tangible fear, clung to everything. It was as if the atmosphere had grown heavier, sinking down on the populace like the hand of an unseen predator.

Ragged and shrill screams tore through the night. The cries of the helpless, the terrified. A symphony of despair orchestrated by the Jedi and the Alliance. From her point of view, it was they who had driven these people to madness. They, who in their sanctimonious arrogance, believed they could stand against the tide of a war that would soon find their territories. The Sith Order, she mused, merely gave the terror a push. A nudge to unravel the fragile threads of resistance.

Velda paused. Among the cacophony of wailing voices, a stillness fell upon her, though only momentarily. Gerwald had reached the command center first, a fact she had anticipated. His image flickered into her mind, clear as day, as his vision painted a map—an offering, a guide, carefully threaded into her thoughts like dark, raven-silk.

<< Heading there now >> she acknowledged, her thoughts precise, as cold and calculating as a blade.

The storm, the screams—they faded into the background as she ascended with effortless grace, lifted by the invisible currents of the Force with Force Flight.

Soon she landed and from the balcony above, she observed an Alliance unit, each movement, each breath, a detail etched into her mind. She descended without a sound, Like a death angel climbing down from the stars. Her landing was weightless. At that moment, time seemed to stretch like a long breath before death would arrive.

With a flick of her wrist, her lightsaber emerged from her sleeve, sliding into her hand as if it had been waiting, hungry. In the blink of an eye, it left her grip, soaring through the air. It spun, a scarlet wheel of vengeance, slicing through the space between her at the last man among them who had dared to speak.

The hum from the saber was deep, more akin to an electronic growl, than a hum, it crossed the distance. With every intention of finding flesh to rip and tear. And if it reached its target it would slice them clean through at the neck leaving the victim with nothing but a cauterized end.

“You shall not interfere with our plans...” Her voice was smooth and elegant yet sinister. Like a voice of death carried on the wind. Her words cut through the night like her blade cut through the air, leaving no room for hope.

But even as the last echoes of her sentence faded, she felt it—the distant song of the ritual, the countdown. It pulsed like a heartbeat in the dark, close now.

The City was on the event horizon of its completion, and behind the shadowy void of her hood, a luscious but sinister smile touched Velda's lips—cold, but satisfied.

​

 

[Gerwald Lechner]

WEARING: xxx
WEAPONS: Ferrum Solus | Blodmåne | Strømafbryder
SHIP: Úlfs Reiði
ALLIES: Srina Talon | Darth Carnifex | Jarek Voss | Kaila Irons | Darth Ultramar | Darth Nefaron | Kasir Dorran | QK-2510 | Velda Nar-Donna | Teresa Zambrano | Darth Pellax
ENEMIES: Connel Vanagor | Lt. Bren Alazar | Gress D'ran | Jonyna Si | Varys Amun | Tarw Rhyfelwr | Vulpesen | Zaiya Ceti | Avery Vaaki

It was back to the streets, as Gerwald memorized the location of the unit he had sent Velda to intercept. Her mind returned the news she was on her way. They had found their way to the sewer system, and the wolf was confident it had been the same group which had taken out the power to the city. His senses locked onto the Sith Sorceress. The Battle Meditation which the cultists Darth Carnifex had brought with him aided in connecting their minds to one another. It was though they had created their own frequency of communications.

Dyim…Five.​

Fear spread throughout the city as the dark power of the device reached to draw more from the people which crowded around the building. They had known the Alliance was coming, and the Dark Council member had worked with Srina Talon and Darth Carnifex to devise a plan which would take advantage of it. Darth Empyrean looked to the shipyards along with Darth Caedes and others from Korriban. Darth Malum of House Marr and Darth Strosius , took to the mines which the Alliance would target. The listening posts had given them the intel they needed, and they took advantage of it.

Their overreach had allowed the Sith to be prepared, and the panic their attack caused the peaceful citizens of Echnos City would be the gasoline to the flame the Sith were about to ignite. Had they not come, had they remained high in their ivory tower the devastation about to be unleashed on the city would have never come.

Dyis…Four.​

The sky itself began to pulse within time with the device. The red flood lights made the dark ikor of the ritual look as though the very sky above him was bleeding. It was a beautiful sight to behold. If it were not designed to be something so devastating and horrific the wolf would revel in the creation of such a dark masterpiece. It was something the Alliance had gifted them. The unit which took the power out had given the Sith a weapon far greater than anything the Jedi could use upon them. They had played an unintended role, but one which had proven invaluable.

It moved the timeline of their plans foreward, but gave them power.

Tsosûti…Three.​

Velda’s location called to him. Her aura was clear, like a beacon in the darkness, guiding him to where he needed to be. It was the draw of war, the song beat out on the drum of hatred. It was the guiding emotion which had caused the Jedi led Alliance to come to the city, to go on the offensive. Fear had consumed them and distorted their ability to be rational and logical. Did they not know a war with the Sith would only lead to the loss of the very lives they claimed to protect.

They were not saviors. They were executioners.

Yun…Two.​

Gerwald stopped short of the location he knew them all to be. She was there, behind them.

<< “I am here,” >>

His words reached Velda’s mind. She was there, in place and ready. If they were going to see the plan unfold, they could not allow this unit to cause anymore unwanted distractions. The power grid had been what they needed, but they did not need them reaching the ritual itself. There was a use for them. If the unit succeeded in blowing something else up, causing more chaos and fear among the populace, the machine would begin to take care of itself.

Another pulse and another jolt of pain. This one came with something else, a light extinguished. Blue eyes looked back toward the mansion. He wondered about it, but realized there was something familiar about it. It was the force, a sensation he had not felt in a long time. The light side. There was a Jedi in the mansion, but the device had taken hold of him. A grin pulled at the wolf’s lips. Srina would deal with him. His attention turned to the location of the unit once more.

He could smell it on them, the sewer. It reeked of the underbelly, and the excrement which polluted the city beneath. Moments like this made the wolf wish his ability to smell was no different than other human. It would not have mattered. The odor was pungent even those with no use of the sense at all would find the fragrance repugnant. It would be the one thing which would ensure the hunter would not lose track of them, so he memorized the scent.

Wo…One.​

Gerwald stepped into the open. His crimson blade ignited. It was time to confront the unit and make them pay. In this case, he hoped for an audience. If he killed them while others were watching it would add to the fear and the panic which the decahedron was drawing upon. Knowing they were about to die would elicit even more. The wolf anticipated it, all of it, would further their agenda now. Soon the citizens would be overcome with the emotion that gripped their minds even now.

“I take it we have you to thank for this little power outage. Well done.”

Spoiler: SUMMARY

1. Gerwald races to the sewers
2. Gerwald confronts Lt. Bren Alazar

 

[Nir Si]

​

Tag: Kaila Irons​

Without warning she hurled her defensive saber at his blaster while leaping to her feet, charging the Jedi in hopes to disarm him of his ranged advantage and press her attack, to even the playing field for the moment.

Rather than allow the Sith to dictate the battlefield, the padawan spun around, the saber in his hands flashing out of existance, then into existance in a blinding light in the clutches of his tail, batting the spinning saber away before spinning around, and with a free-hand, unleashing a massive gust of wind towards the sith. He needed to keep her on guard. He had an idea of how to beat her. How to win.

But he needed to keep her guessing.

She had thrown her saber, and now only had her barrier. He couldn't see it, but he could feel it in the Force. If he could overwhelm it...or get around it.

Worth a shot.

With a flick of the wrist, a strand of light-side webbing shot from his hand, Nir using the wind to first find it sideways, then back towards Kaila, hoping to grip onto her leg to grab her. That barrier was funny. It was a two way wall.

He wanted to slam her into it.

 

[Lt. Bren Alazar]

Galactic Alliance 305th Special Forces Unit - Codename "Omega Squad"​

You know those types you don't want to meet in a dark alley? ​

Yeah, we scare them.​

Michael
Gabriel
Sariel
Raphael
Uriel
“Raguel”
Remiel
Seraphim
Weapons, and gear = Click picture in signature
[Any text in brackets signifies comm-link usage and not face to face conversation]

[Get out now! Ge..]

None of them wanted to speak up, because they did not want to speak out of turn, or pick a fight. However everyone knew what had just happened. Remiel was just taken out.

[I should have been there…]

[... and you might be dead too…]

[You don’t know that!]

“[Yeah, don’t be such a Bus kill!”]

[Don’t you mean “Buzzkill”?]

[No… he doesn’t…]

A collective groan let out as Gabriel cut it off. Enough! We need to go!
They were caught, and they needed to move even faster into “cover” but were cut off.

This was a Sith, to which they had absolutely no doubt, if not for the red laser sword, just the look of him. What’s this crap about them wanting the power grid blown up? What? No, this was just some cheap move to get in their heads. Either way, their objective was about to be completed.

Happy to oblige… He grabbed his detonator and pressed the activation button setting off those charges closest to them. How about that?

It was stupid of them to do and they would admit it, but the entire team then “opened up” on him. Alternating rifle fire with grenades being launched all the while trying to fall back.

Targets: [SO] Gerwald Lechner Velda Nar-Donna
Allies: [GA] Gress D'ran​

Location: [Echnos City] - Making way to the Governor’s mansion

​

 

[Teresa Zambrano | Darth Pellax]

Objective: 2, Airlock 5
Allies: Darth Carnifex , Kaila Irons , Gerwald Lechner , Srina Talon
Neutral: Zaiya Ceti
Forces: Black Bane Spider Company, Starweird Shock Jumper Company, 23rd Blackened Infantry Company
Enemies: Jonyna Si , Jenn Kryze , Varys Amun

She continued her assault, ensuring her wings were not easy targets from below. The rate of blaster bolts coming from the surface was steadily increasing as more enemy warriors poured into the city. It didn't take long for someone to foolishly brave standing up to her husband, despite the futility. Even Kaila was giving it her all. The view from above was simply splendid. However, that small one who had thrown the javelin earlier was now on the move.

"Oh, I haven't forgotten you, little warrior," she muttered to herself, feigning ignorance of the Mandalorian's movements, curious to see what their plan was. The Epicanthix Valkyrie craved a greater challenge than what appeared to be a green recruit. Yet, it was the little Mandalorian who had dared to challenge her. Teresa was eager to see the next move, the brilliant plan this being was putting into action for their inevitable execution.

Varys gritted her teeth and dropped into a sprinter's crouch. An instant later she was off running, ducking out from behind the half-cover of the doorway and ripping her rucksack from her back. From the bag she produced a mound of silken red cloth which billowed out behind her. Varys pulled the kite out with practiced ease, bundling it in her hands. This what what she'd been training for.

Cloth in hand, Varys activated her jetpack, a short burst that sent her spiralling into the air. At the peak of her arc she released the great kite, which filled with air and expanded outward until it hung over the battle like an enormous scarlet raptor, its eyes the aliik of Clan Kryze, which adorned the kite in white paint. She caught hold of the smooth wooden handles as they tore past her, and just like that she was one with the kite.

Climbing upward, Varys finally got a good look at the battle unfolding below.

"What a strange funny looking machine," Teresa mused, taking discreet glances during her acrobatic flight path. As she did so, she collapsed the bow, securing it against her lower back. Her hands then firmly grasped Sekitangara, ready to draw at any moment, one hand on the auxiliary and the other on the hilt.

The Blackened Valkyrie could feel the girl's hatred, her fear, and her intent to kill. Such emotions were wasted on Teresa, who could not reciprocate them. She did not hate her enemies; instead, she welcomed their attacks. Fear was foreign to her as well. The only feeling the warrior could return was a deep, unwavering desire to kill.

She continued her circling motion until she faced the dark Valkyrie. Hot anger gushing through her veins, she goaded the villain in Mando'a, words dripping with hatred.

"Demagolka. Dark monster. Ash'amur. Die by my hand!"

With the kite as her wings and javelin outstretched ahead of her, Varys dived towards the Sith.

This time, the weapon was aimed directly at the woman's heart.

Once Teresa was certain the Mandalorian was committed to the dive, she angled her wings sharply and tucked her knees forward to act as air brakes. Leaning her head back, her gaze locked onto the girl with a big, manic smile. At the last second, she spun around and separated the auxiliary from the hilt.

The pink-red blade swung fast, creating the illusion of a fan as it struck away the spear aimed at her back. "Don't get carried away, little warrior! Otherwise, you'll be punished for your overconfidence!" Teresa shouted as she maneuvered to engage in the chase. The Sekitangara flickered as it cycled to its second length, extending it into a weapon taller than herself—perfect for aerial combat, where there were no immediate obstacles.

The Blackened Valkyrie beat her wings hard to prevent the gap between them from widening, while also gaining altitude. Her golden-orange eyes tracked every sway and turn of her opponent, her senses becoming more and more focused on this one small warrior. It only took the Mandalorian slipping behind a building to break her line of sight. She'd not let this one slip away.

While Teresa could sense location and intention, she was not omnipotent. Her last battle against a similar warrior had involved a weapon her saber couldn't block, and though her opponent didn't realize it yet, the one she was wielding now lacked the ability to reflect shots. This only gave Teresa more reason to fight with those limitations in mind, ready for tricks while knowing the limits of her current arsenal.

With her empty hand the woman reached out with her empty off hand and twisted the force to her demands. Teresa gripped tight a tall thin advertisement billboard pulling it away from the wall. In the next moment it was pushed forth spiralling towards the contraption. Hoping that would cause a big enough distraction to pull the Mandalorian's attention away, the woman turned off to the left planning to brake the light of sight herself.

Internally remembering the woman's altitude, the Blackened Valkyrie moved around the sort of semi circular building in a steady decline allowing herself to build more energy. Though after reaching the other side her eyes locked back on. Without a taunt to notify she moved in to perform a boom and zoom tactic.

Just as the Blackened Valkyrie was almost upon her target, it was time to dive. Both wings tucked in tightly, and her blade was held over her back, almost parallel to her body. Her focus was absolute. As she shot past, she swung hard. Immediately, her wings flared out, straining against the speed, while angling to use the momentum to soar upward once more.

In that moment, a familiar presence brushed the edge of her senses, close enough to distinguish even amidst the chaos.

"Wait... Zaiya Ceti is nearby," she muttered, taking a quick glance around, honing in on the general direction. The Valkyrie was confident she could draw their battle toward that presence. It had been some time since she'd seen the glowing little being, and it would be rude not to say hello. Her eyes flicked behind her, and she pressed her com, reaching out to the captain of the Black Bane Spider Company.

Spoiler: Lightsabers and equipment

Dark Valkyrie Armor
Iroai Amulet

Old Owners Lightsaber

Ancient Lightsaber

Trandoshan Jedi's Lightsaber

Fathers Lightsaber

Svikin hjörtu

Sekitangara

Energy Bow

 

[Zaiya Ceti]

Echnos City
Assisting GADF in Airlock Six
Outfit: x x x x x | Equipment: x x x x x x | Weapons: x x x
Allies: GADF Forces
Neutral: Teresa Zambrano | Darth Pellax
Interacting with: Kasir Dorran

-

Zaiya might not have been a Lorrdian with the uncanny ability to read body language like a book, but she was observant enough to catch the tension radiating off the Sith. In the brief flashes of light from the blaster fire, lightning flashes outside the dome or the dark bleeding ichor now spreading and pulsing in the sky, his angular face was a storm of emotions — rage, confusion, and a kind of disdain that didn't need a color-shift to be loud and clear. Zaiya wasn't clueless, though. He had a point, as bitter as it was to swallow.

"You're right," she said, her voice steady even though her heart was racing.

"I might not know the full reality of war, but I know what it's like to lose people — to lose my parents as collateral damage in a Sith attack. I know how it feels to be cut off from someone you love, to feel them die and not be able to do anything about it." The memory still haunted her: being trapped under rubble, the crushing weight of claustrophobia, screaming for her parents until her voice gave out, feeling their presence vanish through her bonds like a light snuffed out. It had been traumatizing, a wound that never quite healed, but she refused to believe that it justified a worldview where some lives were worth more than others.

Just like she didn’t want to kill him just because he was a Sith, despite what happened with her parents in that Sith attack.

"Yeah, I know I can't do everything," she admitted, her skin flickering with empathic soft blue and bronze hues, the colors of honesty and resolve, that Kyber crystal only continuing to resonate with energy to amplify her conviction. "But I can at least try my best."

She met his eyes, her own iridescent blue gaze unwavering. "Right now, I'd rather get as many people out of here as I can. I'd rather try to get the Alliance forces to retreat than risk them facing whatever's coming."

Zaiya's gut twisted just thinking about the darkness she could feel gathering, something ancient and wrong, a creeping dread that left a sour taste in her mouth. She didn't know if the other Jedi Knights or Masters at the other airlocks felt it, too, but she wasn't about to take any chances.

When the Sith offered to compromise, relief washed over Zaiya, her silvery skin flushing with warm turquoise. Maybe she was naive, maybe it was foolish to believe him, but she needed to. Right now, she had to.

"I can handle myself," she said with the reckless confidence of a teenager.

"And I'll do my best to keep my comrades from going after you, so you won't have to hurt them." Bold words, but she meant them. Every last one. She believed she could do it, that she could protect people — maybe even him. And yeah, if it came down to it, she'd risk her life if it meant keeping others safe.

"But we need to get everyone we can out of the city. They can't stay here." She glanced around, already running through half-formed plans in her head. They'd have to move fast, figure out how to evacuate as many as possible before whatever was coming hit.

A surge of determination rippled through her skin, glowing in brilliant waves of orange and electric blue.

"I'm Zaiya," she added, her voice steady as she reached out, taking a leap of faith and trusting the Force. In the next second, her fingers flexed, and the Lovalla Padawan released the shimmering blue protection bubble that protected her from the Sith's crackling lightsaber mere inches from her face.

She just hoped he’d trust her too.