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

[Kasir Dorran]

Tags: Zaiya Ceti

The images that haunted his mind, bringing back memories of his past, continued flowing like waves; yet amidst the confusion, another vision began to form, one that brought no physical strain, but rather a feeling of unexpected comfort. As he gazed upon his younger self, there was a figure beside him, almost maternal in nature, with a hand resting on his shoulder. All the pain began to ease, bringing forth a sense of clarity. Kasir’s inner turmoil was relieved, even if only for a moment. It made him feel more determined, causing the flames within to grow, driven by the force of some kind of new understanding. Everything clicked in that moment.

Shortly after, there was another ripple of energy through the Force-–sharp and piercing through his thoughts. He recognized the voice of Gerwald Lechner , and it was a summon to join the other minds of his brethren, so he might benefit from the power of the Battle Meditation. Inhaling a breath, he focused just enough so that he could allow its power to wrap around him like a cloak. More sensations flooded over him; their ambitions seemed to intertwine with his own, a collaboration of darker desires.

Rage temporarily pulsed through his veins like fire as the Padawan dared to withhold the commlink, his mind seething at the very thought of someone going against his will; he was used to getting his way, and her defiance was not well received.

The impact of the Phobis device now seemed to affect her as well. Still, the Darkseeker drank in the pitiful pleas that left her lips, even as the situation intensified. Her stumbling steps only served to confirm his belief that she was surely as useless as earlier when they first crossed paths. And though tears flowed, staining her youthful features, they only served to fuel his indifference, for in this cruel galaxy, pity was a weakness he could never afford.

A sickening sensation brewed within as he witnessed her foolish attempt at heroics, trying to aid the lowly citizen who approached him only moments ago. In his eyes, non Sith were nothing more than pawns, below his own kind.

The resistance wasn't something he was keen on entertaining. Instinctively, his hand lashed out. With a subtle shift of his thumb and index finger, their air path was sealed shut, silencing them completely as they were choked into submission. The desperation was evident as hands clawed at the throat, hoping to break free. Their own colors then shifted, much like Zaiya's, but where hers were drawn from emotion, the other only promised death. His touch was anything but gentle, and he wasted no time throwing their lifeless form to the side.

When her empathetic energy surged through the air this time, he was more aware of its nature, and passively accepted it without registering a single emotion towards it. The Sith’s gloved hand then extended towards the vulnerable Padawan, the palm facing up as if offering reassurance; however, in a swift motion, he withdrew it. "I’m not the one you need to be concerned about right now, child.” He turned to scan the streets for more potential threats before returning his attention to her. "We need to keep moving, Zaiya."

His reputation among those who knew him may have branded him a monster of many cruel deeds, yet never had that nature reached children. In the depths of his own twisted moral compass, it was something beneath him.

Despite the fear that still threatened to consume his thoughts, he couldn't help but catch reflections of the white haired woman from earlier. Kasir recognized the figure now as Srina Talon , and he was ready to set off in direction to where he felt the influence of the Dread Queen.

“Let’s go.” His tone was firm. Without another word, he pivoted on his heel and began to head down the street.

 

[Dreidi Xeraic]

Equipment: Lightsaber, Nightsister Energy Bow
Tag: Kaila Irons

"I offered a branch of support and help, you burned it." Dreidi countered, "if you fear me, it is your own doing not from my influence." She was not using her powers to force fear into Kaila, she was just making it harder for the Sith to predict her movements to form an attacking strategy when she could be anywhere and she could not be hit this way.

Seeing the sword strike the mask and it breaking from the head of the Sith to reveal a face that was familiar to her. Brendok. The imperials and the conflict that had been brewing towards the witches that called the planet home. "You." She looked sorrowful, the woman had been someone who was fighting beside her not too long ago. Dreidi had worked with her against a common enemy, there was a potential long lasting bond. "I am more disappointed you did not trust me earlier, especially since you saw how firmly I supported the witches of Brendok." She had made the effort to show that she cared more about the actions someone had and not their religious beliefs.

However, it seemed that Kaila was only falling deeper into the darkness and using powers of others to strength herself.

"You do not fight for yourself, to be someone, you fight through fear and pain. You will always be in the shadow, you will always be a toy because you refuse to discover who you are." Dreidi mentioned with the voice of her ancestors echoing and reverberating with her own voice. The voice of a thousand people with Dreidi in charge of them.

Reforming, Dreidi rushed towards Kaila and she sliced at the limbs with her ichor sword and striking at Kaila's Lightsaber. Her style was much more chaotic and less formal Jedi combat techniques. She was using her training on Dathomir and freestyling to ensure that the Sith would be more on edge. "Why become a Sith? Why suffer the abuse from a mortal who can bleed and can die?! You can leave here and he will never find you, I can ensure that!" Dreidi shouted, hoping to ensure that Kaila would stop this fight.

 

[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 |

What was once a person, a soldier, was now little more than a pile of ash, as Velda, shrouded in shadow beneath the folds of her hood, stood over it. Her eyes lingered on the ember still flickering weakly within the remnants, its glow a frail symbol of a life extinguished. The ember pulsed like a heart, giving one last stuttering beat before succumbing to silence—like the evening light overtaken by the night.

Such was the sunset of one more soul.

It was such a twisted application of the powers of darkness that the surviving soldiers did not seem to understand what they had just witnessed.

Which was to be expected from those unfamiliar with the unnatural abilities of the Dark Side.

But she could feel their emotions. Velda’s actions had cut deeper than just leaving a chilling void within their ranks.

Anger, Hatred... Loss. Velda had taken someone important away from this soldier, this pawn of war. And they wanted to taste revenge.

The irony of it all was that she didn’t block anything; she had merely absorbed the energy and transmuted it into something far more deadly before sending it back.

Searching for a solution to the situation they now found themselves in, they grabbed a bigger weapon, as juvenile as she found it.

Just before he could fire, she vanished, her form dissolving into the mist, slipping through the cracks of reality itself. The bullets that tore through the space where she had stood found nothing but air. She was gone, her presence now a smooth, insidious voice on the edge of his mind.

<< A lover of yours? Or someone you fancied? Such a dangerous game, I’m afraid. Love and war mix like oil and water, but they do say love is a battlefield after all. Do not worry, I shall reunite you with them again... in oblivion. >>​

The mist coalesced behind him, Velda’s figure reemerging, her movements quick, unnaturally so, as she ignited her lightsaber in a flash of crimson. The blade cut through the air, swift, unerring, aimed at his midsection, the arc of death intending to bisect him.

On the battle meditation with Darth Carnifex , Gerwald Lechner , Kaila Irons , and Teresa Zambrano | Darth Pellax she now felt the addition of Kasir Dorran as the meditation had grown stronger.

Her senses found Srina Talon and felt pain, terrible pain, and anger. Yet, Velda knew the wintry queen would overcome.

As for Velda herself, she could sense it. The fear and dread cultivated by the Phobis Device. Scratching with its claws against the window of her soul. The only things keeping it outside of her window, besides the battle meditation, were her inner anger and rage.

There came an explosion from Gerwald’s direction, and Velda’s gaze shifted toward him.

​

 

[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

Blinding light filled the room. For a moment, the briefest of moments, bright white was all there was to see. Slowly it faded back as the pitch black of the darkness overtook it. It was like watching a spill run down a clean wall, polluting it until the entire surface was covered with it. Judah had still accomplished what he had wanted. The time it took for Srina to recover had gotten him a reprieve from her attacks. It allowed him to collect just enough power to hold in reserve for the inevitable moment he would need to hide from the woman. The way this battle was going he would die or he would need an escape.

That escape would come with more pain, but Judah was used to surviving impossible odds.

“I am not looking for salvation,” he muttered through the exhaustion in his voice. “I pay the price of my own sins, no one else."

He was not looking to save himself, but to survive. Every action he had taken for the past several minutes had been about self-preservation. Echnos City was lost to the Alliance. They would not take the city without destroying it now. Judah could hear the screams as citizens turned on each other. The sound of their nightmares cried up to the governor’s mansion with the song of dread and woe. It pained him to admit there was a sweet melodic sound to it, a minor key filled with a mystery which called to a part of him Judah denied fervently.

Pain was the thing that bound them. Judah reached with his arm only to see it had been missing. He looked to the floor. His lightsaber was close, the shoto which had been in his arm was somewhere among the debris, and the Jedi had no time to find it. He extended the hand which was still fixed to his arm, and called the lightsaber to it. He fixed to his waist and looked up in time as Srina spoke to him once more.

There was finality in her voice.

Judah knew he was already lost. He had lost the moment he took so much damage. The way the mental barrier had broken with such a powerful way had been the thing which began to kill him slowly. Each step toward the wintry queen had been one which drove him to an icy grave. Now as she stood across from him. The Jedi realized the totality of his mistake.

The room grew darker save for the orb which gathered between her hands. As it pooled and collected, Judah began to feel an invisible weight push on him. It was slow at first, as though the ceiling was lowering on him. His back bent, knees buckled, and Judah froze. For a moment it felt as though he was pinned in place, and as the hands of the Dread Queen gathered and closed around the orb Judah fell.

Bones crunched as they hit the duracrete. He could feel the pressure of her power push against him. He quickly encased his body in the force. The floor creaked and groaned before it buckled and gave way. Judah fell through an opening. He coughed as he hit the duracrete below, a small amount of blood sat on his chin. In another instant he fell through the next floor and the next until his body lay still on the floor.

This was what he had been saving the remainder of his energy for, though he did not know it. Pain seared through his body as he pulled his aura inside of himself. His eyes closed knowing that he had to focus on how tiny he truly was. The galaxy was large, and in comparison the Jedi was a microcosmic speck, a grain of sand on the beach of a vast ocean. There was nothing about his existence which was grand.

Judah had reduced himself in the force to almost nothing. He could not hide everything, but the Jedi could hide his force signature, his essence, just enough to appear as though the fall had killed him. Perhaps if the Sith thought she had succeeded in killing her she would leave him alone. He lay there knowing that if she chose to check on him he was dead. It would be as simple as running her lightsaber through his chest, and Judah Lesan would be no more.

Katara’s promise would be enough to give him hope. Not yet… it was not time to die.

The Jedi had to bite his tongue to keep himself from crying out or groaning in agony. Judah had to embrace the pain. He had no choice. There was a silent acceptance of it, and understanding that it had always been there. It had always been his friend. Whether it had been the pain of rejection by his parents for being force sensitive, the loss of his wife, the injuries his body had sustained over the years, or the estrangement from his son, pain had been his constant companion through it all.

Hope was something Judah had always reached for. It was always just out of reach. While he knew it was a virtue he would continually be chasing after, the promise of it would keep him going. It had been there when the witch had imprisoned him. Hope had seen him through the recovery of losing his arm. Despite the pain of loss which clung to him, hope was the thing which pushed him onward.

Debris fell on top of him. The loose rubble of the floor and the layers of it which he fell through. Metal came crashing onto his ribs as the weakened parts of the floor began to encase. Him. There had been enough energy to shield himself. His body, while ravaged by the violence he had experienced, remained intact save what the Empress had already broken. Judah’s breathing was labored, but quiet. He would use the remaining energy he had to hide and keep himself from being crushed under the weight of the woman’s power. He did not know how long he would have to hold it until the woman would leave, but he willed himself to survive.

The rubble still fell.

The debris closed in around him.

Everything went black.

 

[Connel Vanagor]

LOCATION : Echnos City | OBJECTIVE : Secure Airlocks
TAG (FRIENDLY) : Allyson Locke , Judah Lesan | TAG (FOE) : Srina Talon , Gerwald Lechner​

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

[COMM TRAFFIC]

One thing about being a Vanagor is… well… you have to deal with your emotions all the time. Fighting them on a daily basis is the norm, it is for Father, it is for son. Whatever the Sith were doing had an effect, make no mistake, but Connel, especially since his hospitalization thanks to a certain Sith, and the conversation he had with Master Valery Noble , finally able to release “his” self, had everything to deal with on a daily basis. So what was going on now, all of the hatred, all of the fear, it was painful, but it was something he dealt with often. There was sorrow, but there was a strength in it. Facing fear, facing pain, there was a “power” in that which no Sith will ever aspire to, no matter how hard they try. The Sith thrive on this, on fear, and turmoil, they thrive on those who would run from this. There is a truly powerful strength in facing it….

Something the Sith don’t understand.

Then he sensed it. Judah Lesan . A Jedi that he did not see very often, but he had known all of his life. Junior, “Jax”, he knew all of them… Judah was being tortured and he was finally sensing it. Now though, noh he felt his body want to surge in emotion. It was almost as if it was being pushed into this state by some unknown power, but this was his body, his inner system, He could feel his connection to the Force, and he was determined to use it to help Judah. He knew that if he failed, Judah would be lost. He took a deep breath and focused his mind, he would not give up his, or Alyson’s position, but he was going to come up with something.

Judah would for him.

Are you sensing it too? Do we have time to do something? He was almost shaking at this point, the Knight was doing well enough to control himself, he was even eyeing his lightsaber. Would this be the day? Would he be able to finally get over this ridiculous fear?

Nope.

At least he gripped it this time.

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

 

[Darth Carnifex]

His blade moved in wide, clearly telegraphed arcs through the air. For what was ostensibly a seasoned warrior, this appeared to be very sloppy and amateurish fighting. But as both of His foes moved to take advantage of the openings they perceived, they found His blade meeting theirs right before the point of impact. The transition from one movement to another was almost instantaneous, as if they were watching an old holotape that had lost several connective frames. One breath His blade was in one position, and then in the next it was in another.

Each clash sent sparks dancing through the air, accompanied by the horrendous wail of the keening dead -- devoured by that monstrous weapon's edge. He fought with a ferocity few had ever witnessed, attacking constantly and only withdrawing ground to draw His foes into a more treacherous morass of blade. What they would soon find was that as their fight progressed, a heavier and heavier weight began to press down upon their limbs; their entire body. It was as if the air around them had grown heavier, heavier than the normative atmosphere of the world around them, the ground around them starting to buckle at its weakest points.

It was then that Jonyna pulled out her sonic weapon and pulled the trigger as close as she could to the Dark Lord's chest. The sonic vibrations washed over Him, an alarming sensation of pain radiating out from the center point of contact. It rattled His bones, shook His teeth in His jaw, and caused smaller capillaries in His body to rupture inside His skin. Organ damage was partially avoided due to the Dark Lord's quick thinking, shielding His most vulnerable internals from the sonic wave before they had a chance to cause serious harm.

A low growl emanated from behind the Dark Lord's ghoulish visage, bright shining glasteel visor fixating on the Jedi Master. In the air there was a glimmer, a shimmering of distorted photons. Half a second later, an invisible spear of dark energy lanced through the air towards the offending weapon and the hand that held it. A second later, another soared for Jonyna's chest, and a third for her throat. Lightning pulsed around the Dark Lord's body, a sparkling lattice of blood-red energy that dissuaded close proximity to Him.

"Clever little toy, but it did not avail the vermin of Mandalore, and it will not avail you."

All the while during their fight, one thing might have become abundant clear from their intense observation. The Dark Lord's shadow had vanished some time ago, not that He was in a position where His shadow might be obscured or otherwise hidden from view. It was gone entirely, even when light shone on Him from a distant source that would have naturally produced a bodily penumbra; it was as though it ceased to exist entirely. This was not entirely true, for the Dark Lord's shadow was still around. It had merely detached itself from His body.

It slunk along the battlefield ground, passing through crevices and shell craters until it had found what it was looking for. Wide grin plastered across it's umbral features, the distinctly feminine shade slipped itself over the body of a fallen Mandalorian. Their arms became it's arms, their legs became it's legs, and like a twisted marionette the body rose from where it had fallen upon the strings of its sinister puppeteer. With unnatural, truncated movements, the corpse reached down and wrapped it's stiff fingers around the hilt of a fallen beskad. With weapon in hand, it began to stalk towards the Dark Lord and His adversaries.

When it came as close as it could without being detected, the corpse would throw itself into a pitched, awkward run. Nearly stumbling over itself multiple times, the body would continue on -- blade drawn and angled forward -- until it came to a rest. It's target was Jenn Kryze, the blade angled to strike and bury itself as deeply as possible within her back.

Jenn Kryze | Jonyna Si ​

 

[Jonyna Si]

Love: Jenn Kryze
Death: Darth Carnifex

​

Jonyna could only do so much to keep up. At some point, she stopped bothering to block it's blade, instead focusing entirely on dodging it. She couldn't trust her coat with something like this, scooting back and forth to try and find any opening. Anything, anything at all. Sally had gone back in her sheath, Jonyna holding one hand on Liz to wait for the right moment. She was at a disadvantage. It's blade was much longer than hers, and it had the height on both of them. Still, it didn't stop her from firing that sonic blaster on it.

At least, until the monster stabbed it into the ground. She could rebuild it, but still a loss...

Darkspears. The same ones that Darth Malum of House Marr had used against her. A pull of her blade protected her neck, and she felt the spear aimed at her chest imbed itself into the embued plates of her guardian armor, stabbing into her abdomen enough to cause her to wince.

No.

She needed to hit him with something big. Something new. Something unexpected...

She thought back. Thought back to the blade she had made Taam, the weapon her mother had helped forge. She couldn't get past that sword, but she needed to hit back with something that could get passed it. Get passed the monster's dark influence. She could feel it, the weight of the air. She needed to push back. Push back against the dark.

She needed the Light.

Drawing her lightsaber, the one passed down from Si to Si, she channeled it. The Light. Everything she could. Everything she could muster.

With a mighty swing, she unleashed it.

A set of golden flame shot from the blade, swinging in a wide arc at the dark lord. A last ditch effort to try and force him to retreat. They couldn't win, not like this. She needed to wound him. She needed to get him away from Jenn!

Of course...

Such tunnel vision left Jonyna entirely focused on Carnifex himself.

 

[Kaila Irons]

"I am more disappointed you did not trust me earlier, especially since you saw how firmly I supported the witches of Brendok."

"How can I trust anyone to protect me from Him?"

Kaila held her defensive stance, taking slow, calculated steps as she turned in a circle, eyes peeled for any signs of the Witch. Yet inwardly the affects of the phobis device were still creeping in now that her mental ward had been torn from her face. Her heart was racing, eyes both physical and incorporeal darting about the battlefield, and rational thoughts once more being overpowered by a manufactured paranoia that she was ill equipped to handle on her own. Battle meditation was her only link to reality now, and even then it only shared the hate and anger of other Sith, infecting her mind and soul.

How could a Jedi hope to save anyone from such a horrible place?

Suddenly the witch reappeared, Kaila's feet knocking duracrete dust and glass aside in a series of practiced back steps. Through the reach of her unusually long lance, she could easily threaten any direct assault and keep her foe at a safe distance. Dreidi's way of fighting may have been erratic, but Kaila had never relied solely on recognizing a foe's saber forms. She did not abide by the rules of combat, nor did she rely solely on method in a defensive situation. Her instincts were sharp, her reflexes equally so, leading to a strange fighting style that was quite reactionary, adaptive even.

"Why become a Sith? Why suffer the abuse from a mortal who can bleed and can die?! You can leave here and he will never find you, I can ensure that!"

"This is all I've ever known!"

Kaila roared, Lightning suddenly snapping from her fingertips and arcing towards the ichor sword. She wished to know if it was metal, if she could either shock and stun her foe through their weapon or force them to cast it aside, to fight with a single lightsaber instead.

"No family, no past, no memories!"

The lightning began to darken in hue as the oppressive light in her eyes grew brighter, drawing on the soul of parasideus to fuel her lightning which kept coming.

"All I know is a Master who comes back from the dead! A Master who always finds me! Wherever you take me, he would destroy"

Suddenly the lightning stopped, her voice becoming hoarse as her face sank into a hopeless expression. For a time, Anathemous was set aside, Kaila's anguish overpowering her hatred for just awhile.

"I have tried so hard...! So hard to build my power in secret! To use what little time I have away from Malsheem to build something! To plot with those so similarly dissatisfied with The Order. But every time I think I've found a way out? I am proven wrong!"

"And now you," She jabbed a finger towards Dreidi "You people have taken the offensive. Forced them to deploy me to this godforsaken rock! Don't you get it?! If I don't redeem myself here, I will die! No matter where I run! I cannot leave. But you? You still can. So why are you still here?!"


Dreidi Xeraic

 

[Srina Talon]

Nearby Allies: [SO] Gerwald Lechner Kaila Irons Darth Carnifex 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
______________________________________________________

“I pay the price of my own sins, no one else."

It was the first and only correct statement Judah Lesan had made all evening. He would suffer for his persistent interference, and perhaps, the greatest sin of all: choosing to stand in her way. The calculating creature had not responded to this, nor, had she acknowledged the agony that passed through him. He held on to hope, yet again the fool, even while her attack crushed his prone form through level after level of the manor. She could feel him twisting inside out with the sound of the phobis singing in his bones… But there was no reprieve. There was no opportunity to flee or bargain—Nor could he appeal to her better angels.

Srina had none, and the Jedi, with a lack of discipline and wavering faith…Offered nothing but the potential for future headaches. One less Jedi walking the galaxy with designs of eviscerating the Sith Order wasn't something she would lose any sleep over. The Alliance had chosen this path. Judah had chosen to follow, thusly, walking into a warzone with eyes wide shut. With a spirit that was so eroded by time, loss, and shame that…He was broken.

The Sith Empress had merely followed the cracks. Finishing, what the galaxy had started.

Her eyes were filled with frozen hellfire while she stood over the gaping hole that was left behind. Hand extended, pressing down, until the attack began to dissipate. The echo of his fall had reverberated through the structure, accompanied by the faint, ghost of screams that never came. His pain was so palpable that it rolled through the Force instead. Somehow, it was worse, than if he had been capable of shouting aloud. It was so dark at the bottom. Pitiless.

She could feel him weakening. Sense, his mind starting to stutter.

". . .Enough. . ."

Srina let her hand lower and the unholy darkness in her seemed to coalesce and bury itself back beneath the flimsy surface of her skin. Something caught her eye on the floor and it snapped into her gasp, eyes flickering, while she evaluated it. Was this what had fallen from the Jedi's prosthetic when it shattered? It appeared to be a small shoto and a quick flick of the hidden switch exposed a bright green blade. Interesting.

She turned on her heel and the phobis device thrummed while it followed her, almost, as if it were clamoring to stay in her orbit. The slender woman held onto the railing while she walked down a grand staircase and eventually past two front doors. Her pace was slow. Deliberate, with no wasted effort. The manor had long since been vacated, but it wouldn't have mattered to her one way or the other. The fist of her free hand tightened. Some part of Judah was still there…Or at least she suspected, somehow, that he might have survived.

It was also possible that she was merely feeling the energy that was leftover from his Force Light.

Eyes of corrupted gold narrowed.

Her mind extended outward, reaching, into the fractured foundation of the building behind her. Just as she had found the weakness in her opponent's mechanical arm, Srina, sought the now compromised heart of the mansion. Between the darkside pollution saturating the materials and her attack that blew through several floors…It wasn't standing well. The Force bent to her will, groaning, as the walls trembled and the ceiling cracked. She pulled strength from the phobis, from fear that had been collected from thousands, and let it flow through her. She let it work, let it amplify and bring new ferocity to the task at hand.

The mansion began to collapse.

Pillars crumbled. Walls buckled. The roof split apart, sending beams and debris crashing down into any hollow spaces the Jedi might have tried to use for a hiding place. The ground beneath her feet quaked momentarily as the structure began to fall in on itself and with one final surge, the manor finished giving way, disappearing into a cloud of dust and ruin.

Srina Talon buried Judah Lesan.

Dead or alive.

The pale Echani once more felt the intense desire to rest…But her weariness was of no consequence. No matter how her body ached and a growing migraine made her long for silence—It was not time.

The wintry woman drifted away from the wreckage, slowly, immersing herself in the chaos she had wrought. The civilians, caught in the grip of the vile dodecahedron at her side, were still descending into madness…Despite the brief interruption. She could see the crazed fear in their eyes. Their minds…Lost to the horrors the device continued to conjure. They staggered in the streets, some fleeing in panic, others, turning on each other in desperation. They parted for her.

Like waves before a ship.

She did not acknowledge them. She did not need to. The raw terror in their eyes was enough. Her gaze remained fixed ahead, but her presence, fell around the terrified denizens of Echnos City like contaminated rain. A subtle nudge was all it took to twist their fear, guiding it, toward one single goal: the airlocks. They would bring their horror to the front lines, to the very heart of Alliance Forces—While the emergency life support that kept oxygen inside the dome still held. Her will was clear to all, even though, she hadn't spoken a word, mental, or otherwise.

The Moon of Echnos would be purged of the Alliance.

Srina came upon Kasir Dorran and a youngling…Obviously, not Sith. Not of Echnos either. Her eyes flickered over him with a recognition that didn't belong. They had never formally met, but, even with her overwhelming presence…It would feel as if they had. As if she were an immovable constant, a force, that knew him. That…Believed, in all he could do. For a long moment, the white-haired woman merely stared at the girl-child ( Zaiya Ceti ) that would likely never be the same. Her heart could not soften.

Not now.

But…Perhaps it didn't have to. Perhaps there was more to the small whelp than what she initially suspected. More, than being spawn of the enemy. Slowly…The Empress nodded her head sharply, full of authority, and deadly grace.

"As long as she does not interfere…She is your responsibility, Kasir Dorran."

A whispered warning that both of them would hear.

One soul after the next, often, sundered by Velda Nar-Donna brought the phobis to the brink of spilling over. The battles between varying forces kept it running smoothly enough that Srina briefly wondered if it would even allow her to shut it down…Or if it would tire itself out when everything stopped. It mattered little, save, for the end result. Everyone had their role.

Everyone played their part.

The fear that rose while Darth Carnifex dove into battle was unmatched. Gerwald Lechner held the line while Kaila Irons was discovering the truth of herself. Teresa Zambrano | Darth Pellax was an agent of destruction while the efforts of the enemy only served one, final, purpose. Fear. The people of Echnos City surged past them in droves and surrounded the nearest point of egress, anticipating, that their worst nightmares would devour them from below if they did not assemble. As noted before, it was up to the others, now. It was up to the Sith Order, the soldiers, the warriors, her people—To see this through…She could only pave the way.

Her eyes closed… Holding on to the moment—As if it were the calm before the storm. She exhaled.

The masses continued to move toward the airlocks.

"Now…Now, the war begins."
​

______________________________________________________
Equipment: Robes | Saber | Ring | Ring | Phobis Device​

 

[Dreidi Xeraic]

Equipment: Lightsaber, Nightsister Energy Bow
Tag: Kaila Irons

While Kaila wasn't naming the person she was terrified of, there was a limited number that Dreidi knew that it could be. There were few who drove this much fear into a person. It was likely the emperor or Carnifex, Dreidi wanted to lean towards Carnifex herself since she had met the former emperor of the Sith herself and knew the fear that he could instil into a person.

"I won't lie. Carnifex is dangerous and he is powerful, but he is not omnipresent and you will be protected." Dreidi called out, "his own son defied him and became one of the most respected Jedi in the New Jedi Order. If Carnifex could stop that then he wouldn't be able to stop you from fleeing this moon and living a life in peace!" Dreidi called between her attacks, it was conflicting to be fighting while trying to offer hope but anger in Kaila seemed to be preventing chances of just a casual conversation.

She needed to switch to more defensive strategy to just keep the energy to talk Kaila down. She felt there was a chance, a glimmer of hope in preventing someone from the deep fall into darkness. She had let her frustrations and the device convince her to be more aggressive but she could see that using her words and demonstrating there was a more peaceful path. That could be more influential to Kaila than beating her into submission. A direction that her Master had already taken and one Dreidi would never want to follow.

There was sympathy in her eyes as Dreidi felt the Force Lightning coming and guided her Lightsaber to catch the energy and hold it. "He has not destroyed the Galactic Alliance. He has not destroyed the Jedi. He has not even destroyed the Mandalorians. He is strong and he is terrifying, he has accomplished a lot but together we could stop him from hurting you anymore."

Dreidi felt there was no reason for Kaila to keep letting fear force her into an abusive relationship that she hated. Not when there was hope, there was an outstretched hand wanting to guide her away from the path. "They aren't me, Kaila. I won't give up." Sheathing the sword and lowering her Lightsaber, Dreidi extended a hand out to reach for the Sith who was in need. The person was in need of comfort.

"I am here to help people. To help those in need. I am here to help you and everyone else who is being driven insane and forced to hurt others because of the Sith like Carnifex and like those who turned on the phobis device." Dreidi stated in a soft tone, taking a step towards Kaila. "I didn't come here to kill people and I didn't want to drag anyone into war. I came to help and show people there is another way and that the Sith do not have to control you."

Breathing in deeply, Dreidi hoped that her words would strike at Kaila, help her reconsider this path she was walking. Until forced to see otherwise, Dreidi would always believe that there was hope for a Sith to reconsider the direction they were taking, she had been helped by good people who called themselves Sith, she had fought against those who claimed to be Jedi or defenders of Ashlan. Life was rarely black and white, Dreidi wanted to help others find the grey they were comfortable in.

 

[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

The device was active, and sustaining itself. Gerwald could feel the shift. His empress had grown weary. It was a costly thing to power the machine, to use it as they had. The wolf had watched the Echani sacrifice herself for the Order countless times. She had done the same thing when she had been the Exarch of the Confederacy. There was nothing beneath her, not when it came to the advancement of her people.

Gerwald did his best to emulate it.

The days where the wolf felt the need to be the hero were gone. His story was one of silent duty. Doing what was required, what needed to be done, had been why he rose to the Dark Council. Gerwald was not anyone’s puppet even if his loyalty and ear were bent to the Dread Queen. His life debt was not a chain or leash which made him a slave, but rather it was his lifeline in a world some did not think he belonged in.

He breathed a sigh of relief internally when it appeared his mistress was on the move. Whatever had kept her delayed in the mansion longer than she needed to be had not been revealed. She had kept herself off the link of the Battle Meditation. He knew why. It was her weight to carry. Her duty.

Velda Nar-Donna was kept busy with some of the soldiers which Gerwald had engaged. It became clear they were the ones responsible for the power outage, nor did they care. It aided them in their endeavor to cause a widespread panic throughout the city. It was not a glorious battle. Nothing about it would earn him accolades in the halls of his ancestors. This war was not one his people would sing songs about. Gerwald and Velda simply held them back. They had drawn a line in the sand.

This far and no further.

Gerwald’s hammer struck the man he intended to hit, but not his face. The weight of the weapon fell onto a grenade which had been strapped to the man’s chest. It exploded sending a wave of heat and energy in an instant. Fortunately for the wolf, his armor would allow him to absorb the shock of it one time. The charge would be finished after that, but his life would be spared.

He fell back. While he was protected, the proximity of the explosion was not something Gerwald could deny. As he flew through the air several feet, the wolf twisted and contorted until he landed on his feet. His eyes fell on the target. The soldier was crawling toward the wolf. It seemed as though he intended to fight. Gerwald shook his head. It was pitiful and futile.

Heavy boots walked up to the soldier. He could put the man out of his misery, allow his suffering to end, but when it was feeding the device why would he do so. It did not matter if the soldier did not feel fear in the moment. That statement was likely a lie. Fear came in all forms. Facing death would bring about emotion powerful enough to give the phobis device what it craved. No, the wolf would let the man bleed out. The soldier was already dying. Gerwald’s orders had already been that they would not take prisoners. Now, he would not show any mercy.

Gerwald turned his back on the combatant as his breathing grew more and more labored. The way he dragged himself across the ground was only bringing his inevitable death to him more quickly. The wolf weighed the options of finding the shot caller of the unit. It seemed the man was nowhere to be found when his unit needed him. He would let them die without intervention or help.

His mind reached out to Velda. They did not have time to waste with these anymore. Srina Talon had taken to the streets. Her aura could be felt. The remainder of the citizens were being herded to the airlocks. If the Galactic Alliance would not stop their barrage on the dome, or the escape routes the Sith had, they would give them a reason to. The Alliance could retreat or be responsible for the deaths of the lives they had come to save. How ironic that they would be the ones to destroy the city they came to liberate.

<< “It’s time… let them bleed out. We have done what we came here to do…” >>

If the Alliance wanted a war, the Sith would give it to them. This was nothing in comparison to what the Sith had planned for them.

 

[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]

Sariel did not reach his intended target. The afterlife claimed him a few moments later. Ironic, those who claimed to crave power and domination, claiming as and comparing themselves to, no matter how loosely, warriors, look down on others who exhibit those very traits. No judgment in those words, simply little more than an observation. It was a reminder that no one person can fully understand the motivations of others, and that the desire for power, domination, and recognition is a universal one. It was a reminder that we are all connected, no matter how different our paths may be.

Alazar watched this and shook his head as it looked like the Sith were suddenly leaving. No, that would not do, they were the ones wishing to dine on those less than them, now it was time to pay the check. He had nothing left, other than what was in his right hand. It would no doubt take his life, take the life of Raphael who was gutted, but still alive, but they had this last trump card to use. They had to use it to at least try to keep those gathered away from wherever they seemed to suddenly want to be leaving.

He was exhausted, in an inordinate amount of pain and ready to pass out, but Alazar had a firm grip on the remote detonator.

Going somewhere?

Clicking on the detonator, he could hear the explosions and feel the concussive blasts from each. The heat from the incendiary bursts singed through and in between the hardpoints of his armor.

This was it.

Targets: [SO] Gerwald Lechner Velda Nar-Donna
Allies: [GA] ​

Location: [Echnos City] - Sewers underneath the Capital

​

Michael Gabriel Sariel Raphael Uriel “Raguel”
Remiel

 

[Kaila Irons]

"His... his son?" The dark radiance in her eye faltered, flickering into it's original golden hue. It was not quite a natural gold, with rings like the edge of a sun, the markings of a dark side practitioner who had either great difficulty suppressing their abilities or one with great power. The mark of a woman who may not be redeemable, not from practicing the force in the way she did.

But they were softer now, realization dawning within.

Even so, Kaila kept her lance pointed straight ahead as she backed away slowly, ready to defend herself from another flurry if need be. It wouldn't be until Dreidi switched to a more defensive strategy that she visually allowed hostilities to fade even as her chest rose and fell with each breath, starting with a straightening posture. The blade remained, but only as a precaution.

"They aren't me, Kaila. I won't give up."

Kaila squeezed her eyes shut, grip tightening while she slowly exhaled steam into the cold air. It had been a long time since anyone referred to her as anything but "Apprentice" or merely as a teacher would a student. Not since Leven really, who felt like the only one in the galaxy who did not speak to her from a position of authority. Not until now. Dreidi must have overheard her name while speaking to Darth Keres on Brendok, and frankly she was surprised the Jedi had bothered to remember it.

She spun her saber around, planting in into the floor beside her as she reached out with one hand. Parasideus reappeared beside her, arm similarly outstretched as they linked their powers to search the jedi's feelings.

"We feel no lies here, the son is alive" The ghost whispered in many voices at once, it's long dead mind unclouded by the oppressive miasma of fear that afflicted it's master.

"I..." Kaila's grip on the staff loosened "I want to trust you"

"You have no idea how hard that is for me"

Her outstretched arm fell to her side and she took one step forward

"But if we're to do this, we have to play it smart. There are people I care about, people I need to warn before I can make a move. My redemption as a Sith needs to look legitimate, then I can use my resources to ensure their safety and I will meet you wherever it is you're trying to take me, but I refuse to risk them even for myself"

The fear was still there, as was the anger and the hatred, but not towards Dreidi. It was unlikely that a woman such as Kaila would ever be able to completely let go everything that had happened and everything she had been taught.

But perhaps it could all be redirected.


Dreidi Xeraic

 

[Vulpesen]

Objective: Echnos City - Airlock 7(Bring the Thunder)
Loadout: Battlefield
Forces: 1X GADF Regiment(Spread throughout Battlefield. Personally Leading Cyclone Battalion) 1x Company of Veran Royal Guards(Trident)
Enemies: Sith ( Festerruman Sachiel )
Allies: GADF ( Gress D'ran )

Carnage. Death and Carnage on both sides as scores of bodies stacked themselves amidst the walls and walkers. The Valde himself found his body thrown about the top of the sphinx where he sat, his claws screeching against the metal as Sachiel's forces launched their blasting assault. [Watch the flanks! Get those rockets flying!] he roared into the comms before watching his men turn to obey the order. Steaks of light filled the air, following by raucous explosions which only added to the din of combat as Trident and Cyclone issued their retort against the Imperial Counter attack.

"Vulpesen, hit them with the thunder."

"With pleasure," The zorren growled. His hands extended once more and his golden eyes focused on the lights on the wall, the specks of life that stood in resistance to their advance. Deep breath in... Deep breath out... focus and...

The ROAR that sounded was thunderous as a wall of light formed along the wall, strike after strike of lightning blackening the steel as men were hurled form their posts, struck with energetic lances from the heavens. The force of it burned through Vulpesen's veins and he let out a furious howl as he continued his attack. Below, men who looked to him died under fire and concussive force, only serving to fuel the Wilder's rage.

Then it hit, the toxin that lit his body up with fear and terror. Run! A voice in his head called. But one look behind him send a shiver up his spine that rooted his feet in place. Hundreds of men and women who looked to him for leadership. To be a zorren was to feel the instinct, the need to protect. Even now, he watched as Trident company, his personal guard shook their heads, freeing themselves of that terror without a word from their commander. They were here to rescue the people of Sluis Van.

Vulpesen was a master of the force, that much was true, but he had never devoted his talents to battle meditation, or any such bolstering skills, perhaps a mistake for a man who's purpose was to lead. But he could do some things. His men were wavering but they had not yet broken. He lifted his voice over the storm, letting his lightning cease so that he might gather his stregnth and devote it to being heard clearly amidst the war. "Forward men! Know that whatever fear you feel, I can sense their Terror! This city is ours! Its people will know freedom! We will bring it to them! Through fire and hell! FORWARD!" With that, he continued his onslaught, ignoring the fire in his veins, the burning on his skin, and the cinders that seemed to cover his body as the pure power of the force ran through him like an ocean forcing its river through a creek.



TLDR:

Spoiler

Attack the walls with a massive lightning storm.
Ground troops open up on counter attack with missile launchers and small arms.
Work through the fear with Zorren instincts.
Give an inspirational speech.
Bring back the thunder with an advance. (starting to take damage from overusing the force)

 

[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
Enemies: Kasir Dorran Unknown?? Srina Talon

-

Zaiya's skin rippled with color, a swirling reflection of the storm brewing inside her -- muted greys clashing with pale yellow, frustration lighting up her patterns in rippling bioluminescence. Her heart pounded in her chest as the scene unfolded too fast, too brutal. The Sith moved before she could react, his hand raised, and in one swift motion, he choked the life from the innocent civilians, cutting off their air.

"No! Wait!" Zaiya scrambled to her feet, reaching out in desperation, but it was too late. She could only watch as their lifeless bodies hit the ground with a sickening thud.

Her breath hitched, and her skin shifted, now pulsing with pale yellow streaks of fear and gray clouds of confusion. The Sith's presence wrapped around her, cold and heavy, like a crushing weight. Zaiya saw his dark eyes flickered toward her, nothing but blank and cruel beneath a mask of calm indifference. He extended his gloved hand, palm up, as if offering some kind of reassurance, but just as quickly, he withdrew it.

"I'm not the one you need to be concerned about right now, child....We need to keep moving, Zaiya."

Zaiya flinched at the sound of her name on his lips. Keep moving? Towards where now? All of her good intentions to help the civilians seemed to have gone up in literal flames. Her colors brightened with glowing silver-edged gray, confusion deepening as the fear in the streets around them spread like wildfire. Civilians lost in blind terror, staggered and stumbled. Some attacked each other, their minds twisted by the phobis device, feeding their worst fears. Zaiya could feel their panic, their agony, clawing at her heart. Each flicker of pain cut through her, a wave of sorrow that darkened her skin to a deeper gray, nearly black. She wanted to help them, but she didn't know how. The helplessness gnawed at her, twisting her patterns into darker hues.

"Why?" Zaiya's voice cracked, her frustration spilling over as she glared at the Sith. Lavender and silver flared across her skin, bright and sharp, glowing faintly as her emotions surged out of control. "Why did you do that? You didn't need to kill them!"

Her heart ached. Those people hadn't deserved this. It wasn't their fault. She had wanted to save them, to help them.

"I... I could've helped them," she whispered, her voice breaking. She wasn't sure if she was saying it to him or trying to convince herself. But as the chaos around her escalated -- blaster shots, screams, and the constant hum of terror -- Zaiya knew, deep down, that she didn't have the power to stop any of it. Not the civilians, not the Sith, not the fear that choked the air around them.

The Force scream a surge of warning as two other crazed civilians rushed at her, their eyes wild with terror. Zaiya reacted instinctively, her hands lighting up with the Force. A blinding flash erupted between them, and they screamed, stumbling back, clutching their eyes as if they'd been burned -- but at least not dead. She hadn't meant to hurt them -- not like that -- but the phobis device was messing with her head, twisting everything. Her empathy, once her greatest strength, was now a weakness, feeding into the chaos around her.

At that moment, Zaiya understood Loomi 's torment, the constant battle to control emotions so overwhelming they threatened to consume her. Her colors flickered with the painful realization. She wasn't ready for this kind of responsibility. Not now, maybe not ever.

The Force pulsed around her, begging her to act, to do something, anything -- but she was paralyzed by the weight of it all. The lines between life and death blurred as the dark fog rolled through the streets, suffocating everything it touched. And then, beyond the carnage and fear, she felt it -- a presence, cold and commanding, pulling everything toward a single goal.

The Dread Queen. Zaiya felt the Empress's will as clearly as a blade pressed to her throat. The darkness wrapped around her, feeding on the fear in the air, twisting it toward the airlocks. Her presence in her mind was nothing like the mental brush of Braze Kai'el or the colors that Iris Arani mentally painted. This was bone-chilling, absolute. And Zaiya felt her mind seize in terror as the voice came.

As long as she does not interfere…She is your responsibility, Kasir Dorran.

Kasir Dorran. The name sliced through the fog clouding Zaiya's thoughts. She recoiled, her breath catching in her throat. Kasir. Was that the Sith who had just helped her, in the cruelest way possible.

She turned, her gaze locking onto his dark, unreadable eyes. The weight of his name, of everything he represented, pressed down on her, suffocating her in a way she hadn't expected. She was his responsibility. What did that even mean?

Before she could even process it, the world around her erupted in a thunderous explosion once more.

A deafening boom rocked the streets, followed by the gut-wrenching blasts of concussion and thermal grenades from nearby Alliance Ground Forces, their impact so close that Zaiya felt the ground shake beneath her feet. The Lovalla flinched again and gave a startled cry, past and present once again blending into the other, the sound lost in the chaos as the explosion rattled through her bones, immediately a bubble of protection blooming over the pair instantly to prevent falling debris from crashing down upon them both.

The screams, the explosions, the dark side closing in like a suffocating fog -- it was all too much. Her colors flared wildly -- pale yellow fear, dark gray sorrow, lime green nausea, all fighting for dominance across her skin.

Life flickered and vanished around her. Through the Force, Zaiya felt them all, each aura blazing for a heartbeat before being snuffed out, like candles extinguished in that miasama storm that consumed everything. It was as if light and shadow were crashing into one another, fighting for control, and she was helpless to stop it.

Every second that passed, Zaiya's colors flared brighter, her emotions spiraling further out of control. Her patterns rippled, flashes of bronze compassion fighting against the dark gray of melancholy. Another grenade detonated, and Zaiya stumbled, nausea rising in her throat, lime green swirling in her skin. Fear fed fear, fueling the sensation of overwhelming despair -- a desperation that gripped her, pulling her further down into the abyss. Her vision began to blur again, and despite the Kyber crystal at her hair's attempts to shield her, Zaiya stumbled backward, that shimmering blue shield flickering in the lack of concentration, her mind reeling.

She wasn't ready for this. She wasn't strong enough.

She couldn't stop the deaths. Couldn't stop the darkness from spreading. Worst of all, as darkness threatened to take her, she couldn't stop the cold certainty settling over her: she was in far deeper than she ever thought possible.

 

[Iris Arani]

​

Nothing had gone to plan this time around.

Iris took a moment to sit in the hall, pulling the mask from her face to take a breath. Around her were numerous dead Sith troopers, some by her hand. Some by what just happened. A ritual of death, devouring the life from them. She could see it, the dark shade that leeched the colors of life from everything. She was only fine because she knew how to protect her own. How to protect others.

They needed to get out. The Jedi, the Alliance. Pull back to let what ever this was run it's course. The Sith would loose so much more trying to hold this place once it'd passed. Quite the gambit, in her mind. They'd either crush the Alliance fleet, or be unable to fend it off.

She stood, refitting her mask to let it's sensors scan the world around her. She needed to move and- A different pull caught her attention. The Force, a flare of colors she knew. Zaiya. It was rare for Iris to feel emotion strongly. She was far removed from it, too focused on the colors around her. Too scarred from the losses she'd had to remember. Kai Bamarri 's death, her last conversation as he faded completely, it'd shut her down. But now all she could feel was frustration. She clenched her jaw as she rushed forward. Her mission didn't matter now.

There was chaos there. Danger. Zaiya was in danger. That she was here to begin with was an oversight on Iris's part. If she'd known, no. She should've known. Zaiya wanted to help, just as she once had. Through the haze of bleak she reached for Zaiya, pulling on the colors. Her colors. They were diming. Hopelessness, pain. She was blending into the colors around them all.

<Hopelessness doesn't suit someone as bright as you tend to be. Focus, breath, Zaiya.>

Iris pushed the colors out, towards Zaiya. To rebrighten at least her as Iris leapt over the crowd of panicked civilians. A quick pull of her wrist sent another grenade harmlessly up as she focused instead on the Sith. A threat? .. No, they had no hostile intentions towards the Padawan. She stood there beside Zaiya, just staring at the man. She said nothing verbally.

But she reached out regardless. Her eyes focused behind her mask on nothing as she reached through the haze of darkness. It wouldn't be enough to save everyone from this despair, but the people around her she could bring their colors back. She did, little by little. Panic slowed to a crawl, and not even remorse had time to settle in as Iris encouraged action now. They needed to leave. The civilians needed to leave.

<When you're ready, help me. We have to be their guiding light right now, to get as many as we can out.>

Zaiya Ceti | Kasir Dorran | Srina Talon

 

[Kasir Dorran]

​

Tag: Zaiya Ceti

Kasir's head shook in a motion of indifference, his words as cold as the void that consumed his black heart. "You fool. If I hadn't been the one to end their lives, another would have stepped forward eventually," he growled. His teeth grinded together in frustration. "You can't even save yourself, let alone someone else, Zaiya."

Just as more words were ready to roll off his tongue, he felt the presence of more citizens approaching. Rather than being able to strike them down himself, the Darkseeker twisted his body along with the shift of his head, barely avoiding the blinding burst of light that left the girl's hands. Yet, even in his swift movements, he still felt caught part of the searing pain from the little that reached the corner of his eyes.

The white haired woman, the one who had aided him earlier in overcoming the effects of the Phobis device when it threatened to consume him, was visible once more. Amidst the carnage all around, he wasn't even sure whether it was another vision or not. He listened intently to her words; his surprise was surely palpable as she spoke his name. It was an unexpected turn of events. Had she commanded him to end her life, he would have had no choice but to obey. Yet, she simply stated that she was now his responsibility and thoughts churned in his mind like a storm as he began to plot his next move.

The original intent of venturing further into the city changed in the blink of an eye as multiple blasts tore through the street by the Alliance's forces; but Kasir stood unaffected, a battle tested veteran of countless wars and immune to the idea of any fear that could possibly be brought on by their weak kind. They stood no chance against the sheer number of citizens within the dome city. But as the chaos unfolded, his purpose became clear to him, duty once more ingrained in his being - to eradicate all those of the Alliance's forces that still remained.

As the Padawan stumbled, his hand snaked out with an iron grip, grasping her wrist with enough force to suggest he was capable of crushing the bone. "You should never have come here," he muttered. The protective bubble that once sheltered him no longer carried any weight; it was nothing more than an embarrassing reflection of her inexperience. And no longer would he bear the shame of standing by her side. It was time to move on from this predicament.

The subtle shake of his head and the narrowing of his eyes would only serve to reaffirm his desire to speak harsh truths to Zaiya. “Your friends who entered through the airlocks? Their bodies are scattered and broken. The ones who went through the tunnels? Dead." His jaw clenched. He could taste the frustration on his tongue. "And if you don't watch your back, you'll soon be joining them. You are not ready for battle, nor for what it brings. Go run to your people, while you still can."

He hoped his words were heavier than his armor that would soon be destined for a gore-splattered appearance, as he planned to finally join the battle.

As his grip slowly loosened, the Sith gestured towards the forces of the Alliance at the end of the street, as if in doubt of her capacity to navigate the correct path. Without another word, he receded into the shadows that so often lured him forth, his presence fading. Regardless of the outcome, not a second more of time would be spared for the frail creature now behind him; instead, he would return to being consumed by his own personal desires.

OOC: Thread exit

 

[Dreidi Xeraic]

Equipment: Lightsaber, Nightsister Energy Bow
Tag: Kaila Irons

Dreidi noted the flicker in Kaila's eyes and the falter in the conviction in her voice after the mention of Kahlil. While it was not a perfect example of escaping Carnifex, since Dreidi knew that the Jedi Master suffered with hauntings and harassment from the former Sith emperor. However, Dreidi figured it was a reasonable assumption to believe that he would not put as much effort in finding Kaila, a student of his, over the effort he put into his own blood and flesh.

"Trust is understandable to be something that is hard to extend." There was still a tone of sympathy and sorrow of the terrible ordeal that Kaila had gone through. Dreidi had made a note of the names of everyone on Brendok, those who had been there to help as well as the names of those who pushed the conflict. It was important for her to note the allies and potential enemies. "I probably don't have much of an idea." While Dreidi didn't have a perfectly happy or positive upbringing, she knew love, warmth and a lot happiness throughout her life time.

Hearing the plan from Kaila, there was a look of concern, "if you think this is safest approach, then I will respect your decision. I just fear that he will learn of the truth when he confronts you." Pausing, Dreidi checked her pockets and produced a simple wooden charm. Breathing in deeply, she began chanting quietly which caused the charm to glow green with her Dathomir energy before fading away. "This won't protect you perfectly, but should help strengthen your mind and if you break the charm I will be alerted and I will know you need me."

It wasn't a perfect spell or item, she would still need the time it would take to fly to wherever Kaila was but it was a way to allow the other woman to contact her when she was ready to leave. "Take the time you need, I do not wish to rush this. I just want to make sure you are safe and we avoid you getting caught at the most vulnerable time." She handed the charm over to Kaila.

Looking around, "best I leave. You can tell Carnifex that you bested me but that I turned to mist before you could confirm the kill. Witches from Dathomir, even Nightsisters and Nightmothers, tend to be tricky like that so might be something he will be more inclined to believe." She offered a wave and decided to head back to the Galactic Alliance forces, offering hope and safety to Kaila in her mind and that they will meet again soon.

 

[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 screams and cries echoing through the streets of Echnos City, were growing ever more pronounced.

Velda kept her eyes on the wolf while her latest victim fell to the ground, dead.

He seemed to land safely enough, all the while his opponent was not doing so well. That was all the better, really.

Her first thought was to let the wolf finish him, but then Gerwald told her to let him bleed out...and she understood perfectly well why he chose this method.

Fear

Fear had been the engine of this battle, the catalyst, and the enemy experienced just how potent that emotion can be. A weapon that could disarm adversaries of their willingness to fight and more.

<< A splendid choice... >> Her satisfaction radiating from beneath the darkness of her hood.

She deactivated her saber as it floated back into her sleeve and she had a look around.

She spotted an open maintenance hole on the street that looked to go into...the sewers? Was that where the commander went? She could only wonder.

One thing is for certain: she wasn’t going down there in that sordid place. And there could be Dianoga down there! Utterly grotesque creatures!!

Instead, she summoned the Force, her body lifting effortlessly into the air as she leaped over the massive slab of durecrete she had hurled at a soldier earlier. She descended with grace, landing softly on the other side, her dark robes flowing around her like shadowy tendrils.

While she began to walk by Gerwald, a thunderous explosion erupted behind them, shaking the very ground beneath their feet. The city itself seemed to tremble, as if recoiling from the violence. Velda felt the heat on her back, and in an instant, she turned, her hand rising reflexively.

A shimmering Force Barrier materialized before them, a translucent wall of power that now separated them from the roiling cloud of fire and debris. As the explosion crashed against it, its fury was turned away, unable to breach the protective shell Velda had conjured. After a moment, the deadly wave passed by, leaving them untouched.

Delirious hordes of the populace had fear fuel their panic. And the latest explosion only seemed to feed that. The populace, already teetering on the edge of hysteria, now broke. What had been a ripple of panic became a tidal wave of frenzy. Screams reached a fevered pitch, and their minds had become unglued with hysteria as people ran in their desperate attempt to flee toward the airlocks.

She touched upon the minds of the fleeing. Each of them radiated a unique flavor of terror—Some were frantic, their fear an uncontrollable flood. Others were colder, more calculated, yet still overwhelmed by the gravity of their situation. Some were simply paralyzed, their bodies unable to act as their minds shattered beneath the weight of the horrors they had witnessed. It was intoxicating—pure, raw emotion.

This battle would not be the end, she was sure of that. The war was just beginning.

​

 

[Varys Amun]

Location: Echnos, near the manor
Equipment: Senaar'gam (armour) | Varys' songsteel javelin | Senaar'sen kite | Jetpack | Twin maser pistols
Objective: Cuyanir
Allies: Jenn Kryze | Jonyna Si
Enemies: Teresa Zambrano | Darth Pellax

-

Varys lay curled in a ball. The world around her was a sightless, soundless void of fear. Within the confines of her mind a spring coiled, retreating from her universe.

Blaster fire rained down from their heavy weapons, an endless stream of red bolts from one side, and slower, heavier plasma shots from the other. Their accuracy was abysmal, but the chaos they caused drew more attention. At the T-shaped junction, the Mandalorian laid was surrounded on three sides.

A trio of blaster bolts struck the ground next to her. The coil inside Varys wound tighter. Heavy boots landed beside her. There were calls of triumph. Harsh laughter rang out.

Tighter still.

Dully, Varys felt the tip of a rifle press against her back. She stirred, the enemy jumped, and a blaster bolt struck her point-blank on the back of her chestplate. Pain blossomed, and the coil inside her heart snapped.

Varys was on the man in an instant, she took an elbow to his throat and ripped the rifle out the man's hands. Toppling him over with her bodyweight. The soldier scrabbled at her chestplate for purchase, trying to push her off. Panicked fire rang out from behind. Her vibroblade plunged once, twice, three times into his bodyglove, and he fell limp.

Varys stood. The junction had become a mess of fleeing bodies. Citizens of Echnos fled in every direction. Pushing, crushing, killing everything in front of them. Someone tackled her. Soldier? Civilian? She didn't know. Varys gutted them as they lay on top of her, hands wrapped around her throat. Viscera coated her armour and the grip loosened. She shoved the body aside.

Scrambling across the ground, Varys stood panting, eyes wide with fear. A smattering of corpses lay about the junction. Varys lunged forward and picked up a fallen rifle. She swept the weapon in a wide arc, spraying anything that moved.

"Ash'amur! Ash'amur! ba'slanar ni SOLUS!"

The Kainite AT-LST had set up its nest in a large empty event room that gave it space to move in. Every few moments, the mass driver launched another shell, shaking the building and sending more rubble and shattered glass crashing down onto the streets below.

A great beast loomed above her, spittle dripping from its jaws. No. Varys blinked. It was a walker, slowly turning its great cannon towards her. Varys tried to scream in fear and frustration, but all she could produce was a mangled snarl. She was a hound in a cage, all she could do was kill and kill and kill until somebody plucked her away or there was nobody left.

A short burst from her jetpack sent her spinning away from the junction just as the walker obliterated the spot she'd been standing. The shot deafened her instantly, and the heat singed her skin as she sailed through the air, crashing through second floor window of a nearby building.

Varys rolled a short distance before hitting an internal pillar and coming to a sudden stop. She lay still a few moments, waiting for the shout of alarm, or the whine of the walker's cannon that would seal her fate. When no swift end came, Varys sat up with a grunt, brushing off shards of glass and loose debris.

She was covered in blood. No way to tell how much of it was was hers. The world to her left was a void of nothingness, so at the very least she had ruptured her left eardrum. The adrenaline of her crash and subsequent firefight were wearing off, and Varys felt the cold terror that had paralysed her before descending like a curtain once again. A sharp pain in her side kept her focused enough to think straight, each spike of pain prodding her towards alertness with every shallow breath.

"VARYS!"

Already, her mind raced for a solution. A way for her to fight her way over to her daughter, to rescue her, and take her far away from the battlefield.

<I'll go and get her, Kryz'alor - keep your focus on the beast!>

Varys rummaged through one of her satchels. Bloody spittle bubbled from her lips. She produced a small datapad, managing laboriously to key in the distress code that would display her location in the building to her vod in Clan Kryze, before the device slipped out of her heavy, leaden fingers.

Her eyelids grew heavy, and Varys pictured Jenn Kryze , scooping her up into her arms, taking her away from the horror of the city, back to her room on Onderon.

"Shaadlar, Buir." Varys murmured. "Hurry"

With a sigh, she rested her head on her knees and closed her eyes.