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

Star Wars OPEN New Sith Trials: Dark Reach: Episode I: An Order Remade

Discussion in 'Role Playing Forum' started by Lady_Belligerent , Jul 1, 2019.

  1. Shadowsun

    Shadowsun Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 26, 2017
    OOC: Combo with @Sinrebirth

    IC: Darth Azathoth

    Luxury Elite hangar, Coruscant orbit

    The dark apprentice was only half-listening to the Chagrian as he rambled on the glories of old. His attention was strictly on finding a way off this ship, a feeling out the epic duel between his Master and this mystery combatant. He felt the whirlwind of emotions swarm over him in the Force, a great Tsunami of negative emotion.

    In time they would come across the hanger six mercenaries blocking their way. He eyed the Chagrain, a slight look of annoyance directed towards him. What a hassle, it would be so much easier to just dispatch these six combatants but that left the possibility of the blue oaf getting killed.

    Azathoth simply looked to those that lifted up their blasters and raised an eyebrow. Wait, the fact that they didn't immediately lower their blasters when they saw Mas Amedda could only mean...

    Damn it

    Azathoth extended his hand out pushing back against one of the three that had lifted up their blasters and with his free hand grabbed his lightsaber ignited it and swiped to slay the other two.

    Two went down, and the third toppled, but the Mandalorian gunned his jetpack and hurtled forward, slamming into Azathoth -

    The lightsaber blade would not cut through the armour - it was beskar -

    Which put him at a distinct disadvantage.

    Mas Amedda cried out and dove behind a container, in his typically helpful manner -

    Azathoth stumbled as the Mandalorian slammed into him. He reached out with his hand to send the combatant flying with a shove from the Force.

    He gritted his teeth in annoyance, this mystery metal, he had to have some, his curiosity peaked.

    Eyeing one of the other, non-Mandalorian combatants that was still up he took a swing with his lightsaber attempting to cleave the mercenary in two.

    The Mandalorian flew away, but at least those two mercs split neatly in two. The last three recovered and opened fire with their weapons, intending to try and overwhelm Azathoth with massed blaster attacks -

    Amedda reached for one of the dropped blasters and took a shot, catching one in the throat -

    The Mandalorian stood and released a gout of flame at Azathoth -

    Azathoth swirled his lightsaber deflecting the blaster attacks, once again admiring how useful the weapon could be. He glanced to Amedda who was being somewhat useful in shooting one of the assailants.

    In the next moment Azathoth saw a great breath of fire hurl its way towards him, instinctively he leaped to the side, attempting to not take the brunt force of the fire. The heat of the flames prevented him from getting closer, with another flick of the wrist he attempted to knock the Mandalorian to the side, and then find a gap in their armor to impale them.

    This armor that they wore was proving to be most frustrating.

    The other guards were cooked alive, but the Mandalorian didn't notice or appear to care; but he did go flying, before gunning his jetpack to change his angle and hurl instead at Mas Amedda, who frantically fired a bolt which loudly spanged of the merc's helmet.

    With only the singular Mandalorian remaining Azathoth leaped toward him attempting to collide with the warrior and bring him to the ground. With his lightsaber still ignited he tried to pierce the small gap between the chest plate and the helmet hoping to pierce through the Mandalorian's neck and bring them thundering to the ground.

    The Mandalorian rolled out, trying to send Azathoth off him, but that didn't change his aim or intent - the Sith apprentice would be straddling his chest when the lightsaber went through his throat, and Amedda peered up as the man gargled and, finally, died.

    "Is it over?"

    The dark apprentice staggered up, exhausted from the fight that had just taken place. It had required more exertion than the realized. As he looked down at the Mandalorian he had just slain, he sheathed his lightsaber, panting and catching his breath as he turned to Amedda.

    "Yes, now let's get off this damn ship,"

    TAG: @Sinrebirth
     
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  2. Silvertough

    Silvertough Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Aug 19, 2018
    OOC: A rather exciting combo with @Sinrebirth :)

    IC: Darth Iudex
    and Shimmer
    Resurgent-class Star Destroyer

    Their attack was all going according to plan, the combined efforts of Iudex and Shimmer making quick work of the gathered Imperial defenders. The few that remained must surely have known they would soon be joining their brethren in the afterlife, yet they fought on, unwavering so.

    If it wasn't for the fact they were currently shooting at him, Iudex would have admired their bravery in the face of certain death. Instead, their antics only grew tiresome. Annoying. He had long since introduced his crimson lightsaber to the affair, cutting down the few riot troopers who had finally found it within themselves to make their final charge. Their death was quick, the only mercy the Falleen Sith could offer them.

    And so it went, one Imperial after another, until Iudex's battle trance was suddenly interrupted. From all sides of the Hangar Bay, massive doors of an unidentified metal slammed shut, effectively sealing off the Hangar from the rest of the vessel instantaneously.

    Before Iudex even had time to react to the first phase of the trap, phase two began. The Star Destroyer jumped into hyperspace, tossing whoever wasn't prepared off balance, or worse, off their feet entirely.

    The sudden rocking of the ship knocked Iudex momentarily off balance, overextending his gait as a riot trooper rushed in to exploit the sudden opening. The trooper's stun baton struck true, delivering a painful surge of electricity directly into the Iudex's armpit. Iudex hissed in pain, feeling his arm go limp. He moved quickly, spinning on his heel and kicking hard into the Riot Troopers chest, his armored boot caving in the man's sternum without apparent resistance.

    "Shimmer!" Iudex yelled, his voice muffled over the sound of the catwalks above being wrenched to the ground. His eyes flicked about, desperately searching for the apprentice whose he was charged to protect. Quickly they landed upon her, just as the remaining E-Web turret crew began to open fire on her.

    Iudex's body moved on it's own, solely on instinct. He had to protect the Apprentice, at all costs. To do otherwise would only bring shame, or worse, more meetings with the Emperor. Unthinking, Iudex directed a powerful Force Push towards Shimmer, intending to toss her out of the way of immediate danger.

    The push did what it needed, sending her tumbling aside, but she slammed into the wall with some force. She winced, and levitated a piece of sheared off shuttle-wing to shield her. "Iudex, we're in hyperspace, not sure what's going on."

    There were some Pyke allies aboard too, but they were ill-prepared for this strong an assault. The Stormtroopers were concentrating their fire, one at a time, mowing them down but they had a short moment of cover. Taking the initiative, she began to push against the shuttle, intending to hurl it through the enemy lines. "Help - me -" Shimmer said, straining -

    "I noticed!" Iudex's grunted as he hurled his lightsaber towards a nearby cluster of Stormtroopers in a wide arc. "Clearly we've stumbled into a trap. Undoubtedly the others share a similar fate.." Why the Super Star Destroyer had left as soon as it had arrived had been a source of internal debate for the Falleen Sith, now, the truth had become quite clear. With it gone, the remaining two Star Destroyers were easier targets. The gamble was elegant, in it's simplicity.

    Of course the Sith would try to board them. It was in their nature.

    Iudex could feel the irritation rising from within. The shame of being so easily read by the enemy. It would be a potent fuel. His lightsaber returned to his hand as he marched to Shimmer's position, having completed its deadly arc. He merely cocked an eyebrow as he watched her struggle with lifting the shuttle. For a moment, he wordlessly observed, as Pyke defenders began to fall, one by one.

    "As you wish." He intoned, ignoring the occasional blaster bolt ricocheting off his breastplate. Extinguishing his blade, Iudex followed suite with Shimmer, squaring off his stance as he focused fully on lifting the shuttle with the Force. "If you're trying to one-up my AT-STs," He grunted, a hint of fatigue in his voice, "You're gonna have to push yourself, a little harder!"

    Shimmer grinned, straining. "Let's try this -"

    She reached for his hand, the skin contact giving them a stronger connection, and they pushed -

    The shuttle rushed forward, slamming into the twenty Stormtroopers and killing most of them immediately. Shimmer released a sigh, looking around the burning-debris-strewn hangar, not another soul alive. She was suddenly conscious that she still held the Falleen's hand, and went to let go -

    As the shuttle blew up!

    Flaming wreckage flew into the air, hammering the ceiling, and there was a whining as six trooper-mounted-speeder bikes blared into the hangar, angling for them. Shimmer shoved out with the Force to separate them as the half dozen fast-moving enemies rushed between them, and she tripped over a corpse, rolling -

    The bike-riders split, three going one way, three the other, drawing their pistols and firing pot-shots at Iudex -

    Iudex turned his head, shielding his eyes from the sudden heat of the explosion. Squinting, he surveyed what little remained of the Hangar, finding himself surprised to find a distinct lack of Imperials firing at them. It would appear as if the two of them stood victorious, not that there was any uncertainty in the outcome.

    A moment of sweet silence. But It didn't last.

    Iudex sighed with a hint of annoyance, following the trajectory of the incoming speeder bikes with his eyes. "Either brave.. Or suicidal." He stated plainly, finding their antics terribly unamusing. More so as he watched Shimmer falling over something yet again. Without the imminent threat of death, the Falleen would have found the situation comical, but, like how so much of the day had progressed, it was just tiresome.

    Iudex didn't bother trying to deflect the biker's shots with his lightsaber, most of them were missing him anyways. Shaking his head, he began levitating various heaps of debris scattered about the hangar, before sending them hurtling into the Biker's paths at tremendous speeds.

    "I can't believe they've made fighting for my life boring.." He grumbled, tossing larger and larger pieces of scrap metal flying.

    The whine of the speeders gave way to death - theirs, of course.

    It was pretty boring, there was not much else to add to it.

    The fire was burning away, the corpses were what they were, the speeder bikes were done...

    Shimmer sat up in the middle of a small pile of debris. "Well, that was fun. You know how to show a girl a good time." Her voice was dry, and then she cocked her head. "Can you hear that?"

    It was a... skittering noise? Deeper in the ship, perhaps.

    "So we're in hyperspace, and this was a death-trap... I guess we need to take the bridge, and find out where we're going?" Shimmer brushed herself down, levitated a few grenades to her belt, as well a blaster rifle.

    And so it was. Iudex extinguished his blade and reattached it to his belt, his expression one of gloom. He had expected, hoped, for something a little more stimulating. For a trap they had so blindly stumbled into, the defenders didn't put up much of a fight. Perhaps the real trap still lay ahead, this being but an appetizer?

    Iudex sighed, his eyes flicking over each of the dead Pyke attackers. Their fighting spirit was also lacking. Disappointment all around, felt like.

    "Yeah, Bridge first, or if that doesn't work, we'll head for the Engines.." He said, rapping his knuckles against one of the Beskar plate walls. Iudex pursed his lips, not recognizing the metal. "I somewhat doubt Snoke is sending us on a vacation.. No, trapping us in an Imperial Star Destroyer has another purpose.." He turned to look at Shimmer, perplexed. "Can't be good, whatever that reason is. So, to the Bridge? After we stop this boat, we should try to contact Lords Hate and Hunger, I'm sure their already waiting for us."

    She nodded. "If this happened to them too, I imagine Snoke separated us. He's stalling," Shimmer said suddenly, surprised by her conclusion. "I bet they're still working on whatever the SSD headed towards in the Maelstrom, and this is just to distract us..."

    "... so I guess we need to hurry." Shimmer drew on the Force and began jogging deeper into the ship, through the entrance opened for the 'troopers and speeder bikes.

    The tannoy sounded out. We shall arrive in the Chandrila system in half an hour. Prepare for combat on arrival. Please disregard any announcements that we represent the Hapan forces; this is a ruse to deflect New Republic attention to the Sith. Repeat...

    Shimmer paused. "What's on Chandrila?"

    Iudex matched Shimmer's pace, following closely behind her. The corridor they spilled into was empty, silent, not even a mouse droid poised to meet them. It only further added to the Falleen's disappointment. The actions he had been forced to undertake on the last Resurgent, during the Battle of Hapes, had been regrettable, monstrous even. But something could at least be said about the heroics of the defenders then. Every hallway, every blast door had been a new skirmish.

    But here? Nothing. Iudex followed along behind Shimmer unimpeded, his ire rising. Yes, it was a trap, but still. Nothing?

    The announcement over the vessel's loudspeakers did nothing to quell his irritation, but it did at least answer his question.

    "What is the one thing keeping Snoke from invading the Hapes Cluster?" Iudex asked in response, turning a corner. "Chandrila, the last time I checked, was the New Republic's Capital. They'll jump right into a New Republic fleet, probably do some orbital bombardment, all the while broadcasting that the two Resurgent-class Star Destroyers firing at them belong to the Hapes Consortium.." He chuckled darkly. "It'll force the New Republic to invade the Cluster. They'll discover the Sith, we'll all be wiped out."

    A rather clever plan, all things considered. It was funny, having both factions of the Dark Side attempting to sic the New Republic on the other, all while keeping them blind to the truth. A dangerous game indeed.

    "So yes." He concluded with a pointed look. "We should probably hurry."

    Shimmer swore, feelingly, and repeatedly. She began to run, and the skittering increased. Shimmer slid to a stop, turned to the sound, which was now between the two of them - under the floor - there was a smell of burning, and then a hot patch began to appear - and also from the other bulkheads - and the ceiling -

    She ignited her blade. "Um, what the hell is this?"

    Iudex slowed to a stop, annoyed with the sudden stopping. Didn't Shimmer realize that time was crucial? The pair didn't have time to stop and investigate every weird bump, scratch or moan. They had a Star Destroyer to knock out of commission, not play detective.

    His eyes flicked about the corridor, spurred on by the ignition of Shimmer's lightsaber. The sounds of something, or somethings, skittering between the walls had only increased since the pair of Sith had stopped in the corridor.

    "Defense system of some kind?" Iudex offered, retrieving his own blade from his hip, but keeping it extinguished for the moment. "I think.. It would be best if we kept moving.." He said as he tentatively placed his palm against one of the bulkheads. The metal was warm to the touch, it's temperature seemingly increasing every few seconds.

    Iudex slowly took a step backwards away from the bulkhead, his brow furrowed. "Either way.. Prepare yourself.." He muttered, keeping his thumb hovering just over the ignition switch of his lightsaber.

    Shimmer nodded. “Let’s go -“

    She began to jog as the burning spread, seemingly following them. The bridge turbolift wasn’t far ahead, and she pushed the button from far and put on a burst of speed as the doors opened. Putting the turbolift on course she spun around to check on Iudex as the floor behind him exploded up into a stream of bug-droids -

    A swarm of them alit into the air, buzzing loudly -

    Shimmer cried out, pointing behind the Falleen as if he wouldn’t sense such a danger!

    This was the pivot point, however - Manticore had blown through the defences after the scarab droid swarm with his Gigasaber - what was around the bridge proper? Would they even survive the poisonous whirl?

    Lighting crackled in Shimmer’s free hand as she concentrated on generating some -

    As they ran, it became all to clear what was about to happen. Whatever the source of the infernal buzzing had followed the pair of Sith, even worse, they were gaining on them. Shimmer made it to the elevator first, launching herself into the tube with a tremendous burst of speed. Iudex had slowed his own stride, falling ever so slightly behind Shimmer as they ran.

    There was a purpose for the decision of course. As much as the Falleen had harped on the importance of reaching the Bridge, he couldn't deny a simple fact. Whatever was following them was gaining on them. Being stuck inside a narrow elevator shaft with whatever they were would be tantamount to suicide. Besides, Iudex was rather curious to see this newest defense system the First Order had cooked up first hand.

    Inside the Elevator, Shimmer cried out, pointing dramatically to something behind as the floor exploded outwards behind him.

    Droids. A writhing mass of tiny, scarab-like droids swarmed out of the floor at Iudex's heel. White lightning appeared writhing like a living thing, coiling down from Iudex's shoulders to his outstretched hands. A beat later it leaped forwards from his fingertips, surging forth into the mass of droids.

    Iudex grimaced, before focusing the trajectory of his lightning back into his own body. He had become a completed circuit, directing and redirecting his own lightning into a loop, with every completed revolution only adding to the attack's intensity. A snarl escaped his lips as he lowered his stance, feeding more and more power into his fingertips.

    These droids were but an obstacle to overcome before the final goal. They were not to be feared. Concerned, perhaps, but not feared. They would fall, dead at his feet, just like all the other obstacles.

    The droids were repulsed or charred or ripped into by the lightning, but the swarm was large -

    There were a dozen explosions and an incredible light show which would stun any watchers eyes -

    Shimmer couldn't use lightning, so she could only reach out with the Force and smash a handful of droids apart at a time.

    The swarm encircled Iudex, darkening the hallway for a moment as they eclipsed him from her view -

    He was ensconced in a shell of metal and death -

    They were ready to contract -

    If a single droid brushed upon him, he would be poisoned -

    Shimmer was at a loss what to do, but resolved that she would help, igniting her blade and rushing forward, slashing, cutting, twirling, stabbing, destroying half a dozen droids at a time -

    A joyous cry erupted from Iudex's lips as the swarm began to writhe around him. His eye-blindingly white lightning ripped it's way throughout the swarm of droids, a symphony of mini-explosions that echoed throughout the corridor. The circuit that Iudex had become was effective, surely. But the simple combined mass of the scarab-droids was proving an equal match to Iudex's lightning. 50, 100 would disintegrate at a time, only to be replaced just as quickly by more.

    Droids crucially lacked an appreciation of fear, of self-preservation. Otherwise, they wouldn't continue to throw themselves towards their doom.

    Ah well. "Finally! Something to work up a sweat against!" Through the writhing swarm of droids which had slowly surrounded him, Iudex's laughter could only just be made out. Inch by inch they pressed inwards, scrambling over the corpses of their electrocuted brethren. Without the impromptu circuit of lightning, he would have certainly already began to suffer the droid's attacks. That being said..

    They were still closing in, faster than he could kill them. Iudex's laughter faded out. Something more would have to be done. Something excessive.

    From outside the swarm, he could hear the muffled yells of Shimmer. A mischievous smile crossed his lips as an idea began to form. "Yeah, that could work.."

    Before, Iudex had channeled his lightning out with one hand into the swarm in a wide loop, all the while catching the tail end of the stream with his other. Using his body as a conduit, Iudex had channeled it back out of his starting hand. Simple, and effective. But now, the situation called for something more.

    Planting his feet, and with a slow exhale, Iudex once more took hold of the lightning he was spewing forth. But this time, as the electricity arced back into his body via his off hand, he contained it, forcing the charge to remain deep within in his core. Essentially, turning his body and armor into a battery. One with a wildly unstable charge that was only increasing by the second.

    Iudex gasped, shuddering at the tremendous amount of gathered energy writhing throughout his body like a great snake. He clenched his eyes shut, straining under the exertion of keeping his 'battery' contained.

    'Come on.. A little more..'

    Iudex had reached his breaking point. The muscles in his limbs had begun to spasm uncontrollably, threatening to send the Sith toppling over into a sputtering mess. But no, not today. With a final, resolute hmmph! Iudex thrust his arms skyward and released. Sending the stored energy exploding violently out of his body at each and every angle.

    Accompanied by a resounding thunderclap, his lightning shot outward, it's explosive charge boosted even further under the dense shell of droids which had encased Iudex, creating, in a sense, a grenade of lightning.

    "Take.. That.." Iudex fell to his hands and knees, his breath coming in labored gasps. "Aah.. Showed them.."

    The ball of energy crossed the droids, and they evaporated, fried by the charge and dropping as if a rain of debris. Shimmer was besides Iudex in an instant, noting the smoke rising from the Falleen's green skin, even as the tannoy sounded out.

    Ten minutes to reversion. Skeleton crew to all active stations. Repeat -

    Shimmer knelt down and hooked Iudex's arm over hers, grabbing at his waist. She stood, and began to help him into the turbolift, glancing at the controls to activate them with the Force.

    "We're running out of time," she said, unnecessarily, as the doors closed and they shot up to the bridge -


    Iudex could only grunt in reply. His 'repulse' as it were took far more energy than expected, the effort nearly knocking him unconscious. But it had worked. More importantly, it was effective. As he was being ferried off by Shimmer into the turbolift, Iudex had just a moment to survey the damage he he wrought to the corridors, but it was enough.

    A tired smile spread across his face. He had the proof he needed to continue training such an ability. The durasteel walls and floor surrounding the blast point had all buckled outwards. Near arm sized trenches had etched their way throughout the metal, leading almost fully towards the turbolift's shaft itself, surely the patch his lightning had taken once piercing the swarm's shell. Moreso, everything in about a five meter radius had been covered in a fine layer of soot, whether from the remains of the droids or the heat of the attack itself, or perhaps a mix of both.

    Either way, an interesting idea to develop. Once inside the lift, Iudex shrugged off his arm from around Shimmer's shoulders, choosing instead to stand under his power. Fighting against the urge to sit, Iudex pressed his back into the wall, using it to support his weight.

    "No prisoners.. If they surrender now, it'll only be to buy time." He whispered, his voice hoarse. His strength was returning, slowly, not enough to pull of another maneuver like before, but enough to still be able to hold his own. As he spoke, Iudex began smoothing out his hair, which he had noticed standing up on their ends with a free hand. "As soon as those doors open.. We kill them all, force the ship out of Hyperspace and contact the others. Any objections?"



    Tags: @Sinrebirth , @darthbernael , @greyjedi125
     
  3. Adalia-Durron

    Adalia-Durron WNU/Costume/Props/EUC Mod. star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jun 3, 2003
    IC: Admiral Estrella Tomsini and General Tenee Astarta (fun combo with @DarthIshyZ )
    Hapan Battle Dragon bridge

    Estrella's hands were still clasped behind her, tighter but outwardly looking calm. Many things were curling their way through her mind as she stood gazing out of the viewport. She'd managed to our maneuver Leia Organa and the Galactic Alliance, for now. She knew she'd managed to stay on the right side of the new leaders of the Consortium, she was still alive and that was the clearest identifier for that. Now she just had to keep one step, or possibly two steps, ahead of the Sith.

    A com chime comes in. "Tenee to Estrella, mind if I come back up to join you? Had an unwelcome development with the orbital platforms. I think I need your help."

    Turning slightly, she released her hands and pulled out her personal comlink, opening it, "By all means." She responded, "I will help if I can."

    The General marched out of the hangar. This "New Republic" was really getting annoying. As she was walking through the halls and riding the lift, she was positively fuming. Finally, she burst through the bridge doorway. She actually was yelling, making a spectacle of herself on the bridge.

    "That woman! Leia! Now she's blockaded the yards where our orbital platforms are being constructed! I swear, I'd like to rip her... her... sticky buns of a hairdo off her scalp!" She continued pacing after arriving at the Admiral's side.

    Estrella half turned. "Please lower your tone on my bridge General." She said calmly.

    Tenee knew rage was counterproductive when trying to strategize. She paced a couple more times, she took some deep breaths. She calmed herself enough that it was just tense words. That would have to do. "Excuse me," she said through lightly gritted teeth. "What are we going to do about her? If we can't get the orbital platforms here, half our defense is left off the table." She offered the tablet with the blockade report to the Admiral.

    The report confirmed what he said... but also that Admiral Ackbar's capital ship had abandoned the blockade line, which meant there were simply half a dozen frigates and corvettes evident. It was the wrong end of the Consortium, but it was a lesser blockade now than the one Leia sat on with her MC85.

    Drawing a deep breath, she returned her gaze to the forward view. "I could speak to her, seems I may have established a connection." Estrella suggested.

    Astarta considered. Going there to break the blockade wasn't really an option since they were weak on hardware right now. Yet that order would fix that very problem - lack of hardware. There was also the other ships in Tomsini's fleet to consider. "How's your fleet reassembly coming along? Do we have some ships that could go the blockade?"

    She considered the question having read the reports only an hour or so before hand. "Two, I have two that can be deployed, armed but not completely finished." Estrella considered for a moment, "but no one need know the crew quarters and mess hall are not complete, I advised to focus on operations and weapons."

    "Excellent!" Tenee stated. "That gives us some breathing room. Still need those orbitals unless we want to cool our heels here for the rest of our lives. How about a two-pronged approach. We'll 'negotiate' with Leia here and send those ships to take delivery of the platforms." She so wished she could use the Force right now. It'd be nice to be able to wave her hand and mind-trick Leia into clearing the whole blockade. But she's a Jedi wannabe and not weak-minded, so it just wouldn't work. Besides the fact that she was under orders from the Emperor to maintain a low Force-profile. It was interesting to her how the Force could be a crutch and allow other skills to weaken.

    Estrella gave a single nod. "Agreed."






    TAG @Sinrebirth @Mitth_Fisto
     
  4. darthbernael

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

    Registered:
    Apr 15, 2019
    OOC: Fun combo with @greyjedi125 and @Sinrebirth

    IC Bernael, Manticore, Pykestaff
    Near the Transitory Mists


    As the listing Resurgent’s systems began giving details of their location, Bernael sighed. The incoming New Republic fighters and the Starhawk-class battleship that were approaching only added to the sigh. At this point it was no longer a surprise when such events occurred to he and Manticore, it was just the life they led.

    His gaze turned to his brother after reading the navigation data. ”We were attempting to stay away from here and yet, somehow, we are just outside the Consortium, the New Republic knocking on the door of our new, broken, ship. And we just fought a major battle, using our abilities, just outside where the majority of the Sith we know are concentrated. Are you as unsurprised as I am?”

    One of the Shadows approached and informed them both that the majority of what was salvageable had been recovered, including the navigation data they sought. ”But multiple problems can solve themselves. With the Maurauder we should be able to solve several problems. I want this ship but it is unstable. So, my thought is this, we take the Maurauder, make the dangerous, immediate, jump to hyper a microsecond before we blow this ship. We can remain ‘dead’, escape the NR, and blame Snoke for it all.”

    He walked over to the comm station, shifting into the form of a First Order ship’s Captain as he did. Pressing the stud to record a message, ”The First Order will not be taken, will not surrender. Approach and be destroyed. Long live the Supreme Leader.”

    Shaking himself as he shifted back, he turned toward Manticore once more, ”We can record several of those and have them believe Snoke has ordered this. All while we ‘sneak’ out of the backdoor.”

    Manticore did grin wickedly at the words 'blame Snoke for it all.'

    "He is rightfully to blame." Lord Hate intoned to his brother after the recording was made. "He has authored all of this mayhem." he concluded. "The Supreme Leader is a mad man."

    "I agree with your plan for us to remain 'dead'." Manticore nodded, his eyes narrowing. They could act with more freedom that way. It was a shame to lose the Resurgent, but the vessel was far too compromised as it was for it to do them any good.

    "We're living the life our choosing, and we shall end it in the same manner."

    With a motion, the zabrak sith lord instructed his Aran Tyr to prepare to leave. It was time to board the Maurauder and hopefully help Lord Iudex and Lady Shimmer avoid disaster. The NR could busy itself with tons of scrap metal.

    "For the Sith."

    Admiral Ackbar addressed the ship across the channel. "The New Republic does not seek war with the First Order, nor any Supreme Leader Sabel." He was connecting data and coming up with the wrong conclusion; from his sight of Intelligence reports about a confrontation at the Brentaal node that a pirate SSD intervened in.

    Bernael had instead declared an aggressive stance, inadvertently, on behalf of Sabel.

    The Starhawk-class battleship glided forward, A-wings preceding it.

    That put them in a slightly difficult situation.

    But the Marauder was ready to go.

    Before they departed the emergency bridge Bernael had the Shadows set the self destruct on a silent, non-broadcasting countdown, to begin as soon as he or Manticore enacted it at anoy command console.

    Bernael leaned against a corridor wall as they began to make their way to the Maurauder he was laughing so hard at the response from Admiral Akbar. He had tied the comms into his datapad and he had to recover for a few moments before he could prepare himself to respond to the New Republic’s response.

    Once he had recovered, he shifted once more into the form of the First Order captain. Even as he hit the button to respond he was sputtering, cursing almost in his response. He almost seemed on the verge of a fit as he replied to the incoming ship. ”The First...First Order does not” His anger was palpable as he replied, ”does not affiliate with...alien scum. That Chiss is a thorn...in everyone’s side. His allies in the Ascendency are who stranded us here.” He pretended to look over his shoulder at a bridge officer. As he turned back, ”If your craft approach within weapons range of our ship they will be met with fire.”

    He cut the connection once more before continuing with Manticore and their subordinates, to the Maurauder. At the last command console, just inside the hangar, he glanced at Manticore, turned to the nearest Shadow, ”Take the pilot’s seat, set the Maurauder for an immediate jump.” before he turned back to the console and began the countdown.

    He strode onto the Maurauder, ensuring that his Shadows were onboard. A smile crossed his face as he turned back to Manticore, ”Let’s ‘die’ again, brother.” he quipped.

    Supreme Leader Sabel’?

    Manticore did wonder at that for a moment. Just how much had they missed? Either that, or somewhere there was a considerable disconnect of events. Still, amused and impressed as he was, by Bernael’s actual enviably effective skills at theatre, the ultimate goal was to misdirect the New Republic.

    The zabrak offered an agreeable nod to his brother after his very convincing performance, then boarded the Maurauder as planned, his six Aran Tyr in tow.

    Everyone took their positions as the countdown began. Manticore made sure the Pykestaff was in attendance ( of course ).

    ”Let’s ‘die’ again, brother.” Lord Hunger quipped.

    “Figuratively, this time.” Was Lord Hate’s answer, though there was a small hint of humor there.

    Akbar and the New Republic could go fishing in the soon-to-be field of wreckage, as far as Manticore was concerned. His mind now was fixated on reaching Darth Iudex and Apprentice Shimmer.

    Several curious thoughts entered his mind then, but he filed them close by. He needed to exchange certain thoughts with Bernael and it did appear as if there would be a momentary pause of activity for him to do that.

    Manticore nodded, indicating that he was ready.

    It was time for a nigh simultaneous explosion and a jump to light speed.

    The A-wings crossed the distance in their typical record speed, and swarmed the hangar they had just emerged from. Ackbar's voice sounded out again. "Please stand down. If you deny us access to your Star Destroyer, it will be considered an act of war, and that you have been traversing New Republic space again with ill intent."

    The Starhawk activated weapons, and shields, too -

    The Pykestaff looked back at Manticore and Bernael, a finger over a big red button.

    "Now?"

    There was no going back now, the NR could interpret anything they wished as an act of war when it suited their narrative.

    'Fools'

    Manticore nodded emphatically.

    "Now." He rasped.

    He looked at Bernael, a playful edge. "Now now?"

    Bernael looked down at the pad, it had the countdown running. As it hit three he looked at the Pykestaff, ”Now.” he stated, knowing the time it took to press the button would happen just before the timer hit zero and the A Wings would find an expanding sphere of debris in place of the Maurauder in their faces.

    He smiled as he waited and knew this would be a very interesting next couple seconds.

    "Now it is."

    He pressed it, the hyperdrive enabled, and the A-wings and Star Destroyer became a sphere of expanding fire.

    The Pyke shrugged, looking at Manticore. "I just wanted to be absolutely sure."

    "It was Chandrila we wanted to jump, right?"

    Bernael’s head tracked toward the Pykestaff. The sense of familiarity with the being it was, not the body that was hosting it, continued to grow as time passed. But it was walking a fine line to be teasing Hate as it was. His head moved like an autoturret moving, until his black eyes faced it directly.

    You were told the plan. We must arrive at Chandrila as quickly to the moment that the second Resurgent does as possible so as to disable it’s weaponry and comms, if not destroy it outright, if necessary.” he told the mixed being.

    The darkness that surrounded him grew as he took a step closer to the Pyke, ”However, it would go poorly for a being if we, somehow, come out in the midst of a New Republic flotilla rather than by our target. I doubt I could, or would desire to, keep Lord Hate from stuffing you back in the staff in that case.”

    Now that they were finally en-route, Manticore regarded the surprisingly aloof Pykestaff for a long moment, as if weighing something. He added nothing to Lord Hunger's words, as the Anzat had spoken the zabrak's mind almost word for word. Some imaginative beings could come to see the pairing of Lord Hunger and Lord Hate as Emperor Insipid's way of creating a sort of living expression of Jar'Kai. That would be an interesting interpretation, but they would be wrong. The dark truth was far worse than what they could imagine.

    "You will get a suitable host." Manticore uttered simply, though the edge in his voice was there. He then turned to Darth Bernael and the rest of the sith agents aboard the Maurauder.

    "Disabling weapons and comms on that Resurgent should be priority, as noted by Lord Hunger. We will aim to locate Lord Iudex and the Emperor's Apprentice in order to get a full sit-rep. This way we may be able to coordinate our efforts to seize control of the vessel and eradicate any resistance. If we act efficiently, we could very well make a jump out of enemy space before we can be engaged. Perhaps the wreckage we left behind might work as a distraction, given current events."

    The zabrak's horned head turned slightly as he now offered a nod, ceding the floor to his brother, Lord Hunger.

    TAGS: @Sinrebirth, @greyjedi125, @Silvertough, @darthhelinith, @E. L.Knight, @Mitth_Fisto
     
  5. Lady_Belligerent

    Lady_Belligerent Queen of the RPF, SWC, C&P, and Pancakes & Waffles star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jan 29, 2008
    IC: Bellorum
    Luxury Elite

    KRIFF!’ echoed through her mind as she belatedly realized she should have shielded her hearing from the corridor crumbling to pieces. She quickly shoved aside jagged pieces that had caught in her clothing, some scoring her skin with lines of beading blood.

    Insipid must also be covered in debris, but she was aware that he would be back on the attack quickly, so there wasn’t much time. ‘IKE? I need you!’ Bellorum stressed to Ike that he must hurry, she knew he was nearby and no doubt he’d heard the results of her attack on the corridor. He didn’t show any sign that he was feeling her plea, but she’d become aware that her comm was vibrating and there were alarms sounding. She pressed the security channel, “intruders are aboard,” she gasped, “security to me now!”

    Her security team may not be much help against Insipid, but there were Sith on board, ’Syren, come now!’ Bellorum appealed to her powerful ally. There was no way of knowing if she’d choose to ignore the call, but Bellorum hoped she could count on her to be spoiling for a fight.

    While reaching out, Bellorum had slid through the debris to place more distance between her and Insipid. She heard boots storming closer, security was coming quickly, but then she remembered her guest. Where was Amedda? Was this all a ruse to get to him? She quickly keyed her comm once again, “Graul, Amedda is here on the ship and in danger. Get a security team and secure him before he’s harmed!”

    By now she was bleeding a bit more than she’d realized and was feeling weaker, she closed her eyes and reached out to all Sith she knew of on the Luxury Elite, ‘we are under attack, come to me and fight for our Empire!’

    Tag: @Sinrebirth @HanSolo29 @QueenSabe7 @Darth_wanderguard @Nehru_Amidala
     
  6. darthbernael

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

    Registered:
    Apr 15, 2019
    OOC: Fun combo with @Sinrebirth

    IC Sabel
    Rendezvous, Unknown Regions, near Mokivj


    Sabel felt the quiet, the silence of immobility, that the station carried. When Zestus opened his comm and called to him he turned toward the Guard, ”We were led here for a reason. Either something here is important or will lead us to what is. So we must find it.”

    He faced the unopened doors, ”Lead the way.”

    The doors opened, and there it was.

    A Sentinel droid.

    It was sedentary, but connected to all manner mesh of wires that connected it to the station.

    It was the place's mind and heart, seemingly.

    Zestus whistled softly. "That's impressive."

    Sabel let his senses wash over the droid, feeling the pulse and hum of the station that ran through and into the figure. He nodded at Zestus’s comment. ”Whoever set this up meant this to be the interface for anyone that came here.”

    He stepped closer to the droid, outside it’s physical reach still, looking it over. ”Activate, Contingency 7A Commander present.” He did not know if that would cause the droid to respond but if the droid they’d seen in the holo’s with Palpatine’s face was any indicator it should mean the station would be aware of, if not filled with current knowledge of, the other contingencies that had been in place before the fall of the Empire.

    The droid did indeed respond.

    Palpatine's visage appeared, and it tilted a head to peer at Sabel.

    There was a pause as it seemingly scanned him, and then tilted its head slightly to peer at Zestus.

    After a moment, the cables attached to it popped off, one after another, and Zestus couldn't help but jump.

    The droid ignored him and turned back to look at Sabel, holding up a clawed hand to him. "Please verify."

    ’Hmmmm, another one that has his image.’ Sabel thought as the droid activated. A moment passed, a time he felt that they were being evaluated. A curl came to his lip as more activity happened and he sensed Zestus flinch next to him.

    One hand of the Sentinel lift and as it spoke he knew what it wanted, typical of the setup that Palpatine had used. To the man, the Sith, blood was all. And it was a reliable measure of verification.

    He reached and unlocked the vambrace on one arm. He rolled up the sleeve of the underarmor layer after opening the inner half of the vambrace. Pressing a button, a syringe extended from the inner surface of the armor, piercing a vein. A small vial of his blood was filled. He’d done so by opening the armor so that the droid’s systems could verify that the blood was delivered directly from him.

    When the vial was filled, the needle withdrew, he rolled his sleeve back down, and he secured the latches of his vambrace, the latches sinking back into the armor returning it to full integrity. He lifted the vial, the deep crimson of his blood clinging to the surface as he swirled it slightly. Reaching out, he handed the vial to the droid, ”Biometric confirmation of Contingency commander via DNA and other markers in the blood.” he stated, as much for Zestus’s benefit as the droids.

    The droid regarded the needle, and processed it. It's voice was purely mechanical, all robotic. "You are not authorised," it said, loudly, moving closer to Sabel with a start, and Zestus saw the droid was floating. "You are not authorised," it repeated, a threatening tone evident.

    The station lit up, and whirred and activated.

    The droid turned to Zestus. "Please verify." It moved gracefully, quickly, sharply, even, holding out a hand.

    Zestus started. "Lord Sabel?"

    Sabel smiled coldly, the droid was playing a game similar to what his old Master had done. It was a way of testing, of attempting to wear one down before rebuilding the way Sidious desired you to be. His eyes flared a bright red, ”You think I was truly going to give you mine own blood? Or allow your needle to touch me. Sidious had his tricks and poison was the simplest. Simple machine.”

    His armored hand reached out, closing around the mechanical one reaching for Zestus, ”Do not let the needle pierce your armor or you die. This machine would not accept either of us no matter what it’s database states.” he grated as he poured power through his hand, heat flowing from his palm into the machine’s arm.

    "Oh," Zestus said, looking at his hand. The droid had already pricked his palm. The guard was fine, but the droid paused to analyse it, ignoring what Sabel was doing. "I feel fine, my Lord."

    Indeed, there was no poison whatsoever.

    Just a simple sample.

    It flicked a hand, brushed the Chiss's arm off and flexed it's arm experimentally to check for damage, head tilted upwards as if in thought. A writhing of cables seemed to hover above them, blades extending; perfectly acceptable droid interfaces, not so much good when plunged into flesh.

    They were angry, focused on Sabel, but not attacking.

    Zestus hesitated. "Maybe you should have given it your real blood?"

    Sabel chuckled, a sound most hadn’t heard over the last almost decade. ”Trust but verify, my Captain.” he told Zestus. Glancing up at the hanging cables he sighed, ”But this one has about the same humor my old Master had.”

    He reached down, removing his gauntlet, lifting his palm so the droid could take a second sample, ignoring the fact it had wrenched it’s arm free of his grasp so quickly. ”You have some of His characteristics, droid, but not them all. Take the sample and be quick about it.”

    The droid pricked his palm.

    It absorbed the blood and analysed it silently.

    Palpatine’s visage appeared.

    His voice emerged, grating upon Zestus.

    Operation: Cinder is to begin at once. Resistance. Rebellion. Defiance. These are concepts that cannot be allowed to persist. You are but one of many tools by which these ideas shall be burned away.

    Sabel looked at the droid, listened to the voice, his head cocking to the side for a moment. He let his glance fall on Zestus for a moment before turning back to the droid. Slipping the gauntlet back on, latching it in place, he chuckled softly.

    ”You are behind, here. If, perhaps, you had passed us such orders on time it would have been different. But,” he paused, thinking, then continued, ”Database Update, Contingency Commander 7A permissions: Operation Cinder was attempted, failed three years ago. Imperial forces all but annihilated in the skies over Jakku. The Contingency led by Rax failed as well, as I’m sure you have been informed. To the best of my knowledge only my forces and whatever personal Contingency Sidious set for himself have survived.”

    He looked intently into the visage of Palpatine that the droid wore. ”Given that new data, further instructions required. A gathering of those that survive would be the most productive.” he stated calmly.

    The droid didn't miss a beat. Operation Cinder occurred before and failed. The Emperor's Will is incomplete; all Imperial forces are ordered to begin anew. You are but one of many tools by which these ideas shall be burned away.

    It paused. Zestus sounded rueful. "Apparently you didn't receive orders late, you arrived late."

    Sabel turned toward the Captain of his Red Guard, ”It is difficult to arrive on time when you do not receive the order to do so.” he retorted, a touch of humor to his voice.

    Looking back at the droid, he nodded, ”I have received orders in various forms, over the years, however, receiving them from a droid with the image of my Master is a new and novel experience. As I am sure you have noted with your sensors, my fleet is not in attendance. However, advise me where the gathering point is for the fleet commanders and we shall attend.”

    The years had adapted Sabel’s attitudes but he had to discover what was occurring. He’d felt his Master’s death, but something told him there was more behind what was being told to him. And so, finding more of a source than a dead station and a droid like this one was needed.

    Your target will be Bespin. There is a Contingency storehouse on Utapau, it will provide you with the weapons you require. Palpatine's voice continued to speak, as if it didn't matter what Sabel had to say to it.

    Zestus stepped forward, and the droid turned violently, looming over the guard but taking no other action against him. "You are not authorised."

    He stepped back. "Alright then."

    The droid turned back to face Sabel.

    Sabel decided he would need to speak to Zestus, but once they were away from the station. He had no guarantee that the droid did not have something to monitor mental Force use or that it could not tap his comms between their pads. Something was off in what the droid said, partially as Sidious had always allowed him more leeway in how he fulfilled his orders.

    His head tilted to the side as he considered the droid. ”Interesting place to have the storehouse. As far as I recall, Utapau was one of the founding worlds of the New Republic and had a garrison, defense fleet, that protects it. It would be simpler to return Bespin to Imperial control to ensure the tibanna is under our control.”

    He doubted that the droid would deviate from what it was telling him, doubted that it’s programming allowed it to do so, but his freedom of action was something he’d prized, even as Sidious had quashed it in so many others.

    You are but one of many tools by which these ideas shall be burned away.

    The droid repeated itself.

    Zestus hesitated. "Is it me, or is it testing your responsiveness?"

    Sabel’s head swivelled, ”It does certainly seem to have a limited set of response criteria. I doubt it truly recognizes who it speaks to, but simply sets those that appear on a task. Given the lack of worlds being destroyed I doubt any other Contingency commanders that have survived have followed through on it’s instructions.”

    He turned back to the droid, ”With the, hmmm, exuberance of response of the automated defenses of Contingency facilities, sending me to Utapau, outside of the Republic forces, would most likely end in the destruction of the facility to gain access. Therefore I require the access codes to the facility.”

    The droid unfurled its other hand, and a disc detached from the palm of it. It hovered to Sabel, and it contained all the codes and even the location of the Storehouse on Utapau.

    The machine simply stared at the Chiss.

    Operation: Cinder is to begin at once.

    It's voice was more insistent than before.

    Sabel took the disc, slipping it into a pouch. He turned to Zestus, ”We seem to have exhausted it’s repertoire. And, judging by the tone, it will get violent should we not depart.”

    He turned back to the droid, ”Instructions received and understood. Departing now.”

    With that he turned on his heel and started back toward the yacht.

    The droid let them go.

    Zestus had half expected it to kill them, but it didn't. It let them detach, and none of the innumerable weapons upon the station activated. After a while, Zestus brought up the jump coordinates. There were a smattering of updates; Sabel's assets had joined the Sith on Oba Diah but at last update had been boarding a First Order Star Destroyer before vanishing; the New Republic had enacted a blockade of Hapan Space; more Imperial remnants had been annexed in the Mid Rim. Within the Unknowns, the Empire of the Hand had not expanded any further, but there was a neat line between Csilla and Nirauan which was of course fairly broad; none of the surviving Terrors had caused any grief, and indeed what was left of the Nikardun had scattered further than even the Vagaari had in the years gone by.

    "So..."

    He looked to his Admiral.

    "Utapau? Or...?"

    Sabel rolled the disc between his fingers as Zestus spoke. When the question was asked, he looked up, a wry smile on his face. Tucking the disc back into his belt he gestured around them broadly. ”Home, Zestus. Knowing Utapau is a Republic world, taking the yacht alone would be a poor investment. When we go, if only to get more data about what is going on, we will need backup.”

    He sat back in the command chair, looking out through the viewscreen, ”Besides I would be a poor ally to Eleodie if I did not advise her of current affairs. Or a poor Admiral if I didn’t allow my forces a chance to stretch their legs before things begin. But, I do desire you to think on this, our Emperor died, the Empire destroyed, the Remnants are in tatters or brought into the Empire of the Hand, who do you think would be the ‘sacrificial lamb’ of that all if we follow these orders if not our fleet and people?”

    TAGS: @Sinrebirth, @greyjedi125, @Silvertough, @darthhelinith, @E. L.Knight, @Mitth_Fisto
     
  7. Sinrebirth

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

    Registered:
    Nov 15, 2004
    IC: Darth Insipid
    Aboard the Luxury Elite, Coruscant orbit

    The battle that was never supposed to have happened did, and it had been considerably louder than he planned - Bellorum had always been a feisty apprentice, and an even more brilliant Triumvir. Though with how she spoke, Haretisch was missing... Duumvirate? Perhaps a new Third Dark Lord was needed...

    That really wasn't important, Insipid reminded himself as he swirled the glass around in his open palm -

    And then Bellorum called out to Syren, and to Aryan, and to other Sith -

    Insipid dropped the glass and levitated the scepter of Sistros to his hand, and he called out into the Force. Ike wasn't answering, but Azathoth was still aboard; he could sense him - and he was proximate to a presence that Insipid knew very, very well. Mas Amedda had been, in another time, or place, a Sith Lord of his very own, famously named Darth Wyyrlok.

    A Loremaster of the Sith, he had known more about the species, the Order, and their past than even Insipid, and he was very happy that the Chagrian had died... Insipid frowned, as he couldn't remember precisely how Wyyrlok had died... but he had been succeded by a child, and his grandson, Wyyrlok III had been a truly powerful force, killing Darth Krayt and allowing the Dark Lord to be reborn in an even more powerful and terrifying form... Insipid reflected on how he and Helinith had duelled with Darth Tigran all those years ago, in 138 ABY...

    ... of course, that year, and the Battle of Coruscant which had ended Darth Krayt once and for all, had been important too to Manticore, Aryan Graul, Bernael, Soliloquy and even Bellorum - not that even he knew all of the tale of the Sith there, nor their personal struggles with Darth Inexor, the Sith Betrayers and so forth. But they all had their stories.

    He refocused.

    His mental words to Azathoth were firm.

    To me; now.

    He could best Bellorum - he could not best Bellorum and Syren.

    Azathoth would have time to... well, prepare. Indeed, had he not, he would have already left the ship. But as it was...

    Neither Ike nor Arb answered any calls to them, curiously.

    Indeed, the Force connection between him and Bellorum and Insipid was silent.

    A single ship detached from a side hangar, and vanished into hyperspace.

    It wouldn't be noticed until after the drama was over.

    TAG: @Lady Belligerent, @QueenSabe7, @HanSolo29, @Shadowsun - please open a combo!!! - mentions for @Mitth_Fisto, @darthbernael, @greyjedi125 and @darthhelinith as the cast of New Sith Trials: 138 ABY, our ersatz prequel game.
    ---
    IC: Zestus
    Unknowns

    ”Besides I would be a poor ally to Eleodie if I did not advise her of current affairs. Or a poor Admiral if I didn’t allow my forces a chance to stretch their legs before things begin. But, I do desire you to think on this, our Emperor died, the Empire destroyed, the Remnants are in tatters or brought into the Empire of the Hand, who do you think would be the ‘sacrificial lamb’ of that all if we follow these orders if not our fleet and people?”

    Zestus wondered on his words as they headed home.

    He also pulled up navigational data from their assets, and hacked the Imperial networks as he went.

    The world of Utapau was, as Sabel noted, deep on New Republic space. Among the very first worlds to be taken by the Galactic Empire, Order 66 had been enacted within its sinkholes, with a detachment of the 501st attempting to kill Obi-Wan Kenobi, fresh off his defeat of General Grievous. It had all been a highly elaborate Jedi trap, but indeed the entire Clone Wars had been just that.

    Notwithstanding that Kenobi, Yoda and another two hundred Jedi survived the cataclysm, nearly ten thousand didn't, and that was the important fact. Darth Vader and the Inquisitors, headed by his personal entourage of numbered brothers and sisters, had been able to kill the majority of the rest. The handful that survived the Dark Times were the most dangerous of the bunch, but even less had survived the Galactic Civil War.

    Now, three years after Endor, there were only two Jedi left, and only one was active.

    Non-Jedi, former Jedi, failed Sith, yes, there were some of them - but not nearly enough to make any sense or manner of difference.

    This was what Zestus thought as he regarded the data on the interweaving patrols of New Republic X-wings, launching from an old Rendilli Dreadnaught-class heavy cruisers. Six hundred meters of turbolaser-punch, the ships were hardy and remained the go-to for many planetary and sector defence fleets. There was talk about the Mon Calamari arming the majority of the galaxy and the New Republic federal forces being dramatically cut down, but the Empire still existed in certain parts of the Outer Rim and had yet to be absorbed or annexed.

    Indeed, at the time of the Battle of Jakku there remained Imperial remnants in the Core and Inner Rim, but those had been dissolved within a year of the signing of the treaty ending the war. With the Mid Rim pockets of resistance dismantled, it was only the one region left, but it was the largest and the northern remnants represented a decent bloc of territory.

    But at Utapau, it wasn't anything special; just old Dreadnaught cruisers and first-generation X-wings.

    The stealth-equipped ship would, by his accounts, be placed to simply slip through the cordon, ignoring the minor freighter traffic, and make its way to the storehouse in almost record time with the route the planned. The entrance was concealed at the very bottom of a deep sinkhole which was topped by a spherical warship - a Geonosian Dreadnaught that the natives had taken from the Separatists and then back from the Imperials when they drove them off-world. It hadn't flown for three decades, but it still had a decent amount of weapons upon it, and they remained pointed into orbit above the capital.

    Zestus would have to focus on that before they did intervene; he did however call ahead and call the Captain's Council together.

    He had a line ready to open to the Pirate Queen as well, though it would have to be bounced through a dozen transmitters at the edge of Known Space to find the Liberty's Misrule.

    "Um, my Lord?"

    He was ready to connect Sabel to the Captains or Eleodie, when the HoloNews confirmed that a new type of Imperial Star Destroyer had just arrived at Chandrila, the New Republic capital.

    "Isn't that a Resurgent-class?"

    He pointed at the data.

    TAG: @darthbernael (combo potential)
    ---
    IC: Shimmer

    Aboard the Resurgent-class, Chandrila system, Braxant Sector

    The turbolift emerged into the bridge as they broke-out of hyperspace, and Shimmer saw the last line of defence.

    Because Manticore accidentally blew a hole through his Star Destroyer all the way to the bridge, it hadn't been relevant to them.

    But here, she and Iudex had fought their way through the hard way, because why not. If Shimmer made it to the post-battle debriefing, she would be extremely grumpy that the Zabrak and Anzati had bypassed the final problem.

    Because it was a problem.

    The man sitting cross-legged was nondescript save for the black-armour and lightsaber hilt before him. The bridge crew was in the pit surrounding the long concourse, but they had explicit instructions that their commanding officer was to make the comm call, for his image would evoke the dark side warriors that had attacked Kuat. The bridge chair faced forward.

    When the turbolift opened, the man in black stood, face masked, lightsaber slapping to his gloved hand.

    He ignited the crimson blade.

    Iudex would have a violent flashback; this was an Acolyte of the Beyond.

    Not an ersatz one, which the Sith had been pretending to be, no, not at all, but a real one - a specific subset in the elite of the dark side cult - and his first tantalising connection between his most hated enemy and the First Order.

    This elite was known as a Knight of Ren.

    One could not tell you what shade of colour a Falleen would go when they saw red.

    Perhaps we would find out now.

    Now that the Sith were using the Acolytes as cover, so, too, would Snoke use the Acolytes to ensnare the Sith.

    He was a magnificent bastard.

    The comm line opened; the bridge chair was not unoccupied - there was a man in black there.

    "I speak as a Knight of the Sith..."

    TAG: @Silvertough (combo)
    ---
    Chandrila system, arriving

    Following the old maxim that a smaller ship could travel faster than a larger one and thus keep pace even with a delay, the ship carrying the complement of Manticore, Bernael, Pykestaff and the rest emerged from hyperspace a few seconds before the Resurgent-class Star Destroyer they were pursuing.

    That gave them a handful of moments to recognise the formidable defences of the capital of the New Republic.

    Twenty Mon Calamari cruisers; dozens of frigates; hundreds of Corellian corvettes and gunships.

    But that wouldn't even seem that immense a threat.

    Three Super Star Destroyers.

    The New Republic had captured three of the thirteen immense warships constructed at Kuat, which of course said little about those built at Fondor or other premier yards of the old Empire.

    All that one could really say is that the Resurgent now held at the very edge of the envelope; the First Order had seemingly planned precisely where the best insertion point was - none of the three SSDs were in range in the moment -

    A transmission began.

    "I speak as a Knight of the Sith..."

    TAG: @greyjedi125, @darthbernael (combo)
    ---
    IC: Captain Teeks

    Marshalling point

    It was bad enough that his Hapan Battle Dragons had been called from the secret shipyards in the Mists without full crew functionality - he had heard many complaints about what was missing - but he was going to meet the new Admiral as well?

    Admiral Estrella had risen up on the coat-tails of the new Queen Mother and her shadow entourage, and Teeks didn't like it. He expected to get purged one day, but for now the Hapan Royal Navy was crippled, and they couldn't afford to get rid of experienced officers, even if his patrolling of the Hapan Cluster had - by failure, not by treachery - missed that three Star Destroyers had snuck in to lead the coup attempt.

    With a wince, he was definitely expecting to be dressed down for that.

    But as it was, the two brand-new Dragons - so new they hadn't even been named - joined the rendezvous point with Estrella and Astarta, and Teeks opened a channel to them the moment he met up. "Admiral," he nodded. "General."

    "I apologise that I am the only Captain to hand; Captain Meel is on leave on Vergill at present. I don't think she expected that she would be needed before the Dragons were fully retrofitted." That was a slight dig, but also information - Teeks didnt know about Vergill, so it would be fairly concerning that Meel had headed there when Archon Thane was about to cause trouble.

    Otherwise, all Estrella and Astarta would have update wise from the Hapan military was that the Queen Mother and Prince Consort had just left Hapes aboard the Star Home, the massive mobile Royal Palace, for somewhere unclear in the Mists - and the far-side of the Cluster.

    But that news came across their data-feed only after Teeks opened the channel.

    TAG: @Adalia-Durron, @DarthIshyZ

    Combo continuing for @ClaiomhSolais and @Mitth_Fisto

    Combo continuing for @Darth Cocytus

    Combo continuing for @darthbernael and @darthhelinith
     
    Last edited: Apr 25, 2021
  8. Darth Cocytus

    Darth Cocytus Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    May 8, 2016
    Darth Cocytus
    Exegol

    The Kaminoan's eyes narrowed at the new of their lost communications the greater First Order. It could be Darth Styx, who was still a candidate for acting as a false Kylo Ren, and more so considering Noctyss. However, if she was really going to obstruct him for control of the Galaxy, why didn't she just kill him like a proper apprentice?

    Questions for later, Darth Cocytus assumed, guessing it could very well be rebels as well, and wanting to get off this planet as fast as possible.

    "Very well, prepare for take off so that we may--" His order was cut off by the chimm of the shuttle.

    In the cargo bay, Darth Cocytus's eyes narrowed at the sight of the ship, this... Nil-Apharas.

    "Now who in the Dark Side's name are they?" The kaminoan asked, "Are they the enemy or another party all together?"

    The ship turned to face their shuttle, and a blaze of light illuminated them. “Orders, my Lord?”

    Power shuffled on and off, the ship titling but not dropping out of orbit. The atmosphere was strewn with wrecks of Star Destroyers, but they tumbled away from the Nil-Apharas without any clear technological effort.

    Do you claim to be Sith?

    The words entered his mind as if driven in with a pike.

    The Sith Lord blinked at both questions with a grimace. Obviously these were beings of power whoever they were. He raised a hand at TN as if to tell him to wait.

    That depends, Darth Cocytus replied mentally, as if this was going to be how he would communicate with whoever these beings were, Who are you to ask such a question? Are you of the Dark... or the Light side of the Force?

    A chuckle.

    We are the darkest dark. We serve the Left Handed Lord; the Lady with the Locust Heart; the Soulworm.

    A pause.

    Many who wore the name Sith died here, today; many cultists of the Sith Eternal. There are other worlds in the Red that wonder now as to who commands them; is it you? Should the Five convene the Sorcerers?

    Darth Cocytus smirked thinly at the beings' declared allegiance. However, just because they were of the Dark Side of the Force didn't mean they were on his side. Plus, that they worshiped one of the few things the kaminoan actually truly feared troubled him.

    I take it that you are worshippers of Typhojem among others of the Dark Side. He replied, Very well, I am Darth Cocytus, indeed a Dark Lord of the Sith. Those that died here brought their downfall upon themselves by means of following Darth Sidious's madness. I seek to restore our order back to its proper glory by reestablishing our supremacy over the Galaxy.

    A pause of his own.

    Are you here to give the Sith aid? And if you claim so why should I trust you after being betrayed by so many before?

    A Dark Lord of the Sith?

    There was a collective snort.

    Madness? Darth Sidious was a True Sith. He knew the Old Ways, and he took control of and revitalised the Sith Eternal... even if he made it nothing more than a glorified vessel for his pathetic Empire. A sneer. We do not care for control or order. Supremacy is achieved by power, through fear, through destruction.

    A pause.

    You have our curiosity. We know where your former apprentice fled. We would show you what the ancient shipyards of the Sith can create for you. Our colonies, they may be yours. But first we must transport you to Blessed Toxmalb.

    Their ship began to draw them in.

    You shall come.


    History shows time and time again that rule through fear and destruction leads to rebellion and ruin. Darth Cocytus retorted as he waved his arms a bit, This Graveyard of Planet killing Star Destroyers stand testament to that.

    He paused in thought.

    I will join you. The kaminoan replied, I'd like to see what you truly have to offer and I will use them as I see fit.

    Cocytus glanced at TN. "Ready the shuttle." He commanded, "We shall be boarding that ship. Be on your guard though... We don't know who exactly we are dealing and we must be ready for any sort of trouble."

    They were greeted by what appeared to be a simple group of nondescript humans.

    "We are the Five."

    They gestured for them to follow.

    "Welcome aboard the Pale Slayer, as it would be in the tongue of Humans."

    They chuckled to each other.

    "So; what do you know of the Red Nebula?"

    The kaminoan gazed at this group, whom for most of the Galaxy, seemed like the utmost of ordinary beings. However, he knew better not to trust them, recognizing great power from the design of their strange ship and telepathic abilities. The Sith Lord would have to be on his guard at all times in his dealings with them.

    "The Five, hmm?" Darth Cocytus repeated as he counted exactly five individuals aboard this ship.

    Not exactly creative.

    "Anyway, I don't know much about that nebula, except that it likely acted as a barrier to protect the Sith world from the rest of the Galaxy." He replied, "Worked quite poorly if you ask me considering a fleet of thousands upon thousands of rebel ships managed to get by to destroy Darth Sidious's Planet killing fleet."

    "What more is there to that nebula?"

    "What more?" They chortled.

    One of the women was almost doubled over. "You seriously thought a single world could produce an armada of that size? Crewed in such numbers? Armed with such advanced technology?" She couldn't speak further, for she resumed chuckling.

    "The Red Nebula has many names," one said as he brushed a tear from his eye, such was his laughter. "Some call it the Nihil Retreat... others the Dark Worlds... and others still the Perann Nebula."

    "Or the Valtaullu Rift," one opined.

    "Indeed, or that."

    "And the Gunninga Gap..."

    "You're basically describing all the places within Red Space," one of them snorted.

    "Or the Red Honeycomb Zone, Blood Net or, simply put," a maniacal grin, "the Ship Eater."

    "There are many worlds within its dominion, Exegol was merely the most accessible. Rhand, Muspilli, Rennic, Muurshantre... they and their populations exist, and remain. We are simply looking for our next Night Herald..."

    "I see..." Cocytus replied thoughtfully to the Five's explanation, as many more questions they gave him compared to answers. He also began to question their sanity. "So if I am deciphering your words correctly, the Red Nebula is actually some sort of gateway to other worlds aside from Exegol. Am I correct?"

    "However, although you claim that Darth Sidious's fleet was equipped with such advanced technology, I can't help but find them quite flawed in design with how easily they were all wiped out in a single battle." He went on thoughtfully, "For example, their shields were inoperable within the atmosphere and had to rely on another ship to navigate themselves off world. Essentially they were all sitting ducks when the Rebel Fleet arrived which I can't help but feel to be quite... contrived."

    "Or were these problems specific to Exegol due to its unique conditions?" He asked, "Still the whole plan seemed doomed the moment the Rebel Fleet arrived and the Last Jedi together with Ben Solo faced Palpatine..."

    "I assure you, I will not make the same mistakes." The kaminoan asserted, "You say you need a Night Herald? Elaborate..."
    "Exegol is merely one of the Twelve worlds of the True Sith," they clucked.

    "The folly of the Sith Fleet was the specific Sith creating it," one groused. "Darth Sidious thought too small for us."

    "Or perhaps, rather, he thought of other things as much as any one," a dark chuckle. "Those damnable statues..."

    "His Rule of One was promising, for he raised many Sith with his ultimate power above them all," the woman said, before pointing at Cocytus. "As the Emperor Vitiate did, back in your domain."

    "But Vitiate had no interest in bringing the Twin Heads of the Sith together..." One added, sadly. "So rarely does a Sith reach the level of power and knowledge to travel here and bridge the gap between the Sith of the Known and the Unknown..."

    A collective nod, but another finished the sense, betraying some kind of hive mind.

    "... or rather, the Sith of Rhand and the Sith of Korriban."

    Twelve words. A Rule of One. Darth Vitiate. Twin Heads of the Sith. Darth Cocytus was impressed with the knowledge of these five beings, even if some words were more forgien than others. The fact that they knew that he was alien to this timeline was the most impressive, and a great showing of their power.

    "So you wish me to do what Darth Sidious and Darth Vitiate cared not to do." Cocytus commented, "Unite these Twelve Worlds and Twin Heads of the Sith Order under a single banner, under a single Sith Emperor! A new Sith Empire unlike any the Galaxy has seen in countless millennia!'

    A grin grew on his face as ambitions burned.

    "YES!" The kaminoan's grand ambitions were stoked to new heights by the very idea, "That would put me higher than any Sith Lord that ever came before me!"

    But caution took hold, remembering so many times such promises of power proved to be empty...

    "I am willing to consider what you want." Darth Cocytus replied, "However, more than once have I been led astray and toyed with by other beings, and more than once they have led me close to oblivion and worse. How can I trust that any of you would be any different than all the others before?"

    A chuckle. "You have no choice..."

    "... or rather," one continued, "you have already made the choice... by pursuing that Holocron's promise..."

    "... so all we can do is offer you a choice." The woman pointed at the very, very quiet pilot. "He knows; the First Order is no longer yours... or perhaps it never was?"

    The pilot swallowed. "I can't reach High Command, like I said, sir. I wonder if it was the transmitters at Esfandia and Generis - the ones which carries communications between the Unknowns and Knowns - but we'd have to visit them, and we may as well return to Bespin instead..."

    "... but that's more time lost," one replied, "as much as touring these Shadow Worlds and seeing what we can offer. You choose to stay, and learn, and your window of control in the Knowns may close... you leave, and you may not be worthy of what we can offer..."

    He essentially had to choose without proof of either faction.

    "You do realize that Styx already passed through our territory, no?"

    With narrowed eyes, Cocytus scowled thinly in anger at the circumstance that he was now in. On one hand, these beings were offering him a path to absolute power and supremacy, but on the other, he has been in such situations before and the promise of power always proved to be empty in his dealings with Sith Lords and Dark Siders alike. However, now that the kaminoan thought, they were right, as the First Order most likely slipped from his fingers in his pursuit of Noctyss's ploy.

    Also, the Five clearly peaked his interest with the mention of Darth Styx.

    Is she in league with these beings?

    The promise of power unlike any Sith had ever had in history and meeting his Pupil once more.

    "Mph. Very well, the First Order was likely a lost cause either way with the Galaxy in endless uprising against them." Darth Cocytus replied, accepting the Five's offer, "I will see what you have to offer... and it better be good."

    The woman pointed to the pilot. “He is not Sith. Kill him, and we shall take you into the depths of the True Sith.”

    They turned away, as if the decision was already made by them. The pilot looked panicked. “I can leave, my Lord. Find out what has happened in Known Space - report back -“ His hands were raised, as if warding the Kaminoan off.

    “I waited for you on Exegol, I could have left!”

    Darth Cocytus's eyes glowed yellow and turned to the pilot with a thin smirk. He could do it, kill the non-Sith, the kaminoan thought, and he could do it easily. However, he could not help but reward such loyalty from the imperial. Besides, Cocytus was the Dark Lord of the Sith. Not the Five. They do not tell him what to do.

    His eyes glowed and glared at the pilot.

    "Leave this place immediately then." The kaminoan answered fiercely with a pointing finger at the shuttle, "And quickly before I can change my mind. This moment mercy has a time limit. So make the best of it while you can."

    He fled. There was no other word for it.

    The Five walked down the corridor, slowly, at a pace he could catch up with. “You took ownership of his life.”

    “You disagreed with us.”

    “We do not approve.”

    “But it is your choice.”

    “And we shall hold you to it.”

    They turned in unison. “Understood?”

    Cocytus crossed his arms.

    "I am a Dark Lord of the Sith." The Kaminoan replied, "His life was mine alone to do as I please alone and I saw very little reason to kill him."

    “His death would have served little in my ambitions.”

    His eyes glowed.

    "But I understand... Shall we be on our way?"

    @Sinrebirth







    Sent from my SM-A205U using Tapatalk
     
    darthbernael and DarthIshyZ like this.
  9. Sinrebirth

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

    Registered:
    Nov 15, 2004
    IC: The Five
    The Grand Tour of the Sith

    The Five took Darth Cocytus on the Grand Tour.

    Beyond the graveyard of Exegol, there was Rhand, a terrestrial world of prairies which was oddly picturesque, the darkness so complete that the populace were almost zombiefied, lapped by the energies from birth so their minds could not resist. A broken Citadel existed, built within a crashed dipyramid. Within it were dozens of Pawns, lesser Force sensitives controlled by crystals within their skulls which acted as the medium of the Sorcerors, who made use of Crowns to dominate their followers.

    From Rhand they headed to Muspilli, a world scorched by destruction, revealing immense molten metal reserves. The local death cults periodically summoned apocalyptic creatures to carve more at the surface of their world, to inflict more damage and reveal more of its heart. The monsters were energy-based, and did not last long, dispelling shortly after they arrived.

    After Muspilli, they traversed Rennic, a world dominated by geneticists without limit, constantly breaking down sentients into more palatable or twisted versions of themselves. As they drifted by, they watched two enhanced armies fight off for the right to enter the next wave of experimentation and perhaps freedom from the world, alive but mutated beyond belief. Clones, cyborgs, aberrations, one and all.

    Upon Muurshantre they found the wreckage of a species that had been rendered extinct a hundred millennia before, a seemingly infinite amount of men and women workers digging across the surface of the world. They hunted the Taurannik Codex, an ancient script that was said to have enabled one to summon spirits from the Netherworld of the Force. Mere scraps had been assembled over a hundred millennia, but when complete, one was said to be able to control the very Dark itself.

    They regaled the Kaminoan with the philosophical tenets of the Way of the Dark, which didn't just deny the existence of a light side to the Force, but stated the very Force itself was irrelevant in scope compared to the Dark. Their beliefs, purified Sith teachings - they said -stated that entropy and destruction was the universal constant that all things worked towards, going so far as to call it the "will of the universe". In the absence of life was the void, the foundation of truth, which to the Sorcerers became known as the One Truth, and thus made them the True Sith. To them the Force, which was an energy field created by living beings, was itself fleeting and destined to fall to the Dark as the universe approached complete entropy.

    An initiate was taught that if one made destruction his primary goal, with whatever scheme he was taking part in being a secondary objective, then the Dark would effectively reward the initiate for the devastation caused by pushing the secondary objective to success.

    The Five once believed that Palpatine, for example, was able to achieve success against the Republic and the Jedi because his primary motive was the destruction of both parties. However, once he had achieved these goals and set about consolidating his rule and building an Empire, his focus shifted from destruction to creation, in total opposition to universal processes. Thus when before he could not fail, now he could never succeed - and this was epitomized by the recent Battle of Exegol, where Palpatine had, even with near infinite destructive power in his possession, tried once again to build a New Empire.

    They did brag, too, about Darksight, which was considered the greatest power among the followers of the Dark, as those who were fully aligned with the ways of destruction and chaos could perceive multiple futures and use their will to bring about the desired outcome. They claimed that this ability transcended the more traditional applications of battle meditation of the Jedi or the traditional Sith.

    The other worlds were merely colony planets, with millions of humans within. There was not a soul above the age of fifteen there, for anyone above that was made into a Sith Stormtrooper - indeed, almost every person who had just died at the Battle of Exegol was thirty or under...

    They confessed however that their great shipyards had been at Exegol, ancient constructs that Palpatine had spent decades restoring, before moving his personal cloning projects to the planet. They quirked their expressions in unison as they mentioned Darth Vader and his travels to the planet, but they were vague on the details - unless pressed.

    All in all, the Kaminoan Sith Lord had a detailed breakdown of his new kingdom. Eleven powerful worlds, all broken to the ways of the Sith for millennia.

    TAG: @Darth Cocytus
     
  10. darthbernael

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

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

    IC Sabel and Zestus
    Preparations


    Sabel reclined in the command chair as they flew, thinning, planning, considering. He could see, sense the thoughts running through Zestus’s mind. He knew very well that the yacht could have done a quick in and out to retrieve what was necessary but over the years he’d had to refine his thinking. He was the assassin, the Sith, but he was also the leader of a territory and he owed it to his people to respect that. They would never give him the loyalty he did if he wasted them or did not keep them abreast.

    After a time he ran through what was the best message to send to Eleodie and had almost completed his thought process on it when Zestus raised his voice and made a motion to the holodisplay. He stood, walking over to the display, one eyebrow raised as he circled the holo, studying it from every angle. The corner of his lips quirked upward, ”Interesting,” he began, ”but this intrigues me just as much.” he said, pointing to something just at the edge of the display.

    ”I could be wrong but that looks very much like the Maurauder we loaned those acolytes of Lord Hate and Lord Hunger.” he commented with a touch of humor, even as the smaller ship erupted in fire, directed at the larger Resurgent.

    "It appears to be so, yes sir," Zestus said, concerned. "Did we lend it to them to go on a joyride to Chandrila...?"

    The one eyebrow stayed raised as Sabel watched the footage they had received. ”Judging from the actions they are taking against what appears to be one of Snoke’s vessels I would say that they are up to something. But taking it that deeply into New Republic space is quite a gamble, thankfully all information about our polity was scrubbed from the vessel’s database before it was lent to them. All of our markings were, likewise, removed.”

    The small smile remained as well as he watched the fire begin carving into the larger ship. ”Whatever they are doing they better succeed or die because we do not desire Republic scrutiny.”

    “Should we intervene?” Zestus said, carefully. They had a rapid response task force - an Onager and two Star Destroyers - ready to launch at his command. Zestus had assumed they would provide support at Utapau if needed, but otherwise...

    “There are three Super Star Destroyers in orbit so it’s not as if the capital is in any danger...”

    ”Those Sith made their own beds, they can lay in them.” Sabel said as he shook his head, ”Have the Intelligence Corps keep an eye on that situation but otherwise our hands are clean.”

    He thought about what he and they were dealing with currently, ”Have Eleodie brought up on comm so that the intel can be passed on. And have the Council of Captains on standby so that when the first conversation is done that one may begin.” He told his Captain. Both would be interesting in their own ways and have their own potential minefields.

    He sat back in the command chair, closing his eyes for a moment to settle himself before the calls began.

    The Pirate Queen came on the channel. “What is it, ally who slept with our Gen’dai-clone?” Zhe chuckled dryly. “We hear you’re causing issues in Known Space?”

    “Or is it your relatives?”

    Zhe paused. “We also hear you met with the Sentinel?”

    Sabel chuckled, zher humor was as dry as ever, ”I am clear of all that is ongoing in Known Space, that has to be related to those that believed they didn’t need a ready fleet and Admiral to keep them secure. Ones who I washed my hands of already.”

    That zhe knew of the trip Zestus and he were returning from did not truly surprise him. Zhe was quite well informed of events ongoing. ”If you mean the droid in the dead station, then yes.”

    “From what we can gather, your Emperor wanted ways into the Unknowns. He worked with Thrawn, and mapped a route to that spot, and sent a Super Star Destroyer there...” zhe shrugged. “Then more Imperial ships arrived, first from Jakku, then from the Unknowns...”

    Zhe paused. “... did you know that before your Empire rose up, there was only one way to navigate the Unknowns?”

    Sabel smiled softly, ”You mean besides attempting and reattempting to map the ever-shifting maze? The ‘navigators’ of my kind would have been the only ones who did so with any sense of ease before the time of Empire.”

    "Not strictly speaking true, as we understand it," zhe said. "Force-sensitive Navigators were the only way to do so. Chiss Sky-Walkers, the Pathfinders, and the mysterious Attendants," Eleodie said, carefully. "But then your Empire began mapping things in the more traditional sense, as much as possible, anyway."

    Zhe shrugged.

    He scowled, thinking, ”Yes, the Emperor did want to create bastions so that the Empire could be reborn if it ever fell, which it did. And now...now it seems that the marker is coming due once more. The Sentinel has announced that Cinder must begin again.”

    "Again?" Zhe snorted. "We don't think it ever ended. We would bet if the Sentinel gave you an order, it wasn't against a world which was hit first time - which means it's the instruction you were supposed to have received, at the actual time. Admiral Versio was given Vardos to hit; Captain Duvat had Naboo to target, and so on."

    Sabel glanced at Zestus, as he prepared to answer Eleodie. A wry smile crossed his face and he turned back to her, ”It was a definitive target. Which makes me wonder how many are even left that could do so, or would, given the current state of affairs. Much has changed since the fall. Even in just the last few years they have.”

    He looked back at Zestus, ”Even in my command there are those that would follow those orders blindly today, while there are others that would see the situation as it is and prepare for a better day to do so.”

    Gesturing so zhe could see Zestus, ”Just ask my Captain, he’s torn in how he feels.”

    Zestus shrugged. "I'll do as you direct me, my Lord. The Emperor is dead, after all."

    "Exactly," zhe said. "He is. But it makes one wonder what he had planned; you've been to Jakku... what did you find in the depths?"

    Sabel’s eyebrow rose, ”You keeping that close an eye on me, I’m flattered.” he only semi-joked, knowing zhe knew his intelligence people were keeping just as close and eye on zher.

    ”Honestly, I found answers to questions as well as more questions, at Jakku.” Pulling up the holo they had recovered, he let zher see the striking woman they had seen in the holo, ”She seems familiar but her name is escaping me at the moment. And would be a good lead on what is currently going on.”

    “That’s Grand Admiral Rae Sloane,” zhe said. “She headed here, and off with -“ the Pirate Queen paused. “We answered one question - your turn.”

    Zestus smiled at that. Zhe was a wily sentient.

    Sabel chuckled, zhe was a fun ally/opponent. ”Ahhh but I did answer your question, even showed you some of what we found. Obviously it led us to the Sentinel. And,” he smiled, eyes glittering, ”I didn’t exactly ask you a question, I left open that I didn’t recognize her and you supplied the answer.”

    Sitting back, he steepled his fingers before his lips, ”Sloane, hmmm, intriguing.” he shook his head slightly, ”Now if you wish a question answered you do actually have to ask another.”

    Zhe grinned. “Flirtatious; we love it.”

    “What did you find under the surface of Jakku? We suspect it connects to Palpatine’s revenge... the spiteful epitaph of a bad loser.”

    “It sounds like him,” Zestus commented.

    He smiled, his fingertips touching his lips, at zher retort. ”There was to have been a ceremony to turn Jakku into a weapon. One that failed because of Sloane and another. Which also killed the commander of the Contingency there, although an AI of him remained, that we encountered.”

    Thinking about what zhe’d said earlier, ”You cut off your last answer, who did Sloane leave with?” If it was another that he knew he could put the pieces together better and begin to understand what the others might be planning. Or whether they would be following the commands of the Sentinel.

    Zhe mulled it over. “So Palpatine wanted to gather the Empire and the Rebels into one spot and kill them all. Petty.”

    “Very petty,” Zestus added, glancing at the HoloNet update.

    “Rae Sloane left with her own SSD - the Eclipse, actually,” Eleodie said thoughtfully. “We took it that she founded the First Order.”

    ”Hmmmm, interesting, the Eclipse you say.” Sabel murmured. ”She is certainly a part of the First Order then as it was the Eclipse that your doppelganger was pretending was your capital. At the orders of Snoke.” he admitted.

    He glanced at the HoloNet for a moment then dismissed it again as Zestus hadn’t said anything about it. Looking back at Eleodie, ”The Sentinel wants that to resume, wants worlds to burn, to continue the destruction that the Emperor desired. With the strength of the New Republic currently, and the weakness of the Imperial Remnants in the Known Galaxy, that will end more than poorly for those that take part.” he admitted.

    Eleodie tapped her golden chin. “Is it us, or is there a disconnect between what Palpatine intended, and what is happening? We don’t see how the Eclipse heading out here is compatible with the Sentinel’s giving out genocide orders.”

    “I did wonder about that,” Zestus said. “Because it would seem more logical to have the Eclipse attend the Battle of Jakku. Then they would have bait even more New Republic ships. As it was, they sent six fleets to the final confrontation.”

    Eleodie had a sudden question. “Why didn’t you join Operation Cinder, anyway?”

    Sabel smiled. ”I suspect someone has control of the Sentinel and any that do approach it are tested, as it were. Perhaps there are those that receive the same orders I did, while others receive a different set. A simple way to determine who may be considered expendable or worth recruiting to whatever cause it is.”

    He thought for a moment and agreed with Zestus, ”Sloane must have already received her own orders then, ones that meant for her to not be there with the Eclipse. Which means she is closer to the current plan than I am, unsurprising since I seemed to have ‘lost’ my Operation Cinder orders in the mail.”

    Shaking his head again, ”As I told Zestus when we confronted the Sentinel, I neve received orders to take part in Operation Cinder. My suspicion is that I was to be the last, last resort to gather the forces of the Unknown Regions to retake Known Space when the New Republic eventually fails. But, it does seem that what was known of me has been lost over the years as those that would have sided with me are now an antagonistic Empire near my doorstep.”

    Zestus paused. “Respectively, my Lord... I disagree. That Rax fellow, he wasn’t one to follow a Contingency word for word. He was working with that spirit, for one.” He hesitated. “Didn’t the data say that they discovered this route into the Unknown Regions during the Battle of Endor? So it doesn’t follow that the Emperor planned for this to be part of the Contingency...”

    He called up some of the information. “Yeah, he started the dig on Jakku in 30 BBY, not long after he became Chancellor.” Which was quite some time ago, nearly forty years ago now.

    “This is what we wondered,” zhe said. “Someone is taking advantage of the loose ends, making them into this First Order. This Snoke is an opportunist, not a mastermind.”

    “Which means if he’s reacting... then we can throw a few skifters his way, to steal a Sabacc parlance. Rax seems likely to have sent the Eclipse into the Unknowns, and then Sloane lead things, and now Snoke does...”

    “... so we can beat Snoke?” Eleodie finished.

    Sabel’s fingers touched his lips once more, steepled before him, as he thought. ”We have had many problems and now the common thread is clear. Which does suggest that the solution is there as well,” His arms came down, folding them across his lap, ”so yes, we can beat Snoke.”

    He pulled up a holo, making it display all the intrusions, attacks, movements of Snoke’s forces that they were aware of. He studied the chart, ”I am certain he is in the Unknown Regions, but we do not need to face him directly, yet. We disrupt the delicate timing of his operations here and there and it will enrage him enough that he will ignore that he’s made that critical error.”

    Zestus pointed at the HoloNet. “With a Star Destroyer attacking Chandrila, I wonder if his plan is already afoot, if not near completion. You don’t swing by the most well defended world in the galaxy on a lark.”

    “Should we intervene?” Eleodie wondered. “Or do we keep following the breadcrumbs left by the Messenger droid?”

    “Well we do have a -“ Zestus hesitated. He didn’t want to mention their lead on Utapau.

    A chuckle was wrested from Sabel, ”My impetuous but smart Captain...

    He nodded, ”He is correct though, Eleodie, this feels as though we are moving into endgame territory. However, I do believe with recent events, the New Republic would see it unkindly if we arrived at Chandrila to attack the attacking SD. They would most likely include us on their target list. But, it’s hyper trail can be traced and that leaves the possibility of discovering it’s entry point. That is one channel we can follow.”

    Shaking his head slightly at Zestus’s outburst, ”We do have quite a breadcrumb though, however I doubt that the data we would need to bring us closer to finding him would be there. I do intend to raid it, as though I was ‘following orders’ which can possibly keep him guessing as to our true intent.”

    Eleodie tapped zher chin. “So you have a lead? Do you perchance need some... firepower behind you, our dear?” Zhe grinned. “A Super Star Destroyer might give you some... certainty to your mission.”

    “What about the Empire of the Hand, sir?” Zestus had to ask, as fun as it would be heading to Utapau with an SSD in pocket.

    Sabel smiled, his eyes becoming twin rubies of light as he did. ”A very good point Zestus.”

    His fiery gaze took in Eleodie, ”I have a plan for my lead. We have kept some ‘lost’ Chiss vessels, a pair of heavy cruisers and a pair of cruisers, that can be quickly covered in the Empire of the Hand livery, with crew drawn from the Chiss that are a part of my territory, and spoof the codes of similar craft in their inventory to accompany myself and Zestus.”

    The smile turned darker, ”If, instead of accompanying us, you did a tour of the border with that Empire, the Liberty’s Misrule wearing the livery of the Eclipse and spoofing it’s code for sensors, at the same time it would cause even more chaos for that group. Especially as they have, by now, realized that Snoke knows they have one of his ships and crews.”

    Eleodie nodded. “We would quite enjoy using Snoke’s trickery against him. It will be a good treachery. Bringing either the Empire of the Hand or the New Republic against the First Order will be sublime fun.”

    Zestus began to issue orders to the Chiss heavy cruisers and crewers they had. They’d never secured a Nightdragon - the Chiss equivalent of a Star Destroyer - but the cruisers were decent enough craft, if a bit underarmed and under-defended in comparison to the Imperial heavy cruiser equivalent. Electro-static defences, plasma balls and charric weapons didn’t stack up to deflector shields, proton torpedoes or turbolasers.

    Later the Empire of the Hand would have developed Chiss-class Star Destroyers and unique TIE designs of their own - the Clawcraft - but for now they were reliant upon a confederation of Chiss ships, captured Nikardun destroyers, repurposed Grysk battle dreadnoughts, Primean gunboats, seized Firekiln cruisers, Pataatus frigates, and even old Trade Federation battleships. There were a handful of old Imperial Star Destroyers at the core of its force, giving it an edge.

    The latest report that Eleodie handed over was that the captured Resurgent had exploded in dry-dock, wrecking a key shipyard since they had secured it; the ship had been rigged to kill Sabel so the Empire of the Hand were ‘fighting mad’ blaming both the Chiss Admiral and the First Order for the deaths - but also conscious of their complicity in their intervention in the Battle of Primea. For now, cooler heads were prevailing, as well as the presumption that war against both NuImperial groups would see the Hand smashed, and they hoped to remain a stable centre in the Chaos of the Unknowns.

    Sabel chuckled as he read the report before handing it to Zestus, letting him see. ”I’m not entirely sure that I believe in karma but if I did I would say that that was fitting karma for their greed and desire to have more and more powerful firepower than I had at that battle. What the report also illustrates is that, should they attempt an action against your craft then any damage they take will only weaken them further.”

    The dark smile returned to his face, his eyes glittering, ”Zestus, what say we have the crews of those Chiss cruisers, at least a couple, develop a ‘fault’ in their comms, allowing the defense forces they attack intercept messages passed back and forth, that of course implicate our neighbors that Eleodie will be riling up?”

    One eyebrow rose as he thought for a moment, ”Our neighbors would see right through us sending any SD’s to accompany you on your little trip because they would not be Resurgent class but that does not mean that we cannot deploy smaller capital craft, in First Order livery to do so. That would add legitimacy to the trip and, should they decide to make an issue of it, a larger quantity of firepower to backup the Misrule."

    Zestus and Eleodie worked out the details and picked Roxuli, a world that was fairly distant, to hit. But it was far away from Sabel and zhers traditional sphere of operations, and in the Unknowns rather than Wild Space, so the chances of them being automatically targeted were low.

    It was, for all intents and purposes; perfect.

    Sabel pulled up the Council of Captains on another channel as Zestus and Eleodie went to work. By the time they had hammered out the details he had informed the Captains of the situation and what was being planned. Once the system was chosen for Eleodie’s false ‘show the flag’ tour and attack, he passed that information to the Captains and informed them to have the requisite ships dispatched.

    He turned back to Zestus and Eleodie, ”The plan is set, the deception is ready, and we will have even more stores to be used in our battle against Snoke when this is done, and possibly more information to use. All that is left is to carry it out. So, Pirate Queen, let us have our fun confounding that twisted being.”

    TAGS: @Sinrebirth, @greyjedi125, @Silvertough, @darthhelinith, @E. L.Knight, @Mitth_Fisto, @Adalia-Durron
     
    Last edited: May 2, 2021
  11. darthbernael

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

    Registered:
    Apr 15, 2019
    OOC: Double Post approved by GM, combo with @greyjedi125 and @Sinrebirth

    IC Hunger and Hate
    Chandrila system


    The Maurauder emerged from hyper and Bernael smiled coldly. Snoke had, indeed, planned well. He checked the plot and as he did the icon for the second Resurgent flashed onto it. They had just beaten the other ship here. Even before the other ship began to broadcast, ”Every antenna, comm dish, or other communication device, target and fire now. Upon completion fire upon every turret and weapons system of the ship.” he instructed the Shadows.

    Turning toward Manticore his smile still in place, ”It appears they have not succeeded as of yet.” he told his brother. ”It is now decision time. I have not yet reached out to see if either of the other two are still alive but we must make a choice.”

    Even as he did he reached out, sensing almost exactly the same series of traps they had encountered, but even more, a Force user blocking the bridge. That the being was there told him that the other two were onboard somewhere. Glancing back to Manticore, ”It seems that they are possibly alive but there is a Force user onboard as well so I must not give him any evidence to cause their timeline to speed up.”

    A small smile touched his face. He glanced around the bridge, Shadows, Active camouflage, Dosh.” he stated flatly. As cowls went up on his six, flickers of minimal Force use disguising features, he shifted, changing form until a reptilian form was standing in his place. Opening the comms to the New Republic ships in orbit he sent a broadcast on a military frequency that the Resurgent wasn’t attempting to override as it was many of the others.

    [​IMG]

    ”New Republic vessels this is Qoossc Sodrugh, Captain of the Trandoshan Defense Force ship Dawnbringer. That Star Destroyer blew through the Kashyyyk system, back trace showing it arrived from Oba Diah, taking out a third of the Defense Force before jumping again. We managed to follow it, as it has stained Dosh honor and the tallies must be rectified in the Scorekeeper’s eyes.” his voice came out in a growling hiss.

    ”Assist us in it’s destruction or not but the final kill must be ours to redeem Dosh honor.” he concluded and then nodded to the Shadows. At the nod the first lances of fire leaped out from the Maurauder into the comm and weapons arrays of the Resurgent.

    Having pre-knowledge of the yet to be broadcast ‘offending transmission’, was key to an effective counter, which Lord Hunger had proven more than capable of formulating time and again time again.

    Blinding and silencing the ‘offender’ was quite an effective way of keeping him from carrying out his mission of deceit.

    Manticore mused. Of course, he would have to keep alert for other, less obvious means of betrayal by Snoke. He was a subtle snake, that one, and not to be trusted under any circumstance. Manticore was certain there would be some other contingencies in place.

    Targeting the ship’s comm arrays would surely buy the sith some time for whatever came next. Chiefly consolidating their forces with Lord Iudex and Shimmer.

    Lord Hunger had spoken a very curious word to Manticore.

    “Choice?” The zabrak echoed as he attempted on pinpointing the Anzat’s meaning.

    But the moment passed, or rather, was paused and would likely be revisited, even as Darth Bernael and his Shadows indulge in a bit of deceptive theatre, to the advantage of the sith.

    It would seem Bernael was an exceedingly quick study and was already giving the New Republic a taste of what Snoke was serving. Manticore smirked as he listened. The tale that followed was indeed compelling.

    The zabrak Sith Lord consulted his keen force senses, seeking to unmask underlying nuances concerning their current situation, even as the Maurauder began its silencing run.

    Lord Iudex and Shimmer had a challenge before them, as did Lords Hate and Hunger. The longer the encounter lapsed the more complicated the situation would become. They would need to act fast and decisively, while hopefully keeping the New Republic off-balance to some degree.

    The Shadows took orders but were conscious that they would have difficulty reaching it all from one vantage point. They rushed to their ships, coordinating a deployment in time with their intention to open fire.

    Until Pykestaff spoke up. “Wait.” His expression was pinched, and he flipped a control, activating a jammer. “It won’t last for long but -“

    “Can you feel that?”

    There was something in the Force; a presence, watching them. There was a plan, somewhere, an anticipatory moment. The Shadows held off, hesitating, but were ready to launch when released -

    The Pykestaff frowned. “I just realised we’ve lost track of that Lethan Twi’lek. Did you see when she snuck off?”

    Bernael whistled a two toned note and the Shadows, wherever they were in their preparations to attack the Resurgent, paused. He nodded at the crew that was preparing the Maurauder’s turbolasers and missile launchers returned to their duties. ”Shadows, four to prepare strafing runs, two find the Twi’lek. Move! he commanded.

    Turning to the Pykestaff a scowl crossed his face. ”Tell me, is negligence in assuring where your own people are located a usual habit of yours?” he asked, voice a low, furiously calm tone.

    He looked over at his brother, ”I would appreciate that those Aran Tyr you can spare would assist my Shadows in finding the Pykestaff’s wayward associate. And...it seems we do have someone observing and waiting to see what occurs here. Familiar to a degree.”

    The Pykestaff was frowning. "She's not a traditional member of the Syndicate..." He said, rummaging through the Pyke's memories. "She offered her services as an enforcer, and killed a Pyke in the role she wanted - brazenly, opening." He looked to the two Sith. "It was a day before you arrived."

    Manticore’s displeasure at the news rolled off him like waves of palpable heat, a growl escaping his throat then. With a gesture, he commanded his Aran Tyr to assist Bernael’s Shadows in finding the presently elusive Twi’lek.

    “Then her presence among us is not a coincidence.” Manticore concluded, his frown deepening. He could easily blame Snoke, except for the timing. Snoke could not possibly have known when Hunger and Hate would arrive at Oba Diah, for their arrival wasn’t planned…at least not by them. Indeed, he sensed the presence the staff spoke of, but it did not betray its identity, at least for now.

    Had he not scanned the Twi’lek the moment he met her, as she did seem suspicious to the zabrak- well, everything and everyone was suspicious in his eyes. Manticore let his senses roam, feeling out for the female. Had she been Force sensitive, or was she suppressing her presence.

    “I wonder if you’d fancy a Twi’lek body.” Manticore did wonder aloud at the Pyke Leader.

    “Still, we cannot allow ourselves to be distracted. We still need to recover Lord Iudex and Shimmer, then prevent an incident with the New Republic.” He observed sourly.

    Who's agent was she really, and to what end?

    The Pykestaff shrugged. "Sure, why not. Lekku aren't that annoying."

    The Twi'lek could not be sensed, but the attention was definitely there -

    The jamming began to break down -

    ”Fighters, begin your runs. Work in tandem with the Maurauder to coordinate attacks.” Bernael stated. They had to cause an action that would make their foe, whoever it may be, reveal themselves, while still keeping Snoke’s blind from being completed.

    He turned his attention to the two Shadows and the Aran Tyr that were hunting the Twi’lek. They were going floor by floor, room by room, securing each room and bulkhead as they passed through, after ensuring that the woman was not present.

    He walked over to the comm station, pressing the stud for the ship’s intercom, ”Bossa, you have not shown yourself to be a foe, yet. Return with our men.” he said calmly.

    Releasing the stud he glanced over to Manticore, ’I doubt she will but that should cause enough of a spike of emotion to detect her.’ sending him the thought.

    Manticore offered his battle brother a somber nod.

    “Anyone who doesn’t share our objective opposes us.” He stated clearly and simply. That blanket statement covered everyone aboard the Marauder as well as their current ‘associates’.

    “I will go prepare a starfighter for myself, in the event our forces should need superior support during their mission.”

    It was always best to be ready, in the event the NR launched fighters- and of course, be able to board the Resurgent incidentally. In that moment, a thought came to the zabrak.

    “We should also check if any vessels are missing, or were launched without authorization at any given point.”

    It was critical to find Bossa. At this juncture, they had no need of such a loose end. With the Pyke’s revelation, it became clear that she was a plant or an infiltrator. The question was who’s?

    Bossa didn’t reply, of course. No good spy would. There was however a shift of perception, and something in the Force was on its way.

    There was a burst of pseudonym, and a stealth equipped ship vanished into hyperspace... but the Cronau radiation it created, it suggested a capital ship rather than a single transport or fighter.

    In their minds eyes, there was the roar of a dragon...

    The chaos of battle enveloped them, as the Star Destroyer opened fire -

    The remaining crew sprung into action as the SD opened fire. The shields were varied as the fire came in, deflecting as much as possible as the Maurauder went into evasive action. Their smaller ship poured it’s fire into the larger craft, aiming for the weapons emplacements and the comms.

    Bernael turned to Manticore, ”Excellent idea. I must remain to keep up the charade of the Trandoshans being here. It does feel that our observer will arrive shortly so watch your back, brother. And, I have a feeling Snoke had a vessel hidden here to report back on the success or failure of his trap.”

    He checked in on the Shadows and Aran Tyr. They had covered more than half the ship already with no sign of Bossa. He knew, though, that they would find her if she was still aboard. He left them to their search, until or unless they needed his aid.

    Still in the Trandoshan form, he filled the holo as he activated the frequency again, a hissing voice coming from his reptilian lips, ”Chandrila defense forces, aid would be appreciated to disable our foe. The Scorekeeper allows for such as long as we may tally the kill.”

    So be it Manticore sent to Bernael as their plan was immediately executed. Needless to say, Bossa created unwelcome problems and by not answering had practically declared herself an enemy. Manticore was forced to take an extra moment to check the starfighter of his choice, as it could have been tampered with- not that Bossa would know which one he would take, and did not have the time to sabotage them all, but one would be enough, given their limited numbers.

    Still, Lord Hate resolved to take out the fighter to support the Shadows and Aran Tyr, he would not be deterred by mere inconveniences. The sith, despite their penchant for betrayal, were also capable of fierce loyalty to the cause. Former Emperor Insipid had demonstrated this on more than one occasion, even if his action usually served other hidden agendas- he did them for the sake of the sith. This was especially evident during their episode against Abeloth and again at Mortis...and now he was gone again.

    Manticore was bolstered by the present challenge and his hate of Snoke, the de facto enemy of the Sith Order. By the Will of the Force, Manticore did not remain dead- and neither had Bernael, so this time, it was Snoke's turn to die.

    Within moments, the Starfighter left the Maurauder's hanger with the Sith Lord as the pilot, already streaking into action. Lord Hunger had his portion of the mission to cover and Lord Hate had his. Together, they had no choice but to succeed. They would face whatever or whoever was coming together as well and perhaps both Lord Iudex and Lady Shimmer's eyes would be opened. Regardless, the combination of a warrior and an assassin was a canny combination in warfare. The enemies of the sith were about to learn not to cross the Insipid's chosen tools of sith craft, whether it be Lord Hunger, Lord Hate, Renn, Darth Helinith, Darth Serapis, or any surviving sith. Woe to Bossa, Snoke, the New Republic or any other entity foolish enough to think they could take on the ones who'd faced Typhojem and lived to tell the tale.

    TAGS: @Sinrebirth, @greyjedi125, @Silvertough, @darthhelinith, @E. L.Knight, @Mitth_Fisto, @Adalia-Durron
     
  12. Silvertough

    Silvertough Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Aug 19, 2018
    OOC: Another exciting combo with @Sinrebirth :)

    IC: Darth Iudex and Shimmer
    Aboard the Resurgent-class, Chandrila system

    An uncertain energy had infused the air within the turbolift, a frustratingly familiar, yet unknown sensation, the source of which holding steady just beyond reach. The journey up to the Bridge had been slow, maddeningly so. The anticipation of whatever stood to meet them when the doors would finally open was driving the Falleen into a state of near frenzy. Something, or someone, was waiting for them above. Someone important.

    Iudex was sure of it. Positive.

    And so he had begun to pace about the cramped confines of the lift. He ignored the curious look from Shimmer. Like a predator stalking his prey Iudex moved, his fist unconsciously clenching and unclenching as he went.

    As the lift came closer and closer to its destination, Iudex's insatiable need grew. Whatever, whoever, was outside those doors needed to die. Needed to be put down, with extreme prejudice. The "why" of such an instinctual, primal need was irrelevant to the Falleen. It just needed to happen, and that was that.

    The doors finally opened, and the "why" revealed itself.

    A tiny, choked gasp escaped from Iudex's lips. A tremor shook his enormous frame, not of fear, but of yearning, and the pheromones being unconsciously pumped into the turbolift reflected this. In an instant, all other objectives were stripped away.

    All that mattered, was him.

    Before Iudex stood what could only be An Acolyte of the Beyond, lightsaber already in hand. The bridge bled away into irrelevance within the Falleen Sith's mind, it's sole occupants being himself, and the Acolyte. There was no rage, no uncontrolled surge of wrath. Just the singular primal hunger of a predatory finding his prey.

    Iudex's own lightsaber jumped into his palm and ignited. Wordlessly, he stepped forwards out of the lift and stopping just before the Acolyte. His eyes, wide and unblinking, twinkled, exposing the distinct lack of anything profound happening within.

    "..He's mine.." Iudex finally managed to whisper, his demand surely lost against the thrum of his lightsaber. It didn't matter though, the order was for intended for his own benefit anyways.

    Iudex charged, thrusting himself forward within the blink of an eye, his lightsaber slashing down diagonally in a deadly arc across the Acolyte's armored chest. There was no need for theatrics. Just his death.

    The fight was on.

    The Knight of Ren riposted, bring his blade up at the opposite diagonal, and throwing forward a boot at Iudex's chest -

    If it pushed him back, the Knight would launch a chop down at his head -

    Shimmer, for her part, danced away and held up her hands, yanking officers from their seats and ripping at the consoles -

    She had to stay on target even if Iudex had gone mental. Throwing a worried glance at him, she began to work her away around the other side of the crew pit -

    Iudex batted away the Acolyte's lightsaber with a sneer. The counterattack was simple, designed to create space between the opponents while keeping the full length of one's lightsaber in play. For one one formally trained in lightsaber combat, such a maneuver would be instinctual.

    Iudex however, was not formally trained, or at least not until far later in his life. No, the criminal underworld had been the Falleen's teacher, and how to fight dirty had been the lessons drilled into him. It was only until fairly recently that the man had picked up his first lightsaber.

    Instead of backing away, like the Acolyte wanted, Iudex pushed into the attack. He twisted slightly at the waist, letting the man's foot slid harmlessly across Iudex's chest. In a singular motion, Iudex had the man's foot trapped, held firmly in place under his armpit.

    A breathy purr slipped forth from Iudex's lips. In an instant, he replied with his own foot, throwing his full weight into a kick directed at the Acolyte's exposed opposite knee.

    The Acolyte growled in frustration and pushed off his rooted foot, using the Force to propel himself up and flick his tip at Iudex's chin, intending to complete a cartwheel and yank himself free -

    Iudex grunted, dropping quickly into a low crouch and wrenching the Acolyte's foot down with him. Using the momentum of the attempted flip, Iudex leaped forwards, tossing his lightsaber to the side as he attempted to grab ahold of the Acolyte's throat and force him down to the ground.

    The Acolyte went down, but used the Force to cushion his landing and his own hand rose to Iudex’s throat, squeezing -

    It was down to who hated the other most -

    Who could survive long enough -

    Who was rage incarnate -

    "M-Mine..!" Iudex one more grunted, sputtering through clenched teeth as he glared wild-eyed into the Acolytes eyes.

    One, twice, three times he slammed his free fist into his opponent's kidney, all in an effort to force him into involuntarily exhaling. The melee had devolved into a pure battle of attrition.

    Iudex wanted the Acolyte, the physical manifestation of his greatest failure, to *hurt*. Whatever was happening on the bridge, whatever Shimmer was doing, was irrelevant. In this moment, there was only Iudex and the Acolyte.

    Iudex pushed more of his body weight down onto the Acolyte, simultaneously increasing the pressure building at his own throat. Some fragment of his mind screamed at him to get this over with, to refocus on the reason he was there in the first place.

    But it was ignored. The Falleen wanted, no, needed to feel the life slip away from the Acolyte. First him, and then the rest. Only then would his retribution be complete.

    The Knight of Ren winced, his grip loosening - his squeeze turned to him digging his fingertips into Iudex’s throat, to try and rip it out -

    But his life was draining away, even as the Destroyers cannons hummed with fire -

    The Knight was crumbling, and he was beginning to fall, his eyes bugging out beneath his mask -

    He stilled, breath leaving the man; he was done. The Force confirmed it, his body rattled with death. Iudex had killed the man.

    A shudder rippled through Iudex's frame, accompanied by a pleased sigh.

    It was done. The Acolyte lay dead before him, the first kill on his list. Iudex gingerly removed his hand from the corpse's throat, pocketing the man's lightsaber as he rose to his feet. He recalled his own previously discarded lightsaber, attaching the metallic hilt to a clip on his belt.

    "..Shimmer. I take it you've.." Iudex blinked, slowly drawing his gaze across the bridge. "..Ehh?"

    Why were the cannons still firing? Iudex groaned, his gaze falling back onto the dead Acolyte below him. He had lost control, lost the plot, and it had cost them a victory.

    Now all he could do was play damage control.

    Shimmer stood, bloodied from all those she’d killed, not a single station was untouched, most had been ripped out. She looked almost waxen, with how pale she was. “Auxiliary... bridge?” She was breathing heavily.

    “Someone has - shot up the comms relay from the outside...” Shimmer sagged, holding her head, and then regarding her hair - it had fallen out in clumps. “Well this isn’t good.”

    “You feeling better now?” Her tone wasn’t even sarcastic.

    Iudex didn't answer immediately, instead taking a moment to remove the mask of the dead Acolyte. One last trophy for the collection. "Yeah. That must be it.." He murmured, turning to face Shimmer. "You uh.. Did good. You did good.."

    "I don't uh.. Hm." Iudex said as he ran a hand through his hair, a look of exasperation on his face. "We, I, failed. Did the Captain manage to implicate us? If not.. we may just have a chance yet.. Maybe just self-destruct the ship, jump away in a shuttle or something? I don't, I don't know."

    He was ignoring the question, purposefully attempting to divert their attention back the current crises at hand. Truthfully, he didn't know the answer himself, and that scared him. Losing control like that just didn't happen, or at least it wasn't supposed to. Was that always going to happen when he ran into one of these accursed Acolytes of the Beyond? Or was this instance unique?

    "Tsk." A click of the tongue. Too much time had been wasted already. He could worry about rationalizing his actions later. It was time to move.

    "I suppose we just work our way downward. Maybe we find a secondary Bridge of sorts. If not, prime the Hyperdrive engines for detonation? Unless you got a better idea?"

    “The Captain didn’t,” Shimmer said. “He’s dead, so, that’s fine.” She looked at the dead man. “But it would have been a bit easier with your help.” She shrugged as the ship shook; harassment fire was impacting the shields. Shimmer looked out the viewport. “We’re at Chandrila... they have three Super Star Destroyers. So I guess with the comms down, we just need to blow the auxiliary bridge and get off before the SSDs turn us into atoms?”

    Shimmer’s senses rumbled. “Lord’s Manticore and Bernael are here...” her voice trailed off. “... and there was someone else but they’re gone now...” she was pointing at a point in space. “They were watching... they left when you killed that guy.”

    "My apologies. It won't happen again." Iudex said firmly. "And I trust what happened here won't leave this room?" He gave Shimmer a pointed look as he made his way back towards the turbolift they had arrived in. "If the Lords of Hate and Hunger are here, we need to advance our time table.. They're just as likely to start firing on us as well."

    It would appear that he had missed quite a bit during his 'fugue' state, just another concern to add to the pile. But, thankfully, Shimmer had stepped up to the plate, not all had been lost. How the hell he would explain to the other Sith what had happened was another issue entirely. But he would cross that bridge when he came to it.

    "So." Iudex said, hovering his hand over the controls. "What are the odds of there being a second Acolyte of the Beyond on the secondary Bridge, eh?"

    Shimmer pulled a face as she dragged herself to the turbolift and keyed in the ancillary bridge level; it was on the same level they’d originally left, typically. “If there is, what’s the plan? Abandoning me again?”


    She checked over her weapons; lightsaber, borrowed blaster two grenades she’d scrounged from a dead trooper - she handed Iudex one. He was, rather unsurprisingly, eminently less attractive to her than he had been.

    "You handled yourself fine." Iudex said dismissively, a hint of his old confidence in his voice. "Besides, the galaxy is never that kind to me."

    He accepted the grenade wordlessly and It disappeared into one of the many pockets which dotted his armor. Instead, he drew his own lightsaber along with the one he collected from the dead Acolyte. They both remained extinguished. Iudex hadn't received much formal training in the way of two weapon fighting, especially with lightsabers, and he was curious to see how he would fare. It wasn't like the Imperials were that much of a threat, what better way to test out some new lightsaber forms?

    "I'd imagine our original plan would be the most effective." Iudex frowned, his eyes flicking toward Shimmer. "It won't happen again."


    Shimmer smiled at him. A flicker of something passed through her; and she held up her hand, small finger outstretched. It was a human-style proof of a commitment.

    “Pinky promise?”

    The turbolift was about to arrive; there was a maelstrom of darkness down the corridor. It was, of course, in the auxiliary bridge.


    Iudex raised an eyebrow at Shimmer's gesture, a perplexed look etched in his face. Shrugging, he mirrored her movement and shook her pinky finger with his own.

    "If that's what it takes, sure. I 'pinky' promise."

    Iudex looked back at the doors and frowned. Something downright sinister lay ahead, just like before. Perhaps his joke about another Acolyte protecting this Bridge wasn't too far off after all. Terrific. He clicked his tongue, slowly positioning himself in front of Shimmer. This time, it would be different. His pride demanded so. Iudex cast a final glance at Shimmer over his shoulder, just as the doors began to slide open.

    This time, it would be different.

    He ignited his twin lightsabers, and stepped out onto the Bridge.


    “Don’t forget I get to break your finger if you break your promise,” she said with a smirk. The woman stepped after him, her own blade ignited. There was a bloody tableau upon the floor; the First Order crew had been slain.

    But not by an Acolyte, or a Knight.

    There was a red blade in her hand, yes, but none of them would have expected a blue-skinned Chagrian to be standing in the middle of the auxiliary bridge. She had bright yellow eyes, and she was powerful; the darkness they had felt belonged to her.

    The woman flipped over them, holding her lightsaber to block as she went if need be, and Shimmer dove down, expecting a slash at her head as she leapt -

    But the Chagrian simply landed on her boots and threw a hand at Iudex, a strong Force push slamming in him -

    "Better not break it then, eh?" Iudex muttered, regarding the state of the Bridge with a concerned eye. Someone had done their job for them. His gaze slowly fell upon the sole occupant of the room, a blue-skinned female Chagrian, lightsaber in hand. Without question, Iudex sprung forth, slicing his twin blades horizontally at her midsection..

    And watched in surprise as she effortlessly flipped over his attack, landing behind both himself and Shimmer near the turbolift. A sudden shockwave slammed into his chest, sending him reeling backwards several meters. Iudex rolled into the blast, absorbing most of the impact as he jumped back to his feet, rising near the center of the room.

    "Shimmer, move!" Iudex commanded as he thrust his own hand out. The air surrounding his body crackled and sparked as electricity coiled around his wrist towards his fingertips. The gathered electricity jumped with a resounding thunderclap, the singular bolt of lightning arcing towards the mysterious Chagrian in an instant.


    The Chagrian was already turning to go and caught the bolt with her lightsaber, throwing out her own hand and releasing an electric bolt. Shimmer, who had dove down, had already pushed back off the bulkhead and flipped over Iudex's attack, throwing her lightsaber at the Chagrian's head - she ducked down, released her own bolt, and swiftly ignited a second blade and cut apart Shimmer's hilt as it passed -

    Shimmer planted her feet as the woman wagged a finger and tugged at Iudex's hand to try and divert his electric attack into Shimmer -

    But she continued to back away. A hiss escaped her lips. "I did your job for you, fools. Release me, before the New Republic blows apart the ship with us aboard."


    With Shimmer momentarily holding the Chagrian's attention, Iudex broke into a full charge, only altering his momentum to twist out of the way of the incoming lightning attack at the last second. When she attempted to redirect Iudex's own lightning attack, He spun on his heel in the opposite direction while cutting off the flow of electricity, using his own body weight to wrench his hand out of Shimmer's direction.

    Finishing the spin, Iudex slid to a halt, his lightsabers held in a defensive "X" formation in front of his chest. His eyes flicked to Shimmer, and frowned upon seeing the remains of her lightsaber scattered behind the Chagrian. It was a rookie mistake, to lose one's saber. A lesson Iudex would certainly have to bring up once they got out of here. If.

    "Identify yourself Chagrian!" Iudex called out, his voice sour. "You're not leaving my sight until you do!" He inched closer, once again attempting to position himself between the enemy and Shimmer.


    The Chagrian hesitated. “My name is IV,” she said. “That’s what I am, and who I am.” She deactivated her blades, but stepped back. “You have impressed me, my friends. You are strong in the dark side. I feel as if I have robbed you of your victory.”

    She bowed. “Please accept my apologies.”

    Shimmer looked at Iudex with some curiosity.

    “But we really must depart; the Star Destroyer was locked on course by the previous owners, and the gunners are automated. You won’t be able to stop the ship without the authorization of the Supreme Leader apparently.” Her voice rang out with sincerity, as did her presence in the Force.

    Iudex raised a brow, lowering his sabers in tune with IV. He hadn't expected her to simply forfeit, that was new. "I take it you're not a fan of the Supreme Leader then," He said carefully, never taking his eyes off of the Chagrian. He had planned, if somewhat indirectly, on encountering fellow users of the Dark Side. But one who could be made an ally? Not so much.

    Iudex extinguished his lightsabers with a groan, and gestured towards the turbolift. "As you said, we don't have much time before the New Republic blows us to kingdom come. We'll accompany you to the hangar, go from there." Slowly, he turned to look at Shimmer and shrugged, as if to say "You got a better idea?"


    Attaching her hilts to her belt, IV bowed. "Thank you for your consideration. My Master will be displeased that I did not kill you outright, but you have proven your skill to me and are worthy of survival." She was in-fact addressing Iudex, not Shimmer, but Shimmer didn't notice. IV did however smirk slightly. "And yes, we have no love for Supreme Leader Snoke. He is consorting with the Old Ones, with Death itself, in the Akkadese Maelstrom; we do not wish for him to acquire more time to complete the True Death Star by using the New Republic to stall you."

    "I have a ship docked on the hull, stealth-equipped of course. I will leave you to your rescuers." Shimmer quirked her head as IV said as much.

    "Manticore and Bernael are aboard, Iudex..."

    IV vanished, leaping up into a ventilation duct that was already open above her.

    Shimmer shrugged. "Well that was interesting."

    There was a spike hammer of danger -

    "I'll.. Keep that in mind." Iudex said, quirking an eyebrow as IV jumped up into an open ventilation duct above. He hadn't noticed it before now. It would explain how the Chagrian was able to move about so easily, something to think about if he ever needed to sneak aboard a Resurgent in the future.

    "I have a sneaking suspicion we'll be seeing her again.." He said, motioning for Shimmer to get back into the turbolift. "Interesting to see whether that meeting will be as friend or foe." A particularly large explosion nearby rocked the Bridge, prompting Iudex to hurry himself. The Chagrian had set a good example, leave now, deliberate potential alliances later.

    "Well, they came all this way for us, we shouldn't leave the good Lords waiting eh?" Iudex kept his disappointment of their arrival hidden from Shimmer. The arrival of Hate and Hunger was only further proof of his own failings, there was no need to saddle the Apprentice with such baggage..


    Tags: @Sinrebirth , @darthbernael @greyjedi125 @Mitth_Fisto @darthhelinith



     
  13. ClaiomhSolais

    ClaiomhSolais Jedi Knight star 1

    Registered:
    May 4, 2019
    Hapan Battle Dragon, Hanger

    IC: Emperor Soliloquy as, Erin Soong, Morigan, Claiomh

    After a lovely meditation with an old thief, Soliloquy had left with the sage advice of "Practice the art of the deal more, and maybe try not to piss off the dead that badly." Truer words to live by for a ghost wrangler had never been spoken. Still, he had to leave and head down to deal with things even in this body of a Royal Guard Erin Soong - Comm Specialist.

    Arriving unreasonably fresh and with a bag slung on her back to indicate worldly possessions she headed straight for Morrigan. She was present in the hangar of the Dragon with Claiomh besides her, and she bowed to the Sith which came to greet them, Soliloquy making sure to impress upon both the utter fathomless depth of his own dark power and abyssal nature beyond a shadow of a doubt before more concealing it behind a guise of merely an ordinary woman.

    Morrigan smiled softly. "May I present Claiomh Solais, a Sith from the old universe, who I collected on Haruun Kal." She indicated the woman. "Lord Hades has remained in the jungle there. I would not recommend any Sith returning to the planet... we made a mess." Her smile became a grin. "I believe the lady knows Lord Bernael, but I had not told her about his demise during the Battle of Hapes..."

    "Not dead. Merely indisposed." she stated with a dismissive wave. "Now, there seems to be the question of what to do with you two."

    A Royal Shuttle arrived in the same hangar, carrying Isolder.

    "Luckily I have just the test at hand. Much easier than paperwork and there is far too much of that as is. As ordered by the Queen Mother and Queen's Consort Renn you will prove yourselves by dealing with an issue as bodyguards for the Prince Apparent. He dies you die, and with so much paperwork I am bored and have plenty of ways to make sure slow does not begin to describe how you will die and pain will pale as an inadequate word to describe the agony in any sense of the word." She glared at them both as she stated all of this.

    Then bouncing on her heals to lean back she gave a somber but happy expression with a lightness in her voice belying all she had said so far. "Any questions? So sorry to have to throw you into the deep end with a job so suddenly. Trying times you know.

    Admiral Tenee Astarta walked with Comm Specialist Soong from the gym. The meditation had done her wonders. She felt clearer than she had in weeks... months, even. They entered the cavernous space of the main hangar of the Hapan Battle Dragon. Dozens of ships were littering the space. Her own shuttle was there. She was planning to get on it to go coordinate delivery of the orbital platforms.

    So, this was the wannabe Sith we'd rescued. She listened with interest as Soong described her mission. She broke in as she finished. "Well, the Comm Specialist didn't introduce me, but I'm General Astarta." She extended a hand to greet both Morrigan and Claiomh. "I'm head of the Hapan military. Welcome to Hapan space."

    Just as she welcomed them, her pad beeped an incoming message. "Excuse me, please." She noted a message from the yards completing the orbital platforms. Apparently they had been part of the blockade by this New Republic. Leia was at it again. She cursed quietly. She pulled out her com device and dialed up the bridge. "Tenee to Estrella, mind if I come back up to join you? Had an unwelcome development with the orbital platforms. I think I need your help."

    Claiomh folded her arms as Morgana introduced her. Her face fairly calm and neutral as her eyes scanned over the ship and the people who met them.

    She carefully hid her abilities. Not knowing who these darksiders were or their Hanpan allies, she opted for incognito at the moment.

    Then, as they say, no plan survives - as Morgana finishes her introduction with a minor detail she had neglected to tell Claiomh since they met.

    “Bernael has died.”

    Claiomh snaps her head at the other woman her arms unfolding and eyes flaring red.

    “What?!” She snarls. But before she could continue another voice broke through and corrected with a more precise description. It did little to calm her.

    “There is somewhat of a difference between dead and indisposed...” she begun. “Where is Incepid? Is this...”. Her voice trails off. “All that remains?” Uncertain how much was out in the open regarding the Sith she strategically did not use the word Darth. They knew about Bernael, but in what manner she was not sure.

    Years ago, she and Bernael had escaped another Sith empire. Their leaders driven insane had attempted to make them little more than slaves to their will. A life neither would accept. Escaping to Darth Incepid’s Empire was via a connection Bernael had, and Claiomh followed him. She met Darth Incepid only briefly before a fracture in time separated her from the rest of the Sith.

    The memory stung in her mind and she bit her lip as she shook hands that offered to be shook, and nodded greetings. But her mind was focused on sorting out the events that had transpired. They must have been major.

    The only thing that drew her focus fully to the conversion at present was the mention of a job.

    “You want us to be bodyguards for a prince,” her statement was more of a verification than a question. “Alright,” her head nods as she assesses her options and how best to get answers to all of her questions.

    “I accept. But first,” she motions at her clothes. “My good clothes were worn out in the process of getting here. Could you provide suitable robes? And...”her voice trails slightly knowing how she was once chastised so heavily for the lack of it...”some armor?”

    Nodding her head she waved away the General. "Of course General Astarte. May the Force be with you." Keeping her eyes forward she listened as these two new ones had a bit to say. She listened of course, but what was most interesting was the reaction to other Sith being 'dead' or 'MIA' and asking for the Emperor Insipid to somehow validate their life choices to come here now.

    "As to your questions I shall answer them privately now. Yes. This coalition inside the Hapan Consortium is all that remains at this point in time from the old universe you and I are from, when we the first group traveled here. . .well we had an accidental confrontation with another Sith that resulted in the premature summoning and death of the Old Ones in this timeline. What can I say, we're a bit of a mess. But, we caused the hatching of 'he who shall not be named' to have somewhat of a still birth unlike where you came from. Still we lost a couple people and many were lost not to death but to being displaced in time. Emperor Insipid after establishing us here was scattered in a conflict with Snoke - someone that is extremely powerful and responsible for the conflict with the Old Ones in this timeline. I fully expect him to return but it might take him a few years to coalesce based on what I witnessed." She was making sure to use the Force to keep this portion of the conversation private and for their ears only. If someone actually bothered to read her lips they would discover an ancient recipe ryysh cake, and avoiding the real possibility that the whole 'return' gambit was based off a message from Wapoe. Raising her tablet she tapped a command and two male porters were quickly present pushing a couple of large portable containers of special issue clothes.

    "As for the wardrobe, you didn't think you could be bodyguard to the prince and not dress appropriately did you?" Here she actually smiled. Stepping aside she waited for them to choose what they wanted to wear which the men would help them with, they could change in the portable changing booth that the men were setting up now.

    Claiomh nods and while there was a storm of thoughts going through her mind her exterior was aloof. Distant even.

    “Thank you for the recipe”, she smiles strategically. “And the clothes,” this time her smile more genuine.

    “I am at your disposal so feel free to introduce me to the prince first or show me to my quarters.”

    She then began to ask if there was a Sith alter on the ship. But to anyone listening or watching it sounded like she was asking if the flour needed to be twice shifted for the cake.

    The cleared Kyber weighed heavily upon her mind and she needed to bleed it. Perhaps in the presence of a Sith shrine or vergence it would provide a better environment to complete that task. However, being on a ship she was not sure if one was available, but also fully aware not impossible as well.

    Smiling she brushed aside the others concerns and request. "Change your clothes and thankfully no. If you like I can have created up one by the time you return from the mission if the blockade progresses properly. You will start with introductions to the Prince as soon as you are both properly dressed." Erin stated as she eyed both women. "While you change I will let the Prince know what is happening. You can," here she closed her eyes a second, feeling her way to reasoning, "bleed that after your mission. Or with your mission if it goes how I suspect it will."

    If there was no further questions from either women she would go to make perfunctory small talk with the heir apparent Prince Isolder.

    Claiomh stiffened slightly. She hadn’t intended her thoughts to be sensed. Indeed she would have to be more careful what she thinks about.

    Without further hesitation she walks over to the cloths and assesses them. There was a great variety of styles, color and materials.

    The men move out of her way like evading fish. But hovering close by in case she needed any assistance. She pays them little attention, but as her hands search and assess the garments she can’t help but wonder at how different this world is from any of the others she had ever been on.

    “I don’t believe I have ever seen such a wide range of styles of combat clothing,” she says to Estrella.

    Pulling from the rack she selects a few garments and takes them to the changing station. Going inside she takes off her civilian clothing with a hint of detest. They weren’t even her original clothes to start with and she didn’t allow her mind to ponder how they got into the trash at the morgue to begin with. She was glad to be rid of them.

    She quickly selected some under layers and after donning them went though her choices. As she tried on her choices she couldn’t help but notice how well made the under layers were. They were substantial without being too thick, and they moved with her as well as her own skin. The outter layers were just as well made and equally moved with her body like a second skin.

    Among the choices were several sets of heavy armor but she left those on the rack.

    With her now in the changing room were different styles of synthweave and what appeared to be Cortosis-weave.

    They all had their appeal, but ultimately she made her choice and emerged from the changing room.

    The first layer was a form fitting set of textured fabric. The long sleeved top and pants had areas had different patterns of weave that interlocked and moved incredibly well with her body.

    The outter most layer was slightly thicker and consisted of a long, draping vest-like garment with a supple belt that had connectors for two Lightsabers. Currently, bearing one on her right hip.

    Her thighs and hips had additional protection by a battle skirt, split in the front to flare out and around her legs when in a fighting stance. The outer color was a non-reflective black. But the underside was red.

    Overall the garments were black, some areas darker than others as the different weaves intersected. Red highlights and trim were present along the garments, but in all areas the fabric was non-reflective and looked as if it could blend into the shadows like a phantom.

    “This is quite nice,” Claiomh says as she practices some movements testing the feel.

    “Outer layers are nice and thick but drape when they are needed to and stiffen when they are needed to. My complements.”

    There was a knock at the door, but it wasn't a request for permission, it was merely a forewarning. Morrigan, who had been quietly stripped off and was in the midst of choosing a more appropriate attire, managed to zip herself up before the Prince breezed in. Morrigan found herself staring, because damn he was fine.

    Most Hapans were renowned for their beauty, but she hadn't realised how exceptional he was.

    The man looked at Morrigan, noting how close he had been to seeing her relatively undressed, but he pressed through any embarrassment. "I am here to collect my bodyguard before travelling to Vergill. Time is of the essence, so I would request that we get on."

    His eyes swept to Soliloquy, not entirely sure who he was, not specifically, but he took it that it was a personage within the shadow bureaucracy that now ran the Consortium. "I was sent by the Queen Mother and her Prince Consort," he added stiffly. "Both of whom are Sith, I understand?"

    And probably Astarta as well... and that woman and the Falleen...

    Isolder just wanted to know who he was dealing with - and how many of them.

    For the moment, he had no idea.

    Claiomh remained quiet as the prince made his barely announced entrance. She stood like a shadow, watching and listening to the brief conversation.

    She knew little of the Hapans but in her short stay thus far, was beginning to sort out why the last of the Sith chose this planet.

    Resources.

    At the mention of his bodyguard, Claiomh took a step forward. “That would be me,” she says evenly with a slight nod. “What takes you off world your highness? This are…difficult times for space travel in this sector.”

    The Emperor did not smile, but looked with a stern and firmly ingrained professionalism. "Royal Guard Erin Soong, I was just making sure they understood your importance and their roles Your Highness." with a differential nod from a standing ready she waited for them all to leave before she would head off to her own mission.

    The Prince nodded. "I appreciate that."

    He hesitated, but saw no harm. "The Archon of Vergil is consorting with the New Republic. If he musters the support to secede and join the Senate, that will give them the ability to intervene in my affairs." He amended. "In the affairs of the Queen Mother - and the Sith."

    "That is unacceptable, so we shall be visiting him and potentially replacing him." Isolder nodded to Morrigan, who had gone a shade of red in embarrassment. He was so attractive and she needed to get over herself.

    Claiomh listens and her eyes glance towards Morgana who seemed quite taken by the prince. But she says nothing and stands unnaturally still.

    How the Sith or what was left of them, became so intertwined in the affairs of this world was still hard to believe. But she was careful to keep her reservations to herself.

    “I am willing to assist you with that.” As she speaks her eyes are direct, but her mind was distant. The only things she was connected to was her remaining Kyber in her saber, and the Darkside itself. It’s connection was unwavering.

    Isolder nodded, to each of them - including Erin Soong - and headed to the hangar, expecting them to profess after him. Morrigan quickly finished her attire, collected her things, and threw a grin at Claiomh as she rushed to keep up with the Prince.

    Watching them go, Erin Soong simply stood still until they had left, grabbing her bag she would leave opposite direction they took. Circling around if need be to her own awaiting shuttle which ferry her back to water world lab where several projects should be in their end stages. If she was lucky she would be christening a new fighting and peace keeping force for the clusters boarders. As well as seeing a couple new custom creations either start or be born.

    Claiomh watched in stillness and nodded slightly in return as Isolder and Erin Soong left. She waited as the prince turned and headed for the hanger as Morrigan hastily grabbed her things.

    She returned a small smile to Morrigan as she hurried off after the prince. But for a moment longer Claiomh did not move. She ran energy to her lightsaber by her side and it flared in residence. The two force imbued Dao across her back were charged, and her offhand Kyber was as silent as a common stone.

    She frowned slightly.

    Quickly walking to catch up to the prince and Morrigan, Claiomh felt the energies running though her body and she still lacked her top tier skills. The lack of them plagued her, and now with the added distraction of being a bodyguard was not the sort of interference she was looking forward to. But this was simply a battle she would have to fight on many fronts.



    #sinrebirth #Mitth_Fisto #CosmoHender #DarthIshyz
     
    Last edited: May 6, 2021
  14. Adalia-Durron

    Adalia-Durron WNU/Costume/Props/EUC Mod. star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jun 3, 2003
    IC: General Astarta, Admiral Tomsini, and Captain Teeks - thanks to @Sinrebirth and Mostly @DarthIshyZ who is guiding a blind woman!
    Strategic planning aboard the Battle Dragons

    Astarta thought. Teeks. Teeks. That name rings a bell. She pulled up her list in her pad. The one with the vetted names. It wasn't on there. Then it struck her. This one had had excuse after excuse to avoid appointments. There was no way to know if he was part of the turncoats. Add to it that he was male and... "Admiral, I'm not sure we can trust this... man," she said privately.

    Estrella had been concentrating on studying logistical fleet movements and potential outcomes when Astarta spoke. She looked up and narrowed her cold blue eyes. "I never trust men, they by design, deceptive."

    Teeks resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Matriarchies; get you every time.

    He stood stiffly, firmed his expression. "I would request my actions speak as to my worth, if I may. I did not rush to join the officers who rallied against the Queen Mother; I remained here, preparing for the aftermath and abiding by my oaths."

    Astarta cocked her head to the side, giving Teeks a sidelong glance. A pause as she considered. This would be so much easier if she could use the blasted Force. Then a thought. "Admiral, one of the officers I brought with me is a woman of impeccable honor and loyalty. I'd be happy to transfer her to his bridge to be... perhaps charge d'affaires is the best term."

    Estrella essentially ignored Teeks, his words were inconsequential to her. She turned to Astarta. "Do it." It was a simple order as she turned back to the image of Teeks. "Expect a new bridge officer and you would do well to make her your right hand, am I clear Captain?" With another suggestion from Astarta, her suspicions of who the woman was reporting too only grew a little. To Estrella, it felt like all her 'suggestions' seemed to be in order to not only aid the new leadership but to keep an 'ear' as it were, out on all fronts. She'd keep taking her mental notes as she continued to play this strategic game.

    Astarta nodded. The opportunity was too good. She pulled out her pad and put in two communiques to Major Tong. The major was one of the first people she'd trained in loyalty interviews. She was also one of the best, most efficient interviewers she had. It was important she have all the information she needed, but also something she could present to Captain Teeks.

    - To: Major Saisan Tong:
    New orders. Immediately transfer yourself and one support member of your choosing to the Battle Dragon led by Captain Teeks. It does not have a name, yet, and is running on skeleton crew. Orders are to be Captain Teeks second-in-command.

    - To: Major Saisan Tong:
    CONFIDENTIAL
    Use this opportunity to vet Captain Teeks and all his crew. HIs words say he does not care about politics or his queen, just his duty. I want to know that his loyalty is to Queen Helinith. Use all means necessary to ensure that, but no permanent damage is to come to Captain Teeks or his command officers. Report to me each day at mid-day and if any major developments happen.


    She sent both orders. She turned to Admiral Astarta. "Orders sent." A heavy sigh. "This is turning out to be quite an interesting trip. So, what do you think we should call Captain Teeks' ship?" A wry smile came to her lips.

    Estrealla smiled. "Vassalage" she said simply, an almost sinister glint in her eyes. She didn't like men, not in any aspect of her life and often felt some of the 'Clans' on Dathomir had it right.

    Astarta suppressed a scoff behind her hand. "Perfect," she said. "I'm sure Captain Teeks will do all he can to make the Vassalage into the finest ship in the fleet." As she said this her pad beeped indicating orders were received. "Captain Teeks, expect Major Saisan Tong soon. She will be an invaluable addition to your crew."

    She turned back to the Admiral. "Back to strategy. Are we going to try an end run to ensure delivery of the Orbital Platforms? What will the Vassalage do for us there?"

    Estrella lifted her hand to her face, tapping her index finger on her lips. "The Vassalage would be a wonderful distraction, possibly a blockade for us." She smiled, "I wonder how good our Captain Teeks is?" She mused.

    Astarta looked at the screen. "Far be it for a simple Army grunt to determine that. Teeks, how good are you?" Astarta genuinely wanted to know more about him. For a man, he was quite handsome. Wait... where did that come from?!?

    “Of course I’m good, ma’am,” he said wryly. “I didn’t become a captain for nothing.” Especially not in a matrilineal society.

    “But if you want to intercept the battle platform delivery, wouldn’t it be appropriate to do so before they reach the blockade line? Or do you intend to lie about them when they arrive? Isn’t Leia Organa Solo a Jedi? Won’t she sense a lie.”

    He hesitated, and bowed slightly, seeking forgiveness for getting ahead of himself.”

    Astarta scoffed. A non-answer, but logical. she thought. "OK. Yes." She turned back to Admiral Tomsini. "The question of the hour: tactics. If we can distract Leia enough when they arrive there, a flight or two of Miy-til fighters can get around the blockade and protect the delivery. With Ackbar elsewhere, their talent is elsewhere, too, so it should work."

    "I can distract Leia, I do believe I can verbally cross swords with her."
    Estrella was confident in her negotiation skills, even against Leia Organa, who was known for her own negotiating abilities.

    The Captain paused. "I doubt Princess Leia will fire on humanitarian supplies. We could just claim it's a food delivery."

    "We only have three Hapan Battle Dragons, it's not as if we're going to blow our way through." He looked to the Admiral, an idea on mind. "Ma'am, I would respectfully suggest that we sacrifice one of our Dragons. We should tell the New Republic that we have a ship gone rogue, and request their help in capturing it."

    He stood a bit taller. "I volunteer, Admiral, and I would be happy for General Astarta to command the other ship."

    Estrella tapped her lips as they smiled. "Interesting proposal." She turned to Astarta as she cut her finger across her throat to indicate to mute their comline for a moment.

    Astarta felt a pang of nervousness. She's commanded troops and tanks, but she was a neophyte when it came to ships. But, she'll go where the orders took her. "I'll do it, if you truly like the idea. I'd want to use the fighters in my plan, though, as escort. This would give us a three-pronged approach, Admiral."

    "I wanted to hear you thoughts before I made a decision, I would not ask you to do this. A volunteer position solely. It will be dangerous." She glanced at the image of Teeks, knowing he couldn't hear them. "I can send him alone."

    "I appreciate the sentiment. Though I still want Major Tong to go with him." This felt delicate to her. Teeks hadn't been vetted for loyalty, and he was asking for trust. Yet this was one of Admiral Tomsini's officers. "We just don't know him. He could very well turn and say, 'ha ha! I have one of your ships and I'm going to take it to the other side.' My concern is less about taking command of the other Battle Dragon, and more about him."

    "Please, elaborate."


    Her com beeped. She looked at it and saw a message that Major Tong had arrived with Corporal Farren. She nodded. "Well, not an issue anyway. Major Tong is there. She'll keep him in line." She looked Admiral Tomsini in the eyes. "I just don't know him. Handsome as he is, we don't know much about him." She put her com device away, and adjusted her uniform. "So, inform the other Dragon I'm on my way, and we'll be good."

    Estrella was amused at the woman's description of Teeks. "The man's appearance had utterly no bearing on his ability to do his job." She watched as her counterpart stood and straightened her uniform. "I trust you will do your job well and rest assured I will inform them."

    The Hapan Captain waited on mute for the women to make a decision about him. He just wanted to get this over and done with.

    Also, the sooner those battle platforms were in Hapan space, the sooner they could establish their military prowess. After losing nearly two hundred Dragons recently, they were terrifyingly weak.

    TAG Everyone?


     
  15. Sinrebirth

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

    Registered:
    Nov 15, 2004
    IC: Isolder
    Hapes, departure

    The shuttle left with Claiomh and Morrigan as bodyguards to the Hapan Prince. The Ambassador-class ship was full of so many comforts. The chairs were soft, conforming to their bodies, even as they decanted drinks, warmed themselves and generally chewed at the stresses that would contour their bodies.

    Isolder paid it no heed, he made sure his seat was upright so he could analyse the data.

    "Beed Thane is the archon of the planet Vergill," he explained. "We have overheard his efforts to encourage the New Republic to accept his application for membership. "His world has three Nova-class cruisers and nine Beta-class escorts... nothing to worry about normally, but now we only half a few Hapan Battle Dragons we need to deal with this... directly."

    He looked at Claiomh. "I want to use myself as bait, to offer Beed my public approval. When we meet him... you kill him."

    It was a simple enough plan. "Thoughts?"

    TAG: @ClaiomhSolais (single)
    ---
    IC: Princess Leia

    Blockade line

    Her eyes were fixed on the HoloNet, as a new Star Destroyer appeared at Chandrila - the same design as the one which blew at the Perlemian-Hapan node. It reeked of a conspiracy, and Leia wondered - briefly - if she was placing too much focus on Hapes - on that witch Helinith and her rotting tree lover, Renn. With a deep breath, she released her worries.

    Ackbar was combing the wreckage that Manticore and Bernael had left behind, but there wasn't anything substantial. It was maddening, and Leia couldn't put it together. Was there an Imperial remnant unaccounted for?

    For Estrella and Astarta, as well as Major Tongs monitoring Captain Teeks, the three Hapan Battle Dragons had a limited amount of time -

    As they reached the minefield at the mouth of the Core ways out of the Hapan Cluster, there was a flicker of psuedomotion - the transport had arrived, a massive and old Trade Federation battleship, which was large enough to carry their battle platforms. Bearing Kuati colours, they didn't have long before Leia would notice, and, of course, launch a deep scan -

    TAG: @Adalia-Durron, @DarthIshyZ (singles)
    ---
    IC: Arb Skynxnex

    Hapes

    When Soliloquy returned, he found a curiosity.

    The Star Home and the Queen Mother and Prince Consort were gone, though a flight plan filed by Galney said they were heading towards the edge of the Hapan Cluster, towards the direction of a recently exploded Resurgent-class warship... which stank in the Force of Manticore and Bernael...

    But more odd was the appearance of a small transport in-system...

    ... it was a high-end Imperial-style ship. A yacht of some kind... appearing behind a cloak.



    [​IMG]

    Ike
    was aboard - Soliloquy would be able to sense it.

    The AI within the Insipid Holocron stirred.

    TAG: @Mitth_Fisto (combo)
    ---
    IC: Shimmer

    Chandrila, skirmish at

    She and Iudex headed to the hangar, and arrived as Manticore and Bernael landed, the Pykestaff in tow.

    The Pyke was looking around, hunting a new, Force-sensitive body, but had found nothing to speak of.

    But the ship's comms were disabled, it's crew dead, it's automated weapons, down.

    "Yeah, we may not have taken our one as quick as you but we didn't need help," Shimmer said, huffing. "And we had an Acolyte of the Beyond aboard, complete with red-lightsaber. Very powerful, pretty dangerous." She didn't mention IV; she didn't see the need to, and both her and Iudex were more than capable of warding off questions without raising suspicion.

    The Pykestaff wondered aloud. "But we probably need to get off, no?"

    There was a rumble as ion fire slammed into the Resurgent.

    Shimmer watched electricity crawl along the ceiling. "They're trying to capture it.... don't we not want that?"

    TAG: @darthbernael, @greyjedi125, @Silvertough (singles)
    ---
    IC: Zestus

    Roxuli

    The scheme was simple enough to put together, and oversee, at that. Sabel's fake task force was well positioned, as too was the Liberty's Misrule. They could enact the 'pursuit' any moment, all Zestus was not sure of was where his Lord wished to be as it began.

    Eleodie for zher part was eager to get started, to redirect the difficulties they had been experiencing at the First Order.

    The Utapau Storehouse remained irrelevant, as long as the Unknowns were not secure, after all.

    The Pirate Queen made a rather transparent offer of hospitality aboard her Super Star Destroyer, even as she made reports of the centralisation of the Empire of the Hand military. With a relatively minor Chiss contribution - not even the Vigilant was assigned to the growing flotilla - the deployment was shaping up to even be an issue for the Liberty's Misrule.

    But the objective was not necessarily to have Sabel's forces leap him and save the day, but instead for the Empire of the Hand to be aligned firmly against the First Order.

    Zestus had subtly suggested they should sabotage the Empire of the Hand so they needed assistance from their Onager-class Star Destroyers, but he didn't want to overcomplicate was fundamentally a brilliant false flag operation.

    TAG: @darthbernael (single)
    ---
    IC: Supreme Leader Snoke and Death

    Akkadese Nebula

    Nearly.

    Nearly.

    The True Death Star was nearly there.

    It would become a mobile and invincible deity of nihilism.

    The Sith would die, and the New Republic would burn.

    Snoke's eyes were bright with anticipation.

    He had everything in-place... all but.

    All but.

    All he had needed to do was distract the Sith long enough for him to complete his task.

    Two Star Destroyers was nothing to that gain.

    The Super Star Destroyer Eclipse held position, ready to defend the system by more mundane means, and Snoke gave Grand Admiral Sloane complete independence to do so. He was ready to force an ending to everything.

    As he hovered in Ship, the Sphere modelled after the ancient Sith meditation sphere design but with Eternal tech... Snoke leered.

    It was going to be over soon.

    It would be his Dark Reach that prevailed.

    TAG: No-One

    TAG: @darthbernael, @darthhelinith (to finish the combo)

    TAG: @QueenSabe7, @Shadowsun, @Lady Belligerent, @HanSolo29 (to finalise the combo)

    TAG: @Darth Cocytus (combo continuing)
     
  16. darthbernael

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

    Registered:
    Apr 15, 2019
    IC: Bernael
    Chandrila, skirmish at


    The battle drew to a close, with a sputter, not a bang and Bernael had the crew bring the Maurauder into the hangar of the Resurgent. As they landed he shifted back to his normal form, no need to startle Iudex or Shimmer if he appeared as a Trandoshan. He exited the ship with the others, several of his Shadows trailing behind.

    He gestured, a thought reaching out to one of the Shadows ’Terminal, now, erased information pertaining to Hapes, set self destruct.’ As the Shadow raced to complete the instruction, he turned to the others. ”Shimmer, there is a plan already in place for that. Whether the ship is fully destroyed or not, we will make sure it appears to only have received instructions to begin whatever plan Snoke has in place to destroy everyone, without implicating the Sith at Hapes.”

    He was getting too used to ships like this and then the trace of a Force user, not one related to the dark presence that he had felt before permeated his senses. His head tilted to the side, eyes gazing at both Iudex and Shimmer, a ”Hmmmm…” passing his lips. He smiled slightly, they’d probably not say anything about it if pressed but the signature was familiar, in the sense that he had run into a relative of the user before, not the specific being.

    ”The expanse of choices continues to narrow. Feel free to check if there is a craft here that you could take if you desire to return to Hapes, but I am sure that the New Republic would track any craft exiting the system, especially one that has similar markings to the Resurgent and any attempt to return would cause them to jump to conclusions.”
    He smiled behind his mask, the darkness creeping into his eyes at odds with the expression, ”Which means that when Hate and I leave the system we will have to take you with us, at least as far as a world where you could take a ship that would bring you to Hapes.”

    The Shadow returned, “Two minutes, Lord. Nav data and records now show direct orders from Snoke to attack Chandrila.” he stated. Bernael nodded to him, ”Prepare the Maurauder, one last deception once we are finished and we can depart. If the NR requires a departure plan, send one that has a course to Dosh. We will, of course deviate when en route but that is for them to find out.”

    He turned to his brother, his amusement evident in the Force, Manticore, want to have the NR do some of the dirty work too? I can tell them, as the Dosh, that we got evidence it is Snoke and that we are headed to confront him. That the Dosh fleet will be rallied to end his threat.” A dark chuckle accompanied the words. ”If there is nothing else, get aboard, we do not really have time to wait around,” he checked his chrono, ” by my clock we have about a minute and a half.”

    Putting deed to words, he rallied his Shadows and stalked back up the ramp of the Maurauder heading for the bridge and the comm, shifting back to the Trandoshan form as he did, to send the message he’d suggested to Manticore.

    TAGS: @Sinrebirth, @greyjedi125, @Silvertough, @darthhelinith, @E. L.Knight, @Mitth_Fisto, @Adalia-Durron, @ClaiomhSolais
     
    Last edited: May 12, 2021
  17. Silvertough

    Silvertough Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Aug 19, 2018
    IC: Darth Iudex
    Chandrila, Orbit

    The journey from the Auxiliary Bridge to the Hangar Bay had been uneventful, silent, save for the odd far off explosion echoing throughout the dead ship. Nothing needed to be said, so it wasn't. Besides, Iudex was far too interested in what the mysterious Chagrian, IV, had told them about Snoke's plans to bother entertaining small talk with an Apprentice. Specifically, what was happening in the Akkadese Maelstrom.

    The Akkadese Maelstrom. Iudex had heard of such a place, surely. He knew he had. But.. Frustratingly, it's location in relation to the greater galaxy eluded him. His brow furrowed for a moment, before he ultimately tabled the matter. The ship could disintegrate at any moment, spending any time on galactic geography was just absurd.

    The pair exited the turbolift and out into the Hangar Bay just as a shuttle landed. What perfect timing.

    Iudex offered the Sith descending down the shuttle's loading ramp a respectful bow of his head and crossed his arms against his chest, wordlessly showing off the new lightsaber hanging from his belt. "The fact I killed the Acolyte with my hands alone should signify how little of a threat he posed. It's doubtful he would have shown up on their radar Shimmer." He intoned, giving the Apprentice a pointed look to settle down.

    Iudex turned to regard Bernael "As much as I would like to shop around for a shuttle to call my own, It doesn't look like I would get enough time. I hate being pressured into making big purchases." He said with a wry smile. "Just drop us off somewhere on the way, we'll find a quiet way back home."

    He began to walk up the ramp of the Marauder, his hands clasped loosely behind his back. "Besides, I have a feeling we have some juicy tidbits to share with each other.."

    Tags: @Sinrebirth , @darthbernael , @greyjedi125


     
  18. darthbernael

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

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

    IC Sabel
    Roxuli


    Sabel smiled at the invite from Eleodie. He directed Zestus to bring the yacht onto the Liberty’s Misrule for the nonce. Once that was accomplished he gave the Guard the task of working out how to make the suggestion he’d come up with feasible, in case the opportunity arose. His plan was sound but there was always wiggle room to allow for changes.

    When they reached the bridge, he nodded to Eleodie, ”Ready for this adventure, lovely Pirate Queen? Their forces have reinforced near where the run will occur but that does not rule out it working. Zestus and I will remain with you up to just before you begin and then we will begin the second phase at Utapau. With us spoofing Empire of the Hand forces it will confuse and distract them, possibly draw some of the forces that would otherwise face you away.”

    Eleodie nodded. “We understand. Diverting our forces will certainly confuse them. Utapau needs a visit, indeed.”

    Zhe tapped her chin. “So we are being chased off, or are we killing Chiss? We don’t want to go too far, after all.”

    Sabel considered for a few moments. ”It may be impossible to carry this off without some losses among them. But, if it happens it does. I would recommend penetrating their defenses to a degree that the hornet’s nest seems kicked over without allowing our forces to be taken by theirs. Before that point is reached allowing them to ‘chase you off’ is what I believe is the right course.” he declared.

    “The Misrule is aptly designed to cut in and out of formations, after all.” Zhe nodded. “Let’s see what we can do.”

    Her eyes twinkled. “When the Empire of the Hand turns on the First Order, will you be prepared to say ‘I told you so’ to Ms Stoicism?” She was of course referring to Admiral Ara’lani.

    Sabel chuckled, ”She will be quite displeased that I was correct. I will, of course, offer to aid them, but on my terms. In this case, I do enjoy being the ‘lesser’ of the threats to them. But she’s been focused on this short term and I’ve been playing the long game.”

    He smiled about the use of the Misrule. ”With how I can see you give battle, they will ascribe even more mystic powers to Snoke and the First Order. But, as long as it turns their ire toward him our goals are achieved.”

    "Yes," zhe thought. "If they realize the subterfuge, they will crush our regimes into dust."

    Eleodie looked at him, directly. "We hope you appreciate the risk we are taking, our friend."

    Sabel stepped closer to zher, a smile, ”It is certainly appreciated. It will help us both but this is a big step you’re taking for me and our polities. I know a time will come when I will respond in kind.” he admitted. Looking out of the viewscreen, he sighed, ”I do enjoy your hospitality but once you are ready we will depart and begin Phase 2 of this operation.”

    “We see...” Eleodie hesitated, and Zestus supplied the rest.

    “Yes, if we’re tricking you, we fully expect you to hunt us down and gut us in front of your crew,” he replied freely.

    Eleodie’s eyes flashed. “We like to be understood.” At that, she cut the channel.

    Zestus looked back at a Sabel. “I mean she was clearly thinking it.” He amended. “Zhe, even.”

    A wry smile crossed Sabel’s face. ”Zhe is very direct, yes. Part of zher charm. And zhe knows that if either of us betrays the other that the consequences would be dire.”

    He looked over at Zestus now, ”So now it is our turn to continue this dance. Zher appreciation will, perhaps, be great, when some of the forces facing her depart to discover why a portion of ‘their’ fleet is attacking Utapau.”

    Settling back, ”Inform the deception unit to begin their jump, the yacht will get us there, under stealth, even as they deal with the system defenses. Once they are informed, get us there too.” He closed his eyes for a moment, certain that there would be more to this facility the weapons were stored at than the Sentinel or their data suggested.

    TAGS: @Sinrebirth, @greyjedi125, @Silvertough, @darthhelinith, @E. L.Knight, @Mitth_Fisto, @Adalia-Durron
     
  19. ClaiomhSolais

    ClaiomhSolais Jedi Knight star 1

    Registered:
    May 4, 2019
    Hapes Departure

    Everything was soft.

    Claiomh squirmed.

    She couldn’t remember the last time she experienced luxury or opulence. Her body was used to hard surfaces and simple foods. The ambassador’s ship seemed to be made out of plushness and sweets. She sighed and sipped some unsweetened tea.

    As the Prince spoke, she listened in stillness. She had become a person of few words and preferred others to do the talking.

    “Killing a person in the open is never a good idea. While I am to obey your orders, my first priority is protecting you.”

    She took another sip and poked at the top-soft cushion.

    “If you want him dead, it’s better we get him on this ship so there are no witnesses to his ‘accident’.”

    Her head turns to look him with an even expression. It would be interesting to hear how much of the topic the Prince knew about.

    @Sinrebirth


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  20. greyjedi125

    greyjedi125 Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Apr 29, 2002
    IC: Lord Manticore
    Skirmish at Chandrilla

    Though not through perfect execution, it was done: They were all aboard the remaining Resurgent. Lord Hate and Lord Hunger were now reunited with Darth Iudex and Apprentice Shimmer; with the main objective of their mission completed, only their imminent extraction remained to be executed.

    Manticore did listen to both Iudex and Shimmer once they delivered a quick sit-rep of their situation, and felt there was more to their tale. However, he could senses they were united in their version of the report. The zabrak Sith Lord resolved to leave it for now. The main objective had been achieved and Darth Iudex had gained a new lightsaber through combat. Manticore was quite pleased by this and offered the Falleen Sith Lord a well deserved nod of approval on his victory.

    Shimmer’s attempt at posturing only informed him that the two may have had more trouble than they had anticipated during their mission, and the words, ‘we didn’t need help’ was usually a clear tell of the opposite. None of this was imperative at the moment.

    As usual, the Pykestaff chimed in with exceedingly practical advise and observations.

    Darth Bernael, the Master Infiltrator that he was, went to task with his Shadows, progressing them to the critical moment of their departure. Thus far, Manticore had not sensed a shift in the currents of the force, meaning, nothing significant had changed in grand scheme of things.

    Nodding at Darth Bernael’s suggestion, Manticore made a quick mental inquiry of his battle brother.

    'Did your Shadows find a point of origin for the Resurgent?’

    Lord Hunger would share Lord Hate’s interests in finding any information that could be traced back to Supreme Leader Snoke. For someone so powerful, he was good at hiding, which meant he was both vulnerable and devious.

    With a sign, he commanded his Aran Tyr to board the Maurauder. The time to depart the destruction of the second Resurgent was now. Bernael had given the countdown and the chrono was running.

    Hearing that both Iudex and Shimmer wished to head back ‘Home’ was unsurprising. In truth, they had completed their original mission and probably felt a strong need to report back, after realizing that traveling with Lord Hate and Lord Hunger reduced their chances of survival by a significant percent.

    In the end, none of it would matter if Snoke had his way, but the bureaucratic machine had to be kept in place, this Manticore understood well enough.

    As he settled in his seat, Manticore turned to the Pykestaff first.

    “Something to think about before you answer, but an answer still will I require. How do you feel about Snoke?”

    There was something enigmatic in the way the zabrak had asked.

    Finally seated, Manticore now turned to both Iudex and Shimmer. Manticore was able to keep his face from registering the modicum of aversion in what he was about to engage in. He detested court gossip, but had long ago learned that this too was an ‘acceptable’ form of information gathering, though it was often unreliable and needed corroboration. Still, Manticore could use the small break, as he was still recharging himself after being spent by the Gigasaber technique.

    “That all depends on what you are willing to share Lord Iudex.” Manticore observed, glancing from the Falleen, to Shimmer, then back to Iudex.

    “I wonder if the Shadows found anything interesting in the security feeds.”

    He let that hang between them.


    Tag: @Sinrebirth, @darthbernael, @Silvertough
     
    Last edited: May 16, 2021
  21. Sinrebirth

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

    Registered:
    Nov 15, 2004
    IC: Shimmer
    Chandrila

    The SSDs made short work of the First Order ship, which exploded spectacularly. It wasn’t stunningly relevant to the Sith who were on their way, but before the shadows could explain anything, the Pykestaff spoke up.

    “Hey, hey, spoilers. I want to hear it from Iudex and Shimmer. Especially what happened to her hair.”

    Shimmer snorted. “What sort of fashion sense does a piece of wood have?”

    “None whatsoever - but if you omit anything from your adventure, we get to distrust you, and we already had an unknown watcher that left us...”

    He turned his Pyke head to Bernael and Manticore. “Where we not telling them things?”

    TAG: @Silvertough, @darthbernael, @greyjedi125 (combo)
    —-
    IC: Isolder

    Vergill, Hapes Cluster

    The Prince dwelled upon Claiomh’s words, the man debating. Morrigan chimed in. “I imagine the Queen Mother wants an example being made, but we’re already here, so I’ll leave the planning to the prettier of us.”

    Isolder smiled slightly. The Thane’s task force was present, and they had a signal; he was aboard a Nova, the Starflare. The three heavy cruisers and six transports weren’t aimed at them as they arrived, seemingly on a general patrol. “Well, take us in, then we can visit him aboard for a private chat.”

    Morrigan bowed, and rushed them aboard the shuttle. For Claiomh’s purposes... the Force was fairly tumultuous, but not directed nor dangerous... the Ambassador-class shuttle very very smoothly landed, not a single sense of movement as it did.

    The hangar was empty for the moment save for a single woman with her arms tucked behind her back. “Isn’t the Archon male?”

    “Prince Isolder?”

    He glanced at Claiomh. “You’re the bodyguard/assassin. Do you want to be with me, or head off after him yourself?”

    Morrigan didn’t like the latter but he was the Prince.

    TAG: @ClaiomhSolais
    —-
    IC: Zestus

    Last minute preparations to leave Roxuli

    The Empire of the Hand fleet launched, the First Order bait deployed, and the Liberty’s Misrule was ready to go. In short order the Hand would be at war with the First, and with Snoke forced out of the Unknowns, the Sith could finish him off.

    A quick probe of the Utapau system showed its defences had not been reinforced, and confirmed that spare New Republic ships had been recalled to Chandrila or holding at the Hapan blockade line. So there was very little chance of interference.

    Zestus checked all systems and then hesitated. “Lord Sabel, I have an incoming contact.”

    He swallowed. “He’s calling himself an Attendant.”

    TAG: @darthbernael (combo)

    TAG: @Darth Cocytus (to finish combo)

    TAG: @HanSolo29, @QueenSabe7, @Lady Belligerent, @Shadowsun (to finish combo)

    TAG: @darthbernael, @darthhelinith (to finish combo)

    TAG: @Mitth_Fisto (to finish combo)

    TAG: @Adalia-Durron, @DarthIshyZ (to finish combo)

    GM NOTE: All combos do need to finish this week. The Finale of Chapter I begins
     
  22. darthbernael

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

    Registered:
    Apr 15, 2019
    OOC: Ahhh Sabel sticking his head into another trap, with @Sinrebirth

    IC Sabel
    Preparing for Phase 2


    Sabel observed as Zestus passed him updates on the preparations. All was going according to plan which made him wonder when the shoe would drop and some snag would occur in the plan. A fractional smile touched his face as he heard the report on Utapau. Signs were good that their second front would do just as they wanted and he was ready to give the order when Zestus spoke again.

    “Lord Sabel, I have an incoming contact. He’s calling himself an Attendant.”

    Sabel sighed, ’And there is part of it, of course someone wants attention now.’ he thought. Lifting his gaze to Zestus, one eyebrow went up. ”Anything else about him?”

    A pause, ”I’m sure he’ll continue until I respond so put him up in the display.” he instructed Zestus.

    [​IMG]

    Zestus blinked when the image appeared - he hadn't been expecting that.

    The... thing didn't say a word, simply staring at Sabel.

    In the Force, there was a crawling sensation upon the Chiss' skin, as if he was being caressed against his will.

    Sabel’s eyebrow went up and the spark that was lit in the red of his eyes were the only signs that he acknowledged what had to be the creature facing him attempting to get a reaction from him in the Force. ”I am loosely familiar with your kind, but why such a creature known to associate with the Grysk is contacting me is a cause for investigation.”

    He nodded to Zestus, indicating to trace the signal if possible, especially if the creature was just going to stand there and stare at him. He reached out mentally to the ‘Attendant’’You demanded an audience, say your piece or go on your way.’

    The Attendant rebuffed his mental contact; apparently it was only interested in a one-way exchange.

    "Do you require navigational assistance?"

    Zestus blinked.

    One eyebrow rose slowly as Sabel looked at the Attendant. He shifted his gaze to Zestus, ”Do we require navigational assistance? Did the hyper routes shift again?” he asked his Captain.

    His gaze moved back to the creature, ”Do we need assistance where?” he asked, intrigued where this creature thought they needed to travel.

    “I mean,” Zestus said, hesitatingly. “They always shift, but we have navicomputers. Most other species in the Unknowns don’t - or rather don’t. Even then, even here the Unknowns have consistent routes - just not very many.”

    The Attendant turned its head slightly. “We were hired to guide you?”

    Sabel’s eyebrow rose again, ”You have not answered my question. Where were you hired to guide us to?” he asked the creature.

    ”It seems our knowledge of the Unknowns has confused it. It seems someone or something has hired it to guide us somewhere, or to ensure that we do not go to a certain place. The question for us to answer is which that is.” he covered his mouth and spoke sotto voce to Zestus, to keep the conversation as much between the two of them as possible.

    The Attendant paused. "We were hired to take you to the UR-2212-GR system by Admiral Ara'lani of the Chiss Ascendancy."

    The eyebrow rose once more as Sabel turned toward Zestus, ”Very intriguing, Ara’lani suddenly hiring a guide to take us to a relatively barren system on the far side of Chiss space. Especially right now.”

    He sat back, almost ignoring the Attendant for a moment, ”So, my Captain, why do you think a woman who so openly created a polity to oppose us and then has shown antagonism after the Resurgent blew up her stardock would invite us anywhere?”

    Turning back to the Attendant, ”Did she who hired you tell you why she desired me to be guided there?”

    “Secrets. Thrawn’s secrets.” The Attendant hesitated. “This is what we were told, if you asked.”

    “We have been hired before to train those with the Sight. To spread the ways of the Pathfinder - we see this as nothing more than that.”

    “The Sight?” Zestus queried.

    Sabel’s head tilted to the side as he thought, ’This is an interesting development’ He shook his head to break himself from his reverie, turning his gaze back to Zestus, ”It speaks of the ozyly-esehembo, the Chiss sky-walkers, our navigators. But I believe it possibly speaks more than of just the skywalking ability when it speaks of Sight, perhaps even Second Sight. Intriguing.” he told his captain.

    His fingers tapped the arm of the command chair, considering. ”Change of plans, Zestus.” Sometimes one must adapt when the circumstances change. ”The Utapau assault goes forward.” He checked the readouts on the assault fleet. ”Negentus and Decimus are on scene with the false flag ships. Inform them that the supply ships that were resupplying the task force are now a portion of it. They are to secure the resources of Utapau that we were directed to.”

    The finger ceased tapping, the long fingered hand gesturing at the holo, ”These creatures are not ones to truly ignore and if we are able to gather more of what my old friend knew, or had in his possession, it can secure our position even better. So we allow it to guide us, but be prepared for any treachery.”

    TAGS: @Sinrebirth, @greyjedi125, @Silvertough, @darthhelinith, @E. L.Knight, @Mitth_Fisto, @Adalia-Durron, @ClaiomhSolais
     
  23. Mitth_Fisto

    Mitth_Fisto Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Sep 29, 2005
    IC: Emperor Soliloquy the Reluctant & Sinrebirth as Many
    Hapes

    When Soliloquy returned, he found a curiosity. That is not to say that his side stop at his watery worlds lab had been fruitless. He had greatly rewarded the alien natives and promoted the more competent into the gaps where the Hapan lab leaders had died. He also performed the necessary creation of a Quorra to organically educate his new race of lab creations as influencing or creating their minds with the Force would not only be extremely tiring but largely fruitless and be a way to do so after the initial programming. All of this of course would see this race as loyal their mission of being a guardian race, how to grow and use biote technology, and of course ways to always recognize and see him as their races Yun'o Us Hrok.

    A couple of these were found better than others and a pair of new programs were started. Natural selective breeding of his artificial race, and putting them in charge of building and finishing the organic ships and weapons. This then would lead to them leading and performing alone resource gathering expeditions with those ships to the local asteroid fields and then to the neighboring dead systems. These resources would be brought back and used to aid in growing more ships.

    Once that was going those with more experience would begin stronger military training. All of this was to create a race independent and self-sufficient separate from any of the normal Hapan Supply Lines. Once capable they would start to get patrol assignments and free up more of the Hapan Fleet and resources from their region, and eventually take their place patrolling the mists.

    Soliloquy had also taken his personally bred creatures to use for himself, batons of power. These were incomplete as he did not stop at the Desert Lab to gather the last missing parts. Something which the Hand should be bringing back to him.

    Curiously the Star Home and the Queen Mother and Prince Consort were gone when he finished and returned, though a flight plan filed by Galney said they were heading towards the edge of the Hapan Cluster. Towards the direction of a recently exploded Resurgent-class warship... which stank in the Force of Manticore and Bernael...

    One could only hope! Then this nightmare of being Emperor would be over and he could focus more attention on his labs instead of creating webs of purposeful gaps and separation so that no one except himself and now the chosen leaders of his new race knew how to piece things together to form the finished products.

    Still, more odd was the appearance of a small transport in-system...

    ... it was a high-end Imperial-style ship. A yacht of some kind... appearing behind a cloak. Well, cloak was a generous word, the thing was trying but to someone that had seen the technology of a dying universe and had forgotten ancient knowledge of such things as well. Well, it was a nice attempt.

    [​IMG]

    Ike
    was aboard - Soliloquy sensed that immediately. Another point that made any attempt at a cloak a frightfully pitiful thing.

    The AI within the Insipid Holocron stirred.

    "Ah, you sense him as well do you? Good. Shall we say hello?" With that Soliloquy went about tapping the comms controls, opening a tight beam transmission to the ship to form a privately encoded conversation. A code from a dead universe that Ike should remember.

    "Hello Consort. This is Emperor Soliloquy - in the flesh. Or a flesh. Thee flesh? Not thine flesh, but well. . .you understand." he stated with a dismissive wave of a hand before preening by rubbing his head tendrils of his main chosen form. "So, what can I do for the lost that have found their way home?"

    The line was answered by an eye-patched man; Arb. “I’m afraid that Ike is indisposed at the moment, but I’ll take ya call if you like.” He indicated with a thumb himself. “Call me Arb; former Galactic Criminal Underlord, until I was overthrown of course.”

    “I found this Ike guy, thought I’d bring him on a tour with me, in this sweet yacht, compliments of Palpatine’s Contingency. The barve definitely didn’t want anyone taking over his Empire after he died. Sooooo funny.”

    The Insipid AI emerged as if from a pool of electrical liquid. “Where did you find him?” He demanded.

    “Now come on, did ya expect me to explain that?” His eye swung to Soliloquy. “So you’re the sorry chap who ended up with the Throne, Dunkeel? Gotta feel bad for you right now. But then again, weren’t you always the backup?”

    He laughed slightly.

    The Emperor Soliloquy narrowed his eyes at the other that glowed in an image before him. The name given meant nothing to him, Arb sounded rather innocuous and didn't ring any bells. The other name though. . .

    . . .His skin shifted from the smooth plant based material to a shingling of scales more befitting an reptile, and then faded back again. "You use names with impunity and lack discretion. We will meet, now. Face to face." Without another word he pressed his shuttle to max speeds, jumping across the gap between them as he rotated and activated the docking rings, pulling whatever levers and means to force such a coupling that his ship possessed.

    "Good luck with that; this ship is modern and fast." Indeed it was; it fired it's engines and surged into Hapan orbital traffic, and dove and swerved. Soliloquy would be in hot pursuit, and Arb spoke as he did, seemingly not perturbed by the effort. "So, you do remember. Took you a while to pick up the pieces, old Faya... better known as Faya Rodemos, in this time and place, of course." He chuckled.

    Soliloquy was keeping pace, but Arb had been prepared for an emotional reaction, it seemed.

    "He's goading you, Soliloquy," the Holocron muttered. "Goading us."

    "Yes." Soliloquy simply replied as he Force pushed the forward window out of the shuttle and to the side. Sending messages to Hapan security to detain the indicated ship if possible, if not to merely stay out of it's way and clear a corridor.

    "So. What'll it be. I'm a slow learner and slow grower this time around. Less leaps, more saturation." Soliloquy simply stated he felt in his heart, his feelings, for what the Force would reveal to be true in this situation. Meanwhile of course his ship just lost all air, something a quickly pulled on headset took care of for hearing and talking as he literally stuck the mic in his mouth.

    The Hapans reacted, and began firing tactical shots and trying to tractor the yacht. It was taking hits, and slowing, and they were falling behind as they darted around a freighter and Arb's ship pushed for open space.

    "Saturation works," Arb said casually. "So there is a Big Bad, and you're all being kept distracted with your Hapan bauble while he finishes it off. Manticore and Bernael, they went rogue, and got close. But he was prepared and you're not." He shrugged. "You really need to get to Oba Diah, y'know that? Iudex and Shimmer, well, they're on the trial of the threat but it won't be long..."

    "That Snoke guy is a problem. What if I told you that he's behind the current Change? The one where the war with the old Empire ended at the Battle of Jakku instead?" He grinned. "Didn't ya think to wonder who all this mess is benefiting?"

    Shrugging Soliloquy watched and waited, listening as the other spoke. “I would say you think that I am deaf and dumb. To turn an old phrase. I will not go on shadowed words on fool’s errand with works half spun, you’ll have to either give better than that.”

    With nary a sigh nor a sign his hand pointed through the windowless front of his craft, a thunderstorm of lightning leaping forthright to bind and disable the ship that yet tried to flee. Wingtips and engines were the first points to be hit, but the whole would be wreathed and kept as he signaled a Hapan ship with a sturdy hanger bay doors to perform a ram scoop and capture both the ship in question and his own shuttle before locking down around them. “Or be far more transparent.”

    The Hapan Nova-class, one of four such at the capital, did as ordered and scooped up the offending ship. It turned as it hit the containment field, slamming into the floor.

    Arb’s video link wasn’t affected by the turn and crash. He simply smirked. “Look, we need the other Sith to head to the Maw, or Snoke is gonna kill you all. I don’t mind if that happens, but Wapoe, well, that’ll put a spanner in his plans - trust me.”

    Keeping up the electrical storm Soliloquy opened his senses to encapsulate the entire solar system. To feel it for what was this man, where was this man that he was talking with as he brought his shuttle in, holding the bay doors from closing as he now doubted he was actually aboard the ship that used Ike as bait and a floating target.

    Motioning for guards and boarding teams to take up holding positions he breathed in the recycled air. Waiting for the surety of where things were before he moved forward to capture the ship. "So what? Death is just another doorway. We know that better than most, although I will admit being Emperor has been putting a kink in my personal plans and preparations. And besides screaming Wapoe a few cycles ago I really have nothing for the man at the moment. Why should I care what does or does not happen to his plans? I no longer fit them."

    There was an unconscious Ike aboard the ship, but not Arb.

    He had been speaking remotely. He continued to do so, and Arb shrugged. "It's up to you, really. Snoke is an existential threat to you. Once he's assembled all the pieces of his latest infernal puzzle, he'll come for you, surely? Specifically you, because you have that connection to his -"

    A smile. "Spoilers."

    "Spoilers. Always the secrets between us and the millennia have not softened you to me in all that time." Soliloquy chuffed with a sighing shake of the head as he reached out with the Force and killed the captured shuttles engines. It would be curious to see if the signal died or not with the shuttle loosing power.

    "Shall we ever talk on a same plate of solid bracing before the end? Or shall you forever dance at the edge? Afraid of saying to much, or seeing more than you should." Soliloquy stated with a sigh as he crawled forward slightly as he stopped electrocuting the shuttle.

    For a moment Arb looked pained. “If the Master ever releases me to my friends...” he looked upset for a moment. “It’s too important, what I do... it’s too...”

    His voice broke.

    “I have a role -“

    There was a sudden shuffle of the camera and it came over to another person. “Alright, alright, that’s enough.”

    It was Wapoe.

    “Are you quite done? I gave you back Ike, didn’t I? Now you know those other Sith are alive.” He clapped dramatically. “Congratulations!”

    "Master, I screamed your name during fertilization before I remembered who you were to me. Funny how the spiritual mind works. No?" Soliloquy stated with a sly smile.

    "As for Ike, I didn't really want him back. The others compound the herd of cats I already corral. Thank you I suppose." he added with a dip of his head. "Now. . .What in the Sages of Dwartii is going on!"

    He chuckled. "We're in a new timeline! Surprise!"

    With a fluid shrug, he wondered aloud. "Who would have thunk - the future I saw came to pass... and then didn't." The Master winked in the Force. "Now did Darkness make it across with us, I wonder... what would you say - you've chatted to him too, after all..."

    Pondering for a moment, and then another moment Soliloquy sniffed the recycled air, "It's an island. The darkness we find was here or is from us." he simply stated.

    “Very Dunkeel of you...” The Master said, amused. “But you’re all Dark Protectors nowadays; all Sith, in one shape or another.”

    His tone shifted. “I managed to create a Change that pushed the inhabitants of Nouane to another world-line... and protected you all in the statues - or, eventually, as data backups of the real thing.” He indicated the Holocron concept generally. “So for all the horror and destruction and devastation... nobody actually died.”

    “Do you understand that?”

    "Do you remember when you tested me? After, before the Truth you said you would share all you had made. I still wait, you called me the compass, the tinkerer, the Soul. But what of 'ole Tempestuous Twilight? How many times can a copy of thing be made and still called the thing? Does the original mean so little and thought so much more than the form? A pitcher is always a pitcher and a glass a glass, flow the drink and both are changed but still the same." Soliloquy asked with tilted head as he leaned back against his shuttle, waiting for a reply.

    “Ah yes,” the Master said. “The Ship of Theseus question. You tell me, my friend. You have been changed and reconstituted many times over in the last thirty thousand years - and a timeline ago. But do you not remain in possession of your essence? Are you not you?”

    A flutter of his hands, and had he visible lips to mouth, he would have said. Are you not always Mitth_Fisto?, but he did not, so did not.

    He simply shrugged. “I give unto you the truth; I was never interested in the End of Time; but after it, where we presently stand and speak.”

    “And where we are not - Snoke is a creation of whatever has Changed, and that is why I enabled you to cross over. To fix the irregularities... to defeat the others who -“

    There was an interruption off-screen.

    “What do you mean it’s ready? We can’t be too late -“

    Soliloquy absorbed the words and the slanders, the stings made all the deeper for a name that wasn't truly his. It was just another stolen life, another stolen memory. The essence may be there, but the heart of it? That was a shadow of a thing.

    "You know, these things would go so much more smoothly if we were partners and I not a pawn in these things." Soliloquy simply replied as he waved the boarding parties to advance on the shuttle and bring whomever was inside to him.

    The Master looked back. “When I don’t have to play, then you can. But another piece became self-aware, and that’s why we’re here.” He sighed a little. “Anyway, I’m heading to Oba Diah. Someone has to be there to stop Snoke.”

    He saluted. “See ya, Emperor Soliloquy.”

    He hadn’t signed off yet, but the guards reported that they had recovered a single blonde human, who was adorned in a Black-Coat.

    With a quirked eyebrow raise Soliloquy's tendrils smoothed back behind his head as he listened to the news being given. "See you around Master. Try not to be such a stranger? And thank you for the gift of the coat."

    The Master glanced back at him. "It isn't for you."

    At that, he signed off, leaving Soliloquy to ponder the words, and an enquiry from the Hapan guardsmen as to where he wanted Ike, who they dragged his unconscious form down the ramp.

    The Star Home had left with Helinith and Renn, after all - he was the only Sith at Hapes, with Claiomh and Morrigan at Vergill, and Serapis-Astarta supervising the Admiral in securing defense platforms. It was him, and his moment, and the Emperor had nobody to Emperor over... Even Iudex and Shimmer were absent, supposedly at Oba Diah but with the lack of feedback perhaps not.

    And wasn't Ike supposed to have been hurled through a rift in space-time at Bedlam, with Bellorum, Syren, Graul, Haretisch, Jerod and Anark?

    Sighing at the ended conversation, Soliloquy turned back and whistled at the shuttle he had arrived in. Summoning a mildly disgruntled Blightling who was holding a small tirade of suffering vacuum exposure in a perfectly good ship. Of course that caveat was forgotten when Soliloquy waved to the shuttle letting his Jawa death child have at a full inspection and download of all ship databases. He instructed the ship engineers to assist with a protocol droid for translation, a fully detailed schematic was to be forwarded to the loyalist shipyards. They would get first crack at whatever these advances in technology could bring. The ships data would be for himself and the Queen Mother, she would decide what to do with whatever was recovered.

    Now as for Ike, that troubled bedroom toy of the late Emperor in absentia. Well he was a special case. Couldn’t trust him. He was ordered to be brought out in restraining bars in a inverted flex position with wrists to ankles in a hog tied position hung from a sealed hook from the hanger ceiling at about chest height to the Emperor. A privacy screen and bubble would be erected around them. Then Soliloquy would inject coral into Ike at three points of his central nervous system. Leaving the coat on for now as he would wait to be able to talk with the man whenever he regained consciousness.

    The orders were given, and Ike was shuffled off for preparation for the coral experiments.

    He was adorned lightly beneath the Black-Coat - as ever - but was alive.

    The guards settled him down and confirmed that the ship's navicomputer was intact; it had originated on Utapau, in the distant Outer Rim.

    There were also updates that there was an unknown drama going on at the blockade line, but also at Vergill and the Mists where the Star Home was located. Comms were alive, but it was all garbled and busy. The Emperor had three issues on-going it seemed - he needed to stamp his foot-tentacle down somewhere, but where?

    Soliloquy considered his Empire, Serapis and the Hapan Admiral seemed to be a good pairing. A level head and a hard temper, but he could trust Serapis to at least follow his orders. The location the ship had originated from was interesting, but nothing that he presently could do anything about. Although he did hope that his Shadow Hand would return soon.

    Whatever was happening at the mists was already being attended to by the Queen Mother and her Consort, he would trust the twig to keep things in line and follow the game plan. If he was needed he was sure they would of called. That really only left one thing left to stamp his Imperious foot down on. Namely taking command of his new shuttle and finishing with Ike - the man toy would be coming with him after all. So a quick stabby-stab-stab and toss him in the proverbial trunk (or in this case back cabin) and the Emperor could be on his way. It was too bad the Shadow Hand had not arrived yet, he gently plucked that cord to get a sense of where and what that one was doing.

    As if by summon, the Shadow Hand - the Keshiri Takaris Yur - emerged from shadow and dropped to one knee. “I was nearly here, just about. Honest.”

    Indeed, the young man seemed a bit drained, as if he had been rushing.

    Soliloquy held out a hand, waiting for a small box that the Shadow Hand should have to deliver from his Desert world. Inside would be two large and perfect for his needs examples of that worlds famous living crystals - Rainbow Gems. "Give it here then. Then you and I get to go on a little trip. I think I have this pocket set on the right path, so long as the Queen Mother stays the course the only true question will be whom the Prince marries to replace her. Either way I think I am set in a unique position, and by extension those under me to not merely survive but thrive here. That means a road trip for us three." he simply stated with a magnanimous grin.

    Yur nodded, passing over the box and the Rainbow Gems - enough to purchase a Mon Calamari Star Cruiser, in theory.

    The silent Insipid Holocron glowered. "A road trip?"

    "Where?"

    Soliloquy chuckled at the holocron reply, tucking the box in his front belt for it to disappear into his stomach. “Someone get over stimulated? Come come. We have a beautiful new ship, a new gift Uvak. I believe the Kesh have a saying for that. Something about being wary or checking the beak.”

    He shrugged as his final steps before leaving were being settled. “Besides. I have to teach this youngling something new. That should keep us all entertained, I look forward to hearing what he wants to learn.”

    TAG: @Sinrebirth
     
  24. darthbernael

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

    Registered:
    Apr 15, 2019
    OOC: A bit of fun with @greyjedi125, @Silvertough, and @Sinrebirth

    IC Bernael, Manticore, Iudex, and Shimmer
    Departing Chandrila


    'Did your Shadows find a point of origin for the Resurgent?’

    The thought from Manticore came to him and he pondered the response for a moment, even as the conversation continued. The Pykestaff’s comment about spoilers made him snort. He sent a thought back to Manticore, ’They did discover many things in the database, including what was left in the security feeds. But let us see if our ‘friends’ here are willing to share.’

    He turned then to the Pykestaff, ”No one said we were hiding things from them but by all means cause them more concern. It’s not as though they have to go back to the Sith Order and tell them we’re not coming back anytime soon.” He snorted, ”Wait, yes they do. And now they get to tell them there’s either an unknown threat or that Snoke knows even more than we’d hoped. Good work.”

    His gaze turned once more, facing Iudex and Shimmer, ”The Pykestaff has a big mouth but it is correct, there was a hidden presence that departed before you took over the Resurgent. So now you know the few things we had not yet told you.” His gaze sharpened, ”Is there something you wish to share too?” he asked, the tone of the question saying that they both knew there was and were testing to see if either would admit it.

    Lord Hate offered a powerful nod to Bernael as they communicated wordlessly. The Anzati knew his battle brother well, that, and Emperor Insipid-even in death, showcased his masterful cunning by their pairing.

    Manticore turned to the Pykestaff, his haze smoldering, while leaving Bernael to his 'interrogation'.

    "You did not answer my question." The zabrak observed evenly.

    "I require an answer, if you need more time to consider it, then say so. Also, you are so close to fulfillment, do not ruin it for yourself. After all this time, these moments should be nothing to you. Unlike others you've met, I plan to keep my word. Of course, this too you have heard before, hence why I do not bother repeating it. Actions count, words are meaningless, still, we cannot act in haste."

    Ever so slowly Manticore leaned in, so his next words could not be missed.

    "I wouldn't recommend getting on Lord Hunger's bad side. That's a mistake you get to make only once."

    The zabrak sith Lord looked straight into the Pykestaff's eyes in order to glean certain unspoken subtleties. There were several options he had in mind that would allow him to keep his word and fulfill the Darkstaff's desire for a force-sensitive body, but certain check marks needed to be met, and thus far, the Pykestaff was failing. Unfortunately, this also narrowed his options- but all was not lost.

    Manticore decided not to press the sentient staff further and slowly turned to resume the ongoing 'discussion' with Darth Iudex and Shimmer. There were a great multitude of layers currently at play, both seen and unseen, and time was running out for all of them, that much he could sense.

    Darth Iudex had settled into an available chair, passively watching the back-and-forth between the Pykestaff and the two Lords of the Sith. It would appear their relationship wasn't as stable as one might believe, something the Falleen found curious. Something to pry into some other time. For his own part, he felt no need to keep secrets from his fellow Sith, especially so for those his superior.

    To a certain degree, Iudex was a strong supporter of the Sith ideal of Might makes Right. Lord Hate and Lord Hunger were clearly stronger than himself, therefore, he owed them his allegiance. As they followed the will of the late Darth Insipid, who was even more powerful than them, the sharing of knowledge was to be encouraged. It was a simple calculus. Anything less would only harm the Sith as a whole.

    Steepling his fingers under his chin, Iudex began to speak, ignoring the banter of the Pykestaff. "Snoke is a direct threat to our Order, that would normally be enough for me to consider him my enemy. However, he is also a personal adversary. It would appear he was directly involved in the destruction and assimilation of my previous Order, through the use of the Acolytes of the Beyond."

    "I killed one such Acolyte today. It will not be the last." He said with a sneer, before quietly sighing. "But, that is irrelevant to the greater struggle of Insipid's Order. As you both made clear, Shimmer and I made contact with another user of the Dark Side of the Force, a Chagrian calling herself IV."

    Iudex returned the looks of Lords Hate and Hunger, studying their respective expressions. "I'm unsure of her's, or her as-of-yet unknown Master's, ultimate goals, but I could gather they were no ally of Snoke's. She was of the opinion that Snoke was, and I quote, "Consorting with The Old Ones in the Akkadese Maelstrom", whatever that means." He shrugged honestly.

    "Unfortunately, the intervention of the New Republic prevented me from gathering as much information from the Chagrian as I would have wanted. But.. I have a feeling I'll run into her again in the future. You learn anything on your end that could corroborate her claims?"

    Shimmer watched the jabbing between Bernael, Manticore and the 'Pykestaff', and enjoyed Iudex's articulate response.

    She turned back to the other two, not having anything to add about the Chagrian, nor the Acolyte, nor the Akkadese Maelstrom.

    Nor her sudden lack of hair.

    Pacing for a moment, Bernael thought about all the details they were gathering. He paused, spinning to face them once more. So, we have Snoke speeding up his tempo. We have him trying to turn the galaxy against each other while staying as aloof as possible.” he began, ticking off his fingers as he did.

    ”We have an unknown Force power that observed the encounter here. We have the two Resurgents as well as the SSD at Oba Deah. We have that selfsame SSD disappear into the Maelstrom just before we were ambushed. We have the incident earlier here too.” his hand closed into a fist.

    ”And now the news of an Old One from a possible Chagrian Sith whose essence is familiar to me, involved in the Maelstrom He smiled behind the mask, black eyes tracking across each there. ”The question is whether we were drawn away from there because of that or because such information once know would mean we would desire to investigate there instead of following the trail of those ships back to Snoke?”

    He spun, facing Shimmer, ”But, the most pressing question is, why are you now bald? What has happened to you to bring about this Alopecia Totalis? I do not trust it.” he stated coldly.

    "We certainly aren't running out of options.." Iudex agreed, stroking his chin. "We also can't ignore how the New Republic factors into all this. While I don't think Snoke is running things directly per se.. We can't deny his influence in their actions.."

    ...

    Iudex blinked slowly, unconsciously tilting his head to the side. "I'm sorry, but that's your most pressing question?" He sputtered, gesturing towards Shimmer. "Seriously..?"

    Shimmer gave Iudex a glare. “Someone spent their time focused on their personal matters rather than the mission, and I had to overdo it and as I’m a clone and all...”

    She pointed at her hair.

    “This happened.”

    Pykestaff rolled his Pyke-eyes. “So what are we doing now then?”

    "You were about to tell us about the Akkadese Maelstrom, and what could be so interesting to Snoke." Manticore stated as he regarded the Pykestaff, who had blatantly ignored his first question. Perhaps it enjoyed tempting fate and would ignore a second. It could be that the zabrak had overestimated that which in the end, was nothing more than a tool? Pity.

    “I mean, the Maw is in it,” the Pykestaff said with a shrug. “Isn’t that important where we come from?”

    Shimmer eyed them. “No criticisms for Iudex?” She looked to Bernael. “None?”

    "And that is the extent of your knowledge?" Manticore pressed the Pykestaff, ignoring Shimmer for the moment.

    Iudex waved away Shimmer's complaint. "Yes Yes, and did I not apologize for my temporary lapse in judgement? I'll make it up to you, one way or another."

    "IV also mentioned Snoke was involved in building something called the True Death Star. Perhaps that is the reason for the SSD traveling into the Maw?" Iudex offered, turning away from Shimmer to look at Hunger.

    Bernael’s attention had shifted to Manticore and the Pykestaff, it was getting quite uppity and he was in full agreement with his brother. It needed to respond to Manticore or there was more and more of a chance that it would be returned to the staff, bereft of a body.

    The conversation between Iudex and Shimmer, that the Pykestaff was attempting to distract them with suddenly made him chuckle before Iudex offered up a nugget he had not done beforehand.

    Turning, Bernael smirked behind his mask. ”I did not expect that response to my question but it seems a wiser idea now that you two are dropped off to return to Hapes then it was before. Neither Hate nor I need two beings confused and being ruled by their baser urges in the quest that we are upon. I am already half tempted to just toss you both in a soundproofed, locked room until we arrive and can offload you so you can return.”

    He sighed, ”You should have started with the mention of this Ture Death Star. It would explain why they were keen to have us away from the Maelstrom, especially if it is close to completion.”

    Turning back to the Pykestaff, his voice lowered to a growl, ”You have stalled long enough, respond to the one that has dominion over you or I will feed you back into the staff myself.”

    The Pykestaff shrugged. "How do I feel about Snoke?"

    "I. Do. Not. Have. The. Force." He enunciated, with a degree of disrespect. "But if I was to say..."

    "... I don't like how he feels, to be honest. He's bestowed with more knowledge than he should, after all..." He eyed the others. "We just need to kill him, and it'll be done, right? This True Death Star isn't going to be anything worse than a Mad Bad Superweapon, knowing how Imperials and/or Sith think..."

    A shrug.

    The silence that followed was truly chilling, for in truth, Manticore would have taken the Pykestaff's head right there and there without even blinking. But instead he said:

    "And you will continue not having the Force at this point." That he said it so calmly was definitely not a good portent.

    "....and should you continue to hinder our mission, which translates into assisting our enemy...."

    A smirk, then a shrug.

    "I think we both know how that ends."

    It had chosen complete dominion over allegiance. For all its vaunted knowledge, it could not understand what Manticore was truly offering.

    So be it.

    There was a brief moment of palpable disappointment, but no pity. Then it was gone.

    It became clear to the zabrak that he had wasted his time after all, and a different plan was needed. It was decided, then. A tool was far more useful and compliant than creating a potential ally. An ungrateful ally was no ally at all, but an enemy in waiting.

    Turning away casually, he rejoined the conversation.

    "True Death Star....hmmm."

    Manticore could imagine many things, including creating some kind of cosmic chain reaction. In his death throes, Lord Anguish had spoken many things that did not make sense at the time.

    "If it's hidden inside the cluster, it cannot make the jump to hyperspace, but maybe it's not meant to."

    There was another thoughtful pause.

    "Ideally, we would need hard evidence, like schematics or the like, to recruit our 'Chiss friend', or even make an ally of Lord Iudex's 'IV', but we must assume we are at a disadvantage, not knowing the plans to this 'Death Star' or Snoke's timetable. All we have is unconfirmed intelligence as to its location."

    A sigh of frustration escaped the zabrak sith lord. The dejarik table had been rigged from the start. He accepted that fact, however, he also absolutely refused to give up. If there was a minuscule chance of them foiling Snoke, he would take that chance to change the outcome.

    "I agree that Emperor Soliloquy must be informed. He could use this information to form some kind of 'alliance' so Snoke could be the focus of a preemptive strike, as there will be no counterstrike if he gets to act first. Lord Hunger and myself must find a way to buy the Emperor time and delay Snoke's mad ambition. The enemy of my enemy...."

    Leaning back, Manticore fell silent, awaiting the thoughts of his fellow sith.

    "I hardly think you of any Sith have any right to complain about falling victim to baser urges, Lord Hunger."
    Iudex replied with a faint smile. "But, that aside, I understand your reservations."

    He turned to look at Lord Hate, nodding along to his conclusions. "The Emperor does need to be alerted, for that there is no question. But truthfully, I'm not so sure he would even be able to send aid. The New Republic has already blockaded the Hapes Cluster, add what happened on Chandrila, and they'll be on high alert. We have to consider that we might be the only ones with the ability to put up any sort of resistance."

    Iudex steepled his fingers underneath his chin as his features hardened. No matter which way the Falleen looked at it, they had been dealt a bad hand. There were too many variables, too many unknowns. Would it be wise to split up what could be the extent of the Sith's forces outside the Cluster?

    He sighed disdainfully. "I can fight by your side, or return to the Cluster and try to rally a fleet together. I would much prefer the former, but ultimately, the decision rests with you, my Lords."

    Bernael sighed, ignoring Iudex, of a sort, for the moment. He glanced over at his brother, then nodded. The truth of the matter was that if the young Falleen and his apparent girlfriend in the Emperor’s Apprentice felt that needed to assist the two of them, even if he and Hate dropped them somewhere, they would find them at Oba Deah anyway and in a more precarious position that would require they deviate from their mission to ensure the survival of those two.

    He turned to the crew at the comm station, ”Send a message, Croke encryption. Address it to ‘Little Brother’. Full data dump on what intel we have on the current situation. No names but inform him that his aide and their girlfriend are with us and enroute to solve the problem.”

    Turning back to the others, his gaze once more returned to his brother, ”It seems we must return to Oba Deah, at least, and from there into the Maelstrom. And these two with us.”

    He nodded to the navigator and the ship’s course turned toward Oba Deah.

    TAGS: @Sinrebirth, @greyjedi125, @Silvertough, @darthhelinith, @E. L.Knight, @Mitth_Fisto, @Adalia-Durron
     
    Last edited: May 21, 2021
  25. Darth Cocytus

    Darth Cocytus Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    May 8, 2016
    Darth Cocytus
    Mad Men All

    Everything offered to him was perfect. The prairie zombie world of Rhand with its population under complete subjugation by the mysterious dark energies of the planet and the Sorcerers who lived there. The molten metal world of Muspilli, where lies an infinite amount of resources for his wouldbe new battle fleets. Then Rennic, a destructive and warring reflection of Cocytus's original twisted vision for his cloning homeworld of Kamino with an amalgamation of Kaminoan science with Sith Alchemy, if it wasn't for Skywalker to get in the way of his original path to power. Muurshantre, with its inhabitants searching for the key to absolute power over the darkness itself. Lastly, a whole bunch of worlds from which to breed entire legions of troops with which to create the largest armies in Galactic History. Each and every single one of these worlds had the potential to serve in his grand ambitions for the Galaxy and to establish a new Sith Empire, larger and more glorious than ever before.

    However, as the Five went on, explaining their philosophy, Darth Cocytus could not help but find the most unfortunate snag in what they truly had to offer him. His initial thoughts of them turned out to be most definitely correct. The Five were absolutely and most positively mad and insane with their obsession over death and destruction, standing in total opposition towards the very idea invoking Order and Domination over the entire chaotic galaxy. Worse still, was their rejection of the very Force itself, both the Dark Side and Light Side alike, against the very last tenant of the Sith Code.

    Their entire ‘Way of the Dark’, no matter what the Five may claim, rejected the Sith Code and everything the Order itself stood for.

    Heresy!

    Absolute heretics!

    “I appreciate everything you have shown me, ladies and gentlemen and I will make grand use of them all.” The Kaminoan replied calmly, his face stone, but his eyes glowing with anger and hate, “But you are not Sith. None of your philosophies are aligned with the countless millennia of the Sith Order’s teachings! Do you not know the Sith Code?”

    His face became that of a sneer.

    “Peace is a lie.
    There is only Passion.
    Through Passion I gain Strength.
    Through Strength I gain Power.
    Through Power I gain Victory.
    Through Victory my chains are broken.
    The Force shall free me!”

    “Where does The Way of the Dark lie in any of that?” Darth Cocytus asked, “The Sith follow the Dark Side of the Force, yet you reject the Force completely, you reject passion, despite it being the very source of all power in the Universe!”

    “You reject Darth Sidious’s ambition for Empire. I do not! What I rejected was his methods, using fear and terror alone as a means to drive the Galaxy under his subjugation! That fed the hate and rage of the Rebels that overthrew him twice, the second time partly due to stupidly revealing himself to the entire galaxy and giving his enemies time to organize and strike against him! The Superweapons were his failures! The Two Death Stars, StarKiller Base, the Xyston-Class Star Destroyers, the Galaxy Gun! Each and every one of them proved to be failures! Even if they succeed, turning worlds with trillions of lives and resources into floating dust in space are a waste and a loss for the Empire! Senseless and pointless! You cannot rule over an Empire of the Dead! There is no dominance over lifeless rocks in space.”

    “Instead, I shall use what you offer me, these twelve worlds with their denizens and resources, unlocking their power to increase my own, to draw consent from the Galaxy! To make the beings of the Galaxy want to be ruled over by the Sith! To be Sith-like themselves and submit to the Dark Side of the Force. All who stand in opposition shall be destroyed and only those who stand in opposition to the Sith. That is the Sith imperative! To establish Order and Control in a Chaotic Galaxy by means of strength, power, trickery, and reward for all who submit and obey. That is what the Order has been striving for over the countless millennia in its war against the Jedi and Republic!”

    Darth Cocytus’s eyes glowed with ambitious resolution.

    “And I will succeed what so many have failed, by any means truly necessary… except by wasteful and pointless destruction that serves no end.”

    “Now, are you with me, or against me?” He asked, “What about Darth Styx? Is she in on all of this too? Did she reject the Force in favor of this... heresy?"

    The Five snorted.

    "The Order of Lords you profess loyalty to, it is the weaker head of the two Sith. Constantly growing, expanding, inventing variations of the Rule of the Many, and then contracting to two. Again, and again, undone because they sought an Empire - sought peace - when the Sith way is about destruction."

    They circled him.

    "Can you not see? What have you built? Styx, well she understood. She understood that all the Sith could do was destroy."

    Darth Cocytus glared at the Five, even as they circled him, and snorted himself.

    "Peace is a lie." He repeated the first tenant of the Sith Code, "But that doesn't mean there can only be chaos and that Sith must be savages and barbarians. There is only Passion, but Passion is not just about death and destruction. We are not savages."

    "Palpatine's failings, as I have already said, were his overreliance on world-destroying Superweapons. So much for Sith finding success through solely fear and destruction."

    "As for what I have built? I have had too many interferences, made too many... poor choices to get there yet."

    His eyes narrowed.

    If what the Five said about Darth Styx was true, then the disappointment he had towards her would be grave indeed.

    However, despite his outright rejection of the Five's heresy, he was at least curious to know more...

    "Tell me though... You speak of one head of the Sith, what of the other? You know of the Sith's origins, right? A sect of Jedi exiles who embraced the Dark Side of the Force. Was there another Split among them in this timeline?"

    "The Sith are always older than the Jedi," they spat. "The Jedi claim the Sith came from them, they always do - but the Sith are but another name for the Dark." A sniff.

    "Styx had to play Sith against Sith... she chose well... even if she turned against us, too..."

    The Five shrugged. "We swear loyalty to the Dark - and we will support the Sith, whomever is in-charge." They bowed.

    "The Twelve Worlds of the Nihil Retreat are yours, Lord Cocytus. We merely advise you, we will do as we are told."

    "Hmmm... Well, you aren't wrong historically anyway." Darth Cocytus admitted, "The Sith was originally the name for a species on the planet Moraband, or Korriban, depending on who you ask. They very well likely predated the Jedi Order..."

    As for their name meaning 'Dark', he thought, well, that could be a possibility.

    The Kaminoan raised his eyes at their words regarding Styx. Sith against Sith? Were they referring to his duel with Vengean? Why did Darth Styx betray them? Does she still pertain the wisdom that he hoped she'd have?

    Time for caution in this time of advantage.

    In the Force, these people seem to be willing to serve him well... for now, and the Twelve Words and all their resources at his disposal will become the Heart of his new Empire.

    "Then let's get to work then." Darth Cocytus replied with resolution, "We have much to do, armies to build and many mistakes of the Past to study in preparation for the Future."

    “Excellent,” they said, turning down a corridor. They were suddenly in the Citadel on Rhand, not the ship - “We’ll need to make you immortal first, of course. Improvements are necessary, as you will appreciate.”

    He looked around the area he suddenly found himself in before his eyes glowed at the mention of immortality and he instinctively checked for his lightsaber. It was more than fresh in his mind the last time he was offered such a 'gift'. It took his very own apprentice to save him from a fate worse than death itself.

    "And pray tell what this operation will entail?" Cocytus asked, "I won't be eating any hearts or anything that would turn me into a mindless, misshapen abomination, will I?"

    The Five shrugged. "You'll cease to feel, cease to emote, but experience pain for all time..."

    "... but you'll get used to it."

    A carnivorous grin split among them.

    "We did."

    They gestured. "This is nothing like that ridiculous technique that Noctyss sought; her Master did not complete the experiments, and they both leapt in, too early."

    Darth Cocytus stared with a blink.

    Just as he feared.

    Was this why Styx left them? Was this how she knew about Darth Noctyss's ploy?

    Did he have his lightsaber?

    Yes he did.

    Just in case.

    "To live without emotion, without anger, without hate, and without fear." He stated, eyes narrowing. "And to live without passion, no doubt... Immortal, but not alive, cut off from the very source of the Dark Side of the Force."

    "And what if I refuse this offer?" He asked, "To instead seek out the old ways that the Sith have used to preserve their essence, even if more secretly and away from all from except only the most trustworthy of followers to further avoid the risks?"

    The Five pondered. “It seems very... short term...” one lamented.

    “But adorably so,” one chuckled.

    “Who knows?” A woman looked amused. “We might learn something of the resilience of the Second Head.”

    “Resilience? Korriban has been torched!”

    “Many times, but yet, it has persisted, has it not? Meanwhile, Exegol has been devastated - tapped out, drained of resources and usefulness.”

    The Five were debating, again demonstrating their hive mind-ness again... they were strange. But powerful, clearly…

    Darth Cocytus eyed them as they debated in their telepathic connection.

    Resilience of the Second Head? A likely hint that the First Head has fallen.

    So much for the Second Hand being weaker than the First.

    "Yes, Korriban is still teeming with life, creatures of the Dark Side warped by Sith Alchemy, as well as the Spirits of the long dead Sith Lords." The kaminoan stated, "Although the Nihil Retreat may well serve as the Sith's new headquarters, Korriban may still prove it's usefulness in achieving my...our... ultimate aim."

    “He doesn’t know.””

    “How could he know?”

    “I’m not telling him.”

    “Someone has.”

    “Fine, fine,” she said. “Korriban has been claimed by the Sith. If you go there, I can’t guarantee you’ll come back. Not with all the chaos out there.”

    They dropped that bombshell as if he should have known.

    His glowing eyes narrowed and glared.

    The kaminoan should have thought of as much. His enemies are like Spider-Roaches. Difficult to get rid of utterly and completely.

    "I AM The Sith." Darth Cocytus retorted with cold anger, pointing at his own chest, "But I assume that you mean the former followers of my long gone rival Darth Insipid?"

    "Or some other Sith faction, no doubt." He noted, "Surely Darth Sidious's spirit could not have fallen so easily to the ways rumors speak of..."

    "No matter, no matter." HIs mind came to a conclusion, "How long till we can get a fleet ready? We shall take korriban by force as we clearly must... and exterminate all those who oppose me."

    The Five looked at each other. "A year, probably two. We lost everything we had built at Exegol, y'know."

    They chuckled. "Do you pay attention, Lord Cocytus?"

    More laughter.

    Cocytus nodded.

    A year? That didn't sound too bad now that he was cured of the poison. Less urgency made room for patience. Certainly better than a year in stasis of sleep.

    "Oh I paid attention. Just making sure." The kaminoan stated, "And the time given to us would certainly be enough to do other things to grow our power in the meantime."

    "This time, though, no Superweapons. I want to take Korriban, as well as the greater Galaxy, in as one piece as possible."

    The Five sighed. "Fine, no superweapons."

    "Nor terror weapons."

    "Nor plagues."

    "Nor undead armies, probably," another sighed.

    They turned in unison again back to him. "Did you want us to time dilate you forward, or...?"

    "Very good." Darth Cocytus smiled thinly. He was glad that they had a clear understanding. "Remember, there is very little real power over a dead Galaxy."

    His eyes blinked in thought

    "Time dilate? I assume you mean traveling forward through time at a faster rate..."

    The Five nodded. “Yes, that. We can hardly send you back, my friend. But it depends if you want to preside over the collapse of Known Space or not... time is complicated here in the Red Nebula...”

    “... some weeks have passed since you left. You may not like what you find...”

    “... he doesn’t like much...”

    His eyes narrowed at the revelation. Seems like he is always traveling further into the future than the rest of the Galaxy nowadays, one way or another. However, that was not what truly concerned him.

    "And pray tell, what exactly does 'collapse' mean within this context?" The kaminoan asked, "I presume that a new threat to the Galaxy, as well as to my plans for Empire, has taken the place of Palpatine, if it's not Palpatine himself again..."

    There were many possibilities aside from Palpatine that he knew of from the Post-Galactic Empire history of his native timeline, and none of them were good…
    “Oh we just mean the inevitable chaos of a Galactic Rebellion. It’s only the, what, second? Doesn’t happen often.” The Five collectively shrugged.

    “It’s a good thing they’ve got a new Supreme Leader...”

    "Oh. So basically the status quo then." Cocytus replied, sounding a bit relieved, "In my timeline there were countless threats to Galactic Stability long even after the rebels won against Palpatine for the final time..."

    The kaminoan pondered and smiled thinly. An idea clearly sprouting from his mind.

    "Who do you predict will win in this latest conflict?" He asked, "Because clearly the Galaxy has had enough of the First Order's nonsense, still tainted by Palpatine..."

    "Speaking of which, ah yes, the Kylo Ren pretender... My old Apprentice Darth Styx, no doubt..." Cocytus added, "Let her do her part to aid in my Empire building by leading the First Order. If she fails, that's on her, but if she succeeds... She will still have to eventually fulfill her role as Apprentice if she is to ever hope to truly be Master of the Sith..."

    “No, not a pretender...”

    “... not strictly speaking...”

    “Not Styx, she’s following the orders of Darth Insipid...”

    The Five hesitated. “What do you know about Force inclinations, Lord Cocytus.”

    These hive minded creatures clearly knew a lot more than they let on. They were tricky, running their own motives, but earnest in their desire to propagate the dark side and cause mayhem.

    Darth Cocytus would have nearly choked if eating or drinking, truly taking off guard by the revelation of Darth Styx.

    His eyes glowed with unspeakable rage.

    "Excuse me?" He asked, coldly, although his sudden new found anger was clear beneath the surface, "Darth Insipid is gone, his spirit destroyed forever... Unless, of course, I have been lied too, again, or my former Apprentice has found another means, albeit his Holocron, to do his bidden..."

    Darth Cocytus breathed.

    "As for Force inclinations, judging by the definition, I assume it's about a being's natural affinity towards either side of the Force, the Light or the Dark, but it likely means something else..."

    The Five chuckled. "Well yes, you and Snoke - "

    "Moreso Snoke -"

    "Did kill the Insipid that was here..."

    "... but he'd split his essence across two forms..."

    "... an Insipid Greater... and an Insipid Lesser..."

    "... and Insipid 'Lesser' made his way across to this reality, just before the Final End of the old reality..."

    A shrug; collective.

    "So Insipid made it here..."

    Darth Cocytus sneered

    Two Insipids?

    As if one was bad enough.

    "Then in that case..." The kaminoan concluded, "Our main objective is to finish what Snoke and I started on Kaminoan and destroy Darth Insipid and his Order... permanently."

    His eyes narrowed, his heart flooded with disappointment towards Darth Styx. She will have to be eliminated as well.

    "In the meantime... I am in need of a new apprentice." Cocytus added, "Darth Styx is lost to me, now a minion of my rival. A replacement is of utmost importance..."

    “Ooooh,” the Five said, excited. “Monstrous, secretive or manipulative?”

    “The profiles for temporary apprentices, no?”

    “Vader the Monster, Maul the Assassin, Dooku the Manipulator...”

    “... no, no, Grievous was the monster - Vader was all three.”

    “... remember when Vader came to Exegol and slaughtered all of Palpatine’s monstrosities and clone creations?”

    They were going off topic.

    Darth Cocytus pondered as the Five gibbered among themselves.

    What he really wanted was to learn where he failed with Darth Styx and avoid making the same mistakes with her.

    The mistakes were obvious and hopefully easy to rectify. Put more focus on the apprentice's training than had previously. Styx really was dragged along for the ride now that Cocytus thought of it, much to his shame. It happens, perhaps though, even to the best of Sith masters at their first time.

    "I want an apprentice, an heir, with vision and ambition just as I have." The kaminoan replied, "Darth Tyrannus had great vision if not for the fact he was nothing but a placeholder for Darth Vader. Jedi make poor Sith Apprentices anyhow, having already been touched by the Light, but one like Dooku, preferably younger of course, untouched by the light, would do as an apprentice..."

    They inclined their heads as one.

    "Well, the Knights of Ren would have been useful, but they're all dead..."

    "... well, all of those ones are..."

    "... doesn't the Last Jedi have a Force user among her allies? That ex-Stormtrooper? Or has that not happened yet?"

    "... why doesn't he just have a go at corrupting the Palpatine grandchild?"

    "... or wait until she has children?"

    Round and round they went, but a decision wasn't rumbling through them. With Styx aloof, and Cocytus fresh off the humiliation of nearly being duped by a Holocron, it was all potential, rather than promise. The Sith had just taken a body blow, after all, and it showed.

    But between the remnants of the First Order, and the remaining worlds of the Final Order, surely there was enough for one to raise to his cause?

    Darth Cocytus blinked with narrow eyes at the suggestion of using the Grandchild of Palpatine, that being of light he felt when he awoke on Exegol.

    "I thought I told you that Jedi make poor Sith Apprentices." The kaminoan replied, "No. The Jedi Child of Palpatine and her allies are better off destroyed like the rest of the rebels."

    The Sith Lord sneered and pondered.

    "There must be some unclaimed Force Sensitive with an affinity to the Dark Side in the Galaxy." Darth Cocytus assured, "One sympathetic to the First Order and to it's cause..."

    "You suggest that there are other Knights of Ren who may have survived?"

    "There are always seven, after all. Darth Ruin founded them, and all. Palpatine merely corrupted and weakened their use for his purpose..."

    "... or those which have descended from the Knights, and ascended."

    "... wasn't Hattaska a member for a time?"

    "... before or after Ren was killed by Kylo?"

    "... of course before!"

    "... they killed the Palpatine child, orphaned the Last Jedi..."

    They turned in unison. "Didn't you find one on Oovo IV?"

    Darth Cocytus blinked and smiled thinly.

    "The bounty hunter woman... Yes..." The kaminoan agreed, "I did promise to remember her. I guess that is one way to fulfill a debt I have with Sing... Once a Jedi, but now a Jedi killer, and among the best of them all. She just needs to tap into her inner darkness to truly fulfill her potential."

    He nodded in agreement.

    "Set a course for Oovo IV. I have a new apprentice to initiate."

    “Happy to come -“

    “- very happy.”

    There was a twist and a turn, and they headed into known space. The great ship tunnelled through dark-space and vanished...

    ... leaving the Red Sith worlds to prepare for their next war.

    "Good. Good very good. A new era is dawning upon us and I will take the advantage of the moment at hand..."

    Cocytus held his fingers together and stared out into the void. Countless ideas swam in his head in ever growing ambition to dominate the Galaxy under Sith Supremacy.

    His Supremacy…

    @Sinrebirth

















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