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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Star Wars OPEN Before the New Sith Trials: 138 ABY

Discussion in 'Role Playing Forum' started by Sinrebirth , May 4, 2019.

  1. Sinrebirth

    Sinrebirth Mod-Emperor of the EUC, Lit, RPF and SWC star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Nov 15, 2004
    IC: Darth Insipid
    Vjun, Bast Castle

    Insipid peered at the TIE Advanced x1, impressed. Not many had been made of the craft, and it was hardy and, most importantly, had hyperdrive and shields. He walked around the starfighter, the signature ship of Darth Vader, nodding like a man about to make a purchase.

    It had never occurred to him that the fighter was unaccounted for. Helinith had done well, and struck aurodium. Insipid felt the tiniest of twinges of jealousy, but suppressed it. His modified shuttle would make do; he liked his comforts. "I'll allow you to keep this, don't worry," he said, in-case the drift of his thoughts made it to his apprentice.

    As she had given him the guided tour, Insipid had tapped into his contacts across the galaxy, limited as they were after the shredding of his resources during the Sith-Imperial War nearly eight years ago. "The Sith-Imperials converged on Taivas, near Zhar. So that's where we are heading, as I have other reports that the Alliance and the True Empire also deployed there."

    He had brought Helinith up to speed on the so-called Second Imperial Civil War, between the Sith and True Imperials, with the Alliance Fleet in hiding and launching raids on the Sith-Imperials much as the Rebels had on the Empire in her day. So she knew of Darth Krayt and his One Sith, of the deposed Emperor Fel, of the crippled Jedi being rallied by Cade Skywalker, the great-great-grandson of Darth Vader. Great-great-great?

    Insipid frowned. Anakin had Luke and Leia, Luke had Ben, Ben had Kol and Nat, and then Kol had Cade. Two greats.

    Sheesh.

    He headed to his shuttle. "Go on, jump in; get your giggles out of the way, and then we'll be leaving. Lock up the castle; I don't want someone else taking our new base after we did all that hard work."

    TAG: @darthhelinith
    ---
    IC: San

    Battle of the Hidden Temple, Taivas

    The Jedi Knight came to and cast her senses out in mild panic; Bernael was near, as was Trask, though Harkas was still unconscious also. Another presence filtered into her, and she recognised the man aboard the Crossfire who had worked with them against the Sith Trooper... for the moment though, she could tell the battle had not yet ended, and a massive shift had occurred in the Force; a collection of enemies were now friends, but at least they were no being targeted.

    She slid off the bed, frowning as she didn't immediately remember what had happened.

    What she did sense was an increasingly large absence in the Force.

    So many Jedi had died, Masters and Knights too.

    But she still sensed Masters T'ra Saa and Nat Skywalker fighting a horde of Sith Troopers... and Cade Skywalker was still there.

    Heading to the conference room, Trask was evident, painting a quick tactical picture and starting to speak.

    "So Yage has joined Roan Fel in opposing Darth Krayt, shifting the numbers we have but not changing the overall battle. The Jedi Padawans escaped thanks to the shift in loyalties, but they're simply regrouping with what we've tentatively identified as Sith Dragon capital ships to make another run through the Coalition fleet." He indicated a collection of GA Scythe-class cruisers and Pellaeon-class Star Destroyers.

    He pointed to another group of Pellaeon-class Star Destroyers. "But the Coalition still can't escape, because of the Sith-Imperial task force."

    Trask paused. "Not sure what side we're on right now of course."

    San stepped in, smiling sheepishly. "Ideally the one that isn't shooting at us?" She bowed to Bernael and the other human.

    "Apologies, I seem to have required a nap."

    TAG: @darthbernael, @HanSolo29
     
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  2. darthhelinith

    darthhelinith Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Feb 10, 2009
    IC: Helinith
    Location: cloud 9

    "YeeeeeesssSS!"
    Helinith punched the air and squealed.

    She ran around the fighter several times, checking and rechecking the wing pylons, the solar arrays, the braces. The fighter waited patiently, seeming to have all the time in the world for them to get acquainted. Helinith too would have liked to stretch it out, but this wasn't the time. With one quick motion, she leapt up to the top hatch, swung it open, and slipped inside.

    The cockpit was dark, but she didn’t need her eyes- this was muscle memory. The cockpit was nearly identical to a standard TIE, although with several important additions. The elongated body of the craft allowed for a narrow space behind the pilot’s seat. It wasn’t clear what this space had been designed for, if anything aside maintenance access, but it allowed Helinith to stow her duffle bag out of the way. In front of her, the main flight controls were placed, along with the weapons targeting computer. The large flight handles were begging to be touched and Helinith ran her hand along the seam of the worn black leather wound tightly around the grip. To her right side was the advanced calibration for the sensor array and controls for the deflector shields. To her left was the hyperdrive and above her head was the main ignition and electrical systems. She reached out a finger before hesitating. Would it turn on? A breath in to steady herself. She opened the fuel line and began to count.
    “One… two…” A flick of a switch above her head and the panels in front of her lit up like Coruscant at night. “Three…” An almost inaudible click as the solar array began to feed power to the batteries. “Four… five!” She pressed down hard on the twin engine ignition.

    There was a whining hum started as the reactor came online and lapped greedily at the fuel. Helinith cheered, punched the air and poked her head back out the hatch up top.
    “It’s like she was parked here yesterday,” she said, before remembering Insipid had already left.

    She popped back inside and locked the hatch above her head.
    Go time.

    “Open hangar 2 bay doors.”

    A deafening grinding began, as the ceiling above her head began to retract into the walls and a light dusting of sand from the yard above fell through the widening gap. A light patter of rain fell onto the outer hull of the vessel. Helinith strapped herself into the seat, wrapped her palms round the flight handles and pulled them gently down.

    The fighter rose vertically into the air, revolving gracefully. Watching from the viewport, Helinith saw the hangar slowly sinking away from her. The freedom she suddenly felt was immense. She could go anywhere. Do anything.

    "Access remote Baast login."
    <Identity recognised /Four/, access granted.>
    "Add user- Darth Insipid, vessel id SH23167884843326 4CL"
    <User added.>
    "Initiate lockdown protocol 1."
    <Processing….. Castle secure. Automated defences live in t-minus 3 minutes.>

    The TIE continued to rise into the night, rain splattering against the duristeel. Insipid's shuttle suddenly glared into view as its floodlights lit up the spires surrounding its own accent. Helinith hummed a tune to herself and flicked open the comms channel.
    "Okay, where's our next stop on the magical mystery tour?"

    Tag: @Sinrebirth


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  3. Sinrebirth

    Sinrebirth Mod-Emperor of the EUC, Lit, RPF and SWC star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Nov 15, 2004
    IC: Darth Insipid
    Musing, Vjun orbit

    The fortress of Darth Vader became a sealed cage again, as Helinith reactivated the defences. Acid rain had pocked marked his shuttles hull, and Insipid absently wondered if he'd just lost a percentage of stealth capacity. "I had wanted to investigate a certain tomb on Korriban, but the Force is writhing..."

    He reached out to his apprentice and connected her to the wider galaxy.

    Something dark had happened, for want of a better word.

    Not the somewhat chaotic, slightly evil version of darkness that Helinith eschewed, nor even the orderly controlled version that Insipid preferred, but the deep, monstrous, cloying you're all going to die kind. It had taken root in the heart of the Force, as if the galaxy was crying out. In some ways, it was delicious - appealing to the baser instincts that were found in all beings of flesh and blood, but on another, larger level.

    "Sith Emperor Krayt just did something. I'm not sure where, but I can tell you with certainty one thing."

    Insipid pulled up a galactic map and shared it with her.

    "The True Empire took the most heavily fortified planet in the galaxy at the start of the year - Bastion, the former Imperial capital before they took Coruscant. If the One Sith want to take it, it would cost them so many ships that their Empire would collapse; literally. At some point, even if Krayt wins ever other engagement in the galaxy - he needs to come to Bastion to end the war, even if only to challenge True Emperor Fel to a duel to the death."

    He shut down the map. "So we're going to visit the True Empire, Daughter of Vader... unless you can convince me that we should deviate back to Vader's tomb now."

    There was a niggle in the Force there, for Helinith. While on one hand, the fate of the galaxy was clearly at stake, on the other, Vader's Tomb was, well, Vader's Tomb. Insipid wanted to give his apprentice the choice, though he would - reluctantly - send her on her own to Korriban if she wished.

    In some ways, in some growing ways, he trusted her.

    TAG: @darthhelinith
     
  4. darthhelinith

    darthhelinith Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Feb 10, 2009
    IC: Helinith
    Location: New wheels yo dawg, Vjun orbit

    Helinith watched obediently, absorbing it all in. The dark throbbing in the force was both exhilarating and terrifying. Worse, its inevitability almost gave it a living quality, like it could sense them both, far away though it was. It was darkness, but not of the kind that either sith preferred.
    Her intake of breath was audible to both when Insipid revealed the choice, followed almost immediately by a bubble of excitement, which escaped before she could quash it fully. She considered the options.

    Vader’s tomb was, by far, the most attractive choice. She had no desire to meet Fel or his phony empire constructed in part from the shattered remains of ‘her’ old one. Indeed, the very thought bred a little bristle of indignation. Plus there was something there, on Korriban. Something stirring, perhaps. Not even a spark but maybe a memory of one.

    They had been to Korriban before. When Insipid had first awakened her, they had dropped in briefly for some history lessons and Helinith had been given her new name. However, only recently had Insipid let slip of Vader’s tomb, of which she had been entirely ignorant before now. Ever since, a little niggle had pursued her in her downtime and her idle thoughts often turned towards it. But Helinith was not entirely stupid. A slight doubt awoke suddenly, prompted perhaps by the mention of Kyrat and remembering the politics of the Sith-Imperial war, the ins and outs of which Insipid had had to coach her through several times. First Bast and now this? It all seemed slightly too good to be true. She was intently devoted to her new master for pulling her from the oubliette, but even she wouldn't quite describe him as the fount of benevolence.
    Alternatively, Insipid had not previously given her reason to mistrust him. He'd been suspicious of her own intent several times, which may have driven his actions to a place where someone with more sense would have been forced to violence. However, Helinith's own stubborn amiability had seen this as merely another test and resolved to prove she had nothing to hide, it seemed to have started to pay off.
    This being the case, she still felt she owed him a great deal, oubliette aside, Bast Castle and now even the ship she was sitting in, she felt she needed to prove the investment he appeared to be making in her was not wasted.

    “Master, you are too generous. I would very much like to go to Bastion and stab some things with you, unless you feel there is something urgent on Korriban to pursue.”

    TAG: @Sinrebirth
     
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  5. Sinrebirth

    Sinrebirth Mod-Emperor of the EUC, Lit, RPF and SWC star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Nov 15, 2004
    IC: Darth Insipid
    Launching

    “Master, you are too generous. I would very much like to go to Bastion and stab some things with you, unless you feel there is something urgent on Korriban to pursue.”

    Insipid smiled slightly, allowing her the moment to dwell, feeling her excitement about the tomb visit, and then settling on the proper, apprentice, response. Helinith was a good, reliable Sith, and he was thankful for it. "Alright. I'll send you some data so you know what's going on. Keep in mind that these borders don't take into account that the True Empire has shrank by an extent so far - Borosk, Vinsoth and Agamar have all fallen to the Sith Empire."

    [​IMG]

    "Obviously the red is the Sith Empire right now... and how it has been for the last eight years."

    Insipid's jealousy poured into the Force. Of course for Helinith the map would be interesting for the hyperlanes going into and out of the Unknown Regions, which was a major development in the years since she had slept. Chiss Space was a rumour in Imperial circles, caused by Thrawn and his secret and meteoric rise through the ranks of the Imperial Navy.

    Hutt Space hadn't changed much, though the yellow ugly glob of territory belonging to the True Empire may as well be a Separatist redoubt for all she probably cared, Insipid thought.

    "A lot has changed, and a lot hasn't, in the century and half you have slept. Thousands of Sith now walk the galaxy, and your Empire embraces all sexes and species as long as they remain useful to the cause of either Emperor... both of which use the same uniforms, same Stormtrooper armour, and same TIE and Star Destroyer variants, with some glaring examples of ships which serve only the Sith or the 'Imperial Knights'..."

    Insipid had mentioned them before. Force users who served the light side as personified by the Emperor. This made them Royal Guards and Jedi Knights all in one, and were sworn to overthrow the Emperor if he fell to the dark side. Essentially the only way the Empire could embrace Jedi without making them into Imperial Hands. There weren't many of them, of course, but enough to make a difference - and the Emperor, Roan Fel, or rather Emperor Fel III, was a descendant of Darth Vader... which made him a powerhouse in the Force.

    "You're going to ask me about Vader's descendants again, aren't you?" Insipid sighed. "Read the data while we head to Bastion."

    He forwarded the links anew.

    https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Leia_Organa_Solo

    https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Luke_Skywalker/Legends

    https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Jaina_Solo_Fel

    https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Darth_Caedus

    https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Ben_Skywalker

    https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Allana_Solo

    https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Rawk

    https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Kol_Skywalker

    https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Roan_Fel

    https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Cade_Skywalker

    https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Marasiah_Fel

    "Maybe I'll test you on it when we arrive." Insipid grinned to himself, and then pulled the lever, jumping for the Bastion system, which, in Helinith's time, had been called Sartinaynian.

    TAG: @darthhelinith
     
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  6. darthbernael

    darthbernael EU Community Mod, Fuego, Pyrofuego! star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Apr 15, 2019
    OOC: Fun with @Sinrebirth and @HanSolo29 in a combo

    IC Darth Bernael, San, Aryan Graul
    Conference


    Bernael nodded to San, “Yes, you collapsed quite suddenly, under the attack of that last Sith Trooper. To be honest, he had taken control of your mind and I had to stop you without injuring you.”

    He looked to Trask, “San is mostly right, I got you all off that rock after Krayt, it seems, betrayed everyone. That doesn’t mean the Imperials behind Fel or the GA are the heroes but that everyone is attempting to survive. I do have a feeling this is going to get very destructive before it’s resolved, but the reason I asked all three of you to join me is that we have a choice and, while I do command overall, I do want to know how those who are a part of this group, whether temporarily,” he gestured to Graul, “or as a part of this unit to have their say.”

    “That being said, this is Councilman Aryan Graul of the Nubian High Council, somehow roped into being a part of this conflict, now a guest of ours for now.” he stated as he gestured at the man.

    In front of them, the marshaling swarm of Sith fighters gathered, turning around the Sith Dragons, ready to advance and erase the Alliance, True Imperials and turncoat Sith-Imperials. Behind the Dragons, the Sith Star Destroyers held position, close enough to the Dragons to support them, but not so close that the Sith Troopers would erase them first.

    The Jedi transport, filled with the children, had escaped, in part because of the actions of Aryan, Bernael and San in distracting the Sith Trooper that otherwise would have slaughtered them. That was not to downplay the courage of Captain Yage in swapping sides and leading a schism within the Sith-Imperial lines; her bravery followed and entwined with those of our heroes.

    But beneath them, there was no pause, there was merely the end; the converging Sith Trooper horde, upon the Jedi Council chambers.

    [​IMG]

    As Jedi Master Tr'a Saa focused the energies of Taivas, the Living Force itself, to control the outcome of the final battle, the Sith Troopers massacre the remaining Knights and Masters present, save for one Jedi Master, Nat Skywalker, and one Force user, who defies the definitions of Jedi and Sith - Cade Skywalker.

    The violence reaches it's peak -

    The Sith Horde crosses the threshold -

    A Sith Trooper directs his fighter to attack the Council chambers -

    [​IMG]

    The Mynock, the personal ship of Cade, sweeps in, as Nat Skywalker sends his nephew away with a Force push, to safety -

    The Sith fighter slams into the Council chambers, a suicide run complete -

    The energy meets the two Jedi Masters, merges with them, becomes -

    [​IMG]

    The words of Admiral Stazi rip across all channels -

    They have a small chance to escape -

    Or die.


    The informal meeting led to an awkward introduction that Aryan had only blanched at. He did not want to be here – he should not be here, and yet circumstances beyond his control had mandated it. Fortunately, the proclamation that came over the comm channel from the Admiral served as an adequate distraction.

    But then he glanced out one of the viewports and noticed the reason for the frantic call – a beam of pure energy, which had originated from the planet’s surface, had pierced the battlefield to send all ships into a frenzy. Aryan had to raise his hand and shield his eyes from its brilliance. At that moment, he was no longer worried about a reprieve to get himself out of an embarrassing situation; this had turned into a matter of survival.

    Clenching his jaw, Aryan turned away from the strange spectacle and stepped forward to insert himself into the middle of the group. “The discourse will have to wait,” he announced without preamble, his gaze shifting toward Bernael. “There’s no time. You need to get us out of here now, do you hear me?!”

    He emphasized his point by gesturing wildly for him to take action. "Go!"

    Bernael turned toward the man, his guest on the Fury, a curl to the corner of his lip making one eye crinkle at the edges. ”Terrified haste is not going to make us depart any faster. Besides,” he tapped his wristpad and received immediate confirmation, ”my pilot already had orders to boost us from the system at the first sign of aggression toward this craft. If you cannot feel it, we are already moving.”

    He pointed out of the viewscreen, at the roaring, blindingly white, column of energy. ”I do not know if you know of or know anything about Neti, but I do not plan to be here when it reaches full power, that is what you may call the death curse of a Neti, focused like a beam.”

    Turning to Trask and San, ”Trask, check on the troops, advise them we are departing the system but to be prepared for evasive maneuvers, if necessary. San, get yourself checked out medically, if you need it, otherwise you have a choice, assist the wounded or come to the bridge as you are my Light Side counsel.”

    Turning back to Graul, ”Does that ease your mind, human? We are leaving.”

    Aryan exhaled heavily and inclined his chin, a wry grin spreading over his features. The Anzati intended it as a reprimand, and while his methods for their escape were agreeable, he wasn’t about to give this man any satisfaction by admitting to it. Things have been awkward enough since he arrived here; he did not need to dig himself a bigger hole.

    Instead, the young man clicked his heels together and offered a mock salute. “You have everything under control,” Aryan muttered in a sardonic tone before he turned back toward the viewport.

    TAGS: @Sinrebirth, @HanSolo29
     
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  7. Sinrebirth

    Sinrebirth Mod-Emperor of the EUC, Lit, RPF and SWC star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Nov 15, 2004
    IC: Darth Insipid
    Arriving at Bastion, Sartinaynian system

    While they travelled, Insipid spent his time concocting various lies to tell Bastion Control, preferably before they shot him out of orbit. There were hardly going to be able to sneak past the Fels - descendants of the Skywalker line, they would see through any Force illusion that Insipid and Helinith created. It may simply be that they had no choice but to tell the truth; that they were Sith who did not adhere to the One Sith train of thought, and wished Krayt overthrown.

    It would be interesting to be honest for once.

    But as luck would have it, the entire galaxy seemed to be arriving at the same time as them - dozens of Scythe-class battlecruisers, Pellaeon-class Star Destroyers, and frigates and support ships galore - even one of the new Imperious-class Star Destroyers, which Insipid recognised as the Alliance, the flagship of the Rebel Fleet... problem is that most of it was right here.

    "Dodge, Helinith!"

    He sent his ship into a turn, avoiding a Ardent-class fast frigate, and then diving beneath a Sabertooth-class assault ship... and then almost clipping the nose of... Insipid frowned, glancing back - a Fury-class transport? Surely that was an antique? Insipid focused on surviving, and threaded through the arriving armada to reach a quiet spot on the other side.

    He was breathing hard, sweating from the exertion, almost ornery from the adrenaline rush. He was not a good pilot. Loremaster, yes. Lightsaber duellist? At a decent enough level. Pilot? Really not.

    Drawing the Force to himself as naturally as he did in-fact breathe - normally, anyway - he hid Helinith in the middle of the chaos of wounded pilots and soldiers, tens of thousands of competing, panicked, voices. Some of the ships were already turning to face their arrival point - as if expecting to be pursued.

    Insipid realised that this was the retreating combined armada of the True Imperials and the Rebel Alliance... they'd been trounced, from the damage several of the ships were showing. An icy rivulet of fear took hold in his gut, and, on an open channel to Helinith, Insipid threw up.

    TAG: @darthhelinith, last TAG and this TAG for novelty
    ---
    Aboard the Fury, arriving

    As much as Trask was familiarising himself with this gorgeous ship, notwithstanding the original design being positively ancient, and as much as San was managing the rapidly-ending lifespan of Harkas, and of course Bernael was doing whatever in his room, Trask, as a Stormtrooper, steered clear of Aryan Graul, and with the former pilot not being medically trained at present, he was redundant in the medbay and everyone was essentially left to their own devices.

    Right until they arrived.

    Trask had no idea what happened, but something nearly clipped the nose of the Fury, and Trask spun the ship to avoid, nearly ramming a Scythe-class battlecruiser, and managing to right himself in a moment - but a quite stressful one. "It wasn't my fault! Someone nearly hit us!"

    An alarm keened as a turbolaser battery targeted them.

    "This is the Jagged Fel, flagship of his Majesty Fel III. You are not an identified member of the Admiral Yage's Imperial deployment." Stiff Imperial voice, female, but not the Emperor or Princess, at very least.

    Another alarm.

    "This is the Alliance, flagship of Admiral Stazi. I have Bey on the bridge here telling me that he managed to track one of my pilots into your hangar bay." The Duros sounded angry - but he was legendary for always sounding angry.

    Another alarm; their nose had been damaged and their stealth countermeasures were down because of it.

    "This is Trask, Joker Squad -"

    "Serving Darth Bernael, yes, Admiral Yage provided the data while we were in hyperspace. Put him on."

    "We want to speak to Graul, now," came a different voice; Bey's voice.

    Tensions were high in the aftermath of the confusing battle. They had lost, in-spite of their plan, their trap, and their combined effort.

    TAG: @HanSolo29, @darthbernael
     
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  8. darthhelinith

    darthhelinith Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Feb 10, 2009
    IC: Helinith
    Not wetting herself (yet)

    The tie had not been torn apart trying to engage the hyperdrive (although it had rattled slightly) and Helinith had spent the time in hyperspace trying to sketch a Skywalker family tree on the back of a scrap piece of flimsy she had found stuffed in the glove compartment. No matter how she spread out the Solo children, that side of the tree seemed to keep getting bunched up and squished until she was forced to write sideways. She was just finishing writing Cade’s name, when the Tie dropped out of hyperspace and the jerk caused her pen to shoot across the paper part way through the S of 'Skywalker'.

    Inispid’s warning rang through but she didn’t need it.

    “Oh Kriff!”

    The tiny sith assassin pushed the flight controls away from her as hard as she could and the tie obediently nose-dived out of the way of a ship that had leapt out of hyperspace moments before they had.

    “Watch where you’re going, space hog!” She yelled at it as she zoomed under it, almost straight into another, which forced her to try a tricky looping maneuver. Not ideal if you’ve not flown a fighter in close to one hundred and twenty years. She cut the power to the engine sharply as a corvette appeared almost in front of her and the jolt sent her slamming painfully into the back of her seat.

    As she accelerated again, she decided it was the worst thrill-ride she’d ever been on, much like deliberately throwing yourself off a skyscraper into stacked traffic lanes on Coruscant and trying to avoid every single speeder on the way down. Worse was the damage that some of these ships were showing. She slowed down to slip through a cloud of debris and suddenly realised to her horror that she could see assorted bodies and body parts, trailing from the torn remains of a huge medical frigate, which appeared to be losing power rapidly and starting to drift dangerously close to the battle cruiser next to it.

    Both the sheer danger of what they were doing and the implications surrounding them was not lost on Helinith, and indeed her master seemed to agree as she heard him empty his stomach over the comm. His own fear was palpable and her mouth was suddenly very dry as she pulled forward, desperate to escape this horror as soon as possible.

    “You’re okay, we’re okay. Breathe… Breathe…” She whimpered to herself, though Insipid would be able to hear it.

    Thankfully, it seemed her hands remembered a lot more than her brain did, as much of what she was doing seemed to be muscle memory, albeit slightly stiff. Ships continued to arrive but it was getting easier to predict where.

    As she reached the edge of the armada, she automatically swung her fighter round, anticipating the space battle that might be about to continue. If she was going down, she would go down fighting (and having possibly soiled herself, by the time this was all over).

    TAG: @Sinrebirth
     
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  9. darthbernael

    darthbernael EU Community Mod, Fuego, Pyrofuego! star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Apr 15, 2019
    IC Darth Bernael, Aryan Graul, Trask, San
    Escaping the Battle


    Bernael had kept the earbud he normally wore in place even as he had headed to his cabin. Locking the door behind him he moved to the desk, seating himself in the comfortable float chair. He closed his eyes, half listening to the comms as he reached into his mind, ’Changed the fates of a portion of the target group, Geist was lost, Harkas seems close to follow, but the others survive, as does the Jedi.’ He waited for but only moments passed before the reply came, ’Continue, my agent, the battle is not complete, and another change is before you, an old acquaintance.’

    Before he could respond, or puzzle out what the voice meant the Fury banked sharply, "It wasn't my fault! Someone nearly hit us!" coming from Trask on the bridge. Bernael began a sigh then paused, the person flying the craft that almost hit them was familiar, from many years previous, changed but still familiar. He sighed again at another mystery, reopened his eyes, and stood. Moving to the door he unlocked it and as he stepped through he heard the comms hiss again.

    "This is the Jagged Fel, flagship of his Majesty Fel III. You are not an identified member of the Admiral Yage's Imperial deployment." Stiff Imperial voice, female, but not the Emperor or Princess, at very least.

    Another alarm.

    "This is the Alliance, flagship of Admiral Stazi. I have Bey on the bridge here telling me that he managed to track one of my pilots into your hangar bay." The Duros sounded angry - but he was legendary for always sounding angry.

    Another alarm; their nose had been damaged and their stealth countermeasures were down because of it.

    "This is Trask, Joker Squad -"

    "Serving Darth Bernael, yes, Admiral Yage provided the data while we were in hyperspace. Put him on."

    "We want to speak to Graul, now,"

    Bernael checked his wristpad, tapped a few commands as he headed to the bridge. The commands went out to the astromechs, to check the nose and see if the damage was repairable. As he stepped onto the bridge he muted the transmit for a moment on all frequencies. “Almost? They do owe us a new nose. Trask, see if you can track them and their companion in all this chaos. I will speak to this representative and we’d be poor hosts to not let Mr Graul contact his people, but no promises to either side.”

    The last was broadcast on the ship’s intercom before he activated his portable holo-emmitter, turning it so the pickup only covered the corner of the bridge he was standing in. ”Darth Bernael, with who am I speaking?”

    TAGS: @Sinrebirth, @HanSolo29, @darthhelinith (sort of in passing)
     
    Last edited: May 13, 2020
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  10. Sinrebirth

    Sinrebirth Mod-Emperor of the EUC, Lit, RPF and SWC star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Nov 15, 2004
    IC: Darth Insipid
    Marshal point above Bastion, True Imperial space

    As Insipid righted himself, he cast out his senses, listening to Helinith. “You’re okay, we’re okay. Breathe… Breathe…”

    There wasn't much he could add to regain his superiority over her as his master, as he stripped off his outer tunic. Delightful.

    He eyed the various ships, with at least three different fleets present. The Alliance cruisers and Rebel crested ships they had captured; the True Imperial Star Destroyers with the red markings; the Sith-Imperial warships with no marking, for they claimed to be the legitimate rulers and needed no markings... but there was no fire between them all, merely ships nudging themselves to target their arrival point - with damaged ships advancing towards the defensive envelope of Bastion.

    Insipid demurred. "Some of the Imperials that followed Krayt have swapped sides, joining the alliance against him." Insipid hated that the Galactic Alliance was in an alliance... it was just annoying terminology... the Galactic Alliance was supposed to be between the New Republic and Empire, not its own state... but over the decades the remaining references to the New Republic had fallen away, especially after Darth Caedus took over the Galactic Alliance.

    But no matter.

    His eye traced their path through the maze, and a damaged but intriguingly designed Fury-class transport... as in, based on a four millennia old design. Someone was a fan of ancient history, Insipid said, but his attention shifted to the Mynock, the personal ship of Cade Skywalker, flitting through the amassed forces.

    [​IMG]

    The Mynock

    "Come on, Helinith, we need to follow that ship. Full stealth countermeasures." He kicked his fighter into high speed, drawing them both into a quiet spot of the Force. He couldn't hide from Force users like Cade, Roan Fel, or Marasiah Fel, but there was a fair amount of psychic anguish filling the void around Bastion - the injured from the battle they had fled, no doubt.

    "That ship belongs to Vader's great-grandson."

    The planetary shields were opening, and Insipid gunned it, wheeling around rescue shuttles, flotsam still pouring out of damaged hulls, and so forth, concentrating as best as he could. He couldn't help Helinith fly; he had his hands busy. Try not to do anything too flashy in the Force, he thought, grimacing.

    ---
    Aboard the Fury, chit-chat

    The astromechs got to work, complaining as they did, and were want to do, while San focused on Aryan's conversation with Bey and Stazi. She was a Jedi, of course, but until she found who survived the Hidden Temple battle, she was at a loose end. As she searched with the Force, Jedi Masters K'Kruhk and Tili Qua reached back, grateful that she had survived.

    "You speak to Imperial Knight Master Sigel Dare, Sith."

    [​IMG]

    Sigel Dare

    "Give me one reason why I should not shoot you down where you stand. You may have hostages, but that will not allow me to risk my Emperor's life."

    Trask reported in, muting the comm for a moment. "No luck, Lord Bernael," he said. "There's too much debris here - we must have hit some of the mess leaking out of that cruiser." He pointed at a GA Scythe-class in-front of them, which was indeed vomiting wreckage, and even frozen bodies, into the void. It had lost hull integrity while arriving, and shuttles were swarming it even now. He paused. "By the way, Master Dare is reportedly one of the most rigid and asinine Imperial Knights out there. You won't have an easy time of it."

    Meanwhile, Stazi seethed, waiting for a reply. He was already on the move, heading towards his shuttle to investigate what Cade Skywalker had reportedly captured.

    A live Sith Trooper.

    TAG: @HanSolo29, @darthbernael, @darthhelinith
     
  11. darthhelinith

    darthhelinith Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Feb 10, 2009
    How appropriate that my 10,000th post is an rpg one!
    IC: Darth Helinith

    Location: Flying casual? Kinda?

    Helinith took some time to try some breathing exercises to calm herself down, listening to Insipid comment on the ships they were passing. Maybe that was his way of regaining composure. It was strangely soothing, listening to a scattered museum tour guide of battle cruisers and history, and while she wasn’t immediately interested in it, she found it left her wanting to know more. Insipid’s commentaries on the state of the galaxy, sith histories and politics were surely enough to fill several small libraries, were he so inclined. That being said, she wasn’t convinced he could ever sit still long enough to do such a thing as write a book. He seemed to be more inclined towards the making of history, rather than the mere witnessing and recording of it. Even his purpose here in Bastion, she wasn’t sure she fully understood. He was worried about Kyrat, and working towards the undoing of him, but as to why he was so concerned about it all, she couldn’t quite say. If it had been her, she would have found somewhere to hunker down and wait for it to all blow over. Stasis had that sort of effect on one’s priorities.

    Helinith would have missed the Mynock completely, had her master not pointed it out.
    “Looks like a dump.” she commented as it passed them and they both began to follow it.

    But she was immediately kept busy from further musing, or even processing the bit about Vader’s great-grandson, Cade. The Mynock was deceptively quick and she found she had to accelerate to keep up with it, despite Insipid’s urge for stealth. She brought the tie closer to Insipid’s shuttle, whilst trying to keep up with the Mynock, whilst also trying to not look like they were keeping up with it. It was hard work. She ended up in a sort of pattern of slow acceleration and breaking, not unlike being stuck in speeder traffic. The tie buzzed at her to tell her the planetary shields had opened and she understood, leaning forward in the pilot's seat without realising, willing the tie to get there in time.

    Tag: @Sinrebirth
     
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  12. darthbernael

    darthbernael EU Community Mod, Fuego, Pyrofuego! star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Apr 15, 2019
    OOC: I swear he loves these zealously loyal NPC, with @Sinrebirth

    IC Bernael
    Someone owes me the cost of repairs

    Bernael studied the holo of the woman before him. He could tell from her posture exactly what Trask meant. The comm still muted, ”Appreciate the heads up, Trask. Have the astromechs do what they can but we do need to get through this in good shape.”

    Unmuting the comm he turned back to the Imperial Knight standing before him, ”Apologies, Knight Dare, for the use of the title of Darth, I forgot my manners. However I hold no hostages, everyone who is on board came willingly because I did my all to ensure they survived the chaos Krayt, as well as the battle, caused.”

    A slight smile touched his lips, only external evidence being the slight crinkle of one eye behind the mask, ”I am sure that you have access to what remains of the Jedi Archives, and should Yoda have allowed anything related to the Ghost to have survived, not to mention whatever destruction occurred when Coruscant fell, you may find more about me.”

    He sighed, knowing he’d have to divulge more than he usually ever did, ”Darth was a convenient title to hold while working with the One Sith, but I’ve held many over the years, including Shadow Guardian of the Balance. I am merely attempting to keep my word to those who have chosen to follow me and get them out of the chaos. Any assistance would be appreciated.”

    Sigel sniffed. "You obfuscate. I would ask you to put on the GA pilot and the Jedi, but I gather Admiral Stazi has his own axe to grind with the pilot... some kind of diplomat, in the distant past." A growl. "We need a treaty, perhaps a triumvirate, who knows."

    The Imperial Knight refocused. "I cannot speak for Master Yoda; Jedi Master K'Kruhk, what can you add?"

    All of a sudden, the Jedi Master was joined to the discussion, the Whiphid looking grave. "You speak as if you knew Yoda, Sith?"

    Bernael sighed, ”You may speak with any aboard, or perhaps to Cade Skywalker, as I have seen he too escaped the planet but I am not Sith nor Jedi as acknowledgment of truth is preferred. Yes Master K’Kruhk, I knew Grandmaster Yoda. He did not approve of my path, as he was bound to the Light, but he was also a pragmatist. I serve the balance of the galaxy, Force, Life, and all. And he disliked that that meant that I must sometimes assist the Sith as well as the Jedi.”

    His eyes went distant for a moment before returning to focusing on the pickup, ”Yoda knew that I had access to abilities or sources that the Jedi could not use, but that could be used to assist them. And he would have known my purpose here, to attempt to keep the Dark from overwhelming the Light, although it is close.”

    He muted the pickup to the holo and leaned out of the field, ”Whatever repairs can be done do so, and keep us moving in a trajectory to jump if needed. I’d prefer a diplomatic way out of here, but either way I am getting all our people out safely.”

    Turning back to the pickup he unmuted it and waited, knowing it was a precarious balance to maintain here but unless those there understood it could turn either way. And there was that presence he could still waveringly sense, a familiar one, from years past, somewhere out in the midst of this.

    K'Kruhk ruminated. "Cade is not a forthcoming sort, and I can sense that you and he had a conflict. It was his plan which led us into the trap on Taivas, so calling his name will not aid your case, I am afraid."

    "Nor will heading out-system," Dare said, smiling patronisingly. A powerful tractor beam snagged their ship, though it was done with such precision the shudder was minimal, almost unnoticeable, though Trask's expletives were not.

    "Yoda," K'Kruhk said, "kept his own counsel, and though he knew more of the dark than most, I cannot see how you interacted with him directly. The point is an interesting one, and perhaps I shall research it, but you must understand that you appear to be a Sith infiltrator."

    Trask stepped into the hologram. "Can't I just vouch for him?"[/color]

    "Aren't you a Sith-Imperial? A member of the elite Joker Squad?" scoffed Dare. K'Kruhk lifted a claw to silence her, and her eyes narrowed.

    "Be it as that may, he is not being meddled with, nor is he lying... this young man sought me on Ossus, though I hid in the fallen Temple. I recognise him."

    Trask winced. "Sorry."

    "You were merely doing your job, Trooper." Master K'Kruhk appeared conciliatory, and peered at Bernael. "What would you propose to break this impasse, apart from to merely trust you. You are Sith. Just because you do not adhere to this particular breed of Sith lineage does not mean you have not been corrupted by the dark side to an extent. I am willing to be pragmatic, Bernael, but I am risking the fate of the galaxy on accepting you on the surface - unless you are happy to release your passengers and remain in orbit."

    Dare went to say something. "He could give coordinates for the entire fleet positions; an automated firing solution for the Sith. You can't -"

    "I am sure that Bernael will accept restrictions to his ability to communicate. But we are losing this war, Knight Dare. Unless we adopt some pragmatism, we will not survive the week."

    Trask grinned at her, and her return gaze looked liable to crush his throat.

    Bernael chuckled, albeit without thought, at the words from the Jedi, ”Why do you think I was such a good choice for the Balance, Master K’Kruhk? My kind see the Force as a construct, one that younger races need to be able to see even the tip of the iceberg that is the Balance. So corruption or purification to either side of this construct is all in the mind of the beholder, and I would prefer you not use the term Sith, I am of neither of your Orders, but I would prefer not to get into a philosophical discussion while you hold the fates of the people I swore to protect over my head.”

    He turned his head to Trask, ”While we are still stuck in their grasp, before any decisions are made, ensure that the wounded are still being cared for, hopefully that damage did not include in the medbay.”

    He turned back to the holo pickup, ”Keep communications limited as you wish, the trajectory of my ship should have given you all the proof you needed to know whether I planned on responding to any fleet as we left. I will have to take into account the feelings of all those under my responsibility when choosing to work with others or not, which honestly was what we were attempting to do just before these calls.”

    K'Kruhk seemed to have made his mind up. "You will be tractored to the surface."

    "Master K'Kruhk," snapped Dare.

    "He will be kept under a closer watch away from a comlink and a hyperdrive, no? He can't blow up a capital ship, and he'll be ill placed to commandeer a single turret or blow a shield generator in the presence of so many Jedi and Imperial Knights..." The Whiphid huffed in amusement, and then grew more serious. "And the medical facilities below are less strained than those aboard our orbiting craft, fresh from the battle."

    "He should release any who wish to depart before heading to the surface," Dare chided.

    "Of course," said Master K'Kruhk. "I gather Admiral Yage has asked for Trask when he reaches the surface."[/color]

    "Does that meet your approval, Lord Bernael?"

    Bernael nodded, ”I would prefer not to take my people back down to that chaos filled planet, they have seen so much, too much. But you do have a fleet and I have my one ship, and a guest, so I cannot argue. We will accept your hospitality.”

    He turned away from the comm pickup, out of hearing range, ”Trask, let the troops know what is going on, the Knighthunters will be the toughest with all the Jedi around. San, you are valuable to us. I can understand if you desire to return to the Jedi but I would prefer that you remain with us, I believe having you as part of the leadership of this Legion would reduce the possible friction that will occur.”

    Before he returned to the pickup field, he reached out, not knowing if or when the presence he’d felt would respond but felt he had to send a message, ’Aden...Aden Kya or however you call yourself now, it is the Shadow from your past. I and my people could use your assistance.’

    He then returned to the pickup field, ”Once those who wish to depart do so please guide us to the area you wish to have the ship land.” a smile was almost evident behind the mask, ”But I’d advise against anyone trying to confiscate this vessel and search it, at least without me present, it’s very…..protective of its belongings. And I and the balance would be quite put out if anything untoward happened to it.”

    Dare glowered. "Bastion is the opposite of chaos, Sith."

    K'Kruhk huffed. "Your personal effects will be respected; after a cursory security scan, I will give instructions that the ship be sealed shut and left be."

    The Imperial Knight turned her glare on the Whiphid. "You instruct?"

    "I request, yes, and an Imperial Knight speaking to the Jedi Grandmaster will have to accept my request as an instruction if she wishes this alliance to remain fruitful." K'Kruhk spoke evenly.

    "So be it." Dare cut out, and K'Kruhk shortly thereafter.

    That left San and Trask and Bernael, the Jedi having left Aryan to his discussion.

    TAGS: @Sinrebirth, @HanSolo29 (onboard on your own call, so tagged), @darthhelinith (since you're out there with Insipid)
     
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  13. Sinrebirth

    Sinrebirth Mod-Emperor of the EUC, Lit, RPF and SWC star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Nov 15, 2004
    as a new innovation, I intend to do non-TAG updates for the game in the weeks I am not updating. These will not be guaranteed to happen, because, well, I do not have infinite spare time, but let's have some fun moving along the NPCs.

    IC: Darth Krayt
    Coruscant, Imperial Palace

    The war was won, and the enemy was done.

    The last of the inevitable traitors had been exposed, and retreated with the routed Alliance and True Imperial forces to Bastion. The incompetent High Moffs had been slimmed down to the point of irrelevance. The remainder - Fehlaaur, Rus and Veed - were almost irrelevant by this stage, especially as Krayt had his own Sith Troopers - a project a century in the works, with their own fighter craft and Dragon capital ships.

    The Sith Emperor allowed himself a smile.

    Everything was proceeding as he had foreseen.

    The last of the pointless scum from the Sith Empire would be burned away in the final battle of the Second Imperial Civil War, be it at Bastion... or not.

    Krayt and Cade Skywalker would face each other one last time.

    Emperor Fel would complete the galaxies demise.

    ---
    The news of the defeat at the Hidden Temple crosses the galaxy and arrives in Bastion

    "Take heart, your Imperial Majesty. The Princess has escaped, and many Sith-Imperial ships joined Moff Yage's defection to your side. All of your allies are on their way here," said Hogrum Chalk, the Emperor's closest adviser. His sister was Fel's late wife, Leliah, and the former Imperial Knight was the one that Roan Fel trusted the most.

    [​IMG]
    Hogrum Chalk

    "We lost, Hogrum. Worse, we have no counter for these new weapons of Krayt's - these Sith Troopers! Be assured - Bastion will be his next target!" The Emperor swept through a secret part of the palace on Bastion, the most heavily fortified system in the galaxy. It was here he had kept his prisoner; a deranged female Devaronian Sith.

    As he stalked, he recalled the offer she had made to him, to avenge herself upon Krayt, who had betrayed her so. A pathogen known as Omega Red, designed to eradicate all life on a world - an advance on the weapon that had been designed to target the Yuuzhan Vong a century before.

    [​IMG]
    Before, Maladi and Fel

    Now

    His resolve was certain as he recalled their discussion, and he spoke it. "I will not wait until the Sith Lord is at our gates!"

    He released the Sith woman, speaking her name. "Maladi. You will make your toxin for me."

    She grinned malevolently, completely unhinged. "And my price?" Maladi hissed. "Cade Skwalker. Dead."

    "You will make your toxin first and then, if it succeeds, you will get what you want." He held up his hand, the full power of the Force held between his fingers - Fel remained a Skywalker by blood, but not name. It was poised to snap her neck. "And we are agreed, or you die now."

    "Then we are agreed," Maladi said, dropping to her knees in obedience.

    TAG: No One

    TAG: @HanSolo29, @darthbernael, @darthhelinith, for some context
     
    Last edited: May 19, 2020
  14. Sinrebirth

    Sinrebirth Mod-Emperor of the EUC, Lit, RPF and SWC star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Nov 15, 2004
    IC: Darth Insipid
    Sneaking in to the most heavily defended locale in the galaxy

    It wasn't an easy sell, not on their best day, but luckily they had arrived at Bastion along with three fleets, and that gave them a minute window. Any other day? They would have been shot to pieces fifteen minutes ago... and they'd only been in the system ten minutes.

    The allied fleets had, helpfully, focused upon that antique Fury, so Insipid and Helinith squeezed through after the Mynock. As a precaution, they shut the shield after Cade and his crew passed through it, and indeed reopened it when Bernael and his assorted crew were guided through. A GA shuttle joined it; ferrying down Stazi and other Alliance officials, as well as various Imperials which joined it. A steady stream of unfamiliar ships was a security chiefs nightmare, but it was war, and they had to adapt.

    Especially when the security chief was busy nagging the Emperor to create a bioweapon.

    Anyway.

    Insipid guided Helinith as they broke atmosphere, keeping their Force presences hidden and they managed to find a relatively secluded patch of dirt that wasn't covered by a turbolaser turret, mine, or wandering troop. Bastion had once been scoured clean of life by the Yuuzhan Vong, making it easy for the Imperial Remnant to subsequently transform it into the most powerful fortress world in the galaxy. Tucking his ship beneath a ridge edge at the edge of the capital city, Insipid quickly showered and changed, padding down the ramp.

    "Report, apprentice?"

    ---
    Going down

    While the conversation continued between Aryan Graul and the others in his own corner of the ship, the Fury began its trip down. San shook her head at it all as she led Bernael to the medbay and the various Knighthunters within it. Trask attended to what was left of Harkas; he would need several prosthetic replacements.

    "So, Bernael, you've met our Sith, our Jedi, and our Imperial Knights. You're old enough to remember better times, no?" San said lightly, as she focused on settling the unconscious men for transit.

    Trask snorted. "As I was taught it, the Imperial Stormtrooper was based on the older Sith template. The Moffs, too - the first Grand Moff was Odile Vaiken, a human who served the Sith that fled the holocaust of the original species."

    San huffed. "History has a way of repeating certain themes, yes, Trooper, but that simply emphasises that we can work together against Darth Krayt and his future - with all opposition turned into cyborgs."

    "Meanwhile the chaos that the Galactic Alliance engendered is what? Preferable?"

    "Better than the genocides the Empire is want to perform."

    "Didn't you hear me? Sith Holocaust?"

    Trask was speaking of the rewritten galactic history that the One Sith were now requiring to be taught in academies across the Empire, though recently even that had extended to pupils being taught the Sith language too - and expected as they age to adorn themselves with tattoos - a Sith Youth was the next stage in the One Sith design.

    One Sith; One Galaxy.

    TAG: @darthhelinith (combo); @darthbernael (combo), @HanSolo29 (let us continue our combo as the Fury goes down)
     
  15. darthbernael

    darthbernael EU Community Mod, Fuego, Pyrofuego! star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Apr 15, 2019
    OOC: A fun combo with @Sinrebirth

    IC Bernael
    Discussions

    Bernael leaned against one wall of the medbay, observing as San and Trask tended to the injured. A slight smile touched the corner of his lip as he listened to them argue. Each side had their version of history and each taught it in such a way as to indoctrinate their subjects to the ‘correct’ beliefs. But these were his people now and strife did them no good.

    He held up a finger, a touch of the Force added to the motion, a call to pause their argument.

    ”History is written by the victors. And rewritten when new victors come to power. Both Sith and Jedi, Empires and Republics have risen and fallen over the eons. Each teaches their people that their way is right and their foes' beliefs are misguided and invalid.”

    Turning the hand he’d lifted over so the palm was face up he concentrated and a sphere came into view hovering over his palm. Half of it appeared dark as the space between the stars and half blazed a pure white light, at least at first glance. Upon further reflection, one could see flashes of light in the dark and dark spots marring the light. ”Are they both, the Light and Dark, pure and unsullied by the other?” Pointing to the Light, ”San, you stand here, but is the Light alone, untouched by the Dark?” Pointing again, to the Dark, ”Trask, the Sith, and through them their people, stand here, but is the Dark dark alone?”

    He rotated his hand around the globe of color, ”This is, of course, a crude representation, but it is effective, and before either ask,” His fingers pointed out every speck of Light in the dark and every Dark spot marring the Light, ”I, like the Prime Jedi, and yes San the origins of your order was in balance not the Light, am the Light in the Dark and the Dark in the Light. Eternally striving to maintain the balance so that neither brings about the End Times.”

    He doused the globe, standing upright. ”You both, Joker Squad, the Knighthunters, all here, save perhaps our newest guest, are my people now and debate is healthy, as long as you recognize, at the end, that we are all allies here, and make our difference to the galaxy as best we can. Whether it’s working within the One Sith, the GA, or any other polity.”

    San paused. "You speak of the origins of the Jedi - rediscovered by Tionne Solusar." Trask looked at her like he couldn't care less, and she powered through. "That we were once Je'daii, and not Jedi - and indeed balanced the light and the dark."

    "Sounds better than genociding people you disagree with for religious reasons."

    "It was a bit more complicated than that; remember the Sith species had been ran by the descendants of Dark Jedi for two millennia -"

    "Dark Jedi, you say? So the Jedi turned a species into what we see today?" The Stormtrooper sneered.

    "The Sith were a violent amoral species before the Dark Jedi arrived and took over their Kingdom," San said, firmly. "But the Jedi were balanced, until they encountered darkness that could not be balanced. That was firstly the Rakata, and then," she looked at Bernael. "The Sith."

    Bernael smiled behind his mask, ”As I said, what is taught is, hmmmm, have you ever played a game where you call a friend, give them a message, then have that message passed along a dozen friends before you get it back? That is history, as it is recorded or taught, on either side of the divide.”

    He shifted where he was leaning, thinking. ”Yes the Sith are attuned to the Dark Side, just as my species is. But, as you both have seen, even a race that can perform legendary feats of Dark Power can also, given the reason or opportunity, perform similar ones of Light Power. The Je'daii were balanced, but it was not just the other races they encountered, those more attuned to the Light or Dark also drew their own followers within their ranks and caused major philosophical divides. To the point that, repeatedly, those on the side of Light threw those attuned to the Dark out of the Order.”

    He chuckled, ”Sort of like the advisors of a being serving the balance arguing their own philosophies and neither recognizing that the other side has a right to their beliefs as long as both sides can work together to ensure their common goal of balance is maintained.”

    He hoped the subtle rebuke of both San and Trask was recognized as such. If his own people could not recognize the need to work together, to fulfill his mission, then those who now held them would be able to drive even deeper wedges of distrust between them.

    San paused, Trask frowned. She looked to Trask, and shrugged. "There are reports of members of the Sith species on Tython, in the Je'daii Order. But it seemed so far fetched with every other recorded mention of them."

    The Stormtrooper nodded. "But Light and Dark, um, oppose each other, right? Balance tries to run them, but does someone oppose it?"

    "Chaos, usually, but it is argued whether Chaos is the result of the Dark... and Balance the result of Light." San eyed Bernael. "Of course some believe that you can manage both sides - Jedi and Sith. Famous ones, at that."

    "Um, Revan, was it? Jacen Solo, too?"

    "Both became Sith at points in their life," San said, nodding. "But there are arguments around people who walk both paths and whether they foster Balance or Chaos... I mean..." She tapped her chin, recalling the old stories. "Jacen Solo ended a civil war and inadvertently released the Bringer of Chaos, a Force Goddess called Abeloth."

    Trask looked at her, blinking. "You can't be serious."

    "Yup. The Jedi and the Sith had to stop her." San sighed. "Which I guess is what Mr Bernael is trying to encourage us to do?"

    Bernael chuckled again, as San and Trask debated. They were coming around to understanding, which was a relief. FInding good agents, advisors, was often very hard to do. He nodded at San, ”Yes, San. I will never try to force either of you to try to take the other’s perspective or beliefs, but the Balance, and avoiding Chaos, often requires those on either end of the spectrum to set aside their differences and work together.”

    He chuckled again, as a memory surfaced, ”At least you two can stand to be in the same room with each other, and work together. In the time of Jacen, the two I had helping, at their ends of the spectrum, often tried to kill each other, if they came in contact.”

    Trask looked amused. "Sounds like a handful." He nodded. "So what's next? Welcoming committee?"

    San eyed Bernael. "I imagine you want to take point on this. I can handle Aryan, after all. But Emperor Fel is an intimidating man, Lord Bernael. Do not underestimate him." She went to take her leave as their ship drifted to the surface.

    ”He is a Skywalker descendant after all, so no I will not underestimate him.”

    Turning back to Trask, ”Yes, I’d imagine both the Jedi and the Imperial Knights, as well as whichever faction that Graul has to meet, will have a representative there, at least, if not troops to ‘ensure our safety’, when we land.” He chuckled at the implication.

    "Well then," Trask said, reaching for his helmet and replacing it. "Time to be anonymous and let you do the hard-work."

    San smiled slightly. "Cute. I know what you look like, though."

    "I'm sure that will keep you warm at night," he said, grinning behind the face of a Stormtrooper.

    She leaned over and kissed the helmet 'cheek'. "Maybe it will." With that, she headed off to the lower deck of the Fury to check on Aryan. Trask for his part didn't move, before looking at Bernael. "Not gonna lie; I'm confused right now."

    Bernael’s eyes shone, as though he was avoiding laughter. ”Congratulations Trask, you have an admirer. But I’d keep wearing the armor, she may kick your butt if you fight her too much.”

    He turned, thinking about the potential welcoming committee. He knew the next period of time would be one of the type of intrigue that often led to someone trying to kill him, but he and his troops had very little choice. He would keep his promise.

    TAGS: @Sinrebirth, @HanSolo29 (Mentioned)
     
  16. Sinrebirth

    Sinrebirth Mod-Emperor of the EUC, Lit, RPF and SWC star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Nov 15, 2004
    IC: Trask
    Bastion, fortress

    There was a growing collection of shuttles and ships being let down, some with their own guard, some with armed escorts. There were Imperial Knights and Jedi and Stormtroopers and Galactic Alliance soldiers evident. The soldiers took up a position to receive someone from the bottom of the ship, presumably Aryan, and Trask didn't care for the Rogue Squadron pilot.

    Stormtroopers stood at the bottom of the ramp and escorted medics to rush up to the medical area, and Trask pointed them that way. San stepped down after they rushed in, and the Jedi present, a handsome man who Trask recognised as Tobias Sun, from his training on known surviving Jedi.

    [​IMG]

    Tobias Sun

    He was a Jedi Master, and when he smiled warmly at San, he saw her cheeks red and she looked at Trask, who realised he was staring at their interaction. He stiffened in embarrassment, and Tobias eyed him, and then, too, smiled. San stepped off. "I'll catch up with you two. Stay safe, Trask."

    He nodded, because another was stepping forward - from a shuttle that seemed full of other former Sith-Imperials.

    [​IMG]

    Gunn Yage

    Trask stiffened as he recognised the woman as the daughter of the Sith-Imperial Admiral - Rulf Yage. The woman was in plain-clothes, rather than her Imperial pilot outfit. She was the ace of the Sith-Imperial Skull Squadron, and the GA soldiers off to an angle looked at each other when they recognised her. "Trooper," she said, softly. "I gather you brought a Sith with you to Bastion. We're not quite prisoners but an Imperial Knight by the name of Sigel Dare seemed quite insistent that my father didn't know about it."

    "Ah yes," he said, softly. "She wasn't happy Master K'Kruhk insisted we come to the surface."

    "The Sith?"

    He was distracted as Harkas was floated out the shuttle, Knighthunters preceding him... all of them had been bound to their hover-gurneys. The Imperial Knight that had, while Gunn spoke to her stepped up, was in armour, and watching her was another Imperial Knight. No, not armour, a life support gurney.

    [​IMG]

    Ganner Krieg

    [​IMG]

    Azlyn Rae

    The Imperial Knight at the ramp didn't acknowledge Trask or Gunn. Her lightsaber was in her hand, and even Trask could detect the tension in the air. He glanced around the hangar... the Imperial shuttle with the Sith-Imperials within; the ship he had arrived in; a GA shuttle; a Jedi one.

    All of these factions, all in place.

    Enough of them waiting for Bernael to show.

    He was creating all this focus.

    Which would, with a bit of help from the inside, would help Darth Insipid and Darth Helinith inside.

    TAG: @darthbernael (mainly), @HanSolo29 (mention only, combo continues), @darthhelinith (mention only, combo continues)
     
  17. darthhelinith

    darthhelinith Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Feb 10, 2009
    IC: Helinith and Insipid, a sneaky combo [face_shhh]
    Location: Bastion, somehow


    “All limbs present and correct!”
    Helinith neatly flipped out of the newly acquired Tie with a light spring and came to a salute in front of her master. Even as she tried it, she considered how easy it would be to do that with a cartwheel. She’d have to try that one of these days.

    “We have landed on Bastion ready to… um.” She thought for a moment. What were they here to do again?
    “Sneakily do political things and kick butt, sneakily.”

    "Emphasis on sneakily, Helinith," Insipid said, grinning somewhat. Her exuberance was infectious. "You hopefully did your studies; so you can tell me a great deal about Cade Skywalker, Roan Fel and Marasiah Fel and how incredibly powerful they are. In-fact, I believe a Jedi you may have hunted, an Order 66 survivor, K'Kruhk, is here, too."

    He focused on her, as he needed to be sure, notwithstanding, she understood the severity of their position.

    It was, for two Sith, the most dangerous place in the galaxy for them.

    Well.

    Second most.
    Helinith nodded and listed on her fingers.
    “Oh that's a pretty easy assessment, Master. Roan would definitely kill us, his daughter would try to kill us but would probably get killed by us and then we’d have the entire empire trying to kill us... K'Kruhk would definitely kill us and Cade Skywalker would kill and then stomp all over us, being a powerful descendant of Skywalker and angsty. To conclude: we are suicidal or mad."

    She paused and considered a memory. KK581. Toola.

    “Strange how you can spend 2 months searching for something and then it turns up when you’ve given up looking…”

    Insipid eyed her as she began to think. He went to speak, and ask what it was she was thinking, a voice rang out. "As ever, Lord Krayt surprises me with his foresight." A cyborg stepped from the shadows.

    [​IMG]

    Hogrum Chalk

    "Though it would have been infinitely easier to conceal the arrival of two Sith had I some forewarning of your arrival, my friends." He seemed to clearly believe they served Lord Krayt, undoubtedly because Insipid still eschewed Sith robes, though the One Sith armour beneath he had long abandoned - and indeed had never worn.

    "An assassination of Emperor Fel now? It is a bold move."

    Insipid spoke swiftly. "Of course; what better time than to do it - the campaign was designed to extricate dissenting Imperials from the Sith ranks - I recognised the ship of Admiral Yage on the way in... quite inevitable that he would jump sides - he was too honourable a man to wear the Sith coat for long."

    "Yes..my Lord...?"

    "Vapid," he said, giving a Sith name which was merely another word for Insipid. "Darth Vapid, and here is my apprentice..." He lazily gestured to Helinith, giving her the shortest time possible to make-up a name.

    Helinith jumped and tensed at the stranger's appearance, stumbling out the first name that came to her head.

    "Darth B-ythe. Darth Blythe."

    She had intended Sythe, but a silent burp, perhaps her stomach still settling after the hideous ride in, had disrupted her tongue at the worst possible moment. She shook her head to clear her embarrassment and huffed, using her concern to her advantage. She narrowed her eyes at the cyborg.

    “Has our presence here been compromised? Who else knows?”

    She initially toyed with the idea of trying to grab him by the throat but his own strength was difficult to ascertain: it wouldn’t have been much of a threat if it had turned out he was stronger than her.

    "Darth Insipid and Darth Blythe, excellent," Hogrum said.

    "Nobody else knows; as the Emperor's top advisor and new head of Bastion security, I have access to all passcodes and shunts. The Emperor does like to sneak missions in and out, off the record. But the sooner you two kill him, the better." Hogrum's tone grew dark.

    Insipid tried to keep the surprise out of his tone. "You're our mole?"

    "I am surprised that Lord Krayt did not let you know," he said, concerned.

    "I knew of a mole, but not their identity." Insipid said, covering. "We're presumably not to rely upon you, but are already in your debt." He allowed a surge of power to yellow his eyes. "How annoying."

    Hogrum appeared on the verge of satisfied with Insipid's response, but was cunning enough to want more. Insipid knew that to seal the lie that they were Sith working for Krayt he needed Helinith to complete the ruse. Killing Hogrum might spin events out of their control, and they did apparently need help sneaking in.

    Insipid thus looked at Helinith; Hogrum had already turned to look at her. Helinith shrugged.

    "Don't look at me, apprentices never get told anything. It's bad enough trying to walk through the sith temple without getting jumped by acolytes who want to take your place. After a while, you learn to keep your head down and not question stuff."

    She pulled out a datapad and pretended to look like she was checking something on it before looking back at the cyborg.

    "So, what now? I'm sure you're not here to stand around and look pretty."

    Hogrum stared at her for a long moment, and Insipid concealed a smile. Helinith was disarming with the small inane details that enabled her to lie. Insipid coughed to draw his attention.

    "Master Chalk?"

    "Yes," the turncoat Imperial said. "I am convinced." He produced a datapad, and held out to Insipid, who blinked at the man. The cyborg seemed to get the hint, remembering his place. Indeed, he had power in Bastion, but the Sith ruled the Sith Empire. All Sith-Imperials were subservient to the Sith Lords.

    He handed the datapad to Helinith. Insipid stared at him, and Chalk explained, grounding out the words. "These are the routes through the fortress; secret ways. You can take them to the centre. While there are Sith-Imperials arriving at Bastion - those who changed sides and joined the cause at the battle of Taivas - we can blame any assassination attempt on him."

    Insipid nodded. "Of course, of course." He looked to the younger woman. "Are they there?"

    His tone was commanding, expecting Helinith to act the part of a Sith Lord's apprentice. Chalk bristled. "Of course they are."

    "I am the one who shall be crossing blades with the Emperor, Master Chalk. I cannot afford to be complacent. I know you hate him; for what happened to your sister - to his wife - it was his Imperial Knight which killed her, after all." Chalk's one human eye blazed.

    "But after I have killed Roan Fel..." Insipid ground out. "I have no doubt you'll turn on us all."

    Chalk smiled slightly. "Perhaps, Lord Vapid."

    Helinith quickly swiped through the pad handed to her.

    A quick surface look told her that yes, this was indeed what Chalk said it was but without a considerable amount of time to study them properly it would be very difficult to tell if the routes were safe or accurate. Time they didn't have.

    "These appear to be in order Master."

    She buried her nose in them, scrolling through the hidden routes, hoping to narrow down the choice somewhat to suit Insipid's tastes. Her own preference for small spaces such as air ducts and ventilation systems would be useless here- Insipid couldn't fit in those and if the cyborg was tagging along... clank clank clank.

    "There's several routes that could be useful Master Vapid, although if the imperial" here she indicated her head towards Chalk "is joining us, that narrows down our choices. Metal clank-y parts do not lend themselves to the term 'stealthy'."

    One made primary use of an old brick and durasteel sewer line, hopefully empty.
    Two others followed several maintenance and servant corridors, all conveniently marked as 'disused' or 'sparse' (whatever that meant in this context).

    "Hey wait a minute." Her eyes narrowed.
    "This one appears to be leading us straight through a concrete wall, unless there's some sort of access point that's not been marked on."

    She prodded a finger at the error and looked toward Chalk for an answer.

    Hogrum reached over and snatched the datapad from her. Insipid smothered a grin, and the Imperial tapped the screen. "I'm sure you can cut through a simple wall intersecting two disused parts of the fortress." He tossed it back to her, clearly chagrined that he'd been caught out by an error.

    Now he did smile, a genial and polite one. "Certainly, Master Chalk. You help is appreciated."

    Stiffly, the Imperial turned to leave. The data would show them an entrance back the other way; a maintenance hatch that had been part of the surviving construction a century ago. "I will not be joining you; my absence will be noticed after too long."

    "May the Force be with you," Hogrum said, sarcastically, and stalked off. "Master Vapid."

    Insipid smirked. "No sense of humour, that one," he whispered to Helinith until he was sure Chalk and his cyborg ears were out of ear-shot. "Lead the way, my apprentice. No names from this point, in-case some passive sensors pick us up and are keyed to the Bad Words."

    This was going to be fun.

    Helinith watched Chalk leave and only just resisted the urge to stick out her tongue at his retreating form. It wouldn't do though- the cyborg might have had hidden eyes in the back of his head. Literally.

    She bowed to her master and turned the datapad around in her hands several times, lining up the map with landmarks around them.

    "...If that is there, and this is here... This way!"

    She bounded off in the direction indicated with the enthusiasm of an anooba, leading Insipid between narrow hills and gullies of bedrock and around mounds and other earthworks left from the reconstruction of the capital planet. Helinith looked down at the datapad, not paying attention as she continued onwards, and almost fell down a shallow concrete dike- only her quick reflexes caught her foot in middair and she stepped back onto solid ground, before using the force to slide down the side of it.

    The maintenance hatch was at the bottom of the dike, which ran parallel to the nearest buildings, some way off. She nodded, satisfied and made her way over to it, searching for security measures that might activate as she did so.

    Tag: @Sinrebirth
     
    Last edited: Jun 14, 2020
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  18. darthbernael

    darthbernael EU Community Mod, Fuego, Pyrofuego! star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Apr 15, 2019
    IC Bernael
    All this trouble for little old me?

    Bernael had stayed aboard, coordinating the medical teams, making sure that they got all the wounded off safely before he looked around. He collected a few items, ensuring that he had everything he thought he could possibly use, as they had said they would leave the Fury locked down and no one would interfere with it. He could sense what was going on outside, by the ramp and he snorted at the emotions running between San, the other Jedi, and Trask, knowing that something there would eventually have to be said, but it was those three who had that issue to deal with, unless it threatened his people.

    Having gathered all he thought appropriate, he locked the cargo bay, setting the locks that would allow only himself into the space. He tapped a series of commands on his wristpad, preparing the Fury to secure itself during the lockdown. Taking one last look around he headed for the ramp. He let his natural camouflage envelop him as he began to descend.

    As the sight below came into view he felt the storm of emotions raging at the bottom. A chuckle preceded him down the ramp, ”I have explained it to your commander, Knight, as well as to the Jedi Grandmaster, I am no Sith, or a Jedi, I am who I am and I would believe that both those worthies would be disappointed to know I had to disarm you and wait for either of them to appear.” came in his low, flat tone.

    He kept his Force presence and what minimal life signs he had muted as he slipped between them all, moving behind the cordon. Once he was outside the group he let his presence be felt and slowly faded into view, hands empty but by his sides, ”I came because my presence was forcefully requested here and to do otherwise would have risked my people. However, violence begets violence and I will not stand for any of mine being harassed. And you’d better have your troops sweep my ship as was requested, quickly, as the security measures will go into place in twenty minutes.”

    Trask watched Azlyn Rae meet the Sith's expression, and then she gestured, a knot of Stormtroopers rushing forward with heavy duty scanning equipment. Gunn snorted, amused, and waved as she walked off. "My father wants a personal debrief from you, Trask."

    Ganner Krieg stepped forward from the wings. "The Emperor Fel wishes an audience with the Stormtrooper."

    "One that my father will surely agree too, once we ensure that our other guest is agreeable, Knight Krieg." She eyed Bernael, and then added. "So if you and Knight Rae are finished, we will be back. After all, my father wasn't consulted on whether to accept a Sith within the fortress, but I gather Grandmaster K'Kruhk was?"

    "You think your father has a right to dictate anything?" Rae bit out.

    "I mean if the Emperor intends to execute all the crewers who just defected, then yes." Gunn bit out. "We know what Emperor Fel did to the crew of the Dauntless when they tried to change sides."

    Ganner glared. "The crew of the Dauntless were bait to allow an assassin through our defenses; our Emperor himself killed Darth Kruhl." He eyed Bernael. "Who is to say this isn't an elaborate ploy by Krayt?"

    "He seemed quite content to allow you and your forces to be fodder to his own Sith Troopers, after all," Rae bit. "Didn't Moff Geist get killed by the Annihilators just to bait your trap at Taivas?"

    Both Imperial Knights had their matching lightsaber hilts in hand.

    This was becoming decidedly tense.

    Bernael chuckled, aware eyes would be turning toward him once again. ”Oh how things never change. I wasn’t trusted in the slightest by Krayt’s Sith as I come from a different time and see them as degenerate. So I was handed Moff Geist and his troops, including Joker Squad. And his death was due to the fact he would not give up the apparent security of his walker to stay close to the Force user who recommended he stay close, me. No ulterior motive.”

    He turned toward the Knight that seemed to infer his legion could be destroyed out of hand, ”I was attempting to get my people free from this madness, not defect from one side to the other. I do not work for any polity unless it is needed for my own mission, as it was at the start here. But I do defend what is mine and if the Emperor decides my people are to be put to the death, Skywalker scion or not, he will have to do so over my cooling corpse. I serve not the Sith nor the Jedi, but rather a being, a concept far older than either and all those, save the pilot who joined us at the end, are mine.”

    His eyes flashed, the silver almost blinding in the light of the sun. He knew he was pushing the limit, especially given who was standing here before him but if he did not make firm his stance on his people from the start either of the powers involved would attempt to use them to influence him one way or the other.

    ”That being said, standing here threatening one another is going to get us nowhere, so if we are to go meet anyone in power it would be wiser to do so and not usurp their right to speak their belief as to what should occur, in each other’s presence.”

    Their lightsabers were not ignited, but Tobias made sure to usher San out of the room, not firmly, but with emphasis. She cast a gaze back and Trask met her eyes through his helmet, taking an appropriate step away, which Gunn unconsciously mimicked.

    Rae stepped back to Ganner, as the scanning team returned to the top of the ramp, watching the confrontation. Ganner spoke, intoning, almost. "Sith, you have entered the last bastion of freedom in this galaxy, yet claim no allegiance to our polity. You expect us to respect your independence, when you clearly, as you so state, did not intend to even get this involved."

    "But you are here, and indeed, we cannot allow you now to leave." Ganner folded his arms. "Until the Emperor is free to speak to you in person, I would request you accept transfer to the brig. We shall decide, by way of interviewing your crew, your fate and disposition. You will be treated with all the rights of prisoners of war until then; the True Empire is not a savage one. Due process must be observed."

    Azlyn looked like she disagreed, but Ganner was her senior. He continued. "Do you consent? We would otherwise be required turn the prodigal energies of this fortress and combined alliance against you. Absolute compliance in the circumstances is all I can accept."

    Gunn sidelined. "You're not going to manacle him, are you?"

    "No, I am not," Ganner said. "If he proceeds peacefully, there will be no need."

    "Because, y'know, in the ten years since Krayt and his Sith emerged, we've never had one we could have a conversation with, and all that. This is an opportunity, no?" Gunn said, evenly.

    "Yes, it is," Ganner replied. "Which is the only reason I have not cut down him where he stands and apologised to the Jedi Grandmaster after the fact."

    Azlyn kept her eyes on Bernael, who would feel a curious pulse in the dark, leading him into the fortress. There was definitely another darksider here; somewhere. Yes, Cade was present - the Mynock was off to the side, having just settled in - but there was something... else.

    Trask interjected. "Bernael, we'll get this sorted out - I promise. San will speak up for you, and I am sure Aryan will too. I will be, to Admiral Yage himself," he glanced at Gunn. "As I seem to be heading to a private debriefing with him personally. You'll be out in no time."

    There was a leaning upon him, clearly, but it was down to Bernael. Cade was focused on something, not reaching out into the tension. There was a latent darkness aboard his ship; something Bernael would recognise.

    Cade had captured a Sith Trooper.

    Questions, answers, and mysteries, they were all evident here, on this world, and at this point.

    Bernael sighed, ”Threats all around, Knights, Jedi, your leadership has brought us here because none can see that there are things, events, beyond their polities. Even caged, I will know if something happens to my people. But if you truly fear what, who I am so much that you must put me in your cage then I will go, as keeping my people safe is the most important part.”

    He tamped down the roaring in his mind, the locked partition in it being battered by what was growing behind it. But he felt the nodes of darkness further ahead and besides his own people those were the only reasons he was willing to allow himself to be taken to whatever dark cell they had planned to bury him in.

    A smile touched the corner of his lip, ”I will abide this restriction for the nonce, but if your intention is to disappear my people, scatter them to the four winds, and leave me to rot, I’m afraid you will find that there are other things that will ensure that that does not remain the case, even should I do nothing.”

    In a much more cheery tone, ”So, lets go inspect the dungeons and see just how dreary and dismal they are, so I can get the full experience.”

    Ganner Krieg stiffened more, if at all possible. "You will be treated in accordance with all conventions of war and your fate discussed at the Emperor's earliest opportunity."

    Gunn added, "As will his people?"

    The Imperial Knight turned, softening with a slight sigh, but retaining his firmness. "As will his people. Not that I have ultimate control of the fate of a Sith-Imperial Stormtrooper, a Jedi Knight and a Galactic Alliance pilot; Admiral Yage, Grandmaster K'Kruhk and Admiral Stazi will have care of their fate."

    "But I will ensure the Emperor is aware that your compliance was only obtained on this basis." Ganner said, looking back to Bernael.

    "Well that's good," Gunn said sarcastically. "At least Trask has a safety net... the rest of the former Sith-Imperials will just have to take their chances, eh?" She smiled slightly, and led Trask away, as Azlyn led Bernael.

    Trask sketched an informal salute to the Anzati. "Stay safe."

    Bernael nodded in respect to Trask as he was led away. Turning back to those leading him toward whatever they called the brig, he smiled reaching out to that familiar presence he’d sensed earlier, ’If you come find me soon, old friend, it will be a reversal of one of the first times we met.’ the thought was sent with an amused chuckle. A wry smile touched his lips as he passed near to Cade and his ship, and a nod at the Skywalker, likewise amused at the situation again. He’d been in such predicaments before and was sure he would be again.

    TAGS: @Sinrebirth,@darthhelinith, @HanSolo29 (since the last 2 are here too)
     
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  19. Sinrebirth

    Sinrebirth Mod-Emperor of the EUC, Lit, RPF and SWC star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Nov 15, 2004
    IC: Darth Insipid
    In the depths of Bastion

    Following along as Helinith read the map, Insipid drew a shroud over them, embracing his knowledge of Doubt to obscure anyone who generally cast their senses out. Any personage with any doubt would be unable to see them, if they did happen to. With all of these powerful Force users here - the Fels, Skywalker - they had to be exceptionally careful.

    "Obviously," Insipid said, "I have no intention of trying to kill Emperor Fel. That is a suicide mission, but at least we know the identity of a One Sith mole." A snort. "Not that I intend to tell the Jedi and Empire about it, either. We're on our own side, after all, my apprentice."

    With a tap of his chin as they wandered through the various corridors and dikes and so forth. Something caught him, and Insipid frowned, lifting a finger. "Stop."

    He turned, noticing a ventilation shaft that emerged into the abandoned areas of the fortress. "That way." He palmed a small-ball-shaped cam, and passed it to her. "If you could, apprentice. When you have found what I sense, leave this, and I will be able to see." Insipid dropped to the floor and crossed his legs. His yellow eyes focused on her.

    "I'll focus on keeping you hidden... but try and be careful."

    The corridor would lead above the dungeon, of course, because the Force acted like that, but it would eventually terminate over an expansive meeting room - a multi-leveled part with a transparisteel gap between the lower level and higher. The lower level? It included a table, with straps, and a medical bay to boot. For now, the glass was opaqued, and the lower room was empty.

    ---
    IC: Ganner Krieg

    Dungeons

    The Imperial Knights escorted Bernael to the dungeons, but along the way even Ganner Krieg grew embarrassed. The Anzati had cooperated, when they had impinged upon his honour. In short order they had led him through a branch of corridors, taking the left-most. From an entrance suddenly came a surprising Force presence, and Ganner was so focused upon his thoughts - about how he had treated Bernael - even as Azlyn Rae strode ahead.

    The door opened, revealing Emperor Roan Fel. The taller man gestured to slide the door shut behind him, but Ganner put the thought outside his mind what it could be in another wing of the fortress. He regarded the Anzati prisoner with narrow eyes, as Ganner and Azlyn bowed. "A Sith prisoner?"

    Reaching into the Force to request Bernael hold from interrupting - Ganner shook his head. "He surrendered to us - he turned against his Lords and assisted with the escape of a Jedi, a Galactic Alliance Rogue Squadron pilot, and also Stormtroopers from the battle."

    The Emperor's gaze slid over. "Sith-Imperial Stormtroopers?"

    Azlyn. "Exactly, your Majesty."

    Those hard eyes turned back to Bernael, and the Emperor's own lightsaber hilt appeared in his hand. "And why is he still alive?"

    "Grandmaster K'Kruhk requested he be kept alive until we can sort through the events of yesterday... Grand Admiral Yage may request he form part of his retinue..."

    The Emperor beetled his brow. "He is to surrender all weapons, and any ship."

    "He has already, your Majesty," said Azlyn.

    "Good. I will discuss his fate with my daughter. She will be representing our interests in the upcoming discussions." Without another word, Roan Fel strode away, his purple cape rippling behind him as he went. Ganner and Azlyn watched him go, confused and concerned.

    "The Emperor holds the weight of the galaxy on his shoulders," Ganner said. Azlyn nodded.

    The dungeon for Bernael was evident at the end of the corridor.

    Ganner could sense something dark nearby, but it was clearly not a danger. Perhaps the Emperor was keeping the Sith Trooper in that other room.

    The Imperial Knight eyed Bernael, indicating that he would have to take the dungeon.

    A mere wall away was Maladi.

    Above them both was the shaft that Helinith would have to crawl through to get to the room Insipid had sensed.

    He focused on keeping her hidden from everyone in the fortress, using enough power to hide her from Roan, let alone Maladi and Bernael and Ganner and Azlyn.

    In short; a dovetail of fates were crossing, but would not yet meet.

    Perhaps.

    TAG: @darthhelinith, @darthbernael

    @HanSolo29, let's roll on. [face_thumbs_up]
     
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  20. darthhelinith

    darthhelinith Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Feb 10, 2009
    IC: Helinith
    Bastion Air Conditioning Vents


    Helinith didn’t even look at the camera that she took from Insipid’s hand, shoving it in a pocket. She was already in business mode, sizing up the vent.

    Her hands went up, feeling around the grate, seeing how it was attached, weighing options, making decisions. She closed her eyes to focus and one by one the screws loosened themselves until they were caught in the air by her outstretched hand. With a jump, the cover was pulled off, another jump and she was half pulling, half wiggling herself into the vent, as quietly as she could.

    There was a metal ‘clunk’, low but Helinith cursed under her breath as her foot made contact with the metal around it. She reached down, pulled off her boots and dropped them out of the vent. This would have to be a barefoot job.

    Now all of her was inside, it felt quite familiar and cozy. She silently made her way up, down, across.... The only thing that separated this from countless other infiltrations as a daughter was the strong dark side presences that she felt around her. She shuddered at a faint chuckling sound which (unknown to Helinith) was Maladi, apparently lost in her seemingly half-mad state. Next, she heard the sound of people moving around and a heavy door shifting, but ignored this, focusing on continuing to move onward, swiftly but silently. One couldn’t freeze up every time one heard something below.

    Her knees began to ache from crawling a long time before she reached the place Insipid intended (one piece of equipment she missed having from back in the day was kneepads) and so, once she reached her destination and carefully placed the camera to peer between the vent slits down at the meeting room below, she took a little time to rest before the long journey back. If their incursion was detected after the fact, the last thing she wanted to leave in the vents was traces of blood.

    Tags: @Sinrebirth
     
  21. darthbernael

    darthbernael EU Community Mod, Fuego, Pyrofuego! star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Apr 15, 2019
    OOC: @Sinrebirth again enjoying playing a deranged Sith a bit too much in a combo

    IC Bernael and Maladi
    In the Dungeons

    Bernael found the walk to the dungeons intriguing, especially the encounter with the Emperor. He kept the small smile off his face as the Emperor’s threat hung in the air. He walked into the cell provided, freely. Before he’d fully entered he’d felt that same old presence which had since disappeared, even though he could feel touches of it at the edges of his mind. He had no doubts that that being was here so the compulsion was not as effective where it came to him. However, whatever that being’s plans were he did not need to disrupt them, chances were they would aid him, even should they cause further friction between the two of them.

    What was more intriguing however was the Dark presence nearby. One wall away nearby, to be specific. He could taste the mind that was there and knew who it had to be, a Sith that in many ways harked back to the old ways, but was as dangerous to allies as she was to friends. But, given it may be some time before he had a visitor he decided it was worth speaking to her, just to pass the time.

    Moving to the center of the room he closed his eyes for a moment then, when they reopened, they were black within black, Maladi, I see you are here as well. I did not see you at the briefing so you must have been on another errand for Krayt. Or was it an errand of your own?”

    Maladi snorted, her voice carrying through the wall with ease, amplified but directed. You would have to be within a rooms distance to overhear, such was her precision.

    "Lord Bernael!" There was a chattering laugh to her voice. "Did you cross paths with Skywalker too, and he broke you? My mind has not been the same since... but I can taste his presence upon you? Is not the end of sanity the true beginning of freedom?"

    Bernael heard the insanity in her reply, felt that her encounter with Cade was very different from his own. ”I did encounter Cade, but found him arrogant, unreceptive to fresh ideas. Almost Sith-like in how he perceived things, even with his adherence to mostly Light sided principles. But I did come away from that encounter with my mind intact, as Kryat decided to betray everyone at the culmination of my battle with the Skywalker.”

    He recalled almost having reached Cade, almost having shown him the error of his ways before that point. A shrug, not all battles come with the outcome one desires, which made him chuckle as he considered that Maladi most likely didn’t expect a touch of madness as the result of her encounter with that man.

    "Betrayal? The Master - he lives?" She sounded in awe of this fact. "Into stasis Wyyrlok claimed... but dead, I knew him to be dead." She leaned against the wall, though there was no impression given to Bernael of this. "Tell me more, more, more."

    A flutter of memories were hurled at Bernael by her fractured mind. An encounter surrounded by Yuuzhan Vong biots; a mutated Zeltron; a Jedi Padawan and Cade and another human intervening in her lair - Cade grabbed her, and broke her, broke her, broke her -

    Bernael leaned back in his cell, feeling the onrushing memories from Maladi, the loop at the end the most telling. Cade had truly broken her, for now, at least. She hadn’t been the most stable beforehand and now she needed something to break her from that loop, possibly restore a little of her sanity.

    ”Yes Krayt lives. He set up the latest battle, at the seemingly lost Jedi Temple. He did so to draw as many combatants here as possible before he unleashed a secret weapon. It is no secret I was not in his inner circle and it showed, I was sent with a Legion to attack the Temple and made it as far as confronting Cade, near the Jedi’s tunnels before Krayt’s new forces overwhelmed everything. Brainwashed force users, turned into mindless, pain suppressed, warriors at his personal command. The Moff I was working with was one of the first killed, nearby, but not the last. We had to fight our way out to a transport, and even then almost got free of the carnage before the Imperial Knights took us as prisoners. But Cade is here, Maladi.”

    "Sith warriors? Cyborgs, undoubtedly... no spell could undo a Sith will for long..." Maladi chittered with a brittle laugh. "Lord Krayt, he had me research the Battlelords... the Muur Talisman... the mechu-deru... all wayssss for a Dark Lord to secure the loyalty of his horde, beyond a mere philosophical accord."

    She giggled. "How smart!"

    "And now you're in prison!" Maladi clapped her hands loudly, repeatedly. "What a twist and turn!"

    Bernael chuckled, ”There was a great deal of the cyborg in them, they were certainly not following their own will in any way, didn’t even feel pain. I can admire Krayt’s drive to produce such creatures but not the fact I had to kill them to not be stuck on that planet alone and regenerating.”

    He stepped closer, fingers rasping on the wall, ”You were brought here, most likely unwillingly or unknowingly, considering how your mind currently is working, but I came voluntarily, for the sake of my Legion, knowing that there was much that was still to be done. Such as destroying the Sith Trooper Cade has before the others find out how it works and try to replicate it themselves.”

    Maladi wondered aloud. "You're a traitor, you say?"

    "You want to destroy the Sith Trooper cyborg?" She crooned. "How interestinggggg. You disapprove of their existence more than worry about the enemy getting them."

    A dark chuckle sounded from his lips, ”Putting words in my mouth? I did not say I was a traitor, simply that I was given a choice, have my ship and Legion blown out from under me, or accept the hospitality here.” He waved his arms around the space even though she could not see.

    ”I disapprove of the willful destruction, lessening of Force users, for one beings purpose. If they choose to give in to one side or the other that is one thing, but being subsumed under one other being’s consciousness, yes I believe it is a perversion. Ironic, considering how and what I am.”

    Maladi grinned. “Treachery to the self at the expense of the One... the philosophy of the One Sith, it could be said. If our Lord and Master used you as bait - your loyalty was suspect. But then again,” she sounded mournful. “If you were not born a Sith, but turned, it come from a differing origin than by the hand of Krayt, then indeed you are treated as a second-class Sith.”

    “But that!” She opined, “is his right as Dark Lord! The only one that exists now. Gone are the Baneite’s and Tribe. Crushed have the Dominion, and Acolytes of Darkness, been. Erased, were the Maleficarum. Undone, have the Vapid. All Sith legacies end at him - Darth Krayt.”

    “Krayt, Krayt, Krayt... the Sith Dragon, the Dragon of Tatooine and Zakuul and Iokath... the Dark Man - the One who now stands in the place of the Son.” She devolved into muttering, and abandoned her conversation.

    Bernael smiled, the conversation had gone about as well as he could expect with a being whose mind had been shredded. It did serve a secondary purpose as well. He was sure that there were prying ears about, of one kind or another, and the way he had discussed things would lead to whoever was listening to know he wasn’t a hardcore, faithful adherent to Krayt.

    Of course, some of what he said would cause concern in a strategic sense, but that was the price of playing the grand game. He settled down in the middle of the cell, closing his eyes, and appearing to rest.

    As he settled into his apparent rest he muttered, Aden, given our past, you better not leave me to rot in this cell.”

    TAGS: @Sinrebirth, @darthhelinith
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 27, 2020
  22. HanSolo29

    HanSolo29 RPF/SWC/Fan Art Manager & Bill Pullman Connoisseur star 7 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Apr 13, 2001
    A combo with Sinrebirth – thank you so much! :D

    IC: Aryan Graul, Admiral Gar Stazi, Jhoram Bey, and Anj Dahl
    Orbit, then Fortress, Bastion

    After the embarrassing scene that had occurred in the conference room, Aryan had opted to keep his distance for the duration of their journey. He did not want to see Bernael or any of the man’s colleagues until they arrived at their destination, partly to give himself more time to acclimate to his new surroundings. But he knew it was far more complicated than that. For one, he was still upset about being recalled to the war; this was no longer his fight, and yet…here he was. He knew that was probably clouding his perceptions and affecting his ability to think clearly. No doubt that was also how Bernael had managed to take control. It rankled him more than he cared to admit.

    To clear his mind, he had ultimately retreated to the hangar to tinker with his starfighter. He found that the mechanical processes involved in such delicate work were both soothing and invigorating, especially when he was still very much a ‘rocketjock’ at heart. His natural love for flying made it easy to lose himself in the moment. This was his safe haven.

    However, that bubble shattered when they decanted from hyperspace a few hours later. An urgent call came in from the Alliance fleet, and they had requested his presence on the bridge. Due to the unconventional methods he had utilized during his escape, he had expected this. It was only a matter of time before Bey tracked him down to lecture him over his ‘insolent behavior’.

    And so, with his thoughts safely guarded behind a grim expression, Aryan now stood on the far right of the bridge to address the irate Weequay. “This is Graul,” he rumbled simply, his thumb tapping restlessly against the comm display as he leaned casually against the console’s edge. His demeanor wasn’t so much an act of defiance as it was impatience. He wanted to get this over with so he could return to his duties on Nubia.

    Bey bit back quickly enough. "I let you fly a Crossfire into the Battle of Taivas, and next thing I know, you're working with a Sith... and here, in the Bastion system. The Admiral is trying to keep a multi-faction alliance together, and you're sitting with the Stormtrooper, Knighthunters, and Sith Lord - and making everyone want to know why I pushed you forward."

    The Weequay sounded more than annoyed.

    Aryan grit his teeth to ease his temper, though the gesture ultimately proved ineffective. He still clenched the edge of the panel with enough force to turn his knuckles white. “I’m not aligned with the Sith,” he replied tersely, his gaze hardening as he scrutinized the comm display, almost as if he expected Bey to perceive his glare through the remote line that linked them together. “I made a judgment call based on real-time data in the field; it was about mitigating the risk factor. Considering my actions saved both a refugee shuttle and your precious Crossfire, I’d say I made a damn fine decision.”

    The line buzzed, and then it came through a different, firmer, more brusque voice - if at all possible. "This is Stazi; Aryan Graul, I've a group of Sith-Imperials, another Imperial and ourselves - I have no diplomats to hand to negotiate our way through this. The Emperor I can handle; but everyone below that? I need someone who speaks the language of politics.

    "And as you're aboard a Sith ship which somehow K'Kruhk has convinced the Imperials to accept to the surface, I need you to step up and come to a meeting about our defeat."

    Folding his arms over his chest, Aryan rocked back on his heels and narrowed his eyes as he considered the Admiral’s words. He had to admit, it was an enticing offer. He had always intended to eventually step away from the dull mediocrity that had consumed the inner workings of local politics to pursue a career on the galactic stage. This was his chance to prove that he had the necessary skillset to satisfy those ambitions and make his dream a reality.

    Of course, he was still wary about the current engagement and the underlying motives that fueled it, but what other choice did he have? Another opportunity like this would not come along so readily. He had to seize the moment.

    As he returned his attention to the comm, his expression sobered.

    “You anticipate a surrender, then?” Aryan asked after a brief pause, his tone carrying a hint of incredulity, though that was all part of the act. In truth, he only wanted to keep the Admiral on edge; to make him desperate.

    “I’m afraid I’ll require more specifics, Admiral, especially if you expect me to formulate a plan in such a limited timeframe.” He then canted his head, an impish smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth. “Otherwise, I may have to decline your request.”

    Admiral Stazi huffed, amused, almost. "Good answer. You tell me, Graul; what plan should I have when the Sith turned up with those Dragons and Sith Troopers? We've been outflanked, and routed." Another chuckle. "I can't give you a staff, but I can give you the opportunity to shape what happens next... if we win."

    "How does Chief of Staff sound? You can be my second in non-military matters?" He wanted to speak Aryan's language; the wily Duros knew he wasn't in a position to make demands but the galaxy was at stake. He'd play that card if need be.

    The ship settled down with a slight thud.

    Aryan hardly noticed the reverberation that rumbled through the ship when they landed; he was too enthralled by the Admiral’s proposal to consider anything else. In truth, his gambit had paid off, and now the man was handing him exactly what he wanted. That type of influence boosted his confidence and made him feel…invincible. It was almost intoxicating.

    Of course, he also had to temper his response. He didn’t want to come across as too eager and potentially botch this opportunity. That would reflect poorly on his character, and he couldn’t afford to make a mistake at this juncture.

    “The conditions still aren’t ideal, but I think I can make it work,” Aryan surmised in an even tone, his hand brushing across his chin thoughtfully. “At the very least, it’ll provide me with the necessary leverage to ensure that they will listen. That’s a step in the right direction.”

    He nodded to himself, allowing another smile to overtake his features. “Consider it done, Admiral. I’ll see you shortly.”

    As the hangar dropped, Aryan would be greeted by a group of blue-jacketed GA soldiers, an air of tension to them. Indeed, exiting the room was San, escorted by a Jedi Master, Trask, escorted by a young woman with an Imperial gait, and Bernael was being led away by two Imperial Knights. "Nothing to worry about, Graul," the lead officer said, a young woman with a smile. "They're just being debriefed by their respective factions."

    Aryan pressed his lips into a thin line and regarded the newcomer with a sidelong glance. Her dark skin and large, hazel eyes gave her aesthetic appeal, though that wasn’t what had initially attracted his gaze. It was the way she had addressed him as if to imply that he was distressed by the others being led away. That kind of assumption was slightly off-putting, if somewhat demeaning.

    In truth, he didn’t really know any of them; it wasn’t any of his business where they were going and who they were meeting with. They had fulfilled their duty, and he had carried through with his. As far as he was concerned, that was the end of it. Maybe he was even relieved to part company, particularly with Bernael...

    And yet, despite his misgivings, he took her comment in stride, offering a small nod as the usual smirk spread over his features.

    "Anj Dahl; Rogue Leader." She held out a hand to shake. "You flew pretty well, considering you were rusty. But you're a politician by trade I gather?" She led Aryan deeper into the Imperial fortress, which seemed to have swarming personnel everywhere. "You're being brought to a meeting with the head honchos."

    "I'm leaving you there; I'm way too squeamish for what's going to happen at it." She grinned.

    "Doctors pawing over captives? No thank you."

    A short chuckle issued from Aryan’s throat as he accepted her proffered hand, his eyes darting surreptitiously beyond the woman’s shoulder to survey the surge of activity around them. He noted that many of the individuals they passed appeared restive and nervous, no doubt a reflection of recent events and a reminder of what ultimately hung in the balance. They could not afford to fail.

    It was a sobering thought, though Aryan momentarily pushed it aside to carry on the conversation with the woman before him.

    “You can thank my wife for setting me down that path,” he quipped with an impish grin, his light-hearted tone matching her levity. “I should’ve been at home recovering from an injury, but she insisted that I follow her around on her philanthropic campaign. I guess she didn’t want to leave me out of her sight, but who would’ve thought that it would lead to politics? I can almost guarantee that she didn’t account for that. She was probably just as shocked as I was when I ended up winning my first council seat.”

    He laughed once more, but then paused as he pulled uncomfortably at the collar of his flight suit, suddenly feeling awkward in light of such an important meeting. “Uh, actually,” Aryan drawled, his brow creasing into a frown. “You don’t happen to have a change of clothes, do you? This isn’t exactly appropriate attire for someone in my position.”

    His actions may have seemed vain, but he wanted to ensure that he made a good impression in front of the top brass.

    The troopers looked at each other, and then at the room they were approaching. “In there, sir,” one said, and then the speaker rapped the door with a knuckle, and the group turned away to protect the entrance.

    The door opened, showing a room that included a bed and wardrobe and refresher, all in austere white and greys - guest quarters within an Imperial fortress. But in the center of the bed was a set of GA blues, a comlink, and a data-card.

    The card included a message from Admiral Stazi.

    Graul, we’ll need you on best form today.

    I can’t negotiate everything, and the Emperor himself is staying aloof from our interactions - relying upon his daughter, Princess Marasiah, to manage us. So I need you to be my representative.

    Grand Admiral Yage is leading the defected Sith-Imperials, but he’s keeping his group together as one unit. We don’t want the Sith-Imperials to have their own identity in the coalition; nobody does. But Emperor Fel tends to execute captured Imperials who don’t defect, and he can’t guarantee the loyalty of all the Sith-Imperials. I won’t allow a massacre, but he has security concerns.

    The Sith-Troopers are the most pressing point of business, as I am sure you can agree with, but without a bedrock, we won’t be able to move forward. I’ve invited you to the Sith Trooper investigation - it will likely turn into a political discussion anyway. Cade Skywalker has turned over a captured Trooper to the Emperor’s medics... so you may be watching some gruesome scenes, but it’s necessary to understand the enemy before Darth Krayt attacks Bastion.

    If the Trooper escapes - we can’t guarantee your safety. But if the attack begins... I can’t anyway. So if you want to record a message for a loved one, forward it to the head of Imperial Security, Hogrum Chalk, for vetting before transmission. Emperor Fel was very clear on this.

    Let’s not upset our hosts before the preliminaries, Graul. I know you’re a decent pilot, but I need a politician today. Tomorrow, who knows - but this war and position will be over soon enough.

    One way or another.


    With a weary sigh, Aryan tossed the datacard back on the bed after viewing its contents, his expression turning hard and sullen. The message was grim, yet poignant in its sincerity. It reflected the enormity of their mission and the responsibility that came along with it. Despite a strong inclination to step away – at least initially, he had willfully accepted this challenge.

    And why?

    Because he understood that this was the Alliance’s last chance; that this was his only chance to prove himself. That was his burden to bear.

    And so, as he began to unfasten the clasps of his flight suit to change into the freshly-pressed uniform they had provided for him, his thoughts naturally went out to his wife. Stazi had suggested that he record a short message to send home as a precaution, a candid memo that would ultimately serve as a word of farewell...

    But it wasn’t Aryan’s style to pour his heart out like that. It was too melodramatic. Furthermore, it wouldn’t benefit anyone, least of all him or his family, if he focused on negative thoughts and outcomes. He was confident enough in his abilities to know that he would persevere; he was young and resilient. If his recent victory over Stazi was any indication, he also possessed the kind of influence he required to succeed.

    There was no need to cause Lyz undue worry under those circumstances, especially when she was already distraught over his current predicament. Instead, he decided to keep things more optimistic and hopeful. It would help with her anxiety.

    As he sat down on the bed, he arranged his datapad on the adjacent desk so that it would function as a holorecorder for his purposes. Once the improvised setup met with his approval, he cleared his throat and began to speak:

    “Uh, hi...Lyz,” Aryan murmured with an awkward smile, his posture relaxed except for an underlying tension in his shoulders. It was also clear from his tone that he was ad-libbing his words. “You know how much I hate recording these things – they never make sense beyond a certain context, but umm...this isn’t anything like that. Don’t worry. I just thought it was pertinent to give an update, especially since I couldn’t explain myself when we spoke earlier. Things turned complicated. I still can’t provide too many details because of liability issues – it’s classified, but I’m confident that this will end soon. I’m about to head into a conference to negotiate terms, maybe a defining moment for my career. It’s big, Lyz…real big. So much is hanging in the balance.”

    Pursing his lips, he paused to curtail his excitement before continuing in a much calmer voice. “Anyway, everything will be fine. I don’t want you to stress over this. I’ll be home soon, and then we can carry on as before. I promise.” Another smile eased over his features and reached his eyes, genuine and gentle. “Tell Arek to behave while I’m gone...and not to touch that old Headhunter laid up in the hangar without my permission. We’ll finish the restoration when I get back. I miss him–err, I miss you both. Love you.”

    Aryan ended the call with his customary smirk and a playful salute – two things that he knew Lyz wouldn’t be able to resist.

    [​IMG]

    After he had forwarded the recording to the proper channels for review, he continued on with his preparations for the meeting that loomed ahead.

    TAG: @Sinrebirth; @darthbernael; @darthhelinith
     
  23. Sinrebirth

    Sinrebirth Mod-Emperor of the EUC, Lit, RPF and SWC star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Nov 15, 2004
    IC: Darth Insipid
    Meditating, Bastion tunnels

    Aden.

    Insipid twitched, and it nearly knocked him out of his meditations. His connection with Helinith allowed him to hear the chit-chat between the prisoners - the husky one, the mad one. He thought he recognised the former, but it had been too long, and he couldn't put it together... he hadn't been Aden Kya for a century now...

    With a deep breath, he refocused as Helinith arrived in the vent above the meeting room...

    --
    Escorted to the Sith-Imperial delegates area, slightly above the medical bay

    There had been a very brief moment, before another room was exposed to Helinith - another transparisteel room, but it was unclear; the wall was indeed see-through, but if you peered through it from the outside, you wouldn't see. in that room presently stood a group of humans - two male and one female - and Bernael, who had been silently collected and escorted by a group of Stormtroopers - far too few to stop him, but enough to tempt him to escape - was led there, where he met Grand Admiral Yage.

    [​IMG]

    Grand Admiral Yage

    The man stood with his daughter, but also with Trask, the Stormtrooper swiftly saluting. "Harkas is recovering well, sir."

    Yage eyed the man, who blushed. "Apologies, sir, but I wanted Lord Bernael to know."

    "I'm sure," he said, gruffly. "But it's just Bernael now."

    "Yes, Grand Admiral."

    The officer was infamous. He had led the Empire at the Massacre of Ossus, which had slaughtered half of the remaining Jedi - and took the life of Kol Skywalker. That single event eight years ago had prevented Emperor Fel from regrouping with the Jedi and overthrowing the Sith - instead Krayt slew four Imperial Knights and the Emperor's decoy... and the horror had began.

    All because Yage had allowed Darth Nihl to bully him into advancing on Ossus.

    A hero? He had regretted it to this day.

    The man eyed up the Anzati. "Emperor Fel and Admiral Stazi want to subsume us in the Empire again, but I can't allow that without guarantees for my crews. Everyone knows that his Majesty slaughtered the entire crew of the Dauntless when they swapped sides as part of a Sith plot." That was, though Bernael might not know the specifics, some nine thousand Imperials, that Emperor Fel had executed to avoid the risk of a single enemy agent. That meant the Emperor was now particularly sensitive of defectors.

    "Until then, I intend to hold together my part of the fleet as the Sith-Imperial Remnant. If it continues, I'll lay claim to set of sectors in the Outer Rim and seek an accord with whatever government survives what is to come..." Yage paused, as his daughter grimaced, and Trask took in a breath. "Are you in?"

    ---
    The Galactic Alliance delegate's area, above the medical area

    The Duros Admiral was right there as Aryan Graul arrived, peering at the politician with a jaded guise. Present with him was the Chadra-Fan Jedi Master, Tili Qua, who promptly stepped over to the human and shook his hand without much besides.

    [​IMG]

    Tili Qua

    "You flew with the TwinTails that allowed us to escape the Battle of Taivas, Aryan Graul," she shook again. "Thank you for your service. Had you not kept that Sith Trooper's fighter off Skull Squadron, Admiral Yage's daughter would have been unable to shoot down Darth Rauder and save myself and the Jedi children. I am very much in your debt."

    Admiral Stazi grinned. "So perhaps you'll allow us to have our way with the discussions."

    The Jedi Master exchanged a look with the hard-nosed Duros. "I wouldn't say anything, Admiral. The Jedi Order and Galactic Alliance are often allies, but not always, and the Order will keep its independence from any government."

    Stazi glanced at Aryan. "See what I have to deal with?"

    There was a rap at the door, and these parted, allowing in three Imperials. There was the Emperor himself, Roan Fel, his head of security, Hogrum Chalk, and then an aged Imperial Knight, Treis Sinde. There was a lull; everyone knew who was who, but the Emperor nonetheless turned to look at Aryan Graul.

    "A Rogue Squadron pilot, I understand," supplied the cyborg Chalk. "Or perhaps a senior politician from Nubia; the Alliance doesn't always have a linear command structure."

    Stazi was about ready to explode and erupt.

    ---
    But then

    But then, the lights were dimmed, the amptitheatre below was lit, as the physicians walked in a hovergurney. Upon it was a Sith Trooper; a cyborg that Bernael would recognise, and Aryan was quietly involved by the small Jedi Master. They watched as the surgeons worked the screaming, roaring, cackling, thoroughly insane creation.

    "By the Gods," Yage said, shocked, in his room with Bernael, his daughter, and Trask. The Stormtrooper had paled, the younger woman had pressed her lips together.

    Bernael's reaction was his own.

    "What in the hell," muttered Stazi. Fel grew hard in the Force; his expression was similarly troubled. The Jedi Master was completely silent. The Imperial Knight had nothing to say; he was here to guard, not to speak, until asked to.

    Aryan's reaction would be his own.

    Of course, above it all, Helinith was watching, as this dark side monstrosity was cut into. Insipid steeled her; it would be a bit of a revelation if she threw up over the gathering. Either room would be a disaster.

    [​IMG]

    The Sith died, and everyone was silent for a terrible moment as the doctor continued on.

    TAG: @HanSolo29, @darthbernael, @darthhelinith
     
  24. darthhelinith

    darthhelinith Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Feb 10, 2009
    IC: Helinith
    Ewww...


    Helinith didn't panic when the rooms below her suddenly began to fill. She wouldn't have been a master of vent warfare if she had. She calmly slowed her breathing, her body slowly freezing into place, not allowing herself to shift, not even to scratch her nose.
    Whether or not she realised it, she was in a half-medative trance by the time the Sith trooper was wheeled in.

    The surgeons got to work and despite her calm state, she began to feel slightly dizzy, mostly at the savage sight of such a brutal melding of metal and flesh that was revealed as the creature was cut open.

    High up in the roof, she felt the reactions from those below her, and recognised that these people considered what they saw an abomination, but she herself had trouble understanding the moral objection.

    While she would have not been able to identify it, her own deeply ingrained programming (from long before she had ever met Insipid) couldn't find much issue with such a creature. Sure, she didn't ever want to meet it in battle, and it was pretty disgusting looking, but there were plenty of other creatures in the galaxy that were stronger than her and equally hideous. All it wanted in life was to follow Lord Krayt and do his bidding, it was just a pity that that seemed to involve stomping anything and everything in its path. She watched its death and felt sorry that it had to die in such a way: it seemed a waste. The thing yearned for a warrior's glorious death on the battlefield.

    Poor beast.

    Tag: @Sinrebirth
     
  25. darthbernael

    darthbernael EU Community Mod, Fuego, Pyrofuego! star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Apr 15, 2019
    OOC: Comboing with @Sinrebirth

    IC Bernael, Grand Admiral Yage, et al
    Observing the dissection, Bastion

    A slight touch of humor floated on Bernael’s face, behind the mask, as he was brought before Yage, his daughter, and Trask. The walk to the room had been the true reason for the humor, as it was obvious that whoever led whatever faction that was currently either in charge or trying to gain his attention had put so few guards upon him he could have escaped easily. But he had given his parole and unless his life was truly threatened he would keep it.

    When he arrived he nodded to the salute from Trask, pleased that Harkas would survive but Yage immediately took control of the situation, explaining his reasoning. Bernael listened and thought through what the Grand Admiral had said, but before he had a chance to respond to the man, the medical theatre they were above lit, their rooms lights dimming, to afford a better view of the proceedings.

    A tic to the corner of his lip formed as he felt the reactions of almost everyone in the vicinity. Each had their own response but he stood there, arms clasped behind his back, face otherwise impassive, eyes giving away nothing, his emotions quiet in the Force. He maintained that posture throughout the entire woken dissection of the Sith Trooper. He could sense as the shattered remains of the soul left the body of the trooper, even as the doctor continued his work.

    ”Good riddance, those things are an abomination. Force users with the potential for greatness twisted into less than sentient beings, whose only will is that of Krayt. And yet, someone will attempt to copy it, of that I am certain.”

    Turning his gaze to Yage, he touched upon the thoughts that seemed at the surface of the man’s mind, just grazing the surface without truly intruding. He seemed an honorable man and one given to introspection based upon past actions and a desire to not see those actions repeated. His care for his people was palpable, as was the desire to not have them be destroyed out of hand by Fel.

    ”I am sure you have seen or heard the transcripts of the conversation between myself, the leader of the Imperial Knights, and Master K'Kruhk. Not to mention your daughter was present when I was taken into custody, so my personal beliefs are on record, one that i will make sure vanishes one of these days, so as to remain as much in the Shadows as possible.”

    One hand rose, took in Trask, ”And I am sure you put his personal loyalty to me to the test as well, when he was debriefed. He is Imperial, yes, but some loyalties sometimes supersede political ones, such as ties of blood, or….affection.” a smile colored his lips once more at the last.

    ”But you ask that I join you. The way I see it, Fel claims Imperium but on the side of Light, very much so. On the other extreme, we have Krayt, steeped in Darkness, to the point he perverts sentience to create things lie those.” his arm now took in the remains of the Sith Trooper still being dissected. ”I am willing to listen to what you propose, but what matters most to me, in this situation are the lives of my people, and that does include the Jedi who became our medic, in the course of the battle.”

    Yage nodded gravely. "My daughter has briefed me, yes, and Trooper Trask was sure to mention you and Jedi San at various points." Gunner looked typically superior, and she glanced at Trask, who was again blushing. The Grand Admiral allowed a shadow of a smile to touch his features for the merest moment.

    "In previous wars, the losing side would have a right to manage it's own affairs, to atone. I would merely request that my men and women have permission to do so also. If the Yuuzhan Vong and old Empire can be given a quiet backwater to recover from their trauma, so too can we. Key to that survival is striking an accord with the major powers," Yage nodded, "yes, but also the Force. We cannot so easily step away from our Sith roots - most of us propped up the regime for the better part of a decade - but you have shown that to be a Sith is not to be destructive. There must be other Sith who think poorly of Krayt... especially as he appears to wish to replace them all with those monsters."

    Trask shivered, and even Gunner soured a little.

    Bernael nodded, he had his own mission but that did not mean that he could not or should not aid this group. If a more, hmmmm, grey, set of Sith Imperials could rise, could show that even in darkness some light could be found it could be counted as a plus to his overall mission. A small smile touched his lips as he thought that through.

    ”Passion is a key tenant of the Sith but passion and power do not always mean trying to be the most destructive being in existence. That is part of why I was considered an expendable asset by Krayt, I come from an older lineage, one that did not subscribe to such blind ambition and violence.”

    He thought about the conversation with Maladi, ”I do believe that away from the core true believers of Krayt’s you would find Sith that would want what you do, as well as others like the late Moff Geist who, if he’d survived, would have been a willing participant in this.”

    He turned his gaze to Trask, looking deeply into the man, almost oblivious to the Yages. And then he blinked, looked away, and nodded once more, ”I am willing to aid you in this, if it can mean the survival of my people. And such a legion can show others, who may have doubts, that such a societal choice can work, even in miniature.”

    Yage nodded, slowly. "It will be a very hard sell... especially as Stazi and the Emperor are playing their own game of who leads who." The Imperial indicated with his hand outside the room. "Here, at this meeting, the Emperor and the Admiral both attend in a separate room, with the senior Jedi representative. Each faction has something the other needs; Fel has territory, and Bastion, but Stazi has a larger force he can dedicate to any one engagement. Meanwhile the Jedi have the Jedi, of course, that can balance out the Sith but not in numbers."

    "But outside of that room, Roan delegates all his interactions with the Admiral to his daughter, which means Stazi has to delegate as well, or be perceived to be lesser." A huff. "So your friend Aryan Graul has been picked for that role, due to his political experience on Nubia."

    Trask looked unhappy as to that, but Gunner replied. "Which means its smart for us to delegate negotiating power to someone, too, if we are to become the fourth faction in all this."

    The Stormtrooper peered back at them all, the younger man not enjoying this political talk. "But none of this has anything to do with the Sith Troopers that are about to kill all of us." He looked at Yage. "You do realise that?"

    At a raise eyebrow from the Grand Admiral, he stuttered to add. "Sir, that is."

    One eyebrow raised behind the mask on Bernael’s face. ”So,” a humorous chuckle emerged, ”you need someone who may seem impartial but favorable to your cause. One who can be your representative to this gathering, so you also do not seem lesser.”

    He looked down at the nearly complete dissection. Thinking about the current situation his gaze rose again, looking at the surface thoughts on the minds of Yage and his daughter. He was sure of Trask's mind, but he had to be sure of the other two. Sometimes need created strange bedfellows.

    ”I will do so, knowing, to a small degree, Graul, from his short time on my ship. However,” his eyes darkened slightly, ”I will request that my people stay together, even if I must negotiate separately with the Jedi Grandmaster, for San. There are at least two reasons why. One she is, or has become, a part of my legion, and two, well…..it’s standing next to you, Admiral.”

    A semi sardonic smile crossed his face.It had been a little unusual when San had first shown her affection for the trooper but they were both good people and he would do what he could to ensure they were not split or put on separate sides in this. ”She is Jedi but I trust her and I know she and I can work out a compromise that will not reveal anything we do not wish revealed, to those who would wish this polity in formation ill will.”

    "A Jedi would afford us more legitimacy than a Sith, in current times," Yage allowed, nodding slowly. "I have no issues with San being given refuge, as your people, as you say." He looked to Trask. "Are you claiming this one, then? Him and Sergeant Harkas?"

    "A new Sith-Imperial Joker Squad?" Gunner quipped. "I'm reforming Skull Squadron over here, too. It'll be a mix of fighters, as I have my Sith Clawcraft still - and it's pretty much the best ship out there save for an Annihilator."

    Trask peered at Bernael. "I'm out of my depth here, y'know? I joined up a year ago? Fought at Borosk, Ossus, Napdu... we weren't on the good guy side of Imperial things."

    "Where any of us," Yage quipped, remembering those missions serving with Darth Azard aboard the War Hammer.

    Bernael let a small grin cross his face as he turned his gaze to Trask, ”You are more than just a simple trooper, Trask. And good, bad, are just different sides of the same coin. I wouldn’t have trusted you with the position I had you fulfilling if I was not sure you could do so.”

    He turned back to Admiral Yage, ”If A Jedi would lend more credence then discussions with the Jedi Grandmaster may need to be the first step. If San can be allowed to continue as she was then that would give that legitimacy. And yes, given the choice I would claim both Trask and Harkas, rebuild Joker into a mixed, full unit, as I described.”

    Grand Admiral Yage nodded. "Alright then, Lord Bernael. I'll get things rolling, reforming Skull and Joker Squadrons as our elites... and I give you permission to make the option to join us be given to San one of the negotiating points when you speak with the GA and Imperial representatives..."

    He nodded to Gunner, who produced a datapad. "I just want the principle of the existence of a Sith-Imperial Remnant to be agreed by the meeting." Yage indicated the datapad. "I otherwise intended to request eight sectors, much like the old Empire had at the time of the Bastion Accords."

    The 'pad had notes on it. He was seeking to claim a relatively minor part of the Outer Rim. The Abrion, Quiberon, Sevetta, Ferra, Herios, Instrop, Grohl and Hunnovers sectors were all he was requesting. But that was detail; principle was the intent.

    "Otherwise half of my crews will be executed in whatever war tribunals follow the war." Yage stiffened. "And all of us present here, too."

    A small smile crossed Bernael’s face, the stake were almost always life or death but that was the way of the galaxy when you were working to keep said galaxy from tipping over the edge. He filed away everything that they’d discussed, in his mind, to be recalled as he negotiated with the other representatives. Keeping his people together was a relief, he often worked alone but these humans had become almost as his children.

    ”I will ensure that the polity that you desire is the priority of the negotiations from our side of it. Without giving away too much to the other negotiators.” To his mind such a ‘neutral’ Sith/Imperial organization would or could serve as a counterbalance to the extremes of Krayt or Fel. It would assist in keeping things from tipping too far one way or the other. However, over time, he’d just have to ensure it didn’t start moving toward one of those extremes. But that was a worry for the future.

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