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

[Jenn Kryze]

Beskar'gam
​

| Location | Echnos
| Objective | The way of the warrior is resolute acceptance of death.

Jenn knew clarity like no other when she found herself on the field of battle. With her life and the fate of her Clan on the line, the Mandalorian found herself ascending to a greater state of awareness than ever before... and still, it was not enough.​

​

Not when the hated foe demanded all of her attention, 'lest she found herself skewered. The Alor had eyes only for his motions, swift as they were, that she may adapt and overcome as she had been trained to do! Hyper-focused as she was on the sheer onslaught unleashed against Jonyna, The Redeemer failed to notice the danger fast approaching her. Although the Sentinel of Harmony's use of a sonic weapon availed her some measure of advantage, the Dark Lord proved himself as skilled a combatant as the legends spoke of, adapting far too rapidly for them to capitalize on this momentary setback. One darkspear after another, each one leaving the fiery-haired siren all the more worried for the fate of the one she had grown so fond of in so little time. Shifting her efforts towards the task of stopping this unrelenting advance, the Mandalorian sent her lightwhip towards the Sith's legs, if only to force him back - or perhaps even encircle the length of energy around his ankle and pull. Alas, she could do little more.​

​

The tragedy of what followed, in truth, lay in the fact that the surprise was not complete. Had she not noticed the charge in the corner of her vision, the beskad would have struck her squarely in the back - and failed to penetrate the beskar plating. Alas, the twisted thing caught her just as the Alor turned around to face this new thread... and shoved its blade into her side, where the armor did not reach. ​

​

Her breath stolen from her lungs, Jenn answered with a swift decapitating strike, before collapsing onto her knees. Bringing a trembling hand to try and ascertain the seriousness of the wound, the Ersansyr's blood ran cold as her fingers closed around the hilt of the sword. ​

​

It was embedded inside her right to the very hilt.​

​

Blood left her in a cough.​

​

"Pollux", rasped The Redeemer into her helmet, her gaze turned towards the butchery around her, her every heartbeat speeding her further along the path leading to the end of her journey. "Sound the retreat. Save... our people. Live. Live to fight another day..."​

​

Her mouth opened once more, then, desperate to ask Karrys for the state of her daughter... but she no longer had any strength to give. Jenn's breathing grew shallow, watching as the Alor'ad fired a flare into the air, followed by the Rallymasters who yet drew breath. The warriors of Clan Kryze began to withdraw, dragging their wounded and their dead along with them; when the veritable tide of terrified civilians threatened to catch them into a stampede, the Hastati cut them down like blades of grass, securing the survival of their siblings in arms through this horrid pragmatism.​

​

Jenn slumped against the ground.​

​

---

​

The familiar roar of jetpacks filled the air. Blasters brought to bear, orders shouted - a small ray of hope amidst darkness. ​

​

A pair of arms did scoop up Varys Amun , though they were not her mother's.​

​

"I'm not going to lose you, too. Everything's going to be alright, Varys."​

​

Karrys' voice carried a comforting firmness within it. All around her, the Nite Owls fought like lions, securing the escape of Jenn's treasured child with the same devotion they would doubtlessly have shown in their rescue of the Kryz'alor, were they given the chance to do so.​

​

| Friendly | Jonyna Si
| Hostile | Darth Carnifex ​

 

[Darth Carnifex]

Hand shot out, blue flame unfurling from His palm like water from a burst pipe. It met the golden flame, the two intermingling before powerful explosions rippled out from their meeting. Rising into the air, the Dark Lord continued to bellow forth flame towards the Jedi Master, but quickly began to sweep the fiery maelstrom across the battlefield wherever it could reach. It devoured stone, metal, cloth, flesh, and bone with equal voraciousness, entropic hunger gnawing away at everything that it came into contact with. One of the exceptions appeared to be beskar, which while consumed by azure flame was left unblemished as it passed.

As the flames spread wider and grew higher, the Kainate forces began to press their advantage. Artillery bombardments preceded advancing shock troopers and mechanized support with well-trained synchronicity, each segment of the Kainate force working in tandem. Their cohesion, buoyed by the stabilizing effects of the battle meditation, allowed them to coordinate and act deliberately in the face of the chaos engulfing the wider city. The bulk of their concentrated fire was focused on the withdrawing Mandalorian units, which received a far greater degree of viciousness than their companions.

It became clear the reason when one of the fallen Mandalorians had been reached by the advancing Kainate line, as they were descended upon by mechanists armed with beskar-edged billhooks that were jammed between the beskar plating, unceremoniously ripping it away from the body piece by piece. The body had not yet grown cold, and already the vile servants of the Great Enemy were stripping it of beskar'gam with covetous greed. They did this to every Mandalorian body they could drag behind their lines, defacing the bodies of those that had briefly fallen into their grasp only to be wrenched free by the warriors of Clan Kryze -- for what they could not take for themselves, they spitefully despoiled.

Bright blue flames burned all around where the Dark Lord had fought, burning away the very ground where it smoldered. "Thus always to the enemies of the Sith," rose the Dark Lord's voice above the crackling conflagration. "Heed well, for all is to be swallowed whole by the darkness. All that you call sacred shall be cast upon the ground, and all who you strive to defend shall be made to serve their true masters. Weep, for there is yet more to be taken from you."

Jonyna Si | Jenn Kryze ​

 

[Jonyna Si]

​

TAG: Darth Carnifex Jenn Kryze

She could snuff the flame of the Dark Lord out. She knew she could. She could beat the monster. She knew she could.

But none of that mattered right now. She could feel it. The life slipping from Jenn. From her love. She could feel it. Her mistake. Her failure to protect her love. They weren't ready. Weren't in sync.

She had to run. She had to flee. She hated it. She hated running. She hated feeling scared, not for herself, but for Jenn. But she was needed.

Her only retort for the Dark Lord was more lightning from above. Again, and again, and again, and again. Not to strike the monster down, but to distract it. The flames seemed to be entirely uneffective against her, and so she fled towards Jenn, hefting her bloody body over her shoulder, and running.

Again. Again. Again. Again. Again.

The thunder was less a strike after strike, and slowly became a deafening roar, a constant roar. Like a freight train moving against the rail.

Next time. Next time she would put the monster on it's ass. She would stand her ground. Not today. Today she focused on her love.

The Force did as she asked, and she focused on getting her away from the battle. Her, and as many of her clan as she could. Another on her shoulder. Another. Another. Jonyna would save as many as she could carry, back to the Reaper. Back to safety. Back to home.

A Cathar would save Clan Kryse this day. A Jedi.

The Sentinel of Harmony would remember that face.

 

[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 | Iris Arani
Neutral: Teresa Zambrano | Darth Pellax
It is complicated: Kasir Dorran Srina Talon

-

As Zaiya stumbled, her heart racing, a hand shot out and clamped onto her wrist with an iron grip. She gasped at the strength behind it, a force that could easily shatter bone if it wanted to. The voice that followed was low, cold, and cut through her like a blade.

"You should never have come here,"

The words dripped with disdain, and Zaiya felt her stomach twist. The protective bubble she'd once relied on was gone, useless -- just like her attempts to shield them. The harsh reality of her inexperience crashed down on her, and now, standing by her side wasn't something he seemed willing to do anymore.

Zaiya couldn't look way as Kasir's eyes narrowed, the flicker of contempt evident, frustration lacing every word with the sharp edge of a vibroblade, slicing with a ruthlessness that desired to carve into scars upon Zaiya's psyche so she could always remember.

“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."

And with that, the Sith left. He had done as agreed - spared her life, but now what was the cost the Lovalla teenager would pay in the midst of facing such horror and reality checks that she hadn't been able to do enough. That she failed.

Once again that sense of oppression would press against the Lovalla, and Zaiya felt the world spin around her, her vision blurring, her breath shallow. The pressure in her chest was suffocating, and everything seemed to darken, as if the weight of despair itself was closing in on her. Her skin had turned a swirling storm of silver and black, reflecting her overwhelming fear and helplessness. She was drowning in it.

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

It was then when Zaiya felt it. A shift in the colors. Another's presence. Iris's voice, soft yet firm, resonated in her mind. It was more than just words -- it was a lifeline. Zaiya felt a flicker of warmth in the cold void threatening to swallow her whole. Through the chaos, through the panic, Iris was reaching out to her, projecting her vibrant, comforting colors. The ripple of her calming presence was like a light in the dark, guiding Zaiya back from the brink.

Slowly, ever so slowly, the darkness that swirled across Zaiya's skin began to fade, the black bleeding into lighter shades of silver and gray. Tears fell from her eyes, a mixture of fear and relief. She still couldn't see clearly, but she could feel Iris's presence anchoring her.

At the same time, Zaiya felt the Force shift subtly around them. Iris was doing more than just helping her -- she was reaching out to everyone in the crowded space, pushing back the panic and fear. It wasn't enough to stop the despair completely, but it was enough to slow it. Enough to spark action, to give people a chance. The civilians needed to move, to escape, and Iris was their beacon.

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

Iris's voice once more filled her mind, filled her heart, urging her to act. Zaiya wiped at her eyes, her colors slowly returning to brighter shades, her fear replaced with something new -- determination. She nodded, even if Iris couldn't see it, and stood straighter.

"Okay... okay," she whispered, her voice trembling but resolute, barely fighting to try and hang on. But even then, Kasir's words bled into her mind, clawing deep. Haunting her.

Planting seeds.