Invasion Welcome to the Jungle! [OS - Republic Invasion of Kashyyyk]

[Mother Askani]

Location: Stronghold (Interior)
Objective: B - Tap into the Living Force to build more energy
Allies: [member="Gherron Vael"] [member="Shule Windspeaker"] [member="Rael sul B'an"] [member="Kian Karr"] [member="Kiyron "] [member="Marakai Al'Orren"]
Enemies: [member="Reverance"] [member="Darth Vornskr"] [member="Darth Praelior"] [member="Matsu Xiangu"] [member="Vrag"] [member="Cryax Bane"]


After witnessing the singularity mines up close and personal, it was definitely quite the weapon. It was possibly the most powerful mine she had encountered throughout her career. Though she had to remember this was the Vong she was facing; tech unlike any other. Her head quickly darted in the other direction when she heard the voice of Jedi Knight Gherron Vael. While breathing heavily from participation in the conflict she was definitely delighted to see his a face; as friendly as possible. He proposed an idea, and yet she hadn't thought of such...

"Encase them in barriers...." she said softly, but with a most confused tone.

Her mind started to drift back to the display of abilities she had previously used against that Vong soldier... She looked him in the eyes while she watched him implode...he was sucked into that blackhole, and the barrier did hold...perhaps they could....well it was worth a try, and with Vael here it made things more plausible because the idea she had she wouldn't be able to do without the help of at least two others.

She snapped out of her flashback, and snapped her fingers. "Of course! Your right, how couldn't I have come up with such a solution."

Both of their figures could be seen off into the distance talking, she traded with him her ideas, which was generally his but she added her to increase the effect. Talking fast, she proposed her plan. She nodded, and with that ran off in the opposite direction.

"As soon as you can Gherron, we mustn't fail. This is our only hope" she spoke as she ran off. She needed to buy herself sometime. She had already been boosting her connection to the Force with a sustained ability since her arrival, but that wasn't nearly enough. She needed to tap into the Living Force that was abundant here. It was rather good Kashyyyk was the planet of choice. Flipping over two enemies she sprinted and then came to a halt. She launched projectiles at the chasing forces, and when she found some time. She activated another sustained ability of hers.

Possessing a spiritual connection the land, due to her heritage, she finds it easier than most Jedi to tap into the Living Force of the environment she is in. Its quicker on planets where its abundant, and Kashyyyk was one. An aura surround her, and transparent blue strands of energy began to surround her figure.

Troopers were providing protection while she stood generating energy.

 

[Seraphina Shel'tah]

Location: Yugwaaargh (Republic Stronghold): http://starwarsrp.ne...452-yugwaaargh/
Objective: B - Defend the Stronghold
Allies: [member="Book"] | [member="Varus Shatterstar"] | [member="Ayden Quell"] | [member="Sophia Walsh"] | [member="Seamus Valik"] | [member="Kana Truden"] | [member="Kian Karr"] | [member="Layna Akhora"] | [member="Meeristali Peradun"]
Enemies: [member="Matsu Xiangu"] | [member="Keira Ticon"] (Primary Target) | [member="Vrag"] | [member="Cryax Bane"] | [member="Xenia Nastassia"] | [member="Darth Hauntruss"] | [member="Dredge"] | [member="Reverance"] | [member="Kezeroth the Malevolent"] (Secondary Target)

Music:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s892QHMiOa8
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I stand firm in my solidarity
The path I walk
I walk in with my own resolve
When darkness falls

Blasters. Blasters everywhere. So uncivilized. There were so many bodies and troops on this damned branch Sera wondered how any more could possibly even squeeze on to it before it collapsed to sheer weight. Sure, this was a Worshyr tree, but just how many thousands of troops, Vong, Wookies, and other menacing warmongers could it hold? She silently batted a number of rogue bolts away with a rapid twirling of her twin sabers, implementing a bit of Force Deflection where necessary to supplement her own protection all while the Sith troopers continued their advancement on the branch.

A step forward to Keira, her eyes focused intently on the girl, blades twirling in her hands as if a solid mass of light. Another step, speed increasing. A final step and Sera slashed abruptly at the ground near her feet with the left saber, carving a swift arched scorch in the bark before her in hopes to startle her while she made another attempt to disarm Keira with the left saber, directing her blade as it twirled towards its' mark in a gleeful hum, the hilt, which if severed would provide a healthy advantage on her own part.

Keeping a very watchful presence on the surroundings to be certain that she would not be boxed in, circled or flanked, she telepathically attempted to force her way to Kezeroth, "What are you doing here!? Why!? Answer me!" She wasn't entirely sure she wanted to hear his answer, but she had to know, she simply had to. No matter what the reason. More blasters began to ring out, even more troops still began to approach. She couldn't keep this up for long, not like this, and not here. There was not much time left.

 

[Taheera Sollo]

Location: Near the Eastern Bridge of Destiny
Objective: Defend and dinnae get keeled
Allies: Jedi - somewhere
Enemies: [member="Randial"], cozying up 'cause bby that armor

His strike slid down the crimson blade. The lightsaber hilt sparked and smoked as she dropped it, the cylinder rolling across their perch. Fingertips burned. Myrtle-ellipses widened as she saw his descent. Singed-hand rose, palm flat as the air around her erupted into a blue-shimmering wall - a form of the force protection bubble.

Grimacing, she angled the diagonal wall of energy up as the sith dropped. The wall would catch and deflect the golden saber from entering her shoulder. If he continued his downward momentum it would essentially catch him and possibly burn and sting a little on contact. There was a moment where he hovered uncomfortably close, head pounded with concentration as the force pumped through her tired and burned body. "I prefer for guys to buy me dinner before things get this far," she managed a quip. Worth it.

If things went further, she had no intention of pushing him up, instead she went to shift the wall of energy on its axis to fling him to the side, as if he was suddenly rolling down a steep, and crackling hill made of pure force energy.

If it worked, it would hopefully give her enough time to roll to the opposite side and doggedly rise back to her feet, extending her beskar staff once more. If it really worked, there might be a chance that he rolled right off the edge of the branch they shared.

 

[Caulder Dune]

LOCATION: Stronghold Wubba-Lubba-Dub-Dub, Northeastern Branch
OBJECTIVE: B - Take/Destroy the Stronghold | Hamper enemy defensive measures
ALLIES: [member="Keira Ticon"] | [member="Matsu Xiangu"] | [member="Darth Hauntruss"] | [member="Cryax Bane"] | [member="Xenia Nastassia"]
ENEMIES: [member="Kian Karr"] | [member="Ayden Quell"] | [member="Seraphina Shel'tah"] | [member="Dak Canton"]

Adekos grimaced, because that whole unpleasant affair from last time was about to repeat itself. He yelled something, probably profanity, and deflected two of the shots Dak let loose before gracelessly diving to the left. There was no way in any of the Corellian Hells he was going through another three posts hopelessly grappled to this armored lunatic. This time around he knew who he wanted to hit with those blaster bolts, and so both of the ones he deflected would return to Dak's torso if he didn't manage to adjust his flight course. Adekos, meanwhile, was too busy face-planting into the wooden road to make any further response.

He'd stand up again by next post, probably.

 

[Keira Priest]

Location: Northeastern Branch
Objective: B
Allies: [member="Reverance"], [member="Matsu Xiangu"], [member="Xenia Nastassia"], [member="Darth Vornskr"], [member="Mordecai Zambrano"], [member="Darth Adekos"], [member="Dredge"], [member="Vrag"], [member="Cryax Bane"], [member="Kezeroth the Malevolent"]
Enemies: [member="Shule Windspeaker"], [member="Kana Truden"], [member="Ayden Quell"], [member="Aaralyn Rekali"], [member="Marakai Al'Orren"], [member="Sochi Ru"], [member="Meeristali Peradun"], [member="Dak Canton"], [member="Seraphina Shel'tah"], [member="Varus Shatterstar"]
Primary opponent: Seraphina Shel'tah
Secondary opponent: Varus Shatterstar

It appeared that the Sith were slowly winning the conflict, at the very least to Keira. Or maybe that was because she could sense an aura of, well, it wasn't quite defeat, but the Twi'lek seemed just a shy less confident than she had been before. That was well enough, as she'd begun to tire somewhat of their engagement. It didn't have the fast pace she was adjusted to after a year or more of dueling those that were much more skilled than she. Fighting another apprentice was a relatively new experience, and one she found she didn't enjoy quite as much. The thrill of the fight wasn't lost on her, but it was incredibly boring in the fact that because both of them were easily matched, not many momentous surprises had come to light. This was nothing like sparring with Kezeroth, something she'd been doing more and more lately.

The shout from Cryax, only audible to her across the battlefield because she'd been glancing in his direction here and there to assess his relative safety. Another Jedi, though this one seemed a fraction more skilled. Determining all of this in the briefest of moments she quickly turned her attention back to the task at hand, moving forward instead of back as Seraphina's weapon struck out towards her own saber hand, the edge of the blade skimming the side of her face and eliciting a minor burn. With her own blade she swung low at her legs, leaping backwards in the next second and landing on her feet two meters from her adversary.

Chancing a look again towards the Chiss she was assigned to protect, she flashed a half-smile at the woman she was currently battling. "I've got business elsewhere. Try not to miss me too much." With that she backed away slowly another few feet before turning and running off in the direction of Cryax, closing the distance between she and the other male Jedi quickly, jumping and twisting in the air to land in front of him, orange blade still humming in her left hand.

Quickly she studied his stance and style, paying little attention to his violet saber and instead the grip in which he held it. Her hazel green eyes, tinged throughout nearly completely with amber, were dancing with some semblance of amusement but also a careful caution in the of yet unknown abilities of her newest opponent. "Not quite, Jedi. Let's dance, huh?" Another wry smile quirked her lips, and she twirled her saber with a flick of her wrist, the weapon held in a loose grip. It took a bit more to cow her, after her encounters with the Gen'Dai she called her mentor. Perhaps this one would prove more of a challenge.

 

[Seamus Valik]

Location: Stronghold
Objective: Objective B.
Enemies: [member="Reverance"] [member="Darth Praelior"], [member="Darth Vornskr"], [member="Vrag"], [member="Matsu Xiangu"], [member="Cryax Bane"], [member="Dredge"], [member="Keira Ticon"], [member="Darth Adekos"]
Allies: [member="Kian Karr"], [member="Sochi Ru"], [member="Shule Windspeaker"], [member="Dux Kotass"], [member="Marakai Al'Orren"], [member="Gherron Vael"], [member="Ayden Quell"], [member="Seraphina Shel'tah"], [member="Rael sul B'an"], @Layna Akho, @Kiyron

The sound of screams and weapons fire thundered in his ears as the assault carried on. He fired again and again the concussion rifle bucking against his shoulder like a kick from a Dewback. His blue eyes narrowed as he looked up to see the wookies deploy their defenses. Huge logs swept down from the left of the bridge and swung for the sith forces.

A full squadron of catamarans swooped in to fire on the backs of the Sith as Seamus tossed a sonic grenade into the vong lines and watched the 20 meter radius of sonic waves assault the Vong and Sith. Wookies carrying various bladed weapons rushed passed as a wave of wookies opened fire with their bowcastors.

He heard an odd rolling from an adjacent tree as a giant ballistaes lowered their angles and launched log sized bolts at the enemy flank. Inspired and encoutaged by the determination of the Wookies seamus dropped his rifle and took his lightsaber from his belt. The ice blue blade sprung to life with a snap-hiss as he rushed into the fray. The saber may not cut older crab armor but it could qound the young armor and kinetic energy was still kinetic energy. He held his saber in both hands as he rushed forward to batter at the enemy forces. Smart? No. Brave? Maybe. Determined? Indeed.

 

[Ellie Mors]

Location: Beach Shoreline
Objective: A

• Capture Kachirho City
• Defeat [member="Graxin Rade"]

​Allies: [member="Darth Carach"] | [member="Darth Nephthys"]
Enemies: [member="Graxin Rade"]
Theme: Danger Line by Avenged Sevenfold

[media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jG13L9H-4I8[/media]​

Within the storm of the dark side the light had been ripped away from her eyes, and what she saw before her was a plane of monochromatic figures that moved like shadows that hardly contrasted at all against the black background of the waves of darkness, but before her knelt a figure that was as bright as she was dark. The very landscape that she saw was blurred and ghostly, as though intense winds blurred the fading lines between one object to the next between them and the darkness behind, yet [member="Graxin Rade"] shone line a beacon of light in a torrential hurricane, a lighthouse against the wake of an oncoming storm, and at once her focus was directed entirely onto his being. Her eyes narrowed as she slowed her pace further, dropping the telepathic boom of her feet as she prepared for a duel that would take her all, and for once she saw a challenge approach her. A real challenge. She smirked.

​

Her words rang out without a twitch of her lips, mentally driven. He had been her rival at one point, and though times had changed, it seemed those insufferable chains of fate had thrown them together again. "Will you kill me, take my life away?" She whispered, her smile fading as she drew closer, still holding her twin sabers at her side, ends pointed down, as if she wished to converse rather than fight - something she seemingly liked to do now. "If you had joined me back then, think of what you could have accomplished. All of this could have been yours -

"​

Though she taunted him, tempted him, she would give him time to make a decision of his own - she would not press an assault until he had refused her for the last time.

 

[Talon Vosra]

Location: Space, Near Sith Carrier
Objective: C Destroy Carriers
Allies: [member="Ryan Korr"] [member="Sressechka"] [member="Aqulia Audax"] @Aeden Miles [member="Thane Drexel"] [member="Jack Rand"]
Enemies: [member="Selka Ventus"] - Directly engaging [member="Darth Arcis"] - Firing on

Talon wizzed passed where the Rassalion had been as he grabbed a pair of shadow bombs and launched them at the carrier's hanger bay again. The dovin basals of the ship were cute and they could tear shields away but they really weren't the kind of thing that you could target. So having sheilding of its own and dovin basals on one ship was...confusing but then maybe he had miss read.

He fired split laser fire into a coral skipper and watched it turn to slag as the first stream of laser fire struck the dorsal aft of his shields and made him drop in space. Warning alarms blared as he watched more laser fire poured through where he had just been bounced from. He had a tail, the rassalion had come back.

He held the yoke in both hands and rolled left and dropped his pitch into a dive toward the underside of the carrier. He had to concede a mental point to his opponent again and come up with something, fast.

 

[Darth Ayra]

Location: Kachirho
Objective: Objective I
Allies: One Sith
Enemies: | [member="Meric Nadun"] |

Yellow, predatory eyes gleamed behind a fringe of blonde, searching the scene ahead. Senses were heightened by the feel of battle. Adrenaline coursed through her veins. She saw everything. Her senses in the Force told her that Meric summoned the dark side to slow the Graug. Her eyes watched as he flung something backwards. Ayra expanded her senses on the Force and her eyes lifted to the arching pattern of the Lightsaber.

She was an experienced fighter. Trained in all seven Lightsaber forms. Her senses on the Force heightened through combat. Rage that could show itself in the dark (Force Rage); and she just happened to be an expert marks man. If necessary, Darth Ayra was also proficient in K'tara and Hijkata. That was her skill set. Consequentially, all of this combined to allow her to understand what Meric had done and subsequently she found a response.

The Sith Lord took a step forward. Eyes tore left and right. Graug against Wookiee. Sith against Jedi. The odd mercenary or officer working for the Galactic Republic or One Sith. They turned to the incoming Lightsaber. Another step. She was in position now.

Darth Ayra performed a hop. Her right leg stretched forward, the left used to pivot. Her eyes still on the Lightsaber, they turned to focus now on Meric Nadun. She knew where it was and the dark side was with her. As it looked like the Lightsaber was coming in for the kill, the Sith Lord fell onto her hip and performed a roll. Rolling with the Lightsaber, it went over head and beyond her. She felt the heat of it's black beam glance by as she rolled. Her own Lightsaber turned off, so that she did not injure herself in her acrobatics.

She was back on her feet after the roll and her right hand, holding the disruptor pistol. An opportunity had presented itself. Meric Nadun now found himself trapped under a dead Graug. Difficult to lift physically for any man, possible an inconvenience for a Force-sensitive. What Darth Ayra saw as an opportunity was the fact that she could now shoot at her opponent, knowing that he had no Lightsaber to defend himself and was trapped.

So, Darth Ayra emptied the clip of ammunition in her disruptor pistol. All of it.

That's right.

On Meric Nadun and the Graug that was on top of him.

 

[Leora]

Location: Main Base
Objective: B
Allies: Other Pubs/Jedi
Enemies: [member="Xenia Nastassia"]

By the time she made it back to the base, she could clearly see that everything was going to hell in a hand basket. The QuietSnipe found a home on her back as she pulled out her blaster and started unloading it on all of the nearest enemies. There was something funky going on at the entrances to the base, and she didn't like it much. It gave her the heebie jeebies and she decided that she was going to get back inside the hard way, by climbing on top of the nearest Sith trooper and springing off his head in a Force assisted jump that would land her back where she'd started, at the perimeter defensive crenelations.

For whatever reason, her communications weren't working. On top of that, she noticed that the defensive turrets were shooting at the good guys. That gave her pause. What it meant was, somewhere, someone had managed to slice into their systems. And soundly at that. If she survived this she was going to have to craft a bill to put more money into their cyber infrastructure.

Her blaster went away, and she kept herself keyed into the backside of one of the crenelations. It was absolute chaos everywhere she looked. She hoped someone with some tech savviness was working on getting their mainframe back under Republic control, but in the meantime she decided to peek outside and study the enemy. Slowly her eyes surveyed the scene, she watched for those directing, ignored those following orders, and settled on a target that seemed rather busy doing things other than fighting. This seemed odd to T-Eya, and she could only logically deduce that this person was someone important.

Pulling her QuietSnipe back out, she sighted it in and drew aim on the woman at range. A careful breath, a gentle squeeze of the trigger, and she fired a projectile round directly at the woman. Who knew if she'd hit or not, but she had the height to avoid firing into the masses. For the moment, at least.

 

[Rain]

Location: path to Objective B; falling to the Shadowlands, attacking Dredge
Allies: Grrrod (OOC: [member="Dak Canton"]) [member="Kian Karr"], [member="Shule Windspeaker"]
Forces: 3000 Angry Wookiee Guerrillas, hardened by the Shadowlands and drunk/braggadocious off victory over not one, but two sets of enemy forces
Objective: B, Republic Stronghold
Opponents: [member="Vrag"], [member="Matsu Xiangu"], [member="Darth Adekos"]

'S iomadh rud tha dhìth orm, A dh'fheumainn fhìn mu'n dèanainn banais​

'S iomadh rud tha dhìth orm, A dh'fheumainn fhìn mu'n dèanainn banais​

'S iomadh rud tha dhìth orm, A dh'fheumainn fhìn mu'n dèanainn banais​

Perhaps the words had meant something; perhaps not. It didn’t matter. This was not the point.

'S iomadh rud tha dhìth orm, A dh'fheumainn fhìn mum pòsainn​

After all, it was not a spell. Its purpose was not to draw lines in definition, or bind the universe in knots of logic.

It was a song. It was better. Older.

On all fours, Rain’s legs begin to rock him forward, hamstrings tight as his knees bent rhythmically toward the earth. It almost looked like he was having sex. His eyes lulled closed, and he sang.

There were nasally screams from beneath the dirt as Kaalonians were torn apart by roots.

Ibhi abhi ubhi abhi, Air do shlàinte a mhòr a' cheannaich​

Ibhi abhi ubhi abhi, Air do shlàinte a mhòrag​

Ibhi abhi ubhi abhi, Air do shlàinte a mhòr a' cheannaich​

It was Dathomiri mouth music, the words assembled not for meaning, but for sound, for rhythm, building off each other. They synched with the planet, the universe, matching the current, speeding it up, slowing it down, but never altering.

'S iomadh rud tha dhìth orm, A dh'fheumainn fhìn mum pòsainn​

He would bring nothing here that wasn’t supposed to be here. Nothing that wasn’t true.

The hand of an Atuli Kaalonian burst forth from the soil, clawing itself to the top. It roared in agony as its natural pests went ravenous, devouring its sick sinew from its bones.

Rain banged his fist against the Kashyyyk, keeping percussion. BOOM. BOOM BOOM.

Fàinnichean 's grìogagan (BOOM), Bheirinn fhìn do mhòr a' cheannaich (BOOM, BOOM)​

Fàinnichean 's grìogagan (BOOM), A bheirinn fhìn do mhòrag (BOOM, BOOM)​

Fàinnichean 's grìogagan (BOOM), Bheirinn fhìn do mhòr a' cheannaich (BOOM, BOOM)​

His tempo increased. His legs rocked. His fist beat with the heart of a planet.

Fàinnichean 's grìogagan (BOOM), A bheirinn fhìn do mhòrag (BOOM, BOOM)​

The atuli emerged, it lumbered. Kaalonians screamed as treeroots grew, they ate rodent bones, they drank rodent blood. The dirt swallowed their howls.

Dòmhnall dubh (BOOM) an domhnallaich (BOOM, BOOM), A-nochd an(BOOM) tòir air mòr a' cheannaich (BOOM, BOOM)​

Dòmhnall dubh (BOOM) an domhnallaich (BOOM, BOOM), A-nochd an(BOOM) tòir air mòrag (BOOM, BOOM)​

Dòmhnall dubh (BOOM) an domhnallaich (BOOM, BOOM), A-nochd an (BOOM) tòir air mòr a' cheannaich (BOOM, BOOM)​

There was a gathering of winds, a beating of great wings.

Dòmhnall dubh (BOOM) an domhnallaich (BOOM, BOOM), A-nochd an(BOOM) tòir air mòrag (BOOM, BOOM)​

And then one more high-pitched rodent scream as the Atuli Kaalonian was attacked and devoured by a massive blue can-cell.

Aonghas mac a'phìobaire (BOOM), S e-fhèin a' strì ri Mòr a'Cheannaich (BOOM, BOOM)​

This is not murder. This is not cruelty. This is not savage.

Aonghas mac a'phìobaire (BOOM), 'S e-fhèin a' strì ri mòrag (BOOM, BOOM)​

This is necessary.

Aonghas mac a'phìobaire, (BOOM), 'S e-fhèin a' strì ri mòr a'cheannaich (BOOM)​

Life feeds on life.

Aonghas mac a'phìobaire (BOOM), 'S e-fhèin a' strì ri mòrag (BOOM)​

These are the Old Ways.

The remainder of Dredge’s forces decimated, Rain’s song drew to a close and he ungrounded himself from the earth. The can-cell, well-fed, watched him expectantly.

Rain climbed upon the creature and ascended as Trandosha did into the 5th House. Meanwhile, Kuhurrik was in the 2nd.

Some rather depressing information could come to you today from far away, likely pertaining to your immediate situation, as well as your circle of friends. You may need to run some errands, but for some reason, you can’t. This is no time to relax.


VRAG:

Having felled Dredge’s Vong-Gruag forces, General Grrrod regathered his forces, the guerrillas once more descending from trees and ziplines to converge on Vrag’s forward line and bolster Kashyyyk forces. From the Shadowlands floor, Rain rose on can-cell back, his face marred in blood and dirt, his Force presence paradoxical to anything trapped in Lightside/Darkside dichotomies, but his glare was unmistakable.

He leveled it at Vrag.

 

[Gherron Dragovalor]

Location: Inside Republic stronghold
Objective: Round up some Vong
Allies: [member="Rael sul B'an"] [member="T-Eya Carn"] [member="Kian Karr"] [member="Sochi Ru"] [member="Shule Windspeaker"]
Enemies: [member="Mordecai Zambrano"] [member="Darth Praelior"] [member="Matsu Xiangu"] [member="Reverance"] [member="Darth Vornskr"]

As he grabbed the attention of the Jedi master, Gherron forced himself to look behind him as the vong he'd sliced down acivated their mines, sucking in large areas of the stronghold's floor. Cursing himself for being so reckless, he listened to the master's plan, as she formed an idea from what he'd said. If they could round up the creatures into one area, it would be a whole lot easier to take them all out at once. She'd project a barrier around them, leaving Gherron and Rael to provide support. To him, it seemed like the best plan so far. As Sochi took off to gather the energy needed for such a feat, that left him in charge of all nearby forces. turning to the nearest soldier, he gave him a command. "Tell all your men to surround the Vong, an gather them up in the center. Do not kill. They have singularity mines set to go off." Turning to his padawan then, he relayed the plan, and took off to help gather the Vong together.


Location: Inside Republic base
Controller: Gherron Vael
Forces:
YVH-1 Droids [150]
EMRU [150]
Republic Commandos [300]
Wookie Mounted Troops [300]
Wookie Reinforces, both Mounted and Footsoldiers [1000]
Republic Soldiers [190]
EMBU [9]

 

[Leora]

Location: Kachiro
Objective: A
Allies: Jedi/Pubs
Enemies: [member="Alicia Drey"]

Well, it was a gambit that didn't pay off. Pity. Still, not the end all be all of everything, and really simple child's play when it came down to it. A youngling could lift a lightsaber with the Force after enough practice, and an apprentice could surely do what he'd just done. Sometimes those gambits work, though. He'd hoped to catch her off guard with it, but that wasn't the case. So, he'd have to try something else.

Of course, as soon as the first blast of disruptor ammo hit the dead Graug lying on top of him he knew he was in trouble. There was only one way out of this situation, and that was a rather rare Force ability that he'd honed over the years. In one instant he was right where she was shooting, where she was certain to get the kill that her little heart so very much desired, and in the next instant he was not. Instead, he was behind her, slamming a Graug to the ground with his dominant hand. His other hand was completely missing.

"FiGi. Suit is breached. My left hand is gone. Alert Vina to the situation."

[Understood.]

He turned back to Alicia and lifted several fallen Graug blades from the ground before sending them flying at her from behind. If he was lucky, it would take her longer to figure out where he'd gone than it took him to get the blades there. If not, well, as soon as he launched them he called his lightsaber back to him and started moving towards her, following the projectiles. It was time to make this more personal.

 

[Placeholder 0123]

Allies: [member="Rusken Shaxx"] | [member="Armand Temi"] | [member="Joshua DragonsFlame"]

Enemies: [member="Darth Vitium"]

Objective: A- Confront Vitium.


The effect of Silara's words crashed into Graxin like a tidal wave. Where a moment before he had been resolute in his cause, in breakable in his strength, and a stalwart member of the Jedi Order, now he found himself filled with doubt.

Perhaps it was the waves of darkness, or Darth Vitium's very presence, but Graxin found himself rooted to the ground, shaken.

He had never taken the time to ask why he should be one of the champions of this cause. In his own words, it was to hold off the tyranny of the Sith. To preserve the freedom of thousands - a majority of which did not care who ruled them or what freedoms they had so long as their paycheck was signed, and their desires for debauchery and sin fulfilled.

For the majority of those involved in this great battle, there was a personal reason for participating. Something to drive them to the very end beyond values or beliefs. To defend home and family, to avenge the dead lover, or to prove themselves as Jedi. Cyril Greyson had none.

He was not apart of this Republic. The Jedi had cast him out as a young man for a mistake; sent him to die at the hands of the Sith on Coruscant at the beginning of the war. They had only ever used him, and he, as he was raised to do, served faithfully.

The Jedi had driven off his only love. Linori was gone because of his ties to the order. The light of Cyril's life had gone out the moment she walked through that last door on the Mephirium. She never returned.

Life had not been much different under Vulcanus. Killing the evil men and women in service of the people. Ostracized for having a differing opinion. Forced to serve for the freedom all.

He lived a lonely, broken, chained life now. A suicidal man under a false name serving a government he didn't agree with, under the tenants of an order that had exiled and tried to kill him in hopes of dying an admirable death.

Jedi were supposed to be ready to give their lives at a moment's notice. Cyril had never hesitated to offer up his own - he yearned for it.

What point was there in fighting, really?

"I wouldn't ever want to kill you."

The flame he was building was suddenly smothered by an invisible hand.

"Not on Csilla. Not here. You and I are very much alike, Silara. You act like you enjoy this, but I think you're a bit lost too."

That was likely untrue. The woman was a master of the Dark Side. A black hole that snuffed out even the brightest of lights. Yet, Cyril couldn't help but remember her words back on Csilla. She'd seemed alone too, and all too taken by the dark arts.

Perhaps as a way to cope, perhaps as a way out - perhaps she just simply enjoyed crushing others. It didn't matter.

Cyril had no fear, though it was entirely likely that Silara might just kill him here. Repressed internal arguments and reservations had been forced to the surface by her storm of darkness. With them, the moniker of Graxin Rade was uprooted as well.

Graxin was a slave name given to him by the Graug. His mother had named him Cyril, and then given him away because of the Jedi.

And what was he anyway? Clearly not a Jedi. He's broken away from the Order and created a rebel faction. Forsaken the council, its judgements and codes, all of it to make his own way.

A way that certainly wasn't working anymore.

"So alike that I remembered your name, Silara."

Then there was Vitium. Terribly beautiful in her horrible way. Seductive in speech and, for whatever reason, took an interest in him that other Sith had not. It was a false interest, to be sure, but the desperate part of Cyril very much wanted it to be true.

He desperately wanted to comfort her. An irrational desire brought on by an imprint in the force that pulled at the most primal part of his being. It was no doubt one of the Sith's tricks, but the Archlord had spent more than a few hours mulling over just what the woman had meant on Csilla, and why she acted the way she did.

Vitium was an anomaly within the One Sith, as Cyril had made himself to be in the Jedi Order.

How easy it would be to turn his weapons on the Wookies and their Jedi allies. To stand at Vitium's side and never feel that empty loneliness again. To be treated as an equal rather than a lesser being because of his views on the galaxy.

He took a single step toward Vitium, lips pursed to speak his treason. The poisonous words formed on the tip of his tongue, and he began to articulate his dissension.

"You and I-"

Then there was Felicity. His little sister, student, and all he had to drive him in the galaxy. A little girl whose fingers had been broken by a Sith because she refused to do as he wanted. His lover for the little spitfire was indescribable.

Armand looked up to him as a teach and friend. Rusken had served him faithfully and had become a brother in this time of conflict.

How could he ever harm them?

That was why he was here. He needed to be Graxin Rade for just a bit longer, and then he could leave this galaxy in peace. That was what mattered.

He did not dare speak another word. His posture relaxed, and he reached up to remove his helmet with one hand. It came away with a pop, and he quickly attached it to his belt.

Sharp amber eyes stared back at Darth Vitium. He'd aged since she had last seen him. Lines rimmed his eyes, and the skin above his right eye had been warped from a blaster burn.

He made no move to attack the woman. His actions and words were entirely up to her interpretation now.





NPCs:

Spoiler

Location: Gates leading out to the beachhead.

Objective: Bring the Boom

Controller: Graxin Rade

Amount: 470 Peackeepers 618, Graug warriors, 198 Wookie warriors.

(Total Losses: 978 Forces)

(9000 Peacekeepers reinforcements arriving at the behind the AOL in drop ships. Peacekeepers reinforcements will be exhausted upon their arrival.)

Opponents: Darth Arcanix's main force






The Vong were a devastating force indeed. The Peacekeepers were demoralized by the Waves of Darkness. The Vong warriors cut through their armor light butter, and resisted their blasters with minimal efforts.

The Wookies, though affected, fought the Vong valiantly. The rode in on war vines and ripped Vong warriors apart with their immense strength.

The Graug actually seemed to rally under the Waves of Darkness. Shlurk was a supreme field commander. Though the horde was terrified and frozen at first, Shlurk had used that fear to his advantage, telling the Graug that it was the spirt of Vulcanus come to bring front vengeance if they did not fight.

Some Graug charged forth suicidally with explosives against the Vong line. Others came down on the Sith soldiers with a death wish, bowling into soldiers until they were gunned down.

Meanwhile, the remainder of the Peacekeeper force was beginning to offload its soldiers within the Kachirho walls.

 

[Matsu Xiangu]

LOCATION: Northeast Branch, moving towards Xenia's position in cover behind first set of turrets
OBJECTIVE: B
ALLIES: [member="Reverance"] | [member="Vrag"] | [member="Xenia Nastassia"] | [member="Cryax Bane"]
ENEMIES: [member="Meeristali Peradun"] | [member="Marakai Al'Orren"] | [member="Rain"]

The sound of Xenia’s voice came drifting through Matsu’s earpiece, a piece of tech she’d almost forgotten she possessed. She wasn’t one for extras – she didn’t bring bodyguards or droids or any Vong or troops of her own. There was certainly nothing wrong with the aforementioned, but she had her mind and the Force...and maybe a few knives. Call her old-fashioned and maybe in this day and age it was simply pig-headed, but she liked being – save for a few select companions and partners on the way to victory or otherwise – just herself. And one of said companions was ready to move.

<<Can you get us inside? We need their terminals.>>

Matsu was still making her way through Wookiees and Vong clashing wildly. She hadn’t heard any reports of Vrag’s forces breaching past the Jedi’s frontlines and though Matsu had confidence that it would only be a matter of time that still meant getting through half the field with two slicers in tow. She did love a challenge. She responded to Xenia through their private channel, short but sweet as she cleared the line of battle in front of her and got a direct visual on Xenia & her droid’s attackers - and yes, the droids were faring far better than Matsu had given them credit for. She was approaching from the side, the two Jedi Knights’ (Marakai & Meeristali) right sides to be exact. <<”Let’s see what we can do about these two Jedi who seem to have taken a liking to you. Then the frontlines it is.”>> If the Sith forces managed to cut a hole in the Jedi’s defense she would guard both slicers alongside [member="Keira Ticon"] in their work to take down the stronghold’s defenses from the inside, but for the moment they were all facing more immediate danger.

She saw the male Jedi - enormous and dangerous - first swinging wide to sever droid head from body after a magnificent burst of speed, and attempted to pry in to his mind, extending to the illusion to his female companion. This was what she’d trained over a decade in, the ability to create illusions without seeming like she’d entered someone’s head at all, a silent and stealthy presence making things come to life that weren’t really there using an opponent’s distraction, pain, or soft spots to exploit.

She planted something simple, something that could for all intents and purposes truly be there – the illusion truly possible was always more easily accepted. From the Jedi’s left a shadow rose, clawing over the side of the branch before flying up and towards them, quick and deadly and screeching, too fast to truly see its form. But it meant to kill them, tear heads from bodies in far messier manner than the male Jedi had seen fit to grant the droid.

It was a feint, one that she hoped would give her the split second to approach with at least a modicum of the element of surprise as she pulled her sword from its sheath with her right hand, rotating it deftly in her hand so the edge flew towards her opponent in a cross-body draw from left to right that, with any luck, would cut a slice through the Jedi’s right side, tearing through fur to muscle and cartilage between ribs.

 

[Darth Arcis]

Location: High Orbit, Kashyyyk
Controller: Darth Arcis/Dranok Lussk
Forces:

• Skarr-Ro'ik Carrier Analog (1) - Replacement of ground warfare equipment for Taral and Galaxy craft.
  ​Coralskippers (120) - Being pushed back by Republic NPC fighters
• Taral-class Starfighters (40) - Destroyed, 6 escorting Dranok
• Galaxy-class Bombers (20) - Destroyed
• Yorik-Trema (24) - Destroyed

Objective: 3 - Eliminate enemy carrier
Allies: [member="Selka Ventus"], [member="Colrenn"], [member="Yurzhoc Shai"]
Opponents: [member="Ryan Korr"], [member="Jack Rand"], [member="Talon Vosra"], [member="Thane Drexel"], @Sressechka

The Sith carrier was nearly just a floating husk now. Most of its internal systems were still working - minus a large chunk of the life support systems and the Villip choirs. However, an excessive amount of the Yorik Coral hull had been blown away, Yaret-Kor had been blasted off the sides of the organic carrier, and numerous Dovin Basals had either been damaged or completely annihilated in the strikes done by the Jedi fighters. They were good, especially with their invisible ships. Both Dranok and al'Juin knew what needed to be done - and nothing was going to stop them.

But the Jedi mongrels were smarted than they looked. Dranok could feel their intention as bright as day, because he would have done the same thing as them. Getting a killshot before their own carrier took damage was imperative to their survival. The Yuuzhan Vong carrier wasn't even a surefire way to destroy the enemy's, but it sure did create enough confusion for half of their pilots to mess their pants and come scrambling back. It was now or never and al'Juin was hard set on taking some heretics with him before he died.

So did Dranok.

He was already in the hangar entering a Galaxy-class along with several dozen other personnel from the 501st legion. While they may have been an infantry force, they beheld their own elite fighter contingents as well. The Sith Lord and his little escort of a half dozen of fighters hadn't even completely departed from the hangar before those all-too familiar presences of Shadow Bombs became apparent once again. His craft veered around and head turned to watch as several projectiles tore through the hastily erected Dovin Basal shields to wipe out the rest of his escort and the hangar with it.

"Press on, brother." He mumbled as flames began to encompass the interior of the hangar bays and practically the entire rear half of the vessel. No doubt personnel were frantically putting out fires, but it would only do so much before the final shove.

At Arcis' signal, he and his elite starfighters zoomed towards the front of the carrier and zeroed in on the enemy carrier. They had a few surprises for the crew inside and, with the jamming of a thumb, he let loose with a single Grutchin torpedo. Each of the bombers had been carrying one of these, but the rest had been wiped out in the razing done by [member="Talon Vosra"]. That one projectile had taken up Dranok's entire bomb bay, and in it was several hundred monstrous creatures capable of tearing through ship hulls in minutes. Granted, it was smaller than the original payload, but it's slightly lessened force of Grutchins was expected to perform no less.

 

[Ashin Varanin]

Location: Stump of the southwest branch of Yugwaaargh, outside the gates
Objective: B
Allies: [member="Sochi Ru"], [member="Aaralyn Rekali"]
Enemies: [member="Darth Vornskr"] (primary), [member="Reverance"], [member="Darth Praelior"]

Calling Vornskr's concession a victory was like calling the Republic an amicable, cohesive democracy, but he'd take it anyway (the minor concession, not the Republic). But making the Dark Master doubt his balance was nothing foundational, nothing on which to build a victory. And in a war of attrition, either Shule would send Vornskr on a long fall, or Vornskr would wear him down. Already his sabre hand was getting sore; this body was competently tuned but lacked the full muscle memory of his career. In another life, he'd have used illusion here -- made the long sliver seem a foot to the left, or used a duplicate of himself to draw Vornskr into a poor position. He sensed the opaque mind of an Epicanthix, but between White Current and photokinetic illusions, he'd had options.

But those days were gone, and Je'gan the Liar wasn't the man who fought the last true Sith Emperor today.

His stance shifted again, becoming wider, more open, looser and less formal. A bladesman as experienced as Vornskr would recognize it instantly as a stance from Vaapad. That impression would grow as Shule met every strike with a growing momentum, a controlled ferocity at odds with the mild-mannered persona he tried to emphasize in every aspect of his life. The fact of the matter was, though, he had trained alongside Darron Wraith, possibly the greatest Vaapad master of the modern age; he'd fought alongside Wraith as a brother in many, many battles. Vaapad was not his primary Form, not by a long shot, but the superconducting loop that took form within the Force didn't seem to suffer for that. The darkness that bled out of Vornskr was trapped by the circularity of a Soresu master and thrown back as speed, as energy. Shule preferred the measured response, but against a man this strong, ferocious quickness was as valid a tactic as subtle redirection.

He didn't like this side of himself, but Windu hadn't either, nor had Wraith. That was sort of the point of Vaapad: a method, far from foolproof, meant to turn that side into useful action, for the right reasons.

 

[Tydeus of Tion]

Location: Attacking the enemy carrier
Objective: C, Space
Allies: [member="Talon Vosra"] | [member="Jack Rand"] | [member="Thane Drexel"] | [member="Sressechka"]
Enemies: [member="Darth Arcis"] | [member="Selka Ventus"] | [member="Colrenn"] | [member="Yurzhoc Shai"]
Forces: 12 Stealth X Starfighters

All twelve of the matte-black shapes drew away from the pock-marked hull of the listing Vong analog. With life-support systems nearly shredded, its villip choir comms array destroyed and a ravaged hangar bay, it did not appear to be long for this life. So Korr ordered the squadron in for a final attack run. This was no hydra, but they would take flame to its head nonetheless. They would see if the serpent could rise after that.

Silent after the initial order, Korr concentrated on his target: the bridge. When he drew in range he squeezed the trigger for the third time. Eleven other pilots squeezed with him.

A dozen baradium-laced shadow bombs sped toward the carrier's bridge.

 

[Marcus Tritum]

LOCATION: Northeastern Branch

OBJECTIVE: Stronghold
ALLIES: [member="Kian Karr"] | [member="Rain"]
ENEMIES:
Primary Opponent - [member="Darth Adekos"]
Vicinity Opponents - [member="Matsu Xiangu"] | [member="Vrag"] | [member="Cryax Bane"]

Two o' my own bolts zipped back at me and Mr. Sunblock rolled out of the way.

"Aw kriff." I grunted.

One shot struck my duraplast chest plate in the upper left pectoral region. The other hit low. Almost too low for comfort. Both left ugly pocks of black, melted char in the forest camo scheme of the duraplast. I could feel the heat of impact, even in the insulation of my body glove.

I whizzed past the guy, but managed to bring my repulsorpack to a fast stop and plopped back down onto the wood of the branch, knees bending underneath me. I whirled, wincing at the pain in my shoulder from the deep gash opened up by the Vong warrior's spear, and leveled my pistol at the face-planted Sith. He still didn't have any wounds worth writing home about. Whereas my burnt hand would need a bacta wrap for a week. And that cut to my shoulder was, given my luck and the Vong's antics, probably infected or poisoned. Maybe I'd broken his nose with the headbutt earlier, or given him a bruise, but I felt pretty ... what's the word.... thwarted.

So I didn't feel too bad when I unloaded half-a-dozen tibanna-powered shots on the man while he was down.

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Location: Beach Front warzone
Objective: (A) Take the tree, deal with the armored man in front of me
Allies: [member="Darth Vitium"] [member="Alicia Drey"]
Enemies: [member="Graxin Rade"] [member="Rusken Shaxx"] [member="Meric Nadun"]

"Don't want to talk huh? A pity I always enjoy an engaging conversation," Taeli sighed. She was analyzing how fast her opponent had taken to counter the small burst of lightning she sent at him, and while they were slower than others, he was still decently fast. It wouldn't be much of an advantage, but would be in her favor was the freedom of movement she had. His armor would impede his motions somewhat, but she still wasn't sure what material it was. Heavy armor like that, and as a Jedi, she could guess it was at least resistant to a lightsaber. Lovely.

She wasn't going to charge in all willy-nilly, that would be silly to do against an opponent of his caliber. No, best to work through this fight smartly. He wasn't as powerful as she was in the Force, but his battlefield experience would be his most valuable asset and being on the tactical defensive wouldn't hurt either.

Slowly, cautiously, Taeli began to move forward. She would need to be smart, to be cunning, to win this fairly. She wanted to show she was good with her saber, and not just overwhelm him with the Force. That would prove nothing to this Ession Jedi.

"I guess we shall begin," Taeli said quietly. "May the best Force User emerge victorious."

NPC:
Location: Beach Warzone
Controller: Darth Arcanix
NPCs: 8,968 (4000 fell back, will be available again upon conclusion of next post) Sith troopers, 11,283 Vong Warriors, 4 rakamats
Opponents: [member="Graxin Rade"]'s forces

The remaining Graug forces that had remained loyal to the Ession Reformation and their allies were now the largest remaining threat immediately within the vicinity of Arcanix's forces. The Peacekeepers and Wookiees were in rough shape, with barely any left alive to stem the tide while their reinforcements prepared for the next wave of the assault.

The Vong subaltern had lost three fingers on his left hand to an angry Graug, but he had dispatched his opponent with honor. He viewed the lost of his fingers as merely a sign that the Gods demanded more pain. Shouting in his native tongue, his soldiers were more encouraged and frenzied than before, their blood and pain lust increasing, their adrenaline pumping. Wookiees, Graug and Peacekeeprs were shredded by amphistaves and razor bugs, and all the while the Sith troopers were trying to regain order, half of them having fallen back from the waves of darkness.

The commander was annoyed, but understood his men were not all strong willed. Trying to find a task for his men that were recovering could do, he ordered them to prepare rockets and other weapons that could be used against enemy fighter craft if they arrived or against the last wall standing between them and the city. Meanwhile, his forces that had remained continued to pour blaster fire into the enemy ranks, aiming to bring down more of the Wookiees and specifically the Graug before they reached them. The air was thick with projectiles, bodies covered the beach from the battle.

The rakamats had now moved within range of bringing their Yaret-Kor to long range bombardment of the Republic's wall and their AOL. The Yuuzhan Vong controllers began opening fire with them, but also setting up their dovil basals for protection from any sort of retaliation from the defenders if they were organized. Large chunkens of molten coral began slamming against the wall and its ramparts, eating its way through the structure slowly.

Summary:
Took roughly 400 more losses, with the Vong now frenzied and attacking even more rigorously all enemy forces
Sith troopers are split between those still engaged (4968) and those that fell back (4000), those engaged are targeting the Graug and Wookiees specifically. Those that fell back were ordered to gather rockets and other heavy weapons (will be able to sue again for combat in one post)
Rakamats now attacking the wall and AOL with long-range bombardment, activating dovin basals to protect themselves from retaliation (movement speed slowed because of dovin basals switching more towards defense, will take two posts to reach close range bombardment for maximum effect)