What Are Friends For? [The Rescue of Darth Isolda] (Sith Empire, Alliance-in-Exile Welcome)

[Darth Carnifex]

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The Alliance has fallen.

And with it, hundreds of star systems are left to fend for themselves against the encroaching tidal wave of darkness sweeping in from the Tingel Arm. Pirates and bandits run rampant across trade lanes formerly protected by Galactic Alliance warships while roaming bands of Sith-Imperial and First Imperial fleets plunder and loot any unsuspecting world they come across. Others chase down the remnants of the Alliance navy, utilizing bleeding edge interdiction and hyperspace tracking technology to whittle away the fleeing Alliance ships bit by bit until only ruin and wreckage remain.

A small contingent of Alliance vessels, in stark contrast to their comrades, retreated deeper into the Core rather than away from it. Calling themselves Tython Command, they attempted to piece together what semblance of authority they could amidst the chaos and turbulence of a government falling apart at the seams. Several local militias answered their call for unity, but many others either holed up in their systems to try and weather the storm or capitulated to the Sith Empire to spare themselves a fight they knew they couldn't win.

However, dark shadows move to swallow Tython entirely.

Years ago, the Sith Lord [member="Darth Isolda"] was imprisoned by the Galactic Alliance after the fall of the One Sith at Coruscant. Ever since she has languished in a specially designed prison, frozen in stasis to forever blunt her ability to influence the galaxy and divine the future for the Dark Side. Now that the Alliance has been broken, the reigning Dark Lord of the Sith; Darth Carnifex, has launched a daring raid to rescue the Vahla Sith and recruit her into his Sith Empire, much like the One Sith had done to him so many years ago...

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Flak raked the Imperial transports as they descended through Tython's atmosphere, leaving behind the rage and fury of the battle in space for the ferocity of the planetary defenses. In the weeks that had passed since the Sacking of Coruscant, Tython Command had reinforced several key structures across Tython's surface and turned the world into a makeshift fortress world. Defensive emplacements, shield generators, and flak guns littered the hills and mountains surrounding the old Jedi Temple and the ancient fortress of Belia Darzu, which had been retrofitted to serve as a prison for Dark Siders by the Alliance.

It was there that the Dark Lord would free Isolda.

He and a smattering of troop transports braved the flak and the other anti-air fire to try and establish a beachhead at the fortress' landing pad, several Mastodon-class transports being blown clear out of the sky in the process. Heavy blaster cannons from the Crestfallen II cleared one of the landing pads of enemies, their broken and twisted bodies being flung high into the air as the concussive blasts from the Emperor's cannons blew them clear off of the platform. His and two other troop transports would be the only ones to land on that particular platform, any other surviving transports would have to find another landing zone.

Meanwhile, another strike force was making a run for the old Jedi Temple in search of artifacts or any scraps of knowledge that might have been left behind or sealed away by the Jedi.

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Objectives

1. Aid the Dark Lord in freeing Darth Isolda, and any other Dark Sider, from the Tython Prison.
2. Raid the old Jedi Temple for artifacts, holocrons, datacrons, or anything that could give the Sith an advantage in information.
3. Do your own thang

 

[Brooke Waters]

Tython was where she had been for safe keeping. Savannah was part of the Alliance since Thyferra, and had trained for her padawan studies under Coren Starchaser. After the Master started to have second thoughts about her capabilities, Sav had been transferred to Tython for some additional learning and education. She was sent out of fear, and with what she was learning, and the betrayal of Taeli Raaf, Savannah clearly understood the concern. But having worked with several older Jedi on other worlds, and working on using alchemy for the light side, the newly minted Jedi Knight was ready to get back into the world.

And she knew her ship was in orbit, waiting to pick up other Jedi and bring them back into the Alliance. However, she felt the darkness. The Sith had come calling. Not being privy to all the going ons, because of her focus on alchemy and how that could easily lead her down into the dark side, Still, the properties of weapons that this artisan was coming up with were definitely leaning towards the light side.

She carried no weapons aside from her lightsaber, magenta hued, and her wits. Preferring to not deal with Jedi robes, if it was for combat, it was going to be lightly imbued. The Jal Shey had provided a lot of learning to the New Jedi Order, and Sav took to it. But now? Now she was aware that the Sith were beginning landing, and that meant setting up the traps. Most of them were going to involve setting up detection arches, and ways to blast incoming dark siders with stun blasts.

“We need to keep the temple here.” She spoke to a few of the older padawans, ones who were militarily trained. They were going to be able to set up a few different watches and move the younglings out. “I need someone to help cover me as I get things set up for the new arrivals.” She grinned, itching to test out her combat capabilities.

 

[Darth Morrow]

Location: Old Jedi Temple
Mission: Don't get stepped on, take the cube to the big scary man.
Allies: [member="Darth Carnifex"]

The best way to describe Sparrows reaction to the request was joy. A ship in return for an odd box the really really too big described to her. The catch was that she needed to sneak it out of the big building with a lot of the too big inside. That she thought could have been easy, it wasn't.

A small bit of breakout had already occurred between the two groups fighting and the tiny mouse was caught in between, the amount of effort it took for her just to get this box that was the size of her off the table was enough, let alone worrying about the crashing steps that threatened her demise every half second. Dragging it out of view she decided to hide for a few moments until there was some space to run, and from what she was told, they would be very unhappy seeing her take it.

Staring up at the expanse of an area, she observed all the bookshelves and little too bigs walking around, it all seemed so quite before the others came, but maybe they were always like this. Sparrow didn't know much about how they were, the things in this building were new to her.

After waiting her time, zoning out for a minute, and then resuming her grasp on reality, the mouse saw and opening and began her sprint. In reality, a small mouse with a holocron strapped to her back was hard to miss, but maybe she would get lucky.

 

[Darth Ophidia]

2. Attack on the Jedi Temple Archives

The fall of the Alliance had swept through the galaxy, touching every being and every speck of sand. The air smelled of change and the absence left by the Galactic Alliance's collapse held its breath in deafening silence. The fault lines were all under tension, cracks formed, and new entities spawned. Amidst this chaos, The Sith Empire found themselves with unprecedented opportunity to loot the land of all the Jedi's well guarded secrets. Alas, their mortal enemies did not simply step aside and let the just plundering occur. So, it would come to blood.

The attack on the Jedi Temple was a twofold affair: Their presence on the planet was no doubt detected, so one force would attack directly, draw the eyes of the Jedi and tie up their blades. It was not a ruse, however. The attack was as genuine as it could be, and the attackers were dedicated to their task. Yet, there was another force in motion: One of stealth. Like poison they sought to infiltrate and collapse the defence from within.

Those of the dropships that penetrated the onslaught in the skies touched down with the Jedi Temple in sight. Legionnaires and support established their presence on land as, above them, a battle of streaking lasers and burning vessels commenced.

Meanwhile, a shuttle touched down, flanking the temple against the main force. The Sith who had volunteered -or been volunteered- for the infiltration mission moved out from the shuttle's bulk and moved quickly into the growing shrub. They would be equipped for the task, given taozin talismans to mask their presence in the Force, and stealth field generators if necessary.

Darth Ophidia, the Pale Assassin, lead the infiltration. Hers was not a name of fame, but some rumour and infamy; some thought she never existed, that she was a rumour or a moniker passed around, some said she was a veteran of nearly two decades serving the Sith as an assassin, those who knew anything knew well that she did not make light of blunders.

Her black-cloaked form near vanished as she stepped away from the ship, leaving only enough of a trail for her allies to follow. Around her, even the forest spoke in a hushed tone.

 

[Darth Sibilus]

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objective 2
allies: TSE
enemies: anyone against TSE.

Assault on the Jedi Temple Archives​

The Lord of Torment's name had quietly slipped from the tongues of his peers after Utapau, where the Epicanthix had barely left those torrid sinkholes with his life, his pride left shattered like a pane of glass within the chasms. He had whisked himself away to Panatha without so much as a goodbye, humiliation and shame coursing through his veins as feverishly as the blood within him. He had shut himself off from the Sith Empire to recollect himself, to reaffirm himself and to bolster himself to prevent such an occurrence from happening again.

What was certain, however, was that Darth Sibilus had abandoned Drios Rapux, the young, somewhat cumbersome Sith who preceded him. In his place stood a 'new' man - a change which would be palpable to those who saw and monitored his ascension to Sith Lord.

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The air was alive with war - bolts fired ricocheted from walls and helmets with no prejudice, smoke rose from every crack and fault in the ground and from the fell soldiers themselves as the Sith Empire lead an assault upon Tython. The people who had remained here, populated of primarily by those loyal to the fallen Alliance had sorted themselves a pretty little fortress world to abate the inevitable event which was the Empire's arrival; gun emplacements to defend from aerial assaults dotted the landscape, billowing smoke as they hurled beams of energy at approaching Imperial ships. On one said ship was Darth Sibilus himself, knuckles white from gripping the useful handle above his head as the transport was flung through the air.

His burning eyes were alight with passion, and the roar of war filled him with a strange tingly sensation deep within his gut. He was outfitted in a typically moody garb - a simple black tunic adorned with basic golden accessories to highlight his inherent wealth and self-perceived importance in the Galaxy. After an age, the path was clear, and the transports settled down hastily, spilling out from their maw the hordes of soldiers and Sith who would storm the Temple and ensure that those with orders to meddle with the library had as little unwelcome attention as possible.

"FOR THE EMPIRE!" the Epicanthix bellowed, his blade erupting into life and showering the area with a bloody glow, singing in joy as it cut through the air, hungry for any foolish enough to stray near enough to the Sith Lord. They charged upon the main temple doors, and were met with heavy resistance.

Explosions ripped through the air, and glowing shells seemed to teeter above their heads for millennium before they erupted in a shower of sparks and debris amongst the attackers. Bullets were traded, whistling beside Sibilus' head as his blade moved with a smoothness to deflect them back to their sources.

They were going to be here for a while.

 

[H3xle]

OBJECTIVE: 1, Defend the Fortress
ALLIES: Jedi | Lightsiders | Tython Command | Alliance in Exile
ENEMIES: The Sith Empire | [member="darth carnifex"]

Tython Command was one of a handful of pockets where the Alliance forces had held instead of retreated. It was also the one that held the greatest prizes for The Sith Empire, in the form of Dark Side adepts that were held in the fortress turned prison and a still extant Jedi Temple.

Azala hadn’t come for the temple, though it would likely still seem familiar to her from her youth, it was no longer any semblance of a home for her. Less of one, in fact, since Taeli Raaf’s ruse had been unmasked by the Sith Lady herself. No, Azala had come to Tython with a gift. A sith agent had followed her after the razing of Coruscant, but had not proven up to the task of taking out the Togruta Adept. Instead, Azala had been able to subdue, capture, and transport the agent to the Tython system. She had touched down and deplaned with her prisoner only moments before the first alarms blared.

None to gently, Azala shoved the sith agent into the cell they’d been walked to, and left it to the wardens to close and dog the hatch. She turned on her heel and ran to the battlements, saber hilt in her left hand, pistol in her right.

She emerged onto the highest battlement as she saw the landing pads cleared of troops by the guns of several Sith transports that then disgorged Sith Legionaires. Azala felt her blood spike with adrenaline, as she took a few quick breaths through her nostrils. The scent of smoke and blood was already on the air, and the darker parts of her mind were replaying scenes from the sacking of Coruscant.

She closed them off from her mind and let the Force encompass her. Her heart calmed as she scanned the troops coming towards the prison. Pulling the Force more closely about her, and saying a prayer to the Spirits, she leapt from the battlement, letting the Force guide her fall to the next tier of battlements, making her way towards the battle. In the background she heard the wardens of the prison issuing orders and preparing defenses, and she was devoted to the singular goal of giving them time to get organized.

 

[Joycelyn Zambrano]

Objective 1: Free Isolda
Allies: [member="Darth Carnifex"]
Opponents: [member="Azala Kyse"]

Joycelyn Zambrano had been practically a girl last she saw [member="Darth Isolda"].

She had been one of several young women being taught in the mystic arts of the Ember of Vahl, and Isolda had been the great beacon for all Vahla, chosen by the goddess. Moreover, Joycelyn knew she was a terrifying wielder of the dark side of the Force. She was reminded of the day Darth Nephthys had sacrificed herself. Joycelyn had been present when Isolda realised. The sound of breaking furniture still rang in her ears.

Now, the young vahlacanthix was a woman in her own right, and a warrior for the Sith and for Vahl.

Her armoured form was the first to exit the first of the two dropships following the Crestfallen, towering over the legionnaires accompanying her. The ramp had barely touched down before she touched the ground of the platform, dust billowing out under the iron march of her armoured legs. The white-armoured soldiers opened fire, laying down suppressing fire and pushing back against the defenders to allow the Sith to break through.

Joycelyn charged the entrance from their platform, one hand on the hilt of her sword. Flames licked her hand, eager to be drawn and wielded against its favoured foe. Zaudraka almost vibrated in her hand, a reverberation that climbed her arm and teased the roots of her very mind. It had waited so long for a chance like this.

But the crossing of the platform was dangerous. Even with the Crestfallen's attack, there were enemies encroaching and shot raining down. It peppered her armour, reflecting off to the sides of the overlapping plates like droplets of rain. Each was a little too close for comfort. Yet, she was driven by ferocity and ambition as she crashed her back into the side of the entrance, claiming a moment of cover while plucking a grenade from her harness.

The sonic detonator jumped out of her hand and turned sharply in the air, rounding the corner and clattering down the hallway ahead before exploding in a sudden burst of sound and then falling quiet.

 

[The Hound]

Objective: Defend Isolda's Prison
Enemies: [member="Joycelyn Zambrano"] [member="Darth Carnifex"]
Allies: [member="Azala Kyse"]

It had been his single most important task since he had woken from his slumber. A part of him wished it was a sense of duty, a way to atone for his past sins, but the old spirit knew better than that. What kept him here was Isolda's presence alone. Once a lost monster, raging and cast aside he had been redeemed, or at least a part of him had been. While the Alliance would never have left him to his own devices, they had allowed him to stay here, half prisoner, half guardian of the Eye of the One Sith.

A dark wind made his hair stand on end.

And then came the sound of war. The Sith Empire was here to take something that should never see the light of day again. He took a deep breath and stood from his stone stool and activated the silver bladed lightsaber. For now her influence did nothing to him, but how much longer she slumbered...He did not know. Once a Hound, leader of the Pack Logan stood against up, a bulwark between the Darkness and what little light there remained in the Galaxy.

 

[Brooke Waters]

Thee was a lot of work to be done. Savannah knew that, but she had a few people under her now, studying some of the skills of imbuement. Not as much as she was, no, not the teachings of Raaf, which had since been banned, but not before she could make sense of some of it. And that meant she was able to do a few things. And on her way over to the next point, where the Jedi Knights were rallying. She knew that the younglings were going to have to get out of here. The Alliance was silent the past few days, but the New Jedi Order were going to keep working.

And that was why she was here. She knew the call was out, to head to the Rim, but there were things that needed to be tied up here. Buying time, but also the Sith were coming for..., what? Did anyone know? Not her. She could easily help out at the front line, as long as someone else was able to take the attention off of her.

She knew what she was trained for. Sneaking, imbuement, and artillery. Finally, it was a matter of getting where she was going. At first it was activating some imbuements, to help track, and a few that would throw up a barrier to at least stall the movement of troopers. Get them to go where the Jedi in the temple want them. It wasn’t going to be much, but she could change the lay out of the capable paths.

It wasn’t all over, but the direct line to the younglings from where Savannah was meeting with [member="Azala Kyse"] and [member="Logan Wulf"].

 

[H3xle]

OBJECTIVE: 1, Defend the Fortress
ALLIES: Jedi | Lightsiders | Tython Command | Alliance in Exile | [member="sav elko"] | [member="logan wulf"]
ENEMIES: The Sith Empire | [member="darth carnifex"] | [member="joycelyn zambrano"]

As Azala got to within blaster range of the front line, she began to fire. At the same time, she finally ignited her saber. It's white glow was pure, and the hum cemented Azala's place within the Force. Doubt over her course of action fled from the light of her blade as she leapt from the last battlement and landed between the Tython Command soldiers and the legionaires.

Her blade and pistol moved in a dance in her hands, melding in near perfect synchronity. Her wrists were near eachother, moving in concert around an imaginary center so her blade didn't get in the way of where she was shooting.

As her goal was to buy time, for the moment, she stood her ground and used the saber to deflect shots that came for her or near her. The guards at her back were surprised by her appearance at first, then stood their ground beside her. Guards and legionaires both fell, but this pad wasn't going the way the Sith Empire would like.

Then Azala felt a darkness to her right. Slipping back a moment, she glanced that way to see a woman in armor who towered over the legionaires wielding a flaming blade stalking through the guards on the pad beside the one she was defending. Much as her own presence had bolstered the guards here, the Vahlacantrix's presence was helping the Legionaires push the guards back. She saw a few closer to the building break, and then the mighty Sith was against the building. As Azala watched, she tore a grenade from her harness and throw it into the door. An explosion of sound followed, and Legionaires waited only a moment before pressing in.

Azala nodded to the nearby guard commander, then leaped from the pad toward the building. She landed beside a fallen guard, and a trio of Legionaires broke from moving to the door to cover her as their comrades filtered in behind them. Her saber caught and redirected their shots harmlessly as she knelt by the guard. The nearness let her feel that his life force had fled him without the need to check for vital signs.

The sudden shock of the assault the and carnage threatened to overwhelm her, visions of Coruscant dancing in the back of her mind still. Instead, she slipped herself further into the Force, pushing her emotions back and trying to attain the heart of stone mentality that she'd been taught in her Jedi training as a youngling.

She stood, redirecting one blaster bolt back at the Legionaire who fired it, shooting bolts into the heads of the other two in turn before driving forward to try to block the door, knowing it would likely lead to crossing blades with the far larger armored woman, but she had the singular goal of stemming the tide while the guards regrouped. She knew there were other force users about, likely even real Jedi, but for the moment only she and the guards were at the front.

 

[Darth Voyance]

Objective 1: Free Isolda, Accompany Master [member="Darth Carnifex"]
Allies: TSE | [member="Joycelyn Zambrano"]
Enemies: [member="Azala Kyse"] | [member="Sav Elko"] | [member="Logan Wulf"]

Pythia stood beside her master, the Dark Lord, as they stepped out from the Crestfallen II transport. The smell of burning flesh, scorched metal, and baked air embraced her as she exited the spacecraft. Her eyes widened and her breath escaped from her lips. Battle and terror. Up until this point her life was mostly one of dark ecclesiastic worship and ritual within the dark side. Living as a twisted monk rather than a Sith warrior. But, now she would have her first test. By decree of her master she was to test her new skills and newly forged saber in battle. His words hissed in her mind’s memory, “You will succeed and survive...or fail...and die.”

Pythia paused and surveyed the onrushing Tython Command soldiers and their Jedi champions. Jedi. This was also her first witness to the pledged enemy of the Sith. She knew nothing of their creed and religion. But, they were her master’s foe; the enemy of the one who had saved her from the pits of the slave dens on Ventooine. And by this virtue they were condemned to death. She had killed before. Once to free herself from her Pykian slave master, and another by the will of the an ancient Sith Lord, the Lord of Hate. She would kill again. The path to power was paved with the dead and vanquished, her master once proselytize. Now she would path her own bloody path.

“I will not fail.” Pythia swore, in a private prayer to the darkside.

Pythia marched towards a column of sith legionnaires who were advancing on the battlements ahead of the landing pad. Pythia, clad in a red tunic, a black steel bodice and plate armor around her arms and shoulders with a red hooded robe above it all, strode to the column of legionnaires. She summoned the black and austerely decorated hilt of her saber to her hand by the pull of the force. It snapped into her hand and ignited. The lava crystal deep inside burst forth a crackling and lava mimicking light blade that fumed with crimson fury. Flakes of plasma spat out in sparks. She placed her faith and fate in the dark side. Falling deep into its miasma, Pythia summoned its powers to her hand and with a swipe sent her blade in a flying arc whirling towards a contingent of Alliance soldiers.

The plasma crackling blade spat particles of death as it flung forward. Like a red wraith it swept the bodies of the furthest most soldiers, killing some and maiming the rest. It flew back to its master's hands as she rushed to the front of the column. She pointed to the small break in formation it created.

“There!” She cried out to the legionnaires, “Force your way through that gap!”

Pythia charged and her legionnaires followed.

 

[Lassiter]

Location: Prison Cell
Allies: TSE | Hopefully, you know, [member="Joycelyn Zambrano"]
Enemies: Not-TSE

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The infuriating sensation of defeat and failure still stung and crawled under Lassiter's skin like a bug that couldn't be squashed. Her arms cringed up with fists that dug deep into the palms of her hands before they smashed against the bars of her cell with an uncomfortable and blunt pain against skin that had already bruised from repeated abuse at the hand of their own wielders. Time had lost all meaning down here, her once perfect hair had grown into a disheveled mess and the armor she had worn for the scouting mission was little more than a distant memory at this point.

The guards had taunted her at first until she managed to break free the first time. The guards were quiet after that, they were all quiet after that, but so had the solitary confinement they put her in like some kind of animal been as well. Battered memories of her past sprung to life and wished to empower her, but the cuffs around her hands meant that it was all hot air.

No matter how she tried to beat against the bars and wear them down she got nowhere with it. Her cell was still dark and the cuffs on her wrists were still keeping her sedated and out of touch with the force against her will like...

... Like a slave.

One last bang echoed down her prison block before she back off. Who knew defeat could be so ironic?

 

[Vestille Thumahra]

Vestille Thumahra​

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Jedi Temple, Tython​

Objective II :: Raid the Archives​

Supporting: [member="Darth Ophidia"]​

Among the Sith stood a man of equal measure. Whilst the main force would hit with a direct assault, his task was different.

Darth Ophidia had requested volunteers or tribute for a mission to support the efforts of the main assault force on Tython, of which had been split off into two elements. The first were to assault the prison turned fortress to a great number of captured Sith, including one that been the primary target for this whole operation to begin with. Whilst the release of one Darth Isoda was paramount, Vestille had been assigned to assist with the second element, composed of an equal or perhaps lesser number of assets. The old Jedi Temple sat as a relic upon the surface of the planet draped in Jedi history seemed too much of an opportunity to pass up; potential riches in both knowledge and relics alike were theirs for the taking; provided they could get past the garrison and guardians that flocked to the aid of the planet like moths to a flame.

As the usually quiet surroundings of Tython were once again put to the sword by the Sith Empire, the Major followed along with the strike team composed of a majority of Sith. Equipped with a taozin amulet and a stealth field generator at the behest of the one they called the Pale Assassin. The rumors behind the name had crossed the Major's ears perhaps once or twice but he had never met her face-to-face. Alas, there they were, stood side by side as they made way for their mission to infiltrate their target building. Whilst the battle rage across the surface and skies of Tython, Vestille's objective had been very clear; in order to let the troops leading the frontal assault into the temple for the smash and grab to reach its height, the doors that had otherwise been put into lock down needed to be removed.

And what better way than with high explosives?

 

[Taeli Raaf]

Objective 1: Free [member="Darth Isolda"]
Location: ???
Allies: [member="Darth Carnifex"] [member="Lassiter"] (soon) [member="Pythia"] @other Sith as they join
Enemies: [member="Azala Kyse"]

Back on Tython, it had only been a short time since the world had been brought into the Alliance and now... it was a final holdout, a refuge for those fleeing the collapse. She knew why of course, and it had everything to do with the prison Omai Rhen had established on the world. Coren might have loved his magma cells on Sullust, but Tython was remote enough being in the Deep Core and protected by Alliance forces, to house some of the worse Sith and other Dark Siders captured by the Alliance.

A shame that once she became Grand Marshal she had obtained the list of prisoners, which meant the Emperor had the list of prisoners. Isolda would be free, one of the few Sith from the One Sith that had known about her mission because of her status as the Eye. A rescue operation, cloaked in an attack to dislodge the Jedi from their safe haven, but for Taeli... it also meant she could further her studies of a specific native of the planet Tython.

She had surreptitiously arrived a few days before, and begun her task.

"Jeehd-ay burn?"

"Yes, the time has come to burn them. Free the prisoners, and you shall know true power," she said, cloaked and hooded next to the massive monster.

"Jeehd-ay burn!" the warchief roared, and his large band of Flesh Raiders began their charge towards the old fortress of Belia Darzu. In exchange for samples of their elixer and the promises of power that they would receive as loyal servants of the Sith, Taeli had convinced one of the war tribes of the Flesh Raiders to support the attack on the fortress. She didn't expect many to live, but they would certainly soften up the defenses further.

 

[Mythos]

Objective: 3 Dogfighting. Defending the skies.
Ship: Talon
Allies: TSE
Bogies: GA



The Sith Empire raised it's blade against the Galactic Alliance and on cue Mythos was here to burn their worlds as they had burned his. Vengeance for Atrisia would come but for now Mythos was content with destroying the Alliance in their own chosen battlefield: The Skies.

A gift from [member="Darth Tacitus"] for this specific mission: The Talon. Once before a very long time ago, over the skies of Taloraan Mythos had fought in the sky against one of the best pilots in the galaxy: The Sky Wardens, a type of dogfighting special forces of the Galactic Alliance. Today Mythos roamed the skies in the search of a worthy opponent and in search of pray to destroy from the shadows of the stealth ship.

The talon was the greatest in high tech stealth systems the Ancient Eye and the Shrouded republic had come up with. one of the many tools Mythos had at his disposal that he had acquired in his adventures through the stars. It was very difficult to fly, took Mythos countless flight hours to learn but once He got the swing of things He was able to go into stealth, get into the tail of the enemy and unleash firepower before the enemy could react.

Behind the cockpit of the interceptor Mythos calculated his descent, fed by the information of every moving cog in this delicate mission he made his dive. His objective was a two meter wide, one meter thick opening in the outskirts of the Jedi Archives. According to his previous recon flight this was the exhaust post of the main defense generator of the lower floor. To the main assault this would be inconsequential but to the Sith acquiring artifacts and holocrons of the sort, this would be crucial. Hitting these defenses would open up the lower chambers and allow them to hit the goods without much trouble. Being an experienced fighter pilot Mythos coordinated the assault with several squads of Sith pilots, preparing bombing runs and in general command of the sky.

"This is PawPaw Specter. I have bird's eye. ETA for payload seventeen mikes. Don't have too much fun. Over"
​

 

[Darth Carnifex]

Objective: Free [member="Darth Isolda"]
Location: Alliance Prison Fortress
Friends: [member="Joycelyn Zambrano"] | [member="Pythia"] | [member="Taeli Raaf"] | [member="Lassiter"]
Enemies: [member="Azala Kyse"] | [member="Sav Elko"] | [member="Logan Wulf"]

The landing zone was awash with blaster fire, mounted emplacements spilling forth a torrent of lethality as legionnaires were cut down as quickly as they streamed out of the transports. This had not been one of the most secure locations in the Alliance for nothing, and that was fully on display as the defenders held firm against the wave of Imperials that crashed against them. Sith and Jedi clashed in between the roaring tide of battle, greens, blues, and reds slashed through the air with fright and fury as the Light and the Dark warred.

Emperor Carnifex pushed his contingent further towards the ramparts, his lightsaber slashing and cutting through the air as he deflected blaster bolt after blaster bolt back to its source or into other Alliance soldiers. Still, it seemed that the fortress had an inexhaustible supply of soldiers to constantly bar his passage, though if he was perturbed at all by that apparent certainty he didn't show it. Instead, he seemed to revel in the barbarity and carnage that was being wrought by his hand and the hands of others on both sides of the conflict, his movements energetic and almost joyful as he deflected a blaster bolt back into the head of an Alliance soldier and reached out with his left hand to crush the helmet of another with the Force.

By the time the Emperor had reached the defensive wall, he was firmly behind enemy lines. In his rush to secure a position he had outpaced the other contingents by a good margin and was now facing assault from every angle as the Alliance's rear squads turned to face him. After deflecting several more shots, the Emperor curiously deactivated his lightsaber and instead thrust both of his hands out towards the Alliance lines. From the tips of his fingers expanded an energy field that unfolded around the isolated Sith and Legionnaires, shielding them from blaster fire and other small arms fire that pounded against the outer surface of the field.

"Cut through the wall! It is our only chance!"

One of the Sith that had accompanied the Emperor slammed her lightsaber into the thick durasteel walls, slowly burning and slicing through the thick metal in a large enough circle that could allow them entry into the prison. While she accomplished this task, the Emperor poured more of his considerable power into the field and began to generate an electrical current that was comprised of himself and the field that he controlled. A few seconds later, several snaking arcs of crimson electricity erupted from the field's surface and began to weave their way through the congealed Alliance soldiers, bouncing from one man to another as the sheer power of each bolt fused metal to flesh and set soldiers alight with explosive flames.

The electricity eventually died down, as did the protective field as several smoke grenades were rolled out to cover the area beneath the walls in a thick screen of obscuring smog. By the time it cleared, there would be a large hole in the wall and the Sith Emperor and his cohorts would be gone.

 

[RC 212]

Jedi Temple, Tython
Save the Holocrons

Despite the fall of the Alliance a select cell of Justicars had lagged behind, seeking to protects what was left of their brand newish Temple. Hell the thing had only been built officially last year, and already the library was swarming with Holocrons and the like. The swift collapse of the Alliance had cut supply lines severely, so they were weaker than normal, having lived off protein bars and caf for months as the cataloged and secretly shipped items off world.

But it seemed their mission was soon to end. The dark waves that washed over her she knew too well.

"Sith?"

She glanced up and closed her eyes then nodded to the other Knight.

"We still have a few more Holo-crons to lock up and move."

Jade grimaced.

"Move them then, I'll hold them off as best I can."

Flanked by two Padawans she rose, headed towards the door, saber in hand, quiet but ready....

 

[Helios]

Location: Alliance Prison Fortress
Allies: TSE
Enemies: GA & Allies

Darth Helios, that old white ashed elder, made no attempts to record his time imprisoned; indeed the vestal traces of his mortal memory seemed to move in accordance with his circumstances, his freedom impeded by the Galactic Alliance, and his recall stopping just at the battle of Coruscant where Isolda, himself, and several other darksiders were were captured, tried, and hidden away. But he doubted anyone planned on actually dying here, especially of old age.

Dull gray force dampening cuffs tightly gripped his hands and ankles as he hung suspended by his restraints. Silver hair pooled over his head, hanging past his face as he sat in quiet, still, contemplation- simply looking to the ground. His shoulders and hips ached, his sides were sore, and his wrists, ankles, and neck were wrought with exhaustion and pain. His particular apprehension device was just as much torture as it was to keep him detained. He was frequently released for a supervised recess within his cell throughout the week, but this is how he spent the remainder of his day. Helios realized long ago that if he harbored any less hatred for his captors he'd have been broken and died years ago. He oft wondered if they counted on this for the Sith Lord to sustain himself.

Then, the sound of shuffling, marching boots outside his cell door caught his attention. The Sith Lord slightly jerked, causing the long strands of platinum blond hair on his head to slightly mushroom as he lifted his chin, focusing his golden orbs on the huge double doors before him. He doubted this was a planned raid or security exercise, no, this amount of hurriedness had been absent in their stride in the past. This is something different.

Still focused on the door, Helios recalled the cell directly across the hall. It was a similarly enclosed holding with a door much like his own- barred and locked by several locking mechanisms and fail-safes, a product of the warden's intentions to see the two Sith locked away for the rest of their lives if possible. The cell of mention housed none other than [member="Darth Isolda"]. A former court servant of the One Sith's Emperor just as he was. She was his Oracle- the Seer, and Helios served as one of the two Hands of the Dark Lord. Unlike his own detainment however she was without the right of consciousness- frozen in stasis. Her mind was too powerful a weapon to keep active, whereas the Eldorai's strongest assets were restricted by cuff and bond.

Inclining his head, Helios' facial scars stretched and flexed as he attempted to listen to the commotion outside. He jerked his head, moving the curtain of silver hair from his face and ear as if it would improve his hearing- it didn't. But there was an unusual and rare stillness that fell over the zone. The silence was instilled with a fine thread of dread, but this was but an accented anchoring of false peace before the breath of the storm to come.

And it was only moments later when the sounds of battle erupted around the prison. Piercing blaster fire could be heard, deafening explosions shook the walls and floors, and screams levied from the wounded and the dying made their way throughout the facility. It had been so long since he'd heard such a thing. In fact he couldn't recount when he'd heard anyone elicit anything relating to emotion, other than a random guard spewing words of spite at the chalk-white Sith Lord for the actions of his faction in the past.

But it would seem those days were over. The staff of the prison would be forced to shriek like a wild animal caught in a trap and the predators were closing in, their teeth sharpened and readied. And it was an event Helios would not have wished to come any sooner or later. The Sith neither forgot nor forgave.

They are here.

 

[Darth Sibilus]

DARTH SIBILUS
ALLIES: TSE
ENEMIES: NON-TSE

The battle led by Darth Sibilus was dragging out longer than the looming Sith Lord and the several knights which accompanied him had foreseen. Their crimson weapons had finally found themselves in reach of the Alliance soldiers themselves, smoothly severing head from soldier, dismantling the hoards of soldiers which spilt from the hive. The fear and sheer grit painted upon their faces was evident to the Epicanthix as he caught glimpses of their visages; illuminated scarlet by the catalyst of their demise.

The Sith Lord took small pleasure to slay these pawns of war, to exercise the might of the Darkness, and the Dark Lord himself. Finally, the flow of troops seemed to have abated somewhat, and Darth Sibilus and his forces led a final surge into the facility, the gigantic man leading the assault, his blade swatting away blasterfire, directing it away from his forces and into the facility.

The invaders hastily set themselves up behind whatever cover they could - many of the soldiers propped their blasters upon great crates ready for transport off-world, spraying the cowering Alliance soldiers with their fire. The Sith amongst the Empire idly disposed of the fatiguing Jedi who tried to disobey the advance of Sibilus. Seeking shelter behind a pillar, shots of energy firing on each side of him, the Epicanthix tapped in a message to the other Sith in the compound, updating them briefly on the assault.

 

[RC 212]

[member="Vestille Thumahra"]

The Temple​

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-​

Things were quiet here, save for the battle raging beyond the walls. She felt the darkness take hold, felt souls ascending into the force, merging with its essence. But she steeled herself just the same. Still flanked by the Padawans they stood in the main chamber, just beyond the doors of the Library itself. So far the enemy forces had not penetrated this deep into the bowels of the temple.

"I can feel them."

"Still your mind... They want you to be afraid," She replied.

One Padawans lips pressed thin.

"Reach out with your feelings. Sense the surroundings."

She breathed deep, saber still a cylinder of lifeless silver in her hand.

"I feel ........"

"Like we're being watched."

She closed her eyes and breathed again, in a deep rythmic cycle.

"Yes, you may be right."

She couldn't quite place the feeling. She couldn't quite sense what it was, but it was different than the rest. Instead of force she felt faint spots of......

​

Emptiness.​